Author's Note: Okay, I know I just started posting again, but I'm going to have to take another break. I have one more chapter that is already typed up that I'll upload probably next week. I'm in college now and I have three papers that are due right around the same time and I have to focus on those for a couple weeks. The last paper is due April 22, so if I don't post before then I'll definitely have time to post afterwards.

Anyway, enjoy!

Chapter Ten

"You know, we can sit here for as long as you want. And when you start to desiccate . . . there's a tomb with your name on it," Stefan said to the vampire shackled to the seat in front of him.

"I've been doing all the talking," Katherine said. "It's your turn. Do you pretend to be human when you're with Elena? Is that the appeal?"

"Actually, I don't pretend to be anything when I'm with her. That's the whole point. I get to just be myself."

"Does she know that you love me?"

Stefan leaned forward. "I don't."

"That's where you're wrong, Stefan. Don't you remember bringing me home that night? You're family had taken me in."

Mystic Falls, 1864

"I had a lovely time, Stefan," Katherine said, walking up the stairs behind Stefan. He was escorting her to her room.

"How long do you plan on staying in Mystic Falls?" he asked.

"As long as I'm wanted," she replied. "Your father has been very kind to give me shelter."

"How could we not? Losing your family in the fire. I'm grateful you made it out of Atlanta."

"So I gather I'm wanted?"

"Uh, very much so," Stefan said shyly and then chuckled.

Katherine thought it was adorable and she hadn't thought anything a man had done was adorable in centuries.

"I know we've only known each other a short while and . . . and I know I'm in competition for your affections, but . . . uh, I've never met a woman quite like you. I – I look at you and I see an angel. I touch your skin . . . and my entire body ignites."

Chills went through Katherine's body as Stefan cupped her cheek. The long dead, untouchable heart that was inside Katherine was beginning to race because she too felt as if her body was being lit afire.

"I kiss you and I know that I'm falling in love."

Stefan slowly leaned toward her and their lips pressed together tenderly. She pulled away after feeling a shock go through her system.

"I am in love with you," Stefan admitted.

"There's just so much you don't know about me, Stefan."

He had compared her to an angel when she was closer to a demon.

"More to learn and love."

"I must say good-night."

Her lips were still burning from their kiss and she wanted so much more, but she wasn't willing to risk exposure just yet.

"I've upset you?"

"No. You haven't upset me. You've just surprised me."

And he had. The feelings she had long shut off were reawakening and it was painful and overwhelming. "Until tomorrow."

She bid him good night and then went into her room.

"Go ahead, Stefan. Torture me, keep me captive, drain me of my blood until my body turns to dust. It'll never change the truth. I've never compelled your love. It was real, and so was mine."

"Dress! Ballerina!" Jenna shouted from her spot on the couch.

"Puppy, puppy. Puppy with a tutu," Caroline said.

"No, no!" Damon said.

Rebecca was amused. They were playing some kind of drawing game where one person drew and the rest guessed. Damon was drawing on a white board. A dog with a tutu on its waist.

"Okay. Dog, hound . . . hound dog," Jenna said. She was getting along with Damon now because Jenna was tipsy. "You Ain't Nothin' But A Hound Dog."

But the fact that no one was guessing the right answer was starting to bore her, so . . .

"Dances with Wolves," both Mason and Rebecca said at the same time.

"Yes!" Damon said. "Mason and Rebecca win again."

"How is that a wolf?" Jenna asked.

Rebecca giggled and stood up to go to the kitchen where Elena was taking a peach cobbler out of a white box.

"Hey, how come you're missing the fun, Elena? Come be sociable."

"No, I'm good."

"Aunt Jenna is getting tipsy," Damon said, coming into the kitchen as well. He'd followed Rebecca into the room.

"Will you stop plying her with alcohol?" Elena asked.

"Well, I want her to like me," Damon said.

Elena closed the now-empty box and said, "How's operation Lockwood?"

"He's my new BFF."

Apparently the kitchen was becoming the new hangout spot, because Jenna was coming in also.

"There you are. Isn't this fun?"

"Yes, thank you so much for inviting me."

"Did I have a choice?" Jenna asked.

"I know what you must think about me," Damon began but was interrupted by Jenna.

"No, you don't. You have never dated you. I have dated many yous."

"Well, I'm a work in progress," Damon admitted.

