It was late in the night, not a sound was to be heard as I sat on the desk in the vacant classroom. Senior prank night was upon us. I pulled back the metal leaver on a mouse trap to lock it into place.

'Snap'

"Oww!" I hissed as it sprung and caught my fingertip. I took the tip of my finger into my mouth and sucked gently.

"You okay?" I looked over the room as Tyler crouched on the floor amongst the many other traps. I gave him a reassuring nod and went back to setting some traps. One by one, I handed them over to Caroline and Elena as they littered the ground around us.

Suddenly, numerous traps snapped and sprung up into the air, causing us all to jump slightly at the sudden change in atmosphere.

We all looked towards the door as Matt stood there with his hands in the air.

"Ohh! Oh, come on! Seriously!" Caroline yelled, "Do you know how long it took us to set all this us?!"

His lips pressed into a fine line.

"Forgot about senior prank night, huh?" Tyler smirked.

His head bobbed as he looked around the room. "Clearly."

"That was a monumental waste of my time." I sighed and hopped off the table.

"Shut up, Jess!" Caroline scolded me. "How could you forget? We've only been waiting for this since like freshman year."

"Yeah, Matt. If I'm doing this, you're doing this." Elena gave him a playful smile.

"I'm kind of surprised any of you are doing this." Matt replied.

"Caroline's making us." Bonnie and I spoke in unison before laughing.

"We're about to be seniors. These are the memories that will stay with us forever, and if we don't-"

"-And if we don't create these memories now, then what's the point of it all?" Elena finished her sentence.

"Go ahead, make fun. I don't care." Caroline brushed it off. Well, tried to. Her face gave it away for her.

Tyler huffed, "You're all lame. And I have more classrooms to prank." He leaned over the desk and grabbed his bag before heading out and down the corridor. Elena walked out after him.

"Hey! Where are you going?" I called after her.

A mischievous smirk appeared on her face, "To superglue Alaric's desk shut. I'm making memories."

Her and Caroline smiled at each other. Her spirit was now in it and my sister was happy.

I wandered in and out of classrooms, throwing toilet paper anywhere I could.

Caroline would kill me if I didn't do a good job.

I smiled to myself, but that smile quickly faded as I grasped a door handle and shuddered.

"Ugh!"

I retracted my hand and shook it. Long drips of honey strung off my fingers and onto the floor in heaps. It was disgusting. My face screwed up unintentionally as I tried to wipe the honey on the toilet paper but I was just making a much bigger mess.

I walked further down the corridor and made my way into the pool room in search of a towel... and sink. Rounding the corner, I walking into Bonnie and Matt throwing toilet paper over the pool.

"This is fun, right?" Bonnie spoke with enthusiasm.

"You sound like Caroline." Matt informed her as she snorted.

"Hey guys..." I walked into the room as they looked at me. I pulled my hands apart as the honey was now getting everywhere. I stopped and looked up at them, "Word of warning, don't touch the doors." I frowned as more strings formed, now with the added extra toiler paper.

"Caroline?" Bonnie asked.

"Caroline." I sighed.

"Here." Matt tossed a towel over to me and I caught it with my sticky fingers. Crouching down beside the pool, I dipped my hands in and began to scrub at the golden honey.

"Where's Jeremy tonight?" Matt asked.

I shrugged, "Haven't seen him."

"I haven't talked to him either." The atmosphere became heavy, "Um... He, uh, he told me about seeing Vicki."

Matt nodded, "Ohh. Good, I'm glad that you know."

"I'm sorry. Is it weird talking about your sister like this?"

"No. I...I just kind of want to see her myself, you know? I mean, I never got to say good-bye to her." His head fell as he let out a long sigh.

My heart ached for him. I couldn't imagine the pain that must have caused him.

"Do you realise that just last summer, you and I were lifeguards at the pool? And the only two problems I had in my life were that Elena was breaking up with me and I sucked at CPR."

