OG Author's Note: I own only what is original to my story, and have saved the big A/N for the end. Enjoy! x
I sat in the back of the black car next to Klaus. The driver was dressed all in black, and was following behind the truck which held Stefan. Rebekah was in the passenger seat, next to the creepy driver and in front of me.
My eyes were wide and the color was drained from my face as I stared motionless out of the window.
I couldn't believe it. I was going home. After all these weeks, months, even. Finally I was getting my wish, but it wasn't what I wanted at all.
Because Klaus was coming with me— and I knew it wouldn't be long before he saw Elena.
The second reason was that being home would bring back too many memories of all the people I'd already lost.
"You alright, sweetheart?" Klaus asked. "You're shaking."
"Alright?" I asked, my voice slightly higher than normal. "Alright?! I'm freaking out!"
"Why?" Rebekah asked, boredly, looking at her nails. She'd really get along with Caroline.
"Why?! Because your brother locked my best friend in the back of a truck! A truck! You know what happens to people in trucks?!"
"Enlighten me."
"They get kidnapped, Klaus!" I said. "And you've already done that. Next step is murder! Maybe for once you could not kill someone I care about! I'd rather have a living friend."
"So that's why you associate with vampires?" he asked, eyebrow raised.
"I associate with vampires because Mystic Falls is crawling with them! And I'm not exactly normal myself, am I?"
"Where's the fun in being normal?" he smirked.
"Oh, I don't know... maybe not being hostage to a psychopathic original vampire!"
He gave me a dark look that clearly told me to stop talking. But I wasn't ready to stop talking. I wouldn't be me if I was.
"So, what? You're taking me home? Why now? After all this time... Why do you think the answers to whatever Stefan is hiding are in Mystic Falls? They could be anywhere. Hell, they could be back in Chicago! Why are you making me go back there?"
"Why don't you want to go back there?" he asked. "Because everywhere I go will remind me of Jenna!" I shouted, but quickly added, "And Elena!"
Not to mention John.
It appeared that he didn't have anything to say to that.
I looked forwards again and resumed thinking about what Klaus would do when he figured out Stefan and I had been lying.
I tried not to think about the fact that Stefan and I had just signed my sister's death certificate.
Rebekah laughed, and Klaus glared at her. "What is so funny, Rebekah?"
"I never thought I'd see the day you let a human talk to you like that." she said, shaking her head.
"Stefan has nothing to hide." I said after a few moments of silence, my jaw clenched.
"Did it ever occur to you, Rayna," Klaus said, "That Stefan doesn't tell you everything?"
"No." I said stubbornly, folding my arms across my chest. "Because unlike you, Niklaus, I don't wish to know every aspect of everyone's lives. And when people don't want to say or do things, I don't force them."
But deep down, I knew that Stefan probably hadn't told me everything.
"Klaus." he said angrily.
"Sorry, Niklaus."
He growled, and Rebekah chuckled.
I sat on one of the stands in the gym, watching as everyone set up the cups for Senior Prank night.
People who obviously hadn't thought much of my absence during the summer, who seemed not to notice my presence. I sat motionlessly, waiting, just as Klaus had ordered.
For once I was obeying him— because by the next time he saw me he would probably have seen Elena, who no doubt will have been roped into Senior Prank night by Caroline. And I knew he would be angry.
The doors opened and in stepped Klaus, holding onto Elena's arm. I swallowed.
Elena spotted me and her eyes widened.
'I'm so sorry', I mouthed. She just shook her head.
"Attention, seniors!" Klaus yelled in an American accent. "You have officially been busted! Prank night is over— head on home!"
I watched as my peers groaned collectively and began to clear away their things.
"You two." Klaus said, pointing to Dana and Chad. "I'm sorry, who are you?" Dana asked.
"Oh, don't worry," Klaus said dismissively, forgetting to use the fake accent, "I wasn't in my right head last time we met. Lift your foot up, please, Dana."
I watched as Dana lifted her left foot unsurely. "If she drops her foot I want you to beat her to death, Chad." Klaus said, compelling him. "Understood?"
Chad nodded.
I got off of the stand and climbed down until I was next to my sister.
"Klaus, you don't have to hurt anybody!" Elena hissed. "Oh, come on, love." he said, before his eyes flickered to mine. "Of course I do."
