Caroline grabbed hold of Lexa, and removed the tequila bottle from her hand and gave it back to Elena, before they left the crypt. Moving far away enough that nobody could hear them, Caroline faced Alexia.

"Why are you doing this?" Caroline decided to ask straight up. "I already told you, I'm pissed off that I'm stuck here." Lexa answered the Forbes bluntly. "I don't want to be here, Caroline."

"Not even for my birthday?" Caroline asked, as Lexa rolled her eyes. "Do you not realise that I'm a heretic with no humanity? I don't care about absolutely anything, and that happens to include you and your miserable little birthday party in a crypt."

Now Caroline was hurt.

"I know that you're not yourself right now, but I know the person I fell in love with is still in there, and that person loves me. They love Elena, Bonnie, Gigi... everyone at this party tonight." Caroline continued, trying to appeal to Lexa's humanity.

"I know things are hard right now... but we can get through this." Caroline reached out to place her hands on Lexa's but the heretic took a step back and laughed humourlessly. "I killed two people and drove my ex girlfriend to try and kill me, yet you still don't believe I'm a monster? Love really does make people pathetic."

Lexa went to turn around and leave, "Where are you going?" Caroline asked before she added, "Lexa please... don't leave Mystic Falls again... we can figure this out, but you have to stop running." Lexa ignored her, and then left using her vampire speed.

Caroline felt tears sting her eyes, as Lexa's words and unwarranted anger towards her had hurt. She hadn't wanted to heretic to see her cry, but now that she was alone she let a couple of tears fall.

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Sometime later, Natasha found her way to the Mystic Grill. Since Rebekah had been gone, the Pierce had been drinking more, and although Damon was her usual drinking buddy he seemed to be acting really strange at the moment, causing the brunette to want to seek out the company of others.

Now at the Grill, she scanned the area to see if she recognised anybody. Her eyes landed on Lexa, who was holding a bottle of vodka she'd compelled the bartender to give her, as she went to sit alone in a booth.

Natasha looked around before she took a pencil from behind the bar, one that would usually be used to write down orders. She quietly cast a spell on it, before she made her way over to Lexa, offering the girl a smile before she sat across from her.

"Hey Lexa." Natasha greeted as Alexia audibly groaned. "Do I look like I want company?" The Gilbert sassed as Natasha's bit back an amused smile. "No." Natasha answered with a grin, before she said aloud an illusion spell, so that everyone that would look at the pair of heretics, wouldn't see the gruesome scene that was about to unfold.

Lexa gave a confused look, before Natasha suddenly stabbed the spelled pencil through Lexa's hand, causing the younger heretic to let out a pained gasp. The Gilbert looked around to realise nobody had batted an eyelid, clearly not seeing the real scene behind the illusion.

Lexa glared at Natasha, as veins popped out from under her eyes and she elongated her fangs in anger. "What is your problem?!" The Gilbert snapped before she tried to siphon from the pencil, realising that for some reason she couldn't.

"What is this pencil doing to me?" Lexa asked, as her eyes met Natasha's again. "Nullifying your magical abilities— that is at least until I remove it. I guess your ex girlfriend inspired me." The Pierce explained as Lexa deadpanned her doppelgänger. "Why?"

"So I can do this." Natasha insisted before she reached forward and placed her hand on Alexia's shoulder, before placing a memory into her head.

Caroline stole the first hug, holding Lexa tightly. Lexa awkwardly laughed, as she hugged Caroline back, before she realised the Forbes was crying.

"Care?" Lexa asked, as Caroline refused to pull away, even though the Gilbert wanted to meet her eyes. "I thought you were going to die." Caroline admitted, in tears.

"I'm sorry." Lexa managed to choke out, as she couldn't contain her own tears now. "Please Lexa... I can't standby and watch my best friend kill herself." Caroline continued to sob, seeming fearful that she'd lose Lexa to her addiction. "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry Caroline." Lexa cried, holding the girl.

Lexa's eyes snapped towards Natasha, "Are you looking through my memories?!" She demanded as Natasha stayed quiet, as she tried another.

Lexa took a step forward, lifting her hand to cup Caroline's cheek. "I thought I wasn't ready... but the fact that literally anything could happen in the next few hours has made it so clear that... I am. I really like you, Care. So much." Lexa blurted, as Caroline couldn't the smile on her face.

"That's a little morbid but... I really like you too." She grinned, before Lexa smiled back brightly and collided her lips with the blonde's. The Forbes' eyes fluttered shut, as she kissed back, before throwing her arms around Lexa.

After a moment, they pulled apart. "If we survive the night.. do you want to... be my girlfriend?" The Gilbert asked. Caroline laughed, before she nodded, "Yes, yes.. god yes. Lexa, this is all I've ever wanted." The blonde admitted.

"Get out of my head!" Lexa hissed, before she realised what Natasha was doing. "Stop trying to appeal to my humanity! It's not going to work." The Gilbert declared as Natasha stayed quiet, knowing that if she showed enough memories of Lexa with her loved ones, her humanity would at least flicker.

