"So Alaric is trying to pull himself together. Why is that a bad thing?" Caroline asked as her, Elena and I walked through the high-school gym we were decorating.
"I just—I wish there was something I could do." Elena replied as we stopped beside a table with a chandelier on it. "Where do you want me to hang this thing?" She added, picking it up and Caroline rolled her eyes and looked down at the clipboard she held.
"You know what, if Rebekah wanted to hang this monstrosity, she should have shown up to do it herself." Caroline stated in annoyance and I folded my arms over my chest at her. "Just—no." She added, rolling her eyes at it before she gave it to a girl who was helping out with the dance committee. Caroline looked over at Matt and Jeremy who were standing on a ladder and hanging stars from the ceiling. "What are you doing? You can't just hang them!" Care stated in frustration at the two and I rose an eyebrow. "They're supposed to trickle down." She added and I watched as the boys laughed amongst themselves, mocking her. "Look at them all bromancey." Caroline said with a small smile and I smiled too.
"Yeah, I asked Matt to help Jeremy readjust. He got him his old job back at the Grill." I pointed out in amusement as Elena and I sorted out silverware on the table.
"Well, that was nice of him." Caroline replied, her voice getting higher as if she wasn't sure what to think of that.
"Jeremy's got a lot on his mind. The whole thing with Alaric has got him really stressed out." Elena pointed out with a sigh as we all watched Jeremy and Matt again.
"You sure it has nothing to do with seeing Mariana and Damon getting hot and heavy in a skeevy motel?" Caroline countered in amusement and I rolled my eyes as her white Elena smirked at me.
"I didn't tell you that so you could torture me with it." I stated in annoyance and Caroline grabbed a pile of napkins.
"Ah, what are friends for?" Care replied with a smile as Elena chuckled, grabbing a fuzzy boa from a box that sat on the table as well. "So, who are you bringing to the dance?" Caroline asked and I furrowed my eyebrows.
"What do you mean? I thought you, Bonnie, Elena and I were going as girl dates." I replied as Elena wrapped the boa around her neck and winked at Caroline who chuckled.
"Bonnie has a date." Caroline informed with a smile toward Elena and I tilted my head in confusion.
"What?" I asked, taken back and Caroline nodded in agreement.
"Jamie called and wanted to see her. So she asked him." She stated with a shrug and I rose an eyebrow at Elena.
"Jamie—Abby's stepson ordeal?" I asked and watched as Elena and Caroline nodded back at me.
"So, here's a thought. Why don't you ask Stefan?" Caroline asked in amusement as she looked at Elena with mischief in her eyes.
"I—I can't ask him on a date." Elena protested, furrowing her eyebrows as she put the boa back in the box.
"And why the hell not?" I countered and watched her open her mouth to protest but she rose an eyebrow and shut it again once she tried to think about it. "Exactly." I replied with a small smile and Caroline turned to me with a wicked smile.
"And you can ask Damon." Caroline suggested and I scoffed back in amusement. I was about to protest before my phone rang and I sighed, taking it out and chuckling.
"How convenient." I stated and looked at Elena and Caroline who furrowed their eyebrows at me before I pressed the green answer button. "Damon." I answered with a small sigh.
"Mariana." Damon replied in the same voice, mocking me and I smiled a bit. "You haven't had any contact with Alaric have you? You know—The one who tried to hack your beautiful face into pieces?" He asked sarcastically and I tilted my head.
"Uh, no.. Not since I saw him in the cellar? Stefan said that he ended up giving Rebekah the last stake though. How is he? Are those herbs Bonnie gave him still working?" I asked and watched as Caroline listened in while Elena stood beside me, waiting for me to fill her in.
"I don't know. Can they work if he doesn't take them?" Damon countered in annoyance and I felt my body stiffen. "He called me an hour ago. Said he was still losing time and that he needed to leave town. I found the bottle of herbs in his loft untouched." He informed and I slowly shook my head.
"Where are you now?" I asked in defeat before Damon sighed deeply.
"No, no. Don't come to me, I'll come to you. Just—I'll see you at the dance tonight." Damon replied in reassurance and I rose an eyebrow before he hung up.
"What's going on?" Elena asked, looking at me with concern once she saw both of mine and Caroline's faces.
"Nothing." I lied, trying to reassure her to the best of my ability but she rolled her eyes. "Look, we have to focus on the dance. It's a party. We should have fun." I stated, changing the subject with a weak smile before I looked at Caroline who sighed and picked up her clipboard again.
~~~~
I walked into the 20's Decades dance and gave a small smile at all of the flappers I saw. I walked over to the punch bowl as Matt stood there and I smiled at his costume. "Hey, you look great." Matt said once he saw me and I gave a small laugh and twirled in my black flapper while Elena wore a white one and danced with Stefan.
