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Thirty-Six: Two Ricks'

I was up in my room when I heard a knock at the door. I checked my security camera on a whim then nearly choked when I saw it was Meredith. Quickly finishing brushing my teeth, I went downstairs. 

"What's going on?" I asked, taking a seat on the stairwell.

Alaric was staring at Meredith in disbelief, "Meredith was about to tell me that I'm the killer." He told me. I went silent, "Which is insane, right?" 

I looked at Rick silently and didn't say a word, "It's like the Sheriff said, the victims were killed with your weapons." Meredith started slowly. 

"Yeah, but I was attacked." Rick reminded us.

Shaking my head, "Rick, you were attacked with your own knife, and the wounds were self-inflicted." I said softly.  

Alaric backed away from Meredith and me, "It's impossible! I would know if I were killing people." 

"Would you? Have you had any blackouts, instances of lost time?" 

Rick shook his head, "You're insane. Europa, you can't actually believe this." 

I stood up and went down to stand on the main level, "I am so sorry Rick, but I couldn't tell you. But I've none for a few days now. The evidence made sense." 

"I think you might be insane. You wear a ring that lets you cheat death, Ric. How many times can you die before it changes you?" Alaric sat down heavily and I sat down with him, Meredith on his other side. "I think you're sick and I want to help you. This has happened before, almost 100 years ago." 

Alaric turned when he saw Elena standing in the doorway, "Elena," He said softly. 

"Ric, I think she's right." 

Then, Alaric turned to me, "You said you've known for days, what makes you so sure?" 

"Well, I read the diaries but I didn't want to believe it so I thought I'd just keep an eye on you. Then after the first victim and the evidence coming from our stash of weapons, I knew. Also, you kinda kidnapped me and locked me in the old Forbes cell." Alaric's eyes went wide at the last bit and I quickly went to explain, "But I'm fine now! See, not even a scratch! I'm fine!" 

"So what do we do?" Alaric asked, looking between the three of us. 

It was decided that Alaric would get a CT scan done to see if we could do anything medically to treat it. Anti Psychotics, anything. Meredith also offered to stay in the house with us, which we took her up on, and suggested that I find another place to stay for a little while. 

At first, Alaric was against that idea. He was insistent that I should stay in the house and that he would go back to his apartment. Elena, Meredith, and I all shot down that idea on the basis that it would be easier to watch him in the house littered with security cameras. 

That is what led to me sitting in my car with my thumb hovered over Klaus' contact. 

Sighing, I pressed the button and put the phone to my ear. 

"Hello, Love, to what do I owe the pleasure?" He asked upon answering. 

Hesitantly, I considered my request, "Is that offer to stay at your place still available?"

There was a moment of silence on the other end. He was either grinning or frowning, there was no in-between, "Of course Darling, what type of gentleman would I be to say no?" He asked with an obvious smirk in his voice. 

 "Great, I'm coming over. Thank you, for doing this. You didn't have to." Hitting my palm against my forehead, I nearly groaned at my social awkwardness. Just hang up the phone Europa. "Okay, see you soon. Bye!" Once the call ended I really did groan. I didn't need to say bye that quickly! 

When I pulled up to the mansion, I found Klaus standing on the front steps waiting for me. As soon as my car was off, my door was open and I was offered a hand out of the car by none other than Klaus himself. "You are really pushing this gentleman thing, aren't you?" I asked with a smile as I shut the car door. 

"I don't need to push anything Love, I am a gentleman." He said with a cheeky smile. I huffed and rolled my eyes in amusement as I popped the trunk and went to grab my bag only to find Klaus had beaten me to it. "Come on, let's get you a room." 

The room he put me in was the same one that I got the last time I had stayed in the mansion. I quickly put my stuff down and flopped down tiredly on the bed. "Long day, Love?" Klaus asked from somewhere in the room. 

I didn't have my eye on him, I didn't feel I needed to. It was a nice change from my own house. "The longest." 

"Do you want to talk about it?" I felt the bed dip and could sense his presence right next to me. "Well after sleeping off being kidnapped I woke up to find out Alaric was being held on suspicion of being a serial killer, Elena and Matt almost got arrested breaking into Meredith Fell's place, then Damon and Stefan decided to feed on a human with the council on high alert. To finish it all off I met with the serial killer and they are now getting help but that means its dangerous for me in my own home." 

"Why would the... Darling, tell me what I'm thinking isn't true." 

Why did I give so much away? For the love of God, my big mouth was going to get me in trouble someday. "That entirely depends on what you're thinking Klaus." 

"Tell me Alaric is not the serial killer." I stayed silent. "Why would you stay in the house with a serial killer?" Klaus exclaimed sitting up on the bed and pulling me with him. 

Glancing down, I shrugged. "Alaric was there for my family when we had no one. When every adult had left or died. He's been like a parent to Jeremy and Elena for me and has comforted me on more occasions than I care to admit. Klaus, I can't just abandon him when he needs me the most. It's not his fault if anything it's my family's fault. Our ring is making him go insane. Our Rick is still there. I can't leave him to fight his demons alone. He wouldn't do the same to me." 

"He kidnapped you Europa." Klaus pointed out. 

"That wasn't my Rick! You aren't hearing me. My Rick wouldn't hurt me, he's like a big brother to me. The other Rick, he's someone else. He would hurt me. But My Rick is still there and he's still fighting. Until Rick is gone. Completely and utterly gone, I am not giving up on him." I explained to Klaus, getting off the bed.

My hands were shaking as I spoke at the hybrid, tears were burning my eyes. What if it was too late? What if all I was seeing of my Rick was a footprint on the sand with the tide rolling in? I couldn't lose another person, I wouldn't survive that.

When Klaus got off the bed, I thought he was going to tell me off for raising my voice at him. Instead, he grabbed me and pulled me in for a hug. "Then I'll be here for you until the other Rick is gone." 

"I thought I had heard- Nik, tell me you didn't compell Europa again!"