Chapter 40: A Life for a Life


'Hi, this is Ava. If you're listening to this, I can't pick up the phone right now. Leave a message after the beep and I'll get back to you.'

Beeeeep.

"Hey, it's Lexi. Where are you? We were supposed to meet with the Martins, remember? I hope everything's okay. Call me back when you can. I'm getting a little worried."

Lexi sighed, ending the call and slipping her phone back into her pocket. She paced the room, her worry deepening with each passing moment. This wasn't like Ava at all. She wasn't the type to just disappear without warning.

In the quiet solitude of the room, Lexi failed to notice the silent approach of Elijah, his footsteps betraying nothing. Suddenly, his voice cut through the stillness. "And what exactly is this plan?"

Startled, Lexi turned to find Elijah standing there, his gaze unwavering. She hesitated for a moment, debating how much to reveal. "Ava promised to fill me in about the plan to take down your…brother. I haven't caught up with everything yet," She lied, a practiced neutrality in her tone.

Elijah's eyes narrowing ever so slightly and measured her lie. "Is that…so?" Lexi nodded. "Do you want me—"

"I'm good." She cut him off and eyed the front door where Luka had just walked in from. "Luka can fill me in."

"If that's what you want." Elijah turned away and disappeared out the door.

He'd said to Elena that he was going to bring the elixir—the one thing that apparently could save Elena Gilbert, her best friend's martyr girlfriend.

Ava didn't trust that elixir. Not only because it was from a vampire who was supposedly related to Klaus but because the elixir was made by her own untrustworthy grandmother.

Luka stepped forward, his expression mirroring Lexi's concern. "Ava's not home," He informed her. "And her uncle doesn't know where she is either."

"Her uncle doesn't know where she is?"

"That's what he said."

"Maybe she's at school." Lexi suggested. "Stefan did say Ava was a 'good' student along with being the student body president. Wouldn't be surprised if she's at school."

"She wasn't at school."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive." Luka confirmed, pacing around in a circle around the room. "She was supposed to call and send an email to Bonnie with her notes but nothing."

"Maybe she forgot?"

Luka tilted his head to the side, unconvinced.

"It's nice to see you two getting along." He was about to speak when Stefan interrupted him as he and Elena walked into the parlor. His smile faded once he noticed the concerned and anxious looks on Lexi and Luka's faces. "Is everything okay?" Stefan asked tentatively.

"Everything's fine." Luka lied. "Just fine…um…I'm gonna swing by the school."

"Great." Elena grabbed him by his arm, stopping him. "Can you tell Ava to take some notes for Stefan?"

"And you." Stefan added, quietly.

She forced herself to smile. "And can you tell her to call me, I really need to talk to her and apologize for…you know."

"I'll do that." If Luka could get through to her.

He left the Boarding House in a hurry, fishing out his phone from his pocket and dialing Ava's number.

'Hi, this is Ava. If you're listening to this, I can't pick up the phone right now. Leave a message after the beep and I'll get back to you.'

Beeeeep.


My head was pounding mercilessly. I tried to make sense of my surroundings but nothing came to me. Blurry visions danced before my eyes, an indistinct meld of shapes and colors that offered no clarity. The ringing in my ears drowned out any attempt at coherent thought, leaving me disoriented.

I lay on a bed, my head resting on a stiff pillow, staring up at an unfamiliar ceiling. I didn't know where I was. Panic set in as I struggled to piece together the fragments of my fractured consciousness. The room was foreign, a place I didn't recall, and my confusion only intensified the cold fear I felt.

Attempting to sit up proved to be a futile effort, my body felt like dead weight against the mattress. I tried again, the persistent ache in my head protesting each movement. It took three attempts to push myself into a seated position.

I almost fell back into the bed but I dug my fingers into the mattress to steady myself. I took deep breaths to calm myself and blinked away the blurriness in my vision. It took a few minutes before I could make out where exactly I was.

I had no idea where I was.

I could see four walls painted in white. A tall wooden wardrobe close to the bed and a table with four chairs not so far away from me. That was it—if I ignored the mess on the floor and the strange circle of candles on the floor.

A sense of foreboding settled in the pit of my stomach. I needed to get out of here. I looked around me and found my phone sitting neatly next to my bloodstone necklace on the nightstand and my heart dropped. I would never take my necklace off.

I tried to leave the bed, but something held me back. Panic set in; I realized my hand was handcuffed to the legs of the bed frame. I didn't even notice the cold metal pressed against my wrist. I instinctively pulled at it.

The chain rattled, its length longer than the usual handcuffs I'd seen. I pulled at the chain again but it didn't loosen at all. Whoever did this was prepared. I could move around the bed and maybe take a step or two away from the bed but if I tried to move towards the door I'd be pulled back.

Frustration and fear bubbled within me. I tugged at the chain, desperate to free myself. I tried to recall how I ended up here, but the memories slipped through my grasp. The last thing I remembered was Andie…

Pain shot through my head again and I sat back down, my memories slowly returning. I closed my eyes and I was pulled away to where I had been; behind the wheel, driving Andie home and just finishing a call with Luka.

The road stretched out ahead, the hum of the engine and the quiet chatter on the phone with Luka filling the car. Andie rested her head against the window, seemingly lost in her own thoughts. I could hear Dr Martin in the background, loudly arguing against sealing his own daughter's magic. What choice did we have?

"We have no other choice dad." Luka yelled out over the phone to his dad who grumbled lowly about something I couldn't pick up on my end. "I'll let Bonnie know and get the preparations started." Luka said to me, ignoring his dad. "Take care and thanks for offering your help. I know letting other people channel you isn't easy."

"I know but I can't keep avoiding it and it's much easier than finding another grave site of a hundred or so witches."

Luka sighed. "And that's not a sure method either. Dead witches are very picky."

"That's why I offered my help. I know it's dangerous but we're all in this together and as much as I want to trust Elijah…"

"He is Klaus' brother." Luka finished, sounding just as troubled as I was when Elijah confirmed it. "Klaus took Greta from us and he's coming to kill your friends. Things just got more complicated."

I grinned. "Welcome to Mystic Falls."

"You're funny." Luka retorted. "I'll talk to you tomorrow. Dad and I are gonna call your uncle to go over the spell needed to seal someone's magic from a long distance and I'll catch up with you tomorrow."

"Sounds good to me." I hung up.

Andie's quiet presence filled the car as I ended the call with Luka. She glanced at me, her expression a mix of curiosity and unease. "Sounds like you're about to do something dangerous."

"T-that's nothing you have to worry about."

"No, it's not." Andie turned away. "But it is something Damon will worry about."

My grip tightened around the steering wheel and I spared Andie a quick glance. She was still looking outside, her head resting on the cold glass.

"You and Damon are surprisingly close."

"I admit that I wanted him." She said slowly and I almost stopped the car right there on impulse. "But he doesn't want me or anyone so I settled for the next best thing—being friends."

"Damon doesn't do friends." I blurted out without thinking. Wait. Elena and him were technically friends. But this was Andie Star. She wasn't part of our little group. "He's using you."

"He's feeding on me, I know. I let him."

"Because he got into your head, Andie." I said. "Look, you're too good to be pushed around by Damon."

"He's been around for a while. Not to mention, he's a Salvatore. The doors he can open for me…someone like you can't even imagine that." Andie replied. She turned to me with a small grin and a curious twinkle in her eyes. "I know what he is; he's a vampire...and that's probably the most fascinating thing I've come across in my life as a small town journalist."

"It's really not worth it."

"He's a good partner." I gave her a strange look. "Platonically. He's helped me crack some cold cases and bring them back to print. I managed to get a promotion I've always wanted by solving something that even the Sheriff office couldn't back in the 1950s—that's gotta count for something. All I had to do was help him out a few times and give him my blood. A win-win and I really think he's a good person—even if he acts like he's not."

"Right."

"And he cares about you."

"Right." I repeated but Andie didn't look away. "Did Damon compel you to try to talk to me about him?"

Her eyes flickered to a pale golden hue and she shook her head.

"Forget what I just said." And she let out a quiet gasp. "Okay, so you and Damon are friends."

"Does it bother you?" She asked in turn, already back to normal.

'Yes.'

I thought about lying about my true feelings like I always did. I didn't have time for them. Caroline and Bonnie had softened a little towards him with Elena even offering her friendship to him. I was, admittedly, the only one of my friends still on guard with him.

Unfortunately, I was also the only one of my friends in love with Damon Salvatore and I was sure that it was Lydia Fitzroy's memories affecting me.

"Yes, it bothers me."

Her lips stretched wider into a grin and she clapped her hands, giggling. "I knew it. You're in love with him."

"Not a secret."

"You act like it is and Damon acts like you hate him."

"It's complicated and I don't know why I'm even telling you this."

"You're telling me this because you need to get it off your chest—go tell him how you feel."

"I did." I replied softly. "It's just…complicated."

"Is it complicated or are you trying to make it harder on yourself?"

I paused, taking in Andie's question. To some stupid extent, she was right. I was making it harder on myself. Andie, like my last therapist, Dr Rosales, was correct. I was making it harder on myself and refusing to let myself relax.

Well, I couldn't. Not with Klaus and Elijah in town.

"I have a lot going on." I said.

Andie nodded; she tapped the seatbelt a few times. "He worries about you."

"I'm sure he does and I worry about him."

"Then maybe you should tell him that unless…"

"Unless what?"

"Unless you enjoy stringing him alone."

The car came to a violent stop. Andie was pulled forward and nearly hit her head on the dashboard. I clutched the steering wheel tight and stared out the window.

"First of all, you're wrong and second of all, you don't know a thing about me."

"You almost killed me."

I started the car again and returned to the road. Andie's wild eyes followed my every move. She tugged at the seatbelt, pulling it closer. "I stopped the car—I didn't kill or hurt you, stop being so dramatic."

She let out a breath, nodding along in disbelief. "You know what…maybe you're right, maybe I shouldn't get involved…maybe you should pick up your phone and call Damon instead of me getting involved."

"I'm not talking to him tonight unless he calls or comes to see me."

"Of course you are."

"You're the one who said he needed space."

"It's been an hour."

I glared at her from the corner of my eyes, being very careful not to take my eyes off the road. "I know Damon better than you." I flinched at the slight snarkiness in my tone. God, I sounded like a jealous girlfriend. I was not Damon's girlfriend. "I know when and how long I should give him space and he needs to cool down. Besides, I'll talk to him in the morning."

The minute I finished talking my phone decided to speak up and start ringing. Andie looked at me knowingly and I rolled my eyes.

"It's not Damon." I stated, keeping my eyes on the road.

What was I even doing? Why was I even telling her all of this when I'd probably erase her memories at the end anyway.

Against my better judgment, I decided to check my phone. It was stupid I know but I just couldn't help it.

And sure enough, Andie was right.

Damon's name flashed on the screen in bold and Andie's eyes gleamed brightly. She had that smile on her face that I hated so much; it screamed 'I told you so'. I hated it.

"I'll pretend I'm not even here."

Andie shuffled closer to the side door and put her head back on the window. Her body was shrouded by the shadows, almost making her invisible to my eyes.

I stared at the phone and then back on the road, silently debating to myself whether or not I should even pick up. Did he even want to talk to me? Or maybe we'd fall back into our habits and argue.

I decided to pick up the phone and Damon's voice instantly greeted me. "Tell me you're seriously not going to let Elena die."

"I never said I would." I retorted. There we go again, arguing like always.

"You never said you wouldn't." Damon bit back.

I could hear shuffling in the background followed by a break and the sound of wind. He must've left the Boarding House. That meant Elijah was still there.

Damon carried on. "All you did was go along with Elijah. Don't tell me you trust him."

"I don't and I do." It was complicated and I really didn't want to go over it.

"So you do trust him?" There was a clear tone of betrayal in his voice and I flinched unconsciously hearing him. "You trust him."

"Not fully…"

"What does that even mean?"

"It means I trust what he told us about the Sacrifice, his brother and my grandmother." Elijah was the only one apart from Katherine in town who knew Klaus and I trusted his knowledge more than my own visions. My visions were erratic and made little sense sometimes. "I just don't…trust his method. I don't want Elena to die."

"Then why didn't you speak up?!"

"You think Elena would've listened to me, Damon?" She hardly listened to Jenna. That was who Elena was: stupidly stubborn. She always had to get the last say. But she was my best friend and I'd put up with it for a long time. Now, I couldn't.

Knowing that she wouldn't be the only one to die was enough for me to put me to go behind her back. Elena's plan was stupid. Damon was right that I should've said something to Elijah but I knew why I didn't. He wanted his brother dead and he didn't care who'd have to die to get what he wanted.

A sound plan if only I didn't risk losing more than just Elena.

Maybe Elena would come back to life because of that elixir that my grandmother made but what about the werewolf and vampire who were also going to be part of the sacrifice?

I could guess that Katherine turned Caroline and triggered Tyler's curse for that purpose alone. Katherine never had to say it, I knew. Why else would she go through all that effort?

The moonstone, Elena, Tyler and Caroline were her bargaining chips for freedom from Klaus. It was obvious thinking about it now. Maybe that's why she'd come to Mystic Falls back then. Isobel's family was from Grove Hill. Maybe there was another doppelganger here back then but she didn't find her. I didn't know if I was right on that.

What I did know was that Elena wouldn't be the only one at risk of dying.

"You could've tried." Damon said after a moment of silence. "Maybe she would've listened. Instead you're relying on some stupid elixir that we don't know if it even works."

"It might work." I replied. "My grandmother made it."

He paused and said. "Wait. Your grandmother made that elixir?"

"That's what I just said."

"Are you sure Elijah's not lying to get you on his side?"

"He has no reason to."

"Apart from getting you to trust him enough for him to kidnap you again."

I sighed and took one hand off the steering wheel to balance my phone better. "Look, I've…been seeing my grandmother's memories from that time again." I should've told someone about it a while back, I know that but I didn't and I felt like kicking myself over it. "My grandmother didn't want the curse to be broken—not because she pitied Katherine but it was like she needed to do something."

"Is that important?" Damon asked. "I mean if she didn't stop Katherine from dying none of us would be here trying to stop Klaus."

I didn't know the full extent of Klaus' curse but I did know witches. They were known for always having a condition for everything. "I don't think it's that simple. I think there's a chance Klaus would've come after Elena regardless."

"We don't know that—what we do know is that you and Stefan are okay letting Elena sacrifice herself—she's supposed to be one of your best friends! Hell, am I the only one who gives a damn about this? I've only been friends with her for less than a year."

"You're acting like I don't care." I fired back, my voice low and cold. "Look, Elena's not going to be the only one who dies in this stupid Sacrifice. The whole curse involves a doppelganger, a vampire and a werewolf alongside the moonstone to be broken. That means Elena's not gonna be the only one to die."

My throat tightened just as I was about to continue. I had to pause and take a deep breath before I could even continue.

"Katherine didn't come back to town for Stefan. She knew Elena was here because of Isobel—I'm sure of that—so she triggered Mason's curse and then Tyler's as a backup. She turned Caroline…which could've also been me." I bit my lip. It could've been me. The thought of it still kept me up. "What I'm trying to say is…" Again, my throat felt tight. "Elena's not the only one I'm gonna lose, Damon. I could lose Caroline too. Tyler's out of town so he's safe for now but Caroline is still here and if it's not Caroline then it could be Stefan or…you."

"We're all in danger." He said slowly. "Then why…why did you go along with Elena and Elijah's plan?"

"Because Elijah wants Klaus dead no matter what and all he's thinking about right now is keeping Elena alive and Klaus dead—doesn't matter if other people die."

"So you have a plan?"

"Sort of." I confessed and spared a quick glance to Andie. "...I had a talk with Luka and Dr Martin. We were thinking of getting Elena out of Mystic Falls along with Jenna and Jeremy."

"And that method worked out so well for Katherine."

"Katherine's entire family was slayed—I know that Damon, which is why I suggested taking Jenna and Jeremy."

"And you think Klaus won't be able to find them."

"He won't be if he can't even enter the town where I'll be taking them." I replied. "Look my grandmother was smart, she knew the curse couldn't be broken without any of the other ingredients. Vampires are abundant—no offense and werewolves probably weren't that rare back then so that left the moonstone and the doppelganger. Those two couldn't be substituted so she took those and Klaus never managed to break his curse so I'm thinking why not do what she did."

"Tyler and Mason aren't in town." He said slowly, realizing what I was trying to do from the start. "If Elena and her family disappear—there's no Sacrifice."

"That and Mystic Falls itself is an important to breaking the curse."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Klaus knew Katherine's home—her birthplace." I answered. "Katherine told me and I saw from my grandmother's memories that Katherine only mentioned Bulgaria as her place of origin, she never told Klaus or even Elijah where exactly she grew up—"

"But Klaus found her family and killed them…" He finished and let out a gasp. "Klaus was looking into her the minute he found her."

"And he was looking into Elena the minute Isobel found him."

"That doesn't mean the curse has to be broken here."

"Yes, it does." I said. "I gave Slater my grandmother's old journals that I found and he managed to translate them. Lexi brought them over and I had a look at them and sure enough, the birthplace of the doppelganger is important to breaking the curse."

