I walk around the Boarding House, slowly picking up all the cups and trash that litter the floor. Ugh, how'd I get stuck doing this? Where are my brothers? Why aren't they helping? Better yet, why isn't anyone forcing Elena to pick up her mess? As I pick up another cup, adding it to the trash bag I drag behind me, I hear someone approach.
Turning around, I glare when I find Klaus in front of me. His eyes dance around the room, taking in the state of it, before they find me. I scowl, "What the hell are you doing here?"
He curls his lips at my tone as he shoves his hands into the back pockets of his jeans. "Lily," he says like he's approaching a predator, cautious and gentle.
"No. Don't start with me," I spit at him, my voice sharp. His hands are thrown up in a mock surrender as his lips slide upward ever so slightly. The action pisses me off more. "Don't you have a werewolf to entertain, or are there more women for you to screw over around here?" I flash him a bitter smile and I step away from him, grabbing three more solo cups on my way.
I hear him release a long breath behind my back. "Lily, if you'd only let me explain-"
"Explain?" I turn on him fast, my eyes wide. "I gave you a chance, last night. All you proved is that you have no problem lying to me." Throwing the trash bag to the ground, I cross my arms over my chest. "I thought we were starting anew. Offering my friendship, that was my olive branch and you threw it back it my face."
"Lily."
"No!" My arms fall to my side. Hands curling into fists, I stare him down as I step closer to him. "Forget the fact that I was stupid enough to sleep with you. Friends don't lie, and you did. And just when I thought I could maybe start trusting you again."
His eyes soften as he takes me in. My words have hit him. I can tell from the way his bottom lip juts out just ever so slightly and the skin around his eyes crinkle in the corners. Good. Now, maybe he can start understanding how much he hurt me. "Can you honestly look me in the eye and tell me that nothing happened with Hayley?"
Klaus is quick to avoid my gaze, but not before I catch a hint of guilt in them. And though I didn't know it in the moment, I think a piece of my heart splintered. Glancing at the ground, I bite my lip. Then, looking at him again I make sure my face is blank, giving nothing away. "Yeah, that's what I thought." Shaking my head, I frown at him. "Just leave, Klaus. Go away and leave me alone." My voice is tired. There's no point in being angry any more. He's admitted enough and it's over, whatever 'this' was, so why waste my time caring about it anymore.
"Actually," a voice drawls out from the side of me. Turning my head, I find Stefan standing in the hall outside the living room. "I asked him to be here. We need his help. I think Silas is in Mystic Falls."
"What?" I question my brother, eyes narrowed. Klaus...helping us...yeah right.
"Sheriff Forbes called me last night. She said that there have been reports of six other blood bank thefts all within 30 miles of Mystic Falls. Somebody's stockpiling blood. Grove Hill's supply was stolen last night when Elena was with me. So, it wasn't Elena, and it's not us..." Stefan trails off.
I drop the trash bag, giving up on cleaning, as I look to my brother. "So, you think it's Silas? That he followed you off the island?" Crossing my arms over my chest, I frown.
Stefan nods. "He hasn't fed in 2000 years, so he would need to gorge on blood. It explains the thefts."
Klaus sighs, drawing our attention as he pours himself a drink from our bar cart. "Well, let's say for a moment that it was Silas. I'm struggling to see how this affects me." He falls down on our couch, making himself at home. I roll my eyes.
"Look," Stefan crosses to him, "Silas wants to die and be reunited with his one true love, but he's supernatural, so if he takes the cure and dies, he gets stuck on the other side."
"How Shakespearean," Klaus remarks, sipping on his drink.
"But if he destroys the other side altogether, he can take the cure, die, and pass on, but in destroying it, every dead supernatural being will return to our side," Stefan continues explaining.
"So," I murmur, thinking over my brother's words, "that means every werewolf, witch, and vampire would return." Pursing my lips, I scowl at Klaus from across the room. "I wonder how many of those you personally killed, or better yet, screwed over."
Stefan clears his throat, preventing Klaus from getting the chance to respond to my jab. "Care now?" He glances to the Hybrid.
"My interest is piqued," Klaus answers with reluctance, ignoring my glare. "How do we stop him?"
"Bonnie said Silas needs to complete 3 massacres to do this spell. Before Professor Shane died, he convinced the pastor to blow up the council. Next, he had you kill your hybrids, and now he only needs one more massacre, so if he's here, that's what he's doing. We need to find him."
Klaus hums, finishing his drink. "And where do you suggest we start?"
"Professor Shane's office is our best bet. He knew the most about Silas and the legend surrounding him."
I sigh. "Well, then what are we waiting for?"
