(act two, chapter twelve: daddy issues)

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"Morning." John greeted as the two girls came walking into the kitchen in the morning. Buffy mostly to get some breakfast before school and Elena to get answers.

"What are you doing here?" Elena asked, not going around the situation like he had done yesterday. She wanted real answers.

"Coffee?" John asked, offering them Elena ignored his question, while Buffy slowly shook her head, still trying to be polite to him even though she did not like him one bit more than she ever did. Especially not after finding out that he lied to Elena for seventeen years. Buffy understood that it had hurt her, so she wasn't about to act too politely.

"We're not doing that. We did that last night. No more avoiding. Why are here?" Elena asked him as. Ever since she had stepped back through the front door and saw him standing in the hallway, that question had been stuck in her head.

"I'm here to protect you. That's all I can say for the moment."

"What do you mean that's all you can say?" She asked, repeating his words.

"Just tell her." Buffy spoke, not even looking at him as she said it. He was just making the situation worse for himself and Elena. The sooner Elena had her answer the faster John could leave town again.

Acting like that he is just making himself more suspicious

"I'll tell you more, when I'm convinced I can trust you."

Says the biggest liar in the room

"And she should just trust you?" Buffy asked, turning to face John. Out of the daughter - father duo in front of her, Elena was definitely the more trustworthy. John just showed up out of nowhere every single time he visited.

"Oh, God, I'm late." Jenna said as she entered the room with Alaric, directly going over to the fridge, only stopping since she saw John standing next to her niece.

"That's what you get for hitting the snooze three times." Alaric laughed, but stopped when he also noticed the Gilbert and both of Elena and Buffy's annoyed faces.

"What the hell?" Jenna asked, surprised.

"Good morning to you, Jenna. Alaric." John greeted.

"It's okay I'm confused, right? Because we were not expecting you, like, ever." Jenna said as she looked back from Elena to John.

"Well, I got in late last night and Elena let me in." John explained.

"You know, I'm probably just gonna take off. Come on, Buffy." Alaric said and Buffy looked at him confused, but he just returned her look. Buffy abandoned her breakfast before following after Alaric, giving Elena an apologetic smile over her shoulder.

"You sure it's safe to leave them alone?" Buffy asked, worriedly.

"What's the worst that can happen?" Alaric questioned.

"I don't know. Probably my mom murdering him, because she sure looks like she wants to." Buffy replied, casting a glance back over her shoulder at the tension-filled kitchen.

Alaric chuckled lightly. "I doubt Elena's going to let it get that far."

Buffy sighed. "You'd be surprised. I mean, he's keeping secrets, treating her like she can't handle the truth, and on top of that, he's been lying to her for years. If that doesn't put someone on the edge, I don't know what does."

Buffy's gaze lingered on the doorway, her worry evident. "Honestly, though, I don't want to come home and find our house turned into a crime scene. I need to sleep in my own bed tonight, not have it wrapped in caution tape. Plus, cleaning bloodstains out of hardwood floors? It's not as easy as they make it look on TV."

Alaric laughed again, this time more sincerely. "Don't worry. I don't think Elena's going to take things that far."

Buffy shook her head. "You don't know that for sure. She's been through a lot, and John isn't exactly the calming influence she need right now with everything going on with Klaus."

Alaric gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder as they made their way out of the house. "I'll keep my fingers crossed that Elena doesn't go full murder-mystery on us. Worst case, we'll have to give John a crash course on getting out of town."

Buffy smiled slightly but still couldn't shake her concern. "Yeah, well, I'm hoping it doesn't come to that either. I like my house murder-free and mostly John - free."

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"I can't believe it. Elena is my sister's husband's brother's daughter, and her mother is my daughter's dad's and my boyfriend's deceased wife." Jenna's voice trembled slightly, still trying to wrap her head around Elena's complicated family tree she'd just learned about. "I mean, you can't make this stuff up." She leaned back in her chair at the Grill, staring at her daughter, Buffy, and at Alaric, who were sitting across from her.

"It's definitely a lot to process," Alaric admitted, nodding sympathetically, though he wasn't nearly as shocked. He had known for a while now, just like Buffy.

