A/N The Vampire Diaries Settings and Characters all belong to LJ Smith and the CW. Any original characters and this story are copyright © 2011-2018 to Hopelessromanticgurl, all rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author.

Last time:

About an hour later Lexi hadn't heard from Stefan or Elena so she headed back to Elena's house just to be sure they were ok.

When she got to the house she was shocked to see Elena and Damon, only they were kissing. Something didn't seem right.

"Elena!" Lexi growled.

They both pulled away. Elena didn't look the least bit scared of being caught. Why couldn't Lexi hear her heart beating?

The front door opened and Jenna told Elena to get inside. Elena went inside without another word. Damon just looked to Lexi and smirked and then walked away.

Lexi shook her head, something wasn't right. She grabbed her phone and called Stefan.

"Hey, Lexi."

"Hey, where is Elena?" she asked.

"Right here next to me. We stopped to get some ice cream. But we are headed home right now."

Lexi looked back at the front door that "Elena" had just walked through. When it all clicked Lexi gasped. "Katherine"

Now:

"What?" Stefan spoke through the phone. "Lexi, did you just say Katherine?"

"Stefan, whatever you do, do not bring Elena home. Keep her out as long as possible." Lexi said.

A loud scream was heard from inside the Gilbert house.

"What was that? Lexi what is going on?" Stefan asked frantically.

"Stefan, listen to me I do not have time to explain. Just keep Elena away from her house until I say otherwise."

"Fine, meet us at the hospital, Elena just got a call, Caroline is in the hospital."

"I'll meet you there." Lexi hung up and rushed inside.

Stefan and Elena arrived at the hospital and rushed over to Bonnie.

"How is she?" Elena asked frantically.

"She's weak." Bonnie said sadly. "They don't know if she's going to make it."

"What?" Elena gasped. "No!"

She and Bonnie hugged tightly.

When they pulled away Elena asked "Is there something you can do, like a spell or something?"

But before Bonnie could answer Damon walked over. "She doesn't know how? DO you?"

"No. I don't." Bonnie sighed.

"It took Emily years to learn that spell." Damon said.

"I can take down a vampire. That spell was really easy to learn." Bonnie glared.

Damon ignored her and looked to Elena. "I can give her some of my blood."

"No, No way." Elena said instantly. To her and Stefan's surprise Bonnie agreed.

"Do it."

Elena looked to her shocked.

"It's Caroline!" Bonnie said. Then she looked to Damon. "Do it, now."

Damon smirked. "If I do this, you and me call a truce?"

"No, but I know you'll do it anyway. For Elena." With that Bonnie walked away.

Just then Stefan's phone buzzed. It looked at the caller ID. "It's Lexi, she sounded really off the last time we spoke, I have to take it. Will you be ok for a second?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine. Go." Elena nodded.

Stefan answered the phone and walked to a more private area.

"Look, I know this isn't the best time to bring this up, but I really think we need to talk." Damon said.

"Talk about what?" Elena asked.

"You know…about tonight."

"Can you be clearer, Damon, a lot has happened tonight."

"When you and I were outside your house….on the porch…we talked…"

"Damon, I really have no idea what you're talking about. I haven't even been home at all tonight."

"Oh come on Elena, we kissed!" Damon said.

Elena looked shocked but shook her head. "I do not have time for this right now."

She went to walk away but Damon grabbed her wrist. "If you want to forget it happen, fine! But I can't."

"Damon you're hurting me, let go." Elena said strongly trying not to show her fear.

"Excuse me, coming through, watch out!"

Damon let Elena go and they both jumped out of the way as doctors came rushing by pushing a man on a gurney.

Elena looked at the man and gasped. "John!" Both he and Jeremy were supposed to be at the house with Jenna. If John was hurt did that mean…. Elena gasped. "Jenna! Jeremy!"

Elena spun around to go find Stefan. But he was already in front of her. "Breathe, breathe, both Jenna and Jeremy are 100% fine. I just got off the phone with Lexi."

