A/N: Erm, hi there!

First of all, I'm so sorry for my long absence. I do actually have a reasonable reason. A few actually. Things were busy. We had a leak. Like a big one. Like, a sudden indoor swimming pool in my bedroom, and the one adjacent... Well, honestly, al lot of things were no longer repairable when I got home from spending time with friends. And no one noticed because- well, it's my bedroom, so go figure. And it wasn't like my mom was helpful in this situation either. She called me, thinking there was an animal in the house.

Woman, how did the sound of water running down the walls and coming from the ceiling translate into an animal nesting in the wreckage you call a closet?

But, that's not important now, it's not why you guys are here. To hear me bitch (yes, I know I was bitching, I'm sorry) about a sudden bout of bad luck, but I hope you can somewhat understand. I'm back into writing though! Although, there's still a lot to do with the insurance and we have stuff to replace, I feel zen enough (read: powered up, and most importantly slightly irritated, which is the mood you need me in, when you want quick chapters) to write again. Which, is what I will be doing, and I will update this story regularly once again.

Ergo, the newest chapter: I hope you'll all enjoy!

Lots of Love,

Anna!

o.O.o

Chapter Forty-Six, Divine Intervention

The moon stood high in the sky by the time I'd made it inside my bedroom. Bright and sickled, ascending over the trees; pale, ethereal light chanted through the windows as I sat down in front of my vanity. Freshly showered and hair rolled up in a messy bun, wrapped inside a towel, I peered at myself.

I certainly wasn't a pretty sight. My face looked gaunt, color scrubbed from my complexion, my upper lip was gashed and welts and bruises adorned my cheekbones like a terrifying bronzer. A smear of blood still ran from my ear down one side of my neck.

I traced my neck, and the delicate wings of my collarbones, and winced. The rest of my body hadn't faired much better. Both arms were littered with tiny cuts and bruises and my shins looked all kinds of purple and blue.

I turned around in my seat, dropping my bathrobe down my shoulder and I stared. The wing-like bone seemed to be angled naturally, but the tight skin around had started to visibly bruise. It looked worse than any bruise I'd ever seen and my shoulder and arm felt weird. A strange incompleteness had settled in my fingers, but apparently, that was normal according to Doctor Fell.

I turned back towards the mirror and lifted my chin, expecting the stitched gash just beneath my right collarbone. I touched my ruined left ear— it would always be marred and I let my fingers glide across it. It would be mine and strangely I felt good about that. At least, I felt good about something.

"Elena?" Caroline stood ghostlike on the threshold of my room. Her voice was soft and hesitant and she seemed unsure how to hold herself.

I straightened my bathrobe, trying for a soothing smile, "Hi Caroline."

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine," I mumbled, getting up and crossing my room, inching on the edge of my bed.

"How can you be?" She asked, rubbing her hands together. "I don't think I would be."

"Does John know you're here?" I asked evasively, rolling my tongue along the seam of my lips.

"I didn't like the way we left things," she explained evasively and I mentally categorized Caroline's presence here unknown to John. John, who had been terrified, had insisted on a security detail to get back to the Gilbert home; and he had gotten it too. To me, it seemed useless. The Gilbert house was hardly a protected settlement from Klaus, yet, John seemed to feel more at ease.

"Elena?" I blinked, snapping out of my thoughts, and turned to the blonde with a frown.

"Sorry, you were saying?"

"My blood," she explained, "it could heal you."

For a moment I considered refusing. The oxycodone I'd gotten took off the sharp edge not only from the pain but also from my whirling thoughts. However, my shoulder might take months to fully heal and I really, really didn't want to feel like this for weeks or months to go.

"Okay."

She nodded and I drew in a deep breath, trying to inhale and exhale steadily while keeping my eyes on Caroline. She moved towards the adjoined bathroom, taking the glass from the sink. My stomach felt wet and shuddery and when the glass was filled with a swallow of blood, she offered it to me. It reminded me of the day Tyler and Richard Lockwood had been turned and my mouth became dry.

"Just— close your eyes and drink it fast." Caroline encouraged.

