"Do you like pool?" I asked, gesturing toward the pool table and Kol rose an eyebrow at me and looked at it from over his shoulder.
"I would much rather sit here and enjoy your company." Kol answered, turning back to me and I chuckled at him. "What does it feel like? To be so powerful?" He asked and I furrowed my eyebrows at him.
"Shouldn't I be asking you?" I asked, shaking my head and he scoffed at me and looked down at his drink.
"I loved being a witch. So much power that could be used in so many ways." Kol replied and I furrowed my eyebrows at him. "I used to dabble." He added and I slowly nodded at him. "But really? Do you like it?" He asked, looking back at me and I took a deep breath and stared at him for a few seconds.
"How about we get out of here.. And I show you how much I enjoy it?" I asked teasingly and Kol smirked down at me.
"A pretty little thing with a smart tongue. My favorite." Kol replied and I laughed a bit and grabbed my coat. Kol put a ten dollar bill on the counter before the two of us walked toward the back of the Grill and I gently nodded at Alaric as he watched us. Kol opened the back door that led out into the alley and I sighed, breathing in the air. I turned back to Kol only to see him gone. I furrowed my eyebrows before I was grabbed by the shoulders and pushed back against the side of the Grill as Kol held me, fully shifted. Kol shifted back to normal and smirked before he started kissing me. I kissed him back gently as he ran a hand down my back and I pulled him closer before he groaned, pulling away as I shoved the dagger into his heart. His skin desiccated before he fell to the ground and Stefan came from the alley and grabbed him.
"Nice work." Damon stated, giving me a short nod and I rolled my eyes and wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. I looked back at Stefan before he was thrown against the stairs leading up to the street while the dagger was pulled from Kol's chest. I narrowed my eyes at Klaus who stood in front of Damon and I threateningly and pissed the hell off.
"I should have killed you months ago." Klaus stated in anger, looking past me and at Damon who scoffed.
"Do it. It's not going to stop Esther from killing you." Damon informed sarcastically and Klaus narrowed his eyes.
"What did you say about my mother?" Klaus asked, stepping towards Damon but I stepped in between the two.
"Why don't you ask your brother?" I asked in defense and Klaus furrowed his eyebrows down at me. I looked past him and he turned around toward Elijah who stood at the top of the stairs, staring down at us.
"What did mother do?" Klaus asked, slowly walking towards his brother who remained silent. "What did she do, Elijah?" He added in anger. Elijah sighed and came down the steps, his phone in hand.
"You tell me where the witches are or I'll have Rebekah kill Elena right now." Elijah warned as Stefan weakly got up from the steps, staring at me.
"You told me we had until after 9:00." I countered, furrowing my eyebrows at him, knowing it was an hour early.
"I'm sure Rebekah would be more than happy than to start her work early." Elijah replied in amusement and I narrowed my eyes at him.
"Do you really think I want any of this?" I asked, walking towards him. "Your mother was going to take Elena's blood or my blood whether we gave it or not. Sound familiar?" I asked, turning my gaze to Klaus.
"Don't you dare compare me to my mother." Klaus threatened, teeth gritting at me and I narrowed my eyes angrily.
"Why? Are you afraid I'm right?" I asked, folding my arms over my chest. "If I stopped this, it would've been so I could get to know more about the family I just found out I had.. But now? I'm doing it to save the only family I actually have." I stated, looking between Elijah and Klaus angrily. "And after I do.. I now realize that thisâ" I started, gesturing at Elijah and his timer. "âThis isn't a family I wish to be part of." I added, slowly shaking my head and walking past them.
~~~~
Damon parked the car in the woods and sighed, turning the ignition off. "How do we know they're going to be at the old witch house?" He asked, looking at me in the rear view mirror and I took a deep breath.
"We don't. But if Esther really wanted to connect with the Bennett's, she would be here." I informed and sat up inbetween Stefan and Damon's seats.
"Well, if they're not, then we have about ten minutes until Rebekah tears Elena apart." Stefan warned, grabbing onto the door handle.
"You know, if we sit this out, Esther completes her spell, Klaus died, you get your revenge. It's what you wanted the whole time." Damon stated looking towards Stefan who furrowed his eyebrows as he thought it all over in his head. "The only collateral damage is.." He added and I slowly nodded.
"Elena." I stated as I thought of my sister in my head. "And we know what she'd choose." I added, looking between the two who nodded.
"She'd let herself be killed to save her friend." Stefan stated and I slowly nodded in agreement. "If we do this, it'll wreck her." He warned, looking at me and I took a deep breath.
"She'll hate us." Damon agreed looking away from Stefan and at the woods in front of us. "The thing is, she only has to hate one of us." He added and I rose an eyebrow at him. "Only one of us has to do the actual deed." He stated and Stefan gave a dry chuckle.
"So. Who's it gonna be, brother?" Stefan asked and Damon sighed and started digging in his pant pocket.
"Well." Damon stated before pulling out a quarter. "Heads, I do it. Tails, you do it." He suggested, getting ready to flip the coin.
"Awful lot of effort for someone who pretends not to care." Stefan replied sarcastically, making me scoff lightly.
"Pot, kettle, Stef." I countered and he looked over his shoulder at me but didn't respond. Damon flipped the coin in the air but I caught it in my hand, not letting it land. "We're wasting time. Let's go." I added before I quickly got out of the car.
