Ryan's POV
Damon and Stefan had gone to see Katherine, meaning I couldn't visit her until they left. The recent events had brought back memories from the past that I wanted to forget. But then again, when does anyone ever get what they want?
I sat down at my desk, opening a drawer, and taking out a sketchbook I left there, just incase I ever came back. I placed the book on the desk, before opening it to the first blank page. Then, I started to sketch.
I sketched Elijah. When I met someone new, I often did a sketch of them, so I could remember their face. Some people I sketched more than others, depending on their significance in my life or how good they looked.
Damon's POV
Stefan and I were leaning against the walls of the entrance to the tomb.
"Please, come on in. There's plenty of room for all of us," Katherine's voice greeted from somewhere inside the dark space. She looked out a little, so we could only see her head.
"I'd rather poke my eyes out," I told her, truthfully.
"There such pretty eyes," Katherine complimented.
"We're here for the moonstone," Stefan explained. If Katherine just handed us the moonstone, the world was ending. I was prepared for her to ask for something in return that would most likely only benefit her.
"Feel like tossing it over?" I asked her.
"Tell you what. Get your little witch to hocus-pocus me out of here, you can have whatever you want," Katherine bargained.
"I thought you liked it in here. Nice and safe, where Klaus can't get you," Stefan recalled her words from yesterday, when Elena and Ryan came to visit. Speaking of Ryan, I hadn't seen him for a while.
"I've had time to reconsider," Katherine lied.
"Meaning you're hungry," I stated, seeing how she looked weaker.
"I'm starving, Damon. And dirty. But above all, I'm bored. At least running from Klaus wasn't boring," Katherine explained, walking closer to us, "So here's the deal. You get me out of here...you get the moonstone and I'll disappear from Mystic Falls forever. Let me know what you decide."
With that, Katherine turned back into the tomb, while me and Stefan shared a look.
...
Ryan's POV
Somehow, my brothers convinced me to go with them to Elena's house. Apparently, when visiting Katherine, she bargained that if she was let out of the tomb, she'd give us the moonstone. I believed she was telling the truth, but I didn't voice my thoughts. My brothers would never let her out anyway.
"You don't believe her, do you?" Elena asked, worried. We were all standing around in the bright colored kitchen.
"No, of course not. We just want the moonstone," Damon stated.
"According to Rose's frined Slater, there's a way to destroy the spell that Klaus wants to break," Stefan explained. I knew that wasn't right. There was never an easy way out of these situations.
"No spell, no doppelgänger sacrifice. Ergo, you live," Damin explained simply. I took an orange and ate a slice of it, growing peckish.
"How do you destroy it?" Elena asked. She seemed like she wasn't that invested in the idea, which I couldn't blame her for.
"By releasing it from the moonstone," Stefan claimed. I put my hand over my mouth, trying to contain the chuckle that wanted to dance on my lips. That sounded ridiculous.
"How do you guys even know this is gonna work?" Elena asked. It sounded like a good question.
"Because we have a crafty witch on our side," Damon claimed, talking about a certain Bennett witch.
"You discussed it with Bonnie," Elena realised.
"She agreed to do anything she could to help us," Stefan told her. Bonnie seemed very different from her ancestors. They all wanted no part in vampire business and would always protect themselves and their heritage over anyone or anything. Whereas Bonnie is going round promising to do anything to help vampires.
"It's Katherine who was the moonstone, she's not gonna give it to you," Elena reminded us. It seemed as though she was desperately trying to find as many flaws in the plan as possible. Unluckily for her, my brothers were fully prepared.
"We're gonna get it from her," Stefan claimed.
"Well, what he means to say...is that we'll pry it from her cold, dead hands if we have to," Damon elaborated.
"I'm not. I ain't going anywhere near a dead body of a vampire. They look disgusting. Plus they stink so badly," I joked, trying to lighten the mood. Unfortunately, the serious atmosphere was too overwhelming. My brothers just glared at me, before deciding on ignoring me completely. I was used to it.
