❛ ACT I ❜
-ˋˏ chapter three ˎˊ-

"ARE YOU OKAY? You've been quiet all morning." Sofia glanced Elena as she drove to the Salvatore Boarding House. "I mean, it's okay if you're not. We were just kidnapped yesterday."

Elena managed a small smile at her sister. "I'm okay Annie, I'm just trying to process it."

Sofia nodded and turned her eyes back onto the road. Stefan called her sister earlier asking her to come over with Sofia. Apparently, they needed to discuss something so urgent that Sofia couldn't even drink her morning coffee.

The vampire pulled up to the large house and the sisters didn't waste time in walking to the front door. Elena knocked and the door opened with Damon Salvatore on the other end. "Hello Elena." He looked at Sofia. "Bambi."

"Hey." Sofia smiled and hugged the older vampire before entering, leaving the two at the entrance.

Sofia dropped her bag onto the couch and turned around expecting to just see Stefan but was shocked to see Rose waving at her awkwardly from behind Stefan. "Rose." Sofia narrowed her eyes and took a step forward, but Stefan placed his arm in front of her body, stopping her.

"It's okay Sof, she's not here to harm you or Elena. We just need to talk." Stefan explained just as Damon and Elena entered the hallway.

"You." Elena said in surprise, a similar expression to the one Sofia had a moment ago on her face.

"Elena, she just wants to talk." Stefan sighed.

Seeing the calm and almost uncomfortable expression on Rose's face made Sofia's shoulders relax and her defense drop.

The four vampires and human settled in the library, Elena and Stefan on the couch with Sofia sitting in an armchair with Damon behind the chair, arms wrapped around her front comfortably with his head on top of hers.

"Okay, you have to understand I only know what I've picked up over the years and I don't know what's true and what's not true. It's the problem with all this vampire crap about Klaus, I know he's real." Rose said.

"Who is he?" Elena asked.

"He's one of the originals, he's a legend." Damon stated.

"He's from the first generation of vampires." Stefan continued.

"Like Elijah?" Elena asked.

Sofia unintentionally shifted uncomfortably in her seat at hearing his name. Ever since yesterday when she saw Elijah's corpse, she felt uncomfortable wherever she was. But Sofia brushed it off as seeing a vampire corpse even though she's seen many.

"No, Elijah is the Easter Bunny compared to Klaus. He's a foot soldier. Klaus is the real deal." Rose explained.

"Klaus is known to be the oldest." Stefan added on.

"Okay, so you're saying that the oldest vampire in history of time is coming after me?" Elena asked nervously.

"Yes."

"No"

Damon winced. "What they're saying is, I mean if what she's saying is true -"

"Which it is." Rose interrupted.

"And you're not saying it so I don't kill you -" Damon looked Rose dead in the eys and she scoffed.

"Which I'm not!"

"Then we're looking as a solid maybe." Damon looked back at Elena.

"Annie?" Sofia looked at her sister who had nervous and unsure eyes. Elena wanted to hear her older sister's opinion on this, in attempt to calm her nerves.

Sofia can't lie, she was scared but she definitely wasn't going to let it show. The vampire stood up and took a seat next to Elena, grabbing her hand. "Only Elijah knew of your existence and he's dead so nothing about the doppelgänger being alive will get back to Klaus. But I'm not suggesting we don't worry because that will make us idiots." Sofia said truthfully.

Rose nodded in agreement. "She's right, you would be stupid to not fear Klaus. If Klaus wants something he gets it."

"Alright, we're shaking. You made your point." Damon mocked.

Elena squeezed Sofia's hand before getting up and heading towards the door. "Where are you going?" Stefan asked.

"School I'm late." Elena sighed. Sofia couldn't hold in her smirk, knowing she graduated and didn't need to worry about being late or doing homework, unlike her siblings and friends.

"Let me grab my stuff, I'll go with you." Stefan got up to leave with the girl, but Elena shook her head.

"It's okay I know where it is." Elena said before leaving.

Sofia raised her eyebrows in surprise at how cold her sister's response was but Damon beat her too it. "She's in denial." He whispered to Rose

"Shut up Damon." Stefan snapped.

Sofia exhaled and stood up, turning to Stefan. "Do you need me to drive you to school Stefan?' She asked teasingly. She always loved to point out that he, a century old vampire, still goes to high school and she doesn't.

The youngest Salvatore just gave her a fake smile. "Shut up Sofie." Then he left.

"Jeez, someone bit into the wrong bunny this morning." Sofia grumbled and Rose laughed, making her turn to her. "Rose, can I talk to you? Somewhere private?"

Now that Rose was in front of her, Sofia wanted to question the vampire about her involvement and why her birthmark seemed so special yesterday. Sofia pieced together that it has something to do with Elijah from how he acted around her and how Rose said she was the key to Elijah's forgiveness. Sofia had to know what the hell all of that meant.

