Elena was no longer in pain. Looking down and checking her body, she was clothed, no bullet hole in her side, and no puncture wounds to her neck. She was standing in the field where she last was, but with nobody in sight.
"Hello?" Elena called out. Turning all around, she looked for someone. Where was Jeremy? Alaric, or Elijah?
"Elena," a familiar voice called. Turning around, she was met with a surprising face – Sheila Bennett.
Knowing what this could very well mean, Elena swallowed hard and braced herself for what was to come next. "Am I dead?"
"Yes," Grams answered in honesty as she kept her hands clasped in front of her. "But you still have a chance."
Elena felt terrified what that meant. "I'll be a vampire?"
"Not quite dear," Grams said placing a hand on her comfortingly. Walking with Grams, Elena waited patiently for answers. "The balance of nature is at odds right now. Since Esther was reborn and allowed to walk among humans, her magic has torn the world apart greatly. She's used her son to imbalance our world so great that even we cannot restore it, Elena. She's taken our ideas of exterminating vampires from the world to creating an even bigger monster."
Elena had a hard time following. "Who? Alaric?" Realizing that with her death, Alaric would be dead too, she wasn't sure who that left. Rewinding the conversation that she and Sheila just had, she took it piece by piece.
Grams waited for Elena to answer her own question, knowing that with patience and kindness, the girl would figure it out.
"Finn," she whispered quietly, hoping it wasn't true.
"I've been sent to offer you a proposition, Elena. It is important we stop Ester's magic and restore nature. Finn has to be stopped and we are willing to give you the means to do that."
Things were moving too fast for Elena. She didn't feel like she was comprehending all of what Grams was saying correctly. "I don't understand. I thought you couldn't resurrect the dead. Won't there be some sort of consequence?"
Grams spoke both carefully and solemnly. "We can't give you your life back, but we can let you borrow it. If you so choose, you'll come back human as you were before. The only difference is you'll have the abilities of a vampire back, same as what Bonnie had given you previously."
The news shook Elena. "What's the catch?"
It all seemed too easy.
"Once Finn is destroyed, your life will end. If you so choose, you may transition to become a vampire at that time, or you may pass and be at rest…"
While the news hit her hard, she wasn't all too surprised to hear what the witches had in store. "Okay," Elena said strongly. She'd still get time with Jeremy; she'd still get time with Elijah and the rest of her loved ones. She could prepare for her death or her turn – whichever she chooses. Isn't a choice better than none at all?
"But what exactly is going on with Finn? Where is he? How do we stop him?"
"When Esther bound Alaric Saltzman's life to yours, she altered the spell to also possess Finn with witchcraft."
"Is that possible?" Elena wondered. A witch and a vampire. It was a different sort of hybrid.
"It is a hybrid that cannot exist in nature, Elena," Grams said sternly. "If given access to the proper resources, he could cast spells that would render the ones protecting you and the balance in the world to become forever lost."
Grams elaborated. "For the first time in a very long time, the Mikaelson children have stopped tilting the world towards evil and instead, existed in a world which allows for both. Their actions, or lack thereof, have allowed for nature to begin to restore itself. It is why we are giving you this chance. You've tied yourself with this family so deeply that they have done something good. You will need them Elena, especially if Finn goes for Silas."
The name registered in Elena's brain. "So…he is real?" Elena looked to Grams surprised.
"He is," Grams nodded. "He has been put to rest for a reason Elena. It is an obstacle to get to him for a reason. You cannot let Silas roam this earth. You cannot let Finn Mikaelson get his hands on the first immortal creature made. For if that happens, we are all lost."
Elena swallowed hard.
"How do I stop a vampire who has the power of witchcraft?"
Grams smiled sadly, taking Elena's hands in hers. "I'm sorry, child. You'll have to figure that on your own. Give Bonnie my love."
Sensing it was time to go, Elena embraced the older woman in a hug. "I will."
