Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters, ideas and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

A/N: Anastasia Gilbert – Petra Cubonova.

Ezra Fell – Matt Dallas.

Chapter 9:

"Hey Jenna, is there any coff– Oomph," Anastasia wasn't able to finish her sentence as a blonde missile engulfed her in a tight hug. When the figure stepped back slightly, Anastasia beamed giddily when she saw Lexi.

"Lex! What are you doing here?"

"I came to tell you bye. I'm going back to Lee in the afternoon, so I won't be able to see you," Lexi told her.

"Do you have to go," Anastasia pouted; she enjoyed Lexi's company and was sad to see her go.

"Yup, I really do. Buuut, gimme your phone," Lexi added in her number and then miscalled her phone. "There. Now we can always keep in touch and see each other whenever."

"Great! You better get ready for me nagging your ass," Anastasia smirked, before a thoughtful frown made an appearance, "You don't have a daylight ring … how exactly are you out?"

Lexi smirked smugly, "My car has built in tempered glass UV rays. Blocks sunlight," Lexi winked, "How do you think us unlucky vamps get around without a ring. Stefan came with me and opened the gate so I could get in without getting hit by the sun. Oh, speaking of Stefan, he's waiting by your car for you."

"Cute, very cute. Promise you'll keep in touch?" Anastasia pouted again.

Lexi laughed and drew her in for another hug, "I promise. You're my best female friend, I'll never leave you. Bye Ana."

"Bye Lex!" Anastasia smiled sadly as Lexi flashed out before Jenna could see anything. Jenna frowned in confusion, "Hey, where did your blonde friend go?"

"She came to say goodbye, she's leaving town," Anastasia kissed Jenna on the cheek, "Bye Jenna."

When Anastasia went over to her car, she did indeed find Stefan leaning by her car, waiting for her, "Sup, Stef!"

Stefan grinned at her, "How did you like your surprise?"

"I would have liked it more if she didn't have to leave," Anastasia unlocked the car, "Get in." Stefan climbed in to the passenger seat, and Anastasia drove over to school.

"She has a boyfriend, she can't just ditch him. Besides, after what Damon tried pulling off, Lexi and I decided it was safer for her to leave Mystic Falls, at least until my brother isn't unstable anymore," Stefan explained.

"Huh, you mean there was a time where Damon was actually stable. Now that's something I didn't see coming," Anastasia smirked. There was silence in the car for a few minutes, "Hey Stef, not that I'm not loving the company and a chance to hangout, but I would have thought you'd have wanted to ride with Elena."

Stefan sighed, "Elena and I aren't exactly a couple anymore, and you know that. But even if we were, I already told you I wouldn't let her get between us or anything. We're friends."

"Cheers," Anastasia grinned as she parked the car. They walked together to History class, ignoring the shocked look from Elena Truly. Caroline screeched when she saw Anastasia and ran over to hug her.

Just as the bell for class was about to ring, Anastasia sat in the desk between Caroline and Stefan when a man in his early thirties walked in, and he was hawt! Like damn!

Anastasia and Caroline traded impressed looks before smirking and turning their gaze back to the hot new teacher; Anastasia and Caroline almost always had the same taste in men. He had light brown hair, hazel eyes and cleanly shaved facial hair with stubble; he was très masculine.

He looked so causal and laid back … in other words … not like Mr. Douche Tanner – Yup, Anastasia has got to stop insulting the dead. First Vicki, now Tanner, sheesh.

"Good Morning everyone. Alrighty." The new teacher picked up a piece of chalk and began writing his name on the board as he spoke to the class, "Alaric Saltzman. It's a mouthful, I know. Doesn't exactly roll off the tongue," he chuckled slightly, turning around as he finished spelling out his name on the board and faced the whole class.

"Saltzman is of German origins. My family emigrated here in 1755 to Texas. I, however, was born and raised in Boston. Now the name Alaric belongs to a very dead great-grandfather that I will never be able to thank enough," the whole class laughed, and Mr. Saltzman chuckled slightly. "You'll probably want to pronounce 'Alaric' but it's 'Alaric', okay? So, you can call me Rick. I'm your new history teacher."

"Very cool new history teacher," Caroline leaned over to whisper in Anastasia's ear.

"Thank god for that. No offense to Tanner, god rest his soul," Anastasia tried keeping a straight face as Caroline made a 'really' face, "But Mr. Saltzman shows zero douchyness qualities."

"Amen," Caroline giggled.

