┏━━━ ————————━━━┓

𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐒𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 - 𝐂𝐡. 23
"take me. take me
but do not kill Stefan."

┗━━━————————━━━┛

— "TONIGHT IS THE FULL MOON." Elijah told them, his eyes narrowed as he stood in front of them, dressed prim and proper as usual in his suit, "We should assume that Klaus is prepared to break the curse."

"Elena said that the sun and the moon curse is fake?" Stefan questioned curiously as he sat in an armchair. Skyler stood beside Stefan on his right, Elena sat on the couch beside him while Elijah stood in the center of the sitting area, his calculating eyes studying the group. Stefan continued unperturbed, "That it's actually just a curse placed on Klaus."

"Klaus is a vampire born of a werewolf bloodline." Elijah explained carefully, "The curse has kept his werewolf aspect from manifesting. But if he breaks it... he'll be a true hybrid." He looked at Elena with the last words, the twin's eyes followed his.

"Then why are we letting him break the curse?" Damon questioned as he approached, "We can kill him today. With Bonnie."

"Damon..."

"No." Elena protested, "Bonnie can't use that much power without dying."

"I'll write her a great eulogy." Skyler let out a snort, looking down shamefully when Stefan shot her a glare.

Elena narrowed her eyes sternly, "It's not an option, Damon."

"All right, how do we break the curse?" Stefan asked Elijah in an attempt to turn the subject away from the topic of Bonnie.

The original glanced around the room before he spoke, "Well, the ritual itself is relatively straightforward. The ingredients, so to speak, you already know."

"The moonstone."

Elijah nodded in confirmation, "A witch will channel the power of the full moon to release the spell that's bound within the stone. After that, Klaus, being both werewolf and vampire, will sacrifice one of each."

"And where do I fit into it?" Elena questioned in confusion.

"The final part of the ritual." He continued as he took a wooden box off a nearby shelf, "Klaus must drink the blood of the doppelganger... to the point of your death." The room went silent as Damon and Skyler looked over at Elena. Stefan took his girlfriend's hand into his as she looked at him for answers he simply did not have. Meanwhile, Elijah opened the box and took a jar out of it as Elena looked over at him, "And that's where you come in." She commented. He offered no confirmation until he spoke, "This is an elixir that I acquired some 500 years ago for Katerina. It possesses mystical properties of resuscitation."

"So I'll be dead?" Elena asked.

"And then you won't." Skyler said, explaining to her the obvious. She did jazz hands, "magic."

"That's your plan?" Damon questioned Elijah incredulously, "A magical witch potion with no expiration date?" He looked over at Elena, "You want to come back to life, what about John's ring?"

"Those rings only work on humans." Elijah spoke calmly, "The doppelgangers are a supernatural occurrence. Odds are," he looked over at the doppelgänger, "the ring won't work."

"I'll take those odds over your elixir." He responded, looking at Elena, "What if it doesn't work Elena?"

"Then I guess I'll just be dead." She shrugged carelessly. Damon looked over at the twins who could only shrug, he looked to Elijah next, briefly, before he left the room in disbelief. Elena looked at Elijah, her eyes narrowed, "Do we know if Klaus has everything he needs to do this? Does he have a werewolf?"

"He's been planning this for a thousand years." Skyler pointed out, leaning against the armchair her brother sat on, she spoke calmly and clearly unbothered by the whole ordeal, "If he doesn't already have a werewolf, my guess is by tonight, he will."

ೃ⁀➷

DAMON was outside drinking scotch when Stefan and Skyler joined him outside, "Breakfast of champions huh?" Stefan asked with a nod to his brother's glass.

Skyler grinned, "Can I have one?"

He only scoffed in response, "I'm surrounded by idiots. I need all the help I can get." He said before he pointed at Skyler, "And you are still underage."

She glared at him, "I'll be underage my whole life, let me enjoy an eternity of 17."

"You know, you're not helping." Stefan told him with narrowed eyes.

"Elijah is an original vampire, Stefan. One we tried to kill." He pointed out in an attempt to reason with his brother, "You're going to believe this guy?"

"He says he's a man of his word." Skyler shrugged. "He says." Damon repeated.

