Hallucinations

by klarophant

CANON/AU The Salvatore brothers find themselves scouring the streets of NOLA for a certain original hybrid. Meanwhile a new leader takes up Tripp's place, the Original family finds themselves confronted with an even bigger problem than Hope's safety, Bonnie struggles to find a way out, and old family history resurfaces, threatening the survival of our favorite TVD characters. (KxC)

15. Chapter 15 Revelations

Hey klarophants,

I know... I literally haven't updated in forever. I tried to during the summer, but I guess I never got around to it... please enjoy and I'll continue my apology after you read.

Have at it...

DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of these characters.

---

Chapter 15: Revelations

He remembered walking through a dark corridor with only a bleak lantern to light the way while his father walked a few steps ahead of him in a stiff stature. Stefan brushed his hand over the wall, feeling the dampness of the stone under his fingertips.

"For years our family has worked to create this passage," Giuseppe spoke, his voice echoing through the stone walls. "Your grandfather and I dug down here for years. Our blood, sweat, and tears are quite literally carved into these very walls."

"But why?" Stefan questioned. "Why build a passage?"

Giuseppe glanced back at his son. Although he couldn't see his face, Stefan could see the silhouette of his nose and cheeks, and the glimmer in his eyes exposed by the lantern.

"It's because she told us to," he said in a barely audible tone. Giuseppe turned to face straight forward as he continued to speak. "A few years back, when you were only three, your mother and I attended a Founder's Party at the Lockwood's. It was supposed to be a celebration commemorating the founding of Mystic Falls."

He paused and looked up. Stefan stared at him in wonder. They had stopped in front of an immense metal door with a large hatch on the side. Stefan's eyes immediately focused on the strange glow emitting from below the door.

"That night a witch came to us," Giuseppe went on. "She spoke of a great evil that would plague our town."

"Vampires," Stefan mumbled.

"Yes, Stefan. Vampires."

Giuseppe motioned him to try the lock, but when Stefan went to unlatch it, it wouldn't budge.

"It's locked?"

"Indeed it is," he grumbled.

"Why?"

"Because we don't have the key."

"Then who does?" Stefan asked confused.

"William does."

"So he carries the key to the locked door at the end of the passage our family built?" Stefan asked curiously.

"No," Giuseppe corrected. "The Forbes family carries the key to the locked door at the end of the passage our family built."

Stefan's hand fell from the metal latch.

"But why?"

"They're the Keepers of the key, son."

---

Liz sat up on the hospital bed, letting her bare legs hang over the edge. She rubbed her palm over her forehead and let out a sigh. Tugging the needle cord from her arm, she pressed her feet against the cold floor as she walked towards the chair next to her where her clothes lay folded neatly. Loosening the knot from her hospital dress, she let it drop to the floor before slipping into a pair of jeans, a camisole and a cardigan. She tucked her wallet and keys in her pockets when there was a knock at the door.

"Come in," she said tiredly.

A pair of blue eyes peaked through the door.

"Matt," she smiled. "What a wonderful surprise. Come in."

Liz ushered him in, pulling the door open wider. The blonde looked back at her hesitantly as he entered the room, careful not to touch her, for fear she might break.

"I suppose Caroline sent you to check up on me."

"Yeah," Matt laughed nervously. "We got a call from her last night, so we came as soon as possible."

"We?"

"Oh, yeah. Jeremy's asleep in the waiting room."

"Ah, I see," Liz chuckled. "Well, thank you."

Matt nodded, "Of course, Sheriff."

"You don't have to call me that, Matt," she said. "I don't suppose I'll be a sheriff for very long."

"Uh, yes. Of course," Matt looked away sadly. "I guess you've been protecting our town for so long that I'm just kind of used to calling you that."

"Not very well if you ask me," she rested one hand on her elbow. "In the course of three years a vampire was able to manipulate his way into the Council, four people including my own daughter were turned into vampires, and almost everyone in the Council has been eradicated."

Matt turned to her concerned.

"This town has faced some of the craziest shit I've ever known and I doubt half the world has dealt with the things we've seen. This town has housed werewolves, faced the wrath of the Original family, and been taken over by traveling witches. I think it's had its fair share of death and resurrection." Matt moved closer to her. "My point is: you've done everything you can to protect people like us and those you love. It's not your fault that things got a little…complicated here."

Liz laughed at that. She patted him on the shoulder.

"Thank you, Matt," she smiled. "I mean, really. Thank you."

Matt looked back at her with a shy toothy grin.

"Of course, Sheriff."

They started to walk towards the door.

"Is there anything I can do for you? I'm sure there are other things you'd rather do than babysit your friend's mother," she joked.

"Well, to be honest, I haven't had much to do besides training with the support crew," he admitted as they exited the room. "I was just outside, in the woods before coming here to check out an area for Stefan."

Liz glanced at him inquisitively.

"Where in the woods?" she asked.

"Just a couple miles from the border. There was this clearing with the burned remains of a mansion," he explained.

"Did Stefan mention why he wanted you to go there?"

"Not particularly," he shrugged. "He just wanted us to 'check it out' for him. Why?"

"It's just… interesting that he should ask," she replied. "That's where the original Salvatore mansion stood."

Matt's eyes grew wide, but before he could ask Liz more about it, her phone began to ring. Pulling her phone from her pocket, she read the caller ID: Caroline Forbes.

"Excuse me, I have to take this."

She moved away from the blonde boy and pressed the answer button before holding it to her ear.

"Hello," she said.

"Mom?"

"Yes, Care. It's me," she smiled.

She could hear a sigh of relief coming from the other line.

"Are you okay? How're you doing? What did the doctor's say? What happened?"

"Yes, yes. I'm fine, honey," Liz assured her calmly. "I'm about to leave the hospital. It was just a minor relapse is all."

"Are you sure? It wasn't a bad reaction to the treatment or anything?" Caroline pushed.

"Caroline, I'm fine. I promise. I just need to get some rest."

There was a pause as Liz patiently waited for her daughter to reply.

"I never should've left you," Caroline said softly. "I should've taken care of you."

"No, honey, it was out of your hands. The doctor's warned us these relapses might happen along the way."

"But what if one day one of those relapses lead to your…" Caroline caught her breath. "The point is, I should've been there."

"It's okay, hon, there's no way you could cross the border," Liz tried to reassure her. "I can assure you I was very well taken care of."

"I just," there was a pause. "I just need to see you."

"Alright," Liz nodded. "If it'll make you happy, then I'll see you tonight. How about that?" When she didn't hear a response, she continued, "I can meet you at your dorm room or outside the border or–"

"Meet me at the park," Caroline said quickly. "The park outside the campus tonight."

"Alright, I'll see you then, hon," Liz hung up her phone. She gripped its edges for a moment longer before tucking it away in her back pocket. She began to head towards the entrance of the hospital.

---

The crinkling of leaves and the slosh of boots sinking into the damp mud filled her ears. Since her transformation, she'd never quite gotten used to the heightened senses that came with becoming a hybrid. But as she lazily followed behind Jackson, he didn't seem to mind the mess.

It was early morning and there was a chilly breeze in the air that whisked through the trees. Hayley and Jackson had departed New Orleans to trek through the bayou to begin what Jackson called the "Wolf Trials".

"Tell me again why we're out here in the middle of nowhere?" the brunette grumbled.

"I told you," Jackson replied calmly. "We can't just get married and call it good. We have to follow tradition if we want this to work. And tradition calls for the Wolf Trials in order to consummate our marriage."

"The 'Wolf Trials'," she teased. "Sounds frightening. Should I be afraid?"

"No," he smiled back at her. "Only prepared. We will have to undergo several trials in order to not only strengthen our bonds as leaders of this pack, but also prove we are worthy of this task."

Hayley laughed nervously, "I guess they don't hand marriages out to anyone, do they?"

He chuckled, "Don't worry about it. You'll do fine."

They came to a clearing where three elders including Jackson's grandmother, Mary, stood waiting for them cloaked in robes. Jackson offered his hand to Hayley. She hesitantly grabbed it and joined him in front of the elders, feeling the light press of his fingers wrapping reassuringly around hers.

"Jackson. Hayley," Mary looked to both of them. "These are the elders of some of the oldest living wolf packs still alive. To my right is Logan from the Blue Moon Pack."

"It's an honor," Jackson bowed. Hayley did the same.

"No need for such actions, Jackson," an elder man with rugged silver hair and blue eyes gleamed. "I am like yourself. I do not deserve such honorifics."

"And to my left is Galen from the Lunar Moon Pack," Mary motioned towards a burly man with white and black hair, and olive green eyes.

Jackson bowed again.

"We are here to oversee that you two undergo the trials before matrimony," Logan spoke.

"And to witness the joining of two powerful families," Galen added in a deep voice.

"The two of you will undertake three trials that'll tug at the binds that hold you two together and challenge the beliefs you each have," Mary explained. "These trial are all for the sake of showing us and yourselves that you are ready to lead this pack together."

Hayley glanced over at Jackson who stared back at the elders with a frightening seriousness. Hayley looked back at them nervously.

"Do you, Jackson and Hayley, accept this challenge?"

"Yes."

The elders grinned in unison.

"Then let us begin."

---

The bustling sounds of new tourists and jazz music rung in Rebekah's ears as she leaned over the black metal railing to get a better look. Crowds of people flooded the streets moving from one attraction to the other whether it be the Simon Bolivar statue or the rows of flea markets along the sidewalks.

"Careful, you might fall."

Rebekah jumped back in surprise, but felt a hand hold her back, catching her. She whipped her head to the side and swatted her brother's shoulder.

"Don't do that, Elijah! You frightened me."

"Did I?" a glimmer of amusement twinkled in his brown eyes. "I assure you that was not my intent, sister. I had only hoped to save you from a terrible fall."

Rebekah pouted, turning back to the busy streets below.

"I know," she said softly. "I was just surprised, is all."

Elijah joined her on the metal railing.

"So how are you, sister?" he asked.

"I've been… better," she thrummed her fingers against the rail. "And you?"

"I suppose I've been better as well."

Rebekah looked back at him, sadness in her eyes at remembrance.

"Is it still bad?"

When he didn't respond, she turned away in understanding.

Of course it was still terrible. She could still remember walking into the diner with Hope, seeing piles of bodies tucked away in the back. It was frightening, and as someone who's seen many things, that was saying a lot.

"It's been weeks since Niklaus saved me from mother, and for weeks I've still had to battle this… this feeling inside me," Elijah explained wearily. "It haunts me, you know? It makes my hands shake and my blood boil. It feels like every nerve in my body is screaming. It's enough to make me go mad, and sometimes I don't know if I can control it… or if I'll ever be able to control it all."

