I groaned waking up and winced as I felt something pierce my arm. I looked down as an I.V was inserted into my vein and I furrowed my eyebrows, quickly sitting up but groaning at how weak I was. "Oh, be careful. Moving only makes it hurt worse." A nurse warned from above me. I looked between her and the I.V in confusion and realized I sat tied to a chair as Elena sat beside me, tied to another chair and unconscious as her blood was being taken also.
"What are you doing?" I asked in concern as I looked over Elena worriedly, looking for any sign of her breathing.
"Draining you of all of your blood." A voice replied and I looked across from me as Klaus sat on a couch next to a pair of French doors, staring towards Elena and I emotionless. I furrowed my eyebrows, realizing we were inside of the Mikaelson mansion, by the looks of all of the packing boxes spread around the room. I groaned and tired to get up from the chair but Elena's hands, as well as mine, were tied to the chair's arms while our torsos were tied to the back of them. Footsteps came into the room and I looked up to see Tyler carrying a small box in his hands carelessly before he stopped in his tracks and furrowed his eyebrows towards Elena and I as we sat across from him.
"Mari?" Tyler asked in confusion towards me and I sighed in relief.
"Tyler, help us." I pleaded towards him as Elena groaned from beside me, coming into consciousness. Tyler quickly put the box down beside him, on top of a pile of others before he came towards Elena and I.
"He can't." Klaus stated emotionless and I furrowed my eyebrows as Tyler stopped immediately and looked back at Klaus in confusion. "He needs to go fetch me more empty blood bags. About three liters worth, please, Tyler." He informed, nodding towards Tyler who furrowed his eyebrows and looked at Elena and I again.
"Ty, please." Elena whispered weakly towards him as she woke up. "Get Stefan.. Please." She stated furrowing her eyebrows as she leant her head back against the chair in exhaustion.
"No, Tyler.. Get the bags." Klaus stated slowly towards Tyler who stood in front of us all motionless. Tyler stared at me for a few seconds motionless before turned his head back at Klaus uncertain.. Tyler went to vamp towards Elena and I before Klaus vamped in front of him, grabbing him by the throat. "Forget the girls and get the bags." Klaus demanded angrily down at his hybrid. "Now." He warned emotionlessly and Tyler looked over Klaus' shoulder towards Elena and I in defeat before he walked away from us and out of the room again. I groaned in annoyance and tried to use my magic but I was too weak. I looked at Elena who tried to escape the bonds from around her wrists as Klaus walked up the steps that were set behind us, leading into another room but he lingered behind our chairs.
"So that's it? You're just going to bleed us dry?" Elena asked in annoyance towards Klaus as her eyes glazed over.
"Yes. But don't worry.. It'll be completely painless." Klaus reassured her as he stood directly behind her chair and leant over her slowly. "As the last drop is drawn.. You'll simply fall asleep." He stated quietly with a smirk. I watched as a look of terror showed on Elena's face and I groaned, trying to break the ropes from around my wrists but they wouldn't budge. Klaus snickered at us and walked into the room behind us, leaving us alone and I groaned loudly in frustration.
~~~
I watched as the nurse changed out the blood bags for I and Elena's I.V's and I breathed weakly towards Klaus as he stood in front of us, watching intently. "What about your hybrids?" I asked, tilting my head at him. "You might be draining both of usâbut if we die, there won't be another doppelgänger... You'll need more than this to create your army." I pointed out emotionlessly and Klaus sighed, putting his hands behind his back as he tilted his head at me. The nurse walked past Klaus with the liters of blood from Elena and I before Klaus grabbed one from her and examined it closely.
"These last few liters will suffice. You see.. By attempting to kill us, my mother strengthened the bond between my siblings and I. I don't need hybrids. I have my family." Klaus replied as he looked up at me from the blood bag and gave it back to the nurse, letting her walk out of the room through the French doors.
"If you believe that, why take any blood at all?" Elena asked weakly towards him and Klaus rose an eyebrow at her. "You want a backup family. You know that your siblings will never trust you again." She stated in some amusement and I smirked weakly, closing my eyes as Klaus narrowed his.
"It's been fun, Klaus." I stated towards him before I opened my eyes as saw him looking at me in confusion. "You know.. Seeing how well you teared your family apart. I meanâthere's only so much a person can do to fix something.. that can't actually be fixed." I added with a small chuckle and Klaus smirked down at me as I dozed off slowly.
