Darkest Temptations

by Katrina-H-Creates

Caroline discovers that it's possible for vampires to have babies with hybrids. When Klaus learns of this, he does everything within his power to ensure Tyler is unable to get Caroline pregnant. He has his own plans for her.

Darkest Temptations

Chapter One: Open Heart, Closed Mind

Caroline Forbes

After the memorial, it was as if a dark and ominous energy had descended upon Mystic Falls, shattering the peace and tranquility of our once idyllic town. The residents were consumed by a sense of foreboding, as if a great and terrible storm was brewing on the horizon. The air was thick with sorrow and remembrance as the members of the town gathered to pay their respects to the fallen victims of the tragic gas explosion at Pastor Young's farm. But what started as a solemn affair quickly turned into a scene of chaos and terror. The legendary vampire hunter, known for his unwavering determination and unbreakable spirit, made a daring attempt on Tyler's life—a move that left the crowd reeling in disbelief.

The Sheriff's Department had taken drastic measures, mandating a ten p.m. curfew to keep citizens safe from the merciless assailant responsible for the heinous attack on the mayor's son.

Thinking back on it now, my ego was bloated and insufferable. Looking back, I could cringe at the memory of my arrogance. I had boasted to Stefan and Tyler that I would single-handedly take down any hunter who dared to show their face. He had not only shown up, but we had all been ensnared in his intricate scheme, as he used April Young as a decoy to entice us out like ravenous beasts.

I now found myself consumed by a terrible sense of loss. It was as if a piece of my soul had been left behind in the church that morning. But something within me stirred—a newfound strength that allowed me to release the grip of my past. No longer did I feel bound to Mystic Falls. I realized that I had been holding onto the past for far too long, clinging to the familiar routine of high school and the constant battle against supernatural forces. It was time to let go and move on to a new chapter in my life.

A small voice in the back of my mind urged me to flee town and never look back, but my curiosity and love for my familiar surroundings were still rooted in place.

The memories of the memorial were still fresh in my mind, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of melancholy. I arrived home just after twelve, certain that my life would never be the same again and that this urge to escape was never going to leave me. As I made my way, I made a quick pit stop to refuel my car and grab a delicious sub. All I could think about was slipping into a cozy pair of sweat pants and indulging in a quick bite.

My mom was assigned to work the night shift for the rest of the week. But I already knew she'd be working double shifts until we got a lead on the hunter. As soon as she stepped foot on the scene, we pulled her aside and disclosed all the crucial information. As I pulled up in front of my house, the familiar sight of my street greeted me. My neighbor's trash cans were still lingering on the curb, long after the garbage truck had come and gone. And there was Mrs. Sims, sitting on her front porch, knitting away as her husband tended to their beautiful rose garden.

With a heavy heart, I turned the key in the lock, sealing myself inside for the night. After texting Elena to let her know I was safe, I strolled down the hallway with my sub in one hand and my clutch in the other. I tossed both of them onto my bed and began to strip out of the clothes I had worn to the memorial, silently promising myself to never wear those same heels again. I shoved them to the back of the closet, hoping to forget about them forever. With a heavy sigh, I tossed my clothes into the laundry hamper in the corner of the room, trying to shake off the feeling of disappointment that lingered within me.

As a reliable organizer, I had already prepared my change of clothes in advance. After funerals were over, all I could ever think about was getting back home and slipping into my cosiest clothes. There was something about the solemnity of the occasion that made me yearn for the comfort of my familiar surroundings. I slipped into my cozy grey joggers and oversized white PJ top, relishing in the comforting embrace they provided. The gentle touch of the cotton caressed my skin, soothing my senses in a way that the rough nylon of my other clothes never could.

I sauntered into the bathroom, eager to rid myself of the day's facade. With a gentle touch, I delicately removed all my makeup, revealing my true self. I then meticulously scrubbed my nails for any remaining blood residue. Finally, I brushed my teeth, feeling refreshed and renewed.

As I made my way down the hall, I couldn't help but feel like the day had already taken its toll on me. The morning had been an uphill battle, and I couldn't believe how much time had passed since then. But I didn't let that stop me from enjoying my delicious sub and tall glass of refreshing orange juice. The day was dreary and dull and I longed to draw the curtains shut and lose myself in a marathon of heartwarming films, hoping to forget it all. Lately, I have found myself constantly searching for ways to distract myself from my own mind. I needed to keep busy to keep my thoughts at bay.

If only I had the energy to do it, I would have spent the entire afternoon scrubbing every nook and cranny of the house. As I gazed around the room, I couldn't help but notice the thin buildup of dust that had accumulated on every surface. It was a reflection of the turmoil in my heart. Amidst the chaos that has been consuming my life lately, the arrival of the hunter in our small town was just another obstacle to overcome.

The tasks I faced almost daily were enough to send shivers down the spine of any ordinary person. As I hungrily devoured my oversized sub, a sense of unease began to wash over me. Perhaps it was the result of my bad judgment to skip breakfast that morning. I'd never eaten a sub so fast in my life; I even checked the window behind me then to ensure no one had witnessed it.

For the past few months, I've been plagued with an overwhelming sense of anxiety. It wasn't anything too serious, but enough to keep me constantly on edge. In the stillness of the night, I would often find myself jolting awake, my heart racing, and my body drenched in a cold sweat. It was as if my mind was plagued by a never-ending nightmare, leaving me gasping for air and struggling to calm myself down.

I knew I had to tell someone, but the thought of burdening my loved ones with my troubles made me hesitate. Would they be able to handle the weight of my worries? Would they be able to offer any solutions? I couldn't bear the thought of them feeling helpless. So, I kept my secret close to my chest, hoping that one day I would find the courage to share it with those closest to me. I was always the kind of person who preferred to tackle my own problems. It was just who I was and who I had always been. I'd never even considered sharing my fears with Tyler. Our friends thought we were the epitome of an ideal couple, but they had no idea about the turmoil brewing beneath the surface. I never imagined that our lack of intimacy would come back to haunt me in this way.

Little did I know that my life and my relationship with Tyler were far from what I had imagined.

I sauntered back to my bedroom to retrieve my laptop. With a sense of purpose, I made my way to the sitting room, sinking into the plush cushions of the couch. I closed my eyes, relishing in the luxurious comfort of the pillows behind me and the sweet relief of the weight lifting off my feet. The floral scent of my perfume still clung to me, a reminder of the sombre service. Exhaustion had taken over me, and all I craved was sleep. With no hindrances in sight, I could have surrendered myself easily.

However, there was something I wanted more that surpassed all else—a yearning that I had been denying for far too long. As I sat there, my heart racing and my mind in turmoil, I couldn't help but wonder what the future held for me. The weight of my anxiety was suffocating, and I knew that I needed to confront the harsh reality of my life and its direction.

I didn't want to live in Mystic Falls anymore.

Without a moment's hesitation, I switched on my laptop and clicked the Open New Browser tab. I wrapped the cozy beige blanket around me from behind the couch, snuggling up to its warmth as I embarked on my search for answers.

Ever since Carol Lockwood and my mom proposed the idea of Tyler and I leaving town, a constant sense of unease has been gnawing at me. I couldn't shake the feeling that one day I'd be forced to make that same gut-wrenching decision all over again. However, these past few months, I have grown wiser and more confident. My intuition had become my closest ally, guiding me forward. Gone were the days when the old version of me would have settled for a simple escape under the cover of darkness, armed with nothing but a trusty curling wand and some cash.

I've never truly been content being alone. For as long as I can remember, I've always been in a relationship of some kind—either falling for a guy or getting over another. When Tyler and I initially started dating, we were aware that we weren't meant to be together, but we gave in to our sexual attraction and constructed a relationship based solely on it while calling it love. Since my prior relationship with Matt was doomed from the beginning, I believe that there was a part of me that wanted to know why Elena would dump such an amazing guy. He was athletic, didn't mind working hard, he genuinely wanted to improve others lives, and above all else, he was down to earth. The little in-between moments in a relationship, however, are never mentioned by anyone. Sometimes picking the sweet guy wasn't all it was cracked up to be.

I'd wasted so many years feeling so inferior to other girls and their epic love lives, especially Elena's.

I had been hesitant to embark on a journey of self-discovery, but fate had other plans and brought the hunter. There was an unspoken force that kept me tethered to Mystic Falls, an intangible connection between my closest companions and me that prevented us from ever leaving. To abandon our home would be to relinquish it to the clutches of the supernatural entities lurking in the shadows.

Little did my friends realize that our lives had taken a dramatic twist with the return of the Salvatore brothers all those years ago. The looming threat of not graduating from high school hung over us like a dark cloud. We'd skipped classes to chase down leads and do research, and we were always busy keeping each other on the blood wagon. After spending your days running from werewolves and dodging the wrath of Katherine, it was difficult to concentrate on such small matters as homework and cheerleading practice.

Our entire future had been put on hold. The dreams we once held so dear had faded away, leaving us with a constant sense of emptiness. Our conversations no longer revolved around our aspirations but rather the mundane tasks of our supernatural lives. It was as if we had resigned ourselves to the fate of eternal teenagers. Our lives had become a monotonous routine, devoid of any real meaning or purpose. Day in and day out, we merely existed, going through the motions, and I couldn't bear the thought of spending another moment in this endless limbo.

The mere thought of leaving my friends made me as weak as a newborn kitten, rendering me weak in the knees and causing the tiny hairs on my neck to stand on end. The mere possibility of something terrible happening to them, something that I could have easily avoided, was enough to bring tears to my eyes. The very idea of enduring yet another day filled with the constant threat of a hunter or the emergence of a new villain was completely disheartening. Leaving wasn't an option I was ready to consider, but staying put was even more unbearable. The truth was, I couldn't shake off the agony that came with the latter.

Staying and pretending that everything was alright would be the cruelest thing I could do.

There was no way I could escape the town's clutches without the help of something supernatural element assisting me along the way. No matter where my journey took me, I was determined to leave my past behind and start anew. But how could I ensure that no one would ever find me? I'd require a protection spell, a powerful enchantment that would create an invisible shield around me, preventing anyone from ever tracking me down. The Salvatore's weren't the only ones with enemies outside of town anymore; Katherine alone would hunt me down for sport, and then there was Rebekah, who wanted all of us dead.

I knew that in order to succeed, I had to be sharp, precise, and unwavering in my pursuit. There were countless books at my disposal at Bonnie's and across town in the boarding house. The spells inscribed within their pages were powerful beyond measure, but they could only be performed by a practicing witch. I couldn't rely on any other witches to help me; I had to rely on my own knowledge and intuition. I focused on the key fundamentals of spellbinding, searching for the perfect incantation that would require only key components to create them.

After years of delving into the supernatural, my laptop and other devices were filled with countless bookmarked websites. Some I stumbled upon by myself, while others were revealed to me with Damon's guidance. Countless spells had been meticulously documented and archived on these online platforms, sourced from anonymous contributors over the course of several decades. As I delved deeper into the ancient tome, I found myself struggling to navigate its labyrinthine pages. There was no clear-cut menu to guide me through the intricate web of barrier spells that lay within it. Instead, I had to tread carefully, maneuvering each page with the utmost precision. There existed an array of spells, all of which demanded the presence of a powerful witch or a worthy sacrifice to be accomplished.

Little did people know that these websites held secrets beyond their wildest imaginations. Spells that could do more than just seek revenge or locate missing people. There was a reason why they were kept hidden from the masses.

It was then that I realized I hadn't even bothered to send Tyler a text to let him know I had made it home safely. But at the same time, he hadn't checked in with me either.

Carol Lockwood insisted on bringing in paramedics following Tyler's shooting. She knew that this incident could tarnish her reputation and that of her family's to those in town who already suspected the supernatural beings of Mystic Falls. When it became clear that Tyler's injuries were not as severe as they seemed, the crowds settled down outside the church. After a little crowd control, it was believed that what had hit him was nothing more than a rubber bullet, probably stolen from a nearby police academy training center.

As soon as Tyler and I were alone, he began to spill his plans for taking down the hunter. He felt a primal urge deep within him, as if his inner wolf had been unleashed and was now hungry for the kill.

I didn't know about the others, but I refused to let fear consume me. I hadn't checked all the doors and windows when I returned home. I didn't even know if the hunter suspected me or not. On my way back home, the only person I felt I needed to check in on was my mom.

If only my mom could see me now, she would surely disapprove. But deep down, I know that the life I am striving for is the one she always wanted for me. Despite the disappointment she may feel, I held onto the hope that she would understand my pursuit of a new beginning. She loathed the creature within me, yet her disdain for the transformation of Mystic Falls burned even brighter.

For the next hour, I delved deeper into my search. After a long morning, I craved something comforting and flavorful. So, I headed straight to the kitchen to whip up a portion of some mouth-watering lasagna. And as I savored every bite, I couldn't help but feel a sense of contentment wash over me. With my laptop perched on my lap, I indulged in my guilty pleasure, coating the top layer of lasagna with more parma ham cheese while sitting on the kitchen counter. Finally, I made my way back to the cozy sitting room, ready to continue my afternoon. As the dust settled after the emotional memorial, I finally began to feel like myself again. My body was no longer cold to the touch, and my stomach had finally stopped churning. It was as if a weight had been lifted off my shoulders, and I could finally breathe again.

With unwavering determination, I fixated on the task before me. I knew that this time would be different from all the other times I had tried this over the past few months. Failure was not an option. I vowed to find the answer, no matter what it took. I yearned for a spell, but not just any ordinary one. No, I needed a spell so intricate and cunningly devised that it would leave no trace of my actions. My plan had to be executed with precision and perfection, leaving no room for error.

No one else in town could help me now. As I paused to reflect, my mind wandered to a certain someone.

In a small town where danger lurked around every corner, Klaus was the only one with the expertise to handle the most precarious of situations. For years, he had outrun Mikael. His own father, consumed by a desire to end his children's lives, relentlessly pursued them like prey. They were forced to adapt, to become something more than humans, in order to survive. But as they struggled to hold onto their humanity, I'm sure each of them began to wonder if they were truly any better than the monsters their father had turned them into.

Klaus's prowess in navigating the treacherous depths of the underground world was truly remarkable; one couldn't help but be in awe of his skills. He rose to dominance by relying on his gut and enlisting the unique skills of those in his inner circle. He was the only one who could help me vanish into thin air.

My friends didn't understand my insatiable need to delve deep into his psyche and unravel the hidden mysteries behind his every action. But I couldn't help it—I was completely and utterly captivated by the enigmatic life of the original hybrid. As I watched my friends interact with Elijah, I couldn't help but notice how easily they had forgotten about his past. It was as if Elena's forgiveness had spread like wildfire, consuming everyone in its path. Had they truly forgiven Elijah for his role in bringing Klaus into our lives? Or were they simply pretending, hoping to avoid any further conflict? Only time will tell. He had done unspeakable things to reach the pinnacle of his family's success, and she had been there to witness the destruction he had wrought. But despite it all, Elena found it in her heart to forgive him.

The truth was undeniable: Klaus had committed the heinous act of taking Jenna's life for his own selfish reasons. Elena's refusal to forgive him was completely warranted, as she struggled to come to terms with the unforgivable act that had been committed against her family. But if she could find it in her heart to forgive one original brother, then why can't I do the same for another? Elijah never pretended to be anything other than what he was—a man hell-bent on protecting his family. But unlike his brother, he had a more calculated approach to his murders. Dressed in sharp suits and armed with a silver tongue, he carried out his deadly deeds with a calm and collected demeanor. But I knew the twisted and treacherous paths that led the brothers to their current state were just as dark and malevolent as any other.

Deep down, I knew that seeking Klaus's assistance would only complicate matters further.

For far too long, I had let the opinions and needs of others dictate my every move, even when it meant going against my own feelings. I couldn't believe what I was doing right now. It was the most unethical act I could ever imagine. My heart was racing as I took a deep breath and prepared to take the leap. But even if I managed to triumph through this, it wouldn't alter the way I felt about myself. The weight of my selfish actions would haunt me for eternity. The consequences of my actions would be mine to bear alone. There was no one else to point the finger at; I had to accept it. I would have to learn to live with the weight of my mistake and the knowledge that I alone was responsible for the outcome. The guilt that consumed me was almost suffocating, and I knew that I needed to confront it head-on. Even if it meant facing the prospect of spending the next few months or years alone, I was determined to find a way to come to grips with what I wanted my life to be.

As I dove deeper into the ancient texts, I discovered a plethora of spells that were beyond my imagination. The pages were filled with incantations that could erase memories of humans and supernatural beings alike, ensuring that no one would recognize you. But that was just the beginning. I stumbled upon spells that could safeguard your home against compelled humans, protecting you from the command of another vampire. My search would be all-encompassing, leaving no stone unturned in my attempt to uncover the spells that were crafted pacifically to aid in escape rather than conformity. I would leave no avenue unexplored in my pursuit. It was the key to my new life.

For nearly an hour, I scoured the depths of the internet in search of a spell that didn't demand the sacrifice of innocent lives or the possession of ancient relics. Countless tabs cluttered my browser, but my efforts proved futile. In moments like these, I found myself on the brink of surrendering to the overwhelming sense of hopelessness that consumed me. Normally, I would pause my activities here and begin to yearn for a hearty meal, a soothing bath, or a binge-worthy Netflix session to sustain me through another night.

I thought I knew what I needed, but it was far from what I truly deserved. But there was an inexplicable feeling inside me that urged me to keep moving forward, and I knew I had to listen to it.

I shifted my position on the couch, fluffing up the cushions behind me and snuggling deeper into the cozy blanket draped over me. With a deep breath, I plunged back into my research, poring over the ancient spell archives that date all the way back to the sixteenth century. Back to a time when covens of witches roamed the land, their hearts heavy with fear and uncertainty. They knew all too well the dangers that lurked around every corner, and the villagers were quick to accuse them of crimes they did not commit. But these witches were not ones to cower in the face of adversity. No, they sought out ways to protect themselves from the madness that threatened to engulf them. Once more, the majority of witches cast spells not to vanquish their foes but to shield themselves from peril.

It felt like an eternity had passed since I started my search for answers, and the thought of opting for a soothing bath was growing more powerful. Would I ever find what I was searching for? The uncertainty was almost too much to bear.

And then, in a sudden twist of fate, something finally captured my attention.

As I stumbled upon the worn pages of Edith Walls' journal, I couldn't help but feel a sense of intrigue wash over me. The words scrawled across the yellowed paper told the story of a witch whose life spanned over seven decades. With each entry, I found myself drawn deeper into her life. The journals were weathered and worn; their pages yellowed and stained with age. The words scrawled across them were almost indecipherable, especially in the earliest entries. But despite that, these journals held secrets and stories that were waiting to be uncovered. Her journals overflowed with accounts of her life, from the mundane to the extraordinary. She chronicled her adventures and daily routines with equal fervor, but it was so much more than that; it was the story of how she cast a spell that changed not only her own fate but the destinies of three others.

The mystery surrounding her birth date was just the beginning of the enigma that was her life. No one knew exactly when she and her family had arrived in the States, adding to the intrigue that surrounded her. Edith's father was a rugged carpenter, whom she often wrote about in her journal. His hands were calloused, and his teeth had a yellowish tint. He didn't seem to care much for her and her sisters, instead choosing to spend most of his time with her brother Joseph. She didn't care much for her father's archaic beliefs about a woman's place being in the home. It was as if he thought she was only good for keeping house, baring children, and begging the Lord's forgiveness. Edith couldn't help but wonder if there was more to life than this and if there was a way for her to break free from the confines of society's expectations. I could just tell she poured her heart into each individual entry.

She discovered her supernatural abilities at a very young age, although it was never written which age exactly; I was going on the skill level of her spelling alone. Her focus was on candles; she would use them day and night to ignite a flame. More often than not, she would wake up in the middle of the night to find her bedroom fully aglow with their light. She knew the extent of her abilities, but the thought of being locked up for them made her hesitant to wield them. Throughout her young life, she witnessed the unjust persecution of honorable women in her village. Accusations of sorcery were thrown at them, and in an instant, their entire lives would crumble into pieces, leaving their families in utter despair. At the tender age of nineteen, Edith found herself the only surviving child in her family. The deadly plague had mercilessly taken away her beloved siblings and mother, leaving her all alone in this cruel world. From the moment she was born, her father had planned to marry her off, so there was one less mouth to feed. He had set his sights on a skilled apprentice who worked under him as a suitable match for his daughter. Edith would soon discover that this seemingly charming young man had struck a deal with her father. Two chickens and five bottles of ale were all it took for him to gain her hand in marriage.

As she tried to escape the impending nuptials, the young apprentice named Fredrick caught her in the act. In a moment of sheer desperation, he took what he wanted from her without a second thought. As Edith poured her heart out onto the pages of her journal, she couldn't help but recall the way he growled like a wild beast, commanding her to surrender to his every desire. He wanted nothing more than for her to bear him a son, a penance for the wrongs she had committed against him. I imagined Edith's trembling hand scribbling the words onto the pages of her journal; she couldn't help but shudder at the memory of that awful night. The night she knew she had to escape from him, before it was too late, With a newfound strength, she grabbed hold of a nearby candle and plunged it into his eye socket, leaving him blinded and helpless.

Leaving him writhing in agony, she fled into the nearby forest with nothing but what she could carry on her back. For the next five years, her journal remained mostly empty, save for sporadic entries detailing the daily grind of the work she was forced to take so she could eat. She became a wanderer, never staying in one place for too long. She couldn't shake the feeling that Fredrick was hot on her trail. Ten long years had passed before she finally found solace in a quaint seaside town, where she worked as a housemaid in one of the larger houses.

In this place, fate brought her face to face with Emma Brooks, a fellow non-practicing witch, and Heather Petersbay, a vampire in hiding. They all quickly became great friends, spending any spare moment they had with one another. As soon as they had enough money, they bought a quaint house with a breathtaking view of the sea from the cliffs. Edith couldn't stop gushing in her journal over the apple trees that stood tall outside the windows facing south and the soothing sound of the waves crashing against the rocks below.

Their land may have been limited to just an acre, but that didn't stop them from pursuing a life of self-sufficiency. With their green thumbs and a passion for natural remedies, they cultivated their own herbs for medicinal purposes and crafted luxurious skin balms to peddle at the bustling market. The noble men of the village were not pleased with this. They believed that women living together alone would set a bad example for the newcomers to their village.

Little did Edith know that her peaceful life in the town would soon turn into a nightmare. In less than a month, whispers of witchcraft began to spread like wildfire, engulfing the entire town in chaos. Edith, unable to escape the madness, poured her heart out in her daily journal entries, chronicling the horrors that had befallen her once-peaceful community. Despite the hardships, she would soon become engaged to Marcus Roberts, a wealthy nobleman from London.

Edith and Emma had been working tirelessly, trying to come up with the perfect spell that would save them from the impending trial. They had tried everything, from the simplest spells to the most complex incantations, but it wasn't enough to give them peace of mind. Each attempt was met with disappointment and frustration, leaving the two friends feeling hopeless and defeated. But they refused to give up. They knew that the key to their salvation was out there somewhere, waiting to be discovered. And so they continued to experiment, determined to find the one spell that would finally bring them the peace they so desperately craved. With a heavy heart, Marcus proposed that they flee to London, hoping to escape the troubles that plagued them. However, his suggestion was met with rejection. The thought of constantly looking over their shoulders for the rest of their lives was too much to bear. None of them wanted that fate.

Edith wrote that with her journal in hand, she ventured into the lush forest that lay just beyond her doorstep early one morning before the others woke up. The chirping of birds and rustling of leaves provided a soothing solace as she made her way deeper into the woods. It was here, surrounded by the beauty of nature, that Edith found comfort and direction for what lay ahead. As she sat in the lush green grass, her eyes fixated on the endless expanse of the cerulean sky above, her thoughts drifted to Marcus and her dearest friends. She knew in her heart that she would go to any lengths to safeguard them, even if it meant sacrificing her own happiness.

They were her everything, the only ones who truly understood her. She would go to the ends of the earth for them, no matter the cost. With their love as the only weapon, she crafted a powerful spell to aid their escape from the clutches of fate. Together, they would leave behind their troubles and embark on a new life together. With her heart racing with both fear and determination, the spell she sought would require a great sacrifice, one that would test her to the very limits of her being. With trembling hands, she began to utter the incantation.

She opened her journal, filling the page with these ancient incantations. When she was finished, she closed her journal with a sense of both excitement and dread. The spell was constructed, and now all that was left was to cast it. Unlike the other pages before and after it, she took extra care with her handwriting on this one. Every T was crossed, and every I was dotted. As I read her words, I couldn't help but imagine her basking in the warm glow of the sun, her hair dancing in the gentle breeze as she poured her heart onto the page. It was evident that she had taken great care in crafting each sentence, weaving a tapestry of emotion and imagery that transported me to another world.

The spell she had concocted demanded immense sacrifice from all those who were involved. It called for Marcus to marry not only her but her two best friends in order to unite them as one. The four of them had to enter a shared marriage to form an unbreakable barrier against their enemy. But could Marcus handle the weight of this responsibility? It wasn't unheard of; some men were known to have multiple women in their lives; she'd heard tales of such arrangements. All they needed for the spell was the unbreakable bond of trust between each person involved. The spell was simple yet powerful, and it had the potential to change everything.

Step by step, she prepared it all: what she would burn, the chant that would build the shield, and the link between her fiancée and her friends that would take hold the second the flames were gone. Reluctance hung heavy in the house that day as each of them deliberated over the daunting demands of the spell. But as the minutes ticked by, their resolve strengthened, and they finally acquiesced to the conditions. Under the starry sky, they gathered around the crackling fire, ready to perform the ritual. With a silver blade, they each sliced their palms and let their blood drip into the flames. Edith's heart raced as she reached out to take Marcus's hand, becoming his first wife. Emma soon followed, and Heather was the last to join the trio of wives. As the fire grew stronger, they clasped hands and began to chant, their voices echoing through the forest. The flames danced wildly, reaching towards the heavens as they chanted fervently amidst the howling winds of the forest.

As the flames subsided, the mystical shield materialized, just as Edith had chronicled in her diary:

As I stood there, I felt a warmth envelop me like a cozy cloak that had been warming by the fire. It was then that I realized our fates were forever intertwined through our marriages to Marcus.

Under the cloak of darkness, they escaped the village, their hearts pounding with fear and anticipation. The spell had been cast, and now they had to flee. As Edith poured her heart out onto the page, she couldn't help but recall the tumultuous first hours of their new marriages. Every glance between him and her friends felt like a dagger to her heart, as she feared Marcus would grow to love them more than her. The uncertainty and doubt consumed her, making it almost impossible to breathe.

Finally as the spell continued to take hold of her, she felt herself slip into a state of ease. It didn't quell the flames of jealousy burning within her, but instead, it sparked a realization of the true essence of the new marriages. Each bond was unique, built upon a foundation of trust and understanding. With heavy hearts, they bid farewell to their home, taking with them only the essentials that could fit on their trusty cart and faithful horse. The road ahead was uncertain, but they knew that they had to leave in order to seek a better life. Marcus galloped into the dark on his own horse. Emma, Heather, and Edith embarked on a journey towards a new life alone, traveling over a thousand miles together.

Edith was the one who gave Marcus the greatest gift of all— their first child. Their little girl was named Mary, and she was the light of their lives. Emma was destined to give Marcus his first son and three beautiful daughters. After years of fervent prayers, countless herb experimentations, and tireless endeavors, Heather was finally bestowed with a child.

I couldn't believe my eyes as I read the last line of the entry. I had to read it again, this time with the screen tilted towards me and the brightness turned up to the max. I needed to soak in every word and make sure I didn't miss a single detail.

"Wait a minute, that can't be right." I muttered to myself.

Heather couldn't have possibly given birth, not as a vampire. It was a well-known fact that vampires were unable to procreate, and yet the evidence before my eyes was undeniable. How could this be? My mind raced, trying to make sense of it. Stefan revealed this to me right after my transformation. He needed me to be well-versed in the extent of my newfound abilities and the limitations of my body.

I recalled the way he sat beside me in my dimly lit room. Bonnie had just finished casting the spell on my daylight ring, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. But as he sat there, his presence brought a sense of comfort that I couldn't quite explain. After he told me, I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes as Stefan walked away, leaving me alone with my thoughts. The pain in my heart was almost unbearable as I tried to hold back the sobs that threatened to escape my lips. That night and the next, I cried myself to sleep, my pillow soaked with tears as I mourned the loss of what could have been. I was trapped in a living nightmare, running and running with no hope of breaking free from my tragic fate.

The first few days after I turned were a complete nightmare, and my friends never let me forget it. They always tease me about how much of a pain I was during that time. Little did they know, it was all due to the toll of sleepless nights and a broken heart. Restlessness consumed me as I lay in bed, my eyes fixated on the blank ceiling above. The longing to feel a tiny life growing inside me was insurmountable, and my hand has instinctively rested on my lower belly. In my desperation, I found myself acting out in ways I never thought possible.

Becoming a vampire was nothing compared to the agony I endured every day that followed.

With a newfound determination, I dove deeper into Heather's life, determined to uncover more about her life as a vampire. Edith had never mentioned a single word about it in her journal. Heather had come to the sea village because of a mysterious herb that had suddenly started appearing in gardens and breads back home. This herb had a strange power—it burned her skin upon contact and made it nearly impossible for her to feed discreetly. It was just one version of Vervain throughout history.

Edith's words flowed effortlessly as she chronicled Heather's journey towards motherhood. Despite the lack of details about Heather's past, Edith's writing captured the raw emotions and struggles that came with Heather trying to conceive. Drawing me deeper into Heather's world, rooting for her every step of the way. Heather's daily routine included a visit to the church, where she would kneel down and pray with all her heart, hoping to receive the blessings she so desperately craved. She had exhausted all her options, from experimenting with exotic herbs to trying out bizarre potions in her private chambers with Marcus, all in the hopes of increasing her chances. But nothing seemed to work.

And after years of trying, it finally happened. She gave birth to a beautiful baby with no complications. But that was just the beginning. Two years later, she found herself pregnant once again, and this time, it was smooth sailing. Not once did they experience the heartbreak of a miscarriage or stillbirth; their family was complete in every way possible. Their love was a shining example of what true devotion and commitment looked like.

Edith would go on to write about how she did not hear of another vampire pregnancy until she was nearing the end of her life. The whispers of its possibility were few and far between, shrouded in mystery and uncertainty. As time passed, it faded into obscurity, a mere legend lost to the annals of history. In modern times, it is deemed an impossible feat.

What could have caused that change? Years of trying, all of those herbs and positions, and one day it just happens?

It wasn't entirely impossible to believe. It was the modern-day equivalent of years of IVF, hormones, and temperature monitoring. As I pondered the possibility of vampires having babies, Klaus's name immediately came to mind. He was the oldest vampire we had ever met, and if there was even a slight chance that vampires could procreate, Klaus would undoubtedly be the one to either validate or debunk it.

I couldn't bring myself to ask him. Not after everything we've been through. He would read too much into it, and I would have to explain why I was reading about the lives of Edith Walls and her husband's multiple wives. I pushed the thought aside, my heart racing with anticipation as I returned to my research. I couldn't wait to find out what fate had in store for Edith after their daring escape.

With each new addition to their family, the enchantment grew stronger, or so she believed.

The cloak that I had not felt as close around me in the last few months has returned stronger than ever since Emma's son's arrival. Now we know that our bloodlines were always supposed to be brought together and that the spell is still in effect and will be for the rest of our lives, with the blessings of all the children still to come.

The mysterious death of Edith has left many questions unanswered. It is believed that she passed away in the year 1698. The tale of Marcus and Emma's love was cut short when fate intervened. Marcus passed away just a year later, leaving Emma without her soul mate. But the universe wasn't done with its cruel games yet, as Emma too succumbed to sickness a few months later. Their love may have been brief, but it burned bright and will never be forgotten. Nothing else was documented about Heather and the surviving children that came from their marriages.

In a daring move to save themselves from the clutches of death, these brave women took matters into their own hands and tied the knot with the same man. Their unconventional union was born out of a deep desire to protect each other from harm's way. They navigated through treacherous waters of love, loyalty, and survival in this gripping tale of sisterhood and sacrifice. Their journey left me breathless, like the final chapter of an epic tale that forever alters your soul.

With tears streaming down my face, even in death, I couldn't help but cheer them on. Their bravery and unwavering determination inspired me to one day find the courage to step out into the world, fearless and ready to start anew.

Of course, I could never do what they did; there was no doubt in my mind about that. Staying in Mystic Falls wouldn't be the end of me. It wasn't a matter of life and death, just the mundane routine of my everyday existence. It wasn't as dire as it sounded.

However, it did not address why I felt compelled to learn about their lives even after learning the key elements of the spell. But there was no way I could re-enact the original spell and use it as a means of escaping Mystic Falls. Never in my wildest dreams could I fathom the idea of entering into a marriage where I'd have to share my husband with two other women. Not even the most dire of circumstances could sway me from this conviction. If I suspended reality for a second and imagined entering into such an arrangement, there were no other women I knew that would consent to it, even if it meant escaping this place.

I didn't know a single man alive who could bear the weight of three marriages simultaneously. Such a man would be unlike any other—a true king of his own castle—who exuded an alpha presence that commanded attention, leaving everyone around him in awe of his brilliance.

Oh my god, Klaus, I thought

All day long, my thoughts were consumed by him. With Tyler's return to town, Klaus didn't have as many chances to catch me alone as he used to. Maybe it was the looming presence of the mysterious hunter or the desire to seek Klaus's advice on our next course of action that had me constantly thinking of him. Maybe it was the thought of bidding farewell to the town and never crossing paths with him again that kept haunting my thoughts. He was a stranger to me, but somehow he became the only person I could talk to without discussing the supernatural element in our lives. For the past few months, he has been the only one who truly sees me and not who I merely pretend to be.

I could always sense that when Tyler had crossed paths with him, he'd become more attentive to me, always insisting on driving me wherever I needed to go. It was like a switch had been flipped, making him the perfect boyfriend. He knew Klaus would seize every opportunity to be alone with me, and he was absolutely right.

Whenever I found myself alone, Klaus always seemed to appear. In those fleeting moments, it was as if I was the only person in his world that truly mattered. And I couldn't help but notice the subtle yet alluring way he carried himself. His body language spoke volumes, drawing me in with every gesture. And the way he chose his words, carefully selecting his conversation topics, kept me on the edge of my seat and left me wanting more. It wasn't his flirting that had me hooked, but rather the way he effortlessly commanded my attention. He yearned to listen to my perspective and comprehend the inner workings of my mind and emotions. I couldn't help but feel guilty every time I spent time with him, even if it was just for a brief moment. It felt like I was betraying Tyler emotionally, and I couldn't shake off the feeling.

Klaus was an enigmatic and unpredictable man who would likely be the perfect choice for such an arrangement. I couldn't help but wonder what kind of thrilling and dangerous adventures he'd get into if he did live such a life. Would he thrive in that world of uncertainty and risk? Or would he fall victim to the treacherous game of lust and jealousy? But why didn't I consider Tyler first? Why not him? He was everything I had ever wanted in a man—charismatic, funny, and handsome. So why did I think of Klaus before even considering Tyler?

Possibly due to the fact that, no matter what the situation, Klaus had the tendency to thrive. I had to stop thinking about him.

Klaus was the kind of guy who made my heart race and my mind wander to places it shouldn't. His gifts were tempting, but they didn't have the power to keep me under his spell forever. However, the memories of our time together were secretly etched into my heart.

Whenever we were left alone, I discovered a side of him. Klaus was a force to be reckoned with. His ambition knew no bounds, and his intensity was palpable. He was a man of passion, possessing a commanding presence that left no room for doubt. His intelligence was matched only by his wickedness, and he was always one step ahead of the game. But despite all of this, what I admired most about Klaus was his honesty. He never held back, always speaking his mind and laying his cards on the table. He was a brooding and mysterious figure, with a dark past that haunted him at every turn. But beneath his murderous rage and unresolved father issues, there was a real man. Any girl who dared to look past his rough exterior would find herself drawn to him like a moth to a flame.

My friends were quick to judge Klaus's intentions towards me, branding them as an all-consuming obsession rather than a mere infatuation. And I must admit, I have taken advantage of his vulnerability on more than one occasion. I couldn't help but notice the pain and hurt in his gaze as he watched me take a stand for my friends, even if it meant going against everything I believed in.

Klaus had probably fantasized about exacting his revenge on me for the wrongs I had committed against him. At the Mikaelson ball, I couldn't help but feel the passion between us. His eyes locked onto mine, and I knew that he wanted me just as badly as I wanted him. The tension was evident, and I could feel my body aching for his touch. When he led me to his private studio, The room was dimly lit, and the scent of spicy cologne filled the air. That night he could have easily bent me over his sketching table, spread my legs wide open, grasped my hips, and thrust himself inside of me before I even had a second to react.

I imagine the pleasure would have been overwhelming for me to tolerate. I would have moaned his name over and over again as he took me to new heights of ecstasy, our bodies entwined in a perfect embrace.

Something inside told me that Klaus Mikaelson, if given the chance, would have given me the greatest orgasm of my life. Despite our complicated history, he was the only one I could rely on in this moment of my life.

His imagination was limitless, and he refused to be bound by the same rules as the rest of us. When it came to violence and sex, he was particularly unyielding. His name came to me easily as I tried to imagine a man who could effortlessly handle the love and attention of three different women. However, Klaus was a man of his own, living life on his own terms. It was hard to imagine him ever succumbing to the expectations of marriage and submitting to someone else's will. He was a force to be reckoned with, and no woman could ever hope to sway him into such a complex marriage.

As I contemplated the possibility of entering into such an arrangement, my mind couldn't help but wander to the two women who would be involved. I couldn't imagine embarking on this journey with anyone other than my closest friends—individuals whom I trusted with my life and felt completely at ease around. After all, what is life without the support and companionship of those we hold dear? Plus, they'd have to be as desperate as I was about leaving Mystic Falls.

As I thought about Elena, I couldn't help but recall the terror that came with being a new vampire. The flood of emotions that overwhelmed me, the constant feeling of sandpaper against my skin, the insatiable thirst for blood, and the primal urge to hunt No one could go through such a transformation without losing a part of themselves in the process. I couldn't help but feel her pain. The realization that she may never experience the joys of motherhood would be a heavy burden to bear. I knew all too well the feeling of defeat that threatened to consume her. It was as if Rebekah had stolen her future, leaving her with nothing but regret.

It was a daunting challenge, but one she knew she had to face head-on. She was a fierce woman with a heart of gold and a spirit that refused to be broken. Despite the immense pain and sorrow she had endured, she stood tall and faced each challenge with unwavering durability. Stefan was determined to grant her the freedom to discover her own desires rather than conform to our expectations of her. It sounded like a liberating concept, but witnessing her battle through it was a different story altogether.

Elena had always been deeply rooted in this town, and the mere thought of leaving, I imagined, had never crossed her mind. Her connections to this town were stronger than anyone else's. This was the place where she had spent her entire life, where she had experienced all the ups and downs, where she felt the first flutter of her heart, where she had lost her parents, and where Jeremy was the only family she had in this world. The memories of a simpler time, before the supernatural took over, were too precious to let go.

The quaint streets, the familiar faces, and the memories that lingered around every corner kept her rooted in place. Mystic Falls had become nothing but a collection of our shared memories. The town had long been abandoned, left to the mercy of the elements and the spirits that roamed its streets.

My heart broke at the thought of leaving her behind. How could I leave behind the one person who had never left my side? The weight of my emotions was almost too much to bear as I struggled to come to terms with the inevitable goodbye that lay ahead. Elena was the type of person who valued compassion and empathy above all else. She knew that if she ever did cause harm to someone, she would never be able to forgive herself.

After burying her father, some people like April Young might jump at the idea of leaving town, but Elena was a whole different story.

If Elena did agree to run away, her guilt over leaving Jeremy, Stefan, and the others behind would cripple her within days. The only thing that would get Elena to agree was for her and me to be on the same page about this life not being enough for us anymore. The battles we had all won together didn't justify the time we lost out on our families and other life plans.

I needed to know how Elena truly felt about her life here. The only way to uncover the truth was to ask her myself. Broaching such a sensitive topic wouldn't be easy, especially with a newly-turned vampire. I knew that if I revealed the depth of my pain, she would finally open up about her own fears of the future.

I understood just how easy it was to appear happy, to fake a smile, and to continue moving forward just for those around you. The dread in the pit of your stomach and bones that someone might suspect you, and all of those questions that quickly follow. Those same questions you couldn't answer yourself, let alone to someone else, no matter how close they were to you or not. If there was even a remote chance that Elena was in the same situation as me, then I owed it to her as a friend and as a woman to speak to her about the possibility of leaving.

I needed a reality check, a wake-up call to the harsh truth that awaited me. The discussion that lay ahead was life-changing. It was time to brace myself for the storm that was about to come. As I contemplated confiding in Elena about my plans to leave, I knew deep down that this was the moment of no return. She could use that knowledge to betray me to Tyler and expose my plans to abandon him and our friends. She might even go so far as to involve my mom. I believed that all I needed was a heart-to-heart instead of an open road.

No! Hmm, I haven't really thought this through yet. Why am I freaking out about a conversation that hasn't even happened yet?

What do I want right here and now?

I want to leave Mystic Falls and never return.

The answer hit me like a ton of bricks, as the truth often did. It was time to face the music and confront the reality of the situation. I was yearning to rediscover myself, to reintegrate into a different society, to contribute and make a difference while possessing a genuinely happy demeanor. I knew I'd never find it here and that I'd be apprehensive about any new face in town, especially following the events of today, which hindered me. I envisioned myself going somewhere new, where no one would know about my chequered past or the supernatural side of me. I wanted to feel as close to humans as possible again.

I imagined myself compelling my mom into leaving town too, possibly to live with her sister or to finally buy a little house in Maine like she'd always imagined doing after she retired. I couldn't leave her behind. She'd endured worse for her service to the town, but today was the final nail in the coffin. The town was slipping through the hourglass, and I didn't want to see what would become of this place in the hereafter.

Taking a deep breath, I steadied my trembling hands and crossed my arms tightly across my chest. The moment had arrived to buckle down and focus.

I had come to realize that Tyler wasn't the one for me in the long run. Our love was there, but it wasn't enough for either of us to feel fulfilled. Our journey had been filled with challenges, and we had supported each other through it all. Tyler and I seemed to lack a deeper connection beyond physical intimacy, which my friends failed to understand. Our relationship has shown me how little I think of myself.

When I thought about leaving town, I felt a sudden rush of relief. It was as if I had been trapped under a rock, unable to break free from its crushing weight.

Leaving Tyler would be difficult. I knew he wouldn't let me go without a fight. He'd search high and low, telling everyone who would listen that I was the love of his life and he wouldn't give up on us. But I had to do what was best for me, even if it meant breaking his heart. And I believe that within a few weeks, or maybe even months, he would succumb to the temptation of alcohol and let loose. His inhibitions would disappear, and he would find himself in the arms of a stranger, lost in the moment. He would declare that it was precisely what he required after what I had inflicted upon him and assume his role as the wounded protagonist. The possibility of him even falling for a friend of mine lingered in my mind.

The turmoil within Tyler was deeply apparent, and I knew that he couldn't keep up with the endless cycle of pointing fingers at Klaus for all the emotional baggage he had been carrying since we were kids. He was always seething with anger, ready to unleash his fury and create chaos wherever he went. He was haunted by some unresolved trauma that he refused to confront. I couldn't keep pretending that I had the power to fix him. He was lost in a never-ending cycle of violence, sex, and an unattractive level of testosterone. Until he found the answers he sought, he would remain trapped in his own personal hell.

Tyler would hate me for a long time. It was a bitter pill to swallow, but I had no choice but to come to terms with it. Living in constant fear of upsetting someone was no way to live my life.

At this point in time, school had lost its relevance. It was nearly impossible to focus on calculus and economics one day, only to find yourself battling for survival the next. One moment I was making decisions that could mean life or death, and the next I was forced to ask permission to go to the bathroom. Following a timetable, attending cheer practice, and doing homework were all exhausting for me, and it was finally time to throw in the towel.

My heart swelled with affection for my friends, each one a precious treasure in my life. But I would be lying if I said I still needed them as much as I did before. We were all growing up; school was almost over, and whether they liked it or not, life wouldn't always be like this. The carefree days of our teen years were numbered, and we couldn't deny it any longer. The future was looming, and we had no choice but to face it head-on. Our flawless skin was not the result of any ordinary diet or skincare routine. And the people of this town would grow suspicious as the rest of our classmates grew older around us. Didn't anyone else realize this besides me?

I couldn't shake the thought that they would turn my departure into a dramatic spectacle, making it all about themselves. It was a toxic pattern that I had grown to despise. Bonnie would probably remind me of all the hardships she'd encountered in getting us here today. Just the idea of her doing this to me made me want to scream until tears pierced my eyes.

In my mind, a good friend knows you'll always be in their life, and a great friend knows you should follow your own direction in life and check in whenever you can.

I felt so ready to get out of here that I could leave town tonight.

The only question that remained was whether I wanted to venture alone or if I wanted to consider performing the spell.

Klaus was the only man I knew who possessed the audacity to delve into such a complex agreement. Never before had I witnessed such a display of masculine prowess. To be in the embrace of not one, not two, but three women at once was a feat reserved only for the most daring and confident of men. He was a man of great maturity, wise beyond his years, and possessed a keen ability to make the toughest decisions with ease. His forward-thinking nature, matched only by his unwavering determination, was enough to transform not just one but the lives of four very different individuals.

However throughout the centuries, he had never gotten married or been in a serious relationship. He had never found a woman who could capture his heart until now. His home was devoid of any mementos of past loves, unlike the Salvatores, who clung to the memories of their lost paramours. He was a man of steel, unbreakable, and unyielding. Even the infamous Katherine Pierce, with all her cunning and seductive ways, could not sway him from his steadfast resolve. We all knew the lengths to which she would go to get what she wanted, but he was a force to be reckoned with. It was known by many that I was the only one who had captured his attention since his return to Mystic Falls. I was the only one who could make him laugh, even in his darkest of moods.

He had showered me with exquisite jewels, each one more dazzling than the last. His sketches of me were so lifelike, they could have been mistaken for photographs. And then, with a voice as smooth as silk, he made me a promise that set my heart aflutter. He vowed to take me on a journey through this breathtaking world, if only if I would just give him the chance. He had spent countless hours studying every inch of my form, committing each curve and contour to memory. With every stroke of his pencil, he brought my body to life on the page, capturing the essence of my beauty in a way that left me blushing more than once. I knew that he saw me, truly saw me, in a way that no one else ever had.

But would he be willing to help me now? I thought

His strong and steady presence had always been my refuge in times of need. Never before had I dared to ask him for something so big, but I knew in my heart that he was the only one who could help me. This would mean putting an end to his plans of creating more hybrids to do his bidding, bidding farewell to his family forever, and letting go of any thoughts of revenge against us for what we had done to him in the past few months.

Klaus never did anything he didn't want to do.

Every decision was shrouded in mystery and carefully thought out. Klaus had only one desire: to build a powerful hybrid army and take over our town. But there was something else he craved, something that he couldn't resist—me. He yearned for every inch of me, from the depths of my mind to the curves of my body and the essence of my soul.

Deep down inside, I had an attraction for him that I kept hidden from others. If Tyler and I weren't together, I would have given in to my desires and given myself to him completely. He was devilishly gorgeous, with his chiseled features and piercing gaze that could make any woman weak in the knees. His impeccable grooming was a testament to his attention to detail; he never settled for anything less than perfection. Unlike most guys, who were content with a new t-shirt and a little cologne every few months, he took pride in his appearance. His clothes were impeccably tailored, hugging his toned physique in all the right places. He carried himself with an air of confidence and authority, commanding the attention of all those around him.

He didn't suspect anything from me, of course, because I had deceived him, Tyler, and my own best friends into thinking he had a one-sided infatuation with me. They would detest me if they knew the truth; Tyler would break up with me; and I would be lucky if Elena and Jeremy ever spoke to me again.

If I truly needed Klaus, I believe he would help me. The only missing pieces to my plan were two fierce women who were willing to leave this town behind. I could practically taste the freedom that awaited us, and I was willing to do whatever it took to make it happen.

Elena would never fathom the idea of being wed to Klaus, for reasons that were all too clear. There was nothing but bitterness and death between them; there was no hidden sexual tension to be found. I couldn't shake off the feeling that their union would be doomed from the start. Would any level of trust be strong enough to withstand the trials and tribulations that lay ahead? They were determined to tear each other apart until there was nothing left but ruins. He no longer needed her blood, and their interactions came to a close soon after.

Even if there was a strong chance of pregnancy, Elena wouldn't betray her own values. She always stood her ground, determined to stay true to herself no matter what. I believe she'd rather die all over again than have a baby with Mikaelson blood.

However, this spell did not specify that the shared marriages had to form out of love and attraction, but instead trust, trust that they would remain married and united by their surrendered blood. Love and attraction were mere afterthoughts in the face of this powerful magic. So if Elena and Klaus were to participate, all they'd have to agree upon was that they would remain married and nothing more.

Without initially discussing it with them, none of this mattered. Up until that point, I had merely been pretending and fantasizing about what could be.

Elena definitely wouldn't consent to this.

In addition, the spell required three women, not just two, and who else would want to leave?

Oh my god! April Young! Her name echoed in my mind.

I had witnessed Elena compelling April, offering her aid in overcoming her sorrow. With April's unfortunate loss, she had no choice but to abandon her boarding school. It was inevitable that we would catch a glimpse of her at school on Monday. She was alone now with no prospects, barely enough money to sustain herself, and no safety net to speak of.

Today, she laid her father to rest.

The only solace you can find is the assurance that no other pain will ever pierce your heart so profoundly again. Whether you're a vampire or mortal, the absence of your hero can turn you into a lost little girl once more. Life just doesn't feel quite the same afterwards. She was tragically isolated, unknowingly residing in a town teeming with supernatural occurrences. She was wandering around with her human ignorance, just like the other mortals in this town, oblivious to the dangers lurking in the shadows. And today, it caught up with her on that balcony.

Asking her about the shared marriage meant spilling the beans on the flow of supernatural attacks and victims and today's events. Not only might she fear the supernatural, but also Edith's spell. She may, like Elena, spill the beans to my friends and set them on edge, urging them to come to me with vengeance and seek answers.

All of this overthinking is pointless unless you're genuinely considering performing Edith's spell! I contemplated then

I suppose I was thinking about it. I possessed the fortitude and mindset needed to manage a shared marriage. I was not versed in all the details that would constitute my daily existence in this arrangement, but the concept, at the very least, was comprehensible to me. Three girls, one guy. It's not an uncommon tale, but that doesn't mean we couldn't make it work.

I planned to invite Elena over as soon as possible, reveal my plans to leave town, and furnish her with the necessary provisions I had amassed. If she refused me, I'd disappear into the night, never to grace their presence again. Without Elena, there was no way I could move forward; therefore, there would be no need for me to talk to April Young or Klaus about the idea of a shared marriage.

I had to contemplate how I would approach Elena with the possibility of a new life together. I had to show her the contrast between our current lives and the possibility of a new life in a place where we could live without fear of being hunted, a place where we could create a home and put down roots. We couldn't just flee Mystic Falls and roam aimlessly in search of a 'For Sale' sign.

Although I was unaware of how Elena and April felt, I couldn't imagine living in a home with two other women. The different marriages would be shrouded in uncertainty, and the mere thought of living together under one roof was too much. However, I also don't think Elena, April, and I would willingly choose to be separated by a great distance. Ideally, we would find ourselves in a new and unfamiliar town, preferably in a state miles away from Mystic Falls.

Ok, I have to work this out, I told myself then.

If Klaus were to consent to be our husband, then each of his wives should have their own home to share with him. However with three properties adjacent to each other, we'd be able to live separate yet equal lives. Even better, we could level the backyards, and this would allow Klaus to move undetected between the houses without arousing suspicion. Although I'm certain he would have preferred grand mansions or seaside villas over colonials with merely three or four bedrooms to speak of.

Elena, April, and I had spent our entire lives in the mundane suburbs, never venturing beyond their borders. I didn't want us to stay in a place where we wouldn't feel at home. If we were to acquire three adjacent properties, I would have to explore the latest real estate developments. Newly constructed streets are lined with vacant houses, untouched and waiting for their rightful owners to claim them. We needed a place where we could all move in on the same day without the neighbors asking too many questions.

We had to relocate to a place where no one could ever fathom looking for us. As Klaus had likely roamed across the entire United States, I had to seek out a place that lacked the vibrant nightlife he was accustomed to, where complications wouldn't arise, and that was distant enough from here to avoid encountering anyone from our past. I widened my scope from state to state, scouring for a few alluring regions but no homes that were directly adjacent, so I extended my search towards the west coast states.

"Utah," I whispered as I traced my finger over the state on the map displayed on my screen.

I started by examining recent real estate construction, for it would be futile to ponder over the state's entirety if there wasn't ample room to accommodate all of us. In Utah, the land was ripe with five different residential contracts under construction; however just one of them was actively seeking offers for their latest endeavor.

Finally, I acquired three neighboring luxurious homes of identical size and space, each with its own unique interior and exterior design, boasting four bedrooms, two bathrooms, and private en suites for the master bedrooms. Furthermore, every home was equipped with spacious indoor garages that could accommodate two cars. I found myself grinning with delight so intensely that I could feel myself being enveloped by it.

The properties were pristine and untouched, lacking even a single blade of grass in their gardens, front or back. Should we choose to acquire them, we would have to lay fresh soil and construct each home from the very foundation. Every inch of these houses whispered with their untapped potential, their essence so pure and unrefined. Which meant that we would have to put our own personal effort into every step that was necessary to turn them into our new homes.

The first property came with a hefty price tag of five hundred thousand dollars. The house was a quaint home with a charming brown exterior that exuded a certain allure. The modest front porch, adorned with maroon window shutters, added a touch of splendor to the overall aesthetic. As you stepped into the grand entrance, a spacious sitting area and dining room greeted you on your right. An archway beckoned you to the kitchen, where a cozy sitting area awaited just beyond it. The kitchen, with its dark wooden cabinets and granite countertops, led seamlessly into the pantry and the laundry room. This house, distinct from the other two, possessed a subterranean basement, ideal for storage and all bulk shopping. This meant that we wouldn't need to venture out to the town together as often, thus minimizing the risk of our shared marriage being exposed. The more we kept to ourselves, the fewer prying eyes would linger on us.

I enlarged the photograph taken of the master bedroom in this property, examining every detail with keen interest. If we cast the spell, this could be the room where Klaus and I would spend our nights together. My mind refused to entertain such thoughts; the very idea caused my blood to boil and my senses to heighten. I was succumbing to the allure of my own thoughts, a dangerous game to play. The middle property bore a striking resemblance to the first, but with a front porch that exuded a welcoming charm. Its second storey was painted in a deep shade of green, while the bottom was coated in a pale, gentle grey. The entrance was positioned on the right side of the edifice rather than its center. Unlike the first house, this one had a secluded pool area in the backyard. The bedrooms were larger, but the kitchen was rather diminutive. The sum of this house amounted to four hundred and ninety-five thousand.

As I gazed upon the pictures, I couldn't help but envision April residing within their walls. The property would be nestled between Elena's house and mine, creating a perfect trifecta. April was a radiant beauty, brimming with vitality—precisely the kind of girl Klaus would be drawn to. I knew that if Klaus and I were to give in to our primal urges, it would only be a matter of time before our feelings consumed us. Klaus and I would be sleeping together long before he and April even developed a friendship with one another. I didn't want to imagine them together just yet, however.

As I pondered the possibility of getting involved with him so soon, my mind couldn't help but wander to Elena's reaction. The mere thought of her judging me made my blood run cold. I had my suspicions that Klaus would soon be captivated by April's allure. After all, they would be married, and their sexual life would be of no concern to me. My sexual life with him, however, would indeed be part of my every-day life if we desired it to be.

Finally, the end house came in at a total of five hundred and twelve thousand dollars. The color was reminiscent of the moonlit sky. The kitchen was grander than the middle house, and unlike the other two houses, each bedroom had ample closet space. This house boasted a spacious layout, yet it exuded a warm and inviting ambiance. The master bedroom was at the opposite end of the hall from the other three bedrooms. If Elena and Klaus were to keep their distance from one another, this would serve as an ideal home for them. I should have known better than to presume, but in this circumstance, it was undoubtedly accurate.

In my opinion, their paths would never intertwine—not now, not ever. Despite Damon's relentless attempts to sway her, Elena's heart belonged to Stefan. She was the embodiment of perfect American beauty—beautifully gorgeous and naturally alluring. But she was much more than that; Klaus knew that she possessed the biggest heart of anyone any of us had ever known. He could sense the depth of her devotion to her loved ones; she was always willing to put her own life on the line to protect them.

I took a deep breath before sending all the details of the spell and the life of Edith Walls to the printer in my bedroom. The room was filled with the scent of fresh ink as the pages began to materialize. Soon after, every intricate detail about the Utah properties followed, including house descriptions and pricing, blueprints, property taxes, insurance groups, and the contact details of the real estate agent who was currently selling ten other properties on that one street alone. If we were to relocate there, at least we would have some time to ourselves without any pesky neighbors.

To prove my devotion to the spell and the life in Utah, I had to furnish Elena with every bit of detail imaginable. I needed to show her that my commitment to the cause at hand was steadfast.

My next objective was to map out the quickest route from Mystic Falls to Sandy, Utah. Any flight records would have sent our friends directly to our front doors, so we couldn't risk flying there. We'd have to hit the open road, covering almost two thousand miles in total. We couldn't take our phones with us and use the GPS since they were traceable, so I would have to print out the entire route from beginning to end. If we were going to do this, we were going to do it right.

I created a document that contained all of the journey details, I highlighted each gas station along the way, identified every road that was now getting road maintenance and the routes we would take to avoid them, and included every dirt road that would shave a few hours off our journey. The function of each page was indicated by a different color, and each page was naturally cross-referenced and indexed. The most crucial of these pages was the fastest route out of Mystic Falls, on which I spent a lot of time working since I wanted to leave town quickly without going by any of our friends' homes.

I returned to my bedroom and gathered all the printed sheets, spreading them out on top of the dresser before dividing and stapled them proportionately. Next, I printed the spell and made copies for everyone involved. I collected several A4 plastic wallets out of the top drawer of my desk for each section of information.

It was then that I came to realize that if all of this hard work should fail, if Elena were to refuse to participate in the spell, then this would be my last night in Mystic Falls. It hit me out of nowhere that I'd never sleep in my bed again, never have a pitiful excuse for a coffee from the Grill, never buy flowers from old Mrs. Doyle's flower shop on Mother's Day, or walk the hallways at school one last time.

I had to contact Elena and April, meet with them, and address this since I couldn't afford to waste any more time. The spell was a non-starter without the girls, and I would feel uncomfortable with someone else in their place. Bonnie and I never completely recovered after I turned into a vampire; we sometimes go days without speaking now. I knew it wasn't my fault because I was aware of the lengths I had gone to maintain our friendship.

For now, I needed to convince everyone to get onboard with the spell.

If Klaus was going to be our...husband, then he needed to have a life with each of us, which meant he needed to live in all three homes, which is why I looked for three houses rather than four.

Every decision, timeline, and course of action had to be reviewed and approved. In this case, my controlling nature was a gift rather than something to be harshly judged, so I had to be cunning and discover a whole new aspect to it.

Stop wasting time...

I had to make the house ready for Elena's imminent arrival. I had only one opportunity to make things right. The entire house had to exude a warm and tranquil aura. The conversation was going to be intense for both of us, packed with tension and the potential to shatter our friendship forever. The mere mention of asking for Klaus' help was enough to wreck our friendship; it could be the final nail in the coffin of our once unbreakable friendship. Though she may deny it at first, I had to ascertain whether she and I were on the same page and if she too was exhausted from the ceaseless procession of funerals and villains in our lives. Beyond the veil of the supernatural, she was tethered to this town by ties of duty and responsibility. She had to consider Jeremy, for she was not only his sister but also his legal guardian. She would never fathom leaving town if it meant abandoning him. And with the hunter hiding in the shadows, no vampire, werewolf, witch, or anyone in their lives was immune to his malevolent abilities. They were mere prey, mere names to strike off and lay to rest. Jeremy was akin to Elena in his unwavering loyalty to his friends. The only foolproof method of getting him out of Mystic Falls was to compel him.

They had family here and there across the country that he could go to, but it wouldn't take much for Stefan or Damon to track him there. Elena would have to be cunning and send him to a place where no one would think to look for him. Somewhere he could create masterpieces, maybe attend college, and delve into the world of art. She'd have to compel him to understand that it was for his own safety and that it was in his best interest to abstain from reaching out to any of his friends after he left. Instead, the only person he would keep in contact with was her, who told him through letters that she could set up a PO box just outside of Utah.

Klaus could probably devise a better plan. I couldn't help but think.

I had no doubt he had connections out there; he could figure out a solution for her. Maybe even help me get in contact with my mom somewhere down the line too. Although he might be more inclined to help me than Elena, I grew exhausted just thinking about the pair of them attempting to co-exist together.

My mind was clear, my senses were heightened, and I knew that nothing could distract me from achieving my goal. With a determined look, I made my way through the house, pulling down the lace net curtains as I went. The sun was shining brightly outside, and I wanted to dim its intensity throughout the rooms. With a flick of my wrist, I ignited the flame of a lighter and held it up to the wick of the orange-scented pillar candles. As the candles began to glow, the room was filled with the tantalizing aroma of citrus and spice. I couldn't help but smile as I moved from room to room, lighting each candle with care. The sitting room, bathroom, and dining area were transformed into a warm and inviting space, perfect for a cozy night in. As I carefully tended to the humidifier near the front door, I couldn't help but imagine her walking through the door and being greeted by the soothing scent of lavender that now filled the air.

As she stepped into the bathroom, her eyes scanned the room, taking in every detail. It was presentable, but I couldn't help but notice a few areas that could use some touch-ups. I grabbed the toilet brush and began scrubbing the porcelain bowl until it shone like new. Once satisfied, I carefully poured a generous amount of bleach beneath the rim, ensuring that every nook and cranny was covered. As a finishing touch, I replaced the old toilet freshener with a new pine-scented one, filling the air with a refreshing aroma. Moving on to the sink, I diligently replaced the bar of soap with a fresh one, making sure it was perfectly centered. As I entered my room, I quickly changed; I couldn't risk looking like a slouch in front of her. I found a pair of new blue jeans, a white blouse with a partially scooped neckline, and a taupe-toned cotton cardigan that buttoned low on my torso before slipping my feet into my new beige slippers.

With bated breath, I made sure to shut all the doors to every other room in the house before turning on the heat. I wanted everything to be perfect for her, to make her feel warm and welcomed as soon as she stepped through the door. Finally, the moment arrived, and I couldn't contain my excitement. In the sitting room, I meticulously fluffed and straightened every cushion, making sure everything was perfect. I couldn't help but imagine the two of us sitting here together, lost in conversation, as the room glowed with warmth and comfort. As I turned on the television, my heart raced with anticipation. I quickly queued up Father of the Bride 1 on Netflix, knowing that it was a favorite of both of ours, placing it on mute as I got things ready.

My heart was racing as I balanced the tray of snacks in my hands: a ceramic bowl of microwave popcorn, a smaller bowl of chocolate buttons along with it, two tall glasses of Coca-Cola with crushed ice, and black straws, placing them on the coffee table in front of the couch. I carefully set a box of tissues by the tray next, knowing that they would be needed before long. As I dimmed the lights, the vibe in the room changed, becoming more settled.

We had a lot to speak about before the materials became pertinent to the conversation, so I decided to keep the folders containing the documents in my bedroom for the time being. I didn't want to overwhelm her. I went back to the living room to collect my phone to text her.

Either way, you're gone by morning. I reminded myself then.

I inhaled deeply before finally summing up the courage to finally hit the 'send' button.

[16:01]

Do you want to come over?

[16:05]

I'm just back from the woods with Stefan; I'll need twenty minutes to shower and change.

[16:06]

How is it going with the blood?

[16:11]

Not great.

[16:15]

We'll talk when you get here. See you soon!

I took a deep breath and steadied myself, determined to show her my best self. The texts we had exchanged had left me feeling like a complete mess, but I refused to let that show. I was ready to face her with confidence, and nothing was going to stand in my way. As I eagerly awaited her arrival, I made sure to spritz every room with a hint of cinnamon air freshener that we had saved from the previous Christmas. The sweet and spicy aroma filled the air, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere that I knew she would love. As I gazed out of the sitting room window, my heart skipped a beat at the sight of Elena's car pulling up in front. I brushed my hair around my shoulders and made my way towards the front door.

Her face lit up with joy and I could see that the blood she had taken from Matt at the memorial had done wonders for her. She looked more alive than ever before, with a newfound energy that radiated from her. The dark circles that had long permeated her eyes were now gone, replaced by a bright and vibrant glow. And to top it all off, she had even taken the time to put on a little bit of makeup. She'd changed out of her clothes from the memorial; she was now wearing a midnight blue half-sleeve t-shirt and blue boot-cut jeans. Her sneakers completed the look, making her appear effortlessly stylish and collected. I pulled her into a warm embrace, wrapping my arm around her. It felt like coming home after a long journey. Elena gracefully collapsed onto the plush couch, her eyes scanning the room as she kicked off her shoes and dropped her shoulder bag to the floor. The air was thick with anticipation as she settled in. Her eyes lit up when she saw the tray of food and drinks in front of her. As I made my way around the coffee table to sit beside her on the couch, our eyes met, and we smiled at each other.

"You're looking a lot better." I commented.

"I'm feeling terrific. I was starting to feel pretty exhausted."

"It's no surprise. I can't imagine how difficult these last few days must have been for you. Keeping it together like you have You've done amazing."

"I haven't, not really."

Elena lay back on the couch, then crossed her arms across her chest as she settled down and relaxed. I, on the other hand, grabbed a handful of popcorn and began to eat, needing energy for what was to come.

"Is your mom home?"

"No. She was still taking statements at the church the last time I heard from her. I'm sure she'll check in later tonight if she has time."

"I'm still reeling from what happened today. As if the victims' families haven't been through enough."

"I know. This hunter is far from discreet."

"Using April Young like that, he clearly doesn't care who he hurts to get what he wants."

I was glad that she had brought up what had happened to April. Clearly, it was still fresh in her mind, which was a good thing.

"You were great with her."

Elena shook her head and said, "I could have killed her."

"But you didn't. She's still alive, and thanks to you, she'll make it through this now."

"The last time I saw her was at my parents' funeral. I had Jenna and Jeremy at my side; she's got no one left, not so much as a cousin. It was just her and her dad."

"She's going to have a tough time of it. I've never felt the same since losing my dad. It's like they take a piece of you with them when they go."

"I know. I'll try and visit her tomorrow; I think I still remember where she lives. I'll ask Stefan to come with me so she knows we're all here to help."

"I'm sure she'll appreciate that."

"I hated when people came over to visit after my parents' funeral. I just wanted to curl up in my bed and barricade the doors."

"They mean well, but casseroles and apple pies aren't the key to fixing grief."

"I hated getting flowers the most; I didn't see the point of giving a grieving person something that's going to die."

I would eventually have to start discussing the spell with her. If it caused her to bolt for the door, I would have to get ready, find my mom, and leave before Tyler and our friends could come over and confront me. I only hoped Elena wouldn't think less of me for proposing such a union.

Life ought to be about our own interpretations of love and beauty rather than those of others. This kind of narrow-mindedness kept a lot of us trapped; not everything had to be normal for it to be beautiful.

I wanted so desperately to enter the next phase of my life, enter adulthood, and explore what new life awaited in it. I wanted to dress a little more modestly, or at least stop dressing to impress Tyler instead of dressing for my own comfort and warmth. I imagined Klaus envisioning me with a bit more class in regards to my wardrobe. Less sneakers, more ankle boots, a few inches added to the hem of some of my dresses, high-waisted dress trousers instead of skinny jeans. I didn't see anything wrong with that; I wouldn't wake up tomorrow a completely different person after all, but small changes to my life might be nice after this one big one. None of which would take place if I didn't start talking.

Elena and I sat together for the next ten minutes, tuning into Father of the Bride while helping ourselves to the drinks, chocolate buttons, and popcorn. She was relaxing now and even went so far as to place the couch throw over our combined laps while we watched the movie we had seen a hundred times by this point.

I excused myself, making my way from the sitting room to the bathroom to use the facilities. I'd never had to pee so hard in my life; the idea that she must judge me was literally making my stomach ache. I took a few minutes to gather myself and keep the faucet running as a white noise machine of sorts. She'd either say yes or no; that's all there was to it, and it was time now to face it once and for all. I washed my hands before heading to my bedroom to collect the necessary documents for when the moment came. I staked them in the order that I would need them before I returned to the sitting room.

Seeing the wallets tucked between my arms, Elena picked up the remote and placed the film on mute. Her eyes never left me as I returned to my seat, placing the wallets in front of me on the coffee table. I turned in my seat to face her head-on, giving her a small smile as she studied me, clearly curious.

"Is everything okay?" she was quick to ask me.

She's already worried. I feared then.

"Everything is fine, but there is something I'd like to talk to you about."

There I'd gotten over the first stumbling block—yes, one of many to come—not that it mattered; I was doing well. It was as if there was already a change in my tone of voice; it was deeper and more mature, as if I were channeling the woman I wanted to be when all of this was finally over.

"But you're okay, right?"

"I'm okay now. I wasn't earlier. Today really got to me."

"Of course it did; I mean, you saw Tyler being shot. No one would blame you for being a little shaken up." She paused, reaching forward to place her hand over mine. "Why didn't you call one of us?"

"I needed some time alone; I needed to figure some things out."

Her hand left mine then as she sat herself upright a bit.

"What kinds of things?"

Take a breath; don't blurt it out, I tell myself.

I followed my own advice then, with Elena watching me closely as I held my breath for a moment before exhaling gently, feeling my shoulders loosen up. Sadly, my stomach muscles remained tight as ever.

The moment had finally arrived, and I felt nowhere ready for it, but there was no turning back now. This would forever be the precise moment that I altered our friendship forever, no matter what the outcome. If she agreed, we might very well marry Klaus tonight and leave Mystic Falls forever to begin new lives.

It's what I wanted; I knew that in my very tender gut.

"I'm leaving Mystic Falls,"

I didn't take my eyes off her for a second as the news hit her like a truck; the blood completely drained from her face, and for a split second, I thought she might pass out right then and there. She tightened her eyes before she began shaking her head in disbelief. If I let her have her reaction right now, then I'd never be able to finish what I want to say.

"I'm leaving tonight." I announced it to her sheer horror.

When she opened her mouth to object, I leaned forward on the couch, placing my hand over hers in comfort.

"Please, before you say anything, just hear me out for a second."

She was practically bursting at the seams to speak out and demand answers from me, and if I were in her shoes, I'd imagine I'd be the same. But instead of lashing out, Elena surprised us both when she steadied herself and began to nod her head in agreement.

Wow. Thank you. I thought to myself.

She was worried about me; that much was clear from her expression. She never learned how to mask her emotions like the rest of us. Elena had always worn her heart on her sleeve, and that's what made her the remarkable person she is today. I couldn't picture my life without her, and now I just had to hope I didn't have to. All I could do now was be forthright and candid with her, as she always had with me, speak from the heart, and get everything out there that needed to be said.

"I don't feel like I belong here anymore. I know this is our home; it's where we grew up and where we became friends. But it's just not enough to keep me here another day. I'm sorry."

Elena opened her mouth to speak, and I braced myself for the lecture about who and what I would be leaving behind if I took off. But seeing me press my lips together as my body tensed up, she stopped herself. She knew I was about to give her the floor to let it out, but she didn't; instead, she said nothing, allowing me to continue.

"This isn't the result of a bad day of gore and carnage; it's fair to say I've developed a thicker skin for such horrors, and before you ask, it's not a delayed shock from Tyler being gunned down like some sort of animal either. As much as it hurts me to admit, seeing him being shot wasn't the worst thing I've seen just this year alone."

I paused to consider, "Actually, when I think about it, today doesn't even make the top ten of the worst days for me."

Again, Elena was able to keep her composure. On the other hand, I wanted to take her hand in mine in an effort to confront her, but I too managed to hold strong and keep it together.

"I'm sorry to burden you with all of this. When I finally made the decision, You were the one person I wanted to tell. You're my best friend; you know what you mean to me."

I began to tear up at the sight of tears forming in Elena's eyes. I always hated it when she cried; it took me right back to the day of her parents funeral. She was inconsolable. I had to keep it together the best I could; I was nowhere near done with what I had to say.

"Elena, what I'm about to tell you is going to be very difficult to hear. And I'm only asking that you let me explain myself before you judge me."

I could see the uncertainty in her eyes; she was grasping the blanket around the two of us a little tighter now. I should have cranked up the heat a little more, because she was clearly in shock. I was determined to see it through to the end. I looked away from her then to retrieve the first wallet from the pile on the table, placing it down on my lap before laying my palms down across it, feeling the cool, crisp plastic of the wallet against my palms.

Keep it together, I tell myself.

"Regardless of whatever happens next, you need to know upfront that my decision has been made and that I'll be leaving no matter what."

Elena, to my amazement, stayed silent, as tense as ever but mute nonetheless. I'd be ripping my hair out by now, wanting to know what was in all of these wallets.

"I didn't want to start a new life constantly looking over my shoulder, so I realized I'd need more than just a passport to start again. So I began to look into spells that didn't require a practicing witch to cast them, primarily protection spells, barrier spells, or whatever you want to call them. Most of the spells that I looked over called for a witch or an antique of sorts. So I expanded my search and looked into spells that, instead of vital ingredients, called for exact replications of the original spell. It took a while to find one that checked all the right boxes, but finally, I did. A spell that didn't risk the lives of those casting it or destroy any memories. But instead, a spell that, when cast correctly, makes it impossible for other supernatural beings to track you from the place the spell was cast. This spell wraps around each individual involved like an invisible cloak; not even a spirit on the other side can break through it once cast."

I stopped then to take a much-needed and well-deserved breather. I hadn't blurted anything out, nor had I gone into considerable depth. I had the materials in front of me for Elena to look through when the time came.

Finally, Elena couldn't keep silent a second longer.

"Maybe you just need a few days away from all of this. Bonnie and I could come up with a plan, and..."

She came to a stop as I reached out and placed my hand on hers, a tight smile on my lips as I shook my head back and forth. She was taken back by the realization. Even if the company were my two greatest pals, this wasn't going to be remedied by a few days in the sun. Nothing could persuade me otherwise, and she could see it in my eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Elena. Believe me." I softly pleaded

"We all get caught up in things, but we can't just walk out on our lives."

I let go of her hand, and then my smile remained in check ever so slightly as I moved back from her.

"But this isn't the kind of life I want for myself. And I can't do it anymore."

"And what about the people counting on us? I mean, what about Bonnie? Why bring me here and not her?"