Jenna, still looking dumbfounded, ran her hands through her hair. "How could they keep something like that a secret? I just - I don't even know how that's possible. Why didn't anyone tell me?" Her eyes darted from Alaric to Buffy, settling on her daughter, seeking answers.

Buffy sighed. "I didn't know either, not for long anyway. This whole thing's been dropped on us like a bomb too. Just like it was dropped on Elena. Don't be mad at her for not telling you please, she dislikes it as much as you do." She glanced toward the door and suddenly spotted Caroline entering. "Caroline's here," she said, almost too eagerly. "I'll see you later!" Buffy quickly excused herself from the table, waving goodbye before heading over to the booth where Caroline had already seated herself. Jenna and Alaric exchanged bewildered glances as Buffy slipped away.

Buffy slid into the booth across from Caroline, immediately sensing her friend's distress. "Okay, spill it. Tell me everything," Buffy demanded, eyes wide with curiosity as she folded her arms on the table.

Caroline hesitated for a second, biting her lip before launching into the first thing on her mind. "Okay,  first—do you know where your dad is? Mason, I mean. Not..." She trailed off, glancing over at Alaric's table, indicating she wasn't talking about him.

"Not really sure. I talked to him on the phone this morning, but who knows where he is now. He's always on the move, but he mentioned he might swing by the Grill later. Why? What's going on?"

Caroline leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Because Tyler thinks he's dead."

Buffy's eyebrows shot up, her face a mask of confusion. "Dead? My dad is not dead," she replied flatly, as if the very idea was absurd.

"Apparently, some woman named Jules told Tyler that the Salvatores and I killed him," Caroline explained, her expression grim.

Buffy let out a scoff. "And Tyler believed that?" She raised an eyebrow, clearly finding it hard to believe that the Lockwood would believe Jules.

"Seems like it." Caroline sighed, brushing her hair back in frustration. "Stefan went to talk to him, try to clear things up. But I haven't heard back yet."

Buffy shook her head in disbelief. "Has Tyler even tried calling my dad? Like, that's the most logical thing to do, right?"

Caroline rolled her eyes. "Not before showing up at my house all freaked out. That would've been too easy, I guess."

Buffy pulled out her phone and started texting.

"What are you doing?" Caroline asked, watching her curiously.

"Texting my dad. I'm telling him he needs to call Tyler and let him know he's not dead. Before this turns into some ridiculous extra mess that we don't need with everything already going on." Buffy hit send and put her phone down, looking back at Caroline. "Okay, now that that's sorted, tell me what else happened. You've got that I have more drama look on your face."

Caroline blushed slightly and groaned, burying her face in her hands for a moment. "Tyler kissed me."

Buffy's eyes widened with excitement. "Wait, what? He kissed you? Like, out of nowhere? Was it just one of those spontaneous 'I'm-feeling-it' moments, or did he—wait, of course, he leaned in! That's how kissing works, right? But really? Tyler?" Buffy's nose scrunched up at the thought.

Caroline nodded. "Yes! It was totally unexpected. I mean, I was just explaining to him that vampires could maybe die if bitten by werewolves. We're not sure, but it's possible. So, when I came home from school yesterday, he was waiting for me on my porch, asking why I'd even risk helping him if there was a chance I could die."

Buffy leaned in, invested in every detail. "Okay, and what did you say?"

"I told him I knew he needed help."

Buffy's eyes sparkled with intrigue. "And what did Tyler say to that?"

"He said he could've killed me," Caroline replied, sighing, her eyes downcast.

"And you said...?" Buffy spoke.

"I told him he didn't kill me and asked him why he didn't want my help when it was clear he needed it," Caroline explained, wringing her hands nervously on the table. "And then he just... kissed me."

Buffy's jaw dropped in shock. "And did you kiss him back?"

"Yes," Caroline admitted. "But only for a few seconds! I promise it wasn't long."

Buffy smirked. "But you did kiss him back. So... did you want to kiss him back?"

Caroline groaned again, sinking lower into the booth. "I don't know! I panicked and slammed the door in his face right after. Now I'm just hoping he doesn't hate me."

