Jeremy sat on the bed, staring off blankly into space. The news of Anna's death shook him to his very core, he couldn't believe she was gone, just a few hours ago they were making plans with each other. And now they would never happen. He stood up abruptly and opened one of his drawers rifling through it and throwing things out looking for the vial of blood she left him.

He finally found it and opened it up, staring at it. His mind was at a constant battle, on one hand this meant that he could live forever, long enough to avenge her death. And on the other, he didn't want to live an eternity walking the earth without her by his side. Finally building up the much needed courage he swallowed the contents of the vial. He went through the steps for vampirism in his head.

Step 1. Consume vampire blood and have it in your system. Check

Step 2. Die. He was having trouble thinking of how he wanted it to end.

Step 3. Consume human blood to complete transition. There was always Elena, or he could call his best friend Matt who would be willing to help out.

Jeremy walked into the bathroom and found a bunch of different pills, this would be a peaceful way to go right? He brought all of the bottles into his room and sat down on his bed, placing them down around him. He unscrewed the variety of bottles and put the pills into his hand. With a quick and fluid motion he threw them to the back of his throat and swallowed.

He slowly and carefully laid back in his bed waiting for the pills to run their course. He vaguely heard the banging of the front door and his name being called out but he was already hazy from the pills and was slowly falling into unconsciousness. Stefan ran up the stairs of the house and into Jeremy's room, his eyes falling on the unconscious boy and the pills scattered around him.

"No. No. No. Jeremy!" He flashed over and picked Jeremy up and brought him into the bathroom, positioning him so his head was over the toilet bowl. He stuck his fingers down Jeremy's throat causing his gag reflex to kick in, throwing up all of the pills he had consumed. Jeremy's eyes shot open and he pushed away from Stefan.

"What the hell Stefan!" he shouted angrily, pushing Stefan "why would you do that?"

"Because I wasn't about to let you die!" he shouted back, "what were you thinking?"

"I was thinking that the girl I love is dead and that I don't want to die. I'm not ready for that" Jeremy said weakly, memories of hearing about Anna's death flashing back to the surface. Before he knew it tears started falling from his eyes, his whole body shaking from over-exhaustion and grief. Stefan moved towards Jeremy and pulled him into a hug which Jeremy tried to resist but in the end fell into it because he needed the comfort of knowing someone was there with him. That he wasn't alone.

Jeremy pulled away from the hug and slowly trudged into his room and fell on top of his bed.

"I won't let you die Jeremy, I promised Elena I would keep you safe and that is exactly what I am going to do" Stefan said, following Jeremy and sitting at the edge of his bed.

"Does it get any easier?" Jeremy asked quietly.

"Honestly? For the next few months you are going to feel a plethora of emotions but after that you are going to find a light in something. And once you do, you'll know that you can do this" Stefan advised then looked over at Jeremy who had fallen asleep.

Stefan stood up and left the room, leaving Jeremy to sleep of the exhaustion. Once he got downstairs he found Damon sitting on the couch sullenly.

"What's going on?" he asked grabbing Damon's attention.

"Looks like John Gilbert decided to kidnap Elena, I think he might have taken her to the next town over somewhere but I'm not sure" Damon answered then stood up and started pacing.

"We need to get her back, she is the only thing holding Jeremy together at the moment" Stefan said urgently, "I need her too."

"I know Stefan. We will get her back, but we need to be smart about this. John Gilbert has spent years fighting and hunting vampires, it's not going to be as easy as walking into wherever he is hiding her and demanding for her back." Damon snapped.

"You call Rick, and I'll Caroline and Bonnie over, we'll need their help too" Stefan said, already dialling Caroline's number.

"Caroline?"

"Stefan? What's up?"

"It's Elena. John's taken her." He could hear her gasp over the phone.

"I'll be over in a bit, do you want me to pick Bonnie up on the way over?"

"That would be great thanks." Stefan hung up then decided to go check on Jeremy, he went up the stairs and quietly opened the door to find Jeremy still sound asleep but tears falling down his face. Sighing he left the door open a little in case of another emergency and walked back downstairs.