Rebekah rested her hand on his back, rubbing it comfortingly.

"That's just what mother wants. She wants you to lose control. She wants you to succumb to it," she spoke. "Don't let her win."

"I know," he said bluntly. "It just doesn't make it any easier."

They stood in silence for a while.

"What about you?" Elijah asked. Rebekah looked at him. "What's it like when you…"

"When I'm being possessed," she finished.

Elijah pressed his lips together.

"Whenever it happens," she gulped. "It's…it's like I lose myself completely."

Elijah stared back at her, but Rebekah's eyes remained straight ahead as if she were in a daze.

"It's like a burning pain surging through my body, as if my soul is being ripped from its consciousness," she turned back to Elijah. "I know this isn't my body. But it's the only one I've got right now."

Elijah nodded.

"Your uneasiness wouldn't, by chance, have anything to do with Klaus' plan to save you?" he inquired.

"Save?" she mocked. "I believe he said kill."

"Rebekah…"

Rebekah's eyes flicked back to the streets. When she didn't respond, Elijah rested his elbows over the black railing and leaned closer to her.

"Do you think it'll work?" she asked hesitantly.

"Honestly, sister," he sighed in defeat. "I don't know if it will."

She grew silent once more.

"You and me both," he went on. "We got the short end of the stick. We've been unfortunate enough to be cursed by magic. But I promise you, Rebekah, our brother is doing everything he can in his power to insure that you do not die. Niklaus would never allow that to happen to you. Never."

"I know he has good intentions, Elijah!" Rebekah cried. "But how do we know it'll work? How?"

Elijah grew silent.

"Say I do go through with Nik's plan. Say he does kill me. What if I don't come back? We already know that the Other Side has completely collapsed. The Bennet witch said it herself. If I die, where do I go? Straight to hell? What about everything I've ever wanted? What about what I want?"

Elijah wrapped his hand in hers, and held it firmly. He stared deep into hers and said in a confident tone, "We would rather go to hell and back before we see our sister sucked into oblivion. A thousand years ago we made a promise to each other, and though we've had our problems before, one thing has always remained same: that we will be together always and forever. You understand me, Rebekah?"

She stared back at him, seeing the sureness behind his words. She knew her brothers would always honor that promise no matter what, but it did little to ease her worry. She reluctantly nodded and slipped her hand out from Elijah's and left the balcony.

---

Klaus hurriedly walked through the streets. He wore a black tailored suit over a Catalina blue button up and black tie. His brother had convinced him if he had dressed up like a decent human being rather than a psycho-maniac killer they'd be more welcoming. But what did he care about their opinions? He was stronger and smarter than all of them. He'd kill them all if he had the chance. But the city needed a human faction to insure income from traveling tourists and locals.

As he trudged through, people subconsciously moved aside to make way, his destination finally coming into view.

Gallier Hall. A three story marble structure with two rows of fluted ionic columns designed in a Neoclassical Style. Klaus stopped just before the front steps to briefly admire the immensity of its architectural beauty. He marveled at its handiwork and solid frame. His moment of admiration waned when he was reminded of who waited inside.

Buttoning his cuffs, he straightened his tie and proceeded up the stairs into the large white doors.

The walls were painted in a bright Barcelona red, paintings old and new framed the walls as golden chandeliers hung from above. What was once New Orleans City Hall, was now a convention center open to the public for weddings, inaugurations, and events. But today it was empty, so the only sounds that could be heard were his shoes tapping against the black and white tiled floors. Passing several barren rooms, he turned down the hall until he was met with a large wooden double door. He could hear the voices inside before even pushing against the handle and entering.

All eyes turned to him, some filled with fear, others with annoyance. Klaus did his signature grin as he strode into the room full of several members.

"You're late," a man standing in the middle of the room stated.

He was an average sized man in his late forties. He had dark brown hair and amber eyes that never seemed to stray from seriousness even though the crow's feet suggested he smiled often. He wore a dark grey suit with a white button up and a lavender tie.

The other members in the room looked at him confused as they turned their heads between him and the unknown stranger at the door.

"Honey, who is this young man," a woman asked who stood not far from him.

The man rested his hand on her back reassuringly, but never turned his gaze from Klaus.

"You must be the man I spoke to on the phone," Klaus grinned. "Mayor Blanchard, I presume."

There was a twinge at the corner of the man's lips when he said this, as if he were amused. He settled with a forced smile before saying in a rich tone, "Please, call me Mitch."

"Very well, Mitch it is."

Mitch walked towards him and ushered him into the room, all eyes still fixed on Klaus. As they inched towards the front, one of the older members stood up blocking their way.

The man frowned, "Mayor Blanchard, who is this man? Is he even part of the–"

"Now, now, Mister Richards," Mitch patted his shoulder. "That is not how we treat our guests."

"But sir," Mister Richards pushed. "This is a private meeting. Uninvited outsiders are not permitted to–"

"But that's the thing, mate," Klaus cut in. "I'm not an outsider."

Mitch and Klaus pushed past him until they stood at the front of the room, Mister Richards still standing enraged in the center of the room.

"Ladies and gentlemen. May I introduce to you the founder of our great city and the oldest living vampire there is."

Their eyes grew wide in realization.

Mitch motioned his arms to the man next to him and said, "This is none other than the infamous Klaus Mikaelson."

Gasps filled the room in shock. Mitch turned back to Klaus.

"Mister Mikaelson–"

"Please, call me Klaus," the hybrid grinned.

"Yes, Klaus. Welcome," he moved away from the hybrid and towards his people. With his arms outstretched, they stood up in unison, their eyes fixated sternly on him. "This is the Faction."

---

"This here, as many of you have seen before, is a defibrillator," Jo motioned to her right. "Can someone tell me how to properly use it?"

The group of students remained silent. Liam, a young man with short brown hair, shot his hand up. Jo frowned at him and surveyed the other students for any answers, but many either stared back at her blankly or quickly turned their eyes away. Her eyes stopped at Elena who was typing something on her phone. When Elena glanced up and saw Jo staring back at her, she hastily shoved her phone in her pocket and straightened her posture, but Jo's eyes remained squinted at her in annoyance.

"Miss Gilbert."

Elena's shoulders sagged in defeat.

"Yes, Doctor Parker."

"Why don't you tell the group how to use a defibrillator," she said with a fake smile plastered her face. Elena's peers turned to face her. "Surely, you can explain to them how to use it. It's something you should've learned in high school."

"Of course, Doctor," Elena nodded. "Uh, you first turn on the AED where there will be a voice that gives commands or visuals to demonstrate proper procedures. You then attach one of the padded electrodes to the patient's bare chest and the other on the side of their abdomen. Letting the AED analyze, you only apply shock if needed. Other than that, you continue doing CPR to the patient until authorities arrive."

There was a twinge of irritation in Jo's smile as if there was an imaginary smug grin on Elena's face taunting her. She still hadn't fully forgiven Alaric for stealing the Ascendant. She had suspected he was the culprit when he didn't return any of her calls or emails. And now Elena, the girl he practically took care of, was standing in front of her with the most innocent looking face as if she didn't have a hand in any of it.

"You forgot to mention the most crucial part."

The brunette looked at her confused.

"Mister Davis, why don't you tell Elena what she missed?"

Elena turned to her side to see the haughtiness in Liam's face as he looked directly at her and said, "You must confirm the patient is in cardiac arrest by checking for breathing and any response to commands before resorting to an AED."

"Thank you, Liam."

Elena rolled her eyes. What did she ever see in him?

"That's all for today, you may return to your stations and await further instructions. Make sure you check out with your designated shift manager before leaving today."

Jo flashed one last dirty glare at Elena before walking away.

What's her problem, she thought.

Just as her white lab coat disappeared behind a door, Elena began to rush in the opposite direction. She walked through several hallways and took many turns before finally reaching the room. Unlike the day before, the hallway was empty. Elena moved towards the last room where she could see a dim light through the partially closed shades. She knocked lightly on the door.

"Daniel?" she called out, but there was no reply. She knocked again, but this time pushed the door open as she called his name again. Still no reply.

As she took a step inside, she gasped in horror. Blood stained the bed sheets, smeared all over the floor. Slamming the door behind her, she frantically searched the room. As she turned around, she found Daniel with his face buried in one of the nurse's neck. Their eyes met. His eyes bright red and ravenous.

"What happened to you…" she said under her breath.

"Your friend did this to me," he growled as he dropped the unconscious body to the ground. "It's her fault, isn't it?"

Elena took a step back.

"I don't understand. You were doing just fine yesterda–"

"I thought so too," he cried. "But the next thing I know, I'm coughing up blood and my head is pounding! And now I have this insatiable desire to feed on blood. Human blood!"

"It's going to be okay, you're going to be okay," the brunette tried to calm him.

She stretched out her hands in front of her as she inched towards him. She hesitantly placed her hands on his shoulders and steered him to sit down on the bed.

Daniel looked down at the nurse guiltily.

"I didn't mean to hurt her," he shook his head. "I was just hungry and my head was hurting so much and…"

"Sssh ssh ssh," she hushed him. Elena moved to the nurse and checked her pulse. She was still breathing. She sighed in relief. "She's going to be okay."

Lifting her head up, she nipped into her wrist until blood flowed freely from the wound and then pressed it to the nurse's parted lips. When the nurse's eyes opened, Elena looked into them and compelled.

"You will remember nothing. You will clean this room up and burn all evidence of blood. Daniel Jacobson was fine and left to return to the marines as planned."

The nurse nodded in a daze.

Elena looked down at the messy bite on her neck and cringed. Going to one of the drawers, she pulled out a Band-Aid and handed it to the nurse.

"Put this on your wound. It was a hair curling accident."

The nurse nodded and left the room.

Elena turned back to the troubled man..

"My head, it still hurts," Daniel pressed his hands to the back of his head as if trying to claw it off. "It hurts so much!"

"What's wrong?" Elena checked for injuries, and found a giant welt on the back of his head. Daniel clawed at it.

"Stop don't touch it!" she instructed, but he continued to pry at it.

He began to cough profusely. It started out dry and hoarse until blood started to spew out of his mouth. Daniel heaved, clutching his chest.

"I can't breathe!" he panted. "I can't breathe."

"Just calm down, I'll get some help!"

Elena pulled out her phone and started dialing Stefan's number, but Daniel viciously shook her and screamed, "I need blood! I need blood now!"

