"Give me all of the records on Abbey Bennett." Imelda's pupils were dilated as she peered into brown, glazed over eyes.
"One moment, Ms. Fell." The nurse offered a polite smile before leaving the nurse's station and heading to the records room.
"See? Easy peasy." Damon clapped Imelda's back. "Human diet is clearly better than fuzzy animals, wouldn't you agree?"
Imelda tapped her thigh. "So long as it's cold." She reminded him, smiling as he scoffed before leaning his back against the wall next to her.
"So, I was thinking once we get momma witch, we get them to break whatever's wrong with you." Damon had done research on his own about the whole mate thing.
Based on what he could figure out, mate's were a very natural and very powerful thing among the werewolf species. If mates found one another and accepted said mate, their life force become entangled and they became even stronger, so long as they were together.
It was scary as hell to Damon. Not that he'd openly admit it.
On their own, Klaus was already powerful and Imelda was proving to be just as strong. And given the fact that everyone but Ric and Imelda wanted Klaus dead, Damon had to find someway to save his sister and best friend. Even if it meant her and Ric hating him in the end.
"There isn't anything you can do." Imelda drummed her fingers on the desktop. "Trying to break it is like keeping me from being a hybrid. Eventually, it'll happen."
"Not with that attitude." Damon scoffed. "Look, Buffy, I promised you two things. One, to keep you vamp-friendly and two, look after you. This is me looking after you."
"Three, loser." Imelda was the one to scoff. "You promised three things. The third being that, so long as it's not abused, the phrase Three Musketeers will get you to listen or be honest, even if you don't want to be and vice versa."
Damon smiled. "Fine. Three Musketeers." He watched in triumph as Imelda closed her mouth and scrunched up her nose. He patted her back as the nurse returned with a manila file, silently handing it to Imelda with a smile.
"You won't remember seeing us." Imelda offered one final time before being carted out of the hospital by Damon.
She was just glad she didn't get caught by her Aunt, though Imelda knew she'd have to talk to Meredith soon. Brain Walters was the jerk who dumped her Aunt back in high school and spread rumors that she was clingy and crazy. If Meredith Fell was anything it was distant and grounded.
"Alright, so Abby Bennett Wilson, born in Mystic Falls Hospital 12:00 am on Halloween." Imelda read off the medical file as she sat in the passenger seat of Damon's car. They were currently heading to the Gilbert's where Bonnie and Elena were waiting.
"Halloween? Isn't that a certain someone's birthday?" Damon teased, glancing over to see Imelda holding up her phone
Imelda ignored him. "Where is momma witch now?" Damon made a mental note to get her a present.
"Monroe, North Caroline." Liz's voice filled the car after a few minutes. "Why are we looking for Abby and how does that help me with my murder case?"
"You're not and it doesn't." Damon sang. "Hang up, Buffy, we're here."
Damon laughed as Liz shouted for both to get manners as Imelda hung up without batting an eye. He parked on the curb as Imelda closed the file and shoved her phone in her pocket but kicked the seat back and held the file in the air.
"Nap time for the baby vampire?" Damon teased. The file smacked his face and he chuckled, climbing out and loudly slamming his door. He heard her threaten to shove vervain up his nose as he headed inside.
Once Damon was gone, Imelda crept out of the car and took off, going back to the hospital to find her Aunt and talk to her then. The longer she waited, the dangerous this could be and Imelda loved her Aunt to much to lose her to this life, even if she knew about it beforehand.
"I don't get it." Imelda tapped her thigh as she was slumped in one of the chairs in the waiting room. "I don't smell her at all in this entire place. She told me she had a double shift today."
"With Brian Walters being dead, perhaps she is the one to kill him after all." Mikael sat next to her, not enjoying how she appeared. Imelda was still dressed in the same clothes from yesterday, she looked unhealthy.
