(act two, chapter fourteen: the dinner party)

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"You do realize you're acting like a stalking boyfriend, right?" Buffy said, giving Alaric an amused look as they strolled through the woods.

"I am not!" Alaric denied, shaking his head. "I'm just making sure your mother is okay."

"Mom is on Elena's list of people to protect. Elijah's not going to hurt her. I'm sure of that." Buffy paused, turning to face Alaric with a playful smirk. "Seriously, Alaric, you're not in a horror movie. Just because you're wearing a leather jacket doesn't mean you can start acting like the brooding hero. Damon and Stefan won't like the competition."

"We're dealing with someone like Elijah. He's not your average vampire; he's a centuries-old Original. I can't just sit back and hope everything works out," Alaric replied, concern furrowing his brow.

"I think Elijah can be trusted," Buffy admitted, her tone more serious now. "I mean, he's keeping everyone on Elena's list safe from Klaus. That tells me he has a reason to want to help. If he didn't, he would have already handed Elena over to Klaus."

"And you?" Alaric asked, raising an eyebrow, his expression serious.

"What about me?" Buffy shot back, a hint of defensiveness creeping into her voice.

"Well, Damon filled me in on the whole soulmate situation with you and the Originals," Alaric said, his eyes narrowing slightly as concern deepened.

"Oh, you know about that, huh?" Buffy let out a nervous laugh, feeling her cheeks warm under his scrutiny.

"Yes, and it worries me. I don't want you to get hurt, Buffy." Alaric's tone shifted, becoming more intense as he stopped walking, fully focused on her. "You're my daughter, and I can't help but feel like this could go seriously wrong for you."

"Don't worry about me," Buffy replied, her expression firm. "Right now, we need to focus on keeping Elena safe and making sure she doesn't get sacrificed by Klaus. That's priority one."

Alaric shook his head, a mix of frustration and concern in his eyes. "You saying that doesn't ease my worries at all. You're putting yourself at risk, Buffy . We've both seen what vampires are capable of. I don't want you to get hurt and besides isn't he a bit old for you?" He asked her.

"Well maybe, but how about this: if Elijah tries anything, I'll go full 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' on him," Buffy said confidently, trying to reassure him. But then her expression shifted, her brow furrowing slightly. "Besides, I have to ask you something."

"Promise me you'll be careful," Alaric insisted, his voice low and intense. "I can't lose you, Buffy. I'll do whatever it takes to keep you safe, even if that means standing in front of you."

Buffy met his gaze, feeling the weight of his words. "I promise. But remember, I'm stronger than I look. Just trust me."

"Shoot." Alaric said, intrigued.

"I've wanted to ask you for a while, actually. Since you're a vampire hunter, can you teach me?" Buffy looked up at him, her eyes bright with determination. "I want to be able to defend myself. The next time someone decides to kidnap someone I love, I want to be able to kick their asses and look good while doing it."

"Alright," Alaric agreed, a mix of pride and concern in his eyes. "It's definitely better for you to know how to defend yourself."

"Thanks! And another question: what do you think about telling my mom about the whole supernatural side of things?" Buffy asked, her brow furrowing slightly. "I think she deserves the truth and if something happens, she'll be able to understand why."

Alaric paused, considering her words thoughtfully. "That's a big decision, Buffy. Your mom has a right to know, but we need to bring it to her carefully."

Buffy nodded, her brow furrowed. "I get that. But if we're facing all these dangers together, wouldn't it make sense for her to know about vampires?"

"Perhaps you have a point," Alaric admitted, his tone becoming more hopeful. "Just promise me we'll figure out the best way to tell her together."

"Of course," Buffy replied, her face lighting up with determination. "Talking about my mom and Elijah." Buffy spoke as she nodded her head over to the two ahead of them.

One thing that had changed for Elijah was that he smiled way more often ever since he knew that Buffy was real. Every time he saw her, a smile automatically appeared on his lips. It was as if her presence ignited a warmth within him, a spark he hadn't felt in centuries. His smiles were genuine now.

"Come on." Alaric whispered to her as the two made their way over to Jenna and Elijah.

