The posts on this page were graciously put together by "Bonnie" from the RPG. She had it in her heart to put them all together for me, cause poor little Elwyn is so sick she can hardly breathe. Thanks again Jules!!

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Mary stopped halfway to the rack and looked up at Bonnie's friend, "You think so?" She nodded slightly. "Well, that's two against one. Now I need to find a place I can wear it to. Too fancy for around the house." She walked up and set the dress on the counter. As Bonnie was paying for the dress, she offered her hand. "Hi I'm Mary. Don't think Bon has told me about you. New in town?" She smiled warmly even thought she scolded herself in thought. 'Stupid Mar! It's obvious he's dishing on Bon. Face it, you're meant to be alone.'

"I'm new to nothing." He took Mary's outstretched hand into his own and bent to meet it. He kissed the back of it, then turned it palm side up and kissed her wrist there as well.

Standing back up, he glanced at Bonnie out of the corner of his eye. "Bonnie hasn't mentioned me Before, can't say that doesn't hurt." He put his hand against his heart, letting his head fall slightly in Mock hurt.

He fingered the edge of the dress before the saleslady put it in a hanging bag. "I have the perfect place you could wear that dress. Shall I pick you up around 8?" He let go of her hand, stepping closer to her, "We could go out for a bite to eat." He flashed his smile at her again, staring deep into her eyes. He was using his powers on her, bending her will to match His.

He glanced out of the corner of his eyes at Bonnie again, knowing that it was only seconds before she tried to stop him.

Bonnie's eyes widened in surprise as Damon invited her sister out. 'Oh no Mr. you don't go around snacking on other peoples sisters!' Giving her sister an apologetic smile she snatched Damon's hand and dragged him out into the hallway of the mall before her sister could respond. Careful not to make a scene she brought her face close to Damon's. "Don't even think about it Salvatore. My sister is off limits to you and any other undead person. Got it?!"

She narrowed her eyes and glanced back at her sister who was staring at both of them curiously. "You might have gotten by with threatening Elena with Margaret but not me. Now you're going to go in there and you're going to tell my sister that you made a mistake. That something came up. Aren't you?" She added the last forcefully squeezing his hand as hard as she could, even though she knew deep down inside that it wouldn't hurt him. She softened her grip and gave him a pleading look. "Please Damon. Not my sister. Anyone else in the world but my sister." she pleaded with him softly looking down at their clasped hands.

Caroline moved her car down Elena's street. She tried not to seem so conspicuous. Especially with one of town's least favorite ghoulies sitting in her passenger side. She saw Elena's pretty Victorian house come into view. So different from her own huge modern home. There didn't appear to be anything different. No one seemed to be lurking. It seemed unlikely to Caroline that Elena would come here of all places in broad daylight. She eyed Stefan through the top of her Sunglasses. "Where to next?"

Matt smiled at Meredith's enthusiasm. "We'll take separate cars. I'll follow you. Be careful though." He said as they walked out the door and headed to their separate vehicles. Getting in his truck he started up the engine and waited for Meredith to pull out of the drive before he pulled out behind her. Surprisingly Meredith obeyed the speed limit to the boarding house. About 5 minutes later they parked side by side in the driveway. Slipping out he followed a very happy, very speedy Meredith up the steps to the boarding house. 'I wonder when Bonnie is going to show.' he thought briefly. Visions of the redhead had went in and out of his mind all day since he saw her at the college. 'You're kidding yourself Honeycutt if you think Bonnie is remotely interested in you. She wouldn't even talk to you if it weren't for the fact that you and the rest of the group had been friends for years.'

Matt shook his head to clear it of thoughts of Bonnie or any other girl for that matter. 'I've got to concentrate on bettering myself. Getting me and my family out of this financial rut we're in.' He thought with determination as he opened the door to the boarding house and stood aside as Meredith rushed up the stairs to drop off the cloths before heading out to see Alaric. 'Wow the whole group is back together, even the 'history teacher/paranormal expert' is here again in Fell's Church.' Walking up the stairs he made his way to Stefan's room.

"Please Bonnie. I just want to go out and have a little fun. It won't hurt." Her soft eyes pleaded with bonnie. "I won't bite. Maybe you can introduce me to some of your friends," she said as she looked up at his dazzling smile. Mary had walked up on Bonnie snapping at him and Mary was totally oblivious. Somehow she had not heard a word. Mary whispered to Bonnie, "I promise, he's still yours. I just want some fun Bon. Please don't be mad." "Well, I'll see you around 8. There are a few more shops I want to stop at, so I'll see you then and thanks a million." She flashed him a grateful smile as she rushed off. It was amazing, a few kind remarks and she felt more beautiful than anyone supermodel. She really needed this...especially after those dreams.

Bonnie watched her sister walk away and felt the feeling of dread, cold and stinging settling in her heart. 'Mary you have know idea what you're saying.' Bonnie thought sadly as she looked back up at Damon. "She doesn't know you're Stefan's brother, she has no idea what you are. She doesn't need to find out the hard way." She said softly and looked away, her eyes quickly filling with tears. "It doesn't really matter does it? If I tell you to stay away from my sister. If you want to bad enough you'll get her, hell you're already 'invited' into my house." She blushed slightly at the memory of the last time he was in her house, in her room. She was beginning to regret not taking him up on his offer. 'Maybe then he wouldn't have any use for my sister.'

Looking back up into his dark obsidian eyes she blinked back her tears. "She's not a suitable replacement for Elena. None of us are." She tried to cover up the bitterness in her voice. 'What am I doing? Getting jealous because this vampire still has a thing for my best friend? I should be doing back flips because she's back but no, here I am envious of the hold she has on him. Before last year I would have been just a walking blood bag to him.' Bonnie glanced at her sister's retreating back. 'Hell I'm even jealous of my sister now. At least he invited her out. I just get a midnight visit.' Bonnie fidgeted with the emerald necklace at her neck and absent-mindedly played with the outline of her collarbone deep in thought. 'Maybe I could tie my sister up and lock her in the closet. No that would never work and I'd be grounded for life if mom and dad found out.'