"Everything was different then." Bonnie thought back.

"Yeah. Now Elena's dating a vampire, you're a witch, my sisters a ghost, and...I'm just a guy who's wondering how life got so screwed up."

I walked over to his side, "You're lucky you're still just a 'guy'." I tried to reassure him.

And he was. He didn't have the problems that the rest of the group does. The fear of being outed or killed.

"I just, uh, kind of explains why I'm not into senior prank night. I'll go grab a couple more rolls. Then we'll hit the gym." He turned on his heels and walked away.

I turned to face Bonnie, "Do you think he'll be okay?"

Her shoulders went limp as we watched on after him. "I don't know."

Once Matt returned from collecting more rolls of toilet paper, we finished up in the pool room and headed in the direction of the gym. Bonnie and I walked as we talked and laughed thinking about older memories we shared together with Matt. The corridors were still empty, only a few people would run past us, spraying silly-string on the walls and then each other.

I placed my hand on the handle to the gym door and swung it open as Bonnie and Matt walked, and I followed in tow.

"Bonnie, get out of here!" We were met by the distant cries from Elena as we entered further into the large room.

My heart sunk as I emerged from behind Matt to see him.

He's here. In Mystic Falls.

I halted in my stride as he whooshed in front of Bonnie.

"Ah, I was wondering when you'd show up. Now we can get started." He smirked, catching my eye in the process.

"Hello, love." He faced me as I looked up at him, "Told you I'd see you soon."

I swallowed the lump in my throat as I observed the room, taking in the sights in front of me.

Klaus turned around and looked at Dana, who was standing on one leg in the centre of the hall. "Ah, Dana, why don't you relax? You and Chad sit tight." Her legs all but gave out as she collapsed to the floor in Chad's arms. His attention now fixed back onto Bonnie as he lowered his voice. "I assume you're the reason Elena's still walking around alive?" The bitterness to his tone was palpable.

Bonnie puffed her chest, "That's right. If you want to blame someone, blame me."

"Oh, there's no need for blame, love. Just your witchy interference seems to have caused some undesirable side effects. And since you caused the problem. I'm going to have you find me the fix."

I turned around on the spot as the doors blew open with a bang. Entering was an unfamiliar blonde with Tyler in her vice-like grip.

Wait, where's my sister?

I looked on for a few seconds to see if she would enter behind... but she never did.

"Where's my sister? Where's Caroline?!"

"Ohh, the pretty blonde?" The woman spoke. "She's taking a nap."

I gritted my teeth, "I swear, if you've touched her." My fists balled so much so, that my nails were digging into my palms. I could feel the blood gathering on my finger tips and my heart was racing like a greyhound.

"I'd like you all to meet my sister, Rebekah." Klaus spoke to the room as the blonde smiled, "Word of warning... She can be quite mean."

Ohh, she's gonna be a lot of things...

She huffed, "Don't be an ass." She threw Tyler into the arms of the hybrid with force.

"Leave him alone!" Elena yelled from behind us. My gaze was fixed on nothing but Rebekah.

"I'm going to make this very simple... Every time I attempt to turn a werewolf into a hybrid, they die during the transition." I thought about Klaus' words, then I thought back to the night on the mountain with Damon. The man that we were attacked by, he was a wolf... but there was something wrong with him. I'm now guessing that this was one of his failed attempts at making hybrids. "It's quite horrible, actually."

He bit into his wrist and slammed it against Tyler's mouth, forcing him to drink his blood.

I jumped back as he held his head tightly against his shoulder. "I need you to find a way to save my hybrids, Bonnie. And for Tyler's sake... you better hurry." A flick of his wrists and it was all over. Tyler's lifeless body crumpled to the floor. Elena, Bonnie, Matt and I looked on in horror as the hybrid smiled gleefully.

Matt was crouching besides Tyler's lifeless body as Elena comforted Dana and Chad, who were horrified in each others arms. While I stood besides Bonnie, I could feel her tremble as the vibrations radiated from her skin to mine.

