Disclaimer: I only own my OCs
A/N: I wanted to do something different with this chapter, I hope you like it! It also has one of my favourite twists in it ;) before the actual sacrifice, I just wanted to focus a bit more on the relationships between everyone and, not gonna lie, I cried while writing one scene in particular
XXX
The next morning, I woke up consumed with guilt. I hated how I left things with my sister last night. I shouldn't have yelled at her last night, even if she did invite Elijah into our supposed safe house. It was foolish of her but I did understand her reasoning, now that I had time to think it over. She was just trying to save Bonnie. Even if the way she did it was questionable.
I let out a low groan and buried my face in Damon's pillow. He had let me hide in his bedroom during the night. Which I majorly appreciated. I just needed to be somewhere that I could think things through in peace. I know that Stefan had tried to come to speak to me but Damon had sent him away, saying that I needed some space. Which I did. Especially since Stefan hadn't done anything to try and stop my idiot sister from making stupid decisions.
"Ready to face the world?" a soft voice asked as a hand brushed my hair away from the side of my face.
"Nope," I muttered, knowing that Damon's sharp hearing would pick it up. I just wanted to hide in his bed, under his satin sheets, and pretend that the world didn't exist. That I had never heard of Klaus or his stupid sacrifice.
My vampire was silent for a moment. It was long enough that I got curious and moved my head so that I could look at him. He had an odd look on his face as he titled it to the side. I assumed that he was listening to something in the house as his eyes were fixed on a spot just above my head.
"Do I even want to know what's happening?" I grumbled as I accepted the fact that I wouldn't be able to hide in bed. I mean, I knew that it was a futile hope, but I still had it. I was owed a day in bed, especially after everything that had been happening recently. I was reaching the end of my limit and it was only a matter of time before I truly broke. I had come close a few times, but I always managed to hold on just a tiny bit. But I didn't know how many times I would be able to do that.
"Elijah's just arrived," Damon's eyes flickered down to mine and I could see the apologetic look buried in those mesmerizing depths. I scrunched up my nose and let out a 'yuck'. Elijah's arrival meant that serious conversations were going to take place. And I just didn't want to deal with those. But I also couldn't miss the opportunity to learn some vital information and remind my sister that she was being stupid. Because those opportunities usually came hand in hand these days.
"I should probably go and get ready then," I groaned as I pushed back the blanket covering me. I shivered slightly as the cool air hit my bare legs. Due to a lack of clean pjs, I had commandeered one of Damon's shirts. He was gracious enough to give me a choice as to which one, even though I had basically made him give me a shirt.
"I'll go make sure that you don't miss anything," my vampire gave me a soft smile before momentarily cupping my cheek. I leant into his touch and smiled up at him. I loved the way his skin felt against mine and I didn't even care that I was revealing quite a bit of thigh. The smile on his face just warmed my heart. It wasn't one that he would ever let anyone else see and I felt privileged that he let me see it.
The moment was quickly over and the vampire was gone from the room. I sighed and reluctantly left the bed. One good thing about the sacrifice drama was that it had brought me and Damon closer together. While I wasn't ready to admit my feelings to him, even though I desperately wanted to, I was able to enjoy how he made me feel.
But I couldn't focus on that right now.
I quickly pulled on some reasonably clean clothes and rushed through my usual morning routine. I knew that Damon wouldn't be able to stall them for long. My sister was determined to rush into everything and there wasn't a lot that people could do to stop her.
Once I was decent, I made my way downstairs. Due to the urgency of the situation, I decided to forgo my usual morning coffee. Which was heartbreaking, as Damon had gotten me even more addicted to his good coffee. But I couldn't risk missing anything.
I paused at the bottom of the stairs as I tried to work out where they were. They were in the parlor, that was obvious. But there were still a lot of rooms in the Salvatore Boarding House that they could be lurking in.
Luckily, raised voices from the library drew my attention. I shouldn't have been surprised that they chose the library. It was like the room for plotting and planning. And there were plenty of exits in the room for people to storm out off. Like I did yesterday.
"Tonight is the full moon," Elijah was saying as I walked in. "We should assume that Klaus is preparing to break the curse."
I paused at the stairs leading down to look around. Damon was closest to me, resting against the banister at the bottom of the stairs. His arms were crossed and I didn't need to see the look on his face to know that he was glaring. Elena was sat at the end of the sofa, Stefan on the chair next to her. Elena was returning Damon's glare, while Stefan held her hand, looking resigned. Elijah was stood by the shelves, looking impeccable as always. You could see the amusement in his expression, even if you couldn't hear it in his voice.
"Elena said that the Sun and the Moon curse is fake?" the youngest vampire looked curious as he glanced over at Elijah. His words caught my attention as I paused next to Damon. "That it's actually just a curse placed on Klaus."
Say what? Why was this the first time that I was hearing this? I glanced over at Damon with a raised eyebrow. He just shrugged and wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me closer to him. This was information that really should be common knowledge. Not that it affected much, since Klaus still wanted to sacrifice my sister. But the motive was important. If Klaus was actually gaining something from this, instead of it being for some stupid werewolf v vampire war, then he was not going to give up.
Elijah nodded, "Klaus is a vampire born of a werewolf bloodline. The curse has kept his werewolf aspect from manifesting. But if he breaks it… he'll be a true hybrid."
"Then why are we letting him break the curse?" Damon spoke up, his grip on me tightening slightly. "We can kill him today. With Bonnie."
Stefan sighed in exasperation, looking as though they have already had this conversation, "Damon…"
"No," my twin immediately shook her head, speaking over her boyfriend. "Bonnie can't use that much power without dying."
"I'll write her a great eulogy," my vampire snapped and I grabbed his hand, giving it a squeeze.
"Bonne is a lot stronger than some ancient witches give her credit for," I argued, drawing my sister's gaze. "There's a chance that she won't die and I'm betting her beating those odds."
"It's not an option," Ellie brought out her stern voice, one that had worked in the past. But this was one situation where it wouldn't work. There was no way that I was going to let her sacrifice her life. My sister was not going to die.
"Alright," Stefan broke in before anyone else could say something, especially since, with tempers heating up, it would likely be something regrettable. "How do we break this curse?"
"Well, the ritual is relatively straightforward," you could definitely hear the amusement in his voice now. "The ingredients, so to speak, you already know."
"The moonstone," Stefan nodded before Elijah took over again.
"A witch will channel the power of the full moon to release the spell that's bound within the stone. After that, Klaus, being both werewolf and vampire, will sacrifice one of each."
I was suddenly so glad that Tyler was out of town. With him gone, Klaus would need to find another werewolf. And that meant that there was one less person for me to worry about.
"And where do I fit into it?" Ellie asked, a curious look on her face that was tinged with worry.
"The final part of the ritual," the Original answered, before turning around to pick up a wooden box from the shelf behind him. "Klaus must drink the blood of the doppelganger… to the point of your death."
Damon looked at me. I looked at Elena. Stefan grabbed Elena's hand as she looked at him. Elijah, ignoring all of this, opened the box and carefully took out a vial that was nestled within.
"And that's where you come in," Ellie's voice was remarkably calm, considering what we all just heard. I almost admired her for it. But I knew that she was starting to accept her inevitable death.
Elijah nodded and held up the vial, the murky glass glinting in the sunlight, "This is an elixir that I acquired some 500 years ago for Katerina. It possesses mystical properties of resuscitation."
"So I'll be dead?" my sister frowned, her grip on Stefan's hand tightening slightly.
"And then you won't," Elijah looked so confident in his mystical potion. But it had been sitting around for 500 years, how did we know that it still worked? It was too big a risk. And I wouldn't let her take it.
"That's your plan?" Damon scoffed, shaking his head. "A magical witch potion with no expiration date?" He looked at my sister, a hard look on his face. "You want to come back to life, what about John's ring?"
"Those rings only work on humans," Elijah was quick to interject, glancing down at the ring on my hand. "The doppelganger's a supernatural occurrence. Odds are, the ring won't work."
"We'll take those odds over your elixir," my vampire switched his glare to the Original for a moment. "What if it doesn't work, Elena?"
"Then I guess I'll just be dead."
My twin's words had me freezing where I stood. I couldn't believe who blasé she was being about it. Just accepting that she would be dead like that. It was insane.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Damon exchange a look with Stefan, who just shrugged helplessly. That helped the shock fade into anger.
