(act two, chapter twenty: the last day)

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"Tonight is the full moon. We should assume that Klaus is prepared to break the curse." Elijah informed the nervous couple in front of him.

Stefan, recalling what Elena had told him, looked up at Elijah. "Elena said that the Sun and the Moon Curse is fake? That it's actually just a curse placed on Klaus."

"Klaus is a vampire born of a werewolf bloodline. The curse has kept his werewolf aspect from manifesting. But if he breaks it, he'll be a true hybrid." Elijah explained.

As the discussion continued, Damon entered the room. "Then why are we letting him break the curse?" He asked. "We can kill him today. With Bonnie."

Stefan immediately objected, but Elena interjected. "No. Bonnie can't use that much power without dying."

Damon dismissed her concern. "I'll write her a great eulogy."

"It's not an option, Damon." Elena said firmly.

"All right, how do we break this curse?" Stefan asked, breaking up the glaring between Elena and Damon.

"Well, the ritual itself is relatively straightforward. The ingredients, so to speak, you already know." Elijah explained again.

"The moonstone." Stefan replied.

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

"And where do I fit into it?" Elena asked, her voice steady but nervous.

Elijah explained solemnly. "The final part of the ritual requires Klaus to drink the blood of the doppelgänger until the point of your death." He opened a wooden box and revealed a jar containing an elixir. "This is an elixir I acquired some 500 years ago for Katerina." He explained. "It possesses mystical properties of resuscitation." Damon shot Elena a hidden concerned look as Stefan instinctively took her hand.

Elena looked at the elixir and then back at Elijah. "So, I'll be dead?" she asked.

"And then you won't." Elijah replied.

Damon wasn't convinced. "That's your plan? A magical witch potion with no expiration date?" He said incredulously, turning to Elena. "You want to come back to life? What about John's ring?"

"Those rings only work on humans. The doppelgänger's a supernatural occurrence. Odds are, the ring won't work." Elijah spoke.

"I'll take those odds over your elixir. What if it doesn't work, Elena?" The oldest Salvatore turned to the Gilbert girl.

"Then I guess I'll just be dead," Elena responded with unsettling calmness. Damon looked at Stefan, who had no better answer. Frustrated, Damon glared at Elijah and stormed out.

"Do we know if Klaus has everything he needs to do this? Does he have a werewolf?" Elena asked as soon as Damon was out of sight.

"Klaus has been waiting to break this curse for over a thousand years. If he doesn't already have a werewolf, my guess is by tonight, he will."

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"You'd think he'd understand why I'm willing to do this." Elena said, talking about Damon when the two Salvatores where outside, her voice tinged with frustration as her fingers grazed the bottle of elixir resting on the table. She lifted it upright, studying it.

Elijah regarded her thoughtfully. "Why are you?" He asked.

Elena sighed, her resolve clear. "I'm the key to breaking the curse. Klaus is here because of me. If I don't stop him, then he's going to hurt people. It's that simple."

Elijah watched her for a moment before speaking. "You know," He said carefully, "there's a possibility this elixir won't work. I don't want to mislead you."

Elena met his gaze, unwavering. "I know the chance I'm taking" she replied, her voice steady despite the weight of her words.

Hearing raised voices near the front door, Elena and Elijah exchanged a glance before hurrying out to investigate. Jenna stood there, crossbow in hand, aimed directly at Alaric.

"Get out!" Jenna shouted, her voice trembling with anger and fear.

"Jenna, Jenna!" Alaric pleaded, holding his hands up in surrender. "It's me."

"Stay away from me!" She yelled, her grip tightening on the weapon.

Moments later, Elena, Stefan, Damon, and Elijah appeared in the doorway, drawn by the commotion.

"What's going on?" Elena demanded, looking between the two.

Alaric turned to her, desperation etched across his face. "It's me, Elena, I swear. He let me go. Klaus let me go."

Damon stepped forward, skepticism in his voice. "Prove it."

Alaric hesitated, glancing at Jenna. "Okay, uh, first night you and I spent together, Jeremy walked in right when I was about to..." He trailed off, watching for recognition in Jenna's eyes.

