Chapter 23: New Girl in Town
I felt something inside of me shatter as everything that just happened came crashing down around me. It all felt like a dream. Having Niklaus and Rebekah show up at the school wasn't something that I ever dreamed would happen, and yet, it did. I looked over at Bekah as she drove us back to Mystic Falls. I marveled at the sight of her as memories of our time together flashed through my mind. I felt an intense happiness knowing that Bekah was alive and sitting beside me, but that happiness was outweighed by what had just happened only moments ago.
"Why did he leave like that?" Bekah frowned at my question and I could tell she was also unhappy about her brother's decision making.
"As much as I wish I knew the answer. My brother is an idiot and has decided not to tell me his reasons for leaving us in this god awful town." Bekah's answer didn't offer me any sort of understanding and I felt somewhat worse than I already did. "But," Bekah glanced over at me and said, "Whatever his reasons are, I know he did it to keep you safe. Neither of us had been expecting to find you here. There is clearly a lot that needs to be explained." I nodded my head in agreement. It was clear to me that neither of the siblings had any idea that I was alive and living in Mystic Falls. Meaning Elijah never had the chance to tell Niklaus before he was daggered.
"This was not how I was expecting the night to go." I admitted with a sigh. "Now what?" I wasn't really asking Bekah a question, more like it was a statement on this whole predicament. Now what was I supposed to do? My plane to find Nik was no longer needed since he had decided to just show up in town. But now he was gone and I was left feeling abandoned.
"Now we wait." Bekah answered. "We wait for my brother to come back and explain himself, and then hopefully we leave this god awful town."
I didn't say anything more and stared out the front of the car as we continued driving. I did speak up to give Bekah directions to my house and when we pulled up I noticed that the house was dark except for Elena's room. My heart clenched in my chest knowing that Elena was probably worrying about me and waiting for any sign that I would show up at home. My sister and I had a lot to talk about, but tonight wasn't the night for that discussion.
"Do you have anywhere to stay tonight?" I asked Bekah and followed up my question by saying, "You can stay here tonight and we can work something more permanent tomorrow." I mostly didn't want her to leave because I couldn't stand the idea of all this being a dream and her disappearing in the morning. I wanted to wake up and see that everything that had happened tonight wasn't just my mind playing a cruel joke.
Bekah's gaze grew soft and she nodded her head at my request. "I won't leave, Serena." I knew she understood what I was feeling and was grateful to her for being perceptive to my needs.
I smiled and said, "Thank you." Before opening the car door and leading Bekah up to the house. I invited her inside and quietly led her upstairs. I paused at the top of the stairs as light flooded out from under Elenas door. I knew I couldn't just let Elena continue to worry over me. I pointed out my room to Bekah and told her I would only be a moment.
I didn't bother knocking as I quietly opened the door to my sister's room. Elena was fast asleep on her bed. She was above the covers and I could see that she hadn't changed out the clothes she had been wearing earlier. I walked over to the side of the bed and looked down at my sister. A part of me wanted to let her sleep and speak to her in the morning, but I knew it would be better to wake her and let her know I was alright.
"Elena," I barely raised my voice above a whisper as I called her name. I didn't want to startle her. "Elena." As gently as I could, I shook her shoulder and waited for her to wake. I let go of her as her eyes started to flutter and she woke up.
"Serena?" Her voice sounded horse with sleep as she struggled to wake up. I watched as she became more aware and realized that I was standing beside her bed. "Oh my god, Serena. Are you okay? Did Klaus hurt you?" She shot up and I had to take a step back as she grabbed me by the arms and looked me over.
"I'm okay." I quickly tried to reassure her as she frantically stared at me. "I promise, Elena. I'm alright. He didn't hurt me." There was a lot that needed to be said between us. I had a very long story to tell my sister, but I knew now wasn't the time. The trust between us was fragile and if I came right out and told her everything, I knew it would end well for either of us. "Klaus left," I started to explain, "My blood worked on Tyler, so you don't need to worry. Everythings going to be okay."
I could clearly see that Elena didn't believe me, but I didn't want to explain anything more. "Go back to sleep, we can talk more about it tomorrow." I wasn't confident that we would be talking more about it tomorrow, but that was all I could offer her at the moment.
I left Elena's room and when I entered my room, I found Bekah standing with her back to me. I closed the door and the vampire turned around. I noticed my sketch book in her hands and knew she had looked through the drawings I had done. I was unbothered by her snooping and simply walked over to my dresser.
"I was twelve when my memories started to come back to me," I began to explain as I pulled out a pair of sweat pants and t-shirt for Bekah to wear. "My memories of you and your brothers were hard for me to grasp. It was like trying to see out of a foggy window, so I decided to try and draw the things I could remember. The memories didn't become clear till I turned eighteen and I triggered my bloodline."
"You forgot about us?" Bekah looked up from the drawings. She looked sad to hear that my memories of her and her family were hard for me to remember.
"No," I shook my head, "I just couldn't see you, but I felt you." I put a hand to my chest and rubbed at the spot over my heart. "I felt you here. I knew that those memories meant more to me than anything. And now I understand why."
Bekah seemed to understand and flipped to another page and settled on a drawing of Damon and Stefan. "You know the Salvatore brothers well?" She asked as her eyes scanned over the page.
"Yeah, I know them," I answered her as I changed into sweat pants and a t-shirt. "They were my brothers once. In my life before this one." Bekah let her arms fall as she stared at me with wide eyes.
"Your brothers?" She asked in shock. "You've been reborn before now?"
"Yes, before I was born as Serena Gilbert, I was Serena Salvatore." I explained. "And before that, I was Serena Smith. Three times. That's how many lives I've lived after my death."
Bekah shook her head and muttered, "They should have come back and found you." She closed the sketch book and placed it on the dresser. "We knew it was a possibility that you could be reborn, but there we never found any proof that it could happen."
Now it was my turn to shake my head, "I don't blame any of you for not finding me in a past life." I admitted before adding, "I think Fate meant for me to live those lives without you and my Fated Ones. I'm not sure why, but it's just a feeling that I have. It's like Fates been leading me to this moment, and now I'm closer than I've ever been to seeing us all being reunited."
"You're right." Bekah agreed and said, "My family has been broken since the day you died, and I had no hope that we could all be a family again. But now you're here, and I know my brothers will be willing to do anything for you, including setting aside a thousand years of bad blood."
