"Are you sure about this, Bonnie?" Elena asked, fluttering her fingers so that the glittery blue stone sparkled in the light that shone from her bedside lamp.

"Positive," the witch confirmed from beside the window.

"Don't get me wrong or anything, Bonnie. I trust you but it just didn't seem like much."

Stefan stepped up, always the defender. "I watched her make Caroline's daylight ring, too. It was the exact same spell and it worked perfectly."

Damon sighed heavily. "I'm bored," he mumbled sauntering over to the window with Bonnie, "So let's get this show on the road so I can leave."

And he shoved the curtains open all the way.

Elena cringed and ducked into a crouch, a motion similar to having a ball thrown at you when you aren't looking. But nothing happened.

Oh, she felt the sun on every inch of her skin. It was warm, warmer than before and she delighted in it. Her arms flexed as the light reflected on her pale ivory skin, just a shade lighter than it had been before she became a vampire, and she smiled. She had been so afraid of the sun since the incident at the hospital but now she invited it in to her home with open arms.

Elena giggled. "This is great. Thank you so much Bonnie!"

"Anytime."

"Well as much as I would love to stay and baby-sit the newbie, I have things to do," murmured Damon, clapping his hands together once and heading for the door.

Elena frowned. He had been acting so indifferent since the kiss that she had almost started to think that it never happened at all. He was turning into the old-him, the snarky and rude Damon that Elena despised. But then, overnight, it seemed like that Damon changed. And in helping her and Stefan deal with Klaus, they had become closer.

The corners of her mouth tugged into a grin as she looked at the ring, and remembered how she had come by it.

ooo

"I'm sorry, Liz, but I haven't heard from either of them since I left town," Damon was explaining to the forlorn Sheriff Forbes, standing just outside the entrance to the cellar on the old Lockwood property.

She nodded tersely. "They must have already gone, then."

Damon slid closer in the grass. "Excuse me? Gone where?"

"Out of town, on the run. How should I know? Alaric outed them to the entire council and now that Klaus is dead, they'll be looking for Caroline and Tyler. We gave them all the resources we could but there wasn't much we could do."

He nodded.

The sheriff continued. "Ric or no Ric, they're still angry at us. Carol's been stripped of her position as mayor and I have a herring at noon to decide whether I should serve time for my "unlawful deception."

"Well, should I try compelling them? We can't have the council on our backs right now, and not to mention Elena shouldn't have to deal with them now that she's transitioned," Damon replied, crossing his arms.

Liz pursed her lips. "We'd have to get them off of vervain first and according to my calculations, that will be next to impossible."

Damon sighed and began to stiffly pace the overgrown garden. It was problems like these that caused him to join the council in the first place. But he had never even anticipated the thought that his only friend would actually rat him out to the Founder's Council. This was something only John Gilbert might do. If anyone hated that John weasel more than Damon, it was Alaric.

"Wait a minute," Damon interjected the silence, "Did he say anything about me or Stefan?"

"Not that I heard," said Sheriff Forbes.

"And they have no idea about Elena? Or that Klaus and Ric are dead?"

She shook her head. "What are we going to do?"

"Kill them," he said simply.

Her eyes flashed. "Damon, no! These are my friends—"

"Relax, Liz. I was joking…" Damon mused.

She sighed heavily. Damon's egotistical humor wasn't exactly what she wanted to hear now.

"Maybe the council's right," she suggested.

Damon's eyebrows shot up. "What do you mean, the council's right? You've been on our side for the past three months now, Liz, don't tell me you've gone back to your vampire antagonism, now."

She raised her hands in defense. "All I'm saying, Damon, is that I want to protect this town as best I can and just letting the vampires come in and pose a threat to everyone is not exactly the best way to do it."

"The only thing you can protect this town from is themselves," Damon snapped. "They think they stand a chance against us and, guess what, they're wrong. They'll only end up getting hurt and that blood will be on my hands."

Sheriff Forbes hooked her thumb into her belt loop and scanned the trees around her. "Look, Damon, don't think because I want what is best for my daughter and for the town I grew up in that I haven't gotten past my hatred of what you are. But I don't believe we can't work together and fix this."

He smirked. "Me neither."

She checked her watch. "I'm late for my herring. Why don't you look into where we stand on the vervain situation and get back to me?"

Damon nodded and shook her hand as she headed back to her police cruiser. "Good luck," he called as she disappeared from sight.

