"Elena?" Stefan's voice rang loudly from around the house. I furrowed my eyebrows and got out of bed, walking out of my guest room and made my way downstairs. "Elena!" He added louder as he walked past the stairs and down the hall toward Andie who stood in front of the door. "Hey, Andie, have you seen Elena?" Stefan asked in confusion.
"Uh, no." Andie answered, sipping on the cup of coffee in her hand as I walked into the hall. Her eyes darted to me, raising an eyebrow at my T-shirt choice while I eyed the scarf around her neck before Damon walked down the hall behind me.
"Hi, sweetie." Damon said brightly, looking at Andie with a smile. "Oh, my coffee." He added excitedly, taking the cup from her as he laced an arm around her waist and kissed her gently.
"Hey, Where's Elena?" Stefan asked as he turned and looked between Damon and I.
"I don't know, Stefan. She's your girlfriend—Mine's right here." Damon answered, unphased as he stood beside Andie. I folded my arms over my chest in annoyance and watched Stefan pull out his phone. "Oh, hey. How's the shoulder? You have time for a bite, I am so hungry." Damon added, smirking at Andie.
"Oh, it's really messy. Can you just use a blood bag today? I'm already late for work." Andie replied sweetly but Damon pouted at her.
"No.." Damon whined as they kissed lightly again and Stefan got off the phone.
"What are you doing? She's not a wind up toy." Stefan stated in annoyance as he looked at the two of them while I looked away.
"It's really none of your business is it, Stefan." Andie replied harshly and I scoffed, looking back at her.
"How about not talking to him like that, especially around me, boobs for brains." I warned, rolling my eyes at her while she narrowed hers at me. I turned away from her and watched Stefan start to walk down the hall before he stopped, seeing that the door to the basement open.
"I have to go to work." Andie stated from behind me and I heard her footsteps descend. I furrowed my eyebrows and watched as Stefan vamped downstairs and I quickly walked over to the door before he vamped back up.
"Elijah's gone." Stefan stated breathlessly, as he looked between Damon and I in concern.
~~~~
I paced back and forth as I held my phone to my ear, listening to the dial ringtone before she answered. "Where are you? Are you okay?" I asked immediately, looking at Stefan and Damon who sat on the living room chairs, looking back at me expectantly.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Elena answered in an unbothered voicemail from the other side of the phone and I slowly nodded.
"Where's Elijah?" I asked, folding an arm over my chest.
"He's right here." She stated and I rose an eyebrow as Stefan and Damon narrowed their eyes at the phone, obviously annoyed.
"Elijah is a noble man, Elena. He lives by a code of honor.. You can trust him, alright? So whatever plan you have, make sure you don't cross him and end up dead." I warned, not wanting to get into it over the phone so I hung up and looked between the two in front of me.
"That's it?" Damon asked, looking at me expectantly. "You've lost it." He added sarcastically and I rolled my eyes.
"If anyone can get him to help us with Klaus, it's her." I pointed out and at Stefan who slowly nodded.
"Bonnie's our only way to kill Klaus, Mariana. He thinks she's dead. We have a chance with her." Damon countered but Stefan shook his head.
"She'll kill herself in the process. Elena's looking for another way." Stefan disagreed and I gestured in agreement with him.
"Her ways going to get her killed." Damon argued, going to stand up but I pushed him back into the chair as I now stood in front of him.
"If I need to intervene, I will. But until then, I would appreciate it if you just calmed down and trusted her to handle this." I stated quietly, looking down at him. "Trust me, Damon." I added, watching his face soften a bit before he got up and clenched his jaw.
"Fine." He replied emotionlessly and I slowly nodded at him in thanks. My phone buzzed in my pocket before I grabbed it and answered.
"Hello?" I asked, turning away from Damon and walking over to the table of bourbon.
"Mariana, it's Jenna. Where are you? Where's Elena and Jeremy—Neither of them are answering their phones." Jenna stated worriedly. I furrowed my eyebrows and turned to Stefan who slowly got up from the couch across from Damon.
"Uh, Neither of them are with me at the moment. Is everything okay? You sound stressed." I stated, shaking my head and heard Jenna sigh.
"Elena left me all these weird messages, telling me to stay away from Ric. After the entire Isobel being alive thing, I'm already having a hard time trusting him. What's going on?" Jenna asked and I clenched my jaw in annoyance. Shit. I forgot about Jenna.
"It's really hard to explain over the phone but you should just stay on campus for a little longer, okay? Elena and I have everything under control." I stated reassuringly while looking between the boys as they listened in.
"Well, that's kind of hard to do from the kitchen." Jenna answered sarcastically and I felt pin needles go down my back.
"Wait, you're home?" I asked, furrowing my eyebrows in concern while Jenna sighed again.
