Hi guys. I just wanted to thank everyone who has been so awesome throughout this story. All of you who have reviewed, whether you do it regularly or every once and awhile, it is always appreciated. This chapter is a little shorter than they have been, but it is a lead up to the big showdown that has been 32 chapters in the making. I hope you all enjoy.
Future Elena's POV
Following a brief rundown of the life threatening peril that my loved ones are in, Elijah agrees to meet me in half an hour at the old witch house. I walk back into the house and try to come up with a believable lie to keep my past self from worrying. When I reenter our room, Elena smiles back at me, oblivious to the fact that almost everyone she loves is at the mercy of a psychopath. "Who was at the door?" Elena asks me innocently.
"It was no one, just kids playing ding dong ditch," I lie convincingly.
"If it was just a prank, why were you downstairs so long?" Elena questions me inquisitively. Her eyebrow arches in confusion, but her expression isn't one of mistrust, only mild curiosity.
"I called Bonnie to see if she wanted to hang out," I reply, thinking quickly on my feet. This lie explains my absence and gives me an excuse to flee, two birds one stone. "I am headed over there now, so I should probably go and leave you to your thoughts."
She accepts my account and doesn't question me further. Before departing in a hurry, a sudden fear fills me of what happens to my past self if she leaves the safety of our home, especially if Klaus or one of his minions spots her. "You should probably stay in tonight," I suggest out of the blue. "All the drama is taking its toll on you, and I think you need a night of relaxation. Maybe you should invite Damon over. You can clear the air and watch a movie," I advise with a smile, hoping that she's buying it.
"Still brave enough to play the matchmaker," Elena teases lightly, signaling her acceptance of my proposal. Just as I think that I've gotten off scot free, she tilts her head to the side and studies my face. "Are you sure you're okay?" My past self asks, concerned at my overly serious demeanor.
"Of course," I respond automatically, almost too quickly to be convincing. She stares back suspiciously, but doesn't press me further. I manage to escape without further incident and I make my way to the old witch house. On the drive over, all I can think about are the all the ways that this can go wrong. Almost all the people in Klaus' grasp died once because of me. I can't bear the thought of history repeating itself, or that all my efforts this week have been in vain. They have to live. No matter what, they have to live, or all of this was for nothing.
By the time that I've run through every nightmare scenario in my head, I've arrived at the old witch house, and I spot Elijah looking poised as ever calmly waiting for me. "I understand our plan has run into a few unforeseen obstacles," Elijah states, with a surprising hint of concern breaking through his usual unshakable temperament. His words hold no trace of emotion, but the pity that I see in his eyes, reminds me of what a good friend he was to me once. Even in a time when he barely knows me, he cares about my wellbeing almost instantly. I wonder what I ever could have done to inspire such devotion.
I don't allow myself to dwell on that for too long, and once the warm and fuzzy feelings pass, I remember why I'm here and jump back into proactive mode. "They're in danger, Elijah. We need to get them out," I demand frantically. Elijah's face betrays his true unease at my distress, but he speaks in a reassuring voice that only adds to the commanding presence that is Elijah.
"You have my word that I will aid you in rescuing them once Klaus is dead," Elijah promises sincerely.
"No," I shout back like a child. "It has to be before then. What's to stop whoever's guarding them from killing them all once Klaus is dead?" Elijah is good enough to overlook my mild temper tantrum, and my assumption that I can order around a 1000 year old original.
"I can't protect you and protect your friends at the same time," Elijah reminds me. "You're walking into a trap where you're the bait." I'm touched by his fears for my safety, but losing my life isn't what I'm most afraid of, losing any of theirs terrifies me.
"I don't need protection," I assure him, trying to keep a straight face as I'm saying it. "Dr. Martin will be hiding in wait when I hand myself over to Klaus. He will do the spell and Klaus will be dead. In the meantime, you will be rescuing my friends. If you want me to walk into the lion's den, we do it on my terms," I proclaim resolutely.
Elijah appears deeply troubled by my ultimatum, and before I know it, he starts talking swiftly in what sounds like multiple languages. I recognize some, but others are completely foreign to me. I realize he must have picked up a number of dialects over the centuries. After a thousand years, he's probably qualified to work for the United Nations as a translator by now. While I can't understand any of his words, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that he is probably cursing my name in all the modern languages and some of the classic ones. I can't help but laugh at little at Elijah flying off the handle, because he is always so cool and composed. Ten minutes with me, and he's cursing my name in every language known to man. When he starts speaking in English again, I try to suppress the goofy grin that appears, despite our dire circumstances. Elijah's voice reaches a level that I have never heard before, and I know he is growing increasingly annoyed at my willfulness.
"You are the most frustrating, stubborn woman that I have ever met, and I'm immortal," Elijah claims with an annoyed sigh.
"I get that a lot," I reply with a playful smirk. Elijah cannot help but crack the tiniest smile at my joke, but I can see how much he's fighting against it. His annoyance and anger melts away with that smile and his composure is firmly back in place where it belongs.
"Am I to assume that you will not be changing your mind about this?" Elijah questions calmly.
"I'm afraid not," I reply with a twinge of regret.
"Well it seems I have no choice," Elijah concedes, though clearly he's not happy about it.
"I trust you Elijah," I state, without reservations. "I know you're a man of honor, but I need to hear you say it. I need you to promise that you'll put their lives before mine." Elijah appears conflicted; because he knows once he swears to it, he is bound by his pledge of honor.
"I have grown rather fond of you in our brief meetings," Elijah confesses uneasily. "I don't relish the thought of sending you to my brother without my aid, but I know better than most about the desire to save one's family. I will defend yours as if they were my own. If this is what you truly want, you have my word. Their lives will be spared."
I'm overcome with gratitude at Elijah's promise to me, and I abruptly wrap my arms around him in an impromptu hug. Elijah is stiff at first, still not used to my sudden affection, but he relaxes after a moment and hugs me back to my surprise. I take this moment to slip a letter in the original's pocket that I had written before I drove over. It has the location of the storage facility where Future Stefan told me Klaus kept his family, and a plea to tag along in whatever world adventures Elijah has planned after Klaus is dead. I know how dangerous it is what I'm doing, so if I make it out of this, Elijah will know to meet me up with me later, and if I don't, he will still be reunited with his siblings. I take my leave after I pull away from the hug and I walk silently back to my car.
As I'm sitting in the driver's seat, I pull out a piece of paper and a pen to start another letter. This confrontation with Klaus is life and death, no matter what assurances I might have given Elijah. There are some things that I need Damon to know if this is in fact my last day, but I know telling him directly will only arouse his suspicions, so I put all of it down on paper. I pour out everything I feel and everything I wish for him. I seal the letter in an envelope and I drive over to drop it off in the boardinghouse's mailbox. I take one last look at the house, resisting the urge to go inside and see Damon before I go.
It only takes minutes for me to make the short drive to the clearing by the falls. The source of my worst nightmares is standing smugly in the center. "Hello, darling, how good of you to join me," Klaus states with an arrogant smirk that looks vile on his face. His confidence never wavers until the moment that I see him double over in pain on the ground. He is writhing in agony, and I have never felt so powerful. Even though it isn't me directly taking him down, I relish the thought of being responsible for his demise. He took everything from me, and as I grab the nearest large wooden stick I can find, I realize it is time for Klaus to feel what it is like to be tortured, to feel what my brother felt, true suffering.
As Always Please Read and Review