"Sweet dreams, cousin.. It's been fun." Klaus replied softly towards me and I gave a small smile, feeling his eyes still staring down at me.
"Oh, rot in hell, NiKlaus." I stated emotionlessly before I felt my eyes drop completely and I dozed off.
~~~
I groaned waking up again and looking over at Elena who was dozed off beside me. I slowly shook my head and looked around the room we were in to see we were alone. I took all of the energy I had in me and tried to move out of the ropes again but they didn't budge. "Elena." I whispered towards her but she didn't move nor hear me. "Elâ" I started again before I heard light footsteps and looked towards Tyler who quickly came into the room, rushing towards Elena and I. I watched as Tyler broke the ropes binding Elena to the chair as she lightly stirred while he took out her I.V. He made his way towards me and broke the ropes around my torso, moving to the ones around my wrists as I furrowed my eyebrows. "What are you doing?" I asked in a hoard voice towards him and he shook his head back at me.
"Sh.." Tyler warned quietly, breaking the ropes around my wrists and I slowly nodded in agreement before he took out my I.V as well. I looked at him silently before I saw a figure from the corner of my eye and I widened my eyes.
"Tyler.." I warned looking past him and he furrowed his eyebrows up at me from where he leant in front of me. Tyler followed my gaze behind him and to Klaus who stood in the next room across from us, narrowing his eyes at Tyler threateningly.
"So much for that sire bond." Klaus stated emotionlessly and watched as Tyler slowly stood from beside me.
"I'm not your little bitch anymore." Tyler admitted angrily and I watched Klaus smirk back at him and slowly walk into the room from the French doors.
"How did you break the sire bond?" Klaus asked raising an eyebrow at Tyler, ignoring Elena and I who sat in the chairs freely.
"By breaking every bone in my body a hundred times for the girl that I love." Tyler answered emotionlessly and Klaus narrowed his eyes.
"That's impossible." Klaus countered in disbelief, lightly shaking his head and Tyler furrowed his eyebrows and walked towards Klaus, closing the space between them.
"Is it? Or maybe real love is stronger than fake loyalty." Tyler pointed out in annoyance as he stood directly in front of Klaus now. "But what would you know about that?" He added through gritted teeth and Klaus narrowed his eyes.
"You know, you should be thanking me. I gave you a gift, I took away your misery." Klaus replied, spitting at Tyler who furrowed his eyebrows.
"You didn't give a crap about me! You just didn't want to be alone!" Tyler protested loudly back at him. I looked at Elena who's eyes fluttered weakly as Tyler came back towards us, looking at me but I shook my head.
"Her. Grab her." I stated gesturing at Elena and Tyler slowly nodded in agreement before he picked her up from the chair and carefully held her in his arms. I looked at Klaus who clenched his jaw before he vamped at Tyler and I widened my eyes. Klaus pushed Elena out of Tyler's arms and I watched as she fell to the floor, hitting the side of her head forcefully on the step behind us. "Elena!" I screamed weakly towards her and got out of the chair, standing before I fell to the floor beside Elena as Klaus grabbed Tyler by the throat and vamped him towards the wall, holding him there.
"Good-bye, Tyler." Klaus stated angrily and holding a hand above Tyler, ready to plunge it into his chest but Tyler quickly grabbed Klaus' hand that held his throat and twisted it. I looked towards the two as Stefan and Damon vamped into the room and towards Klaus, helping Tyler hold him back as Stefan dug his fingers into Klaus' chest, above his heart. Klaus screamed out in pain towards Stefan before he became silent and groaned, furrowing his eyebrows and clenching his teeth. I furrowed my eyes as Klaus became more and more still and weak, letting Damon move away from him and towards me quickly.
"Elena." I stated, shaking my head and gesturing towards her and Damon furrowed his eyebrows down at me before he moved towards Elena who slowly got up from the floor and picked her head up from the step, holding it and furrowing her eyebrows.
