Hello, darlings! Happy to post another chapter after this long hiatus. Also, happy to announce that in this long time, I have managed to complete the story, so there was work being done during the wait! I will try to post chapters quickly during the summer for you all to enjoy. Thank you, guys, for the continued support!
Now, let me respond to your awesome reviews:
-xenocanaan: Yes! I am slowly working on making Gwen strong, just need to develop her as well as possible. Thank you for the eternal support, love!
-brigitm28: I'm happy to know you're enjoying Klaus and June's scenes. Always happy to learn that Kol and Gwen are beloved as well. The slow burn is killing me, but I am happy to be getting closer to what will further develop the relationships in the story. Happy to know you're enjoying the friendships as well. Yes, I want to try to explain the characters' actions, even if they are completely in the wrong, but sometimes I felt like I needed more from those characters than what little screentime the show gave them to help develop them to the audience, so glad to know you guys are enjoying it.
-rebuusanchezz0308: So happy that you're enjoying it!
Disclaimer: I own nothing from The Vampire Diaries and claim no ownership over anything pertaining to it. I only own my characters.
when in doubt, do
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Bridges symbolized unions or connections, paths that led somewhere; it could be to the afterlife, another realm, or even a passage to another journey. For Mystic Falls, the bridge was a road that led in and out of the quaint town, like many other places. Yet, Gwen imagined the bridge meant something else to the town's residents, specifically to the Gilberts. Having done a bit of research while helping Rebekah look for the sapling of the white oak tree, she learned that the bridge was best known for being the site of the tragic deaths of Grayson and Miranda Gilbert when the slick roads caused them to inadvertently drive off the bridge and into the river below, where they both drowned. Elena Gilbert was with them during the event, being the only survivor of the terrible accident.
Staring at the bridge from the edge of what Rebekah told her was a fundraiser for the restoration of Wickery Bridge, Gwen couldn't even begin to imagine how Elena felt whenever she gazed upon the structure. It looked like any other run-of-the-mill bridge, but the young hybrid felt something odd about it. It was strange how she could feel like her magic react to it, but she imagined it had to be related to the deaths that must've marked the bridge as a hotspot.
With a shake of her head, Gwen focused on the present as she enjoyed the breeze and warm sunlight, enjoying the endless chatter instead of the empty hallways and still silence she had to endure in the mansion for the last few days. After Esther attempted to end her life, Klaus panicked and forbid her from leaving their home, not that she would listen to him. So, the halfling had taken advantage of his absence and went with Rebekah to the event. This was only possible because he had to leave town for a few days with Juniper when the witch managed to pin down Finn's location to a city nearby. The young hybrid chuckled to herself when she remembered how Klaus had given Rebekah strict instructions to keep Gwen within the safety of the mansion that he had Juniper spelled to repel unwanted visitors. That meant that others—humans and supernatural creatures alike—would need to be invited in to enter the home. Rebekah had batted her eyes and smiled so sweetly at her brother, promising to keep the half-fae safe from harm, but she was just as cunning as he was when it came to making promises and later finding loopholes to suit her needs.
This momentary freedom reminded her of Kol's offer. If she took him up on it, she wouldn't have to be chained to a cage that only allowed her to go out a limited distance before tugging her back. Then again, she didn't know the man too well, which was another factor that had her hesitating. Still, she remembered that he did promise to look after her, but that could have been lip service. Gwen groaned as she rubbed her temple, tired of the thoughts that kept her rethinking her decision over and over and over again. One moment she was sure of herself and determined to stay with Klaus, but then the call of cities filled with music and dancing and laughter had her doubting her decision.
The halfling shivered when a chilly breeze swept over her, making Gwen regret wearing a mere cream-colored cami that featured an all-over, light blue ditsy floral print and had a V-shaped neckline with a relaxed fit. She was glad to have matched it with a pair of light denim, skinny jeans that was a body-hugging fit from thigh to ankle. She also wore a taupe fisherman cardigan sweater that also had an all-over cable knit design, button-front closures, dropped long sleeves, and ribbed trim. As for shoes, she wore tan, suede booties that featured a lace-up front through grommets and D-ring eyelets, almond toe, side zipper, lug sole, and a high stacked block heel.
A grunt beside Gwen had the halfling looking to her left to find Rebekah standing beside her. "If it weren't for the fact that I'm looking for that blasted tree, I would have told dear Carol Lockwood to shove her invitation to this boring fundraiser right up where the sun does not shine," she said with a huff, causing the brunette to chuckle.
