act three, chapter ten: ordinary people

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"So, the Lockwoods really have no idea that these tunnels are underneath their property?" Elena questioned as she, her sister, Damon and Alaric were walking through the tunnels that Mason had informed Damon on yesterday.

Apparently he had called Damon late last night after he had been informed by his daughter that the youngest Mikaelson was living in Buffy's room. But Buffy had no idea how Mason even knew Damon's number; she thought the two of them hated each other, but apparently that had also changed when she went werewolf hunting with Stefan and Klaus.

Stefan still wasn't working with Lexi and Elena, and when Buffy went to visit him, still feeling bad for him because Klaus had caused this even though Stefan was being an ass right now. He had just called her pathetic for even caring, and Buffy had to walk away, reminding herself she was trying to help him, not to be his punching bag.

"Careful where you shine that thing, bats hate the light." Alaric warned the girls and almost immediately Buffy's head snapped towards him.

"You are kidding. Please, tell me you are kidding."

Alaric gave a small shrug, his tone dry. "Nope. Not kidding. Bats and tunnels, it's a whole thing."

Buffy groaned, rolling her eyes. "Great. So now we've got creepy, disease-ridden flying rats to deal with on top of everything else."

Damon smirked, clearly taking joy her discomfort. "What, are you scared of a little bat?"

Buffy shot him a glare. "Bats aren't the problem. It's the fact that I didn't sign up for a bat tour in the first place."

Elena, always trying to keep the peace, quickly stepped in and grabbed Buffy's hand. "Let's just focus on the task at hand. We can deal with bats later, right?"

"Elena." Damon secretly came up behind her and whispered in her ear."

"What?" The girl turned around and saw him.

"Boo!" He spoke, a smirk on his face when he saw the brunette jump up from fright, causing the blonde to react as well.

"Ah, God! Damon!" Elena gasped as Buffy punched the Salvatore against his arm with a roll of her eyes, before quickly walking away to catch up with Alaric.

"Just ignore him. That's what I do." Alaric advised the two girls again.

"So, you really can't get it?" Elena inquired, turning around to face the oldest Salvatore with a curious look on her face.

"No, it seems like even the ancient Lockwoods were anti-vampires." Damon scoffed, getting shortly reminded about the Lockwoods that were around the time he was still alive.

"They would probably be anti-Damon too." Buffy muttered under voice, however she was still heard by the vampire.

"That hurts, B. Right here." He pointed towards his heart, but the girl didn't look back as she high-fived her father with a small smile on her face, while he was showing off pride.

"What do you mean, ancient?" Elena asked, quickly repeating the word Damon had said before.

"See for yourself." The vampire gestured as they finally were by the opening of what seemed to be some sort of cave, drawings were all over the walls, water was reflecting over them and Buffy couldn't help but gasped at the figures at the wall as she shined her flashlight over them, walking closer to them to get a closer look.

"What is all this?" Elena inquired, but kept her distance from the walls.

"Well, as far as I can tell, it's a story. In simple, archaeological terms, it's a really, really old story." The history nerd in Alaric came up as he pointed at the wall, more specifically a certain one close to where Damon stood. "That right there, in the moon cycle." He pointed to another. "A man, a wolf."

"A werewolf." Elena repeated, staring at the drawings.

"Yeah, it's the Lockwood Diaries: Pictionary-Style." Damon commented.

"Ah, your level." Buffy joked, rolling her eyes at Damon's theatrics. She crossed her arms over her chest, leaning back slightly, clearly trying to hide the unease she felt as they stood in the middle of the cave.

"I don't understand." Elena said slowly, her brow furrowed in frustration as she shook her head. "I thought the Lockwoods came here with the Original Founders in the 1860s."

"I don't know. Maybe the Lockwoods did, but according to this wall, these werewolves have been here a lot longer than that." Alaric admitted, shrugging slightly. He gestured broadly to the drawings surrounding them, the water reflecting off the ancient images in a way that made them appear almost alive.

