Day One
Morning - Island - Woods
Damon was tied up to a tree with ropes soaked in vervain.
The man who had attacked him last night crouched over a camp fire.
Damon struggled against his bonds, groaning in pain.
"Something bothering you?" The man asked, having a slight accent.
"Would you believe me if I said mosquitoes?" Damon asked.
"Aye, I would." The man answered. "How does it feel when a relentless eating machine is draining the blood from your veins?"
"Itchy." Damon answered.
"Your friends from Mystic Falls think you're funny, Damon?" The man asked.
"You obviously know who I am and where I'm from." Damon told him. "Have you been spying on me?"
"Aye, I have." The man answered, standing. "You and Stefan, Morgana, Elena, your witches, Sally and Bonnie. Do you need them to cast the spell written on your pal, Jeremy's Hunter's mark..." He sat down. "The tattoo that looks exactly like this?"
Damon looked at his tattoo. "You wanna know something, just ask."
"I've been killing vampires my entire life, much like your Potential of a friend, Emma." the man told him. "Still, this thing refused to reveal itself to me. That was, until three days ago and it just magically completed for no apparent reason."
"Come on, man." Damon told him. "Do I look like I know anything about tattoos? Look at my skin. It's flawless."
The man chuckled, standing. "You're not taking me seriously." He walked over to Damon. "I don't blame ya. You don't know me." He held up a pointy wooden stick that he had been holding over the fire. "So let me introduce myself." He stabbed Damon's neck with the stick. "My name is Galen Vaughn, and you'd better start talking."
...
Beach/Gilbert House
Elena, Evelyn, Isabella and Rebekah were standing on the beach.
Stefan was several feet away, on the phone.
Elizabeth's voice was on the other line. "Tell me you're not serious."
"I wish I weren't." Stefan told her. In the Gilbert house, where Elizabeth was on the phone, Klaus remained trapped in the living room. "When we got back from looking for Sally and Jeremy, Shane and Bonnie were gone too. Shane needs them to cast a spell on Jeremy's tattoo in order to find the Cure, and he managed to sneak them all out from under our noses."
"Well, where's Damon in all this?" Elizabeth asked.
"Damon and Elena had an argument." Stefan told her. "We thought he was just taking a walk, but then when we went to the beach, we saw signs of a struggle."
"Meaning what?" Elizabeth asked.
"Meaning somebody probably jumped him and then grabbed him." Stefan answered.
"There's no way that Shane took him." Elizabeth told him. "I mean, he's not strong enough to take Damon on, even with the element of surprise."
"I know." Stefan told her. "He must have someone, or at least a few someones helping him."
"I'm so sorry." Elizabeth told him. "I wish I was there to help."
"Well, maybe there's something you and Emma can do from home." Stefan told her.
"Anything to get our brother back and kill that psycho." Elizabeth told him. Klaus smiled at Elizabeth talking about killing Shane. "Tell me."
"So, Shane's looking for the Cure." Stefan told her. "We think we can find him. We have pictures of Jeremy's tattoo, but we just can't translate the map."
Elizabeth looked toward Klaus with annoyed amusement. "Unless you get the Hunter's Sword from Klaus."
Klaus smiled.
"Exactly." Stefan told her.
Rebekah looked at the others. "He'll never give up the sword."
"Yeah, but if anyone's gonna get him to give it up, it's Elizabeth." Isabella told her.
"He will never give up the sword, not even for Elisaveta." Rebekah told them. "He's terrified Morgana'll take the Cure to make him mortal, and even if he wasn't, he wouldn't want any of us to derive a moment's worth of happiness from being human."
"Well, maybe he doesn't have to give it up." Evelyn told her. "I mean, Klaus is stuck in the Gilbert's house by Bonnie, Elizabeth and Sally's spell. He can't go anywhere. There's only so many places you can hide a three-foot piece of metal."
Stefan had been listening.
Elizabeth had been listening. "I'll find it. Don't worry. Just email me photos of Jeremy's tattoo. I'll find the sword, and I'll call you back."
"Thank you, Elizabeth." Stefan told her.
"You owe me big, Stefan." Elizabeth told him. "Don't get yourself killed. Bye."
Elizabeth hung up.
Klaus smirked. "Need my help with anything, love?"
"Nope." Elizabeth answered, striding out of the house without looking at Klaus.
Klaus looked amused, knowing that she would be back, and not alone.
...
Island - Cave Entrance
Shane, Bonnie, Sally, Jeremy, and Massak were walking toward the cave entrance.
Morgana walked up to them. "You know your not very good at hiding."
Shane smirked. "Join us Morgana or I kill Jeremy."
Morgana sighed.
Inside, they reached the hole they had to climb down into.
"This is as far as I go." Massak told them.
"We're on the brink of a monumental event in human history." Shane told him. "We're going to raise one of the two most powerful immortal creatures that ever were. Come on, our work's not done yet."
"Mine is." Massak told him. "You said get the kid and the witches. I did. I wanna get paid now." Shane opened his bag, pulling out the tombstone. He walked over, handing it to Massak. Massak looked at Bonnie, Morgana, Sally, and Jeremy. "I'll say a prayer for your souls."
Massak walked out quickly, leaving.
Morgana turned to Shane angrily. "That's what the tombstone was for? To pay off a mercenary?"
"The core of that tombstone is made up of Octavia, Pandora and Qetsiyah's calcified blood." Shane told them. "In some witch circles, that stone's more valuable than the Hope Diamond. So... so who wants to go down first?"
...
Mystic Falls, Virginia
Gilbert House - Living Room
Elizabeth and Emma walked inside, walking toward Klaus. Emma held a fabric over a long object.
Klaus was sitting on the coffee table. "Now, where is Orphan Lockwood, Familial-less Jackson and the other blonde vampire?"
"Given the wonderful display of anger and violence last night, thanks to Esmeralda's mind control over the both of you, we convinced Caroline and Liam to keep Tyler and Scott separate and occupied." Emma told him.
"Pity." Klaus told them. "I was looking forward to seeing how laughably impotent they are against me."
Elizabeth sat on the couch.
Emma revealed the sword from the blanket. "Found this in your attic."
"And you think finding the sword brings you closer to the Cure?" Klaus asked.
"You tell me." Emma told him. "I was playing around with the handle on the ride over, and I found this."