Elena shook her head, "No, Daniel, please! It'll just make it worse! You're going to hurt someone!"

"No! You're wrong!" he yelled. "It made it better, even if for a little while. I feel like I'm dying all over again. I need blood now!"

"No, Daniel! Don't!"

Daniel roughly shoved her against the wall, knocking her breath out. As she choked to get back up, Daniel dashed out of the room.

"No!" she screamed, but he had already left the room.

---

Kol woke up with a start, banging the back of his head against the headboard. He groaned as he slumped lazily against it, caressing his head with his hand. Swinging his legs over the bed, he pushed himself off until his feet landed firmly on the ground. Getting up, he rubbed his nose with his bare arm, but stopped when he felt somethings hot and wet touching his skin. Pulling his arm back, he looked down at his arm. He blinked several times in confusion as the blur in his eyes finally focused to see the red blood smeared down his arm.

He wiped at his nose again. More blood. Running to the mirror by his dresser, he took a good look at himself and was taken aback. There was dry blood going all the way down his neck and onto his T-shirt. Fresh blood still slowly oozed from his nostrils.

When he looked even closer he saw that his face was almost completely drained of blood. He shook his head, turning away from the mirror in fright. He jammed his toe against the foot of the bed and cursed as he limped his way to bathroom connected to his room. Slamming the door behind him, he quickly washed the blood away from his arm and face. Just as he was wiping off his hands with a hand towel, he stopped and stared down at the carving engraved in his skin.

It looked something like a twisted triangle with a circle that touched every point. His shaking fingers ran over the symbol in horror. He slammed his hand against the wall, and gripped the sink angrily.

He had been hexed and he knew who was responsible. He had seen that symbol many times before, but couldn't recall its meaning. But judging by the blood, it only meant one thing.

Death.

---

"Why're we back here exactly?" the young Gilbert asked.

Matt and Jeremy trudged through the remains of the Salvatore house once more.

"Because Stefan wanted us to check this place out," Matt replied.

Jeremy sighed and leaned against the stone statue at the entry way as the blonde searched through the area.

"But we did… yesterday," Jeremy grumbled.

Matt frowned at Jeremy.

"Look, I know we checked it out yesterday, Jer," Matt walked back to him. "But the Sheriff said that this place used to be where the original Salvatore Mansion stood."

"And?"

"Aren't you the least bit curious as to why Stefan wanted us to come here?"

"It's a place that he holds dear to and he just wanted us to make sure it was still fine."

Matt scoffed, "Barely. Look at this place. It's a dump! There's got to be another reason why he wanted us to check on it because when I was talking to him on the phone last night, he seemed relieved when I said it looked 'Fine' as if we had missed something."

Jeremy stared back at him blankly. Matt shook his head and walked back to the site, looking for anything hidden under the ash, rubble, and leaves, but everything seemed to mesh together buried in the dirt.

"Well, there was one thing I found last time," Jeremy called out. Matt looked back at him, as Jeremy joined him. "Follow me."

Jeremy walked over the loose floorboards that had long since decomposed into the earth as he moved towards the back of the infrastructure. Moving aside the floor board he had pulled aside the night before, he pointed down to what he had discovered. Matt moved to his other side and looked down at the gaping hole below.

"What the hell…" he said under his breath.

"Do you think it leads somewhere?"

Matt glanced back at Jeremy.

"Well, there's only one way to find out."

Jeremy gulped, but nodded.

Grabbing the loose floorboard, Matt threw it down the hole, waiting for it to crash into the ground. It didn't take long before they heard the hard slap of the wood against the wet stone below. They looked at each other.

"I'll go down first, and let you know if it's safe," Matt offered.

He swung his legs so that they dangled into the dark pit, before pushing himself into the gaping hole. The sound of his boots crashing into the wet ground was assurance enough that he was safe.

"You can come down now, Jer," Matt called from below. "It's not that bad."

"Alright, look out below," Jeremy called back.

Doing the same, he braced himself for impact as he fell in. His legs shivered from the impact, but he stood firmly on the ground.

"Nice," Matt said in the darkness. "Here."

Jeremy felt something nudge him in the side, he grabbed it. It was the wooden floorboard.

"Do you have a lighter?" Matt asked.

"Yeah."

Jeremy fished his old lighter out of his pocket and flicked the trigger until a bright orange flame sparked. He pressed its end against the wooden floor board, until it ignited a glow. Matt stood in front of him still carrying his pack.

"Let's go," he simply said and walked ahead.

It wasn't long till the light from the gaping hole above blurred away as they continued down the dark path.

---

Hayley sat nervously on the wooden chair, her leg shaking restlessly under the old table while Jackson sat calmly across from her. Her eyes darted from one corner of the room to the other, from the window to the rug, to the kitchen sink to the door. Jackson rested his hand on hers from across the table. Her eyes quickly flicked towards him and for a brief, moment he could see the fear in her eyes. He gave her hand a light squeeze before Mary came back to the dining table carrying a ceramic pot with dirt and a mound of leaves and stems tied together in the center. Hayley quickly pulled her hand away.

Lighting a match, she pressed its tip on the leaves until smoke began to emit. Hayley looked at the old woman worriedly.

"Don't worry, child," she smiled. "It's only sage. It's part of the ritual. Once you've inhaled enough of the herb, you will speak freely and all your secrets will be revealed."

"Oh," Hayley said under her breath.

She could feel her nerves going haywire again. Probably a side-effect from becoming a hybrid.

Damn these vampire bipolar hormones, she thought.

"Alright, now close your eyes," Mary instructed.

Hayley looked back at Jackson from across the table, he nodded and slowly shut his. Hayley did the same, taking a deep breath.

"Just relax and let the herb's fumes do all the work."

---

The red walls seemed to brighten as the chandeliers' glow lit up the dim room. Paintings covered one side of the room, while the other was lined with floor to roof windows where creamy ivory curtains draped over the sills.

The members sat at their designated tables, eyes all fixed on the hybrid with deadly scrutiny. Klaus sat smugly in his seat next to the mayor who had spoken on his behalf for his proposition to the Faction. Questions and discussion were now being heard.

A stout man with a receding hair line and a curly beard stood up.

"Yes, Mister Lemoine," Mitch nodded to him. "What would you like to say?"

"With all due respect, Mayor Blanchard. But wasn't this the same man who murdered the last Faction?"

The man jumped at the sight of Klaus' eyes flicking towards him.

Mitch glanced to his side at the dangerous monster that sat next to him, and faced Mister Lemoine again.

"Yes, he is," he replied simply.

Murmurs and whispers filled the room.

The man's face grew bright red with what Klaus couldn't decipher as fear and embarrassment or pure rage. Either way, the man looked like a fool.

"Then how do we know he won't do the same for us?" he demanded. "For all we know, he could be planning our deaths as we speak!"

"Don't be ridiculous, Lemoine. Mister Mikaelson has assured us that he only wishes to ensure that the vampires and humans continue to live peacefully together."

"And what good has that done for us?" he exclaimed. "You guys have seen the posts all over the streets. There have been over a dozen missing people cases in the last month alone, not excluding locals!"

"Mister Mikaelson says he had no hand in them."

Mister Lemoine sneered, "Oh really, and what about the witch massacre at the Fauline Cottage? Did he have no hand in that matter either?"

The mayor turned back to the man next to him.

"Well?"

"It wasn't my doing. The culprits are two vampires I knew from my hometown," the hybrid simply stated.

"Oh, so he let his little vampire buddies come into town to do his dirty work for him," he spat.

"I wouldn't exactly call them buddies."

"The point is many of us," the stout man motioned to his peers. "Are worried about our well-beings. Yes, the Faction has agreed to turn away when animal attacks occur, but that was with a different vampire. Not an original. How can we live in unity when one faction overpowers the other?"

Many of the members nodded in agreement.

Mitch went to speak, but Klaus patted him on the back and stood up instead.

"You're right to be afraid, as you should be," he began. "But there is a greater power that threatens not only me, but also you."

Klaus reached his hand into his jacket and pulled out the map. He opened it up so they could see the clearly marked triangles on it.

"What is it? Witch craft?" one member asked.

"Indeed, it is," Klaus walked closer to them. "This, here, is an Expression Triangle. It's used by witches who practice another form of magic called Expression. Expression Triangles are used by witches who wish to harness a vast amount of power. In order to complete an Expression Triangle, there has to be three massacres."

He pointed to the Fauline Cottage.

"Twelve witches killed by my vampire buddies."

He moved his index finger across the map to the Simon Bolivar statue.

"Twelve werewolves killed by my brother."

The members gasped.

"If the pattern continues, the last massacre will either be completed in the French Quarter in my very own home or across the Mississippi River in Algiers. And the only faction left are, oh, would you look at that… the last massacre they need would be the humans."

Many of the members turned to each other in shock at the news.

"If your lot dies, mine does too," Klaus explained. "So believe me when I say, I will do everything in my power to ensure that you and your people do not die. If that means having my vampires patrol the streets at night for any suspicious activities, then consider it done. If that means holding more of these bloody meetings to discuss matters, then so be it."

"Shouldn't we be trying to stop the culprit?" a woman stood up. "We can start with every witch in the French Quarter, and move on to the rest of New Orleans."

"No," Klaus shook his head. "If the witches find out that there's a way to kill us all, they'll all try to complete that triangle. It's out of the question. We have to be discrete."

"We could ban the practice of magic," another offered.

"Absolutely not, we'd be shaking our alliance with Miss LaRue and the other witches," the mayor added. "We simply cannot do that."

"Then what do we do? Sit snugly and wait for the end?"

"I have it under control," Klaus stated.
"How?" Mitch looked towards him.

"I know a witch."

"You're kidding me right, we're trying to stop the witches, not advocate for their cause…"

"She's from my…hometown," Klaus went on. "She's had experience with this type of magic. She may be able to help us."

"And if she can't?"

Klaus looked back at Mitch and then to the rest of the council. It was strange, it was almost as if they were depending on him to save the day. Although their faces didn't hide the terror they had for him, he could almost see a glimmer of hope in their eyes.

But he turned away and said in a low tone, "If she can't help us, then we're all doomed."

He remembered their old home. It was one of many. It was a castle with smooth, dark wooden walls. Dark red curtains hung over the large windows and the rooms were illuminated by thousands of candles.

That night, Klaus was out dealing with some business with the neighboring witches that he planned to use for the ritual to free him of his curse now that he had the doppelganger. He figured his brother wouldn't mind if he kept her company, after all, it was only proper to entertain their guests.