~~~
I crept through the massacre house, careful not to make too much noise. "This house has some serious vibe to it." Abby stated as she followed Bonnie through the hall.
"The witch spirits will protect us from the originals but we should get to the basement." Bonnie replied before walking down the stairs. Damon crept behind Abby, making the floorboards creak and she flipped around. Damon bit his wrist and grabbed her, feeding her his blood.
"This will only hurt a second." Damon stated, about to snap her neck but I twisted my hand and her neck snapped instantly. Damon furrowed his eyebrows and looked up at me in confusion. "What did you do?" He asked in disbelief and I looked away from him.
"You said earlier that Elena only had to hate one of us.." I pointed out and walked towards the front door. "She won't hate me for long." I added with a short nod before I walked out. I walked toward the front of the house and into the woods, hearing loud voices from ahead. Through the trees, I made out flames from some torches before I saw figures come into view. I furrowed my eyebrows and saw Esther and Finn, holding hands as they stood inside of a pentagram made of salt. Five torches were highly lit around the pentagram while Elijah, Kol and Klaus stood outside of it. "Whatever you think of us, killing your own children will be an atrocity." Elijah stated, stuffing his hands into his coat pockets and Esther narrowed her eyes at him.
"My only regret is that I didn't let you die one thousand years ago." Esther replied and Klaus groaned at her, shaking his head.
"Enough! All this talk is boring me." Klaus stated in annoyance toward his mother. "End this now, mother. Or I'll send you back to hell." He threatened and I furrowed my eyebrows, watching them silently as Esther slowly walked forwards but didn't step out of the pentagram.
"For a thousand years, I've been forced to watch you. Felt the pain of every victim. Suffered while you shed blood." Esther stated emotionlessly toward Klaus who stared back at her. "Even you, Elijah. With your claim to nobility, you're no better. All of you." She added, looking between her three sons that stood before her. "You're a curse on this earth. Stretched out over generations. If you've come to plead for your lifeâI'm sorry. You've wasted your time." Esther stated as her eyes glazed over and I furrowed my eyebrows. Esther closed her eyes and I watched as she let go of Finn's hand and concentrated on the spell. I slowly walked forward, making myself known and watched her furrow her eyebrows in confusion. "No.. Sisters! Do not abandon me!" She yelled out in frustration and I watched as Kol, Elijah and Klaus looked at her in confusion before at me as I came into their vision. "Mariana." Esther whispered toward me and I narrowed my eyes at her.
"I'm sorry, Esther." I stated, shaking my head at her and she furrowed her eyebrows. "But familyâis everything. And I'm sorry you can't see that." I added emotionlessly before I took a pocket knife from out of my pocket.
"Mariana." Elijah stated, quickly turning to me in confusion but I ignored him as Esther clenched her jaw.
"I have your bloodline running through my veins." I whispered, now standing outside of the pentagram beside Kol, Klaus and Elijah. "You aren't just channeling the Bennett witches. You're channeling me. You're surviving on my magic, tooâThe blood of your bloodline. The only link that isn't cut off to nature's boundaries." I stated and I looked over my shoulder at Elijah who furrowed his eyebrows. "So the only thing to do is cut myself off." I whispered with a small smile. I slit the palm of my hand and turned it toward Esther, watching as her eyes blurred before she winced as a cut appeared across her hand as well.
"You linked us." Esther whispered in realization and I gave her a small smirk before I plunged the knife into my stomach and gasped, watching Esther do the same. Esther held her stomach quickly with her hand before she pulled it back and looked down at it, seeing it covered with blood.
"Mother!" Finn yelled out and quickly pulled Esther back from the edge of the pentagram as the flames from the torches built themselves higher, nearly burning her. I groaned and fell back as the flames blinded my vision but Elijah caught me quickly and bit his wrist, gesturing it toward me.
"No.. We're linked. I heal. She heals." I said quietly as I looked up at him. He looked at the pentagram as the flames disappeared, leaving darkness surrounding us and Finn and Esther were no where to be found.
"My mother is the least of my worries." Elijah argued, feeding me his blood. I furrowed my eyebrows and groaned, hesitating for a moment before I drank it. Elijah pulled his wrist away from me and I coughed, still holding my stomach as he stood us up and Kol narrowed his eyes at me.
"You daggered me." Kol stated emotionlessly and I stared back at him, waiting for him to do something before he gave a short nod. "Looks like we're even." He added, gesturing at my stomach and I gave him a small chuckle before I looked at Klaus who remained silent.
"I can't guarantee that she won't try again." I warned as I looked at him and he scoffed, clenching his jaw.
"Well, I wouldn't put anything above her. Not after tonight." Klaus replied emotionlessly and I gave a short nod and looked away from him. "Or you." He added with a softness to his voice I've never heard before. "Thank you. Cousin." He whispered appreciatively and I gave him a small nod before I cleared my throat and looked back at Elijah.
"Thank you for healing me." I stated, taking my hand away from my stomach. Elijah slowly walked away from me and stood in the middle of the now smokey pentagram.
"You saved my life. I save yours." Elijah replied with a small smile, looking at me from over his shoulder and I gave him a soft nod in return.
~~~
I stood in Damon's bathroom and wiped off the blood from my shirt. Didn't want it to stain too much before I washed it. I heard footsteps and looked into Damon's main bedroom to see him and Stefan standing there. "Elena?" I asked, looking at both of them expectantly.
