A/N: Mikael's last stand begins!
Please review, and no flames please.
I do not own The Vampire Diaries. All characters (except for Grace) are owned by author L.J. Smith.
Enjoy xx.
FACE YOUR FEARS
"Your peace is more important than driving yourself crazy trying to understand why something happened the way it did. Let it go." ~Unknown.
I'm so sick of this crying thing. At this rate, I'll be dehydrated if I continue crying on and off like this. But I'm hoping that because Nik is officially back in Mystic Falls, that there will be less chance of me having another crying jag again.
After I finished crying for what seemed like the millionth time on a surprisingly patient Nik's shoulder; he, Henrik and I relocated to a more secluded place where we could regroup, catch up and also learn what plan Nik had in mind to finally be rid of Mikael once and for all. We found an unoccupied park bench and quickly sat on it, checking to see that we were hidden away from anybody we knew who could potentially rat us out to Elena and her posse and fuck up any ideas we might come up with.
"So, my dears. Go on, catch me up what has been happening here in my absence." Nik requested, as he casually takes a seat on the bench and crosses his legs; looking unlike a powerful king commanding some attention. Without hesitation, Henrik eagerly sits beside him on the backrest of the bench, while I sit beside Nik but in front of Henrik between his splayed legs. Nik wraps an arm around my shoulders, encouraging me to relax against him as he waited for one of us to talk. However, neither Henrik nor I immediately jumped in with an explanation. "Well?" Nik asked us, raising an eyebrow at the lack of talking. I bit my bottom lip, questioning where to begin? I thought back to the night Nik left town on his pursuit of a Hybrid Army, and immediately frowned; remembering how hurt and annoyed I had felt after he dropped that particular bombshell.
"You mean after you called me an hour after I left the hospital, when you were siphoning Elena's blood for your cause telling me that the plans had been changed slightly?" I questioned, a little curtly. Nik sighed exasperatedly, and started to play with my hair.
"Don't tell me you're still sore about that, love?" He mused. I fixed him with a stern look. Eventually, I shook my head; a playful smile touching my lips.
"I don't hold grudges, Nik. It's not my style. It didn't stop me from being hurt though." I said. "I decided to go and confront Damon about the rumoured sighting of Mikael, and found him attending to Elena." I told him. "It also turned out that Damon had had Rebekah's necklace the whole time." Nik uttered a little growl of displeasure underneath his breath, but patiently waited for me to continue. For which I was grateful; I didn't want a rampaging Klaus Mikaelson heading for the Boarding House to rip into Damon, before I could explain the whole story. Especially when there was a chance that I could convince Damon to get away from Elena's toxic influence. The doppelgänger was an immature, needy and manipulative brat, and I wasn't prepared to watch her be his downfall.
"And to think I spared his life back in Chicago when you begged me not to kill him." Nik growled. My eyes widened in alarm, but he brushed a soft kiss on my temple. "Relax, darling. It's water under the bridge, but Mr. Salvatore just better watch his back." He warned.
I relaxed a little. "Then Stefan showed up and dropped another little bombshell on the three of us: instructions from you, to keep an eye on both Elena and me in your absence. Seriously, Nik? Do I look five to you?" I bitched at him, still annoyed after all this time. I became frustrated when Nik looked unrepentant.
"I stand by my decision. I wasn't about to let anything happen to you, if I wasn't there to stop it from happening." Nik said, stubbornly. "I thought I made that clear in the text I sent back to you." He frowned at me, obviously remembering back to the pissed off text message I had sent to him the second I learned that Stefan was going to be my unofficial bodyguard (whether I wanted one or not).
"Except that Stefan took your orders a little too much to heart, Niklaus. He basically made Grace go to the High School so that he could keep an eye on both her and Elena at the same time." Henrik pointed out, remembering when he had come with me; both of us expecting to see a smirking Stefan sitting amongst the crowd of bored looking students waiting for Alaric to get on with the history class; but the Ripper had been noticeably absent.
Nik blinked, "Well, that was unfortunate."
"It was a pointless waste of my time." I corrected him, scowling at the fact that apparently Nik saw that as amusing. "Thank god, I had something to do to occupy my time." I said, raising my sketchbook into the air as evidence. "Well, this; and it was a little more bearable because Rebekah had enrolled herself at the school, so she could experience High School education for herself." I said, with a small smile on my face. Nik smiled also.
"Ah, yes. How is my dear sister?" He asked. Both Henrik and I rolled our eyes, earning a raised eyebrow from Nik.
"Very excited for the homecoming dance tonight." I replied, feeling both harried and fond.
"But also driving us up the wall with her non-stop, incessant talk about it. To the point that we needed to get out of Grace's apartment for some peace." Henrik added, also looking weary.
"She's probably getting ready as we speak." I said, before continuing on with what went on in Nik's absence. "Alaric, Damon and Elena 'discovered' the cave our families used to hide out in and wait out the werewolves every month. Even though we both had already 'rediscovered' the cave the day you returned to Mystic Falls to break your curse." I added.
"Which then prompted Elena to stick her nose in where it wasn't needed and interrogated Rebekah, Grace and me about why we were so against the idea of Father coming here to Mystic Falls, and why you and Rebekah had been running from him for so long." Henrik said.
"But she got too greedy, and we told her to bugger off." I stated. Nik looked troubled; possibly because of the off chance that Elena might have possibly discovered and revealed that he was the one that killed their mother to Rebekah. I drew a deep breath, bracing myself from Nik's reaction to what I was about to tell him. "Then Elena returned uninvited and she lowered a harsh blow upon Rebekah that nearly destroyed her, and almost inspired her to destroy you, Nik … that is, until I talked her out of it by pointing out that your actions were justified; but she was still allowed to grieve." I told him, solemnly.
I shuddered at the dark look that passed over Nik's face. And for once, I feared for the life of one Elena Gilbert.
"She had no right…" Nik growled with a very cold and deadly voice that shook me to my very core, and I wasn't even the one who Nik was absolutely livid with.