"Well, not much else to do," Gwen sighed as she stuffed her hands in the pockets of her cardigan. "The last few days have been nothing but dead ends." She recalled how Rebekah had spent days out in the town library and speaking to members of the Founding Families in her search for any lead as to where the tree was, what happened to it, or what it might have been used for. The only crumb she managed to get was that the Salvatore family had the town's milling ledgers, which was a bit of a problem for them, considering that the last people who needed to know about something that could kill an Original were the Salvatores. "Until we find that tree, we need to play even nicer," she pointed out, nodding to where Damon was walking through the crowd just as the mayor began her speech.
With a roll of her eyes, Rebekah exhaled, "I really don't want to, especially after Damon was so rude to me when I helped him manage Stefan's lack of control over his bloodlust."
Humming, Gwen asked, "Why is it so hard for him to control it at his age?" It had been something that was thrown around in conversation a few times in her presence, which made her curious.
"We may be vampires, but we're not perfect. A vampire like Stefan is the equivalent of a human addict," Rebekah began to explain as she led the two of them through the crowd with Carol Lockwood's speech providing background noise. "Stefan's addiction to blood makes things a bit more complicated, considering that it's what sustains us, so the hunger for it is more intense than some white dust snorted through your nose or a needle in an arm."
"But he can still control it, right?" asked Gwen.
"Depends," Rebekah sighed. "The process is a lot more difficult and tedious than going to a rehabilitation center and developing coping strategies. I believe it is possible to develop the control other vampires have, but it would take a lot of time, which he has. The problem for him is that he dislikes the process of trial and error." She paused as something came to mind. "Something that could help with moderation and having better control is blood sharing with a human, but that's usually done with a lover or someone you have an intimate relationship with. Drinking from a human lover gives the vampire a reason to stay in control." She smirked. "Stefan and Elena would be a perfect example to do this, but they are too many shades of complicated at the moment, so that option is out the window."
"What's blood sharing?" Gwen asked, having a faint idea of what it meant.
Rebekah glanced at Gwen with a grin. "A very fun, very pleasurable, and very intimate thing between vampire lovers that can also happen between a vampire and a human." She chuckled. "Sweet faeries are deprived of such an experience due to the high fatality rate for the faerie, so don't even think about it."
"I wasn't," Gwen gasped as her cheeks became warm, no longer interested in talking about it.
"Bloody hell," Rebekah mumbled when her eyes landed on a familiar face she never thought to see ever again, which prompted her to stop walking.
Gwen frowned at Rebekah and followed her line of sight, finding Damon standing next to what she considered a beautiful woman who was only a few inches shorter than Damon with a thin and moderate build. What made the woman so eye-catching was her shoulder-length, red hair, and light blue eyes. "What's wrong?" she asked the blonde.
"Another problem," Rebekah scoffed as she marched over to where Damon stood beside the redhead with Gwen following behind her. The last thing the Original needed was another vampire snooping around and possibly causing trouble.
"Bekah," Gwen tried to warn her friend from doing anything reckless while out in public.
"Look what the cat dragged in," Rebekah greeted the redhead, ignoring the oldest Salvatore.
"Easy there, Rebekah," Damon cautioned as he gestured to the red-haired woman. "You know, she used to beat men for sport." He felt rather proud of his former teacher.
Rebekah smirked mockingly. "She always was quite common."
"Rebekah," the redhead greeted, opting not to give the Original any reason for a scuffle she wasn't sure she would win. She was technically older by human years, but the blonde being one of the first vampires probably gave her a slight advantage she wasn't going to test out. "What a happy surprise," was the redhead's response, not hiding any of her sarcasm.
"What are you doing here, Sage?" Rebekah asked the redhead.
"Well, I heard Finn was finally freed from that casket your rageaholic brother Klaus carted him around in," Sage answered with a slight edge to her tone, still angry that she had been so powerless to help her lover throughout the thousand years he had spent daggered in a box.
Rebekah nodded with a hum. "You just missed him. He left town and didn't tell a soul where he was going."
"He probably went looking for me," Sage said with a shrug.
The Original snorted. "Or, quite possibly, he forgot all about you."
"I doubt that," Sage countered.
"Oh?" Rebekah mockingly pouted at Sage. "That's funny because he didn't seem to mention you." She glanced at Gwen over her shoulder. "You remember him ever mentioning anything about a commoner, Weny?"
Gwen shook her head at Rebekah. "Please, don't involve me in this." She preferred to be invisible during the stare-down between the two female vampires, much like Damon.
