***Hey guys, sorry for the long wait, but life, in general, has been really busy for me, that and I have had the worst time with this chapter. I did make sure it was long to make up for it though. Ive had a bit of writer's block along with real-world drama. You can blame Ellie. Elara has just not wanted to feed me her story here lately. This chapter has a bit of a time summary in it. I didn't want to do a time jump because there are still a few things I have to deal with that I can't or just don't want to skip, werewolves, Katherine, and vampire Caroline to list a few. So, this is how I handled skipping over a few things I didn't particularly care to write out. I hope it's ok. I don't plan to completely flesh out the return of Katherine the same way the show did, but I'm not going to skip it. I have my own plans for Kat that will lead to Elijah much quicker. There is a surprise in this chapter for us Original fans. A sort of taste to tide us over. I really want to know what you think and I hope you enjoy it. This chapter has been edited by my fabulous Beta Casey.***
The weeks following the opening of the tomb flew by. They were a blur of the usual family drama, with a bit of the new in the form of a game Elena had started to play called: "Who's our mama?"
Elena was shocked to find out I had no interest in her Sherlockian games. Once I informed her I had absolutely no desire to find the woman who had abandoned us, she had no choice but to join forces with Aunt Jenna and Stefan. With me out of the equation, Elena followed Aunt Jenna's suggestion to go digging up our father's old medical records. She hoped that it would help them discover who our birth mother really was. Of course, my sister's luck being what it is, they quickly found a lead. After Aunt Jenna searched the web for the faux last name Isobel had given our father, she uncovered a woman that lived nearby with the same last name. Elena, the idiot she is, took off alone to visit her. That led to a whole new bundle of revelations.
Trudie, a good friend of both our mothers, had told Elena that Isobel attended Duke University. I got curious when I remembered Alaric mentioned once that he had met his wife in college, more importantly, at Duke. A wife, who he mentioned was deceased, and whose name was Isobel.
That wasn't the only odd thing Elena discovered about Isobel's old friend Trudie. It seemed she knew a little too much about vervain and home invitations to be considered an average ill-informed human. After Elena's visit with Trudie, and the new basket full of info she had gotten from it, she received a unique visitor — a compelled one. Really, I should have been more surprised than I was. Still, after everything, one insane discovery after another, I guess I was becoming desensitized.
So, when Isobel decided to leave Elena a message she wouldn't forget, I wasn't as blown away by it as Stefan and Elena were. Isobel compelled a man to deliver her message and caught us while we were in town. Blank faced, he stood in front of Elena and told her to stop looking. She'd hardly gotten a 'who are you?' out before he proceeded to step in front of a semi-truck, killing himself instantly. Needless to say, that was a wake-up call for Elena.
That, and it also proved that Isobel was about as dead as the Salvatores. A vampire mother...now that was a new one, even for me.
When I wasn't following around my sister and dealing with our mama drama, I was worrying about Damon and his 145 years of pining. It had hit him just as hard as I figured it would, finding out that Katherine had never really loved him. The fact that he had put his life on hold for her for 145 years for nothing was killing him. He had taken to filling his time with sorority girls and massive amounts of alcohol. I spent my free time sending off compelled, half-naked college girls and helping his drunk ass up the stairs once he was too far gone to do it himself. Stefan was no help and chose to just watch his brother self destruct with only mild bouts of sympathy. So, without his help, my weekends were spent catering to Damon's whims. I allowed him to yank me to random clubs, and then back home once we were either kicked out or the sun came up. During these trips, I would act like I was drinking my fill, while I made sure he didn't kill anyone or reveal his and Stefan's secret during a drunken stupor. It wasn't how I wanted to spend my last year of life, but I had suffered through worse things in my centuries of living, and people tend to do whatever it takes for those they love.
Yet, even with my interference, eventually, it all started to become too much. Everyone was on edge, and I knew Damon was bound to crack. He was always the type to say or do something to set everyone off, and I tried everything I could to keep that from happening. Though, of course, it didn't really matter. It all came to a head during the Mystic Falls Bachelor Auction. Damon, in yet another drunken stupor, decided to take the stage and taunt Alaric about how 'delicious' his wife Isobel had been when he had drinks with her at Duke. The revelation that Damon had been the one to turn our mother was a big blow — to both Elena and me.
I honestly hadn't expected it. Although by the look Stefan had given Elena, he had known. I was surprised by how well he had hidden it from me. Usually, I am the first to discover these things. Naturally, Elena had not found Damon's little joke funny. Really, the whole encounter had been tiring and had been enough to prove to me that what I was doing wasn't helping Damon. I was enabling him, and I had to stop. I knew that Katherine was preparing her big move and that there was more to Isobel then she was letting on. I was exhausted and completely done with the extra drama.
After Elena confronted Damon, I decided to ignore the Salvatores for the most part. I stayed away, choosing to help Elena and Caroline get through the Miss Mystic Pageant. It was nice just being a typical teen for once. Watching my sister and Stefan dance together, their eyes like liquid fire — it was almost as if they were staring into each other's very souls. I had never wished a vampiric eternity for her, yet when I watched them dance, I couldn't help but think not even time should part them. Then having Caroline's megawatt smile shining down on me when she won. She had finally been able to best my sister at something, it was terrific. An experience that I will always be able to look back on and never regret being a part of. Even with the small measure of peace that I had been able to soak up the past two weeks, after finally deciding to ignore the Salvatores, the stress was still a permanent part of my life. I was just glad that for now, the most significant form of stress in my life was the Miss Mystic Falls Queen and her ever bubbly personality.
As I glanced at my own exhausted reflection in the mirror in front of me, I sighed at my appearance. The young woman staring back at me was almost unrecognizable. Her green eyes were dull and hanging lifelessly over a massive set of purple bags that wouldn't go away, no matter the cover-up that was liberally applied. Her red hair was dry and lying heavily across her shoulders, appearing almost as exhausted as she did. The girl in the mirror frowned, her shoulders slumping as she looked down, defeated. Rubbing a hand across my brow, I rotated my shoulders, hoping to relieve a bit of the stress that was covering me like a lead blanket, drowning me. I shook my head, allowing my thoughts to scatter. Scrunching up my eyes, a shrill blast permeated the air as I headed out my bedroom door and bounded down the stairs.
Hopping off the last step, I headed towards the front door. The blaring of Caroline's car horn had been alerting me of her ever 'patient' presence.
For the last three goddamn minutes.
Jeremy rounded the corner beside me, his eyes narrowed in annoyance as I yanked open the front door. I waved my hand around wildly, the silver heart charm of my bracelet swinging madly.
"I'm coming! GOD!" I hollered, laughing lightly. "Two seconds!"
I took my bag from the coat rack beside me and leaned against the wall next to Jeremy.
"Ya know, sometimes I wonder why you still associate with her," he said, rolling his eyes.
I shook my head with a scoff and pulled him out the door. Jeremy's attitude had been a bit harsh and withdrawn ever since Anna had 'disappeared.' I was trying to ignore the little nudge of suspicion that tried to tie my stomach up in knots. I was both parts terrified and hopeful that maybe Jeremy was becoming suspicious of all the 'weird' that was a part of Mystic Falls. Maybe Anna was the push he needed to finally put two and two together. I just hoped he could forgive me for not doing more to help him.
"You know you love Care just as much as I do. She's basically family, Jer,"
Jeremy pulled away from me and put his headphones in his ears before he hopped into Caroline's back seat. I took a deep breath and tried to control the look of defeat I knew was working its way across my face. Caroline's bright smile greeted me as I slid into the front. I tried to focus on her innate babbling as we headed towards the school, but my focus was torn between her and my ever distant brother. He was hunched up in the back, his face all but covered by his hood as he listened to music, eyes never leaving the scenery. Something was really bothering him, and I knew it had to have at least a bit to do with Anna. He might not have really clicked with her, but she was yet another girl that had known him and then just up and disappeared. I felt terrible for him. There was so much pain in his life, much more than any teenager should ever have to suffer through.
I reached down and grabbed my backpack from my feet, pulling my journal from inside. I nodded my head at Caroline while she continued talking to me about something to do with the Founder's Day Parade. I started to sketch, terribly, but I at least hoped it would bridge the gap between myself and Jeremy. I glanced at my brother, hoping to capture his sad expression. I wanted to make sure I did him justice so that he understood what I was trying to accomplish. I slid my pencil across the paper, my eyes narrowing as they focused on the black lines of his eyes. Once I was done, I quickly drew a frowny face beside the sketch and wrote a quick message, asking him why he was so pouty this morning.
