The Red Herring Returns: A Mikaelson Love Story

Chapter 15: Sophie's Choice

"What are you looking for?" Elena asked Meredith as we stood in the control room where the doctor prepared for Ric's MRI scan.

"I don't know." She admitted. "A tumour, vascular anomalies, anything physical that might explain his behaviour. If it's medical, I can treat it."

"And if it's not?" I asked, knowing very well that it wouldn't be.

"Then we'll deal with that too." She assured me.

"When did you know?" I asked her.

"It was after he told me about his ring." She confessed. "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."

"But why help him?" Elena asked the doctor.

"Because I'm a doctor, I don't like to see 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—I just kind of want to help him." Meredith told us.

"Well that's something I can relate to." I said with a small smile until Alaric began to panic.

"Everything okay?" She asked him.

"Yeah, yeah. Everything's okay."

After the scan Elena and I went into the hospital room where Alaric was getting ready to leave. We were there to deliver the unsurprisingly bad news.

"Meredith says everything's normal." Elena told him.

"Yeah, well, everything is normal, because there is 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 stomach." He snapped before looking down warily at his ring. "Or I did and I've gone insane, just like your ancestor who wore that ring."

"Look, I'm gonna call Bonnie, the rings were made by a Bennett witch so maybe a witch can reverse the damage." Elena said hopefully. Alaric frowned and slid the ring over to me.

"Thanks, but you can take it back. I don't want it anymore." Elena opened her mouth to say something but I shook my head and silenced her when Damon walked into the room.

"You ready to ditch this House of Horrors? Oof, you look terrible." Damon said to his friend.

"Yeah, let's check me out of here." Elena glared at Damon before barging past the three of us and leaving the room. I went to leave too but I stopped in the doorway making sure Alaric heard this.

"For what it's worth Ric, I'm sorry. I only wanted you to be safe."

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I got in my car preparing myself to go and break up with Sean before setting off. I called Caroline and she seemed even more upset than I was.

"Hey you. What's got you so down?" I asked her.

"Abby." She answered. "I can't help but feel so bad for her. She didn't ask for this."

"No one ever seems to." I muttered.

"You'll be happy to know, I like Sean." She told me.

"Really?" I asked in surprise. Caroline didn't like anyone I wanted to date.

"Yeah. Much better than Klaus. Or even Elijah." She added. "He even passed my test."

"No one passes that test Caroline." I said sceptically. "We literally made it impossible to pass."

"And still Sean managed to beat the odds." She continued, but there was something weird about the way she spoke. "Anyway, I gotta go. Talk to you later."