Ch. 9 – Fool Me Once 1x14

A/N: Yikes, this chapter is pretty short in comparison. Wait until we get to season 3, we'll never have this length of chapter again.

Edit: 12/14/21

Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. Anything you recognize from the show is not mine.

It was a few weeks after Alliana had given Rebekah the dress, the two had been spending more time together as Niklaus and Elijah seemed to always be disappearing. No more time spent in the field or by the waterfall. No more drawings or games. No real sight of them beyond seeing them complete their chores.

One day, Alliana was walking through the forest. She walked to the field in case Elijah was there, but as is now the usual, he was not. She then stomped over to the spot by the waterfall and noticed that Niklaus was there drawing.

Her smile widened as she gracefully moved to join him.

"Niklaus! I found you! I have been wondering where you went," she said.

But Niklaus only hummed noncommittally in response.

Alliana narrowed her eyes for a moment before she continued, "I no longer see you much and you are not spending time with me anymore." She barely kept the whine out of her voice.

Niklaus turned when she started talking again, but soon turned back to his drawing. "I apologize, Alliana. But I have met the new person in the village and I have been spending much of my time with them. I apologize I have not been spending time with you," he replied.

"That is alright, as long as you try to pay more attention to me. I have missed you," Alliana replied. She then remembers what he said about a new person in the village. "Who is this new person? There hasn't been anyone new in the village, since I arrived. Who is this person?"

"Just someone new," he replied. He didn't even glance up from his drawing.

Alliana huffed silently in frustration. She then tilted her head closer to him, "What are you drawing?" she asked.

"Nothing," he replied.

Alliana peeked over his shoulder, but he turned before she could see much. From what she did see it was of a woman. "It must be something important if you are not willing to share this with me," she said.

"I am drawing someone very important to me." Alliana felt her heart race with excitement.

"I hope to see it soon then," she said. After a few minutes of silence and her glances being ignored, she walked away with a contemplative smirk. She ran to the Mikaelson house to find Rebekah. She called out to her when she spotted her. "Rebekah! You never will believe what just happened."

"What?!" Rebekah asked excitedly.

"I think Niklaus likes me as I like him!" Alliana answered.

"What do you mean?"

Alliana explained the situation that just occurred. "Then I tried to see what he was drawing, but he turned so I could not see it. He told me he was drawing someone important to him. I think that person might be me. That is why he is not showing me the picture."

Rebekah's smile dropped slightly. "Alliana there is someone new in the village."

Alliana stopped, "Oh. I had not heard." She thought for a moment, before flashing a demure and polite smile to the other girl, "I believe we should meet this new person. I know what it is like to be new in the village and I was fortunate to meet your family first. We should do the same for them and I could offer them some advice."

"Sure. Let us go," Rebekah said.

Rebekah and Alliana walked to the main part of the village. At first, they did not see anyone new at all. They still talked with some of the other young people of the village while they waited. The day was drawing to a close, when Alliana and Rebekah spotted Niklaus walk through the village and into the woods. Alliana pointed him out and they followed him. They watched as he walked to another person. They walked closer and saw it was a woman. He was kissing her. She was against a tree, so the girls could not see her very well. Alliana felt her heart drop.

Rebekah looked to her and whispered, "I am sorry." Alliana just nodded as a sign of thanks. They turned back to watch as Niklaus and the woman stopped kissing. Niklaus pulled a roll of paper from behind his back and handed it to the woman. The woman hugged Niklaus tight when she saw the drawing, which the girls could also not see very well.

They followed the woman and Niklaus back to the village. All they could see of the woman was long, dark waves of hair. Her hair was so wavy it was almost curls. The color of her hair was few shades darker than Alliana's. The woman and Niklaus spilt apart at the village. Niklaus walked back the way of the Mikaelson house, while the woman stood there to watch him go. Alliana gasped when she saw the woman's face when she turned around.

"Tatia?" Alliana asked, her heart dropped even more.

Tatia walked over to Alliana and gave her a big hug. When she let go, she still held on to Alliana's arms and said, "Hello sister."

I wake up on a hard floor with a pounding a headache and a strong sense of deja vu. Ok, five things I see. I look around and find myself on a tile floor of an unknown, dingy bathroom. The lack of size, personal belongings, and good lighting says it all: motel. I think back to the last thing I can remember. The first thing that pops into my mind is Damon holding me and forcing his blood down my throat in exchange for Emily Bennett's grimoire. Before anything more than a sense of rage burns through me, I focus on reviewing the memories of last night. I remember returning home and being comforted by Stefan and Elena. Then a face flashing in my door. Jeremy's friend, Anna. I can't remember anything after that.

