Chapter 9

"So in other words we are going to beat it out of him?" asked my blue eyed best friends while leaning with ease on my bed waiting for me to get ready.

"No, Day, I'm just going to say hello to the very much missed and loved, John Gilbert." I threw him a look from my mirror, fixing a falling strand, from my hair up-do, back in place. The said vampire just rolled his eyes.

"I'm not leaving you alone with him, kitten." he gritted his teeth while saying it. I knew why. John had only caused trouble and made threats from the moment he stepped back in Mystic Falls. Everyone was on edge.

Jeremy couldn't escape the constant nagging from his uncle and the subtle pushing for him to keep the Gilbert's man path, a.k.a. killing vampires. Elena had more then a few verbal battles with him about Stefan and not to mention how this annoying man was non stop just asking to be killed by Damon. It was becoming harder and harder to stop the older Salvatore from doing something about it. Ric had a great part in helping me stopping this from happening. But it was not safe, he wasn't bluffing when he said that someone would expose everyone to the council if we didn't 'behave'. And let's face it, we still had no idea what he wanted. But that was changing tonight.

"It's about time we find out why is he here and from where does he knows so much, Day, that's not normal, he is working with someone." and I saw how much it took him to agree with my words. Damon knew I was right but he still did not like it one bit.

"I don't understand why you want to do it alone?" persisted the raven haired man.

"Because there is a reason why John is avoiding me, if Jack is right, it must be because he is afraid of me. I will use that against him tonight but I have to do it alone." he opened his mouth, no doubt to protest but I continued. "You will be near and we both know you will be listening to everything that would be said. If I need help, you will be there." I assured him. His posture relaxed just a tiny bit, agreeing and I purposely skipped the part where Bonnie, a powerful witch, and Stefan would have my back as well. For the past weeks, Damon has become protective over me. Don't think that I don't appreciate it, I do...a lot. It feels amazing to know that you don't have to take the whole responsibility over the safety of your loved ones. I felt like I didn't have to be always strong and collected. But Damon could be sometimes possessive and didn't like to share, or to say it simply...share me with anyone else. But those were thoughts that I prefer to not delve in just yet.

"So how do I look?" I asked, changing the topic and turn to face him. His eyes raked all over my body, making me feel a tingling sensation that creeps under my skin every time those blue eyes landed on me.

"Beautiful." Damon said and he stood up coming to me, a small smirk grazing his lips. "And bad ass." I had on a black dress that went down just above my knees, made from pleader and with long sleeves. It covert my whole upper body but it clanged to my curves perfectly, while flaring at the bottom. I felt confident in it, maybe it was the Salvatore's influence but when I wore black, I felt unstoppable. And he loved it.

"Thank you, Day." I smiled up at him while his right arm grazed over my left palm and interlaced over fingers.

"I'm telling the true, there is nothing to thank me for, but we still have an hour before we need to head out." and he wiggled his eyebrows stepping back and bringing me with him towards my bed. Now that sounds wrong but it is something that I have noticed occurring a lot lately.

Damon had become more affectionate, by that I mean whenever we were in the same room he would always touch me in some kind of way. He would always seek my fingers, play with my hair or just graze my skin. I think I have become addicted to those gestures. They brought me peace and I felt at home when he was next to me. Safe. Whole. It was strange and new but in the same time frightening because it was becoming hard to remember my life before this infuriating vampire come in it.

I could hardly imagine a life now without him calling me some time after midnight just to hear what I was dreaming about, or how he had been inviting himself on our Breakfast moments with Jer and Bonnie. He comes each morning before them and cooks with me or just hovers around me not without stealing something to eat. Or the moments, when he would be in my room watching me get ready for school or how like right now we were laying, my back pressed to his front, on my bed and Damon's hand was grazing my exposed legs. It made me breathless and hot but in the same time extremely happy and I could feel how relaxed and content was the vampire himself. It wasn't sexual...even if his breath was creating goosebumps on my neck and his lips were kissing my shoulder and collarbone. No! Uhm. By now it has become a necessity. Addiction. Those privet moments were treasures for me, they were my sanctuary, Damon was my sanctuary.

Of coarse, not all the time we spent together was that intimate, we had those goofing moments, when we watched stupid movies or he would distract me from my studies with dirty jokes. What I was trying to say was that Damon had become an inseparable part of my life, of me and I was scared of loosing him. I was completely new to those kind of feelings, was that normal for two friends? And the answer was no, because Damon and I were not normal, and I would never have it any other way.

"What are you thinking about?" asked me the Salvatore and I couldn't help moving closer to him, our bodies now pressed very closely to one another. His fingers were dancing on my knee till they went up and pushed themselves a little under the skirt of my dress. I tensed for a second but it was not because I was nervous, no, it was by the realization that I wanted him to go further. Each time I was in this man's presence it was overwhelming. I was feeling near the edge and every sensation was multiplied by hundred. But I was calm and grounder, in the same time. Do you see my struggle? How confusing is all of this? Or are you just as lost at my words as I am when it comes to Damon Salvatore?

"Kitten?" he asked again after I found myself coming back from the depths of my over thinking mind.

"What about you?" I decided to avert the question and send it to him, not knowing what to say. His lips kissed the skin under my ear and he chuckled lowly making me blush for no reason at all.

"Some day I will tell you, but we have to go now." and I think that he pulled the same trick that I just did.


The Lockwood mansion was already full with town's people here to welcome back John Gilbert. When Damon and I stepped in we were greeted by the Mayor who wished us a pleasant stay. Further in I saw all my friends together in one corner of the main room. They were donning the same range of expressions. Bonnie looked around cautiously just like Stefan, Jeremy and Elena were both irritated and clearly would prefer to be anywhere but here. Caroline was talking with her mother not far away and Matt was next to her.

"Look at them, they are just waiting for you like the lost bunch they are." scoffed Damon and I hardly kept the amused smirk that crept on my face.

