Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Diaries, The Originals, much of the plot and dialogue of this chapter, or anything else you may recognize.

Well, this is the final chapter of 'Silas's secret.' I would just like to thank everyone who favorited, followed, reviewed, and has stuck with me for the past eight months. Thank you and I hope you enjoyed the story and I hope you enjoy the chapter!

Mary's house, October 29th

1:54 P.M.

"Rebekah, run." Elijah ordered as he stepped in front of her protectively.

"Don't move!" Klaus snarled as he slowly and menacingly began to approach them.

"Rebekah, your presence only serves to anger him, you must flee." Elijah told her.

Rebekah stared at her older brothers, one trying to protect her, one trying to kill her. After a moment of hesitation, Rebekah blurred out of the room. Klaus started to walk after her when Elijah got in his path. Elijah held his hands out in front of him in a peace making gesture.

"Now I am asking you brother to brother," Elijah told him solemnly, "we end this nonsense now.

"You would side with that traitor-" Klaus snarled only to be cut off.

"I am not choosing sides but I will not allow you to hurt our sister." Elijah told him.

Klaus smirked as he heard Rebekah's attempts to get out the front door. The brothers looked into each other's eyes, acknowledging that they were trapped. Klaus turned his back on Elijah, walking a few steps away.

"We cannot leave this house Elijah," Klaus reminded him, "how long do you think you can defend her?"

Klaus then blurred out of the room, intent on finding Rebekah. However, he once again found his path blocked when Elijah blurred in front of him. Klaus stopped and gave Elijah an angry look.

"As long as it takes by any means necessary." Elijah told him stonily.

Outside Mary's house

2:01 P.M.

Kol was still trying to get through the barrier unsuccessfully as everyone else looked at Damon who was on the phone with Bonnie.

"How soon can you get here?" Damon asked her worriedly.

"I'm still about an hour and a half away, plus there's no guarantee that I'll be able to take down whatever spell the spirits have placed on the house." Bonnie explained to him.

"Well get here as soon as you can." Damon ordered her before hanging up.

Damon pocketed his phone and turned around, running his hand through his hair stressfully. He turned to Kol still stubbornly trying to get through to the house and rolled his eyes. He turned towards his friends and family as he approached them.

"Shouldn't we…stop him?" Elena suggested.

"There's no point, he won't listen to us." Alaric told her gently.

"We need to get that spell broken while Rebekah is still alive." Stefan reminded him urgently.

"I know if she dies then so does Alaric." Damon told him a little miffed at Stefan pointing out the obvious.

"Not just him." Enzo told him with a meaningful look at Mary.

"You're part of Rebekah's bloodline?" Damon asked surprised.

"She turned me." Mary explained to her son.

"Well isn't this just great?" Damon asked sarcastically.

"We'll get through this Damon." Stefan assured his brother.

"Gee, I guess I should trust you since family loyalty obviously means so much to you." Damon said his voice equal parts biting and sarcastic.

The tension between the two brothers was almost visible. The other four watched as Damon turned away from Stefan and walked a few feet away from him. Stefan sighed, guilt and remorse clearly etched on his face.

"I take it your still mad about last night?" Stefan asked knowingly.

Damon whirled around, his eyes flashing with anger. Stefan winced at the amount of anger in his brother's eyes. Elena blushed as part of her thought he looked rather attractive when he was angry. She then shook her head as she mentally scolded herself for thinking such thoughts as a time like this.

"It's not just about last night; it's about everyday for last one-hundred and forty six years. For everything that's gone wrong in your life, you've found some way to blame it on someone else. And most of the time, that someone else has been me!" Damon exploded his face nearly changing into his hybrid face he was so angry.

"Damon…" Stefan trailed off knowing every word he was saying was true.

"But why should I be surprised? I mean, I'm just the big bad Bastard brother, right? You look at me and see everything about yourself that you hate. Sure, you hide it with your hero hair and your bunny diet but we both know that you're just like me: a monster." Damon said with a dark smile.

Elena winced, hating how he insulted himself like that. Mary nearly sobbed and Enzo squeezed his eyes shut, both hating how their son thought of himself. Alaric placed a comforting hand on Elena's shoulder, wearing an unreadable expression that didn't show how his heart broke for his best friend. Stefan simply stared at Damon, a mask of guilt and pain on his face.

"You think of yourself as the 'good brother', which is an idea that's been put in your head by people like Lexi, Caroline, and, most importantly, your father," Damon told Stefan, spitting out the last two words like they were poison, "but let me tell you something about Giuseppe Salvatore-"

"I know," Stefan cut him off, "Silas showed me how he beat you after our mother 'died.'

"What?!" Mary exploded as she and everyone else looked shocked, even Kol stopped trying to get through the gate to turn and look at them.

"Did he now?" Damon said as he looked at Stefan coldly, "well, as usual, Silas didn't tell the whole story. Let's go back to a few years before you were born…"

Original Salvatore mansion, 1845

Early morning

Five year old Damon was in his room, reading a book that his mother had bought him last week on his bed when he heard his door open. Damon looked up and his heart dropped when he saw that it was his father. Damon shakily closed his book before placing on his bed and got off his bed. Damon looked up at his father fearfully.

"What is it Father?" Damon asked attempting to keep the fear from his voice.

"Your mother's necklace disappeared this morning. Do you know anything about it?" Giuseppe demanded.

"No father." Damon said attempting to calm his hammering heart.

"Don't lie to me! Admit that you took it!" Giuseppe snarled viciously.

"But I didn't!" Damon declared getting a little angry in spite of his fear.

"I just said don't lie to me!" Giuseppe shouted before punching Damon in the stomach.

Damon fell to the floor hard from the force of the punch. He groaned in pain as Giuseppe came over and began kicking him in the stomach brutally. Damon cried out in pain as a maid came in the room to see what all the noise was about and gasped in horror.

"Master Salvatore no!" The maid shouted as she ran over and attempted to get him to stop by pulling on his arm.

"Don't touch me, Slave!" He shouted as he yanked her arms off him before striking her in the face powerfully.

The maid stumbled back, clutching her eyes. She wasn't looking where was going and, as a result, walked right into the railing. She fell over it with terrified scream.

"Him beating me wasn't a new occurrence that started after our mother 'died', it just meant he didn't have to hid it as much," Damon told his horrified brother, "that was not the first time he laid a hand on me, and it certainly wasn't the last. It went on for years, well into my adolescence. I sighed up for the civil war to escape that hell only to be plunged into a far worse hell. And for what, for people believing that the color of your skin means that you can own someone like property?! So I returned, not for Katherine, but to escape that hell. Giuseppe tried to resume the abuse, but the war had made me strong. I nearly broke his arm and he never bothered me again."

