Klaus was being an asshole.
Since the second they started dancing, Klaus had kept glancing over to where Caroline and Tyler were dancing, trying to enjoy their reunion after months apart.
The second Tyler finally left the dance in a huff, Buffy shot a glare at Klaus.
"You done torturing Tyler?" Buffy hissed "Is this whole alpha male thing just compensating for other things?" She snarked as he placed his hand on her lower back, trying to ignore the tingles that rushed through her skin at the feel of his palm pressing her closer.
Klaus scoffed "I don't have to prove anything love, I am the alpha male."
"No, I'm an alpha...you're the swine I get to kick to the curb."
Instead of snapping at her or losing his temper, Klaus just shook his head in amusement. Even when she was insulting him she had a way with words. Spinning her out, he couldn't help but grin as she let out a small laugh before he pulled her back into his arms.
Despite their difference, Buffy had always loved to dance.
It shook her out of whatever state she was in.
"You would have loved the 1920s Buffy." He whispered in her ear, ignoring the glaring eyes from Bonnie Bennett and Caroline Forbes.
If anything the fact that they were worried about leaving Buffy to speak to him alone was a good thing.
It meant that they were worried about how close the two of them were growing.
With every passing encounter, Buffy and Klaus continued to feel more drawn to each other, their similarities helping them bond and connect with their differences making every conversation a battle of wits.
There was never a dull moment between them.
Nothing would ever be predictable.
"Girls were reckless, sexy, fun. They literally used to dance till they dropped." He teased laughing softly.
As they moved around the dance floor in perfect sync, Klaus couldn't help but admire her.
She looked stunning.
And as much as Buffy hated to admit it, Klaus did look damn good in a suit.
It was infuriating.
Stupid hormones!
Trying not to focus on his good looks, Buffy forced herself to focus on the other people around them "How long do we have to dance before you drop?"
"I can keep up with you all day." Klaus teased right back causing her to fight back an amused grin as he continued to swing them both side to side before taking in a shaky breath.
He had to admit...he was nervous.
He never knew how Buffy would react and not knowing was rare for him.
"I want to ask you something."
The sudden seriousness of his voice caused Buffy to frown in confusion and pull back slightly. Not enough to pull her body away from his but so she could see his face clearly, which was dangerously close to her own.
"I'm not gonna take you for a walk pup." She snarked making him smile slightly before he carefully placed his thumb on her chin and tilted her face so she could look at him fully.
The second he touched her so intimately, Buffy froze.
Crap!
She could barely catch her breath.
Why did his eyes have to be so alluring and confusing?
"I'm leaving Buffy." He admitted "Your map, the one marked with every art gallery in the world...a plan you have been putting off and will do so for decades until Elena is safe. I want you to start crossing spots off your list."
The air evaporated out of Buffy's lungs and she was unable to do anything but stare up at him with a dazed expression. Her heart was pounding rapidly, her chest was flushing and her hands were starting to shake in his hold.
No, no, no.
This couldn't be happening.
He couldn't be about to do this, to ask her to escape this town with him.
Spotting her intrigue but obvious hesitation, Klaus just squeezed her chin softly "I'm leaving tomorrow Buffy, you know I will take Elena with me."
Buffy's hand automatically tightened around his palm, breaking several of the bones.
Klaus groaned in pain before pushing on, he had expected her to break some bones at the mention of Elena "You may not think you have a choice, but I think you do...I want you to come with us. I will make sure Elena is safe. I have found a town, untouched by the supernatural and I can ensure she has a safe normal life. She'll live happily somewhere where she is protected away from this town. She will have constant protection and you? You can see the world. Let me show you what the world has to offer. You are an artist my dear, one who should be able to go out there and explore."
Buffy could have an amazing art career if she allowed herself the chance to pursue it.
If she kept sacrificing her own desires for Elena then centuries from now she would do nothing but resent her sister.
Pulling back he took her hand in his and smiled down at her. She was frozen which had him more hopeful. If she had no interest at all she would have told him to go to hell already.
Yet, she hadn't.
Buffy felt tears beginning to pool in her eyes, her lip quivering as she stared up at him.
He was offering her the world.
Everything she had ever dreamed of, a dream she had told him about back in California, that she had always assumed would be forever out of reach.
Too bewildered, Buffy swallowed the lump in her throat, she couldn't even summon the strength to speak, she could do nothing but stare up at him completely mesmerized by the life he was offering her.
There was a part of her deep down, hidden away that wanted more than anything to let him take the weight and show her a world outside of being The Slayer.
He was the one person who she would never have to worry about protecting.
She would be able to relax and not play hero every second as she did for everyone...including Damon and Stefan a lot of the time.
She had saved them all too many times to count.
But with Klaus, they were equals.
"I know you will come for your sister...but I want you to come so I can show you everything you've ever wanted. Cities art, culture. And perhaps help you with your painting technique." He teased causing a small weak laugh to escape her lips, however, when he cupped her face in his palm she once again found herself speechless "You have till tomorrow to decide, I don't want to have to force you there, I want you there because you want to be. Mark my words. A small-town boy, a small-town life, it won't be enough for you. It's not good enough for you."
It was probably the most romantic thing someone had ever said to Buffy.
And it had come from Klaus.
How the hell had that happened?
Before Buffy could even blink, Klaus leaned forward and kissed her cheek causing her voice to catch in her throat as she felt that familiar warmth.
"You deserve the world." He whispered and then he was gone.
As Klaus left her in the middle of the dance floor, Buffy took in a shaky breath utterly stunned to silence.
