SHEILA'S HOUSEHOLD

Sheila's frustration simmered palpably in the air, her gaze locked on Stefan with a fiery intensity that could rival the sun.

"I swear if this cancer doesn't kill me, my granddaughters will. Where did I go wrong, Stefan?" she lamented, her words heavy with exasperation.

Despite being a vampire, Caroline couldn't escape the discerning eye of her grandmotherly figure. Attempting to make a quick exit through the backdoor, she froze at Sheila's warning, her guilty conscience weighing her down like chains.

"And you, Miss Caroline Elizabeth Forbes, don't think you're getting away so easily," Sheila's voice cut through the air like a whip, halting Caroline in her tracks.

Stefan couldn't help but hide a smirk at Caroline's failed attempt to evade the impending lecture. The blonde grumbled, "Are you sure you don't have eyes in the back of your head?"

"Aella Bennett is my granddaughter, I have eyes everywhere," Sheila declared with a matter-of-fact tone, sending a shiver down Caroline's spine.

Caroline's horror was evident as she recoiled at the thought. "That's a scary thought," she muttered under her breath, her heart sinking at the realization of Sheila's omnipresence.

With a pat on the seat beside her, Sheila beckoned Caroline to join her, her expression softening slightly despite her frustration.

"What have you girls done to this poor boy?" Sheila's question hung in the air, punctuated by Caroline's scoff and Stefan's quiet preening at the comment about him.

"Poor boy? He's over 150 years old," Caroline retorted, her voice tinged with disbelief.

Stefan's smug smile faltered at Sheila's response, his ego taking a hit as she delivered her next line with razor-sharp precision.

"He's male. They never mature," Sheila quipped, her words laced with a hint of sarcasm and a touch of truth.

As Caroline reluctantly took her place beside Sheila, Stefan couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for the predicament he found himself in. With Sheila's keen insight and unwavering scrutiny, navigating the complexities of their supernatural world was no easy feat.

"Though I appreciate you very much, Stefan. Not very many people can handle my Aella," Sheila remarked, her tone softening with genuine appreciation.

Stefan's lips curved into a wry smile. "Case in point."

Turning her attention to Caroline, Sheila's expression shifted, her gaze piercing as she posed a direct question.

"Where's Elijah?" she inquired, her tone leaving no room for evasion.

Caroline's response was swift, her lips pressed together in a mock gesture of secrecy as she mimed zipping her lips shut. But Sheila wasn't one to be deterred by mere gestures.

"You going to deny a dying woman?" Sheila's unimpressed brow raised in silent challenge, her stare piercing through Caroline's facade.

With a defeated sigh, Caroline relented, her resolve crumbling like a house of cards. "That's cruel. I swore to Aella I wouldn't tell. I swore on pain of death I wouldn't tell."

Sheila's response was a sharp retort, cutting through Caroline's feeble attempt at deflection. "Pain of death? Child, you're a vampire."

Caroline grumbled under her breath, frustrated at how easily Sheila saw through her lie. "Fine. I swore on my Elizabeth Arden makeup collection I wouldn't spill. Do you know how much that stuff costs? Aella does, and that's why she made me swear on it."

Stefan watched the exchange with a mixture of concern and apprehension. He knew the bond between Caroline and Aella was unbreakable, even if it meant adhering to the most absurd promises. But as the weight of Damon's potential discovery bore down on him, Stefan couldn't help but cut through the facade.

"Forget a location. Just tell me what she's doing with him. Is she safe?" Stefan's words hung in the air, heavy with unspoken worry and the urgency of their situation.

As Caroline nodded in affirmation, Stefan felt a heavy weight lift from his gut, a sense of relief flooding through him like a cool breeze on a hot summer's day. With Caroline poised to explain their reasoning, the tension in the room eased, if only slightly.

"After what happened with Bonnie, we all agreed we never wanted to feel that way again. Especially Elena and Aella. They actually thought Bonnie was dead," Caroline began, her voice tinged with the weight of their shared trauma.

Sheila nodded knowingly, her hand reaching out to pat Caroline's in a gesture of understanding. The mere thought of believing Bonnie to be dead was a pain Sheila couldn't fathom, a darkness that threatened to engulf them all.

Caroline's gaze shifted pointedly to Stefan, her expression unreadable as she continued. "Aella told me you were about to tell Grams that Bonnie was dead when Elena found out and stopped her."

Turning her attention back to Sheila, Caroline posed a poignant question. "How would you have felt finding out Bonnie was dead?"

Sheila could only shake her head, the weight of such a revelation too heavy to bear.

