*A/N: Hey all! Please leave a review. We are nearing the end. I haven't completely decided if I will write a continuance to Elandra's story, but there will be plenty to work on if I do. I hope you guys decide to stick with me. For now, I hope you enjoy! *

Elena drove to the Boarding House in relative silence, her hands gripping the steering wheel so tightly that her knuckles were pale. She stared straight ahead, squinting in concentration as she tried to ignore the fear coiling deep in her chest. There was no doubt that she was far more nervous for the encounter with the Salvatores than she had been the Mikaelsons — the oddity in that thought brought an amused curl to my lips. Turning onto the curved drive, Elena shuddered, her body bowing toward the wheel as she released a sigh of anxiety-ridden exhaustion.

"Are you sure we have to do this? Shouldn't this be Stefan's responsibility?" She parked the car and turned in her seat to face me, her fingers drumming on the steering wheel anxiously. "Why do we have to be the ones to make sure Damons not treating Mystic Falls and the surrounding counties like his personal buffet?"

I laid my head back, turning toward her as I opened the door, my expression lax. "Because those with the most power have the most responsibility. It might suck, especially on days like this, but that's the way it is," I murmured as I exited the car.

Elena's head popped over the other side with a cocked brow, her lips puckered in an attempt to hide a smile. "Didn't Spider-man say that?"

My chest heaved as I laughed, my nose burning with humor. "Elena! You should have your geek card revoked. No, he did not. Uncle Ben said something similar though; at least you were close."

Elena rolled her eyes, pushing open her door with a huff and gliding from the car. "Geek card? As if I ever wanted one of those. You're the geek in the family."

"Whatever, miss perfect doppelganger."

Elena kicked my ankle as she joined my side, and I stumbled toward the house, throwing a glare over my shoulder. She wore a satisfied smirk, and I smiled at the joy shining in her eyes. Approaching the porch, we noticed the propped open door and the happy air stilted, becoming heavy with dread. Elena reached out, pushing open the door with a single touch. The silence inside the usually vibrant home was eerie and my skin prickled with foreboding as we made our way into the foyer. Lifting my hand, my fingers sparkled and twitched with unease. The table inside the foyer was smashed to pieces with large shards of splintered wood scattered about, a single piece jutting out of the wall to our right. Elena wrapped her arms around herself, rubbing her elbows in an attempt to ease the tension building in her stiff limbs. I stepped in front of her as we walked into the parlor, my frantic gaze searching for any sign of life. The strong stench of blood and bile assaulted our senses as we headed into the room, and Elena reared back, her hand coming up to cover her nose.

Her face twisted in a grimace of disgust. "Oh god!" she cried, her tone laced with revulsion.

The scene in front of us was one born of fury, devastation, and lack of restraint. The bodies of young women littered the room, their throats ripped open or hearts savagely removed. The mahogany wood surrounding the fireplace was dripping in crimson, the fire within crackling ominously. The french windows were stained red and the sunlight streaming in only enhanced the destruction. The lamps and pictures on the surrounding tables were broken, glass shattered, and scattered about the floor.

I walked into the room, my heart thumping heavily in my chest as I took in the chaos. As I was scanning the empty unseeing faces of the victims at our feet, Elena pulled me to a stop, her nails digging into my skin. Turning with a wince, I glared over my shoulder with my nose scrunched up in agitation. Her large eyes were round with surprise and fear tinted her cheeks pink. She inhaled sharply and I followed her gaze, looking at the pair of sofas on the other side of the room. Sitting with his head lowered, a small trembling girl at his feet, was Stefan Salvatore; The Ripper of Monterey. I froze, acutely aware of my human sister only inches behind me. In front of us could be arguably one of the most dangerous vampires in existence, not to mention his unhinged brother, whom we had yet to find, and I had decided to walk into their home for a nice afternoon chat. Shit.

Slowly, with my steps sure and quiet, I turned and looked at my sister. Her face was ashen as she continued to look over my shoulder toward her ex-boyfriend. I swallowed down my anxiety and forced a half smile as I lifted my hand, waving it in a circle in front of her body. A bright burst of light illuminated the room, and Elena leaned back, closing her eyes in shock. A bubble of electric blue magic encased her body, and I sighed in relief. The crunching sound of glass drew my attention, and I turned to see Stefan standing in front of the trembling girl. His perusing stare was empty, and he tilted his head, hazel eyes traveling my face without a hint of recognition. Elena reached for me but I shrugged her off, stepping closer to Stefan. He remained perfectly still, and I wasn't entirely sure if that was a good thing.

"Stefan? It's Elandra; are you okay?" I asked, glancing near his feet, where the young woman shivered in fear.