Feeling eyes on her, Buffy gulped as she spotted Caroline and Bonnie watching her. Caroline had been able to hear and now they both had that we have to keep Buffy safe look in their eyes.
Before they could try and trap her, probably to give her a long lecture filled with photos about all of the reasons she hated Klaus, Buffy bolted.
Speeding into the hall, Buffy stumbled over her heels as her heart continued to hammer violently against her chest.
Her hands were shaking and clammy.
Leaning back against the brick wall, Buffy clenched her eyes shut trying to force the panic attack away.
She was terrified right now.
She felt like she was being torn in two.
One side of her wanted nothing more than to ignore him, and the other was conflicted. What scared her the most was that she wasn't scared about having to go with Klaus because of Elena...she was scared because...a part of her wanted it.
Wanted to go with him.
Not to be with him, but going with Klaus offered her complete freedom from having to play bodyguard for decades.
He was the only one as powerful as her.
All thoughts of Klaus quickly evaporated though as Buffy felt a shiver rush up her spine followed by a dark voice whispering in her ear.
"Save her."
Buffy clenched her jaw tightly.
That voice was familiar and the last time she had felt this specific tingle down her spine...it had been a certain witch setting it off.
"Esther."
"Elena."
That voice sent shivers down both Jeremy's and Elena's spines. It was probably the one voice that they dreaded more than Klaus or Glory.
Esther Mikaelson.
The discussion regarding how to help Alaric was momentarily put on hold as Jeremy quickly pulled Elena behind him.
Esther just smiled, heavily amused by the protective stance he was taking. It was sweet, a brother wanting to protect his sister.
However, it would surely get him killed one day.
"If you wish to help your friend Alaric, I suggest you come with me." Esther stated as she focused on Elena, ignoring Jeremy's heavy glare.
Elena's entire body tensed and she quickly reached for her weapon only to freeze. They were on a college campus.
She couldn't just fire a gun right now.
"Jeremy, go inside and get Buffy now."
Jeremy hesitated and glanced in between his sister and the witch before quickly running as fast as he could to find his other sister.
It was the only option, Esther could easily just knock him out and he wasn't strong enough to handle her alone.
They needed Buffy.
Again.
Esther smiled sweetly "I mean you no harm." She almost sounded sincere "But willingly or not, you will come."
Without another word, Esther started to walk, expecting Elena to follow.
Elena clenched her jaw tightly as she glared at the back of Esther's head. As much as she didn't want to go and as much as she wanted to run screaming, she didn't have any other option right now.
She had to go.
If she tried to run, she had no way of knowing how many people Esther would hurt to get her to come with her.
Just as she moved to follow her though, a loud gasp escaped her chest as a blonde figure zoomed past her.
Within the blink of an eye, Buffy was in front of Esther, hauling her off the ground, her hand wrapped tightly around the witch's throat.
"Sorry witch bitch, back away from my sister."
Esther merely smiled despite the fact Buffy was crushing her windpipe.
It was official, this woman was beyond creepy.
"Perfect. You'll be coming too."
The satisfied grin that was forming on Esther's lips caused Buffy to falter. She really didn't like the turn this conversation was taking.
"What the fu—"
Esther simply twisted her wrist.
Buffy's neck snapped loudly, the crack of the bones at the top of her spine echoing through the darkness of the front garden surrounding the entrance to the student union.
Her body collapsed to the ground with a thud.
Ironically, even with a broken neck and temporarily dead, Buffy hadn't looked this peaceful since her resurrection.
"Buffy!" Elena screamed as she dropped to her sister's side.
At that moment, Jeremy rushed back out of the building, quickly followed by Damon and Stefan.
The third and fourth best options Jeremy had been able to find.
Instantly, panic rushed through him as he spotted his sisters "Buffy! Elena!" He yelled as he ran forward only for Esther to wave her hands.
With that motion, the three women were gone.
They were a moment too late.
"No..." He breathed before turning back to the brothers. They just stood there, they hadn't moved an inch.
What the hell?!
Storming back over to them, that was when Jeremy finally spotted it. The line of salt on the grass that seemed to spread around the entire building.
Definitely not a good sign.
"It's a binding agent for a spell." Stefan realized.
They were trapped.
No, Slayer, no Doppelganger, and a crazy murderer who hated the supernatural on the loose.
They were completely screwed.
**
MYSTIC FALLS, VIRGINIA
"Where is my sister?" Elena hissed the second she and Esther appeared in the middle of the graveyard.
Though despite recognizing this place as the Mystic Falls cemetery, Elena didn't know the graveyard like the back of her hand as Buffy did.
Speaking of her sister...Buffy was nowhere in sight.
"I had to take precautions. Rest assured you will see her in just a moment." Esther promised as she started walking weaving through the old and faded gravestones "You'll forgive me for taking you both from the dance this evening."
Elena just narrowed her gaze at the witch as she begrudgingly followed Esther.
There really wasn't any other choice if she ever wanted to see her sister again.
"That's the burden of being the doppelganger I'm afraid. You're blood in a potent binding agent for a witch's spell." Esther told her just as they entered a small mausoleum.
Sure enough, laying there in the center of the room, heavy chains wrapped around her wrists and ankles was Buffy.
"Oh, my God." Elena gasped as she quickly rushed into the room and crouched down at Buffy's side, scrapping her knees against the concrete.
Not that she noticed.
Her focus was completely on her currently still dead sister.
How long did it take to heal from a broken neck?
Finally, after what felt like an eternity for Elena, Buffy shot up straight gasping loudly for air before groaning as she started rubbing the back of her newly healed neck.
"Totally not my favorite way of dying. Though drowning still wins the suckiest option."
