Lucy's look for the chapter ≈
CHAPTER LII
❝Surprise for me too.❞
Lucy woke up to the sun blazing in her eyes.
"Ugh." she groaned, turning on her side as she came in contact with something flesh-like and peeked an eye open to see Nik sleeping peacefully next to her, and last night's incidents came flooding back to her.
She smiled to herself at the sight before her, shuffling in close, and pulling the sheets higher onto their bare bodies, as she looked at his peaceful expression fondly.
"I know it's not good to stare," she began, whispering to his sleeping form, "but you look heavenly right now. And I want to tell you that I am so thankful that Brie has gotten you as his father. I can't wait to prepare our wedding vows."
She finished with a giggle, leaving a kiss on their intertwined hands and she quietly slipped out of the sheets, careful to not wake him.
When she returned from getting cleaned up and clothed for the day, she still found him fast asleep and checked the time to be half past noon.
She sat by the dressing mirror, beginning to do her hair and turned on her phone to see several missed calls from Stefan.
She typed him a quick message.
Everything okay? ━ Lucy
Stefan ━ Call me.
She set down the hairbrush and ducked inside the bathroom to dial him.
"Hello."
"Hey, what happened, Stef?"
"Where is Klaus?"
"Why? What's wrong?" Lucy questioned. "He's been with me since last night."
"Kol's being a problem. We need his help."
"I'm not getting what you are implying. Please elaborate."
"Damon turned a restaurant full of people today for Jeremy to complete his mark. But Kol killed them all and then compelled Damon to kill Jeremy, who's alive fortunately, but Damon is chained in the dungeon."
"But why would Kol do that? I thought everything was okay now."
"He's going on and on about Silas. Saying that waking him up will be the end of this world." Stefan explained. "Thus he's posing a huge problem in retrieving the Cure and we need the compulsion gone from Damon, so I'd like Klaus to dagger him."
"Woah, don't jump to daggering already." she exclaimed. "Let me talk to him first. Show him reason."
"Just make it fast. I can't have Damon stuck inside, starving." Stefan sighed.
"I'll talk to him. Calm down." Lucy assured.
"Yeah, and, listen, Brie had breakfast with me and she must be in the garden perhaps. And I've dropped her friend, Sara, to her place too."
"Thank you." she smiled. "For yesterday too. And I hope Katherine hasn't posed another problem yet?"
"Surprisingly, no. We're all still confused on what she needed and why she even came, let alone drop a warning to you like that instead of goin' on with her plan in peace."
"I'm sure it's all related to that Cure." she scoffed.
"We have zero idea. But we're hoping you and Bonnie could gather some info on it."
"I'll help. But not today. I just want peace for at least today." she pinched the bridge of her nose. "It's Brie's birthday and I want no distractions. We're going to amusement park and then to the movies. You can join if you'd like."
"I'll try to. But thank you."
"Okay. I'll see to Kol."
◇◇◆◇◆◇◇
By the time Kol had replied to her text asking him to have a 'little chat with her at the Grill', Lucy had left a note explaining everything to Nik and had lunch with Brie, and then left for the Mystic Grill.
"I thought you would leave me on delivered forever." Lucy mused when Kol came to take the seat across from her.
"Unfortunately, I'm still learning the wonders of this modern world." he shrugged. "So, what do you want to have a 'little chat' about?"
"Well, I've heard quite a bit about your rendezvous this particular morning."
"Might you mean some certain restaurant rendezvous of this morning?" he smirked.
"Exactly that."
"So, what of that?" he raised a daring brow.
"What of that.." she repeated, clicking her nails on the wooden table. "Just that, what were you thinking?"
"I know what I did and why." he scoffed. "I couldn't let these fools wake Silas up and bring the end of this world."
"Elaborate, please."
"I used to run with the witches, as you already know," he began. "Africa in the 14th century, Haiti in the 17th century, New Orleans in the 1990s. They all knew about Silas. Knew that he needed to be kept buried."
"Never quite heard of him." she rose a brow.
"They say when Silas rises, he'll unleash hell on earth." Kol finished. "Silas, the first immortal. Ask your coven, they'll know."
"I don't have a coven." she clenched her jaw.
"Ex-coven then." he shrugged. "Well, whatever, that's the whole story of why the Cure's hunt should be stopped immediately."
"But that doesn't explain you compelling Damon to kill Jeremy."
"The hunter is the core problem here." he shrugged as if it solved everything. "No hunter, no Cure. No Cure, no Silas. The end."
"Ugh." she groaned, throwing her head back in frustration. "Stefan is trying to get Niklaus to dagger you. Good thing he's asleep, and Stefan told me everything instead."
"What in the world made Stefan Salvatore think that he could turn my own brother against me?" Kol snorted.