He watched Elena hand Jenna a silver pie-scooper and his attention was diverted. "Ooh, these are fancy.

The Gilbert's had a whole set of silver eating utensils. He wondered if they were pure silver.

"Thanks. My mother's silver set," Jenna answered.

Damon watched recognition play over Elena's face. Damon wanted a piece of that silver because he wanted to stab Mason with it to prove he was a werewolf. Rebecca seemed to understand, too, because she gave him a knowing glance. She didn't seem angry at him so he assumed she was okay with it.

"Hearing the truth after a century and a half of denial must be overwhelming," Katherine said.

"It wasn't real. I remember you compelling me," Stefan said.

What Katherine had said about the Founder's ball had been true. He had said those things and he had felt those things . . . but that didn't change the fact that she had made him feel that way.

"Only after I showed you what I really was," Katherine said. "You were so scared of me, I had to take away your fear."

"Well, whatever feelings I had back then . . . they've all turned to hate."

"Love, hate. Such a fine line. I can wait." Katherine didn't sound like she wanted to wait, but he thought she sounded sincere in that she would. "Anyway, George Lockwood, he was causing all sorts of trouble. He used the vampires to cover up his own tracks. Told the Founding families about us. But he was willing to strike a deal."

"What kind of deal?"

"A deal to rid the town of vampires."

Rid the town of vampires? Stefan thought. The church fire. The round up of the vampires.

"You knew that they were gonna burn the vampires in the church."

"I practically lit the match," Katherine said simply and without remorse.

"They were your friends. They were your family," Stefan said. And to think he'd ever loved this woman, this monster. "And you just sold them out."

Katherine nodded. "Without blinking. I was looking out for myself, Stefan. I always look out for myself."

"What did George get in return for giving you your freedom?"

"Something he wanted desperately."

Stefan almost couldn't control the rage that wanted to come forth. "So you sent 26 other people to their deaths just to fake your own."

Katherine sat up straighter but didn't answer and Stefan felt a sudden intuition. Katherine wasn't telling the truth.

"No, you were running for something. What was it?"

"Everyone has a past, Stefan. Mind needed to stay far, far away. But thanks to you, my plan nearly failed before it even began. Once George told me that the round up was imminent, I made sure I could see you one last time. But your father used my love for you against me. He poisoned your blood. Then Damon being Damon, nearly ruined everything."

"We came for you," Stefan said. "We tried to save you."

"I didn't want to be saved," Katherine snapped.

"So then Damon and I died for nothing! For nothing!"

Katherine leaned forward and said, "No, Stefan, you died for love."

"So are you gonna tell my why you came back or were you just playing another game?"

"Have you not heard a word that I've said? I've answered the question five times over now."

"A'right, good. Make it six."

Katherine said, "I want what I want, Stefan. And I don't care what I have to do to get it. My list of victims is a long one, and I have no problem adding one more to that list."

"Come on, Katherine. If you wanted Elena dead, you would've done it by now."

"Still can. If I have to, I will snap her neck like a twig and you know it."

At that Stefan broke a leg off of the chair he'd been sitting on and lunged at Katherine. He was going to stake her, but when it came right down to it, he couldn't. He didn't know why – he didn't owe this woman anything, but he backed off anyway.

"Guess you don't hate me as much as you thought you did."

At the Gilbert residence, Damon was bringing the peach cobbler to the table. Dinner had been delicious and had also been served before their little drawing game so now . . .

"Mason, why don't you start us off?" Damon offered, knowing the pie scooper was pure silver.

"Sure." Mason looked down, maneuvered the plate around so the silver utensil was facing Damon. Mason then proceeded to pick up a good-sized portion with his hand. Then, "What am I? I apologize. I'm an animal."

Rebecca hid a smile behind a glass of milk. Mason knew what Damon was up to. Rebecca found that hilarious for some reason.

"So, Mason, uh," Ric began, "you and Jenna never dated?"

"She was always lost in Logan Fell land."

"Oh, my first mistake," Jenna said. "Mason was a catch. He had girls lined up."

"Really?" Damon asked. "Ha. I always pegged you for a lone wolf."

"Oh. I'm sure I wasn't half the lady-killer you were," Mason said. He lifted the beer he had in front of him. "How about a toast? To new friends."

Damon, Jenna, Alaric and Mason clinked bottles and said cheers.

