The Salvatore Siblings: The Cursed Ones

by PowerHero432

Katherine is back, Caroline is a vampire and Scarlett has discovered there are others out there like her. But what else is going on now that the doppelgängers have been united. A mysterious vampire that can't die? A curse involving the Sun and Moon? And as always, Sarah and her brothers are right in the middle of it, and it's all thanks to Elena. (Pairing: Scarlett/Jeremy)

15. Who We Are Beneath Our Masks

And now for the good stuff! Hopefully this chapter isn't too long for you guys, but things kinda just kept going and well...you'll see. ;) Plenty of moments for you to all sink your teeth into so please let me know what your favourite bits were from this lengthy chapter. This also marks the end of the first Act of season 2, so starting with the next chapter I'll be changing the cover for this story to its Act two cover. I am going away however for a few weeks and won't have internet, so earliest I'll be uploading is the w/c the 8th of July. It'll be like my standard two week gap, but hopefully after that I'll be able to fire through chapters on a more regular basis. Anyway, enough blabbing form me, you're here to find out what happens next so go on and enjoy! I put a lot of work into this one and there's definitely some personal highlights here and I can't wait to hear what you all think!

And thanks for all the favourites and follows since last time!

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Chapter 15: Who We Are Beneath Our Masks

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Scarlett arrived with just enough time to find a decent enough hiding place before Katherine soon followed up with Caroline. It had to be said the new vampire was putting on one hell of an act. Crying and babbling like a sobbing widow as her makeup ran down her face. Katherine, of course, didn't care, dragging her along by her wrist, rolling her eyes as Caroline continued to cry. Such an inconvenience for her.

"Which room is it?" Katherine demanded, shooting Caroline a silencing look. The blonde girl quietened down at her glare, now sniffling silently before she nodded towards the room Sarah and the others were set up in. Shoving Caroline aside, Katherine made her way into the room and took one glance around, a dissatisfied line forming along her forehead. "Where is she?" Katherine asked in reference to Bonnie, who she believed to have the moonstone. Another part of their plan. A plan that was now on Katherine's radar, as Caroline's crying turned to chuckling. Slowly Katherine turned around, glaring eyes finding a smiling Caroline, a sight she did not like.

"I did it," Caroline said, the realisation hitting her as she smiled a dream like smile, unable to believe what she'd just done. "I really didn't think that I'd be able to fool you but I did it!" Practically snarling, Katherine advanced, ready to rip Caroline's heart clean out when suddenly she was pushed back. She tried again, determined to tear that smile right off of Caroline's face but the invisible wall blocked her again. Then she realised, she couldn't leave the room.

Caroline smiled back, hands going to her hips as her head cocked to the side, triumphant smile growing. It was then Katherine realised she'd been set up, and she didn't need to be a genius to know who by. "Sarah, Stefan?" Katherine said, already knowing they were in the room with her as she turned around.

Both Salvatores had stepped form out of their hiding places, now stood behind the couch which separated them from Katherine. Both smiling smugly as Sarah twirled a stake back and forth between her fingers, Stefan stood at her side with his hands in his pockets. "Hello, Katherine," Stefan replied, while Sarah tilted her head like Caroline, smile growing.

"Goodbye, Katherine," Caroline said from behind, waving her fingers in goodbye when Katherine looked back. She rolled her eyes at the smug little blonde vampire, fully planning on getting her revenge once this was all over. She turned back around, stepping towards her two flames, hands on her hips as she sized them both up.

"You don't really think that either of you can kill me with that now, do you?" Katherine asked, lifting her chin at the two smug vampires she'd created over a hundred years ago.

Still twirling the stake, Sarah looked to Stefan who looked back at her, both faking intense thought. When they were done they both turned back to Katherine, mocking frowns on their faces. "No," Stefan answered for Katherine, who was oblivious to the door that crept open behind her. Damon slid out, stake gun raised directly at Katherine's back.

"But he can," Sarah said, grinning growing as she nodded behind Katherine. That was Damon's signal and he took the shot without even blinking. Katherine wasn't fast enough to react and the wooden stake stuck her, narrowly missing her heart, and imbedding itself in her back. She gasped in pain, more form the shock than the actual pain. Credit to her though, the ancient vampire remained on her feet, even if she was hunched over in a very unladylike like way. Much to Katherine's shame.

Sarah savoured the look of Katherine in distress, but only for a second before she advanced along with Stefan. They moved in a blur, each heading around the other side of the couch before coming up against Katherine. Stefan leapt into the air, fist raised as he swung towards Katherine. She counted and shoved him off into the wall, but left herself vulnerable, allowing Sarah to stab her with the stake. It might have only been in Katherine' left arm, but it was enough to do some damage.

Then it was Sarah's turn to receive some of Katherine's brute force as she turned back around and slammed her arm into Sarah sending her flying across the room. Taking the chance to remove the stake from her arm, Katherine did so, right before Damon yanked the stake from her back. She grunted in pain, swiftly spinning as Damon tried to stab her. This time she was quicker, grabbing his stake wielding time before stabbing her own stake into Damon's side.

Damon clenched her jaw, desperately trying to hold back a scream of pain. Shooting him a smug grin, Katherine then twisted his stake wielding arm, forcing him to drop it. But before it could reach the floor, Katherine snatched it out of the air and went to stab Damon through the heart. Then her arm froze in midair. Her head snapped to the side, finding a mutated claw like hand holding her arm. And at the end of that furry hand, was Scarlett, now half wolf, half girl, an animal like smile on her face as her glowing eyes connected with Katherine's.

"Have you met the new girl?" Damon croaked out, grinning despite the pain he was feeling from the stake in his side.

Scarlett leapt towards Katherine, mouth widening for one good bite as she unleashed a growl. Katherine went down under the werewolves weight but not for long, quickly turning the tables and pinning Scarlett down beneath her. During that time though, Damon pulled the stake from his side, throwing it over to Stefan while he healed. His brother caught it and then ran in, tackling Katherine off of Scarlett before ramming the stake into her leg.

Another bit back grunt of pain from the eldest vampire before she threw Stefan off and sent him flying into Damon, both collapsing in the corner as Katherine climbed back up. She went to pull the stake from her leg but then Sarah was in front of her, stake gun in hand. She fired it but Katherine was ready this time, catching the stake before doing the same with Sarah's next shot. Before Sarah could fire another, Katherine threw one stake back, catching Sarah in the shoulder, and then stabbed the other one into Scarlett when she came at her for another attack. She'd gotten the werewolf good, but it wasn't enough to kill her, the wood stake piercing her lower chest. It was enough to shock Scarlett's body though and leave her breathless as Katherine shoved her to the ground.

She'd live, and heal up quickly once she got the stake out of her and while Katherine knew that, she didn't have time to kill the wolf. But she did have to slower her down were she could. Her problem now was that both Salvatore brothers were back on their feet and Sarah had removed the stake Katherine had hit her with.

Stefan and Damon both flecked their wrists and stakes slide out from beneath their jackets, now appearing in their hands. Katherine glowered back at the three siblings, each armed with a stake, and her with nothing. Sarah moved first, chasing Katherine as the vampire darted across the room. Stefan cut her off though, swing his stake towards her arm once more. Katherine avoided it and managed to do the same with Sarah, kicking her back as she did. But there was nothing she could do against Damon who tackled her to the ground, stake going into Katherine's arm and through the floor.

He held it in place, keeping his weight on it and her left side while Stefan threw himself down on Katherine's right arm, slamming his leg down on Katherine's to keep her from moving. Now Sarah had her chance. Her brothers had Katherine pinned, and her chest was a clear target. Tightening her grip on the stake, she lunched herself into the air, bring the stake down towards Katherine's heart as she was about to land, only to then find herself on the floor across the room.

She heard the grunts of Stefan and Damon, as Katherine freed herself, throwing them off to separate corners off the room. Sarah looked up, ready to resume the fight when she froze, unable to believe who had stopped her from killing Katherine.

It was Ronnie. Stood in the middle of the room, looking longingly down at Sarah, sorrow in his eyes. Sarah stared back up from the floor, her brothers having recovered now, seeing the same thing as her. Their gazes only lingered on Ronnie though, going back to her, their sister who could only stare up at her boyfriend. "No," she whispered, desperate for him to give her an explanation, anything. Just anything other than what she feared. "Please…no…" Ronnie's gaze lowered, sadness growing as he avoided Sarah's gaze. Tears were coming out now, Sarah's heart breaking in two as she realised everything around her was real. It didn't matter what they had said just a few days ago, didn't matter that they both loved each other, despite how many times they'd parted or broken up. He'd betrayed her, done the one thing she'd never expected him to do. And it wasn't just some nightmare, or Katherine's cruel mind games. This was real. And if she needed any further proof of that, she just had to look at the bitch herself, and see that victorious smug grin of hers.

Even now she was stilling winning, still a step ahead.