She drew a sharp irritated breath. "I don't know, Kol. But can you please just stall it for a single day. It's Brie's birthday. Don't spoil the peace just now."
"There was no peace, darling. You just ran away from it three months back."
"Kol, it's a request. Just one day. I would even like you to come enjoy with us."
Kol opened his mouth to possibly reply but cut himself short when his phone rang.
"Jeremy Gilbert." he grinned, flashing the phone's screen towards her before picking it up.
"Jeremy Gilbert, what a surprise to see that I'm still on your speed dial, mate. Want to meet back up in Denver's batting cage?"
Lucy watched as he heard the reply from there and then mouthed the word 'Elena' to her.
"What a treat." he fake cheered. "Yeah, I was just thinking of all the clever ways I could have your brother killed but then I simply settled down for tearing his illustrated arm off."
Another pause before he replied. "You want to talk about Silas?"
Lucy's brows raised.
Then he ended the call with, "I'll let you know when."
"So, it's a tempting offer and I'll agree but," he paused, dramatically, setting his phone down, "you'll first accompany me to the Gilberts."
"For what?"
"Elena little Gilbert just asked me to talk about the Cure. She wants to call a truce. We'll make them understand this whole charade. You're a witch. They'll trust your findings."
"I have no findings. I'm just taking your word for this."
"Then make up some witchy-shit and theory. They trust you."
"Fine." she sighed. "Don't make me regret this, though."
◇◇◆◇◆◇◇
"I have zero idea what you hope to achieve by this but I'll go along with this stupid idea." Lucy muttered under her breath as Kol knocked on the Gilbert Household's front door.
"They're the ones calling the truce, darling." Kol hummed, pulling out his earphones and beginning to wrap them around his phone. "Just play along."
Jeremy was the one who opened the door and although quite surprised on seeing Lucy with him, called out for his sister.
"Why are you here?" he asked calmly, bringing forth his hunting arrow to make sure it's completely visible.
"Easy there, mate." Kol smirked. "I've given my word to not lay a hand on you. Besides, we've been called here for a truce. By your sister truly."
Elena appeared by Jeremy's side, "Kol. I thought you would inform me beforehand. And hi, Lucy. Quite a surprise."
"Surprise for me too." she forced a smile directed towards Kol.
"Surprises are quite my style, darlings." he smirked. "Now invite us in."
"Here?," Elena asked, sharing a look with her brother, "We must talk somewhere else. Not in my house."
"If you want to talk then we'll discuss the terms in your house only."
"No, I won't invite you in." she said firmly.
"Then forget the truce." he shrugged, beginning to turn-around.
"Wait-" Elena exclaimed. "Can't we negotiate something else?"
"You can invite him in, Elena. He can't kill Jeremy or he'll suffer the consequences of the Hunter's Curse."
"Exactly. And there's vervain everywhere. I can't compel you. Now hurry up, darling. We don't have forever."
"Fine." she nodded reluctantly. "But you won't touch Jeremy."
"Deal."
"You can come in." Jeremy nodded reluctantly, and disappeared from the back door.
"You may begin by offering a drink to us, perhaps." Kol smirked, stepping over the threshold as Lucy followed.
◇◇◆◇◆◇◇
"So, you're certain that Silas is more than just some made up story." Elena frowned when Kol had finished explaining to her all he knew of Silas.
"Exactly, Kol has been quite true. Silas is no fairytale. I've searched upon him and if you value everybody's life, then you must cut this Cure chase short."
"What did you find out?" Elena asked curiously.
"The Cure rests with Silas' tomb. If you open it, you raise Silas. And Silas is a feared being. More than just whispers. He was the first immortal. And if he is awoken, he will raise hell upon earth. Get his vengeance."
"Vengeance?"
Lucy shot a troubled look at Kol.
"Every villain was wronged in some way. And every villain seems vengeance. He'll destroy the world. And even if you don't believe Kol, trust me. Drop this hunt. Instead learn to enjoy life as a vampire. This hunt is pointless."
Kol folded his arms, meeting her eyes and rose his brows in a 'I'm impressed' motion.
Elena gulped, troubled by the whole charade.
"I'll, um,- well, if you're saying this Silas is true, then, well, we'll stop searching. Yeah, we'll stop."
"Good thing, then." Lucy mused, sharing an unconvinced look with Kol.
"Um, I'll bring a finer wine." Elena muttered, offering a forced smile as she disappeared into the kitchen.
"Do you actually think she believes in all that we just said?" Kol whispered, keeping his voice low.
"Of course not." Lucy whispered back. "But I think she's reconsidering given how I've vouched for this Silas too now."
"I don't think so." he whispered.
"Mayb-"
"-wait-" he held a hand up to shush her. "She's talking to someone in the backyard."