"What the fuck is wrong with you?" I hissed, causing my sister to look at me with wide eyes. "You can't just die like that. There are other ways to survive. Like a spell or even vampire blood. There are ways to survive, Elena."
"I won't drink vampire blood. I will not become a vampire," Elena immediately shook her head before glancing over at Stefan, a guilty look in her eye. "I can't do that, Alexa."
"And I can't lose you," I shook my head. It was only Damon's touch that stopped me from breaking down and crying. I used his strength to fuel my failing one.
"Look, do we even know if Klaus has everything that he needs to do this?" Elena looked at Elijah, making it obvious that she was avoiding my gaze. "Does he have a werewolf?"
"Klaus has been waiting to break this curse for over a thousand years," the Original answered, his tone grave. "If he doesn't already have a werewolf, my guess is by tonight, he will."
XXX
"Ellie, no, you gotta do it like this," the five-year-old rolled her eyes and grabbed the doll from her sister's hands. She undid the poorly put together plait in the doll's hair and, with quick fingers, redid it. Alexa had had plenty of practice with plaiting hair, even at her young age. The girl loved to play with her sister's hair, so her mom had taught her how plait. She wasn't perfect at it, but she was still better than her sister.
"I know how to do it, Alexa," Elena grabbed the doll back and frowned at her twin, but she didn't take the newly done plait out. While it did annoy Elena when her sister took over, she did know that Alexa was better when it came to styling other people's hair. She was useless at doing her own though, which was perfect ammunition for Elena to tease her sister with.
"Suuuuure you do," Alexa enjoyed the glare that she received from her sister. "That's why I had to do it."
Alexa loved winding up her sister, even at her young age. When you spent all of your time with someone, you learnt the perfect ways to annoy them. And Alexa knew the perfect ways to annoy her sister.
"Alexa, I'll tell mom if you keep being mean," Elena crossed her arms and tossed her long hair over her shoulder. It was The Card to play when getting annoyed. Miranda was not a scary figure in the children's lives, but she would step in when they were deliberately annoying each other. Their mom had always encouraged the twins to have a close relationship and would put one of them in timeout if they were upsetting that status quo.
"Go on then," Alexa challenged, crossing her arms in return. It wasn't often that the twins argued like this. But when they did, neither one would back down. They were as stubborn as each other, not that they would admit it.
Elena accepted the challenge and climbed to her feet. There was a brief flash of panic on Alexa's face but it was quickly gone. Alexa had learnt through her friendship with the young Tyler Lockwood that showing fear was not an option as it only encouraged your opponent. Of course, Elena failed to notice the momentary flash of fear as she was busy making sure that her dress was dirt free.
With one last look at her sister, Elena began to look for her mom. The benches at the local park were all full of chatting moms and crying children. But it didn't take long for the older twin to find Miranda. She was sat on a bench at the far end, chatting to Kelly Donovan. With a determined nod, Elena began to make her way over.
The girl was so determined, that she failed to notice that she was walking in the middle of a soccer game. A group of boys in the year above them had started a small game. And Elena was walking right in the middle of it.
In the blink of an eye, a ball came flying in from the side and smacked the girl in the stomach. Elena let out a small 'oof' and hunched over. Tears quickly began to fill her eyes and the pain in her stomach began to register. But that wasn't what made the tears fall.
One of the boys ran over, an angry look on his face. He was the one who kicked the ball, and was furious that his shot on goal was blocked. It was a point of pride for the young boy that he never missed the goal. And now, because of Elena, he had.
Unable to properly articulate his anger, he resorted to violence. With one swift push, he sent the younger girl flying to the ground. Elena landed heavily on wrist and let out a loud cry of pain. Tears immediately began to fall as she curled up on the ground, cradling her wrist to her chest.
The boy stood over her, breathing heavily, cheeks red, as he clenched his fists at his side. He was so caught up in his anger that he never saw the blow coming. One moment he was stood over Elena, the next, he was on the floor.
He looked up in shock to see Alexa standing over him. The younger girl was trembling with rage, her teeth bared. The moment she had heard her sister's cry of pain, Alexa had lost all reason. All she could see was her sister on the ground, a look of pain in her face. She had scrambled to her feet and raced over, her only thought was to get the bully away from her sister.
Elena looked up, sensing her twin's presence, her brown eyes filled with tears. It was only her reaching out her good hand that stopped Alexa from snapping further. With one last glare at the boy, the younger twin crouched down next to her sister.
"It's okay, Ellie," she soothed, reaching out to brush away her sister's tears. "I've got you now. Let's go see momma."
But before she could, Miranda appeared at her daughters' sides. She had seen everything and had immediately rushed over when she saw Elena fall. Her body was flooded with emotions; pride at Alexa for defending her sister, disappointment that she resorted to physical violence, worry for her older daughter, anger at the boy who dared to hurt her; but she focused on making sure that her oldest was okay.
And during all of the fussing over Elena and her urgency to get her back to her husband's practice, Alexa never left her twin's side. She kept her grip on her good hand and whispered soothing words. It was the only thing that stopped Elena descending into sobs. It warmed Miranda's heart to see the bond they shared in action.
And she knew that no matter what, the twins would always defend and protect each other.
XXX
Damon's POV
"Breakfast of champions, huh?"
I glanced over as Stefan joined me by the railing. He had one of his favourite pious looks on his face as I sipped at my scotch. After Elijah's ominous final words had ended the conversation. Alexa had quickly retreated from the room, unable to look at her sister after her blasé discussion about her own death. I had accompanied her to the kitchen to get her settled with some coffee before retreating outside. I knew that she needed some space to deal with her thoughts after what just happened. I would go to her later, once she had had that time, but for now, I knew that she needed to be alone.
I retreated outside, hoping that the tranquility of the garden would calm my own rage. Elena had the right to do what she wanted with her life; I knew that. But the way that she ignored how her choices were impacting her sister was infuriating. Alexa's pain was obvious to anyone who looked, but Elena refused to look. It was easier for her to just give up her on life if she didn't.
"I'm surrounded by idiots," I rolled my eyes as I returned my gaze back to the garden, making a mental note to increase the number of the days that the gardener came. "I need all the help I can get."
Saint Stefan sighed and shook his head, "You know, you're not helping."
Why would I? When helping means that Alexa goes through more pain. And I would never put that girl through anymore pain than she had already suffered. She had been through too much already and I couldn't bare it if she went through any more.
"I'm not here to help you," I glanced to the side to see the unhappy look on my brother's face. "I'm here to help Alexa. The one that you and Elena keep forgetting about."
"We're not forgetting about her," he shook his head as he clenched his fists. "I wanted to speak to her last night, to check up on her, but you wouldn't let me."
"After Elena's little stunt with Elijah, I wasn't going to let either one of you near her until I manager to get her back into a good place," I had to take a deep breath to stop myself from actually snapping. "Especially since I don't trust you to not try and persuade her to support Elena's stupid decisions."
"I wouldn't have done that, Damon," the younger vampire actually had the audacity to sound hurt. "I know Alexa's issues with Elijah, and I wouldn't have pressured her to accept Elena's decision. But she is right, Elijah is the way forward right now."
"Elijah is an Original vampire, Stefan," I rolled my eyes. "One we tried to kill. You're going to believe this guy?"
"What do you want me to do, Damon?" for the first time, Stefan sounded frustrated and I was glad that it was affecting him as much as the rest of us. "Elena made her decision. She's choosing to trust Elijah. I'm going to put my faith in her."
"Why?" I scoffed. "She's going to end up dead, which seems to be exactly what she wants right now."
"Because she put her faith in me," I glanced over to see Stefan looking reflective. "She chose to trust me in spite of what I am. If I'm going to bet on somebody's instincts, it's going to be hers."
"Well, then, that makes you the biggest idiot of them all," I put on my favourite smirk as I glanced over. I had never fully understood why Elena trust Stefan so much. He was the Ripper; he was more dangerous than I was. And she had seen that. But yet, she trusted him more than any other vampire that she knew. That girl's instincts weren't to be trusted.
"She chose to trust you, too," I could see Stefan looking at me out of the corner of my eye. "She chose to trust you with her sister."
"Then maybe you shouldn't be so sure about her instincts," I snapped softly before taking a final sip from my drink. I threw the rest over the railing before retreating back inside to find Alexa.
