(1) The Phoenix (D. Salvatore)

Chapter Fifty-Five

At the Founders' Hall, Damon and Klaus have joined one another in an empty room. Damon texts Daphne, letting her know that Stefan has kidnapped Elena. This month just keeps getting better and better. His brother is literally going to get them all killed. As if Klaus wasn't enough to deal with.

"What now?" Klaus asks. "You just pulled me away from a fascinating conversation about landscaping the Town Square"

"Stefan just grabbed Elena" Damon answers as he turns his attention to Klaus.

"Well, he's getting desperate" Klaus comments.

"He's gonna try and use her against you" Damon informs him. "Do what he says, get rid of your hybrids"

"Or what? Stefan would never dream of killing her" Klaus counters.

"You sure about that? He just tried to behead someone in the middle of a Council party. He's operating on crazy right now"

"Well, crazy or not, that kind of love never dies. He's bluffing" Klaus argues, Damon shakes his head.

"Maybe he is, maybe he isn't but if you don't want to believe him, believe me," Damon points out. "I know my brother better than anyone, and right now, I don't have a clue how far he is willing to take this. So if he says blink, I suggest you blink" Damon's phone then rings in his hand and he pulls a face. "That's Daphne" He lets out a breath. Texting her what had happened was infinitely easy than talking about it is going to be. He doesn't pick up the phone, he lets it ring out. Klaus gives Damon a look and Damon shakes his head. He then checks the text that comes in. Daphne asking where he is. So he responds to it. He's talking to Klaus at the Founders Hall. He's hoping that's a good excuse as to why he didn't pick up. It's just that he can't bring himself to voice bad news to her. There is then a knock at the door. Damon and Klaus share a look before Klaus opens the door. Daphne wiggles her fingers in a wave.

"I'm going to kill your brother," She tells Damon.

"Yeah, don't worry, Red, I'll hold him down" He assures her. Right now, that might be their best shot at dealing with him. Klaus raises an eyebrow at her as she steps into the room. The door closes behind her with a wave of her hand.

"So...is he helping or hindering?" She asks, looking at Klaus.

"Not sure yet" Damon answers.

"Stefan nullified our deal" Klaus points out. "He beheaded one of my hybrids, he has kidnapped my source....."

"Stefan had nothing to do with our deal" She counters. "I gave you Rebekah, I undid the imperius curse, I held up my end...perfectly" She steps closer to him and Damon reaches out to stop her but she waves him off. "You know, if you weren't currently trying to kill my friends and family I might actually consider you friend material"

"I'm honoured?" Klaus asks her with a frown. He's not sure if that's a compliment or not. A good thing or not.

"You should be" She counters. "I'm amazing" Damon snorts a little and smirks. Klaus' phone then rings. The three of them sobering slightly. Klaus pulls out his phone from his pocket and notes the called ID. He answers it, puts it on speaker and holds it out between them.

"Stefan, how nice to hear your voice" Klaus greets, trying to sound nonplussed about the whole thing but there is a nervous waver to his voice. Damon's words did get to him regarding how unpredictable Stefan is being right now.

"Tell your hybrids to get out of town, Klaus" Stefan demands down the line.

"Well, that's not gonna happen until I get my coffins back" Klaus counters. Daphne shifts a little next to Damon.

"Okay, well then I'm gonna drive your blood source off Wickery Bridge" Stefan warns him.

"I don't believe you, Stefan. You won't kill her." Klaus points out. There is a moment of quiet before Elena speaks up.

"No! No! No! What are you doing?" She splutters, as if trying to spit something out.

"What's going on?" Klaus asks. Daphne closes her eyes and lets out a worried breath.

"I just fed her my blood. No more hybrids if she's a vampire" Stefan points out.

"You won't do it" Klaus continues to argue.

"Really?" Stefan asks. "Try me, because your coffins are next to go. Say goodbye to your family, Klaus"

"Stefan, slow down! Stefan! Stefan, stop it!" Elena screams. Daphne lets out a small noise and Damon touches her back.

"Fine, I'll send them away. You win" Klaus rushes out, Damon turns to Daphne.

"Now," Damon tells Daphne who apparates onto the road in front of the car. Elena's eyes widen from inside the car.

"Stefan! Stop!" Elena shouts seeing her sister standing right there. Daphne holds out her hand and the car skids to a stop. Stefan presses down on the accelerator but the wheels just spin. Daphne smirks a little and gives him a look. Elena takes this moment to get out of the car quickly, she stumbles out, almost falling before she catches her feet and races for her sister. Daphne waves her hand and the engine on the car cuts out. Stefan growls and follows Elena out of the car.

"Get back in the car"

"Stay away from me" Elena yells at Stefan as she rushes to Daphne. She turns back to Stefan. "How could you?! My parents died going over this bridge. I almost died. You knew that. You're the one who saved me" Elena starts crying and Daphne reaches out for her.

"Look, he had to believe that I would do it, all right?" Stefan argues, trying to defend himself. "Your fear sold it"

"What if he hadn't?" Elena asks him.

"He did"

"Well, what if he hadn't?!!" Elena snaps, repeating her question.

"He did, Elena! He backed down! He has a weakness. If I know his weakness, I can destroy him" Stefan points out. Daphne pulls a face. Because even to her that sounds stupid.

"After everything, that's what mattered?" Elena asks him, her voice breaking, her heart simply breaking. "Destroying Klaus?"

"Destroying Klaus is all I've left."

"You had me!"

"I lost you the minute I left town with him. You just haven't let yourself admit that yet"

"Is that what you're doing? Trying to make me hate you?" Elena asks sadly.

"I don't really care what you think about me anymore, Elena" Stefan gets back in his car and drives off. Elena watches him leave as Daphne lets out a breath and moves closer to her. Touches her shoulder. Elena turns and falls into Daphne, breaking down in tears. There is a shift of the air around them as Daphne apparates them away from the road and back home. Elena just clutches to her as she cries. As she lets it all out. Months of pent up emotions from Stefan and his behaviour. Of Klaus. Of everything.