When Riley and her father reached Caroline's house, she spent at least ten minutes just knocking on the door. She expected Caroline to answer, dressed in her pajamas and complaining about a stomach flu. After no one answered the door, she found the spare key hidden under a potted plant and used it to enter the house. The house was completely empty and they were both sure that Liz was working at the police station. As she searched Caroline's room for any clue to her whereabouts, she received a text from Damon. He wanted her to meet him at the tomb underneath Fell's church. After their encounter with Klaus at the bar, he decided to visit Katherine at Alaric's apartment, thinking that she was the vampire being killed for the sacrifice. Katherine, being her usual manipulative self, convinced Klaus to use Caroline, in her place, and Tyler as the werewolf. Riley nearly cracked her phone in her hand. She took out her frustration on the chair in front of Caroline's vanity table, kicking it repeatedly.
Though she wanted to help Damon save her friends, she doubted that her father would let her out of his sight. He was not going to want her bumping into Klaus again, especially if he was not around to protect her. She thought up a quick plan and walked downstairs, faking a cough. Her father left the living room.
"No sign of Caroline here. Are you all right?"
"It's just a little cough. Last night, Elena and I stayed up for hours. I think I'm going to go back to the boarding house to check on her and get some rest"
"I'll visit Liz at the station. She'll want to know that Caroline is missing. If you see anything suspicious or feel that you're in danger, call me"
"I will"
Riley stopped at the doorway and looked at him, curiously. "How did you get Klaus to back off so easily? Who were you talking about?"
"Riley, this isn't the right time. Just call it a secret weapon. Go get some rest and I'll find Caroline"
Knowing that her parents were hiding some secret about Klaus but they would not discuss it with her yet, she left the house and hurried over to the church. Damon was at the entrance to the tomb, fighting with another man. He pinned the man to the ground, choking him. When the man raised his hand, sending Damon flying into the air, she assumed that he was a witch. He used one of Bonnie's typical spells, giving Damon an aneurysm. Damon clutched the sides of his head, barely able to open his eyes. Riley waved her hand, casting a spell on the man. His arm bent backwards. She maintained the spell, walking over to Damon. Struggling to keep her concentration, she helped Damon up from the ground.
"You weren't kidding about the magic thing"
"Nope. Can you just knock him out before"
The man broke through the spell, regaining control of his arm. "That happens"
As the man advanced towards her, looking furious, she heard a loud gun shot. A bullet struck his chest and he fell onto his knees. Damon snapped his neck, killing him. Standing a few feet away was Matt, holding a hunting rifle. He pointed the gun at Damon.
"Get away from him, Riley. He's dangerous"
"Matt, just put the gun down"
"No. We can't trust him. He knows what happened to Caroline"
"Listen, man, not a good time to play the hero"
"Where's Caroline?"
Using his vampire speed, Damon grabbed the rifle and hit Matt in the face, knocking him unconscious. He unloaded the rifle and placed it on the ground. Before Riley could even yell at him for hurting Matt, he showed her a couple wooden bullets.
"Look who's trying to be a little Van Helsing"
"He was worried about Caroline. Instead of knocking him out, you could've let me talk to him"
"He was ready to shoot me with these, Riley. What happened with that spell? You're not a very good witch"
She playfully glared. "Funny. I just started learning and it's kind of hard to teach myself when all of the spells are in an ancient language"
"I heard you with your tutor last night. I'm sure you were studying very hard" he replied, sarcastically.
"Bite me. Can we focus on getting Caroline and Tyler?"
Together, they descended into the tomb. Caroline and Tyler were restrained against the wall by chains. While Damon freed Caroline, questioning her about how Matt knew about vampires since she supposedly compelled him to forget, Riley bent down to Tyler. She had not seen him since the night that she, Stefan, and Damon saved Caroline from the werewolves. Their last conversation, where Tyler confronted her about Mason's death, was still fresh in her mind.
"Hey Ri"
"Hey. So um…how was Florida?"
