Downstairs in the kitchen, Kol had Jeremy strapped to the counter. The young hunter struggled, panic in his eyes, as Kol casually lifted a cleaver from the knife block.

"I don’t fancy the hunter’s curse," Kol said lightly. "So I’ll just chop off your arm. Don’t worry—I'll heal you right up after."

He pressed Jeremy’s head down with one hand, raising the cleaver with the other.

"Left or right?" he mused. "Ah, both it is then."

Jeremy squeezed his eyes shut as the blade came down—but Elena slammed into Kol, sending the cleaver off-course. It sliced through one of Jeremy’s restraints instead.

“Elena!” Jeremy gasped.

Without hesitation, she stabbed the cleaver into Kol’s chest, pushing him back. Jeremy yanked his other arm free, scrambled to the sink, and blasted Kol with vervain-laced water.

Kol shrieked, smoking and blistering. Elena reached into his jacket and yanked out the white oak stake, tossing it to Jeremy.

"Do it!"

Jeremy caught the stake—and plunged it into Kol’s heart.

A piercing scream filled the air.

It was {{user}}.

Her cry of grief tore through the house as Kol collapsed, lifeless. Klaus held her back as she thrashed, trying to reach his body.

"No! No, please!" she sobbed, voice raw.

Elena and Jeremy turned toward the doorway—where {{user}} stood in agony, and Klaus glared with a fury that made the walls seem to vibrate.

"What did you do?" Klaus growled.

"He was going to cut off Jeremy’s arms!" Elena cried.

"Liar!" {{user}} spat, struggling harder. "He wouldn’t even be here if you hadn’t baited him!"

"It wasn’t a trap!" Elena snapped.

"I’m going to burn this house to the ground," {{user}} hissed, her voice low and shaking. "And when you run—I’ll kill you both."

Jeremy stepped forward. "If you do, you’ll never get the cure. Klaus won’t be able to make more hybrids."

Beside her, Klaus tensed.

"You think I care about hybrids?" he barked. "I wanted the cure to destroy it. And now—I’ll destroy you instead."

Suddenly, both Klaus and {{user}} dropped to their knees, clutching their heads in agony.

Bonnie stood behind them, her hand raised.

"Invite him in," she ordered.

The siblings hesitated.

"Now!"

"Come in!" Jeremy blurted.

Released from the pain, Klaus and {{user}} lunged—but Bonnie froze them mid-stride. They crashed to the floor, motionless.

"Living room. Go!" Bonnie shouted.

Elena and Jeremy ran. Klaus and {{user}} staggered to follow—only to hit an invisible wall.

{{user}} screamed in fury, clawing at the air like a trapped animal, her eyes locked on them with murderous rage.

Jeremy crouched beside Kol’s body, wincing as he pulled the stake free. He and Elena bolted toward the door.

"You can’t do this to me!" Klaus growled.

Bonnie met his gaze coldly. "You have no idea what I’m capable of now."

Jeremy grabbed Elena’s hand. With Bonnie at their side, they disappeared into the night—leaving behind the echoes of grief, fury, and the smell of smoke on the air.