Sorry it's been a while, readers. Also, you can now find me on Archive of Our Own under the username CosmicLove261. I don't have any new stories posted there right now, but a few of mine that are on this site are on there as well.

Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries or anything associated with it. I do not own any quotes used or modified in this story.


i can swear i feel the beating of a cold, cold heart

'She speaks in a voice almost too low to be heard over the music. But I hear her – I always did. "'Who are you, George?"

"Someone you knew in another life, honey."'

Stephen King, 11/22/63


Jeremy blinked awake and sighed heavily, instinctually knowing that he'd slept long and deep the night before. His left arm automatically reached out to feel for Stephanie, but the small vampire wasn't there and he remembered why; she'd gotten a ride with Damon and Jeremy had taken Bonnie home.

Tired of lying idly and knowing that he had to get up for school, Jeremy shoved the thick comforter off of his body and swung his legs over the side of the bed, stretching his arms up towards the ceiling. He hopped up and danced around his desk to avoid stubbing his toe and got dressed quickly.

Jeremy walked across the hall and banged on Elena's door, calling out to her, "Yo, 'Lena, get up." Frowning when she didn't answer, he walked back over to her door and pushed it open gently. The bed was made and there was no indication that his sister had slept in it at all, let alone been in her room since the previous day. Suspicious, Jeremy left the door open as he walked to the bathroom.

"Probably slept over with Damon," Jeremy muttered quietly.


Caroline sat in front of her mirror and she put the finalized touches on her hair, babbling quickly at Damon who stood leaning on her door jam.

"So Sarah attacks Tyler and he pushed her away and she tripped and hit her head on the hard wood floor," Caroline explained and turned around to face Damon.

The vampire in questions raised one of his eyebrows, "And does Matt remember anything?"

"Eh," Caroline said standing and turning her mirror again, fussing with her hair, "He thinks he blacked out, which is for the best. Do you want to know what I think, though? I think that both Sarah and Matt were compelled by Katherine." She walked away from the mirror and slipped over to her bedside and trifled through her things, worrying her lip before picking up the lipstick tube she wanted. "That's why I covered for Tyler last night."

Damon shook his head and raised his eyebrows incredulously at the blond vampire, "I don't understand that; the guy's a tool."

"Duh," Caroline said, applying the lipstick carefully, "Tyler getting blamed for Sarah's death raised questions that the boy can't answer. Do you really thing that it's a good idea for him to tell his mom that he's a werewolf?" She put the lipstick tube down and flittered over to her closet and frowned.

She reached out and grabbed a pair of pretty brown boots and set to slipping them on her feet.

"Well, no," Damon said, cocking his head.

"And that Werewolf Road, it leads straight to Vampire Boulevard," Caroline continued on, "I thought I was thinking fast on my feet." She straightened up and pulled a jacket off of her coat wrap that hung on her closet door.

"Where's your mom?" Damon asked frowning.

"Leading the search for Amy Bradley with her deputies and stuff," Caroline said distractedly, "Hey, why isn't Stephanie here this morning? Usually she's the one who I talk to about this stuff."

Damon wiggled his eyebrows, "Am I not good company for you? I've been told I'm amazing at giving clothes advice."

"Who told you that? Steph? She's lying," Caroline muttered.

Damon furrowed his brow suddenly and he shifted his weight on his feet, "Wait a minute. Did you see Tyler's eyes turn yellow?"

Caroline frowned in speculation, "Actually, they were more of a pretty amber-ish hue."

Damon groaned, "Ugh."

"Can he turn into a wolf now?" Caroline asked as her chattering slowing down for a minute.

"Only on the full moon," Damon said, "I wonder how much Mason told him," Then he asked idly, "Does he know about us? Hey – what'd you tell him?"

"Nothing," Caroline said defensively as she reached into her pocket and pulled out her cell phone. Her eyes shifted nervously and Damon watched the girl carefully. "Really," Caroline continued as she put her phone back and started to gather her school things, "I don't think he knows much of anything. He seemed really freaked out, and honestly, I felt kind of bad for him." She put her bag onto her shoulder, hiking it up and brushed passed Damon's slouching form.

"He must know something," Damon called after her.

"I'll ask him," Caroline said in a tone that insisted it was useless. Damon ghosted in front of her and gripped the blonde's shirtfront.

"No, you won't, Caroline," Damon said firmly in a nearly growling tone, "He cannot know about us. A werewolf bite can kill a vampire; you can't be his friend, do you understand me?"

"I understand," Caroline said, voice breaking, "I'm late for school."

"Right," Damon let go of her shirt and patted her shoulder in a stiff and awkward motion, "If you want to crack a hint to your mom on the search, Amy Bradley's in the bottom of the creek with a broken neck." He stepped back and opened the door for Caroline, "It'd save your mom some time"

Caroline left quickly and Damon followed after the girl.


