The next day, Hope was at her new desk, writing on pieces of paper. She hadn't gotten any sleep but instead just broke down the information she knew about everything and started constructing the spell to fix everything. She sighed and ran a hand through her hair. She was a bit hungry, having not eaten anything in around 26 hours. But she didn't ask for food. Her mind was focused on more important matters. Besides, its not like she exactly trusted what Damon Salvatore gave her.
"What are you working on?" A voice called out from the doorway.
"Just working on spells. Nothing you need to be worried about. It doesn't concern you" Hope replied to the older Salvatore, not turning her head.
"Is it for Klaus?" Damon asked, walking inside. At the sight of her expression, his voice got more intrigued. "Oh? So it's something Klaus doesn't know about?"
"I can do my own things, you know. Not everything I do is tied to Klaus" Hope said, covering up the pages
"Well, if it's something to destroy Klaus, feel free to share."
Hope rolled her eyes. "What do you want?"
"I figured you might be hungry" He tossed a bagged up sandwich on the desk
"I'm fine, thanks."
"Sure. Well, I also set a bottle on your dresser in case you need a drink"
"Thanks. I'll see you later. Whenever you decide to drop by and snoop"
Damon chuckled and walked out of the room. Hope continued working on the spell but then got up and walked over to the bottle, eyeing it a bit. Finally, she opened it and poured some in the glass that had been put next to it. There was only one way to test if something was in it. She raised the glass to her lips and sipped before starting to cough hard as the wolfsbane started taking effect.
She clutched the dresser and set the glass down, feeling energy draining from her. Her eyes glowed gold, and she growled a little without meaning to. She took a seat on the bed and waited for her body to quickly recover. Finally, she stood up and went back over to the desk, knowing she needed to figure this out and leave.
After finding out her brother wasn't at work and had plagiarized his entire history paper, Elena was pacing at the Mystic Grill, listening as her phone went straight to voice-mail as she tried to call her brother. "Jeremy, the minute that you get this, call me" Elena said to the voice-mail and hung up.
"You're feisty when you're mad" Damon commented as he threw a dart that landed right on the bullseye.
"It's not that I'm mad. I'm just... I'm worried" Elena explained.
"Why? I think he'll survive, Elena"
"He's spiraling. Ever since Bonnie broke up with him, he's moody. He's not really talking to anyone"
"Well, he did cheat on her" Damon pointed out. "Can he really blame her for dumping him? I mean not everyone is okay with an open relationship"
"Says the guy that was dating Katherine the same time Stefan was" Elena commented as she let out a sigh.
Damon rolled his eyes a bit. "Just because I went along with it, it doesn't mean I was thrilled about it or didn't want her to pick one of us. And at least Katherine was open about it. Not going off and kissing his ghost of an ex girlfriend" He shrugged and walked over to the bar, ordering a bourbon as he leaned against it. "Clearly he wasnt as into Bonnie as he thought he was, so he'll move on. He'll be okay, Elena"
Elena shook her head a bit, watching him. "We need to talk about Hope"
"No there's nothing to talk about. She's a threat. End of story" Damon said.
She sighed a bit. "I talked to her a bit. She's not bad, Damon"
"Of course you would say that. If Klaus hadn't done the sacrifice, you'd probably see good in him too"
"Fine, I need to head home and see if I can figure out a way to get Jeremy to talk to us."
"Good luck" Damon said, downing his glass and turned around, seeing Klaus approach. He moved over to Elena's side. "You going to do this in the grill, in front of everyone? It's a little beneath you, don't you think?"
"I don't know what you're talking about. I just came down to my local pub to grab a drink with a mate. Get a round, then, would you, Tony?" Klaus said
Klaus' hybrid smiled at Elena and then went to go get drinks.
Damon looked at him "I'm surprised you stuck around town. Long enough for happy hour"
"My sister seems to be missing. Need to sort that out" Klaus replied
"Cute, blonde bombshell, psycho. Shouldn't be too hard to find"
"Truth is, I've grown to rather like your little town. Thinking I might fancy a home here. I imagine you're wondering how does this affect you. And the answer is, not in the slightest. As long as I get what I want, and everyone behaves themselves, you can go on living your little lives however you choose. You have my word"
"What more could you possibly want?" Elena asked.
Klaus looked at her. "Well, for starters, you can tell me where I might find Stefan"
Damon said "Stefan skipped town the second he saved your ass."
"Well, you see, that is a shame. Your brother stole from me. I need him found so I can take back what's mine"
"That sounds like a Klaus and Stefan problem" Elena said, looking at him.
