As I sat in the dining room of Tyler's house, I flicked through the pages of my notebook, and twirled a pen in my other hand as I revised. I'd missed a lot of school, so during my stint in 'jail', I decided to make the most of the free time. I had one of Klaus' hybrids escort me to my house earlier to collect some of my work. I was adamant that I would make it to graduation with my friends and sister this year. I had to have a little normality in my life, and graduation was going to be just that.

As I revised some history, my phone began to vibrate on the table beside me.

"Hello?" I answered the phone promptly.

"Jess, hey," Elena replied in a cheery voice.

"Elena," I smiled as I continued to twirl my pen. "Everything alright?"

"Yeah. We're crashing Bonnie's trip to Whitmore College, and I was wondering if you'd like to come with us?"

"Sounds good, but as you know, I'm under lock-and-key at Tyler's." I rolled my eyes as I walked over to the door, and right enough, one of Klaus' hybrids, Marcus, was standing at the front door.

"Can't you sneak away or something?" Elena suggested.

I laughed lightly, "I'd love to stake him, but that's a 'no-go'."

Elena's faint laugh came through the phone as I wandered around the dining room, thinking of a way that I could evade the hybrid. As far as I knew, the hunter was dead. Tyler told me that Caroline told him so last night after Klaus had left. I wondered why he hadn't told me himself, or better yet, why he told me to continue living here.

"Fuck it," I whispered under my breath. "Where can I meet you?"

"You're coming?" Elena asked with excitement.

"Yeah, just tell me when and where."

"About half an hour. Meet at my place?" Elena said.

"Got it." I hung up the phone as I approached the door once more to look at the hybrid.

He was pacing back and forth, hands clasped behind his back with a stern look on his face. I bit at the tip of my nail, going over ideas in my head as to how I could slip away unnoticed. If I attempted to kill him, I knew Klaus would have something very, very bad lined-up for when he found out.

However, he was keeping the fact that the hunter was dead from me. Making me stay here for my 'protection and safety'. Why?

He was hiding something, and I knew it.

Once I finalised my plan, I went into the adjoining kitchen and called for the hybrid, Marcus. With his footsteps fast approaching, I ran into the dining room and waited for him to pass by before sneaking up behind him.

"Jessica?" He called as he stood in the doorway. "Jess-"

The loud crack from his neck echoed throughout the hallway as I stood behind him. "There," I smiled as I looked down at his body, "Sleeping like a baby."

Finally free from his hybrid, I made my way towards the main door and gathered my bag and Jacket before I left to meet Elena at her house.

Boy did Klaus need better guards.

As I pulled up outside of Elena's house, I instantly sunk into the seat as I saw who was standing on the sidewalk with her. Damon eyed me from where he stood as Elena and Bonnie waved me down.

"Didn't think to ask who Elena meant when she said 'we'. Smart move, Jessica!" I groaned to myself as I exited the car and made my way towards the trio.

"Jess," Bonnie smiled as I approached. "It's good to see you."

I gave a polite smile towards Bonnie before I turned to face Elena, "I don't think I should go." I said, sadly.

"What?" Elena asked, almost shocked. "What happened?"

"Creepy, hybrid stalker to attend to?" Damon smugly said as he narrowed his eyes.

"That," I groaned and pointed towards the eldest Salvatore, "That's what happened. I can't come if he's there, Elena. I'm sorry."

As I turned on my heels, intent to leave, Bonnie grabbed my wrist and tugged me backwards.

"No, you're coming." She said adamantly. "We've all forgiven Jess for what happened." Bonnie smiled towards Elena and I before looking towards a scowling Damon, "Besides, it's not your choice on who comes or not. So get over yourself."

Damon fell silent, the steady rise and fall from his chest as he inhaled the fresh air was all I focused on until he spoke. "Fine." He said as his brow rose, "Get in."

Elena gave me a reassuring smile as she approached Damon's 1969 Chevy Camaro. Bonnie followed behind Elena and climbed into the back seat as Elena took her place in front. I rounded towards the driver side behind Damon. As I stood idly beside his car waiting for him to open the door and pull the seat forward so I could get in the back, he turned to face me.

"We good?" He said in a monotone with his arm rested on the roof of the car.