"We know, and we get that you're pissed, Nik. But you've kept Elena alive for one purpose. Hold onto that purpose." I suggested, earnestly. "Besides, Henrik angrily kicked her out of my apartment while I comforted Rebekah who was sobbing her eyes out. That little bitch didn't seem to give a shit who she was hurting in her pursuit to get the information she needed." I was bitter and feeling overprotective.
"That was when we came up with the idea to send Rebekah to the Salvatore Boarding House; because it seemed that they believed that Rebekah would potentially be out for your head, because they called almost immediately." Henrik continued.
"Yes, I was there for this part." Nik stated, a bit sharply. His temper it seemed hadn't simmered down.
"So, we decided to go for a walk to distract ourselves from anything Mikael related, and so I can distract myself from my mounting fears and feelings of frustration and helplessness." I confessed.
"And Grace told me about this premonition she had about—" I immediately cut him off, starting to panic.
"Henrik!" I hissed, earning a frown from Nik who looked at us questioningly.
"What's this? A premonition? About what?" He demanded, as I threw Henrik an irritated glare, and earned a shame-faced look in return. But unfortunately, when Nik gets a bee in his bonnet; he's like a pug dog: he will latch on and will not budge until he gets the answers he seeks.
Thank you, Henrik. For putting me in this position.
"Back before you broke the Hybrid Curse, we all suspected that the Lockwood's were werewolves; which was confirmed with Elijah's help. At the time, I asked him if you missed me as much as I missed you." I reluctantly explained. Nik looked confused, but also managed a small smile.
"Deeply." He confirmed, and I smiled and nodded, cuddling up to him as I continued.
"Pretty much what Elijah confirmed at the time. So I went for a walk, like I did yesterday and ended up getting lost near this foreclosed McMansion, which had its own private meadow behind it." Nik's eyes widened slightly, sparking curiosity. "It reminded me of the simpler times we shared a thousand years ago, and quite unexpectedly; I was hit with a premonition. It was one of those rare ones I sometimes get with my Medium abilities, and I glimpsed a vision of our future, Nik." I said.
"What did you see?" He muttered, curiously.
"Our child." I replied simply.
Nik looked astonished, at first. But then frowned almost immediately, and I was surprised by how dismissive he was being.
"Impossible. I'm dead, therefore I'm sterile." Nik stated, bluntly.
"That's what I thought at first. But in the 'premonition', I saw Henrik like he is now; and at the time, Nik, I thought I had just drifted off into a doze." I tried to placate him, but Nik was stubborn.
"Enough with this foolishness! I wish more than anything that this could be possible, Grace. But it is nothing more than a pipe dream. Let it go!" Nik told me, firmly. I sighed and glanced at Henrik who looked disappointed with his brother and was scowling at him with disapproval.
"You're wrong." I whispered, feeling tears welling up in my eyes. I thought I caught Nik wincing when he noticed this; but just as quickly hardened and turned away.
"Well, it sounds like a lot of interesting things went down in my absence." Nik mused, moving swiftly away from this topic. "But now it's time that we get serious. If those Salvatore's and Ms. Gilbert think that Mikael is their salvation, they are sadly mistaken. But lucky for us, I am always one step ahead." Nik reassured us, with a crafty smirk on his face.
"So, what is your plan anyway, Nik?" I asked, deciding to just let him have his way for now – but make no mistake, I had the feeling that this topic was going to be making another reappearance in the future – and I frowned when he simply whipped out his phone and accessed his speed-dial.
"Hello mate, I've got a job for you." Nik ordered the unknown accomplice in a jovial tone. He paused for a moment, listening to what the person had to say, and the smile wavered a little to be replaced with a mildly annoyed frown. "I'd watch that tone, if I were you, Lockwood. Lest something happen to your little girlfriend or even your mother…" Nik threatened, mildly. My eyes widened as he got up off the bench and moved a little ways away from Henrik and me.
Why the hell was he calling Tyler Lockwood? I thought, puzzled. Then promptly wanted to kick myself for forgetting that Tyler Lockwood just happened to be Nik's first ever successful Hybrid.
"What's he up to?" Henrik muttered to me, eying his brother suspiciously. I shrugged, feeling just as clueless as he did, but it was apparently part of whatever plan Nik had constructed. I just hoped that he was going to be letting us in on it; just so I wasn't caught off guard if I was somehow interrogated about it.
"Knew you'd see it my way." Nik suddenly said, wondering closer to the bench with a triumphant grin on his face. "Here's what I need you to do: correct me if I'm wrong, but the Homecoming Dance that my sister is apparently so fond of, is being held tonight at the school gymnasium?" Nik casually enquired. Both Henrik and I gave Nik our undivided attention. "Excellent. Do whatever you can to get the dance cancelled at the school, then make the suggestion to move it to your home." Nik orders. "Good lad. Talk soon." He rang off, and slid the phone back into his pocket.
"What does changing the venue to the Homecoming Dance have to do with killing Mikael?" I questioned my boyfriend, quizzically.
"The dance is a public affair, and I am confident that Mikael would've figured out from Elena that I need her blood to create my hybrids, thus it is likely he will think that I will attend to seek her out." Nik responded, matter-of-factly.
"Aren't you?" I asked.
Nik shook his head, much to my surprise. "Not this time. But definitely when the threat of Mikael has been taken care of once and for all … and all of us are safe," He eyed me pointedly, and I flushed. "Then I may consider replenishing my stock." I sighed and shook my head, standing up from the bench and walking over to him, wrapping my arms around his waist and resting my head against his chest; listening to his sluggishly beating heart. He smiled and kissed the top of my head as he returned the embrace.
"What are you going to do now?" I asked him, quietly.
"I have a few loose ends to tie up before tonight's showdown with Mikael. But I'll meet you there, I promise." Nik explained.
"Great." I replied, smiling a little. Nik kissed me – slowly and leisurely – again before pulling away and smiled warmly.
