Hey everybody! I know that I haven't update in FOR EVER, but I've been super busy with school, Easter, and my birthday. Plus, as you know, I've had so much frigging trouble writing this story :( but I must say, this chapter was easier to write than the last one, so I hope it's good! I really appreciated all of your support and want to thank you for your great reviews! They're partially what made me get down to business and write this whole chapter tonight :) I've been holding it off soo long, I just needed to get it typed and out :) so thank you all for being so loyal and helping me get through this writing funk :) I hope it doesn't disappoint! Oh, and just a heads up, this chapter is going to be a bit confusing. But just hang in there, it'll be explained in the next two chapters!


"Welcome back, Stefan", Katherine smirked, "I knew you couldn't stay away for long. And now, you get to stay forever."

Stefan was through the door before he even heard Elena's whisper. Katherine was cackling about something in the corner, but he couldn't make out what she was saying. His mind was on auto-pilot, and the only thing he could think was that Elena couldn't die.

He sped to her side and saw her eyes drooping shut, as the blood loss began to knock her unconscious. Stefan quickly yanked back his sleeve and bit into his wrist, but as he brought it down to her mouth he was ripped away from her and into the wall.

"What do you think you're doing?" Katherine growled at him. Stefan tried to struggle out of her grasp, but she had over four-hundred years on her—that wasn't going to be easy. His fear for Elena was so strong that he could hear her heartbeat thundering through his head. But it wasn't a thunder, it was more of a dull thud—she was fading, and quick. "Harmony, why don't you take care of our little captive there once and for all", Katherine grinned wickedly as she turned her head towards the witch.

Stefan took that moment of weakness and shoved Katherine down the stairs to the basement she had held them captive in just a few hours before. As soon as he had, he was at Elena's side. He slit his wrist again, but when he brought it down to her mouth, the truth hit him like a thousand daggers flying into his heart at once. His beautiful Elena was dead, and there was no way to bring her back. She was gone.


Bonnie and Caroline stood at the ready for whatever was coming towards them. The door was thrown against the wall at the impact, and with stakes and cross-bows ready, the two girls moved towards the person stumbling through the hallway.

They were creeping along the way, but then Bonnie realized that it was useless and mentally slapped herself. She summoned up her power, directing it at the figure, and commenced the spell.

An ear-splitting scream shot through the house, and the girls realized with horror that the perceived threat was nothing more than Damon. Bonnie immediately stopped the spell as Caroline ran to the vampire crouched on the ground. Damon's face was contorted in pain and fury, and when he looked up at Bonnie, he had a few choice words.

"Are you out of your freakin' mind? What the hell was that for?" he yelled at the witch as he struggled to get up.

"I'm sorry! Maybe next time you shouldn't make such a 'grand entrance'!" Bonnie screamed back, pissed off that he would blame her for his stupidity.

Damon mustered the biggest glare he could with the little energy he had left and said, "Well I'm frigging sorry! Next time I get kidnapped, tortured, and forced to run 10 miles in 2 minutes, I'll make sure to walk in like a gentleman."

"Would you two shut up?" Caroline complained, having grown sick of their bickering ages ago, "Now Damon, please explain why you burst in here like this, and where the hell Stefan and Elena are."

"Well, Elena is locked in the house with queen bitch herself, and Stefan's outside keeping an eye on them—making sure Katherine doesn't try anything dangerous."

"And you're here why?" Caroline asked.

"Somebody had to come get you and the mediocre-witch, Blondie. I just happened to lose rock-paper-scissors", Damon griped, "Now hurry up. We have a long way to go and a short time to get there."

Bonnie and Caroline glanced at each other and, shrugging, grabbed their bags. Following Damon out of the house, they set out on their trek to save the young couple. Caroline hopped in the driver's seat and Damon in the passenger's, leaving Bonnie stuck in the back. They pulled out of the driveway, and Caroline punched on the gas.

"Where does Katherine live?" Caroline asked after driving for a few minutes.

"Right outside of town. Elena mentioned something about a tree…Something you three used to play on as kids?" Damon questioned.

"Oh, the Partner's tree", Bonnie said with certainty.

"The Partner's tree?" Damon questioned, clearly confused by Bonnie's answer.

"Yeah, there's a pizza restaurant about twenty minutes down the road, and we all would go there with our families as kids. The tree was right across the street, so our parents would let us climb it while they talked", Caroline explained.

"But why's it called the Partner's tree?"

"The restaurant was named Partner's Pizza, genius. It went out of business a few years back and they replaced it with a house, I think. So that's probably where it is", Bonnie explained. The trio fell back into uneasy silence—not quite sure of what they were about to face.

"We should have brought Ric along", Caroline concluded.

"What? You don't think we can kick Katherine's ass together?" Damon asked, raising his eyebrows for effect. He wanted to think positively, but the truth was, he didn't think they'd be able to defeat Katherine. Stefan would be too busy trying to get Elena out, Bonnie would be off giving Katherine a headache, and Caroline would probably stop fighting because she chipped a nail—or something along those lines. To put it bluntly, Damon was pretty sure that the only person he could count on to take out Katherine was himself.

As the car turned the corner towards the old pizza joint, Damon looked for the house that they had been trapped in. They passed by the now-dead "partner's tree", and kept driving before Damon yelled at Caroline to stop. He quickly got out of the car, followed by Bonnie and Caroline.

"That's impossible. It was here, I know it was", Damon was mumbling to himself, a look of confusion painted across his face.

"Damon, what's wrong?" Caroline asked, concerned at his sudden expression.

"The house. It's gone."

"What do you mean its gone?" Bonnie asked, flabbergasted.

Damon was in complete shock—and that was weird for him. He wasn't surprised by anything anymore, but this threw him for a loop. But as he looked back at the empty field that had held the house less than three hours before, he was completely confused.

"I mean, the house was right here. And now it's gone."

He sped to the edge of the forest and yelled for Stefan, but to no avail. He turned back and was faced with the confused and worried faces of Bonnie and Caroline. But he didn't care—the only thing that mattered was his brother and Elena. But the house was gone. Stefan was gone. And any chance at saving Elena was pretty much gone.


So, anyone completely confused? If so, that's okay :) I'm going to explain everything in the next few chapters, and then everyone will be on the same base! But anyhow, I want your feedback! Was everyone in character? Feedback is love, people, so read and review!

-kiki :)

btw: Who thought that last night's episode was epic? Here's my opinion of the story, characters, etc:

1. Nina Dobrev is amazing. Her breakdown (which I've been waiting for for TWO SEASONS!) was heart-wrenching, and so much better than that stupid Bella girl's. Don't get me wrong, I'm a fan of Twilight, but I think Bella's an idiot. End of story.
2. Poor Jenna :( finally let in on the big family secret and BOOM! sucks to be her :(
3. Greta is a total bitch. Her family searches for her for years, and she doesn't even give a damn? Bitch move. And the whole amazement and my favorite creeper line EVER on this show: "No. She's in transition." TOTALLY. SICK.
4. Damon was a jackass. Sure, I see where he's coming from: not wanting Elena to die and all. But still, that was HER decision, and he took it away. He totally deserved that werewolf bite. But her doesn't deserve to die, he's too awesome to die (but he doesn't deserve Elena at all for that "dick-move"-as he would've put it)
5. Where the hell are Bonnie and Jeremy? They've been MIA for the past two episodes. Are they shacking it up in the old Gilbert mansion?