"Where's your date?" I asked, looking around him to see no one with him and he sighed heavily.
"Where's yours?" Matt countered and I chuckled a bit and slowly nodded in defeat.
"You caught me, huh?" I asked and he gave a small shrug.
"I guess we have each other." Matt replied jokingly and I slowly nodded up at him and tilted my head.
"Yeah, I guess so." I agreed and watched as he looked last me and toward the dance floor before furrowing his eyebrows. I rose an eyebrow and followed his gaze before my eyes landed on Tyler and Caroline who danced in the mix of the students.
"What's he doing here?" Matt asked, gesturing at Tyler and I slowly shook my head at the two.
"I have no idea.. I didn't even know he was back in town." I answered in confusion before I saw Damon come into my gaze as he walked through the crowd and over to Stefan and Elena. "Excuse me." I sighed in defeat at Matt before I walked away from him and over to Elena and Stefan as well. "Hey." I stated, meeting them and looking over Damon who wore his dark clothing and leather jacket.
"Hey. We four need to talk." Damon warned, looking between the three of us and I rose an eyebrow as Stefan and Elena looked at each other in confusion.
~~~~
"If Alaric's sick, then we need to find a cure. Something." Elena stated in concern as she looked between all of us as we stood in Alaric's classroom.
"We tried medicine. We tried magic." Damon pointed out before Stefan shrugged and put his hands in his pant pockets.
"Why don't we get him off of vervain and compel him?" Stefan suggested and looked at him in annoyance and opened my mouth to speak but Damon cut me off.
"To do what? Pretend to be Alaric?" Damon countered sarcastically, saying what I was thinking and I folded my arms over my chest. "The guy that we know is gone. We're talking about someone who not only hates vampires but vampire sympathizers. Which makes one of his most obvious targets—I don't know. You?" Damon asked as he looked between Elena and I.
"What? You think he'd go after Elena?" Stefan asked, furrowing his eyebrows and I shrugged, shaking my head.
"He already went after me—He nearly killed me." I informed as I looked at Stefan who slowly nodded and became quiet and I looked back at Damon. "What are you suggesting we do, Damon?" I asked, tilting my head at him.
"I'm suggesting we put him out of his misery." He replied emotionlessly and I widened my eyes a bit, clearly taken aback and looked at Elena who was the same.
"What?" Elena asked with a scoff before footsteps came into the room from behind us.
"No way in hell." A voice stated angrily before we all turned to see Jeremy walk into the classroom.
"Oh, come on. It's what he would want. It's a mercy killing." Damon countered in annoyance and I sighed at him and looked back at Jeremy who glared.
"You are out of your mind." Jeremy stated in response through clenched teeth at Damon.
"Jeremy—" I started before he looked at me and shook his head, cutting me off. I furrowed my eyebrows as he walked out of the room and I looked at Elena in defeat. I ran after Jeremy while Elena stayed behind with Stefan and Damon. "Jer, stop." I stated, running down the hall before we both walked out a set of back doors that led out of the school.
"This is Alaric we're talking about." Jeremy stated angrily, now turning to face me. "You know he looked out for us. We need to do the same for him—For Jenna." He added in defeat and I sighed, shaking my head back at him.
"No one's going to hurt him." I reassured and Jeremy rolled his eyes and walked away from me. "Hey." I added, grabbing him by the arm and standing in front of him quickly. "Look at me, Jer. I promise." I whispered, furrowing my eyebrows up at him. Jeremy looked down at me in silence before he looked past me and furrowed his eyebrows.
"Mariana." A familiar voice stated and I turned around in curiosity before I widened my eyes. "If you wish to help your friend Alaric, I suggest you come with me." Esther stated in warning as she narrowed her eyes at me and I stood in front of Jeremy protectively.
"Jer, go inside and get Damon and Stefan. Now." I stated quietly, not taking my eyes off of Esther. Jeremy furrowed his eyebrows and looked between Esther and I before he quickly ran back inside of the school.
"I mean you no harm." Esther reassured me as she stood with her hands behind her back but I scoffed. "But willingly or not.. You will come." She added in an assertive tone. I narrowed my eyes at her as she started to walk away and I followed slowly behind her.
~~~~
"You'll forgive me for taking you away from the dance this evening." Esther stated as the two of us walked through the cemetery. "That's the burden of being my blood as well as having the blood of the doppelgänger, I'm afraid. Unless you would have rather I used Elena's blood as the potent binding agent for my spell." She suggested, making me scoff and take off the headdress I wore.
"Just please don't hurt Alaric." I replied and looked back at her as she stopped outside of the Salvatore crypt.
"She's not hurting me." A voice stated emotionlessly and I furrowed my eyebrows and looked at the entrance to the crypt to see Alaric step out from inside.