"What do you want me to do, Damon?" Stefan asked without waiting for an answer, "Elena made her decision. She's choosing to trust Elijah. I'm going to put my faith in her."

"Why? She's going to end up dead." He responded.

"Because she put her faith in me. She chose to trust me in spite of what I am. If I'm going to bet on somebody's instincts, it's going to be hers." Stefan told him sternly.

Skyler couldn't help but scoff, Stefan shot her a look to which she spoke up defensively, "I'm sorry but that girl's got Katherine running through her veins and I sure as hell didn't trust Katherine, so why should I trust her?"

"Maybe because I trust her?" Stefan responded, "And Elena is nothing like Katherine." She raised a brow, not believing that for a second, but decided against arguing with him. He looked at Damon then who had yet to respond to his previous words, "You know she chose to trust you, too."

He tensed, his eyes narrowing in an attempt to seem unbothered, "Then maybe you shouldn't be so sure about her instincts." He told him, taking a drink of his glass before he threw the rest away and left.

"I'm all for making a dramatic exit but did you really have to ruin the drink?" Skyler complained looking forlornly at the ground where the drink was dumped. Stefan sighed, shaking his head before he walked away.

ೃ⁀➷

"GET OUT!" Jenna screamed with wide terror-filled eyes as she pointed a crossbow at Alaric.

He put his hands up, "Jenna put the crossbow done, okay? It's me." He pleaded.

"Stay away from me." She spoke loudly as the others came into the room.

"What's going on?" Elena asked confused, she glanced between her aunt and Alaric. Was he still Klaus? How could they even know for sure?

"It's me, Elena, I swear, okay? He let me go, Klaus let me go." Alaric told them pleadingly. "Prove it." He looked over at Jenna, "Okay, uh first night you and I spent together, Jeremy walked in right when I was about to..." Skyler cringed.

"Okay, it's him." Jenna said quickly as she lowered the crossbow. Damon and Skyler shoot the pair matching looks of curiosity and disgust.

"Why did he let you go?" Stefan asked before Damon could dare ask about what Alaric was going to say when Jenna had cut him off.

"He wanted me to deliver a message." He explained. Looking at all of them with unease, he continued, "The sacrifice happens tonight."

ೃ⁀➷

DAMON and Skyler walked into the Mystic Grill together later that day dressed in matching leather jackets looking like true partners in crime.... or brother and sister, whatever. Same thing, right? They walked over to the bar where Damon immediately ordered a drink. Alaric arrived then, walking over to the bar, he took the seat on Damon's other side, "I'll have the same." He requested with a kind smile to the bartender.

"Oh, and I'll have tequila please." Skyler requested with a smile.

The bartender nodded, "Straight?"

"No, gay."

"Uh," Damon cut in, "She's underage." He said pointing to his sister.

"Oh, sorry." The bartender rushed to apologize with wide eyes, disappearing.

"You're a dick." Skyler told him with a scowl.

"I screwed up." Damon admitted to Alaric, not glancing at his sister.

She nodded in agreement, her lips pursed, "Yes you did, now get me some tequila."

He glared, "Not what I was talking about."

"Gentlemen, why so glum?" A familiar voice asked, he only acknowledged Damon and Alaric despite Skyler sitting right there which she found quite rude. Despite this, she turned to look at the man. It was Klaus who stood next to them at the bar in the flesh.

"What am I? Chopped liver?" Skyler questioned, Klaus only smirked in return, this smirk however held less malice and a lot more teasing. It was the kind he only reserved for those close to him, and she was honored to see it directed at her.

"Klaus, I presume." Damon said.

"In the flesh." He smirked. He nodded at Alaric, "Thanks for the loaner mate."

Damon stood up then with an angered expression, "Any reason you stopped by to say hi?"

"I'm told you and your brother fancy my doppelgänger." He told them, "Just thought I'd remind you to not do anything you'll regret."

Damon couldn't help but smile then at the irony of the comment, "Ha. Thanks for the advice. I don't suppose I could talk you into a postponement, by any chance, huh?"

"You are kidding?" Klaus asked incredulously, looking at Skyler, "He is kidding, right?"

"No, not really." Skyler told him with a shake of her head.

Damon continued, "I mean, come on, what's one month in the whole grand scheme of things?"

