CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN: Dinner anyone?
WARNINGS: mentions/referenced murder, mentioned/referenced burning alive, mentions of past death, mentioned/referenced suicide, damon, stefan, john, elijah?? possibly idk really, maybe any man in this story except for klaus

ELENA SAT OUT ON THE PORCH with her ancestor's journal in her lap. Jonathan Gilbert. Her brows scrunched as she read over the end of the paragraph again.

I knew I was about to die. You cannot run from a vampire. I saw the vampire who killed me. I recognized him. He was Stefan Salvatore.

She frowned a bit. Did Stefan know he had killed her ancestors and just led her to believe he had no idea what happened to them? Did he have some sort of redemption plan with her?

"What are you reading?"

She startled, looking up at Klaus who was staring down at her with a curious expression on his face. When she didn't reply, he plucked the journal from her hands. "Hey," she protested, trying and failing to get it back.

"Your ancestor?" Klaus asked, skimming the pages. He paused when he saw Stefan's name, humming. "Of course, he'd be the one. New rippers and their lack of control."

Her brows furrowed. "You know Stefan?" She asked as she took the book being offered back to her.

His face pulled into a grimace. "Unfortunately. We ran into each other in the '20s," he replied, spinning on his heel and moving to walk away.

"You don't seem to like him," Elena said which made him pause. She wanted to get some information for once instead of letting them make more questions. "Why?"

Klaus turned back to her slowly, his face scrunched a little like he was trying to find the correct words. "He... turned my sister and I against each other." Elena tilted her head, raising an eyebrow. He sighed, "has Athena told you about our little sister? Rebekah?"

Elena shook her head, "I've heard of her. Claire said she was—daggered? Athena said it takes Originals 'momentarily out of commission'."

Klaus hums, "that's one way to explain it." He plucks a knife off the counter and then appears back in front of her. "This is the dagger," he said, waving it back and forth. She nods. "Non-Original vampires can't use it—it'll kill them. They were created a long time ago by a group of hunters who were created to get rid of us—blah, blah, blah. The dagger is dipped—" he takes Elena's glass of water and dips the tip of the blade in "—into white oak ash. White oak is what kills us permanently. Then—

Katherine appears, shoving the knife through Klaus' heart. The Original shouts, glaring at the woman. Katherine pays him no mind, smiling at Elena who's staring wide eye. "—you push it into their heart. They desiccate. Ta-da, momentarily dead. They won't awaken until the dagger is removed," Katherine finished for Klaus who yanked the knife out, scowling deeply at the younger vampire.

Elena blinked a little then nodded. "So... Damon and Stefan would die if they tried to use it... but Athena could without issue?" Elena asked which caused Klaus to nod, "but say, if I did it... that would be okay too?"

"Yep," Klaus said, walking into the kitchen and tossing the bloody knife into the sink. He frowns at the cut in his shirt. "This was expensive."

"Like you actually paid for it," Katherine grumbled, rolling her eyes.

"That's beside the point."

Elena shook her head, amused as she went back to reading.

"I'm gonna go skip rocks," Klaus said, walking out the door.

"I can throw one farther than you," Katherine challenged as she quickly followed after the older man. Klaus' argument fell quiet as Katherine shut the sliding door behind them.

Elena rolled her eyes, wondering when she would become the adult of the party.

┍ ∞ ○ ∘ ɹǝʌǝɹoɟ puɐ sʎɐʍlɐ ∘ ○ ∞ ┙

"THE OLD FELL property actually starts just beyond that fence," Jenna said to Elijah as she pointed further ahead of them. Athena walks behind them leisurely, keeping an eye on her daughter-in-law and big brother. She didn't mind that Bianca and Jenna were trying to have somewhat of a relationship with him, they could do as they pleased. She just didn't trust his intentions.

"Ah, the Fells," Elijah repeats with a smirk as he fiddles with a piece of foliage he picked up, "one of the Founding families." He glances back at Athena who raises her eyebrows at his slightly mocking smirk.

"Why do you say it like that?" Jenna asked, confused as she folded up the map in her hand.

"Well, my research showed me that this area was actually settled almost two full centuries earlier. There's a migration of townsfolk from the northeast, um, it was Salem, to be precise," he explained.

Jenna's brows furrowed, glancing back at her mother who nodded in agreement with what Elijah said. "Massachusetts? As in the witch trials?"