I looked up at him, "We're good." I replied and his features relaxed slightly before he opened the car door and I climbed inside.

The ride to Whitmore wasn't as bad as I initially thought. Bonnie, Elena and I chatted the whole ride there, while Damon remained silent for most of the drive. I knew he was still pissed at me, and I don't blame him. I wasn't too excited to be in his company either, but for Elena, I would suffer through it.

As we pulled up out the front of the college, Damon and Elena climbed out of the car first, followed by Bonnie. I grabbed my bag from the floor, and as I pulled myself up to get out, Damon lowered his hand for me to take as he stood outside. I eyed it sceptically before placing mine in his, allowing him to pull me out.

"Thanks." I said as I straightened my jacket.

He silently nodded before closing the door.

Elena and Bonnie rounded the car and stood beside me.

"Are you sure that you're okay with this?" Elena asked Bonnie.

She nodded, "If I could spell you out of wanting blood, I would, but I can't, so better you learn this now than at freshman orientation." Bonnie said as she gazed at Elena

I hadn't quite thought about college that way. The forever rising full moon would be the bane of my existence forever more. Every day leading up to the full moon would be filled with dread and fear of what was inevitability about to come my way. I had to think about ways to come around to the idea that this was my new life. Forever.

"Something tells me that college isn't in my future anymore." Elena sighed sadly, and stopped walking.

I turned to face her and smiled, "If it isn't in yours, it sure as hell isn't in mine." I joked to lighten the mood a little. I managed to make her smile, which was a win in my opinion.

Damon groaned as he approached, "Oh, stop with the pity-party." He said and rolled his eyes, "If I can go to college, you two can go to college."

Bonnie frowned, "You went to college?"

"Sure, plenty of times. I always had a thing for sorority girls." Damon smirked.

"You're disgusting," I said as I crinkled my nose.

"I know." Damon said in a low tone before he and I followed Bonnie and Elena.

We entered into a dim-lit classroom and slid into some free seats at the back of the room as the professor spoke.

"When I say the word 'witch', what pops into your head?" The professor asked the class. "Halloween costumes? Villains of a fairy tale? Maybe an ex-girlfriend?" He proceeded to say to the class as they laughed at his subtle joke. "Well, whatever image it is it's probably not. Tanyell Soso of Montego, Cameroon." He said as he flicked through slides on a large screen.

"Is that him?" Elena asked Bonnie.

"Yeah," She nodded.

"He's kind of..."

"Hot." Bonnie said, finishing Elena's sentence.

"Eww." I whispered, gaining a smile from Damon.

Certainly not.

I listened in as Professor Shane continued to talk about the supernatural. "Now, in reality, or in this reality at least, witches appear to cross every culture in history. They're architects of the supernatural; responsible for everything that goes bump in the night from ghosts to vampires to doppelgängers."

"What is this guy, Witch-apedia?" Damon snorted.

Elena and I laughed quietly, but were quickly 'shushed' by Bonnie.

"Now, if you're a skeptic, you'd call that a coincidence. But, if you're a true believer, you know that there's really no such thing. It scares the crap out of us." Shane continued on speaking.

"What if I'm a ripper?"

I instantly looked towards Elena as she whispered those words towards Damon. Damon looked towards me, knowing that I heard what Elena had asked him.

"You're not a ripper." He said.

"What if I am?" Elena pressed on.

"Well then, pick someone and we'll find out."

I narrowed my eyes at his words.

How could he be so calm about the thought of Elena being a ripper? Being like Stefan? I witnessed how much it had changed him in my short time being home. He was so disgusted with himself. I couldn't imagine Elena being like him.

I watched as Elena looked at Damon, slightly shocked as he raised his eyebrow before motioning towards the class. Elena looked out and began to scope her selection. I followed her gaze as she eyed a boy sitting in the front row.

"Stoner guys are no good to grab. They're too paranoid." Damon said with a subtle shake of his head.

"Definitely paranoid." I chuckled lightly.

I shrugged and smiled towards Elena as I raised my brow. She couldn't quite shake the shocked expression on her face as Damon drew her attention back towards the students.