"You!" Sarah roared, vampire speed kicking into over drive as she ran for Katherine, only to be cut off by Ronnie who grabbed her shoulders, holding her back at arms length. He was trying to talk to her, trying to calm her down but she was too far beyond that now. If it was possible to have a bloodlust for another vampire, Sarah was experiencing it now. Ronnie, a part of her life she thought untouched by Katherine, had in fact been infected just like everything else, and Sarah was so angry. So hurt. So heartbroken. The only thing keeping her from completely breaking apart right now was the bloodlust, the need to kill, the desire to end the woman who had taken everything from her and was still doing it after one-hundred and fifty years.

She tried to throw Ronnie aside but despite her superior strength, he had too good a hold on her and she wasn't thinking clearly. Couldn't think clearly. Especially with Katherine laughing away, enjoying the revelation that she'd known about this whole time. How long? That's all Sarah wanted to know. How long?

It was Stefan in the end that cleared Sarah's path, grabbing Ronnie and dragging him aside with him, holding him down as Sarah lunged towards Katherine, Damon running to back her up. Neither had stakes though, so it was a blur of fists and fury as Sarah unleashed all her emotions into complete wild attacks, all of which Katherine countered. As for Damon, he kept his distance, going in when he saw an opening but otherwise staying out of his sister's way.

As for Ronnie, he struggled for a bit before slamming his elbows back into Stefan, freeing himself. He rushed up to his feet, heading to break up the Katherine, Sarah, Damon fight when Scarlett slid in, claw catching his leg and bringing him down. With a growl, she then took his leg and swung him back over towards Stefan who swung his fist right into Ronnie's jaw as he passed. A bone cracking noise echoed through the room as Ronnie's body twisted in the air before falling flat on the ground. He was back up in a blur, but both Stefan and Scarlett stood firmly in his path, blocking him from ending the fight going on behind them.

Sarah had lost all control by this point, randomly lashing out with none of the techniques she'd picked up over the years. It didn't matter, none of it, all that mattered was killing Katherine by any means necessary. She was going to rip out her heart, just like Katherine had done to her so many times now.

She swung and Katherine ducked, grabbing Sarah's arm before her free hand slammed into Sarah's back forcing her into the wall. The devil's chuckle filled her ears and Sarah's eyes widened with rage. No more. She was down letting Katherine win. She was going to win this time, and she was going to kill her!

Kicking off the wall, Katherine lost her grip as she and Sarah toppled to the floor. Damon called out to Sarah and threw her a stake just as she looked up. She caught it and in a blur was on top of Katherine, stake above her head, clean shot at her heart.

There was no time for witting last lines, Sarah didn't feel like saying them anyway. All she wanted was the kill, the satisfaction of ending Katherine Pierce's life. And she was about to have it.

"Stop!" Jeremy shouted as he appeared in the door way. Not that Sarah would know, she didn't look away from Katherine's calm brown eyes, which stared back into her very soul. "You're hurting Elena! Everything you're doing to her is hurting Elena!" Jeremy shouted at them.

All eyes went to Sarah, but she was already lost in her own little world, with just her and Katherine. She'd heard the message, but did it really change anything. Katherine had to die, so what if Elena died. She'd known anyone of them could have died tonight going in. She hadn't wanted anyone of them to die but as long as they got Katherine she didn't care. None of them had. And this hadn't been for Elena anyway. It had been because they had to get rid of Katherine, the devil in human flesh. So why hadn't she killed her already?

She had the chance, a chance she'd never had before, maybe her only chance to kill the woman who'd taken everything from her. Her family, her friends…her love. Everything. So why now, why when she finally had her chance, was she trembling so much. Hands posed above her head, both clutching the stake, tears still streaming down her face as she faced the choice ahead. Kill Katherine and Elena, or save them both.

She let out a sad little groan of effort, tears still coming as she stared down into those calm, knowing, smug eyes. And to make it worse, Katherine smiled. Not a large one, just a simple turn of the corner of her lips. But it was enough. Enough to send Sarah over the edge as she cried out, before throwing the stake aside.

Sarah screamed then, screamed right into Katherine's face, unleashing everything she had into that one vocal attack, hoping that somehow that would be enough to kill Katherine and she'd be free of any guilt over Elena's death. Katherine didn't even flinch. She just smiled back, satisfied that she'd won yet again. Like she always did.

"Are you done?" Katherine asked, light playful tone the last thing Sarah needed to hear right now. She lifted her fist, ready to strike Katherine across the face. "Uh, uh, uh," Katherine sang out, eyes dancing with a sinister kind of glee. "Remember. Hit me and your only hurting Elena. And we both know that poor girl hasn't got my naturally healing skin."

Another groan of restraint as Sarah dropped her fist.

"How?" Damon demanded, eyes glaring at Katherine, needing to know how they'd come so close only to lose like this.

"You're not the only ones with a witch on your side," Katherine pointed out, eyes never leaving Sarah's, as the youngest Salvatore remained on top of her.

"Jeremy, go and check on Elena. Make sure she's okay." Stefan ordered Jeremy, but he remained stationary, eyes going to Scarlett as she shifted back into her human form. Scarlett knew he was waiting for her say, not wanting to leave until he knew she was okay. It was sweet, but not the most helpful thing.

Especially since it distracted everyone, giving Katherine a chance for further mischief. In one smooth movement, she had her hands around Sarah's head, pulling her down to her lips, noisily kissing her as Sarah struggled to pull away. Stefan raced over, grabbing Sarah and hauling her away from Katherine. But that then freed her, and before anyone could stop her she was over by Scarlett. She snatched the necklace from her neck, throwing it aside before shoving the defenceless wolf against the wall. Baring her fangs, Katherine went in for the kill as Jeremy cried out Scarlett's name.

She didn't get the chance to taste Scarlett's blood though, as Damon grabbed her by the throat, shoving her over towards Ronnie. He caught her, holding her up as Damon stood between them both and Scarlett. Furious blue eyes locking with Katherine's. "Stay away from her," he snarled. Katherine smirked back, happy at the response she was getting.

Seeing that she wasn't about to make another move, he turned his back to her, bending down and retrieving Scarlett's necklace. "This is yours, right?" Damon asked rhetorically as he handed the necklace back over to Scarlett. She looked down at the slim black crystal in her hand before looking up to the blue eyed vampire, appreciation in her own blue eyes. He smiled a little back, before going serious again. "Go with Jeremy. You're not a vampire so you can leave, and since we can't kill Katherine you're not much good to us in here. You're just someone else she can use against us." Despite his rough tone and word choice, Scarlett knew he was sending her out for her own protection. Just like she knew Sarah would be saying the same thing, if she wasn't so shocked, heartbroken and all around mess.

So she nodded in thanks then stepped out, Jeremy's arm going around her waist as he lead her away. "Aren't those two just the sweetest?" Katherine asked mockingly, eyes going back to her and Ronnie who stood behind her. "Definitely a contender for the cutest couple since you two just broke up," Katherine said, finger swaying between Sarah and Ronnie. Her smirk grew at Sarah's hurt expression, despite how she tried to hide it, and as her brothers set their glares on her. "What? Too soon?"

"Sarah," Ronnie said, stepping past Katherine and towards Sarah. He didn't get far though, with his sentence or with his approach. In a blur of movements, Stefan and Damon were in front of him, blocking his path as they both glared back at him. Probably would have killed him then and there had Sarah not been in the room. But the second she gave the go ahead he would be dead, especially after what he'd just done to their little sister. They might not be the best of brothers, especially towards Sarah, but they wouldn't let any boyfriend do to her what Ronnie had just done. He'd committed the ultimate betrayal towards Sarah, he'd sided with Katherine, and while both Damon and Stefan had done that, they'd never let any of Sarah's boyfriends do it too. Not when they knew the damage it would cause, or rather, had caused.

Ronnie looked to them both and knew not to chance his luck. He did try to look past them but Sarah avoided his gaze and eventually he stepped back before Stefan or Damon's glared burnt him alive.

"So," Katherine said aloud, eyes going to her as she sat herself down on the couch. A smile on her lips as she watched Sarah sobbing silently on her left while Stefan and Damon glared at her on the right. "How about that moonstone?"

---

Clutching her necklace in her hand, Scarlett didn't have time to put it back on properly. She could feel its power flowing through her now, merely by holding it, but she couldn't stop to secure it to her person. Not with Elena on the brink of death. At least that was how Jeremy had described it before they raced down the stairs back towards where Elena and Bonnie were at. With her dress now ripped it was a lot easier for Scarlett to run, and more importantly keep up with Jeremy who would have left her behind had he not being dragging her along by the hand. She could feel his panic, his fear. If he lost his sister then that would be his entire immediate family gone. Scarlett had gone through that, but she'd never had a sibling, and although Jeremy and Elena weren't exactly on the best of terms right now, they both still loved each other and would never want the other to be harmed.

As they shoved their way through the crowds of people, some started to muttered rude remarks, mostly the posh raised nose types. They quickly shut up though and turned away when Scarlett snapped back at them, a growl seeping into her voice. Others stared in distort when they heard her use such language, but none challenged her and all turned away when she glared their way.

It did help though, and soon she and Jeremy were through the crowds and back outside. Still holding her hand, Jeremy led her around the side of the house to a small set of garden chairs and a table, where Elena and Bonnie were sitting. Elena barely holding in her cries of pain, blood seeping through various parts of her clothing. All spots where Katherine had been hit. It was then Scarlett realised what Jeremy had said. Literally everything they did to Katherine, happened to Elena too. Which means if they'd killed Katherine, they'd have killed Elena too.