He stood there for a minute or two, watching the clouds roll in and the leaves rustle. A storm was coming in. So Elena could go outside tonight, and not have to worry about the sun. That was good. She needed some fresh air.

He chuckled. Right about now, Stefan was probably teaching her how to catch squirrels and baby bunnies. Or maybe he was filling her up with all the unlucky truckers on highway 65. You never knew with Stefan, these days.

Of course, if Damon had it his way, he would want let Elena to feed on him. He wanted to feel how it felt to have Elena's strength be courtesy of his love, to be connected with her on levels they could never connect on when she was a human. He never told her, but watching her drain Stefan the day she woke up made his heart sink in his chest, even if it was out of anger. But why did he never tell her that that was what he felt? She had always been the only one he could open up to. Why was he such a coward?

It was because of that kiss, he thought, the kiss that should have never happened. Because he was not the one she loved. How could he forget that heart-breaking phone call?

"All I can think about is right now, and I care about you Damon. Which is why I have to let you go."

So technically, according to the unspoken rule between brothers, Elena did not belong to him. It was like playing with your friend's favorite toy, when he did not want you to. As much as he yearned to deny it, Elena was his brother's favorite toy.

It was also a matter of pride. Pride you had, as a man, not just a vampire. It was completely self-serving that Damon keep his distance from Elena. To him, but also to his brother.

That's why he had to forget the kiss. Forget how stupid he was to even let it happen, how weak. And just move on. Things would go back to the way they were before he even fell in love with Elena. He just had to forget the kiss.

But why couldn't he find in him to want to?

He raised his fingers to his lips, remembering the taste of her on him. Fire and ice, hot and cold. She and Damon fit together so perfectly, and he loved the person she was when she was with him. Her spark, her indignation. He wanted it all, forever.

Damon started his stride through the forest, eager to get back to Elena, when he stopped suddenly. He stared at what was in front of him with wide, respectful eyes.

It was a raspberry bush. It was a thick, dark green bush speckled with plump, juicy raspberries. Gingerly, he pecked one from its stem and popped it into his mouth. He closed his eyes, remembering…

"Can we not return to the ball, Katherine? I expect George Lockwood will address a toast to father and I would like to be present." Damon suggested, tossing one of his curls from his eyes as he chased Katherine to the backyard.

Her full purple lace skirt swayed as she circled around a raspberry bush and then finally lay on the damp grass, folding her legs beneath her.

"I do not wish to go back, Damon. Would you enjoy the night with me?"

"I would think Stefan would be better company," he retorted, sinking to the grass, ungracefully.

She smiled, her glittery teeth shone in the darkness. "You need not be jealous of your brother. I think loving you both is not wrong, Damon, but if you wish me to stop…"

"No, of course not, my angel. But why must you court him? Do you not appreciate my love to be satisfied as a lady should be?"

"When will you see, Damon?" She dropped her voice to a silky whisper, "I am nothing that a proper lady should be."

He couldn't breathe. Katherine did that to him. She could wrap her dainty hands around his heart and enable him to think, to comprehend. She consumed him.

"You are right, miss Katherine. A proper lady would never love an uncommitted Confederate soldier like I," he mused, his lips turning up at one side.

"Will you write me while you are gone?"

"If it is what you wish, I will write you a thousand letters," he vowed.

She entwined her fingers in his and he brought them to his heart. "One will suffice," she murmured, "As long as you never forget me, I will be waiting for you to return back to me."

He was appalled. "I could never forget you!"

"My sweet Damon, there are many women in this world that could fill your heart more than I ever could."

"Say all you want, dear, but I will never believe you," he shook his head, stubborn.

She plucked a large, red berry from the bush and turned it around between her long fingers. "I believe…that your rivalry with your brother is the one thing that will keep us from being truly happy. And for that, I want you to have this."

She held out the berry. He took it, his eyes puzzled.

"Go on, eat it," she urged.

His eyebrows knit together. "But why, Katherine?"

"Once you eat it, it will forever be a part of you," she murmured, pressing the berry to his lips. "Carry with you this night and remember to never let your brother come between you and a chance at love, Damon. And when you find her, give her this."

Again, she held her hand up to him and in it was a ring. It was a slim golden band with a crystal setting, in the shape of a butterfly. Nestled in the web of sparkly diamonds, in between the wings was a round oval stone, smooth as glass and blue as the sky.