"Mariana, what's going on? Where are you? I'm supposed to meet Ric at the Grill to talk." Jenna stated and I quickly shook my head and looked at Stefan who gave me a reassuring nod.
"Jenna, don't meet Alaric at the Grill, okay? Stefan is going to come over and explain everything—Just hear him out." I stated quickly before I hung up and looked worriedly at Stefan.
"It's going to be fine." Stefan stated reassuringly and I slowly nodded in agreement before he quickly grabbed his coat and walked out of the house.
"Then there were two." Damon stated in amusement but I scoffed back at him. "Let's go." He added, gesturing his head towards the door and I furrowed my eyebrows.
"And where are we going?" I asked, shaking my head in annoyance but he shrugged, walking over me.
"Splitting from the team. Going rogue." He answered with a smirk and I rose an eyebrow, clearly thinking it over in my head as a small smile found it's way on my lips. "Come on." He added teasingly and I nodded in agreement, following him out of the house.
~~~
"I don't think that this is a good idea." Andie stated as the three of us walked up the stairs to Alaric's apartment.
"Really? That's the exact thing that I said when Damon told me you were coming with us." I pointed out sarcastically, watching her roll her eyes.
"You're an investigating journalist. We're investigating." Damon stated with a sigh, ignoring what I said and I folded my arms over my chest. We walked up to apartment 9 and I rose an eyebrow as loud music was playing from inside, nearly vibrating the door as Andie knocked on it.
"Alaric, you home? It's Andie Star—Jenna's friend." Andie said loudly but no response came so she looked at Damon and shrugged. He looked around us to see if there were any lingering eyes before he broke the doorknob and I smirked a bit. I pushed the door open and loud pop rock music came into my ears before we saw Katherine standing inside of the apartment, looking back at the three of us.
"Thank god." Katherine stated with a sigh as I walked in freely while Andie gasped at the sight of Katherine.
"Wow. You were right. They look exactly alike." Andie stated in shock as she looked between Katherine and I, making me roll my eyes.
"Yep." Damon sighed in annoyance as he leant against the doorframe, not being able to come in. "Thought you might be dead." He added looking at Katherine who sighed back at him, folding her arms over her chest.
"Unfortunately not." Katherine replied emotionlessly before looking at me as I slowly walked around the apartment. "What are you doing here?" She added, looking back at Damon while Andie walked inside also.
"We are here to rescue you." Andie said in a cheerful voice and I rolled my eyes, quickly turning to them.
"No, sweetie. We are here to see if she deserves to be rescued." I corrected, slowly walking back over to Katherine who rolled her eyes.
"Right." Andie slowly nodded in agreement before walking around the apartment curiously.
"I figured you still might be kicking. Alari-Klaus was blending way too easily. Figured he'd probably have some coaching." Damon stated from the doorway before he held up a small vile of vervain and Katherine narrowed her eyes at it pleasingly.
"Is that—" Katherine started, tilting her head at the vile before I cut her off.
"Vervain? Your salvation?" I asked sarcastically and Katherine's eyes fell on me.
"It's not going to undo anything." Katherine pointed out and I shrugged, slowly walking around her.
"There's always a loophole. Did he tell you to stay in this apartment until it was okay to leave?" I asked, stopping in front of her to watch her furrows her eyebrows, trying to answer but couldn't. "You can't say. Did he tell you to do absolutely everything he said until the end of time?" I asked again, a smirk forming on my lips.
"No." Katherine replied quickly and I tilted my head at her as she realized what she just said.
"There's your loophole." I informed in amusement before I turned to Damon who tossed the vile to me and I caught it in my hand, turning back to Katherine. "Drink this and it will prevent any further compulsion." I added, nodding at her. Katherine went to grab it before I pulled it back from her grasp and she scoffed.
"Give it to me." Katherine demanded and I tilted my head back.
"Answer one question first." I countered, hearing her sigh but pull her arm back. "You double-crossed us with Isobel. Why?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at her and she sighed.
"I didn't think you could stand a chance against Klaus, I was only looking out for myself." Katherine answered calmly and I scoffed, giving her the vile of vervain.
"Look where that got you." I pointed out, looking her up and down before my phone started buzzing and I grabbed it from my pocket. "Stefan?" I asked furrowing my eyebrows and looked at Damon worriedly.
"Where are you? Klaus went after Jenna. You need to get here as soon as you can." Stefan stated in a rushed voice and I slowly nodded, hanging up the phone.
~~~
I walked into the Boarding house and saw Stefan pacing the living room in front of me. "Where is she?" I asked, furrowing my eyebrows as he gestured in the direction of the library. I nodded and started walking down the hall before came over to me and grabbed my arm.
"Elena is in there talking to her." Stefan pointed out and I sighed in defeat.
"She's here?" I asked and he gave me a short nod before letting me go and I walked down the hall to the library again. I heard indistinct voices coming from inside before I entered the room and saw Jenna sitting on the couch in front of the fireplace, while Elena knelt in front of her.
