Gilbert Residence
Eliot lies in his bed. He is breathing hard and can't seem to get to sleep. He gets up and goes to the kitchen. He places a glass of milk in the microwave and warms it up.
"Can't sleep?" Connie asks from behind him.
Eliot turns around frightened, but sees no one there. The microwave beeps, making Eliot jump. He opens the door and takes the cup out. He turns around and sees Connie leaning on the counter. She gasps.
"You know it makes sense; guilty conscience"
"You're not here. I'm – I've got to be dreaming" Eliot shakes his head-
"And how do you know that I'm not here?" She starts walking towards Eliot. Eliot walks backwards, trying to keep distance between them.
"Because you're..."
"Go on, say it"
"Because you're dead"
Connie nods her head, "Yes, I am. Was that the first time that you've taken a human life?"
"You're a ghost. That's gotta be it. You're a ghost, that's what's happening right now. Jem...Jemma. Jemma!" Eliot shouts. Upstairs, Jemma hears Eliot call for her and wakes up. "You're a ghost; you're haunting me. You're a ghost; you're haunting me"
"Can a ghost do this?" Connie grabs Eliot in a chokehold and strangles him. Eliot thrusts his elbow into her stomach and releases himself from her grasp. He pushes her, sending Connie flying across a table. Connie gets up and starts to walk back towards Eliot. Eliot grabs a knife and stabs Connie in the neck. He removes the blade from her neck and sees that he has just stabbed Jemma, not Connie. Eliot drops the knife.
"Oh my god!" Jemma falls to the ground; Eliot goes down with her. He is in tears. "Jem! Jem! Jem! Jem! No, no, no, no, no, no" Eliot looks down at Jemma's hand and sees that she is wearing her ring, but this doesn't make him feel any better. "No, no. Jem! Jemma!"
**********
Later in the morning, Jemma is lying dead on the couch. Eliot is pacing in front of her. Demi is in the room with him.
"I can't believe this happened. What am I going to say to her?" Eliot asks her.
"Thanks for not ditching the family ring after it drove Ric crazy?" Demi jokes and Eliot glares at her, "You should have called Stella"
"I don't want to talk to her. She's been lying to me and hiding things from me. She compelled Jemma to forget God knows what" Eliot tells her.
"In all fairness, I mean, I think you killing her kinda trumps that. And you should have called Stella"
"I don't trust her right now, Demi" Eliot shakes his head.
Stella walks in the house. Eliot and Demi look at her, "Hey"
"PS, I called Stella" Demi tells Eliot.
Stella walks over to Eliot, "What happened? Why didn't you call me?"
"I just - I need to go upstairs and shower. Clean all the blood off my hands" Eliot walks out of the room. Jemma comes back to life with a dramatic gasp.
"Welcome back. How are you feeling?" Stella asks her.
"What happened?" Jemma asks in return.
"Long story, buy the e-book" Demi tells her.
Stella walks up the stairs and into Eliot's room. Eliot is changing into a robe. He sees Stella but walks past her.
"Eliot. Hey. Listen, I know you're still upset about yesterday and I get it, believe me, but just let me help you" Stella tells him.
"I don't want your help right now, Stefan"
"But you'll accept Demi's?" Stella asks him, a little jealous.
Eliot turns and looks at Stella, "Don't make this about Demi. You've been working with Colette doing God knows what, and don't insult me by trying to deny it"
Stella sighs, "Listen, it's not what you think, okay?"
Eliot shrugs, "I don't know what to think, but I do know that I don't want to talk to you and I don't really wanna be around you right now" Eliot walks past her again.
Stella grabs his arm "Please just..." Eliot rips his arm out of her grasp.
"No!", Eliot shows her his hands, "This is my sister's blood on my hands, Stella. I stabbed her in the neck last night. So forgive me if I'm not in the mood to listen to you try to talk your way out of this" Eliot walks into the bathroom and shuts the door. Stella looks hurt.
**********
Eliot is in the shower. As he cleans himself off, he looks down and sees blood. He gasps and backs up. When he looks up at the shower head there's nothing there. He looks back down and sees blood again; freaked out by this, Eliot jumps out of the shower.
Demi is downstairs, cleaning up blood. Stella enters the room. "Where did Jemma go?" Demi asks her.
"School. Benny has her volunteering for some occult exhibit"
"Or maybe she didn't want to linger in a house where her brother just jammed a knife in her neck"
Stella's phone rings, "It's Colette"
"Oooh, time to face the music. Pay the piper, dance with the devil" Demi teases her.
