"Rise and shine, sleepy heads." Damon stated, sitting at the end of Stefan's bed and looking between Elena and Stefan who were cuddling.
"What are you doing?" Stefan asked in annoyance as he sat up while Elena groaned and tried to cover her lingerie with the sheets.
"Damon, please." Elena stated, pulling the covers over her chest and sighing deeply at the effort.
"Oh, stop being smutty." I countered in some amusement as I walked around Stefan's room curiously.
"If I see something I haven't seen before, I'll throw a dollar at it." Damon added with a smirk, making Elena scoff while I rolled my eyes. "Now, listen. We have some very important business to discuss." He added with an assertive nod.
"And it has to be right now?" Elena countered, gesturing at her and Stefan's situation.
"Well, we have lots to do." I answered, turning towards them and watching their eyes fall on me. "Now that we're all friends and working towards a common goal." I added, gesturing towards Damon to continue and he looked at me gratefully and stood.
"So, in order to open the tomb, we need to find the journal to get the grimoire to undo the spell. Now, first things firstâsince you are Mariana and Elena Gilbert, you two are on journal duty." Damon informed, looking between us. I sighed in response and looked over all of Stefan's journals from over his years of being a vampire. All dating back to 1864.
"Since when am I helping?" Elena asked in defeat, making me raise an eyebrow.
"Well, Stefan's helping and you've taken up residence in Stefan's bedâErgo.." I answered and lead off, not looking at her but instead down at the picture of Katherine from 1864 as it set on Stefan's desk. I furrowed my eyebrows down at the picture in both shock and familiarity.. I've not seen the picture until now.
"You don't have to do anything that you don't want to do." Stefan reassured Elena who sighed in annoyance and pulled the sheet over herself fully.
"I'll look for it tonight." Elena stated from under the sheets as I put the picture down.
"How do we know that this journal will hold the location of a grimoire?" Stefan asked, sitting up on his elbows and raising an eyebrow at Damon. "We're really gonna take the word of this vampire? He seemed like a bit of a dimwit." He added sarcastically and I smirked at him.
"In lieu of any other options." Damon replied with a shrug before Elena quickly sat up again, uncovering herself from the sheets and sighing loudly.
"Okay, what exactly is a grimoire, anyways?" She asked in annoyance and I turned towards them and leant back on Stefan's desk.
"It's a witch's cookbook." Damon answered simply, making me fold my arms over my chest.
"Every spell that a witch casts is unique onto itself, so every witch would document their work." I informed, making all three of them look at me in confusion but I shrugged. "I do my research." I added, tilting my head at Damon in amusement.
"Yeah. Cookbook." Damon countered as he shook him head and I rolled my eyes.
"What about our mystery vampire? Dimwit obviously wasn't working alone, so whoever is out there knows who we are." Stefan stated as he looked up at Damon again.
"And I don't like that disadvantage, so.." Damon started, leading off before clapping his hands together. "Chop-Chop." He added, walking towards the door and I followed. "You know, I really like this whole ménageâfoursome team thing. It's got kind of a kink to it." He stated, smirking back at the two who looked skeptically back at him while he chuckled. "Don't screw it up." He added in a serious tone before we both walked out of the room.
~~~
I walked down the stairs, about to walk out the front door before I heard voices whispering from the kitchen. "Do you think that Damon really believes us? That we're trying to help him?" Elena's voice asked and I slowly walked down the hall, listening in.
"I don't think Damon knows what to believe.. Trust isn't something that comes natural to him." Stefan answered with a sigh and I furrowed my eyebrows.
"You know, I really do think that Damon thinks that every move he's made, everything he's doneâhe's done out of love.. It's twisted and kind of sad." Elena said in defeat as she went through a box of old stuff.
"There are other ways to get what you want. You don't have to kill people. Damon has no regard for human life. He enjoys inflicting pain on others." Stefan pointed out and I slowly folded my arms over my chest. "For one-hundred and forty five years, every single time that I have let my guard down and let Damon back into my life, he has done something to make me regret that." He added, sighing deeply at the memories. "I'm not going to make that same mistake again." Stefan warned in a serious tone.
"So what do you think will happen if the tomb gets opened and Damon gets Katherine back?" Elena asked in confusion, making me raise an eyebrow at the question.. but even more so at the answer.
"I think that no matter what Damon promises, a lot of people will die." Stefan answered emotionlessly. I took a deep breath before I walked back down the hall and out of the house.
~~~
"My father never approved of anyone I dated. Which only made me want them more, of course." Damon stated with a smirk. He sliced a tomato on the kitchen island while Jenna sat on the counter across from him and I leant against the sink. "What about you?" He asked, gesturing at Jenna who drank from a wine glass.
"There were a few guys." Jenna answered, making Damon raise an eyebrow. "Logan isn't the only loser I've dated." She added in amusement before drinking from her glass some more.
"They ever find him? Or is he still missing?" Damon asked, furrowing his eyebrows and I rolled my eyes at how innocent he acted.
"He's not missing. He's in the Bahama's working on his tan." Jenna countered in annoyance and I smirked at her. "Very entitled, that one. Marches to his own drum." She added in disgust and downed the rest of her wine. Damon grabbed the bottle and refilled her glass while I sighed at Jenna.
"He's foul. They're all snooty, Jenna." I pointed out and shook my head. Damon chuckled dryly as he walked back over to the tomato and looked down at it.
"Hello, Elena." He stated, making Jenna and I furrow our eyebrows before Elena walked into the kitchen from the hall.
"Hey, where have you been?" Jenna asked and Elena furrowed her eyebrows at Damon before looking over at me. "We're cooking dinner." She added, gesturing at Damon with her glass. He who smirked at her while I shrugged, staying out of it completely.
"Is Stefan with you?" Damon asked, tilting his head and Elena rested an arm against the counter that Jenna sat on.