Stephanie woke up that morning on the couch and immediately knew that she was running late. She jumped up and quickly dressed and ran to school, bumping into Jeremy at her locker.

"Oh, hey," She smiled a little, wary of where they stood with their relationship at the moment.

"Hey, Steph," Jeremy beamed at her and leant down and gave her a small but lingering kiss that made Steph give a half smile.

She turned to her locker and opened it quickly, shoving some of her books in there while she listened to Jeremy talk.

"Hey, you know it's cool with Jenna with Elena stays over at your house with Damon, but they have to let her know," He said teasingly.

Stephanie paused and her brows furrowed into her forehead. She turned around and slowly and said, "What are you talking about, Jere? Elena wasn't at our house last night, as far as I know. Elena and Damon were together so I came home by myself and then a bit later Damon popped in and went to his bedroom."

Jeremy folded his arms across his chest and he looked at Stephanie, confused, "Her bed wasn't slept in last night, Steph, and Mrs. Lockwood said her car was still parked in the driveway."

"Where is she, then?" Stephanie asked a fear flooded her chest, "I'm going to call Damon." She jabbed her hand into her bag and quickly dragged her phone out and dialed her brother's number. It rang for only a few second before the older vampire's drawling voice answered.

"What is it, Steph?"

"Is Elena with you?" Stephanie asked warily, fingers gripping the phone tightly. Jeremy stood next to her, clearly anxious.

"No," Damon's voice was chilly, "She decided that she needed some time to feel safe. Needed time to herself."

"So, you didn't sleep with her last night?" Stephanie made sure, "You didn't see her again after the party?"

"I just said that, Steph," Damon enunciated slowly and then sharply asked, "Why?"

After exchanging a brief look with Damon, Stephanie said, "She's missing. Meet us in the school parking lot."

"Right." He hung up the phone and Stephanie did likewise. She grabbed Jeremy's hand and nearly dragged him out to the guest parking lot out front, and was relieved to see Damon's lean form already there and waiting.

In lieu of an actual greeting, Stephanie said, "This has Katherine written all over it, Damon."

Damon rolled his eyes, "She's in the tomb; trust me, I'm the one that put her in there last night."

"Is she?" Stephanie burst out impulsively.

"Of course she is, Stephanie," Damon said scathingly and he glared.

"Right, sorry," Steph muttered and she folded her arms and paced a bit in front of her boyfriend and her brother.

"But she did say something to me right before I shut her in," Damon admitted a moment later, quietly as he leant against the hood of a car.

Stephanie spun around and Jeremy straightened up, all ears. "Well?" Jeremy asked.

"What did she say?" Stephanie asked immediately.

"I thought she was lying," Damon muttered to himself.

"What did she say?" Steph demanded more urgently.

"Elena's in danger," Damon said quietly, his icy blue eyes meeting Steph's. Jeremy threw his hands up into the air and spun around, glaring at Damon.

"And you didn't think to ask her about it? Elaborate a little? Anything?" Jeremy asked incredulously with his anger nearly palpable.

"Cool it, Lassie," Damon spat, "Everything Katherine says is a lie, how was I supposed to know that she was telling the truth for once in her ungodly long life?"

Jeremy turned to Steph, "We have to go talk to her."

"No, no, no," Damon said, diving in between them, "I'm going to tell you how that's going to go; we're gonna go ask her for help, and she'll negotiate a truce and then she'll get out."

"I really don't care," Jeremy argued, "Come on, Stef."

"It's a bad idea," Damon warned.

"It's my sister!" Jeremy roared.

"Calm down," Stephanie put a hand on Jeremy and Damon's arms each, "I have an idea."


Caroline walked towards Steph's locker, hoping that her friend would be there still. Her boots clicked on the linoleum floor, but the noise was lost in the din of the hallway. She bumped into Tyler, the last person she really wanted to see that morning after her chat with Damon.

"Hey," He said, his face drawn.

"Hi," Caroline gave a little nervous wave, "How are you?"

"Not good," Tyler said, shoving his hands into his jeans pockets roughly, "Listen-"

Caroline plowed over him, "How's Mrs. Lockwood? My mom said she wasn't really dealing, what with there having been a dead girl in . . . your . . . house. Wow, that was super insensitive and I thought I'd gotten over that a while ago. Sorry."

"How did you know?" Tyler cut in, not appearing to have heard Caroline's babble.

"About what?" Caroline asked nervously, trying her best not to wring her hands.

"About me," Tyler said flatly, "How did you know?"

"That you were upset?" Caroline did her best to sound confused, "I thought I was doing the right thing by covering for you." She made a show about looking around her for eavesdropping students.

"That's not what I'm talking about," Tyler said vehemently.

"It was an accident," Caroline told him softly, "And I've got to run. Please don't blame yourself." She turned away from Tyler and quickly walked down the hall way, trying not to look back at the boy behind her.


