Book Three: Ineffable (A. Saltzman)

Chapter Thirty-Six

At the hospital, Alaric is lying down on an MRI couch, about to go into the MRI scanner. Elena, Diana, and Meredith are in the control room, preparing to scan Alaric.

"What are you looking for?" Elena asks.

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

"And if it's not?" Elena asks, Diana snaps her head around to her.

"Then we'll deal with that too." Diana answers, she and Elena share a look, Elena nods.

..........

A technician slides Alaric inside the machine. Alaric stares at his reflection in the mirror placed above him.

........

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

"Took me longer than it should have" Diana answers. "I've read that journal, more than once, and it never occurred to me...."

"You didn't think it would ever happen to him?" Elena asks her, Diana nods.

"Never realised it was the stupid ring" Diana adds.

..........

Alaric continues to stare at his reflection in the mirror in the MRI machine. His reflection glares down at him, but Alaric is not making the same expression. Alaric starts to panic. Meredith talks to him over a speaker.

"Everything alright in there?" She asks him. Alaric closes his eyes and opens them, he stares at his reflection again, its expression is the same as his.

"Yeah. Yeah, everything's okay." He assures her.

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

After the scan, Alaric is in a regular hospital room getting ready to leave, Diana walks into the room.

"Meredith says that everything is normal." She points out sadly, he nods.

"Yeah, well, everything is normal, because there is nothing 'normal' wrong with me." He argues a little and then looks at her. She looks away from him and clenches her jaw. He sighs and moves towards her. "I'm sorry" he tells her sadly as he looks down at the ring in his palm.

"Elena's going to call Bonnie, the rings were made by a Bennett witch so maybe a witch can reverse the damage." She offers quietly. He holds out his hand to her and shows her the ring.

"Take it. I don't want it any more." He tells her. "Not if it is the reason I am doing these things, not if it is the reason that I am hurting you" She looks down at the ring. "Please" he begs. "Take it" she takes the ring from him. "Let's go home" she nods a little.

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

Alaric touches the side of one of the cribs in the nursery and sighs. The way things are going he is actually scared he is not going to live long enough to see his children, or much of their childhood, that is the best case. He clutches to the wood and closes his eyes. After everything they've been through, he might not get an ending here.

"Ric?" He turns to finds Diana in the doorway. He frowns a little and notes that she's all dressed up to go out.

"Where are you going?" he asks her.

"Restoration of the bridge fundraiser" She admits as she pulls on her jacket.

"Didn't we already go to that?" He counters, she shrugs.

"This is another one" She whispers. He moves closer to her.

"We're okay, right?" he asks her.

"Of course" She assures him. "Just....a lot to deal with" he nods in agreement. She touches his cheek and gives him a small smile. His hand finds her bump and he lets out a breath. "You don't have to come with me" She tells him.

"I want to" he assures her. "I don't want to be stuck in here all day" she nods a little.

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

Construction workers are restoring the Wickery Bridge, and townspeople are there for the restoration fundraiser. Alaric, Diana, and Damon walk towards the gathered townspeople. Damon looks at Rebekah who is speaking to Carol Lockwood.

"Rebekah's up to something. She's been snooping around in places she shouldn't be." Damon points out.

"Tell me again, why are we here?" Alaric asks.

"Ric, the world can't stop just because you're an accidental psycho killer." Damon answers, Diana shoots him a look.

"Do you have any tact whatsoever?" She scolds him. Carol approaches them.

"Alaric, I'm glad you're here. Did you bring the sign?" Carol asks Alaric who appears confused. "The restored Wickery Bridge sign. The history department promised me you'd have it today."

"I- I don't have the sign actually it slipped...it slipped my mind. I've been...busy." Alaric offers.

"Well, it's not an emergency. We'll just um- unveil it when the bridge is complete." Carol assures him and then walks away.

"Get me outta here." Alaric begs Diana who nods.

"My pleasure."

"I'm gonna stick around for a bit." Damon counters. He is looking at Sage who looks back at him and smiles.

"Who is that?" Alaric asks.

"Blast from the past." Damon walks over to Sage. Alaric and Diana share a look, she gives him a sad smile and squeezes his hand.

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

Alaric is in the Gilbert dining room, reading through a file on him and his personal history. Diana walks over to the table with a glass and a bottle of whiskey.

"I really don't think you should be looking through that stuff." She points out as she sets the glass and bottle down next to him.

"Ah, it's the truth, restraining orders and all. My life in a series of police reports."

"You've never striked me as an angry guy." She assures him as she sits at his side. "Which sounds weird, given everything, but you don't."

"Yeah, well I was stupid when I was younger. But, listen, it's not like these guys didn't have it coming. I mean, this guy here, broke a beer bottle over a bartender's head. This guy, hit his girlfriend. This guy, okay, this guy was just a douche." Diana smiles at him, he touches her cheek. "Everyone needs to find a way to deal with their dark side. Some people meditate. I became a vampire hunter. You locked yours away" he touches her necklace and then holds it between his fingers. He releases it and sighs, rubbing the finger where the ring used to be. "The thing that started all this ring stuff was me being angry enough to think I could take on a vampire in the first place." He admits, she takes his hand in her own. "But I guess I never would have met you" he whispers as he holds to her hand, his free hand curling around her cheek. "I love you" he assures her. "More than anything or anyone" she covers his hand on her face.