I HAVE RETURNED! MWAHAHA!
Aha! Sorry for keeping you all waiting, for real though. As I posted on my profile, I didn't mean to be gone this long but it took waaaay too long to form a routine around work, especially seeing as I don't have set hours so I have to fit all my housework between it and then when I sit down for the night I just want to read aha! I've gotten to the point where Lia is lurking in the shadows, though, wanting to continue on and I jumped on board. I've also started actively planning the second story I want to start. This story still has a little bit to go but the end is in sight which is exciting! The first fanfic I've ever finished! Ahah!
Anyway, thank you to everyone that's stuck around! Don't forget to review because it feeds my will to write because I'm greedy like that aha! I'm aiming to make that fortnightly update an actual thing instead of feeding my impatience so there should be an actual schedule nowadays.
Chapter 26Lia huffed for the umpteenth time as she dropped heavily next to Caroline, immediately reaching for the shake on the table and blocking out the rest of the cafeteria. Humming in satisfaction as she swallowed her first sip, she focussed on the frowning blonde, ignoring the sharp sting that Jeremy's absence sent through her system.
"What's got you huffing and puffing?" Caroline asked, eyebrow raised but eyes pinched with worry. Lia puffed her cheeks in agitation.
"The big, bad wannabe-wolf is in town. The new history teacher isn't feeling like himself today," Lia scowled, aggressively readjusting her straw before taking another drink. "Niklaus apparently likes being in other men."
Caroline's eyes blew wide in shock before narrowing in on the frustrated mermaid. "OK, you're gonna have to be a lot more specific with the deets. I won't be satisfied with bullet points."
Lia pouted before telling the cheerleader exactly what went down.
Caroline was not impressed if her eyebrow had anything to say about it.
"So, let me get this straight. You rip the mask right off his face, proclaiming you knew Bruce Wayne was Batman the minute you saw him, and then proceeded to tell him his own life story?" Caroline barrelled right through Lia's indignant spluttering. "What did you expect? You essentially pulled an 'I know what you did last summer' and backed the big bad wolf into a corner! A corner, I'm pretty sure, he's not used to being in seeing as he's always been the biggest kid on the block!"
"I expected him to at least be nicer," Lia pouted, her eyes wide and glassy. Caroline sighed, flipping her hair over her shoulder as she looked to the ceiling for guidance. Or patience.
Probably both.
"You've met his brother. You didn't really expect him to be any kind of nice, right?" Caroline sent the raven-haired girl a judgy look before continuing. "He's been on top of the food chain for way too long to believe he needs to cater to 'lower lifeforms.' He hasn't had a taste of your fists yet; physical, magical or otherwise."
Lia's pout persisted even though she knew Caroline was right. She'd jumped the gun in her excitement and set the hybrid's hackles standing. She puffed out her cheeks before huffing, the air shooting straight to her fringe as she dropped her elbow on the table and plonked her cheek in her upturned palm.
"If I'd known he was going to be that sensitive, I would have approached with caution," Lia moodily swiped her drink back off the table as Caroline rolled her eyes. The pair looked up as Stefan dropped into the seat in front of them.
He smiled.
They blinked.
"How's your day going?" Stefan asked lightly, sounding genuinely interested as his gaze bounced between the two friends. They shared a look before turning back to the teenaged vampire.
"Great," Lia deadpanned, slurping her drink without breaking eye contact. Her head was tilted to the side while her gaze studied him like a fish in a tank.
"Uh huh," Caroline flipped her hair, her hawk-like gaze observing Stefan intensely. "So, you're here. Not there," she vaguely wept her hand in the direction of Elena and Bonnie. "Why?"
"I…" Stefan's gaze flickered to the brunette only to see her angry, hurt eyes already piercing him. He held back a wince, swallowing heavily before looking back at the blonde. "Elena and I broke up."
Lia blinked. "Again?"
Caroline leaned forward. "Who broke it off? What was said? Are there any plans of future reconciliation? Are you still drawn to her?"
It was Stefan's turn to blink. And blink again before his gaze narrowed thoughtfully at his ex-girlfriend.
"I, uh- I broke it off with her; I'm not in the right frame of mind to give her the relationship she deserves," he answered absently before his eyes locked onto Caroline once more. "What do you mean 'drawn to her'? Why did you say it like that?"
