Rebel Just For Kicks: Kol Mikaelson [1]

42: As I Lay Dying

MJ found herself phoning Elliot after she left the graveyard. She wanted nice, she wanted funny, and she wanted chill. She wanted as far from the three days of supernatural insanity as she could get. So, they sat on Skype, him talking about their summer plans, about his latest community theatre project, and about school work, and she let herself listen and smile and nod while staring at her unfinished notes from when Rose had been bitten.

A tiny voice in her head was telling her to let Damon die.

But then the competitive spirit yelled louder.

If she let Damon die, she'd be proving him right. It would mean he had every reason to lack faith in her, and – and, unlike when she was looking for Rose, Klaus had confirmed that a cure existed.

When MJ got her strategy together, she smiled, said goodbye to Elliot, then headed to the Lockwood Mansion.

"MJ!" Carol greeted her with a hug, "I was worried."

"Yeah, I crashed at Ric's."

One way to put it.

"Then I totally went down with something, and now Jenna..."

There was a cover story, but MJ hadn't learnt it, so she just let voice catch.

"It's fine," She waved a surprisingly dismissal hand, "I was in the hospital myself, so wouldn't've been around to take care of you."

She did a double-take, "Wait, what?"

"Yeah, I fell, didn't Tyler tell you?"

She looked fine...which meant witchy or vampire interference.

Probably Maddox considering he'd been guarding Tyler.

Tyler!

MJ perked up, "Is he here? Ty!"

She was tackled from behind in a hug.

"I missed you so much," Her body was about to cave in on itself.

She'd been so scared, and she hadn't known what might've happened to him, and she'd just trusted Jules to not kill him or hand him over to someone crazy, and now Jules was dead, and everything was –

No.

She was focusing on going forward.

"Can I steal Tyler for a bit, or is he grounded for life?"

"You're both grounded for life," Carol smiled, "But sure, go have fun."

"Thank you."

"Love you, mum."

That was weird to hear Tyler say.

He wasn't an 'I love you' kind of guy, but, he'd been through a lot, and he'd probably really missed his mum while he'd been gone.

They headed out the front door, and Tyler noticed a shift on her face.

He took it to mean something was wrong, "Oh no?"

"I'm really sorry."

"For what?"

"Caroline said you were caught up on the ritual...?"

He froze in his driveway, "Shit, MJ. I'm an idiot – are you okay?"

In.

Out.

"No," She let herself admit it, "I am anything but okay. But, there's a problem that still needs fixing, and I need something from you."

"...What?"