I heard Damon curse Isobel on the other end and I couldn't agree more. Isobel's curiosity was going to get her own daughter killed. "Klaus would've made his way to Mystic Falls sooner or later."

"Look, we have until tomorrow's sunset to leave town and disappear." I said. "Plan B is for me to let Luka and Dr Martin channel me to take out Greta and the other witch—no witches means no curse being broken. And Bonnie has a better shot at killing Klaus—that's only if we have to."

"You already had it all figured out." Damon said and sighed. "Why didn't you just tell me?"

"I was trying to, you weren't listening."

"Right…" I could picture him shaking his head and I rolled my eyes at the image. "You know Elena or Jeremy won't go through with this."

I figured they wouldn't. Elena was too stubborn and Jeremy was no different. The Gilberts had no sense of self-preservation. There was a reason why not many made it to a ripe old age.

"Well, I have a way to get around that."

Damon chuckled. "So much for respecting Elena's choices." He said, mockingly. "It's a little late for that, don't you think?"

"Better late than never."

He didn't say anything for a while. I didn't cut through the silence either. I kept my eyes on the road while listening to the soft staticky music coming from the radio. I could occasionally hear Damon's footsteps in the background; he was pacing around. Probably thinking my plans through.

After a moment of silence, he decided to speak. "Both plans sound too risky." He stated. "Klaus could come after you when he figures out what you did."

"Except he already came after me, Damon." I pointed out. "I just…don't want to lose Caroline again or see Stefan and you die."

"You…" Damon drew out a breath. "You don't…want me to die? After all those warnings and you know…you don't want me dead…"

My nails dug into the leather cover of the steering wheel and I let out a breath, sparing a glance to the now sleeping Andie. "I don't because unfortunately, I realized I'm in love with you." A pin drop could be heard from the sudden silence on the other end. It didn't help that the staticky radio had decided to die on me right then and there. "You know…what…I'm gonna hang up. We'll talk about this later."

I didn't even let him say a word and I hung up. Andie sat up and looked at me, slowly blinking away her sleepiness. She said nothing but pointed out directions to her house.

I followed her directions and pulled into Andie's street . She lived on a fairly quiet street with six houses dotted around symmetrically on her street. Her house was the one at the end of the street and the only one with a near perfect lawn but strangely overgrown shrubbery.

"It adds character." Andie defended before I even had the chance to ask. "Just park here."

Andie got out of the car and stretched her legs. She looked over her shoulders and beamed brightly. I could see specks of blood on her exposed neck from Damon's bite that I'd healed before.

"Wanna come in?" She asked.

I made a sound and shook my head. "You really shouldn't invite people into your home in this town."

She laughed. "Why because they're vampires?"

Ignoring her, I looked around the street. It was quiet. Most of her neighbors had called it a night. Their curtains drawn and lights off.

"Damon talks too much." I mumbled.

"Because no one listens to him."

Andie climbed up the steps leading to her porch, taking out her keys. The jingle of the keys and quiet sounds of the wind were all I could hear. I heard a click and Andie pushed open her door.

I kept an eye on her, watching as she stepped over the threshold. I let out a breath as she turned on the lights inside but she didn't close the door and go inside.

She stopped, standing in the middle of the threshold of her house. She looked at me, a myriad of expressions on her face as she poked the insides of her cheek with her tongue like she wanted to say something but was holding herself back.

"You know I couldn't help but hear you mention Isobel." She began, leaning against the frame of her door. "By any chance is this Isobel, 'Isobel Flemming'?"

I really needed to talk to Damon about Andie later. "Maybe." I answered and turned around to leave.

"Alaric Saltzman's ex wife and Elena Gilbert's birth mother?"

"Damon talks too much." I repeated.

"He asked me to dig into her past." Andie replied and I turned around, still on the steps of Andie's house. "Not that I needed to dig much. She was John's girlfriend for a while—I went to school with them, two grades below but you know, I know John."

"So does everyone in town."

"True. He's a Gilbert and the town's 'favorite son', can't beat that." Andie replied. "But I hung out with his group for a while during my freshman year at highschool, I dated a friend of his. Isobel Flemming came into the picture around that time. She was a cheerleader and I'd just gotten into the squad. We played our first game of the season against Grove Hill—they lost, obviously but nobody cared about football, everyone cared about Isobel. John was no exception."

"So John and Isobel met at a football game, cute." I had no idea what Andie was trying to say. "Look, I'm sure Damon found this interesting but to me, I don't really care about how Elena's birth parents met."

"You haven't heard me out yet. I said Isobel was from Grove Hill not Mystic Falls."

"I know that."

"What I'm trying to say is that if I was this…Klaus, I wouldn't think Isobel Flemming had her kid in Mystic Falls."

Wait. What. I looked up at Andie and she tilted her head, making gestures, trying to hint something. "He'd think she'd have her kid in Grove Hill." I said quietly.

"Exactly." Andie said. "When Damon asked me to look into her and the possibility of her having a child, I looked through Grove Hill records like any other researcher but that didn't give me anything."

"Because Isobel had her kid in Mystic Falls."

"And it was covered up by Grayson and Miranda Gilbert." She finished for me. "Mr and Mrs Gilbert were actually close friends of former Mayor Richard Lockwood's father, the then mayor of Mystic Falls. He helped seal any records relating to the whole thing." She paused. "I'm sorry for eavesdropping but I was just thinking, if Klaus, the one you and Damon have both been looking into, was looking for Elena Gilbert, Katherine Pierce's doppelganger—"

"Wait Damon told you about that."

"Focus on what I'm telling you." Andie retorted and I sighed, motioning her to carry on. "If Klaus was looking into Elena Gilbert, wouldn't he have started his search in Grove Hill? That's where he'd find Isobel Flemming and from there—"

"He could easily find Elena."

"But that's not what you wanted to know." Andie turned away, still leaning on the doorframe. "I just thought it was something interesting to point out. Isn't your mom from Grove Hill? I heard you went back recently to visit your grandmother's grave."

I wasn't really listening to Andie, just nodding along. "Yeah, she passed away a long time ago." I answered. "Did Damon tell you that too?"

She shrugged. I really needed to talk to him. "You sure you didn't run into Klaus then? Damon said that Klaus knew you, maybe you met him and you didn't even know." My mind turned blank. "He was worried about you."

"What did you just say?" My heart was hammering against my chest and I took huge strides to get up the stairs to get to Andie.

"Damon was worried about you?" She repeated, confused.

"No, no, no." I shook my head, my hands getting colder and colder by the second as my head started to spin. "That's not—about Klaus—what you said about Klaus—about me running into him—"

"Right, I—" Andie was taken aback. "Maybe you should come in." She tried to pull me inside but I pulled back. Her hand around my wrist was too hot on my sudden cold skin. "We can talk inside."

"I don't have time Andie. I need to get Elena, Jenna and Jeremy out of town."

"Ava, you're shaking."

"Andie, don't tell anyone else about what we talked about." Her eyes turned a pale gold and she nodded. "You said that I might've met Klaus." I said slowly, pronouncing each of my words clearly for my own ears.

I'd always been careful, there was no way I'd miss something like that. No, I couldn't have missed it. I was so careful. My brother was there too.

"Well actually, it was Damon who said that." She said. "But he also said you can tell vampires apart."

"Of course, I can." I scoffed. I was descended from the oldest vampire hunters in history. My family and I, we just knew how to spot a vampire from a mile away. It was always deathly cold whenever they were there.

I was careful. We were careful.

"It was lovely to see you again."

Klaus' words echoed in my head and I kept shaking, backing off from Andie, almost tripping on the stairs. I'd know if I ran into Klaus in Grove Hill…

"Nik…" My voice was quiet, barely above a whisper.

"Nik?" Andie echoed back, managing to hear what I'd said. "Who's Nik?"

Who was Nik?

I never questioned it…

No, I was overthinking it. I'd know. I would. Wouldn't I? There's no way I didn't know.

Cold and sick, my head was spinning and it was hard to breathe. The cold didn't help me calm down at all. The sudden chill was not something I'd accounted for when I left the car.

Cold…

"Andie, go inside and lock the doors." I pushed her inside and turned around, my eyes scanned the empty street.

"What? Wh-what's going on?"

I sighed out loud and turned my back for a second to talk to Andie. "Don't question it, just go inside and don't let anyone in unless it's Damon, Stefan or me." I said and her eyes flickered to a pale gold.

"Oh my god." She gasped out and I turned around.

There standing in the middle of the road under the lights was an unmistakable silhouette of a man. A vampire. I swallowed and backed away a little, throwing a quick glance where my car was.

"Andie," I called out to the journalist. "Lock the doors!"

Andie's door slammed shut and I heard the sound of the lock clicking. I was left alone on the porch facing the shadow who'd taken a step forward and stepped into the light. He stood under the street lights.

I could see him clearer now. The unmistakable shade of dark blonde and that overconfident grin. "Nik…" I gasped out and his grin widened.

"Hello again." I blinked and he was at the foot of the steps to Andie's house. "I was just in the neighborhood and I had to stop by."

I swallowed. There was no mistaking it. Nik was Klaus. I just didn't notice it. I didn't want to see it.

"I see you're still traveling." I said, slowly backing myself off and trying to lure him away from my car. "How's the…art coming along?"

I could've turned back and asked Andie to let me in. But then I'd be putting her in danger. I didn't want anyone to die for me.

He chuckled, climbing a step. "It's going great. I followed my muse and I found a work that'll be my magnum opus."

I tried to smile and nod. "You know what they say about perfection—"

"What do they say, Aveline?"

"W-what did you just call me?"

"Aveline."

My smile dropped. "Klaus." I breathed out his name like it was poison and he grinned wildly. "You're Klaus, aren't you? You lied to me."

"I never lied." Klaus said softly, too gentle to be genuine. "I am Nik. It's just a nickname only my family and close friends refer to, much better than Niklaus. That's a mouthful, don't you think?"

"Did you have fun lying to me and watching me try to save my friends?"

His grin died and his brows scrunched up into frown. "I never intended to lie to you. I'd prefer it if you and the doppelganger didn't know one another at all but fate is a cruel thing."

"So you've come to kill me."

"Maybe if you were Kamilah, I would." He said and I drew dusts of light before throwing it at him without a warning.

Light blinded his vision and the lights on the street shattered in an instant. Klaus was thrown back a few feet away. His skin sizzled and burned. The stench of burnt flesh filled my senses and made me gag.

I ran towards my car and pulled back the light before raising my hand up to form them into smaller orbs. Klaus groaned out in pain before letting out a cold laugh. I pulled my hand back and with a little wave the orbs started to crash against his skin, burning him.

"I'd stop if I were you." Klaus growled out and I tried to open my car when a sharp pain made me fall to my knees. "Go easy on her. I don't want her dead." I heard Klaus say as my mind went blank in pain.

In pain, I clutched my head and buried my face down. The splitting headache was excruciatingly painful and I'd never felt anything like it before. Gasping for air, I took a stand slowly before turning around.

A witch stood behind me with her hand out. My head was blank and hurting, I let my head go and reached out to her. Light flowed out of my hand and sent her to the floor. I heard a loud crack and my headache was gone.

When I turned around to go for my car, Klaus was right behind me. "We don't have to fight, Ava." He tried to reach out for me, only to be thrown out. My bloodstone necklace felt hit against my skin and I was barely breathing as I opened my car and got in.

I'd barely manage to make it out of Andie's streets when I lost control of my car. The head splitting ache was back, spreading to my entire body. My car came to a screeching halt and I screamed out in pain, not even noticing the car door open.

My necklace was ripped out from my neck and I looked up to see a warlock at my side. He glared at me. On instinct, he was thrown back engulfed in light. The pain was gone but my head was spinning, I felt dead on my feet, too tired to move or think.

I was running on adrenaline and fear. The warlock stood up, his burns healing as he chanted a spell under his breath. Against my better judgment, I got out of my car and marched up to him. A quiet hum of power filled the air with every step I took, crackling every few seconds.

The warlock looked up at me, trying to back off while muttering a spell. My hands were engulfed in the light and I could see a sheen of pale iridescent gold-violet covering my skin. I grabbed the warlock, his skin burning under my touch as he let out a weak shrieking scream. His skin turned pale, almost death-like as his eyes turned milky white like he was dying.

The fog cleared in my head and I shot a ball of light straight into his stomach. The orb exploded on impact. I let go and he fell to the floor, clutching his stomach.

Klaus stood across the road with a strangely proud grin on his face. I pulled back the fleeting light and dozens of light orbs formed, circling me. He didn't back away. I clenched my fist and the orbs flew towards him, he dodged a few and a few exploded on impact.

My necklace. I needed to find my necklace before he recovered but I couldn't even turn away to look for it before I was already on my knees. That excruciating pain was back but it was much worse. My vision flickered and I could smell the over-familiar coppery stench of blood dripping down my nose.

"You're late, Greta." Klaus grumbled.

"Forgive me but she's more powerful than I'd anticipated."

"Greta…" I breathed out her name and looked up at the witch through a watery gaze. "Greta." A repeated her name.

She looked at me in sudden fear. Backing off, she started chanting faster.

"You're…Greta Martin." She let out a gasp and her chant became faster. The pain grew more unbearable. "Luka's sister…stop…please…"

"No…" Greta cried out. Her chanting slowed down and she stumbled on air. "She's…in my head…she knows my name."

"Please…" I cried, trying to stand up but almost falling.

My vision was flickering and my head spinning. I braced myself for impact, expecting to fall into the gravel road. But I didn't fall. My fall was cushioned, someone caught me before I even landed.

I barely managed to catch a glimpse of Klaus holding me close to him. "S-stop…"

"It's okay." Klaus murmured, pressing his head to mine. "I've got you…"

He slid a coin-like object into my closed fist. It burnt into my skin on impact. I struggled to breathe and choked on air. My vision turned black with Klaus' dark blue-green eyes looking down at me being the last thing I saw…

When the haze cleared I was sitting in the bedroom that I'd been chained in. Alone. My bloodstone necklace was gone and my phone along with my jacket neatly folded was on the other side of the room.

Unfortunately, I couldn't get to it. I tried to pull at my chain and move the bed but nothing worked. I was stuck there. Klaus, for whatever reason, had decided to lock me up and I didn't know why. Maybe he'd figured out that I was planning on following my grandmother's footsteps and take Elena and go on the run.

Probably wasn't that hard to do since he knew that I knew about the curse. And like a complete idiot I even shared my grandmother's journal with him. I was an idiot and too overconfident.

The bedroom door cracked open and a familiar face appeared on the other side.

"El–" Just for a second, I felt relief before that awful death-like chill wrapped itself around me in its embrace. "Katherine."

"You're up." Katherine said with a breath of relief, almost like she was worried about me. "I thought for a moment that Klaus killed you."

"Did I stop breathing?"

"No, but your heartbeat was faint." She held a tray up in the air and paused, putting her ear to the door before moving towards me. "I thought you weren't going to make it."

I smiled in disbelief. Were my ears deceiving me or did Katherine Pierce of all people sound concerned about me?

Katherine placed the tray in front of me and said. "Breakfast." She paused again, her attention on the door. "This is me paying you back for last time." She carried on and lifted the covers of the plates.

A plate of french toast and some soft-not-so fresh fruit. There was even a cup of coffee on the tray.

"You made this?"

"I didn't poison it or spit in it if you're worried." Katherine replied and sat down on the bed, the bed dipped low under her weight. "Eat up. I know it doesn't look appetizing but it's all Alaric Saltzman had in his fridge and pantry. Seriously, what kind of vampire hunter doesn't feed himself properly? At least, he had some good booze." She flopped back into the bed, laying across it.

I don't think she cared about what I said or thought. It was like she needed to talk to someone. Like someone who was going stir-crazy. It didn't occur to me that maybe Klaus had taken Katherine and locked her up. Honestly, I expected her to be dead or close to being dead but she was fine or as fine as a vampire could be locked up in a small apartment.

"So we're in Alaric's apartment?" I asked, carefully reaching for the sandwich.

"Unfortunately." Katherine answered, popping a strawberry into her mouth and immediately making a sour face. "Klaus caught me and…" She glared at the floor.

"You lost the moonstone."

"I lost the moonstone." She spat out. "So much for my freedom."

I took small bites of my sandwich while thinking. "You know…Klaus was never going to let you go free."

"I know." Katherine's voice was small and almost inaudible. She was still looking down. "But it would've bought me a lot of time if Klaus broke his curse without running into me."

I stared at her blankly. Katherine really wasn't as smart as everyone made her out to be. A part of her felt like she was a very naive girl, almost human and I almost pitied her—if I didn't remember what she did to Tyler and Caroline.

"You're not that bright."

"Speak for yourself." She fired back. "We're both here together, sunshine. Just you and me along with Alaric Saltzman's boring research and equally boring wardrobe."

"Explains why you're playing nice."

"Like I said, it's just you and me." She repeated. "Klaus comes and goes with his little cult so I've been stuck here alone."

"Yeah, well, I'm going to get out of here…" I said that and tried to pull on the chain, only to recoil in pain. My skin burned the minute I tried to touch the chain or the cuff on my wrist.

"Can't you use your magic or something? I mean if you're successful then maybe," Katherine stood up and took the empty tray. "We can both get out of here."

I didn't believe Katherine much but she had a point. "Just for the record, if I succeed and you leave me behind, Klaus is not the only thing you'll have to worry about."

