Salvatore Boarding House
November 19, 2010
Two days until the full moon

Stefan ran a hand through his hair, as he paced away from the Damon's chest refrigerator before reaching the stone wall. Having no alternative, he reluctantly turned once more to find himself standing before the same proverbial Pandora's box. The temptation had built steadily over the last couple of days.

Fortunately, Damon had managed to sneak out with Enzo and raided a blood bank, returning with enough blood bags for everyone consuming human blood.

Caroline, no longer welcome in the boarding house for her part in attempting to help Elena escape, might have cut down on the number of vampires indulging in bagged human blood. However, since Abby Bennett had made the connection that human blood played an important factor in her ability to perform magic, she had switched to consuming bagged blood as well.

Having two Bennett witches on their side improved their chances of keeping Elena under their care. Until they could determine what the Elijah and the Original Family had done to their Elena Gilbert and, reverse it.

He wasn't ready to admit aloud, to himself or with his brother, that Elena wasn't really theirs anymore, not really; her desperate fight against Bonnie's magic, one of the many changes to her, had stunned everyone, especially her brother Jeremy. Just to allow her other Doppelgänger, and her children to pass through the barrier, sowed the seeds of doubt, at least for himself.

Damon remained adamant that they did something to her and although he kept this to himself, Stefan was beginning to worry about his brother's obsession with Elena.

He had been like this when they first returned to their hometown, but then his object of obsession had been Katherine Pierce. He worried Damon had traded one doppelgänger for another.

Running his hand over his face, and drawing in a slow deep breath, Stefan lifted the lid and peered down at the bags of blood. Blinking, he looked at the blood bag that had almost, as if by magic, appeared in his hand as he looked around concerned, only realized he was alone.

"Damn it!" Stefan cursed aloud, dropping the temptation back into the cool air of the refrigerator before slamming the lid shut.

Today, his blood deprivation was far worse than the previous day. That shouldn't have taken him by surprise; it had been three days since he ran out of his supply of animal blood. The only thing that had kept him going as long as he had was Abby's decision to switch over to Damon's stash of human blood.

He just couldn't hold off any longer. If he didn't hunt today, he was liable to attack one of the three humans still residing in the Boarding House or worse give in and partake in the bounty of blood bags his brother and Enzo procured for all the vampires in their motley crew.

Once he started, there was no doubt he wouldn't be able to stop himself from consuming all the bagged blood they had in their possession. Then they would be out of sustenance on top of a fresh ripper unleashed in Mystic Falls.

As he considered his available option, he turned away, to head back upstairs. He'd only stepped on the stair threshold to find his brother leaning against the wall beside the door.

"You're going out for blood, aren't you?" Damon asked. As far as Stefan could tell, his brother wasn't belittling his aversion to consuming human blood. For the brief reprieve from his older sibling, he was grateful, to say the least.

"Yes, and you know why I can't-" Stefan started, but Damon's hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"Brother, I know. You don't need to say anything, but I don't think you're thinking this through," Damon said. His grip hardened on Stefan's shoulder when he made to break the unwanted contact. "I'm not going to suggest you try the bagged blood, but Klaus's hybrids are out there; watching the perimeter."

Silently, they stared each other down before Damon released his grip.

"What are you suggesting, then? The only other option I can think of is sticking me in the cell Abby recently vacated! You can all just lock me in and let me desiccate. Problem solved!" Stefan snapped; he'd actually already considered it as a possibly earlier and maybe it had been on the right idea all along.

Glaring at his brother, he turned to head back downstairs when Damon stopped him.

"It's really not a bad idea baby bro, but I personally don't want to have my little brother was wasting away in some damn cell in our basement, on my conscience, not when there is still another option." Damon's voice climbed higher in annoyance.

"What do you mean, Damon? What other option is there? And don't tell me that moderation is key. I should have had blood yesterday I'm worse off than I was before today." Stefan said, sending his brother a defeated expression.

