Caroline woke up as the sky was changing to a pale shade of blue from gray. It was early morning and she found herself near her car. The Salvatore House was just around the bend in the road. Standing up took an effort as her whole body shook with tremors. She felt weak. Suddenly, she smelled the alluring smell of a human coming towards her. Turning to look behind her, she saw an early morning jogger running towards her. His fast-beating heart sang out to her. She felt her vision change as her eyes blackened and her canines lengthened.

"No!" she forced the word out. "No."

The young man gave a curious stare and ran past her. She gripped the sides of the car in an effort to stop herself from giving chase and take what her body demanded.

When the man went out of sight, she took deep gulps of air. Without a thought, she dashed towards the woods that stretched out from both sides of the road.

Entering the woods, she used her keen senses to seek out heartbeats. Within a minute, she sensed the beat of a strong heart. She sniffed the air and smelled a deer nearby. She followed the scent, stalking towards her prey without a single sound.

A stray leaf crunched under her feet, startling the animal but Caroline was near enough to give chase. Within a minute, she had tackled it and sunk her long canines into its neck, effectively puncturing the jugular vein. After trashing for a while, the deer's body became still. Caroline sucked on its blood until she felt full to bursting.

As relief and strength rushed back into her veins, she looked all around her. Memories of last night came rushing to her once her body's primal needs were met. Bonnie's spell worked its magic and Stefan's memories had come back. She had come there to hunt but instead was attacked by Sophia. A shiver went through her as she realized that just like Stefan, she had got back her memories. She had no idea how it happened for her, but it had. Their worst enemy was back.

The strongest reincarnations occur when the soul's purpose in the previous life went unfulfilled. Bonnie's words from last night came to her mind. If Katherine was back, her only purpose would be to destroy Stefan and Damon along with all her friends.

Caroline rushed back to the car. First thing she did was call Stefan. His phone kept going to voicemail, making her anxiety rise. She called Bonnie.

"Hey, Car." Bonnie's voice sounded sleepy.

"Is Stefan at your place?"

"No. He got a call last night and left. He said he would meet you back at the Salvatore House."

Caroline felt panic overcoming her.

"Hello? Are you okay?" asked Bonnie.

Caroline's voice shook slightly as she tried to explain what happened last. "I was attacked by Katherine last night. She must have done something to him."

"Katherine? What are you talking about?"

"Sophia…she is Katherine's reincarnation. She said so herself last night when she injected me with vervain." Bonnie went silent on her side. "We have to tell Damon and Elena. It's not safe for them or their girls."

"No."

"Can you come to my place? I will call Damon and explain things to both him and Alaric. We have to find Stefan." Caroline's voice broke this time as she began sobbing uncontrollably. "I can't lose him again, Bonnie."

"We will find him," said Bonnie in a stern voice. "She can't hurt us."

Caroline nodded. "Come soon."

She drove the short distance to the Salvatore House. Reaching it, she found Kiera in the kitchen with the children. Her haggard appearance alarmed everyone, but she focused her attention on Kiera.

"Emergency drill. Hide the children in the cave."

Kiera's eyes revealed her curiosity but she nodded. "I will take them now." She looked at the little ones still in their pajamas and eating cereal. "You heard her. We got to move now."

"But why?" they wailed in unison.

"I will explain everything in a while," said Caroline. "Please cooperate with Miss Wilson for now. I promise to come to you guys with a better explanation but you know the drill. Safety first."

The children grumbled but they got up from their chairs into a single file and followed Kiera out of the kitchen. Caroline felt a moment of pride as she saw her obedient little students marching after their homeroom teacher. She breathed a sigh of relief as she knew Kiera was powerful enough to fend off most supernatural predators. The special vault in the underground cave was marked by her special security spells that would protect them.

Caroline went to the library to find Alaric sweeping away shards of glass from the carpet. He looked up as he heard her footsteps.

"What happened to you?" he asked, coming towards her. "Are you hurt?"

"I'll be fine. We have a situation at hand though. Sophia is actually Katherine Pierce."

"What? How is that possible?"

