chapter ten,

She supposed it was a trait she'd inherited from her father; her stubbornness.

Klaus had waited until the next day to make any sort of move. First, he compelled Alaric; he was to be the messenger. Then, he moved towards the couch where his niece slept, took off the jade bangle she wore around her wrist and gently woke her.

"Go with Alaric and tell me of any plans Elena and her friends have to stop me." He'd compelled her.

"I hate you," she spat, pushing herself up from the couch. She snatched her bangle back from him on her way to the bathroom, taking the spare toothbrush she'd found in Alaric's cupboard and brushing her teeth. She didn't have much in the way of deodorant either; she supposed his would do.

Following the history teacher, she made her way to the Salvatore Boarding House. It was her second time going there in a week.

"I'm sorry," she let out. Alaric glanced at her sideways.

"What for?"

"I don't know. Everything," she replied. "This whole thing is so messed up. I mean, there's the Isobel thing, he's going to kill your girlfriend's niece, he's practically ruined your relationship with her and—"

"—What do you mean?" he interrupted. She looked at him with a sad expression; he didn't know.

"He told Jenna you're a vampire hunter," she said softly. "And she thinks you're crazy."

"Oh," he sighed.

It took them just over an hour to finally make it to the Salvatore's. Both were reluctant to knock, fearing what would happen when they did. They knew they wouldn't be trusted; Alaric because he was used by Klaus, and Marian because she'd kept her relation to him a secret from them all.

Marian closed her eyes as she hesitantly wrapped her knuckles against the front door. It didn't take long for someone to answer.

"Get out!" Jenna yelled, opening the door.

"Jenna," Alaric yelled in shock. "Jenna!"

"Get out!" she repeated, training a crossbow on her ex-lover.

"Jenna, put the crossbow down, okay? It's me," he said, trying to stay calm. Marian's eyes widened as the woman pointed the weapon towards her.

"Stay away from me," she spat. Behind her, Elena, Stefan and Damon appeared to see what was causing the commotion. And someone else. Marian's heart raced as she realised that it was Elijah. He was okay! He was here!

"Woah!" Marian yelled. "Jenna!"

"What's going on?" Elena questioned.

"It's me, Elena, I swear, okay?" Alaric pleaded. "He let me go. Klaus let me go." Marian nodded behind him.

"Prove it," Damon said. Alaric looked at Jenna.

"Okay, uh, first night you and I spent together, Jeremy walked in right when I was about to ..."

"Okay, it's him," Jenna rushed, lowering the crossbow as Marian groaned in disgust. Jeremy had called her just after the predicament. She knew more than she ever wanted to.

"Why did he let you go?" Stefan asked cautiously. Alaric and Marian looked at each other.

"He wanted me to deliver a message," said Alaric.

Marian turned to Elijah. "The sacrifice happens tonight." She was just as scared as the others as she spoke, knowing that Elena wouldn't be the only one to die. Marian's weakness meant that her body was easily exhausted when she practiced. A spell as complex as the one she was required to perform was sure to kill her.

The two were ushered inside the house so they could explain what had happened in private. Before Marian could make it three steps into the home, an arm stopped her. Her uncle's arm. She looked up at him questioningly.

"If you don't mind," Elijah said, not taking his eyes off of her. "I would like to speak to Miss Whitman alone."

Stefan spoke up first in confusion. "Why do you want—"

"—You have fifteen minutes," Damon interrupted, looking from Elijah to Marian. "Then I want answers."

...

Elijah led her into the library. He seemed fond of it; his fingers trailed over the old books, the smell of the aged pages bringing a sense of peace to the room. She tugged on his hand when she knew they were alone and hugged him. She hadn't seen him in so long.

"I missed you, Uncle 'Lijah," she whispered. She heard him chuckle silently and he wrapped his arms around her. "He wants me to break the curse but I–I'm not strong enough to do it and he doesn't care. I don't want to die again. I'm not ready."

"Don't worry, Marian," he said to her, placing a hand on the back of her head. "I won't let you leave me again so easily," he said softly. She smiled sadly. She loved Elijah very much, but Klaus always got what he wanted. "Now, to the matter at hand," he said, releasing her and opening his hand towards an empty seat.

"Uncle Nik compelled me to tell him anything I find out," she told him with sad eyes. She knew that he was as anxious about the curse breaking as she was; not only would it mean that Niklaus was all the more indestructible and destructive, but it would be her downfall. She knew that her death always left a mark on Elijah.

"I guessed as much, but I was referring more to you," he confessed. "Once I finally kill Niklaus, I have every intention of finding our family—"

"But he's the only one who knows where they are," Marian said. "If you kill him, we'll never know."

Elijah smiled. "I have people searching the seas," he told her.

Marian felt a lump form in the back of her throat, her mind filling with doubt. "But what if we never find them? What if he's put a cloaking spell over them?"

Elijah shook his head, placing a hand on her knee comfortingly. "I have every faith that we will, and that you'll be reunited with your father very soon. It's been far too long," he said.

