Chapter Nine
"I hate high school," Elena groans as she lets her bag slide off her shoulder onto the floor and plops down on the couch next to Damon. He looks up from his book with a grin.
"Hi honey," he replies with a sarcastic smile, "How was your first day of school? Did you learn lots?"
Elena glares at him. "Caroline compelled them to let me back in," she tells him, "But wasn't worth it. I literally have no idea what's going on."
Damon sets his book down on the coffee table. "I'm trying to remember what decade it was that people started misusing the word literally," he jokes. Elena scowls and Damon leans forward, planting a kiss on the furrow between her eyebrows.
"I don't even know why I should bother graduating at this point," she exhales, letting herself fall sideways into his lap. It's been an exhausting day of probing questions and pity-filled looks. She can barely remember basic French, much less verb conjugations and the quadratic formula.
At least Bonnie managed to get a message to Matt to find the necklace.
Damon runs his fingers through her hair. "It's okay," he assures her. "I'll help you catch up. Before you know it you'll be off at college spouting more intellectual bullshit than Stefan."
Elena shifts onto her back rather than her side. "Will you go with me?"
"I'll come visit you."
"Don't you want to go too? Fresh start and all that?"
Damon makes a disgruntled face. "I already went to college."
"Feeding on sorority girls doesn't count, Damon," she teases.
"Hey! I'll have you know I did two whole terms at William and Mary before I dropped out."
"You went to William and Mary?" She asks in disbelief.
"I did. But I didn't make it very long before I got bored and dropped out. Went to Europe with George Lockwood instead." He leans back, smiling. "Boy was my father pissed."
"You could go back if you wanted to," Elena urges.
"Academics are not my forte, Elena. But I'll come visit." He smiles. "Someone has to protect those frat boys from you."
Elena laughs thinking of the frat party they went to and all people she fed on. "Yeah that ship has sailed."
Damon leans over and reaches for her bag. "C'mon, I'll help you catch up. What have we got here?" He pulls out one of her books. "History? Been there, lived that." He tosses the book aside. "Algebra—" he makes a face and throws it on top of the history book with a clack, "—Well no one needs it anyways. And I have a hundred and seventy two years to back me up. French, your accent is atrocious, but your kissing is A plus." He waggles his eyebrows suggestively. "And English Lit—" he pulls out a copy of Wuthering Heights, "—You've already read this a thousand times, so that should be a cinch. And what's this," he questions with mock suspense as he pulls out a crumpled flyer. "Another Decade Dance on Friday? Dress like your favourite 80's icon!" he exclaims in falsetto.
Elena sits up, snatching it out of his hand. "I'm not going. Caroline is insane if she thinks someone won't wind up dead."
"It's Mystic Falls," Damon quips, "You shouldn't let that stop you."
Elena raises her eyebrows. "Is that my extremely age inappropriate boyfriend asking me to the dance?"
He brings his arms up to his head and leans back smirking. "Nope."
"Fine," Elena scowls, "If you're not going, I'm not going either."
"Elena you should go," he pleads, "Do something normal and fun with your friends. If I go, it will just be weirder for you."
Elena sighs.
He has a point; people are already convinced she broke up with Stefan as a result of his raging drug problem. They'll never shut up if she shows up there with his older brother. It isn't that she cares what people think, it's just that all the questions and raised eyebrows and snide comments are already so emotionally draining day after day.
And then there's all the questions about Jeremy on top of that.
She doesn't really want to go to the dance at all, but Caroline has been throwing all her frustration since she returned from Italy into planning the stupid thing, and Elena is going to have to go.
Friday afternoon, despite her protests, Elena finds herself standing in the attic as Caroline turns the old trunks and boxes upside-down for costume material.
"Can't I just be one of the Bangles?" Elena complains. Caroline ignores her and continues digging through the attic boxes. She pulls out a pink floor length dress, appraises it for a second, and throws it at Elena smiling widely.
"No. You're Molly Ringwald in Sixteen Candles."
"Seriously..." Elena whines. Her friend only sticks her tongue out at her.
"Elena, you're going. I'm going to make you a crown of flowers for your hair and you're going to look stunning." Caroline turns to Bonnie, with a hand on her hip, the other clutching a blue dress. "What do you think of Whitney Houston?"
"How come she gets a choice?" Elena complains.
Caroline doesn't even turn around. "Try the dress on Elena," she demands. "Bonnie?"
"I'd rather go pants-less as Tom Cruise," Bonnie says monotonously.
Caroline grimaces. "Please tell me you're kidding."
Bonnie holds up a red dress instead. "I was thinking more like Diana Ross." Caroline thinks for a moment and nods.
"I like it. Elena, does Damon have a plaid shirt? He can be Jake Ryan to your Samantha Baker."
Elena snorts, pulling the dress over her head. "I highly doubt it."
"Maybe he can borrow one of Stefan's," she suggests.
Elena rolls her eyes. "Yeah, good luck with that one. He's not coming."
