"Guys, we have a small problem with our plan." Enzo said walking into the Salvatore house. "We have to move tonight."

"No way, we're not ready. Tomorrow night, that was the plan." Davina was the first to speak up.

"Yes, well tomorrow will be far too late, but suit yourself."

"Enzo what's wrong?" Caroline asked concerned.

"Lily and the heretics are planning a little hunting trip, tonight." Enzo informed.

"Then looks like we need to move fast." Klaus responded.

"We're not ready." Davina repeated, glancing over at Bonnie.

"Then I suggest you get ready." Klaus snarled.

Davina let out an obvious sigh, but knowing she had no choice she gave up. "Fine, Bonnie and Caroline come with me."

Caroline began to protest, but Bonnie pulled her along. The three headed outside to talk in private.

"What's going on?" Caroline asked after they had hiked out into the woods.

"I need you to not freak out, but Davina has a plan." Bonnie said.

"I can turn Bonnie into a heretic." the younger witch explained.

"Excuse me?" Caroline exclaimed. "You're going to what?"

"Just hear me out." Davina began. "If you want a shot at stopping them you're going to need something bigger than me and bigger than Klaus. With one of their own on our side, we'll be unstoppable."

"What about Kai's spell? If she dies before her time Elena will die. Kai said that there is no way around it." Caroline reminded.

"Not if I break that part of the spell. I'm strong enough, it'll work." Davina said confidently.

"Bonnie, you can't be serious. You're talking about risking your life and Elena's, and she's not even here to have a say."

"You know what she'd say, Caroline. Elena would do anything to save this town and save us. If this works Elena will come back. She'll be able to get Damon back on our side. The mind control they are doing to him is anger based, their using Elena as a trigger. That's why he tried to kill me first, to get Elena back." Bonnie was trying her hardest to get her friend on her side.

Caroline stood in silence for what seemed like an eternity. A million different scenarios were playing out in her head, and when she realized none of them had a good outcome so she finally agreed. "Okay, what do you need?"

!~!~!~!~!

"Hey, where is Bonnie? It's almost nightfall." Stefan asked walking in behind Caroline.

"And where the hell is Davina?" Klaus snarled.

"They'll be here. They needed some fancy witch herb for a spell or something." Caroline avoided Stefan's eyes, knowing all too well he could tell when she was lying. Thankfully he seemed to buy her story or trusted her enough to keep quiet.

"We don't have time to wait." Enzo said bursting in from the kitchen. "Lily has texted me five times asking where I am, they're about to start. I need to go or she'll start to get suspicious."

Stefan glanced at his watch. "As much as I hate to admit it, he's right. Caroline, text Bonnie tell her to meet us there. It's go time."

They all nodded in agreement, but remained silent as they mentally prepared for possibly the biggest battle some of them had ever faced. Grabbing their weapons, the gang headed out of the boarding house. Enzo left to join Lily; by some amazement he hadn't been discovered as a double agent. Tyler was joining Matt in the patrol car, their job was to act natural as if they were simply out doing their rounds. Klaus was to remain out of sight, the heretics had no idea of his presence in Mystic Falls. Stefan refused to let Caroline out of his sight; therefore, they would be confronting the danger head on. The two would meet up with Lily and her family while they were crossing town square. As an act of surrender the couple would approach with their hands in the air, and that is when Bonnie and Davina were suppose to come in using their powers.

Caroline was nervous, she had yet to hear back from Bonnie or Davina. 'What if it hadn't worked? What if Davina was wrong and Kai's spell was too powerful? What if it had ended badly?' The blonde was asking herself a thousand questions as they grew closer to the center of town. A familiar beeping pulled Caroline from her thoughts, it was her phone. Quickly she grabbed it, hoping it was either witch, but it was just Enzo.

"Enzo said they're almost there." Caroline said keeping her eyes forward.

"Where is Bonnie? And tell me the truth this time." Stefan insisted.

"I can't, but please just trust me." she begged.

"How can I trust you when I can see you're unsure of them coming through?"

Damn, he was good at reading her. "They'll be here. It'll be okay, everything will work out as planned." Caroline gave the speech to mostly calm herself, but it was no use. They pulled over a block away from the square where the heretics would be at any second and there was still no sign of Bonnie or Davina.

Caroline reached for her seatbelt, but Stefan covered her hand with his. "Hey, whatever happens, I just want you to know how much I love you."

"Don't say it like that, it sounds too much like a goodbye. I'll be right by your side." she squeezed his hand. "I love you Stefan Salvatore." They leaned in for a lingering kiss, selfishly stealing a few extra seconds.

"It's time." Stefan said.

The heretics, with Lily in front, entered the square from the opposite side of Stefan and Caroline.

"Ah, hello son." Lily calmly greeted.

"We want to make a deal. You give us Damon, leave this town, and we will never bother you again." Stefan tried acting as convincing as possible.

Lily let out a laugh. "For some reason I don't believe you, my boy."

"It's true." Caroline piped up. "We don't want this war. We don't want to fight you."

This time the heretics joined in on Lily's laughter. "You hurt us? I'm sorry dear, but that is simply too funny. We are quite older than you, and more powerful at that. And just look at our odds; two against 8, well that doesn't seem very far at all."

It was then that Stefan noticed his brother standing in the back of the group. Damon's eyes were glaring at them, he seemed completely gone. Caroline took a shaky breath 'come on Bonnie' she whispered to herself. Stefan was saying something next to her, trying to stall them she imagined, but her heart was beating too fast to hear. Everything was falling apart, the witches should have been there by now. That is when, without warning a shadow jumped out from behind a tree, it was Klaus.

