Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and The Vampire Diaries. They belong to J.K. Rowling and L.J. Smith. I am writing this just for fun and no money is being made.

AN: First of all, a note to all the GUEST reviewers, who don't want to see Athena-Damon pairing. This story is halfway done and I cannot change the pairing now. The plotline in my mind is complete, so I would like to apologize because it cannot be changed now. If you are worried that Damon would beat Athena in his anger, I want to assure you that he loves her and wouldn't harm her physically. He is just lashing out at her in the only way he knows.

I would like to apologize for my mistakes in advance as I wasn't able to edit this chapter.

Mikaelson Mansion

"My Children." Esther said as she looked at all of them.

"Mother, stay behind me." Finn whispered as he looked at his siblings and moved Esther slightly behind him.

"That's lovely. The favorite son will be playing sacrificial lamb. How pathetic you are, Finn." Kol spat as he glared at Finn.

Esther looked at Kol emotionlessly as she defended Finn and said, "Be quiet, Kol. Your brother knows virtue you cannot even imagine."

Then she gazed at Athena and added, "Athena, dear child. You know what an abomination can do to the world! You've faced the monster first handed. You've fought in war to save everyone because of him. Do you want thousands of innocent people to die?"

Every gaze snapped towards her and looked at her horrified. No one knew what to say and what their mother was talking about. What war and how come they haven't heard about it?

Athena though, didn't look at anyone, but her irritation at Esther increased. How dare she compare these two situations together? She was trying to manipulate her in killing her children, just like she did in that dream.

Klaus looked back at his mother and asked enraged, "What do you mean she's fought in a war? She's just a child."

Esther looked Klaus in the eyes and said coldly, "Age is just a number. The only thing is that she knows the importance of killing a monster. An abomination! Nothing good came from the decision I foolishly made a thousand years ago."

Elijah gazed at his mother with a disappointed look on his face and said, "Whatever you think of us, killing your own children will be an atrocity."

"My only regret is that I did not let you die a thousand years ago." Esther replied, unbothered by any of them.

Klaus interjected and said with a small smirk, "Enough! All this talk is boring me. End this madness now, Mother, or I'll send you back to Hell."

Rebekah looked at Esther with a betrayed look on her face, eyes filled with unshed tears and asked quietly, "Mother, why would you do this to us?"

Esther took a step forward and looked at all of them as she spoke, "For a thousand years, I've been forced to watch you. Felt the pain of every victim, suffered while you shed blood. Even you, Elijah, with your claim to nobility, you're no better. All of you. You're a curse on this Earth. Stretched out over generations." A tear fell from her eye, but she continued, "If you've come to plead for your life, I'm sorry, you've wasted your time. You'll die soon." Esther finished confidently.

Rebekah stared at Esther like she was looking at her the first time and asked, "So, you've been planning our deaths all this time?"

Esther gave her a tender look and said softly, "No. I didn't plan anything while on the other side. I watched over you every single day. During all that time when you had cried yourself to sleep calling my name. You know you shouldn't have lived for a thousand years as no one should live that long."

Klaus stared at her and asked through clenched teeth, "We are the ones who have killed people over the thousand years, so why would you want to kill Athena? Why did you link her to us?"

"She's the most powerful witch that has ever been born and it's a possibility that she would turn just like you one day. After all, she's your daughter, Niklaus. She should not have been born in the first place, and it's my responsibility to undo every mistake I made." Esther stated imperviously to Klaus, even though she kept glancing at Athena from time to time.

They all stared at her like she was demented and even Finn wasn't sure about his mother's decision to link Athena to them, but he didn't say anything. He trusted his mother and was sure she was only doing what was good for everyone.

Their mother's logic confounded Elijah and he asked her bemused, "You planned to kill an innocent because she's powerful and could turn into someone like us?"

Esther wasn't able to restraint herself any longer and shouted, "Enough! I cursed the world the day you were created. You are an infestation and I will rectify the blunder I made soon."

Athena looked at Esther oddly and stated, "You don't have the power to kill anyone, much less to use a powerful spell by yourself. That's why you contacted me through the witches. You were channelling their power. So, the question is, whose power are you channelling now?"

Elijah looked at Esther bewildered and concluded, "You are channelling power from another family's bloodline? It's from the Bennett witches, isn't it?"