Ok…ok, I'm fine. I rub my hands over my arms. I'm okay. I'm not injured. I check my head, and wince when I feel a bump. But I'm not bleeding.

I check my forearms again.

I'm fine. I'm fine. I'm fine.

Before my panic overwhelms me, I sit up and look at my surroundings more. I see dark brown hair and a tan arm. I rush over and find Bonnie passed out in the bathtub. I stumble over to the sink and wet a towel. I press it to her forehead and try to wake her up. What is she doing here? What is going on? Right as Bonnie starts to wake up, the door opens and Elena is pushed into the bathroom. She rushes to me and we hug tightly. We release and she turns to see Bonnie.

"Bonnie?" Elena whispers.

Bonnie starts to sit up with my help. "Ugh, my head," she says. She sees us. "Emilia, Elena?" She gets a sudden realization and I know she must be remembering what happened to her. "Omigod, Ben is a-" Yikes. Breathe, Emilia, breathe. Focus on Bonnie.

I shush her because we are in a room next to a room with vampires. I point to my ear and barely whisper, "They can hear." Elena gets up and turns on the faucet of the sink.

Bonnie groans and starts to sit up more. "I was so stupid." Yeah, well, we've all been there.

Elena comes back and pushes Bonnie's hair back in comfort. "He had us all fooled," she says. It is kind of true, but I hadn't interacted with him, so there was no way for me to tell.

"What's going on? Why are we here?" Bonnie asks us. Very good questions that I ask myself repeatedly since we've woken up.

Pondering these questions, I remember that Stefan said how someone had stolen Jonathan Gilbert's journal from Mr. Saltzman's desk. Another vampire. "It must have something to do with Emily Bennett's grimoire and the tomb," I realize.

"Grimoire?" Bonnie asks. She's a witch. A Bennett witch. How does she not know about grimoires? The realization hits me. She is the one needed to open the tomb. We are here as leverage. Breathe. How am I leverage for this book twice in less than twelve hours?

Elena answers her. "It's her spell book. Damon says that it could be used to open the tomb." As soon as she says the name, I feel my rage burning up again. I cross my arms and start shaking. Elena places her hand on my arm. I try to draw comfort from her and calm down.

Bonnie looks at us, questioning. "Why didn't I know about this?"

Elena sighs, "I was trying to keep you out of this, hoping it would never come to this." I roll my eyes. That was never going to work. She is a Bennett witch, some of the most powerful witches known. She was going to be targeted eventually.

"Come to what?" Bonnie asks, drawing me out of my thoughts.

"They need a witch to break the spell and let the vampires out," I admit.

"No way," Bonnie says. I nod in response. I try to comfort her, when the door opens and Ben enters. He looks over to us and then turns off the faucet. I crouch and prepare myself to start fighting. "You're wasting your time," Bonnie says to him. "I'm not going to help you." I keep my eyes trained on him.

He walks over to us laughing. He holds me down with one arm as I try to attack and quickly grabs Elena with the other. His eyes never leave Bonnie's, except when he stops me. "That's why they are here." I see Elena struggling and I can't do too much without him hurting us. I don't have anything on me except my vervain jewelry. "Motivation for you to behave." Definitely leverage. Focus on Bonnie. "You know, you shouldn't be so desperate. You made it too easy." That is it. The next chance I get, I am shoving a stake deep into his heart. For lots of reasons. Elena groans as Ben drags her away. Breath, breathe, breathe. "She needs to talk to you." Bonnie and I get up as Ben shoves Elena out of the bathroom door, shutting it behind her. He leans against the opposite wall, staring us down.

I quickly assess my surroundings, looking for a weapon to help us. I see the faucet. I wish I could turn it on and somehow bend the water to my will and drown him or something. Or that I could suddenly call fire and burn his ass. I continue to stare him down, thinking of all the ways I would kill him if I had the. When suddenly there is a knock on the door and a shout of "I'm leaving" from Anna. Ben opens the door and pushes me out first, dragging Bonnie out next. I run over to Elena sitting on one of the two twin beds and hug her.