Klaus got closer to her but Damon puts himself in front of her. He looked at the older Salvatore and smiled. "Well, this is me broadening the scope, sweetheart. Especially considering Rebekah and Stefan aren't the only issues here." Klaus looked at Elena before turning to Stefan. "I have not seen Hope since the Homecoming at Tyler Lockwood's house. You know, the one where you conspired with my father to kill me, but I killed him instead?"
"Maybe she got tired of helping you. Realized she couldn't get what she wanted from you" Damon said
"What are you talking about?"
"You don't know? Well, I suppose she wouldn't want you thinking she has any reason other than a genuine alliance with you"
Klaus was clearly affected by his words, his heart aching painfully as doubt of his previous thoughts flooded into his mind. "She wouldn't leave" he said, thought he did not sound as sure as he did before. "Where is she?"
Elena looked at Damon and then Klaus. "I'm, uh, gonna head back home" she told Damon before leaving.
"We don't know where your little girlfriend or own personal witch or whatever is. So just leave us alone" Damon looked at Klaus before heading out of the Grill, going home.
Meanwhile Stefan was in a motel with Katherine Pierce, thinking a bit as he slipped on a shirt. "Why did you tell me about what was going to happen to Damon if he succeeded in killing Klaus? You want Klaus gone so you can be free from the running and hiding. It doesn't make sense"
"I'll tell you what doesn't make sense" Katherine said, walking over to him and pulling him closer to her, her lips centimeters from his. "A no humanity vampire choosing to save his brother" She moved her lips closer before suddenly pulling away.
Stefan watched her move away before saying "I was earning my freedom"
"The same freedom you would have gotten if Klaus was killed. Thus you did it for your brother"
"Have you figured out anything about Hope? Or do you still not trust me despite the fact I'm free and moving against Klaus?" Stefan questioned.
"Do you trust me?"
"Absolutely not. But I dont need to trust you to work with you. I just need to know you won't talk to Klaus about this. Which you wont" Stefan shrugged on his jacket.
"Fair point. I still can't find anything about her anywhere. But if she's this trusting of Klaus, she has to be close to him. And with the power she radiates, she has to be very old. I was considering a resurrected witch from when Klaus was around her age? But if you manage to get things that belong to her, I might be able to figure things out more."
"I'll see what I can do. She's currently locked up at my house. I might be able to get something"
"Klaus is not going to take that well."
"No, but it gives us time for his attention to be elsewhere while I try to get the locked coffin open." Stefan said
"I'd suggest a siphoned, but they are extremely rare"
"A siphoner?"
"A witch without their own magic. But they can take it from other sources. Like removing barrier spells or-"
"Or unlocking magically sealed coffins" Stefan said
"I have many sources, but even I'm not sure where a siphoned is right now. I'll see if I can locate one. But the spirits of dead witches might not react well to them. They tend to be kind of judge-y about siphoners"
"Well, let me know if you find one. I should go see if the Bennett witch has made any progress"
Katherine raised an eyebrow and watched him go. It was obvious he was trying to push away his emotions and focus on revenge only.
"Stefan, be careful. You and your brother are playing with fire"
Stefan turned to face her as he reached the door. "Sometimes that's the only way to make someone burn" He turned and walked out of the motel room.
After Jeremy invited Tyler Lockwood to their house for dinner, Elena Gilbert and Alaric Saltzman realized just how messed up this whole sirebond thing was. How Tyler was willing to rip out his heart for Klaus if Klaus wanted him to. With this unsettling fact on their minds, once Tyler left, Alaric and Elena began to discuss it.
"So, Tyler Lockwood is a lunatic who has access to our house" Elena said.
"I mean, this whole sire bond thing is wild. I don't even think Tyler's fully aware of what ittle reason lies behind what he's saying" Alaric said, thinking about the reactions of Tyler and how he behaved "It's... it's his weird cult logic"
"Well, great. That's a wonderful influence for you, Jer" Elena said and turned to look at her brother, but Jeremy had disapeared. "Jeremy?"
On the counter was the ring that protected Jeremy from being killed by the supernatural. "That's his ring. Elena Where'd he go?"
Alaric and Elena exchanged looks before rushing outside. Jeremy was standing on the middle of the road.
"Jeremy? What is he doing?" Elena questioned before spotting a car driving at full speed toward him. "Oh my god!"
Before Elena could do anything, Alaric ran towards him, not wanting Jeremy to get killed. "Jeremy!"
Elena shouted "Jeremy! Jeremy, move!"
Jeremy didn't move, but Alaric rushed over him and pushed him so the car bumped into Alaric in full speed instead. Alaric crashed on the car and fell to the road, bleeding. Elena moved to rush towards him to help, but suddenly she was taken away at vampire speed.
When Elena looked around, she was at the same mansion she had been at before. She looked around a bit. "Klaus wants me again"
"You're mostly just leverage, so he can get what he wants" one of his hybrids replied.