I couldn't. I couldn't pretend this wasn't happening. I had been pretending for so long, I wouldn't anymore and I breathed in deeply, my eyes glued on her as I brought the glass to my lips. A metallic taste filled my mouth and I felt nausea spread through my body. I sucked in a hard breath through my nose before swallowing. Pretending it was only an iron supplement I managed to keep it down, even if I couldn't quite stop the shudder that ran through me.

What happened next was hard to describe.

One moment there was an ache in my shoulder, a sharpness around my collarbone, and a strange prickling sensation at my right ear, and the next the pain sank away until it was barely there. Fatigue spurred through my body and I sagged back, falling back on my elbows, my head buzzing, my breath escaping me in a hard wheeze.

"Wow!"

"Yeah," Caroline admitted softly.

"I feel tired," I mumbled, letting my fingers glide over my ear. It was whole again.

"Stefan says that's normal."

"You still see him?" I asked, rolling onto my side. "I don't get why he would want to stay here."

Caroline sat down next to me, catching my hand, pulling it away from my earlobe, and tapped every finger with her thumb and index finger. She held the hand up until my arm was stretched out upwards and the lamplight made my skin reddish, revealing capillaries and veins.

I almost snorted. Right there, beneath my skin lay the powers of my doppelgänger blood. The blood which made people do ridiculous things to get their hands on it. I had no idea what Caroline was thinking aside from that I was dinner, and after a moment, she dropped my hand.

"Perhaps we could meet with Abby tomorrow?"

"Why?" I asked rolling my shoulders and inhaling in satisfaction when I felt no discomfort.

"She can help," Caroline answered, before cocking her head to the side. "I think. See you?"

"Yeah," I agreed and scooted over, "It's fine, you know. If you want to sleep here."

She looked surprised at that. "You're sure?"

I smiled, moving to a sitting position. "I'm sure." And stumbled to the windows, drawing the curtains closed. The way back to the bed went just as subtle and I let my heavy head sink into one of the pillows, the soft mattress absorbing my angles. Caroline sniggered, pulling the duvet over my body, and curling up beside her.

The hours passed in a haze of sweet unreality. I sank in and out of sleep and when I came awake from a nightmare with a gasp, my entire body was stiff. The gruesome scenes from my dreams already fading from my subconscious, but I felt no longer sleepy. However, my body still felt heavy, sluggish, and for a moment I waited until my breathing returned to normal.

Caroline was still asleep, with the comforter wrapped tightly around her she looked like a huge burrito, breathing soundly. For a moment, I stared. Her eternal young face was smoothed out, relaxed, and her hair covered my pillow in a mess of blonde curls. Often, it was easy to forget, but Caroline Forbes was only a child. Still much too young to have gone through all the things she had been through. About to go through things she was much too young for, and I awkwardly averted my eyes.

Rolling over, I sat up, my feet touched the wooden floor and I moved across the bedroom. A heaviness settled into my stomach and leaned against the windowsill, pushing the curtain outside, and stared outside.

Light from a streetlamp oozed through the window and fell onto the floor with a faint glow and partly lit the adjacent bathroom. Licking my lips, I got to my feet again, trailing through the room, fingers running along the glass of several picture frames, and finally stepped outside my bedroom.

I wasn't sure why I was walking down the hallway, or why I started to descend the stairs, clinging to the banister, steadying myself, only that I did. There was a loud hum of conversation coming from the kitchen, the door slightly ajar and I noticed John, Jenna, and Liz all settled around the kitchen island, each holding a glass of what I thought must have been scotch.

They didn't notice me.

Then again, why would they, the hallways were dark, while the kitchen was lit, and, without further ado, I moved forward.

My hand was already on the doorknob when I caught myself.

Was I really going outside?

I knew Klaus was still alive — because Caroline was still alive so that much seemed obvious — but there was no way I could really know Mikeal was gone. My feelings were hardly reliable, but there was an unmistakable pull coming from the outside world. A pull that was hard to ignore and finally, I reached for my jacket, thrown over the umbrella stand near the door, and shrugged it on. John's phone was laying on the cupboard and I reached for that too, turning on the phone flashlight.

"Hello Luv," he greeted me, the moment I stepped out of the door.

