"Tell me you're not serious." Caroline stated in defeat from the phone and I sighed deeply, overlooking the water in front of me from where I stood on the shore.
"I wish I weren't. When we got back from looking for Jeremy, Shane and Bonnie were gone, too. Shane needs Bonnie to cast the spell on Jeremy's tattoo in order to find the cure, and he managed to sneak them both out from under our noses." I stated in annoyance and Caroline sighed.
"Well, where's Damon in all of this?" Caroline asked and I shrugged, looking away from the shore and towards Rebekah, Stefan and Elena who stood by me.
"We had an argument. I thought he went to take a walk but when we went to the beach, there were signs of struggle.
"Meaning what?" Caroline asked in a wary voice and I scoffed.
"Meaning someone probably jumped him and then grabbed him." I pointed out in annoyance and I heard Caroline pace from the phone.
"Do you think Shane took him?" She asked and I rolled my eyes in some amusement.
"No. Have you seen Shane? He's not strong enough to take Damon on, even with the element of surprise. He must have someone or at least a few someone's helping him." I replied as I folded my arms over by chest.
I am so sorry. I wish I was there to help." Caroline stated and I slowly nodded, tilting my head.
"Well, maybe there's something you can do from home." I suggested as I rose an eyebrow.
"Anything. Tell me." Caroline agrees quickly and I slowly nodded and looked towards Elena who rose an eyebrow.
"So Shane's looking for the cure. We think we can find him. We have pictures of Jeremy's tattoo, but we just can't translate the map." I pointed out as Caroline sighed from the other side.
"Unless you get the hunter's sword from Klaus." Caroline countered and I nodded in agreement.
"Exactly." I stated before Rebekah sighed loudly and put her hands on her pockets.
"He'll never give up the sword." Rebekah stated towards Stefan who shrugged.
"Yeah, but if anyone's going to get him to give it up, it's Caroline." Stefan pointed out and I nodded in agreement at him.
"He will never give up the sword. Not even for Caroline. He's terrified we'll use the cure against him to make him mortal, and even if he wasn't, he wouldn't want any of us to derive a moments worth of happiness from being human." Rebekah argued and Stefan furrowed his eyebrows.
"Well, maybe he doesn't have to give it up. Klaus is stuck in Elena's house by Bonnie's spell. He can't go anywhere. There's only so many places you can hide a 3-foot piece of metal." Stefan countered loudly towards the phone so Caroline could hear him clearly.
"I'll find it. Don't worry. Just email me photos of Jeremy's tattoo." Caroline stated and I looked at Elena who got on her phone. "I'll find the sword and call you back." She added more quietly and I slowly nodded.
"Thank you, Caroline." I stated, sighing in some relief before we both hung up.
~~~
Elena, Stefan and I sat on the shore while Rebekah stood apart from us, trying to get a signal on her phone. "And once again, everyone's life is in danger looking for this cure because poor Elena can't deal with being a vampire." Elena stated as she tossed rocks away from her.
"No, everyone's here because they want to be. Not just for you, but for themselves, too." Stefan replied and Elena shook her head at him.
"Stefan, why didn't you tell me that you wanted the cure for yourself?" Elena asked furrowing her eyebrows at him.
"I mean, why wouldn't I want to take it? I've seen every side of vampirism there is. The power.. the mystery, the guilt. In the long run, even the good parts kind of suck, too." Stefan stated with a shrug and I slowly nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, I mean, I know why you would want to take it, but.. what I'm saying is.. Why didn't you tell me?" Elena asked quietly, tilting her head at him.
"Because it had nothing to do with you." Stefan answered honestly. "I mean, you know how much I wanted a human life with you. Being human myself, being normalâthat's something I've wanted since long before I met you." He added and Elena slowly nodded and looked down at her hands.
"Well, I'm glad you told me that." Elena replied and Stefan sighed and looked away from her.
"Yeah, what's a deeply buried personal secret between friends, right?" Stefan asked with a smile and Elena rose an eyebrow in amusement.
"Between friends?" Elena asked with a small nod and Stefan chuckled. "I like that." She added, putting her hand on top of his reassuringly and I smiled at the two before looking at Rebekah who sighed in defeat, watching them also.
~~~
"What did Caroline say when she called you?" I asked Rebekah as the four of us hiked the trail they sent us.
"I don't know, we lost the signal. Come on, this way." Rebekah replied as her and Stefan lee Elena and I towards the ridge we overlooked yesterday. "We need to get down and across that lake. Advantage, vampires; All we have to do is jump." She pointed out as her and Stefan exchanged a look.
"Wait, wait, um.." Elena replied awkwardly and I rose an eyebrow at her. "Maybe you should leave the map behind. Incase you fall, you don't want anything to happen to the phone." She pointed out and I looked at Rebekah who furrowed her eyebrows.
"Are we doing this again? I thought we were a team." Rebekah stated in annoyance and I rolled my eyes.
"Guys, we don't have time for this." I warned, shaking my head at the two as Stefan nodded in agreement. "Elena, you go first. We'll be right behind you." I added gesturing towards her and looked at me for a few seconds before she sighed. She looked towards the ridge before running and jumping off of it and down towards the gravel below, landing safely inside of the canyon. I looked at Stefan and Rebekah before I ran off of the ridge and fell to the ground below. I landed beside Elena and sighed, looking towards the water that we needed to cross.