"See you later, darling." He said, before vamp-speeding away to wherever he was headed off to. I watched him go, huffing in frustration as I draped my arm around Henrik's shoulders and started walking back towards my apartment.
"Let's go see if Rebekah needs any last minute help in her preparations." I suggested, unlocking the door to let us inside the block, and Henrik reluctantly agreed. We made our way across the vestibule and upstairs towards the second level. I was placing my key into the lock when my apartment door unexpectedly opened.
"Did you leave that unlocked?" Henrik asked, uneasily. I frowned, knowing fully well that I wouldn't be that careless and neither would Rebekah – despite the fact that my sister was more than capable of taking care of herself – which meant that somebody had jimmied my lock and barged into my home, uninvited.
"I don't like this." I muttered, and was about to call out to Rebekah when I heard movement coming from her bedroom. I didn't lower my guard; for all I knew, it was some creepy pervert or burglar having a perve through Rebekah's and my personal belongings. And if that was the case, this guy's life would not be worth living. I crept cautiously towards the slightly ajar bedroom door and paused when I heard movement… then a very familiar voice.
"Getting a head start, huh?"
I bristled, angrily.
It was Elena.
I thought that the three of us made it imperatively clear that she was not welcome back here in this apartment when she flippantly revealed that Nik had been the one to cut Esther's life short, thus devastating Rebekah.
"Embarrassing truth?" Rebekah glanced at Elena through the floor to ceiling mirror. "This is my first high school dance." Rebekah confessed.
Elena's eyes widened in surprise.
"Ever?" She said. I narrowed my eyes at Elena's back, suspiciously. While Rebekah nodded, seriously.
"I never really had time for high school before. Nik and I were always moving around, running." She trailed off and sighed, forlorn, and I grimaced; feeling sorry for what she had obviously been through in the past, caused by her brother's short fuse and paranoia over Mikael's actions. "Anyway – I didn't want to leave anything to chance. Have you heard anymore from him?" Rebekah asked, casually. Both Henrik and I pricked up our ears. It was obvious that the both of them were talking about Mikael. Elena shook her head.
"No. But I'm sure that when he does return he'll do it with flair." Elena predicted.
No. Strike that. They were talking about Nik. I think I better let Rebekah know that Nik is back in town, just in case. Rebekah frowned at Elena.
"And Damon and my father are all set with their plan?" She asked.
"Yes." Elena confirmed, succinctly. Rebekah then turned back towards the mirror and straightened out her dress.
"Don't tell me. I don't want to know." She said.
Well, I do, Bekah! I thought, annoyed.
"I just- I want to go to the dance and leave the rest to Mikael." Rebekah confessed, tiredly. I winced, sincerely hoping that I didn't have to remind my sister that Nik's actions were faultless; and that she was just saying what she thought Elena wanted to know. The teenager offered Rebekah a sympathetic wince.
"I know it's really hard. So thank you for helping us get Klaus back into town." She sounded very sincere. I frowned, hoping that Rebekah wasn't on her side.
She nodded, "Just be careful. I've been running for a thousand years for a reason. Mikael is not a good person and he definitely can't be trusted. No one in my family can." Rebekah insisted.
"Not even Grace?" Elena enquired, blandly. Rebekah immediately spun on her, eyes narrowing as I felt my heart stop at the idea that Rebekah didn't trust me.
"Grace is the exception. She is, and always has been completely innocent in all of this." She insisted. Elena looked like she didn't believe her one bit, but I didn't give a shit. I was just relieved that I still had my sister's trust and love, despite all the bullshit that has been happening around us all. Rebekah had tears in her eyes.
"Are you okay?" Elena asked.
Rebekah nodded once again, "I've spent my whole life loving and hating my brother with equal measure. I never thought that I'd be the one to help drive a stake through his heart." Rebekah seized a tissue from her vanity table and started dabbing underneath her eyes. "No tears- I don't want to ruin my makeup." She insisted, turning back towards the full-length mirror again. "How do I look?" She asked Elena, fixing her freshly curled blonde hair. Elena stepped up behind her, with her hands behind her back. Something silver glinted in her hands and my eyes widened in alarm.
"You look amazing! But you're missing one thing." Elena stated. The silver thing in her hand turned out to be Rebekah's necklace. I relaxed a little as Rebekah's eyes zeroed in on the locket.
"My mother's necklace." Rebekah breathed, her eyes wide. Elena nodded, smiling a little.
"You should wear it tonight. May I?" She asked, holding it up. My sister turned and looked in the mirror, and nodded; pulling aside her hair long enough for Elena to fasten the chain around Rebekah's swan-like neck. Rebekah smiled, sincerely.
"Thank you." She said, graciously.
Then without warning, Elena drives a silver dagger through Rebekah's back and into her heart. Rebekah cried out in pain and turned grey and started to shrivel up like a prune, before pitching forward and landing hard face first on the wooden floorboards. I gasped and attempted to rush to her aid, but Henrik hooked a surprisingly strong arm around my waist, stopping me from going into the room and clapped a hand over my mouth to stop me from making any noise. I glanced back at him accusingly, but mellowed when it was obvious that he too looked outraged by the betrayal.
"Motherfucker…" Henrik muttered angrily underneath his breath, as he struggles to keep me from bursting into Rebekah's room to bitch slap Elena for 'killing' our sister. Then the goddamned doppelgänger had the nerve to look shame-faced by her own actions.
"I'm so sorry. But I can't leave anything to chance either." Elena insisted to Rebekah's corpse.
I suddenly found myself being bodily dragged by Henrik into my bedroom, as Elena stepped out of Rebekah's room, through the living room towards the front door. The minute the front door closed behind her, I broke free from Henrik and practically stampeded into Rebekah's room and immediately pulled free the dagger, setting it aside so Rebekah could see it when she eventually woke up. It took a few minutes, but eventually Rebekah sat up with a gasp looking confused and disoriented before her eyes settled upon Henrik and me sitting on her bed, looking austere.
