Chapter Text
It was her home.
She knew that, although where this certainty came from was a mystery to her. The tug that had drawn her across the country to find her, the knowledge seemed instinctive, beyond words or reason.
Alais had simply woken up and walked. She knew she was in the wrong world, knew that with unshakeable conviction. Knew something was wrong with her being here.
And, until this moment she had never doubted that Shelia Bennett would accept her.
At ten years old, she'd carried that certainty like armor.
But now? It deserted her.
She almost turned back—suddenly conscious of her thin limbs, the wet cling of her too-small clothes, the sharp cold in her lungs. But then she squared her narrow shoulders and stepped up to the porch.
Ignoring the bell, she pounded her fist against the wood. Her hand trembled as she pulled it back, just as the door opened.
Shelia Bennett stood in the frame like a final test.
Short, sharp-eyed, and powerful in a way the world no longer made women—her gaze burned with quiet fire. She scanned the dripping child on her doorstep with the kind of disdain that made Alais feel very small.
All the girl’s earlier poise collapsed inward.
“I… I need you to teach me magic,” she said finally, voice thin but defiant.
“Why?”
The cold sank deeper into her skin. Her stomach growled. Her jaw clenched.
“If you won’t teach me,” she said, glaring, “I’ll find someone who will.”
One of Shelia’s brows rose. Amused. Dangerous.
"What can you do, girl?"
"If you bothered to ask my name," Alais snapped, eyes flashing gold, "you might learn to use it."
For a moment, she looked like a child born holding a knife. Like she’d cut her way into this world—and didn’t mind doing it again.
Still, Shelia didn’t flinch. “Can you manage any elements?”
“I can summon fire,” Alais said. “And I can feel the power inside me. All I need is a teacher, and I’ll be great one day—”
Shelia stepped forward and pulled her inside.
She didn’t raise her voice. She didn’t use magic. And yet, the house fell still.
“The first lesson,” Shelia said evenly, “is never shout at your teacher.”
A bundle of blankets flew through the air. She handed it over.
And so it began.
It didn't take long for Shelia Bennett to figure out that Alais was not just a witch.
The Bennett wished she could capture Alais, describe her. She is the kind of girl one notices when she comes through the door. It's her intensity. It's in her face, partially. She looks at things, really looks. At people, too. Evaluates them. Not judging them exactly but rather taking them in for what they are; trying to see the truth of them. It is something not most people like.
"What's it like in Mystic Falls?"
Shelia was going to give her a meaningless answer, something to the effect that she would feel right at home. Then she noticed Alais's expression. There was something in her face that said, Don't lie to me, or I'll despise you forever.
So Shelia gave the truth.
"It's like a prison," she said. "A prison supernatural creatures are drawn to."
Alais surprises Shelia with a sly twitch of a smile.
After a week, Shelia took her to visit another witch. A friend whose business was on the brink of collapse.
Alais barely spoke. Gazed out the window, chewing her lip in thought. Her eyes gleamed suddenly—guilty and pleased.
Moments later, the friend received a call. An investor had appeared, offering more than double what she’d lost.
Shelia never asked Alais about it.
Just like she didn’t ask why lightbulbs exploded near her. Or why her wristwatches always broke. Or why it never rained on the days Alais wanted sun.
"I really didn't do anything significant," Alais had insisted as they walked around the park. Bonnie ran slightly ahead of the duo, ready to see Caroline and Elena, and take turns going down the slide. She was Seven, three years younger than Alais, and the two became quick friends. With Alais sliding into the roll of a protective big sister.
"Alais, how many times must I tell you that everything is significant? Every action, no matter how minor, could have unimaginable consequences."
The statement held the sound of litany, often repeated, patient and unwavering.
Alais felt ridiculously sulky. "I just wanted to help Bonnie. What's wrong with that?"
The childishness of her words and tone drew a soft smile from Shelia.
"In the general scheme of things, nothing at all. But you can't help everyone, Alais. People are meant to solve their own problems, to use their own abilities, skills, and intelligence."
Alais knew she looked petulant; she could feel her bottom lip sticking out. "I don't see why I can't try. I mean, what's so awful about me finding a lost ring for Caroline, or....or fixing it so that Bonnie doesn't get the flu next week?"
Only the last part of the demand prompted Shelia's concern. "The flu? Alais you aren't ready to heal yet."
"I didn't do anything major," she repeated for what felt like the hundredth time that evening. "And it wasn't really healing, since she isn't sick yet. I just made a virus stop. That's all."