As they got closer, Jeremy lowered himself, kneeling down before his sister, next to Bonnie who was tightly holding Elena's hands, chanting something beneath her breath. Whatever it was it seemed to be helping Elena, but the cuts on her body didn't seem to be healing at any supernatural speed. It made Scarlett wonder if this link was beneficial to Elena in any way. Though if Katherine was behind it, she'd probably gone out of her way to make sure Elena suffered just that little bit more.

"Are you okay?" Jeremy asked his sister hurriedly, needing an up date since he'd been away. Scarlett didn't get to close, standing behind Jeremy as he comforted Elena and Bonnie did her best to help. There wasn't much she could do other than be there for Jeremy and Elena. She had no magical healing blood or spells. It was a situation she wasn't fond off, especially when she could be up stairs killing Katherine. She just hated feeling so useless.

"Are they?" Elena replied, looking up to the second floor windows of the Lockwood house.

"They're stuck in there with her," Jeremy explained.

"And Ronnie turned out to be working for Katherine," Scarlett added grimly.

"What?" Elena gaped, cringing from the sting of pain that suddenly splashed through out her body. "But–But wasn't he… How's Sarah?" Scarlett didn't have an answer for that, because she didn't really know, hadn't had time to check how her mentor, guardian, was feeling about everything. Not with Damon and Jeremy rushing her out of there the second they realised the situation. Her facial expression must have been enough though, as Elena's eyes filled with sorrow and sadness upon seeing it.

"You were right," Jeremy said, looking to Bonnie as he broke the silence. "Katherine had a witch link Elena to her."

"The girl I saw," Bonnie stated in realisation, looking to both Jeremy and Scarlett.

"You mean the one you saw after we set up the room?" Scarlett asked as Bonnie stood up, letting go of Elena as Jeremy took his sister's hands.

"Yes, that one. Can you help me find her?" Bonnie asked quickly.

"I've got her scent, I can lead you right to her," Scarlett explained before she took off back towards the crowds and the doors into the Lockwood house with Bonnie racing after her.

"Where are you going?!" Jeremy called after them, still holding Elena's hands as they watched the witch and wolf run off.

"There's another witch here, we're gonna find her!" Bonnie called back before she and Scarlett vanished around the corner and back into the house.

Once inside, Scarlett lifted her chin, inhaling the air. It took a moment, and it wasn't helpful when Bonnie stared telling her to hurry up, but she found the scent, and the direction it was going in. "This way," Scarlett said breaking into a jog as she and Bonnie made their way through the house, Scarlett sniffing as they entered a new room, double checking they were on the right trail. She couldn't have gotten far, and once they de-linked Elena from Katherine, then they could get back on track. Scarlett just hoped it wasn't too late. For Elena or for Sarah. One thing she knew for sure though, things would change after tonight.

---

"The four of us together again," Katherine said from her spot on the couch, eyes scanning over the three Salvatores as she spoke. Stefan was closest to her, stood off to her left, hands in his pants as he eyed her carefully. Sarah was further back, half turned, shielding herself with her body language from Katherine, but continued to glare at her all the same, though refused to meet the vampire's eyes. As for Damon he was stood by the door, hand pressed against the invisible wall as he tried to force his way out. "Plus one more," Katherine then added, rolling her head to the right, smiling up at Ronnie who was stood next to her. He didn't look at her, his eyes never having left Sarah since the fighting stop. Just wanting her to look at him, give him the chance to explain but she was avoiding his now haunting blue eyes like the plague.

"A bit cramped I suppose but we can always change that," Katherine said as she turned her gaze back towards Sarah. "Want me to kill him for you, Sarah?" she asked, seriousness in her tone. Sarah locked eyes with the woman who'd just caused her heart to break for the umpteenth time, seriously considering her offer. Part of her did want Ronnie dead for what he'd done here. Another part still loved him. And another part was trying to kill itself because she was possibly agreeing with Katherine. Silence was her best option, so silence is what she gave Katherine, plus a heated glare.

"If anyone's going to die tonight, it's you Katherine," Damon spoke up, turning around with his usual charming grin. Always ready to be used no matter the situation.

"Something tells me your sister might disagree with you on that," Katherine hummed, her eyes moving over to Ronnie before she began chuckling to herself, clearly pleased with what she'd done.

"Stop it, now," Stefan said in a level voice.

"I'm not doing anything," Katherine said with a shrug, hiding her smile for just a moment before it returned.

"Sarah," Ronnie spoke up again. Instantly Sarah averted her gaze from Katherine, not wanting to risk seeing Ronnie's face right now. She couldn't. Even thinking about it was too much, too heartbreaking. The tears were coming back and she had to stop them, couldn't let Katherine see her cry, see that she was winning. "Sarah, please, just listen to–"

"I'd keep my mouth shut if I were you," Damon growled. Charming smile vanishing the second Ronnie spoke. Their blue eyes connected, and Damon raised the stake in his hand towards Ronnie's chest. They were a good few meters apart, but Ronnie still hesitated, knowing full well who'd win in this fight. He was younger, not stupid, and knew how it would go unless someone intervened.

"You see her life," Damon began, stake moving over to Katherine. "Is momentarily valuable." Katherine smiled back at him, taking it as a compliment. Damon ignored her, moving the stake back over to Ronnie, rage blazing through his blue eyes. "Your life however just got demoted to below the pizza guy I've been planning to kill for the last two months because he always brings me cold pizza, and I've really been wanting to kill him. So that puts you in the special, high priority kill list, were I burn you alive for what you've done to my sister," Damon growled, grip tightening on the stake so much it threatened to snap in his hand.

"You really think I'm scared of you, Damon?" Ronnie asked unfazed by his threats.

"I don't really care if your scared or not, point is, stop trying to talk to my sister!" Damon shouted, taking a threatening step towards him, stake still raised.

"I just want to talk to her," Ronnie replied, meeting Damon's gaze.

"Well she doesn't want to talk to you," Stefan cut in, Ronnie's gaze switching to the calmer of the two brothers. Or at least he thought until he saw Stefan's eyes. Filled with the same rage full fire as Damon, only managing to stay in control of his body and actions, unlike Damon. Though very much just as angry and probably in agreement with his brother on the idea of killing him for what he'd just done.

"Forget it, Ronnie," Katherine spoke up, breaking the unbearable silence in the room as the two brothers faced off against Ronnie. "You're wasting your time. She doesn't want to talk to you." Sarah's gaze began to drift back, now that Ronnie was silenced once more, and therefore less likely to try and get her attention. Something she didn't want to give him, even more so than Katherine. "Besides, it's not like your even her type." That brought Sarah's gaze fully to her, making the eldest vampire smile as she sucked in her audience. Unable to look away as she drew them in with her words. "We all know who she really loves."

"Stop it," Stefan warned as he and Damon's glares moved onto her now.

"I'm just speaking the truth," Katherine said, lifting her hands up gracefully into the air.

"She doesn't love you," Damon snapped. "None of us do."

Katherine smiled at them all, tilting her head as she lowered her hands once more. They were all just play things to her, they all knew that. "Maybe you don't love me, Damon. Which, by the way, I'm hardly broken up about." Damon moved, about to snap back, but Katherine turned her gaze from him, moving on like he'd just lift the room. "But Sarah and Stefan," she began, locking her eyes with the two sets of matching green. "I can see it in their eyes. They both still love me."

She waited for the repose but neither reacted. The thought of their humanities have been turned off drifted through, but she knew it was impossible, at least for Sarah. And as for Stefan, while it would make things more interesting, it just wasn't something he'd do. She did however see and hear Sarah's fingers dig into her palms, so much so that blood began to seep out, filling the air before the cuts began to heal over. Like they always did. Stefan however, just met her gaze head on, cool as a cucumber.

"It's just through one ear and out the other with you, isn't it lady," Damon groaned, rolling his eyes before they landed back on Katherine. "Nobody loves you!"

Katherine looked back at him, matching his gaze as her eyes narrowed, irritated that he wasn't playing the game the way she wanted. "Does Elena enjoy having you all worship at her alter?" Katherine asked, her gaze passing over them all before it honed in on Sarah. "You know she's just as bad as me, right? If not worse."

"You're wrong," Sarah replied simply, her voice oddly calm, certain.

Katherine almost sneered in response, but managed to keep herself in check, taking in a short breath before recomposing herself. "Really? Cause from where I'm sitting I can see history repeating all over again. First it's the two brothers, then you'll fall in love with her."

Stefan chuckled, looking to Damon who grinned back before they both turned back to Katherine, seeing right through her. "You do realise how pathetic you look right now, Katherine? We can all see through you," Stefan said as he gestured to his siblings, both of which were glaring at Katherine along with him.

"So it doesn't bother you that Damon's in love with your girlfriend?" Katherine asked, face passive as she looked between the brothers.

Stefan sighed, shaking his head before he focused his gaze once more. "You know, this whole Mason thing has me a bit confused. Why a werewolf? The moonstone can break a curse that would help them destroy all vampires so what's in that for you?" Stefan asked curiously, trying to get some answers out of Katherine for once. Sarah didn't hold out much hope for her answering. She never did.

