Book One: Panacea (A. Saltzman)

Chapter Twenty-Six

Anna pushes Elena down on the ground, across Pearl's lap, and holds Elena's wrist up to her mouth. Elena struggles, but Pearl, smelling the blood, begins to drink from her.

"No, please don't!" Elena pleads.

"I'm gonna get you out." Anna tells her mother. An arrow pierces Anna's shoulder as Diana and Stefan run towards them. Diana knocks another arrow.

"Let her go!" Diana snaps. Anna stares at them both. "Stefan" Diana offers, he nods and grabs Anna and pushes her aside.

"No!" Stefan grabs Elena and pulls her up, pushing her towards Diana.

"Go, get her out of here," He tells Diana who takes Elena's hand and pulls her closer to her.

"Stefan" Elena whispers.

"I'm right behind you." He assures Elena, he and Diana share a look, she nods a little and pulls Elena along with her as she leads her away from Anna. Stefan blocks Anna from chasing down Elena.

"Anna." Anna rushes to her mother's side, caressing her face in her hands and crying happily. "Annabelle."

................

Diana pushes Elena towards the exit when they close in on it.

"Go" Diana tells her, and turns to ready her bow, as if facing down a threat. She's not, she's just buying a little time. Bonnie and Sheila are looking through the grimoire when Elena exits the tomb.

"Elena..." Bonnie whispers and glances to the door as Diana stops, she pushes her hand out and then steps through the door. She and Sheila share a look. Thankfully, the barrier thought Diana is more human than she actuall is. "Stefan..." Bonnie starts.

"He's right behind us" Elena assures her, Diana looks down as Bonnie and Sheila look at the entrance to the tomb. Elena turns around and sees Stefan standing in the doorway. Elena walks up to him, worried. "Stefan, what are you doing?"

"It's gonna be okay. We'll fix it." Stefan tells Elena.

"What is it?"

"I can't."

"Can't? Can't what?" Elena asks Stefan.

"The spell's still up. We can't get them out yet." Bonnie admits.

"You went in there not knowing if you could come back out?" Elena asks Stefan, he looks down, not answering, but still answering her at the same time. "Oh, my God."

"I heard you scream." Stefan whispers softly.

"We can't leave him in there. We promised him. Both of us." Elena reminds Stefan.

"I know."

"Even if we're able to break through the seal, we won't be able to hold it for long." Sheila warns Stefan. Stefan nods and heads back into the tomb to find Damon.

............

Sheila and Bonnie are reciting the spell to lift the seal as Elena circles around them. The torches flare up and Elena looks towards the tomb.

"I think it's working." Elena states. Then Anna exits the tomb with Pearl, who is still weak.

"I just wanted my mother back. Jeremy's fine. I won't touch him." Anna and Pearl leave. The torches begin to falter.

"Bonnie, keep going!" Sheila whispers and then looks at Diana and Elena. "They better hurry."

"Stefan, they can't hold it much longer!" Elena shouts into the tomb. The torches extinguish themselves. Bonnie looks faint and Sheila doesn't look much better. Elena runs back into the tomb.