I nodded my head and decided it was best to leave any more of this conversion for tomorrow. "Come on, let's get some sleep." Bekah changed quickly into the clothes I headset out for her and the two of us went to bed.
We faced each other after I turned off the lights and I was hit with a wave of , a long time ago, we had the same routine when I lived with her family after the death of my parents. After being taken in by Esther, Bekah and I shared a sleeping space.
I felt a great sense of comfort having her next to me, and without even second guessing my actions, I reached out and waited for her to place her hand in mine. Without any hesitation, the vampire placed her hand in mine, and I felt my lips tug at the corners. While tonight left me feeling fearful of the unknown, I was happy to have Bekah back at my side.
When morning came I woke up to find Bekah sleeping peacefully beside me. It was still early and I knew Elena and Jeremy wouldn't be awake yet. I knew Elena would lose it if she found Bekah in the house and I decided that was definitely not a conversion I wanted to have at seven in the morning. So after getting Bekah up, I decided it was best to take the Original Vampire somewhere more vampire friendly.
"So high school is a place where teenagers learn, and socialize?" Bekah asked as I gave her directions to the boarding house.
I nodded my head and said, "Pretty much. High School is where teens prepare for college and life outside of school. But the social aspect of it is a lot more complicated."
Bekah hummed and we pulled up to the boarding house. I got out and watched as Bekah walked around to the trunk of the SUV and pulled out a bunch of shopping bags. "What's all this?" I asked as Bekah handed me the bags and proceeded to pull out even more bags.
"I made Nik take me shopping after he undaggered me." Bekah explained. "I figure if I'm staying in this drab town, I'll make myself comfortable." I couldn't argue with that, and followed her up to the house. We walked into the boarding house without bothering to knock and Bekah glanced around the front hallway before saying, "What a pleasant little hovel."
"Who the hell are you?" I heard Damon growl as Bekah walked into the living room.
"Rebekah. Pleasure, I'm sure." Bekah glanced around before asking, "Now, which one's my room?"
"You're not staying here." Stefan spoke up.
"Actually, she is." I said as I walked out from the Original Vampire. "I told her that she could stay here." Bekah smirked at Damon and Stefnas face as I overstepped their words
"Like hell she's staying here." Damon snapped. "And what are you even doing with her in the first place?"
"My brother left us in this god awful town and Serena has been kind enough to show me around and offer me a place to stay." Bekah answered Damon. "Now then, I'll ask again, which room is mine?"
Damon and Stefan sneered at Bekah and I could only roll my eyes at the tension that was filling the air. "Come on, Bekah. I'll show you where you can stay." I led the way up stairs and showed Bekah to one of the guest bedrooms that had its own bathroom attached. I figured it would suit her needs and she agreed with my decision.
Once Bekah and I had set the bags down, we headed back down stairs and found both Salvatore brothers arguing once again. We bypassed the two vampires and I was more than happy to leave the boarding house behind and head off to school. But just as Bekah started the SUV, the back door was opened and Stefan slipped into the vehicle.
"What are you doing?" I asked him with a raised brow.
"Klaus has me compelled to keep an eye on you." Stefans nonchalant answer had my mouth falling open in shock and curiosity.
"Compelled?" I looked over at Bekah and said, "I thought vampires couldn't compel other supernatural creatures."
"Only an Original Vampire can compel other vampires." Bekah answered. "It pays to be at the top of the food chain." She glanced at Stefan in the rearview mirror and smirked at him. I frowned at her words and shook my head as distress filled my thoughts.
"Can you undo the compulsion? I'm not a fan of this arrangement, especially with Stefan all ripper-like," I waved my hand at the vampire in the back seat. "His energy is freaking me out." I admitted it honestly. It was true, the energy wafting off Stefan was nothing like when he first came to Mystic falls a year ago.
Bekah frowned and shook her head, "As much as I would love to send him away and break the compulsion, I can't undo Niks compulsion." The Original vampire admitted. "So we're stuck with him until Nik returns." Bekah's words did not fill me with confidence as she drove away from the boarding house. "Now then, onto other matters. Where does my brother's new hybrid live? The Tyler boy. Nik wants me to check up on him."
"Oh. Um, keep going straight and turn right at the next stop sign." I continued to direct Bekah to the Lockwoods mansion. We turned down the gravel driveway and Bekah stopped the car.
"Now then, you stay right here, I'll be back in just a moment. Need to make sure the new hybrid is well fed." Bekah spoke as she pulled out a blood bag from a small cooler that had been behind my seat.
"Where did you even get that?" I questioned as the Original Vampire opened the car door. Bekah simply sent me a grin before zooming off and leaving me alone in the car.
I cringed when Bekah disappeared and tried not to let the fact that I was left alone in the car with a ripper version of Stefan bother me. Before anything could be said, I was saved by Bekah reappearing and getting back into the SUV.
When the three of us arrived at the school, Bekah compelled her way into the system and reassured me she wouldn't get into trouble following me to my classes. I was somewhat relieved to have Bekah at my side as we walked down the crowded hallway towards our first class of the day. I was still unused to the intense awareness I felt as we walked among the other teenagers heading to class. The feeling would have been overwhelming, but Bekah's energy was more dominant then the energy of a normal human teenager. Her energy acted as a buffer and I felt less exposed when walking beside her.
"Welcome back, seniors." Alaric greeted everyone as we took our seats. Bekah took the seat behind me and Stefan scared away some kid from the seat behind her. Placing himself conveniently close to Elena. I could feel both Elena and Carolines eyes burning into the back of my head as I watched Alaric have to write around the drawing of George Washington I had put on his white board the night before. I cringed slightly when I remembered that the failed prank night had only just been last night.
"Let's turn our brains back on, starting with this country's founders, the Native Americans." Alaric started the class and everyone started to pull out their notebook.
"What about the Vikings?" Bekah suddenly asked from behind me. The whole class looked at her and I felt slightly uncomfortable at the attention she had brought to herself. The other students would no doubt be interested in the new girl that had spoken up.
"There's no evidence that Viking explorers actually settled in the United States." Alaric answered as he looked between Bekah and I. I could only send him a shrug. Bekah wasn't exactly wrong, considering we had both been alive during a time the Vikings were on American soil before the land had been found by any other explorers. "Who are you?"