"Uh, he'll be here soon." Elena answered with a short nod, making Damon look down at the tomato in agreement.
~~~
I grabbed plates from the cupboard, stacking them in my hands before moving them over the table. Damon walked past me, bumping his body into me before slowly moving out of the way, slightly grinding his front half on mine. "Whoa. Hmm." He stated with some amusement and I rolled my eyes and put the plates on the table.
"Don't do that." I stated in annoyance, shaking my head at him and looking away.
"Do what?" He countered in confusion and innocence, making me scoff.
"You know what. That move was deliberate." I pointed out and turned to him, raising my eyebrow.
"Well, yeah. I was deliberately trying to get to the.. Sink." Damon stated with a smirk. I chuckled a bit and moved over to him, leaning my back against the counter. I watched in silence as he made some sort of sauce on the oven, stirring it slowly. Elena walked from the hall and rose an eyebrow at the two of us, making me move away from Damon. "Speaking of Stefan. Where is he? He's missing family night. Which I am enjoyingâImmensely." Damon stated as he smirked over at me, making Elena look at me with even more suspicion as she started to set the table, making silence fall over us. "Is it real?" Damon asked out of nowhere and I looked over at him in confusion.
"Is what real?" Elena countered, not looking at him as she put the spoons and forks on the table beside the plates.
"This renewed sense of brotherhood." Damon answered and I eyed Elena curiously while Damon tasted his sauce. "Can I trust him?" He added, looking at her from over his shoulder. Elena furrowed her eyebrows and looked over at me, waiting for an answer but I narrowed my eyes at her. Damon stared between us, clearly feeling the tension start to fill the air.
"Yes." I informed emotionlessly and looked at Damon who stared back at me. "You can trust him." I replied, lying straight to his face. I put the napkins down on the table before I felt Damon vamp up from behind me. I sighed a bit and slowly turned towards him.
"Can I trust him?" Damon asked, eyeing me closely and I tilted my head back.
"Compulsion isn't gonna work on me, Damon. I'm wearing vervain." I stated quietly and watched him furrow his eyebrows down at me before he scoffed.
"I'm not compelling you." He stated and I rose an eyebrow at him. "I just want you to answer me. Truthfully." Damon added, staring me down. I looked past him and at Elena who watched me intently, waiting for my answer.
"Yes, Damon." I replied, looking back at him with a serious expression. "You can trust him." I stated emotionlessly, walking past him and over to the stove before slowly mixing the carrots that were sitting next to the sauce. Elena walked out of the kitchen quickly and I let out a sigh, slowly shaking my head.
"There was a time when I trusted him more than anyone." Damon admitted from behind me and I looked at him from over my shoulder.
"Trust breeds trust. You have to give it to get it." I countered with a shrug, making him raise an eyebrow at me.
"Are you lecturing me?" He asked sarcastically and I smirked, grabbing a salad from the counter.
"Do you need to be lectured?" I countered challengingly as I tilted my head at him but he shrugged.
"I just want her back. I'm sure you can understand that." Damon stated and I looked away from him and slowly nodded.
"I can understand that you would do anything for her.. Yes." I admitted quietly, walking to the table and setting the salad down. Damon slowly moved behind me and I felt my body become tense as his chest pushed against my back.
"Then you will understand what I will do if anyone gets in my way." Damon whispered towards me in a voice that I've never heard before.. He pulled himself away from me and I felt goosebumps slowly crawl up my back.
-Time Skip-
I looked down at my phone as Jenna and I stood in the kitchen while Damon and Jeremy played video games in the living room. "He is ridiculously hot." Jenna pointed out with a smirk at me as she watched Damon from the next room.
"Sh." I warned, putting a finger to my mouth and looking towards Damon also. "He's an ass." I added in annoyance and looked down at the old box that sat in between Jenna and I.
"What are you doing with all of this stuff?" She asked, gesturing down at the box and I slowly shook my head.
"I thought there might be something in here about mine and Elena's birth parents.." I informed, sifting through it and pulling stuff out.
"Have either of you told Jeremy?" Jenna asked and I sighed deeply before I looked over at him from where he sat on the couch beside Damon.
"We will.. When the time is right." I reassured her and closed the box just as the doorbell rang.
"That's Stefan!" Elena yelled quickly as she came from the stairs. I rose an eyebrow and walked down the hall while Damon got up from the couch and all three of us met at the door. Elena pulled the door open and Stefan looked up and slowly furrowed his eyebrows at us.
"Well?" Damon asked, tilting his head at his brother expectantly.
~~~
"Who took it?" Damon asked in annoyance as he walked out onto the porch after he put his jacket on.
"I don't know." Stefan answered as Elena closed the front door behind us and Damon turned towards Stefan.
"You know what, it's that teacher. There's something really off about him." Damon pointing out in question but Stefan folded his arms over his chest.
"No, he doesn't know anything. Someone got to him right before me." Stefan countered and I slowly sighed, crossing my arms over my chest.
"Who else knew it was there?" Damon snapped and I exchanged a look with Elena before we both looked through the window beside us and inside at Jeremy, who still sat on the couch. Damon narrowed his eyes at Jeremy also and quickly moved forwards to go walk inside but Elena stepped in front of him.
"No, Damon leave him out of it." Elena warned in annoyance as he shoved past her and Stefan.
"Why, what's the big deal?" Damon countered with a shrug as he opened the front door.
"Damon." I protested in defeat as he walked into the living room towards Jer.
"So.. I heard you found a really cool journal from back in the day." Damon said, sitting on the arm of the couch next to Jeremy. "Who else did you show it to?" He asked, raising his eyebrow.
"Huh?" Jeremy countered in confusion, not paying attention as he stared at the T.V.