He hurried down the hall through the corridor until he finally came to the room. He knocked lightly on the wooden door.

"Come in," a voice called from the other side.

He pressed his fingers against the door lock and opened it slowly to see the beautiful brunette's hair fall in curls over her shoulders as she brushed them mindlessly.

She looked up to greet him and smiled, "Lord Elijah." She put down the brush and got up from her vanity mirror to bow politely. "What a pleasant surprise."

Elijah smiled back.

"Apologies, Katerina. I didn't mean to interrupt you while you were settling in."

"Oh no apology needed, I was just brushing my hair."

"Dinner will be served shortly, may I escort you?" he asked.

"That is very kind of you, Lord Elijah. I will get dressed swiftly and be out in just a moment," she blushed.

"Here," he handed her a dressed. "This is for you to wear."

Katerina lifted the dress from his arms and held it out in front of her. She ran her fingers over the tightly knot seems and soft linen, admiring the fine work.

"It's gorgeous," she beamed. "I can't possibly where this, its–"

"Consider it a welcoming gift, Miss Katerina. As an honored guest in the Mikaelson Castle, it is only fitting that you dress the part."

She looked back and forth between the handsome man outside her door and the magnificent dress that was now in her possession. She nodded and set the dress on the bed.

Elijah closed the door behind him pleased that she liked his gift. He waited in the hall way until the door finally opened. He turned to look.

Katerina stepped outside of the room in the deep red dress. Its ends fell neatly over her feet and dragged against the floor. White lace peaked from the V-cut on her bosom and lined her sleeves and shoulders. Layers of ivory and gold were draped over by the red cover while her hair was half-braided so that her long hair fell to her hips.

"So what do you think?" she asked hesitantly, pressing her arms to her sides.

He looked her over in adoration and smiled, "You look beautiful, Katerina."

She blushed and tried to hide her gleaming smile.

Elijah held out his hand for her to grab, "May I?"

"Yes, you may."

She lightly grasped his hand as he escorted her to the dining room. Not once did his eyes linger away from her beauty.

---

The metal gate clanked against the stone wall as Kol pushed his way through into the cemetery. After passing several tombs, he stopped to rest, woozily grasping onto a stone ledge. He breathed heavily and brought his hand to his lips. Looking down at his hand, he saw the fresh blood that now stained them.

"You look terrible," a voice called.

Kol looked up to see his older brother sitting smugly atop a tombstone and frowned.

"You got a little something," Finn motioned to his lips.

"What the hell did you do to me," he growled.

"Word of advice, next time you want to spend some brotherly time together, don't beat up my wolves because now they're just itching to kill you."

"I said, what the hell did you do to me?" Kol cried. "Why is this happening to me?"

"Isn't it obvious," Finn grinned. "I hexed you."

"But why," Kol demanded angrily. "Why did you hex me?"

"Well, why not?" Finn leaped from his seat, his feet landing squarely on the ground. "Hasn't centuries of being a vampire been enough?"

"I'm dying, Finn…"
"I know," Finn grasped his shoulders. "You can finally be freed of this miserable body and rest in peace."

Kol shivered and shook his head desperately, "I don't want to die." Tears began to well from his sunken eyes, spilling down his pale cheeks. "Please, Finn. I don't want to die."

Finn's face grew to a scowl as he looked down at his brother.

"You chose death the moment you sided with Klaus," he spat.

Letting go, Finn walked away leaving Kol to fall to his knees.

"I never understood why you, and Elijah, and Rebekah always sided with Klaus," Finn sneered. "It didn't matter if he killed your lover, daggered you for a hundred years, or hurt you in some other way. You three always came back for more. I began to think you guys actually liked being in pain."

Finn continued to pace around the cemetery.

"Pain. That's all that comes with Klaus. But you knew that already," he faced Kol. "Between the three of you, the innocent little sister and the loyal older brother. I'd bet you're probably the one Klaus dislikes the most. I mean, how could he not? You're secretive, conniving, and always changing sides. I bet it just pained you to see that you'd never be a part of their 'always and forever' triangle."

"Finn…"

"Is that why you betrayed mother and I?" Finn scowled. "Is that why you let them turn mother into a monster? Because you wanted to feel 'a part of the family'? News flash, brother, we are your family!"

"Finn, I–"

"You're what? You're sorry?" Finn mocked. "Well, it's a little too late for that now, brother."

"I… I'm going to stop him," Kol struggled to let out.

"What?"

"I ha-have a plan to st-stop Klau–"

"Save your breath," Finn shook his head. "You don't have long anyways."

Finn turned to leave, but Kol gasped the bottom of his leg weakly.

"No, Finn. I ha-have a plan. Just remove this he-hex and I can tell you it."

Finn glowered over him, looking down at the pathetic shell of a man that lay before him, desperately clinging to his leg.

"I have a plan too, brother," Finn knelt down next to him. "You want to know what it is?"

Kol tightened his grip on Finn's leg, grasping the ends of his pants.

"I'm going to kill Klaus, Rebekah, Elijah, and you," he jabbed his finger at him.

Finn got up, kicking away Kol's hand and began to walk away.

He called back, "This is good-bye, brother. See you in hell."

The gate closed.

---

The room was lit with several candles scattered around the room. A circle of salt sat in the middle of the floor where Liv, Tyler, Stefan, and Damon were gathered. Liv sat outside the circle chanting to herself with her eyes closed. When she had finished, she stood up.

"Okay, Damon, you stand here," she instructed, pointing inside the circle.

"Yes, ma'am," he said taking a step inside the circle.

"Here's the Bennett blood," she handed him a vial of the red substance. He rolled it in his fingers. "Do you have the Ascendant?"

Damon reached inside his leather jacket and pulled out the metal contraption, "Wah-lah. One Ascendant ready to go."

"So remember, I can only hold the spell for 30 minutes. If you don't get to Bonnie before that, you two are on your own. You'll have to find the other Ascendant in order to come back. Oh and take this," she threw him Bonnie's stuffed animal. "She's going to need that to get you guys home."

"Blood, doo-hickey thing, and teddy bear. Check, check, and check. Let's get this show on the road!"

"Hey Damon."

Damon turned to face Stefan.

"You be safe out there, okay."

"I'm touched, brother," he teased.

Stefan smiled, "But seriously, Damon. I've still got an eternity of misery left with you."

"And don't you forget it," he winked.

He turned back to the witch.

"Ready?" she asked.

"Born ready."

As Liv began to chant, Damon opened the vial and started to pour the blood over the Ascendant.

"Les matos vos motos ray lee phastos mos ketos," she repeated with her arms outstretched and her eyes closed.

Slowly the gears of the Ascendant begun to turn, opening up the contraption with soft ticks. It began to glow until the light fully engulfed him and he was gone.

Elena came barging into the room out of breath.

"Stefan!" she exclaimed.

"What is it? What's wrong?" he looked at her worriedly.

"We-we have to stop Caroline," she insisted.

"Why? What's going to happen?

"If she feeds Liz her blood, she will die!"

---

Klaus exited the room with a little skip in his step. Satisfied with what he had accomplished he began to loosen his tie and unbutton his collar.

The Faction had agreed to bump up security patrols on the streets around areas that had a higher witch population and granted Klaus permission to allow those patrols to be joined with at least one or two members from Jackson's pack. In return for their cooperation, Klaus vowed to protect them at all costs as long as they played by his rules.

Obviously this upset many of the members, but after coming to a reluctant, but mutual consensus, they agreed that "his way was probably the best way". Hence, the smug grin on his face.

But just as he was turning into another corridor, a squad of men stood in his way.

"I'm sorry, sir, but you can't leave," one of them said.

Klaus looked at them annoyed and eyed each one of them. They were all dressed in uniform wearing collared dark blue shirts, with black cargo pants, and their weapons slung over each shoulder.

"And pray thee, why not?" he asked haughtily.

"We're going to have to ask you stay back, sir."

But Klaus refused to move. He cocked his chin. His eyes flicked from one man to the other. There were seven of them. He looked to their weapons. Wooden bullets and stakes.

They know.

He growled and lurched forward.

Gun shots echoed throughout the narrow hallway as Klaus jumped from one man to the other. He kicked one man across the room until he crashed against the wall. A wooden bullet grazed his shoulder as he turned to take down his attacker. The poor lad made four more shots and ran out of bullets before he could even get another shot in him. Klaus grabbed his head and roughly twisted it until it snapped. Two of them grabbed Klaus by the arm to hold him down while another tried to stake him, but Klaus threw them at each other.

Before he could lunge forward, they shot at his chest and right arm. Klaus barked in annoyance. Reeling towards the first man, he dug his teeth into his neck and shoved his body into his partner, the stake falling from his hands. The two of them fell to the floort, trying to scramble away. But Klaus rested his foot firmly on top of them keeping him in place, and dug the stake through both of them, pining them to the ground.

Just as another was coming to stake him from behind, Klaus twisted swiftly with his right arm extended until the man's head was cleanly cut from his body.

Cracking his knuckles and plucking the wooden bullets from his flesh, he moved towards the remaining attacker. He licked the blood that covered his hand before tugging the man up from his collar.

"What's your name kid?" he asked.

"Dane," the man sputtered out.

"Okay, Dane. Now why don't you tell me who sent you," he grabbed his shaking hand. He tried to pull away, but Klaus had a firm grasp on it.

"Go to hell, demon scum."

Klaus sighed, and pulled the handkerchief from his pocket and wiped it away.

"Bad choice, Dane."

Klaus wrapped his hands over Dane's nose and mouth so that he couldn't breathe. Dane flailed his arms and kicked his legs trying to move Klaus' hands.

"Let's try this again, Dane," Klaus said releasing his hands. Dane coughed and heaved for air. "Who sent you?"

"Fuck you," he cursed.

Klaus snarled and went to wrap his hands around his face again, but Dane stopped.

"No wait, wait!" he pleaded.

"Who sent you!" Klaus sneered impatiently.

"The Council, the Council sent me!" he cried.

"Why."

"They want you dead!"

Klaus could hear hurrying footsteps moving from across the hall way until the mayor and the rest of the Faction stood before him. Many of them gasped or turned away.

"My God…" the mayor looked down at the bodies, then at Klaus. "What happened here?"

But Klaus didn't turn to face him. He stared despondent at the man next to him who had his hands clinging to his sleeves. He could hear his accelerated heart beat and could see the fear in his wide eyes.

"Please, don't kill me," the man whimpered. "Please don't."

"Klaus," the mayor inched towards him. "Klaus, who is that."