Stefan was rendered speechless, shocked by the revelations coming from his brother's mouth. He was not the only one, as Elena held her hands to her mouth to muffle her sobs as tears rolled down her cheeks. Enzo clutched his firsts tightly, enraged that someone did that to his child. Mary sobbed, over come with guilt that that had happened while she had been around and she never knew. Alaric and Kol stared at Damon sympathetically.

"Your father was always blaming other people for his problems, his mistakes…I see the apple doesn't fall far from the tree." Damon said his voice full of distain as he looked at Stefan coldly.

"What are you talking about?" Stefan asked hurt at the comparison.

"I just told you, you blame everything terrible that happens to you on some else, every awful thing you've done, you blame on someone else. You blame me, you blame Katherine, and you blame Klaus. But you killed your father, you killed the council in 1864, you were the ripper of Monterrey, you chose revenge over Elena, you chose to try and drive Elena off Wickery Bridge, almost turning her into a vampire in the process, and you sent Silas after me. You can't blame anyone but yourself for that," Damon told coldly, "granted I'm no saint, I've done terrible thing to, but at least I'm man enough to accept and admit that unlike you, who just blames everyone around you. If you want me to blame other people, then I can blame you, I can blame Sage, I can blame Katherine, I can blame lots of people, but at the end of the day, our choices are our choices, no one else's."

"Damon…" Stefan trailed off unable to say anything in response.

"I have sacrificed my own happiness for you, I have killed for you, I have taken every verbal lashing out that you have thrown at me and what do I get in return? Nothing, not even a simple 'thank you.'" Damon snapped.

The family feud between the two brothers was interrupted by someone's phone ringing. Kol pulled out his cell phone and checked who was calling him. His eyes lit up in relief and he answered quickly.

"Bekah, are you okay?" Kol asked and everyone's attention was immediately on him.

"I'm fine, but only for the moment." Rebekah told her youngest living brother.

"We'll get you out of there Rebekah, I promise." Kol vowed.

"I've never seen him like this Kol. He out of his mind with rage, shouting one insanity laced tirade after the next…he's gonna kill me." Rebekah told him realistically.

"Stay away from him as long as possible." Kol told her.

"Brilliant plan in theory, but seeing as the three of us are inexplicably trapped in here that plan is shot to hell." Rebekah snapped.

"The Bennett Witch is on her way, sit tight until then and then you can get as far away from here as you can." Kol told her.

"We lived for centuries looking over our shoulders, ready to run at a moment's notice. I'm not ready to go back to that." Rebekah told him glumly.

"Well, you might not have a choice. We will get you out of there, I promise." Kol told her earnestly before hanging up.

Inside Mary's house

2:09 P.M.

Klaus and Elijah stood facing each other, staring each other down. Klaus still had the White Oak stake clutch firmly in his hand. Elijah eyed him solemnly as Klaus glared at him angrily.

"Niklaus, we have been at this for the last fifteen minutes, to what end? I know you and I grew up fighting you," Elijah reminded him with his arms spread out, "I cannot be beaten nor can I be persuaded; you cannot get past me."

"Oh I can get past you, though it might be over your daggered body. I might leave like that for the next few centuries, after all you did conspire with Damon to kill me only one month ago, and the two of you did the same thing with the Doppelganger and her group of followers some months before that. Or perhaps I should direct my rage towards you." Klaus suggested darkly as he pointed the stake at Elijah.

"You should see yourself: The murderous expression, the self righteous posture. You look like father." Elijah told him.

Klaus lowered the stake, looking like he had been slapped. Klaus opened and closed his mouth several times without speaking before closing it completely. Klaus shook his head furiously, a desperate denial in his eyes and on his face.

"I'm not him. Rebekah's betrayal justifies my anger; his was that of a mad man. You were never the recipient of his cruelty," Klaus shouted at him his mask of anger and his voice beginning to crack, "None of you were! Not Kol, not Finn, none of you! I think you've forgotten what he was truly like."

"No…I have not forgotten." Elijah said softly as his mind flashed back to his childhood.

The tenth century in the land that will one day become Mystic Falls

Early morning

Fourteen year old Elijah stood behind a tree as his nine year old brother, Niklaus, wielded a bow and arrow. Elijah and Niklaus had their eyes on an unsuspecting deer that was unable to see them.

"Deep breath, hold…now." Elijah ordered.

Niklaus released the string and the arrow went flying. Arrow went and hit a tree by the deer, just barely missing the animal. The deer, startled, ran for its life. Niklaus lowered the bow dejectedly.

"Your aim is improving," Elijah complimented as he patted his little brother on the back, "next time."

"Do you encourage him Elijah?"

The two turned around slowly to see Mikael approach them. They immediately noticed his cold, angry expression.

"He grows more pathetic every day." Mikael said coldly.

"I'm not pathetic." Niklaus said defiantly.

"Do not talk back to me," Mikael ordered him before taking his bow away, "you're not man enough to hold this weapon. If you can't hunt, then you're nothing but a burden."

"I'm sorry." Niklaus apologized only to have Mikael grab him by his arm and drag him away from Elijah.

"It's a shame we can't feed on sorry eyed apologies, it's your one and only strength!"

Mikael then struck Niklaus with the back of his hand so hard that the young boy fell, landing on his chest. As Mikael moved to continue, Elijah began to approach his father.

"Father Stop!" Elijah shouted horrified.

"Stay back!" Mikael whirled around and pointed his finger at Elijah, "or you'll be next!"

Elijah shrunk back and Mikael turned back towards Niklaus. Mikael kicked him in the stomach causing Niklaus to cry out in pain.

Klaus and Elijah stared at each unmoving. The two brothers shared a meaningful glance for a long moment before Klaus blurred away. Elijah quickly followed him and once again intercepted him. The two brothers once again stood at a standstill.

"Niklaus I understand your anger, but I implore you: be better than him," Elijah pleaded causing Klaus to give him a confused look, "do what he could not. Demonstrate the grace of mercy rather than this petty cruelty."

"You ask me to show mercy to one who has wronged me? You really don't know me at all do you brother?" Klaus asked sarcastically.

"Enough."

The brothers turned to see their sister standing behind them. She gave Klaus an angry look as her brothers faced here.

"Whatever I have done wrong, my guilt is nothing compared to yours," Rebekah told Klaus coldly, "You want Revenge, fine. But first, I will look you in the eye and tell you how it was your cruelty and your spite that led us to this."

"Well go on then," Klaus said as he gestured for her to continue, "Speak your piece. And when you are finished, I will grant you the punishment you deserve…even if I have to go through Elijah to do so."

Katherine's car, en route to Mary's house

2:13 P.M.

Katherine was driving with Bonnie next to her and Jeremy in the back seat. Jeremy is staring out the window when he feels someone staring at him in the seat next to him. He turns around and is surprised to see Rose.

"The witches have made it so that no one can leave Mary's house until sundown. Esther and Qetsiyah worked together to create this spell. Bonnie won't be able to break it." Rose told him.

"Are you sure about that?" Jeremy asked urgently causing Katherine and Bonnie to look back at him.