It was clear she was worried about sleeping, knowing she'd have nightmares of all that's happened to her. If Mikael were to guess, she was falling back into the lifestyle she lived over the summer and he wouldn't stand for it much longer.
Imelda glanced at him. "I know Mer, she wouldn't kill anyone, not with the whole cheating thing she takes to heart."
Imelda shook her head. Then again, she spent up until a few weeks ago thinking she had a fraternal twin, wasn't fully human, and had a normal life. She could be wrong, she just didn't want to be.
"You are hardly ever wrong, Little One." Mikael wanted to reassure her, an odd thing for him but he found he was getting better. Imelda offered him a brighter look. "Perhaps this can wait, you need rest and a proper meal."
"A shower wouldn't hurt." Imelda easily agreed. "I'll just,-" She was cut off by her Aunt guiding a gurney down the hallway. "Never mind, I'm staying."
Imelda shot up, following her Aunt at a slight distance. She didn't want to get in the way of the professionals. After making sure it wasn't anyone Imelda knew, she retreated to the waiting room and sat sideways and let her eyes close.
"I suppose this is a good place to rest." Mikael wasn't amused but understood the desire to protect her only blood family in Mystic Falls. Imelda didn't answer, having quickly and easily passed out.
Meredith Fell spent the next hour worrying about the state she briefly saw her niece in. When she finished with her rounds she found her niece sprawled out on the floor, a pillow tucked under her head and a blanket draped over her. Tina, the newest nurse, appeared at her side.
"Poor thing wouldn't even budge after falling out of the chair." Tina explained, looking at her charts. "Tried to get her up but the strangest things happened when we tried to touch her."
"Strange like what?" Meredith had an idea it was Mikael.
Tina shook her head. "The lights keep dimming and this gush of wind nearly knocked me down. So I got her a pillow and blanket. Been there an hour now." She headed off, getting back to work.
"You couldn't let them put her on a bed?" Meredith muttered as her eyes darted around the otherwise empty waiting room.
She knew Mikael was there though she didn't see him. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end. This always happened when the dead were around but unlike her sister and Imelda; Meredith could never see or hear them, she could only feel them.
"Ims?" Meredith crouched next to her niece, smiling gently as her nose was scrunched up and her lips moved but no sound came from them.
"Come on Imelda. No one likes a sleeping lurker." She shook Imelda's shoulder, watching as her eyes fluttered open. Knowing her niece, Meredith ducked back just as Imelda jolted up, her lips smacking together as her hands flailed in the air.
"I'm up! I'm up, I'm up!" Imelda's voice was groggy as her eyes were slightly bleary. It was a good nap, short but good and much needed. She cleared her throat, rubbing the back of her neck as she found her Aunt laughing next to her.
"Good, now get out of the floor and tell me why you're hanging around here." Meredith helped Imelda stand, and tucked her hands into her coat pockets watching as Imelda picked up the blanket and pillow and dropped them into a chair.
"Damon and I got called by Liz to check out a body. Brian Walters was offed like Dracula." Imelda explained, her voice still sounded thick with sleep, she found herself loudly yawning.
"I know." Meredith sighed. "I just got done signing the death certificate about thirty minutes ago."
"So you'll know Liz will talk to you?" Imelda knew her Aunt was as brilliant as her mom. If you were to ask Imelda, Amanda and Meredith Fell were the smartest women she'd ever met.
Meredith nodded but looked confused. "Don't tell me you're helping with the case?" She was worried about Imelda. The girl looked like a walking zombie with the case of slightly greasy bed head.
Imelda yawned. "Who knows, Damon's looking for a way to break the mate thing but I know it can't be done. Well, I know that much." She shrugged, flopping down in the chair next to her pillow and blanket.
"Did you off him?" Imelda asked bluntly. Meredith rolled her eyes and sat next to her. "Cause if you did, Alaska doesn't sound so bad. Mom'd love to have us all together."
