Elena didn't understand why she couldn't keep any blood down. She had tried everything. Her first attempt was drinking animal blood, but she couldn't hold it down for more than five minutes. Damon offered his blood in a second attempt, but she spat that out almost immediately and all over her favorite blouse. After learning of Elena's situation, Matt begged Elena to try his blood and, even though she didn't want to hurt him, or any other human for that matter, Elena was desperate for some kind of sustenance. After all these failed attempts, Elena felt like she truly was doomed to die, because she vomited up Matt's blood too.

Damon took Elena back to the boarding house in order to try and figure out what to do next. Elena knew Damon couldn't just sit back and watch her suffer, but she also knew that that he didn't know what else might work. As they both sat on the couch in the foyer, Damon assured her. "We'll figure something out, don't worry," Damon said, rubbing her back to soothe her.

Elena held her head in her hands, her body rebelling against the hunger that was gnawing at her entire being. She was exhausted and she had no idea how she was going to survive like this for much longer. Tears started to form in Elena's tired eyes and her weak voice barely choked out, "I'm going to die, aren't I?"

"Well, this is depressing," they heard a voice echo from behind them.

Elena turned around only to find Katherine leaning casually against the door frame. "What are you doing here?" Elena asked in disbelief, her whole body tensed at the arrival of her doppelganger.

"Nice to see you too, Elena," Katherine shot back, eyeing the new vampire.

"What happened to getting as far away from Mystic Falls as possible?" Damon asked, rising from the couch and wondering what the hell Katherine was still doing in town.

"Let's just say I heard about Elena's little... problem," Katherine drawled, taking a step closer to Elena. "Maybe I can help with that." She was practically purring and her eyes were locked on her counterpart's, making Elena shift nervously in her seat.

Damon took a step forward effectively shielding Elena from Katherine. "The hell you can," he spat.

Katherine took another confident stride forward, not even a little intimidated by Damon's attempt to protect his precious Elena. "Come on Damon, the girl is starving to death. She can't keep anyone else's blood down," Katherine tried to reason with him, already knowing he was going to be stubborn about this. "Who's to say I'm not the key to her recovery?"

Damon hesitated for a split second, but he held his ground. "You are insane if you think for one moment I would trust you with something like this."

"I don't really think it's up to you," Katherine retorted, crossing her arms over her chest, her eyes darting to Elena. Another moment of this and her patience would wear thin. It's not like she was morally obligated to help in any way.

"I think you better leave her alone Katherine, or I swear to god I will rip your heart out."

"Fine," Katherine relented as she held her hand out in front of her to examine her nails. "But this isn't over and you know it," she said, her eyes narrowed. "Bye Elena," Katherine added with wave of her fingers, before flashing out of the room.

Damon heard Elena breathe out and he spun around to face her. "Are you okay?" he asked frantically.

Elena shrugged her shoulders. "Not really," she said finally. "I think I just want to go home."

After asking Elena about fifty times if he could get her anything, or if she was alright being home alone, Damon dropped her off at her house. Elena was eager to get upstairs to her bedroom and lie down. She climbed the stairs, holding her hand up to her forehead. She was getting a migraine and her vision was starting to get fuzzy. As she reached the last step, she spotted Katherine standing casually in her room, like she hadn't barged in uninvited.

"What, no bodyguard?" Katherine asked, her head tilted to the side. She assumed that Damon would not have let Elena out of his sight after her surprise appearance at the boarding house.

Elena took a deep breath. She steadied herself against the doorframe, her knees threatening to give way beneath her. After a moment she trudged into her room, right past where Katherine was standing, paying no attention to the hair standing up on her arms as she brushed against the other vampire. "I can take care of myself now," Elena said weakly.

Katherine quirked an eyebrow, putting her hands on her hips. "Are you sure about that? You don't look so good."

"I'm fine," Elena coughed, as she tripped over nothing on her way over to her bed.

"Clearly," Katherine retorted.

Dark spots began to form in Elena's vision and all she wanted was for Katherine to leave her alone in her misery. Then suddenly, Elena stopped in her tracks, now furious at the situation and at Katherine's presence. She spun around angrily. "What do you want Katherine?"