Looking stern, Shelia said. "You must promise me never attempt any kind of healing until I say you're ready. It's complex and demands a great deal more knowledge of human biology than you have."
Tilting her head down, Alais nodded. "I promise." Though she was sometimes a difficult pupil, Alais was as good as gold. "Did I mess up? What if I gave Bonnie the plague or something?!"
Shelia laughed.
She turned towards Bonnie. "She's fine, you did turn the virus inert."
Alais drew a quick breath.
"I know I can't ask you to use any of your powers without my approval. It would be like asking a young bird to promise not to fly. But I can insist that you learn the dangers of flying, along with the necessary skills needed to fly well."
"Yes ma'am," Alais said sweetly.
By Fifteen, she meant it less.
The blinding flash of pink, purple, and blue sparks was wrong, all wrong, and Alais winced even before Shelia could reprimand her.
"You aren't concentrating. "
"I'm sorry." The proper humility, apology and respect were present in her young voice. But the wry amusement shinning in her vivid gold eyes, clashed with that.
From the very beginning she had refused to assume any kind of subservience, now at fifteen she was even less willing.
"Why aren't you concentrating?"
Shelia emerged from the shadows were she had been observing and stepped into the candlelight.
"I just have a lot on my mind," she explained gesturing idly with one hand and jumping in surprise when a thread of white- hot fire arced from her index finger to ignite a nearby lampshade.
Shelia hastily waved a hand and both watched the fire go out.
Turning to Alais in exasperation, and Alais spoke quickly.
"Didn't mean to do that."
"That," Shelia said witheringly, "is the whole point."
Gazing at the half-burnt lampshade, Alais ignored the point. "Why won't you teach me to summon water? I can summon fire so easily, it's only logical that I should learn to put out my mistakes."
Shelia shook her head. "You don't summon, Alais. We've been over this. It's what makes you different from me and Bonnie. The elements aren't lurking about for you."
Alais blinked. "I thought they were."
"Not for you. Bonnie and I, yes."
"Then..."
A brief spasm of frustration crossed Sheila's face. "You are different from witches, Alais. Witches harness existing elements. You are not limited to that. You create."
"All right. So can you teach me to create water?"
"No."
Alais huffed a harsh breath. "I assume you have a reason why."
Shelia went about blowing out the candles. They provided a more organic light to practice, and Alais tended to cause nearby light bulbs to burst if she got frustrated. In fact, her energy seemed to rebel against anything electrical.
"Yes," Shelia said in response to her question. "My reason is the vivid memory of what happened the first time I allowed you to create air."
Alais was a prodigy after all, advancing further in magic than most ever did in the entirety of their lives.
Alais's lips twitched. "That was years ago. Besides you put it out before it could do any serious damage."
"True. But I doubt my ability to hold back an entire flood."
Alais knew things.
She remembered vaguely the show and how it went, what happened, but sometimes she could close her eyes and feel like...feel like she truly belonged here. Always.
It was foolish of her.
Especially after she graduated, she was expected to start pursuing a career after all. (The closer she got to the age of twenty, the more anxiety rushed through her veins. In her boring, magicless world....she had died at twenty). So Alais Bennett did what she could, she pursued a forensics degree, which Whitmore college did offer and moved to live on campus.
It was a change. A change that left her feeling like she was floating through life waiting for something to happen.
She was often visited by Bonnie and she saw Grams enough due to her being an occult studies professor on campus, but Alais knew she was truly just waiting for the show to start.
She was ready.
Ready to jump in and save Grams and Bonnie and everyone.
Only she was too late.
Bonnie had visited campus with tears in her eyes, shaking and broken.
"Grams is dead."
And Alais hated herself for getting caught up in classes, in something unrealistic, and forgetting where she was and who she was.
Her lack of attention had cost Shelia Bennet her life.
She moved back in with Bonnie immediately.
Alais didn't mean to but when she first was back in the heart of Mystic Falls she went to the Salvatore boarding house.
She sympathized with Damon not finding Katherine in the tomb, and with Stefan and Elena for not knowing that opening the tomb would cost Shelia Bennett her life- but that sympathy only went so far. (And having the knowledge of how horribly they would drag Bonnie through the mud....well Alais didn't care for any of them. Truthfully she only cared if Bonnie survived. The rest could die.)
She didn't bother knocking.
Just walked right in. She wasn't surprised to see Stefan and Elena sitting on the couch together, practically on top of one another. Talking with secret smiles and soft whispers.
"Hello," Alais interrupted, her voice sounding so very bored.
