The first thing I notice is how tired I am. It's weird, but I feel like I've been asleep. Weirder still, I can't remember going to bed. My cheek feels weird. It doesn't feel as smooth as my pillow. It smells weird, too- kind of like… a carpet? The memories begin to limp back into my brain. They rise to the surface quickly. I remember Jeremy and my stomach lurches. Is he okay?

I tentatively open my eyes and sit up. I'm lying on the floor of the Gilbert's living room. That explains the carpet smell. I sit up and rub my head. I wrap my arms around my knees and absentmindedly trace my fingers along the surface of the floor. My fingers knock against a water bottle. I turn it over and pluck off a post it note. It's in Jeremy's messy scrawl. I squint and make out, Drink the rest when you wake up. I take a sip. It's weird… it's thick. It tastes weird. It isn't water, so what is it? A voice comes from the door.

"Oh, look. You found the blood," Damon's voice resounds from the doorway. I choke. I spit the liquid all over myself and wipe my mouth repeatedly.

"I found the what?" My voice is hysterical. Damon snickers, puts his hands up, and walks away. "Damon, what did I find?"

"The blood, Emma." It's Jeremy. He leans against the door and smiles ruefully. A huge smile breaks out over my face.

"You're okay!" I say, stating the obvious. I start to get up. He shakes his head.

"Sit. The blood isn't all the way through your system yet," Jeremy commands. He enters the room and sits next to me. I lean against the couch and close my eyes to fight off waves of dizziness.

"Please tell me you're joking about that," I cringe. Jeremy won't meet my eyes. He shakes his head. I gag. "Oh my gosh. Oh jeez, whose blood? And why on Earth am I drinking…" I gag again. "Blood?"

"That would be my blood." Damon's back, but there's someone with him. Caroline strides in.

"You were losing so much blood. You could've died, but it saved you. It fixed your shoulder, too," she explains. I raise my shoulder experimentally. It actually doesn't hurt.

"Okay, let me ask again- what the heck happened back there? There was a guy- and he asked for Elena- and he attacked me- and then he drank blood from my wrist. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that not something a human being would do?" No one answers. I push on. "Unless he wasn't human."

Caroline's voice is soft when she replies. "What do you think he was?"

I shiver. "A vampire." Forget pins dropping- I bet that if a mouse breathed, I would know exactly where to turn to tell it to shut up. I look around. Jeremy's face is solemn. So is Caroline's. Damon looks dead serious.

"What did he say?" Damon asks.

"He said to stop looking for him. He doesn't want to be found. And he told Damon to stop messing with Elena," I answer. Damon's reaction is immediate. He swears under his breath, turns around, and punches the nearest picture. The glass cracks and baby Caroline's face splits in two.

Caroline isn't fazed. "Mom's going to be annoyed," she informs him.

Damon turns back to us and scowls. "Stefan's an idiot."

Stefan. Wasn't that the name of Elena Gilbert's boyfriend?

"Wait," I demand, "Exactly how many vampires are in this town?"

Jeremy pipes up, "Dozens. Mystic Falls is crawling with them."

Caroline admits, "I'm a vampire." I gasp.

"What? For how long?" I lean away a little. "Is Aunt Liz a vampire too?"

Damon rolls his eyes. "Vampirism isn't genetic, stupid. I'm one, too." That I can see. The black ensemble, the sarcastic remarks, and the deadly vibe he gave off- seeing Damon as a creature of the night was not a huge stretch. But not my cousin. Caroline was the kind of girl with a future. She's bright. Sunny. But according to what I know about vampires, Caroline wasn't going to get older.

"So you're a vampire," I state. It isn't a question. "Do you drink blood?"

Caroline nods. "I usually use blood bags. Some people prefer it from the vein, others from animals. It's a preference thing."

Caroline fills me in on what it means to be a vampire. She tells me about drinking blood, being invited in to other people's houses, burning in the sun, everything. She lets me see the ring that protects her from burning up, and she explains what would happen if she didn't wear it. Occasionally, Damon or Jeremy will pipe in with what she misses. When Caroline explains vervain, I notice that my bracelet is missing. Jeremy tosses it over and I shove it on my wrist. I feel better with it on. Safer, almost. I shudder when they describe compulsion.

"Vampires can make you say, do, or act however they want if you're not on vervain," Caroline says solemnly, "So never take off your bracelet, okay?" I agree quickly and tighten my bracelet's clasp. When they finish with general vampire stuff, I ask about Stefan. They recount how Stefan became a ripper to save his brother's life.