Rose seemed catch onto what Sofia was thinking and nodded but before the two could leave Damon stopped them "No can-do Bambi, I need to talk to Rose first.

"No can-do Domino, I asked first." She replied but the sound of a text message dinged from her back pocket.

Damon winced. "Well looks like someone needs you so..."

Before Sofia could snap at him, Damon grabbed Rose and sped out of the room making her groan before taking out her phone.

Aunt J:

Hey Sofie, can you come home because I need you to do something for me. Help your favorite injured aunt, please :(

Sofia:

You're my only aunt, Jenna. And what do you need me to do?

Aunt J:

Make your favorite aunt lunch

Sofia:

Fine, on my way and this is the last time you use your injury as an excuse!

Aunt J:

Sure honey :)

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

After making Jenna lunch. Sofia got a text from Damon asking if she would like to come with Rose and himself to talk to a guy named Slater who apparently knew a few things about the sun and the moon curse and maybe how to stop it. Of course she said yes, wanting to find a way to prevent Elena from dying.

Now, the three vampires exited the car in an underground parking lot.

"Back entrance, how convenient." Damon commented as he looked over the railing on the side.

"Rose doesn't have a daylight ring dumbass." Sofia said as she closed the car door and started to follow Rose, Damon trailing behind.

"I'm liking you more by the minute." Rose pointed at her and Sofia smiled.

"How do you know this Slater guy is even here?" Damon asked her.

"I called him, he's here. He always is." Rose replied.

"Good." Damon suddenly sped towards Rose and pushed her against the concrete wall harshly. Sofia sighed loudly, not surprised that her best friend would do this.

"Just one thing. If you're setting us up in any way or planning on hurting Sofia, I will rip your heart out and shove down your throat. It's something I'm very good at." He threatened before Sofia pulled him off of Rose by his leather jacket.

"Damon, surprise me and don't be stupid, she's older than you. Which means she's stronger." Sofia lightly scolded him before Rose twisted his arm behind his back making Damon groan in pain.

"She's right, I'm older and stronger. Do not get on my bad side." Rose warned before letting him go and stepping back. "You can trust me." She told them both before turning around and heading for the back entrance.

Sofia hit the back of his head. "She's helping us Damon, try to be nice."

Damon rolled his eyes. 'She kidnaped you Sof, how can I be nice?"

Sofia patted his chest. "Don't be yourself."

Damon just smiled at her sarcastically before swinging his arm around her shoulders and following Rose. The three entered a coffee shop that had huge windows, letting natural light in. Sofia could smell both humans and vampires around them.

"Woah, what about the sunlight?" Damon asked Rose as she removed her jacket.

"Double panned and tempered. UV rays can't penetrate, see the appeal now?" Rose smirked at them, Sofia's eyes inspecting the shop.

Then an unknown voice spoke. "That and free Wi-Fi."

Sofia's eyes looked to see another vampire behind the counter with a wide smile. She guessed this is Slater from the way Rose went to hug him. "Hey, how are you?" Rose asked.

"Good, I saw you come. What are you doing here?" Slater asked her as they pulled away from the short embrace, not noticing Sofia and Damon yet.

"It's a long story, but I want you to meet -"

Slater interrupted Rose; eyes wide as he looked at Damon. "Damon Salvatore. Turned 1864 in Mystic Falls by Katherine Piece aka Katerina Petrova."

Sofia was stunned when he carried on, eyes on her. "Sofia Anne Gilbert, died in a car crash and turned in 2009 by Stefan Salvatore." Slater smiled at her.

Sofia was shocked, she was turned a year ago and this guy knew everything about it. "Hey to you too." She chuckled awkwardly and shook Slater's outstretched hand.

"It's nice to meet you." He smiled at her before meeting Damon's protective glare. "Maybe." He gulped nervously.

"What's going on Rose? Where's Trevor?"

Rose pursed her lips with a sad expression and Damon and Sofia suddenly found the floor really interesting.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Sofia thanked the teller after she paid and grabbed her plate and coffee before walking towards the table by the window where Damon, Slater and Rose sat.

"And you're sure Elijah's dead?" Slater asked just as Sofia sat down.

"Beyond dead." Damon smirked and grabbed his fork, taking a bite from Sofia's caramel and chocolate cake. She glared at him before taking her own bite.

"Trevor was a good man, he helped me on my dissertation on sexual deviance in the Baroque period. I was schooling for my Psych PhD." Slater said.

"Slater's been in college since '74." Rose told them.

"Willingly?" Sofia cringed.

Slater chuckled. "When I was turned. I have 18 degrees, 3 masters and 4 PhDs."

"The point?" Damon asked, bored, before eating the last piece of the cake making Sofia kick him under the table.

"I paid for that!"

"And it was very delicious." He smiled at her but averted his gaze from her glare.