Stefan's head was still pounding. He rested his forehead against the side window of the car feeling dizzy. The glass felt cool against his skin. He turned to Caroline, "Let's try Bonnie's and Meredith's houses. She may have gone to see them." Once they reached Bonnie's house, Caroline offered to go to the door while Stefan rested in the car. She rang the doorbell. It didn't look as if anyone were home. There weren't even any cars in the driveway. She waited and then turned back to the car, shrugging. "No one's home", she said to him. She got in and drove to Meredith's house. She rang the doorbell and waited. No answer again. She got into the car and turned to Stefan. "So?" she said waiting for his next idea. Stefan felt his vision fade in and out. 'Not now', he thought. Trying to control it, he put a hand on his temple, trying to focus. A thought flashed in his mind of Elena in the old graveyard. He remembered that she used to go there quite often. He hoped above all hopes that she weren't there but he had to find out.

He turned to Caroline, "Let's head to the graveyard. You can stay in The car while I check it out but let's try there".

Mary found her way into a jewelry shop. She was looking in case after case of beautiful things. Her fingers played at the medallion. 'This won't due. Not at all.' "May I help you?"

"Yes I want that necklace." She smiled, 'It'll be perfect with the dress'

Damon looked down at Bonnie, a little bit of surprise evident in his eyes. "Why Bonnie, are you jealous?" He asked her, only half joking. It seemed his little antics with Bonnie just might be working. "Everybody's got to eat." He told her watching Mary walk away from them. He returned his gaze to Bonnie. "Perhaps you could come too. Keep an eye on the big bad vampire." He held his hands out in front of him. "There's enough of me to go around." He winked at her, and lowered his voice.

"I can't very well break your sister's heart now can I Bonnie. It would simply devastate her. But I will make you a deal. I'll take your sister out, make her feel wanted like a woman, but I won't hurt her."

He paused and drew Bonnie close to him, his arms wrapped around her petite waist. He whispered into her ear, his eyes watching Mary over her head. "I won't hurt her if you agree to simply go for a walk with me when I bring her home."

Bonnie shivered as he drew her up against him. She looked back at Mary in time to see her go into a jewelry store. "Just a walk Damon? That's it?" her voice was soft and strained. "Fine. Just as long as there isn't a mark on her and she doesn't act completely weird unscrewing locks on windows it will be ok. The moment I find one of your feathers on her bed or in her room I will get the largest stick I can find and ram it straight into your heart... rectally." Standing on her tiptoes she kissed him on the cheek and placed her lips near his ear. "Got it?"

Pulling slightly away she looked at his face, waiting for the anger to come. She was being a little reckless, well a lot actually, threatening Damon Salvatore. Her heartbeat raised a notch and she prepared her body to run back in the store. She had to get her stuff anyways right. So what if it was at a run instead of a leisure walk.

Caroline felt uneasy about that. She hated that spooky cemetery. And he was gonna leave her alone while he searched for Elena's wacky butt? Damon laughed at Bonnie. "That, my sweet, I would like to see you try." He told her. He pulled her back up against him, obvious to the starts of the nearby people in the mall. "Than I shall see you then. Be waiting." And with that, Damon leaned down and brushed his lips against her forehead. "You know I don't like to be kept waiting. And tell...your sister, that I will see her soon as well."

He let go of Bonnie's small body and walked away. On the way out though, he couldn't help but raise an eyebrow suggestively at the two girls that had stopped to stare at him. "Sorry girls," he said holding his hand against his chest in mock sorrow. "The red head has my heart, I'm a doomed man." He took a few steps backwards and blew a kiss to Bonnie. "You'll have to fight her for me." He winked at Bonnie one last time before turning and exiting the mall.

Bonnie clinched her fist as Damon looked back and blew her a kiss after saying something to the girls she had spotted earlier 'The nerve of him.' She was seething inside. One minute he could turn her into a puddle of Bonnie mush and the next piss her off to the point where she felt like slapping him. 'Yeah. Nice thought McCullough give the vampire what for and see how fast he rips your arms off.' She closed her eyes briefly to calm her nerves. 'Better go find Mary.' Walking past the girls she gave them a curt nod and flashed them a 'wouldn't you love to be me' smile and went into the jewelry store.

She found her sister at the counter looking at a really pretty necklace. 'Great. Something to draw his attention to her throat. Nice going Mar.' Clearing her throat to get her sisters attention she gave the saleslady a cheerful smile. "He'll be at the house at 8. You better be ready about 7:45 he doesn't like to be kept waiting." She tried to keep the anger out of her voice as she looked down at the rings. One caught her eye and she looked up at the lady. "Excuse me can you tell me if that stone is lapis lazuli?" When the lady nodded Bonnie smirked. 'How convenient.' she thought sarcastically and turned to look at her sister who seemed to be enveloped in the pure happiness of getting ready for a date. "So you ready to go? I better drop you off at the house so you can get ready. I wanted to stop by the boarding house to see..." she trailed her sentence off looking at the saleslady. "How Mrs. Flowers is doing."

"Ok? Off we go then." she aimed her car towards the cemetery and drove. The ride was quiet and the skies clear blue. It's gorgeous out. I should be at the country club with my parents right now. She Thought. Well maybe at least with such a bright pretty day. Nothing traumatizing could possibly happen. Right? Then again Stefan was a walking danger magnate. She pulled through the gates of the cemetery. "Elena's probably at her parent's monument." she parked the car and left the engine running.