He was sitting on the porch swing, looking as if he'd been sitting there for quite a while. As if he'd been waiting for me and I frowned. He'd been the pull and my lips pressed tightly together. Somehow, he had managed to manipulate me even like this. Manipulated the bond we probably shared after my blood had unlocked his curse and I curled my fingers into tight fists.

"Out for a walk?" He asked, seemingly unaware of my rising anger.

"I wanted some fresh air," I answered stiffly.

"Quite dangerous," he offered and a laugh escaped me. It sounded all wrong.

"Everything I do is somehow dangerous. You'd be surprised though, that somehow, I'm almost always okay in the end." I let my eyes flit over his form. He was covered in blood, his own I thought, his henley ripped and covered with deep, dark spots, sickly red-black in the moonlight.

"You look like shit."

"And you look glorious, Luv." He grinned and I felt my fingers twitch. "Did your pretty blonde friend give you some blood?"

"Yes," I agreed and crossed my arms over my chest. "Why are you here? Did you come to keep watch or are you here to take me away?"

"You expected me to."

"I knew you weren't dead. Caroline's alive after all—" I decided, and rolled my tongue along my front teeth. "How did your hybrids fare?"

"Mikeal handled them well enough. However, it seems I'm not that weak after all."

"And where is Mikael?" I asked ignoring the slight buzzing in my ears. "Did you kill him?"

"No."

"You fled," I decided irritably and a savage smile curled his lips up.

"No."

My eyebrows furrowed together. "Than what happened?"

"Your bridge was burned down."

"Ugh, what?" I felt my frown deepen until it started to hurt. "You mean Wickery Bridge?"

"Indeed."

"Mikael knew?"

Klaus waggled his fingers uncaringly. "So it seems. The how escapes me, but he figured it out." His lips curled into a dangerous smirk. "Your family is plotting."

"Of course, they are." I agreed. "Where is Mikael now?"

"Can't you think of something?"

"He's not dead and you didn't run—" and my voice got stuck in my throat, my subconscious supplying the answer, "—you put a dagger into him. It wasn't a stake."

"There's my smart girl."

"Didn't he have a stake?"

Klaus smirk broadened, but it didn't reach his eyes. "He must have left it somewhere when he went to look for you. Did you truly stake my brother?"

"Yes," I agreed, remembering the surprise on Finn's face, bit my lower lip.

"You're upset with me."

"Of course I fucking am!"

He steepled his fingers together, resting his chin on his knuckles. "Explains the flushed face."

I felt my face flush even hotter at that, spreading across my cheeks and forehead. Even my nose felt hot, and I ground my jaw. "I know you compelled Caroline to stay away. Why would you do that? I've been compliant. I've not, not even once, and we both know I could have, double crossed you."

"I had to."

I snorted. The backs of my eyes, along with my throat and chest burned. I wasn't sure why all of this felt so much like a betrayal. Perhaps I'd expected some common decency when I treated him with the same. Or perhaps frustration was brewing all too strongly beneath my skin and I chewed on the inside of my left cheek. "You didn't have to." And then another laugh escaped me. "God, I am so incredibly naive." And then my face became tight with decision. "I'm not going with you though."

"Oh," he asked, his voice almost amused, "Are you not?"

"No." I snapped and held his gaze. "No, you're going to either keep your word and let me live the way I fucking like to, or I'm going to be just as bloody impossible as my forbears and do whatever it is I can to thwart your plans. I'm done being someone's pawn."

"You could always try to fight me on this—"

"You don't get it do you?" I snapped. "Everyone and everything is just a tool to you. Humans serve only for food and no greater purpose. Your army is just that. You won't get attached to them. You'll never give them the gift of free will. You'll just use them too. And all the while you know what that is like. You know what it feels like to feel powerless but you have no qualms of letting other people feel that way."

"Careful now, Sweetheart. I don't think I have ever let someone talk to me this way." His upper lip curled into a snarl of warning and the hollows of his cheeks became sharper.

"Well, sucks to be you then!" I snarled back. "Someone should have a long time ago."

"Girl—"

"I am not made to serve your egocentric little whims. I deserve a live and have a future just like you did away from that sorry excuse of a father! Or are you actually aspiring to be just like him?"

"ENOUGH!"