Say it; she deserves the truth I tell myself.

"Because this next chapter of my life isn't going to involve Bonnie."

Elena was ashamed of me, barely able to look me in the eye as she asked.

"How can you even say that after everything she's done for us?"

"There won't be a day now or in the future that I won't be grateful for everything that she's sacrificed. But I can't spend my life here repaying her by spending my days taking down whatever crosses our town lines next. She sacrificed for us so that we could live. And I've done plenty in return. It's time that I start living for myself again, not just for those around me."

"Did you bring me here to say goodbye?"

It's time I decided, then.

I took her hand in mine and placed them together across my lap to comfort her as I proceeded to reveal the reason for asking her to come here alone. I began by telling her about my journey into Edith Walls' intrepid life, her childhood, the horrific rape she endured before fleeing into the night, meeting the women who would become her soul mates, her relationship with Marcus, the imminent danger of witchcraft trials, the spell, their escape into the night, and finally the life and children that emerged from their shared marriages.

I began to explain about the children born from the marriages: how Edith and Emma, who were witches, conceived easily, while Heather, who was a vampire, struggled to conceive. Elena grasped my hand as I continued to share with her, watching as her eyes filled with fresh tears as a result of the news that vampires may very well be able to conceive children after all. As I told Heather's story and how she ultimately became pregnant, as well as all about the children she brought into the marriage, I saw the astonishment, relief, and finally joy cross Elena's face.

Tears welled up in my eyes as I told her about how I felt while reading it and the relief in my heart when I realized I may still be able to become a mom. I explained how they all went on to live a joyful life together, not always easy and at times exceedingly difficult, but always together for the remainder of their lives, as Edith wrote about the power of the spell increasing through time with the extension of their bloodlines.

I immediately retrieved the box of tissues from the coffee table, taking a couple and offering them to her, knowing that her excitement was going to fade quickly from here.

I confessed to her that I believed this spell to be the way out of Mystic Falls, the guarantee that we wouldn't be followed, and the chance to finally say good-bye to all the mistakes that had brought us here. I watched her face as I told her I was going to ask her, April Young, and Klaus to join me in performing this spell. She made no effort to hide her astonishment and horror, which I could not blame her for. I instantly promised her that the spell was off if she didn't want to participate in it and that I was ready and prepared to leave Mystic Falls alone if I had to.

I went on, not defending my idea but rather explaining why I was making such an audacious and unusual plea. I told her my thoughts and feelings over asking her, how I believed my support would help her transition into a new phase of her life as both a woman and a vampire, and how I believed we could get Jeremy out of town tonight. Afterwards, I brought up April Young and how today's attack had proven how vulnerable she was now that her father was gone, how she hadn't been in town long enough to make any new friends, and how, without her father's financial support, she'd have to stay here and attend school with us rather than her school abroad.

Elena was still at a loss for words, but she made no attempt to run for the door either. She was a vampire now, and she was more than capable of fleeing without a fight—not that I would attempt to stop her.

Then the issue of Klaus came up, and I kept a careful eye on her as she continued to listen to me despite her evident discomfort. I clarified that his crush on me had nothing to do with my decision to involve him. It was merely the reality that Klaus was the only man that I knew who could deal with three relationships at the same time without issue. If I had asked Stefan or Tyler, both of our hearts would have broken seeing them try to lead such a life, battling with them on a daily basis because we couldn't bear not being their only priority any more, and that they had to give all three women the same levels of love and respect.

I explained to her that I didn't anticipate a spell would transform Klaus into a different person, but at the same time, he'd never had the chance to become someone new, and out there he could live as close to a human existence as we could. I told Elena, point blank, that she did not have to be romantically involved with him should she agree to this. I'd never dream of asking her to enter into an arrangement that would demand such a thing. If they participated in the spell, their marriage would be their own and no one else's business. Klaus wouldn't be able to provide the same kind of emotional support as a spouse, but she'd have April and I for that.

I advised her that starting this new life required being honest with April from the beginning. She needed to know about our secret, the founding families, Katherine, werewolves, dopplegangers, and, most importantly, every detail we knew about Klaus. If this was to succeed, everyone had to be completely invested in it; otherwise, it would fail. I explained that because April hadn't had the same history with Klaus as we had, April and Klaus may very well fall in love one day. I then reminded her of Edith's belief that having children and carrying on the bloodline of those who performed the initial spell seems to strengthen the spell over time.

I looked her in the eyes and told her that one day, whether that be ten or twenty years from now, I may consider becoming a mom. I kept my gaze fixed on her as I confirmed her horror that I might be open to the idea of Klaus being the father of that baby too. And not just for the potential benefits of the spell, but to finally have something restored to me that I had believed was forever lost. I shared my

longing to be a mom, to unconditionally love and nurture a child. I assured her I wasn't in love with Klaus, but I also wasn't ignorant of his attraction to me. I warned her that without complete disclosure, none of this would work.

Elena remained silent as I broke the seal to the wallet on my lap, watching her as I gathered the first batch of documentation related to the spell. I offered it across without hesitation, perhaps just a bit, as I noted the tremble in Elena's hand as she accepted it. For the next thirty minutes or so, I didn't move a muscle. I watched as she studied page after page, absorbing everything from Edith's journal entries to the spell itself. I kept praying that her reading was a positive omen the whole time I was watching her. At the same time, she may be reading it to learn everything she can about the spell in order to prevent it.

There was no point in thinking that way; Elena was fully aware that if she refused to participate in the spell, I would go my own way without conducting it. So her reading about it now was surely a good sign.

When she came to the last page, I held out my hand to take the document from her, but she didn't pass it to me. Instead, she combed her fingers through her hair before taking a few eager sips of her drink. There was no use in delaying any longer, so I decided to be open about my plans for Utah. Elena watched me pull additional documentation from the next wallet before offering it to her, along with the details I'd compiled on the fastest routes out of Mystic Falls and directions there. Explaining the color codes, highlighted sections, and labeled gas stations in each state we'd drive through.

"I wanted you to have all of the information I had gathered so you could see that this was not a spur-of-the-moment decision. I wanted you to see the kind of life we might have together."

I watched her go through the house descriptions, looking over all of the photographs and blueprints I had acquired. When Elena came across the details relating to the house I had imagined for her, she took her time reading about it, unlike the prior two. Before turning the last page, she ran her fingertips across the picture of the front room.

"I don't understand," Elena admitted.

She was right to be confused; the whole thing was cart before horse, and I hadn't taken the time to explain the second stage of my idea. I picked up my drink from the table, taking a few sips, then returned to my side of the couch, believing it was best to give her some space for what I was about to tell her next. Sitting the nearing empty glass back on the coffee table, I turned to Elena, hoping with all my might that her still being here with me was a positive thing and not a delayed shock.

"We did perform this spell; we'd need somewhere to live together, far from Mystic Falls and the origin of where we cast it. So I began to look into other places for us to live. And I know it was wrong to just make assumptions about this; frankly, it's bordering on disgusting, but I had to show you the lengths I was willing to go to if it meant us remaining together out there."

Elena said nothing in response, merely staring back at me.

"Utah seemed like the perfect fit—a new property development with three houses side by side. I mean, you've read the details on each house; they've been on the market for less than twenty-four hours."

"Why three?"

"Why three houses?"

Elena nodded eagerly.

"Well, the spell didn't specifically say how they lived afterwards, only that they were together. I thought living in a house together, or even in Klaus's mansion, would be too much for us. If we were to move to a typical suburban neighborhood, then we really were starting new lives. We'd be in our new houses, living our own lives however we wanted. And if we were side by side, it would keep the neighbors at bay too. We could tell them whatever story we wanted about our pasts. Plus, it seemed like the perfect method for, uh, marriages."

"What do you mean by method?"

"I hadn't really gone so far as thinking about how it would work once we got there, but we'd have to keep up appearances for the neighbors, and we couldn't have people asking questions about seeing Klaus moving between each house. I mean, they'd make assumptions about that pretty quickly, just like we would. So I figured if we, I don't know, leveled out the backyards completely as one, then the neighbors wouldn't see him or us going between each other's houses. So the marriages wouldn't be discovered."

"I thought you hadn't given it much thought."

"There were some things I just had to consider to fill in the blanks. This isn't exactly a comfortable subject for me either, Elena."

Elena sighed before running her hand down her face, not able or perhaps just unwilling to look me in the eye.

"How did you even come up with all of this?"

"Honestly?"

"I figured us marrying the same guy would be a big enough adjustment; the idea of being under the same roof would feel forced, and I didn't want that to be the case. Look, all this marriage requires is trust; that's it, and if somewhere down the line feelings grew, then I wouldn't want us falling apart over jealousy."

"Well, that wouldn't be the case if I were involved, believe me." Elena was quick to point out the obvious then.

I joined my hands together in my lap. "Plus, when I move, I'm saying goodbye to this side of me; the eternal teen has got to go. I'm entering adulthood, Elena, at long last. I'm not planning on finishing school."

"But-"

"No, listen to me; it's redundant to me now. We've faced life-and-death situations and seen ten times more mayhem in the past year than the kids in our class have seen in horror movies. I'm tired of pop quizzes, waving pom-poms, and above all, I refuse to ask permission to go to the restroom even one more time."

To my surprise, Elena caught herself nodding in agreement on that one at least, which was certainly a welcomed sight for me. I even felt my stomach muscles relax for a second or two.

"I want to move to Utah, Elena. And have a house of my own. I want to pay my own bills, hold down a job, pick up dry cleaning, go jogging, clip coupons, make coffee, and hopefully have someone with me at the end of a bad day."

"And you think that person could be Klaus?" Elena practically screeched then.

"Elena. If you aren't part of this, then he's not even going to find out I'm leaving town. I told you, without you, there's no spell."

"What about Tyler?" she asked, making sure to lock eyes with me as she did.

She wanted honesty, and she was going to get it.

Say it

"I love him, but I'm not in love with him. We're not even a couple, not really. We fight some new evil together; we have sex afterwards; maybe a little bit of pillow talk, but the train stops there."

"But you guys are still new to your relationship,"

"We are, but technically, when you think about it, so are you and Stefan too. Are we really about to pretend that my relationship holds a candle to your endgame with him?" I challenged her.

She was about to protest, but reality hit hard instead as her eyes found mine again. She couldn't look at me and pretend; she wasn't that type of person, and we both knew it.

"Okay, so things aren't great between you guys right now, but that's still no reason to do this spell."

"I wasn't planning to do the spell because I wanted out of my relationship. When I think about doing this spell of getting out of here, I could just I stopped, then felt tears form in my eyes as I was confronted by my own truth.

Seeing me this way, Elena collected a few tissues for me without hesitation, handing them to me before offering me my glass of juice, which I refused. Instead, she used the tissues to dry my eyes.

"Every day it's the same thing, and I'm just so miserable." I sobbed

"I'm starting to get that." I heard her say that over my sniffling.

Elena's jaw quivered as I met eyes with her, and she moved forward on the couch towards me, and we hugged. We didn't look at each other as we came to terms with the notion that this may be the final time we were together. Elena made her way to the bathroom to splash some water on her face after we parted ways, while I headed to the kitchen. I immediately took a painkiller for my impending headache before refilling both of our glasses and warming up a new bag of popcorn, which I served in the same bowl. Elena had returned and was waiting for me when I got back. I placed our fresh drinks and the bowl of popcorn in the same place again before taking my seat.

"I'm sorry I asked this of you." I confessed before she was able to say anything first.

"You needed a friend. I get that. But this is far from borrowing a sweater or copying my homework."

I laughed, trying to hide the strain it put on my stomach to do so. I was physically stressed, and my body hated me for it.

"I'm not mad at you, Caroline. But I need to understand. Why me of all people?"

"Well-"

"You can be honest. I'd rather you did." She told me.

"Because you were the only person in this world I'd do this for if you were the one asking me too."

She wanted honesty, and I gave it. Elena grinned in reaction to my surprise. It was almost as though she had expected that to be my response.

"I know what I'm asking of you is the most selfish thing I've ever asked for in my entire life, and you know it, too. I'm asking you to give up your entire life, your relationship, and the chance to see Jeremy grow into the amazing man we all know he's going to be."

Elena sighed and extended her legs along inside the couch, and I did the same, as we went top to toe like we did on sleepovers. For a moment, neither of us said a word.

"If we suspended reality for a second and pretended I agreed to do this, how did you imagine it all going down anyway?" she inquired

"To be honest, I hadn't gotten that far. I mean, I thought of a way for you to get Jeremy to safety and routes for us to take out of town. All of which is useless without you, obviously."

"What did you have in mind for Jeremy?"

What does she care? I need to start packing; she's just trying to delay me now.

"It doesn't even matter; don't worry about it; you're not coming, and it's okay."

"Tell me," Elena urged as she picked up the wallet containing the details on the houses again.

What was she doing? Was she just curious? Was this some sophisticated plot to delay me further?

Wait, she went to the bathroom. Did she take her phone with her? I can't remember!

"Did you call or text anyone when you went to the toilet?" I questioned her.

"No," she replied, unfazed by my change of tone, keeping her eyes fixed on the pages as she turned from one to the next.

"It won't stop me from going, even if you do."

"I left my phone out here," she told me before placing the paperwork in her hands back down onto the coffee table and finally looking my way.

"You're asking a lot of questions all of a sudden." I elaborated.

"...I know"

"Why?"

"Because the more you tell me, the less anxious I become."

"About what?"

When finally pressed, she admitted the truth.

"Utah."

I straightened up on the couch, and she studied me closely, her gaze never leaving mine.

"Are you considering coming with me?" I luckily inquired

She began to sob, breaking my heart before answering, "I feel like a terrible person," she told me, her eyes welling with tears.

I reassured her, "No, you're not."

I helped her by holding her drink while she cautiously sipped, then wiped her tears away.

"You already know how much Jeremy means to me, and that's why I'm asking you about him. He must be protected. And I don't know where to begin; I just really need to hear your ideas." She said it only after pulling herself together.

When I got back to my spot on the couch, I supported her ankle with my hand and started explaining my plan to ensure Jeremy's safety.

Elena listened attentively, but I could see the wheels turning behind her eyes, the fear and uncertainty crippling her by the second, and I felt my gut clench up at the doubt in her gaze.

"But what about the hunter? We can't just leave everyone behind to deal with him."

"We're not abandoning them."

"That's exactly what we're doing, Caroline. Exactly!"

"Let's be logical about this. The hunter isn't going to make it another day in this town with Damon after him."

"He got the jump on Damon out in the parking lot and got away."

"Damon had just spent that past half hour surrounded by humans and breathing in April's blood. The whole time, he was watching you on stage, worrying you were going to completely lose it in front of everyone. The hunter used that to his advantage. Besides, nobody ever beats Damon and lives to tell the tale. Not in this town."

Then, I reached behind the couch to activate the air fan that we kept on the window frame with a few photographs and books. I angled it so that it would blow directly across at Elena, setting the speed to it's lowest mode so it wasn't too overwhelming for her.

Over the next few minutes, Elena sat quietly with her eyes closed, savoring the soothing effect of the air on her skin. I couldn't take my eyes off of me, so worried that one wrong move could cause her to change her mind completely.

I can't believe it! She's coming with me!

"Look, I know this is moving too fast for you. I wish you had more time to process it."

As she turned to me, Elena asked, "Why do you have to go tonight?"

I pressed my lips together for a moment so that my answer wasn't immediate.

"I know this isn't what you want to hear, but it just feels like tonight is my last night in Mystic Falls."

"You say that, and I feel like I might be sick." She confessed

"Imagine how I feel."

"I just can't imagine you not seeing me every day. What are you going to tell the others?"

"Nothing," I answered point-blank.

"Wait. No. What do you mean, nothing? You have to talk to them. At least give them a chance to say goodbye." She pleaded with me.

"Elena, I want you to listen to me." I told her to keep my tone in check as best I could.

I straightened myself up a little before crossing my legs.

"I'm so grateful for them; I know I wouldn't have made it this far without them in my life. But I don't want to say goodbye. What I want is to just slip away in the night. And I know how selfish that is, but I've spent too long living my life worrying about the thoughts and feelings of those around me instead of my own. Placing their needs above mine is no way to live."

"It's been tough on all of us the past few months."

"Let's not pretend anymore, please. This has been going on for years now."

She bent her head in humility at the brutal reality she had to face. I appreciated the silence that we shared because it provided me with an opportunity to daydream about what the next few days may hold for me. At last, I wasn't dreading tomorrow, afraid of what villain could enter our lives next. We may be in a different state tomorrow, on our way to Utah and our future together. This all depended on April and Klaus agreeing to the marriage too. I had to keep that in mind and not get ahead of myself too much.

"What about your mom?" Elena questioned me.

"I've thought about it a lot, and there's no chance I'm going to start a new life and leave her in Mystic Falls," I told her.

"So what are you going to do?"

My answer came after a brief pause as I composed myself.

"I'm going to make up an excuse to get her home early tonight—something she'll believe, like I'm locked out or my car won't start. After she's home, I'm going to cook us some dinner, spend some time with her, and then finally, when I'm ready, I'll compel her. I know it will hurt, but I have to do it for her own good. I'm going to convince her that it's time to turn in her badge and gun. She's served Mystic Falls proudly, and she could retire knowing the town is safe and in capable hands. While she packs, I'll send an email from her to the board informing them of her immediate retirement without notice, explaining that this recent attack on the mayor's son has shown her that what the Sheriff's Office needs now is new blood. After that, I'll send another email to her work colleagues, informing them of the same along with her plans to move out to Iowa, where she plans to meet up with an old flame from college she's been writing over the past few weeks. All of which is a lie, of course. I'm planning on compelling her to finally move out to Maine; she used to spend summers there as a kid, and it was always her dream to move out there and buy a house by the water. I'm going to compel her into believing it's best not to contact anyone from Mystic Falls again, now or in the future."

"And you think they'll believe that?"

"Today was a lot for even the most experienced sheriff to handle. They'll believe it; besides, there are already one or two people in the pipe line desperate to replace her."

I paused, brushing my hands down my thighs, removing any crumbs from the popcorn.

"She'll stop by the station on her way out of town; there'll be no one in the office by the time she's done packing up here. Everyone will be out on patrol. She'll leave her badge and service gun in the top drawer of her desk, delete the CCTV footage of her entering the station, and then after that, she'll leave for good. Then, a few hours after that, I'll do the same."

"But how will you keep in touch with her?"

I attempted a smile in an effort to prevent threatening tears as I answered, "I won't, not at first; I'll wait a few years before reaching out to her. Long enough until I'm sure there's no one keeping tabs on her."

"You know Tyler is never going to stop looking for you."

"He will, sooner or later, eventually stop. He's got a lot more demons than I thought when we first got together. I thought he was just intense and adjusting to life as a werewolf, but sometimes he'd just get so angry, and since Klaus came into our lives, he's just been a completely different person. And I'm tired of pretending that I can help him. Only he can help himself now."

"Why didn't you talk to me about all of this sooner?" Elena asked, her voice soft.

"It wouldn't have made a difference. Like I said, it's his problem to fix, not mine. I know what I want my life to be, and with time, he'll figure out the same."

It was then that Elena retrieved the information on the houses from the coffee table again as I tucked into a few chocolate buttons. Feeling the chocolate melt against my tongue comforted me; it was the same joy that came to a child on Christmas morning with a belly full of chocolate and other treats. I studied her, turning one page to the next as tears welled up in her eyes, seeing these beautiful houses and the possibility of what our lives might be should she agree to come with me.

It was time I finally concluded.

"Are you coming with me?" I finally asked the question that may change my life forever.

Elena's eyes never lifted from the pages on her lap, but fresh tears escaped as she began to nod. We were still top to toe on the couch with Elena's legs on the inside. I took hold of her ankle, then under the blanket, causing her to sniffle before she retrieved a tissue to dry her eyes.

"I love him." Elena sobbed, her teary eyes meeting mine as she confessed.

"I know, I know," I repeated as softly as a lullaby.

"But it's just not enough anymore; it's not enough. Every day, I'm just waiting for the next funeral." She cried.

"It's not right."

"And I'm trying so hard for Jeremy, being a vampire and trying to get everything right for him, but he doesn't need a guardian; he just wants me to be his sister again, and I just can't stop trying to make it all perfect, all the time."

"Just hearing you talk about it sounds exhausting."

"I just keep thinking that one day it'll get that little bit easier, but it doesn't, and now with this hunter showing up, he doesn't care about our town; the lives we've built are just animals to him, and I'm so sick and tired of all of it. I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired."

"I get that. Trying to make it work here when it just doesn't feel like home anymore."

"No, it doesn't," Elena cried before collecting a few more tissues from the box.

"And things between you and Stefan, how have they been?"

"He's been amazing since I turned; you know how hard he's been trying to help me stay on the animal blood, but since I turned, I don't feel like the same girl anymore. And it's not just my emotions that are all over the place; it's facing the reality that this might be what my life will be forever—fighting monsters, looking over my shoulder, and literally dodging bullets."

"Like today?"

"Exactly, like today," Elena groaned before blowing her nose and gathering herself.

"It's not enough anymore. Is it?" I asked, giving her ankle a reassuring squeeze.

"No," Elena mouthed to me.

Elena was a wreck once the truth was exposed. I held her in my arms for nearly twenty minutes as she mourned over the loss of her relationship with Stefan, about the friends we were leaving behind, about saying goodbye to her hometown, and about the life she would have had if she had stayed. By the time she pulled herself together, she was in no shape to see April, and we both knew it. I needed to take care of her now, so I took over from there.

I left the sitting room and made my way down the hall to the bathroom, where I proceeded to run Elena a bubble bath despite her protests that she didn't need one. Her eyes were red and swollen, and she was cold to the touch. There was no fighting me on this one; she needed a bubble bath to sink below the warm water, close her eyes, and take some time to herself as she came to grips with the reality of what we would be doing tonight.

I took care when arranging the bathroom for her. I collected the best towels we had from the linen cupboard and draped them over the sink edge. I cleared the tub edge of all our products and replaced them with soft pink tea light candles, which I lit one by one. I set out a hairbrush for her to use, along with a hair tie to keep her hair dry, for I doubt she'd wash it while here. I added lavender-scented bubble bath to the water, along with some oil and bath salts.

When Elena finally made her way to the bathroom, I used the time alone to my advantage. First, I cleared away all the paperwork in the sitting room, returning each of them to their proper wallet before storing them in my room for later. I threw away the tray, empty glasses, and unfinished snacks before wiping down the coffee table and discarding all the used tissues in the kitchen bin. I turned up the heat and shut off all of the ceiling lights, instead turning on the smaller lamps around the sitting room and hall before closing the curtains in each of the rooms.

I hung up Elena's bag on a hook in the hall before making my way to the kitchen to make us something to eat. I didn't know about Elena, but the popcorn hadn't done much for me, and I was never hungrier than after a good cry. So I went to work in the kitchen. I placed the remaining tray of lasagna into the oven along with some chips, and while they cooked, I made us up a side salad and two portions of garlic bread to go with it. I collected a tray for each of our dinner plates to go on; I poured us some fresh orange juice; and I collected two painkillers for Elena's headache.

We ate together in solitude, savoring the delicious meal. We went through our drinks so quickly that I had to refill them twice before we'd finished our meal. After I returned the now-empty dishes to the kitchen, we remained on the couch for the next half hour or so, unwinding after our heart-to-heart. We were wise to take the time to refuel and not rush into what our plans would be now that the decision had been made. We had a long night ahead of us, and we needed this downtime right now.

To my surprise, it was Elena who was the first to reach for the remote control and mute the movie. She turned to me and gave me a single nod, instructing me that she was ready, as was I. Elena provided me with April's number, which I scrupled down on a pad of paper to take with me into town. We had decided it would be best to contact her from a payphone in town rather than have a phone record showing that we had been in contact the night we disappeared. So while I disappeared into town to do that, Elena stayed behind at the house, washing up the dishes, in an effort to keep herself distracted, no doubt.

I just had to pray that we hadn't gone through all of this only to be turned down by either April or Klaus after this. Tonight was going to be eventful for all of us, especially if April agreed to come over and visit us after what she went through today. It was important that we do this now; we couldn't hang about any further; time was marching on, and we wanted to be away for daybreak if we could manage such a thing.

The town wasn't busy, but there were a few people outside the Grill when I drove by, probably there for gossip instead of drinks. Most of the other places in town had closed for the night already, some featuring signs in their store windows indicating they were closed due to the town curfew.

I imagined there were a lot of scared people out there tonight, unsure if they should even live here following the events of today. Since my mom had told me which roads would have road blocks up until ten o'clock to remind people of the curfew in effect, I already knew exactly which route we would take out of town to avoid them. The more organized we were, the better everyone would feel about this entire situation.

Like I said, it was going to be a very long night for everyone involved.

Right now, Klaus and April are out there without a clue as to our plans for Utah. Just the idea that they might turn us down was enough to put a dark light on my future. But then I imagined what might happen should they agree and the tasks I would be faced with tonight in my bid to escape this prison that for so long felt like home.

Klaus...

