(Chapter ten)

Damon stood outside pacing back and forth. He couldn't believe that he let this happen. How did he not hear Katherine or at least sense her? This couldn't be happening. The one person that he had fought to have and promised to protect was missing and in danger. Damon cursed himself for breaking his promise. He was getting agitated because Stefan was taking so damn long. He stormed off to the front door and wrenched it open.

"Stefan! What the hell is taking so long? This is a life or death thing, Katherine could kill her!" he bellowed into the house.

"What? Stefan, did I just hear Damon say that Katherine could kill her? Why didn't you tell me that? All you said was that she needed my help!" cried Bonnie thru the phone.

"Bonnie, yes...Katherine could kill her so we need you. I know you're not happy with Damon but do this for Elena. She could die tonight Bonnie." said Stefan in a hushed tone.

"Elena is my best friend...I'm on the way." she said as the phone went silent.

"STEFAN!" yelled Damon. "Get your ass out here before I do this alone!"
Stefan appeared at the front door.

"Damon, stop yelling. I was in the middle of a phone conversation." said Stefan.

"A phone conversation? Really? Elena is in danger and you chose to be on the phone?" Damon was angry and he could feel his fangs beginning to protrude.

"I was calling Alaric and Bonnie." he said flatly.

"I don't need Bonnie's help so screw her." said Damon as he began pacing again.

"Damon, we do need her and much as you hate to admit it. Bonnie was angry when she called you a...killer. None of us think that, okay? That may have been the old you but that's not you anymore. You are a new person because of Elena." said Stefan as he walked towards his brother and then grabbed his shoulders.

"Stefan...I have to get her back." he said with wide eyes.

"And that's what we're going to do." replied Stefan in a serious yet uplifting tone.

The brothers were standing there when they heard cars pull up behind them. Damon and Stefan turned to see Alaric and Bonnie running towards them. In Alaric's hand was a duffel bag that contained injections of vervain, several wooden stakes, and a gun for each of them loaded with wooden bullets. He was always on top of things, the modern day vampire hunter. In Bonnie's small hand she was holding a big brown book. By the looks of it, it was a spell book.

"I brought grams' old spell book because I figured that there would be some kind of spell that we could use to help us destroy Katherine." she said and she glanced over at Damon. She could see frustration, anger, and fear in his eyes and Bonnie felt...guilty. Damon really did care about Elena and she went and called him a killer. She knew Elena had changed him into being good and Bonnie was thankful for that because she didn't want to have to kill Damon if he split innocent blood. Somewhere under that tough girl exterior she had, was a girl who cared for the Salvatore brother's because they meant so much to Elena. Bonnie kept her eyes locked on Damon until he lifted his head to see her staring at him and he scowled at her.

"Damon, look..."she sighed. "I'm sorry for what I said about you, okay? I didn't mean it, I was just frustrated. You really have changed and become a better person for Elena and I know that you care about her more than anything so I will do whatever it take to help you get her back. I love her just like you do and I will fight for her, even if it means that I go down in the process."
Damon remained silent and simply nodded at Bonnie.

"He proposed to her..." whispered Stefan.

"What?" asked Bonnie and Alaric in unison.

"I proposed to her last night in the garden..." said Damon in an edgy tone and then looked away because he could feel the veins showing on his face. He wanted to kill Katherine.

"Lets go so we can get her back." whispered Bonnie as the four jumped into Damon's car.
_

Elena woke up to find herself in a dark and damp place. She couldn't see anything and it smelt awful. When she tried to stand up she could feel chains around her arms and legs preventing her from moving. She couldn't really remember what happened. All she remembered was turning around to see Alex lying on the floor and then something hit her in the back of the head and she was out. She didn't know how long she had been out cold or who had taken her but the more she thought about it then more fear came into her head. Katherine. The name that kept flashing thru her mind. It had to have been her. Elena was scared but refused to show it. She had to find some way out of this place.

"It's no use..." said a harsh voice behind her. "The chains have a magical seal on them. There's no way that you can get out."

"Who are you?" Elena demanded and then her eyes widened as she saw the person sitting next to her.

"Isobel?" said Elena in a shocked voice.

"The one and only...I see Katherine got you as well. She's not going to stop you know. She won't stop until she gets what she wants and you have it. She'll kill you." said Isobel in a monotone.

"I'd like to see her try. Damon will come for me and so will Stefan. They'll save me." she said back as she heard Isobel let out a soft laugh.

"Well, it's so nice to see that you've finally decided to wake up." said Katherine as she walked down the stairs into the basement. "And look, you've found mommy!"

"She's not my mother!" spat Elena. "And where have you taken me?"

"Shhh, don't ask so many questions Elena. All you need to know is that my plans are now under way and before you know it, my boys will be back in my arms." she smiled and hugged herself.

"They're going to come and save me Katherine and you know it." Elena was mad.

"I know they will but they won't be saving you. They'll think that they're saving you but it's going to be me but first, I need that pretty little ring of yours." said Katherine as she reached down and took Elena's engagement ring off her finger.

"What are you doing with that...? Give it back!" cried Elena.

"I'm going to put it on my finger silly and then I'm going to take you to that filthy little tomb they tried to lock me in so you can rot away but first, I need to dispose of any witnesses. Ah, Isobel. I can't have you rating me out and besides, I'm finished with you. I have no use for you anymore." she said as she walked towards Isobel.

"Katherine, please! I've done everything you've asked!" cried Isobel.

"Goodbye Isobel." she smiled as she brought her arms into the air and stabbed Isobel straight in the heart with a stake.

"I'll dispose of her later." she said as she dusted her hands off. "Now it's time to get rid of you."

"You can't seriously think that you can try to take my place and marry Damon. He's not stupid, he's going to notice!" cried Elena.

"No he wont, I've been watching you for a long time now and I've got your act down pat. He's going to think it's me and them I'm going to marry him so we can be happy together like it was meant to be. Stefan can even join in eventually once I convince Damon to let him and don't worry...I'll make sure they forget all about you." she let out a beaming smile.

"You...bitch!" yelled Elena. "They are both over you and once Damon finds out you've done this, he'll kill you!"

"You know, I think I liked you better when you were sleeping." Katherine walked towards Elena and then hit her in the back of the head. "Good girl, now lets get rid of you so I can get my boys back."

She threw Elena over he shoulders and took off towards the tomb. Once she got there she chained Elena up again and then closed the entry way inside and was gone.

"Step one: complete." laughed Katherine.