AN: Hey, hi, sorry for the long wait, once more. Things have been kinda bad in my life right now, so it's taken a while for me to get this all written out. This is a shorter chapter, so sorry about that. But I hope you guys enjoy the chapter.
Mary: Here's the next chapter. I hope you like it.
Guest: Sorry I couldn't get to you before you lost the internet, but hopefully you have it now to read this chapter. Sorry again for the delay.
Paulavara140: Thank you so much. I hope you like this chapter.
Sleepyh0llow: I'm so glad you like the story so far. My apologizes for the long wait, things have gotten pretty bad here. I strongly dislike Damon and Elena too, lol, if you couldn't tell.
KattyByNature: Thanks so much!
Beth: Here's the update, hope you like it.
Guest: Lol, I would like Sophia to just ignore them forever too. I'm not sure yet how Sophia's going to handle everything, but I'm trying to stay true to her character instead of just getting rid of the characters I don't like, which would really go against who she is. But we'll see how she treats everyone. Hope you enjoy.
Ryn Of Magic: Hey, yes, that is all true for the show. However, if you notice the dates on my stories, I wrote a lot of the backstory for the Originals in the first story, which came out before and during season 4 of TVD, so my backstory for the family doesn't match up completely with the show's. I'm not sure if I'm going to incorporate the New Orleans story line in at the moment. I hope you like the chapter.
Daisuki1993: Thank you so much, I'm so glad you like the story so far. I love the relationship between Sophia and Klaus and I've always thought he could be amazing if there was someone who could love him completely, no matter what he'd done in the past. I hope you like this chapter!
Piper: Here's the next chapter. Sorry for the delay.
Disclaimer: I own nothing related to TVD or TO.
Chapter 24: Change is Never Easy
"Stop!" Elijah jerked at Sophia's sudden outburst, eyes shooting to hers in the rearview mirror. The witch was clutching at her chest, eyes wide and face pale.
"What's wrong?" Klaus demanded as Elijah slowed to a stop, unsure. After the last few days they'd had, there was no telling what the matter was. Sophia didn't answer; she was already launching herself out of the car, vamping into the surrounding woods with no regard to the others or her mounting exhaustion.
"Sophia!" Klaus yelled, taking off after her. He was slower than normal, his body still recovering from the desiccation; he'd need more blood before he was fully recovered.
"What now?" Elijah muttered, wishing this hellish night would just end.
"I'll follow and text you where we're going. Don't scratch the paint." Rebekah said before vanishing, making her brother roll his eyes. He'd been driving since the invention of the automobile; Rebekah had had only a few years to enjoy them before being daggered. Of the two of them, he was certainly the more proficient driver.
Deciding to continue back towards Mystic Falls, Elijah kept his phone where he could see it. Hopefully the latest crisis could be dealt with quickly. His bed was calling to him and he really didn't want to keep it waiting.
Sophia ran with every last vestige of energy she had, seeming to know where to go without really knowing. All she could focus on was the second painful snapping of a previously unrealized connection. She'd just reestablished her bond with Klaus, and now she'd lost another one, threatening to send her to her knees. But she had to get to her, no matter how tired and stretched out she felt.
Rebekah and Klaus followed the witch, their previous calling falling on deaf ears. They decided to just let Sophia go wherever it was she was headed, knowing it was wasted effort to stop her. The blonde had to back track a few times to help Klaus, whose limbs were slow and heavy, nearly making the immortal hybrid trip as they ran. If the situation didn't seem so dire, Rebekah would've laughed at her brother for being so clumsy.
Sophia finally veered towards the highway after a good fifteen mile trek, stumbling when the wreckage came into view. Matt's truck was wrapped around a tree, literally; the bed of the truck had somehow swung around, securing the passenger side against the tree. The front had also slammed into another tree, nearly crumbling the vehicle; there was very little left of the truck undamaged.
"Damn." Rebekah muttered when she and Klaus joined her, but Sophia could barely hear her.
The air was thick with burnt rubber, destroyed metal, and blood, lots and lots of blood. Only a little could be blamed on the maimed deer, meaning the passengers were bleeding.
"Elena." The witch whispered, body trembling as she lurched towards the wreck.
"Wait. Let Beks and I do it." Klaus pulled her to a stop, his hand squeezing her shoulder before the siblings hurried towards the truck.
Sophia turned her focus onto the mutilated metal, willing the bed to unwrap itself from around the second tree. It was slow to move, her magic nearly spent after her extensive use that day, even with her connection to the spirits. She was shaking and sweating by the time the passenger side was finally visible, sitting flushed against the tree. There was blood on the pieces of the shattered window that remained.
"I think his ribs are broken, as well as his right leg. But he's alive." Rebekah muttered, pulling the witch's eyes away from the blood. Klaus and Rebekah were laying Matt's unresponsive body on the ground a few feet from the wreck.
"His lung is punctured." Klaus replied before leaving them to go around the truck.
Rebekah quickly bit into her wrist and fed him her blood before doing quick work of setting his bones, pulling a strangled scream from him, even in his unconscious state. Now that Klaus could reach the other side of the truck, he used with strength he had let to push the truck away from the trees, Rebekah coming to help once she was done with Matt.