"How does this work?" Jeremy asked as he laid out a map of Virginia. Stephanie was at his side laying out a map of the entire U.S while Bonnie lit her necessary candles.

The witch explained, "I need blood to tie the tracking spell to Elena, blood of someone biologically related to her; you two are cousins."

The door opened and shut quickly, and Damon walked in carried a duffle, "Rick said we need to clear out of this room in ten minutes tops. These are some weapons he's loaning me."

"You mean you took them without asking," Stephanie muttered, but shot Damon a quick grin.

"You ready?" Bonnie asked Jeremy as she held up a small dagger.

Jeremy swallowed thickly, "As I'll ever be." Bonnie cut Jeremy's palm and the boy winced as he took his hand back and let the blood drip over the map of Virginia. Bonnie closed her eyes and her lips moved almost silently as she chanted a quiet spell.

Stephanie eyed Jeremy's bloody hand for a moment, and then her green eyes swept up to Jeremy's face. Damon came to stand on her left side, arms folded nonchalantly across his chest.

The blood on the map congealed in a small circle and traveled down the paper and stopped over a secluded area of the map.

"That covers over three hundred miles," Jeremy said as frustration built in him.

"Can't you get a more exact location?" Damon demanded.

"No," Bonnie said sharply, and then more softly, "No, that's as close as I can get it."

"We can map it; aerial view," Jeremy brainstormed, "It'll show us what's around there."

"Perfect," Stephanie said, "Call me with whatever information that you find, Jere." She rose and quickly walked to the door, zipping up her sweatshirt. Damon was already ahead of her, leaving the classroom with the duffle of Alaric's weapons.

"No, no," Jeremy said, "I'm going to come with you."

Stephanie turned around and firmly looked up at her boyfriend, "No, Jeremy, you're not."

"I'm not going to just sit here and let you go into a dangerous situation," Jeremy protested, "And what if Elena's hurt? Or, what if she's . . ." Jeremy grabbed Stephanie's shoulders.

"She's not," Stephanie snapped, "And what do you mean, 'let me'? I'm perfectly capable of holding my own, and Damon's got my back. Go home and call me if you find out anything new." She shrugged out of Jere's hold and deftly left the room.

"That wasn't smart," Bonnie remarked wryly.

"What wasn't?" Jeremy sighed angrily and turned around to look at the girl.

"Never tell your girlfriend you're not letting them do something; especially one that's stronger than you," Bonnie said.


Stephanie's phone beeped sharply, causing the vampire to pull it out of her jeans pocket. Caroline's name flashed on the screen, warning her of a text. Damon glanced at her at the driving wheel.

"Who is it?"

"Caroline," Stephanie said as she opened the text. PROBABLY DID SOMETHING I SHOULDN'T HAVE. WHERE ARE YOU? NEED TO TALK ABOUT TYLER.

"What did Barbie want?" Damon as nonchalantly.

"Nothing," Stephanie said, concern for her friend rising in her gut, "She just wondered where Elena and I were." She quickly texted the other girl back and told her they'd talk in a bit.

Steph pulled the duffle bag from the back seat to distract Damon and pulled out the first things she saw. "Alaric certainly likes his toys. What is this thing?"

Damon's icy blue eyes flashed to it before settling back on the road. "Oh, just a Vervain bomb/grenade launcher or something. Nifty, huh?"

"Weird's more like it," Stephanie muttered and carefully placed the weapon back into the bag, "Hey, how much further is it?"

"80 miles," Damon drawled.

"Why do you think that whoever took Elena chose Tucker?" Stephanie asked idly, her eyes watching the scenery out her window. The duffle of weapons sat still in her lap.

"In Katherine's past, it says she's running from someone," Damon said, "Maybe they got the wrong girl." His tone of voice was offhand, but Stephanie watched as her brother's pale and deft fingers tightened around the driving wheel.

Stephanie's phone rang and she looked at the cover and saw Jeremy's face. Irritated though she was, Steph picked it up, "Hello?"

"I looked up the area that was one the map," Jeremy said professionally, "And there's nothing around there for miles except for this one big house."

"Send me a picture?"

"Sure," Jeremy said quickly.

"Thanks Jere," Stephanie said, voice softening.

"No problem."


Jeremy hung up and sighed, looking at the ceiling of his bedroom. Bonnie fluttered around and pulled out a grimoire from her bag.

"I hate sitting here, waiting, like this," Jeremy said.

"I have another idea that might help," Bonnie suggested with a hopeful look on her face. Jeremy nodded and Bonnie brought her grimoire over to the bed and they opened it together. Jeremy could smell Bonnie's perfume and couldn't help but smile a bit at the flowery scent.

Bonnie gave him a quick grin and said, "I need a candle and for you to give me Elena's hairbrush."