"My name's Rebekah. I'm new." Bekah smiled at the history teacher before adding, "And history is my favorite subject."
The tension in the air continued to follow Bekah and I as she followed me from class to class. For the most part she seemed content with sitting and listening to the teachers welcome the students back and explain what the rest of the year held for us. But I could tell she was becoming restless by the end of the day and unfortunately, that meant any sign of something exciting was bound to catch her eye.
"Cheerleader tryouts?" We had just left our last class of the day when Bekah spotted one of the flyers for the cheer teams tryouts.
Before I could explain what it was, Stefan appeared behind us and explained it himself, "Cheerleaders are the popular girls of the school, you know, the it girls." I looked back at Stefan and sent him a look, one that he simply shrugged at.
"Cheerleaders pretty much stand on the sidelines at games and cheer on the team. It's a lot of hair flipping and jumping around." It wasn't the best break down, but I was hoping Bekah would drop it and we could head back to the boarding house.
But, regrettably, that wasn't going to be the case. "Sounds like fun. I want to try out for this cheer team." Bekah's excitement had my shoulders slumping in defeat as Stefan led the way out towards the football field where the tryouts were being held. The last thing I wanted to do was sit and watch Bekah try out for the cheer team, because that meant having to watch Caroline have to deal with Bekah, and I had a strong feeling that the two blonds were bound to bump heads. .
When we arrived at the field, Stefan abandoned us the second he spotted Elena who was running on the track, and I followed after Bekah as she made her way towards the cheerleaders. I found an empty bench in front of where Caroline and the other girls had gathered and sat down to watch the next set of events unfold. Both Bekah and Caroline had very strong personalities, and if given the chance, they could be friends, but I didn't see that happening anytime soon.
"Has anybody seen Dana?" A cheerleader called out as the girls stretched and prepared for practice.
"Sounds like you have an opening on the squad." Bekah spoke up as she approached Caroline. The look of distaste on Caroline's face made my heart ache. I had very little doubts that if under different circumstances, Bekah and Caroline would have been friends. But because of who Bekah was and who her brother was, Caroline was already writing her off as one of the bad guys. I grew somber with that in mind and wondered how much my own friendship with Caroline would crumble when she found out who Nik was to me. Would she see me as one of the bad guys?
"What are you doing here?" Caroline snapped as Bekah started stretching out her arms like she saw the other girls doing. Caroline stared at her like she was crazy. "Hey, hey. You can't just come here and infiltrate all of our lives."
"I'm not interested in any of your boring lives," Bekah sassed back as she continued acting like she was meant to be there. "I'm just doing what I want, and I want the popularity, the spunk," She paused for a moment before turning her head towards where the football team was practicing, "Maybe even a boyfriend."
"It's not the ballet, ladies. Let's move! Let's move!" The football coach shouted and I shook my head at Bekah's jab and prayed that we could just leave soon. A thousand years may have passed since the last time Bekah and I saw one another, but I knew when the girl was only trying to push someone's buttons. I could tell she was only saying these things to Caroline to get a reaction out of her. The last thing I needed was a fight to break out between her and Caroline over something as petty as Bekah just messing with the cheer captain over Tyler.
I was looking over at the football team when I noticed Tyler walk up to the coach. I could barely hear them, but from what I could make out, it wasn't good. Tyler had somehow managed to convince the coach and had him dismiss the team for the day, and I wasn't the only one who noticed the actions of the young hybrid. Caroline stomped over to Tyler and I could see the two argue for a moment before a round of cheers erupted. I looked back over to where the cheer team was set up for practice and watched as Bekah demonstrated just how good she was at the whole cheerleader thing.
I could only sigh at Bekah's antics. She was having fun among the normal human teenagers and I had a feeling this was something that she had needed. By the time Bekah was done having her fun, the two of us headed out towards the parking lot and ran into Stefan as we neared the SUV. He was brooding and untalkative as we loaded up into the car and I had a feeling that his conversion with Elena didn't go as planned for him. I knew my sister wasn't a fan of ripper Stefan. She knew him as the soft and kind man she had met over a year ago, not this narcissistic vampire who killed without a second thought.
The car ride to the boarding house started out quiet and somewhat peaceful, that was until Stefan decided to ruin it by saying, "So what time will we be heading to the bonfire tonight?" I cringed as Bekah perked up in the driver's seat.
"What bonfire?" The excited look in Bekah's eyes made my shoulders slump.
"It's a party for the seniors. A whole lot of underaged drinking and debauchery will be bound to happen." Stefan's shitty explanation only peeked Bekahs interest even more.
"For three years I've been avoiding this party," I huffed. "And now I'm not even going to get a choice in not going, aren't I?" I looked over at Bekah and watched her shake her head.
"Oh come on, little sister." Stefan leaned in between the two front seats and patted me on the shoulder. "It's just one night. What harm could it do?" I cringed at the physical contact and leaned away from the offending hand. I knew Stefan wanting to go to the party all had to do with Elena and less him wanting to party it up.
"I like the sound of this," Bekah spoke up. "We will definitely be going."
A sigh escaped from my lips as I gave in, "Fine. But if I get abandoned by either of you, I'm leaving the party and you two behind."
Bekah rolled her eyes before speaking, "I want to have fun now that I am no longer being bossed around by Nik, or daggered inside of a coffin. So, to keep you safe, you're just going to have to stay close tonight. Right, Stefan?" I frowned at Bekah's words and shook my head.
"Sounds like a good plan to me." Stefan spoke up from the back seat.
I deflated in defeat and mumbled, "I hate both of you." As the boarding house came into view.
~Break~
Mystic Falls High School was quiet and mostly empty of its students as the sun began its descent in the sky. While everyone had finished the day and left the school behind to plan for the bonfire and enjoy a well earned tradition, a select few had stayed behind and were making plans in the dark history classroom.
"I'll lure Stefan away from the bonfire. Then when he's distracted," Elena looked over at Alaric who stood beside his desk with his arms crossed.
"I'll shoot him." He replied back to the dark haired girl.
"Cant Bonnie just ju-ju him or something?" Damon commented from where he was seated on one of the classroom's desks. "And how exactly are you going to get him away from the party? If my sources are correct, Serena is being forced to attend the bonfire, and Stefans been compelled to protect her."
