Disclaimer: As you know by now, I don't TVD. If I did, a great many things would be different. Any recognizable characters, plots, and dialogue belong to L.J. Smith and the CW.

A/N: As always, all my love to you faithful readers and reviewers! It's been especially helpful while I've been struggling with this chapter. I know I've missed a couple update days. This chapter's been giving me trouble with every line. I think I've rewritten it four times now, and I just can't look at it any longer.

We're coming up on the final drama, which I'm trying to make sure I get just right! I figure this story will be no longer than 20 chapters when all is said and done.

One last note: As I'm sure some of you have seen, the first chapter of Doppelganger Kerfuffle has been posted. If you haven't already, please go take a look at it. It's going to be one heck of a twisty adventure. Time travel and body swaps. Originals and doppelgangers. Magic and chaos.

Okay, I think I've gone on long enough, and it's long past time to give you the newest chapter of Cursed. Please, enjoy!

Elena

Rebekah flashed away to join Elijah and Klaus, after Elena had passed along Elijah's message from the dream world, or alternate reality, or whatever that place had been. Elena watched her go and wished she could go with her, but there were too many other things to attend to. The fight with Esther was coming to a head tonight, with the full moon. Her best option was to check in on Bonnie and Kol, assuming that they hadn't killed each other yet.

Finn had driven them most of the way out, but going back she didn't have that option. Elena silently thanked Alaric for her training and jogged in the direction of home, hoping that she would be able to help them take down Esther somehow.

She had just turned onto her street when she saw Esther striding up the walk to her house. Elena quickly ducked behind the corner of a nearby house, and as she peeked out, she saw Esther return with Bonnie following behind her robotically. It reminded her of how she had been taken from the house hours earlier.

As she passed the front door of her house, already in pursuit, Elena saw Jeremy and Kol pressed against the threshold, with Caroline right behind them. Elena hesitated for a moment, wanting to laugh at the fact that, after she had been trapped by them in the past, they were now held captive in the same way. It wasn't really funny, she knew that, but with everything falling apart as usual, she had to find the humor where she could.

However, when they saw her pause, all three waved her on after them, and moments later, her phone buzzed with an incoming text from Jeremy.

Elena! You're out! Did you escape when Rebekah was out?

She let me go. She's on our side. For now. What happened with Bonnie?

Dunno. She just came to the door, a couple words, and Bonnie followed her out.

Gonna teach Kol to txt real quick, then he'll fill you in.

While she waited for more information, Elena carefully tailed Esther and Bonnie. She quickly realized they were headed back into the woods, but away from the tunnels this time. She had her suspicions of where they were headed, but she couldn't be sure. She checked that she was just far enough back to keep the witches in her eyeline as her phone buzzed with more incoming texts.

Believe Esther used Bennett bloodline to spell Bonnie.

Using it to control youngest descendant.

Theory is that she plans to use Bonnie & her mum to complete the ritual.

Bonnie has a different plan.

If Esther's controlling her, how can she have a plan?

She talked to ancestors.

They don't want to help Esther.

Hiding allegiance for now?

Do you have anything that isn't just theory?

Nope. You?

Elena sighed. She didn't, and it was still more than they had formed some of their plans on.

No.

Figured. Let us know where you wind up.

Will let others now, and send reinforcements.

Will do. Kol?

Yes?

Thanks. For your help. Glad you're on our side.

Anything to save my life.

Not to mention my brother's soulmate.

SOULMATE?!

Wait. WHAT?!

She waited a long couple of minutes, but there was no further response. Grumbling, she typed another message quickly.

KOL?!

Kol Mikaelson, you tell me more right this minute. What do you mean "soulmate"?

She stopped to stare down at her phone, but the bubble to indicate a response never came. She growled at the phone.

"How dare you drop something like that and then stop responding?" Elena muttered. Before she could look up again, Esther's voice made Elena's blood run cold.