"Sorry about your pet wolf, probably should have kept him on a tighter leash," Damon spoke up, trying to bait Katherine into an answer. It didn't work, she wasn't that stupid and just as smart as them, at least enough to see through their ploys, just like they saw through hers.

"I'll have to remember that for next time," Katherine replied, attitude seeping into her voice, intentional or not, it was hard to say. "But he wasn't the only wolf in town." Sarah tensed up at that, knowing that Scarlett was another of those wolves. Seeing this, Katherine turned her attention back to Sarah, uncrossing and crossing her legs again. "In fact, maybe I'll take yours, Sarah," Katherine said with a devilish grin.

"You go near her and I swear to God, I'll–!" Sarah shouted, pulling out a stake, ready to advance until Stefan stepped in her path, pushing her back before she could fall into Katherine's trap. The vampire on the couch just chuckled in amusement, having gotten the entertainment she wanted, the reaction. She could wait, sooner or late the spell keeping her trapped would fall and she'd leave without a scratch on her. All she had to do was wait, and have some fun while she did. And with three Salvatores to entertain herself with, how could she not.

---

"Come on, Scarlett, where is she?" Bonnie hissed from behind as Scarlett continued along the trail.

"Don't rush me," Scarlett snapped back, sniffing to make sure she was on the right path still. The scent was definitely getting stronger and was fresher too, that meant they were catching up to her.

"We've been weaving through this house for the past eight minutes," Bonnie grumbled as she followed Scarlett. She did have a point though, Scarlett wasn't dumb, she'd noticed that all they'd been doing was walking around the house, going through the same rooms over and over again. Whoever this witch was, she was smart, smart enough to have clocked what Scarlett was at the same time she clocked Bonnie. Her trail over lapped several times, deliberately making it harder to follow, but Scarlett never fell for it. It slowed her down, but never put her on the wrong path. Even so, it was getting tiresome.

"Well, feel free to try a spell or something," Scarlett suggested over her shoulder as they walked back into the main hallway for the fourth or fifth time.

"I need something personal to her for that to work," Bonnie explained.

"Guess my nose is looking better then," Scarlett replied, grinning at the nervous witch. Maybe not her best decision, but she was enjoying herself again, much more than she had been during the fight with Katherine and everything leading up to it. Tracking someone was simple and basically just a supernatural game of hide and seek. There was no tension other than that coming from Bonnie, just a bit of sport. Or at least that was how her mind saw it.

Another sniff of the air and Scarlett knew for sure she'd found the witch. "She's in the dinning room," Scarlett declared, pointing to the doorway up ahead.

"Are you sure?" Bonnie asked eagerly.

"Positive," Scarlett confirmed before looking to Bonnie who was now staring at the doorway. "Well, we going or what?"

"Wait," Bonnie said before Scarlett could take more than a single step. The dark skinned witch looked to Scarlett and with a pleading look, Bonnie asked, "Can I do this alone? Witch to witch." Scarlett frowned, not sure it was such a good idea, especially with Elena and the others' lives on the line. "Please, Scarlett. I just need to talk to her."

Once again it appeared she was being left to wait while everyone else did everything else. She wanted to help, be there to support her friends, but in this case she could see Bonnie's point. She was a big threatening wolf, while Bonnie was a familiar witch. It wasn't exactly hard to work out who'd be better for negotiating. Nodding, Bonnie started to smile gratefully.

"Thank you," Bonnie said before heading off into the dinning room, leaving Scarlett surrounded by the masked guests. She remained in the hallway though, in case Bonnie needed her help.

She tried listening in but couldn't hear anything form inside the dinning room. She began to frown, trying to focus her hearing. She could hear everything else in the house, even the Salvatores and Katherine bickering up stairs but not a word form the dinning room. It didn't take long for Scarlett to begin to panic. She wasn't okay with this, wasn't willing to trust this mysterious witch like Bonnie. She started to advance towards the room when suddenly she froze, a feeling like no other passing through her. It was almost like how she'd felt when she first ran into Mason, but stronger, louder. Almost like a silent howl.

Something clicked in her head though, instinct from the wolf telling her, and she knew what had happened, knew what the feeling was. Someone had just triggered their werewolf curse. And considering the amount of pre triggered werewolves they knew, it wasn't hard for Scarlett to guess which one had done it.

She turned, the wolf guiding her as she ran through the hallway towards the back off the house, towards Tyler's dad's study. That was were the howl had come from, that was were the wolf was telling her to go. That was were Tyler was, and presumably whoever he'd killed. Oh, God who had he killed?

Once she reached the room, Scarlett slowed, looking all around before sliding into the study, making sure to close the door behind her. After that she turned to the room, quickly taking in the situation. Caroline knelt over a the dead body, the girl she and Jeremy had hung out with not all that long ago. The blonde vampire quickly relaxed when she saw it was just Scarlett, thankful it wasn't someone else who'd scream. Matt was nearest Scarlett, on the floor with a bleeding nose, out cold. And Tyler was furthest away, across the room, hand desperately running over his head as he muttered to himself. He was in shock, or at the very least panic. Hardly surprising consider what was about to happen.

Oh, crap! Scarlett's eyes shot to Tyler's. Remembering what had happened when she first triggered her curse, she suddenly realised she had nothing to compare it too. She'd triggered the curse the night off the full moon. But had she turned that night because of the moon, or because she'd triggered the curse. If it was the latter, then they were about to be in a whole lot of trouble.

Suddenly Tyler dropped to his knees, hands clutching his head as he groaned in pain. Scarlett moved, getting behind Caroline as she stood up, both watching Tyler as he held back a scream of pain. "Tyler? Tyler? Tyler, what's happening?" Caroline asked, taking a step towards him before Scarlett yanked her back. "Scarlett?"

"Stay back," Scarlett ordered, shoving Caroline back towards the dead girl as she cautiously approached Tyler, one had raised while the other warded Caroline off. She looked back to Caroline, letting her know how serious this was with one look. The blonde backed down, watching from a distance as Scarlett turned her attention back to Tyler. "Tyler, talk to me. What's happening?"

If he was trying to speak, it wasn't coming out as anything coherent. Just a mixture of growls and groans, not exactly what Scarlett wanted to be hearing. And yet, there was no sign of his body changing, no snapping bones, no hair growth. There was just pain. A sample of what was to come every full moon apparently. She might have gotten used to the pain, but she could see how only experiencing it one night a month, without a choice, could drive people insane. The pain had been unbearable at first, but with practise she grew accustom to it. But Tyler wouldn't have that ability. It would be a never ending cycle of dread and pain. And this was just a preview of what was too come.

Finally his head lifted, eyes having changed into that of the wolf. Bright amber with black backgrounds. Then they faded, his eyes returning to normal as he fell forwards, Scarlett only just catching him. Before she knew it, he had his arms wrapped around her in a hug, his whole body trembling from the snippet he'd just had. There wasn't much they could do now, for Tyler anyway. Other than dispose of the body like Sarah had done for her when she first turned. Caroline ended up taking on that responsibility, while Scarlett remained with Tyler, consoling him over what had happened, and for what was to come. She doubted he remembered any of it. He really was in shock now.

---

"Damn it. Where's that witch?" Damon grumbled, back at the doorway, staring out as he leaned against the invisible wall, near empty glass in his hand. Sarah had her own glass, having topped it off and finished it twice now, and halfway through her refill. The drink was possibly the only thing keeping her sane right now, and yet at the same time it was pushing her towards the edge. Of course it didn't help that Katherine was constantly eyeing her up, and Ronnie was giving her the sad eyes, trying to get her to talk to him.

She was in total agreement with Damon, Bonnie couldn't get them out of her fast enough. Killing Katherine had been demoted to a pipe dream, she now just wanted out the room, to get away from her and Ronnie. To lock herself in her room and cry. A childish thing she knew, but her vampire heightened emotions were all over the place right now.

"We could play charades," Katherine suggested with her playful voice. Sarah rolled her eyes, practically stomping off across the room as she threw back the rest of her alcohol, desperately needing a refill. "Not a fan, Sarah?" Her hand tightened around the glass, nearly shattering it as the other trembled. The pouring liquid was out of control, bouncing all over the place, even after it was in the glass. More than a few drops vanished over the side and onto the wooden surface, but Sarah hardly cared. When she was done she thumped the glass of bourbon back down, taking a gulp of her fresh glass.

"You bargained the moonstone," Stefan suddenly spoke up, from his position near the couch that Katherine was pacing around. Ronnie, still stood over in the corner on his own, finally stopped looking at Sarah and looked over to Stefan along with everyone else.

"What are you mumbling about over there?" Damon asked aloud, obviously bored. And why wouldn't he be? He'd come to kill Katherine. Instead he was stuck in a room with her, not allowed to kill her unless he wanted to take Elena with her. There were other words to describe how he was feeling but bored was the one he choice. Because that was what the conversation and situation was, at least by his standards.

