Thank you everybody who reviewed last chapter, I know there were some problems with fanfic allowing people to leave them, so thank you to those who kept going back to try to post one up. It's greatly appreciated!
So Caroline is dead, things are progressing. Bella changed Mason into her little hybrid side kick. That will be fun to explore, just not romantically!
Also thanks for all the support with how different things are and how the changes are. It makes me feel better, even though I already said a nice 'eff you' to those who don't like it.
Moving along to the update, I really hope you enjoy it. Thank you. And Please review!
* This chapter is sure to be a doozy.
- - - ELENA POV;
Bella has been avoiding me, since the whole Caroline situation. When I say avoiding I mean she makes sure she isn't around when I'm around. I feel bad enough as it is, with everything that has happened. Not to mention it just gets awkward now whenever I'm in a room with either Damon or even Stefan sometimes.
I feel like such a bad sister, and a bad friend. I've been pushing Bella away, doing what I think is right, and in the end all it gets me is a death or something nearly as tragic, and a bad friend because I left Caroline alone, when she needed somebody to be there with her, for her.
She was so out of her mind she thought that Bella and the others fed from her and turned her. Whatever happens after a werewolf bite, it isn't very pretty. Apparently from what I heard, she was delusional and not in her right mind. The bite never got better either, it got worse, like it spread. She felt extreme thirst too; the police found several bodies drained of blood, which explained the blood on Caroline's clothes from when she first got to her mom.
I bet in the afterlife, she hates me. I wouldn't blame her; I've been an awful lot of things lately, bad sister, bad friend, maybe even sometimes a bad girlfriend. I feel like I can't catch a break with anybody, mostly myself because when I think about it, it's my fault that things have happened. Caroline would have died a natural death if I hadn't agreed with Bonnie on giving her Damon's blood.
Then I had to go against staking Caroline, wanting her to live. After she got bitten, it wasn't like she was living at all, it was like she was waiting to die, which in the case she was. I guess in a way it was fate telling her and us, Stefan, Bonnie and I that she wasn't meant to stay alive. And I didn't even stay with her; instead I went to that stupid picnic that wasn't even all that great anyways.
Apparently she had Katherine's necklace on, at first I thought maybe she gave it to Caroline, but how is she going to give anybody anything when she's sentenced to a chair? Either way I didn't really care at the moment. I just wanted to wallow in my own self pity. I half way expected Bella to smack me in the face, but I don't even get to see her!
Caroline's mother is in the basement, Damon wants to keep her alive, says it will raise too many eye brows about anything. One thing I did hear Bella argue about was that they should have killed her too, along with Caroline. That it looked better. Damon didn't want to kill his friend though, which surprised the heck out of me. He was actually all for some human's life, this time. I think deep down inside somewhere he knows he thinks how Bella thinks, but he won't budge.
- - - GENERAL POV;
Bella stayed away from the Boarding House since Caroline's mother ended up staying until the Vervain left her system. She didn't like the idea of keeping her alive, but Damon wanted her alive, being his friend and all of that. Not to mention if she was going to stop being stubborn, she would tell you she agreed that killing Liz Forbes would look suspicious. That she didn't want to kill an innocent person unless it was needed, but Liz wasn't in the wrong, but she wouldn't admit it.
She was also staying away from Elena and Stefan. Those two were annoying the piss out of her. She couldn't believe they didn't stay home and watch over Caroline. But she had to admit, Caroline having the balls to go in the cellar and take Katherine's necklace was genious on her part. Probably the smartest thing she ever did in her life, or not the smartest since it ended her life even quicker.
Better to not suffer so much. Bella said in her mind.
At the moment she had Mason, Jeremy, and Alaric in the woods showing them the proper way of killing a vampire. She wanted Jeremy to be able to protect himself, and if he was going to know things or insist on knowing things, she was going to make sure he knew all she could teach him. She couldn't be around him to guard him 24/7, so this will insure his safety, somewhat. She was also going to make sure Mason knew how to do it, and brush up on Alaric's so called hunting skills.
"You have to be quicker then that Jeremy! And use more upper body strength; if you want to hurt them hard enough and get the stake into the heart, you have to be stronger, push harder!" Bella cried out in frustration.
They had been at it for a few hours. They were using practice dummies and her patience with Jeremy was growing thin, but she was trying to keep her cool. She had to keep reminding herself that he's only human and that he's her brother, she can't get angry at him for not being good at it.
She watched Alaric and Jeremy kick, jab, and stab numerous times. Mason held his own during the whole ordeal. He was way stronger than them, his supernatural duel abilities gave him far more advantages than the other two guys and she felt proud that he was able to do it almost perfectly every time.
Jeremy was getting tired, but he was enjoying this time with his sister, even if she was harping at him. He missed the silly things they use to do together, he missed her, period. When she left town, it crushed him. Now that she was back he hadn't had much time with her, but whatever they did do together, he cherished it. Not to mention he really wanted to be able to defend himself. He felt like this was a part of his father that he wished he got to do, but Bella was in line to do it. Learning from her was like learning from their father, he was sure his dad would be yelling out orders like Bella had been.
"Is she always this bossy?" Mason whispered to Jeremy as he took a drink from his water bottle.
Mason was enjoying having Bella away from Damon. He had only been tolerating the death glares for her benefit. It seemed like he had been doing a lot of things for her benefit lately. Taking the wooden bullets for her was a thing he didn't even have to think about. He just wanted her safe, and he just reacted on instinct. He wasn't sure if it was because she changed him into a vampire werewolf like herself, or if it was his attraction to her. Either way he was enjoying the time with her, even if he had to share her with Alaric, whom never took his eyes off Mason, and Jeremy who didn't pay attention to his surroundings as well as he should have been.
"Yeah, it used to be worse when I was little." Jeremy snickered.
"I can hear you both, now shut up. I'm not bossy I'm educating you on how to protect yourself." Bella said while glaring at them.
The glare shut them up, but didn't shut Alaric up. He couldn't help but laugh at the two younger guys. They should have been aware that she could hear, and that they would get reprimanded by her.
"Since I'm so bossy, Jeremy you have homework. You need to start working out with Alaric and get your strength up." She sighed putting her hair up in a messy bun.
Alaric gave her soft smile and a nod. He could see and feel himself growing closer to her. He felt protect of her even if she was the nonhuman in the situation, he almost felt brotherly love for her, if that made sense.
Bella's feelings for Alaric were growing as well. She felt respect for him, because he respected her and actually listened to her and didn't argue. Maybe it was his mature mentality, or the fact that he's been through a lot over the years. Either way she felt she could trust him, maybe even with her life. She felt like he was an older brother figure. She loved him with Jenna, and even though Jenna was her aunt, she thought of Jenna as an older sister as well. When Jenna would visit when she was younger, she was more like the cooler older sister who let you do things behind the mothers back and never told, even if you did steal some of her stuff to play dress up with. Alaric was a good guy in Bella's eyes, he was growing on her.
Nobody argued with her and they went back to work. Jeremy started getting the hang of it but he was far from perfect at his staking. He tended to hesitate even though it was a doll they were working on. He couldn't help but second guess himself, he kept trying to not look at Bella to see if she was nodding or shaking her head.
They called it a day and Alaric and Jeremy rode together back to the Gilbert Home then head over to the Salvatore House, while Mason and Bella stayed where they were. Bella wanted to have a small little sit down with Mason, she wanted to know him more and see if they could form some sort of a friend ship.
She knew that she changed him for insurance and backup but she didn't see anything wrong in forming a friendship with him. He was after all the closest thing she had to somebody being like her. She could feel that he was different, like she had been all her life. Also, just because he was insurance to her, didn't mean they couldn't be friends. They needed trust, and a bond, and with that meant learning each other.
"Tell me about you." She demanded climbing to sit on the hood of his Bronco.
Mason gave her a smile and leaned against the front of his car.
"I'm called the black sheep in the family for a reason. I never was like anybody in my family. I wasn't proper and stuck up, I was laid back and calm. I didn't care about what others thought of me. I just enjoyed life. My mother and father loved both my brother and I. But he was the prodigy in the family, favorited, I guess. I didn't follow the same beliefs they did. They told us about vampires and whatever, I didn't want anything to do with it. I thought they were just tales." Mason said.
Bella nodded and he went on.
"In high school I loved and breathed sports, sort of like Tyler. I knew I didn't want to stay in Mystic Falls all my life. It was boring and the founding family bullshit got on my nerves. I didn't want that life for me; I didn't want to spend my life centering it on this town. I got out as soon as I could. I accepted a college scholarship as far away from this place as soon as it was offered. Of course the life I didn't want I got. I broke the curse and turned out to be what I was, but I stayed away. I was sure my brother didn't know about it. So I dealt with it alone until I found others like myself." He told her.
She looked surprised and went to ask him a question but he shook his head.
"They move around a lot, I barely keep in touch with all of them. They have my number if they want to get in contact with me. Anyways, you know I was with Katherine, I thought she did love me, something told me not to trust her, but I pushed that away and still fell for her. She eventually told me what she was when I killed my friend." He sighed looking sad. "She told me she knew a way to make it so I didn't have to change ever again, the moonstone. I don't know everything about it but I went along with her plan anyways. So I came back to the town I ran away from, and here I am. Fate obviously wants me here." He tried to joke.
"I know what it's like, being the black sheep. I guess I've always been one, but didn't let it consume me. I knew all my life I was different, but pretended to be normal. I was super close to my dad and mom. They were my best friends, and I've always been close to Elena until recently. Bonnie was like a sister I never had, but being what I am scared her away from me and made her hate me. I always feared people finding out what I was, and that fear came true. When Bonnie shut me out, it was awful. Elena has changed since I came back. It bothers me that she's how she is. I'm only trying to keep her safe you know? But she thinks she knows everything, sometimes I wonder if I should just leave and let her deal with it alone, but leaving would make me leave Jeremy and Jenna. I couldn't ever do that. I don't think I could leave my family defenseless ever again." Bella told him looking out into the forest.
"Where did you go? When you left that is." Mason asked her.
Bella smiled a small smile at him.
"Nobody knows where I went Mason. I didn't even have a real destination in mind. I just needed to get out. I felt like I was suffocating and I felt so much anger for my sister, and so much agony that I lost the two people who really knew me. I was in Washington for most of my time away. After leaving Washington I started making my way home." She said simply not giving away too much information that made Mason wonder if she met somebody.
"Did you meet anybody?" He asked her waggling his eye brows at her.
She laughed and rolled her eyes.
"If you're asking if I hooked up with anybody, no. Even though Tyler had been with Vicki while I was gone, I wasn't over him. I couldn't make myself do it. I met people yes, but there was never anything sexual." Bella told him.
"Do you still love Tyler?" He asked not looking at her.
She sighed.
"I'll always love him. Tyler's special to me even if we aren't together. But after he made out with Matt's mom, I knew it was over with. We were working on our relationship and he did that, while I wasn't even that far away, it's unforgivable. But am I in love with him? No, I'm not, but I care for him, always will." She said nodding firmly.
"Do you love Damon?" Mason asked her this time. But he already knew she loved him, maybe even possibly was in love with him.
"Yes, what's with the love questions?" She asked.
He shrugged and she rolled her eyes again. He's counted the times she has rolled her eyes since they had been in the woods, and they were at number 26 and he was surprised she hadn't gotten a headache while doing it.
- - SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE - -
Damon listened around the house as he sat there quietly. Liz fell asleep after she ate. She would be able to go home tomorrow after he compelled her to forget everything necessary for her to forget. Stefan and Elena were in Stefan's room getting ready to leave to go to the Lockwood home. They were going to help set up for the Masquerade Ball that was being held, one of the many functions and parties that happened in Mystic Falls since forever ago.