"I wouldn't dare, and truth be told I was considering putting a lock on my refrigerator. We might need to ration the blood out depending on how long we are forced to stay here. No, I was suggesting that we act as a diversion to draw Klaus's minions away while you go hunting for Bambi or Peter Cottontail."

"We?" Stefan blinked and only then realized their conversation had drawn almost all the inhabitants currently living under the same roof. With the exception of Elena who was back in her guest room still daggered.

"Yea mate, look, I've had personal experience having seen what a group of vampires with blood issues can do. They bloody well wiped out everyone besides myself. Their leader… She took pity on me, I guess, after almost being swindled by a con artist wannabe doctor for some cure, so I want to help you out as best as I can." Enzo said.

There was something in how he described the encounter that created a strange kinship between Stefan and the woman had helped him; shaking himself, his gaze flitted around the room's other occupants.

He could hear Bonnie's step brother, Jamie, and Jeremy coming down stairs to join them as well. He couldn't help the smile as he overheared their ongoing discussion, which had occupied most of their attention recently. Lord knows he wished for other things to divert his attention these last few days.

"How in the hell do you keep getting to that freaking sniper rifle first?" Jamie rebuked his friend.

"I'm just lucky, I guess," Jeremy smirked.

"Bullshit!"

"Besides, I'm a way better shot with it than you'll ever be - and don't you dare start calling me private Church again! I'm not an asshole like he is on the show. Oops… Ah… Did we arrive too late?" Jeremy asked, concerned.

Stefan wondered if everyone else was, in on whatever diversion Damon had apparently concocted.

"No, you're right on time, and what is up with your hand? Do you need aloe or something?" Damon asked.

Stefan's eyes narrowed on Jeremy's hand the angry red caused by excess rubbing or scratching was drawing his blood to the surface. Feeling his skin around his eyes starting to itch, he quickly looking away, taking some calming breaths before looking back at Elena's brother, and studiously avoiding his hands.

"I don't know. It's been itching for days now. It will be fine. So now can you tell me what our part is in this little mastirovka of yours, Damon?" Jeremy answered, absently rubbing his hand before purposefully dropping it to his side.

"Ah… Look, Baby Gilbert is learning big words now," Damon scoffed.

"Dick," Jeremy retorted under his breath well aware that every vampire had heard him perfectly fine.

Damon, thankfully, only beamed his patented smirk before pointing first at Jamie and then Jeremy in turn.

"We want you to go out front and draw attention from whoever is watching the front of the house. They can't get to you and thanks to Bonnie's original spell you can't even be compelled to walk past the salt line. Whatever you do just keep their attention focused on the two of you."

"How do you suggest we do that?" Jeremy asked, rubbing the back of hand again only dropping it when he noticed Abbey and Bonnie watching him with matching curious expressions. He played it off as to their familial relationship nothing more.

"I… Don't know just do what you can. Hell, get into a mock fight about that video game you've been wasting your time on," Damon suggested. Jeremy bristled, but Jamie slowly nodded instead.

"It might work provided we are doing something say talking as we go about our business and then bring it on. Look Jer it has to be a convincing argument anything else would be fake. After all, it isn't like we haven't had any practical experience on our usual topic of discussion," Jamie offered, looking first at Jeremy then Damon.

"We aren't that bad," Jeremy said defensively.

"Uh… Vampires remember, we hear practically everything and I do mean everything," Damon said with mock solemnity. If it wasn't for the fact he was utterly starving, he would feel compelled to point out to his brother he really shouldn't throw rocks in a glass house, but he was barely holding himself in check as it was.

"Don't bother Jer, he's just a Shisno." Jamie said with such sincerity Stefan couldn't help to consider that his brother had just been unknowingly insulted. Immortal or not, it was sometimes difficult to keep up to speed on the current lingo of the time. He found that he both loved and hated the overall experience of having to learn something new with each passing decade.

