Elena's hands hovered over Stefan's cold, still chest, her tears dripping onto his shirt. She looked up at Bonnie, her eyes bloodshot and pleading. "Please, Bonnie. Do something. You're a witch, there has to be a spell, a ritual... anything."
Bonnie's expression was haunted, her voice barely a whisper. "The spirits... they won't answer for him, Elena. He's a vampire. To them, he's already been dead for a century. There's no balance to restore."
"Well, well, well. Look at what we have here. Quite the tragic tableau, isn't it?"
The voice didn't come from the door, but from the shadows of the sitting room. Damon spun around, his fangs dropping instantly. Michael was leaning casually against the dark wooden paneling, his arms crossed. But he wasn't alone. Standing stiffly beside him was another person, the hybrid Klaus had called "Nelson" earlier.
"You," Damon spat, his voice vibrating with a lethal edge. "My brother is dead, and you dare to bring that piece of shit into my house? I'll tear both your heads off."
As Damon coiled to spring, Michael held up a hand, his expression bored rather than threatened. "Before you rush into certain death, Damon, might I remind you of a few things?"
He glanced at Elena, who was still draped over the corpse, before turning back to the room. "I told you I would not interfere. And I also told you that an Original was going to die tonight, did I not?" He shook his head slowly, a disappointed look appearing on his face, "The idea of you thinking you could kill an Original without a cost is laughable. You were playing with fire; you shouldn't be surprised when you get burned."
"Are you here to gloat, Michael?" Bonnie snapped, "No, I am not," Michael replied, pushing off the wall. "You see, Mikael has never really been the type to go with the plans of others when it comes to dealing with his family. Knowing that, I took measures of my own. To kill Niklaus, any and all sacrifices are acceptable. That is who Mikael is. That is who he has always been."
He took a step forward and clapped his hands sharply. "But I prefer a bit more finesse."
Right before their eyes, the air over the couch seemed to shimmer and warp. The spell was a high-level illusion Michael had woven hours ago and now it began to dissolve. Elena was the first to gasp, pulling back in terror. "Wait... isn't that—?"
"Ah, yes it is," Michael murmured.
The body on the couch, the one with the missing heart shifted. The features melted and reformed until it wasn't Stefan Salvatore lying there, but the lifeless, grey form of the real Nelson.
Simultaneously, the "Nelson" standing next to Michael shimmered. The hybrid's face transformed, the height adjusted, and suddenly, a very confused but very alive Stefan Salvatore was standing in the middle of the room.
Damon's eyes widened to the size of saucers. Elena let out a choked sob of disbelief. "Stefan?"
Stefan looked around, he looked at his brother and offered a weak, lopsided grin. "Awww. So you do care, Damon."
In a blur of motion, Damon was across the room. He slammed into Stefan, wrapping him in a fierce, crushing hug. Stefan froze, genuinely surprised by the rare display of raw affection.
But the moment was short-lived. Damon pulled back, and before Stefan could say another word, Damon wound up and delivered a brutal punch straight to Stefan's jaw.
Crack.
"Ohhh-kay," Micheal drawled, raising an eyebrow. "I wasn't expecting that. A bit cliché, don't you think?"
"Damon!" Elena screamed in shock, rushing to help Stefan up from the floor.
Damon stood over him, his chest heaving, his face a mask of fury and relief. "Why? Why the hell didn't you tell me?"
Stefan winced, touching his bruised jaw as Elena pulled him up. "Michael came to me and Katherine with a proposition. He knew Mikael wouldn't play fair. He knew someone had to 'die' to satisfy the old man's bloodlust. He used a masking spell and his special compulsion on the hybrid to act like me."
"Speaking of Katherine," Damon said, glancing back at the couch where the "Elena" body had been.
The spot was empty.
"Oh, she left through the back window," Michael said, checking his watch. "In case you were all wondering. I didn't want to ruin your 'touching' family reunion by telling you the bitch-model doppelgänger had already fled the state."
Michael straightened his suit, looking thoroughly satisfied with himself. "Well then. I shall take my leave now. I have an original to wake up and a brother to... well, let's see how Niklaus handles his new 'freedom… hmm speaking of freedom I think it's time they stretched their legs.'"
He turned to go, but stopped when Stefan called out, "Thank you."
Michael looked back over his shoulder, a genuine, if brief, flicker of something like brotherhood in his eyes. "Of course, brother."
With a wink and a sudden gust of wind, he blurred away into the night.