All in all, History class with Mr. Saltzman was fun, and even though Anastasia already knew it all due to her fascination in history, this was the first class she had actually enjoyed and the students actually participated in class.

"Hey babe," Anastasia turned around to see Ezra, making her giggle and wrap her arms around his neck. They didn't care about the teenagers watching them in the hallway as they shared a passionate kiss, their bodies molding into each other perfectly.

"So, how was History?" Ezra asked Anastasia as they made their way hand-in-hand outside to eat lunch on a picnic table.

"Awesome. The new history teacher is really cool, Alaric Saltzman, I actually enjoyed that class for once," said Anastasia giddily. Her eyes watched as Elena went over to sit with Stefan who was waiting for her in another picnic table.

"My uncle Logan bailed again," Ezra sighed, "Don't know why he can't just stay still for once."

Anastasia stirred slightly; obviously, Stefan told her that Logan died … Damon obviously. Apparently someone from the town council sent a message from his phone that he was in California or something. Chuckling nervously, Anastasia said, "Yeah, my aunt is totally bummed. She threw a bitch-fit the other day."

"Are you okay? You seem nervous," Ezra studied Anastasia's face.

Shaking her head, she said, "No, no. I'm fine."

On her way to her car after school, her eyes narrowed in when she saw Damon making his way over to Bonnie as she was unlocking her car. Groaning, Anastasia shut her car door and stalked over to them; Damon really has to learn to stop messing around with her friends.

"–I want my necklace."

"You can't have it," Bonnie snapped.

"I can't take it, but you can give it to me. I'm trying to help you here," said Damon.

"I don't want your help," rebutted Bonnie.

"You do want my help, and you don't even know it. You know why, you little witch? 'Cause you've stumbled into something you need to stumble out of," said Damon trying to be convincing.

"Wow. Damon Salvatore trying to help, did I walk into a parallel universe or something?" Anastasia smirked mockingly as she went to stand by Bonnie. Bonnie sighed in relief now that she wasn't alone with Damon. "Leave Bonnie alone, Damon."

"You!" Damon scowled, his hands raised to the heavens, "Are you stalking me? You seem to be everywhere!"

"Maybe it's because you keep bothering my friends, hmm?" Anastasia glared at him. Subtle message received.

"Look, just leave us alone or I swear –"

Damon cut Bonnie off from whatever she was planning on saying; his voice took on an exasperated and annoyed tone, "Don't! No threats! Look, A, you hurt me last time. B, I wish you no harm. Believe it or not, Bonnie, I wanna protect you. Let me help you get Emily off your back."

Who the hell was Emily? Was all Anastasia could think of at the moment.

Bonnie's face took on one of confusion as she stared wide-eyed at Damon, "How do you know about her?"

"I know a lot of things," said Damon cryptically making Anastasia roll her eyes, "and I know more about that crystal than you do, and I know she's using it to creep inside of you," Bonnie's face morphed into fear, "See how scared you are? And, you should be, because I will get that crystal, even if I have to wait for Emily to give it to me herself. So, next time she comes out to play, you tell her that a deal's a deal."

"Bonnie, how about you go, I need to have a word with Damon here," Anastasia smiled sweetly at Damon, who opened Bonnie's car door for her. Bonnie nodded and gave Anastasia a 'be careful' look before sliding into the driver's seat.

Damon closed the car door and once Bonnie had driven off, he turned angry eyes onto her, "What do you want?"

"Huh? No attack? No throttling me? What? Tired of getting your ass handed to you by a girl?" Anastasia smirked tauntingly.

Damon smiled mockingly at her, "Too many people around to compel."

"Look Damon, I don't know what your deal is, or what exactly your diabolical plan is, but for the sake of all that is holy, leave my friends alone," said Anastasia exasperatedly.

"All I need is my necklace back from Bonnie and I will," Damon retorted. Anastasia rolled her eyes and turned to leave when Damon called after her, "How did you do it?"

Anastasia frowned in confusion at Damon. He was staring at her with genuine curiosity. "Do what? You have to be more specific Blue Eyes."

"The Lexi switch," Damon's eyes regarded Anastasia. "I didn't tell anyone of my plan. So how … did … you do it?"

Anastasia smirked, "Oh come now Damon. A girl never gives away all her secrets, especially to one as deceitful as you. Ciao Damon."

Walking over to her car, Anastasia laughed when she saw Stefan leaning against her car, again, "Dude, get in." Once she started driving, Anastasia jested, "You know Stefan; I should probably make you a copy of my car keys. That way you could wait comfortably for me inside the car," she smirked.