Jenna's tense posture eased, and she slowly lowered the crossbow. "Okay, it's him. Is she okay? Buffy? Is she okay? Did she look fine? Did it look like—" Jenna's voice cracked with worry as she looked at Alaric, her anxiety rising.

Alaric glanced at her, his face tight with frustration. "I... I don't know. I couldn't see much before Klaus send me away. Katherine was there, but Buffy was looking extremely annoyed with Klaus." He paused. "She didn't look hurt, but she just looked annoyed. Like in a state of I'm-about-to-murder-someone-annoyed"

Stefan, still wary, asked the question on everyone's mind. "Why did he let you go?"

Alaric's expression darkened. "He wanted me to deliver a message." He said grimly. "The sacrifice happens tonight."

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Alaric, Jenna, Elena, Stefan, and Elijah moved to the living room as Stefan looked at Alaric, who was sitting on the sofa with the others opposite of them. Stefan's expression was serious. "So you don't remember anything that happened?"

Alaric shook his head. "No. It's like I blacked out and woke up three days later. Buffy and Katherine were there."

Stefan's frown deepened. "Katherine's under compulsion. Damon snuck her some vervain, but she can't leave until Klaus tells her she can."

Elena, her concern growing, turned toward them. "Where is Damon?"

Jenna glanced toward the stairs. "I saw him go upstairs."

Elena stood up abruptly, a sense of urgency in her movements. "I need to talk to him." Without waiting for a response, she quickly left the room, heading upstairs to find Damon.

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"If I found a pencil right now, I would stab myself with it." Buffy declared to Katherine as the blonde was lazily laid down the ground, legs leaning against Alaric's couch.

"How poetic." Katherine drawled, inspecting her nails as if nothing in the world could bother her. "Although I'd recommend a stake. More dramatic, don't you think?"

"Interesting. I miss fresh air." Buffy muttered, ignoring Katherine's sarcasm as she stared at the ceiling. "And sunlight. And literally anything other than Klaus's smug face or this stupid room."

Buffy hated being in the same room for more than two days. The only company she had was Katherine right now and when she saw Klaus, and neither were on the top of her favourite people list.

Katherine smirked, flipping her hair over her shoulder. "Oh, sweetie, you'll get used to it. Klaus loves keeping people cooped up. It's probably his version of foreplay."

Buffy grimaced. "That's disgusting. Can we not compare this to that?"

Katherine chuckled. "What? It's not my fault you're stuck here as his plaything. At least it will all be over for me soon."

Buffy arched an eyebrow at Katherine. "What do you mean by 'over'?"

Katherine shrugged, feigning indifference. "Once he's done with someone he tends to cut his losses."

Buffy frowned, sitting up straighter. "Cut his losses how? You're not exactly his favorite person, but you're alive."

"For now." Katherine said nonchalantly, her tone almost playful. "But I've been around long enough to know how this works. Klaus doesn't leave loose ends, and right now, I'm a very frayed one."

Buffy narrowed her eyes. "So, what? You're saying Klaus is just keeping you around until he decides to kill you? You don't seem too worried about it."

Katherine smirked, crossing her legs at the ankle as she leaned back against the couch. "Oh, sweetie, I don't do worry. I do strategy. There's always a way out—you just have to find it before he does."

Buffy scoffed, though there was a flicker of unease in her voice. "And yet you're still here, lounging around like you're on vacation. Some strategy."

Katherine gave a dramatic sigh. "You really don't understand Klaus, do you? It's not about being faster or stronger—it's about making him think he still needs you. As long as he believes I have something he wants, I'm safe."

"What does he need you for? I mean, isn't he just keeping you here as revenge for you running away when his little stupid sacrifice was going to happen?" Buffy questioned.

"Yes."

"Safe." Buffy repeated, rolling her eyes. "You mean trapped in here with me, praying he doesn't snap your neck one day?"

Katherine tilted her head, a sly grin forming on her lips. "You're not entirely unbearable company, you know. If I had to be stuck with someone, at least you're amusing."

Buffy blinked, caught off guard by the almost-compliment. "Was that... nice? Did Katherine Pierce just say something nice to me?"