Stefan nodded to her, knowing she wasn't coming with him. He hoped the dizziness would subside long enough for him to take a quick look around. "I won't be long", he said getting out of the car. He had to steady himself on the car door for just a bit. Once he felt ready, he turned towards the gate and walked through.

He looked around at all the monuments. This place had so many memories. Memories he didn't really care to remember right now. He walked toward the Gilbert monument and stopped. He looked down at her parents' monument and then to right of it, he saw Elena's. He looked at it with a feeling of sadness and guilt.

'How could I have behaved like I did in front of her? After everything she went through? After promising to take care of my brother, the first thing I do is try and fight him? I have hurt her and lied to her.' he thought to himself. He turned away from Elena's monument and walked towards the older part of the graveyard. As he approached he could see the tomb of Honoria Fell. Almost drawn to it, he walked cautiously toward it, more out of habit than fear. As he drew near, he could feel that all familiar dizziness sweeping over him. He stopped to steady himself, holding his head in his hands.

'Leave here', a voice seemed to say in his mind. 'Leave here now!' The wave of dizziness came with such speed that Stefan was forced to the ground. He looked up at the tomb and saw his vision start to fade in and out. 'Get out of here!!!' the voice came back. Then, his vision went to black.

Caroline shifted restlessly in her car. The birds chirped away and the breeze blew gently. She looked at her watched and grimaced. Where is he? The cemetery isn't that big and the Gilbert plot is hard to miss. She got out to stretch. She yawned as she did so. They are probably making out right on top of Elena's empty grave. Yak! Caroline being the snoopy one she was decided to see if she could spy. She walked lightly passed the rows of stones. Some topped with flowers and some forgotten long ago. As she approached the Gilbert tombstones. She noticed a sprawled figure on the ground. Stefan!

"Oh for crying out loud! Again????" she hopped over to Stefan and looked down at him. "You are so unbelievably high maintenance. I'm glad you dumped me now." she shook Stefan's shoulder. "Hellooooo. Wake up."

After leaving Matt at the boarding house, Meredith rushed back into the car. She walked into Alaric's hotel and practically ran to room 104. She knocked on the door and danced anxiously in the hallway on her tiptoes until the door suddenly opened. "Alaric, you're home!!" She threw her arms around his neck and gave him a big smack on the lips!! "I missed you!"

Having just woken up Alaric was a little taken aback. "Wow, what a greeting", he said. "Come in". He grabbed Meredith's hand and led her inside the room. He gestured for her to sit on the bed and then sat beside her. "I missed you so much. How are you? What have you been doing?" he hugged her as he spoke. "I want to know everything". He stopped and just looked into her eyes. She was so unbelievably beautiful, he just wanted to take her in his arms and hold her forever. As she was about to open her mouth to answer his questions he put his lips on hers and kissed her passionately.

'Get out of here....!!!' the voice echoed and then faded in his head. He looked around and saw that he was back in the crypt again, the imitation of himself still tied to the gate. Katherine was still standing above him, smiling. He looked up at her and stood up to face her.

"What are you doing here?" he said to her. She smiled and did a small pirouette as if she were mocking him. She walked towards him and grabbed his face in her hands. She looked into his eyes and brought her face closer as if she were about to kiss him but instead; with a flash of her canine teeth, she disappeared.

Stefan heard another voice in his head, "Wake up..." He opened his eyes and saw Caroline's face. Looking around to see where he was, his eyes focused on Honoria Fells' tomb. "We have to leave here now!" he said trying to pull himself up. "Elena's not here".

Caroline put her arm around him and helped Stefan to his feet. They headed back to her car as quickly as they could. Caroline opened the passenger door and put Stefan inside and then got in herself. Stefan stared out of the window toward the graveyard wondering if it were all in his head or not. He wasn't willing to take the chance to find out then. Not with Caroline there in the graveyard with him. 'I have come back here later when I am alone. Just to be sure...' he thought.

Caroline looked over at Stefan as she pulled her car out of the cemetery. He was rubbing his head. She reached down into her purse and pulled out some Advil and tossed it to him. "You know...while we're alone...there's something I have wanted to talk to you about. I just remembered earlier what it was." she looked at him her face became serious and she kept looking straightforward at the road. "I don't know how things are in Italy and I don't know how you think relationships whether they are romantic or friendship is supposed to be. But what you did to me was pretty raunchy. It wasn't that you didn't want to see me anymore or that you left me for Elena."

She paused a moment and her voice steadied. "It was how you did it that really ticked me off. You just forgot about me. If you wanted to date someone else. You should have told me. I'm sure I would have been mad but I would have gotten over it had you just been honest. I'm a big girl and its not like you would have broken my heart. We only went to one dance together. But you just...forgot me...one minute we are at homecoming together. The next moment you ditch me at the dance and from that point on. You were with Elena. You didn't even bat an eye in my direction."

She looked at him briefly. "Do you how that feels? To be forgotten? And ignored? Like you didn't even exist or that you just don't matter? I liked you, didn't love you. Didn't know you long enough to love you but I still liked you. Not much of a talker but still." she aimed her car down Stefan's street. "And you still do it. Even while I run all over town with you to find Elena. You completely disregard me kinda like I never existed to you. And frankly. If you don't mind me saying. This whole ignoring everyone including former dates to focus completely on Elena is what's getting you hurt and nearly killed on a constant basis by your freaky brother. You need to quit being so damned one-tracked. Its not gonna help Elena cope with her second chance at life's understand...you love her. Great. But don't let that love keep you two reclusive. This isn't Romeo and Juliet. This is the real world. One that's gonna keep going no matter how much you want it to slow down and stop." she neared his house and saw some familiar cars. "And one last thing...have you stopped thinking about Elena for long enough to notice how Damon is eyeing Bonnie? You said it yourself. Damon is dangerous. You need to start paying attention to what's going on around you." she slowed her car to curb in front of the boarding house and shut off the engine.