"Keep up now, Elena. You've already come so far with us. You may as well finish the journey." Elena glanced up to see that Esther was looking over her shoulder at her. When Elena didn't move, Esther added, "I think you'll find that Miss Bennett's life begs that you do so."

Elena couldn't fathom what Esther could do to Bonnie without sacrificing her grander plan. On the other hand, if the threat was real, she couldn't allow anything to happen to Bonnie if she could prevent it. So, she obediently followed as Esther set off again.

Moments later, they crossed the treeline, and Elena realized their destination. It was one on a growing list of places in this town that she never wanted to see again. As Esther continued forward, Elena fired off one last quick text to Jeremy's phone, Old witch house. She knew that Jeremy would be able to explain the meaning to Kol if necessary.

She took slow steps toward the house, remembering with each one the last time she had been here. How she had awoken from Klaus' bite to find that John, her last surviving parental figure had given his life for hers. Though she hadn't much cared for him, the loss of him had stung. Now, this building was another reminder of everything she had already lost. But it also reminded her of everything she still had to defend and protect.

Esther stopped not far away, and Elena hurried to Bonnie's side. She took her friend's hand, and when their eyes met, she could see the panic behind Bonnie's calm facade. She wished there was more she could do to offer comfort, but in this moment, she feared Esther more than she had Rebekah. The witch was an unknown and completely convinced that what she was doing was right, which was all the more dangerous.

"How did you-"

"Know you followed us?" Esther asked, arching a brow at Elena. "It was easy for a witch as in tune with nature as I am. Surely, Bonnie has taught you some of our tricks. Or, perhaps she is still too green herself to know that trick." She paused, looking Bonnie over. "Her power is immense, but her knowledge is still lacking. Interesting."

Elena glared at the witch, but the fact that Bonnie wasn't speaking up worried her. Perhaps the ancestors' control was more complete than she had thought. She hoped Kol was right that they did want to help Bonnie fight Esther, because if that was wrong, they were in a lot of trouble.

"Since Rebekah, like the rest of my children, was apparently incapacitated by those nefarious daggers, I see you've escaped. No matter. You will remain with us for now, and I will keep you safe."

"Until the right moment," Elena fired back.

"Well, yes. Killing you prematurely would only complicate matters, possibly leaving my children in a desiccated state rather than-"

"Dead," Elena said. "You want your children dead. I won't be your sacrifice so that you can do that."

"We don't always get what we want, Elena," Esther said. "I don't want to kill my children, as you so crassly put it. But you and Miss Bennett need to see that it's for the greater good. Both of you are acting like petulant children who cannot see the whole of the world in front of you. If I must, I will find a way to control you as I did for her. It would be much easier of you would help of your own free will. Can't you see that you're fighting on the behalf of monsters?"

"Each side sees the other as monstrous," Elena said. "I'm choosing the side not committing genocide."

Esther sighed. "I should have known better than to believe you would listen to reason. Fine. But it's time to go. There is much yet to prepare. Come along, girls."

Esther continued on toward the witch house, and Bonnie followed her as if compelled. Elena didn't immediately follow, and when Bonnie was fifteen feet away, she dropped to her knees. She gasped for breath as her hands went to her throat, trying to remove the invisible force pressing down on her windpipe.

"Now, Elena," Esther said without looking back or pausing her steps. "I don't have time for your bleeding heart."

When Elena took a couple steps forward, Bonnie's shoulders slumped forward as she gasped in a single deep breath. Elena hurried to Bonnie's side, and as she crouched down beside her, Bonnie was breathing normally. Before Elena could do anything more than rest her hand on her friend's shoulder, Bonnie stood and robotically moved to follow Esther.

Elena didn't want to repeat the experience, so she followed the pair toward the house.

Esther stopped at the bottom of the steps, looking up at the pair of figures who waited for them on the porch. Finn and Abby stood side by side, with Abby casting sidelong looks at Finn while he stared down at his mother.

