Chapter 82: Pictures of You

April 22, 2011

Since the drama in Willoughby, Elena had disappeared off the face of the earth. Ellie had been tempted to do a locator spell to find her, but she couldn't really find herself to be bothered enough to do so. She had talked to Stefan though, they'd made a deal with Elena after she murdered that nice waitress that Katherine had liked. So long as they stopped their search for the cure, she wouldn't kill anyone else.

Today was not the day that she wanted to think about Elena and how everything about her made her so angry. She had finally made it to senior prom, despite not even being sure if she would live that long. So much of her time had been wrapped around Elena in the past two years, she wanted today for herself.

The whole discussion of the cure and who would receive it had been put on hold. It didn't surprise her though. Something like that was never going to be a decision that Elijah made lightly. But true to his word, as he always was, he allowed Katherine to Mystic Falls and didn't breathe a word of it to Klaus. He'd even made Rebekah swear to not say a word to Klaus about it. Elijah had warned her that if she betrayed his trust and Ellie's that she would never get the cure. It was a good motivator to make sure she kept her mouth shut.

Now though, they were finally sitting down for Klaus and Rebekah to make their pleas as to why Elijah should give them the cure. "Elijah, being human means a fresh start. I can grow old and have a family and fill my days with meaning, knowing that each one matters." Rebekah told him.

Klaus laughed at her. "Well, that was poetic."

"Well, if you can provide us with a more compelling reason for wanting the cure, Klaus, please." Elijah offered.

"Silas can appear as anyone." Klaus told them. "He got inside my thoughts, convinced me I was dying. He will torment me until I give him the cure."

"And in doing so, he will break down the wall to the other side." Rebekah reminded.

"So it doesn't trap him there when he dies." Klaus added. "He wants to reunite with his lost soulmate. You, of all lovesick fools, should applaud his devotion."

"He will open the floodgates for every supernatural being that has ever died." Rebekah said in a near panic.

"Including our dear brothers Kol and Finn." Klaus corrected. "We'll have our family back."

"Please! You hated Kol and you kept Finn in a box for most of his life."

Ellie gave him a look. "Also, let's not forget you mean your dear brother Kol who warned everyone about the threat Silas posed? The one who tried to keep everyone safe and yet no one could leave things alone? You think he'd be happy with the shit show we're in right now?" She questioned.

"Elijah, please." Klaus said, so entirely confident that Elijah would side with him.

"Your personal discomfort might not be sufficient reason for putting the entire world in jeopardy, Klaus."

"Not to mention, you're thinking about how uncomfortable Silas is making you, but if we let the other side come down, sure, Finn and Kol will be back, but so will both Esther and Mikael. You know, the parents that tried to murder you for a millennium? You'll have to deal with them all over again."

Elijah was nodding as she spoke. "Eleanor makes a point, and I think our sister deserves a shot at happiness."

"Tell me you're joking." Klaus replied. "Ellie, why do you even care about the bloody cure you no longer want it for Elena. Or did your lover forget to mention that he got the cure from his old flame Katerina?"

Ellie scoffed. "Are you actually so mad right now that you're trying to do what? Screw up my relationship?"

"So you didn't know?" Klaus assumed. "Here you were, assuming Elijah was ever so loyal, only to learn he was consorting with his old lover."

Tired of his attitude, she couldn't help but snap back, "I'm the one who made sure he helped Katherine."

He stilled immediately, his cocky grin slipping off his face. "What?"

"I found Katherine first. I made sure he helped her." Ellie told him.

"And why would you do that?"

"Because she's my family, Klaus. I happen to be loyal to my family, especially when they don't betray me."

He scoffed. "Five hundred years apart is a bit of a stretch to claim loyalty by blood."

"It's not just loyalty by blood. She's my family Klaus because I want her to be."

"What are you saying?" He asked as his eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"I mean, I've been friends with since before I knew Elijah." Ellie confessed.

In an instant, Klaus had her by the throat. Her eyes shot wide as he hissed, "You mean to tell me you've known where Katerina is this entire time?"

"Nik!" Rebekah shouted.

Ellie's eyes had gone wide in surprise at the attack. She'd expected him to be angry, but to put his hands on her? Elijah was furious. Klaus was tossed from Ellie and she gasped for breath as the pressure on her neck disappeared. "If you ever put your hands on her again, brother, I assure you it will be the last thing that you ever do." Elijah warned. His voice was icy and filled with rage.

"You can't kill me."

"I can do things much worse than death, Niklaus. You do not put your hands on her. Do you understand me?" When Klaus didn't respond quickly, he said, "Do you understand? Do not make me repeat myself again, Niklaus."

