A/N: I am SO, SO sorry for the long delay. I am currently on day 18 of a massive fibromyalgia flare-up after Loki, and I went on a small hike a few weeks ago. To make matters worse, last week I caught Covid and while it was only like having the flu, it really affected my fibromyalgia and I had to be drugged up to deal with the pain. Today is the first day I've been able to sit on the computer.  

One thing I was able to do while resting was to read the much-hyped story - Manacled. OMG, my heart. I still do not know how to deal with what I read. The amount of detail and realism that was put into the story is what I love about Fanfiction. Wow.

Anyway, please accept my apologies with a very long update. Enjoy xoxo

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SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE

The dinner was going well, too well. It unnerved Ric, who had barely said a word as he intently watched Damon, John, and Elijah.

"So..." John smiled sweetly over at Elijah, "What's this I hear about the Founding Families not actually being founders of this great town?"

Damon hummed curiously, the action making Ric grit his teeth; Damon hated hearing anything historical. "Do tell."

"Yes," Elijah stroked the creases from his tie. "I believe it was Aella who I shared such information with."

Damon seemed to tense at the witch's name being spoken, and Andie's eyes curiously scanned the men, "Aella. What a strange name." She turned to Damon, "I heard she's dating your brother?"

John scrutinized her, "If that's all you've heard about Aella Bennett, you're not a very good reporter."

Ric snorted into his scotch while Damon waved for Elijah to continue, "Please."

"Well, a faction of settlers migrated from Salem after the witch trials in the 1690s. Over the next hundred years, they developed this community where they could feel safe from persecution."

Andie's eyes narrowed, "Because they were witches? There's no tangible proof there were witches in Salem."

Damon beamed at John, "And there's that journalist instinct."

Elijah ignored the pissing match occurring between Damon and John as he added, "Well, the lore says that there was this wave of anti-witch hysteria. It broke out in the neighboring settlement, so these witches were rounded up. They were tied to stakes in a field together and, uh, burned. Some say you could hear the screams from miles around us. They were consumed by the fire."

Ric's brow raised, "You speaking of the massacre of the one hundred?"

Elijah looked at the teacher curiously, "You're aware of this?"

Against his better judgment, Ric nodded, "Aella told me about it."

"It's starting to sound a little like a ghost story to me," John faked a smile, placing his napkin on his empty plate.

Damon ignored John turning to face Elijah, "Why do you want to know the location of these alleged massacres?"

"You know..." Elijah's eyes burned into his tormentingly. "A healthy historian's curiosity, of course."

A muscle in Damon's jaw twitched, "Of course."

The room became quiet.

John was amused with the tete-a-tete while Ric was on the edge of his seat. Andie just smiled, "Isn't this a lovely dinner?"

Damon stood up from the table, "Would anyone care for some cognac? I have a bottle that I've been saving for ages."

"None for me, thanks," Ric declined, knocking back the rest of his wine in one gulp. "Nine bottles of wine is my limit."

Damon looked at Andie, who quickly suggested, "Why don't you take your drinks in the study while I clean up here."

Elijah raised with glass in his hand, "I have to say the food was almost as wonderful as the company."

Andie giggled a little too loudly as she pointed at the original, "I like you."

Ric rolled his eyes and left the table before he threw up; he was ahead of the group and about to enter the kitchen to get water when his phone rang, "Elena?" However, the voice wasn't Elena's, "Slow down. Slow down. Stefan?" When Stefan told him Damon's plan, Ric cursed the vampire. He turned to see Damon and Elijah entering the library before he turned and ran into the kitchen.

"Whoa!" Andie jumped as she entered through the other door with the dirty plates. "You scared me."

Ric ignored her and began searching desperately for a paper and pen. He cheered silently as he found what he needed and quickly wrote the message to Damon. Once it was complete, he was about to storm into the library when he realized that would look even more suspicious. His eyes darted around the kitchen for an excuse when they landed on the dessert.

Just then, Andie returned to the kitchen with more dishes. "Andie!" Ric exclaimed, never so happy to see the annoying woman.

She jumped at his shout, "What?"