Elijah gave a short nod. "Athena guided them here, so they could be free from the ridicule they faced. It was just a few days before her time ran out in that life that she was 'murdered' for harboring witches."

Jenna frowned a bit, looking back at her mother. "You never told me that."

Athena shrugged her shoulders. "It wasn't something I liked to speak of. I failed them. I wasn't strong enough to save any of them. I was forced to watch as they were all burned at the stake before Niklaus and Finn found me," she explained.

Elijah nodded, remembering the two men rushing into one of their many homes with Athena almost fully desiccated. Jenna remembers that as well, the horror of seeing it for the second time. It was terrifying, to say the least, to watch the woman crumble into dust.

"Which means the ever-lauded Founding families... didn't actually found anything," Elijah finished, smirking a bit.

Jenna hummed, her arm linking with her mother's as Athena came up to her left side. "Well, I bet it was the men who made a big deal about being founders back in 1860," she said while looking at Elijah as they all came to a stop. "Men are very territorial."

"You bitch slapped a woman in 1724 because she was trying to speak to Bianca," Elijah reminded her as he stared at something in front of them, "but yes they are." He stuffed his hands in his pockets.

Jenna and Athena followed his gaze, slightly confused at the sight of Alaric walking toward them. Jenna raised an eyebrow at the smiling man. "Uh, Elijah, this is my... friend, Alaric Saltzman," Jenna said, gesturing to the human with a slight frown.

"Yeah, Athena said that you were walking Elijah here through the old property lines," Alaric said, staring back at Elijah.

Jenna looked up at Athena who sighed, leaning down a bit to speak into her ear. "I was speaking with Damon. Apparently, he and Alaric are two peas in a pod."

Jenna snorted a bit and Elijah's lip quirked up slightly at his sister's mocking tone.

"I thought I would, uh, tag along," Alaric added, looking between Jenna and Elijah, "you know being a history buff and all." Jenna glanced at her mother and then her uncle. "Where to next?"

"I'm pretty curious about the freed slave property owners," Elijah replied, glancing between his niece and the man. She didn't look particularly comfortable around him. "Some say, you know, the descendants of the slaves are the true keepers of American history."

"Oh, uh, I only brought the surveys," Jenna frowned a bit, "I got the list in the car, just give me a sec." She handed Athena her bag and map then disappeared in a flash. Elijah and Athena's hair blew a bit.

"I never get used to that," Elijah muttered, swiping his hair away from his face, "she's so much faster than we are."

"I call her Flash sometimes," Athena agrees, pulling the bag over her shoulder.

Elijah turned to Alaric, greeting him. He gives him a small smirk, "so you're one of those people on Elena's list of loved ones to protect," he said.

Alaric nodded, "yeah, so is Jenna."

Elijah cocked an eyebrow at the man, "you are aware she's married, correct? To a very fine young woman. She does not need you fighting her battles nor does she need you fawning over her. She's quite capable of protecting herself, isn't she, dearest?" He looks at Athena.

"Couldn't've said it better myself, 'Lijah," Athena agreed, staring Alaric down for a moment, "besides... he doesn't pursue younger women."

Elijah smiled at Ric who just stared between the two with an unamused look. "It's a joke, Ric, lighten up," Elijah said, patting Alaric's shoulder as he walked passed him, following after Athena.

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ELENA JUMPED, STARTLED once more out of her reading when Katherine entered the house. She glanced up at her before looking back at the journal.

"It's a very nice day outside. Perhaps getting some sunlight for a little while will do you some good," the vampire said as she pulled off her jacket.

Elena frowned a bit, closing the journal. She didn't want to go outside.

Katherine sees that and decides to move on to a different topic. "What does Johnny have to say, hmm?" She inquired, crossing her arms and looking at the book.

Elena looked down at the journal, tapping her fingers along the leather cover. "A lot," she admits, "it's insane the things he wrote in his journal that he kept from the Founding Families. Stuff that nobody knows, stuff that... Stefan nor Athena ever told me."

Katherine takes the journal, opening it to the page Elena marked.

The woman in front of me had the same face as my niece, yet they were completely different. This woman was ferocious, violent... evil. A monster. She tore apart the men who tried to take the child away from her mother.

She stared back at me, her blue eyes the same ones I used to look in when she was young, but now were completely different.