"Elijah, you remember my daughter, Buffy, right?" Jenna said as Buffy and Alaric finally approached them.

"It's a pleasure to see you again, Buffy," Elijah greeted, a warm smile spreading across his face as he returned her gesture.

"And this is my friend, Alaric Saltzman," Jenna continued.

"And Buffy's father," Alaric added quickly, though it was no surprise to Elijah anymore. He had done his research on those closest to Buffy but had no intention of revealing that. He didn't want her to think of him as some kind of stalker. "I got your message about walking Elijah through the old property lines. I thought we could tag along. You know, being a history buff and all," Alaric continued.

"And Buffy—"

"Was practically dragged out of the house by him," Buffy chimed in, her smile innocent yet mischievous.

"Where to next?" Alaric asked, throwing his daughter a small glare as she exposed his lie.

"I'm really curious about the freed slave property owners. Some say their descendants are the true keepers of American history," Elijah replied, his eyes shining with enthusiasm on his mate staying with them.

"Well, I only brought the surveys with me. The list is in my car. Just give me a sec," Jenna said, intertwining her arm through Buffy's as they moved closer together to Jenna's car.

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"Other than your lecture on Mystic Falls, get anything out of Elijah?" Damon asked casually, sitting on a table with Andie, Alaric, and Buffy. The father - daughter duo had returned back to the Grill before Jenna and Elijah had. Damon leaned back, his usual smirk playing on his lips.

"No, it was boring. Of course, Jenna thinks he's charming," Alaric replied, rolling his eyes. He rested his elbows on the table, looking a little less amused by the situation than Damon.

"You sound jealous. He sound jealous?" Damon glanced at Andie, looking for her agreement.

Andie tilted her head, thoughtfully. "Kind of do," She said with a playful smile.

"Maybe we shouldn't talk about this here," Alaric chimed in, shifting a little uncomfortably. His eyes flickered toward Andie, who was sitting quietly next to Damon, thinking that she had no idea about the existence of vampires and would have to get compelled by Damon later.

"Andie? She's been compelled not to divulge my secrets, haven't you?" Damon asked, placing his hand lightly on Andie's arm, his voice dripping with smug assurance.

Andie hummed softly in response, her eyes hazy as she leaned in for a quick kiss.

"Besides, I don't think Jenna is the only one who finds him charming," Damon said with a smirk, his voice teasing as he nodded over to Buffy, who was sitting quietly, lost in thought.

Buffy blinked, snapping out of her thoughts as she realized everyone was looking at her. "What?" She asked, frowning in confusion.

Damon chuckled, leaning forward with a mischievous glint in his eye. "Oh, nothing. Just noticing how you've been extra quiet since the subject 'Elijah' started." 

Buffy rolled her eyes, her tone sharp. "Please, don't start with your ridiculous theories, Damon."

"Come on, Buffy. You've got to admit, there's something about him," Damon continued, clearly enjoying himself. "Mysterious, ancient vampire, good manners, brooding charm? It's practically your type."

Buffy shot him a glare. "I don't have a 'type,' especially when it comes to vampires who have an agenda."

"Right," Damon said, dragging out the word as if he didn't believe her for a second. "You're totally immune to all that charm."

"Maybe we should just drop this?" Alaric suggested, sensing the tension between the two. He wasn't sure where it was heading, but he was fairly certain that if Damon continued, Buffy would snap. But Damon wasn't done yet. "Don't worry, Buffy," he added with a grin. "I won't tell your mom that you've got a crush on the new guy."

"I just need the right opportunity," Damon said after a few minutes of smirking at Buffy's glare on him, but before anyone could react, Jenna and Elijah walked into the room. Damon's eyes lit up as his lips twisted into a smirk. "Huh, there's Jenna with you're daughter's boyfriend," He said to Alaric, raising a hand to wave them over.

"Hey, guys," Jenna greeted cheerfully as she approached the table, Elijah walking by her side with his usual composed presence.

"Hi," Alaric said, his tone slightly forced as his eyes darted between Elijah and Jenna.

"So, I heard that you two had quite a meeting of historical minds," Damon said, unable to hide the amusement in his voice.