"Bonnie's good, but she won't be able to break a spell that was cast by the two most powerful witches in history." Rose told him glumly.

"Uh…Jer, you wanna tell us who you're talking to?" Bonnie asked as Rose vanished.

Mary's house

2:15 P.M.

Klaus sat in a chair facing his siblings who stood standing about ten feet from him. Rebekah and Elijah eyed the White Oak stake that Klaus had clutched in his hand.

"Let it begin: the trial of Rebekah Mikaelson." Klaus announced sounding like a jure.

"What a relief his ego's in check." Rebekah muttered sarcastically.

"Speak your piece. I'll make sure he behaves himself." Elijah assured her as he sat in a chair next to her.

"You stand accused of betraying your own blood. How do you plead?" Klaus asked her.

"I plead you to shut up and listen." Rebekah snapped.

"You summoned our father, brought him to our home. What possible defense could you have?" Klaus growled furiously.

"I knew he was the only thing you feared and I wanted you to run." Rebekah told him coldly.

"Because you hated me!" Klaus accused hotly.

"Because you were hateful! You denied me the freedom to love." Rebekah countered.

"That's your defense?" Klaus almost laughed at her pathetic defensive remarks, "you called Mikael, the destroyer, the hunter of vampires, because I detained you from perusing some dull suitors?"

"You were cruel and controlling and manipulative!" Rebekah accused him.

"I was trying to protect you! From imbeciles and leeches, not to mention your own poor judgment." Klaus told her.

"And what about the one you loved enough to call friend? Why did you forbid me to love Marcel?" Rebekah demanded of him.

"Do not mention his name." Klaus growled darkly as he stood and pointed his finger at her menacingly.

"What has happened to you? I remember the sweet boy who made me laugh, who gave me gifts, who loved art and music. I wanted to be just like you." Rebekah confessed softly.

Klaus stood back and tried not to let her see how her words were affecting him.

"How could you have fallen so far?" Rebekah wondered out loud.

"You say you despise Rebekah for her betrayal, but no one has stood by your side for so long, not even I myself," Elijah noted, "Perhaps it is you who has forgotten. I remember the day father caught you whipping little chess pieces with his hunting knife. He beat you so mercilessly and for so long… I actually feared for your life."

Tenth century, Mikael's hut

Twenty year old Niklaus cried out in pain as Mikael brought the whip down on his back. Elijah burst through the tent flap and grabbed his father's arm in an attempt to stop him but Mikael roughly shoved him to the ground. Mikael turned and resumed the whipping when Rebekah burst inside, a sword in hand.

"Stop it," She cried as she pointed the sword at a stunned Mikael, "I will not let you hurt him anymore."

"You stand against me…for him!" Mikael shouted enraged.

Niklaus looked up, blooded dripping from his busted lip, as Rebekah stood shaking as Mikael approached her. Elijah stood by her side as Mikael yanked the sword from her. Mikael eyed them both with disgust before walking past them and out of the hut.

"You would paint her as a loyal sister," Klaus said his voice giving away nothing of the tears that were beginning to form due to the painful memory, "but she betrayed me out of lust for Marcel. Perhaps that is why you did it, for love. Perhaps I might temper my rage if Rebekah would admit she was a victim of her own idiocy. That her great love, Marcel, used her to oust this family in an attempt to take my city!"

"Marcel did not manipulate me." Rebekah hissed.

"You would defend Marcel but you can't help but wonder…what if I'm right?" Klaus asked mockingly.

"We loved each other; it was your refusal to respect that which led to your ruin." Rebekah snapped.

"If he loved you as you claim, why did he leave you daggered for over five decades?" Klaus shot back.

"You want me to renounce Marcel, to beg for your forgiveness? I won't! Marcel was not at fault, I called Mikael!" Rebekah shouted at him angrily.

"Rebekah you-" Elijah's attempt to keep the fragile peace was ignored by Rebekah.

"I was the one who brought him to New Orleans because of your wickedness! I wanted love and happiness and you denied me the freedom to have either! Yes, I hated and was afraid of our father, but he was the lesser evil than you! My Bastard brother who loomed over me, threatening me as you are now! I wanted rid of you…and given the choice, I'd do it again." Rebekah snarled him darkly.

Klaus's handle on his rage seemed to snap at this as, with a shout of rage, He blurred over and slammed her against the wall by her neck. Klaus raised the White Oak stake to stake her when he was blur-tackled to the ground by Elijah. Klaus and Elijah stood up, Klaus eying the White Oak stake that Elijah had snatched.

"Sister, leave us." Elijah told Rebekah.

"I'm not going-" Rebekah was cut off by her brother.

"I said leave us." Elijah said in a tone that left no room for argument.

Reluctantly, Rebekah walked out of the room. The two brothers once again stared each other down in a battle of wills.

"You wouldn't listen to her, so now you must deal with me." Elijah told him as he gestured wide with his arms.

Outside the house

2:18 P.M.

"Okay, thanks for the heads up Bonnie." Damon said tightly before hanging up.

"What's going on?" Elena asked as she was the only one who could hear the conversation.

"Well, Rose stopped by to give Jeremy some information that we could use," Damon told her as he turned towards her, "The spell that is keeping us out of the house was cast by Esther and Qetsiyah, the two most powerful Witches in history. Bonnie won't be able to break the spell."

"Oh god!" Elena said as she turned to look at Alaric worriedly.

"I'm sure everything will be fine Elena." Mary told her as she laid her hand on Elena's shoulder in a motherly manner.

Damon gave a bark of laughter. As everyone turned to him, Damon gave Mary a look of mock remorse.

"Oh, did I laugh? I'm sorry; I just find it ironic that you can act motherly to Elena considering you're not exactly mother of the year." Damon said as he gave his mother a mocking smile.

"You're still angry with me." Mary said as a statement rather than a question.

"Gee why would I be angry with you? Just because you basically let my friend Rose walk to her death, and you abandoned me when I was only seven and you still haven't told me who my father is. Isn't that right dad?" Damon said directing the last part to Enzo.

Everyone froze. Damon almost smiled at the reactions he was getting from them, they were rather amusing. Mary overcame her shock and looked at him curiously.

"How'd you figure it out?" She inquired.

"Silas was spying on you last night. He brought the possibility to my attention and I got confirmation about ten seconds ago." Damon shrugged.

"You always were clever," Enzo chuckled before becoming serious again, "you don't seem angry with me."

"I have no reason to be angry with you," Damon told his father nonchalantly, "judging by your reaction to finding out I was Mary's son, you never even knew that she had any children. Besides, I did leave you to burn; I don't have any right to be angry with you."

Stefan looked at Damon with new eyes. He had never seen this side of Damon, so rational and mature. He had to wonder if this was a new side of his brother or if he had been so blinded by his need to be the 'good brother' that he had simply chosen not to see this side of Damon.

"What can I do get your forgiveness?" Mary asked her son softly.

