(act two, chapter eighteen: Klaus)

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

Katherine was casually making coffee in the kitchen when Klaus—currently still in Alaric's body—came through the door with Maddox. Klaus shot her a smirk.

"I'll be back as soon as I can." Maddox said to him as the two made their way over to Alaric's front door.

Klaus gave him short nod. "Yes, do hurry. I'm anxious to get out of this body. And if you get hung up, call me. You know how impatient I get."

With that, Maddox left, and Klaus shut the door. Katherine eyed him, raising an eyebrow. "Where's he going?" She asked, holding out her cup of coffee.

"To retrieve me." Klaus said, taking the cup with a satisfied look. "So I can finally ditch this bad hairdo."

Katherine let out a sarcastic hum. "Are you sure that's a good idea, Klaus?"

He grinned, ignoring her doubt. "The full moon is almost here." He dropped the moonstone on the table with a slight thud for effect. "I've killed the witch, I have the moonstone, and the doppelgänger is waiting in the wings. I'm ready to break this curse."

Katherine narrowed her eyes. "And why would you do that here? There are so many people who would try to stop you."

"Because I have to." He said, his tone unbothered. "It's the birthplace of the doppelgänger."

Katherine looked at him, almost surprised. "I didn't realize that was a requirement."

Klaus chuckled, though there was nothing warm about it. "Well, how could you know? You betrayed me and fled England before I could give you the details, Katerina." He paused, letting his words sink in. "But I found your birthplace and I slaughtered your family. So I guess we're cool." His eyes gleamed with cold satisfaction. "Let's hope Elena isn't as stupid as you were."

Katherine set her jaw, defiant. "She won't run. She'll die before she lets anyone she loves get hurt."

Klaus smirked at her, pleased. "And that's exactly what I'm counting on."

At that exact moment, the door swung open, and Buffy walked in, her expression fierce and her jaw set in anger before letting out a yawn. She took a quick, bored glance at Katherine, then focused her glare on Klaus, her heart racing with a mix of rage and confusion.

"Great, just what I needed." She said, stepping further into the living room. "You've taken over Alaric's body, and now you're here smirking like you own the place and everyone inside of it."

Klaus turned to her, his eyes lighting up. "Elizabeth, my dear. You look positively happy this morning." He said, his voice dripping with mock affection.

Buffy rolled her eyes, crossing her arms tightly. "Cut the crap, dude. You think this is funny? Kidnapping me and using Alaric's body? I can't even begin with telling you how fucking fucked up that is. And it's Buffy. The name is Buffy!"

"Buffy, my love, would you like to eat something? Drink something?" Klaus asked her, completely ignoring everything she had just said, except for the name thing, as he turned to Katherine. "Find her something to eat."

Buffy clenched her fists at her sides, her anger bubbling. "Don't change the subject! You think you can just waltz in here and pretend like everything's normal? It's not! You're a kidnapper and a body kidnapper."

Klaus raised an eyebrow, his smirk only widening at her fury. "A kidnapper? Such harsh words, love. I prefer to think of myself as a facilitator of opportunity. You've been given a front-row seat to the chaos that is my life."

Buffy rolled her eyes, pacing the room as she fought to keep her composure. "Facilitator? That's rich coming from you. You're only in this town to kill my sister." Buffy walked close to him. "I swear to God, if you hurt her or anyone else for that matter, I will kill you in a way that even you can't imagine. People have always called me creative as a child for a reason!"

Klaus's amusement didn't waver. "Ah, the protective sister. I admire your loyalty, but it won't change the inevitable." He stepped closer, his gaze unwavering. "I'm sure you know what I want, Buffy. And I won't stop until I get it."

"You're not gonna get shit." 

Klaus smirk only got bigger as he leaned in closer to her, compelling her with a look. "You can't leave until I tell you to." He turned to Katherine. "The same for you, and you'll listen to everything Buffy tells you to do." He turned back to his soulmate, pressing a kiss on her forehead, which Buffy immediately wiped off when he let go. "Do not try to leave, it won't work, love."