"It's lovely," he mumbled, gazing at it appreciatively.

"It is called lapis lazuli. It is my favorite stone, because it is very special to people like me," she explained.

"Why is it so special?"

Katherine hesitated. "Someone once told me that it had magical qualities and that it could protect the wearer from his own curse."

"You mean the vampires? My father told me they couldn't walk in the sun, because it would burn them where they stood," he said, proud of his knowledge.

"He was right, Damon, but you mustn't tell anyone you have this. It's important to me and I could not bear it being in anyone's possession but yours."

"It will be our little secret."

A lark sprang from his perch above Damon and he jumped from his reverie. But suddenly, an idea sparked in his mind and he took off toward home with lightening speed.

"Damon? Is this really…thank you!" Elena gasped later that evening in her bedroom. "But are you sure you want to give this to me?"

"Who else?" he shrugged, gripping her bedpost with a wondering smile.

"I just…"

"You know, Damon, she was planning on using Isobel's old necklace before you showed up," Stefan said shrewdly, leaning against her vanity, "Elena, don't you think you would be better off using that instead?"

"Don't be smutty, Stefan," Damon sneered. "Elena hated Isobel. Why would she use that piece of junk?"

"Well, I was…"

Stefan took a step forward. "If you could be a bit more sensitive, than maybe she wouldn't have to pretend to like that old piece of antique crap you have her wearing!"

"Hey!" Bonnie cried from across the room.

The two were silent.

"I don't have time to sit here and listen to you two bicker like two-year olds. I have problems of my own! Now if Elena could please put the butterfly ring on the bed and we'll get started."

ooo

"Elena? Elena?" Bonnie cried repeatedly as Elena continued to stare at her upraised fingers, her eyes glazed over dreamily and her lips parted slightly.

"Oh, er, what is it Bonnie?" she mumbled, suddenly brought back to the scene in front of her.

"Are you alright? What were you thinking about?"

"Just…nothing," she sighed, bringing her hand back to her side.

She giggled. "Okay, whatever you say. But I swear I saw you drooling."

Elena looked around. "Where did Stefan and Damon go?"

Bonnie sat next to Elena on the bed. After a moment, she smiled. "Damon said he had to go take care of the problem with the council, and Stefan got a call from Caroline, asking him to meet her at the cellar."

Elena frowned. "We should be over there. I haven't even seen Caroline since Tyler died. I'll bet she's a wreck."

Bonnie just nodded. "Later. Right now, we have a bigger problem than that."

"What are you talking about?" Elena demanded, growing nervous.

She glanced at the door. "Follow me."

ooo

"You told him we were in the cellar, right?" Tyler asked, shredding a blade of grass into hair-thin strips as he crouched on the stone steps.

Caroline was pacing the width of cave. "He's coming. Just give him some time."

Minutes passed as the two silently waited in the dark underground room. The afternoon shifted to evening, as Caroline could tell from the dim shaft of light that fell through the gate. The air turned a few degrees chillier and by the time they heard heavy footsteps on the stairway, Tyler had a full pile of grass strings.

"Stefan?" she called, her voice echoing on the damp walls.

"Caroline?" he answered, stepping into the cellar. "What's your big emergency?"

She flashed in front of him, blocking his view from Tyler. "It's something big," she explained. "But you have to promise not to freak until I explain."

His eyes widened and he threw his hands into the air. "What the…well, what is it?"

"Promise?" she persisted.

He nodded impatiently.

Caroline hesitated, and then taking a deep breath, she stepped aside, letting Tyler in complete view.

"Tyler?" he gasped. "How are you alive? Is Klaus…"

"No, he's gone," Tyler assured him, standing up, "For sure."

Stefan stood there, stuttering for words for at least a minute. Caroline was idling in the shadows with the happiest grin on her dainty face.

"Tyler thinks that maybe because he is a hybrid, and his species is more…new to nature, that maybe that's how he survived Klaus's death."

"But that doesn't make ay sense," Stefan disagreed.

Tyler's eyes flashed. "It makes plenty of sense," he said darkly.

"But we saw how—"

"It makes sense!" he shouted.

The other two waited fearfully as the purple veins faded from Tyler's cheekbones. Caroline whimpered softly and Stefan was struck into silence.

"Tyler…sweetie?" she chuckled hysterically.

He sighed. "I'm sorry, Caroline. But I warned you. He's just too suspicious and I think you're the only one who can be blamed for this."

