Audrey recognized this place. She looked around at the familiar room, that was old and run down, recognizing the staircase that led up to the exit. Looking around in confusion, her eyes landed on two figures, two girls that looked exactly the same. The only thing that differentiated them being their clothes. She looked just ahead of them, and saw the face of man she'd watched die right in front of her, and it all clicked in her mind.

   That was Trevor, stood pacing after Rose told him to watch herself and Elena. This was the day she very first met Elijah, after she and sister were taken the night of the masquerade ball. And as all the pieces began to fall into place, the memory began to play out in front of her, as if she were watching a movie.

   Before either girl could either blink, he appeared right in front of them, leaving barely any space between them. Elena flinched back, as he leaned closer and breathed in deeply, pulling away with interest and amazement in his eyes. "Human. It's impossible." His eye then moved to Audrey, who stood calm and still compared to her sister, trying not to show her fear as she looked back at him. "Two of you. Hello there."

   The more they looked at one another, Audrey couldn't understand why, but the fear she once felt began to slowly fade. A new feeling bubbled in the pit of her stomach, one that she couldn't place. "You're Elijah." She let out quietly.

   "That's right." He nodded, stepping so he stood directly in front of her. He brought his hand up to her cheek, his fingers grazing her skin softly. For a second, she swore she saw a smile tug at his lips, but he pulled away before she could think more about it. "We have a long journey head of us. We should be going."

   "Love at first sight?" Audrey pulled her eyes away from the memory that was playing out in front of her, looking to see Celeste stood a few steps behind her. "You had no idea that day what you were getting yourself into, did you?"

   "What's going on?" Audrey demanded, turning on her heel and storming toward her. "How are we seeing this?"

   "We're inside your head." Celeste answered, looking at her with a unfazed expression. "I was able to give you some herbs while you slept, allowing me to enter your mind and your subconscious." She looked back at the memory frozen before them, shaking her head. "Your sister was smart not to trust him. Why couldn't you be the same?"

   "You trusted him once." Audrey pointed out, watching the witch frown. "You fell in love with him."

   "A long time ago." Celeste nodded. "And look where that got me, Audrey." The memory in front of them faded, and Audrey let out a deep breath as her eyes snapped open, being met by dim sunlight flooding through a boarded up window. Instantly, the Gilbert girl moved to sit upwards, only to find herself stuck in place. "I wouldn't bother." Celeste told her, leaning against the wall in front of her. "Those restraints won't break."

   Despite her words, Audrey still pulled her arms hard against the leather straps around her wrists, but to no avail. With a huff, she let her head fall back against the gurney she was strapped to, frustration running through her. "Where are we?"

   "The place that will be the undoing of the Mikaelson's precious vow." Celeste moved to stand at her side, looking at her carefully. "Always and forever." She spoke in a mocking tone. "That promise is going to rip that family apart, just like it has broken anyone who has been unlucky enough become entwined in their lives over the years."

   "What happened to you wasn't fair, Celeste. I'm sorry, and Elijah is sorry." Audrey looked at her, searching her eyes in hopes of some remorse appearing. "But whatever it is you're doing, it won't change the past."

   "You're right, it won't." She agreed with a nod. "But it is a step toward setting things right. Soon enough, Klaus and Rebekah will find themselves at irreparable odds, and Elijah will be forced to make yet another choice. His brother, or his sister, and picking one will mean losing the other. A chose he won't be able to make, which means all three of them will fall apart. And that will be the end of it." She stroked her hand across Audrey's cheek. "And when I'm done, you'll be smart enough to save yourself from him before it truly is too late." Placing her hands on her temples, she muttered a smell under her breath, and Audrey's world faded to darkness once again.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

   The entire Audrey was asleep, Celeste dug deep in her memories, looking through everything she possibly could. From moments to Elijah, to her life in Mystic Falls before him. The memories flashed through Audrey's head as she slept, the smile some of them brought on turning to a frown as she found Celeste embedded among them, taking them all in just like she was. She didn't understand why she was so interested in her life. At first, she put down to jealousy about Elijah, especially when they both witnessed the moment they got engaged. But it didn't make sense, not if her plan was to pull her away from him and Mikaelson family. 