I yanked the page from my journal and folded it into an airplane, sending it towards its intended victim. The little paper jet lazily flew towards Jeremy, smacking him lightly in the nose before it fell into his lap. Jeremy blinked, jerking his head back as he yanked out his earbuds, eyes shooting towards mine.
"What the hell, Elara?!"
I stuck out my lip and shrugged, turning back towards the front. Jeremy rarely ever called me Elara. I was right, there was definitely something up with him.
I looked at my hands and picked at my thumbnail, feeling beyond grateful when a pale hand joined my own, grasping it tightly. I smiled weakly at my best friend, her pink lips turned up briefly as her blue eyes crinkled in sympathy. When we pulled into the parking lot, Jeremy was out of the car before I even had the chance to utter the first syllable of his name. I lowered my head with a deep sigh. He didn't want me trying to pry, and I guess I could understand that. Caroline's warm blue eyes shined as she smiled weakly.
"He'll be ok, Ellie. Try to remember, Elena is the one that likes to hammer away at him. You just need to wait, let him come to you,"
I smiled, nodding my head. "Yeah, Care. As always, you are right."
Caroline grinned brightly and slid out of her car. "Of course, I am. Well, I have to meet Bonnie, so I'll see you later."
She came around the side of the car and kissed my cheek. I laughed at her, waving as she left. I watched her saunter away, swaying her hips, hair blowing around her in the breeze. She really did look like a Queen. I shook my head with a sigh and started towards my first class. Before I could get two feet, my phone started to buzz. I pulled it out of my pocket, frowning when I saw a text from Elena. She wanted me to meet her in Alaric's classroom.
Why?
I growled, annoyed by whatever new bit of drama was sure to be awaiting me. I hurried towards the History room, my brain busy conjuring up the many different scenarios that would have Elena interrupting my day. It wasn't until I heard someone clearing their throat that I realized I was no longer alone in the hallway. I brushed my bangs from my eyes and looked up, groaning loudly when I found a smirk wearing a vampire standing in front of the classroom door, effectively blocking the entrance. My eyes took him in for the first time since the "Hey, by the way, I turned your mom into the undead" incident. He was wearing his usual black leather jacket, dark jeans, and a button-up shirt. His raven hair was messy and windswept. I crossed my arms and tapped my foot, the sound echoing loudly in the empty hallway.
I gestured towards the door. "May I pass?" I snarkily asked.
His cold eyes assessed me, running across my severe form as he remained staunchly in front of the door. "It's been two weeks, Elandra. Two weeks. You haven't called or texted me. I thought of all people you would have understood. I didn't know who she was."
Damon ran a hand down his face in frustration. I turned my head away, biting my lip; he was right. I did understand, I may still be a bit bitter about it, but I understood. It was more of the fact that I couldn't be his babysitter anymore. I couldn't just watch him self-destruct. I couldn't act like it was ok.
"Damon, just step aside," I said, moving forward. "Now is not the time,"
I jerked away, narrowing my eyes when I noticed his hand move to touch my face. I wasn't at all prepared to deal with him today. I was just planning on a regular school day, but of course, the universe wouldn't allow that. He pulled away, his eyes hard as he opened the door swiftly.
"After you then," he said, voice like liquid steel.
I could smell Bourbon, and a hint of mint as my body brushed past him, and I tried to ignore the jolt of memories the smell elicited. All I needed was to get lost in a fantasy of what his lips had tasted like. It was hard enough keeping our past buried when it happened over a hundred years ago, but this...well, it was a lot harder to ignore. Especially now that he finally knew the truth about Katherine.
I kept my head lowered as I found a seat. When I finally raised my eyes, I tried to keep my alarm at bay. Alaric had gathered Elena and Stefan along with myself and Damon, that could only mean this was an Isobel problem. Whatever had happened was obviously a big deal. Elena stood beside the window, arms defensively crossed as if she was shielding herself, Stefan next to her. I ran my eyes over Stefan and noticed his stiff shoulders, he was covered in a thick layer of stress, which only served to elevate my own. Alaric was casually leaning against his desk, his eyes quickly scanned Damon.
"Damon, thanks again for coming," he said.
Damon nodded with a half-smile as he slid into the desk next to mine. "Sorry, I'm late. My dog ate my uh...never mind," he said, finally taking in the tense atmosphere that permeated the room.
Glancing uneasily between Elena and his brother, Damon shrugged his shoulder in a questioning motion. "What's with all the furrowed brows?"
Alaric pushed away from his desk and regarded Damon carefully. "I saw Isobel last night."
I lowered my forehead to my desk and grumbled unintelligibly in frustration. I hated being right more than I was wrong. Damon cursed in anger beside me, and I turned my head, placing my cheek against the cold surface of the desk, observing his currently alert, ironclad demeanor. He sat up straight,
"Isobel is here?"
Alaric nodded as Damon continued.
"In town?" he asked, turning to Elena and myself, eyes filled with trepidation.
I sat up, looking away quickly, and focused on Alaric.
"What did she want? Because I know damn well it had nothing to do with catching up."
Alaric leaned back against his desk and sighed, shaking his head. He avoided my accusation, instead, choosing to focus on Damon's rapid-fire questions. I felt so bad for the poor man. He had grieved for his dead wife wishing to avenge a death that had technically never happened. Only now, he found out that she had willingly turned herself into a vampire and left him behind. Cold-hearted bitch.
"Did you ask her about Uncle John? Are they working together?" Damon asked, huffing in annoyance as he leaned forward.
I wanted to laugh at his constant hate for Uncle John. Ever since he had shown up on our doorstep a few weeks back, Damon had taken an instant disliking to him. Of course, most people do. He just has that aura of an asshole about him. Jenna, Elena, and Jeremy all hate him as well. I seem to be the only family member who actually likes John. The reason for that being I can see past his attitude to find the man behind it. That's something I have always been good at, as a member of the Mikaelson family, I really have to be. John is just a man who knows too much about the supernatural world and what it can do to the people he loves, so he is determined to protect them from it. He just goes about it the wrong way. He is under the prevalent misconception that all supernatural beings are evil and cannot be trusted. Someday, I hope to change that.
Alaric looked at his feet with a barely noticeable wince. "No," he said.
Damon, of course, the annoying vampire that he is, noticed the little chink in Alaric's armor and started grinding his teeth together. "No, they're not?" he asked, voice thinning with anger and annoyance.
Alaric turned his head back towards Damon, stepping away from his desk again and walking towards the window. "No, I didn't ask," he said, hand running through his hair.
Damon sat back slowly in his seat, knuckles tapping against the desk. "What about the invention?" he asked.
I rolled my eyes and laid my head on my hand. The stupid invention, I was so sick of hearing about it. I suspected Katherine had something to do with all the yammering that had passed through our small group about the damn thing since Isobel had shown up. What she wanted with Jonathan Gilbert's unique little device, I didn't know, but it couldn't be good. I had told her I wouldn't interfere unless she started hurting those I loved. A device that put vampires in danger fell under that category. I would have to do something about it. I leaned back in my seat and sighed, adding "Deactivate Gilbert device" to my mental checklist.
Damn, it was getting long again.
Alaric shrugged. "Didn't ask," he said plainly.
Damon threw his hands in the air in exasperation, his blue eyes flaming with irritation. "Did words completely escape you?" he asked, a hint of annoyance in his tone.
Alaric stepped closer to him, a hand falling on his hip. "No, I was a little too distracted by my dead vampire wife to ask any questions," he said, voice filled with sass.
I chuckled, resituating myself and ignoring the glares I received. I loved sassy Alaric. Damon glanced past me towards Elena.
"What did she want?" he asked her.
Elena reached towards me, taking my hand from where it lay atop the desk. Her doe eyes connected with mine, and she took a deep breath. "She wants to see us, Damon," she said.
I closed my eyes and lowered my head in acceptance. I could feel Damon place a hand on my shoulder, and I let the stress melt away temporarily.
"Neither of you has to go if you don't want to," he said, his voice soft as he rubbed circles on my shoulder.
Elena let go of my hand and stepped closer to me. "We don't have a choice," she said.