"Weirdly, drinking lots of coffee keeps the edge off." She replied before her eyes lit up at the fresh coffee Elena held. "Gimme." She spoke childishly. The doppelgänger laughed, before handing the coffee to her twin. "Happy birthday, Lexa." She said, as suddenly Lexa paused.

"Oh my god its our birthday." She blurted, realising that she'd totally forgotten. "Happy birthday, Lena!" The heretic then boomed, before quickly jumping up to place a harsh kiss on her twins forehead. "Ow." Elena laughed. "Come downstairs, we're having breakfast with Alaric and the girls." Elena announced before she suddenly left.

"I'm warning you, stop this now. I will kick your ass when I have my magic back." Lexa threatened, though Natasha wasn't willing to give up just yet.

"So Lexa, are you coming to the founder's party tonight?" Bonnie asked, with a smile. "I don't have a date, so no.. it'd be so boring." Lexa answered the witch. "Um hello, I can be your date!" Bonnie boomed, with a smile. "Wait, really? You don't have a date, Bon bon?" The Gilbert asked, seeming surprised. Bonnie shook her head.

"Would you like to be my date to the founder's party, Lex?" Bonnie asked, grinning childishly. Lexa couldn't help but laugh, "Yes Bon, I would love to be your date to the founder's party."

Natasha continued to find memories of Lexa's loved ones, despite her persistent protesting.

Stefan sighed, "Lexa, I can't let you drive home like this, you're miserable. You won't be able to concentrate. Let me take you." He pleaded. Lexa frowned, "You're not going to give up, are you?" She asked as Stefan chuckled nervously, "No.." He admitted.

The pair left the school grounds, approaching Stefan's Porsche. She would have been so excited to be driven around in the Porsche given normal circumstances, but this was different.. she just found her best friend's life was going to become really difficult.

The vampire started up the car and began driving to the Gilbert house. The siphoner squeezed the teddy bear her girlfriend had gifted her, in her arms comfortingly, before she looked at her twin's boyfriend who was concentrated on driving.

It was at this moment that Lexa realised that Stefan to her, was more than a friend, or her twin's boyfriend. To the Gilbert, Stefan was family.

Lexa continued to cuss Natasha out, but she wasn't done. The older heretic wasn't giving up that easily.

"We'll be here for you, Lexa." Carmen said, with a weak smile before Giorgia added, "Every step of the way." Lexa put her empty mug down on her nightstand, before she faced the witches again. "Thank you. Seriously, I love you guys." The Gilbert said, as the couple smiled back at her. "I love you too." Giorgia and Carmen both responded.

Natasha could see by the stirring of emotions on Lexa's face that her humanity was starting to flicker, which gave her hope that she could bring the real Lexa back.

Lexa groaned, before she plonked herself back on the couch. "I hate this. I feel so weak.. and hopeless." She grumbled. Jeremy sat next to his older sister, "Lexa... I wish I was half as strong as you, on your weakest day." He stated, before the siphoner blinked in surprise. "You're the strongest person I know, Lexa. I mean it." The younger Gilbert added.

"Seriously, I will kill you if you keep this shit up!" Lexa snapped as Natasha smiled smugly, "I'd like to see you try."

Natasha placed her hand on Lexa's, gently. "If it comes down to it... Let me take your place in the ritual. I will pretend to be Elena.. except instead I will kill Klaus." She decided. "I want him to pay for what he did to me... to my poor family... to Rebekah- just everything. I hate him so much."

Lexa's face fell, "But.. can you even go up against Klaus? What if this doesn't work.. and he kills you?" She asked. The Petrova shrugged, "I have become a lot stronger since I last saw him. If I die, then I have lived a long life, and it has come to it's fateful end.. but I will make sure that Klaus dies with me. He will never cause pain to our bloodline again."

Lexa didn't like the idea, but it made more sense. Natasha has lived for centuries... Alexia and Elena were only seventeen. "Cheer up buttercup, remember.. I owe you." Natasha said, in her usual sickly sweet tone. Lexa looked up at her, unsure what to say. She just gave an unsure nod.

"Enough! Fuck! You are so painfully annoying." Lexa seethed as Natasha finally let go, though she kept her eyes on her descendant and examined her expression. "Do you seriously think I would let you of all people try and trick me?" The Gilbert snapped.

"You mean nothing to me, okay? You left me to die at the hands of your bitch-face sister. That is all you'll ever be to me." Lexa snarled, though the corners of Natasha's lips curved into a smile. "Your eyes are telling me a different story." She responded, before she swiftly pulled the pencil out of Lexa's hand.

"Have a good night, Lexa." Natasha spoke in her usual sweet tone, as she took hold of the vodka bottle and left, leaving a very frazzled Lexa.

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Lexa was pissed off. How dare Natasha mess around in her head like that. But one thing was certain, she had definitely made her humanity flicker... so much so that the heretic found herself approaching Caroline's house, as she wanted to apologise for upsetting her, especially on her birthday.

