Klaus continued drinking his bloody drink from Alaric's mug. All the while, Stefan was regaining his strength but still needed Havana's support to help him stand up. When Klaus was finished, he set it down the counter and came closer to them.

"I heard about this vampire. Crazy man, always on and off the wagon for decades. When he was off, he was magnificent. In 1917, he went into Monterey and wiped out an entire migrant village. A true ripper." The Original stressed the last word. "Sound familiar?"

Havana looked at her friend concerned. She knew of his past, everyone did.

Stefan acted calm and collected through his swerving eyes told a completely different story-one of guilt.

"I haven't been that way in a very long time."

"Well, that was the vampire I can make a deal with. That is the kind of talent that I can use when I leave this town." Klaus called Katherine to come closer bringing out her wrist. His eyes glowed bright yellow while biting into her wrist sealing her death sentence with a fatal werewolf bite.

Caught her off guard, it was too late when Katherine hurriedly pulled back. The vampiress looked at her bloodied wrist in horror. "No no no" she shook her head hysterically.

"What have you done?" Havana whispered.

Klaus only smiled at his horrified love and bit into his wrist and forcing Katherine to feed on his blood. Stefan and Havana stood watching in confusion, then in complete shock as the nasty bite mark started to heal itself before completely vanishing as if it was never there.

Havana spoke for everyone in the room when she said, "Yo-you're blood is the cure."

"Gotta love mother nature. You want the cure? There it is." Klaus then turned to Stefan. "Now, let's talk. Alone. I have big plans for you."

Klaus had placed the bottle containing his blood in front of Stefan and Havana as if to taunt them. However, as much as they were tempted, they couldn't touch it with the hybrid sitting across from them with an evil grin. The whole room was quiet, the only sound came from Stefan sipping his fifth blood bag. As soon as he was finished, he was tossed another blood bag to forcefully consume. Stefan grew restless as he finished more and more of the blood bags, as much as he didn't like it, the craving for human blood started to appear again. Havana sat uncomfortably next to him knowing that Stefan had broken his bunny diet, the diet that has kept him in control of his once immense thirst for blood. She was well aware of his ripper days and Stefan's journey to turning a new leaf with his late friend, Lexie. Klaus, however, was using this as a form of entertainment as he casually sipped from his cup that he had refilled with blood.

Stefan was feeding on the wooden floor by the time he reached his tenth blood bag. He threw the empty plastic bag to the ground before Klaus made his way to him.

"You're very cooperative. It's as if you're enjoying this."

Havana glared at the back of Klaus's skull envisioning daggers plunging in it.

Klaus dropped another blood bag onto the floor in front of the vampire who had blood smeared on his mouth and chin.

"No more. Not until you give the cure." Stefan refused though he was trying to control himself from reaching to his food a couple of inches away from him.

"Not until we have a deal. It's your choice Stefan, you can either remain here living your life in Mystic Falls or you can embrace who you truly are. Leave town with me and save your brother's life." Klaus picked up the blood bag and offered it to Stefan again.

Havana swallowed a gulp in her throat desperately wanting to say something. She wanted to put an end to Stefan's torture and punch Kaus repeatedly in the face. But what can she do? His brother, her best friend's life is on the line but she also can't let Stefan turn into something he was worked so hard to not be.

Stefan grabbed the blood bag from Klaus's hand and ripped off the seal before beginning to chug, the look of hunger never leaving his eyes. Havana let out an exhale knowing that he had just accepted a deal from the devil and there was no turning back now.

"That's the spirit." Klaus smiled at the vampire who was now at his disposal. He called out to Katherine and gave him the bottle full of his blood. "Take this over to Damon and come right back."

Havana stood up from her seat alarmed.

"You want me to leave?" Katherine asked eagerly.

"Yes, and if I were you, I'd hurry-" Klaus didn't even get to finish his sentence when Katherine sped out of the apartment, the bottle in her hand.

"She'll never take it to him!" Stefan expressed.

Havana stood up and ran to the door trying to catch up with Katherine when she almost crashed into Klaus instead. He held her arms firmly slimming the chances of her escaping. She began hitting his chest.

"Klaus! You asshole! Let me go!"

