Grace stood alone in the basement of the Salvatore mansion. Memories of her when she freed Elijah from down here awoke. She had asked Stefan to leave her alone while she fed off the blood bags, because she couldn't use his help now. Grace didn't trust Stefan enough to be her advisor. Of course, he was nice and all, but after all, she trusted Elijah more in this. At least he had a thousand years of experience in this.
The newly turned vampire looked down into the freezer. It was filled to the edges with blood bags and the smell filled her senses. Still something made it dull...the missing heartbeat, the warmth radiating off the person. But Grace had to do it now. She already felt the strength that Elijah's blood gave her flow out of her system. So vampire blood was just a temporary option...even though it was quite hot.
Slowly, she grabbed one of the bags and ripped it open. The smell grew even more intense and her gums started to ache again. Her fangs pushed through and she held the bag to her lips and sucked it dry, trying hard to not spill anything. It wasn't half as good as fresh blood straight from the vein, it didn't warm her like that, but still it gave her new strength and she immediately felt better.
She tossed the bag aside and grabbed the bottle of booze that thankfully stood beside the freezer. There seemed to be someone else in this house that struggled with the blood, or why else would someone need a really old bourbon to drown their sorrows? Grace took a deep gulp, before she had to put it away because she heard rumbling coming down the stairs and Stefan's angry voice. What quarrel had the brothers now?
When she stepped outside the cellar room, Grace saw Stefan leaving in a blur. With a frown, she stepped in front of the cell that was build into the basement. The place that started the abrupt change in her life. She peaked through the little window and saw Damon sitting on the floor, his skin seemed to heal from a bad burn.
"What have you done?"
She asked with a raised brow and licked the last stains of blood from her lips. Damon just rolled his eyes and leaned back.
"What do you care, Gracie?"
Grace gave him a serious look.
"...I've been bitten by a werewolf. Which is lethal to a vampire."
Her eyes widened. She couldn't stand Damon, but of course she didn't want him dead. He had done so many atrocities she couldn't even imagine, but he was on his way to become a better man, it was obvious.
"Oh."
It was the only thing she could say. Of course she didn't know if there was a cure, but judging by his expression and Stefan's hurry, it didn't look very good for him.
"Right, oh. At least you're the first one that doesn't try to convince me that there's still hope."
Grace sighed and shook her head. She quickly grabbed the bottle of bourbon from the other room and handed it to him.
"You don't deserve this, Damon. Let them try."
He gave her a surprised look. Surprised because he never would've thought that she would be kind to him. They hadn't had a good start, but Damon noted, if he got out of this alive, he would treat her better.
"She's right, Damon. You don't deserve this. We'll find you a cure."
Stefan suddenly stood beside Grace with a determined look on his face. Grace admired this. Even though Damon had done so much to him, he still believed in his brother. She turned around to face the younger Salvatore.
"You need help? I've got nothing better to do."
He nodded thankfully and gave her a light smile. Together they walked up the stairs, ready to start their mission into the unknown.
...
The two exited the witch house after they spoke to Bonnie, sharing a devastated glance. What they just witnessed was creepy as hell, Bonnie being taken over by one of her ancestors. But what bothered them even more was that the solution to Damon's little problem laid in Klaus' hands. The person Grace never wanted to see again in her life.
"We have to tell Elena...in case she needs to say goodbye."
Grace sighed and looked away, not ready to put her sister in such danger. Stefan had informed her about what that bite could do to a vampire.
"Stefan, he could hurt her."
The other vampire nodded, but looked at the older Gilbert pleadingly.
"He loves her, Grace. And Elena cares for him, too. They both need that closure...if we don't succeed."
Again she sighed and shot him a glare before she gave in. They walked towards the town square were the screening of 'Gone with the wind' was held. Grace didn't want to ruin her sisters normal day, but she had no choice.
She lightly padded her sisters shoulder and she turned around startled. The newbie vampire still had to get used that not everyone had supernatural hearing and that her steps were quite more silent than before.
"Um, sorry, didn't want to scare you...Elena, we need to talk."
Stefan's and her serious expression gave them away immediately. Her sister looked at them with worry, it drove a deep pain through Grace's heart. It would break her heart if Damon died. They needed to find the cure.
The trio stepped a bit aside to not bother anyone watching the movie and out of hearing distance. Elena crossed her arms in front of her chest, her gaze moving back and forth between Stefan and Grace, probably confused what the two were doing together. She was right with that, Grace didn't really know the brothers. But Elena cared for them, so Grace would do anything to help them, too.