My words spark us into motion. As Klaus steps out of the house and to his car, I pull Stefan aside into the kitchen. "Where's Damon? Does he know that Silas might be in town?"
Stefan leans against the counter, facing me. "He knows. He's following a Katherine lead in New York though. He also brought Elena along."
With a wrinkling of my forehead, I blink at my twin. "Wait, what? Damon's in New York? Right now? With Elena?" Panic rushes through me as Stefan nods. Now that I am no longer anonymous in the supernatural circle, who knows who could possibly spot Damon and connect him to me? This is not good.
"Why? You look worried." Running a hand through my hair, I groan as I turn my back on him, leaning over the sink. "Lily?" Stefan places a hand on my shoulder. "What's going on? You're not...you're not having another episode are you?" His voice rises in pitch as I turn to face him.
"No. No." I shake my head. "It's just...Damon was in New York in the 70s."
Stefan frowns. "I know that. I sent Lexi to him. But how do you know that?"
I close my eyes for second before meeting Stefan's. "Look, there's a large supernatural society who keeps tabs on things happening, you know, all things supernatural. It's how I've known about what's happened to you and Damon throughout the years. The two of you have created quite the name for yourselves and our family. It's also the reason why I never disclosed my relation to the Salvatores. Damon attracted a lot of attention in the 70s, so much so that even you, someone who's not a part of the society's gossip, heard about it. And well, in this supernatural society, I'm well-connected. I also used to hold an air of anonymity in it. However, it is now known that I am a Salvatore-"
"What are you saying?" Stefan interrupts me, blinking at me as he tries to understand where I'm going with this. "That you never wanted to be associated with us? You really never told anyone who you were?"
"No, I didn't."
"Why?"
I bite my lip. "Stefan, let's not get into this right now. That's not where I was going with this."
"No, wait. Why didn't you tell anyone you were a Salvatore? Did you even mention having brothers?" My silence answers his last question enough. With a frown, Stefan stares down at me. "But why, Lils?"
I shrug. "I was ashamed...of the two of you. And angry. And heartbroken. If I didn't claim you as my own then I didn't have to be attached to our history or the reputation you two were creating. Without the last name Salvatore, I was able to mold the image I wanted others to have for me. I was able to live and have fun and make friends." Meeting my brother's green eyes, I frown. "Without associating myself with you and Damon, I was able to live free of the past that's haunted me for decades. You guys had given up on me, so I gave up on you." Stefan's gaze falls to the ground as guilt coils into his posture. I bite my lip. "So call it selfish, but yes, I'm worried. Although people now know my true identity, I'm still nervous Damon will find a way to mess up what I have built for myself. Years of crafting a reputation...all it would take is one snide remark from Damon or blood on his or Elena's hands for it to all disappear. This image...it's one of the only things I have left, Stefan."
Stefan remains staring at the ground. I bite my lip nervously as I wait for him to say something...anything. I know that he already thinks me selfish and my statement practically just proved him right, but is it really so wrong of me to worry about Damon destroying the world I took so long to build. It's my comfort. A safe place I know well. The infamous Lily, the rest of the society knows, that's who I disappeared into after having my heart broken by the three men closet to me. Is it really so bad to want to protect that?
I sigh to myself as my thoughts unravel more. Why does it matter so much to me to protect this reputation and world I created for myself? It doesn't take me long to answer that question. I want to keep it as my backup for when my heart inevitably gets broken again...
"Fine," Stefan mumbles, I think more to himself than me. Lifting his head, his gaze meets mine. "So what do you propose is done? Damon's chasing a lead, he's not going to give that up. Unless you can find Katherine some other way..." he trails off, watching as I smirk at him.
"Like I've been saying, Steffy, I know some people." And with a quick call to Jess a minute later, who thankfully hasn't left New York yet, I have people looking into Katherine's whereabouts and a promise that Jess will find Damon and keep an eye on him and Elena. When I meet Stefan by his car after getting off the phone, he raises a brow. I nod, confirming that everything is settled. And as I slide into the passenger seat, a quick glance toward Klaus in his car reminds me just how un-fun this field trip will be.
...
By the time we get to Whitmore College, the sun has gone down. As we walk into Professor Shane's office, my eyes latch onto the different artifacts scattered everywhere. "What are we even looking for?" I ask, picking up a weird straw doll thing as Stefan shuts the door behind us. The three of us disperse, searching Shane's stuff. Carefully, cause you never know, I set the doll back down before crossing the room to a table in his office.
"Well, if Shane really was working with Silas, chances are he was helping him plan his next move," Stefan answers me, shuffling papers around in the corner.