Emma unwrapped the leather on the top of the sword, revealing a turning device with symbols engraved.
Klaus looked amused, walking closer. "And what do you think 'this' is?"
Elizabeth stood. "It's called a cryptex." Emma looked at her. "You turn the different sides to the different symbols to get the translation on the other side." Klaus seemed impressed by the fact that she knew that. Elizabeth turned to the table. "And with the magic of the Internet, Stefan set over these." She held up print-outs of Jeremy's tattoo. "So now all we have to do is cryptex away." She sat down, looking at Klaus. "If you happened to want to help, we wouldn't stop you."
"Right." Klaus told them. "Well, might I suggest using the magic of the Internet to purchase an Aramaic-to-English dictionary fro your nearest retailer."
Klaus smirked.
Emma turned to Elizabeth. "What's Aramaic?"
"It's a dead language." Elizabeth answered. "It hasn't been used since, like, biblical time. Qetsiyah's native tongue, I'm guessing. Even if we had the best dictionary in the world, it could take days to translate. Maybe weeks."
Klaus smirked, sitting down. "In bas so-teen-too ara-ma-eet."
"What does that mean?" Emma asked.
Klaus looked up, grinning. "'If only you spoke Aramaic.'"
Elizabeth and Emma exchanged a look in realization and annoyance, looking away.
...
Island - Beach
Isabella was raising her cellphone in the air but got only a busy signal.
"It's not gonna work." Rebekah told her in boredom.
"I'm pretty sure I didn't ask for your help." Isabella told her.
Elena and Stefan were sitting, talking.
"And once again, everyone's life is in danger looking for this Cure because poor Elena can't deal with being a vampire." Elena said.
"No." Stefan told her. "Everyone's here because they want to be. Not just for you, but for themselves too."
"Stefan, why didn't you tell me that you wanted the Cure for yourself?" Elena asked.
"I mean, why wouldn't I want to take it?" Stefan asked. "I've seen every side of vampirism there is. The power... the misery, the guilt. In the long run, even the good parts kind of suck, too."
"Yeah, I mean, I know why you would want to take it, but what I'm saying is... why didn't you tell me?" Elena asked.
"Because it had nothing to do with you." Stefan answered. "I mean, you know how much I wanted a human life with you. Being human myself, being normal. That's something I've wanted since long before I met you."
"Well, I'm glad you told me now." Elena told him.
"Yeah, what's a deeply buried personal secret between friends, right?" Stefan asked.
"Between friends?" Elena repeated. "I like that."
Elena smiled at Stefan, reaching for his hand.
Isabella watched from a few yards away in annoyance.
Rebekah stood behind Isabella, speaking in her ear tauntingly. "Doesn't that just make you mad? Your friend wants Stefan to leave Morgana out in the cold."
"That's not what she's doing." Isabella told her.
"No?" Rebekah asked, walking around Isabella . "That doesn't make you the tiniest bit irritated?" Isabella didn't answer. "What are you gonna do when Stefan and Elena become human and fall for each other all over again? Do you really think it won't change the way they feel about Morgana or Damon? How do you know this Cure won't change the way you feel?"
"I'm gonna tell you in the simplest way possible." Isabella told her. "I know this bitchy quality was probably given to you at birth, but... You can try to out-bitch a bitch, but you're still a bitch trying to make yourself better about being a bitch." She started to walk away. "Bitch."
Isabella continued to walk away.
Rebekah looked after Isabella incredulously.
...
Woods
Damon was still bound by the vervained ropes, leaving him no choice but to walk with Vaughn through the forest.
"Mind telling me where we're going?" Damon asked.
"At the wishing well lies an entrance to a crypt." Vaughn told him. "In the crypt lies Silas. And with Silas lies the Cure, which will allow me to kill Silas, bring the mission of the Brotherhood of the Five to an end. You're my leverage, Damon. I use you to get your witch friends to open the passage to Silas' crypt for me."
"What a minute." Damon told him. "You're using me to get to Bonnie Bennett, Sally Davidsons and Rosie Lockwood or Morgana Mikealson? Whoa, brother." He laughed. "You picked the wrong vampire."
"I guess we'll see about that." Vaughn told him.
"Here's the deal, Shrek." Damon told him. "My witch friends will open the passage for you. No leverage necessary. We don't care about Silas. All we want is the Cure, so you cut us in on your share, and we'll get out of your hair."
Vaughn turned to face him. "You really don't understand, do you?"
...
Mystic Falls, Virginia
Gilbert House - Living Room
Emma and Elizabeth had the pictures of Jeremy's tattoo and index cards of the Aramaic symbols lying on the table. They had the computer open, sitting on the couch.
"Okay, this is it." Emma told her. "We've translated all the symbols on the tattoo." She read the translation. "'Passage inside... requires a young senator, and a pretty flower.'" She was irritated, throwing the cards down. "Okay, none of this makes sense. Elizabeth?"
"What do I look like, Em, an Aramaic school teacher?" Elizabeth asked. "I don't know any more than you do."
Klaus watched Elizabeth and Emma in amusement, intrigued by the sisterly/motherly-daughterly interactions between them.
...
Island - Woods
Damon spoke in a slight accent mocking Vaughn's. "No, I don't understand, so why don't you explain it?"
"Silas is immortal." Vaughn told him. "I have to cram the Cure down his throat in order to kill him."
"Yeah." Damon agreed. "What does that have to do with me and my friends?"
...
Gilbert House - Living Room
Klaus spoke Aramaic, then the English translation. "'Requires three powerful witches and a Hunter in full bloom. One of the three has a face like another. Either of their blood is required to wake Silas.'"
"What are you doing?" Emma asked.
"I don't need to tell you my reasons." Klaus told her. "Elisaveta. Bring my sword over here."
...
Island - Woods
Damon and Vaughn were talking.
"I need to use the Cure against Silas." Vaughn told him. "Your friends, they can't exactly have it, now, can they?"
"So you use it on Silas." Damon told him. "And we'll use it for whoever wants to use it."
...
Gilbert House - Living Room
Elizabeth had brought the sword close enough for Klaus to read the cryptex.
"'Silas rests on the far side, the means of his destruction at hand,'" Klaus translated. He glanced at the pictures of Jeremy's tattoo on the computer screen. "Turn the cryptex to the right." Elizabeth turned the cryptex to the right. "Stop. The top of the hilt reveals a key to a nautical map. Turn it to the left." Elizabeth turned the cryptex to the left. "Now turn the other piece." Elizabeth turned the smaller piece to the left. "There's something else."
...
Island - Woods
Damon and Vaughn were talking.
"You don't want to share it with us?" Damon asked.
"Even if I wanted to, I couldn't." Vaughn told him.
"And why can't you share it?" Damon asked.
Vaughn looked as if he was growing impatient. "So it is written."
...
Gilbert House - Living Room
Klaus spoke Aramaic.
"What does it mean?" Elizabeth asked.
Klaus smiled.
Emma leaned closer. "Klaus, what does it mean?"
...
Island - Woods
Damon and Vaughn were talking.
"There is only one dose." Vaughn told him.
Damon didn't have time to process.
...
Cave - Lower Chamber
Sally was lowering herself down into the lower chamber of the cave in a harness attached to a rope. She lost her grip, falling the rest of the way down, landing painfully on her right hand.
Morgana, Bonnie and Jeremy were already down.
Bonnie looked at her right hand painfully.
Jeremy walked closer. "You okay?"
"Yeah, I just slipped." Sally told them, lifting her hand, groaning in pain, seeing that her glove was torn and bloodstained.
Morgana ripped off a strip of her T-shirt, helping Sally pull off her glove.
Their hands were bleeding profusely.
"Stupid, psychotic link," Morgana told them, using the fabric to make a quick tourniquet for her hand, and for Bonnie's hand.
"It's okay." Jeremy told them. He looked at Morgana. "How did you know how to do that?"
"You learn a lot when you live as long as I've lived." Morgana told them.
"Impressive." Sally told her.
"Thanks." Morgana told them.
Sally chuckled.
Morgana and Bonnie helped Lindsey stand, unhooking her harness.
Morgana cut her palm unhooking her but it healed quickly.
Shane's voice came from above the hole's opening. "Hey, guys, I'm coming down."
"Hey, guys," Jeremy told them quietly. "What do you think's gonna happen once you cast a spell on my tattoo and there's nothing in between Shane and Silas?" He looked at Morgana. "Gana, he'll do whatever it takes to wake him, including hurting you so he can use your blood."
"Do you trust us?" Bonnie asked.
"Yeah, of course." Jeremy answered.
"Then trust me when we promise we won't let Shane raise Silas." Bonnie told him.
Jeremy looked up briefly as they heard noises from above, lowering his voice even further. "Just don't do anything stupid. If your Expression gets out of hand, Shane is the only one that could help you keep it in control."
"Don't worry about us." Sally told him. "We're fine."
"But if Shane tries to lift a finger on his hand to hurt any one of us..." Morgana trailed off. "I'll kill him myself."
They prepared to keep moving.
On the spot where Sally landed, where three pools of blood from each had soaked the floor of the cave, it seeped together into one pool of blood. It seeped through a crack in the floor, dripping down to a chamber below, into the mouth of a figure that resembled a sarcophagus.
...
Island - Woods
Rosie stood alone, bundled against the cold, but not enough to slow her down. Her phone rang. She answered. "Hello?"
In the Gilbert House, Emma and Elizabeth were sitting down, the phone on speaker.
"Hey, it's Elizabeth and Emma." Elizabeth told her. "We would be calling somebody else, but no one else has signal."
"Glad I could be that last choice on the list." Rosie said sarcastically.
"We have the translation of the tattoo." Emma told her. "We're emailing you pictures of the map and instructions right now."
Rosie checked her phone, getting the email, putting it to her ear. "Got it. Thanks."
"Actually, it was me." Klaus told her.
"Klaus, you helped?" Rosie asked skeptically.
"You sound so surprised, Rosie." Klaus told her.
"Shouldn't I be?" Rosie asked. "I mean, you don't want any one of us to be human, especially least of all you, you told me to make sure they didn't get a chance to use it on Morgana in exchange for my freedom. Why would you turn around and help everyone find the Cure?"
"Well, my sister is along with the race." Klaus told her. "Maybe I finally realized the longer I stand in the way of what she wants, the longer she'll continue to hate me. Perhaps I want my sister to finally know happiness. Or we could use the Cure on Esmeralda if we ever find her again, and kill her in revenge for what she has done to all of us. As for you, if you still keep them from using the Cure on me, you'll have your freedom. No more fooling. No more games. There is one more thing, Rosie." He spoke quickly. "There is only one dose of the Cure. You need to find it first and give it to Rebekah. It's the only way you'll get your fre-"
Elizabeth rushed to end the call.
Klaus smirked, backing away in amusement.
Emma and Elizabeth exchanged a look.
"Klaus?" Rosie asked. "Emma? Elizabeth!"
Rosie turned around, hanging up.
Rebekah was in front of her, walking toward her. "You're the one who saved Jeremy last night, aren't you?"
Rosie nodded. "Did you hear that? Klaus wants me to get the only dose of the Cure and give it to you so it can't be used on him or Morgana. If I do this, he promised to give me my freedom."
"So what's the problem?" Rebekah asked. "Go, fetch. I can keep a secret."
"The only problem is, I don't trust him." Rosie told her. "If I give you the Cure, I want you to compel me to transform until I'm no longer sired, okay?" Rebekah didn't answer. Rosie was on the verge of pleading. "Rebekah, please."
Rebekah nodded. "If you get me the Cure, I'll compel your way to your freedom."
Rosie nodded gratefully. "Thank you."
Rosie rushed away to find the Cure.
Rebekah turned to watch her go.
...
Elsewhere
Damon was still walking ahead of Vaughn.
Vaughn gave him a little shove.
"You touch me again-" Damon started.
"And you'll what?" Vaughn asked. "Threaten me? Sorry if you're upset about the Cure, Damon, but we've got road to cover."
"I don't care about the Cure." Damon told him. "In fact, I don't know why anyone wouldn't want to be a vampire. You know what? If I wasn't a vampire, then I wouldn't be able to do nine of the things I'm gonna do to you when I'm free." Vaughn shoved Damon again. "Make that 10."
"Right." Vaughn told him sarcastically.
"All right, I admit, okay?" Damon asked. "My friends want the Cure, and I want them to have it, and I get very upset when I can't provide for my loved ones. But tell me something, Vaughn, if all you're worried about are Phoebe, Piper and Paige, then why'd you save the Gilberts yesterday?"