"Sure, of course," Jeremy hopped up, eager to keep away from temptation and to find a way to help Elena. He grabbed her hairbrush and candle out of Elena's bedroom and quickly brought them to Bonnie. He looked down and saw that the witch had written a quick note addressed to Elena, and he frowned.

"What are you going to do?" Jeremy asked curiously.

"I know it's crazy, but I might be able to get her a message," Bonnie swiftly replied. She crumped up the message and focused on the lit candle and the hairbrush. Her eyes closed and she said a silent spell and the paper ball slowly burnt up.

Jeremy's eyes widened in shock and fear as Bonnie became to tremble and her nose bled.

"Bonnie," Jeremy started, "Bonnie!"

The message disappeared and Bonnie slumped over onto the bed, passing clean out.

"Bonnie!"

"Getting close," Stephanie said, "Jeremy told me there was an access road just off this bend here."

"Great," Damon said and reached a hand back and pulled a bag blood from a backpack. Stephanie's eyes followed it.

"Have any more?"

"Of course, dear sister of mine," Damon said smirking and he pointed a thumb at a black backpack in the seat behind them. Steph turned around and grabbed one, breaking it open and drinking it. "Hey, since we're road trip bonding and drinking blood, remember the days when all you lived for was the stuff? You were the gal who ripped people apart for fun."

Stephanie rolled her eyes at the barb and ignored the stab of pain it wrought, "Oh yes, the days where I was a vicious monster who had flipped the switch?"

"Well, I was thinking when you were a bit more like me," Damon drawled.

"I control it now," Steph said defensively, "I just drink animal blood too, to help that happen."

"Uh huh, but wouldn't it be awesome if you didn't have to drain poor Bambi and Thumper every once in a while?" Damon asked.

Stephanie rolled her eyes again, "Yes, but it's just better for us all if I keep everything balanced."

"Okay, okay," Damon raised his hands in fake surrender, "Whatever works for you. But I'm always available if you want some help as to not to have to drink forest mammals." Stephanie and Damon pulled up in the latter's blue mustang to a large mansion-like home, with a sprawling green yard. Weeds were overgrown and what looked to have been a garden was now a jungle.

"Nice place," Damon drawled but his eyes were sharply sweeping the layout, "Ready?"

"Been ready," Stephanie replied. She slipped out of the car with the weapons bag, followed by Damon.

Stephanie was ahead of him, and he frowned, "Wait a minute. I've done this sort of thing before, you know."

"Yes?" Steph asked impatiently, "Your girlfriend might be being tortured in there, hurry it up, Damon."

"My point is that whoever has Elena in there," Damon gritted his teeth, "Most likely was whoever has been tracking Katherine down."

"And?" Stephanie asked with one eyebrow raised and one hand on her hip.

"It puts him at least 500 years old and very strong," Damon said, "and I want you to be careful."

Stephanie rolled her eyes and spun around, muttering to herself. Damon caught the words "men," "brothers," and "boyfriends." None of it was complementary.


Elena paced nervously in the mansion, thrumming with nervous energy. The crumpled up note that Bonnie had sent her – the one that promised Steph and Damon were on the way – was in her fist that she'd tucked underneath her chin.

She heard footsteps, and expecting Rose and Trevor again, was surprised and a bit fearful when it was Rose and another man she'd never seen before. Elijah, no doubt.

He looked at her from his vantage point and then sped down to face her directly. The vampire's face ghosted towards her own and for a terrifying moment Elena thought he was going to kiss her. But he passed her mouth and inhaled the scent of her neck, making Elena freeze up.

Elijah slowly lifted his head and seemingly to no one at all, announced, "Human. It's impossible." He met Elena's eyes for the first time and ignored her trembling. Elijah greeted her, "Hello, there."

Elena swallowed thickly.

"Well, we have a long journey ahead of us," Elijah announced a moment later when it appeared Elena would be saying nothing, "We should be heading out."

Elena spoke for the first time and looked over the Original's shoulder at Rose, "Please," She said, hating the way her voice trembled, "Please don't let him take me." The other vampire just looked down.

"I have one more piece of business," Elijah said suddenly, "And then we're done." He turned and slowly walked over to Rose and Trevor's still forms as they stood stiffly. Elena watched as Trevor murmured several words of apologies to Elijah, begging for his forgiveness.

It didn't help him.

Elena shielded her eyes as Elijah beheaded the vampire that had kidnapped her, and when the Original came towards her, spluttered out, "What about the moonstone?" Rose's sobs were loud in the suddenly quiet room.

Elijah stilled. "What do you know about the moonstone?"

"I know that you need it, and where it is," Elena stuttered.

"Yes?"

"I can help you get it," Elena said, her voice strengthening.

"Tell me where it is," Elijah said easily.

"It doesn't work that way," Elena said defiantly, her brown eyes flashing. She stilled her trembling and watched Elijah carefully.