   When the next memory appeared, her brow furrowed in confusion when she saw what it was. "What?"

   Celeste walked up behind her. "You remember this moment?"

   The Gilbert girl slowly nodded. "The summer before my senior year, our last day in Chicago. I just got back to the warehouse we were using to keep the coffins at."

   The witch nodded. "And what happens next?" She asked.

   Audrey had no time to answer, as the memory began to play out in front of them.

   It was dark when she went back to the warehouse, walking inside to find the place was eerily quiet.

   "Klaus? Rebekah?" She called out. "Stefan?"

   "Nik, don--"

   Before Audrey could realize what was going on, she felt her bod get slammed back against the wall, Klaus looking at her with a dark look. "What are you and Stefan hiding?"

  "What?" Audrey blinked, letting a small groan of pain. "I don't know wh--"

   "Don't lie to me!" He shouted, making her flinch. "There's something you've been holding onto. A piece of your old life. So what is it?!"

   "N-nothing. Klaus, I--" Before she could finish, Klaus placed his hands on either side of her head, snapping her neck.

   Audrey flinched as she heard the crack, and watched her body drop down to the ground. "So what? He--aah." Audrey was cut off, gritting her teeth in pain as she felt a sharp, burning sensation pass through her neck.

   "You must know that feeling well by now." Celeste slowly began to circle around her, watching as she hissed in pain, as the sensation grew. "Klaus has snapped your neck how many times now? Twice?" She said, and the memory in front of them changed, and this time Audrey saw homecoming night. Specifically, the moment Mikael stabbed her directly in the abdomen. 

   She watched as she fell to the ground bleeding, and whimpered as she felt a pain coming from her stomach. She looked down to see blood pooling on her shirt, her hands shakily lifting to see the wound was there like it was never healed, heightening the pain already radiating from her neck. "Wh-what are you doing to me?"

   "I'm getting you to remember, Audrey." Celeste looked at her, crossing her arms over her chest. "Remember every moment that family has brought you pain, ended you life." The memory changed once again, and they saw the night in bayou, when Hayley and Audrey were running from the men Agnes sent after them. "None of this would happen if this wasn't for them." She saw the arrow embed itself in her stomach from when she protected Hayley, and the same wound appeared on her current self, making the Gilbert girl let out a small scream. Her hands covered in blood as she held them over the wounds, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. "You keep coming back, but how much longer till your luck runs out?" 

   "Stop." Audrey pleaded, doubling over as she wrapped her arms around herself shakily. "Please...stop it."

   "This is for your own good." Gently, Celeste tilted her chin up so their eyes met. "What happens when it runs out, Audrey? You're just human. Unlike me, you can't jump into another body. You'll just be gone. Another life that was simply collateral damage to them."

   "I'm not you, Celeste." Audrey shook her head. "Things are different now."

   "Are they?" She tilted her head. "Because they look the same to me." Snapping her fingers, a new memory appeared, and it brought horror to Audrey's eyes. "We have something in common other than Elijah, Audrey. We both know what it feels like to drown."

   The night her parents car went off Wickery Bridge. "No...no, no, no. Please, don't. Don't." Audrey begged desperately, shaking her head. The tears rolled down her cheeks, a lump forming in the back of her throat. "Not this. Not this, please."

   "Luck runs out, Audrey." Celeste lifted up the necklace that rested on her chest. "This won't be enough forever." 

   "Celeste!" Audrey yelled, unable to do anything as the woman disappeared from sight. "Cele--" She began to choke on her words, coughing and gasping for air as water spluttered from her lips, a burning sensation burning in her lungs. 