"You know I can't do that, little dove."

"I have to make sure my friend survives!"

She continued thrashing in his arms until she realized that it will lead her to nowhere like so many times before. For once, she set her panic mode aside and approached a new method. Havana stopped hitting him. Calmly yet sternly, she started speaking.

"After everything you did to me. You owe me this, Nik."

She stared at Klaus dead in the eyes. The hybrid couldn't look away from her emotional blue orbs and found himself slowly unwrapping his arms around her compelled by the fact that he was guilty of everything she was accusing him of.

In a hurry, Havana ran out of the room determined to make sure Katherine brought the cure safety to Damon.

-----------

Havana ran up the flights of stairs that lead to her best friend's bedroom. There, Damon laid on his bed sleeping. His face wasn't as pale compared to this afternoon and the sweating had stopped. However, he was visibly exhausted by today's misadventure. His room was also occupied by two other women, both bearing the same physical features.

The weight Havana felt on her shoulders alleviated immediately upon seeing Katherine with the now-half-empty bottle in her hand. Beside her was Elena, who (like the Australian), had the same look of utter relief. Havana didn't say a word to the two, rather, she dashed to Damon's side and took a hold of his now warm hand squeezing it comfortingly.

"Oh thank God, Damon." She whispered relieved.

He opened his tired eyes and smiled at her presence. The Salvatore brother whispered her name with a raspy voice before she cut him off.

"Shh don't speak. You need to rest." She kissed his head. Though Damon was exhausted, tears of joy filled Havana's eyes because he was recovering. Most importantly, however, he was alive.

Meanwhile, behind the Havana, the doppelgangers continued their conversation with each other.

"Where's Stefan?" Elena asked.

Katherine smirked, "I'm surprised that you still care about him."

"He's my boyfriend. Of course, I care."

"The kiss that I thankfully walked in on told me a different story though."

Elena quickly looked at Havana who was too distracted attending to Damon then back at Katherine glaring at the older Petrova.

Minutes before Katherine arrived with the cure, Elena comforted Damon was going to die any second now. The doppelganger and the vampire shared a moment together. Everybody knew of Damon's affection towards Elena, who (even though denies it), was knowledgeable about it too. Perhaps, she felt a pull towards him too. Spontaneously and impulsively, Elena ended kissing Damon before he closed his eyes supposedly taking his last breath. That's when Katherine came it

Suddenly, the joy Elena felt because of Damon's survival quickly vanished as Katherine went on delivering terrible news to her. The word about her boyfriend leaving town and being at the service of Klaus Mikaelson had Elena cover her face with her hands repeatedly saying "No". The doppelganger looked lost not knowing how to save the other man she loved.

Havana looked back at Elena who truly looked helpless. She opened her mouth to say something-anything-to assure her cousin that everything would be okay. But usually, the words of reassurance nowadays are commonly followed by more chaos and deaths.

"Is this true?" Elena asked, her cracking voice begging her cousin to say that it wasn't.

Havana silently prayed for Stefan's fate having witnessed what was happening to him back at Alaric's apartment.

"Elena I'm so so sorry."

——————

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Today was a horrible day for Havana. In fact, today was like any other day for her. Troublesome. Traumatizing. And downright heartbreaking. These kinds of days weren't uncommon for her complicated life. However, at the end of the day, she still asked the same question.

Why haven't I accepted it yet?

Her life before was all about rainbows and roses. The Havana now thought that it was naive and stupid. But why is she still clinging to the disappointing feeling of hope? Why did a small part of her believe that things were going to get better?

She was at her tipping point and she was ready to break. Again.

Havana kicked the door to her bedroom open, her hands preoccupied with the bottles of liquor in the brown bag she carried. From scotch to tequila, everything was there. There was a feeling of guilt present too. She didn't want to be a huge burden to everyone again. She was scared at the fact that she didn't know whether she'll continue to be doing this nasty habit the day after and the day after that and the day after that...

But, as for tonight, she planned on forgetting everything and let the burdens of her life go. Even if it was just for a little moment.

Elena was at a sleepover with Caroline who was comforting her emotionally, Jeremy was with Bonnie doing God knows what, and Alaric was at the grill drinking his feelings away over Aunt Jenna.