"What happen?"

"Lexi isn't sure, but someone broke into the house and stabbed John and cut off his fingers."

"Oh my gosh! Jeremy, what about Jeremy!?" Elena asked frantically.

"Jeremy is fine. I promise."

"Jenna?"

"She out talking with the Fire Department about what happen. She wasn't home when it happen."

"And…and Jeremy?"

"Elena, Baby, listen to me. I promise Jeremy is fine."

"Then why do I get this sick feeling you're not telling me something?" she whimpered

Stefan sighed. "I was going to wait until a better time."

"Please just tell me now, is Jeremy ok?"

"He's fine. Lexi is with him…"

"But?"

"But, his friend Anna gave him some of her blood. Jeremy wanted to be a vampire so he took some pills and mixed it with Anna's blood."

"Oh my gosh! Is he…"

"No, the blood cured him of any damage the pills can do and he didn't take enough of them to actually die. Lexi is with him now making sure he doesn't try again."

Elena sighed. She buried her face into her hands and tried to catch her breath. Almost everyone she loved was close to death together. She didn't know if she could handle any more bad news. Stefan pulled her into a hug and kissed her hair and rubbed her back.

"Elena!" Jenna came running over causing Elena and Stefan to pull away.

"I came as soon as I got Lexi's message. What happen?"

"Jenna, where have you been?" Elena cried.

"I was at the fire department. I had to fill out a report. I told you that earlier." Jenna said.

Elena racked her brain trying to remember that, but there was no memory. "No you didn't."

"Yes I did."

"No you didn't."

While they were arguing Stefan and Damon shared a look both thinking the same thing.

"Is it possible?" Damon asked softly so no human would hear it.

"Oh yeah, Lexi confirmed it. She's the one who did this to John. Lexi doesn't know where she went, all we know is that Katherine is back." Stefan said softly.

"Uh-oh." Damon said out loud.

Jenna and Elena looked to Damon confused. Elena looked to Stefan. She knew something was up. She looked to Jenna. "Can you stay here with John and call me on any news about Caroline?"

"Are you going home?" Jenna asked.

Elena nodded.

"Ok, Yeah I'll keep you posted."

Elena walked with Stefan until she was out of ear shot and sight of Jenna. Then she just went limb knowing Stefan would catch her.

"I know, Baby, I know." Stefan cooed holding her tightly to him. "Hang in there, ok? We will be home soon."

Elena just nodded. So much had happen tonight and she was so overwhelmed. She didn't want to speak anymore. She was still just trying to process everything.

They arrived home and Elena went right up to see Jeremy.

While she was talking to Jeremy, Lexi and Damon filled Stefan in on what happen with Katherine when she was there.

A few minutes later Elena came back down. "I told Jeremy. I'm tired of lying to him."

Everyone just nodded.

"Are you ok?" Stefan asked.

"No. I thought once we got rid of the tomb vampires everything would be ok." Elena vented.

"I know. So did I." Stefan said and hugged her. "I'm really sorry but I have to tell you something."

"No." Elena whimpered and buried her face into Stefan's chest. "No more bad news please, Stefan. I can't take it."

Stefan sighed and looked to Lexi. She could be in danger if she didn't know, but at the same time he didn't have the heart to tell her when she was begging him not to.

"Elena, I know you can handle it. You're a strong woman. You need to know this to keep you and the rest of your family safe." Lexi said gently. "I won't say anything right now. But when you're ready there is more you need to know."

"Oh for crying out loud." Damon groaned. "Elena, Katherine is back! There I said it."

Elena's head shot up "What?"

"Katherine is back, she's the one who almost killed John and was here talking to me tonight when I was here." Damon said.

"She was here? She was inside the house? That means she's been invited in!" Elena said frantically. "What are we going to do?"

"Move." Damon answered simply.

"Not helping!" Elena groaned. She really wished they could just send him home but she knew they needed his help.

