┏━━━ ————————━━━┓

𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐒𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 - 𝐂𝐡. 19
"𝒏𝒆𝒙𝒕 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆, 𝑰'𝒍𝒍 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒃𝒖𝒓𝒚 𝒚𝒐𝒖
𝒔𝒊𝒙 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒕 𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓."

┗━━━————————━━━┛

          — "WHY AM I HERE AGAIN?" Skyler questioned as she followed her brother into the dark dreary dungeon they'd trapped Katherine in. Katherine who deserved to be there — she scrunched her nose, Skyler did not deserve or belong here.

She's a vampire, not a dungeon bat.

"Because you don't want to miss seeing her suffer." Stefan responded anticipating this reaction. Definitely not because they'd been through this ten times already. Definitely... not...

Skyler shrugged, she couldn't argue that but she wasn't happy about it either, she sighed, "Alright. Let's do it then."

Without any more delay, they approached the "door" and used their strength to open it. The pitch-black cave filled with the light from above as the vampire across the room looked up, covering her eyes at the light that suddenly came in. She was far more disheveled than Skyler had ever seen before, her usually perfect hair was a mess and her clothes had dirt on them, it wasn't much to say for her suffering but it did bring some odd comfort for Skyler to see that she hadn't won this time.

She smirked, stepping in front of her twin before the vampire could get any ideas, "Hello Katherine."

ೃ⁀➷

          LATER that day, the Salvatore siblings found themselves on the front porch of the Gilbert home. Stefan was anxiously waiting after knocking on the door, he'd just begun to give up hope when the door opened to reveal Elena.

"Hey." He greeted nervously, "Can we talk?"

Taking in his siblings behind him, she furrowed her brows in confusion, "Why?"

Stefan looked back at Damon and Skyler, unsure of what to say. Rolling his eyes, Damon stepped forward and spoke, "We went to see Katherine."

"She had some interesting things to say." Skyler chimed in, leaning against the post on the porch.

Elena looked at them studiously and then sighed, opening the door further, "Come on in."

ೃ⁀➷

          "TALK about a highway to hell." Skyler grumbled as she followed her brothers into the cave Katherine was held in.

Unbothered by her words or possibly not having heard them, Katherine lifted her head and called, "Please." She gestured to the cave around her, "Come on in. There's plenty of room for all of us."

"I'd rather poke my eyes out." Damon responded honestly with a smile.

Katherine hummed, eyeing him up and down, "Mmm, they're such pretty eyes."

"So locking you in a dungeon doesn't shut you up." Skyler noted casually, "Next time, I'll just bury you six feet under."

Katherine rolled her eyes, gaze quickly drifting from her onto Stefan without a second of hesitation when the man began to speak, "We're here for the moonstone." He told her sternly, leaning against one of the walls of the large doorway while Damon leaned on the other and Skyler stood in the middle, her arms crossed defensively and her eyebrow raised at the elder vampire.

Her brothers may think they have all the power now, but she wasn't so sure. Katherine was dangerous, even now that she was weakened, even now that she couldn't physically do anything to hurt them — physical torture has never been Katherine's favorite form of torture anyway. Her brothers may forget that, but she wouldn't — couldn't. Not again.

"Feel like tossing it over?" Damon asked drily.

"Tell you what." Katherine spoke, her voice hoarse from lack of use, she cleared her throat, "You get your little witch to Hocus Pocus me out of here, you can have whatever you want."

Stefan hummed noncommittally, "I thought you liked it in here."

"Nice and safe, where Niklaus can't get you." Skyler mocked, Katherine's eyes flickered with fear. She seemed to know Skyler knew more than she said, yet surprisingly she knew better than to say as much. The fear in her eyes was enough for Skyler who smirked smugly.

"I've had time to reconsider." Katherine responded sarcastically, drawing her eyes away from Skyler and onto her brothers.

"Meaning you're hungry." Damon pointed out.

"You need blood. Bad." Skyler continued with a sardonic grin. Okay, maybe she was enjoying this too much but who could blame her?

"I'm starving, Damon." Katherine responded, ignoring Skyler like always. She never did like the Salvatore sister, especially now she was starting to see that she was the real threat. Too bad Skyler wasn't going anywhere. "And dirty," she continued, "But above all, I'm bored. At least running from Klaus isn't boring."

Skyler hummed in agreement, "Especially when it ends in you dead."

Skyler never took her eyes away as Katherine weakly made her way over to Damon, her hand holding onto the wall as best she could, she was weak, and still, Skyler didn't trust her enough to look away. "So here's the deal— you get me out of here, you get the moonstone and I'll disappear from Mystic Falls forever."

The Salvatores glanced at each other upon hearing Katherine's deal, an unspoken question between the three. She held up the moonstone and said rather smugly, as though she already knew the answer, "Let me know what you decide."