"I never meant for any of this to happen." Elena whispered guiltily while Jenna stared down at her crying.
"When I was little, your mom used to tell me bedtime stories.. Stories about vampires." Jenna stated staring blankly at Elena as I walked towards them. "I never thought that what she said could be true." She added in disbelief as Elena stood.
"It is true, Jenna.. I should have told you—we should have told you." I stated as I stood beside Elena.
"We thought that if you didn't know, you'd be safe.. but things got so out of control and everything Mariana or I had done to keep you out of it, it just blew up in our faces." Elena explained as she sat in the chair beside the couch.
"Who else knows?" Jenna asked emotionlessly, staring between Elena and I as we remained silent. "Jeremy?" She asked, leaning forward towards Elena who nodded. "John?" She asked scoffing and I slowly nodded in agreement.
"We were just trying to protect you." I pointed out, kneeling in front of her.
"Protect me?" Jenna asked scoffing and I sighed at bit. "I am the one that's supposed to be protecting you two and Jeremy." She added looking between Elena and I.
"There's nothing that you could have done, Jenna. There's so much more to it—" Elena started before Jenna cut her off.
"I don't know—Why didn't you tell me?" Jenna asked shaking her head at us as she ran her hands through her hair in frustration. "I—I'm scared." She whispered as her eyes glazed over more and I slowly nodded, putting a hand on her knee.
"I know." I reassured her quietly as Elena moved beside her and took Jenna in her arms.
"I'm so sorry." Elena whispered hugging Jenna tightly as I stood. "I'm sorry." She repeated as I slowly walked out of the library.
"Is she going to be okay?" Stefan asked as he saw me walk out and I sighed, folding my arms over my chest.
"She's in shock." I pointed out. "Even if Elena or I tried to tell her as much as we could—we would barely scratch the surface because there's just so much going on." I added in frustration and Stefan nodded in agreement down at me. Footsteps came from behind us and I saw Elena come from the library as well.
"Elena, I am so sorry." Stefan stated shaking his head at her in defeat.
"It's not your fault, Stefan.. It's mine." Elena replied sighing deeply and I looked away from her. "Anyway.. I have to go back to Elijah." She added, walking towards the direction of the door before Stefan grabbed her arm.
"What? Wait, no, no." Stefan protested and she sighed back at him.
"I promised him that I would return, Stefan. I can't break that promise." Elena stated and I furrowed my eyebrows a bit.
"I'll go with her." I reassured him and she furrowed her eyebrows at me. "I have to apologize to him." I pointed out and she slowly nodded in agreement.
"I'll be okay, alright? Mariana will be there." Elena stated giving Stefan a small smile and he nodded back in agreement. Elena and I walked towards the door as Damon came down the stairs with Andie trailing him.
"Where are you going?" Damon asked and I rolled my eyes at him.
"Back to Elijah." Elena stated as we walked towards the door but Damon vamped in front of us, stopping.
"No." Damon warned emotionlessly and I furrowed my eyebrows at him.
"Get out of the way, Dam—" I started, going to pass him but he put a hand on my arm, cutting me off.
"If you so much as take a step out of this house..." Damon stated emotionlessly down at me and I smirked, tilting my head up at him.
"Damon, easy." Andie warned from behind him and I chuckled a bit, pulling my arm away.
"Listen to your girlfriend, Damon. She's obviously the wiser one in the relationship." I stated, staring up at him and gesturing Elena towards the door. Elena walked slowly behind me and out the door as I rose an eyebrow at Damon, slowly backing towards the door while he stared at me the entire way. "We'll be back soon." I stated, looking at Stefan who narrowed his eyes at Damon in warning, before I closed the front door behind Elena and I.
~~~
Elena walked into the Lockwood's house and I shut the door behind us. I turned into the living room and saw Elijah leaning against the wall as he turned to us curiously. "Welcome back." Elijah stated giving Elena a welcoming smile before he looked at me. "Mariana." He added and I folded my arms over my chest.
"Elena filled me in on the details of the things you've told her. About Klaus being your brother, there are five originals and the sun and the moon curse doesn't exist. Instead, there is a curse specifically placed on Klaus." I stated, tilting my head at Elijah who nodded in agreement as he walked towards Elena and I.
"So What is Klaus' curse?" Elena asked furrowing her eyebrows.
"Please." Elijah said gesturing us over to the couch. Elena and I sat down while Elijah sat across from us, on the coffee table. "My family was quite close.. but Klaus and my father did not get along well. When we became vampires, we discovered the truth. Klaus was not my father's son." He pointed out and I furrowed my eyebrows. "My mother had been unfaithful many years before. This was her darkest secret. Klaus is from a different bloodline." Elijah stated looking between Elena and I. "Of course, when my father discovered this, he hunted down and he killed my mother's lover and his entire family." He added, getting up and walking away from us. "Not realizing of course, that he was ignoring a war between species that rages until this day." Elijah stated and I narrowed my eyes in realization.