Caroline leaned back with a scoff, flipping her hair as she looked around the cafeteria, seemingly having lost interest at the lack of drama. "Figure it out, Stefan. It will save you a lot of trouble."
Lia tried to supress her amused grin in vain, looking between the two with her straw tucked between her lips. She knew Caroline was basking in the 'I know something you don't' vibes. She rolled her eyes in humour before turning to Stefan and setting her drink down. "Stef, buddy, I think you've been in the dark long enough. Come over this afternoon and we'll fill you in on the need-to-knows. Sound good?"
Stefan was already nodding before she'd finished her invite. "I'll follow you home after school?"
The warning bell rang just as Lia nodded. With a final smile, the vampire left, leaving Lia with a wild-eyed Caroline.
"Ok, what? Uh, I don't remember skipping any of the weekly newsletters. Can you remind me again why we're suddenly fine with bringing Stefan into the fold?"
Caroline blinked as Lia released a long, grumpy groan as she slammed her cup into the trash with a lot more force than necessary.
"God, sorry I asked," Caroline raised an unimpressed brow as they made their way to their next class.
"You remember how I told you about the brand on Stefan's soul that I manipulated?" Seeing the nod, Lia continued. "Yeah, so, that connection? It's decided it's done sleeping. And guess who doesn't have the ability to sing that particular song anymore?"
Caroline processed this as she directed Lia to the classroom, the mermaid having whipped out her phone and started texting at lightning speed.
"So, you want the newly returned Puppy-pire initiated into the family?" Caroline asked as they took their seats.
Lia couldn't help the amused grin. "You give us such mafia vibes. I dig it," her good humour left her as she sighed, her eyes pinched in frustration. "I don't want to risk the brand fully awakening and turning the guy into my devoted emissary who sees me as a beacon in the stormy sea, and if I ignore him, he'll dig deeper for that connection," Lia's head damn-near cracked the table with how heavy it hit it. "I can't believe I forgot about it."
Caroline frowned in thought as she clicked her pen repeatedly, waiting for the teacher to arrive. "What triggered him, though?"
Lia dragged herself upright just to slump in her seat. "The thing with Elijah, I bet. Damon and Loren explained what it felt like. For that brief moment in time, when I connected to the vampire race, their soul literally connected with mine to form the tether. In Stefan's case, he was reconnected. It sent his body into overdrive trying to keep that connection alive instead of fading into the background like it did for everyone else. His soul would have felt the familiarity, digging up old feelings of utter peace, and Stefan being Stefan would have chased after that feeling with a passion because he's desperate for normality, for tranquillity and strength against his guilt and hunger."
Caroline stared. "Great," she deadpanned.
"So great," Lia smile was a grimace as the class bell rang. "After school is gonna be fun."
"Did you text Damon?" Caroline whispered as a harried teacher stumbled into the room.
Lia's eye twitched as she whipped out her phone again.
*TVDM*
Jeremy didn't attend any classes that day. He walked aimlessly as he tried to comprehend what he'd been told, what he now knew not only about the actions – or lack thereof – of his best friend, but also the kind of person his father was.
His father.
God, how did Enzo even look at him?
No, it wasn't about Enzo. It was about Lia.
Lia and her unwillingness to save his dad.
That information burned and itched under his skin.
She could have saved him, but she didn't.
Why?
Because she didn't want to.
Human life was meaningless to her.
No; that wasn't fair. Human life held very little meaning to Lia as a whole, but she would do anything for those she loved.
Those she knew.
She hadn't known Jeremy then.
But now she did. And she loved him.
He loved Lia, too. And Caroline and Enzo and, hell, even Damon. He also loved his dad.
She didn't save him.
He tortured Enzo.
He was nothing to a newly-arrived mermaid.
He was everything to a suffering and imprisoned vampire.
He was so much more than the family man he'd known.
Who was Grayson Gilbert?
Jeremy released a shuddering breath, scrubbing his hands over his face before he looked up. His breath caught in his throat as he recognised the area immediately.
He was at Wickery Bridge.
Well, the newly-built bridge after its run-in with the fire his vampire friends had set. He slowly trekked along the wood until he was above the middle of the river, looking down at the water that ended his parents' lives.
If he was honest with himself, Jeremy wasn't mad at Lia. He actually understood. An unknown human who would have died with or without her there. She just used his death to her advantage after finding herself in a strange place. What he couldn't wrap his head around was the guilt he felt; the guilt from still loving his father even though he was Enzo's warden.