ೃ⁀➷

          "YOU don't believe her, do you?" Elena questioned uncertainly, looking to the brothers for answers.

"No, of course not. We just want the moonstone." Damon responded tossing an apple back and forth.

"According to Rose's friend Slater, there's a way to destroy the spell that Klaus wants to break." Stefan explained. Skyler tilted her head, curious. They hadn't informed of her of this. She frowned, though they always had left her out of the important conversations.

Oh well. She couldn't let any of that happen, "No breaking the curse," Skyler said.

"No doppelgänger sacrifice." Damon continued, "Ergo you live."

Or, if everything goes according to her plan, Elena dies. "How do you destroy it?" The doppelgänger asked curiously.

Stefan leaned onto the counter as he answered, "By releasing it from the moonstone."

Elena seemed to be in disbelief, good, Skyler thought, that would make it easier for them, "How do you guys even know this is gonna work?"

"'Cause we have a crafty witch on our side." Damon said in his own Damon way with a dash of charm and a bucket full of sarcasm. Yeah, and the Mikaelsons have thousands of witches, Skyler thought skeptically eyeing her brother.

Two sides of her family — her life — were fighting, and she was right in the middle, playing both sides. She wanted her brothers to win this fight because she didn't think they could handle losing another lover like Katherine, but she needed the Mikaelsons to win. "You discussed it with Bonnie." Elena said as Skyler blinked, focusing back on the present. She couldn't get distracted by sides now.

"She agreed to do anything she could to help us." Stefan told her seriously.

"It's Katherine who has the moonstone, she's not going to give it to you." Elena pointed out.

Skyler shrugged hopping off the counter to stand beside Damon, "So we pry it from her cold dead hands." She said unbothered by the idea.

"Bonnie just needs to find a way to release the seal long enough for us to get in, get the moonstone, and get out in time for her to return it." Stefan explained their plan, which, to be clear, Skyler thought was stupid though if it ended with Klaus getting the moonstone (whether her brothers liked it or not) and her back by her husband's side, she was all for it.

"Wow, I mean it sounds like you guys already have it all planned out." Elena said sounding a little annoyed.

Damon, being an idiot, didn't sense this, "Yep. We're awesome."

"Except for one thing." Elena replied, interrupting his triumphant mood, "I don't want you to do it."

Damon and Stefan looked at each other in confusion before looking back at her for answers, "What are you talking about?" Stefan questioned incredulously, "Elena, we don't have a choice."

"What about Klaus?" She questioned in return.

"We'll find him, but after we get the moonstone."

"Is that before or after he kills everyone that I care about, including the two of you?" Elena questioned, eyes narrowed sternly.

Skyler bit back a particularly harsh response that definitely would not keep her cover and instead replied with, "Awww I'm not included," she pouted dramatically, "Elena, I'm hurt. I thought we had something."

Stefan glanced between his sister and girlfriend before speaking, "Okay, Elena, if we can de-spell the moonstone we can save your life."

"I know. Everybody keeps saying that." Without another word, the doppelgänger stood and left, leaving behind two very confused brothers and one much wiser sister who only rolled her eyes as she watched her brothers look at each other in confusion.

ೃ⁀➷

         "I might be able to lower the tomb spell long enough for you to get in there and grab the moonstone from Katherine." Bonnie told the group as they gathered around the Salvatore library in various positions. Skyler had chosen to stand in the corner taking a very Damon-like position of brooding charm. In her opinion, she did it better.

"How? It took both you and your grams last time, and look what happened to her." Jeremy pointed out worriedly. She studied him with a small smirk, he had a crush. How... cute.

"I'm well aware of what happened." Bonnie said sternly, not backing down, "But I've learned a few new things."

"Bonnie..."

She shot him a stern look before she looked over at Stefan, "How will you get it?"

The vampire in question stood at attention as he explained, "She hasn't been feeding. She's weaker."

"We're not." Skyler added with a smug smirk, "For once we are stronger than Katherine."

"You wouldn't be underestimating her would you?" Bonnie questioned nervously.

"Hardly." Skyler scowled, "It's simple. Vampires survive off blood, they need some form of it to keep their strength and stay alive. Katherine hasn't had any." She smirked, "I on the other hand have been very well fed." She winked at the human Gilbert whose eyes widened, Elena and Stefan both shot her a look for it but she couldn't find it in herself to care. Everyone needs a bit of fun sometimes and it's not like she'd actually feed off the Gilbert boy, he wasn't her type.

"It's a plan." Damon responded, "Is it perfect?" He scoffed, "What plan is?"

"Let me do it." Jeremy piped up, "I've got my ring, I can get in, get out, no spells necessary."