The woman looked up at me, with hope shining in her eyes. I wondered what sort of compulsion she was under; how aware of her surroundings was she. When Stefan remained glued in place, his gaze locked on mine, I turned to Elena. "I am going to speak to Stefan, Lena. Why don't you and his friend head outside?" I said, smiling meekly.

Stefan's expression shifted as quickly as the words left my lips, objection edging his brow. He clicked his tongue in a disapproving manner, glancing down at the young woman for only a moment. "Oh no, you won't be going anywhere." He looked back at me with pained eyes. "Why must you plague me so, even in my dreams?"

My head tilted in confusion as I stepped back in front of Elena, stopping her in her tracks. "Stefan, you need to let her go. This isn't who you want to be."

Stefan clenched his hands into fists, glaring at me with a fit of intense anger I wasn't at all prepared for. "You sound just like her. She would never let me be myself. How do you know what I want, hmm?" he exclaimed, looking down at the frightened woman longingly.

I took a hasty step closer and Elena followed, her hands clutching the back of my shirt in fear. Stefan's head jerked up at my approach and he gritted his teeth, his face scrunching in fury. "Leave me!"

I quickly pulled away from Elena, turning to catch her gaze with a meaningful nod of my head, eyes darting toward the woman. Her eyes widened, lips puckering as she inhaled sharply, but I didn't stand around to ensure she had understood. I stepped in front of Stefan, forcing my hands onto his face, despite his attempt to pull away. "No! You need help, and since Lexie is no longer around, I guess I'll have to do it," I said.

Hurt shimmered briefly in his eyes, memories sparking something within, but soon shutters silenced the past, and his brows furrowed in anger. He stared down at me with an inexplicable expression, his eyes were cold and guarded. "You think you can help me? You couldn't even help yourself."

Elena huddled at our feet, trying unsuccessfully to help the woman stand and leave. She stared up at Elena with sad eyes. It was obvious that she was compelled to stay. Dammit! With my jaw set tight, I stared up at Stefan, straightening my spine. "I did save myself, Stefan; with the help of Elijah." I could feel the waves of indignation flooding from him as I stood my ground. "Although, I wouldn't have had to if you and Damon had believed in me, even once."

There was a moment of heavy silence, and then he placed his large hand around my neck, his grip lax. His eyes widened in surprise at the feel of my pulse beating against his skin. "What did they do to you?"

I removed his hand from my neck, rolling my eyes at the way he had automatically assumed the worst of the Mikaelsons. "Stefan, even now?"

His eyes followed the weariness as it built in waves across my face, and he stepped around the compelled girl, a startling brightness in his eyes. "You…it's you. Really you. How are you alive? I watched you die; you didn't wake up Elandra. It was just like before."

I followed him with my eyes as he started to pace. The young woman on the floor whimpered quietly, and I ushered for her silence with the wave of my hand. Elena hastened to her side and sat down, gently rubbing her arms. "Stefan! Try to calm down. It was not like before. I used the potion Elijah had planned for Katherine — back when she was human. It revived me," I said, running my hand down my body as if he had asked for physical proof.

Stefan stopped in his tracks, eyes finding me in a panicked frenzy. "Potion; what potion? Are you still human?" he asked, his pale face flickering with the black veins of vampirism.

I placed a hand on my hip and glared at him, flicking a brow at his ridiculous question. "Am I human? Is that the question you wanna ask right now? You felt my heartbeat, Stefan. Of course, I'm human. The potion did nothing more than revive me." His hazel gaze shot to Elena, and his expression crumbled, his eyes shimmering with guilt before he turned away, unable to look at her for more than a few seconds.

"It was the same potion Elena was supposed to take, wasn't it?" He looked over his shoulder in search of my face. I simply nodded, no hint of forgiveness lingering in my eyes. I wasn't ready for that yet; I didn't know if I ever would be. He might not have been the one to feed Elena his blood, but he was just as culpable in my eyes. He flinched, turning away with his hands fisted at his side. "It would have worked then," he stated.

"Yes. It would have," I said, crossing my arms.

Elena smiled a wicked grin that split her face in a way that reminded me of the Petrova woman before her. I simply rolled my eyes fondly as she stood to her feet, one hand placed gently on the shoulder of the girl huddling close to her knees. "The Originals are the only reason Ellie is here now. If it wasn't for Elijah my sister would be dead…no thanks to Damon," she said, glaring at her ex with venom swirling in her chocolate eyes.

Stefan turned to look at Elena in alarmed surprise, shocked by the power of her words. I released a sad sigh and shrugged. "She is right. If it wasn't for the potion, not only would I be dead, but Elena too. A little appreciation would go a long way; I mean it wouldn't kill you," I said.