"Don't be stupid, Day, they are waiting for you as well. Don't be shy." I winked and he groaned. I might have said that with sarcasm but it was the true, even if non of them would ever admit it, the older Salvatore had become part of all of us. It was just the beginning but I clearly saw a future where we were all working together, protecting each other and being a family. Call me a dreamer, but no matter how different we were, I still saw it, we just needed time and I would make sure to give us that, without anyone getting hurt.

"Finally!" exclaimed Bon Bon when she saw us approaching, she cut the come back that was right on the lips of my companion and I couldn't hold back the grin by how annoyed that made him be.

"Sorry for being late.." they all send me a questioning looks but I was in no way going to explain to them how Damon was too stubborn to let me go from the position we were in my bed. Only Stefan was able to detect something, even if I didn't know what, and he send his brother a strange amused look, which was returned by a roll of one set gorgeous eyes.

"We were worried something happened to you, Emms." said Elena, purposely skipping Damon's part in the sentence. They were still far from friends, even if Ric and Day were slowly becoming buddies, the older Gilbert held a big grudge against him.

"Like that's possible when Damon is with her." interjected Jeremy, who received a glare from his sister but shrugged in return. I smiled gently at him, he was the only one so chill and accepting from the very beginning of mine and Damon's strange relationship. The said vampire's whole posture changed at those words. It was only visible for me, but non the less I had already mastered Damon Salvatore's subtle body language and I knew that he was pleased by what the younger Gilbert said. I knew that after the whole plan that we had, where Jer participated in order to lure in the first vampire, those two had formed a mutual relationship on their own. Even if they would probably never admit it, I knew about the few times when the 160 years old man would give almost undetectable advises to the boy I considered as a little brother. It was mostly about Anna but for the past week it was about John as well. Call it a cold splash in the face but in the form of harsh words about the reality of what vampires are, Damon gave a whole new comprehension of the supernatural world to Jer. He didn't skipped how dangerous he and the rest were, on the contrary he never ceased to show him what monsters they could be, but that act itself, this warning was enough to show Jer that there was not only black and white. Call me psychic, because I can't explain how I saw all of this, but it was clear as a day to me, and to some extend it was for Jeremy as well. So that's why I never saw clear fear or mistrust in his eyes when it came to the blue eyed vampire.

"How are you feeling Stefan?" I changed the topic and turned my attention to the other brother in my presence. He had been looking at me the whole time and I knew he wanted to talk with me, the topic probably about the blood lust. It didn't go unnoticed by Elena, who had been acting a little strange for the past few days. Maybe she wasn't happy by the way her boyfriend preferred to talk about this with me. But there was nothing I could do, as long as he was not ready to share it with her, I would be the one he could confine in. She may be one of my closest friends, but there were things, like the ones Stefan told me, that I couldn't tell her about, it wasn't my place and I would never betray his trust even if she cornered me two days ago, seeking some enlightening.

"For now it's okay, it's the first time that I am in room filled with so many people." he stated and I already knew that from the rigidness in his posture. Damon knew as well, because he was unconsciously moving closer to me, almost like preparing to shield me away if needed to. His eyes were on alert too, following his brother's every move, pretty much ready to intervene if his only family needed him to.

"You are doing just fine, Stefan." said Bonnie, probably feeling his inner struggle with her magical senses. She more or less had been helping her new friend and had an unsaid understanding with Damon about their roles in this whole situation. Even if they bickered non stop with one another, I was present to how efficient they worked together. Stefan had a slip up four days ago, he snapped when one annoying middle aged drunk head tried to pick a fight with him, the vampire had attacked him and we were lucky to be just entering the Grill to see it happening. Normally he wouldn't go that far, he would call me or Damon, or just run the other way, but it was a hard day for him, having an unpleasant encounter with John. So the human was just the last stroll in his still far from stable being.

My two friends reacted immediately, Bonnie giving him aneurism, Damon prying the man from his clutches, giving him blood and compelling him. After that I was the one to do the damage control over his guilt and that's how I spent the rest of the night, with one Salvatore on the verge of breakdown and me reassuring him, while the other sat on the bar not taking his eyes of me and his brother.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to give the word to our honor guest, for whom we are all gathered here to welcome back in our dear town. John Gilbert!" out of nowhere the Mayor broke me out of my train of thoughts as he was now standing on some kind of platform and was addressing all of us. At his words everyone clapped, that is expect our little group who stayed silent and watched as the mentioned man walked up the small ladder and took the microphone.

"Thank you all for the warm greeting, it sure made me feel right at home. I am planning on staying this time and taking more prominent role in Mystic Falls for the well being and the prospect of our town. But I don't want to bore you with anything else, so enjoy the night. Thank you." there were more applauds and I didn't missed the look he send our way, more to Elena then anyone else. Then he descended down and was engulfed by people that wanted to talk with him. I saw in the middle of the room Sheriff Forbes that surprisingly wasn't so happy about the presence of this man, and further back were Jenna and Alaric that much or less didn't hide their distaste as well. So we were not the only ones that weren't so 'fond' of him. Good.

Later that night I had enough, John had succeeded in avoiding any of us, but true to be told I was the only one that was looking for a way to approach him. Elena and Stefan had gone to dance, Bonnie was near keeping an eye on the vampire while talking with some boy from school, Jeremy was with Matt and Caroline. Damon didn't leave my side, he knew what I was intending to do, so he declined each proposal for a dance from the females that just couldn't stay away from him. It was funny actually, after the rejection they would immediately send a quick glare my way and would leave. In any normal circumstances I would be offended, but now I had bigger problems.

"Damon, I have a plan." he perked up at that and by the use of his full name he knew I was not joking.

"Let's hear it, kitten."


"Emma Castor."

"Good evening, John." I greeted the man that was getting on my nerves for the past week. I had finally succeeded in getting his attention, alone. My plan was very much perfect. I had asked of Damon to compel few people to talk with the Gilbert and make him enter one of the rooms in the mansion, they would be with him for some time and I would have the opportunity to make myself at home in one of the sofas in that same room. Then they would leave and I would make my presence known.

