The Girl Who Restored My Humanity Book Three (A Vampire Diaries FanFiction)

Chapter 10 - Homecoming

~Previously in 'The Girl Who Restored My Humanity Book Three'; Ally's POV;~

Who is this? "Mikael." Stefan states with surprise from behind us, and the name drop instantly startles me; Mikael is really here. From what I have heard from Klaus I don't know whether to feel thrilled that he is here to take away our problems, or fearful of the murderous strategies that he could be willing to take to get what he wants. Mikael steps towards us and announces with a formal fake smile, his narrowed eyes looking lustful for violence, "I think it's time we all had a little chat." Oh dear.

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~Ally's POV;~

"Please," Damon states politely, trying to maintain the peace as he gestures to the living room behind us. "Come this way." As I slowly turn away from Mikael, Damon takes my hand in his, interlocking our fingers and keeping me close to him as we lead the conversation into the living room. Upon entering I look at Stefan as he stands behind the alcohol cabinet looking extra pouty and broody; he's on edge. He doesn't trust Mikael too much, and I don't really blame him. Stefan's protective gaze moves to my hand in Damon's for a brief moment before he looks back up at me and places both hands on the alcohol cabinet, and this forces me to stare at him with confusion; he doesn't trust Damon either. His compulsion from Klaus to protect my life must be forcing him to trust only himself when it comes to keeping me safe. Instantly I look away from him and his unnecessary need to protect me from my own boyfriend - and not to mention his own brother - to focus my attention on Mikael instead who is now standing at the doorway with a look of pure determination in his cold eyes. "Is Klaus out of the country?" Mikael asks calmly, directing his question entirely at Stefan in understanding of their 'close' relationship. Anxiously I glance at Stefan as he folds his arms across his chest and answers with an honest but fake smile, remaining a closed book to all in the room, "Can't tell you." The tone of his voice and the bitterness in his smile is unapologetic; he genuinely can't reveal anything. Another thing Klaus has compelled Stefan to do; what an ass. Mikael steps into the room and asks another question, intent on getting some information from him, "Has he spoken to you since he left?" Yet again Stefan smiles irritably at Mikael's persistent questions as he repeats his last response, with an added amount of amusement, "I can't tell you." Damon and I merely stand in silence tightly holding hands whilst watching the failed communication between them play out; this is extremely awkward and intense. "Alright," Mikael starts as politely as he can, but the frustration is clear in his eyes when he rephrases his question. "Can you tell me the last time you spoke to Niklaus?" Niklaus is such a bizarre name. I stifle a laugh. Stefan's sigh is loud and aggravated in response to the constant questions, which is understandable, considering he cannot answer any of them. "I am compelled to do what he says," Stefan explains as honestly as he can with carelessness towards Mikael's demands. "And he says to keep my damn mouth shut." Mikael's lips close into a thin line whilst he observes Stefan through narrowed eyes; he's getting pissed off. "I really hope this game of 20 questions isn't your secret weapon." Damon teases smugly from my right side, which to no surprise makes me smirk uncontrollably. Oh, Damon. Mikael, on the other hand, doesn't find Damon's snarky comment funny at all, as proven by him taking another threatening step into the living room. Protective of Damon I announce nervously, feeling Mikael's scolding gaze pass to watch me instead, "I saw him earlier today." Damon squeezes my hand tight in his, silently telling me to keep my mouth zipped, but in order to protect Stefan and him from being added to Mikael's kill list I know I have to gain his trust. "Finally, we have some co-operation," Mikael announces with bitterness towards the boys as he grins at me and proceeds in his interrogation. "Where is he located?" Instantly I think back to earlier but in seconds I frown with confusion at the blank road signs in my memory; I can't remember. Despite my memory of everything said; what the places looked like; my drink with Klaus at Beale Street, I simply can't remember where the cabin was. What the hell? Did Klaus compel me to forget the location of his whereabouts? Maybe he didn't trust that I wouldn't sell him out to Mikael... He's smart. He knows if I had to choose between Klaus or Stefan and Damon, I would pick the boys any day. "I - I can't remember..." I answer calmly as my head shakes towards his questions and towards my own feeling of weakness. "Klaus must have compelled me to forget." Mikael sighs in response, clearly growing more frustrated and impatient with us, like we've wasted our chance of gaining some mutual civility. "Well, I'm guessing," Damon pipes up again with his usual teasing smirk, using humour to break the tension in the room. "Due to Klaus still being alive - despite the fact you've been hunting him for centuries - that your strong suit isn't finding people either." Instantly I squeeze Damon's hand in mine, returning the silent warning he had gave