I turned back to Dana, who was already struggling to balance.
"So many lies." Klaus said, shaking his head.
"You didn't really give me a choice." I said.
"I'll do whatever you want," Elena said. "Just let Rayna go. Please."
Klaus looked at me and smirked, but spoke mainly to Elena when he said, "Your Prophet sister is just as valuable to me as you are."
"Prophet?" she asked.
"Now is not the time to talk about all the adventures Rayna, Stefan and I—"
"Adventures? Meaning me standing doing nothing as you let Stefan kill innocent people?" I laughed humorlessly, and Elena winced.
Surely she didn't think that Stefan hadn't hurt anyone. I felt bad that I'd said that, until she looked at me and said. "So it's true. What Damon was saying." she then turned to Klaus. "You— you made Stefan kill innocent people!" she yelled angrily.
He smirked down at her. "Oh, they were hardly innocent. Like Rayna here, most of them were liars."
He turned back to Dana, who was shaking and sweating. "Keep it up." he said with a fake smile.
"Where's Stefan?" Elena asked. "What did you do to him?"
"Stefan's on a time out." he said.
I spun around when I heard the doors slam open, and gasped as I saw Bonnie followed closely by Matt.
Their eyes widened as they saw me.
"Rayna?!"
"Bonnie, get out of here!" Elena shouted.
Klaus flashed behind Bonnie.
"Ah, I was wondering when you'd show up. Now we can get started. Dana! Why don't you relax? You and Chad sit tight." he then looked down at Bonnie. "I assume you're the reason Elena is still alive."
"That's right. If you wanna blame someone, blame me." "No need for blame, love. Just— your witchy interference
seems to have caused some unwanted side effects and since you caused the problem I'm gonna have you find the fix."
The doors opened once more and in burst Rebekah holding Tyler in a vice grip.
"Get off of me!" he yelled. "Rayna?" he asked, eyes wide as he saw me.
"No." I whispered inaudibly. I knew what Klaus was going to do. Why else would he make Rebekah bring in Tyler in, of all people?
"I'd like you all to meet my sister!" Klaus said. "Rebekah. Word of warning, she can be quite mean."
"Don't be an arse." Rebekah said before pushing Tyler into Klaus.
"Leave him alone, Klaus!" I yelled. "Find another werewolf— just not him."
He smirked at me. "Are you going to bargain for his life as well, Rayna? You already owe me."
"I owe you nothing!"
"On the contrary," he said, before biting into his wrist. "NO!" I screamed, lunging forwards, but not a second
later and Rebekah was holding me back.
"I'm gonna make this very simple. Every time I attempt to turn a werewolf into a vampire hybrid— they die during the transition. Ask Rayna, here. It's quite horrible, actually."
He forced his wrist into Tyler's mouth and I struggled against Rebekah's impossibly strong grip.
"I need you to find a way to save my hybrids, Bonnie. And for Tyler's sake," he said before snapping Tyler's neck. "You better hurry."
Tyler's body fell to the floor.
Elena, Bonnie and Matt gasped, but I just stood.
Completely frozen. They hadn't seen the horrors I had, but to see a boy who I'd known my entire life, whom I considered a friend, be killed before my very eyes...
Matt kneeled down beside his best friend's body.
"You killed him." he said.
"He's not dead, Matt." I said, as Rebekah let me go.
"Klaus' blood will turn him into a vampire... A hybrid." "And if Bonnie's successful, he'll live through his transition. Go on, then. Go and fetch your Grimoires and enchantments and whatnot." Klaus told Bonnie, before grabbing Elena and I by the arm. "I'll hold onto these two. For safe keeping."
Matt and Bonnie ran out and Rebekah walked toward Elena.
"So this is the latest Doppelganger," Rebekah said, looking Elena up and down. "The original one was much prettier."
Elena gave Rebekah an incredulous look. Elena had never been told someone else was prettier than her before.
"Rebekah, take the wolf boy elsewhere, would you?"
Rebekah smirked before dragging Tyler by the arm in the direction Bonnie and Matt had gone. I tried to focus on the current situation, rather than get distracted by worrying about Tyler.
"Just ignore her." Klaus said in my ear. I clenched my teeth and stormed over to Dana and Chad. I sat down next to them, and put a hand on Dana's shaking shoulders.
