Book Four: Solitude (A. Saltzman)

Chapter Thirty-Four

Inside the lake house, Shane has started up the pendulum of a metronome which ticks slowly back and forth. There are also candles lit. Shane tightens some thick leather straps around Jeremy's wrist which ties Jeremy down into a chair. Jeremy has his eyes shut and appears to be in a trance. Bonnie and Elena sit next to each other and across from Jeremy. Diana lingers at the edge of the room, not really wanting to be part of this. It's a stupid idea.

"All Jeremy feels when he sees a vampire is a burning desire to kill them, even if consciously he doesn't want to," Shane informs them. "As in your case" Shane looks at Elena. "It's his subconscious that's calling the shots."

"Persuasion helps reverse your subconscious thoughts." Bonnie offers Jeremy.

"Think of it as kind of a conditioned response, right? See vampire, kill vampire. What I'm doing is creating kind of a middle step. It's like a detour, where his subconscious learns to recognize you as someone he loves, someone he wants to protect. And that gives him a choice. He can choose to take the detour instead of the conditioned response." Shane sits on the table next to Jeremy and speaks to Elena. "Okay. Talk to him. He'll listen."

"I'm not sure what to say," Elena admits.

"You chose to do this here at your family's vacation house, right? So, maybe just start by telling him why." Shane offers, Elena nods and looks at Diana before she steps closer to Jeremy.

"Every holiday, we came here," Elena admits. "This place was family. And when mom and dad died, Jenna made us come here and we thought it was an awful idea, but it was like they were here with us." Jeremy opens his eyes and looks at Elena. Bonnie smiles and looks from Jeremy to Elena. "They would have wanted us to stick together, Jer. To fight for each other, no matter what." Elena becomes silent and Jeremy continues to look at her.

"Jeremy, how do you feel about Elena right now?" Shane asks. Elena looks at him, eagerly.

"She ruined our lives. She's not even my real sister. She's just the reason that everyone I've ever loved has died, everyone Diana has ever loved has died. She means nothing to me. I will kill her even if that means I die myself." Jeremy admits coldly. Elena starts to get upset. Shane raps his knuckles against the wooden table which brings Jeremy out of his trance. He looks from Shane to Elena. "Did it work?" Bonnie, Shane, and Elena do not respond and look disappointed in the results of this hypnosis.

"Shocking" Diana mumbles and then leaves the room, heading upstairs to check on the twins.

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

Later; Jeremy is sitting on the sofa, looking through old family photos. Bonnie walks into the room.

"You okay? Shane wants to try again." Bonnie tells him, Jeremy gets up and looks at her. Diana enters the room and crosses her arms over her chest.

"I think Professor Shane has been dipping into the magical herbs a little too much;" Diana offers. "If he thinks using a vampire to suppress the need to kill another one is gonna work on a Hunter." She adds, Jeremy cocks his head. "It's like dangling a cheeseburger in front of someone on a master cleanse. Just find someone else to attach your warm and fuzzy detour feelings to," Diana offers, over the course of Diana's little speech, she has glanced at Bonnie numerous times, clearly hinting to Jeremy who he should place his feelings on. "Gee, I wonder who that could be." Jeremy looks at Bonnie.

"You." Bonnie looks at him, slightly shocked. "I feel that way about you." Bonnie looks at him with a small smile. Jeremy can't help but grin as well.

"Well, this isn't awkward at all. I'll be anywhere else." Bonnie sighs deeply as Diana leaves the room.

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

"What are you doing?" Alaric asks Diana as she organises the trunk of her jeep, she hums a little in question. "Jeremy and Bonnie?" He elaborates.

"Someone has to look after him" She admits. "You know..if anything were to happen to me....or Elena" Alaric frowns at little at her.

"Why?" he asks. "What do you plan on doing?" She shakes her head and touches her ear. Alaric steps closer to her and raises an eyebrow. She sighs and scratches at her head.

"Nothing" She answers. "It's just in case...." She shrugs. "You know how things are" He doesn't look convinced at all by that. She closes the trunk and heads back towards the house. Diana wraps her fingers around the axe as she passes where it is embedded in the ground. Damon appears in front of her, stopping her.

"What are you doing?" Damon asks her, she sets the axe across her hands.

"What I should have done from the start" she answers. "Shane is a pain in our asses and I want to know why he wants the cure and I want to know why he's helping" Damon looks at the axe and then at Diana, he steps aside and motions for her to carry on.

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

Elena is standing at the end of the dock, wrapped in a blanket. Shane is standing with her. Suddenly, Diana starts to walk towards them with an axe in hand, Damon follows after her, he kind of want to see what happens here.

"If your Hypno herbs work, we should be singing "Kumbaya" around the fire by dinner." Diana offers, she stops and stands a few feet away from Elena and Shane, holding the axe in front of her with both hands. "So now, tell me why I'm not killing you?" Elena takes a step towards Diana.

"Di" Elena begs.

"I'm serious. Why are you after the vampire cure?" Diana counters. Shane walks forward a few steps towards Diana, not taking his eyes off her.

"I didn't say I was looking for the cure, but I can tell you where to find it." Diana steps closer to him.

"Klaus' sword will tell us where to find it." Diana counters.

"The sword will lead you there, sure, but so can I."

"What? How?" Elena asks. Shane continues to look at Diana.

"'Cause I've already been there." Elena and Damon look at each other, shocked. Diana scoffs and shakes her head, she lowers the axe and then steps closer to him, she sets her fingers to his forehead. "What are you?!" Shane goes to pull away from her. Damon is instantly at his back and holds him still, stopping him from moving away.

"You're going to let her in" Damon warns and nods at Diana who delves into Shane's mind.