Right about now, Day was outside somewhere near, making sure no one disturbed us. I had crossed my legs and had in hand a glass of wine. For everyone else it was apple juice. It was fun to see his initial shock, the realization of what is happening and with who he found himself locked in. Then I had to hold back the laugh seeing his eyes darting around and looking for other exits. Was I scary? What made him squirm like that in my presence but being bold and threatening to all my friends? Including Damon. After a moment he quickly composed himself and schooled his face. Back on was the stupid completely false demure of a confidence that could fool anyone. That is with the exception of me.

I saw right trough him. He was scared but it wasn't just from me. No, the reason why he was here wasn't because he decided it himself, someone influenced him and he foolishly lied to himself that this ring would protect him.

Then came in the taunting smirk that he wore when he thought he had the advantage and knew something more then the rest. Fool. I was in no mood to play around, but non the less decided to set back for few minutes my questions and see what he wanted to say. That's why my face continued being emotionless, body relaxed and I'm sure the aura surrounding me was much or less screaming boredom.

"I was very disappointed when I found out Jack wasn't in town." said John and stepped closer, taking a seat on the sofa in front of the one that I was sitting on. "Where is my dear friend? I thought he would be ecstatic to see me." sarcastically he continued.

"Yes, I must assure you, John, that my uncle sends his greatest apologies that he sadly couldn't be present to greet back one of the people he looked up the most in this town." I answered and didn't missed the opportunity to jab in how Jack never hided how lowly he thought of the man before me.

"He is such a busy person, that man, and I see that you are as well, Emma." he ignored my previous words and I immediately saw where he was going.

"Indeed. I'm certain that you know all about it, so tell me, John, from one to ten, how am I doing?" I smirked because that's when he exploded. Next he is on his feet, stepping closer, look menacing, all games forgotten. That was just too easy.

"It's all your fault! You stupid girl! How dare you involve Elena and Jeremy in your family's outrageous acts? Who do you think you are to manipulate them against everything that we have ever believed in and..and pulling them in with those...filthy creatures, that should have never existed!?" now I understood everything. John Gilbert detested me even more then Jack, and that says a lot. I was the one that told my friends the true, I was the one that told them what the reality was and how deranged the believes of John were. I turned them not only against him completely but I made it impossible for him to lure them in. He was alone, because they were all on my side and his pride was completely damaged. That's why he never liked the Castors, he knew that we didn't support him or his methods of keeping secrets and Jack told me many times how proud he was with that we were alone on our front. Everyone else that knew about the supernatural existence was on his side, till his own family did the exact opposite. That must have hit a nerve. Good.

"I suggest you sit down, John, there in no need to act like an animal." I countered back, still keeping my face void of anything and voice full of boredom. He glared at me.

"Like the new friend that you have made, Emma?" he spat but non the less took a seat. I rolled my eyes at that. How predictable was he?

"You mean Stefan, Elena's boyfriend, Bonnie her best friend, Anna, Jer's girlfriends or Pearl the towns new doctor? Or do you mean, Damon, the man part of the council you yourself are so proud of?" I smirked, loving the murderous aura radiating from him and the way a vein was ready to pop out on his forehead. "I don't see animals here, John, I see citizens, that are loved and respected by everyone in Mystic Falls, if not more then yourself." and he knew it, I was right, I had done the thing he was most afraid of. I had helped vampires, that he feared so much, that he hated, to become part of his dear town. To be accepted, and he couldn't do anything about it. Not when he was alone and I had so much support behind my back.

"You are more of a fool then your uncle, if you think that this would last." he threatened and I could not help but feel that those words were true, his reason for coming back was exactly that, to get rid of all the supernaturals in Mystic Falls.

"Thinking that you could come here and play your games without angering me... do you really believe that you will accomplish anything when you have me as an enemy? When you are endearing the people that I care about? There is a reason why you fear my family. This ring and the vervain in your blood would get you only this far, John." I said and maybe it was exactly that deadly calmness that radiated from me, the sureness with which I expressed each word that made him stiffen and the smugness to disappear.

"You stupid little girl, you have no idea what you are talking about." he said and maybe he was right but that didn't matter. I sipped slowly from my glass not breaking eye contact. I should give it to him he was indeed working with someone strong and dangerous.

"Tell me why are you here, John. What do you want from Pearl?" his eyes widen a little, probably not expecting that she would trust me so much to tell me about their meeting. "So I could deny it to you or better yet, take it myself."

"You do that and all your dear bloodsucking monsters would be exposed in less then a day." he knew how to irk me the worst kind of way.

"That is if you were alive to make the phone call, John." I answered back. John's eyes widened.

"You are just as monstrous as they are! All your family should be extinguished." he whispered giving away what I needed to know. He had to contact whoever it is to come prove that the Salvatore's were vampires, they were not here, so he was in deed alone.

"If I have to be a monster to protect the ones I love, I would gladly be one." and that was the true, even if a true Castor has to always be in the middle, not taking sides completely and helping everyone, I would not let him do anything to hurt anyone. Not when those people where my family. I would never kill him, I might lock him up till he had no vervain in his system and ask Damon to compel him to leave and never harm another vampire, but he didn't need to know that. John had to fear me, to have no doubt that I would do what I said. He was the idiot who never took time to really understand what the Castors were fighting for, if he did he would easily call my bluff off. But he didn't, on the contrary.

"I want a devise, that Jonathan Gilbert created, it's mine and Pearl has no right to hold on to it. I want it back." he said while sending me a disgusted look that should have bothered me. It didn't.

"What do you want to do with it?"

"I would give it to Jeremy, it will make him understand what side he should be on." that surprised me, what is this thing? But then I saw it, he was lying, and he was good, almost perfect, if I didn't noticed how he said Jer's name, he knew that there was no way he could turn the younger Gilbert against me. So this devise was even more precious then he made it out to be.

