•

"I became insane,

With long intervals of horrible sanity."

Edgar Allen Poe

Scott hurried into the clinic, it must have been something important since Deaton insisted he come by before school instead of after.

"Sorry it took so long..." Scott paused when he saw Deaton wasn't alone; a man stood next to him, dressed ridiculously well in a suit Scott probably couldn't afford if he saved for the rest of his life.

"Scott," Deaton said. "This is Elijah."

The name was common enough but Scott doubted this was a coincidence. His flight or fight instinct kicked in, his wolf insisting he get rid of the threat while the more human side of him wanted to run from this room as fast as possible.

Elijah held out his hand, a knowing smile playing across his face. "So you're the one I've heard so much about."

Scott pushed down his impulse and shook his hand. "You've heard about me?"

"Of course, I keep tabs on all important supernaturals."

Scott wasn't sure if he was flattered or terrified. "Oh, uh, thanks?"

"He had some questions about the Nemeton," Deaton said calmly.

Scott stared at him for a moment before he cleared his throat. "Yeah, sure, I mean I don't really know that much, Deaton is the expert around here."

"I wanted to hear it from someone who's actually experienced one of these visions," he explained.

Scott shrugged. "What do you want to know?"

"Are the things the Nemeton show you relevant?"

"Relevant?"

"Yes, does it only show you what you need to know or does it show you things and you have to discern what is important?"

"No, uh, it shows you what you need, sometimes it's obvious what it means, sometimes it takes some piecing together, but everything the Nemeton shows you is important."

"And if it shows you a person? Is it possible to get a vision intended for another?"

"No-" it finally hit Scott that these weren't theoretical questions. "You had a vision?"

"Simply curious," he denied easily.

"The Nemeton knows you," Scott said, not believing him but deciding it was pointless, and possibly dangerous, to pry. "It doesn't just connect with your mind, it invades your soul, sees where your fate really leads... Anything it shows you is for you, you can deny it, run from it, try to explain it away, but the Nemeton doesn't lie, it only shows you the path when you're too lost to find it on your own."

•••

Stiles ran down the hall, scrambling into class and falling into his chair. He watched the door impatiently, waiting for Lydia, hoping she would come into class a few minutes early.

When she walked in he knew she hadn't slept any better than him. Sure she tried to hide it, her hair was done and her clothes were as perfect as always, but he could see the extra make-up under her eyes to hide the dark rings and the slight slump of her shoulders like she was too tired to hold herself upright.

She sat next to him, and proceeded to ignore him.

"Lydia?"

She looked at him slowly. "Well?"

"Remember how I said I think Caroline knows a vampire and then you got really angry and yelled about how I had no proof?"

"I believe I recall, yes," she said.

"What if I found proof?"

Her eyes sparked, and he could tell she was getting impatient with him. "What did you find, Stiles?"

He pulled the folded paper out of his backpack and handed it to her. Stiles would like to believe he knew Lydia pretty well but he had no idea how she would react to this new development, there was always the chance she'd kill the messenger.

She unfolded the paper, her manicured nails tapping on her desk as she looked it over. "It's a news article."

Stiles nodded. "Yup."

"From the thirties."

"Mhm."

"About a theater opening."

He nodded waiting to see if she would figure it out on her own.

"Stiles, you have ten seconds to explain why I should care," the subtle threat in her voice didn't go unnoticed.

He pointed to one of the people in front of the old building. "That's the guy I saw her with."

Lydia paused her eyes narrowing as she looked over the picture again. "You're sure?"

"Positive!" Stiles said, gesturing widely. "I'm sure, one hundred and fifty percent."

"It's an old picture..." Doubt practically dripped from her words.

"Lydia! Just trust me he's who I saw, why can't you believe me?"

"I just think..." Her words trailed off as her eyes focused on something outside the window.

Stiles followed her gaze to see Caroline outside the school, arguing, with him. They were too far away to hear anything but she moved her arms angrily as she spoke, or more likely yelled, at him.

"Believe me now?"

•••

Caroline hurried towards the school, she had overslept and barely made it out of the house in time.

"Caroline." She froze at the voice.

She could just keep walking, ignore him completely, it wasn't like she hadn't before. But for some reason she stopped and let him catch up.

"What do you want?" She demanded, crossing her arms and turning to face him.

"We didn't exactly get the chance to finish our discussion-"

"I'm going to be late," she said. "So save it."

"And here I thought we were getting along so well."

"You thought wrong," Caroline glared at him. "You aren't even supposed to be here," she gestured widely, hoping he got she meant the whole town and not just the school. "You can use whatever technicality you want, you're still breaking your promise."

Klaus looked ready to argue when his eyes flicked down to her neck and he smiled.

What? Oh, damn it... She had kept the necklace on to convince Lydia and forgotten to take it off, and then with over sleeping her alarm... She reached up to undo the clasp.

"Keep it, love, it suits you."

She threw it at him. "Thanks but I don't need a collar."

Caroline turned on her heels, marching away from him and into the school. This year was turning into a bigger train wreck than last year, not only was she dealing with the Mikaelsons but now she also had to keep it a secret from Lydia, which was turning out to be quite the chore.

Lydia and that guy Stiles gave her weird looks as she walked in. Caroline realized once she sat down that there was a clear view of where she had been standing through the window, how was she supposed to explain this one?

Before Lydia could force an explanation from her a sudden shriek came from down the hall. Caroline sighed, not again.