"I'm trying to keep Bonnie out of this," Elena answered the first question, "I don't trust that Stefan wont hurt her. And as for Serena, it's her I'm going to lead away from the party." Elena admitted. "If I can get her to follow me, then Stefan will obviously come after her." Elena then looked over towards Caroline, "Caroline, are you covered?"
"Yes. I will make sure that the old Forbes jail cell is prepped and ready." Caroline answered back.
"We're forgetting a key player here. Rebekah? Wherever Serena goes, the blond ponytail is ready to follow." Damon pointed out the flaw in their plan, but it seemed that Elena was already ready for that aspect in their goal of getting Serena and Stefan away from the bonfire.
"Which is why it's your job to keep her away." Elena stated matter of factly.
"How?! She's an Original. Last time I checked, we're out of daggers." Damon argued.
Elena shrugged, "Then preoccupy her with your charm." The vampire in question glared at the dark haired teen.
"Might have better luck finding the dagger." Alaric spoke up.
"Are you ever not going to be mad at me for a day?" Damon shot back at the history teacher.
"Doubtful." Was the only reply he received.
Damon sent Alaric a look just as the door to the classroom they were meeting in opened and Tyler walked in. The newly created hybrid walked and stood beside Caroline. "Sorry I'm late. What's going on?"
"We need you to raid your mom's vervain supply," Elena started to explain, "Enough to keep Stefan down for a while."
Tyler frowned and looked around at the others in the room before speaking, "You can't do that to Stefan." He stated.
"Why not?" Caroline questioned.
"Trust me, Tyler, it's in his best interest." Elena spoke calmly, hoping that Tyler wouldn't fight them on this. She wanted to help Stefan get back to his old self, but she was going to need help to do it.
"Yeah. It's not in Klaus's. He needs Stefan to protect Serena while he's gone from town." Tyler shoots back, causing everyone in the room to look at him in confusion and worry.
Caroline looked at her boyfriend in shock and disapproval. "But Klaus is the bad guy, Tyler." She started to explain. "You know, why are you acting like some freaky, hybrid, slave minion?" As Caroline chewed Tyler out for his clearly unnatural alliance to Klaus, Damon was putting the clues together and beginning to understand what was happening to the newly made hybrid.
"Uh-oh." Damon muttered as stood up. The others looked towards the vampire as he moved closer towards the hybrid.
"Okay, can we cool it on the commentary, please." Caroline begged.
Elena looked over at Damon and asked, "What's going on?" Damon kept his gaze focused on the hybrid as he picked up the vervain dart off Alaric's desk.
"I'm just going to go." Tyler could sense that the others had been thrown off by what he had said and decided to leave. But just as he turned around, Damon took that as his chance to rush over and stab the vervain filled needle into Tyler's neck and inject him full of the herb.
"What are you doing?" Caroline shouted in shock as Tyler collapsed in an unconscious heap on the ground.
"He's been sired." Damon answered as he set the needle back down on the teachers desk.
Alaric turned to look at the vampire. "What?" He asked in disbelief as Caroline kneeled down to check on Tyler.
"Sired. He feels loyal to Klaus because Klaus's blood created him." Damon explained.
"Loyal how?" Elena asked.
"He'll seek acceptance from his master." Damon clarified. "It's really rare. But maybe not so much in hybrids."
"So how do I fix him?" Caroline looked up at Damon for an answer.
"Get a new boyfriend." Was his matter of fact answer. One that didn't exactly sit well with Caroline.
After revising the plan slightly, Elena and Damon headed out to the bonfire, while Caroline dragged her unconscious boyfriend back to his house. With the discovery that Tyler was sired to Klaus, they couldn't trust his judgment and decided it was best to keep him away until they completed the plan.
~Break~
I stood close to Bekah as she poured herself some of the beer from the keg that had been set up for the party. By the time we had arrived, things were already getting rowdy as teens drank and danced by the fire. The excitement in the air had the hairs on the back of my neck standing up as the crowd grew with more people showing up.
"You alright there?" Stefan asked me as I folded my arms across my chest.
I answer back, "Not exactly." I was still unused to being able to feel so much. The rowdiness from the teenagers around us put me on edge. Bekah was a good distraction, but that didn't mean I didn't slip up here and there and allowed myself to become overwhelmed with the energy filling the air around me. I was going to have to relearn how to ignore the constant wave of energy surrounding me when I was in a crowd.
"Hmm, I thought this would have been more interesting." Bekah commented as she took a drink. I watched as her face scrunched up at the offending taste of the hoppy liquor.
"What? You're not having fun being surrounded by blood bags just waiting to be bitten into? Plenty of boys for you to have at your beck and call." Stefan sarcastically snapped at the blond vampire with a sneer of amusement.
I rolled my eyes at the two vampires. It wasn't hard for me to figure out that there was something going on between the two of them. It was clear that they had a past and it was just another thing I was missing information about.
"Excuse me." The two vampires broke apart from their glaring contest as a voice spoke up from behind us. Elena pushed her way between Bekah and Stefan to get to the keg .
"Elena, hi." Stefan was ignored by my sister as she filled her cup. "What are you doing?"
"I'm having fun, Stefan. You have a problem with that?" Elena answered the vampire with a heavy tone of sass. Stefan and I then proceed to watch as my sister down the entire cup of beer in front of us. I couldn't help but stare open-mouthed as my sister displayed a very blatant act of irresponsible behavior, and honestly, I didn't know whether to be concerned or impressed.
"All right, take it easy." Stefan ordered as she pulled the empty cup away from her lips. "We both know you're kind of a lightweight."
"Uh-huh. Really? You think I'm going to let a blood addict tell me how to drink?" I raised a brow at my sister's words as she walked away from us. I could see Stefan clench his jaw tightly shut as he watched my sister walk off.
"Well, this night just got a little more entertaining." Bekah commented. I sighed and allowed myself to be led away by Bekah. She sat us down on a log that was beside the fire. The warmth from the fire reminded me of a memory from my past. One where similar events took place of a village celebrating a healthy harvest by dancing and drinking around a large bonfire.
As I stared off into the fire, my mind began to wander back to the past. The night of my first harvest celebration had been the start of something life changing. I had found my place in life after that night and was on a path laid out for me by the Fates. The bonds between myself and my Fated Ones became knotted together in an invisible bind that no one could see, but that only we could feel. We had been tied together by Fate in a way that no one would ever be able to fully understand and as I stared into the fire, I realized just how much I missed them.
