Impossible, Ch 8: Control
Impossible
Disclaimer: The characters and other things from The Vampire Diaries don't belong to me. Credit goes to the rightful owners.
Chapter 8: Control
Klaus threw the phone at the wall the second he found the will to end the call. He growled at the smashed remains of the device, finding it maddening that the doppelganger affected him. He held his head with both hands and howled with frustration.
He could feel Damon in his head, in every part of him, even if the other one kept silent in a corner of his mind. It was something unexpected for Klaus. It wasn't supposed to be this way. His host was supposed to be dormant and a complete slave to his presence, but this was different. Klaus could feel every damn instinctive reaction of Damon's body, every emotion even if he didn't understand the motivations. He felt insanely protective of the woman he just spoke to even if his mind kept telling him that her life meant nothing. Elena is the sacrifice, end of story. Yet, somehow, Klaus could not write her off because every cell in his body rebelled against the thought.
In his mind he yelled at Damon, swore at him and tried to forcibly push him out but he found himself running circles as his enemy remained completely impassive. Klaus could feel Damon's silence was intentional. Klaus felt he was being watched and that Damon was plotting, waiting for the right moment…for something. In a fit of rage, Klaus punched through the wall and watched Damon's hand bleed then heal, no pain penetrating his intended victim.
Klaus wanted to beat out the emotions that lingered in his undead heart. It felt unnatural to him and prevented him from adapting to his new form. His desire to succeed was slowly being matched by the need to see Elena unhurt, the thirst for power drowning in a sea of confusion and the only thing he could see clearly was her face.
He shook his head violently as he continued to pace in the living room of Elena's home. It didn't take a genius to unravel Damon's motivations for what he had the witch do. Somehow, Damon would sacrifice himself to seal the curse and since Klaus was in there with him, they would both die. Elena will be saved, as everyone else will be. Klaus understood it was risky at best and had a very slim chance of success but he had to recognize the sheer brilliance and how it tied up loose ends quite nicely. But this isn't what astounded him. He knew somewhere down the line someone will come close to cheating him of his destiny. He just never anticipated that he could actually lose.
Klaus growled as he cast out the idea from his head in an effort to convince himself that there was no threat to his success. He just needed to make sure that this body won't betray him, not now when he was so close. He glanced at Jenna's body that was draped unceremoniously across the sofa, her chest rising and falling as she remained completely unaware of the danger she was in. Klaus clenched his fists as he felt a wave of concern and the urge to protect another one of Elena's loved ones. He looked away sharply focusing on a random point in the room until he managed to drown out and switch off all his emotions.
But even in his stillness, Klaus felt himself answering to desires that weren't his own. Conscious but somehow just an observer to his actions, he found his feet taking steps one after the other up the stairs, stopping only when it arrived at its destination.
He made an irritated noise as he stood in the middle of the room, speaking to a man he knew would never respond, "Your impulses are very annoying, Damon. But I'll play just this once. Let's have a look, shall we?"
Klaus looked around Elena's room, picking up random things-a stuffed bear, trinkets and pictures of her family. He frowned as he held Elena's picture in his hand, scrutinizing it and finding nothing special about her other than the fact that she was a doppelganger. There was nothing that suggested to Klaus why the people around her displayed such unfailing loyalty. He could not understand the lengths they would go for her. He didn't understand why they can't just give her up. But most of all, Klaus could not understand how Damon's love could be so cripplingly powerful.
Another low growl escaped him as he remembered the feeling that almost knocked him off his feet when he heard Elena's voice on the line. It was almost inexplicable that he felt so connected to her when Damon's consciousness was shut down. Damon's body was functioning but only under Klaus' direction. He wasn't there. Be that as it may, Klaus had to fight his way through their brief exchange to lure her out so they can begin the ritual and maybe then end this madness once and for all.
He crumpled the photograph in his hand and moved to throw it to the ground but something stopped him. Instead he smoothed it out again and left it where he found it, bestowing on it a final glance before leaving the bedroom, feeling a pang of guilt as he walked out.
"I don't know what kind of spell your witch cast, Damon," Klaus whispered, "But I will win this. I will bear even your pain of watching her die a thousand deaths if it means I break this curse. Count on it."
But even as he said it, Klaus felt his doubts confirmed…there is a chance he won't succeed because already he was already fighting a losing battle of not falling in love with Elena.