"I didn't kill anyone and you're not leaving the big bad wolf." Meredith wrapped her arm around Imelda's shoulders and let her rest her head on her shoulder. "You should know Ric asked me out for dinner and I so said yes."
"Great." Imelda slurred. "Just, you know, ignore Damon. And please, for the love of god, no sex at the apartment, or the house or the-"
Her words drifted off and she was back asleep. Her efforts to warn her Aunt was pointless, she knew her Aunt wasn't lying and with having taken a nap with no dreams, her body shut down once more.
Rather than leave her in the waiting room, Meredith got a few nurses to pick up Imelda and place her in an empty room where she could sleep on an actual bed. She left a set of green scrubs by the bed, bringing in an overnight bag and leaving it for Imelda use after she woke up.
~~~~~
"Buffy?"
Damon's eyes were wide with fear and worry as he recalled the night he carried Imelda's corpse to his best friend and her father. He dug his fingernails into the palm of his hand so deeply he smelled his own blood.
Imelda rolled over. "I smell your blood." She murmured. As her eyes blinked open she found herself being gathered in familiar arms and whisked away. "Where's we goin?" Her words slurred.
"I'm taking you somewhere safe, little sister." Damon whispered, forcing the painful memory from his mind.
It still haunted him, in the darkest of hours and was just another reason for him to drink and fix whatever was going on between her and Klaus. Damon would kill Klaus, but talking with Ric, it was decided that neither man would kill him until Imelda was safe.
Imelda yawned. "Don't let me go this long without sleep again, this, this really sucks."
She felt useless but with the lack of sleep meant the lack of nightmares and for Imelda, that was a great thing. No longer being haunted by what Iris put her through, Imelda was just haunted by the death of Alaric, Elena and because of the whole coffin thing, Klaus.
"I'll put it on my list, Buffy." Damon chuckled, easing her into his car and gently shutting the door. He sped to the other side, climbed in and headed for their home first. "So, while you were no doubt attacked by your psycho Aunt,-"
"Wait! Hold up, what?" Imelda wasn't tired any more. She was wide awake, sat forward and peering at Damon in worry and confusion. "Damon. Please, please tell me you didn't hurt my Aunt?"
Damon winced at the pleading in her voice. "She bloodjacked us and had you locked away in a room. Hurting her right off would be nice." His grip tightened on the steering wheel as he replayed the reason he was even at the hospital.
Imelda laughed and her to sheer joy, Mikael laughed as well. "Bloodjacked? I'll remember that next time I donate." She giggled, sitting back and watching the trees roll by.
"Excuse me, little lady?" Damon was confused by her laughter. "We got bloodjacked and you want to give psycho Aunt more?"
"She's not psycho, Damon." Imelda rolled her eyes. "I know what she's doing, I give her some blood to help out. If a patient can't be helped medically, she gives them vampire blood then keeps them under strict 24/hr surveillance to make sure they don't die and come back."
Damon started to speak but was cut off. "Look, I'm sorry she stole your blood. She probably did it because you annoyed her. I did warn her you'd check into her because of Alaric."
"So you know about his thing with her?" Damon cleared his throat, choosing to not talk to Imelda about her crazy, untrustworthy Aunt. "Because let me tell, your dad has a bad track record of girlfriends living."
Imelda snorted. "No kidding." She couldn't argue with that and neither could Alaric. "So what did I miss?"
She watched as their home appeared and she felt a smile slowly from her lips. She had so easily and so quickly fell in love with the Boarding House. In a way, it felt more like a home than the house she was born in.
"Now, nothing. I'm letting you shower and down a few bags with vervain." Damon parked but left his car running. "I'll be back to pick you up shortly after that I'll take you to where the coffins are. Deal?"
Imelda scowled. "What are you going to do?"
She watched him offer a sarcastic smile but no answer. He shooed her off and with a sigh, she climbed out of the car, slamming his door shut and smirking as he shouted at her. He drove off as she turned and headed inside, coming to a stop and looking around.