He wanted to talk to Enzo. As useless as his apology would be, he felt like he needed to tell him that he'd never forgive his father for the things he'd done at the college. He scoffed as he leaned back, holding his weight on the railing as he scanned the blue sky. He just couldn't process it. The horror stories he'd heard from Enzo about his time at Augustine did not match the family man Grayson Gilbert had been.
Jeremy paused, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. His uncle was obviously in the know about vampires; more so than he'd originally thought thanks to the conversation he'd heard this morning; an adopted Elena was a concern for another day, thankyouverymuch. What if his uncle had knownabout Augustine?
Jeremy stood straight, squaring his shoulders as he started marching straight toward his house. He had an uncle to confront.
*TVDM*
Enzo opened the door just as the first knock hit the wood. Jenna blinked in surprise before grinning in amusement, rolling her eyes as she crossed the threshold. She was immediately brought into the vampires' strong arms, sighing in content as her own automatically encircled him.
"Hello, gorgeous," Enzo purred, his voice vibrating through his chest.
"Hey, handsome," Jenna flirted, her smile becoming crooked. "You called?"
Worryingly, Enzo sighed, his features dropping into a small frown as he met her eye almost solemnly.
"I got a text from Lia earlier. We have some things to talk about. Nothing good this time, I'm afraid," Enzo's eyes pinched as he led his lover toward the couch. He tucked her into his side, pulling her legs across his lap. One hand settled around her while the other massaged her thigh.
"Just once, I'd like something that wasn't life-changing. I still think you're holding the 'unicorns are real' bomb for when you have to tell me really bad news to soften the blow," Jenna joked weakly before sighing, her head coming to rest on Enzo's shoulder. "Alright, lay it on me."
Giving her a squeeze, Enzo told her what Jeremy now knew and his reaction.
Jenna was quiet for a long time; processing not only what she'd learned – Grayson a mad scientist was a shocker – but also how she thought Jeremy was taking it. She tried to push her morbid curiosity back as long as she could, not sure if she really wanted the all-important question answered, but she didn't have to bother. As soon as she met Enzo's eye, he sadly shook his head and offered a sad, understanding smile.
"Miranda had already passed when Lia was made aware of their presence. I'm sorry, love."
She knew – of course, she knew – but that didn't stop the grief from rolling through her again. Enzo simply held her as she let her tears free, rubbing her back as she sniffled and hiccupped through memories of her cherished older sister.
Once Jenna had cried her tears and cleaned her face, she sighed tiredly as she offered Enzo a small smile. "Thank you, for telling me. I get why you guys didn't tell us, especially so soon after losing them." She frowned sympathetically as she thought of her nephew. "I hope Jer's OK."
"So do I," Enzo hesitated before carrying on. "That's unfortunately not the only thing that's come to light."
Jenna groaned, burying her face into the side of Enzo's neck. "Say it ain't so."
Enzo smiled in amusement, dropping a kiss onto the strawberry blonde's forehead before revealing his next gossip. "Elena is adopted."
"Oh," Jenna huffed a relieved breath. "That is information I am aware of."
Enzo blinked in surprise. "Does Elena know who her biological parents are?"
It was Jenna's turn to blink. "You know who her real parents are?"
"Ah," Enzo nodded in both understanding and response to her question. "Yes. Jonathon Gilbert is her father. Her mother I'm not quite sure on."
Jenna choked.
"What?" she rasped, gratefully taking the water that had appeared as quickly as Enzo had disappeared to retrieve it. Taking a mighty gulp, she hastily dropped the glass on the side table before her attention honed in on her boyfriend's amused face. "I repeat, what?!"
*TVDM*
Damon clucked his tongue as he read the message his Little Snow had sent. He wasn't in the habit of lying to himself (often), so he could admit he was pissed. Saint Stefan had once again made himself a monumental pain in his ass.
He was finally comfortable. Content, some would say. Fuck, he was damn-near happy! He got to play on the anti-vampire council, he had Enzo back, he'd gained Lia and other people that he was more than OK tolerating. Katherine was a raging bitch that had been returned to her internal hell and had been dropped at the re-spelled tomb early that morning, and he had a new kind of friend in the shape of Qetsiyah.
