Vickie attacked Tyler, but we handled it. She's okay, for now.
Elena read the message from Stefan
Good. Elijah's working on some things, but he should be back soon.
She heard Jeremy move around in the bathroom and she knocked on the door.
"Going to go look for Vickie?" she asked as she looked him over.
"Don't judge me."
"Just be careful. Whatever she's involved in, it could be dangerous."
"Which is why I need to be out there, looking for her."
Shaking her head, Elena made her way to the car and headed to the boarding house.
Ringing the doorbell, she paced back and forth until the door opened to reveal Damon.
"Is Vickie here?" Elena asked, crossing her arms.
"Yes." Damon smirked.
"Is she alright?" Elena demanded.
"Define 'alright'."
"How can you be so arrogant and glib after everything you've done?" Elena snapped.
"And you're stupid for calling me that."
Stupid. There it was again. What he called her every time he disagreed with her. How could she not see how abusive he'd been to her? Just because he never hit her didn't mean he hadn't been cruel.
"Make sure she stays safe. Or Elijah will be very upset with you and we both know what he's like when he's upset."
"So, you do know."
"Of course I know. I also know that it was you who attacked me and tried to rape me."
"I didn't try to rape you," Damon denied.
"Sure as hell felt like it. Now, keep Vickie alive, or undead, or not dead dead and he won't come here looking to tear your heart out, and since there's no human living here anymore, he won't need to get an invitation to get inside."
"That sounded like a threat." Damon crossed his arms.
"Consider it a promise. Elijah is a man of his word and he tends to get very annoyed when people make him break his promises."
"But, he's not in town right now."
"He'll be back and when he does return, he'll want you to have kept your hands off me and for Vickie to still have her heart inside her chest and beating without a stake through it and her head on her shoulders. So no permanent death for her."
"Why do you care about Vickie Donovan?"
"Because, Jeremy cares about her and she's Matt's sister. Now, make sure Vickie remains among the land of the living or undead, however you want to call it, and you won't be hanging from the ceiling by your entrails this time tomorrow."
"If Elijah is so dangerous, why am I not dead?"
"Because I know Stefan saved my life. So you owe your continued existence to him."
"Or to you." Damon's smirk widened.
"Elena." Stefan descended the stairs and approached them.
"Hello, Stefan. How's Vickie?"
Smirking once more, Damon left them alone.
"She's upstairs."
"Elijah's bringing someone into town who can help her learn to control herself. She's old, older than Katherine, and has a few years on you physically, and Elijah thinks she'll be good for Vickie to learn from."
"So, you know- about, you know, vampires."
"I've known since before Elijah came into town."
"You trust him?"
"With my life."
"How did you know I saved you?"
"Witches, magic, the spirits of nature." Elena waved her hand. "I'm just here to make sure Vickie's okay."
"Okay, well, I'm gonna keep her here until I know she's safe."
"How long is that?" Vickie asked as she came down the stairs.
Elena stepped into the sunlight as she said, "Until someone who can show you the ropes of being a vampire comes into town."
"When will that be?"
"Soon, hopefully. Not all vampires can travel in the sun like the Salvatores can, so they have to be careful."
"So, what, you're just throwing me to whoever?"
"No, Vickie. Think of this as rehab."
"I didn't wanna go to rehab as a human, why would I want to now?"
"Rose is a good person and will be able to help you. She'll help you learn to control yourself and still enjoy being what you are now."
"Self righteous bitch."
"I'm trying to save your life, Vickie!" Elena shouted. "If you don't go through with this, you will be killed!"
"Hey!" Vickie took a step forward, only to be blocked by the sunlight.
"And stay away from Jeremy. As long as you're like this, you're too dangerous to be around him."
"Listen to me, you had my brother whipped for fifteen years. Fifteen! And then you dumped him, so that's all I see when I see you. Now, I'm going to see Jeremy whenever I want to see Jeremy-"
"If you try, it will be the last thing you ever do."
"Vickie. Listen to her."
"Now, since I'm human, I'm going to go somewhere far away from a baby vampire who can't keep her fangs in her skull. Stefan, keep Vickie away from my brother. I may be trying to save her, but I will keep her from hurting my family." Elena stomped away.
She got away.
Elena stared at the message on her phone, a cold chill sneaking down her spine. Was Vickie destined to die after all? No, she couldn't.
Damon?
Damon.
I'll text Elijah, tell them to hurry.
I'll do what I can to keep her under control.
Selecting Elijah's name, she told him the latest update, then headed down to the kitchen to find Jeremy calling Vickie again.
"Wanna go to the Halloween thing at school?" Elena asked. "Vickie's home now, so just try to have a little fun until you see her again?"
"Sure."
Elena headed up the stairs and started looking through her clothes. She couldn't wear last year's Halloween costume, because if she remembered correctly, Matt had decided to do just that and it would make them match. Finally, she settled on a pair of black heels, black tights, a short skirt, and a vest. This she topped with a leather jacket. If people wanted to try to turn her into Katherine, then for tonight, Katherine she would be. After curling her hair and vamping up her makeup, Elena headed out.
"Jeremy! I'm leaving now. You coming?"
"Yeah! Just a minute!"
He came down the stairs in a black hoodie and dark jeans.
"Why be anyone else when you can be you, because everyone else is already taken," Elena commented with a smile.
"Shut up, fortune cookie."
Elena drove them in silence towards the school.
"You're worried about Vickie, aren't you?" Jeremy asked as she pulled into a parking spot.
