Book Two: Aquiver (A. Saltzman)

Chapter Sixty-Six

Alaric stands angry frowning at the room after Jeremy just dropped his demon bombshell plan on them. Derek leans against the wall by the door, he's not getting involved in this argument.

"No," Alaric tells them. "No way, that's not an option..." He scolds them. "You know what it does to her, why would you think that's a good idea to put her through it again, to put that thing back inside her?" Bonnie and Diana share a look, a telepathic conversation passing between them, the others around them are oblivious.

"That's what I said" Damon agrees.

"And we still don't know how it is still affecting her, Artemis said that she had to remove more of Diana's soul last time..." He stops and then shakes his head. "You can't do this to her"

"Diana?" John asks her, she sighs a little.

"No" Diana agrees with Alaric who lets out a relieved breath. "I don't want to do this..." she looks at Alaric sadly. "But I have to" he snaps his head around to her.

"No, you don't" he assures her. "You don't have to do anything...."

"It's Elena and Jenna..." She reminds him. "It's my family.....and this is Klaus...It is my sacred duty as a hunter of Artemis to defend the innocent from supernatural threats...he is the threat" She takes a deep breath. "And it's what I'm going to do" Alaric shakes his head and turns to Diana.

"I can't let you do this," He tells her.

"What I do is not up to you" she argues. They stare at one another.

"You can do this without that thing inside you" He assures her. "You and Bonnie together...."

"Forces of nature" Damon finishes, Alaric nods and keeps looking at Diana, she sighs a little and nods.

"Okay," she tells him as she threads her fingers with his at his side. "Okay, we won't use it" he relaxes and lets out a breath of relief. "It's okay" She places her hand on the side of his face and he leans into it as he closes his eyes. Diana shares a look with Bonnie.

.....................

Down in the basement, Bonnie has her hands placed on either side of John's head and is chanting a spell. Jeremy, Derek, and Damon stand by, watching. Damon, becoming impatient, snaps his fingers.

"Come on, Bonnie, we got a hybrid to kill." Jeremy looks back at Damon, signaling with his hand for Damon to be tolerant of the situation. Not long after that, Bonnie opens her eyes.

"It's done."

"That's it? Let's go." Damon walks out of the room. John opens his eyes as Bonnie walks past him. Bonnie turns to Jeremy and gently touches his arm.

"I'll be back soon." Jeremy reaches out to her.

"Wait, what do you mean? No, I'm coming. I need to be there. I need to make sure you guys are okay." Jeremy argues with her. 

"And who's going to make sure you're okay?" Bonnie counters.

"I've got my own ring. Look, I'm not taking no for an answer." Bonnie kisses Jeremy goodbye. She pulls away and Jeremy smiles at her. Suddenly, Jeremy looks at her, confused, and starts to fall to the floor. Derek grabs him and leads him back to a chair.

"Easy, easy." Derek looks at Bonnie. "Just go. I'll stay with them." Bonnie looks at Jeremy one last time before exiting the basement with Damon.

..............

Upstairs, Diana, Alaric, and Elijah wait until they hear Damon and Bonnie walk up the stairs.

"It's time," Elijah tells them. Damon and Bonnie exit the house without glancing at Diana, Alaric, or Elijah. Diana, Elijah, and Alaric follow them through the house towards the front door.

"All right. I got the weapons in the car." Alaric offers them. Bonnie glances back at Diana who raises an eyebrow at her, Bonnie nods to her.

"Bonnie and Diana are the only weapons we need." Elijah counters. Elijah walks out of the front door. Alaric follows behind him but when he tries to exit the house, he finds that an invisible barrier is blocking him in.

"Bonnie!" Bonnie glances back at him. "What is this?"

"I'm sorry," Bonnie tells him, he notes the look in her eyes, realizes what is about to happen. 

"Diana?!" Alaric snaps, Diana turns to him. "Don't do this" He begs of her. "Don't do.....please. Please don't do this. You can't do this"

"I can't put you at risk." She tells him as she pulls off her necklace, his eyes follow the action, he shakes his head. 

"I can't stay here with you out there!" Alaric tells her. 

"I'm sorry." She offers.

"You can't do this!" He scolds her. "Damon?"

"Sorry, buddy. I was outvoted" Damon answers and looks at Diana, he shakes his head before she just shrugs back. She has to do this. It's her fatal flaw. She is willing to risk her life for her friends and family regardless of the consequences. She takes a deep breath and crushes the crystal in her hand.

"No, no," Alaric tells her. She lifts her eyes to his.

"I love you" She gives him a sad smile before uncurling her fingers. Black smoke erupts from the shattered pieces and forms a humanoid figure at her side, Diana lets a tear slide down her cheek before she lets the demon in.

"No! You can't do this. Diana! Diana!" Alaric angrily hits the doorframe. Diana opens her eyes to reveal that they are now black. "No" Alaric whispers, Diana looks at Bonnie.

"On my lead," Diana tells Bonnie who nods. They turn and walk away from the house.

"Diana!" Alaric shouts after her.

.............

At the quarry where Elena and Jenna are being held by Greta and Klaus. Jenna looks at Elena who seems thoughtful, strategic.

"Elena..." Jenna warns.

"I have to do something. This can't happen. None of it." Klaus and Stefan have walked down from the clifftop and approach Elena and Jenna.

"Quite the predicament. You know, it's funny, all this talk about preserving family, and here's Stefan, granting your wish." Klaus offers.

"Stefan..." Elana states sadly.

"It's okay." He assures her.

"Well," Klaus points a stake between Jenna and Stefan. "Who's it going to be, Elena?"

"No." Elena denies.

"Oh, don't worry. There's actually no choice." Klaus vamp speeds around Stefan and stakes him in the back. Stefan screams in pain and crumbles to the ground.

"No! Stefan! No!" Klaus rips the stake out of Stefan's back, leaving a sizable chunk of wood in his back.

"I have other plans for your boyfriend. I want him alive. But for now..." Klaus snaps Stefan's neck causing Stefan to fall, disgracefully, to the ground. Elena gasps in shock. "Whenever you're ready, Greta." He adds and looks at the witch.