Curled up on the couch with a steaming cup of cocoa, Addie reread Jonathan Gilbert's journal for the third time. A lot of it was so disjointed and unconnected that it didn't make sense and then there were the sketchings and formulas for inventions without clear instructions on what they did. It was those mysteries that she wanted to figure out. Addie knew he had built a compass to detect vampires and wondered what else his neurotic, genius mind had come up with.

The sound of the front door opening and closing, disrupting the silence made her jump in surprise. Her uncle walked in, already undoing his scarf.

"Shouldn't you be at track practice," he scrutinized her, hanging his coat in the closet.

Shaking her head Addie replied, "No. Coach doesn't want us outside because of the snow and we can't use the gyms because the cheerleaders are using one and the basketball team the other. Our season doesn't really start until spring so she's a little lax on us right now."

Uncle John nodded, taking a seat at the opposite end of thee sofa. "It's quiet. Where is everyone else?"

"Jenna is off working on her thesis, I think. Jeremy is at the library with his girlfriend Anna. And Elena, well, I kinda need to talk to you about Elena," Addie voiced uncomfortably. She couldn't help but feel like she was betraying her sister but she was just really concerned for her safety.

John sensed the uneasiness in his niece and spoke gently, "What about Elena?"

"I think she's in a lot of trouble," Addie raked a hand through her hair nervously but continued at the encouraging nod from her uncle. "I - She - We both know that Damon and Stefan Salvatore are vampires." She could see Uncle John opening his mouth in protest but she stopped him before he could say anything, "You can't deny it. Damon told me. Hell, the bastard even compelled me. And Stefan told Elena. I've seen Damon kill someone and I saw what Stefan did to that poor girl the night of the Miss Mystic Falls pageant."

John's eyes narrowed as he tapped his fingers on his knee, "Then Elena's not the only one in trouble; you are too."

"I know," Addie whispered. Her voice was stronger as she continued, "But I keep my distance as much as possible. Elena is throwing herself in harm's way. Every night this week she's been sneaking out to go over to the Salvatore boarding house. She and Damon have Stefan locked up, trying to get the human blood out of his system. Apparently he's some kind of ravenous, uncontrollable creature when he drinks human blood so he keeps a diet of animal blood. At least he did until my sister was an idiot and fed him her blood when she went to go save him from a house full of vampires See the pattern of her putting herself in dangerous situations over this vampire? Let's not forget she's trusting Damon the psychopath, a self-proclaimed serial killer to protect her."

"What made you think you could tell me this?" John asked, a hint of nerves tingeing his voice.

"Well, I overheard Damon and Elena talking and he said that you knew what he was. That plus I'm pretty certain you're her father so even though Damon says you guys are working together, I'm hoping maybe you'll put the safety of your daughter first," Addie shrugged, keeping her eyes focused on her ancestor's journal.

John stirred uncomfortably, "Does Elena know I'm her father? How did you figure that out?"

"Elena doesn't know anything," Addie said quickly. "As for how I figured it out, it was your ring. My history teacher has one just like it that he got from his wife Isobel. All we knew about Elena's mother was that she was named Isobel and was from around here. She showed up at my dad's office; your brother's office. You admitted to Damon Salvatore and Alaric Saltzman to knowing both Katherine and Isobel. That's just too many coincidences."

John looked at her sternly, "Please, don't tell your sister."

Addie chuckled, "Elena wouldn't believe me anyways. She thinks everything I do is to sabotage her happiness. And I'm not telling you this to sabotage her happiness with Stefan; I'm telling you because I'm scared for her and I don't want her getting hurt."

John nodded slowly, "I'll take care of it. She won't know you told me." He began to head up stairs before stopping for one last thing, "Addie, what did Damon compel you to do?"

"To take control of my life," Addie grumbled, rolling her eyes.

John gave her a small, sad smile, "Don't worry, kiddo. He'll be dead soon and you'll have true control back."

"Are you really working with him?"

"Only until I get what I want. Then he's dead for good," he told her reassuringly.


"Have fun with Caroline and Elena," Addie snickered to Bonnie, putting away her history textbook and pulling out her math book and Wuthering Heights so she could do that night's homework.

"What?" hissed Bonnie, a slight edge of panic crept into her voice. "You're suppose to be working on the float too! You can't leave me alone with them."

Addie shrugged, feeling sympathetic for her best friend. She knew Bonnie still didn't want to be around Elena for her association with vampires and, to be honest, she could blame her. Not to mention Caroline could be a complete control freak. "I can't help it. I have to report to Mr. Saltzman, right now," Addie sighed, slamming her locker shut.