With that, he walked out, leaving Katherine to make Buffy breakfast and Buffy to turn back into the room she had slept in all night, slamming the door closed behind her with a loud bang.

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

Elena pulled her car over to the side of the road, glancing over at Elijah beside her. He was finishing off a blood bag, looking noticeably stronger and more alert than he had done an hour ago.

"You look better." She noted.

Elijah lowered the empty blood bag and turned to her, his gaze sharp. "Where did you get the dagger?"

She hesitated, then said. "I'll tell you everything. But we have to work together, Elijah. I need your word."

His expression was skeptical. "Your ability to make demands disappeared a long time ago, Elena."

She shook her head. "I'm not making demands. I'm offering to help you. And in return, I need your help too."

Elijah's eyebrow raised slightly. "And why should I even consider this?"

She met his gaze steadily. "The same reason you haven't killed me yet. You need my help to take down Klaus. And I need yours. He's here."

Elijah's eyes narrowed, his calm demeanor breaking just slightly. "Klaus is here?"

She nodded, her voice barely above a whisper. "He's taken over Alaric's body."

Elijah let out a low, humorless chuckle. "Of course he has. One of his favorite tricks."

Elena glanced at him. "Well, what are his other tricks? What's he going to do next? You're the only one who knows him."

Elijah's gaze hardened as he looked ahead, as if seeing Klaus himself. "Yes." He murmured. "I do."

Her phone suddenly buzzed, breaking the silence. She glanced at the screen and answered. "Stefan?"

"Elena, where are you? Are you okay?" Stefan's voice was laced with concern.

"Yes, I'm fine." She assured him.

"Where's Elijah?" He pressed.

Elena glanced at Elijah, then said, "He's right here."

"Where are you? I'm coming to get you."

She sighed. "No, Stefan. Elijah and I need some time alone."

Stefan's voice became tense. "Elena, he can't be trusted. He'll use you to get to Klaus."

She took a breath, her tone calm but firm. "Elijah is a noble man, Stefan. He has a code of honor. I trust him. And he knows I'd be beyond foolish to betray him again. By removing the dagger, I have proven myself."

There was a beat of silence, then Stefan said. "You can't do this alone."

"It's my decision, Stefan. Please respect it. And keep an eye on Damon. Make sure he doesn't do anything stupid. I'll be in touch."

With that, she moved the phone away from her ear, wanting to hang up, but Damon's words made her pull her phone back. "Any word from Buffy?"

Elena looked to her right and Elijah's expression shifted to curiosity. 

"No." Elena responded. 

"I'm going by Ric's apartment. Look for her there." Damon spoke, but the girl wasn't sure if it was to her or to Stefan.

"Please, let me know if you find her." Elena spoke and she heard Damon hum before she hung up and handed her phone to Elijah, who reached his hand out, took it, and slipped it into his jacket pocket. She had called Buffy so many times last night, her phone almost died from the constant redialing.

Elena noticed the flicker of worry in his eyes as he asked. "Where is Buffy?"

Elena's face twisted with worry, her voice slightly trembling as she spoke. "Klaus has her, Elijah. At least we think so. She was just gone after the dance last night and she never goes anywhere without at least letting anyone know. We though she maybe went home with Caroline, but she didn't. And we're not sure what he's planning. I mean it's Buffy. He has her, and we can't even guess what he might do to her." 

She paused, struggling to keep her emotions in check, but her fear that something was happening to the girl she called her sister kept creeping up. "She's his soulmate, but I don't even know if she's safe with him."

Elijah's expression changed, his face going from calm to deadly serious in an instant. "We should hurry." He said, his voice cold but inside he was full of worry. Buffy was also Klaus' soulmate, but nothing reassured Elijah that Klaus wouldn't hurt her. After all he had no problem doing what he did to his siblings. And Klaus had crossed a line by taking her. He'll regret it. And he'll pay for every second he kept her away.

