A/N: I've been having stupid moments a lot lately lol XD For example, in my Engliash class the Journal prompt was: For those of you who went to New York, what did you do? For those of you who didn't, what would you do if you went to New York? My first thought? I WOULD GO TO THE EIFFEL TOWER! ...Now InnocentKitsune thinks I'm an idiot even more than she thought before lol, especially when I told her that when I was watching Jepoardy the other day.

There was the final question which was about in what state was there a pivotal battle during the revolutionary war in December 1776. Of course, I remember that George Washington crossed the Deleware river in December 1776 and fought a battle...so I look at my dad and say "What state is the Deleware river in?" Total facepalm moment lol XD I feel so stupid!

Also, who all saw episode 3x19? And those of you who did, who else thought HELL YES! FINALLY! when a certain part happened ;) (not going to say what part I'm talking about just in case someone reading this story hasnt seen the episode yet, but those of you who have know what I'm talking about!) :D

Chapter Twenty Eight

Survive by Rise Against

To spend your waking moments, simply killing time
Is to give up on your hopes and dreams, to give up on your...

Life for you, (who we are) has been less than kind
So take a number, (who we are) stand in line
We've all been sorry, (who we are) we've all been hurt
But how we survive, (who we are) is what makes us who we are

Tyler had decided to finally put the canoe away for the winter. Surprisingly, the weather had managed to stay decently warm even this far into November, but he knew he probably shouldn't push his luck.

"You're distracted." A voice said amused from behind Tyler, causing him to jump. "That's not good for someone of our kind." He turned and saw Jules standing just outside the garage, staring at him amused.

"What are you doing here?" Tyler questioned.

"Looking for the druid like I told you."

Tyler ran a hand through his hair annoyed. "No here as in Mystic Falls, I mean here as in my house."

Jules smiled wryly. "Its customary to greet the alpha, if you will, in a foreign territory and since you're the only wolf here…"

Tyler rolled his eyes. "Yes, well, I've been greeted. You can go now."

Jules arched a brow. "Don't worry. I'm not starting my search just yet. I have some business in Richmond to take care of first. I just thought I should let you know I was in the area…and that whatever you're hiding, I'll find it." Tyler looked away, gritting his teeth to keep himself silent.

"However, when I do start looking for the druid, I'll try to stay out of your way."

"Best news I've heard yet." Tyler stated, not bothering to hide his contempt for the female werewolf.

Kiara had a wonderful life here on Earth and Jaden was not going to ruin it no matter what she had to sacrifice, though she didn't have much left that she could sacrifice. What she did have, though, was her life, her freedom and dignity.

She also had her heritage.

A few months before in the Dark Dimension…

Kiara was crying. She should be happy, she knew she should be happy, but she wasn't. She was horrified.

She wanted nothing to do with Jaden. She would rather be a slave for the rest of her short life than become a vampire's wife for a long life. At least as a slave, she could use her powers as she wished, within reason. Jaden was too controlling for that.

The wedding was in twenty minutes and Kiara had yet to change into the dress. She just kept staring at it with the futile hope that one moment she'd look and it'd be gone. There was a knock at the door, but before she could tell them to go away, the door opened.

Her father, Masashi, stepped in. Kiara began to stand, until Masashi waved her back down. "You're close enough to freedom to stop being treated like a slave."

Kiara sat down hesitantly. "Sir, what can I do for you?"

"You didn't choose to be born as a slave. That was your mother's fault as well as mine and I know we both regret it." He said. Kiara looked down in shame. "What I'm trying to say is that despite all that, you are a biological member of my family and if life had been different, you would have been treated as such."

"But life is not different, sir. I know what my place is, I always have." Kiara replied, her eyes not moving from the ground.

"True." Masashi nodded. "Nonetheless, the kitsune have several traditions including several ones concerning marriage. One of which is the practice of giving a gift to the family member getting married. Often times that gift is a weapon," Masashi pulled out a little green pouch attached to a leather string, "including this one."

Kiara's head shot up and she looked at her father with incredulous eyes. "A weapon, sir?"

Masashi gave her a grim smile. "Yes, I am aware of the trouble I could get into for giving a slave a weapon. Even after you get married, it would likely be frowned on."

The girl hesitantly took the little pouch. "Why?"

"Jaden is not a good husband. He will be selfish and demanding. He will not accept failure. I know you are strong, but there may come a point when you can no longer take his anger and will need a way to fight back. That option is my wedding gift to you, but it does come with a price."

"Sir?" Kiara asked uncertainly.

"That weapon was made by and for a powerful full-blooded demon. If you open that pouch, you'll lose your druid half and you will be a full-blooded kitsune. You'll get all the bonuses and all the disadvantages of being a demon. You'll lose a lot of your abilities, but you'll gain several." Masashi looked her straight in the eyes, his face deadly serious. In that moment, Kiara could easily see the face that others who had met him on the battlefield must have seen.

"When your freedom becomes more important than your humanity," He said slowly so that there was no way she could misunderstand the ultimate consequence opening the pouch would cause, "that is when you should use my gift."