"Ric." I whispered, going over to him but stopping immediately once I realized that it wasn't Alaric. At least not my Alaric. "What's going on?" I asked quietly as Alaric narrowed his eyes at me. "What are you doing with him?" I asked, looking back at Esther who stared at Ric as well.
"I'm going to remake him." Esther answered in a matter of fact tone and I furrowed my eyebrows, turning fully toward her.
"Remake him?" I repeated in disbelief and gave a light scoff as Esther slowly walked over to Ric.
"Make him strong. Fast—Like my children. Indestructible." Esther replied emotionlessly as she stood beside Alaric. "For one final time, I'm going to tap into the dark magic I used a thousand years ago. Like my husband Mikael before him, I will make Alaric into a true hunter. The vampire to end all vampires." She stated as she folded her hands in front of her and I furrowed my eyebrows.
"You can't create another original—What if he turns out to be an even bigger monster than your children?" I asked in disbelief and Esther rose an eyebrow.
"He won't. Now that he's embraced his darkest aspect, his hatred for them will become more pure and uncompromising. In death, that hatred will be magnified." Esther informed and I looked between her and Alaric in disbelief.
"You don't know that. You know nothing about him." I pointed out in anger and Esther sighed.
"That is where you're wrong. Each time he died wearing that ring, during his brief journey into death, I was there on the other side. I spoke to him. I nurtured him, knowing that every death brought him closer to his true self." Esther countered and I felt my anger boil from inside of me as I looked to Alaric who stared at me emotionlessly. "Vampires took everything from him. Now he's getting his vengeance." Esther added, making a evil smile plaster itself on Alaric's face.
~~~~
I watched Esther light some candles with a match from inside of the Salvatore crypt while I paced back and forth. "Ric, this isn't what you want. It's not who you are." I stated, looking across from me toward him while a golden chalice sat in front of us.
"You don't know who I am, Mariana. You only know the weakest parts of me. The man who lost his way, befriending vampires instead of killing them." Alaric stated emotionlessly, narrowing his eyes at me.
"You don't mean that." I whispered, furrowing my eyebrows as I stopped pacing and turned fully toward him.
"They're all monsters. The blood of their victims is on my hands." Alaric stated and I slowly shook my head at him and folded my arms over my chest.
"Whenever you're ready." Esther reassured as she stood on the opposite side of him while the chalice was in the middle now. Esther held out her hands for him and Alaric smirked at her.
"No, Ric, please." I pleaded toward him and he looked at me, the smirk disappearing. "Please don't do this." I stated, shaking my head. He clenched his jaw and took Esther's hands in his, closing his eyes and I scoffed. "I won't help you. I won't give you my blood—You're going to have to kill me." I stated angrily toward Esther before they both looked back at me.
"That won't be necessary." Esther replied, extending her hand to me and I furrowed my eyebrows. I groaned loudly in pain and looked down at my hand as a cut appeared on my palm. Esther quickly grabbed my arm and pulled me toward the chalice, dripping the blood from my wound into it. I groaned and pulled away from her angrily as she looked at Alaric. "Drink. And let it be done." She demanded, nodding at him.
"No, Ric, please—" I started but he grabbed the chalice and drank from it willingly and I slowly shook my head as my eyes glazed over. "No." I whispered and watched as he put it back down, blood covering his bottom lip.
"Is it finished?" He asked, breathing heavily toward Esther who gave a small smile.
"Not just yet." Esther replied before she grabbed a stake from beside her and stabbed Alaric in the stomach, making me gasp and widen my eyes. Alaric groaned and looked down at it before he fell to the floor motionless.
~~~~
I groaned and pulled the stake out of Alaric and dropped it beside him as his head lay in my lap. "He'll wake soon. When he does, he may for a time be his old self." Esther stated as she stood above me. "If so, you can say your goodbyes before his transition is complete." She added and bent down to me, handing me a handkerchief and I scoffed, taking it.
"You said you wanted to undo the evil that you created, but this—" I started, cutting myself off as tears brimmed my eyes. "This is just as evil!" I said angrily up at her.
"Alaric will never be what my children became. I have granted him enough power to complete his task. Then, when the time is right.. he will die." Esther reassured and I slowly shook my head and looked down at Alaric.
"How? If he's immortal?" I asked angrily up at her and she sighed deeply.
"All you need to know is that when this is over, we will had rid the earth of vampires once and for all." Esther replied, nodding down at me and I narrowed my eyes at her and slowly stood up.
"Yeah, but you'll be killing the good along with the bad. You're no better than Klaus!" I countered loudly and she rose an eyebrow.
"Am I not? I desire a world where you and your loved ones will not suffer at the hands of vampires, Mariana." Esther stated, furrowing her eyebrows at me and I slowly nodded at her and tilted my head.