"You know, I'm glad you find this amusing. If she finds out I told you about the cure, she'll kill both of us" Stella tells her.
"Quit avoiding her, that means shady. Shady people get outed"
Stella answers the phone, "I don't want to talk about it"
Colette is outside, walking through a neighborhood, "Well, I can't imagine why, what with you ruining all my plans for a hybrid filled future"
"Well, it wouldn't have happened, if you hadn't sworn me to secrecy" Stella looks at Demi. Demi nods.
"Well, life's full of ifs, Stella. But let's accentuate the positives, shall we? The hunter was one of five; we'll find another. It may take centuries, but we've got nothing but time, right?" Colette smirks.
"You're using your calm voice today. Who's getting killed?" Stella notes.
"Not you, if that's what you're worried about. But I am concerned about your beloved. Have the hallucinations started yet?"
Stefan and Damon look at each other, "What do you know about that?"
"I'll tell you. Where are you?" Colette asks her.
"I'm at his house"
"How convenient, so am I", Colette knocks on the door. Stella hangs up her phone. Stella opens the front door and walks outside, past Colette. Colette follows her. "You know, this would all be a lot more civilized if I was just invited inside"
"It's bad enough I'm out here talking to you. What do you know?" Stella asks her.
"I killed the original five hunters, remember? When one kills a hunter, there's a bit of a consequence"
"What kind of consequence?"
"The hunters were spelled by witches to kill vampires; if you prevent one from fulfilling her destiny then she'll take you down with her" Colette reveals to her.
"What do you mean? Connie's dead"
"I mean, Connie's death won't prevent her from making Eliot her final vampire kill. He'll need to come with me now. I'll lock him up, keep him away from any sharp wooden objects" Colette tells her.
"He's not going anywhere with you" Stella denies.
"Well, if we leave him alone, he'll take his own life before the day is out"
Stella shakes her head, "He's stronger than that"
"Is he? Believe me, it's for his own good"
Eliot comes out of the bathroom. He looks in the mirror as he adjusts his sweater and sees Connie standing behind him. He gasps and turns around. Connie touches the blood on her neck and walks towards him, "Would you like some? You seemed to enjoy it when you drank from me"
"I wasn't myself. I was angry" Eliot tries to defend his actions.
"Were you yourself when you snapped my neck with your bare hands?"
"You staked me"
"Because you're a monster and you deserve to die. Admit it"
"No!", Eliot walks out of his room. Demi is still downstairs, cleaning up in the kitchen. Eliot enters the kitchen. "Damon....", Eliot looks at Demi, but he sees Connie instead. She stands up.
"Decomposition starts in the first twenty four hours. I'm rotting in an unmarked grave because of you"
"No!", Eliot backs away.
"What's wrong?" Demi asks him, worried. Eliot runs to the front door. Demi follows him, "Eliot!"
Colette and Stella are still outside. They hear the front door open and Eliot runs onto the porch and stops. Colette super speeds towards him, grabs him, and leaves. Demi walks out onto the porch and sees Stella standing in the middle of the yard by herself.
"Eliot!", Demi looks at Stella. Stella looks around, worried.
**********
Benny, Stella, and Demi are in the kitchen together, "You lost him?"
"Well, "lost" is a very strong word, we just technically don't know where he is" Demi tells him.
"I'm more worried about what Colette said about this hunter's curse" Stella tells them.
"How does Colette even know about this?" Benny asks.
"How does Colette know anything? Girl's like a billion years old" Demi says, shrugging.
"She said it was a witch's curse", Stella looks at Benny.
"You know if I could do anything to help, I would. But I..."
Demi cuts him off, "But nothing, wave your magic wand, hocus pocus, begone hunter ghostus, whatever"
"The spirits won't let me do the magic I'd need to break the curse. But I can ask Shane for help, she knows everything about everything" Benny tells them.
"Great, you two do your thing" Stella tells him.
"Where are you going?" Demi asks Stella.
"I'm gonna get him back" Stella leaves.
**********
Mikaelson Mansion
Chris opens the door to a room. Colette drags Eliot into the room. "Let go of me" Eliot demands.
"Certainly," Colette lets him go, "I apologize for the lack of windows; it's to preserve the art. And of course, to prevent you from taking off your daylight ring and burning yourself to death in the sun"
"I'm not gonna kill myself. I would never do that" Eliot tells her.
