Chapter 14: The Blind Leading the Blind.
"Darwin, what are we doing here?" Bonnie asked, wrapping her arms around herself in the cold. It was just before noon, Wednesday. She had a free period and Darwin had asked her to join him, as soon as she had the time.
They were standing by a long driveway, leading down to a huge mansion. It seemed to be build in white stone, but it was hard to tell from this distance. There were no columns like at the Lockwood Mansion, but the arches still reminded her of Ancient Roman architecture ... Or maybe it was Greek, she never could tell the two apart.
"I've been searching the outskirts of the town all morning, "Darwin explained, frowning, "Niklaus' precense is especially strong here. And it's mixed with the stench of werewolf."
Bonnie looked at him in alarm: "You're saying, he's in there?"
"Yes." His voice was completely impassive, which was extremely odd for Darwin.
"Does he know you can feel him?"
"I haven't told him, but I don't know what Kol has told him about me."
She was beginning to get a really bad feeling about this. "And what do you suggest we do?"
"I want to break in and I need you to help me."
"What?!" Nothing else he could have said would have surprised her more.
"I need to do it tonight, before I lose my nerve, "he was still talking in that dispassionate tone, and she realized that he liked this even less than she did, "I'm suspecting he has had spell put up to keep people out. Now, I know you have the power of a hundred dead witches behind you, it should be no problem for you to disable them. And then I'll go in alone."
"And if you can't enter?"
"I saw the human servants arrive this morning. I'm guessing no humans take up residence here."
"He may have had spells put up in certain places inside the house."
He sighed. "I'll deal with that when the time comes."
She looked at the mansion again. Now it looked like a fortress. "What are you hoping to accomplish?"
"There must be something in there that will tell me, what he has done with Kol and the others."
"I don't think it's a good idea." Bonnie wasn't worried about her own role in this as much as Darwin's. There didn't seem to be much planning behind this. "It's a full moon tonight, and you said you can smell werewolf."
He shrugged, but he was chewing on his lower lip; his first display of nervousness. "That's probably just Niklaus ... Now, I bet I can find some floor plans of the mansion at the Library."
"You're really going through with this, aren't you?"
"Yes, "he glanced at her, "are you with me or not?"
She hesitated for a second, before answering. "I'm with you."
(Break)
Darwin arrived home at 6.45 that evening. He hadn't showed up at the Library until 1 o'clock and had had to stay later than usual. It made no difference, though, since Jenna hadn't been there that day.
As he entered the Boarding House, he heard voices coming from the kitchen. He immediately placed them; Stefan and Elijah. He put his laptops down in the parlour, before joining them.
Stefan was sitting at the table with an open bottle of animal blood in front of him and Elijah was leaning casually against the wall, dressed as usual in a blue suit.
"What are you talking about?" Darwin asked, hopping up to sit on the kitchen counter.
"Just my lack of progress with the moon stone, "Stefan informed him, "we were discussing whether or not we should simply dump it in the ocean."
"I'm sure, Niklaus would find a way to get to it, anyway, "Darwin remarked.
"Yes, that's what I said, "Elijah agreed, "and it can't be destroyed with violence, your only option is to lift the spells contained within it."
"I've had a more productive day, "Darwin said, suddenly feeling nervous, "I know where Niklaus is."
There was a moment of stunned silence.
"And where is he then?" Elijah asked, sounding a bit intimidating, but Darwin knew it wasn't directed at him.
"I've felt him around for a couple of weeks, and this morning I tracked him to a house just outside of town."
"And you couldn't have told us about this sooner?"
"Well, I guess I could have, but would it have made any difference? "he asked.
"Probably not much, "Elijah said slowly, "but if were supposed to trust each other you can't keep things from us."
As if any of them were even capable of trust!
He threw up his hands: "Fine!"
"Now, which house would this be?"
"I asked the Librarian about it and she told me that it's the old Fell Mansion. They used to live there, until the family went bankrupt in the forties. I've found some floor plans of it, but they are from 1923."