"Bonnie just needs to find a way to release the seal long enough for us to get in, get the moonstone and get out," Stefan told the brunette girl.
I thought that this was an unrealistic plan. I had been all caught up in the drama that had happened before I came. Therefore, I knew that it took Bonnie and her grandmother to break the seal, which also resulted in her death. There was no chance that Bonnie could temporarily lower the seal and put it back up again by herself before dying a painful and slow death.
"Wow. I mean, it sounds like you guys have it all planned out," Elena stated and I could pratically smell the sarcasm radiating off of her. I knew she was going to say something else.
"Yep. We're awesome," Damon claimed.
"Except for one thing. I don't want you to do it," Elena claimed. That, I was nit expecting. However, I could understand the logic behind her statement.
"What are you talking about? Elena, we don't have a choice," Stefan stated, believing fully in what he said.
"What about Klaus?" Elena questioned, a tint bit louder. She was clearly getting annoyed.
"We'll find him after we get the moonstone," Stefan explained, keeping calm.
"Is that before or after he kills everyone that I care about, including you three?" Elena rhetorically questioned. I was surprised Elena included me. Although, I didn't want to be killed by an extremely old vampire.
"Elena, if we can de-spell the moonstone, we can save your life," Stefan reminded her.
"I know. Everybody keeps saying that," Elena stated.
I did agree with her reasoning, but I couldn't help but feel a little jealous. She had people literally lining up to save her, including my brothers. Yet, she didn't want them to help. Whereas with me, I had no one. Some could claim I had my brothers, but they would most likely save Elena before saving me, because of the love they had for the brunette.
Elena got up and left the room, whilst my brothers shared the same shocked look. I took this as my cue to leave. I got to the house and just sat in the living room, drinking a blood bag whilst simultaneously scrolling through Pinterest on my phone.
...
I heard the door open, but decided on keeping my headphones in, listening to music as I grilled three sandwiches. One for me, one for Rose and one for Elena, who I guessed was the person who came through the door.
Elena's POV
I entered the mansion slowly and quietly. I knew Rose and most likely Rose was there aswell. I had a plan, and I was going to follow through with it. I wasn't going to let anyone die because of me. I closed the door.
"It's not nice to leave a girl naked so early in the morning," Rose voice stated, making me look down the hallway. Rose was just wearing a simple nightgown. My thoughts were immediately thinking "Damon". She looked up, shocked to see me instead of the Salvatore who had sex with her.
"Sorry, I thought you were--" Rose started to apologise.
"I, uh-- Sorry, I--" I started to apologise, looking at the door, facing away from Rose.
"There's no one else here," Rose claimed.
"I didn't know I was no one!" I heard Ryan shout from the kitchen, offended. I chuckled a little at the middle Salvatore. Rose rolled her eyes.
"Just shut up!" Rose shouted back at him.
"Actually, I came to talk to you. And now possible Ryan," I admitted, getting back to the task at hand.
"Then I should probably get dressed," Rose stated, pointing upstairs. I nodded my head, embarrassed by this awkward situation.
I went into the living room and soon, Ryan came in. He held a plate out to me, which I took before thanking him. It was a grilled cheese and ham sandwich. When Rose came down, fully clothed, Ryan also handed her a plate.
Ryan's POV
Elena had just explained the plan to Rose and I. I was sitting on one couch, munching on my sandwich while Elena sat on the other couch and Rose stood, pacing by the fireplace.
"It's a bad idea," Rose stated. She was very stubborn when she liked to.
"No, it's not. From what Stefan told me, your friend Slater obviously has more information about Klaus. You and Damon just gave up before you got it," Elena claimed.
"Because somebody blew up a coffe shop with us in it," Rose corrected her.
"Actually, they just broke the window, meaning every vampire in there turned to dust," I corrected both of them. I took another bite out of my grilled cheese sandwich, moaning in delight.
