⌠ 𝘾𝙃𝘼𝙋𝙏𝙀𝙍 𝙏𝙒𝙀𝙉𝙏𝙔 ⌡
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Stuck. That's how Rory Gilbert felt. She woke up in Damon Salvatore's bed, her body aching and her head pounding. She wasn't sure if it was from her strenuous activities throughout the night or it was the fact that she was nursing the hangover that she had gotten from drinking too much alcohol, but one thing's for sure: it did not feel good. She knew she didn't feel better either; if anything, sleeping with Damon did absolutely nothing for her besides cause a momentary distraction to the horrible pain she felt when she thought about Nik—no, Klaus.
"Good morning," Damon's hand splayed over the back of her bare shoulder as she sat up in his bed, covers tugged against her chest. She felt his lips against her skin and she immediately retracted, running a hand through her hair. "Someone's grumpy."
"Not exactly in the brightest mood considering I'm going to die," stated Rory. Her cheeks flushed crimson as she caught sight of her panties tossed haphazardly over the edge of Damon's bed frame. "Kind of sucks that I spent my last night alive in bed with you, though."
"You weren't complaining a few hours ago," Damon gave her a smirk as Rory fell back against the mattress. She turned to face him, watching as the smug expression on his face slowly disappeared. "You're, uh... you're serious about sacrificing yourself for the ritual?"
Rory shrugged. "I don't see why I shouldn't—there's nothing for me here. I wouldn't want Elena to sacrifice herself. I mean, what kind of sister would I be? Plus, according to the fact that Klaus has been my "boyfriend" for about eight months, that's what he was planning to do with me anyway,"
"We can kill him today," Damon stated. "With Bonnie."
"No," Rory gave him an annoyed glance. "I told you, I don't want Bonnie to be involved with this at all. I don't want her to get hurt, Damon. Just let me do this in peace. I've made my decision; you need to respect that."
"Damon—" Elena suddenly pushed her way inside the room, stopping in her tracks. Her lips parted in surprise to see her older twin and Damon in the same bed, clothes strewn over the floor. It didn't exactly take a rocket scientist to know that they spent the night together. If anything, the fact that they were both naked gave that fact away pretty clearly. "Oh."
"Hey, Elena," Rory pushed herself into a sitting position, sheets covering her bare chest. She cleared her throat. "I'm sorry, I'll be out in a minute. Just give me a second and you can talk to Damon."
"No, no," Elena shook her head quickly. She felt a ball in her throat as she swallowed thickly—she obviously did not expect to see Rory and Damon in the same bed together. "It's alright. I was just... coming to tell you that Elijah was here, and he wanted to talk to you. I had no idea that Rory spent the night."
Damon nodded as he traced a finger down Rory's spine. "I was her distraction," Damon's lips curled into a smirk at his words. He then turned to Elena. "We'll meet you and Elijah downstairs."
Hurt flashed in Elena's eyes at his dismissal, but the brunette quickly nodded and left the room. She shut the door behind her, letting a tense silence envelop Rory and Damon. Rory ended up standing up from her place on the bed, dragging the sheets from Damon's bed across the floor to make her way towards his closet.
"I'm borrowing your stuff," said Rory, barely giving him a chance to say anything before she had slid on a pair of his boxers and an over-sized t-shirt.
Rory turned to see Damon at the entrance of the closet. "You look good in my clothes," Damon smirked.
"You'd look good in your clothes too. Speaking of, please put some on," Rory pushed past him as she tossed her messy hair into a bun, making her way towards the door. "And, by the way—not a word about this to anyone. I don't want people to know how far my standards have dropped."
Damon rolled his eyes. "Says the girl that was dating Klaus the entire time,"
Rory gave him a scathing glare. "I didn't know it was him, okay?" she snapped. "I thought we made it perfectly clear that he was just fucking with my feelings until it was time for me to die."
"Sure," Damon muttered under his breath.
The older vampire didn't buy it, though—if Klaus had everything he needed for the curse to be broken, he should've killed Rory sooner. He wouldn't have pretended to play her boyfriend for eight months. Clearly, the older male was more pathetic than he thought.
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Elijah Mikaelson approached Rory like he would an injured animal—carefully, as if the smallest movement would startle her. Rory was quiet, typing away on her laptop like her death wasn't oncoming; like there wasn't a sacrifice that hung over her head like a sledgehammer. Elijah placed a hand on her shoulder, scaring her the slightest bit. When her eyes flickered over to him, they were red-rimmed and swollen; a clear sign that the girl had been crying.
"Rory," he stated as he sat down next to her. "I would like to apologise. The way I told you about my brother was rather... unpleasant. It was done in a bout of anger; I should not have broken the news to you the way I did."