"Elijah kept his word. He let her go." Stefan informed, folding his arms over his chest and I felt a sigh of relief escape me.
"Good. All is right in the world again." I stated jokingly and turned back to the mirror.
"You cheated that coin toss, Mariana. If anything, I should've been the one to turn Abby." Stefan stated in disappointment and I rose an eyebrow and looked back at him.
"I'm not blind. You're hanging by a thread, Stefan. You're barely over your last ripper binge and all you want to do is get back to the old you." I replied, turning my body to face him and he looked down at the blood stain before looking away.
"That part is gone for good." He countered defensively and I rose an eyebrow and walked toward him.
"Oh yeah? How longs it been since you had a drop of human blood?" I asked, tilting my head at him and he looked back at me in confusion and realization.
"How'd you know?" He asked, dumbfounded by me.
"Spend enough time with someone, you start to pick up on a few things." I answered with a small shrug.
"But you didn't answer the question. How long since you had a drop of human blood?" Damon added, raising an expectant eyebrow at his brother.
"Since the night I threatened to drive Elena off the Wickery bridge." He answered, looking away from me in defeat and I slowly nodded.
"See? You have enough to feel guilty about. So why add to the list?" I pointed out sarcastically and turned away from him. Stefan walked out of the room quietly, leaving Damon and I in silence.
"You know you're not fooling anyone." Damon stated from behind me as I walked back into the bathroom and over to the sink.
"Oh yeah? How so?" I asked, scrubbing my shirt again but the blood wouldn't budge. I put the rag on the sink and took off my shirt in defeat and looked at my reflection to see my stomach stained in blood as well.
"You killed someone tonight without blinking an eye and then turned around and tried to kill yourself." He stated in disbelief as he looked over my bloody stomach before he looked away.
"Esther was going to kill the originals and Elena would have died with them. I didn't have much of a choice." I pointed out in annoyance. Damon walked fully into the bathroom and stood behind me. He looked at me from the mirror in front of us before he grabbed my shoulders and turned me toward him.
"You know that I love you." Damon stated plainly but it wasn't in a plain way at all. He looked at me with passion but guilt. I furrowed my eyebrows and put a hand to his cheek, running a thumb over the soft skin.
"My choices aren't yours to feel guilty about, Damon." I stated in a soft voice. "I will do anything to protect the people I love. You know that." I added in defeat before I pulled away from him but he grabbed my hand in his. He stated at me in silence before looking down at my stomach again.
"Let me run you a bath. You need to clean up and relax." He offered, letting my hand go before he turned away from me and went over to the tub.
"I have no extra clothes, Damon." I protested and he scoffed lightly, turning on the water.
"You can borrow a shirt from me. I probably have a pair of sweats too." He stated softly, not looking back at me but I didn't protest. He stood back up and came back over to me and smiled. "I'll leave them on the bed." Damon added before he kissed my forehead and walked out of the bathroom.
~~~~
I walked up the stairs, somewhat groaning as I held my stomach that was still sore. I sighed and looked at Elena's light that was on and I slowly nodded in relief before I walked into my room. I turned on my light and looked at the bed to see a note. I furrowed my eyebrows and grabbed it as my name was written across it and I opened it curiously.
'Mariana..
Today I did things I abhor to protect the one thing I value most. My family. After tonight, if anyone can understand that it's you. You showed that you have valor and solicitude in the greatest forms. You have shown that no matter blood, you are a Mikaelson. Carry it with you.. As I will carry my regret.
Always and Forever,
Elijah'
-The Next Morning-
I paced the city jails lobby before the door opened and Elena walked in. She looked me over and gave a small sigh as she came over to me. "Have you seen him yet?" Elena asked shortly and I stopped pacing.
"No. I've been waiting." I answered and she gave a short nod before looking past me. I rose an eyebrow and turned around to see Damon who walked toward us from the hall.
"We're you justâ" Elena started in concern but Damon quickly cut her off.
"He's fine. The sheriff wants me to stay out of it." He pointed out in annoyance and I rose an eyebrow.
"Are you going to?" I asked, earning a shrug in response.
"Seems just as good a plan as any." Damon countered carelessly, making me scoff lightly.
"Your friends in jail for murder. You have to do something." Elena protested in defense and Damon sighed lightly and tilted his head.
"Well, I suppose I can rip out Dr. Accusations throat, maybe even her tongue." Damon suggested and Elena rolled her eyes and looked away from him. "You know, I could chew it up into little pieces and feed it to the squirrels." He added jokingly as he make squirrel sounds and Elena scoffed.
"Stop it, Damon." Elena stated in annoyance, making me chuckle dryly.
"Him staying out of it is sounding pretty good, isn't it?" I asked sarcastically and Damon smirked at me while Elena rolled her eyes and looked away.
~~~~
I got out of my car after I parked in the hospital parking lot before I walked toward a woman who got out of her car also. "Meredith?" I asked, furrowing my eyebrows as her. The woman rose an eyebrow at me before she sighed, clinging onto her purse.
"I'm due in surgery. Whatever case you're going to make against Alaric, make it quick." Meredith stated in annoyance and I rose an eyebrow.