Sophia watched numbly as they worked, strangely detached, feeling like she was watching from someone else's eyes. She wanted to help, needed to help, but she had no control over her own body. When they managed to rip the door away and pulled Elena's broken body from the wreckage, the nauseating feeling, the breaking of the bond, was proven to mean what she'd feared.
Elena was dead.
/*/
Elijah slammed to a stop when he heard them, surprised they'd been heading back towards Mystic Falls. He didn't have log to dwell on that, however, because he was already out of the car and headed towards them.
His ears were assaulted by screaming, his eyes finding where Klaus was struggling to hold Sophia. She didn't seem to be aware of anything, eyes glued to something and her mouth open, the screams never ending.
"Sweetheart, please." Klaus murmured, but it was useless. The ground shook under their feet, the wind picked up and storm clouds gathered above their heads; the windows of Rebekah's car shattered.
Forcing himself to turn away from the sight, Elijah moved towards his sister, nearly falling as the ground rolled violently, the concrete cracking and crumbling. The road would need serious maintenance after tonight.
"I've reset his broken bones and gave him blood. He should wake up in a while." Rebekah said when he reached her, eyes focused on Matt's bloody face so she didn't have to look at anything else.
Elijah knelt next to Elena's still body, fingers going to her throat even though he already knew he wouldn't feel the heartbeat he was seeking. He wasn't sure what had happened, but she had a deep laceration along her skull that had drenched her in blood. The entire right side of her body was crushed, some of her bones exposed. He didn't know if it was the head wound or internal bleeding, but it was irrefutable that she was dead and no amount of vampire blood was going to save her.
"We need to get Sophia and Matt out of here." Elijah said, pulling his suit jacket off to cover Elena, hiding her bloody face from sight.
"Sophia, c'mon. Please, you're gonna make yourself sick." As if his words were a trigger, Sophia pushed Klaus away and vomited, dropping to her hands and knees.
Klaus cast a worried glace to his siblings before crouching down and holding the witch against him. Her body shook as she dry-heaved, the meager contents of her stomach already gone and leaving her with only bile. He just held her through it, hoping exhaustion would allow her to pass out so he could get her out of there.
Someone on the Otherside must be listening to him, because Sophia went limp against him after another heave, the turbulent weather settling into a thick stillness. Klaus pulled her into his arms and stood, heading towards Rebekah's car. He'd just sat her on the hood, needing to brush the glass off the back seat, when two vehicles joined them, Stefan and Damon jumping out, quickly followed by Bonnie.
"What happened?" Damon demanded, heart racing as he took in the scene.
"They hit a deer, obviously." Rebekah replied, not needing to watch her tone now that Sophia was unconscious. She checked Matt's healing injuries one last time before standing and going to her car, cleaning it as best she could.
"Elena." Stefan mumbled, falling to his knees next to Elijah and using a shaking had to uncover the body.
"You have my sincerest condolences. No matter what animosity exists between us, I never wished her harm." Elijah murmured quickly and stood, moving towards his siblings to give the other vampires some room.
Bonnie kneeled next to Matt, unable to see clearly through the tears. She couldn't even really process what was happening; she just knew that she'd lost one of her best friends and that she didn't know how to cope with it. Instead, she focused on Matt, keeping her eyes from wandering to Damon and Stefan, who'd uncovered Elena to get a better view.
"Is she gonna be okay?" Rebekah asked quietly, standing from the car so Klaus could slide Sophia in.
"I honestly don't know. After everything…losing her sister…" Klaus trailed off, not wanting to think about what this could do to her. He was tired of Sophia always being the one to suffer; she didn't deserve any of this madness.
"All we can do is be there for her and make sure she knows she's not alone." Elijah said. Klaus nodded and walked to the other side of the car, getting into the backseat and pulling the witch into his arms.
"I gave her blood." Damon's words were barely audible, just reaching where the Originals were.
"What?" The oldest brother turned to stare at the two kneeling vampires. Stefan looked like he was going to burst into tears at any minute, while Damon's face was contorted into a harsh expression. He looked up, meeting the Original's eyes before turning to his brother.
"She was hurt, remember? I fed her my blood while you and Tyler secured the bodies.'
"She's turning." Stefan mumbled, eyes widening in horror.
"We need to get her out of here." The older Salvatore said, standing and reaching down to pull Elena's limp body up off the pavement.
"Elena's transitioning into a vampire." Rebekah commented as she got into the passenger seat, not sure if Klaus had heard, given that he was focused intently on the witch in his arms.
"She is not going to be happy about this." Elijah sighed, getting in behind the wheel, trusting the others to take care of their own.
"It's better than being dead." The blonde shrugged, unconcerned.
"All that matters is that Sophia hasn't lost her sister. Take us home, Elijah."
The elegant Mikaelson nodded and started the engine, more than ready for this night to be over. They'd more than earned a few hours of uninterrupted sleep to recharge their batteries; he knew this wasn't the last problem they'd face and wanted to take the respite while he could.
/*/
Sophia jerked awake, gasping as the image of Elena's bloody body faded with her nightmare.
"Shh, it's all right, my love. I've got you." Klaus's arms wrapped around her and pulled her against his cool chest.
The witch went willingly, burrowing into him, her eyes filling with tears. She may have been on bad terms with her sister, but she never thought she'd actually lose her. Elena was dead. Her other half, her twin, was dead and Sophia didn't know how she'd survive it.