"This journal described Athena as a monster... Jonathan described her as a monster," Elena said looking up at Katherine, "but all the things she seemed to be doing... was protecting people. A child. A mother. A defenseless woman. An old man."

The vampire sighed and sat down, closing the book. "Athena... when she was killed, the magic from her mother's spell washed off of me. Like it does with most of the people she's interacted with before that life. I stuck around Mystic Falls until she fled somewhere else. I watched her from afar. She hadn't gotten her memories back yet." She ran her fingers over the book as memories flowed through her head.

"Stefan and Damon were angry at the Founding Families for what they did to me. They wanted revenge. Athena... she had seen me, known I wasn't dead before her life force drained completely that night Emily sealed the vampires into the tomb."

Elena raised an eyebrow at this, "but Athena was surprised to see you."

"Was she?" Katherine asked, humming, "Athena is very good at playing a role. Acting as if she has no clue what's happening around her. That's how she gains people's trust... playing parts. It's how she gets her information. She knew about Klaus coming for you before her memories returned."

Elena's brows furrowed as she leaned back in her seat. She nodded slowly, "she came to Mystic Falls to protect me." Katherine nodded. "Wait so what actually happened to Zach Salvatore then?"

Katherine tilted her head, trying to remember what Athena had said to her about that. "I believe she killed him on accident. Her instincts take over her sometimes. He was attacking her for... something that had happened earlier that night. I think some people had attacked Athena while she was surveying the forest with that Bennett witch—what was her name?"

"Sheila," Elena replied.

Katherine nodded, "Sheila. She had killed all of them, of course, they were a threat to you and to her and to everyone in town. He had gone off on her and... and tried to kill her. So she killed him first. She hadn't meant to."

Elena frowned sadly at that. "Whenever she spoke about him... she seemed so proud of what he had become. She loved him and he tried to kill her?"

Katherine shrugged, sighing. "She's... the families she was placed with thanks to the spell, it was to make her miserable. To make her feel like she wasn't ever loved. But magic can only do so much... most of the feelings her 'families' had toward her were genuine. Damon and Stefan, besides Athena's biological family, were the only two people from her 'families' to actually care for her."

Elena's frown deepened, "but they hated her for a century—more than. They treated her terribly..." Katherine smiled sadly at her. "Oh."

Katherine exhaled deeply, looking back down at the journal. "Stefan didn't know about Jonathan's ring yet when he first killed him. He didn't know that he would survive. Athena had pleaded with Stefan and Damon not to attack the Gilberts. To leave them alone. They could go after everyone else, but not Jonathan or his family. They hadn't listened."

"Athena didn't want them killing the Gilberts because of Jonathan?"

"Mhm. Jonathan liked her magic, and helped raise her. He was kind to her, something Giuseppe never was." Elena nodded, taking it all in. "If you wanna know more, just ask Athena. I'm sure she'd be happy to tell you. Or you could read her journals. I know Caroline and Hayley have read them."

"Hmm, if I ever get the chance to talk to her about something so trivial," Elena sighed, closing her eyes and leaning her head back against the couch.

Katherine frowned a bit, watching her. Her eyes flicked to Klaus who was on the phone outside, pacing the dock. Her fingers twitched.

Elena jerked a bit when Katherine grabbed her biceps, making her sit up. The woman looked slightly crazed, panicked. "Katherine, what—"

"We can run away," the vampire interrupts, her eyes wide, "you can live your life. We can visit any place you want. We can run. You don't have to die."

Elena stared at her in shock for a moment. She opened her mouth, then closed it. She then slowly shook her head. "I don't want to live my life running from Klaus, Katherine. That's not living. Looking over my shoulder, moving from place to place. I don't want that," she said seriously.

Katherine closed her eyes, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"I want to stay with you, Mama," a young girl pleads, holding onto Katherine's arms with tears of her own falling from her eyes.

"You can't, моя любов," Katherine whispers back, "you have to go with Jenna. She'll keep you safe." She brushes back the little girl's hair, pulling the hood further over her head. [my love.]

"You'll come back for me, right?" The girl says, pouting and so hopeful.

Katherine didn't have the heart to break hers. "Some day," Katherine whispers, pressing a kiss to the little girl's forehead and then disappearing into the darkness.