She was still in the kitchen, a mug of coffee in front of her. But I could smell the whiskey that she had poured in it from the doorway.
"Started early, have we?" I asked from the doorway, trying not to make her jump. She must not have sensed me enter the room as she jolted slightly in her seat, green eyes going wide in shock. But she recovered quickly once she saw that it was just me.
"Started late, more like," she snorted as she relaxed back into her seat. I walked over and took the seat next to her, resting my arm on the back of hers.
"How are you holding up?" I asked softly, brushing some hair away from her face. Since she had let it grow out, it had taken on a life of its own. But it suited her. And I loved that it gave me an excuse to run my hands through it.
"Well, the whiskey is definitely helping," my brave girl smirked weakly as she held up her mug. "And I no longer have the urge to throttle my sister for her poor decision making. So that's a bonus."
"You can throttle her if you want to," I smirked as she rolled her eyes.
"As tempting as it is to take away the murdering of my sister from Klaus, I can't let her win by dying," she grumbled as she slumped sideways in her seat, resting her head against my shoulder. I took a deep breath, enjoying the smell of my shampoo in her hair.
"You really think that she wants to die?" I asked softly as she glanced up at me. Despite her whiskey fueled bravado, I could see the pain in those green depths. It had been far too long since I had seen her look truly happy. And I cursed Klaus and Elena for taking that away from the both of us.
"Well, she's not exactly trying to convince me otherwise," she muttered and I knew that her thoughts had gone back to Elena's words from earlier. But before I could say anything to comfort her, there was a commotion down by the front door.
"You know, at this point, it honestly wouldn't surprise me if that was Klaus causing shenanigans and ruining my whiskey time," Alexa mumbled as we quickly made our way down the corridor.
"Well, you never know, we might be lucky and it isn't him," I tried to cheer her up, unable to hear the defeat in her voice.
"I don't get lucky, Damon," Alexa sighed wearily. "I just get stupid suicidal twin sisters."
"Jenna, put the crossbow down, okay?" well, well, well, that was Ric's voice. "It's me."
"Stay away from us!" Jenna snapped back, sounding oddly calm, even as she held a crossbow pointed at her boyfriend. We arrived to see Ric by the front door, his hands in the air and a panicked expression on his face.
"What's going on?" Elena asked, as she, Stefan and Elijah arrived on the other side of the corridor.
Alaric turned his panicked expression towards Elena, "It's me, Elena, I swear, okay? He let me go. Klaus let me go."
"Prove it," I spoke up, causing Ric to glance over at me. As he did so, I felt Alexa move behind me slightly, her hand gripping the back of my shirt. Even though it was looking as though it was Ric, it didn't take an idiot to realise that the last time Alexa saw him, she was stabbed in the leg. So without making it obvious, I reached back and took her hand in mine, letting her squeeze as much as she needed to.
Ric turned to look at Jenna, "Okay, uh, first night you and I spent together, Jeremy walked in right when I was about to-"
"Okay it's him," Jenna quickly interrupted him before he could go anything further. I was momentarily intrigued but Alexa's small snort of laughter distracted me. I used my grip on her hand to tug her forward so I could wrap my arm around her shoulders.
"Why did he let you go?" Stefan asked as Jenna lowered the crossbow. "Why did he let you go?"
Alaric sighed and glanced over at Elena, "He wanted me to deliver a message. The sacrifice happens tonight."
XXX
When the twins were younger, it was almost impossible to get them to sleep in a separate room. They had spent the first few years together in the room that was to one day be Elena's. They had separate beds, loving big beds in fact, but the twins usually ended up in the same one.
When Alexa was moved into her own room at the age of seven, she immediately hated it. While she did like the fact that she had her own space to put stuff, she hated being separated from her sister like that. So, without fail, every night one of the twin's would sneak into the other's room. No one knew whether it was a comfort thing or just that the twins couldn't bear to be separated.
Miranda and Grayson knew what they were up to and while they were tempted to put a stop to it, they knew that the twins would eventually out grow it. Especially when they hit their teenage years. Of course, it helped that they would help each other with their nightmares. While their parents could sooth them, it was only the comfort of their twin that could help them back to sleep. The only time that they tried to intervene was when one of the twins was ill. But even then, they weren't successful. When it came to the Gilbert sisters, no one could tear them apart.
So when a nine-year-old Alexa gasped awake one night, it was her sister's room that she immediately bolted too. She shivered in the cool night air as she crept through the hallway, desperately trying not to make any noise. After all, she didn't want the monster in her closet to come after her.
She quietly closed the door behind her, blinking in the soft light of Elena's nightlight. It was one of the things that she loved about her sister's room, it was always warm and full of light, even when it was night out. So Alexa used the light produced by the small butterfly plugged into the wall to sneak over to her sister's bed.
She paused for a moment and stared down at her twin, who was slumbering peacefully. Even at the young age of nine, Alexa could appreciate the peace in her sister's expression. Life was easy for the children, even if they didn't agree, but a peaceful expression was still one to be cherished.
Alexa carefully climbed into her sister's bed, unwilling to disturb her and yet needing her comforting presence. But even as she eased into the empty space next to Elena, she felt her begin to stir.
"Lexa, what's wrong?" her sister mumbled sleepily and she turned over to face her.
"I had a bad dream," Alexa whispered as Elena reached out and brushed the hair from her face.
A sympathetic look immediately formed on the older sister's face as she pulled the younger one closer. Alexa immediately buried her face in Elena's neck and held on for dear life. It was something that Alexa always did when waking up from a nightmare. Not that Alexa had them often, but she did have them more than she probably should for a nine-year-old child.
"What was it about?" Elena asked as she moved her teddy so that it was protecting Alexa's back. She knew that her sister had a thing about leaving her back unprotected. It was one of the reasons why her bed was pushed against the wall. It was due to the fact that she had grown up watching horror movies when she really shouldn't have been. Alexa had some bad influences in her life but she wouldn't give them up for anything.
Green eyes flickered around the room for a moment before the girl whispered, as quietly as she could, "Vampires."
Elena sighed, "Whose been telling you stories this time?"
Alexa shifted uncomfortably but gave up her friend, "Uncle Mason."
"Of course it was," Elena shook her head but she didn't try to pull away. No matter what anyone said, Alexa would always look up to Mason Lockwood. He was the cool uncle that they never had. Even Elena had to admit that, compared to John, Mason was a dream. He adored his own nephew and had adopted the Gilbert twins as his own. It helped that he had a close friendship with their Aunt Jenna.
For a moment, there was silence between the twins. Alexa was wrapped around her sister like a barnacle. Elena, used to be treated like this, was beginning to fall back asleep. But the silence was broken by a small whisper.
"Ellie, do you think vampires really exist?" Alexa pulled away slightly, so that she could look up at her sister, eyes wide and curious.
Elena paused for a moment before answering, as she knew that the answer she gave would directly affect how much sleep she got, "I don't think they do. And if they did, I would protect you from them."
"You'll protect me from anything," Alexa smiled, feeling reassured by her twin's answer.
"Anything and anyone," Elena agreed and she watched as her sister's eyes fluttered closer, her fears gone and nightmares banished. The older sister waited until Alexa's breathing evened out and she was captured in the land of sleep. Relieved that her sister was feeling safe again, Elena let her own eyes flutter closed as sleep took her once again.
When Miranda entered the next morning, she wasn't surprised to see her youngest daughter sharing Elena's bed. She had received a rather guilty phone call from Carol Lockwood late last night, revealing that Mason had been telling the children horror stories. The Nolan's had already been notified, as had Kelly Donovan.
So she just sighed and opened the curtains before waking up the girls with a gentle shake. Elena woke up promptly with a sweet smile, while her sister just grumbled and asked for 'five more minutes'. It was just a usual morning in the Gilbert household.
XXX
Alexa's POV
Once we had established that Ric was actually Ric, we all retreated to the parlor. Ric sat on one sofa, looking like absolute crap, with Jenna next to him. Elena and Stefan took the other while I paced around behind them. I could see Damon standing by the doorway to the parlor, his eyes fixed upon me. Elijah was also lurking somewhere, apparently eager to hear the gossip.
"So you don't remember anything that happened?" Stefan asked with a frown once Ric had finished explaining everything that he knew.
"No," Ric confirmed with a sigh, shaking his head. "It's like I blacked out and woke up a couple of weeks later." He glanced over at Elena before adding, "Katherine was there."