"Why?" Bonnie asked quizzically.

"Beats me. I got a B on my essay and he wrote on my paper to come and talk with him about it at the end of the day," Addie muttered, still annoyed with getting a B. Not to mention she wasn't particularly fond of people who essentially killed her.

"Alright, well wish me luck and I'll wish you luck," Bonnie gave her a weak grin.

Addie laughed, "It won't be that miserable. Good luck, Bon. I'll talk to you later."

"Later," Bonnie called, waving to her as Addie walked towards Mr. Saltzman's room.

The door was closed when Addie arrived so she knocked softly. The deep voice of her history teacher beckoned her to come in. Addie stepped into the room, closing the door behind her before looking around the classroom. That was when she noticed Damon, Stefan, and Elena all looking at her.

"Yeahhhhhh," Addie drawled out, placing her hand back on the doorknob. "I'm just gonna go."

Damon leaned casually on a desk and crossed his arms in front of him, "It's important."

Addie shook her head, "I don't see what could possibly be important enough for me to be in a room with you four and the door close." She pointed to Damon, "You tried to kill." Next she turned to Mr. Saltzman. "You would have killed me if it wasn't for him," she said, nodding her head towards Damon. "Elena, you pushed me out of a very tall tree when I was seven, causing me to break four bones but knowing you and for argument's sake, I'm going to count that as attempted murder," Addie said sweetly to her sister, a fake smile plastered to her face. She faced the final occupant of the room, "And you will probably kill me if I get so much as a papercut." Addie held up her hands defensively, "Excuse me if I don't think this exactly a safe place for me to be."

"Quit being overly dramatic," Elena scoffed.

"Nuh-uh. All of you in a room means so supernatural crap and I want no part of it," Addie insisted, shaking her head.

Damon crossed the room in five strides and dragged Addie by the wrist, ignoring her protests and clawing at his hand, until she was near Mr. Saltzman's desk like the other.

"First compulsion and now manhandling? You really are despicable," she spat at him.

He shrugged. "It's for your own good. Like it or not you're Elena's sister so you're involved in all this 'supernatural crap,'" Damon said, using air quotes.

"She's adopted. I'm off the hook," Addie grinned, turning on her heel only to walk straight into Damon's chest. Grabbing his shoulders he turned her back towards everyone.

"We can go back and forth with this all day or you can just cooperate and listen," he whispered in her ear. "You know you're trapped in this room as long as there are two vampires."

Addie crossed her arms and pouted, "So what of Elena's life am I being dragged into now?"

"I saw Isobel last night."

Addie groaned loudly, and threw her head back, not expecting Damon to still be behind her. His light blue eyes locked with her darker ones as her head fell against his chest. "You mean to tell me I have to worry about another fucking vampire in this town?" She lifted her head back up and looked at Mr. Saltzman, "What happened to you trying to kill this one?" Addie demanded, jerking her thumb over her shoulder at Damon. "Aren't you some kind of vampire hunter? You should be killing that one, too," she said, indicating Stefan. "He's responsible for Amber being hurt at the pageant."

"Temporary truce," Damon exhaled in annoyance, clasping a hand over Addie's mouth. At this rate they would be here all night. He let out a hiss in pain as a sharp stinging sensation hit his hand. Damon repositioned his thumb so that Addie's jaw was locked. "Do not bite," he growled dangerously in her ear. She stomped her foot in protest and began using her hands to try and pry his hand away from her mouth. With little effort Damon managed to capture both arms under his free one and pinned them to Addie's body. His mind started to drift to how soft and warm she felt pressed against him when Alaric began to speak again.

"Isobel wants to meet with Elena and she's threaten to go on a killing spree through town until they meet, starting with Addie."

Addie's cerulean eyes went wide with fear and she instinctively pushed herself further into Damon; his arm tightened around her protectively.

"That's not happening," he bit out, "either part. Did you ask her about Uncle John? Are they working together?"

Alaric shook his head, resting his hands on his desk, "No."

"No they're not?" confirmed Damon.

"No, I didn't asked," Alaric corrected.

"What about the invention?"

"Didn't ask."

Damon was getting annoyed, "Did she know about the tomb vampires?"

"I don't know," sighed Alaric.

Damon scoffed and rolled his eyes, "Did words completely escape you?"

"No," Alaric snapped, "I was a little too distracted by my dead vampire wife to ask any questions."

"Then what did she want besides to see Elena?" Damon snapped.

