The end of the affair.
I woke up to Ruby licking my cheek in the backseat of the car, my jaw dropped. We were long gone from Tennessee.
"Welcome to Chicago." Klaus beams as the car comes to a stop. I stare up at the buildings in awe as we climb out the car, I attached Ruby's leash to his color and set him on the ground.
"What are we doing here?" I asked, I wasn't complaining, I was pretty damn excited, I hadn't really traveled much so every new sight was amazing.
"I know how much Stefan loved it here." Klaus grinned while Stefan looked far from impressed."Bringing back memories of the good ol ripper days."
My smile dropped and I felt my skin crawl a bit, the last thing either of us needed to be reminded of was Stefan's psychotic days.
I stared at Stefan for a second, I was supposed to believe this guy with the hero hair was a monster deep down? But then it made sense as to why he tried so hard to be good…
"Blacked out most of them, a lot of blood. A lot of partying, the details are all a blur." Stefan shrugged, he looked slightly uncomfortable, almost like maybe the details weren't all a blur.
"Well that's a crying shame. The details are what makes it legend." Klaus said, he placed his arms around both of our shoulders and led us down the street."Word was the ripper of Monterey got lonely, so he escaped to the city for comfort. It was the prohibition. Everything was off limits so it made everything fun."
Klaus had this dream-like look on his face almost as if he was reliving a flashback, Stefan & I looked at each other curious of what was going on in that little hybrid head of his.
"Earth to the hybrid." I waved my hands in front of his face, he blinked for a second and his smile returned.
"Chicago was magical."
"We'll take your word for it." Stefan replied over the conversation." I don't remember most of it and she wasn't alive."
"A shame." Klaus commented, shaking his head."Ready to get to business?"
"Why are we still here?" Stefan asked frustratedly, and he had a point. We were helping Klaus make Hybrids and they all died." We had our fun, your hybrids failed, don't you want to move on ?"
"I'm traveling the US for free."I shrugged, I truthfully had no problems with not having to pay for a thing. I had no idea if Stefan expected for Klaus to just let us go and not keep an eye on us? His ripper and his witch ? Absolutely dumb. And Klaus was not that.
"We're going to see my favorite witch." Klaus said, I stopped walking and overdramatically let my jaw drop." The two of you together can definitely figure out this hybrid problem."
"Nice save." I replied scoffing, I shook his arm off my shoulders and walked ahead of the two of them."But I guarantee if you give me a nice quiet space I can figure it out without her."
"That shouldn't be too hard to find, but I want you to meet her first. Pick her witchy brain." Klaus replied. We finally arrived in front of the bar, it had Gloria's written on the front and Stefan stared at it in awe.
"I can't believe this place is still here." Stefan says as we walk inside, my eyes immediately meet the eyes of a beautiful woman with brown skin; she doesn't look too much older than my dad.
"You've got to be kidding me." She beams at Klaus as she strolls up to us.
"So a hybrid walks into a bar, he says to the bartender.." Klaus says, Gloria and I roll our eyes at his corny joke.
"Stop. You may be invincible but that doesn't make you funny." She scrunched up her face, I liked her already. She was beautiful and funny. She looked at Stefan and a look of recognition flashed on her face."I remember you."
"Yeah, you're Gloria. Shouldn't you be." Stefan trails off. I got a bigger witch boner for the lady. She was able to slow her aging down so much that she looked like she wasn't anywhere close to retirement age.
"Old and dead? Now if I was, who's gonna run this place?" She asked, raising an eyebrow, her eyes cut back to me. I knew she could tell I was a witch but she looked like she noticed something else."I've never met you before, although there's something about you that feels familiar."
"I'm a Bennett." I shrugged, Gloria looked a bit impressed before a lightbulb went off in her head.
"You're related to Sheila."
"How did you?"
"I attended a lot of marches and protests with her back in the day." Gloria smiled fondly."What's your first name?"
"Alicia."
I stared at Gloria, she was much more than meets the eyes. Klaus sent Stefan off to the bar to make some drinks, I sat down in a stool beside them knowing it was pointless to venture off when I had a job to do.