"She lied to me, Elijah!" Klaus shouted.

"You have hunted her for five hundred years for the exact same reason that you ran from Mikael!" Ellie yelled back. "You have tormented her and terrorized for being a terrified child! She was scared, Klaus! Haven't you done enough to her?"

"You do not get to tell me what is enough punishment for those who betrayed me! After you betray me? Here I had made the mistake of thinking you weren't so foolish." Klaus shot back as he stepped closer to her.

Immediately, both Elijah and Rebekah stepped in front of her, protecting her in case of another attack. "I didn't betray you! I knew her before I knew you." Klaus looked pissed off. "My loyalty to her has never betrayed you! I never told your secrets! My loyalty to her is no different than my loyalty to Elena was. All I've ever wanted was for Katherine to be free! That's it!"

Klaus' rage was blinding. He had never thought that she would do something like that. Maybe it was that he held his expectations too high for once. "Nik, calm down!" Rebekah pleaded.

"Did you know of this?"

"I was there when she was with Katherine and I hate that bitch but that doesn't mean I'm ok with you hurting Ellie!" Rebekah shouted.

"Katherine gave Elijah that cure because she wants her freedom! She gave you the only thing that can hurt you other than the stake which you guys have." The fireplace shot to life as Ellie's magic danced along her skin. "She's my family, Klaus! I am asking you to pardon her!"

"If he gives that cure to Rebekah, I will hunt Katerina down and rip her apart while you watch, helpless to save her as she begs for mercy." Klaus snapped. "So go ahead, Elijah, give it to Rebekah. I will enjoy spilling Katerina's blood across the parlor floor."

He stalked off angrily before Rebekah turned to Elijah hopefully. "Elijah…" Ellie pleaded.

"I will handle him. Katerina gave us the cure for her freedom. You're right. After five hundred years running, I believe she's been punished enough."

"Where's the cure?" Rebekah asked.

"Rebekah, it's no secret that you are impulsive, emotional, and at times morally questionable. Prove to me this isn't just another one of your whims, that you know precisely what you are giving up here." Elijah told her.

"Fine. Anything."

"I want you to live a day as a human. This day. No vampire privileges, no strength, no compulsion, no nothing. If you succeed and still believe this is what you want… the cure is yours."

Rebekah almost looked hesitant, but she nodded before she left the room. Ellie could still feel Klaus' tense presence nearby. Though it was unsurprising since it was his house. "Can we leave?" She asked gently.

He understood immediately that she didn't feel comfortable in the house. "Of course."

When they got home, Ellie felt like she was going to be sick. "He's going to kill her."

"He's not going to kill her."

"He's going to kill her." Ellie repeated fearfully. "He's never been physical with me but he…"

Elijah cupped her face in his hands. "He will never put his hands on you again. Do you understand? No one touches you like that."

She sighed slightly as she melted into his hold, stepping forward to wrap her arms around his waist. "Why couldn't today just be a good day? It's my senior prom. Today is supposed to be a good day."

He was running his hand through her hair soothingly. "Today will be a good day." He promised. "Didn't you say you wanted to get ready with Katerina's help? Why don't you head over there or to your house, whichever you prefer. I'll pick you up later."

Ellie stood up on her tiptoes and kissed him adoringly. "Thank you." She told him warmly.

"For what?"

"Being perfect." She replied as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Really. I just… you just mean everything to me." This was still unfamiliar ground. She'd never done this before and sometimes her emotions felt like too much, but she adored him all the same. "Thank you for protecting Katherine."

"I would do anything for you." He told her easily. "Even if it's against what Niklaus wants."

She kissed him again, smiling brightly. "And I would do anything for you." She promised. "But you're right. I should go Katherine and Jenna wanted to make a whole event out of this so who knows how long it'll take."

On the ride to Katherine's she tried to ignore the anxiety she felt about Klaus going after Katherine. The desire to protect her was incredibly strong, and she would be damned before she lost her. When she arrived, Jenna was already there, talking with Katherine excitedly. She was graduating soon, and she couldn't wait to be done with school. "Ellie!" Jenna said excitedly. "We didn't think you would get here until later. How did the chat with Klaus go?"

Katherine, being as perceptive as ever, looked her over cautiously. "What happened?"

"Klaus knows."

"He knows what exactly?"

"About us." Ellie admitted. "He didn't really… react well."

The vampire was watching her with concern. "What did he do? Did he put his hands on you?" It wasn't hard for her to put two and two together. "Oh what the fuck! I'll kill him!"

"It's fine."