The man continued to beg for his life, but Klaus couldn't hear a word he said. All he could feel was the ever growing rage that was burning within him, as if a hammer was pounding in his skull. He slowly moved his hands to Dane's neck, curling his fingers around it.

"No, no. Please don't. Please," the man begged. "I have a family and two kids back home. Please don't ki–"

Snap!

His body fell limp in his arms. Klaus rolled his body off him and got up, a scowl on his face.

"Klaus, what happened?" Mitch tried again. "Who are these people?"

"I was hoping you could tell me that, mate," Klaus said as he stepped over the bodies. His eyes briefly glanced at the rest of the Faction, making them flinch. "Mind telling me why that man just told me that the council sent them to kill me."

"The Council... the…" The mayor's eyes grew wide as he turned back to his colleagues and back to the angry hybrid. "Are you sure that's what he said?"

"I may be old, but my hearing is impeccable."

The mayor stood there thinking in worry, but jumped back when Klaus took another step forward.

"And here I thought things were going so smoothly," Klaus' lips formed a thin line.

"Wait, you misunderstand," the mayor held his hands out. "He's not referring to us, the council."
"Oh, please, enlighten me then as to who he was referring to," Klaus moved forward. "Because as far as I can understand, the only guilty council I see is yours."

"I assure you, Mister Mikaelson, we are not the council you should be concerned about."

"Is that so."

"Yes," the mayor nodded. "There's another council that presides over us. A council that our ancestors worked with for years before Marcel."

Klaus stood only a foot away from the Mayor. He loomed over him, but didn't advance.

"Go on," he challenged.

"They lead all the councils around the country, they have been for decades now," the mayor explained. "They're called The Council."

---

Damon felt the familiar press of the cement push against the soles of his boots. He was standing just outside the border of Mystic Falls where the road stood between the golden fields around him. The old, worn down sign stood to the right with its paint faded and wood chipping. For a while he stood there staring at the border that separated him and his home.

He carried Bonnie's bear in one arm and hesitantly reached his hand over the invisible barrier. He cringed and waited for the sting.

Nothing.

He pulled his arm back and then took a hesitant step inside.

Still nothing.

He sighed in relief and walked past the border satisfied. Taking out his phone, he called his home phone hoping she'd answer. The phone rang on the other line as he waited patiently.

The voice mail came on:

"Hi, it's Bonnie!"

"…and Damon."

"Sorry we couldn't reach your call. But please leave us your message and we'll be sure to call you back!"

"That's assuming there's anyone out there who'd actually call us…"

"Oh, shut up, Damon."

BEEEEEEP!

"Hey, Bonbon. It's me, Damon. I'm probably the last person you want to see right now, but please call me as soon as your get this message," he paused. "I'm taking you home."

He tucked his phone away and looked towards the open road determined. He grinned and rushed towards the town.

Bonnie stirred from her seat, feeling the cold touch of the leather covering press on her cheeks. The quiet hum of the engine rang in her ears as the soft bumps slowly woke her. Opening her eyes, she faced a window, the road dizzily passing by. She suddenly shot up in her seat.

"Where the hell am I?"

"We're twenty minutes away from Norfolk."

Bonnie flipped her head to face Kai who had his eyes focused on the road.

"Why… where are we going?" she asked confused.

"The airport, of course," he replied bluntly.

"But why?"
"We're going home."

Bonnie froze, her eyes searching the car for her backpack in a panic. When they returned to Kai, he was already looking back at her glumly.

"We're going to Nova Scotia," Kai pulled out her marked map from under his seat. "But I suppose you already knew that."

---

He remembered walking with her. Ever since that first night he escorted her to the dining hall, he made it a point to show her around every chance he got. He'd show her around town, let her play with the livestock in the stable, and show her some of the secret corridors within the castle. With Klaus always out getting things ready for the ritual, it seemed only right that he, Elijah, take the initiative to entertain their guest for fear she might find out the truth.

"So where to this time?" the brown-haired maiden beamed.

"You'll see it," he replied. "At the top of the hill just around that, corner you'll see–"

"A garden!" Katerina smiled as she rushed forward.

She ran past him until she was completely immersed under the trees that surrounded her. Elijah chuckled to himself and rejoined her under the rows of small trees.

She inhaled with her eyes closed letting the sweet scent of the air fill her lungs in satisfaction.

"What are they?" she asked as she pressed the leaves in her hands.

The trees had a fairly thin trunk with long skinny branches that twisted in every direction. Small white petals and green leaves engulfed the branches, while little red clusters of fruit sagged from the ends.

Katerina reached to pick one. Elijah easily plucked one and held it out to her.

"It is a cherry tree," he said simply.

"A cherry tree," she repeated as she rolled the ball of fruit in her palm curiously.

"It is said to represent beauty and immortality in some places."

"Is that so, my lord," she said in wonder, softly pinching the fruit in her fingers.

"So it is said. But it is rather strange to think considering the tree's blossoms die shortly after blooming," he said looking down at the scattered white petals that covered the dirt. "Have you ever had a cherry, Katerina?"

Katerina pressed the cherry to her lips and nibbled a piece of it before pursing her lips. She looked at Elijah confused.

Elijah chuckled, "That would be the seed, Katerina."

She flipped her head from side-to-side trying to find a place to get rid of the seed, but there was nowhere she could without him seeing. She turned to him frantically, pointing at her lips.

Elijah sighed with a grin on his face, he handed her a handkerchief and turned around so she could spit without him looking.

"Forgive me, my lord," she confessed. "I did not realize there was a seed and–"

Elijah raised his hand to stop her.

"It is quite alright, Miss Katerina. It was just a cherry," he smiled.

She blushed and turned away from him.

Elijah moved forward and gently took the handkerchief from her hands, his fingers only subtly brushing past them before taking the cloth. Katerina froze in place and looked at him questionably. He raised the handkerchief in his hand and lightly dabbed the side of her lips where some of the cherry's juice had settled. He pulled the handkerchief away, while his eyes slowly lingered to her parted lips.

They looked so soft and warm.

He took another step forward until he was only inches away from her face. He could feel a hunger growing in him, a longing to have a taste of those pink lips. He shivered at the thought of what he'd do to have a taste. She pressed her lips together as she studied his haunting eyes.

He could slowly feel himself losing to the hunger as the edges of his eyes grew red and the dark veins pushed from under. He quickly turned his face away before she could see it.

"We should get going," he said bluntly. "I can show you the view from atop the hill if you would like, Katerina."

"Mm," she nodded still studying him curiously.

He walked ahead while she followed closely beside him. They walked in silence.

"Do you want to play a game, my lord?" Katerina turned to him hesitantly.

"A game?" Elijah cocked an eyebrow inquisitively, "What game do you propose?"

"Well, I do not know the exact name," she explained. "But from what I can gather, if you're it you have to catch the other person, so then they're it."

He looked at her confused, "I don't believe I'll be much good at this ga–"

Katerina lightly nudged him.

"You're it," she giggled and ran away.

"I'm what? Wait!" he chased after her.

He remembered running through the rows of trees chasing after that beautiful girl with the long curly brown hair. He remembered only seeing the bottom of her dress trail against the floor before turning into a different corner. He remembered chasing her through the garden, the woodchips and dirt padding against his feet as he ran along the small stone wall. But most of all, he remembered her laugh. The simple ring that made him smile like a fool.

"You have to chase me," she giggled.

He took a few slow steps before coming to subtle stop behind to admire her beauty as she ran ahead. She slowed down and turned back to him.

"You're meant to catch me," she teased.

"But if I catch you, the game will be over," Elijah raised his arms.

She smiled to herself and let out a sigh.

"Thank you for entertaining me," she beamed.

"You looked lonely inside," he looked at her mischievously. "I took pity on you."

Katerina's mouth fell agape at his jest as he looked away innocently. She looked to the ground.

"Klaus promised to spend the day with me," she said solemnly taking a seat on the stone bench. "But he never returned home from the night."

"Klaus does not live by any rules but his own."

"He's a very charming man," she said looking out into the distance. "Hard for anyone to resist, I suppose."

Elijah looked at her questionably.

He knew she was for Klaus, and Klaus alone, but something inside him burned with desire to be with her even if he knew it was wrong.

He hesitantly asked, "And yet…"

Katerina shook her head before facing him again.

"I know not why he courts me."

She paused.

"He seems to not care about me at all."

Elijah crossed his arms nervously.

Well, of course Klaus cared about her. Just not in the way she wanted him to. To Klaus, she was an essential component for freeing himself and nothing more.

"Many a union has been built on much less," he replied.

She glanced back at him with longing and he couldn't help but feel guilty for being a part of his brother's plan.

"Is it wrong to want more?" she said.

Uncrossing his arms, he took a seat next to her.

"Do you have more with Trevor?"

She shook her head.

"Trevor believes that he loves me. But, true love is not real unless it's returned," she tilted her head curiously at him. "Do you agree?"

Elijah's gaze remained on the ground as he thought sadly of his past, all the betrayal and loss he had faced for the sake of this so called love. His eyes flickered back to hers.
"I do not believe in love, Katerina."

She looked back at him in surprise.

"That is too sad for me to accept, my lord."

It was as if the darkness in his eyes were crying out to her, flooding with centuries of grief and sorrow.

"Life is too cruel," she continued.

He listened intently at her words.

"If we cease to believe in love," she went on. "Why would we want to live?"

Elijah smiled at her words. Her sweet, innocent, but naïve words that were so full of hope for love. A love that he never knew. If only she knew she wouldn't live long enough to find that kind of love.

Not with him at least.

---

The familiar creak in the wooden door brought him an odd sense of satisfaction as he walked into the boarding house. Damon took in a deep breath of the old musky smell before letting out a loud sigh.

As he shut the door behind him he couldn't help but holler, "Honey, I'm home!"

There was no response.

"Hmm," he thought to himself.

He began to scour each room.

The living room was in a mess: books were scattered on the table and floor, while old clothes and blankets were thrown onto the couches. Checking the kitchen he saw the sink filled with dishes and the table set for one. He quickly checked the other rooms, but they all seemed completely untouched.

He slowly walked down stairs until he was standing in front of the fireplace.

Where could she be?

He thought about waiting it out until she came back, but the spell connecting him with Liv would be probably be over by then. If he was going to come back alive with Bonnie, they'd need to find the other Ascendant and get the fuck out before Kai found them. But he couldn't figure out where she might go.

Damon eyed the books spewed all over the floor and began to flip through them. Reading through them, they referenced a wide range of topics from how to tie magic to a totem, how to manipulate spells so they use less energy, or how to unhinge a magical tether. None of it made sense. Why would Bonnie be looking through this stuff if she got rid of her magic months ago?