Elijah made his way out of Elena's car and walked over to the front door of the Lockwood mansion, Elena quickly trailed behind him as he rang the bell.

"Elijah? Elena?" The mayor asked as she opened the door, looking from the man to the girl she had know for seventeen years now, confused on why the two were here together. "What are you doing here? What happened?" She asked, eyeing Elijah's burned clothes with a frown on her face.

"I've had a bit of an incident, Carol. I'm hoping you could help." Elijah spoke with a charming smile.

"Well, I'm on my way to a meeting so-"

"I won't take but a minute of your time." He compelled her.

"Of course. Anything you need." Carol smiled back at him, completely forgetting all about her meeting.

"Thank you." He said as he and Elena entered the house after Carol stepped aside so that she could let them in. "Well, first things first. I'm going to need a change of clothing."

"We would try one of my husband's suits." Carol suggested. "I haven't boxed them up yet."

"Wonderful."

As she walked away, Elena turned to Elijah. "How did you know she's not on Vervain?"

"Because I'm the one who got her off it. Right before you and your friends killed me. Twice. Now, if you excuse me, I'll be down in a moment." Elijah said, before also stepping away from the brunette. and up the stairs.

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

Stefan picked up his phone, glancing over at Damon in the living room as he answered. "Hello?"

"Hey, Stefan. It's Jenna." Her voice came through, a mix of concern and frustration.

"Jenna, hey," Stefan replied.

"Where's Buffy? And Elena and Jeremy? No one's answering their phones," Jenna said, the worry clear in her voice.

Stefan hesitated. "Uh, Elena's not here at the moment. Is everything okay?"

"Elena left me all these weird messages telling me to stay away from Rick. What's going on, Stefan? And where is Buffy? I can't reach her either. I've been calling her all night, and it's not like her not to answer," Jenna pressed, her voice edged with fear.

Stefan took a deep breath, trying to think of how to reassure her without revealing too much over the phone. "It's really hard to explain right now, but Elena was hoping you could stay on campus a little while longer. Just to be safe."

Jenna sighed in frustration. "Well, that's kinda hard to do from my kitchen." She said, her tone sharp with worry. 

"Wait, you're home?" Stefan asked with surprise.

"Yeah, and I'm supposed to meet Ric at the Grill for lunch to talk."

Stefan's voice took on a more urgent tone. "Jenna, listen to me carefully. Whatever you do, do not meet Alaric at the Grill. And don't worry, I'll explain everything. I'm coming over right now, and I'll explain everything."

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

Elijah and Elena sat across from each other in the living room, everything around them feeling tense and quiet. Elijah shifted a little, adjusting the collar of Mayor Lockwood's suit. "So, I'm guessing the Martin witches are no longer with us?" Elijah asked, his voice calm.

Elena looked down, guilt flickering in her eyes. "No. I'm sorry."

Elijah nodded. "And Katerina? She would've been free from my compulsion when I died."

Elena sighed. "Klaus took her as well. We think she might be dead."

A small smile appeared on Elijah's face. "I doubt that. Not Klaus' style. Death would be too easy for her after what she did."

Elena blinked, confused. "I don't get understand. You say you want Klaus dead, but you still punished Katherine for betraying him."

 "I have my own reasons for making Katerina pay. There was a time..." He trailed off, looking almost sad. "There was a time I would've done anything for Klaus. Klaus is my brother." He spoke after telling her the meeting between Katherine and Klaus.

"I heard that. I'm still processing." Elena spoke.

"Yes, I'm a little behind on the times, but I believe the term you're searching for is "O.M.G." Elijah spoke as he took a sip of his tea and somehow he knew if Buffy was here with them, she would've laughed at him for saying that.

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

Meanwhile at Alaric's apartment, Buffy had finally left the room, in which  she had spent the night, and walked over to the fridge. She knew Klaus was gone and she was starving. 