"Don't ask questions, just spill." Damon replied, easily getting irritated. Jeremy paused his game and looked back at him and chuckling.
"You're kidding me, right?" Jeremy asked in disbelief before shaking his head.
"Jer, did you tell anyone other than Mr. Saltzman about Jonathan Gilbert's journal?" I asked, raising my eyebrow down at him as I folded my arms over my chest.
"Why is everybody so obsessed with that thing?" He asked in annoyance, making me sigh.
"Jeremy, who else did you tell?" Elena pressed impatiently and Jeremy rose an eyebrow.
"Just that girl Anna." He answered with a shrug and Damon tilted his head down at him.
"The hot, weird one?" Damon asked and Jeremy nodded his head in agreement.
"Yeah." Jeremy stated, looking back at the T.V and I put a hand up in question.
"Wait, who is Anna?" I asked, looking between Jeremy and Elena, but she also had no idea.
"That's what I wanna find out." Damon pointed out with a sigh. Elena's phone started to ring from the other room and she walked away, going to answer it. "How do you know her?" He asked, shaking his head down at Jer.
"I just know her." Jeremy answered with a sigh. "She wants me to meet her at the Grill tonight." He added with a smile as he looked between Stefan, Damon and I.
"Perfect." Damon countered, looking up at Stefan before back at Jer. "I'll drive, Come on." He added, getting up quickly and gesturing for Jeremy to follow.
"Ok." Jeremy agreed, walking towards the door and Damon followed but I stepped in front of him and put a hand on his chest, making him furrow his eyebrows at it.
"Don't do anything stupid." I warned and watched him slowly smirk down at me.
"Worried about me, huh?" He asked and I rolled my eyes as I pulled my hand back. "Don't be." He added emotionlessly before walking out of the house with Jeremy. I furrowed my eyebrows as Elena came back over to Stefan and I after she got off of the phone.
"Wait, where did Damon go?" She asked, shaking her head at us.
"To The Grill with Jeremy to track down Anna and see about the journal." I answered and Elena looked at Stefan in confusion.
"Aren't you going to go with him? If he gets to the journal before we do thenâ" She started but Stefan pulled out a copy of papers in his hand, cutting her off.
"Doesn't matter." He stated, smiling at her. "Mr. Saltzman was nice enough to make a copy and loan it to me." Stefan added with a shrug and I furrowed my eyebrows.
"He did?" I asked, looking at him skeptically and Stefan looked back at me.
"Not exactly. But I got it." Stefan answered and I sighed in defeat as I looked at the two.
"I want in." I stated and watched as the two of them furrow their eyebrows at me, pretending to not know what I was talking about but they practically just told me their plan anyways. "Neither of you are actually interested in helping Damon free Katherine. So whatever you're planning, I want in." I pointed out, making them exchange a look.
~~~
"Here's a reference that Jonathan wrote about Emily." I stated, turning to the page of the journal as I held some parts of it as did Stefan and Elena. "âThe Fell family believed it should be I, not them who protected the witch's spell book.. But I feared that she would haunt me from the hereafter. They mocked my fear but it was Giuseppe Salvatore whoâ" I started, only to cut myself off and look up at Stefan who furrowed his eyebrows. "That's your father." I stated, handing the pages to him.
"âIt was Giuseppe Salvatore who removed my fear. He told me that he would protect the secret of the spell book. He said that he would carry it to his grave." Stefan read and I furrowed my eyebrows. I watched him look up from the pages, piecing whatever he was thinking, together. "I know where it is." He whispered, looking between Elena and I.
~~~
"Why isn't your father buried in your family's tomb?" Elena asked as she shined a flashlight on the grave of Giuseppe Salvatore.
"It wasn't built until well after he died." Stefan answered as he set up torches around the grave.
"And you're sure that the journal was buried with him?" I asked, shaking my head in uncertainty while Stefan walked over to it with a shovel, light from the torches around us, cascading over his features.
"As sure as I can be." Stefan answered, picking up shovels and handing one to both Elena and I.
"Great." Elena stated emotionlessly as she looked down at the grave in defeat.
"Elena. I can do this on my own." Stefan stated skeptically as he looked at her, making her sigh.
"And I said I will do anything I can do help." She countered, shaking her head in protest.
"I know and I appreciate that, butâ" Stefan started but I cut him off.
"This town is our home, Stefan." I informed, making him look at me as I gestured between Elena and I. "Our friends and family are here. You're here. We don't want that tomb opened anymore than you do.. and at this point, it doesn't matter what reasons we have." I added quietly, looking away from him. Stefan took a deep breath and looked down at his father's grave in defeat, making me look back at him and tilt my head. "I'm sorry that you have to do this." I stated in empathy and he slowly nodded in agreement before he started digging up the dirt and Elena and I followed his lead.
~~~
Elena held the flashlight over Stefan while he dug through the dirt with his shovel. He was at least five feet into the grave by now and Elena chuckled. "What?" Stefan asked, looking up at her and she shrugged.
"Nothing.. It's justânot many girls can say they've done this." She pointed out in amusement and I smirked at her from where I sat beside the grave, catching my breath as I sweat from my forehead.
"And that's why it makes us badass." I countered, making her show a small smile as Stefan chuckled, going to dig again but a thud came from the dirt below him and I rose my eyebrow. Stefan looked up at Elena and I before he quickly started using the shovel to push dirt out of the way. He threw the shovel away from him and got down on his hands and knees, uncovering the casket that became visible from below him. I slowly stood up and looked at Elena who became uneasy as Stefan slowly started opening the top part of the casket and I heard the old wood creak as he did.
"Is that it?" Elena asked, furrowing her eyebrows as Stefan opened the casket all of the way. I saw the skeleton laying inside, dried up as it held something that looked like it was wrapped in paper.. Stefan grabbed the spell book from his father's arms before slowly closing the casket again. I watched as Stefan looked up at Elena and I before he started unraveling the paper, proving that it was indeed, Emily's grimoire.