"And how are we supposed to figure that out? I mean, it's not like we're gonna find the receipts from their secret, evil villain coffee date where they journaled together about their 12 step plan to take over the world." After a beat of silence, I glance in my brother's direction to see him holding a bunch of papers and rolling his eyes. "What?" I shrug. "It could happen."
"Actually not to nit-pick, but we evil villains usually prefer tea to coffee," Klaus speaks up from behind me.
Turning around, I glare at him before facing Stefan. "Why is he necessary again?"
"Well, we don't know what Silas can do, so if we do have to go head to head with him, an original hybrid who can't die might come in handy," Stefan explains, shooting me a 'play nice' look. I stick my tongue out at him. Play nice with Klaus? Pass.
"Besides, Stefan and I work well together, or at least we did in the twenties." Klaus remarks, walking towards Shane's desk.
"Well, granted my emotions were off," Stefan pipes in.
"And that's why you were more fun just as Damon is probably relishing in Elena's emotionless company in New York," Klaus comments, taking a seat in Shane's chair. Rolling my eyes at Klaus's obvious attempts to ruffle my twin's feathers, I decide to check out Shane's bookcase. Finding one that looks interesting enough, I crack it open, scanning the pages.
"My brother knows what he's doing."
"Does he? Don't underestimate the allure of darkness, Stefan. Even the purest hearts are drawn to it." My gaze falls to Klaus at his statement. What a load of crap! "Still, I'm sure it will all be fine."
A new tension fills the air, so to break it before things get even more awkward, I walk toward them, reading what I found in the book. "I think I found something. 'Symbolic figures in the dark arts'. Didn't Bonnie talk about expression triangles? Here," I point to some ancient triangle-picture-looking-thing on the page as I set it down on the desk. The men gather around me.
Stefan leans in closer to look at it before he begins to read out loud:
"'In some schools of magic such as expression, human sacrifice can be used as a focus for power. It's rumored that the addition of two supernatural sacrifices compounds the mystical energy, creating an expression triangle'."
I look at the picture again, "Humans." I point to a circular symbol at the top of the triangle. "That was the council fire you guys told me about. Demons." I point to another corner of the triangle where a symbol I recognize for demons is printed. "Klaus' hybrid failure."
"Well, I wouldn't exactly call it a failure." Klaus dismisses me. "What's the third?"
I look more closely at the third. "Oh, shit!"
...
"There's been two massacres. Pastor Young's farm is here," I state, standing across from Klaus as I take a sharpie and begin to make a line on the map in front of us with a ruler, "and the old Lockwood cellar, where you slaughtered 12 of your own hybrids, is here. According to the book, the expression triangle is equilateral, putting it here." I explain, drawing the triangle on the map.
Klaus smirks at me. "Somebody's been skipping their geometry classes." He takes the sharpie and ruler and begins to draw another triangle reflecting the one I just made. "There are actually two places where the third massacre could be."
"Well, you didn't let me finish." I scowl at him. Klaus looks like he's about to say something, parting his mouth, but the door opens and Stefan walks in.
I turn to him quick, grateful for the interruption. "Hey. What's going on? Did you find Bonnie?" After we figured out that the last massacre was 12 witches, we knew that we had to find Bonnie. Stefan went looking for her, which left me and Klaus to pinpoint the location of the massacre.
"No, but I talked to her dad. I think I found Silas," he replies. My eyes widen as Stefan explains that Shane somehow made it off the island after being injured in the pit, and is 'helping' Bonnie with her magic. Her dad told him that Bonnie had gotten out of control. Her magic, Expression, was growing too strong so they called upon Abby, Bonnie's mom, to gather some witches to cleanse her. And a gathering of witches at this time could only mean one thing...
And that's how I ended up with Klaus, in the middle of the night, searching the woods for Bonnie and the witches.
"Ugh, how much further," I groan, looking around for any signs of a witch ritual going on.
"You know, when we split up, you did have the option of going with Stefan."
"What? No I didn't! Caroline showed up and of course she wasn't going to go with you. And then Stefan would never leave you alone in case you found Bonnie first, leaving her life in your hands, and in case you haven't noticed, none of us trust you!" I exclaim, glancing around again. "Do you even know how to read a map?" I spit at him angrily.
"Yes, and do you know who taught me? My friend Magellan." He bites back.
"Hmm, and did you sleep with a werewolf behind his back too, or is that something just reserved for me?"
Klaus's footsteps pause beside me. I stop too, turning around to look at him with a raised eye. He frowns at me. "How much longer am I going to have to endure your disparaging remarks?"
Placing a finger to my chin, I hum to myself, pretending to think it over. "Depends. How much longer until you die?"
Klaus huffs. With a bitter smile, he tilts his head as he looks at me. "You and I both know I have no intentions of dying."