A couple of hours later and they were on their way to a particularly good plan. Jeremy woke up, completely oblivious to what was going on downstairs and groggily started walking down. He heard voices coming from the kitchen and started making his way there.

"He just tried to turn, I don't think telling him his sister has been kidnapped is the best news to hear" Stefan stated calmly, not knowing Jeremy was behind him until he spoke up.

"Elena's been taken?" All eyes turned to look at the youngest Gilbert.

"Jeremy" Caroline started only to get cut off.

"My sister has been kidnapped?" he shouted making Bonnie squeak from the volume, he ran over to Damon and tried to stab him but Damon just grabbed him from behind and wrapped an arm around his neck causing him to struggle to get out of his grip.

"Jeremy please calm down so we can talk this over rationally" Stefan spoke calmly. Jeremy nodded tersely and sat down at the dining table waiting for his explanation.

"You know John?" Stefan asked, sitting across Jeremy who just nodded in response.

"Well, he's the one that took Elena in the hopes of getting into someone's good books" he explained, continuing before Jeremy cut him off, "we already worked out a plan on how to get her back."

"What's the plan?" he asked straight away, needing to have his only remaining living family member with him.

"Damon and Caroline are going to head to border to prevent them from crossing into another state. Bonnie, Alaric and I are going to head to Richmond where we reckon John has her" behind Stefan Caroline and Damon were already leaving for the border, hoping to get a head start. Bonnie and Alaric were packing a rucksack full of stake, vervain, ropes and anything they could possibly need.

"What am I going to do?" Jeremy pushed up from his chair abruptly causing it to fall over.

"We need you to stay here and out of trouble" Alaric passed the dining table, walking towards the door, "we'll be waiting in the car Stefan." Bonnie followed Alaric after giving Jeremy a sympathetic smile.

"We'll get her back Jer" she reassured before exiting the house.

"No absolutely not! I am coming with" Jeremy stormed towards the door coming to an abrupt halt when Stefan flashed in front of him.

"No you're not" he said calmly.

"Yes I am" Jeremy pushed past him only for Stefan to grab hold of Jeremy's left wrist.

"No. You aren't Jeremy. You are staying here where it's safe." Stefan spoke with his voice slightly raised.

"You don't scare me" Jeremy spat, tugging his arm but Stefan's hold didn't let up, "you're hurting me!" Stefan automatically loosened his hold. Jeremy took the opportunity and ran towards the door, he managed to get outside but fell over when he ran into Stefan again.

"Jeremy" Stefan said sternly, arms crossing across his chest.

"Fuck off! She's MY sister!" Jeremy yelled, tears falling down his face, he stood up and tried to intimidate Stefan, "you aren't my father! You can't tell me what to do!"

"No but I know what is best and that is why you are staying!" Stefan argued back.

"No! I have to save her!" Then it clicked in Stefan's head, it wasn't about wanting to go, he wanted to be able to stop another death like he was unable to stop Anna's. He was running on guilt.

"No. You stay. You are vulnerable, you will get hurt" Stefan stood there.

"Move dick!"

"Jeremy get back into that house or I will haul you in there myself" Stefan threatened but Jeremy stubbornly didn't move.

"Fine" Stefan sighed then threw Jeremy over his shoulder and started walking towards the house. Jeremy started thrashing in Stefan's hold and kicking him.

"You two go ahead" Stefan called back to Alaric and Bonnie who started the car and drove off.

"Let me go!" Jeremy yelled.

"Not until you calm down!" Stefan yelled back, bringing Jeremy into his room. He put him down and Jeremy tried to run past him but Stefan grabbed his wrist. Stefan looked into Jeremy's eyes and started to compel him, knowing he didn't have vervain in or on him.

"You will stop trying to leave this house" Stefan compelled, Jeremy monotonically repeated the command. After Stefan released him from the compulsion Jeremy started crying.

"I hate you!" he cried, Stefan pulled him into a hug and didn't let go even though Jeremy was trying to push him away.

"We'll get her back" he promised, "you won't lose her." Stefan repeated the words over and over into his ears. Jeremy eventually broke away and locked himself in his room and fell asleep.