Stefan hugged her again and she let out a deep breath. "What does she want" Elena asked.

"Nobody knows. But if she wanted one of us dead we would be dead so she has other plans. We just need to figure out what that is." Damon said.

"And not provoke her in the process. " Stefan said pointing to Damon. "What happen when she was here earlier, pretending to be Elena?"

"Yeah Damon, what did happen earlier?" Lexi asked with a growl. She knew but she wanted to be sure Stefan knew what Damon had done.

"Oh you know, we talked a little and then we uh…we kissed."

"And you thought it was me?" Elena asked clinging tighter to Stefan feeling him tense.

"What do you mean you kissed?" Stefan asked.

Damon smirked. "Oh you know when two lips pucker and they go…" he made kissing noises just to annoy Stefan.

Stefan went to attack but Elena and Lexi stopped him.

"Stefan don't. It wasn't me. He kissed Katherine not me, I wouldn't do that to you." Elena said.

"Elena is right. I knew something was off the minute I saw it. It was not Elena." Lexi said.

"We don't have time for this guys." Elena sighed. "John must know something. There has to be a reason why Katherine tried to kill him."

"She's Katherine, she loves to play games and you're fooling yourself if you think you're going to find out what she's been up to before she wants you to know." Damon answered.

"No, actually Elena's right." Stefan said. "John could know something threw Isobel. She was in touch with Katherine so maybe we can go to the hospital and talk."

Elena nodded.

"I've got a better idea." Damon answered with a smirk.

"What's that?" Elena asked not really sure if she wanted the answer or not.

I'm just going to ignore her. See you." He went to walk away but Elena stopped him.

"Is that smart?"

"If Katherine thinks she's been ignored it will lure her out, she'll make a move." Damon smirked.

"Yeah? And then what?" Stefan asked.

"Stake her; rip her head off, something poetic. We'll see." With that Damon walked away.

Elena let her guard down and dropped down on a chair. Stefan rubbed her back.

"What is the real plan?"

"We're going to talk to John. Then we will go from there." Stefan said,

"You guys can do that tomorrow. Right now I think it's time we all get some sleep." Lexi said.

"I don't think I can." Elena sighed.

"You're falling asleep on the table. I'm sure you'll be ok." Lexi said gently.

Elena just nodded. "Will you and Lexi stay" she asked Stefan.

"Of course." Stefan answered.

Together they went up to Elena's room and fell asleep.

The next day all three of them were up bright and early and went to the Hospital.

As they were walking down the hall to the right room Stefan noticed Elena looked tense and nervous.

"Are you ok?" Stefan asked.

She nodded. "Being her just reminds me of my parents….waking up here alone without them. I wasn't even allowed to see Jeremy because he was already taken to Child Services to wait for John."

"John? Don't you mean Jenna?" Stefan asked.

Elena shook her head. "John was supposed to take us first. They couldn't reach him so Jenna was the next person. She came down right away."

Tears filled Elena's eyes. "Jeremy and I were so scared. Our social worker kept saying if nobody from family came soon we'd be separated in put into foster care. John was a no show for almost two days. They didn't even call Jenna. I did, and she came as soon as she heard."

Stefan hugged her. He kissed her head. "You're so brave getting through everything that you have. I'm so proud of you."

"I love you, Stefan. I'm sorry. I'm ok."

"You don't have to apologies. I love you too."

They shared a kiss and finally made it to the room.

"Are you ready?" Lexi asked a nervous looking Elena.

"No, but let's go."

The three of them went into the room. John was sleeping.

"John…" Elena said softly.

John woke up, but then panicked. He went to grab the help button but before he could Stefan stopped him.

"I'm Elena." Elena said. "I'm not Katherine."

"We know she did this to you." Stefan said.

"We just need to know why?" Elena continued.

"Where is she?" John asked in a panic.

"You tell us." Stefan told him.

"I don't know." John said. He was surprised when Elena handed him back his ring.

