Chapter 72: Ashes to Ashes

James's POV~

Bonnie and I had finally arrived at the house of Maria, well as I'd remembered. She was a stubborn woman, so if she was alive, I very much doubted she'd had left her much loved home. I never really contemplated Bonnie's feelings on this visit, she was meeting a side of her family that she'd never really met or knew. She seemed undeterred though, she was no doubt a Bennett witch.

We walked up to the door of the small cosy home, before I could knock the door opened slowly. A young woman looked me up and down before looking towards Bonnie with a softer tone.

"What business do you have here?" The woman questioned with a stern face, before I could respond the familiar bellowing voice of Maria echoed through the house.

"Tash! Let them in for Christ's sake! I've been waiting for him long enough" I smirked at her voice, it brought me back to my youth immediately.

"Come in please" The woman's stern face lightened before leading us through the hall and into the lounge.

I hadn't been here in years, we were definitely in the lion's den now. In the far corner slumped in her large arm chair sat Maria Bennett, a lot different to when I remembered her. Yet when she smiled towards me, it was the unmistakable sparkle in her now aged and whitened eyes. A younger witch sat beside her, I assumed to be one of her granddaughters, holding her hand steadily.

"Don't over excite her please" Tash asked and gave me a warning glare.

"Pssh! Away with you Tash!" Maria grumbled "Over excited! The cheek of it" Tash rolled her eyes.

"Grandmother you know what the doctor said!" She reiterated.

"Doctors are a bunch of fools! Good for nothin's after my well earnt money!" She grumbled again "I don't need no doctor telling me I'm old!"

"Stubborn as always Maria" I pitched in and walked towards her, lifting her frail and wrinkled hand I kissed the back of it "Beautiful as always"

"You old fool James" She cackled at me "Deluded as always" I smiled and sat beside her "Is that handsome English friend of yours with you? What was his name?"

"Julien?" I replied, her face almost beamed.

"Ohh! He was a handsome one! So tall and well built" She giggled "Oh Tash, if one man could entice me away from your grandpa it was him"

She was practically drooling as her granddaughters shook their heads and walked out of the room. Maria continued to cackle to herself as they closed the door. She was a truly fascinating witch and woman for that matter. She was so full of life it was intoxicating.

"He's got business elsewhere" I lightly tapped her hand

"Ah that is a shame, I would've liked to have seen him one last time" She winked at me "And you!" She bellowed making me sit back "Where have you been all these years! You promised me you'd visit" She scowled at me.

"I…er…" I panicked and tried to think of the reason why I hadn't, it'd completely escaped my mind.

"Taking advantage and throwing me away to the side like that! Thought you knew better" She flailed her arms around and continued to scowl at me before letting the smile through that she'd been trying hard to hold back.

"You knew it wasn't like that" I replied as she began to chuckle under her breath, she winced in pain as she pushed herself up on her chair more, I instinctively went to help but she slapped my hands away.

"I know dear" She looked towards the window "Vampires have the pleasure of not being bound by time. You've not aged a day, whereas me? The old crow I was so scared to be has come and conquered"

She tapped my leg before taking my hand quickly, she held it close to her face so she could see my daylight ring. The exact one she'd made especially for me all those years ago.

"Vampires are a fickle thing James" She stated, "You are the only one I ever took to"

"The pleasure is all mine Maria" She smiled sweetly before giving me a glare.

"I still thought you was an idiot for becoming one" She replied sternly before her face softened. "James, I always made sure it was my business to stop any of my children and grandchildren falling into the business of helping vampires…"

"I'm sorry to hear about Darcy" She nodded slowly before saying 'Ah' and changing the conversation.

"But you've brought me my sisters great grandchild" She looked towards Bonnie with warm eyes "She even looks like her" She held out her hands and waited for Bonnie to take them "I won't hurt you child" Bonnie walked towards her and lightly took her hands.

"I'm Bonnie" She said with a sweet smile, it brought visible joy to Maria who lightly shook her hands.

"I know my dearest, I just want to say thank you for what you've done for our little Misha" Bonnie nodded in response "You are a very strong witch, I can feel it" She stated, her eyes looking up at Bonnie "My Mother would've liked you very much. I sense the vampires in your life don't always appreciate your gift enough"

"Perhaps…But they are my friends" Maria smiled and lightly pinched her chin

"You're going to have a lot put on your shoulders dear, are you sure your friends are deserving enough?" She questioned with keen eyes.

"Do you know why we're here?" Bonnie asked cautiously, Maria slowly nodded.