"The same Alaric you put behind bars saying he came at you with a knife? Who you then shot and gave vampire blood to heal?" I asked, raising a skeptical eyebrow and folding my arms over my chest as I followed her toward the hospital doors. "I don't have one because I know he didn't do anything." I stated in annoyance and she scoffed.
"How do you know? Sure, he lives with you occasionally but what do you really know about him?" Meredith asked and I furrowed my eyebrows at her.
"I'm pretty sure I know enough." I replied, shaking my head before she turned toward me.
"Let me tell you what I know. I know that he was arrested four times before the age of twenty-one. When he was at duke, his former wife Isobel filed a restraining order against him. Twice. Although, she ended up marrying him so I guess that says more about her." Meredith stated judgingly and I sighed, shaking my head.
"Ok. You've got to be making all of this up." I replied in annoyance at her and she rose an eyebrow.
"Really? Am I? How would you know? You and the rest of your family brought in a borderline alcoholic vampire hunter and you didn't bat an eye or look any deeper. I mean, come on. Werewolves, vampires, witches. This shouldn't come as a shock to you." Meredith stated in defeat before she turned around and walked into the hospital. Leaving me there completely taken aback.
~~~
"So that's it? The coroner's office got the timing of Brian Walter's death wrong? So they're going to let Alaric go?" I asked, furrowing my eyebrows at Elena who sat across from me at the table.
"Yeah.. And Sheriff Forbes let Matt and I go. No charges against us for snooping around Meredith's apartment." Elena replied quietly and I furrowed my eyebrows at her while Matt made all of us tea. I knew her mind was elsewhere. It was all over her face.
"Damon was probably teaching him how to control it, Elena." I stated, tilting my head at her and she looked up at me unsure.
"When Matt and I saw Damon feeding his blood to that girl in the alleyâand Stefan turned towards us.." Elena whispered, furrowing her eyebrows as she replayed blood seeping out of Stefan's mouth in her head. I slowly nodded at her as Matt came over to us with cups of tea. "You can say it." She added, looking at Matt who sighed and sat at the table with us.
"I just don't get it. Your thing with them." Matt stated, shaking his head at Elena and I.
"I know it doesn't make sense." Elena admitted with a small sigh and looked away from him. "But at the beginning, after our parents diedâthere was something about being with Stefan that just.. felt safe." She added quietly and I tilted my head at her.
"Safe?" Matt countered in annoyance as he folded his hands on the table. "Elena, he's a vampire." He pointed out and I sighed, looking down at my cup of tea.
"Believe me. We knowâI mean, saying it out loud sounds crazy." I replied, looking at Elena who sighed in defeat.
"It's like I knew that he would never stop loving me. Like he would never.." Elena started, leading off and I rose an eyebrow at her.
"What?" Matt asked, watching her intently as she thought it over silently to herself.
"Die." Elena finished and I furrowed my eyebrows at her "Like he would never die." She answered and I took a deep breath and looked away from her.
"Like our parents did." I whispered in realization and Elena slowly nodded back at me.
"And Damon?" Matt asked, furrowing his eyebrows at me and I took a deep breath and looked away from him as I thought about Damon.
"Damon.. just sort of snuck up on me." I answered, furrowing my eyebrows as Matt and Elena stared at me, listening closely. "I mean, he got under my skin.. And no matter what I doâI just.. I can't shake him." I admitted in defeat and Matt sighed and shook his head.
"Once you fall in love with someone.. I'm not sure if you can ever shake 'em." Matt replied and I stared at him quietly and he looked down a bit as I looked away.
"I'm sorry.. Is this weird? Talking about them with you?" Elena asked, furrowing her eyebrows at Matt who chuckled and looked back up at her, shaking his head.
"No. Not really." Matt reassured her with a smile. "I got you something." He added and I rose an eyebrow as he pulled a small old book from his coat and handed it to Elena.
"The journal?" Elena asked in confusion as she took it and Matt nodded at her.
"It's your family's, you should have it. Meredith and that idiot deputy were too busy asking you questions to give a damn about me." Matt pointed out with a small sigh and I furrowed my eyebrows at him. "Sometimes it pays to be the only normal one in a town of vampires." He added and I gave a light chuckle as he sighed. "I'm practically invisible." He stated and I stared at him for a few seconds before the front door opened and Jenna and Alaric came into the house.
"Are you okay?" Elena asked, looking over Alaric as she got up from the table and walked toward him as did Matt and I.
"Yeah, Yeah. I'm alright." Alaric reassured her as we all stood around him now. I furrowed my eyebrows at Jenna who nodded back at me before I sighed and tightly hugged Alaric before Elena did as well. Alaric was taken aback at first before he wrapped his arms around Elena and I. Hugging us tightly back.
~~~
"Find anything interesting, yet?" I asked, sighing as I watched Elena read the Gilbert journal Matt had given her while we both sat on her bed.
"This doesn't make sense." Elena whispered, shaking her head down at the pages and I rose an eyebrow and put my phone down. "This isn't Johnathan Gilbert's journal. It's his granddaughter Samantha's." She pointed out and I shrugged at her. "She says that she thinks she's going crazy." Elena added, looking up from the pages.
"So? Looks like something we have to look forward to." I joked in amusement but Elena kept a serious face. "What's wrong?" I asked, sighing in annoyance as she looked back down at the pages.