"That vampires and the werewolves." I whispered towards him and he slowly nodded back at me. "Klaus' real father was from a werewolf bloodline." I added looking at Elena who shook her head.
"What does that make Klaus? A werewolf or a vampire?" Elena asked looking back at Elijah who tilted his head at us.
"He's both.. Isn't he?" I asked in disbelief and Elijah nodded, making me furrow my eyebrows as I started thinking it over in my head.
"A hybrid will be deadlier than any werewolf or vampire. Nature would not stand for such an imbalance of power." Elijah stated, putting his hands in his suit pockets. "Therefore the witches, the servants of nature, saw to it that my brother's werewolf side would become dormant." He added, walking to the doorway of the living room and leaning against it.
"That's the curse that Klaus wants to break?" Elena asked scoffing in disbelief at the entire thing and the importance of it all.
"He wants to trigger that part of him that's a werewolf. If allowed, Klaus would sure his own bloodline. He'd build his own race. Endangering not just vampires—but everyone." Elijah stated quietly and I stood from the couch.
"But you helped him." I stated in confusion as I folded my arms over my chest at him.
"I helped him because I loved him. That's changed, now he must die." Elijah informed coldly, looking away from me.
"We have the dagger now, we can stop him." Elena reassured him, standing up from the couch also.
"When a werewolf is wounded by silver, it heals. An original can't be killed by anything but white oak ash on a silver dagger, so you see the conundrum. The dagger does not work." Elijah argued and I sighed, pacing in front of them.
"What—What you saying that Klaus can't be killed?" I asked, furrowing my eyebrows at him.
"There's one way to kill any supernatural species. At the hands of the servants of nature themselves." Elijah answered and I stood in place.
"A witch.. If they can channel that much power." I whispered as I looked at Elena who exchanged a glance with me. "But it would kill them." I added, looking away from her in defeat.
"The curse must be broken during the full moon. When Klaus is in transition, that is when he'll be at his most vulnerable. A witch with enough power, can kill Klaus." Elijah stated and I looked back at him as Elena sighed, folding her arms over her chest.
"What if I told you that we do know a witch that could channel that much power?" Elena asked, raising an eyebrow at him and I watched Elijah look back at her in question.
"Then I would tell you there's one more thing that you should know." Elijah answered. "Klaus was ready to let Katherine die for his own gain, centuries ago. I however.. felt differently." He added, looking between Elena and I before I slowly walked over to him.
"You found a way to save the life of the doppelgänger?" Elena asked quietly and I noticed her eyes widen in hope.
"Yes, I did.. But unfortunately, Katerina took matters into her own hands first. I believe you already know how that played out." Elijah stated quietly and I slowly nodded back at him.
"You cared about her.. Didn't you?" I asked quietly and Elijah looked back at me.
"It's a common mistake, I'm told." He replied emotionlessly and I looked down in agreement. "And It's one that I won't make again." He added looking at Elena.
~~~
I walked down the hall of the Salvatore house as I heard voices from the library and I rose an eyebrow, walking towards them. "You don't have to be so angry at your brother. He's worried about Elena." Andie stated as she put a glass of bourbon into Damon's hand while he sat in front of the fireplace.
"Just go." Damon replied emotionlessly towards her, staring intensely at the flames and I leant against the library doorway.
"And I know that you're worried about Mariana, too—" Andie stated but he quickly cut her off.
"Andie. Go." Damon warned, narrowing his eyes at her and she slowly nodded down at him. She walked away from him and past me quietly while Damon sipped the bourbon in his hand.
"Tired of your little play thing already?" I asked in amusement, watching Damon roll his eyes.
"Don't start with me, Mariana. She's just my distraction." He answered, not meeting my gaze and I scoffed.
"She's a person, Damon. You're victimizing her." I pointed out and turned to walk down the hall.
"You should be thankful she's here. She keeps me from going for what I really want." Damon countered sarcastically. I rose an eyebrow and slowly turned back to him, folding my arms over my chest.
"And what is that?" I asked, tilting my head at him and he finally met my eyes. "What do you really want?" I added and watched him put his glass on the table beside him. He got up from the chair and vamped over to me, blocking my exit in the doorway as his arms boxed me in on either side.
"You don't know?" Damon asked quietly, looking me over and I smirked a bit and started to trace a finger down the button up he wore. Damon smirked and started to lean in towards my face but I pushed him back, catching him off guard.
"I don't think your 'distraction' would appreciate that." I stated in annoyance as he stood up straight, gaining his composure and I walked away from him.