"What the bloody hell just happened?" She demanded.
"What do you remember?" I asked, just barely holding back my temper. Rebekah frowned with confusion, before her eyes widened in realization and narrowed as the memories came flooding back.
"Elena." Rebekah hissed. "That little backstabber!" She added. I got up from her bed and walked over to where I had set down the dagger and held it up for her to see. Henrik helped his still slightly weakened sister from the ground, and Rebekah walked over to me and took the specialized weapon from me; looking at it distastefully.
"It's a good thing we arrived when we did." I told her, walking out of her room and over to where I stashed my duffel bag full of weapons I had collected and practiced with over the years since I first started learning how to swordfight and defend myself. "God knows what would've happened to you when it comes to Elena." I said, picking up my duffel and dumping it on my coffee table. Rebekah walked over to me, looking curious while sipping on a blood bag. Presumably from her own personal stash, as I don't recall ever having any blood bags on hand for my (very few) vampire friends when they come for visits. Henrik came over to inspect the collection now that he was able to physically pick up objects in his hands.
"Why were you here? I thought you and Henrik went for a walk?" Rebekah demanded.
"We did." I looked up from inspecting a machete's sharpness by dragging my thumb across the blade. "During our walk, we reunited with Nik. He's returned as he promised you and Stefan." I reported, and Rebekah instantly straightened up and nodded stiffly.
"I see." Rebekah said. I bit my bottom lip, and gave her a very worried look.
"Were you just telling Elena what she wanted to hear? Or were you serious when you said that you both loved and hated Nik and never thought that you'd be willing to help stake him?" I asked, quietly. Rebekah's elegant blonde eyebrow rose.
"Eavesdropping, were you?" She said, a little crossly. I picked up a sai and inspected it.
"Be thankful we did; or else you would still be lying on the floor, daggered." I pointed out to her. Rebekah sighed, and took a seat on the couch.
"I wasn't lying when I said that I both loved and hated Nik." She admitted. "But I thought long and hard about what you told me about mother. And while I don't like it, I will admit that you raised a few very valid points." Rebekah conceded. "So no, I'm not aiding Elena, Stefan or Damon in their suicidal plan. I choose to continue existing hopefully for another thousand years." She said.
I smiled, bittersweetly.
"That reality will hopefully come true this evening. Nik is still currently tying up some loose ends, but then we will finally take out Mikael once for all, or die trying." I vowed. "Pray that it's the former." I joked, half-heartedly.
"You need to work on your wit, Grace." Rebekah drawled, sarcastically. "I better call Matt, just to confirm that I still intend on making an appearance at the dance tonight." She added, walking over to where she had stashed her phone.
"Hope you're prepared for a venue change." I said.
"What do you mean?" Rebekah asked, confused.
"Niklaus ordered Tyler Lockwood to trash the school gymnasium to get the dance cancelled." Henrik explained. Rebekah instantly looked apoplectic.
"He did what!? He knows how much this dance means to me!" Rebekah screeched angrily. I zipped up my duffel bag after retrieving the weapons I intended on taking with me tonight, and set them aside as I went over to calm her down, feeling amused at the same time.
"Relax, Bekah. The dance isn't cancelled. It's all part of Nik's plan. He's just having the dance relocated to the Lockwood Mansion tonight." I explained, still questioning why on earth Nik wanted the dance to be at that location of all places. The Lockwood Mansion has been the site of near disastrous events since I first set foot in this one-pony town.
"Why?" Rebekah looked mystified.
"You'd have to ask him when you next see your brother. I still haven't worked out how his mind works." I replied, evenly. Rebekah closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose as she disappeared back into her bedroom to make her phone call to Matt. While I gathered up my weaponry, and headed for my bedroom; to shower, and sort out what clothing I was going to wear tonight. Henrik chose to remain in the Living Room and promptly switched on the TV set and started channel surfing.
Since I wasn't going to the dance for the sole purpose of actually 'dancing', I decided to dress appropriately. I had settled on my 'combat' outfit, which consisted of: tight black skinny jeans with a matching black belt that I could move in like a second skin, a simple white sleeveless tank, and my black combat boots. I was also going to be wearing my black leather jacket, and Nik's silver werewolf tooth necklace (for luck, and to have a piece of Nik close to my heart while facing off against my murderer), and wearing my long dark brown hair in a severe high ponytail.
I glanced up when Rebekah barged into my room, looking no less furious than before she had called Matt. I frowned with concern.
"I am going to kill that little doppelbitch." She vowed.
"What's happened?" I asked, questioning if I wanted to know what the latest conundrum Elena had stirred up.
"She had the nerve to call Matt up and tell him that I was likely to be unavailable tonight, and asked if he'd like to escort her to the dance instead." Rebekah was practically breathing fire.
"Did you manage to set him straight?" I asked.
"Of course. I'm still going with him to the dance as planned. He actually sounded angry that Elena had the nerve to deceive him." She sounded pleased that Matt hadn't dumped her like a hot potato and gone off with Elena the second he heard that Rebekah was supposedly down for the count.
I grinned, "I can see why Nik likes being 'one step ahead' of his enemies. It's a great feeling to know that you've outsmarted someone with or without their knowledge." I said.
"It definitely has its perks, love." Rebekah nodded, then she took in what I intended on wearing tonight. "You're seriously wearing that?" She sounded appalled. I rolled my eyes.
"I'm not going for the bad catered food, spiked punch and dancing, Bekah. I'm going to face my fears alongside Nik, and get rid of your bastard of a father once and for all." I declared.
"If he doesn't kill you first." Rebekah pointed out, pessimistically.
"I wish you would look on the bright side, Bekah. You've admitted yourself that Mikael has made your life a living hell as well." I said.
"I'm just being realistic. I want this just as much as you and Nik do. But it doesn't mean that I'm not terrified at the prospect either." She reminded me. I gathered up my clothes and headed for the shower after tying back my hair.