"It's not fine!" Jenna and Katherine both shouted. "What the fuck do you mean it's fine?" Jenna demanded.

"I mean that Elijah freaked out on him and threatened a punishment worse than death if he touched me again ok?" Ellie explained. "He can't touch me. I am however worried about your safety. He can get to you if I don't protect you."

Katherine was furious that Klaus had put his hands on Ellie because of her, but swallowed her anger enough to ask, "And how do you plan on doing that?"

Ellie started gathering candles for extra power, lighting them with a wave of her hand. "I've got a few tricks up my sleeves." Katherine's eyes widened as Ellie brought her hands to Katherine's temples. The flames flickered and shot high before they settled.

"What the hell did you just do?" Katherine asked with mild concern.

Ellie grinned. "It's a protection spell against death. If Klaus were to… well if he were to kill you, you would come back." Ellie told her. "I found it in a grimoire of mine not too long ago. And after everyone I've lost... well, I figured it would come in handy to know how to use it." They didn't need her to remind them of Jeremy. They knew the loss of him was why she would learn something like that. They watched as she chanted something under her breath, before she added, "And an extra protection to cloak the house. If he finds this place, he won't be able to see you even if you're right in front of him."

The trio, breathing slightly easier knowing now that Katherine had added protection to keep her safe. Katherine added braids to Ellie's hair delicately, pulling them back and styled after they'd curled the rest of her hair. Katherine found herself feeling oddly sentimental. It felt… normal. It felt like the life that she should have had. Whether it had been in her own lifetime or now, it just felt so familiar. "Kat, are you ok?" Jenna asked curiously.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Just had a moment." She confessed. "You look beautiful Ellie."

"Thank you." Ellie said as she pulled Katherine's arms around her shoulders and hugged her gently. "I love you a lot you know?"

Katherine grinned. "I love you too."


After Ellie had taken photos with Katherine and Jenna, she and Jenna had returned to their home to wait for Elijah's appearance. They didn't have to wait long with his penchant for being right on time. Jenna was the one to open the door since Ellie had gone upstairs to check over her makeup. "Elijah, hey." She greeted.

"Good evening, Jenna." He replied. When he couldn't walk through the front door, he paused before frowning. "What?"

"Oh! I signed the deed over to Ellie to protect the house." Jenna explained. "Any vampires that had entry before got kicked out, but you can come in." When he gave her a look of surprise, she added, "Don't give me that look, Elijah. You're in love with Ellie, you'd never do anything to risk her safety."

Her bluntness was unexpected, but appreciated. "I would never let her come to any harm." He agreed. His attention immediately shifted as Ellie appeared at the top of the stairs. She was in a sage green dress that had embroidered leaves sewn into it carefully. She looked like she could have been a goddess of nature. "You look…" Elijah said as he met her at the bottom of the stairs. "You look beautiful."

Ellie's cheeks turned pink as Jenna grinned. She wondered if either of them had confessed how stupidly in love they were with one another yet. "You look incredible." She replied.

"Shall we?" He asked as he offered her his arm.

"We shall." She confirmed.

"Have fun." Jenna told them.

Ellie was grinning as Elijah led her to his car. "God, I hope tonight goes well." Ellie told him.

"It will." When they arrived at the prom, it was in full swing. She could feel Elena's presence, but she steered Elijah as far away from her as possible. "It seems Caroline did a good job at decorating." He complimented.

Ellie nodded in agreement. "It's the perfectionist in her. Besides, this is probably a test run for her wedding. She likes to be prepared." She joked. As the music slowed, he pulled her in close and she rested her head on his shoulder, feeling more content than she had in days. The realization that she was dangerously close to the end of her high school career struck her then, and she wasn't quite sure how she felt.

After more than thirteen years spending almost every day with the same group of people, it felt bizarre to think that she wouldn't see them constantly anymore. With all the chaos that they'd been going through, she wasn't sure if she'd even applied to college. She couldn't remember that to save her life. But the thought of just going to college at the moment with her life like it was at the moment didn't feel right either. Mystic Falls was going to be the death of her. She was fairly certain of that now. All the chaos that followed Elena around like a lost, but surprisingly desperate, puppy was tiresome. How many more people were going to die? She didn't want to know anymore.

She wanted to leave. Flashes of another life danced before her. Her and Elijah somewhere warm with beaches. Would she manage to get him to swim in the ocean? The two of them in a big city going to museums and fancy restaurants. Had he known the artists of iconic paintings? She could imagine them in nights like this, with insanely expensive suits and dresses dancing and drinking and he spent an obscene amount of money in some donation or other. Would he hold her so close, like he was now? She could see them in a home, far away from death and mayhem and pain. Would waking up in his arms always feel as safe and comforting as it did now? For that dream, she was sure it would. She couldn't imagine a time where being with him didn't make her feel so adored and appreciated.