"When you struck a deal with George Lockwood, to help you fake your death, you told me that you gave George something that he needed. It was the moonstone, wasn't it?" Stefan explained his thoughts aloud, leaning in towards Katherine as she passed by, doing her worst to hide a pleased smile. She picked up one of the loose stakes around the room, twirling it between her hands as she turned to face Stefan.

"Good for you, Stefan. Two plus two," she actually did sound impressed, but by this point all the Salvatores had given up on trying to figure out if she was being genuine with them or not. Honesty went out he window over a century ago, and by now had been splattered all over the pavement. "And it would have worked except that people found out that I wasn't in the tomb." Irritation crept into her voice as she turned, eyes narrowing in a glare aimed at Damon. "Thanks to you, by the way." Damon just raised his glass, plastering on a smug and satisfied grin before tilting the glass back towards his lips. "Have I mentioned how inconvenient your obsession with me has been?"

"You and me both, Honey," Damon growled back as he lowered his glass.

"At least Sarah had the decency to try and stop you both from exposing me," Katherine added with a deliberate smile to Sarah, making her stomach turn. As if she didn't feel bad enough already, now she'd discovered she'd been helping Katherine this whole time by trying to keep her brother from getting her back. Even when she won she still lost, as tonight was proving.

"Why do you need the moonstone back?" Stefan cut in, trying to get more information, since he had the opportunity, but also trying to get Katherine off his sister's back.

Katherine turned her gaze back to him, making a show of eyeing him up. "I love you in a suit, so dashing." That caught Sarah's attention. Not because of what Katherine had said, she'd said a bunch of lines like that before, but because of her bad excuse for a distraction. She was deflecting all of Stefan's questions, meaning she didn't want him asking them or even thinking about them. Which also meant Sarah should be taking notes and asking questions of her own.

"What were you doing with it in the first place?" Stefan asked, stepping towards Katherine as Sarah looked over, watching the two face off.

"You're wasting your breath, Stefan," Damon said with a roll of the eyes.

"I wouldn't be surprised if she stole it," Sarah muttered, taking a drink as Katherine looked her way, using it to shield herself from Katherine's eye line.

"So in 1864 you faked your death," Stefan pointed out, gaze narrowing on Katherine suspiciously. "Who were you running from Katherine?"

Katherine stared back at him, irritation only seeping out her eyes. She wasn't liking these questions, wasn't liking how logical Stefan was being when she wanted him as high on his emotions as Sarah and Damon were. "I've got an idea, let's talk about Lexi," she declared with a grin.

"Don't you dare," Sarah snarled, grip tightening on her glass to the point that you could hear the cracks sliding up the side of the glass. "You didn't even know her."

"Oh, but I did," Katherine drawled out, eyes alight with mischief. "I saw her and Stefan in Chicago, 1987, at that concert." She winked at Stefan before her gaze moved slight, focusing on her two favourite Salvatores. "Of course she was only there because I told her to be. I needed someone to watch out for you Stefan." Sarah's entire being twisted, her face dropping, feeling like it'd fallen right off. No, please no. She couldn't take it if Lexi had also been one of Katherine's spies too. Not after everything they'd been through together. She couldn't lose that friendship like she'd just lost her romantic one.

"You're lying," Stefan declared, voice now low, doing its best to hide his emotional outburst. But that was what Katherine wanted, for him to start walking on eggshells, just like his siblings.

"How would you know?" Katherine teased back. "It's not like she's here to defend herself, and Sarah was sharing a bed with Ronnie and she didn't even–" The smashing of glass echoed around them before Sarah had Katherine against the wall, the stake that the eldest vampire had once been holding now in her possession and right above Katherine's heart. She raised her hand, ready to drive the stake in, rage fuelling her very being when Katherine just smirked back at her, no ounce of fear in her eyes. Well there would be in a minute, Sarah decided.

"Sarah don't!" Stefan cried out from across the room.

"Yes! Sarah, please do it," Katherine drawled out seductively, her hips brushing against Sarah's. She was losing her mind. She couldn't take this much longer. Being in this room with Katherine, listening to her lies unable to block them out. She knew Elena would die if she did it but she couldn't take anymore. If she could turn off her emotions, even a little then it'd help, but they were permanently locked on. No more off switch. That meant in moments like this, her emotions got the better off her, just like Katherine wanted.

Sarah no longer cared if she won one last time. She just wanted it to be the last time. She swung the stake towards Katherine's chest, needing for this to finally be over and damn the consequences. Katherine never once wavered, never even blinked. Just stared back into Sarah's eyes knowing how it would all play out. Sarah hated her for that. But hated Ronnie even more for grabbing her arm before she could kill Katherine.

"You'll kill Elena!" he shouted at her, trying to snap her out of her rage induced state.

"I don't care!" Sarah yelled back, her emotions now in full control. She did care, but she cared more about seeing Katherine dead. She tried to power on through to plunge the stake into Katherine's chest. She should have been able to too, she was stronger than Ronnie, and yet he still managed to force her back.

It didn't stop Sarah though, the second she found her footing she was running back towards Katherine. Ronnie was in her way but she fully planned to shove him out the way, at least until he tackled her first, taking both of them over the couch. He yanked the stake from her grasp, throwing it aside before trying to pin her down. But with Sarah's erratic thrashing he didn't stand a chance.

Once this would have just been a game to her, something to get them going before sex. Let him touch her, run his hands over her, let him kiss her. Now all that made her sick, to know that he'd just been conspiring against her this entire time, working with Katherine of all people. Having him look at her was bad enough, but to have his hands on her bare skin, it made her wish she was a snake, so she could shed her skin and never have to remember how they'd once touched each other.

After a moment she knocked him off her, and then in a burst of speed she was on top of him, one hand holding him down while the other formed a fist. Several powerful punches to the face later and he was left with a bloodied face, broken nose and bruised face. All of which was already healing. She punched him a few more times, trying to make him stop, to make sure she left scars, like he'd done with her.

It didn't take her long to give up on that idea, now just wanting to get away from him. She stormed across the room, back over to the mini bar were she grabbed herself a fresh glass and some more bourbon. "Sarah," Ronnie called to her again. From where his voice originated from, Sarah could tell he was back on his feet. Probably already healed up too, though the blood wouldn't magically disappear. She didn't turn around, just downed her entire glass before placing it back down on the counter with a thud.

"Sarah, just–"

"Be quiet!" Sarah snapped, turning around to finally look him in the eye. Nothing but hurt swirling through her eyes which made Ronnie step back. "Don't you get it! You betrayed me! You stabbed me in the back and for her!" Sarah erupted, trembling finger pointing to Katherine who was now sat down, enjoying the show.

"I can explai–"

"No you can't! You can't just give me some magical explanation that makes all of this okay! You know what she did to me! You know how she's tormented me this whole time! And you've been helping her!" Sarah roared as she threw her glass at Ronnie, narrowly missing his head as he leaned to the side, eyes shutting at the shattering glass from behind him.

"I loved you!" Sarah cried out, unable to contain every emotion inside her right now.

"I lov–"

"No you didn't! Otherwise you never would have helped her!" She then grew quiet, even more hurt and tears coming out her eyes now. Her once cool green eyes now trembling with the tears that slid down her cheeks. "I trusted you…with everything. Every dark little secret, every insecurity, every…" She couldn't finish. Hands going to her face as she wiped away the tears. She'd gotten enough out to regain control of herself. That was all it was, venting some steam, like she had when she attacked Katherine. He already knew what he'd done to her, she didn't need to explain it to him.

She turned away, hand going to the minibar to stabilise herself. She took a few deep breaths, imagining Lexi there with her, helping her through it before she opened her eyes. Reminded about the grime reality and that Lexi wasn't actually there, and instead she was now stuck with the two people who'd hurt her the most.

"What game should we play next then?" Katherine spoke up, back to enjoying herself. "We haven't even begun going into each others' heads yet."

"Alright, I've had enough of this," Damon declared, picking up a stake as he placed his glass of bourbon aside.

"What you going to do Damon, kill me?" Katherine asked with a mocking tilt of the head.

"No," Damon scoffed, appalled that she thought so little of his strategic mind. "I'm going to kill your latest boy-toy." Damon was then on Ronnie before anyone could respond. Pressing the youngest vampire against the wall with the stake ready to be plunged into his heart. "Any objections?" Damon asked Katherine with a smirk.

She shrugged back from her seat. "Not from me." She then turned to Sarah, wearing a mask of sympathy. "He hurt Sarah. He deserves to die." Sarah stared back at her, trying to figure out her angle. As always Katherine just smiled back.

"That settles that then," Damon said as he turned back to Ronnie stabbing him with the stake. Sarah gasped, thinking he'd actually killed Ronnie. Even Katherine perked up an intrigued eyebrow. "You getting it yet?" Damon snarled to Ronnie. "That bitch over there doesn't give a crap about you. I could have killed you right now and she wouldn't even bat an eye." He pulled the stake from Ronnie, the man gasping as his lungs stared working properly again. "And yet you chose her over my sister."

"Well this looks like a lot of fun," came a new voice. The five vampires turned around to find a tall, slim, attractive woman with dark skin stood in the doorway to the room. In her hand. The moonstone. All their eyes widened when they saw that. "The spell on this room has been broken, you're free to leave, Katherine," the new woman explained.