"Both Stefan and Katherine died together twenty years ago but their souls were reincarnated. According to Bonnie, that's the strongest kind as their souls were brought back to the same physical bodies as when they were alive. Bonnie performed a spell on him yesterday to help him bring back his memories. He kept saying things were familiar to him in this town and in the house. It must have been the same for Katherine. She may have remembered events from the Gilbert journals that you gave her."

Alaric stared in stunned silence.

Caroline continued. "I can't get through to Stefan. She will go against Elena and Damon next. You already saw what happened last night. She wants to hurt them both!"

Alaric went to one of the couches and sank down in it. "I'm kinda getting old for this," he said with a dry chuckle.

"Not yet. Bonnie will get here soon. Can you get Damon here?"

Alaric nodded. "I'll do that. You should get cleaned up."

It was only then Caroline noticed her torn dress marred with patches of dried blood. Her hair must have been in a similar state. She didn't want to waste time showering but if a battle was coming up, she would look the part. "All right, then. I'll see you in a bit."

Caroline heard the rumble of a car engine near the front of the house. Going out of her room, she rushed to open the door before the doorbell rang. Bonnie stood at the porch with a large bag in her hand.

"I am going to set up a locator spell," said Bonnie, walking through the door. "Is Damon here yet?"

"No. I told Alaric to get in touch with him."

In the parlor room, Bonnie began setting up her things. A large map of Mystic Falls and the bordering towns was laid flat on the carpet. She lit candles around it and took out a pendulum with a blue crystal.

"I am going to need something that belonged to them," said Bonnie.

Caroline nodded. "I'll get them."

She went into the room where Sophia had stayed. It was absolutely empty. With a noise of frustration, she hastened towards Adrian's room. Panic rose in her chest as it was starkly empty too. Even the bed sheets had been taken off the mattress. It felt like he had never been there at all. As she stood there feeling helpless, she heard the front door open. She went back to the parlor and found Damon and Elena there.

"How are you?" she asked, looking at Elena.

"I am fine. Your blood healed me last night."

"That's good," said Caroline with a nod. She turned towards Bonnie and shook her head. "Katherine took everything. Even the sheets they slept on."

Bonnie's brows creased but she didn't say anything.

"Katherine?" Damon was staring at her with a dangerous look in his pale eyes. "You know how much I loathe that singular name."

"You guys should sit down for this," said Caroline, sinking into one of the mismatched armchairs.

Damon was about to say something but Elena's grip on his arm tightened. He let her lead him to where Bonnie and Caroline sat.

"She is back," said Caroline.

"No," said Damon forcefully. "No. no. no! We burnt that bitch with hellfire. There's no way she could come back from that. Not a chance. No."

Caroline exchanged a glance with Bonnie.

"She reincarnated," said Bonnie. "The girl who pushed Elena last night was Katherine's reincarnated self."

"What does that even mean?" asked Damon. "It's not some video game where you can just come back to life."

Bonnie sighed. "I suppose the concept of reincarnation is similar to something as mundane as that. When we first met those two, they were Adrian Galloway and Sophia Claremont. Those were the identities they were born with. Their souls, however, belong to Stefan and Katherine."

"What about Stefan?" asked Damon. "He acted like he didn't even know me. He called me her husband," he said, gesturing at Elena.

"That's because he didn't remember you, Damon," said Caroline. "He didn't remember any of us. The town and this house felt familiar to him but that was all. Last night Bonnie cast a spell to help him. His memories came back and we talked for a while." This was where Caroline's voice broke. "I wish I hadn't left."

"What happened after you left?" asked Elena.

"I was hungry. So I came back near these parts but just as I got out of the car, Katherine injected me with vervain. I was passed out until early this morning. When I called Bonnie, she said Stefan had left last night. I'm pretty sure it's got to do with Katherine."

Damon was silent but a storm was raging in his gray eyes.

"It will be difficult to locate them without a personal belonging or an object linked to them," said Bonnie. "But I will still keep trying."

Damon glanced at Caroline. "You're sure it was Stefan."

She nodded.

"He is human?"

"Yes."

