Whatever It Takes {Two | Alaric Saltzman}

The World Has Turned and Left Me Here

Elena silently paced in front of Abigail and Alaric with her arms crossed over her chest. It was the reaction they expected, yet they didn't know how to pull her from it. They weren't really sure that they could.

"He's back? How?"

"Honestly, we don't really know." Alaric ran his hands down his face. "He said something about a flash of light."

Her expression changed, turning into a hopeful one. "What about Bonnie?"

Quietly, Abigail said, "He said she wasn't over there."

"Where is 'there,' exactly?"

"Mystic Falls. 1994. A prison world created for some guy named Kai."

He sucked in a breath. "Flannel hellscape were his exact words."

"He wants to see you."

Elena sat in the chair with the closest line of sight to her. "I don't want to see him."

"That's how you feel now, Elena." She sighed. "If you thought there was even a chance you'd see Damon again..."

He took Abigail's hand. "You would have never asked me to compel away your memories of loving him."

"I don't want them."

"Damon," he shouted in frustration, "is going to kill me!"

"You," Elena's voice came out the opposite of his, "are unkillable."

"Doesn't mean he won't try!"

The apartment fell back into silence. Alaric blinked at Abigail a few times, tugged at his ear, and stood up. He looked out of the open window without showing any emotion at all, but as he faced them, it was clear, to her at least, exactly how he was feeling.

"What do you think is going to happen when I do see him?"

"Compulsion is just a way of covering the truth," Abigail said. "And the truth is that you love him. Maybe seeing him again will-"

"He's a psychotic killer!"

"You only feel that way because Alaric erased all the good parts."

Elena furrowed her eyebrows. "I don't see anything that could balance out the bad."

"Elena-"

"No." She turned back to Alaric. "Promise me you won't lift the compulsion. Promise me!"

"I won't, okay?" He sighed. "Not until you ask me to."

"Thank you."

"But, Elena, I hope you ask me."

Elena picked up her backpack. "I have to go. I have a shift at the hospital."

Abigail stepped into her path. "Since when?"

"Since now!" Finally, she let them see where her emotions had settled. "Damon's back. I'm going to try desperately to avoid him." 

In the second that Abigail looked over her shoulder at Alaric, Elena had made it to the door. "If you're avoiding people, add Jo to your list. I compelled her to forget that Ric and I were literally hit by a truck the other night, and it didn't take."

"What do you mean, 'it didn't take?'"

"Well, either she's on vervain, or there's some other reason, but she can't be compelled. See if you can find out why."

She opened the door. "Okay."

"Oh, Elena, one more thing: I had to tell Jeremy about Bonnie over the phone. Will you call him? Make sure he's okay."