"I don't believe it will do anything, John." I left him to believe he fooled me. We needed to get to that invention before him.

That's when the door opened and in walked Elena and Jeremy. From the looks of it they already knew what was happening here. Next they were by my side, I was on my feet and each Gilbert was standing next to me. The glare that John graced me with was anything but pleasant. He saw this gesture as an act of clear betrayal towards the family. A Gilbert was choosing Castor over his own blood.

"I would be seeing you once again, Emma Castor." he said icily and send a disapproving look towards my friends. Then he left.

"Emms, you okay?" asked Jer, looking concerned.

"Yeah, I'm fine, don't worry." I smiled reassuringly at him and Elena hugged me.

"I'm sorry that you had to go trough this, Em, I am ashamed by what he said." added the older Gilbert.

"So you heard?" I asked and they nodded.

"Damon told Stefan you were alone with John and we went to inform Bonnie as well." explained Elena.

"Stefan and Damon, already could hear your talk, Bon was able to cast a spell so we would as well, it was pretty bad ass the way you handled him, Emms!" exclaimed Jeremy and that's when Stefan and Bonnie entered.

"I agree, you got what we needed." smiled fondly at me Stefan and Bonnie was the next one who engulfed me in a tight hug.

"I was one step away from barging and kicking this sorry of an excuse for a man!" she sneered and I laughed no doubting that she would have done that.

"This device … was he telling the true?" asked Jeremy. I shook my head.

"He was lying, John has other purpose for wanting it." Stefan agreed with me. "Where is Damon?"

"He went to Pearl as soon as we knew what he wanted, he is probably retrieving the invention as we speak." answered my question the Salvatore in the room.

"But if we don't give it to him, he would expose you, for the moment he might be buying your bluff, Emma, but soon that won't be enough." interjected Elena and I couldn't stop the small blush that crept on my cheeks, seeing that the closest people to me knew me so well.

"We have to find out what this thing does first, then we would act from there." spoke Bonnie and I nodded in agreement. "I would need time to try some of my spells in order to learn more and Emma and I would search trough the journals."

"I will read Johnathan's diary as well, it's good that we placed it in the crypt, John has been searching the house for it, thinking that I didn't know about it."

"We should go back to the party before someone gets suspicious." in the end I proposed, seeing that we couldn't do anything else before Damon came back.

That's what we did.


"You do know that Anna and I aren't together, right?" asked me Jeremy.

Currently we were in his room and I would have been adorning a smirk on my face because of the little blush on the boy's cheeks, but I was very much concentrated on the video game we were playing. Those zombies were kicking my butt and the younger Gilbert was winning way too easily. I was a competitive person so that wasn't a pleasant experience. At all. We were sitting on the floor and while I was shouting and cursing, my friend was making fun of me. That is till he became quiet and asked me this question.

When we went back to the party, we all pretended that nothing happened, John was surrounded by council members and tried to play it cool. Damon called an hour later and we met in the crypt. Pearl have given him the invention. It didn't took him a lot of persuasion, she hated John. And that would get him out of her back. At least for the time being.

I haven't seen this kind of thing before, Bonnie sensed that it had magic in it, a Bennett magic, which was good because that could help us understand what it was. She needed time to research so we left her at it and we all went home. Damon accompanied me and was strangely happy. I didn't questioned him, just because we had a possible secret weapon against supernaturals, a shadow that was watching our every move and a persistent and very much annoying Gilbert that was set on getting rid of all the vampires in town, didn't mean that we all had to be gloomy. But it was still strange.

While I was getting myself in comfortable clothes he had taken the ice cream from the freezer and was waiting for me on the couch. When I took my place between his legs and snuggled in the familiar male presence that I loved, he kissed the nape of my neck and just rested his head there, while I contently ate the dessert. We didn't speak a lot. His hands were around my waist, hugging me closer to him, my back leaning on his hard chest, his fingers grazing the skin under the shirt I was wearing. His shirt, actually. Damon gave it to me, after seeing how much I liked it. It was few sizes bigger, but it smelled like him and I always wore it when I was home.

We were interrupted by the ringing of my phone. It was Jeremy and he wanted to see how I was. After talking for a while I wanted to see him, I missed one of my best friends and lately we were both busy with our own things and new additions to out life. Anna and Damon. Mainly. So we both agreed to have a game night, like we used to do in the summer. The vampire behind me, signed with exhaustion, whining that he was too lazy to let me go or something, but when he saw that I really wanted to see how the boy I considered as my little brother was he even gave me a lift.

So after getting my stuff for school tomorrow, two bags of chips and soda we were on our way. That's how I found myself here. Elena was in the other room with Stefan, or downstairs, I wasn't sure. Jenna was out with friends and if I wasn't mistaken Damon would be somewhere ...most definitely in the Grill nursing a drink and having a sarcastic but in the same time actual conversation with Alaric.

"Yeah, I know, but that doesn't mean you don't want to." I replied and winked at his direction almost missing the zombie that was ready to eat my brains out!

"Shut up.." Jer blushed even more and I laughed, or at least tried in between my screams of bloody murderer. That flesh eating idiot got what he deserve! No one was going to eat me! No one! Muahah.

"Just admit it, Jerr!" I whined and from the peripheral vision I saw him rolling his eyes at me. Hm!

"Yeah, whatever." he mumbled and purposely missed killing one zombie and went further so it would come after me. TRAITOR!

"Hey! That was so not nice! I thought we were a team!" I exclaimed when this thing killed me and I returned with one less live in my arsenal.

"It's not my problem that you suck at this." smirked the very accomplished Gilbert and I would have smacked him if my hands were not holding the controller.

"You are a meany! And a coward." he then turned to me and when I pretended to not notice his questioning look he signed and came back.

"Why am I a coward?" he shot two zombies in the head and rescued me from another death. That made me very happy even if I knew he did it on purpose so I would answer him, but non the less I did.

"She likes you too, Jer. Just be a man and ask her out. It's not that hard." I said.