"Humanity should never be given up for selfish reasons, sir, not even for my own freedom. Thank you, but no thank you." Kiara said slowly and tried to hand the little pouch back.

"Keep it. You may change your mind." Masashi said as he stood. "You should get dressed. The ceremony is soon to begin."

Kiara nodded and watched him leave. Ten minutes later. She was dressed and was about to walk out the door when he eyes suddenly landed on the little green pouch that was laying on her dresser. After a moment's consideration, she hung it around her neck.

Present Day, Mystic Falls

Kiara fingered the little pouch but she couldn't bring herself to open it quite yet. Outside, Jordyn was cursing loudly in French about Elijah's parentage.

Kiara looked out the window at the two of them fighting, with Jordyn on the losing end.

Kiara soon found herself at the back porch door. "Excuse me?"

Jordyn ducked a swing before then holding up a hand for Elijah to pause. "What's up, Kiara?" She asked, looking at the half kitsune. Jordyn frowned. Something about Kiara seemed…off. Whatever it was, though, she didn't know.

Kiara looked confused and replied slowly as if not sure what Jordyn had meant. "The sky?"

Jordyn shook her head. "What do you need?"

"Oh…can I practice with you guys?" Kiara questioned, looking from Jordyn to Elijah hopefully.

Jordyn looked hesitant. Maybe she was worried about Kiara's safety, or maybe she just didn't want to share Elijah's teachings with anyone, but whatever the reason she didn't get the chance to voice her opinion.

Elijah tossed Kiara a staff. "Sounds like a good idea."

Jordyn stared at Elijah with slightly wide eyes. "Where did the staff come from?" She could've sword there hadn't been a fighting staff with Elijah when he had arrived. Just his usual attire of a business suit and his sword.

Elijah didn't give Jordyn any sort of reply except for a smirk. Turning to face Kiara, he asked, "How much practice have you had fighting?"

"None." Kiara stated before saying bluntly, "I would have been executed for carrying even a slightly sharp stick, do you really think I would know how to fight?" She stared at him annoyed.

"No really." Elijah replied before saying, "The sword and the staff are both similar in fighting patterns and yet completely different. With swords, it's all about agility and strength." As if to demonstrate his point, he ran at Jordyn-who hadn't been paying attention- and slashed his sword at her.

Jordyn barely managed to bring her blade up in time to block the blow and parry the hit. A smirk appeared on the brunette's face as she spun to the left and swung from the down-left upwards. Elijah jumped back, ignoring the slight sting from the sting on his stomach which was already healing itself.

Elijah gave Jordyn an approving smile before looking over at Kiara and saying, "Jordyn makes up for her lack of strength with her agility, her speed." At Jordyn's sideways look, he amended, saying, "I'm not saying that Jordyn isn't strong, but you both will come up against enemies with more upper body strength. Agility is your greatest weapon, never forget it."

"Yes teacher." Jordyn remarked sarcastically, plunging her sword into the ground and stretching, wincing slightly at the sting in her arm where Elijah had attacked her previously.

"I see." Kiara said slowly before looking down at the staff in her hand. "What about the staff?"

Elijah turned and appeared right in front of her, face serious. "The staff is all about precision and agility. What you have in your hands is called a double headed bo-staff."

"A bo-staff?" Kiara whispered, holding it up close for her own examination of it.

"Like Remy Lebeau." Jordyn nodded appreciatively, letting out a low whistle. "Good weapon choice."

"Who's Remy Lebeau? Can he help us?" Kiara looked at her friend with wide eyes.

Jordyn sighed, having forgotten that Kiara wouldn't get the pop culture reference. "He's a fictional character."

"Oh." Kiara said before looking at Elijah. "So what do I do first?"

While Elijah worked on teaching Kiara the basics of fighting, Jordyn stood off a little ways by herself. She spun the sword through the fingers on her right hand, a look of calm on her face. Her concentration shone in her green eyes.

Fighting to protect as opposed to fighting to kill was a lot harder than she thought it would be. She was a master in the art of killing with a sword. Protecting though…there had only been three people she had wanted to protect before coming to Mystic Falls.

Ri because she didn't want her dragged into this supernatural mess. Lucas because he was the love of her life. Klaus…because he treated her like family, as if she was actually his sister by blood.

Lucas and Klaus were no longer on her protect list. Lucas was dead by her hand and Klaus had betrayed her.

And Ri…was better off without an unstable, monstrous sister.

Who did she have now to protect, though? She threw the sword blade first at the tree trunk in front of her. It embedded itself with a THUNK into the center of the tree.

Her eyes drifted to Kiara who was agilely, although clumsily, evading Elijah's attacks. Jordyn couldn't help but notice that Kiara refused to use her weapon for anything except defense.

It seemed as if she was she was avoiding counterattacking Elijah, as if fearful that she might hurt him. That was so…Kiara. Not wanting to risk hurting Elijah despite the fact that he healed quickly, being an Original and all.

Kiara was number one on her list of people she needed to protect.

What about Damon? Her mind questioned. You love him after all.

Jordyn frowned. "I don't love him," She whispered, even though she knew it was a lie. "I don't."