She glanced at Stefan. "Tyler? For what?"

Then he lunged for Stefan.

ooo

Bonnie kicked open the wide wooden door to the witch burial sight, a deafening creak resounding through the air. "Jeremy? How are you doing?"

He stepped through the threshold and sighed. "Still me."

Elena looked confused. "Wait, what does that mean?"

Bonnie just gave her a look and entered the house, tugging Elena behind her. On the third floor, in a dark room filled with cobwebs and broken paned windows, she sat cross-legged on the dusty floor. She flipped open her grimoire and plopped it down in front of her.

"Wait, why do you need that? Bonnie?" Elena asked.

She ignored her. "Jeremy, come kneel in front of me and bring your ring."

He sauntered over to her. "I thought you said the witches bailed after you brought me back to life."

"They did. But the mystical energy left here when they died can never go away. I'll draw power from the house and the flames."

"What flames?" Elena whispered.

Suddenly, the many stubby candles and candelabras surrounding them lit in synchronization, cutting through the darkness.

"Whoa," she mouthed. Then louder, she asked, "Are you sure I'm okay being here? Damon was kind of kicked out the last time I came with him. I guess I had the impression that they're not fond of vampires."

"I'm sure, Elena. Witches have a sense that can read vampire's…auras, or the kind of Power they give off. Damon's is fairly dark and that's why they didn't want him in here. But yours is good, Elena. True white Power." She smiled up at her.

Elena relaxed as Bonnie gripped the Gilbert ring in her right hand and placed the other on Jeremy's heart, who was kneeling on the floorboards with his eyes closed.

As Elena watched Bonnie murmur her strange words, the details of the picture in front of her finally fell into place for her. The ring, Emily's grimoire, and the diary of Samantha Gilbert tucked into Jeremy's back pocket. She gasped.

"Oh my god! Jeremy has an alter ego now?" she cried.

"Shh," Bonnie warned, not breaking the fluid motion of her spell.

Elena harshly pulled her fingers through her hair as she paced back and forth along the room. "I can't believe this," she muttered to herself. "What are you doing to him, Bonnie?"

"I'm trying out a spell that Emily mentions about the ring she invented. She said she had to tap into dark magic to create something so defiant to nature, and that the spirits warned her there would be consequences. So she wrote down this spell hoping that it might undo the evil."

"How does it work?" she wondered.

Jeremy's head snapped back and his face pointed heavenward, his eyes still closed.

"Right now, he's in a trance. This way I can easily reach inside his mind, try and see just how much evil has infested it."

Elena gave a slightly hysterical smile. "So it—it's like a brain tumor?"

Bonnie shrugged. "What's wrong with looking at it from different perspectives? Maybe we thought too hard about Alaric's case, and that's why he only got worse."

"Or maybe because Esther turned him into a maniacal vampire hunter."

It was silent for a while as Bonnie kept on repeating her spell in a muted voice. But then, Bonnie gasped and the candle flames raised twice their height for a split second.

"What's going on?" Elena demanded.

Then Jeremy started screaming.

ooo

Damon leaned against the counter at the Mystic Grill, his glass of bourbon in hand, and stared intently at the back wall, thinking.

How many members of the council were there? He had never paid any attention before, but he was sure that there was more than a dozen. How does one secretly prevent over a dozen different people from drinking an odorless, tasteless substance? It could take weeks, or months and even then, it might not work.

He'd already called Carol, though her immense crying didn't help him hear her any better. He had lost his patience after repeating three times over his questions, and only getting a, "My son is gone, I have no job," blubbered unintelligibly.

The song playing low on the speakers above him shifted, and he sighed. Who really cared if vampire Barbie went on the run, or was even staked? But he couldn't take the chance that she might spill about Damon.

"Need a refill?" said a voice behind him.

He swiveled around in his red vinyl stool to see Matt Donavon on the other side of the bar, his head wrapped in gauze from hairline to crown. He had a bottle of bourbon in his hand and distaste in his blue eyes.

This pitiful human amused Damon. "They finally let you out, huh?"

"Look, do you want another shot or not?" he retorted.

Damon lifted his glass to the boy, a small smile playing on his lips. "Someone's in a mood."

"I've had a long day," he said, pouring a few splashes into his cup. "First, I open up my hospital bill and find I still don't have health insurance. Then big brother original stops by my house, and then I have to walk to work 'cause my truck is in the—"

"Wait, wait, wait." Damon's eyebrows went together. "Big brother original? You mean Elijah? What was he doing at your house?"

