A young Niklaus chased a little Layla through the woods playing a game.
"You will never catch me Niklaus!" the little girl giggled.
"Yes I will Layla!" Niklaus yelled back.
Layla turned around to see Niklaus catching up to her quickly. She ran faster, not wanting to be tagged. She moved further away from Niklaus, running so fast she couldn't keep up with her little feet. She was not looking at where she was going and fell over a rock laying on the forest floor.
She fell to the ground, scraping her knee on the way down.
"Layla!" Niklaus yelled running toward her.
Layla sat in a daze, and finally pulled her dress up to inspect the cut. It was a deep one, in her knee, it was sure to scar.
"Are you alright?" Niklaus asked her.
"It hurts," Layla told him.
Niklaus gave her a small smile, "It will hurt for awhile."
"Make it stop," she asked.
Niklaus, smiled before placing a small kiss on her knee, "Now it will get better."
Layla smiled,"Do you promise we will be together forever?"
Niklaus smiled at her, "We are best friends."
Layla smiled at him, as long as she remembered Niklaus and her have been friends but, now that she was older she developed feelings for him.
Layla smirked at Niklaus before tapping him on the shoulder, "Now you are it!" she yelled.
***********************
When Layla woke up, Klaus was gone. Her head was still spinning with facts that she learned of the night before. She was given a death sentence, unless Klaus was willing to give up his life, which she doubted he would.
Layla got dressed quickly and left her house to held Caroline and Bonnie with decorating the square for the Night of Illuminations. She thought that maybe Bonnie could help her with her curse problem.
**************************
"Layla, that doesn't look right," Caroline told her.
Layla rolled her eyes, "Then why don't you do it then?"
"Because I'm the supervisor," she smirked.
Bonnie rolled her eyes at her, "Layla, tell me more about the curse."
"Pretty basic, I die a bunch of times, I am reborn to fall in love with Klaus, and then die," Layla told her.
"Well," Caroline said, "Do you love him?"
Layla felt color rush to her face. Did she love him? She wasn't sure, she wasn't going to deny that feeling existed but, were the feelings strong? He was always there for her, tried to protect her from everything. At times he could be sweet, but others he was raging lunatic.
Layla flashed her friends a smile, "Of course not."
"How did the witch say you could break it?" Bonnie asked.
"Klaus has to die," Layla stated.
"Well we will kill him then, you can live," Caroline shrugged.
Layla scoffed, "I highly doubt that, I already faced the facts and I am going to live like I never lived before for the next couples of months."
Bonnie sighed and went back to decorating. She was always so good at facing death. She wasn't even phased by it any more. After losing her whole family, she wanted to join them in the grave.
"So when you did the spell to send Vicki away, did that get rid of Anna, too?" Layla sled with pain in her voice. She was upset Vicki didn't find peace and was looking for vengeance.
"I wish. All I did was block the magic that was helping Vicki get a physical foothold here," Bonnie sighed, "Jeremy's still got a direct line to the other side, and as long as he wants to see Anna and she wants to see him, she's still here."
"Okay, you don't think I can actually resist commenting on that," Caroline said.
"There. You commented," Bonnie shrugged.
"Bonnie..." Caroline said.
"What do you want me to say, guys?" Bonnie asked, "I went against the balance of nature when I brought Jeremy back to life, and now I'm paying the consequences."
"Well, I want you to say you're not okay with it," Caroline insisted.
"I'm a thousand times not okay with it. I just don't know what to do about it," Bonnie said sighing.
Layla wrapped an arm around her friend, "It will be fine, Jeremy is just being an ass."
The conversation was ended when Damon pulled up beside them in his car "Greetings, blondie. Witchy. Human with a weird curse. I think you got your voodoo wires all crossed when you got rid of Vicki Donovan."
"What do you mean, why?" Bonnie asked confused.
"Because I'm pretty sure I just got spit-roasted by Mason Lockwood's ghost."
"What?" Layla asked.
"And why would you think that?" Caroline asked with shock also on her face.
"Maybe because he chained me to a chair and shoved a hot poker in my chest." Damon said, "Let's just say I'm having déjà vu."
Layla smirked at Damon, "Sounds like a start of a porno."
Damon rolled his eyes at her playfully. Caroline looked over at Bonnie, "I thought you said that ghosts couldn't physically interact with people."
