Caroline pushed open the door to the Salvatore house with a frustrated sigh, her heels clicking loudly against the wooden floor. She found Damon lounging on the couch, a thick, dusty book in his hands. He glanced up briefly as she walked in, then went back to reading.
"Tyler's acting weird again," Caroline started, crossing her arms. "Like, really weird. It's like he's… someone else. He's not even worried about tonight! You know, full moon, wolfing out, the usual fun stuff."
Damon barely looked up. "And you want me to do what about it? Play werewolf therapist? No thanks."
Caroline scowled, taking a few steps closer. "I'm serious, Damon! He's just—he's different. Like he doesn't even care about shifting anymore. That's not normal!"
Damon sighed heavily and snapped the book shut. "Listen, Blondie, I've got bigger problems right now. My idiot brother is stuck playing house with Kitty Kat—" he paused, smirking to himself, "—and I'm waist-deep in useless history books about the Originals. So, unless your furry boyfriend is about to start an apocalypse, I suggest you handle it."
Caroline's jaw tightened, her irritation clear. "He's your friend too, Damon. Or at least he was before you decided to be your usual charming self."
Damon stood, stretching lazily as he walked toward the door. "Fine. Whatever. Just make sure he doesn't eat anyone or, I don't know, howl at the wrong moon or something." He reached for the doorknob, then paused, turning back to her. His voice dropped, losing its usual sarcasm. "And, Caroline… take care of him. Or else I will."
Before she could respond, he was gone, leaving Caroline standing in the middle of the room, fuming. She exhaled sharply, muttering to herself as she grabbed her phone and headed for the door.
"I'll take care of him," she grumbled. "Like I always do."
Elsewhere
Elena stepped into the house, closing the door behind her with a soft thud. She dropped her bag onto the nearby chair and looked toward the living room, where she spotted her aunt Jenna kneeling by a box, carefully packing some items.
"Hey, Jenna," Elena said, walking closer. "What's with the box? Are we moving, and no one told me?"
Jenna laughed softly, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. "No, nothing like that. Just cleaning out some old stuff. Figured it was time to make some space around here."
Elena leaned against the doorway, watching her aunt with a curious look. "You okay? You've been acting a little… I don't know, different lately."
Jenna straightened up, wiping her hands on her jeans. "I'm fine, really. Actually, there's someone I want you to meet."
Elena raised an eyebrow. "Someone? Like… a guy?"
Before Jenna could answer, a man stepped into view from the living room. He was tall, dressed sharply in a perfectly tailored suit. His presence was calm but commanding, and his eyes locked onto Elena with a faint, polite smile.
"Elena," Jenna said, gesturing toward him, "this is Elijah. Elijah Mikaelson."
Elena's expression froze, her heart skipping a beat. She recognized the name immediately. Her mind raced as she tried to stay composed, though the tension in her shoulders gave her away.
Elijah stepped forward, his movements smooth and deliberate. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Elena," he said, his voice steady and refined.
Elena forced a polite smile, her gaze flicking between him and Jenna. "Nice to meet you too. So, um… how do you know Jenna?"
Jenna glanced at Elijah, then back at Elena, clearly unaware of the storm brewing in her niece's mind. "We ran into each other a few weeks ago. He's been helping me with some research. Family history stuff."
"Family history?" Elena repeated, her voice a little too sharp.
Elijah's smile didn't waver. "Yes. I've always had an interest in the past, particularly when it comes to families as… interesting as yours."
Elena's stomach tightened. She nodded slowly, doing her best to appear unfazed. "That's… great. Family history is important."
Jenna smiled, clearly oblivious to the undercurrent of tension. "Anyway, I thought it'd be good for you two to meet. Elijah's been a huge help, and he's just so knowledgeable about everything."
Elijah inclined his head slightly, his gaze never leaving Elena. "I do my best to be thorough."
Elena gave another tight-lipped smile. "Well, it's nice to meet you. I'm sure we'll be seeing more of each other."
Elijah's smile deepened just enough to be noticeable. "I'm sure we will."
