CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
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AFTER A COUPLE HOURS of scolding from Klaus about letting the doppelgänger live, he left Hadiya to explore the city. The hybrid went to the high school to do some business, which is what he told her. The day passed by quickly. Soon enough, Klaus came back to give Hadiya a report.
Stefan's humanity is off, Elena's blood is the cure to his hybrid problem, the town werewolf Tyler is now a hybrid and Hadiya is sentenced to stay in this town to protect the doppelgänger with the emotionless vampire.
The two walk into the Salvatore boarding house, eavesdropping on Damon and Elena's conversation. Seeing as the two have no idea Hadiya is alive, she is excited to see their reactions.
"Well, isn't this cozy." Stefan says as the two walk into the living room. Hadiya grabs a bottle of alcohol, throwing some down her throat.
They both look aside and see Stefan leaning against a pillar at the edge of the room. Damon gets up, his eyes focused on Hadiya.
"You're alive. Huh." Damon walks over and takes the bottle of bourbon from her hands.
Elena looks at the foreign girl, "Who are you?"
"You don't remember me? I tried to kill you. Unsuccessfully, might I add. You really are a pain in the ass. But, you are my blood so I guess I'll be friendly. Hadiya." She sticks her hand out but Elena doesn't take it. The heretic shakes it off and takes a seat on the couch.
Stefan sits next to her, "Klaus said you're under our protection now. She'll be taking one of the guest rooms, and seeing as this is my house I'll be in my room."
"Hadiya, as in Katherine's sister?" Elena asked with a confused look.
She nods, "That's the one."
The heretic stood up and began to make her way to a guest room. Her packed clothes were already in there so all she had to do was whoosh her hand and they were magically stored away.
Within the next few days, Rebekah had taken over another guest room. Hadiya was the only one who welcomed the girl, the others not so enthusiastic about the situation.
Rebekah spent the next few days preparing for the high school homecoming dance. Hadiya said she'd rather choke on moldy milk than attend a stupid dance with idiotic music. She did indulge in Rebekah's excitement and helped her pick out a dress. Lo and behold, Elena, Damon, Caroline and Matt tried to kill Klaus but Stefan saved him. The hybrid then released him from his compulsion.
This release didn't exactly go in Klaus's favor as Stefan stole his coffins filled with family members. Klaus drained Hadiya of almost all her magic to try and find them but it was no use.
Klaus informs Stefan, Hadiya and Damon that they're invited to a dinner party. Hadiya is thrilled that Elijah is joining them, their friendship growing ever since Damon removed his dagger.
Elijah opens the door of Klaus's mansion, seeing Stefan, Damon and Hadiya standing outside.
"Niklaus, our guests have arrived." Elijah calls for his brother.
The hybrid irritatedly invited the men in, yet gave Hadiya a warm welcome with a kiss on her knuckles. They are standing in the dining room. The table is set and there's food on it. Two female servants are standing in the room.
"I didn't come here to eat, Klaus. Fact, I didn't want to come here at all. But I was told I had to cause you would hear us out." Stefan groaned.
Klaus pursed his lips, "Well, we can sit and eat or I can reach down your throats and pull out your insides. The choice is yours."
They sit at the table and everyone except Stefan eats and drinks. One of the servants pours Damon some wine.
"Eat. I thought we agreed that we would leave the grumpy Stefan at home." Damon tells his brother, cutting some of his food.
Klaus smiles sarcastically, "That's the spirit. Isn't it nice? Five of us dining together? Such a treat. Is this what you had in mind when you pulled the dagger from my brother?"
"Well, I know how he felt about you, so I figured the more, the merrier." Damon sends a playful wink to Elijah.
"Well, Elijah and I have had our share of quarrels over the century. But we always make it through." Klaus says.
"Kind of like you and Rebekah, right? Where is she, by the way? Last I checked she was still daggered because you were afraid to face her." Stefan torments the hybrid.
"If you're referring to the fact that Rebekah knows I killed our mother, I've already come clean to Elijah." Klaus looks at Hadiya, knowing she's still under his compulsion and hasn't come clean about killing her parents.
Damon shoves his elbow into his brother's arm. "Hey, Stef, remember when you killed dad? Might want to dial down the judgment until dessert."
"We're here to make a deal, Damon. Doesn't mean we need to kiss his ass for seven courses." Hadiya laughs and Stefan gives her a smile.
Damon glares at them, "I'm just saying we have a long evening ahead of us. Pace yourself."
"Stefan, where is the lovely Elena tonight?" Elijah asks. Hadiya rolls her eyes, still not fond of the doppelgänger.
"I don't know, ask Damon."
Klaus laughs, "I'm sorry, you've missed so much. Trouble in paradise."
"One more word about Elena and this dinner's over." Stefan says sternly.
Klaus smiles and puts a finger to his lips as a promise to keep quiet about Elena. Hadiya gives a small laugh at his action.
"You know what, probably best just to keep Elena in the do-not-discuss pile." Damon suggests. Klaus agrees.
"It's just the allure of the Petrova doppelgänger, still so strong. What do you say, brother? Should we tell them about Tatia?"
Hadiya can't help but get annoyed. Everything is always about the doppelgängers, she's getting tired of hearing about them.