"You're sister had vampire blood in her system." Klaus murmured quietly, a hand stroking up and down her spine. It took a moment for the words to sink in, and then she was pushing up to stare down at him.
"What'd you just say?" Sophia demanded, heart pounding. Klaus sat up against the pillows so he could look her in the eye.
"She was injured when they came to desiccate me. Instead of her taking her to the hospital, Damon fed her his blood."
"Oh my god." She gasped, moving quickly out of bed, heading to the bathroom.
"Elena never wanted to be a vampire. She's gonna hate it." Sophia mumbled, using the bathroom and washing her hands.
"It's better than being dead." Klaus shrugged from the doorway, watching her closely, not liking how pale and drawn she looked.
"I need to see her. I should be there for the transition." Sophia pulled her toothbrush out.
"Sweetheart, it's 4:30 in the morning. It'll take a few more hours for her to fully wake and you need rest and food. You haven't eaten anything since yesterday morning, and you got sick, so there's nothing on your stomach." He said, coming up behind her to wrap his arms around her, hands settling over her stomach. Sophia sighed, unable to deny those eyes as they stared at her; plus, she was starving.
"Okay. I could eat a whole cow, I'm so hungry." She admitted, leaning back against him, her fingers stroking his bare arms, enjoying just being close to him.
"Then let us go prepare a cow." The hybrid smirked, leaning down to press a kiss to her shoulder before stepping back. Taking her hand, he led her downstairs, snagging a shirt on the way.
Sophia sat on the counter as she watched Klaus pull several covered containers from the refrigerator. The quiet calmness was like a balm to her frazzled nerves; every time he'd pause to give her a light kiss or brushed her thighs as he moved around her helped Sophia grow more and more at ease.
The last…forever had been ridiculously trying and she relished having these simple moments to remind herself that she wasn't alone and that she had someone who loved her so absolutely. These were the moments her "friends" didn't get to see; they were times when Klaus let his guard down and allowed himself to be human and happy. They were precious and Sophia treasured every single moment.
Klaus heated the burgers Carlos had prepared in a skillet, loading them with all the fixings, as well as a side of fruit salad for Sophia. He didn't really enjoy cooking, it always being something servants did, but he did like how soft Sophia's expression got as she watched him. He couldn't help himself, stopping every few minutes to steal a kiss, pleased with how much lighter she already looked. It'd been a hard few weeks for her and he was hoping that things were a little more settled. He hated to see her sad, so he had to hope it would last longer than a day.
"Your meal awaits, my love." Klaus said when everything was ready and placed on the breakfast table. He smiled at her, running his hands up her thighs, her arms settling around his shoulders.
"Maybe it could wait. I think I'm hungry for something else." Sophia whispered, leaning forward to capture his bottom lip between her teeth.
Klaus groaned against her, sinking into the kiss and pulling her off the counter, her legs locking around his hips. Sophia clutched at him, her blood heating as his tongue slid into her mouth, filling her with his taste. With the never ending emergencies and the nausea, it'd been way too long since they'd been together and she was more than ready to fix that. Only, Klaus was lowering into a chair. What?
"Eat now, make love later." The hybrid mumbled against her lips before pulling away and stepping back. Somehow he'd managed to walk to the table and set her down without her noticing. Sneaky asshole.
"You're no fun." She pouted for a second before the smell got to be too much and she dove into the food. Klaus chuckled and took his own seat, pleased she was enjoying the food so much.
The two ate in a comfortable silence, not needing to fill the air with mindless chatter, both content to just be with the other. Sophia devoured everything on her plate and the cup of blood, as well as half of Klaus's plate, she was so hungry. It was worrying that she basically hadn't eaten yesterday; then, add her extensive use of magic and the life inside her taking the little nutrients she'd consumed, and you have a troubling picture. She couldn't allow for something like this to happen again; not if she wanted her child to be healthy. She had to start taking better care of herself, regardless of what was going on.
When they were done, Klaus put the dishes in the sink and led her upstairs and into the bathroom. Sophia brushed her teeth while he started a bath, knowing without needing to be told that she needed a little pampering. The witch didn't comment; she just sank under the hot water with a sigh, resting her head against his shoulder.
"I can't believe Elena's a vamp." She muttered, rubbing the luffa over her arms.
"It really was only a matter of time, love. Being pulled between the Salvatore brothers was going to end with this, or her death." Klaus replied, making her roll her eyes at him over her shoulder.
"You're supposed to tell me she'll be fine or something, Nik. Jeez."
"I hold no love for your sister, sweets. Not after everything she's done to you. I am, however, grateful you do not have to experience losing your sister. But that is all I feel with regards to Elena Gilbert." He shrugged, taking the sponge to wash her shoulders and back.
Turning once he was done, Sophia straddled his thighs, the water sloshing around them. Reclaiming the luffa, she put more soap on it before scrubbing his chest, her fingertips trailing over his wet skin, relishing in the feel of him.
"I think you don't have room to talk on healthy sibling relations, mister."
"Perhaps not, but she's hurt you, and that is unacceptable." He shrugged again.
"Yes, but she's family, and I love her. Will I ever trust or forgive her for all the things she's helped happen? Probably not, but I don't want her to die. Again." She gave a small shudder, remembering the sight of her sister's lifeless body; remembered the snapping of their bond.