And the only thing she had to deal with was-

"Thought you would never leave your room," Katherine said with that all-too-familiar smirk, sipping from the bottle of bourbon as if it were just another casual Tuesday morning.

Buffy glanced at her, then back to the fridge, grabbing a couple of snacks and shutting the door with a little more force than necessary. She was starving and couldn't care less about Katherine's little drama for the moment.

"Yeah, well, I needed to eat something before I go back to pretending you're not a massive pain in my ass." Buffy shot back, grabbing a packet of chips and plopping down on the couch, her eyes still locked on Katherine. "Keep some of that Bourbon over for me."

Katherine chuckled, a low, amused sound that made Buffy feel like she was being sized up. She raised the bottle slightly, eyeing Buffy with a mischievous grin. "Oh, I see. You're already thinking ahead. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're starting to enjoy my company."

Buffy snorted, ripping open the bag of chips and tossing a few into her mouth. "You're delusional if you think I'm here for anything other than the fact that I'm starving and stuck in this mess."

Katherine took another sip from the bottle, leaning back against the counter with a relaxed posture. "Sure, sure. Keep telling yourself that. But we both know you don't mind having someone to talk to. Even if it's me." She gave a knowing look, her eyes sparkling with that same confidence she always had.

Buffy rolled her eyes but didn't argue. She wasn't in the mood for back-and-forth with Katherine, especially not when her stomach was still growling louder than her irritation. She picked up the bottle of bourbon from the counter, gave it a long look, then glanced at Katherine.

"Maybe you're right," Buffy said, shrugging. "But if I'm gonna drink with you, I'll need to be at least half as drunk as you wish you were." She twisted the cap off the bottle, taking a swig of the bourbon, and immediately winced at the burn. "Ugh. Definitely not my drink of choice."

Katherine laughed, clearly enjoying the moment. "You're gonna have to work on your tolerance." She waved her hand dismissively, stepping back toward the window.

Buffy walked over the couch. "You know, you're lucky I haven't figured out a way to make your life miserable yet."

Katherine's smirk didn't waver. "Maybe that's because you know deep down you couldn't." But suddenly her head snapped over to the front door of Alaric's apartment when she heard voices outside in the hallway.

Andie hesitated, glancing at Damon with uncertainty. "I don't think this is a good idea," she said quietly.

Damon grinned. "Investigative journalism. We're investigating." He replied, clearly unfazed as he stepped up to the door. Andie knocked, glancing at him nervously.

"Alaric, are you home? Andie Star, Jenna's friend." She called out, hoping someone would hear her.

Katherine, inside the apartment, had been trying to reach for the doorknob but stopped when an invisible force blocked her hand. She tried again, frustration clear on her face, but gave up and stepped away from the door, rolling her eyes.

Andie and Damon exchanged a look before opening the door.

Katherine's relief was obvious. "Thank God." She muttered, her voice low but laced with sarcasm.

Andie stepped into the apartment, eyes wide. "Wow! You were right. She looks exactly like Elena."

Damon gave a casual nod. "Yep." He said, though his eyes never left Katherine. He couldn't enter the apartment himself, but his gaze remained sharp. "Thought you might be dead." Damon said with a raised eyebrow, a grin pulling at the corner of his mouth.

Katherine just smirked, unfazed by his comment. "Unfortunately not." She replied dryly.

From the couch, Buffy raised an eyebrow, glancing between Katherine, Damon, and Andie. "Well, this is cozy." she said, sitting up and tossing another chip in the air before catching it before standing up and walking over to the door. "Hey, is it possible that one of you could bring another bag of chips or some chocolate here before Mr. Body snatcher returns?" Buffy asked, quickly added a small please as she leaned against the door frame.

She glanced back at Katherine, then at Damon and Andie. Damon looked down at Buffy, clearly unimpressed for her request. "I mean, if I'm stuck here with her, I might as well be comfortable, right?" Buffy asked, but the moment she came to close to the threshold, she got held back by an invisible wall. "Oh, so this is what you people go through when you're not invited in. Cool to know."