"Yeah, I guess you could say that," Elijah replied, his tone smooth as ever. There was something unsettling about how calm he always seemed.

"Well, as much as I'd love to continue this fascinating conversation, I've got papers to grade," Alaric said, his discomfort getting the better of him as he set some money on the table, preparing to leave.

"You know what?" Andie suddenly spoke up, breaking the tension. "We should continue this. Let's have a dinner party." She suggested brightly.

"My girl, full of good ideas," Damon said, his eyes gleaming with approval. "I'll be happy to host. Say tonight, maybe?" But he didn't miss when Buffy mouthed the words are you kidding me, to him.

"It's good for me," Elijah chimed in. 

"Jenna?" Andie asked, her smile warm.

Jenna opened her mouth, about to respond when Alaric tried to intervene. "No, I don't know if tonight works—"

But Jenna interrupted him. "Yeah, I'm free," She said quickly, leaving Alaric looking more uncomfortable than before.

Elijah gave a small, charming smile. "It would be a pleasure."

"Great," Damon said, clearly pleased with the arrangement. He then turned to Buffy, who had been quietly observing everything from her corner of the table. "What about you, sunshine? You coming?"

Buffy gave him a flat look. "I can't."

Damon raised an eyebrow, giving her a playful pout. "Oh, come on. It wouldn't be fun without you, Buff."

Buffy grinned. "Of course it won't be." she said reluctantly, standing up. Without waiting for a response, she turned and walked away from the table, her exit sudden and sharp, not noticing the eyes on her as she left.

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As the three of them prepared the table for dinner, Andie glanced over at Buffy, who was quietly setting out the wine glasses. "So, what's going on with you and Alaric?" Andie asked her best friend. "I feel like there's some tension."

Buffy paused her work, her eyes flicking over to her mom, who was focused on the cutlery. Jenna sighed. "I don't know. I really like him. It's more than like, and I want it to work, but I can't help but feel like he's hiding something from me. And then I've got John whispering things in my ear about him."

"And what kind of things would that be?" Andie asked, curiosity lacing her voice.

"Things I don't want to believe." Jenna shook her head. "Things I don't believe—not if they're coming from John's mouth."

"Well, everyone knows it's best to not trust John on his word." Buffy muttered, continuing with her work.

"Well, there you go, then," Andie said, shrugging. "Trust is the key to any relationship. I mean, I am so grateful that Damon tells me everything."

Jenna chuckled nervously, glancing at Buffy, who raised her eyebrow at Andie, who didn't see her look. 

"Why don't I just check up on Damon and Alaric? Make sure they're not causing any trouble," Buffy spoke up, walking away from the table as she shot a glance toward her mother.

Jenna smiled, oblivious to Buffy's real intentions. "Good idea. You know how those two can be."

Buffy nodded, her stomach twisting slightly as she left the dining room. She wasn't just checking on them—she needed space. She was gonna have a dinner with both of her parents and Elijah. The thought freaked her out for some reason. It freaked her out even more than she cared to admit.

As she walked down the hallway toward the library, she could hear Damon and Alaric's low voices. Pushing open the door slightly, she found Damon leaning against the desk, Alaric standing across from him, arms crossed.

"Buffy," Damon greeted, noticing her immediately. His smirk was still in place, though there was a glint of curiosity in his eyes. "Come to join the party?"

"Just making sure you two aren't up to something," she replied, leaning against the door frame.

"Us?" Damon said innocently, holding up his hands. "We're just having a friendly chat about Elijah."

Buffy's gaze flicked to Alaric, who didn't seem convinced either. "Right. So we don't have to expect any surprises, because we all know that you already had a plan when you made Andie ask all of us here."

Damon grinned. "No surprises. Scout's honor."

But Buffy didn't buy it for a second. Her eyes narrowed, her heart racing slightly as she glanced at the desk, where the dagger and white oak ash had been moments ago. Damon had hidden them, but she knew better. She could feel the weight of the secret hanging in the air.

"Just be careful," Buffy said quietly, her voice softer now.

Damon tilted his head. "You're worried about your boyfriend," He noted with an amused look. "How sweet."