"Ring or not, Elena would be pretty pissed if Katherine kills her baby brother, don't ya think?" Skyler responded raising a brow at him.

"Thanks, you 16-year-old child." Damon said mockingly, "Why didn't we think about that?" He rolled his eyes, "Why are you even here?"

"Maybe I can help better the plan." Bonnie interrupted, tearing the attention away from Jeremy's... idea, "Do you have anything that belongs to Katherine?"

ೃ⁀➷

         "THIS belonged to Katherine." Stefan told Bonnie as he walked out of a room holding a familiar picture of Katherine herself, "Found it with her things after I thought she was dead." He explained, glancing at his sister, "But it was hers." He said offering it to the witch.

Bonnie took it, staring at it curiously for a moment before she placed it in a bowl and flicked water onto it. Suddenly, it lit up in flames and she looked up, her eyes closed as she chanted in Latin. "What will this do?" Damon asked skeptically.

"I can turn the metal to ash." Bonnie responded absentmindedly, focused on the task at hand. He looked down at the burning picture, Katherine's face just recognizable through the flame. It was satisfying in a way, seeing her picture burning, "Blow the ashes on her, and it'll incapacitate her for a minute or two. Long enough for you to get the stone and get out."

She opened her eyes, wiping away blood from her nose before anyone could see. Skyler watched curiously but kept quiet.

ೃ⁀➷

         "SORRY I'm late." Bonnie said, rushing up to the Salvatore's, "I had to grab the grimoire from home."

"Jeremy couldn't take the pressure huh?" Damon asked smugly.

"Or he went rogue." Skyler mused thoughtfully, she had seen the look in his eyes earlier. He had been angry. Ready to prove himself. Just like she was years ago.
That kind of anger was going to get him killed. She should know.

"He said he'd be here." Bonnie responded just as Damon's phone began to ring.

"Not a good time, Rose." Damon spoke into his phone.

Skyler scrunched up her nose and continued past him. She didn't wanna catch any bits of her brother's phone sex with the crazy vampire who had kidnapped her. When they got down the stairs, Stefan started to unpack the back when suddenly he turned and saw something on the ground, the very thing they came for; the moonstone, "What the hell?"

"Is that the moonstone?!" Bonnie questioned in shock.

"Does this mean we're not killing Katherine?" Skyler asked in disappointment.

"I hate to interrupt," speak of the devil and she shall come. Katherine stood, blood dripping from her mouth as Skyler looked away from the moonstone and over to the vampire, "but today has just been full of surprises." She tugged a bleeding Jeremy up from wherever she had him, he seemed dazed as Stefan rushed to the edge of the barrier to look at him.

"I'm sorry." Jeremy apologized through the pain, "I took some powder."

"Don't worry. I know that he's wearing his ring," Katherine told them, "so no matter how many times I kill him, he'll just keep coming back for more. So I'm going to be in the back playing with my new little toy," she continued as she pushed Jeremy away carelessly, "you guys just give me a holler when you've got the tomb open."

ೃ⁀➷

          "WHERE the hell is Damon?" Stefan questioned aloud while Bonnie lit the torches for the spell.

"We can't wait, we have to get him out of there." Bonnie responded sternly.

"Yeah before Katherine traumatizes the poor kid." Skyler agreed with the witch, her arms crossed as she stared at the cave Katherine was hiding in.

"If she's fed, she has her strength back." Stefan pointed out anxiously.

"So it'll be a challenge." She responded, a smirk spreading across her face, "I like a challenge."

"Yeah, and I like life." Stefan retorted.

She scoffed, turning to look at him, "Oh please brother, not everyone's been living off Bambi and friends."

"She's older, Skyler." He argued, "You can't take her on your own."

"We still have what's left of the ash." Bonnie cut in as she pulled the ash out, "Do you think you can get close enough?" She asked Stefan.

"I don't have a choice."

"It's gonna take me some time." She warned.

"How much time?" Skyler questioned, eyes narrowed sternly.

"I don't know, a while." She replied. The twins glanced at each other and then at the tomb's entrance. Even if Jeremy couldn't die permanently with that ring on, Katherine could still do lasting damage... they had to get him out of there.

"Just get us in there as soon as you can."

ೃ⁀➷

         BONNIE held her grimoire closely while she quietly chanted the spell, the torches flaming up as Katherine walked down to the doorway of the tomb, waiting impatiently for the spell to come to an end. "Ooh, something's happening." She mused happily.

"Bonnie no!" Jeremy protested weakly from inside the tomb, "You have to stop her, she's not strong enough!"

The torches' fire grew as Bonnie continued chanting, the twins looked at her in concern. "Maybe she is." Katherine commented looking at her curiously.