"Niklaus and Stefan met here earlier today." Mikael appeared, watching as she moved to her self-proclaimed recliner, though it was really Damon's. "Do you know where it was he sat?" Mikael decided to test her, to see how strong she was, even unawakened.
Imelda inhaled as her fingertips brushed against the soft leather. "Here. His scent is here, the drink's table and by the fireplace." She met Mikael's proud gaze with one of confusion.
"Damon believes he can break the mateship but I assure, Little One, nothing on this earth nor heaven and hell, can destroy two souls birthed of the same star."
Mikael watched as she looked to where Niklaus had sat. Based on the gleam in her eyes, he knew she could see him sat there, no doubt smirking and mocking Stefan. Mikael knew better than anyone that such a thing was impossible and now, stood there with her, he was thankful.
"I'm gonna go shower." Imelda found she was grateful for his words. What was happening to her in regards to Klaus was inevitable and Imelda wasn't really one to put up too much of a fight if she knew it was pointless, at least, she was trying to be that way.
With a final glance to Mikael, Imelda headed to her room and personal bathroom. She didn't take long, not that she really ever did. To prove a point to herself, after getting out and drying off she dressed in batman pajama pants, and a black long sleeved shirt.
Once down stairs she opted out of her leather jacket but slipped on her boots. No matter what, she would go to bed at a decent time, she chanted to herself and out loud as she ate a bowl of cereal and drank two blood bags.
As hours passed her by and it was darker outside, Imelda was fencing with an actual sword she jerked off of the wall in the hallway. Mikael was giving her pointers and unlike the poor bow and arrow mishap, she was fairing a lot better with the sword.
"Are you seriously playing with my sword from the civil war?" Damon tsked, appearing in the front door and watching as Imelda didn't even bat an eye.
"Mikael's teaching me." Imelda sliced thin air, spun and pointed the blade at Damon. "You said to hurry, I hurried but you didn't. Not to mention, I'm still getting radio silence, not even Elena text me letting me know how Bonnie and her mom meeting went."
"That's because it's a shit storm." Damon watched as she set the sword on the coffee table. "Klaus got to Abby first, you and I are speeding to the old witch house and getting the coffins out and somewhere safe. Let's go."
Imelda scowled but followed Damon, easily keeping up with him as he led her through the forest and a good distance from their home. Mikael wasn't there, no doubt gone to keep an eye on Klaus. Imelda thought about how to hide the coffins, even if she didn't really want to.
"What about the caves?" Imelda offered, she couldn't go there now but neither could Stefan. Klaus's family would be safe from all vampires and Imelda found that's what she really worried over. Klaus being truly alone.
Damon smirked. "I like the way you think Buffy. Call Ric, tell him to meet us at creepy death circle."
"Creepy death circle?" Imelda muttered, patting her pockets before grinning sheepishly. "So, uh, you know, pajama pants should really be made with pockets."
Damon groaned loudly and sent the text himself. "You're killing me Buffy. Why are you even dressed for bed? Is that my shirt?"
He realized she had stolen his shirt, no wonder it was too baggy for her and the sleeves reached her fingertips. He only got a sheepish smile in return. He rolled his eyes but didn't say anything else. It was a good thing he didn't raise her like he raised Stefan.
Damon would kill for Imelda but if she had been his baby sister by blood and bone, Damon Salvatore realized he'd go to hell for the hazel eyed vampire, not that he wouldn't go to hell anyway. He just figured going to hell in the name of family was good enough reason.
After reaching the old witch house, Imelda knew Damon had called it like it was. Creepy death circle. The grass surrounding the house was all dead, hence the death circle. Overgrown, dead ivy clung to the peeling and faded paint. It was the creepiest house she had seen.
"Come on, we don't have much time." Damon sped to the front porch. "Imelda Fell, friend and sister, never killed a human, nice!"