There was no mistaking the resolute desire to go and meet our mother hidden in those words. Although I was sure Isobel had made the invitation one that couldn't be backed out of, there was no doubt in my mind that Elena wanted to meet our mother. Alaric bit his lip and looked away from us.
"She threatened to go on a killing spree," he said.
Damon moved his hand from my shoulder and brushed my bangs from my forehead. "Oh! I take it that's not ok with you guys," he said.
I could hear the joke in his words, but as the others jerked back in disgust, I could see they did not. My chest shook as I tried to hold back the laughter that tried to break free, but it was to no avail. Elena grumbled in distaste as she walked back towards Stefan. I covered my face with my hands and let out something between a sigh and a giggle, as I finally shook off the nerves. Damon smiled brightly, and I could feel the pleased air about him. This was the first time in weeks that I had actually acknowledged him, let alone laughed with him as if we were old friends. Elena took Stefan's hand and looked at me with annoyance.
"I need to meet her. I want to. If I don't, I know I will always regret it, and I think you will, too," she said, eyes never leaving mine.
I stood up and joined her near the window, my eyes zeroing in on the way the sunlight reflected off the auburn highlights in her hair. I tried to smile as I nodded. "Elena, if that's what you need, then I will be there right by your side," I said.
Elena let out a relieved breath and hugged me tightly. I was so going to regret this.
Elena squeezed my hand tightly, and I tried to ignore the way my fingers pinched together. I watched them slowly turning from red to a pale white. Elena scanned the Grill uneasily before her head lowered, eyes running across the wood table, her tongue running over her lower lip.
"Can you hear me? Thanks for coming, I'm nervous," she whispered, slowly turning her head towards the other side of the bar, where Stefan was leaning over a pool table cue in hand.
From where he stood guard, Stefan's lips curved upwards, eyes roaming over our joined hands with amusement. I laid my chin on Elena's shoulder and kissed her cheek. "Listen, Lena, everything is going to be fine. Even if she is awful, it won't matter, because we have already had a brilliant mother," I said.
Elena glanced down at me and smiled lightly. "Yeah, you're right. We already had the best mother, so really, she can't do anything but reaffirm the fact that her abandoning us was the right choice."
Elena lifted her head from mine and turned towards Stefan. I watched him mouth three simple words to her and felt the way her body reacted to them. Her shoulders relaxed, slumping forward as she took a few deep calming breaths, finally loosening her death grip on my hand. I tried to ignore the jab of jealousy that ignited within me at the simple display of their love. They had it so easy, aside from her mortality — something that could be swiftly remedied — they had it all. Nothing was keeping them from one another, and no matter how much I loved the two of them, there would always be a part of me that also despised them for having what I never could.
I raised my head from Elena's shoulder, straightening my back as the bright jingle of the welcome bell had Elena stiffening again. A tall brunette woman appearing to be in her mid-thirties breezed through the door. The air around her was thick with tension, as she headed for our table, green eyes running over both of us with interest. Her long wavy hair fell in her eyes as she tossed her jacket into the seat beside her. She lowered herself into the chair in front of Elena. Releasing a breath through her nose, she tilted her head, examining Elena as one would an exotic piece of art.
"Hello, Elena. You look just like her, that's eerie," she said, raising her hand and waving it around in a dramatic fashion.
Turning towards me, she reached across the table and took a strand of my hair, gently pulling it towards her and allowing it to fall from her grasp as her fingers caressed it. I jerked away from her, after the mention of Katherine's name, there was no way I would sit here and play along. There was no longer a doubt in my mind that the two were working together. Although, the longer I watched Isobel's actions, the more I realized there was something off about her, something wasn't quite right. I scanned her quickly, hoping to find her tell or a distinct feel of magic. It was always possible she was somehow using, or it was being used against her. Her entire being radiated a cold aura. You could easily sense that she was the monster humans were warned to fear, she held absolutely no humanity within her. You could see it in the way her cold, detached eyes viewed the world. Isobel smiled at my reaction, her lips spreading across her bright white teeth.
"So, you're the Reincarnate witch then? I have to say, it kind of gives me a bit of a big head, knowing I delivered two such special children," she said, tossing her hair over one shoulder.
I scoffed, turning towards Stefan and raising my hand in Isobel's direction with exasperation and annoyance. I mean, come on, seriously? This was what they wanted me to deal with? Stefan placed a hand on his forehead, shaking his head. I turned back towards IsoBitch and Elena. Isobel was watching my interaction with Stefan, her eyes filled with questions, ones I had no intention of answering for the vampiric abandoner. Elena placed a hand on my arm, and I sighed in frustration. Why must we continue to deal with her?
"You've met Katherine?" Elena asked, her shoulders stiff.
I rolled my eyes, sitting my elbow on my armrest and laying my head on my clenched fist. Isobel's mouth twitched at my irritation but kept her eyes on my sister.
"She found me after I turned. Genetic curiosity, I suppose. She would be fascinated by you," she said.
I chuckled, shaking my head. I narrowed my eyes on my current timeline, mommy. Elena may want to continue this useless bout of questioning, but I knew we would get absolutely nothing from Isobel by continuing to play her little games. If Elena had any hope of getting the answers she wanted, we would have to do it my way. Besides, I would be the one handling Isobel in the end anyway, why not start now? I dug my nails into the wood of my armrests and propelled myself forward, narrowing my green eyes viciously.
"Listen here, you annoying little bitch. I know you and Kat have something planned, and I have no interest in whatever it is. As I have told her before, if she fucks with me or anyone I love, I will destroy all her little plans, and I doubt she wants that."
Isobel leaned closer to me, her iris darkening as black veins began to spread out beneath her eyes. She was getting angry at my impertinence. I tilted my head and smiled brightly, raising my hand as I felt Stefan's fear for us from where he still stood at the pool tables. I waved him away and then tapped the wooden table merrily with my knuckles.
"Ah, Ah, Ah!" I said with each tap.
I lifted my finger into the air and waved it back and forth in front of her face. A deep growl rumbled from within her chest, and I sneered hatefully, reaching out and taking a strand of her hair, twirling it around my finger.
"Now, if you don't want me taking that ugly little necklace from around your neck, and leading you out back to watch you burn in the light of the sun, then you'll listen to what I have to say."
I maintained eye contact with her cold stare the entire time. Elena tried to pull me away, but I tightened the muscles in my arm and jerked her away from me. I kept my eyes on the vampire in front of me and waited for her answer.
"What do you want?" she said, her voice tight.
Dropping the strand of her hair, I pulled away from her. "You will answer all of Elena's questions. All. Of. Them." I emphasized.
A spark of fear-filled Isobel's eyes, and I sighed, finally understanding what was wrong with her. I should have seen it sooner. Isobel had met one of the Originals.
Damn, but which one?
I looked at her closely, suddenly sick to my stomach for reasons I did not want to analyze.
"We will keep our questions...family-related," I said, my voice strained.
I kept my eyes on the table, no longer able to look at her. I needed to get myself together. What was wrong with me? I took a few calming breaths and finally looked at Elena. Her face was white with fear, a thick sheen of sweat beaded across her forehead. I placed a hand on her shoulder and motioned for her to ask her questions.
"Lena, I'm sorry I had to play rough, but when Katherine is involved — partially or not — there is no room for messing around. I don't play games, Elena." I turned back towards our mother and smiled. "But, if I did, I would play to win," I said, threateningly.
Elena looked down at the necklace Isobel was wearing. "So that is how you walk in the sun?" she asked.
Isobel glanced at me, and I raised a brow. I lifted my hand into the air and allowed her to see the light blue tint that covered my fingers, just enough to remind her of the power I held within me. Isobel swallowed profoundly and nodded at Elena.
"Katherine helped me obtain it," she said.
Elena placed her hands in front of her — fiddling with her fingers — and struggled with her next words. I could tell what she was about to ask was something she had wanted to bring up since Isobel had first joined us, and I felt for my sister. Her jaw tightened a bit as she took a jerky breath in.
"Who is our father?" she finally asked, eyes meeting Isobel's with a fierce fire.
Isobel crossed her legs and met my gaze for a moment before she looked at Elena.
"It's not important. He was a teenage waste of space."