"There's more to learn. We just have to find a way to learn it," Elena stated, choosing to move on from the coffee house.
"Why are you coming to me with this?" Rose asked her, annoyed and curious.
"And me," I butted in. I wanted to be included.
"Because you owe me. One word from me, and Damon and Stefan could've killed you for kidnapping me and Ryan. Also, Ryan you can choose to help or not. But it would be greatly appreciated if you help," Elena explained.
"Or maybe it's because you know that they wouldn't want you doing this. Their moonstone caper gives you a jump-start to sneak away," Rose observed. I nodded my head in agreement, hearing the argument in the morning and then Rlena going out of her way to make sure that she does this plan without my brothers.
"We're having a disagreement, okay? They're willing to risk everyone that I love, and I'm not," Elena stated. As I said before, I get her logic, but she could at least be a little more grateful.
"They're just trying to protect you," Rose pointed out. I nodded my head in agreement, finishing the sandwich.
"And you've proven that you couldn't care less whether I'm protected or not. So, we're back to you taking me to Slater," Elena stated. Rose sat next to Elena.
"What exactly do you hope to achieve by this?" Rose questioned. By now, they have completely forgotten I existed.
The only reason Stefan even called me, was because they needed help. Otherwise, they wouldn't have remembered I existed. I was the middle child. The nobody. Even a girl that they haven't known for as long, tops me.
"How would you like to be able to walk during the daylight?" Elena asked Rose.
"I've been a slave to shadows for 500 years. What do you think?" Rose remarked sarcastically. I started to hum the song quietly. I wasn't going to be involved in the conversation, so I might as well do something.
"I think I know a witch who's willing to do whatever it takes to help. If you're willing to make a deal," Elena informed. I nearly scoffed at how heartless that was. Bonnie said that with confidence because she lived Elena and wanted her to stay alive. Yet, Elena was using that phrase against her, to make a deal that could possibly cause Elena to die. I couldn't understand the logic behind that.
Maybe I was wrong. Maybe Elena and Katherine were more similar than everyone thought.
...
We walked up several stairs of a crappy building. It looked old and smelt terrible. I kept my hands at my sides, not wanting to touch anything, since it looked like it had tons of germs and diseases on all the walls, floors and railings.
I followed behind Elena, who was behind Rose. I silently replayed the song in my head, nor wanting to hum it out loud. It was bad enough that Elena knew a tiny bit about the background of the song. I didn't want to explain it to Rose aswell.
Speaking of Rose, I remembered how we met. I was in Ottawa, Canada at the time. I was in a night club when we first met. I saw her and could instantly tell she was a vampire. So I went over to her. We talked, then went back to the apartment I was staying in and had sex. We exchanged numbers and we texted for a while. I told her about my brothers and a little about Katherine.
We were hanging out one day, when she snapped my neck. When I woke up, my daylight ring was gone. However, she didn't know that it wouldn't work on her. Only on me.
I spent a year in the shadows, before I found a witch. We made a deal. She makes me a daylight ring and I give her the names of vampires I knew that lived in Canada and that I would leave Canada and never return. I was fine with that.
Back to the present, we had reached the top of the stairs. Rose knocked harshly on the door.
"Slater. Slater, it's Rose. Open up," Rose called out to him, seeming unbothered. Then she turned to Elena, less than a second after.
"He's not home. Sorry," she apologised, lying. She clearly couldn't care less. I rolled my eyes at her.
"Mm-mm. No. We didn't come all the way out here for nothing," Elena denied. She motioned with her head towards the door. Then we went and stood beside Rose as she forced the locked doors open.
"After you," she stated, gesturing inside. Elena looked hesitant. I rolled my eyes again, before barging past the two girls and heading into the kitchen. I opened the fridge. Inside was a beer, so I took it out and began to drink it. The two girls followed.
Rose began to call out Slater's name, but I didn't listen. I was focused on a scent. It was blood. Not human blood. Vampire blood.