"The chances of her survival have increased exponentially, if she goes through the transition; and gets the hell away from this town." Klaus brushed her hair over her shoulders, fingers trailing down her neck and chest until he could cup her breasts. Sophia gave a small mewl, more sensitive then she'd realized when he brushed his thumbs over her puckered nipples.
"Where are we going after graduation?" She questioned, head tilting back, teeth dragging over her lip as he pinched her peaks, delighting in the flush that spread over her chest.
"I thought we were headed to New York. Have our plans changed?" He leaned up, mouth finding her supple neck and latching on, tongue lapping at her skin before giving a strong pull.
"I—uh—you really think—god—can—" Sophia trailed off, fingers twisting in his curls to pull his head back so she could attack his mouth.
The kiss was desperate, the need to feel lose after the traumatic experience of their bond being broken, of feeling him being torn away from her getting the better of the witch. Klaus gripped her tightly, allowing her to control the pace, recognizing the anxiety in her movements, which he shared. She needed to know he was there, real and alive, that she hadn't lost him forever; he needed the reassurances that she was still with him.
Sophia pulled away with a gasp, fingers tightening in his hair, drawing his head back to expose the vulnerable skin of his neck. Klaus watched through his lashes as her eyes began changing, his cock thickening at the sight of brown slowly bleeding red. She'd gained tremendous control over her new hybrid abilities, but he could read the note of fear in her eyes. There was going to be noting controlled about her at the moment.
"I felt it. When they stopped your heart." Sophia murmured quietly, hand leaving his hair to lie across his chest, needing to feel the muscle beating beneath.
"It was the most painful thing I've ever felt. But it wasn't anything compared to when it was over; I felt nothing, I was numb and cold. I felt like I'd never be warm again."
"My last thought was of you; I hated that they were taking me from you. From you both." Klaus rasped, equally quiet, fingers sliding over her slick skin.
Tears were suddenly sliding down her cheeks, a sob caught in her throat as she surged forward to bury her face in his neck. The hybrid wrapped his arms around her, tilting his face down until he could press his lips to her own throat. There was a beat of stillness before they both slid their fangs into each other, reconnecting at the most primal level.
Leaning up on her knees, Sophia got a hand under her to position him at her entrance. Lowering herself, she ignored the burn of no preparation, needing to be connected too much to care about the slight pain. This wasn't about sex or pleasure; no, it was about reaffirming their bond and strengthening it until nothing could ever break it again.
Klaus sat a fast pace once her muscles had relaxed, his own desperate need to be close to her driving him. He'd never forget the crimpling fear he'd felt at the thought of being torn away from Sophia. He was terrified of not being there and her getting hurt; of their child being harmed because its father wasn't there to protect it. It was a feeling he never wanted to experience again.
They were mindless of the sloshing water, both too consumed with the taste of the other, of being together. It didn't take long before Sophia was clenching down on him, giving a strong pull of his blood as her body shook. Klaus quickly followed, grunting against her pierced skin, arms tight around her, keeping them pressed together.
Sophia's fangs slowly slid out of his skin; she pulled back once he'd released her to stare at him, red meeting gold. Pressing her hand to his chest over his heart, she started chanting, gaze never wavering from his.
Klaus gasped when he felt a warmth, an energy, surround his heart. Her magic throbbed rapidly before slowing down, syncing with his heartbeat, until they were one pulse.
"Your heart is mine, Nik, and no one will ever be able to take it from me." She said, her voice thick with power, her magic flowing between them.
"You are mine and I will kill anyone who tries to separate us." Klaus replied, the wolf side of him howling its determination. Since the ritual he hadn't really let that side of himself free and he was learning that was a mistake. His wolf was just as dedicated and protective of Sophia as the rest of him and he needed to give it the attention it deserved. Later.
Sophia relaxed against him, suddenly exhausted as her power receded, leaving her drained. She laid against him, relishing in the feel of his skin against hers. She'd never felt closer to him and she wasn't ready to let the moment go. She could feel him inside her own body, could feel his pulse matching hers as if they shared a skin. It was unnerving and exhilarating.
Unfortunately, the water, what was left in the tub, was cooling and they couldn't stay in any longer. Klaus made quick work of getting them from the tub, dried, and into bed, tucking her in before joining her.
"Should I set the alarm?" He questioned as he slid under the comforter, pulling her against him until they were flush.
"I need to be there when Elena wakes up." Sophia nuzzled into his neck, breathing in his scent, letting it lull her into a big blob of goo. Seriously, she couldn't move, like at all.
"You don't owe her anything."
"No, but she's my sister and I can't have her going on a killing spree. Plus…" She trailed off, her fingers drawing designs on his chest.
"I may have partially destroyed the house." She admitted, biting her lip when she thought of the mess she'd made.
"How "partially"?" Klaus couldn't keep the amusement out of his voice, lips stretching into a smirk against her hair.
"All the windows shattered…and the dishes…the dining room table may have a huge crack down its center." He let out a chuckle, the sound vibrating through his chest and making Sophia smile.
"Serves them right for underestimating you, love. They won't make that mistake again."
"I wouldn't care, but that was my home, you know. My parents…I can't leave it like that for Jenna and Jeremy, no matter how angry I am."
