chapter twenty four

joan crawford psycho shrew

━✧━

"SO ALARIC IS trying to pull himself together, why is that a bad thing?" Caroline asked Elena in confusion. The decade dance was tonight and much to Jordanna's dismay, she had to be around the doppelganger as she was still head of the dance committee. So, she simply ignored the girl's presence, other than shooting her the occasional glare—or a petty shoulder bash.

"I just wish there was something I could do," Elena replied with a sigh. "Where do you want me to hang this thing?"

"You know what, if Rebekah wanted to hang this monstrosity she could have shown up to do it herself," Caroline rambled, passing the chandelier to a passing student. "Just no."

Jordanna ignored the two as her eyes glanced over the room, it had to be perfect. She had a weird feeling about the dance—knowing their track record it would most likely go tits up, so she wanted to enjoy it while it lasted.

"What the fuck is that, Jeremy? You can't just hang them," she shouted as her eyes caught sight of Jeremy and Matt hanging the stars on the ceiling. "They're supposed to trickle down, asshole. Not hang."

"Trickle, duh," Matt glanced over at Jeremy, the two sharing a laugh.

"Look at them all bromancy," Caroline spoke as she and Elena watched the two boys hang up decorations. Jordanna glanced up from the clipboard she was writing on to watch them—making sure they were doing it correct this time—and they wasn't, obviously.

The witch rolled her eyes before she discreetly held her hand up, her fingers moved slowly in a wiggle motion and not even a second later, the stars were trickling down.

"Yeah, I asked Matt to help Jeremy re-adjust. He got him his old job back at the Grill," Elena smiled, looking over at her brother, ignoring the glare the witch was sending her. Jordanna rolled her eyes at the doppelganger, getting Jeremy his job back wasn't going to do shit to make him feel more 'human'. Once you get dragged into a supernatural mess, you're stuck.

"That was nice of him," Caroline spoke up as she swatted Jordanna's hand away from the clipboard so she could read it.

"Jeremy has got a lot on his mind, the whole thing with Alaric has got him really stressed out," Elena frowned, sadly watching Jeremy.

"You sure it has nothing to do with witnessing you and Damon getting hot and heavy in a skeevy motel?" Caroline taunted. Jordanna's head tilted — now this, peaked an interest. The witch kept her head down, pretending she wasn't listening to the conversation.

"I didn't tell you that so you could torture me with it," Elena playfully glared at the blonde. Jordanna narrowed her eyes, continuing to stare down at the paper, Elena sounded awfully chirpy.

She was enjoying this, playing the two brothers—didn't she care who got hurt in the crossfire? Cleary she didn't. Albeit Damon or Stefan. Though Jordanna did, whether or not Stefan knew about what his ex-girlfriend and brother were doing, she did.

God old fashioned revenge seemed to be in order.

Her mind started racing to the different ways she could get back at Elena and Damon. She and Stefan were great right now, no arguments, no attempted murder—he didn't even want the Mikaelson's heads on sticks anymore, which she was utterly grateful for. But it was growing quite boring, the thrill of having someone's life in her hands excited her and when she and Stefan grew estranged it was like a game of cat and mouse. But now, she found some new toys to play with. How fun.

Oh! She could always desiccate Damon and dump his body in the middle of the ocean — as for Elena, she was indecisive. 

Rot her from the inside out or a simple stabbing in the heart? The latter seemed more poetic, however, the former was more painful.

Choices, choices. 

"Ah, what are friends for?" Caroline teased as she played around with napkins, eyes meeting Jordanna's for a split-second, they shared a quick look. "So, who are you bringing to the dance?"

"What do you mean? I thought you, Bonnie and I were going as girl dates?" Elena asked as she wrapped a feather boa around her neck.

"Hm, Bonnie has a date and I'm going with Jords," Caroline answered, glancing at her best friend.

"Klaus not going with you?" Elena dared to ask, looking towards the witch. Caroline's eyes widened, weary of the witch's response.

Jordanna took a moment to respond. "I'm sorry are you talking to me?" She pulled a face, turning to Caroline. "Is she talking to me?"

"I believe so. . ." Caroline trailed off awkwardly, playing with the ends of her hair.

Jordanna huffed. "Funny, Elena."

"I—just thought-"

"Oh, no. Don't do that, you'll hurt yourself."

The doppleganger rolled her eyes. Damon told her to try make amends with the witch — having her on their side will be benefit them in many ways. Elena also thought she could try and turn the witch against Klaus and help them kill him, clearly that wasn't going to work if Jordanna wouldn't give her the time of day.