"Please, why is she here and what does she want?" Elena asked.

John didn't answer and Elena was getting more upset by the minute.

"Look, She'll try again." Lexi said. "We want to help you, but we can't unless you confined in us."

"In you?" he asked with a roll of his eyes. "and him?"

"Then in your daughter." Stefan said.

"My daughter should have driven a stake through both your hearts already." John said. Then he looked to Elena. "I never spoke with her directly She never trusted me. Now either kill me or get out because I can't stand the sight of you with my daughter."

Elena finally snapped. "You see the problem with such hate! It's going to get you killed!" Then she stormed out of the room.

Lexi ran after her. Since she couldn't use her vampire speed Elena managed to get back outside to the parking lot by the car.

Lexi finally caught up with her. She was leaning against the car, crying softly in her hands.

"Hey, I'm sorry. I thought for sure this would work." Lexi said.

"No, it's my fault. I never should have believed we could trust him. As long as I'm with Stefan and friends with you he's never going to be trust worthy."

"He's not worth it. We will find another way to get information on Katherine. I promise. This isn't over."

Elena nodded and turned to face Lexi. "Thanks."

They shared a hug just as Stefan came out.

"What happen?" Elena asked.

"I asked him to leave town." Stefan said.

"Asked? You threatened him." Elena said.

"Oh yeah, I did."

"Good." Elena said. "I want him gone. I know I shouldn't feel that way but I do."

"I know." Stefan said soothingly. They shared a hug and Elena relaxed in his arms never wanting to leave his warm embrace.

"What happens now?" Elena asked once they pulled away.

"Now…I need to talk to Damon."

Elena sighed. "Please don't fight with him."

"Elena, he tried to kiss you. I'm not ok with that."

"That's not the biggest problem. Katherine is. She's messing with both your heads and we know Damon isn' stable when it comes to her. The last thing we need is to make this worse."

Stefan sighed but nodded. "Ok, you're right."

"I'll go with and make sure they don't kill each other." Lexi told her.

"Thank you. I have to go home and get Jenna and Jeremy then we're heading over to the Lockwoods."

"Call me later." Stefan said.

"I will."

They shared a hug and kiss goodbye and went their separate ways.

Elena tried to get their early but time was against her today. She hit traffic going home and then Jeremy didn't want to go so she and Jenna had to fight with him until he agreed. She even got a call from Bonnie asking where she was just as they were getting in the car.

She hit more traffic on the way to the Lockwood's but she finally got there. As Jeremy and Jenna went inside she saw Damon and went over to him. They had to talk.

"Hey, how are you doing?" she asked him.

He gave a sarcastic reply as always. "Great Elena. Walking on sunshine, thanks for asking."

Elena sighed. "Damon…"

He just mocked her. "Elena…"

"We should be able to talk about this. Damon, we're close enough now. I really want to know how you are doing."

"I kissed you; I thought you kissed me back… Doppelganger hijinks ensued… How do you think I'm doing?"

"I think you're hurting." Elena said honestly.

Damon shook his head. "No, I don't get hurt, Elena."

"No, you don't admit that you get hurt. You get angry and cover that up and then you do something stupid." Elena said to him.

"You're scared. You think Katherine is going to send me off the deep end don't you? I don't need her for that." He started to walk away but then stopped and turned back to look at her. "You know… why is it such a surprise that I would kiss you?

"That's not a surprise. I'm surprised that you thought I would kiss you back."

"Now I'm hurt."

Before Elena could say more she was cut off.

"Elena!"

She turned to the voice and saw Lexi.

"What's going on?" Elena asked seeing the frantic look at on her face.

"Katherine is here, it's a long story but Stefan went off alone with her and now we need to find him and fast. She's older than him and that means stronger, not to mention the fact he's on animal blood."

Elena nodded. She quickly followed Lexi as they searched for Stefan.

By the time they found him he was on the ground bleeding from the side and Katherine was nowhere to be found.