"Great," Katherine said as she stood up, making her way over to the mystery woman. Sarah quickly sized up the woman, then ran over, trying to cut Katherine off from getting the moonstone when her head began to explode in pain. She wasn't even halfway across the room when she dropped to her knees, clutching her head. She felt Stefan grab her, holding onto her as he shouted something. She couldn't understand it, the pain too much until it suddenly vanished.

One look up and Sarah knew what this mysterious woman was. A witch. She and Katherine gave Sarah a quick glance, making sure she knew her place before they resumed their conversation. "When I hand this over my debt to you is over," the witch declared.

"Done," Katherine said happily.

"I owe you nothing," the witch repeated, needing to be sure of the agreement.

"I said done," Katherine snapped. "Now give it."

"Please, don't," Stefan said from along side Sarah, while Damon remained across the room, holding Ronnie to the wall as they all watch. The witch didn't bat an eye, placing the moonstone into Katherine's out stretched hand before letting go. Sarah's heart sank when she saw Katherine's triumphant smile.

Then suddenly that smile was wiped away, replaced by uncertainty. Then came a croak. A croak from Katherine. She was struggling to breath, as they all soon realised. Confusion took over and she looked to the witch, her witch as she began to sink to the floor, unable to drop the moonstone that was now pulling her down like anchor.

"You should have told me another witch was involved," the witch spoke up, eyes glaring down into Katherine's. "She's a Bennett witch, Katherine, but I'm sure you knew that."

"Wait, Elena!" Stefan cried out as he stood up, pulling Sarah up with him.

"Elena's fine," the witch said as she looked to them, ignoring Katherine as she fell to the floor, lying on her back as she choked to death. "The spell is broken. She'll heal quickly, Bonnie's with her. I apologise for my involvement." She was sincere about it, Sarah and the others could see that. The witch then gave one final glance at Katherine, and then left without another word.

"What a nice lady," Damon said with a grin once she was gone.

"Katherine…" Ronnie said said, trying to shove Damon aside so he could go and check on her as she continued to struggle on the ground.

"Oh, shut it," Damon snapped as he grabbed onto Ronnie's head, twisting it with out a second thought before the snapping of his neck filled the room. His body dropped down, dead, but of course would come back. Now all that was left was Katherine. Croaking madly as she clung onto the moonstone, trying to find her breath but unable too. The three Salvatores gathered around, Damon passing the stake off to Sarah. She took it, eyes never leaving Katherine's as she watched the desperation settle in. The silent begging for her life. Sarah waited until it was gone, and then she knelt down, taking the moonstone from Katherine's hand.

---

Caroline was outside in the hallway, dealing with Mrs. Lockwood and handling the cover story. Apparently she was developing a knack for disposing of dead bodies. Probably not a great thing, but for their lifestyle, a skill you needed to survive. Especially recently. Scarlett was stood over Sara's dead body, not having touched it or moved it. She just stood, staring down at the lifeless eyes. She was getting for to used to all this, or maybe she'd just grieved too much over Mason's death and didn't have any empathy left over for Sara, a girl she barely knew.

She looked over, seeing Tyler sat on the couch, hunched over with his hands clasped together. His head kept lifting, looking at the dead body before lowering to his hands, shaking before repeating the process. The shock was fading now, reality settling in. Not just the fact that he'd killed but that he'd triggered his curse, the curse his uncle had apparently warned him about, made him terrified off. For Scarlett it wasn't like that, but from her chat with Mason, she could understand why it was see as a curse by others. Not everyone was like her, and Tyler certainly wasn't, but she was still going to help. She owed him that much.

Taking the spot on the couch next to him, she sat down, hands uncomfortably sat on her lap. She wished Caroline would hurry up and come back, she knew Tyler better and would be able to handle the emotional stuff better too. She was even wishing Jeremy would show up, again just because he was more empathetic than she was. Not that she didn't care about Tyler, she just didn't know what to say or really how to help him through it. But she still had to help all the same.

"It won't be as bad as you think," she finally said, cringing at her own words, but hiding it when Tyler looked her way.

"What?" he asked.

"Being a werewolf. There are…benefits."

"She's dead," Tyler said, pointing to the dead body just a meter or two away. "She dead and that's my fault. Don't you get it? It's not just the fact that I've triggered this curse, it's that I've killed someone!" Tyler snapped as he stood up, glaring angrily down at Scarlett who rose up with him, hands held up in apology.

"I know, I know alright. But you can't change that," she replied, putting her hands on his shoulders, trying to metally will him to calm down. "This is a part of you now, but I promise, I will help you get through this."

"So I'll be able to control it like you?" Tyler asked hopefully.

Scarlett couldn't stop her face from giving the game away. Even so she had to lie. She was starting to like Tyler, and wanted to help him but to trust him with her secret, with her necklace. She couldn't do it. It was to important to her, not just for the abilities and control it granted her, but because it was from her mother and intended for her. The only people that knew about it were people she trusted and would have no reason to take the necklace away from her. But Tyler would have a reason, to free himself from the curse and to leave Scarlett high and dry.

"No," Scarlett answered. "I'm sorry." Tyler let out a disappointed and hopeless sigh, head lowering to hide the fear in his eyes. "I'm pretty sure it's specific to me, this control thing. I think you'll be like Mason, changing only on full moons without a choice in the matter." Tyler pulled away, turning his back to her as he ran his hands down his face. Scarlett followed, refusing to let him walk out and be on his own. She grabbed his shoulder turning him back around and leaving it there so he couldn't make another break for it. "Listen to me. I'm going to help you get through this. I'm not going to leave you to suffer alone. I'll be there to help whenever you need it," she promised and from the look in his eyes, he was grateful for her just offering. Scarlett could only imagine what all this would have been like had she not had Sarah there to hold her hand through it all. Tyler needed the same if he was going to survive it.

A forced cough caught their attention and they turned to see Caroline had entered the room. "Eh, your-your mom's talking to my mom now," Caroline explained to Tyler. "I've told them what we agreed on." She looked to Scarlett who nodded in thanks, knowing the only weak link was Tyler. He wouldn't say anything though, not at the risk of making things even worse for himself. He was taking their out, without any questions. "And Matt's in the car, sleeping it off. I'll deal with him, I don't want him involved in any of this." Again Scarlett nodded, understanding.

"What are you doing?" Tyler asked, eyes going to Caroline in confusion.

"I'm fixing a very bad situation," Caroline replied sheepishly, a little stunned by the fact Tyler was suddenly questioning her.

"Why?" Tyler snapped, unable to understand why someone would just help him out the goodness of their heart. Scarlett he could understand, she was like him and wanted to keep her secret which meant helping him, but Caroline… He couldn't understand why Caroline would be helping to cover this up. "Why are you doing this? Why are you helping me, when you have no idea what any of this means?!"

Caroline remained still, eyes locked with Tylers for a moment. Then they moved over to Scarlett's, who was standing behind the newly triggered werewolf. Scarlett nodded subtly, letting her know it was okay and the blonde vampire turned her attention back to Tyler. "Actually, Tyler, I think I do know."

"No, you don't, Caroline," Tyler said sadly as he shook his head.

Her eyes moved down, looking at the tear in his jacket from where he'd been stabbed. "Has your wound healed?" she asked simply. Frowning, Tyler began to undo the top of his shirt, pulling it aside so that he could see the stab wound that was no longer there. He stared at it, then looked at Caroline in disbelief.

"How did you…?" he trailed off, meeting her knowing green eyes.

"She knows about me," Scarlett spoke up, Tyler swiftly turning to face her and her folded arms. "And now, she knows about you too." Alarm flashed through Tyler's eyes but Scarlett quickly put him to ease. "You can trust her, Tyler. I do." She looked over to Caroline, smiling softly. She might not have known her secret for that much longer than Damon, but she'd still kept it and that counted for something. She'd even kept her secret about what happened with Mason, which for a gossip like her really meant something. "And she hasn't let me down," Scarlett said with a smile to her friend, which Caroline returned as Tyler looked uneasily at them both.

---

"Are you sure you're okay with this?" Stefan asked for the fifth time as he and Sarah made their way across the lawn. Despite their torn cloths, bloodied bodies and their tormented minds, Sarah smiled, looking to her brother as they walked side by side. Her arms folded while his were in his pockets.

"Yeah," Sarah answered with a firm nod, smile never wavering. "I've got to give it to Damon. He knows how to get revenge."

"But wouldn't you rather have her dead?" Stefan asked, pulling her to a stop as he took her arm.

Sarah couldn't help but nod at that. "Yeah, but that's also the easy way out. For her and for me. I've been holding onto this hatred for over a century and I've just got to get over it. Maybe after tonight I finally will. And then, someday down the road, I'll kill her. When the time is right for me. Not her," Sarah explained as she met her brother's eyes. He smiled uneasily back, but was content to go along with what Sarah wanted, even if it was also what Damon wanted. She'd suffered the most from Katherine, so as far as he was concerned, what she said goes. He just wanted to be sure it was what she wanted and not because Damon had talked her into it.