"This is our lives. This is Elena's life. Yet everyone else seems to be making plans about it," Caroline asserted, her tone resolute. "There is no one on earth that I trust more than Aella, and Elena is in agreement. If anyone can figure out how to save Elena, it's her."

Stefan leaned forward, his eyes reflecting the sincerity of his words as he sought to convey his understanding. "I believe that. I trust Aella too, and I understand why you all did what you did. But Damon and Bonnie have their own plan, and I can't stop them."

"That's why Aella had to be the one to wake Elijah. If we have Elijah on our side, Damon won't have any other choice," Caroline explained, her voice firm with conviction.

Stefan shook his head wearily, his exhaustion evident. "You underestimate Damon."

Caroline's stare bore into Stefan's, unwavering in its confidence. "You underestimate Aella."

As the two found themselves at a standoff, Sheila intervened, tapping Caroline's hand gently to draw her attention back.

"Caroline, hunny," Sheila began, her voice soft but firm. "Stefan is right. Damon's soul is blackened by the things he's done and what he's willing to do to protect those around him. Even if he knows Aella is doing this the right way, just so she can protect everyone, Damon will see that as the hard way."

Stefan nodded in appreciation of Sheila's insight, knowing all too well the depths of Damon's darkness.

"Damon has only one goal. Kill to save Elena. If Bonnie's dead, Aella's dead; he does not care, as long as Elena lives the world can burn," Stefan added, his voice heavy with guilt.

Caroline stared at Stefan in disbelief, the weight of his words sinking in.

"But that's crazy," she murmured, unable to comprehend the depth of Damon's obsession.

"That's Damon," Stefan shrugged, a bitter taste lingering on his tongue. "Only after he's destroyed everything to save a single thing does he see his destruction."

Sheila smiled sadly, reciting a quote that resonated deeply with their situation. "'After all, the male ego was a horrible thing.'"

Stefan, ever the scholar, recognized the quote instantly. "Robert Dunbar - Martyrs and Monsters."

Sheila's proud smile mirrored Stefan's knowledge, a silent acknowledgment of their shared understanding.

"Correct," she affirmed, her gaze warm with approval.

Caroline rolled her eyes playfully at Stefan's display of knowledge. "Geek."

Caroline's gaze shifted between Stefan and Sheila, her expression one of uncertainty as she voiced the question that lingered in the air.

"So what do we do?" she inquired, her tone tinged with a mixture of apprehension and determination.

Stefan's shoulders lifted in a casual shrug, his focus singular as he spoke. "I just need to know Aella's location is safe."

Caroline smiled at his protective instinct, a glimmer of admiration shining in her eyes. "Even if Damon was able to find out, he won't be able to access it. Only those of the same bloodline as Aella can access it."

Sheila couldn't contain her pride, her hands clapping together with a wide smile of approval. "That's my girl."

With reassurance settling over him like a warm blanket, Stefan felt a sense of relaxation wash over him for the first time that day. "Then we wait."

Despite Stefan's love for her best friend, Caroline raised a skeptical brow, her doubt evident. "You really trust her? The last time she went off with Elijah, you asked Katherine for help and John Gilbert ended up in town."

Sheila shot Stefan an unimpressed shake of the head, her disapproval clear. "That was not a smart move, Stefan."

Stefan nodded in agreement, acknowledging his past mistakes. "I know, and I learned my lesson. Despite everything we've gone through, Aella's actions have never been selfish, and I should have realized that then. I was just—"

Stefan's words trailed off, his expression pensive as he searched for the right word. Caroline finished his sentence with a soft murmur.

"Scared," she supplied, her voice gentle with understanding.

Stefan nodded in affirmation, the weight of his fear heavy on his shoulders. Despite being a 164-year-old vampire, he couldn't shake the terror that gripped him when it came to Aella.

Sheila smiled knowingly at him before reciting a quote that resonated deeply with their situation. "'To love is to be afraid. You are frightened, deathly terrified, that something will happen to those you love. Think of the possibilities. Does your heart clench with each thought? That, my friend, is love. And love enslaves us all, for you cannot have love without fear.'"

Frowning lightly, Stefan attempted to recall the source of the quote, but his efforts proved fruitless. "I don't know that one."

Sheila beamed brightly, nudging Caroline with a proud smirk. "I still got it."

Caroline sighed heavily to herself, her voice barely above a murmur. "Oh my god, I'm in Nerd Central."

UNDERGROUND CAVERN

Nate and Elijah navigated the winding tunnels with caution, the dim light casting eerie shadows on the walls. As they approached the section where the booby trap had nearly claimed Aella's life, Nate's eyes fell upon the wooden stakes scattered on the ground.