He threw the last of the books into a sloppy pile and groaned. Time was ticking, and every minute he wasted here felt like an eternity. He slumped onto the couch before sitting back up. It seemed oddly uneven. He frowned and dug his arm into the cushions until he pulled out a notebook.

What was this? Some kind of princess and the pea trick?

He frowned as he flipped through the notebook in his hands. He immediately recognized it as Bonnie's handwriting. He decided to skip to the last entry.

It read:

Dear Diary,

The dreams are becoming more real. Every night I feel like everything is becoming clearer, as if she's pulling me to the truth. I know what she wants me to do and I know that it's probably the right thing to do. But I can't bring myself to do it. I'd be betraying my friends and everyone I love…

It's been five months since I've been sent to this prison and I hate it. I absolutely hate it. I need to get out. I need to be free. Kai's been restless lately and I fear he'll find out the truth. I fear he'll find out that I found a way to leave.

My ticket home is waiting for me on an island in a deep, dark cave that I have long forgotten…

Damon dropped the dairy and raced out the door, grabbing the bear on his way out.

I never thought I'd ever come back there, but I see now it's my only hope…

He ran into the driveway to find his blue 1969 Camaro waiting for him. Reaching under the car, he pulled the keys from below where he always hid them and unlocked the car.

I'll need to do this without Kai knowing because I can't bring him with me. He needs to stay here. This prison was made for him…

He revved up the engine, letting the car roar into life.

I think it's about time I go back to Nova Scotia…

Damon drove out of the driveway and onto the road.

I think it's about time I go back home… - B

---

Walking up the steps of the narrow stairway, she felt an uneasy feeling building up in the pit of her stomach threatening to implode. She knew it was probably unwise to leave their home, but she couldn't stand to stay inside the confines of her brother's house.

Poor Elijah, stuck at home alone with Hope. It wouldn't be long before he'd realize his sister had left, but by then it would be too late. Too late to stop her from doing what she needed to do. She felt a pang of guilt surge through her already upset stomach.

It felt wrong to do this. But she felt that she had no other options. If she followed through with Klaus' plan, she feared death was waiting around the corner. If she was back in her vampire body, she'd be a little more willing. But due to her current situation, her life expectancy wasn't looking to good.

She stood in front of the painted wooden door and lightly knocked.

"Coming!" a voice called from inside.

They'd forgive her right? I mean, they did say "always and forever".

The door opened partially to reveal a confused blonde.

"Can I help you?" Camille asked looking at the strange woman in front of her door.

She gave her a small smile.

"I know this might be hard to believe right now," she began. "But it's me. Rebekah."

The blonde's eyes grew wide in realization.

"Rebekah? Is it really you?"

Rebekah nodded.

Camille opened the door wider and ushered her in.

"Come, come in."

---

"We were having a bonfire out by the lake," Jackson began.

His eyes were open, but he didn't stare at anything in particular and his face showed no emotion.

Despite the amount of herbs, they inhaled, Hayley still stared back at him knowingly. Although her mind would fade in and out, but she could hear his words loud and clear as if the truth was screaming above everything else.

"We were having a couple of beers, playing some drinking games. Y'know, the kind of stupid things that teenagers do because they're young, naïve, and just looking for fun," he went on. "We were drunk. Man, we were so drunk. And one of the other boys decided to pick a fight with Oli because he had been eyeing his girlfriend or something."

Hayley stared at his dazed brown eyes. She could feel it. The anger he felt for that night. She could feel his rage even before he finished his story.

"They started ganging up on Oli, shoving him," he said. "Grabbing him by the arms and punching him in the gut. I had to stop them. He was spitting blood everywhere."

He paused, his glazed eyes shifting slightly to look directly at Hayley's. She caught her breath.

"I didn't mean to kill them."

Hayley nodded.

"I didn't mean to kill them," he repeated. "I pushed. That's all I did, I pushed the guy away and tripped over the log and fell… he fell," he said more confidently. "He fell and he hit his head."

His fists were clenched and shaking on his lap.

"But I didn't kill him."

Hayley stared back at him, unable to formulate words. Looking into his eyes she saw the pain and guilt in his eyes, the years of torment it must've haunted him since that day. The moment he looked away, she was suddenly pulled back to her state of daze. Mary walked over and rubbed Jackson's shoulder.

"Very good, Jackson," she said. She looked up to Hayley. "Miss Marshall."

Hayley's eyes flicked to Jackson's grandmother nervously.

"Why don't you share how you triggered your curse?"

---

Caroline stood under the lamp light, her boots nuzzling the cement. The sun was slowly setting in the distance where spews of pinks and oranges streaked through the sky overhead. She had turned off her phone long ago because she didn't want any distractions or any lingering thoughts. She had made up her mind. She was going to do this. She had to.

"Caroline," said a soft voice.

Caroline turned to face Liz. She was dressed in a grey sweatshirt, jeans, and a pair of sneakers. She looked thinner, her cheek bones protruding more than usual. Just the look of her made Caroline upst. She ran up and hugged her mother.

"Is something wrong, hon?" Liz asked as she uncertainly hugged Caroline back.

Caroline shook her head as she held onto her tighter.

"Everything's wrong."

"You're being silly, Caroline," Liz chuckled. "Not everything's wrong."

Caroline pulled away and Liz could see the tears in her eyes. Liz looked at her sadly.

"Oh honey," she placed her hand on Caroline's shoulder. "What's wrong? Really, what is it?"

They moved to a nearby bench, and Caroline positioned herself to face Liz. She pulled Liz's hands in hers.

"After what happened yesterday," she started. "I've been thinking–"

"Caroline, hon, I can assure you. I'm fine. It was just a minor–"

"Yes, I understand that and I don't care if it was just some minor relapse or whatever. That's not the problem," Caroline explained. "It doesn't matter if you have two, three, four more of those and still come back alive."

Liz looked at her confused. "Caroline, I don't–"

"It's not the minor relapses that are bothering me, nor the fact that the medication isn't helping you." Caroline paused. "What's bothering me the most is that even if the medication works, even if the treatments help and even if you survive to live another three months…it's never going to change that at some point or another, I'm going to lose my mom."

Liz went to open her mouth to say something, but pressed them back together. She could see the helpless in Caroline's eyes as she stared back at her and couldn't find the words to tell her it was going to be okay because in all reality, was it really okay?

"The truth is, I'm selfish," Caroline said. "I'm so selfish. Some kids aren't even lucky enough to have known their mother or to have one that loves them so much, but I am. I have you and I'm selfish."

"Caroline…"

"And it's because I'm selfish that I don't ever want to lose you," she went on, tears slowly beginning to gather in her eyes. "Because if I did, I don't know what I'd do. I want you to be there for when I graduate college and when I nail my first job. I want you to be there when I move into my first apartment and when I get engaged. I want you to be there when I get married, walking me down the aisle. I want you there for it all. I need you there–"

Liz pulled her into a hug as Caroline sobbed into her shoulder.

"I'm so sorry, Caroline," Liz cried softly. "I'm so, so sorry, hon."

Liz held onto her tightly, letting Caroline's fingers curl around her back as she clung to her desperately as if trying to grab every ounce of life that was leaving her body.

Caroline gathered herself once more, wiping the remaining tears from rolling down her cheek and reached into her pocket. She looked down hesitantly into her hand before clasping her fingers around it. She glanced back up at her mother.

"I want you to live," she said. "I want you to live for me. So you can keep being with me. So you can be here for all those things. I'm not ready to lose my mom, to be honest, I don't think I ever will be. But I need you alive, so…"

She pressed her clasped hand into Liz's, revealing a glass vial containing her blood.

"Please take this," Caroline urged. "It's the only thing that's going to heal you. After the blood leaves your system, you'll be just as new. You can go back to working at the station and you won't have to go to the hospital."

Liz turned the vial in her fingers.

"Please take it," Caroline pleaded.

Liz looked back up to her daughter with the same longing. She nodded.

"I don't want to die either, hon," she admitted, a tear still in her eye. "But I'm afraid."

Caroline nodded.

"I'm afraid too, mom."

Liz glanced back down at the vial. She pressed her fingers around the edge of the black stopper and loosened it. The smell of her own blood filled Caroline's sense as she waited tentatively for her mom to drink it.

"I promise," Caroline said. "You'll feel much better."

---

He remembered Katherine rushing past him. He grasped her arm, pulling her back to him.

"Katerina, what is wrong?" Elijah asked.

But the moment he saw her face, and saw the complete fear in her eyes, he knew.

"What did he do?" he growled.

Katerina rushed into Elijah's arms making him jump in surprise as she dug her face into his chest whimpering. She desperately tried to drown away the horrors she had seen. His initial anger melted away, but the concern was still there.

"What did Niklaus do to you?" he asked again.

Katerina shook her head, "He-he didn't do anything."

"Then why're you shaking?"

She froze, her arms suddenly rigid around him.

"I…" she said in a barely audible voice. "I saw him."

"And?"

"At first, I thought he was having indiscretions with another woman and I was prepared to intrude, but then…" she gulped. "I… I saw him bite her neck…"

Elijah stiffened. She knows.

"There was so much blood…and his eyes…oh his eyes were so red, and she was screaming. Oh Elijah, she was screaming so much!"

She smothered his face back into his chest, sobbing at the remembrance of the awful scene. Her fingers tightly gripped his clothes.

Elijah lifted his hand and brushed her ruffled hair away from her perfect face. Tears were still strewn over her cheeks, and he hated Niklaus for frightening her. Taking his thumb, he wiped her tears away gently. She then placed her hand over his.

Elijah paused.

There was a bruise on the side of her hand where little droplets of blood were clotting around miniscule cuts. Elijah's throat began to feel parched as if he hadn't fed in centuries. The small drum of her veins pulsating ricocheted in his ears as he stared hungrily down at them.

BA-BUMP. BA-BUMP. BA-BUMP. BA-BUMP.

"Oh," Katerina pulled her hand away. "I-I fell while I was running away. Clumsy me, I suppose."

But Elijah didn't respond, his eyes were still firmly fixated on her hand as she gingerly rubbed it.

BA-BUMP. BA-BUMP. BA-BUMP. BA-BUMP.

"Elijah?" she called again.

But he didn't hear a thing. Just the perfect red and blue veins under her perfect white skin.

Elijah…Elijah…Elijah…

His name seemed to echo in an endless abyss, but her blood seemed timeless. The elixir to his very existence, the holy grail of all eternity, and all he had to do was have a taste.