Rebekah turned back to face Sage. "Sorry, you came all this way for nothing." She grabbed Gwen's arm and began to leave. "Have a nice life, Sage!" she threw over her shoulder.
Sage glared at the blonde hair of the only female in the Original family. "God, I hate that elitist Original bitch." Her eyes followed the brunette walking next to Rebekah, having taken a whiff of the girl's scent, which shocked her. "Wait," she paused and turned to Damon with furrowed brows. "Is that girl what I think she is?"
Damon nodded. "Yup."
"Wow," Sage breathed as she remembered the taste of fae blood. "My first and last faerie was that one we shared back in 1912, right here in Mystic Falls."
"I know. It was a blast, but that one's off-limits," Damon warned, noticing the hunger in the redhead's eyes. It was a hunger that he was aware he reflected in his eyes whenever he was around the halfling. "She's in a weird daddy-daughter relationship with Klaus, so it's best to avoid that. I was surprised to see another faerie after so long."
"Of course, it's surprising," said Sage. "We probably killed one of the last faeries. I never saw another one after 1912."
Sage felt nothing but remorse whenever she remembered that young faerie she fed on with Damon. She remembered such luscious black hair pinned up in a bun and mesmerizing green eyes of a woman who ventured out into the world for the first time to watch humans interact on fight night, only to end up meeting a most horrifying end. That young woman had been the first and last faerie she killed. She had noticed too late that the one she indulged in with Damon that night had been a creature she refused to feed from. Unlike how she viewed humans as nothing but food and pleasure, she never saw faeries like that. She once lived among them, having been friends with a few. And yet, that night had been so hazy and fun that she didn't care, not when Damon helped her have a good time.
"She's only half-fae, but her blood must be just as sweet as a pureblood," added Damon.
"You know her name?" Sage asked him.
"Gwen Moone," said Damon.
"Huh," Sage hummed as an idea came to her.
Damon motioned for Sage to follow him with a jerk of his head. "So, care for a walk down memory lane?"
Sage nodded as she looped an arm around his, smirking. "Why not?"
After Carol finished her speech, the crowd dispersed and mingled as work on the bridge continued. The event wasn't at all interesting to Gwen as she stood near the snack table with Rebekah, having nothing to do, given that their purpose there was to get more information about the trees from Carol. The situation was dire, so Gwen was anxious to find where the tree was. Rebekah wanted to do things smoothly, but the halfling wanted things done quickly.
"Bekah, I think I'm going to check out the library again," Gwen announced. "There's no way we're getting anything out of the Salvatores without clueing them in on you-know-what."
"I have a plan, Weny," said Rebekah.
Gwen raised an eyebrow at this. "And that is?"
"I'll seduce Damon," she said as if it was something simple and easy. "I just need to get in his house. I'll tire him out and get what I need before doing as Cinderella did and disappearing into the night."
"Except that Cinderella is intended for general audiences," said Gwen. "What makes you think he'll go for you again?" she asked, unsure of the blonde's plan. "I mean, you threatened Elena's life and those Salvatores have a blacklist for people who do that kind of thing."
Rebekah chuckled. "Let's play a game, Weny."
Gwen raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms under her chest. "What kind of game?"
"Let's race to see who finds it first," Rebekah proposed.
"You're a lot like Nik. You both are a bit competitive," Gwen chuckled as she recalled the bet that she had made with Klaus to see who would find the coffins first. This reminded her that she had lost the said bet and still owed the Original hybrid a painting. At Rebekah's frown that reflected how insulted she felt, the halfling continued with, "He and I made a bet to see who would find you and your daggered siblings first." She rolled her eyes. "Unfortunately, he won."
"Oh!" Rebekah's eyes lit up. "Let's add stakes."
"No, Bekah," Gwen told her.
"It won't be anything torturous. If I win, you paint my nails," said Rebekah, opting for something girls her age usually did with their friends. "If you win, I'll get you whatever you want."
"I haven't had macaroons in a while," Gwen hummed. It wasn't her favorite dessert, but she was craving the meringue-based dessert.
"I'll get you the best ones in the area," Rebekah said as she extended a hand for the halfling to shake.
With a grin, Gwen shook Rebekah's hand. "Deal."