I just couldn't get him out of my head now that Elena had agreed. I had every chance of seeing him tonight, but the idea that he might reject us felt ten times worse than the idea of my friends discovering our intentions. However, something deep inside my gut told me that he would agree to our offer; he was being offered a new life free of people wanting to stick a knife in his back, a life with not one but three incredible women, one of whom had been thinking about him all day long.

I used the phone just around the corner from the bakery, far enough from the grill that I couldn't see or hear any of the customers who were drinking outside. I called April, who was pleased to hear from me so soon. She thanked me again for arranging for Matt to drive her home after what happened during the service. I explained that Tyler had been very lucky and that we were no further away from finding out what had happened today. April was unaware of the fact that she had been a victim of the hunter and that she had indeed been stabbed and used as bait to lure us out as she bled to death.

April believed she had stayed upstairs on the balcony to grieve alone and that people from the town had only the best things to say about her father and his dedication to the spiritual development of the people of Mystic Falls, along with his charity work. The reality was instead that I had used my blood to heal her, and Elena had compelled her to believe such a reality, along with the belief that she had spilled coffee down her dress and that Matt had taken her home around the back of the church so no one would see her dress in such a mess. Her dress was ripped and soaked in blood; the hunter had left her to die like a stuffed pig. And if April agreed to help us tonight, we would spend the rest of our lives making up for what that monster had done to her.

With very little time to spare, we worked carefully alongside one another in preparation for her arrival. Elena had cleaned up and put away all of the dishes used to make up our dinner, and she had even straightened up the sitting room by the time I arrived home.

Together, we made a large pot of coffee, believing that if April were to join us, she would indeed drink the caffeine later on that night. While Elena lit a few more candles, I went around spraying each room with some more air freshener before rewinding Father of the Bride right back to the beginning, again only on mute, so it didn't interrupt our discussion.

While getting everything in place, Elena and I also put a plan into motion about how we would go about revealing the supernatural world to April before the spell itself.

April was quick to arrive; like us, she had changed out of her clothes from the memorial; she had showered before coming here; and I could smell the apple-scented shampoo she'd used on her hair as I took her coat. She was now wearing a black tank top featuring a band I'd never heard of, with an oversized grey cardigan and dark blue skinny jeans highlighting her petite figure. Her right arm featured a few bracelets that jingled together as she took her seat on the armchair across from the couch. Elena was quick to offer her a cup of coffee, which she accepted eagerly, taking a sip as Elena and I took a seat on the couch together.

We're in this together now, I thought as Elena and I exchanged a glance.

After we discussed today's service and gave April ample time to talk about her feelings surrounding her father's death, it was time to discuss the reason behind asking her here, but not before Elena poured her another cup of coffee. She was human, and she'd thank us later for caffeine when it kicked in at the right time. Given April and Elena's history together, it seemed only right that she should be the one to reveal the truth to April now. To the truth behind all of Mystic Falls animal attacks and deep-rooted secrets that stretched as far back as the eighteenth century

Over the next two hours, Elena revealed the truth as cautiously as she could to a very vulnerable April, who took it all in bit by bit. How the founding families had discovered vampires within the town and attempted to eradicate them by burning them alive in the church that night in eighteen sixty-four, how among those vampires was Katherine Pierce and the path that brought her to Mystic Falls, where she met Stefan and Damon, then the vampire attacks in town since then, and how they had been disguised by the new founding families as mere animal attacks to cover up the truth behind it.

The work that both Stefan and Damon had done to keep the town safe since they returned, how Elena came to discover she was a doppelganger and adopted, how we each became vampires, the truth behind Tyler's attack this morning, and how he survived Bonnie's part in protecting us since discovering she was a witch and how everything supernatural in this town and around the rest of the world was rooted back to the original family, the first vampires. Everyone of their pasts was revealed in depth: Mikael, Esther, Finn, Elijah, Rebekah, Kol, and finally Klaus himself, and all his actions against us to make him into the immortal hybrid he was today.

Elena explained how there were merely a handful of supernatural beings in town now, but all of them were under the watchful eye of Klaus Mikaelson. April had been at boarding school all this time and had no idea that the enormous mansion she had passed on her way back to Mystic Falls belonged to Klaus. She recalls seeing the tall iron fence that surrounded the grounds, as well as the surveillance cameras mounted on each concrete pillar.

April was stunned and terrified, even though, as we predicted, she was mostly in denial, and at one point she believed we were playing a joke on her. She peered around the room for concealed cameras. But reality hit her hard when she realized her father's role and how the gas explosion was not an accident after all, as she had been led to believe. We didn't blink an eye when a tearful April demanded proof that we were the vampires we claimed to be. Elena and I had both demonstrated it to her, hoping not to send her into a mess over it.

Elena and I then proceeded to reveal our true natures to her, so that she might finally believe the truth. I illustrated the black, throbbing veins beneath my eyes along with my fangs as they pierced their way down through my gum lines to a stunned April. Elena, on the other hand, demonstrated how quickly a small scratch on her skin could reveal itself when she used the glass corner of the coffee table to pierce her palm to draw blood.

April had a number of questions for us after she recovered from her initial shock, one of which was whether she was safe with us or not, which was natural. I continued to pour her cup after cup while April realized the reality of our supposedly tranquil Mystic Falls. She went through a lot of tissues, and it took Elena and me a long time to console her when she considered the extent her father had gone to in order to keep the founding families in power.

I was the one tasked with telling April of Edith's spell. And, like I did with Elena, I walked her through each stage step by step, answering any and all questions she had along the way. I provided her with all the paperwork I had obtained through my research and was patient with her as she went through the journal entries of Edith Walls, beginning to end. Before I finally revealed the reason that Elena and I had asked her here tonight about our plans to cast the same spell with her help and, ideally, Klaus's as well,

When questioned why we would ask her instead of all the people, we edged forward in our seats, and as delicately as we could muster, we revealed the truth behind what actually happened to her today in the church. What the hunter had done to her on the balcony and how Elena and I had come to save her and bring her home We explained the reason why she didn't remember it and how compulsion worked.

Which is why the rest of the conversation following that reveal was conducted in the hallway, where April felt more secure by the front door. She was upset to learn that we had done this to her, but she was glad that we had not only admitted our wrongdoing but also healed her. She was relieved she didn't remember her attack; today had been traumatic enough. April continuously checked and rechecked her belly for any inkling of a scar, but of course there was nothing to be found. She had nothing to fear with us around, but that was going to take a great deal of time and dedication on our part to prove if given the chance.

Of course, April had more than a few questions to ask about our decision to involve Klaus in the spell, given that both of us were dating other guys and our history. It was then Elena and I worked together to explain his character more closely, showing that behind his rise to power as a hybrid, Klaus had a network of underground connections that could aid us in our escape. But mostly, the man behind the beast, Klaus, was a deeply charismatic man who had no doubt had a great many love affairs throughout his time, and we believed he was the only man we knew that could enter into such an arrangement and separate himself in each individual marriage.

Elena had gone into the kitchen when the time came to explain to April about my personal encounters with Klaus since he came into our lives. She was curious to learn of our time together, Klaus's measures to ensure Tyler's unhappiness, his desire to give me everything I wanted in life, and his many flirtations that had caused so many problems for Tyler and me these past few months. When asked if I had encouraged or acted upon Klaus's flirtations, I was quick to confirm that neither had come to be and that, despite my current issues with Tyler, Klaus had played no role in any of them.

April then spent some time alone in my backyard, reading through the information and making sure she understood everything.

We hadn't kept anything at all from her about Klaus, so she knew what kind of man she'd be marrying if she consented to participate in the spell. She was all the more relaxed to learn that this was my original idea to get us out of town. She thought for a moment that Klaus might be responsible for bringing all of this together. Knowing that it was just us girls for now brought April a gentle peace as she proceeded forward with her reading.

We'd supplied her with all the information relating to Utah, the houses, the one we thought for her to live in, the routes out of town that would get us around the road blocks that would be put in place in the next four hours, and the route we would take to get us to Utah, all planned out to perfection. Elena and I kept an eye on her through the kitchen window as we washed the coffee cups up at the sink. April sat for the next hour alone at the picnic table as she came to her decision.

When she returned inside, she found us in the sitting room, where we all came to sit down together once again. Above all, April just wanted to be reassured that she would be safe with us; she needed to hear one more time how we fed and how often. She wanted it said that she gave neither of us, including Klaus, permission to feed on her; she wasn't sure if saying that aloud or not made a difference, but she wanted it said anyway.

Afterwards, she wanted us to clarify that this shared marriage meant she did not have to engage in sex with Klaus or any other forms of intimacy to keep the spell strong, which she was glad to hear she did not. She then asked us about our thoughts about children strengthening the spell through time, and if either Elena or I were considering such a thing, Elena explained that due to her history and personal feelings about Klaus, she would not be considering it for now, at least not for a long time at least. She did, however, plan to become a mother one day.

This was news to me, as Elena had practically cringed over the idea of being married to Klaus before April arrived, and she might consider having a baby. Perhaps she meant through insemination; I doubted she'd thought about actually having sex with him; she wouldn't; that wasn't the type of person she was.

When asked if I planned to do the same, I agreed that I did, but all of which was redundant without Klaus's thoughts on the subject. For all we knew, he would turn down the offer of a new life, and we were just three girls, all alone, about to leave their hometown forever.

Why does my stomach hurt over the idea of him saying no to marriages? Probably because it's an odd ball situation that, deep down, I know he'll reject in an instant!

I think deep down for now, between us girls anyway, we all needed reassurance that this wasn't something we'd come to regret in a few days or weeks from now. We gave each other a word then that no matter what Klaus had to say, together the three of us would leave town that night.

But if Klaus were to surprise us all and agree to the marriages, then we had to ensure we knew where we went from that point forward.

And over the next hour, April, Elena, and I would agree to more than a few key fundamentals for what our lives would be like should we marry Klaus.

After everything was discussed, there was work to be done, and the time had to finally come to meet with Klaus.

April was the first to use the bathroom; when she returned, she had brushed out her hair, reapplied soft pink lipstick, and touched up her mascara. And although I was slightly surprised to see what efforts she had made for Klaus, in the grand scheme of things, I couldn't blame her. She was about to meet him for the very first time—a guy whom she may very well marry tonight.

Elena, on the other hand, simply used the facilities and returned to the sitting room unaltered.

Well, I might have reapplied a little perfume, brushed my teeth, and had a gargle of mouthwash.

While April and Elena went around the rooms blowing out the candles and checking the doors, I made my way to my bedroom, where I divided all the information I had gathered into one leather binder so it was less flimsy.

We slipped on our coats, and the girls borrowed a scarf and hat from me. The temperature had dropped drastically over the last few hours. Elena had the binder containing the information, and April had the plastic bags we would need when we arrived at our destination. It was dark when we stepped out onto the porch. I disarmed my car so the girls could make their way inside as I locked the door behind us. We'd all switched off our phones, not wanting any more footprints about where we were headed.

As soon as I got into the car, I immediately started the engine and cranked up the heat. I could see my breath in front of my face and even had to wait for the front and back screens to clear before I could drive safely. I drove us into town, finding it wasn't as busy by the grill as it was before; in fact, half the cars were gone now from around the town square.

I decided to use a different phone box in town this time, instead of selecting the phone box just off the large car park behind the new butchers. I kept the engine running to keep the heat on for the girls. I parked as close as I could get to the actual phone box, but I still had to trek a bit to get across to it. Luckily, this also meant Elena would be unable to overhear my phone conversation with Klaus—not that I would have minded if she did, but just in case he switched on the charm like he always tended to do.

With trembling hands, I inserted a handful of coins into the payphone and dialed his number. My heart raced as I longed to hear his voice on the other end. I couldn't help but wish I had worn gloves to shield my cold fingers from the icy metal. As I waited for him to pick up, I balanced the phone between my ear and shoulder, hoping he would answer soon.

"Who is this?" He finally answered with a hint of irritation in his tone.

I let out a sigh of relief. The thought of leaving a message on his voicemail made me uneasy; I needed to speak to him directly. With my eyes closed, I braced myself for the conversation ahead.

"It's Caroline," I announced, trying to sound more confident than I actually was.

Almost immediately, I sensed him double-checking the caller ID. It seemed that I had made it onto his contact list, a small victory for me in the grand scheme of things.

"I'm calling from a payphone in town," I said into the receiver before he could even inquire.

"Why the late-night phone call, love?"

Naturally, he misconstrues it at once. What did he expect to hear? That I had dumped Tyler and now wanted to sleep with him? It was as if the very air around him was charged with tension and awe. The silence stretched on, broken only by the sound of my breathing.

No, it was far worse. I wanted to marry him.

"We need to talk; can you meet me?" I inquired.

"I don't know, love, it's nearing my bedtime," he said, his tone practically dripping with sarcasm.

For a fleeting moment, I shifted my attention to Elena and April watching me with shared curiosity. But then I swiftly redirected my gaze ahead, raising my eyebrow in a subtle display of frustration.

"Seriously?" I hissed, my teeth clenched.

On the other end of the line, Klaus let out a deep sigh: "Very well, you have bested me. When?"

"Right now, behind the old town church with the clock tower."

"Another one of your friend's cunning ploys to ensnare me?" He enquired.

"Trust me." I told him before slamming the phone shut, not giving him the opportunity to respond with another snarky remark.

Swiftly, I spun on my heels and strode back across the desolate car park, my eyes fixated on the ground. I could sense their piercing stare as I rounded the front of the car and slipped inside, only to be bombarded with a flurry of questions.

"What did he say?" Elena asked

"Did he agree to meet us?"

With a swift movement, I activated the function key for the heated screen as the frost began to accumulate around the edges, obstructing my view. We were stuck for now, unable to move until the frost cleared.

"He's coming; if he's at his place, it should take him around twenty minutes or so to get there."

"Are you sure he meant it?" Elena was quick to ask

"Yeah," I breathed.

As the screen cleared, I wasted no time hitting the road again. The old church was just five minutes away, but we had to make sure everything was in place before Klaus arrived.

"Alright, so is everyone clear on what they're doing once they get there?"

"Yeah, a hundred percent, I'll collect the cast iron pot; it's still there. I saw it only yesterday on my drive home; they're using it as a plant pot." April confirmed

"And that just leaves you and me on pick-up detail," Elena replied.

Edith's spell was made up of fallen maple tree leaves, dirt, lavender, fire, and the blood of everyone united in the shared marriage, which was brought to the flame in a cast iron pot.

This is the reason we chose the old town church; it was the only place we knew where we could find a pot dating back to that time period. We couldn't exactly go online for help on this one, not if we wanted to be out of town by morning.

As we drove down the street towards the church, I couldn't help but notice Elena's unease. Her body was rigid, and her eyes were filled with a fear that I had never seen before. I pushed aside my own inner turmoil, allowing my focus to hone in on her.

"Hey, don't worry. Everything will be fine," I assured her, causing her to look my way then.

"And what if it doesn't? What if he calls Stefan or Tyler right in front of us and tells them what we tried to do?"

"Then we get into my car and just drive out of town that very second." I told her.

"Elena, you can't think like that; it won't help." April said it from the shadows of the backseat.

"She's right. We really need to focus right now. Get everything done so that when he arrives, he can see the extent to which we have gone; he'll see for himself that we're serious about this. It's not some scheme to get out of town; it's how we start our new lives." I explained softly.

Elena sighed "When does the town curfew begin?"

"At ten, we have just under an hour to convince him."

"You're kidding me?" April gasped

"If we can't do it in an hour, we can't do it at all." I clarified.

When we pulled up at the church, I parked my car way in the back, out of sight.

"She's right. We really need to focus right now. Get everything done so that when he arrives, he can see the extent to which we have gone; he'll see for himself that we're serious about this. It's not some scheme to get out of town; it's how we start our new lives." I explained, my voice ringing out in the stillness.

Elena let out a heavy sigh. "When does the town curfew start?"

I furrowed my brow, feeling the pressure of time weigh heavily on my shoulders.

At ten, we have just under an hour to convince him, I said, my voice urgent.

"You're kidding me?" April gasped, her brows shooting up in surprise as she took a sharp intake of breath.

"If we can't do it in an hour, we can't do it at all." I clarified.

I parked the car at the back of the church, away from prying eyes.

I turned off the engine, and we all exchanged a quick glance. We scanned the area outside for any signs of a tail or a curious passerby. Satisfied that we were alone, we breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed like we were getting away with it.

The car doors closed with a soft click as we stepped out, being careful not to make any sudden movements. April walked up to me and handed me a plastic bag. I could see that there was already some lavender inside, which she had picked from a pot in my backyard. Elena and I stealthily moved towards the back of the church, taking cover behind the towering stone wall. Meanwhile, April was tasked with retrieving the pot from the front of the church near the antiquated entry gate. As we turned the corner, the sound of her footsteps grew louder. I glanced over my shoulder and saw her approaching us, her hands clasped tightly around the ancient and no doubt heavy pot.

In the dimly lit forest, we huddled around the fallen maple leaves on the ground. Using the torch I had brought from home, we carefully picked out the leaves and placed them inside the pot. Then, we scooped up handfuls of dirt and added them to the pile, working together to complete our task. We stood at the edge of the forest, hesitant to venture too deep. We knew they needed to stay within Klaus's range of vision so he knew where we were. We huddled behind the stone wall, careful to stay out of sight of any passing cars near the church. The curfew was in effect, so there weren't likely to be many vehicles on the road at this hour. As we stood in the forest, surrounded by towering trees and the sound of rustling leaves, we emptied the contents of the bag into the pot. The mixture of leaves, lavender, and dirt swirled together as we stirred it with a stick. Once we were satisfied with our work, we tossed the bag into the bushes, out of sight. Elena then turned to me and handed me the wallet, her eyes filled with concern. My palms were sweating as I prepared to explain the situation. Given my history with him, we had all decided that it would be best for me to tell him about our intentions.

The wind howled through the forest, sending shivers down our spines. April huddled closer to me, wrapping her arms tightly around her body and tugging her hood over her head. Elena and I paced back and forth, our breaths visible in the frigid air, trying to generate some warmth.

April's voice was barely above a whisper as she spoke, shattering the peaceful quiet that had enveloped us. "I don't even know what he looks like," she confessed, her eyes fixed on the horizon.

This is hardly the time!

I stood in front of her, my arms crossed and my expression serious. "It's not a good time," I said firmly.

April shivered as she begged, "Oh, just tell me," her teeth chattering in the cold.

"You guys told me about him. And I know about all the pain he's caused and his personality, but come on, give me something." She pleaded with us, hoping for some redeeming quality to justify her attraction to him. Despite knowing about his hurtful actions and unpleasant demeanor, she couldn't help but search for a glimmer of hope. She stood there, shivering in the cold, her teeth chattering uncontrollably. With a desperate look in her eyes, she began to beg.

"He's about eleven, has dark blonde hair, and sort of dark green eyes; he's attractive."

"You said he's over a thousand years old, but is he young-looking like you guys?"

"He appears to be in his late twenties," Elena said.

"But his personality goes beyond that; he's got the old soul thing going for him."

"Is he well-built?" April inquired, causing both Elena and me to turn our heads towards her.

This is really not the time to be asking this!

"Yeah," I said as I continued my pacing.

The tension was tangible as we waited for him to show up.

"What happens if he doesn't show up?" Elena stood shivering in the chilly air, her arms crossed tightly over her chest in an attempt to keep warm. She looked around, searching for any sign of relief from the biting cold.

"He'll show," I promised.

Klaus eagerly awaited the chance to meet with me in private. The silence was broken by the faint noise of a car approaching. We strained our ears to listen as the sound grew louder and closer. Finally, the car drew up and came to a stop in the same parking lot we had come from. As I stood shivering alone at the edge of the parking lot, a sleek black Bentley pulled into the spot next to mine. The driver's door opened, and Klaus emerged, his black coat billowing around him in the frigid air. He quickly turned up the collar of his coat, as if trying to shield himself from the biting cold. He suddenly spun around, his senses tingling. He caught a glimpse of me lurking in the shadows, and our eyes locked in a tense moment. I quickly retreated, daring him to follow me further into the mysterious forest.

I shifted my gaze towards Elena and April, noticing the apprehension etched on their faces. We all stood in positions, listening to the sound of his footsteps drawing near. The leaves on the ground had turned brittle from the cold, and they crunched loudly with every step he took, making our nerves even more frayed.

Klaus froze in his tracks, his eyes widening as he realized that they were not alone in the dark, as he had assumed. I stood in the center of us, flanked by Elena and April. His eyes immediately locked onto mine. He glanced briefly at the others before quickly dismissing them and returning his focus to me.

He stood with his arms crossed, looking around with a dissatisfied expression. "This isn't exactly what I had in mind, love," he complained.

I looked into his eyes and spoke with conviction, "It's not a trap."

"Not exactly a party either, is it?" He remarked, dropping his arms back to his sides, a sly grin on his face as he surveyed the area again.

"I need your help."

"I assumed you did."

Elena broke her silence. "Thank you for coming," she said softly. She avoided his gaze, as she always did, but it didn't seem to bother him.

"I'm April, by the way." April introduced herself with a friendly smile.

Klaus stood before her, his face a mask of stoicism, as he watched her stumble through her introduction. April's cheeks flushed with embarrassment. Despite her efforts, Klaus remained unmoved, his lips pressed tightly together as he suppressed a scowl. I was sure that he was fighting back laughter at her blundering attempt to impress him. She stood shocked, realizing for the first time that it was impossible to talk to him when he was like this. The truth hit her hard as she came to terms with who we were dealing with.

He turned his head back towards me, his eyes locking onto mine. "I'm listening, love," he stated.

I turned my gaze towards Elena and April, who stood beside me, shivering from the cold. They both nodded in encouragement, urging me to take the next step.

Our eyes met, and I declared, "We're leaving Mystic Falls."

Klaus' face fell as he looked at me, clearly distressed at the thought of me leaving. He didn't try to hide his emotions as he silently contemplated my departure. His eyes pierced through me before shifting to Elena. She immediately looked down, unable to stand the intensity of his gaze.

"I see. So, this is our final farewell?"

Why do I feel like you're already missing me?

"No, it's nothing like that." I clarified quickly, denying the assumption.

"Then I suggest you start making some sense, sweetheart," he said, his voice low and dangerous.

"We want you to come with us." I responded promptly, for if I didn't act now, things could escalate fast.

Klaus slowly turned his head, scanning each of our faces with his wide eyes. He took a moment to look at each of us, one by one, before turning his gaze back to me in the center and saying, "You're comedians."

Elena's eyes narrowed as she spoke, her tone serious and unwavering. "It's not a joke," she explained, her voice carrying a weight that left no room for doubt.

As the forest fell silent and the wind slowly dipped, Klaus stepped backwards, his mouth agape but no words escaping. I stood frozen, my eyes fixed on him, unsure of what to make of the situation.

Beside me April's heart was threatening to burst out of her chest. She tried to calm herself down, but it was too late. Klaus, who was watching her, noticed her sudden change in demeanor. His face was twisted in anger, and I could tell he was not in the mood for the human condition. However, I held onto hope that the evidence we had compiled inside the leather binder would be enough to convince him of our true intentions.

As soon as he had arrived, my stomach had twisted into knots that refused to untangle. The feeling inside me was a mix of excitement and terror, leaving me unsure of how to act. As they stood beside me, Elena and April seemed to blend in seamlessly with my presence. It was as if we had been working together for years, and their company brought a sense of comfort and relief. We were a team, united in our purpose, and ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

I took a deep breath and turned towards him, extending the binder for him to take. I had purposely arranged the binder's contents so that the first thing he would see was a section entirely dedicated to Edith's life. After that, he would come across the spell. Before ultimately coming to the section pertaining to all three houses,

"If we're going to get out of Mystic Falls together, we want to use this spell to ensure no one ever finds us again." My voice was calm and measured as I hoped to convey my message clearly as the others nodded in agreement, their expressions determined.

"And who exactly are you all running away from?" Klaus inquired

"No one," April answered firmly.

Klaus shifted his gaze towards her, and I watched as April held his stare, her eyes betraying a strength that belied her appearance. She was no fool, and she had pushed past his tough guy exterior. Klaus slowly turned his head towards me, his eyes meeting mine. Looking at the unopened binder clasped in his hands, I gestured towards it, silently urging him to trust us and reveal its contents. Klaus took a deep breath and finally opened the binder.

"Fine." Klaus let out an anguished sigh before reluctantly agreeing to read it.

He turned to the first page and began to read. I stood still, watching him intently. Klaus stood in the center of the clearing, oblivious to the fact that we had already taken our places around the large iron pot. We had carefully marked our positions on the ground, just as the wives had done before they surrendered their blood to the flame that night.

The wind gently blew past me, causing my hair to sway over my shoulder. Klaus, who was standing nearby, tensed up. However, Elena and April were too engrossed in their methods to keep warm enough to take notice. Klaus turned his head towards me, his eyes locking onto mine for a brief moment. It was clear that he had caught a whiff of my perfume, and the effect it had on him was evident.

Not long after that, Klaus took a fleeting glance away from the page and into the wilderness, clearing his throat before regretfully returning his gaze to the page. His eyes scan the words on the page in front of him, but his mind is elsewhere. I sensed in that moment that he was reading about the horrific rape Edith had endured.