"Come on." Elena stated, gathering towards the water and I furrowed my eyebrows.
"We should wait for them." I stated, gesturing for Stefan and Rebekah. We both looked up at the two that stood on the ridge talking before Rebekah quickly snapped his neck and Stefan fell to the ground. I widened my eyes and exchanged a look of worry with Elena.
~~~
I handed Stefan another blood bag as him, Elena and I sat in silence, overlooking the canyon below us. "There's only one cure?" Elena asked in disbelief and Stefan gave her a soft nod. "I-I can't take it. I mean, not above everyone else who deserves it just as much as I do." She pointed out in defeat and I sighed.
"It's over." I agreed quietly, tilting my head at her and Stefan looked down at the blood-bag in his hand.
"I'm sorry." He stated, looking at Elena who gave a light scoff.
"Don't be. Maybe it's a blessing in disguise." Elena replied and I rose an eyebrow at her.
"How so?" I asked with a shrug and she sighed, shaking her head.
"Things changed the minute I went off that bridge, Mariana. Even if I could be human again, I wouldn't be the person that I was." Elena answered and I slowly nodded at her before I looked back towards the body of water in front of me. "So it's about time that I accept the person that I am now and figure out a way.. to start living the rest of my life." She added and I sighed deeply, not looking at her.
"The rest of your life.. Sired to Damon." I stated emotionlessly and Elena sighed from next to me.
"I guess I'll have to deal with that when I get home." Elena replied and I gave a light scoff in agreement. "Oh, my god.. Home. Klaus. Bonnie's spell isn't going to hold him." She warned, looking between Stefan and I.
"And after what we did to Kol, if we don't ran that cure down his throat, he'll kill us all." Stefan stated and I sighed deeply, shaking my head.
"Well, looks like the pity party's over. Time to go." I stated, shaking my head at the two before we all quickly got up.
~~~
Elena, Stefan and I made it into the caves only to hear the sound of a gunshot echoed through the walls. I widened my eyes as we all vamped further into the caves and I heard the sound of Damon groaning loudly. "Damon?" Stefan asked loudly in concern as his voices echoed before the three of us ran into a cave where the well that Shane was talking about was. I furrowed my eyebrows as Rebekah lay on the cave floor unconscious while an unfamiliar man quickly disappeared down into the well. I clenched my jaw after him before I looked up at Damon who was tied up in vervain seeped razor floss around his neck while held him to a wooden post. Stefan vamped towards Damon and tried to remove the razor floss but the vervain seemed into his fingertips while Damon groaned louder.
"You're wasting your time. Go." Damon warned as he breathed heavily and I furrowed my eyebrows.
"We're not going to leave you." I countered in annoyance and Stefan nodded in agreement.
"No, we aren't." Stefan replied before looking between Elena and I, making me furrow my eyebrows. "You two need to go ahead. We'll be right behind you." He reassured on heavy breaths. I looked at him skeptically before at Damon as Stefan sighed. "Go." Stefan warned and I sighed deeply and looked at Damon again. I shook my head and grabbed Elena's hand tightly before we both jumped down, into the well.
~~~~
"Elena?" I asked in confusion as I walked through the tunnels of the well alone. "Elena?" I repeated in defeat before I heard a rock fall from somewhere around me. "Hello?" I asked in some annoyance as I looked around me. "Helâ" I started before a flashlight shined my eyes and I groaned.
"Mariana?" Stefan asked in confusion and I rolled my eyes in annoyance. "Where's Elena?" He asked furrowing his eyebrows.
"Hmm. If I knew the answer to that question, don't you think I wouldn't be calling her?" I countered in irritation and he sighed. "We got split up. One second she was behind me and the next." I stated in defeat and he nodded in agreement. "Come on. Maybe if we look togetherâ" I started before I cut myself off and furrowed my eyebrows. I exchanged a certain look with Stefan before we both slowly walked down another set of tunnels. "There." I stated, gesturing at the wall and Stefan shined the flashlight on it to see blood.. I narrowed my eyes at the blood before I touched it.
"It's fresh." Stefan warned and I slowly nodded in agreement before we walked further down the tunnel and saw more blood. I heard a light groan come from somewhere in the tunnel before I looked into a small cave and widened my eyes.
"Elena.." I whispered in concern towards her bloody forehead. Stefan and I rushed towards her as she become conscious and started shaking uncontrollably. "Hey, HeyâElena, it's me." I reassured in confusion and she shook her head.
"Elena, what happened?" Stefan asked, looking her body over for any other serious injuries.
"She's here." Elena warned in a shaky voice and I furrowed my eyebrows.
"Who?" I asked, shaking my head slowly before I groaned, clutching my head. I closed my eyes as blurred visions came through my head and I groaned louder.
"Mariana?" Elena and Stefan asked in worry and I shook my head, leaning back against the wall before I screamed, quickly opening my eyes.