"It's a decade dance, Elena!"
"I have to side with Damon for once," Bonnie agrees. "I mean who wants to relive the 80's more than once?"
Caroline huffs. "We are going to go to the dance and we are going to have fun dammit!" she cries. She looks over Elena's dress critically. "I think that'll work. There are some fake violets in one of the guest rooms; I can make a crown out of that."
Elena rolls her eyes, but relents. "What are you going as?" she asks, surveying the dress in the mirror. She doesn't look anything like Molly Ringwald, but she doesn't look too bad either.
Caroline grins widely and holds up an old corset and a mini-skirt. "I'm going to be Madonna," she answers proudly. "C'mon, we need to go do our hair." She ushers the girls out of the attic.
"Bonnie, have you had any luck with..." Elena spit balls. She brings a hand to the plain pendant necklace she's wearing, trying to drop a hint about the one Matt retrieved from the cave for her.
Bonnie shakes her head. "I'm still working on it. I can feel it, though; I'm going to break through soon."
The girls retire to Stefan's room in a cloud of hairspray. Elena smiles thinking about Stefan's expression if he could see what has become of his bedroom. Caroline's shoes and clothes lay draped across every surface, her homework and magazines scattered across his desk. She hopes he's okay wherever he is with Klaus, that whatever he's doing, he hasn't had to hurt too many people.
It takes a frustrating two hours to get Elena's hair arranged to Caroline's satisfaction and another two to tease Caroline and Bonnie's out properly.
"We look ridiculous." Elena comments, surveying the three of them framed in the mirror.
"We look hot!" Caroline insists.
Bonnie snorts. "Can you imagine what Jeremy would say, Elena?"
A painful smile tugs at her lips; her brother would be doubled over in laughter looking at the three of them. She misses him so much. Wherever he is, she hopes he is alright, that he's healthy and breathing and eating and not alone.
"Hey." Bonnie touches her arm. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you sad."
Elena tosses her head. "It's alright. You miss him too." She sniffs.
Bonnie touches Elena's face, fixing where her mascara has smudged a bit. "There you go." She wraps her friend in a hug. "We'll find him, Elena," she whispers, "As soon as I get my magic back." She pats her back affectionately and pulls away. "Ready to face the music?'
Elena grimaces, letting Bonnie take her arm. "Bring on the Wang Chung."
"What, no cone bra?" Damon asks Caroline, his eyes shining with mirth as the three girls traipse into the living room.
"It's against the dress code," Caroline explains primly. "The former Miss Mystic Falls has to follow the dress code."
Damon pours himself a drink. "You're wearing that corset all wrong."
"How would you know?" Caroline accuses, her hands on her hips.
Damon gives her a wicked grin. "I know my way around a corset."
"You're disgusting," Caroline scowls.
Damon merely tips his drink towards her.
Elena rolls her eyes at their antics; they've been like this for days. She thinks it might be Damon's manifestation of missing Stefan.
"What are you supposed to be?" Damon asks, eying Elena up and down. "You look hot, but I'm just...confused."
"She's Molly Ringwald in Sixteen Candles!" Caroline exclaims as if this is obvious.
"Yeah, I've never seen that."
"God, what were you doing in the 80's?"
Damon smirks. "Not watching girly teen movies." He fingers one of the fake violets in Elena's hair. "You look great; the flowers are a nice touch."
"Thank you."
"Have fun tonight. Don't let the quarterback get any ideas," he teases.
Elena rolls her eyes and kisses his cheek. "I'll be home early."
The girls head out the door with Mia who, despite Caroline's constant urging, refused to dress up.
The dance is exactly as Elena expected, too warm and filled with loud, over excited freshman; at least seventy percent of which decided to go the Risky Business route. She's glad to almost be done with high school; at this point, it holds very little excitement for her anymore.
"Hey guys," Matt sidles up to them dressed in jeans, a white t-shirt and a vest. "Ferris Beuller, what do you think?"
"Thank god you're wearing pants!" Caroline exclaims.
Matt laughs. "I aim to please. But you used to say the opposite," he winks.
Caroline rolls her eyes. "Yeah those days are long gone."
Elena lets Bonnie drag her out on the dance floor while Caroline spins with Matt. Mia sits at a table, watching them like a hawk.
The girls dance, taking turns with Matt. Elena tries to enjoy herself, but everything just feels wrong. Jeremy should be sulking by the punch table or letting Bonnie force him to dance, not trapped somewhere in Italy. Instead of Mia, Damon and Alaric should be standing around watching over them, bored and slightly drunk. She thinks it's funny that her idea of a normal high school dance formerly included her current vampire boyfriend and pseudo vampire-hunter almost-step-uncle making sure no one was murdered while she danced with her vampire ex-boyfriend.
She sees Matt grin at something over her shoulder. He spins her, and she finds herself face to face with Damon.
"What are you doing here?" she exclaims, beaming.
