𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐡'𝐬 𝐋𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐜𝐲, 𝑘𝑙𝑎𝑢𝑠 𝑚𝑖𝑘𝑎𝑒𝑙𝑠𝑜𝑛

18. chaos in first class

She took a shaky breath, forcing a small smile that was more for herself than anyone else. Klaus and Stefan were beside her, the world outside moving farther away by the second. And somewhere deep down, in the quiet corner of her heart, she whispered one more thought: she had no idea how much this journey would change her—but she was ready to find out.

୨୧ · · ♡ · · ୨୧

A few miles away from the Salvatore boarding house, the St. James residence was in a state of mild chaos. Gabrielle paced the living room, a phone pressed against her ear, brow furrowed in a mixture of worry and mild exasperation. Derek was perched on the couch, scrolling through his phone, muttering every few seconds, "She better not be doing anything stupid," while Lucy hovered by the window, arms crossed, her usual composed self replaced with that rare flicker of unease.

"Has anyone heard from her at all?" Gabrielle asked again, more to herself than to the others. "Aurora? She can't just...vanish!"

Mateo, leaning against the doorframe with the calm of someone used to supernatural crises, offered a half-smile. "Mom, she's about to be eighteen. She's smart. And...probably right where she thinks she needs to be."

"Smart? Smart? She's gone with Stefan and...oh, who is it? Klaus?!" Gabrielle's voice pitched an octave higher. "Do you know what that means? Do you know what could happen?"

"I don't know," Lucy replied, rolling her eyes, though the tension in her shoulders betrayed her usual swagger. "But she's Aurora. If anyone can handle...whatever Klaus is, it's her."

"Handle? Handle?" Gabrielle scoffed, pacing again. "I have hands, and I wouldn't touch that evil hybrid with a ten-foot pole! And now she's—she's gone with him. Just gone."

Meanwhile, at the Gilbert residence, everyone else was reacting in their own ways. Elena bit her lip, worried, yet a little relieved knowing that Aurora had Stefan with her. Bonnie crossed her arms, the frown on her face making it clear that she had no patience for any "vanishing human" antics. Caroline bounced on the balls of her feet, checking her phone every thirty seconds.

"She's gone with them?" Elena asked softly, staring out the window.

"Yes," Damon said quietly, leaning against the wall. His jaw was tense, eyes flicking downward as though he could see Aurora standing at the other end of town and just...will her to be safe. "And she doesn't even know what she's getting into."

Jeremy muttered something about "I can't believe she's doing this," though whether it was fear, frustration, or a mix of both, no one could tell.

Everyone was concerned, worried, and none of them had a real idea of where Aurora was in the moment.

୨୧ · · ♡ · · ୨୧

Up in the sky, Aurora was still seated on one of the cream leather seats, as she looked around at the sleek, silver jet with a mixture of awe, anxiety, and something dangerously close to regret.

Aurora exhaled, trying to steady her nerves. "Okay, so...we're actually doing this. We're flying somewhere mysterious with a vampire and a hybrid Original. This is...definitely something I didn't expect for my birthday month."

Stefan's jaw tightened slightly as he glanced at her. "Just...try to stay calm, Rory. It's safer that way." His voice was soft but firm, and the protective undercurrent was unmistakable.

Aurora's lips curved into a small, wobbly smile. "Safe is relative when you're traveling with you two." She gave Klaus a pointed look, which earned her a raised brow and an amused smirk.

"Safe is boring," Klaus said smoothly, leaning against a nearby seat. "Excitement, on the other hand...is much more interesting."

Aurora waved her hands dramatically. "Exciting is one thing. Panicking mid-flight because I might accidentally spill something on an Original...completely different."