Bonnie's nose began to bleed, she was using too much magic and she knew it. Skyler frowned, she wouldn't admit it but she did like the Bennet witches, and didn't want her to die because of Katherine. Still, she recognized the look on the witch's face and knew there was nothing they could do to stop her. Her brother did not seem to agree, he called out to her worriedly as he approached cautiously, "Bonnie, Bonnie."

"You gotta stop her!" Jeremy shouted, Katherine shoved him away harshly, the teen letting out a groan as he hit the hard ground.

"Okay, you need to stop, Bonnie!" Stefan called, grabbing her shoulders, the witch pushed him away immediately.

"Bonnie!" Skyler exclaimed, she didn't much care for the witch if she was being honest despite her soft spot for the Bennet witches, they certainly weren't close but... she didn't totally annoy her.

Suddenly, Bonnie dropped to the floor, unable to stay up and continue anymore. "Bonnie!" Stefan exclaimed, dropping to the floor beside her, "Bonnie, wake up, please. Bonnie, wake up."

"Yes please." Katherine spoke nonchalantly from the tomb, "Because I'm still in here!"

Skyler snapped her head around, glaring at the doppelgänger, "Nobody cares!" She snapped with a snarl. The semi-original doppelbitch was getting on her nerves, which wasn't anything new, however, she did not have the patience to deal with the oncoming headache from her voice.

"Are you okay?" Stefan asked helping Bonnie up, "Here. Are you all right?"

"It didn't work." Bonnie told them weakly, staring at Katherine as she attempted to steady herself, "I'm not strong enough. Even with help, I can't do it."

"Ohh, that's too bad. I'm still hungry." She responded, dragging Jeremy up and letting her fangs loose on his neck.

"Jeremy!" The witch screamed, unable to do anything but watch, knowing it was her fault. Before Stefan could think through what he was doing, he ran into the Tomb, pushing Jeremy out before he held Katherine against the wall. Jeremy stumbled into Skyler's arms, she grabbed him, holding him up before carefully lowering them both onto the ground where they sat. She stared at her brother in disbelief while Bonnie began to look over Jeremy worriedly.

"Stefan," She called breathlessly, her twin didn't even spare her a glance as he held Katherine to the wall, "what have you done?"

ೃ⁀➷

          "WHAT are we gonna do?" Skyler whispered as she sat in front of the tomb entrance while Stefan stood on the other side, they were both all too aware that Katherine was with him. It's why Skyler hasn't left, even when everyone else did. She couldn't leave him here, in this cave stuck with Katherine.

"We'll figure it out." Stefan told her softly before suddenly his head snapped up and he disappeared into the darkness with one word, "Elena."

She stood up, stepping aside reluctantly as the doppelgänger ran down. "Stefan!" Elena called, seeming tempted to run into the tomb, "Stefan!" She called once more as she peered in, willing Stefan to show himself, or perhaps daring the wind to push her over the line. Suddenly she gasped as Damon pushed her away from the entrance and into the wall, "Don't you dare."

"Stefan's in there, Damon!" She exclaimed, fighting against his hold.

"Already taking Stef's girl, Damon?" Skyler called teasingly, leaning against the wall as she watched the interaction.

As though in realization, Elena's head snapped over to look at her as she exclaimed, "You!" Skyler crossed her arms as she quirked a brow, the doppelgänger continued, "You were there! How could you let this happen?"

"Don't you dare blame this on me." She nearly growled, stepping forward as her arms fell to her side. She glanced at her eldest brother as he stepped forward, ready to interfere if needed, she scowled, looking at the doppelgänger before she continued, "He did it to save your idiotic brother with a hero complex! Where were you?" She turned, questioning her older brother.

"I was too busy saving her from her crazy kamikaze mission." He replied roughly, never looking away from Elena.

"You didn't even have to go after the moonstone in the first place!"

"It was the right call." Damon argued.

"The right call? How is any of this the right call?" She questioned, "Damon, let go of me." Elena fought as hard as she could against Damon but it was no use. He wasn't letting her go. He wasn't letting her go on another crazy mission that would only end up with her buried six feet underground. "Please." Elena begged, gasping and out of breath.

Still, Damon didn't let go and Skyler eyed Stefan in the doorway as Damon asked, "Are you done?" He studied her for a moment before releasing his grip and stepping back. Immediately, Elena tried going into the tomb again to get Stefan but Damon stopped her, holding up a hand as he clicked his tongue in a warning. She ran a hand through her brown hair, frustrated before she turned and walked out of the tomb completely. "Of all the idiot plans, Stefan." He said as he turned around to face his brother.

"Yeah..." Stefan responded sighing and averting his eyes from both siblings.

