Book Four: Solitude (A. Saltzman)

Chapter Forty-Nine

Diana wakes feeling lighter than she has in months. Alaric being around her again. She lets out a breath and turns over to seek him out beside her, but that side of the bed is empty. She sits up and glances around the room.

"Ric?" Diana asks, suddenly feeling very alarmed that she might have dreamt up the whole thing. She climbs out of bed and pulls on one of Ric's shirt before heading out of the room to look for him. "Ric?!" Diana asks as she heads down the stairs. He turns from where he is sat on the couch.

"I'm right here" he assures her, she hurries across the room and climbs into his lap, his arms wrapping around him. "I'm sorry" he whispers. "I didn't think...." She curls up against his chest and closes her eyes. He strokes her arm to comfort her.

"I thought it was all in my head" She admits. "When I woke up...."

"Hey, I'm right here" he assures her. "I'm right here" He repeats holding her tighter to him.

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

Later; Diana stares down at Bonnie's body in the cave and then looks at her ghost stood next to her own body. It didn't even take Bonnie 24 hours to get herself into this mess. Diana runs her fingers through her hair and groans.

"Oh come on" Diana complains. "12 hours," She tells Bonnie. "That's all it took for you to get yourself killed?" Bonnie shrugs a little.

"I tried to put the veil back up" Bonnie admits. "I used too much magic...but I'm trying to fix it" Bonnie adds.

"I'm guessing this is why I am here" Diana whispers, Bonnie nods.

"The Monolith needs more blood" Bonnie offers, Diana sighs.

"Right, so I'll prick my finger and we're good to go" Diana offers, Bonnie gives her a look.

"Diana," Bonnie tells her. "It needs a full sacrifice" She admits, Diana closes her eyes and nods a little. Alaric is lingering outside of the cave, listening. "You don't seem surprised" Bonnie points out, Diana sighs.

"Artemis implied that me coming back to Mystic Falls....would result in my death" Diana admits.

"But you came back anyway" Bonnie whispers.

"The Monolith is my responsibility" Diana reminds her. "Mystic Falls is my home...." Her voice breaks a little. "Okay," She agrees.

"The twins..." Bonnie starts.

"It's okay, they'll be okay...I...have things in place. They won't be alone...." Diana gives her a sad smile. "Did you know...that 95% of demigods don't make it to 21?" Diana tells Bonnie and shrugs. Bonnie raises an eyebrow. "Monsters like to eat us or straight up kill us...I was lucky to make it to 20"

"Oh my god, your birthday" Bonnie realises that they all forgot it, again.

"It's not really all that important in the grand scheme of things...I spent it with the twins...they met their first centaur...." Diana looks down and swallows. "It's okay, Bonnie....I'm going to lose Ric again anyway, and I won't survive it this time" Bonnie moves closer to her.

"I wish I didn't have to ask this of you" Bonnie admits.

"Who else can do it?" Diana asks with a shrug. No one else can do it. "Has to be the blood of Zeus....has to be me" Diana nods and sighs. "Yep. I'm going to call Athena..." She turns to leave.

"Diana" Diana stops and turns back to face Bonnie. "Make sure you say your goodbyes." Bonnie offers, Diana nods and leaves the cave.

...........

Alaric is sat at the cemetery with Jeremy and Elena, eating lunch together though his mind is elsewhere. Thinking over Bonnie and Diana's conversation. She knew there was a possibility she would die if she came back to town, and she did it anyway. And she is ready to sacrifice herself for the safety of the people in her life, the people that live here. If that doesn't sum up Diana, he doesn't know what does. Giving up everything for the people around her. He looks down at the burger in his hand. He needs to put on a brave face for Elena and Jeremy, even though he knows that their big sister is planning on sacrificing herself for everything. Alaric takes a bit of his burger.

"Mm. Oh, my god." He comments through a mouthful. Elena laughs.

"Mm." Jeremy agrees.

"No grease on the Other Side, huh?" Elena asks.

"You have no idea how much I've missed this" Alaric then holds up a bottle of bourbon. "And this." Elena takes the bottle from him. "No, hey. Hey!" Elena takes a swig.

"She just got her humanity back. Let her live a little." Jeremy points out, Jeremy reaches for the bottle but Elena holds it away from him.

"Hey, you wish."

"I'm dead – what are they gonna do, throw me in juvie?" Jeremy asks.

"Well, at least you'd have a place to live," Alaric adds. Smiling, Elena starts throwing food at them.

"You both suck!"

"Hey! Now there it is – that smile. I wasn't sure we were gonna see that again." Alaric comments. Elena is still smiling, but more sadly, her eyes glistening.

"I did some pretty terrible things." She takes a deep breath.

"Hey, no. No tears. If Caroline was right, we only have until tonight. We need a no-crying rule." Jeremy offers.

"But the crying's good. It means that I'm finally feeling something, and right now I..." She takes their hands in each of hers. "I feel happy." They smile back at her. Alaric looks up as Diana approaches them.

"Sorry I'm late" Diana offers as she sits next to Alaric, he watches her, his hand finding her knee. "I got caught up..." Elena holds out a burger to her, Diana shakes her head. "No, I'm okay, I'm not really hungry," Diana tells her as she leans into Alaric's side, his arm wrapping around her, fingers pressing into her side, she sighs a little and looks up at him, Alaric raises an eyebrow at her, she gives him a smile. Elena's phone starts ringing. She takes it out and looks at it.

"It's the Grill – it must be Matt" She offers and then answers it. "Hey, you went AWOL this morning – what happened?" It's a familiar, unexpected voice.

"Hello, Elena. It's your dead friend, Connor. You remember me?" Elena is shocked. "We want Silas, and we want the cure."

"I don't know where they are, so I guess I can't help you."

"Huh. Well, you know who's gonna need some help? Grandma and Grandpa Jones, in town for the big high school graduation, along with Auntie Sue and Uncle Mark..." Alaric motions to Elena that he's going to do something. Elena nods. "Matter of fact, everybody here at the Mystic Grill for graduation brunch. You either give me what I want, or they die."

"Please, don't hurt anyone. I'll find Silas and I'll get the cure."

"Good. Get it done."

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

At the Grill, Connor hangs up. Alaric shows up behind him.

"So, you get off on terrorizing innocent people?" Alaric asks.

"And who might you be?"

"The guy responsible for the 18-year-old you just threatened."

"Well, that 18-year-old snapped my neck with her bare hands."

"And I'm also the guy who showed her how to do that," Alaric admits, Connor chuckles.

"That's ironic. You must not know a damn thing about fighting if you're trying to intimidate a dead guy packing C4." Connor opens his jacket slightly to reveal he's strapped with explosives.

"This is my bar, pal. Nobody's gonna blow it up." Connor grins and lifts a detonator in his hand. It clicks and Alaric grabs him with vampire speed and takes him out of the Grill. He explodes offscreen, though they only get far enough that the explosion causes damage to the edge of the restaurant. The Grill patrons scream in fright.