"Dessert," Ric pointed at the monstrosity sitting on the counter. "We forgot to eat your beautiful...." His head turned when he realized he was unable to name the dessert.

"Figgy Duff!" Andie smiled brightly at the sweet treat.

Ric paused at the name, "What?"

Andie's head tilted, "Figgy Duff, my mom's Canadian."

"Explains it all," Ric muttered lowly, ushering the journalist out of the kitchen. "Let's tell everyone they miss such a beautiful dessert; why don't you escort Elijah?"

Andie nodded and said nothing about Ric's strange attitude or the speed at that he was pushing her to the library. As Andie opened the library door, to Ric's utter horror, Damon held the dagger hovering over Elijah's back."

"Dessert!" Ric and Andie burst into the room. Damon quickly puts the dagger back down. "Gentlemen, we forgot about dessert."

Ric had seen Damon's anger many times, but to see it directed at him was chilling. Elijah, however, was non the wiser and smiled politely at Ric and Andie.

The journalist held out a hand for the original, "Elijah."

Elijah handed his glass to Damon, and the vampire drained it bitterly as Elijah took her hand, "Miss Star." Elijah twirled Andie around and out of the room together.

When Andie's giggles quietened, Damon moved close to Ric and smacked Alaric angrily. Despite the anger at being lied to, Ric pointed down at the dagger with wide eyes.

Damon was clueless as Ric handed the paper he'd written to Damon. As the vampire read it, he felt sick.

The dagger will kill you if you use it.

Damon angrily threw the paper at Alaric before storming out of the room with Ric following him.

As Damon and Ric entered the dining room, they caught Andie fluttering her lashes at Elijah, "So... I know this is a social thing, but I-"

"-I thought we were worried about dessert?" Damon interrupted, eyes narrowed at Andie.

"It's warming up," The journalist snapped before turning back to Elijah, "I would really love to ask you some more questions about the work that you're doing here."

Elijah preened at the annoyance in Damon's appearance, "I'd love to answer."

"Great, that's so great," Andie laughed as John walked in. Damon's eyes followed him dangerously as Andie gestured to Ric, "Alan, would you do me a favor and grab the notebook out of my bag?"

Ric wondered if he rolled his eyes any more they'd get stuck as he walked over to her bag and began searching.

Damon kissed the air as he looked between Elijah and John, "Elijah, did John tell you he's Elena's uncle-slash-father?"

Elijah raised a curious brow, "Yes, I'm well aware of that."

Damon smirked at the glare John was shooting him and added, "Of course, she hates him, so there's absolutely no need to keep him on the endangered species list."

Andie sighed impatiently at Ric's slowness and stood, "No, Alan, it's in the front pocket. On the...you know what? Excuse me, guys. Sorry."

As she walked after Ric, John turned to Elijah, "What I'd like to know, Elijah, is how do you intend on killing Klaus?"

"Gentlemen," Elijah began, twisting his napkin around his fingers. "There's a few things we should probably get clear right now. I allow you to live solely to keep an eye on Elena. I allow Elena to remain in her house, living her life with her friends as she does because Aella asked nicely. If you become a liability, I'll take her away from you, and you'll never see her again."

The room was deadly silent as Andie returned with her notebook and sat down. She was unaware of the tense atmosphere as she turned to Elijah, "Okay. My first question is when you got here to Mystic...." Andie's eyes widened as Ric approached Elijah from behind, "Alan?"

"Alan?" Elijah tilted his head in confusion before Ric stabbed the dagger into his heart through the back of his chair. Elijah screamed in agony as his skin greyed and the veins bulged. Everyone jumped up in shock as Elijah stilled, and Alaric pulled the dagger out and placed it on the table.

Ric looked at Damon, "Don't lie to me again."

Damon's wide eyes that stared at Elijah proudly turned to Ric, "All right-" his eyes sparkled "-Alan."

THE LAKE HOUSE

Stefan sighed in relief as he received a text from Ric about Elijah, "Elijah's dead. Alaric did it."

Rubbing a hand through his hair, Stefan felt such a relief rush through him.

