Sun and Moon II

The night was thick with tension, the moon overhead casting an eerie glow across the abandoned quarry. The wind whispered through the trees, carrying the scent of blood and death. Elena stood at the center of the ritual site, her breath trembling as she watched in horror.

Jenna, bound to a stone slab, writhed in pain as Greta Martin stood over her. The young witch's face was impassive as she tipped a vial of blood against Jenna's lips, forcing the last step of her transition.

"No," Elena whispered, struggling against the ropes binding her wrists. "No, please! Don't do this!"

Jenna gasped, her newly heightened senses taking hold. Her pupils dilated, her breathing quickened, and then, with terrifying clarity, her transformation was complete. She was a vampire.

Klaus stood nearby, watching the scene unfold with casual amusement. "Now, now, Elena," he chided, tilting his head. "This is what you wanted, isn't it? Sacrifice? A way to save your precious friends?"

Elena's chest ached with fear, tears stinging her eyes.

Nearby, Jules knelt, her body already beginning to tremble as the full moon loomed overhead. Her bones snapped and reshaped, fur breaking through her skin. She snarled, her body convulsing. The werewolf transformation had begun.

But Klaus was ready. He had planned for every possibility. Even when Damon had stolen his original sacrifices—Caroline and Tyler—Klaus had simply replaced them.

______________________

Inside the darkened halls of the Lockwood house, Caroline and Matt crouched in the shadows. Tyler's low, guttural growls echoed from the other room, his claws scraping against the hardwood floors.

Caroline's breaths came in short, panicked bursts. "He's hunting us," she whispered.

Matt gripped the rifle in his hands. "Yeah, no kidding."

Caroline turned to him, her expression shifting with confusion. "Wait… how are you even here right now? I compelled you to leave."

Matt exhaled slowly. "I'm on vervain."

Caroline's throat tightened.

Matt glanced away. "Your mom knows, too. After the party at Leon's house, I just wasn't convinced. Been on vervain ever since."

Silence hung between them, the weight of the truth pressing down on Caroline. She wanted to explain, to make him understand, but there wasn't time.

From the other room, Tyler let out a sharp, snarling howl.

Matt's grip tightened on the rifle.

"We need to move," Caroline whispered.

They barely had seconds before the door splintered open.

________________

Stefan sprinted through the trees, his mind racing. 

But as he approached the grounds near the ritual site, an invisible force stopped him cold.

Pain ripped through his body like fire, forcing him to his knees. He gasped, clutching at his chest. He tried again, stepping forward—but the moment his foot crossed the threshold, agony shot through him again.

A soft chuckle echoed through the clearing.

Leon Delgallo stepped out from the shadows, his expression unreadable.

"I'm afraid you won't be attending tonight's ritual," he said coolly.

"What is this magic?" he growled.

"I own this land and this land has been made sacred by my coven." Leon explained.

Stefan's eyes darkened. "You revoked my access?"

Leon shrugged. "Nothing personal."

Stefan clenched his fists. "You're keeping me from saving her."

Leon tilted his head. "Oh, Stefan," he mused. "Who said I wasn't saving her?"

And with that, he disappeared into the night.

Leon arrived at the quarry just as Greta turned her attention back to Jenna.

"Greta! Enough!" he commanded, "Step back."

Klaus turned, his brows lifting in amusement. "Leon. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Leon ignored him. He strode toward Jenna, unbinding her in a single motion.

"Come on," he murmured to her. "We're leaving."

Jenna looked at him, dazed. "But…"

Leon's expression softened, just barely. "You don't have to die for this."

Jenna hesitated, looking at Elena.

Elena's breath hitched. "Go," she whispered.

With one final glance at her niece, Jenna nodded. And then, in the blink of an eye, Leon had taken her away, leaving another to take her place.

Klaus sighed. "Well, that's unfortunate."

He turned to Elena with a smirk. "But the show must go on."

_____________________________

At the witch burial site, John paced restlessly. 

Bonnie stood nearby, preparing the ritual. "Are you sure about this?"

John met her gaze. "There's no other way."

Bonnie hesitated. But then, she placed her hands on the ground, the air thick with energy as she began the spell.

A soft glow surrounded them. The price of the magic settled into John's bones.

And he knew, without a doubt, that this was the end of his life.

But if it meant saving Elena, it was worth it.

______________________________

At the quarry, Bonnie, Damon, and Elijah waited in the shadows.

As soon as Elena's body went still, Bonnie launched forward, her hands raised. Power crackled around her, a storm of magic striking Klaus with full force. He staggered, his smirk faltering as Bonnie's fury hit him like a tidal wave.

