❛ ACT I ❜
-ˋˏ chapter five ˎˊ-

SOFIA GRIPPED THE BACKPACK full of supplies in her hands as she descended the steps to the tomb where Stefan was trapped.

The only light source in the underground area was the fire holders on the walls and the sunlight coming from the entrance. It was cold though and the thought of over 100 vampires starving and dying here made Sofia quicken her steps to the entrance of the tomb, stopping before the barrier.

"Knock knock." Sofia called out, her voice echoing as she gently knocked her knuckles against the rock sarcastically.

"Sof?" Stefan asked, stepping out of the shadows to see the vampire standing at the entrance.

"Stefan! I would hug you but..." She winced but Stefan shook his head, now in front of her, the magical barrier separating them.

"No, no, you need to stay out there, it's safer."

"What he really means is that he's worried I'll tear your cute little head off." Katherine made her appearance, managing to sneak up on their conversation.

Sofia noted that the doppelgänger was still in her miny dress from the ball but it looked dirtier and her skin, paler.

Stefan shot Katherine a glare as Sofia chose to ignore the comment, reaching into her backpack and revealing what she brought. "So, I brought this warm fluffy blanket to keep you warm but, on the way here I remembered vampires don't get cold so you can just use it to sit on or something."

She mindlessly threw the blanket towards Stefan who instead of catching it, let it cover his body.

"I got some of your clothes from your room." She handed him the clothes before quickly adding. "Don't worry, I didn't read your diaries."

"Journals." He corrected sharply.

"Right." Sofia drawled out the word. "I had Damon get me some animal blood for you and I bought you this stuffed bunny, so it could feel like the real thing."

She handed Stefan the teddy bear and blood, the Salvatore trying to hide his amusement. "Thank you Sofie."

Sofia's eyes flickered the other vampire who was watching her while leaning against the cave wall. The Gilbert sighed and hesitantly took out a blood bag she got from Damon's stash. Like a switch, Katherine's eyes turned dark as she rushed forward but was stopped by the barrier.

Sofia didn't flinch. "I may not like you, at all. But I can't imagine going a day without blood so, here." She handed Katherine the blood.

Katherine immediately grabbed the blood bag the second it was pass the barrier, hungrily gulping the sweet, thick, liquid down.

Once the bag was completed drained, Katherine dropped it to the floor with a satisfied sigh, her skin back to its olive color. Katherine exhaled deeply before nodding at Sofia.

Sofia knew that was the most gratitude she would get from the doppelgänger and she's fine with it. The Gilbert nodded at her before picking up her empty backpack and giving Stefan a small smile. "I'll be back tomorrow, this time with raccoon blood!"

Stefan cringed. "Stick to the bunnies, please."

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Sofia's dark eyes were focused on the road ahead of her as she drove home with the radio on in the background. Suddenly, her phone rang from the passenger seat and Sofia quickly grabbed it while keeping her eyes on the road. "Hello?"

"Hey Sofie, how's boring small-town life going?"

Leo Connors

Leo was her close friend from way back when they were eleven. He was a very handsome guy, but they never became anything more than friends. Leo graduated with Sofia and went to study in New Orleans whilst Sofia stayed in Mystic Falls. But the two friends often call each other to keep in contact.

Sofia smiled. "It's less crowded now that your big head is 1510 miles away."

Leo scoffed on the other end. "Shut up, you were fortunate enough to be in my presence for seven years."

She laughed. "Oh yeah? Well, how's life without me?"

"Honestly? A bit crappy because remember how you use to make sure I got to class in time at high school? Well you aren't here so I'm late to every class! And this one professor, Miss Cockburn-"

Sofia snorted. "Cockburn, seriously?"

Leo laughed too. "I know right, poor woman didn't stand a chance the minute her foot stepped into the lecture room. But anyways, how are things with you?"

Her eyes flickered to the backseat where her leather jacket laid from when she put it there last night, still freaked out about it. "Things are weird." She said slowly before focusing her eyes on the road as she turned into her street.

"Weird? In Mystic Falls? Impossible." Leo said making Sofia silently sigh.

Leo left right before Stefan and Damon arrived. So he had no clue about the supernatural and that she and Caroline are a vampires, Bonnie is a witch, Tyler a werewolf and Elena a doppelgänger. He still believed the small quiet town they grew up in was still the same.

Sofia forced a laugh. "I thought that too once. Anyway, when are you visiting?"

"Me? When are you visiting? I'm in New Orleans baby! We spent our whole life in Mystic Falls, it wouldn't hurt to come out that bubble Sof." Leo exclaimed.

Sofia sighed. "There's too much going on at the moment, but you never know. Maybe some millionaire will fall in love with me and take me there." She joked.

Leo snickered. "You'd scare him away before you two got to first base."

"Shut up." She scoffed as she pulled into the driveway of her house. "I got to go, call you tomorrow?"

"Yeah, I'll talk to you tomorrow, bye." He hung up.

Grabbing her bag, Sofia exited her car and jogged up the steps to her house. Before she could open the door, it opened from the other side with her sister looking confused when she couldn't leave.

"What did you do?" Elena turned around to look at Bonnie and Jeremy on the staircase with a upset look.

"It's for the best Elena." Bonnie said with a sigh.

Sofia raised her eyebrows, still outside the door. "I'm guessing she failed the test?"

"Yep." Jeremy smirked and Elena looked between her friend and siblings in betrayal.

Before Sofia left that morning, Jeremy told her Bonnie's plan to put up a vail around the house to prevent Elena from leaving. It was a test to see if she'd sneak out with the moonstone. Luckily, the vail only prevented Elena from leaving.

"You're in on this too?"

"It's better this way alright? We can't have you going around sacrificing yourself." Sofia said and moved past her sister to hug Bonnie before going to her room.

She heard Elena huff in frustration before closing her bedroom door. Sofia felt slightly bad for limiting her younger sister like this but Elena only had herself to blame.

She grabbed a hair tie and tied her hair in a ponytail, her long dark hair tickling her back. Sofia hesitantly touched her birthmark, rubbing it to make sure the burning sensation she got yesterday was gone.

Yesterday

Sofia didn't know what to feel about Elijah being alive. She should be feeling angry or frustrated like Damon, but she felt.... relieved. And it made her confused. Why on earth was she relieved that the threat was alive. Especially after piecing together that Elijah was the one to blow up the coffee shop.

Her phone rang and she sighed before grabbing it and falling back first onto her bed. "Hello?"

"Hey Bambi."

"Hey Damon, what's going on?"

"Can't I call you because I want to speak to you?"

Sofia rolled her eyes. "Yes but with everything going on, I'm guessing there's a new problem."

"Always knew you were the smarter Gilbert. Listen, Alaric called me saying Liz officially declared Mason Lockwood missing."

Her eyes widen. "What? How did she find out?"

"Some girl showed up asking for Mason. Probably his werewolf girlfriend."

"That's not good. Where are you? I'm on my way." She quickly got up to leave but Damon's voice stopped her from the other end of the call.

"No no, it's fine. Ric and I will sort it out."

" Why can't I go?"

"Because you're on Elena duty."

Sofia scoffed. "Since when?"

"Since I said so."

"Damon you can't -"

"Bye Sof!"

Sofia groaned when he hung up. "Always the babysitter!"

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

The two Gilbert sisters sat in Sofia's room playing cards to past the time. The younger girl got over her anger and decided to let time pass since she had no other choice.

"I talked to Leo earlier." Sofia said making Elena glance up from her cards.

"I haven't seen him since your graduation. How is he?" Elena asked before putting down a card.

"Good but I miss him." Sofia sighed before putting down her card.

"You should fly out to see him."

"And leave you to your suicidal ways and Jeremy to cause unnecessary trouble? Jenna would have a heart attack without me."

Elena laughed. "Anyway, want to go down at eat something? Since I can't go to The Grill." She gave Sofia a pointed look.

"Stop pouting and come on." Sofia said and took off her long white cardigan, leaving her in her jeans and a black spaghetti strap top.

"Jenna?" Sofia asked as they reached downstairs, confused since she didn't hear her aunt come home but there she was, looking through the hallway closet with boxes at her feet.

Suddenly, Sofia's heightened senses caught a scent in the air making the hair on the back of her neck rise. It was so vague but so familiar, it messed with her. Sofia shook her head, eyes moving around the room for the owner of the intoxicating scent, but she found nothing

"What are you doing?" Elena asked, now standing next to Jenna while Sofia stood by the door, leaning against the wall, slightly on edge.

"Perfect timing." Jenna grinned and handed Elena a box filled with books. "Annie, here." She walked towards the vampire, handing her a box too before walking back to the closet.

Sofia effortlessly carried the heavy box in her arms, standing next to her sister who looked like she was about to drop hers. "What's all this Aunt J?"

Jenna grunted as she picked up a box and set it down again. "Your mom's files from the Historical Society. I got roped into helping Mrs. Lockwood."

Sofia giggled "Better you then me."

Jenna gave her niece a teasing look. "And by roped, I mean very excited to participate."

Jenna closed the closet door with her foot and much to both of their surprise, there stood Elijah with a polite smile, startling the two. Elena almost dropped her box in shock but luckily caught herself. Sofia was less fortunate as her grip on her box vanished leaving the books to jump out of the box, now on the floor.

Her eyes shot to the books on the floor then back up to meet Elijah's, who was already looking at her. Sofia gulped.

Elijah's smile widened a fraction at his soulmate's reaction. "Hey, I'm Elijah." He said in a casual tone, a contrast to the tone and proper words he always speaks with, looking between the sisters, acting like they've just met.

"Elijah's in town doing research on Mystic Falls. Elijah this -" She gestured to Elena who glanced nervously at her older sister. "Is my youngest niece, Elena and this beauty is my eldest, Sofia." She chuckled and picked up the box Sofia dropped.

No matter how much Sofia wanted to run out that house, she couldn't move, looking like a deer caught in headlights. Because Elijah was in her house, in front of her, near her very human and vulnerable aunt and sister.

Elijah looked highly amused by Sofia's expression and stepped closer making the air feel like it was leaving Sofia's lungs instead of entering it.

