Thank you everyone for the comments, I really appreciate it! Keep them coming and tell me what you think.

Katherine wakes up on the cold, hard floor. Immediately curious as to why the floor feels so cold? Vampires don't feel cold. And she's a vampire... right? Something feels off about herself, her body and brain are functioning oddly. Then the occurrences of last night are dawning on her. Attacking Elena, the battle, and then... something was shoved into her mouth. But what? She tries standing up only to find something odd about her wounds, they are still there. Aching with pain she struggles to move her sore muscles as she gets to her feet. And then she realizes whats missing. The blood lust. Her constant thirst for blood that has been present since she turned centuries ago. Complete shock overwhelms her face as she looks around her body and comes to the realization that for the first time in over five-hundred years, she is human.

Walking and talking, living and breathing. Fully alive once again and yet, weak. Utterly and bitterly weaker than all those who seek to destroy her. Katherine has no choice to leave Mystic Falls in order to ensure her own survival. But where to go? In so many years, she's managed to burn a lot of bridges. Who would turn her into a vampire. Surely no one who knows of her.

Except maybe one. The man that she hurt so badly, so recently, could be her only hope of returning to a vampire. Maybe Elijah would change her.

And with that thought, she moves her sore and aching body through the halls of the high school where she almost killed Elena for good. She is off to New Orleans to seek out Elijah. Only New Orleans is crawling with vampires, and as such is a dangerous place for a human. She can only hope that Elijah will protect her, and then change her once she gets there.

Elena arrives at the Salvatore house and rips the door open with ferocity. She dashes into the living room where Stefan and Jeremy are in intense conversation and runs to him. There she embraces Jeremy for a long time, as tears of joy and relief streak down her face.

"You're here, I can't believe it. But how? Is the veil still down?" Elena stammers out from behind her wall of tears.

"I can assure you the veil is up, but yes I am here. And for good."

With that, Elena hugs him again. And just as Stefan is preparing to leave them alone, Elena jumps up and embraces him too. She places her head in the window between his shoulder and neck, and wipes her tears off on his shirt.

"I don't understand how this is possible, I need to call Bonnie!"

"No, don't" Jeremy replies quickly, and Elena is alarmed by his haste.

"What, why? Don't worry it will just take a sec"

"No - wait stop." He says as he grabs the phone from her hands.

"Let me - "

"JUST DONT! okay!"

He storms out of the room before Elena can get another word in. "What was that all about?" Asks Elena with total confusion of what just occurred. She was happy, and excited to tell them about what she did to Katherine, and now questions about Bonnie are swimming in her head.

"He's just tired." Stefan replies soothingly as he reaches for her hand.

"That's not tired. That's angry and suspicious."

"A lot has happened lately, why don't we just let it go. I'm sure he'll tell you soon enough."

"I'm sorry but I'm not going to sit around here and wait for him to tell me what's happening with my best friend. I'll be at her house." Elena sharply replies as she grabs her keys and walks toward the door. Only before she can make it through the door, Stefan is in front of her blocking the way.

"Okay, what the hell is going on here."

Stefan looks around, as if the answer will appear in front of him, only nothing does. Only bookshelves full of books without the answers stare back at him. Mocking him as if to say "you're over a hundred years old, you've traveled the world, read all the great literature, and now you have no idea how to handle this situation."

"Let's go for a drive."

Despite her hesitancy she follows. He's always trusted her, now it's her turn to do the same. Stefan walks around to the passenger side to hold the door open before getting into the driver's seat and starting the ignition. It's not too far of a ride until they arrive at an old barn.

"I'm sorry you have to see this. But you have a right to know." Stefan says to a stunned Elena as they walk through the double barn doors.

There on the ground lies Bonnie's lifeless body. Elena falls to her knees, sobbing and choking on her tears. She lets out a wail of pain, and Stefan tries to help her but their is no salvation from a pain like that. It's like Jeremy's died all over again and she can't handle it. Only this time she will have too. The switch is not an option. She sits there and clings to Bonnie's body, holding her hand and praying that it isn't true. And as Elena sobs, Bonnie looks on from the other side. She watches Elena cry over the death of her best friend, and Stefan not knowing what to do but watch. Bonnie see's as Stefan finally pulls her away, and drags her into the car. It is a silent car ride, except for the painful sobs of Elena as she stares out of the window at nothing.

But then after miles of emptiness, Elena asks "How'd it happen?" She can barely get the words out, and chokes on every syllable.

"She was trying to bring Jeremy back to life. It worked, but it costed her life." With that, Elena becomes silent again.

When they arrive at the house, Elena can't get out of the car so Stefan carries her. He flashes up to the bedroom where he places her gently under the covers. He climbs into the bed next to her, and wraps his body around hers. Elena is too distraught to function, but still she pulls him closer to her. And soon, they are wrapped around each other, Elena is sleeping soundly and all Stefan can do is stroke her hair and hope this doesn't ruin her forever.