Matt shrugged. "Uh, he just said he wanted to apologize for Rebekah running my truck off the bridge. He said if there was anything he could for me, all I had to do was ask."

That's it, Damon thought. He smiled.

"What?" Matt mumbled.

"I just think I found an answer to all of our problems," and he pulled out his cell phone.

ooo

"Tyler!" Caroline shrieked, watching from across the cave as Tyler drove in the last wooden stake into Stefan's arm, pinning him against the stonewall. Three others were stationed in his other arm, and in his legs, enabling him to squirm free.

Stefan groaned loudly and snarled at Tyler, but he couldn't move a muscle. "What the hell is this, man?"

"You'll see soon enough," he replied, smiling arrogantly. "Hmm, I don't think you'll be needing this."

He slipped the blue lapis lazuli ring off of the middle finger of Stefan's left hand, soaked in his blood.

"Tyler, don't do this!" Caroline begged, bursting into sobs.

Stefan spit into Tyler's tanned face.

Tyler pursed his lips as he wiped away the saliva smeared on his right eye. Then he stood for a minute, looking into Stefan's green eyes before he slammed his fist into his stomach.

Stefan leaned his head back and yelled. Caroline cried louder, her heart beating frantically.

Tyler paced back and forth, twirling the little ring on his pinkie finger. "You know," he murmured low, "You used to be such a good sidekick, Stefan. What happened to you?"

He just panted heavily in response, his forehead wet with perspiration.

"Right, right. I know. True love and all." He laughed in spite of himself. "And he found his humanity in the end, and bond between him and Elena powered over all.

"She did choose you, didn't she? Well that must be awkward with Damon."

Suddenly, he flashed in front of Stefan and stepped up on his toes to get in his face.

"But speaking of Elena," he threw another punch in Stefan's gut. "This is for giving her vampire blood. And this is for letting her drown."

And he twisted Stefan's neck. His head fell forward and he became limp. Caroline screamed.

"Oh yes, and as for you, love," he said, turning to Caroline. "Come here."

She couldn't move for a moment. She refused to let her brain comprehend what was happening. Slowly, she lifted a trembling foot, and stumbled his way.

"What have you done, Tyler?" she whispered.

He smiled. "Well, sweetheart, sorry 'bout your boyfriend but," he looked over at Stefan, "He should be fine in a few hours."

"But…why?" She had to control her trembling lip.

Tyler sighed. He looked into her eyes and his pupils dilated. Compulsion.

"Why don't you sit over there in the corner, doll, and don't say a word."

ooo

Jeremy's body was still but his hands clenched into fists as his blood-curdling screams continued, slicing through the quiet tension. Bonnie's nose streamed lines of red, but she didn't remove her hand from his heart.

Elena was still for a fraction of a second, and then she flashed over to where the two of them kneeled on the floor.

"Bonnie! What…is he hurt? Help him!"

"The evil is wider than we thought," she said in a strange voice different from her own. "This one will need my help."

Elena looked confused as she squeezed Jeremy's fist. "What do you mean, my help? Who are you?"

Bonnie looked as if she hadn't heard her. "We must help him, or we shall all soon be dead."

The candles went out. Jeremy was silent. Bonnie gasped, her eyes flying open.

"Jeremy? Are you okay?" Elena demanded.

He looked at both of them with tired eyes, and the he fell back against the wooden floor and fainted.

ooo

At the boardinghouse, Damon emptied the fresh blood bag into his glass and took a sip. Moments later, their was a sharp knock on the door.

He smiled and went to open the door for Elijah.

The original vampire was wearing a dark suit and blue necktie. Damon looked down at his own black crewneck and leather jacket, disappointed and slightly embarrassed.

"I was told you're in a slight dilemma with the council," he murmured.

Damon stared at his forehead. "And you owe me a favor, considering your big-headed sister drove Elena off a bridge and killed her."

Elijah frowned. "I am deeply apologetic for her actions. I broke my word, and I am ashamed."

"Let's hope," Damon murmured, turning his back on Elijah and stepping back into the parlor.

"How is the lovely Elena taking to immortality?" he asked conversationally.

Damon poured a second glass of blood. "Well, it was a little rough at first. But, let's say she's gotten the hang of it."

