In the months Audrey and Elijah had been away from Mystic Falls, Caroline had been keeping the Gilbert girl up to date with everything going on. Elena's transition into a vampire had been far from simple, and it had soon came to light she was sired to Damon, which everything was using to justify her sudden feelings for the eldest Salvatore. Now, they were all on the hunt for the cure for vampirism, which Klaus had revealed when a hunter of the Five appeared in Mystic Falls.
But the couple had kept themselves seperated from it all, other than trying to contact Rebekah. It had been a while since either of them had heard from her, and Elijah was starting to worry Klaus had once again put a dagger in her heart.
"Miss?" Audrey looked up, locking eyes with the batender. They'd recently settled in New York, after Audrey admitted to Elijah she'd never actually seen the city. Since then, they'd been living in a penthouse of a hotel Audrey knew she'd never be able to afford, and were enjoying a break from all the travelling they'd been doing. While Elijah was gone for the day, Audrey had settled herself in the hotel bar, reading a book she'd bought from a small bookstore. "This is for you." He placed a martini down in front of her.
She furrowed her brow in confusion. "Oh, I didn't order this."
"But I did, darling." A familiar voice replied from behind.
She recognized the voice instantly, the smirk she could hear in his tone on his lips when she looked at him. "What are you doing here, Kol?"
"I missed my future sister-in-law." Kol shrugged, perching himself on the empty stool next to her. "Is that a crime?"
"No, but there's more to it than that." Audrey said knowingly, which only made his smirk grow. She rolled her eyes, raising a brow at him. "Come on, out with it. Elijah will be back soon."
"Rebekah called." He began, making her eyes widen in surprise. "Apparently, Nik's been an arse, so she's going rogue. Wants me to fetch some professor who can help her find the cure. Shane, or something like that."
Audrey looked at him in confusion for a moment, before it clicked inside her head. "And you want me to come with you."
"Why go alone when we can have much more fun together?" He grinned. "I'm sure Rebekah would love the extra pair of hands."
Audrey bit her lip, considering it carefully. At least now she knew Rebekah was okay, but if she was going against Klaus looking for the cure, it was only a matter of time before the pair came to blows again. She knew the outcome would be Rebekah daggered, which she didn't deserve. While she appreciated Caroline keeping her up to date on everything, Audrey had liked being far away from all of it. She wasn't in danger of ending up collateral damage, she felt safe, she was happy. The second she steppd foot back in Mystic Falls, she knew she was going to be sucked right back into it all.
A hand resting on her shoulder snapped her from her thoughts. "Kol." Elijah's smooth voice said. "What a surprise."
"Sorry Elijah, I'm afraid I've came to steal your girl. Don't worry, you'll get her back." Kol smirked. "Going to pay Rebekah and Nik a visit, I thought Audrey could come along."
Elijah's lips fell into a frown, his eyes meeting with Audrey's. "You don't have to go if you don't want to." He said, shooting his younger brother a firm look. Kol simply rolled his eyes, holding his hands up innocently. "Whatever trouble is going down with my siblings, it isn't you--"
"They're family." Audrey said softly, lacing their fingers together. "Of course it's my problem. It's fine, I'll go." Elijah's look of concern didn't fade, and with a soft smile, she leaned up and kissed him softly. "I'll be okay."
"Make sure this stays on." Elijah nodded to her necklace, stroking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "If you need anything, my dear, please call me." He said, before pressing another kiss to her forehead.
"Bloody hell, she's going home." Kol rolled his eyes. Jumping to his feet, his hand wrapped around the Gilbert girls wrist, tugging her along as he started to walk away. "Don't worry, Elijah. I'll have her returned to you in one piece."
As Audrey worked on pulling from Kol's grip, she glanced over her shoulder at Elijah, giving him a reassuring smile before he was out of her sight entirely.