"Well, speaking as someone who's birth mother is a vampire—as well as someone who is from your bloodline but already tried to kill you once before.." I stated, making her raise an eyebrow at me. "I should have killed you." I whispered emotionlessly before a twig snapped from outside of the crypt, taking her attention away from me. Esther slowly walked out of the crypt and I furrowed my eyebrows as I heard the cocking of a gun.
"Don't move!" Matt's voice yelled from outside and I quickly walked out after Esther.
"Where's Mariana?" Jeremy's voice asked angrily as I walked out and saw him, crossbow in hand while Matt held a shotgun.
"Jer?" I asked toward him and he looked at me in some relief before back at Esther in anger.
"Let her go." Jeremy stated emotionlessly toward Esther, making her raise an eyebrow at him.
"How foolish of you." Esther replied in boredom as she looked between the two. "To risk your lives in defense of those who will kill you." She added as Jeremy and Matt closed in on her. "But if that is your choice." Esther stated before she held her arms up to them and I furrowed my eyebrows as their weapons turned on each other.
"Matt? Matt, drop your gun!" Jeremy yelled at Matt as their weapons started shaking from within their hands.
"I can't! I'm not controlling it!" Matt yelled back at him in worry and I widened my eyes and looked at Esther.
"No!" I yelled angrily, twisting my wrist and watching her neck snap instantly, making her drop to the ground. I stared down at her emotionlessly before looking up at Jeremy as him and Matt dropped their weapons.
"Mariana?" A voice asked from behind me and we all turned to see Alaric standing in the crypt entrance, holding the stake Esther killed him with. I watched as Alaric looked down at the bloody, silver wrapped stake before at me and then down at my bandaged wrapped hand. "Oh, my god—Where's my ring?" He asked in confusion as he felt the hole in his shirt from where the stake had entered. He looked down at his shirt and then up at me, emotions overwhelming him. "Tell me what happened." He stated in confusion and I felt my eyes glaze over as I stared at him before I looked at Jeremy in defeat.
~~~~
Elena and I reassuringly held Alaric's hands from where we stood in the Salvatore crypt before Jeremy came in. "Damon's here. And Klaus took Esther's body." Jeremy pointed out and Alaric sighed.
"Does he know about the stake?" Alaric asked and Jeremy shook his head.
"No. Only that she tried to make you into a weapon and failed." Jeremy answered and I looked at Alaric who looked between Elena and I quietly. "What's going on?" He added, seeing our solemn expressions and Alaric slowly sighed and looked at him.
"Listen, Jeremy.." Alaric started, looking from Elena and I to him. "I'm not gonna complete the transition. My dark side was dangerous enough as a human.. I can't be a vampire." He whispered, slowly shaking his head in defeat.
"So what? We're just gonna lock you in here and let you die?" Jeremy scoffed in disbelief. I looked away from them as my eyes glazed over again, making Jeremy furrow his eyebrows. "No, no—we can't." Jer protested as he looked between the three of us.
"Listen, Jeremy, it's the right thing to do, ok? After everything that's happened, after—after all I've done.. maybe I had it coming." Alaric countered, shrugging lightly at Jeremy as I wavered beside him. Jeremy turned away from us and walked toward the crypt door.
"Wait, Jer—" Elena started after him, making Jeremy stop in front of the entrance and slowly turn back to us. "Alaric, this isn't your fault." She stated, looking back at Alaric who sighed.
"Please, you guys. Let's not make this any harder than it already is." Alaric stated, his voice breaking as he said it and I furrowed my eyebrows at him but didn't argue. "You guys should go. Damon's here—He'll make sure it'll all go down the right way." He added reassuringly and I looked at Elena who slowly nodded as did Jeremy. Jeremy turned away again and was about to walk out of the crypt but Alaric stopped him. "Hey—" Alaric started before Jeremy turned to him, cutting him off.
"Don't. Don't give me some crap speech about how I need to be the man of the house." Jeremy stated in disappointment as he shook his head and Alaric slowly nodded.
"Okay." Alaric replied in agreement and walked towards Jer. "I won't." He added before he pulled Jeremy towards him and hugged him tightly. Jeremy hesitated for a moment before he hugged Ric back and closed his eyes, trying to keep from crying. Jer pulled away and turned away from him quickly, walking out of the crypt, leaving Alaric, Elena and I.
"This is all my fault." Elena stated as she slowly nodded at him once he turned back to us. "You moved out, you gave me the ring back. You didn't want any part of this, and I forced you to stay and take care of us with Jenna—" She started but Alaric shook his head and cut her off.