"Good." He took a graceful seat on the red ottoman, and a small sip from his glass of blood. Then, he set it on the table beside him, and straightened his jacket.

"Now, Damon, it is imperative that you know, my debt to you can only reach so far. I swear to you I will pay it, but not extensionally, nor exponentially."

He raised his hands up in defense. "All we need is for you get the council off our backs. I mean, you've been on this wagon for a thousand plus years. Surely this kind of thing came up. What'd you do?"

Elijah pulled at his cuff lings. "You would not be mistaken. Humans have become suspicious of me in the last decade or so."

"And?" Damon urged, impatiently.

"It was handled."

Damon sighed. Bowing his head, he went and sank into the couch across from Elijah and leaned forward.

"We're all alone here, Elijah. If there's anything I can do to stop these white collars with wooden bullets, could you just let me know?"

There was a prolonged beat of silence as Elijah and Damon stared intently at each other. Then, Elijah put his elbow on his knee and cocked one eyebrow.

"Here's what you need to do."

ooo

Caroline was petrified. As much as she wanted to, as hard as she tried, she couldn't stand up. She gripped the side of stone and pushed until sweat beaded up on her forehead but she just couldn't get on her feet. It was as if, last minute, she refused it herself.

Stefan was still staked and unconscious. Hanging from the ceiling of the cave, his head hung back in dangerously scary ways.

Tyler had his arms folded across his chest, leaning against the dark gray wall, one foot propped up on the stone. He stared at her, intently. Caroline felt self-conscious. She wanted to tell him to stop. But she couldn't open her mouth.

"What's wrong, love, cat got your tongue?" he mocked, sneering.

Tears welled up in her eyes. She shook her head, violently, causing her hair to plaster to her damp face. She desperately wished to scream, but it wouldn't happen.

"Looks as if I'll be doing all the talking," he laughed. But then more seriously, "Never been compelled before, have you? At least, not since you became a vampire.

"Well, don't worry. It's not so bad. But how would I know? Hey, remember that night you and I went to the ball together? Good night, huh?"

A cold feeling dripped down Caroline's spine as realization dawned on, unexpectedly and unprepared.

This was not Tyler.

Klaus.

That was how he could compel her. That was how he was strong enough to take down Stefan. That's how Tyler was still alive. Klaus had had a witch put him in Tyler's body. But what witch would do that?

She lost it. With her lips practically glued shut, she jerked around and beat at the stone around her. Sounds emerged from her chest and throat and the banging and clinging echoed all around the cave. She didn't stop until he shouted at her.

"A little rough now, darling?" he yelled. Suddenly, he was in front of her, so close his breath was on her cheek. She froze.

So softly, he lifted his hand to stroke her cheek. Shivers of fear rang through her.

With the upraised hand, he touched her bottom lip. Looking into his eyes, she began to close her mouth around it. Maybe it was just seeing Tyler's face, or maybe he was compelling her. Probably the latter, but either way, she had no idea what she was doing.

Lowering himself to her level, he leaned in and pressed his mouth to her throat.

She couldn't breathe. Every cell in her body rejected him, like an infection. But she found she rather pleasured in his silky touch.

The two tiny fangs punctured her skin.

ooo

Elena lowered her brother into his bed and pulled the dark green camouflaged covers up to his chin. Pressing a kiss to his forehead, she sighed and turned around.

"What?" she asked to a wide-eyed Bonnie.

She laughed. "You just carried a one hundred and eighty pound boy nine miles through rough terrain and trees."

"And?"

"And it's like you're a completely different person now. You're…stronger," she accented.

Elena rolled her eyes and strode from the room. At the top of the stairs, she turned around.

"You think it wasn't weird for me, finding out that my lip gloss sucking, 90210 watching best friend can suddenly float feathers and light candles with her mind?"

She smiled.

"So how's Jeremy going to be, when he wakes up?" Elena asked.

"I honestly don't know. I guess we'll see in the morning."

Elena nodded. "What do you think he's after? I mean, Alaric was a vampire hunter, and his alter ego hated vampires. So…who's Jeremy's enemy?"

Bonnie frowned. "Well, he went after me. But then again, Ric tried to kill Meredith and she wasn't a vampire. Maybe Jer was just…scared."

ooo

"What do you need the whole council here for, Mr. Smith?" asked Brian Fell, wrapping his arm around his wife, Holly's waist.