"Okay," Katherine said, her thumbs rubbing circles into the fabric under her hands, "okay." She releases Elena, her eyes opening. She nodded. "I'm sorry."

Elena shook her head, "it's okay."

Katherine's eyes flicked outside, finding Klaus watching them closely. Katherine got off the couch and disappeared into the house.

DAMON SMIRKED AT the sight of Jenna walking into the restaurant with Elijah and Athena right behind. "Ah, there's Jenna with her new boyfriend," he said just to rile his friend up. Alaric spun around in his seat, watching Jenna and Elijah talk animatedly while Athena trailed behind, holding Jenna's purse. Damon raises his hand, smiling at the trio. "Hi," he greets.

Jenna raised a hand back, mostly for her friend Andy. "Hey, guys," she greeted back, walking over. Elijah and Athena shared a look before reluctantly following.

"So I hear you three had quite a meeting of historical minds today," Damon smirked.

Elijah smiled politely at him, his eyes flicking between the arm around Andy's shoulders and Damon's face, while Jenna shrugged, "I guess you could say that. It was very enlightening." She smiled at her mother who focused her attention on the contents of Jenna's purse.

"Well, as much as I'd love to continue this," Alaric said, pulling his wallet out of his pocket and throwing money onto the table, "I, uh, I've got papers to grade." He gives them all an awkward smile and slides out of the booth.

"No, you know what? We should continue this," Andy said, "let's have a dinner party."

Athena's brows furrowed. "Who are you exactly?" She asked, eyeing the woman curiously. Jenna smacked her mother's stomach, giving her a look. "Sorry," she gave the woman an apologetic smile, "but who are you?"

"Andy," Damon replied, "my girl. Who is apparently full of good ideas." Athena's brows furrowed deeper, confused. Elijah's eyebrow cocked slightly. "I'll be happy to host," he said, holding his hand up, "say tonight. Maybe?"

"I'm good with tonight. Jenna?" Andy asked, looking over at her friend.

"I don't know if tonight works—"

"Yeah, I'm free," Jenna nodded, cutting Alaric off, "Bianca and I have been looking for a reason to stay away from the house anyway." Alaric gave her a look which she pointedly ignored, looking toward her mother and uncle.

Elijah raised an eyebrow, turning to look at his sister. Athena stared back at him. Elijah tilted his head. Athena shook hers quickly. He frowned a bit at her, widening his eyes slightly. She scowled, narrowing her eyes at him. He gave her a firm stare, mouth set in a line.

"Elijah," Athena whined, throwing her head back in annoyance.

"Oh, please? We haven't had a dinner party in so long," Elijah said.

Athena's nose scrunched as she frowned at him. "Fine," she muttered.

He grinned victoriously, turning back to Damon and Andy. "It'd be a pleasure," he accepted.

Jenna snickered a bit at the sibling's exchange, shaking her head in amusement.

"Great," Damon smirked back at Elijah.

Athena groaned loudly when she noticed their prolonged staring. 

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KATHERINE FROWNED DEEPLY at the unknown number flashing on her phone. Not many people had her number—Athena, Lorelei, Jenna, and a couple of other 'friends'. She picked it up and answered it, placing it to her ear.

"Katherine?"

She sighed heavily, "how did you get my number?" She asked Damon, rubbing her forehead.

"I got Athena's phone when she was busy with Elijah."

Katherine rolled her eyes. "What is it you want, Damon?"

"Guess who's back in town?" Katherine tilted her head a bit. "Your old friend, John Gilbert."

"Really?" She drawled, rolling her eyes again. She sat down at the table. Elena looked over the back of the couch, raising a curious eyebrow at her. Katherine put a finger to her lips, signaling the girl to be quiet. "Why?"

"Says he loves his daughter. Wants to protect her from Elijah and big, bad Klaus."

"How touching," Katherine whispered dramatically. Elena leaned her head against the couch, trying to hear some of the conversation.

"Yeah, right? He told me this old wives tale about how to kill an Original."

There it is, Katherine thought. She sighed, "and you want to know if it's true. If it was, I wouldn't tell you."

"Now, why not? I mean, you want Elijah and Klaus dead as much as I do. Besides, I thought you wanted to protect Elena."

Katherine kicked her feet up onto the table. "Klaus, eh. Elijah, yes," she said, looking at her nails boredly. She didn't care much for Elijah anymore, having been turned off him when she found out what he did to Athena. "So, forget it, Damon. Killing Elijah would be a suicide mission. You can't do it."