"Are you negotiating with me?" Elijah asked her, but turned to look questioningly at Rose. The other vampire's eyes were red and puffy, and her voice was rough when she answered.

"It's the first I've heard of it," Rose told the Original.

Elijah turned back to her and his eyes searched Elena's form, and he spied Elena's necklace. It felt as if it was burning with all of the intensity and weight of Elijah's stare.

"What is this Vervain doing on you?" He asked, and for the first time, his cordial tone turned scathing. He ripped it off and Elena gasped. Elijah gripped the back of her head and brought her towards him, but Elena still struggled in his grasp. She felt it when he compelled her. "Where is the moonstone?"

"In the tomb underneath the church ruins," Elena droned.

"What is it doing there?"

"It's with Katherine."

Shattering glass broke his hold over Elena and the girl stumbled back a step. Rose and the Original swept their gazes upwards.

"What was that?" Elijah asked in a warning tone.

"I don't know," Rose answered.

"Who else is in this house?" Elijah demanded.

"I don't know," Rose insisted and Elijah gripped Elena's arm and dragged her out of the room. She stumbled on her feet and prayed that it was Damon and Stephanie that were there to rescue her, though she almost wished that they hadn't come; then they'd have a chance to survive, because surely this Elijah would kill them.

Elijah dragged Elena up the stairs of the room they'd been staying in and into the foyer where there were a couple more doors and another staircase. Elena's eyes swept the area as Rose followed them and she saw a broken glass vase. Something ghosted passed her and the two vampires with Elena were immediately on guard.

Elena broke out of Elijah's loose hold and stumbled closer to Rose's side, where she felt slightly safer.

"Rose," Elijah half asked, half commanded.

"I don't know who it is," She said again.

Another figure ghosted passed.

"Up here," A familiar feminine voice called from up the stairs and hope filled Elena. Elijah ghosted up there just in time for a masculine voice to say, "Down here."

The second voice warmed Elena's stuttering heart.

Something whizzed by and pierced Elijah's hand, and Elena was swept away from the foyer. She blinked her eyes and saw Stephanie's petite form in front of her, putting a finger to her lips for silence. Elena heard Damon's voice again, calling out to Elijah.

"Excuse me, To Whom It May Concern," Elijah boomed back, "You're making a huge mistake in thinking that you can beat me. You can't. You can't. You hear that? I repeat you cannot beat me. I want the girl," The sound of wood splintering reached Elena's ears, "on the count of three, or heads will roll. Do we understand each other?"

Stephanie whispered the plan into Elena's ear swiftly and watched as her human friend walked away from her to distract the vampire out in the foyer. It rebelled against her instincts, but Stephanie stayed put.

"Don't hurt my friend, they're just trying to help me out," Stephanie heard Elena say, and then the sound of a grenade going off and the older vampire's screaming.

Stephanie burst out of her corner with a sawed off shot gun and shot the wooden bullets at the mystery vampire in several short bursts. She saw his eyes widen a little as he watched her, and his head cocked to the side briefly.

He kept coming though, and so Stephanie tackled him down the stairs; they rolled head over heels until they reached the bottom. The vampire pinned Stephanie and whispered into her ear.

"Does Klaus know that you're here?"

The words puzzled her, but Stephanie bucked the man off, chills having settled into her bones at the position. The vampire's face wavered for a moment, and her heart froze when it morphed into Fredrick. She went limp until Damon roared and threw him off of Stephanie and jammed a wooden coat rack into his heart.

Stephanie watched as the vampire – Elijah – stilled and desiccated, and hared in the background Elena tell Damon to let Rose go, and then she heard the couple reunite together. Steph didn't take her eyes off of Elijah though, even though he was most certainly dead now.

"Does Klaus know that you're here?" She mouthed to herself silently and wondered who the man could possibly be – that this Elijah knew and apparently she did as well.


After Elena and Damon were done reuniting (read: making out) Steph and Damon drove Elena to her home, where she planned on spending some time with Jeremy.

The Salvatore siblings walked Elena up to her door, where Jeremy was seeing Bonnie out. Steph's eyes caught the gentle look of fondness Bonnie gave Jere, and the easy smile he gave in return. Stephanie cocked her head at the new development and tried to beat back the twinges of jealousy that started to itch at her heart.

"I'll drive you home," Jeremy began.

"Nah, Elena wants to spend some time with her little brother," Damon cut in sharply, "You wouldn't want her to be disappointed, now, would you? We'll take Bonnie home."

Jeremy nodded with confusion evident is his eyes, but spared Stephanie a quick hug before he and Elena went into the house. Damon and Steph rode in silence with Bonnie as they dropped the witch off at her house, and then they drove to the Boarding House.

Once there, Damon poured them both some drinks.

"Looks like Lassie's gone to find a new Timmy to rescue from all those wells," Damon said, lifting the bourbon to his mouth and his icy eyes wandered the ceiling.