"He killed him."

"He's not dead. Klaus' blood will turn him into a vampire." I tried to reassure him, but I wasn't even convincing myself.

"And If Bonnie's successful, he'll live through his transition. Go on, then," He spoke to Bonnie with a playfulness to his voice. "Go fetch your grimoires and enchantments and what-not. I'll hold on to Elena... for safe-keeping."

He grasped Elena's arm and tugged her closer to him as she looked at Bonnie, a quick nod of the head from Elena and the witch turned to leave the room with Matt. I caught her wrist as she passed me.

"I won't leave her side." I whispered to her. She nodded and squeezed my arm before leaving.

The blonde walked further into the room and eyed Elena from head-to-toe. Examining her.

"So this is the latest doppelganger," She sniggered, "The original was much prettier."

I smiled, "You do know what the definition of 'doppelganger' is, don't you?" Her jaw tensed as her brother hid a snigger behind his hand as he rubbed his cheek.

"Enough, Rebekah. Take the wolf-boy elsewhere, would you?"

She didn't break the heated gaze we held as she grasped Tyler's heel and yanked him in the direction of the exit.

"Just ignore her. Petty little thing." Klaus waved her off in dismissal.

Taking his seat on the bleachers, Klaus spread his arms over the chairs, almost like he was asserting his dominance to the room as he looked on at his work in satisfaction.

I began to walk over to Elena when he cleared his throat, "Jessica, come here, won't you?"

I stopped and turned to him, "No," I replied.

"Oh, it wasn't open for discussion, love." His lips pressed into a fine line as he leaned forward in the chair, his elbows leaning on his knees.

I bowed my head. His arrogance knew no bounds.

"Can't you say what you so desperately want to say to me from here?"

His eyes were alight with anticipation.

"I think not," He leaned back again, "Either you come to me, or I'll come to you." He smirked, "And I don't think you want that."

I caved and walked over to him slowly. He beamed in his little victory as I stopped in front of him.

He looked at the seat beside him and I knew what he wanted. I rolled my eyes and took the empty seat, making sure I was sitting at the edge furthest away from the hybrid.

He chuckled softly, "You don't like doing as you're told, do you, sweetheart?"

I sneered at his words.

Sweetheart. Who does he think he is?

"One, I'm not your sweetheart," I held a finger in the air, "And two, don't speak to me like were, friends. We're not." I warned him. As I pushed myself off the seat, his fingers wrapped around wrist pulling me back down. Elena was about to get to her feet as I shook my head, a silent warning to stay put.

"I'd watch you're tone if I were you."

His breath was warm against my skin as he pressed me against his side, his hand still holding my wrist. I felt my body heating up under his gaze. I shivered as he began to draw his finger back and forth across my arms, which caused him to lean forward.

"I know you lied to me, Jessica." He said lowly, almost to low for even me to hear as the blood was pounding in my ears.

"W-What do you mean?" I stammered under his touch.

He moved his free arm to rest on the back of the chair where I sat. His hand slowly resting on my shoulder, gently moving the hair which sat there to the side exposing my collar bone. I could feel my heart quickening.

"Tell me again why you were in Chicago." He instructed. Even when speaking lowly, his voice was commanding.

"I don't know what you want me to say."

"I think you do."

I looked up at him though my heavy lashes as I almost leaned into him. I broke my trance as the doors were swung open and in walked the newcomer. Elena shot her head up. Shock and happiness made it's way across her face as she got to her feet.

"Stefan..."

I moved out from Klaus as Stefan walked over to us. I was a wash with embarrassment at what happened.

I don't know what I was thinking... I don't know what I was doing.

A scowl flashed across Klaus' face as he grasped my wrist tighter, and almost instantly, I sagged back into the chair. "Come to save the damsel, mate?" He was pissed. He knew Stefan was betraying him in some form or another.