me moments ago. Mikael - yet again - doesn't appreciate Damon's humour as he then approaches us in silence with a bitter smile on his face, and once he does I gulp nervously at the look of determined threat in his eyes. "You see, Damon," Mikael starts as he places his hand on Damon's shoulder, forcing not only myself but the other two on edge. "I've been a vampire hunter longer than you've been alive; it's why I found you here; it's why I'm going to find Niklaus." Damon, as expected, disguises his feelings of intimidation as he answers mockingly at Mikael's confidence "Well, Klaus has been running for about a thousand years, so if you think you're gonna get a workaround here you-" Suddenly Mikael drives his hand into Damon's chest, forcing his harmless teasing into a panicked silence. My heartbeat quickens at the sight of Mikael seconds away from tearing Damon's life out of his chest, and a swarm of anxiety forcefully churns deep inside of my stomach as I take a step towards Mikael. "Careful you two," Mikael warns calmly with his hand deep in Damon's chest, threateningly holding the cord on Damon's life as he continues. "One move, and his heart is gone." My head starts to filter actions I could take to save Damon or fight off Mikael, but there's only seven words keeping me from doing anything at all: one move, and his heart is gone. From the corner of my eye I realise Stefan is now beside me, having hurried over from the other side of the room, and he's watching Mikael with a tormented expression on his face; he's emotionally exposed. Sharing my concern for Damon's life I mentally kick myself for being blind to the most obvious emotional trigger for Stefan who has been with us all along: Damon. Stefan looks startled and vulnerable, like the love he has for Damon has been torn out from underneath all the darkness, and there's a strong glimpse of caution in his narrowed eyes as they focus on Mikael. Capturing our full attention again Mikael twists his hand in Damon's chest, forcing a pained grunt from him, and a horrified gasp from me. "Please, just stop-" I declare to him amongst the rattled trembling in my voice, and it merely grows as I cling onto Damon's hand and continue with surrender. "We'll do whatever you want." Please don't take him from me. Whilst Stefan and I remain still as ordered Mikael glances at us, keeping his hand firmly inside Damon's chest as leverage for our co-operation. "I should hope so." Mikael starts with a calm yet sinister smile, looking nothing short of a serial killer right now. "Where is Klaus? Come on." Struggling to meet his demands I anxiously look at Stefan, who is also compelled, and together we're kind of hopeless. "This isn't fair," I announce stubbornly with frustration at his threats for information that he knows we can't provide. "I'm pretty sure you know how compulsion works! Unless that's another thing you're clueless about..." Crap. I mentally kick myself again at my arrogance which isn't helping at all considering my boyfriend is on the verge of death, and the vampire in control of that is the one I'm mocking; I never learn to shut my mouth. In seconds Mikael's other hand shoots up to my throat, suffocating my airways, and with little effort he raises me from the ground as my hand forcefully leaves Damon's. "You're exactly like the impulsive and naïve human Klaus once was-" Mikael threatens with fierce bloodthirsty eyes, forcing Stefan to urge closer due to being compelled to protect me. "Don't test me, young one." His wicked cruelty forces me to pity Klaus for growing up with this villain as a father; no wonder he's lost. "Let her go." Damon grunts the words that Stefan also demands from beside me, and as my lungs begin to ache, gasping for air and life, Mikael finally sets me down and takes his hand away from my throat. The blurry dizziness of my vision vanishes as oxygen comes rushing back in, filling my lungs and body with strength again, and I clutch at my neck with discomfort. "Where is Klaus?" Mikael asks Stefan whilst harshly pushing his hand further around Damon's heart, firmly set on getting an answer. "What's the trick question, Stefan?" Stefan bites his tongue in silent struggle, looking tortured with helplessness against the compulsion that controls his every move; he wants to save Damon's life. There's a fight in his eyes, a conflict between caring and not caring, but the love for his brother is too overpowering; it always is. As I glance nervously at Damon I gulp with fear at the thought of him actually leaving me, and the peak of my horror doesn't surprise me in the slightest; I don't think I could survive without him. Where was the cabin? Where is Klaus? Come on, Ally, think! The memories that I weren't compelled to forget begin to unravel, like I'm mentally retracing my steps in some attempt to wash away the compulsion with something that is far stronger: my love for Damon. "One twist, and he's dead." Mikael threatens Stefan with nothing but deadly seriousness in his voice and in his dark eyes, inflicting panic on all of us. "Unless you don't care, of course." He shrugs towards Stefan's lack of providing useful information - hell - more towards his lack of speech at all right now. As I keep my eyes focused fearfully on Mikael's hand in Damon's chest I answer for Stefan in his defence, trying to calm my frantic racing