He'd made sure she knew she was very welcome to drop in again before she'd left back to the Other Side.
And now Stefan wanted to insert his massive forehead into his motley crew.
Damon didn't want to share.
Stefan had his Hero's Journey to trudge through; Damon didn't want him stomping all over his playground with his good intentions and Easter Island forehead.
Damon paused, his frown clearing into a contemplative mien as he looked down at his phone again. A smirk slowly slid onto Damon's face as he flicked through the contacts of his phone. He would make it as difficult as he could for Stefan to share his friends. He found her number, grimacing slightly as the guilt socked him in the gut before he pushed it away as easily as he pushed the call button.
His smirk was truly in full bloom when she answered.
"If this isn't about Stefan, I'm going to hunt you down just so I can shove a stake up your ass."
Damon's smirk turned wicked.
"Now, now, past lover o' mine. No need to be hostile."
Lexi sighed aggressively. "What do you want, Damon?"
"Me? I don't want anything. I just thought I'd confirm you're heading over for Stefan's birthday next week, assuming you're still as predictable as ever."
He could almost hear the eyeroll. "Wanting to visit a friend on their birthday isn't 'predictable,' it's just what friends do; something you'd know if you had any."
"Ouch," Damon grinned before gasping dramatically and snapping his fingers. "Well, shoot, you know? Now that I think about it; Stefan's new friend probably doesn't even know his birthday is right around the corner." Damon's teeth were bared gleefully as he quickly pulled his phone away, finding the one picture he had of Stefan and Elena together and sending it Lexi's way. "There; now you know who to find when you get to town. Maybe you can - oh, I don't know - plan a party or co-ordinate gifts or something. Don't say I don't do anything for you," he cooed before maliciously ending the call.
Tossing his phone on his bed, whistling as he began to strip. A bubble bath was definitely on the agenda for now.
*TVDM*
The witches on the Other Side repeat the need for the doppelganger's death.
I won't know anything without the Moonstone.
Alaric's face sneered down at the phone, hand tightening its grip around the device that didn't want to give him any good news. Klaus was pissed. His self-restraint hanging by millimetres of thread.
The forest fae was a nosy demon in disguise.
He wanted to rip her insides out to discover her secrets. He needed to know how she knew what she did.
His fingers burned to paint her.
A growl escaped his throat as he tossed his phone away from him, glaring at the device as it slid over the teacher's desk. Pushing the too-knowing creature to the corner of his mind, his thoughts turned to the cursed moonstone and how to get it. If only he knew where Katerina was.
The phone drew his attention once more as it vibrated against the desk. He opened the new message, seeing a picture that drew a malicious smile to his lips.
"Oh, Katerina. You've never looked better."
The photo showed the woman he loathed in a tunnel of some kind. Her hair was a mess and her skin grey. She was covered in blood and dirt, her clothing frayed and sporting bloody holes. It was her face, however, that truly filled Niklaus with glee.
She looked terrified.
More than that, she looked insane.
He couldn't help but laugh as he hit call on Maddox's number.
"I want her at the teacher's apartment," Nik demanded without any preamble as soon as the call connected.
"She's been spelled in with more power than I possess. I'm waiting for Greta now."
Nik's eyes narrowed. "Keep me posted."
Ending the call and looking at the photo once more, Klaus leaned back in his chair with a thoughtful look upon his borrowed face. He wondered who was responsible for the handiwork before locking his phone as the bell rang. He'd find out this afternoon, he supposed.
*TVDM*
Elena slammed her car door closed, pushing her hair back as she looked out the windscreen. Her eyes narrowed as she saw Stefan spot Kaliope and Caroline. He immediately made a beeline for them. She huffed, worrying her lip between her teeth.
She was sure, now more than ever, that she was the only one not affected by whatever Kaliope was. She had no idea why, but it seemed like Kaliope had come in to take everything from Elena. She came into town the night her parents had died. She started with Caroline because she was the most convenient, moving to Jeremy, Jenna then Bonnie. But that wasn't enough. She had to take Stefan as well.
Elena scoffed as she watched the trio split as they walked to their respective cars. Her angry scowl melted into a worried frown as she turned her attention to her steering wheel. She didn't know what to do. She was losing her friends, family and boyfriend to a stranger; a supernatural, murderous stranger. At this point, if not for his connection to the girl, Elena would even be willing to turn to Damon for help.