"OH, that is pretty," Mary smiled a chocker. Suspended from a black Satin ribbon was an oval shaped piece of lapis lazuli. The stone was lined with tiny diamonds. It was beautiful, and it was on sale! "Would you like to try it on?" Mary nodded eagerly nodded as the woman unlocked the glass case. The stone rested heavily at the base of her neck. She looked in the mirror and gasped. It was perfect. "I'll take it," she murmured. "Would you like the matching ear rings?" Without hesitation she paid for the chocker and the earrings. The would go perfectly with her dress. "Thanks for pointing it out to me Bon," with that she gave her sister a warm hug.

Stefan turned to Caroline as she turned off the engine, "I am so sorry for the way I have treated you, now and in the past. It really wasn't my intention to hurt you or anyone else for that matter."

He put his hand on hers. "I do know what it is like to be forgotten. Trust me I know better than most people but that doesn't excuse my actions. I really am sorry for everything. Sometimes I wish I had never come to this town at all. Then none of this would have happened."

He paused and looked into her eyes, sensing her thoughts. "You are a beautiful person Caroline. And I am grateful to you for driving me around town and helping me." He looked down at the Advil and handed it back to her. "This won't do much for me, but thank you." He stopped and looked toward the boarding house, then back to her. "I want you to know that I am not ungrateful for all you have done for me and I promise I won't ignore you again." He saw a smile form on her face. "Shall we go? I think Matt is here. Oh, and as for Damon. I will try and keep my eye on him."

They got out of the car and headed toward the boarding house. Stefan hoped Elena would be back but could sense only one person in the house. He held the door open for Caroline and told her to head upstairs, that he would be there shortly. Once she was in his room, he went to the kitchen table and sat down. He needed to be alone for just a moment.

He put his head in his hands. It still throbbed and the dizziness remained. 'What is happening to me and why do I keep having these hallucinations about Katherine?' he thought.

He heard Matt and Caroline talking upstairs. He felt terrible for what Caroline had said, the way she sounded so hurt by the way he had treated her. He thought as well to Elena and felt terrible for behaving violently in front of her. He started to think about all the things that were wrong at this very moment and it overwhelmed him. Depression started to creep up on him and he put his palm to his eyes and rubbed them.

'Maybe I should just leave this place and never come back. Elena would be better off, hell, everyone would be better off', he thought. He thought back to Elena and knew that he couldn't leave her. He loved her so much.... but, he wondered if her loving her meant letting her go?

He rubbed his eyes again and stood up carefully. He took a deep breath and headed up the stairs to his room. "Hey Matt!"

When Meredith finally had to come up for air, she sat back with a stunned expression on her face. "Whew...I missed you, too. I'm good, I went a little crazy with boredom earlier, but I'm good. But, I'm better now. Matt picked me up and then we went to the college. I'm going to become a parapsychologist." She stopped to give him a hug, a smile, and another passion-filled kiss. Again, she had to come up for air. "Oh, wait! Stefan and Damon are still here. And Elena is back. Bonnie's gotten much more mature, and Mary is back from her vacation." She leaned in again for another kiss, but he pulled back and looked at her with a stunned expression.

"WHAT? What do you mean Elena is back? She died over six months ago. You can't die, become a vampire, die and come back again!!! What do you come back as when you die twice???" he asked Meredith in shocked disbelief. Then he stopped and smiled, "This is a joke right? Just something to keep the parapsychologist on his toes, right?" He looked into her eyes pleading that this was some kind of joke. A sick one, but a joke nonetheless.

Meredith looked into Alaric's pleading eyes, and turned her own on him. "Please, Alaric. We think she's human. No, Alaric, it's not a joke. She's at the boarding house with Stefan. Well, I *think* she's there. I was in a bit of a rush to get here to see you." She smiled sheepishly at him. "There is no joke to this at all." Suddenly, she jumps off the bed and starts pacing. "Alaric, don't you think this would be easier if she were still gone??" Stopping, she smacked her forehead. "Well, not easier, cuz then Elena wouldn't be here, but easier because...well, she's not *supposed* to come back. She's "died" twice. She's come back twice." A tired look crossed over her pretty face, she walks slowly back over to the bed. "Alaric, I'm so confused. I have no idea what's going on. The only things I'm sure of is that I'm here, you're here, and Elena's back. That's it." She held up a hand, "Please, no more third degree, interrogation style, questioning tonight."

Alaric turned to face Meredith, squeezing her hand tightly as he did. "I am sorry I didn't mean to sound like I was interrogating you. It's just.... my God...it's unbelievable. You will have to explain to me how this happened." Meredith sighed and told Alaric the whole story from start to finish, about Sue and Vickie, the summoning spell, Bonnie's dreams, Tyler, the werewolf and Klaus. Everything. She tried to answer his questions as she spoke but a lot of them she didn't have the answer to.

When she was finished, Alaric stared at her in disbelief. "I am so sorry I left you here to deal with this by yourself. You should have called me. I would have been here in a millisecond." He stopped and just stared at her. "But, you know your right. Your here, I am here...not tonight", he said leaning to kiss her again, only this time leaning her back on the bed.

Meredith gasped in shock as Alaric gently pushed her back on the bed. After a few minutes of kissing him back, she stopped him by pushing him lightly against his chest. "Not here, Alaric. You just got back. Tell me how England was. Afterwards, we can go for a walk, eat dinner...maybe go see Elena. We have the whole rest of the night, afterwards." She smiled shyly up at him. "Does that sound okay?"

"Yeah that's okay", Alaric said sitting up. "I'm sorry for being so forward with you Mer. It's just that.... I missed you so much." He saw her smile back at him in understanding. He just stared at her for a while, looking into her eyes.