BA-BUMP. BA-BUMP. BA-BUMP. BA-BUMP.

Katerina took a step back pulling Elijah back from his daze. Her eyes were wide and her mouth agape as she took another.

"Katerina, what is wro–"

Elijah felt the tips of his canines' push against his bottom lip and the veins under his eyes surge ravenously.

Oh no.

"Wait, Katerina, I can explain!" he exclaimed.

But it was too late, Katerina dashed away in a mad fright leaving him alone in the hallway. Even as his teeth retracted and the veins under his eyes disappear, he could still feel the insatiable desire to feed on her.

BA-BUMP. BA-BUMP. BA-BUMP. BA-BUMP.

He ran after her.

---

"I was fifteen when it happened," she started. "I was living with my adopted parents at the time, and we moved around a lot, so I didn't have a lot of friends."

Jackson looked back her with understanding and willed her to go on, but Hayley wasn't sure she even could. She turned her eyes away to stare out the window to steer far from knowing eyes that seemed to pry at her.

The sun had already set, so only the moon lighted up the blue and black sky outside. Her eyes searched sadly past the window, looking for fragments of a past she didn't want to talk about.

"But the longest I ever stayed in one area was almost a full year," she continued. "I came in the middle of the fall and lasted till almost the end of the summer."

"I had these friends. I know, shocker," she laughed half-heartedly. "These two friends that stuck it out with me the whole year. They weren't exactly the greatest crowd to be around, we had cigarettes and alcohol almost every night. But they were mine, y'know. They were my family more than the one I was adopted into."

Hayley's hands began to shake uncontrollably, so she squeezed them between her thighs. But she struggled suppress the tears that were beginning to well-up in her eyes. She shook her head defiantly as if it would fight off the tears that desperately wanted to fall.

"We used to hang out on one of my friend's boats," she managed to say. "It wasn't anything too fancy. Just an old crabbing boat that his grandpa used to use. Whenever we'd go out to drink, we'd drive it out to the middle of the lake and share a couple bottles of liquor and a cigarette."

She caught her breath, feeling the shakiness in her voice as she tried to compose herself. She closed her eyes, her lashes pushing the tears down her cheeks. It was as if she could see it happening all over again:

The worst night of her life.

"It was a boating accident," she said. "And I was really drunk. Somehow I managed to get to the steering wheel and start the engine…before my friends even realized what I had done, the boat was already veering forward. And…and they tried to stop me, I remember, they had their hands on the wheel…everything just happened so fast and before I knew it, we had crashed into the dock."

She paused. She tried really hard to hold back the tears, but she couldn't help it. She placed her hands over her face and wept as she continued to speak.

"And my friend's body crashed through the window…and he was just sprawled over the hood of the boat and I didn't know what to do, but I was so scared. I was so scared," she cried. "I jumped out of the boat and managed to find my way to the nearest house and tell them what happened, but it was too late, my friend was dead."

She began to sob uncontrollably, rubbing her hands roughly against her face, trying to wipe away the relentless guilt she wore.

"I swear I didn't mean to kill him," she wept. "I swear; it was a boating accident. We were drunk. It was a boating accident, an honest mistake…"

Memories of seeing the disappointment and disgust on her parents and her friends' parents face plagued her mind. Their scrutiny stabbing her incessantly with blame. It was her fault their kid was dead. It was all her fault. She was negligent and naïve. She couldn't even face her other friend that survived, not when their friend was still dead. And after her first transformation, a night full of utter confusion, pain, and agony, she was cast away as a freak and a monster.

So she ran. She ran as fast as she could, and she never looked back.

She felt a hand tug at her arm. She peaked through her fingers to see that it was Jackson. He was bent down on one knee, looking at her with concern.

"Hey, hey, it's okay," he assured her. "It's okay. You don't have to say anything more."

Hayley sniffled miserably before resting her hands back down on her lap before Jackson grasped them in his and rubbed them soothingly.

"It's okay," he repeated. "It's okay."

---

It was finally dark. After hours of hiding in the back of an ambulance truck, he could finally take a step outside. Even after feeding relentlessly over countless bags of blood, his mind still pounded mercilessly.

BUM! BUM! BUM! BUM! his head beat.

But he needed to see her. He needed to see her now.

He pushed past the brush of a leafy bush, he could see her sitting on a bench with another woman. One sniff and he could tell she was human. He could hear her little heart beating weakly inside her chest, working tirelessly to pump blood into her veins.

Blood…he needed more of it. He needed more of it now.

He stepped forward and blonde vampire's eyes immediately averted to his direction. She stood up and pushed the woman behind her, and hissed, fangs protruded and eyes fiery red.

BUM! BUM! BUM! BUM!

Daniel emerged from the bushes all bloodied and bruised. His skin was now a sickish pale grey and thin. He looked worse than he did when he was human. Blood stains covered the whole front of his shirt and dripped down to his chin.

Once he stood under the lamp light, Caroline paused.

"Daniel?" she said.

BUM! BUM! BUM! BUM!

"You did this to me," he grunted angrily, his teeth barred. "You did this to me!"

"I don't understand?" she said confused. "What's wrong with you? Why do you look like…that?"

"One moment, I was as healthy horse and then the next moment, I'm choking out blood!" he cried. "And now I have this craving for blood all the time!"

"Blood…" she said under her breath. Caroline's eyes grew wide. "Oh no…you're a vampire!"

BUM! BUM! BUM! BUM!

Daniel didn't respond, instead he had his hands on his temples, scratching at the sides of his head. Caroline turned back to her mom in horror and then back at Daniel who was bending over gasping for air.

Caroline rushed towards him.

"What's wrong?" she asked, grasping his shoulders.

BUMBUMBUMBUMBUMBUMBUMBUMBUMBUM…

"Make it stop!" he cried. "Please make that damn noise stop!"

"What noise? I don't hear anything?"

BUMBUMBUMBUMBUMBUMBUMBUMBUMBUM…

"Oh please just make it stop!" he wailed into the sky.

BUMBUMBUMBUMBUMBUMBUMBUMBUMBUM…

"Daniel, there's nothing!"

His vision was going red and everything seemed to blur into one. His thoughts felt scattered as if he couldn't get a grasp of this reality. And the more he tried to claw the beating from his head, the louder it boomed in his ears. He wanted to scream louder, but he knew he wouldn't be able to hear himself.

BUMBUMBUMBUMBUMBUMBUMBUMBUMBUM…

His droopy eyes moved away from her blue ones and stared daringly at the frightened woman on the bench.

One thing remained certain in the chaos that raged in his mind: he was hungry.

He lurched forward, shoving Caroline aside.

Liz screamed.

---

It was midnight by the time he found her sitting under the cherry trees in the garden, leaves littered at her feet and rips at the ends of her dress. She was sobbing profusely and breathing heavily.

As he took a step forward, she immediately jumped up from her seat, clutching a sharpened branch.

Elijah emerged from the darkness, his hands raised as he walked towards her slowly. Her hands shook uncontrollably as she watched him make every step. The moon's dim light illuminated the fear in her eyes as she stared back at him.

"Don't take another step forward," Katerina said bravely. "I'm warning you."

"Is that a threat, Miss Katerina?" Elijah asked slightly amused.

She scowled at him. "Don't ridicule me, my Lord. I know what I saw and I know what you are."

"I never said I didn't believe you. I know what you saw," he said calmly. "So now what?"

Katerina stood up straight, grasping the stick more confidently.

"I'm leaving," she stated. "I'm taking a carriage and I'm getting out of here."

"And where will you go?" he asked.

"Away from you," she spat.

"I'm afraid you won't make it very far, Miss Katerina," he said.

Elijah took a step forward again and grasped the tip of the stick firmly. She flinched back and tried to pull the stick away from him, but he held on before easily plucking it from her hands.

Katerina gasped and shoved him roughly, but Elijah grabbed her arms. She pounded his chest with her fists in defiance until he shook her.

"Don't you see," he exclaimed. "We're vampires, Katerina! We're faster and stronger at everything. Even if you managed to get away from me and get a carriage out of the castle, it would only be a matter of hours until Niklaus captures you."

"But why me?" she cried. "Why must I stay?"

"It's because you're the doppelganger."

"What…" she said breathlessly.

He looked down at her regretfully, her brown eyes showing the confusion and fear she felt. Of course, she didn't know. She was a victim to something she had no control over. In the end she was helpless, left with no choice but be used at his brother's disposal. He pitied her, so weak and naïve.

"You're the doppelganger Niklaus needs to break his curse," he said again. "He's going to use you as a sacrifice."

Katerina's eyes grew even wider at his words, her mouth agape in shock.

"Sacrifice," she whispered under her breath.

Elijah nodded.

"He's going to…kill me…"

Elijah nodded again.

"I'm going to die…"

Katerina's arms fell to her side helplessly. She lowered her eyes and tried to stifle her tears while her body shook uncontrollably.

Elijah lifted her chin to face him, her eyes refusing to meet his.

"Katerina," he spoke. "I don't wish this fate upon you."

Her eyes narrowed as she scowled.

"But if that were true, you never would've invited me to stay. You never would've introduced me to your brother."

She freed her chin her grasp and glared back at him with an unfamiliar ferocity.

"True," he said. "But that was before I got to know you."

"But what's changed, Elijah?" she pushed. "You know who I am now and yet I'm still going to fall victim to your brother's schemes."

"I'm in love with you, that's what's changed," he said.

Elijah paused. What did he just say?

"What…" Katerina said barely over a whisper.

He stared back her dumbfounded and flabbergasted, his cool demeanor stripped. He wet his lips nervously.

"I…Miss Katerina…"

"You're in love with me."

It was more like a statement than a question, but she just wanted to hear him say it one more time to make sure she knew what she heard.

He went to say something, but the words slipped through his tongue and he remained speechless. He sighed as he stared back at her, and then she knew.

She moved towards him hesitantly, one step at a time, until there was only a foot between them, her eyes never leaving his.

She stared back at him squarely and said in a firm voice, "If what you say is honest, that you really love me, my Lord…You will do whatever you can to assure my safety."

He could sense a tinge of demand in her words as if she were going to manipulate his feelings for her to save herself. But he pushed those thoughts aside. Not Katerina. Not sweet, innocent Katerina. She would never do that.

"I have," he explained. "I have been to see the witches and they believe they may have found a way to save the doppelganger."

Katerina let out a breath of relief.

"I'm relieved to hear that," she managed to say.

He ran his finger over her cheek, brushing away a loose curl from her face and looked at her longingly.