"Let me be clear..." Klaus said dangerously, his eyes narrowed, "I have my vampire. I have my werewolf. I have everything I need. The ritual will happen tonight. So if you want to live to see tomorrow, don't screw it up."

Without another word or any room for argument, the three at the bar watched as the original walked away, leaving the Grill. "Well, that was fun." Skyler commented once the door swung closed.

Alaric sighed, looking over at his drinking buddy, "You're going to screw it up, aren't you?"

Damon looked at him with a smirk, "You think if I took his werewolf out of the equation, she might... get over the fact I tried to turn her into a vampire?"

"I think it won't matter," Skyler chimed in, "Because then you'll be dead for messing with Klaus and she'll still die."

"But without the werewolf, he can't perform the ritual tonight, which means I could have bought her one month before the next full moon." He pointed out. "And you'll still be dead." Alaric commented in a monotone.

Skyler glared at her brother in frustration, "You are not going to kill yourself for Katherine 2.0, I won't allow it." She told him sternly, an air of threat to it that she hoped would put him on edge. Maybe make him think if she was lucky.

Damon scoffed, "Like you could stop me."

She groaned, annoyed by his antics, "Fine then, kill yourself for her again." She snapped, "See if I care, but this time, don't bring me down with you." She told him rather coldly before she took a dramatic exit, flipping her hair over her shoulder as she walked away.

Turning to his friend, Damon asked, "Are you gonna help me or what?"

Alaric sighed in response, "What do you want me to do?"

ೃ⁀➷

SKYLER was sat outside on the steps having a drink when Stefan pulled his car up. He got out without even noticing her, going around the car to the other side.

He opened the door, letting Elena out. Stepping out of the car, she told him, "Thanks for today." Stefan nodded before both the twins felt the hairs on the back of their necks raise, looking around defensively on instinct. Skyler stood as Stefan placed himself in front of Elena, they both turned their heads to find Klaus staring back at them.

It's time.

"You got me all nervous. I thought maybe you'd done something stupid." Klaus told them with a smirk, looking at Elena, "You ready, my dear?"

"I'm ready." She told him anxiously as Skyler walked up behind them, going to Stefan's side without putting herself in front of Elena. She wasn't here to protect her, she was here to protect her brothers. From Klaus or perhaps someday, from the doppelgänger herself. Elena started to walk toward Klaus when Stefan stopped her, "No." He whispered.

"I wouldn't." Klaus called in warning, "No reason for you to die too." Skyler glanced at him while Elena turned around to look at Stefan, "Stefan, don't." She told him sternly as her twin stared at Klaus.

"No, Stefan, hey, hey, it's fine, it's fine." Elena called softly, pulling his attention back to her, "I'll go. No one needs to get hurt. There's no reason for you to get hurt." She told him sternly, kissing him gently, "I love you."

"I love you." He repeated quietly. Skyler made a gagging sound in the background as they kissed again. "Close your eyes. Close your eyes." Elena told him when they parted. He obeyed and she let go of his hand, walking over to Klaus who glanced at the twins once before disappearing just as Stefan opened his eyes again.

"She's gone." He whispered, looking at Skyler who nodded. "I know." She responded softly, "Hey, come on, let's go inside." She said, grabbing his hand.

Stefan nodded, reluctantly following her into the house where they found Alaric standing alone, "There you are, I got here, the house was empty." He told them.

Stefan furrowed his brows in confusion, "Where's Damon?"

"Oh no," Skyler said instinctively, eyes narrowed incredulously, "What's he done now?"

ೃ⁀➷

"THE sacrifice is completed in stages as the full moon sets." Elijah explained as he, Alaric, Stefan, and Skyler stood outside the old witch's house, "First, the werewolf is killed, then the vampire. Finally, the doppelganger." He continued, glancing at her, "Once Elena dies, the curse will be broken. Klaus will become a hybrid."

"So when do we attack?" Alaric asked.

"Elena's death will activate his dormant werewolf side. He'll be vulnerable during the transformation. That's when Bonnie comes in." Elijah explained his plan further.

"And you're sure Bonnie will survive this?" Stefan questioned worriedly.