"Hey. You okay?" Damon asked worriedly towards her and she slowly nodded in agreement and sighed before he gently stood her up. Damon came back towards me and grabbed me, standing me up gently as well and I furrowed my eyebrows and looked over his shoulder and towards Klaus again. Stefan and Tyler furrowed their eyebrows as him as his body slowly started to desiccate from under Stefan's touch. Klaus didn't breath or speak.. He just looked around the room towards all of us as his eyes became more and more glossed over. I felt his energy disappear from within his body and I slowly shook my head and watched as he finally became fully desiccated and motionless. He stared at Stefan emotionless as Stefan pulled away and Tyler gently laid Klaus on the floor, leaving him there.
"We should get them home before the sun sets." Stefan warned, looking over his shoulder at Damon who slowly nodded down at me in agreement. I looked at Elena who touched the side of her head that she hit and I sighed, grabbing her and hugging her tightly. I pulled away and held her face in my hands, looking her over worriedly.
"We're okay." I whispered weakly towards her and she slowly nodded back at me as her eyes glazed over and she looked towards Klaus. "Come on." I added reassuringly before I walked her towards the front door while Stefan and Damon followed.
~~~
Elena, Stefan, Damon and I all got out of the car and walked towards the house as they followed. "You two are really going to walk us all the way to the door, aren't you?" I asked sighing deeply as we walked across the street.
"Well, you two lost a lot of blood today." Stefan replied and I looked at Elena who sighed.
"Yeah, But we told you. We're fine and I justâI have a little headache." Elena pointed out as we walked into the sidewalk and up the walkway to the house.
"Yeah, But the suns about to go down and Ric's going to be able to terrorize the streets any minute." Damon countered and I sighed, shaking my head back at him.
"He can't hurt us. It's you two that we should be worrying about." I replied in annoyance and Stefan sighed back at me.
"He won't be able to find us." Stefan reassured as we walked up the porch and I opened the door, letting Elena walk in before me. "I'll uh, I'll call you when we get back." He added nodding at Elena who slowly nodded back at him.
"I'll call you from the road." Damon stated looking at me and I folded my arms back at him as he nodded. "After we dump Klaus' body in the Atlantic." He added and I watched as the two were about to leave before I shook my head.
"Just.. Be careful." I warned and watched as they both looked back at me and I looked at Elena and sighed. "Both of you." I added nodding between the two and they gave Elena and I small smiles before they walked off of the porch and towards the car again as I shut the door behind them.
"IâI think I'm gonna take a nap." Elena stated walking towards the stairs before I shook my head.
"No, I don't trust that. You hit your head pretty hard." I warned pulling her towards me and examining it as we walked towards the kitchen. "I think you should take some pain reliever and drink water." I stated with a sigh and walked into the kitchen as the sound of flattering dishes and laughter came into our ears, making me furrow my eyebrows as all of our friends stood before us.
"What are you guys doing here?" Elena asked with a small smile towards them and they all turned to us with smiles.
"Welcome to our victory party!" Caroline yelled out happily as she held booze in her hand and I rose an eyebrow.
"What victory?" I asked, folding my arms over my chest as they all stood around the kitchen island. "We failed. Alaric's still out there." I pointed out and furrowed my eyebrows.
"We know." Bonnie agreed from beside Caroline who poured shots while Tyler dumped crackers into a bowl. "But we've been trying to get rid of Klaus forever and Caroline convinced us to enjoy itâfor a night." She added with a small smile and I rose an eyebrow and exchanged a look with Elena before we walked towards the kitchen island as well.
"Gotta be honest. I'm a little pissed none of you let me help take down original brother number two." Matt stated as he slung an arm around Tyler's neck who sighed.
"Yeah, he would have taken you right down to the hospital, bro." Tyler countered in amusement and I chuckled at the two and Matt rolled his eyes and out an arm around Jeremy's neck also.
"Please, I'm more stealth than that. I'm like a ninja." Matt countered and I scoffed, grabbing a cracker from the bowl.
"You wish." I replied with a smirk and Matt smirked towards me before Caroline handed Elena and I a shot.
"Here. You need this." Care stated and I rose an eyebrow down at it as Elena furrowed her eyebrows.
"Hey! Give me your hand." Tyler replied as he grabbed the salt shaker and I rose an eyebrow as he put salt on the back of my hand and I sighed.
"Thank you for standing up to Klaus like that." I stated nodding towards him and he sighed, slowly nodding back.
"Let's just say it's been a long time coming." Tyler countered and looked at Caroline who gave him a small smile.