"I don't think he's gonna be much help," Rose claimed, staring at something. I stood next to her. Usually, my eyes would widen with shock and horror, but I already guessed it. Slater laid on the floor, face connecting with the cold flooring. A stake in his back.
"He got stabbed in the back," I commented, jokingly. The two girl just haired at me as I took another sip of my drink.
...
I sat on the couch, sipping my beer still. There was only one available, so I was going yo make the most of it. While Rose dragged Slater's body somewhere, Elena looked through the paper files on a desk.
"Looks like whoever blew up the coffee shop found him and killed him for his information," Elena observed.
"Yeah. Probably to stop him from helping people like us," Rose stated.
"You mean vampires, like us," I corrected her from my seat.
"The guy was a vampire almanac. Knowing too much information just bit him in the ass," Rose continued, ignoring me. Elena continued to look through the stuff on his desk. Rose went over to the windows and opened the curtains.
"What are you--" Elena began to question.
"Tempered glass. UV rays can't penetrate. I used to just come here and watch the day," Rose claimed.
"I'm sorry about Slater," Elena apologised. I finished the beer.
"Any luck?" Rose questioned, turning to face Elena.
"It's password-protected. I can't get in," Elena claimed, talking about the six screen computers on his desk.
"Then this is pointless. Let's just go," Rose stated, sounding unbothered. I came to think that she turned the switch off. But then you could still see a flicker of emotion in her eyes.
A door opened. Rose and Elena stood, getting ready for an attack. I just stood there, already smelling who was there. It wasn't anyone I knew. But, they wouldn't be a problem. Especially since they were human.
"Alice?" Rose questioned as she opened a set of doors. I sighed to myself. Must be a girlfriend I thought to myself.
"Rose," Alice cried. She ran towards the female vampire and hugged her. She bursted into ugly tears on the female's shoulder.
...
Rose sat on the couch, comforting the girl. I could sometimes sense people's emotions. I could mainly sense grief, sadness and desperation. Mostly the negative emotions. She was sad. But not because her boyfriend died. But because she could no longer get him to turn her.
Rose came over to the kitchen, where I was leaning against the side, watching Elena. The dopplegänger was pouring tea. Rose sat down on a bar stool next to Elena.
"She found him a few minutes before we did," Rose stated.
"How is she?" Elena asked. Clearly, Elena couldn't see beyond her act.
"Overreacting. Big time," Rose stated.
"Agreed. At least she isn't wailing like before," I commented, agreeing with Rose. She nodded in agreement.
"Her boyfriend just died. There's no such thing as overreacting," Elena insulted, appalled at us.
"Those tears are for her. She didn't care about Slater. She was only dating him long enough to see if he'd turn her," Rose explained. Elena looked shocked. However, the brunette continued to bring a cup full of tea out to the crying, selfish girl.
"I've never understood how someone would want to be a vampire so much, that they'd date one just to see if they'd turn them," I stated. Rose nodded her head.
"I know. If Alice ever gets turned, she'd regret it within the first week," Rose agreed.
"I don't get some girls. Alice dates someone just to see if there was a chance he'd turn her. Not to mention Elena. She's got so many people who live her and want to keep her safe, but she keeps refusing their help," I explained.
"I don't know, Ryan. Some people, just don't make sense," Rose commented, before walking over to Elena and Alice.
"Doubtful. Klaus doesn't wanna be pointed out," I heard Alice say to Elena with my vampire hearing.
"Do you know Slater's computer password?" I heard Elena ask, making me smirk.
"Are you seriously asking me that right now? I just saw my boyfriend with a stake in his back," I heard Alice remind her.
"I understand that. Do you know his password?" I heard Elena repeat.
"Who do you think you are?" I heard Alice murmur before sipping her drink. Then Elena glanced at me and Rose. I suddenly got cautious and worried.
"What if I could convince Ryan or Rose to turn you?" I shot out if my seat and stood beside Rose.