"Don't do that, okay?" Alaric asked and she furrowed her eyebrows at him as her eyes glazed over. "Taking care of you girls, Jeremy—even Jenna, has been... It's been the closest I've ever come to the life I've always wanted." He whispered and I grabbed Elena's hand reassuringly as a few tears fell from my eyes. The two of us hugged Alaric tightly and he wrapped his arms around us. I cried lightly in his arms before the three of us pulled away. "You should go." He whispered and we slowly nodded in agreement before we walked out of the crypt but stopped as we looked over everyone that stood before us. Damon, Stefan, Tyler, Caroline, Jenna, Jeremy, Matt, Bonnie and Meredith.. Waiting for us. I looked back at Alaric from over my shoulder and he gave me a small smile and a nod. I grabbed Alaric's hand tightly in reassurance as Elena walked toward Stefan and I took a deep breath as Jenna came over to us. She gave me a small smile as tears brimmed her eyes and I hugged her tightly. Jenna and I pulled away and looked at Alaric who looked out at everyone's faces. Those who were crying.. Those who were trying to be strong before back down at Jenna and I.. As we stood in front of him. Jenna started crying and hugged him, kissing him tenderly.
"I'm pregnant." Jenna whispered and I felt my breath hitch in my throat as she looked up at Alaric who's eyes glazed over as he looked between Jenna's eyes and her stomach. "I love you.. And this baby will know who their dad was." She reassured with a soft nod and Alaric slowly nodded back at her before he kissed her again. They slowly pulled away and he looked out at everyone again as tears fell softly from his eyes. Jenna grabbed my hand tightly as she came and stood beside me again and watched Alaric slowly walk back into the crypt. I heard the crypt door creak closed behind him before I let out a breath and wiped the tears from my eyes.
~~~~
I leant against a headstone across from Damon who held onto the white oak stake as Meredith came over to us. "I gave him a sedative. He'll fall asleep first. He'll be more comfortable." She stated reassuringly as she folded her arms over her chest.
"Well.." Damon sighed, putting the stake inside his jacket. "I offered to snap his neck, put him out of his misery, but.. He didn't take me up on it." He stated with a shrug and grabbed the bottle of bourbon that sat on the headstone behind him.
"You seem surprised." I replied with a small smile and he sighed, looking at the crypt in front of us.
"Well, you just think a guy so used to dying wouldn't want to drag it out." Damon pointed out with a small scoff before he drank from the bottle and I slowly nodded.
"Well, it was nice of you to give him an option." Meredith stated with a small nod and Damon rolled his eyes.
"Hmm. Apparently my choices have been a little controversial lately." Damon replied in annoyance and I tilted my head at him.
"You shouldn't leave him alone in there." Meredith stated as she looked between Damon and I. I sighed and looked at Damon who became emotionless.
"That's what he wants." Damon replied quietly and I sighed, pushing myself off of the headstone and standing in front of him.
"Is that really what you think he wants?" I asked and Damon rose an eyebrow back at me. I gave him a weak smile before I pressed my hand against his cheek and groaned, pulling away quickly. Damon rose an eyebrow and looked down at the hand that Esther had cut open.
"You want some help?" Damon asked gently, holding my hand in his and I slowly shook my head.
"With my luck... No thanks." I replied quietly and Damon slowly nodded before I looked at Meredith. "Can I get a ride home?" I asked and she gave me a small smile.
"Of course." Meredith replied and I slowly nodded at her and looked back at Damon. He looked at the crypt again before he stood up. I grabbed his hand with my unharmed one and squeezed his reassuringly. Damon looked down at me for a few seconds before Meredith and I walked away from him and toward her car.
-The Next Day-
I dipped my brush into the paint before I walked over to the wall and painted it, careful not to go too close to the floor boards. "Going darker, huh?" Stefan asked as he leant in the doorway of the guest room. I looked over at him as he put his hands in his coat pockets while Elena painted the wall across from me with Jeremy.
"It's the only color we had." Elena pointed out and I shrugged at the army green.
"That's what happens when you decide to paint your dead guardian's room in the middle of the night." Jeremy replied in annoyance at her.
"I think it'd make a good nursery color for when Jenna has the baby." I stated in thought before looking at Stefan with a small smile and Stefan slowly nodded at the room.
"I don't suppose anyone tried to talk to you guys out of doing this.. so soon." Stefan said gently as he came into the room and I rose an eyebrow.
"Well, we have to keep moving. Otherwise we'll start thinking and... that's not good for anyone. Especially Jenna." I replied, grabbing more paint and Stefan slowly nodded.
"How is Jenna doing?" Stefan asked quietly and I looked at Elena who gave me a sad look.
"She's out running errands. She's doing her best to keep her mind busy and I don't blame her." I answered quietly as I went back to painting.
"You want a hand?" He suggested and I looked over my shoulder at Elena who smiled at him.
"So are you two like back together or something?" Jeremy asked and I smirked at him as Elena furrowed her eyebrows and Stefan looked down with a small smile.
