Elena Gilbert walked home from school at what seemed like warp speed, the entire day since her run-in with Stefan Salvatore had been a giant blur. She finally walked into the front door, threw her bags on the kitchen table and sank into her spot on the couch. Elena couldn't gather her thoughts; her brain couldn't even come close to comprehending what had happened at school today. Not to mention her interesting run in with Damon Salvatore the day before. No matter how hard Elena tried she couldn't piece anything together, all she knew was it would be best to avoid the Salvatore's and focus on herself. Just as Elena was about to turn on the TV to attempt to clear her mind, her iPhone rang. It was Caroline Forbes; Elena sighed and fought the urge to ignore the phone call. "Hello?" answered Elena. "HEY! It's Caroline, what are you doing tonight?" Caroline said in an annoyingly bubbly voice. "Uhh, well I was just about to kick back and spend the evening with my hot date.." Elena rolled her eyes and smiled, waiting for Caroline's freak out on the other end. "WHAT?! Elena Gilbert has a date and I wasn't invited over for wardrobe advice? Friends off Elena." Caroline whined. "Yep, I have a hot date with my TV and couch. I think sweats and a ponytail is going to be the outfit of choice for this evening." Elena said while stretching. There was silence on the other end and a brief moment where Elena actually thought Caroline had hung up on her. "Caroline?" asked Elena. "You're hilarious Elena, well you're in luck because I'm about to rescue you from your boring night. Me you and Bonnie, camping trip, tonight, at the old Young farm lake! Pick you up in an hour!" Before Elena could protest she heard Caroline's phone click. "Errrg!" breathed Elena as she threw her phone across the couch. The last thing she wanted to do was go camping at a creepy lakeside farmhouse after everything that had happened the past few days. Although upon arguing with herself for a while longer, Elena came to the conclusion that spending a night away from the depths of her brain and with her friends might do her some good. She ran upstairs and began packing PJ's, and some camping gear. Right on cue, the doorbell rang and Caroline let herself in, stomping all the way upstairs right to Elena's door. Bonnie was behind her and smiled shyly at Elena and smiled an excited smile. "Are you ready to go?" squealed Caroline, practically shaking with excitement. "Yep, did you guys bring a tent?" questioned Elena. "Yeah we're all set, lets get going." Bonnie smiled. The car ride was filled with sing-a-longs, laughs, and too much candy being devoured. They reached their campsite just as the sky was beginning to hint towards sunset. The old farmhouse sat right in front of a big blue lake, the evergreen trees made a thick canopy above the spot they chose just in case the weather decided to turn on them. After they set up their tent and sleeping bags, the girls walked to the side of the lake. The sun was starting to set and the trees on the opposite bank were black against the orange sky, it looked like a painting. They were standing there enjoying the view when a flock of crows interrupted the silence and flew over their heads. One of the crows landed in a near by tree and watched them. Bonnie shivered and said "Crows freak me out, my Grams said they represent death." Elena rolled her eyes and looked over at her. "Bonnie I thought you thought all that witchy voo-doo stuff was a load of bullshit?" Bonnie looked down at her feet and mumbled something that Elena didn't hear. Caroline ended the awkward silence when she suggested that the girls make something to eat for dinner before they have no more daylight. They finished their meal of hot dogs and roasted peppers, and sat in front of the fire talking about boys. "Elena how about Matt Donovan? Are you two just like, finished now?" Elena sighed, she hadn't even really thought about what she wanted with her long-time love, Matt Donovan. She loved him, but she wasn't in-love with him, there was no passion. Elena knew she needed more from a partner, she just wasn't sure where she was going to get it and she sure as hell didn't know how to tell Matt that she was done with him romantically, for good. They had broken up not too long after her parents passed away, she told him she needed to be alone. It wasn't true, at the time of her parents death Elena had never needed someone so desperately. She just couldn't lead poor Matt Donovan on any longer, she had to let him go. "Helloooo, Elena…" Caroline poked her in the ribs. "Sorry, I was thinking. Honestly you guys I haven't really talked to Matt about us so can you keep this secret?" They