"I wasn't planning to leave you behind." She fired back. "Believe it or not, I don't want you here either. If Klaus and his little witches get their hands on your blood, they're unstoppable for the next 24 hours, not even the entire Bennett bloodline could stop him."

My heart dropped and I stood up. "W-what did you say?"

Katherine wasn't listening. "Then again, you're not a full faery, are you?" I didn't answer her. "No, you're like a quarter but that might be enough."

"Wait. Wait. Back up a little. What do you mean about my blood?"

She sighed. "Elijah didn't tell you?" She sounded genuinely surprised like she expected him to tell me everything.

I shook my head and Katherine sighed tiredly. I didn't notice at first but Katherine did look very beaten up and strangely…human. It was freaky how sometimes I saw glimpses of Elena in her.

"And here I thought he'd tell you."

"All he said was I needed to get out of town."

"So you don't get in the way of him trying to kill Klaus." Katherine finished for me. "And your blood—if Klaus got his hands on it would've made it harder for him to kill Klaus." It was like she was talking to herself. "But between you and me, I don't think Elijah would ever kill his own brother—you do know Klaus and Elijah are brothers, don't you?"

"Yeah but you're not explaining anything." I felt like ripping my skin with how confused I was. "What does my blood do?"

Katherine hesitated. She stayed very still, her eyes on the door. She was trying to listen to something before she turned back to me.

"Take your pick, from boosting a witch's magic, being a mostly cure-all for humans and allowing vampires to walk in the sun. It can just about do anything." She said, "That's why faeries are so rare. Vampires, witches and humans practically hunted them to extinction along with werewolves."

"Klaus and Elijah were part of that, weren't they?"

"Obviously." I blinked and she was by the door, like she was waiting to leave the minute she heard something other than me. "They are the oldest vampires in history and there's vampires older than me so you can do the math."

"And did my grandm—Kamilah tell you all that?"

She nodded. "Kamilah used to give me her blood before she found a witch willing to make me a daylight amulet. She told me why she was hiding and why she was even there with the Originals etcetera."

"She spent her entire life running."

"We had that in common."

"You both sound insufferable." I mumbled and tried to touch the chain.

With a deep breath, I tried to summon the light. I felt warmth flood my left hand and my chest started to feel tingly like there were pins inside, pricking me. A few small fragments of light flickered in-between my palm like a dying candle.

It wasn't much and I didn't know if it would work. I had to try. Katherine was silent and watching me with a baited breath as I tried to melt the chain with my magic.

The light died before it could completely melt a link all the way through. Damn it. I tried to summon my magic again but the tingling sensation in my chest started to feel like it was burning before I knew it, my throat seized up and I couldn't breath.

Katherine rushed towards me and ripped my hands off the chain. She cried out in pain and crashed onto a fall on the other side of the room, glaring at the chain.

"I knew it." She grunted. "Of course, he had to dip it in vervain and had his little witches cast some spells."

"You're kidding me?"

Katherine turned her glare towards me and stood up. She raised her hands up in the air, her wrists facing me before she opened her palms wide.

"Does this look like I'm joking?!" She growled out.

Red and angry marks from the chain were imprinted on her skin like a branding, slowly healing, too slowly. She left the room and returned with a towel wrapped around her hand. She scrubbed the remnants of the vervain out of her hand before sitting across from the room from me.

I sighed. "I'm stuck here in my history teacher's apartment with Damon and Stefan's ex from hell. Just great."

She scoffed. "You're acting like I want to be here. Klaus compelled me to stay here."

"No, but you're not exactly helpful."

"And what can you do? Your magic's not working and you're chained to a bed."

"Not my fault."

"Uh-huh." Katherine disappeared and reappeared, the towel gone. "Want a drink?"

No, I didn't want a drink. I needed to leave. I wanted to scream at Katherine but getting on her bad side probably wasn't the best idea.

I blinked at her, annoyed and she just shrugged it off. Seriously? My friends were going to die and I didn't know who else was going to get hurt if I didn't l get out—

Katherine handed me a glass of something and grinned sarcastically. I looked up at her to say something when my head spun. My grip loosened the second I made contact with Katherine.

I saw Jenna…

"What?" Katherine looked over me in a faux concerned look and I recoiled. "I didn't even touch you."

I needed—no, I had to get out there. Katherine circled around the room, almost concerned, her mouth twitching with questions. She paused, her eyes on the door. With a shaky breath, backed off and left, disappearing with the half-empty tray of breakfast.

I was left alone in the room and the door shut like it was before.

I tried to pull on my wrist once more, biting down my lips to keep myself from screaming. All I could hear from the otherside of the door was muffled conversation. I could've sworn I heard my uncle's voice.

Damn it.

Another glance around the room and I pulled the chain against the bed, hoping I could maybe break the frame. It was wood and maybe if I kept pulling at the chain, the frame would break.

I pulled at the chain more vigorously and it rattled wildly against the floor. I pulled at it. The chain cut through my skin and drew blood but I carried on.

"Katherine, what—" I could've sworn I heard Damon's voice but I was too focused on trying to break the frame.

The door unlocked and I froze, a deathly chill overtaking my senses. My flight or flight instinct kicked in but there was nowhere to go or hide. I couldn't even fight back. I just prayed it wasn't Klaus behind that door.

"Oh my god." Alaric gasped out. "Ava?" He called out to me and I looked up at him in silent hope before backing away. "Wait. Wait. It's me." He said. "I'm back."

"Ric?" I asked, my voice hoarser than before.

Ric was shoved aside and Damon stood forward, Katherine lingering in the back. His wide eyes were bloodshot and he was shaking when he saw me.

He tried to say something but it was too quiet for me to hear him before he turned away and shoved Katherine against the wall. His hands around her neck tightened like a noose and Katherine looked to me, gasping for air.

"Wait." She tried to shove him off. "This…wasn't…me."

I wasn't going to interrupt but I had more important things to worry about. "Hey!" I called out to Damon. "As much as I'd love to see you choke the life out of Katherine, can someone get me out of here first?"

Damon let go and appeared in front of me, crouching on the floor in front of me. "What happened?" He asked and tried to rip the chain from my wrist, only to hiss in pain. "Vervain."

"And witchy spells." I added. "Klaus…he got one up on me and I…was too overconfident…I knew him…I met him before…in Grove Hill…I didn't even notice." The words spilled out of me before I could stop them.

"It's…not your fault."

"You think?" I retorted back, wincing at my tone. "I think I screwed things up."

"No, you didn't." He said, in a quiet voice. "It was Klaus." He stood up and looked at Ric. "Tell Nate to come up, we need a witch here."

I grabbed him before he could leave me. "Uncle Nate's here?" He nodded. "No, no. He needs to be with Jenna…Jenna, she's in danger."

Damon and Ric both looked at me in silence with Ric ignoring Damon to ask me. "You saw something?"

I looked at Katherine and nodded, not offering anything. Damon sighed out in frustration and looked at Ric again. But Ric was rooted to the floor.

"I'm calling Nate." Damon said and pulled out his phone to call my uncle to come up.

"Nate's supposed to be on the lookout."

"He's not alone." Damon fired back. "...Lexi's with him."

"Lexi is here too?" I asked.

Damon nodded. "You don't have to worry about Jenna. Dr Martin is with her while Luka's with Jeremy."

"You have it all covered, don't you?" I tried to smile but the sudden pain from my cuts made me gasp out in pain. The cuts began to heal but the pain didn't disappear.

He placed his hand on top of mine and I stopped moving. Katherine was still on the floor, gasping for air. He was about to say something when my uncle barged in.

"One day, one day is all I ask." Uncle Nate said, stopping to check on me. "Just…stay out of trouble for one day?"

"Save the lecture after you get me out."

He shook his head and looked at Katherine in disdain, muttering something under his breath. Katherine, who'd barely manage to get up, doubled over in pain. She clutched her head and tried to hobble out of the room.

She and Damon disappeared while uncle Nate dropped down to the floor and started to break the spell on my handcuffs. "So much for our plans." I breathed out.

"I had the tickets ready." He replied. "Jenna had her stuff packed. We packed Jeremy and Elena's bags too and then you just…"

"Got myself kidnapped? Yeah, I know."

"Rookie mistake?"

"You have no idea."

Uncle Nate knew exactly what I meant. That it was a long story—one that we didn't have the time to go over. Time was ticking and I needed to get out before Klaus returned.

The cuffs fell to the floor and uncle Nate stared at them with a strange look on his face. It was too easy—that was what he wanted to say but he didn't. He grabbed my phone and the bloodstone necklace from the nightstand. He pocketed my phone and put my necklace on before he roped my right arm around his neck, helping me stand.

I didn't see Damon or Katherine when I left the apartment. Uncle Nate used the back emergency exit and led me to his car. Lexi was nearby on the lookout. The minute she saw me, she turned to my uncle and threw a barrage of questions at him.

He only shook his head in response and Lexi dropped her questions.

"Did Katherine tell you guys where Caroline and Tyler are?" I heard Lexi ask Damon.

I was half-way into my uncle's car when I caught Lexi's question. "Tyler?" He wasn't supposed to be in town. "Wh-what's he doing back in town?"

Damon and my uncle awkwardly looked at each other, both silently signaling the other to answer my question before my uncle sighed. "Mason…got a call from Jules—the werewolf that tried to kill Damon and Mason's former pack friend. Somehow, Carol got injured and landed herself in the hospital."

"And Caroline?"

"Klaus took them." Damon answered, turning away from me. "I'm sorry but I promise you I'll get Caroline back."

I grabbed onto his sleeve and tried to follow him, only for Damon to turn around and gently remove my hand away from his sleeve. He gave me a sad but determined look and then he was gone just like that in the blink of an eye.

Lexi sighed and shook her head but I heard her mumble something about him being reckless before she got in the car. "I don't know what I'm gonna tell Stefan." She said.

I didn't know what else to say. My careful plans that I thought were good had fallen apart so easily that I didn't think I had a place to say anything. Lexi drove me home while uncle Nate spoke with Jenna on the phone.


Jenna met uncle Nate and I in the entrance of the Salvatore Boarding House. She had the door half-open, waiting for us to get inside. Dr Martin was behind her on the phone, barely standing thanks to his crutches.

"You're back!" Jenna threw herself at my uncle, wrapping her arms around him in relief.

Uncle Nate reciprocated the hug and patted her head, burying his head into the crook of her neck. I paused and awkwardly turned to Lexi who shared a look with me before we both turned to Ric. He had turned away and stared at the ground, kicking invisible dust, waiting for Jenna to notice him.

It took at least five minutes for uncle Nate and Jenna to part while Lexi walked past them, straight to Dr Martin who'd just gotten off the phone. "Anything from your son?" She asked and Dr Martin shook his head. "Great. Guess we're gonna have to do this the old fashioned way."

"You're not serious about…fighting Klaus, are you?" I asked.

Lexi shrugged. "We don't have any other plans anymore apart from going with what Elijah said. Maybe if we had more time, we could but Klaus got a fast one on us by going after you."

"I'm sorry." Maybe if I wasn't so overconfident in my abilities, I could've seen this coming. "I should've 'persuaded' Elena to leave last night."

"Elena wouldn't have gone." Jenna interjected. "You know how stubborn she is."

"That's not…" Uncle Nate looked at me. "That's not what Ava meant."

"Is there something else I'm missing? I get Lexi is a vampire like Damon, Stefan and Caroline. You're a warlock like Dr Martin and Luka, Bonnie's a witch—so she fits with you and the Martins. Tyler and Mason are werewolves."

"I'm part faery." I said, not bothering to waste time and pulling Jenna further inside. Ric closed the door and followed us but still kept his distance.

"Of course you are." Jenna stared at me and at uncle Nate. "How does that even work?"

"My grandmother from my mother's side was a faery and partly the reason why we're in this mess." I sat down in front of the fire and Jenna took a seat opposite me. "She should've let Katherine die."

"Who's Katherine?" Jenna asked.

"Elena's doppelganger." Uncle Nate and Ric answered at the same time.

"The doppelganger being Elena's ancestral twin?"

"That's one way to describe Katherine Pierce." Uncle Nate replied before Ric even had the chance to move.

Jenna looked helplessly and sighed. "I'm just going to…accept the unthinkable. Elijah Smith the cute historian is a vampire. Mason's a werewolf. Elena's a doppel-whatever—

"Doppelganger." Ric corrected her. "And you thought Elijah was cute?"

"That's what you decided to focus on?" Lexi said, going down to the cellar. No doubt, to grab a quick drink. She didn't even hear Ric's spluttering answer, she was gone.

"Back to this." Jenna turned to uncle Nate. "Is there anything else I'm missing? Like I don't know, maybe Jeremy's something supernatural."

"He's human." Uncle Nate assured her.

"Or so we know." Ric added and Dr Martin shook his head. He and the rest of us thought and knew Jeremy was human. He wouldn't be anything else.

Dr Martin circled the room slowly, dragging his crutches on the polished wooden floor before stopping at the threshold of the Boarding House's parlor. Just for a second, he struggled to speak but I knew what he was going to ask. It was about Greta. His daughter. I knew it was coming. That question and he also knew the answer to that.

Greta wasn't coming back.

She didn't want to come back. She wholeheartedly believed in Klaus' plans. It was heartbreaking to even think about how she'd just thrown her life away for someone who didn't care if she lived or died. Her only purpose to Klaus was to break the curse.

"You…saw her, didn't you?" Dr Martin hesitantly asked.

"I'm sorry." I said and he shut his eyes, swallowing up his tears. "She…was one of the witches that attacked me last night."

"You didn't kill her, did you?"

I did come close to it but I didn't say it out loud to Dr Martin. We needed him on our side. "I couldn't even if I tried." So I lied.

"D-did she say anything about me—about Luka—about us?"

"She doesn't want to be found and I don't think Klaus used magic on her to get her on his side."

Dr Martin looked like he would collapse where he stood the more I talked so I stopped talking. Greta didn't want to be saved. That was something he and Luka already knew from the start but he didn't want to hear it from anyone else.

I backed away so did Jenna, uncle Nate and Alaric to give him space. Dr Martin was grieving Greta. He was already mentally preparing for the worst and the Sacrifice hadn't even taken place yet. We all had time but Dr Martin was prepared for the worst.

Turning to uncle Nate, I was about to ask him if he brought me a change of clothes when Jenna handed me a messenger bag—the one I usually took to school. She and uncle Nate had guessed I'd need a change of clothes and had been prepared.

Mason, who had just come downstairs, had offered to make lunch. He seemed anxious and very jittery, concerned about Tyler and Mrs Lockwood. One being missing and the other in the hospital as I was told.

My uncle made Mason go and sit down while Jenna attempted to try and offer her help only to be shot down by Ric and uncle Nate. I left them in the kitchen and went up to Damon's room to take a shower and change.


Steam rolled out of Damon's bathroom as I stepped out of the room, changed into a pair of black flared jeans and a long sleeve maroon blouse. My hair was dripping wet with water droplets falling onto the floor and dampening my shirt.

I had to take a step back and hope that the water on the floor would dry before Damon came back. If not, I would be stuck listening to him complain about the wet floor or how I should just dry my hair in the bathroom.

Turning away from the spillage on the floor, I went straight to the mirror. I picked up my towel and ran it through my damp locks.

The bloodstone necklace felt cold on my skin and my face was pale. I'd noticed dried specks of blood on my neck, probably from the impact of my fight with Klaus and the witches last night.

But it could've been worse.

I could've been dead or in a coma…

A sudden chill swept over me, sending shivers down my spine. Instinctively, Damon was all I could think of. Lexi usually knocked and so did Stefan. But Stefan wasn't home.

"Damon?" I called out, thinking he'd returned and that Caroline and Tyler were safe.

But when I turned around, it wasn't Damon standing there—it was Elijah.

I took a step back, almost colliding with Damon's mirror behind me. I didn't expect him of all people to show up and it didn't help that I was on the edge from what happened with Klaus.

"Elijah." I breathed out his name with what little air I had left in my lungs.

His piercing gaze met mine, and I felt a shiver run through me once more, this time not from the cold, but from the intensity of his presence. Elijah's demeanor was calm and composed as always, but there was something in his eyes that made me feel as though he could see right through me.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," Elijah said, his voice smooth and steady. "I did knock."

I nodded and my hand went up to the bloodstone. It turned hot with my touch, unbearably hot like it would burn an indentation on my neck. "I…heard. I just…thought you were—"

"Damon Salvatore?" He guessed with a subtle ghost of a smile on his face but his eyes were cold. "I assume he brought you back from…Klaus."

"You're asking me if Damon saved me from your brother—then yes."

Elijah flinched and turned away. "I'm sorry." He said. "I didn't expect Klaus to be so…bold. He's never done anything like that before. I didn't think he'd actually go out of his way to harm you."

"Well, I'm not dead so."

"But you're not unharmed."

I let out a quiet laugh and covered my mouth, holding back a series of curses. He was one of the oldest vampires, Ava. I kept repeating that to myself like a mantra, physically holding myself back. I wanted to tell him about the witches and about how his brother had not just fooled me for the past few months but also spent time stalking me.

Who was I kidding?

Elijah was more or less the same. The only difference was that he was supposedly on our side.