It wasn't fair that they were involved in this.
"It's going to be okay." I said to them. I felt Elena sit down next to me, and saw the tears stinging her eyes. I wrapped my arms around her, and she returned the gesture.
Klaus always had a plan. This, I knew. So what did he have planned for us?
"Stefan." I heard Elena whisper. I looked at my sister who was now standing and looking behind me. I stood beside her and saw that Stefan had just entered the gym.
"Klaus." Stefan said, not looking at myself or Elena, but only at Klaus who was sat on one of the benches.
"Come to save your damsel, mate?"
"I came to ask for your forgiveness." Stefan said, as Elena and I edged closer to the pair. "And to pledge my loyalty."
As I predicted, Klaus blew Stefan off. "Well you broke that pledge once already."
"Elena means nothing to me anymore. Whatever you ask of me, I will do."
Klaus examined Stefan for a moment, "Fair enough." he said eventually, standing and jumping to the ground. He started walking towards Dana and Chad.
Oh, no.
"Let's drink on it." he said. "What are you waiting for?" he asked Stefan. "Kill them."
"No." Elena said, and I nudged her in the arm, hard, to tell her to be quiet. She ignored me. "Stefan, don't! He's not gonna hurt me, he already said that— AAHHH!" Elena screamed as Klaus backhanded her. She spun around and hit the floor.
"Elena!" I ran and kneeled down at her side.
She blinked furiously, and I realized she was probably more in shock than in actual pain.
Anger built up inside of me. But I knew I didn't nearly have the strength or power to give an Original an aneurysm.
I looked up to see Klaus holding Stefan by the throat. "She means nothing to you?! Your lies just keep piling up!"
"Let her go!" Stefan said, trying to breathe properly. "I'll do whatever you want, you have my word."
"Your word doesn't mean much. Now, I lived by your word all summer during which time I never had to resort to this. Stop. Fighting." he said, compelling Stefan.
"Don't do this." I begged. "Please."
"I don't want to, Rayna. All I wanted was your allegiance, now I'm gonna have to take it. From both of you." Klaus replied, before once more compelling Stefan. "You will do exactly as I say. When I say it. You will not run. You will not hide. You will simply obey."
Sensing what Klaus was going to do next, I left my distraught sister's side and stood silently in front of Dana and Chad. I had promised them that it was going to be okay, and I was going to keep that promise.
"Now kill them," Klaus said. "Rippah."
He turned and gestured to Dana and Chad, but stopped when he saw me in front of them.
"You're going to want to move, sweetheart."
"No." I shook my head. "I won't let you let Stefan hurt them. They didn't do anything wrong."
"Wrong place, wrong time, I suppose, sweetheart. Don't follow their example. Move out of the way."
"NO!" I screamed. He looked taken aback. "ALL SUMMER I'VE JUST STOOD BY AND WATCHED. WATCHED— AS YOU AND STEFAN KILLED INNOCENT PEOPLE! I CAN'T LET IT HAPPEN ANYMORE!" I shook my head and said quietly, "I just can't."
Klaus' blue eyes bore into my own for what seemed like hours. Finally, he looked at me expressionlessly. "I'm sorry." he said.
I saw him flash towards me, and felt hands grab both of my arms, and suddenly I was standing in the cafeteria, with Klaus behind me, holding onto my arms.
"No." I whispered, gasping.
He let go of me and I turned around and punched him square on in the face. I shook my hand, as though trying to shake the pain away.
I heard him growl and he grabbed my shoulders roughly, but I was too emotionally drained to be afraid. I simply glared at him with every ounce of hatred I could muster.
His eyes bore into mine once more, and I wasn't sure if he was waiting for himself to calm down, or me.
"For what it's worth," Klaus said, "I... Regret some of the decisions I made. But only the ones involving you. I don't regret any of the things Stefan or I did, and I certainly don't regret killing anyone."
"Why are you telling me this?"
"Because," he said in a strange tone. "One day you're going to remember this. And I want you to know why I did what I'm about to do."
"But—" I stopped when I felt his fingers touch my chin and push it up so I would finally look him in the eye.
"You have vervain." he said, and I watched as he took off my bracelet. "Stefan, I assume." he said. He threw the bracelet on the floor, and his hands returned to my shoulders.