She awoke spluttering blood and gasping for breath. Laid against Elijah's body, Elena shoved his wrist away from her face and spat out the blood with a cough.
"Elena!" someone called. Before she knew it, she was eloped in two strong arms. Jeremy. She'd know the feeling of his body anywhere.
"Hey Jer," she rasped out.
When Jeremy let go of her, Elijah held her, pushing hair from her face and wiping some of his blood from her mouth. He looked pale. "You're alive."
She smiled to him, glad to see him. "You are too." Tears of emotion filled Elena's eyes. She was happy and sad, frustrated and scared, and all around overwhelmed. Here were her loved ones, gathered around – alive, happy, safe, okay.
"Don't you ever do that again!" Rebekah yelled at her, breaking her from Elijah's stare. The tears of emotion that ran down Elena's face were wiped away and she laughed. "I can't promise that."
While meant to be joking, Elijah knew differently. Giving her an odd look, he slowly began to analyze what had happened and what parts he was missing. Something was there, he knew it.
"Where's Stefan?" she wondered to everyone, now noticing Kol's presence.
"Damon took the Ripper back to the boardinghouse for a detox," Kol said with a bite.
Elena sighed, not blaming Stefan. He didn't have it under control and if she hadn't grabbed his hand, maybe this all wouldn't have happened. "Kol…"
"Alaric is dead," Rebekah announced before Elena could start in on Kol. "For good this time." It was best to give Kol some slack. He was last to get to the scene and arrived only in time to see Elijah speed over to rip Stefan off Elena. The way Elijah cried out in fear and loss at the sight of Elena made Rebekah's bones shake. She had never heard such a mournful and pathetic sound slip from her brother's lips.
Kol shot Rebekah a look of gratitude while everyone waited for Elena to say something.
"I know," she replied mournfully. Staring at his dead body that laid in the distance, Elena shivered at the memory of watching Alaric run to try to save her.
Misconstruing the shiver to be because of the dropping temperature, Elijah began to move his hands up and down Elena's arms for warmth. "We should get you out of here."
"We should get us all out of here," Jeremy corrected, glancing around for any other council members before helping his sister up.
"What about the Pastor?" she asked everyone who was getting up as well.
"I took care of it," Kol answered. Elena wasn't sure what that meant but was too tired to ask. Now that her body was upright, she felt exhausted.
"Woah," Jeremy said catching her as she fell back a bit.
The world swirled and Elena felt her head fill with fuzziness. "Sorry," she said leaning against Jeremy's chest as she tried to regain her balance.
"I thought the blood was supposed to heal her?" Jeremy's voice asked the others as he held onto this sister. Elena blinked a few times to get rid of the moving black dots that clouded her vision.
"I'm okay," Elena said swallowing the wave of nausea now hitting her. Moving off from Jeremy, Elena stood there, still as possible "I just need a second." Putting a hand to her head, she waited for the odd sensations to pass and her equilibrium to return to normal.
"Let me carry you," Jeremy insisted.
Elena lightly pushed his arms away from her and continued to rub her head. She'd be fine. She just needed a moment to rebound from her deathly experience. "No, I'm fine," she said shakily. As she went to take another step, her feet gave out. It was lucky Jeremy and Kol were there to catch her.
"Try again later, Darling," Kol said picking her up in his arms, not caring if she protested. He was surprised not a word of objection passed through her lips. Instead, she laid her head on his chest and let him carry her the rest of the way.
Jeremy followed closely behind the Original, running ahead only to open up the passenger side car door. As the two approached he noticed his sister was now asleep. Helping Kol get her in the car without disturbing her, he quickly thanked the man and quietly shut the door.
Jeremy swore his heart stopped when he saw Elena go down after he shot Connor. His feet moved quicker than his brain, jumping over the porch banister and sprinting for his sister once Elijah pulled Stefan from her. She was limp, lifeless and pale. It was as if time stopped for him while he waited as Elijah held her and tried to feed her his vampire blood.