Skyler shook her head, pushing herself away from the wall of the far corner to approach her twin, "I don't think getting trapped in the tomb was ever part of the plan." She pointed out, "If it was, it was the part I fell asleep during."

Stefan chuckled sadly, turning away, "I'll find a way to get you out." Damon promised.

"No that's all right." He responded promptly, "I'll uh— I'll handle myself. Bonnie has the moonstone." He continued, "Work with her, try to figure out how to de-spell it."

"You martyr yourself into a tomb and we get partnered with a semi-competent witch." Damon responded boldly, "Wonderful."

"Keep Elena away from here." Stefan told him sternly.

Skyler scoffed, "Yeah. 'Cause that'll be easy."

Stefan narrowed his eyes at both of them in response, "Promise me. No matter what happens." He glanced between them seriously as he spoke, "You'll protect her."

"Promise." Damon agreed without hesitation.

Stefan nodded, looking at his twin who had tears in her eyes, "I promise." She whispered, using the sleeve of her shirt to wipe away any tears that had fallen as she glanced at the tomb behind Stefan cautiously.

"Thank you." Stefan told them both and then glancing at his twin, he added, "Keep her safe too." He nodded to his brother, a small smile on his face as he glanced at Skyler, "If she'll let you."

Damon gave a steady nod of confirmation, "I always do."

Skyler scoffed in disagreement, "Please. I keep you buffoons safe, not the other way around." Stefan chuckled solemnly. Damon walked away before he paused glancing back at Skyler in an unspoken question, she shook her head, "Go ahead. I'll catch up." She responded to his silent question.

Damon only nodded before leaving the twins alone in the tomb. "What are you doing?" Her twin questioned confused, "Go."

She shook her head in response before she approached the line between the tomb and the safe side, "Stefan," she started, "It wasn't a question. It was a promise." Stefan gave a confused look as she narrowed her eyes at him, "This isn't the end, we've been through too much for it to end like this and I'm not gonna watch you give up like this." He frowned, but she didn't let him speak as she continued, "We're going to get you out of here. No matter what."

ೃ⁀➷

          "NOW that you've got this back, what are we gonna do with it?" Elena asked Bonnie while she studied the moonstone in front of her mirror on her dresser as Bonnie sat on her bed behind her. Skyler stood off to the side by the window, not wanting to be involved more than she had to be. Just because she was on "Elena duty," didn't mean she had to act like she was happy about it.

"Right now, it's what's binding the sun and moon curse." The witch began to explain, "If I can figure out a way to remove the spell from the stone..."

"The stone becomes useless." Skyler finished with a slight frown — she wanted to hate the Bennet witch for possibly ruining their plans, however, she couldn't hate someone for being smart.

"And according to Katherine, Klaus becomes vengeful." Elena stated as she stood beside Skyler by the window.

"Maybe. If he finds out." Bonnie replied.

Oh, he will, Skyler thought as she studied the witch carefully, I'll make sure of it. She smirked, not afraid of them noticing because frankly, they were worryingly oblivious. "Bonnie, can't this wait?" The doppelgänger pleaded, "Stefan is stuck in the tomb with Katherine. We've gotta get him out."

"Even if Bonnie were to try and wait, I don't think Klaus would." Skyler pointed out, "Waiting would be signing our own death certificates. Including Stefan's."

"And Stefan wants me to focus on this!" Bonnie reminded, frustrated with her best friend. Interesting.

"Well don't listen to him." She argued petulantly, "He thinks he's protecting me but he's wrong."

"I'm taking Stefan's side with this one." The Bennet told her sternly, her eyes narrowed, "We're not gonna let you get used in some creepy sacrifice ritual." She grabbed the moonstone from Elena's hand just as Jeremy opened Elena's door, peeking his head in, "What are you guys arguing about?"

"Not arguing about anything." Bonnie answered. Glancing at Elena, she put away the moonstone in her bag behind her with a pointed look to Jeremy before she stood up, "I need a coffee."

"Ooh, I want one." Skyler called, quickly rushing out of the room with the promise of coffee.

"Now we see if she takes it..." Bonnie mumbled on their way down the stairs.

Skyler looked at her confused, "There was a plan?"

"You didn't know?"

"No!" Her eyes widened incredulously, and then she frowned, "Wait, we're still getting coffee though, right?"

ೃ⁀➷

        TOGETHER, Bonnie and Skyler walked out of the kitchen, both carrying a mug of coffee. Bonnie stirred hers as she made her way to the stairs just as Elena came down, she frowned, "Where are you going?" She asked her friend.

"Um... to see Stefan." Elena responded anxiously.

Skyler arched a brow, easily picking up the lie without needing to use her hearing to listen to her doppelgänger's heartbeat. "You're lying." She pointed out with ease.

"No, I'm not." The human protested, glaring at her.

