Chapter 11

I ran through the rain, running down the road to the Boarding House. My wet hair flying all over the place. As I ran down the pathway, Damon came out of the house and walked up to me with a worried look on his face.

"What's wrong?" he asked as his jet black hair got soaked in the rain and everything else he was wearing. I ran as fast as I could to him as my feet hit the puddles, making me more wet. Damon's arms were wide open as he kept walking up to me. Then, at that moment, I ran into his arms and pressed my lips into his and I felt that sparks between us that I just couldn't stop thinking about.

My eye then opened wide.

Drop everything now,
Meet me in the pouring rain,
Kiss me on the sidewalk,
Take away the pain-

I pulled the head phone out of my ear and hit the pause button on my phone and then hit my head back into the pillow and looked up at the ceiling. There was then a knock at the door.

"Come in" I said, still looking at the ceiling.

The door creeped open and there stood Elena, in her athletic wear. "You going to get out of bed anytime soon?" She asked as she leaned against the door.

"Can I just lay here and die?" I asked as I kept looking up at the ceiling.

"No," she said as she walked up and laid beside me and looked up at the ceiling with me. "If you die, who will be my partner in crime?" We both laughed. "What's wrong?" she asked.

I let out a loud sigh. "It's Damon" I said looking up at the ceiling.

She turned over and leaned her head on her hand. "What now?" She asked with a concerned look on her face.

I glanced at her for one second before looking back up. I closed my eyes, let out another sigh, and turned my body and leaned on my hand the exact way she did. "Promise you won't tell anyone?" I asked her. She nodded. "Especially Bonnie"

"I promise!" she exclaimed. "Now tell me"

Again, another sigh escaped my mouth and closed my eyes, waiting to see the look on Elena's face when I told her. "Damon…and I," I opened my eyes and looked at her straight in the eye. "Ki-kissed"

Elena's eyes popped out of her sockets. "What?!" She sat up straight and looked down at me. I sat up and looked at her all scared. "Why-"

"Hey," I interrupted her. "If it makes you feel better, he caught me way off guard. He just walked up to me and planted one great big fat kiss on my lips"

There was a pause.

"What are you going to do?" she asked.

I shrugged my shoulders. "I don't know. You know, there is a part of me that really liked that kiss. I just want to relive it again but…there is another part of me that…feels like a bad person. For months…I waited for the day to kiss Stefan again and hold him in my arms…and now with Mason-"

"What's wrong with Mason"

"Oh…I…I didn't tell you," I let out another sigh. "Mason told me he still love me"

"Do you still love him?" she asked.

"I…I don't know. I mean…I might have some feelings for him but…I don't know if I can if he's serving Klaus"

"I'm sorry, Alex" she said as she grabbed my hand and squeezed it tightly.

I looked at her and smiled. "It's ok. It's not your fault. Promise you won't tell anyone"

"I promise" I smiled as I hugged her and she hugged me back.

I pulled away and laughed. "Now go take a shower before we leave. You reek" She laughed.

"Ok, ok," she said as she jumped off the bed and walked out the door. "I'm gone"

XXXXX

Elena and I pulled into the school and made our way straight to Caroline's locker with the balloons and streamers and quickly started decorating the front of the locker because we were running low on time before the bell rang.

"Hey," we both turned our heads and saw Bonnie walking quickly up to us with the card. "Sorry I'm late," Bonnie said as Elena put the steamers on the locker and I passed her the tape. "I…I got held up" she said as she now stood beside us.

"It's ok," Elena said. "We just got here too. Can you pass me the balloons?" she asked Bonnie. Bonnie bent down and did as she asked. "Thanks" she said as I passed her the tape and she taped the balloons on the locker. "What got you running late?" she asked Bonnie again.

"I was working on some new spells. You?"

"Working out with Alaric" Elena said.

Bonnie then looked at me. "And what's you're excuse?"

"Slept in…plus Elena offered to drive me today" I said.

Bonnie smiled at me as she held up the card. That said 'Happy Birthday Caroline!'

I smiled as I took it off her hands. "Don't mind if I do" I said as I placed it on the locker. I laughed as I looked at the two of them and they both just smiled at me.

"So," Elena said. "I have something I need to tell you, and you're not gonna like it" she said to Bonnie.

Bonnie's face expression changed from happy to concern. "What happened?" she asked in a worried tone.

"Jeremy is gonna be leaving town for a while. He'll be staying with some old family friends in Denver, until this whole Klaus thing blows over"

"Jeremy wouldn't just leave you to deal with Klaus on your own"

"I know, I-WE," she said as she looked at me for a second before looking back at Bonnie. "Asked Damon to compel him"

"You what?"