"What's she saying?"
"It's a trap." his jaw clenched. "This all is a trap to kill me."
"Elena!" he sneered, standing up in rage.
"Kol." Lucy warned, standing up too. "Let's just leave."
"No, I'm not going anywhere." he spat in anger. "You can go and be a coward for all I like-"
"-oh, for fuck's sake. Don't you pull this coward card at me." Lucy sneered.
"Well, then don't tell me what to do-"
"-then stop fighting with me. God, I am the only one who's actually believing in all that you're saying." she scoffed.
He wavered for a moment before sighing. "Sorry. It's just that these fools can't be allowed to think that they could actually kill me. I won't run."
"They can't kill you, Kol. They don't have the white oak stake."
"I do." he sighed, showing the stake inside his inner jacket pocket.
"How is this 'dangerous' thing lying around like this?" she scoffed. "Unbelievable."
"Call Nik." he stated suddenly.
"What?" her brows furrowed. "We don't need to make this all such a huge mess. We're leaving."
"Go, seriously, I'll call him myself." he said, bringing out his phone.
"I'm not going anywhere without you. Don't stretch this up. Let's just go. We will talk to Nik in person."
"I don't care. We're ending this right now." he sneered, bringing the phone to his ear.
"He won't pick. He's asleep." she scoffed, folding her arms over her chest stubbornly.
"Nik." he said with fake cheerness into the phone. "Your precious doppelganger and her brother are planning to kill me. I hope you don't mind me killing them."
A long pause.
"Perfect." he smirked, ending the call.
"Kol, stop being stubborn. You're going with me."
"Take this as a refresher, darling. I'm sure you must have missed it."
"You can't kill Elena." she said firmly, stepping into his way.
"Why do you care?"
"Because Stefan does. Now, back off. And leave with me."
"Stop being nonsensical, darling." he laughed. "Move out of my way."
"I won't."
"Don't you have your daughter to attend to?" he sighed, exasperated.
"Don't you have Zoey to talk to?" she sneered back.
"Touché." he smirked. "Just go your merry way and let me kill off Elena Gilbert and her dearest -"
He broke off mid-sentence, yelling in pain as an arrow lodged into his leg.
He turned towards the doorway in anger.
Elena stood there with a hunting arrow, with Jeremy by her side.
"You're making a mistake, Gilberts." he sneered, pulling the arrow out and fully turning towards them.
"Stop this, right now." Lucy warned.
Despite everything, Elena sped forward in an attempt to snatch the stake from his jacket but Kol simply held her down in a chokehold, the gun stumbling out of her hand.
And as Jeremy made to shoot at him again, Lucy slammed him into a wall.
"I want none of you getting hurt." she said firmly, before turning to the Gilberts. "I thought we had a truce."
"There was no truce to begin with." Kol spat, squeezing Elena's throat harder as she gasped under him. "This all is just a trap to kill me."
"No one is dying." she repeated. "You hear me? No one."
"He started it." Jeremy spat in anger. "He tried to kill me first."
"We don't have to act like children about this. Let's just be adults and talk this through."
"Oh, no-"
He was cut short as the doorbell rang across the foyer.
"Oh, well, that must be Nik." Kol grinned in glee.
"Good. Maybe he'll knock some sense into you all." Lucy sighed, shuffling towards the entryway.
"As if." Jeremy snorted.
"Nik-" she began, but stopped short on seeing no-one but a huge rectangular gift box, almost a third-fourth of her own size, by the doorstep.
"Elena?" she called out, perplexed, "there's a large gift for you."
"What?" Kol's voice called out. "Who left a bloody gift at this time of the day?"
She ignored his question and floated the box inside, setting it down gently.
"What the hell?" Kol scoffed. "Are we actually opening gift boxes right now?"
"Wait a second..."
She trailed off looking down at the note attached to it and realisation hit her like a bus on recognising the handwriting.
My apologies for any disruptions but this gift will reach you wherever you're.
Besides, more importantly, your contribution has been thoroughly useless. But I might as well at least leave you to fend to the remains.
There was no signature or any sign of the sender but Lucy knew better than to assume otherwise because the handwriting was a clear sign enough.
"What's going on?" Kol sighed impatiently, still holding the doppelganger down.
But she just ignored him, beginning to tear through the wrapping urgently.
And then, Lucy fell to her knees, her whole body trembling violently.
Because there it laid, encased fancily in a glass coffin, as if a porcelain doll, the body of Brie Wright, her throat slashed open and a clear sign of ouroboros carved into her forehead.
━━━━━━✰━━━━━━
A/n :
Well, i had this planned all along😔. Don't hate me for this.
Until then,
Ripahhhhhhhhhh.
Word Count : 2605