"How did I do that?" Vaughn asked.
"Big guy." Damon told him. "White paint all over him. You stuck a hatchet in his spine."
"I don't remember doing such a thing." Vaughn told him, pulling on the rope.
Damon resisted, refusing to walk. "We're on a remote island. There's you, me, and a bunch of unpleasant locals. You expect me to believe that someone else took out that monster truck of a human being that went after Jeremy, Liv, Alex and Elena?"
"I'm telling you, it wasn't me." Vaughn told him, pushing Damon forward.
They stumbled upon Massak's dead body, his throat slashed.
"Was that you?" Damon asked.
"No." Vaughn answered. "You?"
"No." Damon answered.
Vaughn looked around. "Well, I reckon there really is someone else on this island."
...
Cave - Lower Chamber
Shane joined Bonnie, Sally, Morgana and Jeremy in the new chamber, all of them holding flashlights. "It's just amazing, isn't it? Once we raise Silas, all of our sacrifices will have been worthwhile. We'll all have what we want."
"Or he'll kill us all." Lindsey told him.
"Listen, you're going to see I'm right." Shane told them. "Just so you don't get any ideas, remember, anything happens to me, something a lot worse will happen to the three of you."
"All right, where is this stupid magic passage they need to open?" Jeremy asked.
"Just look for anything that looks out of place, all right?" Shane asked. "Anything not occurring in Nature like a-like a drawing or an inscription or a..." He looked down. "Geometrically perfect circle." He crouched to the ground, brushing away dirt and debris to reveal a circle carved into the ground, tapping the ground. "This is it. This is the spot."
Bonnie, Sally, Morgana and Jeremy exchanged a look.
...
Woods
Rebekah, Stefan, Evelyn, Isabella and Elena were walking through the woods, trying to follow the map on Rebekah's phone.
Stefan looked at Rebekah. "What did Emma and Elizabeth say?"
"I don't know." Rebekah told them. "We lost signal. Come on, this way." They walked up to the edge of a cliff. Rebekah held up her phone. "We need to get down and across. Advantage, as vampires. All we have to do is jump."
"Wait, wait." Elena told them. She looked at Rebekah. "Um... Maybe you should leave the map behind. In case you fall, you don't want anything to happen to your phone."
"Are we doing this again?" Evelyn asked. "I thought we were a team."
"Guys, we don't have time for this." Isabella told them. She looked at Elena. "Elena, you go first."
Elena looked at Evelyn.
Evelyn nodded, looking at Elena. "I'll go with you."
"We'll be right behind you." Isabella told them.
Elena and Evelyn ran forward, letting themselves fall the huge distance off of the cliff, landing on the ground, stumbling slightly.
Evelyn laughed at the rush.
Isabella landed next to her.
Elena reached a hand out to Evelyn's shoulder. "You okay?"
"One thing I'll miss about being a vampire." Evelyn told them, turning around to look up at the edge of the cliff. "The rush."
Stefan started to run forward.
Rebekah put a hand out to stop him. "There's something you should know about the Cure."
...
Cave - Lower Chamber
Jeremy was shirtless, standing in the middle of Bonnie and Sally.
Bonnie and Sally were standing in a circle around him, big enough to give him some room but small enough to be able to hold hands. Their eyes were closed.
"You're doing it, just breathe, all right?" Shane asked. "Focus on what you can do. Don't be afraid of what you can't."
"You can do this." Jeremy told them. "Remember, just like you taught me. You're in control."
Bonnie nodded, reassured.
Morgana seemed numb.
Sally looked calm.
"That's it." Shane told them. "It's just like drawing breath. Now just pull the power into you."
The three witches and Jeremy breathed deeply as his tattoo began to fade away.
...
Woods
Vaughn was still pulling Damon along. They came to a stop as Vaughn's tattoo began to disappear.
"Looks like your witches are casting their spell." Vaughn told him.
They continued to walk along.
...
Cave - Lower Chamber
Bonnie and Sally each took an involuntary breath, closing their eyes in concentration.
Rocks began to rain down around them as the ground shook, as if in an earthquake.
Shane ran off, ducking for cover.
The rocks continued to rain down around Bonnie, Sally and Jeremy, but the witches seemed to be unaware as they continued their spell.
...
Cliff
Isabella, Evelyn and Elena were still waiting for Rebekah and Stefan to jump down.
"So you're sure that Rosie is telling the truth?" Stefan asked. "That there's only one dose of the Cure?" Rebekah nodded. "Well, I guess that's what happens when you're dumb enough to hold out hope."
"There's still hope for one of us." Rebekah told him. "But even if I felt pity for you, if I wanted to ease your pain, so I gave you the Cure to take yourself, you'd give it to Morgana, wouldn't you?" Stefan didn't answer. "That's what I thought. Well, I'm sorry that it couldn't work out the way that we all wanted it to."
Rebekah snapped Stefan's neck, letting him fall.
Isabella watched in shock.
Elena watched in horror.
Evelyn braced herself, pushing off with all the strength she had to jump back to the top of the cliff.
Rebekah disappeared before she even got up there.
Evelyn glared at nothing, kneeling next to Stefan.
...
Cave - Lower Chamber
Jeremy stood as dust and debris continued to fall. "Guys. Guys!"
Sally was behind a rock. "I'm fine."
Morgana stood. "I'm here."
Bonnie smiled. "Look. It worked."
They looked over to see that a new passage had been revealed.
Jeremy grabbed his shirt. "You did it."
"We did it." Bonnie told them.
Jeremy put on his shirt.
They walked toward the passage.
Shane groaned in pain, breathless. "Hey, guys, I need a hand. My leg's broken."
"Best to stay off it, then." Morgana told him.
"Morgana." Shane told her. Morgana gave him a cold look, turning around, walking away. Sally looked at Shane expressionlessly, turning around, following Morgana. "Sally. Wait, wait." Bonnie and Jeremy turned around, followed Morgana and Sally. "Don't-Come on. Bonnie. Help me! Come on, please! Help me!"
They ignored his pleas as they walked into the tunnel.
...
Cave - Upper Chamber
Damon, still tied up, staggered into the cave with Vaughn behind him. They saw the ropes that the others had used to go down into the lower chamber. "Well, here we are. Looks like someone beat us to the punch."
