~Thanks for the reviews guys! I do not own the Vampire Diaries.~

Elena POV

Bonnie and I were in my room talking about the moonstone. Everyone was trying to figure out how to break the curse and save me but I was worried about Erika. She's stuck in there all because she tried to save Jeremy. If everyone stopped trying to help me, none of this would have happened.

"Now that you've got this back, what are you gonna do with it?" I asked Bonnie.

"Right now, it's what is binding the Sun and Moon Curse. If I can figure out a way to remove the spell from the stone, the stone becomes useless." She replied as she kept studying it.

"And according to Katherine, Klaus becomes vengeful."

"Maybe. If he finds out."

"Bonnie can't this wait? Erika is stuck in the tomb with Katherine. We've got to get her out."

"Erika told Damon that she wants me to focus on this."

"Don't listen to her. She wants to try to change what I did but she's wrong."

"I'm taking their side. We're not gonna let you get used in some creepy sacrifice ritual and Erika running for the rest of her life."

Bonnie puts the stone in her bag as Jeremy walks in the room. "What are you guys arguing about?"

"We're not arguing about anything. I need coffee." Bonnie excused herself and Jeremy gives me a look.

"What?" I questioned him.

"Why are you on some suicide mission?"

"I'm trying to prevent everyone else from getting hurt."

"Oh so, bringing Klaus the moonstone so you can get yourself killed is okay?" He scoffs and leaves the room.

When Jeremy leaves I go through Bonnie's bag for the moonstone. Once I found it, I run down the stairs quietly with my car keys. Bonnie is going up the stairs and looks at me weirdly.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

"I was going to see Stefan then check on Erika." I replied simply.

"You're lying."

"No, I'm not."

"Really? Tell your face."

"Are you serious?"

Jeremy joins us down stairs. "She took the moonstone." He pointed out.

"How did you…?" I questioned.

"We tested you, and you failed." Bonnie answered.

"Klaus killed Katherine's entire family just because she crossed him. I can't let that happen." I tried to reason with them. They looked at each other and I rolled my eyes as I pushed passed them to get through the front door. I tried to walk out but a barrier was blocking me.

"What did you do?" I looked at Bonnie.

"It's for the best, Elena."

Erika POV

Damon was standing outside the tomb filling me on everything that was going on.

"You trapped Elena in the house?" I scoffed in disbelief.

"It's for the best. Trust me. Elena is on a martyr tear that rivals Stefan's greatest hits. You should be glad the witch and I are even getting along. I brought you this."

I rolled my eyes as he tossed me a duffle bag. "Care package: candles, lanterns and…lunch." He listed the contents.

I took the blood out and tossed it to him. "I'll just have to share it with her. She took enough blood from my brother." I glared at her before I looked at Damon.

"You're still mad about that?" Katherine asked. I ignored her. "You two are surprising calm, considering Klaus will hunt you down and kill you if you mess with his little plan."

"I've been dead before. I got over it." Damon commented before he left.

I took the duffel to the back of the tomb and grabbed the clothes out. I tossed a set to Katherine along with some wipes.

"This isn't really my style." She commented.

"Well it's either put it on or stay in your dirty dress. Your choice." I stripped myself down to bra and panties and started to wipe my skin off of dirt.

"I would be nicer to me. I could kill you without hesitation."

I stood up glaring as I was inches from her face. "Under the circumstances, you got yourself locked in here and you tried to kill my brother which is why I am in here now. Do not mess with me or I will punch you so hard you won't wake up." I walked away from her and kept on with my bathing.

Once I finished I grabbed the blanket Damon packed and curled into a ball and went to sleep.

Elena POV

I came down stairs to Jenna looking through the closet.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Perfect timing." She replied as she handed me a box.

"What is this stuff?"

"Your mom's files from the Historical Society. I got roped into helping Mrs. Lockwood and by roped, I mean very excited to participate." She closes the door and I get startled at the sight of Elijah being there.

"Hey, I'm Elijah." He greeted.

"Elijah's in town doing research on Mystic Falls." Jenna explained.

Elijah stepped closer to me and shook my hand. "Pleasure."

"So you're welcome to stay here and rummage through this stuff or Elena and I could help you load it to your car." Jenna offered.

"Or I can get someone to pick it up tomorrow." Elijah offered as well.

"Also a good plan."

Elijah looked at one of the photo albums. "These are some beautiful shots."

"Courtesy of my other niece, Erika. I could invite her to join us when we go view the town. She can take any pictures that you want."

"I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you so much for inviting me into your home. I look forward to meeting again sometime soon."

When he leaves, I rush upstairs to Jeremy but Elijah sneaks up on me and stops me. Jeremy saw me and the only thing I could tell him was that Jenna needed her downstairs so he left.

"A wise choice." Elijah commented.

"What do you want?"

"I think it's time that you and I had a little chat."

Erika POV

I woke in my own bed. I stretched and showered and got ready for the day. I went to my mirror to work on my hair when I noticed pictures along the wall. It was Elena and I except both our hair was wavy. That's weird.