"Ha Hah!" said Stefan dully. "I saw you with Damon. Is everything okay?" He looked concerned.

"Well, obviously he asked for my secret … didn't tell him. But no, I originally went over to him 'cause I saw him with Bonnie. He compelled Caroline to take this necklace from her, and now he's stalking her for it," Anastasia informed him; maybe Stefan would know what the big deal with the necklace was.

Stefan frowned, "Necklace? What necklace?"

"Uh, according to the little tidbit Bonnie told me, it belonged to an ancestor or something … um, oh yeah! Damon mentioned something about Emily, and if she comes out to play, a deal is a deal, whatever that means," Anastasia pulled a face.

Stefan's face transformed from confusion to recognition, "Is the necklace antique iron setting with an amber crystal?"

"Yeah! Exactly, yeah. How did you know?" Anastasia recognized the necklace from when Caroline showed it to her after the founder's party.

"I know it. It belonged to Katherine. Emily gave it to her. I'll have to talk to Damon and see what he wants with her," Stefan sighed as Anastasia parked in front of the Boarding house.

"He won't tell you Jack, Stef," scoffed Anastasia, "It'd be more productive to have a conversation with the wall."

Opening the car door, Stefan chuckled and stuck his head inside, "I'll get it out of him, Ana. Bye!"

"Good luck," Anastasia yelled out after him. Smiling as she drove off home, Anastasia shook her head – Stefan deserved way better than Elena … Lexi told her all about Katherine and even showed her the picture Stefan kept of her from 1864. Honest to god, Anastasia completely freaked out when she saw Elena looking back at her … turned out; her sister was the doppelganger of senior bitchy. Anastasia had a feeling that if Elena looked differently, then Stefan wouldn't have given her the time of his day, which was why Anastasia knew they wouldn't last.

"Where were you?" asked Elena.

"Stop getting all in my business Elena. You're not my mother," Anastasia snapped, "But if you must know, I dropped Stefan to his house."

Elena glared at Anastasia who was currently microwaving leftover pizza from the other night, "You're spending a lot of time with Stefan."

Anastasia barely spared Elena with a look, "And?"

"And … are you into him?" Elena demanded.

Anastasia chuckled as she chewed on a pizza slice, "Unlike you Elena, I can actually be friends with guys without trying to snag a date or stick my tongue down his throat," Elena gaped at her, scandalized. "Secondly, I have a boyfriend, you know, Ezra?"

Anastasia took her plate and went over to the television, "Next time get your facts straight and think with your mind before you embarrass yourself."

Around dinnertime Caroline and Bonnie came over for a girl's night, and the four girls began preparing dinner, when all of a sudden Caroline sighed and turned to Bonnie, "I'm sorry. There. I said it. If you want the ugly-ass necklace, keep it. It's yours."

A guilty expression made its way over to Bonnie's face, "Will you hate me if I tell you I threw it away?"

Caroline stared at Bonnie, annoyed, "You threw it away?"

"I know it sounds crazy, but the necklace was giving me nightmares. I had to get rid of it," Bonne pleaded for Caroline to understand.

"You could have just given it back to me," Caroline stated angrily.

"Why?" snapped Elena, interrupting the argument between Caroline and Bonnie, "So you could give it back to Damon?"

Rolling her eyes, Anastasia placed two fingers into her mouth and made a loud piercing whistle, causing the three girls to snap their heads over to her, "Look! Screw Damon and screw that damn necklace. Let's just do manicures, okay?"

"Ana's right. Screw Damon," Caroline went to rifle through Bonnie's purse for the manicure kit, "So, Elena … how long do you think this fight with Stefan's going to last? Is it … like a permanent thing?"

"I don't know, Caroline," Elena sighed.

Caroline's face morphed into anger all of a sudden, and she snapped in a shrill voice, "Why are you such a little liar, Bonnie?"

"What?" Bonnie looked confused.

"Care, what the hell?" Anastasia went over to her and froze when Caroline held the crystal necklace in her hand. Elena and Bonnie gaped in shock, their eyes widening on the necklace. Anastasia had the feeling of being electric-shocked by a low voltage; she could feel magic emanating from it … it felt like spirit magic. … She didn't feel that before when Caroline first showed it to her.

"I'm not lying to you, Caroline, I swear," said Bonnie frantically.

Elena bobbed her head, "It's true. I watched her throw it into a field!"

"Seriously? Then how did the necklace get back?" Anastasia knew how; she could practically feel the spiritual magic emanating from the necklace and knew that Emily didn't appreciate Bonnie separating herself from it.

Bonnie turned to Elena looking totally freaked out, "Emily."

"Who's Emily?" asked a confused Caroline.

"The ghost," Bonnie said simply. "I wonder why she won't leave me alone."

Anastasia looped arms with Caroline and passed over a bowl of chips and the two girls began munching; whenever Elena and Bonnie were together, it was always expected of them to drift off into a world of their own and forget their surroundings.

"So really, a ghost?" asked Caroline unsurely.

"More like spirit; spirit sounds spookier," Anastasia shrugged, ignoring the look of amusement Caroline gave her.

"So Bonnie, are you a witch like Hermione Granger?" Caroline looked super-excited.

"I already asked Care, she said no," Anastasia pouted.

Elena and Bonnie rolled their eyes fondly. "According to Grams I'm a witch … no wands," Bonnie laughed.

"Uh-huh," Caroline nodded, before perking up suddenly. Anastasia could almost see a light bulb flashing over her head. "I have an idea. Why don't we have séance?" Caroline squealed.

"I don't think that's a good idea," said Bonnie nervously, her eyes flickering to Elena was shaking her head at Caroline's idea.

"Ana?" Caroline whined and Anastasia faltered; Anastasia didn't think a séance was a good idea, but Care was her best friend.

"Come on you two, let's summon some spirits. This Emily chick has a lot of explaining to do," Anastasia grinned. Elena and Bonnie huffed but caved in and the four girls moved into Elena's bedroom for the séance.

They closed the lights and lit up a few candles, placing them in the middle of a circle; they sat in a circle and held hands.

"Be quiet and concentrate. Close your eyes. Now take a deep breath," said Caroline in a soft and soothing voice, "Bonnie. Call to her."

"Emily, you there?" Bonnie snapped at the ceiling as though she were yelling on the phone.

Anastasia snorted and from there, it escalated to fully-blown chuckles. Elena looked amused and tried not to laugh at her friend. Caroline however, stared at Bonnie in exasperation and snapped, "Really? 'Emily, you there?' That's all you got? Come on."

"Fine, geez. Ana, stop laughing!" Bonnie mock-glared at the laughing blonde; Anastasia made a zipping motion on her lips with her fingers and went back to her meditative state as Bonnie spoke to the ceiling again, but this time, her voice took on a feathery quality, "Emily. I call on you. I know you have a message. I'm here to listen."

The second the last words passed through Bonnie's lips, the candles flared stronger, making the light reflect around the darkness of the room, and Anastasia was able to see the freaked out faces of Caroline, Bonnie and Elena.

"Did that just …" Anastasia trailed off.

"Yeah, that just happened," said Caroline quickly.

Bonnie nervously stared at the two blondes, "It's just the air conditioning," but Anastasia could tell that Bonnie didn't believe that.

Caroline pressed on frantically, and a tad bit excitedly, "Tell her to show you a sign. Ask her," when Bonnie shook her head in fear, Caroline huffed and stared up at the ceiling, calling out, "Emily, if you're among us, show us another sign."

There was a moment of silence, but nothing happened.

"Gee, that was anticlimactic," drawled Anastasia.

"See? It's not working –"Bonnie was cut off as the windows burst open suddenly on their own, and she stood up, "I can't, I'm done," she ripped off the necklace from her neck and threw it on the ground next to the candles, this action only resulted in making the candles blow out and Bonnie started shrieking hysterically, "Get the light. Please, get the light!"

Elena stumbled onto her feet immediately and opened the lights, and all four girls gaped; the necklace was gone.

Elena turned to Caroline accusingly, "Okay, fun's over, Caroline. You made a point, and I get it. Now give it back," she had her hand outstretched to Caroline who looked shocked and slightly hurt.

Anastasia glared at Elena and yelled, "She didn't take it Elena! I was next to her the whole time! Stop it with the accusing woman, yeesh." Anastasia was really on edge, she could feel another presence in the room, but she couldn't say anything without garnering comments about her sanity; she wished she knew what she was.

The girls began searching everywhere for the necklace when Bonnie noticed it lying innocently on the floor in the bathroom and went in to retrieve it.

"Guys-"the bathroom door slammed shut with Bonnie inside and she began screaming, "You guys open the door! Help me!"

"Bonnie! Bonnie! What's going on, Bonnie?" Elena yelled frantically, rushing over to the door.

Caroline and Anastasia kept yelling Bonnie's name and the three girls tried their damn hardest to open the door; but it wouldn't budge. They began pounding on it as Bonnie continued screaming at the top of her lungs.

"Ana, try the other door. I'll check the hallway," Elena rushed over to said hallway and Anastasia nodded.

"Bonnie! Bonnie! Unlock the door!" Caroline cried.

The door opened by itself, and the three girls breathed a sigh of relief. Anastasia and Elena traded weird looks when they saw Bonnie just standing there with her head buried into her hands.

"Bon, are you okay?" asked Anastasia hesitantly.

"What happened?" screeched Caroline.

"I'm fine," said Bonnie in a composed tone.

Caroline gaped at Bonnie for a second before her baby blue eyes hardened and she scoffed, "Unbelievable. You were totally faking it."

"Care-"Anastasia began consolingly, but Caroline snapped harshly, "No! You scared the hell out of me."

"Bonnie?" Elena hadn't taken her eyes off her strangely composed friend who answered, "I'm fine. Everything's fine." Suddenly, Bonnie left the bathroom and raced down the stairs with Elena, Anastasia and Caroline on her heels.

"I can't believe I fell for it," Caroline ground out.

Anastasia felt the presence was stronger, more than ever before and she shivered, wrapping her arms around herself as she looked around at her surroundings.

"I must go," Bonnie stated adamantly.

"She's leaving," Caroline gaped, shaking her head, she spat, "I'm leaving."

"You guys can't leave," Elena pleaded, looking at Anastasia for support, but she was still checking out her surroundings for Emily.

"I can," snapped Caroline. "I've had enough freaky ghost stuff for one night."

"Where are you going Bonnie?" asked Anastasia, staring suspiciously at her.

"Back to where it all began," said Bonnie ominously.

Anastasia and Elena gasped and cried out in unison, "Emily!"

Bonnie who was now being possessed by Emily snapped her head at both girls, "I won't let him have it. It must be destroyed," and with that, she ran out the front door. Anastasia, Elena and Caroline tried opening it but it wouldn't budge.

"What's happening?" screamed Caroline shrilly.

"I don't know, the door, it's not –"Elena was cut off by the door suddenly opening in their faces and the three girls screamed in fright. Jeremy looked at them weirdly, "What the hell?"

"I'm outta here," Caroline shouted before running off to her car and driving home without missing a beat.

Anastasia ran over to her car, "Elena I'm the fast driver here, call Stefan. I'm sure he knows where Emily is going."

Elena nodded as Anastasia hit the gas and began driving like a maniac. After Elena hung up, she told Anastasia to go to the Fell Church.

When the twins reached they saw that Emily was in the middle of a pentagram that was set ablaze with wild fire with Stefan and Damon trapped on the other side by an invisible barrier.

"No! No please," Damon desperately cried out.

Just then, Emily threw the necklace into the air and it exploded above them into a million tiny pieces. Anastasia noticed the presence of Emily was completely gone and knew that Bonnie wasn't being possessed anymore. Bonnie looked around in horror and fear, her eyes widening when Damon flashed over to her with apoplectic rage and harshly bit into her neck.

"Damon, no!" screamed Anastasia.

"Bonnie!" Elena cried.

Before Stefan had a chance of pulling Damon off her, Anastasia pushed her hand forward and then jabbed it backward and a wind picked Damon from the ground, off of Bonnie. Anastasia glared at Damon, and somehow, roots began creeping out from the ground, tying Damon tightly around a tree.

Stefan rushed over to Bonnie, "She's alive, but barely. I can save her." Elena looked unsure; she was wasting time, Anastasia screamed at Stefan, "Do it!" Stefan nodded and bit into his wrist, placing it on Bonnie's mouth and they watched as the ripped tissue on Bonnie's neck closed and healed completely, only the smeared blood on her neck showed any indication that she was wounded.

Stefan carried Bonnie into the backseat of Anastasia's car while she waited in the driver's seat for Elena to finish her conversation with Stefan. She knew that Bonnie would have to be informed of the Salvatore's vampire status now.

Anastasia ignored Elena as she climbed into the passenger seat and drove home in silence.

"Ana?" asked Elena tentatively, "What was that … what you did with Damon?"

Anastasia shook her head and whispered a slight tremor in her voice, "I don't know, Elena. I don't know." She couldn't postpone seeing Sheila Bennett anymore; Anastasia stared at her hands and griped the steering wheel tightly.

What was happening to her?

What was she?

A/N: This was a long chapter. Ana bonding time with Lexi, Stefan, Ezra, Caroline, Bonnie and Elena. *Whew!* Can anyone guess what Ana is? More to come …

R&R.