"That's a shame, Damon." Vaughn told him. "I have no use for you anymore. Hate to kill you."
"Ditto." Damon told him. "You know, that pesky Hunter's Curse and all." Vaughn nodded. "All right. How do you want to do this?"
"I'll make it quick and painless." Vaughn told him, pulling on the rope tied to Damon's neck.
Damon resisted, grabbing onto the rope; the vervain in it seared his skin. "Wish I could make the same promise." Vaughn cut the rope at his end, flinging it toward Damon. Damon pulled the rope off his neck, groaning in pain, pulling off the ones tied to his wrists. Vaughn prepared a gun. "I'm gonna kill you. And then I'm gonna get to that damn Cure, and I'm gonna give it to the girl that I used to love."
"Your attachment to your friends will be the end of you." Vaughn told him.
They heard footsteps from the cave entrance.
Damon smiled. "You don't know my friends..." Rebekah appeared. "Or my enemies."
Rebekah looked at Vaughn.
...
Cliff
Stefan woke up.
Evelyn gave him a blood bag. "Hey. You okay?"
Stefan nodded, taking the blood bag. "Thanks."
"Yeah." Evelyn told them.
Isabella and Elena stood behind Evelyn.
"There's only one Cure?" Isabella asked.
Stefan looked confused, looking at Evelyn. "Eavesdropping?"
"Yeah." Evelyn answered, nodding.
Stefan smiled a small smile.
"I can't take it." Elena told them. "I mean, not above everyone else who deserves it just as much as I do." She sighed. "It's over."
"I'm sorry." Isabella told them.
"Don't be." Elena told her. "Maybe it's a blessing in disguise."
"How so?" Evelyn asked.
"Things changed the minute I went off that bridge, Eve." Elena told her. "Even if I could be human again, I wouldn't be the person that I was. And things changed the minute you turned Evelyn." She looked at Isabella. "And things changed the minute you died by your father. Even if either of you could be human again, you wouldn't be the people that you were." Evelyn nodded in acknowledgement. "So it's about time we all accept the way we are now and figure out a way... to start living the rest of our lives."
Evelyn looked at Elena. "The rest of your life... with Damon."
Elena looked at Evelyn. "The rest of Morgana's life... with Stefan?"
"I'll guess we'll have to deal with that when we get home." Evelyn told them.
Elena nodded.
...
Mystic Falls, Virginia
Gilbert House/Forbes House (Phone Call)
On the porch of the Gilbert House, Elizabeth and Emma were on the phone with Tyler, Caroline, Scott and Liam, telling them about what happened, Emma's phone on speaker.
At the Forbes House, Liam and Caroline were standing on the porch, Liam's phone on speaker.
Tyler and Scott walked out onto the front porch.
"Every time I think we have him, that son of a bitch gets the upper hand." Scott told them.
"We won't let him hurt you." Caroline told them. "Morgana will take the Cure and make him human."
"If she gets to it first." Scott told them. "And if she doesn't, Klaus kills us."
Tyler started to get hysterical. "We need out of town to figure out how we're gonna stay alive-"
"Wait, hang on, okay?" Emma asked. "God! Before you both hemorrhage and die, just calm the hell down."
Liam looked at the phone pleadingly. "Elizabeth p, can you please try and talk to him? You're the only one he'll listen to, and if somebody doesn't talk to him, then he kills Tyler and Scott."
"He's got nothing to lose, Liam." Scott told her. "His brother's dead, his hybrids are gone. All he wants right now is blood, starting with ours."
Caroline looked at Tyler. "I'm not gonna say goodbye to you again, do you understand me?"
Emma looked at Elizabeth, giving her a look.
Elizabeth sighed, nodding. "I'll try to fix this."
"Thank you." Liam told her.
Emma hung up, looking at Elizabeth. "You think he'll listen?"
Elizabeth nodded, backing away inside.
...
Island - Cave - Upper Chamber
Damon and Rebekah stand on one side of the cave.
Vaughn was on the other pointing his gun on them.
"Are we gonna dance or are we gonna play?" Damon asked.
"You know he can't hurt me, Damon, unless he's got the white oak stake." Rebekah told him.
"Oh, he doesn't, but he's got other toys." Vaughn told her.
Vaughn shot Rebekah three times. Rebekah rushed toward him, grabbing his throat. Vaughn stuck a grenade with wooden spikes protruding from it into her chest. Rebekah looked down at it. Vaughn held up the fuse that he had pulled out. The grenade detonated, sending the wooden spikes into her body, all the way through to her back. She fell down, temporarily dead.
Damon rushed toward Vaughn, gripping his throat. Vaughn headbutted Damon, forcing him to back away. Damon groaned in pain. Vaughn withdrew another weapon, firing it at Damon; this time it threw a lasso-like device covered in vervain, which secured Damon by the neck to a pole behind him. He groaned, choking.
They heard Stefan's voice in the distance. "Damon!"
Vaughn grabbed onto a rope going down the shaft, sliding down it quickly, disappearing.
Evelyn, Elena, Stefan and Isabella entered the chamber just in time to hear Vaughn reach the bottom.
...
Stefan tried to pull vervain rope away from Damon's neck, the vervain searing both of their skins. Damon was groaning.
"You're wasting time." Damon told them. "Just get the Cure. Go."
"We're not gonna leave you." Elena told him.
"No, we aren't." Stefan agreed. He looked at Isabella. "You need to go ahead. We'll be right behind you."
Isabella hesitated.
"Go." Damon told her.
Isabella looked at all of them, jumping down the shaft.
...
Lower Chamber
Morgana, Sally, Bonnie, and Jeremy were walking along a passage, their flashlights held aloft.
"Look at us." Morgana told them, scoffing. "A newbie Hunter, an original and two witches who need adult supervision. How are we the ones that made it this far?"
"I'm glad we made it here." Bonnie told them.
"Me, too." Sally told them.
Jeremy raised his flashlight. "Where is 'here,' exactly?"
Bonnie looked ahead of them. "This way."
"How do you know?" Jeremy asked.
"I just know." Bonnie told them.
Grams appeared in a small chamber. "Hello, Bonnie."
Bonnie was torn between smiling and crying. "Hi, Grams."
Morgana turned her flashlight toward the place Bonnie was looking at.
She saw Henrik.
Morgana smiled in shock. "Oh, my God. Henrik?"
"What's up, Gana?" Henrik asked.
