(1) Emotional Shifting (D.Salvatore)

Chapter 35

In the quarry, Klaus and Stefan are having a conversation on the clifftop. Elena and Jenna continue to look up at them. Clueless eyes of desperation and hope, waiting to figure out what is to happen. August has sprawled himself on the ground. Not bothering to open his eyes. Not wanting to look at the cruel world that has wronged him.

"What's going on?" Jenna asks Elena.

"I-I don't know." Elena answers then turns to Jenna. "You can hear them." Jenna looks at her. "You can hear anything. Jus-just focus on them." Jenna attempts to do so. "What are they saying?" Elena questions her. A bit of hope and desperation in her tone.

"I can't-I can't make it out." Jenna replies with a frown, straining to focus on the two superior vampires.

"You can do this. Just relax. Focus." Elena advices. Jenna closes her eyes and tries harder to concentrate on them.

"I can hear him. I hear Stefan."

"What are they saying?" Elena questions, with a tone that demands an answer.

"Oh my god." Jenna states, alarmed.

"He wants to take my place." Jenna answers. August isn's sure why he's listening to them. Probably, because they are his only current source of entertainment. Or atleast the only things he cannot block out. Klaus and Stefan vamp-speed down from the clifftop and approaches August, Jenna and Elena.

"Quite the predicament. You know, it's funny, all this talk about preserving family, and here's Stefan, granting your wish." August reminisces. Back to the time he was crushing on Stefan. However, his love for Elena seemed almost like it was destined. He knew. He knew he could not get between them. So, he did the smart thing. He moved on. Though now, it doesn't feel like the right thing. Cause now he's about to be sacrificed because he decided to trust Elijah Mikealson. Stefan's scream of pain brings August away from his train of thoughts. Stefan crumbles to the ground with a stake in his back.

"No! Stefan! No!" Elena pleads. Klaus rips the stake out of Stefan's back, leaving a sizable chunk of wood in his back."

"I have other plans for your boyfriend. I want him alive. But for now..." Klaus snaps Stefan's neck causing Stefan to fall, unnaturally to the ground. Elena gasps in shock. "Whenever you're ready, Greta." Greta starts chanting the next part of the spell which dispels the ring of fire surrounding Jenna. Jenna looks on, terrified. Elena, teary-eyed, watches with bated breath.

"No"

"Your turn" Klaus states.

"No, Jenna, no!"

"It's all right, Elena. I know what I have to do." After a moment of shared silence between Jenna and Elena, Jenna vamp-speeds to Greta and ferociously bites her neck. Greta cries out. Klaus vamp-speeds over to Jenna and stakes her in the back, pulling her off Greta, who has fallen to the ground. Jenna gasps and Klaus releases her. Jenna falls to the ground and Elena starts to cry. Her sobs making August open his eyes. He looks over to her and smiles sadly.

"Death is just the next stage of life." Elena sobs as Jenna looks to her desperately.

"Just turn it off, Jenna. Turn it off. You won't be scared anymore." Elena states shaking her head, as her voice breaks. Klaus flips Jenna over onto her back and hunches over her. August can sense little to no fear from her, when Klaus stakes Jenna in the heart.

"No! Jenna! No! Jenna!" Elena sobs out in a series of ugly cries. Jenna's body starts to become grayed and decayed. Klaus releases the stake from his grip and stands up. On the stone, Jenna lays lifeless. The stake through her heart. Greta begins chanting the next part of the spell. Klaus is beside her. Stefan wakes up, feeling the piece of wood in his back. He tries to reach for it, but its no use. Stefan looks up at Elena and sees her tear-streaked cheeks. He looks over to Greta and sees Jenna's dead body with the stake in her chest.

"No" He whispers. Greta pours Jenna's blood into the ceremonial bowl "I'm so sorry." Elena puts her finger to her lips and shushes Stefan.

"Are they gonna kill him?" Elena quietly interrogates Stefan.

"Yes." Stefan whispers to her. Klaus approaces August. The circle of fire disappears from around him and he lazily opens his red eyes. He knows he will always come back. So he isn't worried for his life. He's not terrified nor angry. Just sad. Elena also spares him a look of sympathy and pity. But, he doesn't want it. Doesn't need it. Klaus plunges his arm into August's chest. Where his heart should be. But, it's not there.

"What?" The scene leaves everyone stunned. To a silent moment.

"That heart died a while ago. But here." He grips Klaus's arm and slides it over to his left chest. "Do what you want. I don't care." Klaus, though stunned, pulls his arm straight out. With a heart in his grasp, resting in the palm of his hand. August smiles and closes his eyes. Accepting the pain. He hopes he doesn't come back. To this god awful world.