Sorry for the wait, guys. I had an extremely busy weekend and I didn't have time to write. This is mostly a filler chapter t explain everything that's going on. I hope you all enjoy! Also, please review! I've only gotten a couple for the past few chapters and it discourages me from writing :(

Chapter 19

Elena awoke with a start. The first thing that came to her was the realization that her head was pounding. She blinked away the sleep in her eyes as she looked around the room. She recognized the Compound, but she couldn't sense that Elijah was near.

"Elena? Sweetheart?" Finn's voice called to her through her muddled mind, "It's all right. You're safe now."

She swallowed dryly as she tried to turn her head towards his voice. Her doe eyes focused on his worried face and instantly she was on alert.

"What's wrong?" Her voice scratched as she tried to sit up, "What's going on?"

Finn looked away slightly, "We have a small problem on our hands. We're trying to deal with it, but it would be best if you didn't get involved."

She rolled her eyes, "Just tell me what's going on, please."

"Elijah's been missing for the past few hours," he sighed, "We have everyone looking for him, but so far there hasn't been any luck."

"WHAT?" She screeched, jumping off of the couch and bolting to the door, only to be stopped by Finn standing in her way. She growled at him, "Move. Now."

"I can't allow you to go out there and get yourself hurt," he shook his head, placing his hands on her shoulders in a way to assert his dominance, "Elijah would never forgive me if something happened to you."

Elena narrowed her eyes as she seethed with anger, "It's not your call, Finn. It's mine. And right now, Elijah's out there and I can help."

"I won't allow you to get hurt," he repeated softly, his hazel eyes pleading with her.

"I love him," she said brokenly, tears brimming her eyes at the sudden realization.

Finn pulled her against him, enfolding her into a hug as she cried. He stroked her chocolate locks as he whispered, "I know, sweetheart. We'll find him."

Rebekah sat in the parlor of the Compound, tapping her foot impatiently as Klaus conversed with Davina. She was exhausted, but she had to find her brother. Screw the doppelganger, family first always and forever.

"I didn't let him out and I don't know who did," Davina said softly as Klaus interrogated her.

"Well, he didn't just walk out of that attic by himself, sweetheart," Klaus glowered, trying to retain any shred of control, "And if you and your other little witchy friends didn't do anything, then who did?"

Rebekah rolled her eyes, "Can you stop, Nik? She obviously doesn't know anything. She's another dead end. Perhaps we can ask Genevieve?"

"Genevieve?" Klaus' head snapped up at the sound of her name, "What on earth are you talking about, Bekah?"

"That's who Elijah brought to the party," the blonde said as if it was common knowledge, "He wanted to make Elena jealous and obviously it worked. I mean, I could hear them from across the street for God's sake."

"Are you sure it was Genevieve?" Davina asked timidly, her face reflecting her nerves.

"Of course! I'm not blind," Rebekah snapped.

The witch's eyebrows creased in confusion, "Genevieve hasn't been around any of the covens for months. We assumed the ancestors took her back after everything that happened. I didn't know she was still alive."

Klaus' eyes narrowed slightly as he processed what Davina had said. How could a witch simply disappear from her coven when she was still in power? He pursed his lips and looked at his sister, "Something bigger than a resurrected witch is going on here. Why would she take Elijah of all people? And what business would Kieran have with him either for that matter?"

"It sounds like Mother, but she's been disposed of," Rebekah said thoughtfully, "And Elijah doesn't make enemies with witches; he's much too smart for that. Someone else must be using Kieran and Genevieve for their own bidding."

Klaus clapped his hands together and smiled devilishly at the two women, "Well, I say we get on with finding our brother then."

Elena had successfully slipped away from Finn. She couldn't stand being under lockdown in the Compound. She had to figure out what was going on and Finn was content in keeping her in the dark if it kept her safe. But Elijah needed her; she refused to sit by and wait for news when she could be proactive. And by being proactive, she meant visiting Bonnie.

She groaned as she stood outside the hotel room next to Caroline's. She knew that Bonnie was on the other side; she could hear her heartbeat. Despite not being ready to see Bonnie, she knew that it was her only chance at finding Elijah.

Lifting her hand, she knocked on the door, holding her breath.

"Elena?" Bonnie asked as the door swung open, "Uh, what do you need?"

Elena fidgeted as she looked at her ex best friend. Her voice seemed to get caught in her throat before she managed to speak, "I-I need your help with something. I know that I shouldn't be asking you for anything and under any other circumstance I wouldn't, but this is important."

The witch's eyes softened at her friend's words before ushering her inside the small room, "Come on, tell me what's going on."