Klaus stood in silence, his eyes fixed on the journal entry in front of him. Edith's words were haunting, describing the night she was violated by a man who wanted to force her into pregnancy. As I watched Klaus closely, I began to see glimpses of his true nature. Memories of his fierce protectiveness over Rebekah flooded my mind, and I realized that he would have done anything to shield her from the same horrors Edith faced.

Klaus flipped through the pages of the ancient tome, his eyes scanning each line intently. The rest of us stood by, silently watching as he drew closer and closer to the page containing the spell we so desperately needed. Tension hung heavy in the air as we all waited for Klaus to realize the gravity of the situation. As Klaus turned his head towards us, we immediately grabbed each other's hands. We stood before him, our question hanging in the air. His eyes, as dark as night, pierced through us like blades of steel. He knew exactly what we were asking. I stood there, feeling sick to my stomach and wishing I could disappear. Elena and April stood on either side of me, each grasping one of my hands. Klaus observed them both intently, studying them one by one and then back again.

Klaus lifted his head from the page and looked around at us. We exchanged uncertain glances, wondering what was going through his mind. His eyes were glued to the pages of the binder in his hands. The forest was quiet except for the sound of the turning pages. I couldn't help but wonder if it was a good or bad thing that he kept reading.

I cleared my throat before calling out, "Klaus?" with the others remaining silent as I waited for a response.

He lifted his hand, motioning for me to stop. His eyes remained fixed on the page in front of him, as if nothing else in the world mattered.

"What should we do?" April mouthed at me when I looked her way, and I shook my head.

He's already furious.

We stood there in silence as he flipped through the pages of the binder, not once acknowledging our presence. It wasn't until he reached the final page that he finally looked up, slamming the binder shut with a loud snap, startling April. The forest fell silent again without a whisper of wind as everyone looked at each other, unsure of who should break the tension. I'm wondering if Elena or April should be the ones to speak up or if I should again take the lead. I had anticipated that this conversation was going to be difficult, but I didn't expect this kind of reaction from him. As I released the girl's hands, Klaus suddenly became aware that we had been holding hands the entire time he'd been reading.

"Aren't you going to say anything?" Elena inquired

She looked at him expectantly, waiting for his response. He held her gaze for a moment before finally speaking. "I doubt you'd like to hear what I'm thinking right now, sweetheart," he said with a sly smile.

"We know exactly what we're asking," I explained, my voice firm and unwavering. The others looked at me eagerly, waiting for me to continue.

He looked at him with growing frustration. "No, I don't think you do, love," he said, her voice barely above a whisper. He didn't respond; he just stared at me afterwards with a blank expression. The silence that followed was suffocating.

"It was completely my idea." I informed him, keeping my voice steady. I watched him process my words, trying to make sense of them.

Elena and April stood in silence until he looked to them for answers, both acknowledging the statement with a nod.

"Why, of all people, would you want this?" Klaus inquired, raising an eyebrow, clearly not convinced.

"It's more than just what I want. It concerns all of us." My tone was laced with determination. "It concerns all of us," I explained.

"Why not just leave?"

"Everyone who has left has come back time and time again to save someone or help another. We don't want that option. We'd like to start over. We're tired of living this way." My heart was pounding with adrenaline as I voiced the thoughts that had been weighing heavily on all of their minds.

"You've fought me tooth and nail to keep your little town standing."

"And look where it's led us. Living in a place where people are attacked at funerals That's not the life we want or deserve." Elena responded.

"I see," he said coolly. "And which one of your little friends got hurt this time?"

April looked to him, her chin held high as she confidently declared, "Me."

"And Tyler," I added.

Klaus and I locked eyes, and I could feel the tension between us. I had just mentioned Tyler's name, and Klaus clearly didn't appreciate it. We both understood that the animosity that existed between them was beyond the sire bond; it was about me too.

"There's a new hunter in town; we don't know what his end game is, but he's already made it clear who he assumes is a supernatural creature, like he senses us or something." Elena elaborated; her words flowed smoothly, punctuated by occasional pauses as she gathered her thoughts. After all, none of us knew what to make of the hunter just yet.

"He does; he'll sense or at least suspect the vampire in you the moment he steps into the room."

"Wait, do you know anything about hunters?" I asked

"They've appeared throughout the centuries, never surviving long enough to catch up with me." He shared.

"Well, today one of them stabbed me and left me to bleed to death at my own father's funeral." April's voice cut through us then.

Klaus stood silently, his eyes fixed on her, as she absentmindedly tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and shrugged her shoulders. She struggled to find the words to describe the gruesome violence she had unknowingly endured. Even hearing that it had happened to her had left her traumatized, yet she had somehow found the strength to be with us tonight. For a brief moment, Klaus looked at her with admiration and respect. She had just gone through her own father's memorial, and yet here she was, standing strong. It was truly incredible to see such strength and resilience in a human being.

"He's never going to get near you again." I promised her.

"She's right, April," Elena confirmed.

"Let's get back to business, sweethearts," he said, his voice minimal and assertive.

"We needed a spell to stop anyone from ever finding us again, one that didn't require the casting of a witch."

"So the little witch isn't involved in all of this?"

"No, Bonnie knows nothing about any of this. It's just us, and it's going to stay that way."

Klaus's eyes narrowed as he curled his lips into a sneer.

Stop looking at him.

"Explain," he demanded.

I turned to Elena and saw her nodding in agreement as I prepared to confront Klaus with the truth. Then I faced him and spoke my mind.

"We're not going to tell anyone about the spell because it's none of their business. We've discussed it and decided that it's best for us to just disappear."

He looked at me with a curious expression. "Tonight?" he inquired.

I nodded my head in response.

Klaus' eyes fixed on us, unblinking. The forest was filled with an eerie silence, his lips tightly sealed. Every passing second only made my nerves more frayed. I watched him intently, trying to decipher the thoughts behind his expressionless face. It was a constant source of frustration, as if he took pleasure in keeping me on the edge of my seat.

"You're all willing to pack up and leave the little town you adore without saying anything to the ripper or little Tyler about your destination or wicked intentions?"

"Our business is our own," I declared.

"We don't belong here. We believe we belong with you." I told him and quickly seized Elena and April's hands by my sides again.

Klaus looked at our hands as they linked before returning his gaze to me.

"You expect me to believe you?"

"You don't have to compel me to know the truth. You can see it in my eyes."

"Don't tell me what I know."

"If you thought we were lying, then you would have done something about it by now." I was quick to point it out then.

"Why are there descriptions of three properties in..." he trailed off, his mind struggling to recall the state they were based in.

The three of us stood there, staring at him with anticipation. Suddenly, we all blurted out the same word at the same time: "Utah!" He looked surprised by our synchronized response.

"Why did you add them in with the rest of this?" Klaus held up his hand, the binder still clutched tightly in his grip.

I turned to him and raised an eyebrow. "Curious?" I asked.

"You have me curious," he said, "but far from interested."

"We want to move there. We want to live in these exact houses."

"There are only three house listings. Does this imaginary husband of yours live outside?"

"You already understand what we're asking of you in this. Let's not pretend."

"Says the girl who wants to play house," Klaus pointed out.

You can be such an ass sometimes.

"We agree to keep our names off anything official. All three properties will be under your name, making this a clean investment. And if it doesn't work, then we walk away with nothing, and you get your money back."

He looked at me with a slightly raised eyebrow and a smirk on his face. "This is hardly a selfless act, love," he said.

Klaus looked at each of us, frustration etched on his face. Elena and April remained silent, avoiding eye contact. He turned to me, his piercing gaze locking onto mine. It was clear that he was seeking answers, and he knew that I was the only one who could provide them now.

"We thought about that, and we think we've come up with a way of evening things out in that area too." I paused, taking a small breath, as I tried to collect my jumbled thoughts. "We're not proposing a dictatorship, but we have agreed that in return for your participation in the spell, we'll provide you with something."

Klaus simply returned my gaze.

"We've decided that when we pass that town line tonight, all previous wrongdoings will be forgotten. Some may be more difficult to forget than others, but we will start this new life without malice. We understand that this new life won't be easy and that, at some point, we all might want to give up or even come back here to start over alone. We're all going to fight, and at times we may even need a few days away from each other. But, as women, we've made a vow that this life won't be treated as a joke, which means our marriages are our own business and we won't be ruled by things such as pettiness or jealousy. This also means you don't have to worry about us breathing down your neck about each other. We're not entering this marriage for love, but each of us has agreed to be open to the possibility of it in the future, and I mean in every sense of the word." I told him slowly, pausing here and there. Giving him a clear sign of our commitment and the unknown future that lay ahead for all of us involved.

Klaus slowly shifted his eyes towards Elena, who was waiting for his attention. She stood tall, her eyes locked onto his with unwavering determination. Despite the intensity of his gaze, she refused to show any sign of weakness, holding her ground with a steely resolve. As they stood there, staring into each other's eyes, it was evident that this moment held immense importance for both of them.

I never finished my thought until Klaus again locked eyes with me.

"The reason there are three houses rather than four is that each wife will have one house to share with you and, in time, any children who may follow." I explained

Klaus suddenly averted my gaze.

"Why didn't you tell us about vampires being able to have children?" Elena inquired.

Klaus hesitated, his eyes darting back and forth as he weighed his options. After a moment of contemplation, he finally spoke.

"It's been a rumor for centuries, and I hadn't even heard of a vampire giving birth until about eighty years ago. I'm guessing the chances of a vampire becoming pregnant by a hybrid are..."

"Are what?" I insisted that he finish.

Klaus riveted his gaze on mine and sighed, "A certainty."

Oh my god, oh my god, OH MY GOD! ITS TRUE!

"We weren't sure if that was something you might want or not." I paused to gather my thoughts. "But we wanted you to know that we're not ruling out the idea."

"If you're just looking for a sperm donation, love,"

"We want a husband." April said it wistfully before he could make another idiotic joke.

"This isn't a game." Elena then stated:

"Why would I agree to be a part of something like this?" he questioned us.

"We don't want to be here any longer; it's not home. Does it feel like home for you?" I asked him then.

Klaus stood there, silent and motionless, refusing to acknowledge us. He averted his gaze before ultimately turning his back on us completely.

"You're asking the most powerful creature on the planet to give up his life to move to the suburbs with not one, but three women."

"Yes, we are." I said

Just look at me...

"At the end of the day, you're being offered sex with three pretty hot girls." April laughed,

"April," I cautioned, shaking my head at her boldness.

Klaus was a man of insatiable desire, his eyes smoldering with a raw sensuality that left women weak in the knees, even willing to sink to their knees if it meant giving him pleasure. He had tasted the lips of countless women, each one succumbing to his command. Klaus was a master of the art of seduction, and he reveled in the power he held over the women in his life. As the forbidden idea crept into my mind, I couldn't help but imagine the tantalizing possibility of him entertaining the idea of sleeping with us. The mere thought sent shivers down my spine, and I knew I wasn't alone in my desire. With his charm and seductive prowess, he could easily have us all under his spell by the end of the month.

Klaus's piercing eyes locked onto us, sending shivers down our spines. He slowly slid his hands back into his pockets, revealing the outline of his muscular frame. As he tucked the binder under his left arm, I couldn't help but imagine what else he could hold with those strong hands.

"Life in Utah won't be easy. But you have my word that we'll figure it out." I told him

"How are you suggesting we do that, love?"

"We agree to give you the final say."

"Excuse me?"

I figured that would get your attention.

"As I said before, we won't be dictated to. But if we're truly going to be true to the original spell, then we have to have similar objectives as the people who originally cast it. And back then, the man of the house would have had the final say in all matters. So we agreed before we came here that we'd live by those same terms."

"And what do you mean exactly by final say?" Klaus asked, appearing slightly more curious now than before.

"We'll come directly to you for any major decisions to be made in any circumstance."

"Granted that we won't come to you with every little issue." April said then

"Right, what I meant was that all the daily tasks, all the stuff we know would bore you to death, will be up to us to take care of."

Klaus' eyes lingered on me for a moment longer than necessary, sending shivers down my spine. But I was grateful that he didn't make a fuss about it. My cheeks burned with embarrassment as I avoided the gazes of Elena and April, wondering what they must be thinking of me.

"The three of us will meet every day, during which time we'll divide up all the tasks, such as utilities and food shopping. You'll never be burdened with that type of stuff. We know it's not your thing."

"Like a wife meeting," April mumbled, trying to put a label on it.

"You're talking about playing house again, love."

"I'm not sure what games you played as a kid, but a husband and three wives were never in any of my playground activities. Klaus, we're not going to start wearing aprons and getting dinner on the table by five. That's never going to be us. What we want is a genuine life together; it will be messy, but not for you. Not with the schedule in place." I informed him.

"I'm not sure what games you played as a child, but a husband and three wives were never part of any of our games at recess." I told him sternly,

"Klaus, we're not going to start wearing aprons and getting dinner on the table for five. That's not what our lives are going to look like in Utah. What we want is a genuine life, which we can accomplish once we have a schedule in place."

"What schedule?"

I can't believe I just said that. We're nowhere near ready to talk about this yet.

"The reason for us buying three houses rather than four is the schedule," Elena explained.

"You will have a private life with each of us in your separate houses, and every day when you come back from work or whatever it is you might do out there, you'll go into the house of the wife you're scheduled to stay with that night." April informed him

"You're sharing me?" Klaus inquired, trying hard not to laugh.

"You would be sharing with us. We'll be part of each other's lives, but for the spell to remain strong, we'll need to establish a marriage bond in each of the homes. But that's not something we'll discuss...ever."

"Every single day, you'll get to live a life that men would kill for. A life with three remarkable women willing to spend eternity at your side."

"I doubt it's the wedding you all envisioned, so why settle for it?"

Don't point out the reality right now; it's too cold and too awkward!

Klaus continued to question us.

"Why ask me?"

"Who else do we know who can handle three different marriages at the same time?" I challenged.

He then turned his attention towards Elena, locking eyes with her and refusing to look away.

"Let's not pretend that you and I can get along, love."

"I'm not going to change my mind if that is your concern."

"I've been following your teen drama romance with the Salvatore brothers for months. I can't imagine a life in which you abandon them to save your own neck."He informed her

"Then why am I standing here right now?"

Klaus stared at her with a blank expression, taken aback by her boldness. He stood in front of her, his eyes piercing into hers. The air was tense as he spoke, questioning her motives. We all knew the truth—how much she loved Stefan.

I imagined that after Elena became a vampire, she was reminded of the life she had before her parents died and what they had wanted for her. Elena had come to treat each town event like an inconvenience instead of something to get excited about; she never talked about life after school; there was no mention of what college she wanted to attend; and to be honest, I can't even remember the last time I saw her writing in her diary. All of this had ceased when the town's supernatural element had become part of her daily life, and I could clearly see now that Klaus was ensuring that this life in Utah was not a spur-of-the-moment decision for her.

In that moment, he became even sexier to me.

"Why choose three houses side by side?"

"I figured it was best. So no neighbors would notice you walking into different houses at night. We could keep the backyard level to ensure it." I paused, taking a small inhale. "Besides, none of us wanted to be apart."

"What makes you think I'll agree to this?"

"Sex with three girls," April responded, drawing another frown from Elena and me as a result.

"Who exactly are you?" Klaus questioned her.

"April Young"

"And what are you?"

"Ohhhh, you mean, um, no, I'm human, and obviously I know what you are."

"I'm not an obvious sweetheart." Klaus claimed

"None of you are. I mean, when they told me they were vampires tonight, I almost puked."

"What exactly does she mean by tonight?" Klaus questioned Elena and me.

"Well, I didn't know that until..." April stopped then.

"You told her all of this in a single night, and she still agreed?" Klaus inquired before taking a small step towards April.

"She's not a spy for the hunter, Klaus." I told him.

His imagination knows no limit.

"What type of person agrees to such an arrangement in a single night?"

April turned her head away from him, then took a deep inhale before answering, "The sort that has just become an orphan, I guess."

Klaus shifted his attention towards me, seeking clarification. I responded by mouthing the words "It's true" to him. He then turned back to face her, his eyes fixed on her.

"I don't have anything else keeping me here."

"This is hardly a step up." Klaus informed her

"You have no idea what my life has been like before tonight, so let's not pretend you do." April said this before finally meeting his gaze.

The Klaus I knew would have ripped her heart out of her chest and shown it to her for daring to speak out of term. But instead, the all-powerful alpha turned his back on her, returning to the same spot he had started.

April eyed him up and down. "They told me you were intense," she said, her voice soft and graceful.

Klaus turned his head towards Elena and me, his eyes fixed on us as he asked his question.

"What else did they tell you?"

"That you recognized loyalty when you saw it,"

We didn't say anything; we just listened to the rustling of the tree branches overhead as a breeze blew over them. I didn't know it at the time, but this was the moment Klaus decided he wanted to marry us. And it wasn't my words or Elena's that accomplished it, but April's; she had shown him that, despite our prior offenses against him, we had gotten to know him under the surface. We weren't asking for his affection, but rather a permanent allegiance in the form of blood and marriage, and that was all he needed to know in his heart.

"Will you help us?" I finally asked the ultimate question of all.

Klaus approached us and warned, "Your boyfriends will be nothing but suspicious if you all disappear on the same night."

"So, what do you recommend we do?" Elena questioned him.

"Listen and learn," he instructed firmly.

Klaus revealed that while fleeing Mikael, he had mastered numerous tactics for going off the grit and remaining hidden, and he had a plan for when our friends came looking for us. A scheme to convince them that none of us made it out of Mystic Falls alive!

His intention was for us to frame the new hunter for our murder. Klaus knew our friends would be determined to find us, and the only way to stop them was to fabricate evidence that the hunter was responsible for not only our deaths but my mom and Jeremy's too. After Klaus honed the knowledge we had acquired thus far on the hunter, his weapons, and appearances in our lives, he formulated a strategy based on it.

Klaus instructed Elena to leave the forest tonight, text Stefan, and tell him that she planned to stay at my house with me tonight. She claimed that she wanted to talk with me about adjusting to her cravings, and it was critical that she mention her struggles with blood as it would benefit us later on. Elena looked like she might just fall apart for a moment; whether it was over following Klaus's instructions or the mere notion that she might lie to Stefan was unclear.

Klaus ordered her to return home and immediately compel Jeremy to leave town as soon as possible since Elena, like April and I, would be confronted with a slew of duties that needed to be completed flawlessly if we were to make it out of town by dawn. She would compel him to destroy his phone, remove the plates from his or her car and drive it into the next state, abandon it where it was sure to be stolen, and finally take a city bus to wherever she wanted him to go, paying in cash only along the way, convinced that it was better for him never to contact anyone from home again.

Klaus then instructed me to do the same with my mom: compel her to leave town after turning in her service gun and badge so it appeared authentic; she would clear out her bank accounts and cancel all of her cards in the morning; abandon her car from there; and journey the rest of the way by train. Klaus, to my astonishment, owned a five-bedroom property in Maine. He'd arrange for a contact of his to have the house ready for her arrival, as well as some money to get her started.

Elena's eyes were burning into the back of my head the entire time he was delivering this titbit of knowledge. But she put an end to it when Klaus told us about his intentions to get Jeremy and my mom new identification so they wouldn't be tracked by anyone back here.

As painful as compelling our loved ones and saying goodbye for the foreseeable future would be This was merely the first of many tasks to come tonight.

Tasks that all three of us would have to approach as individuals.

He ordered us, as soon as we were finally alone at home, to get our hands on whatever gloves we could find and not take them off in an effort to prevent leaving behind our own finger prints. A lesson he had to learn the hard way after Mikael compelled law enforcement to assist in his hunt

After we were properly gloved, we were to physically scrub every inch of our homes with whatever peroxide or ammonia-based products we could get our hands on.

Every piece of furniture, counter surface, floor panel, doorknob, light switch, and even the ceilings were to be scrubbed—not just cleaned, not wiped, but literally scrubbed. Anything that might contain our fingerprints or individual scents had to be sterilized.

Klaus compared cleaning our houses tonight with cleaning up a crime scene.

Every article of clothing we had—bed linens, towels, face cloths, bath mats, rugs, curtains, blinds, and cushion covers—had to be laundered or emptied into our bathtubs and submerged in water and bleach for at least two hours to ensure all scents and tracings were properly destroyed.

After the cleaning side of the night was finally done, we were to only pack our bags, taking only what mattered most. The trick to making someone believe you didn't leave of your own accord was to leave what mattered most to you behind. It was necessary for him to point this out to us. If we took our photos or precious items left to us by our parents or grandparents, it wouldn't take our friends long to note they were missing. If they did, our plans to fake our own deaths were a non-starter.

After our suitcases were packed, it would be time to destroy our phones. Klaus pretended not to be impressed when I informed him I was already intending to destroy my hard drive, which contained all of the information relating to the binder that remained tucked under his arm.

Destroying our phones entailed erasing their data, removing the SIM card, and hiding it in one spot and the physical phone in another. We couldn't do anything about the phone records; again, Klaus attempted to cover up his surprise when he discovered we'd already worked our way around that too. The only phone records from either of our phones tonight were my texts to Elena requesting her to come over to my place, which backed up our soon-to-be tale about our sleepover. My phone calls to April and to him were routed through two different phone boxes within the town.

Finally, how would we go about framing the hunter for our murder?

The plan was to make it seem as though the hunter had suspected Elena and me of being vampires from what he had witnessed at the church. The way Elena had come undone as April's blood fragmented the air like perfume And how eyewitness testimonies suggest that I was the one to physically remove whatever object Tyler had been shot with, some believing they heard a gun but others swearing it was a crossbow and that I had removed an arrow.

And because of these acts, the hunter had followed us back to our homes to find where we lived, where we were vulnerable, and where he would be returning that very same night.

Come tomorrow morning or late afternoon, one of our friends will come to check our houses to find nothing out of the ordinary. There were no traces of a struggle, no turned-over furniture, and no missing valuables. What they would discover, though, was an oppressive smell of cleaning agents, the air dense with disinfectant and other bleach-rimmed chemicals, so poisonous that it stuck in their throat.

Finding nothing at Elena's house, they would venture to mine, only to discover my house in the same condition—clean as a whistle, but the air toxic and difficult to tolerate. But unlike Elena's house, there would be something waiting for them at mine. A letter from Elena, written in handwriting they wouldn't recognize. In a letter explaining to them that she needs time to adjust to life as a vampire and has sought out my support to accomplish this, she'll apologize to Stefan for letting him down and all his efforts to keep him happy, and she'll promise that we will return once she gets a better handle on her bloodlust and honed her new abilities.

When they conclude that Elena did not indeed write the letter, they will begin to search the houses more closely. Investigate the reason behind the houses being so clean and put together with the smell of bleach still lingering in the air. From there, Bonnie will either perform a spell or a lab technician will be compelled and brought to the house to investigate more closely.

Only then will they find the blood traces...

Klaus instructed both Elena and me to search our blood bag supplies for our own blood type along with Jeremy's and my mom's, ten bags in total, five for each person.

His plan was for us to clean the houses and have our suitcases ready. Then, within the last few minutes before leaving the properties, we decide on locations in each of our houses to pour the blood out of the bags. This would suggest that the hunter came to our houses to kill us, unaware of the fact that we lived with others.

We would take the gathered blood bags, pierce and empty five of them in one room of the house, then take the other five and dump them out somewhere else further away. We'd clean it up after leaving the blood to sink into the curves and lines of the floorboards. It appeared like the hunter entered our homes thinking we were alone, but when he arrived to kill us in our beds, he not only killed us but also my mom and Jeremy to avoid being recognized as the killer.

Thus, the hunter staged Elena and me running away; he wrote the letter himself; he stole some of Jeremy's clothes to make it appear he had run away; and he submitted the emails regarding mom's retirement to cover up for what he had done to her.

Considering that April had previously been attacked by the hunter, framing him for her murder made little sense. It would be tough enough for him to clean up two crime scenes in one night. Instead, Klaus suggested that April fake her own death and write a letter explaining that she had been wearing vervain and was aware of the existence of vampires for some time now, and that today, when we tried to compel her, she faked being taken under our influence, returned home, and became sickened by what we had attempted to erase from her memory.

When asked where she resided, Klaus remembered that the lone train track in Mystic Falls ran just behind April's neighborhood. Klaus told her to get her hands on some alcohol, empty it before she got to the tracks, and then shatter the bottle on the ground they'd surely come to find and use the glass to prick her finger just enough to spill small drops of blood onto the physical tracks.

Klaus planned to return home and order his employees to clean the entire house from top to bottom before erasing their memory of ever working for him or knowing of him in the first place. He'd pack a few bags and nothing more—nothing that would suggest he'd be gone for more than a few days. It wasn't out of the ordinary for him to do such a thing; it wouldn't immediately tip off his hybrids or whatever sibling might still be staying with him. We weren't certain if he was home alone anymore or not. Besides, when Stefan and the others came to question him about our disappearances, Stefan would be the only one that could assure the others that Klaus wouldn't dare leave town without his art. After all, Stefan had been under his compulsion when he moved back to Mystic Falls; he knew the extent Klaus had gone to in order to preserve it. Therefore, they'd rule Klaus out as a possible suspect.

Klaus intended to depart Mystic Falls in the next hour, traveling alone, while the three of us would make our own travel arrangements.

