Disclaimer: I do not own the Vampire Diaries.
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Eleven
Being in the back of a stuffy, dwarf semi-truck with a wall of coffins on either side of her was without a doubt the last place AJ wanted to be. The coffins rattled as the semi persisted on, and when the occasional pothole was rolled over they'd give a jerk, making her newfound fear of being crushed to death send her sprawling for a hold somewhere safer. Although, there really was no safe place for her to hide. Not with her company so hostile, for reasons she admittedly understood. Deceit and treachery were perhaps one of the main reasons for crimes of passion. She found herself wondering if he'd allow her to die in such a horrifically bizarre way without so much as looking at her. No, he probably wouldn't want to get blood on any of the coffins. It'd be too much to clean up, and maybe a little disrespectful.
Klaus stared intensely down at Stefan's slumped body, his eyes never leaving the young vampire's. The sight made AJ's stomach churn in the most unpleasant way. Every time Stefan would heal and become partly conscious, Klaus would immediately snap his neck again, with a snarl of rage on his face. She'd heard a lot of things—flesh being torn off of bone as a vampire got a little too into the kill, the dying wails of victims of the ripper Stefan, what it sounded like when fingers breached the flesh, delving deep into someone's chest to tear the pumping heart out of a body that sometimes still seemed to give an extra beat—but she'd never heard a sound quite so final as the crunching, snapping, severing of breaking bones in Stefan's neck. Of course, it wouldn't actually kill him. But he did look quite dead.
From her place closer to the back of the truck, she kept a firm hold on the shelf to her right so that her unsteady legs wouldn't slide out from under her, while keeping her injured wrist close to her body. A shiver went up her spine; she could've sworn that the occupied coffin beside her was emanating cold air, making her teeth slightly chatter. She watched Klaus cautiously; the way he was completely motionless, the burning loathing and betrayal hidden in his eyes. It was like a stranger had risen up and took his place, leaving AJ confounded. Of course, she knew this was the old Klaus. The bloodthirsty, immoral monster he once was. But there was still this new Klaus, her Klaus, dare she call it that, and she wanted to reach out to him. She wanted that Klaus back.
Several times already, she'd whispered his name, praying that he might understand, might reassert his geniality towards her. He always chose to remain concentrated on Stefan and his other thoughts.
Now, gripping the shelf as if her life depended on it, she claimed her valiant self and looked at his deep blue eyes. The silence had become suffocating, and it needed to end. "Klaus," she said quietly, louder than a whisper. He gave no response. "Klaus," she repeated. "Just—please look at me. Can't we talk about this? You have to understand that—"She broke off. When he appeared in front of her, his eyes as scorching as ever, she frantically tried backing up, only to earn herself a painful blow to the spine as the truck lurched again.
"I have to understand what?" Klaus growled. "That you didn't hesitate to lie to me even after you said I could trust you? Stefan is one thing. You—"he stopped and shook his head, his teeth clenched. "There is nothing to understand."
"Klaus, please!" she begged. "I've told you the truth about everything—I swear to you, I have! It's just this one thing I couldn't tell you. Just one thing."
"The most important thing!" he shouted, slamming his fist on the wall. "Do you really think I can't put two and two together, and realize that she's alive? Honestly, do you think I care about anything else other than that? If you do, that's pathetic."
AJ's eyes widened and her heart sank to her shoes. "Klaus—"her voice was hoarse in a whisper, "she's my best friend. She's the only family I have left. Please, try to understand."
"I trusted you. What I understand is that you are perhaps more deceiving and treacherous than even Katerina herself."
His words were like a blow to her lungs, as she felt her breath escape her. Her hand flitted up to his sun pendant still resting at the base of her throat, gripping it tightly. Following her movements, his eyes seemed to soften. The smoldering fire within seemed to cool, for just a second, before they were shrouded and unreadable.
"Like I said," he said bitingly. "Deceitful."
He turned, but she caught his arm. Through the thin fabric, she could feel his warmth through the cold she'd endured the past several hours. This would have been when she'd have welcomed it, had wanted to move a little closer to him. But his eyes were even hotter than his skin, and it burned hers to meet them. "I trust you, Klaus. I really do. And I don't think you believe that—that I've been deceiving you this whole time. I haven't been, and I think you know that. And you were right, you know. About this—"she lifted the sun pendant. "It makes me feel safe. When I don't have it on, I don't even feel right—I don't feel like me. It's not the magic in the necklace that makes me feel this way. It's you. You make me feel safe. You make me feel… like me. So please, Klaus, just please try to understand. I was protecting Elena. I wasn't trying to lose your trust. That's the last thing I want to do."