"Don't get used to it." Katherine retorted, the grin never faltering.

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Damon sat at the bar, nursing his drink as Alaric joined him, sliding onto the stool beside him.

"I'll have the same," Alaric said to the bartender, before turning to Damon with a knowing look.

"I screwed up." Damon admitted, his voice carrying a mix of regret and defiance.

"Yeah." Alaric replied, not missing a beat. "Yeah, you did."

Damon exhaled heavily. "Yeah."

Before either could say more, Klaus appeared beside them, his presence as commanding as ever. "Gentlemen," he greeted with a sly smile. "Why so glum?"

Both Alaric and Damon turned to face him, their expressions grim. Damon leaned back, his eyes narrowing. "Ugh. Klaus, I presume."

"In the flesh," Klaus confirmed, his smile widening as he turned his attention to his soulmate's father. "Thanks for the loaner, mate."

Damon stood, his frustration bubbling to the surface. "Any reason you stopped by to say hi?"

Klaus raised an eyebrow, his tone laced with mock amusement. "I'm told you and your brother fancy my doppelgänger. Just thought I'd remind you not to do anything you'll regret."

Damon broke into a wry smile at the irony of Klaus's comment. "Ha. Thanks for the advice. I don't suppose I could talk you into a postponement, by any chance, huh?"

Klaus's amusement deepened as he glanced at Alaric. "He is kidding, right?"

Alaric shook his head. "No, not really."

Damon pressed on, undeterred. "I mean, come on. What's one month in the grand scheme of things?"

Klaus's tone turned cold as he straightened. "Let me be clear. I have my vampire. I have my werewolf. I have everything I need. The ritual will happen tonight. So if you want to live to see tomorrow, don't screw it up."

With that, Klaus turned but Alaric's voice stopped his movements. "If you touch mu daughter, I'll kill you myself."

"Oh, do not worry, Alaric, Buffy is perfectly safe... for now." Klaus said with a cold smile, his voice dripping with menace as he turned back to face Alaric. "But remember, she's still under my watch. I wouldn't try anything too rash if I were you."

Alaric's eyes narrowed, his jaw tightening with barely contained fury. "You touch her, and it won't be just your ritual that's in jeopardy. I'll make sure you regret it."

Klaus chuckled, an unsettling sound that filled the space between them. "You're brave, Alaric, but you're not as clever as you think. Keep in mind, I've been around for centuries. You really think you can stop me?" Klaus asked and with that he turned to the exit, leaving the grill and a worried father and best friend behind.

Damon watched him go before muttering, "That was fun."

Alaric shot him a wary look. "You're going to screw it up, aren't you?"

Damon smirked faintly, the wheels already turning in his mind. "You think if I took his werewolf out of the equation, she might...get over the fact that I tried to turn her into a vampire?"

Alaric groaned, shaking his head. "I think it won't matter, because you'll be dead."

Damon shrugged, unfazed. "But without the werewolf, he can't perform the ritual tonight, which means I would have bought her one month before the next full moon."

"And you'll still be dead," Alaric countered, exasperation clear in his tone.

Damon turned to him, his eyes glinting with determination. "Are you gonna help me or what?"

Alaric sighed. "My daughter is with Klaus, if he returns back, and Katherine, in my apartment. All alone with them. You're crazy if you think I'm just gonna wait around here until one of them does something to her. I'm guessing Jenna will want to come as well." He spoke as he took out his phone to call her while Damon leaned over the bar to get the attention of the waitress.

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Katherine was rummaging through the empty fridge, searching for a blood bag, when she heard the key turn in the lock. She quickly got up and walked over to the door, finding Alaric and Jenna standing outside, not entering.

"Look who's dumb enough to come back." Katherine said, raising an eyebrow at the man as she shortly glanced back at the sleeping girl on the bed.

Alaric replied, "Well, somebody had to invite him in. Damon. Would you like to, uh, come in?"

Damon stepped in, and Katherine rushed over to him. "Are you trying to get me killed?" She snapped.

Damon shoved her against the wall. "I gave you vervain, now I'm here to collect," he said, his tone cold. "I got it from here, Rick."