heart, "His emotions have been shut off. He can't care." Damon meets my eyes with hidden alarm in his as he stares at me in silence almost apologetically; he thinks this is the end for him. No. "Really?" Mikael questions innocently in a patronizing tone whilst moving his gaze back to Stefan again. "His link to Klaus is so strong that... he would let his own brother die?" Come on, Stefan. Care. Care enough about your brother's survival. Come back. When I glance at Stefan I notice that the swarm of emotions is tormenting him deeply, from the frown lines re-appearing on his forehead to the strong uneasiness in his eyes; he looks torn. "No ideas, hmm?" Mikael taunts through the bitter impatience that is now clear in his voice and facial expression as he continues sharply. "Think, Stefan." Stefan looks almost pained, like he did the night in the gym when he was fighting Klaus' compulsion to feed on me, and it's visible that he's trying so hard to give some form of reassurance to Mikael right now. Yet the silence in the room is deafening, and this proves to be recognised by everyone here. Think harder, Ally! If you want Damon to live then you have to put the pieces back together! You have to break through the compulsion. Anything is possible if you care and fight hard enough. Desperately I scramble my brain through the events that happened today: arriving at Gina's; reuniting with Stefan; driving to the cabin in a woods that was located in... "I guess you're right." Mikael declares to me as he moves his threatening gaze to Damon and concludes with fierce determination. "He's a dead end... and so are you, Damon." No, no!  "Please, stop!" I cry suddenly, trying to piece together my memories faster amongst the blinding anxiety trembling through my body. "Don't do this, please!" There was a lake... The cabin was in- Mikael twists his hand inside of Damon's chest, and this forces me to lurch forward again. "Wait-" Stefan this time announces from beside me, his voice shaking with some form of desperation as he continues honestly. "I can bring him back. I can lure Klaus back to Mystic Falls." Mikael pauses with his hand still inside Damon's chest and around his heart as he glances at Stefan for a moment in hesitation to trust his words, but as I too look to Stefan we both know that he's being truthful. There it is. Stefan's humanity; he's nearly back. We just need to convince him to embrace them emotions, otherwise - like at the football stand - he'll merely disregard them again. Thankfully convinced, Mikael rips his hand out of Damon's chest, holding onto nothing but blood and leaving his heart safe inside; he's okay. Damon grunts loudly with discomfort and doubles over as I quickly hold him up, rubbing soothingly at his back whilst Mikael innocently retrieves a handkerchief from his blazer pocket. I really don't like him. I'm actually starting to understand why Klaus is so wicked, and that's saying something. "There is our loophole!" Mikael declares to Stefan while cleaning the blood from his hand, appearing brutal but successful in his methods, "Just had to rile you up a bit." What a dick. Around a parent like this I feel really grateful and lucky to have Alaric as my dad. Damon slowly starts to stand up straight with the ripped hole now only through his tight black shirt rather than also through his chest, and once focusing his vengeful scowl on Mikael he takes my hand protectively in his. Standing between Damon and Stefan I notice that the both of them are staring at the Original vampire hunter with silent anger in their faces; they want revenge. "Get Klaus back to Mystic Falls, and I will gladly drive a stake through his heart." Mikael concludes directly at Stefan with his menacing gaze, disregarding further acknowledgement of Damon and I due to our lack of use to him as he continues "Fail... I'll drive it through yours, Stefan." No, no, no. Mikael gives a polite smile to the three of us before turning on his heel and strolling away for the front door across the corridor; he isn't kidding. "I look forward to seeing you all tomorrow morning." Mikael concludes with a nod of his head as he then opens the front door and steps out into the night, leaving us nothing short of feeling startled. The awful thought of Mikael killing Stefan slightly knocks the air out of me, and throughout my uneasiness I squeeze Damon's hand tight then cling onto his arm with my free hand. Despite my little bonding moment with Klaus I can't let Stefan die; if it comes down to Stefan or Klaus' life I choose Stefan's every time. Along with Mikael's exit his harmful intentions leave the house also, to which of course we can strictly return to our already intense trio circumstance which is: Stefan, Damon and I. "Don't think you had to wait till the last second to have your breakthrough, brother." Damon teases with an agitated smile, clearly frustrated with how inferior Mikael made him feel a few moments ago; he doesn't like being weak. When I notice his eyes observe the alcohol cabinet with longing I take my hands from his to run them through my hair, releasing Damon to the second love of his life: his bourbon. I know him too well. While Damon crosses the living room for his cherished bottles of alcoholic comfort I peek at Stefan beside me, somewhat hoping to see this breakthrough officially bring him back, but when I look at him