I was inside of a a large cave.. Echoes filled the space around me but I couldn't make out the voices.. A stone encased body came into my vision as a small box sat on top of it.. Enclasped in the body's hands.. my vision changed again as blood started dripping through the stone mask around the body before the eyes flung open to reveal a pair of piercing green eyes staring right through me. Screams filled the space around me as the echoes became more clear before silence encased me. "Thanks for the help, Little Gilbert." A familiar voice stated, clear as day before Elena's face came into my vision.. Smirking down at me. The vision changed to Bonnie who was laying on a cave floor, breathing heavily and bleeding from her mouth and side while tears streamed down her face. "MarianaâJ-Jeremy.. Listen to me." Bonnie pleaded and I watched as the vision changed again.. To Jeremy.. Who lay face first on the cave floor across from Bonnie.. Blood running across his neck while no sign of breathing could be seen. "Mariana.. ListenâListen to me." Bonnie's voice whispered again.
I gasped as the visions disappeared and my breathing became jagged as I furrowed my eyebrows. "Mariana?" Stefan and Elena asked me again with worry and I shook my head, looking between them.
"Something happened." I stated in a serious tone and watched as the two looked at me in confusion. "Elena.." I whispered, looking at her in disbelief as words escaped me and the visions ran through my head again.
"Mariana.. What happened?" Elena asked in a serious and worried tone as her eyebrows furrowed and I slowly shook my head.
"We need to find Bonnie.. Now." I warned emotionlessly and looked away from her and at Stefan who furrowed her eyebrows.
~~~
Elena, Stefan and I walked into the cave that an empty stone alter rested in while Jeremy was laying in front of it, completely motionless. "Jeremy!" Elena screamed and ran towards him quickly, breathing heavily as fear washed over her. "No, no, no, no." She added as she looked over his lifeless and bloody body before picking up his right hand to see the Gilbert ring that rested on it. Elena sighed in some relief before she grabbed Jeremy's head and put it in her lap, hugging him closely towards her. "It's fine. It's fine. You're gonna be okay." She repeated to herself as I stood in the cave entrance, completely frozen. "The ring will bring you back. You're going to be okay. You're going to be okay, Jeremy. You're going to be fine." Elena sobbed as she held him, rocking them back gently.
"Mariana." Stefan whispered from next to me and I broke my eyes away from the two before I looked down at him as knelt down to the floor where a pool of blood was formed and I furrowed my eyebrows.
"That's where Bonnie was laying. That's her blood." I confirmed as I looked over the blood while listening to Elena's sobs that echoed through the cave. Stefan stared at me for a few seconds before he slowly stood and looked towards Elena. "She's alive." I stated emotionlessly and Stefan furrowed his eyebrows at me as I stared at Elena and Jeremy from where I stood. "Bonnie's alive. She has to be.. I-I can't deal with her being dead too, Stefan." I warned quietly before I met my eyes with his and he looked at me with defeat.
~~
"How's this happen?" Damon asked in frustration as he looked between Stefan and I as the three of us talked quietly in the tunnels.
"It was Katherine. She must have been following us this whole time." Stefan answered in defeat and Damon furrowed his eyebrows.
"What about the cure or Silas?" Damon countered and I folded my arms over my chest, shaking my head.
"If there was anything in there at all, it's all gone. The man that I saw.. The box. Bonnie." I pointed out and Damon sighed, shaking his head slowly as he stared at me as did Stefan now.. Probably waiting for me to break or something. "Look, Elena is in there waiting for the Gilbert ring to bring Jeremy back to life." I stated with a sigh and Damon nodded.
"Okay, fine. We'll wait with her." Damon suggested and I exchanged a look with Stefan before I became silent and Stefan took a deep breath.
"Listen to me." Stefan stated and Damon furrowed his eyebrows between his brother and I. "Jeremy was one of the five. A hunter." He informed quietly and Damon looked between the two of us in realization.
"He's supernatural. The ring won't work anymore." Damon replied, catching on and I sighed, running my hands through my hair.
"She won't survive this." I warned emotionlessly as I looked between the brothers in defeat before Damon slowly nodded and put a hand on my cheek.. Rubbing it gently. He stared down at me in silence before he looked at Stefan and sighed.
"I'll stay and find Bonnie. You need to get her and Elena off this island." Damon nodded and I watched as Stefan moved his gaze towards me in response. I became silent before I nodded in agreement and looked back at Damon who stared straight at his brother.. As if they were talking in their own way.
-Time Skip-
I opened the front door of the house and walked in to see Caroline in the kitchen, scrubbing the spot on the floor where Kol's body burnt. "Hey, you're home." Caroline stated in some relief before she took off her cleaning gloves and stood. Elena walked into the house also as Caroline started walking down the hall. "I was trying to clean the burn marks where Kolâ" She started before she cut herself off quickly once she saw Stefan walk in behind Elena, carrying Jeremy's lifeless body in his. "I couldn't get the spot out.." Caroline whispered emotionlessly before she looked between Stefan and I as Elena put her backpack inside of the family room and I looked away from her silently.
"Come on, let's get him upstairs." Elena stated with a sigh before she gestured Stefan up the stairs behind her. Stefan looked away from Caroline and followed Elena up to Jeremy's room as I shut the door behind us. I pulled out my phone and dialed in a number before I turned back towards Caroline as a dial tone rang in my ear.
"Who are you calling?" Caroline asked in confusion before I heard the dial tone stop abruptly.