Damon moved quickly, lunging at Greta. Before she could react, his hands closed around her neck—and with a swift, brutal motion, he snapped it.

The witch crumpled to the ground.

Bonnie shouted at Damon. "Take Elena. Get her out of here."

Damon hesitated for only a second before scooping Elena's lifeless body into his arms and disappearing into the night.

Meanwhile, Elijah had Klaus pinned, his hand buried deep in his chest.

Klaus chuckled through the pain. "You don't want to do this, brother."

Elijah's grip tightened.

Klaus smirked. "They aren't lost. Our family. I can take you to them."

Elijah's entire body stiffened.

Bonnie's eyes widened. "No. Don't listen to him."

But it was too late.

In a blur of motion, Elijah pulled his hand back, his expression unreadable. He cast one final glance at Bonnie—at the furious betrayal in her eyes—before vanishing with Klaus.

And just like that, the battle was lost.

The ritual was complete.

Klaus had won. But Leon won better.

_____________________________

Elena gasped awake, her breath coming in short, panicked bursts. Her body felt heavy, her limbs sluggish as if she had been drowning and had just broken through the surface.

The dim light of dawn filtered through the bedroom curtains, casting soft shadows across the walls. She blinked, trying to steady herself, trying to remember…

Where was she?

What happened?

Her eyes landed on Damon.

He sat at her bedside, his expression unusually tight, his blue eyes filled with something she couldn't quite place—relief, yes, but also something heavier. Something haunted.

Elena swallowed hard, her throat dry. "What happened?"

Damon hesitated, his jaw clenching slightly. For a moment, he just looked at her, as if trying to convince himself that she was really there, really alive.

Finally, he spoke.

"John saved you."

Elena's stomach dropped.

Her breath hitched as realization dawned.

"John…"

The name barely left her lips, a whisper full of unspoken emotions. She felt the weight of it sink into her chest, pressing down on her ribs, threatening to crush her.

She pushed back the covers and swung her legs over the edge of the bed, but the moment she moved, dizziness hit her like a tidal wave. Damon was there in an instant, his hands steadying her, but she barely noticed.

She had to find him.

She had to see—

"Elena," Damon said softly, as if reading her thoughts.

Her heart pounded in her ears. "Where is he?"

Damon didn't answer right away. That silence told her everything.

A cold shiver ran down her spine, and suddenly, she wasn't sure she wanted to know.

Tears blurred her vision.

John Gilbert was gone.

Her father, the man who had spent years keeping her at arm's length, who had judged and criticized her choices, who had barely known how to love her—

Had given his life for her.

She hadn't even gotten to say goodbye.

A choked sob escaped her throat, and Damon's grip on her tightened slightly, grounding her.

He wasn't one for comforting words, but for once, he didn't pull away.

Elena inhaled sharply, trying to gather herself, but it felt impossible.

John was gone.

And because of him, she was still here.

The weight of that sacrifice settled over her like a storm cloud.

Damon exhaled through his nose, running a hand through his hair before finally speaking.

"He wrote you a letter," he said, voice quieter than before.

Elena's heart clenched.

Damon reached into his jacket, pulling out a folded piece of paper. He hesitated for just a second before handing it to her.

Her fingers trembled as she took it.

She wasn't ready.

But she unfolded it anyway.

____________________

Elena sat on the edge of her bed, John's letter trembling in her hands. The ink was smudged in places, as if he had hesitated while writing, pressing the pen too hard against the paper. His words were raw, heartfelt—a confession, a farewell, and an apology all at once.

As she read the final lines, silent tears spilled over her cheeks.

I will always love you, Elena. I hope you will never have to live with the kind of regret I did.

Her fingers clenched the paper.

John had given his life for her. Despite everything—the lies, the distance, the pain he had caused—he had still chosen her in the end.

A sob broke free, but as it did, a sudden realization struck her.

John wasn't the only one who had saved her.

Her breath hitched as another memory surfaced—the one she hadn't spoken of yet.

The telepathic message.

Leon.

In the chaos of the ritual, as Klaus loomed over them, as Jenna was lost, a voice had echoed in her mind, steady and calm.

"Meet me at the witch house."

She had barely registered it at the time, drowning in fear and grief, but now she understood.

Leon had known something. Had planned something.

She wiped at her tears, folding John's letter carefully before placing it in her nightstand. Then, standing with renewed purpose, she turned toward the door.

She needed to tell Damon.