"But who is to say that the werewolves even draw these?" Buffy questioned. "I mean, these look really old." Her gaze passed by the images again, but her eyes stopped when they landed on what seemed to be names. Names that seemed a bit too familiar to her.

"How long?" Elena asked.

"Long. It gets better. Show them, Ric." Damon urged, clearly eager to let the two girls in front of him find out the truth.

"Names. They're not native. They're written in Runic, a Viking Script." Alaric informed them, stepping over to where Buffy stood, looking in the same direction as her.

"Vikings?" Elena raised her eyebrow in confusion.

"This name here, I translated it and it reads Niklaus." Alaric shined the light on the top name on the right.

"Klaus." Elena realised, slowly repeating the name.

"And Elijah." Alaric named the second Original.

"Rebekah." Buffy continued for her dad, saying the name that had caught her attention to this spot on the wall. "And Kol and Finn." She continued, reading two other names, two of the Originals she had yet to meet. The name lowest on the wall, she couldn't translate. Buffy was pretty sure it started with an H, but she couldn't remember an Original vampire with that name. She also didn't recognize the two names above Finn and Elijah's. Maybe their parents?

"Really getting a hang on your girlfriend's family, huh, Buf?" Damon taunted the girl, who just rolled her eyes at him once more today.

"I spent three months with Klaus. He told me a thing or two." Buffy shrugged, walking away from the names. "Nothing life changing."

"The names of the Original family. Carved into a cave that's been here since way before the founding of Mystic Falls. Or even the entire New World, for the matter." Alaric spoke to the others.

"Okay, this has gotta be one of Klaus' fakes." Elena spoke, thinking that this was just another trick that the Original Hybrid was trying to spin on them.

"That's what I said." Damon agreed.

"That could be true, except one last name up here made us think otherwise." Alaric tipped his finger against the name above Finn's.

"What's the name?" Elena asked, her curiosity piqued.

"Mikael." Alaric revealed, his voice quiet as if saying the name aloud made the truth sink in.

"Mikael as in the vampire hunter who knows how to kill Klaus?" Elena asked, her eyes wide with realization.

"Yep, I now like to call him Papa Original." Damon said, his smirk slipping slightly.

"I'm sorry." Buffy let out a chuckle. "But who in hell is Mikael?"

"We'll explain later, Buffy." Damon spoke, already turning around and away from the cave.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･

"Hi." Buffy smiled up at the blonde original, who just stood up from doing a split to impress the cheerleading squad.

"Hey." Rebekah said, standing up straight with a grin, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face. "I was wondering why you weren't at practice. You're usually all about it."

Buffy chuckled lightly, her eyes softening as she looked at Rebekah. "Yeah, well, between being caught up with caves and bats and not getting nearly enough sleep, I kinda had to skip, but I'm coming to tomorrow's."

Rebekah's smile widened, her eyes warm as she took in Buffy's words. "Alright." She said with a small nod, her gaze lingering a little longer than necessary. "I'll hold you to that."

Buffy felt a light blush creep up her cheeks, but she quickly masked it with a playful wink. "You better." She teased, though she couldn't help but notice the way Rebekah's eyes flickered over her before Rebekah's gaze fell on Elena. "You! Goody."

"I was hoping we could talk." Elena stated, directly starting the conversation for which they had come here, unlike Buffy, who had a soft blush on cheeks as she saw Rebekah checking her out. Buffy, meanwhile, shifted a little beside Rebekah, still feeling a flutter from the earlier exchange.

"About what? Stefan? Don't worry, I'm off him, I found someone better anyways." Rebekah spoke with a teasing look at Buffy and it wouldn't take a genius to figure out that her words were pointed at Buffy.

"Actually, I'd rather talk about this." Elena spoke, taking one of the photos that Alaric had taken this morning in the creepy, dark cave, and handing it over to Rebekah. "I'm curious why you and Klaus have spent a thousand years running from your father."