"Well, telling me how I came to exist would be a good start." Damon said as he crossed his arms.

Mary sighed deeply before looking at Enzo. Enzo gave a tired nod and they turned their attention to their son. Stefan, Alaric, Elena, and even Kol gave them their attention, curious about how these two people came together and created the man they had known for over a year.

"It all started about five years before you were born," Mary finally began her tale, "my family and I had just moved here from a little town that had been ransacked by bandits. During the raid and the journey to Mystic Falls, we had lost much of our wealth. My father had made friends with the Lockwoods and we were invited to their latest ball when I was seventeen. That's where I first saw your father.

"I had entered with my parents and we were greeted by the Lockwoods. As they stepped away to speak with them, I spotted your father. He was a twenty-one year old man, simply greeting guests, standing besides Giuseppe." Mary told Damon as she smiled softly at Enzo who returned it with a slight grin of his own.

"Wait, you knew my father?" Stefan interrupted confused.

"Of course I knew him, we were family." Enzo told the confused vampire.

"What do you mean 'Family'?" Damon asked just as confused as his brother.

"I think you know Son. I think both know you just don't want to admit it." Enzo told them as he looked back and forth between Damon and Stefan.

Confused, the Salvatore brothers looked at each other curiously before Enzo's words began to sink in. Stunned, they looked at Enzo who nodded. Simultaneously, Damon and Stefan groaned, to the confused of all but Mary and Enzo.

"Not again!" Stefan groaned at the same time Damon complained "not another one of those triangles!" to the confusion of their friends.

"That's right," Enzo continued, "Damon, in the five years we were in Augustine together, I never told you my full name. Well, I am telling you now. My name is Lorenzo Salvatore and Giuseppe was my little brother."

Inside Mary's house

2:21 P.M.

"So what's it gonna be?" Klaus asked his brother, "are you to use the stake or what?"

"Well, unlike you brother, I have no taste for fratricide. I only hold this," Elijah said as he held the stake up, "to keep it from you."

"Why must you defend her?" Klaus demanded as he walked closer to Elijah, "Rebekah betrayed you when she brought Mikael here."

"Because she is our sister and because I like to remember her the way that she was before we became…what we became. She was an innocent girl, quick to laugh and full of life." Elijah reminded Klaus.

Klaus looked down, as if lost in thought. When he looked back up at Elijah, he had that blank look that Elijah knew meant he was sad about something.

"My memories serve to make her betrayal more painful." Klaus admitted in a voice that only those who had known him for as long as Elijah could see as sad.

"Can you not then accept some small part of the blame? After all, it was your cruelty that drove her to do what she did." Elijah reminded Klaus.

Klaus laughed incredulously and turned to the side, disbelief on his face. When he turned back to Elijah, he looked at Elijah as though he was a naïve child.

"Do you not see Elijah? She didn't mean to chase me off, she wanted me dead!" Klaus shouted at his brother.

"You're wrong." Elijah told him immediately.

"She has always hated me, you know it's true." Klaus accused as he stalked over to Elijah.

"You have no idea do you? No idea what she was prepared to do for you?" Elijah asked surprised, "When our sister sees something she perceives to be an injustice, she can be stubborn, impetuous, and, at times, downright dangerous. And never was this more apparent than the night she tried to kill our father."

Klaus was silent, completely shocked for a moment before his eyes hardened in disbelief.

"What is this, some Melodramatic fiction designed to garner my sympathies?" Klaus asked mockingly.

"It is the truth…I was there." Elijah revealed softly.

Tenth century, Mikael's hut

Elijah walked inside the hut and was shocked to see what he saw. Rebekah was standing over there sleeping father, his knife in her hand. She had a hard look in her eyes that made it clear what she was planning. Elijah sprinted over and grabbed her hand, turning her so she faced him before yanking the knife out of her hand.

"And she would have done it, all to protect you, had I not stopped her," Elijah told Klaus, "I often wish I could revisit that moment, complete the task myself."

"Why are to telling me this now?" Klaus demanded as he turned away, not wanting his brother to see how much he was overwhelmed by his emotions.

"Niklaus, sometimes our sister acts without thinking. She is short of temper, she is quick to fall in love, but she loves you," Elijah told him passionately, "Your malicious treatment has broken her heart, so yes she responds by summoning Mikael. Yes, that was a mistake, I'm not entirely sure I can blame her."

Klaus turned back around and faced Elijah. Klaus had his eyes downward for a moment before they looked back up at Elijah. When they did, Elijah saw that they had the cold, murderous look back in them.

"I can." Klaus told him coldly before blurring off.

Elijah blurred after him. As Klaus exited the room, Elijah once again materialized in front of him. Klaus stopped and gave Elijah an angry stare.

"Niklaus so help me-"

"Are you really going to stand against me? Well if you are, get on with it. Go ahead; you have the stake, use it, go on ahead." Klaus dared Elijah.

"I don't have to listen to this." Elijah snapped.

"Don't pretend you haven't thought about it. Past actions have proven otherwise. You, with your mask of civility and eloquence, you're every bit the abomination I am…or worse. Go on Elijah," Klaus egged his brother on as he spread his arms wide seemingly giving in to Elijah, "go: use the White Oak stake. Oh, but then you're beloved Katarina would perish wouldn't she?"

Elijah gave his brother a shocked look. Klaus gave a dark smile before laughing mockingly.

"I am a hybrid; did you really think I wouldn't smell her on you? It wouldn't be the first time you have betrayed me for a pretty face," Klaus shrugged, "so who's it going to be: Rebekah or Katarina?"

Elijah was silent for a moment before throwing the stake across the hallway. Klaus watched it land, a blank look on his face.

"I'm, not so cowardly that I have to kill you Niklaus, but if I have to make you suffer to protect Rebekah, that is what I will do." Elijah promised lowly.

Klaus smiled, as if in victory. Klaus wagged his finger in Elijah's face like a teacher scolding a student.

"You see, I knew you couldn't do it," Klaus said as he turned his back on Elijah, "you still cling to the hope that the two of us can be saved. That Katerina can be found underneath the iron mask of Katherine Pierce and that the Bastard can be saved. Well, perhaps there's hope for you."

Elijah cocked his head, confused. Klaus turned around and blurred over to Elijah, daggering him. Elijah gasped as Klaus slammed him against the wall and he began to dessicate. Elijah glared at Klaus as he dessicated before his eyes shriveled shut. Klaus let him drop to the floor, his body facing upwards with the dagger sticking out of his heart. Klaus was aware that someone was behind him. He turned around to see Rebekah standing there with the White Oak stake in her hand.

"Now I control who lives and who dies," She told him, "now I'm taking out that Dagger."

"You'll have to kill me first. Go ahead; finish what you started almost a century ago." Klaus dared her.

"I did not what you dead, I wanted you to run." Rebekah denied.

"Liar! You wanted revenge." Klaus snarled.

"You drove me to betray you and now you want to twist it and make it worse so you can justify killing me. All I did was love your friend," Rebekah told him coldly, "you could have been happy for u, instead in your paranoia you feared losing us both and you did. There is no else to Blame Nik, no one but you."

Outside Mary's house

2:24 P.M.

"So let me get this straight. Those two," Kol, the first to get over the stunned, awkward silence that had enveloped everyone, said as he pointed to Damon and Stefan, "are both brothers and cousins? Man, your family is messed up."

"And yours is better how?" Damon snapped irritably.

"Touché!" Kol conceded.

"So on with the story." Stefan said as he turned back to his mother and uncle.

"That night wasn't when we would officially meet." Enzo admitted.

"But it would be the beginning of my courtship by Giuseppe Salvatore," Mary continued, "he saw me and decided that he wanted me. He was only nineteen at the time, when he decided he wanted something; he decided to take it, by any means necessary. My family and I needed the money, you see, for my mother discovered later that week that she pregnant."

"And my brother was rather…spoiled; I suppose you could say," Enzo interjected, "he knew that Mary only responded to his advances due to her family's desperate situation but he did not care, he had his prize. I believe that was all your mother was to him, a prize."

"For several months, our courtship consisted of afternoon's together horseback riding and dinner dates, I suppose you could say. Then, eight months after our courtship began; he took me to meet his family that was when we officially met for the first time." Mary revealed.

"At first, we could not stand one another," Enzo recalled smiling In amusement at the memories, "but, as time passed, we became friends. My feeling for her changed from friendship to something…more. I tried not act on them, but they were too powerful to ignore."

Damon and Elena avoided each other's gave. This sounded a lot like there story, which made them slightly uncomfortable. Stefan saw this and, despite his efforts not to, felt jealous. Enzo coughed, bring their attention back to him and Mary. Enzo smiled at their embarrassed expressions.

"Anyway," Mary began, "I knew of his feelings, but could not return them. My family needed the money and I could not afford to screw the plan up because Lorenzo had feelings for me."

"So what changed?" Alaric inquired, "I mean, something had to or else Damon wouldn't be standing here."

"I planned to leave Mystic Falls," Enzo admitted, "it was…painful to watch the women I loved be with my brother, so I planned to go on a trip, see the world while I attempted to get over her. I told no one of this, only leaving a letter for Mary, explaining everything and also confessing my feeling for her after a year of attempting to hide them."

"In a twist of fate, I got the letter early," Mary revealed with a small smile, "when I found out he was planning on leaving, something seemed to snap inside me. I felt so betrayed and I raced to intercept him before he had the chance to leave."

"When she came to me, howling at me like a raving mad woman," Enzo said jokingly causing Mary to smack him on the arm albeit laughing while doing so, "I demanded to know why it was such a big deal that I was leaving so she could be with my brother."

"When he asked me that, I realized why I felt so betrayed: I loved him to. I loved even though I had never loved Giuseppe. I could no longer lie to myself: I was in love with Lorenzo." Mary said as she and Enzo interlaced their hands, smiling at each other.

"So…if you loved Enzo, how did I happen?" Stefan asked confused causing the smiles to fall from his mother and uncles faces.

"After that night, we began sneaking around our families, specifically Giuseppe's, back." Enzo admitted.

"This went on for two years before your father asked me to marry him. Realizing I could not do that to any of us, I declined. Lorenzo and I planned to reveal our relationship so we could be together. But then…" Mary closed her eyes, a tear sliding down her face as Enzo drew her into her his arm.

"Giuseppe walked in on us," Enzo revealed as Mary laid her head on his shoulder, "he put everything together. He became enraged, I had never seen like that. He threatened to arrange an 'accident' that killed her parents unless your mother married him."

"I accepted with a broken heart. Lorenzo and I spent our last night together, which I later found out resulted in you," Mary mumbled as she lifted her tear stained face and turned to Damon, "then, we parted ways in the morning. That was the last time we saw each other for over one-hundred and eighty years."

"I planned to leave and never come back, but my brother had other ideas." Enzo told them.

"What do you mean?" Stefan asked with a sinking feeling.

"Well nephew," Enzo said as he turned towards Stefan, "one of your father's friends, someone I had known most of my life, escorted me out of Mystic Falls, claiming he wanted to make sure I got out of Mystic Falls okay. We stopped for lodging that night. I turned my back on him for one second when I heard a clink. I turned around only for him to shoot me in the heart. That should have been my demise, but I had someone looking out for me."

"A vampire." Elena realized.

"Yes. Around the time my affair with Mary began, I made a new friend, a vampire named Slater. I didn't care that he was a vampire, he was my friend, and how could I see as anything else? On the night that Mary and Giuseppe became engaged, I slit my wrists in an attempt to take my own life." Enzo revealed.

"You what?" Mary demanded as she grabbed his face, forcing him to look her in the eyes.

"I had lost you, what would you have done?" Enzo asked her.

Mary nodded, conceding. She wrapped her arms around him and buried her head in the crook of his neck. He stroked her hair soothingly in an attempt to comfort her. Everyone, even Kol, looked away, feeling awkward by intruding on the intimate moment.

"So…you silt your wrist." Damon reminded his father.

"I slit my wrists," Enzo agreed, "Slater found me in my room, half conscious in a pool of my own blood. Immediately realizing what had happened, he forced his blood down my throat. Once my wounds had healed, he convinced me that there was more to live for. So I decided to live and you know the rest. That is how you came to be Damon."

Everyone was silent, digesting Enzo and Mary's tragic love story. Suddenly, a dark possibility occurred to Damon and he turned his gaze on his mother.

"You knew, didn't you?" Damon asked softly.

Everyone turned to him confused as Mary lifted her head to face her eldest son.

"You knew that Giuseppe arranged Enzo's death. That's why you asked me to look after Stefan before you died; you knew what he was capable of." Damon told her certainly.

"I…had my suspicions," Mary admitted, "When Enzo was announced dead, it seemed a little too coincidental. But that was only one of the reasons I asked that of you."

"And the other's?" Enzo asked sensing that she was holding something back.

"Stefan's conception…was not exactly consensual." Mary said quietly.

"You mean he…" Stefan trailed off, feeling sick.

"Yes." Mary said softly.

Damon clenched his fists as his Hybrid face took over, Stefan looked both angry and sickened and Enzo looked enraged for a moment before taking a deep breath and looking at Both his son and his nephew.

"Stefan, Damon," he got their attention, "I have some advice for you, and I want you both to listen very carefully."

Damon's features returned to normal as Stefan looked at his uncle. Everyone else, who had been shocked silent by Mary's revelation, turned their attention to him, as did Mary.

"Don't make my and Giuseppe's mistakes. We let our issues with each other turn the love we had for each other into hate. That hate twisted my brother into something completely unrecognizable," Enzo told them, "you two are brothers, don't let anything, a woman, a fight, whatever, come between you two."