It felt like the world slowed down in moments like this. Like the hands on the clock ticked just a bit slower to give her a moment to breathe. In a surprisingly rare turn of events, the next couple of songs were also slow ones and she relished in it. She soaked in the peace, because once the others found the two of them, she just knew something was going to go wrong, but for now, she was at peace. Apparently, whatever god there was, or whoever was listening, decided that she and Elijah had had enough peace and quiet, because as the songs picked up in pace, Caroline came rushing over. "Ellie!"

"What's wrong?" She asked immediately as she looked over the blonde. "That's not the dress we picked out forever ago."

Caroline rolled her eyes. "I know. Elena's a real bitch with no humanity. She stole my freaking dress. I got this from Klaus at the last minute." She turned to Elijah and asked, "You mind if I steal your girlfriend for a bit? I need my best friend."

Elijah pressed a kiss to Ellie's hairline before nodding. "I need to call Niklaus, so I'll leave you two to it."

She could tell that Caroline wasn't having a good time, so as a familiar song started to play, she spun the other girl unexpectedly. "Ellie!" Caroline laughed in surprise.

"I refuse to let your entire night suck. So we're dancing and we're ignoring all of our problems!" Ellie demanded. The girls twirled around one another, careful not to trip over their dresses. Caroline, despite her best attempt, couldn't help but give into Ellie's overly optimistic attitude. Since she'd gotten back from Willoughby, she had been done with all things Elena. From the looks of it, she just didn't care anymore. In school she had blatantly walked the other way on the rare occasion that Elena showed up. And Caroline would have had to be blind to miss the tension that hung over her and Rebekah like a dark cloud.

On the plus side, it had meant that Ellie had spent a good deal of time with Caroline and Bonnie again. The three of them together had felt like a breath of fresh air. Bonnie was less tense when Ellie was there to balance her out. Had Ellie not been preoccupied with a meeting with Klaus this morning and then getting ready with Jenna, she would have been with Bonnie and Caroline at the dress shop. "You look beautiful, by the way." Caroline complimented as they danced together in a slow song.

"Not as pretty as you though. But why am I surprised with how nice of a dress Klaus gave you?" Ellie praised. She didn't want to tell Caroline about Klaus' outburst. At least not in the middle of prom.

"Shut up." Caroline shot back. She stopped dancing and Ellie watched as she glared darkly at something behind her. Turning, she saw Elena dancing with Stefan in the dress that was supposed to be Caroline's. "I don't feel like dancing anymore."

"That's ok." Ellie confirmed as she followed Caroline away from Elena. They stopped to watch the others dancing. What would it have been like if she'd just been a clueless senior? Would she have been happier than she was now? Would she have still been alive?

Damon approached them, but Ellie was in no mood to pick a fight. "Aren't you on 'Save Elena' duty?" Caroline asked.

Ellie noticed the look on his face and surprisingly felt a bit bad for him. "I'm taking a little breather." He replied.

"This prom sucks." Caroline confessed. "This is our last dance together, and it's awful. This is not how I wanted to remember this night." Damon offered her his flask, nudging it toward her for her to take. "Thank you." She said before taking a long drink. "Well, if anyone asks, I'll be at the after party." She looked over to Ellie and said, "Thanks for dancing with me, it was the most fun I've had tonight."

Once she was gone, Ellie and Damon moved closer together. "Drink, Sabrina?" He offered. "Tonight already sucks, not really feeling the need to pick a fight." He admitted.

She quirked her eyebrow in surprise, but took the offered flask. "Thanks." The taste of the bourbon was strong, but she wasn't really surprised. It always was his drink of choice. "I'm guessing Elena duty hasn't been going so well."

"You could say that." He replied.

He'd started to say something else, but Bonnie came rushing toward them, looking panicked. "We have a problem." She told them.

"Bon, what is it?" Ellie asked worriedly as she reached out for the other girl.

"Silas is here." Bonnie explained.

Ellie caught sight of Stefan and waved him over. It didn't take much for him to realize something was wrong. Both he and Matt came to them quickly. "What's wrong?" Stefan asked.

"Silas is here. He showed himself as Jeremy, dancing with me. It was like Jeremy was really there. I could talk to him, feel him." Bonnie told them.

"Bonnie, that's what Silas does. You can't let him get to you again." Stefan reminded her.