"Mariana?" A familiar voice asked from the phone and I sighed, looking down as I became silent. "Mariana.. What happened?" The voice asked again, worry shaking it slightly. I looked back at Caroline who held herself tightly, watching me in defeat.
"It's Jeremy, Jenna." I whispered emotionlessly as I looked away and felt my heart sink as my voice broke.
~~
"How long has she been like that?" Caroline asked quietly as she dumped out the dirty water from her cleaning bucket.
"Ever since we found us body. She hasn't said anything except that she's waiting for him to wake up." Stefan answered from where he stood beside the island counter and Caroline turned towards us, leaning back against the sink.
"But he's not going to wake up. She knows that, right?" Caroline asked furrowing her eyebrows and I half a finger to my mouth before I waved a hand towards the sink, turning on the water.
"Look, deep down, I think she has to. But we're talking about Elena. She feels grief more powerfully than anyone else. I think the denial is the one thing protecting her from letting it all in." Stefan stated quietly before he looked at me as I remained silent.
"She can't stay like that forever." Caroline warned as she shook her head gently and Stefan sighed.
"I know. But I don't want to be the one to break her out of it." Stefan replied looking at me again. "Not until we know that Bonnie is safe.. And until we can get Damon over here to.. You know.." He added quietly and I scoffed lightly.
"Use the sire bond to convince her that everything's okay?" I countered emotionlessly and Stefan gave me a small nod.
"I'm not in denial." A voice stated and I furrowed my eyebrows as we all turned towards Elena who stood in the doorway of the kitchen from the hall. I looked at Stefan and Caroline before Caroline shut the water off. "I know that he was supernatural. But did you see?? His tattoo is gone." Elena pointed out in with hope in her voice as she walked into the kitchen and I sighed softly. "The tattoo had the spell that opened Silas' chamber. Maybe it being gone means that he fulfilled his supernatural destiny. Maybe he's back to normal. It's possible, right?" She asked with a shrug as she looked between the three of us.
"Elenaâ" I started softly before she cut me off quickly.
"It's possible, Mariana." Elena stated emotionlessly as she looked at me with a serious expression. "There's a chance. It may be minuscule, but it's hope, and I'm going to hold onto that hope with everything that I've got because there's so way thatâ" She started but quickly cut herself off and taking a deep breath as she stared at me, making me look down slowly. "There's absolutely no way that our brother is dead." She finished and I looked back at her quietly. "I'm not in denial." Elena stated in annoyance before she walked out of the kitchen and I looked between Stefan and Caroline in defeat.
~~~
I sat on the porch as Caroline stood beside me, talking into her phone. "I know that I'm not supposed to be calling.. But something happened, and I need to talk to you, Tyler. So please call me." She stated in defeat before hanging up the phone as Stefan walked out of the house, holding cups of tea before handing two to Caroline and I.
"You know where he is?" Stefan asked quietly and Caroline sighed, taking her cup of tea.
"As far away from Klaus as he can get. Klaus said he wouldn't stop until he found him." Caroline answered, looking out at the street in front of us.
"Well, Katherine's been running from Klaus for five hundred years. It's not easy, but it's possible. That's probably why she stole the cure. To bargain it with her life and freedom." I stated emotionlessly before I looked down at my tea.
"I just can't believe, after all that, the cure is just.. gone." Caroline replied in defeat and I scoffed lightly in agreement.
"Yeah. I mean, talk about denial.." Stefan stated as he leant against the side of the porch. "In my head I was thinking there's no way Elena was gonna stay a vampire forever." He added with a sigh and I slowly nodded.
"And now without any family to grow old with." I stated in agreement before I felt both of them look at me quietly.
"Well, we can't think about that right now. We need to make plans, lists. We need a funeral or a cover storyâor a funeral and a cover story. I should go tell my mom. She'll know what to do." Caroline suggested and I looked up from my tea and towards her.
"We should get Matt over here." I stated and Caroline sighed, nodding in agreement.
"You're right, I will do that. I will call Matt and then I will go tell my mom and then I will make a list or a casserole orâI don't knowâwhatever people are supposed to do or to make in these situations." Caroline stated quickly before putting her tea on the side table beside me. She walked across the porch, towards the steps before she stopped in her tracks and looked towards Stefan who furrowed his eyebrows slowly. "What's that smell?" Caroline asked quietly and I slowly got up from the chair I sat in and cleared my throat.
"It's his body." I answered emotionlessly and watched as Caroline's face fell. "It's starting to decompose.. So, um, tell your mom to get Meredith over here." I added with a short nod before I walked inside of the house, leaving them.
~~
I walked into Jeremy's room as Meredith stood above him, examining him from where he was laying on his bed while Elena stood across from her, holding her diary in her hands. "You're not going to find any vitals. It's the same thing that Ric used to go through. He'd just be dead until he wasn't." Elena pointed out with a small shrug and I looked at her in defeat before back at Meredith. "Once, I remember he was gone for almost an entire day." She added with a chuckle as Meredith looked at her from over her shoulder quietly. "Ric died like, four times before he lost his mind, and Jeremy's has died a few times, tooâthree, I think. So we're going to have toâ" She started before I cut her off as Stefan stood behind me now.
"Elena." I whispered quietly and she looked at me confused before back at Meredith.
