Chapter Thirty-Six: The Patron Saint of Liars and Fakes
I'm holding out and I'm holding on to every letter and every song.
I pulled myself out of the day we ever had to meet.
Are you through with me? And when it all goes to hell,
Will you be able to tell me sorry with a straight face.
I'm all ears and I'm all scars
To hear you tell me "Boy's like you, you try too hard
to look not quite as desperate". I'm hanging on.
But I still know the way to make your makeup run.
~Fall Out Boy
Elena watched Ben as he sauntered about the room, asking her about one thing or another. He was mostly curious about witches. "Witches don't have eternal life, right? So they can die."
Elena didn't answer a first, then she turned her head. "Vampires can die too," she replied. He sulked over to the bed, a dry smile on his face.
"Not as easily as human's though," he snickered, getting closer to her.
Elena back up on the bed a little, but still Ben came.
Suddenly there was a cracking noise and Elena turned her head to see the door being kicked open. Ben yelled in pain as the sun filtered in, sizzling and blistering his skin. Looks like Anna didn't fit him with a witch's day-light ring just yet.
"Stefan!" Elena gasped in surprise as he came through the door.
"Get outside," he ordered, eyes locked on the withering Ben who had made it to the shadows. Stefan pulled open the curtains, illuminating the room even more. Elena didn't waist another moment, she rocketed off the bed and out into the humid sun.
She heard Stefan's voice coming from inside the motel room. "When the sun goes down, leave town. If I ever see you again I will kill you." She heard him threaten and then suddenly she was in his arms, clutching him for dear life.
"Let's get you home," he said.
Soon they were back at the boarding house, Stefan not letting go of her once. He opened the wooden front door for her, his hand on the small of her back. Stepping in to the house, she heard her name being called. "Elena?" Nilly's voice called as her head popped out into the hallway.
"Nilly!" she smiled as she went to hug the other girl.
"Oh, thank god." Nilly was saying, her arms tightening around Elena. "You scared the absolute shit out of me," she nearly yelled. Nilin slipped out of the hug and pushed Elena's shoulders causing her to step back. "If you had gotten yourself killed I would have brought you back to life to kill you myself!"
"Nilin, let me apologize," Elena pleaded.
"Oh don't patronize me, Elena. I'm your goddamn sister, you don't do things like this to your sister, understand?" she said, almost chastising Elena.
"Listen…" she tried to say but Nilin cut her off again.
"Nope, you're turn to listen," she said, jabbing a finger at Elena. "If anything ever happens like this again, if you stick another knife in my back Elena, I'm leaving. I'm packing up my stuff and getting the hell out of this town. Because you, you are the only thing that's keeping me in this horrible place." Nilin's voice wavered at the end of her threat. "Understand?" she said again, her finger dropping. All Elena could do was swallow hard and nod, chocking back the tears. "Good," Nilin said before wrapping her arms around Elena and enveloping her into a hug.
And with the magic of Nilin, the tension blew over and they managed to sit in the family room. Stefan on one chair, Elena and Nilly on the other. Elena sat and listened as Nilin recounted how they found her and why Anna had taken her in the first place. She told them about the two girls at the book store. Though very vague about some things, Elena understood that they weren't normal. Not that much in this town seemed to be anymore.
She explained about the girls' gifts. The one, Magnolia, had the power to feel other's emotions. Nilly had called her an empath. Her cousin, Shellie, was able to see things. Nilly told her how she saw Elena in the motel room, which allowed Stefan to find and rescue her.
Finally, the discussion of the tomb came up. Elena heard Nilly sigh heavily. "So what do we do now?" Elena asked.
"We need to let him have Katherine back. He's not going to stop until he gets her. If we help him, maybe that ends it." Nilly said, looking down at her hands. "It's what I've been trying to do from the start, I just never realized there was a hidden agenda," she continued coldly.
Elena sighed and looked at Stefan. "What do you think?" He shook his head.
"What other choice do we have?" Stefan said.
"We still need to get Damon to agree, and Bonnie too." Elena realized.
"Bonnie?" Nilly questioned.
Stefan looked at her. "You need a witch to break the spell and open the tomb," he explained. Nilly just shook her head. "I'll talk to Bonnie," Elena said. "Besides, Damon already agreed once."
"Yeah, and we double crossed him. So now he's angry." Stefan added.
Nilly shook her head again. "Not angry, hurt. There's a difference," she said. Then she looked up at Elena and Stefan. "I think I know what I have to do."
Nilin made her way up the stairwell of the boarding house. She'd never been up there before, but it was just as old and vast as the first level. She didn't know where she was going, she was just following the pull in her chest down the hall. An hunch of sorts, you could call it.