Rory gave him a hesitant smile. "It's okay. It's better that you told me now than me finding out right before the sacrifice," Rory swallowed thickly. Pain shone in her eyes clear as day. She tucked a hair behind her ear, lightly wiping the tear that threatened to roll down her cheek. "It just... took me by surprise is all. I wanted to believe that you were lying, you know? That you were just... I don't know, trying to make it easier for me to leave. But then I saw him," Rory let out a quiet laugh. "I saw him, the real him in front of me, and he didn't even bother to deny it."
"Are you sure you want to do this, Rory?" Elijah asked gently.
Rory nodded hastily, clearing her throat. She sniffled. "Yes, yes. Of course—there's no doubt about it, Elijah. I don't want Elena to bear the burden; I'm her big sister. It's... it's only right that I get sacrificed instead of her," Rory gave him a small smile, shutting her laptop. "Good thing about dying, I guess—I don't have to worry about finishing all the assignments I've procrastinated on."
"There is a way for you to live, you know," Elijah procured a small box from his jacket. He opened it to reveal a small vial. "This was an elixir I had made for Katerina before she fled."
Rory eyed the small thing warily. "It's been 500 years, Elijah. I'm pretty sure magic has an expiration date,"
"You won't know unless you try," Elijah urged.
"I don't want to get my hopes up," Rory pushed the vial away. Elijah nodded solemnly, placing it back in the small box. "I want to go in peace, Elijah. I've... I've accepted my fate. I want Elena to live her life the way she deserves."
"You're a very good sister, Rory," Elijah gave her a small smile. "It strikes me as odd no one else is fighting for you the way you fight for them."
"Fighting for me is a lost cause anyway," Rory swallowed. "I'm damaged goods. No one wants to fight for damaged goods."
"Do you really think that low of yourself?"
"Yes," Rory stood up, placing her laptop on the table. "If you'll excuse me. I have to email my professors about making my leave of absence permanent."
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After the interesting phone call with the Dean of her college, Rory was making her way out of the Grill with a milkshake in hand. Sipping thoughtfully from the straw, she didn't even realise that she was being followed until the earphones get plucked out of her ears. She looked up to see a familiar blond-haired, blue-eyed male standing before her.
"What the fuck do you want, Klaus?" Rory sneered, pushing past him.
"You're really going to hand yourself over? Just like that?" Klaus inquired as he stalked after her insistently.
"Well, you're the one that wanted to sacrifice me since the beginning. I'm just doing you a favour—I'm going without a fight," Rory shrugged. "I don't see why you're complaining about this; it's what you faked eight months of our relationship for, isn't it?"
"Rory, I told you. Not everything was faked—"
"You really did care about me? Yeah, it didn't impress me the first time, and it really won't do much the second," Rory stated. "Here's the thing, Klaus: you can tell me whatever you want. I won't believe you. It's impossible for me to ever put my trust in you ever again. Or anyone, really. Because, let's face it—you have given me trust issues to last a lifetime. Not that it matters, anyway. Thankfully, I'll be dead by morning."
"Has it not occurred to you that I'm never going to take you?" Klaus tilted his head.
Rory paused in her steps, turning to face him. "You said you would. You said you understood,"
"I've been lying to you for the past eight months, Rory. What makes you think I have any hesitancy in lying to you again?"
"God, you are such a fucking asshole," Rory slammed her hand against his chest roughly. He barely flinched, simply quirking an eyebrow at her reaction. "I told you, Klaus. Take me. If you ever really "cared" about me, then you'll take me. Leave my sister out of this. I'm begging you."
"And I'm saying no," Klaus retorted. He held out his arm, the familiar pendant placed in his palm. "Put it on, Rory."
"No," Rory shook her head.
"I said put it on,"
"Fuck you," Rory snarled. "Fuck. You. You don't get to play with my feelings for months and suddenly act like you care. You were planning on sacrificing me anyway if you hadn't found out Elena was alive, so don't even bother. Every word that comes out of your mouth is bullshit."
Klaus gazed at her calmly. "If you don't put it on, I will make you,"
Rory glared at him heatedly, leaning forward. "I hate you,"
A moment of silence blanketed the two of them. Their gazes were stone cold, boring into each other's. Rory's jaw was clenched tensely, and so was Klaus' fists. The pendant felt cold against his skin, as if calling out for the warmth it felt against Rory's neck.
"Rory—" Klaus began.
"No," Rory cut him off before he could even begin. "If you try to talk to me again, I will throw my milkshake on you. Just leave me the hell alone."
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Rory didn't even manage to step a foot inside the Salvatore household before her back was pressed against the wall. She let out a gasp as her eyes connected with Damon's furious gaze. "What the hell, Damon?" Rory snapped, shoving him back. "Don't do that."