He waited until they were at the bottom of the stairs and got their attention.
"Will you two come sit in the living room with me for a minute. It won't take long." He asked and walked off without them responding to him.
Stefan and Elena shared confused looks but went nonetheless.
Once in the living room they sat down across from Damon and waited quietly until he started.
"I just want to say that I know you both like to think that you know what's best for everybody. You think your level headed and whatever that's great, kudos for you. But you two need to both start listening to Bella when she warns you. You may not want to, but you need to. She's not trying to dictate anything; she's trying to keep you both safe, shes trying to keep all of us safe. She knows things we don't know, and we need to trust her, you two need to trust her. I think if you keep going down the road you are with her, Elena, she's going to leave again. Let her look out for you." Damon said.
Stefan and Elena were both shocked. They could believe him sticking up for her, but for him to put it all so nicely was eerie. They also couldn't believe how level headed he had been throughout the whole thing, he didn't even give his usual smirk. Nor did he act out violently, something he usually did.
They left and Damon stayed at the house, wondering about waiting for Bella to come by or at least call him so he could tell her that the horrible two had left. It annoyed him how they acted. Sure he wasn't a perfect person or vampire person. But he knew well to listen or at least use his head and see the meaning behind Bella's actions. He found it hot when she ordered him around or told him something or others' things to do. But he knew she had everybody's best interest in the right heart. He knew she wanted to protect her bratty little sister, because she loved her no matter what.
Damon was about to get a drink when there was a knock at the door.
"Can't people just stay away, for a day?" He mumbled to himself walking to the door.
Once he opened the door he wanted to throw his hands up in defeat. Jeremy Gilbert. Lovely. And the look in his eyes told Damon to shut the door in his face and just pretend he never knocked, that he would go away.
"I need to talk to you." Jeremy told Damon.
It wasn't a secret the two never really liked each other. Jeremy annoyed Damon and Jeremy didn't like Damon because he's a dick and is with his sister. Jeremy wouldn't have picked a person like Damon for his sister, hell; he wouldn't have even picked Tyler for his sister, maybe somebody more like Matt, or the nerdy safe kids who were on the chess team. The ones that would be sure to cater to his sisters every need, making it their purpose in life to make sure she had everything she needed, not giving her heartbreak.
"And I don't need to talk to you." Damon said about to shut the door in Jeremy's face, but Jeremy wasn't having it.
"Tyler Lockwood has to kill someone to activate the werewolf curse. He's not a werewolf yet." Jeremy told him as he held the door open.
"Wow. Fascinating. Not enough." Damon told him trying to shut the door again.
Jeremy grit his teeth and held the door open with most of his strength.
"But Mason Lockwood is, and he's looking for a moonstone. A special rock connected to the werewolf legend. And that's why he's here." Jeremy told him.
Damon already knew that Mason was a werewolf, well more than a werewolf. He was a new creation created by Bella herself. He was amused at Jeremy trying to tell him this. The moon stone he also had heard about, he knew Mason had wanted it, or at least he knew he was working with Katherine so she could have it, but not anymore.
"The moonstone?" Damon asked squinting his eyes at Jeremy.
"And I know where it is." Jeremy said with a look of triumph on his face.
"And you're bringing me this, why?" Damon asked him.
"Do I need a reason?" Jeremy asked sarcastically "Look I just want to help okay?" Jeremy said dropping the attitude.
"What does your sister say about this little, discovery?" Damon asked with a smirk.
Jeremy didn't answer him but just looked at Damon.
"Oh you haven't told her, have you?" Damon asked smiling.
"Elena doesn't want me getting involved in all of this." Jeremy said trying to step inside of the house.
Damon chuckled and shook his head.
"Not the sister I was talking about, we both know that. Besides you're a Gilbert and you just can't help yourself. Wow your search for life's purpose is as obvious as it is tragic." Damon said.
"Bella would let me make my own choice, and let me learn from whatever happens. So, are you going to let me in or not?" Jeremy questioned him
Damon stepped aside and let Jeremy in through the door and shut it behind them
- - LOCKWOOD MANOR - -
The whole of the Lockwood house was insane. People were everywhere doing different things to get the party set up, people gathering masks and replacing things that fell off. Other people gathering dress wear and accessories for those who didn't have a dress already picked out or a suit on hand. Costumes were in theme this year. Masquerade was some of the people's favorite party. They liked the idea of being mysterious; it gave them a sense of security and helped their confidence.
"Jenna, it was nice of you to help wrangle the volunteers." Carol Lockwood said as she checked things off on her clip board she carried around with her.
"It was no problem. Plus it's for a good cause. I've always been a sucker for the Masquerade Ball." Jenna admitted like a teen age girl smiling.
"So was Richard. It was always his favorite party of the year." Carol said to Jenna getting a slight bit emotional, speaking of her husband.
Tyler and Matt came through the threshold carrying a table, nearly dropping it in its heavy mass.
"Boys, be careful with that! It's from the 1800's." She scolded them and turned to Jenna. "Excuse me," Carol told her, trying not to be rude and walked off to berate her son and his clumsy friend.
Meanwhile Bonnie and Elena ran into each other. Things between them had been weird since Caroline died. Both felt guilty, because it was their actions that caused her to be a vampire in the first place. Bonnie felt awful because she abandoned her friend just because of what she was, even though her hand was in the pot that helped turn Caroline. Also she wasn't there for her; she could have helped her, or at least sat with her. If she had she wouldn't have died, at least not yet. And for that she will always feel guilty and awful. Elena didn't feel much different. She only hoped she could put aside her idiocy and be a better friend to those who were left, and a better sister to the only one she has. Both girls were consumed with their own guilt and were trying to deal with it their own ways.
"Hey you came." Elena said.
Bonnie gave her a small smile, and nodded her head.
"I'm here." She let out a shaky breathe.
"Still can't believe Caroline won't be here for this, I mean she loved these things." Elena whispered looking around as if to see if anybody was listening.
"We weren't there for her. We can't keep going on like we know everything. I feel awful for how I treated her and Bells. Now looked what happened. The very thing I had hated is what she turned into because I insisted the blood be given to her." Bonnie whispered.
Elena hugged Bonnie tightly and nodded tears in her eyes.
"I think this is our wakeup call, Bons. Our foolishness caused a death, a death of our very own friend since diapers. We need to put more trust in Bells, we need to act responsibly and take up for our actions. If not, we may not only die, we may just be stuck alone with nobody. And I for one do not want to be alone, all because I was too childish to see the obvious. I'm pushing my sister away." Elena whispered with tears running down her face stepping back to look at Bonnie.
Bonnie nodded and whipped her face trying to smile.
"Let's do this for Caroline. Hopefully where ever she is, she's forgiven us. Hopefully Bells can forgive us." Bonnie said agreeing.
Both girls held their arms together and walked together into the house. They would figure it out, they always did, and this time they were determined to fix things and make it right. Not for the sake of themselves, but for the sake of their friendship and relationship with the ones around them that they truly love, for whom they are, not what they are.
- - SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE - -
Ric walked into the house carrying a box, not bothering to knock or ring the atrocious doorbell that the Salvatores had.
"Ric!" Damon cried out almost as if he were relieved to see the human.
Ric didn't acknowledge Damon though; his eyes were solely trained on the young boy in the room.
"What are you doing here?" He asked.
"Helping Damon, I'm the one who found out about the Moonstone." Jeremy answered him.
Alaric looked towards Damon who shrugged and rolled his eyes as if he had no care in the world, and no other explanation to give.
"Does Elena or Isabella know you're here?" Alaric asked Jeremy.
Damon shook his head with a dirty look on his face in the no motion.
"Not exactly," Jeremy said.
"What do you got?" Damon asked as he walked towards Alaric eyeing the box he brought in.
"This was at my apartment when I went to change. It's addressed to a B. Salvatore." Alaric said with his eye browns raised "It's from Vanessa…" Alaric said trailing off.
Damon looked shocked and confused.
"I compelled her to forget we even existed, there is no way in hell that my compulsion didn't work on her." Damon spat out.
"What's up with the B. Salvatore, do you have a brother or sister we don't know about?" Jeremy asked in a confused voice.
Damon and Alaric looked over their shoulders at him, giving him a look of pure stupidity. Jeremy's face went blank and then took on the look of disgust and shivered.
"Bella Salvatore? My sister? God, I hope that never happens I mean, do vampires even get married?" Jeremy asked walking closer to get a peek of the box's contents.
Damon looked slightly offended and Alaric chocked out a chuckle but the chuckle stopped when Damon shot him an icy glare.
"I think it may be Isobel's research from Duke. Vanessa was her assistant." Alaric told him.
"I say we open it." Jeremy suggests.
Damon and Alaric share a look and silently agree on not opening the box, but that didn't mean a little brother couldn't get curious and want to peek inside, without them just so happening to be standing there.
"Since you came over first, and Alaric came second baring gifts, I say you open it Jeremy. She is your sister after all." Damon said nodding his head in the box's direction and stepping aside for an all too eager Jeremy.
Jeremy cut the box open and took all the contents out and started reading things out loud, stopping when Alaric told him to.
"Do you remember the old Aztec curse she told us about?" Alaric asked Damon.
"Sun and the moon, blah, blah, blah..." Damon said.
"The Aztec Curse, cool!" Jeremy said.
Alaric looked at him with a calm expression, even though deep down inside of him he wanted to smack Jeremy upside the head. He didn't feel right having Jeremy around discussing the situation. But he had no choice. If Alaric knew one thing about the Gilbert siblings, it was that they were the most stubborn people he'd ever come across. So Jeremy was no different.
"Yeah supposedly Vampires and Werewolves use to roam freely until a shaman put a curse on them to limit their power." Alaric went on allowing Jeremy in on the discussion. "Since then Werewolves can only turn on a full moon and vampires are weakened by the sun." He said looking over at Damon.
Damon held up his hand and wiggled his fingers showing his day walking ring.
"Most of them anyway," Damon said walking away with a drink in his hand.
"According to the legend, the werewolf part of the curse, it's sealed with the moonstone." Alaric said picking up a paper with a drawling and showed it to Jeremy.
"What do you mean sealed?" Jeremy asked looking down at the drawling.
"It's a witch thing. Whatever seals the curse is usually the thing to unsealing the curse." Damon answered.
"Maybe Mason Lockwood can use the moonstone to un-break the curse." Alaric said giving Damon a pointed look.
"If we start believing in some supernatural Witchy-Woo legend from a picture, we're idiots." Damon said "Where is the stone now?" Damon asked.
"Tyler has it." Jeremy said not bothering to look at him.
"Can you get it?" Damon asked Jeremy.
"Yeah," Jeremy said turning to look at Damon with more excitement on his features.
"See your life has purpose." Damon exclaimed.
"So you do believe it?" Jeremy asked with his brows furrowed together.
"It's the same book that says a werewolf bite can kill a vampire, ignoring it we'd be even bigger idiots. Let's go." Damon said downing the rest of his drink as he walked towards Jeremy.
Meanwhile Katherine was down stairs using almost all the little energy she had left to strain her hearing to listen to the conversation up stairs between the three men.
She knew she had little time before the actual truth was going to be found out dealing with that Moonstone, and if she had any chance in hell to live through it, she was going to need to talk to Isabella, and form some sort of peace treaty to get out of the basement, and get some blood in her.
