It is what it is -- 6/8
For the record: I still hate last week's episode. Just thought I'd say that. Anyways, finally figured out how many chapters are still to come and even though two chapters might not sound like a lot, I'm already thinking about turning this into a verse and doing a second story for it. Entirely possible, what do you think?
Many, MANY thanks again to ellensmithee for beta and ghostfour for even more hand holding and being the awesome person that she is. Stop grinning at me like that, hun! ;)
Disclaimer: STILL don't own the boys (and I think Alaric might not be too sad about that.... :D )
Does anyone know why the freaking text-alignment panel no longer shows on the editor? Html code for "align text right" doesn't seem to work either. Me not like that! :(
*** *** ***
Everything you say to me
takes me one step closer to the edge
and I'm about to break
One step closer -- Linkin Park
*** *** ***
It feels like he is losing his grip on reality.
Damon is there, close, a solid presence that keeps him grounded, but at the same time the vampire isn’t making much sense, he’s talking, asking him to trust him and… something else that Alaric just can’t seem to grasp right now. He knows something has changed between them, something has been set in motion and he isn’t prepared to face it, it has no right being there, shouldn’t be real enough to be able to distract him-
But before he can figure out what exactly he is getting himself into, there’s a voice that’s not Damon’s and it’s saying… something, but he doesn’t listen, is too focused on the man so close to him-
And then Damon is gone, moving too fast for his dizzy brain to track his movements. Alaric frowns and blinks several times, scanning the darkness in front of him until he sees a familiar figure standing in the middle of the room, staring at the open door.
It takes him a moment to realize there is someone there, leaning casually against the wall. He’s seen that someone before, it’s the nice hair dude, whatsisname… Elijah? The Original they had put their trust in, the brother of the son of the bitch who killed Jenna. His stomach twists sickeningly as a wave of remembered rage-anger-helplessness-HATE rolls over him, stealing his breath until it becomes too loud for his aching head. He settles for pulling his brows into a displeased frown and that’s as far as he gets before the flash of adrenaline is gone as quickly as it appeared and he’s left feeling drained, too tired, almost, to keep his eyes open.
He can’t sleep now, there’s something that requires his attention, something important…
Damon and Elijah are looking at each other, Alaric can’t see Damon’s face from where he is sitting, but the vampire is tense, ready to move.
Elijah is wearing his trademark I couldn’t care less about you expression, one brow raised, the rest of his features impassive, yet attentive.
“… to believe that you’re here to save our asses?” Damon is growling, sounding incredulous.
Elijah’s gaze wanders from him to Alaric who tenses under the sudden scrutiny, feeling his hackles come up at the calculating look he receives.
“Strictly speaking, I am here for Mr. Saltzman. Saving your ass should be considered a lucky coincidence on your behalf, not part of my original plan.”
“What do you want with him?” Damon’s voice is strained and belatedly Alaric realizes that ‘him’, in this context, actually means him-him. He frowns and sits up straighter, eyeing the Original wearily. He doesn’t like it, not tonight, no hidden vampire agendas for him, not with his head about to fall off his shoulders-
“It’s not so much him as a person that I am interested in, as in what’s in his head that’s of importance to me.”
Pain, Alaric thinks dizzily, all there is, in his head, is pain. He’s not very keen on keeping it.
Before him, Damon shifts. “What’s in his head?”
Elijah shifts his attention to Damon and pauses, for a moment it seems as if he is debating what exactly to tell them, how much they need to know. “When Klaus possessed him, Alaric was exposed to my brother’s thoughts and plans-his secrets, information that may be crucial in finding him, information I need.”
“I don’t remember anything about his plans,” Alaric hears himself say and is surprised at how weak and scratchy his voice sounds. Damon turns to look at him, but Alaric can’t see his face against the light coming from behind him.
“My brother compelled you to forget everything, but it’s there. I am curious, do you have… nightmares? Flashbacks that seem too real? Are you hearing voices that aren’t there?”
Alaric tenses and his heart skips a beat, then starts racing all of a sudden, setting up a painful, panicked rhythm in his chest. He swallows heavily, unable to find his voice to answer.
Elijah studies him, then nods to himself. “It is there and I have the means to get it out and use it.”
“How?” Alaric can’t help the tremor in his voice, the idea of having to find out whatever sick plans and ideas that fucked up hybrid left in his head scares the crap out of him. Not to mention the fact that he will apparently be having yet another Original snooping around his head without his permission.
“Let’s just say that I can lift his compulsion and set the memories free. As for how exactly I’m going to do that, Ric, you should take my word for it that I won’t damage you… permanently. It will certainly hurt less than the many hangovers you’ve induced while trying to drown your memories.”
“Take your word for it?” Damon huffs drily. “If you had kept your word my brother wouldn’t be on a killing spree with your psychotic half-breed right now.”
“And you would be dead.”
There’s a pause in which nobody moves and then Elijah shifts, a subtle movement- and the atmosphere in the small room changes. Even though his expression remains the same, the very air around the older vampire seems to vibrate with a sudden tension and for just a second, for the blink of an eye Alaric feels a different presence beneath the calm appearance, some powerful, lethal being, barely kept in check-ancient-
-and then it’s gone. It’s a warning, an order to back off, and even Damon seems to catch the not so hidden meaning and takes a step back, away from Elijah.
The Original seems as relaxed as always. “I am very aware of my involvement in this… most unfortunate situation, but I’m afraid you will have to take my word for it, however compromised it might be.”
“Why do you even need to know about his plans? Aren’t you two working together toward some… higher goal? Isn’t that why you saved him?” Alaric has no idea what possesses him to ask that question when it’s more than obvious that Elijah doesn’t want to talk about the ritual and its consequences. He half expects to receive a warning glare-or something more… painful, but the vampire simply looks at him, face as impassive as ever.
“Klaus took advantage of a personal weak spot… a mistake I will not allow to be repeated.”
“So he betrayed you? Can’t imagine how much that would suck…”
Damon seems to be having a death wish, Alaric flinches at the sarcasm that’s all but dripping from his voice-but, again, Elijah surprises him by merely arching an eyebrow at the younger vampire and remaining disturbingly calm.
Alaric shifts slightly, too aware of the tense atmosphere. “If you wanted our help, why didn’t you just ask? Why this setup?”
Elijah steps away from the wall and takes a look around the small cell. “This? This isn’t my doing, I am merely here to prevent your untimely demise.”
“Then who-“ Damon starts, but Elijah interrupts him.
“My brother. He’s become aware of you looking for him and this is meant to be a warning to stop. He can’t harm you as part of the deal between him and your brother, but Alaric’s death would have served as a clear message to make you behave. And he would have made sure that the information in his head would be… inaccessible.”
“Because I would be dead…” Alaric feels dizzy, but this time it has nothing to do with his head injury.
“As far as my brother is concerned, you are. At least that’s what the gentlemen who brought you here are compelled to report to him. I suggest that you keep a low profile for the following weeks until the situation is dealt with.”
“Keep a low profile? You want me to disappear… for weeks?”
“You do not seem to understand the severity of the situation, Klaus cannot, under any circumstances, know that you are still alive. Your laying low is not a request, it is a requirement.” Elijah watches him for a moment, then shrugs, matter-of-fact. “With your connections to the local authorities I am sure you can arrange for a missing persons report in the newspapers that should keep Klaus off your track.”
Alaric can’t help it, he stares at the Original, stunned speechless. He can’t wrap his mind around how casually his fate is decided by someone who has no right to do anything like that. When exactly did he stop being a person?
“I can’t just… put everything on hold, I have a job, I have a life-“
“Why don’t you just pluck the information you need from his mind right now and save all of us a lot of trouble?” Damon’s tone is casual, almost cold, and Alaric wants to punch him for it, this, all of this is going to far-
“Because it is not as simple as lifting a compulsion made by a vampire of your limited powers, this… procedure requires time and a special preparation.”
Alaric snaps, just like that. It’s probably the concussion making him talk his mind, it’s definitely a very, very bad idea, but he doesn’t care, not anymore, he’s had enough.
“Forget it, I won’t do it, I’m not some puppet, you can’t just jerk the strings and make me dance, I can’t-“
He doesn’t get any further than that, one moment he’s on the ground, glaring up at Elijah standing in the doorway, the next he’s slammed into the wall behind him with so much force his bones reverberate with the impact. An ice-cold hand wraps around his throat, crushing his windpipe and immediately cutting off his words, keeping him pinned against the stone. His feet don’t touch the ground, there’s no way to relieve the strain on his neck and he barely has the strength to lift his hands to tug weakly at the arm that’s holding him.
Elijah is standing before him, looking up at him with dark eyes, his low voice no more than a whisper over the rushing in Alaric’s ears. “Do not believe for a second that I am not aware of the fact you’re a mere human standing in the way of my plan, Alaric. If I have any reason to suspect that you don’t do what is required of you, you will not appreciate the consequences.”
Alaric feels his vision dim and wants to panic, wants to fight back, but the pressure on his throat puts an end to everything, draining every ounce of strength he might have had left out of him. Elijah seems completely indifferent to his almost non-existent struggles and turns his head to look at Damon who’s standing a few feet away, fists clenched at his sides as he glares at the older vampire-but doesn’t move.
“As for you, Damon, know this: I do not have to let you out of this cell for my plan to work, I can very well leave you here until this is over…”
Alaric is having more and more difficulties staying conscious, his lungs are burning with lack of oxygen, his head is pounding so hard he sees flashes of colors streak across his vision with every heartbeat and his hearing is starting to fail. Despite his earlier claim that Elijah needs him for something, the Original seems intent on choking him to death and he’s hurting so damned much it actually starts to seem like a good idea to just give up…
He dimly hears Elijah say something to him and then he’s falling…
*** chapter 7 ***
Many, MANY thanks again to ellensmithee for beta and ghostfour for even more hand holding and being the awesome person that she is. Stop grinning at me like that, hun! ;)
Disclaimer: STILL don't own the boys (and I think Alaric might not be too sad about that.... :D )
Does anyone know why the freaking text-alignment panel no longer shows on the editor? Html code for "align text right" doesn't seem to work either. Me not like that! :(
*** *** ***
Everything you say to me
takes me one step closer to the edge
and I'm about to break
One step closer -- Linkin Park
*** *** ***
It feels like he is losing his grip on reality.
Damon is there, close, a solid presence that keeps him grounded, but at the same time the vampire isn’t making much sense, he’s talking, asking him to trust him and… something else that Alaric just can’t seem to grasp right now. He knows something has changed between them, something has been set in motion and he isn’t prepared to face it, it has no right being there, shouldn’t be real enough to be able to distract him-
But before he can figure out what exactly he is getting himself into, there’s a voice that’s not Damon’s and it’s saying… something, but he doesn’t listen, is too focused on the man so close to him-
And then Damon is gone, moving too fast for his dizzy brain to track his movements. Alaric frowns and blinks several times, scanning the darkness in front of him until he sees a familiar figure standing in the middle of the room, staring at the open door.
It takes him a moment to realize there is someone there, leaning casually against the wall. He’s seen that someone before, it’s the nice hair dude, whatsisname… Elijah? The Original they had put their trust in, the brother of the son of the bitch who killed Jenna. His stomach twists sickeningly as a wave of remembered rage-anger-helplessness-HATE rolls over him, stealing his breath until it becomes too loud for his aching head. He settles for pulling his brows into a displeased frown and that’s as far as he gets before the flash of adrenaline is gone as quickly as it appeared and he’s left feeling drained, too tired, almost, to keep his eyes open.
He can’t sleep now, there’s something that requires his attention, something important…
Damon and Elijah are looking at each other, Alaric can’t see Damon’s face from where he is sitting, but the vampire is tense, ready to move.
Elijah is wearing his trademark I couldn’t care less about you expression, one brow raised, the rest of his features impassive, yet attentive.
“… to believe that you’re here to save our asses?” Damon is growling, sounding incredulous.
Elijah’s gaze wanders from him to Alaric who tenses under the sudden scrutiny, feeling his hackles come up at the calculating look he receives.
“Strictly speaking, I am here for Mr. Saltzman. Saving your ass should be considered a lucky coincidence on your behalf, not part of my original plan.”
“What do you want with him?” Damon’s voice is strained and belatedly Alaric realizes that ‘him’, in this context, actually means him-him. He frowns and sits up straighter, eyeing the Original wearily. He doesn’t like it, not tonight, no hidden vampire agendas for him, not with his head about to fall off his shoulders-
“It’s not so much him as a person that I am interested in, as in what’s in his head that’s of importance to me.”
Pain, Alaric thinks dizzily, all there is, in his head, is pain. He’s not very keen on keeping it.
Before him, Damon shifts. “What’s in his head?”
Elijah shifts his attention to Damon and pauses, for a moment it seems as if he is debating what exactly to tell them, how much they need to know. “When Klaus possessed him, Alaric was exposed to my brother’s thoughts and plans-his secrets, information that may be crucial in finding him, information I need.”
“I don’t remember anything about his plans,” Alaric hears himself say and is surprised at how weak and scratchy his voice sounds. Damon turns to look at him, but Alaric can’t see his face against the light coming from behind him.
“My brother compelled you to forget everything, but it’s there. I am curious, do you have… nightmares? Flashbacks that seem too real? Are you hearing voices that aren’t there?”
Alaric tenses and his heart skips a beat, then starts racing all of a sudden, setting up a painful, panicked rhythm in his chest. He swallows heavily, unable to find his voice to answer.
Elijah studies him, then nods to himself. “It is there and I have the means to get it out and use it.”
“How?” Alaric can’t help the tremor in his voice, the idea of having to find out whatever sick plans and ideas that fucked up hybrid left in his head scares the crap out of him. Not to mention the fact that he will apparently be having yet another Original snooping around his head without his permission.
“Let’s just say that I can lift his compulsion and set the memories free. As for how exactly I’m going to do that, Ric, you should take my word for it that I won’t damage you… permanently. It will certainly hurt less than the many hangovers you’ve induced while trying to drown your memories.”
“Take your word for it?” Damon huffs drily. “If you had kept your word my brother wouldn’t be on a killing spree with your psychotic half-breed right now.”
“And you would be dead.”
There’s a pause in which nobody moves and then Elijah shifts, a subtle movement- and the atmosphere in the small room changes. Even though his expression remains the same, the very air around the older vampire seems to vibrate with a sudden tension and for just a second, for the blink of an eye Alaric feels a different presence beneath the calm appearance, some powerful, lethal being, barely kept in check-ancient-
-and then it’s gone. It’s a warning, an order to back off, and even Damon seems to catch the not so hidden meaning and takes a step back, away from Elijah.
The Original seems as relaxed as always. “I am very aware of my involvement in this… most unfortunate situation, but I’m afraid you will have to take my word for it, however compromised it might be.”
“Why do you even need to know about his plans? Aren’t you two working together toward some… higher goal? Isn’t that why you saved him?” Alaric has no idea what possesses him to ask that question when it’s more than obvious that Elijah doesn’t want to talk about the ritual and its consequences. He half expects to receive a warning glare-or something more… painful, but the vampire simply looks at him, face as impassive as ever.
“Klaus took advantage of a personal weak spot… a mistake I will not allow to be repeated.”