"Okay well, why don't we go somewhere nice to eat and I can tell you all about my trip. Then yeah, maybe afterwards we can head over to the boarding house to see Elena and Stefan. That does sound like a plan." He stood up and held out his hand to her. "Shall we?", he said leading her to the door.

Bonnie had never been so angry in her life. 'Should have kept my mouth shut. Stupid Bonnie!' she shouted at herself. Turning away from her sister she stalked out the store. 'Yeah like that's not going to be an open invitation. If he changes my sister so help me I'll go postal on this whole godforsaken town!' It was amazing; she didn't think she could get so mad. Her sister didn't know it but Mary was adding to the rage. 'I saw him first damnit!' she didn't have time to stop the childish thought before it slipped through her mind. 'What am I thinking? This isn't a competition, this Damon after all. He's probably loving the attention he's getting. Feeding off of it. Well two can play that game dear sister.' Mary might not be aware of it but this meant war. Elena might have snatched up both Salvatore brothers at one time but Bonnie was going to make damn sure she didn't miss out on the elder.

'It'll be a learning experience.' she tried to tell herself as she went into the clothing store. Going to the same rake of tops as before she noticed a blue baby t-shirt with red rhinestones that spelled out the sentence 'Bite Me'. It was a bit more attitude than she was used to but she knew Damon would get a kick out of it. 'I'll change into this when I see him pull up with Mary. I won't even let my dear sister see it.' she thought with a sly smile. 'I'm going to have fun playing with you Damon if it's the last thing I do.' she shuddered at the sheer crypticness of her last thought as she paid the lady for the top and stuffed it in the bag with her other cloths.

In a flash she was back in the jewelry store, looking at the case of rings. While her sisters attention was diverted she chose a very dainty antique looking lapis ring. 'Just in case push comes to shove I might need this.' she thought with narrowed eyes and paid the lady slipping the ring in her pocket. 'Best not let Mary see it, she'll probably think I'm copying her. Far from it sis. It's insurance plain and simple.' She wondered exactly what her reaction would be if she were to find out what Damon was. 'Hell it'll probably send her into overdrive now that she's on her own little paranormal kick.' Giving her sister a dazzling smile she nodded to the exit. "I'll see you at the car."

Bonnie quickly made her way out of the mall and to the Cherokee. "Please don't let her go on and on about this friggin date." she said grumpily to herself. 'Sure a girl could go on forever about Damon's smile but this was her sister and that was Damon. Undead, bloodsucking, animal transforming Damon. Not really the type you'd pick up from a single's add in the local paper.' She pushed the button unlocking the Cherokee and got in. Searching though her CD's she popped in Fiona Apple's When the Pawn. She was in a angst like type of mood and happy cheerful music wouldn't satisfy her at the moment. She smiled as Fast As You Can began to pump through the speakers. ~I may be soft in your palm but I'll soon grow hungry for a fight and I will not let you win.~ She sang along with the CD, closing her eyes.

Matt placed his hands in his pockets and smiled at Stefan. "You look rough buddy," he said with a worried expression on his face. When Caroline had come in earlier she had knocked his socks off with the transformation. No more dark circles and her hair looked great. 'Must be the season for changes.' he tried to suppress a grin as he gave her another glance. 'Redheads these days.' Looking back to Stefan he raised curious brow. "Where's Elena?"

Stefan forced a smile at Matt and sat on the bed. "I don't know, where she is. She left here after Damon and I....had an argument in her presence. Caroline and I have been looking for her around town ever since." He layback trying to calm the wave of dizziness that came over him again. 'God, I wish this would stop", he thought, draping his arm over his eyes. After a short pause, he put his arm down and looked at Matt. "Where is Bonnie and Meredith?", he asked, a bit concerned.

"Well Bonnie and her sister Mary were at the college earlier then they went shopping. Bonnie said she would stop by here later and Meredith dropped of some cloths and headed off to see Alaric. He's at the Best Western." he said and gestured to the bag of cloths and sat down on one of Stefan's overturned trunks. "Meredith is going for parapsychology and I have no idea what Bonnie is going for. We really didn't talk that much today. Here sister is acting weird though. She had this weird episode in Bonnie's car in the parking lot of the college. Broke out in a cold sweat and everything." Matt shrugged and looked around the room. It was a bit dusty but that was to be expected.

Caroline had been inhaling what Stefan had said to her all through Matt's blabbing about college. Stefan was sincere and after venting Caroline felt all the tension and hate completely leave her body. She no longer felt contempt for Stefan, Elena, any of them. She felt free. For the first time in over a year. Free. She turned to Matt and saw his impish grin. She turned his head when she walked in. that felt good, real good, but a concern still lurked.

"Bonnie." she blurted. "I saw Damon leave earlier and he looked like a cat prowling mice." she looked at Stefan. "He wouldn't. Not in daylight. In public. Right? She felt that primal defensiveness come over her. "Stefan. I've been best friends with bonnie since like birth. If Damon so much as touches her. I can guarantee an insane bloodbath that will end with his head ripped off in my bare hands." She glared off into space and licked her lower lip as she imagined such a thing happening. "Bonnie, Meredith, Elena, they're the only sisters I have. Even though I had been a serious bitch this past year. They know I'd die for them."

She sat down on the bed. "I have to tell you two something." she paused uncomfortably. "When Klaus kidnapped me...he tried to make me lure Elena to us. Then he was gonna use her and I to lure you Stefan. I refused...I would have sooner died then let him use me as bait for Elena. He wanted revenge so bad for Katherine's death. And when I didn't comply with him. He bit me and fed on me. Like food. As a warning." she teared but then smiled through them." I spit in his face afterwards.... that's why he gagged and bond me." she looked up and saw two raised eyebrows. "There's more...Klaus comes to me when I sleep. He's always there. He was there before I knew he was. He keeps trying to turn me back against you. I know that vampires can link with their victims...but isn't Klaus dead? How can the dead link to their victims?"