"Way too long." Caroline agreed in amusement before the two hugged tightly and I smiled. "Alright, let's drink!" She added as everyone grabbed a shot and Elena pointed towards Jeremy.
"We do not condone this, by the way." Elena warned and he rolled his eyes as he held two shots.
"You survived Klaus, Alright? Make an exception. You can go back to being responsible tomorrow." Jeremy replied as he shrugged at Elena and I, making me scoff.
"Nope. Don't say the 'R' word to me. That has too much baggage lately." I stated in annoyance and Elena chuckled in agreement before we went to go down our shots.
"Hang on." Tyler stated and Elena and I froze and looked at him in confusion as did everyone else. "Do you guys hear that?" He asked furrowing his eyebrows and we all listened closely before he smirked. "That is the sound of a Klaus-free life." Ty said in amusement and we all laughed a him.
"To a Klaus-free life." Elena sighed with a smile and raised her glass as did everyone else.
"And to all of you.. Family." I added smiling towards them as we all touched shot glasses.
"Cheers!" We all said in union before we downed the shots and I laughed, licking off the salt that Tyler put on the back of my hand.
~~~
I walked upstairs and into Jenna's room as Jeremy and Elena painted silently. "Hey. Everyone gone?" Jeremy asked towards me and I sighed, leaning in the doorway.
"It's jut us." I agreed nodding at him before looking at the time on my phone. "Jenna should be home soon. I can't believe they have doctors appointments this late." I stated in annoyance and put my phone in my pocket as Elena sighed.
"Mom and dad we're right. Alaric should just kill al of the vampires and put an end to all of this." Elena stated in defeat and I rose an eyebrow at her as Jeremy and I became quiet. "But that means that Caroline dies.. And Bonnie loses her mom." She pointed out tilting her head towards us. "The Mayor loses her son.. And we lose Stefan and Damon." Elena added slowly shaking her head. "So if it makes me the bad guy for wanting to keep those people alive, then fine, I'll gladly be the bad guy." Elena stated and Jeremy scoffed at her.
"You forget that Alaric never wanted any of this." Jeremy countered and Elena looked away from him quietly. "Once he carries out his plans, what if he decides he doesn't want to live anymore? And he kills his human connection to end his life. I would lose both of you." Jeremy stated looking between Elena and I in worry. "And I'm not going to let that happen." He whispered slowly nodding at us and I sighed deeply back at him and looked at Elena as her eyes glazed over. "I'm gonna shower and get some sleep. Night." He added kissing Elena's head gently before walking towards me and kissing my cheek and I sighed, shaking my head at him as I watched him walk into his room. I turned back towards Elena who sighed and continued painting again I walked beside her and grabbed the paintbrush I had earlier and dipped it in paint. I looked at Elena who bent down to get more paint before gasped, dropping the paint brush.
"Elena?" I asked worriedly down at her as she clutched her head in confusion and furrowed her eyebrows, hunching over. She slowly stood up and winced, grabbing her head before I saw her eyes roll to the back of her head and I widened my eyes as she fell to the floor in front of me, knocking over a can of white paint. "Elena!" I screamed down at her before I pulled out my phone quickly. "You're going to be okay." I whispered reassuringly towards her, dialing into my phone. "Pleaseâplease be okay." I said, shaking my head as my eyes glazed over.
-Time Skip-
"She's going to be fine." Meredith stated as we stood outside of Elena's hospital room and I looked at her through the window as she slept. "She got a little banged up today but it was a slight concussion. Nothing to worry about." Meredith added reassuringly, shaking her at Jeremy and I.
"But she collapsed, there was blood. There could have been a brain bleedâ" I started before Meredith cut me off.
"Honestly, Mariana. She's ok. She's justâshe's been through a lot." Meredith said with a sigh as she held a clipboard towards her tightly. "Is there anyone you wanna call?" She asked raising an eyebrow between Jeremy and I as I sighed.
"Jenna's on her way down from her appointment check on the baby." Jeremy stated looking at me and I slowly nodded my head and looked back at Meredith who rose an eyebrow at me.
~~~
"You did what!?" Damon asked in annoyance from Jeremy's phone as we stood in the hallway now that Meredith was gone.
"We took her to the hospital. When you find your sister unconscious, you call 911." Jeremy stated in annoyance back at him.
"Not when you have a parade of vampires at your disposal." Damon countered and I rolled my eyes at him.