The floorboards creaked and I felt my whole body freeze with tension. "Ah, but it might just kill me," Damon snarked.

I slowly turned and my gaze traveled to Damon's seemingly carefree form. I felt that familiar ache in my chest and realized somewhere deep down, that it would probably always remain present — despite my constant love for Niklaus, and the realization I had come to regarding the Salvatores. His clothes were wrinkled and bespeckled with blood, and his raven hair was tousled as if his fingers had repeatedly ravaged it. "You know my take on these things. Feelings. Blech." He gave a faux shudder as he made his way to the group. "I thought I'd heard muffled noises. Magic doesn't block it all, Ellie, dear. I can't believe you tried to start the party without me!"

The glare Elena shot his way could have melted steel. I noticed the terrified shiver that ran down the spine of the compelled woman and felt my stomach twist in disgust. Damon's eyes were garnet pools of rage as he approached, and his pale face was colored with onyx veins. "You shouldn't be here. I know you're dead," he growled. I felt his fury roll over me in waves as he slid in front of me. I tried to lift my hands, finally awakening from my coma-like state of shock, but he took hold of my wrists, squeezing with unforgiving strength. I grimaced, crying out through gritted teeth. "What lies are you here spreading? My brother might believe your little tricks, but I know her better than he ever did. You will never be able to fool me, wearing her face or not. Which Original are you working for, huh?"

I stared into his fury-produced merlot eyes with confusion, body bowing in pain. Elena stood in horror, her head snapping between us, but she maintained her position beside the helpless woman. "Damon, stop it! Dammit; it's Ellie. This isn't a trick. What is with the two of you?" she screamed, her face morphed into angered bewilderment.

I watched her words reach him, and uncertainty bled across his face, but he shook his head, brushing away the moment of weakness. "No! I watched her fall. She's gone," he said with stone-cold finality.

Their bizarre reactions reminded me of shared psychosis. I marveled at the strange encounter as Damon tightened his hold on my wrists. Here I was, with two vampires possibly suffering from a rare psychiatric disorder; they did need therapists in the supernatural world. I fought the strength of his hold, lifting my arms toward his face, and pressed my fingertips against his temples. Narrowing my eyes, I focused with all my might on a solid memory; the moment Katherine had told me she was sleeping with him. With no small amount of spite, I fed it into his mind, tilting my head in curious wonder as his eyes lost focus, fading in color until they were a dull lividus blue. His grip loosened, and I removed my hands from his grasp, rotating my wrists with a wince. There were small finger-shaped bruises. Shit; Niklaus would not be happy.

"What did you do?" Stefan slowly asked, awkwardly approaching me.

"I showed him something he can't deny. He'll come out of it shortly. Then he will know that I am who I say I am. We can all move on after that."

Stefan gazed upon his brother with pity before turning to me beseechingly, his hands making trails around one another. "Elandra, I am so sorry. Please forgive me for never listening. I should have; you had never led us wrong before and-"

I raised a finger to my lips, cutting him off, and shook my head, eyes lowering to the floor. "It's all in the past, Stefan. There is nothing either of us can do about it now." He released a relieved breath and a smile began to grow, before it could take over his face, I lifted my head, gaze stern. "That doesn't mean I forgive either of you. Too much has happened for that. You were needlessly cruel, and for what? I was supposed to be family!" I said, taking a heady step forward just as Damon exhaled deeply, returning from memory.

I brushed down my shirt, hoping the normalcy of fidgeting would help me calm down. Damon's breathing was wracked with sobs and the old need to comfort him tried to push its way to the surface; I pushed it down. I looked back at Stefan and stood taller. He was shaking, hands balled into fists against his stomach. His pale and lifeless face was tinged with wet tracks, but I chose to ignore them as I pointed to the girl on the floor. I stared at Stefan meaningfully. "You will remove your compulsion so that Elena can help her leave. Be sure that she has no memory of what happened here. We don't need the council aware of your activities, nor do we want hunters coming to town. After that, you both will clean this mess up and properly dispose of the bodies. I don't want to see shit like this in Mystic Falls again. Am I clear!" I said between clenched teeth.

Stefan hastily nodded, a sheepish expression shaping his face as he turned and lowered to the floor next to the scared young woman. Surprise lifted my brows, and Elena grinned as she watched him perform his act of compulsion. I shook it off and turned to Damon. He had taken a seat on the sofa situated on the other side of the room. His head was lowered in his hands, and his back trembled with each sob. I approached him with slow awkward steps, unsure if he would jump back into his anger. He had held onto it for so long that I wasn't sure he knew how to feel anything else. "Damon, did you hear what I said? I would rather not come back tomorrow, or even the next day, to clean up another one of your messes. I have people I need to protect, and your careless behavior will draw attention," I said, crossing my arms.