Anna gives Ben instructions, telling him to keep us "controlled and that compulsion will not work, so he has to use violence". I'll show you violence. Give me some weapons and I'll show her to kidnap us. He throws Bonnie to the other bed and tells us to sit there quietly and behave. He takes off his jacket and walks to a chair in front of the beds. I sit next to my twin and stare him down.

Ben turns to Bonnie. "So, you are the key to this. Literally. The one who opens the door." No shit, Sherlock. He sits on the chair with his left leg on the seat and he actually seated on the back of the chair. "Tell me, how long have you been a witch?" I am so tempted to beat the crap out of him.

"Is there anything to drink here?" Elena asks.

Ben gets up and walks towards my sister. "Are you offering?"

I can't contain myself. "No. But I'm offering not to kill you if you just answer the question politely." He turns to me and I give him one of my best glares. "It won't save me from kicking your ass," I finish with a snarl. He takes a small step back. Fucking baby vampires.

He tries to intimidate me again, but it is not working. "There's water on the nightstand," he growls out reluctantly.

I grab it and hand it to my sister. She takes a small sip when Bonnie asks us, "Hey, can I have a sip?" She has a look in her eyes that I know means she has a plan, something of a magical variety. Good, this means I can use this. Elena hands her the glass of water. Bonnie throws it on Ben and lights it with her magic. His arm catches fire and he tries to put it out. Bonnie and Elena jump up and run to the door and try to escape, knocking a picture frame. I get up and grab whatever I can find. Bonnie gets the door open and gets out, but he grabs Elena before she can make it out.

"Come back in, and shut the door," he says. Bonnie starts, but I hit him on the head with the lamp. He drops Elena.

"Run!" I shout to them. Ben recovers and flashes the door closed, before I can escape. I smirk. "Good. Now we can get to the ass-kicking." He rushes to me. I give him another swing of the lamp. It hits him, but he then grabs it and yanks it from my grasp. I notice the glass from the lightbulb that broke in the struggle. I grab a large shard quickly. When he rushes at me, I cut his hand and kick at his stomach pushing him back. He looks down at his hand in surprise. This gives me enough time to grab a piece of wood from the cheap wooden picture frame that broke earlier. Then the door bursts open and the room is flooded with sunlight. Ben falls to the ground burning. I see Stefan in the doorway and rush out. I see Elena and Bonnie and pull them into a hug.

I hear Stefan whisper something threatening to Ben about leaving town and we leave.

We go to Gram's house. I have always loved the history and magic that has always seemed to be a part of this place. I wander around as everyone reunites. I peruse all of Gram's things trying to find something useful in all the crap she has. Elena calls me over to the kitchen to discuss the plan of action.

"So, what do we do now?" Elena asks.

"For now, you need to stay here," Stefan says. Not gonna happen.

"A prisoner in my own home?" Grams says in surprise and with sass. "I don't think so." You go Grams.

"I can't protect you if you leave this house," Stefan says. Really, Stefan? You are in a house with two witches and me and you think we need protection.

"We'll protect ourselves," Grams replies. Exactly.

"We need to let him have Katherine back," Elena says.

I turn to her in surprise. "Excuse me," I say with some spite and anger. She cannot be serious.

"He is not going to stop until he gets her," she replies.

I immediately respond, "He'll stop if I kill him." I pause and turn, "Sorry, Stefan."

"If we help him, maybe that ends it," Elena says. Over my dead body. And frankly probably a bunch of others. It's not like Katherine is known for restraint in her dealings either.

"No! He doesn't deserve to get what he wants," Bonnie interjects. You got that right.

"Elena, did you forget he tried to kill me," I add. "If you think for a second that I am going to help that jackass, you are insane and obviously don't know a single thing about me."

"What other choice do we have?" Elena asks.

I scoff and roll my eyes. I am so done with this. I cannot believe that she is my twin right now. "I can think of many different options." I start listing them off of my fingers, "Killing him for one. Incapacitating him with magic. Burning the spell. Having Stefan drive him out of town. And I just thought of those now. There are definitely other and none of them reward him for all the crap he has put us through."

"Witches being pulled down by vampire problems. As much as we try to do to stay out of it," Grams comments. She sighs. "I'll open the tomb. You get your brother's girl and destroy the rest with fire. The this will all be over." This is not seriously happening right now.

"We still have to get Damon to agree," Stefan says.

"He already agreed once," Elena points out.