I looked at my hand and noticed that I didn't have my ring on. Where is my ring? I ran to my dresser and looked through my whole jewelry and chucked it when I couldn't find it. I looked at the corner of my wall with the boards and didn't see any pictures with Damon or Stefan.

What is going on?

I went to the window and opened the curtain so the sun could hit me. I didn't feel any pain. This can't be happening I muttered with a shaky breathe.

I grabbed my phone and looked through my messages and phone list and no Damon was on it.

"This can't be happening!" I grabbed a pair of scissors and sliced my hand open and it didn't heal. "This can't be happening!" I shouted louder as I destroyed my whole room crying.

I heard my door open to see my mom standing in front of me. "What is going on here?!" She shouted. I stared at her in shock and she yelled at me when she saw my bleeding hand. "Katherine! Get the first aid kit and fast!"

"Katherine?" I questioned as mom looked at my hand.

"Erika I don't know what has gotten into you. Do you have any idea what your father would say if he saw this?" Mom lectured me.

"You're supposed to be dead."

"Excuse me?"

"Here mom." Katherine came in looking at me concerned.

"What are you doing here?" I asked her.

"I live here…"

"No…no…where is Elena?" I pulled my hand away.

"Who is Elena?"

"Elena! My sister!" I shouted.

"Honey, there is no Elena." Mom tried to calm me down. I slapped her hand away.

"This isn't real!" I pushed everyone away from me and ran out the room. I grabbed my shoes by the door and got in my car and sped to the boarding house. I would knock but I ran to the side of the house and found the spare key and let myself in the house. I ran upstairs to where his room was.

I sobbed quietly when I realized that he wasn't here. By the looks of it, no one has been in this room. I sat on his bed that felt really stiff for not being slept on. I pulled my phone out with shaking hands and dialed the number I memorized over and over again and listened to it as it dialed.

"Hello?" the voice answered.

"Damon?" I choked out his name.

"Yeah… who is this?" I was struggling to speak. "Hello?"

"It's…Erika."

"Who?"

I sobbed. "Erika! Your girlfriend!"

"I don't have a girlfriend."

"Yes you do! It's me!" I screamed. "Why is everything different?!"

"I think you need help."

"Screw you…" I hung up and chucked my phone.

I curled myself in a ball and screamed and cried my heart out.

I gasped as I looked around and realized I was in the cave to see Katherine with a smirk on her face.

"I didn't realize you were that attached to Damon."

"What are you talking about?" I asked her.

"I thought you would have been happy to have me as a sister."

I glared at her. I quickly got up and threw a large rock at her. "Stay the hell out of my head."

"You mad?"

"Elena and I may have problems but I wouldn't change her being my sister for the world. Do me a favor and keep to yourself." I spat at her and then went to the entrance of the tomb to get some fresh air.

Elena POV

I led Elijah to my room so we could talk in private.

"Forgive the intrusion. I mean your family no harm." He apologized.

"Why did you kill those vampires when they tried to take me?" I asked him.

"Because I didn't want you to be taken. Klaus is the most feared and hated of the Originals, but those that fear him are desperate for his approval. If word gets out that the doppelgängers exists, there'll be a line of vampires eager to take you to him and I can't have that."

"Isn't that exactly what you're trying to do?"

"Let's just say that my goal is not to break the curse."

"so, what is your goal?"

"Klaus's obsession has made him paranoid. He's a recluse. He trusts only those in his immediate circle."

"like you?"

"not anymore."

You don't know where he is, do you? So you're trying to use me and my sister to draw him out."

"Well, to do that I need you to stay put and stop trying to get yourself killed and dragging your sister with you."

"How do I know you're telling the truth?"

"If I wasn't being truthful, all your family would be dead and I'd be taking you to Klaus right now. Instead, I'm here and I'm prepared to offer you a deal."

"What kind of a deal?" I pushed.

"Do nothing. Do nothing, live your life, stop fighting and then, when the time is right, you and I shall draw out Klaus together and I shall make sure your friends remain unharmed."

"And then what?"

"Then I kill him."

"Just like that?"

"Just like that. I'm a man of my word, Elena. I make a deal, I keep a deal."

"How are you gonna be able to keep everybody safe?"

"I notice you have a friend; Bonnie, is it? She seems to possess the gift of magic. I have friends with similar gifts."

"You know witches?"

"Together, we can protect everybody that matters to you. So, do we have a deal?"

I contemplated everything that he said to me. It seemed reasonable until I thought of poor Erika stuck in the tomb. "I need you to do one more thing for me."

"We're negotiating now?" Elijah questioned me.

"It's Erika…"

"What about her?"

"She is stuck in the tomb that is sealed with magic."

"And how did that happen? Can't you just have your witch despell it?"

"It's not that simple. The seal was created to keep Katherine inside and we can't get Erika out without letting Katherine as well."

"I'll take care of that. DO we have a deal?"

I nodded.

Damon POV

After the failure at the Grille I just wanted to go home and sulk. Erika was still in the tomb so I couldn't have her come to comfort me. When I go into the library to get a drink I felt a presence.

"You just can't stay away, can you?" I asked.

