Maria Lorde-Gilbert. The other adopted kid

26

"T. I need your help!" Maria called in her house. "Urgent help."
"What do you need?"
"All the grimoires your parents left to you and your brother. Where is Michael? I haven't seen him in a while."
"Yeah he's a little busy."
"He met someone?" T widened her eyes.
"No! No, no, no. No. That couldn't be further from truth. He's doing a little something, but he was supposed to be back yesterday. He's a little late. Don't worry, I'm sure he's fine."
"What's he up to?"
"Can't tell you, babes. I pinky swore."
"I hate you."
"You love me. Anyways, you said you needed my grimoires. What are you looking for?"
"A seriously reinforced protection spell."
"For what?"
"For Hanna."

"Got it!" T yelled two hours later.
"Great, what do we need."
"A drop of her blood. But I think I can use yours."
"Great. Let's go." The girls set up an alter at which they sat on opposite ends. T started to chant first, and Maria joined in afterwards. It took a hour but they managed to spell a necklace. It would alert both T and Maria whenever Hanna was in danger, and only Maria could take it off. If anyone tried to cut her with the intention of harming her, they'd get cut twice as bad and Hanna would be immediately healed, no matter how severe the injury. If anyone tried to kill her with magic, it would bounce off her and the person with the magic would be the one to get hurt. There was a bunch more technical things going on but it would work. It had to.

"Maria, I think something's seriously wrong with Michael." T confided the next morning. She was fine with him being away the previous day but something was nagging at her. The two planned to test out the necklace before picking Hanna up the next day.
"What is it?"
"Well you know how he went off to do something, and I told you he was a little late when you asked me yesterday? Well he was supposed to arrive the day before yesterday."
"We'll use magic to find him."
"We can't. He didn't want you looking for him and ruining his surprise. He was planning a surprise date."
"He was what?"
"Yeah. It was supposed to be all set for yesterday so you guys would've gone out at 7. He's not back yet."
"Do you think-"
"Maybe. I have no idea, and I'm really worried."
"I have an idea. He's cloaking himself, right?"
"Yeah."
"We're two witches, but it would a while to break through his wards. His speciality is cloaking, but what if we were to use another Bennett witch?"
"That could work. Because of the blood connection we both share and because you're a pretty strong witch, it could work. We just really need Bonnie."
"Exactly. I'll get her."
"Alright. I'll set it up." The two girls went their separate ways, heading on opposite directions then, as though remembering something, turned around and switched directions.
"He's in so much trouble if we're the backup." Maria said, closing her eyes in embarrassment.
"Definitely."

"Alright, we're here. Have you got everything set up?" Maria called as she walked in to T's placeset.
"Yep. Let's start." T told her as the Bennett witches walked into the living room. Incense burned, making the air thick in the room.
"Phesmatos tribum. Nas ex viras. Sequitas-" The chanted together then the fire in front of the trio exploded and they jumped back.
"That's never happened to me before." Bonnie spoke up.
"It's happened to me. Come on, I know exactly where he is."
"Where?" T asked confused.
"The place of most magic."
"You can't mean-"
"Oh yes I do. Oh I am so going to gut him up."
"Him who?" Bonnie was totally confused.
"The place of most magic, Bonnie. Where the first vampires ever were created. It took a lot of magic for that to happen. Coupled with Michael's cloaking spell made the magic so strong that any attempt to reach out to it would backfire. It's also where the caves are."
"Oh. Then let's go." She said and walked out, T had already gone to start the car, and Maria jogged out after her.

"Michael!" T and Maria ran to him. He was beat up, with a cut over his left eye, bruises decorating his skin. Bonnie kept an eye out for his captor.
"Hey girls." He croaked. "Are you my knights in shining armour?"
"Maria is. So you can be the princess, and the two of you can ride off into the sunset."
"And what does that make you?"
"Your older, very skilled, also a knight, brother who had to come on the rescue mission." She joked. The siblings hugged tightly and tears dripped down T's face as she took in the sight of her brother.
"This was the work of Niklaus wasn't it."
"No, actually. Damon Salvatore."
"That boy is begging for it."
"Bonnie, you should probably get to Elena. She's going to need someone to console her when her boy toy dies."
"You're going to kill Damon?"
"Yes. And no one can stop me."
"I can't let you. For now Damon is helping us keep Elena safe."
"I'll keep my sister safe, but only if I kill Damon."
"And I'm so going to help. Actually no, she's going to help me. That dick laid a hand on my brother. He is going to regret it."
"I can't let you."
"Bonnie, I appreciate your help but there's nothing you can do to stop us." Maria and T hoisted Michael and supported him.
"Girls."
"No, Michael. You don't get a say."
"I just wanted to help." Michael said. Maria scoffed.
"T tell him to shut up. He's an invalid."
"Michael. Shut up. You're an invalid."

Back in Maria's house, Michael was on the couch with a blanket over his body. T was doing some healing spells as Maria fed him some soup.
"I could get used to this." He smiled.
"Don't." Was Maria's reply. Then laughed to herself, "How long before they realise that we're not actually going to kill him?"
"I don't know. Bonnie will probably tell Damon and then they'll have some traps ready or something. I don't know, they might send Elena back to plead with you."
"True, after a long debate about whether or not it's safe for Elena to be with me. She'll say 'but she's my sister she won't hurt me' and they'll be like 'a sister who hates you and isn't your real sister' and she'll be like 'I need you to respect my choice. It's my life' and they'll send her with Bonnie, Caroline and Stefan and say they need to talk to me but they won't unless we invite the two vamps in."
"Hmm, we're not inviting any vamps in are we?"
"Definitely not. Hey, let's invite Lydia over. We can tell them to shove off. Besides, I haven't talked to her since that time I had a breakdown."