"It's about what you want, Elena." Katherine knew very well what it was like to go without blood for long periods of time and remembered that it was even worse for vampires who had just been turned.

Elena laughed humorlessly and crossed her arms over her chest. "And what do I want exactly?"

Just then, Katherine flashed in front of her so they were merely inches apart. "I think you want to see if I'm right about my blood." She grazed Elena's arm with her slender fingers, enjoying the way Elena's breath caught in her throat at her touch.

Elena swallowed and looked around nervously. "You're crazy," she managed to say, finally.

Katherine's lips curled slightly at this. "Doesn't mean I'm wrong," she said, her eyes burning into Elena's. Katherine lifted her wrist up to her mouth and bit into it, her dark blood trickling down her arm as she held it up for Elena. "Want a taste?"

Elena flinched, her eyes locked on the blood flowing freely from Katherine's wrist. "What are you doing?" Elena asked, her voice hoarse.

"Giving you what you want," Katherine answered nonchalantly. Elena looked up at Katherine's eyes, her own darkened with thirst. "Drink," Katherine's lips formed the voiceless command.

The combination of Katherine's heady voice and Elena's undying hunger and insatiable thirst was enough to make it impossible for Elena to resist any longer. She tentatively wrapped her hand around Katherine's arm, her hunger just below the surface. She locked her other fingers around Katherine's hand, squeezing it tightly. Elena pulled Katherine's wrist towards her, her whole body tensing as she inhaled the sweet scent of her doppelganger's blood. She brought Katherine's wrist to her lips, the older vampire watching her curiously. Elena hesitated, closing her eyes and finally, her lips met Katherine's warm flesh.

Almost instantly Elena's body responded, her senses kicking into high gear. She bit into Katherine's wrist in order to access more blood and Katherine let out a quiet moan. This was unlike anything Elena had ever tasted, ever experienced as a human. It was like she had been waiting her entire life for this moment, and now that she had gotten a taste of Katherine's blood, everything was going to be okay. She could feel the vampire's blood replenishing her weary body with every swallow. She drank deeply and Katherine staggered back as Elena pushed her up against the wall with all her strength. Katherine leaned her head back, reveling in the sensations that vibrated through her body as Elena drank from her. Her fingers tangled in Elena's chestnut hair as she felt herself getting higher and higher.

"Elena," Katherine rasped, tugging on a fistful of hair, her eyes closed in ecstasy.

Elena had been lost in her bloodlust until she heard Katherine utter her name. Katherine. She pulled away, gasping for air, her eyes still darkened. She took a few steps back, stumbling over her backpack. Once she had regained her footing, Elena raised the back of her hand to her lips, wiping the blood away from her mouth.

"I'm sorry," Elena stuttered when she saw the blood on her hand.

Katherine looked down at her wound which was almost completely healed. "How do you feel?" she asked, leaning against the wall for support.

"I don't know... Fine I guess," Elena answered lowering herself onto on her bed, still feeling slightly light headed from the whole experience. She looked up at Katherine, who was trying to steady her own breathing.

"Well, you're not throwing up," Katherine breathed out. "So I think that's a good sign."

"Did I hurt you?" Elena asked, wanting to be sure she hadn't caused anyone, even Katherine, any pain.

"I've suffered much worse, Elena," Katherine laughed quietly. This was a joke only she seemed to understand. She took a step toward the younger vampire. "Besides, I enjoyed myself." When Elena looked at her, confusion evident in her eyes, Katherine asked her, "Didn't you?" Elena quickly swallowed and looked down at the floor. She fidgeted with a loose strand on her bedspread, keeping her gaze anywhere but on Katherine's face. Katherine lips twisted into a dark and knowing smile. She knew Elena would be back, asking her for more. And Katherine would enjoy making her beg, but that was for another time.

"I'll leave you to get cleaned up," she said after a few seconds of silence. As she made her way to the door, she heard Elena call out to her.

"Katherine, wait!" Elena said, standing up from the bed. Katherine turned around and looked at her expectantly.

"Thank you," Elena said finally, reaching up to tuck a piece of her hair behind her ear.

Katherine smiled at her and said, "Just wait until next time."

She turned on her heels and was gone before Elena could say another word.