"Erika isn't answering my calls and You don't answer your phone." Rose replied.

"Erika is stuck in the tomb because I wasn't there to prevent her stupid brother from getting himself killed. What do you want?"

"I wanted to apologize."

"Just admit it, you don't have anywhere else to go."

"I'm sorry about Elena. I wasn't thinking straight. I didn't know that she had a death wish and would drag Erika down. I want to protect Erika. I'm sorry, Damon. And I have nowhere else to go."

"There's nothing here for you, Rose."

"Well, then..."

We looked at each other hear something like breaking glass from another part of the house. We walk towards the living room to see nothing. The window shatters as a wolf lunges into the living room. I grab a sword hanging on the wall and prepare myself to attack it. When it lunges at me, Rose pushes me out of the way and the wold jumps on her and bits into her shoulder. I quickly stab the animal and it runs away. I drop the sword and go to Rose's side.

"How bad is it?" I ask her.

"It hurts."

I take a look at her wound and it starts to heal. "It's healing."

"Oh my God, I thought a werewolf bite was fatal! I thought..." she breaks down into tears as I hug her.

"You're gonna be okay." I comfort her.

Erika POV

I continued to stand by the tomb entrance lost in my own thoughts.

"Are we seriously not going to talk at all?" Katherine asked me.

"There is nothing to talk about." I replied simply.

"You can't actually be mad."

I looked at her. "I thought we had an understanding. I forgave you for a lot of things but what you did to Jeremy is unforgivable."

"Oh please."

"Tell me this. If Jeremy didn't have the ring, would you have done what you did? Would you have killed him?"

"Yes. I'm not going to apologize for it either, Erika. It's called self-preservation. I've been looking out for myself for 500 years. I may have a liking to you but that doesn't mean I am going to spare every person you acknowledge to spare your feelings. The quicker you learn that the better off you will be."

"Be what? Like you? Alone and on the run? No love life whatsoever? No family? Going after some guy that doesn't give a crap about you? Nah, I think I'll pass on that."

She scoffed. "What, you rather protect them? All your precious friends and family are going to die soon enough. Damon and Stefan are going to get a stake in the heart trying to do the same thing."

"I rather spend the time with everyone I care for until my dying day."

We were silent for a long time until Katherine spoke again. "Start with Isobel, Elena's mother. She was a research expert. She found me." I look at her to see if she was serious and she was. "You're welcome."

Our heads snapped over to the entrance when we heard footsteps coming.

"Damon?" I called out. I gasped when it was actually Elijah. Katherine tried to look like she wasn't scared but she actually was.

"Elijah." Katherine greeted.

"Good evening Katerina. Thank you for having the good sense to be frightened." He said before looking at me. "Your release has been requested."

"What?" I looked at him weird.

"Your sister drives a hard bargain. However, we reached a peaceful agreement, she and I. Please." He makes a gesture that shows it's safe to walk out. "Come."

"I can't" I told him.

He holds his hand out for me to take. "Yes, you can. I've had the spell lifted."

I hesitated at first but I grabbed his hand and then walked out. Katherine tried to rush out behind me but Elijah blocks her way.

"As for you however, you should not exit until I say so. When Klaus comes, he'll want to know exactly where you are." He compels her and stays put. He then looks at me. "You're free to go. Elena will explain the arrangement to you. IF she keeps her word, I'll keep mine."

I nod in understanding and start to walk away.

"Erika, no. Please don't let him leave me in here." Katherine begged me.

I didn't respond to her. I kept walking and went home. I let myself into the house and went up to Elena's room. When she saw me she pulled me into a tight hug. I hug her back just as tight.

"I am so glad that you are ok." She said and I started to tear up a bit. "What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry." I told her.

"For what?"

"I know that lately we have been fighting and I have been really mad at you."

"Erika it's ok. I'm sorry too. I'm sorry I kept putting you in these positions and testing your relationship with Damon. I'm also sorry that I risked your life."

"Elena, I'm glad that you're my sister. I love you so much and nothing can ever change that. I don't think I could be in a world without you."

She pulled me into another hug as we both teared up.

Damon POV

I finished getting off the phone with Caroline and she confirmed that Tyler had been locked up this evening. So it must have been Jules. When I was heading to the living room I heard wind past me. It sent me on edge. I turned around to nothing. "Come out whoever you are!" I ordered.

Around the corner of the hallway Erika appeared and smiled at me. "Demanding are we?"

I instantly pulled her in my arms and kissed her deeply. "What? How?" I questioned as she smiled at me. "It doesn't matter. I missed you so much."

"I missed you too." She kissed me again. I led her to the living room to Rose sitting on the couch. When she saw me she beamed and rush to hug Erika. Erika hugged her back but she groaned in pain and pulled away.

"What's wrong?" Erika asked.

She lifts her bathrobe off her shoulder to look at it. We all gasp in shock as we see that her shoulder have open sores and blisters.

"What the hell happened while I was gone?" Erika asked as she teared up for her hurt friend.

~Thanks for the ideas and I hope you enjoy this chapter!~