He snatched my arm before I could say more, and in a flurry of surroundings and multiple loops of my stomach, I found myself in the middle of a park. I wasn't sure which park it was, but I understood, even in Mystic Falls our fall out would undoubtedly gain a public.

"You will cease to talk about things you don't understand." He hissed.

My heart was beating hard against my sternum and I realized, as the words dropped and burrowed into my subconscious, that he was compelling me. He was taking away my free will— and he could. I had no vervain. I had no protection against it and I would be unable to resist his compulsion. I would be helpless—

"N-no—"

Klaus' eyes widened, his mouth slacking slightly. "What?"

"NO!" I screeched. And then slapped him across the face. Perhaps not my wisest move. The shock of impact reverberated up my arm, and pain lanced across my knuckles. The surprise in his face disappeared, the beginnings of anger firing up the blue of his eyes, but I drew my arm back, preparing to hit, scratch and pummel, anything really. Klaus caught my wrist this time, and his blue eyes were ablaze, flashing with an almost primal sort of fury.

"You little—" he hissed and his hand was at my throat a second later, his thumb pressing firmly against my trachea. "How dare you speak about things you don't understand?"

My back hit the rough side of a wall, a shed of some kind, and his expression sent a wave of goosebumps up my arms. An insane rush of endorphins flooded my system and I glared at him. "Why?" I gasped. "Am I wrong? Why should I consider your feelings when you don't consider mine?"

He growled, his hand twitched and for a moment I thought he wanted to slap me. I almost welcomed it.

"Do it! Why don't you hit me?" I snarled and glared at him. I'd been honest, I'd been easy enough, not actively trying to screw him over. And I had been so afraid. Somehow— I wasn't afraid anymore.

Klaus seemed to be at a loss for words, the hand around my throat tightened. My head was full of blood, my ears pounding, and darkness started to spread from the edges of my eyes, thinning my vision, and a loud buzzing started in my ears.

"P-prove me right." I gasped out.

And then he let me go. I sucked in a ragged breath and I hunched forward. My relief was short-lived as he hauled me up again and moved closer, crowding me against the stone wall. His fingertips trailed up my arm, tracing the line of my throat, over my rapid pulse, until settling around my jaw.

"You will do as I say," he whispered, his pupils dilating. He looked as if he was experimenting.

Perhaps he was, either way, it was easier this time. "No."

"Interesting," His gaze fastened on my throat, where my pulse was going at a frantic rate. I had a strong sense of déjà vu, my eyes never wavering from his, my eyebrows furrowed together and finally he gave a quick nod. His hand fell away and he turned away from me. "We will discuss this further, Darling."

"What?"

"Hello Elijah," he greeted and my mouth formed a surprised 'oh'. I stared past Klaus at the broken shape in the shadows, and a moment later, Elijah Mikaelson materialized. He was looking exactly like I'd last seen him, dressed in an expensive three-piece suit. His face, a contrast of sharp angles and smooth skin, sported the same blank, expressionless eyes as he surveyed the scene, and I wasn't sure what I should feel, seeing him.

"Niklaus," Elijah greeted, stepping away from the shadows. "You don't seem surprised."

"No, why would I, brother? I am the one who took the dagger out, after all."

"And you put it into Mikael," I summarized. I wondered where Mikeal's weapon was now, but didn't get long to overthink that. I noticed the spark of anger on Elijah's face and scrambled away from Klaus. Just in time too.

He struck like lightning, striking past me and in the blink of an eye, had grabbed the front of Klaus' bloodied shirt and slammed him in the wall. That was the part I actually saw in detail, cracks appearing around the crater Klaus' body had made, and then they were a blur of motion. They moved too fast for me to see, but the whirling of air, the splinters of flying wood as trees broke, snapped in half, and the sound of bodies hitting each other, was enough for me to deduct they were fighting.

"—you vulgar promises—"

"—you with our family—"

They were visible again, Elijah shoving the hybrid back against the wall again, and I jumped away as small specks of debris soared through the air. I couldn't help the pleased smile that tugged at my lips either. At least, Elijah would be able to get in some hits, even if Klaus was supposed to be stronger. Gnawing on the inside of my cheek, I moved away from what I dubbed as the war-side and crossed the park to a gap in the trees where a park bench was situated. I sagged back on it with a frown, leaning back as the two Originals continued their 'discussion'.