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Gwen regretted picking the Mystic Grill to read a few other records she picked up at the library after leaving Rebekah to do whatever it was that she was planning to do with Damon. It didn't help that it was the midday rush, which meant a lot more people and a lot of chatter, but the halfling was not ready to return to her gilded cage and there was no way she would be alone in a town that had vampires and such running about. It meant that the food establishment was her best option. She managed to seclude herself in a booth at a corner away from others with the library texts laid out on the table, enjoying some beignets and lemonade to satiate her hunger.
From what she managed to figure out through her research, finding the white oak would be difficult without the correct ledgers. All she knew were bits of information that the women from the Lockwood family had gathered, tracing the list of tree species that could be found in Mystic Falls. While the Salvatores had the milling and logging records of the trees and what they were used for, she was still able to at least find information about where the trees could be found from what was recorded by the Lockwood family. All species were written in their Latin names and a dated writing style, which made reading the names even harder, but she managed. Narrowing down the location of where the tree had been was all she needed. As a living being that was part of the earth and had such a strong connection to magic, she would still be able to have a connection to it.
"A bookworm, huh?" a sultry voice said, causing Gwen to look up from her books to find Sage standing next to her table with a smile and her hands inside the pockets of her coat. The vampire saw how the young hybrid quickly became alarmed and looked around. "No need to worry about this old vampire. I know better than to mess with anything or anyone that has a close connection with the Originals, especially Niklaus," the redhead sighed as she sat opposite Gwen, folding her arms on the table as her eyes inspected the content of the texts Gwen was reading. "When I was human, my best friend was a faerie, so I make it a policy not to eat her kind."
Gwen was beyond anxious, her heart beating a mile a minute as she stared at the centuries-old vampire, debating on what she should do. While she could use her magic if the vampire got too close or made any sudden moves. Being in a public place helped calm her, but she maintained her cautiousness. Klaus taught her to never let her guard down, especially when it came to dealing with vampires. While she had been a child and utterly vulnerable when Albert and his friends tortured and fed on her, she refused to be in that type of situation ever again. It didn't help that she had been a victim of kidnapping recently, so she was looking to avoid that.
"You are a very lucky girl in a rather strange situation," said Sage.
With a raised eyebrow, Gwen asked, "How so?"
"A faerie under the protection of the one and only Original hybrid," Sage clarified. "There is nowhere safer for you. And yet, I am curious as to how you came to be under said protection." She raised a hand for a waitress to take her order. "He's not the type to do any charity for anyone." She asked the waitress for her preferred alcoholic drink, compelling the young girl to make it free of charge.
"You're going to have to ask him about that yourself," Gwen said with a shrug of her shoulders.
Sage chuckled. "I don't see that happening. While he may not be as much of an elitist as his sister, he still daggered the love of my life for no reason whatsoever, condemning him to eternal slumber." She cleared her throat. "I don't see myself sharing a drink with him, let alone breathing in the same room as him."
Not for the first time, Gwen cursed Klaus in her mind for being so impulsive and controlling with his family. This time, someone other than his family had a problem with him about it. "Again, ask him about it," she raised her hands in surrender. "I didn't even know he had his family stored in caskets until recently."
This caught Sage by surprise. "Really?"
"Yeah." Gwen nodded. Then, a thought came to her. "You knew all of the Originals?" She cleared her throat. "I mean, back when they were human." This was a good opportunity to know a bit more about the Original family from someone else's perspective, maybe even a bit about Kol.
"Well, there wasn't anyone who didn't know about them in the village or the ones around the area," Sage said with a chuckle as she recalled distant memories. For vampires, old memories were always foggy until they were recalled. "The foreigners who dazzled everyone with their beauty and knowledge from another world. Not only that, but they also had magic of their own." She took a sip of her drink. "They just drew people in."
"Yeah, they kind of do," said Gwen. "You knew them well?"
Sage smiled at the curiosity glowing in the halfling's eyes and determined that the young girl had the same allure the Originals did, drawing people in without meaning to in some way. "Well, as you saw today, my relationship with Rebekah isn't the best. She has always seen me as someone below her station. She can be a real bitch when she wants to be," she explained, not bothering to hide her distaste for the blonde. "My faerie friend was actually friends with Rebekah, so she always tried to help us get along." She huffed as she recalled the many times Rebekah pouted and insulted her to get the redhead to leave. "We never did, but my friend actually helped Finn and I get together."
Frowning, Gwen recalled the time Rebekah talked about her family and asked, "Was Lilwen your faerie friend?"
Sage hummed. "So, you know a bit about their history."
With a shrug, Gwen said, "Bekah talked about it a bit."