Elena stood in front of her own home, unsure of whether she should take the next step or not. She fought to come here, alone as Klaus asked. Echoes of their arguments and explanations bounced around in her head. She swallowed the lump in her throat as she recalled Bonnie's tearful apology and the message from Anna that gave her the tiniest bit of hope.
Anna drove Damon to the pits of despair to test him, to find out if his love would be enough that they would have this chance to survive. She knew all along that to save Elena, Damon's sacrifice required him to be possessed by Klaus. This meant that Damon will have to fight his way through that invasion of his existence and the only anchor that will keep him from completely going under would be his love for Elena-IF it were strong enough. Then at the last moment, he will be able to drain whatever part of Klaus is in him and let the curse die along with him. But of course, Damon could very well lose himself before it got that far or even if he managed to get to that point…the ritual may just kill him too.
Elena pulled out her house key from her pocket and took a deep breath as she started walking towards the door. She held on to Anna's words, trying to keep from falling apart and believing that all was not yet lost. She tried to prepare herself mentally, telling herself that she had to stay focused and get Jenna out. For now, that was the only thing she had to do and she prayed that everything else will just fall into place.
She took a deep breath and tried to block out what she really wanted to do, which was to get Klaus out of Damon. Elena wanted to talk to Damon and just let him know that she will be with him on this. She wanted another day with him, another week and a lifetime of moments to create and recreate without any of this hanging over their heads. She just wanted him.
Elena put the key in the lock but before she could turn the knob, the door swung open and he stood before her, looking every bit the man she fell in love with. Her mouth fell open slightly as she stared at him, unaware of anything but the look he gave her, as if he felt everything that was going through her that same moment.
"Elena," Klaus said in Damon's voice, shattering the moment. Elena thought she heard a pained sigh escape him as he said her name but she dismissed it and went inside instead.
"Where is Jenna, Klaus?" Elena forced herself to say, choosing to regard him as he was at the moment. She looked at everything but him, finding it easier to keep it together if she pretended he wasn't really there.
Elena didn't need his response. She found her aunt in the living room, pale and unconscious. Elena knelt beside Jenna and shook her aunt gently. "What did you do to her?" Elena demanded before turning to Jenna again, "Wake up, Jenna. Wake up."
"She won't wake up…at least not yet." Klaus said, finally deigning to speak, "Greta has her under a spell, one that she will lift only at my command. Sit, Elena. We have much to discuss."
"No, let her go now. I'm here. You don't need her," Elena said standing and walking up to face him squarely, "Please."
Elena watched Klaus visibly struggle with how to respond. She saw flashes of pain, anger and pure hatred cross his features. Klaus remained silent as he stared at Elena, not trusting himself to speak because it might not be his words that come out of his traitorous mouth.
"Please," Elena repeated gently, "Please let her go."
Without intending it, his expression softened and Elena seized her chance and closed the distance between them so she could place her hand on his arm. Klaus pulled back as if her touch burned him, stepping back from her to restore the space between them.
Elena's mouth fell open slightly in surprise, her mind racing with the possibilities as hope sparked in her, finally letting go of all her doubts of what Anna got them into. With newfound courage she surged forward once more, and took his hand in both of hers, "Please, I'll stay…just let her go."
He didn't pull back this time. Elena watched his jaw clench tightly as he stared into her eyes, their blue depths stormy and almost impossible to read. But she held on, trusting her instinct that she had broken through somehow. Elena saw that he fought to appear calm even as he wanted to be angry with her and lash out.
"Fine," he replied hoarsely, the fight gone from his eyes, "Greta, take her and bring her safely to her nephew."
Elena noted how he worded his instructions and the surprise of the witch who appeared to have been watching them all this time from a corner in the room. Greta looked like she wanted to question Klaus but instead she chose to just carry out the order. She raised her hand and Jenna followed the motion like a puppet on a string, standing up clumsily with her eyes closed before walking out with Greta blindly.
Elena watched them go distrustfully until Klaus placed his free hand on top of hers and slowly released hers, squeezing first before completely letting go, "She'll be okay. Believe it or not, Elijah is not the only one who can keep his word."
She watched him sigh tiredly as he sat down in a chair, motioning for her to do the same, "Sit, Elena. We're going to be here quite awhile so you might as well get comfortable."