I was heartbroken when Nik suddenly left. I had only just found him, and then he was suddenly gone. But while I at least knew Nik was alive, I still didn't know where Elijah, Finn, and Kol were. I wanted to understand why Nik had left without telling me anything, but the doubt in my mind made me realize that maybe a thousand years apart had weakened the bond Nik and I shared. That maybe the feelings on my end of the bond weren't the same thing he was feeling through the bond.
"Hey," Stefans voice suddenly broke me out of my thoughts and I turned to look over at him. "Come with me to check up on your sister, she walked off and honestly didn't look so good." I frowned at his words and nodded my head. My sister wasn't a big drinker, so I was worried when Stefan said she had walked off.
I stood up from the log Bekha had sat us at and looked over at the vampire to get her attention. "Ew." I made a face as I took in the sight of Bekah and Damon sitting close to one another. I shook my head at having just seen the two flirting with one another. I followed Stefan in a hurry to get away from the scene and desperately hoped to forget what I just saw.
Stefan led the way and we soon found my wayward sister laying down at the top of the bleachers. "I used to know every constellation. How did I forget them all?" Elena muttered to herself as we walked up the steps and approached her. I kneeled down next to her and gently brushed her hair out of her face.
"Hey, how are you feeling?" I asked and she looked up at me. Her brown eyes shone under the lights of the football field and my heart clenched at the look of desperation as she gazed up at me.
"She's clearly drunk." Stefan started with a sneer. "You need to go home," He said to her.
Elena sat up and sent Stefan a look before shrugging and standing up. "Fine, uhh, just let me find my car." She wobbled on her feet and I shot up to steady her. I frowned at her and tried to remember a time she had been this drunk.
"No, Elena, that's not happening." I said as I let her stand on her own. Elena sent me frown and shook her head.
"I'm fine, I can get home on my own." She started with a slur to her words and I was starting to get increasingly more worried about her.
"You're joking, right?" Stefan scoffed.
"Uh-oh. It's the fun police. I thought that ripper Stefan was supposed to be the life of the party." I couldn't help but cringe at Elena's words.
"Well alright, I'm driving you home. Come on." Stefan reached out to grab Elena by the arm, but she pulled away before he could touch her.
I watched with horror filling me as Elena climbed over the railing. "Elena! What are you doing?!" I hurried to her side and grabbed hold of her arms to steady her. I looked into her eyes and silently begged that she wouldn't do anything else that would endanger her life. "Please Elena, just let us get you home."
"Listen to your sister, Elena. Get down." Stefan ordered from behind me. Elena looked at him from over my shoulder and raised her eyebrow in defiance.
"Why? Are you afraid that I'm going to…" Elena paused and I felt my stomach drop as she let go of the railing. If I hadn't been holding onto her, she would have fallen.
"Oh. Ha. That was close." She laughed it off and I clutched at her arms tighter. "But I know better than to believe that you would catch me." Elena said to Stefan. Elena then turns her eyes onto me and the two of us stare at one another. There was a moment of quiet between us before she spoke, "I'm sorry." She whispered softly.
Before I could say anything, Elena gripped my arms tightly and leaned back. My stomach dropped at the sudden pull and I had no choice but to follow after her. She pushed herself from the railing, taking me with her. I didn't have any time to pull back and a scream bubbled up in my throat, but it got caught as the wind whipped around us as we fell. I waited for the impact, but instead of us landing on the concrete, we were both jostled as Stefan caught the two of us. The rush I had felt from falling had my heart pounding against my ribs as I clutched onto Elena for dear life.
"I had a feeling you'd catch us," Elena whispered to Stefan. I looked up to see Stefan and Elena staring at each other. I could see confusion in Stefan's eyes as he searched Elenas gaze. Then there was a sudden sound of air being released and a thump could be heard. Stefan's eyes grew wide before the vampire suddenly collapsed.
"You two okay?" Alaric stepped out of the shadows holding a vervain dart gun, making it increasingly clear what had just transpired.
"Yeah. I think we're fine." Elena stood up straight and I immediately let go of her arms.
"What the fuck just happened?" My voice seemed to startle both Alaric and Elena and two snapped their heads to look at me. I had taken a few steps to put some space between us and try to clear my head. "What the shit, Elena?" My voice shook with adrenaline and a slight hint of irritation. I could put all the pieces together and come to a pretty clear conclusion of what was going on, but I wanted to hear it from them. I wanted to hear why my life had to be put in danger for them to get to Stefan.
"Serena, calm down," Alaric held up his hands and approached me slowly. "We can explain all this, but first, we need to get Stefan to a secure location."
I looked down at Stefan laying on the ground. "Fine. Let's just get out of here." Elena nodded her head and the three of us, plus one unconscious vampire, made our way to Alaric's car. The history teacher took over and gestured to Elena and I to get into the car while he stuffed Stefan into the trunk. I slid into the back behind Elena and waited for Alaric.
My mind was still reeling at what had just happened and a feeling of dread settled in my stomach. I had been used tonight as bait. I was kept in the dark about this little plan to get to Stefan and that made me feel sick and angry. If they had just told me they needed to get Stefan and force him to detox, I would have helped. I didn't want Stefan to be a ripper or under compulsion. But it was clear to me that Elena and the others didn't trust me.
The trunk slammed closed and I watched through the windows as Alaric walked around the car and made his way to the driver side door. He muttered something under his breath as he reached out for the handle. Suddenly the air began to shift and I sat up as the feeling grew. I braced myself on Elena's seat as I peered through the windshield.
"What is that?" I muttered to my sister as light began to approach us. Then I felt it, there was a wave of heat as I realized that the light I had seen was actually fire making its way towards us.
"Elena! Elena! Open the door!" Alaric shouts had both Elena and I turning to look at him. We saw him struggling to open the door and I quickly pushed myself forward and jumped into the driver's seat. I struggled with the door as I desperately tried to unlock it.
"I can't get the door open!" I shouted in a panic and looked over at my sister. Elena was struggling with her door as she tried to open it before the fire completely surrounded us.