"Oh, but you'll want to. I did. Problem is, I'm immortal" Colette tells him.
"You went through this?" Eliot asks her shocked.
"Yes, I did. For fifty-two years, four months, and nine days. I was tormented, in my dreams, my every waking moment, relentless, never-ending torture. It was the only period of my life when I actually felt time"
"So, you knew that this would happen if Connor died? That's why you got involved. Did Stella know too?"
"All she knew was that the hunter had to be kept alive. You should have listened to her when she said she had it covered, love" Colette tells him.
"What else does Stella know?" Eliot asks her.
"Well, that's one of life's little mysteries, isn't it?" Colette backs away and heads for the door.
"How did you make it stop?" Eliot asks her.
Colette stops and looks at him, "I didn't. Eventually it just stopped. The hallucinations tend to appear in strange forms" Colette knocks on the door of the chamber. Chris opens the door.
"Don't say I didn't warn you" Colette walks out of the room and Chris shuts the door.
**********
Road
Stella is talking on the phone to Carlisle by the side of the road. Her motorcycle is parked beside her.
"She's got Eliot. I need Taylor to get the other hybrids away, so I can get him out. I know I'm probably asking the impossible but..."
"Actually, you're not"
Stella looks surprised.
**********
Mikaelson Mansion
"Clothes, toothbrush," Chris places a duffel bag on the bed, "Colette said you're gonna be here until she figures out where to put you"
"Just...please go away" Eliot pleads.
Chris leaves and Connie appears, "I can't. I'm going to be with you forever, a constant reminder of what you've become. So, tell me, how did it feel to drain the life out of me?"
"It was horrible. It was the worst thing that I've ever done"
"You're lying" Connie tells him.
Eliot shakes his head, "No, I'm not"
"Yes, you are. Tell the truth"
"I am telling the truth"
"You're lying"
Eliot gets up and walks over to her, "Fine! I liked it. I loved the taste of your blood. Are you happy?"
"I'm not happy, Eliot. I'm dead. Did you know I had a family? A brother, parents" Connie tells him.
"I'm sorry. I'm – I'm really sorry"
"Are you sorry about your parents? It's your fault they died"
"Don't"
"They ran off Wickery Bridge with you in the car, but they weren't supposed to be there, were they? They died because of you. And I'm not going to stop until you've taken your last, miserable breath" Connie torments him.
"I'm not going to let you do this to me"
Connie laughs, "Then get rid of me. Kill yourself. You never wanted to be a vampire in the first place, now look at what you've become. You're a monster, and you deserve to die"
Eliot turns away from her, covering his ears. "You don't want to listen to me? Fine" Eliot turns back around.
"Then how about you and I have a little chat" Connie is now gone and her place is now Kasper.
"Kasper?"
"Did you miss me?"
**********
Mystic Falls High School
Professor Shane is giving a lecture on the artifacts at the exhibit. There is a white rock on a pedestal. Copies of its photo have been hung up behind her with the label "Silva".
"You're looking at what people believed to be the world's first tombstone. This item was donated to Whitmore College last month"
Apollo and Macy are watching her lecture, "Oh, I just remember how I know her. Through my dad" Apollo tells Macy.
"That girl knew your dad?"
"Yeah, he taught a theology seminar at Whitmore last year"
"It belonged to a very powerful witch, a witch so powerful in fact that Silva, that was her name, created a spell that would grant her immortality. Now legend says that Silva did the spell with the help of a man witch who loved her, a man named Quintus. Sadly for Quintus, Silva wanted to give immortality to another man, so Quintus killed him and buried Silva alive, leaving her powerless, immortal, and alone. This might actually be the origin story of "Hell hath no fury like a woman's scorn" Professor Shane lectures.
Demi and Benny have walked into the room and have been listening to Shane's speech.
"You got this?" Demi asks him.
"Yeah, I'll bring her to you" Benny tells her before Demi walks away.
"Now, it's said that Silva wants to rise again," Damon pauses, "Regain her power, wreak havoc on the world. Maybe we should be afraid. Or maybe it's all a bunch of crap and this is just an old rock" Professor Shane jokes and everyone laughs.