"We'll get the windows replaced so Jenna doesn't have to." Sophia squeezed him tightly, falling a little bit more in love with him. No matter his own opinions, he was willing to help because it was important to her and he'd do anything for her. Sophia loved him so much it was hard to breathe sometimes.
"Is it strange that being kidnaped turned out to be the best thing to ever happen to me?" Sophia questioned, leaning back so she could see his face. Klaus smiled softly down at her, leaning down to give her a lingering kiss before pulling away.
"No more strange then being grateful Katerina escaped before the ritual. Without that, I doubt I'd have ever met you."
"Or that I'd even be alive, since I was made to counter balance you." They grinned at each other.
"I love you, Sophia Gilbert, and I'll never regret the centuries it took me to find you." Pleased, she pressed up on her elbows to capture his mouth, indulging in a slow, toe-curling kiss.
"I love you, Niklaus Mikaelson, and will love you in the many centuries we have a head of us."
/*/
"I don't know why we're here." Rebekah grumbled for the tenth time, making the witch roll her eyes as she stepped out of the car.
"You don't have to be here, Beks, I've told you I could handle it on my own."
"Yeah, like Nik would let you come here alone after yesterday. You're lucky I already have an invite or you'd have an overprotective hybrid to deal with." Rebekah retorted, flicking her blonde curls over her shoulder, scowling at the house.
"If Elijah didn't have to work I'd have bought him and sent you with Nik to the airport. He'd be less whiney." Sophia rolled her eyes again and headed up the porch, looking at the path of fresh, lively vegetation that marked her angry march from the day before. It was a stark contrast to the dying grass and thinning trees; she didn't know what Elena was going to come up with as an excuse.
"When is the window repairman arriving?" The blonde asked, ignoring her statement.
"In fifteen minutes. Wait down here for them." Sophia replied, letting them into the house, not surprised to see Damon and Stefan both standing there.
"What are you doing here?" Damon demanded angrily, arms crossed over his chest. Stefan just stared at the floor, uncomfortable and at a loss of how to act around the two women. He hadn't wanted to go along with the plan once he'd found out about it, but he'd still betrayed them both and he knew it'd take more than an apology before things were fixed.
"I've come to make sure my sister doesn't go on a killing spree; not that it's any of your business. This is my house and I'll come and go as I well damn please. Get out of my way before I make you." Sophia said calmly, hands hanging loosely at her sides, her magic surging within her, just waiting for an excuse to unleash hell on the vampires.
"You really think she's gonna want to see you when she wakes up? She died because you couldn't let us handle the Alaric situation and she just had to follow you." Damon snarled, shaking with how angry he was.
"Elena is in transition because of you, Damon, not me. You could've taken her to the hospital to get patched up like normal humans do, but no, you just had to take the shortcut and feed her your blood. You could've snapped Alaric's neck like you did Elijah's and locked him in a coffin; but you did none of those things! Stop blaming others for your own mistakes. This is your fault and I'll never forget what you did." Sophia's voice was barely above a whisper, but her eyes were blazing red and her nails had lengthened into claws, which she wrapped around his neck.
"I am tired of being blamed for everything that goes wrong in this godforsaken town. And I am tired of forgiving people for betraying me. Do you know what I want to do to you, Damon Salvatore?" She quirked her head to the side, eyes boring into his, her strength keeping him immobile easily. Stefan swallowed when she cast him a look, reading the betrayal clear in her red stare.
"I'm not really a violent person; or at last I didn't used to be. But I want to spend days causing you pain, Damon, to make you feel what you put me through when you stopped Klaus's heart. I want to flay the skin from your bones, wait for you to heal, and then flay you again. I want to break every bone in your body; I want to turn your brain to mush until you never recover, you'd spend the rest of eternity as a vegetable. That's what I want." Sophia explained, nails sinking into his flesh, eager to tear his throat out.
"The only reason I'm letting you live is because Elena is going to need help learning control; Stefan is not a good role model and Caroline's been a vampire for less than a year, so you're the only option she has. Any of the Mikaelsons would've been happy to help her, but after this, we want nothing to do with any of you. I'm here to ensure she's taken care of and to fix the house before Klaus arrives with Jenna and Jeremy. Don't test me, Damon; I don't think I have the patience or the good will to keep your head attached to your shoulders if you pester me." She released him, turning away from him without a care.
"I want the windows replaced today, Beks, so you might have to compel the guy. I'll be back." Sophia pushed past Stefan and ascended the staircase, moving towards Elena's room. It still felt so alien that this wasn't her real home anymore; she'd grown up here, had wonderful memories of her family here, and yet, it held only pain now.
Elena was still asleep when she entered, so Sophia quietly went to the windows and pulled the curtains to block as much light as possible, wishing she could just fix the windows when a gust of wind sent the curtains flapping. She could, technically, but there was so much broken glass on the ground outside that it was be impossible to filter out the right pieces for each window; plus, every window in the house was shattered and it'd take a tremendous amount of magic and energy to fix it. She was still recovering from yesterday and would just have to make do with the repairman.
Grabbing some extra pillows, the witch piled them at the bottom of the curtains to keep them from moving before sitting down next to Elena. Taking a breath, she stroked her sister's hair for a moment before casting the spell she'd done on Mr. Forbes, lessening the severity of the transition's effects. Once done, she stood up and paced around the room, not sure what to do. Her sister was going to be a vampire or die, neither of which was ideal.