"You're going to compel me." I said bluntly. "Can you make me forget?"
He nodded.
"What do I have to do in return?" I asked him.
He laughed humorlessly. "Nothing. For once." I kept my eyes trained on his, and couldn't help but feel confused.
Was he going to help me without asking anything in return?
"You're going to forget. You're going to forget about all the horrors you've seen this summer. All the murders... You will understand what happens to werewolves when the transformation fails, but you will not remember witnessing it... You won't feel the guilt. You know you have nothing to feel guilty about."
"I have nothing to feel guilty about." I replied robotically. "And you aren't going to remember that I compelled you."
I blinked several times, before realizing that Klaus had left the cafeteria.
Stefan burst through the cafeteria doors and crouched on the floor, gasping.
"Stefan! What's happening?" I asked, running to his side. "Klaus compelled me to kill Elena." he said, breathing
heavily. Then his eye caught something behind me, and I turned to see a mop with some other cleaning things belonging to the janitor.
"Oh no, Stefan. No, no, no, no, no." I said, shaking my head.
"You have to," he said, standing. He grabbed the broom and effortlessly snapped it in half.
He handed one half to me.
"Stefan, I can't."
"If you don't I'll kill Elena." he said. "You have to."
I swallowed and nodded. I had to do it. For Elena.
I plunged the makeshift stake into Stefan's stomach, wincing as I did so.
"Now this is fascinating!" Klaus shouted as he entered, grabbing onto Elena's arm. "I've never seen this before! The only thing stronger than your craving for blood is your love for this one girl."
Stefan was shaking, probably in both pain and the fact that, well, I didn't think resisting compulsion would be too easy.
I don't know what I'd do if Klaus compelled me.
"Why don't you turn it off?" Klaus asked.
"No!" Stefan said quickly.
"Oh, come on." Klaus said while letting Elena go and sitting on a table. "Your humanity is killing you! All the guilt must be exhausting! Turn it off."
"No!"
"You're strong." Klaus said, walking over to Stefan and pulling out the stake he had made. "But you're not that strong... Turn. It. Off."
"NO!" Stefan screamed, pushing Klaus away.
At first, I mentally praised Stefan for standing up to Klaus. Then I realized he had probably made matters a lot worse.
In a flash, Klaus was pushing Stefan against the wall, glaring straight into Stefan's eyes.
"TURN IT OFF!" he bellowed.
I watched helplessly, as Stefan's expression changed.
Until soon, there was no expression there at all. Time seemed to stop.
"What did you do?" Elena asked quietly.
Klaus turned around. "I fixed him." he said. "But I think a test is in order," he walked behind Elena. "Don't you?" he put his hands on Elena's shoulders, holding her in place.
"No." I gasped.
"Rippah, perhaps you'd like a drink from the Doppelganger's neck?"
Suddenly, Klaus was holding me back and I screamed as Stefan flashed towards my sister.
I looked at Jeremy and Alaric to see them yawning on the sofa. I stopped my back and forth pacing and looked at them pointedly.
"Go to sleep, you two. You need your rest. First day of school tomorrow. And besides, Damon's not gonna be here for a good half an hour."
"No." Jeremy said.
I rolled my eyes. "Jere, it's not like anyone's gonna take me away again. Klaus can't get in here. You need rest for school."
"You're not seriously going tomorrow, are you?" he asked.
"I think it's good that one child in this house takes education seriously." Alaric said, and Jeremy rolled his eyes but smiled.
"Well this year, Ric, that's all going to change." I said seriously. "Jeremy's going to stop being a lazy ass and he's going to show everyone just how smart he is."
"I'm not that smart."
I scoffed. "No brother of mine gets below an A minus.
Now, you're going to start the new-you by getting a decent sleep."
He rolled his eyes, and got of the couch, pulling me into a hug.
"I missed you." he said.
"I know you did, sweetie." I replied and he laughed before going upstairs. I looked at Alaric.
"You too. You need to be awake when teaching him tomorrow, Ric."
He put his hands up in surrender and hugged me before saying, "I'm on the couch."
I realized that Ric really didn't have anywhere else to sleep. Knowing him, he wouldn't want to sleep in Jenna's room or my parents' room.