Ignoring the scalding look Elena threw at her, Buffy stumbled up to her feet.
She was the one that died! She could joke about it if she wanted to.
Her deaths, her jokes!
If anything it was a sign of growth!
Yanking against the chains, Buffy let out a small squeal as her flesh started burning the second she pulled against them. Her chains had freaking child locks on them!
Great!
Today sucked!
What was it with the Mikaelson family and chains?
Clearly, Klaus took after his mother.
"I'm so sick of being tied up when it's not going to be a fun experience for me!"
"They're steamed in Salt and Angel dust, rather toxic to demons." Esther explained as she moved over to the bowl in the center of the room, it was almost time to begin.
To finally rid the world of her mistake.
"Not even someone as powerful as you can break through those chains now please ladies follow me, I need you both for this."
Buffy really didn't like the sound of that.
Being involved with dark magic in the past had not been pleasant for Buffy. When witches that practiced ancestral magic had channeled her, it normally led to nose bleeds and migraines the size of Texas.
And that was before she became half pure demon!
A demon that according to Kol's annoyed rambling was resistant to magic!
"Can I veto out of this?"
Esther chuckled "You are humorous. I never imagined you would be."
Then again, she had been on The Other Side when she learned of The Prophecy and the spirits had described Buffy as the implosion that would lead to the death of all witches once she became a hybrid.
"Yeah, my fist is about to be real funny." Buffy snarked as she yanked Elena behind her before tapping her heel against the stone wall "So I take it Klaus gets his body-jumping fetish from you huh?
Esther paused, the chicken feet she was tossing into the bowl momentarily forgotten "Your assumption is quite bold."
Buffy just stared at her flatly before scrunching up her nose in disgust as she spotted the green demon intestines Esther was adding to the mixture "Rebekah missed a dance based on her favorite decade."
Knowing that Rebekah had taken Alarict o get the stake, only to go radio silent afterward just made Esther showing up all the more obvious.
Plus, there was no way Rebekah wouldn't have been panic texting her dress options all the way up to the second before the dance.
Esther surprisingly laughed lightly at her detective work, it was safe to say Buffy was an amusing person "You would have brought out the good in him."
Buffy rolled her eyes while Elena just groaned.
She was talking about Klaus.
"I would have enjoyed having you as my daughter-in-law."
Shivers of horror rushed down Buffy's spine. That was a reality she never ever wanted to imagine. The idea of having family dinners with the whole Mikaelson clan including Mikael during the Viking age made her want to puke and scream all at the same time.
Talk about traumatizing.
"Yeah, I'm good on not having a monster in law." Buffy mumbled before narrowing her gaze. She was officially done with pleasantries "Now where the hell is my hunter buddy?"
"Please don't hurt Alaric." Elena begged as she moved to stand beside Buffy.
Buffy just sighed at the compassionate approach, this was a woman that was happy to kill her children not once by multiple times! She literally let her husband stab her human children through their hearts.
She was bonkers.
"Elena, asking nicely, not gonna work."
"The abomination is right. It won't work."
Alaric.
Turning her head, Buffy clenched her jaw tightly as Alaric stepped out of the shadows.
The second Elena sighed in relief and tried to step forward, Buffy yanked her back, ignoring the searing sensation as her flesh started to burn and blister against the chains on her wrists.
"That's not Ric."
Elena froze slapping herself in the forehead for a second. She had been so relieved at seeing him again that she had completely missed what he had called Buffy.
An abomination.
Their Ric would never.
"What are you doing with him?" Elena hissed as she turned to Esther.
"I'm going to remake him."
Buffy froze.
No!
There was no way she was actually going down this route right? That was too crazy even for her.
"What like Frankenstein?"
Esther chuckled lightly, honestly, she liked the Slayer, if she had been born 1000 years ago when Niklaus was human she would have been perfect for him.
"Make him strong, fast, like my children and like you Miss Summers. Indestructible. For one final time. I'm going to tap into the dark magic my daughter Marianna and I used a thousand years ago. Like my husband Mikael before him, I will make Alaric into the true hunter, the vampire to end all vampires...and I'm sorry to say...you as well Miss Summers."
"Bite me." Buffy hissed as she yanked against her chains again, steam literally starting to evaporate off her skin, not that she cared.
She needed to get out of these damn chains!
Why the hell did it feel like trying to lift a damn plane?
With every tug, they got heavier and the heat against her skin just scolded her all the more intensely.
"I never set out to make vampires." Esther monologued as she pulled out a vial of dust.
Vampire remains from a demonic vampire.
"They were the compromise I had to make. Yet my failure led to you. You are what my children were meant to be, yet you too are cursed. You have suffered far more for my actions simply because you are good, because you balance my son out."
There was a brief moment of silence before Esther looked up from her potion and focused on Buffy's face, a seemingly honest remorseful expression crossing her features.
For a moment she actually looked distressed.
Buffy could have sworn that she saw a flash of guilt in her eyes.
"My son had you torn from heaven for his own selfish reasons. When you return to your family in the afterlife I will make sure it is painless. I promise you that."
Buffy froze.
No!
No, no, no.
This could not be happening right now.
There were only three people that she had told about what had really happened to her after she died. Bonnie, Damon, and Klaus. She never wanted Elena to know...because what she feared was now coming true.
Elena's face completely fell apart, tears filling her eyes with a mixture of horror, shock, and worst of all...pity.
Tears were streaming down Elena's face before she started shaking her head frantically in refusal.
No way!
Esther had to be lying. This couldn't be true Buffy would have told her.
However, when she reached out to touch Buffy's arm, the blonde just stepped back and forced her heavy glare on Esther.