"Will you show us his files then?" Elena asked Alice. I gave her an angry glare. There was no way in hell, I'd let Alice go anywhere near my blood.
...
"Someone's been here. The hard drives completely wiped out," Alice stated, from her seat at Slater's desk. As soon as Elena stopped talking, Alice agreed to help. That girl was extremely selfish.
"Yeah. Probably whoever killed him," Rose stated from beside me. I was watching Aluce intently, arms crossed over my chest.
"Lucky for you, Slater was paranoid," Alice stated.
"He sounds wonderful," I commented, sarcastically. Rose glared at me, while Alice didn't look away from the computer screen.
"Everything's backed up on our remote server," Alice stated, typing something into the keyboard.
"You know she's not going anywhere near my blood, right?" Rose whispered to Elena.
"Not mine either," I whispered aswell.
"I know. She doesn't," Elena admitted. Rose and I shared an amused look and I smirked. I walked out the room and into the kitchen. I looked through the fridge. When I found there was nothing to drink, I re-entered the room.
"I could call him," Alice suggested as I walked into the room and stood beside Rose.
"Tell him that we're trying to send a message to Klaus," Elena started. I looked at Rose confused. She just shrugged. This was not what Elena said we were going to do.
"The dopplegänger's alive and ready to surrender," Elena finished. My eyes widened.
"What?!" I shouted at the same time as Rose.
"Oh, my god. I knew I recognised you," Alice stated.
"Get him the message, please," Elena requested. I grabbed her by the upper arm and lead her to the side.
"What on earth are you doing?" I asked her, furious, worried and confused.
"I'm getting Klaus' attention," Elena stated. Ros ecame in and stood by me as I let go of Elena's arm.
"If Klaus knows that you're alive, he'll find you and he'll kill you," Rose told her. Elena looked down slightly. That's when I realised something. The look in her eyes.
"Which is exactly what you wanted all along," I realised.
"It's either me or my family," Elena told us. I didn't believe that for a second.
"So this whole charade was some suicide mission so that you could sacrifice yourself and save everyone else," Rose realised. Alice walked into the kitchen, where we all were.
"Cody is on his way. And he really wants to meet you," Alice stated, emphasising the really. I glared at Elena. My brothers would be distraught. Alice exited the room.
"You know what, Elena? I was beginning to like you. I understand that you don't want anyone to die because of you...but you're being selfish. Think about my brothers. They are going to feel guilty and sad. They'd think that it was their fault. That they couldn't save you. Not to mention your brother, who has lost a lot already. Do you think he'd manage losing his sister?" I ranted, trying to not lose control and admit my secret.
"I know. But I can't lose everyone I love," Elena stated. I just scoffed and rolled my eyes. Then, I stormed out of the room and sat on the couch, staring at my shaking hands. I was so angry at her. Then, I decided on something.
I took out my phone. I scrolled through my contacts before pressing the call button. The phone rang for a while.
"Hello?" A voice came from the otherside.
"Hey, Damon. I need you help," I told him.
...
Elena's POV
I was drinking a glass of water when I saw Alice look at me weirdly. I turned around and gasped, coming face-to-fave with someone's chest. I quickly realised it was Damon.
"What are you doing here?" He questioned me.
"What are you doing here?" I repeated back, confused and shocked. Rose walked in, alongside Ryan. Ryan looked a tad bit guilty where Rose looked a little shocked to see Damon.
"You called him?" I asked Ryan, a little hurt.
"I'm not sorry, Elena," Ryan apologised. Then I faced Rose.
"You said that you understood," I reminded, aiming the sentence at Rose instead of Ryan.
"She lied," Damon stated. I turned around to look at Damon.
"Damon Salvatore," Alice stated, sounding extremely happy.
"Get rid of her," Damon ordered Ryan or Rose, or both. I couldn't tell since I just glared at Damon, upset at him for coming here.
