Dorian couldn't sleep, after his conversation with Mercedes. He couldn't shake how distressed and broken she had looked, and he wanted more than anything to help her.
The Williams was currently standing outside of Alaric's office, with his hand outstretched to knock. After knocking, he felt a brief moment of dread, as he hoped his friend would take Mercedes issues seriously.
Alaric insisted he had no ill feelings towards the hellhound anymore, but Dorian couldn't help but to worry. The man sometimes was still in disbelief that he sent such a young girl away to a Prison World in the first place... let alone multiple students.
He also felt slightly betrayed by the fact that his wife, Emma, would help Alaric do this, as this was something he didn't support at all.
"Come in." Alaric's voice could be heard from inside, urging for Dorian to enter. The Williams closed the door behind him, and moved to sit into the chair across from Alaric.
Most of the time, Dorian would probably stand while he and Alaric spoke, since their conversations regarding work were usually short lived and positive... but this wasn't going to be the case.
"Is everything okay, Dorian?" Alaric asked, sitting upright in his chair to go his friend his full attention. "I'm really worried about Mercedes." Dorian began.
"You two seem to have gotten a little close lately." Alaric stated, as he had seen the Williams often looking out for the Ramirez. "What do you think is going on with her?"
"She isn't sleeping." Dorian responded, "She seems to be so wracked by guilt that she is unable to sleep." He added as Alaric nodded, "Guilty of what?"
"The Parker Academy murders. She blames herself for their murders, because she let Kai go when you planned to kill him." Dorian replied, as Alaric seemed quiet for a moment, as though to process.
"Don't tell me you think this is her fault." Dorian then spoke up, as Alaric quickly shook his head. "I don't. Mercedes freeing Kai was definitely a nuisance and it does irritate me that he is still alive and somewhere in the world... and we can't go after him while we're searching for Landon and can only slay one demon at a time..." Alaric trailed off, as Dorian's eyes were fixed on the headmaster.
"But I don't think it's Mercedes fault that the Parker Academy staff are dead. And it's upsetting that she is burdening herself over it." Alaric added, before his face faltered. "I'll go talk to her and see what I can do... but do you think she'll benefit from seeing Emma?"
"I think so." Dorian nodded. "Even though she doesn't open up easily?" Alaric asked as Dorian nodded. "Emma is patient, and she asks the right questions to get her clients to open up. So I really do think Mercedes will benefit from seeing her."
Alaric nodded, before he smiled slightly. "You seem to really care about her." He stated as Dorian nodded. "She deserves better than what the universe has given her. I just want her to feel supportive and loved like she deserves." The man explained as Alaric couldn't help but to feel like that was a dig at him, as if Dorian had actually said she didn't deserve to be sent away to a prison word for having a crush on your daughter.
Once Dorian had left Alaric's office, the Saltzman decided it would be best to talk to Mercedes, so he left his office and made his way to her dorm.
The Saltzman passed Sebastian in the hallways, a student he hadn't seemed to regret sending away and was certainly reluctant in enrolling at the Salvatore school. Though he had been occupying all of Lizzie's attention previously, the pair didn't seem to speak much anymore so Alaric didn't deem him a threat.
Alaric gave Sebastian a nod, passing him as he went upstairs to the dorms, where he found Tahlia and Drea in the hall, the blonde rambling to the pyromancer about some of her favourite interests (which were dancing and kpop) while Tahlia listened.
The headmaster found it interesting just how different Tahlia was from Mercedes. He hadn't heard the pyromancer speak more than 2 sentences whereas he felt like Mercedes didn't stop talking, and was always making digs at him.
"Hi Dr Saltzman!" Drea's chipper voice greeted the man as the Saltzman offered the blonde werewolf a smile, "Hello Drea."
He then looked to Tahlia, "Hi Tahlia, how are settling in?" He asked as the ravenette faced him. "I like it here." Tahlia answered, "Everyone seems cool."
Drea placed an arm around Tahlia's shoulders, "I'm about to show Tahlia my new favourite kdrama, but hey maybe first we should make some tea." The Maddington suggested, turning her attention away from Alaric back to Tahlia.
It was clear to anyone that had eyes, that Drea had really taken a shine to Tahlia and seemed to have taken her under her wing. She'd been spending a lot of time with Tahlia (when Tahlia wasn't off with Mercy) and the bubbly blonde seemed to be impacting the Ramirez' social health in a really good way.
"That sounds lovely. You girls have fun." Alaric said, walking around the girls to continue to Mercedes dorm room. He reached out to knock on the door, and waited for an answer but didn't get one.
What he didn't realise is that Mercedes was hanging out with Lizzie, and although it wouldn't take a genius to figure that out, he decided to enter the Ramirez' dorm.
The Saltzman had expected to at least see Jade, hoping he could talk to her about Mercedes and see if she had any of the same worries that Dorian had, but the Salvatore seemed to be occupied too (probably with Josie).
