Reverse Psychology (Book Three Zach's Daughter Series, TVD)

Chapter 9__Homecoming

Ripper, compelled-to-have-his-humanity-off Stefan called Klaus to lure him back and kill him. "Your father is dead. Oh, my mistake. Not your actual father, and not dead. Mikael. Daggered. What do you want me to do with the body?"

~

One hour earlier

Stefan, Damon, Elena and I walked into the library as Stefan said, "Aye--let's say that Mikael followed Elena in here. He tried to grab her, so he could use her as bait."

"And you want?" Elena asked. "Vervained him?"

"No!" Damon complained. "We vervained him. This guy is an Original. To make it realistic."

"Okay, fine," Stefan said. "We vervained him, and in the process, discovered that he had a dagger."

"Which he planned to use on Rebekah," I said. "But instead . . ."

"We drove it through his heart," Stefan finished.

"And what happens when he asks o see Mikael's body?" Elena asked.

"Good point," Damon said.  "You, my brother, have been compelled to do what Klaus says. So the idea is to lure him back here and kill him--last thing we need is you getting tripped up and tongue tied."

"Well, don't look at me," Stefan said. "I am just in charge of getting him back here."

"Klaus is smart," I said. "If we tell him that Mikael is dead, he'll want proof."

"Than I shall be dead," Mikael said behind us.

I started to walk toward him with Stefan and Elena following.

"What if he wants to see you in person?" Elena asked.

"Well, that means our plan is working," Mikael answered. "Klaus will absolutely want to see my body. You lure him here, and I will kill him."

"With what?" I asked. "Those daggers won't work on him."

"Well, I'm in possession of a stake fashioned from the wood of the ancient white oak tree. The one that left these ashes when it burned."

"Where is it?" Stefan asked.

"Not here," Mikael replied. "The knowing of its location is my insurance policy."

"Against what?" Stefan asked.

"You leaving this in my heart," Mikael answered. "You see, a vampire can't dagger an Original without dying." He looked toward me and Elena. "So, it falls to one of you."

He held the dagger toward us, waiting for one of us to take it. He was leaving the choice up to us.

"Y--you want one of us to actually dagger you?" Elena asked.

"Klaus will leave nothing to chance, especially trust," Mikael answered.

Elena looked at me with a shaky breath.

~

Now

"Well, he is here," Stefan told Klaus on the phone as he stood, looking down on Mikael. "Come by whenever."

He looked toward me.

~

Flashback

Mikael held the dagger toward us, waiting for one of us to take it. He was leaving the choice up to us.

Elena looked at me with a shaky breath, shaking her hand. "I--I can't."