"Now, she is a fun size, a tutor," Damon said, "Geeky girls are inherently suspicious of anyone who is nice to them. What you want," He placed his arm around Elena's shoulder and pointed towards a blonde girl, "Is the blonde, pretty girl. Self absorbed, easily flattered, you just have to separate her from the pack and make your move." Damon eyed me before leaning towards Elena, "Much like Jessie, here."

I scowled, "Hey!" I lightly punched him on the arm, causing him to smirk and nip me back.

It was like nothing had happened between us. Like, we were back to a point in the past where we got on together. Perfectly.

"Am I interrupting you guys?" Damon, Elena and I looked towards the bottom of the class where an unimpressed Professor Shane stood, staring back. "Or is it maybe the other way around."

"Sorry." I said, and leaned back into the chair, slightly embarrassed.

Damon cleared his throat, "I was just saying how much I love witches."

Shane smirked, "Yeah, you and me both, brother." He said towards Damon before he spoke to the class. "Alright, listen, we should probably talk about the readings that none of you did."

I looked towards Damon and smiled as he smirked at Elena.

She seemed...happy.

As Bonnie stayed behind to talk to Shane. Damon, Elena and I left the class once it had finished and headed outside. However, we had an ulterior motive for leaving the building so quickly. The young, blonde girl from Professor Shane's class was the set upon target for Elena.

As we followed her across the campus, Damon spoke in a low tone so that only Elena and I could hear. "She's young and healthy; she'll heal up like a charm. Just keep your eye on the ball. Okay?"

Elena sighed, "It's not a game, Damon."

"No," I interjected, "But if you can't eat from a bag, you'll have to have it from the main source."

"See, Jessie gets it." Damon smiled towards me, "It's not a game. It's a high stakes, dangerous maneuver. Now, just go, like we practiced. That's all you have to do."

I could feel the hesitation radiating from her body as she approached the young blonde from behind.

"Hey!" Elena greeted her. The girl turned around, "You're in my Anthro class, right?"

She nodded, "Uh, yeah, I guess so."

She's un-trusting.

Elena placed her hand against her head and sighed lightly, "I totally spaced and forgot to get the reading list. Do you have it?"

"Sure. Uh - let me check."

Elena grabbed her wrist as the girl gazed at her phone, and began to compel her.

"This isn't going to hurt. Please don't scream." Elena commanded perfectly, and without hesitation. She fell silent as she looked towards the phone in the girl's hand. "Who's that?"

"It's my little sister." The stranger replied.

"Get out of here. Go back to class." Elena said before she released her grip, and the girl began to walk away.

Damon sighed in frustration, "What the hell are you doing?"

I walked over to Elena with Damon as I watched the girl walk away until she disappeared within the crowd.

"I just...I saw the picture and I -"

Damon rolled his eyes, "Everybody is someone's uncle or father or camp counsellor or bible study teacher." He snapped at her, "Elena, you don't know these people, why do you care?"

"I care because I'm still me." Elena snapped back. "I still have the same feelings, Damon. Sorry if that spoils your master-plan to turn me into a super vampire."

"A super vampire?" I said from beside Damon. "It's not about making you into something you're not, Elena. It's about keeping you alive."

"I wouldn't be dead if it weren't for you in the first place!" Elena almost yelled loud enough for everyone to hear.

My mouth hung slightly open. I know it's not something she should just 'get over'. I get that, but her words were powerful.

"Jess, I'm sorry." Elena said in a calmer tone as she approached me and rubbed my arms. "I-I'm just confused."

"You're right though." I replied. "You wouldn't be the way you are right now if it wasn't for me."

"Technically not." Damon said from my side, "Rebekah would have done it either way. You were just a pawn."

I frowned, "You've been giving me shit about it for ages, Damon."

He shrugged, "I needed someone to blame."

Before I could reply, Bonnie approached us.

"What's going on?" She asked.

"Nothing," Damon replied, "Elena's just educating me on the importance of feelings."

Elena drew her eyes from Damon and turned to face Bon, "Did you talk to the Professor?"

She nodded, "For a second. He found some stuff of my Grams' in his office and he's gonna dig it up for me." Bonnie smiled and reached into her pocket to retrieve something, "Oh, uh, this."

Elena took the flyer as Damon and I looked over it from her side.