nodded and eagerly waited for what Elena was about to say. "Well, Matt was my first love and he means the world to me. That being said, I don't think he's the person I want to spend the rest of my life with. There's no passion between us, its teenage love you know? It's too easy; I want something complicated and hard. Real. Matt is too… meek for me. I need someone strong who is willing to fight for me. When I told Matt I needed space, he just kind of… agreed? I was hoping he would tell me I was crazy and barge his way into my room and be there for me, you know? Yes Matt Donovan and I are done for good, we're just childhood friends who got caught up in teenage pressure and decided to try and be together." Elena finished. Her friends nodded in response and after a quiet moment Bonnie said "I dreamt about you meeting a man, he was just a shadowy figure in my dream though. I have no idea what he looks like but I got feelings of fire between you two. Maybe it's a sign that better things are coming your way Elena." Bonnie touched her arm and nodded a reassuring nod. After more boy gossip the girls began to yawn and decided it was time to head into their tent. Inside, shadows danced on the walls from the burning campfire outside and Caroline lit a little candle in the middle of them. They got all cozy and bundled up in their sleeping bags and faced each other lying on their stomachs. Caroline and Bonnie kept glancing at each other and giggling like they had a secret they were keeping from Elena. "What are you guys laughing about?" Elena asked furrowing her eyebrows. "Bonnie can read palms. We're gonna do a past, present, and future reading." giggled Caroline. "Okay what the hell Bonnie, I thought you were avoiding this witch stuff?" laughed Elena. "Over the summer my Grams showed me some little cool tricks, she really opened up my mind to a whole new world." Bonnie whispered. She grabbed Elena's hand, closed her eyes, and began to say words Elena didn't understand. "Your past was, a happy time. You always felt like you were loved as a child; it's all very bright and cheerful. Very warm feelings." Bonnie was smiling with her eyes still closed. "Your present… it's a bit darker, lots of feelings of sadness, loneliness, almost a sense of being left behind. You're guilty about what happened to your parents, you feel as if it was your fault because you called them to come get you. You were the reason they crossed Wickery Bridge that night. I do see things getting lighter, you have decided to crawl out of the hole you dug yourself and come back to life. You want to live the way they would have wanted you to live." Bonnie's face changed, she almost looked afraid. "Your future… I don't understand what I'm seeing. This is something I've never ever felt before. These aren't human feelings. I feel strong, powerful, and confident. You will be safe, however shrouded in darkness." Bonnie's eyes burst open. Elena wasn't sure if she should believe Bonnie or take this with a grain of salt? She nailed my past, and my present.. But my future? That can't be right, it makes no sense? Where was the job, the family, and the white picket fence? "Well that was intense…" whispered Caroline. "Guys it's getting really late, lets sleep." said Bonnie with a hint of urgency in her voice. The girls became totally silent and before long Elena found herself relaxing and almost drifting off to sleep when she heard a branch snap outside their tent. She propped herself up on her elbow and looked at Caroline and Bonnie who were still sleeping. The fire outside had burned down to coals judging by the low-light of the tent. "CRACK" went another branch outside. Elena desperately tried to find her flashlight in her bag beside her head. She heard muffled crying off in the distance, the sounds of rustling leaves were getting louder. Bonnie stirred awake just as Elena found her flashlight; Caroline's eyes were already wide open when Elena looked over at her. Elena put a finger over her mouth, urging the girls to be quiet. They listened for a few seconds longer when suddenly the muffled cries turned into muffled screams. Bonnie unzipped the tent door and burst out into the night air, Elena and Caroline followed. Down a dark path in front of them with the lake in the distance they saw a giant shadow. Elena turned on her flashlight and pointed it down the path, what it illuminated made the girls scream at the top of their lungs. It was Stefan Salvatore, hands and face covered in blood. His eyes almost black, face full of veins. His teeth were what instilled fear into Elena's heart, they were huge sharp fangs which he was using to drain the life out of Vicky Donovan.