"Really?" Bonnie asked, looking at her friend, "Tell your face."

"And your heart." Skyler added with a smug grin, "A vampire knows, Elena." She reminded.

"Are you serious?" Elena questioned, "What are you even doing here, Skyler?"

She didn't have a chance to respond before Jeremy walked down behind Elena with Bonnie's bag in hand, he sent the witch and vampire a look, "She took the moonstone."

"How did you—"

"We tested you." Bonnie told her rather simply.

"And you failed. Miserably." Skyler added helpfully.

The doppelgänger in question looked between them incredulously before she shook her head, "Klaus killed Katherine's entire family just because she crossed him. I can't let that happen."

Bonnie sidestepped, letting Elena continue. Skyler wasn't as easily persuaded, "You know you're not gonna be able to stop him either." She brought up, "He's a thousand-year-old original vampire and you're a human. Not exactly a good match."

Elena ignored her with only an irritated glance as she made her way to the door, opening it only to be stopped by an invisible barrier when she went to step outside. "What did you do?" She questioned turning back.

"It's for the best, Elena." Bonnie told her softly. The three only watched as Elena desperately tried to get out without success. While the others may not find this amusing, Skyler certainly did and she wasn't one to hide that fact.

"Anyone got popcorn?" She asked Jeremy and Bonnie casually, without even tearing her eyes away from the spectacle before her she could tell they weren't amused. She sighed in disappointment, "No? Okay."

ೃ⁀➷

        "YOU trapped her in the house?" Stefan questioned his siblings incredulously as he stood on the other side of the tomb staring at them in surprise.

"It's for the best. Trust me." Damon responded sternly.

Skyler nodded in agreement, "Yeah your girlfriend's on some psychotic suicide mission."

Damon nodded, "Rivals your greatest hits." He commented nodding to Stefan, "You should be glad the witch and I are getting along." He added, "I brought you this." He said holding up a duffle bag, "Care package— candles, lanterns..." he tossed it on the other side before bringing out a water bottle filled with blood from his pocket, "And... lunch."

"Give that to me, I'm just gonna have to share it with her." Stefan told him stubbornly when his brother stretched it out for him to take.

"Yeah." Damon watched Katherine carefully as he brought the bottle away from Stefan's reach.

Katherine smirked, chiming in, "You know, you three are surprisingly calm considering Klaus will hunt you down and kill you if you mess up his little plan."

"I've been dead before. I got over it." He shot back in response.

"And what about you?" Skyler nodded, her eyes narrowed sternly, Katherine always knows how to push her buttons, but this time she had the upper hand, "I'm pretty sure you're first on his kill list. But you're sitting here, warning us."

Katherine looked at her but wisely kept her mouth shut. Damon looked over at his baby brother as his sister smirked smugly, "Once we deal with this moonstone, we'll figure out a way to get you out."

"Don't worry about me." Stefan responded in his typical hero complex ways, his twin rolled her eyes as he continued, "Just make sure Elena's safe."

"I care a lot more about you than Elena." She responded nonchalantly as she leaned against the wall.

"Then do it for me." He responded. Skyler sighed, pushing away from the wall she nodded before following Damon out of the tomb. Sometimes, she hated the plan, she thought and immediately shook her head, dissuading these thoughts.

ೃ⁀➷

         "WHY are you here again?" Elena questioned, pausing in her attempts to ignore her boyfriend's twin and write in her diary instead. Her eyes narrowed in frustration as she turned to where Skyler lay comfortably on the girl's bed.

She looked up from her nails with a smirk that never seemed to leave her face, "Because you are going on all sorts of suicide missions all the time so nobody trusts you." She responded plainly.

The doppelgänger scoffed in disbelief, "What? So you're my babysitter?"

Skyler grinned, "Exactly."

Elena let out a groan in response, "This is ridiculous." She snapped before standing and leaving the room entirely. Skyler sighed, she had just gotten comfortable too. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and walked after Elena, following her downstairs and ignoring the glare she was sent when the doppelgänger noticed, "Hey what are you doing?" She asked, ignoring her babysitter in favor of figuring out what her aunt Jenna was doing in the cupboard under the stairs.

"Finding Harry Potter obviously." Skyler commented snarkily under her breath behind Elena.

"Oh. Perfect timing." Aunt Jenna said grinning as she handed Elena a box before noticing Skyler, she frowned confused, "What's she doing here?"

"Babysitting duty." Skyler responded without hesitance. Jenna gave her a strange look and went to respond when Elena spoke up changing the subject, "What is this stuff?" She asked.

"Your mom's files from the historical society." Jenna responded easily distracted, "I got roped into helping Mrs. Lockwood." Elena raised a brow at her aunt who then added, "And by roped, I mean very excited to participate." Skyler snorted, her eyes widening as Jenna closed the door of the cupboard to reveal Elijah standing in Elena's home, she let out a loud gasp upon seeing the man.

