The Other Side

The Spell

"What is it?" She asks.

"Klaus spelled me to think I'm seeing Elena. I thought I was going nuts. Then I actually saw her. It was real, Ari. She told me some very useful things." She nods. "Okay. So what do you need?"

"A spell. It's right here." She takes the paper out of my hand and looks at it. "Alright, we need candles, vervain, and you."

"Why vervain?"

"I don't know." I pull out a bag of vervain.

"You carry this stuff?"

"We're up against a witch-doppelgänger-hybrid and another hybrid. Of course I carry vervain." I hand her the bag then she gasps. "Damon!" I turn and I groan. "Tatia. Joy."

"Hey Salvatores. So I'm gonna need a favor."

"We're not getting you anything."

"I need you to get Elena back. I never wanted to come back. Klaus didn't know that. The asshole."

"Wait... You're asking us to kill you?"

"Yes."

"Done. We've already killed 65 people for the ritual."

"Good. I can't wait to be dead again."

"Why do you want to die?" She looks down at her feet. "I miss my parents. My boyfriend. I miss my baby girl. I was never meant to be here. That's why I dropped the veil a little so that I could talk to Esther and Elena could talk to you, Damon."

"How did Klaus get the spell on me?"

"It was another witch. I didn't want to do it, so he got another."

"Well oh noble one," Ari says, "would you like to help me? This spell needs a lot of power."

"Fine." She grabs her hand. "Virga." Ari inhales deeply. She shakes then falls to the ground.

"What the hell did you do?"

"She now is one of the most powerful witches in the world. She has my magic now." She inhales, her eyes wide. "Ari." I make sure she's alright.

"How do you feel?" Tatia asks.

"Power... What did you do?"

"I gave up my magic. It's yours forever."

"But... You were so powerful..."

"I know that. But this ritual that you're preparing to do, it strips away my doppelgänger and hybrid side. That way I'll pass on. But my witch side... That traps me on the other side." We nod then lay down on the grass.

"Damon, this may hurt."

"Of course." She rubs some vervain between her hands. "Think about a memory of her." I nod then she closes her eyes. The candles light, and she places her hands on my temples. I scream out as the vervain touches my skin. I have to think of her. The first thing that comes to mind is our little road trip to Denver. Well, the second one. Jeremy wasn't there that time.

~Flashback~

We get out of the car. Elena sighs. "We shouldn't have come here." She murmurs. "Why not?" She looks at me. "You know why. Because we're between somewhere and nowhere but this time we're alone."

"Elena, I won't pull anything. I promise." She nods then we head inside our room. There's only one bed. "Promise?" I put my hands up in surrender. She takes off her jacket. I take it and I put it on the table. I take out a bottle of bourbon and pour some in a cup.