Elena perked up a bit at hearing that, raising her eyebrows at Katherine and mouthing 'what?' to her.

"Can so."

"Can't," Katherine scoffed, waving Elena off.

"Even with a dagger and a little white oak ash?"

Katherine frowned, blinking in surprise. She pulled her feet off the table, "how do you—where did you get that?" She felt her heart drop. If Elijah figured out what Damon was doing and connected it with Athena, she had no doubt that Elijah would take Athena out of the equation.

"John," he said and she could practically hear the smirk in his voice.

"Does Athena know you have that?" Katherine asked, walking over to Elena and holding her hand out. The doppelganger stared up at her confused. Katherine gestured to her phone and then held her hand out again.

"Mhm. She tried to take it from me, but I convinced her it was safer with me."

"Safe—Safer with you?" She repeated incredulously, "and she let that happen? Oh, my fucking Gods were all going to die."

Elena tilted her head.

"Thank you for giving me all the information I need. That it's very possible to kill an Original—which I will do. Tonight."

"Wait, wait, wait," Katherine said, a tad frantically, "don't Athena be there. She—She can't be around when you try. She can't know what you're going to do."

"She's a big girl, but I'll pass the message along. Buh-bye Katherine."

Katherine growled a bit, throwing her phone out of the door. Klaus caught it effortlessly, walking past the two women as he entered the house. "She'll be fine, Katerina," Klaus drawled as he disappeared somewhere into the house.

Elena raised an eyebrow as she tilted her head back to stare up at Katherine. The vampire huffed a bit. "I'm sure Athena will be fine with whatever she is going to do. Besides, we have a plan in case Elijah slips through her fingers. We're fine."

Katherine sighed and nodded, sitting down on the couch.

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JENNA AND ANDY set up the table in the Salvatore's dining room. Jenna was minding her own business but Andy was ready to gossip.

"So what's—what's going on with you and Alaric?" Andy asked and Jenna looked up at her friend with a confused expression on her face. "I feel like there's some tension."

Jenna shrugged, "whatever tension you feel is coming from him. I'm perfectly fine," she dismissed. Bianca walked in, setting out the plates. Jenna smiled at her wife who smiled back at her.

Jenna had invited Bianca since she didn't want to be alone with all these men. Her mother was going to be there, but she had a feeling a fight was going to break out. It's always better if Bianca was there while Jenna mediated.

"Since when did Damon and John become best friends?" Bianca asked curiously.

Jenna rolled her eyes at the mention of the latter. "I don't know. You know, he's trying to whisper things in my ear."

"Like what?" Andy asked, sounding annoyed at the mention of the man too. Bianca raised an eyebrow at her wife.

"That my wife is hiding things from me," Jenna replied, giving Bianca a mocked shocked look. The hybrid snorted a bit, shaking her head in amusement.

Andy smiled at the two. She loved seeing her friend happy. "See, trust is key to any relationship. I mean, I am so grateful that Damon tells me everything," she laughs a bit.

Jenna and Bianca shoot each other a look before smiling at the woman.

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"DAY, LOOK, BAD idea, alright?" Athena said as she raised her hands, "this is going to end terribly. I'd rather it didn't since I invited my girlfriends. And the fact that Bianca and Jenna are in the house.

"Oh, come on. There's no such thing as a 'bad idea'," Damon waved off, pouring three drinks. He handed one to Athena who threw it back. "Only poorly executed awesome ones," he finished, holding out a drink to Alaric.

"No," he denied. Damon dropped his arm, sighing. He handed it to Stefan who begrudgingly took it. "I don't like the idea of Elijah being in the same house as Jenna."

Athena rubbed between her eyebrows. "You are so pathetic, it's insane. She doesn't want you, man. Give it a rest, bloody hell," she muttered, feeling a headache coming on.

Damon side-eyed her, silently agreeing. Even he could see how much Jenna and Bianca loved each other. "Jenna's perfectly safe," Damon assured both of them, "besides, it's just a fact-finding mission. It's totally harmless."

"Just a fact-finding mission," Alaric repeated, looking incredulous.

Damon nodded, "yeah," he said in a 'duh' tone.