Jeremy wasn't sure if he could ever breathe again if something had happened to his sister.
"I'm taking Elijah home. He'll come back later to check on Elena," Rebekah said coming up to Jeremy who seemed lost in thought.
"Okay. I'll leave the front door unlocked for him."
Rebekah nodded and smiled softly to the little Gilbert. He was a good little brother. Elena was lucky.
"Hey Rebekah?" Jeremy called as she walked back to her family. "Thank you. And…uh-… I'm glad you're okay."
The sentiment and kindness were unusual. Rebekah knew that Jeremy was not the biggest fan of her or her family, but tolerated them because of Elena. "Me too," she said, looking at him with kindness. When the moment was over, they all parted ways. Jeremy took Elena home while Rebekah and Kol forced their brother to go home and get some human blood in his system before seeing his love.
"I want to kill him," Kol spoke as they arrived home. "We should kill him."
Kol replayed moments ago at the barn. He had arrived just seconds too late to save Elena from Stefan and his family from the hell-hole barn. If only he had been quicker.
"Elena would never let you," Rebekah quipped getting herself a blood bag before throwing one to Elijah. "the Salvatores are well…I don't know what to Elena, but they mean something to that girl's bleeding heart."
"Ridiculous!" Kol called out in frustration. The guilt of not being there was eating him alive, not that he'd tell anyone. He needed to do something. He needed to make things right.
"You've done nothing wrong Kol," Rebekah said in a calming voice, reading her brother well. "She's not mad at you. Hell, she's not even mad at Stefan for sucking the life out of her."
Elijah winced at the wording, but agreed. "Unfortunately, Rebekah is right. Elena would have a harder time forgiving you for hurting Stefan or Damon than if you had done something wrong here." Elijah felt his strength start to return. After drinking a half of a blood bag, he was beginning to heal and return to normal. Being shot numerous times with wooden bullets and inhaling vervain for the past few hours had made him weak.
"You'd just let him get away with this?! He almost killed her!" Kol snarled. Elena was about the only other person he cared for besides his family. And even then, he may have put her higher than some of his siblings. She made him feel different, like his old human self. He was better when he was with her, and she with him.
Elijah stiffened. Running over to his younger brother, he grabbed him by the throat. The attitude Kol possessed and thought righteous did not sit well with him. The subject of Elena's near death was still touchy and his emotions still high.
"Elijah!" Rebekah exclaimed. Glaring at his younger brother, Elijah let Kol go, but did so with frustration.
"Elena has lost enough. If she wants Stefan to live, then so be it. I will not take someone else away from her," Elijah stated. "I will be monitoring the Salvatore for myself. He no longer gets to be near Elena without one of us around. His lust for human blood is too strong. He nearly killed her tonight." Elijah stuffed his hands in his pockets and walked to the window. Nearly killed her or did? He wondered. The nagging feeling was pulling at him again, as if something was overlooked.
"I need to see Elena. I have to speak with her. If you need me, I'll be there," Elijah said. Quickly going off to change, Elijah put on a fresh suit and finished off another blood bag.
"Where is Nik?" Rebekah wondered, catching Elijah in the hall. She had searched the whole house. "He should be back by now."
Elijah's jaw stiffened. He was still mad at his brother for saving Caroline Forbes earlier. Nikaus had picked his love interest over his own dear sister. He couldn't believe his ears when Rebekah had told him about it after he had been caught.
"He found a lead on Finn," Kol said rushing up to them. Phone in hand, the siblings gathered around reading the text from Klaus.
New Orleans. It read.