"Who's Bonnie going with?" Elena asked Caroline, turning away from the witch with a sigh.

"Jamie called and wanted to see her so she asked him," the blonde told the brunette with a small smirk. "So here's a thought, why don't you ask Stefan?"

Jordanna slowly turned her face in Caroline's direction, "no."

"What! Why?"

Jordanna blinked, "because Care, she'll hurt him and she needs to let him get over her. She just kissed Damon for fucks sake."

"All the more reason!" Jordanna rolled her eyes at the blonde, Caroline turned her head back to Elena. "Look, you're supposed to be figuring out what you want, that's what Stefan wanted you to do, right?"

"Yeah, but-"

Jordanna scoffed, looking between the two, "unbelievable."

"Jordanna!"

The witch ignored the blonde's calls as she walked out of the gym, shoving her clipboard in the hands of another student.

✧

Jordanna stood in entrance of the gym—adjusting the long, white feathered boa that rested on her arms and shoulders. The white flapper dress shone in the light, the matching silk gloves sat on her arms comfortably. It was one of Gloria's, the dress ( well, the whole outfit, really ), the older woman had given them to her after hearing about all the decade dances; she guessed they'd do a twenty's one at some point and she wanted her to be prepared. Her eyes caught sight of Caroline and Matt talking across the gym, she strode over to them, pushing passed the students in her way.

"You look amazing," Caroline gushed, with a beaming smile as her eyes caught sight of her best friend.

"Why thank you," the witch winked. "You look beautiful, yourself."

Caroline grinned, linking her arm in Jordanna's as she faced Matt, "have I told you how amazingly awesome you are?"

"Yeah, I'm one of the good ones, I know," Matt teased. "Why the compliments? What else do you want?"

"I know that you and Elena have been getting closer lately. . ." Caroline trailed off—Jordanna pulled a face, what in the actual fuck?

"And your point is?"

"It's disgusting," Jordanna piped up, earning an elbow to the ribs from the blonde.

"Be quiet," she hissed before turning back to Matt. "One way or the other she is pretty much spoken for."

"Elena is my friend," Matt looked between the two. "I'm just looking out for her."

"And I'm just looking out for you," Caroline sent him a small smile. "Because sometimes people who love her get caught in the crossfire."

"Or hurt," Jordanna shrugged. "Badly, badly injured. Even dead."

"Stop talking," Caroline sighed.

"Uh, rude-"

"What's he doing here?" Matt cut Jordanna off, staring at the crowd.

Caroline turned around only to find Tyler, she scowled and stormed off towards him.

"You wanna dance?" A voice called out behind the witch, Jordanna turned only to see the younger Salvatore.

"It'd be my pleasure, Stefano." The younger Salvatore groaned at the name—taking her hand in his.

"Where's doppelbitch?" Jordanna asked as the two danced.

"With Damon," Stefan replied gruffly.

Jordanna rolled her eyes. "Of course she is." The saddened look on Stefan's face caused her to frown. "You alright, Stef?"

"Yeah," Stefan nodded hastily. "Yeah, I'm good."

"Liar," Jordanna sighed with a small smile. "It won't always be like this, you know."

"Like what?"

"You and Elena," she swallowed roughly. "You will find someone that deserves you . . . eventually. I know you don't want to hear it, but . . . "

"Jords-"

"No, shut up," she swatted his hand. "Just let me speak. You know deep down that she doesn't deserve you and the sooner you see that, the happier you'll be. Stef, it hurts me to see you like this, because of her. You shouldn't even be giving her chance to figure out her feelings—if she loved you and only you, Damon wouldn't have even been an option in the first place-"

"Mind if I cut in?" A British voice cut in from behind the pair.

"Yes-"

"No, go ahead," Stefan smiled tightly as he let go of Jordanna's hand, seriously wanting to get out of this talk.

"This conversation isn't over," Jordanna called out to the vampire before turning to Klaus. "Why do you always have to prove you're the alpha male? I was in the middle of a conversation you asshole."

"I don't have to prove anything, love. I am the alpha male," he told her with a smirk earning a playful scoff from the witch. "Come on, one dance. I won't bite."

"Actually, I rather like it when you bite," Jordanna teased as she took his hand as he lead them to the dance floor.

"I know you do," Klaus' smirk widened. "You look ravishing by the way."

"You don't look too bad yourself, the twenty's is definitely a good look on you."