"I should get back to the girls. Homecoming's right around the corner." Rebekah spoke and Buffy hadn't missed the way the girl uncomfortably shifted when her eyes landed on the picture in Elena's hand; the one with her name on.

"Well then, maybe I'll ask Mikael when we wake him." Elena's words came out quickly, and the Original stopped her steps, turning back around to the Gilbert girl and her mate, who still had no idea who he was since they still hadn't told her.

"You're bluffing! You don't know where he is. No one does." The nervousness and anxiety in Rebekah's voice made the Sommers-Saltzman girl worry. If he could make an Original, one of his own children, this scared by just his name, would it really be a good idea to wake him?

"So, then who's rotting in that old cemetery in Charlotte?"

"If you wake up Mikael, we are all doomed!" Rebekah warned the girl, stepping closer, but Elena didn't come here just to back off now.

"So then, tell me." Elena pressed on, her voice firm but laced with curiosity.

Rebekah raised an eyebrow, her expression still guarded. "Why do you want to know?"

Elena didn't hesitate. "Why don't you want me to wake him?"

Rebekah's gaze shifted, a flicker of something unreadable crossing her face. She took a moment before replying, her voice quieter now. "I need to get back to the girls."

Before anyone could say anything further, Rebekah turned sharply, her back to them, and took a few steps toward the door. As she moved, her face seemed to lose the confident edge it had been holding onto, the edges of her features tightening, and she seemed... shaken.

Buffy, who had been standing quietly by, exchanged a glance with Elena, both sensing the sudden shift in Rebekah's demeanor.

"Rebekah." Buffy called, her voice softer now, laced with a sense of concern she hadn't quite expected to feel.

Rebekah paused but didn't turn around. She seemed to gather herself, breathing in deeply before continuing on her path. "I'll talk to you later, Buffy." Rebekah muttered over her shoulder before disappearing back into the group of cheerleaders.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･

Rebekah had called over Buffy to the Salvatore Boarding house before she had even thought about texting Elena to come over as well, which she did only a few seconds before Buffy arrived at the house, giving Rebekah the chance to have some more time alone with her mate.

Buffy didn't even bother to knock on the door or ring the bell, because she knew that Rebekah was gonna be the only person inside anyway since the Salvatore brothers were currently in a bar. Damon was trying to get Stefan to turn his humanity back on, but those were just his words, Buffy also knew that they two were probably getting drunk.

However Buffy did wonder how Rebekah even thought about coming here.

When she walked into the living room, six mannequins were placed around the small coffee table, all with different dresses on. "What do you think?" Rebekah asked, coming out of the kitchen with a bottle of red wine. Buffy's favourite.

"About?" Buffy frowned, but didn't refuse when Rebekah handed her a glass of wine.

"The dresses. For homecoming. I'm between the red one," Rebekah pointed at the mannequin closest by, before going over to the one by the fire. "or this green one."

"Um, definitely the red one." Buffy decided after taking a minute to look at both dresses carefully, and Rebekah had let her. "I think it's a good dress to bring out the colour of your eyes." Buffy told her, gazing into Rebekah's eyes.

"What colour is your dress?" Rebekah asked, not looking away from Buffy.

"That's a surprise." Buffy smiled.

Rebekah raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued by Buffy's playful response. "A surprise, huh?" She took a small sip of her wine, clearly enjoying the teasing moment between them. "I like surprises, especially when they involve you."

Buffy felt her cheeks warm slightly at the compliment, but she wasn't about to let it throw her off. "Yep. I can't spoil it just yet. But, trust me, it'll be worth the wait."

Rebekah smirked, clearly not convinced by Buffy's attempt to keep the mystery alive. "You're making me impatient."

Buffy chuckled. "Good. It'll make the big reveal even more fun."