"I'm very worried. She's in a bad place right now and I don't want you to get hurt. Just promise me you'll be careful. I'm still a judgment free zone, I promise. I just want you safe."
"I'll be fine."
"Okay, let's go have some fun."
Taking out her phone, she sent a text to Elijah.
We're at the school for the Halloween party.
We're less than an hour out. See you there.
She climbed out of the car and then, the Gilberts made their way into the party.
When she saw Matt, she walked up to him, relieved that he was here.
"I'll be around," Jeremy said and walked away.
"Hey, how's Vickie?"
"She freaked out on me earlier. I'm trying not to smother her, but a part of me didn't want to let her out of my sight."
"Where is she?"
"You can't miss her, she's a vampire."
"I've got to find Jeremy." Elena headed into the crowd, searching for her brother and the wayward baby vampire.
During her search, she bumped into Stefan and Vickie.
"There you are!"
"I told you to quit bothering me!" Vickie shouted, trying to make a scene.
"Shut up, Vickie!" Elena snarled. "You want trouble? You've got no idea the amount of trouble you'll be in if you don't calm down!"
"That's rich, coming from you."
"I'd listen to her, if I were you!"
"He won't leave me alone!"
"Back off!" Matt got into Stefan's face and Vickie used that to dart away.
"Matt! You back off!" Elena called over her shoulder. "We're trying to help her!"
Where had they gone the last time? Where could she find them? Elena ran through the crowd, searching every face she saw, trying to find the young girl before she became a danger to the people they both cared about.
Behind the school. That's where she would take him, to get away from everyone.
"Vickie! Stop!" Jeremy screamed and Elena ran as fast as she could towards the sound.
"Vickie! No!"
Vickie ran towards Elena, only to find herself slammed against a bus.
"Elijah," Elena gasped in relief when she saw him.
"Are you hurt?"
"No, but Jeremy might be."
"Rose, this is Vickie Donovan."
Rose stepped out of the shadows and grabbed Vickie's arm, keeping her pinned. Elijah moved to examine Jeremy, but found no significant injuries other than a split lip.
"Vickie, if you would be so kind, go with Rose. She'll teach you how to be a vampire in a way that doesn't end with your loved ones in early graves."
"What if I don't want to?"
"Vampires only get stronger as they get older, Vickie," Elena said. "Elijah's over a thousand years old and Rose is at least five hundred. You don't stand a chance if they decided to end your life. If you don't cooperate and at least try, they will kill you."
"My god, you look just like her." Rose stared at Elena.
"So I've been told. Please, take care of her."
"Our deal, Elijah?"
"See to Vickie's training and I will grant you forgiveness and speak to Niklaus on your behalf the next time I see him."
"Does she know?" Rose nodded in Elena's direction.
"I'm well aware of everything curse related," Elena assured the woman.
"And you're not running?"
"I'm not Katherine. I won't stand by while the people I love die."
"You know you're insane, right? Dealing with vampires the way you are."
"If being insane keeps the people I love and the people they love safe, then, insane I will be."
"Now, Vickie, if you would be so kind as to say goodbye to Jeremy and to call your brother? It would be best if you were gone before people realize what you are." Elijah picked up her purse and handed her her phone.
"The Town Council has a habit of killing any and all vampires, regardless of whether they were good or not," Elena said.
"What do I say?"
"That you're going to rehab, and by the time you see him again, you'll hopefully be clean and sober."
"I'm so sorry, Jer," Vickie whispered. "I didn't mean to hurt you. I thought I could control it."
"You'll be okay?"
"She'll be fine," Rose assured him. "Now, call your brother and we'll be on our way."
Vickie nodded once picked up the phone and after a few seconds, Matt answered.
"I'm going to rehab, Mattie." Vickie choked back a sob. "I lost it tonight, and Elena's friend, Elijah, he knows some people who'll help me. Hopefully, the next time we see each other, I'll be clean and sober and safe to be around you."
Vickie paused.
"No. We're just going to the house to pick up some basic necessities, then we'll be on our way. I'll call you as often as I can." She blinked back tears and scrubbed her face roughly. "I love you too."
When she disconnected the call, Elijah said, "You're doing the right thing."
"How long did it take you?"
"Longer than it should have," Elijah admitted.
"It's time to go." Rose guided Vickie away.
"Compel him, please."
Catching Jeremy's chin, Elijah looked deep into his eyes. "Vickie had a bad trip and she hurt you, but there was nothing supernatural about the attack. It was just a drug bender gone wrong and that I pulled her off of you after she went a little crazy. Now, she's going to rehab to get her life on track, and know that you should get clean too and start focusing on your studies a bit more."
Releasing Jeremy's chin, Elijah stood up and helped the boy to his feet.
"Will Vickie be okay?"
"I have absolute faith that Rose will do her best to help her."
"Okay. Thanks for the rescue." Jeremy brushed his clothes off and headed back towards the party.
"Looks like we missed all the fun." Damon sauntered up, followed by Stefan.
Elena hid in Elijah's shadow, letting him deal with them.
"Not to worry, the mess has been dealt with and no one's the wiser about her being a vampire. I do suggest that you lay low for a bit though. No alerting the Council that someone's turning the youth of this town into creatures of the night." Elijah took Elena's arm and they walked away.
That night, Elena wrote in her journal, It's better this way. Jeremy doesn't know about the supernatural and Vickie gets the help she needs. It might not be the lives either of them wanted, but at least this way, they're safe and have a chance to live.