-Time Skip-
"Tonight is the full moon. We should assume that Klaus is prepared to break the curse." Elijah said as he stood in front of Elena and Stefan who sat in lounge chairs in front of him.
"Elena said that the sun and the moon curse are fake? That it's actually just a curse placed on Klaus?" Stefan asked, furrowing his eyebrows.
"Klaus is a vampire born of a werewolf bloodline. The curse has kept his werewolf aspect from manifesting, but if he breaks it—he'll be a true hybrid." Elijah informed as he leant on the arm of the couch beside the two.
"Then why are we letting him break the curse?" Damon asked, eyeing me as he walked past the doorway that I leant in, and into the library. "We can kill him today. With Bonnie." He added, looking at Elena in annoyance.
"Damon." I stated in warning from where I stood. "Bonnie can't use that much power without dying." I pointed out but he rolled his eyes.
"I'll write her a great eulogy." He countered in amusement and I scoffed, looking away from him.
"It's not an option, Damon." Elena argued, narrowing her eyes up at him as he stood in front of her and Stefan.
"All right, how do we break this curse?" Stefan asked, ignoring his brother and looking at Elijah.
"Well, the ritual itself is relatively straightforward." Elijah informed and I rose an eyebrow at him as he stood up from the couch. "The ingredients, so to speak, you already know." He added, walking in front of the fireplace.
"The moon stone." I stated, walking over to where everyone was gathered.
"A witch will channel the power of the full moon to release the spell that's bound within the stone." Elijah stated, nodding at me. "After that, Klaus, being both werewolf and vampire, will sacrifice one of each." He added and I furrowed my eyebrows.
"And where do I fit into it?" Elena asked, crossing her legs as she sat on the couch cushion.
"The final part of the ritual." Elijah answered, walking over to a book shelve and grabbing a small box of some sort. "Klaus must drink the blood of the doppelgänger... to the point of your death." He added, looking back at Elena and I felt myself tense up. Elena let out a small sigh and Stefan grabbed her hand in reassurance.
"And that's where you come in." I stated, gesturing to Elijah before he opened the box and I rose an eyebrow at it.
"This is an elixir that I have acquired some five hundred years ago for Katerina. It possesses mystical properties of resuscitation." Elijah stated as he grabbed the small glass bottle from the box.
"So I'll be dead." Elena stated, looking between Elijah and the bottle that he held in his hands.
"And then you won't." Elijah added, nodding at her and I took a deep breath, trying to fit it all into my brain.
"That's your plan? A magical witch potion with no expiration date?" Damon asked in disbelief and I sighed at him. "You want to come back to life, what about John's ring?" He added, looking at Elena and I rolled my eyes.
"Those things only work on humans. The doppelgänger's a supernatural occurrence." I countered and they all looked at me in confusion. "I do my research—odds are, the ring won't work." I added with a shrug.
"I'll take those odds over the magic elixir." Damon argued and I looked away from him in defeat. "What if it doesn't work, Elena?" He added, looking at her.
"Then I guess I'll just be dead." Elena answered quietly and I furrowed my eyebrows at her.
"Do we know if Klaus has everything he needs to do this? Does he have a werewolf?" I asked, changing the subject and Elijah rose an eyebrow at me.
"Klaus has been waiting to break this curse for over a thousand years. If he doesn't already have a werewolf, my guess is by tonight, he will." Elijah answered and I slowly nodded back at him before I heard the front door slam.
"Get out!" Jenna's voice stated angrily from the hall.
"Jenna? Jenna, it's me!" Alaric's voice replied and I widened my eyes and quickly ran towards the voices, everyone else trailing after.
"Get out!" Jenna warned again as I saw her in the living room hallway, holding a crossbow at Alaric, who held his hands up in defeat.
"Jenna, put the crossbow down. Okay? It's me." Alaric pleaded towards her and I furrowed my eyebrows.
"Stay away from me." Jenna warned, narrowing her eyes at him.
"What's going on?" I asked, looking between the two of them as everyone started gathering around them.
"It's me, okay, Mariana—I swear. He let me go, Klaus let me go." Alaric stated quickly as he looked between Jenna and I. I rose an eyebrow at him as I looked him over, observing his movements.
"Prove it." Damon stated from behind Ric and he sighed, looking over his shoulder.
"Okay, uh—the first night you and I had together, Jeremy walked in right when I was about to—" Alaric started but Jenna quickly cut him off.
"It's him." Jenna answered, putting the crossbow down. I rose an eyebrow between the two of them but refused to ask question or go into it further as I took the crossbow from Jenna.
"Why did he let you go?" I asked, looking at Alaric curiously.
"He wanted me to deliver a message." Ric answered and I felt my body tense up. "The sacrifice happens tonight." He added, looking over all of us. I looked at Elena who tensed up as well and looked behind her at Elijah who stood unphased.