"Ric— please don't tell me you stayed on the couch while I was gone." I gave him a look and he shrugged. "You could have gone in my room!"
He shrugged again, and I rolled my eyes. "Right. I'm waiting on the porch. Night."
"No. Wait by the front door or in the kitchen." Ric said.
"Don't put me on house arrest." I warned him, pointing at him.
"Please, Rayna. I'll sleep better knowing that you aren't going to be kidnapped by any vampires."
I decided not to argue and upset him, and sighed but nodded before giving him a quick hug and going to the kitchen.
I realized how hungry I was.
I made myself some cereal and ate it quickly. I tried to focus on chewing, rather than remembering all the times Jenna, Ric and I had had cereal in that very kitchen at midnight. Or all the times she had helped me with... Anything, really. It was then that the tears came. The tears I'd been holding in all those weeks.
A sob escaped my mouth. I heard the door open. I furiously rubbed my eyes and I dropped my spoon and ran to the front door, seeing Damon carrying Elena in his arms, bridal style.
I rolled my eyes, and he smirked at me before flashing upstairs. I closed the front door and followed him— finding him in Elena's room. He had tucked her in and was currently watching her sleep.
"You know, that's kinda creepy." I said.
"It's romantic, Rayna!" he cooed.
I rolled my eyes again. "Where were you, anyway?" His expression changed. "With Katherine."
"Oh. You know Stef—"
"I know. Klaus made him turn it off."
"Oh."
"Yeah. Oh."
"He did this to Elena... He's completely gone, Damon. He drank from her... You know, he fought. He fought against Klaus' compulsion— for her. And all summer he's been pretending to have no emotions. He killed whoever Klaus told him to. But he felt the guilt each time. All so he could get back to her."
"Why are you telling me this?" Damon asked.
"You know why, Damon." I said.
"I'm glad you're back. Ric's a great drinking partner and all, but he's no fun on school nights." Damon pouted.
I rolled my eyes. "Alright, Damon. Not to be rude but, I'm going to bed. You can leave now. Unless you wish to continue watching my sister sleep."
"Both options are pretty appealing." he admitted, and I scoffed.
"Are you okay, though. Seriously." he said. "You were cry —"
"I wasn't." I snapped. "I'm fine."
He nodded, and pulled me in for a hug before leaving. I went to my room and didn't bother changing before climbing into bed.
I felt safe, at home. But then again, I couldn't recall ever feeling unsafe.
Which was ridiculous. Shouldn't I have felt scared, on the run with an original and a ripper? With a start, I realised that on that trip I felt a lot safer than I did in Mystic Falls, and even in my own home.
It didn't seem right, somehow.
I didn't want attention, but... I'd been gone for weeks.
And now I was back, but it was me tucking myself in at night. There was just something that annoyed me so much. I knew everyone had gone through a lot, but...
I couldn't remember anything specifically tragic happening over the summer. I couldn't remember seeing anyone die, except for Gloria.
But something made me feel so... So sick, and guilty when I thought about the summer. I sighed, and scratched my wrist where once had been the ropes Gloria had used to restrain me.
I gasped as I realized my vervain bracelet was gone. Eventually I fell asleep, wondering if anything in my life would ever be normal again.
OG Author's Note: A/N— I'm so happy that this chapter was done so soon!
There is no better feeling for me, than going on my account and seeing someone has taken their time to review on one of my stories, favorite or follow. And even then, all the hits make me smile, so I'm going to repeat 'Thank you' over and over. Also, what makes my smile grow is when someone Pms me, because I love talking to you guys! Thank you to 'Hermione Voldemort Riddle' for being so encouraging!
Is everyone still entertained by this story? I am happy with all the follows and favorites (THANK YOU!) except the amount of hits this story has gotten compared with the reviews just doesn't add up. I basically mean that last chapter didn't get nearly as many reviews as the others of this story did. What I mean is— is everyone still interested? Am I doing something right, or wrong?
Oh, and, please let me know how you are all feeling about no-humanity Stefan, and about Klaus and some of the choices he made this chapter.
See you all soon!
x
Uploader's Note: I've come across some trouble with the formatting to please please please let me know if there are weird breaks between sentences or stuff like that. I'll try uploading a few more chapters today but the issue is really slowing me down.