"I know, Bonnie but it's not safe for him here anymore. Leaving will give him a better life. The only reason I'm telling you is because I know that you tow haven't really worked out your stuff and I thought maybe you'd wanna say goodbye," Bonnie nodded. "Oh," Elena said as she grabbed her purse. "I forgot the confetti in the car. Can you guys wait here until I come back?" We both nodded. Elena then turned her heal and quickly ran down the hallway and out of our sites.

Bonnie turned to me and looked at me like I was crazy. I shrugged my shoulders and continued taping streamers on Caroline's locker. "I can't believe you agreed to this"

"I didn't agree to anything, Bonnie" I said as I put the last streamer on and turned to her.

"What? Then why would you let Damon compel him?"

"Because," I let out a sigh. "Elena wanted me to do it. I hated seeing her like this. Plus…lately, she's been stressing me out because she's being super paranoid. I just…I just wanted her to lay off, ok. The truth is…I don't want Jeremy to leave. He's been such a good brother in wanting to help out that…I thought it would be a good thing that he'd stay and help but Elena doesn't agree. Understand" Bonnie nodded.

I turned around and saw Jeremy at the end of the hall way. I turned my head and looked at Bonnie. "Jeremy's there. You better go say goodbye to him before he packs," the school bell then rang. "I gotta go," I said to her. "See you later" I then continued down the hall and headed to class.

XXXXX

"Surprise!" Matt, Elena, Bonnie and I screamed as the four of us jumped around the corner and startled Caroline. Bonnie, Matt and I all wore party hats while Elena wore Caroline's birthday crown. Matt held the balloons and Bonnie held the card.

"Happy Birthday" Matt said as the three of us laughed.

"What are you guys doing here?" Caroline asked with a shocked look on her face.

"Well," Elena said. "you blew off school and missed our work of birthday art, so…" Elena said as we pulled off the birthday crown and put in on Caroline's head.

"Change into warmer clothes," Bonnie commanded. "We are going tot the falls. Smores, camp fire"

"Cake, like where we were little"

"Except with the tequila" Matt said. I pushed him in the arm and laughed a little.

Caroline laughed a bit before her smile disappeared. "Thanks, guys," she said. "Really, I'm just not feeling my birthday this year"

"What?" I asked in a shocked tone. "Weren't you the one that told me when I first got here that everyone celebrates your birthday and that's its everyone special day of the year?"

"Yeah, and now, it's just a reminder that technically, I'm dead," the smile disappeared from all of our faces. "Look, I'm didn't even like 17 and the only point to 17 is to get to 18, it's a filler year…I'm stuck in a filler year"

"Don't say that Caroline"

"You're not stuck" Elena said.

"Yeah I am, but its ok. You know, it's all good. I will be fine but I just need some time to wallow in it"

"Ok," Elena said. "Well I think I have another idea"

XXXXX

"What are we doing here?" I moaned as we entered the crypt.

"Yeah," Bonnie said. "This is creepy, even for us"

"No, Caroline was right," Elena said as she walked in and placed the cake on a stool beside a coffin.

Bonnie walked in and placed the lantern on a bench. I followed her and stood beside her with my wand held up, showing light. Matt walked in with a flashlight and stood beside the bench beside ours and Caroline walked in slowly standing beside the front entrance.

"Technically, she's dead," Caroline nodded. "Sorry but you don't' need a birthday, you need a funeral," she said as she gestured to the crypt. You need to say goodbye to your old life so that you can move on with your new one" Elena said a she opened the cake box.

Caroline smiled. "Ok, here lies Caroline Forbes"

"Cheerleader" Elena said while putting a candle on the cake.

"Miss Mystic Falls" I said as Elena put another one.

"Third grade hopscotch champion" Elena said, again, putting on another candle. Caroline laughed at Elena.

"Friend," Bonnie said. "Daughter, overachiever"

"Mean girl," Matt said. Caroline glared at Matt. "Sometimes, no offense"

"Ah, none taken" Caroline said.

"And a little bossy sometimes," Caroline glared at me. "I'm kidding" I said as I held up my hands in defense.

"She was 17," Elena said as she put the last candle on. "And she had a really good life," she pulled the cake out of the box and brought it up to Caroline. "So rest in peach so that she can move forward. That's what you really need," Elena then looked to the rest of us. "What we all really need," We all looked at each other and nodded. "Amen…or cheers or whatever," we all laughed.

Matt brought up the tequila and took a ship.

Elena then turned to Bonnie. "Bonnie?" she asked as she gestured to the cake.

Bonnie nodded and closed her eyes and in seconds, the candles on the cake lilt up.

"Nice," Elena said to Bonnie and then looked at Caroline. "Ok, make a wish" Caroline smiled at her before closing her eyes before blowing the candles out a couple seconds later.