Rebecca found the back and forth banter between Mason and Damon kind of funny, but at the same time kind of exhausting. She wanted to tell the two guys to go ahead and unzip their pants, pull their goods out and measure. She understood that Damon wanted to out Mason, especially after what he'd done to her the night before, but the way it looked . . . Mason couldn't control himself when he turned; it hadn't been his fault. His wolf brain had seen a vampire and his instincts had kicked in.

"Would I be the worst friend in the world if I abandoned you and went to Stefan's?" Rebecca heard Elena say.

Caroline and Elena were cleaning up in the living room, missing dessert, while everyone else was in the kitchen.

"You wanna leave?" Caroline asked.

Rebecca excused herself from the table, and the only one who didn't glance at her was Damon. He had heard too. When she went into the living room she saw Caroline putting markers into a box and Elena putting the white board away.

"It's just he hasn't gotten back to me. I'm starting to get this bad feeling."

As well she should, Rebecca thought. Katherine was with Stefan. Maybe Rebecca shouldn't have left them alone. Katherine was stronger than both of the Salvatore brothers. If the vervain wore off . . . Stefan would get hurt – there was no could about it.

"Why don't we all go?" Rebecca said impulsively. "I mean, if you're that worried."

"I don't think that's a good idea, Becca," the blond said.

"Why not?" Elena asked. "Damon's got it under control here."

"Take it from me, there is nothing worse than a clingy girlfriend."

"I'm not being clingy," Elena said. "I'm –I'm just concerned. You understand, right?"

"Um . . . how about I drive you?" the blond offered.

"Yeah, okay. That'd be great. Thanks."

"You two go on out to the car," Rebecca said. "I'll be there in a second. I'm gonna –"

"Say goodbye to Damon," Elena and Caroline said in unison. Then Elena added, "We know."

The two girls left the house and Rebecca waited for Damon to come to her in the living room. She couldn't very well talk to him in front of everyone else. When she felt Damon behind her she turned around.

"Hey," she said. "I'm gonna go with them. Katherine is there and I can't send them to their almost certain deaths."

"I know," Damon said, stepping forward. "So be careful."

"Always am," Becca quipped.

"Right," Damon muttered, then smirked. "You have my permission to kill her this time if she gives you any trouble."

"Good," she said, leaning her face up for a kiss that Damon gladly returned. It was a swift but loving kiss and it was over far too quickly for either of their taste, but Rebecca had to go.

Elena and Caroline were already waiting outside.

After Rebecca left Damon went back in the kitchen as everyone else – except Mason, who was lagging behind - was going into the living room.

"Jenna's bringing out Guitar Hero. Might be time to mutiny."

"Well, I just happen to like Guitar Hero. So you, my friend, are barking up the wrong tree."

Damon grabbed a glass and a bottle of bourbon, the one Mason had brought if he wasn't mistake, and poured a little into the glass.

"Okay, enough with the innuendos. You win," Mason said. "You're hilarious."

"Thank you."

"Come on, man. You don't think I know what this barbecue's about?"

Damon leaned closer and said, "How do you know about me? Your brother was completely clueless."

"It doesn't matter. I'm not your enemy, Damon."

"You tried to kill Rebecca," Damon said dangerously. "You think I'm just gonna let you get away with that?"

"That was a mistake," Mason defended himself. "There was confusion. I couldn't chain myself up in time. I have no control once I shift."

"Aw, what? No obedience school?"

"I'm serious. Let's not spark some age-old feud that doesn't apply to us."

"You expect me to believe you're in Mystic Falls planting peace trees?" Damon asked. "Really?"

"I love my brother. My nephew lost his father. I'm here for my family."

Damon didn't say anything else. Vampire looked at werewolf for a few seconds and then Mason held out his hand.

"Let's be above this."

Damon reluctantly shook Mason's hand and then watched him walk away. After making sure Mason was actually gone Damon went to the case that held the Gilbert's silver set and stealthily took the silver knife that was in it.

He didn't care what the werewolf said. He was a threat to Damon and a threat to the people Damon cared about. Mason had to be eliminated.

"Here we come," Caroline said. "To the rescue."

"Why're you being so snippy?" Elena asked. It was true. Every since Elena, Rebecca, and Caroline had started toward the boardinghouse Caroline had been making comments about Stefan's and Elena's relationship.

"Oh, that's my own drama," the blond said. "I'm sure that you two will beat the odds. Not that there's any study to pull odds from."