"Yeah, and then we double crossed him. So now he's angry," Stefan replies. And he tried to turn me, so I'm pissed off. Why is everyone now so willing to help him despite what he has done? Are they just forgetting what he has done to try to open this tomb? He killed Tanner, killed Zack Salvatore, turned Vicki, attacked Bonnie, abused Caroline, and tried to turn me. Why is no one else remembering all of this?

"He's hurt. There's a difference," Elena says.

I shake my head in disbelief, "You cannot seriously be defending him right now."

Elena turns to me. "We have to do this. I have to do this." She pleads with me with her eyes. She gives me a slight puppy dog begging eyes. I stay stoic. This would've worked two years ago but I'm different now.

"I know what I have to do," she says.

"He needs to leave town," I state. Everyone turns to me. "When" If "he gets Katherine, they need to leave town. If he stays here, I will kill him for what he has done." Elena and Stefan nod to me, accepting my terms. Stefan leaves to prepare.

Elena turns to the Bennett's and asks, "What do you need to do this?"

I can't believe I agreed to this.

Elena is sent to convince Damon and Grams sends Bonnie off to collect a few things.

I stay to help Grams study the grimoire. I think about what Grams and Bonnie are about to do. They have to remove the open a tomb sealed by a strong ancestor. That alone is going to be difficult. There has to be more to this then just opening the tomb, because then anyone could do it. I turn to Grams and ask her. "There's more to this than just opening a door. This spell was bound by a crystal that is now destroyed and it was done 145 years ago." The same time as the comet, I realize. "This is going to be extremely difficult, isn't it?"

"You are right. There is also a seal that keeps the vampires from escaping. A human can go in and out, but a vampire can only go in, not back out unless the seal is dropped." Grams turns to me and smiles sadly. "You always have been a smart girl, Emilia Grace."

I analyze the look on her face and her tone of voice, comforting but sad at the same time, as if she is saying goodbye. I talk as I realize these things, "This is going to be dangerous for you, isn't it? You may be powerful, but Emily was strong too and she had the power of the comet. You two are not strong enough for this. And if a witch uses too much of her power, she dies," I end sadly.

Grams grabs my arms and looks sadly into my eyes, "We will be fine. We are strong enough to open that tomb and drop the seal if needed. The only potential problem we will have is if we need to raise that seal again."

I nod slowly, realizing, "Then we make Damon go in alone and keep Stefan out of the tomb. Keep Damon trapped and Stefan safe."

Grams nods.

I look at her for a moment, before I spill to her, "Katherine's not there."

Her head whips to me. "What did you just say?"

"Katherine's not there. She's never been. I don't know how, but she escaped."

"Are you sure about this, child?" she asks.

I nod, "As sure as I am about anything in this world. She tends to leave a reputation."

Grams nods slowly, thinking it over. She turns back to her book for a moment before she faces me again, "You need to stay by me and Bonnie during the spell."

"Why?" I frown.

She has weird look on her face for a second, almost like she's analyzing me or judging me but then hesitates. And then the look disappears. "I need you to make sure nothing happens to me and Bonnie during the spell."

And there's a look I recognize. Guilt. She's lying to me.

She's keeping something from me, but before I can ask, she continues, "You are such a special girl, Emilia Grace. Never forget that you have more power than you think." She says this, cupping my face with her hands. I am about to ask her what she means but Bonnie comes in and she leaves to continue to prepare.

We meet up with Stefan who now has a lot of firepower, literally. He has gasoline and a lot of torches. He says it is what he needs to destroy the other vampires. But he is not going to be the one to destroy them. Damon and Elena join us there. I'm surprised to see her in one piece.

"Brother, witches…" I wait for Damon to greet me in some snarky way. "you." He is lucky all I do is roll my eyes at him.

"Everything okay?" Stefan asks.

"I just want to get this over with," Elena replies, walking over to us. "Are we ready?" she asks.

I nod while Bonnie says, "I guess so." We go into the tomb and start to set up. We set up torches on the perimeter of the circular hole in the tomb's rock.

Grams lights one and starts to light the others. "Air, Earth, Fire," she says as she lights each one.

"Water," Bonnie says as she pulls out a water bottle filled with water.

"That's it, just water from the tap," Elena says. I give her a confused look.

Grams spreads it inside the circle. "As opposed to what?"

"I just figured maybe it would have to be blessed or mystical or something," Elena says. Grams just gives a secretive smile and a nod to me.

"Water is mystical in its own right. It is a basic part of nature and that is all that it needs to be to be magical ," I explain. Grams nods in agreement.