"I think you should've just finished the story of you climaxing." I scoffed in annoyance and looked back at Alaric who's cheeks flushed in embarrassment.
~~~
"So you don't remember anything that happened?" Stefan asked, pacing in between the couches of the living room that Ric and Jenna sat on, across from each other.
"No. It's like I blacked out and woke up three days later." Alaric answered and I furrowed my eyebrows as I stood behind the couch that Jenna sat on. "Katherine was there." He added, looking over to me and I slowly nodded.
"She's under compulsion. Damon and I snuck her some vervain but she can't leave until Klaus tells her she can." I pointed out. Elena furrowed her eyebrows as she started looking around at all of us.
"Where is Damon?" She asked, noticing he wasn't anywhere to be seen.
"I saw him go upstairs." Jenna answered with a shrug. Elena looked over at me and rose an expectant eyebrow, making me sigh in response.
"I'll go talk to him." I reassured her before I walked out of the living room and up the stairs, to Damon's room. Once I looked into his room from the doorway, I saw him standing in front of his large window, silently staring out into the trees. "You disappeared." I stated quietly, staring at his back.
"I didn't wanna hear anymore." He replied quietly and I slowly nodded in agreement.
"Elena will be fine, Damon." I stated reassuringly but he scoffed.
"What if that was you, Mariana?" Damon asked, turning to me in anger almost and I furrowed my eyebrows. "Would you do the same thing?" He asked and I slowly nodded, folding my arms over my chest.
"Yes, I would. It was supposed to be me, Damon." I replied quietly, now walking into the room.
"Then you're actually going to take the risk of the elixir?" Damon asked in disagreement as he furrowed his eyebrows.
"It will work, Damon." I stated in reassurance as I stood by his doorframe now.
"You think it will work. You want it to work. Am I the only one who's convinced that it won't?" Damon asked in annoyance, getting more agitated but so was I.
"Damon, it has to work, okay?" I snapped, letting my voice raise a little as I did and it startled both of us. "That is my sister—I—I can't lose her, Damon—So yes, I need this to work and you telling me that it won't—" I started before Damon vamped over to me and held my face in his hands.
"Hey, hey, hey." Damon whispered down at me. I looked up at him in defeat while my eyes glazed over and saw his face soften. "It'll work." He stated quietly in reassurance. I let out a small sigh and as I did, a tear fell down my cheek but he wiped it away with his thumb gently. "It will work." He repeated in a calm voice. I stared at him deeply and in wonder before my phone buzzed and Damon pulled away from me slowly. I cleared my throat and grabbed it. I looked at the screen and felt my breath hitch in my throat as I looked back up at him.
"Carol's in the hospital." I stated, looking back down at the text I got from Caroline.
~~~
I walked toward the hospital from the parking lot and saw Tyler and Jules walking out of the doors. "Tyler?" I asked, stopping in my tracks as they both stood in front of me. "Jules." I added, looking at her emotionlessly and she cleared her throat.
"I'll give you two a few minutes to talk." Jules stated, feeling the tension build as she looked at Tyler who put his hands in his pockets.
"Thank you." Tyler replied, staring at me as Jules started walking away but stopped and looked at him from over her shoulder.
"Just a few, Tyler." Jules warned and I rose an eyebrow at them before she walked away from us and towards her car I assumed. I stared at Tyler quietly, looking him over as I'm sure he was doing the same to me.. He got more built and his hair was longer. Just by an inch or so.
"She's just making sure I'm safe." Tyler said, walking closer to me and I slowly nodded back at him and folded my arms over my chest.
"So what, are you two like, friends now?" I asked, looking between him and the direction Jules disappeared in.
"She's been helping me." He informed and I slowly nodded as he gave me a small smile. "How are you?" He asked, trying to make small conversation but I looked away from him.
"I heard about your mom. I just came to check in on her." I pointed out, avoiding his question and he slowly nodded.
"She's banged up. But she'll be okay." Tyler reassured and I slowly nodded as I looked back at him.
"And you? How's everything with you?" I asked, tilting my head at him and he slowly nodded.
"I'm hanging in there." He answered softly, not giving too much away and I stared at him for a few seconds before I broke eye contact.
"Good." I replied and he gave me a small smile in return.
"Yeah." Tyler stated before he looked away from me and cleared his throat, gesturing toward the parking lot. "I should get going. Jules and I need to get on the road." He stated and I furrowed my eyebrows.
"You're leaving again?" I asked, shaking my head in confusion as he started walking away from me. Tyler sighed and stopped, turning back to me.
"I left for a reason, Mariana." He stated and I scoffed, shaking my head at him.
"Your explanation must have got lost in the mail. Along with your goodbye—But I guess you had Elena tell me goodbye for you, right? Along with your 'I love you'." I countered angrily and Tyler looked away from me.