Alaric hesitated, looking between them. "You sure?"

"Uh-nun, we're not leaving until I see that my daughter is fine." Jenna spoke, also entering the apartment and it didn't take long for Alaric to follow her. They found their daughter asleep on the bed. "Buffy." Jenna spoke softly as she shook the blonde awake. "Sweetheart, wake up." 

Buffy groaned as she turned around and kept sleeping. 

"Buffy." Alaric spoke as he walked over to the other side but Buffy just turned around again as soon as his hand touched her arm to wake her up. She was lying face down on the pillow not planning to stand up any time soon.

"Here." Damon spoke, taking something out of his pocket and throwing it over at Alaric. "That will do the job." He continued before turning back to Katherine.

"Buffy, I've got some chocolate." Alaric whispered to her and Buffy's head turned to him, one eye slightly opening. 

Buffy groaned softly, her voice muffled against the pillow. "Chocolate?" She muttered, her tone laced with half-asleep curiosity.

Alaric smirked, holding up the small bar of chocolate Damon had tossed him. "Yup, the good kind. But you have to get up to have it."

She squinted at him, debating whether the effort was worth it. "You wouldn't dare tease me about chocolate, would you?"

Damon chuckled from across the room. "Oh, he definitely would. But this time, he's serious. You know, classic parent move—bribery always works."

Katherine rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress a smirk. "It's pathetic how well it works on her."

Buffy let out a dramatic sigh before slowly rolling onto her side, her hair a wild mess as she stared up at Alaric. "Fine. Gimme." Alaric handed it to her. "Thanks."

Buffy snatched the chocolate from Alaric's hand, her fingers barely gripping it before she flopped back onto the bed with a satisfied grin.

"See?" Damon smirked, glancing at Katherine. "Told you it'd work. Chocolate beats stubbornness every time."

Katherine crossed her arms. "She's a teenager, Damon. Bribing her with chocolate isn't exactly groundbreaking psychology."

Buffy, already unwrapping the chocolate, waved them off lazily. "You're both overthinking this. Chocolate is life. End of story."

"Are you doing okay, honey?" Jenna asked softly, brushing some messy strands of hair out of Buffy's face.

"I am. Don't worry." Buffy smiled up at her mom. Jenna studied her daughter for a moment, her expression a mix of concern and affection. "I'm fine, really. Just tired." She held up the chocolate as if it were proof of her recovery.

"We're gonna ask Bonnie if she can get you out of here without letting Klaus know that she's alive." Alaric announced and Buffy immediately shook her head. 

"Don't." She shook her head again. "Don't bring her in trouble for me. This is not so bad that you have to risk Bonnie's life for it." Buffy spoke, she wasn't about to risk her best friend's live just because she was stuck here. And she really needed the others to find a way to save Elena. She couldn't lose her sister to Klaus.

Her voice softened, but the urgency remained. "Now get back home. And keep Elena safe, okay?" She paused, her gaze locking with theirs. "Promise me."

Damon frowned, his jaw tightening in frustration. "Buffy, we're not just going to—"

"I'm serious." Buffy interrupted, her tone sharp and unwavering. "I can handle this. But Elena, she needs you. I need you to make sure Klaus doesn't get to her. She's my sister. Now go." 

Alaric nodded, then left apartment with Jenna, but Damon stayed in front of Katherine. Damon leaned in closer, his voice low. "I need to know where Klaus is keeping his werewolf."

Katherine raised an eyebrow. "Why? What are you going to do?"

"Dead werewolf equals no ritual," Damon explained.

Katherine scoffed. "No. You can't interfere, Damon. Klaus will kill you—and everyone you've ever met."

"I hope not." Buffy muttered out.

"I just need to delay this thing." Damon said, his determination clear.

Katherine shook her head. "No. No way."

Damon smirked. "You should like this. It's going to buy another month of your pathetic life."

Katherine met his gaze, unamused. "Right. Except that I'm not the vampire he's planning on sacrificing."

Damon froze, processing her words. "What?"