"I'm going," Kol said. As Elijah or Rebekah went to protest for discussion, he shook his head. "No, I need to do this. I can't be here. If I stay here any longer, I might do something that Elena would-… I just-"
Both siblings bowed their heads and understood. Kol didn't need to finish his sentence to let his siblings know where he was going with it. No one wanted to disappoint Elena and Kol was afraid he would. It was as if they owed the Gilbert girl. If he stayed any longer, he'd lash out with violence and Elena had been trying to change that habit about them. She had put her faith in each of siblings when no one else would. She believed they could be better, and they desired that just as much.
"Check in with us when you get there," Elijah instructed. "And Kol, keep your phone on you."
Hugging his brother, Elijah then adjusted the cuffs of his sleeves before running to Elena's.
When Elena next woke, she was laying in her bed with a blanket covering her. How she got home, she wasn't exactly positive. Glancing around, Elena put a hand to her head. Her body ached as if she had been run over by a truck and her head throbbed.
"Hey, how are you feeling?" Jeremy asked poking his head in from their bathroom. He had heard some moaning and stirring coming from her room and decided to check on her.
"How long have I been out?" Elena asked glancing at the clock. 9:02pm, it read.
"A few hours. You looked like you needed the sleep. Can I get you anything?"
Sitting up, Elena waited for things to stop moving around her. "No, I'm okay. Still a bit dizzy."
Worried but trying not to show it, Jeremy nodded. "Okay, well, be careful if you get up. I'll be in my room if you need anything, just call out."
"Thanks, Jer," she said giving a soft smile. "I'll probably just take a shower and head back to bed."
"Elijah said he'd stop by sometime later. Rebekah and Kol made him go home and get cleaned up. They were all looking a little rough."
Rough was an understatement. Elena remembered the bullet holes in Elijah's suite and how pale his face was. He must have been starving after getting out from the barn cell.
"Thank you for helping me get them out of there, Jer," Elena said recalling the entire day. "I know you aren't a big fan of Elijah and his family. And you didn't have to do what you did, but-"
"You love him Elena," Jeremy cut in. "And I hate to admit it, but Elijah's in love with you too. I see the way he looks at you," he sighed. "It was wrong of the Pastor to hold everyone against their will and torture them like he was. I may not be a fan of vampires, but I'm not for what he decided to do either."
Elena nodded.
"They're still our loved ones inside," he ended with a saddened face.
"Alaric," Elena whispered. Looking up to her brother, saddened with loss, she had a hard time finding what to say. "Jer, I'm-"
"-if you're going to say you're sorry, don't," he told her with his arms now crossed as he leaned against her doorway. "Nothing you did was your fault, Elena. Esther took you against your will and got your blood, and Esther was the one playing mind games with Ric. You can't control everything that everyone does," he told her, knowing that was exactly what she was trying to do.
Once again, Elena nodded. Her brother was right. How did he get to be so wise?
"I need to ask you one thing though," he said with a serious look on his face. "How did Alaric die if you didn't? Why aren't you a vampire?"
Elena nervously tucked some stray hair behind her head. "I did die," she started. Glancing to her brother, he looked pale. "Witches brought me back. They want me to stop Finn."
Jeremy's eyes widened while his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "How are you supposed to do that? We don't even know where he is. Did they tell you anything else?"
Biting her lip, Elena patted her bed and waited for him to sit down. "Jer, they gave me a choice. I could die and be on the other side or I could help them. I guess when Esther made Alaric, she also casted a spell which granted Finn powers of witchcraft. A witch-vampire hybrid…it- I-…"
Elena was at a loss for words. Curling some hair behind her ear, she then set her hand on top of Jeremy's to give comfort to them both.
"I have my abilities again. They are giving them to me until we defeat Finn. They need us to help them in case Finn tries to rise Silas."
Elena waited for Jeremy to process the information.
"So, what Elijah said to us earlier, about only a few people believing in Silas, he's real?"
Swallowing hard, she nodded. "Yeah, I guess he is. And if Finn raises him, well, I don't know. All I do know is that even the witches are scared if Silas returns."
Jeremy sat in disbelief. He was glad his sister had him sit down.