"They can't."
"Yeah, well, I don't have time for a vengeful Lockwood. When I kill someone, they're supposed to stay dead," Damon said, "Whatever you screwed up, fix it."
Damon drove away leaving a stressed Bonnie. Layla looked looked at her worried before looking across the street at Matt, who was watching them.
****************
"Matt!" Layla yelled out, walking across the street to catch him. Caroline and Bonnie followed closely behind.
Matt looked worried, I haven't seen Vicki, I swear. I sent her back like you told me to."
"Are you sure?" Bonnie asked, "Because she has just as much reason to haunt Damon as Mason Lockwood does."
"She's gone, Bonnie," Matt said, "If she was here, I'd know it."
"Why do you think it's Vicki and not Mason?" Caroline asked.
"Because if any ghost other than Vicki Donovan has a physical foothold on our side, then that means Damon's right and something has gone really, really wrong." Layla muttered.
"I've had enough of this ghost stuff to last forever," Matt told them, "So you guys can leave me out of this one."
Matt turned away and left. Layla looked at the ground sadly, she felt sympathy for him because like him, she also lost her siblings. Matt and her always got in the middle of supernatural stuff. It felt as if they were the only normal ones living in Mystic Falls.
"I feel so sad for him. It took a lot for him to send his sister away," Caroline said sadly.
"Yeah," Layla agreed.
"So much strength as a man," Caroline continued.
Layla rolled her eyes at Caroline, "I've got a ghost problem to deal with, Caroline. Save the Jeremy lecture for later."
Bonnie chucked as she reached for her bag and everything fell on the floor, including her grimoires. She was about to pick it up but, a gust of wind swept through opening it to a page.
"Okay, did your grimoire just..." Layla began.
"I think so," Bonnie mumbled. She picked up the grimoire and began to read the page.
"Okay, please tell me that's a recipe for witch cookies," Caroline said quietly.
"It's a manifestation spell," Bonnie said, "It's used to reveal veiled matter."
"What's veiled matter?" Layla asked.
"Ghosts."
***************
Caroline, Bonnie, and Layla sat in the witch house, seeking answers. Layla sat on the ground looking just the old structure, admiring of how pretty it must of have been in the past.
"So this is where you brought Jeremy back to life?" Caroline asked, studying the room around her.
Bonnie nodded, "Yeah. Sorry, I know it's creepy, but we needed a private place around here to do the spell."
"Hmm. There's no chance it's haunted by the hundred dead witches who were horrifically burned to death in this very spot, is there?" Caroline said, fear appearing in her voice.
Layla chuckled, "What Caroline? You afraid?"
"They're not here anymore," BonnI assured Caroline, "And they made it clear they were never coming back."
Caroline nodded, "Right. A pinkie swear?"
Layla rolled her eyes at Caroline. She could be such a baby at times. When they were freshman, it was always Layla that got them to do things on the dangerous side. Like when Layla took them to a senior party, and they all got drunk, it was Caroline that was afraid the most. To this day, Layla wasn't sure if it was the actually part or the people there. But to this day, it still make Layla chuckle at Caroline's reaction.
Layla were lighting candles, like Bonnie told them to, "Ready? Do you need me to do..." Caroline was stopped by Bonnie who was already casting the spell. "Right. Okay," Caroline mumbled.
Bonnie continued to cast the spell as the wind picked up. Leaves and debris blew around Layla. It continued to get stronger as the spell went on.
"Bonnie, I don't like this. Bonnie..." Caroline said worry trailed her voice.
Suddenly someone grabbed Bonnie's hands. When Layla and Caroline looked at the person, a smile spread on both of their faces.
"Oh, my God. Is that your...?" Caroline began to say.
Bonnie looked at the woman shocked, "Grams."
She looked at her grandmother happy, tears streaming down her face, "I can't believe you're here!"
Sheila shushed Bonnie, "Now stop your crying, we don't have time for tears." She looked at both Layla and Caroline,
"Nice to see you again, Caroline and Layla."
Layla gave her a smile and a wave. Caroline broke into a grin, "Hi, Miss Sheila."
Sheila looked back at Bonnie, "A fine mess you've made, honey. The witches told you there'd be consequences to bringing Jeremy back and you did it anyway."
"I didn't have a choice," Bonnie said, "I love him and I... I couldn't just let him go."