"If she can deliver him to the brink of death, I'll finish the job myself." He promised. Stefan's phone began to ring. Glancing around, he answered it as he walked away from the group. "Skyler," Elijah called as the woman watched her brother. She turned to look at him, "Come with me for a moment, if you will."

Alaric gave Skyler a strange look as she nodded, following Elijah out of hearing distance from where Stefan stood. "Can I trust you to not tell my brother of our plan?" He asked her lowly.

"If I tell him, my brothers die, Elijah." S)3 said in a soft yet stern voice, "So yes, you can trust me. But if it ever comes between Elena and them... I don't care what they say, I'll save my brothers."

He nodded, "And will you tell Kol of our plan?"

Her frown deepened, and her eyes narrowed. "There's nothing I keep from him, Elijah, you know that."

"Well, then it's time to start." He responded sternly, "Kol will ruin our plans if he knows of them."

"Kol will stand by his wife's side, my side." Skyler protested sternly, a fire blazing in her eyes. He seemed to want to argue but fortunately for him, chose against it, he nodded.

Skyler walked away, returning to stand beside Alaric just as Stefan looked over at them. "What is it? What's wrong?" She asked her voice a mixture of confused and worried, her brows furrowed.

"He's going to use her as the vampire in the ritual." Skyler heard Damon say on the phone which only confused her more, "Who?" She asked.

"Oh my god."

ೃ⁀➷

"WHY did he take Jenna?" Bonnie questioned in disbelief as she stood outside with Elijah and the twins.

"A punishment for meddling." Elijah explained. "Klaus was going to use Tyler and Caroline. But Damon rescued them."  Stefan told her.

"Then we need to go." Bonnie responded, "Now. Before Jenna's been sacrificed. I can kill Klaus myself."

"Bonnie... if you use that much power, you'll be dead." Stefan told her bluntly, "We've already been through this. It's not an option."

She frowned, protesting, "Neither is letting Jenna die."

"Well, Stefan would agree with you." Elijah said knowingly. Bonnie and Skyler looked confused. Stefan approached the witch before he spoke, "We're going to offer another vampire. One that he'll want more. Me."

Skyler's heart sank as she stared at her twin brother, willing to die for the woman who looked so much like the person who killed them all those years ago. He was willing to die for her then too. Her brain struggled to see the difference between past and present. Would he end up dead this time too?

"No." She whispered quietly. She shook her head, walking away when Stefan looked at her. She couldn't stand here and watch him walk to his death.

ೃ⁀➷

"BONNIE did the locator spell." Elijah told Stefan as he approached with Skyler who had gone silent after what Stefan had said earlier and had yet to speak — only following her brother-in-law around silently as she tried to find a way around her twin's death by her best friend's hand. "They're at Steven's Quarry." Skyler looked at the floor, avoiding looking at her brother.

"I'll head over there first and then you two can follow with Bonnie when it's time." Stefan responded.

Skyler's head flew up, "No." She shook her head as he stared back at her, "If you're going to do this, I'm going with you." She told him, approaching with narrowed eyes, "I'm not letting you do this alone." And if she had to... she would face her brother's hatred and reveal herself to be a Mikaelson to save him. She wouldn't let him die. She just wouldn't.

Stefan looked like he was going to protest when Elijah interrupted, "I'll bring Bonnie just as the moon hits its final phase. She's to stay hidden until then. He cannot know that she's alive." Stefan nodded and began to walk away when Elijah called after him, "You're very honorable."

Stefan looked back at Elijah, walking towards him, "Are you?" He questioned sternly, "Because this whole plan is um, it's contingent upon your honor, Elijah."

"I won't fail you." Elijah promised.

"Klaus is your brother." He began suspiciously, "I know I've wanted to kill my brother a thousand times. I've never been able to."

"Well, Klaus was not my only brother. I had siblings; parents." Elijah responded, "I had a family. Over the centuries, Klaus hunted them down one by one and he took them from me. He scattered them across the seas where their bodies would not be found." He couldn't help but glance at Skyler as he said, "There is only one that he has not killed and it is only for the benefit of himself that he's kept my youngest brother alive today."

"You want revenge." Stefan responded, looking at the original vampire in a new light.

"Sometimes, there's honor in revenge, Stefan. I won't fail you." He replied as Skyler watched him closely, studying him.