Back at my house, the three of us had discussed potential travel plans and had agreed not to take one of our own cars but rather steal one that I already had in mind, a car that wouldn't attract attention to us. We'd sleep and drive in shifts along the way to ensure we arrived in Utah as soon as possible to begin our new lives together.

However, Klaus was quick to point out that stopping at numerous gas stations along the way meant we would be subjected to unnecessary surveillance. Instead, he suggested that we collect as many gas canisters as we could from our first station, fill them up, and refill ourselves on the side of the road as needed.

After we covered the basics, Klaus walked back to his car to get a pen and paper. He intended to compose the falsified letter himself, so it wouldn't be in any of our handwriting. We took advantage of his absence by talking alone for the first time that night. April practically jumped up and down the second he was out of sight, ecstatic that he had agreed to participate in the spell.

Elena and I, on the other hand, were too preoccupied with what needed to be done to see the light at the end of the tunnel. At least, that's what I was pretending to do; the truth was that I could barely keep it together. I had to remind myself repeatedly to stop staring at Klaus while Klaus devised the plan to implicate the hunter.

"He's really cute," she said with a smile. "You could have led with the guy we're asking you to marry, who is the sexiest guy in town!"

"He can hear you." I reminded her then.

"Oh, he can't hear me from all the way over there," before hesitating and finally asking, "Wait, can he?" She turned around and looked over her shoulder in the direction he had gone, her eyes scanning the area for any sign of him.

"April, hold on a second; you realize we're doing what we're doing tonight, right?"

"No, I've been sticking my fingers in my ears for the past ten minutes. Yes, I am aware of the plan."

"Faking our deaths means we'll never be able to return again. You need to be certain about this," I informed her, my gaze riveted on hers.

April's lips slowly curled downward as she studied both our expressions. The atmosphere was heavy and somber, and she realized that her usual cheerful disposition wasn't appropriate.

"I know."

I turned my gaze towards Elena, who stood before me with a heavy burden on her shoulders. The biting cold seemed to have no effect on her.

"Talk to me," I said, keeping my voice down. I placed my hand on her arm, offering encouragement.

"As long as Jeremy is alright."

"He will be. You know you'll get him out."

"Just say it one more time," Elena told me before closing her eyes.

I took a step towards her, holding her shoulders. April turned aside, giving Elena some dignity even if her eyes were closed.

"You're going to do the spell, go home, spend some time with him, then say goodbye for now but not forever; you'll help him pack, and one day, one day, you'll see him again, and he will forgive you; no matter what you're telling yourself right now, he will forgive you."

Elena nodded, her eyes welling up with tears, and I was quick to get a tissue from my pocket and dab them dry for her in a small measure to comfort her.

"I just can't believe he agreed."

"He certainly didn't make it easy." I said

"Does he always scowl like that? Because that could give off a really bad impression in Utah." April said then

"Don't worry, he knows how to bring out the charm when he's around humans." I was quick to assure her.

"Well, it's kind of hot; he's got like this whole Dracula thing going for him." April joked.

"No, he doesn't." Elena said

He kind of does...

April wasn't crushing on Klaus; she was just attempting to ease the tension. She had survived her first contact with the legend himself and lived to tell the tale, so she was already ahead of many others who had crossed paths with him over the years. Deep down, I believed she was terrified of faking her own death and fleeing town, but the possibility of staying here alone with no prospects or family was an even scarier scenario for her.

Faking our own deaths hadn't even occurred to me, and while it was the more horrifying option, it also meant a clean break for everyone involved. We could never return if we did this, bolstering our trust in one another and the spell. It also meant that we wouldn't have to spend the rest of our lives wandering if our friends kept searching for us or not. It was better if they thought we were dead, because we wouldn't be the girls they remembered when we left here tonight. We'd be leaving Mystic Falls as Mikaelsons...

Oh my god, I'm actually marrying him...

"So let's just go over a few things before he gets back." I encouraged the others, and we formed a tight circle to go over the agreement before leaving my house.

"You guys should arrive at my house for four; you can't be late."

"Four o'clock." Elena agreed, tucking her hands into the pockets of her coat.

"I'll be there," April promised.

"Wear black and wrap up warm; it's cold now; it will be freezing come four a.m."

"I've already got something ready in my head." April explained.

Elena merely nodded in response.

"Dump your phones as soon as possible. Use the app we downloaded, liquidate your content, dispose of it, and snap it half if you want to."

Again, they both nodded in agreement.

I turned my head in the direction Klaus had left and noted that we were still alone. I cautiously edged closer to them to whisper something.

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

Elena took my hand in agreement before April did, with a mix of excitement and apprehension. I wasn't sure which one of us was trembling the most; it felt evenly balanced. We were all about to embark on a new adventure and say goodbye to everything and everyone we had ever known. We'd be married forever to a man none of us were convinced would come to love us.

But I still wanted to marry him. I couldn't explain why, whether it was merely physical or my belief that this magic could take me to the future I was always destined to have, but I knew what I wanted.

And who I wanted...

Klaus walked towards us, his eyes scanning us before settling on me. He reached out and handed me a folded letter, which I quickly slipped into the back pocket of my jeans. We were about to cast the spell, and I wanted to keep the letter safe.

"Put it somewhere; they'll find it."

"They won't need a neon arrow pointed at it to notice it." I responded, unimpressed by his tone regarding my friend's competence.

"They're not as smart as you give them credit for, love."

"Don't talk about them that way. You don't know them as well as I do."

"And they don't know you nearly as well as you think they do."

"What makes you so sure?"

"You wouldn't be here otherwise."

I backed away, feeling his eyes devouring me as I moved away from him. I left him behind and rejoined the others, my body still tingling with anticipation.

Ok, so he just checked me out...

Klaus provided us with the binder, claiming to have read through the spell alone and now possessing an understanding of its steps and of the chant, along with a pocket knife he kept on the key ring to his Bentley made of silver. While he proceeded to light the fire, we studied the chant one last time until we were sure of it.

"Ok, so, uh, as soon as we're ready, we cut our palms, and then we join him by the fire and take each other's hands." I said, reminding myself aloud of the steps as I clenched the handle of the small knife.

"Utah," April said aloud, then reminded us of where our focus should be.

With a confident nod, I pressed the razor-sharp blade of the knife against my palm. It sliced through my skin effortlessly. The pain was excruciating, but I remained stoic. Adrenaline coursed through my veins, clouding my mind and escalating my senses. I handed the knife over, but I wasn't sure who took it from me before walking towards Klaus by the fire. As our eyes connected, we held each other's gaze, the flickering flames of the fire casting a gentle glow on his face in the darkness.

Klaus reached out his hand towards me, his palm covered in blood. As I approached him, I could see the determination in his eyes. Klaus and I stood facing each other, our eyes locked in a fierce gaze. I extended my hand, which was bleeding profusely, towards him. Klaus's jaw dropped in pain and pleasure as our blood mixed together. Our fingers intertwined immediately, dripping blood onto the ground below. We didn't break eye contact as we became one.

The spell, which had been explained in great detail, said that from the moment hands were joined, they were bound together in marriage. Klaus Mikaelson stood before me, his piercing gaze locking onto mine. Both of us knew that in that moment, I had just become his first wife.

Klaus remained silent, lost in his own thoughts. I was about to speak when I remembered we weren't alone; this wasn't just my marriage. I quickly composed myself before Elena and April saw my initial reaction to being married.

Klaus mouthed my name, his lips tantalizingly close, and I couldn't help but feel a rush of desire.

Elena was the next to arrive at the fire, and I noticed Klaus's attention immediately shift from me to her. As I saw her walking towards me, I greeted her with a smile. However, she didn't reciprocate the gesture. She didn't seem angry or sad; she was just unsure of how to be. They knew that their marriage would be challenging and fraught with obstacles and disagreements. Elena stood still, her eyes fixed on Klaus, as he reached out his hand towards her. She hesitated for a moment before finally taking his other hand. She stared back at him as the wind swept her hair off her shoulders. Klaus keeps his gaze on her as she becomes his second wife. It was their wedding, and they were both determined to put their differences aside. They avoided each other as much as possible, silently going about what needed to be done in that moment.

Elena just married Klaus. Okay, this is real. This is freaking real. I can't believe we're doing this right now.

The adrenaline was pumping through my veins as I tried to keep a grip on my senses. My heart felt like it was about to explode, but I couldn't slow down. There was still so much left to do tonight, and I couldn't afford to crash and burn just yet. We were getting married, and soon we'd be on our way to Utah.

The forest was quiet, with only the sound of crickets chirping in the distance. We were alone, surrounded by trees and darkness. I looked at the others, who seemed lost in thought. None of us appeared concerned about anyone finding us, and I trusted their judgment and instincts.

Klaus stood there, observing as April made her way towards us. She was the only one who greeted him with a smile, reaching out her hand to take his when offered. I gazed at her with a grin, admiring her pureness. In that moment, she was the embodiment of hope and optimism. She lived solely for the possibilities of the future. Klaus turned to her and, with a sly smile, left her completely taken aback. I slowly shifted on my heels, giving them their privacy for a brief moment as they became married.

I was his first wife, Elena was his second, and now April is his third.

Suddenly, the fire began to change color, turning a deep shade of blue, just as the spell had foretold. All eyes remained fixed on the mesmerizing sight before them. Each of us was relieved now that they knew for sure that the spell was going to work. There was a sense of newfound trust and unity among us. Klaus gave us a nod, and we began the chant. It was flawless; not a single beat was missed.

All our faces were glistening with sweat as we chanted in unison. The flames grew higher and higher, but we refused to back down. And after the fire had died down to a mere flicker, barely illuminating the forest, Finally, the last of the embers faded away, leaving nothing but darkness in their wake. It was as if the flames had never been there at all, leaving behind only a faint memory of their heat.

We remained in a circle around the pot, with our hands still clasped together. With a simultaneous step forward, we leaned over the pot and raised our bleeding hands over it.

Surrendering our blood to the flame and completing the spell.

Suddenly, an invisible force hit all of us at once. We gasped and tightened our grips on each other's hands, everyone startled by its power. The shield is enveloping us all in its protective embrace. We were now bound together, forever connected by its might.

"Did you feel that?" April gasped, her eyes wide from the shock.

Elena gasped for air as she spoke, trying to compose herself. "I did," she managed to say.

Klaus and I exchanged nods, gasping for air. Klaus held onto my hand tightly, silently challenging me to meet his gaze. Despite my strong urge to do so, I resisted and kept my eyes fixed ahead.

Thank you, Edith. Thank you so much.

Elena and April exchanged glances as Klaus released their hands. Unnoticed by the two girls, he held onto mine for a few seconds longer before finally letting go. As I stood there, I could sense his gaze on me, but I couldn't bring myself to meet his eyes. Elena and I quickly sprang into action, rushing over to help April with the bandages we had brought along from my house just for this particular purpose. We huddled around her, carefully wrapping the bandage around her injured hand. With gentle knots, we secured it in place, making sure it would stay put for the rest of the night.

Why do I feel like he's watching me?

April wrapped her arms around Elena and me, thanking us for being part of this with her. As we turned around, Klaus revealed the binder he had been concealing under his coat.

"I assume that this is now mine?"

He'd need to take it with him for all the details on the properties.

Are we really not going to talk about the fact that we all just got married to the same guy?

"How long do you think it will take to secure the deeds?" Elena asked

"I'll leave town within the next hour. I should have them them in my possession no later than noon tomorrow."

Klaus was agreeing to spend over a million dollars to start our new lives in Utah, I could barely look him in the eye. Everyone seemed to be holding their breath, trying to keep it together. But I couldn't. I looked around, wondering how they were all managing to stay so composed while I was falling apart.

"So you'll probably get to Utah a couple hours before us." April asked Klaus

"We're likely to arrive around the same time. I'll be stopping along the way to pick up a few things." He replied grasping the binder.

"What do you mean?" I asked, unsure of what he was trying to convey.

Klaus turned to me "We'll all need new IDs, birth certificates, passports, medical records and so further." He said before bringing up the collar of his coat "And I have a source."

"You know someone who can get you that kind of stuff?" April leaned forward, her eyes bright with excitement.

She playfully teased him, "You're like a secret agent."

Amused by her innocent naivety he leaned in towards her and spoke softly, "I know all kinds of people, love."

Finally we were done. Elena was to turn and head in the direction of the cars. When she disappeared from our view April approached Klaus. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, leaving him stunned by her sudden and unnecessary display of affection. She couldn't resist the temptation and gave in to the moment, appearing to savour every second. With Elena out of sight, Klaus secretly drew me nearer, as April's head against his chest for a few seconds. He caressed my chin with his hand, sending shivers down my spine. Our gazes met, consumed by the intensity of the moment. My jaw slumping as he pulled away, my body aching for more while April was completely oblivious to our moment together.

What's happening right now?

We walked towards our cars. As Klaus unlocked the door to his Bentley, April kept patting my hand. She stared at it in disbelief, her eyes widening as she realised the magnitude of his fortune. It was clear that she had never given it much thought before. She stood in awe as she gazed upon the grandeur of the original vampire's wealth. She couldn't help but focus on trivial matters, ignoring the fact that she was now his third wife.

"So it's goodbye for now?" April enquired, prompting us all to freeze.

Klaus's eyes flickered between our faces, igniting a fiery tension. He glanced down for a moment before locking eyes with us once more, sending a delicious shiver down all our spines I was sure. He was now surrounded by a harem of beautiful women, all of us his wives, all of us acutely aware of his commanding presence and need to dominate.

"You'll follow my instructions?"

I nodded and looked at Elena and April, who also nodded.

Our arrangement left him just as taken aback as we were.

Klaus gave us a lingering gaze, his eyes filled with desire. We were now his wives, and I was certain he was already eager to explore every inch of our bodies. It was an unsettling arrangement, but we were all willing to go forward together. Over the next few hours, he would leave town, hit the open road, arrange our new IDs and spend over a million dollars to secure our new lives. He had to believe that we were worth the risk.

"Darlings," Klaus said goodbye with a nod and climbed into his sleek Bentley before speeding off into the distance.

He disappeared from our view and the sound of sniffling filled the air. I turned around to see Elena and April tearing up. Seeing them like this made me realise how much I was holding back, and I finally let myself succumb to the sadness and grief that had been building up inside me. As I embraced them tightly, their arms wrapped around my back and we all began to cry. The reality of the situation hit us hard - we were leaving tonight and there was no going back. We'd never graduate with our friends, push prams through the town square or see any of our family after tonight.

"All right, all right, we need to stop." The words escaped my lips in a desperate plea, my voice trembling with emotion. Tears streamed down my face as I struggled to compose myself, determined to be a pillar of strength for them.

"She's right." Elena consented, wiping her eyes with the tissue I had previously given her.

"Everyone remembers what they need to do?" I asked

They both nodded.

"Are you sure that you can get us a car?" April inquired, wiping her cheeks with the sleeve of her coat.

"Yeah, it shouldn't be a problem," I said, with a slight sniffle.

We couldn't risk any neighbour's doorbell cameras or any other street surveillance recording me dropping the girls off at their houses, it was just too big a risk and we had to stick with our plan. There was a short path around the back of the church that took you into a neighbourhood just down from Elena's place and another five minute walk to Aprils. We couldn't even risk a text to one another that we'd arrived home safely, proving to each of us that we were now responsible for our own future.

April had been through enough today that it was a blessing for her not to have to go home to anyone, all she had to do was the necessary clean up and the instructions Klaus had left her with in regard to the train tracks. As for Elena and I we would be in for a rough night, we'd have to say our goodbyes before we began any cleaning or packing.

After they left, I made my way back to my car. I couldn't stop thinking about Klaus, he was on his way home right now, knowing we were his wives and that we may have children together one day. Had he thought about us since leaving the grounds? I guess we all had plenty to think about.

The night has only just begun.

When I got home, I discovered my mom's car parked outside the house. The sight of it brought tears to my eyes, and a small sob escaped as I turned off my car's engine. I didn't have to make up a reason to get her back to the house anymore, it was time for us to say our final goodbye. I took my time drying my tears and fixing my hair before going inside since I didn't want her to see me upset because it would just make things ten times more difficult for both of us, which I didn't want. I didn't have time to fall apart right now, every minute was precious.

We met in the hallway, she was about to walk out the door to finish her shift when I stopped her. I took off the vervain bracelet I had given her, scarcely noticing the pain as it burned and drew blood from my flesh. Tears streamed down my face as I locked eyes with her before she realised what was going to happen. I grieved and sobbed as I compelled her to believe the tale I had created for her. I watched as she was captivated by my influence and grew to believe every single thing I told her. I hated myself for it, I even had to make her believe we'd just finished watching a sad movie to explain my tears away. It was then she suggested we sit down to a comedy together, I agreed it was a good idea but before that I would cook us some dinner so we could eat something while we tuned into something more cheerful.

I'd immediately gone into the bathroom, locked myself inside, and balled my eyes out, I wouldn't see her for a long time after tonight. So I had to make it a night to remember, something that would carry me through the following years without her.

My mom and I sat down to our final dinner together, as I had promised Elena, and I made her favourite meal from scratch. We talked and laughed, and it was just what I needed for what followed next.

All of her clothes that she was taking with her were put on for a boil wash one load after the other. Every photograph and other precious artefacts were stored securely inside her suitcase, wrapped in bubble wrap and tape to preserve them during her journey. I had ensured she take all of her account details, come morning she would empty each of them before getting on her train to her new life. Afterwards I had gone out to her car and scrubbed it down inside and out before storing her suitcases into the trunk. I submitted the emails informing her superiors and co-workers of her immediate retirement, she wouldn't see any of them again, the Sheriff's station was closed for the night and she had been compelled to take a route out of town that wouldn't take her through any road blocks for the town curfew.

We said our goodbyes in the house since I didn't want any of my neighbours to see us beside her car. She'd washed and changed her clothing, she wasn't wearing any of her regular products, so they wouldn't be detectable for anybody to trace, and just like me it would be as if she vanished off the face of the earth. We kissed and hugged goodbye. I had stood by the sitting room window watching her drive away, my now-happy and retired mom waved to me like she was merely driving to work instead of leaving my life forever.

I kept it together as she drove off, keeping a big old smile on my face right up until the very last second. I wouldn't have been able to live with myself if I had fell apart in front of her. After she was gone however, I collapsed onto the floor, unable to stop weeping, screaming into the couch cushions to block the noise from the neighbours.

I could have lay there all night, letting my heart break over and over until there was nothing left of it. I couldn't have picked myself up off the floor if I'd been leaving town alone with no one depending on me. But remembering Elena and April kept me going, knowing that they, too, were in pain and that I wasn't alone in my anguish helped me get up from the floor. I might not have had the courage to leave Mystic Falls if it hadn't been for them.

I picked myself up from the floor and proceeded to dry my eyes before managing to bring myself up to my feet again. I began looking around the sitting room, taking in all of our photographs, the curtains we had chosen when we repainted the sitting room last year, the space where we placed our Christmas tree every year, and the exact spot my mum told me I had taken my first steps. Everywhere I looked now, I was consumed by the memories I was leaving behind, one day, I'd see my mom again, but for the time being, I'd never felt more vulnerable.

I made my way down the hall into the bathroom, standing before the mirror I took in my reflection, my eyes were blood shot and swollen from all the crying, my skin particularly around my forehead had become dry and flaky, I picked up my hairbrush from the toilette bag I kept on the sink counter and ran it through my hair unknotting it before sweeping it up into a high bun out of the way, the way I often wore it when cleaning, only tonight was different, from under the sink counter I then retrieved my shower cap bringing it over my hair and ears and using the mirror to ensure no hair was poking through.

There's so much to do, so much, I won't get it done by the time they arrive.

The doubt set in hard as I was confronted with the tasks still in front of me, Klaus had been very clear about the extend it would take on each of us physically to clean our houses to the level required. It was easy for him he had an entire household staff to scrub down his mansion for him as he merely packed a bag and skipped town.

Seriously I'm pissed off and blaming the guy that just saved my life?

I turned off the bathroom light before entering the kitchen, where I grabbed a carton of orange juice from the fridge, a bag of chips from the cabinet and a bar of fruit and nut from the snack drawer before returning to the sitting room and taking a seat on the couch. I needed five minutes to give myself a breather and eat junk, if I didn't take these pathetic little five minutes, I'd be pulling my own hair out in a matter of hours. So I turned on the TV to distract myself while I snacked, made myself comfortable on the couch, and dug into both the chocolate and chips, gulping the orange juice straight from the carton.

Sometimes a girl just needs five minutes...or ten.

By the time I finished, the bag of chips was empty, the bar of chocolate was just a wrapper, and the carton had only a few drops remaining. But I was satisfied I had done it because I was mentally exhausted, not just physically, and that can be just as damaging to a person. So much had happened in such a short period of time that I was still trying to make sense of it all. I believe I took the ten minutes not just to give myself a rest, but also because I knew it would take my mom five minutes to travel from our house to the station and another five minutes for her to be on her way out of town.

It's just me now.

I couldn't bear the thought of cleaning the home in silence, so I browsed through my Netflix library and created a playlist of movies to listen to one after the other. My movie selection was very innocent, since they were all childhood favourites of mine, but I did this on purpose, I needed to return to a place of innocence, to fill my mind with nostalgia while I worked. To be honest, I didn't care how it looked, this was what I needed right now, I was leaving the house where I had grown up, and if I wanted some background noise, that was what I was going to do.

My playlist started with Edward Scissorhands, followed by Snow White, The Princess Diaries and Uncle Buck.

Besides the more innocence my mind set was the less likely I was to think about Klaus and his decision to marry us.

I turned on the movie and smiled warmly as the falling snow effect fell over the Twentieth Century Fox and the movie's exquisite score began to play. I played the movie loud enough for me to hear it in the other rooms. I made my way back into the kitchen and proceeded forward to the cabinets beneath the sink where we stored all of the cleaning products. I took out the plastic bucket we used for mopping the kitchen floor filling it with everything I planned to use tonight.

It was in here that my mom stored the large box of latex gloves, I quickly snapped on a set finding them to be a comfortable fit around my wrists and fingers.

"Ok here we go." I said to myself then.

Arming myself with a cloths, sponges, bleach, antibacterial spray, window cleaner, mildew spray, drain-o, drain foam, oven cleaner, stain remover, carpet shampoo, baking soda, stainless steel foam cleanser and polish. I'd need all of them if I were going to make the house as clean as could possibly be.

"I've got this." I softly assured myself, thinking about all that would result from all of my hard work and determination.

The first task was of course taking care of everything that had to be laundered. Each item went through a boil wash with bleach infused into the rinse cycle and double the amount of fabric softener necessary.

While this was going on in the utility room, I kept myself busy in the kitchen by retrieving every plate, cup, pot, pan, and glasses from the cabinets and hand-washing each one in a basin of hot water and bleach. One after the other, only returning them to their place in the cabinet after each individual cabinet had been entirely scrubbed inside and out, with fresh liners introduced into each one to ensure there was no leftover oil or stains from before.

Our kitchen had never been this clean before, by the time I was done, you could literally eat off the floor. I'd lifted the fridge from the wall to dust the wall behind it and the crumbs and dust covered tiles beneath it. I'd stacked all of the tins, sorted all of the dry goods, polished my grandmother's silver, and cleaned the ceiling with the mop. All the while constantly stocking and emptying out the washer and dryer.

The bathroom I planned to leave until the end as I hoped to have a bath before leaving tonight. I was already a sweaty mess and didn't want to go almost two thousand miles in the same clothing I was wearing now. If I maintained the same pace I would probably be finished for two o clock, allowing me two hours to take a bath and finish off any last-minute tasks.

After cleaning my bedroom I collected my suitcases and laid them out on my mattress which had been coated in baking soda, flipped and vacuumed. Everything had to be in place for when I came to start my packing, which I hoped to do as quickly as possible, for this would be one of many tasks tonight that would cause me the most grief. Deciding what I should and shouldn't take with me would break my heart, so I hoped to allow myself no more than ten minutes total to get everything folded, stored and ready by the front door.

It was nice to clean the hallway and sitting room as I was close enough to hear the songs from Snow White playing in the background as I worked. I didn't whistle while I worked like she did, but at least I had slowed down and gained a hold on myself. I wasn't frantically cleaning and checking the time every two seconds, I was doing the required physical work and had become a sweaty mess as a result, but the aching in my knees, elbows, and wrists was all worth it since it meant I was putting in the effort it took to achieve my goal.

I had to clean my mom's room at vampire speed since the second I stepped inside, all I could smell was her perfume and I couldn't bear it. I vacuumed her mattress, flipped it over, replaced the bedding, cleaned her dresser, wiped down all of her products, fragrances, photo frames, and light switches and shades, and then organised the few items that remained in her closet. Her room couldn't appear as if she had never intended to return to town.

You couldn't smell her perfume by the time I left her room, just disinfectant and bleach lingered in the air.

I set up the ironing board in the sitting room and ironed all of my clothes and the laundered linens while watching The Princess Diaries. There were some clothes I knew I would be leaving here in town without doubt, I was only bringing what I needed to get through my trip to Utah and the first week after my arrival. I already planned on creating a new wardrobe for myself, I planned to take better care of myself out there, dress more modestly, dare I even say more like a Mikaelson?