Nilly stopped in a room that seemed to be a library, walls lined with books. In the middle of the room stood Damon, back towards her as he looked down at something on a large wooden desk.
"I'm going to have to change the locks," he said, still not facing her. "Elena stage a jailbreak?"
"Stefan." Nilly answered, crossing her arms.
"Ah, brother. Ever the white knight," he said, with a dry smile.
Nilly squeezed her palm, gritting her teeth slightly. "Elena convinced Bonnie to help you," she announced.
Damon turned towards her now, an eyebrow arched. "I doubt that and what happened to that whole you not wanting to talk to me thing?" he said, his lips perking up in a cold smirk.
She ignored that comment. "You were willing to work with us yesterday." Nilly said.
Damon shook his head, stepping towards her. "Fool me once, shame on you," he said.
Nilly's jaw clenched and her eyes narrowed. "Don't you realize Damon, I didn't fool you. I didn't know they had other plans in mind until the moment you did," she explained, voice rising. "I was fooled too."
He was quiet for a moment, eyes looking her over. "Not interested," he said, turning back around. Nilly went down the steps and walked over to him, a few feet away. He twisted back to her, watching her.
"What reason do I have for even helping you now, other than wanting you gone?" she asked bitterly. Damon didn't say anything, his eyes were on hers. "I know the betrayal hurt you," Nilly continued. "I know what it feels like, trust me. But, I'm promising you again, I will help you get Katherine back."
"I wish I could believe you." Damon shrugged.
Nilin laughed coldly as she shook her head. Damon's eyes bunched together at this. "That's just you, Damon. Isn't it?" she asked. "You could never do wrong, right? So when anyone else does an inkling of something that is not in your favor, they should be damned to hell," she said, standing toe to toe with him now. "Please, Damon. Tell me if I'm correct or not here."
He waited a moment before a smirk spread across his face and he took a step back from her. A first for Nilly, making him the one to retreat. Damon just chuckled to himself as he walked over to the desk in the room and went back to scanning through a book. "Like I said, not interested."
Nilin narrowed her eyes at him as her hand went to her wrist and she unclasped the silver chain. He looked up at her as she dangled the chain in front of him. "Ask me if I'm lying now," she said, placing the bracelet on the desk. His eyes drifted to it.
"You know Anna won't stop, by the way, no matter what I do," he said, gaze still cast down. Her eyes stayed on him, though, not backing down.
"Then we'll deal with it," she replied. Nilly watched as Damon picked up her bracelet gently, careful not to touch the charm. Then he took her hand and reclasped it around her wrist again.
"I never meant you any harm, Nilly," he said, his hand still holding hers. She swallowed hard, eyes on his and pull out of his grasp. "Don't make me regret trusting them again." Damon continued his stare searing her.
"When are we leaving?" she asked, her voice detached. He dropped his hands.
"Sundown," he answered. Nilly nodded and started to leave the room. She stopped in the door, a hand on the frame and her back to Damon.
"After tonight Damon, I don't want to see you again," she said, her voice breaking slightly as she left the room, not looking back.
Nilly and Elena were walking through the dark, right on the outskirts of the old cemetery. The tomb was located under Fell's Church which was set back into the Old Wood. The air was stiff, still humid from sun that had set about an hour ago. A breeze blew as they made their way to it, Nilly started hearing laughter and conversations. As they got closer, they saw lights and people, teenagers with beer bottles and red plastic cups.
"The Duke party, I forgot." Elena said. Nilly turned to her, "What?"
"And older guy that used to got to high school here. When he comes home from college every summer he throws a party, beers, kegs and all that.
"Well, let's just hope they stay clear of the church." Nilly said.
"Your hope, not mine." Damon said, coming up behind them. Elena jumped at the sound of his voice, Nilly had no reaction.
The three of them kept walking, making their way through the already tipsy party-goers. The tomb was a few acres away, hopefully no one would drunkenly wander that far.
"Elena, hey!" Someone called. Nilly and Elena both turned to see Matt and Caroline walking towards them. Nilly let out a groan, receiving a glare from Elena and a smirk from Damon.
"Elena! Oh my god, where have you been?" Caroline asked as they stopped in front of them. Caroline's eyes went to the two people standing behind Elena, her and Damon. That snotty look came over Caroline's face as she grabbed Matt's hand.
"Long story, no time to tell it." Nilly said, crossing her arms. Daggers went Nilly's way.
"I wasn't talking to you." Caroline spat. Nilly tensed up, stepping forward with a cold smile on her face. She went to speak but got cut off.