Jeremy still looked like he really wanted to punch his brother, but instead, Stefan breathed a sigh of relief when they watched as two teenagers made a rather hasty departure towards the front entrance. Grumbling about annoying vampires on their way out. Only when the door closed did Damon shifted his attention to Bonnie and her mom. Stefan had to admit that Abby was looking far better than when she had drinking his animal blood. Not for the first time, he wished he could find some way of controlling his blood addiction. One thing was for sure; Abby herself knew she wasn't perfect, hence her need to keep all of the remaining humans with enough distance for others to react before she caused any lasting harm, besides her daughter.

"Now for you two how about some sort of I don't know, uh… magical diversions to send Klaus's sired mutts off on a wild goose chase? Preferably far away from Stefan's hunting area."

Abby and Bonnie took turns looking at each other with thoughtful expressions, almost as if they were having an unspoken conversation of their own.

"I think we can manage something. Although I'll need a bag of blood to revitalize my magic. I assume you don't want us exiting the same way Jeremy or my son went?" Abby asked for them.

"You've assumed correctly," Damon beamed.

Bonnie rolled her eyes to his typical response. It seemed Elena's friends were beginning to expect his brother's childish behavior.

"Great! Now that just leaves the three of us, assuming you wish to help Enzo," Damon continued, switching his attention back to Stefan and his recalcitrant best friend. Stefan had only heard parts of their story and he couldn't help feeling that Damon almost blamed him for the fact he was captured back in the fifties instead of himself.

"Don't be a colossal prick Damon, I'm still cross with you," Enzo started but Damon cut him off.

"How long are you going to punish me for leaving you behind?"

"Until you do something that proves to me that you're not a horses arse! NO, don't interrupt me again. I'm helping because it's the right thing to do. I would recommend that we each take extra bottles, just in case we find an animal and we can fill whatever we can without being detected. I highly doubt we will be able to get away with this again." Enzo said.

Stefan was slightly taken aback by his surprisingly sound reasoning it seemed both he and his brother were only thinking about the current crisis. Cognitive decline was a nominal indicator for a vampire that blood deprivation had passed a dangerous threshold. It wouldn't be long before he attacked someone without thought. Elena might be daggered, but how would she react if eventually, when they did remove it and Stefan had to tell her he accidentally drained her brother of his blood? All because of blood deprivation wasn't a road he was willing to cross.

"Agreed, I think we should head out back and take separate cardinal directions and meet back here in an hour, sound reasonable?" Stefan said.

Damon looked like he wanted to argue, so Stefan was surprised when Damon, instead agreed, although somewhat reluctantly based on his troubled expression. Enzo excused himself to retrieve some empty water bottles for each of them. Leaving Stefan alone with his older brother.

"What's wrong, Damon?"

"Nothing… I'm just being - well, you," Damon smirked.

Stefan knew he was trying to deflect, but growing up with his brother said differently. He just knew something was eating away at him. It didn't help that he also felt a gnawing something he hadn't felt for months. The last time was when Klaus had realized his duplicity over the summer months traipsing their way through the countryside looking for leads on a werewolf pack to turn into hybrids. He was still haunted by Klaus's very words of 'go big or go home' and the fact he killed so many people had left a foul taste in his mouth. He honestly didn't know when his emotions had come back but when they had he had only been able to focus on his vendetta against the monster that had taken everything from him. First his girl, then his humanity, until only he had his thirst for vengeance towards the Original Hybrid himself.

"Damon-" Stefan started, but his brother cut him off.

"Alright! Look I just really got a bad feeling about this," Damon snarked.

"Damon, we really don't have any other choice."

"Do you think I don't know that? Look just forget it little bro! Everything will be fine let's just wait until he gets back and get this over with," Damon declared putting an end to their discussion.

It didn't help that Stefan had a bad feeling about it too, but they were rapidly running out of possible options. Damon would never let him live it down, but he had always been jealous of his brother's ability to handle feeding on human blood without turning into a Ripper.