"You won't even try to take Elijah's witch potion?" Damon asked, trailing after her insistently. "Are you serious, Rory? You're just willing to let yourself die? Just like that?"
"Careful—I'm starting to think it's me you're in love with," Rory snorted.
Damon crossed his arms over his chest. "That's not the case, Rory—you're Elena's sister. And... and, you're my friend. If there's even a chance—"
"No, Damon. Elijah's elixir is over 500 years old. There's no way that the magic in it could still be working," Rory pulled out a cupcake from the fridge, prepared to put it in the microwave. "Please, stop making it more difficult than it's supposed to be. I told you, I've made my peace. I'm okay with being the sacrificial lamb, so stop."
"Your martyr complex is worse than Stefan and Elena's combined," Damon strode towards her. "There is a different way to save your life, you know."
Rory sighed. "What do you mean?" Rory then heard the sound of flesh tearing. Before she could open her mouth to inquire what Damon was doing, he forced his bleeding wrist against her mouth. She cried out in surprise, attempting to shove him back. "Damon, Damon stop!" she yelped as the crimson liquid smeared against her lips. He used his vampire strength to keep her in her place, forcing his blood down her throat. "No, no—"
Her words were cut off as Damon was quite literally thrown off Rory. The brunette fell to the knees, coughing and hacking at the vile, metallic taste that flooded her mouth. Stefan's fist slammed against Damon's cheek, Elena dropping to the floor next to Rory to stare at Damon in horror.
"What did you do, huh? What did you do?!" Stefan shouted over his brother.
"I saved her life," Damon retorted. He turned his gaze to Rory. "You're so bent on dying, at least this way I know you'll come back."
"As a vampire! She'll come back a vampire!"
"It's better than nothing else,"
"How could you, of all people, take that choice away from her?"
Damon's eyes bore into Rory's. "I did what I had to do. No one else was fighting for you," Damon gave Stefan a glare as he shoved him off. "You can hate me all you want, but you're not dying today, Rory."
"You're right," Klaus' voice spoke from the doorway. Everybody in the room whipped around to face the Original, Rory included. Her lips parted in surprise as his foot stepped past the entrance. "She isn't dying today."
"Klaus," Rory spoke in a warning tone.
Klaus gave her a smirk. "You finished your milkshake, sweetheart,"
Before anyone could even react, both Damon and Stefan's necks got snapped within a millisecond. Elena let out a cry of surprise, Klaus' hand wrapping around Rory's arm. Before the girl could even let out a protest, Klaus had sped her out of the boarding house.
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Klaus tugged Rory past Alaric's doorway, slamming the front door behind him. Rory brushed him off with a furious glance, glaring at him as he walked towards the kitchen. Katherine's head peered out curiously from the bedroom, before trailing towards her doppelganger curiously.
"What's she doing here?" Katherine inquired.
"Exactly what I'd like to know," Rory snapped, rubbing at her arm.
"Safekeeping, of course. If any of the Salvatores attempt to save Elena, then at least I'll have my backup," Klaus lied as he stood near the window. He then turned to Katherine, beckoning her forward. The vampire does as told. "What have you been doing?"
"Making coffee," Katherine responded. "Do you want some?"
Klaus grabbed her by the neck roughly, compelling her. "Tell me what you've been doing,"
Katherine choked out, "Making coffee,"
Klaus released her, causing Katherine to stumble over her feet. When she attempted to walk away, Klaus said, "Wait. Take off your bracelet," Katherine tugged off her bracelet, handing it to him. "Now, I want you to talk over to the window and stand in the sunlight."
"Klaus," Rory said in horror at Katherine's frightened look. "She'll burn."
"She doesn't have a choice," Klaus strode towards the kitchen, resting a hand over Rory's shoulder. "Don't you, Katerina?"
Katherine's eyes flickered between both Rory and Klaus. Knowing that she was on vervain and fully well could not be compelled, she decided to save her own skin. She walked towards the window, letting herself be exposed to the sunlight that leaked through the parted windows. Katherine let out a scream as her skin began to blister.
"Klaus!" Rory exclaimed. "Klaus, stop!"
"That's enough," Klaus called over Katherine's screams. Katherine immediately sped to the darkest corner of the room, curling into herself as her skin mended together. "Good. I want you to make sure Rory stays in this apartment. Make sure she doesn't leave. If she steps a foot past that doorway, I want you to find Jeremy Gilbert and behead him."
"No—"
"Understood?" Klaus gave Katherine a pointed glance.
"Yes," Katherine gritted out.
"Perfect. Now, I need you to do something for me..."