"Please, end this." Without anything more to say, Stefan left. She stole a glance at Elijah before she followed after her brother.

ೃ⁀➷

STEFAN and Skyler were stood on the top of the quarry, listening to what was going on below them when suddenly, Klaus looked up at them, his head tilted curiously, "I don't recall the wonder twins being on the guest list."

Jenna and Elena followed his gaze to the top of the quarry. Elena let out a gasp when her eyes found the twins on top of the cliff. "I'm here to talk." Stefan told Klaus.

"Very well then." Klaus said, looking over at Jenna briefly before he vamp-speeds up to where the twins are. He walked calmly over to them and asked, "What can I do for you, Mr. Salvatore?"

"You're quite the hero aren't you?" Klaus asked Stefan with a smirk, "I've heard that about you."

Stefan narrowed his eyes, tired of games, "Just make the trade. Me for Jenna."

"No." Skyler protested, "I'm not letting you do this."

She looked at Klaus, "Take me." She stepped in front of her brother, her eyes narrowed as she planted her feet on the dirt ground below, "Take me but do not kill Stefan."

"No." He snarled coldly, he would not have her blood on his hands, "If Stefan wants to offer himself, then I will accept the trade. But it can only be him who takes her place."

She shook her head. She took a shaky breath, preparing herself for what she must do, "I'm not letting you do this Nik-" His eyes widened minutely, he rushed forward and snapped her neck before she could so much as finish her sentence, finish his name.

She fell to the ground limply, her eyes snapping shut.

ೃ⁀➷

"IT'S TIME." Klaus called out with a manic grin as Skyler woke up alone on the cliff, her neck ached. Her eyes opened slowly.

She groaned, cursing Klaus as she stood. Catching sight of the sacrifice below, she ran down. Without so much as a glance at the original hybrid, she ran towards her brother, however, when she tried getting to Stefan, she was stopped, and forced into her own separate circle of fire with a mere glance from the witch.

Stefan struggled as he tried to stand, he fell to the ground floor. Elena looked at Klaus as he stretched out his hand to her. She got up from the ground and walked past, ignoring him, she made her way to the altar and looked down at Jenna's body sadly.

Skyler followed her gaze, shocked to see her dead. Klaus followed Elena up to the altar and grabbed her face in his hands while below them Stefan continued to struggle off the ground, her eyes glued to him.

Klaus turned Elena to look at him, "Thank you, Elena."

"Go to hell." Elena snapped. Stefan continued in his attempt to stand before he fell again, too weak to move. Skyler instinctively made a move to reach for him, hissing when the circle of fire around her grew higher and stronger, burning her skin. On the platform, Elena stared out blankly as Klaus sunk his fangs into her neck, draining her of her blood as Stefan and Skyler watched on helplessly.

Klaus held Elena up tightly as the twins watched on, a moment later he released her, and the doppelgänger fell to the ground, dead. Blood dripped from Klaus's mouth as the flame in the bowl extinguished while Elena's body lay lifeless, Stefan looked at her sadly and lowered his head. Skyler didn't look away, watching silently as Klaus walked down the steps. "I can feel it, it's happening." He looked up as the full moon rose above them and his transition began, "Yes, yes!"

Suddenly, Klaus is thrown through the air. The flames in the bowl reignite, startling the witch who looked around, spotting Bonnie coming down the hillside as she chanted a spell. Before Greta could react, Damon snuck up behind her, snapping her neck before he kneeled and picked up Elena's body.

"No! You were dead!" Klaus screamed in outrage as Bonnie chanted the spell. Damon carried Elena's body over to where Stefan was on the ground, lying her down next to him. He grabbed her arm as Skyler exited the circle that was once lit on fire, going to her brother's side. "Elena." Stefan called weakly.

Damon kneeled beside them and ripped the remainder of the stake out of Stefan's back causing him to let out a pained groan. Damon grabbed his shoulder as if to help him up, however, Stefan turned and looked up at him, grabbing a hold of his jacket. "I need you to get her out of here!" He told his brother, glancing at Skyler, he added sternly, "Both of you."

"What about you?" Damon questioned.

"No," Skyler shook her head, "I'm not leaving you here."

"I'm not leaving until he's dead." Stefan responded, his eyes narrowed stubbornly. He left no room for further arguments as he exclaimed, "Go!"