The hybrid plunged into Lily, causing the heretics to charge. Caroline stood frozen in fear, this wasn't how it was suppose to happen. Stefan grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the way just in time. One of the heretics, Nora, was running at them. Stefan vamp speed with Caroline to the ally behind The Grill.

"This would be a great time to tell me where Bonnie is." Stefan said.

"Right here." Bonnie emerged from the shadows.

"Oh thank God." Caroline beamed. "So, does this mean it worked?"

"Did what work? Someone please tell me what the hell is going on." Stefan asked.

"Maybe I could try to explain."

Stefan turned to face the spot Bonnie had just come from. That voice was so familiar, but it couldn't be... Just then her small frame came into view. "Elena? How is this possible?" he asked.

"Short version is I'm awesome and found away around Kai's 'no loophole spell'. Turns out, there was a loophole." Davina explained. "Oh, and Bonnie is a heretic."

Stefan's eyebrows raised as he looked to each of them.

"There's no time for a longer explanation. We need to move, now. Someone lure Damon over here so he can see Elena, that should get him back on our side. Bonnie and I will do what we originally had planned, they don't need to know about her until the last possible second. Stefan and Caroline, stay alive." Davina gave the orders and they quickly moved to position.

Soon Stefan got his brother to the edge of the ally. Elena had insisted on being alone with Damon, so once he was standing a few feet away from her Stefan left.

"Damon." he voice softly spoke his name.

"You're not real!" Damon yelled into the darkness. "You're just in my head."

"I'm real. Damon." she said stepping from her spot.

"Elena..." he trailed off. "You're not real" he repeated and went for her. She was now pinned between Damon and brick wall of The Grill.

"Damon, I'm real." she choked out. "I'm real and I love you. I'm right here. It's okay, I love you."

It finally seeped in, she was alive and standing right in front of him. He broke down, sobbing into her arms. Damon took in her sent and placed his lips firmly on hers. She was back, but that could only mean... "Bonnie?" he asked concerned.

"She's okay. We're both okay, Damon."

"But..." he didn't know what was going on. It was then that he realized the trance he had been in was broken. He started to remember. "I tried to kill her."

"Hey, it's okay. There is a lot that needs explaining, but right now we have bigger problems." she motioned to the fighting that had erupted. "They need you."

He nodded. "Run, get far away from here. I'll find you when it's over." after planting a kiss on her lips he vanished into the square.

Elena watched helplessly. There was a split second where she was ready to jump in and help, then she remembered she was no longer a vampire. She stood frozen, flinching every time a punch was thrown. One moment it seemed as if the good guys were winning, but then the heretics gained the upper hand.

"Now!" Davina yelled.

As Elena had guessed that was the signal for Bonnie. The witch came into view and gracefully lifted her hand in the air. It seemed to take the heretics by surprise as they grabbed their heads. They limped forward, fighting through the pain, trying to reach the new threat.

"You're delusional if you think this will work." Malcolm spit out as he made his way to Bonnie.

He went to grab her, but she was quicker. Malcolm screamed in pain as Bonnie tried out her new power to siphon magic. "Good to know that works." she smirked.

"What the hell?" he asked finally shaking her.

"I just thought we should even the playing field."

Just then Damon came up from behind and ripped the heart from the heretics chest. "Good work, Bon Bon." he smiled at her as the heart fell to the ground.

"Enough!" Lily called out, causing everyone to pause. She look around at the sight in front of her. Malcolm and Valerie lay dead, her other family members bloody and weak. "It's over." She slowly walked to Stefan and Damon. "You win this fight, but you have lost me forever."

All Stefan could do was nod, but Damon spoke up. "Sounds like a win win to me mother. Now, collect the remaining members of your family and get the hell out of our town." he snarled.

Damon turned to his brother, "As far as I'm concerned our mother died in 1858. That woman is nothing like our mother." he patted Stefan on the shoulder before heading for Elena.

At some point Caroline had taken Damon's place in front of Stefan. "You okay?" she asked sweetly.

When Stefan shook his head she was quick to pull him into her arms. "Damon is right, don't let that woman ruin the good memories you have with your mom."

He kissed her forehead. "I love you."

"I love you too. Now come on, we have a reunion to get to."

"Look at you two lovebirds." Elena said as they walked to her, hand-in-hand.

"Come here." Caroline smiled and everyone joined in on a group hug.

!~!~!~!~!

October 10, 2015

Dear Diary,

The good guys win again! Elena is back and, not to make this all about me but, it's my birthday. Things are starting to look up. Also, I have decided to keep writing. I figure I plan on being here for at least the next few centuries, why not keep an account of the little things to remember.

Lily and the remaining heretics have left town and none of us have heard any news about them. Stefan is still healing, I know he hoped Lily would come to her senses and mom up. And I really wished she would have, for him. Damon is acting like he couldn't care less about Lily, but I think it affected him too.

Damon hasn't taken the cure from Elena yet and that is worrying her. They have a lot to talk about, and I hope they decide to do what is right for the both of them. If that means living their lives together as humans, they should go for it. If that means moving on and living separate lives, then that's what they should do. I just hope they make the right choice.

Matt is a wonderful sheriff. He managed to get the town back to normal in a weekend, with no magical help I might add. I know my mom is smiling down at him, and all of us.

Bonnie is trying her best to get used to all this new power and the blood lust. We're all helping her and for being a newbie vamp she is sure doing a hell of a job. Elena told her to take the cure, but surprisingly she turned it down. She says she feels more safe like this, and I don't blame her.

So, that's what you have missed. I don't mean to cut this short or anything, but I have heard a rumor that a surprise birthday party in being thrown in my honor. I wouldn't want to be late.

Love, Caroline.