At the moment she didn't care if she was imprisoned in the house, she wanted out of the basement. She would do anything; say anything to be released from the hell that the Cellar had become for her.
She knew she would have to come clean about most, if not everything. She was willing to risk that, the truth. She was willing to spill everything to Isabella if it meant being free from the Cellar and possibly keeping her life intact. To her she hadn't run for so long from her past to give up now to death. She just needed to wait for Isabella to come back. She had no choice to wait after all.
Katherine also knew that if she had any chance in hell getting away, and getting in contact with her contacts she would have to submit, she was willing to do that, she was willing to submit and give in to giving information if it meant surviving. After all, surviving was her strongest gift.
- - WOODS WITH MASON AND ISABELLA - -
"So you have documented every single time you've made the transformation?" Bella asked Mason.
Mason was telling Bella of his past experiences, and that he had documented them on his computer by video and by journal. She was impressed to say the least. But she also felt slightly sick and had a pinch of pain for Mason. She couldn't even fathom the idea of having to transform again and again. She didn't know if that was what was going to happen to her, but she sure as hell hoped that if she had to, it got better with time. But now hearing about it from Mason, she was nervous and slightly scared for the next full moon.
"Each time only gets a little easier using wolf's bane. But it's only easier because it gives me enough time to chain up, after that, I have no control, none what so ever." Mason said patting her leg at the look of horrification on her face.
"Wolf's Bane?" Bella questions, her thin dark eye brows puckering together in a look of confusion.
To Mason it looked adorable, and sexy even, but he wouldn't voice that. He knew he couldn't, he wouldn't disrespect her in that way. He may wish she was single, but even if she was, she was still Tyler's ex, and that's over stepping it. He was fine and happy to be her friend, hell anything is better than nothing.
"Yeah, wolf's bane, it's what vervain is to vampires, but for werewolves. It weakens us, and slows down the process. Burns like hell." He laughs a humorless laugh.
She shook her head in disbelief and hugged him with one arm tightly. He winced at how much it actually hurt him. She was so small compared to him yet so much stronger, he wondered why, and also couldn't help but be in awe of her. She was so different, and it was refreshing.
"I know I haven't gone through it more than once, but its nice hearing about your experiences." She tells him.
He gives her a look, almost as if he was offended.
"I mean, it's only nice hearing about it because I'm being informed. I never had somebody to talk to about such things until I left town and met other vampires, and of course Damon and Stefan. But becoming a wolf was surprising and very overwhelming. It's nice to have somebody explain things to me, to learn more before it happens, you know? Like, even though I'm not looking forward to it, I know what to expect." She laughed out at his facial expression.
He nodded his head in understanding this time and smiled at her.
"You should smile more, looks good on you." She tells him.
"You should laugh more, it sounds good coming from you." He countered.
She punched him hard in the arm and jumped down from his truck.
"Can you give me a ride back to Damon's? I need to shower and check in on Katherine." She sighed out.
"How is that going by the way? I mean can I talk to her?" Mason asked.
Bella gave him a look and he shrugged. He knew she wouldn't go for it, and in all honestly he wasn't trying to talk to Katherine in a nice way. He wanted to beat the shit out of her for ruining his life.
"You need to stay away from there unless told otherwise. Please?" She gave him a pleading look, hoping he would listen to her.
He smiled and nodded.
"Sure. I get it." He told her.
He would do anything for her.
- - SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE - -
The house was quiet when she stepped in. Damon was gone, but she could hear Liz Forbes' heartbeat, beating calmly, letting Bella know she was asleep. Bella sighed in relief, she didn't really want to go down there and talk to her, but she did anyways. She noticed Katherine's head snap up at the sound of her walking, but ignored the Cellar she was in and walked to the one Liz was in.
Liz was asleep with her back against the wall she was leaning on and her head bent to the side.
That's going to be a bit sore. Bella thought to herself.
She walked over to Liz and shook her slightly until she woke up, causing Liz to shriek and jump away from Bella. It didn't bother Bella, she knew she would be scared of her; she killed her daughter in front of her after all.
"I'm not going to hurt you for god sakes, calm down." Bella huffed crossing her legs and waved a hand for Liz to sit down.
Liz looked at her wearily and walked slowly over to where Bella was, and sat down making sure to leave a nice amount of distance between them.
"The Vervain has almost left your body." Bella said nodding to Liz.
"You're here to kill me aren't you?" Liz asked.
Bella giggled and shook her head no.
"I'm here to allow you to go home. You wish to go home do you not?" Bella asked her, bending her head to the side.
Why is she being so nice? It's a ruse Liz, don't fall for it. She's a vampire, they can't be trusted. Liz thought to herself causing Bella to giggle from hearing her thoughts.
"I'm not lying; I'm here to let you go home. Damon doesn't want you to be killed, you're his friend. I honor his wishes, as he does mine. Killing you would look suspicious anyways. Caroline had to die Liz. She was a danger to many." Bella told her.
Liz didn't look like she believed it but said nothing. She was still wondering how Bella knew what she was thinking.
"You don't have to believe it, but you know deep down you do. She was a vampire, one that shouldn't be turned but the blame for her turning is not important. She would have killed you, just as she did the other people on her way to the Picnic. She was sick, but enough about that." Bella sighed out "You're going to go home, feel sad about your daughter's death but know she is in a better place. You will forget what happened in the woods. Stefan, Damon, Mason, and I are human. We are no danger to anybody, we aren't vampires, and we helped you kill the vampire that killed Caroline. You fell and hit your head, you remember nothing afterwards." Bella compelled the older woman.
Liz repeated the words and then looked around the room or dark cellar she was in. She looked at Bella with sad eyes and Bella masked her emotions of a sad girl who lost a friend.
"It's good to see you finally woke up! Do you want something to eat Sherriff?" Bella asked Liz with a soft voice.
Liz told her no, and said she would like to go home. Bella smiled and guided her to the steps, casting a look of death to Katherine warning her to be quiet as they passed; Liz wasn't paying attention she was in her own little world.
Bella took Liz home and told her if she needed to talk to anybody she was there. She didn't really want Liz to call but, she couldn't help but feel sorry for the woman. Bella may have not liked Caroline, but Bella knew what it felt like to lose somebody, not a child, but her parents were still gone, and she knew the hurt and pain that still lingered, that will always linger.
Once Bella got back to the Salvatore house, she spotted the open box of things that had been sent to her. She was annoyed and angry somebody would have opened it. She new Vanessa Monroe sent them to her, Bella paid little Vanessa a visit, making everybody think that she was out shopping.
Bella knew it was risky, but she needed something from Vanessa. Something she wasn't going to tell anybody about, not even Damon, not until the time came. She left Vanessa after compelling her to send the package when she found the item she had been looking for, and after sending it, to forget she ever arrived or saw her. She knew it worked; her compulsion on people was very strong.
Bella picked up the box and looked through it. She found the item hidden at the bottom and hid it away so she could look at it later. A small journal, she was surprised it hadn't been touched since it arrived, but then again, whoever opened it must have not looked through it all the way.
"I'm ready." A weak voice called out to her.
She looked up from where she was standing and smirked.
Bella walked over to Damon's liquor and poured herself a big glass, knowing if she was going to listen to whatever Katherine had to say, she would need it. She took her glass and collected a few more items, a small Dixie cup and a bottle of animal blood. She wasn't going to give Katherine the privilege of drinking human blood, she didn't deserve it.
Opening the Cellar door and closing it, Bella laughed at how Katherine's eyes locked with the bottle of blood.
"Thirsty are we?" Bella laughed shaking it in front of Katherine's face. "Here's what's going to happen. For whatever information you give me and I think it's good enough, I'll give you some blood, once you stop talking, the blood stops." Bella told her.
"I wish to talk, I'll tell you everything I only want to get out of this cellar, I wish to shower and not be confined to this room. I'll do anything; I won't even leave the house!" Katherine pleaded.
"Why should I let you out of this room? I can't trust you around the house." Bella said then stopped and smiled evilly. "Alright, you will tell me everything I wish to know, and then I will give you blood, let you shower and allow you to roam free of the house as you wish. You will not be able to leave, but you will not bother me or Damon, feel free to bother Stefan and Elena. You will not harm my sister in anyway, nor will you try to harm anybody else that comes here. No going into Damon and my room, do you agree?" Bella spat out harshly, glaring at Katherine.
Katherine looked hopeful and nodded her head weakly whispering that she agreed.
Bella poured some blood into the small cup and held it to Katherine's lips allowing her to drink.
The information started flowing after that. Bella heard all about Katherine's life. How she was from Bulgaria making her Bulgarian which made Isabella laugh at her causing Katherine to look a bit offended.
"I learned Bulgarian one summer while I was bored." Bella told her.
Katherine nodded and went on explaining how she had a daughter out of love, but she was unwed and her father forced her to give up the baby and never see the father again. She ran away soon after and fled to England. That's where Katherine's voice changed and she started to skip around some facts. Bella tried reading it from her mind but the 500 year old vampire was pretty good with blocking her mind somehow, but Bella still got the information out of her. Every time Katherine would try to leave something out Bella would begin to get up and leave.
Bella learned a lot of information, enough information that let her know more about herself. Katherine's story let Bella to put two and two together, leading her to believe that this man who fooled Katherine was her real father, her birth father. She didn't voice it out to Katherine; she wasn't sure what Katherine knew exactly.
Sighing once Katherine was quiet with a hopeful look in her eye, Bella leaned against the wall off to the left.
"I just wish you would have left the Salvatores alone. If you truly loved Stefan, which I believe you may have or might still love him. If you would have loved him you would have let him stay human, you wouldn't have given him your blood, or played with Damon." Bella said her eyes showing sadness, the first time she showed any emotion to Katherine besides anger and hate. "He could have had a human family, he could have grown old and had children who would have their own children. Now look at him." Bella spat angry all over again.
Katherine didn't say any words, she sat there quiet. She didn't want to anger the girl who she was still hoping would at least free her from the cell she was rotting in.
"A child, he's stuck as a child at 17! Having to go through life as a teenager, miserable, you changed him and you changed Damon, playing with their minds and hearts. They could have been normal. They should be in the ground buried with bones that stopped aging at the age of 80 or something." Bella yelled at her. "But I will thank you, because of you, Elena has love with somebody, and I have Damon. He may not be perfect but he's got somebody to go on continuing this life with him." Bella whispered.
"I checked on them." Katherine whispered looking at her. "I kept tabs on both of them, mostly Stefan. While I had some feelings for Damon, my heart has always belonged to Stefan." Katherine said strongly.
Bella hissed at her and moved quickly in front of Katherine grabbing her throat and squeezed.
"I'll let you out of this Cellar, but you will not voice your feelings for Stefan. You will merely exist in this house. You will not hurt any of my loved ones, and I love him like a brother, no matter how much of a childish brat he is. If you harm anybody that comes through those doors at any moment, I won't hesitate to end your life, or worse. I'll lock you in the tomb you were meant to rot in!" Bella roared out at her.
Katherine gasped but even though it was hard for her to breath she still vowed to follow Bella's rules. Bella let her go with a jerky movement nearly causing Katherine's neck to snap.
Bella released Katherine from the chair and compelled her once again just for good measure. Katherine obeyed every command, because her life was in the hands of her descendant now. And if Katherine was going to be honest, she felt safer being a somewhat prisoner of Bella's than the man she ran from. She knew the only way to stay alive was to stay on the girl's good side, and she planned on doing just that.