XXXXX

After Caroline blew out the candles, we cut the cake. Bonnie and I sat on one bench and Elena sat on the bench across from us. Matt grabbed his piece before snatching it from Bonnie's hand.

He was about to take a ship before Elena snatched it back. "Ah ha," she said. "I need it more than you do, trust me," Matt shrugged his shoulder to me before taking a seat beside me. I then noticed her looking at something behind Bonnie, Matt and I. "Caroline, what are you doing?"

"Hm," Caroline said. "Nothing. Hm?"

The three of us turned around and looked at her and saw the phone in her hand.

"Caroline," I said. "Don't even try lying to us" I said with a smile.

"I might have texted Tyler"

"Caroline" Elena said as she put the bottle down beside her.

"What? I'm delicate"

"Give her a break," Bonnie said as the three of us turned back around. "You can't control what everyone does all the time" Matt and I looked at each other and bit our lips before looking back at Bonnie and Elena.

"Wow" Elena said.

"Ouch, Bon" Matt said as he got up and stood beside the wall by the entrance.

"Sorry, I know it's Caroline's birthday, funeral or whatever but, I just feel it's really wrong that you compelled Jeremy to leave town"

"I'm doing it to protect him, Bonnie. I want to give him a chance to have a quiet normal life. Ask Alex. She agrees with me on this"

"But-" I said before Bonnie interrupted me.

"No she doesn't, she wants Jeremy to stay as much as I do"

Elena looked at me in shock. "What?"

"Yeah, that's right Elena, not everyone has to agree to you're demands. Jeremy should be able to choose how he wants to live it, you're taking his choices away"

"Bonnie, you can't tell him"

"Why? Are you going to ask Alex to compel me not to?"

"Would you two just stop!" I yelled as I stood up from my seat. Everyone looked at me in shock. "You two are being absolutely stupid" I said as I walked over to Matt and stood beside him.

"No kidding," Matt said. "You guys are ruining a perfect funeral"

"I'm sorry," Bonnie said. "I'm m just gonna go sleep it off or something," She stood up from her seat and turned around to look at Caroline. "Happy Birthday" she said to her before walking out the door.

"Bon" I said trying to stop her but it was no use.

XXXXX

Tyler came a couple minutes after Bonnie left. The three of us were sitting around, joking, when Tyler walked in. "Sorry," he said. "I didn't mean to crash the party"

"So don't" Matt said, now standing up.

"No, it's…it's ok," Caroline said now standing up from her seat. "Hi"

"Can I talk to you for a sec? It's kind of important" Tyler said to her. She nodded as she started walking around us.

"Caroline," I said as I grabbed her arm. "Don't"

"I'll be fine" she said as she let go of me and walked off with Tyler.

After they left, Elena and I turned back to Matt. "Are you ok?" Elena asked Matt.

"Yeah," he said as he took the tequila from her. "I want her to be happy you know. It's what I want for all of you guys, in the middle of this crazy life we got stuck living"

"I've been stuck in a crazy life since the day I born," I said. "There's not escape for me" I said as I snatched the tequila from Matt and took a ship.

"Is that how you see it, though?" Elena asked him. "That we're stuck?"

"I'd say it's attached itself to you all pretty tight, yeah"

Elena nodded in agreement. "Bonnie is right, you know I have no business messing in Jeremy's head. I just don't know what else to do"

"Elena," I said. "What Bonnie said about me before…you know…I'm only looking out for you guys"

She nodded. "I know…it's just…Jeremy's in danger her. I can't loose anyone else that I love"

Matt and I nodded. "Come on, " I said as I stood up from my seat. "Let's go look for Caroline. She's been gone a while"

Matt and Elena nodded as Matt grabbed the flash light and I pulled out my wand for light.

"Caroline!" Matt called as he stepped out of the crypt.

Elena and I followed him. "Great," Elena said. "We've been abandoned"

"Don't say that" I said.

"Ok we're going on a search party," Elena said. "I don't trust that she won't get back together with him"

"Caroline!" Both Matt and I called at the same time.

"Come on, Caroline!" Elena called. "We don't' have anymore drinks! Matt's being haunted by the Fell ghosts" she said in a playful tone and then stared pushing Matt around. Matt smiled as he pushed her back.

"You guys a wasted" I said as they kept playing together. All of a sudden, something grabbed Matt and pushed him into the wall. Elena and I stood there in shock and saw who it was. "Stefan?" I asked in disbelief. He stared at me. "What are you doing?" he then grabbed me and did the same and then everything faded to black.

XXXXX

I woke up to somebody shaking me awake. "Alex, get up" I heard someone say.

I opened my eyes slowly and saw Matt above me. "How long have I been out for?" I asked as I slowly got up.

Matt helped me. "I don't know," he said. "Maybe…10 minutes"

I dug in my pocket and saw that my phone was missing. "Damn it! The bastard took it"

"Who?" I let out a sigh.

