The Other Side

From Friend to Enemy

We pull up a block from the house. "Evie, Christian, you go from the back. Ricky, Stefan, you take the sides. I'll go from the front. He has to think I'm alone."

"Dad, no!" I kiss her head gently. "Do as I say, monkey. I love you." I flash toward the house and I wait until everyone takes their position. Then I walk inside. Farah sits in the middle of the room, and although I want to run and free her, I stand my ground. "Hey, bitches! I'm here!" My sister and Klaus emerge from the doorway.

"We figured it would be Stefan."

"I'm not that stupid, much to your dismay, Princess. Just let Farah go."

"Why?"

"Because she's my family. You are not." Ariana looks hurt for a moment. "I was. Then your bitch of a wife got in the way."

"Might I remember you're the one who helped kill my wife. You're just a little attention whore, and Klaus is a master, looking for a new puppy he can command."

"Shut up."

"Or is the other way around? Who wears the fangs in this relationship? Or is it who's the bitch... I can't decide." I shrug. "Anyways, I was dropping by to tell you that before all of this, I was planning to make it water under the bridge. I was willing to welcome you, Klaus, as an ally and a friend. Anything that made my baby sister happy. But now," I look directly at Ariana. "I don't care if I'm your brother, or if you're my sister. You're not my blood anymore. You've made yourself an enemy. Or should I say enemies." Everyone walks in and they look at each other.

"I'm done with these games. If you wanted me dead, sister, you should've done it. My wife is one of the only things that kept me alive. You're a face a recognize but a person I don't know, Ariana. You haven't been my sister for a very long time, and I know that now." Ricky frees Farah and they flee from here. They all leave except for me. "I'm telling you right now, brother," she walks toward me, "watch your back. We'll come for you. And when we do, it won't be pretty. I promise you that." I look at Klaus then back to her. "Sounds good."

"So if this is going to go the way it should, you have to play along."

"How can I play the game if I don't know the rules?"

"You play by your rules, we'll play by ours, Salvatore."

"Takes one to know one." I head toward the door. "You have a good night now." I vamp back to the car and I walk over to them.

"So? What's happening?" I look at all of them, then my eyes land on my daughter. "Play the game..." I murmur. Then I snap to the realization. "Your Mom needs a guard at all times."

"What? Why?"

"Because they're playing a game."

"What?"

"We're playing cat and mouse. They're the cats, and..." I hesitate.

"Dad, what does that mean?"

"If they're the cats, Elena and Caleb are the mice. So are you, Evie. So is Sam."

"Dad, what did she say?"

"Play by your rules, we'll play by ours. Stefan, remember when we were little and Ariana would challenge us to games?" He nods. "She always won," he mutters bitterly.

"Well, then maybe it's about time we change the score. Did you get it, Evie?" She pulls away her jacket and takes the stake out of her pocket.

"Ariana is technically an original. She can't be killed by regular wood. It has to be the white oak stake." Evie sucks in a breath. "I get it. It's a matter of who gets who first. Whoever dies first loses."

"And I don't intend on loosing. We have to kill them both."

"Dad, we can't kill Klaus."

"We'll find a way, Evie. Trust me." We all get into the cars and head home.

Elena's POV

Kath and I wait anxiously for their return. When a car pulls up, we turn to the doorway. Damon and Stefan walk in, followed by the kids. "Are you alright?" Damon looks anxiously at the others. "I'm fine. But we need to talk." I nod.

"They're coming after the kids. And you, Elena."

"I know," I whisper. "What?" He stares at me, confusion twisted into his features. "Evie and I were... Suspicious. When we were supposedly going on a girl's day out, we were actually spying on them. They want to kill Caleb."

"How long have you known?"

"Damon-"

"How long, Elena?" I inhale and exhale shakily.

"I've known for a while." He turns for the stairs.

"Damon, listen!"

"No! You lied to me, Elena. You knew for a damn fact that they were coming after the people I love."

"You would've never taken it subtly! You would've charged in and gotten yourself killed!"

"Of course I wouldn't take the subtle approach! I am not subtle when it comes to the people I care about! You were risking your life, Evie's life, and Caleb's life by doing this, and you lied to me about it!"

"Damon-"

"Don't. I can't see past this. You've just got to understand that lying to me is the worst kind of deception in my book." He turns and walks up the stairs. "You should remember that." I watch as he walks away from me, then I look at everyone else. "I'm sorry." I walk upstairs and Damon is there grabbing his pajamas. "Please-"

"I'm going to sleep in a different bedroom."

"Damon, I can do that. This was your bedroom long before mine." I whisper. I grab my own pajamas then I head for the door. "Goodnight," I say softly. I pad down the hall to a guest bedroom. I make myself comfortable then I try to go to sleep, the bed feeling uncomfortably empty and cold.

"I love you, Damon. I'm so sorry." I close my eyes and I drift into a nightmare filled sleep.