Elena was hurt. Stefan's words had hurt her. But as she had jumped off the balcony, something strange had happened. She hadn't hit the ground. Instead, she had found herself flying. She thought of the crow, and her mind filled with pride. She had enough Power to change shape? It was something that had never occurred to her. But she didn't get very far. She flew as far as the gardens, and was human again. She sat on a nearby bench, and put her head in her hands and cried. She felt Damon's presence approach her, but ignored it for a while. He just stood in front of her, his hands at his sides. Then he spoke.
"I saw what you did." He said. She looked up, startled.
"Saw what?"
"you flew away, a beautiful white bird." She froze.
"What kind of bird?" she asked, fear filling her heart suddenly.
"An owl." he stated, and realisation hit his eyes. She stood quickly. Their eyes both wide with fear they looked towards where they had just come from. Damon was a crow instantly, but Elena struggled to remember how she had done the change earlier.
Help. she told Damon with her mind. He was in human form again beside her.
We don't have time for this. with your permission? Elena nodded in understanding. And she felt his mind take control of hers. He knew what to do. She felt him let go and she looked down. She was a bird again. Together they flew. Elena remembered the last time they had gone to Stefan's aide. In fells church he had almost been killed. She had felt fury then, and had let Damon fly off, while she ran through the snow. Now, she flew in silence, feeling Damon's fury beside her, just as she had in Fells church. But she focused on the flying feeling. She had come close to feeling like this when she had died, in the crypt. Floating, and free. It was very enjoyable to be flying like this. She landed beside Damon on the balcony and he helped her change back. Stepping into the apartment, she looked around. A dent in the wall, the door off it's hinges. She sighed.
"She's cost us so much already." she whispered, and searched with her mind. No sign of Stefan. But Matt, Bonnie, Meredith, Caroline and Alaric were there…and alive, she noticed with relief. She headed towards the lounge and saw them all asleep on the couch, and chairs, the TV blaring. Still asleep from when Damon had arrived earlier? She wasn't sure. She felt Damon's Power, and they were waking up slowly.
"What happened?" she asked. But they didn't know what had happened. They had been asleep. Elena growled. Matt looked at her, then at Damon, and he figured it out.
"Katherine." he said softly, as if to answer her earlier question.
Damon stood apart from the group. He could feel Elena's grief. But he felt something else. He looked quickly at bonnie. She was in Stefan's mind. He could feel it in the room as if Stefan were actually here. A groan escaped her lips. A tear slid down her check. Damon was in her mind before he realised. He received a string of words in his mind.
Dark and quiet. Never imagined I'd wake up here again. Damon and Elena dead. So thirsty. She's going to kill me. Elena…I'll be with her soon.
"No! Stefan!" Elena cried out. Damon realised she had been there with him. Hearing Stefan's thoughts as he had. He also felt the familiarity of where Stefan was. He could see it as clearly as if he were there.
Bonnie lost the connection. Elena was trembling.
"Where is he!" she cried. "did you see where he was?" Bonnie shock her head. But Damon answered. "He's in our tomb."
Elena shuddered. She could feel Katherine around, and was glad she had made the others go to Damon's villa. Katherine couldn't get to them in there. Her and Damon stood just inside the tomb. She could feel Katherine watching her, hating her. Damon's mind was blazing next to her. She felt his protectiveness of her, and felt touched. She wanted to run to Stefan's side, but followed Damon's instruction. She looked around, trying to pinpoint Katherine's location.
He didn't put up much of a fight. Katherine told her silently. I can't imagine you will either.
Elena turned around and faced her mirror image. Katherine was just standing there. Elena growled, and ran at Katherine. But Damon was there, stopping her. That caused Katherine to smile. Elena's fury grew stronger. She couldn't move past Damon, and again caught the fear in his eyes. She just stood helplessly as he stood in front of her, staring at Katherine.
"Let my brother go." he growled. Katherine laughed, her silvery laugh echoing in the silent night.
"I'm going to keep him for a while. He's fun to play with." she told him.
A thought hit Elena then. "You've overlooked something Katherine." she said, smiling. Katherine just stared at her. "I've done what you failed to do. I've stopped the brothers from fighting. They hated each other because of you! I've put a stop to that."
Katherine's fury was so strong Elena could taste it. And then she was a tiger. Elena looked down at Stefan. He wasn't aware of anything, and she was glad. If she was going to die again, she didn't want him to see it. She watched the wolf fight the tiger, and surged forward. She couldn't let Damon fight alone. She remembered how that fight had gone last time. Stopping just beyond their reach, she wished she could do more. Feeling a melting sensation, she looked down, and saw paws. She had changed! The instincts to the shape she was in were to attack the tiger. She had become a white wolf! Elena joined Damon, growling softly. He tried to protect her at first, but she was stubborn. Damon realised that, and they fought as a team. Elena saw with satisfaction that the tiger was injured, and she tasted blood on her lips. But Katherine fought back. Elena shuddered as she felt teeth in her shoulder. She couldn't get away. Damon was down, panting, trying to get to her. She looked at him helplessly. And then there was nothing.
Damon couldn't keep his eyes off Elena. She was still breathing. Katherine had torn her up pretty good. He looked around the tomb, remembering the last time he had been in here. His brother felt weaker then normal. Katherine approached him, and then she was human again. He tried to get up again, but gave up, panting. She had injured him pretty good also. He focused on the wounds, healing them with his Power. He didn't care if it killed him, he was going to protect Elena. She deserved happiness. He took on his human shape.
"I will kill you now." she told him. Damon stood, and inched his way to Elena's side. Katherine looked at her. "those two are already dead. I tricked Stefan. He thinks you two are already dead, he's given up all hope."
The white wolf was having trouble breathing. Damon touched her mind briefly, and felt her pain, fear and sadness. Damon felt a stab of fear also. How had Katherine gotten so powerful so fast? He was a wolf again, and rushed for her throat. But the tiger's paw hit him before he realised she had even changed. He hit the wall hard, his shoulder torn open. He went again, and was knocked back again. Damon's mind was focused on the kill. But he knew that it was him that was about to die.