Maria Lorde-Gilbert. The other adopted kid

5

Maria had stormed out of the building needing air. Rebekah had tried to stop her but had crippled almost immediately, just as her brother had earlier. Neither sibling knew what magic it was. Maria got her phone out and immediately started calling Jeremy. He answered on the 5th try. It took Maria a second to realise it wasn't Jeremy.
"Jeremy can't come to the phone at the moment. May I take a message?" Katherine answered putting the phone on speaker.
"Elena? Jeremy's here?"
"It's not Elena." Jeremy called.
"Okay. Well Jer, I need help. It's super urgent."
"Kinda held up here Mia. Can't answer with these two around. Listen, just trust yourself. I do, and I know you probably need answers, but I can't right now. People are sort of listening to this convo."
"Thanks. Um, we can talk later." Maria replied before hanging up. She couldn't leave her sister and friends in the Gym so she walked back into the school. "What did I miss so far? What happened to Tyler? Isn't that Stefan? He looks hotter in real life. Ehh, I don't know, I've seen a lot hotter."
"I'll bet." Klaus muttered.
"Why are you still here? Go home. Keep yourself safe." Elena said.
"Elena. If you think I'm going to go home while you lot are held hostage and have all the fun, then you're sorely mistaken."
"Remember now," Klaus tried to compel her again, unaware she already remembered. She faked a shocked look.
"Nick. Why are you here?" Maria started. "Wait why does Elena know about this?"
"Maria." Elena said. "I didn't want you dragged into the middle of all this."
"Too late, Elena. I already know about this whole supernatural crap. I just didn't know I knew because a certain idiot compelled me."
"Anything else?"
"I know about werewolves and witches and hybrids. I heard some guy named Klaus killed Jenna." Maria said and walked up to Klaus. "Speaking of, you do not get to kill Elena's aunt and get away with it. Since you think that touching me is what hurts you, I want to try that theory." She slapped him around the face. "You do not get to threaten my- my frenemy. You do not get to swag in here and compel me. You do not get to threaten people I know. Yes, I remember you now. And I still remember what you put me through." She slapped him again. "That was for lying to me about your name. It was supposed to be Nickolas. I never lied to you about my name, at least. I was truthful. Anything I didn't tell you had to do with my past, which I wasn't ready for. You owed it to me to be honest. You were the second guy to break my heart, which is actually worse because you were the one who put it back together in the first place." She turned to Elena. "Now what happened to Tyler, and are those two dead? Is that Stefan?"
"Klaus killed Tyler because he wants to turn him into a hybrid. Klaus compelled Stefan to kill those two. Dana is dead, Chad, well I don't know about Chad. I think Stefan's going on a break before he bites into him. And yes that's Stefan- Klaus also compelled him to be loyal to him and do whatever he says."
"Nik- I mean Klaus can compel vampires?"
"The Original vampires can. Just not each other."
"Okay. Anything else?
"Klaus's attempts at hybrids are failing so he's trying to give Bonnie an incentive to figure out what's wrong."
"Great. Why are the hot ones always so damaged or psychotic?"
"You think I'm hot?"
"Yes."
"You're attracted to me?"
"No. I think you're hot, yes. I'm not blind, but no. I'm not attracted to you. Not anymore. Killing people I know is sort of a major turn off. I'm attracted to guys who are smart, and kind. Annoying and funny. Loving and actually have a heart. The guy I thought you were. Do you still read those books?" Maria asked him.
"Well, yes actually."
"Good. Take some pointers from those characters. The good ones, that is. You could really use it." Klaus nodded at Stefan who began to feed from Chad.