"I learned a lot but I missed some people here. I'm sorry about"
"Don't. I deserved it. I wanted to be honest with you about Mason but I didn't know how to tell you. This town is full of craziness and you were already dealing with the whole werewolf thing. I'm glad you're back. Just hold still"
"You're going to break these?" he asked, skeptically.
"You've been gone for a while. I learned a few tricks of my own"
Damon warned her not to let go of Tyler. It was getting dark outside and on a full moon, they would risk getting attacked by him while in his wolf form. Both Riley and Caroline refused to leave without him. Damon rolled his eyes.
"Girls" he muttered.
"I just need to get to my family's cellar" said Tyler.
"Riley and I can help you" suggested Caroline.
Riley touched the chains. A second later, they unlocked, freeing Tyler from the wall.
"How did you"
"Tell you later. Let's go"
The four of them left the tomb. It was now pitch black outside, the full moon shining in the sky. Matt was beginning to wake up, rubbing his cheek. Caroline was angry that Damon had hit him. Tyler grabbed his chest, biting his lip. Seeing that they were running out of time, Riley led him through the woods. Damon received a call from Stefan, telling him that Klaus took Elena from the boarding house.
"He took her already?"
"We'll figure this out, Riley. He's got no vampire and no werewolf. That means no sacrifice can happen, right?"
"Until he tracks us down and kills you and me for interfering with his plans. He's an Original. We can't just put a stake in his heart and he's dead"
"Everything will be okay. Let's get wolf boy to his cellar"
Riley felt a hard tug on her arm. Tyler fell to the ground, his bones cracking due to his transformation. Caroline was optimistic that they could reach the cellar before he turned into a wolf. He urged them to leave him in the woods. His eyes changed to a golden color. He lunged towards Caroline but Damon tackled him. After a small struggle, during which Riley thought she heard a crunching sound, he tossed Tyler aside. Damon told Matt and Caroline to head to the Lockwood cellar, giving Matt the wooden bullets to protect them. He picked up Riley and using his vampire speed, he brought her to the cottage, the site of the witch massacre.
"Are you sure you're not hurt?"
"I'm all good, shorty"
"Maybe if you let me stay with Tyler, I could've done a spell to slow down the transformation"
"Or he could've ripped you to shreds. Let's not take that risk, huh? Stay here. Bonnie and Jeremy are inside, getting prepared for the ritual. I'm going to get Elena back"
"Damon, you can't go anywhere near Klaus. Don't be stupid"
"I call it impulsive"
"Then I'm going with you"
"The hell you are"
He vanished from the cottage. She walked inside, finding Jeremy and Bonnie in one of the rooms. They were surrounded by grimoires, searching for a way to prevent Elena from becoming a vampire.
"Riley, hey. You could help us out with finding a spell. Where's Damon? Weren't you two together?"
"Yea"
"Really? I thought you were resting at the boarding house"
"Dad, not n"
Riley turned around, seeing her father leaning against the doorway. He nodded his head outside. Taking the hint, she followed him out of the cottage. She admitted that she helped Damon to rescue Caroline and Tyler from being part of the sacrifice.
"So instead of being inside somewhere safe, you were running around and risking the chance that you could get killed by a vampire"
"Klaus wasn't there"
"Well then, that makes it all okay" he replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Dad, I couldn't let either of them get killed. I need to know what scares him so much"
"Riley"
"Damon went to Alaric's apartment to talk to him. There's very little chance that he'll make it out of there alive. Just tell me what this secret weapon is that you have on Klaus so I can use it against him. Maybe it's enough to make him stop the sacrifice"
"It isn't. I frightened him with it once but if I use it again, he'll call my bluff. He won't waste his time on someone like Damon. Once this plan succeeds, Klaus will be dead and out of our lives"
Stefan, Elijah, and Alaric arrived at the cottage, looking somber. It was like they had just left a funeral. Alaric went into the cottage to speak with Jeremy. Minutes later, Bonnie left with a confused expression. Stefan explained that Klaus had turned Jenna into a vampire. She was going to be his substitute vampire for the sacrifice. When Damon confronted Klaus at the apartment, telling him that he released Caroline and Tyler from the tomb, Klaus compelled Katherine to lure Jenna out of the house.