Rebekah's eyes softened for a moment, and she set her glass down on the coffee table, taking a step closer to Buffy. "You know." She said, her tone shifting to something a little more sincere. "I'm glad you're here."

Buffy looked up at her, the original was just a bit taller than her, even more now that she was wearing heels.  "You are?"

"Yeah." Rebekah nodded, her gaze steady. "Because I have a question."

"Shoot." Buffy replied, her curious peeking as she watched Rebekah pick up something from besides the couch before holding the object up in front of her mate. "A red rose?" The girl smiled as she accepted the flower with open hands.

"I was wondering if you want to go to homecoming with me?" Rebekah asked, hoping that no one else had already asked her, otherwise she would just have to make sure they mysteriously cancel.

"Rebekah, you—" Buffy started, her words caught between the surprise and something else that made her voice soften.

Rebekah's smile grew, noticing the hesitation but not reading too much into it just yet. "I know it's a little forward, but... I really like you, Buffy. And I think it'd be fun. A chance to just... enjoy a night, you know? No fighting, no supernatural drama. Just us."

Buffy couldn't help but smile, feeling her cheeks flush slightly at the sincerity in Rebekah's voice. She reached out and gently took the rose, running her fingers along the soft petals. "You really know how to ask a girl out." She teased, trying to hide the hint of nervousness creeping into her tone.

Rebekah chuckled, clearly relieved. "I'm glad you think so." She stepped a little closer to the girl, her eyes never leaving Buffy's. "So, what do you say?"

Buffy held the rose for a moment longer, her thoughts swirling. Finally, she looked up at Rebekah, her smile widening. "Yeah. I'd love to go with you."

Rebekah's eyes were sparkling when she heard Buffy's final answer. "I promise, you won't regret it."

Buffy chuckled softly, already anticipating how much fun the night could be. "I'm counting on it."

The door opened and Buffy's head snapped towards it to see her sister walking in. Rebekah's soft demeanor shifted to a more guarded one as she glanced over at Elena, who stepped into the room with a raised eyebrow as she saw how close her sister and the Original were standing towards each other. Elena also didn't miss the rose in Buffy's hands.

"You do not threaten me. You'll learn what I allow you to learn. Is that clear?" Rebekah asked, a bit annoyed with the Gilbert girl interrupting the moment between her and her mate.

Elena quickly nodded, not wanting to piss off Rebekah now that she was finally going to tell them about Mikael.

Rebekah walked past Elena, up the stairs. Both Elena and Buffy quickly followed after the girl, curious on where she was going and before they knew it, Rebekah had opened the door to Stefan's bedroom. "How fun is this?" Rebekah asked amused as she pulled open one of the drawers in his room.

"We shouldn't be here." Elena spoke, not passing the doorway, but Buffy also slipped inside the room, taking place on the chair by Stefan's desk, but unlike Rebekah, didn't start snooping.

"Of course we should! Come on, like you've never wanted to snoop." Rebekah spoke, holding up Stefan's underwear. "Boxer briefs. A lot has changed since the twenties."

"Are you gonna root through his stuff all night or are you gonna start to tell me your story?" The doppelgänger asked as she annoyedly watched Rebekah put Stefan's piece of clothing back inside and close the closet.

"You really are no fun." Rebekah muttered. "What do you want to know?"

Elena walked into the room, glancing around before focusing on Rebekah, who was still going through Stefan's stuff.

"Well, Elijah said that your father was a landowner in Europe. How did you guys end up here?" She asked, crossing her arms.

Rebekah barely looked up as she replied. "My parents had just started a family when a plague struck their homeland. They lost a child to it. They wanted to escape and protect their future family from the same fate."

Elena frowned. "But how did you end up here? This part of the world hadn't even been discovered yet."

That made Rebekah laugh. "Not by anyone in your history books. But my mother knew the witch Ayana, who heard from the spirits of a mystical land where everyone was healthy, blessed by the gifts of speed and strength. That led my family here, where we lived amongst those people."