"You look ravishing by the way." Klaus complimented Gloria through her hand up toward him, silencing him.
"Don't. I know why you're here. A hybrid out to make more hybrids? Word travels fast." She replied.
"So what am I doing wrong?" He asked, I got bored of their conversation pretty quickly. I got up from my seat and went over to Stefan. He was staring at the pictures on the wall.
"You two know each other?" I asked, Stefan turned and looked at me confused. I raised my finger and tapped the picture. Stefan's face paled before he plucked it down from the wall.
"What is this?" He asked, immediately going over to Klaus, he showed him the picture and the hybrid laughed.
"I told you Stefan. Chicago is a magical place."
"But this is me with you." He pointed at the picture he was on the verge of losing his mind and Klaus' calm and cool demeanor wasn't helping."This doesn't make any sense. Why don't I remember you?"
I take it the others hadn't discovered an original could compel another vampire just yet? The real question was why would Klaus erase Stefan's memories of their time together?
"You said it yourself, that time had a lot of dark holes." Klaus dismissed, hmm he clearly didn't want to discuss exactly what happened all those years ago either.
"No, if you knew me. Why didn't you say something?" Stefan asked he was getting frustrated and I didn't blame him.
"I'm a little bit busy, memory lane is gonna have to wait. How about you take Alicia here to your little apartment? Give her that tiny quiet place she asked for?" Klaus shrugged it off, Stefan wasn't really in a position to argue.
"What the hell is going on? Answer me." Stefan insisted, I glanced over to Gloria who looked just as curious as I did.
"Let's just say we didn't get off to a brilliant start. To be honest I hated you." He replied nonchalantly. "Let's make a stop and then you will have all the answers you so desperately crave."
My interest definitely peaked at that, but the excitement was short lived when Klaus told me to stay here with Gloria.
I pouted as the two of them left, Gloria may have excited me but that didn't mean I could trust her. She went back to wiping down the bar while I sat down in front of her.
"So you're babysitting?" I asked leaning on my elbows, I had zero intentions of letting her out of my sight.
"How did Sheila's granddaughter get mixed up with Klaus?" She stopped wiping and stared at me leaning forward abit on her hands."I know she taught you to stay out of vampire business."
"It was a favor, a friend of mine was dying. Klaus's blood is apparently the only cure for a werewolf bite." I explained shrugging, Gloria grabbed a glass from behind her and filled it up with what I'm guessing was coke.
"I see." She replied, passing me the glass."There's something about you, I've never sensed so much power before."
"I could say the same about you." I shrugged, taking a sip of the soda, testing it for any weirdness." Why are you helping Klaus?"
I felt my phone vibrate and sighed thankfully, Stefan was considerate enough to keep me in the loop. They'd undaggered Rebekah whom I can't wait to meet, and would be stopping at Stefan's apartment before coming back here. Which meant I was probably stuck with Gloria for at least an hour.
"Probably for the same reason you are. It's about more than helping a friend." She said, I raised an eyebrow confused."You crave power, I've met your type. You'll jump from person to person to stay ahead. Daddy issues?"
"Bitch." I mumbled but she wasn't wrong about me, but I didn't plan on giving her the satisfaction of knowing that."And if that is what I'm seeking?"
"Hey, I'm not judging you. Klaus isn't a bad person to hitch your ship to, once you get past the fact he'll kill you once you stop being useful."
"It's a good thing, Elijah likes me then isn't it." I winked, pushing the cup away from me."And I'm sure Rebekah will too."
"You are playing with fire." She warned." I know Sheila doesn't know anything about this, because if she did you wouldn't be here."
"You're right, she died." I shrugged, I was getting tired of her mentioning my Gramms, I hadn't heard a peep about Gloria but suddenly she's all buddy buddy with Gramm's? Fuck off.
"I'm sorry." She replied, her face softened, she seemed completely genuine.
"Let's just talk about what I'm here for, why do you think the hybrids aren't working?" I asked, I was over it and ready to leave.
"You're the one who casted the spell right?" She asked I raised an eyebrow at her, I technically didn't cast the spell I just kind of supervised and pretended to finish a ritual that Greta had already done.