Ryan's POV
"No, way," Alice stated, clearly star-struck by my brother. As per usual, no one noticed the middle child. Rose practically dragged Alice away.
"Come on, we're leaving," Damon encouraged Elena.
"No," Elena denied.
"I said we're leaving," Damon repeated, in a more demanding tone than before.
"I'm not going with you," Elena stated, standing her ground.
"You do not get to make decisions anymore," Damon informed Elena.
"When have I ever made a decision? You and Stefan do that for me," Elena pointed out. I looked around, awkwardly. I felt like I was in the middle of a moment between my older brother and the dopplegänger.
I suddenly felt on edge and began to tap my fingers, nervously. I began to hum, trying to calm myself down.
My thoughts ran wild. I shouldn't have stayed in Mystic Falls. It resurfaced memories I didn't want to remember. Everytime I closed my eyes, I thought back to my time as a human and the memories that came with it. Most of them were bad, but some odd ones were good. I kept seeing their faces over and over again which made me want to just scream and shout until they disappeared. I felt overwhelmed.
Thankfully, I got pulled out of my thoughts as Damon exited the room. I sighed and slid down onto the couch, still humming.
...
We were all sitting down when the door to the apartment burst open. Standing there was three men. All were clearly vampires. Everyone stood, suddenly alert.
"We're here to meet the dopplegänger," one man stated.
"Thank you for coming," Elena thanked, trying to walk forward but Damon kept her stood in place.
"I will break your arm," Damon threatened, trying to protect the girl.
"There's nothing here for you. Just three vampires who are extremely pissed off, and a human who I'd pretty dumb," I remarked sarcastically. Suddenly, the third vampire by the doorway dropped down, his neck snapped. Everyone turned to see what happened. There stood, Elijah.
Elijah than vamp sped forward, infront of the two other men. Rose sped out, clearly afraid of the man.
"I killed you. You were dead," Damon stated, confused on how the original was alive. He pushed Elena behind him, so that she was shielded from Elijah's view.
"For centuries now," Elijah stated, "Who are you?" Elijah turned his attention to the two men.
"Who are you?" One of the men repeated back.
"I'm Elijah," Elijah informed them. The man looked so shocked, it caused a smirk to appear on my face. I had a slight suspicion Elijah would soon turn up.
"We were going to bring her to you, for Klaus. She's the dopplegänger. I don't know how she exists but she does. Klaus would want to see her," the vampire claimed.
"Does anyone else know you're here?" Elijah questioned the men.
"No," the vampire answered honestly.
"Well then you have been, incredibly helpful," Elijah faked complimented. He then shoved his hands into both the men's chest. He kept his hands in for a while, before pulling them out, a heart in each hand. The bodies dropped to the floor, dead. Elijah dropped the hearts, looking directly at us. Damon git ready to attack, but Elijah just sped out of the house.
"Did anyone else find that hot?" I questioned. They both gave me wierd looks. I just shrugged. I then walked towards the door, stepping over the dead bodies.
...
When I arrived at the house, Damon and Stefan weren't home. I then took a piece of paper from my pocket. I smirked to myself before dialing the number on it.
"Who is this?" A British voice asked from the other side of the phone.
"You know, Elijah. Usually, people answer the phone with a Hello before starting a conversation," I joked, holding the phone to my ear.
"Ryan Salvatore. How did you get this number?" Elijah questioned.
"Shhh. It's a secret," I stated, smirking even more.
"What do you need?" Elijah asked me, clearly tired of my antics.
"I just wanted to thank you. Also, I may not want Elena to die exactly, but I will help if you need it," I told him.
"But why?" Elijah interrogated, curious.
"Elena is willing to sacrifice herself to Klaus. However, I can tell you're not trying to get her for him. I hope I can trust you, Elijah. I know a lot more than you think," I explained before hanging up. I walked over to the drawing again. I picked it up in one hand. I smiled slightly, my fingers tracing their faces as my eyes began to water.
Word count: 4730