Book One: Panacea (A. Saltzman)

Chapter Twenty

Diana lets out a breath as she walks towards her locker, she needs to put everything back where she got it from and then return to the dance before anyone realizes that she's missing. Specifically Derek and Alaric. She knows they will notice if she doesn't go back any time soon.

"Hey!" Alaric shouts behind her, Diana snaps her head around. "You" he breaths. Diana knows he can't tell it's her, she is very careful with her disguise. But he knows she is the one who saved him. They stare at one another for a long moment, both trying to figure out who is going to make the first move. It's him. He steps forward towards her and she bolts down the hallway, running away from him. She can hear him behind her but she's faster than a human so easily escapes.

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

Back in the room with Elena, Damon, Stefan, and Damon, Stefan digs the stake into Noah's stomach a little bit more.

"What do you want with Elena?" Stefan demands.

"She looks like Katherine." Noah reluctantly admits. Stefan, Elena, and Damon all look shocked.

"You knew Katherine?" Damon asks him.

"Oh. You thought you were the only ones." Noah laughs and then gasps in pain. "You don't even remember me." Damon leans over towards Noah.

"Tell me how to get in the tomb. Hmm?"

"No," Noah tells Damon, Stefan leans back down and drives the stake in deeper. "The grimoire."

"Where is it?" Damon asks as Stefan drives the stake in deeper. Noah gasps.

"Check the journal. The journal. Johnathan's journal. Johnathan Gilbert's." Damon stands up and grimaces.

"Who else is working with you?"

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

Out in the hallways, a door open. Alaric appears from down the corridor, he looks around, looking for the hooded figure, for Diana, before he walks towards the cafeteria.

........

"Who else is there?" Damon snaps at Noah.

"No. You're gonna have to kill me." Damon looks at Stefan, rolls his eyes, and nods. Stefan removes the stake from Noah's stomach. Stefan waits for a moment then stakes Noah in the heart. Elena gasps in shock. Noah falls to the floor and begins to desiccate.

"What do we...how are you gonna find the others now?" Elena asks them.

"He had to die," Damon tells her.

"But..."

"Elena, he's been invited in." Stefan reminds her. "He can get into the house.....can get to Jeremy and Diana and Jenna" Elena closes her eyes, hates the thought of her family caught in the crossfire. They hear a door open and see Alaric coming through one of the door's windows. Stefan looks at Damon. "Go. I got this." Damon walks out of the cafeteria. Stefan wraps his arm around Elena, comforting her.

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

Outside, Alaric is quickly walking down another corridor. Damon turns the corner and sees him. He vamp-speeds in front of Alaric and Alaric stop abruptly. Alaric clears his throat.

"Hey" Damon starts to compel Alaric.

"What were you doing?" Damon asks him.

"Looking for Ms. Hilden."

"Why are you in Mystic Falls?"

"I got a job as a teacher."

"Do you know what I am?"