   Audrey Gilbert knew what it felt like to drown, and falling to her knees, she began to experience the feeling all over again. In reality, Celeste stood and watched as Audrey's body shuddered and convulsed on the gurney, her limbs straining against her restraints as she thrashed in pain.

   "Let's see if that gets the message to sink in." Celeste said simply, turning on her heel and walking out of the old hospital room, closing the door behind her like Audrey wasn't even there. 

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

   She wasn't sure how long it had been. Hours, it could have even been days. The longer Audrey spent trapped within her own mind, the more time just didn't seem to make sense anymore. All she felt was a constant stream of pain, as she was forced to feel the worst moments of her life on repeat. Her neck being snapped, stabbed, shot, drowning. Even the pain she'd get when Elijah was daggered. She'd feel it all at once, until it just stopped and it was if she woke up, only to start it all over again from the beginning. The whole time it happened, she could hear Celeste's voice echoing throughout her head, telling her there was an easy way to make it stop. Just see the Mikaelson's for what she did. But she didn't give in. Audrey ignored it, and just faced the pain despite the agony it caused her, and tried to block it out. She ignored the memories that played as she experienced it, and thought of different ones. Ones that always brought a smile to her lips, and it kept her sane. It didn't lessen the pain, but it kept her sane, and she needed to something to do that now more than anything. 

   It was dark when the door to the room opened again, and Elijah's eyes widened in relief when he saw her. Celeste was nowhere to be seen, and now Klaus was down, the Tunde blade stuck within him. Rebekah and Marcel had taken that as their chance to run, knowing they needed to get as far away as possible, now that Klaus knew the truth about their betrayal. 

   "Audrey." He rushed to her side, undoing the restraints that kept her tied down. "I'm sorry, my love. I'm so sorry." He let out, his hands gently cupping her face. "I should have found a way to get you first. I'm sorry." He apologized profusely, his worry growing as her eyes remained close. "Audrey? Wake up, my love. You're safe now." He promised her, yet her eyes remained close, and that was he noticed her body tremor. Carefully, he picked her up in his arms, lowering her to the ground as gently as he could. "Audrey?" His forehead rested against hers, stroking her hair out of her face. "I need you to hear me. Whatever she has done to you, it isn't real. Focus on me, on the sound of my voice. Come back to me."

   Audrey heard him. His voice flooded into her mind, drowning out the sound of Celeste's, and bringing her out of the memories she was using to comfort herself. Closing her eyes tightly, Audrey focused on the sound of his voice, and his voice only. She could feel the burning sensation building up in her lungs again, but she ignored the pain, and slowly, it began to fade. Suddenly, her eyes snapped open, and she gasped for air as her body bolted upright.

   "Audrey!" Elijah said, relief flooding through his voice as he looked at her.

   The Gilbert said nothing as she flung her arms around him, clinging onto him for dear life. "Elijah." Her voice cracked, burying her head in the crook on his neck as she began to cry.

   "It's okay." He soothed, rubbing his back as she kissed her forehead. Elijah held onto her tightly, neither of them wanting to let go of one another. "You're okay, you're safe now, my love. You're safe."

   And Audrey did feel safe within his hold, but as her eyes closed, she felt the pain bubbling up again inside of her. She may be awake, and this may be real, whatever Celeste had done was far from done with her. 

I really don't make life easy on Audrey sometimes...

I've had this chapter planned out since I started Absolution, and I'm actually pretty pleased with how it turned out. It gave me the chance to give some throw backs to Anomaly, which was fun. It's definitely going to have some effect on Audrey, just not the one Celeste was hoping for. Speaking of, Celeste dies next episode, thankfully. I didn't like her in the show, and I really don't like her now. 

I have the last few chapters of season one planned out in my head, and I am so excited. I'm going to spend this week writing and posting them, so by Friday, we should be ready to start on season 2. Very exciting things are coming, and it is taking everything in me not to spoil them. 

I hope you all enjoyed!