"It wont open! What the hell?" We both struggled desperately to get the car door opened as the heat grew and the fire began to spread all around the car. The energy around us made it clear that magic was behind the sudden appearance of the fire that was blazing around the car.
"I'm sorry, Serena. Elena." A voice suddenly spoke up behind us and I turned around in shock. My eyes grew wide at the sight of a dead girl sitting in the back seat of the car.
"Vicki?" Her name slipped from my lips in disbelief. Our eyes connected and she looked at me in shock. She definitely wasn't expecting me to be able to see her. The energy that surrounded the dead girl filled the car and I was almost left breathless. The heat around us was getting worse and I could hear my sister's desperate cries as the metal that surrounded us grew too hot to touch. "What did you do, Vicki?" I asked the ghost as panic filled my entire body.
"I can't go back," She admitted with a sob. "I can't go back, and she said that if I did this, I wouldn't have to."
My body was starting to sweat from the heat and the air was filling with smoke. I could hear Elena cough as she tried to break the windows. "Vicki, who is doing this?" The ghost shook her head at my question and I reached out to touch her. The second my skin touched her, I felt something familiar. Magic was following through her, but there was no life to be felt within her. The magic that I felt was familiar to me, but I couldn't pinpoint where I had felt it before.
"Elena!" I shout for my sister and grab hold of her. "Get to Stefan, go!" I pushed my sister past the ghost she couldn't see and watched as she made her way to the trunk of the car. Then I sat forward and focused my mind. I could feel the fire, the heat, and the magic that connected Vicki to the living world. First I needed to focus on the flames. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath in before letting it out and focusing on calming the raging fire down.
I needed to get it under control, just long enough for Elena and Stefan to get out. But the magic surrounding us felt dark. It was a magic I had never felt before and something told me this magic wasn't something connected to the balance that I was connected to. This was dark magic, and that darkness was hard for me to get under control as I focused on putting out the flames. I pulled at the connection I shared with nature and felt a small relief from the heat as the flames started to retreat. As I focused on the flames, I could hear my sister calling Stefans name as she tried to wake him. There was a sudden burst of cool air as I heard the sound of metal being crushed. I looked back and saw that the trunk had been forced open and let out a sigh in relief.
"No!" Vicki shouted as Elena was able to get out. I released my hold on the magic around me and felt the flames rise back up. I quickly began to move and headed for the back of the car as the heat regrew. But as I tried to get by Vicki, she grabbed me by the shoulder and angrily looked me in the eyes. "No! I won't go back! You have to die!" But just as quickly as she had appeared, Vicki was gone.
With my focus on the fire lost, the flames rose back up and I suddenly became very aware I was still trapped in the car. I scrambled for the back seat and struggled to climb though the rising smoke as my vision became impaired and it got harder to breathe. As I forced myself over the back seat and into the trunk, I felt a pair of arms grab hold of me and haul me the rest of the way out of the car. Alaric held onto me tightly as he pulled me further from the burning vehicle.
Just as we got far enough away, the car succumbed to the flames and exploded. I took in as many deep breaths as I could manage, relishing the clean, cool, air. I rested with my hands on my knees as I tried to regain my bearings. My skin felt clammy and my lungs burned from inhaling the smoke.
"Come on, let's get out of here." Alaric helped me stand up and the four of us made our way back to the boarding house.
I sat huddled up on the couch in front of the empty fireplace. Elena had gone up stairs to find something for her burns. She had mentioned bringing some down for me, but I had brushed it off. The burns I had received were already starting to heal and would be completely gone in the next couple of hours. Alaric sat quietly across from me on the other couch and the two of us basked in the silence. Whatever plan the others had made up to get to Stefan, had clearly failed. But I had bigger things to worry about then the others trying to force Stefan on the clean and narrow.
Vickis appearance had left my mind feeling muddled. I didn't want to believe it was possible, but there was someone far more sinister behind Vicki's actions tonight. Now I just had to figure out who it was that had sent her.
"I'm going to go to check up on Elena," Alaric spoke as he stood up from the couch. I nodded my head to the history teacher and stayed curled up on the couch. I could feel the other occupants of the boarding house moving around. Damon and Elena were both upstairs, and Stefan was loitering in the library. I could feel Alaric making his way upstairs and waited for him to return with Elena.
When I felt both Elena and Alaric making their way down stairs, I got up from the couch and waited for them. Just as Elena opened her mouth to say something, Stefan Stepped out of the library and confronted her by saying, "Well you got me good tonight. Definitely wasn't expecting that."
"That was the point." Alaric grunted out.
"Yeah. You know, you can hate me all you want," Stefan started before looking directly at Elena. "Your sister needs protecting, not to mention, you do too. I think you're both better off having me around." Elena shook her head and urged Alaric to head for the front door. "Elena, wait. You could have let me die in that fire tonight. Why didn't you?"
"Because I still have hope." My sister answered with zero hesitation, making Stefan frown at her declaration of hope.
"After everything I've done," He paused for only a second before continuing, "You still think I'll be able to find my humanity again."
"Yes, I do." Elena stated. "I know who you really are better than anyone, Stefan. And I'm not giving up."
"Elena, do you have any idea how pathetic that makes you?" Stefans words were meant to hurt Elena, but my sister simply stared back at the vampire with determination.
"No, Stefan, it makes me strong." My sister moved suddenly and I watched as she leapt forward and punched the vampire square in the stomach. Two stakes were then embedded into Stefans gut from the wrist gauntlet Elena had apparently been wearing this whole time.
With that done, Elena walked over to me and took my hand. "Come on, let's go home." I didn't fight her and allowed her to guide me out of the boarding house and into her car. I sat quietly in the back seat and watched the trees as we drove past them. My nerves were shot and I felt completely drained. When we arrived at the house, the three of us walked up to the front porch. But as Elena and Alaric made their way inside, I chose to stop and stood on the porch. Elena noticed I had not followed after them and turned to look at me. Alaric paused near the stairs and watched as Elena and I stared at one another.
"It's alright, Alaric." Elena waved the history teacher away and he nodded in understanding before heading up stairs. My sister and I stood there in silence as I tried to gather my thoughts. "Serena, I just-"
I cut off my sister's words, "Don't. Please don't." I shook my head. There was nothing my sister could say right now that was going to make this situation any less terrible. "I can't do this right now." I didn't bother saying anything else to Elena and turned on my heel and walked away. I wasn't in the right emotional state to have any sort of conversion with her. I needed to get away and allowed my feet to take me deeper and deeper into the woods.