Sally turned her flashlight toward the place Bonnie and Morgana were looking at.
She saw Derek.
Sally was torn between smiling and crying, walking toward him. "Derek. What are you doing here, Der?"
"This place allows the living to talk to the dead." Derek told her.
"Guys, what's going on?" Jeremy asked.
Bonnie saw her Grams. "I am so sorry about what happened."
"It's okay." Grams told her. "You're here now."
Grams, Ryan and Henrik's voices blended together. "And you are this close to bringing me back to life for good."
Bonnie, Sally and Morgana spoke together. "How?"
Grams looked at Bonnie. "Silas can do it."
Henrik was there instead of Grams, looking at Morgana. "All you have to do is reach him and feed him, and everything will go back to the way it was."
The three separate hallucinations led them into the chamber.
Jeremy dropped his flashlight, following after them. "Stop!" He stepped in front of them. "Hey, you're not seeing your Grams, or Henrik, or Derek. If they were here, I'd be able to see them, and I can't. It's not their ghosts. It's a hallucination. What you're seeing isn't real. It's me. They aren't here. I'm here. I'm real, okay?"
Bonnie, visibly upset, looked away.
There was a whooshing sound.
They looked around.
Grams, Henrik and Derek were gone.
"What happened?" Sally asked.
"Silas." Jeremy answered. "He was in your heads. He was trying to control all of you."
"And Shane." Bonnie told them. "Illusions of his wife. That's how Esmeralda controls him."
"You need to block Silas out of your minds." Jeremy told them. "Close your eyes." They closed their eyes. "Listen to my voice and only my voice. I'm gonna get us there."
Jeremy led them down the tunnel.
...
Mystic Falls, Virginia
Night - Gilbert House - Living Room
Klaus was sitting in an armchair.
Elizabeth walked in, staying completely calm. "You can't kill Tyler and Scott."
"Not only can I, I have to." Klaus told her. "I have a reputation to uphold. Moreover, I want to."
"I'm not asking you to forgive them." Elizabeth told him. "All I'm asking is that you let them live, somewhere far from here."
"Why?" Klaus asked. "Why would you care so much?"
"Because, believe it or not Klaus, these are my friends." Elizabeth told him. "Scott and Tyler are still my friends. Caroline will be destroyed. Tory will be, too. I know that you don't care about any of that, but surprisingly, I do."
Klaus looked at her. "So they get to live a happy life after they turned all my hybrids against me, after they tried to kill me..."
"You know more than anyone that the hybrids turning on you, including Scott and Tyler, is because of Esmeralda." Elizabeth told him. "You know that the only reason they tried to take you down, the only reason that you killed all of them, is because she mind controlled all of you. And she mind controlled me to sit back and watch you as you were led to a trap without a way to stop you."
Klaus sighed. "Fine. But Scott and Tyler have still made it their life's mission to find the Cure so they could use it against me, without the mind control of Esmeralda."
"We all want the Cure." Elizabeth told him defensively.
"Do we?" Klaus asked, walking closer. "Do you?"
Elizabeth didn't answer. "It doesn't matter. There's only one, so it's not like I'm gonna get it anyway."
"But if you could..." Klaus trailed off. "You wouldn't, would you?" Elizabeth didn't answer, tilting her head slightly, but that was answer enough. Klaus looked at her knowingly. "You prefer who you are now to the girl you once were. You like being strong, ageless, fearless." He took a step closer to her, standing in front of her. "We're the same, Elisaveta. We don't want to change, but we're alone all the same."
"Then show me." Elizabeth told him. "If you and I are so similar, then show me your compassion. Show Scott and Tyler the mercy that I would show you. Spare Sally and Caroline the grief of losing the love of their lives. This isn't because of your hybrids, Klaus. This is because of Esmeralda. All of this is because of Esmeralda. If you want to kill her, find a way to kill her, but don't take it out on Tyler and Scott. You've lost me once before. You know the pain of losing someone you love. Why would you ever wish that on anyone else?"
Klaus looked affected by her words, slowly nodding. "Mercy... for Tyler and Scott. Very well. Tell them to leave town immediately. Tell Caroline and Tyler to have their last epic goodbye. Tell Scott to leave a call for the witch." He started walking away, turning toward Elizabeth. "And tell them to run and hide in a place I will never find them."
"Sure." Elizabeth told him, turning around, starting to walk away, grabbing her leather jacket.
"Tell them that this is the mercy I extend for you sake..." Klaus trailed off. "That I will give them a head start before I kill them."
Elizabeth turned toward him with an emotionless expression, unsurprised.
Klaus didn't react to the gaze.
...
Island - Cave - Upper Chamber
Stefan and Evelyn finally managed to free Damon from the vervain rope and Damon fell to the ground.
"All right, come on." Elena told them. "We have to catch up."
"No, it's okay." Damon told them. "I just need a minute. I'm only gonna slow you down. Go. She only needs one of us."
"And what?" Evelyn asked. "You don't care to be that one anymore? You finally decided it was easier to just walk away?"
"There's only one dose of the Cure, Eve." Damon told her. "She wants to take it. We all want her to, because if she does, then Klaus turns human with her. Just do what makes her happy, Stefan. Get your ass down the well. Help Morgana get the damn thing." Stefan hesitated. "Come on."
Evelyn looked at Stefan and Elena. "I'll stay up here. You guys go."
Stefan jumped down the shaft. Elena followed them.
...
Lower Chamber
Isabella was running through the passage of the lower chamber. She looked around for any sign of the witches, Morgana or Jeremy.
Rosie's unconscious body laid on the ground.
Isabella knelt next to her. "Rosie? Rosie!" Rosie didn't respond. She heard a rock fall in the distance, looking around. "Stefan?" She voice echoed. She heard another rock fall, looking around. "Hello?"
Again, her voice echoed.
"Isabella." A girl called, her voice echoing.
A vampire rushed around her.
Isabella stood, taking a few steps forward, sensing them behind her, turning around, so angry at the girl there. "No."
The girl attacked Isabella.
...
Mystic Falls, Virginia
Forbes House - Porch
(Song:) Been a Long Day - Rosi Golan
Caroline and Tyler were sitting on the porch swing.
Caroline was crying. "How many times are we gonna have to say goodbye?"
"At least this time we have a minute to do it the right way." Tyler told her.