If Katherine didn't let me know about my blood, I would've been more receptive to Elijah and even trusted him at that moment. Yet I couldn't. I stared at the floor and didn't meet Elijah's overbearing gaze. I didn't even notice he was right in front of me until I looked up.

I could see him or his shadow, standing so close to him, close enough to touch. "...Did you know?" My voice was shaky, quiet and hoarse, rough like sandpaper. "D-did you know about my blood?" I asked again, looking up at him with a pained gaze.

Elijah's face was blank but I swear I saw a flash of guilt. Or maybe I wanted him to feel guilt for keeping me in the dark. "Yes." He answered, tucking my damp cool hair behind my ears and sending shivers down my spine. "That's why I asked you to leave Mystic Falls and even attempted to take you somewhere safe but you didn't listen."

"Don't." I took another step back.. "Don't blame me. You could've told me the truth."

"So you could tell the Salvatore brothers?" He countered. "One of whom is a known Ripper in rehabilitation while the other pretends he's in control and not that he is just as impulsive and bloodthirsty as his brother. Tell me why I should've told you that your blood is precious to vampires?"

"Because it's mine?!" I cried out. "That—that's something that I should've known. I had to find out from Katherine of all people."

"Kamilah told Katherine, then." He said to himself and then turned back to me. "I kept you in the dark for your safety."

"Klaus…he was coming for me for my blood, wasn't he? You knew."

"Your blood would have ensured that the Sacrifice went without interruptions." I raised my brow in confusion and Elijah let out a frustrated sound. "It would've made him harder to kill and made his witches strong. It probably did."

"You don't know that."

"I don't have to. I know what your blood does and I know my brother. He'll make sure to take all precautions. I know him." Elijah said.

"Enough to want him dead?"

"He needs to be stopped."

I understood what he meant. Klaus was dangerous. But I was not willing to lose Elena, Caroline and Tyler for a shot in the dark. "I'm sure he does but you know if the Sacrifice goes the way it does, there's no guarantee you'll be able to stop him."

Elijah nodded. "You're worried about your friends."

"Elena's not the only one in danger." I reminded him. "If this fails, she's not the only one who'll die, Tyler, Caroline and even Bonnie won't make it. At least, you have a way to bring Elena back, there's no way to bring Caroline or Tyler back."

Elijah looked away. "Unfortunately, the elixir is of no use."

My heart dropped. Even if I didn't trust the elixir, for me it was the backup plan. It was the only hope we had in saving Elena. Elijah had promised that it worked and now he was telling me it wouldn't work.

"I…don't understand. You said—"

"I know what I said yet unfortunately, I didn't take into account how reckless Damon Salvatore could be, more so in your absence."

"What did Damon do?"

Before he could answer, I heard footsteps outside the room. I only looked away for a second and when I looked back, he was gone. I was left standing alone in Damon's room.

I heard a few knocks come after Elijah had disappeared followed by Lexi's voice asking me if I was in Damon's room. I didn't answer her, my mind still on Elijah and the elixir. I didn't understand. He said it would work but now, he was blaming Damon for the elixir being useless. I didn't understand.

"Are you alone? I thought I heard someone." Lexi poked her head into the room.

I should've mentioned Elijah yet I didn't. My mouth wouldn't utter his name so I said. "I'm alone now."

She looked at me with a funny look. I expected her to pry but instead she moved on. "We have an emergency."

"Of course we do." We couldn't go one second without an incident. I moved aside and let her inside Damon's room. She marveled at it and momentarily forgot what she'd come for. "Lexi? What happened?"

"You know I'm surprised how comfortable you are with Damon now."

"Don't start."

"Bad timing?"

"The worst." Lexi smiled and I asked again. "So what's the emergency?"

"It's a full moon." Lexi answered and I nodded. "You didn't forget, did you?"

Of course, I didn't forget that it was a full moon. The Sacrifice could only take place during a full moon. I couldn't forget about the damned moon even if I wanted to.

"No, I didn't." I said. "I already know."

Lexi nodded along to herself. "So you have a plan to deal with the…" She hesitated for a second and looked out the half-closed door behind her. "The werewolves."

Damn.

I shut my eyes and let out a deep breath. The thought of Mason and Tyler's cursed transformations had completely slipped my mind. Damn it. I looked back at Lexi and bit my lips. I needed to keep her away from Mason while she was around.

"Stefan told you about a werewolf bite, didn't he?"

She grimaced. "Unfortunately, I heard about Rose-marie and how she…um…died." She looked back at the door and took a step forward. "It doesn't work during daytime, does it? Just asking."

"Werewolf bite?" She nodded. "No, werewolves have to be in transformation which reminds me, you need to stay away from Mason when he transforms."

"How's that going to work if he's a rabid wolf out of his mind when he transforms—his words not mine."

"You spoke with Mason?"

"I thought I'd get to know him and Stefan was not here so…"

Stefan and Elena. I hadn't seen either since I'd been back. "Where is Stefan—"

"...Last trip with Elena before the…you-know. He took her to the falls."

My heart clenched. I helplessly bobbed my head. "God, if I wasn't so blind, I would've been half-way across the country by now."

With a quiet sigh, Lexi patted my shoulder in comfort, saying it wasn't my fault. It sure felt like it was. I'd given away my grandmother's journal and told Klaus that we knew without even knowing that Nik was Klaus. I was an overconfident fool.

"Let's focus on the now, okay?" Lexi said. "I came to help Stefan, not watch you both wallow in pity—"

"You shouldn't have come back." It wasn't safe for her or anyone. "Lee's not going to be too happy if anything happens to you." I still remembered how he tried to kill Damon in grief and almost hurt Elena in the process after he nearly lost Lexi.

Her eyes softened at the mention of her boyfriend. "I'll be fine. I promised him I'll be fine."

"Still," I didn't want Lexi involved. She was Stefan's best friend, the only one who knew him better than Damon or anyone in the world and most of all, she was the only one who knew how to handle Stefan's urges.

"You're worried. I get it. It's nice to know that you're worried about me, not just Stefan or Elena."

"Because you're not a bad person."

"Thank you." She smiled and I couldn't smile back. I had this sick feeling in the pit of my stomach that something was going to go wrong. "Stefan needs me." She said. "Someone's gotta make sure he doesn't martyr himself."

"I think you should get out of town before sundown."

Lexi said nothing for a moment and I knew then that nothing I said to her would change her mind. She was staying till the end. She changed the topic with ease and started talking about her past with Stefan and how happy she was that he had finally found friends.

It felt nice talking to her face to face and not just on the phone. She told me about Slater and how happy he was being given a safe haven to study and research without worrying about threats. She told me about Lee, her smile brightening with every word she spoke of him and their future.

Talking to her was comfortable and easy. It made me forget the looming threat of Klaus and Elijah's foreboding words. I could see why Stefan had eased up to her so quickly and why the two had stuck together for over a century. Lexi was a good person and even turning into a vampire didn't change who she was. Yet I still couldn't relax fully.

"You okay?" She'd noticed that I must've been feeling sick or something. "Is it the full moon?" She tried to joke. "I know Mason mentioned something about it but I didn't know it affected you as well."

"As you can see, it's not the moon that I'm worried about."

"Right, you were kidnapped by Klaus."

"And two of my childhood friends are missing."

"We'll find them." She said with a gentle squeeze of my hands.

I believed her but it did little to reassure me. Even if Damon managed to get Tyler and Caroline out, what about Elena?

Awkwardly, Ric walked into Damon's room. "We need some chains for Mason." He said to Lexi.

Lexi nodded with a thin smile. "I remember. I came to ask Ava about the bites."

"Okay, um, well, we need to get some chains before sunset so I was thinking of dropping by the hardware store—"

"You want me to come with you?"

"I did ask Nate but he's protecting Jenna and Mason so it's just the three of us."

"Ava's not leaving the house." Lexi stood up and was at the door before I could blink.

I tried to follow her but I was slow and a little clumsy, almost tripping on air. "Wait. What do you mean I'm not leaving?"

"Klaus took you last night, remember?" Lexi pointed out. "We can't have a repeat of that when Elena's in danger and two of your friends are missing. Stay here with your uncle."

"But—"

"She's…right." Ric said slowly. "It's not safe for you out there."

I sighed. I couldn't argue. If I did go with them, there was no saying that Klaus wouldn't come after me again or one of his witches could ambush me for all I knew. Didn't help that I was still suffering from the aftermath of the attack. I relented and backed off, letting Lexi and Ric leave.

Ric hovered by the front door for a minute longer than he was supposed to, staring longingly at Jenna. I caught a few of his thoughts by accident. His guilt towards Jenna was loud and clear but in the midst of those thoughts, I could hear his regret over letting go of Isobel.

Isobel had compelled him.

I was about to ask him about it. I stopped myself and turned around. The last thing I wanted was to let him know that I'd read his mind—it was an accident. Still I didn't want to sound like a freak or upset him. Besides, it wasn't my place to ask him about Isobel.

I stood to the side and watched Lexi go off with Ric. She noted down exactly what kind of chains Mason needed while uncle Nate decided to leave with them to get some wolfsbane from the Fitzroy gardens.

Obviously, Jenna was worried and that didn't go well with Ric who became even more awkward and upset, waiting for Jenna to at least acknowledge him. All she did was bid him goodbye with a quiet 'be careful' while she sent my uncle off with a quick hug.

Needless to say, Ric's relationship with Jenna was almost over. I couldn't help but feel bad. I did warn him that secrets kill, not just people but also relationships. It was on him for keeping everything from Jenna, especially Isobel.

Mason was the only one brave enough to point out the awkwardness between Jenna, Ric and my uncle. Not a second later, he almost tripped and fell on the floor, catching himself on the frame of the door. Unfortunately, he wasn't so lucky when the coat hanger fell on his hand and my uncle laughed, telling him to watch his head.

Only when Ric, Lexi and my uncle had left did Jenna turn to Mason and I. "Ric and I broke up." She said and followed Mason into the kitchen where my uncle had left the half-cooked lunch for the rest of us.

Mason and I quickly took over before Jenna could. I got to work on the sauce for the chicken while Mason chopped up the salad.

"Ric and I broke up." Jenna repeated and I nodded along with Mason. "I just couldn't do it. The secrecy and all. He told me about Isobel and I tried to understand but I don't think I can do it. The whole supernatural thing."

Mason made a face. "Your best friend's a warlock and I'm a werewolf, Jenna."

"I don't mean you two." Jenna replied. "Especially not Nate. He's been honest with me since we were kids. I meant that I don't think I can date someone who's still in love with their ex."

"Isobel?" Mason and I said at the same time.

Jenna nodded. "Ric told Nate and I that Isobel did love him and she compelled him to forget that and his feelings for her right before she died."

"Doesn't mean he's still in love with her." Mason tried to point out.

"Nate said the same thing and Ric swore that he's not but I don't—I can't believe him anymore, not after the countless lies."

"He did keep you in the dark." I said and Jenna nodded. "His way of protecting you I guess. I just don't understand why he didn't tell you about Isobel."

"Sounds like he had a complicated reason." Mason offered.

Jenna snorted. "Funny how Nate said the exact same thing and Ric still couldn't cough up an answer. He asked Nate to take his side. Can you believe Ric? Nate's my best friend—"

"Best friend." Mason echoed with a grin but his eyes held a sliver of pain. Tyler was still on his mind.

"He's my best friend." Jenna rolled her eyes. "And I couldn't take Ric lying to me so I broke it off. If that wasn't enough, he tried to convince me about Elena sacrificing herself—that the whole Sacrifice thing was okay and that Elena would be fine. Can you believe that?! I get Elena, she's young and she thinks she's doing the right thing but she doesn't know any better. I'm supposed to be her guardian but god, I knew nothing about what she was going through and now she's telling me she wants to die instead of letting someone else deal with it. Can you believe her?"

"I don't know enough to say anything about it." Mason replied, trying to play along.

"Think about it? If Elena was Tyler—shit, Tyler's still missing, um, I'm sorry."

"He was my responsibility like Elena was yours." Mason said with a sigh. "I shouldn't have listened to him and turned back. I should've asked Nate to check up on Carol."

"The kids these days—a little too mature for their own good." Jenna turned to me and placed her head on her hand. "You're in it too but unlike Tyler and Elena, you've got your head screwed on your shoulders."

Mason laughed. "If only you knew."

Jenna paused and glanced back and forth between me and Mason. "Come on." She said. "I thought you were more sensible."

"It was like once or twice. You're acting like I'm suicidal or something." I said.

I made a few mistakes but I was not as bad as my friends. Honestly, I wasn't. Okay, maybe I had my moments but I swear I wasn't that bad.

"That's not what Nate told me." Mason said in a quiet teasing voice.

"Seriously?" Jenna raised her brows.

I gave up. Those two had already made up their minds about me anyway. So I changed the subject and busied myself with finishing up the lunch. Mason did the same while Jenna all but interrogated him about his trip with Tyler and college.

I didn't really think Mason went to college but I guess I was wrong. Unlike Jenna and most of the Mystic Falls residents, Mason didn't go to Duke or Whitmore. He went to University of Florida, I didn't really expect that or expect him to have a degree in Business but he said it was an easy degree, something to do to keep his trust fund until he was twenty one.

Both Mason and Jenna seemed more relaxed now than before. Mason was even cracking jokes and Jenna was laughing, though much muted than her usual laughter. Both of them had a heavy cloud hanging over them and neither knew if Elena or Tyler would be safe.

Looking at them, I never felt more helpless in my entire life. If I just took Katherine's warning, I could've taken Elena out of town and hid her away. There would be no sacrifice. Tyler and Caroline would be safe.

Klaus would never find us in Havensbrook anyway.

"You're back." Jenna had noticed uncle Nate returned before any of us did and she'd already gone over to check on him. "Nothing happened right?"

Uncle Nate smiled. "Apart from cutting myself with gardening shears—I'm good."

"Drama queen."

The two laughed, staring at each other and Mason groaned. "Get a room!" He shouted across the room but slid a plate of chicken tomato pasta across the table towards uncle Nate, motioning him to sit down and eat as he returned to the kitchen to get more plates for the rest of us.

The four of us ate in relative silence with Jenna, uncle Nate and Mason breaking it every now and then with lighthearted jokes or talking about the past that I was not interested in joining. Even if I didn't tell them, I was on the edge. Nervous and scared that I hadn't seen Stefan, Elena, Lexi or Damon for a while.


"Ric and Lexi are taking too long." Uncle Nate covered the windows with the curtains while Jenna lit the fireplace in the parlor.

Mason stood by the corridor and nervously stared at the front door as the sun set. "It's almost night." He said. "I think I'll have to take a chance and go back to the old Lockwood estates."

"Too risky."

"I can't stay here Nate." Mason was already at the door and I followed him. "What if I hurt you, Ava or Jenna? I can't stay here and just lock myself in the cellar knowing that I could get out."

"I could try and hold you down with magic." Uncle Nate offered.

Jenna anxiously looked over to me for some explanation. I didn't know what to say. I didn't even know if my uncle was strong enough to even pull it off.

"...Will that work?" Jenna asked when I didn't say anything.

Uncle Nate looked around and said. "Honestly, I don't know but it's worth the effort. Mason can take the wolfsbane-infused water and weaken himself while I find a spell to hold him down when he turns."

"What about a binding spell?" I offered, remembering it from Luka's grimoire. I was sure we had something like that in grandma Janine's grimoire. "We–you could try binding Mason to one of the cells down in the Salvatore cellar temporarily."

"That could work but I'll need a lot of magic."

"Full moon." I reminded.

"Oh, that's smart, drawing magic from the moon."

"Oh okay." Jenna nodded along. "Is that why Klaus needs to do the Sacrifice tonight?"

"Yes."

"And no." I added. "He's…a hybrid. I know. It sounds ridiculous—technically he's considered unnatural but he's a hybrid so his other side needs the moon to come out. At least that's what I know from Elijah and Luka."

"Hybrid." Jenna echoed. "Of what?"

"A werewolf and a vampire."

"Of course he is." Jenna laughed in disbelief to herself and sat down on one of the sofas, taking out her phone to call Jeremy.

Ric and Lexi still weren't back but Mason was already going down to the cellar with my uncle. He had the bottle of wolfsbane infused water while uncle Nate had grandma Janine's grimoire in his hand. I still waited by the door, expecting both Ric and Lexi to walk through the door but nothing.

I looked over my shoulder and Jenna was still on the phone when I thought I heard Elena's voice. With a quick look behind me, I snuck off to check the front door, only to find no one there.

That's when I felt it. That deathlike chill.

"...Katherine?"

I thought it was her. It had to be. But when I turned around, I was met with familiar blue eyes that I wish I never saw in the first place.

"Klaus." I stumbled back inside and held the door.

The lights on the front porch of the Salvatore Boarding House started flickering on and off while Klaus stood there with that stupid grin on his face and fury in his eyes.

He chuckled at my reaction and reached for me. A shimmery wall of light shot up between us, cutting him off. "Now what are you doing here, love? I thought I told you to stay in that apartment."

"Funny you think I'd listen to you."

"You were half-sleep when I did talk to you, so fair point."

"Get out! Leave!"

Klaus' gaze hardened. "I'm not here for you."