"As I was saying, Elijah was a good man back then, but he always allowed himself to be pulled around by his siblings." Sage exhaled heavily at this, still annoyed at how Elijah always favored some of his siblings over the rest. "He always had his favorites, always taking sides."
Anxious about wanting to know about a specific Original, Gwen asked, "And Kol?"
With a grin after noticing how impatient Gwen was to know about the youngest of the brothers, Sage asked, "Why such an interest in the youngest of the brothers?"
Gwen felt her cheeks become slightly warm, so she cleared her throat. "Well, I just want to know a bit about him. He offered me a deal and I want to know what I'm getting myself into before I take it."
"Well, I have to say that he was the most fun of them all. I love Finn with all I am, but Kol was the life of any party and good company to have. Other than Finn, Kol had no trouble accepting my relationship with his brother and became a good friend," Sage told the young hybrid. "Since young, Kol always found joy in anything and everything. The only ones who were ever annoyed with him were his siblings, but I imagine that comes with the territory of being a middle child, and a most mischievous one." She hummed as she tried to recall anything she might've heard about Kol throughout the decades. "As a vampire, I can't say much, considering that I steered clear of that family. They each were notorious for many atrocities and volatile tempers, so I didn't test my luck."
This told Gwen nothing, not more than what she already knew. Kol was like Klaus when it came to his temper, as unpredictable as Elijah, and erratic like Rebekah. It was not the best mixture, but she was familiar with such behavior. While she wanted to believe that she could trust him, she couldn't just place herself in the hands of the most unpredictable member of the Original family, who also happened to not be on the best of terms with Klaus. It was an unpredictable situation that she wasn't sure if she wanted to be in.
"What kind of deal are we talking about?" Sage asked, truly curious about what caused a frown to appear on the young girl's face.
"Well, I don't know a lot about my magic," Gwen explained with a shrug as she folded her arms over the texts on the table. "So, the deal is that I would help him adapt to the world and maybe provide some type of entertainment, and he would teach me a few things about fae magic. I would also have the opportunity to explore the world."
"I would take the deal if I were you," said Sage.
Gwen raised an eyebrow. "Really?"
"Lessons from an Original well-versed in magic, it's a good offer. And Kol likes to travel, so you'd have a good time," Sage told the brunette. "I'd take it."
"How do I know I can trust him?" Gwen countered, feeling like Sage was simply telling her what she wanted to hear and not what was best.
Noticing how Gwen narrowed her eyes, Sage backpaddled. "Honestly?" she chuckled. "I am not the girl you should ask. I don't trust anybody."
"Good to know," Gwen sighed, leaning her chin on a hand she propped up on the table.
"Look," Sage began with a sigh, "Kol is no saint, none of them are. He is probably using you to get back at his siblings in some way, but you'd also be using him."
"I imagine all this conversation and advice isn't without a price, right?" she questioned Sage.
"Look, I just want to know where Finn is," Sage confessed, choosing to be truthful about what she wanted. It pained her to think about the possibility that Rebekah might've been right and that Finn wasn't out looking for her. "Either you or Rebekah must have some idea where he went. I just need to be pointed in the right direction."
Gwen paused when she saw the desperation so painfully displayed in Sage's blue eyes that were brimming with so many emotions. It was hard for the halfling not to help her. Not only that, but she could also tell that the redheaded vampire was being sincere. She couldn't just turn Sage away without something. Then again, she couldn't just trust the vampire just because she felt bad for her. Klaus would never let her hear the end of it, about how she was too gullible and allowed herself to be so easily manipulated.
"Please," Sage persisted.
"It's not that I don't want to help you, but Nik will have my head if I say anything," said Gwen, watching how the redhead's shoulders deflated in defeat. She at least wanted to help her in some way, even if Sage was manipulating her. It came from a place of desperation to reunite with someone she loved after a thousand years of not seeing them. "When Nik comes back, I can try and figure something out, but I can't make any promises."
Sage exhaled heavily and reached into her purse. She pulled out a pen and wrote down her phone number on the napkin provided for her. "Here," she said as she slid the napkin over to Gwen. "It's my phone number. I'll take whatever you can offer." She locked eyes with the halfling and smiled. "This is the closest I've been to seeing him after so long." Her chest could practically explode from the excitement of seeing Finn. "Just know, if you can help me with this, I'll owe you big."
Gwen could only nod in response. "I'll see what I can do. Again, I can't make any promises."
"Just for that, I'll give you another piece of advice," Sage began as she stood up, tightening her coat around herself. "Don't let Klaus hold you back. Live life to the fullest, kid."
