Stopping The Merge

Chapter Eight: The Witch in the Woods

TW: blood, sharp objects, and mild self-harm

Once they arrive, Alaric parks the car. Everyone gets out and they walk in silence for an hour, finally reaching a beat up cabin where the witch, who hopefully has the answer, lives alone. 

"Let Caroline and I do the talking. If we make ourselves out to be non-threatening, we will get further then if we go in arms blazing. That means no fire, no threats, and no brute force," Alaric says, meeting each of the girls' eyes. 

"But fire's fun," Josie pouts.

"Josette," Caroline warns. 

"Fine," Josie sighs. 

Caroline knocks on the door to the old, worn out cabin. After a few minutes, the door creaks open to reveal an elderly women with long grey hair and piercing grayish green eyes. She stares at the people gathered at her door.

"May I help you?" she asks, her voice scratchy.

"Hi. I'm Caroline Forbes. This is Alaric Saltzman, he runs the Salvatore School. These are our daughters, Josie and Lizzie, and their girlfriends, Hope Mikaelson and Penelope Park. We came because when I was in Europe, I was told that you posses a way to stop the merge of the Gemini twins. Is this true?" Caroline asks.

"I am Ester. And you two are Gemini. Twins," The witch says, turning towards Lizzie and Josie, "I posses a book that has more information on a cure. Come inside,"

Cautiously, everyone enters the small cabin. It is quite messy on the inside, cobwebs everywhere. Various books are scattered about the one room. Ester searches for several minutes before coming up with a tattered old book with a green cover. 

"Here we are. You can have this, but I want something in return," Ester tells them.

"What would you like? Money?" Alaric asks. 

"No. Blood. Her blood," Ester grins, pointing at Hope.

"Why do you want my blood?" Hope questions cautiously. 

"For a spell that will bring back my dead cat. The blood of a tribrid is the last ingredient," The old lady replies.

"Dr. Saltzman?" Hope says, turning towards Alaric.

"It's just a cat, not a person. It's fine, Hope. We need that book," Alaric tells her. 

"Anyone got a knife?" Hope asks.

Penelope reaches into her pocket and grabs her pocket knife. She hands it to Hope. 

"Here," Penelope says.

Hope opens the knife, and cuts into her wrist. Lizzie flinches at the sight and looks away. The witch holds out a bowl with a ton of other ingredients in it, and Hope allows her blood to drip into it. Lizzie grabs Hope's wrist and siphons from the tribrid. She mumbles a healing spell and the cut on Hope's wrist disappears. Lizzie kisses it before dropping it.

"The book, please," Caroline says, holding out her hands.

Ester places the book in Caroline's hands. They thank the witch for her help, and leave. Once they are a few feet away from the cabin, Penelope lets out a low whistle. 

"Crazy old cat lady," Penelope chuckles. 

"Yeah, but we got what we came here for with minimal blood loss," Josie shrugs. 

"Speak for yourself. Penelope, your knife is dull as fuck," Hope curses.

Lizzie takes Hope's hand and squeezes it, causing Hope to smile. All memories of the painful experience of cutting her wrist with a dull knife vanishes at the feeling of the blonde's fingers entangled with her own. 

"Let's go back to the car and take a look at the book," Alaric suggests.

When no one protests, he starts walking back towards where they all hop into the car. Caroline opens the book and skims the pages, desperately looking for anything that will help, even the tiniest thing. Her daughters' lives are at stake. Josie rests her head on Penelope's shoulder, causing the raven haired witch to smile. Lizzie does the same, her head resting on Hope's shoulder. 

"I found something!" Caroline exclaims suddenly, causing both twins to lift their heads off their girlfriend's shoulders.

"What is it, Ms. Forbes?" Hope asks, trying not to get her hopes up.

"There's a spell in here that will stop the merge. I believe we have most of the things needed at the school, but we need something else: a magical gemstone that was once owned by the Gemini coven," Caroline explains.

"Where is it?" Josie asks her mother.

"It doesn't say specifically, but there's a tracking spell we can use to find it. I say for now, we take a break. How does a day at the beach sound? We're near Florida," Caroline suggests.

"Yes! Let's go," Josie cheers.

"I say why not," Penelope agrees, smiling at her girlfriend.

"Hope? Liz?" Alaric asks.

"Sounds fun," Hope replies, grinning at the thought of her girlfriend in a bikini. 

"It's sunbathing time!" Lizzie smiles. 

"Alright. Let's go then," Alaric nods, starting the car.

Caroline plugs directions into the GPS, and off they go to the beach for a much needing break before they go after the gem.