Katherine raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed as she stared at Damon. "What are you doing here?"

Andie stepped forward with a slight smile. "We're here to rescue you."

Damon shot her a look. "No, sweetie. We're here to rescue Buffy and see if that deserve to be rescued."

Andie just nodded, not bothering to argue. Damon eyed Katherine carefully, his voice a little sharper. "I figured you'd still be alive. Alaric-Klaus was blending in a little too easily. Probably had some help." He pulled a small vial from his pocket.

Katherine squinted at it. "Is that...?"

"Vervain." Damon replied, his tone cool. "Your way out."

Katherine shook her head, not buying it. "It's not gonna fix anything."

Damon shrugged. "There's always a loophole." He eyed her. "Did he tell you to stay in this apartment until he said you could leave?"

Katherine opened her mouth to answer, but nothing came out.

"Can't say, huh?" Damon smirked. "Did he tell you to do whatever he says, forever?"

"No," Katherine finally muttered, looking a little defeated.

Damon grinned. "There's your loophole. Drink this, and it'll stop any more compulsion." He tossed the vial toward her, but she froze. She couldn't cross the doorframe.

"Give it to me," Katherine snapped, but still didn't move.

Damon raised an eyebrow, looking amused. "Answer one thing first. Why'd you double-cross us with Isobel?"

Katherine met his gaze, her face unreadable. "I didn't think you stood a chance against Klaus. I was looking out for myself."

Damon chuckled dryly. "And look where that got you. Here." He tossed her the vial. "Drink it carefully. If Klaus finds out you've got it, you're not getting out of here."

Katherine unscrewed the cap and chugged the vervain, immediately coughing and spluttering as it burned her throat. Damon watched her, the faintest smirk on his lips. "You owe me. And I'm gonna collect." He warned before turning to Andie.

"Let's go." He said, heading toward the door. "Stay strong, Buf." He spoke in a teasing way, making the blonde roll her eyes at him.

"Thanks for nothing!" She called after him.

Andie glanced back at Katherine. "Nice to meet you." She said with a tiny smile, before Damon slammed the door shut behind them. Katherine stood there, staring at the phial in her hands.

Buffy walked back over to the cough and leaned back, throwing her legs up on the armrest, and gave Katherine a smile. "Well, looks like you're free, sorta." She said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "You know, for someone who's always got an angle, you're kind of bad at this whole 'getting out of trouble' thing."

 "I'll take what I can get."

Buffy shrugged nonchalantly, her feet still resting on the armrest. "Yeah, free...ish. Klaus isn't gonna be thrilled when he finds out, but hey, not my problem." She grinned, clearly enjoying this.

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

Elena stared at Elijah, trying to wrap her head around everything he just said. "So, there's a whole family of Originals?"

Elijah sighed. "My father was a wealthy landowner in a village in Eastern Europe. Our mother bore seven children."

Elena blinked. "So your parents were human?"

"Yes. Our whole family was," Elijah explained. "Our origin as vampires is a very long story, Elena. Just know, we are the oldest vampires in the world. We are the Original family, and from us, all vampires were created."

Elena frowned, trying to piece everything together. "Right, but Klaus is your brother. And you want him dead?"

Elijah's face twisted slightly. Buffy had asked him the same exact question. "I need some air. I'm still feeling a tad dead. Come." He motioned for Elena to follow him, and without another word, he turned and left the room.

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

Jenna opened the door, looking surprised to see Stefan standing there.

Stefan gave her a small, relieved smile. "Hey, Jenna. Thank you so much for not going to the Grill."

Jenna hesitated, then raised an eyebrow. "Um, Stefan..."

"No, listen," Stefan cut her off quickly. "I can explain."

But before she could respond, Jenna's gaze shifted over Stefan's shoulder. Stefan turned around, his eyes locking onto Klaus, who was standing there with Alaric's body language but that unmistakable smirk.

Klaus/Alaric grinned, completely unfazed. "Hi, Stefan. How's it going?"

