Chapter 20:

Midway through their nightly physical activity, an urgent knock echoed through her house. She pried herself from his hot body, which felt like pulling skin off of hot leather in a car, and retreated downstairs as she quickly wrapped her black robe around her exposed body. The love marks from his lips had not fully disappeared from her neck and she was quite flustered by the whole evening. Still, she almost lost the natural glow radiating off her skin when she answered the door. "Tyler?" She asked, shocked by his presence.

Her childhood friend's face crumbled like it had the night his friends almost killed her, "My mom just gave me this plane ticket and told me to get the hell out of town. She's outing everyone to the council- they're going to kill us." Elena felt the silent footsteps of her lover vibrate as he walked down the stairs. "I've known you since we were babies, Elena…"

"What's going on?" Klaus asked, "What are you doing here?" The masculinity in the room was too high for Elena, especially given the news.

Tyler ignored him, "We were born and raised in this town and she thinks, because she holds a grudge against the vampires in this town, that she can burn it to the ground." He paused, "I know she's my mother and I know I haven't been the type of guy you could always trust, but trust me when I say we all need to get out of here."

"I can't leave!" Elena yelled, "My family is here and so are my friends…I'd rather burn with the town than leave them behind." Of course, she knew she could take Jeremy and Ric with her, wherever she went but she was talking about the family that she'd laid to rest. The thought of leaving this place rattled her every bone.

"Elena, I completely understand what you're saying, but we're talking about life and death. They will kill you." Tyler said, "The council is powerful-slightly stupid and corrupt- but powerful."

"He's right." Klaus nodded, "They'll kill you…this town has prided itself with the extinction of vampires and if they're about to find out it's infested- we need to leave. Now."

"No, no, no!" Elena told them, "I can't leave Jeremy and Ric. This is my home!"

Tyler looked at Klaus, who returned the knowing look. Tyler whispered, "You had to know you would have to leave at some point." She felt the burning tears in her eyes as she looked back and forth between Klaus and Tyler. This was her home. It was the only place she'd ever lived- ever wanted to live. She broke her arm across the street when she was six, she and Bonnie used to make mud pies in her backyard after rainy days… and here Tyler was telling her she had to get out of there as if she could pack her entire life in one night.

"I don't want to leave." She said as burning tears fell from her eyes, "This is my home."

Klaus wrapped his strong arm around her shoulders as he said, "Let us think about it." Tyler nodded as he stood on the porch, looking at the two.

"You can stay here." Elena nodded, "Jeremy's not here so you can stay in his room tonight. I doubt you want to go home."

"Thanks." Tyler nodded, "I hope you can talk some sense into her." He told Klaus as he climbed the stairs. Klaus could tell that Elena's heart was breaking as she hurried upstairs to grab her cell phone so she could inform the rest of the group. He followed her every move as she paced back and forth, listening to the ringing and then the generic voicemail.

"Ric's not answering." He could tell she was becoming hysterical, her heart skipping beats as she looked at him. "What if she's done something to him?"

Klaus never got worried the way she was getting worried- in fact, he normally skipped this step and proceeded to ripping people's hearts out. He tilted his head to the side, observing her motions before he decided he should tell her to, "Calm down." She looked at him with the craziest look in her eye- as if she were going to rip his head off.

"Calm down." She stated, "You want me to calm down?"

He walked toward her, "I don't know what you want me to say, Elena. The rational decision would be to leave. You wish to stay, I wish to give you everything you wish for…I love you, but you need to calm down and let us think."

She took a deep breath, "I knew this day would come…I'm just not ready, it's too soon."

"There's a chance Carol isn't going to tell anyone." Klaus said, "She's probably just letting off some steam after her failed assassination attempt."

"We could fight her." Elena said, "We could fight the entire council. Baby, you're strong enough."

Klaus sighed, "But I have a weakness that's pretty obvious."

"What?"

"You." He kissed her hair, "I won't start a war with these small town idiots when I know you could be caught in the crossfire."

"Goose-" Her phone rang before she could kiss him, "Alaric? Are you okay?"

"Mayor Lockwood just had Sheriff Forbes stripped of her badge. What's going on Elena?" Elena paled as she heard Alaric's question. This is real.

"Carol Lockwood has started a war between the supernatural and council." She said slowly as she looked at Klaus with wide eyes.