Esther gave Athena a cold glare, but didn't answer. She disliked the girl with a passion. Athena Potter. Of course, she knew about the girl, everyone on the other side did. She had kept an eye on her from the moment she was born and even though she had pity for the girl for living through such a hard life, it wasn't enough to change her mind. The girl was Niklaus's daughter and had the same darkness within her which her father did. She had to stop her, for the girl had the power to destroy everyone with the flick of her hand, not that she knew. She had thought that as being a witch, she would help her and she wouldn't had to channel the power from someone else. She couldn't be killed and that's why she planned everything accordingly. Everyone was going smoothly and would have worked perfectly, if the girl wouldn't have interfered.

Esther gave Athena a frosty glare and hissed angrily, "You should have understood what an anomaly can do to the word. You've faced it yourself. You lost everyone because of it - your parents, your godfather, your friends and your fiancée. Instead of aiding me, you are helping the evil? What would your mother say and how would you feel when thousands more will be killed because you assisted them?"

Athena's eyes blazed with fury as she stared at Esther. She had never felt so much anger which was burning inside her right now and rage built like deep water currents. All her pent-up aggression and frustration came out and she didn't give her next action much thought. She forgot everything and everyone, beside the woman standing in front of him. She stared at Esther unblinkingly who started chocking and her hands went to her throat instantly.

All the siblings stared at her and then to their mother with horror, while Kol and Klaus were mystified, but no one moved to stop her. Finn looked at his mother with dread setting in his heart and blurred to stop her. Athena saw him out of the corner of her eye and waved her hand towards him, immobilised him and he fell on the floor with a thud.

"No!" Esther almost chocked in despair as she realized that she won't be able to finish what she came back for.

Athena felt as if she wasn't in her own body and was staring from somewhere afar as she whispered tediously, "My mum would have been proud. Unlike you, she gave her life to save me."

She felt Esther's blood boiling inside her body and stared at her as if it would burn her inner rage, as if her anger would turn into ash by seeing her like this. In that moment, she felt inhumane and brutal, but she couldn't stop herself. It was twisted and distorted but she felt vigorous with the power that was flowing inside her.

Esther felt like she was burning. Fire was lacing in her veins and creeping throughout her body rapidly, and she couldn't stop the screams that left her mouth. She felt something acidic boiling inside her stomach and waiting to be spat out of her mouth and when she threw up, all she saw was blood. She almost wailed as the fire burned her and every ounce of breath was stolen from her lungs.

The four siblings looked from Athena to their mother shocked, wide eyes and jaws slackened. They saw her skin turning red as their mother shrieked in pain. They all saw her reducing to human rubble as Athena stood there robotically staring at Esther, who was now coughing-up blood violently.

Klaus looked at Athena with alarm as she fried Esther and God knows what she did to Finn without a glance towards him. He was aware that he knew nothing about her, but one thing he was sure about, that she won't be able to forgive herself if she killed someone like this. And the fact that she was his daughter and killing someone could trigger the werewolf gene if she had it. He wasn't going to wait and see his daughter in more pain than she already been in, so he blurred forward and pulled Esther's heart from her chest and threw it into the fire burning in the fireplace.

"Wow! That was scary. She's the perfect niece and I love her." Kol remarked after a long time as he stared at Athena in awe and nodded at Klaus in approval.

All of them rolled their eyes at their brother's inopportune statement apart from Rebekah, who was staring at her mother's body with a heavy heart as tears flowed down her cheeks.

Klaus observed Athena, who had yet to move or say a word and called quietly, "Sweetheart?"

But before anyone could say anything, Athena's eyes rolled back in her head and she fainted. Klaus blurred forward and caught her just in time to stop her from hitting the floor.

"Athena?" Klaus patted her cheek anxiously.

Rebekah and Kol shared a worried glance, while Elijah moved towards her and looked at her.

Elijah examined her pulse and heartbeat, and said, "Niklaus. She's young and I think she exhausted herself. We should let her rest."

"Take her to my room." Rebekah told him.

"No need. She has her own room." Klaus said as he picked her up and carried her upstairs.

She looked at him flummoxed and asked, "When did you do that?"

"I renovated one of the guestrooms." He shrugged and his three siblings looked at him startled.

They opened the door he indicated and entered inside. The room was large with huge window on one side, while the walls were covered with red and golden wallpaper. He laid her on the bed and covered her with the quilt. He stared at her for some time, before leaving.

.

.

Athena woke up sometime later and looked at her surroundings. It was still dark, so she turned on the lights and stared around wide-eyed. The room was unfamiliar, but it looked like her home as red and golden was the most prominent color of the room. As she looked around, she couldn't stop the small gasp that escaped her. The others had heard the change in her heartbeat and blurred into the room.