Buffy flipped him off as she walked back out of the room, she had Damon going after her and when the doorbell rang, both practically raced to the door. Even though Damon should be faster than her, she was first. Both best friends had thought it would be Elijah on the other side of the front door, but to both their displeasure, it was John Gilbert.

"Who invited him?" Damon asked Buffy, not even bothering to keep his voice low.

"Not me." Buffy spoke, already leaving her spot by the door, leaving Damon to deal with Uncle John as she went over to sit on to the couch, taking out her phone to chat with Bonnie.

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Not much later, Elijah arrived. Damon's grin widened as he saw the original vampire standing in the doorway. "Good evening," Elijah said, his voice as calm as ever.

"Thanks for coming. Please, come in," Damon gestured, keeping up his friendly act.

But Elijah paused. "Just one moment." He said, locking eyes with Damon. "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 kept his cool, though his smirk faltered. "Nothing dishonorable, just getting to know you."

"Yeah."

"Because, you know, although Elena and I have this deal if you so much as make a move to cross me I'll kill you and I'll kill everyone in this house. Are we clear?"

"Crystal." Damon replied as he walked back to wherever Jenna and Andie were.

Elijah turned his attention to Buffy. His gaze softened slightly as he saw her slightly sit up more uptight. "I hope you're not really going to kill anyone." She said, her voice quiet but steady.

Elijah's face softened, his usual composed expression giving way to a rare moment of warmth. "Of course not." He murmured as he stepped closer to Buffy, reaching into his suit jacket and pulling out a small box. He held it out to her, his eyes never leaving hers. "I brought you something." He said gently. "As a thank you for inviting me to dinner."

Buffy blinked in surprise, glancing at the box before raising her eyebrows with a teasing smile. "Shouldn't you be giving that to Damon, then?" She joked, trying to lighten the moment, though her heart raced as she wondered what could be inside and that wasn't missed by Elijah.

He smiled softly, shaking his head. "I do not think Damon would want this." His voice was low and when Buffy opened the box, she let out a small gasp.

Inside was a silver bracelet, designed with a single gemstone embedded in the center. It shimmered in the light, just as beautiful as his gestures tended to be. She stared at it for a moment, speechless, her mind racing between gratitude and the complicated situation they were in.

"Elijah, this is.. wow... you didn't have to do this. I can't accept this" Buffy whispered, glancing up at him. She just knew by the way he was dressed, always in his suits, that the bracelet was not exactly cheap.

"I wanted to. And yes, you can." He replied simply, his gaze soft as he studied her reaction. 

Buffy's chest tightened. She carefully lifted the bracelet out of the box, feeling its cool metal in her hands. "Thank you," She said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper as she looked back up at him, her thoughts swirling in a mix of emotions.

Elijah gave her a small nod, stepping back just slightly. "You're welcome, Elskan." His voice was still soft. "Please, let me." He offered, stepping forward again.

Buffy hesitated for a moment before she nodded, holding out her wrist toward him.

Elijah took her wrist carefully, his touch warm and steady as he bound the bracelet with ease. The cool metal settled against her skin, but all she could focus on was the closeness between them. 

"There," He said, his voice barely above a whisper as he released her hand, though his gaze lingered for a second longer. "It suits you." He spoke to her.

Buffy's heart fluttered as she looked down at the bracelet, its elegant design catching the light. "Thank you." She said again, her voice more composed now, not sure why they were continuing to speak in such low voices.

She took a deep breath and finally met his eyes. "What does Elskan mean?" She asked softly, her curiosity finally getting the best of her.

A faint smile curved on Elijah's lips, his expression softer than before. "It's an old word." He explained.. "It means sweetheart or darling."

Buffy's breath caught in her throat, the weight of the word sinking in. She wasn't sure how to respond, caught between the intensity of his gaze and the meaning behind his words. Elijah wasn't one to speak lightly, and the significance wasn't lost on her.

Before she could say anything else, she heard voices coming from the dining room, reminding her that they weren't alone and not even a minute later Jenna approached them, smiling warmly as she greeted the man. "Elijah, it's great to see you again. How are you?"