Alaric stepped toward him. "Listen, no sneak attacks. No surprise plans." Damon shakes his head as Alaric speaks. "Nothing's that's gonna put Jenna in harm's way, okay?"

"You are so bloody lucky you have that ring on," Athena said, wishing that she could finally just kill him and never have to worry about him again.

Damon snickered a bit, "scouts honor." He patted Alaric's shoulder. The man rolled his eyes and went to see how dinner was going when Andy came in. When the door shut behind him, Damon walked over to the table where he had a box.

He unlocked it, flipping the top up. Athena raised an eyebrow when she saw the dagger and white oak ash. "Damon," Stefan sighed, shaking his head.

"What? It's dessert," Damon shrugged off, opening up the bottle of white oak ash. He dipped the dagger into the ash. "Elijah's stronger than me. He's faster than me. It's all about the element of surprise."

Athena shifted uncomfortably. She always felt weird when her siblings were daggered. Sometimes they deserved it, but that didn't mean she liked watching them desiccate. No matter how much they hurt her, she still loved them to the ends of the Earth.

"Ah, it's too bad. I like him. He's very old-school. Classy," Andy said.

"Which is why you should encourage the gentlemen to take their after-dinner drinks in here while you do coffee in the kitchen with the girls," Damon said, placing the dagger between the glasses of alcohol.

Athena gave him a dry stare. Stefan scrunched his nose a bit, looking put off by what his brother said.

"Hmm. That is a little too sexist for me," Andy said, walking up behind her boyfriend.

"I agree with that," Athena muttered, pointing to the woman.

Damon frowned at her, "you're part of the gentlemen."

Athena rolled her eyes, "like that makes it any better."

The doorbell rang. 

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JENNA OPENED THE front door, scowling when she was met with John. "Who invited him?" She demanded, looking over at Damon who was walking toward them.

"John! Surprise. Leave," he smiled sarcastically, holding his hand out toward the outside of the house.

"When Jenna told me she was coming to a dinner party for Elijah, I decided I couldn't miss out on all the fun and games," John drawled, watching Jenna walk away.

She walked right to Bianca who looked a little concerned. That changed immediately when Jenna grabbed her by the back of her neck and drew her into a deep kiss.

Alaric quickly looked away while Damon smirked at John. "I don't believe she wants you here. And neither do I. So, leave. Or I'll drag you out myself," he said, crossing his arms and staring the man down.

"There's no games tonight either, John. It's just a friendly dinner party," Alaric added. He shot Damon a look.

"What he said," Damon said. 

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DAMON OPENED THE front door. Elijah stood on the other side, dressed in a suit as usual. Damon was annoyed at how good he looked in it. "Good evening," Elijah greeted.

"Thank you for coming," Damon greeted back, "please, come in."

"Just one moment," Elijah said, tapping the door frame, "can I just say that if you have less than honorable intentions about how this evening is going to proceed, I suggest you reconsider."

Damon shrugged, "no, nothing, nothing dishonorable." He turned to Athena, "right?" She ignored him, walking into the dining room. "Love you too, Atty." Damon turned back to Elijah whose face was pinched a bit. "This is just a getting-to-know-you. I'll be on my best behavior," he whispered mockingly, smirking a bit.

"Hmm," Elijah's lips quirked up, "well, that's good. I do like my boys on their best behavior." He entered the house, his smirk deepening a bit when he saw the slight pinkish tint to Damon's cheek that the younger vampire tried to hide. "Because, you know, although Elena and I have this deal and Athena is an old friend of mine if you so much as make a move to cross me I'll kill you and I'll kill everyone in this house." He smiled charmingly at Damon, "are we clear?"

"Crystal," Damon swallowed.

Elijah's smile brightened when his niece-in-law appeared. "Jenna, wonderful to see you again. How are you?" He greeted, walking toward her with his arms open for a hug.

"Nice to see you," Jenna smiled, kissing his cheek in greeting.

His grin widened when Bianca walked over. "Ah, Bianca," he greeted, kissing her cheek too, "you two look incredible."

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"WELL, I HATE break it to you, Damon, but according to Elijah your family is so not a founder of this town," Jenna said as she poured him a glass of wine.

"I am," Athena muttered so quietly that only Bianca (who was closest to her) and Elijah could hear. Her older brother smirked a bit, glancing up at her.

"Hmm, do tell," Damon said, looking over at Elijah.