"Well—" Tyler started before he cut himself off. He looked slowly up at me before giving me a soft nod. "Take care of yourself." He stated quietly before walking away again and I watched him.
"Tyler.." I said after him. He turned back to me and I gave him a small shrug. "I loved you, you know?" I asked quietly, letting my voice crack a little as I said it. I watched as he stared blankly at me for a few seconds before I looked away and walked towards the hospital again. I saw that the sun was setting over the trees around us.. The Sacrifice will be starting soon.. God help us.
~~~~
There were constant knocks on the boarding house door as I walked towards it from the living room and saw Damon walking down the hall from the stairs. "Heard ya." Damon stated in annoyance before he stumbled a bit and I furrowed my eyebrows at him. He looked up at me and gave a short nod before I walked fully to the door and opened it to see John standing there with his arms crossed over his chest. "Great. I was just thinking about getting a bite to eat." Damon stated sarcastically once he stood behind me.
"Elena hasn't returned any of my phone calls for days. I need to see her." John stated, walking in and past Damon and I.
"Well, you're a day late and a daughter short, John." Damon stated as I shut the door.
"What are you talking about?" John asked, shaking his head and I folded my arms over my chest.
"Klaus has her. Sacrifice goes down tonight." I answered quietly, holding myself as I said it.
"How could you let that happen? You were supposed to keep her safe. Wasn't that the sun total of your plan; keep her safe?" John stated in disappointment as he looked between Damon and I angrily.
"This was her choice, John. If I had it my way, I would've asked Stefan to give her his blood." I stated angrily back at him and he furrowed his eyebrows at me. "Even if it meant her coming back as the thing that you hate—She would still come back." I added, looking away from him and walking into the living room. John's phone started ringing and he grabbed it from his pocket, answering it.
"Jeremy?" John asked and I furrowed my eyebrows, turning back to him as he looked between Damon and I slowly. "I'll be right there." He added emotionlessly before he hung up.
~~~
John and I walked down the stairs of the house where Bonnie was hiding out. It was on the same plot of land her ancestors were burnt alive on. It's where they gave her the extra magic boost. We walked into the basement and John put a box of journals down on an empty table with candles. "I brought the Gilbert journals. I think I know the redirection spell you're talking about." John stated as Bonnie and Jeremy came over.
"Where's Damon?" Bonnie asked as Jeremy started looking through the box of journals.
"Upstairs, Alaric wanted to talk to him." I replied as John pulled out a few journals as well.
~~~
"We found something in the Gilbert journals." Bonnie stated once Damon, Alaric, Jenna and Stefan had come downstairs.
"Jonathan journaled a story of a mother who called on Emily's services. The woman's baby was sick; dying. Emily cast a spell that would bind the woman's life force with the child." John pointed out as he looked at me, resting his hands on his hips.
"Skip to the save Elena part." I stated emotionlessly, folding my arms over my chest.
"Well, the child died, but the mothers life force flowed through her, restoring her to life." John clarified and I furrowed my eyebrows at Jeremy and Bonnie who remained silent. "If we use this spell, Elena's soul may be able to stay intact." He added, nodding at me.
"Her soul? Really? You're going to put your faith in some act of god mumbo jumbo?" Damon asked in annoyance.
"Great." I stated, ignoring Damon and nodding at John who furrowed his eyebrows at me. "Bonnie, let's do it." I added, turning to her.
"Hey, hey—what the hell do you think you're doing?" Damon countered, pulling me back to him quickly.
"Trying to save my sister, Damon." I stated in annoyance as I pulled my arm away from him while John folded his arms over his chest.
"For once, I have to agree with Damon, Mariana." Jenna stated from beside Alaric and I furrowed my eyebrows at her.
"This isn't your fight." John added in agreement as he stood in front of me and I scoffed, looking between them.
"And of course, the guardians agree when it comes to life or death, huh? But anything else, it's like asking you to sell a kidney." I pointed out in annoyance at them both and they looked at each other in some defeat. "She is my sister and you told me to protect her because I'm the oldest." I added, pointing at John in anger and guilt flashed over his eyes.
"Mariana-" Jeremy started in protest but I ignored him.
"Well, that's what I am doing—This is what that looks like." I stated in anger before John came over to me.
"That is a burden I never should've asked you to carry." John admitted as he put a hand on my shoulder. "You're right.. She's your sister and you are the oldest. Which is why you can't do it, Mariana." He added and I shook my head back at him, opening my mouth to protest but he cut me off. "I haven't been the best father, I know that. But you have been there when they needed someone. Elena looks up to you—Jeremy looks up to you." He stated, gesturing at Jeremy who's eyes glazed over as John spoke. "They are going to need you." He said softly and I looked at Jeremy in defeat before back at John.