They helped him up and helped him clean up.

"Will you be ok?" Elena asked.

"I'm fine. It will heal." Stefan said.

Elena sighed. "That's not what I meant."

"I was trying to figure her out. I played along and let her get to me. I'm fine."

Damon walked over to them. "I tried to track her but she's gone. Ouch, cover up Fabio. You have a crazy ex on the loose." He looked to Elena and smirked. "You better watch out, looks like Katherine is trying to steal your guy."

"That's not what's happening." Stefan said.

"Isn't it? I mean it's only fair since I went after your girl."

Not wanting to be in the middle of this fight again Elena stood up. "I'm going to check on Jenna and Jeremy. Let me know when you guys are done." As she passed Lexi she whispered "Make sure they don't kill each other."

Lexi nodded. "I promise."

Elena walked away.

She ended up leaving shortly after that. She texted Stefan to tell him she would just see him later tonight.

Elena stood staring at herself in the bathroom mirror. She sighed. It had been a long day and all she wanted to do was curl up in bed and sleep. Her Uncle…or birthfather was nearly stabbed to death by her vampire boyfriend's ex- vampire girlfriend, who is also her ancestor. Her boyfriend was stabbed by the same person as well. Her best friend was in a car crash and almost died , her brother was depressed and almost killed himself just so he could be a vampire, but most importantly her boyfriend's brother had kissed her ancestor thinking it was her and now he was mad because she said she would never kiss him…it had been one of those days. She walked out of the bathroom and jumped startled by the sight of Damon sitting at the foot of her bed.

"You scared me."

"I'm just doing my part in the neighborhood watch." He muttered without emotion.

"Thanks for protecting us…protecting me."

"That's me, the trusted bodyguard, calm in crisis."

Elena noticed something was off about him. "Have you been drinking?"

He held his pointer finger and his thumb only inches apart. She could tell by his behavior he was drunk.

"And you're upset that's not a good combination."

"No, I'm not upset, Upset is an emotion specific to those who care."

"Come on Damon, that's a lie. You care."

Damon looked up at her for the first time since starting this conversation. He looked really angry and annoyed. "You are surprised that I thought you would kiss me back? You can't imagine that I believe you would want to?"

Elena sighed, why did he have to bring this up, and why now? "Damon…"

He cut her off before she could finish. "No, all we've been doing here means something. You are the liar Elena. There is something going on between the two of us and you know it." Damon stood up and moved closer to her. Elena moved back a bit but he followed. "And you're lying to me, you're lying to Stefan and most of all you're lying to yourself. I can prove it."

"No…" Elena started but was cut off when Damon pressed his lips to hers holding her face tightly in his hands. She tried to pull away but failed, she pushed against his chest and he pulled away. "Damon don't, what's wrong with you?"

"Am I lying about this?" he nearly growled. He tried and failed at kissing her again.

"Stop, you're better than this, come on." Elena said.

"That's where you're wrong."

Damon tried one last time at kissing her. She pulled as far back as she can.

"No, no Damon. I care about you. Listen to me, I care about you. I do but… I love Stefan, it's always gonna be Stefan."

Before Damon could answer Jeremy, Elena's brother appeared in the door way. "Elena, what's going on in here?"

She didn't want her brother involved in Damon's drama. "Nothing Jeremy it's ok. Just go back to bed." She pulled her hands free from Damon's grip.

Before either of the siblings could speak Damon answered for them, "No, it's not ok Elena." He looked at Jeremy, than to Elena. "He wants to be a vampire."

Before Elena had the chance to stop him, Damon ran over to Jeremy and pinned him by the throat against the wall.

"No, Damon Stop it!" Elena shouted.

Damon started strangling Jeremy and then he said "You want to turn off the pain? It's the easiest thing in the world."

Jeremy was gasping for air, his eyes wide with fear.