Watching Sage leave, Gwen thought about the redhead's words, thinking about how easy it was for the vampire to say such things. For the young hybrid, leaving home wasn't that easy, let alone with a vampire she didn't trust. Yes, Kol seemed charming and fun to be around, but that was only one side to him. Still, Sage's words struck a cord within her. She couldn't just let life go by, only to watch from a window in her makeshift cell. As soon as the Mikaelson siblings were unlinked, Kol's offer would have expired.
Shaking her head, Gwen finished her drink and gathered her things before standing up, leaving quite a lot of money behind on the table after signaling for the waitress to collect the payment and keep the change. She stepped out into the night and made her way toward a bench across the street. Seeing people walking around kept her calm, but she was still alert.
Gwen took out her phone and went into her contacts, scrolling down in search of a certain name. "I hope I don't regret this." She found the name of the person and tapped it before putting the phone to her ear, hearing it ring.
On the fourth ring, the call was picked up and Gwen was greeted with, "Good evening, darling."
"Hello," Gwen said, unable to say anything else out of nervousness. There was a lump in her throat that kept her from saying anything else.
"And to what do I owe this pleasant surprise?" asked Kol, grinning.
"I have a problem," she began but paused when her mind turned into a jumbled mess. "A-Actually, you and your f-family have a problem I'm helping with. You know, the thing with your m-mom." Oh, how she wanted to scream at herself to get her act together and speak like a normal human being. The problem was that she stuttered when she was really, really nervous and there was nothing she could do about it. "I think I m-might be able to find what remains of the white oak tree with my magic, but I don't know how to use it when there is too much ground to cover."
"I don't give free lessons to just anyone, little lamb," Kol hummed, amused with her. "But I like you, so this one is on me."
"Okay," Gwen said, eager to learn.
"Faerie magic is harnessing the power of nature and everything related to it. The closer you are to nature, the stronger your magic will be," Kol explained.
"So, just try to connect with nature, right?" Gwen asked, recalling what he had explained earlier when she first called him.
"It's not as simple as you're making it sound, but you may just get lucky being the last living fae," said Kol. "The white oak is or was once a tree, so get as close to the spot where it might be and simply ask where it is. That's how faeries in the past used to do it."
"June mentioned something like that," Gwen mumbled. "Any other pointers?"
"Well, it may feel like you're being overwhelmed but do not be frightened. Don't think about it as a separate thing," he elaborated on what he previously explained. He once was a prodigy, so he needed to use simple terms for a novice like Gwen. "Your magic is a reflection of yourself. Think of it as a manifestation of your soul and use it to connect to nature."
Humming in understanding, Gwen said, "I think I can do that." She just needed to focus on her magic. "I'll head over to the forest and try to find that tree."
"The white oak tree is a powerful thing, so you'll know when you find it," Kol added.
"Got it," said Gwen.
"So, will you be joining me once I am freed of being linked to my annoying siblings?" asked Kol.
Gwen opened her mouth to answer but no sound came out. Oh, how she wanted to scream at herself right now. It was simple, stay or go. She either stayed with Klaus for the rest of her life in a monitored and enclosed environment or take a gamble in experiencing life outside her comfort zone. She could no longer keep track of how many times the same thoughts circled in her head. It was getting ridiculous.
As if sensing her thoughts, Kol said, "Don't let fear keep you from taking a leap, darling."
Gwen took a deep breath. "I still need a bit of time."
"Fine by me, but do remember that time is running out," Kol taunted. "As soon as I'm done doing Nik the favor of watching over the doppelgänger's brother, the offer is off the table."
"You'll have your answer," said Gwen.
"I have a feeling I'm going to like your answer," said Kol. "I'm confident we'll be spending a lot of time together in the near future, little lamb."
"Thank you," Gwen quickly said before hanging up the call.
.
"This is stupid," Gwen grumbled to herself as she held onto the steering wheel of her car, staring out into the woods that were lit up by the car's headlights. "I'm so stupid."
Believing that she still had time before night completely fell, Gwen had reached an area of the woods that was near Wickery Bridge she had visited earlier today with Rebekah. The documents weren't too specific concerning the exact location of the white oak tree, but they did mention the area was close to the bridge.
Once again, she was like the idiotic characters in horror movies by going to the woods alone, but she didn't have much choice in the matter.