~~~
I watched in silence as Bonnie chanted indistinctly over John who sat in the chair in front of her, hovering her hands around John's head. "Come on, Bonnie. We got a hybrid to kill." Damon stated as he snapped his fingers impatiently and I rolled my eyes. I looked back at Bonnie as she whispered to herself before she opened her eyes and looked at him.
"It's done." Bonnie stated emotionlessly and I rose an eyebrow.
"That's it?" I asked, gesturing at John who still had his eyes closed, still in some sort of trance like state before he opened them and Bonnie nodded. "Let's go then." I added emotionlessly and she nodded quickly in agreement as we walked towards the stairs of the house.
"I'll be back." Bonnie reassured Jeremy who furrowed his eyebrows at us.
"Wait, what do you mean?" Jeremy asked, looking between Damon, Bonnie and I. "No, no, I'm coming. I need to make sure you guys are okay." He added and I sighed at him.
"And who's going to make sure you're okay?" I countered in annoyance and Jeremy looked at me in anger.
"I've got my ring. I'm not taking no for an answer." Jeremy argued. I looked at Bonnie and gestured to her before she slowly nodded and looked back at Jeremy. She gave him a small kiss and Jeremy smiled. They pulled away and he slowly furrowed his eyebrows and fell backwards but John caught him easily.
"Easy, Easy." John reassured Jeremy quietly as he put Jer in the same chair he sat in a minute ago. "Just go. I'll stay here with him." He added looking back at me and I slowly nodded in thanks. Damon, Bonnie and I walked up the stairs while Elijah, Alaric, Stefan and Jenna talked in the hall.
"It's time." Elijah stated, following the three of us out from the hall and towards the front door.
"I have weapons in the car." Alaric stated from behind Elijah as we walked.
"The only weapon we need is Bonnie." Elijah replied emotionlessly. I watched as Damon, Elijah, Bonnie and Stefan walked without ease out of the house but Jenna, Alaric and I couldn't leave.. We were blocked in by a barrier.
"Bonnie, what the hell is this?" Alaric asked as they walked away from us but she turned to look at us as we stood in the doorway of the house, unable to leave.
"I'm sorry.. But I can't put any more of my family at risk." Bonnie warned, looking between the three of us and shaking her head.
"Bonnie, that is my sister!" I yelled angrily at her and she shook her head back at me.
"I'm sorry, Mariana." Bonnie replied and I scoffed, looking at Stefan and Damon for help.
"I'm sorry, Ari. She's right." Damon stated guiltily as he looked back at me and I furrowed my eyebrows as the four of them walked away from us.
"Bonnie!! Damon!!" I yelled angrily after them, trying to use my magic to get out but I couldn't.. There was nothing that I could do.
~~~
I leant against the wall of the basement and looked out the window above me as sunlight shined through it. The sacrifice had to been done by now. What was taking so long.. "What are you writing?" I asked, looking at John who sat at a desk, writing letters or something.
"An explanation." He answered vaguely and I furrowed my eyebrows. Alaric sighed deeply from where he sat on the stairs, with Jenna sitting in front of him.
"We should have heard from them by now." Alaric stated in worry as he looked at me and I looked away from him.
"Did you read all of this?" Jeremy asked in confusion as he looked down at the Gilbert journal where the resurrection spell used by Emily, came from.
"I did." John answered in a calm voice and I rose an eyebrow at the tone in Jeremy's voice.
"So you understand what happened to the baby's mother after the baby was brought back to life." Jeremy stated in disbelief.
"She saved her daughter. She found peace." John countered, looking back at him after he put a few letters that he wrote, into envelopes. "I need you to give this to Elena for me." He added, getting up from the desk and giving Jeremy one of the envelopes. "And also this." He stated, taking the Gilbert ring off of his finger and I furrowed my eyebrows.
"What's going on?" I asked, looking at John in confusion now before he looked back at me.
"Take care of each other.. Please." John stated, not answering my question as he stared at me before the front door from upstairs opened.
"I think they're here." Jenna stated in relief before her, Jeremy and Alaric ran up the stairs.
"John.." I whispered, folding my arms over my chest as he walked back over to the desk.
"This is for you." He informed, handing me one of the letters he wrote and I furrowed my eyebrows as I slowly took it, staring down at it. "Thank you, Mariana." John added, giving me a small smile and I looked up at him. His face seemed sad, his eyes less bright and blue than normal. He grabbed his coat from off of the back of the chair and walked upstairs, leaving me alone with the letter in my hand.. I shook my head and walked up the stairs also before hearing a loud gasp from the room next to me.
"Elena!" Jeremy's voice exclaimed loudly as relief rushed over it. I looked into the living room where Elena was laying on a couch, breathing heavily as Jeremy, Jenna, Alaric and Damon, stood around her. I felt a breeze from beside me and I looked over to the front door that was wide open. I slowly walked towards it curiously before I felt my eyes slightly glaze over. John was laying face down on the ground feet from me.. Motionless.