I slammed my hand on the table, drawing a bit of attention from the group nearest to us. The older couple sitting next to the fire sent me a scandalized glance, the woman clutched her chest dramatically, mouth open in shock. I lifted my hand and showed them my favorite finger, much to Elena's dismay. She grabbed my hand and pushed it down onto the table with a growl.
"Elara!" she gasped, mouthing a quick "Sorry" to the grey-haired elders.
Isobel smiled, her green eyes shining as she watched Elena admonish me for my behavior. I pulled my hand from Elena's and placed it palm down on the table, sights firmly set on Isobel once again.
"Answer her question, Isobel," I said, venom leaking from my tone.
"A name would be nice," Elena added, rubbing her tired eyes.
Despite my earlier display, her fingers slid underneath my hand, and I gripped them tightly, sensing that she needed my support for what was to come next. Isobel leaned her head towards the ceiling and grumbled in anger. "You already know your father."
She looked at us both. I could see she hoped one of us would figure it out without her actually having to say his name. I narrowed my eyes and scanned her face. Her brows were furrowed as if she were in pain, her forehead glistening with sweat. It was almost like she was being tortured by some invisible force.
Shit. He was a part of her compulsion for some reason.
I caught her eye and nodded, showing her I understood what she couldn't say. Her chest rose slowly, and I could see the shuddering of her shoulders, the hair surrounding her face fluttering as the air left her in a grateful rush of breath. Elena sat beside me, tapping her foot as she waited for the answer to one of the most critical questions of her young life. One Isobel could not give her. My stomach dropped at the thought of how utterly disappointed she would be if I was forced to reveal that fact to her. Especially after she had been so close to the answer. No, I would not be sending her away with yet more disappointment. Isobel had said we knew him already. My mind flew through the limited options and suddenly came to a rapid halt, my eyes falling closed briefly as I came to the powerful realization that Isobel wasn't lying. We did know our dad. We had grown up with him, our parents had made sure we had seen him often enough. I glanced up at Isobel and frowned.
"We know our father already?" I weakly asked.
Isobel sighed nodding. I bit my lip and turned towards Elena with a small grimace. Turning back slightly towards Isobel, I tried to keep my voice steady. I had a feeling Elena was not going to like who our father was.
"Do we already consider him...family…" I bit out, grimacing again.
Isobel chuckled, her soft voice grating on my already frayed nerves. "You really are quite the brilliant little witch," she said.
I ignored her and looked at Elena. "Lena, our father, is Uncle John," I said.
Elena's mouth fell open, and she stood, her chair falling back a loud thunk against the hard floor. "No, no. Our parents...they would have said something. He would have said...something," she protested, scanning Isobel's face searchingly.
I stood gently, slowly approaching her with my hands raised. "Lena, mom, and dad didn't say anything because we weren't ready, and neither was John. Then i-it was too late,"
Isobel watched Elena's internal struggle with cold, emotionless eyes, leaning back arms crossed. I so wanted to watch the bitch burn but realized that would be a bit much, and Elena would probably be against it. Instead, I focused on my sister, who had finally noticed the attention she was garnering from the other occupants of the Grill. People were now openly staring at us with interest. I glared at each of the staring gossip mongers with malice. I refused for Elena to be the topic of their small town tattle come tomorrow morning. Their eyes left us quickly, returning to their food and regular conversations. Elena ran her fingers through her hair, hands covering her temples as she tried to remain calm. She stared at Isobel with unease, and I could see she had all but had her fill with the compelled vampire. Bending closer to our mother, hands on the table, Elena's soft eyes filled with sad, innocent confusion.
"Why did you compel that man to kill himself right after he told me to stop looking for you?" she asked, a coloring of sick disbelief in her voice.
I stood next to her and tried to keep my thoughts to myself. It was hard to know what was coming and be helpless to stop it, but I knew I couldn't. Elena's innocence would be tainted regardless of Isobel's answer. What with Katherine and Niklaus, she would soon get a taste of the real world. She would see its darkness and realize that there was so much more to the world then the black and white she thought tinted it. The world was full of so many different colors, so many different beliefs and forms of right and wrong. Niklaus was definitely proof of that. Many people thought him evil incarnate, but that just wasn't true. He had a reason for everything he did, even if his ideas were well...fucked up. He was a product of his environment, after all. He had been through so much, and it had nearly destroyed him. Life was a vortex of colors that contained insurmountable hurdles, and there's not always a happy ending. Someday, Elena would have to wake up and see that for herself.
"Dramatic impact. I wish it would have been more effective..."
Isobel shrugged her shoulders, her hair falling away like a dark waterfall. Elena turned from her, eyes wet, her shoulder brushed mine as she looked towards Stefan, who was studying us intently from beside the pool table. He was no longer acting as if he was doing anything but avidly observing our conversation. His eyes crinkled in sympathy as he watched his soft-hearted girlfriend come to terms with her cold-hearted mother.
"Human life means that little to you?" Elena asked.
She still had the smallest bit of hope in the way her question begged to be answered with a negative. I placed a hand on her shoulder, unsure of what else I could do for her at the moment.
"Means nothing to me. It's just part of being what I am."
Elena backed away from her and crossed her arms. "No, it's not. I know other vampires, that's not true," Elena protested, stubborn as ever.
Isobel smiled wickedly, a rumbling chuckle escaping her pursed lips. "Your new boyfriend over there by the pool table? Stefan Salvatore?" Isobel gestured towards Stefan, smile turning Cheshire when his back arched as his whole body became alert.
Isobel tilted her head, green eyes briefly falling onto me before darting away. "Why, Stefan? Why didn't you go for Damon? Or are you enjoying them both as Katherine did?" she asked, a small tick in the corner of her mouth giving away her game.
I sneered at her childish behavior and glanced at Stefan, rolling my eyes. Elena avoided looking at her boyfriend, cheeks pinking with embarrassment. Slanting my head to the side, I glared at Isobel, tapping my bright red fingernail against my chin.
"You know, Isobel, I really appreciate you giving me all these extra moments to remember when I kill you. It'll really help do away with any guilt I may have felt,"
Elena took my arm and pulled me to the side, her mouth turned down into a tight frown. "Elara, you have got to calm down. You can't just go around threatening to kill people. Especially our birth mother. There is obviously something wrong with her," Elena said, her eyes flicking towards a silently chuckling Isobel.
I lifted my head and growled in displeasure. "Elena, you cannot tell me that you think that there is anything left in Isobel to save. I mean, she is working with Katherine for God's sake. I know you don't really know her and what she is capable of yet, but I do. So please, for once, trust me when I tell you that you cannot save her," I said, holding my hands out towards her.
Elena turned her head away from me, her chest rising and falling slowly as she tried to come to terms with the loss of another mother. Running her fingers through her hair, she looked upon Isobel one last time and shook her head. "You may be right, but before you two decide to try and off one another, I at least want to know how she and John met. We deserve to know how we came to be, Ellie," Elena said, sitting down with a huff.
I snorted at her attitude and sat down next to her, staring at Isobel expectantly.
"I used to spend a lot of time here when I was younger. John had a crush on me for years. He was the first one that told me about vampires," Isobel said, shrugging with a smirk.
Elena's jaw tightened, and she tapped her fingers against her crossed arms. "What made you want to be one?" she asked.
Isobel looked at me, her green eyes flickering as if seeking out an emotion she couldn't conjure. "A very long list of reasons. All of which I'm sure you've both thought about," she said.
Elena vehemently shook her head, placing her hands in her lap and glancing at her clasped fingers. Isobel threw her head back and cackled.
"That was your first lie. It's inevitable, you're going to get old, Stefan won't,"
She stopped to watch Elena sadly glance at Stefan, her eyes thoughtful and misty. A faraway look took over her face as she thought over our mother's words.
"Forever doesn't last very long when you're human," Isobel finished.
I crossed my legs and scrunched up my eyes in question. I had been curious about our mother's motives since first realizing she had sought Damon out for immortality.
"Why did you not go back and turn Alaric so that he could join you?" I asked.
Isobel's lips quirked. "Alaric, a vampire?" Isobel laughed hatefully. "There is no possible way he could survive an eternity of thirst. Besides, I yearned for freedom. What is the use of love when it keeps you chained to the mortal coil?" she asked, waving her hand as if to bat away an annoying fly.
I raised a brow, thinking over her question with intense personal reflection. I couldn't help but wonder — if it ever came down to it — could I give up love for a way to break my curse?