I was relieved that Ric didn't remember me trying to kill him. That thought did still haunt me. I liked Ric and the thought of him dying was a painful one. But I needed to take out Klaus and that would have been the easiest way. Of course, it also meant that he doesn't remember stabbing me in return. Which was also a good thing. I didn't want to have to remember that. He was prone to guilt at the best of times, let alone when it came to stabbing your girlfriend's niece. Who is also your wife's daughter. So your step-daughter. Ugh, relationships were far too complicated in this town.
"She's under compulsion," Stefan nodded. "Damon snuck her some vervain, but she can't leave until Klaus tells her she can."
"That won't happen anytime soon," I heard Damon scoff quietly and I had to agree. Klaus was definitely the type to go overboard for revenge. And he was not going to give it up easily.
"So, what else did I do?" Ric looked ridiculously innocent as he looked around us all. Especially since he was asking such a loaded question.
I could feel Jenna's gaze on me so I made extra sure to avoid hers. I knew what she was thinking: do we tell Ric about what happened yesterday? I absolutely did not want to tell him. It wouldn't be fair to tell Ric, it would only add to his guilt.
But Ric was too smart for his own good as he clearly sensed something between us. He glanced between Jenna and I before slowly asking, "What did I do?"
"Look, it wasn't you, so there's no need to discuss it. Capiche?" I really hoped that the desperation that I felt wasn't reflected in my voice. But from the small wince on Damon's face, I knew that it was a fool's hope.
"Alexa," Jenna's voice was stern and I winced internally. My aunt sighed before she turned to look at her boyfriend, taking his hand in hers. "After the dance, Klaus took me hostage. He didn't hurt me, but he did use me to lure Alexa to the house. After a brief fight, he… stabbed… her in the leg."
"Well, in his defence, I was trying to kill him," I shrugged before groaning. "Why am I defending the maniac? Look, I was trying to kill him and I'm sorry for that because it would have meant killing you too. For what it's worth, I'm glad you're not dead."
Unfortunately, Ric seemed to be fixating on just one part of that, "I stabbed you?"
"I don't blame you, okay? It wasn't you and I know that. If I had my way, I never would have let you find out about that," I felt like I was doing a really shitty job of reassuring him. So I glared at Jenna to make myself feel better.
"I will make you deal with your trauma," Jenna didn't sound at all apologetic. "One way or another."
Well, that was rude.
"I'm perfectly capable of dealing with my trauma and I do so in my own way," I sniffed, crossing my arms.
I heard a coughed, "No you don't," and glared at the back of my sister's head. Well, that was even more rude. I dealt with my trauma in my own way. And yes, that way tended to be by drowning it in booze. But hey, I was still dealing with it.
"Alexa…" the look on Alaric's face just screamed guilt and I just wasn't going to deal with it. I didn't blame Ric for what happened. Not only was he being possessed by Klaus the douche, he remembered none of what happened.
"Nope, don't you dare feel guilty," I pulled out my best pointy finger and gave him a hard look. "It was Klaus, not you. But if you must insist on feeling guilty, then you can take me to the Grill and buy me the biggest plate of fries that they do. Deal?"
"And that will make up for everything?" Ric looked dubious but he gave Jenna's hand a quick squeeze before standing up. Well, at least he seemed to be accepting my olive branch. Maybe he realised that I wouldn't let him actually apologise for what happened. So this was his way of starting to make himself feel better.
"They're carbs, Ric," I rolled my eyes as I started to make my way to the front door. "Carbs make everything feel better." When I reached Damon, I paused and glanced over at him, "Wanna come and gorge yourself on fries?"
Damon paused for a moment before shrugging, "Well someone needs to get you some free food."
"Damn straight," I nodded sharply before glancing over my shoulder. "Elena, you are not allowed to give yourself up while I'm gone. When I get back, I expect to see you here. Jenna, make sure she doesn't do anything stupid."
Before Elena could say anything, and the offended look on her face indicated that she wanted to, I turned around, wrapped my arm around Damon's and tugged him out the front door. I heard Ric's footsteps behind us just as the front door closed. But not before Jenna got in the final word.
"Don't let her get too drunk!"
XXX
The woods surrounding the Gilbert family's lake house were huge. And easy to get lost in. It was one of the reasons why Grayson forbid any of his children from playing in them alone. Not that they always listened to their father.
The children were good at playing in the main garden area and down by the lake. It wasn't like they wanted to disobey their father. It was just when Uncle John accompanied them to the lake house that they felt the need to wander further afield.
The twins were four the first time it happened. They were playing out in the yard when John pulled up in the driveway. Alexa noticed him first, letting out a small sound of disgust. Even at the tender age of four, the twins had started to dislike their uncle. Some could say that it was the fault of their beloved Aunt Jenna, who quite often told them stories of the mean things that John had done. But it wasn't just that. The kids had noticed, in the way that children often did, how John was treated by the respected adults in town. They smiled at his front and frowned at his back. And of course, young Caroline Forbes had proclaimed that her mom hated Uncle John.
The disgusted sound quickly alerted her sister to the new arrival. Elena glanced over her shoulder and rolled her eyes in dramatic way that only four-year-olds could pull off. She grabbed Jeremy's hand and directed him over to Alexa.
"Let's go before he comes out," the older twin muttered to the younger, glancing over at John being greeted by their father. Alexa nodded and took Jeremy's other hand, helping the toddler escape with them a bit quicker. It was safer for them to take his hands as the youngest of the Gilbert family would have just toddled after them anyway. Young Jeremy Gilbert had reached the stage where he idolized his older sisters. Wherever they were, he wanted to be. He always followed them everywhere he could, and wanted to go where he couldn't. While it was sometimes annoying for the twins, as it meant twin-time was often interrupted, Alexa always enjoyed the ego boost that it gave her.
The siblings had been walking for around ten minutes when Alexa sighed and asked, "Ellie, where are we going?"
"Away from John," Elena answered distractedly, as she paused and looked around.
"Yeah, but where is that?" Alexa rolled her eyes dramatically as she let go of Jeremy's hand to crouch down and fix her shoe. Alexa had always been one for style over practicality, even at her young age. When her mom gave her the chance to pick her clothes and shoes, she always went for colourful over useful. Which was why she was in the predicament that she was. Her feet hurt from her pretty shoes, that weren't designed for trapsing through the woods.
But while the girl wasn't paying attention, she was being left behind. Elena hadn't realised that Alexa was fixing her shoe, and Jeremy was too enamored by the insects flying around to notice that only one of his hands was being held.
Once Alexa had fixed her shoe enough that she was willing to try walking again, the girl stood up, brushing the dirt from her knees. And immediately froze as she realised that she was alone. In the short amount of time that Alexa had been distracted, Elena and Jeremy had disappeared into the trees.
The girl immediately began to panic. Not only had she lost her sister and baby brother, she was all alone in the woods. It was a well-known fact that Alexa's sense of direction was incredibly poor. The girl frequently got lost in the grocery store. So to be alone in the woods with no idea which way home was, was an absolute nightmare.
"Elena?" the younger twin called out, desperately spinning around, looking for any sign of her sister or brother. But there was none to be found. So in a panicked move, Alexa picked a direction and began to run. She no longer cared that her feet hurt, all that matter to her was finding her siblings.
She kept calling out the names of her siblings as she ran and panic truly began to take over. She had no idea where she was and all she wanted was a hug from her sister. She ran until her ankle twisted, sending her crashing to the ground. Exhausted and upset, the girl just pulled her knees to her chest and sobbed into them.
She didn't know how long it had been until a tiny hand rested on her cheek. Alexa glanced up in shock, not expecting anyone to find her in this giant forest. Big brown eyes blinked at her through a thick fringe.
"Lexa?" young Jeremy asked, his adorable face scrunching up into a frown.
"Jeremy," Alexa sobbed in delight and immediately scooped up the toddler. She cuddled him to her chest as he wrapped his small arms around her neck. "You found me."
"We'll always find you."
At the new voice, Alexa glanced up and her heart burst with relief at the sight of her twin.
"Ellie," she immediately held out a hand to beckon her forward. "I thought I'd lost you forever. I didn't know what I was going to do."
"You'll never lose me, Lexa," Elena held eye contact with her twin as she crouched down. "I promise I'll never leave you."