"Um, Stefan?" The vampire froze as Elena asked, "Did Ric remove the dagger?"

Stefan's eyes narrowed, "Why?"

Elena handed him the journal; it was a different page. Stefan's eyes scanned the text before he swore and called Damon's number.

"I hear I have you to thank-"

"-Did you leave the dagger in?" Stefan halted Damon from speaking anymore.

SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE

Damon frowned at Ric as they left the cellar, "No, why?"

"You have to leave the dagger in," Stefan quickly told him. Damon was running to the cellar immediately, Ric calling after him. "You remove it, and he wakes."

Damon froze at the bottom of the cellar. When Ric caught up to him, and Stefan's voice shouted his name for the 5th time, Damon raised the phone to his ear as his voice echoed around the very empty cellar, "This can't be good."

THE LAKE HOUSE

Aella and Jenna giggled as they ate popcorn, watching their second rom-com of the evening.

"Is it bad I want those boots?" Jenna grabbed a handful of popcorn and shoved it into her mouth.

Aella giggled, doing the same as she mumbled with a mouth full of popcorn, "Not if I steal them first."

"Miss Sandie can do no wrong," Jenna laughed as they watched the lead character run back up the stairs after seeing Bradley Cooper was her date.

"Except that hair," Aella snorted, pulling on a twizzler with her teeth, when Sandra Bullock returned with her boobs stuffed up to her chin.

Suddenly they heard running and looked over the couch as Elena and Stefan ran to the door. Aella shouted to Stefan, "Hey! You missed the Wedding Singer, 'Well, I have a microphone, and you don't, so you will listen to every damn word I have to say!'"

They ignored her and opened the door to Damon standing there.

Aella and Jenna were totally confused as Elena invited Damon in, "Whoa! What's James Dean's worst lookalike doing here?"

Damon and Stefan suddenly looked to the door fearfully as Stefan confessed, "He's here."

"Who's here?" Aella climbed over the back of the sofa in her care bears pajamas, pack of Twizzlers in hand.

Suddenly the door flew off its hinges into pieces. Jenna screamed while Aella glared at Damon, her eyes flashing bright green as she growled, "You didn't."

Damon slowly maneuvered himself behind Stefan and Elena before he saw Elijah approaching the house on his other side, "You know, I don't know who I'm more scared of right now."

GILBERT HOUSEHOLD

Anna watched Jeremy and Bonnie curiously, there seemed to be a division between them, and Anna had no idea why or why it was there in the first place. Her homemade Mac'n'Cheese had gone down well, but the conversation had been tense while they ate, especially on Jeremy's part.

Now they sat in the living room, candles in the center of their circle.

Bonnie was practicing her magic with the two of them there for support and in case something went wrong. Only Anna's hearing could pick up the words Bonnie was mumbling.

She closed her eyes, and the candle flame extinguished; when she reopened her eyes and laid her hands flat, the flames were suddenly burning in her palms. Despite Jeremy's funk, he exchanged an excited smile with Anna. Bonnie closed her hands, and the candles relit.

"Now that is cool," Jeremy breathed out. "How does it work? I noticed you saying a spell, but Aella can move the fire without. How is your magic different from Aella's?"

"While I'm fully a traditional witch, Aella was born to two covens," Bonnie explained, reaching over to the candle and waving her finger through the flame. Anna's shifted away; fire and vampires were not a good combination. "The traditional part flows from her dad, and she's also an elemental witch, which flows from her mom."

Anna's brow furrowed, "I've never heard of a witch from two covens."

Bonnie shrugged her shoulder, "Neither had grams until Aella was born. Aella's dad is a warlock from Samson's descendants."

"Emily's brother, right?" Jeremy turned to Anna. "Did you know him?"

Anna shook her head, "Emily only mentioned him a few times. It was rare for a male to be born to the Bennet line with powers. They separated when they were young, but Emily said Samson was a powerful warlock."

"Calvin was," Bonnie half smiled at the memory of Aella's dad. "I didn't know it then, but he'd do the Mary Poppins trick with the bag when we'd have sleepovers."