Refusing to even look at Elena or accept comfort.
That action was all it took for Elena's reality to crumble.
Everything slowly started to piece together.
The way Buffy had been so closed off and disconnected when she came back. When she asked if she was in hell.
She had practically spelled it out for her that night on the cliff!
"Is this Hell?"
"He destroyed me, Elena. All I have left is destroying him."
Buffy had been in heaven.
She had been at peace only to be ripped from it and dumped back into battle.
Instantly, a wave of guilt washed through Elena. There were so many signs and she hadn't seen them, she had been selfish, too focused on her own joy that she failed to realize Buffy was suffering and was having to pretend to be happy she was here.
No wonder she went a bit crazy.
Bonnie had to know, she had been so protective over Buffy's mental state more so than usual since her resurrection.
The fact that Buffy hadn't been comfortable coming to her broke Elena's heart because it really did highlight how far their relationship had fallen.
"You had me!"
"I lost you the minute I crawled out of that coffin and you know it. I see it every time you look at me. I am not the sister you wanted. She's dead."
The look on Elena's face was the exact reason why Buffy never wanted her to find out.
Inhalingtly tightly, Buffy blinked back tears and focused back on Esther. Her time in heaven didn't matter right now, Alaric and Esther's plan was the focus.
Plus, as much as Buffy loved Elena, it would never be Elena that she opened up to about this. Elena would go into self-blame mode and try and make up for it.
She would try and overcompensate and according to Bonnie, she had already suggested wiping her memories with magic.
Elean's go too, was a memory reset.
To remove the problem entirely, she had literally done it with Jeremy twice!
"You want to make another Original?" Buffy questioned Esther, ignoring her sister's heavy gaze for the time being "Smart. That's really gonna solve all your problems."
The heavy sarcasm just caused Esther to sigh "You don't understand Buffy-Anne, he won't be like my children. Now that he has accepted his darkest aspect his hatred for them will become more pure and uncompromising. In death, that hatred will be magnified. I had originally hoped that you would be able to kill my children. Your strength, your knowledge you would have been able to. But your feelings for my son, that tether between the two of you clouded your judgment."
Clearly, Esther was determined to reveal all of Buffy's darkest secrets today.
"Do you wanna see how my judgment feels?" Buffy snapped, black veins, momentarily flashing across her cheekbones.
So quick that if you blinked you would miss them.
Buffy was getting really sick of people telling her how she was supposed to feel and who she was meant to be.
She was Buffy Anne Summers!
Her name and her life were her own.
Screw Prophecy, the Spirits, and expectations.
It was her damn life.
**
WHITMORE, VIRGINIA
Every vampire at the dance was trapped inside, the barrier keeping them all locked away like animals.
Hence why for the first time, the group was willingly working with Klaus, who was growing more agitated by the second.
He was on his last nerve.
His mother was alive with a white oak stake and she currently had Buffy in her clutches.
If his mother so much as laid a hand on her, Klaus intended to rip her into a million pieces before turning her into a vampire just so he could compel her to torture herself for the next few decades.
"What's taking so long!?" Klaus hissed as he turned his furious gaze to Bonnie who was still trying to break through Esther's binding spell.
The problem was, while Bonnie was powerful, Esther was more powerful and had more experience when it came to complex spells.
"All boundary spells have a loophole." Klaus continued his rant, he was losing his patience right now, not only was the key to Hybrid's with his mother but the woman he loved was.
He knew his mother well enough to know that she would kill Buffy to hurt him.
Somehow Buffy Summers had garnered so much importance to him that he would happily start tearing through this entire town to get to her.
It was a terrifying position to be in.
To care about someone like this. Buffy had become a weakness his enemies could use against him and it was never a position he thought he would allow himself to fall into.
Given she was just as desperate to find her two best friends, Bonnie let out a small growl as Klaus once again broke her concentration.
He had the worst patience in the world!
Luckily, Bonnie was able to refocus as Matt and Xander rushed back into the library which they were using as a base of operations.
"It only affects vampires." Xander confirmed, "Buffy could walk over it and everyone else is walking right past the barrier."
Instantly, Jeremy started planning.
Both of his sisters were in trouble, there is no way in hell he was leaving them out there without doing something "If, Matt, Xander, and I can leave, we could stop Esther ourselves. We just gotta find out where she is."
Stefan sighed and glanced at the ceiling shaking his head, he hated to agree with his brother but sometimes the humans were stupid "It's suicide, Jeremy. Esther snapped Buffy's neck like it was nothing. And Buffy is pretty much the most powerful person on the planet. She'll kill you in a heartbeat."
"Second most powerful." Klaus argued before speeding over to Jamie and grabbing him by the throat.
He was done playing nice.
"Suicide would be disappointing me. Now..." He taunted before turning toward Bonnie "Work you're magic, or I'll start killing people you fancy. And if you're not fast and Buffy is dead...I'll slaughter everyone at this dance before burning Mystic Falls to the ground."
**
MYSTIC FALLS, VIRGINIA
"Ric, this isn't what you want." Elena reminded him.
Esther had momentarily given the three of them a moment to speak alone, choosing to focus on her potion and preparing to once again go against the laws of nature.
For the last time.
Eyeing Esther's movements nervously, Buffy clenched her jaw before focusing back on Alaric. They were running out of time until Esther began her spell, Buffy could feel it in her gut.
They had to try and get the real Alaric to wake up even if it was just for a second.
Alaric would never want to be a vampire and he shouldn't have it forced on him.
Leaning against the back wall given that the chains were very much limiting her motion right now, Buffy focused on Alaric trying to ignore the hateful look he threw in her direction "She's right." She told him "You're you...just not this you. Our Alaric, we never want to become the thing he hates."