Stefan made his way hesitantly closer to us, "I came to ask for your forgiveness. And to pledge my loyalty." The green-eyed vampire all but muttered. His heart was beating so loud, I could hear it from here. It was pounding inside his chest, almost breaking free from its chamber.

Klaus' tight grip loosened on my wrist as his fingers on his other hand trailed back and forth on my collar bone, causing me to squirm in the chair.

"Well, you broke that pledge once already." Klaus informed him.

Stefan shook his head defiantly, "Elena means nothing to me anymore. And whatever you ask of me... I will do."

I seen Elena's face falter at his words. They hit her deep, but I knew Stefan was lying, It was written on his face, dripped in his words. The love for her still stands.

He pressed his lips with a slight frown, "Fair enough. Let's drink on it." Klaus pointed to Dana and Chad, "Kill them." He waited, but Stefan never moved, "What are you waiting for? Kill them."

"No!" Elena yelled, "Stefan, don't. He's not going to hurt me. He already said..."

A whoosh of air and he was gone. I blinked just as Klaus left my side and flew to the main floor. An audible 'smack' bounced off every wall in the hall as he struck Elena's cheek with such force that even I winced as she fell to the floor. Stefan rushed over to him, as did I. Fangs bearing as he snarled. Shooting out both his arms simultaneously, he caught Stefan and I by our throats with ease.

I gasped as his grip tightened, crushing my windpipe under his immense strength. In this moment, I regretted my move deeply but he wasn't interested in me, only Stefan as he too struggled to breathe.

"She means nothing to you?" He sneered. "Your lies just keep piling up!"

"Let her go! I'll do whatever you want, you have my word!" The vampire pleaded for his love.

I scratched at Klaus' arm as I was slightly off the ground, balancing on my toes.

"Your word doesn't mean much. I lived by your word all summer, during which time I never had to resort to this..."

I frowned as Klaus spoke to him and his pupils dilated, "Stop fighting." He commanded.

"Don't do this. Don't do this." Stefan's voice broke.

"I didn't want to. All I wanted was your allegiance. Now I'm going to have to take it."

"Don't... Don't..."

"Klaus... stop." I pleaded to him, but he never listened.

"You will do exactly as I say when I say it." He was transfixed, nothing would help him now. My body went limp under Klaus' hold as I watched the soul being stripped from Stefan. "You will not run, you will not hide, you will simply just obey."

His grip dropped from Stefan's neck as his eyes turned dark.

"No, Stefan!" Elena whispered.

Klaus moved to the side as he pulled me in front of his body, giving me a front row seat for what was to come.

"Now kill them. Ripper."

Just as Klaus said, 'You'll simply just obey'. Stefan done just that as he vamp-sped over to Dana and ripped into her neck. Elena jumped back in fear as I turned my head away from the scene but Klaus' hand slowly crept up my neck, forcing me to watch as he whispered in my ear, "This is what a vampire is meant to be."

It sent shivers down my spine. I watched Stefan in a feeding-frenzy as he tore into her. The screams from her were drowning out every other thing in the room. I couldn't hear anything else, only her screams of terror. It was short lived as Stefan dropped her body to the ground and moved onto Chad.

"P-Please stop." I murmured to Klaus as he pulled my body flush with his own. "Stop it, please." I asked once more. He pulled the hair from my neck, exposing my own artery which was throbbing in anticipation. His lip brushed over it ever so slightly as I lulled my head back into the nape of his neck.

His lips curled up against my skin as his arm snaked around my waist.

No! No, stop! What am I doing? Stop!

I blinked rapidly, clearing my mind from my thoughts as I looked forward towards Elena. She was to occupied watching Stefan that she hadn't seen Klaus and I in whatever that was. Once again, I was flushed with embarrassment at my actions regarding Klaus. He felt me pull away and to my surprise, he let me go. I moved to his side, pulling on my jacket as I looked anywhere other than Stefan.