"And I'll never leave you too," Alexa nodded sharply before grabbing her twin and pulling her into a hug. Elena immediately wrapped her arms around her younger sister while Jeremy enjoyed being cuddled by the both of them.
It took quite some time before either of the twins felt comfortable in letting go. But it was only the quite hush brought on by the approaching nighttime that forced their hand. With a determined nod shared between the two, they once again held Jeremy's hands and wandered back in the direction of the lake house, Elena leading the way.
XXX
As promised, when we arrived at the Grill, Ric ordered me the largest plate of fries that they had. And then I had to defend them from Damon, who kept on trying to steal them. I mean, I know he had gotten them for me for free. But that was no excuse for him to try and steal some. If he wanted fries, he could have just ordered some of his own.
While Ric and Damon ordered a bottle of scotch to down between them, I was forced to make do with soda. Not my choice. Apparently Ric took Jenna's words about not letting me get too drunk to heart. Which sucked. But my amazing Damon made up for that. When Ric wasn't looking, he topped up my soda with some scotch from the bottle. It wasn't the best way to drink booze, but when you're desperate, you'll take anything. Not that I was desperate for a drink, I meant that in like a normal way of saying it kind of thing. Just… ignore that please.
"Feeling better, Alexa?" Ric asked after I had demolished half the plate.
I nodded, "It's like I said, carbs make you feel better. That's why the government employs people to tell you that they are bad for you. It's to make everyone feel miserable and then they can sell you pointless shit to make you feel better."
Ric had an odd look on his face, which I ignored, "Are you saying that carbs are a government invention that they used to fuel a conspiracy?"
"You mean you haven't heard her talk about it before?" Damon piped up from the other side of me. He exchanged a look with Ric over my head. "She normally gets in on the carb conspiracy theories once she's had a few. But apparently carb overload will do the same thing."
"It's not a conspiracy theory if it's true," I rolled my eyes and continued to eat my fries.
"Of course not, Alexa," I could hear the smirk in my vampire's voice as he patted my hand. So I muttered unflattering stuff about him under my breath.
"Gentlemen, lady, it's a surprise to see you here."
We all glanced to the side, where the annoying familiar voice came from. A conventionally attractive blonde man stood there, smirking at us all. And I just knew that I knew him from somewhere. It was itching the back of my brain and driving me crazy.
"Ugh," Damon groaned, even as he wrapped an arm around my shoulder. "Klaus, I presume."
"In the flesh," Klaus confirmed, his smirk growing as he glanced over at Alaric. "Thanks for the loaner mate." His gaze then turned to me, "Alexa, nice to finally meet you properly."
And just like that, it all clicked together. He was the cute guy that I met that night I fell off the wagon. I didn't remember much about him, other than hitting him on the head with a whiskey bottle. But here he was. The douche who wanted to sacrifice my sister.
I suddenly felt sick and my appetite vanished. I pushed away the half full plate and huddled back into Damon's warmth.
"Any reason you stopped by to say hi?" my vampire snapped as he stood up, keeping his arm protectively wrapped around me.
"I'm told that your brother fancies my doppelganger, and that you and the younger Ms Gilbert are known for your plotting," every time Klaus glanced over at me, Damon tightened his grip. "Just thought I'd remind you to not do anything you'll regret."
Did he seriously think that that would work? Damon and I are known for doing things that we would later regret. It seemed to be one of our things.
"Thanks for the advice," Damon gave one of the fakest smiles that I had seen from him. "I don't suppose I could talk you into a postponement, by any chance, huh?"
I glanced up at him in surprise. I knew why he was asked for a postponement. During the car ride over, I had moaned about the risk that Elena was taking by trusting the ancient witch brew. And that I needed a way to make sure that she would survive that. We hadn't found one yet and now the night of the sacrifice was upon us.
"You are kidding?" Klaus honestly looked shocked, which I knew that I would find amusing at a later date. He glanced over at Ric, "He is kidding, right?"
"No, not really," Ric sighed and shrugged, sounding completely unsurprised. I didn't know whether I should be offended by the total lack of surprise that Ric had at our shenanigans. But now really wasn't the time to be thinking about that.
"I mean, come one," Damon was now using one of his more charming grins, but it didn't look like it was having any affect on the Original being. "What's one month in the whole grand scheme of things?"
Klaus stepped closer and I could feel my heartbeat picking up. I hadn't forgotten that the last time I saw Klaus, he was stabbing me in the leg. Even with Damon next to me, I was still scared of what Klaus could do to me.
"Let me be clear," Klaus growled lowly, his voice serious. "I have my vampire. I have my werewolf. I have everything I need. The ritual will happen tonight. So if you want to live to see tomorrow, don't screw it up."
With that said, Klaus turned around and walked away. We watched him go and I realised that I was gripping tightly to Damon's hand. But even with Klaus now gone, I was reluctant to let go.
"That was fun," Damon sighed as he eased back down into his seat, his arm still wrapped around me.
"You're going to screw it up, aren't you?" Ric sighed before downing his drink.
"You think that if I took his werewolf out of the conversation, it would give us an extra month to find a way to save Elena's life?" my vampire questioned, his 'I have a plan' look fixed firmly upon his face.
"I think it won't matter, because you'll be dead," the history teacher replied bluntly, not even trying to soften his words. I felt my body stiffen as I realised that I was incredibly close to losing my vampire if I didn't try and play it right.
"But without the werewolf, he can't perform the ritual tonight," Damon pushed, although he did start stroking the back of my hand with his thumb in an attempt to calm down my racing heart. "Which means that I would have bought you all one month before the next full moon."
"And you'll still be dead," Ric unhelpfully pointed out.
Damon rolled his eyes, "Are you gonna help me or what?"
"Only if you promise that you won't die," I spoke up before Alaric had the chance. Damon glanced down at me and I couldn't even try to hide the pleading in my eyes.
He hesitated for a moment before sighing, "I promise."
"Then what do you need us to do?" I nodded.
XXX
"'Practical Magic' or 'There's Something About Mary'?" Alexa asked, holding up the DVD cases. Elena shifted under the blanket and nodded at the 'Practical Magic' case.
"That one," she croaked out before sneezing into a tissue.
"Okie dokes," Alexa nodded before putting the DVD into the player and joining her sister on the coach. The thirteen-year-old twins had the day off school. Elena was suffering from the flu and had been feeling feverish all weekend. Alexa was perfectly fine, however she was clever enough to be able to fake being ill. Since their dad was out on a conference, it was just Miranda at home. She suspected that her middle child wasn't being completely honest, but she let her be. Since Alexa had spent the night with Elena, diligently looking after her, it was only a matter of time before she became ill too.
"Do you need anymore medicine? Or water? Or ice?" the younger twin asked before she got properly settled. While Miranda was at home with them, she had left Alexa to look after Elena, for the most part. The younger twin got particularly vicious when her twin was in danger, even if that danger was from the flu. So while Miranda gave out the medicine and check Elena's temperature, she left the general care of her oldest to Alexa.
Elena shook her head and reached out for her sister. The younger girl quickly took the hint and climbed under the blanket. Her twin quickly curled around her; her head settled against Alexa's shoulder. It was a little-known fact that when Elena got ill, she got clingy. And while it might annoy others, Alexa embraced it. She loved caring for her sister. Elena did so much for her, that Alexa was always eager to return the favour.
While the girls waited for the film to start, Alexa started rambling, breaking the silence that she hated, "Dad said that he was gonna help me make soup for dinner. That'll be something that you can eat without hurting your throat. And if you're extra good, I might even be able to sneak you some ice cream. I know mom said that it's not good for your bad throat, but it feels nice. And I made sure to buy your favourite while we were out shopping yesterday. I also told Caroline that you won't be able to go to her house tomorrow for dance practice. She was disappointed but said get well soon."
Elena just smiled softly and listened while her sister rambled away. She knew that it was Alexa's way of dealing with her worry. Her sister never coped well when there was something wrong with Elena. She always panicked and worried way too much. Most of the time Elena found it endearing. There was just something special about knowing there was someone who would do anything for you. And Alexa would. She even said that she would be her 2am phone call if she needed help burying a body.
Alexa quietened down once the film started, but she still asked whispered questions as to if she needed anything. Alexa would move the world for her sister. For her, it was a fact of life. Her twin was everything to her, the most important person in her life. And she would do anything for her.