"Well, that's a nice welcome gift," Nate remarked, bending to pick one up.

Elijah sneered at the sight of the stakes, his disdain evident. "In addition to a very generous coat of vervain."

Nate's eyes widened at the revelation, and he spun the stake in his hand before tossing it aside with a nonchalant gesture. "Now that's a party."

Undeterred by the ominous signs, Nate pressed forward, with Elijah following closely behind. The cavern loomed ahead, its vast expanse stretching out before them. Nate's eyes widened in awe as he took in the sheer size of the space, while Elijah, once again barred from entry, could only stare in disbelief.

"Marco!?" Nate's voice echoed through the cavern, breaking the silence.

Suddenly, Aella's head appeared from around a wall, her smile radiant as she responded, "Polo!"

Nate approached Aella with a playful whine, while Elijah watched on with a mixture of concern and reproach.

"Elijah said you wandered off after hearing voices. Not cool, kid," Nate chided gently, his tone laced with humor.

Elijah nodded, his brow furrowing as he addressed Aella. "Yes, Aella. Are you well?"

Aella's gaze flickered to Elijah, a whirlwind of emotions swirling within her as she grappled with the knowledge that he had lied to her about the doppelgangers. Her response was delayed as she struggled to articulate her feelings, but then she plastered on a bright smile, dismissing his concern with a wave of her hand.

"You were right, it was just the wind. I got a bit confused with all the tunnels. I'm sorry, Elijah," she said, her voice ringing with forced cheerfulness.

Before Elijah could delve further into her peculiar behavior, Aella turned her attention back to Nate, her genuine joy evident as she admired his Indiana Jones costume.

"Look at you!" she exclaimed, her finger pointing toward the Murder Inc. pin she had gifted him during a previous visit. "And you have your Murder Inc. pin on. They should totally cast you as Indiana if they ever do a remake."

Nate playfully tugged on his hat, a blush tinting his cheeks. "Puh-lease, my man, Harrison has at least two—maybe three—more movies in his repertoire."

Elijah rolled his eyes at their banter, unimpressed by the idea of more Indiana Jones movies.

"What joy," he muttered dryly.

Suddenly, Nate's attention shifted to Elijah, his expression one of disbelief.

"What's with the vampire stuck in the cave with you?" Nate questioned, his incredulity evident.

Aella's eyes sparkled with mischief as she revealed Elijah's true identity.

"He's an Original," she announced proudly.

Nate leaned back in surprise, his disbelief palpable.

"Whaaaat?" he exclaimed, turning to Elijah with wide eyes. "My dude! Why did you not mention that when we met?"

Approaching Elijah just before the barrier, Nate looked him up and down, impressed by his flawless complexion.

"You gotta tell me what moisturizer you use. Perfectly clear skin," Nate remarked, admiration evident in his voice.

Elijah simply glanced at Aella, acknowledging her presence.

"The resemblance is remarkable," he remarked, his tone reflecting a mixture of amusement and astonishment.

Aella's laughter echoed through the cavern as she waved her uncle over, her excitement palpable.

"Up here, Nate. Bring that fancy camera here," she called out, her voice filled with enthusiasm.

Nate hurried over, his eyes wide with wonder as he took in the intricate carvings adorning the walls. He reached up, running his fingers over the ancient symbols etched into the stone.

"Wow! These are definitely some kind of names or places," Nate remarked, his curiosity piqued as he began photographing the carved words.

"May I see"

When Elijah made himself known again, Nate eagerly approached, displaying the photos on his camera's display.

"You absolutely can do, my dude," Nate replied, a hint of excitement in his voice.

As Elijah studied the images, his expression shifted, his features betraying his shock. Aella stepped forward, concern flickering in her eyes as she observed his reaction.

"You know what it says," she stated softly, her voice laced with understanding.

Elijah blinked back his tears, his throat tightening with emotion.

"Rebekah. It says Rebekah," he murmured, the weight of the words hitting him like a sledgehammer.

Aella's lips twisted in recognition at the name of Elijah's sister, while Nate quickly moved on to the next photo, sensing the weight of Elijah's emotions.

"And that one says Henrik," Elijah whispered, his fingers brushing over the name on the camera screen.

Aella approached the two men with a soft, knowing smile, her gaze gentle as she spoke.

"Henrik. Your brother who died," she said, her voice filled with empathy.

Elijah's eyes remained fixed on the image, his mind drifting back to memories long buried.

"For years I could not blame Niklaus," he admitted, his voice heavy with regret. "I merely thought he and Henrik were too curious for their own good. But alone for so many years, only Niklaus as my remaining sibling, I realized if he had just listened to my father and told Henrik no. Everything would be different."