Klaus stared at her. Her nerves sparked with unease. Was he completely lost to her? Would he never forgive her for this? She'd been so close to reaching him, to getting close to him. She even thought that maybe she did, that night at Gloria's. He cared for her, she knew. But then again, he'd also cared for Rebekah, his own sister, and he'd left her in one of these coffins for ninety years for simply wanting to go separate ways. Rebekah hadn't lied to him, the way she had, but he'd still been hurt. AJ betrayed his trust, and she had to imagine he was hurt again. Would he let her make up for that? Or would he do something to her much worse than he did to Rebekah?
"You should save your energy," he said finally, briskly. "I imagine Elijah will want to heal you when you return."
AJ bit her lip, feeling her hope crumble, but clutched onto him still. As long as she was still breathing, she could hope. No matter what. "No—Klaus, I want you to heal me. Klaus please—I—I don't want to lose you. Not you. I don't think I could bear it. I've finally gotten through to you, to—"
"Gotten through to me? What's that supposed to mean?" He was enraged. "Was that what this was all about? So you could simply get through to me? What, to my humanity? I hate to break it to you darling, but I have none."
"I don't believe you!" she shouted with more passion than she ever had before. "You have humanity! You care, Klaus. I know you do!"
His lips pulled back into a snarl. He enunciated each word. "You know nothing. What you've seen isn't my concern for you, personally. You are the Warrior, AJ. You serve other purposes than to be used at the sacrifice. What's pathetic is that you can't even realize that."
"Klaus," she implored.
"Do not speak! You'll be much less useful if I kill you, and believe me, I'm getting very close to doing just that."
Before he turned again, his eyes flashed down to the pendant, and an abstruse look crossed his face. Within a millisecond, it'd disappeared. He left her, leaving her hand outstretched for nothing. Languidly, it fell to her side.
AJ pinched her eyes shut, breathing gruffly. Could what he said be true? Did he really never care for her, personally? How could he not feel as miserable as she did? But he did, didn't he? She couldn't tell if his misery was because of her, or because he'd found out about Elena. Perhaps both, or simply the latter. She wished dearly that it was for her.
An hour passed. Her legs were growing weary and weak from standing in one position for so long. Her eyes hadn't left the pendant resting at the base of her throat, giving a beautiful shine even in the dimness of the truck. Something about it kept tugging at her mind, willing her to think deeper, but she only ever revisited the night Klaus had given it to her. When he'd saved her life and pulled her into his arms, brushing her hair tenderly. It'd almost seemed like something done without conscious volition, like he hadn't realized he'd been doing it. Every night since then, things had gotten better. She trusted him. No matter what he said, she still trusted him.
"Klaus," she spoke, her voice nearly void of emotion. She looked up to see he was still completely enraged, but she was unfazed.
"I told you, do not—"
"The spirits," she interrupted. "The Lemurė. Do you think that, once they found me, they've been following me? To see if I'd remove the necklace?"
Klaus's visage was blank with fury until realization dawned on him. He gave her a dark look. "Don't even think about it."
Within a second, she yanked the necklace up over her head, only to have Klaus force it back around her neck. She cried in pain when he gripped both of her hands and could feel the shattered bones in the broken wrist shift. Klaus immediately eased up, and she held her hand to her chest.
The sides of her lips pulled up into a sad smile. "You do care. Or else you wouldn't have done that. You would have let me see if they'd come for me."
Klaus was very still. Even as the truck shifted to a complete stop, he didn't move. A moment later, he turned his head, and AJ could imagine Rebekah was saying something to him. A wicked smile appeared on his face.
"I suggest you get comfortable," he said to AJ darkly on his way back to a partially conscious Stefan. "We're going to be here for a while."
With his senses returning to him more than they had in the past twenty-four hours, Stefan blinked around, disoriented. Then he sat up, startled, his breathing shallow. When his eyes locked on AJ's, he felt lightheaded. That's when he saw Klaus.
"Just give me a chance to explain myself—ourselves—okay?" Stefan said, glancing sidelong at AJ.