"What? No, Jer—We're just—" Elena started awkwardly before Stefan cut her off as he looked at Jer.
"I was just checking up on you guys, seeing how you're doing after, uh—after everything." Stefan answered quietly and I tilted my head at him.
"We're fine." Jeremy replied, shaking his head at Stefan before he sighed. "But, if you are trying to be a good guy again, why don't you do the right thing and give us one day. Just one day without any vampires in it." He stated in a hostile voice and I furrowed my eyebrows at him. Stefan looked down silently and Elena sighed at Jeremy but remained quiet. Jeremy looked between Elena and I in defeat before he sighed and walked out of the room.
"He didn't mean that." Elena stated as she put down her paint roller and walked over to Stefan who sighed.
"Yeah.. Yeah, he did." Stefan replied with a small, defeated smile as he looked at her. The doorbell rang from downstairs and I rose an eyebrow at it. "I'll get that." He added with a short nod before he walked out of the room and down the stairs. I looked at Elena who went back to painting before I sighed and walked after Stefan. I walked down the stairs as Stefan opened the door to see Damon holding Bonnie by the arm as she stood in the same clothes from last night. But wasn't wearing her shoes and I could see a red and bloody bite mark on her neck.
"We have a problem." Damon stated in warning as he gestured at Bonnie. I furrowed my eyebrows at them as Damon looked up the stairs, seeing me and sighing in defeat.
~~~~
"What do you mean, he turned? I thought you were standing guard." Stefan stated in annoyance at Damon. The four of us stood in the kitchen and I handed Bonnie a wet rag to clean her neck as she sat at the table.
"Don't blame me! Blame Bonnie the blood bank over here. She fed him." Damon countered, gesturing at Bonnie as Stefan paced the floor.
"I had no idea what was happening, okay? the witches led me there. They wanted him to feed so he'd turn." Bonnie pointed out in defeat and I sighed, sitting on the table beside her.
"So where's the stake now?" I asked, shaking my head at her and looking back at Damon.
"Oh, you mean the White Oak one? The one that can kill an original and wipe out an entire line of vampires?" Damon asked sarcastically as he walked over to me and narrowed his eyes at Bonnie. "We don't know." He answered angrily and she scoffed at him.
"If you are so upset with me, why did you feed me your blood to save my life?" Bonnie asked through gritted teeth up at him and he leant towards her.
"Because I do stupid things, Bonnie. I do things, like let my friend die with dignity when I should have just killed him." Damon countered in annoyance at himself and walked away from her as silence and frustration fell upon us.
"Alright, so how do we kill him now?" Stefan asked, furrowing his eyebrows and Bonnie sighed.
"I've been trying to figure that out. A witch can't truly make an immortal creature. There's always a loophole or a way to undo a spell." Bonnie informed and I slowly nodded at her in agreement.
"So? What's the witchy workaround?" Damon asked, looking at her expectantly and I rose an eyebrow.
"That's the problem." I answered quietly and they all looked at me in confusion. "We don't know." I stated and Bonnie slowly nodded in agreement. "Whatever you do.. No one mentions this to Elena—Or Jer." I warned, looking at the three of them who all nodded in agreement. I sighed, getting off of the table and making my way upstairs and back into the guest room to see Elena still painting. I opened my mouth to speak before her phone started ringing and she quickly grabbed it from her back pocket and put the paintbrush down. Elena looked up at me in confusion before she showed me the caller I.D and I felt a shiver run up my spine.
"Whoever this is, it's not funny." Elena answered, putting the phone on speaker.
"Who else would it be?" Alaric's voice asked and Elena furrowed her eyebrows, taken aback.
"Ric?" Elena asked in confusion as she looked at me, slowly shaking her head.
"Listen closely. I'm at the school and I have Caroline. If you want to keep her alive, I suggest you and Mariana get in your car and come down here right away." Alaric warned emotionlessly and I furrowed my eyebrows. "If you tell anyone where you are going.. I will kill her." He threatened before he hung up and Elena let out a shaky breath.
~~~
Elena and I walked slowly through the school cautiously and I walked in front of her protectively. I furrowed my eyebrows as we walked down the hall toward the gym before we heard Caroline's whimpers from Alaric's classroom ahead of us. Elena and I quickly walked toward it before we stopped at the door and saw Alaric sitting at his desk, looking at us expectantly. I looked over to Caroline who sat at a desk in the front row with a vervain cloth tied around her mouth, making burns form while pencils were stuck in her hands, pining then to the desk top. "Caroline." I whispered in defeat as tears stained her cheeks and I heard her jagged breaths.
"Let her go, Alaric!" Elena yelled at him angrily and Ric gestured at Caroline quietly, making me furrow my eyebrows at him.