"Samantha complained about losing track of time. She woke up and had no memory of the night before. She thought she was going mad." Elena stated before quickly getting off of her bed. I sighed in annoyance and quickly followed her out of her room and down the stairs to the kitchen where voices were talking indistinctly.
"âit's impossible! I would know if I were killing people." Alaric stated angrily from the kitchen and I furrowed my eyebrows.
"Would you? Have you had any blackouts? Instances of lost time?" Meredith's voice countered and I rose an eyebrow at Elena as we stood in the hall, listening.
"Y-you're insane." Alaric stated as he scoffed at her lightly.
"No. But I think you might be." Meredith replied with a sigh. "You wear a ring that lets you cheat death, Alaric. How many times can you die before it changes you?" She added in defeat and I listened as silence fell amongst them. "I think you're sick. And I want to help you. This has happened before almost one hundred years ago." She stated before she became quiet as Elena and I stood in the kitchen doorway, looking at Jenna, Alaric and Meredith who sat at the table.
"Girls." Alaric whispered toward us and I looked at Elena who held the Gilbert journal in hand.
"Ric, I think she's right." Elena whispered back and I watched as him and Jenna both furrowed their eyebrows while they looked between the two of us and the journal Elena held out for them.
~~~~
"Meredith says that everything's normal." Elena stated as the two of us walked into Alaric's hospital room.
"Yeah, well, everything is normal. Because there is nothing wrong with me." Alaric stated in annoyance as he put his phone in his pocket from where he stood at the hospital dresser. "I didn't kill Brian Walters, I didn't kill Bill ForbesâAnd I sure as hell didn't shove a hunting knife into my stomach." He added in frustration and I sighed, folding my arms over my chest. Alaric looked down at the Gilbert ring that sat in front of him and he sighed lightly. "Or maybe I did.. and I've gone insane. Just like your ancestors whoâwore that ring." Ric whispered and I tilted my head at him.
"Look, I'm gonna call Bonnie. The rings were made by a Bennett witch. So maybe a witch can reverse the damage." I suggested with a small shrug and looked at Elena who nodded.
"Take it." Alaric stated, sliding the ring across the dresser to Elena. "I don't want it anymore." He added quietly, staring down at it and I sighed as Elena took the ring.
"Ready to ditch this house of horrors?" Damon asked from the doorway behind us before he gave a light scoff. "Oof. You look terrible." He added, observing Alaric who scoffed back.
"Yeah. Let meâlet me check out of here." Alaric replied with a small sigh before him and Elena walked away, leaving Damon and I alone. Damon and I stared at each other for a few seconds before I slowly shook my head and walked after Ric and Elena.
~~~~
I walked into my room as the phone dialed and started ringing. "Hey, what's up?" Caroline asked and I sighed, walking over to my bed.
"Bonnie's not returning any of my calls." I stated quietly and Caroline sighed back.
"Sorry. She's still mad, Mar. And seriously, Abby's transition has been a little rough so she's got a lot on her mind." Caroline replied and I slowly nodded in agreement.
"I know. ButâSomething really terrible is happening to Alaric and I could use her help. It has to do with the Gilbert ring." I stated, sitting on my bed in defeat.
"She needs time, Mariana." Caroline replied and I rolled my eyes and got up from my bed.
"Care, just let me talk to her." I countered, shaking my head as I paced my floor now.
"Bonnie needs some time to deal, Mariana. I'm sorry.. I know that you and Elena want to help, but put yourself in her shoes. Everything that happened was to save Elena. And that's okay, because we love Elena and you so muchâbut somehow Bonnie is always the one who gets hurt." Caroline whispered and I furrowed my eyebrows before I ran a hand over my stomach, remembering the knife I shoved into it.
"You're right. She's always the one who ends up getting hurt." I agreed quietly before I hung up the phone and looked at myself in the mirror.. Silently.
~~~
"Listen, I want you to have this." Alaric stated, sliding a notepad over to Elena and I as Jenna and Alaric sat across from us. "This is a list of my bank accounts, passwords, where to find my will and how to contact my family just incase this doesn't go my way." He warned and I furrowed my eyebrows.
"No, no, don't even think like that." Elena replied, pushing the notepad back to him and Alaric sighed, grabbing Jenna's hand in his.
"I need to know that you guys are going to be okay." Alaric stated quietly before looking back at Elena and I.
"We're all going to be fine." I replied, shaking my head as my phone started ringing and I furrowed my eyebrows at it. "Caroline?" I asked, answering the phone.
"So Abby thinks Bonnie can reverse the damage of the spell. I guess the same thing happens with witches who become obsessed with dark magic. They lose control and start acting out their dark impulses." Caroline stated and I sighed, getting up from the table.
"Thank you so much." I whispered, shaking my head and Caroline sighed back at me.
"Look, I'm gonna hang back here with Abby, but Bonnie's leaving now so ifâ" Caroline started before she cut herself off. "Uhâhold on." She added and I furrowed my eyebrows as silence came through.
"I'm gonna need a personal effect of Alaric's. Something he wore before he started wearing the ring." Bonnie stated from the phone and I rose an eyebrow back at her.
"I'll get it." I replied with a soft nod and Bonnie sighed through the phone.
"I'll see you soon." Bonnie stated quietly and I nodded before I hung up and took a deep breath.