"Well, what do you know?" A voice asked from behind us and all three of us turned to see Damon standing across from us. "This is an interesting turn of events." He added in disappointment.
"I can't let you bring her back. I'm sorry." Stefan stated once he stepped out of the grave and in front of his brother who nodded back at him.
"So am I." Damon replied, making Stefan furrow his eyebrows. "For thinking for even a second that I could trust you." He added, shaking his head in disbelief and Stefan scoffed.
"You are not capable of trust. The fact that you're here means that you read the journal and you were planning on doing this yourself." Stefan pointed out emotionlessly.
"Of course I was going to do it by myself because the only one I can count on is me!" Damon argued back and I looked away from. "You made sure of that, many years ago, Stefan." He added quietly and I looked back at him to see his eyes glaze over slightly. As did Stefan's. "But you.." Damon whispered, looking past Stefan and towards me. "You had me fooled." He stated, staring at me in complete disappointment and I felt myself break. I wanted to talk to him.. To tell him why I did what I did but I knew it wouldn't make a difference.. So I just looked away. "What are you going to do now?" Damon asked, looking back at Stefan in annoyance. "Because if you try and destroy that, I'll rip her heart out." He threatened and I looked back at him in confusion but he narrowed his eyes at Stefan and clenched his jaw.
"You won't kill her." Stefan countered emotionlessly. I watched as Damon rose an eyebrow at his brother challengingly before he vamped behind me, holding an arm around my neck and securing me in his hold.
"Mariana!" Elena screamed towards me in concern, wanting to run forwards but Stefan held her back.
"I can do one better." Damon informed, narrowing his eyes at Stefan in anger. "Mariana already has my blood in her system. And I'm pretty sure that it hasn't been twenty-four hours yet, huh?" Damon asked down at me as I tried to get out of his grasp but couldn't. "And if it hasâit's just collateral damage, right? Just one more way for you to focus all of your attention on Elena?" He asked scoffing. I felt my heart break from under his hold as my eyes started to glaze over.
"Damon, please." I whispered in fear from in his arms, trying to pull myself away from him. "Please." I pleaded, shaking my head but he ignored me.
"I am not going to give you this book until she is standing next to me." Stefan warned, narrowing his eyes at Damon angrily. I furrowed my eyebrows and looked at Elena whose eyes were glazed over also.
"The problem is, I no longer trust that you'll give it back!" Damon countered back in anger and Stefan shook his head in defeat.
"You just did the one thing that ensures that I will." Stefan replied, looking at Elena who stared at Damon with anger before looking at me as hurt and fear formed in her eyes. "Okay?" He asked back at Damon, slowly holding out the book towards him. But Damon didn't waver as he held me tighter in his arms. Stefan slowly set the book down on the ground, in between him and Damon. I felt Damon slowly look down at me, lingering his head on mine for a few seconds before his arm around me disappeared. I looked at Elena who breathed heavily towards me in worry, gesturing me toward her and Stefan. I walked slowly away from Damon, feeling his hand that he held me with, gently touch my hair. Elena grabbed my hand with hers, pulling me towards her in relief before she looked at Damon in disgust.
"You're a monster." Elena stated angrily at him. I slowly back away from her and looked at Damon who stared back at me.. with so much emotion in his eyes. Hurt. Anger. Disappointment. Guilt... Stefan gestured for me and Elena to follow him but I stood still, looking back at Damon who stood across from me.. He moved forwards and I winced, stepping away from him. He furrowed his eyebrows at my reaction before he slowly looked away from me in defeat and grabbed the book. He looked back at me with tears in his eyes and I held myself tightly, slowly shaking my head.
"I hope it's worth it." I whispered, feeling my heart drop into my stomach as I turned and walked away from him.
~~~~
I sat in Elena's room with her and Stefan, staring out at the window in silence. "Mariana?" Elena asked softly and I looked at her, my eyes puffy from earlier.
"How are you feeling?" Stefan asked as he leant in her doorway with his arms crossed over his chest.
"I'm.. okay." I answered quietly before getting up and moving over to Elena's bed, where she engulfed me in her arms.
"Do you think the bloods passed through her yet?" Elena asked, looking towards Stefan who sighed and shrugged.
"I have no idea. If Damon meant what he said, it wouldn't have mattered to him anyways." Stefan answered and I felt tears threaten to spill at the thought.
"This is all my fault." I whispered and looked down as I put my hands in my lap.
"Marâ" Elena started but I shook my head and got up, quickly walking towards the door. I past Stefan and made it down the hall, hearing Stefan reassure Elena from behind me. I almost made it to my bedroom before my arm was grabbed, making me turn around. I furrowed my eyebrows and looked at Stefan who pulled me towards him tightly, wrapping his arms around me. I stared down the hall in defeat before I slowly hugged him back, letting tears fall down my face.
"If this is anyone's fault.. it's mine." Stefan pointed out quietly from my hold, making me furrow my eyebrows. "I was the one that made my father suspect her. Damon told me not to press it any further. He told me not to talk to my father and raise any questions about the vampires.." He admitted, slowly pulling away from me and I saw the guilty look settling on his face. "I put my faith in my father.. But Damon put his faith in me, and I destroyed that. This is my fault." Stefan stated, looking down at I tilted my head at him in defeat before I hugged him again.
"You didn't do anything wrong, Stefan." I replied softly, pulling away and giving him a small smile. "Remember that." I added and watched him nod back at me gently. Footsteps came up the stairs and we both looked towards them to see Jeremy.
"Heyâhave you guys seen Anna? I don't know where she went." Jer stated in confusion and I felt Stefan tense up from beside me. A thud came from Elena's bedroom and Stefan and I furrowed our eyebrows before quickly moving towards it.