Elena sat in one of the chairs while Bonnie sat on the foot of the bed. She let out a deep breath before she started, "Elijah was taken last night and we don't know who did it. Finn…wants to keep me out of the loop, but it's driving me crazy. He could be in trouble or hurt and I need to do something."

Bonnie nodded, "How can I help?"

"Can you do a tracking spell? I know it's difficult to do with vampires."

"Do you have something of his?" Bonnie asked as she pulled out a map from her suitcase as Elena gave her a weird look, "Witches practically always carry maps. You never know when it'll come in handy."

Elena smiled slightly, "I can't begrudge you that." She sat for a moment thinking of what she had of Elijah's. It would be far too risky to sneak back into the Compound unnoticed. Suddenly, her eyes lit up as she focused on the map, "Can you use his blood? I mean, I know it doesn't work the same as humans, but-"

"Do you actually have his blood or are you just asking hypothetically? Because Original blood is different that just normal vampire blood." Bonnie asked, cutting her off.

Elena blushed, "I fed off of him last night. So my blood should have his blood, too."

"That'll work," Bonnie said as she handed Elena a knife, "Just cut yourself over Louisiana, I'll do the rest."

Elena did as she was told, watching the blood spatter against the map. She watched transfixed as Bonnie chanted. The small droplets of blood made their way to the Western side of the map before stopping on Oregon.

The vampire blinked owlishly before turning her gaze to Bonnie, "What the hell is in Oregon?"

The witch's hazel eyes widened in panic, "Kai was from Oregon. But he's dead now. Only Liv and Luke are alive and that's only if they haven't merged yet."

Elena's head was spinning. Kai. Luke. Liv.

"Liv's dead. She died here," Elena mumbled as she tried so desperately to piece together the information, "She was on her way to Luke when she stopped here. Using magic in the Quarter used to be forbidden and she was executed for it."

"Then the Gemini Coven should've died out already," Bonnie reasoned, yet the crease between her eyes didn't go away, "Unless…"

"Unless they found a way to complete the merge," Elena finished.

"Was her magic consecrated after she died?"

Elena thought back on it for a second, "Yeah, one of the witches said that is was."

"The Gemini Coven could still do the merge then, it would just have a more absolute result. They would need someone who was there during her death so they could channel the memories and take her magic."

"So that's why they took Elijah, because he was there."

Bonnie nodded, "I would assume so. But they can also draw on Original magic by taking him. If they really want to channel his memories, it will be a long and painful process. It would kill most vampires. It would be easier and faster if they just came here and performed the ritual."

"Klaus wouldn't let them near it and they probably knew that," Elena deciphered. She tapped her foot nervously on the ground as the wheels in her head turned, "I have to get to him. I have to help."

"What can I do?" Bonnie asked timidly.

"Make sure I don't die," she said sarcastically.

Bonnie thought about it for a moment before she nodded, "I can bind you to Elijah. That way you only die if he does."

"Let's do it."

"I can't track a vampire," Davina cried out in frustration as Klaus circled her, "It's practically impossible!"

"So, make it more possible, witch. He's an Original; that should make it easier than normal," Klaus snarled.

Davina groaned and looked through her grimoire once more, trying to find anything that could be of help.

"Where's Elena, Finn? You didn't leave her alone, did you?" Rebekah drawled as she kicked her feet up and watched Klaus and Davina.

Finn sighed, "She gave me the slip. She probably just needs time to process everything that's going on." He had been more worried than upset when he realized her absence, but he could hardly begrudge her time to sort through her feelings.

"We should look for her eventually," Rebekah commented, "Elijah won't be happy if something happens to her."

"Faster, sweetheart, we don't have all day," Klaus said condescendingly as he resumed to hover over Davina as she sat on the ground.

"Do you have his blood? It works better of you actually have his because he's an Original and stuff," Davina asked as she consulted her grimoire once more.

Klaus shook his head, "We don't keep vials around for the fun of it. Since we're related, would mine or my siblings' work?"

"It might give us a push in the right direction, but it won't be as accurate," the witch relented.

"Some direction is better than none, Nik," Rebekah reminded him softly.

Klaus bit into his hand before holding it over the map and allowing it to drip onto the faded picture. Davina started chanting as the blood moved sluggishly, coming to a stop on the Arizona/California border.

Rebekah stood up and grimaced, "What the bloody hell is he doing in the middle of the damned desert?"

"I don't really care, but we're going to get him," Klaus shrugged as he looked at Finn, "You're staying here and guarding the doppelganger. I'll take Kol. We're leaving. Now."

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~Grace