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Rory was almost wearing holes in the floor of the apartment, her teeth gnawing at her nails nervously. Katherine eyed the girl with her chin tucked against her knuckles. Truthfully, Rory could walk out of this apartment and Katherine wouldn't have done a damn thing—she couldn't be compelled, but Rory didn't have to know that. Katherine didn't have a single problem with Elena being the sacrifice; in fact, she preferred it that way. Rory was the lesser annoying version of the younger doppelganger, after all. Plus, Katherine didn't have to compete for Stefan's affection. Two birds, one stone.
"Katherine, please. You have to let me out," Rory pleaded.
"No can do," Katherine examined her nails. "I mean, you're free to walk out if you want. It's just that your little brother might lose a head."
Rory pressed her hands over her cheeks, feeling her palms begin to sweat. She let out a frustrated sigh. "Why is he doing this to me? I told him. I told him I'd go without a fight—"
"I've spent five centuries running from him, Rory. It's better not to question the mercy he spares you," Katherine gave her a faux smile as she let her hand drop against the table.
Just as Katherine finished her sentence, Klaus entered past the doorway. "Where's Maddox?" the Original immediately inquired.
"I don't know," Katherine responded.
"Klaus, let me go," Rory demanded as she stalked after the blond. Klaus continued to ignore her as he sat on the couch, opening his laptop. On the screen was a video of Jules, chained to the wall. "You can't keep me here and expect me to be okay with letting you use my sister."
"I don't expect you to do anything, actually," Klaus responded without looking up. "As Katerina said—you should not question my decisions when it comes to mercy."
"I don't want mercy. I want you to use me," Rory said furiously.
Klaus looked up at her, a simple smirk on his lips. His eyes twinkled with an unknown emotion. "I do enjoy you, Rory," he stated. His eyes then drifted to where Damon stood in the doorway, pushing open the door. "I wasn't aware you'd been invited in."
Rory whirled around to face the younger vampire, a look of shock on her face. Damon simply walked into the apartment. "I've come here to tell you that you have to postpone the ritual,"
"Didn't we already have this conversation?"
"Yeah, but that was before I rescued your werewolf and vampire and killed your witch," said Damon boldly.
Klaus stood up from his place on the couch. He gently pushed Rory aside as he strode towards Damon, eyeing him with interest. "Excuse me?"
"And you can kill me for it. I don't care. It was all me," Damon retorted.
"Katerina, give us a moment," Klaus said. Katherine's eyes flickered between the two men, before she did as said. Klaus then turned to stride towards Rory, slipping his hands over the girl's shoulders. "I've heard about you—the crazy, impulsive vampire in love with his brother's girl. Now, I hear that you've caused a bit of a nuisance with little Rory as well," Klaus tutted. "I knew one of you would try to stop me—it was just a 50/50 guess on who."
"Klaus, leave him alone," Rory whispered.
"I don't think so," Klaus brushed a hand under Rory's chin as he strode towards his laptop, facing it towards Damon. "The nice thing about werewolves is they tend to travel in packs. Need a closer look?" Klaus tossed him a cell phone so he could see better.
"Jules," Damon breathed.
"When you spent a thousand years trying to break a curse, you learn a thing or two—first rule, always have a backup. Backup werewolf, back up witch..."
"Backup vampire,"
Klaus smirked. "I've got that covered, too."
Rory whirled around to face Klaus, eyes widening. "Who did you turn?" she asked. When he didn't respond, she grabbed the collar of his shirt. "Who did you turn, Klaus?"
"You really did hurt my feelings, Rory," Klaus pressed a kiss over her forehead. "I suppose some things were just not meant to be."
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Rory sat up with a gasp, feeling her head spin. She stumbled out of the bedroom, into the living room. Damon was just sitting up from his unconscious state on the ground, Katherine crouching over him with a concerned expression on her face. At the sound of Rory's footsteps, Katherine stood up to face her.
"That son of a bitch chloroformed me!" Rory exclaimed. "Where the hell is he?!"
"He's gone. He went to do the ritual," Katherine gave her an apologetic look. "I'm sorry—I had to. He would have known that I was on vervain if I didn't do it."
"You were on vervain?" Rory questioned angrily. "You mean you could've let me leave?!"
"Rory, I was looking out for myself," Katherine retorted.
"Yeah, well, I've had enough," Rory brushed a hand over her hair in a frazzled state. "Wait... wait a second. What did Klaus make you do?"
"He made me call her to lure her out. He needed another vampire,"
"Who did you call?" Rory questioned. At Katherine's ashen look, Rory reached forward to grasp her arm. "Who did you call, Katherine?"
"Jenna," Katherine whispered.
A/N: and... klaus is a gift that just keeps on giving, isnt he?