"Care . . ." Rebecca said softly. "Cut it out."

"No, I mean, what is the ratio of success for vampire-human couplings? I'm guessing nil."

"Me and Damon did okay," Rebecca muttered.

"Not if you count the fact that you're a vampire now."

"Okay, Caroline."

"Sorry," she said and then there was a thump and a bump from the back of the car. "Oh, crap."

Rebecca knew that annoying bumping from anywhere. Flat tire. The girls got out the car and Rebecca looked at the back left tire. She noticed something unusual. The valve that held the air in the tire was broken in half. The tire hadn't gone flat by running over a nail or anything like that; someone had broken the air valve.

"I'm just gonna call Jenna," Elena said, pulling out her phone.

"No, wait," Caroline said. "Let me call some tow people, I'll use my agro voice."

"Or we can just walk from here," Elena countered.

"I can't just leave my car."

"We'll come back for it," Elena assured her blond friend.

"Just give me a minute, Elena."

"Caroline, what part of 'I'm worried about Stefan' don't you understand?"

"What's the rush?" Caroline snapped.

While Elena and Caroline were going back and forth, Rebecca was taking everything in. The flat tire definitely hadn't happened on its own, Caroline's weird behavior. Something wasn't right.

"Why're you hurrying to get to a relationship that'll never work?"

"Look," Elena began, "I know that you're upset about Matt, but could you stop projecting it onto me and Stefan, please?"

"I'm not projecting anything," Caroline said. "You're human, he's a vampire. You're gonna be 70 and in diapers and he's still gonna be smoking hot. And you will never have his children, Elena, and you are too maternal to not have children."

Elena looked like she'd been hit in the face and said, "Where is this coming from?"

"I'm just trying to be your friend."

"Okay, well, do me a favor and stop trying." Elena walked past Caroline and said, "I'm gonna walk."

"No, Elena, don't. Don't leave me alone," Caroline said, grabbing Elena's arm tightly.

"Ow, Caroline. You're hurting me. What's wrong with you?"

Rebecca grabbed Caroline's arm and made her let go of the brunette. "Elena, go ahead. I have to talk to Caroline for a second. I'll catch up with you soon."

Elena walked away and Rebecca let go of Caroline.

"Okay. In the car. Now." Rebecca even opened the door for her. When the blond was securely inside Rebecca got in too.

"Okay, what's going on with you?" Rebecca said. "You let the air out of the tire and you're back to being speak-before-you-think Caroline."

Something was going on if Caroline's look was anything to go by. Her eyes were wide and she looked like a trapped animal.

"Care, you're scared. What's going on?"

"Matt," she whispered. "Matt's in danger."

"In danger from what? You're not with him anymore."

"Not from me," Caroline said. "From Katherine. She wants Elena and Stefan to break up. She's forcing me to help her, Rebecca. She came to me last night and –"

Rebecca saw red. Katherine was messing with everyone. Katherine wanted Stefan and Damon – Stefan because she supposedly loved him, and Damon who knew why? She was messing with Elena; she was forcing Caroline to help her by threatening Matt.

"Care, Care!" Rebecca grabbed her and tried to calm her down. "It's okay. Just breathe. Nothing is going to happen to Matt. Okay? We'll watch after him. But you can't really do what she wants. You know that, right?"

"I don't want to," Caroline replied. "But she –"

"Is an evil monster of death? Yeah, I know. But I'll help you. Okay? What you're gonna do is call a tow truck, okay?"

Caroline nodded. "And you?"

"I'm gonna go after Elena. Katherine is at the boardinghouse. If you see her before I get a chance to kill her, or at least scare the daylights out of her, play along. Don't let her know that you told me, okay?"

"Mm-hm."

Caroline was crying now and wiping her eyes, and Rebecca grabbed her hand. "Hey, it's okay."

"No, it's not. I'm a terrible friend. I – are you mad at me?"

"No, I'm not. You're doing what anyone would do if they wanted to keep someone safe."

Caroline sniffled. "Are you gonna tell Damon? He'll try to kill me again."

"I won't if you don't want me to. And, no, he wouldn't. He owes you for taking care of me last night."

"Okay," the blond answered meekly. "Please don't tell him yet, though."

Rebecca wouldn't tell Damon if Caroline didn't want him to know. Even though she was loyal to Damon, she still knew how to be a good friend.