"Hey. I'm Elijah." He greeted with a mischievous smile.

Elena looked between Skyler (who was notably not doing anything!!) and Elijah in shock. One thought on her mind; what was going on?? Jenna went up to her stunned niece and took the box from her as she spoke, "Elijah's in town doing research on Mystic Falls."

"It's a pleasure." Elijah said to her, approaching only after Jenna walked away to set the box down. He stretched out his hand for Elena to shake which she took albeit reluctantly while she stared at him cautiously.

"Oh, I'm sure it is." Skyler responded, her arms crossed as she attempted for an image of hating the vampire before him — also known as her brother-in-law and at times the only one in her extended family keeping her sane. This was not one of those times.

Elijah's eyes flickered over to Skyler, tilting his head, she wasn't supposed to be here. Oh well, he thought, acknowledging her as though he'd never seen her before just as he had to Elena, "And who are you?"

"Skyler." She greeted, stepping up, "Skyler Salvatore." His eyes seemed to darken upon hearing her supposed last name, and he cleared his throat making sure it didn't show. She continued, eyeing him up and down skeptically, "I'd say it's a pleasure but..."

"So you know you're welcome to stay here and rummage through this stuff or Elena and I could help you load it into your car." Jenna told him walking back over and cutting off any response Elijah may have had.

"Yeah, or I can get someone to pick it up tomorrow." He responded steadily.

"Also a good plan." She replied with a smile while she rolled up her sleeves.

"Well, thank you so much for inviting me into your home, Jenna." He told her with a polite smile, it all seemed so kind and genuine and normal though that was only for Jenna's benefit everyone else knew that his words were anything but. It was a warning. He was invited in now, Elena wouldn't be able to keep him out anymore. She wasn't safe, not even in her own home. "And, Elena..." Elijah called suddenly turning around, "I hope to see you again sometime soon."

Elena looked at him uneasily, waiting for the catch however that was the last word he offered before he turned around and walked out of her home. She watched carefully as her aunt closed the door after the man before she quickly rushed up the stairs With a sigh, Skyler followed after her slowly while the doppelgänger ran. She made her way up the last step at a human pace just as Elena knocked on her brother's door in a panic. She reached for the doorknob, ready to throw it open when Elijah appeared, grabbing her hand.

Elena backed away her heart sounding as though it was about to pump right out of her chest as Elijah held up a finger to his lips in warning as Jeremy opened his door, completely unaware of whose right outside, "What is it?" He asked, his brows furrowed.

"Um... Jenna was just asking me to get you to help her with the boxes." She told her brother anxiously, he glanced over at Skyler who gave a nod showing she wasn't lying, having already decided that Jeremy didn't need to know about this. Not yet anyway, it would only put him at risk and he had some chance to not be a total pain.

Unlike his sister.

"Oh yeah." Jeremy replied, walking out of his room, seemingly not noticing Elijah as he walked right past his sister. Skyler sidestepped so he could get down the stairs, offering the youngest Gilbert a quick smile before her eyes went to Elijah in a way she hoped seemed anxious and even scared, she wasn't exactly used to acting scared of her family.

After making sure her brother was gone, she turned back as Elijah commented, "That's a wise choice."

"What do you want gramps?" Skyler questioned crossing her arms.

The doppelgänger looked at her with wide eyes, gaze flickering between the two vampires, hoping she hadn't just pissed off the original vampire though Elijah only seemed amused by the younger vampire's words. After a moment, his focus returned to the doppelgänger, eyes narrowed sternly, "I think it's time we had a little chat."

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        "FORGIVE THE INTRUSION," Elijah began, standing in Elena's room, "I mean your family no harm."

Skyler watched him steadily as Elena closed her bedroom door, "Why did you kill those vampires when they tried to take me?"

"Because I didn't want you to be taken." He responded nonchalantly while he sat down on her bay window seat. When she looked at him in confusion, he explained further, "Klaus is the most feared and hated of the originals, but those that fear him are desperate for his approval. If word gets out that the doppelgänger exists, there'll be a line of vampires eager to take you to him, and I can't have that."

"Isn't that exactly what you're trying to do?" Skyler pointed out, her brow arched skeptically.

"Let's just say that my goal is not to break the curse." He responded, his eyes narrowed.

"So what is your goal?" Elena questioned, growing frustrated as the conversation only brought about more questions than answers.

"Klaus' obsessions have made him paranoid. He's a recluse." His eyes flickered to Skyler for a moment before he continued, "He trusts only those in his immediate circle."

"Like you?" The doppelgänger asked in response.

"Not anymore." Elijah replied, shaking his head.