Marian frowned, shaking his hand off her leg. "Why did you help Uncle Nik dagger him?" she asked him, refusing to look at him.

She heard him sigh. "Kol was making that dagger for his own selfish reasons that could've endangered us all," he explained. "The betrayal, had we not done something, would have made Niklaus reckless. Both of which would've attracted Mikael."

"And you couldn't have waited until after the party?" she continued. "When no one was looking."

Elijah paused for a moment. "Your uncle likes to make a spectacle of things," he said.

Marian huffed. "He's a bigger drama queen than Aunt Bekah," she said. Elijah chuckled.

"I can't disagree there," he admitted.

The doors suddenly opened, an agitated Damon Salvatore pouring himself a drink. Marian could see the anger of his face.

"Marian, could you give us a minute, please?" Elijah asked. She nodded, standing from her seat and walking to the door. They were probably going to talk about their plan to save Elena. She turned to Damon before she left.

"Thanks," she said. "For not telling anyone that they're family. I'm not ready." He simply nodded as she closed the doors behind her. Damon walked back out of the library not long after, grabbing his jacket and standing in front of Marian.

"I could use a drink," he said. "Come on, I'll get you some lunch." He craned his neck, seeing Alaric sitting on the couch in the living room. "Ric, you coming?" He left no time for a reply before dragging the girl out the front door and to his car.

"Where are we going?" Marian asked as Alaric got into the back seat.

"To the only place that makes decent food in this God forsaken town," Damon grumbled, starting the engine.

...

A vampire, a hunter, and a witch sat next to each other at the bar waiting for Matt to serve their order. Damon had ordered the girl some fries seeing how worn down she was.

"So, you're a thousand years old?" Alaric asked. Marian scoffed.

"You seriously couldn't keep your mouth shut, could you?"

"Not about this one, sweetie. Besides, Ric's kind of my shrink. I'm having serious issues with seeing my dead fiancée," he quipped.

"You're such a dick," she remarked. "And to think I actually loved you."

"Yeah, well you've moved on and so have I." Marian looked down, her mind wandering off to the thought of Jeremy.

"He doesn't love me," she whispered. No, he was in love with Bonnie. Bonnie. She couldn't believe that her best friend was dead. She reached for Damon's drink, who quickly swiped it away from her. "And Elena's with Stefan."

"You're sixteen. You don't know what love is," he grumbled.

"I've been alive for a thousand years, Damon. I know what love feels like." She looked at him pointedly. "And I know what it looks like, too."

"Wait, so you and Damon were actually ... a thing?" Alaric asked, perplexed.

Marian nodded, humming with affirmation. "Yeah. I was supposed to marry him. I was ... what, twenty-one, twenty-two?"

"Twenty-three," Damon confirmed.

"And now you're a sixteen-year-old kid?"

Marian sighed. She hated that they kept asking questions. "I'm reborn when I die."

"That's handy," Alaric said.

They sat in silence for a moment, each letting their minds wander off. Marian couldn't help but reminisce in the times she'd spent with her father before they'd both known the damaging reality of immortality: secretly showing her how to wield a blade, keeping her close during the thunderstorms that frightened her.

"I screwed up," Damon said finally. Marian looked up. He must've been thinking about his misfortunes with Elena.

"Yeah," Alaric deadpanned. "Yeah, you did."

"When have you not screwed up," Marian joined quietly. Damon sent her a glare. He couldn't stand having every woman he loved thinking ill of him.

"Gentlemen?" Her heart froze. "Why so glum?" Suddenly, her uncle was standing beside her seat, a hand on the back of it.

"Ugh. Klaus, I presume," Damon quipped.

"In the flesh," he said. Marian couldn't meet his gaze.

"Thanks for the loaner, mate." Damon stood up suddenly, his anger returning.

"Any reason you stopped by to say hi?" She could hear the annoyance in his voice. Looking up at him, she shook her head. They couldn't afford to piss him off.

"I'm told you and your brother fancy my doppelgänger. Just thought I'd remind you to not do anything you'll regret." She caught Damon smiling with amusement and slight regret.

"Ha," he laughed. "Thanks for the advice. I don't suppose I could talk you into a postponement, by any chance, huh?"

Marian frowned in discomfort. Couldn't he keep his mouth shut for once? "You are kidding?"

"He is kidding, right?" The girl felt a finger on her chin. "Come on, love. No need to ignore me," he muttered, pulling her gaze in line with his.

Alaric cleared his throat, not wanting the original vampire's attention to be on the girl. He hadn't known her for long, but he'd grown to like her. "No, not really."

"I mean, come on, what's one month in the whole grand scheme of things?"

"Damon, stop," Marian tried.

"Let me be clear ..." Klaus leant forward. "I have my vampire. I have my werewolf. I have everything I need. The ritual will happen tonight. So, if you want to see tomorrow, don't screw it up." He pulled Marian up from her seat roughly. "We've got work to do."

part i:

tvd s2, e20, ""

wc: