Somewhat later

Jeremy arrived at the airport and Elijah sent someone to pick him up. It was awkward for him as well as the other Mystic Falls Scooby gang that all of a sudden, an Original was obliging them. Still, that was now it and they were all very well aware that it all had to do with Elena. 

At the Gilbert house, Stefan moped around as the brunette finally fell asleep. He hated being useless. But what had him more iritable was the fact that Elijah turned the tables on them and started calling the shots. Seeing Elena cosing up to him as he carried her out of the hospital made his blood boil. He wanted to get Damon out of the cellar and conspire against the Original. Then he looked at her, he knew that she would be again so disappointed in him if he  tried anything. 

She was slipping away from him a long time ago, but now it felt like that it would be for good. She had a  strange understanding with the Original, and he found it demoralizing. The fact that she didn't want him dead and  regretting that she signed his death spoke volumes.

"Stefan-?"- Elena said faintly as she woke up. 

He moved like a lightning to her side and asked-

"What do you need?" 

"Tell me- is Matt- gone?" 

"I don't know. I tried to call Caroline, but she isn't answering. But if he was gone, she would have told us!" 

"I know- it's mad- I wanted to do so many different things" - Elena said gulping faintly.

"Come on. You will- I am sure Elijah will find some cure" 

"I want to say something" the doppelganger said with a rasp in her voice. Stefan hushed her a bit telling her not to strain herself and gave her some water, helping her take a few slurps with a straw. 

 "I am dying, right?! But it's ok" 

"Elena, please"

" I have to, Stefan, I have to get it all out-all of it. There's been crazy few months-  and I,"a cough stopped her. Stefan helped her take some more water. As she rested her head back on the pillow, she continued -"didn't know what I really wanted-  and it's lie. I knew. I've known it for a while now -and it's not been easy. It's not been right, but I know"

"Please- don't do this-you need to keep all the strength that you've got" the vampire  pleaded with her. 

"I talked to Damon, on the phone when we were driving out of Mystic Falls and- I had to choose, so- I told him that I picked you" 

"Elena" 

"But, Stefan - I'm sorry- I am really sorry- I didn't want to choose or pick- because" 

"You've already loved someone else!" Stefan now said finishing the sentence for her in a way. 

Elena looked at the Salvatore astound that he would say that. 

"I know, Elena- it's him" 

They exchanged looks that confirmed the vampire's suspicions he had from the moment he saw Elena and Elijah looking at one another as they were at the table not long ago negotiating over giving Klaus' body over to the Original They had that understanding he had seen with people who could read eachother's souls.  

"I am in love with Elijah!" Elena uttered. "You don't deserve this-but I just had to make it clear. Not that it matters anymore." 

"You had to be honest! I get it - to yourself, too," 

"I am sorry" 

"No, don't be. It was clear - after the Ball very much so" 

Elena inhaled sharply. "Stefan-"

"Your happiness is important to me - and if he-" 

"You always let me make my own decisions" 

"Yes -you need to live your own life" 

"But not with him, right?"  Elena now said as she saw the disappointment in Stefan's eyes.

"You have to rest."

"Please don't be mad."

"I am not mad. I could never be mad at you"- Stefan said with a little smile.

Elena nodded a little and held  the vampire's hand for a little while. This may be the last time they would be so close and he wanted to savour  the moment. As he heard the car pull in front of the house, he released her hand.  

A few moments afterwards Elijah entered with Sophie Deveraux,  a hip woman in her late twenties. Elijah introduced her to  Stefan as the witch doctor. 

The witch didn't waste any time and went straight to Elena to examine her. It didn't take her long to figure out what was wrong with Elena  as she smelled her breath and looked into her eyes. She asked of Elijah to move Elena to the table in the kitchen. The Original did as asked. Elena didn't oppose either. As he laid her down, she took hold of his hand, without uttering a word. Stefan looked at them, and it pained him to see how dearly she looked at the Original. 

"You will be fine. Concentrate on what Sophie is telling you. I will be right here. " 

Elena nodded with a little gulp.

Sophie put some herbs she had selected from her bag on Elena, and  then spread a bit of an ointment on her forehead, hands and legs. 

"I have not really introduced myself to you, Elena"- Sophie said-"but we haven't got much time. Ok. You've been poisoned and a  curse has been put on you. I will get it out. It will not be pleasant. But things will be fine. Trust me!" 

"Thank you for coming."- Elena said. 

Sophie then lit the incenses of lavander, myrrh, copal, sweetgrass and white sage. She closed the kitchen and asked the two vampires to leave them. What followed wasn't a pleasant site. As the healing process started Elena seemed to fall into a  feverish state, sweating the bad poison out of her body, as Sophie spoke the words of a spell in an unknown language.

****

At the same time, deep in the woods, Caroline searched for Matt, who had escaped, leaving her to look for him. She had sent numerous message to Stefan, but had no reply. 