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

Klaus/Alaric was chopping away at a piece of food, the sound of the knife hitting the cutting board echoing through the room. He looked up, a calm, almost amused expression on his face.

"You know." He said, his voice casual. "I find chopping calming. The feel of the blade in the hand, maybe."

Jenna stood there, her arms crossed, still confused. "I'm still waiting for someone to tell me what the hell's going on."

Klaus/Alaric glanced at Stefan, who seemed just as unsure of what to say. "Well, would you like to tell her, Stefan, or should I?"

Jenna raised an eyebrow, frustrated. "Tell me what?"

Klaus/Alaric chuckled, the knife glinting in the light as he continued chopping. "Do you believe in vampires, Jenna? No?" He let out a soft laugh. "Well, who does, right?" He set the knife down and turned toward them, his tone shifting slightly. "But believe it or not, they do have a place in our history. And as a history teacher, I find them fascinating."

Jenna blinked at him, still trying to make sense of the situation. "Why are we talking about this?"

"Well." Klaus/Alaric said, stepping closer. "You've been angry with me for keeping secrets, and this is one of mine. I'm obsessed with vampires. There. I said it." He let out another laugh, like he found it all rather amusing. He was finding it rather amusing to be messing with Stefan like this.

Jenna stared at him, clearly not sure if she should laugh or be concerned. "Are you joking?" She was definitely starting to think that he was not mentally sane with the way he was acting right now.

"Not at all." Klaus/Alaric replied, grinning wider. "How about you, Stefan? Are you a fan of vampires?"

Stefan shrugged slightly, a touch of seriousness in his voice. "In literature. Bram Stoker. It's dense, but I appreciate it."

Klaus/Alaric nodded thoughtfully, his eyes narrowing as he tapped the knife against the counter. "Hmm. Did you know that vampires are the oldest creatures of the night? Except for werewolves, of course."

Jenna's face twisted in disbelief. "Werewolves. Werewolves. Now I know you're joking."

Klaus/Alaric raised an eyebrow, almost as if he was enjoying her confusion. "You know, I've read that there's an Aztec curse on both species that keeps werewolves slaves to the Moon and vampires bound by the Sun. Isn't that right, Stefan?" He turned his attention to Stefan with a knowing look. "They say these creatures would do anything to have this curse broken. Wouldn't care who they had to kill to do it."

Jenna kept looking at him with an alarmed expression on her face, not understanding what he had taken today to act like this.

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

Elena and Elijah walked side by side. "So." Elijah began again. "As you've seen, nothing can kill an Original. Not the Sun, not fire, not even a werewolf bite. Only the wood from one tree. A tree my family made sure burned."

Elena looked at him, her curiosity piqued. "That's where the white ash for the dagger comes from."

"Yes." Elijah replied, nodding. "The witches won't allow anything truly immortal to walk the earth. Every creature needs to have a weakness in order to maintain the balance."

Elena's brows furrowed in confusion. "So, the Sun can't kill an Original. Then why is Klaus so obsessed with breaking the Sun and Moon curse?"

Elijah's lips curved into a slight smile. "Right. The curse of the Sun and the Moon. It's all so biblical-sounding, don't you think?"

Elena looked at him, still puzzled. "What's so funny?"

Then Elijah explained everything about the sketches and scrolls.

"I don't understand. So Klaus drew the Aztec Sketches about the curse?" Elena questioned.

"Roman scrolls, African tribal etchings and any other culture or continent we felt like planting it in."

"But why?" Elena asked, still confused on what he was actually talking about.

"The easiest way to discover the existence of a doppelgänger or get your hands on some long-lost moonstone is to have every single member of two warring species on the lookout."

Elena's head spun as she tried to process it all. "So, it's not Aztec at all?"

"No." Elijah said. "The curse of the Sun and the Moon is fake. It doesn't exist." He started to walk away, leaving Elena standing there, stunned.

"What?!" Elena shouted, quickly catching up with him. 