"You looked so miserable when you left the house," he slides an arm around her waist and spins her so her back is to his chest. "I figured the least I could do was suffer through it with you, so I bribed Kol with my best bourbon."
Elena winces. "This is so not worth that."
Damon spins her out and dips her, bringing his mouth close to hers. "I don't know about that. I do, however, draw the line at dressing up."
"This would be more fun at home," she says smiling against his mouth. Then she kisses him and everything feels right again, anchored. She knows people are staring—she can even hear their whispers—but she doesn't care. She's just glad he's here.
She grins against him as the song changes.
"Life is a mystery, everyone must stand alone, I hear you call my name and it feels like home."
Damon rolls his eyes at the sappy lyrics, but pulls her up, bringing her close.
"Oh c'mon. I know you like this song," she teases. "The whole thing is one giant innuendo."
His eyes flash suggestively
"What were you doing in the 80's anyways?" She asks, her lips to his ear. "You followed Madonna on tour, did you?"
Damon makes a face and spins her out, then draws her in again. "I did a little bit of everything—none of which involved Madonna, thank God. I left New York City in '81 and spent some time in Europe. In '85, I got chased out of Russia by some angry comrades and wound up spending the rest of the decade in South Africa."
"Fighting apartheid?" Elena jokes.
"A bit," Damon answers seriously. "I figured I ought to balance out the time I served as a Confederate soldier."
Elena doesn't say anything; she just leans over and kisses him again.
"Mmm," he smiles as she pulls away. "You're right; this would be more fun at home."
The song ends, but the two stand in each other's arms.
"Thirsty?" Damon asks. Elena nods. "Go sit," he tells her, "I'll bring us a drink." He waggles his eyebrows. "I know which locker Alaric used to hide the whiskey in. I bet it's still there; want to liven things up?"
Elena socks his arm playfully. "You are the worst influence ever. Seriously, I can't believe they even let you in this place."
Damon gives her his patented flirty-eyed look as if to say, your point?
She rolls her eyes, "Un-spiked punch please."
He kisses the top of her head. "Be right back."
Elena makes her way across the room towards the tables. She is almost there when she hears a low hum. Something snaps and the lights suddenly cut out, leaving the room in total darkness. A few people shriek in shock, followed by murmurs of laughter. Elena scans the room frantically for Damon, unable to make out more than a series of dark shapes.
"Caroline?" she calls out in a barely audible whisper. A moment later, she feels a reassuring tap on her shoulder. She breathes a sigh of relief as she catches the familiar scent of Caroline's shampoo. Caroline grasps her hand, tugging her towards what she assumes is an exit.
There's a bang and an ear splitting scream. And suddenly, everything is chaos. She loses her grip on Caroline, finding herself caught in a storm of people running in all directions. Some of them scream, while others merely shout in confusion. Caught in the tide, Elena searches for something, anything, in the darkness that is familiar enough to give herself bearings.
She keeps stride with the people around her, stumbling over tables and other students. She tries not to step on anyone without falling herself either; she's survived too much to be trampled to death at a high school dance.
The surge squeezes tightly around her before disbanding, and Elena realizes she's out of the gym. It's still dark, but with her eyes adjusted she can tell she is in the cafeteria. The light from the parking lot seeps in, giving the room a gloomy glow. People push past her, making their way outside. Some of the students are nursing bloody noses or are cradling hurt limbs, but no one seems seriously injured. Elena wants to believe that this is just a run of the mill accident, but reminds herself that "accidents" don't exist in Mystic Falls.
Elena feels a familiar tingle in her spine; she hates this room for obvious reasons, but instinct tells her not to leave the building. She skirts her way around the crowd of people making their way out the door and heads the opposite direction towards the lockered hallway.
Her footsteps echo in the deserted hallway. She moves slowly, listening to every sound her human ears can pick up. There is a murmur down the corridor, near Alaric's old classroom. Elena takes another tentative step into the dark corridor. She moves quickly, trying to cover as much ground as possible. Her foot catches on something and she tumbles, her hands flying out to catch her. They land in warm liquid. She immediately pulls them back, repulsed before she even recognizes it. She might be a human now, but her nose still knows that scent anywhere.
Blood.
She grimaces, holding back her shriek and gropes for the person she stumbled over, hoping that they are still alive. Her hands run over them, trying to find an arm—a throat—to take a pulse. Her hands land on what she thinks is a torso. She tries to fumble her way up, towards their throat, knowing already it is probably too late. She doesn't feel or hear a single breath. It's when she feels the hole in their chest that she finally lets out a scream.
"Shhh," Caroline whispers as she pulls Elena up gently. "Elena, it's me." Elena sighs with relief.
"Caroline, there's someone..."
"I know. Super vision, remember? It's Mia. Someone ripped her heart out." Elena bites her lip; she didn't hate Mia.
"What the hell is going on?" Elena hisses. "Do you know where Damon and Bonnie and Matt are?"