Alaric rolled his eyes, he was done arguing about this with two children "You know nothing. Both of you. You only know the weakest parts of me. A man who lost his way, befriending vampires, helping a demon..." He spat venomously as he purposely pointed at Buffy who clenched her jaw "...who threw away hunting instead of killing them."
It was safe to say, this version of Alaric might hate her more than the Originals.
"This demon saved your ass. Multiple times."
"You saved a pathetic piece of swine who should have taken meeting The Slayer as a sign to end vampires! Who should have fixed your clearly damaged head." Alaric growled as he got into her face, his furious eyes digging into her soul, but Buffy refused to break eye contact.
Clearly, she could get under his skin just as much as he did hers.
As she watched the pair of hunters glare at each other, Buffy clearly taking more of a tough love approach, Elena shook her head, tears once again brimming her eyes.
This wasn't right.
Everything he was saying was not what Alaric stood for. However, before she could speak another word he cut her off "They're all monsters. The blood of their victims is on my hands. Jenna's blood is on my hands."
That one name was a sure way to suck all the air out of the room.
"When you are ready." Esther announced suddenly, cutting through the tense silence.
On instinct, Buffy quickly yanked Elena behind, she could sense Esther eyeing her and there was no way in hell that witch was touching her pain-in-the-ass baby sister.
NO FUCKING CHANCE.
"Get away from my sister."
Spotting midnight black momentarily flicker across Buffy's green eyes, Esther tilted her head curiously "Intriguing. But there is no choice today, for either of you."
Elena gasped loudly in pain, causing Buffy to instinctively panic "Elena!"
The chains twisting around her ankles sent Buffy crashing to the ground before she could try and push Esther away.
In less than a second, a deep slice appeared on Elena's palm as she continued to scream in pain.
The blood flowed into the bowl.
It was official...Esther had the doppelganger blood.
One down... One to go.
Just Alaric moved to grab the concoction of pure dark magic Esther raised her hand "One more thing."
As Esther's eyes shifted onto her, Buffy sputtered, her eyes widening like alien saucers.
What the hell was happening?
"You have got to be kidding me. I'm not some special doppelganger."
Esther just sighed "A Slayer who was also a doppelganger was used to create my children. Two different mixtures of dark magic. Alaric will be different from my children, more focused because you are pure."
Pure?
Did Esther seriously just say that?
Hadn't this woman been stalking her from The Other Side her entire life?
Buffy was beyond confused right now and a little disturbed "You have been watching me while dead. Not so pure."
She had done some very not-so-pure things in High School, and Freshman year of college.
"Your soul." Esther clarified "You saved the world, sacrificed yourself for it. It makes your blood and essences pure. Not touched by the darkness inside of you yet. The demon side of you is unable to influence you completely due to this. You kill someone, you trigger that completely, just like a werewolf would trigger their curse."
Her words did not comfort Buffy at all. If anything she was even more confused than before.
Quickly she raised her chained-covered hand "Um.. still not getting it."
"A Slayer was needed to create them, as your immortal yourself, Alaric will still come for you. But this will ensure that your energy is within him. Empowering him, that pure essence keeping his mind focused. And when my children are dead. The two of you will finally receive your peace."
With that, Esther grabbed Buffy's arm and without hesitation, she pulled out a blood-red athame and sliced deeply into Buffy's flesh.
The second the blood started to pour, Esther chanted softly and a mixture of black and white mist started to flow from Buffy's veins, mixing with the potion leaving it glimmering under the candlelight.
Feeling her energy start to flutter and tear out of her, Buffy groaned as black spots started to form, completely taking over her vision before finally, her eyes rolled into the back of her head.
Then there was nothing but darkness and dread.
**
Light started to trickle back in slowly.
Groaning, Buffy blinked her eyes open only to immediately flinch at the brightness.
Since when were candles so bright?
Stupid enhanced senses!
Letting out a loud cough Buffy turned onto her side, the concrete she was lying on pressing against her bare skin. It was so freaking cold!
It was the start of July!
How was it this cold?!
Suddenly, all thoughts of the cold evaporated as it clicked that she had turned onto her side without any resistance. Sitting up, she let out a relieved sigh as she spotted her legs and wrists now free.
The burns on her skin almost completely healed.
She was never going near that horrid Angel Dust and Salt combination again!
Talk about a suck fest.
What was more of a suckfest though was the scene she had woken up to.
Elena was sat on the floor, crying over the dead blood-soaked corpse of Alaric Saltzman, the bloody-white oak stake in her hands.
Alaric was dead.
But he wouldn't be for long.
Blinking back her own tears, Buffy cleared her throat alerting Elena that she was finally awake.
The second Elena looked over at her, a loud sob escaped her chest and she quickly rushed at her older sister, taking comfort in her.
"Esther she killed him." Elena cried into her shoulder as Buffy awkwardly wrapped an arm around her "He is going to wake up, she...she stabbed him-"
Buffy inhaled tightly before panic quickly started to overwhelm her "Elena, where is she now?"
"She went upstairs a minute ago."
Buffy really didn't like that answer.
Instantly, shivers started rushing up her spine. Something was wrong, she could feel it in her bones.
Without any explanation, Buffy lifted Elena up into her arms and sped upstairs right into the graveyard.
Sure enough, Buffy's concerns were accurate as the second they stepped outside of the mausoleum, Esther was using magic again.
This time on Xander, Jeremy, and Matt.
Forcing them to aim their weapons at each other.
Buffy speeds over to Esther and forced her hand into her chest, however, before she could rip her heart out suddenly Alaric was there stabbing her in the back.