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

Klaus/Alaric poured some wine, his calm demeanor contrasting with the awkward tension as the three of them sat around the table. He was the only one touching the food that he had prepared. "Oh, I know this all sounds so crazy, but vampires are real. Would you care for some more wine?" He stood up, moving to get the bottle for Jenna.

Jenna stared at him, shaking her head in disbelief. "Get out."

Klaus/Alaric looked at her, confused. "Excuse me?"

Jenna's voice hardened, the frustration obvious. "I don't know what it is you're trying to do or why you're saying these things, but—"

Klaus/Alaric cut in, trying to smooth things over. "Jenna—"

"No!" She stood up, the chair scraping against the floor. "I said get out!"

Stefan stood up too. "You heard her."

Klaus/Alaric didn't seem fazed, his calm smile still in place. "I'm afraid I don't want to."

Jenna's face twisted with anger and fear. "Fine! I'll go." She moved to get up from the table, but Klaus/Alaric reached for a kitchen knife, his expression cold.

"You're not going anywhere." He said, his voice low. Stefan reacted in a blur of movement, using his vampiric speed to grab Klaus/Alaric and slam him against the wall. The knife pressed to Klaus/Alaric's throat as Stefan's anger flared. "Jenna, get out of here now!" Stefan ordered.

Klaus/Alaric laughed darkly. "You can't kill me, Stefan."

"Watch me!" Stefan growled, his eyes burning with fury.

Jenna's voice trembled. "Stefan!"

Klaus/Alaric smirked. "I may not have a witch protecting me today, but if you kill this body, what's to stop me from choosing Jenna as my next one?"

Stefan's eyes widened with realization, the weight of Klaus/Alaric's threat sinking in. "Jenna, go."

Jenna stood frozen for a moment, eyes darting between them. She was torn—confused and scared. "But you're... you..."

Stefan's face changed as he shouted towards her.  "I said go!"

Jenna hesitated no more. She turned and ran out of the house, her footsteps pounding in the silence.

"Kill me. Just remind Elena how easy it will be for me to get my revenge if she tries to stop me from breaking this curse."

Without another word, Stefan punched Klaus/Alaric in the face. The sound echoed through the room. Klaus/Alaric stumbled, his smirk slipping for a second before Stefan kicked him in the stomach. It sent Klaus/Alaric crashing to the floor. Stefan tossed the knife next to him on the ground and left the house, going after Jenna.

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

Elijah and Elena stood back inside the living room of the Lockwood mansion. "Klaus and I faked the sun and moon curse dating back over a thousand years."

"But if there's no curse-"

"There's a curse. Just not that one. The real one's much worse. It's a curse placed on Klaus."

Elena's heart skipped a beat. "What are you talking about?"

Elijah's voice lowered. "Klaus has been trying to break it for the last thousand years. And you are his only hope."

Elena's phone buzzed loudly in Elijah's pocket, cutting through the tension. She frowned, her hand instinctively reaching for it. "What's this curse?"

The phone vibrated again, and Elijah handed it to her, his eyes narrowing. "Your phone will not stop its incessant buzzing. Answer it, please."

She answered without hesitation. "Stefan, what's wrong?"

Her face paled as she listened, panic creeping into her voice. "No." She repeated it a few times. "Okay, I'll be right there."

She hung up quickly, her thoughts racing. She turned to Elijah, her voice pleading. "Klaus went after Jenna. I have to go to her."

Elijah's expression hardened. "I'm afraid that wasn't part of today's arrangement."

"She's my family, Elijah. She is Buffy's mom. I have to. I'll be back. You have my word."

Elijah's gaze remained icy, unyielding. "That doesn't mean anything to me until you live up to it." He spoke, but Elena had no idea that she could go from the moment she mentioned Buffy's name. 

Elena didn't waste another moment. She ran for the door, already halfway to her car and Elijah watched her leave, his face unreadable.