Elijah tilted his head to one side. "And why would you be needing floor plans?"
Darwin sighed. "Niklaus must be keeping some useful information in the house. I'm going to try to break in."
"No."
He blinked in surprise. "What?"
"I said no. You will stay here."
He had expected Elijah to try to talk him out of it, but not this. How the Hell was he supposed to react constructively?!
He jumped down from the kitchen counter. "You can't tell me what to do!"
"Really? Because I just did, "Elijah said calmly, straightening his cuffs.
"I'm not going to ..."
"You will do as I say, or you will find yourself in the tomb with Kathrine."
Darwin crossed his arms over his chest. "You cannot compel me!"
"Not a problem. I'll have the spell put back up."
"You can't be serious!"
Darwin heard his own voice rising in volume, until he was almost yelling, while Elijah kept the same composed, level tone. He even seemed slightly amused by Darwin's display of temper. And that infuriated Darwin to no end; he was angry and he needed an equally angry response. Otherwise, there was nothing that fuelled his anger, rendering it completely impotent. He felt himself on the verge of breaking and letting out a century of pent up frustration.
"Oh, I'm quite serious."
Stefan was cringing a bit, but Darwin was too angry to pay him much notice.
"You're not ... "he had problems with formulating a whole sentence in English, "I'm not ... It's ... I really ... Du er totalt urimelig, og jeg finder mig ikke i det!*"
"Darwin ... " Stefan began, but Darwin ignored him.
He turned around and stalked out of the kitchen. He went up the stairs and into his room.
"I am not going to talk to you anymore!" he yelled, before slamming the door shut. He knew he was acting like a drama queen, but he didn't care. He paced angrily for a minute, before feeling his rage slowly beginning to subside. His resolve stayed with him though.
Elijah was just like the other Originals; They all thought the whole world revolved around them.
He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket.
'Meet you at the Mansion at 1.30 tonight,'
he wrote and sent the message to Bonnie.
(Break)
"Whoa, "Stefan looked at Elijah in alarm, "what was that?"
"It runs in the family, "Elijah shrugged, "It'll be over soon. Just leave him alone for awhile."
"Are you sure?" he didn't feel convinced at all, "I've never felt him projecting that violently before."
"Then how about now?"
Stefan searched his feelings; There was only a slight lingering of resentment. "Not much."
"I have to go, "Elijah said, "will you keep an eye on him for me?"
Stefan shook his head: "I can't stop him, if he wants to leave."
"No, I merely want you to contact me, if he does."
"Alright, I'll do that, "he promised.
(Break)
Elena and Stefan lay side by side on his bed a couple of hours later. She was reading out loud from a paperback copy of George Orwell's 1984, which they had to read in English class. It would have been quite a simple task, if Stefan hadn't been poking her in the ear with a pencil every now and then.
"... He who controls the past controls the future. He who controls the present controls the past ... Stefan, stop it!" She jabbed an elbow hard into his ribs, knowing there was no way she could harm him.
He grabbed the book from her hands and threw it across the room. "But it's ludicrous. How can anyone control the past?"
She smiled and rolled over on her back, then wrapped her arms around his neck. He leaned down to kiss her ...
"It has nothing to be with the actual past. It simply has to do with people's perception of the past."
"Darwin!" Stefan's head snapped back up. "Knock, will you!"
"The door was open, "Darwin was standing in the doorway, looking surprisingly sombre, but not projecting much of anything, "just wanted to remind you that it's my birthday tomorrow. And I'll expect you to make me a cake."
Elena tilted her head back to get an upside-down view of him. "Really? And you're turning how old?"
"1047."
She raised her eyebrows. "Wauw, that's a lot of candles."
"Well, my human friends back in Denmark would make me a birthday cake each year, "he told her, "always with 15 candles. I know it was a joke, but somehow I didn't find it funny. You know, it's not always easy, being frozen at too early a state. Your mind keeps growing, but your body stays the same."