The two originals share the story of them and Tatia Petrova. Hadiya sips her drink, drowning out the conversation.
Klaus and Elijah clink their glasses together, tearing Hadiya out of her trance like state.
"So, why don't we move this evening along and discuss the terms of this proposal?" Elijah suggests.
"That's very simple. Klaus gets his coffin back, in exchange, he and the Original extended family leave Mystic Falls forever. Me, Stefan, and Elena live happily ever after. No grudges."
Elijah shrugs, "The deal sounds fair, brother."
"I don't think you understand. Elena's doppelgänger blood insures that I will always have more hybrids to fight those that oppose me. I will never leave her behind. Besides, I wouldn't want to take away from Hadiya's bloodline."
She gives him a small smile at the considerate thought. Though, she couldn't give a damn about Elena. She was just a carbon copy of her sister, nothing more.
Klaus gets up and starts to pace. "Let's say I do leave her here, under your protection, what then? How long before one of you turns her into a vampire? Or worse, how long before she dies caught between your feuding? You see, each one of you truly believes that you're the one that can protect her, and that is simply a delusion. Gentlemen, the worst thing for Elena Gilbert is...the two of you."
Damon gives a weak smile, then looks at Stefan. "I'm gonna get some air."
Elijah gets up and follows Damon, leaving Klaus with Hadiya and Stefan. After a little conversing, the two re-enter the room.
Damon speaks, "What do you say, Klaus? It's time for you to put something on the table. We've made our offer, now you counter."
"Okay. I offer Elena's future happiness. You see, what she needs right now is to be rid of you lot. And to fall in love with a human, maybe that nice football player, you know the blond one?" Klaus suggests.
"Matt Donovan? Really?" Damon says, a bit disgusted.
Hadiya buts in, "He does have gorgeous blue eyes."
"To continue the Petrova bloodline. Every few hundred years, you'll have a new doppelgänger to drain and never run out of hybrids, right Klaus?" Stefan asks.
Klaus walks toward Stefan. "Consider it a small return on my investment in her well-being. See, after you hand me back the coffin, I'll ensure her safety for the rest of her natural life. You know it's what's best for her. So, what do you say Stefan, hmm? Do we have a deal?"
Klaus holds his hand out to Stefan. Stefan grabs his hand. "Nice try, Klaus. But no deal."
Klaus breaks Stefan's arm. He kicks his leg and breaks it as well. He pushes Stefan's hand into the fireplace, and it starts to burn. Damon attempts to rush over to him, but Elijah intercepts him and pushes him against a wall. Hadiya stares blankly at the fireplace, torn on what to do.
"Now, bring me my coffin before I burn him alive." Klaus demands. Damon agrees to get it. "Go with him, brother. You keep him honest. And when you return, I will make good on my promise to you and I will hand over our family."
Stefan and Klaus argue with Stefan's hand still burning. Elijah and Damon enter again with a silver platter covered by a cloth.
"Elijah... why haven't you left?" Klaus asks.
"Where are you manners, brother? We forgot dessert." Elijah takes the cover off the tray the blonde woman is carrying. Two silver daggers lie on it.
"What have you done?"
"What have you done? You see, I've learned not to trust your vulgar promises, Klaus. We're doing this on my terms now."
Each original sibling that lied in a coffin enter the room, taking their stabs at Klaus.
"You're free to go. This is family business." Elijah dismisses the three.
They all vamp out, Damon ending up somewhere in the woods while Stefan and Hadiya end up back at the boarding house. She immediately remembers him getting burned and drags him up to the living room.
Burns take significantly longer to heal than any other injury so she likes to speed up the process. She sits him down on the couch and places her hands softly on his arm. He winces, closing his eyes.
After a little chanting, the burns slowly turn back into normal skin. The pain sublimates as Stefan takes deep breaths.
"All better." She gives him a small smile. He thanks her, not finding the means to move from this position.
She takes his hand in hers, slowly caressing it. Stefan's mind transports back to 1864, with them sitting in her bed playing with each other's hands. He would give everything to give her those memories back. Klaus said 'once her duties are complete'. She owes him nothing. He's taken away parts of her against her will.
He decides to stir up a conversation. "You don't care whether Elena lives or dies, do you?"
"Not really. I understand that she's my blood but having the same face as my sister only makes me think she's her replacement. I don't want Katerina to be replaced. Besides, Klaus won't let her die. I care a whole hell of a lot more if you were to die, though. You're just as irreplaceable as her."
Stefan nods, soaking in her words. It's different, now that she doesn't remember him. Though, it's the same in some ways. She still cares. It's her greatest feature yet her greatest flaw. She finds the good in people. He doesn't know what good she ever found in Klaus but she found some and she will continue to hold onto that good as long as she can.
Stefan doesn't understand what Hadiya feels for Klaus or if it's all compulsion but he understands if it isn't. Everyone is born good, evil is infiltrated. Maybe she knew him before the evil was there. Or maybe she was just manipulated by him and still continues to be. Either way, she owes him nothing, and Stefan will spend the rest of his life trying to convince Klaus to give her memories back. He wishes the hybrid was mortal, then he could just kill him and her memories would come back.
But he isn't. And she doesn't remember ever knowing Stefan before this year.
kinda just a filler chapter to get things moving
~c