"Why is he shouting things about me?" Imelda came to a stop next to him, watching him slowly enter, still shouting as he headed into the basement, his voice now echoing less.
"Because you are mated to Niklaus Mikaelson." A woman dressed from the 1800's spoke, appearing before Imelda. "The Other Side and all Witches know of you." She offered a somber smile.
"Enter, Imelda Fell." She vanished as a gust of wind blew Imelda further inside.
"Ghost." Imelda muttered, speeding down the old wooden stairs and joining Damon in the basement where four coffins were surrounded by lit candles.
"Okay. Can I have just ghosts? Not creepy witch ghosts and coffins?"
"You see them?" Damon blinked. "Cause I've been shouting at them to reveal them but man do these witches hate me." He watched as Imelda slowly crept forward, her eyes darting around before settling against the far wall.
"We need to get the locked one, right?" Imelda walked between the coffins, shoving away her confusion and unlocking the wheels on the table of the one the ghost witches told her to get. Their voices were loud, echoing whispers and it creeped her the hell out.
"Just show him." Imelda huffed. "I need help getting this one outside and to Alaric." The flames on the candles grew at her request.
"Why does everyone like you?" Damon teased, now being able to see the coffins, he sped over and helped Imelda carry the locked one up the stairs and out onto the porch just as Ric appeared.
"Because I don't kill people who annoy me?" Imelda had no clue why they liked her. She figured being mated to Klaus would have everyone hating her. The living seemed to agree, the dead? Not so much apparently.
"Imelda?" Alaric sighed heavily. "Let me guess, three musketeers." He watched Damon and Imelda grin at each other before nodding at him. He shook his head before helping them, all three rushed to the truck he borrowed and placed the coffin in the back.
"Alright, Ims and I are going to hang back." Damon announced.
"Try again." Alaric opened the driver's door but sighed as he saw Imelda still standing next to Damon.
"If anything happens to her, I'm staking you. Three Musketeers."
He offered a taunting smile to a grimacing Damon, placed a kiss on Imelda's forehead and climbed into the truck. He would have argued a lot longer but time was working against them and, for what it was worth, he knew Damon would protect Imelda.
"You know, I don't think we should've come up with a code phrase." Imelda pointed out, smirking as Damon looked offended at being threatened by Alaric. "Because he really will stake you and I'll just laugh."
"What happened to no vengeance?" Damon accused, grabbing the back of her shirt and dragging her back to the house and down into the basement. "Alright, new plan only we know."
"Never ends well." Imelda chimed, rolling up her sleeves and grimacing in defeat as they slipped back down her arms. "I'm not going to bed at a decent hour, am I?"
Damon rolled his eyes and opened the coffin Elijah Mikaelson was in. "Maybe another night, Buffy." He pulled the dagger from Elijah and slipped it into his own jacket pocket.
"Who's he?" Imelda had only met Rebekah. While she knew the names of the Original Family, she didn't know who was who. She joined Damon, gazing at the Original dressed in a suit.
"Buffy, meet slightly more tolerable Original, Elijah." Damon gesture between them before closing the casket after slipping a piece of paper into his suit jacket. "With any luck, he'll get my message and from there we'll save you, kill Klaus then go have happy hour."
"I'm not getting drunk." Imelda pointed out. "Not anytime soon. And again, Damon, the mateship isn't something you can throw magic at and hope it breaks."
Imelda shrugged. "Nothing can destroy two souls born of the same star." She repeated Mikaels' words, more or less.
At her tone Damon froze and looked at her, really looked at her. She wasn't certain what he was thinking, his blue eyes seemed to vanish behind a storm. His lips turned into a scowl and he took a step back from her.
"Are you okay with that?" Damon muttered, his voice husky and laced with hope that she wouldn't be okay with it. "Because, Ims, I won't kill the douche, Ric won't, but Stefan? Elena? Bonnie?" He shook his head. To many of them wanted Klaus dead, Damon and Ric included.
"I know." Imelda peered at her boots.