"That's it," Elena shrugged. "She just wants to see me."

Damon looked at her, his lips pursed .That wasn't all she wanted. Vampires always had an agenda.

Stefan spoke up for the first time, "Alaric is suppose to arrange a meeting. We don't know why or what she wants."

"You don't have to see her if you don't want to," Damon told Elena softly.

Addie rolled her eyes She still couldn't believe how much of an idiot Damon was. Stefan looked between Elena and Damon, his eyebrows raised, surprised at the sensitivity his brother was showing.

Elena sighed, "I don't really have a choice; she's going to kill my sister and then the rest of the town."

Damon wrinkled his nose in disgust at Elena's decision, "Oh! I take it hiding your sister and letting her go on a killing spree isn't ok with you guys."

Addie kicked Damon in the shin.

"Ow! You know, you are very, very mean to me considering I'm trying to prevent your sister's insane vampire mother from killing you," snapped Damon.

This only earned him another swift kick in the other shin.

"Brat," he muttered.

"I want to do it. I want to meet her. If I don't; I know I'll regret it," Elena gently told Damon.

By the sappy look she was giving him and the jealous, angry look on Stefan's face, Addie knew Damon was giving her a look just as sappy. Gross.


"So why are we meeting in a deserted classroom for lunch?" Addie asked Bonnie, dropping her bookbag on a desk. "I'm missing out on cold pizza. This better be good."

"Eat your pizza," Bonnie laughed before sternly adding, "just don't get any crumbs or grease stains on the book. Come here."

Addie dug through her backpack for the leftover pizza and unwrapped it from the foil before joining Bonnie in peering over a large, old book.

"Is that Emily's grimoire or whatever?"

Bonnie nodded, "Yeah. I've been going through it since Grams died. Check this out."

"That's the vampire compass," Addie said slowly, recognizing the sketch her friend pointed to.

"Yeah, according to Emily, Jonathan Gilbert never actually succeeded in inventing anything."

"Damn. Guess I can't say I have a genius ancestor. Nor can I blame all the craziness in his journals on the fact that he was one of those people who is just so smart that they have no people skills. You realize what this means? I actually am crazy! It's genetic," Addie nodded feverishly, chewing on a bite of pizza.

Bonnie blinked at her friend slowly, "You're just insane. Anyways, Emily secretly spelled all his inventions with magic to make them work. The compass, rings, and the mystery device you told me about." Bonnie flipped to a page in the book, "Is that it?"

"I haven't actually seen it," Addie said slowly, carefully studying the drawing, "but it looks the same as one of the devices in his journal. Of course there's no explanation in there as to what it is so as far as I'm concerned it's the mystery device. Unless you have other inventions?"

Bonnie shook her head, "No, that's the only one."

"So," Addie wondered aloud, sitting on a desk, "Emily was like loyal to Katherine or whatever. Why would she enchant these devices?"

Bonnie sat behind the desk that the book was open on, "Well, she couldn't stand by and watch innocent people get killed. This was the only way she could think of to help; to let Jonathan Gilbert believe that he'd actually invented these devices."

"Does it say what that one does?" Addie said, finishing the crust of her pizza.

Bonnie read for a minute before looking up at her. "Are you sure this is what Isobel wants?"

"According to my beloved sister," Addie shrugged. "Why?"

"The device is a weapon against vampires," Bonnie said slowly.

Addie pursed her lips, "I don't know if I should be excited about that or concerned. Does it seem like there is any way vampires could use it against humans?"

"I don't think so," Bonnie said, after looking over the book for a few minutes.

"Personally, I still think the last thing we should be doing is handing it over to vampires. We should be using it against them," Addie declared.

Bonnie nodded in agreement.


Bright lights burned Addie's eyes and only intensified the thumping in her head. What had happened? She'd been at school working on the Miss Mystic Fall float when…. When what? Blinking slowly her surroundings came into focus. She was in a room adorned with white furniture. Next to her stood a man and a woman. Addie tried to move but found she was bound to a chair. She didn't even bother trying to scream, she could feel the gag of cloth in her mouth.

She heard a woman's cold voice coming closer, "Because I have the next best thing."

A tall woman with flowing dark brown hair entered the room. Isobel. Addie could see traces of Elena in her facial features. Behind her was Uncle John. Addie's eyes went wide.

"What the hell are you doing?" John choked out.

Isobel smiled, her fangs flashing, "Getting what I want."

"Yeah," John scoffed then waved his hand at Addie, "but she is my niece and you're going to let her go right this second."