From his earliest memories of their father, Giuseppe Salvatore, would become a different person when he drank too much, not for the last time did he consider a possible connection between their respective addictions.

As far as he understood genetics, could his predisposition to his addictive nature be merely hereditary, which was only amplified when he was turned in to a vampire.

Had he taken more after their father than Damon?


Salvatore Boarding House
November 19, 2010
Two days until the full moon

"Do you think he has any idea what I called him?" Jamie asked as they were walking towards his mom's RV.

"You just haven't known him as long as I have. Trust me Damon doesn't give two shits for what we really think of him. The only person who's thoughts ever seemed to concern him the most is my sister."

Jamie paused while opening the RV's side door to regard Jeremy's irritated expression. "Why does he even care about what she thinks of him?"

Before Jeremy could explain Damon's obsession with his only sister a familiar, yet, at least in his opinion, unwelcome voice answered, on his behalf.

"I'm afraid Damon Salvatore has a rather unhealthy obsession in regard to her, Mr. Gilbert. Which I strongly suspect comes from his past love affair with Katerina herself. Unfortunately, he has now transferred everything he felt for her on to Elena," Elijah voiced from outside the perimeter of Bonnie's salt line.

To his credit Jeremy didn't react, unlike his new friend, who almost had an out of body experience. As Jamie worked to regain his composure, Jeremy tried to understand how he didn't know they weren't alone.

It was almost as if a part of him had felt the Original Vampire's presence. Shaking his head in an attempt to clear his thoughts, he quickly remembered their purpose in standing outside, as they were.

Unconsciously, Jeremy rubbed the back of his hand as he stepped closer to where the Original was waiting for them.

"What are you doing here?" Jeremy demanded, with bitter tones of betrayal. Jeremy hadn't forgotten everything he and Elena had lost because of this vampire. If he had done what he had promised, Klaus would have been out of their lives.

The look of understanding as well as a regret interlaced in the ancient vampire expression was more than enough for Jeremy to know that Elijah knew it as well.

"Jeremy, I have been neglectful in offering my condolences to you in regard to your Aunt and Uncle. I didn't know either of them sufficiently to say I knew them properly, but I understand your loss of them can't be explained away with well-intended platitudes," Elijah said.

His voice was even making Jeremy's irritation with the vampire only increased.

"Save it! You broke your promise to myself and my sister when you didn't kill your brother!"

Elijah put his hands behind him and regarded them with silent eyes before finally responding. Once again, his voice showed very little emotion.

"I will always put my family first, Jeremy, and if it isn't obvious to you, Elena is a part of that. No one in our family wishes to harm her if that is troubles you. If you are concerned with how my brother or sister will treat her, I can assure you that it will not be what it was before our memories were restored."

Jeremy was still digesting his biting retort when Jamie joined in.

"What do you mean your memories were restored? Look I'll be the first to admit I'm still learning about all this supernatural nonsense, but I do know enough. Like that, Originals can't be compelled like regular vampires can. Or am I wrong on this?" Jamie asked.

"You are correct Originals can not be compelled. Now as for your first question, put simply our memories were altered by magic," Elijah chuckled, but then stopped himself. "My apologies I'm not aware of your name sir, perhaps introductions are in order? I'm Elijah Mikaelson."

"Uh… I'm Jamie, Jamie Jackson."

Jeremy wished Anna was here with him, but she had been absent for the last few days. The last time they had a chance to talk without being overheard she only said that she was helping someone, but wouldn't elaborate when he had tried asking who she was assisting.

"Now since it appears that all the niceties have been observed would you mind telling us, why you are here?" Jeremy asked, growing impatient with their mission momentarily forgotten.

"Jeremy, I simply wish to have my wife back. Then if you so wish, we will leave and never intrude in Mystic Falls. Not unless you give us permission to return," Elijah said.

There was something in how the vampire voiced his vow to leave, but that would mean Elena would undoubtedly go with them if they did.