Isobel watched my internal reflection closely. "I've asked you everything I want to. So, what do you want from us, Isobel?" Elena asked.
I mentally shook myself from my reverie and focused on Isobel.
"Elara here knows exactly what I want from her, or Damon to be exact, and what I will do to get it."
Her veins grew under her eyes briefly before her skin returned to its pale perfection. Elena shuffled beside me, her breath catching at the apparent threat.
I chuckled, my red hair falling off my face as I threw my head back merrily. "Oh Isobel, you aren't getting the Gilbert device, and even if you somehow did, it would be worthless. I've made sure of that. Did you honestly think I would allow such a dangerous weapon to just lay around Mystic Falls where anyone could get their hands on it?"
I kept my eyes firmly on her, making sure there was no way she could see the tiny white lie hiding within their green depths. I had yet to actually deactivate the device, but it was the first thing on my to-do list. I just hadn't found the time yet. Watching her eyes blaze with fury, I knew I had her convinced. My upper lip raised with triumph and amusement.
"You stupid little girl! You have no idea what you are messing with. Have you not learned that none of these vampires care a shred about you?" she asked, her voice rising an octave with each sentence.
I stood, leaning towards her, Elena made to stand behind me. I reached out, pushing her back in the chair, effectively keeping myself between her and the furious vampire. Stefan was slowly inching towards us, trying to avoid angering Isobel further.
"Be that as it may Isobel, I still care for them, and I protect what's mine. You will not come into my town and threaten those I love, expecting me to sit by and do nothing," I said, voice firm.
Isobel stood and met my stance, her face turning red as she tried to remain calm. "You can try to protect them, but you will not succeed, daughter," Isobel sneered, spitting out the endearment with bitterness.
Grabbing her coat from beside her, she glared at Elena, her eyes darkening with hate as they ran over me before she bolted towards the door. I stood in front of my sister until I felt a warm hand cover my upper shoulder. I rigidly glanced down at the offending appendage, finally noticing my protective stance. I let out a heavy sigh, blinking rapidly as I stepped away from Elena so that she could finally get up from the seat in which I had her trapped. I watched my sister for a moment as she fell into Stefan's arms, making sure he had it covered. She was still shakily recovering from our mother's threats, and I didn't want to leave her unless I knew he could handle her distress. As she folded herself into his arms, practically melting as he patted her hair down and kissed her forehead, I rolled my eyes at my own assumptions. Of course, Prince Charming had it covered.
I glanced around me, glaring at the busybodies one last time, and headed towards the door to give my report to Thing One and Thing Two. I knew Damon would be chomping at the bit for info after seeing Isobel flee the bar. I pushed the door open, squinting as the sun assaulted my eyes. I slid my sunglasses from my bag, slipping them on with a flick of the wrist. I smiled, shaking my head when I caught the flash of raven hair across the street, and standing next to him was Alaric Saltzman. I watched them as I waited to cross the street. One of Damon's hands was in the pocket of his signature leather jacket. The other was waving around frantically as he passed his weight from one foot to the other, babbling. Alaric appeared to be trying to talk him down. I bounded towards them, waving my thanks to the car that had kindly allowed me to pass, and smiled as I watched Damon run his hand through his hair, something he often did when stressed. Alaric saw my approach first and threw his head back, a relieved sigh escaping his lips.
"Thank God! Please deal with him," Alaric said, waving his hand towards Damon.
I laughed, grabbing Damon's jacket and yanking him towards the nearby bench. "Come on you two, let's sit here while I fill you in. I think Elena and Stefan are gonna need a minute," I said.
Damon pulled his jacket out of my grasp and looked back at the Grill. "Why? What did Isobel do to her?" he quickly asked.
I sat down, Alaric joining me, his eyes falling on my face with unease. I crossed my legs and watched Damon's eyes stalk the Grill.
"Day, she is fine. As if I would allow our mother to hurt her. It was just a rough meeting is all, and towards the end, Isobel got angry at me and made some threats. Nothing I can't handle."
I waved away Alaric's concerned expression. At the mention of threats, Damon's eyes finally fell on me.
"Threats? Did she threaten you, Elandra?" he growled, sitting down next to me.
I laid my arm on the back of the bench and laughed. "Please, like she could hurt me. No, she knew better. She just threatened those I loved. Which was mighty stupid of her. Now there's no other choice. I'll have to kill her," I glanced at Damon with a smile. "Oh well, wanna help?" I asked brightly.
Damon's answering smile was wicked. An agonized moan came from Alaric, one which we both ignored with ease.
"Murder, huh? You know I'm always up for a little murder," he said, patting my knee.
I giggled, my red hair falling around my face like a halo. "Good, then it's settled," I said with a shrug.
Alaric shook his head, watching Damon smile at me, eyes lighting up. I knew that making any sort of plans with Damon was a big deal after distancing myself from him as I had been. Still, I really might need his help with Isobel, especially if Katherine was nearby. It would be good for him to finally confront Katherine, it would help him break out of the unhealthy routine he was in.
"So, what did Isobel want from you two?" Alaric asked.
Rolling my eyes, I turned my head and let out an annoyed sigh. "The same thing that everyone has been harping on about for the last few weeks. The damn Gilbert Invention," I said.
Damon stood, taking a step away from us and started pacing. "And what did you tell her?" he asked.
I turned towards him, raising a brow. "That she couldn't have it, that no one could. I've destroyed the damn thing, after all. It's worthless now," I said, waiting for the outburst I knew was coming.
Damon stopped his pacing and turned towards me, eyes rushing between Alaric and myself. "When the hell did you have the opportunity to destroy it? And why would you? We aren't even sure what it does!" he yelled, leaning closer to avoid drawing attention to us.
I scoffed, tilting my head with a raised brow. Damon ran a hand through his hair. "You know what it does. Don't you?" he asked, his breath leaving his lungs in a deep rush.
"What it did. It's a useless piece of metal now. I deactivated it. It was a weapon created to identify vampires so that they could be killed. It was painful, and not something you wanted in the wrong hands. So I took care of it," I said.
Alaric leaned back, running his hands down his face. "Well, it looks like you did the vampires in town a favor," he said.
Smiling weakly, I avoided their eyes, knowing that they were still unaware of the furry little problem Mystic Falls had.
"But how did you know what it did?" Alaric asked, leaning his elbow onto his knee to get a better view of both Damon and myself.
"Well, Emily Bennett is who created the weapon and all of Jonathan Gilbert's little hunting devices. I knew she was secretly helping the Gilberts with something back in the day, but it wasn't until I read her Grimoire that I saw what she had done," I said, hoping I had kept the hint of betrayal from my voice.
I had been so angry to find out Emily had been working with someone like my current ancestor, but deep down, I could understand her hatred for vampires. She was a witch of nature after all and had probably felt sufficiently used by Katherine. I stood from the bench and clapped my hands together.
"Well, I've told you what I know. If you want a play by play, you can go and bug Elena. I've given her enough of a reprieve," I said, nodding to them both.
I needed to make sure they were being kept busy so that I could go and actually destroy the device before Isobel found it. Alaric stood beside me and reached out, pulling me into a hug. I closed my eyes, enjoying the way he made me feel safe and cared for. It wasn't until this moment that I realized how much I missed my own father. I truly loved Grayson Gilbert, he had been an amazing father, as had many of my other fathers throughout the centuries. Still, none would compare to my first, my real father. There was something about the way Alaric hugged me that reminded me of the way my father always made me feel. A part of me hated it as much as I loved it because remembering someone dead for over a thousand years would only bring me pain and make me weak.
I quickly stepped away, putting as much distance between us as possible. Alaric raised a questioning brow. I gave him a swift watery smile, hoping he would buy it.
"Are you ok?" he asked. I nodded, placing my hands behind my back awkwardly.
"Yeah, Ric, I'm fine," I said,
I closed my eyes as I realized what I had called him, hoping he hadn't noticed. Damon came up beside me, glancing down at me with a raised brow. I ran my eyes between the two and almost laughed with happiness when I noticed my sister leaving the Grill with Stefan. I quickly pointed towards the Grill and shrugged.
"Oh, it looks like Elena is feeling better. Now you can go bombard her with your questions,"
Damon and Alaric glanced down at me uneasily one last time before they headed towards Elena and Stefan. Before any of them could notice my absence, I bolted, heading towards my car. It was time to destroy my ancestor's invention.