"No, Greta Maddox did but she's long dead." I crossed my legs and shrugged."I stepped in at the end, from where I was everything seemed correct and he was able to turn into a wolf after."
"And you had all the ingredients? The Doppelganger? A vampire, werewolf and moonstone?" She asked after thinking for a moment, I hummed in agreement." That is weird, there coming back with Rebekah she has a way for me to contact the original witch."
"You mean their mother?" I asked mildly impressed."You could use Klaus to form some sort of link he's her son."
"Rebekah has been wearing her talisman around her neck for centuries, it'll give me a stronger connection than either of them could." She explained. She opened her mouth to say something else but stopped as the door open, I spun the chair around and rolled my eyes.
"What part of stay away did you not get?" I asked annoyed, I couldn't stop myself as I jumped up and wrapped Damon into a hug which he surprisingly returned.
"When have I ever followed directions?" He asked pulling away from me, he looked over at Gloria and whistled.
"Look what the wind blew in, last I heard you hated this place." Gloria said with a big grin.
"Damn, if I knew you'd age like this. I would have stuck around." Damon shamelessly flirted, he moved me to the side of him and gave Gloria a little hug.
"I always did like you better. But I see your brother is still running in the wrong crowd." She replied pouring Damon a drink
"If Alicia's here then you've seen him." He deduced leaning against the bar.
"With Klaus. Bad combo." She replied her hand lingered on the drink, I raised my eyebrow curious if this was yet another person Damon has had sexual relations with.
"Right, is it okay if I take her? I'll have her back before they notice." Damon asked, on the inside I was screaming yes but I didn't know if Gloria was cool or not. The witchy code says she shouldn't rat on me but I also couldn't decide if she should be trusted or not.
"I won't say a word, just have her back before closing if you want to stay alive." She said, Damon smirked and knocked the drink back. He slammed the glass down on the bar and grabbed my arm gently guiding me out of the bar.
"Where the fuck is Elena." I asked as soon as the cool air hit my body." I know you didn't come here alone."
"At Stefan's apartment." Damon replied, the color drained from my face."And she called me while I was in there."
"We have to go, Stefan & Klaus were there." I said, Damon didn't waste a second as he grabbed me and the two of us flashed off, before I knew it we were standing in front of an apartment with the doorknob broken off.
"She's still here." I mumbled, I could sense her and I knew Damon could hear her heartbeat. I hadn't spoken to Elena since the funeral and even then it was brief. I wasn't really sure what to expect coming face to face with her.
Damon pushed open the door and walked inside with me trailing behind him. Elena jumped; she was clutching a vervain dart in her hand. I'm not sure what she thought that would do against Klaus.
I felt a cool breeze and scoffed when I noticed Damon left, leaving the two of us alone.
"You look okay, sun kissed even." Elena commented coldly, I expected it.
"You look older. How was your birthday?" I asked, rocking back and forth on my heels.
"It was good, Care threw me a party at Damon's." She replied."It would've been better if you two were there."
"I know, we're just trying to keep you safe. Which is why I don't get why you are here." I said tapping my foot."Are you trying to get killed?"
"I just want you both back home. I know you think nobody cares about you but that's not true. We were looking for you just as much as we were Stefan." Elena said."I hate how we left things, and constantly worrying if he killed you or not did not help."
"You and Damon need to go home and stay put." I said, grabbing her shoulders."We'll be back when it's safe."
Damon comes back and hands Elena a bag."Make yourself presentable. I know where Stefan will be."
You know, I'm realizing that a simple video chat would be sufficient here.
"I am going to leave before I end up murdered." I shook my head at the two of them."I suggest you both do the same."
"We will." Damon replied which already made me suspicious.
"Okay." I pulled out my phone and typed in Gloria's bar. I wasn't really able to see exactly how far Damon carried me since we were moving at super speed. It would take me twenty minutes to walk back, I growled a bit and started on my long ass walk.
—
I was relieved when I got back to the bar and neither Stefan or Klaus were back yet. Gloria gives me a small smile as I slide back into my original seat right in front of her.
"You made it back."
"Of course, I'm trying to help Damon not get himself killed." I scoffed Gloria poured me another drink and this time I took it.