What would you do if he died? The voice in her mind questioned her darkly.

A flash of pain sliced through her. What would she do if she lost Damon, the vampire she had only recently realized she loved? "Survive." Despite what she said, she knew her mind was right. If Damon died…

Gritting her teeth, she grabbed her sword and in one foul swoop caused the tree to come crashing down. "I'll be in town." She stated, storming past a wide eyed Kiara and an unusually saddened Elijah who watched as the witch disappeared from sight.

"She's becoming unstable." Elijah spoke, his eyes following Jordyn's retreating form.

"What do you mean unstable?" Kiara inquired worriedly. "And how did she do that with just a sword and no magic?"

Elijah remained quiet for several minutes before saying slowly, "The sword was imbued with some of my mother's magic. It was her final apology for what she caused."

"Apology to whom? And can you please explain what's wrong with Jordyn?" Kiara pleaded. "She was fine last week on Thanksgiving, but all of a sudden she'll get into her moods like just now."

Elijah sat down against the bark of a tree and stated. "She's holding everything in. Her temper has always been as bad as her brother's…"

Kiara looked at Elijah surprised. "She has a brother?"

Elijah continued as if Kiara hadn't responded. "Something must have happened recently. Can you think of anything?"

Kiara frowned in thought before saying slowly, "No, but she mentioned having nightmares…" At Elijah's look, she explained, "She died in all of them. In one, by being burned alive. In another, she killed herself…and in another one, Klaus ripped out her heart."

Elijah looked at Kiara sharply, his eyes intent on her face as her words repeated again and again inside his head. "Are you sure? If you're lying…"

"Why would I lie?" Kiara looked offended at that.

Elijah looked at Kiara tiredly. "Why does anyone do anything?" He sighed, suddenly looking his age. After a moment, he asked quietly, not even bothering to look at Kiara, "Has there ever been someone you've wanted to protect no matter what the consequences would be?"

"My mother." Kiara smiled softly as memories of her mother's gentle singing voice filled her head. "What about you? Do you have someone?"

Elijah slowly nodded. "For me, it has always been my family. My brothers Finn and Kol, my sister Cassandra…and at one time, my brother Niklaus."

"Cassandra?" Kiara remarked confused. "Bust wasn't that the older Jordyn's name?"

Elijah stiffened and his eyes darted to meet hers sharply. In a firm voice, he asked, "Older Jordyn?"

Kiara slowly nodded. "When I…did the Soul-Mend to save Jordyn, a beautiful woman stopped me within Jordyn's mind, at first thinking I was a threat. She said her name was Cassandra." Her eyes suddenly widened as if a thought had appeared in her mind, causing her to look at Elijah with eyes as wide as saucers.

Elijah closed his eyes, wishing more than anything that the timing had been better for this. Opening his eyes, Elijah eyed Kiara for what seemed like hours but what was, in actuality, mere minutes. "You want to protect Jordyn, right?"

Kiara nodded. "Of course."

Elijah's eyes were deadly serious. "Then under no circumstances are you to tell her anything of what I am about to tell you."

"I-yes." Kiara replied hesitantly, before being completely blown away by Elijah's next words.

Jordyn clutched her head in pain, falling to her knees in the middle of the Grill. Her ears were buzzing and she couldn't make out what anyone was saying.

A cry escaped her lips as she felt the sharp pain of a dagger plunging into her upper chest. It hurt badly despite the fact that no physical mark appeared upon her body. She tried to breathe, but it felt as if her lungs were filled with smoke.

She saw through half closed eyes the man she had sworn to kill appearing next to her, panic in his blue eyes. She saw his lips moving but she couldn't make out what he was saying. Her eyes kept fluttering as if they wanted to shut. It was taking all of her strength not to give in to the pain/

Her heart felt as if someone was squeezing it and she couldn't stop coughing as no air reached her lungs.

What she didn't see was the blood coming out of her mouth when she coughed, or the horrified, stunned look on Klaus's face as he caught her, her body going completely limp.

Jordyn was reacting badly to the slow change. Klaus hadn't counted on that in his calculations.

Damon rolled his eyes at the furious knocking on the door. Figuring that it was Jordyn, he went to the door slowly-taking his time in order to piss her off. He froze, though, when he opened the door and saw Jordyn unconscious in front of the door, a blanket wrapped around her.

How had she gotten here? And more importantly, what the hell happened? Damon wondered as he picked up the unconscious girl and carried her inside.

The reality of the situation was that if Jaden had appeared right then and there in Kiara's bedroom, he could have killed her with ease. That's how distracted Kiara was.

What Elijah had told her…it was more than shocking. It was damn near impossible-near impossible, but still possible.

Kiara shot to her feet unable to stay still. This thing with Jordyn, it changed everything. All that death and bloodshed…Jordyn didn't deserve that. She'd had a rough beginning and she'd made some mistakes in the past, but now Jordyn was good. She protected those around her even when she could be hurt in the process. Kiara's hands curled into fists.

History would not repeat itself.

Uh-oh, what's wrong with Jordyn? And what did Elijah say to Kiara about Jordyn ;) I think most of you already know or have suspected it for a while :D