Damon picked up Elena's body, glancing at Skyler who shook her head, indicating that she was not going to leave without Stefan. He only nodded, knowing better than to argue. He carried Elena away as Stefan sat up with Skyler's help meanwhile Bonnie continued to chant the spell which is so powerful it causes trees around them to topple to the ground. Klaus screamed out in pain as he lay against the rocks when Elijah approached him causing Bonnie to stop chanting.

"Elijah?" Klaus asked confused and disorientated.

"Hello, brother." Stefan managed to stand, and the twins approached behind Bonnie, watching as Elijah punched his arm into Klaus's chest, grabbing a hold of his heart. "In the name of our family, Niklaus..." He spoke as he twisted his heart in his hands.

"I didn't bury them at sea!" Klaus interrupted in a panicked daze. His eyes wide as he fought for his life.

Elijah paused, "What?"

"Their bodies are safe." He told him, "If you kill me, you'll never find them."

"Elijah! Don't listen to him." Stefan called out almost pleadingly.

"Elijah, I can take you to them. I give you my word... brother." Klaus promised.

Elijah paused, seemingly having second thoughts. "Do it and I'll take you both out." Bonnie threatened from her defensive stance in front of the twins. "You'll die." Skyler pointed out. "I don't care." She said through gritted teeth.

Elijah looked down at Klaus before he glanced back at Bonnie, Stefan, and Skyler. She could see it in his eyes before he did anything, Skyler knew that he was not going to kill Klaus. Not today. "NO!" Bonnie and Stefan screamed in desperate protest however before anyone could get to them, Elijah ran with Klaus, disappearing into the darkness of the night.

ೃ⁀➷

DAYS later, a large group gathered to bury Elena's aunt, Jenna, Skyler stood in the back of this crowd, watching on blankly, her head filled with a million thoughts but she couldn't focus on any of them. Just then, Damon walked over to Skyler followed by Stefan. "We're going to head back to the house." He told them, "I think I'll skip the coffee and tea cakes." Damon said sarcastically, Skyler nodding her agreement.

"Damon, she needs us right now. All of us." Stefan told him sternly.

"And then what's the plan, Stefan? The curse is broken. How does one go about killing an all-powerful wolf vamp and his two-faced older brother?" He questioned incredulously.

"Elena doesn't know me, let alone need me." Skyler told them her eyes narrowed as she stepped up, "I have better things to do than grieve a woman I didn't know. Don't wait up."

Stefan and Damon watched silently as Skyler rushed to take her leave, they could both tell she was too lost in her thoughts to process things just as they knew what she was thinking of.

Their funerals. The ones they were forced to watch all those years ago as their father pretended to grieve his children, not letting anyone know he was the one to kill them. That secret went to their graves. Unfortunately, there were only three empty coffins buried that day. The Salvatore siblings were still here, they remembered.

ೃ⁀➷

KOL sat on the couch, twisting his wedding ring around his finger while he worried over Skyler. He hadn't heard from her for days, since the night of the sacrifice. Suddenly, there was a knock at the front door. He ran to it, opening it only to find his wife standing there with a blank, tired expression that he'd seen too many times after bad days that exhausted her to this point.

"Oh, darling..." He whispered as he brought her into his arms, not needing any sort of explanation. Not right now anyway. All he needed to know at that moment was that she was hurting and needed him. The rest he could figure out later.

He held onto her, sweeping her off her own feet before he carried her bridal style up to their bedroom where he laid her down, pulling a blanket over her. She grabbed hold of it and pulled it around herself, hiding underneath it. He sighed, going downstairs. He boiled a cup of tea before he rushed back upstairs. He didn't want to leave her alone. Not again.

Has he mentioned he hated this plan?

He set the teacup down on the nightstand before climbing into bed beside his wife. He adjusted her so she could lay her head on his chest, his heart beat steadily as she pressed her ear firmly to his chest. Her eyelids fluttered closed as he wrapped his arms around her, holding her close.

Yeah, Kol hated this plan.

ೃ⁀➷

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— First chapter of 2024! Hope you all had an amazing New Years, wishing you all an amazing year! <33
— there's one more chapter left of act 2!