"What's going on?"
Grace's little sister asked impatiently when no one started to speak. The vampires shared a short glance and Stefan nodded shortly as he rose his voice.
"Elena...last night, when Damon helped Tyler and Caroline...Tyler started shifting and he..."
Stefan hesitated and Grace stepped in instantly, knowing that it was hard for him to speak the words aloud.
"...he was bitten. He's dying, Elena."
Elena's eyes widened and her mouth hung open, her face between confusion and processing. Loosing another loved one would be too much for her. Grace was sure of it.
"Then we need to find a cure, what are you waiting for?"
The older sister grabbed Elena's arm to keep her back. Anger passed Elena's features as she got out of her sisters grip.
"We're on something. But you should be with him, comfort him. Just in case..."
Again Stefan's voice nearly broke and Elena immediately stopped struggling. She seemed to understand the seriousness of the situation.
"I...um, I will go to him."
Grace looked at her sister with determination.
"Be careful, Elena, he's dangerous in this state."
Her sister returned the gaze, which made Grace relax a little.
"I will."
She quickly stormed off and Stefan and Grace were alone again. They shared another glance. Fortunately they had come around the explanation of where they were going. Elena would've freaked if she knew. Stefan quickly called Alaric and explained the situation, he was the only one who should know the whole story. He reassured them that he would keep Elena at the Salvatore mansion and watch out for her safety.
Both sighed before they started walking literally into the lion's den.
...
"So you must be Katherine."
Grace stared into her sister's doppelgänger's face and tried to keep her face as blank of emotion as she could. No one should know that she was scared like hell. They stood in the middle of Alaric's apartment. Katherine raised her chin and gave Grace a mischievous grin. It was clear that the women couldn't stand each other at first sight, especially after Grace found out what she had done to her sister.
"And you're the poor newbie vampire sister. Pleasure to meet you."
"Pleasure's not mine."
She shot the older vampire a sweet smile, before they suddenly heard steps coming from outside. Katherine grabbed them and pushed them to wall opposite, which made Grace want to snarl at the brunette and rip her dirty hands off.
"Klaus. You're back. Look who has come to pay a visit."
The doppelgänger spoke as Klaus entered the apartment. But there was a second pair of feet behind him. They stepped around the corner to see Elijah standing close to Klaus. Stefan send the Original a glare, but Elijah completely ignored it. His expression was filled with worry when he saw Grace here, way too close to Niklaus for his taste. She smiled at him a little to show him that she was ok.
"You just keep popping up, don't you?"
Grace rolled her eyes. This guy had the guts to have humor in such a tense situation. Klaus' look fell on her, he eyed her up and down and a shiver ran down her spine. She felt so disgusted and exposed to him. Again they were in a situation where Grace was in the subordinate position. She also could see how Elijah tried hard to keep it together and not punch his brother in his face for even looking at her.
"I need your help. For my brother."
Stefan stepped forward to get Klaus' attention and looked him directly in the eyes.
"Whatever it is, it has to wait. I have an obligation to my brother that needs my immediate attention."
Klaus walked out of their sight, but Stefan and Grace were distracted by Elijah moving closer to them. Elijah and Grace both tried their best to not show the others how deeply involved they were, so he kept his eyes on Stefan.
"You understand how important family is, or you wouldn't be here. My brother swore to reunite me with my own."
A smile tugged on Grace's lips. She really hoped he would see his family soon. They were precious to him. To be honest, she was quite curious to meet them herself.
But then, all of a sudden, Klaus appeared behind Elijah, a cruel smile on his lips.
"And so I shall."
With that, Elijah turned around to his brother, who stabbed a dagger into his heart forcefully, the smile not fading from his face. The brothers stared each other in the eyes as Elijah fell on his knees, his skin turning grey.
"NO!!!"
Grace screamed in horror. She was so overwhelmed, she forgot about their act of being neutral towards each other. Her emotions got the best of her, but she didn't care. With her enhanced speed she caught Elijah's body before he could fall to the ground and gently let him sink down. Tears blurred her vision when she touched his face, his head in her lap, as if it would keep him awake. His eyes fell shut and Grace panted. Katherine looked at her in confusion and shock, seemingly more surprised by the fact that Grace was involved with Elijah rather than Klaus stabbing him.