"So we'll have to keep an eye on him because I don't want him to go crazy just like Ric did." Elena finished as she shook her head and I looked at Meredith who stood up straight, looking at me and I gave her a short nod.
"Elena.." Meredith stated quietly, walking closer towards Elena who looked away from her. "It looks like Jeremy died from extreme blood loss. His neck also appears to be broken. The lack of blood explains why there's no lividity, but his muscles have tightened past the point of rigor mortis." She added softly and I watched as Elena shook her head quickly.
"No." Elena countered emotionlessly and I looked over my shoulder at Stefan who remained silent.
"If he's left unattended to, soon he'll start to bloat." Meredith added, talking quickly as Elena clenched her jaw tightly. "Within a few hours, his skin will start to lose color andâ" She started but Elena cut her off angrily.
"No! Stop, okay?" Elena asked angrily, walking away from Meredith and towards Jeremy quickly. "Stop, he's not dead." She added in defeat and Meredith sighed, turning towards me instead.
"I need you to release the body to me." Meredith stated and I watched as Elena furrowed her eyebrows as stood protectively beside Jeremy. "We'll get him to a funeral home and prepare him for a viewing where you and his friends can say goodbye to him." She added reassuringly before Elena growled angrily and vamped towards Meredith, holding her up against Jeremy's wall.
"No! He's not dead, okay?" Elena asked angrily, shifting into her eyes before I quickly grabbed her from behind.
"Elena, stop it!" I warned loudly, pulling Elena off of Meredith who breathed heavily from fear, shrinking herself against the wall.
"Now you're all about science?" Elena asked in annoyance, trying to grab Meredith while I held her back tightly. "Where was your science when you used vampire blood to save my life, huh?" She added through gritted teeth and I sighed in defeat as she shook her head. "There is so science here. It's just magic." Elena pointed out, breathing heavily from within my grasp. "We need magic. Mariana, we have to find Bonnie." She stated as she shook her head, trying to free herself from me. "You can Bonnie can fix thisâsomeone just call Bonnie!" Elena yelled out angrily.
"Elena." A voice stated before we both turned towards the doorway to see Matt standing beside Stefan. He looked between us as Elena breathed heavily before his attention turned towards Jeremy.. Elena furrowed her eyebrows and looked at Jeremy also, calming down within my arms. She looked back at Matt whose face fell at the sight of Jer and his eyes welled up immediately.
"No. No, Matt. It's fine." Elena reassured him as I let her go and watched her walk towards him before they engulfed each other. "It's okay. It's okay." She added in a calm voice as he sobbed, shaking his head. "Bonnie will be here soon.. And her and Mariana can fix everythingâit'll be fine. Everything will be fine." Elena stated quickly.. Breathing somewhat heavily as she repeated herself.. Not trying to reassure Matt.. But herself.
~~~
I watched Meredith pull the blanket over Jeremy's face, covering his body fully. I turned back towards the picture frames that hung on the wall before I looked away from them as Meredith walked out of Jeremy's room. "I'm bumping up the AC. We're not going to be able to leave him in there for much longer." Meredith warned and I slowly nodded quietly as Stefan came up the stairs again and sighed.
"Yeah, I know.. I've been alive for almost two centuries now. You'd think with the amount of people I've seen die, it would hurt less each time. Never does." Stefan pointed out in defeat before he sat at the top of the stairs and I stared at a picture of my my family sitting on the couch in the family room..
"No.. no, it never does." Meredith agreed quietly before she sat on the stairs beside him and sighed, making me take my eyes off of the picture. "I see this every day. Sometimes I think that denials the worst part for people like us.. because we know the truth. We can see they're on a collision course with it, and all we can do is brace ourselves for impact." She stated quietly. I turned back towards the wall of pictures, looking at them one by one.. And slowly, without even realizing it, my gaze moved towards Jeremy's room.. To see his lifeless body still laying on his bed.. Motionless. I felt my eyes glaze over before I cleared my throat and sigh loudly.
"I'm gonna go see what Matt and Elena are talking about." I suggested before I walked carefully between Stefan and Meredith, going down the stairs and towards the kitchen.
~~~
I shut the front door after Meredith left before I turned towards the stairs as Stefan came down, phone in hand. "Damon found Bonnie. The plane is there waiting for them when they get off of the island. They'll be home in a few hours." Stefan informed and I sighed in some relief and pulled out my phone from my back pocket.
"Matt took Elena somewhere. I'll let them know." I replied, shaking my head before I looked up at him. "Is she okay?" I asked furrowing my eyebrows as he sighed, nodding back at me.
"Yeah. He said she's fine." Stefan answered and I tilted my head at his expression before I watched him put his hands in his pockets and look down. "Listen, Mar.. Elena might have been right. There might be something." He pointed out quietly and I furrowed my eyebrows.
"Bonnie knows what to do, doesn't she?" I asked in confusion and he slowly nodded back at me.
"Lets just see what she says when she gets home. Okay?" Stefan countered, tilting his head at me and I gave a short nod.
"Okay." I agreed quietly. I dialed Elena's number into my phone and pressed the call button before putting the phone to my ear as her dial tone rang.