So it warmed Alexa's heart to see the smile on her twin's face as she watched the movie. 'Practical Magic' had always been one of Elena's favourites and Alexa knew that. She always made sure that when it came to movie night, or adhoc movie days caused by stupid flu bugs, Elena's favourite films were played first. The only person who could get a movie in first was their younger brother Jeremy. But that was only when he wasn't being a little brat. Which was something that happened a lot these days. Now that he was getting older, he was getting brattier. Alexa normally dealt with it by finding something to blackmail him with. And that happened quite often. Elena just rolled her eyes and let Alexa deal with it.
Miranda poked her head around the doorframe, checking in on her daughters. She couldn't help but smile at the peaceful look on Elena's face. And at the way that Alexa was transfixed by her sister. She had taken to stroking her sister's long, silky hair, which would inevitably send Elena to sleep. Especially when she was ill.
The twin's mom took special note of Alexa's flushed cheeks and sighed. She knew that her middle child was incredibly stubborn when it came to being ill. She wouldn't admit that she was until it was too late. But with Elena being ill, it was only a matter of time until Alexa caught it too. When one was ill, it wasn't long until the other one caught it too. Especially since nothing could keep them separated. She knew for a fact that Alexa had shared Elena's bed last night, despite her specifically telling her not to. But even as she said it, she knew that it was a pointless ask. Nothing would separate Alexa from her twin sister, not even her mother's orders.
Miranda sighed again and made a mental note to ask if Kelly Donovan could look after Jeremy for a couple of nights. The last thing she needed was for him to catch it too. Having all three children be ill at the same time was an unpleasant experience, especially since Grayson was out of town. Jenna wasn't close enough to visit, having gone on holiday with some friends, or she would have asked her to come and help. John was out of the question. She knew that none of her children would listen to a word that her brother-in-law would say.
"I hope we can be as badass as they are, one day," Alexa whispered to Elena, receiving a slow nod in return. The relationship between the Owens sisters was one of Alexa's favourite things about the movie. To her, there was nothing more important than the bond between siblings.
XXX
Elena's POV
We had finally reached the top of the mountain, after a long walk up. Stefan had brought me here after Alexa had retreated to the Grill. I guess he just knew that I needed to get away, even if it was just for a few hours. I couldn't just sit around, waiting for inevitable to happen. I needed to keep myself busy but there was only so much that I could do at the Boarding House.
"We made it!" I laughed as we took those final steps. My legs were aching from the walk as Stefan had insisted on doing it the human way. I think he just wanted to keep my mind occupied and not on what was going to happen tonight. It was easy to just fixate on the sacrifice, especially since it was only a few hours away. It had been looming over me for so long that I almost couldn't believe that it was actually going to happen.
"That's nothing," my boyfriend shot me a cheeky smirk as he walked past me. "If you've climbed Mt. Everest."
"No one like a bragger, Stefan," I rolled my eyes but I couldn't hide the smile that formed. I loved it when he was free like this. When he felt like he could be his cheeky self without worry. Unfortunately, those times were few and far between right now. I knew the whole sacrifice drama had weighed heavily upon him, especially recently. His acceptance of my choices had drawn a lot of anger from my sister. I shook my head and turned around to look at the view. And it was just breathtaking. "Oh wow."
The setting sun glowed in the distance, lighting up the view spectacularly. If this was to be my final sunset, then it was a perfect one.
My smile dimmed at Stefan's next words, "Yeah… hey, you can say it."
I knew what he meant but I just couldn't bring myself to admit it, "Say what?"
Stefan looked at me, his eyes so soft and full of sympathy, "The thing you've been wanting to say, but… been afraid of how it'll make me feel."
I shook my head and turned my gaze back to the beautiful view in front of us, "There's nothing I can say, Stefan. It's not going to change anything."
"Might make you feel better," Stefan moved closer to me and rested his hand on my shoulder. "Look, I know this isn't the first time you've thought about it. Drinking vampire blood to survive. I mean, I know I've thought about it a hundred times."
I couldn't bring myself to look at him, "And before all this with Klaus, did you think about it then?"
"Of course I did," my boyfriend answered immediately. "Elena… if it were my choice, I'd want to be with your forever."
Those were the words that made me look at him. I turned so that I was facing him directly, my heart clenching at the despondent look in his eye, "Why have you never brought it up?"
"Cos I knew that if it was an option, then you would have," Stefan replied softly, one hand cupping my cheek. "It would have been selfish for me to ask you."
"I just wish that Alexa hadn't have asked me either," I sighed, shaking my head. This was one of those rare times that I was truly cursing my twin. Until she said it, it was something unspoken between us that we could ignore. And now it was out there along with my feelings on the matter. I didn't want to become a vampire. Definitely not now, maybe not ever. I didn't know what I wanted when it came to that decision. A part of me wanted to spend forever with Stefan, but the other wanted that human life.
"She just doesn't want to lose you. Alexa is desperate, she'll take anything right now."
I nodded, feeling tears begin to feel my eyes, "I don't want to leave her either. I don't want to leave any of you. But what choice is that? To die or to become a vampire? I can't do that. I'm not ready to make that decision. I'm seventeen years old. How am I supposed to decide something like that?" I shook my head and took Stefan's hands in mine. "I know that I love you, Stefan. I know that. But my future? Our lives together? Those are things that I need to deal with as they come long. While I grow up. I need that time to decide if I want to have kids and start a family. If I want to grow old or take that final step. I need to live before I can decide that."
The tears started to fall and Stefan pulled me in close, "Hey, it's okay."
"I don't want to die, Stefan," I cried into his shoulder. "But I don't want to become a vampire either."
"I know you don't," my amazing boyfriend whispered into my ear. "And you won't have to. Elijah's elixir will work and you'll have your entire life to make those decisions."
I just wished that I believed him. I knew that I was taking a risk with that elixir, one that my loved ones should be angry about. But I just couldn't take the other option. I had to trust that Elijah knew what he was doing with the elixir. That he wouldn't offer me something that he knew would fail. I had to have hope that I would see my family again after tonight. That I would be able to hug my sister and kiss my boyfriend. I had to have faith.
But if I did die, then at least I know that my loved ones would be safe. I had done everything that Klaus had asked. I hadn't run nor had I turned myself into a vampire. He had to honour his side of it and leave my loved ones alone. I could die knowing that they were safe.
XXX
"OMG congratulations!" Alexa practically leapt on her twin sister when she walked out of the DMV. Elena had her license in her hand, gripping it tight, and a relieved smile on her face. The mere thought of the test had been haunting Elena for days, ever since she booked it. But now it was over with and the older twin could finally relax.
"Let her breathe, Alexa," Grayson laughed as he joined his middle child in hugging the oldest. He pressed a kiss to the top of his daughter's head with a proud smile. "Well done, sweetheart."
"Thanks dad," Elena smiled up at him while returning her sister's hug. "And thank you too, Alexa."
"Well, we all know that it was my supportive words that made you pass," Alexa grinned cheekily at her twin, dancing away from the push that followed her words. "I'm totes amazing like that."
"Ugh, I hate that word," Jeremy grouched as he walked over to hug his sister. "Nice one, Ellie."
The twins shared an amazed look that the teenager had willingly hugged one of his siblings. Ever since he hit those teenage years, it was no longer 'cool' to hug his older sister. Or to hang out with them. Or even to speak to them, sometimes. Alexa did miss the cute little toddle who used to follow them everywhere and looked at them with heart eyes.
"I only say it cos you hate it, kiddo," Alexa reached up to mess up Jeremy's hair, enjoying that annoyed glare that she received in return. Annoying her younger brother was one of Alexa's favourite hobbies. It was second only to annoying Elena. After enjoying the dirty look from her brother, Alexa clapped her hands and looked up at their father, "So when do I get to give Elena her present?"
"What present?" Elena looked between the pair, a look of curious suspicion on her face. She knew that her dad wouldn't lead her wrong. But she also knew of her sister's penchant for mischief. And that mischievous streak seemed to be out in full forced at that moment in time.
"Well, since you seem to be so eager, Alexa," Grayson sighed and shook his head, but you could hear the fondness in his voice. "Let's do it now."
"Damn straight," Alexa snorted as she grabbed her sister's wrist and started dragging her around the corner of the building. "I've been looking forward to this moment for ages."