He cleared his throat, "It's always nice to see a vampire in his true element." He briefly looked at me like he was talking about Stefan. "The species has become such a broody lot."

"No. You did this to him." Elena shot back, tears beading in the corners of her eyes.

A wicked smile of triumph appeared on the hybrid's face. "I invited him to the party, love. He's the one dancing on the table."

Loud footsteps entered the room as his sister, Rebekah, entered from behind.

"Where is it?! Where is my necklace?" She yelled furiously.

Klaus rolled his eyes, "What are you talking about?"

"She has my necklace. Look." I watched as she handed him my sisters phone.

"That's Caroline's phone!" I gasped as I ran over and snatched the phone from his hand. "Where is she?!" I asked the blonde.

she tutted and rolled her eyes, "She's fine."

I eyed her, "She better be."

Her eyes narrowed, "Or what?" She was challenging me and for my sister, and it was one I was willing to take.

Klaus walked in between us, breaking the tension.

"Jessica, love." He began to speak as he rested his hands on my shoulders until I looked at him. "You have my word, your sister will be fine."

I don't know why but I believed him. I took a step back from him and his sister as I gripped Care's phone in my hand, just praying that she was safe.

"Where... is it?" Rebekah asked Elena with maddening anger boiling from within.

"I don't have it anymore." Elena answered her.

"You're lying!"

Rebekah vamped-out and bit Elena on the neck, causing a scream to break free from her dry lips.

Before I could move from the spot, Klaus whooshed over to them and separated them, pulling his sister to the side.

"Knock it off!" He warned her.

She puffed her cheeks, "Make her tell me where it is, Nik!"

He turned to face the doppelganger. Her hand was pressed against her bleeding wound.

"Where's the necklace, sweetheart? Be honest."

"I'm telling the truth," She winced, "Katherine stole it."

Klaus leaned his neck back and squared his shoulders, "Katerina. Of course. Well, that's unfortunate. If we had the necklace it would make things a whole lot easier for your witch, but since we're doing this the hard way, let's put a clock on it, shall we?"

He made his way over to the large clock table and pressed the button. A loud buzzer sounded throughout the room when a timer appeared on the board. Walking over to Stefan he began to compel him once more.

"Twenty minutes. If Bonnie hasn't found a solution by then, I want you to feed again. Only this time," He faced Elena and I felt my stomach flip, "I want you to feed on Elena. You know you want to." he taunted him as Stefan groaned in pain.

"Klaus, don't do this!" I yelled at him.

He grinned, "No one leaves. If she tires to run, fracture her spine."

As he walked past me, he grasped my wrist and pulled me along with his sister.

"Get off me!" I pulled against his lure.

He stopped momentarily, "I really do wish you'd do as you're told." He growled and grabbed me by the waist and threw me over his shoulder, knocking the wind from my lungs as he done so.

"Let me go!" I continued to fight against him. Kicking was futile as he held my legs down with his arm. I lifted my head as Elena was getting smaller with each step he took. "Elena!" I yelled. " She looked terrified, but I had to have hope that Stefan had enough will-power and love left in him for her to not harm her in anyway.

I gave up hitting and scratching the hybrid's back, it was pointless as he just strode through the corridors with not a care for what just happened.

"I swear, I will bite you."

He chuckled lightly, "Now now, love. Don't make promises you won't keep."

Rolling my eyes at his remark, I sagged into his hold and pulled on the back of his shirt, trying to keep the blood from rushing to my head.

"Must we bring her with us, Nik?" Rebekah moaned. "What's her purpose in this?"

I felt his shoulders tense under my stomach, "Very inquisitive, little sister." Klaus replied, more cheerful than before.

What was he going to do with me though?

As we entered a class room Klaus grasped my thighs as he pulled me over his shoulder and placed me on a desk. I looked up at him as he tried to take a step closer to me and I quickly slammed my hands against his chest. "Don't come near me!" I spat through clenched teeth.