"All right, listen, enjoy exploring the exhibit. I'll be around to answer any questions. Thank you for coming"
Everyone gets up and starts to wander towards the exhibits. Shane walks over to Benny, "Hey, you made it"
"Nice cautionary tale. Quintus sounds like a badass"
"Nothing compared to Silva"
**********
Mikaelson Mansion
Kasper is circling around Eliot who is sitting in a chair, crying, "Don't you ever stop crying? Poor Eliot, always the victim. Except now you're a killer. What does Stella think of the new you?"
"Shut up!"
"The guy she fell in love with is gone, you know. You're like me now, maybe worse" Kasper tells him.
"I made a mistake. I can do better"
"No, you can't. You're a vampire. You'll kill again, it'll change you and it'll keep changing you until you're just like me"
Eliot gets up and stares down Kasper, "I am nothing like you"
"I was you before you even existed. And when Stella knew the real me, she hated me. And now she's gonna hate you too," He turns around and starts to walk away, "But, at least you still have Demi"
"Shut up!" Eliot attacks Kasper, but since he's not actually there, he just lands on the bed. He sits up, still crying with his hands on his head.
**********
Mystic Falls High School
It's nighttime. Demi turns on a desk lamp on Althea's desk and sits down. She opens up a drawer and finds a bottle of bourbon. She takes it out with a smile and props her feet up on the desk, "You're missing all the adventure, pal"
She holds the bottle up for Althea and takes a swig. Benny and Shane enter the room, "Shane, this is my friend, Demi. She's kind of an expert on this stuff too"
"I audited your class. Very enlightening" Demi tells her.
"That's right, I remember you. What's your specialty?" Shane asks her.
"The origin of a species"
"Ah, I think Darwin would arm wrestle you for that distinction"
"Not that species" Demi tells her.
"You're into the monster stuff. All right, awesome" Shane nods.
"I was kind of hoping you might have stumbled upon this at some point, maybe" Demi pulls out a piece of paper and hands it to Shane. Shane takes it, unfolds it and looks at it.
"This is the hunter's mark. Where did you get this?" Shane shows the paper to Demi. It's the sketch that Jemma made.
"Came to me in a dream. Do you know anything about the hunter's curse?" Demi asks her.
"Why, you got a dead hunter in the trunk of your car or something?"
"Metaphorically speaking"
"Legend says that if a hunter is killed by that which it hunts, then that person will be cursed to walk the Earth in torment until...." Shane tells them before she trails off at the end.
"Until?" Benny urges her on.
"Until the new hunter is awakened and their legacy is passed on. They're called potentials" Demi takes out her phone as Shane continues to talk, "Listen, I have a bunch of research on it. Why don't I go grab it for you?"
"That'd be great," Demi says as Shane hands the hunter's mark drawing back to her, "Hey, thanks" Shane leaves the classroom. Benny looks at Demi.
"How are we supposed to find a potential hunter?" Benny asks her.
"Yeah, about that," Demi has called someone on her phone. She puts it up to her ear, "Little Gilbert, your services are needed", Demi looks up at Benny with a sly look on her face.
**********
Mikaelson Mansion
Taylor, Stella, and Chris all walk into the parlor room. "Thanks for meeting us" Taylor tells Chris
"Yeah, but make it fast, Colette will be back soon" Chris urges her on.
"No, she won't" Taylor assures him.
**********
Mystic Grill
Colette is sitting at the bar, drinking a glass of red wine. Carlisle approaches her. Carlisle takes off his jacket, "Place looks pretty good considering your hybrid got blown up in it"
"Carlisle. To what do I owe the pleasure?" Colette greets him.
Carlisle stands next to her, "I want you to give Eliot back"
"Ah, they sent you to sweet talk me. Well, good form, but I'm afraid I can't do it" Colette smiles at him.
"Why not?"
"He needs my help" Carlisle scoffs and rolls his eyes, "Look, I'm not gonna burden you with the gory details, I know you have enough on your plate already" Colette tells him.
"That's none of your business, actually"
"Yes, well, just know that if Taylor was still sired to me she never would have hurt you" Carlisle looks at her. Colette looks up at him, "I wouldn't have let her. Can I at least offer you a drink?"
Carlisle hesitates, "Yeah. Thanks" Colette smiles.
**********
Mikaelson Mansion
"All you need to do is get me access to Eliot and I'll take it from there" Stella tells him.
"Please, man, help us and then you can disappear. You'll be free" Taylor tells Chris.
"Yeah, until Colette sends one of her other hybrids after me" Chris denies.
"Hayden and I got your back. We'll make sure nothing happens" Taylor tries to assure him.