Matt shrugged and looked away. The moment Caroline had brought up the topic of Damon and Bonnie his pulse had kicked up a notch. 'She's a big girl Matt; she can take car of herself. If she chooses to fall all over Damon, let her but I'm sure she'll never let him change her.' He tried to comfort himself with that thought. When Caroline mentioned the fact that she was plagued by dreams of Klaus his eyes widened. He didn't know much about the link between vampires and their victims. He knew that Vickie Bennet experienced on but when he had allowed Elena to feed from him he hadn't had any dreams afterward. Only nightmares after she died.

Caroline could feel matt tense up. Poor guy. Left in the dust by 2 girls for vampires. She could feel his temperature rise for a moment weird. That's the third time that day that happened. At the hair salon, she could feel Cheyenne's nervousness. And she swore she could feel bob's pulse at the shoe store. Then she remembered something else.

"Stefan. When you were passed out at the cemetery. Before and after your little coma session...did you smell something? Something not cemetery- like?" she almost wanted to say perfume. It was flowery but synthetic. Feminine. She had hoped it was Elena. She knew none of this weird stuff was happening to her because of Freddy Krueger Klaus and she wasn't psychic like bonnie. But little things here and there were happening to her. Smells, hearing, feelings. Today it had just Compounded. And her little cheer for carnage minutes ago had stunned her. She grabbed a magazine from her purse (its a big purse ok.) and sat on Stefan's bed and flipped through it. "Mrs. flowers is up and about. We should keep it down and discreet now." she said non-chalantly.

Stefan listened to Matt tell him about Bonnie and Meredith. He looked at him and paused, deep in thought as he spoke of Mary's "incident". He was about to ask Matt more about it when Caroline spoke. Stefan sat bolt upright as she mentioned Klaus and her dreams. "They shouldn't be able to connect with you at all where he is." he said, standing up. He walked over to the window and looked out. He wondered if it was best to tell them about the visions he had been having about Katherine.

He looked out the window toward the woods and started to feel panic rise in his chest. He thought it was best not to say anything now. NOW they had to find Elena, as no one knew where she was. He turned to face both of them, watching his vision blur again. "We have to find Elena. She may be in danger". Turning to Caroline he said, "We will talk more about this later okay, I promise. Let's just make sure everyone is alright." His panicked thoughts turned to his brother as well. Being a Salvatore, he would be in danger too. If there even was any danger? He wasn't sure but he wanted to be safe and not sorry.

Stefan turned to Caroline, "What do you mean not cemetery-like?" he turned to her. "Like perfume, a synthetic flowery smell", she answered. Stefan tried to hide the sheer panic he felt at that moment. "We have to find Elena now!", he said looking at Caroline flipping through the magazine. "You can stay here if you want but, I have to find her". He turned to Matt, for his answer.

Matt looked between Carolina and Stefan and shrugged. "I'm with you. Safety in numbers right?" He tried to make his voice sound light as he headed towards the door. Noticing that Stefan still wasn't completely physically stable he took out his keys. "I'll drive. Maybe we'll find her the second go around eh?" Looking down at Caroline he cleared his throat. "You coming Caro?"

Caroline's head snapped up at matt. "Yeah. I'm coming. She's still missing right? We have to find her." she got up and followed matt and Stefan out of the boarding house. They got into her car. "Can we swing by Bonnie's? Ya know. To make sure she's not dead or something."

As the song winded to an end Bonnie smiled and flipped CD player to radio setting and laughed as Jennifer Paige's Crush came on. ~I see you're blowing me a kiss, it doesn't take a scientist to understand what's going on baby.~ "Figures the radio would pick now to play this song." She smiled at her sister as she got in the car. Looking at the other girl's bags with a raised brow she started the car up. Turning her attention to driving she pulled out of the mall parking lot and started home. ~It's just some little fling, not like everything I do depends on you.~ Pulling up to the McCullough house Bonnie stopped the car and got out. "Looks like mom and dad are making a day of it. They probably went out to dinner after work, figuring we would pick something up. I'm not really hungry and you'll be going out to dinner so..." she let the sentence trail off and shrugged, unlocking the front door. She checked the answering machine on the way up stairs. There was a message from Meredith earlier that morning. Hitting the delete button she headed up the stairs to her room. She made sure to hide the shirt where her sister wouldn't find it and tossed her sandals back in the closet. Glancing in the mirror she thanked herself silently for buying the green halter-top. 'I like it. It's completely cute.' She giggled softly at the words on it then thought about the other shirt conveniently hidden.

Leaving her room she stopped by her sister's room and peaked in. "Well I'll see you when you get home Mary. Hope you have a 'nice' time." Pushing down the little bit of anger that was rising she bounded down the stairs yelling, "I'm off to the boarding house. If mom and dad come home before you leave tell them I'll be back later." Closing the door behind her she stopped and leaned against it. 'You better keep your promise Damon.' she thought darkly then pushing away from the door started to her car.

She frowned in the mirror, "Why are you mad at me?" She knew that Bonnie could not hear her, but she still felt the need to ask. This was the third time she had actually felt someone's emotions. Anger was like standing in a roaring fire. The flames licking at her body and biting her flesh. Once, in the mall, she had helped a little boy find his mother. She felt the fear seeping from him like an endless darkness. Empty, hollow, and cold. As soon as they had found his mother, She was over come by a light feeling, like warm sunshine. She slipped into her new dress and zipped it up in the back. Mary put on the chocker and earrings then headed to her bathroom.