"You would've loved the nineteen twenty's, Jordanna. The girls were reckless, sexy, fun. They literally used to dance until they dropped. They remind me of you in that sense."

"I wonder why," Jordanna chuckled as the two swayed to the music in content. "But you're still an asshole. You scared Stefan off and we were having an important conversation."

"You should be nicer to me, you know?" He spoke up, small smile on his lips before it dropped. "I'm leaving tomorrow," Klaus told her curtly.

"You're what?" Jordanna froze, his words echoing in her head.

He's leaving, what the fuck?

"Were you planning on telling me sooner than the day before orrrr?" Jordanna frowned as her eyes flickered across his face, looking for any hint he was lying.

"No," the hybrid told her honestly as he glanced around the room.

A scoff left the witch's mouth, she found herself now avoiding eye contact as well.

"I was going to ask you to come with me."

Her head snapped in his direction so fast, it could've fallen off her body. "Uh—with you?" She felt weird and hot, she was nervous. She never got nervous.

"I will take you anywhere you wish to go, let me show you what the world has to offer," Klaus grabbed her hand in his as his other went to her jaw—pulling her face to his so she was looking him in the eye. "We could go to Italy, Paris, Tokyo-"

"Can I uh—can I sleep on it?"

She didn't know what to do. Leave with Klaus and presumably his sister or stay and let another person she cared about leave.

She wanted to, she really, really wanted to. But when she saw Stefan and Caroline talking across the gym, her heart melted. She couldn't leave them. They were her family in this piss poor town. She couldn't imagine not waking up to find Caroline's foot in her face or her and Stefan trying to kill each other. This town was a shit tip, but it was home. It was natural to her, but maybe change was needed.

"Of course," Klaus swallowed roughly as he watched her walk away.

Running her hand through her hair, she groaned, the cold air hitting her as she stepped outside of the school. She closed her eyes and sighed. "Jordanna!"

Jordanna exhaled loudly, groaning in annoyance at the familiar voice, "you were dead."

"Hm," Esther brushed it off. "If you wish to help your friend Alaric, I suggest you come with me."

"Listen here you Joan Crawford psycho shrew-"

"Willingly or not you will come," the older witch threatened.

"For fucks sake."

✧

"No, no, no ━," Jordanna groaned as she saw Elena. "It's bad enough you drag me here, but with her?" The witch squinted her eyes at Esther. "I think I'd rather have you kill me. Take me now," she held her hands out in front of her mockingly, shutting her eyes.

Esther rolled her eyes at the comment ━ ignoring the younger girl. Jordanna scoffed and rubbed her temples in annoyance.

"What is she doing here?" Elena asked sniffling, dried tear marks down her face.

"I'm going to channel Jordanna," Esther replied curtly, seeing the confused look on the doppelganger's face she elaborated. "Her bloodline alone is strong enough for me to use the spell to create the vampire of all vampires."

Jordanna pulled a face looking up at the older witch, "the vampire of all vampires? Really?"

Esther gritted her teeth looking down at the younger witch, she squeezed her fist sending a searing pain through the Jones witch's heart. Jordanna held in the pained grunt her body begged at her to let out, she would not give Esther the satisfaction of knowing she had hurt her, which she had. Like a lot.

"Bitch," Jordanna grunted, spitting blood at Esther's feet.

Esther grimaced as she shook her foot lightly, turning as she began to light the candles in front of her ━ her full attention on Elena as she spoke to Alaric.

"Ric, this isn't what you want," the brunette breathed out, Jordanna rolled her eyes from her place on the ground. "It's not who you are."

"You don't know who I am, Elena," his voice was nonchalant as he ignored her pleads. "You only know the weakest parts of me ━ the man who lost his way, befriending vampires instead of killing them."

"You don't mean that," Elena shook her head.

"They're all monsters," Alaric's eyes flickered down to Jordanna who rose a brow. "The blood of their victims is on my hands, Jenna's blood is on my hands."

Elena shook her head, teary eyed as Esther approached the two, roughly grabbing Jordanna's arm she pulled her up ━ whatever spell Esther placed on her was strong, it hurt like a bitch.

Though she found it oddly satisfying knowing that she was being hurt with her own magic ━ the older witch couldn't even hurt her using her own, how pathetic.

"When you are ready," Esther placed her free hand out in front of Alaric, the other still gripping onto Jordanna's forearm.

"No, Ric, please don't," Elena begged, shaking her head. "Don't do this."