"I'm sure it wasn't like that," Stephanie corrected him sharper than she meant to.

"Of course it's not," Damon said with a wry smile.

"Did Elena fill you in on everything they said at the place in Tucker?" Stephanie changed the subject, "What Rose told her about the curse?"

"I know," Damon assured her, "And we'll protect Elena."

Stephanie nodded and took a long swig from her own glass of bourbon. Damon set his glass down and gave her a two fingered salute. "I'm off to visit Elena. Night."

Steph watched him go and remembered the text from Caroline, and told herself she'd talk to the other girl the next morning. Something ghosted passed her, and Stephanie froze for a moment, and then grabbed a stake.

"Whose there?" Stephanie called out.

Rose appeared from the shadows, "Lexi once told me you were one of the good ones."

"You know Lexi?" Steph asked warily, "You wouldn't mind if I called her up then, to see."

"Trevor was my best friend," Rose said instead, ignoring Steph's last sentence, "For five hundred years I have lived with him on the run. And now he's gone. And I don't want to run anymore because I don't have anywhere to run to or anyone to run with."

"I'm sorry, but I can't help you," Stephanie said stiffly.

"I don't need your help," Rose corrected bluntly, "But I think you need mine. Elijah may be dead, but it isn't over."

"What do you mean, it isn't over?" Stephanie asked harshly.

"It isn't over. The Originals; they'll come for her. They're doing it for him," Rose said slowly.

"For who?" Stephanie asked, gripping her stake tighter.

"Klaus."

Does Klaus know that you're here?

The question rang over and over in Stephanie's ears.


Damon and Elena went back over to the Boarding House in the morning in response to a message on both of their phones from Steph, who sounded very distressed. They hurried, and forewent the process of waking up and bringing Jeremy.

"I don't like him in the thick of danger, anyway," Elena had said.

"I think Lassie's about to two-time my sister," Damon had replied.

So they'd left Jeremy asleep in his bed and the couple had run over to the Boarding House to find Stephanie in the foyer, waiting for them.

"What's happened?" Elena asked quickly, "Is something else wrong?"

"Just her," Stephanie said and confused, Elena and Damon exchanged glances.

"Who?" Damon asked, but then Rose appeared from the next room over to stand in slightly behind Stephanie.

"You," Damon growled.

"You," Elena said.

"Me," Rose nodded.


"Okay, you have to understand, I only know what I've picked up over the years," Rose explained to them all, "And I don't know what's true and what's not true. But Klaus, I know is real."

"Who is he?" Elena asked as she folded her arms across her stomach. She sat on the couch by herself, Damon perched on the arm, and Stephanie sat tensely in the armchair while Rose stood up and paced.

"One of the Originals; which is the first generation of vampires," Rose told her.

"So, he's like . . . Elijah?" Elena guessed.

"No," Rose said flatly, "Elijah's like the Easter Bunny compared to Klaus. Klaus is more like the devil. Elijah's a pawn," Rose elaborated, "Klaus is known as The Oldest."

"Okay, so, you're saying the oldest vampire in the history of time is coming after me?" Elena asked flatly, "Just to clarify, you know."

"What she's saying, 'Lena, is that we're looking at a solid maybe," Damon said, rising to stand next to Rose, "Look, Elijah's dead, so you know what? No one even knows that you're here that could run off and tell this Klaus," Damon continued, "And we don't even know that he's real – he might just be a bedtime story."

"He's real," Rose said sharply.

"Elijah seemed to think that I knew him."

Three heads turned to Stephanie and she realized a bit late that she'd said that aloud.

"What?" Damon asked, "What do you mean?"

Steph swallowed and said more firmly, "When he had me pinned, Elijah asked me, quote, 'Does Klaus know that you are here?' unquote, and then you killed him."

Damon's eyebrows rose and Rose's jaw dropped.

"Do you? Know him?" Rose demanded.

"Of course she doesn't know him," Damon said immediately, "How could Stephanie know him." He turned to Steph and said, "You can't know Klaus."

"I don't," Stephanie assured him, "I had no idea who Elijah was talking about."

"See?" Damon asked, though Rose didn't look convinced.

"In any case, Klaus doesn't give up," Rose continued, "If he wants something, he gets it, end of story. If you're not afraid of Klaus, you're an idiot."

"Alright, you made your point," Damon waved her off, "We're shaking in our boots."

Elena stood and started out of the living room.

"Where are you going?" Damon called after her.

"School," Elena told him, "I don't want to be late."

"I'll drive you," Damon offered.

"That's okay, I know where it is," Elena told him and left quickly. The three vampires were left in the living room.

"She's in denial," Damon said to no one in particular, "In. Denial. That's where Elena is."


Jeremy looked at his phone and frowned when he noticed there weren't any replies back from Stephanie, and nearly walked right passed Bonnie in the parking lot. He heard her exclaim in surprise and he turned around to see her stuff spilled all over the ground.