Elena sat down across from him, wondering how much she could get away with given his state, "Talk, I'm listening."
His blue eyes glared at her, "I can see you're enjoying how difficult your boyfriend is making my existence at this moment. I assure you, it is only an inconvenience and it won't be enough to keep me from my purpose."
"Then what are we waiting for?" Elena asked brazenly as Klaus suddenly gripped the side of the chair tightly, almost to the point of crushing it, "I'm defenseless and I'm willing. Let's end this."
Enraged, Klaus screamed and rushed Elena, pinning her against the wall by the neck, breathing harshly on her as he whispered, "Do not push me, Elena. I know who I am and wearing this body doesn't change the fact that I can kill you where you stand…and if I have to I will start bleeding you out right now so that only one drop is left in you by the time we start the sacrifice. Do you understand me?"
Elena stared into his eyes defiantly, "No."
"How dare y-" Klaus started but he was interrupted by Elena kissing him, their anger melting into each other as their lips moved together in perfect time. His hand fell away from her neck and found its way to her face, responding fully to her touch now and forgetting completely every evil he intended to do with her. The only thing that mattered was this moment.
And then something changed. Elena pulled back and watched him blinked several times in shock. His hands cupped her face as his forehead touched hers and he breathed out one word, "Elena."
Her eyes widened in surprise, "Damon!"
He breathed a sigh of relief as he pulled her in a tight embrace, "Elena, I'm so sorry. I can't…I couldn't do anything…I saw everything. I'm so sorry."
"Shhh...it's okay, Damon." Elena said as she smiled through unbidden tears, "We'll get through this. I promise you. This will work."
Damon pulled away from her and brushed a strand of hair from her face, "We don't have much time. You're going to have to pretend this didn't happen…that I wasn't able to break through. He needs to believe he's in control or at least getting better at it. Okay?"
Elena nodded silently, trying to memorize how he looked at her, the way only he could and how she knew that it was really him. She looked at him curiously when one side of his mouth turned up in a familiar smirk.
"I can't believe you kissed him," Damon said shaking his head, still finding a way to make light of the situation, "I should be jealous you know."
"It worked didn't it? I drew you out, didn't I?" Elena said matching his smile with a pained one of her own, knowing the reunion won't last.
He took a deep breath before closing the distance between them again, his fingers tracing the side of her face, "One more for the road?" he said as he lowered his lips to hers, a farewell that felt bittersweet and tragic.
Elena noticed the change, it was subtle but it was there, and the second she felt it she pushed herself away from him. She wiped her mouth disgustedly, tears still streaming down her face, as she glared at him.
The blue eyes that had looked at her lovingly just a few seconds ago now seemed like they belonged to a stranger. It spoke of arrogance and a triumph that could not be concealed.
"Did you really think that this was a fairy tale and true love's kiss can solve everything?" he taunted Elena as she turned away from him.
He didn't remember. Elena turned away from him so he wouldn't see her reaction. She didn't know how long she could keep in the dark so she opted to just get away from him. Klaus watched Elena storm up the stairs and then listened to her slam the door to her room. He wasn't worried she would leave. Greta had made sure that once she walked in, she wouldn't be able to leave. No, that wasn't what troubled him. Involuntarily, his fingers reached up to touch his lips and he closed his eyes as desire swept through him.
He felt her kiss and it still lingered like fire on his lips. He wanted it because his body longed for it. He hated it. He hated Damon and most of all he hated Elena.
"So this is what love feels like," Klaus whispered softly as he looked out the window, watching as a car pulled up in front of the house, "How unfortunate it won't be enough."
He walked calmly to the door and opened it, "You're late," he said by way of greeting.
"And you're in the wrong body," the woman said as she came up the steps, "He's in the car. I made him drink the potion just like you asked. He should be up in time for the ritual."
"It seems you're the only one who hasn't disappointed me today," he said as he held the door for her, "and you're supposed to be the one I can't trust."
Jules stopped to face him, leaning in closely as she whispered in his ear, "You still shouldn't. But you made me an offer I just couldn't refuse. You'd be wise not to disappoint me on that, son of Alexander."
Klaus merely smiled, "I wouldn't dare deceive Dimitri's daughter. This is our legacy, our curse to break, so for now we are allies, cousin."