Bonnie walked over to stand beside Damon, watching the spot where the hellhound had been. "He's a real piece of work," she muttered.
Damon sighed, the adrenaline finally leaving his system as he watched Elena cling to Stefan. "Yes. I know."
——————-
Caroline finally lowered her phone, her hand trembling slightly. She turned to Tyler, who had been pacing the length of the living room.
"They're safe," she breathed, the air finally leaving her lungs. "Elena just called. Everyone is alive."
Tyler stopped, his expression unreadable. "And Klaus? Is he still alive? Because if he is, he knows exactly who tried to put a stake in his heart tonight."
Caroline looked at him, her blue eyes narrowing as a thought began to fester. "Tyler... did you know?"
Tyler blinked, caught off guard. "What?"
"Did you know what Michael was planning?" she asked again, her voice firmer this time. "The illusions, the hybrids, the switch?"
Tyler sighed, rubbing the back of his neck as he looked at the floor. "Not specifically, no. I didn't. All he told me was to make sure none of the guests got hurt and to get everybody out on his signal. So I did just that."
Caroline looked at him skeptically, her arms crossed tight over her chest. Tyler noticed the doubt and moved into her space, taking her hands in his. "I swear, Caroline. I didn't know the details. I was just following the plan to keep people safe."
She searched his face for a long moment before nodding slowly. "Fine. But... if you did know, would you have told me?"
Tyler looked deep into her eyes, his expression turning serious. "I am not compelled to lie to you, Caroline. I have my free will. I would tell you... but then you'd end up telling the rest of them. And well," he shrugged slightly, "maybe that's not always the best move."
Caroline sighed, dropping onto the sofa with a huff of frustration. "Fine. I get it."
Tyler sat beside her, trying to lighten the mood. "On another note, Bonnie looked to be doing okay. Considering she spent the night as a bodyguard."
"Ugh, that reminds me!" Caroline groaned, throwing her head back. "Why the hell would she come with Damon of all people? Out of everyone in Mystic Falls, she picks the one person she spends 90% of her time wishing would implode."
Tyler let out a low chuckle. "Well, I have to admit, they did seem to look good together. They've got that whole 'brooding and magical' aesthetic going on."
Caroline snapped her head toward him, horrified. "Oh hell no. Bonnie and Damon? No, no, no. Absolutely not." She paused for a second, her mind racing through the possibilities before she added a quiet, "Really?"
Across town, the night air was cool as Damon walked Bonnie to her front door. The bravado of the evening had faded, leaving behind a strange, heavy tension between them.
"I really don't see the reason why you had to follow me all the way back," Bonnie said, clutching her keys tightly.
Damon shoved his hands into his pockets, his trademark smirk missing. "We all just tried to kill the Hybrid King, Bonnie. Who knows who he'll decide to come after first? I'm just being a diligent, concerned citizen."
Bonnie rolled her eyes. "Yeah, and I have magic to defend myself. If anything, you should worry more about yourself."
"Excuse me?" Damon asked, offended.
"He's got an army of hybrids now," Bonnie pointed out, turning to face him. "One bite from any one of them and you're a goner. I don't think Klaus would be so kind as to hand over his blood to the guy who just tried to turn him into a charcoal briquette."
Damon tilted his head, his eyes flashing with that familiar Salvatore spark. "Attempted, remember? Key word there is attempted. Besides, I'm far too charming to die of a dog bite."
Bonnie shook her head. "Whatever, Damon."
She turned to go inside, but before she could turn the lock, Damon spoke up, his voice lower and devoid of the usual snark. "Thank you."
Bonnie paused, turning back with a confused frown. "For what?"
Damon stepped closer, his expression unusually raw. "When I saw Stefan's body on the floor... I thought that was it. I was ready to kill Mikael even if it meant sacrificing myself to do it. But you stopped the hybrids. You even popped Mikael's kneecap to give me the opening." He looked into her eyes, his gaze steady. "You saved me while I was doing something stupid. So... thank you."
The silence stretched between them, thick and unexpected. Bonnie felt her pulse quicken under his stare.
"You were being emotional," she said finally, her voice small. "And I helped. That's it, Damon. Don't make it into a 'thing'."
Damon's smirk returned, though it was softer this time. "Still. I am grateful, Bon-Bon." He took a step back, giving her a mock salute. "Good night."
He blurred away into the darkness before she could respond. Bonnie stood on her porch for a long time, staring at the empty driveway. She let out a long, shaky breath and leaned her forehead against the door.
"Oh, Bonnie," she whispered to herself. "What is wrong with you?"