"I'm sorry. Why the hell could he not use Katherine?" asked Riley.
"It's a punishment for Damon's meddling" said Elijah.
Bonnie proposed a new plan, killing Klaus before the sacrifice in order to save Jenna. Riley agreed, bringing up her original idea to combine her and Bonnie's magic.
"Riley, you will not be put in that kind of danger…neither will Bonnie. It's too much of a risk"
"Well I'll take it if it means Jenna won't die"
"No. We're going to offer him another vampire…me. End of discussion" said Stefan.
"Stefan, you can't"
"I am. We're going to head over to the quarry now. When it's time, I'll call Elijah and he'll bring you there. Keep looking for that spell"
"Riley, are you coming?" asked her father.
"In a minute" she said, looking at Elijah.
Her father and Bonnie returned to the cottage. Riley rested against the fence. Elijah stood in front of her, holding her hand.
"This plan will work, Riley"
"I believe you. Can you just promise me something? It's really important to me. You need to promise that you'll kill him. I'm not usually the type that needs a guy to protect her but…he's the only person that scares me. After he attacked me, I had nightmares for a while and seeing him again makes me nervous. I don't want to experience that again"
"You have my word. My brother will never harm you. After tonight, he will be a distant memory. Promise me that you will not leave here until the plan is complete"
"I promise"
"I will return here and perhaps we could finally get that second date. We could go to the grill and have hamburgers"
She smiled. "You have to kill your brother and you're thinking about having hamburgers with me?"
"I'm very much looking forward to it"
They walked into the cottage. She quickly let go of his hand. Her father eyed them suspiciously. She sat next to Jeremy, intently reading the grimoires. As she stared at a page, her father joined her. He had been on the phone with John. Damon and John were driving to the cottage, bringing the Gilbert journals to provide more clues. At that exact moment, John walked downstairs, carrying a box. He showed the journals to Bonnie, indicating one of the spells.
"Is there something you're not telling me?"
"What do you mean?"
"You and Elijah"
"Nope"
"Riley"
"We're just friends"
"I'll pretend to believe that for now"
Damon and Alaric entered the room. She noticed that Damon was sweating a bit. A small part of her worried that he had been hurt during his fight with Tyler. She was distracted by John's plan to save Elena from becoming a vampire. He told them about a story written in one of the Gilbert journals. Emily Bennett, Bonnie's ancestor during that time, cast a spell on a woman to bind her life force to her sick child. When the child died, the mother's life force flowed through her, restoring the child's life. Elena would not turn into a vampire through this spell because her soul would remain intact. Riley's father looked uncomfortable with the plan. He pulled John aside and Riley eavesdropped, hearing bits of their conversation.
"John, you know what that kind of spell will do"
"Of course I do, Brendon. You've always told me that I've failed Elena as a father. This is me making up for my mistakes"
"You don't need to—John, don't do this. I know we've had our differences but you're my brother"
"It's the only way to save her. I won't let her become like them"
Riley did not expect John to die as part of the spell. Her father was clearly upset since he had only lost his older brother just last year. John sat in a chair and Bonnie began to recite the spell, her hands on either side of his head. Once she finished the spell, Damon told her it was time to head to the quarry. Jeremy wanted to go with them. Bonnie kissed him and cast a spell to knock him unconscious. John sat him down in the chair. Riley paced around the room, stuck in the cottage with her father, John, Alaric, and Jeremy. Multiple ways that the plan could fail passed through her mind.
"Riley, it's going to work. Don't be worried" said her father.
"I'm not. I"
Riley felt her ribs crack. She gripped her side, holding onto the table. One by one, her bones were breaking all over her body. She whimpered, breathing heavily. Her father held onto her.
"Riley, what's wrong?"
"Klaus" she whispered.
"What?"
"He finished the ritual. He's turning into a werewolf"
"How could you know that?"
John reached into his pocket, taking out a bottle of blue liquid. It was an elixir that would break the connection between her, Klaus, and Elijah for a few hours. He tipped the bottle into her mouth. Drinking the elixir, she felt the pain subside and sat on the floor. Riley stared at the door, waiting for Elijah to return and confirm that Klaus was dead. She ignored the conversation between her father and John about her connection to three Original vampires. When Jeremy woke up, he sat beside her.