Everyone was silent as the Salvatore brothers stared at each other, compensating Enzo's words.

Inside Mary's house

2:27 P.M.

"You against me, hardly a fair fight is it? Perhaps if Marcel were still alive you'd have a chance. But if he were, he'd probably have found a new girl by now. No doubt younger and prettier." Klaus cruelly mocked her.

"You take joy in other people's pain and you wonder why I hate you?" Rebekah demanded.

"Yes and that hatred drove you to do what you did. Admit the truth; admit that you wanted me dead!" Klaus snarled.

"I wanted you to run that is all despite your delusions." Rebekah denied.

"Elijah is lying in the hall with a dagger in his heart and I will allow you to remove it. All you have to do is admit it." Klaus told her in a reasonable tone.

"You're insane!" Rebekah cried.

"Yes! Yes! I am a vicious, heartless monster and so you summoned Mikael to kill me, admit it!" Klaus growled at her.

"It's not true!" Rebekah denied tearfully.

"You know what you did, admit it." Klaus demanded.

"I didn't!" Rebekah denied again.

"You wanted me dead! Admit it." Klaus demanded.

Rebekah was silent for a long moment. She glanced away from Klaus, seemingly lost in thought.

"Maybe I did." Rebekah finally admitted softly.

Rebekah glanced back at Klaus and was fearful of what she saw. Something Klaus seemed to break as his eyes and face were more vulnerable than she had seen in centuries, conveying something broken.

"Nik…" Rebekah didn't know what to say.

Klaus yanked to the stake out of her handed before staking her in the chest. Rebekah fell to the floor with a gasp.

Outside Mary's house

3:30 P.M.

A red sports car pulled and Katherine, Bonnie, and Jeremy got out. At that moment, a Ford Fiesta titanium pulled up behind it and Caroline hopped out. Everyone's attention was on Katherine, though.

"What are you doing here Katherine?" Stefan demanded.

"I'm guessing the same reason she saved me from Silas," Damon said bringing his brothers attention to him, "and it can be summed up in one six-letter word: Elijah."

"You're still hung up on my brother?" Kol asked.

"You don't have to answer that." Damon told her, to everyone's surprise.

"Why are defending? Didn't she let you think she was in a tomb which you waited one-hundred and sixty five years to open only to find out she was never in it?" Kol asked confused.

"And she also stopped Silas from killing me with a White Oak stake and helped me Dessicate him, so I figure she and I are even," Damon shrugged before turning to Caroline, "better question: why are you here Blondie?"

"Bonnie texted me that Klaus was here, I thought I might be able to calm him down." Caroline explained.

"Not a bad plan," Damon admitted, "but we have a slight problem: the ghosts of Bonnie's evil ancestor and Klaus's psycho mom cast a spell so that no one can get in, so if anyone has any ideas on how to break the spell, speak up now!"

Everyone was silent. Suddenly, Bonnie gaped, her eyes shining with hope. Everyone turned to her.

'Well Bon-Bon, you want to share with the rest of the class?" Katherine asked sarcastically.

"I have an idea." Bonnie admitted.

"Well go on, don't keep us in suspense." Damon urged.

"Damon, you and I are the last living Doppelgangers of Silas and Qetsiyah. But that's not all we are: I'm a witch and you're half Warlock. I think I may be able to use our status as Doppelgangers to channel every one of our ancestors that was a witch or Warlock." Bonnie explained.

"And then you would have the power to break the spell." Damon realized.

"Then get on with it, time is of the essence!" Kol shouted.

"Okay," Bonnie said as she walked over to Damon, "Damon, give me your hands."

Damon held his hands out to her and she grabbed them. She closed her eyes and began chanting. After a few seconds, a powerful wind began to pick up. The wind began to push even the vampires back.

"What's happening?!" Caroline asked.

"I think its working!" Kol shouted at her.

After a moment, the wind died down. Bonnie and Damon dropped hand as Kol walked over to the gate and hesitantly tried to walk past it. The Original managed to walk past the gate this time. The plan had worked.

The others quickly ran to join him. Damon and Caroline were directly behind Kol, with Enzo, Mary, and Katherine behind them and Stefan, Alaric, Bonnie, and the Gilbert siblings taking up the rear. The group walked through the door and looked around but spotted no sign of the other Originals. Kol gestured towards a stair case and everyone else nodded. The group walked up the stair case and walked into the room.

They saw Klaus sitting a chair in front of a burning fire place. Caroline hesitantly approached the solemn hybrid, who had not even acknowledged her or the other members of the group.

"Klaus?" She called hesitantly.

He glanced up at her and she almost gasped at how sad and broken he looked.

"Hello Caroline." He said formally.

"Nik, where's Rebekah?" Kol demanded as he stalked over to his older.

"Kol."

Everyone turned to see Rebekah walking through a doorway on the other side of the room. Kol blurred over and embraced her. She returned the embrace as everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Rebekah broke away from Kol and looked at Klaus.

"You missed my heart." She told him.

Everyone was confused until they saw what was in Klaus's hands. It was the White Oak stake and it's tip was blood red. Klaus looked at her almost sadly.

"Perhaps I did," Klaus said in a soft, thick voice, "or perhaps I never meant to kill you. Perhaps I wanted you to feel a fraction of the fear I felt when father came for me."

Everyone exchanged surprised glances. They had not expected this. They had expected to come in to a daggered Elijah, a dead Rebekah, and a victorious Klaus, but not to this.

"Do you yourself know the truth?" Rebekah asked bringing them out of their surprise.

"I know this: you accuse me of being evil and yet you are the one who conspired to kill your own blood." Klaus told her.

"You tormented us, made our lives a living hell." Rebekah told him.

"Enough. My family, you, Elijah, Kol, even Finn. I loved all of you." Klaus told her.

Klaus stoop up and tossed the stake in the fire place. Klaus approached Rebekah and Kol, out of instinct, stood in front of Rebekah protectively. Rebekah walked out from behind him and placed her hand on his arm, silently telling him it was okay before walking in front of him to face her half-brother.

"I know I can be difficult, but I was not made this way," Klaus told her, "It was Mikael who ruined me."

"He ruined me to, that's you forget," Rebekah said thickly, "centuries later, each of us is broken. You with your anger and paranoia, me with my fear of abandonment, Kol is you without the paranoia, and poor Elijah."

Klaus and Rebekah turned to the doorway that Rebekah had walked through and the others turned to see what they had not seen before. Elijah's dessicated body stood lied there with a dagger sticking out of his chest.

"He dedicates himself to everyone but himself," Rebekah continued, "we are the strongest creatures in the world and yet we are damaged beyond repair. We live without hope but we will never die. We are the definition of cursed, always and forever."