**********
Kasper is still tormenting Eliot in another room, "You were such a good guy when you were human. Always willing to sacrifice yourself for your friends; except weren't they usually the ones that ended up getting hurt?"
Eliot shakes his head, "I never wanted that"
"Benny lost his Grams because of you. His mom was turned into a vampire because of you. You know, he probably secretly hates you. Did you ever think of that? I bet he'd be relieved if you were gone"
"I'm not gonna kill myself!" Eliot snaps.
Kasper groans, "Ugh, why not? Your very existence brings people nothing but pain. I mean, maybe it was worth it when you were worth it, but you're nothing now. You're a monster, Eliot. You deserve to die"
Eliot is in tears. He falls back into a chair.
Outside of the room, Chris approaches the two hybrids standing guard at Eliot's room, "Colette said you two have to go to Taylor"
"Why?"
"Something about his guy Carlisle. I'll take over here"
The two hybrids look at each other and walk off. Chris watches them leave. Stella turns around the corner and walks towards Chris. Chris hands her the keys. Stella unlocks the door to Eliot's room and enters. Eliot is sitting on the floor with his arms wrapped around his legs. He gasps and turns to look at the door.
"Eliot. Hey" Stella walks into the room slowly. Eliot starts to back away. He sees Stella as Connie. "Hey, it's okay. It's me"
"No, no," He scrambles off the floor and continues to back away, "Stay - Stay away from me"
"Let me help you"
Eliot rushes towards the bed and grabs a lead pipe that is underneath it. He rushes at Stella. Stella grabs him by the wrist, preventing him from harming her, "Eliot, stop!"
Eliot throws Stella against the wall and rushes at her. He stabs her in the stomach with the lead pipe and rushes out of the room. Stella falls to the floor.
**********
Mystic Falls High School
Demi and Benny are standing in the hallway by the artifacts. Benny brandishes papers about the Five at her, "How did I not know any of this stuff about Jemma?"
"The witch who loses his powers gets left out of the important conversations"
Jemma runs into the room, "Is everything okay? Is it Eliot?"
"We figured out how to help him. You need to kill a vampire" Benny tells her.
"Great, give me a stake, I'll kill Demi right now" Jemma nods, glaring at Demi.
"Easy, Van Helsing. We'll get you one. Don't worry" Demi says before her phone rings.
"Before you do this, you need to know what you're getting yourself into" Benny pushes the papers into her hands. Damon answers her phone and speaks to Stella.
"You can rest easy, sister. We figured out how to solve our little Eliot problem"
Stella speaks as she removes the pipe, "Yeah, well, now we have a bigger one. I lost him"
"What? Again?"
"He's in bad shape. I tried to help him but he attacked me. Listen, you go find him, all right? Talk him down, he'll listen to you. Just tell me what I need to do to end this" Stella tell her.
**********
Mystic Grill
Carlisle is looking at his phone. He's received the following messages from Stella: "I lost Elena.", "I need a vampire to kill. I'll turn someone if I have to.", and "Get an answer. Fast." He looks at Colette and smiles innocently.
"So, here's the thing, I didn't just come here to try to get you to release Eliot"
"You don't say" Colette says sarcastically.
"I came here to distract you so that Stella could go to your house and break him out, which she did. And, don't get mad, but then she lost him"
Colette gets up in a fury. Carlisle gets up as well, "Colette"
Colette turns and looks at him, "Carlisle, you're beautiful, but if you don't stop talking, I will kill you" Colette turns around and starts to walk off.
"They figured out how to stop the hallucinations" Carlisle says and she stops and turns around towards him again.
"Okay, you have ten seconds to tell me"
**********
Road
Eliot is walking down a street. He is having flashbacks about the night he became a vampire, feeding on people at the frat party, and killing Connie. Connie and Kasper walk on either side of him, tormenting him further.
"Are you ready to die yet? You know it's your only way out of this"
"You can't take back what you did. It can never be undone. You're a monster. You deserve to die"
Eliot stops abruptly. He is standing on the Wickery Bridge. He walks over to the railing and looks down into the water.
"It's okay, sweetie"
Eliot looks over and sees his mom standing beside him, "Mom?!"
Miranda smiles at Eliot and pushes his hair behind his ear. She gently caresses Eliot's cheek, "I know what you're going through. It's okay. This bridge is where your life should have ended"
She drops her hand from Eliot's cheek, "Not just once, but twice. You were ready to die, remember?"