Jeremy's eyes lit up, "Oh yeah. I remember that." He glanced at Anna excitedly, "We used to think he was a magician and had a special bag. But then he'd use my school bag or mom's grocery bag."

"It's a spell," Bonnie told him with a laugh. "All those years ago, and we had no clue that actual magic was being used in front of us." She shook her head free of the memories, "Aella's elemental magic means she can summon the elements without spells; her connection to nature and the earth is deeper."

"How deep?" Jeremy questioned. "I know we joke she's a tree hugger...."

"Aella's connection with nature is extremely personal...." Bonnie answered as best she knew. "Almost divine."

Anna recalled Aella and Bonnie using magic, both significantly different, "Is one stronger than the other?"

Bonnie's eyes seemed to darken at the question; a muscle in her jaw twitched, "While Traditional magic isn't in tune with the earth or the elements like elementals, it is the oldest and purest form of witchcraft."

Bonnie seemed almost boastful as she spoke, and Jeremy seemed to pull her down a peg as he smiled innocently, "That didn't answer my question."

Bonnie glowered at the vampire, "Traditional Magic is the most exhausting; Elemental witches literally pull from all around them, while Traditional Witches exert their own energy. If a witch pushes too hard while practicing traditional magic, the magic will push back. Ultimately, if a witch pushes beyond their limits, the effects can be fatal. However, we can increase our strength by channeling external forces of energy - the elements, the Moon, the Sun, eclipses, etc."

"So, technically," Jeremy smirked, enjoying rilling the witch up. "An Elemental witch is stronger because she can pull from what is always around them while you-" His eyes widened "-oops, I mean, they only have their own strength or have to pull it from a stronger source. Right?"

Bonnie's teeth gritted, "Right."

Anna glanced between the two skeptically, "Am I missing something?"

"Jeremy's not happy with a decision we both made together," Bonnie snapped, eyes narrowing on the teen. "And he's blaming me."

Jeremy rolled his eyes, "I'm not blaming you; I just felt that we jumped ahead instead of thinking things through."

"You wanted to save Elena," Bonnie's expression hardened. "I just suggested we speak to Damon."

"W-what?" Anna stammered, now super confused. She turned to Jeremy and lowly asked, "You both spoke to Damon about Elena without me?"

While Bonnie rolled her eyes at Anna's naivety, Jeremy's throat tightened at the dejection in Anna's voice. "It was after I walked you home," He tried to explain his reasoning. "I was still unsure about following Aella's plan, and then Bonnie called-"

"-You called him?" Anna cut off her boyfriend and turned to Bonnie earnestly. "Why didn't you call Caroline or Damon yourself?"

Bonnie's lips tightened, "Am I not allowed to call him now?"

Jeremy closed his eyes with a heavy sigh, "Bonnie."

Anna laughed humorlessly, "You're getting annoyed with me for asking why you're calling my boyfriend in the middle of the night to go against Caroline's wishes and go with you to tell Damon something we weren't even sure was true? To go against Aella, your cousin?"

"It wasn't like that," Bonnie harshly blew out and collected the candles, realizing nothing else would happen tonight. "We thought-"

"-We?" Anna cut her off with a harsh laugh and turned to Jeremy, who seemed to have shrunk into himself. "You both decided to do it together and not to include me? Or Caroline?"

Bonnie stood with the candles and flippantly told her, "If your boyfriend decided to trust me more, that's your problem, not mine."

The couple's eyes widened.

"Hey!" Jeremy exclaimed, standing while Anna remained on the floor, her eyes glossy.

Wasn't Bonnie supposed to be her friend?

"That's enough," Jeremy turned to Bonnie in disgust. "What the hell is wrong with you, talking to her like that?"

"Me!?" Bonnie exclaimed, returning her things to her bag. "Why the hell have you had an attitude with me since this morning? And then that crap about who's stronger, it doesn't take an idiot to see you were comparing me and Aella."

Jeremy gritted his teeth and admitted, "Yes, I'm annoyed. When you called yesterday, I needed someone to talk to me and make me see that what Luka said did change things. However, we still needed to think it through before running to Damon and basically throwing Aella the lions." Jeremy felt sick, "Instead, it seemed you wanted me to be angry."