"And what is that exactly?" Elena asked
Klaus walked inside the room. "My family back. Stefan has them. And attacking Alaric Saltzman, well, it was supposed to be Jeremy Gilbert but, should be enough to serve as a message. But then I found out about Hope and decided I needed something stronger as well. So I kidnapped you"
"Why do you even want your family back? Its not as though they want you"
"Family is always and forever" Klaus said firmly
"If you truly believed that, you wouldn't have them daggered and kept in coffins." Elena said
"My relationship with my family is my business. I just want them back"
Elena scowled a bit and looked away, thinking about everything. About Hope and how much she did like the girl but disapproved of her alliance. About how Klaus felt about his family, which she wasnt sure of. About Damon and her feelings for him that only kept growing. And about Stefan, who sabotaged their chance to ebe rid of Klaus once and for all.
Damon Salvatore was in his living room, thoughts flooded through his mind. He had asked Klaus to meet him here for negotiation and was just waiting for him to arrive. The older Salvatore was pissed off that Elena was once again in danger at the hands of Klaus. He downed his glass of bourbon and threw it in the fireplace, hearing the glass shatter.
"And here I thought I had a temper" Klaus teased as he walked inside, confident he would end up getting what he wanted since he had Elena.
"Oh you do. More than anyone else in this town. You just take it out on slaughtering people instead of throwing a glass in the fireplace" Damon turned to face him. "Where's Elena?"
"Where are my family and Hope?" Klaus questioned
The older Salvatore shook his head. "You get to choose one. Your family or Hope."
"Or i could choose neither and your precious Elena will be out of Mystic Falls by tonight"
"Then we will kill Hope and dump your family where you will never find them"
Klaus scowled, looking at the older Salvatore. "I do not know why my family is a big concern of yours. Especially considering you conspired with both Rebekah and Elijah to kill me"
"And I'm surprised you want them back. I mean clearly they hate you. The only reason Elijah saved you in the first place was because he wanted the coffins too. He doesn't love you. None of them do. They tolerate you because they are afraid of you"
Klaus moved quickly, pinning Damon up on the wall as he gripped his throat and crushed it. "You do not know anything about me besides what you have been told. Do not presume to think you know who I am or my relationship with my family"
"I think your family explaining it is proof enough" the Salvatore choked out.
Klaus tossed him harshly to the side, and Damon got up quickly. The two watched each other for a moment and Klaus chuckled softly suddenly.
"I suppose the same could be said to you. It is not as though your brother has ever been fond of you since you were human. He hates you but won't kill you. Perhaps you are projecting your own feelings on me. After all, the only one that can enjoy your company beyond sex is Elena Gilbert. Speaking of which, unless you'd like to be left indefinitely alone, you ought to cooperate"
"I laid the offer on the table" Damon said. "It's up to you what you choose to do with it"
Klaus was silent for a few moments as he considered his options. His mother in the sealed coffins, his siblings who he never wanted to leave him. And Hope, who was the only person he had ever met that did not see him as a monster. And she was powerful. She could help him get the others back. Finally, he said "Hope. I want to exchange Elena for Hope"
When Klaus arrived at the meeting place, the doppelganger securely by his side, he saw the older Salvatore alone.
"You know, kidnapping Elena was a bad move" Damon said
"Was it?" Klaus questioned. "It sure put you in a negotiating mood. Where is she?"
"She'll be out in a minute" Damon said. "Though I'm surprised you chose some witch to save rather than anyone else. But I guess all you do care about is power. Otherwise you wouldn't dagger your siblings"
Klaus' eyes flashed gold as anger rose up inside him. "Tread carefully" he warned. "Unless you'd rather me take Elena Gilbert away and you'll never see her again."
Damon's face hardened, and he went over to his car before yanking Hope out and gripping her tight.
Klaus' face softened slightly as Hope came into view. "Let her go, and I'll let your precious doppelganger go" he told Damon.
Damon's face hardened a bit but after a moment let Hope go, hoping Klaus would keep his word. As promise, the hybrid let go of Elena, who walked slowly over until she passed Hope before rushing over to the older Salvatore, who hugged her automatically before moving her behind him protectively. Hope reached Klaus' side, the two watching Damon protect Elena.
"Go. Before I change my mind" Klaus said.
Damon used vampire speed to bring Elena back home to where she was safe. Klaus looked over at Hope, relief obvious now in his eyes. He pulled her into a hug, unable to reason why she meant so much to him that he chose her over his family. The only thing he could reason was that she had never betrayed him. Not unless the older Salvatore had been honest. But at the moment, Klaus wasnt even thinking about it. He just clung to Hope, a memory flashing in his mind at a familiar sensation of how he felt about Marcellus. Perhaps Hope too was like another adoptive child to him. He only hoped he would not lose her as he did Marcellus.