Excitement flashed in his iris' as he grabbed my wrists in a rush of air and slammed my back onto the desk, his knee rested between my legs for stability as he pinned me down. My hands held tightly above my head.

I was well and truly fucked.

"Don't push me, sweetheart." He warned lightly.

Something inside of me was goading myself on to challenge him, to see what he would do, but I didn't. I couldn't risk the possible outcome to me, or anyone else, so I complied with his demand. Gently sinking into the desk as he loosened the grip on my wrists. My lips parted as I inhaled and his eyes trailed down my body, his own parting in the same manner before he looked back into my eyes.

The sound of a door opening snaps my head to the side, breaking Klaus' longing gaze as he climbed off of me and pulled my wrists until I was in a sitting position.

To my relief, Caroline entered the room followed by Rebekah who held Tyler over her shoulder before putting him on the ground not-so-gently.

"Care!" I all but squealed as she caught my eye.

We rushed over to each other and embraced one another tightly.

"Oh, my god." I looked at her, "I'm so glad you're alright."

"You too!" she replied.

Klaus walked over to his sister, "Keep them here, I'll be back." He instructed her before walking over to the ajar door and opening it wide. "Anyone makes a wrong move... kill them."

I felt Care tense at his words, so I clasped her hand with my own as the Hybrid left the room and his sister smiled cheerfully at his request.

What felt like hours was just minutes that had passed by as we sat in the empty classroom. Rebekah had Caroline's phone back as she sat on a desk, staring at the screen. Caroline was on the floor with Tyler as he still lay unconscious. While I stood behind her, making sure to never take my eyes off of the original.

Sudden groaning came from the floor as Tyler began to wake.

"Where am I? What happened?" He asked from his dazed state.

"Tyler..." Care spoke from his side.

The blonde original smiled, "Don't be shy about it." she said as she hopped off the table.

I took a step forward, "Back off." I warned her and she stopped walking.

Her eyes narrowed as her lips pressed into a tight line, "What my brother want's with you, I'll never know."

I swallowed hard as Caroline looked up at me, wondering what the original was talking about. I decided to brush it off, now wasn't the time to play whatever game she was playing.

"What's going on?" Tyler muttered as he rubbed his previously snapped neck.

"Klaus is turning you into a vampire. A hybrid. You're in transition."

"Don't leave out the best part, Sweets." Rebekah beamed, "You'll only survive if your witch is successful. If not... You're pretty much dead."

"You're going to be okay. Okay?" Care tried to reassure him, "It's going to be okay."

Rebekah tapped her finger against her lip. "I wonder how she's doing." She looked at the clock on the phone screen before smiling and turning it to show us.

Two minutes flashed across the screen and I felt my body go numb.

"Tick-tock goes the gym clock."

Tyler leaned against the desk as Caroline stood by his side. He was running a fever as beads of sweat gathered at his hair line and chest. I moved from foot-to-foot, nervously biting at my nail. Praying that Bonnie had indeed found out how to save Tyler.

The door swung open and in walked Klaus.

"Well, the verdict's in. The original witch says the doppelganger should be dead." He announced to the room and his sister hopped off the desk perkily.

"Does that mean we can kill her?" she quipped with excitement.

"No, I'm fairly certain it means the opposite." He corrected her and her smile fell.

"What?!"

She walked up behind Caroline as Klaus approached a heaving Tyler and restrained her. I went to go after Rebekah but Klaus grabbed me from behind also, breathing into my ear, "Ahh ahh, no you don't."

"Let my sister go!" I hissed.

"You need to relax." He taunted, "You're too fiery... but I like it, however I can't having you get in the way right now, love. Not when we're moments from victory."

I took a sharp inhale before my world went black.

I was... cold. The surface I lay upon was hard as it nipped against my skin. I stirred from my position but I fell silent as I heard them talking to one another.

"So the doppelganger isn't the problem. Her blood is the solution." Rebekah asked.

I inwardly sighed with relief.

Tyler must be alright then.