"Elena?" Stefan asked in concern as we both walked inside only to see it empty and her window swinging open, letting the wind blow in.
-Time Skip-
I walked into the Boarding house before going through the living room but not seeing anyone. I furrowed my eyebrows as I heard voices come from the library and I walked towards it, listening to them. "Anna took Elena." Stefan stated in a worried voice as I walked down the hall.
"Yeah, I got that from your six hundred voicemail's." Damon stated sarcastically back at him.
"All night long, up and down every single street, I've been searching. Anna could kill her, Damon." Stefan stated in warning as I walked into the library and stood in the doorway silently. Stefan crossed his arms over his chest as he stood in front of Damon who sat in a chair and read through Emily's grimoire.
"Well, then I clearly threatened to turn the wrong sister, didn't I?" Damon asked in some amusement, making me scoff at him.
"Damon, please. Tell us what you know. You were with AnnaâYou must know where she's living, just tell us where we can find her." I pressed, walking forwards and Damon looked towards me in some confusion before he turned away.
"Nope. You can go." He replied emotionlessly and I narrowed my eyes at him. "Really." He added, looking back up at me and I folded my arms over my chest challengingly.
"You know, all I can remember is hating you." Stefan stated as he sat on the chair beside Damon, making him furrow his eyebrows. "There might have been a time when that was different, but your choices have erased anything good about you. But see, I also know that you have just as much reason to hate me. This all began with me. Katherine got taken away from you.. Because of me." He admitted quietly, staring intently at his brother who rose an eyebrow. "And I'm sorry." Stefan stated and Damon slowly nodded his head at he watched him in silence.
"Apology accepted." Damon stated with a small smile before looking over the grimoire again.
"So please.. Just tell us what you know." Stefan pleaded but Damon flipped through the book carelessly.
"Huh." Damon stated in disinterest and I narrowed my eyes at him.
"It's my sister, Damon." I scoffed in anger now, making him look up at me and furrow his eyebrows. "If you know something, tell us." I pointed out in disbelief, feeling my eyes glaze over slightly. Damon sighed in annoyance and closed the book before he stood up, making Stefan stand up also.
"I mean this sincerely.." Damon started, looking between us before his eyes fell on Stefan. "I hope Elena... dies." He informed with a shrug and I watched him walk out of the room in disbelief, spell-book in hand. I looked at Stefan in complete defeat before his phone started ringing and he grabbed it, quickly answering it and putting it on speaker.
"Elena, are you okay?" Stefan asked in concern as he furrowed his eyebrows.
"She's fine. For now." A girl's voice answered and I exchanged a confused look with Stefan.. Anna. "Tell me you have the grimoire, and she'll stay fine." Anna added in warning and Stefan looked at me in defeat.
"I can get it." Stefan stated, looking past me and towards the library doorway where Damon stood, listening in.
"Which means your brother has it.. And I have the witch. So one of you had better meet me in the very public town square in thirty minutes so we can safely discuss how fun it's going to be working together." Anna said in amusement before they hung up and I started pacing the floor.
"Go ahead. Grovel again. Oh wait, no.. I don't care." Damon pointed out sarcastically towards us and I looked away from him in disgust.
~~~~
Stefan and I walked up to Bonnie's Grams' house and I knocked on the door. The door opened a few seconds later and I felt this soft surge of energy run though me, revealing Grams who looked between us. "Shelia, I'm sorry to show up unannounced.. But we needâ" I started before she cut me off.
"I know." Grams replied with a short nod and I furrowed my eyebrows at her. "Come on, child." She added with a smile and gestured for me to come in. She held out her hand for me, which I took before she looked at Stefan who remained on the porch. "You, too." She reassured, making him furrow his eyebrows at her. Stefan walked in and closed the door behind us as Grans turned to me. "Let me teach you how to do a locator spell. Something tells me you'll be doing a lot of those." Grams pointed out as she walked towards her kitchen and I followed in confusion.
"What? But I'm not aâ" I started in protest and she looked back at me, slowly raising an eyebrow.
"Child, I felt it as soon as I opened the door." Grams informed as she turned back towards me and gently grabbed my hands, examining me closely. "And I will bet that you did, too." She added with a smile and I tilted my head back at her.
~~~
"How did you know where we were?" Bonnie asked, looking at her Grandmother while the three of us sat at the table in the kitchen.
"A lot of things can fuel a witches power. Worry. Anger. When Mariana and Stefan told me that they had taken you, I had a lot of both." Grams answered and Bonnie looked down in defeat. "Simple locator spell was easy after that. Especially with Mariana's help." She added, putting a hand over mine. Bonnie looked up at me in confusion and I looked down at her in some embarrassment. "Who knew the Gilbert family had a witch in their line?" Grams asked but I had an inkling that she already knew I wasn't a Gilbert.
"What?" Bonnie asked in shock as she looked between Grams and I, taken back and confused.
"The moment that Mariana walked into this house, I felt power radiating from her.." Grams informed, smiling at both Bonnie and I. "She's strong, this one." She added before putting a hand over Bonnie's as well.
"IâI don't even know how to use it." I admitted in defeat as I looked between the two.
"Grams and I can teach you." Bonnie countered with a smile before she grabbed my hand reassuringly, making me smile as well. "I'm so sorry for all of this, guys." She added, shaking her head in defeat towards us.
"Not as sorry as they're gonna be." Grams stated in amusement before Stefan and Elena walked into the room and we looked at them.
"So what do we do now?" Elena asked, looking between all of us in confusion.
"Well, for now, you need to stay here." Stefan answered with a nod and Grams scoffed lightly.
"A prisoner? In my own home?" She asked Stefan in annoyance. "I don't think so." She added, shaking her head and Stefan folded his arms over his chest.
