Forever

The Test

Elijah was gone.

I crept toward the door, poking around it suspiciously. Klaus said there was a boundary spell.

But did he say it to discourage me from escaping? If not, why leave Elijah here to make sure I didn't try to get out?

The door opened when I tried, there wasn't any visible sheen of magic, that didn't mean there wasn't one. I hesitantly stretched a hand out, extending it to just outside the doorframe.

Klaus, you little liar.

"Perhaps, dear sister." Elijah's voice nearly made me jump out of my skin. I jolted, but didn't turn around. He'd been inside the whole time. "Niklaus would like to test your loyalty."

But freedom.

"What do you mean?" My heart was slamming against my chest.

"Will you run to your friends or will you stay here, where he told you to."

Damn it. "Right, I have to wait for my comeuppance." I turned, facing the Original. Elijah was leaning against the counter, a cup of tea in one hand and a smaller book in the other. "Like anyone wants that."

"There will come a time where you will have to pick, Drew Gilbert. Your blood or your soulmate." He took a sip. "I wonder who you'll decide is worth your time. The people who distrust you or those who have protected you." Either could apply. He was being vague on purpose.

He wanted me to think.

"So let me get this straight. We're all playing a game of metaphorical tug of war, Elena is the big flashy one that everyone wants and I'm caught in the middle too, just one side doesn't know why they have to fight you so hard for a girl who doesn't have any sort of power or ability."

"Oh I wouldn't say you have no power. I know my brother Kol. He doesn't love many but when he does, he does so fiercely. Your little friends don't know how dangerous an enemy they make when trying to steal you away."

I crossed my arms. "You keep telling me how scary Kol is, how brutal. But he's been nothing but sweet and protective." Bar our conversation earlier. He isn't usually like that. "So if this is all a test, I could walk out and you wouldn't stop me?"

"I wouldn't recommend it."

You know what. Screw this. I wasn't going to be scared of Klaus or Elijah. I was sick of it. All of it. Maybe this isn't what I wanted, not if it meant picking.

I turned again, ready to march out the door, only to run into Klaus. He had his hands on either side of the frame, looking down at me with a raised brow. "Now where do you think you're going, little mouse."

"Home."

"Slight snag in your plan sweetheart, it's time for my big finale. You're coming along for the ride."

But that would mean. "I'm not watching you kill my sister."

"Not willingly."

...

We were in a meadow.

Klaus had gone to get Elena, which made the two prone figures lying in the grass, the vampire and the werewolf. I couldn't quite see who they were, I was too far away, tied to a tree.

His witch was preparing the alter, like this wasn't some twisted ritual. "Hey! Let me out." She ignored me.

Worth a shot.

I struggled against the bonds fruitlessly. What I wouldn't give to have some vampire strength right now.

One of the figures sat up and a ring of fire erupted around her. Was that Jules? I thought she'd left after that encounter with Elijah.

Shit, these ropes were cutting off my blood circulation, maybe that wouldn't have happened if Klaus was kind enough to not tie me an entire   foot off the ground. I couldn't even touch it, all of my weight was on the ropes.

Klaus appeared, dragging Elena with him. "This, dear doppelgänger is part of your punishment. I could have gotten any vampire, but this hurts you sister as well. She needs to learn."

"Elena!" Her eyes found mine.

"Drew? What did you do to her?" She demanded.

Klaus shrugged. "Nothing, I wouldn't lay a finger on her."

"Let her go! I did everything you asked." Elena struggled against his grip.

"Ah, but she didn't."

"I'll never forgive you for this!" I pulled against the ropes again, unsurprised when there wasn't any give. "You hear me!"

"Yes, little mouse. I'm sure your wrath is worrisome." Klaus threw Elena to the ground and another circle of fire trapped her. "Now that our guest of honor has arrived, wake up the vampire."

The witch muttered something and the second mystery figure gasped as she sat up, looking around in confusion.

Wait.

No.

"Jenna!" Elena held a hand over her mouth.

"She had no part in this, you bastard!" I shouted. My wrists were stinging, all I needed was a little space. He was going to kill off the last remnants of my family.

All I'd have left is Jeremy.

"Oh, she became a variable when the two of you decided to lock me away in a basement." Klaus grinned maliciously. "It was a mistake that will not be happening again, right little mouse?"

"Please." I begged, tears began to fall, staining my cheek. "Don't hurt them."

"Not an option love. What's done is done." Klaus turned his back, moving toward his witch.

Jules was the first to die. She tried to run, but he hadn't wasted much effort in driving a branch through her chest. She let out an awful scream.

Jenna was next, and I could barely make out Elena trying to comfort her. She gave us each a sad smile, and walked to Klaus willingly.

"NO!" Elena and I shouted. I looked away. She didn't deserve this. Why hadn't we protected her? Like Elena?

The horrific sound of a body meeting the dirt followed soon after. Tears fell unbidden down my face.

I kept expecting some sort of protest from Elena, but it never came. I didn't want to look, but I did. Klaus had stopped, halfway between my dead aunt and my sister, he was looking in the distance, up at a cliff.

He disappeared.

Hands were at the back of my ropes, untying them. "Don't worry little Gilbert, I'll have you out in no time."

Damon. I wanted to be relieved, but he was just one more person that could be used against me in this cruel 'punishment'. "What are you doing? Get out of here. Klaus'll kill you." I whispered desperately.

"Stefan is distracting him. I'll be fine." Once the ropes were loose enough, I fell. Damon caught me but I was unsteady on my feet. My legs were numb.

"No, you don't understand. He won't stop, even if I escape. He'll come find me." There was no where I could go in this small town that Klaus wouldn't think to look. "And he'll still kill Jenna and Elena."

"Let me worry about that. Jeremy's already hidden in a safe place with your uncle and Bonnie. They have a plan, but we need to get out of here." Damon picked me up and sped me away.