"He's a bit hard headed but he's got good intentions." She replied."You got back just in time." She whispered I turned around and sure enough Klaus and Stefan were coming back, they both took a seat on either side of me.
Gloria slides them both two beers and looks at Klaus curiously."Where's Rebekah?"
"She'll be here." He replies before taking a sip of his beer." I can't just conjure her. Any luck you two?"
"Nope, we put both our brains together and couldn't think of a reason why." I replied leaning my head onto Stefan's shoulder, I was very much tired and ready to go to sleep."Where's Rudy?"
"In your hotel with a pet sitter. I don't know why I let you bring that thing with us."Klaus huffed although I knew secretly he'd fallen in love with him also.
"What's with you?" I asked Stefan he'd just been drinking and hadn't said a word since they'd sat down.
"This is why you asked me to be your wingman? Because you liked how I killed innocent people?" Stefan asked standing up, I threw my hands up confused while he towered over Klaus.
"Well that's certainly half of it." Klaus replied, pouring his beer into a glass. Their relationship kept me on edge. They were both hot and cold with each other and I was always expecting Klaus to rip Stefan's heart out.
"What's the other half?"
"The other half Stefan, is that you used to want to be my wingman." Klaus replied, I take it I missed part of whatever story Klaus divulged to Stefan other than them being friends I had no other details. Klaus turned his attention to me and pushed my drink into my hand. He held his drink up in the air and smiled lightly."To friendship."
The two of us toasted while Stefan looked irritated. He was struggling with the fact he was missing memories and it showed every time he looked at Klaus.
"So I'm confused. If we used to be such great friends. Why do I only remember you as the Hybrid dick who sacrificed my girlfriend on an altar of fire?" Stefan asked, I choked on my soda at how blunt the question was.
"That did happen, didn't it." I sat the glass down and turned toward Klaus, I intended on catching this part of the story and whatever I missed I could get from Stefan later.
"All good things must come to an end." Klaus said sadly. He'd told us about cops coming into the bar and shooting with wooden bullets, he and Rebekah had to run but not before Klaus compelled Stefan.
"You compelled me to forget." Stefan said finally putting two and two together. I'm not sure why he didn't jump to that conclusion when we found the picture.
"It was time for Rebekah and I to move on. Better to have a clean slate." Klaus explained, it was half assed and you could definitely tell there was more to it but Klaus would never come clean about the rest.
"But why?" I asked, if there was something scary enough to make Klaus run, then I'd like to know what it is so I can get the hell out of dodge too." You shouldn't have to cover your tracks, unless you're running from someone."
"Storytime is over." Klaus replies coldly.
"I need another drink. A real one." Stefan said standing up and walking outside leaving me alone with Klaus, Gloria was busy tending to her customers.
"And then there were two." Klaus commented, he took one look at my tired face and frowned."You know I can have you taken back to the hotel. It's been a long day."
"I'd love to sleep but I'm fine, I'll just think about back home when I'm alone." I replied sadly, it was nice to be constantly moving and have things going on because I didn't have the chance to sit and think about Tyler and Caroline, or how much I miss my sister and even my dad. I missed my bed, I missed reading at Gramm's house. I even missed school.
"This isn't forever you know." He replied."I have no intention of keeping you away from your sister forever."
"I know." I smiled sadly. Klaus stared over my shoulder and I rolled my eyes already knowing what he was looking at.
"I see they've opened the doors to the rift raft now."
"Oh honey I've been called worse." Damon smirked, I watched in awe as Klaus cracked an amused smile. I feel like in another life the two of them would've been best friends.
"You don't give up, do you." I frowned, a part of me was disappointed but another part of me knew I should've expected that Damon would show up here anyway.
"Give me my brother back." Damon said, I cleared my throat mildly amused. He'd conveniently forgotten about me."And Alicia, and you'll never have to see me again."
"Well, I am torn." Klaus said I could already tell this was about to go 0 to 100 real quick." You see, I promised I wouldn't let you die. But how many freebies did I really sign up for? And clearly you want to die."
"Clearly." I agreed, annoyed.