"If you're sure–"

"I am," Sarah cut in with a smile before then looking over towards the short hill by the edge of the Lockwood property where Elena was waiting, staring out across the small lake. "And besides, haven't you got a girl to meet?" she teased, eyebrows jumping up and down, making her brother chuckle. He looked over to Elena, happiness in his eyes. The nightmare that was finally over. Sarah was happy for him, happy for them both, and despite everything happy for herself. It was time to move on.

"Go'n get her," Sarah said, nudging her brother's arm. He smiled gratefully before jogging over to met his girlfriend. He called her name, coming to a stop beside her as they stood by the lake. They chatted for a moment, about how Katherine was truly gone and how they were both happier for it. Sarah caught snippets of the conversation, despite her best attempts not to. She was happy for them, but didn't need it rubbed in her face. Not right now.

Then Stefan reached for Elena, going to cup her face but she took his hands, pushing them down. The sad realisation settled in as Sarah's happy expression lowered into a sad one. It hadn't changed anything, Elena still wasn't sure being with Stefan was safe and still needed time. Even after everything that happened tonight, Katherine had still won. She'd gotten in Elena's head, made her unsure and question something as simple as love. Just like she'd done with Sarah.

As Elena parted, walking away and leaving Stefan alone, Sarah vamp speeded silently towards her brother. He felt her presence behind him, turning with a still face but heartbroken eyes. "Come here," Sarah simply said, pulling her brother into a hug before he could stop her. She heard him sniffle a little and shed a few tears. He'd already had his big cry over the break up, and it was just a matter of time, he knew that. Elena had told him so. But it still hurt, on a night when he thought he'd won. And they had won, just not every battle.

After a few moments, Stefan seemed to pull himself together, pushing Sarah slightly to indicate it was time for her to let him go. Sarah released him, stepping back to find his brave smile and green eyes meeting hers. She smiled back at him, gently slapping his face in a playful way. They both chuckled at that as Sarah's hands cupped her fragile brother's face. "Come on," he said, nudging his head towards the woods beyond the lake. Sarah lowered her hands, staring off in the direction they were going, face turning still. "Let's go and end this."

---

I'm going to kill you, Lucy. That was Katherine's first thought when she awoke. Her head pounded a little as she caught her breath, returning to life. An after affect of whatever witchy mojo Lucy had used on her, one that was quickly fading. But even with her vampire healing, it still took her second to get moving. Looking around, she found herself in a dark passageway, leaning against the wall. Stone, the ground beneath her cold dirt. She coughed, waiting for her eyes to adjusted as she continued to take in the cold air.

The moonstone, she suddenly thought, hands hitting the ground in search until she found it. She smiled a little at that, through her laboured breathing. At least she still had that. Her bargaining chip. Pushing herself up off the ground, she found Lucy's spell had done a lot more damage than she thought. Her head might be fine but her entire body was burning up, aching as she used the wall to help herself up.

Blood. She needed blood. Seeing a light at the end of the passageway, she began to move towards it, keeping one hand on the wall to steady herself. She made it a few steps, coming to the opening. She went to step through only to then find a wall stopping her. An invisible wall, like the kind that prevented her from entering a house without being invited in. She pushed against the wall, fighting off the urge to panic as she got control of her breathing. Then they stepped into view, the Salvatores. Sarah in the centre flanked by her two brothers, all with stone cold expressions on their faces. Katherine could see beneath them though, see the conflicting emotions off hatred, sadness, love and joy. All things they felt for her, no matter how much they denied it.

"Where am I?" Katherine snarled at the three, none of which flinched the way they might once had. Something was different now. Something had changed, she could tell, but she wasn't about to admit that, not even to herself. She was still in control, still had all the power over them and always will. Still knew what they didn't, the larger game at play, meaning she still had something over them. Always a plan B.

"Where you should have been all along," Damon answered, trying to hide the sadness in his eyes.

"The tomb beneath Fell's Church," Stefan added for more clarification, his eyes as still as his face.

"You should have killed me," Katherine groaned, dreading the idea of being trapped down here for God knows how long. It wouldn't happen though, she was still in full control. Her little Salvatores just didn't know it, which was exactly how she wanted it.

"Yeah, we should have," Sarah agreed in a more light tone than her brothers, nodding her head. "But then this is so much more rewarding. It's ironic, and unlike death, this goes on for as long as we like. Only ending when we decide to end it," Sarah explained as her still face turned into a mixture of triumph and sinisterness.

"You still couldn't do it," Katherine chuckled, her teasing smile forming as she leaned against the wall. "Even when I was defenceless and at your mercy, you couldn't kill me." Her gaze swept over the three siblings as she said triumphantly, "None of you."

"Oh, we could have killed you," Stefan replied calmly.

"But we took a vote on what to do," Sarah added in the same tone.

"Guess who won," Damon finished with his smug grin for added effect. Katherine exhaled a laugh, smiling at her three sirelings. They were all so young and naive, thinking they knew this world after being in it for a century. They truth was they knew nothing, nothing of the true monsters that lurked in the night. They thought she was bad. They'd be begging for her back once they discovered what was really coming. She was already looking forward to that, body tingling at the thought. She bit down on her lip, purring out a chuckle as she pressed herself against the wall.

"If you say so?" Katherine said in a light mocking voice as she shrugged. She'd never believe any of them could kill her, because the truth was they did all love her, and they could do nothing about it. Nothing but admit it. And until that day they'd lose every time because secretly, they wanted her to win, to escape, to live.

Despite her smugness, which usually sent Sarah into a fit of rage, the youngest Salvatore just smiled back. Admittedly unsettling Katherine. "We do say so," Sarah declared as she stepped forward with a smirk on her lips. "And do you know what else we say?" She placed her hands on the large slab of rock that acted as the door to the tomb. Katherine's eyes widened, meeting with Sarah's as for once her true feelings were unleashed. Sarah saw her fear and grinned back as she said, "Goodbye, Katherine."

She pushed the rock, the large slab scrapping against the ground in a mixture of groaning and screeching. "No, Sarah, don't. Sarah, don't. You need me, Elena's in danger." That got her to hesitate. It might have come out more panicked and frightful than she wanted too, but Katherine now had all their attention. Her dark brown eyes met with Sarah's glaring green, the slightest doubt in them, but that was all Katherine needed.

"Nice try," Sarah snarled, ready to push again as her brothers watched silently from behind.

"I'm not lying," Katherine said calmly, eyes forcing Sarah to believe her, because she was telling the truth.

"Then start talking, or I shut this door," Sarah snapped back, eyes challenging Katherine to test her, to give her an excuse. As much as Katherine was enjoying seeing Sarah in this power position, it couldn't have come at a worst time. She was so close. She just needed a bit more time and her freedom, which was starting to slip away from her.

Bitting her lip, Katherine considered her options. After a second Sarah shrugged, going to move the rock again. She pushed it forward an inch and Katherine caved. "Alright, alright alright!" she cried out, much to her embarrassment. "She's the doppelgänger, that means she's important. It means people want her and they will come for her. She has to be protected." From the looks she was getting from the three younger vampires, they seemed to be believing her. Good, since it was the truth after all. She just needed to give them enough to get her out of this tomb, enough to trust her and let her go.

"Thanks for the heads up," Sarah said, almost sounding genuine. "But we don't need your help protecting Elena. We can do it just fine on our own. And we'll all protect her, because unlike you, Katherine–" Sarah snarled as she leaned into the invisible wall, her face less than an inch from it, green eyes baring down on Katherine as she finally realised what was happening. "–She's worth protecting."

Then the groaning, scrapping noise started again, the rock closing in as the light began to dim in the passageway. "No, Sarah, don't! I'll do anything, please! Sarah! Stefan! Damon! You need me! You all know it! You need me!" Katherine cried out frantically as she pounded against the rock, doing all she could to stop it. But it closed all the same. The last of the light snuffing out as the rock slid into place, remaining there no matter how many times Katherine punched it or much she screamed. Fear took over, fear that she'd been pushing down for so long. And she screamed, screamed the same thing over and over, hoping that one of them would come to their senses and let her out. They never did. She continued to scream all through the night. Then the hungry started to settle in. She lost her fight, nightmares beginning to creep out of the shadows, coming for her now that she'd finally been broken. By the Salvatores of all people. She saw them as well as the one she truly feared, standing at the end of the passageway. All coming for her. And when she saw his face. She screamed like only he could make her.

---

After dealing with Katherine, Sarah had been on a high. Until she got home. Then reality had knocked her back down, as she realised who she had to deal with next. Stefan and Damon had offered to deal with it for her, but she'd declined them. She needed to know the truth, know what was real and what wasn't. Which meant facing him.

Sarah had watched as Damon tied him up in the study, sitting him down in front of the fireplace, the same place Mason had sat not all that long ago, while Ronnie assisted Damon in his torture. The irony wasn't lost on her, she just didn't find it amusing. She pulled up a chair, sitting down in front of Ronnie before sending Damon and Stefan out. She could hear them listening and waiting outside the door but didn't bother to send them any further. She knew she might need them and preferred that they were close.