Elijah pulled on his best smiling face and addressed the large group of founder's in front of him. The air was moist and a lot of them were swatting away at flies. It was a few short hours after the storm had passed in front of the Lockwood cellar.

Damon stepped forward and murmured in Elijah's ear. "Yeah, what the hell?"

"As I said before at Mrs. Lockwood's home, I wanted to present to you my idea for my next book on slavery in Mystic Falls and I assumed this slave cellar was the most appropriate setting."

"And why," Brian wondered again, "should we trust you, Mr. Smith? We hardly know you and it's not like we can trust the mayor or the sheriff anymore. We should be out looking for their abominations for children."

Elijah smiled and used the full force of his eyes on him. Nothing happened.

"Please, follow me," he said, motioning toward the stone steps of the cave.

The large group hustled into the cellar. Damon and Elijah stepped aside to let them in. After a moment, when they were no longer in hearing distance, Damon turned on him.

"The compulsion?"

"Just checking," he smiled.

Then the screaming started.

ooo

Klaus dropped his hands from Caroline's shoulders and tore away his fangs from her throat. Blood streamed to the collar of her blouse. He whirled to face the lot of terrified humans.

Good job, Elijah, he thought.

"Welcome, everyone!" he called to the crowd.

He knew what they saw. The two most wanted creatures in Virginia hidden away in a dark cellar. One with blood stained all over his face. And then there was Stefan, hanging from the ceiling, unconscious.

"What have you brought us here for, Smith?" shouted one fleshy-faced man, stepping in front of the woman standing next to him and blocking her from the monstrosity.

"You will see soon enough," said Elijah, stepping into the cellar.

Damon bounded after him. "What's going on?" he demanded, spotting Tyler, Caroline, and Stefan. A dozen different emotions flitted across his face before he finally settled on anger.

Klaus smirked and went over to clap his brother on the shoulder. "Well done, Elijah!"

"And now my part of the deal, Niklaus," he reasoned.

"Oh yes," Klaus exclaimed, as the members of the council began to frantically murmur and panic, "You wanted mother's lost grimoire didn't you?"

"You told me you stole it from her when she was murdered a thousand years ago."

He nodded. "But before I give it to you…"

And he drove the silver dagger through Elijah's chest.

ooo

"Who is it?" Elena asked, as Bonnie pulled her cell phone from her pocket.

Her eyebrows pulled together. "It's Damon."

"What?" she demanded, "Where is he?"

"He said he's at the cellar and…oh no!" Her hand flew to her mouth and her skin grew green.

"Bonnie!"

For a moment, she didn't say anything. "I'm so sorry, Elena."

Elena's heart stopped. Those words could only mean one thing. Someone was lost. It wasn't Damon, and her heart relaxed at the thought. But what if it was Stefan, or Caroline? At least Jeremy was safe in his bed.

"Who?" she asked, barely above a whisper.

"Klaus. I saved his body when Alaric staked him. That's how his bloodline survived."

"But, Tyler…"

"I put him in Tyler's body."

ooo

Caroline felt completely worthless, frozen on the damp boulder, watching as Klaus let his brother's body fall, and then jump on Damon.

Soon, wooden stakes next to Stefan suspended Damon's long body, and curse words were flying from his lip.

"Well, mate, I guess you know what this feels like. Rebekah doesn't exceed in hospitality, does she?"

"Get me down, now, or I swear...!" Damon shouted.

Klaus just laughed.

"Now, sweetling," he murmured and crouched beside Caroline. "I want you to get thirsty. And you see those juicy looking humans over there, I brought them for you. Once you feed on them, you can leave town with me."

She shook her head, wildly.

"Oh and you can speak now."

"Please, don't do this," she shrieked. "Please!"

"Oh," he pouted, "But I have to."

And his pupils dilated and she couldn't look away from his brown eyes. "Feed on them, and you'd better hurry."

And then she couldn't refuse his commands. Her entire body fought against it but she just couldn't sit still anymore. Slowly, she began to rise from her stone seat.

"Caroline! Stop, you don't want to do this!" Damon shouted, kicking the empty air.

"You think?" she wailed, continuing to stumble towards the trapped council members, "But I can't stop!"

"Try that short one over there," Klaus mumbled, pointing at Brian Fell.

Caroline searched the area around her frantically. Finally, she found a small sliver of wood near her feet. It took most of her strength but after some shoving she gathered it into her hand. She never slowed her advances.