I smirk at him. "Exactly. Then, you have the answer to your question."
My words ease us into a silence. A silence full of tension. But I refuse to crack and Klaus is just as stubborn as me.
Eventually, we come upon a spot in the woods and Klaus stops again. "We're here. Although judging by the lack of witches, here is not the correct location."
"Fuck!" I swear, glancing around. Well, if they aren't here then there's only one other place they could be and we probably don't have much more time. Vamping in the opposite direction, we head to the spot Caroline and Stefan went to. When we arrive, we find Stefan holding himself up with the support of a tree. Caroline rushes over to us too, helping Stefan stand up.
"They're linked. Bonnie's gonna kill them," Stefan groans.
"Not if the witches kill her first," Klaus states, gripping onto Stefan's shoulders and pinning him to the tree by his neck.
"Let him go!" I yell at Klaus as he tightens his grip on Stefan.
"Ugh! Klaus, we need to save her," Care speaks up as she glances nervously at her friend.
"How? The only way to stop the witches is to kill them, and then Silas gets what he wants," Klaus grits. Stefan's gaze meets mine from over Klaus's shoulder. I bite my lip. I don't know what to do. Obviously, we can't let the witches kill Bonnie, but we can't let Silas win either. I meet my brother's gaze helplessly.
"Spirits, take her soul. Free her from darkness," one of the witches calls out from the center of their pentagram. The other witches chant from their knees around the pentagram. Stakes on fire mark the boundaries of their circle.
The witch in the middle, a beautiful mocha colored woman, raises a dagger above Bonnie. My eyes flick to Care, who shifts uneasily behind me. Then, Bonnie lets out a scream as the witch's hand starts to come down. In that split second, I feel a rush of wind as Caroline vamps from my side. I watch as she rushes to the mocha-colored witch and forces the witch's hand to stab herself with the dagger. Klaus releases Stefan as he yells out as the witch screams.
As Caroline lets go of the mocha-colored witch, the witch's body drops to the ground. Then, one-by-one all the other witches drop too. The fire dies with them. My mouth parts as I watch the scene in surprise. Stefan makes his way to my side, yet we both remain frozen in place as we watch Caroline look around in shock. But when her eyes fall upon Bonnie on the ground, she whispers her name, dropping down next to her. "Bonnie! Bonnie!" Care shakes the Bennett witch, trying to get her to wake up.
Which she does. Though her next words send a chill down my spine. "The triangle is complete."
...
"There." Klaus says, throwing the shovel down. I stand with my arms crossed against my chest watching him. "12 graves for 12 witches. Like it never happened." He rolls down his sleeves as he glares in my direction. "Only it did happen," he shrugs back on his jacket, "and now Silas has everything he needs to open the gates to hell on earth."
I roll my eyes. "Bonnie is one of Caroline's best friends. I know relationships aren't your strong suit, but friends tend to not want the other to die."
Klaus scowls at me. "One is still less than 12."
I gape at him, stepping closer to him. "Really. So if someone you cared about was in the same position as Bonnie, you're telling me that you would just let them die?" I scoff, shaking my head. "Wait, who am I kidding? Of course you would. Because you're the great Klaus Mikaelson, who loves none, and reigns over everyone else's miseries," I mock him, throwing my hands up for dramatics. "As long as it's not you on the chopping block, who gives a damn, right?"
His eyes soften for a second before they harden and become guarded. "Well," he mumbles, "I'm glad that we've established you have such a low opinion of me. Though, need I remind you that I just spent all night digging graves for the victims of your friend, who might I point out, I also saved."
Fury fuels me as I step closer to him, poking him in the chest. "Only because you put her life in danger in the first place, you bastard!"
Klaus snarls at me. "That word is getting quite old. Soon you're going to have to think of something a little more creative."
I glare right back at him. "Well, I think it suits you. So far all you've proven is that you're worthy of the name."
His eyes darken as he hums lowly. "Keep telling yourself that, Love, and maybe someday you'll actually believe it."
I gasp at him, shoving my hands into his chest. He stumbles back a step but keeps that irritating smirk on his face. "C'mon Lily, you could have left, yet you stayed. You spent the whole night watching me dig graves when you could have gone back home at any point. So, tell me, if I'm so terrible, then why spend your time with me?"
His words catch me at a lost. My lip makes it's way between my teeth as my brows furrow. "Shut up!" I tell him, shoving him again.
"Why? Are you afraid to hear the truth? I thought that this is what you wanted." My hands shove against his chest again, but he catches them this time. His grip is surprisingly gentle as he stares down at me. And something about the way he's looking at me makes me forget all the reasons why I should be angry at him because suddenly our lips are meeting and I'm losing myself in the kiss.