"I will never have my brother harm you," he mumbled. "Never."

Katerina lightly pressed the tips of her fingers on his perfectly sculpted jawline and ran her finger over its edges. He was beautiful she had to admit, like the princes renowned in stories. It was like a fairytale: a handsome prince falling for a poor woman. But this one was far darker than any story she ever heard.

She inched closer.

"So now what," she whispered, her face dangerously close to his.

"I will tell Niklaus of the witches' discovery and spare your life," he said.

His attention was fixed on her pink lips and the way she hesitantly bit them as she stared back at his.

"And then what."

Katerina could see the dark veins from before appear under his eyes again. The same hungry look that wished only to consume every ounce of her.

She inched even closer.

"You'll be saved."

She was only centimeters away now.

But she took a deep breath and said, "Good."

She closed the gap and pressed her lips over his feeling the soft firmness of his lips. She kissed him uncertainly until she felt his lips part and his tongue sneak a way into her mouth. She gasped at his boldness, but moaned when his hands were pressed against the side of her face, deepening the kiss.

This was no fairytale story. If she didn't play her cards right, she could end up dead.

---

Klaus charged through the door of his home moving swiftly to the dining room area where Elijah casually sat drinking a glass of wine. Just as Klaus swung open the windowed doors, Elijah cocked an eyebrow to his brother and looked at him unsurprised.

"Welcome home, brother," he said half-heartedly. "I presume today's affairs went well."

Klaus scowled.

"I am no mood for your sarcasm, Elijah," Klaus growled as he fumbled to pour himself a drink. "On the contrary, things did go fairly well."

"So the human faction has agreed to the terms?"

"My terms," he corrected. "Yes, they have. Where's Rebekah?"

"I'm here, Nik," Rebekah grumbled from behind. "No need to yell."

"And just where have you been?" he asked skeptically.

"Oh stop being so suspicious, Nik," Rebekah frowned. "I was out for a walk. Being imprisoned here is cutting my lifespan in half. If I wanted to die, I would've staked myself sooner."

Klaus rolled his eyes.

"And what of Hayley? Where is she?"

"She's still in the bayou doing their dog trials with her fiancé."

Elijah cringed uncomfortably.

Klaus downed the rest of his drink before setting it down on the dining table restlessly.

"We have a problem on our hands," he said.

"A handful of humans are hardly a problem," the older Mikaelson mused.

"They aren't," Klaus snapped. "But I was ambushed while I was leaving. I'm afraid there's another human faction targeting us."

"Is that so."

"Yes, it appears so," Klaus rubbed his temples. "They call themselves The Council."

"Not exactly the cleverest name I've heard. They're probably nothing more than a bunch of rowdy, wannabe vampire slayers," Rebekah scoffed. "Have you already forgotten Mystic Falls?"

"No, this one's different, bigger even," Klaus said gravely. "They're supposed to be the leading faction of all the councils that oversee the whereabouts of vampires and their extermination."

"Extermination," Elijah said dubiously. "And after living for a thousand years, this is the first time we hear of this-this elusive group?"

"My thoughts exactly," Klaus said as he began to walk back-and-forth. "The information I was given was rather vague in telling. All I know is that they're supposedly the master ring leader in all the council affairs."

"That's ridiculous," Rebekah scoffed. "I have never heard such a thing before."

"Besides," Elijah added. "We have more pressing matters now; Rebekah's body switch, Kol's witch, Hayley's wedding, and our big brother's eternal damnation. At this time, humans are the least of our problems."

"I agree, but we can't stand idly by while they plot our extermination," Klaus grumbled as he thumbed his chin as he thought. "It's a hassle, but I can have someone look into it for the time being while we deal–"

Klaus paused when he heard the creak of the wooden door open from the main entrance. He eyed his siblings and motioned them to follow him. They looked at each other together before following after him. They moved out of the dining room and it wasn't until they had reached the courtyard that Rebekah could finally hear the heavy breathing of someone at the gate. When they stood squarely in front of the entrance, they froze.

"Kol?" Rebekah gasped.

Kol was leaned against the wall, hunched over. His skin was sickly yellow and red rims lined his eyes. Fresh blood slowly oozed from his nostrils, overlapping the dried up blood under. His heavy eyes looked up at them with loss hope, before he collapsed to the ground.

"Kol!" Rebekah yelped.

She ran towards him and rested his head on her lap. Elijah and Klaus joined her, looking down at him in confusion.

"What's wrong with him?" Elijah asked.

Klaus knelt down next to his sister and studied Kol's body. He pressed his fingers against his wrist to feel his brother's pulse. Weak. He turned it over where a symbol was engraved in his skin: a twisted triangle with a circle that touched every point.

"Nik," Rebekah asked. "Nik, what's wrong with him? What is it?"

Klaus turned the symbol to her and clasped her hand over her mouth.

"He's been hexed."

---

Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip.

Small droplets of blood began to spot the cement in front of Liz's toes. She sat frozen in shock staring at the strange man who tried to kill her. His brown eyes stared at her in fear even though moments ago they were red with thirst. She could hear his struggled breaths as he tried not to choke up in tears and pain.

He mouthed "I'm sorry" before his heart was wrenched out from behind him.

Liz jumped as his body hit the ground. Stefan stood directly behind the man with his heart in his right hand. He tossed it aside and wiped his hand on black pants.

"Thank god, we made it here just in time!" a brunette came running towards them.

Caroline looked towards her two friends in shock, "Elena…Stefan…"

Stefan bent down towards Liz and checked for any injuries.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yes," she nodded. "Thanks."

He smiled before moving to Caroline and Elena.

"I'm glad you guys are safe." Elena hugged Caroline. "I was so worried we wouldn't make it to you in time."

As Elena pulled away she looked at Caroline concerned.

"Caroline?" Stefan asked.

"What…" the blonde paused. "What happened to him…I thought…"

"Caroline," Elena began. "Your blood…killed him."

"But…he was doing so well yesterday and…"

"I know, I thought so too, but when I came back to his room–"

"My blood did this," Caroline said as she looked back Daniel.

"Caroline, it's okay," Elena said. "We'll find something else to help your mom. This was just a mistake. It's not your fault."

"But it is my fault!" Caroline cried. "I gave him my blood and now he's dead, and–" Caroline froze, her eyes wide. She quickly turned to her mom. "No…"

"What Caroline, what's wrong?" Elena asked.

"Oh no, no, no, no, no, no, no."

"Hey." Stefan grasped Caroline's arm and she looked up at him. "What's wrong?"

She looked away shamefully and tried to swallow her tears, but she still couldn't bring herself to tell them.

Liz stepped forward. Elena and Stefan glanced back at her. She held out her hand to reveal and empty vial with red tint on the inside.

In a lowered voice she said, "She gave me her blood."

---

They had been walking in the dark tunnel for what seemed like hours. It was cold and wet inside, and the air was heavy. Jeremy's torch was at the brink of burning out for the third time before they finally began to see a faint light ahead. Matt and Jeremy looked at each other before hurrying forward.

As they neared the light source, the further down it went until they were standing in front of a locked door. Matt moved his torch closer to the door as he felt the edges, feeling for a trigger or lever of some sort, but there was only a lock.

"A door, huh, that's weird," Matt said.

"What do you suppose it leads to?" Jeremy asked.

Matt shrugged, "Let's find out."

He set his torch against the wall and lay flat on his stomach to peak under the door where the light was seeping from. Jeremy did the same.

"What do you see?" Jeremy asked.

"I don't know. I'm not even sure I can see anything exactly."

It was as if a fog was flowing out from underneath the door while the light blinded them. Matt squinted his eyes more to try to focus his vision. He rubbed his eyes and blinked, but when he opened them he jumped back.

"Holy shit! What the fuck! What the fuck!" Matt yelled.

"What the hell? What is it?" Jeremy joined him.

"Let's get the hell outta here."

Matt grabbed his torch and booked away while Jeremy scrambled after him.

He couldn't believe what he had seen. He wasn't even entirely sure what he saw was really what was there, but it frightened him. It frightened him to the core and made his bones grind against each other, it made his nerves shake and his throat grow coarse.

All he knew was that whatever was locked away behind that door was alive and staring right back at him…

---

Yes, yes I'm back...ish. I think. I'm not sure. I keep saying I'm back and then I go through long breaks between chapters. But I'd really like to think that I'm back it, especially with all this new Klaroline news for a crossover finally!

I'll have you guys know that this is the longest chapter I've written for Hallucinations. I feel like I've said that every single time I've updated...they literally just get longer and longer every time. Maybe that's why it takes me so long to update nowadays? That and the fact that I'm busy applying for colleges. Fun fact about the author (me): I"m applying for UCLA and UCI and UW to pursue a degree in creative writing. I'd like to get into UCLA since I know they have a Film and Television program that I'd like to be in since I want to be a screenwriter, but it's really tough to get in, especially if you're from out of state... but fingers crossed!

Anyways...

So I know I didn't include a Klaroline moment...I know... don't hate me... it literally could've been the least I could do since I haven't updated in so long, but I couldn't find a good way to integrate it into the story without it feeling out of place, so maybe next chapter? But I did include Kalijah moments if that compensates for something? I know it seems like Katerina is super innocent and sweet in the beginning, but I wanted to introduce her manipulative side when she kisses Elijah. I know. Don't hate me. But I'd like to think that Katerina discovered her allure and badassness when she was first faced with death by the Mikaelson brothers, so I thought I'd include a little something-something.

I also decided to include a backstory for Hayley and Jackson. In TO season 2 they talked about how they had to tell each other stuff in a cabin with herbs, but they never actually showed what they said which is kind of a bummer because that would've been the perfect time to build up a history and some sympathy for these random characters. So BAM! I gave them each a back story, trust me, there will be more.

I know a lot of people were against the whole Caroline giving her mom her blood, but it had to happen... otherwise Caroline would continue to search for cure for her mom when we all know, none exist. In the end, we can all agree that at some point or another, Caroline was going to give Liz vampire blood eventually.

Lastly, I'd just like to apologize for my absence. I know I have a duty to my readers, to my otp, and to this story to do them justice and I intend to do just that. I have everything planned out, I just don't have the time. I might have to resort to posting once a month, but I'll make it happen. I really want to get this story out there and I don't want to disappoint. So I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, I promise to post more!

Until next time!

P.S. I'm going to be in that Klaroline video they're making! I presented my Klaroline phonecase that I customized myself, so keep an eye out for that!

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Chapter Question: What do you think is behind that locked door?

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