I look over to see Damon pull out a blood bag. "What is that for?" Stefan asks.

"Gotta have something to get her going," Damon replies. "Unless your girl's offering a vein to tap." I give him a glare from across the circle. "Oh, calm down, Medusa. I was joking." I don't let up, so Damon looks away. "Admit it-" Damon says to Stefan. "You can't wait to get rid of me." He chuckles.

"I can't wait to get rid of you," Stefan says. You and me both.

"We're ready," Bonnie states. Bonnie and Grams stand inside Emily's mark on the ground (inside the ritual circle) and hold hands, and start chanting in what sounds like Latin, but isn't. I can feel the magic around me. A conversation happens on the other side of the circle but I ignore it. After a few minutes, the flames increase and the magical feeling increases for a few seconds. Suddenly the door opens.

"It worked!" Bonnie exclaims.

"Of course, it worked," Grams replies.

"We have some fires to build," Damon says, turning back from facing the tomb.

"I'm going to get the gasoline, I'll be right back," Stefan replies. He goes and rushes off.

"Are you ready?' Damon asks Elena.

I turn to face Damon who moves to stand next to Elena. "What?" we both ask at the same time.

"You think I'm going to go in there by myself, so you can seal me in?" Damon says, pulling Elena to him.

I move to intervene, but Grams stops me. "Don't bring her in there," she says, "I'll bring the walls down."

"You'll bring the walls down if I don't. You think I trust you?" Damon scoffs.

"As much as I trust you."

"Enough! Both of you," Elena exclaims. She turns to Grams. "Look, he needs leverage." I really hate that word. "He needs to know that you're not going to shut the door when he gets inside." She turns to Damon. "I get it. I'll go."

Damon bows and holds his hand out to grab a torch, "May I?" We don't say anything, so he grabs one anyways. They then walk into the tomb. I know she is going to be okay, but I can't help but worry.

A few minutes later, Anna rushes down the stairs into the tomb.

"Hey, you're not going in there," Bonnie says.

"You think you can stop me?" Anna replies.

"Bonnie," Grams calls to her. Anna comes in and grabs an extra flashlight. She then rushes in the tomb. Good riddance.

Bonnie turns to face her grandmother. "Why did you let her go in?"

"Because she isn't coming back out," I reply.

"None of them are," Grams finishes.

A few minutes after Anna rushes in, Stefan finally comes back. "Where's Elena?" He asks.

"Damon took her inside," I state. And I know she can get out, but I'm still not fucking happy about it.

"What?" Stefan says.

He is about to rush in but I grab him before he can. "If you go in there, you won't come out," I tell him.

He turns to face Grams. "What did you do?"

"Opening the door didn't remove the seal, it just opened the door," Grams explains.

"What's the seal?" Stefan asks.

"Some seals keep vampires from entering, this one keeps them from coming back out," I answer, walking back to edge of the circle.

Stefan frowns as he works through the issue, "Elena's human, she can leave. Anna and Katherine can't." He looks down. "Damon can't." He turns back to Grams. "You weren't planning on breaking the spell, were you?"

"I told you. I will protect my own," Grams replies, holding onto both Bonnie and I.

"Elena can get out. That is all that matters," I say.

Stefan and I pace around the circle for a few minutes. He explains that Jeremy is safe, which is an issue I didn't know was a thing.

Damn Jeremy and his idiot boy attraction issues. Vicki, now Anna. Ugh! I can't keep him and Elena safe when they both are running around with vampires. Luckily, he's unconscious so I can just focus on worrying about Elena.

We stand there for another minute of tense silence before a scream rips through. Elena's scream.

Stefan calls out for her and rushes in. Bonnie and I both chase after him but are stopped by Grams. She puts her self physically in front of the tomb door to stop us.

"You have to let me in there," I cry. "I have stakes, I need to help!"

But Grams just pushes me back, "You can't do anything in there, child." I try to fight for another moment when Bonnie interrupts.

Bonnie turns to face her grandmother, "You can't just leave him in there, Grams!"

"He made his choice," she replies. Damn it! We have to do something! I actually like Stefan. I can't leave him trapped; Elena would kill me.

"No," Bonnie states. "Here." She goes over and picks up the grimoire. "Just tell me what to do. I'll do it!"

"We are not strong enough," Grams says. This is exactly what Grams warned me about. I knew something was going to go wrong. "Even if we were able to bring the seal down, there's no guarantee we can get it back up again."