Elena's expression shifted as she pieced it together. "The werewolves?"

"To us, they were just our neighbors." Rebekah said with a small shrug. "My family lived in peace with them for over twenty years, during which time my parents had more children, including me."

"You make it sound so... normal."

"It was." Rebekah said, her voice softer now, almost distant as she remembered the time so clear in her head. Once a month our family retreated into the caves beneath our village. The wolves would howl through the night and by morning we'd return home. One full moon, Klaus and my youngest brother Henrik snuck out to watch the men turn into beasts. That was forbidden. Henrik paid the price. And that was the beginning of the end of peace with our neighbors. And one of the last moments my family had together as humans."

Before Elena could respond, her phone vibrated in her pocket, breaking the heavy silence. She pulled it out, glancing at the screen.

Rebekah smirked. "You better get that. That'll be Damon checking up on you."

When Elena walked out of the room to pick up Damon's call, Buffy grabbed a hold of Rebekah's hand. "I'm sorry about your brother."

Rebekah looked down at their intertwined hands, her usual sharp demeanor softening.

She let out a small breath, her fingers gently squeezing Buffy's. "It was a long time ago." She murmured, but there was no denying the sadness lingering in her eyes.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･

Rebekah lay on the bed, flipping through one of Stefan's diaries, when Elena walked in, arms crossed.

"Had enough snooping yet?" Elena asked, raising an eyebrow. "Can we get on with the story?"

Rebekah sighed, standing up and picking up a photo of Stefan and Elena from a nearby table. She studied it for a moment before looking at Elena. "Honestly, I don't get you two as a couple."

Elena scoffed. "Why would you? You don't know who he really is."

Rebekah smirked, stepping closer. "Oh, I know exactly who he is. He's a vampire. We're a predatory species. We don't have time to care about humans and their silly little lives."

Elena tilted her head. "Is that why you have been so protective over my sister?" Her voice was sharp, challenging. Buffy looked over at Elena with a confused look in her, curious about what was gonna come out of her mouth next.

Rebekah's smirk didn't waver, but there was something in her eyes—just for a split second—that gave her away. "And what exactly do you mean by that?" She asked, her tone light but defensive.

Elena crossed her arms. "Oh, come on. You act like humans are nothing, like we're weak and disposable, but then there's Buffy. You care for her. So which is it? Do humans matter, or is she just another 'silly little life'?"

The Original didn't answer, but the look she gave Buffy did reassure the girl that she was meant more to Rebekah than just some silly little life.  "The necklace wasn't Stefan's to give, you know? It belonged to the Original Witch."

That made Elena pause. "The one who put the hybrid curse on Klaus?"

"Not just the hybrid curse," Rebekah said, her voice laced with something unreadable. "She's the one who turned us into vampires." Rebekah sighed. "I'm thirsty. Do you want a drink?" Without waiting for an answer, she headed downstairs toward the library, Elena and Buffy trailing behind.

"Sorry for pulling you into the conversation like that." Elena apologized.

"Don't worry about it." Buffy said, shrugging.

Elena gave her a small smile. "I just think it's interesting. She acts like she doesn't care, but she does. Especially about you."

Buffy didn't respond, her eyes drifting to Rebekah, who was already pouring herself a drink.

"So, vampirism was a form of protection?" Elena asked, continuing the conversation.

Rebekah shrugged. "What else would it be?"

"A curse?" Elena wondered.

Rebekah rolled her eyes. "My parents only saw a way to keep their children alive."

"Then why stay if they were so afraid of the werewolves?" Elena pressed. "Why not... leave?"

"Pride." Rebekah answered simply. "My father didn't want to run anymore. He wanted to fight. To be superior to the wolves. Where they could bite, we had to bite harder. Where they had speed, we had to be faster. Agility, strength, senses..."

Elena frowned. "And your mother? How could she do anything?"