"Free her yourself." He countered carelessly with a small shrug. Elena and I exchanged a look before we looked between Caroline and Alaric cautiously. Elena and I slowly moved over to Caroline before Elena bent down in front of her, rubbing her arm reassuringly.
"Hey." Elena whispered towards Caroline. Elena and I grabbed a pencil from both of Caroline's hands and slowly started to pull them out. Caroline groaned in pain before she screamed out as the pencils were jammed further into her hands and into the desk. Elena and I moved away as Alaric stood in front of us angrily.
"You said that you would let her go!" I yelled angrily at him as I pulled Elena toward me quickly.
"How many times do I have to tell you two, Mariana? Stop trusting vampires!" Alaric yelled in response and I widened my eyes at him.
~~~~
Elena and I sat in desks beside Caroline and watched as Alaric carefully dipped the cloth in a glass of vervain before he moved it toward her again. "No more, please. No more." Caroline cried weakly, her voice horse as burns were very much visible around her mouth and cheeks from where it was tied around her. Alaric ignored her cries as he moved over to her and I clenched my jaw.
"Alaric, stop." I stated angrily, standing up in defense but he pushed me back down into the seat forcefully, making me groan as my wounded hand, hit the desk.
"Sit down." Alaric demanded down at me and I looked at Elena who looked at me with concern but I gave her a reassuring nod. "This keeps the vervain in her system. It's like inhaling razor blades with every breath." He informed, tying the cloth around Caroline's mouth again. I widened my eyes as she gasped and cried out as the vervain burnt her cheeks and mouth once more as he tied it around her.
"Why are you doing this?" Elena asked in disappointment as she looked up at him and put a reassuring hand on Caroline's arm.
"To make it easier on you when you put her out of her misery." Alaric answered emotionlessly and I narrowed my eyes at him as he held the white oak stake in hand.
"What, no!" I argued in defense and watched him smirk from where he stood in front of Elena's desk.
"Isn't this what you wanted? For me to teach you how to kill a vampire?" Alaric asked as he looked between Elena and I. "Well, here's a vampire." He pointed out, gesturing to Caroline with the stake in hand before he held it out to Elena. "Kill her." Ric stated in annoyance and Elena slowly shook her head.
"This isn't what I want." Elena argued in anger up at him and he rose an eyebrow.
"Of course it is. All those hours you and Mariana spent training, getting stronger... You could be hunters. I mean one of you is already a witch and you've killed vampires." Alaric stated, looking at me in a disturbingly proud way and I narrowed my eyes at him before he looked back at Elena. "But you've never actually staked a vampire through the heart." He added gesturing the stake to her again and I watched as Caroline looked at Elena pleadingly.
"Why are you doing this?" I asked Alaric in defense and he sighed, pacing the floor in front of us.
"Because you need me. Because you're both eighteen-year-old girls without parents. Yes, you have Jenna but even she is without some guidance or any sense of right or wrong anymore." Alaric countered in annoyance at us.
"Look at you. How is this right?" Elena countered in disbelief as she gestured at Caroline and Alaric stopped in front of her.
"She's a murderer." Alaric stated, gesturing at Caroline with the stake. "She told me she killed someone and liked it. Now how is that right?" He asked in annoyance and I furrowed my eyebrows at Caroline who looked down in shame. "See, your parents led the council. It was their life's mission to keep this town safe. They weren't dead six months before you undid it all." Alaric stated in disappointment and I narrowed my eyes at him while Elena clenched her jaw.
"You don't know anything about them." I stayed coldly back at him and he rose an eyebrow at me.
"Why? Am I wrong? Do you actually think—that they'd be proud of you?" Alaric asked in amusement toward us and I furrowed my eyebrows as he slowly knelt in front of Elena and I. "If you don't side with the humans.. you're just as bad as them." He whispered, looking back at Caroline is disgust and I slowly shook my head at him. "Now kill her." Ric demanded again and Elena slowly shook her head back at him as he gestured the stake towards her and stood. "Or I'll do it for you. And I'll make it hurt." Ric threatened before he grabbed Elena by the arm forcefully and I widened my eyes. "Get up." He stated angrily, pulling her away from the seat. She groaned as she tried to get out of his grasp but he stood her in front of Caroline and put the stake in her hand. Elena whispered as she held the stake and looked down at Caroline in defeat who whispered back. I looked at Elena reassuringly and she narrowed her eyes at me before she turned around and plunged the stake toward Alaric but he caught her arm in his hand easily. "I thought I taught you better than that." Alaric stated spitefully, pulling her closer to him and she clenched her jaw.
"You did." Elena countered in agreement before she grabbed the glass of vervain from the desk beside her and smashed it over Alaric's face, making him groan in pain as it burnt his skin.