Katherine was given a spare room, the room Caroline stayed in. It still smelt of her and Katherine scrunched her nose at the thought. Regardless she showered for a long time, appreciating the feeling of being clean and refreshed. She didn't get very much blood, maybe almost more than half, but it was better than nothing. She changed into clothes Bella told her to wear, Caroline's. She had to admit the girl had style.
"Where is your cell phone?" Bella asked Katherine, when Katherine made it downstairs.
She jumped in fright from how silent Bella truly was. She didn't even hear her breathing. Katherine twirled around with her eyes wide and her mouth open.
"It's dead." Katherine said looking at the floor in front of her.
Bella enjoyed how scared she made the older girl. She loved how she scared her so much she dropped her mega bitch attitude and I rule the world stance and looked to her feet in submission. It made Bella's inner bitch cackle with glee.
" e whispered looking at her. " I'll be taking your phone. Who knows what shit you would try to pull. No phone calls, no emails to people nothing. All you'll have is this house and yourself. One fuck up and your dead, or you'll get worse than the chair in the cellar." Bella chirped and zoomed up stairs faster than Katherine saw anybody move.
Damn, So much for calling Lucy. Katherine muttered bitterly her mind.
- - - - TIME SKIP - - - -
When the other's arrived at the Boarding House you could hardly imagine their reaction to Katherine sitting next to Isabella talking. Damon nearly had a fit, and Stefan was no better. Elena on the other hand nearly had a heart attack. Jeremy was freaked out, the sight of a girl who looked just like his sister nearly had him shitting his pants, and it was all so strange to him.
"Are you sure this is a good idea, letting her out of the Cellar?" Damon asked as he fixed the tie for his tux.
Bella sighed and walked over to him. She slapped his hands away and started reworking the tie. She had to admit he looked very handsome in a tux, just as sexy as he was naked, well almost.
"You might not like it, but honestly it had to be done. I learned a lot today from her, and she's compelled to not do anything stupid." Bella said looked up into Damon's icy eyes. "Damon, she can't even have any blood without me saying so. I've got this handled." She said softly.
Damon rolled his eyes at her but wrapped his arms around her nonetheless. He trusted her, only her. And whatever choice she was with he was behind her 100%. He held her tighter to him and breathed in the smell of her. It made him calm and relax his body a bit more.
"What's up with the box from Duke?" Damon whispered into her neck causing her to shiver from the sensation it gave her.
"I needed something, Vanessa was the only way to get it, and she knows more than she admitted. Thanks for opening it by the way." She said sarcastically.
"I didn't touch the box; it was your baby bro who did the honors. B. Salvatore." Damon chuckled leaning his body back to look at her face.
She shrugged and smiled.
"I knew it would freak somebody out, mostly you." She admitted walking away from him to place her shoes on.
He watched her as she sat on the bed carefully to not wrinkle her dress. He thought she looked beautiful, and it was a pity she would be wearing a mask to cover her face, or at least a small portion of it. Her dress was a dark red, almost like blood, with gray accents. He liked the way it hugged her body and flowed out elegantly at her hips.
"It freaked Jeremy out, not me." He said passively.
It didn't freak him out, he never thought of marriage before, not with anybody, not even the she-demon Katherine.
"Are we ready?" Bella said ignoring the conversation all together.
She had plans tonight; she had a new friend to meet.
"Any interesting news happen today? Have fun with Indiana Gilbert." Bella giggled.
Damon rolled his eyes and sighed in annoyance.
"What is with you Gilberts? Elena was all gung-hoe when I met her, now that Jeremy knows things, he's all for the danger. And you well don't let me get started on you." He said poking her nose.
She gave him a mock hurt look and then raised her eyebrow.
"Tyler told Jeremy that he gave the Moonstone over to Mason." Damon said with his back turned towards her.
Bella was aware of Mason having the fake moonstone, she instructed him on hiding it. She knew others were after it now, and the more they thought that one was the real one, the better.
"Mason handed it over. It's well hidden." Bella smirked.
Not giving him a chance to say anything else, she walked out of the room and down the stairs. Katherine was sitting in the sitting room torturing Stefan and Elena with her presence. Bella thought the whole thing was working out lovely, so far. Pay back for their bratty ways. Having to deal with Katherine after knowing she's practically obsessed with Stefan was hysterical to her.
"Are you enjoying your company?" Bella smirked at her sister and Stefan.
Elena's eyes widened and Stefan scowled at her but didn't say anything. He figured whatever he said would gain him more punishment than having Katherine around already was, and he wasn't looking forward to it. Knowing Bella's mind, he figured she'd lock him in a room ALONE with Katherine.
"You look stunning tonight Isabella." Katherine sighed from the couch she was perched on.
"Of course I am. Now no need for ass kissing you're out of your little box for now." Bella smiled widely at her and turned her attention to her sister and Stefan, "Are you two ready, Carol would have a fit if we're late, top council members and all." Bella said with a haughty look on her face then rolled her eyes.
"Yeah, we were waiting on you and Damon." Stefan nodded and stood up followed by Elena.
Damon came down the stairs a second later and stood at Bella's side eyeing Katherine with a scowl. He couldn't get over the fact he had to be near her if she was in the same room. It annoyed him and his fingers kept twitching at the thoughts in his mind of staking her. He enjoyed them and occasionally would smirk at the different ways he did it, earning him weird looks from Stefan and Elena, and smiles from Bella.
Stefan and Elena took his car to the Masquerade Ball, while Damon and Bella took his car. Bella wanted to take her car, but the look on Damon's face told her it wasn't going to happen, not if she wanted to go with him. She shut up and just got in the car, she decided since she didn't even ask him or tell him about Katherine he deserved to drive his stupid car.
When they arrived the house was already loaded with people. Bodies scattered across the lawn dancing with each other, chatting or joking around, bodies going in and out of the house, the music loud and the laughter almost as loud. The excitement was in the air, the humans not knowing who each other were, but if you were a vampire and kept your surroundings studied at all times you could point out who was who by their smell. Bella could do that, she paid attention to everything.
Damon's arm went around her waist as they walked through the threshold of the house.
"We're looking for somebody tonight." Bella whispered to Damon.
Damon hummed in question looking around as they walked in.
"Name is Lucy. Shocking enough I found her in Katherine's phone, I happen to know her as well. She thinks she's meeting Katherine here, but she's meeting me." Bella whispered in Damon's ear.
He nodded and saw a picture of somebody flash through his mind. He knew it was Bella's doing, but he never really got use to that.
"Where's Mason?" Damon muttered with an eye roll.
Bella sighed and leaned into Damon.
"He has a job to do tonight, which is watching Tyler. I just hope he's alright around everybody, wherever he is." Bella said shrugging.
They lost themselves into people and eventually split up to look for Lucy. Bella could hear Matt drunk upstairs and Tyler getting angry, starting a fight. She looked for Mason and cursed wondering where the hell he was. She ran up the stairs as fast as she could using human speed and walked in on Matt and Tyler physically fighting.
"STOP!" Bella cried out and shoved Matt off of Tyler.
Matt was extremely drunk and got back up not backing down, Bella knew he wasn't compelled, and his persistence was pissing her off.
"What is wrong with you?" She said, standing in the middle of Matt and Tyler holding both of them back with her strength.
Matt tried again to break through her, but she elbowed him in the face and he fell down knocked out cold.
What they didn't know was Sarah on the other hand, a girl in the room with them, had been compelled or controlled with her mind. She held a letter opener in her hand and crept behind Tyler as Bella tended to Matt checking his head and trying to get him to wake up. She felt extremely bad for having to do that, but it beat Tyler killing him, breaking through the curse.
Tyler turned around just in time to see Sarah, her arm above her head and then she brought it down stabbing him in the shoulder. He shoved her off of him and her head hit the edge of his Father's desk and she was gone. Tyler rushed to her.
"No, no! Sarah wake up, Sarah! Get up! Open your eyes." He pleaded. Bella went over to the girl with shaky legs, scared for Tyler. "This can't be happening." Tyler chanted lowly.
Tyler moved back and his body started to ache and he groaned loudly catching Bella's attention.
"Tyler," She said in a soothing voice, "it's going to be okay." She told him going closer to him.
He looked up with pain written all over his face, and his eyes glowing. Bella gasped covering her mouth and a tear falling down her face. This wasn't supposed to happen, where was Mason! Tyler wasn't supposed to have this life.
"Calm down, it's going to be okay, we need to get our story straight, there is a dead girl in your father's office. The rest we will work through together later okay?" She said cupping his face in her hands.
The feeling of her hands on his face caused his body to go sluggish. He felt comforted, and he really needed it, he was glad she was there, that she was comforting him even when he just messed up. If anything he expected her to be angry.
"Why? Why did she stab me?" He asked rubbing his shoulder.
Bella frowned and didn't have an answer for him. She figured the girl was compelled but she didn't know of any other vampires in town, she knew if she wasn't a vampire, she could control the girls mind.
"I'll be right back; I'm going to get your mother. The story is Matt got drunk, you were all drinking, you two got into an argument and Sarah tried to break it up. Somehow she tripped and fell. Okay? Stay here with Matt and the girl, do not move." Bella told him firmly and he nodded his head.
Bella sighed and kissed his forehead and left the room. She walked quickly down the steps and spotted Damon in a heated argument with a woman with the same skin tone as Bonnie.
Lucy.
"You bitch! How did you know? Why did you do it?" Bella spat at her.
Lucy turned around shocked at the change in the girl she met months ago. The girl no longer held the dark aura she did, but a strong powerful sense around her. Bella could feel it now too, Lucy was a witch.
"I had no choice!" Lucy said fiercely trying to seem strong and un-afraid but she was.
"Why? How did you know?" Bella grit her teeth trying to control her facial features.
"Katherine, my mind is still linked to Katherine's. When she texted me earlier and I called to see why she needed me there was no answer, so I tapped into our connection. It was hard but it worked. She saved me a long time ago, and until now I've been in debited to her. Your friend is knocked out, the tall one." Lucy said with a shaky voice.
"Of course, why didn't I think of that?" Bella growled at herself, berating herself.
She shouldn't have missed it, she should have thought of everything. If she would have kept Katherine's phone on none of this would have happened. Tonight was supposed to go smoothly, no drama, nothing was supposed to go wrong. They were to show up, show their support, hopefully have some fun, and then leave. But no, she just had to not think clearly. Bella wanted to stake herself in the stomach to punish herself, she allowed Katherine to up her in the game the game she said was over.
She will pay for this! Bella growled in her mind.
"Your debt to her is over. I suggest you wait around, and go wake up my friend, his nephew will need him." Bella growled at Lucy gripping her arm and squeezing it hard.
Damon glared at Lucy but walked away with Bella.
"What happened up there?" Damon demanded.
"Matt and Tyler were drinking with this girl Sarah from school. Matt got drunk and did some stupid things, Tyler and he got in a fight, and I stopped them. Lucy controlled the girls mind, causing Tyler to defend himself, her life ending as the result. He's going to transform next full moon." Bella said sadly.
Damon knew better than to feel jealousy towards her emotions. He knew where he stood with her, and he also knew she wouldn't wish that kind of pain on anybody she cared about. And she did care about Tyler; he knew she always would in a way. But the fact she was sad, caused him pain, another thing with her he wasn't quite use to. But he loved her all the more for the connection and change she gave him.
"It will be alright, let's find Carol." Damon suggested.
Moments later Bella was in the room with Carol, and Damon, with Mason and the Lucy girl.
"Matt and Tyler were fighting. Sarah was dancing when I came in. I stopped the boys and shoved Tyler he knocked into Sarah causing her to trip. She went down so fast, she hit her head." Bella told Carol with tears in her eyes.