"I can't protect you if you leave your house." Stefan stated in protest and confusion, making her raise an eyebrow challengingly.
"We'll protect ourselves." Grams pointed out and I slowly got up from the table before I stood behind my chair.
"We need to let him have Katherine back." I stated and watched Stefan slowly nod at me in agreement. "He's not gonna stop until he gets her, if we help him, maybe that ends it." I added with a light shrug.
"No. He doesn't deserve to get what he wants." Bonnie scoffed in protest and I sighed back at her.
"What other choice do we have, Bonnie?" Elena asked in defeat and crossed her arms over her chest.
"Witches being pulled down by vampire problems.. As much as we try to do to stay out of it." Grams stated in disappointment and Bonnie looked down. "I'll open the tomb. You get your brother's girl and destroy the rest, with fire." She warned, giving him a pointed look. "Then this will be all over." Grams said reassuringly towards Bonnie.
"We still have to get Damon to agree." Stefan pointed out as he looked between Elena and I.
"He already agreed once." Elena stated in optimism and I gave her a dry chuckle in response.
"Yeah, then we double crossed him." I informed emotionlessly, looking away from her and Stefan nodded.
"So now he's angry." He replied but I furrowed my eyebrows and tilted my head.
"He's hurt. There's a difference." I countered and sighed, looking away from him. "I'll talk to him." I informed and looked at Elena who held uncertainty in her eyes.
~~~~
I walked into library of the Boarding house and watched Damon turn towards me as he put on his leather jacket. "I'm gonna have to change the locks." He stated in annoyance before he grabbed the spell-book off of the table beside him. "Did Elena stage a jailbreak?" Damon asked, raising an eyebrow as I leant in the doorway.
"Stefan." I answered emotionlessly and folded my arms over my chest.
"Oh, brother. Ever the white knight." Damon replied, watching me in wonder as he tilted his head.
"I convinced Bonnie and her grandmother to help you." I informed, slowly walking towards him but he scoffed in reply.
"I doubt that." He countered doubtfully and I rolled my eyes.
"I'm not going to say that I'm sorry that we got the grimoire without you last night, because I'm not, really." I pointed out honestly as I now stood above him, on top of the steps.
"Well, at least you're honest." He stated sarcastically and I sighed, walking slowly down the steps towards him.
"I was protecting the people I love, DamonâBut so were you. In your own way." I countered, watching as he listened to me intently. "As hard as it is to believe, we're all on the same side, after the same thing." I added but he looked away from me in annoyance.
"Not interested." Damon stated and grabbed the book in his arm before walking away from me.
"Yes, you are because you were willing to work with us yesterday." I protested in annoyance, making him turn back to me.
"Fool me once, shame on you." Damon stated, shaking his head in disappointment and I narrowed my eyes.
"Okay, when we were in Atlanta, why didn't you use your compulsion on either Elena or I?" I asked, raising my eyebrow. He lightly clenched his jaw at me and walked forwards, putting the book on the table beside him angrily.
"Who's to say that I didn't?" Damon challenged and I folded my arms in response.
"You didn't." I answered unwavering but he rose an eyebrow at me and folded his arms over his chest, trying to plant uncertainty. "I know you didn't. But you could have." I informed and shook my head before walking closer to him. "And the night Bonnie destroyed the stone? You nearly killed her but I stopped you from ripping her throat out." I added, now standing inches apart and he narrowed his eyes down at me. "You and Iâwe have something." I stated, eyeing him carefully before looking down. "An understanding. I know that my betrayal hurt you, different from how it is with you and StefanâElena even, But I'm promising you this now, I will help you get Katherine back." I whispered, staring up at him but he groaned lightly in response.
"I wish I could believe you." Damon stated with a sigh and I shrugged back at him.
"Then ask me if I'm lying. I'm not wearing any vervain. It's not in my bloodstream.. So go ahead.. ask." I stated emotionlessly. Damon watched me in silence before he slowly stepped forwards, threatening to break the space between us.
"You know Anna won't stop, by the way.. No matter what we do." Damon warned and I slowly nodded, not breaking our eye contact.
"Then we'll deal with it." I answered in some reassurance, making him sigh.
"I didn't compel you in Atlanta because you can't be compelled, Mariana.. Witches can't be compelled." Damon informed down at me and I furrowed my eyebrows. "And I wouldn't compel you even if I could. We were having fun.. I wanted it to be real." He added gently as he ran his fingers through a few of my curls. "I'm trusting you... Don't make me regret it." He whispered in defeat before turning away.
~~~
Damon and I walked through the old cemetery near Fell's church. I furrowed my eyebrows as we walked past students who were drinking and standing around bonfires. "...The Duke Party, I forgot." I stated in defeat as I looked over all of the people. "I hope they stay clear of the church." I added in concern. I saw Caroline and Matt who laughed and drank near one of the bonfires and Tyler stood beside them, making me look away.
"You're hope. Not mine." Damon replied sarcastically and I rolled my eyes. Damon and I finally made it to the old Fell church and he whistled, grabbing everyone's attention as they stood around, waiting for us. "Brother. Witches. Elena." He stated, eyeing all of them carefully. I watched him walk towards a broad hole in the ground and I moved towards it. Damon walked down into the hole and I noticed the steps that led into the opened space beneath us, leading down into the tomb.
"Everything okay?" Stefan asked in concern as he me over and I slowly nodded.
"I just want to get this over with. Are we ready?" I asked, looking away from him and at Bonnie and Grams.
"Guess so." Bonnie replied with a nod before we all followed after Damon and walked down into the tomb. Once down into the space, I noticed there were three torches that stood in a sort of triangle formation.. And a stone door with a pentagram etched into it.
"Air. Earth. Fire." Grams stated as she lit a match and slowly walked over to the torches and lit each one.
