Young Gods

Chapter Four

In the morning, Damon calls her with an update about an undaggered Original. It's a bit awkward, but thankfully he doesn't mention what happened the previous day. She silently thanks him for it.

Walking downstairs, she greets Alaric with a small smile. "Morning."

He squinted at the cabinet in front of him. "I thought we had aspirin."

Elena points at the cabinet she passed, making her way to the fridge. "Yeah, in the vitamins. You're hungover."

Alaric had the decency to look ashamed, consuming a handful of the medication. "Yeah, sorry about that. It was a bit of a weird night."

"I told you, you don't have to feel guilty about it," she replied, taking a big gulp of grape juice. Weirdly, she gagged around the juice, putting the glass down.

"I know. And I thank you for that," said Alaric, hanging his head. "But I do feel a little guilty."

"Ohh," Elena exclaimed, shaking her head. "No, it's okay."

"Okay." Alaric admitted, a small smirk dancing on his lips. Not that he was proud, but the aspirin was beginning to kick in.

"Was Jenna cool about it?"

"Well, as soon as these aspirin kick in and I remember the conversation, I'll let you know," he replied, taking the grape juice she had sat down and downing it. She chuckled.

Before she could ask how Bill Forbes was doing, the doorbell rang. Both hunter and doppelganger answered the door, finding Sheriff Forbes on their porch.

Elena took in the object in her hands, confusion adorning her face. "Sheriff Forbes, hi. Is everything okay?"

"This is an unconventional conversation we're about to have, so I hope you'll protect me on it." greeted Sheriff Forbes. Elena and Alaric exchanged glances before nodding. "I assume you both heard our medical examiner was murdered the night of the Wickery Bridge Fundraiser."

The night Klaus became an unlikely hero, Elena thought, shaking it out to focus on the conversation.

"Yeah," Alaric confirmed. "Brian Walters. Why?"

Sheriff Forbes glances briefly at Elena. "We've been investigating. Someone drove this stake through his heart."

Alaric took the evidence, the wooden stake covered in dried blood. He looked up. "It's one of ours. I mean, this is one of a set from your parents' lake house."

Elena took it into her hands, studying the stake.

"That's why I'm here. I haven't told anyone, but forensics ran it for prints and found only one clean set." Sheriff Forbes looked at Elena. "Yours."

"What?"

She informs Damon of what Sheriff Forbes had told her, and she was more than grateful his playful sarcasm made another appearance. It was somewhat normal between the two. Alaric's presence was helpful.

Soon after, she receives a text from Bonnie telling her to meet them under the tunnels of the old Lockwood estate. As she got in the car, she calls Jeremy, longing to hear her brother's voice.

He answered after the second ring. "Hey, 'Lena."

"Jer." she smiled. God, she really missed him. "How are you? How's Denver?"

"Sunny," he replied cheekily. "I'm great actually. I've been drawing every day, I joined the school's baseball team. Being the new student makes you kind of a freak, but the people here are nice. Well, nicer than Mystic Falls."

Tears brimmed her eyes hearing how happy her brother was. Safe and sound. "Good, I'm glad. I've missed you, Jer."

She could hear him chuckle. "I miss you, too. You were right about getting out of town for a while. I just wish you were here with me."