"Yeah, because you all crazy and brainwashed… it's just not a good look." Damon said.

"Sarcasm aside, Damon has a point. With the Expression magic that Shane taught you, it's really dangerous for all of us if Silas gets control of you again." Ellie agreed. "It's not safe."

Their conversation was interrupted by the squeaking of the microphone. "Hey, ok, the ballots have been tallied, which means it's time to announce this year's prom king and queen." April said from the stage.

"Look, one of us should take her home." Stefan said to Damon.

"What? No. She's safer here in public around all these people. There's no way Silas can make everyone see the same thing all at once." Damon countered. For once, Damon actually seemed concerned with the safety of someone other than himself or Elena.

"But how do we know that?" Ellie asked. "He's two thousand years old, Damon. We have no idea how strong he is. Especially if he drank all that blood from all of the hospitals."

Matt added, "Ok, in the meantime, how do we look out for a guy that can appear as anyone?"

"All right. Your prom king and queen are… Matt Donovan and Bonnie Bennett!" April announced. Bonnie looked over to them in surprise, but Ellie just beamed at the other girl. Despite the chaos, Bonnie couldn't help but glow with excitement. Ellie made sure to take pictures as they went on stage.

After she'd gotten the pictures, Ellie turned to the brothers. "Matt has a point. How do we know who we can trust if we don't know if the person next to us is who they're supposed to be?" Ellie asked.

The brothers shared a look. "Bonnie should be safe in here, but we should go and keep a look out for Silas. Stay with her Sabrina. Once she's off stage, get her out of here." Damon instructed.

Ellie nodded as the two of them quickly left. She didn't want to ruin Bonnie's moment as the cameras flashed around her. For the moment, Bonnie looked so beautifully happy. Matt was off stage first, and Ellie spotted Rebekah talking to him. He frowned as Rebekah quickly turned and walked away. As she made her way to him, she asked, "What was that about?"

He looked concerned. "She was trying to get me to get Bonnie off the stage. She was warning me that Elena was planning something."

"What kind of something?"

"I don't know. As soon as she told me, she walked off and didn't really give me a chance to ask." Matt told her. As if on cue, a strong wind picked up as lights shattered. "Oh no."

"She's this way, come on." Ellie pulled him and rushed toward the back room.

"Bonnie!" Matt called as they found Elena gripping her head in pain.

"Something's happening to me." Bonnie told them.

"It's ok. Just relax."

Bonnie shook her head nervously. "No, I got to get out of here." Ellie immediately went after Bonnie.

A drunk girl stumbled into her. "Oh my god I am so sorry." The girl slurred slightly. "I didn't mess up your dress did I?" She questioned.

"No. No, you're fine." Ellie assured her.

"You look so pretty, oh my god." The girl praised.

Ellie had lost sight of Bonnie due to the tipsy girl. "It's fine, but excuse me. I'm trying to step out for a bit." Ellie pushed past the girl and her magic flared out, trying to find Bonnie. There was a sudden increase in magic coming from the parking lot and Ellie rushed toward it. "Bonnie?" Ellie called.

When she heard Bonnie scream, she picked up her dress and took off in a run. Elena was choking on blood, practically vomiting it out. Her eyes widened as she saw the wound on Bonnie's neck start to stitch itself back together. Bonnie got to her feet, and she snapped her hand and Elena cried out and dropped to her knees. "Bonnie, stop. Bonnie!" Stefan called carefully. Damon stepped around Bonnie, looking at her cautiously before he bent down to hold Elena. "Bonnie, you're killing her."

"I know what I'm doing." Bonnie replied without looking at him.

"That's the magic talking. This is your best friend." Stefan insisted.

Elena was crying as Damon said, "Damn it, Bonnie."

"Bonnie… please." Elena cried as she held her head.

"Sabrina, stop her!" Damon begged.

Despite her anger toward Elena, and despite her better judgement, she still didn't want Elena to die. Regretfully, Ellie's magic flared. It felt like her magic wrapped around Bonnie's, closing in on it and squeezing it until it popped. As Bonnie's magic faltered, Stefan asked, "You ok?"

"No, I'm not ok. I almost died. The shell of my best friend almost killed me. None of this is ok." Bonnie stalked off, clearly shaken by the event.

Ellie watched as Damon and Stefan helped Elena up. Still disoriented from Bonnie's attack, Elena stood no chance at defending herself as they dosed her with vervain. "Plan B."

"If Plan B is anything other than locking her up, I'm gonna kick the shit out of both of you." Ellie warned. "She is a danger to everyone, especially with Silas in the game. Lock her up." She walked away from them then, feeling overwhelmed.

