Not Alone Tonight

Chapter 7

Chapter 7: The Cure... or is it?

Stefan uses Katherine's phone to call Elijah and convince him to hand over Elena. He refuses and tells Stefan that if Katherine is harmed then he will descend upon Elena.

Elena proceeds to call him out for being under Katherine's spell. Elijah insists that he knows the things she's done, until Elena reveals that Katherine was almost the reason for Jeremy's death.

Elijah is shocked at the revelation.

Rebekah, Katherine and Damon enter her house. She opens her safe and pretends the cure is missing. They don't believe her. Rebekah goes to search upstairs while Damon figures out where the cure is stashed. He sticks his hand into the water of the fish tank, and it burns.

"Aah," Damon screams out in pain, "Vervain water. Looks like we have a winner."

He picks up a large net to scoop out the chest when Katherine speeds at him and shoves his head into the vervain water. She holds him there for several seconds before throwing him to the floor. He writhes in pain while Katherine grabs the chest and runs to the door.

Rebekah appears in front of her and growls, "Give it to me or you're dead."

"You're going to kill me anyway," Katherine says, "So what's more important to you, huh? Killing me or getting the cure?"

She holds up a small pill-shaped object and throws it into the air behind her. Rebekah runs to catch it while Katherine dashes out the front door.

"Don't even think about," Damon says, still on the ground in pain.

"Admit it. You don't want human Elena running back to Stefan whilst you're left out in the cold again. Go on, Damon. Tell me why you want Elena to have the cure." Damon remains silent.

Rebekah smiles, "That's what I thought."

She pops open the pill and tosses it back into her mouth. Stefan arrives in time to see her fall to the floor. Stefan picks her up and places her onto the couch.

"You let her take it, didn't you?" Stefan looks at his brother, "So that Elena is forced to be a vampire for the rest of her life just like you wanted." Rebekah gasps suddenly and wakes up.

She sits up on the sofa and looks refreshed. "How do you feel?" Rebekah smiles and Stefan can't help but feel jealous at her newfound happiness. "I feel good... I feel great... I feel alive."

Damon smirks, "Slight problem with being alive... I can kill you now."

Stefan goes to step in front her protectively but he's a few seconds late and Damon throws a letter opener at Rebekah but she catches it with vampire speed. She and Stefan watch as the gash on her hand heals. She gasps in horror, and he shoots her a look of pity.

"I'm still a vampire," Rebekah says, the disappointment in her voice clear, "The cure didn't work."

"It worked just like she wanted to," Stefan says, "It's a fake."

Damon remarks with slight admiration, "Katherine."

Katherine finds Elijah and tries to convince him of her feelings, but he is reluctant to believe her.

She retrieves the cure and hands it over to him, showing him that she trusts him.

Rebekah confronts her brother and tries to convince him to hand over the cure when Klaus phones her. She tells him that things have gotten complicated and hands the phone to the biggest complication – Elijah.

They both decide to return to Mystic falls and Klaus hangs up.

Damon and Stefan are walking down a sidewalk just outside the diner. "All right, you're right," Damon confesses, "I let Rebekah take the cure. I just thought if Rebekah takes this then all my problems go away. And I couldn't think of one good reason to give it to Elena. Then she took it and I realized how badly I screwed up."

"So, what's your point, Damon?"

"My point is, I'm sorry, okay? I had a moment of weakness, Stefan, it's my thing. It's like you and I falling for the same girl, it's our thing."

Stefan sighs. "Was our thing. Look, we've been making the same mistakes for 150 years. Judge Katherine all you want, but we keep repeating history just like she does. Nothing ever changes. It has to stop Damon."

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm done," Stefan replies firmly, "I can't keep reliving my life like this. I owe Elena her shot at being normal again. Once we give her the cure then I'm getting her out of my life and I'm getting a life of my own."

Damon nods and his inner voice nags. Does that mean he's getting me out of his life too? But Damon knows that he has no right to ask that question.

They enter the diner and sit with Elena. "Are you okay?" Stefan asks concerned. She looks at him but says nothing.

"What's with the silent treatment?" Damon asks, "You're the one that texted us and wanted to meet up."

Elena sighs. "You know I don't want the cure. You need to know that I never will, and I'm done talking about it. So will you accept that and let me be who I am or not?"

Stefan and Damon exchange looks.

"Yeah...no," Damon leans back.

"Elena, this isn't you," Stefan says calmly.

"It is now," Elena says stubbornly, "And you two really need to accept it. Because if you don't, there will be consequences."

"Listen," Stefan says gently, "I've been there before. My emotions were off, it wasn't me. And you refused to accept that, you didn't give up on me."

Jolene adds more coffee to Elena's mug. "Thanks," Elena smiles before snapping her neck. Jolene's body falls to the floor and the pitcher of coffee shatters.

"I warned you," Elena smirks before leaving.