* * * * * * * * * *
Walking into the high school, it made Audrey realize how much of her senior year was already done. Time was passing by quickly, especially since she left Mystic Falls. Thanks to help from Caroline, she'd been keeping up with all her school work online while she was gone, determined to graduate like she was supposed to at the end of the school year. There was no reason she wouldn't, as even though she was attending the classes, she was managing to pass all of them with a fairly high grade. She knew everyone else her age was now considering the future, making plans to go to college, but Audrey knew deep down college wasn't her future anymore. It was a strange thought, as she and Caroline had been planning the design of their shared dorm room since middle school, and they along with Bonnie and Elena had been set on going to Whitmore together since Freshman year.
Truth be told, she didn't know what her future was anymore. But that didn't scare her, or worry her. Because she knew exactly who'd she have at her side, building a life with she could no longer see her life without, and college just didn't seem important in comparison to that anymore.
"Sister." Kol let out with a smirk, as the pair made their way into the library. Audrey instantly felt familiar eyes on her, and looked to see Caroline, Elena, and Stefan all sat around one of the tables. "Look at this! You're even worse than Klaus."
"Kol, finally." Rebekah nodded, walking over and pulling Audrey into a hug. "And you brought Audrey."
"Do I want to know?" Audrey asked, raising a brow from Rebekah to the three at the table as they pulled apart.
"Oh, they're just catching me up to speed on everything I've missed." Rebekah brushed off, giving her a smile. "Don't worry, I have it all under control."
"Seriously?!" Caroline glared at her.
Rebekah glanced at her, giving her a narrowed look. "Did I say you could speak?" Her eyes then fall back onto her brother, raising a brow. "Did you bring what I asked for?" Without saying a word, Kol reached out into the hallway and shoved Professor Shane inside, who they'd picked up along the way. Rebekah's lips form into a satisfied smirk. "You must be Shane." Without saying anything, she gives Kol a nod and he shoves Shane back into the hall, the blonde sending Audrey a smile as she followed her brother and the professor.
Audrey watched them leave in disbelief, turning around when she felt the eyes of everyone sat at the table staring at her. Her eyes locked with Elena's, and they had a conversation without even speaking. Just like that day in the barn, she could see the regret on her sister's face, still wanting to apologize for everything that had happened. She could see that she meant it, but after everything that had happened between them, Audrey still just needed time. Their problems weren't going to be fixed overnight, they both knew that. After that, her eyes locked with Caroline's, ignoring the youngest Salvatore entirely. Both of them had smiles break onto their faces, despite everything that was currently going on.
If it wasn't for the fact she was clearly compelled, Caroline probably would have ran and hugged her.
"Still glued to your seats?" Rebekah mused as she walked back in, her smirk growing at the dirty looks she recieved. "Aah, it's thick with tension in here. Let's spice things up a bit. Elena, truth or dare?"
"We're done playing your stupid games, Rebekah." Stefan snapped.
"Truth or dare, Elena." The Mikaelson pressed, her eyes narrowing on the Gilbert girl. "You're compelled. Answer."
Elena looked back at her, a brave look in her eyes. "Dare."
"I dare you to tell Stefan the truth about Damon."
Caroline let out a cry of disbelief, but Rebekah ignored her, giving Elena look to answer. "Being with Damon makes me happy." She answered simply.
"Makes you happy?" Rebekah made a face. "Clowns make you happy, Elena. Dig a little deeper."
Audrey watched as her sister bit her bottom lip, looking down as she continued. "When I'm with him...it feels unpredictable, like...like I'm free."
Rebekah nodded. "And how do you feel when you're with Stefan?"
"Stop." Caroline protested.
Rebekah brushed her off. "She can't. She's compelled."
"Lately, I feel like I'm a project, like I'm a problem that needs to be fixed." Elena began, Stefan's eyes on her as she spoke. And very quickly, the hurt began to appear in his eyes. "I think I make him sad, and I can't be with someone like that, because when he looks at me, all he sees is a broken toy."
Seeing the look now plastered across Stefan's face, Rebekah smiles. "Do you still love Stefan."
"Yes."
"Are you still in love with Stefan?"