"Matt went home before the lights cut out. I have no idea where Bonnie and Damon are, but—"
Caroline stops in the middle of her sentence. Elena can feel her suddenly tense, as if she heard something. "Elena, get to Alaric's classroom and barricade the door."
"Caroline—"
"Elena, I mean it." Caroline puts an arm on her friend's shoulder and gives her a rough shove. "Just keep walking exactly the way you're facing. Elena, go!"
"Caroline, I'm not going to—"
There's a sudden high-pitched shriek as the PA system goes haywire, Elena drops to her knees, covering her ears. A moment later, it stops, and Elena stands, her ears ringing. Caroline is gone, but a clatter echoes down the hall as someone over turns a trashcan. Elena whips around, trying to pinpoint the source of the noise. She hears a grunt, then the sound of someone thrown up against the lockers. The lights flicker for a moment and Elena can make out Caroline, a mere blur of blonde, facing off with a dark-haired woman. The lights go out again, sending them back into darkness.
She follows the sounds of the fight down the corridor, into one of the other classrooms. She can hear desks clattering as they over turn.
"Bonjour," a mechanical voice rings out cheerfully. "Bonjour, bonjour, bonjour."
"Take that!" Caroline yells and Elena realizes she is in the French classroom, hitting an attacker with Madame Pichard's rather large talking bear.
Between the sounds of broken glass, clattering desks, and her knowledge of the building, Elena gropes her way through the dark to the French classroom. Light from the well-lit football field outside streams into the room, revealing the outlines of the two women squaring off. Caroline stands against the wall, just feet from the doorway. Her fangs glisten in the minimal light, her stance ready to lunge. A series of over turned desks separates her from the dark haired woman who eyes Caroline, poised with a stake.
The whole building shakes and the fire alarm starts to sound. The red and blue emergency lights flicker, throwing strange coloured shadows across the room. The woman, attempting to take advantage of the momentary distraction, springs at Caroline. Elena doesn't stop to think, she throws herself in front of her friend. The woman moves with speed beyond the average human, but realizes too late that someone has come between her and her prey. The stake misses Elena's heart by inches, ripping into her lower abdomen instead. Elena falls backwards, collapsing into Caroline who catches her by the elbows and lowers her to the floor.
The dark haired woman drops her stake with a clatter, and rushes towards them.
"Elena?" Caroline frantically as she grabs her head roughly and holds out her dripping wrist. "Elena!" Before she can bring herself to drink, Elena is ripped from Caroline's arms. She doubles over in pain as Kol grabs her around the waist and jumps up onto Madame Pichard's desk.
"Let's play a little game, shall we?" Kol yells over the wail of the fire alarm. He keeps Elena upright with his arm around her waist. Elena fights to remain conscious as her blood drips onto a pile of graded quizzes. She wonders absently if she failed that one too. "Call off your witch, Slayer, or we're going to find out how long it takes for the doppelganger to bleed out."
All the glass in the room shatters. Elena ducks her head as flecks from the fluorescent light above her rain down upon them, embedding into her back. She barely sees the Slayer grab Caroline through the blood streaming from her scalp over her eyes.
"You kill her and I'll kill your lackey," the woman threatens, holding a stake to Caroline's heart.
"I'm not anyone's lackey!" Caroline protests, struggling against the Slayer's strength.
Kol only laughs. "Go ahead; kill her. She's of no consequence to me."
"Please don't," Elena slurs, barely able to speak. "She's my friend. Please, don't kill her."
"You won't let Elena die," Caroline attempts to bargain with Kol. "Klaus will destroy you."
"He'd have to find me first. What will it be, Slayer? Will you call off your witch, or will you have her human blood on your hands?"
The fire sprinklers come on, showering them all with disgusting, dingy water. Still no one moves.
"That's not my witch," the Slayer yells.
"No, it's yours," someone yells, barely audible over the piercing shriek of the fire alarm. The building shakes again. Suddenly, the fire alarm shuts off, leaving a scream hanging in resounding silence. Elena feels her head drop, barely conscious. Her vision has blurred from the blood loss to the point she can barely see.
"Let Elena go, Kol," a calm, familiar voice demands. "Faith, let go of Caroline too please. She's on our side."
Faith reluctantly lets go of Caroline, but Kol's grip on Elena's waist tightens. "Why should I, Elijah? Unlike the rest of you pathetic Petrova worshipping idiots, I am perfectly happy to let the line end with her."
Elena can't quite see Elijah, but she can hear the anger behind his even voice. "It's over, Kol. I've taken out all your back-up. There are four of us against one of you. And if you let Elena die, I guarantee you will spend all eternity in a box."
Kol suddenly shoves Elena off the desk and springs to the floor. Thankfully, Caroline's quick reflexes save her. "Drink, Elena," she demands, shoving her wrist into Elena's mouth. Using one arm to prop up Elena, Caroline uses the other to tilt one of the remaining desks over, knocking the glass onto the floor. Elena drinks until Caroline eases her onto the desk, holding her up gently. Slowly, her breathing settles and her pain recedes slightly. Her vision begins to sharpen again and she takes in the addition of a woman with dark red hair leaning over Bonnie who is slumped on the floor, the glass cleared away in a perfect circle around her. From behind, Elena hears the sounds of Elijah and Kol caught in a struggle.