"You don't know where he is, do you?" Elena questioned suddenly. He looked down, not giving a response however she nodded in understanding, "So you're trying to use me to draw him out."

"Well to do that I need you to stay put and stop trying to get yourself killed." Elijah told her.

"Finally something we can agree on." Skyler responded with a smirk.

Elena glanced at her before looking at Elijah again with only a shake of her head, she ignored Skyler like usual. Boring. "How do I know you're telling the truth?"

"Well if I wasn't being truthful, all your family would be dead and I'd be taking you to Klaus right now." He told her rather bluntly, "Instead, I'm here and I'm prepared to offer you a deal."

"A deal?" Skyler questioned confused.

This was not part of the plan. "What kind of a deal?" Elena asked curiously.

Elijah stood up, looking at the doppelgänger, "Do nothing." He responded confusing the doppelgänger immediately, "Do nothing, live your life, stop fighting." He walked over to her dresser, examining everything on it, "And then, when the time is right, you and I shall draw Klaus out together and I shall make certain that your friends remain unharmed."

"And then what?" She asked.

"Then, I kill him." Skyler's eyes widened, her brow furrowing in surprise and confusion. Okay, to be clear, this — this was definitely not part of the plan.

"Just like that?" She asked.

"Just like that." He agreed steadily, no signs of deception which only furthered Skyler's mix of confusion and frustration, "I'm a man of my word, Elena." And it's official. "I make a deal. I keep a deal." Elijah's going off the rails.

Skyler barely suppressed a smirk. Wait till Kol hears about this.

"How are you going to be able to keep everybody safe?" Elena asked warily, her voice background music now as Skyler came to all these realizations at once.

Oh god, wait till Nik hears about this... Her eyes widened then, did Nik know already? "You know, I notice you have a friend, Bonnie, is it?" Elijah said glancing at her, "She seems to possess the gift of magic."

"She's a Bennet." Skyler pointed out clearing her throat, she had been quiet for too long it seemed, "They all do."

"I have friends with similar gifts." He continued.

"You know witches." Elena nodded, crossing her arms.

"Together we can protect everybody that matters to you." Elijah told her. And it was a good deal, especially knowing Elijah always kept his word. Except for one tiny detail... or rather the whole plan that had brought Skyler here in the first freaking place. Yeah, what happened to that? Skyler silently fumed as he continued, "So do we have a deal?"

She was going to kill him. Skyler watched Elena furiously though she tried to keep calm for now. "I need you to do one more thing for me." The doppelgänger told him still wary of this whole thing it seemed.

He raised a brow, amused, "We're negotiating now?"

Skyler repeats; She was going to kill him!!

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        A blur of wind came behind Skyler as she stood alone in the forest. Not so alone now, she mused. She didn't have to turn around to know who it was, she called out, "Elijah."

"Your brother's safe." He told her, stepping out from his hiding spot behind her.

She spun around, eyes lit with fury, "Yeah, and what about me?" She questioned incredulously, "What about you? Nik's going to kill you," her eyes narrowed dangerously as she added, "if I don't first."

"Niklaus has a plan, one I helped make even." Elijah admitted, steady as always though he didn't approach her any further in favor of oh, I don't know, staying alive. "But I have a different plan now."

"So what? This whole thing, it was completely useless? All the lying, the sneaking around? Me leaving my husband?" Elijah winced, she refused to show mercy, it's one of the things that made her a magnificent Mikaelson, "It was all for nothing? What so you can keep Elena safe? Or so you can kill Klaus?"

"It wasn't for nothing." He protested, Skyler scoffed in return. He continued stubbornly, "It wasn't for nothing. The plan can still work even now."

"And what about Nik? You're just going to kill him?" She questioned.

"He's paranoid." He brushed off persuasively.

He seemed to forget Klaus's paranoia had never been a question, "He's my best friend! He's your brother!" She argued.

"He's paranoid!" Elijah repeated angrily, "And he's going to hurt someone because he's too stubborn to see anything but the curse our mother put on him."

"So, what?" She snapped, familiar with the blinding rage he spoke of — in fact, she was feeling it now, "You're going to kill him because he wants to break the curse?!"

"No," shaking his head, he took a step forward, "I'm going to kill him so he doesn't hurt anyone anymore."

"You've always been a hero, Elijah," She sneered, eyes flaming with fury, "but I never took you for an idiot." She turned around making to leave when he called out to her, she spun around, glaring at him harshly, "Why did you come here?" She asked him, "Did you expect to win me over? Sway me to your side? He's my best friend."

"And he's my brother." Elijah responded curtly, "But he is also dangerous."

Skyler's eyes seemed as though they should have actual fire in them as they blazed brightly, "Maybe I am too."

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