I knew where I was heading, even in the dark of the night, I walked with confidence through the tree. I needed to be where I felt safe. The trees loomed over me as I walked and soon found a familiar sight of green peeking through a ring of trees. The second my feet touched the grass, I felt my body loosen and my heart settle in my chest. I needed this. I needed the feeling of being sheltered under the oak trees' large form surrounded by the familiar energy that made me feel safe.
I sat curled up against the trunk of the oak tree and felt my breathing begin to even out as I took in a few deep breaths. I needed to calm down and gather my thoughts, but I was interrupted when my phone began to buzz in my back pocket. I had half a mind to ignore the call, but I still pulled my phone out and looked at the screen. It was an unknown number. Something in my gut told me to answer, "Hello?"
"Serena, where are you, love?" My heart skipped a beat at the sound of Niks voice coming from the other end of the phone. I hadn't realized just how much I needed to hear his voice. "Love, I need you to tell me where you are. I need to know that you're safe." There was a deep desperation in Niks voice that had my heart clenching in my chest.
I hesitated before answering, "I'm fine." I choked out and felt my body grow tense as I thought back on what had just occurred. "No, I'm not fine." I let out a long sigh and leaned back against the oak tree. "I'm safe, but I think I'm far from fine."
"Serena, love." Nik's voice had a desperate edge to it and I had a feeling he was holding back something he was fiercely trying to hold in.
"Why did you leave, Nik?" This had been the question rolling around in my thoughts since the moment he left Bekah and I in Mystic Falls. I wanted nothing more than to know why he would just leave like that. His actions had doubts swirling around inside of my mind. "You left, and you're not supposed to leave me." I couldn't stop the sob from breaking its way out of my throat as my eyes stung with tears.
"Shhh, love. Don't cry now." The shattered tone in his voice made my heart clench as another sob worked its way out my mouth and tears continued streaming down my face.
"I need you Nik. I need you here with me." I choked out in a desperate plea to get him to understand. I felt so alone right now. More alone than I have in a long time.
"Please, love. Don't cry." He was trying to sooth me as my sobs shook through my chest. "I promise you, sweetheart, you won't have to wait long. I'm doing this to keep you safe. When this is all over, when I finally end this, you won't ever have to be alone again."
"I'm trying to understand what you mean, but I just don't get why you had to leave to keep me safe." All I wanted at the moment was for him to be next to me. I wanted the comfort and safety I knew I would be able to feel if he was near me.
"I need you to trust me, Love." He spoke softly. "Just stay close to Bekah and wait for me. It won't be too long now."
I took in a deep breath in an attempt to calm down. "I don't like this, Nik. I feel like I'm being left in the dark." I pulled my knees in close and hugged them to my chest. "We have so much to talk about, and I have so many questions for you."
"I know, love." I could hear the strain in his voice and I knew he was fighting with himself. My Mother had once told me that Fated Ones could hardly ever be kept apart for long periods of time. It was instinct to want to be near. So I understood that the strain in Niks voice was him fighting to keep himself away; and that only fueled my confusion and self doubts.
The longing I felt for him was beginning to become twisted with the insecure emotions welling up inside of me. "I'm scared." I admitted. This one moment of weakness was all it took and I felt my walls crumbling as the need for my Fated One became overwhelming. "I'm scared and confused. I don't understand these feelings welling up inside of me, and these memories that keep trying to reassure me. And the loneliness; it's like a gaping hole in my heart." I honestly hadn't meant for everything to come pouring out the way it did. But I needed him. I needed them.
There was an odd rumbling sound coming from the other end of the line. Nik's growling made my heart freeze in my chest as my sobs began to slow down. "Serena. Calm yourself, love." The growling sound ceased and I realized just how much the sound had helped calm down my hysterics. "I promise you, Serena, you won't be alone for much longer. I'll be at your side, and soon, I'll return them to you. Now, tell me where you are, and I'll send Bekah to get you, love."
I sniffled and whipped the tears off my cheeks before answering, "I'm at the tree." I mumbled softly. I was starting to feel sleepy after crying so hard.
"Good, she'll be able to find you. Just stay put, sweetheart." I nodded my head at his words even though I knew he couldn't see me.
"Stay on the phone with me, please." I whispered as sleep began to pull me down into the darkness of my own mind.
"Of course, sweetheart."
I barely heard his words before I succumbed to exhaustion and fell asleep leaning against the oak tree. My dreams consisted of flashed and pieces of my memory putting itself back together. I could smell the woods and feel the breeze on my cheeks as I walked among the village. My memories passed me by in a kaleidoscope of colors and emotions, and before I knew it, I was opening my eyes to the present.
"Good morning, sleepy head." My eyes adjusted to the sunlight that peeked in through the curtains hanging in front of the window. It took me a moment to figure out why I was in my own bed before I remembered what had happened last night. I had been overwhelmed and ended up sobbing and begging Nik to come back to Mystic Falls. "Nik was quite the mess last night when he called me. It's been a long time since I've heard him that distraught." Bekah's words confirmed that last night's conversion had certainly fazed Nik.
"What time is it?" I asked as I sat up in bed and looked around for my phone.
"Your cell phones on the nightstand, and as for the time, it's seven am." Bekah's words had me cringing at the time. It was early, but there was no way I'd be able to fall back asleep. I need something to take my mind off what had happened last night.
I grabbed my phone and turned it on to see Niks number from last night. I made sure to save it to my phone before setting it aside and getting out of bed. "We should do something today. Something outside of Mystic Falls." Bekah's brows shot up at my words and I knew it wouldn't take much convincing to get her to leave the small town for the day.
"Agreed," The vampire stood up from where she had been sitting on the bed. "Let's go shopping and see if we can hit the limit on my idiotic brother's credit card."
The rest of the day was spent shopping for useless things and filling the back of the SUV with shopping bags. Bekah did her best to distract me and keep me occupied. Unfortunately her efforts were in vain. I spent most of the day with my stomach twisting itself into knots. Something felt off when we left Mystic Falls, and although the further we got from the small town, the weaker the feeling became, there was still something itching at the back of my mind.