She's beautiful today.

The thought was sudden and unwanted, but Jeremy went over smiling anyway to help.

"Hey," He greeted.

"Hi Jeremy," Bonnie smiled at him, laughing at her own clumsiness.

They talked quietly for a minute, and Jeremy opened his mouth and a question spilled out without his own consent, "Hey, I'm having some serious trouble with my Economics, and I know that you're pretty good at it, having passed the class with flying colors last year. Mind helping me after school?"

Bonnie looked at him carefully. "Why not ask Stephanie?"

"She's pretty good with most things, but Econ is not her strong suit," Jeremy said laughingly.

"Okay then," Bonnie agreed.

A boy walked passed then, giving Jeremy time to think about what he'd just done.

I'm kind of an idiot, Jeremy thought to himself. Why am I doing this?

But he didn't cancel the study session either and end up showing the new kid – Luca – to the main office as a favor to him and Bonnie.


After Steph got a text from Barbie, Damon cornered Rose in the living room.

"Alright, Rosebud, it's time for some answers," Damon announced cheerily as he bounced over to her side. He could smell the extra saltiness in the room and sighed, "Don't tell me you're still crying over your buddy, Trevor. Decapitation: it's a natural part of life for vampires."

"Are you always this sensitive?" Rose asked wryly as she wiped her face with a tissue.

"It's called The Switch. Use it," Damon said dryly, "It's what its' there for."

"Like you're using yours?" Rose asked him, raising an eyebrow, "You're obviously in love with the doppelgänger."

"Yeah, yeah," Damon waved a hand, "Don't get on my bad side."

"It seems to me that the one ones on your good side are your sister and you lover," Rose observed, "And I'm neither, I guess I really have no place to be except on your bad side."

"How do I find Klaus?" Damon demanded, flashing up to Rose's front.

"First of all, you don't find Klaus, he finds you," Rose said.

"Oh, come on," Damon rolled his eyes, "Somebody's got to know somebody that knows him, right?"

"Add two hundred somebody's to that, and you're still not even close, though I do think that your sister's had a run in with him," Rose said firmly.

"We're not on to that again, are we?" Damon complained, "Everyone knows of Klaus, but I'm certain that Steph doesn't know intimately know the guy."

"How do you know?" Rose asked sharply.

"Because she said she didn't," Damon countered.

"She could be lying," Rose told him.

"Stephanie doesn't lie to me about stuff that big," Damon said, the false cheer he'd expressed waning away, "and I can tell when she is lying. She doesn't remember meeting the guy."

Rose huffed, but her suspicious expression remained, though she said nothing more on the matter.

"So, how did you get into touch with Elijah?" Damon asked, "If you can reach Elijah, certainly you can reach Klaus."

"It was through a friend of mine who is very low on the totem pole," Rose said flatly, "A guy named Slater, in Richmond."

"What are we waiting for? Let's go!" Damon said, "Hop to it."

"Not all of us do the sun," Rose wiggled her fingers and pointed at Damon's ring.

"Not a problem, I have a car," Damon smirked.


Stephanie met Caroline at the Grill as the blond had requested, and they procured a table that seated two.

"I might have done something," Caroline said quietly.

"What did you do?" Stephanie asked, concerned.

"I may have told Tyler that I'm a vampire," Caroline murmured. Stephanie sighed with frustration and stared at Caroline.

"Why?" She finally asked.

"Sorry I dragged you here," Caroline said instead, "I have to eat; if I don't, I get these super bad urges to kill people. Tyler totally has those too, you know." She scooped up a forkful of food and stuffed into her mouth.

"What else did you say to him?" Stephanie asked carefully.

"Not much," Caroline said after swallowing, "I tried to keep the questions to a minimum, you know?"

Steph sat back and sighed.

"Are you mad?" Caroline asked a minute later with a concerned frown on her forehead.

"Yes, Caroline," Stephanie said, irritation plain in her voice, "As a matter of fact, I am, a little bit. You put yourself at risk and if Damon finds out-"

"But you're not going to tell him, are you?" Caroline asked as a pang of real fear hit her.

"Of course not," Stephanie said quickly, "He'd . . . kill you."

Caroline smiled smugly, "Always looking out for me. Where is Damon, by the way?"

Steph felt a smile worm its way onto her own face and a dimple appeared on her cheek, "Yeah. You don't always make it easy on me, either. And he's with Rose. They were discussing Klaus – have you heard about Klaus, yet? – and then they went on a bit of a field trip to visit a friend of Rose's called Slater."

"Field trips are fun," Caroline said, and then wondered idly, "Why are you such a good friend to me?"

"I don't know," Stephanie admitted, "I guess you remind me of my best friend, Lexi."

"You have other friends?" Caroline asked incredulously.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Stephanie spluttered a bit, smiling, "You say that with a discouraging amount of surprise. It's making me worry."