"I thought this was supposed to be my moment," Elena laughed, her sister's excitement was infectious and the oldest sibling was eager to see what the surprise was. And she was not disappointed.
A dark blue Ford SUV was revealed to her with a dramatic 'ta da!' by her sister. Elena gasped in shock before whirling round to look at her father, "Is this really for me?"
"It is," he confirmed with a smile as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder and directed her towards the car. "Just a little something to get you on the road."
"Thanks dad," the oldest Gilbert child hugged her father tightly while her siblings started poking around the car. While they had both been there when Grayson and Miranda had purchased it, they were itching to get a proper look now that their sister officially owned it.
"This is gonna be so cool," Alexa laughed as she climbed into the front seat. "I've now got my very own personal taxi driver."
"Lexa," her twin rolled her eyes as she climbed into the driver's side. "I'm not here to taxi you around."
"Uh, yeah, you are," Alexa snorted, waving her hand to dismiss her words. "Cos if you don't, then I'll have to make my own way there. And we both know that you don't want me to be doing that."
Elena paused for a moment, trying to find a way to argue against that. But she couldn't think of anything. Both the siblings knew that Elena wouldn't let Alexa go anywhere by herself, especially if it meant walking there. And the twin's parents were still reluctant to let Alexa learn to drive, she had a habit of spacing out.
"Ugh, you're the worst," the older twin groaned and rolled her eyes.
"Love you too, twinnie," Alexa smirked as Grayson rested against the driver door.
"Think you can drive this home by yourself?" he asked while Elena stared at the wheel apprehensively.
"Of course, she can," Alexa answered for her, as she knew exactly what her twin was thinking. "She's got me to help her do it."
"You really think that I can do it?" the oldest sibling asked, glancing over at her sister.
"Ellie, you can do anything when you put your mind to it," Alexa turned serious for a moment, grabbing her twin's hand and giving it a squeeze. "I know that you can do this. You've learnt how to drive and you've just passed your test in a car that was bigger than this one. You got this."
"Yeah, I got this," Elena nodded her head sharply, trusting her sister's words and taking them to heart. She glanced over at their dad, "I can do this."
"Never doubted you for a moment," Grayson smiled and rested his hand on his daughter's head. "Come on Jeremy, we'll see these two at home."
"Can't we keep Jeremy?" Alexa pouted at their father, trying her best to look pathetic.
"I know what your plan is, Alexa," Grayson raised an eyebrow and shook his head when his middle child started to grumble. "I'm not dealing with Jeremy complaining when you make it home."
"I just wanna play with him," Alexa groaned, throwing her head back dramatically. "He won't play with me anymore."
"He will, one day," Grayson said calmly, repeating the words he had said when Jeremy was a newborn. "You've just got to be patient." Alexa groaned again but nodded her head. "Besides, you've got to help Elena get home safely."
Alexa paused to consider that point, "Well, that is a very important job. Fine, you win this time, dad."
"Glad to hear it," Grayson laughed before bidding his children farewell. The last words he heard were the twins arguing over who got to choose the music.
XXX
After Ric had given Damon his key to his apartment, we had been sent back to the Boarding House with the explicit instructions to not let Elena give herself up. How we were supposed to do that, I did not know. But Ric seemed confident that we could.
We had gotten back to find out that Stefan had whisked Elena away on one final trip, before the sacrifice happened. I didn't begrudge Stefan spending Elena's final day with her. He loved her, almost as much as I did. And I knew that I would get my opportunity to say goodbye.
It was getting harder to remain optimistic about the sacrifice. With it being just a few hours away, I knew that I just had to trust that the stupid elixir would bring my sister back to life. Because I just had a feeling that Damon's intervention wouldn't work. Klaus struck me as the sort to have backup plans for his backup plans. I just had to hope that Damon didn't lose his life for his interference. There were so many unknowns. So many people that I could lose. It was horrible. And I just wanted to drown my sorrows in as much booze as I could handle. But I knew that I needed to be sober for my goodbye.
I stayed out in the garden at the front of the house, just sitting on the grass. It wasn't the best way for me to be spending my time, but it was peaceful enough that I could keep some composure. And that was very important right now. I couldn't break down, not yet.
The hours passed slowly. At one point, Jenna left to go back home. She was going to look after me, while the others took down Klaus. I had argued and argued against it, but in the end, it was Damon who convinced me that it would be a good idea. And I knew, deep down, that he was right. Once Elena was taken, I knew that I wouldn't be in the best frame of mind. So being with Jenna would be the best idea. I suspected that she had gone home to prepare the house, like locking the windows and getting the ice cream ready.
It wasn't long after the sun had set that Elena and Stefan had arrived home. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Elena pause when she saw me, but I waved her inside. She needed to drink that elixir before Klaus came to collect her. If she didn't drink it, then she definitely wasn't returning to me.
Every second after the sun had set felt like an eternity. It was only a matter of time before Klaus arrived. And there was nothing that I could do to stop it. I was completely powerless and I hated it. There was nothing that I could do to stop my sister from being taken. There was nothing that I could do to guarantee that she would come back to me.
A hand landed on my shoulder and I glanced up. Ellie stared down at me, a soft smile on her face.
"How was your day with Stefan?" I asked as Elena pulled me to my feet.
"It was," Ellie paused, clearly choosing her next words carefully, "It was what I needed."
"I'm glad," I nodded before giving in to my need to have my sister close. I reached forward and tugged my sister close, wrapping my arms around her tightly. "Ellie, I can't do this. I can't let you go."
"I don't want you to let me go," my twin whispered in my ear, squeezing me just as tightly. "But you have to."
"She's right," a new voice joined the conversation. I whirled around, pushing my twin behind me, as we faced Klaus. He stood a few meters away, his gaze fixed upon my sister. "You had me all never earlier, I thought you might have done something stupid." His gaze flickered to me as he said that, "You ready, my dear?"
Behind me, Elena took a deep breath before nodding, "I'm ready."
It was then that I lost all reason. Before Elena could move from my side, I reached out and stopped her. I couldn't take my gaze off of Klaus, but I also couldn't stop myself from moving, "Ellie, no, please."
"I wouldn't," the Original smirked dangerously. "No reason for you to die, too."
That had my sister gasping softly. She slowly reached out and turned me to face her. Her face was so gentle as she cupped my face, "Hey, Lexa, hey, hey, it's fine, it's fine. I'll go. No one needs to get hurt. There's no reason for you to get hurt."
Her quite words caused the tears to finally fall, "Ellie, I can't let you go. I can't lose you. Please don't leave me."
"It'll be fine, I promise," my sister whispered before leaning forward to press a kiss to my forehead. "I love you, little sister."
"I love you too," I tried to stop myself from sobbing as she pulled me in for one last hug.
"Close your eyes, Lexa," Elena whispered into my ear. "Close your eyes and everything will be fine."
I nodded into her neck and closed my eyes, squeezing them tight. She pressed one last kiss to my forehead before stepping back. I kept a tight hold on her hand, even as she slowly moved away.
Eventually, I had to let go. The moment my twin's fingers slipped away from my own, there was a gush of air. I collapsed to my knees, my heart twisting in my chest. I couldn't breathe and it hurt. My chest felt tight as I squeezed my eyes together. I didn't dare open my eyes and get that confirmation of what happened. I just couldn't.
I hunched forward further and rested my forehead against my knees for a moment before opening my eyes. She was gone. My twin sister was gone. Klaus had taken her. And he was going to kill her. My heart stuttered in my chest as I gasped out a sob. I knew that I had to tell someone, but I just couldn't move. So I did the next best thing.
"Stefan!" I groaned, low and slow. My nails scraped against my chest as the pain in my heart grew. It thudded in my chest, each beat and painful as the last.
A gentle hand landed on my back and I forced myself to look up. Through my tears, I could see Stefan staring down at me sympathetically. His eyes were wet too, and I guessed that he had heard everything. Including Klaus taking my sister to her death.
XXX
Miranda and Grayson never expected to be taking home a baby that night, let alone two. They were woefully unprepared and had no supplies for the newborn babies. While Grayson took an emergency trip to Grove Hill to buy nappies, a cot, bottles, formula and anything else that the twins would need, Miranda settled them in the middle of their bed.
Despite being just a few hours old, the twins knew when they were separated from each other. When they weren't within touching distance of the other, the babies would begin to make a fuss. Miranda marveled at the bond they shared, even as she wondered how they would cope with their new arrivals.