I arrived at the Boarding House reasonably quickly, hoping to find out where Damon hid the damn thing and deactivate it before anyone else headed home. I stepped through the unlocked front door, smirking at their arrogance. Shaking my head, I resolved to remind the boys that if they planned to hide essential items in their home, then they should at least make it harder to break in. I headed towards the sitting room, my hands on my hips as I walked around the room, eyes scanning the interior. Now, where would Damon stash one of Jonathan Gilbert's Devices?
I tapped my foot, biting my lip in thought as I tilted my head, turning it towards the shelves where a slight hum of energy was leaking from the books. My brows knitted together as I moved forward to examine the shelf. It wasn't uncommon for some magical texts to leak energy. Still, those types of books were not something I'd expect to find amongst the Salvatores library. For one, none of their family were ever witches(that I knew of) or very fond of them, to begin with, so why then, would some of their books be leaking such intense magical energy?
I ran my fingers across the spines of the books exuding the most energy and frowned as my skin tingled, goosebumps rising on my hand, and up my arm. I started pulling the books from the shelf, slowly sitting them on the table nearby as the magical energy departed, leaving the books behind. I ran my fingers over the covers of the books and sucked in my bottom lip, they no longer held any trace of magic. Abandoning the books, I turned back towards the shelf, my forehead wrinkling in exasperation as I finally found the device lying against the back of the shelf. I touched the cold metal gently, taking it from its generic hiding place with a chuckle. The magic tried to latch onto me immediately, seeping into my skin as I quickly replaced the books before walking over to the couch, placing the device onto the table.
I would be glad to be rid of it. I had always loved Emily, but intent was a big part of magic, and it definitely left its mark during casting. It was easy to establish what her intention had been with this spell — to hurt. The magic leaking from the device was cold and angry, it almost made me sick as it continued to try and latch onto me. I sat on the couch, leaning over the device, my hands raised above in an arch. I took a deep breath and concentrated on what I wanted, needed, to accomplish. I closed my eyes tightly as I felt the strings of Emily's magic, trying to fight against me. It was a futile attempt at best, but as always, her magic was still reliable and respectable. She would always be one of the best her kinds ever produced, and really, her ancestors could thank her for the renowned stature their family possessed.
I plucked at the binding, sensing their almost golden strands as I tried to find a weakened link to exploit. I squeezed my closed eyes tighter as her magic jolted, attacking me fiercely. I winced as I felt a small piercing deep within the bones in my hands, the ache forcing me to flinch briefly. Emily's magic was fighting back with all its might, sensing its impending doom. I almost felt bad for what I was about to do but reminded myself that I was protecting those I loved, and this was only an imprint of Emily, nothing more. With strengthened resolve, I sent a bolt of power towards the device, snapping the remaining strands of magic. They flickered for a moment, before flaring powerfully, emitting a bright flash of light that even with my eyes closed, I could still see through the lids.
I found myself thanking the Gods that I had kept them shut. My eyes fluttered as I opened them, glancing down at the device I almost expected to see it in tiny pieces, but there it sat, perfectly intact. I raised my hand above it and smiled. It was now an utterly harmless hunk of metal.
Ha! Take that mother.
I took the device from the table and tossed it into the air, catching it with a bright smile. I placed a bold checkmark next to that task on my mental checklist; it felt good removing something from the list instead of adding something. I stood from the couch and placed the device back where I found it. Well, that was done. I glanced around me as my phone rang, yanking it out of my pocket. I sighed deeply. Elena, again, that can't be good.
"Yes?" I answered.
"Elara? Where are you? We have a problem. Isobel is threatening Jeremy. She wants the device reactivated!" Elena shouted, her breathing labored.
I rubbed the bridge of my nose roughly as I huffed in annoyance. "Well, Elena, that is impossible, and I can promise you she won't touch Jeremy. Let me handle this. Please, just give me a few hours, and Isobel will no longer be a threat, ok?" I said.
The line was silent, but for Elena's heavy breathing and I waited, listening to her silently fret and hate herself for what she was about to say. Still, we both knew that much as she did with Damon, she would let me be the bad guy because that was what she needed. "Ok, just don't get anyone killed trying to act like some kind of badass, Elara. You may be a witch, but you're still human," she said.
I scoffed, rolling my eyes. I wanted so badly to remind her that I may be human in her eyes, but in my own, I hadn't felt human for centuries. Living and dying repeatedly, all while being surrounded by so much supernatural drama, does not make you feel very human.
"Lena, I will deal with this, and the only death that will come of it will be necessary. You have to remember, some people can not be saved." I glanced down at my feet and shook my head sadly. She would always hold this against me, I knew that deep down. It would be just another thing that would end up festering between us, ruining our relationship in the end. "I'm sorry, Elena. I will call you when Jeremy is safe," I said, hanging up the phone.
I glared at my phone for a moment before heading towards the front door, running my fingers across the screen until I found Isobel's number. I tapped on it twice and bit my tongue as I waited for her to answer. As I slipped into my car, her irritating voice escaped the speaker, sending a fresh wave of anger down my spine.
"Hello, Isobel. So, I just got an interesting call from my sister. Something about a threat against our brother? You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, now would you?" I said my voice chipper.
Isobel chuckled deeply. "Oh, Elara, dear. I knew you'd give in and call me. "Now bring me what I want, or I will kill every single person you care about," she furiously said.
I pursed my lips in anger, gripping the steering wheel with my left hand tightly, my knuckles pink. "Where exactly would you like to meet, Isobel?" I asked, my eyes crinkling with fierce determination.
"Grove Hill Cemetery," she said triumphantly, hanging up.
I started my car and sped off, tossing my phone in the seat beside me.
Driving into the cemetery, I stopped beside a black SUV that could only belong to Isobel and her cronies. My phone vibrated against the leather of my passenger seat, the screen lighting up again, showing me a picture of Damon, I flipped it over, avoiding his call. I know I should have told him, or at least Stefan, where I was meeting Isobel, but I couldn't. Not after figuring out that she had some sort of contact with an Original. There was every chance it could be Elijah. Still, for them, he would be just as dangerous as Niklaus, especially since I knew that they wouldn't follow the same code Elijah did. They would go back on their promises just as quickly as they made them. That was something that would get them killed and promptly. I sent my phone an apologetic glance and grabbed my bag, slipping out of the car.
I sneered, narrowing my eyes as two tall vampires made their way towards me. I pulled my bag over my head and smirked at the approaching vampires cockily. "Gentlemen," I said, lowering my head in greeting.
The first vampire, his long dark brown hair tied back in a small leather hair tie, went to grab my arm and I jerked away, my hands glowing lightly.
"Ah, ah! Where are your manners?" I asked, stepping around him.
I avoided his blonde companion as I motioned for them to lead the way. I made sure to stay between them as they started forward, maneuvering their way through the tombstones that surrounded us. I kept my eyes ahead of me, though I made sure my senses were on red alert around the two unknown men beside me. Just as my nerves were starting to get frayed from the nonstop glances from the tall blonde vampire to my right, I saw Isobel standing beside a tombstone a few feet in front of us. As we approached her, she lowered herself down in front of the stone, clearing some leaves from the top. I stepped behind her, leaning forward to read the name etched onto the grey marble. "In loving memory" - Isobel Flemming. I placed my hands in my jacket pockets and stared at the stone for a few minutes, allowing Isobel however long she may need. I knew she had been compelled to shut off her emotions, but I was sure she could still use a moment to collect her thoughts. Besides, this was my mother's grave. Even if she wasn't really buried there, this was still where people who loved her came to mourn. That should at least demand a bit of respect.
"My parents, your grandparents, they put it here when it became clear that the police weren't going to find my body. They visit every week, and they bring flowers, even though there's no one buried here. The Isobel they knew is dead. So maybe there's a part of me that's buried here, the-the human part. The part that I abandoned when I—I chose to become a vampire, the part that used to dream about the day that she'd know her daughters," Isobel stuttered, standing to her feet.
It was the first time I had seen her appear anything but cold and unfeeling. "I don't know what you expect me to say?" I said, removing my hands from my jacket pockets.
The air was fresh, and my cheeks were starting to numb as the breeze struck me like an abusive asshole.
"And instead you and Elena got to meet the other part...The part that would betray her own flesh and blood." She looked away briefly before reaching her hand out, flicking her fingers in annoyance. "Where is it?" she asked.