Katherine smirked. "Yeah. He's got Caroline Forbes and Tyler Lockwood. Therefore, I'm in the clear."

"WHAT?" Buffy screamed out when she heard her best friend's name and her friend's. She jumped out of bed and walked over to the bed. "He's what?" 

Katherine's smirk unwavering as she leaned casually against the wall. "Relax, Buffy. It's not like I put them in this situation. Klaus did."

Damon raised an eyebrow. "And where'd he get that idea from?" He moved closer, and Katherine raised her hands in innocence. "Hey! Hey, hey, hey, I'm just trying to stay alive long enough to get myself out of here."

Damon's expression darkened. "What if I told you Elena had vampire blood in her system?"

Katherine's eyes widened and so did Buffy's. "What?!"

Damon's smirk widened looking down at Katherine. "Imagine how much fun that'll be—competing with Elena for Stefan's love, forever."

Katherine sighed, defeated. "The tomb. He's got them in the tomb."

"Thank you." Damon said.

"Keep them safe, Damon." Buffy spoke  and Damon nodded at her before quickly turning and leaving the room.

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Katherine stood in the kitchen, casually stirring sugar into her coffee as the aroma filled the air. Buffy leaned against the counter, arms crossed, watching her with a skeptical gaze as Klaus entered again.

"What have you two been doing?" Klaus asked, his eyes scanning over the place, already knowing that something had happened here today while he was out, making preparations for his sacrifice.

Buffy immediately straightened up, shooting him a glare. "Oh, everything's just peachy. We're making coffee and chatting about how annoyed we are of you."

Katherine shot Buffy a warning look but turned her attention back to Klaus, forcing a calm smile. "Making coffee. Do you want some?"

Klaus didn't answer. In a flash, he was across the room, his hand wrapping around Katherine's throat as he compelled her, his tone cold and dangerous. "Tell me what you've been doing."

Katherine gasped, struggling against his grip. "Making coffee." She choked out.

Satisfied, he released her, and she stumbled back, her hand flying to her neck as she coughed and glared at him. Buffy, on the other hand, rolled her eyes dramatically.

"Wow." Buffy said with mock enthusiasm. "Big scary hybrid choking a girl over coffee. What's next? Slapping someone for stealing your favorite mug?"

Klaus turned his icy gaze toward her, smirking slightly. "Ah, Buffy. Always so bold for someone so fragile."

"Fragile?" Buffy scoffed, stepping forward. "That's funny coming from the guy who's so insecure he has to kill people to feel important."

His smirk didn't fade before turning back to Katherine. "Take off your bracelet."

Katherine hesitated for half a second before reluctantly unclasping it and handing it over.

"What are you doing now?" Buffy asked, her tone sharp and sarcastic. "Planning to accessorize?"

Klaus ignored her, his focus entirely on Katherine. "Now, I want you to walk over to the window and stand in the sunlight."

Katherine froze, panic flickering across her face. "But I'll burn."

"You don't have a choice." he replied, his voice calm yet menacing.

Buffy stepped in, her voice sharp as a whip. "Are you serious right now? You really need therapy. Like, a lot of it. Like everyday sessions."

"Stay out of this, love." Klaus warned, his eyes set on her.

"Or what?" Buffy shot back. "You'll choke me too? Bring it on, Dracula."

Klaus's smile returned, more amused now. "Oh, Buffy. Always so fiery. Perhaps I'll deal with you next."

Meanwhile, Katherine slowly moved to the window, her face already contorting in pain as the sunlight hit her skin. She screamed as the exposed side of her face began to blister and burn.

"That's enough." Klaus said after a moment when he saw that it was starting to bother Buffy, seeing her sister's doppelgänger screaming like that. It looked like her sister screaming out from pain and it didn't sit right with her, but Klaus had been watching with a twisted satisfaction. Katherine scrambled back into the shadows, clutching her burned face as she glared at him.

Buffy, however, wasn't done talking. She cleared her throat. "Wow, round of applause for Klaus. He can torture women who can't fight back. Really proving your worth, aren't you?"

Klaus turned to her, his patience wearing thin. "Buffy," He said smoothly, yet with an edge of warning. "I suggest you stop talking before I lose my temper with you."