"It's always nice to see a vampire in his true element. The species has become such a broody lot."
"Maybe they spent some time with you."
"No. You did this to him" Elena said, anguish in her voice.
"I invited him to the party, love. He's the one dancing on the table." Klaus replied smirking. Rebekah rushed in, fury painted on her face.
"Where is it?! Where's my necklace?"
"What are you talking about?" Klaus asked in an attempt to calm down his sister."She has my necklace. Look." Rebekah showed Klaus a picture.
"Well, well. More lies." Klaus mocked.
"Isn't that your territory?" Maria spat at him, glad she could openly insult him without pretending to not know him. It was all very confusing
"Where... is it?" She asked slightly menacingly.
"If you get this worked up over a necklace, I guess it would be futile to ask if I can borrow your earrings. They are a gorgeous pair."
"Tell me you're seriously not thinking about jewellery right now." Elena growled.
"They're a nice pair."
"How are you four years older than me?"
"You've always been like a 30 year old stuck in the body of a 17 year old."
"I'm 19-"
"I said, where is it?" Rebekah said.
"I don't have it anymore"
"You're lying!" She flies at Elena biting her. Before Maria could blink Klaus ripped his sister away.
"Knock it off!"
"Make her tell me where it is, Nik!" She whined.
"Where's the necklace, sweetheart? Be honest."
"I'm telling the truth. Katherine stole it."
"Katerina. Of course. Well, that's unfortunate. If we had the necklace it would make things a whole lot easier for your witch, but since we're doing this the hard way, let's put a clock on it, shall we?"
"Wait. Time out. Who's Katherine or Katerina whatever you call her."
"My doppelganger. She looks exactly like me, sounds like me." Maria remembered her earlier phone call, talking to someone who sounded exactly like Elena. Her eyes widened.
"Crap."
"What is it?"
"Nothing you need to worry your pretty little head about."
"You know where she is."
"I don't even know what she looks like."
"I just told you she looks exactly like me."
"Oh yeah. Oops. I forgot about that. Well I didn't even know she existed."
"She's a vampire, my ancestor." Maria heard beeping and turned to see Klaus setting a timer.
"Twenty minutes. If Bonnie hasn't found a solution by then, I want you to feed again. Only this time, I want you to feed on Elena. You know you want to."
"And you wonder why I won't be attracted to you."
"You don't even like her!" He protested.
"I know I dislike her, but I do love her. It's a long story."
"No, Klaus! Don't do this to him!" Elena called.
"No one leaves. If she tries to run, fracture her spine."

Elena and Stefan were having an exchange whilst Maria just sat. She refused to leave Elena. "My touch probably works on normal vampires too right? My witch friend probably put some kind of protection spell on me. I can always touch you Stefan. Give Elena a headstart."
"No he'll be hurt. Stefan, you can control this. When that buzzer goes off, just...just drink from me." Maria rolled her eyes.
"You don't get it. I can't stop, Elena! I'm a ripper! A ripper doesn't stop! I listen to the words that come out of your mouth, and all I hear is the sound of your heart pumping blood through your body. And when that clock ticks down...I'm going to have to feed on you. And you want to know what's worse? I'm not going to be able to stop."
"I don't believe that. You can fight it. You just have to want it bad enough."
"Why, because I love you?" Maria hoped her sister was not that naive.
"Yeah! That's right, Stefan. Because you love me. You'll fight because after everything that we've been through, you owe me that!"
"You know what, you're right. You're right. I owe you everything. Because through all of this, you are the one thing that has kept me from giving up; from turning it all off. But I can't help what I am, Elena. The more blood that I get, the more I want, and if I get so much as near yours...You are dead."
"Elena, he's a vampire. Whatever happens to him will hurt for a bit, but he'll heal." Maria assured.
"Elena, you're going to have run." Stefan spat as the time ran out.
"But Klaus said that if I run..." Maria rolled her eyes.
"I know what he said, but if you stay, it won't matter. Elena, please, please, please. Elena, there's no other way."
"There is another way, Stefan. It's for you to fight." Elena whined pathetically. "Stefan...I love you. Fight, Stefan. Don't give up."
"I can't hold it." Stefan ran at her but at the last moment dodged her and ran at the wall. Maria jogged over to him, pressing down on his shoulder. Eventually she had to let go because she wasn't sure what the long-term effects would be. He ran after Elena and Maria ran aimlessly. She came to a halt in front of Elena, Klaus and Stefan in the cafeteria.

"Well, shit." Stefan had a broom, or half of one anyway, stuck in his stomach. It looked self-inflicted.
"Come on. Your humanity is killing you. All the guilt must be exhausting. Turn it off." Klaus tried to convince.
"No!" Stefan yelled.
"Stefan." Elena said, and it took all that was in Maria to not snap at her sister.
"You're strong." Klaus said pulling the broom out of Stefan. "But you're not that strong. Turn. It. Off."
"What did you do?" Elena gasped. Maria looked up and saw the light in Stefan's eyes gone. His humanity. Gone.