Alaric knew who it was before he even knocked. “Come in.”

Dorian closed the door to the office behind him. “We have a situation?” The message Alaric had left him was very cryptic. 

“Yes.” Alaric sighed. “Landon came to talk to me today. Hope’s competing in Miss Mystic Falls.”

“That’s a good thing, right?” Dorian asked, smiling cluelessly. “Taking an interest in extracurriculars? That’s a sign of someone having emotions.”

“Apparently she’s only competing so she can win and stir up trouble while she’s inside our walls.” Alaric pressed his mouth into a flat line. “I don’t have to tell you why that’s a problem.”

“Our school’s supposed to be a safe place.” Dorian nodded. “It’s not very safe with a serial killer poking around inside.” He sat in one of the chairs and folded his hands. “You know … there’s something I’ve been wanting to say for a very long time.”

“Say it.” Alaric furrowed his eyebrows. Dorian was never one to hold his thoughts back. “You know I always want your honest opinion.”

“You …” Dorian considered his words carefully. “You may not be the best person to put a stop to Hope Mikaelson.”

“What?” Alaric scoffed. “I’m the greatest vampire hunter Mystic Falls have ever seen.”

“A vampire hunter that won’t kill the vampire isn’t a very good one.”

“We’re not putting her down.” Alaric stood up. There was no question about it. They weren’t killing Hope Mikaelson. “There’s - there’s got to be another way. There’s always another way.”

“Well, we’re running out of options. And I know this isn’t what you want to hear, but every time she kills somebody else - every time her accomplice kills somebody else - we could’ve stopped it. That blood is on our hands just as much as it is on hers. Maybe more so, because we still have our humanity.”

Alaric didn’t believe a word his assistant was saying, but he didn’t say that out loud. He knew there was another way. Lizzie was poking around how to bring back a vampire’s humanity. There was still good inside of her. He knew it.

“You have to consider that you raised her for the last ten years while Klaus was abroad,” Dorian continued carefully. “You don’t exactly think clearly -”

“You know what?” Alaric interrupted, setting his hands on his desk. “You’re right. I did raise her for ten years. Which means I know her a hell of a lot better than you, and I know killing her isn’t the way to go.”

Dorian closed his mouth. He knew his boss wouldn’t want to hear it. After a long minute he finally offered, “What if we call Agent Clarke? Let him handle it? He may be better equipped than you and me.”