"But what if she refused?" he asked and I held up the cheeky smile that wanted to show on my face. He was so c-u-t-e!

"She won't I'm hundred percent certain." Jeremy was quiet for a second then he signed.

"What about her mother. She doesn't like me." excuses!

"When did that ever stopped you from seeing Anna? She will get over it." I said and he again was silent.

"Fine." his shoulders sagged with defeat even if I saw how excited he was in reality.

"But where, more then a hundred and something years old vampire, would like to go on a date? She has lived through so much, Emms, what could I give her that would be any different?" so that is what he was actually afraid of.

"She is talking with you. Right?" he nodded. "Not with any other guy is she so close with. Right?" again he nodded. "She went against her mother's wishes and still meets with you, so tell me Jeremy, if she found you uninteresting or not worth her while, would she do all of those things?" I asked and his eyes widen a little processing my words. I would have noticed him standing up but I was too engrossed in smashing the brains out of one dead walker when suddenly the game stopped just the moment I would have won an additional points and got one more life.

"Hey! Whaat are you...!" I whined but was interrupted by Jer who hugged me and in the process bringing me down fully on the floor from the unexpected action.

"Thank you, Emms, I don't know what I would do without you." he whispered and I returned the embrace.

"I'm here for you, whenever you need me, Jer. Remember that." He nodded and released me while taking his place once again.

"I missed that, you know?" he said and I nodded. "It's been a while."

"We should have more game nights, like old times!" I said excitedly when he finally started the game again and I won my points. Yes! Success!

"Yes, you are in dear need for help with your lack of skills, Emms." the amused Gilbert laughed and I stuck my tongue out like the kid I am around him.

"You are just jealous of my mad skills, Gilbert!"

"Dream on, Castor!"


"No Elena, you have to leave." said with no room for complaining Bonnie. The girl herself looked anything but happy, she was mad actually.

"No! I'm staying, you can't make me do anything." she answered stubbornly and the witch next to me signed.

"You sure about that?" asked Damon that looked pretty much done with her childish behavior. "Because I could think of at least ten ways to kick you out and without using compulsion, sweetheart." he even sneered and the glare she send him just made it even more obvious that she didn't like him as well.

"Lena, please, we are doing it for your own protection." finally Stefan interjected. He had been silent for the last five minutes while his girlfriend was raging around the Salvatore's leaving area.

"But I want to be here for you, Stefan!" she exclaimed and the way she jotted her foot on the ground made her look even more as a stubborn little kid that wasn't getting what she wanted. I loved her. Don't mistake that, but there were times when Elena just couldn't understand that some things had to happen without her being in the center of it.

"Oh for Christ sake!" groaned the raven haired vampire that was quickly loosing what was left out of his patience with my doppelganger friend. "Get rid of her right now, Stefan, or I will do it and it won't be gentle." he continued and we all knew he would go trough with it. The scandalous expression on the brunette's face when the younger Salvatore took her hand and moved her towards the front door, said it all. Me and Bonnie were going to be on the receiving end of her rage when we were done here.

"That was a smart choice, brother!" shouted Damon when the other vampire was out the boarding house, probably making puppy eyes at Elena and apologizing for something that wasn't even his idea.

What idea I was talking about? It has been exactly three weeks since Stefan started drinking small quantities of human blood. Two weeks since John Gilbert was in town and five days since we had the device in our hands. Two since he knew that we were not giving it to him and waiting for his turn of action. The newcomer was silent for the time being but we knew he was planning something. Not while ago we found out that the invention he wanted was part of a device that was made by Johnathan Gilbert and it was a weapon against vampires. When putted together with the other piece and activated it would somehow expose all the supernaturals near it. We didn't know how exactly, that was all the information we found. Bonnie was working on it when she had time and we had planned that if it came to it she would dispel the magic from it, so it would be useless. But we stayed put for the time being.

For now my main focus was on the younger Salvatore brother. We had to step up our game and push his limits so he could learn control over his cravings. That's what we were going to do today. The said vampire, Damon, Bonnie and I. That is before Elena barged through the door and wanted to take part in it. It was dangerous, that's why Bonnie was here, so the most that she and the blue eyed man in the room could protect was one human. Me. Elena would hold us back. When we explained it to her she was outraged and you saw how that played out.

After the last slip up near the Grill, when Bon and Damon stopped Stefan from sucking dry a drunk idiot, the ex ripper was doing surprisingly good. It's been almost two weeks since that and we had increased steadily his doses of human blood. But we didn't have that much time in our hands. Any moment something could come out of nowhere and strike us. We couldn't let unstable Stefan roam around Mystic Falls. No. He needed to get himself ready.

"I f*cking hate your idea." said Day, while we waited for Stefan to come back. He was looking me straight in the eyes and didn't cared that my witch friend was seeing the whole exchange. He was trying for the last time to change my mind.

"That's the only way with the options we are presented, Day. You know that I wouldn't let anyone else do it." he was in front of me in a second, his arm gripping my wrist gently but still firmly. The other one was stroking my cheek.

"But why it should be you?" he persisted, eyes roaming my face, almost like begging me to back off.

"Because I promised Stefan that I would help him, I came up with this idea and so I should be the one to take the risk."

"I still don't like it." he said and I smiled gently at the protectiveness he displayed.

"Don't worry, that's why I have you and Bonnie here."

"Yes. I know that I would hold up my part of the deal. What about you, Salvatore?" interjected the said witch and I silently send her my thanks for distracting the vampire. She nodded in return. That's my best friend for you, she didn't approve as well, but when she saw how determined I was, she agreed to make sure we would succeed.

"Of coarse I will, don't be stupid Sabrina." retaliated the man in front of me and they would have continued if it wasn't for Stefan that came in.

"We should stop this. I-I don't think I'm ready...Emma!" he said and his whole posture radiated nervousness and fear. It wasn't the first time that he was opposing this.