"That gaudy ring on your finger comes off," Isobel warned icily.

John tried to reason with her, "Come on, Isobel. I know you, okay? It's me, John. You can't hurt a kid."

"I'll kill her right now to prove you wrong," the vampire yawned, stretching out on the couch.

Addie's eyes began to fill with tears. Uncle John looked at her and gave her a reassuring smile. It really didn't help.

"Really? Are you that far gone?" asked John. "Look, I know you've changed but the old Isobel is somewhere in there, isn't she? Come on. Let her go. You're terrifying her."

Isobel spoke a foreign language to the man and woman next to Addie. French? They moved to Uncle John and beat him, throwing him on the floor. The vampire caught his hand and removed his magical ring.

"Nice try. We'll see how you do without this."

Addie looked down at her uncle as the fear consumed her and tears fell in steady streams down her face. After a few moments she felt herself calm. A few minutes later her uncle regained consciousness. He rushed over to her as fast as he could, a hand pressed against his bleeding forehead. It only took him seconds to undo her bounds. Addie yanked the cloth out her mouth and coughed several times.

"Why is a vampire after a device harmful to vampires? And why are you helping her?" she glared at her uncle accusingly.

"How do you know so much?" John asked in slight amazement.

Addie huffed, "I like to know what's exactly someone is threatening to kill me over."

Uncle John looked at her confused.

"She told Elena to get the device or she'd go on a murderous rampage through town, starting with me? Any of that ring a bell?" Addie snapped.

"I swear I had no idea she had even met with Elena," Uncle John said slowly.

"Right. Well, a friend knew what the device was and told me. Your turn to answer my question," Addie demanded.

John took a deep breath and ran a hand over his face, "There's a group of vampires from a long time ago that want revenge on this town."

"The tomb vampires?"

"How do you - I don't even want to know, on second thought. But yes," he nodded.

"And why is a vampire out to kill other vampires?"

Uncle John just shrugged and vaguely said, "She has her reasons."

Addie gasped, "Does the Ice Bitch have a soul and care if vampires kill her child?"

"All we can do is hope for the best in people."

"Even vampires?" Addie glared at her uncle.


It had taken a lot of persuasion but Addie had finally convinced Uncle John to drop her off at the Mystic Grill so she could catch up with Bonnie about what she missed while she was abducted.

"So, Damon's plan was just to storm in there and rescue me?" Addie asked incredulously.

Bonnie laughed, "Yeah."

Addie lowered her voice conspiratorially, "I'm telling you; that man wants me dead. Isobel would have killed me the second he appeared."

"That's what Stefan said," her friend replied, nodding in agreement. "Damon didn't trust me to take the spell off."

"You didn't take it off, did you?" Addie asked hastily.

Bonnie shook her head, "Of course not."

Addie's eyebrows furrowed, "Then why did he agree to give up the device?"

"Because he trusts Elena and Elena trusted me," Bonnie answered looking down in shame.

"Hey! You can't feel guilty about this! Your ancestor made this for a reason. Vampires have already caused too much death and destruction in this town."

Bonnie propped her head on her hand, "Elena is never going to forgive me when she finds out."

"Then that's her lost and it means she's even more self-centered than I think," Addie consoled.

Addie's phone began to buzz against the table. She groaned when she saw the caller ID and answered with reluctance, "What?"

"Addie, are you ok?" Elena asked panicked.

"No!" Addie had to restrain from shouting. "Your psychotic mother kidnapped, bound, and gagged me because you wouldn't give her one stupid little device!"

Elena sighed, "Where are you now?"

"With Bonnie, catching up on everything I missed. Tell Damon he can go fuck himself for almost killing me, again," Addie snapped.

"That's not what he meant."

"Blah, blah, blah. Excuses, excuses," Addie mocked.

"I'll see you at home," Elena muttered before hanging up.

"You know, I think you two are getting along less and less," Bonnie noted as Addie put her phone in her pocket.

"Yeah because of Damon and Stefan," Addie huffed.

Bonnie giggled.

"What?" Addie looked at her suspiciously.

"Nothing," Bonnie grinned, shaking her head.

"Bonnie Bennett," Addie drew out.

Bonnie laughed, "I just realized that you talk about Damon the way you did Alex Short in the third grade remember?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Addie said flushing, suddenly very interested in making designs in her ketchup with a fry.

"Yes, you do," Bonnie teased.. "You had such a huge crush on him."

"I did not!" Addie protested a little loudly.

"You totally did," Bonnie smirked.

Addie crossed her arms defensively, "Are you suggesting I have a crush on Damon Salvatore?"

"Do you?" Bonnie asked, lifting an eyebrow.

"My sister is the one who asked you to unspell the vampire harming device, not me," Addie reminded her best friend.

"That's not a no," Bonnie pushed on.

Addie stared at Bonnie as if she were proposing the most ridiculous idea in the world, "He tried to kill me."

"Again, I didn't hear a no," Bonnie smirked.

"I'm not stupid, Bonnie. It is my sister who is stupid enough to want to date a psychotic vampire. Stupid enough to want to date two psychotic vampires, actually," Addie amended.

"You still haven't said no," Bonnie sang.

Addie rolled her eyes, "No."

"You're a horrible liar," Bonnie said scrutinizing her.

Addie ran her fingers through her hair, nervous about how Bonnie would react. "Ok. Fine. I might have the tiniest, smallest possible crush there is. Do you hate me?" Addie winced.

Bonnie shook her head, "Of course not. Like you said, you aren't your sister. With you, I don't feel like you're on their side and that I'm fighting against you. I mean, I'm not going to say I understand how you could possibly like him but you're smart enough to stay away from him and that's good enough for me."

"Guess I'm the only marginally intelligent child in my family since both my siblings are dating vampires."

Bonnie nodded in agreement.


Addie and Jeremy sat at the Mystic Grill following the Founder's Day parade picking at a plate of fries. Things with Jeremy had been tense since she had given him Elena's diary to read and he found out all about Vickie and his memory being erased. They still joked around when they were together but she couldn't help but feel as if he avoided her at times.

"Jer?" she asked quietly, poking his hand with a fry.

Jeremy snatched the fry and shoved it into his mouth. "My fry!"

"Pig," Addie laughed, wrinkling her nose in mock disgust.

Jeremy washed down the fry with a sip of soda and looked at his little sister curiously, "What did you want?"

Addie took a deep breath, "Are you mad at me?"

"What? Why?" Jeremy asked confused.

"For not telling you about Vickie? For not telling you that Elena had Damon erase your memory? For simply knowing about vampires and not telling you?" Addie shrugged. "The list goes on and on really."

Jeremy ate a few fries, mulling his answer over before responding, "No. I still don't know what your whole story and role is in all this supernatural stuff but Elena's diary makes it pretty clear that you're not happy about it. It wouldn't be fair for me to be mad at you because if the roles were reversed, I wouldn't have told you either. I would have wanted to protect you, like you did me."

Addie shook her head, "But I don't get that; Elena was just trying to protect you."

"You and Elena are very different. I know you would have hated to see me hurt, but you wouldn't have had my memory erased, would you?" Jeremy asked simply.

"No. I mean, it did bring the old you back, but it wasn't right. Nobody deserves to be violated like that."

Jeremy nodded and opened his mouth to speak when Elena came over.

Elena looked down at Jeremy, "I don't believe we can fix this; I lied. I was wrong but you're my brother, Jer, and I love you and I have to fix it. So just tell me, what can I do?"

"You can go to hell, Elena," Jeremy spat before standing up and walking out.

Elena looked at her sister for help. Addie pulled a $20 out of her wallet, more than enough to cover their bill and just shrugged at Elena..

"You could try not being a bitch with a superiority complex. I know I'd like you a lot better if you fixed that."

Addie patted her sister on the shoulder and quickly walked out the Grill. She had to jog half a block to catch up with Jeremy.

"She say something after I left?" he asked angrily.

"No but I told her she should stop being a bitch with a superiority complex," Addie grinned.

Jeremy gave his sister a small smile, "I think you have more of that problem with her than I do."

"True," Addie conceded, "but if she didn't have a superiority complex she would not have thought she had the right to erase your memory."

"Fair enough," Jeremy nodded as the wandered into the town square.

They walked in silence for a few minutes before a voice came from behind them.

"'I have so many emotions, but I don't have any way to express them. Being a teenager is so hard!'" mocked Damon.

"You're a dick!" Jeremy snapped at the vampire.

"You do not talk to me like that!" Damon snarled stepping right up to Jeremy. "I'm not your sister. And from now on," Damon grabbed Jeremy's arm, "don't talk to your sister that way either. Argh!"

Addie had pulled a stake from the waist of her jeans and stabbed Damon right in the bicep, making him drop Jeremy's arm. Addie pulled her brother back and stepped up in front of him. She watched as Damon ripped out the wood with a groan and tossed it on the ground. He stepped on it, snapping it into glared at Addie and opened his mouth to speak but she did before he could.