Klaus gave him a disarming smile, his temperament completely flipped from what it had been with AJ. There was still a certain darkness about it. "Oh, there's no need. AJ's given all the explanation that I care to hear."
He crossed to the back of the truck, standing beside AJ. She made no move to step away from him, blatantly displaying this with her temerity. After glaring at her, he reached down and lifted up the door.
Sunlight poured into the dimly lit truck, making her shield her eyes from the sting. But she didn't miss the dark smile on Klaus's face or Stefan's apprehension.
"Welcome back home to Mystic Falls, Stefan."
Underneath Stefan's guarded mask, AJ could see the horror he felt. And he didn't yet know how bad things really were. "Stefan," she began quickly. "He knows—Klaus knows—"
Klaus had snapped Stefan's neck not a moment later, letting his body fall like deadweight to the ground. There was a slash of a scowl on Klaus's face. "You'll ruin all the fun," he tsked. Then he crossed back to the end of the truck and jumped off to the pavement. Rebekah appeared, her arms crossed, a steady glare sharpening her delicate features. It was settled on AJ.
"What are you going to do with her, Nik?" she queried, leering at AJ. "I will not babysit her. Not after what she's done."
AJ bit the inside of her lip as she stood at the edge of the truck. "Klaus. Don't do this. Please don't do this. It isn't you!—not anymore. Just… give me a chance." Her hazel eyes, flecked with gold that made them glitter, were imploring. She looked so innocent in that moment, so sweet and young.
"Do what you like," he said to Rebekah, turning without another glance in AJ's direction. "She's all yours."
AJ moved to go after him, but was hit with a force so devastating, she was knocked back to the far wall of the truck. The vigor with which she was hit rattled through her bones, jumbled her thoughts, spotted her vision. Then all went black, and she succumbed to a void of nothing.
Starbursts of pink and blue erupted in the blackness, sending sprays of color out in spirals. A coolness whispered over AJ's cheeks, caught a strand of hair and tickled her nose. She was aware that her eyes were still closed—the lids felt so heavy. She felt as if she'd slept for days on end, but weariness only grew as time passed. A hue of pinkish-white appeared in the blackness, superimposed over the starbursts. She was vaguely aware of garbling speech, drifting into her ears. Then all came back to her, in a tidal wave of memories.
Klaus, turning his back on her. Leaving her to his bloodthirsty sister. Heading to kill Elena. Probably already killed Elena. Something happened to Stefan—his neck had been twisted again. Back in Mystic Falls. They were back in Mystic Falls.
And Rebekah's annoyingly pitched voice was whining in her ears.
"Oh, would you get up already? I don't have all day to sit around and wait for you to make your dramatic wakening, now do I? It was hardly much of a shove at all." Pause. "Get up! I swear, just because you're the Warrior, doesn't make you a bloody pre-Madonna!"
Sputtering for air, AJ bolted upright. Crickets chirped rhythmically in the night, briefly making her believe she was back in Tennessee, that night when Klaus had Stefan tear apart two girls. She was immediately met with Rebekah's elegant features, which disproved the memory. Although, the scowl on her lips ruined any affect of the vampire's beauty whatsoever. But the glittering stars added as a backdrop, nonetheless.
"Finally," she said, examining her pink nails with boredom. "And here I thought you'd remain unconscious the entire night. You are so like my brother. All with the dramatic flair and such."
"Rebekah," AJ croaked out, glancing around. "Where's Stefan? What's going on?"
Rebekah huffed impatiently. "Stefan woke a while ago. He went to save his precious girlfriend." She said the words as if they were the dirtiest things to have ever left her tongue. "That's where I imagine you'll be heading as well."
The truck was, indeed, void of Stefan. As AJ squinted up at Rebekah, the other girl's hair glowing like actual silver in the moonlight, she wondered if the effects of whatever had happened to her hadn't worn off yet. The moon actually looked a little purple.
"What did you do to me? What happened?"
Rebekah rolled her eyes. "Oh, it was hardly anything. I pushed you. You hit the wall."
She remembered now. Something had come at her—Rebekah—and the impact she'd made with the wall had been nearly bone-shattering. Feeling her limbs for any damage, she was surprised when all seemed fine. Even her wrist, which had been injured from when Lucas threw her, no longer hurt. Except there was the tedious presence of a dull throbbing in her head. "Why am I not… broken? I remember it hurting… everything hurting…"
"Are you that dense? I gave you my blood of course. How else would you heal so quickly?"