"Okay, Liz is on her way and we called Sarah's parents. It was an accident, a terrible tragic accident." Carol told Bella, well more so told herself.
Tyler was told to go look out and come back up when the Sherriff arrived, his mothers orders not Bella's.
"Mom, the Sherriff arrived." Tyler said quietly.
"Alright just stay here, don't leave. She's going to want to hear it from you two." Carol commanded Bella and Tyler, and then left the room.
Bella stood there looking at Tyler. He could see how broken up she was about it. He thought it was weird; she was more worried than he was. He accepted his fate, he knew what was going to happen she and Mason already told their stories, now he was going to have to face what they have to face. He was just glad he wasn't going to be alone for it.
"Bells," He said quietly getting closer to her, stopping till there was a small gap between them.
"Oh god! I'm so sorry. I should have known I'm so sorry." She said looking at him with a tear running down her cheek. "I didn't want this for you, this wasn't supposed to happen, Mason and I were suppose to watch you." anger clouding her voice this time.
"You can't prevent everything Bells. You can try, but it won't be successful every time. Something's are meant to happen, tonight is no different. I'm just glad I won't be alone on this." Tyler murmured to her and wiped her cheeks lightly with his thumbs.
He pulled her into a hug and she hugged him back tightly. She still loved him, she always would, he was special to her, and he's always been special. Her first everything, despite his wrong doings and her wrong doings, or fights they had, she still loved him and it was that love for him that allowed her to accept friendship with him. She hurt because he was going to be hurting and she knew he would feel horrible later about Sarah's death. She felt bad because she couldn't stop it; she couldn't save him from the fate his family and she were cursed with.
"Your right, you're not alone. You'll never have to go through it alone. I will be there, Mason will be there." Bella told him fiercely.
She already made up her mind; she knew what she was going to have to do.
Carol came in the room with Liz and they both replayed their stories to Liz separately. Carol thanked Bella for being there for Tyler and hugged her tightly. Bella felt uncomfortable but hugged her back. She knew Carol still wished that Tyler and her were together, but accepted they weren't. Carol always liked Bella, so did Richard.
Tyler stayed with his mother while Bella went down stairs. She flew out of the house and ran towards where she knew Damon and the others were at.
As soon as she saw Mason was alright she flew to him and smacked him upside the head harshly and hissed at him. He bent his head in submission and whispered a sorry.
Stefan and Damon shared a look. They knew why he did it, but they weren't sure Bella and Mason knew. They kept quiet though; Damon would talk to her about it later.
"As for you! Helping Katherine, seriously? She's been locked away and I just now let her out of that damn Cellar and you help her kill somebody! What is wrong with you?" Bella screamed at her.
Lucy said sorry for her involvement and was allowed to leave, not before she introduced herself to Bonnie, Bella's demand. Lucy agreed and did what she was told.
"Katherine is not to be killed, but she will be going in that tomb tonight. Stefan, Damon and I are leaving. Mason I suggest you get up there with your sister in-law and nephew now. We will speak later." She told him as she jabbed her finger in his chest causing him to wince.
"OUCH! God I'm sorry! That crazy bitch knocked me out, it won't happen again." He whined to her.
Bella punched in him the shoulder.
"PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR SOURROUNDINGS NEXT TIME, YOU IDIOT!" She screamed at him and walked away.
Damon gave Mason an amused look and waved his fingers and ran after Bella. Mason growled and ran to be there for his nephew. He felt disappointed in himself, lie he let down not only Isabella but Tyler as well. He may have or hold some sort of jealousy with Tyler in a way, but he in no way, shape or form wanted the werewolf life for him. He wanted him to be normal, go to college, and get out of Mystic Falls. Mason wanted Tyler to have the life that was ripped from his own hands. To him, Tyler deserved it, and now his life was to be enslaved by the curse.
Maybe Bella can change him like she changed me. Mason thought in his mind but shook his head. He didn't know what it was going to be like on the next full moon. He didn't know if being half vampire was going to make the pain in changing more painful or less painful, or if he was going to have to change at all. He would have to wait and find out, but he didn't have to wait to ask Bella, he would ask her.
- - - SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE - - -
The whole way home Damon feared for Bella's sanity, she kept pulling at her hair and muttering things to herself so quietly he couldn't even hear them. He knew whatever she was saying, it wasn't good. He knew she was probably beating herself up, he knew he would be. It's been a long time since he has seen any emotion coming from Bella that wasn't lust, anger, annoyance, or happiness.
He would reach over and rub her leg from time to time, hoping it would calm her down but it seemed to have no effect. Eventually he just kept his hand there, still, just hoping she could feel him, knowing he was there for her. He wanted her to know that he was there for her, that he didn't see any mess up on her part.
She can't do everything! She can't see everything, hear everything, or expect it. Damon told himself, slightly hoping she was listening in on his thoughts or just listening period. She tries to do so much; she tries to be on top of everything. It's not her fault that she didn't see through loopholes or expect there to be one. Not even Katherine was expecting it probably, but the bitch used it to her advantage.
As soon as his car was parked the door to his car was ripped open and Bella was nowhere to be seen. All he heard was a thump from inside and a huge scream from Katherine. Damon ran inside and found Bella pinning Katherine down to the couch with her teeth in Katherine's neck, drinking her, almost drinking her dry.
Katherine was screaming and trying to fight Bella off but Damon knew it was useless for her to do it. He wasn't even strong enough to shove Bella off of him when she first came over. That night flashed in his mind and he shivered from the panic he felt inside when he wasn't stronger than her.
"Get her off of me!" Katherine begged her voice going weak.
Bella pulled away inhaling deeply. Her eyes were the color they had been the night she made her transition into a werewolf, and her fangs were out and the veins under her eyes were pulsing quickly.
"YOU WERE WARNED WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF YOU DID ANYTHING STUPID. BECAUSE OF YOU SOMEBODY DIED TONIGHT!" Bella roared and Damon involuntarily took a step or two back away from her "You used Lucy of all people? Yes I know her. I called her for help and you just had to go back on your word. I never trusted you, not for a second. But I will be keeping my word though." Bella sneered and snapped Katherine's neck.
Bella knew that she wasn't dead, but it would put her unconscious long enough to move her body without having to hear her voice. Katherine's voice was the last thing she wanted to hear at the moment.
Bella looked over at Damon and noticed his stiff posture and how he was farther away from her than she last noticed. She frowned at him and he tried to give her a small smile, but she wasn't buying it.
"We're taking her to the tomb." Bella whispered to him.
Damon nodded and was in front of her in an instant. He took her face in his hands gently and rubbed her cheeks that were stained with tears. He tilted her head up so she was looking into his eyes. Her face was still the same as when she pulled away from Katherine, and to some it would seem she looked hideous, but to him she looked beautiful.
"It's not your fault. You can't do everything yourself Bell. Relax, I'll take her to the tomb, she's going to be out for awhile. You go take a bath and lay down, I'll be back soon." He told her firmly as he looked into her eyes.
Bella inhaled softly and exhaled making her breath fan out over his face causing him to feel almost drunk. He leaned down and captured her mouth with his, he could feel her face go back to normal and she deepened the kiss. He pulled away after a moment still holding her face and pecked her lips once more before turning her to the stairs.
"Go on." He commanded her and slapped her rear harshly causing her to vanish within a second.
He sighed when he turned around and looked at Katherine's body, all lifeless looking. He wished she was dead for real and wished Bella would have just staked the bitch. But he picked up, slung her over his shoulder, and carried her to the car.
The drive to the tomb was quiet, he was glad she was still out. Made it easier for him to think without her trying to fight him, and possibly winning said fight with him.
When it was said and done, he carried her to the tomb and tossed her body in there. He sat down off to the side, and waited.
Soon enough he heard her take in a lung full of air and stumble up. He could hear her walking weakly to the entrance and try to get out, but it was no use. The tomb was still closed by a spell, a vampire can go in all he/she wants, but there would be no getting out.
He walked in front of the entrance a few feet away from it actually, not that her arms could get out of the tomb, but he didn't want to be near her. He actually wished to rip her throat out.
"Hello Katherine." He said to her once she looked up.
"Where am I?" She asked him.
"Where you should have been all along, I thought you learned your lesson, going back on your word with Isabella wasn't very wise." He told her with an emotionless face.
"She should have killed me." Katherine sneered.
"Death would be too kind." Damon said and started walking towards the entrance to seal the tomb with the door.
"No Damon, please don't!" Katherine pleaded. "You need me, Elena's in danger." She said in a panic.
Damon paused and looked at her. "From who?" He asked her.
She just looked at him, and he took that as a sign of her lying. Trying to manipulate her way out of a situation, like she always had done.
"You're lying." He told her, "You're always lying." He whispered.
"Why do you think I haven't killed her? Why do you think I didn't kill her when I had all the chances before?" Katherine questioned him making him wonder the same thing. "Because she's a doppelganger she needs to be protected!" Katherine told him fiercely.
Damon looked down in thought and then looked back up at Katherine.
"Then we will protect her." Damon told her. "While you rot in hell."
"No. Damon don't, I'll do anything, please Damon!" Katherine pleaded but her voice muffled and quieted down as soon as he shut the door in front of the Tomb entrance.
He wondered to himself as he stood in front of the door he just closed. He wondered if he should call or text Bella telling her what Katherine said. Or should he call Stefan and check on his baby brother and Elena. Surely Elena couldn't get into trouble with Stefan with her, he wondered.
He shook his head and decided to ignore Katherine's words. She always lied; she never completely understood the word honesty. He didn't believe her, she was just trying to find a way out of the tomb, the place she avoided going in at all costs in 1864. This time would be no different, now that she was in, she would say and do anything to get out. This he was sure of.
- - - LOCKWOOD MANOR - - -
Stefan had been searching for Elena since Isabella dismissed him to go back to her at the party. When he got in there he couldn't find her. He'd been searching everywhere for her for over an hour and still no sign of her. He was afraid to go home without her, he knew Bella was already stressed out and pissed off. Going to the house without her baby sister would probably be his death, but what else was he to do?
He did another lap around the Lockwood house and property, still coming up with nothing. Her things were left inside the house, and she never was one to just leave her things lying about. Something was wrong, he was sure of it. He took a deep breath and made the phone call that he was dreading as he got into his car placing her things in the passenger side seat.
He called his brother's phone four times before he finally got an answer.
"Yes brother." Damon growled out in irritation, his breathing labored.
Stefan shivered at possible reasons behind his brother's breathing. He couldn't deny Bella was beautiful, but she was like his sister, and her being with Damon that way, just sickened him.
"Elena is missing." Stefan sighed out.
There was a gasp on the other end of the phone, two thumps, and a hiss.
"Stefan, get here right now!" Bella's voice screamed hurting his ear.
The phone was hung up and he sighed feelings of panic starting to rise in him.
Once he got home Bella and Damon were waiting outside for him, dressed and looking worse for wear. He got out of his car holding her things and stopped a few feet away from Bella, scared of her reaction.
"How did this happen?" Bella growled out.
Stefan looked to Damon, but Damon wasn't paying attention he had a thoughtful look on his face.
"I left her inside when Damon came to get me to go outside with that woman. When I was told to get inside, I found her things but no sight of her. I've been looking around the house and the woods and land out there, but no sign of her. I finally called." Stefan sighed running a hand through is hair.
"Katherine! Katherine told me she was in danger when I placed in the tomb." Damon whispered out looking at Bella with pained eyes.
Bella was running before they could even register it. Once she reached the tomb she tore the door off and growled.
"Where is she? Where is my sister? What have you had done with her?" Bella asked Katherine.