Jenna, still oblivious, picked up the box and started heading for the kitchen. "I'll leave you two to chat. I need to figure out where I'm putting all this stuff."
As soon as Jenna was out of earshot, Elijah's expression shifted, the polite warmth fading into something colder, more serious. "We should talk, Elena. Privately."
Elena's heart pounded, but she kept her face neutral. "About what?"
Elijah took a measured step closer, his piercing eyes locked on hers. "About your role in all of this. About why you're so important."
She swallowed hard, her pulse quickening. "Important how?"
Elijah tilted his head slightly, as if weighing his words carefully. "You're what we call the doppelgänger, Elena. Your blood is key to breaking a very old, curse. And to do that…" He paused, his expression softening just enough to show a hint of regret. "You'll have to die."
Elena stared at him, stunned. The words hit her like a brick wall, knocking the air out of her lungs. "What?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.
"It's not personal," Elijah continued, his tone calm, almost clinical. "This is about my brother, Klaus. He's the one who needs the curse broken. He's been planning this for centuries, and you… you're the last piece of the puzzle."
Elena shook her head, her hands trembling. "No. There's got to be another way. You can't just—"
"There is no other way," Elijah cut in gently but firmly. He let the words hang in the air for a moment before continuing. "But that's not why I came here tonight."
Elena blinked, confusion flickering across her face. "What do you mean?"
Elijah stepped a little closer, his tone softening slightly. "I came here to help."
For a brief, fleeting moment, Elena felt a glimmer of hope. Her shoulders relaxed, and she exhaled shakily. "Help? You mean… there's something you can do? You can stop this?"
Elijah tilted his head, a faint shadow of a smile crossing his face. But then, just as quickly, it was gone. "Don't get me wrong, Elena," he said quietly. "You are still going to die."
Her hope shattered instantly. She stared at him, disbelief etched across her face. "What?" she breathed. "How is that helping?"
Elijah sighed, as if he'd anticipated her reaction. "You'll come back," he explained. "After the ritual, you will come back to life."
Elena shook her head, her voice trembling. "As… what? A vampire? A ghost? What are you talking about?"
"As yourself," Elijah said simply. "You'll come back as you are now. Human."
Elena's knees felt weak. She clutched the back of a chair for support, her mind racing. "That doesn't make any sense. How is that even possible?"
Elijah crossed his arms, his expression calm, though there was a flicker of something else—something almost compassionate—in his eyes. "Let's just say I've made arrangements. There's a way to ensure you survive this, but it will require your cooperation."
Her heart was pounding in her chest. "And what happens if I don't cooperate?"
"Then Klaus will kill you." Elijah said bluntly. "And I assure you, his methods will be far less… considerate."
Elena stared at him, her breath coming in short, shallow bursts. "So, that's it? I just have to trust you? Go along with this and hope you're telling the truth?"
"You don't have to trust me," Elijah replied, his tone even. "But you do have to make a choice. Either way, this is going to happen. The question is whether you want to face it with a chance of survival… or without one."
Elena pressed a hand to her forehead, the weight of everything crashing down on her. She felt trapped, like the walls were closing in around her. "I can't believe this," she muttered. "I'm supposed to just… let this happen? Let you kill me?"
"You're not letting me kill you," Elijah said calmly. "You're allowing me to ensure you have a future after this. One way or another, the ritual will take place. But if you agree to my terms, you'll wake up afterward, alive and human. It's more than Klaus would offer."
Elena didn't know what to say. She felt like the ground had been ripped out from under her. Everything she thought she knew—everything she thought she could control—was gone. And now, here she was, standing in her own living room, being told that her death was inevitable.
But as she looked into Elijah's eyes, she saw something she didn't expect: sincerity. For all his cold logic and calm detachment, he wasn't lying to her. At least, she didn't think he was.
"I need time to think," she said finally, her voice shaky but firm.
Elijah inclined his head slightly. "Of course. But don't take too long, Elena. Time is something you don't have much of."