"You should be angry; Elena could die!" Bonnie shot back at him angrily. "It's like you don't care."

Jeremy froze, and Anna was quick to her feet to defend him, "That's enough, Bonnie."

"No!" Bonnie glared at the couple. "Everyone is relying on one plan; Aella's plan she made with the enemy. We can't just rely on that. That's why I went to Damon; at least he's trying to save Elena."

Anna scoffed, "We're trusting Damon to save Elena now?" She gestured to Jeremy, "You are aware that he snapped Jeremy's neck only a few months ago, right? Because he was angry with Elena and wanted her to suffer. Is that the Damon you want to trust now?"

Bonnie's jaw clenched, "You're not und-"

WHACK!

Whatever Bonnie was about to say was cut off as the front door slammed open, and Jonas walked in. The three turned to him, Anna instinctively moving before Bonnie and Jeremy.

"What do you think you're doing?" Anna demanded, but Jonas just twisted his hand, and Anna's neck broke before she fell to the ground.

"Anna! Jeremy screamed and moved to her when Jonas threw Jeremy at the wall.

Bonnie's eyes widened when she was the only one standing as Jonas stormed towards her, his face flushed, "What did my son tell you? What did he tell you?"

Bonnie's breathing increased as she faced the warlock, "He told me about your daughter." The veins in Jona's neck bulged as she confessed. "I know Klaus has her, and I want to help you get her back. But I want us to work together. Please."

Jonas grabbed her face, and Bonnie cried out with fear while Jeremy could only helplessly watch as he struggled against Jonas's force. Bonnie began to cry as Jonas murmured, "This is for your own good." He closed his eyes and chanted, "Phasmatos Tribum, Exum Sue, Redem Su Pas Quo."

"No!" Bonnie screamed as she felt the magic within her withdraw and tried to fight her way out of his grip. "No. No!"

When all she felt was emptiness, Jonas released her from his grip, and she fell to the floor sobbing. The warlock leaned close to her and snarled, "If any harm comes to my son because of what you did, you will answer to me."

The warlock then walked out of the house, and with a wave of his hand, the door slammed shut behind him before Jeremy fell down from the wall and rushed to Anna. He shook her still body calling out her name as Bonnie sobbed.

"What did he do"? Jeremy called over to Bonnie as he cradled Anna close, but Bonnie continued sobbing. "What did he do, Bonnie?!"

Bonnie suddenly stilled, and her cries no more. Her eyes were empty as she turned to him and answered, "He took my powers."

Jeremy's mind returned just moments before Jonas's attack as Bonnie spoke about her magic, and one statement he recalled echoed solemnly:

If a witch pushes beyond their limits, the effects can be fatal.

Bonnie had pushed her magic past the limits she should have gone, and while the effects were not fatal to her, they were to her magic.

THE LAKE HOUSE

Aella glared at Damon, "What did you do?"

Damon crossed his arms and shifted, "There may have been a knife that kills originals, involved."

"You tried to kill Elijah?" Aella's eyes flashed again

Damon arms quickly unfolded, and he held his hands up to her, "And it would have worked if Ric had kept the damn knife in him."

Jenna, who had been speechlessly examining the door on the floor, screeched, "Ric knew?" Her eyes returned to the door, "Look at my door!"

Damon smiled tightly at Jenna, "Not the most important thing right now." He gestured wildly to Elijah, casually strolling towards the house, "How about the menacing original walking this way!"

Aella turned to her boyfriend and demanded, "Did you know about this?"

"No." Stefan vehemently shook his head, but unintentionally his eyes shifted to the side of him.

Aella followed his gaze and stepped back in shock, "Elena?"

Elena tried to avert her eyes from Aella's, the betrayal in them too much to handle, "I'm sorry."

Damon groaned loudly, "Can we forget the family dramatics for now while we deal with him."

"H-he can't come in the house," Jenna stammered as she gazed upon the finely dressed vampire. "R-right?"

Elijah merely buttoned his jacket up again, "I might not be able to enter this house, dear Jenna...But I'm a very patient man. I'll wait you out."