Katherine came stumbling near the entrance of the tomb with a somber look on her face. She was scared and she had great reason to be scared.
"She is the doppelganger; she's always been in danger. There will be many people after her for what she is." Katherine told Bella.
Bella growled in frustration and used her power to cause Katherine to collapse on the ground in pain.
"TELL ME WHO HAS HER!" Bella screamed out, by this time Damon and Stefan had joined her on each side glaring down at Katherine still screaming.
"I don't know! I swear I don't know!" Katherine gasped out through the pain.
Bella could tell she was being honest, and let her connection go and shut the door of the tomb ignoring Katherine's plea to get out.
"Get me Bonnie." Bella said running back to the house.
- - - DESERTED ROAD; daylight - - -
A black SUV pulled up next to a dark colored car, stopping and rolled down its window. A man from the car stepped out and rounded to the driver side door of the SUV.
"Where is she?" A man asked with sunglasses covering his face.
"In the trunk." the other man told him. "I did everything you asked me to."
"Put her in the back." The man with the sunglasses commanded.
The man from the car walked back to his car to the trunk. He opened it revealing a sleeping Elena Gilbert. He lifted her out of the trunk and placed her in the very back of the SUV, while the man with the sun glasses watched carefully.
"Thank you for your help." The SUV man said to the other man.
"Is there anything else?" The other man asked.
"One more thing. Come closer." The man behind the wheel of the SUV said and the other man moved forward. "Closer." He said again.
The man moved close enough and the other man grabbed him violently and sunk his teeth into the other man's neck draining him dry.
When he finished his meal he wiped his mouth slightly and drove off.
Later on Elena woke up to a man hovering over her. She was freaking out on the inside, she remembered being taken, and she just didn't know how long she had been taken.
"I'm hurt." She told the man.
She looked at him and deemed him handsome. His face was scruffy and his hair was a bit long. He wore a baseball cap which he finally took off along with his sunglasses and jacket.
"I know." The man said and his face contorted into a vampire causing Elena to freak out. "Just a taste," He said holding up one finger.
Elena yelled again but he didn't bite her.
"Trevor, control yourself!" A woman with short hair said with a English accent.
The man, Trevor, got up from the couch and walked past the woman.
"Buzz kill," He muttered to her leaving the room.
"What do you want with me?" Elena asked cowering slightly.
"My god, you look just like her." The woman said getting closer.
"But I'm not," Elena said shaking her head. "Please whatever you…" She started to plead but it was no use.
"Be quiet." The woman said still staring at her in awe.
Elena started to get up, hoping to coax the woman into letting her leave. She had to tell her that she wasn't Katherine.
"But I'm not Katherine. My name is Elena Gilbert; you don't have to do this." She said standing in front of the woman now.
"I know who you are, I said be quiet." The woman said with anger in her voice and anger in her eyes.
"What do you want?" Elena persisted.
The woman grit her teeth, her face looking angry and she back handed Elena back onto the couch, effectively knocking her unconscious but not killing her.
"I want you to be quiet." The woman told her with a small smile on her face, and left Elena there.
- - - Salvatore Boarding House - - -
Isabella, Damon, Stefan, Bonnie and Jeremy were all standing around the dining room table. Stefan was arguing and his arguing was pissing Isabella off, in return pissing Damon off.
"It's obvious we need to let her out of the tomb so we can get answers out of her!" Stefan said crossing his arms over his chest.
"Katherine stays in that tomb; there are other ways to get to Elena." Bella hissed at him, her eyes turning color.
"How?" Jeremy asked at the same time as Damon.
Bella looked up at Bonnie and gestured for her to come closer to her. Bonnie with shaky legs did what she was gestured to do and walked to Bella's side. Bella put her fingers to Bonnie's temple and when Bonnie gasped in pain Bella took her fingers away.
"What the fuck was that?" Jeremy said but muttered sorry when Bella glared at him.
"I'm giving her, her power back. When we find out where Elena is, she's going to need her power to get a message to Elena." Bella said walking into the kitchen.
"What is she doing?" Jeremy whispered.
"She's going to do a locator spell, I think. I saw it one in Emily's book." Bonnie said rubbing her head from her slight headache getting her powers back caused her.
She didn't care about the headache; she just cared about getting her friend back. There was no telling if she was even alive, but she was hoping.
Bella came back in the room and cleared a large space and placed a map down and a knife.
"Why don't you just use your mind thing?" Damon asked.
Bella looked up at him in annoyance and shook her head no.
"The connection wouldn't work. For one, she probably doesn't even know where she is, no abductor would give her that information. Secondly, we're not as connected because our bond with each other is weakening." Bella muttered.
Stefan and Bonnie right away felt guilty, their stomachs sinking.
"Then how would I be able to get a message to her?" Bonnie asked.
"Because your bond with her is strong, as is her bond with Stefan. She shuts me out and pushes me away. There for you will need to send the message once we leave." Bella said glaring slightly at Bonnie, feeling a little bit of jealousy of the girl.
Bella reached across the table to Emily's book and flipped through the page Bella had seen once before. She was surprised she understood how to read the different language it was written in, and was thankful she could use the spell. She knew she just had to will a power to work, but with Elena's life on the line, she wasn't going to risk it. Once she picked up the knife, Damon's hand caught her wrist.
"What are you doing?" He seethed.
"I have to use my blood. Either mine or Jeremy's because we're blood related. We share the same mother, so my blood should work better." Bella said and Damon let her wrist go hesitantly.
She sliced her palm open and let the blood drop to the map and she started chanting, Bonnie joined her, hoping to help out.
Jeremy, Damn, and Stefan watched with awed eyes as the blood moved across the page and stopped.
Bella and Bonnie opened their eyes and Bonnie caught Bella giving her a small smile and a head nod.
"She's here. I'm pretty sure this is where she is." Bella said pointing to the dot the blood stopped near.
"We need an exact location, how is that going to help us?" Stefan whispered.
Bella smiled and looked up at Jeremy.
"Jeremy has an application on his phone. He can put the co-ordinates in get an aerial view and send us the location." Bella said as she wiped her hand off with a towel Damon got for her.
"Wait! Send it? I'm going with!" Jeremy told his sister with a defiant look in his eyes.
Bella walked over to her brother and placed her uncut hand on his cheek.
"Jeremy it's too dangerous. I can't risk your life, if... If Elena is hurt or even worse, I don't want you to see that. I need you to be here and safe. You're helping with your task." She told him gently in a soft soothing voice that she only usually ever used with him
"Yeah and you get to stay with Bennett!" Damon said in a perky voice.
Bella shot him a glare and decided not to comment on the accusation of her brother seeking joy or pleasure with staying with Bonnie. That thought alone almost made her consider taking Jeremy but locking him in the trunk.
"We need to go now. Jeremy you get started, once you have a location or any possible lead you send it to us. I'll try my best to connect to her as we get closer, but your task is key." Bella said seriously and kissed her brother on the cheek. As he looked up she was already gone and Damon and Stefan were following after her.
"How fast she moves is frightening." Jeremy said shaking his head and pulling out his phone.
- - - ELENA & THE KIDNAPPERS - - -
Elena's head was throbbing slightly but she could still hear voices, the voices of the people who were holding her captive.
"How's the girl?" The woman's voice said.
"Still passed out," The man, Trevor told the woman.
"You didn't touch her, did you?" She heard the woman question.
"Give me some credit!" Trevor said.
"So, did you call him?" Trevor asked.
"No I can't call him, I sent the text. You know how this works." The woman said in an annoyed voice.
"Did you or did you not get the message to Elijah?" Trevor asked the woman.
Elena got up and started slowly and quietly walking towards their voices. She wanted to hear better, and with her human hearing she could hardly make out everything they were saying.
"They say he got it." The woman said as Elena watched her walk past a hall way she was walking in.
"Wonderful and what?" Trevor asked her.
"So that's it, Trevor." The woman told him. "Either he got it, or he didn't. We just have to wait."
"Look it's not too late, we can leave her here! We don't even have to go through with this." Trevor told the girl with a slight fear in his voice.
"I'm sick of running!" The woman told Trevor with authority in her own voice, and a hit of exhaustion.
"Yeah? Well running keeps us from dying!" Trevor argued.
"Elijah's old school, if he accepts our deal, we're free." The woman told Trevor strongly.
Elena made a move to step closer but the floor creaked under her feet alerting the woman and the man Trevor.
"You!" The woman said walking to Elena. "There's nothing around here for miles. If you think your getting out of this house you're tragically wrong, understand?" The woman asked Elena in an eerily calm voice.
"Who's Elijah?" Elena asked.
The woman looked in Elena's eyes, and stepped closer.
"He's your worst nightmare." The woman told her.
Elena gasped when the woman walked away. Her heart was thumping and she started silent prayers to her sister hoping she was coming, hoping that Bella was on her way. She sent silent prayers to God, telling him she would listen to anything her sister said, she would do anything her sister told her to do, if she could just get out of here alive.
- - - IN THE CAR; RESCUE MISSION - - -
Damon was driving Isabella's car while Stefan sat next to him and Bella in the back seat. She kept trying to get flashes, visions, anything to tell her where her sister was, but nothing was working at the moment. She wasn't sure if it was because her emotions were all over the place, or because she and her sister weren't connected as closely as they use to be.
"You and Alaric sure like your weapons." Damon said to Bella.
Damon looked over at Stefan who was messing with a clear glass contraption.
"What the hell is that?" Damon asked Stefan
"It's a vervain bomber, grenade launcher or something." Stefan told him.
"Vervain Grenade," Bella muttered from the back seat massaging her temples.
"Weird." Damon said.
"Which turn off is it?" Stefan asked.
"About 80 miles," Damon told him.
"Who do you think took her? " Stefan asked.
"Somebody from Katherine's passed. She said she was running from someone. Either they got the wrong girl, or the right doppelganger." Bella said in a monotone voice.
"Thank you for helping me." Stefan said looking between Bella and Damon.
Bella's face went from emotionless to pissed off within a second.
"Thank you? First of all, can we not do the road trip bonding thing, its seriously giving me a headache. And secondly, I'm not helping your bratty ass with shit. She's my sister, I will always save her!" Bella hissed out smacking Stefan on the back of the head harshly.
Damon chuckled and shot a wink to Bella through the rear-view mirror. She rolled her eyes and went back to closing her eyes.
- - - GILBERT HOUSE - - -
Jeremy and Bonnie were in his room; Bonnie walked back in with her bag and sat it on his bed.
"Alaric just left with Jenna." Bonnie told Jeremy.
"Yeah. He's getting her out of the house so she doesn't ask questions about Elena or anything." Jeremy told her, as he pressed a few buttons placed on his blackberry screen.
An aerial view of nothing but green came in view, he scrolled around and spotted a house surrounded by nothing but land. It was the only sign of living closest to their location Bella got from her blood.
"Hey check this out. I found this using the location of the spot Bells got from her blood. There's nothing for miles except for this old house." Jeremy told her and Bonnie leaned closer to take a better look.
"Did you send it to Bella or Stefan?" Bonnie questioned him.
"Yeah, I sent it to Bella." He confirmed then sighed and changed his position on the bed. "I hate sitting here waiting, like this." He said staring off into nothing.
Bonnie placed her hand on his back and started to rub it soothingly.
"Hey, she's gonna be fine." Bonnie said as if she believed it.
"You don't know that." Jeremy disagreed turning his head to look at her.
She swallowed and shook her head.
"No I don't." She told him honestly this time.