"So why did he come back?" I inquire.

No one answers. Jeremy shrugs. "I think deep down… he still loves my sister. He still cares about her." Damon scowls and Jeremy puts his hands up. "Not saying she needs saving."

Next, they pump me for information about Stefan. Did he say where he was going, did he mention anyone else, and did say where he'd been? I answer each question to the best of my ability. They fill me in on what happened when I blacked out. Jeremy called Damon first, and he gave me blood (which I swear still has an aftertaste). Caroline came minutes later.

"Well, this has been fun," Damon states when they're finished. "Now let's compel her and go live happily ever after." I jump.

"Wait, no way! I just found out the truth. I can't just forget it," I plead.

"Well, you're not blabbing to all of your little friends," he replies heatedly. We agree on a compromise. Damon will compel me not to tell anyone about Mystic Falls' vampire population. Caroline would do it, but she's younger and they're afraid that the compulsion won't take. I remove my bracelet and brace myself. I look at Damon. My stomach flips.

"Do it." My voice is flat, emotionless. I chain down my fear and lift my chin. "I'm ready."

Damon pupils get smaller. "You will not tell anyone what you know about vampires. You don't tell your mom, you don't tell your little friends, you don't tell your pet hamster. Most of all, you don't tell Elena. It would upset her and she doesn't need that right now. Got it?"

"Got it." The words flow from my mouth without my permission. Damon's eyes go back to normal and I relax. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. Jeremy throws me my bracelet and I stuff it back on.

Damon stands. "I'm out." He strides out of the room. A few seconds later, I hear the door slam. Caroline checks her watch.

"Yeah, me and Emma should go too." I crane my neck. According to the watch, I've been asleep for twenty minutes. It felt like way longer. "I'll be in the car."

"So there are vampires in Mystic Falls," I tell the ground.

"Yeah," Jeremy answers from the couch. "But I'm human. Elena is."

"Have you ever been compelled?" I ask him anxiously.

He nods. "Probably more than even I know."

"It's awful," I whisper. "I was so powerless, and that was a pretty tame request. If Damon had told me to rob a bank, I'd be holding up Mystic Falls Union right now. I had no control over myself. It wasn't even me. It was some… lemming girl that would listen and do whatever a vampire told me."

Jeremy laughs. "That's humanity in Mystic Falls."

All of a sudden, I want to scream. "Gosh, I've been so stupid! I found some vervain in the cupboard and I asked Caroline if she was making a freaking bouquet. I was nosy and dumb and selfish and wrong. Why didn't anyone tell me I was in over my head?" I'm crying. Jeremy opens his arms and I melt into them. All I can do is sob.

"My cousin is dead," I hiccup, "But she's not. And we're just stupid mortals, so what do we know anyway?"

Jeremy shakes his head. "I hate it too. That's why I picked up the crossbow. When I'm shooting, I feel like nothing can bring me down. I'm the strong one, and I decide who lives and who dies. No one can keep the biggest news of my sister's life from her." A dark cloud passes over his face.

"It's for the best. It would upset her and she doesn't need the negativity right now." I cover my mouth. Damon's compulsion is still lingering.

"Whatever," Jeremy murmurs.

I take a deep breath and swipe the tears off my face. "Thanks. And sorry."

Jeremy looks confused. "For what?"

I laugh. "Here's my speech." I start. "I'm sorry that I've been so selfish. Everything has been about me, and that's not fair to you. You have it worse than me in the whole vampire department. I've been very sorry for myself today, which was dumb. And thanks because you get it- humanity. You know how it is to feel powerless, probably way more than I do." I pull away from the hug and stand up straighter. I feel better now, enough to joke around. "You know, we should have a human club. We'd meet every fourth Saturday. This time the meeting was focused on me, but Saturday it's all Jeremy."

Jeremy laughs. "I'll bring the cake."

"Deal." The room gets quiet. It's time for me to leave. I grab my coat and walk to the front door. The railing is still in ruins. I have no idea what Jeremy is going to tell Elena, but it better be good. The poor thing is broken beyond repair. I think that the Salvatores are planning to pay for it, but still. I also feel bad for whoever has to explain the damage to the construction guys. That's one scene I wouldn't want to miss.

I say goodbye to Jeremy run to the car. I apologize to Caroline for holding her up. She's quiet.

"You okay?" I ask. I know that Stefan was her friend.

"Yeah," she answers, "But the sooner we get Stefan back, the better. Knowing Stefan, he isn't done with us yet."