"So am I, sister. Believe me, so am I." I agreed, trying to hide a shudder as I stepped into the bathroom and closed the door behind me.
"So, how are you getting to the Homecoming dance tonight? Have you and Nik discussed that?" Rebekah asked, as she sat across from me on the coffee table watching me using a whetstone to sharpen my weapons. I glanced up at her, testing the sharpness of my broadsword with my thumb.
"Probably via my own way. Nik didn't really say that he was going to be escorting me there." I said, not overly concerned. "Besides, when it comes to your father; I think the element of surprise is the way to go as far as I am concerned." I stated.
Rebekah looked doubtful.
"Well, I've got news for you, Grace; Mikael is never surprised, and he has a thousand years of battle strategy experience on you." Rebekah felt the need to inform me.
I nodded, "But I feel confident that he won't be expecting me." I said, but decided to humour the anxious expression on her lovely face. "But just in case, what do you suggest I do to avoid being killed a second time?" I asked.
"Not fighting?" Rebekah replied, promptly.
"Yeah, not going to happen. Anything else?" I insisted, rather impatiently, picking up another weapon and heading for the bathroom with Rebekah following. I had taken the liberty of liberating a baseball bat from the high school, and was taking the opportunity to coat it in a layer of vervain water and wolfsbane. It was crude for a weapon, I realised; but I daresay that it would potentially inflict a great deal of pain upon Mikael for as long as I could manage; should the bastard actually make an appearance … although I sincerely doubted that he'd miss the opportunity to eliminate the supposed bane of his existence.
"I can see that there's is no talking you out of this." Rebekah sighed heavily, as she observed Henrik – who was helping me prepare my arsenal, like the proud and determined Viking he was – taking the baseball bat from me and dipping it carefully into the vervain water he had created in my bathtub. "The best advice I can offer you, is keep to the shadows and wait for the opportune moment to grab his attention away from Nik in any way you can." Rebekah suggested, reluctantly.
I smiled at her.
"Thank you, Rebekah." I said, sincerely. She nodded and turned to leave the bathroom, but I reached out and grabbed her wrist; stopping her in her tracks. "Hey." Rebekah looked at me, her face filled with obvious concern. "It's not like I'm going to facing Mikael all by myself, you know. This is an opportunity to vent your frustrations too." I reminded her.
Rebekah frowned, "I doubt that Nik will allow me anywhere near him."
I grimaced.
"Yeah, and I guarantee that he's likely to enforce that with me as well. But this isn't the 10th Century anymore, Bekah. It's the 21st Century, women are not chained to the kitchen sink and expected to be baby birthing machines for the rest of their lives. I deserve the right to get my revenge." I said, vehemently. Rebekah smiled at me, sympathetically.
"You and I know for a fact that Niklaus will do everything in his power to prevent you from being killed a second time, despite the fact that you've gotten yourself some skill with a blade." Rebekah reminded me. I was about to open my mouth to retort when there was a knock on the front door. I glanced at my phone and realised that it was most likely Matt, here to escort Rebekah like the Southern Gentleman he was.
"Your date's here." I said, headed for the front door to let him in. Rebekah immediately lit up like a candle, dropping the topic like a hot potato and vamp-speeding into her room to retrieve her matching blood red patent Lady Dior calfskin cross body clutch. I rolled my eyes at my sister's exuberance as Henrik meandered out of the bathroom and wondered over to perch on the backrest of my couch, looking at Rebekah with a raised eyebrow. I opened the front door to reveal a nervous but eager looking Matt Donovan wearing a smart, tailored charcoal suit with a white shirt and a black, charcoal and blue patterned tie, and well shined shoes. His dark blonde hair had been groomed and gelled.
I grinned at him, "Hey Matt!" I greeted him, warmly. "Wow, you scrub up well." I complimented him, flicking my eyes up and down his body approvingly. Matt blushed, scratching the back of his head nervously.
"Thanks, Grace. Is Rebekah ready yet?" He asked, looking awkward as I waved him inside. Rebekah made her entrance back into the living room just as I closed the front door and leant against it with my arms folded casually over my chest. I seriously felt like a proud parent witnessing my kid's first date to a school dance.
"Hi, Matt." Rebekah greeted him with a shy smile that I just barely stopped myself from giggling at. Matt looked like a deer-caught-in-headlights before I nudged him and he offered her a corsage he held in his hands. The corsage itself was made up of a single blood red rosebud, surrounded by white gyp and asparagus fern.
"Um, hey Rebekah. You look really beautiful." Matt stammered, as he looped the corsage around Rebekah's wrist and securing it with a thin red bow. I glanced over at Henrik, who was staring at the couple with a very perplexed look on his face, and I snorted in amusement just as Matt offered Rebekah his arm and guided her to the front door.
"Right then. No shenanigans, you two." I teased, smirking from ear-to-ear. "And make sure she's back by midnight." I added, earning a scowl from Rebekah; which I countered by poking my tongue out and winking at her.
Matt smirked back, getting the joke. "Of course, Ma'am." He replied, mock saluting. "See you, Grace." He added, as he and Rebekah descended the staircase to the vestibule.
"I'll see you there, Bekah. Don't kill Elena; she's not worth it." I muttered loud enough for only Rebekah to hear, before closing the door behind me and grinning at Henrik who immediately burst out laughing at what he had just observed. It couldn't be more than a few minutes later when my phone suddenly rings, and still in the midst of laughter myself; I scoop it up and accept the call. "Hello?" I answered, slightly breathless.
"Nice to hear that you're having fun, sweetheart." An amused and affectionate voice responded. I immediately brightened.
"Hello, Nik. Are you prepared for tonight then?" I asked, grabbing Henrik's attention the very second I mentioned his brother's name. It seemed that even he was getting excited about the chance of getting rid of his father once and for all.
"Everything is set. Just waiting for the 'guest of honour' to show his ugly face." Nik responded promptly, and I couldn't help but smirk.