Eliot shakes his head, "I don't know what to do"
"Yes, you do, honey. You know exactly what to do," Miranda looks down at Eliot's hand. Eliot looks down and lifts up his hand. He stares at his daylight ring. Miranda looks up at him and smiles.
"That's right. The sun will come up and this will all be over. It's the right thing to do, Eliot. You know it is. Admit it"
"Because I'm a monster. And I deserve to die" Eliot looks back over the bridge, takes off his ring, and drops it into the water below. He continues to stand on the bridge. He watches as dawn approaches over the mountain range, "I can't do this. I can't leave Jemma"
"Jemma is better off without you, don't you see that?"
"But Mom, she won't have anyone"
"She'll have you. You'll be a ghost who helps her, not a monster who hurts her" Miranda tells him.
Eliot cries, "You're – you're right. I – I – I'm sorry I... Mommy, I didn't mean to disappoint you"
"You didn't. You were everything I ever wanted you to be. But you died, and you were supposed to stay dead"
Behind Eliot, Demi approaches, "Eliot"
Eliot turns and looks at her, "Demi?" He turns back and sees his mom is gone. He is upset, but turns back to look at Demi, "How did you find me?"
"Didn't take a genius to figure it out. Third time's the charm" Demi tells him.
"You were right, Demi. Vampires kill people. Stella was right too. I can't live with myself" Eliot cries.
"Look at you, being all glass is half empty. Let's just go talk about this before you do something stupid, okay?"
Eliot turns his head and sees Connie, "The sun will be up soon. It's almost over"
He nods and looks back out at the water. The sun is slowly starting to rise. He looks down. Demi looks at his hand, "Where's your ring?"
Eliot doesn't answer, "Where's your ring, Elena?"
**********
Lockwood Mansion
"You're doing a good thing, Chris" Taylor tells him.
"Yeah, well, let's see how fast a good thing can get me out of town"
Hayden hugs Chris, "Call me when you're safe, okay?"
"Yeah" Chris picks up his stuff and opens the front door. Colette enters the house, "Going somewhere?"
Colette grabs Chris by the throat and super speeds him into the staircase, "When I said don't let her out of your sight, what did you think I meant?"
"It's not his fault, it's mine. I was distracting you. It's my fault he got away!" Taylor tells Colette.
"Then maybe you should be the one to die for it" Colette snaps.
"No one has to die!" Hayden yells.
Colette rushes at Hayden, shouting, "Did I not say mind your business?!" showing her hybrid eyes.
"Taylor's covering for me. I'm the one that let him go" Hayden speaks up even tough he's face to face with Colette.
"Hayden..."
Hayden stops Taylor, "No. You want someone dead, go ahead. Kill me. I'd rather die anyway than end up as one of your sired little bitches"
"Don't tempt me, little wolf" Colette turns around to Chris, "Your existence is to serve me. To please me. Do you understand?"
"I'm sorry, I won't fail you again"
"No, you won't" She moves aside, "Get out of here"
Chris quickly walks to the front door. Stella comes through the door and stabs him with a stake. Chris falls to the ground.
"No!" Hayden covers his mouth with his hands and cries. Jemma walks into the house with a cleaver in her hands.
"Jemma?" Taylor questions.
**********
Wickery Bridge
"We need to get you inside" Demi tells him. Eliot looks at her. Connie stands behind him, "It's almost time"
"What you're going through is a curse. We know how to break it, but we just have to get you inside" Demi tries to explain to him.
"Don't let her stop you. I know you want to, but you can't. Don't" Connie tells him.
Demi looks over at the mountains and sees the sun has inched its way farther up in the sky, "Damn it, Eliot"
Demi rushes at him and tries to grab him, but he rushes around her and stays a good distance away.
**********
Lockwood Mansion
"What the hell, man?!" Taylor snaps.
"I'm sorry" Stella looks at Jemma and nods. Jemma chops Chris' head off with the cleaver. Hayden screams and hides his face.
**********
Wickery Bridge
Eliot feels the side effects of the curse lift off.
**********
Lockwood Mansion
Jemma looks down at her hand. The tattoo starts to grow across her arm.
**********
Wickery Bridge
Eliot breathes heavily. He opens his eyes and Connie has gone, "She's gone"
"It's okay" Demi assures him.
Eliot and Demi start to hear a sizzling noise. Eliot looks down. His flesh is burning. Demi looks over and sees the sun has started to rise. She looks back at Eliot. His face is burning now as well.