"Every remaining original is going to want Mariana or Elena dead because they're attached to Alaric. Elena's a sitting duck in there." Stefan warned and I sighed, pacing the floor as Jeremy leant against the wall.
"Fine. I'll get her out of here and get her home. But I'm just sayingâNeither of you were here." I stated angrily into the phone before Jeremy hung up and I looked into Elena's hospital window and shook my head.
"Mariana." Jenna said coming down the hall worriedly and I sighed towards her before she hugged me tightly. "What the hell happened?" She asked furrowing her eyebrows at Jer and I. I rose an eyebrow and looked at Jeremy who folded his arms over his chest and I slowly shook my head.
"It's been a long day." Jeremy admitted and Jenna looked between the two of us in complete confusion before looking at the window and staring at Elena as she slept in the hospital bed.
~~
Tyler, Matt, Caroline, Elena and I walked into the house as I sighed. "Couch." I stated emotionlessly looked at Caroline who nodded and moved Elena towards it.
"I'm fine. I justâI want something to eat first." Elena stated looking between Caroline and I with a sigh.
"We're on it. As soon as we make sure no one's lurking in the closets." Tyler reassured Elena and I gave him a small smile as him and Matt wandered around the house, leaving the three of us girls in hen living room.
"Alright, couch. Now." Caroline demanded gesturing Elena towards it as she groaned in annoyance.
"Ugh, I told you. I'm fine." Elena argued and I scoffed, folding my arms over my chest at her and grabbing a blanket from the back of a chair as she sat in the couch.
"Meredith says rest. You rest." I warned with a sigh and put the blanket over her.
"No, what can I get you?" Caroline asked raising an eyebrow at Elena as she stood next to me. "Do you want some tea? Maybe some vodka? Both will help you sleep." She pointed out in amusement and I rolled my eyes and shook my head down at Elena who braved a sigh and folded her arms over her chest.
"I know. I'm smothering you. But I'm the older sister. That's what I'm supposed to do." I stated, tilting my head at Elena as Caroline smiled at me and put a hand on my back reassuringly.
"No.. it's nice." Elena replied with a small smile and Caroline chuckled at her and slowly nodded.
"I'm thinking... maybe tea with vodka?" Care asked raising an eyebrow at me and I rolled my eyes and chuckled back at her.
~~~
Matt and I sat at the table in the kitchen as Elena woke up from her small nap on the couch. She furrowed her eyebrows and looked around curiously before towards Matt and I. "Where is everyone?" Elena asked slowly shaking her head at me.
"Tyler and Caroline got a call from their moms.. Jer and Jenna are at the Grill picking up food. I didn't trust Jenna going alone.. You know." I answered quietly, getting up from the table and leaning over the couch as Matt sat on the coffee table in front of Elena.
"What were you dreaming about?" Matt asked, tilting his head at her curiously and she sighed looking between Matt and I.
"Sophomore year." Elena answered and I scoffed, shaking my head as I furrowed my eyebrows.
"That seems like forever ago." I stated and Matt nodded in agreement as he heaved a heavy sigh.
"It was." Elena agreed looking at Matt who stared at her quietly and I rose an eyebrow at the two. "I'm sorry I strung you along.. I should have figured out what I wanted and just been honest about it." She stated folding her arms over her chest and Matt furrowed his eyebrows at her. The front door opened and we all looked towards it as Stefan came into the house and Elena got off of the couch slowly. "Stefan.." She whispered towards him and he sighed walking to her before they engulfed each other and I rose an eyebrow, not seeing Damon.
~~~
Matt and I put plates on the table as Stefan made a salad on the kitchen island. "I feel like I'm being coddled. I feel perfectly fine." Elena pointed out as she still sat on the couch.
"You're on house arrest. You're supposed to be coddled." Stefan pointed out in amusement towards her as he cut tomatoes.
"Wouldn't it be smarter if we just got both of you the hell out of town?" Matt asked furrowing his eyebrows at us and I sighed, tilting my head at him and sprawled my hands out on the table in front of me.
"And do what? Go on the run for the rest of our lives? Yeah, no thanks." Elena stated looking at me and I slowly nodded at her quietly before she got up from the couch quickly, taking the blanket off of her. "And I'm done with the couch. I'm not an invalid." She added in annoyance and I watched her heave a sigh as she walked out of the living room and down the hall.