"Murder party?" I said as I looked over the bright coloured flyer.

"Oh, nice, the answer to all of our problems. A frat party: douche central." Damon said excitedly as he rubbed his hands together. "Which is why, you'll be eating very well tonight." He smirked, but Bonnie looked at him in disgust. "So, what should we go as? Victims of killers?"

I smiled.

Tonight was going to be fun.

A few hours later, and a bit of shopping along the way to pass the time. We were ready. Ready to attend our first frat party, but more importantly, ready to find some victims.

As we approached the house, which had a huge bed sheet hanging from the outside, a student came to the front to greet us.

"Hey. I'm Frankie, unassuming serial killer." He said excitedly.

Damon smiled, "I'm Jack," A woman approached us with a tray filled with Bloody Mary's and we all took one as Damon continued to speak. "And these are the lovely ladies I just...Rippered."

I laughed, and took a drink from my glass as Frankie spoke once more. "Welcome to the Murder House, Bloody Mary's are free until midnight. Enjoy yourselves." He said before leaving us to scope out the room.

"Well hats off to these idiots," Damon removed his hat briefly before returning it to his head. "Oh look, Professor Creepy."

We all followed his gaze as he looked at the staircase, and rightly so, at the top stood Shane.

Bonnie sniggered, "His name is Professor Shane. And he's not creepy." She looked towards him, just as he turned to face her. Bonnie handed me her drink, "I'm gonna go talk to him." She said before she made her way to the staircase.

"You do that." Damon called after her as we entered the house, arms linked together. "Inebriated sleazeballs all covered in blood. Come on. Pick one."

Damon and I remained silent as Elena looked around the room for someone to feed from, and it wasn't long before she found her meal.

"I think I found one." She said.

"Asshole." I said as I witnessed the same thing as her. A guy across the room had just dropped a pill into a girls drink, and continued talking to her like nothing happened.

He's perfect.

"Nice choice," Damon said, "Go get him."

We watched as Elena crossed the room and deliberately bumped into him, causing her to gain his attention.

"Oh...I'm sorry...Drink?" Elena said with a wicked smile as she handed him her drink. They shared a smile before she walked away.

Classic bait and lure trick.

Damon and I followed on behind the guy as he followed where Elena had gone. As we entered another room, Elena already had her fangs into his neck. I still had my arm looped with Damon as we watched her briefly before he intervened.

"Now remember the idea is not to kill him," Damon warned her, but she was deaf to his voice as she continued drinking. "Elena. Step away from the ledge." I bit my lip in anticipation. "Elena!" Damon hissed.

Her head flew back, blood dripping from her mouth as she compelled the guy. "Leave and forget about this."

He nodded and entered back into the party like nothing had happened.

Elena beamed with pride as she faced us.

"Nice touch. How do you feel?" Damon asked with a smile.

She laughed as she wiped at her mouth before rushing to hug him. "I feel good." She said as she made eye contact with me. "I want more."

"Then...Let's go." I whispered with glee.

I don't know how long we had been dancing for, but it felt amazing.

I felt amazing.

Damon and I danced with the same brunette girl for a few minutes before he compelled her into submission. He lowered his head and bit into her tender flesh as I watched in awe. When he came back up moments later, his fangs dripped with blood, and it didn't disgust me like I thought it might.

Once the girl served her purpose, Damon compelled her to leave. I lulled my head back in pure pleasure as I moved to the beat of the music. Even though I was here for moral support, I could feel myself getting lost in the moment with them. I felt hands grab my waist and pull me closer. I looked forward and saw Damon, he was grinning, I was grinning, everyone was having a great time as the music drowned out any other sound.

I ran my hand up his chest to his neck, wiping the blood away before licking it from my fingers. The stranger's blood didn't taste anywhere near as good as Klaus'. I smiled and turned around as we continued to dance together. I made eye contact with Elena as she slowly made her way over to us, smiling as the blood dripped from her mouth. Once she stood in front of me, I grabbed her arms and raised them in the air, and began dancing to the beat of the music. I closed my eyes and just felt the beat of the music pass through me as Damon stood behind me with his hands on my waist, and Elena in front, smiling for the first time in ages. Everything was perfect.