Buffy couldn't help but laugh at the mental image. "Oh, man. I can see it—Tyler standing there, all confused and offended, like, 'Did she just slam the door in my face after kissing me?' Poor guy."

Caroline's face flushed. "I know! It was so awkward. Everyone just needs to stop kissing me. Like, seriously."

Buffy giggled, amused by the situation. But then her curiosity spiked again. "Wait, wait, who else kissed you?"

Caroline groaned louder, dropping her head onto her folded arms on the table. "Matt."

Buffy gasped, utterly scandalized. "Matt kissed you too? When did this happen?"

Caroline mumbled into her arms. "Yesterday. Same day."

Buffy leaned back, eyes wide in disbelief, and laughed. "Wow, Caroline, you're really collecting them like Pokémon cards, aren't you?" She teased, making Caroline lift her head to glare at her.

"Sorry!" Buffy quickly held up her hands in apology, noticing how stressed her friend really was.

Caroline let out a long, exasperated sigh, running her hands through her hair in frustration. "What am I going to do, Buffy? I'm so confused."

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"Excuse me. Caroline, right?" A woman's voice called out just as Caroline and Buffy were approaching Caroline's car, preparing to head home after the whirlwind of a day they'd just had.

Caroline turned around cautiously, her brow furrowing. "Yeah, that's me," she answered, unsure of who the woman was but immediately sensing something off about her.

"I'm looking for Tyler. You haven't seen him, have you?" The woman asked, her gaze sharp and unyielding. Her tone, although calm, carried a sense of urgency.

As soon as she asked, both Buffy and Caroline exchanged glances. They didn't need introductions to know who this was. Jules.

Ah, Jules.

Liar, liar, pants on fire.

"Probably with Mason," Buffy said nonchalantly from the other side of the car, her tone laced with sarcasm. She leaned against the car door, crossing her arms as if she had all the time in the world. "Who, by the way, is not so dead as you think."

Jules' eyes snapped toward Buffy, cold and calculating. "You're lying."

Buffy smirked. "Really? And how exactly am I lying? Her voice was dripping with sarcasm, but there was an underlying edge to it.

"Is that one of your little wolf tricks or something?" Caroline added.

Buffy, already having had enough of all things werewolf-related today, shot Jules an irritated look. "Yeah, because if anyone's been truthful today, it's you, right?" She rolled her eyes, clearly fed up.

Buffy took a step forward, still on the other side of the car, undeterred by Jules' hostility. "And just so you know, I'm not lying. Maybe if you'd thought to pick up the phone and call Mason instead of jumping to conclusions and running to the sheriff, you'd realize that. Tyler was fine before you showed up, and I'm pretty sure he'll be fine again once he stops listening to all the nonsense you're feeding him."

I hope she turns into Pinocchio. That way, her nose will grow with every lie she tells, and Tyler will finally see her for the liar she is.

Jules, however, didn't seem fazed. She smiled at Caroline, ignoring Buffy's words entirely. "Actually, it is a trick. But you already knew that, didn't you?" Her voice was cool, almost amused, as if she knew exactly how to push Caroline's buttons.

Caroline narrowed her eyes, her patience snapping. She slammed the car door shut, stepping out from behind it with a determination. "Well, I have a trick too." Her face changed into her vampire visage, her eyes darkening, fangs extending out of her mouth. The anger and frustration from the day had boiled over, and she wasn't going to stand by and let Jules walk all over them, like they were some puppies scared of the big bad wolf.

But before she could do anything more, Jules moved fast—too fast. In one swift motion, she pulled out a spray bottle and doused Caroline with vervain. The liquid sizzled as it hit Caroline's skin, making her scream in pain. The vampire stumbled backward, her hands covering her burning face as she let out a cry from pain.

Buffy's heart leapt in her chest as she instinctively rushed forward, ready to help her best friend. "Caroline!" she shouted, but just as she took her first step toward her, a tall, man appeared in front of her, blocking her path.

She recognized him instantly from a picture her dad had shown her once—Brady. And he wasn't here for pleasantries. The glint of metal in his hand caught her eye before she fully realized what was happening.