"Mikael is dead." Klaus snarled and Elijah let go of Klaus' henley as if burned.

"Yes," he agreed irritably, "so why were our siblings still in those coffins, Niklaus?"

"He's not dead dead, Elijah." Klaus answered. "He's daggered dead."

The first rays of sunlight peeked out over the dark-green heads of the trees around us and I flopped back on the park bench, my knees hooked over the armrest, my feet swaying. "Hey, do you guys think you can get over the murderous family reunion? I want to go home."

"How are you even alive, Elena?" Elijah wanted to know,

"I don't know exactly," I answered truthfully, and watched the sky change shades of orange. "I can only imagine your brother had a change of heart." And I didn't know why Klaus had let me live. I thought it had something to do with finding me interesting. His 'clairvoyant doppelgänger' as he'd called me. Or perhaps it was some sort of plot armor I had, without even realizing it. If the latter was true, then I would be safe no matter what. I hadn't considered it like that before.

"So you left her alive, and are ruining her life." Elijah concluded, turning to his younger brother.

"No," Klaus drolly replied, "I need her blood to turn my hybrids. She's utterly impossible today."

"That's because you're a traitorous son of a—"

"Careful, Luv, or I start hunting down that father of yours."

I growled. "Exactly what I mean." And turned my eyes upward, watching the sun illuminate the undersides of the clouds, counting to ten. Color bled through the sky, changing from gold to purple, apricot, pink, orange, and finally to a warm gold. Most likely, it would be a good day. I could only imagine how much I would not be able to enjoy it.

Elijah and Klaus were discussing things in a tongue I didn't recognize — perhaps Klaus was afraid I would be difficult again, once I understood them — and that left me alone with my thoughts. I'd been able to resist Klaus' compulsion. Something I shouldn't have been able to do, and it made a chill creep up my spine.

It was good thing.

It was. It just made zero sense. Wasn't it some sort of strong human focus that needed some honing? Then again, mind compulsion was essentially a form of manipulation. Perhaps, once you could overcome compulsion, like Stefan had done in the series, and as the creepy professor (what was his name again) had done later too, once you'd done it once. Perhaps, it was a skill you could develop. Only getting better in time. It— well, it was a plot hole in the series, as far as I considered, but it didn't sound half bad to me right now.

I glanced down at my right hand. The knuckles were bruised, swelling slightly from the punch I'd delivered, and moving my fingers was slightly discomfortable. I smiled. My smile was quick to fade. Klaus and Elijah were done with their discussion and, if looks could kill, Elijah would have murdered Klaus ten times over. I sat up, ready to tell Klaus where he could stick it, if he tried forcing me to come along again.

"Time to go, Luv."

I opened my mouth to argue and Elijah's lips curled in amusement. "He's means to bring you home, Elena."

"He does?"

"Oh yes, he has family affairs to attend to." Elijah agreed edgily.

"Oh," I mumbled, catching on, "you undaggered them all?"

I hadn't realized Klaus had moved them up here, but then again, where else would he have gotten the dagger from so quickly? Elijah had folded his hands behind his back, his head cocked to the side and his eyes on me. The intensity of his stare made me somewhat uncomfortable and Klaus let out a snort.

"The noble Elijah— Of course, you'd be hard pressed to ignore that."

"You're a wanker," I snarked back and Klaus made a choking sound.

The emotion of anger was easy to focus on. Somehow, feeling it, instead of the all consuming despair I always felt, made me feel better. Stronger and I hugged my sides to ward of the morning chill.

"I like your hair," Elijah decided, and I thought he hoped to take some of the animosity out of the air.

I let him, peering at his face. "Thank you, I suppose."

The crunch of the loose pebbles on the porch under my sneakers sounded obscenely loud in the still morning air and I winced. The walk home had been uneventful, the sun ascending further and further into the sky and Klaus and Elijah had led me through the empty streets at a brisk walk. I had sighed in relief when the Gilbert house loomed up and waggled my fingers at both brothers, before moving inside.