"Is Bonnie okay?" Elena manages to ask.
"She was playing with magic shouldn't have been messing with," the red haired woman explains. "She lost control trying to channel me and I had to knock her out before she brought down the whole building around us. But she'll be fine."
There are sounds of a struggle just beyond Elena's line of sight, then Kol suddenly hits the wall in front of her, pinned by his brother with enough froce to send Madame Pichard's bulletin board of French verbs and cartoon animals ricocheting across the room.
"I have some questions for you, Kol," Elijah states, a dagger dangling casually in his free hand. "Answer them and I might be persuaded not to run you through with this. Refuse, and I will personally see to you spending the next few centuries in a coffin. Your decision."
Kol smirks. "You? The champion of family honour stooping to Niklaus's level? I don't believe it for a second brother."
Elijah's grip tightens. "It is because of our brother that I have to. Do you realize what he is planning, Kol? There is more at stake here than our family. Tell me, where is Rebekah?"
"Nik daggered her, not me," he insists defensively.
"I didn't ask who daggered her, Kol," Elijah growls. "I asked where she is."
"I moved her into one of the tunnels; didn't want one of them un-daggering her." Kol nods a head towards Caroline and Elena.
"Where is Niklaus?" Elijah demands.
"He's somewhere in the Urals. He took Stefan Salvatore with him and left me to babysit the doppelganger." Elena detects a hint of jealousy in his answer.
"Where is he storing Elena's blood? Does he have it with him?"
Kol hesitates and Elijah grabs his head, slamming his head against the wall. "What did he promise you? You wouldn't be playing his lackey without something in return." His voice softens. "If you tell me, I might be able to help you."
Kol grimaces in his brother's grip. "Italy. He's built himself a little fortress on an island off the coast of Marina di Camerota."
"What did he promise you, Kol?" Elijah asks, his hand on his brother's throat.
"Hybrids," he chokes. "He told me he had found a way to make them faster and stronger than ever, and he promised me a few of them."
Elijah eyes him carefully. "How?"
"I don't know," Kol replies, trying to push his brother off. Elijah grabs him firmly and grips his wrist tightly. Even from where she sits, Elena can here the bones snap.
"That's not all, though, is it?" Elijah snarls.
"Adeline," Kol finally relents. "She's not dead, Elijah. He told me she wasn't dead. I was going to use the hybrids to find her."
Elijah sighs heavily and releases his brother. "You believed him? You're more naive than Rebekah if you think for a second he wasn't lying to you."
Kol steps back, adjusting his clothes. "I have nothing to lose."
"What about your honour? You have seen what he is willing to do; do you have no sense of morality, Brother?"
Kol sneers at his brother. "You talk of honour, Elijah, but you know nothing of it. If I learned how to live from anyone, it was you and Nik; I watched the two of you tear apart an entire town for the love of one stupid girl. And then I watched you promise each other always and forever, only to go back and do it again. I was willing to do whatever it took for the sake of finding Adeline, but if you think I'm going to stand here and watch this a third time, you're mistaken."
"Go then," Elijah says wearily. "Leave now and I won't dagger you. If Adeline really is alive, I will help you find her. But interfere further and you'll regret it."
Kol is gone in seconds.
"What the hell is going on?" Caroline asks from where she holds Elena up on the desk. Elena struggles to move, testing the organs that are still re-knitting themselves together. Caroline puts a hand on her shoulder, forcing her to stay still.
"Consider this a rescue, Caroline," Elijah replies. "Elena, are you alright?"
Elena nods once, breathing heavily. "Yeah, I just need a minute. Seriously, what is happening? Did Katherine send you?"
Elijah glances outside the broken window; a crowd has gathered on the football field. "In a sense," he answers vaguely. "Given my brother's proclivities, I've had an alliance of sorts with one of the Slayers for a few years now. When she called me in December and said the two vampire doppelgangers had shown up in London asking for help and then promptly disappeared, I came here immediately only to find the Salvatore's were gone as well. We've been looking for all of you for months, but Niklaus seems to have found a witch to hide him magically. When Katerina showed up two days ago in Prague, it was a lucky break indeed. Faith and I—along with Willow—are here to help you." Elijah glances around the room. "You seem to be missing a Salvatore. Where is Damon?"
Elena shakes her head, worried. "I don't know. We were separated when the lights went out."
"Does anyone have a phone?" Caroline asks. "I can call my Mom. She can deal with Mia, and if Damon's outside, I'd bet money he found her first thing."
Elijah pulls his phone from his pocket and hands it to her. Caroline dials and puts the phone on speaker.
"Mom, it's me," she announces as soon as Liz picks up.