"I don't want you seeing Elena anymore," Katherine said. "If you don't remove her from your life, I will kill everyone that she loves while she watches and then I will kill her while you watch."

At that threat, Stefan snapped. He'd heard enough. He grabbed the stake he'd made from the chair – from when he'd broken the chair – and raced toward Katherine. He grabbed her throat and squeezed.

"Do not think for a second that I won't kill you," he hissed.

Before Stefan knew what was happening, Katherine had broken free of her restraints and pushed him against the wall.

"I have been sipping vervain every day for the last 145 year, Stefan. You caught me by surprise once. I wasn't gonna let it happen again."

Katherine was moving toward him slowly, menacingly.

"It doesn't hurt me, Stefan.

It almost sounded like she was giving him a survival tip. Maybe he would listen. But if it didn't hurt her, why had she spent all this time giving him information?

"I've missed you, Stefan," she said, almost like she'd read his mind. "I just wanted to spend some time with you."

Stefan heard a door open upstairs and then Elena was calling out for him. He looked at Katherine, who grabbed the stake from his hand and planted it in his leg. He yelled and watched Katherine leave the cellar, helpless to do anything about it.

Upstairs, Elena was calling for Stefan, but she wasn't getting an answer. Maybe he really wasn't there Maybe she'd come here for nothing.

"Stefan, are you here?"

There was no trace of evidence that Stefan had been in the living room for a while. It didn't look like anyone had been except for the blood stain on the carpet and the glass beside it.

What had happened? Rebecca would've cleaned it up and Stefan wouldn't have been drinking from a glass. Someone else had been here. Elena felt the sudden need to make herself scarce, so she turned to leave, but her way was blocked by someone.

"Katherine," she muttered.

"You must be Elena," Katherine said, looking her up and down. It was almost as if Katherine had never seen her own reflection before.

"How is this possible? How do we look exactly alike?"

Elena had learned from the Petrova book Damon had given her that Katherine had been born June 22nd. Different year, of course, but Elena had been born on the 22nd of June too.

Katherine moved to stand right in front of Elena and the latter tensed. Katherine circled her and said, "You're asking the wrong questions."

"Elena!" That was Stefan's voice, so he was here. But by the time he'd gotten to her Katherine had disappeared.

"Stefan!"

"Are you okay?"

"Not really," Elena said, shaking her head. "Are you okay?" Stefan had blood on his pants. From the hole there, she assumed he'd been stabbed.

"Not really," he repeated her words.

He wrapped his arms around her and she returned the gesture. She wondered what had happened. Stefan had spent the better part of the day with Katherine. Rebecca had probably known that.

"Elena, we need to talk."

"No takers for more drinks at the Grill?" Mason asked. "It's like I'm with a bunch of adults here."

"I prefer the term role model," Jenna said.

It was only eight o'clock, but the barbecue was over. Everyone but Ric was getting ready to leave.

"Thanks for having me," Mason said, hugging Jenna. "It was awesome." Mason shook hands with Alaric before he left.

"Hey, you know, I should probably head out too," Damon said. He was planning on following Mason. "Jenna, you are a wonderful hostess."

He grabbed her hand and kissed the back of it. He took it as a good sign that she allowed that much.

"And you are a terrible artist."

"Is that the only thing that makes me terrible?" Damon asked.

"Still deciding," Jenna admitted.

"Good enough for me," Damon said, heading to the door.

Mason was just leaving and Damon was planning on keeping up with the Bronco. It was no problem. Mason parked near the back ally of the Grill. Damon was waiting for him as Mason got out of the vehicle.

"What, more dog jokes?"

"Nah, those got old."

Damon swiftly stuck the knife he'd borrowed into Mason's stomach. Mason fell to the ground.

"You really should stay away from dark allies," Damon said, walking past him. He planned on putting Mason back into his car after he died. Then Damon was going to drop the car off somewhere in the woods where no one would find it for a while.

Damon heard a clang and turned back around. Mason had pulled the knife out and was getting back onto his feet. So the silver hadn't worked.

"Ya know, I think it was werewolves who started this whole silver myth. Probably for moments like this."

"Duly noted," Damon said, feeling his fight-or-flight instincts kicking in.

Mason lifted a hand up to his shirt where blood was soaking through onto the material. "You know, I was really looking forward to last call," Mason stepped forward. "Now you've made an enemy. You and yours should watch their backs."