Damon was downstairs, a glass of bourbon in his hand, though he hadn't taken a sip. He stared at the fire crackling in the hearth, lost in thought. His jaw was tense, his fingers gripping the glass just a little too tightly.

Elena hesitated in the doorway, watching him. He looked exhausted—not just physically, but emotionally.

Because of her.

Because he had fed her his blood. Because he had tried to take her choices away. Because now, thanks to Tyler's bite, he was dying.

She exhaled softly and stepped forward. "Damon."

His head turned slightly, though he didn't meet her eyes right away. "What is it, Elena?" His voice was quieter than usual.

She moved closer, hesitant. "I need to tell you something."

Finally, he glanced up at her, blue eyes shadowed with something unreadable. "Go ahead."

She hesitated for a second before speaking. "Leon sent me a message before he took Jenna."

Damon frowned. "What kind of message?"

"A telepathic one." She swallowed. "He told me to meet him at the witch house."

That got his full attention.

Damon straightened, setting his glass down on the table beside him. His expression was hard to read, but there was something sharp behind his eyes now. "And you're just telling me this now?"

"I didn't process it until after I read John's letter," she admitted. "Everything was happening so fast, and I—I forgot."

Damon exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "Of course you did."

Elena ignored the edge in his voice. "I think he planned something, Damon. Something we don't understand yet."

Damon scoffed. "Leon always plans something. The question is whether or not it's actually in our best interest."

Elena took another step forward, determination tightening in her chest. "I need to find out."

Damon's jaw clenched. "You want to go meet him? Alone?"

She shook her head. "No. I want you to come with me."

Something flickered across his face—something almost vulnerable—but it was gone in an instant. He exhaled, running a hand through his hair.

"You sure about that?"

Elena nodded. "Yes."

Damon studied her for a long moment before finally pushing himself off the couch.

"Fine," he said. "Let's go."

As they stepped out of the boarding house into the night, Elena couldn't shake the feeling that this meeting with Leon was going to change everything.

And she wasn't sure if she was ready for it.

________________________

The sun hung high over the dense canopy of trees as Damon, Elena, and Stefan arrived at the old witch burial site. The air was thick with unease, the scent of damp earth and lingering magic pressing against them like an unseen force.

Elena glanced between the Salvatore brothers, her nerves on edge. She had barely processed everything that had happened—John's sacrifice, Jenna's transformation, Klaus breaking the curse—when suddenly, they were here, walking into yet another mystery.

The flickering light of a conjured flame illuminated the darkness. The first to emerge from the shadows was Chase Langley.

Damon stilled.

His mind barely had time to register what he was seeing before Greta Martin stepped into the light beside Chase, her face void of expression.

"What the hell?" Damon muttered, his eyes darting between them. "I snapped your neck."

Chase smirked. "Yeah, I remember. Hurt like hell."

Damon's confusion only deepened as footsteps echoed in the silence. Bonnie was next, stepping forward with a look of quiet determination. Then came Leon Delgallo, followed by Vanessa Monroe, Katherine Pierce, Alice, and Jenna Sommers.

Elena sucked in a sharp breath, her grip tightening around Stefan's arm. "What is going on?"

Leon stepped forward, his sharp eyes scanning their faces, taking in their confusion like it was a well-played hand of cards he had been expecting.

"Let me make this simple," he began. "I calculated everything."

Damon scoffed. "Oh, did you? Care to explain why I'm looking at two people I definitely killed?"

Leon's expression didn't waver. "Because I planned for it. Chase and Greta had protection spells placed on them before the fight. I knew you'd be reckless. Predictable, even."

Damon opened his mouth to protest, but Leon kept going.

"As for Bonnie," Leon gestured toward her, "she never harnessed the full power of this place. You had her fighting battles alone when she should have been supported. That's where we came in. The coven helped her." He smirked slightly. "Because I own all the land."

Elena's stomach churned. "You own it?"

Leon nodded. "The witch burial ground, the woods, half the town's outskirts. Mystic Falls is just a collection of properties, and I made sure that the most important ones belonged to me."

Elena turned to Bonnie, a sinking feeling in her chest. "Bonnie?"

Bonnie didn't look away. "He's telling the truth. I didn't trust him at first, but… he's right. I wasn't strong enough alone. And he helped me get my family back. Abby is home again. You've seen Lucy. And Greta is the cousin I never knew I had. The Sun and Moon ritual was a Bennett spell. Klaus needed a Bennett."

Elena swallowed hard, her mind spinning. Even the Salvatore couldn't keep up.