As Esther's dead corpse clattered to the ground, Alaric let out a shaky breath before glancing around in confusion.
How the hell had they ended up here?
"Where's my ring? What happened?"
Buffy froze, her blood-soaked hands dropping to her sides as she stared up at Alaric in horror.
He didn't remember anything.
How the hell were they going to explain this to him?
**
WHITMORE, VIRGINIA
Memory lane.
Standing side by side right in front of the boundary currently keeping them trapped, Klaus and Stefan found themselves conversing about their time together in the 1920s.
Something that they had never discussed following Stefan getting his memories back.
There had just been too much going on to focus on it.
"A real brotherhood." Klaus declared as he continued to eye the line of salt in disdain.
How long did it take to break a boundary spell?!
At that moment, Damon walked outside and scoffed "Oh, he already has a brother. Not to be, you know, territorial or anything."
"Oh, no, of course." Klaus muttered, sarcasm heavily dripping from his lips, if they were using their brotherhood as a shining example then all brothers were screwed.
"The Salvatores and their unshakeable bond." He mocked before raising a challenging eyebrow at the pair "I wonder what'll happen...if Buffy doesn't accept my offer...and she realizes that you two holding her back. You two fight over her despite the fact she has bluntly made it clear you have no chance, Damon. When she finally realizes that her supposed friendships with you are beneath her, will we see you shake? Just a little bit."
Their reconnection as brothers was centered around how much they both cared for Buffy.
She had gifted Damon with a friend and forced him to start admitting that he cared for his brother.
She was the piece keeping them from turning on each other.
Klaus could imagine that the second Buffy left them behind, they would follow their old path and blame each other.
Once again shattering that brotherly bond.
"It's done." Bonnie announced as she stepped outside, trying to ignore the awkward tension in the air "Esther's not fighting me anymore. The Boundary spell is broken."
The second the words left her mouth, Klaus disappeared into the night.
**
MYSTIC FALLS, VIRGINIA
Esther Mikaelson was dead.
Finally!
After making sure the boys were okay and had their chance to speak to Alaric, Buffy had been left on dealing with the witch corpse duty. Hence why she was standing next to her body, waiting for Klaus to arrive.
She had texted him to come and collect her.
Esther was still his mother after all, he had the right to choose how to proceed with her body.
Staring down at Esther's body, Buffy allowed her mind to drift back to what Esther had said. It was still so confusing. This whole her essence was pure because she sacrificed herself, so would grant Evil Ric his strength just made no sense to her.
She could have sworn that this woman talked in tongues.
Or used to at least.
Yet, as confused as Buffy was, she was more furious. After months of keeping the whole heaven thing quiet, Esther had blurted it out!
Truthfully, Buffy had always thought Damon would spill the truth first.
It was out in the open and now that Elena knew, it was guaranteed that everyone would find out given that Elena sucked at keeping secrets.
Buffy hated it.
The truth about her time in heaven was something that should have been her choice to reveal or not. If she had ever wanted to reveal the truth it should have been her choice, not Esther trying to use it as an emotional ploy.
And now that option had been taken away from her, completely.
Heaven had been revealed.
Alaric was in transition, he would be dead in a few hours now that he had made his choice.
To die or become the very thing he hated.
This was Hell...no doubt about it.
Feeling a familiar presence behind her, Buffy sighed "Here for mommy dearest?"
"Partially." Klaus answered as he circled around her so that he was facing her, quickly cupping her face so tightly leaving her in an utter state of confusion.
His mother's dead corpse was at her feet, yet he hadn't once glanced at her.
What the hell was he doing?
"Klaus." Buffy said slowly trying to draw his attention but he just kept scanning her with his eyes.
Almost like he was looking for injuries.
Once he was sure that Buffy was okay, at least physically, Klaus let out a relieved sigh "You're okay?"
For a moment, Buffy was completely speechless as she stared into his blue eyes that were swimming with so many different emotions.
She had never seen Klaus like this...scared.
It caused a strange butterfly-like feeling to start to bubble in her gut, a feeling that terrified the living hell out of her.
Esther had stated that she couldn't be trusted because she had feelings for Klaus.
Did she actually feel something for him?
No! It couldn't be possible.
Anything she felt for him was because of this stupid tether that made them drawn together.
She was sure of it.
Buffy knew she loved Stefan, but when it came to Klaus, it was all just confusion and conflicting emotions of intrigue and guilt.
"I'm fine." She promised, feeling the need to reassure him that she was okay "I'm not too crazy about the being chained up again thing but I'll live."
Klaus smiled softly at her words before pulling back and glaring down at his mother's body.
She was finally dead.
For good this time.
Taking in a heavy breath as he struggled with how to feel about this fact, Klaus focused back on Buffy once again, looking at her with an expression she recognized but which also terrified the living crap out of her.
"I'll deal with her body. Take it from your sight."
As he moved to grab Esther's body, Buffy hesitated, and against her better judgment she grabbed his hand causing him to pause and turn toward her "Thank you." She whispered as his eyes met hers "For...caring."
"Anything for you my camena." He whispered back strongly as he squeezed her hand back.
There was a gust of air and Buffy quickly found herself alone.
Klaus and Esther were gone.
Once he was gone, Buffy inhaled tightly, burying down her own conflicted thoughts. She couldn't allow Klaus to be the center of her thoughts right now.
Alaric was dying.
He was the focus.
Walking back into the mausoleum that Elena and Ric were in, Buffy sped right over to Alaric, throwing her arms around him and burying her face in his chest.