Aella snatched the knife from Damon and pushed past him and Elena, "I'll deal with this." Just before she could step out, Stefan tried to grab her arm, but Aella swerved him and repeated firmly, "I'll deal with this."

But then she turned to Jenna, and her expression softened as she placed her hand on her guardian's cheek, "I'm sorry about the door."

When she stepped out, knife behind her back, Stefan immediately glared at his brother before watching her approach the original. Elena cried into her hands.

Aella swallowed heavily as she stepped over the mangled door frame; Elijah's brow furrowed as he tersely addressed her, "Aella."

Aella could only shrug as she confessed to Elijah, "I swear, I didn't know."

"Which says more about your choice of friends and their loyalty to you instead, doesn't it?" Elijah narrowed his gaze.

Elena had to hold back a sob at the insult while Damon covered his shame by scoffing.

Aella winced; she glanced over her shoulder to glaring Damon and a crying Elena, "You're right, it does. They shouldn't have done what they did." She stepped closer to the vampire, "But your deal was with me, and therefore I should face the consequences."

"Aella!" Stefan exclaimed in shock, while Damon and Elena could only stare wide-eyed at the witch.

"The deal is off."

Aella shrugged, "I'm renegotiating."

Elijah stepped closer to her and succinctly rebutted, "You have nothing left to negotiate with."

Aella pulled the knife from behind her, "What if I gave you this?"

Damon threw his head back with a groan.

Elijah, obviously hearing Damon's ire smirked, "I see loyalty is the incorrect term for you all."

"I just want my friend safe," Aella held out the blade. "I give you this, our deal is back on, and you deal with Damon."

Damon's eyes widened, "Um, that's not a deal I'm okay with?"

"Deal with it, big brother," Stefan snapped, eyes not leaving Aella. "She's cleaning up your mess again."

Elijah moved close to Aella, his eyes on the knife in her hands, "It's the only one?"

Aella's brow raised, "The only one." Elijah moved to take it, but Aella held it back, "Give me your word."

Elijah smiled smoothly, "I give you my word."

Aella let the knife rest in her palms for Elijah to take. The original glanced over her shoulder at Damon and smirked, "I'm going to enjoy ripping you to pieces."

Elijah took the knife from Aella and smirked down at her. Only to see her smirking as well. Elijah furrowed his brow and looked back down at the knife, only to see it gone and in its place.... "Twizzlers?"

"The Twist You Can't Resist!" Aella smiled brightly before her hands erupted on fire, and she shoved them into Elijah's face.

To Stefan, Elena, and Damon's surprise, Jenna came running from the side of the house as Elijah yelled out in pain as the fire burnt his face. Only to freeze and scream in agony as Jenna stabbed him in the back. The guardian breathed heavily as she watched the original turn grey and muttered, "That's for my door, you jerkwad."

Damon leaned out of the door, "Little tip. Don't pull the dagger out."

Aella turned her gaze onto him, fire still burning in her hands as her eyes flashed green.

Damon gulped.

GILBERT HOUSEHOLD

Ric walked into the kitchen; he took a deep breath when his eyes laid on Jenna as she grabbed a bottle of water, "Apart from an original vampire interrupting your retreat, how was the lake house?"

Jenna didn't look at him as she took a sip of the cool water and replaced the lid a little too firmly, "Oh, you know...." Her mouth twisted as she turned to him, "Got to watch a couple of movies, eat a lot of junk food, stab an original because you failed to do it right." Ric winced as Jenna shrugged carefree, "Just your everyday getaway."

Ric rubbed the back of his neck, "Look, Jenna, I'm, uh... I'm so sorry tonight was...."

"Shitty? Terrifying?" Jenna began listing off, "An experience I never want to face again and wished my boyfriend would have given me a heads up in case it went wrong. Like all of Damon's freakin' plans do!"

"-Am I interrupting things?"

Jenna's eyes closed at the voice, and took a deep breath to stop herself from punching John Gilbert again. When she opened them, she saw Ric glaring at him while John stood so smugly against the door frame. She saw the suit he was wearing, "Did you attend this dinner/assassination?"