"I know all child" She smirked "I may be old, frail and stuck to this chair…but I will make sure that this Silas is sent to the pits of hell he belongs"

Jane's POV~

I sat closely beside Damon as Stefan proceeded to tell Elijah all that'd happened since the Mikaelson ball, which felt like years ago in comparison to what it'd been. So much had changed, my whole life was turned upside down and I had barely noticed until it was laid out in front of me. My gums were aching as I felt the unquenchable thirst that Silas had thrust upon me. Elijah remained silent, his thumb pressed into his chin as he contemplated all that had been said.

"You've defiantly been occupied recently" He finally broke the silence

"With no help from you" Damon rolled his eyes at me as he muttered under his breath, Elijah just tilted his head.

"If you're pointing out my obvious absence since the ball, I'm quite aware of it" He simply replied before standing up. "I had prior engagements that required my upmost attention"

"Which were?" Damon responded immediately

"Unfortunately, I am not obliged to share those details" He looked around the room before looking forwards me "Especially under these circumstances"

"Do you think we'll find them?" I finally asked, I looked towards him "Or do I still have to go to Silas?"

Elijah's hard scowling face towards Damon then softened as he looked at me, he twisted his daylight ring as he thought.

"You've had a remarkable effect on my brother Jane" He simply said, "The ins and out of your relationship are none of my business, and those of Elena and Co." He stepped towards me "But I assure you, I always put my family's safety above all"

"What are our next steps?" Stefan asked, Elijah thought as he walked around the room. Damon sensed my tension building due to my thirst and went to get me a blood bag, Elijah watch me intensely as I drank the blood as quick as I could. He stepped closer and lightly pointed at me.

"Firstly, we need to find a witch to remove this spell that Silas has put on you"

Elena's POV~

I rested my head against the cold walls of the basement we were being kept in, mine and Liz's stomach growled with hunger. Caroline sat the opposite side of the room to us, her face was ghostly white as she slowly began to desiccate. Silas had chained her tightly to the wall in order to keep us from being drained, I guess it was in his interest to keep us safe whilst we were bargains to Jane.

We'd heard nothing for a good few days, no news of whether Jane or anyone had even come to speak to us. It was hard for us especially now Caroline was too weak to even listen out for anything.

"It'll be alright" I said out loud to comfort myself, and hopefully comfort the others. Liz gave me a half smile but it was short lived.

"That poor girl" Liz finally said, "She never deserved any of this, I wish I took her home permanently when I should've"

"You know you couldn't" Caroline croaked "Mel and Richard are on the council, it would've been impossible"

"I still should've tried" She mumbled as a tear rolled down her cheek.

"I do not know why you're all so fond of her" We all jumped as Esther walked into the room "She hasn't even come forward to help you"

"She doesn't like being threatened" I scowled towards her.

"It isn't a threat when all of her loved ones will die" She smiled sickly, she was becoming paler by the day. "All she needs to do is come out of hiding and you'll be free"

"We'll get out of here regardless" I snapped but she ignored me, she looked down at Caroline and walked to her side. Her eyes piercing into hers.

"I promise you'll be free of this curse soon enough" She stood back up and began to leave "The whole world will be free from it"

Ryan's POV~

It'd been an awkward few days to say the least with my mother refusing to leave, despite my compulsion, and now being in full awareness of my condition. I still kept her at arm's length, regardless to whether she'd saved Misha or not. My grandmother was still quite shaken by the ordeal, no surprise since she did die. However, Misha never left her side since and tried to explain what'd happened, which she did find some comfort in.

We was all sat in the kitchen after breakfast, I'd decided it was finally time to find out what had happened since we was all avoiding the conversation. Misha sat sweetly at the end of the table , her chair as close to my grandmother as possible.

"Why did your dad come to get you the other night?" I asked, my grandmother gave me a warning glare but Misha just said. "Darling I need to know so I can keep you safe" I reasoned.

"My mama and dad don't like each other anymore" She said, she'd seemed to have grown up a lot since the night. She twisted her thumbs as we all watched her closely. "He went crazy and wanted to bring this person back from the dead, and mama was scared so took me away"

"When was this?" I asked, my grandmother lightly took the little girls hand and reassuringly smiled at her.

"Mama says it began after I was 2. He wanted to use me for some spell that would help him but she wouldn't let it happen. He followed us wherever we went so she went to work with that man Klaus to keep us safe"

"Do you know who he's trying to bring back?" I asked again

"Silas"

I remained silent, Shannon and my grandmother didn't say a word, but how could they? They had no idea the severity of the situation. I knew Silas was back so the spell Misha mentioned seemed like it wasn't needed anymore. So why was she still being hidden away? This I didn't understand at all.

A/N~ I hope you're all enjoying the new updates and how the story is progressing, please let me know what you think! :) x