"What's taking them so long?"
"I don't know. He should be dead by now" she said, resting her head on his shoulder.
"He will be, Riley. Bonnie's magic will work"
As they waited for everyone else to return, John handed his Gilbert ring and a letter for Elena to Jeremy. They heard the front door open and ran upstairs, finding Elena on the couch with Damon. She was lifeless, the spell not yet taking effect. Jenna had been killed in the sacrifice. Riley hugged Jeremy, comforting him. Her father gripped his shoulder.
"Alice and I are here for you, Jeremy"
"Thanks, Uncle Brendon"
John was standing outside the cottage. Riley walked over to him.
"You're really doing this?"
"It's for Elena. I'm sorry for what I've done to you, Riley. I've made mistakes with both of you. Now that I won't be around, you need to keep her and Jeremy safe. I've always thought you were very special. Here"
He handed her an envelope. It contained papers hidden in Isobel's office. Seconds later, John collapsed to the ground with a soft thud. Elena was awake in the living room. Riley smiled and hugged her.
"Riley"
"I'm glad you're awake. You had me worried there, Ellie"
"I was worried about you too"
"You've always got me"
Jeremy's phone rang. He picked up, answering the call from Bonnie happily. The smile was wiped off of his face.
"What do you mean? Are you sure?"
"What's going on? Did something happen to Bonnie?" asked Elena.
He hung up, closing his phone. "Klaus isn't dead"
Bonnie had channeled a large amount of power to kill Klaus. Elijah was going to rip out his heart until Klaus claimed that he had not gotten rid of their family. When Jeremy explained that Elijah disappeared from the quarry with Klaus, Riley felt completely numb inside. She thought about the promise that Elijah made to her before he left the cottage.
The next two days passed by like a blur. Riley could not even remember returning home. Her last memory was of Jeremy telling her that Klaus did not die after the sacrifice. She holed herself up in her room, hiding herself under her blanket. Her parents attempted to speak with her but she stayed silent. She could not bring herself to attend the funeral for John and Jenna. Whenever she thought of leaving her room, she reminded herself about that night and how Elijah never visited her. The envelope from John was resting on her dresser. She did not bother to open it. All she would do was drink that elixir that lessened her connection to Klaus and Elijah.
Riley was laying in her bed, her eyes on the wall. Her mother entered the room.
"Sweetheart, you can't stay in here forever. I know that you're very upset but your father and I are going to protect you. I don't care that Klaus is some hybrid. If he lays a hand on you, I'll rip out his heart with my bare hands. I'm sure your friends want to see you. If you want to talk, I'm just a phone call away. Try to get out of here for a while"
Riley did not take her eyes off of the wall. A couple minutes later, she went down to the kitchen. She poured herself a glass of water and opened one of the drawers. The drawer was filled with silverware and some hidden weapons.
"Riley"
Without thinking, she grabbed a stake gun and turned around, pointing it at Elijah. He raised his hands.
"Please put that down"
"Get out"
"I know that you must be very angry with me"
"I'm feeling a wide range of emotions. You probably don't care. Considering what happened, my opinion means nothing to you"
"Riley, that is not true"
She did not move the gun. Elijah stepped out of the kitchen, nearing the front door. He apologized for breaking her promise. Klaus had agreed to reunite him with their family. Her hand was shaking in anger. She could not believe that he trusted Klaus, someone who he had given a million chances over the centuries despite the constant betrayals. Elijah maintained hope that Klaus was capable of change.
"I don't want to hear your optimistic bullshit. You claim to be such an honorable person but you're not. Maybe it's all an act. Maybe you knew the whole time that he was the one who attacked me and you charmed me so you could hand deliver him to me and the two of you could drain me dry. I mean, you did it to one of my ancestors. What's the difference now?"
"Riley, I would never hurt you"
Tears brimmed her eyes. "You manipulated me from the start"
"No"
"Everything was a lie. You played me. You're no better than him. You're just as much of a monster"
"Riley, I care very deeply for you"
"Shut up! I don't want to hear any more lies! Get out!"
