Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
After explaining Katherine's demands to Isabella and Elena in the Gilbert kitchen, Stefan and Damon exchanged skeptical glances. Elena sighed heavily, breaking the tense silence.
"You don't actually believe her, do you?" she asked, her voice tinged with doubt.
"Of course not," Damon replied sharply, idly tossing an orange between his hands. "We just need that moonstone."
Stefan nodded, his expression grave. "According to Rose's friend Slater, there's a way to thwart Klaus's plan and break the spell."
"No spell, no doppelganger sacrifice. Simple as that," Damon remarked with a smirk, while Isabella briskly took the orange from his hand and returned it to Elena's fruit bowl, annoyed.
Elena leaned against the doorway, her brow furrowing. "How do you destroy it?"
"You have to neutralize the spell bound to the moonstone," Isabella explained, trying to simplify it for Elena's understanding. "Bonnie and I are going to do everything in our power to ensure this sacrifice doesn't happen."
"But Katherine has the moonstone," Elena retorted incredulously. "She's not just going to hand it over."
"We'll take it from her," Stefan assured his girlfriend, whose eyes widened with fear.
"Well, what Stefan means is that we'll pry it from her cold, dead hand if we have to," Damon added dryly.
"Bonnie and Bells just need to find a way to release the seal long enough for us to get in, grab the moonstone, and get out before Katherine returns it," Damon summarized confidently.
Elena sighed heavily. "Wow. It sounds like you guys have everything figured out."
"We're pretty amazing," Damon said, holding his hand up for a high-five from Isabella, who obliged with a chuckle.
"Except for one thing," Elena interjected suddenly, causing the jovial atmosphere to fade.
Isabella exchanged puzzled glances with her brothers before focusing back on Elena. "What do you mean?"
"I don't want you to do it," Elena stated firmly.
Isabella's eyes widened as she exchanged confused looks with her brothers. Then, she glanced back to Elena. "What? Elena, I know you can't control it but this is not the time to be stupid. We don't have a choice."
"What about Klaus?" Elena pressed.
"We'll deal with Klaus right after we secure the moonstone," Stefan replied calmly.
"Is that before or after he kills everyone I care about, including the two of you?" Elena's voice carried a weight of sadness as she pointed out the grim reality to the brothers, her gaze also including Isabella.
"Elena, if we can neutralize the spell on the moonstone, we can protect you," Stefan reasoned, trying to reassure her.
"I know. Everyone keeps saying that," Elena replied wearily. She stood up abruptly, leaving the three of them alone in the kitchen.