"Seems so." Klaus replied from in front of me.

"How did you know?"

He sniggered, "Well, you know how much the original witch hated me. Do you honestly think I would do anything other than the opposite of what she says?"

I felt the car or whatever I was on move as someone sat down on it.

"A thousand years in the grave and she's still screwing with you."

"We'll, it makes sense if you think about it from her perspective. It was her fail-safe in case I ever broke the hybrid curse. The doppelganger had to die in order for me to become a hybrid, but if she was dead..."

"Then you couldn't use her blood to sire yourself a new species."

"Leaving me alone forever."

I frowned at Klaus' words.

Was he afraid of being alone?

It resonated with me on a deeper level as I too was afraid of being alone in this messed up world.

"Is that what this is about?" Rebekah spoke up, "Your obsession with hybrids? You just don't want to be alone?"

"What I want to do is take my girl, take my doppelganger, and my hybrid and get the hell out of this one-pony town." He fell silent for a few seconds before clearing his throat, "You know, why don't you, uh, why don't you get the truck? I'll get Elena."

I felt her slide off the car and whoosh away as the air breezed over my face.

Opening my eyes one at a time, I saw that Klaus was pacing back and forth in front of me. I sat up, my legs hanging off the front of the car as I rubbed my neck, the tension slowly began to subside.

"Is it true?" I asked softly.

He stopped pacing as he heard my voice and looked in my direction.

"Glad you're finally awake, love." He said as he approached.

I rolled my eyes, "No thanks to you." I bit back.

"Sorry but It had to be done I'm afraid." He smiled sinfully.

"So... Is it?" I asked once more.

He tried to walk away but I grabbed his shirt, pulling him closer to me.

He looked down at my hand which was holding a fistful of his shirt as I looked at his face, wanting answers.

Needing answers.

"That's a tale for another time." He rested his hands on my thighs before he walked in between them as they swung gently in the night breeze

"Why do you want me?"

He grinned, "You don't know yet?"

What in the hell was he talking about?

Our eyes were connected as my heart quickened, much like his. Parting my lips to inhale, Klaus looked at them in anticipation. My breath caught in my throat as he moved his hands up my thighs ever so slowly. He stopped almost immediately as his face contorted in seconds, and his whole body language changed in a flash.

"Well, look who finally decided to show up to the party." I looked over his shoulder to see Damon slowly approaching. My heart welled as I seen him.

"Where is she?" He asked sternly.

Klaus turned around, my once warm thighs were now growing cold.

"Elena? Ah, she's making a donation to the greater cause." He sniggered.

Damon edged closer to the hospital but Klaus stopped him immediately.

"I'm afraid I can't let you interfere, mate."

"You'll have to kill me." Damon spat his words like poison.

"Oh, I would love to kill you, but I made a pledge to your brother, and unlike him, I keep my word. Although, you know what, thinking about it now, he probably doesn't care that much anymore."

He grabbed him and slammed his body against a car, setting the alarm off as glass shattered around them.

"Stop!" I winced and climbed off the hood of the car but I fell to the ground as my legs gave out from under me. I was weak. I braced my arm on the bumper that ran along the front of the car. All I could do was watch on.

"Don't you want to know about your friend, Mikael?" Damon smirked and Klaus tensed.

"What do you know of Mikael?"

"Just that he knows you're here."

"You're bluffing." Klaus snapped back.

"Katherine and I found him. Consider it our leverage."

I could feel the hatred from where I sat. Klaus growled loudly then threw Damon's body across the car park, colliding it with another car.

He turned briefly and looked at me from where I sat on the ground. He looked lost and almost afraid after what Damon had said to him. His lips parted slightly before he vanished into the night.

I made a move to crawl onto my knees, before I was hoisted from the ground and sat back atop the car.

"Hey, hey," Damon's voice rang in my ears as he tilted my chin back. "Are you alright?"

I nodded my head lightly as a reply. My throat was like razor blades each time I swallowed.