I kept my hand on the doorknob. "As you can see Elena's not here." I breathed out.

"I can see that." He wasn't looking around. His eyes were on me, moving with my movements. "You didn't happen to tell Stefan Salvatore to take her out of town, now did you?"

"Why? So you can kill her family like you killed Katherine's?"

"Ah, Katerina filled you in on her tragic backstory." He turned away and covered his mouth in frustration. "After everything I've done for you—you decide to be so damn difficult. I don't mean you any harm. All I want is to break my curse—"

"Which means that I'll be losing three of my friends."

"I'm sure you have enough."

"How could you even say that?"

"Please, don't act like my brother isn't doing the same thing—he wants me to break the curse so he can put me out of my misery. How noble of him!" He paced around the front of the porch and I looked over my shoulder to check if either my uncle or Jenna had noticed Klaus. "Giving me what I want, only to use it to kill me."

He knew. He knew all along that we were working with Elijah. I didn't take that into account. "Elijah is…"

"Better than me? More noble because he wants to slay the beast—even though we're both the same at the end of the day and neither is Damon Salvatore any different."

I flinched and turned away. "Get out!"

"Don't take that tone. We both know I'm right. I know you even if you don't remember. I know you, Aveline…"

The wall of light started to crack and from the cracks, a few orbs of light escaped. They spun around Klaus, following his every move.

"Where is Damon Salvatore?"

"I don't know."

"Ah but you do because my primary werewolf and vampire are missing."

I almost smiled in relief but held myself back. "What does that have to do with Damon?"

"Oh, you know exactly what that has to do with Damon."

"I don't. Leave!"

The orbs ran straight towards him but he dodged them with ease and I blinked, the wall of light shattered. Klaus took that as an opportunity to try and reach for me. I took a step back and he crashed into the invisible wall.

He was gone in the blink of an eye. I didn't even realize I was shaking or that time had passed until I saw Ric's car pull up to the driveway. He and Lexi got out with Lexi carrying the chains Mason asked for.

I didn't tell them about Klaus and just led them down to the cellar.

Ric attached the chains to the walls of the cell Mason would lock himself in while Lexi helped Mason wrap the chains around himself. Uncle Nate spelled the chains hurriedly and Mason started drinking one of the bottles of the wolfsbane infusion.

"Is this all really necessary?" Jenna asked carefully. She wrapped her arms around herself and stood at the other end of the corridor with an uneasy look on her face.

"I usually do more." Mason replied with a grimace and dropped down to the floor in pain.

His eyes flew open wide. His skin red and blistered from where the wolfsbane infusion had made contact.

Lexi pulled Jenna away and dragged her back upstairs. "This is for his own good and ours." She said.

I nodded. "If Mason doesn't do this then he'll endanger us."

"But," Jenna glanced back down at the cellar. "He's in pain."

"And we'll be dead if he doesn't chain himself." Lexi replied.

Jenna stopped. Mason's screams rang through the Boarding House as Lexi hurriedly closed the door leading down to the cellar. Uncle Nate was still down there, watching Mason with Ric.

I stared at the closed door and Klaus' words echoed in my head. Tyler. He was out. Damon managed to get him out with Caroline. It was only a matter of time before the moon reached its peak and he transformed.

"Did you and Ric grab an extra set of chains?" I asked, running back to the parlor and checking the windows to see if Damon had returned.

"Yeah, why?"

"Tyler." I reminded. "He'll be back soon."

Lexi stopped and covered the windows. "How do you know that?"

I hesitated. I really didn't want to talk about Klaus being here or the fact that I thought I heard Elena around the house. Still, I needed to let her know.

Slowly, I started to reply. My words were muted and breathless, barely audible and Jenna had to strain to even hear me speak. "Klaus…was here."

Jenna's face crumbled and she looked to Lexi for an explanation. Lexi didn't know. I didn't tell anyone.

"When?" Lexi asked, grabbing my arm.

"Right before you and Ric came back but that's besides the point. He said he lost his werewolf and vampire. We have the upper hand."

"But Damon's not back yet." Jenna pointed out.

"He'll be back soon." I said.

He had to be. He promised.

"How are you so sure?" Lexi questioned.

"Because I know."

Lexi didn't ask anything more and went outside to get the chains out from Ric's car, leaving me and Jenna in the parlor. She was pacing now. Worried sick out of her mind.

Caroline and Tyler were safe. Elena was still in danger.

I tugged at the bloodstone pendant around my neck while Jenna paced around the room, telling me that I shouldn't have kept Klaus' visit to myself. I should've told my uncle. I was only half-listening, half-focusing on the door.

Maybe I shouldn't have asked Lexi to go get the chains. I should've gone with her.

"Ava, you're not listening." Jenna called out, waving her hand in front of my face.

I blinked and turned to Jenna helplessly. "Sorry, um…you were saying?"

"Have you heard from Elena—a text or anything?"

I shook my head. Elena and Stefan had both sent me a few calls and that was hours ago. I didn't manage to reach them after I'd come back and my phone was dead and on charge.

Jenna sighed, throwing her head back frustrated. If I felt helpless with my magic and with everything I knew, I couldn't imagine how Jenna must've felt at that moment. She was helpless and weak.

"Here." I took off my necklace and handed it to her.

She stared at me and then the necklace. "What are you doing?"

"It's bloodstone." I explained. "I know they're not particularly rare or expensive but these ones are rare…they're magic." I tried my best to explain it but honestly, I didn't know how these were different from the typical bloodstones out there. Everything I knew was from my uncle, aunt and my grandmother.

"Magic? Did Nate spell this or something."

"Not exactly." I said. "It's a family heirloom that dates back to the late 1500s, these particular bloodstones repel vampires and help heal injuries."

"So it's like vervain."

"No." I replied. "Vervain is vervain. This is…stronger."

Jenna looked down at the necklace again and shook her head. "I can't take this. You need it more than I do."

I know I did but Jenna needed it more. She had nothing to protect herself. Vervain wasn't enough when Klaus' witches were prowling around town.

"You're human Jenna." I reminded her. "Just wear this for tonight." I placed the necklace on the palm of her shaky hand and backed off. "When this is over, you can give it back."

Jenna bit the bottom of her lips and shook her head. She tried to give it back but I didn't take it. I'd made up my mind. Jenna needed it more. I just had a feeling she did. The same feeling that told that I needed to call Lexi back inside.

"Nate's not gonna be happy about this." She said and I smiled, already hearing the complaints of my uncle from the distance.

"Yeah, yeah. I know. Just wear the necklace and give it back to me tomorrow or whenever you feel like it." I said and left Jenna in the parlor to grab my phone off the charger, call Damon and check on Lexi.

Damon picked up on the first ring. "Hey, is everything okay?" He asked.

"So far so good. Mason chained himself in one of the cells in the cellar." I began. "Ric and uncle Nate are watching over him—how's things on your end?"

"Peachy just peachy." I could hear his annoyance in his low voice and the cicadas screaming in the forest. "Matt here decided he wanted to play here—slowed me down a little but we're good now. I managed to get Caroline and Tyler out—you're welcome."

"Thank you." And I meant it. He didn't have to risk his life for my friends but he did it anyway. "I…mean it. Thank you for what you did. Please hurry up and get back."

Damon chuckled. "Woah there. I know you missed me but come on—there are children around."

"Funny Damon." I smiled to myself. "But Klaus was here."

He grew quiet. I heard Caroline's voice in the background, worrying about Tyler while Matt—Matt, I didn't even realize he knew—he was asking Tyler if he was okay. Tyler was close, so close to turning and the moon hadn't even reached its peak yet.

"...Did you try to hurt you?"

"No but I don't think he'll give up. That's besides the point, Damon." I needed them to hurry up. "Damon, he knows. He knows that you freed Caroline and Tyler. You need to hurry up and get back."

"Alright." Damon didn't joke around anymore, concern was evident in his voice and I could picture his handsome face scrunching up into a frown. "Stay safe and stay inside."

"Hurry, okay?" I was about to say something more when I heard Jenna's scream ring through the Boarding House.

Quickly, I hung up on Damon and hurried back downstairs, nearly crashing into Ric who was following my uncle on his tail. Jenna was on the floor by the front door and in front of her was Elena…

No.

It wasn't Elena.

The cold bitter chill and the clothes gave her away. Katherine. She was on the floor, thrown back against her will. She'd crashed onto the gravel floor with the stones embedding themselves into her already-healing skin.

"Katherine?" I called out.

She glared at me and then disappeared into the night without a single word. Jenna gasped out for air while my uncle and Ric helped her up. I walked past Jenna and almost crossed the threshold to the other side when my uncle pulled me back.

He said. "Don't go outside."

Ric shut the door and locked it. I didn't move, I kept staring at the door as if I could see through it.

Katherine had tried to attack Jenna.

Why would she do that?

She had no reason to attack Jenna of all people. I didn't understand. But I did know that if I didn't give Jenna my necklace, she wouldn't be sitting surrounded by my uncle and Ric.

"That was…Katherine." She tried to say after a few moments of silence.

"The one and only." Uncle Nate replied with a grimace. "I know it's freaky how much she looks like Elena."

"I thought that was Elena." She gasped out. "She…she wanted me to go with her. I didn't…I didn't know and I…I almost—"

"But you didn't." Ric tried to help her but she rejected his hand.

Awkwardly, he drew back. Uncle Nate helped Jenna to her feet and steadied her with his arms around her waist. She leaned on him for support while Ric backed away and looked at me.

I was staying out of that and honestly, I wanted to leave the room with how awkward he was being.

"So she didn't try to attack you?" I asked, trying to ignore whatever those three had going on.

Jenna said nothing at first. "No, she tried to get me to go outside and when I did, she tried to…grab me but—"

"She was thrown off?"

She nodded. "It was freaky. She looked exactly like Elena. I thought you guys were exaggerating but that was Elena."

"No, that was her supernatural ancestral twin." My uncle said.

Uncle Nate noticed the necklace. The dark red speckled stone shimmered red for a second and he reached for it, picking up the pendant. The chain pulled against Jenna's skin and she let out a shudder from the coldness.

He turned to me and looked back down to the necklace in question. "Ava gave this to me." Jenna started before he could even ask me about the necklace. "She said it would protect me."

"And it did." Uncle Nate let out a breath of relief.

"Did you…" Ric took a step forward and spoke up, reminding me that he was still there. "...see anything?"

Jenna echoed Ric's question. "No, I didn't." I answered. "I just thought…Jenna might need it."

"Good thinking."

"Thanks."

"You saved my life." Jenna gasped out and

I tried to smile in response. I imagined my smile was broken from Jenna's sympathetic look on her face.

Ric left, telling us he was going to check on Mason. My uncle offered to come with him. Ric turned him down, asking him to stay with Jenna and make sure Katherine wouldn't come back. After all, uncle Nate was the more experienced hunter out of the two and a warlock on top of that.

I couldn't help but hear a hint of jealousy in Ric's tone. He hid it well though. None of us questioned him about it. We didn't have the time.

Stefan just chose that time to come back, stopping Ric. He came back after a few minutes and followed Stefan who was wildly searching the house for something or someone.

"Where's Elena?" Jenna asked.

"Klaus." Stefan answered and Jenna covered her mouth, turning away. "I'm sorry."

"No, it's not…it's not your fault." She said, trying to hold back sobs. "I need a minute."

Stefan turned to me and Ric with a dire look. "Where's Damon and Lexi?"

Lexi.

I froze. I knew where Damon was but I hadn't seen Lexi since she'd gone outside to get chains for Tyler. No. No. No. Please.

Before I even replied to Stefan, I was running out the house. "Lexi!" I screamed out her name into the darkness. "Lexi!" I ran to Ric's car. It was open and the trunk was wide open as well.

The extra set of chains sitting in the back neatly arranged, untouched as the time they were put there.

No. No. I didn't mean to. I was just—

"Ava," Stefan came around and stood in front of me. His hands around my arm, shaking me gently. "What happened?"

"I don't know." Ric answered.

I couldn't look Stefan in the eye. "I–I asked Lexi to get chains for Tyler—if Tyler came back and she…she…"

"She never came back." Stefan finished for me.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't know or realize. I'm sorry." I kept repeating, breathing heavily and choking on air. Oh god. I didn't mean to. I didn't think…

Stefan gently shook me. He bent down to my eye level and tried to comfort me but I could tell he was upset. And it was my fault. I should've just told her to stay inside.

"It's not your fault." He said repeatedly but none of it was going into my head. "Hey, listen to me. This isn't your fault, okay? You had to stay inside. This was Klaus. Not you."

"But—"

"At least you're safe." He said. I felt even worse knowing that I might've traded Lexi's life for mine. "Where's…um…where's Damon?"

Damon.

Shakily, I looked up at him. "He went to get Caroline and Tyler."

Stefan cursed out loud and motioned to Ric to take me back inside. "Wait! Wait! Let me come with you! I can—"

"I know you can help, I know. I trust you but I don't trust Klaus to try and kidnap you. I can't lose you and Elena. Caroline and Tyler might be safe for now but you're still at risk."

"Elena's going to be fine, right? She has the elixir."

Stefan's face fell. He opened his mouth and closed it again. "Get her inside and keep her there." Just like that Stefan was gone and I was back inside the house.


Clouds had parted and the silvery moon peeked through its covers, bringing Mason's harrowing screams of anguish with it. Trying my hardest to block out the screams, I covered my ears and stared into the flickering flames alone in the parlor in silent focus.

Ric had left with Stefan to see Bonnie. Jenna was in the library of the Boarding House while uncle Nate was patrolling the halls, making sure the windows were locked. Every now and then, he and I would circle around to the entrance of the cellar to make sure it was locked tight so even if Mason did manage to break through the chains and the magic failed, one of us would be on guard.

Hesitantly, I removed my hands from my ears and picked up my phone. Matt had called me. We skipped past all the talk about Vicki or Caroline and he kept asking me about Tyler and what he should do.

"Slow down, Matt." I pressed my phone against my ears and sat down close to the fireplace in an attempt to distance myself from Mason's howls. "Where are you and Care?"

"Old Lockwood Estate ruins." He answered. "Caroline managed to lock him in the cell but I don't know if it'll hold. I–we need you."

Damn it.

How do I tell Tyler that I couldn't leave the Boarding House? If I did, there was a 75-90% chance that I could get kidnapped by Klaus. Damn. Klaus was another matter that Matt didn't know or wasn't to know.

Everything had gotten so complicated soo quickly that I didn't know what to think of.

Taking a deep breath, I said. "Listen to me, I need you to be prepared to run if you think the chains get weak."

"Caroline's holding the chains. I don't know if she can do it for long."

"She can…" I insisted. I know she could. "She's a…a—"

"A vampire, I know." Matt spat out hurriedly. "But I don't think she can manage."

"She can." She had to.

"We need you."

"I'm sorry." I really was. "I can't leave."

Matt cursed out and then apologized quickly when Caroline called him out. He was distracting her. "What do I do then, huh? Ty—he's in pain—he's—oh god! I don't know what to do. Damon gave me a few bullets and told me to shoot Ty if he loses control but come on, this is Tyler."

The bullets were no doubt silver. Damon was prepared for Tyler or any wolves. If Matt had the bullets then where was Damon?

But that shouldn't have been my main concern. Matt should've taken my focus.

He was panicking and quickly losing breath. Damn. I bit my lip and turned away from the fire, getting up. "Matt…" I called out his name softly. "I need you to calm down." I didn't want to do that. I had no choice. If he kept on going, he could've hurt Caroline instead.

"What…did you do to me?"

I didn't expect him to notice but I guess after realizing the truth about Caroline and Tyler, he'd become more perceptive. "I…tried to help you."

"Okay. Well, I'm not freaking out so I guess it worked." He sniffed like he was going to cry. "Tyler's not in pain anymore but…"

"He's a wolf?"

I heard Caroline scream and grunt as she held the chain closing the door to the cell. She was probably trying hard not to get bit.

"Alright, two things." I placed the phone down on the floor on loudspeaker. "Do not let Caroline get bit by Tyler. She will die if Tyler bites her, okay? So be prepared with your gun. You can shoot, right?"

"Yeah." Matt answered. "I can do that. What's the second thing?"

"Where's Damon?"

"Damon." Matt echoed and I repeated my question. "Seriously?"

"Answer my question, Matt."

"He…said he was going to buy us some time."

Damn it.

Damn it.

I groaned and punched the ground. Static replaced Matt's voice. The lights above turned off, taking the electricity for the entire house out for a quick second. I heard uncle Nate call out for me as I evened my breathing and tried to control my magic.

He went to buy some time.

Damn it.

He went to Klaus. There was no other way of buying time than him going to Klaus but Klaus already knew what Damon had done. He wasn't buying time. He was killing himself.

"Ava!" Matt called out on the other side and I jolted awake. "What do I do? What do I do? Tyler might be losing control."

"Be prepared to shoot."

There was no other way.

I heard a gunshot and Caroline scream on the other end. The line went dead and I was left alone in the parlor, no way of knowing if Tyler survived or if Caroline and Matt were okay.


I was lost in thought, staring into the flickering flames of the fireplace. The overly familiar cold deathlike chill interrupted me. My heart skipped a beat, and I instinctively tensed, ready to apologize if it was Lexi.