"Excellent. Where are you?" I asked, strapping on my weapons and gesturing for Henrik to get ready also with my free hand.
"On my way to the dance. I require a date, would you like to attend?" Nik sweet-talked me and I rolled my eyes, fondly.
"Thought you'd never ask." I agreed.
"Meet you outside the Mystic Grill, love." Nik instructed.
"See you soon." I replied before hitting the end button on my phone and sliding it into the back pocket of my jeans. I couldn't help but notice the sad, pensive expression on Henrik's face as I strapped my broadsword to my hip and then shrugged on my long black thigh-length leather jacket to hide it. "You okay?" I asked him, coming over and placing a hand on his shoulder. Henrik looked up at me with large eyes. "You're not having second thoughts about this, are you?" I queried. Henrik immediately shook his head, but still looked troubled.
"No, I'm not. But it doesn't mean that I don't feel comfortable about this entire exercise. After all, he is my father, and I did have some positive memories about him." He admitted, which caused me to wince. Henrik might be thousands of years old – even as a ghost – but mentally and physically, he was still a fifteen year-old boy in need of a stable father-figure. And unfortunately, Mikael was that father-figure. I pulled him into a hug, and he clung to me tight.
"I understand. Truly I do. But those few positive memories that you have of Mikael does not exonerate him against the negatives." I told him, emphatically.
"Don't remind me. Let's just get this over with." Henrik seemed to immediately shut down and close himself off against his warring emotions as he headed for the front door, opened it and headed downstairs.
Henrik… I thought miserably. I had just closed the front door and deadlocked it when my phone unexpectedly rang.
"Geez, you're popular tonight." Henrik piped up, making me jump a little. He hadn't gone as far as I thought he had. I pulled my phone out from my pocket and peered down at the ID, blinking at the name in astonishment. "Who is it?" He asked. I didn't reply, instead I chose to answer the phone.
"What do you want?" I answered, coldly.
"Hello to you too." I bristled at the amusement and the sheepish tone in his voice when he greeted me.
"Whatever it is, I don't have time. I'm about to go and face my fears, and I'm not about to let you stop me or attempt to psych me out." I growled, intending on hanging up.
"I'm not going to stop you. I'm actually calling to ask what the hold-up is." I froze midway in hanging up my phone and cautiously and reluctantly took the 'bait'.
"What do you mean?" I demanded, suspiciously, then heard a frustrated huff coming down the line; as well as the sounds of the dance increasing in volume in the background.
"Goddamnit, Grace! I'm on your side!" He insisted, urgently. "I always have been." I made it downstairs with an overly curious Henrik trying to grab my attention, unsuccessfully.
"Then why are you collaborating with Elena? And why couldn't you have come clean before now?" I demanded, angry and hurt. "I thought we were friends!" I almost shouted at him.
"We are friends, it's just in order for this plan to work, and for everything to fall into place; you had to be kept in the dark. Because Klaus has ways of finding things out, and it couldn't be risked of him doing just that." He insisted.
"Finding what out?" I lowered my voice, as to not alert Nik if he happened to be lingering nearby; even though this apparently had everything to do with helping him conquer Mikael once and for all.
"I'd prefer to tell you face-to-face. There's no telling who could be listening in." He insisted. I couldn't help but bristle at what he was insinuating.
"You mean you don't want Nik to know just in case?" I interpreted his meaning.
"Something like that." He agreed.
I felt cornered, but it seemed like if he had truly been on both Nik and my side all this time; he wouldn't be lying to me just to throw me off and take on Nik himself. Not when he had Mikael warming up in his corner of the ring, ready to barrel in 'guns blazing'.
I had no choice.
"Fine." I agreed.
"Thanks. I'll find you at the dance and tell you everything then." He promised, before hanging up. I pulled my phone away from my ear and blinked down at it, feeling pained.
"Grace? What's going on?" Henrik looked annoyed with the lack of information. I shoved my phone back into my pocket as I walked out onto the main street.
"It seems like we had another ally in our fight against Mikael all this time." I responded, vaguely. Henrik's eyes widened.
"What? Who?" He exclaimed.
"Damon." I replied, simply. Henrik looked shocked. "But keep that to yourself for now." I insisted. He nodded, as we crossed the street and cut through the park to get to the Grill where we promised to meet Nik. We didn't have to wait long before he arrived, catching me off guard when he came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist.
I jumped at least ten feet in the air, while he and Henrik laughed in amusement, and Nik kissed my neck in greeting. I turned and scowled at him playfully before slapping him on the arm.
"Missed me, darling?" Nik questioned and I smiled coyly.
"Always." I responded, kissing his cheek and heading straight for my car. "I'll drive." I said, and both Nik and Henrik followed without protest.
We could hear the thudding nightclub style music from the bottom of the Lockwood's expansive driveway, and both Nik and I couldn't help but make a face at it.
"Yep. Tyler Lockwood's taste in music sucks." I drawled, emphatically, as I put my car into park and turned towards the backseat to retrieve my weapons that I had hastily discarded into Henrik's care while I drove.
"The appalling music isn't what we are here for, sweetheart. Remember that." Nik reminded me, as he got out of the car also and leaned up against it. I snorted at him, slamming the car door with a little more force than originally intended.
"You don't have to tell me, Nik. I've been waiting for this my entire life, and I don't intend on wasting a second here talking about it when we should be acting on it." I vowed, before making my way up the driveway towards the mansion. However, Nik stepped into my path; a very serious expression on his handsome face.
"Woah, woah. Where do you think you're going?" He demanded, sternly. I looked at him, aghast, and despite being forewarned and prepared by Rebekah for this very thing, it was still annoying.
"I'm going to say 'hello and fuck you' to an old acquaintance. Is that going to be a problem?" I replied, casually; just barely holding back the frustration. A very dark look passed over Nik's face for a split second before being replaced with a pleasant, highly amused look as he looked at his baby brother and chuckled.
"Please tell me she is joking." He demanded Henrik who wasn't laughing, but looking nervous.