"I know what he did can't be forgotten, at least not right now, and maybe not ever. But you've got to know, and only because I love you, you're my big brother but when it comes to it, when it comes to the moment to kill him."
Imelda trailed off, raising her head and peering at Damon, unknowingly letting her hazel eyes shimmer more silver than they ever had before. It left Damon filled with dread and the witches whispering though their words didn't reach Imelda.
"I won't let it happen."
The truth was revealed.
The line had been dawn.
Imelda turned and walked off. She wouldn't kill Klaus and she wouldn't let him be killed. She felt in her soul she couldn't let anything happen to him. She'd help them get even, might even help break a few bones or piss him off but Imelda Fell wouldn't let anyone kill Niklaus Mikaelson.
~~~~~
"So, uh, this is, well I mean this weird." Imelda rubbed the back of her neck and shifted her weight.
"Okay. Look, a lot of things happened and I don't, I mean, it's all just." She wasn't able to form a proper sentence as she stood in front of the place her sister's heart rested.
The small headstone Alaric had made for Iris was the only indication anything was buried there. The large willow tree looked less haunting, despite it being the middle of the night. Mikael stood at her side, silent and for that she was annoyed. She turned and threw her hands in the air.
"What am I doing?" Imelda shouted.
"Where do I stand that's the right place to stand? Because from where I'm currently standing, I just said I joined the enemy and I didn't! I don't want to join Klaus! Not after how badly he's hurt everyone and what he's willing to do to everyone but no one is better!"
Imelda asked her fingers through her hair, her voice softer. "No one is better because we've all done things to hurt the other. So where do I stand?" She looked at Mikael, tears gathering in the corners of her eyes, not ashamed to be crying in front of him.
Mikael offered a small smile. "Follow your instincts, Little One. They will never steer you wrong and should the end of this madness arrive, those who truly care for you will be stood at your side."
Closing her eyes, she figured she'd do as he suggested. Blocking out her emotions, she inhaled deeply and rolled her shoulders. A tug inside her chest had her feet moving, a scent and face soon wrapped around her, being what guided her.
"Open your eyes, Little One." Mikael encouraged, having silently followed her as she blindly ran to Niklaus. From inside the mansion a fight broke out and Imelda felt her eyes snapping open and her body rushing forward.
Kicking the door open Imelda moved entirely on instinct. Her body rushed to a section of the mansion and soon she was flinging herself forward and tackling someone off of another person. Blood filled the room and Imelda was slammed onto her back.
Dots appeared in her vision and the weight was torn from her as quickly as it appeared. Rolling onto her side she blinked and coughed, trying to figure out what the hell just happened. Klaus's scent washed over her and she seemed to come out of whatever fog she was in.
"What the hell are you doing?" Imelda shouted, forcing the warring brothers to tense and gaze at her. She stood and crept slowly toward Elijah who had Klaus pinned against the dining table.
"Look, if you're kicking his ass, can you uh, sort of get in line?" Imelda tapped her thigh, hoping her words would diffuse the situation.
Elijah Mikaelson blinked. "You were aiming to tackle Niklaus?" The odd auburn haired girl, who appeared from nowhere and so easily took him down, was now stood before him, fiddling with her sleeve and tapping her thigh.
"Get in line?" Klaus found the words slipping from his lips. "Now Love, I thought we had something special." He was mildly surprised to be teasing, given the predicament he was in.
Imelda snorted and swatted at Elijah. "Get off your brother, Mikael would like for you to properly introduce yourself." She offered her hand to Klaus who smirked at Elijah's confused expression.
Elijah lunged toward Imelda but was blown back by a gust of air. He crashed into the wall and ignored Klaus's laughter. He stood and peered at the strange girl who was looking to her left, where nothing stood. She looked back to him with a sheepish grin.
"So uh, I'm Imelda Fell." Imelda lifted her hand and wiggled her fingers in greeting.