"You were all okay when I first said that it was time for Stefan to drink straight from the source. Hell, Day was ecstatic!" I exclaimed getting angry with those three.

"But I didn't know it would be you!" roared Damon, eyes blazing. He detested the idea of someone even tasting my blood. He said it himself. And that one being his brother...

"We are doing this, I don't care if you hate it or love it!" I said it to all the people present. "I want to do it. There is nothing that will change my mind, so you all better get ready and do this!" they all quieted down. Well by that I mean the brothers. Bonnie was already silent.

"Okay, let's begin." she said and I was once again going to thank her if it wasn't for the blue eyed vampire that sneered at her.

"You witchy are so ready to do this, huh? You don't give a sh*t if your friend gets hurt. Do you?" and the next moment he is on the ground screaming in pain, holding his hands to his head. He had done it now, no one could say something so harsh to Bonnie and get away with it.

"Don't you dare even open your disgusting mouth if you think of saying anything like that ever again. Or I will end you." she seethed, eyes turning black, she was definitely pissed. "I don't know from where you thought you could talk to me like that, but I warn you, you better watch it, Salvatore. There is no one that cares more about Emma's safety then I. I don't give a crap about your new found emotions or your sense of protection over her, but you will remember that if it ever comes to it, I would be the one to save her while you are failing because of your pathetic excuse of cockiness." at the end she was screaming and I was stunned by what was happening. Were those two fighting over...me?

"Okay! Both of you! STOP!" I shouted on top of my lungs and Bonnie's eyes came back to normal, she was still glaring at the vampire that was now shakily standing back on his feet and he was gladly returning the gesture. I was expecting for him to say something harshly back or to even attack her, but he did something completely different.

"I'm glad we got that cleared out." he said smirking. "Even if you were wrong about one thing, Bonnie." my eyes bulged out when he used her real name. "I would never fail when it comes to Emma." the way he said it, the certainty that was laced in his words made me shiver. Bonnie stood there, nothing betraying how she felt, but then she nodded and there was some kind of agreement, a common ground that they were now standing one. Respect for each other. I have no idea how it happened so I shook my head, deciding to leave it. There were just some things I probably would never understand. One of it being the strange relationship between Day and Bon.

"Okay, let's do this." I clapped my hands and all the attention was back on the plan. Good. "Stefan." the said vampire came to me when I held my hand. He was still so unsure about it. We sat on the big sofa, while Damon leaned on the wall in front of us and Bonnie near him.

"Emms...I-i..." he stuttered but I reached out and grabbed his cheek, giving him a reassuring smile.

"Everything is going to be alright, Stefan." he exhaled deeply and nodded. "I need you to relax. Just remember, this is only blood. It can't control you, you can stop whenever you want." he was trying to do just that, but I saw how hard it was for him. "Stefan. Look at me." he did. "What are you afraid of?"

"That I won't be able to stop." he said, his voice low.

"Why?"

"Because it's too good."

"But you don't need to." he looked shocked at me, I saw Damon whole demure changing as he stepped forward, I looked at him and he was rooted in his place once again. Eyes warning. "Don't you understand, Stefan? You are a vampire, vampires drink blood. Jut like humans eat animals. It's the way things are. How we survive. How we thrive. There is nothing bad about liking the taste of it. It would be strange if you didn't. But that doesn't mean you have to have it all. Drink from one person don't kill him. Stop. If it's not enough. Drink from another."

"You don't understand. The ripper inside wants to kill them. That is why it's so hard. He is stronger." he said almost pleading me to tell him how to stop him.

"That's where you are mistaken, Stefan. You have been pushing away the vampire inside of you to the extend where he had become a salvage animal that when presented with the opportunity he took as much as he could, before you locked it away. Don't you see it? You have to accept all of you. The bright and the dark, Stef. That's when you will be whole, the moment you stop fearing and start accepting, the moment you let go and enjoy and love yourself, it's the moment you would have full control." he regarded me at that moment like I was presenting to him his own salvation and I saw how he little by little understood what I meant.

"You need to let go and feel the taste of the blood, the feeling of the chase and you have to stop pushing it all away." I added.

"How should I do that?" he asked now body relaxed giving me a go, trusting me with his sanity.

"You will drink from me, first it will be the wrist. I want you to bite me slowly, precisely and drink just a little, let the taste linger, don't draw a lot, feel it, appreciate it, accept it. And most of all don't fear it, don't feel guilty because you will love it. That's what you are, Stefan. That's who you are." and he did just that. When I moved my hand from his cheek I placed it in front of his mouth. His eyes regarded me for few seconds and I smiled once again displaying how much I believed in him. Then his eyes changed, veins appeared beneath them. His nose stoke gently my throbbing vein and he breathed in, relishing in the smell of the blood that awaited for him just underneath the skin.

His fangs elongated and his tongue darted from his lips, slowly caressing the skin. Next he descended a little and slowly his fangs pierced my wrist. He closed his eyes, eyebrows scrunching and a delighted sound of approval came out of him. His eyes flew open momentarily and the guilt showed in them but I just smiled once more, showing him that he had nothing to be ashamed of. He understood and closed them again. In few seconds later he separated himself from me, breathing harshly, eyes still closed. He was battling with himself and just going for the kill.

"How did it tasted, Stefan?" I asked.

"Incredible."

"And?" I persisted.

"So warm. Delicious. Full of life." he didn't sensed it but his breathing was getting back to normal, the veins disappearing. He was unconsciously accepting the true, the feelings that relished in him, he wasn't fighting against it, so he could control it and because he welcomed the ripper in he didn't have to battle with him, with himself. He could find the control in the moment when he let go of it as well. When his eyes opened and I was met with his bright green ones, they showed me that he finally understood, he saw it, felt it and embraced it.

"How do you feel, Stefan?"

"Lighter? Does it make sense? The craving is there, but now I understand it, I feel like I can do it." he said and I nodded.

"Then do it." I said and he paused.

"What do you mean?"