She walked through the set up of pictures on the screens and tried to ignore the ache in her chest. "Eleanor." She turned to see Elijah walking toward her.

"Elijah. I was starting to wonder where you'd disappeared to." She replied as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"You know Niklaus. It's always something." He replied. "I saw that some of the lights in the dance shattered. Is everything alright?"

"Elena attacked Bonnie. She tried to kill her so that Silas couldn't use her, but Bonnie's ok." Ellie explained. "Silas is here. He appeared to Bonnie as Jeremy."

Elijah's arms tightened slightly around her waist. "I won't let him touch you." He promised.

She cupped his cheek softly. "I know."

The music from the dance drifted toward them from inside. "I can't let the entire night go to waste, not when you look like a goddess." He said. "May I have this dance?"

It was clear to her that he was trying to distract her from the chaos, and she gave into him with ease. "Of course." The music was beautiful, a soft tune and Ellie felt so safe in his hold. They'd been dancing for a few minutes when he paused, and pulled back to cup her face. He was looking at her intently and she couldn't help but make a slight face. "What is it?"

He smiled gently as he trailed his thumb along her cheekbone. "Nothing. You're just everything."

Ellie laughed in surprise. "I'm everything?"

"You are. You're everything." He repeated with confidence.

She couldn't look away from him. He was so sincere. "Elijah…" He dipped down and kissed her then, cutting her off. His tongue swiped at her lower lip and she let him in without hesitation. The kiss was intense and breathtaking as he backed her into a tree. One hand was at her hip, pulling her into him while the other hand was at the back of her neck keeping her in place. He bit at her lower lip before he dipped his head down to her neck, kissing at the sensitive spot under her ear. "Oh my god-"

He shushed her as he returned to her mouth as she wrapped her arms around his neck, trying to pull him in. This was definitely a good distraction. One of his hands had dropped down to the back of her thigh, despite the material of the dress covering it. He was pulling it up as if to wrap it around his waist. "Eleanor-" He called her name, but she jumped to attention when her name didn't come from in front of her, but from the side.

She pulled back slightly to see Elijah standing a few yards away, looking alarmed. "Elijah?" Her voice shot up in pitch as the lips on her neck quirked into a grin. "What the-" The Elijah holding her yanked her forward, pressing her back to his front as he turned them toward the other Elijah.

"Took you long enough." The one behind her taunted. "She could have been dead by now. Not a very good boyfriend if you ask me."

"Silas!" Ellie tried to pull away, but he held on tightly. Her panic was so strong that she couldn't focus enough to use her magic.

"Mmm, now you're saying the right name." He confirmed as his hand trailed across her hip.

"Get your hands off of her." Elijah hissed angrily.

"She wanted my hands all over her just a moment ago." Silas taunted, dipping down to press a firm kiss in the junction between her neck and shoulder. "She was having quite a good time."

Elijah looked like he was seeing red. "What do you want with her?"

"With her?" Silas asked as he glanced down at Ellie. "Nothing sinister. I just couldn't help myself. Though I must praise you, between the twins, I would have picked her too." Ellie tried to pull away but he yanked her back again. "Now, I'm going to make one thing very clear to the both of you, because out of everyone in this stupid little town, the two of you seem to have more braincells than the rest. The witch is mine. If anyone tries to keep her from me, you'll learn just how severe the consequences can be."

"We didn't do anything to Bonnie!" Ellie insisted.

"Oh I know, love. You tried to protect her, which is exactly what I want you to do. If she won't listen to me about control, she will listen to you. I don't need her losing her mind before the spell is complete. But, your sister and your meddlesome friends are getting in my way. So, I guess I'm going to have to send a message." Silas told her.

"What message?" Elijah asked as he stepped closer toward them. One wrong move could get Ellie killed. He had no idea what Silas was capable of.

Silas caressed Ellie's face. "You get in my way, and people start dying." He said simply. He turned Ellie's head to make her look at him. "I really am sorry for this."

"Sorry for what?" Ellie questioned.

"No!" Elijah shouted as the blade lodged inside in Ellie's chest. It slid between her ribs, slicing through her lung. As Elijah rushed forward, the blade and Silas disappeared, leaving Ellie gasping uselessly as blood started filling her lungs. "Drink, Eleanor, drink!" He ripped into his wrist, shoving the blood into her mouth. He could see the panic in her eyes as the lack of air started to get to her. "It's ok. It's alright, my love." Even if she couldn't breathe, his blood would still get into her system.

