Book Three: Ineffable (A. Saltzman)

Chapter Thirty-Four

Later; Alaric is on the phone with Damon near the pool table where Diana is playing pool. Klaus and Kol are still drinking at the bar.

"Yeah, no, they're still here," Alaric tells Damon. "Yeah, they've drunk their way through half the Grill's liquor supply."

"Good. It'll be easier if they're wasted."

"So, what's the plan?"

"Divide and conquer. First, we'll need a little blonde distraction." Damon answers, Alaric looks across the Grill as Caroline enters. Alaric hangs up. Caroline and him exchange looks. Kol points at Caroline.

"I remember her from last night. She looks like a tasty little thing." Kol admits to Klaus.

"Say another word and I'll tear out your liver," Klaus warns and then seems more cheerful towards Caroline. "Caroline!" She doesn't look happy to see him.

"Oh, it's you.

"Join us for a drink?" Klaus asks Caroline.

"Mmm, I'd rather die of thirst. But thanks." Caroline then leaves.

"Isn't she stunning?" Klaus asks.

"She certainly looks good walking away from you."

"I'll take that as a challenge." Klaus puts his drink on the counter and walks after Caroline. Diana and Alaric share a look. Kol is watching Diana play pool. He walks up to her.

"A woman of your caliber ought to choose more suitable company. What's your name, love?" He asks her.

"None of your damn business" Diana counters.

"Let's try that again. I'll start. I'm Kol."

"Why don't you get lost, Kol?" She asks him.

"And why would I do that? I like pretty little things with sharp tongues." Kol walks towards Diana and touches her face. She slaps away his hand. Alaric walks up from behind.

"I'm pretty sure she told you to get lost." Alaric states.

"I'm pretty sure I don't care." Kol turns around and faces Alaric. Alaric stabs him with the silver dagger.

"Next time, take a hint." Alaric and Diana share a look, she lets out a breath and nods.

..............

Outside, Alaric drags Kol into an alleyway. Stefan and Damon are waiting for him.

"Here, grab him!" Alaric scolds the two of them.

"Tell your sexy Watchdog "Good work"!" Damon teases, Alaric shoots him a dirty look. Klaus rushes over, undaggers Kol, and knocks Alaric against the wall, knocking him out. Stefan tries to attack Klaus but Klaus knocks him out too.

"I should have killed you months ago," Klaus admits.

"Do it. It's not going to stop Esther from killing you." Damon points out.

"What did you say about my mother?"

"You didn't know I was friends with your mummy? Yeah, we have a lot in common. She hates you as much as I do." Klaus is about to attack Damon when Elijah appears at the top of the stairs.

"Leave him! We still need them, Niklaus."

"What did mother do? What did she do, Elijah?" Klaus asks. Elijah walks down the stairs towards Damon, holding a phone.

"You tell me where the witches are or I'll have my sister kill Elena right now," Elijah warns. Damon looks up at the clock tower and sees that it's 8:30.

"You told me we had until after nine." Damon reminds him.

"I'm sure Rebekah will be more than happy to start her work early." Elijah offers.

...............

At Meredith's Apartment, Meredith gets an ice pack from the fridge for Alaric and pushes him back down into a chair.

"No, no, no, no." She scolds.

"Listen, Elena's still out there. I need to go find her." He tells her.

"Shut up, stay seated, you might have a concussion. Diana's gone looking for Elena"

"That doesn't make me feel better" Alaric complains.

"Look at me." Meredith shines a light into his eyes. "Pupillary response is normal." Alaric tries to sit up but shuts his eyes in pain and groans. "You might have a broken rib." She points out. Alaric groans and closes his eyes.

"This kind of sucks," Alaric tells her.

"That's what you get. Picking fights with guys thirty times your age."

"Yeah." Alaric agrees with Meredith.

...........

Diana walks with Elena through the forest, she dials her phone and then sets it to her ear.

"Hey" Alaric greets when he picks up.

"Hey, I'm on my way back" Diana looks at Elena at her side. "Rebekah let Elena go, so...." She shrugs a little. "How are you feeling?"

"Raging headache" He admits. "I miss you" She smiles softly.

"I miss you too" She admits. "Is Meredith there?" She asks.

"Yeah, here" He hands the phone over to Meredith. Diana moves away from Elena who frowns at her back.

"Diana" Meredith greets.

"You know what you need to do," Diana tells her. "Just....be careful with him"

"I will" Meredith assures her. "Are you sure about this?"

"Yeah" Diana admits. "Pretty sure...it's all I have to go on....so it has to be enough....just...do it. Remember what you have to tell the Sheriff"

"I remember" Meredith assures her and then hangs up. Diana closes her eyes and sets her phone to her head.

"Di?" Elena asks, Diana turns to her.

"Come on, let's get you home," Diana tells her and then walks away. Elena follows after her.

...........

Alaric dozes on Meredith's sofa, he lets out a breath and sits up when he can't sleep, not knowing that Diana is on her way back. He stands and walks over to the bedroom, sees Meredith asleep in her bed. He heads into the kitchen, gets some aspirin, and takes it. He notices his own hospital inpatient medical folder and briefly opens it before returning it. He picks up another folder with Bill Forbes's name on it and he rifles through it. There are crime scene photos of the knife used to kill him. He finds the knife wrapped in a cloth. He hears the cocking of a gun behind him, he turns to find Meredith aiming a gun at him. He frowns at her.

"I am sorry for this" She offers and then shoots him.