"Look, I know, what you mean, "Stefan said impatiently, "and I'd love to talk with you about it, but not right now, ok? Can you come back later?"
"Sure." He turned to leave.
"And would you close the door?"
Darwin sent them a small smile over his shoulder: "Yes, let's pretend I can't hear you anyway."
Stefan growled, wishing he had the book to throw at him. This must be what it's like to have another brother, he realized. How many times hadn't he himself and Damon barged in on each other with the demeanor of an avenging angel?
Darwin left and closed the door.
Elena still had her arms around his neck. She smiled lazily at him: "Where were we?"
He tried to focus on her, but Darwin kept popping into his head. He had been too busy with Elena to keep an ear on him. If he had left, he probably wouldn't have noticed. He gently removed Elena's arms. "Sorry, the moment is gone."
She sighed in annoyance, when he got up to collect the book. "So much for a romantic study break."
He handed her the book, smiling apologetically. "It's almost 9. You have to go home soon, anyway."
(Break)
It was 1.24 and Bonnie and Jeremy was waiting by the driveway to the old Fell Mansion. The full moon was hanging above the tree tops in the horizon. It was freezing and their breaths were white clouds in the night air.
Jeremy noticed her shivering. "Let me give you my jacket ..."
She shook her head stubbornly. "No, then you will be cold. I know a spell to warm myself up."
"Don't waste your power. I can keep both of us warm." He unzipped his jacket and wrapped her in it, without taking it off. Then he put his arms around her. He could feel her small, body pressed against his chest and stomach.
No, the cold was definitely not a problem anymore.
"Jeremy, I don't think this is such a good idea."
He looked down and her face was mere inches away. "Why not?"
"You're Elena's brother. She's my best friend."
"Well, I guess it would only be a problem if you have feelings for me, "he pointed out, holding her gaze, "Do you? Have feelings for me?"
She didn't answer, but kept perfectly still.
'If I kiss her now, she won't stop me.'
"Hi."
Jeremy let go of Bonnie and took two steps back. Darwin materialized out of the dark, wearing a long-sleeved t-shirt and torn jeans. No jacket, not even shoes.
"Let's get this over with." He went right past them and down the driveway without pausing.
Bonnie and Jeremy exchanged glances, then followed him toward the Mansion that looked black against the night sky.
There were no cars parked in front of it, Jeremy noticed, as Darwin led them to a couple of tall French doors at the east side of the house.
"This should be the easiest place to enter."
Jeremy looked back over his shoulder, feeling slightly paranoid. "What about the alarm system?"
"I've hacked it. It should be down between 1 and 3."
Bonnie stepped up to the doors, resting her fingertips against the glass and bending her head.
Darwin and Jeremy stayed silent, not wanting to break her concentration. After a minute, she started mumbling words neither of them could understand. The night air suddenly felt as if it was crackling with electricity, almost like right before a thunder storm, and Jeremy knew that she was drawing on tremendous power.
Then she stopped and stepped back.
"I cannot remove the spell, "she stepped back, sounding a bit out of breath, "it must have been put up by several witches. I've disabled it for awhile, but I don't know for how long. You should hurry."
Darwin nodded and pulled a screw driver out of his pocket, then stepped up to the doors. Jeremy could hear wood splintering. It sounded incredibly loud, which it probably wasn't.
"Do you want me to come with you? "he asked.
"No, you would make too much noise." Darwin finally had the door open. He cautiously stepped inside, but nothing happened. He glanced back at them. "You two should go home."
"No way!" Jeremy crossed his arms over his chest.
"Suit yourself." Darwin shrugged and disappeared into the darkness of the house.
"Good luck, "Jeremy mumbled.
AN: Yes, good luck, Darwin! Let's hope Klaus has accidently staked himself with a paintbrush in a moment of artistic insanity...
The Danish sentence: *You are totally unreasonable and I will not put up with it!