"If what you'll have been saying about her traveling back to when all of you were still human why didn't she try to stop whatever caused your transformation?" Jamie asked, for which Jeremy was thankful for the gesture.

"In the however brief time we had together, right after my siblings and I got our memories back, Elena did share with me a few of the things she couldn't have done otherwise. Jeremy, she did to try to stop our parents turning us into the very creatures you detest. I… I have to live every day with the knowledge that she died by my own father's hand, despite my best efforts to shield her from his sword. He killed me before my wife's eyes. I was already dead by the time when the man I once called father drove his blade into my lovely Elena's chest."

Now Jeremy was conflicted. This was the same vampire that had promised Elena he would keep her family safe, so long as he rid them of Klaus and yet he did the opposite.

"You know that I don't really like you or your accursed family, don't you?" he stated more than asked as a question.

"I regret to say that I know. I can't make up for the betrayal you're feeling. I couldn't lose my brother and if I had done what I'd promised-"

"You and I would have probably never found your siblings and, more importantly my sister," Jeremy finished for his brother-in-law. He paused still wanting to be angry at the ancient vampire, but his own curiosity got the better of him.

"What was my sister like in your past?"

Elijah smiled wanly back at him before he started to describe his first encounter with the doe eyed brunette Elena Petrova.


Salvatore Boarding House
November 19, 2010
Two days until the full moon

"Mom, how are you doing with - uh you know?" Bonnie asked. Thankfully, they were cloaked via a spell Abby had cast on them prior to their exiting the boarding house. Talking was possible if they kept their voices low otherwise the slightest noise would alert others to their presence.

Abby regarded her daughter as they made their way away from the boarding house. So far, they'd managed to incapacitate three of Klaus's hybrids. Unlike Damon and Stefan's method, those they encountered would recover as they healed.

"Better now since I made the connection between consuming human blood and then still being able to perform magic," Abby answered finally.

"I still can't believe that you can even still do magic," Bonnie paused, considering her next question. "Mom, do you think that it might be related to the fact that you died with Elena's Doppelgänger blood in your system? I mean is it specifically her or could Katherine have done the same thing?"

"When was the last time you physically touched Elena?"

"Um… Well when we brought her back inside after her escape attempt. I wanted to try probing her mind, but I think that there is something about the Stone Dagger which is blocking me. Why do you ask?"

They had come to a stop not very far from a cluster of trees. There were more signs of another one of Klaus's hybrids somewhere close by.

"At the time, I had felt something - the first time - when your friends brought her inside, and that was when I was still in that cell away from everyone else," Abby answered honestly. Bonnie didn't know what to think up until witnessing her best friend performing magic she was doing what she honestly felt was right. But now she wasn't quite as sure as she once had been.

"Wh- What did you feel?"

"Power. No, that isn't accurate. It almost felt ancient. Also, there was something else, almost a connection between her and I," Abby described. She didn't miss the horrified expression her daughter aimed at her. "What?"

"Mom… Do you feel a need to do whatever Elena tells you to do?" Bonnie asked cautiously. Abby didn't respond, but to her credit she considered her daughter's odd question, before finally answering.

"I want to help her if that is what you're asking, but how I do that how I see fit. Now that you have your answer, can I ask why did you seem so upset about my answer?"

"It's nothing really," Bonnie answered quickly, but quickly added. "Alright Mom! You win! Just don't give me that look I'm not a little girl anymore. I was worried you might have been sire bound to Elena."

Abby pulled her daughter in tight for a hug only remembering to control her strength when Bonnie winced. "Sorry, still working on that. Honey, I wasn't around for your childhood after being so careless with channeling your unborn brother, but I'm still your mother."

"Mom, I-"

"Shush… Bon just let me hold you, okay?" Abby murmured into Bonnie's hair. She had missed so much in her daughter's life.

How might things have turned out if she hadn't run away?