The Salvatores, the Gilberts, and the others watched, unsure of what to do about as Rebekah and, to everyone's shock, Klaus began shedding tears. Klaus wiped his tears and walked over to the daggered Elijah. Klaus knelt down and grabbed the dagger before slowly pulling it out. Klaus then walked back over to his siblings and his enemies.

"You are still the most powerful being in this room and no one can kill you without losing someone they care about. Whatever you're going to do to me, do it." Rebekah told him.

Klaus paused as everyone looked at him wearily, wondering what his next move was. Klaus to star at the fire place, a reflective, nostalgic look in his eyes and on his face.

"You said our father ruined us…and I can't help but wonder if his father ruined him." Klaus said out load.

Everyone turned to him, surprised. Klaus seemed almost…human. Caroline looked at him closely and saw the Klaus who had walked inside her room and convinced her to live on her birthday.

"I know you hate me but what's done is done." Rebekah told him.

"What's done is never done. It remains within us, the story we tell ourselves so we know who we are. Vicious father, Bastard son, the sister who betrayed him. Perhaps it's time to write a new story," Klaus decided as he walked a little away from Rebekah before turning back to her, "What is it that you want Rebekah?"

"The same things I have wanted since I was a child: I want a home, I want a family, I want someone to love me, and I want to live." Rebekah told him.

"Then go," Klaus told her to the shock of everyone, "go far away and never back. We are far to damaged to remain together, less a family that a volatile mix of ingredients. I will remain here for a time. Kol and Elijah are free to leave or stay if they choose, but you sister. You are free."

Rebekah stood there stunned for a moment. Everyone else was in the same state, shocked at Klaus's unusual display of mercy and compassion. Rebekah, wordlessly, turned away from her brothers and walked away. She continued to walk past everyone and walked out of the room. They heard her walk down the stairs and then the door opened then close.

"Katarina."

Startled, Katherine turned towards Klaus. Her heart was beating as everyone turned to him, thinking he was going to kill her.

"I have a question for you." He told her surprising everyone.

"What?" She asked still weary.

"Do you love my brother?" He asked her.

"What?" She asked confused wondering what angle he was playing at.

"Do you love Elijah, and be honest with me?" Klaus told her.

"Yes." Katherine said deciding that honesty would be less likely to get her killed.

"very well," Klaus said as walked closer to her making her cringe only to be surprised as he walked past her, "when he awakens, the two of you may be together as long as you wish. You are free Katarina."

Everyone stared after Klaus as he walked out of the room. In a few minutes, he had given up vengeance twice, more than he had done in a thousand years.

Mikaelson Mansion

5:06 P.M.

Rebekah was packing when she realized she was not alone in her room. She turned around and saw Elijah standing in her doorway.

"I thought I might find you here." Elijah said softly.

"I'm just getting my things," She told him, "I'll be leaving shortly. I don't suppose you have any desire to join me?"

Elijah smiled at her softly before walking over kissing her on her forehead softly.

"I do hope you find everything you're looking for." Elijah told her.

Rebekah smiled softly, having expected that. She decided not to be sad about that, it was his life.

"Elijah, when I called Mikael, I never for a second meant to hurt you." Rebekah told him honestly.

"I know." Elijah told her.

"I was certain that Klaus meant to kill me," Rebekah told him, "whether he never did or he changed his mind, maybe somewhere deep down…he is the brother we once knew."

"Buried deep, but he's still in there." Elijah agreed smiling softly.

"So…what will you do now?" Rebekah asked him softly.

"For now, I will remain here with Niklaus. I hope that Katarina will remain here will me until such a time that we may leave Mystic falls, all three of us." Elijah told her.

Rebekah smiled softly. Elijah, always the optimist, though this time, she was beginning to think that he may not be wrong. She walked over to Elijah and kissed his cheek. When she pulled her lips away, she looked her older brother in the eye.

"Help him find his way." She told him.

Rebekah walked back to her bed and picked up her suitcases. She turned around and walked past Elijah and out of her former room. She was finally free to leave, but first, she had a few stops to make.

Salvatore Boarding house

5:10 P.M.

Damon poured two glasses of bourbon then handed one to Stefan. The two brothers took a great gulp from their glasses then set them down. The two brothers stood in an awkward silence, neither sure what to say to the other. Finally, the silence was broken.

"Enzo was right…and you were right." Stefan told his brother.

"What I right about?" Damon asked as he turned towards his brother/cousin.

"That the apple…really doesn't fall far the tree," Stefan admitted, "The parallels between our story with Elena and out parent's story are eerie, aren't they?"

"Yeah." Damon agreed softly.

"Well, I'm taking your father's advice: I will not follow in Giuseppe's footsteps," Stefan said as he stood up, "I will be a better man than him, starting by doing what he never could. I will let go of my jealousy, I will let go of Elena."

"Stefan…" Damon trailed off not sure what to say.

"Elena loves you Damon, loves in a way she never loved me, even if she hasn't realized that yet," Stefan told him, "I will no longer attempt to sabotage your relationship, as did by demonizing you to her and by manipulating you into leaving town, but I cannot remain here. I'm going to follow through on my part of the bargain, I'm going to leave town."

"…where will you go?" Damon asked after overcoming the shock.

"I don't know. Italy, Rome, maybe L.A., who knows. What I do know is this: we are brothers it's time we start acting it." Stefan said as he finished his Bourbon.

Damon and Stefan stood in silence before doing something they had not done since they were human. They walked over to each other and gave each other a brother hug. Once they separated, they looked at each other awkwardly for a moment before Stefan turned around and walked out of the room.

Donavan house

5:17 P.M.

Matt had just gotten home from the hospital an hour and was drinking some coffee when some knocked on his door. Matt put down his coffee and walked down the hall to his front door, curious as to who was knocking on his door. He opened the door to see someone he didn't expect to be on his porch in a million years.

"Hello Matt." Rebekah smiled softly.

"Hey, I thought you left town." Matt said confused.

"I'm just on my way out of town, can I come in?" Rebekah inquired.

"Uh…sure, come on in." Matt moved aside for her.

Rebekah walked inside the house, looking around. She saw pictures of Matt with his friend, some of him with a girl that must have been his sister, Vicki and an older woman who must have been his mother. She didn't hear anymore heartbeats in the house, which meant that he was hear alone.

"What are doing here Rebekah?" Matt asked her not unkindly as he closed the door.

"I came to talk you, to give you some advice." She told him as she turned around to face him.

"Advice?" Matt repeated skeptically.

"Matt, this town has become a battle ground for supernatural creates, it would be best for you to get out while you still can. You're still human; you don't want to lose that." Rebekah told him.

"I know I don't become a vampire." Matt told her.

"Neither did Caroline, neither did Alaric Saltzman, neither does Elena but we all know that it's just a matter of time." Rebekah reminded him.

"Okay I see your point," Matt agreed reluctantly, "is there any other reason you stopped by?"

"Yes," Rebekah said as she walked closer to him, "I don't you've ever truly lived, so the first rule of living: do the thing your most afraid of."