"Water." Bonnie added, handing a bottle of water to Grams who grabbed it and poured it on the tomb floor.
"That's it? Just water from a tap?" Elena asked, raising an eyebrow at it and Grams smirked a bit at her question.
"As opposed to what?" Grams asked, not looking back at her.
"I just figured maybe it would have to be blessed or mystical or something." Elena admitted in embarrassment. Bonnie and Grams knelt towards the floor, looking over the spell book in between them while Damon took out a blood bag from his jacket.
"What's that?" Stefan asked, looking at it skeptically.
"It's for Katherine. Unless your girl is offering up a vein to tap." Damon answered sarcastically and I looked away from him in disgust.
"We're ready." Bonnie stated as her and Grams looked up at everyone. They slowly stood up and held hands, closing the space around them. I watched as both witches closed their eyes, taking a long and deep breath before they started chanting.
"What are they saying?" Damon asked as he looked at Stefan who was watching the scene also.
"It sounds Latin." Stefan answered but Elena furrowed her eyebrows.
"I don't think It's Latin." She countered, letting silence fall over all of us as we listened to their chants. After a few minutes, the fire from the torches grew higher and Elena grabbed onto Stefan's arm instinctively. "What's happening?" Elena asked in a worried tone. We heard a loud rumble from beside us and I looked up to see the stone door open in front of us. Bonnie and Grams stopped chanting and we all stared at it as an eerie feeling crawled up my spine.
"It worked." Bonnie whispered in some shock as she stared at the door that Stefan and Damon now held flashlights toward.
"Of course it worked." Grams stated in a stern tone as she narrowed her eyes at the entrance.
"Don't we have some fires to build?" Damon asked with a smirk toward Stefan who pulled himself from Elena.
"I'm gonna go get the gasoline, I'll be right back ." Stefan reassured her and she nodded before looking back at the tomb, clearly uncomfortable. I looked away from her and at Damon who was exchanging a very tense and untrustworthy glance with Grams.
"You ready?" Damon asked, looking away from Grams and at Elena, making us both furrow our eyebrows.
"What?" Elena and I asked in unison before Damon quickly grabbed her by the arm and scoffed.
"You think I'm gonna go in there by myself, so you can seal me in?" Damon asked in disbelief towards Grams.
"Don't take her in. I'll bring the walls down." Grams threatened in return and I felt my blood boil at their interaction.
"You'll bring the walls down, if I don't. You think I trust you?" Damon countered, narrowing his eyes at her skeptically.
"As much as I trust you." Grams informed in annoyance and I quickly stood in between the two.
"Enough. Both of you." I snapped, making them look at me in confusion. "Look, he needs leverage. He needs to know that you're not going to shut the door when he gets inside. I get it." I stated with a sigh and looked at Elena, somewhat pleadingly. Elena narrowed her eyes at me before looking back at Damon and slowly nodding in agreement. Damon looked away from her and grabbed one of the three torches around us.
"May I?" He asked with a smirk before turning toward the tomb door and carefully walking in. I watched Elena follow after him in worry but she gave me a reassuring glance before she disappeared behind the door. I slowly paced back and forth in front of the tomb before soft footsteps started to come down into the tomb and I turned to see Anna.
"Hey, you're not going in there." Bonnie warned quickly, shaking her head in protest as she stepped in front of the tomb entrance.
"You think you can stop me?" Anna snapped back at her in annoyance.
"Bonnie." Grams pressed in a reassuring voice and Bonnie slowly sighed, moving out of her way. I watched as Anna picked up a flashlight from the floor and slowly made her way to the entrance before walking in.
"Why did you let her go in?" Bonnie asked angrily, turning to look at Grams.
"Because she isn't coming out, baby." Grams replied and I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion as she looked towards me. "None of them are." She warned and I widened my eyes at her and looked at the entrance in disbelief.
~~~
I paced back and forth in front of the tomb entrance again before I heard footsteps come down and I turned to see Stefan who furrowed his eyebrows at us. "Where's Elena?" He asked and I shook my head back at him.
"Damon took her inside." I answered in defeat, making Stefan widen his eyes.
"What?!" Stefan asked worriedly and ran towards the entrance but Grams stopped him.
"Stefan! If you go in there, you won't be coming out." Grams warned, grabbing Stefan's arm and pulling him back while he looked down at her confused.
"What did you do?" Stefan asked in disappointment as he looked between Grams and Bonnie.
"Opening the door didn't remove the seal.. It just opened the door." Grams pointed out as she tilted her head at him.
"What's the seal?" Stefan asked furrowing his eyebrows.
"Some seals keep vampires from entering.. This seal keeps them from.. coming out." She answered and Stefan took his arms from her while I ran a hand through my hair in frustration.
"Elena's human.. She can leave. Anna and Katherine can't.. Damon can't." Stefan stated in realization before narrowing his eyes. "You were never planning on breaking the spell, were you?" He asked emotionlessly and watched as she backed away from him and stood in front of Bonnie and I.
"I told you. I will protect my own.." Grams informed and I furrowed my eyebrows at her. "Elena can get out. That's all that matters." She reassured with a nod before a loud scream echoed from inside the tomb walls. Stefan and I both exchanged worried glances before he ran inside of the tomb.
"Stefan!" I yelled out, going to run after him but Grams stepped in front of me.
"You can't just leave him in there, Grams!" Bonnie stated in disappointment toward her.
"He made his choice." She countered, shaking her head in protest.
"No." Bonnie whispered before moving quickly over to Emily's spell book and picking it up. "HereâJust show me what to do. I'll do it." She countered, nodding at her pleadingly.
"We are not strong enough. Even if we are able to bring the seal down, there's no guarantee that we can get it up again." Grams warned moving towards Bonnie and I slowly shook my head.