"Caroline where are you?" Liz asks anxiously.
"I'm still in the school. Are you outside?"
"Yes. Caroline, you need to get out of there; someone is claiming they heard gunshots and they're talking about calling in a SWAT team."
"There were never any guns; it's all vampires," Caroline explains. "I can hear a crowd outside, though. Can you clear them out? None of us are really in a state to come busting out of here in front news cameras."
Elena glances down at herself; she's covered in blood, bits of glass and drenched in skunky sprinkler water. The others are less bloody, but are still worse for wear.
There's murmuring in the background. "Is Elena with you?" Liz asks. "Please tell me she's with you, because Damon just punched one of my deputies trying to get inside." Elena breathes a sigh of relief, Caroline squeezes her shoulder gently.
"I'm right here," Elena responds. "So is Bonnie."
"We've got a dead vampire in the hallway though," Caroline explains.
Liz sighs heavily. "Stay where you are and I'll call you when I get the area cleared."
"What about the SWAT team?"
"I'll figure something out."
She hangs up the phone with a click. Caroline turns to Elijah. "So, I guess we just wait."
Elijah leans against the wall.
"So what exactly happened tonight?" Elena asks. "Who cut the lights?"
"That was an accident," Willow volunteers. "Your friend here—" she nods towards Bonnie, "—sensed my magic when I arrived and automatically presumed I was a threat. When she couldn't get enough power to stop me on her own, she tried to channel mine and well...she completely lost control."
"I thought she didn't have her powers back?" Elena says, looking from Caroline, to Bonnie and Willow, "She said Klaus's witch bound them. She's been trying to break through it all week."
"Well, she certainly managed it tonight," Willow quips. "She's not the first person to try and destroy her high school, though, trust me."
"Why did you attack me?" Caroline reels on Faith.
"I thought you were part of the vampire bodyguard squad," Faith explains carelessly. "I was supposed to take them out."
"You shouldn't have been so haphazard and reckless," Elijah reprimands. "You staked a human you're supposed to be protecting."
Faith straightens, her eyes filled with challenge. "Don't lecture me, Original Boy. Buffy might have a soft spot for you vamps, but I'm only here because she insisted I help."
"Enough," Willow cuts in, "Faith, you made an honest mistake in going after Caroline, but you should be more careful."
"Especially given Elena's tendency to throw herself in front of people in danger," Caroline contributes. She stiffens, hearing a noise. "Mom and Damon are here," she says after a second.
Elijah nods, acknowledging he heard them as well, and moments later Damon comes crashing in to the room, flashlight in hand. His boots make a crunching sound on all the broken glass. Caroline steps back, allowing him to go straight to Elena. "Are you alright?" His lip curls as he sees how much blood she's covered in. "What the hell happened?"
"I'm alright, I—"
"She came between me and a stake," Caroline interrupts. "She was pretty badass."
Damon glares at her, taking Elena by the shoulder.
"I'm fine," Elena insists, giving Damon a reassuring smile.
"You have got to stop trying to get between Caroline and people with stakes, Elena," he says looking her over. "What is this, the third time?"
"She wouldn't have to if people would stop trying to stake me." Caroline shoots a glare at Damon for his past transgression, and then focuses her attention on Faith.
"I'm sorry, okay?" Faith offers, though she doesn't sound terribly sorry.
Sheriff Forbes pokes her head into the room, taking in the destruction. "Is everyone alright?" she inquires.
"We're fine," Caroline answers. "Did you see Mia in the hall?"
"I'll take care of it; I had the deputies move everyone to the front of the building. A few trusted ones are guarding the back so you can get out."
"Why don't we all go clean up and reconvene at the boarding house in an hour?" Elijah suggests.
"We'll see you there," Elena nods. Damon offers Elena a hand and she hops off the desk. Her head hurts from Caroline's blood and her vision is sharper than usual, a side effect she is more than used to.
"Let me carry you," Damon suggests.
"I can walk," Elena insists. "Take Bonnie."
"I've got her," Caroline explains, lifting Bonnie into her arms easily.
"Do you mind if I come with you guys?" Willow asks. "I think I should be there when she wakes up."
"Of course," Elena replies.
Willow joins them as they make their way out the back of the school to Elena's SUV, while Faith and Elijah head out separately.
"Do you remember when I said, 'I don't want to go to the dance; something horrible is going to happen'?" Elena reminds them as they make their way to her car.
"Yeah, you told us so," Caroline huffs. "Say what you will, my decorations were flawless."
Back at the boarding house, Elena draws herself a bath and sheds her bloodstained garment. She slides all the way under the water, enjoying the sensation of her hair floating around her head. She blows some bubbles, just for her own amusement, and surfaces to find Damon kneeling above her.
"How are you feeling?" he asks, leaning over to kiss her forehead.
"Better." She cups a bubble and blows it at him. "Want to join me?"
"Do I ever," he says huskily. He pulls off his clothes and Elena moves forward so he can slip into the tub behind her.