"So you're just going to let her call the shots?" Matt asked furrowing his eyebrows towards Stefan and I.
"She can make her own decisions, Matt." I stated furrowing my eyebrows as Stefan put the salad on the table.
"Even if they're the wrong ones?" Matt countered furrowing his eyebrows in defense.
"Nothing wrong with free will, Matt. You don't realize that until you lose it." Stefan replied quietly towards him and Matt slowly nodded back.
"Mariana." Elena's voice said from the hall and I looked through the kitchen doorway as she stood in front of the door that was wide open and I slowly folded my arms over my chest at who stood in front of her.
"Elijah.." I whispered towards him and he gave me a small smile.
"Hello, again." Elijah greeted and I looked at Stefan who narrowed his eyes at the original.
~~
"All we need to do is take that stake away from him. Once it's been disarmed, the weapon's in my possession, my family will scatter to the ends of the earth. And Alaric.. will follow us." Elijah stated looking between the four of us as he sat at the head of the table and I leant against the wall, staring at him.
"And you'll just.. run." Stefan replied doubtfully, sitting in between Elena and Elijah at the table.
"We've some of before. Klaus and Rebekah spent the better part of a thousand years evading my father. What's another half-century while Elena and Mariana are able to live out the rest of their natural lives." Elijah replied nodding between Elena and I as we exchanged a look.
"We finally stopped him, Elijah. After everything he's done to usâElena ended up in the hospital tonight because of him. I can't just let you bring him back." I warned narrowing my eyes at Elijah who slowly nodded.
"I give you my word, Mariana. I will not revive Klaus within yoursânot even your children's lifetimes." Elijah replied and I looked at Elena who remained silent. "Perhaps it'll finally teach him some manners." He added, straightening the napkin and plate in front of him.
"Why should they trust you?" Matt asked shaking his head towards Elijah in annoyance. "All you've done is screw them over." He added standing behind Elena's chair and I rose an eyebrow and tilted my head in agreement.
"And for that, I'm deeply ashamed. But know thisâElena could have been dead the instant I walked through that door tonight." Elijah pointed out emotionlessly towards Matt. "So, I leave it to them to make the decision whether or not to trust me." He stated looking away from Matt and in between Elena and I.
"Not! Hello! Did that concussion give you brain damage, Elena? Marianaâcome on. His lunatic siblings will kill either of you the first chance they get." Damon warned in anger from my phone as it sat in the middle of the table.
"Rebekah and Kol will honor the terms of you return Klaus' body to us.. Neither of you will come to any harm." Elijah reassured as he looked between Elena and I again. I sighed deeply and looked at Elena who stared at me expectantly. "Do we have a deal?" Elijah asked raising an eyebrow at me.
"No! No, no, no, no. Did I mention, no!" Damon asked sarcastically from the phone and I sighed, rolling my eyes at him. I looked at Elena who stared back at me and I slowly shook my head.
"Lena.. It's up to you." I stated towards her and she furrowed her eyebrows.
"Oh, come on, Mariana!" Damon countered in annoyance and Elena looked at Elijah and rose an eyebrow.
"Why do you want Klaus' body?" Elena asked shaking her head towards him.
"He's my brother.. We remain together." Elijah answered quietly and I furrowed my eyebrows towards him and looked at Elena who looked down at her hands, thinking it over in her head before she sighed.
"We have a deal." Elena stated emotionlessly, looking back up at Elijah and I heard Damon sighed deeply from my phone. slowly looked between Stefan and Elijah before she took a deep breath. The front door opened again before Jeremy and Jenna came in with bags of food quickly and I furrowed my eyebrows, pushing myself off of the wall.
"What's going on?" I asked looking at them in confusion as they came into the kitchen and Jenna stared at Elijah for a few seconds before she ignored him and looked at me.
"Alaric met Jeremy and I at the Grill.. He wants us to tell him where Damon is taking Klaus." Jenna warmed and I rose an eyebrow and looked at Elijah who looked back at me.
"Well.. How urgent are you to get your brother back?" I asked tilting my head and I watched as Elijah rose an eyebrow and stood from the table, putting his hands in his pant pockets. "I've got an idea." I pointed out in amusement and crossed my arms over my chest.
"Marâ" Damon started in annoyance from the phone before I cut him off.