Damon continued "The part of you that cares just goes away, all you have to do is flip the switch and snap!" Once he uttered the word snap at the same time he broke Jeremy's neck and let him fall to the floor.

"NO!" Elena cried.

She rushed to her brother's side shaking him, praying and hoping he'd wake up, but deep down she knew he was dead. She cried hysterically taking gasps for air. She looked up at Damon who was standing in the doorway. She gave him the most hated look she could. He looked at her, then to Jeremy before he walked away.

"Ju-just hang on Jer, hold on ok. I'm…I'm going to get you help." Elena stuttered through her tears. She grabbed her phone from her nightstand and called the number she knew by heart.

"Hello?"

Elena wanted to tell him everything but she couldn't find her voice. All she could do was cry

"Elena? Baby is that you?"

"Stefan!" she choked out.

"It's me, Elena's what's going on over there?"

"Help me!" Elena cried.

With that she hung up. She cried over her brother's body. First her parents died and now her brother? How could she move on from this? She heard knocking at the front door. She wanted to answer it but she didn't want to leave her brother. Her phone buzzed telling her she had a text. She looked at it and saw it was from Stefan.

"Out front, let me in."

She was too emotional to text back, she couldn't let go of her brother. She had to protect him.

Within a few seconds Lexi and Stefan realized something was wrong so they went through her window. The next thing she knew she felt two big gusts of air.

"Elena, I'm here what's….oh my….Jeremy!"

Stefan and Lexi rushed down to Jeremy's side.

"Can you save him?" she whimpered.

Stefan listened for a heartbeat or any sign of a pulse but there was none. He couldn't give up. Jeremy was one of the most important people in Elena's life and he wasn't going to die. He bit into his wrist ready to feed him his blood but Lexi stopped him. "Wait, don't do that."

"Lexi!" Elena cried.

"Shh, it's ok. He's going to be fine." Lexi said soothingly. "Look at his hand."

Elena and Stefan looked to his hand and Elena let out a cry of relief. He was wearing John's life ring.

"If killed by a supernatural the ring brings him back to life." Lexi reminded her.

Elena let out a breath of relief, and her tears of pain turned to tears of relief that her brother was alive and was going to be ok.

"Will he…will he be a vampire?" Elena whimpered.

"I don't know but I promise we will stay here until he wakes up and then we will go from there. If he is we will help him and make sure he's ok just like we did for Vicki." Lexi said.

Elena nodded and hugged her brother tighter to her chest.

"What happen Elena? Who did this?" Stefan asked. "Was it Katherine?"

Elena sniffed and shook her head.

"Please don't tell me…" Lexi started.

"I'm sorry." Elena whimpered.

"Damon did this?"

Elena nodded.

"He saw the ring, he must have. That's why he did it. He knew." Stefan said.

Elena shook her head slightly angry that Stefan was defending Damon, but she knew he always would.

"He didn't see the ring Stefan." Elena said.

"It's Katherine; she got under his skin and un-did everything that was good about him." Stefan sighed.

"There is nothing good about him Stefan, not anymore. He's decided what he wants. He doesn't want to feel, he wants to be hated, it's just easier that way. He got his wish…" Elena choked back a sob as she blurted out the words. "I hate him Stefan!"

Stefan got behind her and gently kissed her shoulder. "I know baby. I know."

Elena cried into her brother's hair. Stefan kneeled behind her just holding her and doing what he can to help soothe her.

A few minutes later Jeremy woke up with a gasp. Lexi and Stefan acted quickly, one held him still and Lexi looked at his face and looked for any signs that he may be a vampire.

"Is he ok? Is he ok?" Elena asked frantically as Jeremy squirmed in her arms gasping out the words "Damon killed me." Over and over.

"He's fine. He's fine." Stefan told her. "You're ok, Jeremy." Stefan said again.

Elena hugged her brother tightly as he hugged her back too.

Stefan and Lexi shared a look. What were they going to do now?

A/N What do you think? Leave me your thoughts in a review.

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