Alaric inhaled deeply as he took a-hold of Esther's hand and Jordanna's forearm ━ as instructed.

Elena looked towards Jordanna with a desperate look, seriously?

"I won't help you, I'm not going to give you my blood, you're going to have to kill me," Elena yelled.

Jordanna groaned, Alaric's eyes flickered over to her in amusement. "Don't you see, Elena?" The witch's voice was raspy, pain consumed her body ━ god she almost felt bad for people she had hurt in the past. Key word : almost. "She doesn't need your permission, she, sadly, doesn't have to kill you either, seems as though the Wicked Witch of the West is getting her way today."

Esther smirked slightly as she balled her fist in Elena's face, the doppelganger's body withered in pain, choked gasps escaping her lips. She pulled her hand from her chest, watching as a cut began to form.

Jordanna's eyes narrowed, all that over a small cut on the hand.

Dramatic much?

Esther grasped onto Elena's arm, pulling her into her as she placed her hand over a gold cup, watching as the blood spilled. "Drink, and let it be done."

"No, Ric, please don't," Elena begged, her eyes sunken as she watched Alaric pick up the glass ━ bringing it to his lips. "No."

"Is it finished?" Alaric asked, looking up at Esther.

"Not just yet," Esther whispered before stabbing the history teacher in the stomach with a stake.

Jordanna's eyes widened as she felt a surge of power leaving her body, Elena's screams being the last thing she heard as she fell to the ground.

✧

A choked cough escaped the young witch's lips, she scrunched her nose up in distaste. "Bitch." Her hand went to her neck, rubbing it as a pain shot through her body. The witch's head snapped up as she heard a voice shout out.

"Don't move!"

"Where's Jordanna and Elena?" She heard a voice recognised to be Jeremy scream out.

"Jeremy!" The doppelganger screeched. Jordanna winced, her head was hurting like a bitch and Elena's screaming certainly wasn't helping.

"Let her go!" Jeremy demanded, the Gilbert boy looked around before looking at the Mikaelson witch. "Where's Jordanna?"

Esther smirked lightly. "How foolish of you to risk your lives in defence of those who will kill you, but if that is your choice," Esther raised her hands, causing Matt and Jeremy to point their weapons at one another.

"Matt! Matt! Drop your gun," Jeremy frantically yelled as he struggled under the magical hold.

"I can't!" The Donovan teen began to panic, hands trembling against the gun. "I'm not controlling it."

"Esther stop it!" Elena gasped in shock.

In a split second Esther's hands instinctively rose to her neck, gripping the skin as she began to choke on air. The Gilbert siblings' eyes widened as they watched Jordanna slowly make her way behind Esther, her hands spread out in front of her as Esther's body slowly rose from the ground.

The Mikaelson witch struggled to breathe as her body grew higher and higher in the air. Her feet wiggled as she tried to move and break the hold that Jordanna had on her, but it was no use.

"Hey Witch-Bitch." Jordanna sounded out from behind the witch, hands still held out in front of her as she squeezed one fist, watching as blood poured from Esther's eyes, ears and nose. "I guess this is karma catching up with you. When you get to Hell, because that's where you're going, Hell, do tell my dad I said a big fuck you!"

Esther gritted her teeth in pain as she waved her hand, trying to inflict any pain on the younger witch but unfortunately for her, it made no effect. Jordanna chuckled slightly at the witch's pathetic attempts.

"I should've killed you when I had the chance," Esther growled, choked gasps left her mouth running like water.

"You know, why does everybody keep saying that to me?" Jordanna mocked a face of shock. "Should I be offended?"

Her right hand twisted harshly and Esther's body shot up higher once more before the Jones witch twisted her left hand and Esther's bones started to break—her pained, agonized screams echoed through the cemetery.

Elena and Jeremy winced as their eyes flickered from Jordanna to the floating Mikaelson. It was an eerie sight. Jordanna had a little smudge of blood on her head from her fall and Esther? Esther looked like she was straight out of a horror film.

Her arms and legs were bent in weird ways, bone sticking out of the skin, blood ran down the side of her face, coaxing her blonde hair a crimson red, her cupid's bow was stained by that sticky substance and her eyes were like pools of red. Like a fountain of blood, it was fuckin' creepy to say the least.

The wind picked up as Jordanna's gaze remained on the Mikaelson witch, her hands rose lightly and not even a second later she twisted them inwards in a quick motion—a sickening crack echoed through the trees as Esther's body hung in the air. The witch dropped her hands to her side boredly, watching as the body fell to the floor with a loud thump.