"Sure you were." Damon said, stepping next to Nilly. Caroline turned her attention on him. "But we're leaving, this way," he said pushing Nilly and Elena forward.
"I'm sorry, guys." Elena called over her shoulder as they started the other way. Nilly just sped up, getting away from Damon's hand on her back. Her eyes just as cold as her smile had been.
A little later, after much complaining from Damon about their speed, they reached the tomb. It was in a small clearing littered with dead leaves from autumns past and surrounded by large trees. The ground had been cleared away, revealing old crumbling steps. Nilly went down them carefully behind Elena, Damon behind her.
Someone had lit torches set up to form the corners rectangle. The light bounced off the graying stone bricks around them. The floor was dirt covered, crumbled stone remains in the corners. In the far side was the entrance to the tomb, a gigantic stone slab acting as a door. A pentagram drawn on it over a hundred years ago, when it was first sealed.
Nilly felt goose bumps run up her arms, this wasn't a good place. Damon stepped around her.
"Brother. Witch," he greeted Stefan and Bonnie. Who were already down there, setting up for the ceremony. Stefan stood by the one wall, adjusting the one torch and Bonnie knelt on the floor in the middle.
Both glared at Damon, as he just returned a smile. "Everything okay?" Stefan asked, his eyes on Nilly. She looked up, her voice still bitter. "I just want to get this over with. Are we ready?"
Bonnie stood up and nodded. "Yes." She walked over to the torch Stefan had been fixing it and lit it. "Air. Earth. Fire. Water." Bonnie said, holding out her hand to Elena. She reached in her bag and handed her a water bottle.
"That's it? Just water from the tap?" Elena asked.
"As oppose to what?" Bonnie smiled. Elena shrugged.
"I just figured maybe it'd have to be blessed or mystical or something," she answered. Bonnie just continued grinning as she poured the water around the floor. Leaning on a wall, Nilly's attention turned to Damon as he pulled something out, Stefan must have caught it too because he spoke up.
"What's that?" he asked, eyeing the blood bag in Damon's hand like Nilly was. Damon looked up at Stefan.
"It's for Katherine. Got to have something to get her going," he smirked. "Unless one of the girls are offering to tap a vein." Stefan glared at him.
"Admit it," Damon said cheerily. "You can't wait to get rid of me." Stefan stared straight at him.
"I can't wait to get rid of you," he answered. Nilly pushed off the wall quickly.
"I can't breathe down here," she said rushing past Damon and Stefan up the rickety stone steps. The air did seem cooler out now as Nilly charged away from the tomb. Whether it actually was cooler or it was humid underground, she didn't know. She went over and leaned on a tree, sliding down it into a crouched position. Nilly put her head between her legs, attempting to slower her breathing.
She couldn't do this, it was too much. Her mind was numb, her emotions were frostbitten into silence and her body ached. She felt the cord linking her to sanity slowly shredding as she closed her eyes. Nilly didn't hear anything, but she knew someone was standing in front of her.
"Go away," she mumbled.
"You're getting frighteningly good at that." Damon said. Nilly didn't look up, she didn't say anything. She just focused on her breathing as her fingernails dug into her palms.
"Are you okay?" Damon asked.
"You lost the right to ask that," she replied between gritted teeth.
"Well, what do I have the right to say then?"
"Nothing," Nilin nearly spat. There was silence after that, the only sound coming from Nilly's heartbeat.
"They're ready," he said at last. Nilin finally looked up as she slid back up the tree. Ignoring the hand Damon had held to help her off the ground, Nilin brushed past Damon, walking back down into the tomb.
Nilly made her way back down to the dark, dank tomb and stopped at the bottom of the steps. Bonnie was in the middle of floor, eyes closed and hands held out, palms up. She was chanting something, repeating it over and over again.
"What is she saying?" Damon asked, coming up next to her.
"Sounds Latin." Stefan answered.
Nilly shook her head, crossing her arms over her chest. "I don't think its Latin," she said ignoring the eyes that went to her. She was too focused on Bonnie as she repeated the spell. Suddenly the torches flared up, ground rumbling slightly. With a loud hallow pop the door of the tomb opened. Bonnie's chat ended as the dust settled. An astonished silence fell over the group as they all stared at the tomb. They had opened it.
"It worked." Elena breathed.
"Of course it worked." Bonnie answered. Damon turned towards Stefan. "Don't you have some fires to build?" he asked. "You know, for the others."
Stefan nodded. "I'm going to get the gasoline, I'll be right back."