"What can I say? I'm A thrill seeker." Damon replied and before I could even formulate a rebuttal Klaus had grabbed Damon by his neck.
I sighed in relief when I noticed the bar was mostly empty. The few people who were here had their backs turned but I also couldn't just let Damon die right now, Stefan would be pissed.
I heard a sickening crack as Klaus lifted Damon off his feet."Oh dear what was that?" He pulled out a tiny wooden umbrella."I'm a little boozy, so you'll forgive me if I miss your heart the first time."
"Nik." I called out, he turned and looked at me still holding Damon high off the ground."Put him down."
"You do not tell me what to do." Klaus hissed, stabbing Damon in the stomach."Oops that's not it."
"You want a partner in crime? Forget Stefan, I'm so much more fun." Damon choked out, it was definitely true but unfortunately Klaus really liked Stefan.
"You won't be any fun after you're dead." Klaus replied tossing Damon to the floor, he snapped a wooden leg off a chair and stood over Damon about to end his life.
I used my magic to snatch the stake but instead it burst into flames and disintegrated. I turned and saw Gloria. I was extremely relieved I didn't have to intervene.
"Really?" Klaus asked, annoyed he glanced over his shoulder at the blonde who looked just as annoyed.
"Not in my bar. You take it outside." She ordered, I started to move toward them but Gloria caught my arm shaking her head no.
"You don't have to negotiate your brother's freedom. When I'm done with him he won't want to come back." He teased holding Damon against the cold hard floor.
This moment also told me that he was in way too over his head, here he was getting tortured so Elena could spend a few minutes alone with Stefan.
And just like that he let Damon up and with one last look at me Damon left, shortly after Stefan came back inside.
I'm not sure if Klaus was just super annoyed by what happened that he didn't notice Stefan conveniently came back just in time or not but I wasn't gonna say a thing.
"We're gonna go get Rebekah." Klaus said, I had to hide my excitement. Elijah & Klaus scared me shitless but the thought of there being a female Original? That was exciting.
We drove over to the warehouse in peaceful silence. The two of them seemed to be brooding while I was lost in my thoughts. Going to the warehouse meant I'd know exactly where the Originals were which would put me one step closer to getting them all on my side.
Klaus was the first one out of the vehicle with Stefan and me trailing behind him. There was a singular guard laying on the floor, the pool of blood around him showed that she definitely was awake.
"Rebekah, it's your big brother. Come out, come out wherever you are." He says he'd made sure Stefan and I stayed out of sight. Stefan was meant to calm Rebekah down in case she reacted rationally.
Klaus let out a grunt in pain, and I winced at the sound. Whatever she did it definitely hurt.
"Go to hell. Nik." She spat, it wasn't lost on me that his sister was one of the people who referred to him as Nik and he allowed me to do the same.
Something metal clanks against the floor and I'm assuming it's the dagger, I needed to get my hands on one of them. I knew undaggering Elijah was a no go however if I could create some sort of shared place for their consciousnesses to go when daggered that would already win me some favor and give me access to them.
"Don't pout, you knew it wouldn't kill me." Klaus says he has a different kind of softness with Rebekah and it's cute in a way.
"Yeah, but I was hoping it would hurt more." She replied, her accent was different than Klaus's but then again so was Elijah's.
"I understand you're upset with me Rebekah, so I'm going to let that go. Just this once and offer you a peace offering. You can come in." He says, Stefan and I walk out. I keep a good distance away from him so she doesn't get the wrong idea. The last thing I needed was for her to rip my head off.
I took the time to look around, my eyes landed on the other three coffins pretty quickly. I wondered exactly which one was Elijah's.
Rebekah starts tearing up her coffin and I used the distraction to swipe the dagger Klaus had thrown on the floor, I cloaked it as quickly and quietly as I could before stashing it in my boots.
"We need to find it, Nik! I want it back!" She yells, even in her erratic state she was still somehow beautiful. She looked more like Klaus than she did Elijah.
"Tell me that's not what she needs, Rebekah!" Klaus yells back as Rebekah throws her entire coffin on the floor. If there was ever a time to be grateful to blend into the background it was right now.