Elena, lying flat on a hospital bed thought to herself as burning blood rushed through her veins, the pain creeping its way from her feet to her chest. The sensation pierced her throat as she gasped for air, throwing her head up. Her eyes slowly adjusted to faces gazing down at her and arms reaching to comfort the back of her head. Several wires caught her eye, feeding blood into the veins of sick patients. She could smell it… all of it. She suddenly felt nauseous as if she hadn't slept in days. Someone spoke, "Elena, how do you feel?" It was Stefan. Her memory flashed to him in the water, attempting to save her as she insisted he take matt first. She opened her mouth to respond but a surge of taste filled her mouth as she breathed through her nostrils. She rose in panic, touching the skin on her cheeks and her dry lips in awe. Why did she feel so different? "I need to get out of here", she spoke quickly, blocking the air from her lungs.

Elena didn't speak again till she was in her home, sitting on her couch. "That's the longest I've ever held my breath," she whispered, as a tear ran down her face and she closed her eyes. She could feel Caroline's presence, leaning on the back of the couch, and knew Stefan and Damon were side by side in front of her. "I don't think I have to ask what's happened to me."

Stefan tried to find words of comfort. "Elena, I know there's not much I can say to make you feel better right now. And I know this isn't what you wanted, but it does get easier."

"It does, and you know what Elena they taught me so much and you're already so strong. You're gonna be fine," were the words Caroline found, in her soothing tone of voice, breaking ever so slightly.

"Caroline… I'm so sorry about Tyler," whispered Elena, her eyes still shut tightly. As she said it, she bit her puckered lip and her forehead creased in despair.

Caroline's eyes filled with water. "Right now I just need to know you're okay. Because… I can't stay Elena. I'll be back, for you… and for Bonnie. But the town knows what I am, and if I stay," her voice cracked. And Elena reached for her hand, opening her eyes slowly just to glance down at them.

"Just please be careful," said Elena.

Caroline nodded quickly in agreement as if she saw, and threw her arms around her. "I'll see you soon," were her last words before she flew out the door.

Elena took a deep breath. "Where are Jeremy and Bonnie?"

"They're at our house for the night. We didn't want the scents to overwhelm you, and having them too close may be dangerous," Damon muttered.

She ran her hands through her hair, scratching her scalp in worriment. "How are they taking it?"

"Well, no one is happy about this Elena. I, I failed at protecting you," Stefan stuttered.

"No, you did what I wanted you to do. I never asked to be protected, Stefan, I don't need to be protected anymore" she spoke in a forcing tone and then she glanced up into Stefan's eyes.

He was speechless, and she heard his heart beat rise. Her eyes then shifted to Damon's, whose heart was beating twice the pace. Looking into his eyes, memories flooded her. Memories she hadn't remembered experiencing until now. One of these moments tripped her, as she'd realized her first encounter of the dark Damon Salvatore. He had told her that she wanted a love that consumed her, and she'd recalled telling Matt earlier that Damon's love for her was consuming.

Damon had passion, adventure, and danger. She had found what she was looking for, but she thought she'd found it in Stefan too. For a moment she wished she could give these different types of love a chance but she was not Katherine. Sure, Damon and Stefan never loved her for the resemblance, but vampire Elena could resemble Katherine now, more than she ever wanted to. Elena thought about what Stefan had told her as they reached a waterfall in the mountains last year. He had told her every emotion was heightened as a vampire. So what if her love for these brothers is heightened as she begins the transformation? How could she discover what she wanted, before she discovered her alternate personality?

"You used compulsion on me the night we met? Damon, it was before…" She cut the thought short and watched him give one slow nod. Elena tilted her head, water filling her eyes, and looked at Stefan. He gathered her point though she didn't get to it and hoped it didn't change anything.

"We don't have to talk about that now", said Damon.

"Right… Where's, How's Matt?" She asked in a raised tone, bouncing up on the cushion in remembrance.

"He's doing better. He's been in recovery the last few hours," Stefan reassured.

"Stefan, you saved his life, she said pleasingly and thankfully. He gave a short nod. "When can I see him? And Jer and Bonnie? If they even want to see me…"

"You can see them as soon as possible. This will all just take some getting used to."

. . . . . . . . . . .

Jeremy is shown sitting on the couch in the Salvatore's residence. He's staring at the fire, in deep thought. Bonnie enters the room with a mug in one hand, hanging up her cell with the other.

"That was Caroline. She's gone." Bonnie sighed. She set the mug down in front of him. And turned to him as he remained un-phased, gazing at the fire.

"Sometimes, I wonder if I'd be better off without my powers. I mean what if I wasn't this way and I wasn't relied on to fix things as much as I am? You know I'd give my life for you and Elena, though. You're all each other have, and I love you. That's why I do it. But it's so overwhelming Jer." She cringed and let her face fall into her hands. Jeremy lifted her head and saw her face crumbling with fear.

"You are much more than you need to be." With his hands holding her head, he gazed into her eyes, and they pulled closer. They stopped and he dropped his hands to hold hers.

"I wish it could be just me, you, and Matt for a while. No vampires, no hybrids, no witch powers, no drama," Bonnie huffed.

"So, let's go… let's take a break from mystic falls and go somewhere away from all of this. Elena shouldn't be around us anyway."

"We can't leave her. She needs to know that we're here for her. And she should get used to having us around."

"If anything happens to you, Bonnie, I…" he faintly shook his head.

Bonnie interrupted. "I'm not going anywhere." She breathed the words into his lips as their foreheads touched. Her hands fell to the back of his neck, and his drifted through her hair, behind her ears. The temptation brought them closer, and they reconnected with one short kiss.

Let me know what you think.