He'll be out of town by now...

When I finished up with the ironing I returned everything to it's place around the house, hooking up the curtains and re-stocking the linen cupboard once again, nothing smelt like our stuff anymore, it stunk of bleach, and I mean really stunk bad.

I hummed along to a song playing in the movie as I packed up my suitcases, I couldn't risk taking anything of value that my friends would notice was missing, much like my mom's bedroom, it had to appear that I fully meant to return to town after guiding Elena in adjusting to her new life as a vampire. I packed jeans, t-shirts, a few jumpers, my toiletry bag, my favourite pair of pyjamas, boots, trainers, a few photos of my mom and me together, my favourite book and some CDs (yeah, I still had CDs, and there was nothing sad about that).

I wheeled my suitcases out into the hall, positioning them near the front door for when the time came to depart. Stopping to look at them all together made it all so real. I just hoped Elena and April were holding it together, that they, like me, were nearing the end of their cleaning and preparing for the primary task of the night - faking our deaths.

While I had been cleaning, a small chicken had been cooking in the oven, and when it was done, I portioned it up into bite-sized pieces. From the fridge, I collected some fresh lettuce, a red onion, and some red and yellow peppers. I slowed down my pace at long last and began to really pay attention to what I was doing—I was preparing food for the journey ahead of us. I hadn't told Elena or April of my intentions to do this. A small smile formed as I began to really take my time and lovingly prepare food for the two girls who had agreed to come with me to start a new life together. We were going to be in the car for a while, and I wanted to make sure it was as comfortable as possible for us.

I started with some chicken sandwiches, coating the chicken with spices and mayonnaise, slicing up the vegetables just right, and constructing them together. Next, I made some plain ham and some tuna sandwiches too. I used all the remaining vegetables in the fridge and cooked a mouthwatering pot of vegetable soup, which I poured into a large flask to keep it warm. As for the sandwiches, I wrapped them up individually in tin foil, keeping all the edges neat and crisp as I stacked them one at a time into the tupperware I had laid out. I took care in securing everything together just right, making sure nothing was crushed. I placed them all together in a large black holdall.

I then added some individual chilled bottles of orange juice, water, and a few cans of cola, red bull and sprite. Next came the chocolate bars, crackers, peanuts, large bags of chips, babybels, boxes of raisins, and a whole tub of fruit. It might seem like a lot, but the food was going to go to waste if it remained here. Besides, this meant we didn't have to pull in anywhere for food, which meant we'd reach Utah quicker. I collected some plastic utensils, paper plates and plastic bowls, napkins, and face wipes. After all of this was packed, I collected three smaller individual flasks and made up hot chocolate for each of us.

As the hot chocolate heated, I collected a packet of painkillers for the road too. None of us would have taken care of ourselves properly tonight, we were all rushing around trying to get out. Sooner or later, our bodies were going to catch up with us, and we were going to crash hard. After the hot chocolates were ready, I slipped some mini marshmallows into each flask before finishing with some double cream. I placed the bag with my luggage on top so I would remember to put it in the backseat of the car for when we needed it.

I made a stop in the bathroom then and collected a bin liner from under the sink which I filled with four rolls of toilet paper, a box of tampons, feminine wipes, Dove hand cream and a small tub of Vaseline. All the essential feminine products we would require while on route to Utah.

After retrieving a screwdriver from the one small excuse we had for a toolbox beneath the kitchen sink I returned to my laptop in the sitting room where I proceeded to unscrew it's case to retrieve my hard drive. Using my full strength I snapped the drive right down it's centre splitting it in two pieces in an effort to destroy the information I had gathered on the spell and the properties in Utah. I then returned the hard shell casing to the back of the laptop and returned it to my bedroom, it would be a while before my friends came to realize it was indeed missing, they'd merely assume it was broken when it refused to play along.

I took a quick glance around my street before stepping out, it was now one o'clock in the morning, the street was still, and the curtains in all of the adjacent houses were drawn, so I had no need to be concerned. I was armed with my trusted cleaning goods, I needed to clean out my car now, all three of us had been in it tonight, so cleaning it would require a lot of elbow grease on my part. I started by wiping down each chair with a bleach-soaked rag to clean them and gather up any loose hairs. The dashboard was next, followed by the steering wheel, the mirrors, the seatbelts, the CD player, the glove box, the interiors of each door, the windows, the interior roof, the exterior roof, and even the licence plates.

Then after the car was cleaned I made my way down the street with my now destroyed hard drive in hand, sending one half of it down one storm drain and the next half a few streets down. I circled around my street retrieving my phone from my pocket as I did, I downloaded an app to liquidate my phone completely of all my contacts, saved settings and files after which I removed the sim card, snapping it in half, dropping one half into a neighbours hedge, the next small half under a parked car, next came the phone which I purposely saved until I was walking by a house down from mine currently building a conservatory, I cut through their drive way at full vampire speed, dropping one half of the phone into their cement mixer and the other half I saved until I was walking by the small park area just down from my house, I held my breath and lifted the lid for the bin designated for dog dirt, there I dropped the other half the bin and turned in the direction of my house.

There was one more pit stop I had to make along the way however.

---

Tyler Lockwood

I mean, let's be real, who needs sleep when you're as productive as I am? I tossed and turned a bit, but ultimately decided to get up and start my day, just a little after three a.m. No big deal. I woke up with the confidence of a champion, ready to conquer the day by going for a run across town and then complete my history assignment due for first period.

This morning may have been bitter, but I was determined to conquer at least five miles. Nothing could stand in my way.

I hadn't worked out much since returning to town, but let's be real, I don't need to. I'm sure Caroline would love to join me, but I don't want to make her feel inferior to my impeccable shape. Well, I'm not surprised that the gym isn't her usual scene, but I have no doubt that once she starts hitting the pavement with me, she'll be hooked on our new fitness routine.

I sent a message to Caroline inviting her to join me. And of course, I knew she wouldn't be able to resist the opportunity to join me. I got dressed and laced up my running shoes as I waited for her to respond. Sometimes she'd be up this late studying and I'd hit her up for a booty call. She'd come over let me slam into her and be out the door before my mom could see her.

She'll be awake tonight, after witnessing me taking a bullet? Naturally, she would be up all night conducting extensive research on the hunter alongside the others. It goes without saying that Bonnie, being the skilled witch that she is, would undoubtedly be crafting a spell to effortlessly track him down. I am the only one who can take him down after what he did to me at the church today.

Of course, I wouldn't expect anything less than Damon getting all the credit for the kill, as he always does. He was an absolute legend, exuding confidence in every move he made.

Over confident bastard is more like it.

When Caroline didn't text me back I decided to head over her place. It was just after three and at my speed it should arrive at her place just before four o clock. She'd be thrilled to see me, if she was alone, I'd use her as a method of my morning work out. Hopefully she'd lend her history notes after we were done too.

If I was fast enough we'd hopefully be able to do it twice before school. She was always hot for me after we came through something together. Hopefully she'd wear that bra I liked.

---

Caroline Mikaelson

I made my way to the Bakers' driveway, they were out of town for the winter since one of their children was involved in some snow activities that took them up into the mountains. When they were gone, my mom kept an eye on the house, they kept an old maroon Ford station waggon in their garage, which I was going to steal for us to escape Mystic Falls in.

We needed a car to get us to Utah, we couldn't take our own. We needed something that would blend in, something older that you wouldn't expect us to drive. With one rapid movement, I shattered the huge garage padlock in my hand. Thankfully, there were a couple gasoline canisters inside the garage, they weren't as dusty and smelled damp as the rest of the garage, they must have used them often. They kept their key on the front wheel, they never drove this car around town. The Bakers wouldn't be back for a few weeks, therefore it would be weeks before this car was reported stolen. We had a golden opportunity, and I was going to take it.

I returned the car to my house and parked it in front of mine. We were going to be confined in this car for a while, so I wanted to make sure everything was in place. I brought some cleaning supplies down from the house and used them to wipe down the leather seats and all around the dash board and windows. I'm not sure how many years of dust were layered inside, but I'd gone through four cloths by the time I was finished. I then went over everything with polish, buffing it up until it felt clean and to my expectations.

I replaced the dried-out air freshener they had with a new lavender-scented one, one for the front and one for the backseat. I brought out all the freshly laundered pillows, placing two on the backs of each chair in front and across the combined backseat, along with a weighted wooly blanket for each of us and a pair of fluffy socks. Again, I felt like I was overdoing it, but then I thought of the mess they'd both be in by the time they arrived back here. And if I could make things just that little bit better by providing such small creature comforts to ease their pain then that's exactly what I was going to do.

When I returned inside my house I locked the door behind me and immediately put all the cleaning supplies into my trash bag containing everything else I wished to get rid of that night. I used the backdoor and hopped the fence into my neighbour's yard, mixing my trash with theirs which blended easily enough.

When I returned back inside I locked the backdoor behind me and with my hands still gloved I went around the house shutting and locking every one of the windows.

The time had come to take care of the crime scene.

I put on a new set of gloves and went into my bedroom to gather the blood bags. For the sake of my mom, I had kept them hidden.

I followed Klaus's instructions and created two pools of different blood types in two different rooms of the house one containing my blood type and one for my mom's. I used my gloven hands to spread the blood around the floor to give the impression to any investigators that whoever was harmed here may never have gotten back up again given the amount of blood found.

After allowing the blood ampoule to sink into the floorboard grooves, I wiped it up with kitchen roll paper. As I cleaned one crime scene to the next, I dumped all the soiled and stained paper into the kitchen sink. I retrieved a lighter and proceeded to set fire to all of the bloodied paper sheets in the sink until they were nothing more than charred remains, which I immediately rinsed down the sink. Then a heavy application of drain-o to rinse off anything that remained.

Again following Klaus's instructions, I dipped a brush from my make-up stash into what little blood remained in the bags. I then used the brush to splatter the smallest blood splatters around the house, which were too small for the human eye to see, but a supernatural being would be able to smell it sooner or later. My blood type was on one chair leg in the dining room, another on a wire behind the television, and my mom's blood type was on the edge of floor lamp in the sitting room.

I cut the blood bags into small pieces with scissors before chucking them into the blender, which I then emptied down the drain, where it belonged. I let the faucet run for a few minutes before pouring in the appropriate amount of bleach.

I can't believe I got it all done, I mean seriously, I got it all done and with time to spare like I hoped for. That does not happen!

Finally, the time had arrived for me to soak my aching body in a well-deserved bath. I made my way to the bathroom, my feet becoming heavier with each step. This was going to be my last bubble bath in my home, so I was going to make it special, regardless of how exhausted I felt. I started the bath by adding some lavender scented bubble bath to the hot water, then some Johnsons bedtime bubble bath, then a hefty quantity of Epsom salts to soothe my aching muscles, and finally some coconut scented bath salts. I lit the same tea light candles I had used earlier for Elena and arranged them along the sink counter and bath tub edge until the room was filled with a soft glow. I stripped off and placed the clothes I was wearing into the washing machine.

You're almost there now...

It wasn't just the sweat from all the housework that I wanted to wash off my skin, as strange as it sounded I wanted to leave my house tonight not only clean but cleansed. I wasn't ashamed of my love life or how many guys I had sex with in the past, there was nothing wrong with what I had done, I wanted them and they wanted me and for a brief time that was alright. But that was then and this was now.

But with that said, there was something I wanted to cleanse my body of and that was my relationship with Tyler. I wasn't still on a high from everything that happened tonight to make me think in such a way. I was level headed now and just looking at the steamy water just made me want to cleanse my body of my encounters with him. Not because what we had wasn't real for us at the time but rather due to the fact that I didn't like the person I was when I was with him.

That girl was so full of herself and sometimes too immature for her own good. And I wanted to get into that hot water right now and completely wash her away because the person I was now was much stronger than that girl. I was going to do this not only for me but in some way for Klaus, he married the girl who swore her blood to the flame and that girl would meet him in Utah. I just had to get rid of the oil in her hair and the smell off her skin first.

At the sink counter I began with applying whitening strips to my top and lower teeth before wetting my nose and applying a nose strip to remove any small blackheads and clogged pores. While they went to work I began by giving myself a facial scrub marveling at the grainy texture upon my skin as it shifted all the dirt and oil from it. I filled the sink with hot water and collected my razor and feminine shaving gel for sensitive skin.

I shaved my feet first, working my way up my legs and over my thighs, I had to adjust myself into a few questionable positions to rid me of all of my pubic hair but somehow I pulled it off, it just took me a while longer than I thought, plus there was a moment where I was using the toilet roll holder to balance my foot on to really get everything fresh and tidy down there. After that I shaved my under arms and applied a waxing strip to my upper lip to remove any peach fuzz.

I tweezed my brows before removing all of the strips I went to work on brushing my teeth with the last of my toothpaste, another thing to add to the trash. After that I slid on my gel back facial mask that covered my entire face leaving only my eyes uncovered. I swept my hair up into a hairclip at the top of my head before at long last sliding down into my bath.

I knew I couldn't relax until I got myself properly cleaned up, I decided to use my cashmere nivea body wash. After that I collected my Aussie Mega shampoo and conditioner, my arms aching as I scrubbed my nails through my hair with the aid of the shampoo, making sure to remove as much dirt and grease as I possibly could. After that I somehow found the strength to double condition my hair.

There was no chance that I'd see Klaus in the next two days and obviously we'd figure out a way to get to a shower before we arrived at the new houses, maybe find a public pool or hotel. There was no way Klaus got to see me after being stuck in a car for two thousand miles before I had showered.

After I was all cleaned up I finally slid myself further down into the tub, allowing the bubbles to move across my body as I closed my eyes.

I had left the bathroom door open to keep an eye on the clock on the wall, seeing it was just ten minutes after three o clock I decided to let myself soak for another ten. I had crossed off almost everything on my list and needed to take this time now. Baths had always felt so spiritual for me, I wasn't sure why but every time I came out of them all fresh and clean I felt like I could do anything. Perhaps it was silly but that was just what I felt.

I began to think of April and Elena then and what they might be doing this very second, if they were smart they would have already ditched their phones and arranged the blood. We agreed to meet here at four while it was still dark, whatever cops were out circling the streets would have found a hard shoulder to pull into by now where they could cut the engine and grab an hour before the shift change at six.

Where are you right now?

Klaus would be far gone from Mystic Falls by now, his compelled staff would leave the grounds and forget they ever worked there or the reason as to why they were so tired. They'd be no tracing of him in that house anymore, not even finger prints, it would be like our houses, as if he never even existed.

Besides even if our friends believed we were still alive they wouldn't be able to find us. Even now lying in the bathtub I could feel the barrier around me, Edith was right it felt like a welcomed cloak on a cold night. But the barrier wasn't our only protection out there, something deep within my core told me that even though I might not know how Klaus feels about these marriages, I did know that he would protect us, not just as a husband but as a man, he'd never let anyone find us out there and anything that did would be put down like an animal.

Our hard work would ultimately pay off in the end. We would be gone and our new chapter would begin.

I let myself air dry for I didn't want to leave my scent on any towels. By the time I was done with my bath my clothes from today were ready to be put into the dryer.

I returned to my bedroom after that and began to shift through the clothes in my closet to find something suitable for the road. We had all agreed to wear black on the road, at least until we were out of the state. So from my wardrobe I selected a pair of black leggings and a black loose turtle neck jumper. Knowing I wouldn't see Klaus during my time on the road I decided to opt for comfort rather than fashion. I smiled as I retrieved my black briefs which I only wore while on my period, they were one size up from my typical dress size which made them all the more comfortable. Then I picked out a black non wired bra with thick straps, ugly as sin but supportive as hell, then my ugliest and most comfy pair of socks which were hidden as I slid on my black uggs.

I collected a pair of sunglasses and a black gatsy hat, my hair was almost completely dry by the time I finished up dressing so I slid my hat on right away after the rest. I looked at my reflection and smiled, no make up, no show for anyone, just me as I was and always should be.

I went around every bin in the house removing the trash bags from each of them before dumping them all into the large trash bag hanging from my kitchen door. I went into my backyard and jumped the fences of five houses at full vampire speed to the family with four kids, each week every other house put out a bin each, this family put out four. They had newborn triplets, there were no words to describe the smell from their trash cans, luckily for me it meant I could mix my bag in with theirs without anyone being any the wiser.

I looked at the clock in the kitchen as soon as I returned and it was now ten minutes to four. I was officially down to my last ten minutes. Just thinking about it made my heart race against my chest. I was apprehensive about going, and every time I thought of tomorrow when our friends realised we were missing, I wanted to run to the nearest toilet, feeling like I suddenly had a full bladder, over and over again. Faking our own deaths was beyond harsh and probably the worst way we could have handled it, but if they thought we were dead, they'd stop looking for us.

I went around the house one more time, wiping down the door handles, light switches and window locks with the sleeve of my jumper. From my bedroom I collected the letter Klaus had supplied us with explaining mine and Elena's decision to leave town for a few months. I placed this on the side table in the hallway, it was the first thing you saw when you walked through the front door, it was the reason we stored the mail here.

I shut off the water to the house and was about to do the same with the power when I stopped myself. Instead, I went to the air conditioner monitor, which was just behind the kitchen door, and cranked it up. If the hunter killed us, he would have made the home cool to assist with any residual odours of blood that he might have missed.

I made my way around the rooms with my hands covered my sleeves and shut off all of the lights, keeping the curtains open however, the house had to appear as it always was come morning.

I didn't have the strength to take one last walk around the house even in the dark, it was too heartbreaking for me. As the minutes crept on I found I couldn't hold a single thought in my head, my heart was racing in my chest and I was consumed by this dread that the girls might have changed their minds about the move.

I stood ready in the hallway by my luggage knowing that everything was off my check list. There was nothing more to do, nothing to re-check, everything was exactly as it should be, I'd made it on time with two minutes to spare. I remained there completely motionless staring out of the glass panel of my front door waiting for any signs of life entering the street. The keys to the station wagon were clasped tightly in my hand at the ready. I couldn't hear anything but the sound of my own heavy breathing as the weight of what we were about to do hit me hard.

A small dark figure emerged in the distance. My eyes immediately welled up with tears. It was April, she was walking with a fierce determination. She clutched two large black suitcases in each hand and had two full holdalls slung across her chest. Despite the weight, she kept up a brisk pace, keeping her head down as we had discussed.

Her black oversized jumper hanging loosely over her black skinny jeans. The hood was up, covering her face, and a black beanie hat was visible beneath it. She wore wide frame sunglasses, similar to the ones I had on. She was even wearing black boots. She had followed every instruction and thought through every step, not even risking the sound of her luggage wheels on the street. I couldn't help but feel impressed by her attention to detail and gave her a lot of credit and respect in that moment.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you.

I slipped my sleeve around my hand covering it before opening the front door as wide as possible. I then lifted my suitcases out onto the front porch, one by one. Handling the bag containing all of our snacks and drinks with caution, making sure to keep it separate from the others so it went into the backseat rather than the trunk. I turned to the door, my gloved hands shaking as I shut and locked it behind me. I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself, and fought the urge to look back inside. I knew that if I did, it would break my heart all over again. I couldn't afford to fall apart right now. I had to be strong.

With an overwhelming feeling of urgency, I grabbed my bulky suitcases and rushed off of the porch deck. Hearing nothing but the sound of my heartbeat as I made my way down the path way towards the station wagon. April lifted her head and saw me walking down the path way with my cases. She quickly picked up her pace, struggling to hold onto her heavy luggage.

She walked with a determined expression on her face, her usual smile nowhere to be seen. Her focus was crystal clear, and nothing could distract her from our goal. She wanted to get the hell out of Mystic Falls forever. We were family from this point on, nothing and no one was going to stop us from leaving town now that we were together. I knew we'd work everything else out.

She hurried towards me as I stood by the car, already at the trunk and fumbling with the keys to unlock it. April approached me with a calm and focused demeanour. She didn't say a word, nor did she offer a smile or a hug. We both knew what needed to be done, and April wasted no time in loading her luggage into the trunk of the car.

I left her there and rushed up the path way towards the porch. I grabbed the remaining luggage and hurried back towards the car, eager to hit the road before the sun start to rise.

I paused beside the front door, closed my eyes and whispered, "Goodbye."

I turned around and saw Elena had arrived. She was helping April load up the trunk with her own luggage surrounding her. I felt overwhelming relieve. Elena and April stood side by side, both dressed in matching black outfits. Elena had her hood up, and a black cap covered her head. She wore straight black jeans and black converses too.

As they loaded the remaining cases into the trunk, I smoothly slid the holdall containing all the food and drinks into the backseat. With a sense of urgency, I darted to the front of the car and swiftly shifted the blankets and socks to the side. I slid into the driver's seat and started the engine without delay.

The trunk door shut, causing me to gasp. Elena swiftly joined me in the front seat, while April settled in behind her. I quickly reached up and tilted the rear-view mirror to catch a glimpse of April buckling her seatbelt. April and Elena watched me as I locked my car door, unsure why I felt the need to do so. Without a word, they followed suit and locked their own doors. We were about to embark on a cross-country journey, and the feeling of vulnerability was tangible.

The car engine roared to life as I pulled out onto the deserted road. We sat in silence, our eyes scanning the surroundings for any sign of other cars on the road. I doubted we'd see anyone at this time of the morning but it was better to be safe than sorry.

The eerie silence enveloped us as we drove through our town one last time. My heart raced with every passing moment. The only sound was the hum of the engine as we made our way through the deserted streets. I was grateful for the silence, it helped me stay alert and aware of our surroundings. We all knew the consequences of breaking the town curfew - getting caught by the police.

As we crept closer to our dreams, a sense of foreboding crept over me. Our friends lay in blissful sleep, completely unaware of the fate that awaited us. We knew what we were about to do would have consequences, consequences that would ripple through the lives of those we loved. I think in that moment we all silently made our apologies, knowing that it was too late to turn back now. The air was thick with tension and the weight of our actions hung heavy on all our shoulders.

I desperately wanted to ask Elena about what had happened to her after she got home tonight, but I knew that delving too deep could lead to second thoughts. My heart raced as I struggled to maintain my focus. Failure was not an option, not after coming this far. As we drove down the desolate back road, we remain silent. The tall pine trees loomed over us, casting eerie shadows on the road ahead. I hesitated to turn on the lights, I knew I had to be cautious and wait.

Almost there, almost there I assured myself

The only sound in the car was our heavy breathing, as we crept closer to the ominous town border. We were fixated on the road ahead. But April, she kept fidgeting in her seat, constantly checking behind us. I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief that she was on high alert.

Suddenly, a flicker of light caught my eye in the distance. My lips parted in anticipation as I realised it was a sign, barely visible on the right side of the road. As we edged closer we realised it was the 'Farewell from Mystic Falls' sign. I heard April unbuckle her seatbelt and slide between us. My heart raced as she squeezed between Elena and me, her eyes fixed on the small LED light.

As we crossed the threshold, a wave of emotion overtook me. Tears threatened to spill from my eyes. It was official - we were en route to Utah.

Not being able to stand the cold a second longer I immediately proceeded to turn on the heater. I didn't know about the others but I was suddenly very cold and in need of a heat as soon as possible. I pressed my lips together trying to hold myself together as I finally glanced their way finding the pair both fighting back their own tears. I bent my knees to reach the steering wheel. Once I had a good grip, I reached behind me to adjust the pillows. I needed to be comfortable for the long journey ahead.

Beside me Elena and April followed suit, each of them despite their tears sent me a smile when they came to see for themselves the lengths I had gone to in order to secure their comfort.

"It'll heat up soon," I promised, finally breaking the silence.

"Do you think he's already left town?" Elena asked as she proceeded to wrap her blanket over her body and up around her shoulders.

"He's gone, he's probably hundreds of miles ahead of us by now." I replied.

"So now the journey begins." April said.

This is the exact spot our journey began. The three of us, on the open road, embarking on a journey towards our new life with Klaus.

The anticipation of what was to come was almost too much to bear. Were Elena, April and I already competing for his affection? Would we succumb to jealousy or would we find a way to navigate our shared marriage with a newfound maturity?

Klaus had truly hit the jackpot. He was now married to three beautiful women and by the end of the month, Klaus would have at least one of us in his bed.

---

Tyler Lockwood

I arrived on Caroline's street just a few minutes after four. I hadn't seen anyone while on my run and the only car on the road I'd seen was in the distance, rounding the end of Caroline's street as I came to stop just outside her house.

I effortlessly manoeuvred my way around the back of her house, knowing that climbing into her bedroom window would be a piece of cake. I knew I had to be with her right now, my thoughts consumed with the anticipation of slipping into her bed ever since I hit the road.

I needed to be with her, to touch her and remind her of who I was, as a man and a wolf. The hunter wasn't going to come between us, I was going to prove that to her this morning, she was going to be taken by a real man, that same man who would kill for her. I needed her, to take her roughly, maybe a little more rougher then she thinks she can handle. I'd guide her through it.

When I arrived at her bedroom window and found it locked I began to chap the glass softly hoping to wake her.

Where is she?

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Please leave me a comment - I know this story is a little out there but plsss just tell me what you think of the characters and plot if not my writing.