I understand. But you cracked open the door to the other side. There's an old witch over here. She took advantage of it. She took advantage of you, honey," Sheila told her, "When you did that spell to send Vicki Donovan away, she wedged the door wide open. Giving a free pass to anybody with unfinished business."
"How do you know this?" Bonnie asked.
"Witches talk. Even on the other side," she smiled, "Who do you think makes all the rules?"
"What does the witch want?"
"That's original vampire business, not yours. I don't want you getting in the middle of that," she said, "But for you Layla, you unwillingly got caught up in the middle."
Layla looked at her shocked, "Do you know about the curse?"
"Do I know about it?" Sheila laughed, "I've studied it my whole life. Every witch is interested in it, you're the only one that we have heard that has it, O never realized that you were the 'Layla',"
Layla slightly smiled, "Do you know how I can break it?"
"You already know that answer, but for now, go with it, love Klaus," she said, "Although I don't know if it is possible for you to become a vampire, you have nothing to loose by trying."
Layla frowned, she didn't want to become a vampire, she would rather die than become one.
Sheila turned to her granddaughter, "I'm here because you upset the balance of nature. And it's your duty to set it right. You need to close that door."
*********************
Layla sat on the floor on the phone with Elena, trying to track down the necklace, "Elena where is the necklace Stefan gave you?"
"Well hi to you to Layla, Elena mumbled, "Why do you need it?"
"It is the reason the veil is down, Bonnie needs to put it back up," Layla shrugged.
"How do we do that?" Elena asked.
"Apparently the old witch can draw power from this side because of her talisman," Layla explained.
"Talisman... My necklace?"
Layla sighed, "It's some ju-ju power source. And I know you're not going to like this, but Bonnie needs to destroy it."
It was silent on the other end, then Layla heard Elena gasp, "I just walked in on Jeremy kissing the reason I'm completely okay with that."
Layla began to laugh, "Are you kidding?"
"I wish," Elena mumbled, "Look, I don't have the necklace. Damon has it somewhere. Text him. I'll call you right back."
Layla groaned before hanging up and sending a text explaining to him why she needed the necklace. He quickly texted her back, giving her the location. "Caroline, Bonnie, come on, Damon told me where the necklace was."
*****************
Caroline and Layla searched Damon's room for the necklace. All of the places they might remotely be, they weren't, typically Damon.
"It's not here," Layla said frustrated.
"Call him," Caroline said.
Layla dialed Damon's number, only to directed to his voicemail, "He's not answering, call Elena."
Caroline nodded, before dialing her number. "Hello?" Elena said on the other line.
"So the necklace isn't where Damon said it would be and now we can't reach Damon," Caroline huffed.
"Listen, I need you to get Bonnie to hold off on sending the ghosts back."
"What?! But you said you were in full support of getting rid of them," Caroline said.
"I was. I am," Elena told her, "Look, Lexi's here and she's helping with Stefan."
"Okay, let's just find it first and then we'll choose between boyfriend ghost dramas." Caroline disconnected and looked at Layla, "We have to hold on until we do the spell."
Layla looked at Caroline confused, "What do you mean?"
"Um, Caroline said, trying to search for the right words, "Lexi's back, so Elena wants us to hold off on destroying the necklace,"
Layla sighed, "All ways listening to captain Elena."
Bonnie ignored her comment, "You said boyfriend dramas. Plural. What is it, Caroline?"
Caroline sighed, giving Bonnie a sad look, "Elena caught Jeremy kissing Anna."
"What?" Bonnie asked, disbelief forming in her face.
"I'm sorry."
"He kissed her?"
"She's got a foothold now, so she probably thinks that she's here to stay," Caroline said softly, "But you, Layla and I, Bonnie, we're going to find that necklace. Ok?"
"Okay."
They began to search threw more things. Layla managed to tear apart his closet and dresser. Bonnie looked through the trunk at the foot of the bed, everything was scattered on the floor. Caroline searched through his bathroom, she threw the soap bowl to the ground, finding nothing.
"I give up!" Layla yelled, "Time to move, preferably New Orleans."
Bonnie's phone began to ring and when she looked at the caller ID, she wasn't happy, meaning it was Jeremy. Before she could answer Layla picked up, "What do you want Jer?"
"Layla?nDid you find that necklace?" he asked.