"Wouldn't do that if I were you," Brady warned, his voice low and menacing, a smirk tugging at his lips as he aimed a gun directly at her head.

Buffy's breath hitched. She could feel her pulse quicken, but she didn't move. Her eyes darted toward Caroline, who was still recovering from the vervain attack, and all Buffy could think about was getting to her friend. But Brady didn't wait for her to act.

With chilling calmness, he turned the gun away from Buffy and fired a single shot—straight at Caroline's head.

The sound of the gunshot echoed through the parking lot like a clap of thunder, the force of it ripping through the air. Caroline's body jerked violently as the bullet struck her in the head. She collapsed to the ground, lifeless, her eyes wide with shock before closing as she fell unconscious.

"Caroline!" Buffy screamed, her voice breaking as she watched her friend go down. Her heart raced, full with panic at the sight of her friend:

She wanted to rush to Caroline's side, but Brady had already turned the gun back on her. The gun's, barrel steady as it pointed directly between Buffy's eyes. Her instincts told her to run, but her body was frozen. All she could focus on was Caroline, lying motionless on the pavement with a bullet in her brains.

Buffy didn't care about the gun or the threat Brady posed. All she wanted was to get to Caroline, to help her, to make sure she was okay, that she would heal from the gunshot. But before Buffy could take another step, she felt a sharp pain strike the back of her head. The world around her blurred, and her vision went black.

The last thing she saw before everything faded was Caroline's still form on the ground, and then—nothing. Total darkness enveloped her.

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Buffy stirred awake when she felt someone shaking her urgently. Groaning, she blinked against the harsh light that was burning inside the trailer, her head throbbing from where it had collided with the top of Caroline's car. She could feel the warmth of her own blood trickling down her forehead, and her whole body ached with pain.

"What the—" Buffy muttered, wincing as she touched the painful spot on her forehead, but her voice trailed off when she took in her surroundings. Brady was sitting casually in front of them, a smirk on his face as he fiddled with a small water pistol in his hands. Buffy's eyes narrowed suspiciously at the sight. Given Caroline's condition—her pale skin, the faint burns scattered across her body that were quickly healing again because of her vampire nature—Buffy was sure it wasn't just water in that gun.

"So," Brady drawled, his tone smug and almost bored. "How many vampires are there in this town anyway?"

Caroline was beside her, trembling, clearly in pain, from whatever they had done to her. Buffy forced herself to sit up straighter, despite the sharp pang in her head and the dizziness.

"How many werewolves are in this town anyway?" Buffy shot back, her voice dripping with sarcasm. She wasn't in the mood for games, but if she could buy time, distract him, anything to give them a chance to escape from wherever they were.

Brady rolled his eyes, clearly unimpressed with her retort. He turned his attention back to Caroline, who shrank back slightly, her fear evident. With a casual flick of his wrist, he aimed the water pistol and sprayed her with vervain, the liquid sizzling against her skin once again. Caroline let out a pained scream, her body jerking as the vervain burned her flesh.

"No! Stop!" Buffy shouted, her heart aching at the sound of her friend's cries. She reached out, grabbing Caroline's arm tightly, as if the simple act of holding her could somehow lessen the pain.

"Why are you doing this?" Caroline managed to choke out between sobs, tears streaming down her cheeks as her body quivered from the torment.

Brady didn't flinch. "You're a vampire," he stated coldly, as though that alone was justification for every ounce of cruelty he was inflicting on them.

His eyes glinted with satisfaction as he reached into his jacket and pulled out another gun, its barrel gleaming ominously in the dim light of the trailer.

"Get us out!" Caroline's voice cracked, her desperation hearable. She recoiled when he raised the gun, but before she could move, Brady fired a vervain dart into her neck. Caroline's eyes widened in shock before her body fell to the wall for support:

Buffy clenched her jaw, her anger boiling over. She carefully placed herself in front of Caroline, using her own body as a shield. "Excuse me? What was that?" Buffy growled, her voice steady despite the fear clawing at her insides.

Brady leaned back with a mocking grin. "You've got quite a mouth on you. You know that?"