Rebekah stopped searching the shelves and turned to face Elena. "Because my mother was also a witch."

Elena's eyes widened. "What?"

"The witch of the Original Family," Rebekah clarified. "The Original Witch."

They entered the library, and Rebekah kept searching through shelves. "Where do they keep their best vintage?" She muttered and Buffy pointed over to the corner of the room. "Thanks."

Elena ignored that. "If your mother was a witch, then...?"

Rebekah smirked. "Am I?" She shook her head. "No. A witch is nature's servant. A vampire is an abomination of nature. You can't be both. My mother did this for us. She didn't turn."

Elena was still trying to wrap her head around it. "So how did you turn?"

Rebekah pulled a bottle from the shelf, broke its neck off with one hand, and tossed the top into the fireplace. "She called upon the sun for life, and the ancient white oak tree for immortality. That night, my father gave us wine laced with blood. And then he drove his sword through our hearts."

Buffy's breath caught. "He killed you?"

"And he wasn't delicate about it either." Rebekah softly spoke and Elena immediately noticed the change of tone when the Original was talking to her and when she was talking to Buffy.

Elena listened, taking it all in. But she had one more question. "Why did Mikael start hunting Klaus?"

Rebekah's expression darkened. "When Nik made his first human kill, it triggered his werewolf gene. With that, he became my father's greatest shame."

Elena nodded. "Elijah told me this part. Your mother had an affair with a werewolf. Klaus wasn't Mikael's son."

Rebekah exhaled slowly. "She tried to make it right. She put the hybrid curse on Nik to suppress his werewolf side... and then she turned her back on him. But Mikael's greatest weakness as a human was his pride. As a vampire, it was magnified. He went on a rampage, killed half the village. Then he came home... and killed her."

Elena's voice dropped to a whisper. "Mikael killed your mother?"

"He said she broke his heart." Rebekah said, looking away. "So he would break hers. He tore it from her chest as Nik watched."

Elena didn't let up. "Always and forever... even though he locked you in a coffin for ninety years?"

Rebekah looked down. "We're vampires. Our emotions are heightened. I'm stubborn. Elijah's moral. And Nik... Nik has no tolerance for disappointment. Over a thousand years, we've all made that mistake. I've made it several times."

"But you still love him?" Elena questioned.

"He's my brother." Rebekah said simply. "And I'm immortal. Should I spend eternity alone instead?"

Elena didn't answer.

Rebekah sighed. "You've heard the story. It's time to go."

But Elena stayed. "I'm looking for one good reason why we shouldn't wake Mikael."

"I've heard a few good ones." Buffy finally spoke again, giving Elena a weird look while Rebekah's patience snapped. "I've given you a thousand! But you will anyway. I know you want him to help you kill my brother. I'm not stupid."

Elena didn't deny it. "Klaus has a hold over Stefan's life. Over mine."

"Do what you need." Rebekah said, her voice cold. "Wake Mikael at your own peril. But if you come after my brother, I will rip you apart. And I get my temper from my father. Now leave."

Elena started walking towards the door, half expecting Buffy to follow her, but her sister didn't.

Buffy stayed put, arms crossed, watching Rebekah carefully.

Elena paused at the door, glancing back. "Buffy?"

Buffy shook her head. "You go ahead. I'll catch up."

Elena hesitated, but eventually, she left, the door clicking shut behind her.

Rebekah exhaled sharply, running a hand through her hair. "You should go too."

Buffy didn't move. "Do you really think waking Mikael is that dangerous?"

Rebekah let out a dry laugh. "Mikael isn't just dangerous. He's a monster. He's the only thing Klaus is truly afraid of, and trust me, if you knew him, you'd understand why."

Buffy studied her for a moment before sighing. "Family's complicated."

Rebekah scoffed. "Understatement of the century."

Buffy shifted on her feet. "I meant what I said earlier, though. About hearing a few good reasons not to wake Mikael."

