At first, Emma didn't even realize her senses had come back to her as she woke from what seemed like a deep sleep. Everything was dark, and no sound came from anywhere around her. It was complete empty nothingness. So it took her a moment to realize it wasn't just her mind that has come back before everything else.

Rising her hand into the air, Emma noticed two things. One was that she couldn't see it, no matter how close to her eyes she held it. Wherever she was, it was pitch black. And cramped. She had barely any space to move her arms or legs.

Unsure of where she was, Emma tried to run her mind through the last memories she had. Klaus and Rebekah; the Salvatore Boarding house; Alaric hiding the stake in the caves... Esther.

The brunette could remember running through the caves as soon as she realized it wasn't Rebekah she had gone down to the caves with. Instead, her mother had somehow taken the body over. And whatever she was planning couldn't be good. None of them noticed, not her or Klaus. She needed to warn Klaus. Especially since she had no idea how long ago Esther had caught her in the caves, or what spell she'd used to subdue her.

Emma tried to shift again. She moved her hands around the surfaces around her, feeling against what she judged to be wood. However, whatever was beneath her was much softer, much gentler. And above: more wood. For a moment she wondered where she was. Panicking as she doubted cave surfaces were wooden.

She worried Esther and Alaric may have taken her somewhere. However, as she tried to remember anything after the spell Esther had cast to stop her from running, Emma remembered more about the caves themselves. More specifically the coffin on which Alaric had leaned against as he considered himself safe within the part of the cave which no vampire could enter. And so, realization dawned on her. She was locked up in a coffin.

Just the thought made Emma's heart speed up even more, worry spreading through her mind as she reached her hands up, trying to push against the lid keeping her trapped inside. But it wouldn't budge. Her breathing sped up s panic took over, her hands aimlessly pushing even more in an attempt to get free.

She had no idea how long she'd been in here, no idea how much air she had left. Just the thought made Emma will herself to slow down her breathing. Something told her Esther hadn't been considerate enough to stick her in here with her inhaler. The last thing Emma needed was her breathing to become a problem too considering that, thus far, there seemed to be no issue with it. Luckily.

But she also couldn't lie in here hoping for the best. Esther played Rebekah well. She even fooled Klaus. And who knows how long it would take for someone to notice Emma's absence when the person she was supposed to be with could easily come up with a lie to cover it up. Esther had stuck her into a sealed coffin within a cave which vampires could not enter. Even if someone was looking for her, even if someone heard her call out, they couldn't get to her.

Emma realized she was left to her own devices, all alone with no idea what to do. The thought made tears pool in her eyes, fists slamming against the lid of the coffin as she gave herself a moment, just a moment to let the fear consume her. She felt a couple of tears slide down her cheeks, reminding her to get herself together.

She closed her eyes, palms pressing against the lid as she stopped slamming her fists into it. She took a breath and calmed her nerves, ready to start coming up with a plan. But instead, she was distracted by a strange feeling. A familiar feeling, but still strange. It forced her to open her eyes, and in the darkness it wasn't hard to see the soft orange glow surrounding her hands as she pressed them against the wood above her head.

Instantly, she pulled her hands back, her breath hitching in surprise as she thought it was another effect of Esther's spell. However, even when she removed her hands, she could still feel the odd sensation as it spread through her. It was like a current of water, coursing through her, setting her nerves on fire in an entirely new way. One she'd never experienced before. And, while a part of her worried about what it may mean, she also had to admit... She liked it.

For a moment, Emma wasn't led by her mind but simply by instinct, and she put her palms back against the wood. Another deep breath, another moment to calm her thoughts, and then she tried again. And it happened again. A soft orange glow outlined her hands, illuminated the dark wood against which her skin pressed. And she felt the current within her amplify and grow.

And then her concentration broke, her ears picking up muffled sounds coming from a distance. For a moment, she felt her heart jump, worrying that Alaric and Esther were still there, aware of whatever she was doing from within the coffin, aware that she was awake, perhaps before they intended for her to be.