"Are you alright?" Klaus asked her.

Athena didn't look at him, but gestured at the portrait hanging on the wall and asked, "What…?"

"Nik loves to paint what he loves." Rebekah told her with a small smile.

It took a second or two for the information to sink in, even though it was right before her eyes. – 'her father painted a portrait of her'.

She stared at the picture amazed. 'Her hair were cascading down in waves and she was wearing Fred's red hoodie in the picture, which she wore most of the time at home. She was looking sideways at something.' The picture was stunning and she couldn't stop the small smile that came to her lips.

And in the seconds that followed, she moved towards Klaus and wrapped her arms around him spontaneously. Klaus was astounded and stood there speechless, not knowing how to react. When was the last time someone hugged him voluntarily apart from Rebekah? His arms moved of their own accord as he cradled her like a cherished child.

"Thank You." Athena whispered against him as she felt sting of tears forming and hope rising inside her. She had to remind herself that this was real life.

Potter Home

Athena saw Stefan sitting on her outdoor swing at the patio as soon as she apparated back home. He didn't turn to look at her ever after the loud crack and her brows furrowed at that.

She went near him and asked, "Stefan? What are you doing here?"

"I needed a place to go and couldn't think of anywhere else." He answered quietly, but didn't look at her. He was still staring at the woods unblinkingly.

She didn't know if she should tell him, but against her better judgement she whispered, "Esther's dead."

His gaze snapped towards her, as he stared at her with wide-eyes and mouth hanging-open. Esther was the only thing stopping Klaus from killing them and he swallowed thickly.

He wanted to ask her who did it and why, but the only word he managed to croak out was, "You…?"

"I would have, if my fa… Klaus haven't killed her first." She answered as she moved and sat beside him.

He couldn't understand why they would want to kill their own mother and why would Athena kill Esther? They just celebrated the joining of their family not hours ago. And Athena probably didn't even know her, so why would she kill Esther? He looked back at the forest and asked, "Why?"

"She said something about my family and my fiancée. I got angry and lost control of my magic." She whispered ashamed.

"Your fiancée?" he asked in a high-pitched voice.

"Yeah. He… died in the war." She muttered as she stared at the starry sky.

Stefan stared at her. She was so young and had been through so much. He couldn't imagine living a life like hers – being through a war, loosing every single member of your family, seeing your friends and fiancée die, having a father like Klaus, who tried to kill her. He didn't know much about the hybrid, but he knew for a fact that he was overprotective of his family which was probably the reason, he kept them daggered. He hoped against everything, that Klaus won't turn her against her wish, just to keep her 'safe in a coffin' and he shuddered at the thought of seeing her like that. Yeah, he liked her. She reminded him of Lexi and he was able to relax and stay carefree when he was with her. She had a light inside her which called to him. He had enjoyed her company even when he had his humanity-off. He was able to talk to her, like he had known her forever and she bossed him around just like Lexi did, uncaring of what he would do or say.

And he knew that she was in love with Damon, who wasn't ready to listen to anyone and was being his stubborn self. He was with Elena right now and didn't know where things would go, but he just knew that things were going to turn bad. Athena was one of the nice ones and he didn't want to see her anymore hurt than she already had been.

He was bought of his musings when she called him. "Stefan?"

She looked at him concernedly and asked, "What is it?"

And just like that his anger returned as he remembered why he was here in the first place. He didn't answer. He couldn't. He just stood up angrily and punched the wall beside him with so much force, that it cracked. She flinched and looked up at him startled. She had never seen him this angry before, and he looked dejected and downright miserable. As she saw his face, she understood the reason behind his sadness.

"You saw." She uttered softly.

And just like that the anger drained out of him and all that remained behind was desolation. "No. I was at home when I heard… I couldn't stay there." Stefan sat back and answered.

"You love Elena." It wasn't a question.

He stayed quiet for some time, wanting to decline what she had said, but he couldn't because he loved Elena and he was the one who pushed her away. He fed from her, he made fun of her and even when his emotions weren't off, he treated her like a blood bag. In the end he wasn't able to say anything, so he merely nodded.

He loved Elena, just like she loved Damon, but at this moment Athena felt her heart breaking all over for him. She came back home and she could avoid Damon as long as she wanted to, she wasn't forced to stay in the same house and listen to everything, like Stefan was forced to do. Right now, she was just glad that her house provided him an escape, even if she couldn't.