Nate, having heard bits of Elijah's history from Aella, offered his perspective, his voice tinged with empathy.

"You can't know that. No one knows. It's what makes life so exhilarating," Nate countered, his words a reminder of the unpredictability of life.

Elijah scoffed, the weight of his centuries-long existence evident in his response.

"Try being alive for over 1000 years. Nothing can surprise me," he remarked dryly.

As Aella turned to inspect the carvings once more, she stumbled over nothing but air, her frustration evident as she scowled at the ground.

"Son of a bitch!" she exclaimed, earning a smile from Elijah as he murmured to himself, "Well... very few things can surprise me."

Nate returned to his task of taking photographs, his camera clicking away as he captured the ancient carvings adorning the cavern walls. Meanwhile, Aella's attention was drawn to a particular carving, her eyes widening in recognition. She reached for the necklace hidden beneath her shirt, her fingers tracing the pendant as she saw it carved again and again among the symbols.

Her silence spoke volumes as Nate began to translate his findings.

"From what I can see, the names were carved long before the rest of these carvings. But here is definitely the moon cycle," Nate explained, pointing to a specific carving before turning to Aella.

"A man. A wolf," he continued, his words hanging in the air.

Despite neither of them being able to see him, Elijah nodded in agreement. "Makes sense, we are below the Lockwood property," he remarked.

Nate paused, his confusion evident. "The Lockwoods are werewolves?" he questioned, turning to Aella for confirmation.

Aella nodded solemnly, and Nate's eyes widened at the implications. "Woah," he breathed, frozen in astonishment.

Another thought occurred to Nate, and he raised a brow at his niece. "Wait, wasn't Mason Lockwood your babysitter at one point?" he asked incredulously.

Aella twisted her lips in response. "Yes. But he was a werewolf wayyy after. Katherine forced him to turn so she could use him to find the moonstone," she explained matter-of-factly.

Nate listened intently, his expression filled with sympathy for Mason. "Poor dude, that Katherine really is a bitch," he remarked, earning a silent agreement from Elijah.

Frowning, Nate took a step back from the carvings, his gaze shifting to Elijah still standing proudly at the barrier. "What did Bitchy Katherine do to you?" he inquired, his curiosity piqued.

Elijah's response was delivered with a flat expression, revealing the depth of his betrayal. "I was once willing to sacrifice everything for Katerina until she betrayed me for her own freedom, forcing me to have to grovel before my brother where I then spent 500 years trying to find and kill her. Eventually, I did find her and confined her into the very tomb she manipulated her way out of death for the umpteenth time until your niece stabbed me with a unique dagger. And now I can only assume Katherine is being held captive by my brother, who wishes to break the curse placed upon him that was put there to maintain the balance of nature," he recounted.

Nate's mouth fell open in shock, his mind reeling at the incredible tale. "Dude! That could be a movie!" he exclaimed suddenly, before another detail caught his attention. "Wait. Balance of nature?" he questioned, turning to Aella for answers.

Aella scoffed, realizing there was so much she had yet to share with her uncle. "Uncle Nate, you have no idea," she replied cryptically.

Aella's phone suddenly erupted with a flurry of beeps, signaling an influx of messages and missed calls. With a wince, she glanced down at the screen, her expression shifting to one of shock.

"Looks like service isn't 100% perfect down here. Klaus went after Jenna," she announced, her voice laced with concern.

Nate's eyes widened at the news, and he quickly moved beside Aella to peer down at her phone, his tone filled with worry for the woman he cared deeply about.

"Is she okay?" Nate inquired anxiously.

Aella's gaze remained fixed on her phone as she worried her lip, but she nodded in response to Nate's question.

"She's with Elena but..." Aella began, her voice trailing off with uncertainty.

Feeling Aella's hesitation and sensing her internal conflict, Elijah interjected with a firm directive.

"Go," he instructed, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Aella's eyes widened in surprise at Elijah's command.

"Seriously?" she questioned, seeking confirmation.

Elijah nodded solemnly, understanding the significance of Jenna's safety to Aella.

"I know how much Jenna means to you," Elijah acknowledged, casting a knowing glance between Aella and Nate. "Both of you. I'll be fine down here, it's not like I can go anywhere else. I just have one request."

Aella's expression softened, her concern for Elijah still evident as she waited for his request.

"Anything," she promised.

Elijah tugged at the borrowed suit, his disdain for the fabric evident in his expression.

"This polyester mix is playing havoc with my skin. When you return, I really do urge you to come back with a suit made of wool or at least a high-quality cotton. I'm not a savage," he remarked, his tone serious.