The sun had long since set by the time we made it back to Mystic Falls, and as we parked the SUV outside of the boarding house, I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. "Something doesn't feel right." I muttered as Bekah and I got out of the black SUV. We stood in front of the boarding house and I noticed that the air in Mystic Falls felt so much heavier now. Something was definitely wrong here.
~Break~
"Klaus, the new hybrids have finished their transformation." Tony, the second hybrid after Tyler to complete the transformation successfully, stood before the Original Hybrid as he reported to his Alpha. The Original Hybrid was currently in a run down bar located in the remote mountains of Oregon.
Klaus glanced back at the hybrid he created and nodded his head. He was standing with his back to the door and was currently nursing a glass of scotch that had been in his hand for well over an hour. While he was more than pleased knowing that the creation of his bloodline was a success, it didn't help the absolute torment he was currently feeling. The waves of anguish he felt kept him on edge. He was like an explosive ready to go off at any moment.
Klaus kept trying to remind himself that he left her for her own safety. That if what Damon Salvatore said was true, then he needed to be far away from her. He was willing to separate himself from his Fated One if it meant she would not have to face the same death she had all those years ago. But the reminder did nothing to ease his suffering. He wanted nothing more than to be beside her. To feel her. Some nights, after seeing her alive, it felt like a dream. A thousand years he has gone without feeling the softness of her skin under his fingers, or smelling the earthy scent of fresh rain and flowers that filled his nose when she was near. He's had to go without feeling the silk like tresses of her snow colored hair. A thousand years without the pricing gaze of her otherworldly eyes. Those crimson colored orbs that looked at him with a gaze filled with so much love and affection, that it made his long ago dead heart hurt.
He wanted nothing more than to be beside her, and after hearing her voice last night over the phone, the urge was as strong as ever. But he would be damned if he let her die again. So he left her. He left so he could search for werewolves that he could then turn into hybrids. He wanted to amass an army, one that would be able to protect her.
The old floorboards creaked behind Niklaus and the Original Hybrid shook his head. "What now, Tony?" He was done with company for the night, and only wanted to be left alone. When no answer came, Klaus turned around and was met with a sight that had the air in his lungs becoming trapped.
"Niklaus." The voice was deep and familiar to Klaus. It had a torrent of memories flashing through his mind from his life as a human.
"Impossible. You're dead." Klaus stood up straight as he faced the ghost from his past.
"You're correct. I am dead." The man was tall, taller than Klaus, and had dark hair that was bound in a leather tie at the base of his neck. He wore a leather vest over a cloth tunic and trousers over his booted feet. His very image screamed archaic. "A door has been opened in Mystic Falls, one my Fated One has chosen to use it to our advantage."
"Castion, you're Fated One sent you here? Lady Niamh?" Klaus was in shock at the sight of the man and what he was saying.
"Yes. I come with a warning. The Original Witch is trying to come through. She has her eyes set on righting the wrong she created a thousand years ago." Castions words had Niklaus's spine going rigid. "She will stop at nothing to end your family's bloodlines. She has already tried to kill my daughter, but failed."
"What?" The word came out in a low sounding growl as anger swelled up inside Klaus. The thought that his Fated One had been in danger sent his vision turning red.
"The Original Witch is weak on the other side, and Serena is a full blooded Fae, so her powers greatly out match those of the Original Witch, but the dark magic being used is not something Serena is prepared to face." Castion crossed his arms over his chest, and suddenly, Klaus felt small. He has always looked up to Castion, even as a child. The older man never treated Klaus the way his own Father did. But that did not mean Castion didn't intimidate him, even now as a ghost, Castion still had a powerful air about him. "But, the warning from my Fated One is not the only reason I come to you tonight, Niklaus."
Castion took a few steps forward. Niklaus stood still as the dead man moved closer towards him. "You left her alone in that town, why?" The question shot through Nik like a bullet to the head. "You made a vow to me the day you and your brothers came to me to ask for her hand. I do not blame you, or them, for her death at the hands of your Father, but Fate has deemed you worthy of a second chance. So tell me, why did you leave my daughter behind?"
Klaus searched Castions face as he thought of how to answer the man. He thought of the vow he made to Castion, along with his brothers. He vowed to always protect Serena, even if it cost him his life. "I left her to protect her. I will not allow Mikael another chance to hurt her, not when I can amass an army to finally end him. I have the power I need now, and I will end my Father before he even sets his sights on Serena." Klaus watched as Castion frowned at his words and a heat of anger began to ripple through him. He was prepared to argue his actions if he had to, but he was not going to put Serena in danger by being near her.
"Niklaus," The Original Hybrid was stunned into silence as Castion placed a hand on his shoulder. "I will tell you something, something I have known since I first met you and witnessed the treatment you received by the hands of Mikael. You have always been stronger than him." His words sent Niks walls crashing down. Years of hardening himself against everyone, including his own family, and it crumbled at a dead man's words. "Mikael treated you with cruel intentions, but you never broke. I have seen how strong you have become over the years. You have become someone I can trust to protect my daughter. Now prove to me I was not wrong."
"She deserves more than the monster you have watched me become." Klaus's voice broke with agony as he looked Castion in the eyes. "I have become the scourge this world fears. A monster who strikes fear into other monsters."
"You are right." Castion started. "You have become a formidable being, but tell me, Niklaus, when you look at her, do you see fear in her eyes? Do you feel as if she would stop loving you, even after all that you have done in this world? Fate has granted you a Fated One. Someone who will love you unconditionally, even if you have become a monster to be feared. She needs you."
The sun began to peak into the rundown bar and Castion glanced over his shoulder to see the sun's light begin to flood in through the windows. "My time here is up, Niklaus." He turned back to the Original Hybrid and squeezed his shoulder one last time before letting him go. "One last warning, and do not forget this name. Beware of those who wish to release Silas."
With his last words said, Castion faded from the world of the living and Klaus was left standing alone in the rundown bar as the sun rose into the sky.
A/N: This going to be the last chapter for a while. I've learned that taking my time to get a few chapters done before posting helps with keeping myself focused on writing. So give me a few weeks and I'll have the next few chapters done. I've had this story in my head for a long time and know exactly where I've wanted to take the plot and I'm pretty excited to get to writing the next few chapters.
A huge thanks to everyone whos stuck around and enjoys reading this story.
Thank you and stay safe out there.