"I don't think she is, Nik." Henrik confirmed. I rolled my eyes and let out an impatient huff as I stepped around my overprotective and highly possessive boyfriend. I was stopped again when Nik gently but forcefully grabbed my upper arm, pulling me to a stop.
"What now?" I growled.
"You are not going to go head-to-head with Mikael, Grace." Nik insisted, actually looking angry at the idea. I narrowed my eyes at him.
"Uh, yeah. I am." I insisted, matter-of-factly. "The bastard is going to pay for ruining what should've been a fantastic life, for the both of us." I said, pulling my arm from his grasp and continuing on my way up the driveway to find Damon and get the explanation from him.
"I am not going to lose you again!" Nik roared, alarming Henrik who was obviously torn about whose side to stand with. I spun on the spot and glared at Nik, just as angry.
"You're not going to, Nik!" I exclaimed. "I can take care of myself!" I insisted.
"But I'm supposed to protect you!" He growled.
"So I'm supposed to just let you take down Mikael all by yourself, while I stand on the sidelines cheering you on like the weak and defenseless damsel-in-distress I was before?" I spat, incredulously. "Not bloody likely. I'm not the same girl you once knew, Nik. I spent nearly my whole childhood and most of my adolescence waking up screaming from nightmares revolving around being at the mercy of Mikael, and being bled like a stuck pig for my troubles. I trained long and hard to become an expert in Taekwondo and to become proffient in sword-fighting." I told him, firmly. "I never wanted to feel that frightened or vulnerable as I did a thousand years ago. So don't you dare deprive me of my revenge!" I warned him, tears threatening AGAIN.
Nik still looked pissed, but instead of flying off the handle like he probably would've if anybody else had dared to talk back to him like I had just done; he merely approached me, cautiously, like I was a potentially lethal jungle cat and enveloped me into a hug that caught me a little off guard. I had been expecting an equally caustic tongue lashing from him in return.
"This is dangerous. I just want to keep you alive." He insisted, pressing his face into my hair as his voice broke a little at the idea of me dying again. I sighed; feeling my heart clench at the vulnerability and fear that I was sensing from the normally fierce, arrogant and ruthless Original Hybrid standing before me.
"Then let me help. Because I guarantee if you put me on the sidelines like before, then I will die, because Mikael will seize that as an opportunity to break you; and then he'll kill you." I pointed out, quietly, squeezing him back and feeling just as anxious as he.
"Fine. But we do this, my way." He insisted, firmly.
"You're the boss." I replied, smirking a little. Nik pulled back and studied my determined face for a moment before smirking himself and leaning down to rest his forehead against mine.
"And don't you forget it." He whispered, before kissing my nose and finally letting me go.
"Your ego wouldn't let me." I retorted, winking and blowing a kiss at him before I immediately continued the journey towards the house. I heard Nik chuckle before a sudden rush of wind blowing passed me suggested that he had vamp-sped away, presumably to get the night rolling with whatever he had planned to get rid of Mikael officially. But I was more interested in what Damon had to say.
"Now what do we do?" Henrik asked me, looking about all stealth-like. I almost smiled.
"Now, we find Damon and demand an explanation for his recent actions." I said, as we both stepped into the crowded hallway filled to bursting point with high schoolers doing what they did best: boozing, flirting, fighting, dancing etc. "Do you see Damon?" I asked my brother, as I attempted to blend into the crowd knowing that I stuck out like a sore thumb due to my severely anti-Formal outfit. Henrik shook his head.
"How did he plan a better party than me so fast?" I discreetly turned my head in the direction of the shocked voice and noticed that Caroline and Bonnie had arrived, dressed up in their Homecoming Dance finery. The blonde vampiress was pouting and looking extremely put out that Tyler had single-handedly saved the 'cancelled' school dance and had it relocated here.
I couldn't help but snort. Nik had obviously assisted his Hybrid minion with this sudden change in plans, and had the muscle to help pull this off in the form of his legions of Hybrids. There was no freaking way that Tyler would've been able to do all this on short notice, and with his mother's permission to boot.
"They don't look too happy, do they?" Henrik observed.
"Nope." I agreed, and we both followed the girls to observe and hopefully be one step closer in locating Damon along the way. It didn't take long to find where the majority of the high school students were congregating, mostly because of the live band that was playing on a makeshift stage out in the Lockwood's garden, while their captive audience 'shimmied, swayed or grinded' on the dancefloor.
Caroline's mouth dropped open. "What? Is that a band outside?" She blurted out, looking annoyed. Bonnie frowned as she scanned all around her.
"Who are all these people?" She wanted to know. I was amused to see that Rebekah was among the dancers in the audience. But thankfully, she had the decency not to be dirty dancing with Matt. Nik would have her guts for garters if he caught her being that vulgar. But I was pleased that she was having fun, if the bright smile on her face accounted for anything at this point.
"This is weird! Where is Tyler?" Caroline demanded, and disappeared through the crowd in search for him; followed by Bonnie. Suddenly, the music stopped playing, and everyone turned to find out why. The answer to this riddle strode across the stage like he owned the place, wearing a cocky little grin before taking his place in front of the microphone while the crowd of students cheered.
"Good evening everyone!" Nik greeted the sea of half-drunk students with a charming smile. "I wanna thank you for being here with me to celebrate!" He appeared to be searching the crowd for something, and I knew that he had found it when his eyes clapped onto mine with a knowing look, and the charming smile subtly changed into a devilish smirk. "It's been a long time coming!" He promised, winking. I smiled back at him, and shook my head as Nik finally turns and walks off stage and I glanced over to see the reactions from three different people: Caroline looked shocked, Bonnie cautious and Rebekah; a combination of bored and apprehensive.
"Let's keep looking for Damon." Henrik suggested. I nodded, and we both grabbed each other's hands in an effort not to be separated in the sea of students, and quite unintentionally stumbled across Stefan who was across the room engaging a mildly annoyed Nik in conversation, while they both walked around the party.