"It's either you trust me or you don't, Damon." I stated angrily towards him before silence came through the phone and I furrowed my eyebrows and grabbed it from the table in confusion. "Damon?" I asked quietly, feeling a sense of worry rush over me before Damon's sigh came through.
"Be careful." Damon replied softly in concern and I slowly nodded and looked over Elijah, Jeremy and Stefan who stared back at me.
"We will." I reassured before I hung up the phone and took a deep breath. I looked at Jenna quietly and watched her furrow her eyebrows at me. "I need you to go upstairs and start packing a bagâ" I started before she furrowed her eyebrows and scoffed, cutting me off quickly.
"Mariana, I can't leave nowâ" Jenna started in protest but Elena cut her off and stood from the table.
"You have more to think about right now than just us, aunt Jenna. Mariana, Jeremy and I will be fine.. But we need you to be fine, too." Elena stated as her eyes slightly glazed over at Jenna who slowly shook her head between Elena and I.
"We love you. And we need to know you and the baby are safe.. So please? Pack a few things and get out of town.. Just until this is over." I pleaded towards her and hugged her tightly. Jenna slowly nodded her head back at me and pulled away. I looked at her to see tears in her eyes as she turned to Jeremy who gave her a reassuring nod before she slowly went upstairs to pack.
~~~
My phone started ringing from where Stefan, Jeremy and I stood in the woods beside Route twelve where Jeremy told Alaric Damon was burying Klaus. I grabbed my phone from my pocket and answered it with a sigh. "Elijah and Caroline are in position. We're just waiting for Alaric to take the bait." I stated into the phone and looked at Stefan who listened in curiously.
"Bad news, Ari. Alaric staked Klaus. He's dead." Damon whispered emotionlessly and I looked at Stefan motionless before I furrowed my eyebrows.
"How.. IâI don't understand." I replied in confusion as I felt my eyes glaze over before I put Damon on speaker and handed Stefan the phone.
"I feel fine.. Do you feel anything?" Stefan asked in confusion and I looked away as his eyes glazed over also.
"Mm. No." Damon replied with a soft sigh and Stefan slowly nodded.
"It took Sage about an hour before she got sick." Stefan pointed out and Damon scoffed in annoyance.
"Yeah, or Klaus was lying about being the sire of our bloodline." Damon countered and Stefan sighed and looked at me quietly.
"Well, if he wasn't lying.. an hours not enough time to get you al the way back to Mystic Falls." Stefan stated emotionlessly before Damon chuckled lightly from the phone.
"For is to have our 'epic' good-bye, Stefan?" Damon asked in amusement and Stefan slowly shook his head back at his brother.
"Not us, brother." Stefan answered quietly and I furrowed my eyebrows as I heard Damon sigh deeply.
"I know.. MarianaâYou there?" Damon asked quietly and I took the phone and slowly shook my head, taking it off of speaker.
"Yeahâyeah.. I'm here." I answered and held myself tightly, turning away from Stefan and Jeremy slightly.
"There's a lot to say.. But instead of saying everythingâAll day that I'm sure we're all going to have a laugh when we find out Klaus is a big, fat liar." Damon stated in amusement and I nodded and gave a small smile.
"Yeah, I'm sure we will." I agreed, feeling my eyes glaze over again.
"So since I am a possibly a dead man.. Can I ask you a question?" Damon asked quietly and I took a deep breath and nodded slowly.
"Yeah. Of course." I replied, furrowing my eyebrows slightly as Damon took a deep breath from the other side of the phone.
"If this were a good-bye, I'm not saying it isâbut if it was.. What would you want to say?" Damon asked and I closed my eyes and whimpered silently to myself as a few tears rolled down my face. I felt my breath hitch in my throat before I opened my eyes again and controlled my breathing.
"I would.." I whispered, hearing my voice break before I cleared my throat and sighed, shaking my head slowly. "I would say that you came into my life at a time when I needed someone.. And I fell for you instantly.. But didn't realize it until the last second." I answered quietly and looked down at the ground. "No matter if Tyler came aroundâyou were there, and I couldn't tell myself not to feel something for you." I whispered, looking up again and heard Damon become quiet from the other side, making me shake my head. "You're going to be fine, Damon. You're gonna be okay and I'm going to see you soon." I added reassuringly, sobbing lightly as I felt more tears threatening to spill.