She got up from the bed and quickly walked over to her bag, she took Emily's book off the desk it was resting on, and took her notebook and the book to Jeremy's bed.
"What are you doing?" Jeremy asked giving her a confused look.
"Sending a message to Elena, it's a long shot, but if Bella believes I can do it, it will work." Bonnie said. "I need a candle and Elena's hairbrush." She told Jeremy.
"Okay, yeah!" He told her.
Jeremy quickly got up and collected the items that Bonnie would need to cast the spell to send a message to his sister.
While Jeremy went and collected the items, Bonnie wrote a quick message on a piece of her notebook paper.
Jeremy came back to his room and gave Bonnie the items she asked for. She crumbled the paper up in a small ball, and then let it rest in the palm of her hand. She took her hand and placed it a few inches above the flame and started chanting words silently with her eyes closed.
He watched her, but he saw the blood dripping from her nose.
"Bonnie," He shook her but she kept chanting.
No matter how many times he shook her, no matter how loud he said her name, she ignored him and kept on with the spell. He watched as the paper lifted in the air, caught on fire then disappeared.
Bonnie opened her eyes and looked at her hand. She saw that it worked and gave a small smile then passed out from exhaustion. Jeremy started freaking out.
- - - ELENA & THE KIDNAPPERS - - -
Elena stood in a door way as she watched the woman turn on lights in the dark room.
"Why am I here?" Elena asked her with a strong voice, though her heart beat gave her away.
"You keep asking me these questions like I'm going to answer them." The woman stated.
"Why won't you?" Elena asked.
"That's another one." She said placing a mirror in front of the window blocking out sun.
"You got me, it's not like I can go anywhere. Why can't you just tell me what you want with me?" Elena said.
"I personally don't want anything with you; I'm just a delivery service." The woman told her.
"Delivery to whom?" Elena asked as she walked into the room. "Elijah?" Elena asked being more specific.
The woman laughed a humorless laugh.
"Two points to the eavesdropper." The woman laughed.
"Who is he?" Elena asked.
In truth, she wasn't just asking for her own benefit, but she was asking so she had some kind of information for when and if Bella came for her. She couldn't be saved empty handed; she had to have some sort of information.
"Is he a vampire?" Elena asked.
"He's one of thee vampires, one of the originals." The woman told Elena.
"What do you mean one of the originals, like, he was born that way?" Elena asked confused.
"Again with the questions, haven't the Salvatore's been teaching you about vampire history?" The woman asked her.
"So you know Stefan and Damon?" Elena questioned.
"I know of them. About 100 years back a good friend of mine tried to set me up with Stefan. She said he was one of the good ones. More of a sucker for the bad boys though but I do digress." The woman told her.
"Who are the Originals?" Elena asked.
The woman closed her book and turned facing Elena.
"Trevor and I have been running for 500 years. We're tired, we want it over. We're using you to negotiate ourselves out of an old mess." The woman told her.
"But why me?" Elena asked trying to understand.
"Because you're a Petrova doppelganger, you're the key to breaking the curse." The woman told Elena.
"Curse?" Elena asked thinking. "The sun and the moon curse?" She asked.
The woman rolled her eyes.
"You do know your history." She said to Elena.
"What do you mean I'm the key? The moon stone is what breaks the curse." Elena told her as if the woman knew nothing.
"No, the moonstone is what binds the curse." The woman told her "A sacrifice is what breaks it." She tells Elena.
"Sacrifice?" Elena asked more to herself than to the woman.
"The blood of the doppelganger, you're the doppelganger, which means in order to break the curse; you're the one who has to die." The woman told Elena.
They were quiet for a few moments, Trevor eventually came back into the room and Elena didn't feel any better. She asked her questions, and they just made her more worried than she already was being in a house with two strange vampires who kidnapped her. She still wanted to know more, no she felt as if she needed to know more. For her sake, she honestly did, so she could understand better.
"Tell me more." Elena asked/demanded.
"Captivity made her pushy, ay?" Trevor asked from behind them. "What do you wanna know Doppel-licous?" Trevor asked and winked at her, covering more windows with boards.
"Who are you running from?" Elena asked.
"The originals," He told her.
"Yeah she said that. What does that mean?" She asked him.
"The first family," He told her kicking books out of his way which they crumpled under the strength of his kick. "The old world, Rose and I pissed them off." He said pointing to Rose, the woman.
So she does have a name. Elena thought to herself. It suited her.
Rose cleared her throat.
"Correction, I pissed them off. Rose had my back and for over half a millennium they wanted us dead." He told Elena tossing a book on the ground.
"What did you do?" Elena asked, she also wondered if she should tell them about Bella.
"He made the same mistake countless others did. He trusted Katerina Petrova." Rose told Elena.
"Katherine," Elena stated.
"Hmm, the one and only," Rose responded. "The first Petrova Doppelganger."
"I helped her escape her fate, and now I've, sorry, we've been marked ever since." Trevor said.
"Which is why we're not going to make the same mistake again," Rose said.
Trevor looked at Elena with emotionless eyes, ones that scared her. He tossed another book and left the room with Rose, leaving Elena on her own.
Elena walked back to the other side of the room and sat down with her knees up to her chest on the dusty old couch. Her foot touched the couch and made a crumbling sound.
She saw it was a piece of paper that wasn't there before. So she picked it up and un crumbled it.
Bella, Stefan and Damon are coming for you
- B
The note said which Elena identified as a piece of Bonnie's school work paper, with her hand writing in permanent marker. She held her gasp in and folded the paper and clutched it to her. It must have meant that Bella had given Bonnie her powers back. She was starting to feel relieved that her sister was coming, that she was being saved.
- - - IN THE CAR; RESCUE MISSION - - -
"We're getting closer; Jeremy said there was an access road soon." Stefan said.
Bella stayed quiet but Damon put his hand behind the seat trying to reach the blood she packed. She pushed his arm away and got it for him; she gave one to Stefan as well.
"That's so sweet; she wants you big and strong to save your girl." Damon joked, causing Bella to chuckle and roll her eyes. "Don't worry me and my girl got your back, you'll be fine." He continued to jest.
"I've been drinking a little every day. Slowly increasing my intake, you know building up my strength." Stefan told Damon seriously.
"Does Elena know your drinking blood?" Damon asked him.
"What Stefan was trying to tell you, was that he's been drinking Elena's blood." Bella said in a bored voice.
"Hmm, how romantic," Damon said "Since we're road trip bonding, remember the days when all you went for was blood? When you would rip someone apart just for the fun of it?" Damon asked.
Bella's ears and eyes perked at that information and she leaned forward so her head was nearly in the middle of Stefan and Damon's.
"You mean when I was more like you?" Stefan questioned.
"Yes!" Damon said happily "Yes, Stefan exactly. Back when you put blood into me so I could be a big bad vampire. Wonder if Elena would be so quick to open her veins to that guy." Damon questioned.
Bella gave him a look, wondering why he was being that way. It was Elena's choice.
"So you were a ripper?" Bella asked, and then turned towards Damon. "And shut up, it's her choice if she lets Stefan drink from her." Bella told him as she flicked him in the ear causing him to flinch.
"He could kill her." Damon muttered.
"Yeah, and if he kills her, I kill him. " Bella said shrugging as if it were that simple.
The car got quiet again and Bella sighed and leaned back in the seat.
- - - ELENA & THE KIDNAPPERS - - -
Elena sat in her spot on the dusty couch as she watched Rose walk around gathering things and packing them in a black duffle.
"HE'S HERE!" Trevor said in a panic. "I told you this was a bad idea." He said freaking out.
"Calm down it will be fine." Rose tried to sooth him.
"Calm down? He wants me dead Rose!" Trevor argued.
"He wants her more!" Rose told him pointing to Elena.
"You give him, her. He will have mercy on you but I need to get out of here." He said still not calming down.
"Hey." Rose told him grabbing both of his hands. "What are we?" She asked him.
Trevor squeezed his eyes closed and took a few calming breaths and nodded his head. "We're family." He answered. "Forever."
Rose nodded to him and he nodded back, then there were three loud bangs heard. Rose looked back to Elena.
"You're scared?" Elena asked.
"Stay here with her, and don't make a sound." Rose commanded Trevor.
She let go of his hands and ran up the stairs disappearing from the room.
At the front door, the man, Elijah, let himself in. He stood a few feet with his back to the door and his hands behind his back. Rose finally got to answer the door but it was already opened and he was already in the house.
"Rose-Marie, Is there somewhere we can talk?" He asked her.
Her breath was labored from running around the large house trying to get to the door.
"Yes, in here. You have to forgive the house." Rose told him.
"Oh, what's a little dirt? I completely understand." He told her looking around.
He walked out of the entrance and walked towards the room she gestured to.
"So tell me. What gives you the courage to call me?" He questioned her.
"I wanted my freedom. I'm tired of running, are in a position to grant me that?" She asked Elijah.
"I have complete authority to grant pardon to you and your little pet, what is name again?" He said in mock confusion "Trevor, if I so see fit."
"Katerina Petrova." Rose said.
Elijah slowly turned around and looked at her over his shoulder.
"I'm listening." He told her as he sat down.
"She didn't burn in the church in 1864." She told him.
"Continue," Elijah instructed her.
"She survived." Rose told him.
"Where is she?" He asked her.
"You don't seem surprised by this." She says.
"When you called and invited me into this arm pit of civilization, which is a mere three hours near the town we now know as Mystic Falls, I surmised it had everything to do with Katerina." He told her, "Do you have her in you possession?" Elijah asked her.
"No but I have better." Rose tells him with a proud smile. "I have her doppelganger." She says walking closer.
"That's impossible." Elijah said shaking his head. "Her family line ended with her, I know that for a fact." He said.
"Then the facts are wrong." Rose told him.
"Well show her to me." Elijah said leaning forward.
"Elijah you're a man of honor, you're to be trusted. But I want to hear you say it again." Rose told him.
"You have my word that I will pardon you." He said looking into her eyes.
She looked at him a second longer, and she could feel he was being honest.
"Follow me," Rose told him and walked away.
Elena was pacing the room she was being held in. She was worried and gripping the paper that had somehow been sent to her. She was freaking out because this Elijah, this Original that had these two vampires afraid of, was here. She wasn't sure if she was going to be killed, or taken somewhere else.
She could hear footsteps of two people getting closer, and it frightened her. She could hear them behind her now, and she turned around. Rose walked into the room with a man. He was tall, short brown hair, and dressed in a very expensive suit.
Bella would appraise him for his dressings. Elena thought to herself as she looked up to the man's face. He was beautiful of course; she hadn't really met any ugly vampires yet. This man held himself with superiority and confidence, he held himself with a demeanor that screamed danger, much more danger than Damon ever radiated off of him.
The man looked at her, his eyes went wide slightly and in a flash he was in front of her. He moved almost as fast as Bella. Elena's heart picked up and she took a step back away from him.
He leaned his head close to hers, she thought he was going to try to kiss her, but his head traveled lower. He reached her neck and inhaled deeply. Her pulse and heart was beating widely, and she was starting to have trouble breathing. She was afraid, and she was almost certain that she wouldn't see her sister or Stefan ever again.
"Human," He said when he brought his head back up. "It's impossible," He said then looked down at Elena with amused eyes. "Hello there," He greeted her as if she weren't afraid at all.
What the people inside the house didn't know, was that Isabella, Damon and Stefan were outside a good distance away, enough away to not be heard.
Isabella and Stefan were carrying duffle bags. And they started walking towards the house till Bella stopped Stefan.
"I have more experience than you do." She says softly.