Hope clung to him, squeezing her eyes shut. She wasnt at all afraid of what would happen to her. But being able to hug her father again like this. To feel as though she had him back, it made her feel both a hundred times better and a hundred times worse. Worse because she knew her time was limited. And it was going to hurt her in ways she couldn't even describe if she had to lose him again. He was her dad. Her dad, who she hadn't had time to spend a lot of time with before she lost him. And now she had him again, only to lose him again soon.
"Come on. Let's get you to our mansion" Klaus said before leading her to his mansion.
"Why didn't you ask for your family back instead? Damon told me that was an option" Hope looked over at him as they walked.
"You are family" Klaus said, looking at her. "To me at least. And you have never betrayed me. Besides, Stefan has my coffins. Not Damon. I couldn't truly negotiate with him about them"
"I suppose you have a point. Thank you. For helping me get out. I may be powerful. But barrier spells still work on me"
"You're welcome. Speaking of being powerful, perhaps you could help me get the rest of the family back"
"When you say I'm family, what do you mean?"
"Not only do I extend the Always and Forever to you, but I have come to realize I feel towards you as I felt towards someone I considered a son"
"You have someone you consider a son?" Her tone wasnt incredulous but rather simply curious. She was wondering what her father would be willing to tell her.
"Yes. I turned him into a vampire and then he was killed by my father. I've forced myself not to think about him much ever since. But now I cannot help myself" Tears glistened in Klaus' eyes but did not fall as they reached the mansion.
Hope looked at him, and her face softened as she found herself wanting to tell him all about the fact Marcel was indeed alive. She hated seeing her father hurting but instead settled for taking his hand comfortingly. He looked down at their hands before looking at Hope in surprise, clearly grateful for her support but didn't say anything as they went home.
Damon set Elena down in front of her house on the front porch, both thinking about everything. Elena was glad Hope was no longer a prisoner and also glad that she was no longer stuck within Klaus' grasps.
"Thank you" she told the older Salvatore as she looked at him.
"No problem"
"Not just for this, Damon. For everything. I don't know what I would do if you weren't here" The sincerity in her voice even surprised her. Though it certainly wouldn't have if she had been more open about the fact she knew but buried deep within.
Damon's face softened slightly bit, and he brushed a loose strand out of her face before lowering his hand. "Did he hurt you?"
"Just took a little blood from me. Not much but just enough for him to make some more hybrids. So I'm guessing he's low on his supply" Elena said
"Makes sense, considering how many hybrids I saw at that party. I didn't even know there were still that many werewolves, considering they were rumored to be near extinction"
"I doubt he will turn all of them. He'd want to be able to make more later so he'll be leaving some to be able to have children" Elena reasoned with a small sigh. Not that she had a problem with some not becoming hybrids. The sigh was over Klaus' mindset.
"Well let's hope if that's the case, his army can't get that much bigger"
"You know it is a good thing you freed Hope. I mean I want her out of Klaus' clutches, but she doesn't deserve to be a prisoner." Elena said. "And she doesn't deserve death either. There's something about her that I can't quite explain, but I like her. Sort of at least. I just wish she wasnt helping Klaus"
"Well, if anyone can get through to her, its you" Damon said, causing Elena to smile a little. "You should know this, Elena. Stefan didn't screw us over." He paused before amending his statement "He screwed us over, but he had a good reason"
"What?"
"He saved Klaus to save me. Then he stole the coffins to get even"
"Damon, if he did it to protect you, then... Why would he even do that? I mean... Oh, what does it even mean?"
"What does it mean? It means I'm an idiot. 'Cause I thought for one second that I wouldn't have to feel guilty any more" Damon said
Elena looked at him in confusion."What are you talking about, guilty for what?"
"For wanting what I want"
"Damon..."
"No, I know. Believe me, I get it. My brother's girl and all." He le moved to leave but then stopped, turning to face her. "No. No. You know what? If I'm going to feel guilty about something, I'm going to feel guilty about this."
Damon walked quickly over to Elena and put his hand on the side of her neck.. His mouth came down on hers. And that was it. All the self-control he'd exerted since he fell in love with her went, like water crashing through a broken dam. He kissed her hard, with a kind of devouring desperation, fingers digging into her hair. Their mouths slid together. Desire hit Elena like a kick to the stomach. Everything she had been pushing away rushed to the surface, and she continued to kiss him back, unable to help herself. Her hand moved to his. Finally, he pulled away, a smile on his face
"Good night" Damon said before walking away, leaving Elena staring after him, stunned by the emotions that stirred inside her at the kiss.