"Exactly, I mean what's the point. What should I be doing with my eternity? If you have an answer, please enlighten me." Slater continued, not realizing that Sofia was barely holding Damon back from snapping at him in annoyance.

Rose looked between the best friends before placing her hand on Slater's wrist." We need your help. If someone wanted to get in touch with Klaus, how would you hook him up?"

"Craigslist."

"Really?" Damon and Sofia asked in unison.

Slater noticed how close the two were sitting. "Are you guys a couple?" He asked randomly.

"No." Damon said bluntly, noticing how uncomfortable his best friend was becoming.

Slater gulped at the glare Damon gave him. "But-but yeah seriously. I respond to a personal ad to get a sent to somebody who knows somebody who knows Elijah, who's dead and that's where my connection ends."

Outside, in front of the coffee shop, Elijah watched his soulmate nudge Damon Salvatore with a laugh after he said something. This made his grip on the coins in his hold tighten slightly. As much as the original wished to have a proper conversation with Sofia, he couldn't let her or her friends know he's still alive, yet. But Elijah felt calm just watching her smile and laugh.

"He's what I don't get. Elijah moved around during the day, which means the originals knew the secret of the daylight ring. Now why would Klaus want to lift the curse of the sun and the moon?" Damon asked.

"To prevent the werewolves from lifting it. If a vampire breaks the sun curse, then the werewolves are stuck with the curse of the moon forever and vice versa." Slater explained.

"But werewolves are extinct." Rose raised an eyebrow and Sofia shook her head.

"True. I've never seen one, but rumor has it -"

"Not a rumor anymore buddy." Sofia said and Slater's eyes widen.

"Mystic Falls. God, I've got to visit this place. It sounds awesome." Slater exhaled in awe.

"I grew up there and there's nothing awesome but is there any way we can stop the curse from being broken at all? Like have a witch deactivate the moonstone so it's useless?" Sofia asked.

"Well, yeah, probably, but why would you want to do that?" Slater asked her but Damon replied.

"Tell us now."

Slater scoffed. "You think I'm going to help you figure out how to do something that will piss off an original? And keeping them from walking in the sun?"

Sofia sighed, standing up and swinging her shoulder bag over her head. "Let's just go, he's wasting our time."

Elijah raises his hand to throw the coins at the window but hesitates. What if Sofia doesn't have a daylight ring like the other vampires in the Cafe? But something shiny catches his eye on her finger, a ring with a blue stone. A daylight ring.

Not a moment later Elijah effortlessly threw the coins at the window, silently hoping Sofia doesn't get harmed. The windows suddenly shatter, burning Rose and Slater as they let out screams of agony. Sofia gasped and she took off her jacket and threw it over Slater as Damon did the same to Rose.

"Just cover up, okay?" Sofia said as she tried to cover Slater's upper half.

"Thanks." He said breathlessly, some burns starting to heal.

"Sof!" Damon called out to her in panic, seeing her not by his side. "Sofia!" He yelled.

"I'm here!" She stood up from her crouched position and Damon sighed in relief and motioned for her to follow him and Rose, who was in his arms. "Go ahead I'm coming!"

Sofia looked back down to Slater. "Slater, come on-"

But he was gone, with her jacket.

"Damn it! That was my favorite jacket!" She huffed

"Sofia!" Damon shouted for her to hurry.

"Coming!" She shouted back, taking one more look at the broken glass before leaving.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

In Slater's apartment, said vampire shakily hung up his phone call with Rose. Slater turned around to face Elijah.

"Very nicely done." The original nodded.

"Thanks, I have a degree in theater. How can you compel me? A vampire can't compel another vampire." Slater said in confusion, body still trembling on fear.

"I'm a special vampire." Elijah answered in a dangerously calm tone.

"What because you're an Original?"

"Hm, now I want you to take this and drive it through your heart." Elijah compelled Slater and handed him a stake.

Slater stuttered, placing the sharp end of the stake towards his chest, by his heart unwilling. "But-but that would kill me forever."

"I know but it's necessary." Elijah continued to compel him and Slater pushed the stake into his own heart, collapsing to the floor, gray veins covering his now dead body.

"Was it really?" Jonah, Elijah's warlock, asked, stepping out of the shadows, staring at Slater's dead body.

Elijah elegantly fixed his tie, turning around to face the man. "It had to be done. He delivered the message, it won't be long now."

Jonah sighed and walked out of the apartment. Elijah went to follow him but a intoxicating scent made him stop. His eyes followed the scent and he saw a black leather jacket thrown on the couch.

Elijah sped to the couch and grabbed the jacket, inhaling the sweet scent of coffee and vanilla. He knew immediately who's jacket this belonged to, remembering watching Sofia place it over Slater's burning body.

Elijah smiled, admiring her act of kindness before disappearing with his soulmate's jacket in his grasp.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

AUTHOR'S NOTE

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