*:･ﾟ✧*:･

Rebekah stood by the fireplace, pouring herself a glass of scotch when Elena walked in, holding a handful of photos. A frown overtook her face when she saw that Buffy was still here even though it had been hours since Elena left the Salvatore Boarding House.

"I thought I told you to leave. Twice." Rebekah said, not even bothering to look up.

Elena ignored the comment and stepped closer. "How do you know that Mikael killed your mother?"

Rebekah finally turned to face her, frowning. "Nik was there. He told me."

"He lied to you." Elena said simply and Buffy stood up from the couch when she saw that her sister was certain of her piece.

Rebekah scoffed. "And how do you know that?"

Elena held up the photos for the two blondes. "The cave where you carved your family's names is covered in symbols." She explained, laying the pictures out on the coffee table. "The story of your family: how your parents arrived, how they made peace, the spell that turned them into vampires, and this." She pointed at one of the images. "This is the symbol for hybrid. It's a combination of the werewolf and the vampire symbol. And this—" her finger moved to another marking, one Buffy was all too familiar with "—this is the one for your mother."

Rebekah's breath hitched. "Her necklace." she whispered.

Elena nodded. "And this is the story of her death. The hybrid killed the Original Witch. Not Mikael. Klaus."

Rebekah took a step back, shaking her head. "No! No, he wouldn't."

Elena's voice was steady, unwavering. "She put the curse on him, made it so that he would be the only one of his kind, and then she rejected him. With the werewolf gene comes aggression and violence... when he turned, all of that was heightened. He killed her, Rebekah. And then he made up this entire lie about your father so that he wouldn't lose you."

Rebekah's eyes flickered to the photos again, her hands clenching into fists. "These mean nothing!" She snapped. "They're just stupid drawings, done by stupid people who had no idea who my family was!"

Before Elena could respond or take the photos back, Rebekah grabbed the photos, tore them to pieces, and threw them into the flames. The fire crackled, consuming the evidence in seconds.

Elena watched, unfazed. "Then why are you so upset?"

Rebekah's breathing was ragged. "Why are you doing this to me?" Her voice broke, raw with emotion. "I've done nothing to you!"

"Klaus killed your mother." Elena said firmly. "He has a hold on you, on me, on everyone. He has for a thousand years. We have to make it stop."

Fury flashed across Rebekah's face as she vamped out and lunged, her hand wrapping tightly around Elena's throat.

"Shut up!" She screamed. "Shut up! Don't talk anymore! Nothing!"

For a moment, she looked like she might snap Elena's neck right then, but Buffy had reached out, her hand on Rebekah's arm, pulling the Original back to reality. Her grip loosened on Elena, her face softened, and suddenly, she was gasping. Letting go of Elena entirely, she stumbled back, her legs giving out beneath her.

Rebekah collapsed onto her knees, her shoulders shaking as a sob ripped through her. She buried her face in her hands, breaking apart right in front of Elena, who could only stand there, watching, sadness and guilt flickering in her eyes.

Buffy, however, didn't hesitate. She crouched down beside Rebekah, her expression softer than it had been all night. Without a word, she reached out, placing a gentle hand on Rebekah's shoulder. The Original flinched at the touch but didn't pull away, instead she just leaned in closer to Buffy.

Buffy let her. She didn't say anything, didn't push, didn't try to force Rebekah to talk. She just stayed there, her arm wrapping around the Original's shoulders, holding her steady.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ

Guys, which one of the Mikaelsons do you most likely see with a sports car? Just thinking ahead for a certain scene *wink wink*...

And honestly I just wanna start writing book two because I've been rewatching the originals lately and I already have so many ideas.

Be sure to comment and vote if you want. I love reading them and your support keeps me so motivated!

Katherine xoxo

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WORDS: 5031

POSTED: FRIDAY 21/02/2025

WRITTEN: FRIDAY 21/02/2025