She didn't want Stefan going in, she wanted him to wait out here for them to bring Elena out. She loved Stefan like the bratty little boy she claimed him to be. She didn't want him getting hurt.
"Meaning?" He asked her.
"Meaning that Katherine's been running from these people since before 1864, meaning they're older than 500, meaning their stronger." She whispered to him. "Are you sure you want to do this?" She asked Stefan.
Stefan looked down at her and his eyes went softer. She's being vulnerable again, the side she doesn't show to many, and he was receiving it even after all this time he had been a jerk and ignored her wishes or warnings.
"I'm sure I wanna do this." He told her looking in her eyes.
"If you go in there, you might not come out." She whispered.
"Then I won't come out." He told her strongly.
"Oh stop being so noble Stefan. She's clearly telling you she doesn't want you to go in with us." Damon hissed at his brother.
Stefan shook his head.
"I can't think of a better reason to die. But if you two wanna stay here then I totally understand." Stefan said.
Bella pinched Stefan and walked away, with both boys following her.
Inside Bella could hear Voices, faint voices, but voices nonetheless.
"We have a long journey ahead of us, we should get going." A man with an English accent said.
"Please don't let him take me." She heard Elena's voice beg.
Bella picked up her speed running full force, making the boys behind her do the same, their hearing not as good as hers.
"One last piece of business, and then we're done." The man said.
"I've waited so long for this day Elijah." Another man with an accent said.
Elijah? Bella asked in her mind.
"I'm truly very sorry." The man from just a second ago stated.
"Oh your apology isn't necessary." The man Elijah answered.
"Yes it is. You trusted me with Katerina," The man said, "and I failed you." He finished.
Katerina? Must be talking about Katherine Bella said to herself, she and the boy were entering the house now, making silent steps.
"Yes you are the guilty one, and Rose aided you because she was loyal to you. Where was your loyalty?" Elijah asked.
"I beg your forgiveness." The man pleaded.
"So granted," Elijah said quietly.
Trevor smiled a small relieved smile but with in a split second his head was knocked off his shoulders, beheaded.
Rose let out a moan like sob and walked weakly down two steps.
"Why you." She started.
"Rose I wouldn't." Elijah told her as he wiped her hands off.
"Rose and Elijah is it?" Bella said stepping into the room gaining the attention of both Elijah and Rose.
Rose flew farther down the stairs into the room, and Elijah just stared at her.
He couldn't believe what he was seeing. He could smell her, sense her, feel the power radiating off of her body. He could see her eyes and how startling they were. He knew then who she was, he heard rumors about her, but he didn't believe them. Vampires weren't supposed to be able to procreate, but here she was.
His brother's daughter.
He was so entranced with her that he didn't even notice Stefan grab Elena and take her out of the room, out of the house. Damon stood behind him.
"And you are?" Elijah asked her.
She glared and stepped down the stairs.
"Isabella Gilbert, Elena's older sister. You picked the wrong girl to kidnap Elijah." She sneered at him.
He could tell and feel he was near matched with her, he knew she would or could take him out. Part of him wanted to defend himself and prepare for an attack, but the majority of his body wasn't letting him move from his spot where he stood. He couldn't hurt her; he wouldn't be able to do it.
"Rose here," He gestured to the woman "and Trevor." He gestured to the head of a man at Bella's feet. "Were the ones that took your dear sister, and planed to give her to me." He said calmly.
"You took my sister!" Bella roared at the girl causing Elijah to smile at her anger.
So much like her father. He amused in his head. So beautiful. He thought again.
He watched as Bella walked slowly, almost cat like, to Rose.
Rose backed away scared until she couldn't move any farther. She got her self ready to attack if the girl, Isabella made a move.
"You think you can beat me?" Isabella giggled her eyes sparkling. "You can't," she finished.
"Submit Rose, she is much more than what I am. She was born into this life. What would Niklaus say if he heard word you tried to harm his daughter?" Elijah taunted.
Rose's eyes went wider than they already were and she started to panic. She didn't believe the rumors about the girl either; she too, thought it impossible.
"Now it's time for your head to roll." Bella growled out and kicked Rose so hard her head came clean off and dropped to the floor with a thud.
Elijah made his move then, and went to move between the gap Isabella and the man standing on the other side of the room made. But he didn't get that far, his throat was incased in Bella's small hand, gripped tightly.
He stood still and gasped when her eyes flickered a different color.
"You are a hybrid." He choked out "You've changed into a werewolf?" He wheezed out the question.
"What do you know of my birth father?" She hissed at him.
He didn't give her any answers and that pissed her off. She sent Damon a nod and he staked Elijah in the heart causing him to turn grey as he sucked in a few breaths.
Bella dropped him and kicked in him the side for good measure and took Damon's waiting hand and they ran out of the house as quickly as they could, running towards their siblings.
They reached the car and when Bella saw Elena in Stefan's arms she let out a sob and snatched her sister away from Stefan and crushed her in a hug.
Elena's own cries were mixed with hers and Bella leaned back and looked at Elena's face, the small bruise from Rose hitting her shown on her cheek. She franticly searched the rest of Elena and sighed in relief when she couldn't spot any other injuries.
"You okay? " Bella asked.
"Yes, where is the girl? Rose?" Elena asked looking worried.
"Dead," Damon answered giving Elena a pointed look.
She nodded and sighed and hugged Bella again.
"I knew you would come for me. I prayed you would come for me! I got the note, Bonnie sent me about not telling me you were coming. I was so scared." She rambled on.
Bella laughed a hysterical laugh and kissed her sisters forehead.
"You may grate my nerves, but I will always come for you Elena. Always." She told her little sister seriously while she looked into her eyes.
"And Elijah? The original?" Elena asked.
"Original?' Bella, Stefan and Damon asked at the same time.
"He's from an old family, they were the first vampires made, born or whatever. I didn't tell them about you"- Elena started off and continued telling them what happened and what she found out.
"You won't be sacrificed Elena. I won't allow that to happen. Now, let's get you home. You need a shower." Bella told her scrunching up her nose causing Elena to blush and look embarrassed.
Bella sat up front with Damon this time; they held hands the whole way home. Elena and Stefan held each other in the back seat.
Bella was quiet the whole way home, and Damon let her think to herself. He knew she was planning, and making back up plans. He wondered if she would be alright, he hoped she would be alright.
When they finally got to the Gilbert House they were glad to see Alaric and Jenna weren't home yet, and they walked together inside the house.
"BELLS, ELENA?" Jeremy yelled down the stairs after Stefan shut the door to loudly.
They heard shuffling and feet moving. Bonnie bound down first followed by Jeremy. Bonnie crushed Elena to her and smiling and crying slightly.
"Are you okay?" Jeremy asked Elena.
She looked at him as she hugged Bonnie and nodded as well as she could.
"I'm okay." She told him.
Bonnie leaned back and Elena smiled at her.
"I got your message." She told Bonnie which made Bonnie cry more and hug her again.
Bella rolled her eyes but smiled a watery smile nonetheless as she stood smashed between Stefan and Damon, her arms around both of their middles.
Jeremy was crying too and he didn't feel embarrassed. His sister was taken and his other sister went to save her. Either one or both could have died. And he was proud of Bella, that she went and saved their sister even when their sister wasn't being a good sister to Isabella at all.
He hugged Elena tightly to him, cradling her head in his hand and her body with his arm close to him. He was relieved that she was alive, and his heart was soaring because he could have lost her. Losing his parents was enough, he wouldn't survive if his sisters died, even one of them. To him Elena was overbearing and tried to be his mother, but he couldn't lose her.
Bonnie walked up to Bella and hugged her tightly as well, causing Bella to go stiff and squeeze Stefan and Damon's sides harshly at how uncomfortable she was. Stefan tapped her shoulder and she gave him a soft smile and let go of him and Damon. She awkwardly returned the hug lightly to Bonnie, patting her back.
"Thank you, for not only letting me help, but for giving my powers back. I'm grateful and Thank you for letting me meet my cousin Lucy. It meant a lot, and for now on, I'll listen to you. I realize it's my fault too for things that have happened, and I'm sorry for how I treated you." Bonnie said looking at Bella in the eye.
"You've said sorry before while looking in my eyes Bonnie. I don't trust you, I can't yet." Bella whispered "And I think you owe somebody else an apology as well." She said suggestively.
Bonnie nodded sadly and turned towards Damon and said she was sorry and that she didn't blame him and him alone anymore, and he shrugged his shoulders and said alright.
Stefan decided to stay the night with Elena and Jeremy, and Bella decided to get some much needed quality time with Damon, without Katherine in the house.
She called Jenna and let her know her plans and Jenna of course said that was fine, and that she was staying at Alaric's house. She asked about Elena and Bella informed her that Jeremy and Stefan were keeping her company for the night which had Jenna giggling.
Bonnie decided to stay as well and that made Bella look at Jeremy suspiciously but he looked as innocent as a new born so she shrugged it off.
Once Bella and Damon got to the Boarding House, they took a shower and laid on the couch in the front room with music going and talking quietly with tall glasses full of Whiskey.
"Things aren't over yet." Bella murmured quietly.
"I know, they're just beginning," Damon said rubbing her back. "At least one of those Original fuckers are gone." He spat out.
Bella sighed and looked up at him.
"There was something there, being near him. Familiar." She said looking confused.
"Let us worry about it tomorrow. Tonight, let's just have fun." He told her placing his glass down, and then he took hers and sat hers down and picked her up twirling her around in tune with the music.
- - - Rose & Trevor's hideout house - - -
Elijah's eyes popped open and he took in a few deep breaths through his nose. He could feel his skin changing back to normal, and he slowly but firmly removed the stake from his chest.
He let his head fall back against the floor again and flashes of the beautiful Isabella Gilbert went through his mind. She was most beautiful, that was surely what he knew. He knew she was real, he knew she was his brother's daughter, and he knew that he wanted to see her again.
He was going to see her again. He had to get to know her; he wished to get to know her. It amused him that Isabella and the doppelganger were siblings, half siblings obviously. Petrova blood and Niklaus coming together to make a child. He snorted in the irony.
He was glad that it was the boy that staked him and not Isabella. That annoyed him, but he wasn't going to give her answers yet. He had to earn her trust and trust her as well.
I'll be seeing you soon, Isabella. Elijah mentally said and smirked
- - A/N;
First I just have to say, I'm sorry for taking so long on this update. I've been busy and my ideas have been all over the place, I had to sort through them to make sure this chapter made sense. There were so many I wanted to write out and do, but I obviously couldn't do them all or I'd be doing this chapter about three times, with three different versions, and let's face it….that's not going to happen.
I've put three episodes together, "PLAN B, MASQURADE, & ROSE" together to form this update. If I didn't, then it would be extremely short compared to the other chapter's I've written since Caroline is out and using all the Katherine shit from the episodes obviously couldn't be used if she was locked away. But I did have to put some spice into it.
Katherine had no idea that Lucy would try to connect to her when her cell phone was turned off by Bella. And even though she said she would go by the rules, she did fine a loophole, using it to her somewhat advantage. She's not very smart with every choice she makes. Huh?
So how does everybody feel about what's been going on in season three with Klaus/Caroline and the whole sort? I've been making my plans for season three. It will go a lot differently obviously with Caroline being dead.
Well as always at the end of my updates & A/N's I ask you all to review and let me know how you feel about the chapter. I hope to hear a good response from all of you, but of course I don't expect a good one from everybody. There are a few who will object to things and such, which is fine by me. I just hope you update, it's much more exciting to pursue the next chapter with that excitement flowing through me.
Thank you for reading!
- Cullensbabymama7