"You're right.. Real soon." Damon agreed with a small sigh and I nodded back at him. "Good-bye, Ari." He whispered and I closed my eyes to keep from crying. Damon hung up and I shook my head and sobbed lightly.
"Mari.." Jeremy whispered from behind me and I took a deep breath, recovering myself before turning towards Stefan and Jeremy again.
"We should uh.. Get you home. Inform Elena." Stefan suggested quietly, putting his hands in his coat pockets and I nodded softly in agreement.
"Mariana.." Jeremy whispered hesitantly and I furrowed my eyebrows at him. "Elena's not at home.. Matt and Iâ" He started but cut himself off with a small sigh as Stefan and I exchanged a worried look. "We're getting her out of town. Both you you would be safer that way." Jeremy finished quietly, looking at me and I looked at Stefan who sighed quietly.
"It's going to be fine.. Klaus was lying. We're all going to be okay." Stefan reassured Jeremy emotionlessly but as I stared at him.. I could tell the only one he was trying to reassure, was himself. Footsteps came towards us and I looked over my shoulder at Caroline and Elijah who arrived.
"What happened?" Elijah asked furrowing his eyebrows towards us and I slowly turned towards him as concern washed over Caroline.
"Mariana?" Caroline asked quietly, furrowing her eyebrows as well and I took a deep breath and looked at Stefan as we remained silent. I shook my head and grabbed my phone, dialing in Elena's number before I heard it ring a few times before it stopped.
"Mariana?" Elena asked worriedly through the phone and I looked over my shoulder at Stefan who stood emotionless.
"Klaus is dead, Elena." I whispered quietly and I heard silence come through the phone.
"What? No-no, no.. WeâMatt and I are on our way back. Tell Stefan to wait, okay? Tell himâtell him to wait." Elena stated worriedly before Stefan looked down slowly and Elena and I hung up.
"Jer.. We should get home." I stated quietly towards him and he nodded in agreement before I looked back towards Caroline and Elijah. "IâI'm sorry.. I really am." I added quietly in defeat towards them. Caroline shook her head and pulled me towards her tightly. I held her reassuringly before we pulled away and I saw her eyes glaze over before she vamped away quickly.
~~~
I paced the floor in the living room as I groaned into the phone. "Matt, where are you? You guys should have been back by now." I stated in annoyance as Jeremy came down the stairs and I hung up. I felt a coldness around the room and I furrowed my eyebrows and saw Jeremy stop quickly in the hallway, staring at something. "Jeremy?" I asked emotionlessly towards him.
"Ric.. I think you've done enough." Jeremy stated looking in the hallways in front of him but nothing was there. "How did you even get in here?" He added angrily, furrowing his eyebrows and I felt my breath hitch in my throat.
"Jeremy.." I whispered towards him and he looked at me confused as my eyes glazed over and I walked towards him, standing next to him and looking at the hallway towards the kitchen. Jeremy looked over my in confusion before he looked back towards the hallway.
"Oh, my god.. You're a ghost." Jeremy whispered in realization and I slowly shook my head as his breathed heavily. "Noâif you're dead, that meansâ" He started and looked down at me in worry and I slowly nodded.
"Elena." I whispered emotionlessly, staring down the hall in confusion.
~~~
I walked angrily through the hospital before I saw Meredith talking indistinctly with a few other doctors. "Where is she?" I asked worriedly, looking through hospital rooms in confusion before Meredith grabbed my arm quickly.
"Wait! You need to know, when you and Jeremy brought Elena in here tonight, her injuries were worse than I led on." Meredith stated quickly standing in front of me and I furrowed my eyebrows. "It wasn't a concussion, it was a cerebral hemorrhage. Bleeding on the brain. You were right, Mariana." She added and I slowly shook my head at her in disbelief.
"What are you saying?" I asked shaking my head towards her and she breathed heavily.
"You and Jeremy were so worried, I didn't want to tell anybodyâI helped her. She needed my help." Meredith stated and I furrowed my eyebrows in realization.
"You what?" I asked quietly, feeling some relief wash over me. Meredith shook her head and led me towards a storage closet down the hall. I looked between her and the door in confusion before I opened it a crack, about to walk in before I heard a loud and familiar gasp come from inside and I widened my eyes.