"Now that I have your attention, don't you ever touch my brother again or I will make sure I stake your heart. That's two times I have gotten you; don't underestimate me. Secondly, just because you're in love with my sister - oh, don't look so shocked, you know I read her diary - don't think you can tell us how to treat her. You're deluded by love and don't see Elena the Raging, Self-Centered Bitch. You think she wants to make good with Jeremy because she cares about her relationship with him? No, she just can't stand anyone seeing the real her. The not-so-saintly-Elena. I've never bought into that and that's why she hates me. Our relationships with Elena are none of your business so stay out of it."

"You're walking a really tight rope, Addison," Damon hissed threateningly.

Addie shook her head, "I'm not afraid of you."

"You're really stupid then."

"No, I'm just in control of my life," Addie smirked. She turned smartly on her heel and snatched Jeremy's hand, leading him away.

"What was that about?" her brother said suspiciously.

"Like you said, he's a dick."

Jeremy snapped at his sister, angry with her for being so reckless, "That doesn't mean you go and stake a vampire in the arm, bait him, and tell him you're not afraid of him."

Addie let go of Jeremy's hand and kept walking. "I'm not going to defend myself to you," she called over her shoulder.


Addie continuously raked her hands nervously through her hair as she followed the old, familiar path to her dad's old office. Uncle John had told her that morning that she would have her control back by the end of the night. She could only figure that meant he intended on using the device tonight. Earlier in the evening she had seen him lingering around her father's office and wondered if that was where he was going to set off the device from.

She found the door unlock, though the lights were off. Quietly she slipped into the office. She saw a figure move quickly as her eyes slowly adjusted to the dark.

"Addie?" her uncle asked, squinting in the dark.

"Mm-hmm," Addie hummed nervously, walking over to him, her eyes having acclimated.

Uncle John shook his head and reprimanded her, "You shouldn't be here. It's not safe."

"It's safer than out there with all the vampires," she countered.

Uncle John put a firm hand on her shoulder and tried to turn her around, "You shouldn't see this."

"I have to," Addie pleaded, the encounter with Damon earlier still reeling through her mind "I have to see…"

"Ok," Uncle John conceded reluctantly. "Just stay back and out of the way, alright?"

As Addie made to respond the door opened again. It took a moment to decipher the blurry figure as Damon.

"Do you have any idea what you've done?!" Damon asked outraged.

"Yeah, as a matter of fact I do," Uncle John smile.

Damon moved towards them when Uncle John twisted the device, activating it. Addie jumped back as Damon fell to the floor, holding his head and screaming in agony. It was as if everything was in slow motion as she watched her uncle prepare a syringe full of vervain then plunge the poison into Damon's neck. In seconds Damon was silent and motionless, unconscious.

She watched her uncle go down into the basement, where deputies carried down vampire after vampire. Watching Anna pass, she hoped Jeremy hadn't been with her when the device went off;he didn't need to see that. Addie was surprised as they took Mayor Lockwood down. One deputy came and grabbed Damon.

Addie thought she smelled gasoline. This was confirmed when she saw her uncle standing at the top of the stairs, pouring the last drops out of the can. He struck a match before seeing Addie was still in the building. He told her to get out and Addie scurried out as fast as she could, running to put distance between her and the building. She finally stopped and looked up. Addie groaned; she was suppose to be running away from the building, not around to the utility door.

Addie opened the door and stepped back as the flames began to lick towards the door.

"What are you doing, Addie?" came a cautious voice.

Addie turned around to come face to face with Bonnie. She opened and closed her mouth several times before finding words. "I don't know," she whispered.

"You can't go in there!" Bonnie declared, grabbing Addie's shoulders, trying to make her look her in the eye.

Addie looked back at the flames and felt tears pool in her eyes. Bonnie was right.

Bonnie looked at her best friend. She'd never seen her cry; not even at her parents' funeral. Hoping she wouldn't regret this Bonnie began to chant, "Ex spiritum intacullum, in terrum incendium, fes matos salvis adisdum! Ex spiritum intacullum, in terrum incendium, fes matos salvis adisdum! Ex spiritum intacullum, in terrum incendium, fes matos salvis adisdum! …."

Addie's mouth dropped open slightly as the flames died back. Rushing down the stairs she did her best to avoid the flames that still danced at her legs. She squinted through the smoke and half-way across the room saw Damon. She rushed to him, glad to find him conscious.