Isobel's arrival at Grayson's practice was unexpected. Her disappearance a couple of hours after the birth even more so. How anyone could give up those precious miracles was beyond her. They had been trying for a baby for so long that she was beginning to think that they would never be parents. And while this wasn't how she ever expected it would happen, Miranda couldn't help but be grateful that it had.
The younger twin, Alexandria, whimpered in her sleep, her tiny face scrunching up as her sleep was plagued by bad images. But before Miranda could even think about picking her up, the older sister was there. Whether she was aware of it or not, Elena had reached out her arm so that her tiny hand rested on her twin's stomach. Alexa immediately quietened at the touch and her face relaxed.
Grayson arrived home with John in tow. The two men immediately started to put together the cribs that they had bought, even though they only ended up using one for the first couple of months. It was just luck that they had managed to get one of the larger ones.
Miranda got the babies into some proper clothes before calling her parents and sister. She knew that they would have to handle the situation very carefully. Even though Isobel had given up the twins, Miranda knew that they had no right to the children. But if they were very careful, no one would know that she hadn't given birth. It was just luck that she had spent the past few months out of town, looking after her ill father. Their closest friends knew that trouble that they had had conceiving, so it wasn't beyond belief for them to have kept a successful pregnancy secret. They could do this.
The twins grew quickly, but their bond never wavered. They were always happiest when around the other. It was endearing to watch and Miranda knew that the twins would never be alone. The girls shared their firsts. When one crawled, the other did so not long after. Same with walking. And talking. Their first words were the others names. Every now and then, Miranda was disappointed that 'mom' wasn't a first word for either of them. But it just made sense for the twins to name each other.
The personalities were the most fun to watch form. Alexa was the louder child, the more active one. She was always trying to get into stuff, her curiosity was unending. Elena was the more sensible one. She was always one step behind her sister, trying to keep her out of trouble. But she was also the more stubborn one. Elena hated being told that she couldn't do something and always tried to find a way. Alexa was more laidback and accepted her limitations. She was prone to self-reflection and often felt most at peace when with a loved one.
It was the birth of their brother where the sisters really came into their own. Alexa adored her younger brother and quickly took on the role of protector. Elena was content to take a step back in that regard, but she was always there to look after Jeremy. Despite there being just a couple of years between them, the twins were eager to help out with looking after their brother.
As the children grew, they taught each other so much. Even if not all of it was good. Alexa often got Jeremy into trouble, but she also had a talent of getting him out of it. The adventures the two went on were fun for the adults to watch. And Elena often followed behind them, helping the two keep out of too much mischief.
Miranda never worried about her children. She knew that she had raised them well. They were never alone and always had someone to look to for support. They grew up healthy and loved and adored. They never had to worry for anything and were free to be themselves. The twins bond grew stronger and stronger as the years went by. There were never any secrets between the sisters and they told each other everything. If one had a worry, the other was there to ease it. While they did fight, as was natural for siblings, they were always quick to make up. When there was one twin, the other wasn't far away. Even when they were making their own friends, they always carved out time for the other.
No, Miranda never had to worry about her children. She knew that they would always have each other. Nothing would get between the twins, not even the unfortunate family secret. She hoped that she would never have to tell her children, even if John was pushing for it. All Miranda wanted was for her children to grow up safe and unbothered by the dark side of the world. She knew that John and Grayson would be there to keep her children safe while she nurtured them and encouraged them to follow their dreams.
Miranda would never regret being called back to Mystic Falls that stormy night, even if it meant leaving her father. Adopting the twins was the best decision that she ever made. And no matter what came of it, she would never regret a single day.
XXX
John's POV
I woke up to an unfamiliar room. My head pounded as I slowly pushed myself up. I had been attacked from behind and I cursed myself for letting my guard down. It wasn't a safe thing to do in this town.
"Ah, one of them awakes," an amused male voice spoke in front of me. I glanced up to see a blonde man leaning against the kitchen island. He gave me a smirk before glancing to my side. I followed his gaze and my heart clenched as I gazed upon a familiar face.
At the sound of the voice, Jenna began to stir. She groaned as a hand came up to rub her face. I could see the bruise already forming on her cheek. She mumbled something under her breath before her eyes shot open and she sat up with a cry, "Alexa!"
Her eyes locked with mine and I could see the grief in them. I scooted closer to her and for once, Jenna accepted my touch.
"What happened?" I asked quietly while the blonde watched on in amusement.
"She killed her," it was easy to tell that Jenna was trying her hardest not to sob. "Katherine killed her."
My heart clenched as the thought of my youngest daughter being dead, but I had to push that away, "Was she wearing her ring?"
Jenna nodded shakily, "I think so."
"Then she'll be okay," I gave Jenna's hand a squeeze before we were interrupted.
"Now, if that is all sorted, why don't we get down to business?" the blonde smirked as he clapped our hands. I was itching to push Jenna behind me, but I knew that the stubborn woman wouldn't move.
"You're Klaus, aren't you?" the woman next to me spoke up, narrowing her eyes at the man. She didn't look surprised to see him. I had heard that she had encountered him yesterday, Alexa had been updating me via text. Klaus had taken the opportunity to torment my youngest and her aunt. But it was still impressive to see the composure that Jenna had while confronting him.
"It's lovely to see you again, Jenna," the vampire nodded his head before turning serious. "Since I'm feeling generous tonight, I'm going to give you a choice. I need a vampire for my ritual and one of you will take that place."
"I'll do it," I immediately spoke up before Jenna had the chance. There was no way that I would let Jenna die. I had worked so hard to keep her safe, even though she knew the truth about the supernatural. But I had sworn, the moment I first kissed her, all those years ago, that I would keep her alive. "I'm Elena's father, it would impact her more if it was me. You don't need Jenna."
"But what about the poetry of three lovely women giving their lives for me, that sounds glorious," Klaus was taunting me, I knew that. I just had to keep my calm. This was something that I had been preparing for ever since I had found out the truth about the doppelgangers and the sacrifice. I knew that I would one day have to deal with Klaus. Even with Katherine's plots to get him killed, including using Alexa to do so, I knew that Klaus would come to town. I had hoped otherwise, but deep down, I knew that it was inevitable.
"What about the poetry of the mother and the father before taking the life of the child?" I retorted, speaking over Jenna's protests. "I know my daughter. And you will be denying her the opportunity to make things right with me. Doesn't that tempt you more?"
Klaus paused to consider my words and I took the moment to look over at Jenna. Her eyes were wide with desperation and she had never looked more beautiful. I knew that I still cared for her, even if she would never care for me like that in return. I had hurt her too many times, I knew that now. But I could make things right by saving her now.
"You do make a compelling argument," Klaus eventually mused, his eyes gleaming in the lamplight. "What do you think, my lovely Jenna?"
Jenna refused to play his game. She just glared at him; her eyes filled with rage. She was losing her niece to him and she had just seen her other one die in front of her. Jenna was not in the mood to indulge Klaus' whims.
"Very well," the Original sighed before gesturing behind us. In the blink of the eye, Jenna was unconscious on the floor. My oldest daughter's doppelganger stood above her, a carefully blank look on her face. My gaze was quickly drawn back to Klaus as he stepped forward, rolling up his sleeve, "Are you ready for this?"
"I won't be able to say goodbye to Alexa," I said instead, eyeing him wearily. "Can I write my daughters a letter before you turn me?"
Klaus paused to consider my words before he nodded, a wicked gleam in his eye, "We have time. Write your letters, then you will be ready."
I nodded. It wasn't the goodbye that I wanted for Alexa, but it would have to do. My youngest had lost so many people already, that it wasn't fair for her to lose her father as well. But it was better that she loose me then her losing Jenna. I knew that she was closer to her aunt, she always had been. And even though I was her father, she hadn't formed that bond with me, not until recently. It was just unfortunate that I had managed to sour that bond recently. But hopefully this would make up for everything.
I knew that I would be able to say goodbye to Elena. But even then, I put everything that I knew that I wouldn't be able to say into the letter. These were to be my final words to my girls. I needed it to be done right.
XXX
A/N: Thank you for the reviews, darlings. Trust me, a kiss will come soon, good things come to those who wait ;) another question, in regards to smut, did you want me to write those scenes? Or would you rather it be left to your imagination? Please let me know :) keep the reviews coming and hope you enjoyed xoxo