I stepped away from her and ran my fingers through my hair as my eyes flickered towards her neck, where she wore a beautiful silver Daylight necklace. "Isobel, I can not reactivate the device for you and Katherine, and even if I could, you know I wouldn't. I am sorry. Please don't make me do this. Don't...," I said.
Now that I was here, standing in front of her, I honestly didn't want to do this. To have yet another person's blood on my hands, on my conscience. Isobel glanced down at her grave, her cold eyes resigned. Taking out her phone, she quickly dialed a number. I watched her intently, hoping that she would just give up on the device and move on.
Isobel jutted out her chin in defiance as someone started talking on the other end. I could recognize the familiar voice and ground my teeth together in irritation.
"Did you get it?" Katherine asked.
Isobel met my eyes and shook her head. "No, she said there is no way to reactivate it, and I believe her. There is nothing else I can do about the device, Katherine. I am done," she said with a deep-seated sigh, immediately hanging up.
Isobel took a deep breath and lowered her arm, letting her phone fall from her fingertips. I watched it land next to the tombstone and looked up at my mother.
"I can't just let you go, Elara. Katherine won't let me drop this. You know about the other little secret of mine, and how dangerous that makes me," she said, her eyes searching mine for understanding.
Her compulsion meant she was a wild card, someone I could never trust. I let out a gasp as my shoulders shook. I hated this part.
Isobel nodded, her face blank. "The others." She jerked her head towards where the two vampires had disappeared. "They will not bother you as you leave, that I can promise you. They are loyal to me and know what needs to be done," she said.
I felt warm tears falling down my cheeks, but kept my eyes on Isobel as I nodded.
"You are a brave woman. Be proud of what you are," she said emotionlessly.
I clenched my jaw and stepped towards her, reaching out and pushing her hair off her shoulder, finding the clasp of her necklace.
"I am sorry that I could not be what you and Elena expected. But I can only be who I am," she said, her green eyes cold.
I met them one last time and nodded, a half-smile on my face. "We can expect nothing more from you. I wouldn't want to be someone else for anyone. You deserve peace, Isobel, and I am glad I can give you that," I whispered, unclasping her necklace.
The cool silver strands fell from her pale flesh as I stepped away, the sun finally meeting her unprotected skin. She screamed in pain as she burst into flame, falling onto her knees next to her grave, one that would no longer be a place that held nothing. I watched her burn, unable to leave her to die alone. She may not have been someone I liked or even loved, but despite that, she was my flesh and blood, and at one point, she had loved us. I watched as the wind picked up her ashes, carrying them away, and wiped the remaining tears from my face.
"Goodbye, Isobel," I said, pocketing her necklace.
It was something I was sure Elena would appreciate having. As I moved away from her grave, I felt my foot press something hard into the cold earth. Lifting my shoe, I saw Isobel's cell and felt a rush of excitement and irrationality fill me. I slowly lowered myself to the ground beside it, sitting down on the cold damp grass. I ran my hands up and down my crossed legs as I debated with myself over and over again, staring at the slick black contraption. With an exasperated sigh, I grabbed the phone, pressing the button on the side. I let out a great rush of breath as it turned on. Finding her list of contacts, I slid my finger down until I came upon the Ks, and there it was, Klaus. I couldn't believe it, after all these years, there it was, a way to contact him. His fucking phone number. This was stupid! I couldn't do this. I sat, unblinking, staring at his number until my fingers were numb from the cold. Finally, I couldn't take the silence anymore and shook my head.
"Bekah, I need you," I whispered into the fresh, silent air.
I waited only a few minutes before my grey-skinned best friend sat down in front of me. Her blue eyes zeroed in on my pink hands, the hands that were still wrapped tightly around Isobel's phone as if it were my lifeline.
"What is that, Elandra, and why are you in a cemetery?" she asked gently, glancing at our surroundings uneasily.
I pried my eyes from Niklaus's number and started crying, my chest heaving. I explained everything to my sister, my voice cracking from the cold, and the number of tears that I had shed the last few hours. Rebekah moved as close as she could and glanced down at the cell phone, her face hard.
"You know how dangerous it would be to call him. You need to destroy the phone, El," she said.
I shook my head vehemently. "I just wanna hear his voice," I weakly protested. "that's all,"
Rebekah's hands hovered over my own, and she smiled. "Honey, you are physically and emotionally exhausted. You need to go home and let yourself rest. This isn't you," she begged.
I gripped the phone tighter, holding it against my chest, and started rocking myself. I understood where she was coming from, but I couldn't come this far and just let him go again. I deserved this, didn't I?
After all this time, I should be allowed to be weak, just this once, what harm would it do?
I shook my head roughly and glared at her. "I need this, Bek. I'm sorry," I said, glancing down at the phone and pressing his number roughly.
Rebekah lowered her head and watched me rock myself, phone tightly pressed against my ear. The phone rang a few times, and I thought maybe I would just get his voice mail, and this would have all been for nothing. Then I heard a click and two words that stopped my heart.
"Hello, love," Niklaus said.
My whole world lit up like the fourth of July. Until this moment, I never realized what even his voice could do to me, his smooth accent, the way his tongue caressed each word. I let out a deep sigh and smiled weakly. I laid my head on my knees and listened to his irritated breathing, my smile brightening. Rebekah watched me closely, her blue eyes glistening.
"Isobel, love? What is it that you wanted? I don't take kindly to people wasting my time," Niklaus growled, his irritation doing nothing to me but making my heart ache.
As he let out another frustrated growl at my silence, I couldn't help the giggle that escaped my lips.
Niklaus inhaled sharply, his strained voice capturing my attention immediately. "Who? Is? This?" he enunciated.
My eyes darted towards Rebekah, and she vanished quickly, leaving me to deal with my mistake alone. I took a deep breath and tried to force myself to hang up.
"Tell me now!" he shouted.
My nose scrunched up in annoyance, I had always hated his impertinent shouting. I huffed, standing to my feet. "There is no need to shout, Niklaus," I said.
I heard an agonized moan as he took in another sharp breath and closed my eyes in disbelief at my own stupidity.
"No. Whoever you are, I will kill you for this," he said.
I sighed, shaking my head. This had been one of the worst decisions of my life.
"I shouldn't have called, this was stupid. I am so sorry, Nik," I whispered.
"E-Elandra?" he asked, fury and doubt seeping through his words.
I pulled the phone from my ear, but before I hung up, I could hear something crack and another whisper of my name.
I took the sim card from the phone and let it burn in my hand so that he could not track Isobel's location. Hopefully, for now, he would think that this had been a trick set up by a witch that had it out for him. It only had to be that way for a little while longer.
I left the cemetery, glad to find myself completely alone. I drove home with the radio blaring, trying to avoid any silence as to stay out of my own mind as much as possible. Finally, arriving home, I was unsurprised to see Damon and Stefan's car in the driveway. I let out an annoyed grunt and hopped out of the vehicle. As I opened the front door, I was assaulted by an over-exuberant brunette.
"Oh my God! Where the hell have you been? You said you were gonna call!" Elena shouted.
I pushed my sister's hair from my face and looked over her shoulder, finding the annoyed face of Stefan, and the angry faces of my brother and Damon, all staring at me from the living room. I pushed Elena off of me and stepped into the room, falling onto the couch and covering my face with my hands.
"Listen, guys, I am freezing, hungry, and exhausted. So, can we save any anger for tomorrow?" I begged, catching all of their eyes.
Damon turned away from me with a furious chuckle. "You expect me to just be ok with the fact that you took off alone to go after a vampire?" he asked, sneering.
I leaned back, reaching into my pocket as Elena sat down next to me. I handed her Isobel Daylight necklace with a sad smile.
"No Damon, I would never ask you to be ok with me being in danger because I know I wouldn't be ok if the roles were reversed, but it was my choice, and I was totally safe," I said.
Damon growled, shaking his head. "Safe? You think you were safe, alone, and up against a vampire?" he asked in frustration.
I sighed, watching Elena play with Isobel's necklace, a sad expression on her pale face.
"Damon, you forget what I am sometimes. Even if she was a vampire, she was no match for me," I said, exhausted by the whole repeat conversation.
I understood they were just worried, and none of them truly comprehend what I could do, but they all needed to learn to trust me. My eyes left the pacing form of Damon and found my brother. I guess he now knew. I wondered when it had all come out — while I was with Isobel?