Buffy crossed her arms, unfazed. "Oh, you've got a temper? No way. I'd never have guessed."

Klaus chuckled darkly, his eyes gleaming with amusement and danger. "I see why they're so protective of you. It's that charming attitude."

"Yeah, well, charm's my thing." Buffy shot back, lifting her chin defiantly. "You should try it sometime. You might actually make a friend."

Klaus smirked but said nothing more, turning back to Katherine. "Guess I was wrong. All right, then. I need you to do something for me."

Buffy watched him carefully, her sass momentarily replaced by a flicker of unease. Whatever Klaus had planned next, she knew it wasn't going to be good. "Wait, I need to talk to you." She spoke and Klaus looked back at her with surprise.

"Katherine." Klaus spoke up, but he didn't look away from Buffy as Katherine looked at him. "Leave." 

Katherine nodded and walked towards the door of the room that Buffy had woken up in yesterday.

"Yes, love?"

Buffy straightened up, her defiance not wavering even as her heart raced. "I need you to let Caroline and Tyler go and I need you to leave Elena alone"

Klaus tilted his head, his smirk growing wider. "Ah, straight to the point. Admirable."

"Can't you find another way to get what you want?" She asked. "So that nobody has to die?"

Klaus studied her with a quiet intensity, his eyes narrowing slightly as if weighing her words carefully. He took a step closer, his presence overwhelming as always, but there was something different in his gaze—a flicker of something that wasn't just cold calculation, but a deeper, almost reluctant interest.

"You think you can change my mind?" Klaus asked, his voice softer now, almost curious. "You think you can convince me to spare them all just because you ask?" He reached out, a finger tracing lightly along the edge of her jaw. "What makes you so certain I would even consider it, love?"

"I'm not." Buffy spoke, shaking her head as she turned around and followed Katherine in the room.

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

"Where's Maddox?" Klaus asked as he stormed into the apartment once more today. The two girls hadn't even noticed him leaving until they got out of the room. 

"I don't know." Katherine answered from the couch where she sat together with Buffy. 

Klaus sat in his chair, the flickering video of Jules lying in the cellar playing on the screen in front of him. 

"What are you doing? Where's Elena?" Katherine questioned and Buffy looked up, curious for Klaus' answer.

"I sent her off with Greta." The Original responded as he looked at Jules, who was transitioning. "It's almost time." Klaus smiled but when the door flew open he just rolled his eyes with annoyance when he noticed Damon standing behind him. "I wasn't under the impression that you'd been invited in."

"I've come here to tell you that you'll have to postpone the ritual." Damon spoke and Buffy spoke up, realizing that he had done something to stop the sacrifice from happening. She just didn't know what.

"Didn't we already have this conversation?" Klaus questioned.

"Yeah, but that was before I rescued your werewolf and vampire and killed your witch." Damon spoke and Klaus abruptly stood up and walked over to the oldest Salvatore.

"And you can kill me for it. I don't care. It was all me." Damon continued.

"Katarina, Buffy, give us a moment." Klaus spoke.

"I don't-" Buffy's words were cut off when Katherine dragged her away by her arm.

"I've heard about you. The crazy, impulsive vampire in love with his brother's girl. I knew one of you would try to stop me. It was a just a 50/50 guess on who." Klaus spoke to Damon and Damon just glared back at him, however Klaus walked back over to the table he was sitting by a minute before and pressed the video on play. Almost directly Jules' screams entered the room.

Klaus closed his laptop, making the screams stop as well. "Need a closer look?" He took out his phone and threw it over at Damon, the same video standing on it as well, ready to be played.

"Jules." Damon let out a sigh, holding up the phone.

"When you spend a thousand years trying to break a curse you learn a thing or two. First rule always have a backup. Backup werewolf. Backup witch.

"Backup vampire." Damon finished.

"I've got that covered, too." Klaus spoke and that was the last thing Damon saw.

"Katarina!" Klaus yelled and Katherine rolled her eyes before leaving the room. "I need you to do something for me."

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Only two chapters left of this act!

Words: 4408

Posted: December 9, 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