The spike of wood barely touched her skin when Klaus's hand flew to catch it, and flick it across the room.

"No. Feed, now." And he gave her a push.

That was when she realized Brian Fell was right in front of her, wide-eyed and sweaty.

She struggled to maintain the fangs that protruded from her mouth and the purple veins that ran under her eyes but she couldn't. Her fingers found the back of his neck and, shakily, her mouth moved closer to his pulsing neck.

Stop it, Caroline, she thought, you could resist it. But she was lying. If the world burst into flames that second, nothing could stop her from tearing this man's throat out.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered, before sinking her teeth into his skin.

Suddenly, pure crippling pain shot through her brain as if every blood cell in her head had burst into bright orange flames. She dropped the pale white man and fell back, clutching her head with her fists. She let out a series of high-pitched wails.

But she wasn't alone. Klaus was on his knees, tufts of Tyler's dark hair in his fist. His face was crumpled in pain.

"Bonnie?" Damon murmured.

Bonnie appeared at the bottom of the steps, her hands raised in Caroline's and Klaus's direction. Slowly, she let the hand pointed at Caroline fall, and the searing pain stopped as quickly as it came.

Klaus continued to scream in agony. Then Bonnie lowered her hand, halfway.

"You promised you wouldn't hurt anyone, Klaus."

Bonnie was the witch that saved him, Caroline realized.

She crawled on her hands and grabbed Bonnie's ankle. "Where is he? Is Tyler okay?"

The witch looked down at Caroline. "Of course. I would never let anything happen to him. He's just…sleeping right now."

She relaxed and released her grip. Her face found the cool ground and her eyes slid shut. It felt so nice, and she was just so tired…She fell asleep instantly, unaware of the chaos around her.

Bonnie pulled the stakes from the wall that had Damon and Stefan captured. As soon as Damon was free, he ran to Tyler and kneed him in the nose, knocking him out cold.

"What are you doing? You're hurting Tyler!" she cried, lying Stefan flat on the ground next to the slumbering Caroline.

"You're the one who witchy juju-ed him in there in the first place," he retorted, coldly. Then, more civil, he looked at the council and sighed. "What are we going to do with them?"

"I can cast a spell to erase their memories from tonight, and of what they know about Caroline and Tyler."

He nodded and bent to pick up Caroline. "You do that, and I will take care of the rest."

ooo

A few days later, Elena was back at the witch burial sight after realizing she had left her favorite jacket there from before. She was quiet and a little crept out as she tiptoed through the halls on the third floor. She tried to remember which room Bonnie had used…

She stopped dead in her tracks as she got a peek into the room in front of her. Hiding behind the doorway, she watched as Bonnie murmured more strange words in her deep, unusual voice.

But this time, Tyler was kneeling before her and his eyes were closed. Small flames were placed around the room and towards the window was a medium sized, dark black coffin, closed.

Similar to the other day, the candle flames grew significantly, and then went out.

Tyler's eyes snapped open.

They wheeled around, completely out of focus and confused. He panted heavily.

"Wh-where's Caroline?" he whispered. And then Elena saw the whites of his eyes as he fainted against the wooden flooring.

The coffin beside the window creaked open, and a body stepped out, wrapped in chains. With a quick snap of his arms, the chains broke and he was free, though his clothes were moth-eaten and holy.

It was Klaus.

He smiled. "Now the fun can begin."

"You swore you wouldn't hurt anyone if I put you in Tyler's body. You broke that promise, Klaus," Bonnie stated.

"And yet you still help me return to my former self. Why?"

"Because I need that grimoire. But that doesn't mean I trust you."

` He raised his index finger." Ah, yes. You wanted my mother's old grimoire. You know, I promised it to my doting brother, but I had other plans for him."

"Do you have it or not?" she demanded.

The floorboard beneath Elena creaked. Her heart jumped but neither of the party before her noticed.

He dug beneath a few piles of old paper on the table beside him and produced a large, ancient looking brown leather-bound book that reeked of dust and decay. Bonnie took it from him eagerly and held it close.

"Had it specially waiting for you, love," Klaus said, "Though personally I don't think it will be of much help, old as it is."

"It will work fine," she replied, acidly.

"And thank you, my dear, for bringing me back from the dead. I have big plans for this town."

Author's Note: So here was part 2! I know part 1 doesn't seem so exciting compare to this one but it was really just the intro. The last one will be the epic finale so read, review and watch out for part 3!