"Sophia, I…" Stefan paused, brow furrowed as he stepped into the room. Turning, she regarded him.
"You broke my heart, Stefan." She said quietly, making him wince.
"I know, I didn't mean for this to happen. I didn't know about the plan until Damon had connected to Klaus, and then…I didn't know what else to do, Sophia."
"You know you should've called me, should've waited for me. You broke my trust; you ruined our friendship because you let your brother tell you what to do like you were a child. You could've stopped it, but you didn't, and I don't know if I'll ever forgive you for it." He hung his head in shame, knowing she was right.
"I'm sorry. I know that doesn't make up for it, but I am."
"You know you were Klaus's best friend too, right? He's had such a hard time trusting anyone, even his own family, but he trusted you to have his back, to be his friend. Klaus doesn't forgive or forget easily."
"I know." He whispered, throat tight at the realization at what he'd lost in a moment of fear and stupidity.
"The only thing I want from you, Stefan, is for you to keep working on your control. Don't slip back into a ripper or the bunny diet. Beyond that…" She shook her head, gazing at Elena, whose heart had just started to pound.
Before he could say anything else, Elena shot up from the bed with a gasp.
"Stefan…Sophia?" Elena's eyes moved over them quickly, confused and unable to catch her breath. The two of them moved forward until Sophia gave Stefan a look and sat down, leaving him to stand to the side.
"Hey."
"You've been in and out for hours." Stefan murmured quietly, moving to the other side of the bed to sit down, ignoring the look Sophia shot him. He messed up with her, he gets it, but he wasn't going to abandon Elena.
"Wh-What happened?" The doppelganger asked, taking a deep breath to try and calm down.
"You were in an accident; you and Matt hit a deer." Sophia supplied.
"Oh, my god. Is Matt—"
"He's alive."
"Good." She sighed, relieved. Stefan and Sophia exchanged a look, not sure how to broach the subject that was looming.
"I thought that I—how did you…" She looked between each face, confused even more. She'd thought for sure she'd be dead; she was pretty sure she remembered the coldness, the finality of dying.
"Elena…you didn't survive the crash." Sophia said quietly, watching as the realization dawned on her sister's face, followed by the horror.
"Oh god! Does—does that mean that I…am I dead?" She demanded angrily, eyes filling with tears as everything clicked into place.
"No, no, no! That—that wasn't supposed to happen! I don't want to be a vampire!" She was getting worked up, but that couldn't be helped.
"Maybe it doesn't have to. I talked to Bonnie. She said she's stronger than ever. There might be something she can do to help you." Stefan revealed.
"What? What're you talking about?" Sophia demanded, pulling his attention.
"I don't know, she thinks she can change Elena back or something." He shrugged, not understanding it either.
"Really? Do you think it's possible, Sophia?" Elena asked, eyes wide with hope, the tears leaking down her cheeks.
"I—I don't know, Elena. Something like that…going to the Otherside to pull you back…if it's possible, it's not something I've seen before. I don't know if it's possible." Sophia shook her head.
"We have all day before you have to feed. That's a day to exhaust every possible way out of this." Stefan said, squeezing Elena's hand reassuringly.
"But if Sophia doesn't know how—"
"I said I've never heard of it, not that it isn't possible. It's likely that it's dark magic and I can't perform that kind of magic."
"Why not? Shouldn't you want to save your own sister? Even though we all know that the only thing to do is feed or die." Damon said from the doorway, arms crossed over his chest, annoyed expression on his face.
"I can't do dark magic, the spirits won't let me. But I might be able to find something, anything, in the grimoires. But Elena…the possibilities…" She trailed off, not needing to voice the truth.
"I was ready to die. I was supposed to die, I don't—I don't want-I can't be a vampire! If there's something Bonnie can do, we have to try it."
"We will. We'll try everything." Stefan nodded.
"It's your choice, Elena. As always." Damon turned and left, moving back downstairs to keep an eye on the Blonde Bitch and the window man.
"I'll head home to look through the grimoires. Elena, I've placed a spell on you that'll lessen the effects of the transition."
"What?"
"I did it for Caroline's dad. It'll minimize the hunger, the light sensitivity, that sort of thing."
"Oh…uh, thank you." Elena mumbled, mind still trying to process the nightmare she'd woken up to.
"The windows will be replaced today and Klaus is picking Jenna and Jeremy up from the airport. I'll explain to them what's going on before they come back so they're not shocked. I…I know you don't want to be a vampire, Lena, but if it comes down to it, please don't die." Sophia stared at her mirror image, hating how much distance existed between them now. It was a gulf that she didn't think would be filled easily.
"I…I won't." Elena whispered. Sophia leaned forward and gave her a tight hug before standing.
"I'll call if I find anything." The witch said before leaving, needing to be away from there before her emotions got the better of her. She'd been on an emotional rollercoaster the day before and really didn't want a repeat; besides, she'd done all she could to help Elena at the moment and if she had to be around Damon or Stefan for another minute she really might kill one of them. And despite her threats, she really didn't want to kill again so soon after Ester.