"I'm sorry," Buffy shot back, her sarcasm barely masking the rage simmering beneath. "I thought werewolves were supposed to have excellent hearing. Or are you just the exception for that rule?"

Brady's smile faltered, his eyes narrowing as he leaned in closer, his face mere inches from Buffy's. "You're really starting to piss me off, you know that?" His voice was low and it sent a shiver down Buffy's spine.

But Buffy didn't back down. She stared back at him defiantly, her eyes burning with determination. "I could say the same about you," she bit out, her heart pounding in her chest. "And besides, aren't you the one who's supposed to be in a cage? Pretty sure that's where dangerous animals like yourself belong, right?"

She naturally didn't think that all werewolves were monster, her dad was an excellent example for that, but Brady and Jules were really pulling the blood from under her nails.

Brady's eyes flashed with anger at her words. "Mason never told me you were this annoying," he muttered under his breath, pulling out yet another gun, this one far more deadly-looking than the last.

"And he never told me you were this ugly," Buffy retorted without thinking, her frustration bubbling over. But as soon as the words left her mouth, she regretted them when she saw the new gun in his hands.

Brady's face darkened, and before she could react, he fired. The gunshot rang out in the small space, and Buffy felt a searing pain rip through her stomach. She gasped, doubling over as she clutched her abdomen, her hands slick with warm blood.

Oh.

Fuck.

Her vision blurred as the pain became worse . She groaned, her breath coming in short, shallow gasps as she tried to steady herself.

"Bastard," Buffy hissed through gritted teeth, pressing her hands harder against the wound, desperately trying to slow the bleeding.

Brady didn't even look back as he stood up, casually dusting off his jacket. Without a word, he turned and walked out of the trailer, leaving them alone in the dim, suffocating silence.

Buffy slumped against the cold metal wall, her head spinning as she fought to stay awake. "Oh, fuck," she muttered, her voice weak. "This shit really hurts." She could feel the blood seeping through her fingers, warm and sticky, and she pressed harder, trying to ignore the overwhelming pain.

Caroline crawled over to her, her hands trembling as she tried to help. "We're going to be fine, okay? We have to be. We need to get out of here." Caroline's voice wavered, betraying the fear she was trying so hard to conceal from her best friend. She scanned the cage, searching for any possible way out, but her gaze kept darting back to Buffy's wound, her anxiety growing with every second that passed.

Buffy groaned again, her face pale and drenched in sweat. She could barely focus, her vision going in and out of clarity. Nothing was really clear anymore.

We're definitely going to die.

Caroline pressed her hands against Buffy's wound as well, trying to keep pressure on it, but her hands were shaking too much. Tears filled her eyes, but she blinked them away, forcing herself to stay strong. "We're going to get out of here," she whispered, more to herself than to Buffy. "I-" Caroline started but her words were cut off when Brady entered again.

"Take the bullet out and i will shoot again." He spoke, seeing one of Caroline's hand's push Buffy's hands away so that she could have access to the shot wound.

This time it was Caroline who didn't care what he was saying, and still kept doing what she was doing until another bullet pierced through Buffy's leg.

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"Care," Buffy started, weakly, after a few minutes, her eyes starting to slip closed every few seconds from the pain in her belly and leg. She didn't know if she could hold on for much longer.

The shots definitely felt worse than getting stabbed by Damon in the shoulder when she was protecting Lexi a while back.

"Yes?" Caroline asked, worriedly, looking at her best friend's form leaning against the cage.

"Your ass better gets fast out of here." Buffy continued, wincing once more when she shifted her legs from position to sit up more straight, hurting herself even more. She immediately regretted it as well.

"We're both gonna get out of here! I promise!" Caroline repeatedly spoke, checking another side of the cage.

Nah.

Buffy smiled at her, trying to let the other blonde see that she wasn't scared. But Buffy was scared out of her wits that she would die, because the shot wounds were certainly starting to feel like it.

Meanwhile outside, Stefan had appeared from deep in the woods, right in front of Jules' nose, together with Tyler.

"Where's are they?" Stefan worriedly asked as he could practically smell Buffy and Caroline's blood somewhere close by.

"Locked up tight." Jules answered.