"Good news, bad news?" Jenna asked, furrowing her eyebrows at me and I slowly nodded.
"Bonnie thinks she can help you with the spell. But she needs something that you wore before you put on the ring. Something personal." I stated, looking at Alaric who rose an eyebrow.
"Well, there's uhâMy wedding ring." Alaric replied and I furrowed my eyebrows down at him as I sprawled my arms out on the table. "It's at the loft." He added with a small nod. Elena slowly stood from the table as did Alaric before I shook my head.
"I think Jenna and Elena can go. You can stay here with me." I replied, tilting my head at him and he furrowed his eyebrows.
"With you and your ability to give me an aneurysm." Ric stated and I nodded in amusement back at him as he looked between Jenna and Elena sighing. "It's in the dresser by the kitchen. It's in, uh, an aspirin bottle. Probably covered in cobwebs." He added and I slowly nodded at Jenna and Elena who sighed.
"Okay." Elena replied with a small nod and gave me a look before I nodded at her reassuringly. Jenna kissed Alaric lightly on the head before the two made their way to and out the front door.
~~~
I placed the bread and a cutting knife on the counter as Alaric came into the kitchen. "Hey, I was going to make some sandwiches. Are you hungry?" I asked, turning and opening the fridge to grab the ham and lettuce before placing them on the counter.
"Can I ask you a question?" Alaric asked, not answering me and I shrugged, grabbing a few tomatoes and raising an eyebrow.
"Sure. Do you like tomatoes? I hate them." I stated, shaking my head and looking at him from over my shoulder.
"No tomatoes." Alaric answered and I nodded in agreement and put them back in disgust.
"Good. The smell of 'em makes me nauseous." I admitted with a sigh and grabbed mustard and mayo.
"Do you ever feel remorse?" Alaric asked emotionlessly from behind me and I furrowed my eyebrows and slowly turned toward him, closing the fridge behind me.
"What?" I asked, shaking my head in confusion as he stood on the opposite side of the kitchen island.
"Well.." He whispered, picking up the cutting knife and I narrowed my eyes as he slowly walked around the kitchen island. "You are a witch. And a witch's duty is to protect nature, especially in the face of vampires.. Yet, here you are. Just looking the other wayâIgnoring your responsibilities." Alaric stated, tilting his head at me and I rose an eyebrow as he stopped walking and held the knife toward me. "So I'm asking you. Do you ever feel remorse?" He asked with a shrug and I looked between him and the knife slowly. "Because you should." Ric stated in a threatening voice. I furrowed my eyebrows as he jumped towards me and I widened my eyes, dodging him but feeling the knife cut my stomach and I groaned, running away from him. I breathed heavily and ran toward the stairs but he came from the family room and I gasped.
"Phesmatos!" I yelled, waving my hand toward him and he groaned, falling back as I ran up the stairs only to have him grab my leg tightly, trying to pull me back down. I looked over my shoulder at him as he held the knife toward me again but I kicked it out of his hand and he groaned, falling back. I ran quickly up the rest of the stairs, hearing Alaric run up after me. I quickly ran into my room and waved my hand, closing and locking the door behind me. I heard angry and loud pounds start coming from outside of the door. I shook my head and looked in my mirror, wincing at the deep gash on my stomach. I put a hand on it and started whispering, trying to slow down the blood flow but it only made it worse.
"Mariana! Open the door!" Alaric yelled from outside of my room and I felt my eyes glaze over as I looked back at the mirror. I pulled my hand away from my stomach and saw how much blood there was.
"No.." I whispered, looking down at it in defeat before I fell back onto the floor and groaned. I weekly pushed myself across my floor, leaving blood trails as I finally leant myself against the foot of my bed. "Phesmatos tribeum." I stated through heavy breaths, looking down at my wound. "Phesmatos ventre." I added weakly, trying to repeat those words before I felt myself slowly start to doze off.
-The Next Morning-
I cleaned up a few dishes and looked out the window as the sun poured in now. "Hey." A voice said quietly from behind me. I looked over my shoulder and saw Bonnie standing next to the kitchen island as she held a small bottle of herbs. "You okay?" She asked, raising an eyebrow at me.
"Yeah. I'm fine." I replied emotionlessly as I looked back down at the dishes.
"Abby said that all of the dying and coming back to life might have chipped away at Alaric's psyche, making it easier for the darkness to take hold." Bonnie stated as footsteps came into the kitchen and Elena appeared. "These herbs are the binding element of the spell. He needs to take them twice a day. I'll get you more." She added and I slowly nodded as Elena grabbed the bottle. "Abby and I are going to work on the garden." Bonnie informed with a small smile and Elena sighed.
"How is she doing?" Elena asked, tilting her head and Bonnie slowly nodded.
"The transitions been hard, but I think she'll be okay. Eventually." Bonnie answered reassuringly and I fully turned toward the two. "I'm gonna go back and stay with her for awhile. It'll give us a chance to work through this." She added and Elena slowly nodded and looked down, putting the bottle of herbs back on the counter.
"I'm sorry, Bonnie. I really am." Elena whispered, looking up at her as her eyes glazed over. "If there was anything I could do to make this betterâ" She started but Bonnie cut her off as she hugged Elena tightly.
"I know." Bonnie replied with a smile and I looked away from the two.
"Please say that you forgive me." Elena whispered in defeat, making Bonnie chuckle and hug her tighter.