The doorbell rang and Athena was the first to jump up. "Finally," Bianca muttered, tired of all the testosterone in the room. She was used to having a small amount of boys in a family of mainly women.

Athena walked over to the front door, yanking it open. Hayley raised an eyebrow at her girlfriend, smiling.

"Bad night?" Caroline asked teasingly.

"Ugh," Athena grunted, kissing her quickly. She leaned over and kissed Hayley too. "I'm so glad you're both here. How's Rory?"

Athena closes the door behind the two after they enter. "She's alright. A little miffed that Tyler left, and that he stole my phone, but she's okay," Caroline sighed.

"Sorry we're late," Hayley added, "we dropped her off at Crystal's but we got into a conversation with her. We hadn't realized the time."

Athena smiled, not angry at all. "I'm glad you three get along so well," she said, her heartwarming. She loved that her girlfriends got on so well with her family. They blended in like nothing. Now she just needed to introduce them to Rebekah and Nik.

Athena guided the two women into the dining room. Jenna and Bianca both got up to greet them. Damon pushed Caroline slightly before her hip hit the table.

Elijah was quick to get up, buttoning his suit. He smiled charmingly at the two women who turned their attention to him. He shot Athena a teasing look to which the redhead flicked the side of his head. "I'm Elijah," he said, holding his hand out to them, "Athena has told me such great things about you two."

"I wish we could say the same," Caroline smiled back sarcastically while shaking his hand. Hayley ignored it completely, wrapping her arm around Athena's waist.

Athena sucked in a sharp breath, lips rolling into her mouth to stop the laughter from spilling out. Jenna's jaw dropped, and the sides of her lips quirked up as amusement filled her eyes. Bianca didn't have much etiquette, bursting out laughing and clapping her hands together.

Damon's eyes widened slightly at Caroline's words, looking slightly worried. Stefan's eyes went between the blonde, and two brunettes, blinking rapidly. Alaric looked uncomfortable and John looked incredulous.

"Whoo!" Bianca breathed out, wiping away the tears that had gathered in her eyes, "oh! I love them so much."

Jenna smacked Bianca's arm, struggling to hold in her own laughter.

Elijah's face smoothens out from where he seemed slightly affronted. He smiled easily, taking the comment in stride. "I deserve that. It's lovely to finally meet you both. I'd love to be able to get to know you. I understand if neither of you want to though," he tilted his head toward them slightly, stepping back.

"Good," Hayley dismissed, turning toward the table. "Dinner?" She asked, guiding Caroline to the seat beside Athena's empty chair.

Elijah leans toward Athena slightly, watching the two women. "Spunky," he mutters, impressed.

"Very," Athena agrees before walking over to her girlfriends. She kisses both of them on the cheek before settling in her chair. Elijah sits back down, unbuttoning his coat.

"Anyway," Damon cleared his throat, leaning his elbows on the table. He turned to Elijah, "you were saying?"

Elijah hummed and glanced at Athena, raising an eyebrow in silent permission. The woman nods. He sat up a bit, "well, as I mentioned to Jenna earlier a faction of settlers migrated from Salem after the witch trials in the 1690s. Over the next hundred years, they developed this community where they could feel safe from persecution."

"Because they were witches," Jenna smirked, nudging her wife who rolled her eyes, kissing her cheek.

"Yeah, but there's no tangible proof there were witches in Salem," Andy argued, turning to Elijah.

Caroline eyed her curiously. "Who is that?" Hayley muttered into the blonde's ear, wondering if she knew. Caroline shrugged, shaking her head.

"Andy's a journalist. Big on facts," Damon explained, nodding. Andy smiled at him and he winked at her.

"Well, the lore says that there was this wave of anti-witch hysteria. It broke out in the neighboring settlement so these witches were rounded up. They were tied to stakes in a field together and, uh, burned," his eyes glanced toward Athena who seemed lightyears away. He quickly looked away, smiling at the table, "some say you could hear the screams from miles around us."

Athena took a heavy sip of her wine. Bianca reached over Jenna, squeezing her mother's hand tightly. The redhead smiled at her slightly, though her eyes were still slightly detached.

"I actually read of two women whom the witches recorded in their journals. They had tried to save them. It was the same woman who guided them to this new haven. The witches actually described one of the women as a..." he tiled his head, narrowing his eyes slightly, "God of sorts."