“So he betrayed you? Can’t imagine how much that would suck…”
Damon seems to be having a death wish, Alaric flinches at the sarcasm that’s all but dripping from his voice-but, again, Elijah surprises him by merely arching an eyebrow at the younger vampire and remaining disturbingly calm.
Alaric shifts slightly, too aware of the tense atmosphere. “If you wanted our help, why didn’t you just ask? Why this setup?”
Elijah steps away from the wall and takes a look around the small cell. “This? This isn’t my doing, I am merely here to prevent your untimely demise.”
“Then who-“ Damon starts, but Elijah interrupts him.
“My brother. He’s become aware of you looking for him and this is meant to be a warning to stop. He can’t harm you as part of the deal between him and your brother, but Alaric’s death would have served as a clear message to make you behave. And he would have made sure that the information in his head would be… inaccessible.”
“Because I would be dead…” Alaric feels dizzy, but this time it has nothing to do with his head injury.
“As far as my brother is concerned, you are. At least that’s what the gentlemen who brought you here are compelled to report to him. I suggest that you keep a low profile for the following weeks until the situation is dealt with.”
“Keep a low profile? You want me to disappear… for weeks?”
“You do not seem to understand the severity of the situation, Klaus cannot, under any circumstances, know that you are still alive. Your laying low is not a request, it is a requirement.” Elijah watches him for a moment, then shrugs, matter-of-fact. “With your connections to the local authorities I am sure you can arrange for a missing persons report in the newspapers that should keep Klaus off your track.”
Alaric can’t help it, he stares at the Original, stunned speechless. He can’t wrap his mind around how casually his fate is decided by someone who has no right to do anything like that. When exactly did he stop being a person?
“I can’t just… put everything on hold, I have a job, I have a life-“
“Why don’t you just pluck the information you need from his mind right now and save all of us a lot of trouble?” Damon’s tone is casual, almost cold, and Alaric wants to punch him for it, this, all of this is going to far-
“Because it is not as simple as lifting a compulsion made by a vampire of your limited powers, this… procedure requires time and a special preparation.”
Alaric snaps, just like that. It’s probably the concussion making him talk his mind, it’s definitely a very, very bad idea, but he doesn’t care, not anymore, he’s had enough.
“Forget it, I won’t do it, I’m not some puppet, you can’t just jerk the strings and make me dance, I can’t-“
He doesn’t get any further than that, one moment he’s on the ground, glaring up at Elijah standing in the doorway, the next he’s slammed into the wall behind him with so much force his bones reverberate with the impact. An ice-cold hand wraps around his throat, crushing his windpipe and immediately cutting off his words, keeping him pinned against the stone. His feet don’t touch the ground, there’s no way to relieve the strain on his neck and he barely has the strength to lift his hands to tug weakly at the arm that’s holding him.
Elijah is standing before him, looking up at him with dark eyes, his low voice no more than a whisper over the rushing in Alaric’s ears. “Do not believe for a second that I am not aware of the fact you’re a mere human standing in the way of my plan, Alaric. If I have any reason to suspect that you don’t do what is required of you, you will not appreciate the consequences.”
Alaric feels his vision dim and wants to panic, wants to fight back, but the pressure on his throat puts an end to everything, draining every ounce of strength he might have had left out of him. Elijah seems completely indifferent to his almost non-existent struggles and turns his head to look at Damon who’s standing a few feet away, fists clenched at his sides as he glares at the older vampire-but doesn’t move.
“As for you, Damon, know this: I do not have to let you out of this cell for my plan to work, I can very well leave you here until this is over…”
Alaric is having more and more difficulties staying conscious, his lungs are burning with lack of oxygen, his head is pounding so hard he sees flashes of colors streak across his vision with every heartbeat and his hearing is starting to fail. Despite his earlier claim that Elijah needs him for something, the Original seems intent on choking him to death and he’s hurting so damned much it actually starts to seem like a good idea to just give up…
He dimly hears Elijah say something to him and then he’s falling…
*** chapter 7 ***