The house was shaking slightly. Glasses broke in the kitchen and the chandelier above him looked ready to snap from its chain. A warm sensation filled her stomach.
"I'm glad you taught me how to read those spells. I saw a really interesting one in that book. It lets me disinvite vampires from anywhere"
"Riley, don't do this"
"Don't call me. Don't talk to me. Don't come near me"
"Please let me ex" he started.
"GET OUT!"
A burst of energy flowed through her. Elijah was violently thrown out of the house. He slammed into the pavement. Standing up weakly, he looked at her.
"I will not stop caring for you. Even if it takes me fifty years, I will earn your forgiveness"
He vanished from her yard. Her house returned to normal. She wiped her eyes.
"I think I may cry"
Klaus was standing on the porch, his hands in his pockets. His expression did not show any remorse. For a moment, he seemed cheerful.
"Get the hell off my porch. You still need an invitation to get in here and that is never going to happen"
He moved in front of her. "I can see you're upset. I could make you feel better, love"
She shot a stake at his head. He easily dodged it.
"No need to be hostile"
"Get away from me"
"I'm sure we'll see each other soon. If you need a shoulder to cry on, I'm always available"
Angrily, she slammed the door in his face. She chucked the gun onto the floor. Hours later, after much crying and extinguishing multiple fires that she accidentally conjured, she grabbed her phone and called Damon. The call went straight to his voicemail.
"Hey Damon. I know I've been out of it for a few days but I really need someone to talk to…and I don't need to hear a bunch of romantic crap from Elena right now. Could you meet me at the grill or something? Call me back"
A few minutes later, her phone vibrated. She answered, thinking it was Damon. Instead, Alaric was on the other end of the call.
"Why do you have Damon's phone?"
"Riley, where are you?"
"My house. Why?"
Alaric told her that Damon had a werewolf bite. She knew that he looked strange ever since his fight with Tyler. Damon had escaped from the boarding house, searching for Elena at the park. Alaric asked her to find him before he caused a mess in the town. He was at the cottage with Bonnie and Jeremy. When he, Caroline, Bonnie, and Jeremy cornered Damon at the grill, Liz accidentally shot Jeremy, killing him. Bonnie was attempting a spell to bring him back to life. Riley changed her clothes and hid a bottle of vervain and a stake in her jacket pockets. She drove towards the park. After running around for at least five minutes, she spotted Damon and Elena near a lamp post. Damon was biting into her neck. Riley ran towards them. Damon pulled away from Elena, looking distraught.
"Elena, do you need a bandage or something?"
"No. It's not a bad bite" she said, covering her neck.
"I hurt her" whispered Damon.
Riley grabbed his chin. "Hey, look at me"
He panted, sweat dripping from his forehead. She poured the vervain into his mouth. With Damon weakened, she and Elena placed him in the backseat of the car and drove back to the boarding house. They laid him down on his bed. While Alaric had been watching over Damon, Stefan left to find Klaus, who he believed would have a cure for the bite. Elena placed a wet towel on his forehead.
"Watch over him. I'm going to try to call my mom. She might have some idea about a cure"
Riley went downstairs. Her mother did not answer any of her calls, most likely teaching a class. The door opened and Katherine entered the boarding house.
"Hello, mini Gilbert. I thought you'd be here too"
"What do you want?"
"I come in peace. I have the cure for a werewolf bite"
"Why are you bringing it instead of Stefan?"
"Well, Stefan just handed himself over to Klaus. It happened after Klaus daggered Elijah"
Her eyes widened. "H—he what?"
"Yea, it was tragic. I already know what you're thinking. Don't do something stupid"
"Damon would call it impulsive"
Ignoring Katherine's warning, Riley drove over to Alaric's apartment. She quietly opened the door. Stefan was sitting on the floor, drinking from a blood bag. Empty blood bags were scattered around him. She had heard stories from Damon that Stefan became crazy when drinking too much human blood. He compared it to being an alcoholic.
"R—Riley, what are you—get out. You shouldn't be here" he whispered.