"He did much more than that," Ric snared at John. "He's the one who gave Damon the dagger."

"Yeah," John sighed disappointedly as he straightened his tie. "It's too bad Damon wasn't the one to stab Elijah."

Jenna had to hold back her scream; if he wasn't the only other blood relative of Elena and Jeremy, she was confident she'd have killed him by now. However, he was Jeremy's uncle and Elena's birth father, so she took a deep breath before turning to him.

"I know the concept of being a father is pretty new to you, John," Jenna began as calmly as she could. "But when the man holding your daughter's life in his hands is betrayed, your first thought should have been Elena. Should have been for your nephew." She raised a brow at John as his smirk slowly faded, "Did you know the witch that Elijah has entered my house, your house, uninvited, and attacked Jeremy?"

"How about Elena when Elijah escaped the cellar?" Jenna questioned, looking between him and Ric. "I know you were still there, flirting away with Andie-" She pointed a furious finger in Ric's direction "-and don't think we've forgotten her in this saga." Turning back to John, she asked, "Did you wonder for a second what could have happened to your daughter? Did you call her to warn her? Did you call me to warn her because I was with her? To warn me that a certain vampire that could only be incapacitated with a knife you somehow got was on his way to take Elena, and do God know what with her? Did you?" John stayed silent, so Jenna shouted, "Did you?!"

Her eyes traced John's figure with disgust, "No, you didn't. Because you are not a father, John. You are not someone who ever thinks like a father. My first instinct was to get Jeremy, Aella, and Elena as far away from here as I could. Yours? 'It's too bad Damon wasn't the one to stab Elijah.' You're pathetic." She looked between the pair before he walked away, "You both are."

Ric rubbed his eyes tiredly, listening to Jenna's footsteps climbing the stairs. A door opened and then close; she was checking on Jeremy. Another door opened and then closed, checking on Elena. A third bedroom would have been checked if Aella had been here, but she was cleaning up their mess. Jenna had done this check every night since Ric had lived there and even longer before that. A final door opened and closed, Jenna and his room. Well, Jenna's room for tonight. He'd either sleep on the couch or go back to his apartment.

When he lowered his hand from his pulsing brain, John was still standing there, and Ric's mind decided instantly where he'd be sleeping that night.

"Well, that was awkward." John laughed to himself as he rocked on the spot, "It'll all be forgotten about in the morning...."

Ric laughed humorlessly, "You know what? Jenna's right." He removed the ring from his finger and placed it on the table. "You're not a father, and we're both pathetic." Pushing the metal towards John, he smirked, "You want it? Take it. It's yours. And after what you did to Damon... to Aella...." His eyes gleamed, "You're gonna need it more than me."

SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE

Stefan and Damon maneuvered Elijah's body into the holding cell, careful not to jostle the dagger lodged firmly in his back. Aella trailed behind them, her arms crossed tightly over her chest, a simmering silence hanging around her like an ominous cloud.

As Damon rifled through Elijah's pockets, Aella couldn't help but curl her lip in disdain at the invasive gesture. Her annoyance only deepened when Damon retrieved the moonstone with a self-satisfied smirk.

"A little moonstone bar of soap. I'll hold on to this," Damon declared triumphantly.

Aella shifted uncomfortably, her gaze fixed on Stefan as he sealed the cell shut. "This isn't right," she murmured, a hint of unease lacing her voice.

Damon arched a brow. "What's not right? Or are you just miffed that you're not stealing the spotlight?"

"Damon!" Stefan interjected sharply. "Aella saved us back there."

Aella narrowed her eyes at Damon, a flicker of frustration dancing in her gaze. "What's your deal, Damon? Why the sudden lack of trust?"

"After your disappearing act with Elijah, why should I trust you?" Damon jabbed a finger accusingly in her direction. "You didn't trust us, so I decided to return the favor."

Aella scoffed disbelievingly. "You're impossible, Damon." She turned her attention to Elijah, tears threatening to spill from her eyes. "All I care about is saving Elena. But what I learned from Elijah goes beyond that. It's bigger than all of us." She pointed at Elijah furiously, tears shining in her eyes, "And he was the only way to stop it."