But then, as I turned around, my eyes widened in surprise to find Damon standing there, his expression a mix of concern and hesitation.

Without a word, I rushed toward him, throwing my arms around him in a tight embrace. Damon returned the hug, albeit hesitantly. I couldn't help but notice him subtly pulling his sleeve down. I didn't think much of it, my mind was too preoccupied with other things. I was just glad to see him back in one piece.

His body shook with soft laughter as his arms tightened around me. "Never thought I'd live to see the day when you threw yourself at me." He joked in a shaky and breathless voice.

I lightly punched him and he easily dodged my attempt. "I was worried sick about you."

"I know." He smiled and tucked my hair behind my ear, caressing my cheek. "I can tell."

His blue eyes shook. He swallowed as he leaned in close until our foreheads touched. I didn't pull away like I usually did and he was surprisingly being more tender than usual.

"I was worried about you," I repeated, my voice soft as I pulled back slightly to meet his gaze. "Lexi's gone. I don't know if Klaus took her or not."

He nodded. "I spoke with Stefan about it."

"Do you think Lexi was taken—"

"No." He was lying. I knew he was but I really wanted to believe that Lexi was fine. "I got Caroline and Tyler out."

"I know." I said. "I…uh…spoke with Matt."

"And?"

"You went to see Klaus?"

"I…tried to buy us some time."

"It was reckless, Damon." I cried out, thinking about Lexi. "What if–what if Klaus killed you?"

"You wouldn't have cared." Damon retorted.

If it was months ago, I would've said 'yes' but now I couldn't imagine a life without him. "Unfortunately, I'd be heartbroken." I confessed.

Damon paused. "Repeat that." He said, slowly sitting down on the floor in front of me. "Repeat what you said, please."

"I said 'I'd be heartbroken' if you died or were hurt."

"Why?" His voice broke and he tried to play it off. "Wh-why? Why would you care?"

I didn't want to say it or admit it outloud. I didn't know if I'd ever have the time to say it. "Because unfortunately, I think I love you. I know you don't feel the same way but—"

"You're wrong." Damon cut me off and I stared at him with wide eyes. For a moment no one spoke a word, only the cracking fire could be heard between us as his eyes met mine in a silent confrontation. "You're wrong." He repeated. "I've loved you for a while."

"No…"

"Yes.." He nodded. "You made me fall in love with you and you forced me to change." He closed his mouth, swallowing up his remaining words before asking. "...Did I do good?"

"You did great." He was really trying his best to change. I couldn't hold that against him.

Before Damon could respond, a surge of emotion swept over me, and without thinking, I leaned in and pressed my lips against his in a sudden, impulsive kiss.

To my surprise, Damon responded, his lips meeting mine in a tender embrace, much softer than our last few kisses. It was slow, soft and sweet. Damon was savoring and prolonging the moment. It felt bittersweet.

Knocking on the front door broke us apart and Damon left. I was about to follow him when my head started to spin. It was only for a second but I had to take a minute to stop and catch my breath. I could see Damon walking away and in my hazy vision, I saw him trip and catch himself before he fell.

His sleeve pulled up and I thought I saw red and yellow. Or maybe I imagined it as I blinked and he walked towards the front door like normal. He paused and looked over his shoulder while knocking continued.

"You okay?" He asked.

I blinked and the fog in my vision faded. "I think so. Are you?"

Damon's lips trembled. "Better than ever."

"You sure?" Somehow, I didn't believe him. "Matt told me Tyler turned and you stayed behind to buy some time."

"I'm fine." He insisted. "What about you? Are you okay? Klaus didn't do anything, did he?"

"No." I answered even though I could hardly remember anything after I lost consciousness. "Nothing happened."

I stood rooted to my spot, not letting him know about the sudden bouts of weakness that seemed to go and come like calm ocean waves. He turned away from me to open the door.

John stood on the other side of the door. "John."

"Great. I was just thinking about getting a bite to eat." John glared at Damon and nodded his head twice in greeting towards me.

"When did you get back—"

"Does it matter?" He was in a hurry. "We both hate small talk so let's not waste time."

I moved aside and waited. It's not like I could invite anyone in. Elena was the owner of the house, not me. She was still alive as far as I knew so invitation was still needed for any vampires or potential ones.

He ignored Damon and walked in while Damon grumbled complaints about him under his breath. "Elena hasn't returned any of my calls for days. I need to see her." John said to me while Damon closed the door.

"So you remembered that you had a daughter again." I couldn't help but give him a snarky response.

If he just trusted us enough and Isobel less than maybe we could've bought ourselves more time. Granted, he did know Isobel better and she was the mother of his child but come on, she was a vampire who worked with Katherine Pierce of all people.

"I don't appreciate that tone."

"And we don't appreciate you barging in." Damon fired back.

John turned to gaze towards him and glared daggers. "Where is Elena?"

Damon's eyes trembled and he let out breath before turning his head away, avoiding John's accusatory gaze. "You're a day late and a daughter short, John."

"What are you talking about?"

"The Sacrifice." I simply said.

John turned to me, furious. "You and your uncle swore that you'd take her, Jenna and Jeremy out of this town."

"That was before Klaus kidnapped me."

"And now he has Elena." Damon added. "Sacrifice goes down tonight."

The air grew cold and John grew still as a board. His trembling watery eyes rooted to the floor, ignored Damon and I while he tried to make sense of what was going on. And then he exploded on Damon.

"How could you let that happen?" His shaky loud voice echoed through the house and I heard footsteps from upstairs. "You were supposed to keep her safe. Wasn't that the sum total of your plan? To keep her safe?"

Jenna and uncle Nate rushed in. "What are you doing here, John?" Jenna folded her arms around herself and stood tall in front of him. "Did you finally remember Elena—your daughter?"

"Everything I have done was to protect her, Jenna."

"And now, she's going to die."

"Because of the vampires."

"Or because you were reckless enough to trust Isobel, not knowing she was working with Katherine." Uncle Nate pointed out. He gently pushed Jenna behind him and stood in front of her, almost towering over John. "Let's be honest here. None of this would've happened if you just kept on playing town's favorite son and not try to co-parent with Isobel."

John glared at my uncle. "Doesn't change the fact that the vampires are the one to blame and my daughter is going to pay for it while your family and your niece stays safe as always."

"Keep Ava out of this, John." Uncle Nate snarled. "She's been trying to fix the messes you and Isobel made."

"Yeah, and I can see how that's working out."

"Please." Jenna cut in with a cold laugh.

Her breathing grew ragged and sharp, she was holding back a tidal wave of anger and fury. I could sense her about to explode. And so could uncle Nate who moved to the side and let Jenna go.

"So now you want to play the protective father, John?" Jenna exploded. "Where were you when Grayson and Miranda died? Where were you when Elena and Jeremy were grieving? Where were you when I had to arrange Grayson and Miranda's funeral? Where were you when the courts were asking for a guardian for Elena and Jeremy? Where were you when I was struggling to get Elena to open up and go therapy?! WHERE WERE YOU, JOHN?!"

John staggered and stumbled back. His knees nearly buckled under the crushing weight of Jenna's grief and anger. She turned her head away and rubbed her eyes, trying to get rid of the tears.

She leaned into my uncle, her body folding slightly. She buried her face against his chest. Her shoulders shook with the weight of her emotions, but she held onto him tightly.

"Jenna, I—" John's crackled voice came out but Jenna wasn't listening. "I'm sorry. Sorry for not being here. I should've been here for Elena and Jeremy…and you but right now, Elena's in danger."

"That's not good enough, John. You don't get to waltz back and mess up our lives, leave and come back to play the protective father."

"I'm trying my best to protect Elena."

"And what about Jeremy?" Jenna threw out. "What about him? He lost his parents. He's going to lose his sister and…he even almost lost me."

The color drained from John's face and stumbled a little. "W-what did you just say?"

I knew we had to talk about this but I really didn't. Saving Jenna had cost Lexi's life. I didn't realize it then but now I could see it much more clearly. "Katherine tried to grab Jenna for Klaus." I answered in Jenna's place.

"Katherine was here?" John was half-listening. "She's alive. I don't understand—"

"It's because Damon freed Caroline and Tyler."

John scoffed. "He should've left them."

"How could you say that?" I didn't want Jenna to die but I wasn't willing to sacrifice Caroline either.

"Caroline Forbes is already dead." John spelled out. "She's a monster now."

"That's cute coming from you." Jenna fired back. "Elena would be devastated if she heard you but then again we both know you don't give a damn about Elena. This is probably about you preserving your stupid legacy, isn't it? Not you playing the protective father."

"You're wrong." John said softly. "I care about her enough to try and give her the best life I could. I stayed away knowing that she'd be safe with Grayson and Miranda."

"Then why weren't you here, John?"

"I had…my reasons."

"Let me guess: Isobel."

John's face flickered with a myriad of emotions passing by on his face. He pursed his lips and looked away. His eyes were moist with tears. Oh. Even after everything, he still loved Isobel.

He swallowed back any oncoming tears and looked up at Jenna. "This is about Elena, not about Isobel."

"Elena should be fine." I said and Damon nodded along. "Elijah had an elixir given to him by my grandmother."

"Janine? He knew Janine."

"Not grandma Janine." I sighed and I really didn't want to go over this again. I had to. "It's my grandmother from my mother's side—she was a faery that was capable of things witches aren't like bringing people back from the dead…for a price." John stared at me with wide eyes and blinked helplessly. "I know it sounds ridiculous but she was powerful and I inherited a portion of her abilities."

"So if the elixir doesn't work, you can bring Elena back?"

"That—I don't know." I answered honestly. I'd brought Luka, Zach and Dr Martin from the verge of death but I knew I had limits. "For a price maybe."

"No." Damon and my uncle said at the same time. "Elena's fine and the elixir…we won't need it."

What?

I know I didn't trust the elixir but it's the only hope we had. "Damon," I hissed and pulled at his sleeve. He recoiled at my touch and sharply covered his arm. I was taken aback by his reaction. It was like my touch had burned him.

"Sorry." He whispered into my ears and pulled back before stating. "Elena doesn't need the elixir because I gave her my blood."

I turned fast to look up at him. John and uncle Nate were both horrified at Damon's words. But for different reasons. Jenna slowly lifted her head and looked away in guilt while my heart dropped. They both knew.

Elena was going to be a vampire.

Like Caroline.

Like Stefan.

Like Damon.

And like Damon, she didn't have a choice.

"You what?!" John screamed out.

My head was running in circles. I slowly backed away from Damon and tried to think of what I should say or how I should even move forward. God, Elena was going to be a vampire. She never wanted that. I never wanted that for her either.

'But she was going to be alive.'

That voice in the back of my head kept whispering. Elena was going to live. Yeah, but she'd be a vampire. Caroline was a vampire. She didn't have a choice in that either.

'But Caroline is fine.'

Was she?

Her entire life had been turned upside down. Her mother called her a monster when she first found out. Her relationship with Matt was on a lifeline. She wasn't fine. She was coping and adapting.

"When Klaus kills Elena in the Sacrifice, she will come back to life." Damon carried on. "Granted, as the thing you hate most in the world, but no one really cares what you think."

What about what Elena thought? Did he not consider that?

"Damon." I breathed out his name in disappointment but this was who he was. "Did you…at least ask Elena before you…"

"I didn't have to."

So he didn't.

I should've known that his methods were extreme even if he was trying to be good.

Jenna was silently crying while uncle Nate was trying to calm her down. Oh god. I couldn't imagine how she felt or Elena felt. Grayson and Miranda were gone and now Elena was going to become a vampire.

'But at least she'd be alive.'

Before I could say another word, Damon was already walking away into the parlor. John tried to tackle him but Damon was faster. He slammed John into the parlor's wooden entrance, pressing John's face into the varnished wood.

"You do not want to mess with me right now."

"Hey!" Uncle Nate pulled away from Jenna and tried to remove Damon from John. "Don't!"

"He attacked me first!" Damon spat out.

"You provoked him."

"Let him go." Jenna cried out. "Look, none of us like him but he–he's still Elena's father and her family."

Damon laughed. "What makes you think I care?"

"Damon!" I called out. "Let him go." Damon's grip on John loosened but he didn't let go.

Uncle Nate sighed and tilted his head to the side while muttering a quick spell. Damon grabbed his head in pain and backed away from John, letting him fall to the floor. John clutched his neck in pain, gasping in pain and writhing on the floor.

JOhn looked up at an apathetic Damon and spat out. "You ruined her life. You know that, right?"

Damon circled around him. "I know, John. I took her choice, destroyed her future. Trust me, I get it. It actually gets worse." For a second, it felt like he was talking about himself or maybe I was wrong.

"How could it possibly get any worse?"

John got up and tried to attack him once again, only for a wall of light to shoot up between the two. He looked at my uncle in question but my uncle pointed at me. "I need you both to calm the hell down."

The last thing I needed was for Damon to actually lose his cool and kill John. I didn't like John at all. He was too arrogant and I hated the way he treated my family. That didn't mean I wanted him dead.

"Calm down?!" John cried out. The wall of light scattered into nothingness before his eyes. "My daughter is going to be a vampire!"

"At least she'll be alive." I said quietly. I thought about it and I knew it sucked but given the choices we had, it was a decent choice. Not bad. Not good either.

And a small part of me hoped that maybe one day I could find a way to turn her back to human.

Katherine did say my blood was supposed to be special and faeries were different from witches. Maybe Elena being a vampire was a temporary solution.

Damon paused and walked back to the entrance of the parlor. My uncle and Jenna were horrified at my words. But it was sound reasoning. I was trying to be optimistic and think of the future so that maybe I could find a way to reverse it.

Vampirism wasn't a natural condition. Elijah had given me hints to its creation. If there was a way to reverse that spell, I'd look for it.

"You can't be serious." Uncle Nate was hoping that I was just trying to diffuse the situation. "Elena will be a vampire."

"I know but she'll be alive." I pointed out.

"Damon was being reckless."

"I'm not defending him. I just…this is just another choice we had." But it wasn't Elena's choice. "Elena might've not made this choice, I know. But it's one that also keeps her alive."

"As a vampire." John spat out, disgusted by what I was saying. "I get it's not a big deal for you because it's not you but this is my daughter. I know her—" Jenna scoffed. "I know she wouldn't want this."

"I know." I nodded. "It's a backup option if…"

There was a third option. I could make a deal with John for Elena's life. But he had nothing to give me. If I tried to bring her back without a deal, I didn't know what would happen. I was fine when I brought Zach back so why did the sudden restrictions show up the more I used my magic.

"I could try to bring her back myself—"

"No!" Damon and my uncle said at the same time, cutting me off.

"Absolutely not." Uncle Nate carried on.

"Do you not remember the toll it took on you when you brought Luka back or Dr Martin or hell, that guy from the carnival?!" Damon reached for me and grabbed my hands. His grip tightened around my hands, a silent plea in his touch. His eyes smoldered with anger but tinged with worry. "Don't you remember, you already agreed to help the Martins?" I did. "What do you think is going to happen when you use more magic that your body can take?" Damon didn't wait for my answer. "You'll die and there's going to be no one to bring you back to life, not like Elena."

His words stung. Yet I had no arguments left and neither did John who backed down without another word. I bowed my head and silently looked away. Damon didn't move for what felt like hours, he kept my hands in his, making sure I wouldn't do anything reckless.


It took a lot of convincing for my uncle to let me leave the Boarding House. Eventually he gave in, agreeing to let me go on the basis that I kept him on the line until I managed to get there. So like a child I kept my uncle on the phone along with Jenna and John while I drove to the old witch house.

Obviously, Damon thought I should stay in. I waited until he'd left to leave. He didn't even tell me or anyone where he was going, only promising that he was going to prove to me that he was better now—whatever that meant. He was acting erratic and more reckless than usual, trying to prove to me or himself that he was better. It was like he was running out of time.

Klaus has Lexi

- Stef

"I got your text." I didn't even notice Elijah standing Stefan as I walked up to the old witch house.

Elijah stepped away from Stefan's shadow and came towards me. I stopped and took a step back, distancing myself from him.

Stefan glanced between me and Elijah, ignoring the sudden tension in the air. "You shouldn't be here."

"Except I promised Bonnie and the Martins I'd let them channel me for some extra boost." There was a slight tremor in my voice that gave away my fear and anxiety over the entire thing. I wasn't confident about this plan.

"I wasn't aware that part of the plan was still on the table." Elijah cut Stefan off before he even had a chance to talk.

Stefan let out a tired breath. "It's not supposed to be." He turned to me and almost pleaded. "Go home. I can't see anything happen to you too. Klaus already has Lexi—"

"Which is my fault. I never should've asked her to leave the Boarding House."

"It's not your fault. She came to town to help me, not you." Stefan was blaming himself. "You didn't see it coming."

I should've. Wait. My face twisted and my heart wrenched. I didn't have any visions about the Sacrifice. No dreams or anything about who would die apart from a flicker of an image of Jenna.

That…never happened before.

Stefan grew worried about my sudden silence. While Elijah seemed unphased by it as if he already knew what I was thinking. "What is it?" Stefan asked, reaching for me. He licked his dried lips in concern and repeated his question.

I could tell Elijah knew what was going on while Stefan was panicking in front of me. "You know what's going on, don't you?"