Damon stood up. Cracking his knuckles, he said, "Well, you know the drill. Find her and kill her."

"This is Katherine," said Bonnie. "We need a better plan." She looked towards Elena. "Where are your kids? She will go for them the moment she realizes we're on to her."

"Jeremy picked them up this morning. Alaric said the situation was going to get dangerous, so we sent them away. The girls will be safe with him," said Elena.

"Good."

"Where's Alaric? I need him to go and chat with Sheriff Matt," said Damon.

"He must be buried in his books to look for a solution," said Caroline. "Check the library."

"Damon," Elena called from behind him. "Don't lose your head with Matt. You know how he feels about all this. After so many years of peace, he would hate it that we once again attracted danger to this town."

"Hey," said Damon, rounding on her. "I and my brother were in this town before him. It doesn't belong to him."

Elena put up her hands. "Fine. Just let Alaric do the talking."

Damon scowled at her and stalked out of the room, leaving the girls together.

Bonnie stood up and went back to the map spread out on the floor. Taking the crystal pendulum, she suspended it over the map and began chanting under her breath.

Caroline glanced at Elena. The lines around her eyes and mouth appeared deeper than usual. The twenty years that passed by showed their effects clearly. Her youth was gone but she still looked beautiful. She had lived a full life with a successful career and making a good home for both her husband and children.

Elena noticed her stare and smiled. She came to stand beside Caroline and hugged her. "I am sorry. Things will get better. Just hold on a little longer."

Tears brimmed in Caroline's emerald eyes as she sobbed against her friend's shoulder. "I just got him back. Why did she have to take him away?"

Elena rubbed her back. "We will get him back. We've never lost against Katherine no matter how cruel and cunning she was. Love will win the day. I can promise you that."

The day turned into afternoon as they waited for word from Damon and Alaric. Bonnie continued to hover over the map which was now littered with sand, sprinkles of dried herbs and even a few drops of dried blood.

During early evening, Elena finally received a call from Damon. She put her phone on speaker mode as both Bonnie and Caroline came forward to listen.

"Katherine was sighted near the woods in the northern part of town. I think she is using the same caves that were used to bury the vampires over two hundred years ago. Matt will not allow his people to go any nearer, so Alaric and I are going to check it out."

"Are you crazy?" hissed Caroline. "I am coming with you guys. I am the only vampire among us now. You don't head into danger alone anymore."

"Where are you guys now?" asked Elena.

"Near the bell tower," said Damon.

"Stay there until I come," said Caroline.

"Fine," huffed Damon and cut the call.

A loud sound of breaking glass suddenly reached them.

"What was that?" asked Bonnie, looking towards the ceiling.

Before they could determine which direction the noise had come from, a dark figure came towards them at an unnatural high speed. It was so fast, it appeared a black blur against the surrounding of the room.

Elena was slammed against a wall. Katherine held her by the throat. Elena struggled fruitlessly but could budge her away.

"Let her go," shouted Caroline, striding forward. Gripping Katherine's shoulder hard, she attempted to pull her off Elena. To her surprise, she wasn't able to shake Katherine away from Elena.

Letting go off Elena, she turned around to face Caroline. A wicked grin came over her face. "Did you really think I would remain a pathetic little human?"

"You turned?" asked Caroline, staring at her in disbelief.

"Of course!" she said in a mockingly pleasant voice. "All thanks to you."

"What is she talking about?" asked Bonnie.

"I don't know," said Caroline. "I never touched her."

Katherine chuckled softly. "I got your blood last night. Had to blow my brains out but as you see my head is all back to normal now."

Caroline felt sick. "You used my blood to turn yourself. What if it went wrong?"

"Well, it didn't. You know, I have done this before. Now, it is time I broke apart this little gang that has been such a pain in my-" Before she could finish her sentence, a cry tore out of her lips. She grabbed her head and screamed.

Bonnie was staring at her with enraged eyes.

Katherine lurched to her feet and ran headfirst to one of the windows. Shattering the glass, she escaped before Bonnie could cast a spell to rein her in.

"She really is back," said Elena in a fearful voice as she massaged her neck.