"And then what?" Jeremy asked. "What happens when we defeat Finn?"
Elena squeezed her brother's hand. She wasn't sure if she was ready to tell him this part yet. "Jer…witches can't resurrect the dead."
"But they did with you. You just-"
And then he stopped. Eyes widening, Jeremy got up from the bed. "No. No!"
"Jer-"
"No, Elena!" he yelled at her. "You—you...you died. And you come back only to tell me, what? You're dying? That once we find Finn and defeat him that I'll lose you? I'll lose my sister?"
She bit her lip and looked away from his heartbroken doey eyes. That was exactly what she was saying. "When we defeat Finn, I'll have the option to let go or turn," she answered. "my human life will end no matter what."
A tear fell from Jeremy's eye and he quickly swiped it away. "And you're just okay with this? How could you let this happen?"
"I didn't have a choice, Jeremy," she said getting up. Paling when she did, Elena held onto her bed to keep herself upright. Jeremy went to her side, helping to hold her up as she inhaled a shaky breath. "I couldn't just leave you…or Elijah or Rebekah or Kol. Even Stefan and Damon," she spoke glancing to Jeremy. "Getting a chance to say goodbye is better than not having one at all."
Jeremy sniffled and kissed her head. Bringing the two of them in for a long hug, he held onto his sister and began to cry. Elena ran a hand up and down Jeremy's back. Holding him, she let him get it all out. "I know it sucks," she said. "It really, really sucks. But we are going to make the most of it," she vowed pulling away. "There are things we have to do, but we also get time with one another, okay?"
"Maybe Bonnie can find a way," Jeremy said hopeful. "Maybe she'll know something the spirits don't that could help us."
Hesitant, she tried to let her brother down easy. "I don't want you getting your hopes up on that, Jer. I think this is what is it. We just have to accept it."
"Are you going to end up turning?" he wondered, still in disbelief he was going to lose his sister.
"I don't know," she said hesitantly. While it was the obvious thing to do to be with Elijah and even Jeremy, living forever seemed terrifying.
Respectfully backing off, Jeremy dropped the topic and helped his sister get settled in the bathroom for a shower. He didn't want to add any more stress on her tonight. Grabbing her some fresh towels and turning the water to warm, he made sure she didn't need anything else before he left.
"Please, Jer," she told him before his door closed. "Promise me you won't fight this. And that you'll tell me when you're having problems accepting this. Please," she begged. "I don't want to keep things hidden from one another anymore. I just…I want to live and be happy. Whatever comes our way, we handle it together, okay?"
Pausing, he hesitantly nodded. "Elena…" There was something else he had been meaning to tell her, but once hearing she was going to die, it seemed so small in comparison.
"What?" she asked reading the look on his face. It concerned her to say the least.
"I could see them," Jeremy said shamefully to her. "The tattoos on Connor's arms before I killed him."
Elena leaned back against their bathroom counter and thought back. There weren't any tattoos on Connor's arms.
"Jeremy, there weren't-" and then it was her turn to halt midsentence. Refraining from telling him there weren't any visible marks that she could see on that man's arms, she realized what it meant. He was one of the five.
"Oh god," she said putting a hand to her mouth. Her brother was one of the five. A vampire hunter. Supernatural. No wonder why Alaric kept pushing to train him once Esther made him a hunter. And it made sense now why Jeremy excelled so quickly and was so good with a crossbow.
"I'll be okay," he said, feeling their roles now reversing. Instead of being the one to hear the bad news, he was now the one to tell it. "We'll figure it out, like you said," he told her, watching as her face paled further and her legs get weaker.
"Okay," she said staring off into space. "okay," she repeated. Nodding, she inhaled a deep breath and held tightly onto the counter as she looked back to Jeremy. They'll handle this together. "Thank you for telling me."
Nodding, he gave her one last glance before he shut his door and let her be.
A/N: Sooo? Thoughts? It's a double chapter!