AJ's eyes nearly popped out of her head. "Your blood?" She gagged and sat up so that her legs dangled off the side of the truck in case she heaved. That would explain the unpleasant metal taste in her mouth that clung to her taste buds in a horrifically sludgy way. "Why would you do that?"
Rebekah glowered, her lips pursed in a frown. "Don't seem so ungrateful. Nik bought it."
"What are you talking about?" I think I'm dead. Yes. Yes, I simply have to be dead. No way, in her right mind, would Rebekah give me her blood. It defies so many laws. Wait—she doesn't even have a right mind. Oh God, what has she done to me…
"My God, you're dumber than I thought. Nik bought it. He thinks I'm keeping you here, or whatever. Now hurry along. He went inside the school." Rebekah now had a nail file pulled out, and was studiously avoiding AJ's baffled gaze as she shaped her nails to perfection.
"Why are you telling me this?"
"Why are you still here? You didn't actually buy his act, did you? The whole 'You'll be much less useful if I kill you, and believe me, I'm getting very close to that.' I heard your entire conversation. And I saw your interaction in Chicago. I may not like you, but my brother does. So go on. Get to the school. But don't expect my help after this."
AJ stared at Rebekah, trying to make sense of the situation. The Original was helping her. She wanted AJ to go to Klaus… but why? What was in it for her? She dreaded the answer to that question. Instead of asking, she pushed herself down to the pavement, which seemed to crumble and crack at her feet, and slowly made her way to the school. The wavering yellow lines in the middle of the road that seemed to become three-dimensional were proof of her still injured head. Or something. But she continued on, and as she neared the school, the monsters in the sky and floating cars returned to normal.
The school was before her, and the sight nearly made her weak with relief. She never thought she'd see the dreadful thing again, yet the very sight filled her with hope so great, she knew it couldn't be crushed.
Until she realized that Klaus was in there. With Elena. And Stefan, now too. Nothing good could come of that. She trudged her way to the doors, hurrying as quickly as she could. It was surprising, that they were left open. Did school even start yet? What day was it?
Where was Elena?
Straightening out her thoughts, she realized that standing in the main lobby would do nothing. Why did her head hurt so much? Why couldn't she think straight?
Elena. Focus on Elena.
Footfalls in the hallway were making their way towards AJ. She turned to see Bonnie and Matt talking amicably with each other. They froze when they saw AJ.
"Oh my God," Bonnie whispered, holding a hand to her heart. "AJ? AJ—it's you!" She ran at her friend, arms wide and opening. AJ let herself be pulled into the hug, but couldn't quite grasp what had happened. It was Bonnie. She hadn't seen Bonnie in some time. Wait—she hadn't seen Bonnie in a very long time.
"Bonnie," she said, clutching her friend. "I've missed you so much, I mean—no. No, stop." She pulled away from Bonnie, squinting around. "Where are you headed?" She looked between her and Matt.
"The gym," Matt answered, looking shocked. "We were just headed back to the gym. Elena said she'd be there."
Elena.
"We have to go!" AJ shouted, spinning on her heel. She didn't wait for the others. It seemed unnecessary. Somehow, they managed to get ahead of her. The doors to the gym were before them, and Bonnie pushed them open. AJ stepped through behind her and Matt, gasping.
Yes, Elena was here. And so was Klaus. Two students—she couldn't recall their names—stood beside them. The girl had her leg raised into the air.
"Bonnie, Matt, go!" Elena cried, seeing her two friends. When AJ stepped out from behind them, she gasped.
There was no time to respond. Klaus was behind Bonnie in a second. "I was wondering when you'd show up," he said to her blithely. "Now we can get started." He looked past her, to the other two students. "Dana, why don't you relax? You and Chad sit tight." His head turned to AJ, and he scowled at her. "I see you've managed to make it. Funny. I thought you'd be indisposed for quite some time, from what Rebekah did to you."
"Klaus, listen to me—"
He settled a glare back on Bonnie. "I assume you're the reason Elena's still walking around alive."
Bonnie's eyes were wide. They flicked away from AJ, to Klaus. "That's right," she said, her voice thin. "If you want to blame someone, blame me."
"Oh, there's no need for blaming, love. Just your witchy interference seems to have caused some undesirable side effects. And since you caused the problem, I'm going to have you find the fix."
As he finished, the doors behind them opened again.