A soft breeze blew around Gwen as she stared at the woods in front of her after leaving the warmth of her car. She stared at the dark woods, unable to see more than some ten feet in front of her. It was a bit frightening to be out there by herself. Suddenly, something shifted in the air. As if someone heard her, there was no darkness anymore. It wasn't just the moonlight lighting up the forest. The trees and bushes appeared to be glowing as if it was welcoming her and offering comfort, which helped calm her racing thoughts and fast-beating heart. She took a deep breath and allowed herself to calm down, suddenly feeling warm inside as she did what Kol instructed her to do by connecting with nature through her magic.
"Show me," she whispered into the night. "Please."
After the words left her, something shifted in the air. The breeze around her moved with purpose as it ruffled the leaves on the trees. She felt like she was being gently pushed from behind by the wind. And so, she allowed herself to be led. It felt odd, but a good kind of odd. It felt like she was being guided by someone or something. She wasn't afraid. She found there was no need to be. The trek through the woods was no longer scary. The darkness had disappeared.
Strangely enough, the young hybrid was not at all surprised to find herself in front of the renovated bridge, but she was curious as to how it was connected to the white oak tree. She approached the bridge and looked around. She was beginning to think that she should have been more specific when asking for the location of the white oak tree. Unless…
The sound of a car's engine caught Gwen's attention, so she turned around in alarm, but she breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the familiar red car that belonged to Rebekah. The half-fae waited for the car to park and the Original to step out before approaching the blonde.
"What are you doing here?" Gwen asked Rebekah.
"The white oak, same as you. Seems like you win our bet," Rebekah sighed with a pout. "I owe you some macarons."
Gwen said nothing about how she still didn't know where the tree was. "Well, my preferred flavors are anything coffee, vanilla, and strawberry."
Rebekah looked around the area and noticed how there was a natural glow that lit up the place. "Is it just me or is it a bit too bright?"
"It's the forest," Gwen said nonchalantly.
Keeping up with her ruse of having won the bet, Gwen stood by Rebekah as they stared at the bridge. "How are we going to do this?"
"Easy," Rebekah said with a shrug of her shoulders as she stepped toward the wood that had been stripped from the underside of the bridge, which was what Sage had told her was what remained of the white oak tree.
For the next half-hour, Gwen watched Rebekah lug all the wood that was supposed to be the white oak in amazement. Through brute strength, the Original carried the wood without any problem, as if it were a mere shopping bag. Just for good measure, Gwen had checked all the wood that had been stripped from the bridge to make sure they got it all, but Rebekah simply gathered anything and everything that was white oak or looked like it in one place. She was going to make sure that not even a splinter would be left behind.
After gathering the wood and having drenched it with gasoline that the vampire had brought with her, both women stood in front of it. Gwen turned to Rebekah with a raised eyebrow and asked, "What now?"
With a smirk, Rebekah took out a lighter and flicked it on before throwing it into the wood. "Now, we enjoy the show," she told the young hybrid.
"Fun bonfire," the halfling chuckled.
Screeching tires caught the attention of both girls, so they turned to find a speeding car approaching them before coming to a shrieking halt. Damon grunted as he stepped out of his car and slammed the door in frustration. He could only watch the wood burn and flames grow higher into the night sky. There was no way that there would be anything left. Rebekah would make sure that there would be nothing left of the white oak tree, not even ash.
"Your grand plans always seem to get ruined, don't they?" Rebekah laughed at Damon. "Sorry to disappoint you. Again." She shrugged her shoulders. "I may be a hopeless romantic, but I am not foolish enough to fall for that little mind trick, but thanks for hooking me up with an informant." She nodded to someone behind Damon before turning around to watch the burning wood.
Damon frowned and looked behind him to find Sage standing by his car. "You set me up," he snarled.
"I'm just looking after myself," Sage sighed, her hands stuffed in the pockets of her jacket.
"I told you I'd save your creepy boyfriend!" Damon raged at Sage as he stomped toward her.
"And you lied to me, Damon!" Sage squared up to Damon in return, stopping his tantrum. "The Originals are linked. If one dies, they all die." She tilted her head. "You should be thanking me. I kept her from slaughtering us both. She was actually using us to get inside your head." She smirked as she glanced at Rebekah. "She one-upped me." She looked back at Damon and shrugged. "No hard feelings, but her deal was better than yours, especially after you lied to my face. If I can get inside her head, don't you think I'd be able to get inside yours?"
"I should end you," Damon growled as he went to grab Sage by her throat, but her reaction was faster as she grabbed him by his throat and slammed him against his car.