Leon wasn't finished. He gestured to Alice, a striking woman with piercing eyes. "This is Alice. Slater's girlfriend. With her help, vampire business never escapes me."

Damon's head tilted, annoyance flickering across his face. "So what, you've got spies everywhere?"

Leon smirked. "Intelligence is power."

Katherine stepped forward, arms crossed, amusement glinting in her eyes. "And I've been working with Leon since you all so kindly daggered Elijah and let me out of that miserable tomb."

Elena shot Katherine a glare. "Of course you have."

Katherine winked. The wink was kinder than usual, but only Elena could sense it. A flash of memory cam to mind of her, Katherine, and Leon. She then avoid Katherine's gaze.

But then, Jenna moved forward, her face more serious than the rest. "And I trusted Leon to save me."

Elena's breath caught in her throat. "Jenna…"

Jenna lifted her chin. "Klaus needed someone to vent his anger on. Damon went after his vampire and werewolf. Leon said it would happen. I wasn't only expendable, but I mean something to you and I was in reach. He wanted to make a point. But Leon told me the only way out was to become a vampire."

Elena shook her head, heart hammering. "No. No, we could have—"

"There was no other way, Elena," Jenna interrupted softly. "I had to make a choice. And Klaus needs to vent a bit or there would be a risk of him going against Leon."

Elena's hands curled into fists at her sides, frustration and heartbreak threatening to overwhelm her.

Leon finally sighed, as if growing tired of the dramatics. "The only thing left now is getting Klaus out of town and hiding Elena."

Damon narrowed his eyes. "Yeah? And how do you plan on doing that?"

Leon's expression darkened. "By offering Klaus something he wants more."

Stefan's frown deepened. "And what is that?"

Leon turned to him, his gaze steady.

"You."

A thick silence settled over the group.

Elena felt her stomach twist. "No." She shook her head, panic creeping into her voice. "No, absolutely not."

Stefan was equally stunned. "What are you talking about?"

Damon exhaled sharply, looking away.

Leon's lips curled into a knowing smirk. "Damon, you didn't tell them?"

Elena's eyes darted between the two brothers, something cold creeping into her bones.

"What is he talking about?" she asked, voice barely above a whisper.

Damon was silent for too long.

Elena's breath hitched. "Damon?"

Finally, he spoke.

"Tyler bit me."

Elena's stomach plummeted.

"No." She stepped toward him, searching his face for any sign that this was a sick joke. "No, you—you can't—"

Leon's voice cut through the rising panic. "Klaus's blood is the only cure."

Stefan's hands clenched at his sides. "That's why you want to trade me."

Leon nodded. "You're the better deal. The Ripper of Monterey. Klaus has a soft spot for the bloodthirsty ones." His voice was cold, calculating. "You trade yourself, and in return, Klaus leaves to make hybrids and has a bloodthirsty companion to keep him company. Curing Damon on the way out."

Elena felt like the world was tilting beneath her feet.

She turned to Stefan, pleading. "You can't do this."

Stefan met her gaze, and in that moment, she saw it—the quiet resolve, the self-sacrificial nature that had always defined him.

He was already considering it.

And deep down, she knew…

He was going to say yes.

"Okay. Enough of this shit." Leon spoke up, "I called you all here to tell you that Mystic Falls is now mine. Soon, the council will know it too. All supernatural without my permission will be exterminated. You brothers, the sheriff's daughter, and the mayor's son are all good. Everyone else will be purged. You step out of line, you will be purged."

"Get your affairs in order," said Vanessa, " In three days, the changes in this town will begin."

The trio looked at Vanessa and Leon. They wanted to protest, but something about Leon made sense. For Elena, it's something deep and primal. An urge to believe.

For the brothers, despite all the Leon had done, they had to admit that Leon would protect Elena and his plan made it so Damon could live and Stefan could get Klaus away from Mystic Falls long enough for Elena to live out her life in peace.

Katherine blew Elena a kiss and put on her mask. She then followed Bonnie out. Alice put on her mask and followed Vanessa out. Leon then handed a mask to Jenna and she left with the rest.

Greta and Chase took their leave, allowing the trio and Leon to have some privacy. 

"I know you both dislike me. Consider this a fresh start. I have plans to face bigger and badder enemies than you two. So don't be a nuisance. Is there anything you lot would like to say?"

"No?"

"Stefan Salvatore. Damon Salvatore. Your access to this sacred ground has been revoked."

Leon chuckled as a burning pain filled their bodies and they were forced to flee. 

"And then there were two." he smiled.