"Not yet," she said, hearing sirens in the background, "Wait, what's going on?"
Jeremy sighed, "Ghosts of the tomb vampires killed Tobias Fell. You might want to find that necklace before they start going alphabetically through the founding families."
"Well, it's not where it's supposed to be," Layla said, "Unless someone took it."
"Who?"
"Well, who do you think?" Layla said with sarcasm.
"She said she didn't take it," Jeremy said, referring to Anna.
"You know what, yeah, yeah, I do believe her," Jeremy said, taking offense in Layla's tone.
"You know what, you're an even bigger idiot than I thought," she growled, "So wake up, Jeremy, before you lose everything." Layla hung the phone u and threw it down roughly.
"It's not hear, let's just leave," Layla mumbled to her two friends.
****************
Caroline just hung her phone up, after being on with Jeremy. They decided to drive back to the witch house, to figure some things out.
"Jeremy's got the necklace," Caroline informed the, "He's going to meet us at the witch house."
"Okay," Bonnie said, looking ahead, "What's going on up there?"
Caroline stopped the car, someone crashed there car into a tree, she immediate recognized the car.
"It's Mrs. Lockwood's car," Caroline said. The group of girls became silent, after seeing the tomb vampires making there way to the car.
"Bonnie? Layla? I'm going to get out of the car," Caroline told them.
"What?" Layla hissed.
"And you're going to drive the hell away from here."
"No way!" Bonnie said, "I am not leaving you!
"Bonnie, you've got your ghost boyfriend drama. Elena has hers. And right now the mother of mine is about to be ghost bait. So go and send them all back to the other side, ok?" Caroline said before getting out of the car. Layla quickly got in the driver seat and drove away.
************
Layla helped Bonnie light the candles quickly, although Bonnie could do it faster with her powers. The room was soon illuminated .
"Bonnie! Layla!" Jere,y yelled, walking Dow the steps of the witch house.
Bonnie was not visibly happy to see Jeremy here. Jeremy gave her a slight smile before showing her the necklace. Bonnie took the heh necklace and threw it into the fire and began to chant a spell. Her Grams showed up, taking her hand to help cast the spell. Layla watched into the fire, as the name klaus slowly burned.
Soon the necklace was completely burned and Sheila looked at her granddaughter, "You are stronger than all of this. I'm so proud of you."
Bonnie began to cry as her Grams disappeared.
"Bonnie," Jeremy said sadly. He just wanted to comfort the girl he hurt.
"Bonnie didn't look at him, "Just go away Jeremy."
"I owe you an explanation," he told her as he got closer.
Bonnie turned and glared at him, "Matt let go of his sister before you let go of Anna. His sister, Jeremy. You know what you owe me? The respect of not making me listen to you explain yourself."
"I'm sorry Bonnie."
"Jer, just go," Layla whispered to him.
"But-"
Bonnie cut him off, "Just go, Jeremy."
He sighed before leaving. Layla sat on the ground, with her head between her knees, she wanted to go home and sleep, today has been to stressful. She was pulled out of her thought by a popping sound coming from the fireplace. Bonnie and her inched closer to it. Upon the burnt wood, laid the necklace, still perfectly intact.
**************
Layla laid in her bed, wide awake. Something was missing, she couldn't place a finger on it. She heard her door open slightly starling her, she slowly looked up to see Klaus standing in her doorway.
"What the hell are you doing here?" she asked, "I thought you were off making hybrids."
Klaus smirked, "Now I couldn't leave you love, without checking up, that curse sounds nasty."
Layla rolled her eyes at him, "So you came back, just to see I'm okay?"
Klaus chuckled, "Any scratches? How about bruises?"
Layla smiled, "I'm fine. Thank you."
Klaus gave her one last smile, and turning away. Her heart spoke before her brain could process, "You're leaving?"
Klaus turned around, "Of course love, I have hybrids to make."
Layla sighed, "It's late, you can stay if you'd like."
Klaus smiled at her. He inched closer brushing the hair out of her face, "And what would your friends think?"
"Who cares," Layla mumbled.
Klaus smiled before kissing her head. He kicked off his boots and stripped his shirt off, before climbing into bed with Layla. She cuddled up next to him, resting her head on his chest. Klaus wrapped a protective arm around her, pulling her in closer to him. Soon Layla feel to sleep.