Rebekah them grabbed him and kissed him, shocking Matt. After standing completely still for a moment, Matt began to kiss her back, wrapping his arms around her waist. Next thing Matt knew, they were against the wall, vicious taking off each other's clothes.

Mary's house

5:23 P.M.

Mary was looking around the room, inspecting it for any sign of damage that she had missed when Enzo walked up behind her. He placed a hand on her shoulder, making her jump. Enzo smiled at her amused.

"When a vampire can get snuck up on, it's usually a bad sign." Enzo said jokingly.

"Sorry, I've got a lot on my mind." Mary apologized.

"What are you thinking about so hard?" Enzo asked her concerned.

"My sons," Mary admitted, "I am worried about what will become of them."

"Stefan is not Giuseppe and Damon is not me," Enzo assured as he cupped her face in his hands, "besides, they each have a little of you in them, it should be enough to remind them of their humanity, it was for me."

"Lorenzo…" Mary trailed off, touched.

"I did not fight for you as hard as I should have, I let you go to easily, but I promise you this: I shall never let you go again." Enzo promised her passionately.

The two then lean closer until their lips meet in a passionate embrace. Mary wrapped her arms around Enzo's neck as his hands drop to her waist. Enzo blurs them to the wall as they kiss hungrily.

Donavan house

6:11 P.M.

Rebekah puts her shirt back on as she ran her hands through her hair, attempting to fix it. Matt, covered up to his waist on the bed, laughed.

"I don't think your fingers are going to fix sex hair." He teased.

"I have been alive for one thousand years, I can do anything." Rebekah replied with a smile as she indeed manages to make her hair lass messy.

"So are you gonna leave town now?" Matt inquired.

"Not yet, I still have a few more stops to make," Rebekah said she crawled back on the beck and was next to him, "but thanks for the last hour."

Rebekah then kissed him before hopping off the bed and walking out the door. Matt smiled before getting up and beginning to gather his clothes.

Forbes house

6:23 P.M.

Caroline sat at the table as she picked at her dinner. Her mom was attempting to have a conversation with her but all she could think about was Klaus, strange as it seemed. She had never seen someone so…broken than he had seemed tonight.

A knock on the door startled Caroline out of her thoughts. Liz got out her chair and made her way over to the door, wondering who was knocking on her door at this hour. She opened the door and saw that it was Rebekah.

"Good evening Sheriff Forbes. Is Caroline Home?" Rebekah asked politely.

"Of course," Liz replied with a smile, remembering how Rebekah had comforted her when Caroline had suffered from Silas's hallucinations, "Caroline, it's for you!"

Caroline, confused, blurred over to the Original. She gaze her mom a pointed look and Liz nodded, closing the door so the two girls could have some privacy. Caroline turned to the Original with a weary look.

"What are doing here Rebekah?" Caroline asked her stiffly.

"I came to say goodbye, and to give you some advice." Rebekah told her.

"Advice about what?" Caroline asked.

"About Nik," Caroline's attention was immediately on the Original, "He is a monster but he does want more from life than to just be feared. He is to broken to find it himself, but I do believe there is hope for him: through you. My brother is in love with you. Get to know him, try and be his friend, at the very least."

Rebekah then turned around and walked back to her red sports car, leaving Caroline to her thoughts.

Gilbert house

6:35 P.M.

Alaric, Elena, and Jeremy walked out the door and down the porch.

"So, why are we watching Damon dump Silas again?" Jeremy asked.

"So nothing like what happened last time happens again." Alaric reminded him before freezing.

Elena and Jeremy followed their Guardian's gaze and saw what had made him freeze. Rebekah was in there driveway, leaning against her red sports car. The three of them exchanged wary glances before slowly approaching the Original.

"I thought you were leaving town." Alaric told her.

"I am this is my last stop." Rebekah told him.

"What are you doing here?" Elena asked her.

"I want to talk you Elena, about Damon." Rebekah told the Doppelganger.

Elena scowled as she crossed her arms. The last thing she wanted was to have a conversation about Damon with one of his one night stands. Call her jealous, but she would not have this conversation.

"I get what you see in him. When he loves someone, he loves and protects that person with everything he has, no matter what anyone tells him. But…he reminds me of Nik." Rebekah confessed with a sigh.

That got Elena to drop her scowl. Alaric and Jeremy exchanged a startled look before glancing back at the Original.

"I see a lot of Klaus in him. The main reason that Klaus became what he is is because he believes that no one truly loves him. Elena, I know that d love Damon, so don't him turn into Klaus." Rebekah told the Doppelganger.

Rebekah got in her car and drove off. The three of them watched as Rebekah's car faded into the distance.

Mystic Falls quarry

7:01 P.M.

Alaric, Elena, and Jeremy exited the car and began walking towards the lone Salvatore. Damon stood in front of the open safe which Silas was in. Silas was in the safe, but this time he was in chains, each of his limbs pointed out vertically by the chains, which were attacked to a wall of the safe. while Silas's body was immobile, his eyes conveyed a deep seeded hatred for his Doppelganger.

"Allow me to explain what you will experience once you are down there Silas," Damon said with a dark smile, "you will be unable to breath, completely consumed by water. You will be unable to fight your way out because of the chains around your body, not that it would do you any good if you were free. And you suffer until you will beg for death's sweet release, but as you already told us, you cannot die. I hope you rot in this hell on earth."

Damon slammed the safe door shut then pushed it off the cliff. The safe fell for a few seconds until it crashed into the water, quickly sinking until it vanished into the watery depths. Damon, obviously satisfied, turned back to his friends.

"So you guys want to go do something?" Damon asked them with a smile.

"Actually, I think Jeremy and I are gonna head in." Alaric said with discreet glance at Elena.

"We are?" Jeremy asked not catching.

"Yes Jer, we are." Alaric said as he began to drag Jeremy back towards the car.

They two Doppelgangers watched as Alaric practically threw Jeremy in the passenger side before getting in the driver's side. Alaric started the car and he started driving away. Damon and Elena watched as the car faded into the distance.

"So did you want to talk about?" How'd you know I wanted to talk about something?" Elena asked surprised.

"Because I'm not an idiot, Alaric practically drags Jeremy away, leaving us alone? Elena, give me some credit." Damon told her with a smirk that made her knees go week.

"We never got to finish our conversation last night." Elena reminded him.

"Well, you already know how I feel," Damon reminded her, "The ball is in your court. I'm going to ask you one more time, and this time, I want you to really be honest with me: how do you feel about me?"

"I love you. It has taken me over a year of denial, anger, and heartbreak to realize that, but I do I do love you Damon." She told him passionately.

The two of them stood in silence for a moment, Elena's heart beating nervously as she waited for his response. Then, Damon grabbed her by the waist and kissed her hungrily. Elena eagerly returned the, placing her arms around his neck and running her fingers though his dark hair. After all the trials, both on and off the battle field, they were finally together.