"Of course I do." Bonnie reassured and I slowly nodded at the two silently before I made my way out of the kitchen and up to my room. As I walked up the stairs, I stopped at the top of them and looked at my bedroom floor where some visible bloodstains still remained. I felt myself slowly walk into my room and stare at them quietly before I took out my phone and shook my head. I dialed a number into the phone and put it to my head, focusing on the ringing instead.
"Hello?" The voice asked once they answered and I smiled, walking over to my window.
"Hey, stranger." I replied into the phone, making them chuckle.
"Hey, you checking up on me?" Jeremy asked in amusement and I scoffed a bit, shaking my head.
"Depends. Do you need checking up on?" I countered, raising and eyebrow and heard Jer sigh.
"Well, I'm not flunking any of my classes. Yet. And I got a dog." Jeremy answered and I slowly nodded and felt my gaze move back towards the faded red stains on my carpet again.
"Hey, have you talked to Alaric lately?" I asked, raising an eyebrow and looking away from the stains again.
"No, why?" Jeremy asked in some confusion and I took a deep breath and shrugged. "Is everything okay?" He added and I scoffed a bit.
"Yeah, everything is fine." I lied with a small laugh as I felt my eyes glaze over. "I just wanted to hear your voice, you know?" I added, and Jeremy chuckled.
"Okay. Hey, can I call you later? I'm actually on my way out with some friends." Jeremy pointed out and I rose an eyebrow and slowly nodded.
"Yeah, of course, Jer. Go out, go have fun.. I love you.. And I miss you." I replied quietly, looking down at my hands now.
"Yeah.. I miss you, too." Jeremy stated and I slowly nodded before we hung up. I took a deep breath and looked down at the stains again.. Staring at them. Footsteps came towards my bedroom and I looked up to see Damon standing in the doorway, staring at me with some concern in his face.
"Alaric's almost packed." He informed and I slowly nodded back and cleared my throat as I walked over to my bed.
"That's good. He might be more comfortable at the loft anyways." I replied, making my bed and busying myself while Damon slowly came over to me.
"If I could make you forget.. I would." Damon admitted in a somewhat pained voice and I looked up at him in confusion. I tried to play dumb but by the look on his face, he knew all too well. "You've barely talked since last night. And you keep staring at the carpet like a ghost." He pointed out in defeat and I looked away from him. "You've had a knife plunged into your stomach too many times lately, Ari." He added in a soft tone. He put a hand on my shoulder and I felt my muscles release tension I didn't know I was holding. I cleared my throat once more and moved away from him again.
"Even if that was an option.. I wouldn't want to forget." I admitted, making him furrow his eyebrows. "It's just one of those things that I would rather have happen to me.. than someone else." I stated, turning away from him as I went back to making my bed again. "Everything will be fine. Alaric will get better and I will be better in time, too." I added reassuringly but I wasn't sure if that was the truth or not. And I knew Damon didn't believe it.
-The Next Day-
Elena and I walked up the steps toward Alaric's loft and I knocked. I looked away from the door before Damon opened it a few seconds later. "Morning, sunshine." Damon stated, looking at me before at Elena who held a bag of food we bought at the cafe on the way here.
"Hey. How's Alaric?" Elena asked, going to step into the loft but Damon blocked her, making her furrow her eyebrows.
"Indecent, but fine." Damon answered, raising an eyebrow and I folded my arms over my chest.
"So does that mean there were no issues last night?" I asked, tilting my head at Damon curiously.
"Nope. Slept like a baby. Woke up Alaric. No headlines about dead council members." Damon replied and I slowly nodded as Elena rose an eyebrow.
"Then why do I feel like you're hiding something from us?" Elena asked, shaking her head and Damon gave her a shrug.
"Well, maybe because you're being all paranoid and control freak-y." Damon countered sarcastically and I sighed at the two. "What'd you bring me?" He added, grabbing the bag and looking inside as I rolled my eyes. "Oooh, chocolate muffins. You know what they sayâthe way to a psycho killer's heart is through his stomach." He added in amusement before I took the bag from him.
"They're not for you." I stated in annoyance at him and he sighed, tilting his head at me.
"Fine. Keep convincing yourself you're mad at me for whatever reasonâbut Ric's going to have to miss the Gilbert girls time. You knowâlockdown and all." Damon stated and I sighed, looking at Elena before I gave Damon back the bag.
"Just take it, give it to him and tell him that I miss him.. And forgive him." I replied emotionlessly and Damon slowly nodded back at me before he gave me a small smirk.
"With pleasure." Damon replied before he quickly shut the door and locked it from the inside, making me furrow my eyebrows. Elena and I exchanged a look and walked away from the door and down the stairs.
~~~
"Alaric Saltzman killed my father?" Caroline asked in disbelief as well as defeat as her, Elena and I walked through the woods.
"I can't expect you to be okay with this. But at least these herbs that Bonnie's giving him are healing him and keeping the dark side buried." Elena reassured her as Caroline walked in front of us before scoffing.
"Yeah, and that's supposed to make everything okay?" Caroline asked and I furrowed my eyebrows as I heard her voice break and breathing increase before I grabbed her arm.
"No, Caroline. It's not okay. It's horrible and I feel horrible about it." I stated, shaking my head as I turned her toward me and she looked away as her eyes glazed over.