"I'll help you." Elena said as the two went out of the tomb. Nilly watched them go up the steps, a sinking feeling settling in her stomach.
"You ready?" Damon asked, causing Nilly to turn back to him.
"What?" she bunched her eyebrows together.
Damon smiled darkly, a disturbing expression on his face. "I'm gonna go in there by myself so you can seal me in?" he raised his eyebrow. Then he reached for Nilly's arm.
"Don't you dare take her in." Bonnie warned, raising her hand. "I'll bring the walls down."
"You'll bring the walls down even if I don't." Damon shot back. "Think I trust you?"
"As much as I trust you." Bonnie said, arm still raised.
Nilly pulled her arm out of Damon's grip and stepped back. "Enough. Both of you," she glared. "Look, he needs leverage. He needs to know that you're not going to shut the door when he gets inside." Nilly said, turning to Damon. "I get it, I'll go."
"Nilly-" Bonnie said, lowering her hands.
"It's fine, I'll be right out and this will be done." Nilly said, giving a weak smile. Bonnie tossed her a flashlight.
Damon walked over to one of the torches and grabbed it. "May I?" he smiled. Bonnie just glared at him as he motioned for Nilly to go first. With a deep breath she walked over to the stone door and went into the darkness, Damon behind her.
Elena stood in front of Stefan as he fiddled with the gasoline torch. She looked around the night forest when something caught her attention. "Stefan…" she said quietly, her eyes locked in front of her. Stefan stood up next to her, both staring at a smirking Anna.
"Hey hero. I'm going down there to get my mother," she said, stepping forward.
"I can't let you do that." Stefan said.
"Well, Ben's about to make a main course out of Jeremy. So you can stop me or him. Your choice," she smiled. Elena stifled a shriek when she saw Ben come out of the shadows with an unconscious Jeremy. He tossed her brother on the ground at his feet and Stefan had to hold Elena back from running over to him.
"Guess he picked the wrong party to go to." Ben joked. Elena glared at him, her attention going from her brother to the advancing Anna. She swept passed Elena and Stefan as she went down into the tomb. Elena turned back to Ben.
"Do you really think that she cares about you?" Elena asked. "You're disposable."
Ben shrugged, squatting down next to Jeremy. "I don't care. She already gave me what I want."
Stefan laughed, "Are you going to say eternal life? Are you really that stupid?"
Ben stood back up at Stefan's mocking. "You know, I've heard about you," he said to Stefan. "You don't feed. You're not strong enough to beat me." Ben smiled.
Then quicker than Elena could see, Ben rushed at Stefan. Elena stumbled back as Stefan, just as fast, knocked him on the ground. The nozzle to the gasoline tank appeared in Stefan's hands.
"That's all you got?" Ben asked cockily, blurring back to his feet. Elena saw Stefan smile.
"No, I've got this." Suddenly Ben was a blaze, withering on the ground and Stefan was dropping the nozzle. He quickly guided Elena over to Jeremy. Elena let out a relieved breath as she felt Jeremy's pulse under her fingers.
"Jer, Jer?" she said shaking him. His eyes blinked open, slowly.
"Wha-what happened?" he asked, sitting up on his elbows.
"I don't know why don't you tell me?" Elena asked with false anger. "Have you been drinking tonight? Did you pass out?"
Jeremy seemed utterly confused by these questions. "I- I was with," he shook his head.
"I want you to go home now." Elena ordered. "Or I'll tell Jenna about this." Jeremy stood up, brushing himself off.
"Or worse, I'll tell Nilly," she warned. Jeremy grumbled something, still seeming out of it. She handed him the flashlight she had and her car keys. "Go Jeremy and if you can't drive, wait for me. Understand?"
He blinked a couple of times, still staring at her. "Yeah, yeah. Okay," he said, rubbing the back of his head. Elena walked him into the woods until she thought he was close enough to the party and heading in the right direction. Then she turned and hurried back to Stefan, who was watching the smoking remains of Ben.
"That was too close," she said coming up to him. "I don't think he expected anything, but I'm not going to be sure until we get home."
"Come one, we better get back down there." Stefan said, taking her hand.
ANNOUNCEMENT!
Hey guys, so I'm going to be taking a hiatus. Don't worry, its only for a week. My classes start up again on Monday and I'll just need a week to situation myself and figure everything out. I will be back post on Monday September 1st, but I will only be updating every Monday and Friday instead of three times a week. I'm leaving you guys one last chuck of story on Sunday before I go on my week long hiatus though, so look forward to that.
Thank you guys so much for the wonderful feed back. It means so much to me :)
Talk to you guys on Sunday,
RLS
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