As she approached the Forbes residence, she found Matt standing on the porch. "Matthew... what are you doing here?" Lexa asked as Matt looked instantly panicked. "Lexa— you shouldn't be here." He quickly said, causing the brunette to frown.

She listened in with her hearing, as she could hear Klaus was inside Caroline's home. "And I could let you die, if that's what you want. If you really believe your existence has no meaning." Klaus could be heard, which instantly made Lexa glare. If she wasn't pissed off before, she definitely was now.

"I thought about it myself, once or twice over the centuries, truth will be told. But I'll let you in on a little secret. There is a whole world out there, waiting for you. Great cities and art and music, genuine beauty. And you can have all of it. You can have a thousand more birthdays. All you have to do is ask." Klaus continued as Caroline pleaded, "I don't wanna die."

"What happened to Caroline?" Lexa demanded as Matt looked a little fearful at the heretic. "Tyler bit her— it wasn't his fault though, Klaus made him do it." He explained, worried that Lexa may lash out at Tyler. But she wasn't going to, she wanted to lash out at the big bad hybrid himself.

"Move out of my fucking way." Lexa demanded, although she practically shoved Matt aside and entered the house. She turned into Caroline's bedroom, to find Klaus feeding his blood to her girlfriend. "Happy birthday Caroline." Klaus spoke.

Lexa glared, and before Klaus knew it he had been literally thrown into Caroline's hallway, as he slammed into the wall. Klaus got to his feet, knowing that he could have stopped the heretic if he wanted but he found her anger to be amusing.

"Oh my god, Lexa?!" Caroline blurted out, as she sat up and tried to get out of bed to approach the pair, but she was still feeling weakened by the bite.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, making Tyler bite Caroline?!" Lexa snapped, "She was collateral damage. I'm sure as someone quite villainous like yourself, you would understand." Klaus said as Lexa sped towards him, and shoved him against the wall, as she glared in his face. Klaus would be lying if he said he didn't find this hot.

"Lexa!" Caroline panicked, worried that Klaus would retaliate and hurt or kill Lexa for actions, but he wouldn't... Klaus fancied Lexa too much for that.

"You made me like this, you asshole. I was a witch who had control and you turned me into a blood thirsty monster!" Lexa snarled, through tears stung her eyes. Something about her being on the verge of tears made Klaus stop for a moment.

"I may have turned you, but your own actions lead you to become like this. I didn't ask for you to take your sisters place in the ritual, nor did I ask you to turn off your humanity." Klaus insisted before he lifted Lexa's chin to face him, before she swatted his hand away. "But for the record, this isn't a bad look on you."

Lexa scoffed before she took a step back, as she debated using her magic on the Mikaelson. But that stopped when Klaus' phone began to ring.

"If you would excuse me." Klaus said as he headed towards the front door. He pulled his phone out of his pocket to answer it.

Lexa turned back to Caroline to ask if she was okay, only to find her fast asleep. The heretic wore a tight lipped smile before she turned to leave the Forbes residence.

Using her hearing, she listened in to Klaus' phone call and instantly heard screams.

"Tell your hybrids to get out of town, Klaus." She could hear Stefan demand. "Well that's not gonna happen until I get my coffins back." Klaus replied.

"Okay, well then I'm gonna drive your blood source off Wickery Bridge." Stefan declared as Lexa's eyes widened, realising the screams she had heard were Elena's.

She then heard Stefan bite into his wrist and force Elena to drink his blood, and that was enough for her to start moving towards Wickery Bridge.

Once the heretic got there, Stefan's car was stopped in the road and Elena and Stefan were fighting.

"How could you?! My parents died going over this bridge. I almost died. You knew that. You're the one who saved me." Elena sobbed, feeling overwhelmed by fear. "Look, he had to believe that I would do it, all right? Your fear sold it." Stefan replied.

They bickered for a moment more before Lexa sped over to the pair, as she basically threw herself at Stefan and began to fight him. Elena let out a surprised gasp, as she watched Lexa land punches on the Salvatore as he tried to block them.

"Lexa will you... Lexa stop!" Stefan growled, as the heretic's hands fell to her side, as she gave Stefan a look so fierce that he knew he'd fucked up. "What the fuck is wrong with you?" Lexa snapped viciously.

"I had to— Destroying Klaus is all I have left!" Stefan responded as Lexa scoffed, "Well you had us. Until this very moment." The heretic decided as Stefan realised something. "Your humanity is flickering." He stated.

Lexa deadpanned Stefan now, instantly setting her off. But instead of vocalising her thoughts, she waved her hand. "Motus." Stefan suddenly was thrown over the bridge and landed in the water. "I hope you can swim, motherfucker."

Lexa turned back to look at Elena, only to notice that she was gone, understandably wanting to escape the traumatic events Stefan had caused her.

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AUTHORS NOTE

Everyone say thank you Natasha for making Lexa feel things again 💀