"Demi?" Eliot questions, scared.
Demi rushes at Eliot, grabs him, and throws herself and Eliot over the bridge and into the water.
**********
Gilbert Residence
Eliot wakes up in his bed. He looks at his hand and sees he has his daylight ring back on. He slowly starts to sit up.
"Fished it out of the river for you" He turns and looks at Demi. She is sitting on his window seat, "Little tip, vampires hate to swim. How are you feeling?"
"My head's clear. I can remember everything, but not like I lived it, like it was a really bad dream" He pauses, and remembers, "You saved me. Thank you"
"Well, you know what they say about teenage suicide" She gets up and sits on his bed, "Don't do it"
Eliot smiles, "I just can't believe that I almost..."
"You weren't yourself" Demi assures him.
Eliot takes her hand in his, "Yeah, but if it wasn't for you..."
Demi looks down at his hand holding hers. Eliot looks down as well. Demi holds his hand up and rubs her thumb in circles over the back of his hand. She sighs, "I'm about to take a very high, annoying road and tell you something"
She takes her hand away from his and places it on top of his hand instead of holding it, "Because I know that you think Stella's been lying to you. Which, yeah, she has, but this rough patch that you two have been going through is not what you think. Everything that she's been doing, she's been doing for you. To help you. And after she kills me for telling you this, I want you to throw my ashes off of Wickery Bridge, okay?"
Eliot laughs.
"There may be a way out of this for you, Eliot" Eliot looks at her, confused, "There may be a cure" Demi reveals and Eliot is surprised.
**********
Mystic Grill
Demi takes off her jacket and sits down at the bar, "Bourbon" She looks at the seat next to her, "Make that two"
Macy walks up and stands on the other side of Demi, "You're still saving a spot for Mrs. Saltzman, huh?"
"I'd say I'm in the market for a new drinking buddy. You're not qualified"
"I know that you don't like me" Macy tells her as the bartender sets Demi's order in front of her. Demi moves one of the bourbons in front of the empty seat next to her, "But I dug up some stuff about the explosion at the Young farm, I kind of need to tell someone about"
Demi urges her to continue, non-verbally. "So, Apollo mentioned that his dad knew that Professor Shane girl. Which wouldn't be creepy, except, she had all that info about the hunter's curse, and we live in a town where, you know, anybody who knows stuff is creepy until proven otherwise"
"You're on the verge of impressing me. Drive it home" Demi tells her.
"I got the Sheriff to dig up the pastor's phone records. Turns out, he made like a call a day to the same number the last month he was alive. And on the day that the Council got blown up at the farm, he called it ten times. The office of Professor Abigail Shane"
**********
Gilbert Residence
Stella is leaning on a pillar outside the house. Eliot opens the door and walks over to her, "I'm sorry that I stabbed you"
"Nah, it's all right, I probably deserved it. So, um, Demi told me that she clued you in" Stella tells him.
"You didn't kill her, did you?"
Stella laughs, "Nah, screw Colette and her secrets," She sits down on the porch's steps, "We all want the same thing, we just have to work together for it."
Eliot sits down next to her, "Stella, why did you send Demi to come look for me instead of you?"
"I sent her because lately it seems like she's able to get through to you in ways that I can't. You'll listen to her. You trust her, even when you can't trust me." Stella tells him the truth.
"I didn't mean to not..."
"Come on, Eliot, I mean after everything that we've been through...you can admit it" They look at each other for a long time. Eliot looks down and finally responds.
"You've been so strong for me. Helping me, fighting for that guy that chose you, the guy that I was when I died on the bridge, and I love you so much for wanting to find this cure. Because I'd like nothing more than to get him back, because the – the guy that he's become, that – that I've become is different, somehow. Darker. Who I am, what I want..."
"What you want, or...who you want?"
"Something's changed, between Demi and me. Much more than it ever used to be. It's like – it's like everything that I felt for her before I was a vampire..."
Stella finishes for him, "Has been magnified. Your feelings for her have been magnified"
"I'm sorry. I don't want to lie to you" Eliot apologizes.
"You know, before when I was the, uh, the Ripper, I understood why you cared for her. I mean, I practically drove you to it. But now...I can't do this, Eliot" Eliot looks over at her, "Not anymore"
"I know"
Stella looks away from him. Eliot looks at her for a moment longer but turns away, fighting back tears. They sit on the porch steps together in silence.