"Finn," Esther said, offering an insincere smile up at her eldest son. "And Abby. I'm glad you both could join us."

Finn spoke before Abby could open her mouth. "Are you, Mother?" he asked. "I awoke from my short time under the effects of the dagger to find you had simply left me facedown on the floor of the attic. Even Niklaus had the decency to move us when he acted thusly. But not you. How long did you remain after I collapsed? Just long enough to know whether you had to move forward, I'd wager."

Esther frowned, looking up at her son. Elena hadn't been expecting the outburst from Finn. He had seemed so accepting of his fate at the ball, and now, he was upset that his mother had left him behind. What did he think was going to happen when she killed him? It was so much more permanent than being left in the attic. Before Elena could think any more on it, other than wondering if this was an opening to try and persuade Finn to their side, Esther was already speaking.

"I couldn't waver," Esther said. "Once I realized that you were only in the neutralized state, I knew I needed to continue on with the plan as best I could. My son, of course, I wanted you by my side for every step, but your body is indestructible in that state, and if Elena was not yet dead, then I needed her for the next steps."

Bonnie and Abby's eyes both widened at that. Elena knew by now that Bonnie wouldn't be able to speak, but she wasn't sure what Abby would have to say on the matter of the daughter of her friend being killed. Elena also wondered where Esther got off on saying she had collected Elena. Unless… But she hadn't known that her children were reawakened, which meant she couldn't have known Elena would come. There was still more to this plot that she didn't understand.

Esther had already turned her attention away from Finn though, focusing now on Abby.

"Sister," she said, "I'm glad you could join us. As you can see, I've brought your wayward daughter back to us. Perhaps you will have more luck than I in convincing her and Elena to see sense."

"All I've ever wanted was to protect her from the threat of vampires," Abby said.

Elena saw Bonnie raise a skeptical eyebrow, but the spell was still holding her tongue. Elena, herself, wasn't sure what to make of Abby. She ran so hot and cold, and Elena didn't know where she really came down on this issue, but they couldn't talk now - not in front of Esther.

"Wonderful," Esther said. "If you would, then, escort them inside and try to talk them around to seeing the greater good in what we do. Finn and I will remain out here to set up the rest of the ritual. I assume you have questions, and I will answer them, but we are running behind now. I'm sure you understand."

Abby nodded absently, but she never took her eyes off Bonnie. After Esther finished speaking, Bonnie started to walk up the stairs, and Elena followed as quickly as she could. Both of them brushed past Abby's outstretched hands, and she followed them into the house.

Bonnie led Elena to the basement, but Abby was stopped by an invisible barrier at the top of the stairs. As soon as they were out of earshot, Bonnie whirled on Elena, free now from whatever control Esther had been exerting through the Bennett magic.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, incredulous. "You should be as far away from Esther as possible, Elena!"

"Was I supposed to let her kill you?" Elena asked.

"It would have broken her connection to the magic," Bonnie said. "You'd be safe and all of her spells would be null."

"How many times do I have to tell you that I won't let you die for me?"

"But if you die, that's fine?" Bonnie fired back.

"I'm not planning to die this time," Elena said. "It would take too many people with me - Elijah, Caroline, Stefan and Damon, and the other Originals. Not to mention countless strangers. Does that seem like something I would do?"

Bonnie's shoulders fell a little. "No, of course not, but you still shouldn't be here."

"Maybe, but I am, and I don't think they're just going to let me leave. So, you better fill me in on the plan and tell me what I can do to help."

Bonnie took a deep breath. "You're right. It's not much of a plan, but when is it ever?"

"Kol didn't provide details when we were texting as I followed you, but he mentioned you talked to your ancestors… Oh, and something about me being one of his brothers' soulmates. You don't know anything about that, do you?"

Bonnie winced. "Can we cover that later?"

"We absolutely cannot, Bonnie Bennett. You tell me what you know. Now."