Damon rubbed his face roughly and lifted his head, the expression he wore was vacant of emotion. "...And I am no longer one of those people, am I Elandra?" he asked, turning to look at my face with dead eyes.

I stared into his red-rimmed cerulean eyes with incredulity etched onto my face. "Did you ever want to be Damon, because it hasn't felt like it for a very long time? You chose to love someone else; you chose that! Not me. Then when you found out I was alive again, all you seemed able to do was tear me down. I was never enough for you. Don't you dare throw yourself a pity party now, Salvatore, you certainly don't deserve one."

Damon swiftly stood, ardent fire sparking life back into his eyes. "I always loved you, Elandra. Don't try to tell me what I feel! You were everything to me. I-I fucked up; I always fuck up. It's who I am," he said, turning away with clenched eyes.

I chuckled, a deep hollow sound that reverberated around the room with the power of a fatal gunshot. "I was everything to you? Is that the same thing you used to whisper to Katherine in the darkness of your bedroom? Your words are useless to me, Damon. You have never once shown me in actions that I mean more to you than a bridge between Petrova doppelgangers."

Damon winced as if my words had physically met their mark, and I sighed, the anger I felt diminishing slightly as exhaustion took root. "Listen, all I need from you is a promise that you'll behave, even a little bit. If you don't wanna do it for me, then do it for Stefan. Act like the older brother you used to be. Let go of old anger and move on," I said.

His anger-fueled expression fell empty as he plopped back onto the sofa, and he leaned his head back, his gaze finding my face. Damon looked at me with such regret that I felt my stomach tilt uncomfortably. "I'll clean this up and feed a town over. I-I am sorry, Ellie. I never meant to hurt you."

I nodded in acceptance of his words but felt my throat tighten, heat coloring my face. "Damon, you never thought of the damage you were doing. You don't care about my feelings, not really. There might be a small part of you that doesn't want to hurt me, but you don't care enough to stop."

He lowered his head dejectedly, and I walked away; there wasn't anything left to say. I saw Elena waiting near the entryway, but stopped next to Stefan. "Try to keep him in check." I looked him up and down, wiggling my nose with distrustful distaste. "Also, let's try to keep the Ripper in his cage," I said, glancing around at the scattered bodies. "We wouldn't want to involve the Original family in your business, would we?"

Stefan grimaced, hastily nodding his head, and fear brightened his face. I walked past him and met Elena in the hall. She took hold of my hand with glistening eyes and a rose-tinted nose. "I am so freaking proud of you Ellie bean!" she squealed in a whisper, bouncing on the soles of her feet.

I smiled, my bottom lip trapped between my teeth. "Thanks, now get me the hell outta here," I begged.

Elena placed my arm under her elbow and tugged me forward. "On it! Let's go home. We can finally move forward now." Elena smiled over at me, electric happiness shining in her eyes. "Hey! The Whitmore College tour is this weekend. We should go."

I crumbled under the weight of her happiness and nodded with fake enthusiasm. "Ya know, I think I read in dad's journals that he had something going on up at Whitmore, maybe we could check that out too. Could be fun, learning more about him," I said, shrugging.

Elena practically glowed with excitement as she pushed me toward the passenger side of the car. I felt a heavy emotional weight trickle off my shoulders as I hopped in. Thank god that was over.

The hall was eerily lit with the warm golden glow of dying daylight. Cold shadows bounced off the walls, wrapping around the tall silhouette of a stern-faced man. He hastily approached a lone door encased in relative darkness at the end of the hallway. He retrieved a heavy brass key from his pocket. With a flick of his wrist, the door was unlocked and he stepped inside, becoming one with the shadows. It was as if they had always been a part of him. Inside the room, the vacant-eyed man found nothing but emptiness until he flipped on the light beside the door, revealing four coffins. He quickly bypassed the coffins on the left side of the room, and headed toward a hidden corner. There he found a dusty coffin draped in thick silver chains. The heavy-shouldered man's aquamarine eyes betrayed the emotion he had been hiding behind a mask of indifference, and he narrowed them hatefully at the shrouded coffin. His lips curled as he placed a hand atop the chains.

"Hello mother, we have business to discuss."

The chains fell under the weight of his anger as he pulled them free. He lifted the lid with disgust and stared down at the sleeping face of Esther Mikaelson. He felt the laden weight of unease settle within him. This was the right choice, it had to be.

Miles away, in a second-story room of a quiet house, a young woman sat upright as she was awoken violently from her sleep. Her skin was pallid and wet with cold sweat. Her heart hammered in her chest as the screaming voices in her mind calmed. Closing her eyes, she sent a silent prayer to the gods for strength. She would need it. What had he done?