Sighing, the brunette took one last glance out her windshield as she turned the key in the ignition, her gaze stopping on Bonnie. An idea burst through her mind like fireworks as a determined expression painted her face.
She pulled out of the carpark too quickly, heading in the opposite direction of home.
She wasn't the only one in town that didn't like the unknown creature.
She had to talk to Sheila Bennett.
*TVDM*
"So," Caroline casually looked at the vampire in her rear-view mirror before her gaze flickered to the mermaid. "What exactly is 'need-to-know' for Stefan?"
Lia snapped her fingers, a silencing spell immediately surrounding the pair, before she explained. "I'm gonna spill the species beans," she grumbled as she dug for her phone. "Originally, I was gonna just bring the guy into the fold and hope I learned to love him, but then I got this after spilling all the deets to Damon." Lia unnecessarily cleared her throat before reading the text. "'Great. Make room in the bathroom for his hair care products. Does he get my bunk or is he staying outside like a good puppy?' I knew he wouldn't like it but the defensive sarcasm screams insecure and grumpy. Damon has had to overcome Enzo's betrayal to earn our trust. It's not fair that Stefan just gets handed an invite to our family because of happenstance and circumstance."
"You think knowing what you are will be enough?" Caroline's tone showed how convinced she wasn't.
"Not just my origin story, but what I am to vampires," Lia explained. "I'm hoping that touching on the spontaneous ritual between me and Elijah will give the guy all he needs to know to not delve further, especially if I tell him the consequences if chooses to do so anyway. If I have to lie to get him to leave sleeping dogs lie, I will."
"Huh," Caroline contemplated that as she pulled into the driveway of the Athánatos residence. She turned to car off before turning to her best friend. "No Elena talk, right?"
Lia nearly choked, she scoffed so hard. "Of course not. God, could you imagine the disapproval that would stink up the living room? No thanks!"
Caroline rolled her eyes at the dramatic alien as she climbed out of the car, offering a tight smile to Stefan before marching right for the door and letting herself in.
Lia walked with Stefan to the door, turning just as she crossed the threshold.
"Come in, Stefan Salvatore."
Giving the raven-haired girl a kind smile, Stefan easily stepped through the entrance, taking his time in gazing around.
"You have a lovely home," Stefan offered, receiving a proud grin in return.
"It is, isn't it?" Lia sighed happily, skipping through to the living room to find Enzo and Jenna watching TV. "Hello, my people!"
"Songbird," Enzo grins fondly, wrapping his free arm around the mermaid as she dropped in beside him. "How was the rest of your day?"
"Ugh, great," Lia sarcastically cheered. "You remember Stefan?" she asked rhetorically as the vampire came into view.
"Good to see you again, mate," Enzo's smile didn't quite reach his eyes.
"Stefan," Jenna offered a welcome about as warm as Enzo's in the name of family loyalty, knowing the vampire teen had broken up with her niece.
"Enzo, Jenna," Stefan nodded as he dropped awkwardly into his chosen seat.
"Caroline, conquer any hearts today?" Jenna teasingly asked, wagging her eyebrows at the hair toss Caroline gave as she sighed.
"Probably. You know how it is. I simply exist and I have a new onslaught of secret admirers," Caroline leaned back into her seat dramatically. "It's hard being this perfect, but someone has to do it."
"You truly are the best of us," Jenna nodded in all seriousness before grinning, jumping from her seat and whirling around to give Enzo a kiss on the cheek. "Seeing as the kids are home, I'm going to see if Elena and Jeremy have made it back yet. We have quite the family night ahead."
"I'll walk you back," Enzo stated, immediately climbing to his feet. Jenna rolled her eyes but smiled fondly none-the-less as she threaded her arm through his offered limb.
"Bye everyone!" she called over her shoulder before she walked through the door.
At the sound of it closing, the room was doused in silence for all of 3 seconds before Lia rolled her eyes. "So!" she clapped her hands, eyes landing on the immortal teen. "What do you want to know?"
"Why am I drawn to you?" Stefan asked immediately before his eyes widened and his jaw partially dropped. Even Lia blinked at the blunt question, not having expected him to be so straightforward. She internally shrugged, understanding – if not empathising – with impatience.
The female duo proceeded to fill Stefan in on Lia's true origin and the fact that she was now the anchor of his species to this planet.
