Author's Note: There has always been one thing that has bothered me about this episode on the show. The Salvatore brothers have been vampires for nearly 150 years. They grew up in the area. They would know how and where to hide a dead body so it wouldn't turn up on the side of a hill during the first heavy rain storm. I don't know what the writers were smoking to come up with their plot twist but don't look for Vicki's body to show up again here. As far as I'm concerned, she's never found and her family thinks she's taken off.

That being said:

Damon strode across the unkempt field. The rain plastering his hair and clothing to his skin. As he approached his car, two forms slid out of the passenger side and one opened an umbrella that both huddled under. They were not going to like what he had to tell them, nor would they like his plan.

""Where's Stefan?" Elena demanded as soon as he was within her hearing. Bonnie just looked at him beseechingly.

"He's in the house but I can't get to him, at least not yet." The vampire responded.

"Why can't you?" Elena, again.

"Because the owner of the house was compelled not to invite me in."

"We can get in," the brown eyed girl brain stormed as she looked at Bonnie. "We can convince her to let you in." Bonnie's eyes reflected doubt for a moment but then she nodded .

"No."

"What?" the girls said in unison.

"There are too many vampires in there. You'll never have enough time to talk to the owner before you're caught."

"But Bonnie can stop them." Elena started.

"I said no." Damon countered.

"Damon, I can do this." Bonnie finally found her voice.

Taking the umbrella from Elena, "Get in the car." he stated quietly. As she turned on the doe eyes and began to open her mouth, he continued. "Now Elena!"

At his shout, the girl's face crumpled and she climbed back into the car. Damon then turned to Bonnie.

"Why won't you let me help you rescue Stefan?" She asked. "You know what I can do to them."

"How many vampires have you dealt with at once?" Damon's face grim.

"One." Bonnie lowered her head.

"And every vampire in that house other than Stefan is older and therefore stronger." Damon lifted her chin to face him. "You aren't ready to possibly be bum rushed by twenty-some pissed vamps."

Damon honestly wasn't sure as to how many had taken up residence at the farmhouse. He and Stef had fought two the other night. Bonnie had already been asleep upstairs and had come down just as Stefan had staked the female and the male got away. The fight woke her.

"How am I to know what I can handle if you won't trust me to try?" She pleaded.

"I won't put you in harm's way, sweetheart." Damon's expression finally softening. "I'd rather the odds be stacked more in our favor before we test your skills."

"Then how do we rescue Stefan?"

"I have a plan."

Getting into the car, the two looked at Elena who was scowling in the backseat.

"We'll get him back. Don't worry, Gilbert." Damon assured the petulant teen. "No one but me gets to mess with my little brother." He then glanced at his witch. "Well maybe her, if he gets out of line."

"So what's this plan of yours?" Bonnie finally smiled lightly.

"Let's go talk to a history teacher."

It had taken a bit of pleading and cajoling on behalf of Elena and Bonnie but they were able to convince Alaric to help Damon gain access to the farm house.

"Alright, Alaric and I will get in and find Stefan. You two stay here." Damon said with authority.

"We should go in with you." Elena offered.

"No, you and Bonnie need to cover our exit." Damon responded. "Who knows how many can leave the house in daylight and Stef isn't going to be in great shape. If we're chased, you need to get Stefan out of here fast."

Alaric just nodded at this. He was loaded to bear, or rather vampire but there was no way he wanted his human students going into the mess he was facing.

The hunter and vampire trudged through the rain to the house where Alaric knocked and then gently forced his way inside, pushing the owner onto the porch.

After confirming that the woman was the one and only, Damon snapped her neck without remorse at least until he saw the school teacher cringe at the sound. Bonnie would not be happy to know what he just did but it was the only way to get inside.

All hell broke loose after finding Stefan. As little brother stumbled out in the rain, the two men battled the incensed vampires before they too headed back into the rain.

Elena and Bonnie watched as Stefan left the tree line and headed to the car. Suddenly he was attacked by another vampire. Bonnie vaguely recognized him from the night at the boarding house as she focused on causing him pain. Sadly, the older attacker was stronger that Damon and it took more to finally get him to release Stefan than she figured on. Blood trickled from Bonnie's nose as she concentrated.

Elena ran to her boyfriend begging him to get up. The witch almost missed her friend shoving her wrist into Stefan's mouth. This won't end well, she thought as Stef drank.

The girls watched in horror as the downed vampire recovered and then was savagely jumped and brutally beaten until dead.

When Stefan calmed, he turned to Elena and allowed her to lead him to the car. Bonnie quickly wiped at her nose, crouching in the grass to dilute the blood now on her hand as Damon and Alaric cleared the trees and ran for their respective cars. The human hunter drove off quickly after seeing Stefan safely in Damon's car.

"The owner of the farm house?" Bonnie asked timidly as she and Damon got in the front seat. But he just shook his head not meeting her eyes. She in turn just nodded. Grams had warned her. Only Bennetts were assured safety around Damon. Bonnie even wondered what would happen to Elena or Caroline if Damon thought they would prevent him from protecting her, his brother or himself. Hopefully it would never come to that. After seeing her nodd resolutely, Damon looked at her then reached out and wiped at a smudge on the girl's cheek. Was that blood?

Damon checked the rearview mirror before starting the car. "You doing okay, brother?" Turning he saw a familiar look in the young man's eyes. Opening the driver's door he climbed out. "Slide over little witch, you're driving."

Bonnie just looked at him for a second and then did as she was told.

Getting into the back, Damon pointedly looked at Elena. "You, shot gun." When Elena went to protest, "Your wrist is still open. It's a distraction." he explained. Without a word, she then joined Bonnie up front as Damon clamped a hand on his brother's shoulder. "it's okay, Stef. you're good." he whispered for only his brother to hear.

Bonnie started the car and took them all to the boarding house.