/*/
"I've never heard of anyone changing back to human." Rebekah voiced as they entered the house, following the witch towards the parlor.
"I know, but I at least have to try."
"Why? Do you think they'd help if it was you that was in transition?" The blonde quirked a brow, arms crossing over her chest and hip cocking out.
"I don't know, Beks, but if there's a way to save her, then I have to try my best." Sophia moved towards the shelves that held the grimoires, eyes scanning the leather spines.
"You're too big hearted, Sophia. They don't deserve your help after everything…after yesterday." The witch sighed, shoulders slumping, tired down to her bones.
"It'll be a long time before I ever forgive them for what they did to Klaus, if I ever do; but, Elena's my sister and I have to help her. You of all people should understand what we'll do for family, no matter how they've hurt us in the past." The vampire rolled her eyes but shrugged, knowing this was a losing battle. No matter what her so-called friends did, Sophia was always ready to help them. It was infuriating and a reminder of just how big Sophia's heart was.
Ding
"Who the bloody hell is that?" Rebekah muttered, turning towards the door, where someone had rung the bell.
"I'll find out. Can you start pulling those grimoires off the top shelf, please." Sophia walked past her, heading towards the entrance hall and the front door. Rolling her eyes, Rebekah grabbed the step stool to pull the large texts from the tall shelf.
"Hello? Deputy, is something the matter?" Sophia asked in concern, opening the door to see one of the Sheriff's deputies on the other side.
Before she could even register the spike of pain in her abdomen, the man was surging forward, needle jabbing into her neck and thumb pushing the plunger down.
"What the fuck did you—" Sophia stumbled forward, whatever was in the syringe hitting her bloodstream quickly. She faintly heard the sound of shotguns firing and the breaking of glass before everything went black.
/*/
Elena chewed on her thumbnail, eyes skirting around the small kitchen, her anxiety mounting. She didn't know what they'd done to Stefan and she needed to get out of there, to find him. Whatever Sophia had done had helped her with the thirst and sensitivity to noise and light, but she was still jittery, feeling like she had insects crawling under her skin. She had to get out of there.
"Do you still want to be a writer?" Pastor Young questioned, setting the kettle on to boil. Elena forced herself to look at him, lowering her hand to keep from gnawing her finger off.
"I remember how you'd read your short stories to my daughter when you'd baby-sit. She still loves writing because of you."
"Why did you bring me here?" She questioned, trying to swallow down her agitation. How he could act so calm after he'd abducted her and Stefan, she didn't understand.
"My deputies can watch out for us here. No vampires have been invited in."
"Your deputies? Since when are you in charge of the deputies?" Elena asked, wondering if she could make a break for it if she had him distracted. Her skin was itching.
"Alaric Saltzman revealed the Mayor's and Sheriff's secrets about their children; we have liberated them of their positions and are going to cleanse Mystic Falls for once and for all. Look, I know it sounds crazy, but years ago it was your parents who were advocating having an emergency plan like this. I never thought we'd actually have to use it." Pastor Young explained.
"What plan? What are you talking about? Where's Stefan?"
"Where he can't hurt you." Elena rolled her eyes.
"He would never hurt me. You have no idea what you're talking about." She refuted, wanting to laugh with how absurd it was to think Stefan would ever hurt her. It didn't matter that they weren't together anymore; Stefan would do anything and everything to protect her, that Elena was positive of.
"Well, I know that where you go, Salvatore vampires seem to follow. So we'll hold Stefan until Damon comes searching for you two. And we'll use Elijah, Rebekah and Sophia to lure the rest of the Mikaelsons back into town. You'll give us the white oak stake, and then…we will exterminate the entire vampire race for good.
"Sophia? You've taken Sophia?" Her entire focus turned to him.
"She's no longer your sister, Elena, she's a monster. She has to be put down before…we won't allow such evil to be born into the world." He replied, opening the refrigerator to pull out a dish of steaks.
Terrified for her sister, Elena rushed out the door when Pastor Young's back was turned, running outside. The sun was so bright even with the spell, it was hard to see where she was going. But she had to get out of there, had to save her sister and Stefan and Elijah. None of them deserved to die just because they weren't human anymore…since they weren't human anymore.
"Get her!"
Elena was tackled to the ground before something heavy slammed into the back of her head, turning the world black.
/*/
"Elena? Can you hear me?" It took a lot of effort for her to pry her eyelids open, blinking a few times before Stefan's face came into focus, kneeling above her.
"Wh-what happened? Where am I?" She asked in confusion, her brain sluggish. There was a round of coughing before Stefan was helping her sit up, rubbing at his burning throat.
"Are you all right, Elena?" Elijah's voice sounded from across the barn, bringing her fleeting attention to peer through the bars. Elijah was at the bars of his own cell, but it was Sophia that caught her attention. The witch was huddled against the wall, hands tied behind her back, a blindfold and gag keeping her from seeing or speaking.
"What'd they do to Sophia?" Elena demanded, struggling to stand, body weak. The vervain they were pumping into the barn made her cough and sapped what strength she had, making her slump against the bars, fingers barely able to hang onto the cold metal.
"They drugged her. When I get out of here I'm going to kill every single one of them." Rebekah's voice sounded from next to their pen, signaling her location. Elijah pressed against the wall separating him from the witch, trying for the tenth time to push through the wood and metal, but to no avail.