"Drink from my neck." I explained and his eyes momentarily moved towards Damon. I turned to him as well and was greeted by the rigidness and the posture of a wild animal that was ready to strike and tear someone's head of. His eyes were red, Bonnie even stepped away from him, clearly sensing the rage that radiated in waves from him.

"No." he growled menacingly at his brother and I knew that this was his limit, I couldn't fight him on it or he would snap and I wasn't sure what he would do.

"We should go and find someone else..." added quickly Bonnie. "you know...someone you don't know or view as close friend." she continued and Stefan gingerly agreed.

"I had enough for today." the younger brother said. "I will do it tomorrow. Maybe I would even hunt." that made me smile at him, happy that he would let loose and unleash the predator in him. Damon nodded. His body still stiff.

"I will come with you, if you need to stop, I'll be there." he said and I grinned, loving how even if he was pissed, more or less at me, he still supported his brother.

"Thank you, Damon." Stefan said and turned to me. "Thank you, Emma, if you didn't showed me I would have never got it. I see it now, because of you."

"So you believe now you could actually do it?" I asked cheekily. And he laughed but still I saw the cautiousness he had for his older brother.

"Yes." and he was sincere.

"I would go home now, my father is back, so we would have diner together." said Bonnie and I saw how badly she wanted to get out of this awkwardness. Damon was quiet, Stefan on the other hand, stood up.

"I'll give you a lift, I have to see Elena, she would like to know what happened." and soon they left me with the blue eyed man.

"Day..." but he didn't let me finish. The next thing I know my breath is knocked out of me, as he had speed transported me in his bathroom. He placed me of the sink, getting between my legs and grabbing my injured hand, that I have completely forgotten about. He put it under the running water and bit down on his own wrist, placing it for me to drink it. I wordlessly did that till his and mine wounds were healed. It was like nothing happened few minutes ago.

"I will go insane." Damon whispered tiredly when he sagged just a little on me, hiding his face in the crook of my neck, both hands caging me, body pressed as close as possible in that position. His whole posture was tensed, his voice was strained.

"What's happening, Day?" I asked starting to get worried about him.

He chuckled lowly, but it was forced. Next the vampire breathed in my scent and his lips started to trail up and down my skin, then they placed themselves firmly exactly where my pulse was and started to suck in the same spot. I felt my how body explode with pleasure and a burning sensation started to irrupt in my stomach. I felt light headed and couldn't hold back the small moan that escaped me. It felt amazing. I had gripped the front of his shirt for dear life and my mind was starting to swirl around when he stopped and pulled away. Even if just a little bit. Then he blew a stream of breath on the same exact, now extremely sensitive, spot and goosebumps resurfaced all around it.

"I am a selfish b*stard and I would kill the next person that even tries to drink from you, kitten. This was the first and last time I would let it happened." he whispered in my ear, voice husky and low, promising. "I would be the only one to do that, kitten. Am I clear?" it was too much, so overwhelming. I trembled a little, my God, this man was going to be the end of me.

"Is that why you are angry, Day?" I asked uncertain. He then pulled back and his eyes were red, fangs on display.

"I'm pissed because I let someone else touch you, some else taste you!" he growled. "You are not a piece of meat, Emma, no one should ever get this privilege, no one except me." the possessiveness in his tone made me blush, it made something stir in me and I nodded mutely. He then buried his face in my hair and he held me closer, if that's possible. "You f*cking smell like him." I was sure that Damon didn't hate his brother but right at this moment the way this sentence sounded it almost made me think that he would kill him.

"Then let me take a shower." I proposed as I myself did not liking the thought of that. He nodded.

"I would prepare some of my clothes for you when you get out." that seems to please him and he calmed down a lot.

That's what happened. I was now in his bed, wearing one of his oversized black expensive t-shirts and boxers. Damon was laying next to me, almost hovering, hands roaming all over me, but still keeping away, like he was branding me with his scent. Marking me. At least that was what the giant hickey screamed at me when I saw it in the bathroom mirror. I wanted to shout at him, but in the same time I was filled with pleasure and it made me unexplainable happy. So I left it alone. For now.

"What you said to Stefan, today, I must say it was impressive." the vampire said and I was delighted by the approval that I sensed from him.

"You think so?" I asked.

"Never have I met someone, human or not, that understood so well the nature of vampirism, kitten. Most importantly you made my stubborn little brother get it as well, and he has been eating bunnies for over a century." I laughed a little as he moved me closer, now his head was laying just above my chest, like he was listening to my heart beat. I was running my fingers over the muscles of his back, loving how they contracted and tightened where I touched them.

"You think, he would really do it?"

"I had my doubts." I slapped him playfully at that and he chuckled. "But now I'm certain. Tomorrow I would hunt with him. I would make him do it the next night as well. Then the next too."

"That's perfect, Day." I said and grinned at his words so happy that he was ready to go to such extend.

"Go to sleep, kitten, don't you have a test tomorrow morning?"

Hell, I completely forgot about it.


For the rest of the week few tings happened. First I miserably failed the geometry test that I had on Tuesday, then Jeremy finally asked Anna out, now they were together. Stefan had gone hunting each night and Damon had accompanied him. By the words of the blue eyed vampire, his little brother was impressively showing control and he was relishing in the feeling of being a vampire. I saw it too, he was walking around school like he had left somewhere a tone of bricks off of his shoulders. Elena had cornered me and Bonnie to shout at us for being bad friends to her and cutting her out of something that she felt it was her place to take part of. Surprisingly it was the witch that told her that she was wrong and even if we loved her we were doing this for Stefan, not her so at that moment we were thinking about his well being not about her feelings. She was outraged and didn't spoke to us for two days. Then Stefan had a talk with her and she apologized and it was sincere. We were good again.

It was Saturday when things went completely downhill. I was just getting back from the store when John came up to me.

"I want the device, Emma." he said to me and there was urgency in his voice, he actually looked scared.

"And we told you that you were not getting it." I answered back and his whole demure changed, his face become stone hard, his glare prominent, cold.

