Homecoming || SKYLER SALVATORE [2]

[17]: Break Through

2012 ― Mystic Falls, Virginia

Skyler Salvatore accompanied Elena Gilbert to the hospital. Alaric was getting an MRI scan. Skyler and Elena stood with Meredith in the control room as she got everything prepared. Once the Salvatore siblings discovered the rings were the problem, Skyler called Alaric and told him and Elena, and then Elena called Meredith and asked if there was anything she could do medically, which Skyler knew the answer was no.

The rings were spelled by a witch, making this a supernatural problem, but sometimes she knew Elena needed to be indulged so she wouldn't complain. "So what are you looking for?" Elena asked.

"I don't know. A tumor, vascular anomalies, or anything physical that might explain his behavior. If it's medical, I can treat it," Meredith said.

"And if it's not?" Elena asked.

"Then we have to get a witch. Those rings were spelled, so whatever is going on with Alaric's psyche is probably some sort of magical side effect of the ring," Skyler said.

"Yeah, what she said," Meredith agreed.

"When did you suspect him? That it was Alaric who was killing all of those people?" Elena asked.

"It was after he told me about his ring. I remembered a story my grandmother had told me about Samantha Gilbert and her secret journal. I don't know if you know this, but we Fells are notorious busy-bodies," Meredith said.

"In other words, they're nosey, and they always have been," Skyler said. Meredith looked at her and she shrugged her shoulders. "So, why did you protect him instead of turning him in?" Skyler asked.

"Because I'm a doctor. I don't like seeing someone hurt by something they have no control over, and because when he and I first met, I felt like... I don't know, I just kind of wanted to help him," Meredith said. That was fair. She was right, it's not right when people suffer because of things out of their control. "Everything alright in there?" Meredith asked. When Skyler turned to the MRI room, she could see Alaric squirming, he must be feeling claustrophobic, she thought.

"Yeah, yeah... Everything's okay," Alaric said after a few minutes. When the scan was completed, Meredith took Elena and Skyler back to the hospital room Alaric was going to be in. When he was led back, he went to the bathroom to change back into his clothes and then he saw on the bed. Meredith had told them the results when Alaric went to change.

"Well, as I knew would happen, Meredith didn't find anything, because this isn't a medical issue, it's a magical one," Skyler said and Alaric shook his head.

"It's not an issue at all. There's nothing wrong with me. I didn't kill Brian Walters, I didn't kill Bill Forbes, and I sure as hell didn't shove a hunting knife into my own stomach," Alaric said as he looked down at his ring. It was the only thing he hadn't put back on. Then he sighed and looked at the girls. "Or, as Skyler said, this is a magical problem and I've gone insane, just like your ancestor who wore that ring," He said and Elena sighed.

"Look, I'm going to call Bonnie. As Skyler said, the rings were spelled by a Bennett witch, so maybe a Bennett witch can reverse the damage," Elena said. Skyler nodded and Alaric held the ring out to her.

"Take it. I don't want it anymore," He said. Elena nodded and took the ring as Damon walked inside.

"You ready to ditch this House of Horrors?" Damon asked as he looked at him. "Oh, you look terrible," He said. Alaric nodded as he stood up from the bed.

"Yeah, let me... let me check out of here."

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Elena Gilbert was ignoring Damon because of catching Stefan's feeding. She knew it had to be Damon's doing. The three of them were walking outside of the hospital, waiting for Alaric to be done signing the discharge papers. "Don't worry about him. I'll take him out for chicken soup, get him a martini, and make sure he doesn't kill anybody," Damon said. Skyler shook her head while Elena rolled her eyes.