"Quite the homecoming." Stefan observed, guardedly. Nik nodded, looking proud of his achievement.
"I've been planning my father's funeral for a thousand years. Granted, in no version of it were any of these people invited, but you get the idea." He said, confidently. Stefan looked at him with distain.
"So, what now? Stop running?" He asked, bluntly.
"Hm- now I reunite my family." Nik responded, narrowing his eyes a little at the insolent tone Stefan was using. It was obvious that he had switched on his emotions once again; because he wasn't exactly disguising his 'hateful' emotions very well. I decided to tune out their conversation and continued on with my search for Damon, who was yet to make an appearance.
"I'm going to keep an eye on Stefan. I somehow get the feeling he's gonna pull a fast one on Niklaus." Henrik said over the loud din the live band was creating. I smiled slightly at him.
"Knock yourself out." I said, waving him off. He rushed away through the crowd and almost immediately afterwards, Rebekah sidled up to me; wearing a gaudy looking tiara on her well-coiffed head, and hooked her arm through mine.
"Nice to see that you've made an appearance." Rebekah observed.
I smirked, "What and miss out on all the fun? It's like you don't know me at all, Bekah." I replied, sarcastically. "I seem to recall that parties back then were all the rage; considering you used to drag me and sometimes one or most of your brothers along with you." I reminisced absently, still looking for Damon before I noticed the absence of her date. "Where's Matt?" I asked, casually.
"Getting us drinks." Rebekah responded. Then I eyed the tiara and frowned questioningly.
"You won homecoming queen? How exactly is that possible; you haven't been at the school long enough for any of the students to know who the hell you are?" I said, a bit disbelieving. Rebekah didn't look worried.
"I didn't exactly win, per say." She admitted, flipping her hair over her shoulder. It took me a few seconds before I realised what she was getting at and glanced heavenward, sighing heavily.
"Tell me you didn't kill the poor girl." I urged, praying that Rebekah had the common sense not to do something foolish that could expose herself and Nik to the Council. As if we didn't have enough problems without those idiots snooping around where they weren't wanted. Rebekah, much to my relief, actually looked a little insulted.
"I find your lack of faith in me questionable, sweetie." She stated, dryly. "I just compelled her and the people in charge of that inane competition to give me the title, no questions asked." Rebekah explained, and I looked at her with amusement.
"That's good, I guess." I said after a few minutes just as Matt came up to us carrying two glasses of punch (that I could safely bet was probably spiked). One of which he handed to Rebekah who took it happily.
"Hey, Grace. Didn't think you were coming tonight." Matt observed, looking a little confused. I threw him a fake smile.
"Nobody told me that it was a private party." I pointed out, and Matt shrugged; conceding that I had a good point. I pulled my arm back from Rebekah. "I'll leave you two to it. See you later." I said to Matt and gave Rebekah a meaningful look, which she nodded at before she allowed her date to pull her back into the wave of high school students. I knew that Rebekah would keep Matt safe from what was about to go down. It would probably devastate her if he should be seriously injured, or worse, killed.
I resumed walking around, and it didn't take long for me to feel the small hairs on the back of my head stand on end. I tensed, realizing that I was being followed, and reached for my concealed dagger on my hip; waiting for the right moment. It came when a hand descended onto my shoulder, and I immediately broke away, turned and brandished the dagger at the individual's throat while backing them up in the process.
"Geez, jumpy much?" The individual commented in bewilderment, as his back hit a tree trunk. I froze, recognizing Damon's voice. "I mean, I get that I'm not exactly your favorite person at the moment, but was that reaction really necessary?" He continued to bitch at me. I took a step back from him and sheathed my dagger.
"Clearly you don't know Mikael very well, or you'd be just as paranoid and alert as I am." I retorted, turning and striding away from potential eavesdroppers. Damon followed. "I'd rather not risk being killed again, if it's all the same to you." I said, evenly. Damon's annoyed expression softened into a grimace.
"Believe me, I understand. Considering I've seen the man face-to-face and talked with him." He said, gravely. "He's not exactly as cuddly as a kitten." My eyes widened in fear; this was becoming all too real right now.
"He's here?" I muttered, feeling the blood draining from my face. He nodded, and I immediately turned away. "Shit…" I whimpered, wishing that Nik was around. Damon was immediately concerned, I could hear it in his voice.
"Everything's going to be okay, Grace. I won't let anything happen to you. I swear." Damon attempted to reassure me and pull me into a comforting hug, but I instantly pulled away. I noted the hurt expression on his face, but I was too anxious to pay it much attention.
"How can you promise that? How exactly is everything going to be okay when the one person whom I unfortunately associate as my stepfather-in-law, can fuck it all up in a literal blink of an eye?" I hissed. Damon looked at me shrewdly.
"Put the brakes on, Negative Nancy, and just chill for a moment. I'm going to explain how." He insisted, exasperatedly. I straightened up and gave him my undivided attention.
"Alright. I'm all ears." I said. Damon sighed heavily, as I eyed him suspiciously and folded my arms across my chest.
"It was after you and Alaric helped me figure out what was hidden in the caves." Damon began his explanation.
I nodded, "I remember. Mason practically forced you to follow him, and Henrik and I tagged along out of curiosity. Go on?" I said.
Damon nodded, "The next day, after you and Henrik left, Alaric and I lured Elena down into the cave – an admittedly bad move on my part. I'm sorry – and we confirmed – not that Alaric and I didn't believe you, of course – that you, Klaus and the rest of them had carved their names into the stone." He said.
"Okay?" I was confused; as I already knew all this before.
"Alaric took pictures of the runes, so that we could observe them closer, and we retreated back to the school." Damon continued.
A/N: Damon's explanation will be in the next chapter. This chapter was getting too long. Please excuse my absence, I was trying to find my way through this maze and making it my own, and was dealing with a few personal issues as well. Please enjoy and the next chapter shouldn't be too long in getting out. TTFN xx.