"I guess we're free now," she murmurs, relaxing against him sleepily.
Damon plants a feather-light kiss on her shoulder. "Good, I wanted my Camaro back," he jokes. "We've still got Klaus to deal with, though," he adds more seriously. "But Katherine came through; that was a first."
"I told you so," Elena teases as she sticks her tongue out at him playfully.
"Yes, you did," he says softly, examining her shoulder critically. "Did you get all the glass out?"
"Yeah, I didn't get hit too badly. Caroline pulled most of it out; the rest healed on its own." Elena leans back, resting her head on his shoulder as she looks up at him. "Do you think we can trust them, Damon?"
He pauses, surprised at her question. "Isn't it a little late for this question, Elena?"
"Yes, probably; I wonder, though."
Damon runs a hand down her arm and idly interlaces their fingers. "I think we should be careful," he breathes against her neck. "It's a terrible idea for vampires to get into bed with Slayers, but it's pretty much our only way of getting Stefan and Jeremy back. And Elijah...he's gone back on his promises before, but he feels guilty about that. Play up the Bambi eyes, would you?"
"What, these?" She looks up at him coyly, batting her eyelashes playfully. "I think you might have better luck in the eye department. Teach me how you do it?"
"What, this?" He lowers his eyelashes and gives her a half grin that makes her shiver. "This can't be taught." He lowers his head to plant a kiss on her shoulder.
They're interrupted by a banging on the bedroom door, "Stop being gross!" Caroline shouts, "Elijah's here."
Damon pouts as Elena pulls away and climbs out of the tub.
Elena wraps herself in a towel and leans over the tub. "Later," she whispers against his lips.
She throws on her most comfortable pyjama pants and sweatshirt, and secures her hair on top of her head.
"It's after midnight, I refuse to put on real clothes," she explains to Damon, who dons his typical jeans and dark shirt.
He slips an arm around her waist as they walk down the stairs. "Legally, this is still your house, Elena. You can wear whatever the hell you want." He gives her a wink. "Or nothing at all if you like." Elena rolls her eyes and bumps her hip against his.
In the living room, they find Caroline at the drink cart, immaculate in jeans and sweater. Elijah sits primly on the sofa, a cup of tea in his hand.
"Really, Elena?" Caroline comments, her eyes flicking over her attire.
"It's late, I got staked, I'm tired." Elena retorts, pouring herself a drink and plopping down on the couch with her feet curled under her. Caroline perches herself on the arm of the chair next to her.
"Wow, nice digs!" Faith exclaims, strolling in through the front door without bothering to knock.
"Drink?" Damon offers, holding out the drink he was pouring.
"I like you," she smirks with her full lips, looking him up and down appreciatively as she takes the drink from him. She drapes herself across one of the armchairs.
"Is Bonnie alright?" Elena asks Willow as she slips into the room dressed in some clothes borrowed from Caroline. They are far too big for her.
Damon holds out a tumbler for her and Willow takes it with a nod of thanks. "She's resting now; what she did tonight took a lot out of her. She told me about the magic that professor had her messing with... It's some bad mojo, but I've been through something like it myself. I can help her. It's just a matter of learning to reconnect with energy, refocus it."
Elena gives her a faint smile. "I'm glad."
Damon seats himself next to Elena, gently pulling her feet into his lap.
"So..." Elena starts, looking to Willow. "Katherine and I were hoping that you might be able to unlink Klaus from the rest of the vampires so we could...stop him."
"Basically, we'd like to kill his brother without taking out mine in the process," Damon summarizes curtly. Elena whacks him lightly in the stomach. Play nice, she mouths.
"Or me!" Caroline adds.
Elijah nods, knowingly. "I don't want to kill Niklaus but I admit that may be the only option. My brother has... I was willing to humour his transgressions in the past because I made the assumption—correctly I might add—that Elena would wind up dead or a vampire sooner rather than later, thus resolving the problem. When I heard she had become a vampire, I thought we had seen the end of the hybrids. I never dreamed that the cure could possibly exist, much less that he could ever find it. But now...he has to be stopped; we can't allow him to sire himself an army of such dangerous creatures."
"I've been doing some research on unlinking magic like that," Willow explains, "But something that old...it's a tricky spell. Bonnie offered up her collection of Grimoires; I'm going to go through those tomorrow."
"I talked to Buffy earlier," Faith contributes. "She's sort of like our lead Slayer," she explains for Elena, Caroline, and Damon's benefit. "She and Spike have been doing some recon, but they haven't found much." She nods to Elena. "The un-sired hybrids you warned made it to Angel. They're all accounted for except one; Angel's got them in safe houses somewhere."
"Tyler's dead," Elena explains, swallowing her grief. "But I'm glad the rest are safe."
"Buffy and I are willing to try for a magic solution," Faith continues. "But if we can't, we're going after this with a good old fashioned stake."