"No, I mean," Caroline giggled laughter, "Sorry, I just. Tell me about her."

"I will, some other time," Stephanie said, "Maybe she'll come back around sometime soon for a visit. I haven't heard from her in a bit, actually."

"So, what do I do about Tyler?" Caroline asked abruptly, "I don't want Damon to kill him, and there's a full moon coming up and Tyler's totally freaking out about it."

Stephanie opened her mouth to say something when her eyes caught a blur of movement in corner of the Grill. She paused and looked over.

It was Jeremy.

And Bonnie.

They were a table full of school books, and Steph's eyes wandered to their too close knees and hands.

"I'm sure it just looks like they're flirting," Caroline said, and Steph knew she must have spied the two of them, "They're studying, it looks like."

"Yeah. Studying," Stephanie said flatly.

"Look, there's this new guy at school named Luca, and Bonnie looks really interested," Caroline tried, "Oh, look, there he is! He's joined them."

"All that tells me is that Jeremy's crush isn't reciprocated," Steph deadpanned.

"I'm sure it's not a crush," Caroline said unconvincingly, "And that Bonnie's really just tutoring Jeremy is some subject that you're not good at. Otherwise, he'd have come to you."

Steph just hummed quietly. "Where's Elena?" She changed the subject.

Caroline seemed to sweat. "Sick. She went home sick from school."

"Really?" Stephanie asked, concerned, "We should go check on her."

"No, I really think we shouldn't," Caroline said, "We should just leave her alone. You know how sick people are – they're grumpy . . . and sick."

Stephanie narrowed her eyes. "Elena's not really sick, is she?"

"Of course she is," Caroline squeaked.

"Right," Stephanie said, completely unconvinced, "So, you wouldn't mind me going over by myself then?"

"No!" Caroline nearly shouted, "Um, I mean . . ."

"I know how good you are at providing distractions on the go, Care," Stephanie said emphatically, "So I know that you're hiding something from me. Where's Elena? And is it going to piss Damon off?"

"I can't tell you the first one, but the answer to the second one is probably . . . yes," Caroline said.

"She's gone to Katherine's tomb, then," Stephanie realized.

Caroline groaned and thumped her head against the table. "Please don't go get her. She'll think I told you."

"You could come and say that you didn't tell me," Stephanie offered as she got up from the table and left a twenty on the table.

Caroline groaned.


Later

"I'll be the safest psychotic bitch in town."

Katherine's voice seemed to taunt Stephanie as she first dropped Caroline off, and then Elena. It rang in her head all the way back to the Boarding House where Damon and Rose were by themselves.

"You need to go over to Elena's," Stephanie said loudly to her brother. He looked up from his place sitting next to Rose to stare in inquisitively at her.

"What happened?" He asked.

"She went down and talked to Katherine in the tomb. She found out some . . . unsettling news. She needs you," Stephanie said quietly and Damon cursed.

"Rose can fill you in on our adventures for today," Damon said to Steph and then he flashed out of the room in a blur.

Stephanie and Rose were left in the living room together, until the latter woman's phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Rose."

"Slater," Rose said, clearly relieved. Stephanie let one of her eyebrows rise in curiosity and she wondered how bad of a day they'd had.

"Sorry I split; I was freaked out."

"No, it's okay," Rose assured her friend.

"I don't any part of this, but I did do some digging," Slater said, and Stephanie heard him over the phone. She perked her hearing, intrigued.

"Yes?" Rose asked.

"You can destroy the curse. But you need the moonstone," Slater said.

"What? How?" Rose asked, frowning, and Stephanie's brows furrowed.

"Can your friend get the moonstone? Because you need it," Slater repeated. Stephanie nodded at Rose, and the older vampire assured Slater that they could get the stone. "And you need a witch. Just get the moonstone to a witch; they'll know the rest."

"Thanks, Slater," Rose said warmly and hung up the phone. She and Stephanie exchanged worried glances.

"That was sudden. And weird," Rose told Stephanie.

"We'll work it out," Stephanie said with more confidence than she felt.


Over an hour away, Elijah compelled Slater to stake himself and he spoke with Jonas about its necessity.

"I might have a problem," Elijah told Jonas a moment later, having made a decision to tell the warlock of a thought weighing on his mind.

"And what would that be, besides the obvious?" Jonas asked warily.

"Klaus' . . . lover is in Mystic Falls. And her brother is dating the doppelgänger," The Original said.

Jonas' eyebrows rose.

Elijah continued, "But she appears to have been compelled to forget their previous encounters. But if she's released of the compulsion and remembers . . ."

"Would she side with her old companion or her brother and new friend?" Jonas finished, "That is a problem."

"As long as Klaus stays out of town for a while yet, it shouldn't be a problem," Elijah mused, "But my little brother seems to have a penchant for showing up when he's not wanted, you know."


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