Free of family

8

Alexis stormed up to her room, ignoring her brother and Arkyn. She shoved the grimoires on her desk and jumped onto her bed.
"Lex..?" Arkyn called from her doorway, Xavier beside him. "Why do you smell like ash and burnt... something?"
"Vis sera portus!" She said and the door slammed shut in their faces.
"Alexis!" Xavier knocked on the door. "Lex, open the door."
"Just leave me alone!"
"What happened?" Arkyn called.
"Maybe I just want some space! I don't need you two hovering over me every second of every day!"
"Alexis Paige Zachary! Open the door." Arkyn called and she huffed before waving her hand, letting the door open. "You want to try again with a little less attitude?"
"I got in a fight with Jeremy." She said. "Sort of."
"What did he do?" Arkyn asked.
"And what the hell happened to the grimoires?" Xavier asked.
"Don't get mad." Alexis said. "Elena's necklace was acting up, burning her and levitating- Like it had magic of its own."
"It does. It's a talisman."
"Well, I was trying to figure out what it was that was making it act crazy. Bonnie was supposed to ask you."
"My phone's dead. And I forgot to charge it."
"How comes whenever I use that excuse, I get into trouble?" She frowned.
"Only when you're out past curfew and we don't know where you are. So what happened with Jeremy?"
"When Bonnie and I brought him back, the witches said there'd be consequences. Jeremy's been seeing ghosts. In particular his two late girlfriends."
"What?"
"Yeah, this whole summer, and he didn't say anything."
"Oh, Lex." Arkyn and Xavier moved to sit beside her.
"No!" She jumped up, moving away. "No 'oh Lex's. None of that. I am not going to be one of those pathetic girls who sit around and mope that everyone feels sorry for."
"Uh huh." Xavier looked at his sister warily.
"I'm going to the grill."
"Why?"
"Because I obviously interrupted some mindless dumb boy thing of yours and I just want some fresh air. I can get that on my way to the grill." She said, walking out.
"Did she just-?" Xavier frowned.
"Dodge the conversation about the grimoires and the necklace? Yeah." He frowned.
"What's wrong, Ark?"
"That necklace isn't just the talisman of a dead witch." He said. "It belonged to my mother. And it burning Elena sounds like it's trying to defend itself."
"Defend itself?"
"When my mother made it, she put some protective magic on it. Mainly so that Rebekah wouldn't take it. But if its defensive magic is manifesting, it must feel attacked."
"Attacked how?"
"I don't know." Arkyn shook his head. "All I know is, I need that necklace back."
"You go talk to your girlfriend, I'm going to go after Alexis." Xavier said following his sister. Arkyn sped down to get his phone and plugged it in the charger. He waited a few minutes before it turned on, and saw Bonnie had called him. He quickly returned her call.
"Hey." He greeted. "Sorry, my phone's been dead all day."
"Yeah, no. It's fine." She replied. "Hi."
"Hi."
"How are you?"
"I'm fine, and you?"
"Well... it's been quite a productive day."
"I heard. Lex filled me in. Sort of... she missed out a lot."
"We don't really know much, to be honest. If anything."
"Do you want to come over? If the necklace is reacting to something, then there's something you should know."
"Sure. I'll be right there."
"I'll see you soon." He said and she hung up. She didn't take long to show up.
"Hi." She greeted at the door and he laughed.
"Didn't we already go through that?"
"That was on the phone. I'm not immediately going to jump into a conversation without at least saying hi."
"Well, in that case.. hello." He opened the door wider. "Come on in." She followed him in.
"So what's the deal with the necklace?"
"Well, I told you it was a talisman- and that it belonged to a witch I knew." He sat her on the couch.
"Yeah."
"Well, I more than knew this witch. It belonged to my mother."
"Your mother?"
"The original witch, yes."
"Elena's been wearing your mother's necklace?" She repeated.
"Yes."
"How did Stefan get it?"
"I don't know. I'm a little unclear on that. When my mother died, her friend gave the necklace to Rebekah. She never took it off."
"That's why you were so startled."
"Yeah. Rebekah's been daggered for the past nine decades, so Stefan must've gotten it sometime before then, but not so long before that Rebekah would have been searching for it."
"But how?"
"Nine decades ago Rebekah and Klaus were in Chicago. Where they met Stefan Salvatore."
"What?!"
"Stefan didn't seem to have any memories of that time and I figured it was best not to poke holes. Klaus probably compelled his memories away."
"Why would he do that? Why would Stefan be with your brother?"
"I guess Klaus was done with being his friend. And this was during one of Stefan's ripper periods. He was dating Rebekah."
"Any other surprises?" Bonnie asked. "This is the kind of thing you were supposed to tell me."
"I thought Stefan would be safer not knowing about his history with Klaus. I mean, Klaus wasn't just bored of Stefan. He compelled away his memories because my father had caught onto his scent."
"Your father. The one who's desiccated?"
"Yeah. He's been hunting us all down for centuries. Every time he got close we moved. Mikael figured out Klaus was in Chicago and compelled Stefan's memories. Mikael's pretty much the only person worse than Klaus. I think it's the only thing Klaus and I agree on."
"Do you know where he is?"
"Mikael?" Bonnie nodded. "I found out recently. I promised I'd tell Klaus if he lowered Stefan's sentence to six months."
"How are you sure he'll keep his end of the bargain?"
"He doesn't get the location until he lets Stefan go."
"Why are you telling Klaus?"
"I hate to admit it, but as long as Klaus has Mikael's body, there's no way he'll be woken up. At least this way I could help Stefan a little, too."
"You hate your father more than Klaus?"
"Everything Klaus has done, Mikael's done worse. I told you about Esme. She was my first girlfriend."
"Yeah, I remember."
"It was Mikael who killed her."
"I'm sorry."
"Listen, Mikael is worse than Klaus. Always has been, always will be. Giving him up to Klaus is in everyone's best interest."
"Okay." She said softly. "I believe you."
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you."
"Are you hiding anything else?" He looked at her.
"No. That's it." He lied. "Did you know Jeremy's been seeing ghosts?"
"What?"
"Lex came home, kind of upset. Turns out Jeremy's been seeing the ghosts of his girlfriends."