"Come on, jackass," Addie coughed through the smoke, pulling one of his arms over her shoulders and wrapping hers around his waist. Between the strength of both of them they were able to get him upright. He was still weak from the vervain so Addie had to support a good deal of his weight as they fought to get out. She coughed harder and harder as they began to make their way up the stairs. Addie stumbled and grabbed the railing, burning her hand.

"Just two more steps," Damon murmured in her ear. She could barely hear him over the crackling and popping of the fire. She tried to nod but she was too dizzy and lightheaded. Damon had to fight to drag them both out that last little bit.

Both collapsed to the ground as soon as they reached outside. Damon rolled onto his back, still feeling like acid ran through his veins. He looked up with heavy lidded eyes to find the witch pulling him further away from the building. When Damon was far enough away, Bonnie ran back for Addie who was curled up on her knees coughing and choking for air. Bonnie helped her to stand so she could expand her lungs as much as possible and led her away from the door, which she shut with magic.

Addie coughed for several minutes with Bonnie patting and rubbing her back. Finally catching her breath, Addie choked back a sob as she pulled Bonnie into a bone crushing hug.

"Thank you," she whispered, her voice hoarse from the coughing and smoke.

Bonnie squeezed her tighter.

Addie sniffled, "Are you gonna make me pick? Or I mean are you going to pick?"

"We're good, Ad," Bonnie hushed, stroking the other girl's hair. "But if Damon spills so much as one drop of innocent blood, I'll take him down."

Addie laughed, which turned into a coughing fit, "I'll help you."


Addie sat on the Salvatore porch waiting for Damon. He had been gone by the time she stopped hugging Bonnie. She really couldn't thank her friend enough. She never knew Bonnie cared so much about her as to let her save Damon.

She stood up as his car rolled into the driveway and brushed herself off with the hand not wrapped in gauze. Damon got out of his car and walked right past her.

"Hey!" she snapped, grabbing his wrist.

Damon looked at her confused, "Huh?"

"How about, I don't know, something like: 'Hey, Addie! Thanks for saving my unworthy ass tonight!'" Addie said sarcastically.

"Right," Damon nodded slowly, as if just remembering. "Thanks." He pulled away and continued walking to the front door.

Addie huffed in annoyance. Spying a ping pong ball sized rock, she picked it up and chucked it the center of Damon's back.

"Ow! What the fuck, Ads?!" Damon yelled, rubbing the spot.

"You know, I think I'm finally starting to figure you out," she glowered, walking up to Damon. "You respond to pain, not kindness. I stab your arm; I get your attention. I save your life; you disappear. I hit you with a rock; suddenly you notice I'm on your front porch."

"Sorry, I'm a little distracted," Damon shrugged.

Addie nodded understandingly, "Oh, of course. I'll just be a little distracted the next time your ass needs saving. Good night, Damon."

Addie was halfway off the porch when Damon grabbed her wrist, "Wait. I'm sorry."

She turned slowly and looked at Damon like he had grown a second head, "You're what?"

"I'm sorry," he exaggerated, rolling his eyes.

"For what? There are so many things that you should be sorry for that I'm not entirely sure what you're talking about," Addie snarked, pursing her lips in disapproval.

Damon pulled her uninjured hand to sit down next to him. His eyes narrowed as he looked at her intently, "I'm sorry for a lot more things than I'm willing to admit to."

"Yeah, sorry, that doesn't mean shit to me. If you can't own up to it, you're not really sorry as far as I'm concerned," Addie shrugged, making to stand back up but Damon wrapped a finger through a belt loop and pulled her back down next to him.

"Fine," he muttered, kicking at the rocks on the ground. "I'm sorry for pulling a vanishing act when you saved me."

"Why did you do that?" Addie asked confused and hurt.

Damon looked up to the sky and was silent so long that Addie didn't think he was going to answer. "I could ask you the same thing."

Addie scoffed, "I did it because apparently I'm an idiot."

"Why do you say that?" Damon asked, still not looking at her.

She shook her head, "Trust me, I was all for letting you die. I encouraged Bonnie not to deactivate the device. I knew it was happening tonight. I didn't warn you or Stefan. I wanted all the vampires out of this town for good. Hell, I couldn't wait for you to die so I would be free of your compulsion and I could finally be sure of what the hell I'm doing and what is actually my decision and choice. Then I end up at that utility door and - " Addie broke off, shaking her head. "I'm such an idiot," she groaned, dropping her face in her hands.

"For saving me?" he asked softly.

"Obviously! Ugh! I'm worse than an idiot. I'm pathetic. Very, very pathetic," Addie mumbled into her hands.