~~~
I walked out onto the porch as Caroline pulled up after running her errands and making her lists. I folded my arms over my chest and walked down the porch towards her before Damon's Camaro pulled up behind her car and I sighed in relief. Bonnie got out of the passenger side and ran towards me, hugging me tightly and I smiled a bit. "Thank god. I was worried." I pointed out before we pulled away and she nodded and hugged Caroline.
"I'm okay." Bonnie replied reassuringly and I nodded back at her before I turned towards Damon who got out of the car also. I looked him over as he walked towards me before wrapping his arms around me tightly.
"Caroline. Can you get them inside and get Stefan out here?" Damon asked looking at her as she hugged Bonnie.
"They said she knows what to do." Caroline stated with a smile as her and Bonnie pulled away.
"Caroline. Get my brother out here." Damon warned in a serious tone. I furrowed my eyebrows up at him as Caroline looked at him confused and the smile dropped.
"What's wrong?" I asked quietly and watched as he looked at Bonnie for a split second before he looked away. I turned towards at and nodded silently, pulling away from Damon. "Come on." I added, gesturing for Caroline and Bonnie to follow me inside of the house.
~~
"It's called an expression triangle. I need to complete it for Silas." Bonnie stated as Elena, Matt, Caroline and I stared at her as we all sat around the table.
"What?" Matt asked, clearly confused and taken aback completely. "Bonnie, you can't kill twelve people." He added in frustration and I looked at Elena who silently pondered.
"I know it sounds crazy but it's the only way to get enough power." Bonnie countered as she shook her head back at Matt.
"To do what?" Caroline asked loudly in annoyance and Bonnie sighed looking at her.
"When Silas was buried by the witch Qestiyah, she left him the cure but gave him two choices. Stay immortal and rot or take the cure and eventually die of old age. Silas remained immortal for two thousand years, not because he didn't want to die, but because Qestiyah knew that if he did die, he would reunite with his one true love. So she created 'the other side' as a purgatory for all supernatural beings. Ensuring that if he died, he'd end up there forever." Bonnie pointed out and I furrowed my eyebrows at her as I listened. "And as me being Qestiyah's living descendant, I can drop the veil between us and the other side, making it no longer exist anymore. There's no other side, we're all just one." She stated, looking between all of us and I sat up in my chair, crossing my arms over on the table in realization.
"You're saying that everyone who has ever died a supernatural death will come back?" I asked in confusion and Bonnie stared at me silently, making me scoff lightly and sit back in my chair.
"Bonnie, you are talking like a crazy person. You are not killing twelve people, and you sure as hell can't invite every monster who has ever died, back into this world." Caroline warned her angrily and loudly, making me run my hands through my hair in frustration.
"Caroline, I think she knows that." Matt countered with a sigh and Bonnie rolled her eyes.
"I can do it." Bonnie argued, shrugging towards Caroline. "I have the power, we can bring everyone back. Jeremy, Alaric, Vicki." She added and I shook my head at her.
"Bonnie, stop it! You can't just say these things!" Caroline yelled angrily towards her and I looked at Elena who breathed heavily from where she sat in between Caroline and Bonnie.. Staring blankly at the wall and blocking them out completely. I furrowed my eyebrows at her as Caroline and Bonnie continued to argue before the home phone rang, making Elena jump and come back to reality while everyone became quiet.
"I'll get it." Elena stated quietly, coming back to and Matt shook his head.
"Hey, look.. I'll get it." Matt replied reassuringly as he went to get up but Elena stopped him.
"I said I'll get it." Elena stated emotionlessly as she got up from the table. The three of them looked at me in concern but I shrugged them off and watched as Elena walked slowly towards the counter and grabbed the phone. The front door opened before Stefan and Damon came into the house, shutting the door behind them and moving towards the kitchen as well. Elena answered the phone and slowly brought it to her ear as Stefan and Damon looked at me with concerned looks but I ignored them.
"Hello?" Elena asked into the phone quietly.
"Elena? Hey, it's April.. Young." April stated from the phone and I furrowed my eyebrows as Elena still remained still and calm. "Um, I was looking for Jeremy? His cell phone keeps going straight to voicemail." She added and I looked at Stefan who leant against the doorway and looked down as Elena cleared her throat somewhat.
"Jeremy can't come to the phone right now. He's notâ" Elena started before she cut herself off and I watched her carefully as he took a breath and let it out. "I'm sorry. He's dead." She finished emotionlessly, hanging up the phone. Caroline and Matt looked at me with fallen faces before Elena walked past Stefan and Damon, out of the kitchen and up the stairs. Damon looked at me in concern and I watched as Caroline and Bonnie exchanged angry glances towards each other.
"Enough." I warned loudly towards them as I stood up from the table now. Everyone looked at me confused before I slowly shook my head. "You're not killing twelve people and you're not bringing Jeremy back. Not that wayâit's not happening. He wouldn't want to be brought back like that.." I pointed out, looking down at Bonnie who looked away from me and letting silence fall upon us.
"Matt.. Will you, uh, take Bonnie home?" Stefan asked from the doorway as he folded his arms over his chest. Matt looked at Stefan and back at me before he slowly nodded.
"Yeah. Sure." Matt answered before he looked away from me finally. He got up from the table and grabbed his coat from the back of his chair as did Bonnie. "I'll talk to you tomorrow, okay?" Matt asked and I gave him a short nod as he out on his coat. "Let me know if you need anything." He added and I looked away from him, letting the the two leave the kitchen without another word before they walked out of the house.
"Mariana?" Caroline asked quietly and I looked towards her to see her open her mouth to speak before I cut her off.
"We need a list. A list of flowers for the funeral as we as a guest list." I stated nodding at her and watched as Caroline sighed, shaking her head.
"Mariana, we're here. We can take care of it." Caroline reassured, gesturing at her, Stefan and Damon, making me shake my head and sprawl my hands out onto the table in front of me.
"I would rather get it done now. I-I can't think about this until tomorrow." I replied in defeat and Caroline stared at me before she gave a short nod and exchanged glances with Stefan and Damon quietly. "Damon, you should go talk to Elena." I stated, nodding up at him and watching as he stared back at me silently, not moving.
"Ariâ" Damon started in protest but I cut him off quickly, looking away from him.
"Damon, please." I stated with a sigh, hearing my voice crack and I looked down in defeat. He sighed in response before I heard his footsteps walk away from the kitchen and towards the stairs.
"Mariana. We are here. Let us help." Stefan stated calmly from the doorway and I looked up at him as my eyes glazed over.
"I think I might have been in denial too, Stefan." I whispered towards him and I watched as he looked at me sorrowfully.
"Mariana.. You heard Jeremy's screams. You saw his body before any of us.. You were in shock and no one can blame you." Stefan replied quietly and I looked away from him. Footsteps came down the stairs before Elena came into the kitchen and furrowed her eyebrows.
"Where's Bonnie?" Elena asked, looking around the kitchen confused and I noticed the tears running down her face.
"We told Matt take her home. We thought it'd be best." Stefan answered as he looked at her and she nodded and turned towards me.
"I need you to set the house on fire." Elena stated in a serious tone and I scoffed, furrowing my eyebrows at her.
"What? No." I countered, completely taken back and Elena sighed deeply, shaking her head.
"Fine. Looks like we're gonna have to do this the old-fashioned way." Elena replied and I looked between Stefan and Caroline in confusion before Damon came down the stairs with Jeremy's body in his arms.
"Do what?" Caroline asked from where she sat at the table, looking towards Stefan and I as Elena looked at Damon and gestured him towards the living room.
"Put his body on the couch." Elena informed and I watched as Damon did as told. Elena sniffles and walked towards the cabinets, away from us.
"Elena?" Caroline asked in confusion at her as Elena opened the cabinets, searching for something vigorously. "Elena, you need help finding something?" Care asked awkwardly, looking at me as I narrowed my eyes at Elena who looked in the cabinet under the counter.
"Got it." Elena stated quickly before she stood up and started pouring the gasoline that she held in her hand, all over the counter and I widened my eyes as did Caroline who quickly stood from the table.
"What are you doing?" Stefan asked in complete shock at her as she poured the gasoline all over the kitchen, even her diary.
"We need a cover story, right?" Elena asked looking up at the three of us before walking towards the dinning room and pouring the gasoline on the floor. "You think I didn't hear you guys talking earlier? Well, what are we gonna sayâanimal attack? Tumble down the stairs?" She asked as she moved towards the living room after soaking the table. "No. We burn the house down with him in it." Elena pointed out and I scoffed.
"Elena, stop it." I stated angrily and she looked at me in annoyance.
"Why? Because you want me to not be in denial? You want me to face the truth? This is the truth, Mar. I don't wanna live here anymore!" Elena stated in anger and I shook my head at her as she poured the gasoline on Jeremy's sketch book that sat on a table in the living room. "I don't want these sketches." She stated before moving towards the tv and picking the x-box off of the shelf, covering it in gasoline also. "I don't want this x-box." Elena added in anger before she threw the now empty bottle down. She turned towards the hutch beside her before she opened one of the cabinets and pulled out a bottle of liquor. "Not gonna need this bourbon anymore." Elena pointed out before she took the top off and started spreading it all over the living room, too. "Alaric's not here to drink it, unless you guys are willing to bring back every supernatural creature on the other side to get him back." She stated angrily as she looked at Caroline, Stefan and I before at Damon who stood in the family room. "Would you? I know you want your drinking buddy back. Would you, Damon?" Elena asked emotionlessly as she walked close enough to him to where she stood an inch or so in front of him. "Because I wouldn't." She stated honestly, shaking her head before walking past him and into the family room where Jeremy lay on the couch. "I don't know, does that make me a bad person? I have no idea." Elena stated to herself as she started pouring the alcohol on Jeremy and we all walking into the room, watching silently. Elena took the Gilbert ring off of his finger and looked down at it before tossing it to me and I caught it. "He's not going to need that anymore." She pointed out and I scoffed, shaking my head at her.
"Elena, stop it. You're scaring me!" Caroline stated angrily from behind me as tears filled her eyes while Elena took a picture of her, Jeremy and I off of the shelf beside her and poured alcohol on it.
"What else are we supposed to do with the body, Caroline? I mean, there's no room in the Gilbert family plot! John and Alaric took the last two spots!" Elena yelled before she threw both the picture frame and the bottle towards the fireplace beside her, shattering them both against the bricks and I watched silently as Caroline jumped. Elena took a match from the box of matches that sat on the shelf before she lit it and I widened my eyes, walking forward.
"Elena, stop." I warned calmly and she groaned loudly and angrily at me.
"How are so so calm, Mariana!" Elena yelled towards me and I scoffed, furrowing my eyebrows at her.
"You think I'm calm?" I asked, shaking my head in disbelief at her. "I am anything but calm, Elena. I am sad. I am disappointed. I am angry." I stated in frustration towards her and watched as her eyes glazed over at me. "I get it. You think that there's nothing here for us anymore. You think that every inch of this house is filled with memories of the people that we loved that have diedâ" I started before she cut me off.
"Because it is, Mariana. Our mom, our dad, Jeremy, and AlaricâJohn, even John." Elena stated, running her free hand over her forehead. "I mean, they're all dead. Everyone is dead." She stated and I shook my head, walking forwards again.
"I am here." I countered, taking Elena's free hand in mine and holding it tightly. "Jenna is here. Jenna's still alive and she is pregnant, Elena. We're going to have a cousinâwe're going to have to be here to take care of it. We need to stay together. Jeremy wouldn't want you to do this." I pointed out in defeat towards her as she sobbed, shaking her head. "Please don't do this." I pleaded, furrowing my eyebrows at her. Elena groaned and pulled away from me before looking towards Jeremy again.
"What are we supposed toâhow are we supposed toâHow are we gonnaâI can't evenâ" She started, sobbing in frustration as her breathing quickened. "There's nothing left for usâAhh!" Elena yelled in pain as the match she had in her hand, burnt her fingers. I watched as Elena let it go quickly, and I widened my eyes. Damon vamped towards it quickly and caught the match in his hand before standing up and looking Elena over.
"Elena, I need you to calm down." Damon warned calmly, watching as she put her hand to her forehead again, shaking her head back at him.
"No, no, noâI can't! I can't! I can't!" Elena countered loudly, falling to the floor sobbing and holding her stomach as grief consumed her. "I can't. I can't." She repeated, gasping for air between sobs. I looked at Caroline who covered her mouth with a hand while Stefan looked down in defeat. "No.. It hurtsâIt hurts.. Just make it stop." Elena sobbed, running her hands over her face and I quickly knelt beside her, holding her in my arms.
"Breathe, Elena." I reassured calmly, running a hand through her hair. "Elena, you need to breathe." I warned, shaking my head at her as I felt my eyes glaze over.
"Please make it stop, Mariana.. It hurts." Elena pleaded, sobbing more and I shook my head as tears streamed down my face now.
"Damon." I stated, hearing my voice crack again as I looked up at him. "Help her. Please." I whispered, shaking my head as he stared down at me.
"IâIâ" Elena started in defeat as her sobs consumed her before Damon knelt beside us and wrapped his arms around her. Elena fell into him completely, letting him comfort her as I let go.
"I can help you." Damon reassured her in a calm voice as he gently rubbed her hair with his hand. "I want you to let me help you." He added, looking straight at me as he said it. Elena's breaths somewhat calmed as Damon pulled her away and held her face in his hands, wiping her cheeks with his thumbs gently. "I can help you." He repeated quietly and I looked away as the two stared at each other intently.
"How?" Elena asked breathlessly, furrowing her eyebrows as tears still staining her cheeks.
"Turn it off." Damon answered and I quickly furrowed my eyebrows and looked back at him in shock.
"What? Noâ" Stefan started in protest before Damon held up a hand towards him, making him quiet.
"Just turn it off, and everything will go away." Damon repeated reassuringly towards Elena who stopped sobbing now. "That's what you have to do.. It's what I want you to do." He added calmly, running a hand over her face softly and Elena stared at him silently. "Just turn it off." Damon whispered, removing his hands from her face as her breathing calmed and silence encased her. I furrowed my eyebrows and let a tear fall as Elena slowly looked around the room.. Completely unattached to everything around her.. Even me.
~~~
I watched Elena pick up the shattered picture of her, Jeremy and I.. The one that she broke.. I watched as she stared down at it silently.. Emotionlessly. She put the picture back down and grabbed another match from the shelf.. Lighting it as Stefan and Damon came inside from talking out on the porch. "Elena.. Don't do this." Damon whispered from behind me as I stood behind the couch that Jeremy was laying on. "We can find another cover story." He reassured, and I watched as she shook her head back at him, holding the now burning match in her hand.
"This is the best one. No one will ask questions." Elena stated emotionlessly and I furrowed my eyebrows.
"If you burn down the house.. It'll be gone." Stefan warned, walking up beside me as he narrowed his eyes at her.
"What if one day when this is all over... We want to come home again?" I added quietly.. Looking between her and the match in her hand. Elena looked down at the match and thought it over for a few seconds before she looked back at me.
"I won't. Would you?" Elena countered, tilting her head at me and I opened my mouth to speak before she let the match fall from her hand and hit the floor. I watched as the floor ignited with flames and I closed my eyes.. I opened them and looked at Elena who moved past me and towards the front door, walking out of the house. I stood frozen for a moment before Damon's hand found mine and led me out of the house also.. Leaving the burning house.. To turn to dust.