"It's Klaus, isn't it?"

Elijah was in front of me. He reached out for me. His touch sent a shiver down my spine as his fingers delicately tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear before lifting my head up. His gaze met mine, and I couldn't help but feel a pang of unease as I noticed the furrow in his brow and the intensity in his eyes.

"Your eyes," He murmured, his voice low and filled with concern. "They're different."

Confusion washed over me, unsure of what he meant. "Different how?"

"There's…violet or lavender in them."

No. That wasn't right. "I think you're seeing things. I have light brown eyes."

"Pale gold when you use your magic but now there's violet in them."

"You're lying." My words came out as a whisper but Elijah heard.

"They have a hint of purple," Stefan chimed in, his own expression mirroring my confusion.

I blinked in surprise, attempting to process their words. Violet? That couldn't be right.

"What does that mean?" I asked, my voice tinged with frustration. "Did Kl-Klaus have his witch curse me or something?"

"No." Elijah denied or defended Klaus. I couldn't tell. "Klaus is not the reason why your magic is reacting this way and you can't see the past or future."

I felt a knot form in the pit of my stomach at his words, a sense of dread creeping over me. If Klaus wasn't behind this, then what was? And why did Elijah seem so sure of it?

"Go home, Ava," He urged, his tone urgent yet strangely cryptic. He held my chin up between his fingers and looked around, a flicker of dread on his face. "You need to go back home and ignore all of this."

"Ignore?!" I cried out. Elena was going to die. "You want me to just leave everyone."

"Yes or you'll lose more than just your visions and they don't care about your reasons." He explained gently. "They're not as fair as they want everyone to think."

"What?" I didn't understand a word Elijah was saying. "Who are you talking about?" I pressed, my frustration growing with each vague response.

Elijah's expression remained unreadable as he met my gaze. "Let's just say you are not alone." He said simply and he slowly let go.

I felt a cold shock run through me and I shut my eyes. Flashes of images ran through my head as I let out a soft gasp. Stefan pulled me away from Elijah and stared at me with wide-eyes, checking if I was fine.

Oh god.

Before I could stop myself, I let out a cold hollow laugh. "What?" Elijah tried to reach for me again but I walked backwards. "What did you see?"

"You…" I simply said.

Elijah's face twisted into confusion. The first time I ever saw his cold handsome face break like that and a small strange part of me was filled with unexplainable glee to see him so confused. I had the urge to pull him into de—

What the hell was that?

I turned away from him and looked around the woods like Elijah did minutes ago. It felt like my thoughts weren't my own.

"I'm not leaving." I said firmly, turning around to face him. "Not when I know you're not going to go all the way."

It took him a few seconds to compose himself. He knew immediately what I was talking about and said. "I can assure you and Stefan that I will deal with Klaus."

"I don't believe you."

"I give you my word that I will kill Klaus if it's the last thing I do and avenge my family."

"Or you'll join them."

I turned away and walked away to call my uncle and let him know that I was going through with the plan to let the Martins and Bonnie channel me. I wasn't going to let Elena, Bonnie or Lexi die.


Luka created a circle on the dirt floor with chalk while Dr Martin helped Bonnie finish preparing. Damon paced around the room, glaring at me. "What were you thinking? You shouldn't even be here."

"I know, okay? Just trust me on this." Damon was rightfully worried but I didn't understand why he was furious. It wasn't like I was going to die.

"They're using you as a battery to kill Klaus—you're going to be drained dry." He spat out. "And then you'll die, Ava. Bonnie, Elena and Lexi live but what about you?"

"I'll be fine." I insisted. I had to be, if what I saw was right or just a possibility of a bleak future. "I can draw from the earth. A few trees will be killed but I think I can pull it off."

"You think?"

I placed my hand on top of his as Bonnie glared at him. I pulled him aside and cupped his face in-between my hands. "I promise you I'll be fine. I won't die. I know I won't because I saw what'll happen. You can believe that, can't you?"

Damon leaned in, our heads touching. "Promise me, you won't die trying to save others."

"You should worry about Stefan." I whispered. "I have a feeling he is going to trade his life for Lexi's and die with Elena."

I pulled back and watched Damon's face crumble. He and Stefan might've had their differences but at the end of the day that was his brother. His only brother and family that truly understood him.

He cursed under his breath but refused to let go of me. I sighed and threw a quick glance at Bonnie before pulling Damon close, placing a quick and gently peck on his lips. I pulled away but he pulled me close, cupping my face between his cold hands and deepening our kiss, leaving me breathless.

"I can't lose you or Stefan." He whispered against my ears, sending shivers down my spine.

I nodded and looked up, my eyes meeting a passing Elijah who I thought looked disappointed as he walked away. I thought there was something else as well but I wasn't too sure to label it.

With a deep shaky breath, I walked into the circle that Luka had created and extended my hand, palm up to Dr Martin. He stared at me for a second with an apologetic look and took out a dagger.

A quick slice of the blade and my skin split open, bursting with a steady stream of crimson. I heard a few quiet hisses in the background and Elijah's loud commanding voice reel them in.

Dr Martin ran his finger over my wound and went around the circle, drawing a thin line on his, Bonnie and Luka's hands before bringing me over to the flames. He closed my hand and squeezed it over the flames, letting the blood extinguish the fire or so I thought that would happen.

The fire flared up and turned a pale yellow-gold with strands of blue and violet. I felt a surge of cold warmth that made me weak in my knees and fall to the ground with a stabbing ache.

"Draw from the earth." Dr Martin reminded me. "Or you'll give us your lifespan instead."

I tried to nod but I don't know if I did. Mechanically, I reached for the dirt and plants with roots still attached on the ground. With a single touch, the dirt dried up and the plants shriveled and weathered into dust.

The pain dulled and I could feel my senses again. Okay. If I could keep drawing from the earth I'd be fine. I stood up with renewed energy and looked around the circle. Bonnie reached for me, giving my hand a comforting squeeze as Dr Martin and Luka ended the ritual.

"That's it?" Jeremy asked. "Is that all that you had to do?"

Dr Martin nodded. "Bonnie, Luka and I are now bound to Ava. We'll be drawing from her alongside the moon."

"I thought there would be more—"

"You thought we were going to drink Ava's blood, didn't you?" Luka cut him off with an icy look. Jeremy shrugged. I guess those two would not get along even if the situation was dire.

"I'm not stupid."

"You totally thought we were going to drink Ava's blood." Bonnie teased him and Jeremy turned away, a light dusting of red on his face.

The cut on my hand sealed itself, pulling itself together as if it was being dragged by the light to meet with its other half. I turned around as the fires died, only to realize that Stefan and Elijah were gone. John had returned.

"Did I miss the witchy power transfer?" John quipped.

"Funny John." I said, raising my hand and trying to summon light. An orb of light burst from my hands instantly and with a quiet flicker, it died on command.

"Did you tell her what we found in the Gilbert journal?" He asked, looking at Damon.

"I didn't think it was necessary." Damon replied and tried to change the subject.

John wouldn't relent. He wanted me to know, whatever it was. Usually, I would've read his mind to make it easier. When I tried to, I couldn't.

His mind was blank. I turned to Jeremy and it was the same. I couldn't hear a single thought from either of the humans in the room.

"Ava? Are you having—" Bonnie stepped away from Luka and Jeremy and tried to approach him.

"Nothing." I said. I saw nothing and heard nothing. "What's going on?"

"We found a way to save Elena." Bonnie pulled at her bracelet nervously.

"She'll be a vampire."

John clenched his fists and said. "Not if I can help it."

"And what exactly are you going to do?" He was human as far as I knew. Yet, he was so confident he was going to save Elena's life.

"He's talking about her saving soul or something." Damon said sarcastically.

"Her soul?" I echoed back.

It took me a minute to understand what he meant but I knew what he was talking about. A spell that I'd only heard of from my grandma Janine. Well, I was technically not meant to hear it—I was admittedly eavesdropping and unfortunately that triggered a vision of something I wish I never saw.

A young witch fell to the floor while a young warlock, I think, was writhing on the ground in pain while an older warlock chanted spells at him. Nobody paid the witch any mind as she bled to death.

Then it was another vision. Another older witch falling to the ground, dead.

Grandma Janine had saved the young witch's life in exchange for another. She'd only done it once. I only knew that she did it for that young witch and as a favor for Sheila Bennett to another. That was all I remembered.

Sheila, despite being strong, didn't do the spell for one reason or another. Something about already doing another more grand spell about trapping something or was it someone. I didn't understand a word back then and thinking about it again, I knew even less after those horrible visions.

"You're not thinking of what I'm thinking, are you?" I asked John carefully.

"So you knew and that means Nate and Diana knew too."

I flinched at the mention of my aunt. "Aunt Diana has nothing to do with this."

"She knew."

"And you broke her heart, humiliated her so she doesn't owe you a thing. Not to mention, she's not even around to know exactly what's going on."

John tried to argue back. I shut him down with a look. Just because my magic was not working as I wanted it to didn't mean I couldn't take him out.

"You don't know this but grandma Janine's family, the Hawthornes and The Bennetts go way back. The Hawthornes protected the Bennetts from prosecution and shielded them from the witch hunts that your ancestor took part in." I said. "It shouldn't be a surprise that Emily shared the spell with grandma Janine's family."

"So she performed the spell once?" John asked desperately.

"I think so, on another young witch—bled to after being stabbed by her twin or something. I don't really remember the details. Something about a coven."

"A coven of witches?" Bonnie asked, interested and I shrugged. I really didn't know. I wasn't supposed to know.

"Regardless, the spell works." John stated.

It did but it sounded risky. But it made sense. A life for a life as it should be. It wasn't that different from whatever deals I was supposed to be making—

I paused. Again, those thoughts that I knew weren't mine were flowing in and out from somewhere.

"Ava?" Luka called out to me and Bonnie gently shook me. "Your eyes…they're purple."

"Lavender." I corrected in a light dreamy tone before snapping out of the haze. "You're really going to give your own life away then?"

"It saves Elena so who cares?" Damon butted in and I sighed. I didn't want anyone to die even if it was John of all people.

"If it works then my daughter gets spared an eternity of misery and damnation and you said it yourself it works."

"Or so I've heard." I didn't even remember it properly. "So who's gonna bind your life to Elena's? Dr Martin? Bonnie? Or Luka? It sure as hell is not going to be my uncle."

"Does it matter who does it? I know Nate's not even going to show up tonight—" He paused and let out a shaky breath.

Why were Isobel's exes also in love with Jenna? I didn't understand at all. The two had nothing in common. I didn't even know it was possible to be in love with two people at once.

"He's going to stay by Jenna and if he called the shots, you'd be home too." He finished. "Just the way he likes it, everyone he loves, uninvolved in the supernatural."

"Okay. I get your point. Jenna dumped you too." I heard a few choking sounds from Luka, Bonnie and Jeremy while Damon coughed trying to hide his laughter. While Ric looked away darkly. "But I am sorry that you had to do this."

"I'd ask you to make a deal with me but I'm not even sure it'll work out."

"You don't trust me."

He hesitated. "I don't want Elena to lose someone she loves."

And that was all John had left to say.

Despite everything John did love Elena as her father. It was tragic thinking about it. John and Isobel in some ways were the same, loving Elena enough to give her up. I couldn't help but think how in a perfect world John and Isobel would be Elena's parents and give her the love they wanted her to have.

Wishful thinking on my part. I didn't know any better. My life was much simpler in that regard. I wasn't adopted or given away, just had an insane dead faery grandmother who screwed up my life before I was even born.

I left and went outside. Elijah was there, watching the moon. I turned away from him, not wanting to speak. I did wonder what Kamilah would've done if she was here. Actually, I didn't have to wonder. I knew what she would have done.

She would've turned around and left before this all blew up. She would've been smarter. I envied her and Lydia for not hesitating to leave when they did.

"It's time." Elijah held out his hand. "Last chance to walk away."


Standing on a hill overlooking Steven's Quarry, I could see the torches from Greta's circle bleed into the night sky. Dr Martin hobbled forward with Luka. His mind clouded with a purpose of bringing Greta home while Elijah and Bonnie stood in front of me. I lingered in the back, ready for the signal.

Stefan had gone missing. I was right. He did try to swap places with Lexi. I didn't know if he was successful or not. I couldn't hear or see it. Luka had cast a quick cloaking spell hiding us as we all moved but even then, I was too far to know.

"Okay, I can do this." Bonnie said to herself and turned to me. I nodded in reassurance while Luka tried to give her a small pep talk.

I wasn't really focusing on Luka, my attention on a silent Elijah who was no doubt listening in on the Sacrifice. "You're not going to be able to do this, are you?" I asked quietly.

He broke his concentration and laid his cold gaze on me. There was no more warmth in those eyes since I'd accused him. Faint traces of fear and disappointment floated in his gaze. It was like he wasn't looking at me anymore but rather—it was gone. Like a switch had been flipped, his cold gaze melted as if he'd been forced to remember that I wasn't a ghost of a past long gone.

I was here and I was the present.

"You saw something." Elijah said and I looked away. "You don't…trust me anymore." An echo of hurt in his soft voice.

"I never trusted you in the first place." I replied and his face scrunched up in pain.

He let out a deep pained sigh and swallowed the words he wanted to say.

The fire in the horizon rose and almost eclipsed the sky. Then it died, plunging the entire forest into darkness, only lit up by the unnatural brightness of the moon.

"Now." Elijah commanded, motioning for Bonnie and the Martins to take charge.

Bonnie rushed forward with the Martins on her tail, chanting spells. Luka and Bonnie shared a look and Dr Martin stopped, leaning against the tree. Whatever spell he'd been using to walk had stopped and the magic needed redirected to stopping Klaus.

"Greta." He called out. "It's me, dad. Please. Please come back home."

Greta looked up at Dr Martin with a trembling gaze. She whispered 'no' under her breath repeatedly, distracted by her father while Luka closed in on her.

"Dad?" Greta called out as Luka tried to attack her. She reacted quickly and the circle of flames rose from death, throwing Damon off who I tried to ambush Greta.

Luka stumbled back in surprise and lost focus. "Greta, you need to stop. Klaus is using you."

"Here we go again. Little Luka wants to lecture me!" Greta cried out. "Why can't you and dad accept that I don't want to be saved! I chose this! I chose Klaus!"

With a swipe of her hand, Luka flew off, colliding with a tree and Damon clutched his head in pain. Dr Martin chanted a spell and the circle died a little as the sky rumbled, drops of water falling down.

He tried once more to get her attention. "Greta. You need to stop. You upset the balance of nature—"

"Shut up!"

Dr Martin lost balance and clutched his head in pain, blood rushing out from his ears.

"Shut up!" She screamed out again and Bonnie almost fell but she didn't. Instead I was hit with a wave of dizziness as Luka and Dr Martin rose. "What do you know? I don't need you or Luka. I'm not a lost little girl, dad. I know what I'm doing."

Klaus clutched his head in pain as Bonnie approached him, setting fires on her way. Elijah didn't move. He watched his brother writhe on the dirt floor with a blank face and pained gaze.

With a deep shaky breath, I reached for a tree and closed my eyes, drawing in it's life. The tree withered and died under my touch but Bonnie and Martins grew stronger. It turned to dust when I let go and stepped forward.

"Don't." Elijah said. "I can't protect you and take Klaus on at the same time."

"I don't need you to protect me." Because I didn't trust him not to hesitate.

I knew he would. I trusted what I saw and I understood why he'd hesitate. That didn't mean I wasn't going to help my friends.

When I looked away from Elijah. My eyes were drawn straight to a body on the ground.

Lexi.

Oh god.

Her blonde hair was splayed on the dirt floor. She was still as a stone. She was gone. Dead. Because I thought it would be safe for her to leave the Boarding House. I shouldn't have ever let her come back to Mystic Falls. I should've asked Slater to keep her away.

Oh god, what was I going to tell Lee?

Or Stefan—

Stefan.

He was there too.

No. No. No.

Elena and Stefan were both there. Elena was gone. But she'd be back. I knew she would but between Lexi and Stefan I didn't want to know who was the one who sacrificed.

Unconsciously, I drew in light. Dusts of light danced through the forest, weaving in and out between the trees casting a web through the quarry.

Greta broke her focus on her brother and father. She turned to me, fear washing over her. Luka got up and started to chant spells once again.

"You again." Greta spat out. "I should've killed you when I had the chance."

"Don't!" Elijah and Klaus screamed out at the same time as the web of light fell on them, trapping Klaus and Greta.

"Bonnie!" I yelled out. "Now!"

Bonnie nodded gratefully and held out her hand, approaching Klaus. He desperately scratched at his head, pulled at the skin of his scalp, anything to ease the scorching pain that engulfed him.

The skies crackled and lightning struck around him. Clouds burst forth and wind howled, rain poured down, washing all the blood away. But I could still smell the pungent coppery stench of blood, mixing in with the rain.

A scream ripped through Greta as the thin wires of light dug deep into her skin, burning and marking her. She tried to attack me but the blinding pain distracted her.

"Ava! Stop!" Luka yelled out. "You're hurting her!"

"Who's side are you on?!" Damon spat out, standing up and rushing over to Stefan and then over to Elena. He carried Elena over to Stefan. His brother moved slowly. Stefan was still alive. Lexi was the sacrifice. I didn't know how to feel.