As Elena turned around, I felt her stop moving and opened my eyes.

"Oh my god. Oh my god." I heard her repeat.

I reached out and tried to grab her as she made her way through the crowd. I followed her with my eyes until I saw Bonnie standing at the bottom of the stairs. She watched Damon and I, shocked, but I was too lost in the moment and continued dancing.

A few moments later, Damon and I left the frat house and headed outside into the cool air to look for Elena. Once we spotted her, we approached from behind as she was frantically wiping at her face, trying to get rid of any traces of blood. Like it never happened.

Damon cleared his throat to make his and I's presence known.

"Guessing we should hit the road." He suggested whilst looking at Bonnie.

She marched over, "You were supposed to help her and you let her get completely out of control!"

"She's not out of control." Damon stated, "She was having fun."

"This isn't fun." Bonnie spat. "She's acting like a different person."

Damon rolled his eyes, "She is a different person. She's a vampire. We're a predatory species. We enjoy the hunt, the feed and the kill. When the guilt gets too bad we switch off our humanity and we revel in it."

"Is that what you want?" Bonnie eyed Damon and gasped, "Her to be like you?"

"She already is like me," Damon groaned, "And you know what makes me able to drink my fill and leave someone breathing and not rip their head off like my brother? It's that I can revel in it. I can make it fun." Damon grabbed my arm and tugged me forward.

"She was in control, Bonnie." I said, trying to make her see it from our side.

"And you," She said as she faced me, "You weren't helping her either, Jess. I watched you, y-you were enjoying it!"

"Yeah, Bonnie." I replied and stepped forward, "I was enjoying it, because Damon is right. He was looking after her there. I enjoyed being free. Free from rules, free from being captive in a house when all I want to do is have some fun and embrace who I really am now. No one was killed tonight. Take that for the win and move on."

Words failed her as she glared between Damon and I.

Damon tutted as he began to grow sick of the situation and the judgement coming from the Bennett witch and pushed past her, giving Elena a quick glance as he passed her.

After a long, silent drive back into Mystic Falls, Damon dropped Elena off at her house before he drove me over to Tyler. As we drove into the driveway, Damon stopped the car but kept the engine running while I grabbed my bag and jacket from the back.

"Hey," He said as I opened the door to get out.

"Yeah?"

"You don't regret what happened tonight, do you?" He asked in a small voice.

I thought it over.

Did I?

I smiled, "I don't regret a thing." I rested my hand on his as he gripped the wheel. "We had fun and Elena didn't kill anyone. It-It was like we were back to being semi-normal teens once again."

He smiled back at me, "Thanks, Jessie."

I climbed out of the car, but leaned back down before I closed the door. "Damon?"

"Hmm?"

"Elena will come round," I said, trying to reassure him, "It probably was just too much to take in all at once."

He bowed his head, giving me one last smile before I closed the door and he drove off.

I turned around and faced the door, my shoulders instantly slumped at having to come back here. Especially after what happened tonight. I could have tried to sneak in the back, but I already knew Marcus would have woken hours ago. So it was pointless.

Much like coming back here.

As I walked towards the door and entered inside, Marcus rounded the corner.

"Where the hell have you been?" He said sternly, "I've been looking everywhere for you!"

I smirked and approached the stairs, "Well, you didn't look well enough."

"Don't be a smart-ass. Where were you?"

I turned to face him as I kicked off my shoes at the bottom step, "I was out having fun. You should really try it sometime."

The hybrid folded his arms across his chest, "You're covered in blood." He stated, as he looked over my appearance.

"Yeah, that was the 'fun' part." I replied and began to walk up the stairs.

"Klaus knows you left." Marcus called. "He's not happy."

I shut my eyes tightly as I replied, "Of course he does." Before continuing to walk up the staircase, ignoring the rest of the hybrid's words as I entered into my temporary room and locked the door behind me.

Inside the comfort of the room, I stripped free from the outfit and tossed it into the bin before heading into the shower. While Damon and I danced together, he managed to get blood all over my clothes, and I didn't mind. Something which I thought I'd never say. Tonight was fun. Elena fed and controlled herself to the point where she could handle her cravings. I danced and cleared the air with Damon and just enjoyed being free.

It's something I'd never forget.