"Just come with me. You're not going anywhere with Klaus"
A coffin was against the wall. She sensed that Elijah was inside, a dagger in his chest. Unable to resist, she opened the coffin. She was angry with him but did not want him daggered again. Similar to the first time, his skin looked ashy grey. She pulled on the dagger. In the next second, she was pressed against the wall. Klaus was behind her, pinning her hand behind her back.
"You're a very naughty girl. Didn't your parents ever teach you not to touch things that don't belong to you?"
He closed the coffin. "My brother is taking a long nap at the moment. You should be pleased, Riley. You won't have to endure him standing outside your house like a lovesick puppy…writing you little love poems"
"Let Stefan go"
"I'm afraid I can't do it"
"Can't or won't?"
"We've already made a deal"
"I don't care. Stefan is leaving with me or"
"Or what?" he asked, challenging her.
Riley grabbed a knife from the counter. She held it to her throat, threatening to kill herself.
"I'm sure you figured out that there's a connection between me and you. Whatever one feels, the other does too. I bet you didn't know that my ancestors added a little something to that connection. You might be some fancy hybrid but I'm the only thing that can kill you. If I die, you die too"
Klaus looked a bit stunned by this information. She had told a small lie. From her dreams, she had learned that her death by the Originals would kill them but that lie was enough to scare him. She pressed the knife against her throat. He smacked it out of her hand and grabbed her shirt, staring into her eyes.
"You will never attempt that again"
"Compulsion doesn't work on witches, genius"
Klaus smirked. "Very true. I suppose you'll be another addition to our trip. If it's true about this connection, then I can't very well leave you here"
"I am not going anywhere with you"
"Well, that's a shame. If you don't come willingly, I suppose that I'll have to speak with your parents and it won't end well. Your father's had it a long time coming so I would relish ripping his head off. Now, are you going to join us or not?"
Riley nodded. He allowed her to make a short phone call to her parents, warning her that if they followed her, he would kill them without hesitation. She stepped out of the apartment and called her parents. Leaving voicemails, she told them about going out of town with Klaus to protect them. Klaus brought her and Stefan to a storage facility. He compelled two men to place Elijah's coffin in a storage unit with four other coffins.
"Is that true? If you die, he dies?" whispered Stefan.
"I'm not telling you"
"Riley, you can trust me. We're sticking together. I'll get us away from him and back to Mystic Falls"
Elena sent him a text that Damon was feeling better. Klaus asked him if Katherine arrived with the cure in time.
"You know she isn't coming back, right?" said Stefan.
"Because she's on vervain? I've been around for a long time, Stefan. I rarely get played for a fool. Besides, she won't get far. You'll help me see to that"
"What do you really want from me?"
"All will be explained in time. I have a gift for you"
A girl was standing behind one of the crates. Klaus called her over, an innocent tone to his voice. He wanted to see if Stefan would honor their deal. As he bit into her neck, he did not even compel her to be quiet.
"A real ripper enjoys the hunt"
The girl ran away from them, screaming. Stefan chased after her. Not wanting to witness him torture an innocent person, Riley left the building and stayed next to the car. She took out her phone, seeing multiple texts from her friends. The phone was taken out of her hand. Klaus placed it in his pocket.
"Can't have you sending messages while we're gone, love" he said, his hand brushing against her arm.
She glared. "Don't touch me"
"Do I make you nervous?"
"No, you disgust me"
"Perhaps I'll grown on you during our little trip"
"Doubt it"
"You know, I haven't eaten in hours"
"Then go share with Stefan"
"Why would I do that when such sweet blood is right in front of me?"
"Try it and you'll lose your fangs"
Klaus chuckled. He leaned close to her ear.
"I love a challenge"
Disgusted, she opened the door and sat in the backseat, already wanting this trip to end...
A/N: Riley's trip with Klaus and Stefan is going to lead some bigger revelations about her witch ancestors. She will gain some surprising enemies and find herself in a dangerous situation where Klaus might need to be the "hero". She is not going to immediately fall for him but she might start seeing another side to him during their time out of Mystic Falls.