More than once her mother had attempted to contact her, but Abby had cloaked herself which, after learning Shelia's fate had filled her with guilt and remorse for not being there for anyone, especially her own daughter. Much too soon for Abby's maternal instincts her daughter extricated herself and explained about Tyler and him being sire bound to the Original Hybrid.

"That sounds awful!" Abby's voice pitched higher than she intended. "Sorry, How is Caroline taking it?"

"She said that Tyler found someone to help break it, but I'm not really in the mood to talk with her after what she did."

"Bonnie, she was just trying to help Elena get Tatia and her kids back to her family," Abby softly chided her daughter.

"She betrayed us, Mom!" Bonnie shouted.

"I know it appears that way Bonnie but-" Abby stopped abruptly, allowing her enhanced senses to roam free when she realized something was missing.

"Mom, what do you-" Bonnie started up again but froze when Abby motioned for her to be silent.

"Something doesn't feel right. Bonnie, I should have realized something was off about them," Abby growled. Without preamble, she turned on her heel and headed back to where they had left Klaus's hybrids.

"What?" Bonnie asked, following in her mother's wake.

Abby could have said something, but the evidence or lack thereof was sufficient. All three of the hybrids who should have still been unconscious were all mysteriously absent.

"Where are they?" Bonnie asked aloud despite the need to keep her voice low enough not to break the cloak. Abby's spell work shattered around them, revealing them to prying eyes, who might still be watching them. Not that it mattered. Abby didn't sense any witch in their proximity that could take on one Bennett witch, let alone two.

"Good question, but I think we were set up."

"But why? It's not like they can't get past the barrier it isn't even the full moon yet?" Bonnie asked.

They had to transfer the control of the barrier spell to her mother, which temporarily allowed them to tune their blood into the wards, allowing them to venture beyond the salt line. Still, they had to be careful and not get caught, but Bonnie still didn't understand how they had been set up.

How could they have known they were acting as a diversion for Stefan's mission of replenishing his supply of animal blood?

Even she knew it had been a risky idea and in all likelihood, they could only do this once before the Originals caught on and planned to take advantage of the situation. Damon hadn't mentioned, it but they could place Stefan in the cell her mother had recently vacated and they could let him desiccate while they thought of a solution to their ongoing problem.

"Hurry! We need to get back to the boarding house!" Abby said then reconsidered their available options. To her own irritation Abby realized she was still thinking like a human. Not waiting for permission she easily picked up her daughter, ignoring her alarmed outburst and vamp sped them back to the boarding house. Abby only hoped that they got there in time for whatever was going to happen, but the cynical side of her knew they might already be too late.


Salvatore Boarding House
November 19, 2010
Two days until the full moon

Stefan really didn't understand the relationship between his brother and the Enzo. Surprisingly, in spite of the proximity, considering they were under siege by Klaus and his family. Damon was rather reluctant to apologize to Enzo for whatever had transpired between them. If Stefan wasn't focused on the task at hand, he might have had enough patience to act as an intermediary, but not until he could get his bloodlust under control he would have to contend with whatever bad blood existed between the two supposed friends.

Thankfully, Enzo didn't seem inclined to extend his animosity towards anyone else in their group. In fact, Enzo had taken Damon to the other side of their family estate, on the premise there had to be a better selection of animals they could hunt. Thereby leaving Stefan to hunt alone. It didn't help that Damon couldn't keep his silence about how, if he could handle human blood they wouldn't have to take such risks.

Stefan hadn't felt inclined to acquiescence to his brother's pointed barbs regarding his blood issues. He knew full well there were risks going this route, but hopefully with the others acting as diversions for him. It should provide enough of a distraction for him to collect enough animal blood. He had been lucky to find a deer to feed on. Normally he took great pains in not killing them, but on this occasion he had drained the animal. He would hate himself tomorrow, but for now he need to find another animal to help fill his still empty bottles.