"You said it yourself. Many things can fuel a witch's power. Help me! Or I'll do it alone." No. I plead with Grams in my mind. She looks over to me and I can see her contemplating something in her mind. She nods and they both look over at the grimoire. Elena and Stefan soon rush out. Well, Elena rushes out. Stefan remains trapped.

"Elena, Stefan…," Bonnie says.

"He's right behind me," Elena replies. We look back at the opening of the tomb and see Stefan trapped there. "Stefan, what are you doing?"

"It's going to be okay," I immediately interject.

"We'll fix it," Bonnie finishes my thought.

"What is it?" she asks.

"I can't," Stefan says.

"Can't?" Elena asks. "Can't what?" She looks to us.

Bonnie cracks first, and she explains, "The spell's still up, we can't get them out. Yet."

"You went in there not knowing if you could come back out?" Elena asks. Stefan looks down avoiding answering. "Oh my god."

"I heard you scream," he responds. I would be less worried if I didn't like Stefan so much. Screw his stupid persistent charm. I just had to let Elena stay with him, couldn't help her get over him, and now he might be the reason a Bennett dies.

"We can't leave him in there," she says. I roll my eyes at that. "We promised him, both of us." Ugh, Elena! Just leave him there to suffer! It's not like he doesn't fucking deserve a little torment.

"I know," he replies.

"Even if we are able to break down the seal, we won't be able to hold it down for long," Grams states. Stefan nods and rushes back into the tomb.

Bonnie and Grams go back to holding their hands and chanting. I feel the magic start up again, this time more intensely. I try to leave the circle as it's kind of uncomfortable, but Grams stops me with a look and a shake of her head. I stand and watch while Elena paces around the circle. The fires increase again and I feel the magic increase as well.

"I think it's working," Elena says. I look up to see Anna hobbling out with a woman who looks very similar to her. I'm guessing her mother.

"I just wanted my mother back," Anna explains. "Jeremy's fine. He's outside. We won't touch him." I stare at the vampire girl and her mom as they flash up the stairs. I have to fight the turge to run after them and check on Jeremy. But before I can think to do so, the fires start to go out and I know the Bennett women are tiring. My worry increases.

Bonnie starts to sway and groan. Grams grabs her hands. "Bonnie, keep going!" The fires go out again. Grams turns to Elena. "You better hurry."

Elena shouts inside the tomb, "Stefan, they can't hold it much longer." She turns back to face us. When Bonnie starts to go really limp, with her eyes closing, the fires go out completely. Elena rushes back in the tomb and I rush over to Bonnie and Grams. I help Bonnie back to standing. I grab their hands and hold them together. They start to continue chanting. I keep my hands on theirs. I can now feel the magic so powerfully, almost as if it is coming from inside me.

Bonnie starts to stop again saying, "I can't."

I encourage her more. "You can do this, Bonnie. You are strong enough and powerful enough to do this. Take some strength from me." What? "Or whatever you need. I don't know, but I'm here for you. You can do this." Their chanting becomes louder and stronger. The feeling of magic is almost overwhelming, but I feel strong and powerful. As soon as Damon, Stefan, and Elena rush out, the door shuts and the fires go out. I pull Bonnie into a hug. "You did it, Bonnie. You did it."

We all take a few moments to breathe once the tomb door closes.

Damon is the first to stumble away and I almost think to question it, but then I remember the last person I saw stumble away was Anna.

"Jeremy," I gasp. I start to move to the stairs, when Bonnie stumbles back onto me.

I look frantically between my friend and my sister. God, I can't leave either of them and I need to check on Jeremy. I left him out there. He's out there cold and unconscious in the middle fo the woods.

Oh my god. Oh my god. No, no. NO!

Elena sees me panic and offers, "Take Bonnie and Grams home. I'll check on Jere."

I shake my head. "I need to check on him myself." I get Bonnie to lean against the stone walls, with a "Wait here. Rest for a bit. I'll be right back." Before I run out. Elena and Stefan right behind.

Stefan takes the lead and directs us to Jeremy.

I rush over to check on him. He's breathing. He has a bit of blood coming from the back of his head, but it seems like nothing more than a minor head wound.

But still, my heart is buzzing in my chest and so I turn to Stefan and plead with him, "Is he…can you give him some blood? …Please."