"He's a victim of something supernatural. He didn't ask for this, Care. Just like Bonnie's mom." Elena stated in a cold tone as she looked at me but I ignored her. "I mean, she didn't ask to become a vampire. And neither did Stefan.. Or Tylerâ" Elena started before I cut her off.
"Or you." I whispered and watched as Caroline looked back at me quietly. "None of you asked for this. But who would we be if we just turned our backs on you?" I added, furrowing my eyebrows at her and she sighed, putting her arm around me as we continued walking.
"Oh, Mariana Gilbert. Savior of the cursed and the damned." Caroline stated in amusement and I rolled my eyes as Elena chuckled, shaking her head as Matt came over to us.
"Hey. What's the the uh, cryptic secret meeting text?" Matt asked, furrowing his eyebrows at the three of us.
"I don't know. Stefan just said to meet here." Elena answered with a small shrug and I nodded in agreement.
"Where's Bonnie?" A voice asked and we all turned to see Damon and Stefan walk up behind us with a duffel bag in hand. "I texted her, too." He added, looking over the four of us.
"Uh, Bonnie's mom bailed on her. Again." Caroline pointed out in annoyance. "So I think we should leave her out of this one." She added, looking at me and I nodded in agreement.
"What are we doing here?" Matt asked in confusion from where he stood behind Elena and I.
"We found some more white oak. Long storyâWait for the movie." Damon replied with a small smirk and I furrowed my eyebrows at him.
"Hang on, white oak? You have a weapon that can kill Klaus?" Elena asked, looking between the brothers in confusion.
"Nope. We all have a weapon." Stefan replied in amusement before he threw the duffel bag down and I rose an eyebrow at all of the stakes that sat before us.
~~~
"Klaus has always been one step ahead of us. But now we have the advantage." Stefan stated, holding one of the stakes as him and Damon stood in front of Matt, Elena, Caroline and I. "We're all armed and they are all linked. Meaning we only need to kill one of them." He added and I rose an eyebrow at Caroline who smirked. "We need to seize the best opportunity, which means we need to prepare for every opportunity." Stefan stated with a small smile.
"Scenario number oneâ" Damon stated, walking over to Elena and grabbing her by the shoulders. "You get to play Klaus." He added, moving her beside Stefan and she rolled her eyes, pulling herself away from him.
"Okay, stop." Elena stated in annoyance and I smirked at her.
"Rebekah is our target. So we'll distract her and catch her off guard." Stefan and I rose an eyebrow as he turned towards Elena. "To do that, we need to keep Klaus separate and occupied. Mariana." He added, turning to me and I furrowed my eyebrows.
"Ha, no, no, no. I'm not the one he's obsessed with." I countered, looking at Caroline who scoffed and folded her arms over her chest.
"True, but right now we need you to play Rebekah." Damon reassured as he came over to me and placed me in front of Elena. "We'll use the quarterback to distract her. Just keep her talking." He added, gesturing at Matt who furrowed his eyebrows.
"How?" Matt asked in annoyance and Damon shrugged.
"Act interested. She's lonely. Desperate." Damon replied and I scoffed in amusement and folded my arms over my chest.
"Clearly. She slept with you." I pointed out with a smile and heard Elena and Caroline stifle a laugh as Damon rolled his eyes.
"Mmm." Damon stated, narrowing his eyes at me before he looked at Stefan. "Beefcake holds bombshell. I come up from behind herâ" He added, moving behind me and slowly ran his hands over my arms. "I grab her arms like thisâ" He stated, pinning them behind my back forcefully and I rolled my eyes as Stefan came toward me.
"Which gives me time for one shot." Stefan stated, pretending to stake me in the heart and I sighed as Damon let me go and smirked down at me, making me push him away. "Got it? Good." Stefan added sighing at all of us. "So we all have one stake, we keep it hidden and we look out for any opportunity we have." He shrugged looking at all of us as I folded my arms over my chest again.
"No last minute attacks of pity for any of them." Damon warned narrowing his eyes at Elena who sighed.
"Don't worry about me. Not after what happened to Bonnie's mom." Elena replied, shaking her head at him and Damon rose an eyebrow.
"Barbie?" Damon asked, looking at Caroline who scoffed.
"Oh, I'm ready. Anything that will free Tyler of his side bond to Klaus." Caroline replied with a nod of certainty back at him.
"Bus boy?" Damon asked, looking over to Matt who scoffed and rolled his eyes.
"Do I have a choice?" Matt asked sarcastically and Damon nodded back in agreement.
"Good point." Damon replied before he looked down at me. "Ari?" He asked gently and I furrowed my eyebrows as everyone stared at me expectantly, waiting for an answer. I looked down at the bag of stakes before I took a deep breath.
"I almost killed myself trying to rid them of Esther.." I pointed out and looked up at Elena who furrowed her eyebrows back at me. "I almost died trying to save them because they threatened Elena and then I almost died when evil Rick tried to kill me the other night." I added with a dry chuckle. "So hell. What's one more close attempt?" I asked with a small shrug. Stefan gave me a nod of approval and I looked at Damon who seemed hesitant now.
"Alright, let's try another scenario. Elena, grab a crossbow. Matt, you play Klaus." Stefan stated, handing Elena a crossbow and she aimed it at Matt who stood as prepared as he could be.