The hallway was silent and empty and I dropped my jacket over the umbrella stand (I always used the umbrella stand). Silently, I tiptoed toward the stairs, my eyes flitting into the kitchen. Daylight was filtering through the opened blinds and John, Jenna and Liz were still sitting around the kitchen island. Each was holding a mug of coffee that seemed to have gone cold.

Normally, I would have done better at avoiding the creaky floorboards, but my eyes were drawn to Jenna Sommers. She was holding her phone against her ear, talking softly and I heard Jeremy's name. I froze. Was that the hospital? Was Jeremy waking up? I went to turn away, pretending to barrel down the stairs and paddling into the kitchen. The floorboards creaked loudly beneath my weight and I winced.

"Elena!" John gasped and his voice sounded exhausted.

"Oh, hi, uncle John," I remarked softly. Perhaps I could still play this off?

"Where did you go?" He demanded.

Or perhaps not. In the end, I explained what had happened that night, the fight with Klaus, the appearance of Elijah, as well as I could, which was not particularly well. My brief description of me slapping the hybrid (which would go into the favorite memory column) was received with skepticism.

"So he let you go?" Liz asked.

"Yeah," I agreed, crossing my arms over my chest.

John's eyes flitted over me, his eyebrows furrowing together. "And he healed you?"

"Oh—" I mumbled, "Yeah!" Because that would work perfectly.

"And now we have two Originals to deal with?" Liz asked softly, her face quivering.

"Erm, I think it is more like three Originals. Or four." I sucked my bottom lip and exhaled through my nose. My fingers fidgeted; I needed to do something and crossed the kitchen, getting myself a cup and rummaging through the cabinets until I found the tea. I probably should have coffee, but a strong brew of tea, didn't sound that bad either. "Or five Originals, I think Elijah woke up Kol as well and Rebekah, the sister was already awake in Tennessee. I don't know what they did with Finn."

John dropped his head in his hands. "Elena!"

"That wasn't my fault."

"No," he admitted, "but you told them about the White Oak wood used in building that bridge."

"What?" I mumbled almost pouring boiling water over my hand.

"Mikael burned it down— Wickery Bridge I mean, Elena." He explained softly.

I let out a complicated laugh. "I never told Mikael. I told Klaus as leverage!"

"Yeah," Liz agreed, "but Mikael was already here. Watching, stalking. When the mayor and his son went to retrieve it, he figured it out."

"And burned it down." I finished. So that was why Klaus hadn't brought a stake. And that was why there was no weapon left. "God, I really hate that man."

"Is he—"

"Daggered," I answered, and breathed a little easier, "At least he's one less Original to worry about."

"I should be going, the council—" Liz said, waving her hand absentmindedly in the air.

"Of course," John agreed. "I'll be there tonight."

"Sure," she nodded and turned to me. I clutched my tea tighter in my hands. "Elena, can you tell Caroline I'll be at the precinct?"

"Oh, yeah, of course." I mumbled and John gave me a hard look. So he had known.

"I should make us something to eat," John decided.

"No," Jenna disagreed, the front door closed with a loud click as Liz left and I peered at Jenna with a frown. "We don't have time, besides we can eat at the hospital."

"What did they say about Jeremy?" I asked.

"The brain activity scan showed improvement this morning," Jenna said, sounding like she was literally quoting said doctor. "They think he's waking up."

(To be continued)

A/N: DUN DUN DUN… The plot thickens. I don't think anyone was really worried about Klaus safety right? Anyway, I hope this chapter was enjoyable. I am sorry for the long wait (again). Life happens, probably keeps happening, but now that I'm back in the flow, I do expect regular updates again. After all, for those of you who forgot, we have a killer to catch^^

As always, let me know what you guys think. I'd love to hear your thoughts. And I was wondering what people were thinking about a SI-story of Avatar the Last Airbender. I don't think I've ever read SI-fics (although I would stick to an OC-insert, because I can't really imagine myself in any story without getting like everyone who matters to the story killed) that have them wake up as canon characters. And damn, I've got ideas. Probably, bad ones, but— interesting too, I think—

Erm, anyway, let me know what you all think.

Next update (I hope) the first weekend of June.