The tears quickly faded and Grace was flooded with hatred and anger. She didn't took her chances to remove the dagger, because something in her knew that it was senseless. But any reason inside her had vanished as the rage took over. For the first time in her life she wanted to kill someone. Grace bared her teeth, her eyes turning black and red, veins pulsating strongly around them. She let out a growl, before she all of a sudden attacked Klaus. From the corner of her eyes she saw that Katherine rushed to stop her, but it was too late, Grace already was tackling him to the wall. Her small fists slammed into the hybrid's face with a force that would have broken a human's bones easily, but he wasn't one. He let her hit one blow before this cruel smile was back on his face, his eyes gleaming in a golden tone. Klaus caught her hand before she could land another blow. Then, he turned them around, one hand grasped around Grace's slim neck. With all of her strength, she tried to fight him, until now she had no clue how strong an Original really was. He started to squeeze to a point where he nearly crushed her windpipe. She couldn't breathe, but still, stared bravely into the hybrids eyes.
Revenge was senseless, she knew that, but she wanted him to suffer.
"I just wanted to test a theory. It worked out the way I thought it would."
He pushed a strand of her dark hair behind her ear. If she could, she would've spit in his face.
"Klaus, let her live! She hasn't got anything to do with this!"
Stefan yelled at the hybrid, who just spared him a glance over his shoulder.
"On the contrary, Stefan, she's very much involved in this..."
He turned back to Grace and leaned forward to whisper in her ear.
"I will let you get away with this for once, love. But don't count on my generosity again."
Klaus let go of her and she sunk to the ground. She clutched her throat, trying hard to catch her breath. Grace, as clouded as her mind was, wanted to lunge at him again, but now Katherine was faster. She grabbed her by the shoulder and held her back.
"Don't be stupid!"
Grace ripped her hand of her shoulder and stared intensely at the doppelgänger, finally coming to her right mind again. She then looked at Elijah's body next to her, falling to her knees beside him. It was already too late, Klaus, Katherine and Stefan definitely knew. Grace stroked his soft hair as her body was shaking.
She only heard Stefan explaining what happened to Damon on the side. It was like everything had become dull around her. Grace only then realized what strong feelings she already had developed for Elijah. With her turning, they only intensified.
Of course she was still surprised when this cruel bastard bit into Katherine's wrist only to heal her with his blood. He surely enjoyed seeing the fear of death in his victim's eyes. Why had his blood the ability to heal a werewolf bite after all? There was nothing good in this man.
But what he did to Stefan afterwards made it even worse. He forced him to become what Stefan had left behind: a ruthless ripper. Klaus forced him to drink a huge amount of blood. Grace hadn't known about this side of Stefan's past, she never would've expected it.
The scent of all this blood drove her nuts, but fortunately, she didn't seem to be in Klaus' interest now.
"Do you care for a drink yourself, love?"
He addressed her and Grace shot him a glare.
"Go to hell."
She growled, but Klaus only laughed at her reaction.
"I take this as a no."
The hybrid turned his attention back to Stefan, whose face was already smeared with blood. Katherine and Grace shared a look. This wasn't good.
Klaus cut his palm and let his blood flow into a glas. Damon's cure. He walked towards Katherine and handed it to her.
"Take this to Damon. If I were you I would...hurry."
But she already had disappeared with the cure in her hands. Both Stefan's and Grace's eyes widened and Stefan started to shout. They both knew that Katherine wasn't under compulsion anymore, she would never get the blood to Damon. Now all this was senseless. It was over, Damon would die.
"Well, my two new friends, shall we go out of this crap town?"
Stefan stood and positioned himself in front of Grace protectively. He panted, all this blood, it was also too much for him. After all this time, it still seemed to be a problem for him.
"Leave her out of this. You already destroyed enough of her life!"
Klaus patted him on the shoulder and looked at Grace still sitting on the floor beside his brother. This was Klaus' perfect revenge for what Elijah attempted to do.
"She's part of the bargain, Stefan. Get up, Grace."
He strutted to the younger woman, who looked up to him with pure hatred in her eyes, but she obeyed and got to her feet, staying as close as possible to Elijah's body. She knew that she had to do everything he wanted from now on. She knew what he wanted in return for Damon's life.
"It's your choice, dearest Grace. You either come with me, or I'll go straight to Damon and take his life."
Of course Grace had no choice. Even though it would ruin her life, she wouldn't let Damon die, even if it would rip her off her own free will.
"I will come with you."
Stefan looked at the oldest Gilbert in surprise. Never before had he seen such a selfless act. She was handing her life, her dignity over for a person that she barely knew.
Klaus smiled happily and walked towards the door.
"What a good girl you are, little Grace."