he chuckles blankly at his brother's words with no real emotion in his face. "I didn't have a breakthrough, Damon." Stefan retorts carelessly at Damon's assumptions, retreating to the life of living in denial, as sadly expected. "Ooh, ooh, my brother's about to die-" Damon teases further in response, altering his voice into a slightly higher pitch as he mocks Stefan, as always. "I just had to save his life for the billionth time." In natural reaction to their sibling rivalry I roll my eyes and walk away into the kitchen for a drink, keeping within hearing distance to make sure their fight doesn't turn from verbal to physical... Again. "Careful, Stefan. Your humanity's showing." Damon concludes childishly, ridiculing his brother's caution towards turning it all back on. "Actually, you know what? You're right, Damon. You're right." Stefan concludes in defeat against Damon's allegations, but in a detached way that made it clear his breakthrough wasn't one we were going to like. "You remind me of what my freedom felt like... And when we kill Klaus, I'll be free; free to leave." Faintly I hear Damon chuckle in disbelief, but I fail to find the humour in Stefan's words as he continues "I didn't do this for you, Damon. I did this for myself." As empty as I feel about Stefan wanting to leave Mystic Falls, I can't help but feel proud that he's finally taking a stand against Klaus' control over him, and finally wanting himself to be free. Yet, without Stefan, you're trapped, Ally. You'll feel a little lost, clueless, and sad. You've always needed him more than he needed you. Hesitantly I step back into the living room to find Stefan gone and Damon standing by the fireplace, with a glass of bourbon in hand and a sense of bitterness in his eyes; he needs Stefan most. Although Damon promised an eternity of misery for Stefan, I think a part of that vow to taunt his brother was for Damon to have a reason to be around him; he hates being alone. "Hey," I mumble softly once reaching his side, and as I place a hand on his healed chest I nervously meet his eyes and continue with concern. "You ok?" I know that Damon would never hurt me intentionally, but when he gets sad or angry he's so unpredictable and reckless; he's a mystery in that regard. "Perky." Damon replies with a fake smile trying to remain a closed book, but as he plants a kiss on my forehead he adds comfortingly. "You?" His loving blue eyes stare back into mine, expressing genuine interest and care for how I feel right now. "I'm ok," I answer with a nod and a relieved smile possessing my lips whilst my hand moves up to caress his cheek. "Because you're ok." Damon's grinning lips part a little in surprise at my mutual care for his presence right now; he's the only reason I'm still in one piece. "Always will be." Damon adds reassuringly with his charming smile, and once finishing my yawn I smile lovingly up at him to which he concludes. "Let's get ourselves to bed; it's been a very long day." Through weary eyes I watch Damon place his glass of bourbon on the sill of the fireplace as he then takes my hand in his, guiding me to bed as I follow close behind him; the lucky girl that I am. The Boarding House stairs are like the hike I took on my 'last day' before the sacrifice: never-ending. Yet, when we finally reach the top I feel the events of today weigh heavily down on my consciousness; I'm so tired. Like Damon said: it's been a really long day. Upon entering his bedroom I sleepily start to take my clothes off for bed, starting with my denim jacket which clings to my arms like the skinny jeans cling to my legs. "Someone's sleepy," Damon announces with amusement as he turns to observe me then eventually places his hands on mine and adds "But incredibly adorable at the same time." Damn you, Damon. Why is he so damn charming even when I'm tired? It's exhausting. Amongst my flushed cheeks I grin shyly whilst Damon helps me take my shirt off, but of course - the huge tease that he is - my shirt is very slowly lifted from over my head, and when it finally is Damon's eyes are marvelling my body. That look. Oh god. The last time Damon looked at my body like that, and clenched his jaw like that, my clothes were ripped off before we even reached the bedroom. "If you hadn't have of gone through so much today," Damon whispers seductively against my forehead with that look and smirk in full motion. "I would be tearing your clothes off right this second, and kissing every inch of your body with no regards for my brooding brother who would be forced to listen to every minute of it in the next room." Whoa. If I wasn't seconds away from drifting into a well-needed sleep I would be happily naked right now. "I think you're scheduled in with me for tomorrow, and the day after that anyway." I answer reassuringly with a shy smile, feeling my cheeks rush with growing heat. "Not just the day after that, Miss Wright." Damon replies with a smug smirk, assisting my hands as they unzip my jeans. "You've got a customer that wants you to be fully-booked with them for life."Wow. Like in those corny romantic movies my heart flutters uncontrollably at his words, and I'm smiling like an excited fangirl; he wants me all to himself. "Looks like I'm fully-booked then." I conclude cheerfully with a smile, feeling a warm tingle spark inside of me as I stare into his captivating eyes.