"There isn't a right way." Caroline told him.
"This isn't goodbye." Tyler told her. "This is... until we find a way. We're immortal, remember? We will find a way."
"What if we don't?" Caroline asked. Tyler didn't answer. "Tell me that you'll never think of me again. Tell me that you'll forget about me, tell me that you are gonna go on and live a full and happy life without me."
Tyler looked at Caroline sadly, his eyes glistening. When he spoke, he seemed to mean the opposite of what he was saying. "I will live a happy life without you. I will forget all about you. And I will never, ever, think about you again."
Caroline continued to cry.
Tyler leaned closer, kissing Caroline.
They held onto one another even after they broke away.
"Until we find a way." Caroline told him.
Tyler nodded, kissing her forehead. "Tell Rosie I said I'm sorry."
Caroline was in despair, nodding, gasping for breath, letting him go. "I promise."
Tyler stood, walking away, leaving Caroline on the swing, stepping off of the porch swing, leaving.
Caroline gasped for breath.
Liam walked out of the house, looking toward his sister. "Care..."
Caroline cried harder. "Liam..."
Liam walked closer instantly, sitting next to Caroline, wrapping his arms around her comfortingly. Caroline held onto her younger brother, crying into his shoulder, sobbing. Liam held her, tears in his own eyes, neither of them moving as Caroline broke down in despair.
(Song Ends)
...
Island - Cave - Lower Chamber
Stefan found Shane lying on the ground, slowing down.
"Hey, I don't suppose you'd want to share a little of that vampire blood." Shane told him.
Stefan looked at his broken, bleeding leg, looking at Shane. "Where are Jeremy, Bonnie, Morgana and Sally?"
"I have no idea." Shane told him.
Stefan grabbed Shane by the collar angrily. "Stop lying!"
Shane gasped. "I'm not lying. But if you help me, I will take you the rest of the way, I promise."
Stefan pushed Shane against the rock he was leaning up against. "Did you know this whole time that there was only one Cure?"
"What?" Shane asked. "No. How could I? I've never seen it."
Stefan let go of him, biting his wrist. "Tell me where they are and I'll heal you."
Shane exhaled weakly. "Lower chambers. Far back. You'll hear them. Look, everything I ever said and did was just to bring back my family, I swear."
Stefan nodded, holding his bleeding wrist up for him to see. "Well, then you know what it's like to have hope..." His wound healed, no blood remaining. "And now you know what it feels like to lose it. Evelyn should've let Sally kill you."
Stefan stood, walking away.
"Come on." Shane told him. "Come on!"
Stefan didn't answer, rushing away, leaving.
...
Silas' Tomb
Jeremy, Bonnie, Morgana and Sally approached a side chamber containing Silas' tomb.
It was shaped like a human figure lying on a table, covered in vine-like decoration. Its hands were holding a small box on its chest.
Morgana saw the small box. "Is this it? This is the Cure? How is that supposed to cure every vampire in the world?"
"I don't think it is, Morgana." Bonnie told her.
Jeremy started to try to wrest the box out of the figure's hands. "It's stuck. Help me move it."
The witches and Morgana joined him, pulling as hard as they could.
"It's, like, fossilized in place." Bonnie told them. "It's like trying to bend stone."
They gave up.
Sally seemed to come across another revelation. "Oh, my God."
"What?" Jeremy asked. Sally backed away, looking from the entombed figure to Morgana. "What, Sally?"
"He's been frozen like a vampire statue for 2,000 years." Sally told them. "There's only one way we're gonna get the statue to unfreeze."
"How's that?" Bonnie asked.
Sally looked at Morgana. "You have to feed him your blood." Morgana turned to face her. "Your blood is the only thing that will wake him. If we want to get the Cure out of his hands, we... we have to wake him up."
Morgana looked worried, in denial.
...
Upper Chamber
Evelyn knelt next to Rebekah's body, pulling the wooden spikes out of her.
Rebekah coughed, starting to wake, groaning, rolling onto her back. She saw Evelyn first. "You're here."
"Clearly." Evelyn told her.
Rebekah looked at Damon. "And you're alive."
"Yeah." Damon answered.
"Why didn't you go with them?" Rebekah asked.
"Needed a siesta." Damon told her.
"Had to make sure that either you or a sired hybrid wouldn't try to get down there." Evelyn told her.
Rebekah looked at Evelyn . "So, you're just up here to make sure that Rosie and I don't get in the way." She looked at Damon. "But you gave up, didn't you?"
Damon groaned, trying to sit up. "I didn't give up. I just realized... you can't control everything... no matter how hard you try. Let's just say I made peace with that fact."
"Life sucks." Evelyn told them. "Get a helmet." She looked at Damon, smirking. "And surprisingly, you did something selfless, Damon. If I didn't know better, I'd say you were becoming a halfway decent person."
...
Silas' Tomb
Jeremy was violently striking the tomb with a rock. "Ah, come on!"
The withes and Morgana were watching.
"There's got to be a way to do this without raising him." Morgana told them.
Jeremy nodded, continuing to strike the tomb.
"We'll find a way-" Bonnie started.
Bonnie was cut off, gasping suddenly in pain.
Sally and Morgana gasped, falling to the ground.
Bonnie fell to the ground, revealing Vaughn behind her, who had a knife in his hand, bloodstained with Bonnie's blood.
Vaughn looked at Jeremy. "Don't listen to the witches, boy. We have to raise Silas, and we have to do it now."
...
Jeremy ran over to the witches and Morgana.
Vaughn walked toward Morgana, lifting her from the floor.
Morgana groaned in pain, struggling.
Vaughn cut Morgana's wrist with the knife, making her gasp in pain.
"What are you doing?" Morgana asked incredulously.
"What you should've done already." Vaughn answered. "I'm gonna raise Silas..." He dripped Morgana's blood into the figure's mouth. "Then I'm gonna kill him."
Morgana struggled weakly. "No! Stop!"
Jeremy ran toward them, trying to attack Vaughn.
Vaughn turned around, pushing Morgana down next to Sally, throwing Jeremy off of him easily. Jeremy tried to punch him. Vaughn raised his arm to block the move. Jeremy tried to punch Vaughn twice. Vaughn ducked both times, elbowing him in the ribs, making him groan in pain. Jeremy tried to punch him. Vaughn ducked, spinning around him, putting him into a choke hold.