Stumbling slightly at the sudden weight, Alaric chuckled weakly and kissed the top of Buffy's head before squeezing her back just as tightly.
This sucked.
Saying goodbye sucked, but at least they got to say goodbye.
That was a rare gift in this world.
"I'm gonna kill you for dying." Bufy muffled into his chest as her tears started soaking his shirt.
Ric blinked back his own tears as he ran his fingers through her short blonde hair "Don't worry I'll be haunting you."
He really didn't want to say goodbye, but this was the path fate had dealt him.
Buffy let out a small giggle, though it came out like more of a sob as she pulled back, Alaric instantly wiping the tears from her cheeks with the back of his thumb "Not of that." He told her before cupping her face in his hands "At least we get to say goodbye. A miracle in our lives."
Buffy smiled weakly as she squeezed his wrist "Yeah. A miracle."
Kissing the top of his surrogate daughter's head once more, Alaric glanced in-between Buffy and Elena.
Given what Elena had revealed to him about Buffy actually being in heaven, he knew they needed a moment. Plus, everyone was waiting for him upstairs.
To say their final goodbyes.
"I better get my goodbye speech started. I'll meet you guys outside."
The second he had disappeared up the stairs, Buffy turned her back on Elena, desperately wiping away the tears that had started to form.
She couldn't stand that look on Elena's face.
It was the pity, which when it came to Elena normally led to her trying to find a way to fix the problem.
Buffy did not want to be seen as a problem to be fixed.
Walking over to her sister, Elena used the sleeve of Xander's jacket to wipe her tears, today was truly just endless tears "You...you were in heaven? Why—why didn't you tell me?"
Buffy clenched her jaw tightly and glared up at the molding ceiling before forcing herself to finally face Elena "Because it wasn't about you."
Elena inhaled tightly but bit the inside of her cheek, forcing herself not to interrupt.
"I wanted to die when I came back and that look in your eyes, the pity, the guilt..."Buffy let out a harsh laugh as she rubbed the palms of her hands against her face.
Trying to get all of this out was getting harder by the second.
She had never wanted to talk about this again, she was trying to move past it, yet now here she was dragged back to it all over again.
"I didn't want to come back Elena, I was at peace...for the first time since I became the Slayer I was done. Even if I wanted to tell you when you thought I was in Hell you asked Bonnie to make me forget!"
Learning that detail from Bonnie had secured Buffy in her decision that Elena could never find out about Heaven.
Elena flinched slightly, that was not one of her best moments, she could see that now "I was just trying to help...I went about it the wrong way."
Buffy exhaled deeply, pure exhaustion washing over her suddenly making her seem 10 years older.
Everything Elena did came from a good place, which just made it all the more frustrating.
"Yeah, I know."
The defeated sigh, caused Elena to blink back tears, she hated thinking that she was part of the reason Buffy sounded so done with the world.
She hadn't meant for any of this to happen.
"I still wish you would have told me, I could have-"
"What Elena?" Buffy breathed as she lifted her arms out to the side "How was I supposed to say that to you without crushing you?! How was I supposed to say I would rather still be dead!"
Buffy had put everything on hold to protect Elena, she always had. She sacrificed her memories, her life, and her own emotional trauma to protect Elena, both physically and mentally.
But Buffy didn't regret doing that, even if it was chipping away at her soul.
Elena stepped back as though physically stricken by her words, but forced herself to exhale claiming. Ignoring her own hurt for once, she focused on Buffyathames and without hesitation, she stepped forward and hugged her older sister.
No words were exchanged, just a simple act of comfort.
**
Her goodbye with Alaric had Elena ready to completely fall apart.
She needed a distraction from the overwhelming urge to start sobbing uncontrollably.
Hence why Elena rushed into Alaric's history classroom at the High School. However, she wasn't on her own, Xander was chasing after her, completely out of breath.
Elena walked surprisingly fast in heels.
Finally catching up to her, Xander froze as he spotted Elena frantically pulling weapons out of the supply closet.
Alaric's weapons.
"Lena..." Xander sighed, he had no idea what to say here, Ric had pretty much been a member of her family for almost 4 years...he had been there for her since she was 17. He was the only father figure she had left and now he was going to die.
And she was blaming herself.
"Why don't we come back tomorrow?" He suggested as he walked further into the room.
"No." Elena refused as she started shaking her head "I'd rather get it over with now before some janitor comes to clean out Alaric's stuff and realizes the history teacher was a vampire hunter."
As Elena started shoveling an endless supply of stakes into Ric's old duffel bag, Xander's expression softened.
All he wanted to do was help her, but he had no idea how.
He had never lost a family member, he had no way of knowing what she was going through.
The Harris's tended to live to be over 100 years old just to inconvenience their kids out of spite.
"Lena...come on...please."
"I can't Xander!" Elena exclaimed as she finally snapped and slammed down a crossbow on Ric's desk...or what used to be Ric's desk.
"I—I can't think about the fact that Jeremy, Buffy, and I don't have anyone to take care of us anymore. And I know I'm 20 now...but...we've lost another friend. I just can't—I can't think about any of it. About how my sister died for me and then was dragged out of heaven, or about how Alaric is..."
As she started to shake violently, about to have a full-on meltdown, Xander quickly walked over to her placing his hands on her shoulders "Elena." He begged, his eyes watering slightly as he forced her to look at him before he entangled his fingers with her "Come with me."
Dragging her outside under the night sky he looked up at the stars before he turned to her "Elena...when we met, I was so unsure about everything...but you...you walked into Sunnydale, with passion and hope. And Kindness. Ric saw all those things in you, you are a great person to have in your life. Trust me."