Sure enough, after a terrifyingly long minute, her body sagged with relief as her skin started to stitch itself back together. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Ellie whispered after she took in a gasping breath. "He felt the same, I thought… I thought he was you." She said shakily. "Elijah, his energy felt the exact same. How is that possible?"

It was both reassuring and terrifying for the Original. She had checked the energy. She would have never kissed anyone else had it felt wrong. It was a reassuring thing for their relationship, though he never thought for a second she would willingly do something like that. But to know that Silas could go so far as to mimic the energy they put off was more than a little concerning. How were they ever going to be able to know who was who if she couldn't even tell the energy apart? "I don't know." Elijah confessed as he helped her up.

She wiped furiously at her lips and skin. "He kissed me… he touched me." She said in disgust.

"Do you want to go home?" Elijah asked.

"You have to go to the cure. As far as I know, Rebekah passed the test. As soon as you give it to her, there's nothing that Silas can do to get what he wants, no matter how much hell he raises." Ellie insisted. "I'll go home with Jenna. I'll put up one hell of a boundary spell and I should be safe there, but you have to get to the cure."

He nodded. "Call Katherine. Having her there for extra protection for you will help me feel a bit more at ease until I can be there to protect you myself. I should have never left your side." He was more than a little frustrated with himself.

"It's not your fault." Ellie assured him as she tried to ignore the urge to scrub at her skin. She took the keys that he offered her and quickly went to the car. She called the vampire with shaky hands.

"Ellie? Aren't you still at prom?" Katherine asked curiously.

"Katherine, where are you right now?" Ellie questioned.

"I'm at home. Jenna said she had some last minute stuff to do, so I've just been catching up on Gossip Girl since she's been watching without me." Katherine said.

"I need you to come home, to my home." Ellie told her. "Silas was… Silas was at the prom. He was… Elijah told me to have you there to protect me until he could do it. Can you please come over?"

Katherine was immediately on edge. "Yeah, of course. I'm on my way. Just stay on the phone with me until you get home. I'll try and get there at the same time that you do." She instructed.

"Ok." Ellie agreed.

True to her word, Katherine pulled into the driveway right after Ellie did. "What the hell happened to you?" Katherine demanded as she looked at the blood coating Ellie's once stunning prom dress. "Come on, let's get inside."

"Oh my god, Ellie!" Jenna jumped up from the kitchen table, rushing to the witch's side. "What happened?"

"Silas." Ellie said as she pulled away from them both and took to pacing in the living room. "He wants Bonnie. He appeared to her as Jeremy but…"

"But what?" Jenna asked.

Ellie swallowed heavily as she turned to them. "He appeared to me as Elijah. His energy felt the exact same." Her eyes watered as she thought of what had happened. "I let him touch me, Jenna. I let him kiss me. I melted into him and I didn't even realize that he wasn't who I thought he was."

She felt sick as she scratched at the skin on her neck, trying to make the feel of him go away. "Oh my god." Jenna said in shock.

Katherine's stomach dropped as she looked at Ellie. The younger girl looked like she was going to throw up. She remembered what that kind of violation felt like. She could still remember the show off hunter from her village who had drunk too much and had shoved her into the darkness, groping and touching and muffling her cries. It was where her lover had saved her. He'd beat the hunter to a pulp and threatened to end him should he touch her again. His protectiveness of her was one of the main things that she'd fallen in love with. "How did you end up covered in blood?" Katherine asked carefully.

"Silas had said that he wanted to get a message across. Basically for everyone to stay away from Bonnie and to not get in the way of his plans for her. He said people would start dying and stabbed me to make a point." The memory of Katherine doing the same thing to Jenna felt uncomfortable, but she didn't say anything about it.

"Elijah saved you?" Jenna questioned.

"He did. I had him go to the cure so that he could give it to Rebekah if she passed her test. At least we'll be able to keep Silas from getting that." Ellie told them. "I want out of this dress. I want to shower. I feel so gross."

She rushed up the stairs, feeling like she was on the verge of puking. "Katherine…"

"I'll take care of her. Why don't you cook her something to eat. She needs a minute to breathe." Katherine instructed the blonde. "I'll take care of her." She headed upstairs to find Ellie curled on the bathroom floor, her chest rising and falling rapidly. "Ellie?"

"He touched me. He touched me and my skin feels so gross and Elijah saw and I just feel… I want to throw up. Why can't I throw up?" Ellie asked shakily.

"How far did he get?" Katherine questioned.