Stefan turned towards her and asked quietly, "How do you…?"

"I saw them… leaving together." She whispered.

"Elena isn't the one Damon loves, you know?" Stefan said with finality in his voice.

"What?" she asked startled.

"He does things like this when he's angry at someone he loves." He told her.

She gulped as she stared at him, but she pushed down the hope that was bubbling inside of her. She couldn't go through it again. The heartbreak, the rejection and the pain that came along. It was better this way. She knew that Damon was in love with Elena. What was there not to love? The girl was an absolute beauty; she on the other hand, was nothing but plain.

She looked at him and said with a sad smile, "It doesn't matter anymore, Stefan."

Stefan wanted to tell her that his brother was a dumb-idiot, but after today, he wasn't sure what it was that Damon had with Elena. He'd fucked up things with his stubbornness. He saw her looking sad and deflated, just like him and without thinking, wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her a bit closer, rubbing her arm soothingly. Despite the heaviness in her heart, she realized that he was trying to soothe her even though he was going through the same thing and maybe even more. She rested her head on his shoulder, appreciative of the simple gesture. His concern made her feel warmer and better somehow.

They stared at the night sky together, lost in their own thoughts, their presence enough to comfort each other.

Mikaelson Mansion

The Next Morning

Klaus opened the door of the basement where they had locked Finn, after Athena snapped his neck and entered inside.

"How are you, brother?" he asked cheerfully.

Finn didn't look at him and said, "Niklaus. I have nothing to say to you."

"I'm not here to chat. As you know, our mother is dead and cannot kill us now."

Finn didn't respond, just glared at him angrily with nothing but sorrow etched on his face.

Klaus said ignoring his brother's ire, "I require your assistance brother."

"I have no wish to help you. Only to see you dead." Finn said.

"Well, that's the thing. You won't be able to see me dead because if I die, then you die. So, wish would be unfulfilled." Klaus answered with a small smirk playing on his lips.

Finn looked at him infuriated and said, "Oh, bother someone else with your hollow chance, Niklaus."

Klaus ignored him and continued, "I have the witch that can help us undo the binding spell that is tying our fates together."

"I have no wish to be unlinked." Finn spat at him angrily.

All frolicsomeness vanished from Klaus's face and he said enraged, "Let me rephrase. You will help me unlink my daughter from all of us or I will put you back in that coffin where you rotted for 900 years."

Finn looked at him and said with amusement, "What happens to one, happens to all. You may not feel the effects of the dagger, but what do you think it will do to your precious daughter?"

Klaus stared at him enraged and Finn tried to flee past him, but was stopped by Rebekah, who was waiting outside for him.

"Let's not make this anymore worse than it has to be, darling brother." Rebekah said without humor.

Finn looked at her incredulously and said, "You're siding with him? Rebekah, he stored us in boxes."

"At least he isn't trying to make us instinct." She snapped.

"Even if I agree with you brother, I don't think our niece deserves to die like this." Elijah stated calmly as he entered the house.

Finn looked at all three of them and asked amused, "What're you all going to do? Kill me?"

"You've got a death wish. Fine, but the thing is, I'm not going to let you take the rest of us down with you." Klaus said and threw Finn at the wall in front of him.

Finn groaned with pain as his head hit the wall, but looked-up at his siblings and said, "You can't force me to help you."

"Oh, I most likely could. Why force when I can persuade." Klaus smirked at him and pointed towards the other end of the room.

A woman walked towards him and said with a genuine smile, "Hello, Finn."

"Sage!" Finn looked at her wide eyed, not believing that she was there, but blurred towards her and smashed his lips to hers.

Rebekah turned towards Klaus and asked in a disinterested manner. "I'm going out. What do you need from me for the spell?"

"Just your blood and your blessing." Klaus answered while texting Kol.

.

.

Bonnie was sitting on the sofa and staring at the grimoire, after Klaus had basically kidnapped her to unlink him and his family. She wasn't going to help him though, the man was nothing but a cruel bastard, who loved to see people in misery.

Klaus entered his living room after Finn gave him his blood and saw the Bennett witch still sitting monotonously, doing nothing, and said, "Tick Tock. You should be enchanting by now."

Bonnie didn't look at him but replied, "I'm still studying the unlinking spell. It's not that easy, especially under duress."

Klaus leaned down on the sofa she was sitting on and whispered in her ear, "You've been warned. If you're looking a way to send for help, I will kill anyone who comes to your rescue."

Bonnie stood up, turning towards him and said, "This is a powerful spell and I just don't know if I'm strong enough."

He moved forward to her and said, "Then you should have a little more faith in yourself, Bonnie. Honestly, I think someone isn't trying very hard."

She glared at him angrily and asked testily, "Isn't your daughter a witch? Why can't she do the unlinking spell?"

He looked unbothered by her anger and replied, "My mother channelled power for the spell from Bennett bloodline. It was your energy that helped my mother link us, so you should be the one to undo the spell. Don't you think?"

Bonnie didn't say a word, just scowled at him, not willing to do his bidding.

Klaus looked at her with fake disappointment and muttered, "Very Well!"

He pulled the phone out of his pocket as he dialled a number and answered brightly "Kol! How's the weather up there in mile high city?" he didn't look at Bonnie, but she frowned and blinked at him.

"And how's our friend?" he asked.

Bonnie looked at him as it registered to her who he was talking about and a lump formed in her throat.

"Can I see him?" Klaus asked.

Then he came near her as he showed her live streaming video of Jeremy on his phone and muttered in her ear, "Here's Jeremy, playing fetch with his new puppy."

True to his words, Jeremy was playing with a dog in a park and dread filled her stomach as she locked her teeth tight together to stop herself from lashing out at him.

"Isn't that just the most adorable thing you've ever seen." he asked her this time.

Bonnie's eyes filled with tears, but she reigned them in as she heard Klaus say, "Thank you, Kol. We'll be in touch."

She turned to look at him while he stared at her and asked unrelentingly, "So, Bonnie. How about that spell?"

Salvatore Boarding House

Damon was in the parlor drinking more bourbon, when Elena came downstairs wearing his shirt. Wearing only his shirt and he closed his eyes miserably. He hadn't wanted to sleep with her and give her the wrong impression, when Stefan was already in love with her. But he had gotten so drunk after his talk with Athena, that he slept with the only person who cared for him. There was no doubt that Elena was beautiful with her big brown eyes, perfect dark brown hair framing her face and an olive complexion; but when he was with her last night, instead of olive, he saw creamy skin with naturally red lips, straight brown hair morphed into curly black and brown eyes turned into shining emerald. Sleeping with her did nothing for him instead of making him realize, that what he had for Elena wasn't love. He cared for her and didn't know how to let her down gently, without hurting her feelings.

She came where he was perched on the recliner and settled herself onto his lap. The action startled him. Her being so open when Stefan could barge in and see them together or was she over Stefan now? She leaned forward and kissed him, but pulled back when he didn't respond and stared at him with her brows furrowed.

"Damon?" she asked confused.

"Why don't you wear something? Stefan could be back anytime." He said with a grimace, not knowing what else to say. It was a good thing Stefan wasn't here or it would have been disastrous.

She didn't move like he had expected her to do, but looked at him with an unfathomable expression on her face and asked, "Do you regret it?"

He stared at her, not wanting to get into this with her this early in the morning. "Elena…"

She put her fingers on his lips stopping whatever he had to say and whispered, "Listen to me, yeah? I know that I shouldn't feel for you what I do. I shouldn't be in love with the both of you at the same time, but I am and I don't know what to do about it. But there is one thing I am sure of and it's that, that I love you and I am not letting you go, Damon. I'll fight for you if I have to."

With that, she leaned forward, slanted her lips to his before pulling back and went upstairs to get dressed and he was left staring at her. The way she said it unsettled him. In that moment, he felt like it was Katherine talking to him and not Elena and it alarmed him. But there was another thought in his mind, which he couldn't seem to ignore now.

'Why did he have to go and fall for the enemy? Why couldn't he still be in love with Elena? She loved him and things would have been so much easier.'

He looked up as she came back and saw her wearing her jeans and a long coat that covered her frame. He'd forgotten that she kept some of her spare clothes in the Boarding house, but he had never been more thankful about it.

Elena stopped in front of him and said seriously, "You should know that Esther's planning on killing all her children. She's linked them all together with a spell. Whatever happens to one, happens to all of them."

"That's great. Klaus will finally be dead. We win." Damon shrugged, feigning nonchalance, but some part of him was glad, that the original witch had only connected her children together.

"I thought you cared about Athena. She's your friend and her whole family is going to be dead." She said skeptically.

Damon looked at her, jaw clenched and said, "I don't care if Esther kills all five of them. I just want Klaus to die."

"Esther's not killing anyone." A voice said and they both turned as Stefan entered, closing the door behind him.