"Jeremy?" I said, seeking out some form of acceptance from him.
His eyes fell on me, any warmth I had hoped to find in them absent. His face was angry and hard.
"So, I guess you were lying to me the whole time as well then? Not only about all of this, but about yourself too," he spat.
I felt tears welling up in my eyes once more and tried to hold them back. I didn't want him to think I was trying to guilt him into forgiving me. I sat forward and kept his gaze, shaking off Elena's hand when she tried to comfort me. I told her this would happen, and yet she chose this, not only for him but for me as well.
"Jeremy, I wanted to tell you. I planned on it, remember when I told you and Elena that I had a secret to reveal after the Halloween party? Well, that was when I was going to tell you everything." I glanced at Elena and Stefan. "Have you told him about me, about what's to come?" I choked out.
Elena shook her head, and I angrily stood with a laugh. "Of course, you didn't. Of course, you'd leave that to me. I begged you not to take away his memories, begged you to let me tell him, and now after the day I've had. After I was forced to rip the Daylight necklace from Isobel's neck, this is what I come home to?" I wiped my teary eyes fiercely and rotated my shoulders with a deep breath, stepping closer to Jeremy.
I lowered myself to my knees in front of his chair, taking his hands. "Jeremy, I will not ask for your forgiveness, regardless of what I'm about to tell you. I should have done more for you. I should have protected you the moment the Salvatores came back to town. This is as much my fault as Elena's, and I take full responsibility. I am so sorry," I said, keeping my eyes firmly on our joined hands.
I took one more deep breath and started in on my story, revealing to him everything I had Damon and Stefan. Aside from Damon's steady pacing and Elena's quiet sobs, there was no sound. Jeremy remained silent throughout the whole story, much like Stefan had. I had lost all feeling in my legs about an hour ago, but finally, after I finished telling him tidbits about past lives, I felt brave enough to meet his gaze. Although there were unshed tears in their glassy depths, they were still cold and distant.
"So, you're going to die on your next birthday then?" he said, his voice frigid.
I squeezed his hands tightly and tried to keep my own voice from breaking. "Jeremy, I never wanted to hurt you. That is why I usually keep the truth from my family. But, after everything, I couldn't do that this time. I've tried everything to break my curse, and I'm still looking, but I...just don't know what else I can do," I tried to explain.
Jeremy shook his head, tossing my hands away from him. "I can't do this with you right now," he said.
"Jeremy, please," I said, raising my hand towards him.
Jeremy stood, sidestepping so that he could get away from where I still sat in front of him. "I want nothing to do with you or Elena right now," Jeremy said, eyes shooting between my twin sister and me.
Elena stood, her face paling as she watched me cry on my knees, no longer able to hold back. This day had been too much for me. Stefan started towards Jeremy, and I snarled, eyes glowing a bright blue for the first time in this life.
"Stay away! He said he doesn't want any of us bothering him. Just go, this is a family matter," I spat, glaring at the boys.
I raised my hand, flicking my fingers so that the front door snapped open. "Out!" I yelled.
Jeremy jerked back as both Salvatores sped away the door slamming closed behind them, shaking the nearby pictures.
Elena scoffed her hands on her hips. "Was that little performance necessary?" she asked, her face scrunched up in anger.
I stood to my feet, my knees shaking, and glared at her, pointing towards our brother in frustration.
"Yes, it was Elena. This is a lot for Jeremy to take in, and I am sure having two vampires in the house is not exactly making him comfortable right now. Especially knowing one of them took his memories at the behest of his sister." I stepped closer to her and rubbed my temples. "I may have been a bit harsh, but you'll have to forgive me. I have had a rough night, Lena. I've helped our mother commit suicide. Then I had a bit of a personal crisis before coming home to reveal my imminent doom to my little brother, who, because of your stupidity, hates me!"
I stomped my foot like a child having a tantrum. Swiftly lifting her hand, Elena slapped me, her eyes misty.
"No one asked you to kill Isobel, Elara. You are the one who chose to handle that alone. As for Jeremy hating you, that is not my fault either. I only wanted to save him from the same pain he felt after our parents died!" she cried.
Rubbing my cheek, I shook my head, unable to deal with even a minute more of this day.
"You're right, Elena, no one asked me to handle the Isobel situation. I did that all on my own because I knew I could, and I wanted to make sure those I cared about were safe from her. But, you cannot tell me what you did to Jeremy was ok,"
I turned away from her and headed towards the stairs. As I passed by Jeremy, he grabbed my arm, holding my gaze firmly.
"I don't forgive you for just sitting by and watching all of this happen, or for hiding what you are, but thank you for fighting for me," he said.
I smiled weakly, reaching out and running my fingers through his hair.
"Jeremy, I will always fight for you,"
I took his wrist in my hand, where he still wore the rope bracelet I had given him, and ran my finger across the top of it.
"I may not have given this to you in time, but you have it now, and it will protect you from compulsion as long as you wear it. I plan to fill the house with vervain as I have done as Carolines. For both you and Jenna's sake."
I didn't plan to tell Elena that I was going to inoculate Jenna against vampires. I was positive she would be against it. She would protest that it was for her 'protection.' Still, I know it because she wants to keep her in the dark for as long as possible, most likely because she knows Jenna will be against a lot of her behavior.
Inhaling deeply, Jeremy gently stepped away from me, heading up the stairs. I waited a moment before following him, sliding my hand along the soft wood of the banister. I ignored the sound of my name as it was hollered by my sister from where she still stood in the living room. I was done with her for the night. I sent Jeremy a half-smile as he watched me head towards my room from his doorway, his face was blank as he quickly closed his door. I lowered my head, shutting my door dejectedly behind me and locking it for good measure. I made my way to the windows and repeated the process. I wasn't sure if Damon would try to stop by, but I was sure I didn't want him to. I wasn't in the mood for company, especially that of my ex. Not after tonight.
I could still hear Niklaus's voice in my head, still hear the sharp intake of his breath after he heard me speak, the disbelief and anger in his voice when he said my name. My heart fluttered in my chest as my mind pulled forth the memory of the way my name rolled off his tongue, the way his accent made my name sound beautiful in a way only he could make it. I quickly changed, trying to banish all thoughts of him and slid into bed, pulling the covers over my shoulders. As I started counting backward from a hundred, hoping to clear my mind, I felt eyes on me and inwardly cursed at my misfortune. Rolling on my side, I opened my eyes and met Rebekah's crystal blue orbs.
"That was insanely stupid! You know that right?" she said, her nose wrinkled in distaste.
I covered my face with my comforter and sighed. "Yes, Beks, I do. I was weak, and it made me stupid. It won't happen again."
Rebekah sat up, and I pulled the comforter from my face. The crystals on her dress shone as they met the light spilling from my window.
"It better not. I have only ever seen him that angry a few times. He has every witch working for him searching for not only his moonstone now, but you, Elandra."
Her eyes scrutinized me briefly before she let out a rush of air.
"For some reason, though, not one of them has had any luck. It's like you're invisible to their magic," she said.
I sat up on my elbow and frowned. "I knew that part. I can block their kind if I wish. Since I started recovering my memories in this life and realized how deep in the pit I was, I've been subconsciously keeping my block up." I explained, tossing my hair over my shoulder after it got caught under my elbow.
Rebekah snickered, shaking her head with laughter. "Of course you have. Sneaky little witch," she said.
I waved away her amusement and frowned. "What I'm worried about is the fact that he actually believed it was me. I mean, why would he? He thinks I've been dead for over a thousand years. What would lead him to actually start searching for me, and not someone just messing with his mind," I asked in confusion.
Rebekah's eyes warmed, her hand hovering over mine as the grey skin around her eyes crinkled.
"Ellie, I'm quite sure he would remember your voice, no matter how many centuries it's been. Besides, you know Nik, if he thinks someone is keeping something from him, he will do whatever it takes to figure out why."
I chuckled, laying down with a deep sigh. "Yeah, you are right. I guess I'll just have to be extra careful from now on and make sure I keep my block up."
Rebekah nodded as I closed my eyes. I could sense her hand hovering above my head, and I heard her humming an old lullaby. One I hadn't heard her sing since she was human. I smiled as I fell asleep, resolved to continue the fight tomorrow.