"I don't get why you're saying that."

Addie laughed bitterly, "Good. It doesn't matter."

Damon pulled her injured hand into his lap and traced over the veins that showed at her wrist, "It matters to me."

"Why?" Addie scoffed, trying not to shiver at his featherlight touch.

"At some point you decided I was worth saving; I can't imagine anyone but Stefan doing that and he would be doing it out of guilt. I definitely know you didn't do it out of guilt," Damon chuckled softly.

She rolled her eyes, "You're not stupid. I'm sure you can eliminate the possibilities. There are only so many reasons someone would risk their life for someone else."

"I must be stupid or blind because I can cross off every idea I think of," he mumbled, tracing the veins further up her arm.

Addie sighed wistfully, "Somehow that doesn't surprise me, Damon. It's partly what makes me saving you so pathetic. What else are you sorry for?"

His hand stilled as he forced out the next words, "I'm sorry for compelling you."

"Are you just telling me what I want to hear since I saved your life?" Addie glanced at him skeptically.

"No," he smiled slightly, tracing patterns on her inner arm.

Addie looked at him hopefully, "Does that mean you'll uncompel me?"

Damon shook his head, "Not a chance. I have a theory."

"I don't care," Addie growled, trying to pull her arm back but Damon held on tight.

"I think the compulsion is helping you learn how to get your way, how to get what you want, and most importantly, how to stick up for yourself. The more and more I see you do that, the more likely I'll be to take it off," Damon rationalized.

Addie gritted her teeth, "I should have let you die."

"But you didn't, meaning some part of you didn't want me to die. The greater part of you. If you can't tell me why though, I definitely don't think you're ready for the compulsion to come off," Damon said.

Addie snorted, "That's horseshit, Damon. That's just you blackmailing me to figure out what you can't on your own."

Damon shrugged, "Think what you want."

"Anything else you want to apologize for before I leave?"

"Yeah," Damon said roughly. "Just one more thing."

Hesitating for just a moment, Damon gently hooked a finger under Addie's chin and slowly turned her head towards his, giving her plenty of time to pull away. His eyes roamed her face for any sign to stop. Slowly he bent his head towards her, still nervous she might not want this. He smiled slightly when her eyes fluttered close. Softly, he pressed his lips to hers. Timidly Addie pressed back. Grinning, Damon kissed her more firmly. Reluctantly he pulled away and let his hand drop back to his lap. He smirked at Addie's blush so deep he could see it in the moonlight as she turned away from him, looking at her shoes.

"I'm sorry for that but I had to at least once," he mumbled.

"Why did you do that? I mean, why are you sorry for that?" Addie asked quietly, hoping he couldn't hear her heart pounding in her chest.

Damon shook his head, feeling her pulse race as he gently pressed on the side of the veins at her wrist, "Because it's wrong, Ads."

"How?" she demanded.

Damon blew out a breath, "In so many ways. Don't make this harder than it is."

Addie snickered, "You brought this on yourself You told me the more I get my way and get what I want the more like you are to lift compulsion. I want to know how it's wrong."

"You're too young," Damon said simply.

"Elena's not much older and I would argue that she is definitely more immature," Addie countered.

"It's illegal."

"Since when do you obey the law?"

"I'm too old for you."

"What if I like older guys?"

"I'm not a nice guy."

"In case you haven't noticed, I can be a bit of a bitch."

"I'm always going to be the bad guy who compelled you and almost killed you."

"I encouraged my best friend not to deactivate a device with the intent of killing you and your brother."

"You're too short."

Addie had to laugh, "Your reasons are becoming more and more pitiful."

"I know," Damon gave her a crooked grin.

Addie groaned as her phone began to ring.

"You should get that. Could be important," Damon smirked, grateful for the subject change.

Addie rolled her eyes, "It's Elena."

Damon froze, "Probably not important."

"Actually, she only calls me if it is," Addie sighed, answering her phone. "Hello?"

She hung up a few minutes later, never speaking. Her head was swimming. Jeremy had tried to become a vampire. Uncle John had been attacked by one. Caroline was in serious condition from a car accident. Damon was on his feet, holding out a hand to her. She grabbed it gratefully.

"I have to-"

Damon waved his hand, not wanting to hear what she had to say, "I'll drive you to the hospital."

"Thanks," she gave a forced smile, knowing it would be a long night.

Damon squeezed her hand encouragingly.


A/N: I'm really nervous about this chapter. On the other hand we're done with season 1! And shocker! Two chapters in 24 hours.