"I have to do everything on my own."- the blonde complained- " ok-why would he come here? Think? -Oh, no"- 

The vampire now realized he must have gone to the spot where they had found his sister. It resulted to be so.

"Matt!Hey "- Caroline neared the newbie vampire cautiously.

"You just had to do it-Look at me- I am-ahhhh"- Matt screamed at the blonde.

"I know. Sorry, but I just couldn't let you die" 

"I hate it! I didn't want to become one" 

"I know how you feel. Maybe you think that I don't. But I do. It will be all right- I promise"

"How? I want more- it's like fire inside of me" 

"I know- for now- ok- let's go to Stefan's. There are some blood bags- and it will calm your thirst." - Caroline tried to talk him into it, not wanting to resort to having to snap his neck.

"Everything-my head is throbbing" 

"I know-so it would be really great to go-  and you will better when you had a drink-all right? 

Matt seemed to have calmed down, as she now came up to him. He looked at her like a broken bird.  

"Come on"- she said softly, taking hold of his hand. He agreed to follow her.

***

At Elena's house

After having finished with the spell and as Elena seemed to have calmed down, the witch proceeded with brushing Elena's face, arms, legs, and hands with  herbs tied in a small bunch. Elena seemed serene.  

Elijah, together with Stefan, listened to the whole process.They both wished to go in as they heard Elena speak unknown words in a frenzy. His heart rumbled with fear for her.

"Good."- Sophie smiled at Elena as she woke up- "how are you? Welcome back." 

"Back? I wasn't- I am so beat- but I feel better and - I feel I can breathe again." - Elena said sitting up.

"I can imagine. And if it wasn't for the Original blood in you would have died. The blood fought the poison. And it was a damn powerful one." 

Elena now stood  and Sophie offered her a bathrobe to cover herself.  

"Who would poison me? It couldn't have been Matt. The tea he gave me was sweet- that is all." 

"You could have been poisoned ages ago. It works slowly. It must have got triggered by something- do you remember being sick at times- throwing up?

"No.I just felt like I had a stomach bug."- Elena replied. 

"Anyway,your doppelganger blood could sire hybrids, so I've been told" 

"Yes"- Elena confirmed. 

"They wanted to stop it." - Sophie then said and went to the doors, inviting the vampires in.

Elijah and Stefan now joined them. 

"Someone is here" - Stefan said and Jeremy bursted into the kitchen.

"Jeremy!"- Elena welcomed her brother. The two siblings hugged.

Stefan excused himself and left, as he finally looked at the tones of messages Caroline had left, explaining that she needed help with Matt.

Elena briefly explained to Jeremy what had happened. Then she wished to get a shower,as she felt she smelled like a strange incense mixture. 

Sophie collected her things together. 

"Is Elena all right now?"- Jeremy asked. 

Elijah wanted more answers from her as well.  

"She is fine. There's no poison in her anymore. Her blood can't be used for siring any hybrids anymore. I have linked it with yours"- the witch looked at Elijah. 

"What do you mean?" - the Original narrowed his eyes at Sophie. He wasn't pleased with the news.

"She would have traits of a vampire, I am afraid. " 

"What does that mean?"- Jeremy wanted to know. 

"She is not a vampire but- a vampire's agility. Enhanced senses. Strength." 

"What have you done?"- Jeremy was fuming. 

"Saved her."- Sophie said simply- " I couldn't allow anymore hybrids to be sired." 

"So, you know who poisoned her_"- Elijah then said calming down. 

"This poison was administrated by witch doctors." 

"The evil ones, I guess?! And you are a good one!?"- Jeremy remarked. 

"Yep. We are even now?!"- the witch looked at Elijah. 

"We are."- the Original replied simply.  

"Still-  if there is anything Elena needs, she can call me anytime she wants. You know where I live!" 

"Yes.  I think, though, that  you can stay a day or two, just so we know that Elena is all right." - Elijah said.

"All right."- Sophie agreed.

As Stefan's phone buzzed, seeing it was Caroline's message, the vampire now excused himself and left the Gilbert house.

***

Arriving at the Boarding house, Stefan found Caroline with Matt in the lounge.  

"I gave him some out of your stash. I thought it was better than him drinking from a human" 

Matt was quiet sitting on the sofa. 

"That's fine."-Stefan  said to Caroline and then turned to the newbie-

"Hey, Matt. it's been a crazy day, ha?" 

"Really? I wouldn't know"- Matt looked at the Salvatore with a whiff of nark in his voice

"This will get easier, if you listen to what I tell you to do." - Stefan said with his calm approach.

"Right"- Caroline puffed off relieved and then asked about Elena. Stefan briefly filled her in with the lates on the doppelganger, who back at the Gilbert house was taking a long shower.