And Stefan...he nearly flinches. Not only did he not hear this girl coming, nor did he feel her- but the way she was looking at him.
It was unsettling, like being cut into; so singular that Stefan struggles to describe it. The moment that this girl saw him, it was almost complete exposure. Her eyes reached into his mind and dug around before pulling back out.
And secondly, and most disturbingly, she was beautiful.
With a green blouse draped over her in such a way it left the top of her collarbones exposed with long, wild curls, tight ringlets really that cascaded down to her lower back, golden brown skin, wearing a wry smile on her pretty rosy lips.
"Stefan Salvatore, I presume." Her gold eyes slash over to Elena. "Long time no see, Gilbert."
Elena seemed to choke on her saliva. "Alais?" She gasps out. "You're back?"
The girl's eyes look at Elena, patronizing, "My grandmother is dead, Elena."
Elena guppies, floundering for a little.
Alais rolls her eyes and take pity on the genetic fluke, before pulling a chair up to sit in front of Elena and Stefan. "Let's skip the formalities, shall we?"
She crosses her legs slowly, leaning back. "My grandmother is dead doing a spell she had no business doing." Elena opened her mouth to interrupt when Alais's hands fly up, stopping the girl. "Not only is that unacceptable I will not allow Bonnie to do any spells for anyone. If you need magical assistance you will only come to me. And I will decide if I wish to help. Is that understood?"
"But-"
"I said: is that understood?"
Both Stefan and Elena stare at Alais. Unsure of how to handle her.
"Yes," Elena says hesitantly.
Alais beams a smile so bright it nearly seems divine. "Excellent." She snaps a finger and a written scroll appears in her hand. "Now would you two mind signing a magically binding contract agreeing to said terms?"
"I- you know about magic?" Elena muttered a little helplessly.
Alais's frown deepens. "Of course I do." She stares at Elena almost as if she thinks the doppelganger is stupid. "Now gather your wayward brother, Stefan, we have a contract to sign."
Damon is, predictably, being difficult.
And Alais is entirely over it. His snarky comments were amusing at first, now they aren't.
"Shelia's granddaughter?" His icy blue eyes don't move off of her, glinting under the light. "Where did you run off to?"
"To church, of course. To confess my sins."
Damon snorted a laugh, but no one else seemed to find it amusing. "How far would go to win?"
"Farther enough," she replied. "Farther than you."
She smiled when his eyes darkened.
"Answer the question." At her continued silence he uses her name. "Alais?"
"Beg mercy."
Damon snorted.
She continued. "Then when this imaginary witch I'm battling lowers her guard, I'd finish the battle."
Damon full on laughed at that.
"A violation of sportsmanship," Stefan said quietly under his breath. The words still reached Alais and she felt a pang of annoyance.
"What do I care about sportsmanship?" She kicked her foot out. "If I'm about to get killed there are no rules. I won't check the rules to see if my survival fits with someone else's code of conduct."
Stefan shook his head. "You wouldn't win that way." He looked at Elena. "No master witch would disarm themselves until you did first."
"Damon didn't say master, only that they were better than me. And, yes I would win."
Damon crossed his arms over his chest. "You're a clever thing, aren't you? And arrogant. I'm surprised someone hasn't beaten it out of you."
"You mustn't blame them. They beat me the best they could." She smiled wickedly at that.
He shook his head. "Would you ever truly be on our side."
"I'm only on my side. Your trick will be convincing me that helping you, helps me."
"What if I did?" Damon moves closer to her, only a breath away. Anticipation rising in his voice. "How far would you go to win?"
"The better question, is how far you would go?" She looks him steadily in the eye as she speaks. "I think I already know. It's why you're so resistant to the idea of signing the contract. Bonnie is more pliable than me. I'm difficult to manage, she's basically a puppet masters wet dream with you using Elena to get to her."
There's silence.
Alais however isn't finished.
"Sign the contract or I'll be forced to be cruel-" every door, window, and escape shut with enough force to shake the entire Salvatore boarding house. Elena let's out a loud gasp. "- we wouldn't want that...would we?"
"I'm surprised Damon didn't try to kill you," Bonnie growls after she's calmed down enough after the initial news. "Why do you always do this?"
Alais shrugged. "What?"
"Aggravate everyone. You seem bent on making enemies here."
"And you insist on making false friends. They're no different."
Elena's been kidnapped.
And all Alais can do is laugh.
She's already in her car heading to the abandoned house.
She has an impromptu meeting with an original, after all.
And she would not be late.