"It's a pleasure." He took her hand that was frozen in midair and kissed her knuckles, maintaining eye contact like he did when they first met.

Sofia's lips subconsciously twitched upwards, but she snapped out of it and stepped away from the well-dressed vampire, subtly tugging her sister away as well.

Jenna looked confused by the tension in the air. Shrugging it off, she smiled at the original. "So, you're welcome to stay here and rummage through this stuff or Sofia and I can help you load it into your car."

Elijah shook his head politely. "Thank you for offering Jenna but I will pack them myself."

Sofia narrowed her dark eyes at him, making her decision. "Why don't I help you, Elijah? It's the least I can do." She smiled falsely at him, making Elena glance at her nervously.

Elijah saw right through her but nodded anyway. "That would be lovely."

Jenna gave Sofia an appreciative grin before tugging Elena to the kitchen. "And you can help me clean up the kitchen from this morning." She said before the two disappeared around the corner, Elena watching over her shoulder as Sofia and Elijah stared at one another.

Without a word, Sofia picked up a heavy box and walked out the house before Elijah could say anything, jaw clenched. The man watched her leave before picking up two other boxes and following his soulmate to his car.

He may not know her, but he knew she offered to help him for a reason.

As the two silently approached his luxurious car, Elijah kept side glancing the women.

The minute Elijah turned back to her, after putting the two boxes away, he was roughly pinned against the driver side of his car making him grunt, Sofia's soft hands wrapped tightly around his throat, thumb pushing down on his adam's apple. Her usual doe eyes blazed with anger and irritation, her full lips set in a firm line. She pushed her body against his, using her strength to keep him in one place and Elijah noticed.

Surprisingly he didn't move to push her off, standing submissively under her hold.

Why isn't he fighting back?

"How dare you think you can walk into my home and act nice when you almost got away with kidnapping my sister and I for a stupid sacrifice and blowing up a coffee shop with me in it! I don't know your motives Elijah but you're messing with the wrong girl, understand? I do not tolerate anyone harming my family or friends and I do not care that you're an original." She said with every ounce of confidence she had in her, never breaking eye contact.

Elijah knew Sofia was fierce from the moment they met but hearing her threaten him, knowing who he is, just made Elijah more interested in the oldest Gilbert.

Elijah stayed silent, staring at her with a small smile. Sofia scrunched up her nose in confusion, thrown off by his reaction. "Why are you smiling?"

She watched his eyes take in her face with fondness. "You have gorgeous eyes, my love." He said simply making Sofia more confused.

Her grip loosened but her eyes still drilled holes into his. "Don't call me that." She said lowly.

Elijah smirked and before Sofia could blink, their positions were switched. Now Elijah held her against his car with his hands gently but firmly gripping her arms, keeping her between the car and himself.

Sofia gasped at the sudden action, taken off guard. His touch on her bare arms made shocks jolt through her and she tried to move her arms to push him away but her entire body went weak when Elijah leaned closer to her, to whisper in her ear, his warm breath tickling the side of neck.

"Then what would you prefer I call you?" His deep and smooth voice really wasn't helping.

Sofia gulped and forced words out. She didn't like the pet name because it was inappropriate since they had no relationship. And when he called her by her name, she swears her mind switches off for a second before coming back on again.

His words, his presence, he overall had something over her. Sofia didn't like being controlled by her emotions but it seems lately, that's all that happens.

"Miss Gilbert will do. Now tell me why you are here." Sofia finally responded.

Elijah suppressed a sigh at her constant pushing. Pushing him and their connection away. But he can't hold it against her, Sofia didn't know what they were and what their connection is. Elijah will only tell her when Sofia herself shows she wanted something between them.

He will never force her into this, she has to want this.

"Very well then, Miss Gilbert. I will tell you why I'm here. I mean no harm to your family; I just want to talk to your sister about a deal that benefits everyone. I want to help" He watched her eyes narrow suspiciously at him. "I need you to trust me, Miss Gilbert."

"Trust is earned Elijah." Sofia instantly said. "I will let you talk to Elena but I want to hear what this deal is too. If your intentions are pure then you can prove to me I can trust you.

Elijah looked and seemed trustworthy but Sofia was old enough to know that not everyone is what they seem. She watched him behead Trevor and rip out those vampire's hearts. He killed Slater. So far, Elijah has only shown her reasons to fear him.

Elijah stayed quiet, holding eye contact with the vampire before stepping away from her.

"Alright. We should get going, your sister is already waiting." He turned to look up at her house and Sofia followed his gaze to see Elena's head duck down from her bedroom window, making it clear she watched their interaction.

Sofia rolled her eyes.

Elijah, being the gentleman he is, moved aside and gestured for Sofia to enter the house. "After you."

Sofia couldn't hold back her comment. "I would think so, it's my house." She muttered and faintly heard a chuckle from the suited vampire behind her.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Hey guys! I don't know why this
chapter sucked but I updated! YAY!

Thank you for voting and reading while I wasn't updating due to exams!

I hope you liked this chapter and opinions are welcomed :)

Thanks for reading and please vote!