"Kissing. My dress covered most of my skin, but how far would it have gone had Elijah not shown up?" Ellie replied. Katherine was thankful for the small mercy. She didn't know how long Ellie had been alone with Silas but he could have done a lot more damage than what he actually did. She just didn't know why he'd felt the need to make out with Ellie in the first place.

"Come on, let's get you out of this dress and get you washed off. Yeah? It'll make you feel better." Katherine suggested. She helped Ellie to her feet before she unzipped the dress and helped her step out of it. As Ellie took off her heels and jewelry, Katherine undid the braids in her hair. "Wipe off your makeup while the water heats up." Ellie did as she was told as Katherine turned on the shower. She made sure the water was hot and hoped it was enough for Ellie to feel like she could scrub his touches away.

"Thank you." Ellie told her softly.

Katherine pressed a kiss to her forehead. "It's what family is for." She left Ellie to shower as she pulled back the rage she felt.

"Is she ok?" Jenna asked as Katherine entered the kitchen.

"No, she feels violated." Katherine replied angrily. "I never wanted her to go through something like that and I can't even fucking do anything about it because the son of a bitch is a two thousand year old immortal." Jenna wordlessly passed Katherine a cup of vodka. "Thanks."

Jenna had made something quick for Ellie to eat and had finished as the young girl came back downstairs. Her hair was still wet and she looked shaken, but she looked better than she had before the shower. "Here you go, sweetie. Eat this." Jenna said as she passed Ellie the plate. As she sat down, Katherine took the seat beside her and wrapped her arms around Ellie's waist for comfort.

Some of the tension in Ellie's shoulders loosened as Katherine rested her head down. She was safe at home. Silas couldn't pretend to be two people at once. They sat in silence as Ellie ate, and once she was done they moved to the living room. They curled around Ellie, watching some random old movie that was halfway over when they turned the TV on. They tried not to think about what was coming or how dangerous Silas was. They just wanted Ellie to be ok. A commercial break came on as Ellie's phone rang. "Do you want me to get that?" Katherine offered as Ellie drug herself out of the comfort of the couch and the blankets.

"No, it's probably Elijah." Ellie replied. It was. "Did she get the cure?" She asked as she answered the phone.

There was a small hesitation before he replied, "I thought she had, but she's still at the prom. Which could be a small problem since I just gave it to her."

Understanding hit her like a train. Silas had appeared as Rebekah. He'd lied and said she passed the test. Silas had the cure. "Oh fuck."


Author's Note:

Silas has the cure. That can't be good can it? Also we got Ellie not really protecting Elena and instead letting Bonnie let out some of her rage on the vampire. But I mean could we really blame her? As always, I hope you guys enjoyed. Please leave a review and let me know your thoughts!

To Guest: It just might mean that Ellie Pierce is on the way, lol. I really do like the idea of it that's for sure.

To mrs. morgan 35: I would also really love to see it. Ellie is so protective of Katherine, she would do anything to keep her safe. And with her rage toward Elena right now, I doubt she'd let Elena get the upper hand.

To LucifersAlleyCat: He definitely did, so angry he dared to put his hands on her. Though I doubt he'll be stupid enough to try that again. I know, I love Elena getting taken down.

To skyellebaby: She might want to say the three words lol. He's definitely in the pissed off stage right now, and Rebekah was more concerned with Klaus threatening Ellie than really reacting. Maybe he'll feel bad for putting his hands on her and that's what gets him to agree to it? Who knows, I haven't written that far yet lol. I know, the others deserve to flip out on Elena, which is why Ellie let Bonnie hurt her. Elijah definitely trusts Ellie completely.

To Blu3b3rryT3a: They're definitely solid besties. Oh Klaus definitely isn't going to give her her freedom easily, but Ellie is nothing if not dedicated.

To NaRuKo-InuTaiSHo-XD: I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

To Qewbix: Damon and Bonnie's friendship really is top tier. Apparently, both Ian and Kat really pushed for Damon and Bonnie to be endgame, because that's what happens in the books I think. So it makes sense why everyone loves them together so much. Lol, it's ok to have a late review.

To brigitm28: We both know Elena doesn't think before speaking, that would imply her having a brain. Our girl is definitely close to getting her freedom but not quite there yet.

To Guest(2): I know, but Rebekah's definitely led by her emotions most of the time, and I get why she blames Kat even if it's not her fault. Klaus like Kat but Kat liked Elijah and so instead of blaming Nik she blamed Kat. I know, sometimes the Mikaelsons get things twisted around. But I mean, before she ran, Elijah did try and make sure she would survive the ritual. But she was just a girl and what happened wasn't her fault. They definitely owe her an apology for making her life hell.

-Madame Magic

Posted: 8/14/21