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

Jenna sat in the library, her eyes red and swollen from crying. She looked up when she heard the door creak open, and Elena stepped in, relief flooding her face.

"Oh, Jenna, thank God." Elena said, her voice shaking with emotion.

Jenna shook her head, her voice barely a whisper. "No."

Elena moved closer, her heart aching for her aunt. "I'm so sorry. I never meant for any of this to happen."

Jenna let out a bitter laugh, her eyes wet with tears. "When I was little, your mom used to tell me bedtime stories. Stories about vampires. I never thought that what she said could be true."

"It is true, Jenna." Elena said softly. "I should have told you. I thought that if you didn't know, you'd be safe. But then things got so out of control, and everything I did to keep you out of it, it just blew up in my face."

Jenna swallowed hard, her voice cracking. "Who else knows? Jeremy? Buffy?"

Elena nodded, her eyes filled with guilt. "Yes."

Jenna's eyes narrowed slightly, her chest tight with frustration. "John?"

"We were just trying to protect you." Elena whispered.

"Protect me?" Jenna repeated, her voice rising. "I should be protecting you guys, not the other way around."

Elena reached for her hand, her own tears threatening to fall. "I'm so sorry. I'll tell you everything, I promise."

Jenna shook her head, her breath catching. "No, Elena, I am the one who's supposed to be protecting you three. I failed you. I don't know how It's all too much."

She started crying, and Elena immediately moved to sit beside her, pulling her into an embrace.

"I know. I know," Elena whispered, her voice soothing. "I'm sorry, Jenna. I am so, so sorry."

Jenna pulled away slightly, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. "Where's Buffy?" She asked the question, wanting to know the answer ever since she came home to an empty house, her voice trembling with a mix of concern and confusion. "You said everyone knew, but where is she? I need to know she's okay."

Elena's heart clenched. She had hoped to shield her aunt from the full weight of the situation, but there was no way to hide it from her now. She swallowed hard, her throat tightening as she looked into Jenna's worried eyes. How do you tell a mother that her daughter was kidnapped by the person who had just scared her so much?

"Jenna." Elena started softly. "Buffy's— she's with Klaus."

Jenna's face drained of color, her hands gripping Elena's arm much harder as she tried to process the words. "What? No— no, that's not possible." Her voice was shaking now, the fear beginning to seep in, refusing to believe her niece. "What do you mean, she's with Klaus?"

"Klaus took her. And Katherine. They're both... they're both with him. He kidnapped her, Jenna."

The room seemed to go still, the air thick with tension as Jenna processed the reality of the situation. Her breath quickened, her hands trembling. "I should have been there." She whispered, guilt crashing over her. "I should've been protecting her."

Elena reached out, placing a hand on Jenna's arm. "Jenna, we're going to get her back. We just need to find a way to get her out of Alaric's apartment. I promise we'll get her back."

Jenna's face set in determination, a flicker of fierce protectiveness igniting in her eyes. "No." She said, her voice hardening. "I'm going to get her back. Klaus isn't going to keep my daughter."

Elena's expression softened, her heart aching for Jenna's pain. "You can't go in there alone."

Jenna stood abruptly, wiping away the last of her tears. "I don't care. Buffy is my daughter. My responsibility. And I made a mistake by leaving. I should've stayed. Who knows in what kind of danger she is in?"

Jenna had no idea however what her daughter was doing at the moment...

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

Going to split this chapter up in two parts because I'm not sure if anyone wants to read a part with so words lol I still have 1,5/4 to go of this episode don't hate me for this and I'm already 1000+ words in for the next scene but the next part will obviously be a bit shorter than this one, probably around 2000/ 3000 words but I am rambling and I was like really motivated to write for this book and I need go to sleep because I'm tired and it's like almost 3 am but I wanted to update this book, so goodnight or good morning in case anyone is reading this in the morning! I hope you guys have a great day. This part is like only making the chapter longer lol I don't think my brain is functioning anymore.

Words: 5854

Posted: November 11, 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 Katherine