"Stefan," I turned towards Matt. "Give my your phone"

Matt dug in his pocket and pulled out his phone. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"Calling Damon. You go find Caroline and take her home, I'll find Elena" I said as I started running into the wood and dialed Damon's number.

"Now its not the good time" Damon answered.

"Damon, it's me" I said.

"Where are you?"

"In the cemetery. Stefan knocked us out. Where are you?"

"At the Town Hall party still. Already talked to Stefan"

"What did he say?"

"He wants Klaus to get rid of his hybrids or…he's going to kill Elena"

"What?!"

"Don't worry. I just talked to Klaus. Hopefully, Klaus agrees"

"That's not good enough for me. Where's Klaus?"

"Outside…waiting for Stefan's call. Alex, don't you da-"

I hung up the phone, stuck it in my pocket and pulled out my wand. I then flashed myself to town hall and realized I was beside the hall. I ran around the corner and saw Klaus standing in front of the hall talking on the phone. "Klaus!" I screamed as I ran up to him. Klaus turned around and stared at me as I ran up to him and stopped. "What's going on?" I asked as I tried to catch my breath. "What did he say?"

"He's going to drive Elena off Wickery Bridge if I don't get my hybrids out of town"

"Then do it"

"He won't do it"

I let out a groan as I snatched the phone form Klaus' hands. "Stefan, don't do it," I said immediately into the phone. "You don't know what you're doing"

"Stay out of this, Alex," Stefan said. "And put Klaus back on the phone"

"Stefan you won't do it"

"Try me"

A couple seconds later, I heard Elena starting to cough on the other line. "No! No! No! What are you doing?!" Elena screamed.

"What did you just do?"

"I just fed her my blood. No more hybrids if she is a vampire"

I looked over to Klaus and saw the shock in his eyes as he stared at me. "Like I said, you won't do it" I said as I kept staring at Klaus.

"Like I said before Alex, try me. Tell Klaus the next thing will be his coffins. Say goodbye to your family Klaus" he said, knowing Klaus could hear him. I could hear the car going faster and faster. I took the phone and placed it in Klaus' hands.

"What are you doing?" Klaus asked.

"Just hold it!" I screamed at him as I pulled my wand out and flashed myself into the phone and I appeared in the back seat of Stefan's car.

"Alex?" Elena asked in shock. "What are you doing?"

"Trying to save you," I said as I grabbed Stefan's shoulder. "Stefan, stop the car!" he ignored me and kept going faster. "Stefan!"

"Stefan slow down!" Elena screamed just as we were about to approach the bridge, Klaus spoke up.

"Fine, I'll send them away, you win"

But Stefan kept going and we were about to go on the bridge. "Stefan stop!" Elena and I both screamed.

"Stop the car, Stefan!" Klaus said. Before we knew it, Stefan slammed on the breaks and Elena and I jerked forward, making Elena scream.

Elena immediately got of the car and helped me get out as we walked side by side down the road.

"Get back in the car" I heard Stefan say as I heard the door close.

"Stay away from me" Elena said throuh the tears.

"Elena, just keep walking" I said as I followed behind her.

"Elena Alex, get in the car" Stefan said before Elena turned around.

"How could you?!" She screamed at him. I turned around and glared at him. Stefan stood there staring at us with a sincere look on his face. "My parents died going over this bridge," she said as she pointed to the bridge. "I almost died. You knew that. You're the one who saved me"

Then that sincere look was wiped off his face in a couple of seconds. "Look," he said as he stuffed his hands in his pockets. "He had to believe that I would do it alright, yours," he then looked at me. "And your fear in it sold it"

"What if he hadn't?" Elena asked through the tears.

"He did"

"What if he hadn't, Stefan?" I said sternly.

"He did, Alex!" he screamed at me. "He backed down! He has a weakness. If I know his weakness, I can destroy him"

I glared at him one last time before turning to Elena and pulled my wand out. "I'm going to send you home, ok"

"But-" she sobbed.

"Go home and don't come out until I get there. Alright?" she nodded. I then pointed my wand at her and she was gone. I turned around and stared at Stefan who still had his hands in his pockets. "Is that all matters? After…everyone that went on…that's it? Destroying a man…no…a monster who...who has other enemies that want to destroy him. Including my ancestor"

"Destroying Klaus is all I have left"

"What about me? I've been here this whole time waiting for you" I said through the tears.

Stefan shook his head. "I lost you the minute I left town with him," my heart stopped. "You just haven't let yourself admit that yet"

"Pushing me away won't stop me from what I want. You can't make me hate you. You can't make me think-"

"I don't' really care what you think about me anymore, Alex" He said as he turned around and got into his car and drove off leaving me by myself on the bridge falling to my knees.