Elena's brows furrowed and stated firmly, "What? She linked all her children together so she could kill them, Stefan. She told me herself."

"Well, she can't because she's dead." Stefan stated callously.

"What?" Damon asked looking at him incredulously.

He looked at Damon and said, "Klaus killed her last night."

It panicked Elena. She was the one who gave her blood to Esther and had lied to Elijah. She moved towards Stefan and asked, "How do you know?"

Stefan said, "Athena told me."

Elena sucked in a harsh breath as her heart rate increased. Esther told her that Athena was extremely powerful and she was Klaus's daughter. She was hoping that the Mikaelson's would be dead soon and she would be free of all their games this time. And she was hurt and angry at Stefan. Had he been with Athena? She knew that she had no right to ask him that. She herself was with Damon and Stefan clearly told her that everything between them was over, but she couldn't shrug the feeling of betrayal that she felt. Did he leave her for Athena?

So, without much thought she blurted, "You were with her? But… she's Klaus's daughter!"

Stefan looked at Elena who in turn was looking at him like he had cheated on her. He didn't want Damon and Elena to get the wrong impression about his relationship with Athena. He liked the witch and he thought of her more like a sister he never had. A friend he could confide in without worrying about the judgement in their eyes. She had a way of making him feel comfortable and carefree without much effort. After losing Lexi, she had been the only one who offered him friendship without asking anything in return. But he was angry and he wanted to hurt them both, like they had hurt him.

So, he arched an eyebrow at Elena and said with a small smirk, "I know. I don't know how it's your business, but I like her."

Damon, on the other hand, couldn't form any words and stared at Stefan unblinkingly. He felt anger bursting from his chest in and turning into anguish. He imagined Stefan and Athena together, and felt nausea swirling in his empty stomach as he heard Stefan's words. 'I like her.' He felt like there was a fire inside him which was burning all his oxygen, leaving him empty and hollow. He felt himself shutting down, like there was nothing inside him. He remained on the recliner because he had no strength to move. His shaky fingers went to his glass of bourbon, drank it all in one go and hurled the glass in the fireplace with all the force he could muster. He needed to find something else to focus on urgently, because right now, he wanted to kill his own brother.

Elena jumped at his sudden anger and Stefan stayed where he was, looking at Damon statically.

"We need a plan to kill Klaus." Damon said suddenly and both their eyes widened at the change of topic.

Elena had a hunch that Damon liked Athena and was sure that he would have fought Stefan, but his sudden anger and the change in topic scared her. Stefan's eyes narrowed at that. As far as he knew Damon, he would lash out sooner than later, but he couldn't bring himself to regret his words. They were true after all, just not in the way his brother thought, so he stayed quiet.

"You're right and I have the perfect plan to kill Klaus." He turned serious as he said to Damon.

"How?" Elena asked curiously.

"Alaric."

Alaric's Apartment

An hour later, the three of them entered in Alaric's house and Stefan closed the door behind them. Alaric was sitting on a chair reading something and looked up at the three and his brows furrowed in confusion.

"What happened?" he asked.

"Where is it?" Stefan asked him and they shared a long look before Alaric went inside without another word.

"Are you going to tell us the master plan to kill the devil sometime today?" Damon asked sardonically.

Stefan looked at the two and said, "The board of Wickery Bridge was built from White Oak."

Damon stared at Stefan peculiarly and asked, "How do you know that?"

"That's the beauty of reading." Stefan answered sarcastically, but then answered, "It's written in one of the old Salvatore generals I read years ago. Do you remember the construction happening at the Wickery Bridge days ago?" Stefan asked, as Elena just stared at him while Damon looked at him perplexed as realization hit him.

Just then Alaric came back and dropped the bag on the table in front of them as Damon and Elena stared at it curiously.

Stefan moved forward as he opened the bag and continued, "I gave the sign board to Alaric."

Damon and Elena's eyes widened simultaneously as they stared at the bag which was filled with white oak stakes.

"You had these all week?" Elena asked Alaric clearly upset that her guardian hadn't informed her.

"It wasn't safe to tell anyone." Alaric answered apologetically.

"How many are these?" Damon whispered as he looked up at Stefan.

"12"

EN:This chapter turned out to be extremely long, so I divided it into two parts. The next part is halfway done and I'll post it sooner.

I hope you liked it. Your each and every single review makes my day and I just want to thank you for all your love and support.

Have a nice day, everyone! 😊

Oct 11th, 2018