"We'll find another way," Damon dismissed callously, seemingly unaffected by Aella's tears.

Aella's jaw clenched as she fought to contain her emotions. "Fine," she said through gritted teeth. "I hope you're successful." She leveled a pointed gaze at Elijah's motionless form. "Because he spent 500 years searching for another solution and came up empty-handed. But hey, good luck with that." A single tear escaped her control, tracing a path down her cheek as she approached Damon. "And if you don't agree with my decisions, that's fine. There's nothing I can do about that, but if you ever go behind my back again, I'll-"

"-You're gonna what?" Damon interrupted her with a grim smile. "Hmm? What are you gonna do?"

Aella took a step closer, and her eyes flashed. Damon felt a sliver of fear before Stefan stepped between them, "I think that's enough for now."

"—You'll what?" Damon interrupted with a menacing grin. "Hmm? What exactly are you gonna do?"

Aella took a step closer, her eyes flashing with intensity. Damon felt a pang of apprehension before Stefan stepped between them. "That's enough for now," Stefan intervened, casting a protective glance at Aella.

Aella's gaze lingered on Damon, betrayal etched across her features as she whispered, "I just needed you to trust me, Damon."

Damon paused in his retreat, the weight of her words hitting him like a sucker punch. Shaking off the impact, he resumed his departure, tossing back casually, "Yeah, well, trust works both ways, and you suck at it." He paused at the top of the stairs, his tone hardening. "Don't remove the dagger, Aella."

Alone in the cellar, Aella crumbled against Stefan, her sobs echoing in the dimly lit space. Stefan held her close, offering what little solace he could amidst the turmoil of betrayal.

"Why won't they trust me?" Aella lamented, her voice muffled against Stefan's chest. "After everything I've done for them. Why?"

"Because they're idiots," Stefan replied gently, his arms wrapped securely around her. "I was an idiot too, but I've learned. Damon struggles with trust because he's been burned too many times. It's easier for him to believe he can only rely on himself."

"And Elena?" Aella sniffled, her tears staining Stefan's shirt. "When did I lose her trust?"

Stefan brushed a comforting hand over her hair. "You haven't. Elena's scared, and Damon's manipulation only deepened her doubts."

Aella clung to Stefan, seeking solace in his embrace. "I hate him."

"No, you don't," Stefan teased, a hint of amusement in his voice. "That's what makes this worse. If he'd done it months ago, you'd have punished him. Now? You're hurt because you and he are actually friends."

Aella grimaced, "Ew. Damon and me, friends."

"Yeah..." Stefan murmured, still holding her as he swayed them. "That's a strange twist I didn't see coming."

Aella pressed a tender kiss to Stefan's lips before pulling away and ascending the stairs with determination etched in every step.

"Where are you going?" Stefan called after her.

Aella's footsteps echoed defiantly as she shouted back, "To kick his ass!"

-----------------------------

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Damon retreated to his bedroom, the echoes of their confrontation still ringing in his ears. Despite his bravado, Aella's words had struck a nerve, stirring emotions he preferred to keep buried.

Twirling the moonstone between his fingers, Damon was startled when he heard the shower running, "Andie? I thought you left," he called out absentmindedly.

The steam dissipated, revealing not Andie but Elena standing before him, a mischievous glint in her eyes. Damon's initial shock gave way to suspicion as he narrowed his gaze at her. Katherine.

"Hello, Damon," Katherine purred, her lips curling into a sly smile.

Before Damon could react, the sound of approaching footsteps drew his attention. His heart sank as Aella burst into the room,, "We're not done here, Damo-whoa!"

Aella froze, her eyes widened in disbelief at the sight before her. "Elena! That's way too much skin—"

Elena smirked, unfazed by Aella's presence, while Aella's shock quickly turned to anger as she growled, "Katherine."

"Katherine?" Stefan's voice joined the fray, prompting Aella to cover his eyes with her hands.

Katherine's laughter filled the room as she surveyed the trio before her. "Do any of you have a robe?" she quipped, reveling in the chaos she had stirred.