"You're a bit confused, Mr. Gilbert." Vaughn told him. "We're on the same team here."
Jeremy elbowed him, making him let go, spinning behind Vaughn, putting him in a choke hold. "You're killing my friends."
Vaughn elbowed him in the gut, flipping Jeremy over his head, making him fall onto the floor. "I don't mess around with witches."
Jeremy crouched on the ground. "You can't use the Cure on Silas."
"It's what it's meant for." Vaughn told him. Jeremy stood, punching him in the face, grabbing his head, kneeing him in the gut. Vaughn headbutted Jeremy, making his nose start to bleed. Jeremy tried to punch him twice. Vaughn raised his arms to block his movements both times, turning around, gripping his arm, breaking it, making him yell in pain, pushing him onto the ground. Jeremy groaned in pain. "What else would you use it for?" Vaughn sighed, retrieving his knife from the ground, nodding knowingly. "Your friends... Your sisters. Sorry, lad. It wasn't meant for that. I fed Silas his second love's Doppelgänger blood. It won't be long until he wakes. But he will be hungry. He needs more blood." He walked closer to Jeremy, holding the knife up for him to see. "Nothing personal."
Vaughn leaned closer to cut Jeremy's throat.
Morgana rushed toward Vaughn from behind, transformed, about to bite his neck.
"Don't!" Jeremy told her. "The Hunter's Curse."
Morgana let the vampire features fade away in annoyance and disappointment, pushing Vaughn into the tomb hard enough to make him unconscious, letting him fall to the ground. She turned to Jeremy, offering him her hand. Jeremy took it, letting her help him up.
Elena walked in. "You okay?"
Jeremy nodded weakly.
...
Mystic Falls, Virginia
Gilbert House - Porch
(Song:) If You Were Here - Cary Brothers
Elizabeth walked onto the porch, sighing, slowly sitting on the porch swing.
The front door opened.
Klaus walked outside.
"How did you get out?" Elizabeth asked.
"I fear something awful has befallen your witch friends." Klaus told her, starting to approach her. Elizabeth tensed reflexively. "Don't worry, love. You know I'd never hurt you. Not without mind control from Esmeralda."
Elizabeth sighed. "You've done enough without mind control."
"I've done more than enough." Klaus told her. "I've shown kindness, forgiveness, pity. Because of you, Elisaveta. It was all for you."
Elizabeth didn't answer.
Klaus and Elizabeth looked at each other for a moment, neither of them speaking.
Klaus nodded, turning around, walking away, leaving Elizabeth on the swing, stepping off of the porch swing, leaving.
Emma walked out of the house, turning her head to look at Elizabeth. "You know what you're doing there?"
Elizabeth sighed, shaking her head. "Nope."
Emma sighed, walking closer, sitting down next to Elizabeth. "You can hate yourself all you want for wanting to see the good in him, Lizzie. But you know parts of him that the rest of us don't. So, don't be too hard on yourself."
"Why are you being so nice on this subject?" Elizabeth asked.
"Because, like you said..." Emma trailed off. "I have no room to judge on this topic."
"Mm, that's right." Elizabeth told her. "You and Elijah."
"Drop it, Elizabeth." Emma told her.
Elizabeth smiled slightly. "Gladly."
Elizabeth wrapped her arm around Emma's shoulders.
...
Island - Cave - Lower Chamber
Stefan and Elena were walking through the passage, flashlight aloft.
Elena found a wall glistening with blood. "Stefan."
Stefan turned his flashlight toward Rosie and Isabella, both unconscious, their heads bloodstained. Stefan knelt next to Isabella. "Isabella." Isabella didn't answer. "Izzy."
Elena knelt next to Rosie. "Rosie!" Rosie slowly woke. "What happened?"
"She's here." Rosie told them.
Elena and Stefan exchanged a look. "Who?"
...
Silas' Tomb
'Elena' gazed at Silas's tomb, turning to face Jeremy and Morgana.
Jeremy knelt next to the witches. "Elena's are here now, okay? Everything's gonna be all right."
"We did it." Bonnie told them weakly.
"Come on." Katherine told them. "We gotta get you up."
Jeremy looked at Morgana. "You have to help them. The Hunter stabbed Bonnie, and it effected all of you but your a vampire. You have to feed one of them."
Morgana nodded, biting her wrist, feeding Sally her blood.
"Okay, now that we're done with that..." Katherine trailed off. She gestured to the tomb behind her. "The Cure. Guys, after everything we've been through, it's right there."
"I'm pretty sure saving our best friends' lives are more important than some stupid Cure that only one vampire in the world can take." Morgana told her.
"God, I forgot what a bitch you were." Katherine told her.
Jeremy looked at Katherine. "What?"
"I'm done playing nice." Katherine told them.
Morgana pulled her wrist away from Sally's mouth, standing. "Jer, it's not Elena."
"Katherine." Jeremy realized.
"It's been too long, Little Gilbert, Mikealson." Katherine told them. "Sorry. Family reunion is gonna have to be cut short."
Morgana rushed toward Katherine, pushing her against the wall behind her. Katherine pushed Morgana way, grabbing her throat, turning around, pushing her back against the wall.
Morgana grabbed her arm holding her throat, twisting it forcefully to break it. "I'm not gonna let you ruin this for us."
Morgana punched Katherine in the face, pushing her back into the wall.
Katherine rushed toward Morgana, pushing her against the wall on the other side of the cave, punching a knife into Morgana's chest to desiccate her. "You don't have a choice."
Morgana gasped in pain.
Katherine ripped the knife out of Morgana's heart.
Morgana was desiccating.
Jeremy was in absolute horror, torment and anger. "Morgana! No!"
Katherine rushed toward Jeremy, grabbing him, biting his neck, holding his head over the statue's mouth, forcing him down.
Jeremy screamed, crying, still looking toward Morgana.
Morgana desiccated completely, falling to her knees.
The figure's arm wrapped around Jeremy's head, holding him in place.
Katherine saw the box containing the Cure, freed from the figure's grasp, taking it, rushing out of the chamber.
The figure grabbed Jeremy's throat, strangling him, snapping his neck.
Jeremy fell to the floor, looking toward toward Morgana, dead.
Bonnie and Sally lied nearby, unable to move.
Morgana fell the rest of the way, on her side, dead.
Jeremy and Morgana looked at each other lifelessly.