He knew he was taking a bigger risk by moving further away from the boarding house than his brother wanted him to venture alone. But he when he had returned to Mystic Falls over a year ago he had insured that the large game population in the surrounding countryside would be sufficient for his dietary needs. To do accomplish that, he had to compel a local hunter for the best hunting locations. Except for the deer he accidentally killed recently, he unlike the hunter allowed his prey a chance to survive.

It was only after nearly a twenty-minute trek through a denser part of the woods surrounding their home. Nor could it be avoided, but his progress was only made slower by the combined need of not spooking the local fauna or alerting the two-legged variety predator to his presence. Slowly edging his way into a clearing, when he finally found what he was looking for he found a decent sized bull elk that should provide enough of a donation to fill most of his bottles. The poor creature, despite his strength stood no match for his strength or speed. Still, he had to exercise caution by keeping himself clear of the sharp points of its impressive antlers.

Being accidentally gored by the frightened beast would take too much of his harvested blood to help him heal the wound. Filling the first bottle, Stefan repeated the process, and it wasn't until he was feeling the last of them that he felt the presence of another vampire close by.

Wanting to kick himself for letting his guard down, he finished filling the bottle and prepared to run when he heard the voice of Original he knew well. Thankfully, it wasn't Klaus or Elijah.

"Hello Stefan," Rebekah called rather pleasantly.

"Rebekah. What are you doing out this late at night?" Stefan answered, a dark part of him hoped beyond hope that Damon surprised them both by making a appearance and snapping the blonde Originals neck. It would give them a chance to escape, but Damon, or anyone else for that matter, were no where to be found.

He was on his own.

"Oh, an acquaintance of ours might have said something about it being be a good opportunity to reconnect with old friends. It turns out she was quite correct."

Stefan slowly raised back to his feet, never for once turning his attention away from her for a millisecond. He could run, but she, despite her appearance, was far stronger and faster than he was. It still took him a minute to fully comprehend what she had said to him. Had Caroline somehow found out that most everyone was out past Bonnie's barrier spell? But how could she have known? Ever since they expelled her from the boarding house for her part in Elena's attempt to flee, none of them has had any contact with her.

"So, how did Caroline find out about me being outside of Bonnie's spell barrier?" Stefan asked, unintentionally letting his curiosity get the better of him. Stalling for time was his only option, but he might learn something that, if he was really lucky, he could share with his friends. That they might have a spy in their group. He found it hard to believe, but he knew all too well from his own personal experience what compulsion can make someone do against their will.

Rebekah looked over at him with a pitying expression. "It's sad that you immediately assumed that it was her that told us. That all of you would be out beyond that annoying barrier spell courtesy of your mother-daughter witch pair."

Stefan's stomach muscles suddenly clenched. It was worse than he thought, he still had no idea how they had found out. Maybe she was trying to distract him by spreading mistrust within their group? He needed to escape and get back to his friends.

He had to chance it. Maybe if he got closer to the others he could warn them, at least if they captured him they wouldn't have to worry about a recovering blood addict in their midst. She didn't seem too bothered to approach him, which both confused and worried him, but he couldn't let that stop him now. Moving as fast as he could, Stefan vamp sped away.

For a moment, he actually believed that he had made good on his escape, but that illusion quickly shattered when Rebekah appeared, blocking his path. She didn't seem surprised that he tried to run for it.

"So what happens now, Rebekah?"

"That really depends on you. We, by that I mean my family only want Elena safely returned to us, Stefan. I know it might be difficult to understand. Considering how we treated her before. Regardless, she is my sister and my niece and nephew need their mother." Rebekah paused before adding. "Once we get her back, we will leave all of you alone."

"Why do I find the last part of what I assume you mean your family leaving us alone? Rather hard for anyone of us to believe, Rebekah. Did Klaus ever share with you his plans to use Caroline and Tyler in his stupid sacrifice? Not to mention that he did actually kill Elena, if it hadn't been for her father she would have come back as a vampire! None of your family was there, but I was when she told me she didn't want to become one of us. Now-" Stefan cut himself off. His emotion was too raw from the memory. How had everything gone so wrong?