Hayley and Caroline glance at each other when they notice Athena's face. Caroline frowned slightly, grabbing Athena's arm gently and rubbing it. Hayley grabbed the redhead's hand, linking their fingers together. Athena blinked, returning to the present and looking over at the two. Her eyes softened, smiling at them.

The screams haunted her at night. The women and men that couldn't be saved from the massacre. Athena had tried desperately, but she and her partner could not save them.

"It was said that the witches, in a last-ditch effort to show their loyalty, had used their magic to save the two women. From what I've gathered, one of the witches fell for one of the women, not the God. There wasn't much about this woman, but they described her as beautiful. A beauty that can only be granted by..." he trailed off, frowning slightly as he began to realize.

His eyes flicked to Athena who stared back at him. She gave away nothing, not that he was correct, not that he was wrong. He stared at her in slight shock. Who knew somebody could make Athena lie to Niklaus?

"You..." Elijah paused for a moment, blinking once, "you knew."

Athena's eyes darkened slightly. "Do not start this here, Elijah," she warned. He swallowed, turning it over in his head. He knew either way that this wouldn't end well. She was weaker, but she was crafty. Smart. Terrifying.

"Elijah," Bianca warned as well, seeing the look in his eyes. She knew it very well. She'd seen it many times when he would rile up Finn and Kol. When he would try to get under Klaus' skin.

"How long have you known her whereabouts?" Elijah asked, ignoring both of their warnings. He tilted his head a bit at Athena, raising an eyebrow.

The Heretic eyed him silently for a moment. "The whole time," she replied, "anche alla sua morte." [even at her death.]

Elijah's eyes narrowed at that. She had known Katerina was going to kill herself? "How—"

"Di chi pensi che il sangue l'abbia trasformata?" Athena cocked an eyebrow, looking far too calm with the bomb she is dropping. "You forget who I am and it truly is sad." [Whose blood do you think turned her?]

Elijah set down his knife and fork, leaning back in his chair. "Gli hai mentito," he stated, like the concept was new. Athena had, in all of his years, never lied to Klaus. At least, not that he knew of. Those two were never found without the other. They were as thick as thieves. They shared one mind. [You lied to him.]

"Mhm," Athena hummed, taking a sip of her wine, "and he fell for it. As did you. Hook, line, and sinker." She smiled at her older brother, "anche se era abbastanza indulgente." [though he was quite forgiving.]

Elijah hummed, smiling back at her though it was tight.

Jenna had an idea of who they were talking about. She knew of how Katerina died, and knew that her uncles had been hunting her for a long time. Well... sort of. Klaus didn't seem as interested in finding her as he let on.

Bianca glanced between her uncle and mother, body tense and ready to intervene if a fight broke out. She knew that it was bound to happen at some point tonight. She reached over for her mother, "not here, please. Not tonight," she pleaded quietly. Athena glanced at her, giving a sharp nod.

Caroline and Hayley glanced at each other, wary.

Athena cleared her throat, "let's not fight tonight, Elijah. You wanted a dinner party. Claiming we haven't had one in so long?" She cocked an eyebrow.

Elijah raised his hands in surrender. "I did. I yield. For now," he said and she hummed, the two watching each other intensely for a moment. He turned slightly to Alaric, "could you pass the...?" Alaric begrudgingly passes the salt to him.

"Well," Jenna breaks the awkward silence that passed over the table after the argument, "I wouldn't repeat any of that to the Historical Society." She chuckles a bit and Athena shoots her a smile.

"It's starting to sound a little like a ghost story to me," John says, not looking at all impressed.

Elijah raised an eyebrow, eyeing him silently.

"I don't know. It sounds pretty real to me," Hayley argued with a shrug.

John side-eyed her but didn't say anything when he saw the look he was getting from Athena and Caroline.

Damon was the one to change the subject this time. "So why do you want to know the location of these alleged massacres?" Damon asked.

Elijah tilted his head, biting his lip for a moment. "You know... a healthy historian's curiosity, of course," Elijah replied, looking around the table before he looked at Damon.

Damon smiled mockingly, nodding. "Of course." 

AN: family bonding?? :p katherine you can't keep saying things and not giving elena context *sigh* it's mean. lols elena bonding with her in-laws 🤩 thank you for reading! hope you enjoyed!!

edited:
finished: 02/10/24
wc: 6634