Another week passed and Maeve still was drowning in her own magic. Every day Ezekiel, Maverick, Rebekah, Kol and Caroline sat outside the bedroom door telling her stories. Maeve on the other hand was only half listening to it.

Her mind was tossling around plans to get rid of her dark counterpart. Maeve had successfully learned to keep the counterpart from infiltrating her thoughts. It wasn't an easy task and consumed much of her energy but she had to find a way. Late at nights under a single lamp light, the only piece of furniture left without a scratch in the room, Maeve tried her best to come up with ways to get rid of that part of hers.

"You are wasting your time." said the counterpart mocking her attempts.

"Says all you want I will end you. There has to be done way."

"You are wasting your energy and magic holding back from me." a light bulb went off inside the locked corner of Maeve's head.

"What is it?" asked the dark counterpart, feeling an odd sensation. A feeling that was odd and unwelcoming for her.

"Don't worry. Everything is fine. You are still winning." said Maeve before she screamed out yet again resonating her magic even more.

Ezekiel tore the paper into shreds, his eyes never leaving Maeve. "I understand you feel like giving up but this is not the right thing to do, Maeve."

"I don't have a choice."

"Yes you do. Whatever it is, don't. Maeve listen to me, it's just us, I have been with you the longest."

"Prongs listen to me, this will work."

"What if it doesn't? The price is too high to pay, Maeve." Ezekiel bent down in front of her and placed his hands on her knees. "This is who you are Maeve. Don't do this."

"It has to work, Zeke. It's just how it is. Please." Ezekiel hung his head low. He didn't do it to show that he was defeat in front of Maeve but to hide the tears.

"I'll speak with Maverick about it. Maybe he'd have something else to say." Maeve nodded her head unconvinced. She walked back inside the bedroom and closed the door leaving Ezekiel still on the floor.

Maeve went to the window in the room, wide open, letting the soft breeze in. "What are you doing?"

"If he's not going to help. I'm on my own on this." Maeve said determinedly and climbed out the window.

Maeve climbed down the fire escape and ran off. Under the dusky sky and last light of the day she must have looked like a ghost running around. The counterpart of hers kept screaming and struggling in her head, attempting desperately to get a conscious control but Maeve's determination powered her down quite extensively. With each attempt Maeve was crumbling more under the pressure of being throttled and dying from inside.

Maeve went deep into the woods finding her way to the clearing where she supposed the sacrifice must have happened.

"Don't do it. Maeve don't you dare." Maeve winced slightly losing her balance but stood her ground.

"Anything and everything to get rid of you." Maeve said out loud and dropped to her knees. She placed her palms flat on the ground. A deep sigh escaped her lips forcibly. Maeve closed her eyes and focused. She tried her best to ignore the trembles she felt from the dark counterpart attempting to stop her but Maeve continued on.

The nature around growled before it howled. Birds chirped loudly and circled the clearing unnaturally. Maeve's hands glowed a deep red before they had a golden halo like an aura.

"Maeve don't do this. This is what you are. Don't." pleaded the dark side but Maeve was hearing none of it.

"You are attached to my magic. You will seize to exist if my magic does. The wrong energy is me returning my magic to earth──from where my ancestors gained it. Earth will cherish my magic as it's own." Maeve screamed out in a shrill tone, her painful voice echoed through the woods and travelled as far as it could be carried by the woods itself.

It seemed as if the nature was protesting her actions. Her screams were carried as far as the woods stretched to reach for someone who would come help her.

Veins covered her skin making Maeve look like a terrifying ghostly figure. She threw her head back, a crushing feeling pushing down on her. Trees shook, the forest floor shook and winds blew violently before suddenly everything went silent. The birds retreated into their nests and silence came over the woods.

"What have you done?"

"Found a way to end you."

Back at Maeve's apartment, Maverick who had just showed up and learnt of Maeve's plan crumpled on the floor feeling a suddent pain. The pain was like a phantom ache thet struck through his entire body in seconds and went away just as suddenly as it appeared.

"Rick? What happened?" asked Ezekiel pressing a hand to his shoulder. Maverick glanced up at Ezekiel, straight into his eyes.

"She did it. She gave up on her magic." Maverick revealed.

"We need to go."

Maeve stormed inside the mansion, one place she knew she would get what she wanted. "Nik? Kol?" shocked and surprised, both men looked at each other and then at the door. Maeve limped in with a lopsided curl on her lips that could seem like a smile.

"Listen, I need a favor." before Maeve could get out another word, her dark counterpart seized countrol and attacked Klaus.

"You gave her the idea didn't you?" she said. Klaus was on his knees grunting from the pain he felt from the aneurysm Maeve gave him.