It was just her. All alone. Again.

Havana stared at the tequila on her hands and removed the cap. Her eyes started to burn, her vision gally. She exhaled looking up to the ceiling not wanting to surrender to the tears like so many times here. She didn't cry. She didn't want to feel emotional. All she wanted was a drink. Her throat burned desperately for one.

Slowly, she held the bottle up to her mouth about to drink.

That was when she heard his voice.

"Little dove."

She paused putting the bottle down and turned around. There, Klaus Mikaelson stood in front of her having entered her room through her window. He looked at her and saw her brokenness, then at the bottle in her hand.

Klaus disappeared then reappeared again after a quick swoosh. However, all the liquor-filled bottles containing all the liquor in her room vanished without a trace. Concern was still written all over his face.

"Get out Klaus." She shook her head not wanting his presence.

She almost scoffed at the fact that it looked like he actually cared about her. After all the torment he kept on putting her through, she only wished that he would already leave town and never come back.

"Not until you come with me. Out of Mystic Falls."

"What makes you think I would willingly go anywhere with you."

"Because we made a deal."

Flashbacks of what had happened in the ritual flashed through Havana's mind like a horror show. Jenna dying then came back again as a vampire, Janet Lee with a stake in her heart, and John Gilbert collapsing after Elena woke up from 'death'.

Havana hardened her expression at Klaus, "After everything that you did. You're forcing me to leave town with you for whatever gruesome things you have planned for humanity." Angry tears started to fall. "How dare you! How dare you make that deal just to torture me even more-"

"-Havana, are you not getting it? I am well aware of the hell I have put you through but I made the deal for us, not to torment you even more." For the first time, Klaus raised his voice at her. "I need you by my side Havana. I've been through hell and back just to see your face again and now that I have, it's not the same without seeing that smile of yours again."

"There's no 'us' Klaus." Havana shot back ignoring his words.

Klaus looked at her with a hurt expression. With a heavy heart, he continued "I want you to be happy Havana. With or without me. But now, I need you to start taking care of yourself. So while you try to figure that out, you will be by my side while I take care of the woman I love."

"You hurt me."

"I know. And I will spend all eternity trying to undo what I did."

He moved closer to her until his face was mere inches away. They both could feel their hot breaths from each other. Havana felt the strong urge to step back away from Klaus but her feet were firmly planted on the ground. However, her eyes remained on the wooden floor.

"I promise never to use you ever again. For anything. As long as I walk in this Earth, no harm shall fall on you...even if that's from your own doing." His accent thick with promise.

"What do you mean?" Havana whispered confused by his last few words.

"I'm going to compel you one last time to stop hurting yourself."

Havana raised her head to meet his eyes. She was shocked, completely shocked. Her mouth was slightly parted not knowing what to say. The logical part of her wanted to push him out the window away from any possibilities of being brainwashed and controlled again. It didn't trust any of his empty promises and made sure Havana knew that.

Making a deal with the devil is one thing, but trusting him is a gamble you will not win.

Klaus patiently waited for a reply while searching for any kind of emotion, aside from distress and shock, in her wide eyes. He wanted to caress her face, hold her, and tell her that everything would be okay. Nevertheless, he fought against his desires knowing that she wasn't ready to let him back in yet. There was one thing, however, he was not going to allow Havana to do.

Klaus would never want to see the day Havana would end up in a casket.

"Okay"

It was one word. Simple and short. But it was enough for the Original to cup his beloved face and began compelling her to not intentionally hurt herself again. The fantasy of dying together with the urge of drinking herself to death suddenly subsided from Havana's mind. It was too good to be true. By the time Klaus was finished, Havana breathed heavily with tears of relief cascading down her face. She smiled a little. She felt lighter, the pain was still there, and she would have to still work on that, however, the destruction she dreamed for herself was gone.

Klaus gently got a hold of her hand and brought her outside to the car Stefan was waiting in. She was getting drowsy and leaned on Klaus's shoulder not knowing that it sent shockwaves through the Hybrid's body. Stefan silently stared briefly at the two before starting the car. The last thing Havana saw before closing her eyes was the sign she literally ran into only a year ago.