Nearly an hour later, Enzo having long since joined the trio with a glass of amber liquor that had been refilled a few times, Stefan was all questioned out, sitting with his hands cradling his head as he processed all the information he'd been given.
"I know that you're dangerous," he mumbled, more to himself than anyone in the room. "But it's still a shock to learn that, of all things, you're a mermaid."
"Oi! A very intimidating, alien mermaid, on par with the Divine!" Lia sniffed, crossing her arms daintily as she looked down her nose at the vampire. "You saw the tomb."
Stefan blinked hard raising his head slightly to look at the beautiful creature across from him. "Yes, I did."
His eyes pinched in the corners as he thought on the turbulent emotions he felt regarding that scene, and had been feeling ever since.
"You're not doomed to the life of a ripper, you know," Lia sighed as his attention honed in on her as if she'd been speaking pig latin. "It's your conscience that's literally turning you into what it's trying to avoid. It's the guilt and the shame that's avidly trying to block out what you do, which causes you to black out, which means you're essentially letting a flip-switched vampire out every time you're prepared to feed, which then makesyou to want to flip the switch when you realise what you've done. It's quite the cycle you've put yourself in."
"And you know how to stop me?" Stefan meant to be challenging but the desperation was too strong.
"Accept yourself, my guy," Lia shrugged carelessly, slouching further against Enzo as he nodded his agreement.
"Angel's right, mate. You're still thinking like a human when it comes to vampires even though you are one. Dangerous mindset, indeed. You've dug yourself a bit of a hole when it comes to your appetite, as well, so it won't be easy. Living on celery won't last forever. You need to do some self-love before you lose yourself to your vampire for good."
"Forgiveness is the first step to acceptance," Caroline pitched in, an unimpressed eyebrow in Stefan's direction. "God, you'd think at 150 years old you'd be smarter."
"Ouch," Stefan commented lightly as his usual frown painted his face. "Harsh."
Caroline smiled mirthlessly. "I still haven't forgiven you for assuming I was trying to hit on you at the Falls."
Stefan blinked. "You weren't?"
"Uh, no, God! I was trying to buy Matt some one-on-one time with Elena! You are not that hot."
Stefan ducked his head sheepishly. "Sorry, then, for the misunderstanding."
Caroline sniffed as she flipped her hair, crossing her arms and looking away. "It's forgiven, I suppose, but not forgotten."
Enzo smirked, amused, while Lia offered her own scum-of-the-earth look at Stefan in solidarity.
"So," Stefan cleared his throat unnecessarily. "Forgiveness."
"You only get one life – immortal or not – and you only have one you. If something happens, don't push it to the side; accept it. You're a vampire, not just a teenager. So far, I've seen you use the fact that you're a vampire. I've seen that you know that you're a vampire. I haven't seen you understand what being a vampire means."
After Lia's speech, Enzo took the vampire aside to start him on the road to recovery, talking about what being a vampire meant to him and discussing how they'd get his diet back on its natural track.
It wasn't much later that Lia was walking Stefan out, Caroline organising dinner for herself so she could get to bed early for her big day tomorrow.
"Thank you for today," Stefan smiled tiredly. He had a lot to think about and a lot to sort out. It was going to be him and his journal for a long time tonight.
Leaning against the door frame as Stefan made his way toward his car, Lia casually stated, "it was the forming of the connection between me and the vampire race that you felt, you know."
Stefan blinked before his posture straightened, spinning around so his intense eyes could meet Lia's calm gaze. "What?"
"The emotional connection between the two of us; the serenity? Peace and tranquillity? It's the connection between anchor and anchored. If you're not careful, you'll use the connection as a crutch and come to see me as your one true God. I'd really rather not have a devoted following, you understand," Lia's near-mocking dropped into something more serious. "Don't dig for it, Stefan. Because you're a ripper, you felt it a hell of a lot more than the rest of the vampire race. Accept that it's there but leave it alone."
Stefan didn't remember climbing into his car but he drove away regardless, taking one last glance in his rear-view mirror before he focussed on the road.
*TVDM*
Elijah set his teacup down, hiding his sneer at being served outside the Bennet witch's house. He respected that Sheila Bennett did not trust vampires, but he was still a Mikaelson and being kept outside like a dog wasn't exactly a pleasurable experience.