She applied a bit of makeup and dabbed on some perfume. She put some deep red lipstick on and went to find her shoes. When she finally found her black high heels she realized her hair still wasn't done. "Bright Mary! Real Bright!" She returned to the bathroom and turned on the Curling iron. After a bit of tucking, pining, and curling her hair was up in a French twist, a couple ringlet curls dangled at the sides of her face. She pulled the spaghetti straps back on her shoulders and smiled into the mirror. "Too red," she reached for a tissue to wipe the lipstick away. Just before she could wipe the lipstick away the doorbell sounded through out the house. She turned the light out and rushed to answer the door.

Stefan turned to Caroline, remembering what she had said about Damon. "Yeah we can swing by her place", he said, "Make sure she's okay". He got into the front seat and focused his vision on a penny on the floor. 'God, I hope you are alright Elena.' he thought to himself.

They turned down Bonnie's street and pulled up in front of her house. Stefan saw a familiar black car in the driveway and jumped out of the car before it had even stopped. "And just what are you doing here, brother?"

Bonnie had watched as Caroline's car pulled into the drive and the occupants got out. Glancing at Damon she spoke to Stefan, keeping her voice down she narrowed her eyes. "Your brother is taking my sister out for dinner." She said darkly, crossing her arms.

Matt looked down at a very furious Bonnie. 'She must really have a thing for this jerk. But wait he's taking her sister out?' Shaking his head in confusion he looked from Bonnie to Damon. "Why the sudden interest in Mary?" he asked the elder brother.

Damon looked over his shoulder at Stefan, a sneer on his face. "I'm on a date." He told him, explaining it to him as if Stefan was still a child. "You know, that thing where the man picks up the woman, they go somewhere, blah blah blah. "He turned away from Stefan. Raising his eyebrows at Bonnie, and impatiently waited for Mary to open the door.

Bonnie's lips quirked into a smile at the sheer irony of everything. Before it was two brothers going after the same girl, now it's two sisters. Tossing her hair over her shoulder she opened the door waving her hand towards the entry. "After you Damon." she said silkily, her eyes narrowed.

Stefan grabbed Damon's arm before he entered Bonnie's house. "I need to talk with you. It may be a serious matter." he looked into his brothers eyes pleadingly."

Matt followed Damon, Bonnie, Caroline and Stefan inside. Leaning against the wall he watched the scene unfold. 'This is going to be interesting.' His eyes widened as he saw Mary all dressed up. 'Redheads geez.' he thought with a grin.

Why thank you." Damon said, brushing past Stefan, and entering the house. He looked up the stairs in time to see Mary rushing down. "Quite ravishing." he remarked, holding his arm out to her. "Shall we?"

"You I will see later." He mouthed to Bonnie, out of sight of Stefan and Mary. He led Mary towards the door. "Would you kindly excuse us?" He asked Stefan, his voice not nearly as polite as his question.

Mary looked confused as Bonnie invited all her friends' in. "I thought you were going to the boarding house." She flashed her date a dazzling smile. It was at that moment she realized she still had no clue what his name was. 'Oh well, as Shakespeare said...What's in a name? A rose by any other name is still yet a rose.'

'Yeah you'll see me later you undead son of...' she almost growled. She waited till after they were gone before she ran upstairs to her room and slammed the door giving into her scream. 'So much for being cool about it. He's on a date with my sister for crying out loud.' She knew it was rude to just leave her friends down there but she just couldn't face them right now.

Damon didn't say anything as Bonnie turned from them and ran upstairs. He shrugged at Mary as to say, 'kids'. He then turned his attention to Stefan. "I'm sure whatever it is can wait, as you can see I have previous arrangements. He shrugged Stefan's hand off of his arm and started leading Mary to his sleek black car.

Mary gave Stefan a quizzical glances as she followed Damon to his car. "So where are we going?" she asked with a smile. "It's really nice of you to take me. It's been a while since I've had the chance for a personal life. Being a nurse doesn't allow for much." 'Way to go Mary, sound totally pathetic. He's probably regretting taking you out already.' For the first time she noticed his eyes. Something about his eyes...mysterious and haunting.

In her room Bonnie paced back and forth. Thinking of every name in the book she could call him but never would. Finally gaining her composure she opened her door and walked back down stairs. She gave Stefan an apologetic smile. "Didn't mean to snap at you but your brother is well... he's frustrating." Walking into the living room she flopped down on the couch l and looked out the window.

Stefan, not hearing what Bonnie had said, watched Damon leave with Mary. "Damn it", he hissed, "I don't have time for this crap." He turned to look at Matt and Caroline and Bonnie. "I have to leave. I have to find Elena, see if she is okay or not". He walked toward the door and left Bonnie's house, walking down the street alone.

As Bonnie walked into the living room he shook his head. 'Unbelievable. More entertaining that I could imagine. Poor Bonnie, she's wasting her time on him.' Matt walked into the living room and sat down on the loveseat across from Bonnie. "Care to talk about it Bon Bon?" As Bonnie looked toward him, he flinched at her icy stare. "Maybe not."

Matt watched Stefan walk away and nodded to Caroline. "We better go see if he's alright. You want to join us Bonnie?" When only silence came he shrugged and stood up. He was about to walk out the door when Bonnie's soft, strained voice came from the living room. "When you See Elena, ask how she managed to keep her sanity." Matt gave Bonnie a half smile and replied. "Sure will." and walked out the door heading toward Stefan. "Hey Stefan wait up!" he called as he jogged up to him.

Stefan walked on down the street staring straight ahead as Matt came running up behind him. "Hey Stefan wait up!" he heard Matt say.

"I think maybe you should stay with Caroline and Bonnie, Matt. I need to be alone right now", Stefan, said, feeling the depression coming back. He hoped his voice hadn't betrayed him when he spoke to Matt.