"I warned you, there will be consequences, you leave me with no choice, Emma, I'm doing this for the good of everyone." with that he went back to his car and drove away.

Few hours later I got a call from a frantic Elena that wanted to meet us all in the crypt. When I got there, Ric was present as well, Anna and Pearl too.

"What's going on?" I asked and Damon was momentarily by my side, looking pissed, eyes glazed, his thoughts were running wild.

"We found Harper dead." Pearl was the first to speak.

"You think it was John?" I asked shocked. He was hunter but Harper was an old vampire and he knew to be careful in the presence of the Gilbert. I could hardly believe it.

"No it wasn't him." interjected Anna who was holding Jeremy's hand.

"Then who?"

"Isobel." Alaric finally turned to us, his face drained of color, now that I looked more carefully Elena looked pale as well.

"What?"

"She came to me in the Grill. She is here." he said and I took a deep breath, I fear that a theory of mine was actually coming true.

"She want's to meet me." spoke Elena.

"Why? And how do you know that she was the one that killed Harper?" I asked.

"We don't know why." Bonnie came in the conversation, she had a hard look on her face, clearly not liking how things were turning out.

"Isobel, actually left a note." Pearl lifted her hand holding a piece of paper. "She wants Johnathan's Gilbert device."

"This b*stard!" screamed Elena. "He knew who she was, he knew where she was and on top of that John was working with her!" and so yes my fear was proved, from the moment we found out that he had help I started to suspect that it was Isobel. What worried me even more was to who this woman was connected to. When I looked up at Damon, he saw that I was thinking the same thing as him. Katherine. But was she really involved in this? Why would she want a device that endangered her own kind, herself? And if Isobel was working alone, why would she want it, why help John, or he helped her?

Stefan soon calmed down his girlfriend and I turned my attention to the other people in the room.

"I'm sorry for the lost, Pearl, Anna." I said and really meant it. "Harper was your friends, he was good man and didn't deserve this." they both nodded appreciating me saying this.

"Thank you, Emma."

"How are you, Ric?" I asked my teacher, after coming next to him, while the rest were engaged in what to do. He looked surprised by my worried tone but slightly let a small smile grace his face.

"She had turned her switch off, the woman I saw today was not the one I married. I think that it finally hit me. I had never lost her, Isobel was the one that left everything behind, she chose this." I nodded.

"It's her loss if you ask me." I smiled cheekily trying to bring his spirits up, he needed time to himself to really grasp this new revelations and deal with the heart break, but non the less I succeed. "You are a catch, Ric, a teacher by day, hunter at night. Totally sexy and mysterious. She was just too stupid to see it." and he chuckled, shaking his head.

"Thank you, Em, I needed that." my history teacher said and I patted him on the shoulder.

"Any time, my friend." and winked to add to the whole thing.

"We should give her the device." said Jeremy, interrupting my little bonding time with Alaric.

"I will need time to dispel it and I will make sure that I would always be able to track it. Like that we will know where she is or at least where the person that holds it is." explained Bonnie and I nodded smiling in her direction, she was genius.

"Good." agreed Damon that was now standing on my other side once again, his hand gently grazing my hand in a way that no one saw it. Except Ric. Who send an amused look at the vampire. Was I missing something?

"How much time would you need, Bon?" I asked.

"At the end of tomorrow I think, removing a spell so old and powerful takes a lot of magic." I nodded.

"Okay, but please everyone be careful. We don't know what else she has planned or if she is alone and there are just too many vampires in town to use the compass to track her down." after my words, Anna and Pearl went home.

We decided that Elena was going to meet Isobel in the Grill, ten in the morning. Stefan and Ric present to keep an eye and make sure she was safe. Bonnie would mean time be working on the invention. This woman was becoming more and more annoying to me by the minute. I didn't even want to think about what John had done after I declined him the same device.

After that we all when home. Stefan and Damon were hunting, but he convinced Day to do it as near to Elena's house as possible. So I was now driving home, for the first time in a while using my car.

"Hello, munchkin. How are things today?" asked me right away Jack when I answered his call.

"You have no idea." I groaned and he laughed.

"Well I have some things to tell you as well." by his tone I knew it was something serious.

"No more bad new please!" I said .

"It's not a talk that we should have on the phone."

"So you are coming back?" I asked excited, God how much I needed him here, I was the one that lately was dispersing the tension whenever needed, but who did it to me? Damon was amazing at making me feel safe, but Jack had this gift of always making me smile even at the worst times.

"Monday, Ems, and I expect a lunch made for royals!" I laughed again.

"And I expect gifts!"

"Deal." after that we talked just a little more, but I was nearing our house so we bid each other good night and ended the call.

When I parked my car, I locked it and walked towards the front door, my mood now lifted and feeling a little better. That is till I saw Caroline, sitting on the porch, face void of color, eyes red and full with tears, she was trembling and the sight stabbed me right trough the heart.

"Care?" I ran to her but when her blue orbs met mine they filled themselves with hatred. She was on he feet and coming at me.

"You! How dare you! How could you do this? YOU LIAR!" she screamed and I quickly evaded a slap that came near my face.

"Care what are you talking about?" She then laughed hysterically.

"I can't believe it, you still play like you have no idea! I know, Emma! Everything that you hided from me, only from me. John Gilbert told me everything!"


Hello guys!

Duun duun duuuun! Sorry for leaving it at that but I just couldn't help myself and I am too eager to go out...But what do you think? Not only about the end. I think that lots of stuff happened this chapie, like the Emma vs John scene, I love making Em so bad ass and cool, that's how I see her really. I wanted to add a moment between Jer and her as well, he wasn't big part of the story for a while so I payed him special attention this time. Woo and Stefan/Damon/Emma/BonBon whole fiasco ? Comment comment comment! Thank you for the support.

P.S. I'm looking for a beta reader for this story. If you would like to take the position feel free to send me a message! ^.^

Till next chapter,

Felly.