"I'm sorry." I said to Luka and ran to Elena, only to stop.

A wave of pain crashed onto me and the web collapsed into dust. I felt like I was being stabbed by hundreds of tiny blades. The stench of copper filled my senses.

Instinctively, I reached up to touch my nose, only to find it smeared with blood. Panic surged through me as I cried out in pain, my mind clouded with confusion and fear.

Greta chuckled coldly. Bonnie was pushed back by the storm Greta had taken control of. "It's cute. Bonnie Bennett might have the power of a hundred or so witches but I'm drawing magic from a faery."

"Greta, stop!" Luka tried to attack her. A loud crack echoed through the quarry. Luka screamed out in pain and clutched his arm. Greta had broken his arm. But Luka didn't stop and neither did Dr Martin. He begged Greta to come back and stop. It wasn't going to plan, none of it was.

"AHHH!" I grabbed my head in pain. Greta stumbled back like my pain had been reflected onto her. For a split second, I could hear her thoughts and then it was gone.

The dizziness, her thoughts and the pain. It was all gone and so was Greta. Her head was on the floor with Damon standing behind her.

Greta was dead.

Her head lay helplessly on the floor, staring at her father's grief-stricken gaze. Dr Martin had lost his voice from screaming out for Greta. Luka was the only one of the Martin warlocks who managed to keep his sense.

He turned away from his sister. "Bonnie, watch out!" He said as lightning almost struck Bonnie.

He could've left there and then but he didn't. He followed Bonnie like a shadow, shielding her from the lightning strikes that I was sure was the last work of Greta's magic.

I stayed on the ground, gasping for air. "I got you." Damon appeared by my side and picked me up. He put my arms around his shoulder, slowly backing away from the chaos. I blinked and I was by Elena and Stefan.

"Put me down." My voice was barely above a whisper.

Damon didn't argue and gently let me down, his arm moved to my waist. He said nothing and helped me get to my friends. I wasn't focusing on anything anymore. Elena was dead. She was cold and so quiet.

I knew this would happen. It was inevitable but to see and witness it, I couldn't. I couldn't see it anymore. Tears stung my face and a choking lump in my throat formed as I turned away and buried my head into Damon's chest. I couldn't see her anymore without crying.

And then there was Lexi.

Stefan was silently crying, holding onto Elena while his eyes were on Lexi. "Please," He said, slowly getting up. "I need you to get her out of here!" He pleaded to Damon.

"What?" Damon said. I let go of Damon and pushed him towards Elena. Stefan was right. Elena needed to be taken out of here. "What about you?"

"I'm not leaving until he's dead. Go!"

"I'm not leaving Ava behind."

"And I'm not leaving until I see Bonnie and Elijah end this." I threw out. I had to be here for Bonnie to draw from me. "I can't leave, Damon. If I do, the connection between me and Bonnie will end."

"Good." He picked up Elena and motioned me to follow him. "You almost died."

"Because of Greta and she's dead." I reminded, pointing to her head on the ground. "I'm staying. Take Elena and come back for Lexi. Go!"

Damon bit his lips and glanced between me and his brother. "Don't let her die, please." He said to Stefan. With a shaky breath, he disappeared into the storm.

I stood there for a second and tried to catch my breath before I dragged myself over to Stefan. I held out my hand for him and he took it. I pulled him up to his feet. I supported his form and he supported mine to stop ourselves from falling back down.

For a moment, we stood next to each other and watched as Klaus writhed uncontrollably on the floor. Bonnie carried on chanting and the wind kept howling, crying and screaming. The storm dragged trees down to the ground and shattered rocks. Bonnie carried on, unfazed.

"Aveline!" Nik—no, Klaus called out to me in a last attempt to save himself. "Please. Remember me!"

My face contorted in confusion, sadness and horror, all in one. A sudden ache in my heart and head came and went as Stefan squeezed my hand in comfort. He didn't ask anything. It was like he knew I had no answers to give him.

I barely knew Nik or at least that's what I remembered. Lightning flashed and fragment of a memory slipped through the cracks.

Dark blue-green eyes stared back at me with cold fingers slowly brushing away stray pieces of my disheveled and rain-soaked hair out of my face.

"I need you to calm down, love. Forget…ab—"

Elijah stepped out of the shadows. He and I made eye contact and I looked away. Stefan started to drag us both towards Bonnie and Luka. I followed his lead. Naively, I was hoping that my vision would be proven wrong for once. Elijah would keep his word.

"Elijah?" I heard Klaus gasp out.

"Hello, brother." Elijah greeted with a hint of arrogance. He didn't let Klaus say another word and punched his arm through Klaus' chest, grabbing a hold of his heart. "In the name of our family, Niklaus…"

"I didn't bury them at sea!" Klaus cried out.

And my naiveness failed me.

"Elijah, don't!" I couldn't let things play out the way I saw it. I stumbled forward, tripping on a few stones and almost hitting the ground. Luka rushed forward to try and grab me but Stefan was faster, chastising me for my recklessness. "Don't listen to him! Please!"

Klaus chuckled weakly. His head turned towards me like the mere sound of my voice had given him hope. He knew that I knew what was coming. Not from the beginning but I knew. A spark had been lit in his eyes and his lips curled up into a grin.

He knew he wasn't going to die that night.

"Shut up!" I screamed, not giving room to Klaus to get another word in. "Shut up! Please just stop talking!"

"Their bodies are safe." Klaus raised his voice with renewed vigor, sitting up with Elijah's hand wretching his heart. "If you kill me," He said, looking at me. "you'll never find them."

Stefan glanced at me and then back at Elijah, finally understanding what I was trying to do. "Elijah! Don't listen to him." He begged.

"Elijah. I can take you to them." Klaus said. "I give you my word...brother."

I closed my eyes and leaned against Luka. It was over. Elijah wasn't going to go through with it. "You gave us your word." I mumbled and looked up to meet Elijah's trembling gaze.

"So I did." Elijah's arm pulled back an inch and I sighed. He wasn't going to do it.

"Do it and I'll take you both out." Bonnie threatened, holding her hand out towards Elijah.

"You'll die."

"I don't care." Bonnie spat out and the storm burst out once more.

Elijah glanced at me. "Not even if Ava goes down with you."

Bonnie hesitated. I couldn't let her hesitate. I pushed Luka away and let myself drop to the floor. My hands reached for the earth below and I pulled the life inside towards, killing whatever had rooted itself underneath the earth and using it's life for my magic.

"Do it!" I yelled out, not taking my eyes off Elijah.

Elijah looked back apologetically then he turned away. "I'm sorry." He said and I tried to catch him in a web as he ran off with Klaus, leaving the rest of us to pick up the pieces and leaving me with the heavy burden of guilt.


29th April 2010,

Klaus got what he wanted, the curse was broken.

Now five are dead. Jules, Mason's former packmate, Lexi, Greta Martin, Maddox and John.

I didn't see it coming but I really should've even without my visions. I trusted my magic too much and didn't trust my instincts enough.

Elena has been inconsolable after finding out John traded his life for hers. I know it can't be easy losing two sets of parents. John was all she had as a father. I guess in the end, he tried his hardest to give his daughter the life she deserved.

And somehow Jenna blames herself. She thinks her words pushed John to do the unthinkable. But she's coping much better than Elena and to some extent, Jeremy. I feel awful knowing she and Stefan had to arrange two funerals. One for John and one for Lexi.

At least, Jenna had my uncle by her side to help plan the funeral. It was easier too. John had a place for eternal rest: the Gilbert plots.

But Lexi….

Lexi didn't have a place.

Lee arrived this morning at the break of dawn, inconsolable like Elena over John. He blamed us. I didn't stop him, Damon did when he tried to attack Stefan. It took him hours to cool down and when he did, he asked Stefan to pick a place to bury Lexi.

Trusting Elijah was a mistake. I wish I didn't let Elena trust him. I know it would've been wrong but I should've forced Elena to leave.

But what's done is done. Klaus has left us alone for now. We can only hope he doesn't return and find out Elena's alive.

Until then, we'll mourn our losses and try our best to move on.

- Ava R. Fitzroy

With a deep breath, I shut my diary and looked up at my vanity mirror. My sickly reflection stared back at me, my eyes stayed a pale gold with hints of lavender. It just didn't disappear after the night had passed and day broke.

Uncle Nate knocked on my door and I stood up, smoothening the skirt of my black lace dress, a funeral dress. The same dress I'd worn for grandma Janine.

"It's time." He said and I nodded as he passed me a pair of sunglasses. "Your eyes haven't back to normal."

"I tried everything." I slipped on the glasses and took a quick look in the mirror. The black glasses slid on comfortably. It made me look odd and no doubt I'd stand out if it was a public funeral.

"Shall we?" He held out his arm and I took it.

"How's Jenna, Jeremy and Elena?" I asked, knowing he'd spent the entire early morning arranging John's funeral with Jenna.

Dark circles marred his under eyes and red veins mapped the whites of his eyes. His lack of sleep was apparent. I couldn't do anything about it.

"Coping." He answered when we'd reached the landing downstairs. "Jenna says she's not but I know her to know that she's coping hard. She's trying to be strong for Elena and Jeremy. They just lost another family member."

"I can't imagine how hard it is for them."

"John was an ass." He said with a sad laugh. "But he didn't deserve to go that way."

I placed my hand over his and said. "He went out the way he wanted to, for his family." Uncle Nate nodded. "And besides, I think he wanted to be with Isobel."

"Even after all those years, he couldn't let her go."

It was tragic in a sense that both John and Isobel died in an attempt to protect Elena like Grayson and Miranda. The guilt Elena must've felt was immense and I knew the burden was much heavier than the guilt I'd ever feel.

Uncle Nate stopped the car and got out. Ric was already there waiting for him, dressed him black. He was chatting with Jenna, trying to make sure she was fine and Jenna put on a brave face. She held back her tears and kept her gaze on Elena and Jeremy as gravediggers brought John's body towards the dug out grave in the Gilbert plot.

"We need to extend the plot." Was the first thing Jenna said when uncle Nate and I approached her.

"That's something John would've said." Mason replied with a sad smile, walking up to us. Tyler was behind him, greeted with a small nod and split from his uncle and went to Caroline. Jules was also buried here somewhere.

Jenna, Mason and my uncle laughed sadly at the stupid attempt to lighten the mood, Ric smiled bitterly, trying to play along. "God, he was an ass." Jenna breathed out, covering her face.

"But he tried his best, that's more than what Charles ever did for Tyler."

"It's not a competition." Ric stated.

"But Charles would've still won." Uncle Nate replied.

I left the four and went over to Bonnie, Caroline, Tyler and Elena. My friends were silent while Elena was sobbing quietly with Jeremy patting her back. She had four roses in her hand.

We stood there in silence, watching Elena as she leaned down to place a rose on John's grave, sobbing as she did so. Jeremy couldn't look at the scene and turned away. Caroline and I leaned on each other with Bonnie's hand in hers.

Tyler stepped up and said some words of comfort to Jeremy who broke down, covering his face with his hands. John and Jeremy were close after all and now John was gone.

Elena walked away from John's grave and clutched three roses close to her heart before she placed one each on Grayson and Miranda's grave, leaving only one rose. It was for Lexi. She turned away and went straight to Stefan who lingered at the back of the Gilbert plot with Damon by his side.

Her hands slipped into Stefan's and we all moved on, following the couple, wrapped in a heavy veil of silence. I fell behind the procession, mindlessly trying to keep up. Damon was behind me, I expected him to come and walk beside me but he didn't. He stood in the back, distancing himself from the rest of us.

In the back of the graveyard, near an abandoned crypt and under a willow tree was a freshly dug grave with a casket being slowly dropped inside by gravediggers.

There was a single headstone placed on top of the grave with the name of the deceased etched onto it.

No dates, just a name.

It wasn't a sign of disrespect towards the dead. No, the gravestone reflected those that mourned her and the way she had lived. The deceased had lived as if she had all the time in the world so her loved ones didn't carve out their birth or death date, choosing to simply write a simple message dedicated towards her memories.

'To an eternal sister, friend and lover.'

A simple message. I found it sweet. It was short but it was sweet. It really reflected the dead. I swallowed back my tears and tried to hold them back while examining the last minute gravestone. It wasn't a poor quality, it was pretty expensive marble, courtesy of my uncle Nate. The carving was also done professionally.

On the sides of the gravestone, there were flowers carved onto the gray marble. Chrysanthemums and peonies. I recognized both flowers. The first of which, chrysanthemums were very much appropriate for the occasion.

Chrysanthemums, those flowers were often used to represent death and peonies represented love and honor, both meanings were well suited for the subject. Too well suited.

Lee and Slater flanked the sides of the grave with Lee crying uncontrollably onto a lacy handkerchief. I caught sight of the initials on a corner of the fabric and my heart clenched.

'A.B'

Alexia Branson.

Lexi.

No one spoke a word at first but Lee motioned to Stefan to begin Lexi's final goodbye. There was an ache in my chest looking at the grave that shouldn't have been dug.

Caw. Caw.

Crows ominously started to caw at the group but the group ignored all attempts of distraction, their minds clouded in grief. Half of the group had tear-stained faces while the half looked guilty and upset on behalf of the bereaved.

"Lexi found me in the darkest moments of my life like a beacon of light. She saved me and made me better. The only one who knew me better than I knew myself." Stefan began with a shaky voice. "She was my best friend and a sister I wish I had. There's not going to be a day that passes that I won't remember her. The years we spent together, I'll never forget them and I'll never forget her. I'll never forget the sacrifices she made for me and everyone here. How she tried her best for every lost soul." I noticed Damon looked away, guilt clouding his face. "Lexi was not perfect but to me, she was everything I'll never be and I hope that now she's with her brother that she once loved."

With a nod from Stefan, the gravediggers started to bury the casket in dirt. I could tell they were compelled. Their minds were blank as a canvas. They wouldn't remember a thing when this was all over.

When they were done and Lexi was buried, they turned and left. Lee approached the grave and placed a bouquet of tulips in various shades. He dropped the bouquet on the floor and fell over her gravestone, cradling it as he sobbed.

I turned away and slowly backed off. Apologizing wasn't going to bring her back.

"We should go." Jenna said, taking a step forward and inviting the party to join her back at the Gilbert house.

No one said a word to her but we all started to move, following her but I lingered even when Slater peeled Lee off the gravestone and helped him follow the rest of the party. Damon and Stefan were missing.

I couldn't see them anywhere. I scanned the entire graveyard in front of me before pausing. There in the back near the half-ruined fences where the woods surrounding Mystic Falls met the graveyards were the Salvatore brothers deep in conversation, far too busy to notice my quiet footsteps approaching them.

"There's no cure, Stefan." I heard Damon and I stopped.

Cure?

"Cure for what?" I questioned and both of the brothers froze. "Cure for what, Damon?" I asked again and Damon hurried to pull down his sleeve but I was fast, rushing him and stopping him.

On his arm was a familiar festering wound that I'd seen once only. It was on Rose when Jules bit her. Rose. Oh. Oh. I looked up at Damon who gently tried to removed my hands from his arm but my hand had clamped around his arm.

There was no doubt about it.

A werewolf bite.

My heart dropped and Damon looked away. He couldn't look me in the eye.

"Tyler…bit you." I stated slowly, sounding the words off to hear if it made sense and if it was real but it was real. Damon's red and angry wound on his arm glared at me. "Tyler bit you and you…didn't tell us."

"It's not important."

"Not important?" I echoed back. "Damon—"

He grabbed my shoulder and leaned down to face me. "I'll be fine, okay." He tried but I didn't believe him. "I just need to rest and hey, if I'm not fine, you get what you've always wanted—you can stake me and put me out of my misery."

"Damon!" Stefan grabbed his uninjured arm while I was punched in the gut.

I did say that, didn't I? I said it a lot. I wanted him dead before and now, I was getting what I wanted. But Damon was cruel.

How could he even think about dying after making me love him?

"We'll find a cure." Stefan said slowly, glancing between me and his brother.

"There is no cure, Stefan." Damon said, defeated and looking like he regretted what he said to me.

I swallowed back tears and looked up at him, pleading. "We don't know that."

"Yes, we do." Damon reminded me. Rose was on his mind. "Remember what Jules told me; there is no cure for me. All you can do is—" He let out a shaky breath, his cold hands clasping mine. "I'm sorry for asking this but all you can do for me when the time comes—kill me."

"No!" Stefan and I cried out at the same time. "We'll find a cure." I promised him. "We will, won't we, Stefan?"

Stefan nodded. "Nothing's gonna happen to you." He held onto his brother like a lifeline.

Damon was all he had now that Lexi was gone. He pulled Damon close and engulfed him into his embrace, so child-like while Damon and I stared at each other in silent longing.

This wasn't fair. After all this time…

Damon mouthed an apology to me and pulled me close. The three of us stayed there for a long time and I could still hear the crows circling the cemetery but now they were circling Damon.


Author's note: Sorry this took too long. I did say I struggled to write past 10k but I managed to pull through and finish this off in two days so I feel a little proud of myself.

I do hope this chapter makes up for the wait. There's another chapter or so left until I finish this fic and start writing the sequel which will focus on seasons 3, 4 and maybe 5 if I can squeeze it in.