"A pleasure, as always." The Original responded smoothly.

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Later, as they all gathered around the table for dinner, Buffy sat between Jenna and Elijah, while Andie and Alaric were seated on the opposite side. At the ends of the table sat John and Damon, an uneasy tension lingering between them as they were eating.

Jenna passed the wine to Damon. "I hate to break it to you, but according to Elijah, your family is so not a founder of this town." She said, directing her comment toward John, knowing that he was always the most smug person to be around when talking about founding families.

"Do tell." Damon said with a smirk, his attention shifting to Elijah.

"As I mentioned to Jenna earlier," Elijah began. "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 whispered to Buffy, loud enough for the table to hear. Buffy gave her a smile, her hand subconsciously brushing her bracelet that Elijah had just gifted her. A small smile appeared on the Originals' face when he saw her reach for it.

"There's no tangible proof that there were witches in Salem." Andie interjected.

"Andie's a journalist," Damon explained. "Big on facts."

Elijah continued, his calm demeanor unshaken. "The lore says there was a wave of anti-witch hysteria. It broke out in a neighboring settlement, and these witches were rounded up, tied to stakes, and burned. Some say their screams could be heard for miles as the fire consumed them."

"I wouldn't repeat that to the historical society," John commented dryly. "It's starting to sound like a ghost story." He added.

"Still people were murdered. That's already sad enough." Buffy spoke to John.

Damon leaned back in his chair. "So, why do you want to know the location of these alleged massacres?"

"Healthy historian's curiosity," Elijah replied smoothly.

"Of course." Damon said, his gaze flicking between Elijah and Buffy.

When Buffy caught him looking, she rolled her eyes. Once again like before she mouthed something to him. Creep.

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"I have a bottle I've been saving for ages," Damon announced, his voice dripping with excitement as he glanced toward the men.

"None for me, thanks," Alaric replied, leaning back in his chair. "Nine bottles of wine is my limit." He joked.

"The gentlemen should take their drinks in the study," Andie suggested smoothly, standing up as she began gathering plates.

Elijah smiled warmly, his eyes briefly flicking to Buffy before turning to Damon. "I have to say, the food was almost as wonderful as the company," he said, his voice laced with charm, before following Damon out of the dining room toward the study.

Buffy, meanwhile, watched the interaction in silence. Her mind was still on the bracelet Elijah had given her earlier.

John began to follow Damon and Elijah out of the room, but Jenna topped him, handing the Gilbert man the used plates of Damona and Elijah. "You're not a gentleman, but you can at least make yourself useful."

John gave her a tight, fake smile as he walked into the kitchen, clearly biting back a retort. Jenna's eyes followed him for a second before she turned her attention back to Alaric, who had come up beside her, eager to help.

"Here, put me to work," Alaric offered, reaching for the dishes she was holding.

"I got it." Jenna said shortly, her tone revealing a hint of frustration.

Alaric frowned, sensing something was off. "Hey, Jenna. Are you okay?"

Jenna forced a smile, shaking her head lightly. "Yeah, fine, Ric." But the tension in her voice betrayed her words.

Buffy noticed it too. She glanced at Alaric, who gave her a small shrug, clearly just as confused as she was. Something was bothering Jenna, but this wasn't the time or place to press her about it.

"Here, I'll take that." Buffy spoke to Alaric, who picked up his own used plate, holding out her hand. "You should make sure that nothing is going wrong in the study."

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Damon wore a cranky expression on his face as he, Andie and Elijah returned back to their seats in the dining room. Buffy looked at him, puzzled. He just glared at John in return, making Buffy follow his gaze to the Gilbert.

"Sorry, guys. Dessert is taking longer than I thought. I usually just unwrap food." Jenna quickly announced as she returned back to the kitchen, while Buffy took a seat on the chair she had been sitting on during the entire dinner.

"Elijah, did John tell you that he's Elena's uncle-slash-father?" Damon asked with a hint of mockery.

"Yes, I'm well aware of that," Elijah replied calmly.

"Of course, she hates him. So there's absolutely no need to keep him on the endangered species list." Damon added with a smirk.