He cocked his head slightly as he heard the sound of a car speeding in their direction. Sheila and the doctor were on the other side of the window, trying to figure out if their plan would work in theory, especially with the news Elijah shared about the creature's tears. So far, they'd determined that they would have to use the Ascendant with the help of another spelled object as they would not be able to use the portal in conjunction with the ritual if it was directed at the creature. Their best bet was to have the ritual in an object so they wouldn't have to direct any magic at her. The theory was sound, however, their knowledge on the creature was miniscule so they didn't have much to go on. They only had one shot at this; if Kaliope discovered that they were trying to send her to a prison world, they would feel her wrath, they were sure.
"I believe this discussion will have to be put on hold," Elijah calmly informed the witch and warlock respectively. "We're about to have company."
Elena noticed the unknown car in the drive first. She hadn't factored in the possibility of Sheila not being alone. She slowed, hesitating, before determination filled her once more. She didn't know when she'd be able to speak with the elder Bennett again, especially since Bonnie's dad was back in town. She needed to do this now without anyone knowing where she was.
Sheila opened her door just before Elena could knock. The witch gave the doppelganger an appraising look before stepping back and leaving the door open.
Elena nodded to herself, her fists balling at her sides as she crossed the threshold with the Petrova fire burning in her gaze. She followed the woman into the kitchen, seeing her preparing herbal tea that she had no doubt included vervain.
She took her time looking at the man that sat at the other end of the table. She wondered why the older man looked familiar.
"Hi, I'm Elena Gilbert," she smiled awkwardly, thanking Sheila and making a point of taking a large gulp of the near-scalding liquid before meeting the steady gaze of Dr. Martin.
"Doctor Jonas Martin," he nodded his greeting.
She cocked her head curiously. "Luka's dad?"
The man nodded just as her attention was caught by movement outside of the window. Her eyes widened at the familiar face.
"I believe, Elena Gilbert, that we have much to discuss."
Curiosity peaked, Elena's gaze flickered between Sheila and Elijah. Sheila looked both sad and angry while the doctor looked grim.
"Whatever you wish to say to the child, you can say from there, vampire," Sheila glared, looking down her nose at the finely dressed man.
Elena held in her gasp, silently berating herself for not realising how weird it was for a man to be kept outside during what looked like a serious meeting.
Elijah's face remained blank but his eyes were steel. He held the witch's gaze a moment longer before turning to the teenager.
"You play a vital role in a ritual to free my brother from the curse he's been under for 1,000 years. My brother is a monster and will stop at nothing to get what he wants. He destroyed the rest of our siblings in his greed and I wish to stop him."
"Why does he need me?" Elena asked, almost breathless as she tried to sort out her turbulent feelings.
"You are the human doppelganger."
It took time, explaining to Elena not only what a doppelganger was, but the story of Katerina and Niklaus. Elena was scared, borderline panicking as she kept thinking of her impending death that Elijah had assured her wouldn't be permanent thanks to a 500-year-old elixir.
"Katerina is still alive, though her whereabouts are not known to me. The last I heard of her, she had fashioned herself a new name and came to this very town in the 1860s, playing with two brothers that you know quite well."
Elena's heart stopped before beating twice as fast.
"Her name?" she asked shakily.
"Katherine Pierce."
Elena didn't remember much after that. Her heart broke as her anger ignited.
"You need not fret about your life, Miss Gilbert. After you play your part, my brother will cease to exist and you will never be hunted again."
Elena nodded absently as she opened her car door. Just before she climbed in, she snapped her attention back at the patiently-waiting Mikaelson.
"Kaliope. Does she know?"
"Yes."
Elena's eyes narrowed.
"And my brother?"
"Yes."
She swallowed the lump in her throat. "If I agree to all this without any fight, will you protect my family? My friends?"
Elijah took a step closer to her, his serious, hazel gaze trapping hers with its intensity. "If you agree to help me destroy my brother, you have my word."
Elena's eyes pinched in worry, her hand rubbing her opposite arm nervously. "Kaliope is dangerous."
Elijah nodded. "We're well aware of the threat she poses. We have a plan to deal with her, worry not."
With one last worried frown, Elena nodded before climbing into her car, her thoughts regarding Kaliope and Niklaus left behind with Elijah as two facts took up her focus.
One; Jeremy knew that her life was in danger and hadn't said anything, and two…
Stefan's ex, his Sire, the woman he and Damon had loved, looked exactly like her.