"Stefan…I need to feed." Elena groaned, face pressed against the bars, eyes focused on where her sister sat, noting how her head swayed back and forth. Whatever they'd given her was strong, keeping her immobile and docile.
"Well my day just got better. You're stuck in here without a drop of human blood in sight. I might not be able to kill you, but listening to you die will be marvelous." Rebekah said; Elena couldn't see her, but she knew the blonde was smirking.
"Rebekah, now is really not the time." Elijah reprimanded, glaring at his sister.
"What? She's the reason we're in this godforsaken place. Our lives would be so much easier without her in it." She grumbled.
"And how would Sophia feel about that? I doubt very much that she'd willingly let her sister die. No, we need to find a way to get out of here and to get Elena blood." Elijah said firmly, leaving no room for arguments. Sophia mumbled against her gag, head lulling forward.
"Damon will come for us." Stefan said quietly, legs giving out and forcing him to slump against the wall. Elena followed suit once his hand was gone, taking its support with it, leaving them sprawled across the cement floor.
"Let us hope your brother is quick with his rescue. Elena only has a few hours left to feed before the transition kills her."
Elena shut her eyes, wondering if their lives were ever going to be simple. Or at the very least, not full of life and death situations every other day. That would be nice. God her throat hurt.
/*/
Sophia jolted when there was a loud roar, the sound vibrating through her sluggish body. She didn't have a lot of energy to move quickly, let alone wiggle the gag out of her mouth, to call out; all she could do was try to squirm forward across the floor. She didn't get very far before she was falling forward, knocking her chin against the floor with a painful thump.
"Sophia?" Elena's voice was coming from in front of her. Her mind was clearing more and more, letting her think clearly without the drugged fog blanketing her mind.
"Mmm-hmm." She tried to push the gag out of her mouth with her tongue, but it was tied too tightly, leaving no room for the material to move.
There was a loud bang, the barn shaking with the force of it, before her pen door was being ripped open and she was being pulled into familiar arms. Klaus yanked the blindfold off her eyes, quickly followed by the gag and the rope tied around her wrists, freeing her to move.
"Nik." She mumbled, burying her head into his neck, shuddering. Klaus held her tightly and stood, cradling her against him. He broke the locks of the pens and walked out, trusting the others to get out on their own.
Klaus ignored where Damon and Matt were standing, walking towards the road, wanting to get Sophia home. Rebekah stumbled after him; Elijah waited long enough to see Elena fall to her knees next to a headless body, bloodied fingers shaking as she brought them up to her mouth. Assured that she'd complete the transition and survive, he followed his siblings, grateful to be away from the vervain, his blood cells burning through the poison.
"You, sweetheart, are a trouble magnet. I can't even leave you for a day without you getting in some type of trouble." Klaus murmured as they walked, setting a slow pace, not wanting to make her sick. He could smell the drugs pumping through her system and he wanted to slash and maim every member of the Council until the streets were painted red.
"How did you know where to find us?" Elijah asked, his strength returning with every minute that passed.
"Mayor Lockwood called me to warn us about the Council; I couldn't reach any of you, so I headed back as soon as I could. A man tried to grab me at the house and I forced him to tell me where you were being held." The hybrid explained, fingers stroking over Sophia's hair, ears listening to every shuddering breath, every heartbeat she had.
"I think we should get the hell out of this place before we all end up dead." Rebekah grumbled.
"I'm beginning to agree with you." Sophia whispered, lips brushing against his skin, refusing to lift her head. The Mikaelsons shared a look, surprised at her words; they'd all been told numerous times that Sophia was determined to graduate with her friends. Maybe the last few weeks really had been too much for her.
"Let's get you home, love. We'll talk about this in the morning."
"Jenna? Jeremy?"
"I left them at the house when I came for you."
"'kay. Sleep now." She mumbled and burrowed further into him, arm curled around his neck with as much strength as she had, which wasn't much.
"I will explain what has been going on to them. It would be best if they stayed the night and let the Salvatores deal with Elena before she has to face humans." The oldest brother decided, getting an indifferent shrug from Klaus and an eye roll from Rebekah. He loved his sister dearly, but she really was childish sometimes.
"Do whatever you want, Elijah, just make sure Sophia isn't disturbed tonight. I will not have her approached in the state she's in."
"Of course." He nodded, having already realized that. Besides, from the way his brother was clutch the witch, he didn't think he'd be letting go of her anytime soon.
Now he just had to figure out how to approach the topic that'd been ignored until now; if Elena had died, then so had Alaric, locked away in that coffin. He knew the teacher and Jenna had been in a relationship and he wasn't looking forward to having to reveal the news; he liked Jenna and didn't want to see her hurt, even though he knew that was inevitable. Sometimes he wished he was the younger sibling and the others had to take the responsibilities he'd shouldered all these years.
Hell, who was he kidding? The entire town of Mystic Falls would be burned to the ground if he wasn't there to corral the others. No, there was no one else that could handle his job, as frustrating as that was at times. Such was his life. And he wouldn't trade the new relationship he had with his siblings for anything in the world.
AN: I know this one was short, so I apologize. Things have been pretty bad here, so I wrote what I could. I hope you guys liked the chapter regardless and let me know what you thought. Thanks for reading!