Stefan nods and with a look to Elena, who gives him her famous doe eyes, Stefan opens Jeremy's mouth before biting into his wrist and dribbling a bit of blood inside.

I look down and away until I feel Elena shift.

Damon seems to have wandered in. He's still stumbling. But…he looks…wrecked.

Oh. OH.

Oh wow. He actually did have some kind of feelings for her.

Elena, the ever empathetic, gets up and actually gives him a hug.

Stefan and I stand.

Ugh, I can't watch this.

I nudge the brooding Stefan (fair, I wouldn't want to see this either), "Can you get Jeremy home? I've got to help Bonnie and Grams."

Stefan nods silently, still with a furrowed brow.

I look over to my sister and sigh. Ugh, feelings.

I get back to the tomb and help Bonnie and Grams back to Grams's house.

They look extremely tired, Grams more so than Bonnie. Grams stumbles to the couch.

Bonnie notices too as she rushes over to assist Grams with a "Here, let me help you."

I move to the kitchen to start making tea. At least it will help warm them up.

"Oh, I'm fine," Grams waves her granddaughter away. "You don't need to coddle me, baby." She smiles at her.

"It was a big spell, Grams," Bonnie replies. "I could tell it took a lot out of you."

"I'll be fine," Grams states with a tired whisper. I look back at them both. It seems that Bonnie and I are both worried about Grams. Bonnie comes back over and we sit in silence, too tired to make conversation. I hand her some tea bags to choose from and a mug of hot water when it is ready. She smiles in thanks. I make another cup and I bring it to Grams. She has moved to her bed, but she looks so tired. Like just getting there has thoroughly drained her. She smiles gently when I bring over the tea, but I worry because her smile is not as strong. I set down my own cup on the bedside table and gently hand hers over.

"Are you okay?" I ask.

"I will be," She says. I stare at her sadly. I know she is lying to me. She sees that look on my face. "You helped so much in there."

I look at her in surprise and confusion. "What did I do? I just stood there. I could've done so much more. I could've fought Damon or Anna or something."

"You did more than you think." She takes a heavy breath as she tries to life the mug to her lips. I help her to do so and then I take back the tea and set it next to mine.

I sit in front of her on the bed, "I could've done more by stopping this. I should've killed Damon and we wouldn't be in this position." I could've stopped them from opening the tomb at all, but the idea of trapping Damon was too good. It's all my fault. I should've stopped this.

"You were there for us. You made us stronger."

I smile softly at her. "How did I do that?"

She turns and takes the mug again. She is able to take a sip of the tea, but then has to set it down again. She slowly turns to me. She then grabs my hands again and forces me to look in her eyes. "You are very special, Emilia Grace. I knew it the moment I saw you. You are smart and powerful and beautiful. A remarkable girl. Promise me that you will never forget that. Promise me."

"I promise." I am very confused as to what is going on and why she is saying these things. I wish I could ask these questions, but she looks too tired for questions. I give her hand a squeeze. I then take my cup and walk back to Bonnie in the kitchen. I start to cook some pasta, because we are all hungry and could use some energy in the form of food, when I hear Bonnie crying from the bedroom. I rush over to Bonnie who is screaming and crying for Grams to wake up. I rush over to Grams's side to feel her pulse, which is not there. I try to start compressions as I get Bonnie to call for an ambulance, but even as I do this, I know it is futile.

Grams is gone.

Bonnie grabs a spell book, screaming, "I can fix this!"

But she can't. No one can.

She's gone…

But I can't stop myself from trying. I keep doing compressions. Even as my eyes fill with tears. Even through Bonnie's frustrated screams as she futilely chants various things in Latin or whatever magical language is in those books.

It's all my fault. I should've stopped this. She can't be gone. I can't lose her, not like this. I should've stopped this. I should've stopped Stefan. I could've left him in the tomb. He would've survived until we got more witches. I should've killed Damon. This is his fault. He shouldn't have come to this town. He did this. Each compression is another repeated thought. It's my fault. It's Bonnie's or Elena's or Stefan's. It's Damon's.

The ambulance comes. The EMTs confirm what I already knew. What I feared. Sheila Bennett is pronounced dead at 11:43 pm.

I hold Bonnie close as we start to cry.

Gram's last words to me on repeat. I am special. Smart, powerful, beautiful. Remarkable.

I promise to remember.

I promise.

Good-bye, Grams. I'm sorry.

A/N: A couple minor scene additions and edits.

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