Bonnie heard Matt close the door behind him a Caroline and slumped down into the couch. 'There's that whole feeling of wanting the world to open up and swallow you whole.' she thought gloomily. Normally if she was like this over a guy, Meredith and Elena would be here to share gripes and ice cream with but this was a completely different situation, plus she didn't much feel like hearing I told you so's and 'oh Bonnie's'. 'He probably thinks I'm a silly little girl now. Well let him. Maybe he won't hold me to my promise tonight, but he sure as hell better keep his.' Her stomach tightened at the thought of losing her sister the same way she lost Elena.

"How did everything get so screwed up?" she asked softly, her eyes starting to water. 'Should have kept the same ole poodle Bonnie look and gone after one of the many college guys I'll probably meet this fall.' Even the prospect of new guys didn't cheer her up. 'My older sister is out with a guy that used to kill because he thought it was fun. How much more crazy can you get?' Standing up she walked over to the window in time to see them pull away. 'Maybe I could follow him, make sure he doesn't do anything.' Shaking her head she rolled her eyes in disgust at herself.

'Stalking is not one of my hobbies and I don't really want it to become one.' she scolded herself. 'I have to get out of here before mom and dad come home. I can't deal with dad's curiosity and mom's worried expressions, I've gotten enough of those lately.' Walking to the door she opened it and looked around. Matt was up the street with Caroline and Stefan. Making her way quickly to the Cherokee she hopped in and started her up. 'We might find Elena faster if we split up.' she thought with a nod and backed the car out. 'Better to mindlessly drive around than mindlessly wander my house.'

Matt looked back as Bonnie backed her car out of the drive. 'That was sneaky Bon Bon. Where you off to?' Turning his attention back to Stefan he shrugged. "Obviously Bonnie doesn't want anyone's company. Look I'm worried about you. You're just not acting right today. Is something wrong?" Matt gave Stefan a curious look as he played with his keys in his pocket.

Stefan's eyes fell to the ground. "I...I just need to be alone right now", he said feeling his emotions grab hold and strangle him. He felt as if he needed to take care of everything and everyone, but couldn't. Hell, he couldn't even take care of himself right now, as he felt the familiar throbbing sensation again.

'Damn, this infernal pain in my head', he thought. Images of Elena formed in his mind, and a longing he couldn't describe welled up in his chest. He turned to Matt and repeated, "I just need to be alone". With a turn he disappeared down the street, too fast for Matt to even reply.

Stefan searched in every place he could imagine Elena would go. The school, her house again, Meredith's house.... nothing. In desperation, he turned to head back to the boarding house. Maybe she had come back already and was waiting for him in his room? He entered the boarding house and went straight to his room. She wasn't there.

He looked up to the ceiling at the trapdoor above him and went up onto the widow's walk. He looked down at the world below him... surveying. He looked toward the woods and felt that familiar tingle in his jaw. He looked down at the ground below, not sure if he were well enough to make it but decided to jump down anyways. He landed with barely a sound and smiled. 'Well enough to jump three stories', he thought confirming to himself. He headed toward the woods, eyes focused on any movement he could see.

Before Matt could stop him, Stefan was gone. "Be careful Stefan." Matt said softly and turned back to Caroline. "So... what now Caroline? Do we continue the search or would you like to get something to eat first? Personally I don't feel like searching on an empty stomach." He smiled and headed back to where Caroline had parked the car.

Caroline looked up towards the spot where Bonnie's car had been then she sullenly followed matt out to her car.

"We'll bring her back a triple fudge sundae. Nothing makes a broken-hearted gal feel better then serious chocolate and ice cream." she rumbled the engine and they took off.

"Stefan's out there alone. I feel bad. I wish Elena would materialize already." she shook her head. "I know that was her lingering perfume at the cemetery. If only we had just gotten there sooner." but was it really Elena's perfume? Who else's could it be?

Bonnie drove pass the college and turned around. 'Might as well price my books while I'm here.' She thought to herself as she pulled into the parking lot. 'Gee this place looks familiar.' She smiled wryly and got out of the Cherokee, locking it up she headed toward the bookstore. There were only a handful of people there when she walked in. A couple she recognized from school and some of them she didn't. She gave the guy at the counter a smile before heading to the foreign language section. She spotted the beginner's Italian book quickly because it was red, white and green in color and had 'Italian for beginners' written on the side. 'Wonder if they have Italian for dummies too.' she almost giggled at her own joke.

Even she couldn't lighten up her own mood. Picking it up she looked at the price. She had enough for it on her so keeping it in her hand she made her way to the math section. She widened her eyes at the price, 'That one will have to wait till before school starts.' Looking around the store she spotted the psychology books and looked for the one on child psychology. 'That one will definitely have to wait till I ask dad for more money. It won't be so bad after I get a part time job.' she assured herself. When she was done looking around she went to the counter and gave the guy there a charming smile.

"Taking Italian this year I see." his voice was nice but it was just lacking something in the texture. 'Possibly lacking an accent Bonnie dear.' "Yep, beginner's Italian." she said in what she hoped was a cheerfully voice. She was rewarded with a smile from him. 'Teeth aren't right either.' she caught herself thinking. 'Oh no I'm not going to start comparing every guy I meet to him. It's pointless. No one except his brother adds up.' Paying the man she turned toward they door but looked back as he spoke to her. "So I guess I'll see you around?" Bonnie gave him a nod and with a last smile in his direction walked out. 'They just don't make em like they used to.' she thought sadly as she headed back to her car.

She had been driving for maybe an hour and still hadn't seen Elena anywhere. "If she wants to be found, she'll be found." her own voice surprised her in the silent car causing her to swerve a bit in her driving. Cursing softly under her breath she pulled into the parking lot of a local Italian restaurant. 'I feel like a salad.' She was finally feeling hungry. 'Hey the perfect diet. Stay mad all the time.' she thought with a grin as she walked inside and waited to be seated.