Stefan did feel a measure of guilt for keeping a mother from her children, but if they lost Elena now before they had a chance to even to free her from whatever hold Rebekah's family had on her was almost too much to comprehend.

"What happened between my brother and Elena is between them." Rebekah answered, but before he could retort back there was a sharp snap of a neck being broken then his body collapsing into a heap on the damp soil.

"Was that really necessary?" Rebekah sighed, watching her brother's grin grow wider.

"Yes little sister, your little chat was starting to become rather annoying to listen to, and you had every opportunity to take him down or signal me to catch him unaware of my presence." Kol answered, amused that he once again had annoyed his little sister. "Are you going to carry him, or should I do the gentlemanly thing?"

"Kol you are no gentleman." Rebekah scoffed, before pulling out her cellphone. "Besides, I need to message everyone that we have our leverage."

Kol wordlessly picked up the unconscious vampire. "Ready?"

"Come on sis, let's get him back to the mansion before he wakes up."


Salvatore Boarding House
November 19, 2010
Two days until the full moon

Damon knew he was being, as Enzo had called him a 'utter arsehole' before separating to hunt alone as well. It annoyed him that they wouldn't need to be doing all this if his brother didn't have his issues with consuming human blood like all the others of their kind. Then they wouldn't be putting themselves in such a tenuous position.

In truth, he was somewhat relieved that Stefan and Enzo had gone their separate ways. He didn't want to look like an idiot chasing after rabbits, or in this particular case, a squirrel. Carelessly, he dropped the drained animal to the ground as he recapped the plastic bottle. If they weren't risking their lives on this endeavour, he might have been more selective in mixing the different animal blood donations together.

Damon knew they didn't have the luxury of being picky. Stefan was going to have to make do with whatever they could collect for him.

He had hoped that he could fill all the bottles he was responsible for filling with a larger game animal, but so far hadn't had any luck in his selection of area.

Fortunately for Damon he hadn't dropped his guard since pushing deeper into the wooded area beyond his place, by their slow heartbeat he knew he was being stalked by a vampire. Whoever had been following him for the last ten minutes had stayed downwind of him, so he couldn't pick up their scent. His hearing was just as good and in truth he preferred to hunt by hearing anyway it was remarkable how careless people could be when they didn't think anyone could hear them blundering about.

Waiting till whoever it was edged closer, Damon made a show of counting the still empty bottles he needed to fill.

"Let's see One… Two… Three…," he muttered aloud and on the final count he spun and slammed the vampire into the nearest tree. His leather jacket pulled taut round his raised arm, pressing it into the neck of a familiar red haired female vampire.

"Sage?" He asked right before releasing her.

What was she doing back in Mystic Falls? They hadn't seen each other since that time in Vegas during the seventies.

"Damon Salvatore, my favorite student. Don't tell me that your little brother got you hooked on his silly bunny diet, too?" Sage grimaced, peering over at the bottle of animal blood still in his other hand. "I thought I taught you better?"

"What the hell!? What are you doing here Sage?" He demanded, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Now is that anyway to say hello? Can't an old mentor stop by and say hello to her former protégé?" Sage asked innocently which was a lie Damon knew all too well from personnel experience. His eyes roamed her body as she did the same, he didn't miss her giving him a appreciative look before matching his smirk with one of her own. They really had enjoyed each others company the last time they hooked up, he was mildly curious if she could teach him anything new. Sage hadn't disappointed him in their previous reunion.

Damon backed up, giving her a sardonic look until she relented slightly with a sigh. "Look I heard you and your brother were back in your home town and a friend of mine also told me that Lexi died."

"Yes, yes, may she rest in peace," Damon drawls.

"I also know you killed her."

Dread blooms alight in Damon.

"Since I personally knew who had sired her. I do believe that we should have a little chat about why you did what you did. And before you ask, I'd once promised to watch over her; before a rather astute vampire hunter staked her sire, and Damon I always keep my promise."