"Phesmatos!" I yelled, waving my hand over him and lighting the liquid on fire so it burnt him even more. Alaric groaned and yelled out as he knelt on the floor before Elena and I quickly pulled the pencils out of Caroline's hands and removed the vervain cloth from her mouth. "Get help!" I warned loudly, grabbing her as she stood and we ran towards the door. Caroline vamped away to find help and Alaric vamped in front of Elena and I, cutting our escape off. He grabbed both of us by the arm and walked us out into the hallway before he threw me across from him and into the lockers. I groaned loudly as I hit them forcefully before I started sliding down to the floor. Alaric vamped toward me and grabbed me by the throat, pinning me against the wall.
"I should kill you, you little witch bitch." Alaric threatened through gritted teeth down at me while Elena stood behind him, afraid and unsure of what to do.
"Mariana!" Elena yelled out in worry and fear as her eyes glazed over.
"Shut up!" Alaric yelled angrily back at her. I chuckled weakly down at him, making his grip on my throat become tighter and I gasped, not being able to breath. "I should gut you like Brian Walters, Bill Forbes and all the other cowards I plan on ripping apart. You're the worst offender of them all, Mariana. You don't deserve to live." He scoffed through gritted teeth and I slowly shook my head.
"So—Then why am I still alive?" I asked weakly, feeling as my breath hitch in my throat. Alaric looked up at me silently, his jaw clenching at the question.
"There's obviously no humanity left in you. So what's stopping you, Alaric!" Elena chimed in from from behind him and I looked at her in warning, shutting her up.
"If you want me dead then k—kill me." I gasped, looking back at Alaric who clenched his jaw. "Do it! Kill me!" I yelled out loudly once a burst of breath came into my lungs before I watched Alaric's face shift angrily. He stared at me with his blood red eyes before he shifted back to normal and let me go. I gasped, hitting the floor abruptly and Elena ran over me, kneeling beside me in concern. I groaned, holding a hand to my throat and looked up at Alaric in confusion while he stared back down at me. In a matter of seconds, Stefan and Damon vamped into the hall and grabbed Alaric, holding him on either side.
"Do it! Now!" Damon yelled out in frustration as he held Alaric down and I furrowed my eyebrows before Elena stood me up and moved the two of us away quickly. Alaric groaned and pushed Damon off of him and he flew back into the lockers. Alaric turned around quickly and grabbed Stefan by the back of his shirt and picked him up in the air before breaking his back. Damon clenched his jaw and vamped toward Ric from behind but Alaric whipped around and grabbed Damon, twisting his neck easily. I widened my eyes at the two as they lay on the floor, feet from Elena and I. Klaus came out of nowhere and vamped toward Alaric also, plunging his fingers into Alaric's chest. Alaric gasped and yelled out in agony. He angrily grabbed Klaus' hand and twisted it, making Klaus yell out in return. Alaric threw Klaus across the hallway floor before vamping over to him and picking him up before throwing him into some lockers. Klaus groaned as he lay on the floor and Ric grabbed the White Oak stake from his jacket, about to plunge it into Klaus' chest but Klaus blocked him and held the stake above him with all of his might while Alaric tried to inch it closer toward his chest.
"Stop!" I screamed at him and Alaric looked over his shoulder at me in anger. "Stop it or I'll kill myself." I warned, putting my hand up toward me and gesturing at my wrist, slowly twisting it and threatening to break my own neck. Alaric scoffed and looked back down at Klaus, completely unphased.
"Knock it off, Mariana." Alaric stated emotionlessly and I scoffed lightly.
"Why? Because you still need me alive?" I asked, watching Alarics composure shift a bit. "There's a reason why Esther used me to make you, isn't there?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at him and Elena furrowed her eyebrows as Alaric looked back at me again. "She didn't want you to be immortal. So she tied your life to a human one—mine. Her great niece. One of the last living heirs of her family.. And the same person with the exact same blood as the doppelgänger. An easy binding adjacent." I stated emotionlessly and Alaric narrowed his eyes at me. "So in reality, your life is tied to both of us, right? That way, you have only one main lifespan to kill all vampires, and then you'll be gone." I added, shifting my gaze to Klaus who looked between Alaric, Elena and I confused. "So when one of us dies, you die too. That it. It has to be!" I stated loudly and he scoffed, shaking his head.
"You're wrong." Alaric argued and I rose an eyebrow and walked closer to him as did Elena.
"Is she?" Elena countered, tilting her head at him as she pulled out a pocket knife and held it to her throat threateningly. Alaric narrowed his eyes at us, not moving before Elena slowly ran the blade across the side of her throat, cutting it and he widened his eyes.
"Stop! Stop, stop, stop!" Alaric protested loudly in warning before Klaus quickly pushed him off of hun forcefully while Alaric was distracted. Klaus vamped quickly towards Elena and I and I widened my eyes.
"El—" I started before he put a hand to my mouth, silencing me and vamped both of us out of the school.