At the sight of Rebekah, AJ flinched. Why did Rebekah heal her? Klaus seems so far gone.
Why did it feel like screws were being driven into her brain, slowly?
"Get off of me!" Tyler said, scowling. Rebekah held him tightly, dragging him to Klaus.
"I'd like you all to meet my sister," Klaus said, gesturing at Rebekah. She smiled wickedly. "Rebekah. Word of warning, though, she can be quite mean."
Rebekah narrowed her eyes at him. "Don't be an ass." She shoved Tyler to him, who stumbled over his feet.
"Leave him alone!" Elena demanded through clenched teeth. From her place, AJ could see tears glitter in her eyes. She tried giving her best friend a reassuring look, but instead was clutching at her aching head.
Ignoring Elena, Klaus said, "I'm going to make this very simple." He lugged Tyler until they stood where everyone could see, as if he were making a presentation. "Every time I attempt to turn a werewolf into a vampire hybrid, they die during the transition. It's quite horrible, actually." A fearful silence imbued the gym as Klaus brought his wrist to his fangs. He pulled Tyler by the neck and shoved his gory wrist into the werewolf's mouth, holding him as he fought. "I want you to find a way to save my hybrids, Bonnie. And for Tyler's sake," he gripped Tyler's face twisting it slowly, "you better hurry." Then he snapped Tyler's neck, the sound of bones snapping and severing resounded through the gym. Tyler's body fell to the floor with a sick thud, leaving everyone gaping at him.
Klaus let the situation sink in as he crossed the room to the bleachers. AJ followed after him, ignoring the increasing pain in her head. "Klaus!" she hissed, hurrying to keep up. "Klaus!" she grabbed his arm, spinning him towards her.
He snarled. "Do. Not. Touch. Me."
Holding her ground, she pulled him close until they were face to face. "Do not ignore me. This isn't you—this isn't how I know you." He'd slanted his eyes elsewhere, taking interest in a banner over a doorway. "Look at me!" she shook his arm, suppressing a scream of pain. Her head was just getting worse.
Klaus's gaze bored into her. "I am. And all I see is a pathetic child holding on to hopes long ago shattered."
"No. Klaus, just stop it! Klaus—"he wrenched his arm from her grasp. She lost her balance, stumbling to the floor. Pinching her eyes shut, she tried to shove away the pain. Was it a side effect of Rebekah's blood? Could such a thing happen? She'd never have thought so, but she supposed anything was possible. It couldn't be too much of a stretch to think a vampire so vile would have blood akin to her personality.
"He's dead," Matt was whispering, staring at Tyler's lifeless body.
Elena paced the floor, arms crossed. "No he isn't. He's in transition.
"That's right. Now go on," Klaus said to Bonnie, returning to them. "Go fetch your grimoirs and enchantments and what not. I'll hold on to Elena for safekeeping." He grabbed Elena's upper arm, and she let out a fearful gasp.
AJ managed to push herself to her feet, walking wobbly over to them.
Bonnie left quickly, taking Matt with her. She only spared one glance in AJ's direction. The concern on her face did nothing to alleviate AJ's dread.
"So this is the latest doppelganger," Rebekah said, her eyes running over Elena scrupulously. Her voice was a whisper of a threat, like a slow-working poison. "The original one was much prettier."
Klaus rolled his eyes. "Enough, Rebekah. Take the wolf-boy elsewhere, would you?"
Rebekah gave Elena a catty smile. Glancing over the doppelganger's shoulder, she also gave AJ a significant look.
What the heck?
Then she turned to Tyler and grabbed his arm, dragging his body out of the gym like a worthless sack of deadweight.
Elena watched Rebekah leave, then turned her fretful gaze to AJ. Her eyes widened.
Without looking, Klaus said, "Ignore her. Pathetic little thing, your Warrior. Can't even save you now, can she?"
"Klaus," Elena said slowly, shaking her head. "What did you do to her?"
"Rebekah through her at a—"Klaus stopped upon seeing AJ. He released Elena and immediately headed straight towards her, cupping her face between his hands. "AJ, what's happened?" Blood was trickling from AJ's nose, dripping scarlet teardrops to the floor. AJ had her hands clutching her head, as if she could force out the pain. "AJ?"
AJ mumbled something inaudible, her head drooped, looking down at her throat as she barely maintained a hold on conciousness. But Klaus understood. The necklace was missing.
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