Instantly, she put her hands back down, listening to her surroundings as she tried to decipher what she was hearing. And as it grew closer, it became clear. Someone was calling her name. She heard that much, and while she was still unable to recognize the voice from within the box, Emma still called back. Neither Esther nor Alaric would be calling out to her. Someone had noticed her absence. And even if they couldn't get in here, hopefully they'll find a human who can in time.

"In here! In the coffin!" Emma called back, the words making her give a small shudder as she thought of it. A dying girl lying awake in a coffin. It only increased her wish to get out as soon as possible. She'd never been confronted with a fear of small spaces, and perhaps it was just this situation awakening the claustrophobia in her, but Emma wanted to escape this coffin and then the caves, and never return.

It wasn't long before she heard someone rustling outside, sounds of someone trying to open the coffin from the outside making her give a sigh of relief as she recognized the voice speaking to her, telling her they'd open it and get her out. Matt. She wasn't sure how he could have known where to find her, but rather than questioning it, Emma was just happy he did. However, her relief didn't last long.

"How the hell do I open this thing?" She could hear the subdued sound of Matt's irritated voice, noticed how long it was taking as he tampered with the lid. But he couldn't open it either. Emma's mind started running a mile a minute, panicking about what Esther may have done.

But then she looked down to her hands again, well... tried to look at her hands. A witch like Esther, protecting whatever diabolical plan she'd come up with, wouldn't leave it hanging on the security of a man-made lock to keep the coffin closed. She'd spelled it to stay that way.

Emma had always trusted her instincts, even when she didn't understand them. Perhaps this time they were also a little bit out of their depth with the magic of it all, but nonetheless, when the other option was staying stuck in a coffin until she ran out of air, Emma would always choose her instincts first. And so she reached up again, slowly bringing her palm forward as she searched for the wooden surface of the lid. And she felt it even before her palm pressed against it this time.

She watched the orange glow start small before it spread further, lighting up the coffin as Emma felt the buzzing current spread through her. She didn't stop, she didn't resist it. Instead, she let it take over, calming her breathing as she let whatever was happening happen. If her instincts had led her astray, hopefully Klaus would find it in his heart to hold Jeremy's life over Bonnie to get her help. If not, at least she'd go out knowing she tried to do something to save herself.

Before thoughts of possibly dying inside of the coffin could fully return again, Emma heard a soft popping sound, and the orange light disappeared, and the top of the coffin jumped up, allowing a soft streak of light to appear at its edges. Emma didn't waste a moment before putting all her strength into pushing against the wood, feeling Matt helping on the other side as he pulled it upwards.

Soon enough, Emma's eyes were adjusting to the new surroundings. It wasn't bright, but the light of Matt's phone enveloped the stone walls of the cave in a white hue. And compared to the insides of the coffin, Emma could finally see her surroundings. And the blue eyes of the Donovan as he flung the lid away from the coffin.

"Let's get you out of there. Come on." Matt said in a relieved voice this time, his hands reaching for Emma inside and helping her climb out of the death trap she'd been stuck in.

This time, Emma let her breathing speed up, the panic she'd suppressed so far now starting to mix with the relief as she threw her arms around Matt's neck once she had both her feet on the ground. "Thank you! Thank you so much!" She continued to repeat herself profusely, still too taken with the adrenaline to remember asking him how he even knew.

"Uh, it... It wasn't just me." Matt spoke as he returned her hug, making it last a moment longer before he released her and Emma looked around her surroundings. It took her a moment to locate the exit of the small cave which would lead into the passages and paths.

And right at the line stood another person, unable to move any further. A discarded jacket lay at his feet, somewhat ruining the entire twenties look he was sporting. But what captured her the most was the look of relief on his familiar face, her eyes widening at the sight of it.

And it wasn't long before she was moving away from Matt and rushing into his arms instead. He didn't hesitate in wrapping them around her as soon as she was within reach, a barrier no longer separating them as he engulfed her.

"I've got you, darling. I've got you."