"Stop it." shouted Kol storming up to her. The spell stopped and Maeve silenced herself.

Yet again, before another word could be said Maeve's eyes caught sight of Caroline stepping into the room.

Maeve's eyes, that were filled with warmth and honesty, narrowed in fear as her expression changed suddenly from prideful to panicked. "Nik, it's me! Hear me out. I can't hold her long. I need you to help me." Her voice trembled with effort as she fought against the darkness that threatened to consume her. Still, it overcame her just long enough for a sarcastic remark: "Look at that. Caroline Forbes in the house. So, Tyler cheated on you and now you're cheating on him? What a scandal!"

Caroline shot back angrily but with a hint of concern, "Seriously? How about you dive back into the mind jail and get back the good Maeve?"

Maeve clenched her jaw, beads of sweat forming on her forehead as she wrestled internally with herself: "I can't hold her back much longer. She's gaining leverage over me. Nik, please...you have to kill me."

Klaus's handsome face darkened with fury. "Are you insane? I'll never do such a thing."

"Of course you wouldn't. But you also just might, now that she is utterly useless." remarked Maeve and crossed her arms. "She gave her magic back to earth."

"What?" Caroline and Klaus retorted in unison.

Maeve gritted teeth again, and continued, "I'll say this once because I've trapped her momentarily. I have up my magic because she is latched onto it  as her source of power." said Maeve. "I will cede control and lock myself away. End this darkness and the ring will bring me back. I can't stand another thought of hexing or killing you. She wants freedom from all of us, even if it means harm or death."

"We won't do it, Maeve. We could never do that to you." Caroline backed up her friend with desperation undulating in her voice, "Are you mad?"

"Now's not the time for hesitation! Kill me and I promise, I'll return. Remember, this is for all of us," Maeve pleaded.

Klaus' sapphire eyes met Caroline's brown ones, their pale faces mirroring each other's dread. As Maeve consciously receded into herself, her features morphed into a cold and calculated expression while shifting her weight onto her back leg.

The darkness had fully taken hold of Maeve now. "That was annoying," she sneered. "She tried really hard to hold me back, pathetic really. Why do you people even bother with someone so weak?"

Caroline bristled defensively, "You are a real bitch."

"Oh, Caroline, I like you, you know," Maeve began, her voice rich with dark intent. "The Barbie Vampire. But don't make me ruin that pretty face of yours," she warned, baring her sharpened fangs in a sinister grin. "As for your dear friend here, the minute she gives in to darkness, I'll end that lovey-dovey side of me for good." The Original and blonde vampire stood petrified, their faces contorted with shock at this revelation.

"Shocking isn't it?" Maeve taunted with a cold smirk. Her raven hair contrasted starkly against her alabaster skin as she paced around the room. "Too bad she forgo her magic. No matter." she clasped her hands together before she looked at Kol, "once she is out of my way, I can simply siphon the magic from the place where she did it and be on my merry way."

Klaus's fingers tightened into fists. "Every lie you fed Elijah...us, all of it was just to lead us here? The point where we kill you." His anger rose like a tide.

Maeve shrugged nonchalantly. "About you all being responsible for this?" She gestured to herself as though presenting some gruesome exhibit. "It wasn't a lie. You helped her more than anyone else. Yeah, but, he more than you did give me better control over her conscience."

Caroline furrowed her brow skeptically and interjected, "How could being in love possibly be the reason for driving someone to darkness?"

"It's a weakness," Maeve stated matter-of-factly. "It holds back mortals and immortals alike from achieving true power."

Klaus allowed a dangerous smirk to play on his lips. "I possess a notion, though. With great power come even greater threats." His voice dropped to a barely audible murmur, and before Maeve could process his words or react, he moved with blinding speed, and snapped her neck. Caroline averted her eyes, unable to witness her friend's death for the second time.

Klaus looked at Maeve's face, drained of its vibrant color, and felt a heaviness in his heart. The room echoed with an eerie silence as the three vampires were left to contemplate the darkness that bound them together—and the twisted sacrifices that it had demanded from them.

"What did she mean forgo her magic?"

"She returned her magic to the earth." said another voice. Maverick walked into the room followed by Ezekiel.

"The darkness emerged and grew stronger, all due to her magic. So if the magic is gone, the dark counterpart would be weak enough to kill. Our Maeve is safe and will come back." said Maverick as he made his way to Maeve who was laid peacefully on the couch by Klaus. He took her hand in his, and used a spell.

"She doesn't have her magic in her anymore."

"Does that mean..." trailed off Kol,

"She's no longer the Serene Witch."

**************************************
Was this okay? Liked it? Hate it? Okay-ish?

Let me know what you think.

and brace yourself for the next update. I have something planned ;)

Take care everyone!

Raven :)