"I'm nine hundred years old, Damon," Sage told the younger vampire as she leaned close to his face. "You're not capable of ending me." She released him and stepped back. "Do you really think that I would risk Finn's life for one of your petty revenge fantasies?"
Damon huffed as he moved closer to Sage. "Let me tell you something," he began, blinded by rage and frustration. "Your long-lost love has a suicide wish. So, when mama-witch linked them together in a spell, he's the one that volunteered to die."
"He wouldn't do that," Sage said as she shook her head.
"He didn't want to live. Not for you. Not for anyone," Damon spat, looking to hurt her in retaliation. "He doesn't love you, Sage. Now, when I do find another way to kill those Originals, I'll start with Finn."
As soon as the words began to sting, Sage pushed away her emotions and stared at Damon with a blank look. "Young vampires have it good, but wait until you get older," she said as she approached her former protégé. "You will soon learn that eternity is not about looking for a good time to kill time, it's about looking for something to survive immortality." This was mostly directed at herself than at Damon.
Sage watched Damon scoff before getting in his car and driving off into the night. Her mind then went to Finn and wondered what was going on in his head to wish for death, but she didn't need to think too much about it. All vampires imagine ending it at some point in time during their immortal life, especially old ones like herself. It wasn't at all surprising to hear that Finn was wishing for death. At first, immortality appeared to be endless fun and experiences, but things could get dull. To battle this, many vampires anchored themselves to something or someone.
"He could be wrong. I mean, Damon is not the person to take seriously," Gwen said from behind Sage, causing the redhead to turn around to face her. "Bekah told me you helped her find the white oak, so I'll try to convince Nik to go easy on Finn and let you talk to him." She took a deep breath and exhaled. "Finn did offer himself to die, but I'd like to think that love is strong enough."
Somehow, Sage allowed herself to hope with those words.
.
"Today has been such a good day!" Rebekah chuckled as she came into Gwen's room with a bottle of wine, joining the halfling on the bed. They were both wearing pajamas. "All that's left is to unlink us all from one another. The last thing I need is to experience any weird side effects the longer I stay linked to my brothers."
Gwen hummed in agreement. "I can imagine." She looked at her phone after receiving a message from Klaus. "Nik said that they might've found Finn, so you will probably get your wish soon."
"Good," said Rebekah as she opened the bottle of red wine before pouring some into two glasses, and handing one over to Gwen. "Now, let's celebrate and toast to a job well done. And later, we can rub it in Nik's face for having so little faith in us being able to find the tree."
Gwen toasted with Rebekah before taking a sip of the wine, her face scrunching up due to how much stronger red wine was when compared to rosé wine. A rosé wine would have been better, but she wasn't going to complain, not when the day had gone swimmingly well. The looming threat of the white oak tree was dealt with, so it felt nice that they could relax for a bit with only one problem left to deal with—the linking spell.
"So, how on earth did you manage to track down the white oak?" Rebekah asked after refilling her glass.
"Um," Gwen hummed as she stared down at her drink, unable to look at Rebekah as she revealed who had offered some assistance. "Your brother…he helped me."
Frowning, Rebekah stopped before taking another sip as she turned to Gwen. "Which one?" she asked. The blonde knew it couldn't have been Klaus nor Elijah, given that neither was as well-versed in fae magic as… "Oh," she mumbled. "Kol helped you?"
"Yeah," said Gwen.
"That's odd," Rebekah thought out loud as she drank more wine. "He doesn't do anything out of the goodness of his heart."
"I already, kind of, made a deal with him," Gwen said as slowly as possible as she watched out for Rebekah's reaction from the corner of her eye.
Rebekah paused as she was about to take a sip and slowly turned to face Gwen, blinking a few times. "What?" she questioned, lowering her glass. "You made a deal with Kol?"
"Well, yeah." Gwen shrugged as she took a sip of her wine, trying to ignore the tension in the air. "I mean, I haven't decided yet. The deal is kind of on hold."
"Look, Weny, I love each of my brothers very much, but they are all psychotic in a way that is unique to each one of them," Rebekah began as she locked eyes with Gwen. "There is a reason Niklaus holds some respect toward Kol and is especially cautious around him. Out of all of us, Kol was the most warped by our transition into vampires. He is not someone you can trust or take lightly." As a sister, she knew her brothers best, so she needed to keep Gwen away from the wildest one in her family. "Please, do not take whatever deal he proposes, no matter how good it sounds."
Using her compelled honesty to her advantage, Gwen avoided giving a straight answer by saying, "Okay."
End of chapter!
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