Elena let out a shaky breath before looking up at Xander finally letting more tears fall "I don't have anyone anymore."
Xander's eyes widened, cupping her cheeks in his hands he shook his head, he knew that wasn't true "You have me."
Elena took another shaky breath and tried to ignore her quivering lip before finally, she cracked, allowing Xander to hug her tightly as she sobbed into his arms.
**
The trio of murder buddies.
For what would be the last time, Buffy, Damon, and Alaric were together, except there would be no more planning or hunting of a vampire enemy.
They were raising their last glass before Alaric's heart finally stopped.
"Thought you would have left." Damon told Buffy as she continued to lean her head on Alaric's shoulder.
"A vampire hunter never leaves one of their own to go." She stated simply causing Alaric to smile and bring her into a side hug.
The Hunter's code was one of the strongest forces on the planet.
"Since when is there a code?" Damon asked curiously as he moved to side down on the other side of Ric.
Why was he not a part of this little code?
Ric chuckled softly at the pout forming on Damon's face, though his laughter sounded more like a dying cat, his vocal cords straining painfully.
His body was beginning to shut down without human blood.
It wouldn't be long now.
"Since now." Ric coughed, forcing the words out of his mouth before turning to Damon, letting out a heavy sigh "Is this the part where you give me a dream? Rainbows and rolling green hills?"
Buffy arched a playful brow in Damon's direction "Rainbows? Mister. I don't own any color but black?"
Damon's wardrobe was literally the most boring thing on the planet.
Damon chuckled slightly at the memory "I was drunk when I said it Buff."
Alaric smiled brightly "Yeah, and I told you I'd use it against you."
"I will carry on that tradition." Buffy commented making Ric smile while Damon merely opened up a bottle of bourbon, trying to ignore the urge to roll his eyes.
"You know you're gonna have to take care of this knucklehead right?" Alaric told Buffy as he glanced down at her and tapped her nose when she groaned in annoyance.
She let Damon keep breathing was that not enough?
Feeling Alaric pinch her cheek like she was a toddler, Buffy giggled before finally relenting and slapping his hand away "Fine." She huffed quickly wiping away the tears threatening to drip down her cheeks.
She could not cry right now.
If she started she would never stop.
"I will."
"You torment him 4 times a day...at least."
Buffy laughed, now that was an agreement she could get behind "I promise."
"And don't kill him."
And she was officially less thrilled about this promise "What if he is being an asshole?"
Damon narrowed his gaze and picked up a small pebble from the floor throwing it right at her, hitting her right between the eyes "Shut up, Bubble. Plus, come on admit it, if I'm gonna die we're gonna go together right Buff?"
Only because there was a likelihood that if Damon did die, it would be Buffy that did it and he fully intended to take her down with him if that happened.
Buffy rolled her eyes before snorting "Yeah. We go down killing each other together and it's gonna be epic."
Knowing that her time with Alaric was done and Damon needed a moment, Buffy offered him a tight smile before pulling Alaric into a tight hug.
Hugging him as tightly as she possibly could.
For the very last time.
"See you in another lifetime, Alaric. Say hey to Jenna for me."
**
Alaric was minutes away from death.
He would spend his final moments with Damon and as much as Buffy had wanted to stick around, she couldn't.
The echo of Alaric's fading heartbeat had been all she was able to hear.
Hearing the life drain out of him was killing her.
For the first time in so long, the cemetery and the woods hadn't been a comfort for Buffy, instead, they were a suffocating reminder of just how many people she cared about who were now buried 6 feet under the ground.
Walking into her bedroom with a bottle of vodka in her hands, intent on drinking until she passed out, Buffy froze as she caught sight of the visitor.
Stefan was sitting on her bed.
He had been waiting for her.
Buffy just sighed and started shaking her head "Stefan, not—not now."
Instead of leaving like she desperately wanted him to right now, Stefan stood from the bed and just glanced at her with a worried gaze "Buffy..."
"Please..." She begged as fresh tears began to fall down her cheeks more rapidly "I...I can't...it hurts...it hurts so much, how do I..."
"Your emotions are heightened remember." He told her as he slowly approached her "This death it's gonna hit you like a ton of bricks..."
This was the first time Buffy was truly having to deal with grief since she became a hybrid.
Everything was going to be heightened and more intense...it would cripple her if she let it.
Too much pain and grief could lead to her turning it off.
If she could even do that, but given she was an Original, it was a very strong possibility that she would be able to switch off her humanity.
Sure enough, Buffy couldn't hold it in.
She let out a loud scream before collapsing to her knees, heavy sobs vibrating painfully through her chest.
Everything hurt!
There was nothing but agonizing pain that made her want to make it all disappear.
Stefan quickly sped over to her and picked her back up, placing her on her bed while he held her hand "I know...it's hard..."
"This is my fault, Stefan...If I had killed myself when we had the white oak when I was still linked to Klaus..."
"Hey hey." He breathed shaking his head, he couldn't believe what he was hearing right now "It's not your fault. Ric loves you like his own, he wanted us to break that bind. He wanted to save you. And you're gonna live and survive for him."
"Everyone I love dies." She sobbed out, her body shaking violently as years worth of grief rushed through her in a single instant "My mom, Jenna, Miranda..."
"I'm still here." Stefan reminded her forcing her to look up at him.
As he used his thumbs to wipe away her tears Buffy grabbed his wrists holding onto him tightly "Will you stay with me?"
Without hesitation, Stefan nodded and climbed onto the bed next to her, allowing her to sob into his chest as he clutched her close.
Neither one of them had any way of knowing that right now, one possessed Bonnie Bennett was creating the vampire hunter Original that could end them all.