"Holy crap," Alaric whistled, eyebrows raised as he sat up, looking around him in confusion, pulling Matt, Jeremy and Elena from their daze. "Where's my ring? Tell me what happened."

"Thank you ━"

"Are you okay?" Elena got cut off as her brother pushed past her, questioning the witch.

Jordanna pursed her lips to hide the smug smile that begged to fall onto her lips, "I'm fine Jer, thank you."

The brunette boy pulled the girl into a hug, his shaky breath hitting the side of her face. Jordanna's face screwed up ━ he was trembling.

"You okay?" She muttered as the two pulled away.

Jeremy nodded, "yeah. Just questioning your sanity."

Jordanna gasped dramatically at the chortled laugh that fell from the boy's lips, "I'm hurt Gilbert, very hurt."

✧

"Jords?" A voice called out, the girl looked up, finding Alaric as Elena and Jeremy left the crypt ━ tears falling from their eyes. Alaric motioned for the girl to follow him.

Jordanna swallowed roughly, holding the tears in as she followed him inside the crypt, pretty girl's don't cry, remember? She watched as the history teacher paced up and down before stopping in front of her.

"One last hug?" He questioned with a small smile as his teary eyes clouded his vision.

The witch nodded her head as her own tears escaped, fuck that, she wrapped her arms around him for the last time, holding on tightly. "I'm sorry, Ricky. I could've stopped-"

"Don't you dare blame yourself," Alaric shook his head, sending her a firm look. "It's my time, Jords."

"This isn't fair," she pulled on her hair in annoyance. "It's not your time, you haven't even lived Ric. You need to grow old with a family and a sweet little wife who can deal with your shitty alcoholism."

The hunter choked out a laugh, "if you think about it really, I did ━ I got married, even could say I found some kids, you Jeremy and Elena were my family, okay?"

Jordanna nodded with a smile, grimacing as she felt the salty tears on her lips. Pretty girls don't cry. "You have a great life ahead of you, you know that? You have Klaus ━ the Mikaelson's, Caroline, Bonnie, Stefan. You're smart JJ, I always knew you would have a good life waiting on you, ever since I met you. I mean you had some balls to attack your history teacher with your shoe."

Jordanna laughed as she remembered when she and Stefan had shown up to the school ━ suspicious of Alaric. She could still hear his high pitched screams as she jumped on his back ━ shoving the heel of the stiletto into his arm.

"Thank you," Alaric whispered, placing a hand on her shoulder.

" . . . For stabbing you with a shoe?" Jordanna quipped, pulling a face of confusion.

Alaric shook his head in amusement, " no ━ for being the daughter I always wanted."

Jordanna felt the tears prick in her eyes again, "thank you for being my dad."

Alaric huffed a laugh, finding amusement in Jordanna's uncomfortableness. She didn't do soppy, this was a one time thing. "You better be watching from the other-side," she pointed a finger at him.

Alaric smiled. "I will." He squeezed her shoulder one last time. "Goodbye Jords, take care of yourself, okay?"

"Goodbye Ricky," she returned the smile, turning, she began walking out of the crypt before stopping abruptly. "Take care of my mom, please, Ric."

"I will," Alaric whispered as she walked out the crypt with a sigh.

✧

The witch stepped out of the shower, wrapping a towel around her wet body as she made her way to her room. She slipped on an oversized top and pulled at the covers on her bed—stopping as her doorbell rang.

She huffed in annoyance as she trudged down the stairs, she rolled her lips into her mouth as she opened the front door. She didn't speak as she pulled it open—silently allowing him into the house.

She watched with sunken eyes as he neared her, taking both her hands in his. He didn't speak— neither spoke a word, they just stared into each others eyes. Klaus placed a light kiss on her forehead before resting his against hers.

"Is this a goodbye or something?" Jordanna questioned, her voice low. Two in one night? How fun.

Klaus shook his head with a small smile, "I can't make myself say goodbye to you." His voice just as low. "So you better learn to deal with me sweetheart, because I'm not leaving you."

"Good," Jordanna's lips laced into a grin. "Cause I would've kicked your ass."

"Oh, I don't doubt you would."

{AN}

i apologise as this chapter is shitty so bare with me oxoxo

(edited 08/03/22)

ALSO ik some of you were saying you don't like caroline in this as she's still 'friends' with Elena but cmon lets remember who her BEST FRIEND IS... being friends with jj means you learn a few things over the years