"Let them go and I'll release Tyler. It doesn't have to get any messier than it already has. I'm not your enemy, Jules." Stefan spoke.

"It's a little late to be waving a white flag, don't you think?"

"You need to leave town." Another voice spoke up as he made his way over to stand next to Tyler and Jules quickly regonized him as her friend Mason, meaning that Buffy had been right. Mason was indeed not as dead as she thought.

"No one else has to get hurt." Stefan added.

"I'm not leaving without Tyler." Jules spoke.

"Tyler is my family. I'll take care of him. And besides, he's free to make his own decisions." Mason spoke up, feeling himself getting angrier with his friend, even though he had been the one to be there for Tyler from the start of his story as a werewolf.

"Well, as soon as you release Buffy and Caroline." Stefan spoke.

"My brother the peacemaker." Damon spoke, making his own presence known. "Since Stefan got here before me, I'll try his way before I resort to my way, which is a little bloodier. So give us Buffy and Caroline."

"Let go of Tyler." Jules spoke again and even Tyler was starting to get annoyed with her.

"Give us the girls." Damon said. "Without a full moon, it's not even fight and you know it. We will take you."

"I'm not so sure about that, tough guy." Jules said, whistling on her fingers before the other werewolves started to surrounded them, with stakes, guns, cross-bows and one even holding a flame - thrower. "Let's try this again. Give us Tyler."

Damon looked at Tyler. "You heard her. Go. Get over there."

Tyler glanced nervously at his uncle, who met his eyes with a firm nod of his head. It was a silent message. Trust Damon, but only for that moment. Mason Lockwood knew Damon had his own motives—Buffy was Damon's priority right now just as much as she was theirs. But in that moment, it was clear that Tyler's safety was important to Mason too, and he understood that Jules, despite her aggression, wouldn't harm his nephew. Not now, not after Tyler had triggered the werewolf curse. That much was certain.

With hesitant steps, Tyler approached, moving closer to where Jules and Brady stood. His movements were slow, uncertain, as though he wasn't sure if this was the right move even if his uncle had told him it was.

Jules stood tall, with Brady at her side, casting Tyler a sidelong glance as if daring him to say something. Tyler opened his mouth, but before any words could escape, Damon blurred into action.

With his speed, Damon launched himself toward Jules. She reacted just in time, leaping up onto the trailer with her werewolf strength. Her eyes glinted yellow as she landed behind Damon, bracing herself for another attack of him.

Chaos erupted around them. Another werewolf, hiding in the shadows, sent a stream of fire toward Stefan with the flame-thrower, but Stefan was quick. He sensed the danger and went behind the werewolf before the flames could even reach him. In one motion, Stefan grapped the man, forcing his own fire back onto one of his people.

Meanwhile, Damon wasn't holding back. With brutal force, he tore through another werewolf, who had jumped from the trailer where the two girls were trapped inside the cage. The sound of a heart being ripped from a chest echoed through the air. The werewolf's lifeless body fell to the ground, its ripped out heart clenched in Damon's fist, covered in blood.

Inside the trailer, Tyler rushed in, following behind his uncle Mason. The air was thick with the stench of blood and fear. The moment they entered, Tyler's gaze fell on Caroline and Buffy. The two girls were huddled together, since Caroline had moved over to sit close to her, holding a hand pressed against Buffy's leg to try and stop the bleeding. They were sitting on the cold floor behind the bars of a cage. Caroline's eyes were wide with panic, her other hand clutching at her bloodied forehead. But it was Buffy that caused Tyler's stomach to drop. She lay still, her form calm, her chest barely rising and falling. Her heartbeat was faint, the beating slowing with every second that passed.

"There's a latch on the door," Caroline's voice trembled as she gestured at the cage. "We can't reach it. One of them—one of them shot Buffy!" Her words came out in a rush, tears filling her eyes. "She's not—she's not responding!"

Tyler's heart raced as he and Mason moved swiftly to the cage. With a swift motion, Mason yanked the latch free, and Caroline climbed out, her hands shaking. Mason wasted no time. He bent down, gathering Buffy's limp body into his arms.

