You Are My Life

What Are Friends For?

"What do we do now?" Mallorie stared into the open tomb.

"We go home and figure out how to stop Klaus." Stefan pushed the door back into place.

"No, I can't go home." Mallorie began packing.

Stefan sighed. "Mal--"

"If I go home, Elena's going to ask questions. I'm not going to want to answer them. She'll push, and I'll push harder." Mallorie felt her nose burning. "I don't want to lose my home. Please, take me to your house."

After a long bout of staring, Stefan cracked. "Fine, but only for tonight."

Mallorie wrapped her arms around Stefan. "Thank you."

Before he could change his mind, Mallorie scooped up her bag and followed him out of the tomb. The entire ride home, Stefan attempted to carry on a conversation with Mallorie, but she couldn't concentrate on his words. If this Kalus was after her, what could she do? The way Katherine made it sound, no matter the choices she made she would never be safe. Klaus would find her or he would die trying (if he even could).

The minute they were in the driveway, Mallorie was out of the car. She marched into the house with Stefan hot on her heels. One thought permeated her mind: find Damon. Everything crashed to a halt when a hand wrapped around her wrist. Mallorie turned around.

"We need to talk about this," Stefan said.

"Talk about what Stefan?" Mallorie pulled her wrist from his grip.

"We could run. Katherine did it. Klaus hasn't found her yet." Stefan threw his arms up.

Mallorie scoffed. "Yeah, Katherine put two other lives in danger in doing so. Even when she made herself useless, Kalus didn't stop. He's already killed one of those people."

"Then we won't leave each other, ever. He'd have to find both of us." Stefan's voice became louder.

"And what about the rest?" Mallorie felt tears in her eyes. "Klaus killed Katherine's friends and family. If we left we'd put everyone else at risk. Ric, Jenna, Jeremy, Matt, Caroline, Bonnie, Damon, and Elena would all be next on his list. I don't think either of us could stand that."

Stefan raked his hand through his hair and started to pace. "There has to be a way. We can't just give up."

"What are we giving up on?" Damon descended the stairs. "And what the hell are you wearing?"

Before Mallorie could think twice she raced over to him. She threw her arms around his torso and buried her face in his chest. Despite her efforts, she couldn't hold back the tears any longer.  Damon wrapped his arms around her and rubbed her back. It felt like every ounce of strength drained from her body as the tears fell. Mallorie sobbed until her legs couldn't support her anymore. 

"Hey, hey." Damon pulled her to her feet. "Let's go to the couch, okay?"

Mallorie looked up at him and nodded. Damon guided her to the couch and helped her sit down. After brushing some hair out of Mallorie's face, Damon snaked his arm around her shoulders. 

"What's going on?" Damon's eyes traced hers.

"Klaus wants to use her to break the sun and moon curse." Stefan leaned on the other couch. "He needs a Petrova doppelgänger."

"He has to kill me." Mallorie sniffled. "And do God knows what to Caroline, Bonnie, and Tyler. We're all doomed."

"No, you're not." Damon's brows furrowed.

"There's nothing we can do." Mallorie felt more tears fall. "Either I die or everyone else does."

Damon shook his head. "No, we can break the curse with the moonstone. Rose's friend said all we have to do is get a witch and the moonstone, and we can render it useless."