"You know the only thing that will kill him is a stake of White Oak, Faith," Elijah adds. "The location of which, I believe Damon is privy to?"
Caroline and Elena look to Damon who shakes his head. "After Elena tried to go all pseudo-Slayer on Rebekah, I left it to Stefan to hide," he explains. "I have no idea where he put it, but I told him not to keep it in the house with all of Elena's newbie vampire rage."
"So you're telling me that the only person who knows the location of this stake is currently in the hands of the enemy?" Faith says dubiously.
"That is exactly what I'm telling you," Damon replies evenly.
Faith leans forward on her elbows, challenging him. "Why should I believe you?"
Damon meets her eyes, not backing down. "Because you have to," he says curtly.
Elena elbows him in the ribs. "Are you not planning in un-daggering Rebekah?" she asks Elijah, trying to change the subject.
"Not at the moment," he answers, "Unless we have to, of course. I hate to leave her there, but—as you know—my siblings have a tendency towards the unpredictable. It would be best to wait until we have dealt with Niklaus."
"Giles thinks we should head back to Europe soon," Faith adds. "It's safer for you on the Slayer compound and we have more resources to work with."
"Where in Europe?" Damon asks.
"Scotland," Willow replies with a small smile. It drops momentarily. "But...it's going to be a few days before I'd feel comfortable putting Bonnie on a plane. Her magic is too unpredictable right now."
"I don't want to leave Matt here unprotected," Elena insists. "What if Klaus comes back?"
"If Klaus is in the Urals, it will be some time before he's able to attempt to check in with Kol again," Elijah answers. "I imagine we have at least a week, perhaps two, before he realizes what happened. When he does...I don't imagine he'll come back here himself. He'll want to come after me and find Elena. If we aren't here..."
"He won't have any reason to come?"
"I don't believe so, no. But if it makes you feel better, I do have allies. I could call in a few friends to watch over things in our absence." Elena eyes Elijah dubiously. "I assure you, Elena," he begins, "They will be on their best behaviour. No one will even know they are here." Elena wants to trust him, but she hates the idea of leaving her town in the hands of strangers.
"I could stay here," Caroline suggests. "I don't like the idea of leaving my Mom and Matt here without protection."
"You need to stay with us," Damon urges. Elena glances at him, surprised. "Klaus has a thing for you; if he knows you're here, he'll come to Mystic Falls for sure. I made that mistake when we went after the cure. Plus, believe it or not Blondie, you're somewhat useful."
Caroline stares at him, open mouthed, "Was that a compliment from Damon Salvatore?"
"Don't get used to it, Barbie."
"It should hopefully be only a few days to get Bonnie's magic under control," Willow interjects their banter. "While I'm helping her with that, maybe the rest of you could put some precautions in place to keep the town protected?"
"We need vervain," Damon suggests. "The whole supply got blown up with the Council and no one has procured any sense."
"I can help with that," Elijah offers. "Perhaps we should all retire and reconvene in the morning?"
Elena nods eagerly, feeling herself already nodding off as everyone says their goodbyes.
Elena rolls over in the middle of the night, surprised to find the other side of the bed empty. She throws on Damon's robe and creeps silently down the stairs, finding Damon in the library, staring out the window, drink in hand. Elena walks quietly up behind him and wraps her arms around him.
"Come to bed," she murmurs against his shoulder.
"I'm not tired," he tells her.
She lets go of him and grasps his arm, forcing him to turn and face her. His eyes are hooded, dark even, but he isn't drunk. "What is it Damon?"
His eyes flick from the window, back to her, "We can't let them have that stake, Elena."
"Do you know where it is?" she asks warily.
Damon shakes his head. "I wasn't lying. I don't know for sure where it is, but I know Stefan. So…"
Elena nods. If anyone could guess where he put it, it would be Damon. "I'm going to start going through the Grimoires with Caroline and Willow tomorrow; maybe we'll find something."
"Something that Bonnie didn't already? I wouldn't put too much stock in that, Elena."
"Willow says they have a huge library in Scotland," Elena offers, wrapping both arms around his waist. "We'll find something. I won't let Stefan and Caroline die, Damon. If they want to take them down, they'll have to take us down with them."
He gives her a crooked smile. "Will they, oh warrior princess?"
"I will always come between my friends and the people who want to kill them, you know that. And I tonight I proved it to Faith, too."
He pulls her closer to him. "I couldn't protect you tonight."
"Well, that's just not true." She slides her hands into his back pockets, looking up at him. "I heard you punched one of Liz's deputies."
"You know what I mean, Elena. I just... this is my life. I finally get the girl only to lose the ability to protect her."
"I don't need you to protect me, Damon. I just want you to be here; that's all." She takes both of his hands, interlacing their fingers. "Just be here."
A/N: Thank you all so much for reading and for the many reviews/follows/favorites etc. We're on the home stretch here and I'm very excited to start writing the sequel. Special thank you to my awesome beta Two-Ways-Down-None-To-Go formerly known as Skye Velomatic.