When they exited the trailer, the scene outside was a mess. The bodies of werewolves lay scattered across the ground, many missing their hearts because of Damon, their eyes wide in death. Stefan laid face down, a wooden stake dangerously close to his heart, while Damon was on his knees, clutching his side to try and get the bullet out since Jules had shot him in his abdomen.

Caroline's feet had barely touched the ground when Jules lunged at her, slamming her against the side of the trailer. The cold metal pressed into Caroline's back as Jules raised her gun, aiming it squarely at the back of Caroline's neck, the gun clear for Mason and Tyler.

But before Jules could pull the trigger and shoot Caroline, she froze. The gun slipped from her hands, clattering to the ground with a thud as her eyes widened in shock and her hands flew to her head.

A scream came from her throat as she collapsed to her knees, clutching her temples in pure pain. Around her, the other werewolves followed suit, going down on the ground, their screams echoing into the night, mixing together with Jules her screams. Only Tyler and Mason were unaffected, standing in the chaos, bewildered, just like the three vampires.

"What's happening?" Caroline's voice was a mix of fear and confusion as she watched the werewolves fall down.

Tyler shook his head, his eyes darting around the scene. "What the hell is going on?"

His question was answered soon enough when two figures came from the shadows. Mr. Martin, and Elijah, stepped into view from behind one of the werewolves' cars. Elijah's gaze was calm, but he was not feeling as calm as he was letting on.

The moment he and Jonas had arrived at the fighting scene, Buffy's blood had filled his nose.

"I made a promise to Elena," Elijah spoke in his usual calm, controlled manner, his eyes sweeping over the scene. "I'm here to ensure it's upheld. You need to go." He went on, as though the chaos around him was of no concern. His eyes, however, betrayed his true focus where his mind had been at the entire time he had been in the woods. His eyes locked onto Buffy's unconscious form.

Elijah approached Mason, his steps getting more fast with every step he took. "Let me."

Mason hesitated, cradling his daughter protectively in his arms, eyes narrowing at Elijah. He had heard about the Originals from Buffy, knew the dangers they posed to her and Elena. But there was something in Elijah's gaze, something unspoken, that made him pause. Mason had been briefed on who Elijah was, but Buffy had left out one key detail—the one Stefan had filled him in on during their journey here. Elijah wasn't just any Original; he was Buffy's soulmate.

Mason's eyes dropped to the blood-soaked shirt his daughter wore, the dark stain spreading across her shirt. Without a word, he handed Buffy over to Elijah. The Original moved with care, crouching down to the ground, caring more about Buffy than he did for his suit, putting her down gently, as though afraid to cause her any more pain.

Elijah's face tightened as he bit into his wrist, the blood welling up from the wound, getting more angry at the werewolves who caused her to be in such pain. He lowered it toward Buffy's lips, but before he could press it to her mouth, Caroline stopped him.

"The bullets," Caroline gasped, kneeling beside them. "You need to get the bullets out first."

Elijah had been so focused on healing her, that he had forgotten all about the bullet in her stomach.

"Yes." Elijah muttered out with a nod of his head. His hand lowering to Buffy's stomach, stopping right above her wound. He moved her shirt just a bit, but enough to see where the bullet had entered her body, moving his hand quickly to take the bullet out, moving even more fast when her body started twitching.

His hand quickly moved over to her leg and removing the bullet there as well.

Elijah bit into his wrist again, harder this time, ensuring there was enough blood to heal her, before pushing it down on Buffy's lips, urging her to drink.

For a terrifying moment, nothing happened. But then, Buffy's eyes fluttered open, her breaths shallow but steady, the pain slowly going away as she drank from Elijah's wrist at a slow pace.

When Buffy opened her eyes again, the first thing she was met with was Elijah. She saw his wrist hoovering above her face before moving it.

"Thank you." Buffy muttered out, figuring that she was the one that had healed her.

"Of course, Elskan." Elijah spoke, feeling relieved that she was okay, but his anger was also raising at the werewolves again.

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And listen I know that Caroline could've healed Buffy as well but I wanted it to be Elijah :)

Also I skipped episode 11 since I wanted Rose to live! 

Words: 5592

Posted: September 18, 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