John looked visibly annoyed with the Salvatore, but Damon ignored him, leaning forward. "What I'd like to know, Elijah, is how you intend on killing Klaus."

Elijah's expression remained stoic. "Gentlemen." He started. "There are a few things we should probably get clear now." His eyes locked on Damon. "I allow you to live solely to keep an eye on Elena. I allow Elena to remain in her house, living her life with her friends as she does, as a courtesy. If you become a liability, I will take her away from you, and you will never see her again."

"What about Buffy?" Damon asked, his voice suddenly more serious.

John's eyes darted between the three of them, realizing there was more going on than he initially thought. He had believed Elena was the only one in danger, but clearly, Buffy had a role in all of this as well.

"What will happen if Klaus finds her?" Damon continued. "Will you just hand her over?"

Elijah's expression softened slightly. "I'll protect Buffy from Klaus myself. You don't have to be worried about that." He said firmly, his gaze briefly meeting Buffy's, a silent promise in his eyes.

Before anyone could respond, Andie began to speak, "Okay, my first question is, when you got here to Mystic—" But her question was cut off by a sudden scream from Elijah. Buffy's eyes went wide in horror as she saw that Alaric had stabbed him with the dagger that Damon has gotten from John.

The last thing Elijah saw before collapsing was Buffy's shocked face, her expression frozen in disbelief. It was quite a déjà vu back to when Damon staked him to the front door of the mansion that Rose and Trevor had kidnapped them in. It was just now that Buffy realised how good it was that Rose wasn't in the boarding house today.

"What the hell? Alaric, pull that dagger out of him right now!" Buffy shouted, her voice thick with outrage as she witnessed her father yank the blade from Elijah's chest.

"Is this what you all planned? To kill Elijah?" She asked, her eyes darting between her father and Damon, but the silence that followed felt deafening.

"Get rid of him before Jenna comes back with dessert," Damon commanded, his tone utterly unaffected by the turmoil.

"Fine," Alaric muttered, moving quickly but casting a guilty glance at Buffy.

With her heart racing, Buffy marched up to Damon, fury bubbling over. "What is wrong with you, Damon? You think this is a game? You didn't have to kill him!" she yelled, her voice trembling with emotion.

Damon shrugged, unfazed. "Sometimes, you have to make tough choices, Buffy."

She narrowed her eyes at him, her chest tightening with frustration. "Tough choices? This isn't some strategy game for you to enjoy! This is everyone's life inside this house we're talking about! You think he's gonna keep his deal to Elena now? Well, idiot think again, because I sure as hell wouldn't." 

"Well then it's a good thing that he is dead."

"You really think this is over? You just made things worse, Damon! Now there's no way to protect Elena from Klaus." Buffy asked him, not knowing what else to say. 

Damon shrugged, still unfazed. "Maybe that's a risk we have to take."

"You're unbelievable!" Buffy exclaimed, her voice shaking with emotion. "You've put everyone in danger. Do you even care about the consequences?"

Damon met her glare, his expression hardening. "I do what I have to do to keep Elena and you safe. Sometimes sacrifices are necessary."

Buffy shook her head in disbelief, turning away from him, out of the dinning room and out of the house, as she struggled to process what had just happened. The weight of the evening pressed down on her, and she couldn't shake the feeling that everything was falling apart. But she also couldn't process that Elijah was just gone.

Buffy leaned against the wall, her heart racing as the reality of Elijah's absence hit her. How could he be gone just like that? She felt herself reaching for the bracelet that he had given her. 

Tears welled in her eyes as she replayed the chaos, the finality of his lifeless body hitting the floor. She barely knew him, yet his absence felt like a void. Guilt gnawed at her—what if she had noticed the danger sooner? She should've known that Damon had planned something.

Outside, the world moved on, oblivious to her pain. Sliding down the wall, she wrapped her arms around her knees, feeling lost and unsettled.

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I hope I didn't disappointed anyone with the new cover! I picked the one with the most votes! xx

Words: 4718

Posted: October 4, 2024

Thank you so much for reading again! Be sure to comment. I love reading them and it keeps me motivated! I love you guys!!

Mwah mwah

Katherine