Alaric looked around, noticing how clean the girls kept their dorm room... they could really teach Sebastian and Elias a thing or two. They left smears of blood on the lightswitch, door handles and really anywhere you'd expect to see fingerprints. Sebastian usually cleaned up after them but Elias was messy.
The Saltzman then paused, as he noticed a cork-board poking out from behind Mercedes' desk, looking as though there had been an attempt to hide it. Curiosity spiked, causing the headmaster to go and pick it up.
A gasp escaped his lips, as he examined the board to see all of Mercedes research on Kai and the murders, as well as what plans she had. Alaric then realised that on many occasions the hellhound had tried to talk to him about chasing down Kai, and he'd been turning her down to focus on other issues. This was probably what she had planned to show him.
Alaric could tell just how much work went into this, and he thought about what Dorian had said. She blames herself for their murders, because she let Kai go when you planned to kill him.
The headmaster's shoulder's slumped, feeling as though he had a part in this. If he hadn't sent the ravenette away and given her many reasons to hate him, she would never have been in this position in the first place.
Alaric sighed, placing the cork-board at his side, before he turned to head back to his office.
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Emma entered Alaric's office upon being called, and was instantly intrigued by the cork-board sitting at his desk, as he glumly examined it. "Are you... okay?" Emma asked, closing the door behind her before she approached a chair to sit into.
Alaric shook his head, "This here... this is what Mercedes has been doing with her free time." He said as the Tig raised an eyebrow, "It looks like one of those murder boards from a television show."
"It is. She's listed all of the victims Kai had killed at Parker Academy, and everything regarding them, their relationship with Kai, how he killed them..." Alaric trailed as Emma was trying to follow, "But why?"
"Because she blames herself, Emma. When I tied up Kai and planned to kill him, Mercedes released him. She blames herself for those murders because they wouldn't of happened if Kai had been killed." Alaric explained to the witch. "That is a terrible burden she is carrying." Emma responded.
"But you see... the only reason Mercedes freed Kai is to spite me. I sent her away to a prison world as a young teenager and she hated me for it, so she acted out." Alaric continued to explain, "So now she is dealing with the consequences that all began with my actions."
Alaric's shoulders slumped as he looked to the witch he trusted most. "Emma... I think I ruined her life."
Emma's face fell, as this whole situation seemed complicated but hateful from every angle. "So you believe Mercedes needs some therapy?" The Tig asked, happy to book her some sessions. Alaric shook his head, "I think she needs a clean slate."
Emma looked confused, "What do you mean?" She asked, feeling as though therapy could help somebody to have a clean slate, if they were to put in the work.
"I think she needs her memories altered." Alaric spoke, knowing his words would not please the witch. Emma got to her feet, "That is ridiculous." She insisted.
"Hear me out." Alaric began as Emma frowned, "Messing with her mind will only make things worse in the longrun." The Tig cut him off.
"She won't rest until Kai is dead, and even if she does kill him it won't change anything. She'll still feel guilty, angry and everything else she may feel. If we alter her mind, and make it as though she feels like she never went to the prison world, she will be so much happier." Alaric tried to reason as Emma frowned.
She hated this idea a lot, and she knew Dorian would be absolutely furious if they were to go ahead with it... but then she remembered just how happy Mercedes was as a kid. She had a great outlook on life and was very friendly and warm. The new Mercedes had been so snarkly and cold. Popular nonetheless, but scary. Her past had shaped her that way.
"So then what?" Emma asked, taking a step closer to the desk. "I want to give her the chance to live as a normal highschooler, with no supernatural issues. I want to enrol her into Mystic Falls High."
"She's a hellhound who is supernaturally bonded to your daughter. She has no hope of living a normal highschool life." Emma reminded the Saltzman.
"That is true. She can't have her hellhound identity erased... but... I can't send Lizzie there. The students are too cruel." Alaric admitted before he thought about it. "Maybe it would be best if we made Mercedes and Lizzie forget about their relationship?"
Emma didn't seem onboard with this idea, and Alaric could tell. Deciding to point out more faults in his plan Emma asked, "What about Tahlia? She just started here and she'll be unsettled without her cousin." The Tig added.
"Then we send them both to Mystic Falls high." Alaric responded rather quickly. "Do you forget that they need somewhere to sleep? If they stay here, they'll figure this whole thing out very quickly." Emma added.
"I know some people they can stay with." Alaric said before he sighed, "You don't trust me, do you? You keep pointing out flaws."
"I don't want you to make another large, irreparable mistake with Mercedes. If we do this, and it doesn't work, she will probably hate you for the rest of her life. And Lizzie will too." Emma tried to reason.
Alaric shook his head, "But if it works, Mercedes will be so much happier. And Lizzie could never hate me." He added before he asked, "Are you onboard or not?"
Emma thought about it. She didn't like the idea, but since she did take part in sending Mercedes away, she did feel partially responsible for how she had turned out. The Tig eventually sighed, "Yes. But you absolutely can't tell my husband."