"Right, stay here. I need to get Elena, then we're leaving."

"I-I can't really g-go anywhere." I coarsely spoke.

The Salvatore Boarding House was warm as I sat by the fire. Damon got Elena and then he brought us both back here from the hospital. We were both shaken and in bad shape, her more so as she was being drained of her blood by Klaus.

He entered the main hall and handed me a glass of amber liquid.

"Thank you." I managed to say as I looked it over before drinking small amounts at a time. He made his way over to Elena and offered her the same, which she happily took before he took a seat beside her on the opposing sofa from me.

She took a sip and her face almost immediately turned up at the taste.

"Yeah, it's strong. You know I can help you forget, too. At least the memories you don't want to keep."

She shook her head, "No. No compulsion. I need to remember. All of it."

If it were me... I'd want to forget this night ever happened.

Damon reached into his pocket and retrieved Elena's necklace.

"I stole it back for you." he smiled.

She looked to him, her voice cracking. "He's really gone this time. I watched it happen. After everything that we went through to get... to help him. Now he's just... gone."

Damon placed the necklace on the side table.

"Where were you, Damon?" She murmured.

He placed a hand on her thigh, and it immediately reminded me of earlier when Klaus placed his on mine. As I sipped on the bourbon, I unconsciously moved my hand down to my thigh where his once was and ran my fingers back and forth.

"I shouldn't have left. I promise you... both of you." I looked over to him as he continued, "I will never leave you again."

He and Elena shared a look just as an unwanted visitor entered the room.

"Well, isn't this cosy?" He cheerfully smiled.

We all turned to face Stefan as he leaned against the pillar at the entrance of the room and Damon instantly got to his feet.

"What are you doing here, brother?"

Stefan entered the room and made a b-line for the drinks table and poured himself a glass of amber liquid. "Last I checked, I live here. Klaus is gone, but he's asked me to keep watch on yous until he returns." His eyes drifted between Elena and I as he took a long gulp from the glass, "From now on, you're both under my protection."

I instantly frowned and placed my glass on the table.

"Why me?" I asked in frustration as I stood from the sofa.

He shrugged, "You'll find out eventually." He raised his glass in the air, "Mmm, by all means. Carry on."

He left the room as Damon, Elena and I looked at each other worriedly.

What could this mean?

I shook my head, "I'm going home. I can't deal with anymore bullshit tonight."

As I made my way across the room to the door, Stefan appeared from no where in front of me, but Damon was at my side in the blink of an eye.

"Back off, Stefan." He warned his younger brother as he stared at me intensely.

"You're staying here for the time being." Stefan announced.

"The hell I am." I snapped back.

"Klaus' rules."

I smirked, "I don't follow anyone's rules, let alone Klaus'."

I went to take a step forward but he blocked my way, "Stefan, I know you've gone all dark, but get the hell out of my way." I warned bitterly.

He smiled, bearing all his teeth like this was a game. Maybe it was, who knows but I sure as hell aren't in the mood to play.

"It's better for you to stay here, save me the time from running back and forth between houses." He smirked, "It'll also keep me away from Caroline."

"You wouldn't dare touch her." I was seething and all I could see was red. My sisters life had to much uncertainty tonight and It wasn't about to have anymore.

He bit his lip, "Are you willing to bet her life on it?"

A low grow broke from inside my chest.

"Fuck you!" I hissed and pushed past him as I ran up the stairs into a vacant room.

I heard the low chuckle as I slammed the door once I entered the room. I paced for a while, I had to keep Care safe.

But would he really do it? Kill her.

No, I wasn't taking that risk and if that meant I had to stay here, so be it. Anything to make sure no harm came to her or my mom for that matter. Plus, I had Damon. Although, I still hadn't quite forgiven him for attacking my dad, but I had to put that aside. I needed him more than ever right now. Stefan was clearly unpredictable, so knowing Damon was here was reassuring... kind of.