"No."
Tears formed in Elena's eyes, as Rebekah turned to look at the youngest Salvatore. "Did that hurt? Having someone you love drive a dagger through your heart?"
Stefan glared at her. "Go to hell."
Rebekah leaned in closer, lowering her voice as she spoke. "Did...that...hurt?"
"Yes." He answered bedgrudgingly.
Rebekah stood tall, her smile returning. "Welcome to the last nine hundred years of my life." He looks at her for a moment, but all eyes fall on the door as it bursts open, Tyler appearing before them. "Ah, good, you're here. It was just getting depressing."
Tyler looked between them all in disbelief. "What the hell is going on?"
"Listen to the rules carefully." Linking her arm through Audrey's, Rebekah walks the two toward Tyler, turning to look at the three sat around the table. "Stay in the building, no vamp-running in the hallways."
Caroline looked at her in confusion. "Vamp-running from what?"
Rebekah looks Tyler in the eye, compelling him. "Turn?"
Audrey blinked, taking a step back. "Rebekah...what are you doing?"
"He can't." The Forbes girl protested. "He'll lose control!"
"That's the whole point." Rebekah nodded. "I've exhausted all your knowledge. Now I have the professor to help me find the cure, you're just competition. Whoever finds it first gets to decide what to do with it. Use it, share it, destroy it, save it. I want that to be me."
Tyler looked horrified. "But if I turn, I'll kill them."
"Yes, you will. Turn." She nods once more, before walking out and pulling Audrey with her.
* * * * * * * * * *
Audrey had decided very soon after leaving the school, she wished had stayed with Elijah. Despite her begs to let them go, Rebekah left Caroline, Elena, and Stefan being chased by Tyler, while she went to help Kol with Shane. And in the end, helping Rebekah sent Kol off on a warpath about Silas, an apparent immortal buried alongside the cure to vampirism. She'd only been back in Mystic Falls a matter of hours, and everything seemed to be falling apart.
She dumped her keys down on the table as she walked into the Mikaelson mansion, raising a brow at her how quiet it was. "Klaus?" She called out. "Rebekah? Kol?" When no one replies, she shrugs and makes her way into the living room, as her phone begins to virbae in her pocket. "What's wrong?"
"Why are you assuming something is wrong?" Elena's voice replies.
"Because this is the first time we've talked in a while, and honestly?" Audrey begins. "I thought you'd somehow blame me for what Rebekah did today."
"You couldn't do anything." Elena said, making Audrey pause in surprise. "She had us comepelled, and she's too angry at all of us to stop when you ask. I don't blame you, Rey." She told her wholeheartedly. "Look, I'm going to the lakehouse to see Damon. It's a long story, but Jeremy and Matt are there with him. Do you want to come, see Jeremy?"
Audrey bit her lip as she considered. "I don't want to end up fighting with you."
"No more fighting." Elena told her. "I'm so sorry, Rey. For everything I've done. And I know it's going to take time to prove those words mean something, but I want to do that, if you'll give me the chance."
"I'll be at the house in ten." Audrey told her after a moment.
"Great." She could hear the joy pick up her voice. "I'll see you then."
"Yeah." Audrey mumbled, before she hung up.
Maybe this time would be different. Maybe this time, Elena wasn't going to let her down. And despite how easily she knew it could be crushed, Audrey had hope.
So it's been a while since I last updated. I had plans when I last updated at the beginning of July, to finish Anomaly by the end of the month. But then life happened. My dog got sick, and when we thought it was nothing serious, things got worse. He sadly passed away last week, and I posted on my message board about taking some time away. It's been hard, but my friends got me through it, and I'm back and ready to start writing again. And my focus is going to be on Audrey.
Sorry this is short and not the best, but this episode she wasn't needed much for. I just needed it to bring her back to Mystic Falls. She's about to be pulled back into all of the drama going forward, and what I have planned...it's going to be a lot.
I should have the next chapter out by Wednesday at the latest.
I hope you all enjoyed!