"You said it yourself. Many things can fuel a witch's power. Help me! Or I'll do it alone." Bonnie warned angrily, making Grams sigh but nod. Grams took the book from Bonnie and flipped through the pages. I furrowed my eyebrows as footsteps came from behind me and I turned to see Elena run out of the tomb quickly.
"Lena." I whispered in relief and hugged her tightly. "Stefanâ" I started but she cut me off.
"He's right behind me." Elena reassured and I furrowed my eyebrows before looking at the entrance where Stefan stood, not able to come out. "Stefan.. What are you doing?" She asked, turning to him.
"It's gonna be okay. We'll fix it." Bonnie reassured her and Elena furrowed her eyebrows.
"What is it?" Elena asked and I heard the trembling nerves in her voice as she looked back at Stefan.
"I can't." He admitted emotionlessly and Elena shook her head as fear washed over her.
"Can't? Can't what?" Elena asked in confusion and I grabbed her hand, squeezing it reassuringly.
"The spells still up. We can't get them out. Yet." Bonnie replied in quiet reassurance and Elena turned back to Stefan and furrowed her eyebrows.
"You went in there not knowing if you could come back out?" Elena asked, narrowing her eyes at him and he looked down. "Oh, my god." Elena whispered, shaking her head slowly.
"I heard you scream." Stefan stated as his eyes glazed over once he looked back up at her.
"We can't leave him in there. We promised him." I stated in defeat and Stefan looked at me, slowly nodding in agreement.
"I know." Stefan replied before I looked back at Bonnie and Grams.
"Even if we are able to break through the seal, we won't be able to hold it for long." Grams warned and I watched Stefan slowly nod in agreement before he disappeared back into the tomb.
~~~~
I leant against the wall while Elena paced back and forth in front of me. Bonnie and Grams chanted once again from inside the torches that started burning higher than before. "I think it's working." Elena stated in relief as she looked over the torches before back at the tomb entrance. Anna started walking out of the tomb and Elena backed away from her quickly, seeing a grey and desiccated woman come out with her.
"I just wanted my mother back." Anna stated in defeat as she looked between the two of us. "Jeremy's fine, he's outside. We won't touch him." She added with a reassuring nod. I let them move past me as the torch beside me started to flicker, threatening to burn out.
"Bonnie, keep going!" Grams stated loudly while Bonnie groaned, starting to weaken as the magic became too much for them to handle. "They better hurry." She added in warning, looking between us.
"Stefan! They can't hold it any longer!" Elena yelled in urgency into the tomb before one of the torches burned out completely. Elena widened her eyes and I gestured my head towards the tomb before she nodded and ran inside. Bonnie gasped and I looked at her in worry as she hunched over in pain once another torch started fizzling out.
"Oh, my god, I can't." Bonnie stated, breathing heavily as she gasped and stopped chanting.
"Yes, you can." Grams reassured her, holding her up but she was in pain also. I clenched my jaw before and looked at the tomb in worry before I quickly walked over to them and into the circle. I leant Bonnie on my shoulder and stood her up straight before I grabbed onto her and Grams' hands, closing the space between us.
"Mariana, you're notâ" Bonnie started in protest but I cut her off.
"I know I'm not a Bennett witch.. But I'm a witch who can help.. so I have to try." I informed and looked back at Grams who smiled at me proudly. I closed my eyes and started chanting the spell, as much as I could have memorized from hearing it. I felt this weird sensation start to radiate from me and I could physically feel myself become more and more drained. In a matter of seconds, the remaining torches burnt out beside us and the tomb door shut with a slam. I gasped and opened my eyes to see Elena and Stefan who held each other tightly. I furrowed my eyebrows as my eyes fell on Damon who stood apart from them.. by himself. I looked at Bonnie and Grams who helped stand each other up as energy came back to them. I moved over to Damon slowly and saw his eyes glazed over, unsure of what to say or do. I sighed a bit and hugged him, wrapping my arms around him tightly. For a moment, his arms remained at their sides before he tightly hugged me back.
~~~
Bonnie poured us tea from the kettle and I got up from the table. "Here, let me." I stated with a small smile as I grabbed it from her. Bonnie smiled in thanks and grabbed one of the filled tea mugs.
"I'm gonna go give some to Grans." Bonnie stated and I nodded and watched her go. I put the kettle on the stove after filling up the glasses that remained and put honey in then before I set Bonnie's on the table. "Mariana!" Bonnie's voice yelled out and I widened my eyes. I ran into Grams' room to see Bonnie hovering over her grandmother from where she lay on the bed motionless. "Help!" Bonnie sobbed, shaking her head and trying to wake up her grandmother. "Wake up, Grams!" She stated in defeat as she shook her. "She's not breathingâShe's just not breathing!" Bonnie yelled out, sobbing frantically. "Please, wake up!" She pleaded before I ran to the home phone and dialed 911 quickly.
"911, what's your emergency?" An operator asked calmly from the other side.
"YesâI-I need an ambulance to Oak Street." I stated and felt my eyebrows furrow once I saw Bonnie grab Emily's spell book from the beside table. "It's an emergencyâquick." I added and hung up.
"I can fix this." Bonnie stated, flipping through pages in urgency.
"Bonnieâ" I started, moving toward but she shook her head and cut me off.
"No, noâI can fix this!" Bonnie protested and I felt my eyes glaze over. "I can fix this!" She repeated in defeat.
"Bonnie!" I countered, grabbing her and holding her to me while she tried to push me away.
"No, Grams!âI can fix this!" Bonnie yelled out in sobs from beneath me.
"Bonnie." I repeated, shaking my head down at her. "She's gone." I stated, resting my head in the crook of her neck. "She's gone." I whispered again, closing my eyes as tears threatened to spill.
"No.." Bonnie sobbed, letting her sorrow fill the silence around us completely.