It took a while for Ronnie to awake, healing from the broken neck Damon had given him. He sat slump in his chair until finally he awoke, head flailing a little as it rose. The blue eyes Sarah once adored blinking rapidly as he tried to work out what was going on. Eventually his gaze lost its blur and everything came into perspective, and while that was happening Sarah sat patiently. Her legs spread, elbows propped on a leg each, hands joint tighter beneath her chin. Eyes staring at Ronnie until he finally began to stare back uncomfortably. Once she knew she had his attention, Sarah leaned back, arms lowering as she rested her hands on her knees.

"I want the truth," Sarah said quietly, struggling to keep her eyes connected with Ronnie's. But she had to, to make sure he was telling the truth. Could she even trust that about him anymore, she wondered. In any case, she wasn't going to break eye contact until he did first. She wasn't going to show him how much he'd hurt her and how weak she felt now. Despite the fact he probably already knew.

Ronnie nodded in understanding. Taking a few breaths as he worked out what to say. "Before I met you. I met Katherine. When she found me I…I was in a pretty bad place. At deaths door, sick with the same illness that killed of my entire family. I'd lost the will to live, was just waiting to die like the rest of my family. What friends I had then had their on problems and couldn't risk helping me and getting infected with what I had. So I was completely alone and in extreme pain, just waiting for the end so it would all be over. Now imagine how I would react, when a beautiful woman comes to me and says she can save me?"

Sarah glared at him, knowing exactly who he was referring to her. Her grip tightened on her knees but she remained quiet, kept her contentment in check and allowing Ronnie to continue with his story. "I didn't want it. But then she compelled me. Showed me why I should live and how I didn't have to give up. She offered me a second chance, and when I took it, she led me out of the darkness."

"She is the darkness," Sarah cut in angrily. "She's a black hole that sucks in all light. Anything good in her radius is turned to dust, or twisted and corrupted until it's just as evil and messed up as her."

"I know what she did to you, Sarah. I'm not defending that. I'm just telling you what she did for me. She brought me back, not just to life, but in a spiritual sense. Everything I am now, mind and soul, it's because of what she did for me when she saved me." Heartbreak then came into his eyes, making Sarah's lips part slightly as he continued on. "I do love you Sarah. I have done for a long time now. But I owe Katherine everything. So even though I love you, I'm always going to pick her. Like how you pick your family over me." That hurt. He probably didn't mean it too, but it had. To see the parallel laid out for her. "It's not because of love, it's because of loyalty. Because of what she did for me. I can't ever repay that."

There was a pause as he let his words sink in. They continued to stare at one another, both fighting to hold their heightened emotions at bay. Sarah also fighting to hold back the tears. At one point she sniffed, gaze averting for a second before jumping back to Ronnie's. She brushed her hand against her nose, playing it off as an itch before placing it back down on her knee. Then she asked the question she'd been dreading. "Is she the reason you and I were together?"

"I love you," Ronnie said reassuringly, leaning as far forward as his restraints would let him.

"I mean the first time," Sarah cut in. "When we started going out the first time, before either of us knew what this was. Was that her choice, or yours?"

"Mine," Ronnie said passionately. "Katherine just wanted me to befriend you but I was more than happy to date you, and grateful when it turned into more than that."

"And yet you still lied," Sarah said, tears rolling out the corner of her eyes and down her cheeks, while her face fought to remain as still as it could. Shaking with effort. "You told her all about me and never once mentioned anything to me."

Ronnie fell silent, the conflict clear in his eyes but at the same time obvious as to how he felt. He truly did believe he'd done the right thing, even now, even after everything they'd been through and everything Katherine had done. He still believed she was worthy of his loyalty. More so than Sarah. "Sarah. I love you. I will always love you, I always have loved you… But Katherine is to me what your brothers are to you. I might not like it, but I can't walk away from her. And it'll always be her before anything else…even you."

That last bit was the final straw for Sarah. She broke down enough to let out the tears and a heartbroken whimper. That was it, he'd made it clear, it was Katherine before her. Always had been, always would be. Part of her wished they could have continued on in the dark, pretending like everything was perfect and there was nothing wrong. But there was no going back now. They'd both made their choices, no matter how much it hurt.

As her hands moved to cover her face, she heard her brother enter. Stefan got to her first, pulling her up into a hug as she hurried her face into his chest, letting out her heartbroken sobs into his torn and bloodied jacket. From his tied down position, Ronnie watched with torn eyes of his own. He hated doing this to Sarah, but he'd know it from the day she saved him, from the day he'd been reborn. Katherine comes first.

While Stefan comforted his sister, Damon made his way in front of Ronnie, blue eyes glaring down at the younger vampire, rage boiling inside him. "You know, Ronnie," Damon began with his angry blue eyes boring into Ronnie's saddened ones. "You've known my sister a long time. But I don't feel you know me and Stefan all that well. So let me clear something up." Suddenly his hand broke through Ronnie's chest, grabbing hold of his heart as the young vampire gasped for air, pain consuming him as he felt his life line being yanked on. "No one hurts my sister. I don't care who you are, I don't care what you are. You break her heart, and I'll break yours," Damon snarled, leaning in as he watched the terror take over Ronnie's eyes. He then leaned past Ronnie, his lips inches from Ronnie's ear as he whispered, "The only reason this is quick, is because she asked for it."

Ronnie's eyes went to Sarah, realising what was about to happen. He wanted to let her know he was thankful, not just for this but for everything. And that he was sorry. Sorry for what he'd done and that if he could change things he would. But at the same time he wouldn't change a thing, because everything had led him to her and he'd loved her. He just wished he'd never had to break her heart. He waited for her to look at him, to say goodbye. But her face remained buried in Stefan's chest, her brother holding her, whispering comfortingly to her while her other brother held his heart in his hand. He hoped they were both worth it. He then felt Damon's hand slid from his chest, and then it was over. He was dead.

---

The next few hours were quiet in the Salvatore house, but even then Sarah felt like she needed to be alone. She loved her brothers, but being in the same house as them, in separate rooms while they all contemplated what had happened tonight, all listening in on one another, it felt claustrophobic. So Sarah made her way over to the garage. Damon caught her in the hallway, deliberate no doubt, making sure she wasn't going far. Once he was content he moved on and Sarah left the house.

Despite the hour, Sarah didn't feel all that tired. Lingering adrenaline perhaps, her vampire abilities adding to that. It would be morning soon, she could feel it despite the comforting blanket of darkness around her as she walked across the driveway and over to the garage. It opened with the usual clanking nosies, picking up pace as the door got higher and higher until it suddenly stopped with a slight bang, wobbling for a moment before it became quiet again. Just as quiet as it had been in the house. Only now the night birds and noises from the forest were clearer than they had been before.

Sarah chose to shut them out, stepping into the garage and removing the blanket that rested atop her bike. The bike he'd given her. She sighed in a mixture of sadness and longing. What would she give to have a different life, she wondered. A normal happy life with someone like Ronnie, to be human and to have a family. Anything but her brothers was the answer. Even then she knew it was a pipe dream. There was no turning back once you became a vampire. For the most part she enjoyed it, revelled in it. But tonight, she was beginning to realise just how long eternity was. Especially when it felt like you were constantly being stabbed in the back by the people you cared about.

Sitting down, Sarah folded her legs on the stone floor, making herself comfy as she stared at her bike. She really had liked that bike. Now all those memories were gone, the good ones. Her and her baby, her and Ronnie. All ruined. She couldn't even look at the bike now without feeling a pit in her chest, an empty spot where her love for it had once been. She wondered if she'd even still use it, how riding it would feel after everything that went down tonight. And what was the point in having a bike you never used or cared about. Another sigh left her lips.

"Hey," came a light peaceful voice from behind. Sarah looked over her shoulder, smiling a sad smile when she saw who it was.

"Hey," she replied to Elena.

"Scarlett told me about Ronnie. How you holding up?" Elena asked, making her way into the garage, arms folded over, hands tightly clenched at her sides.

"I'm alright," Sarah answered, turning back to the bike and realising how much of a lie those words really were.

"No you're not," Elena countered sadly, hating that she was right. She waited for Sarah to respond, but she didn't. Knowing that Elena was right and no longer having the strength to try and hide it. Elena sighed, taking the last few steps over to Sarah before holding out her hand. The vampire turned, frowning lightly at Elena's hand before following it up her arm and to Elena's own sad smile. "Come on. There's something I've got to show you."

"I really just want to be alone right now, Elena," Sarah said as she looked back to her bike. Elena however, was not letting her take that option.

"It wasn't a request," Elena said, bending down and taking Sarah's hand before pulling her up to her feet. Sarah stared in confused outrage, but didn't fight as Elena dragged her along, leading her out of the garage and across the driveway.

"Elena, what are you…" Sarah words fell short, the confusion dropping like her words when she saw Caroline standing in her drive way. Beaming smile on her face as she eagerly awaited Elena and Sarah. Next to her, a tarp, covering whatever she was stood in front off. "Caroline? What are you both–"

"Don't talk, you'll ruin the surprise," Caroline cut in promptly, and to Sarah's amazement, she found herself shutting up. Lips sealing and refusing to open as she stared at Caroline.

With her smile growing, the blonde vampire skipped eagerly around the tarp, making her way behind whatever it was hiding while Elena stood along side Sarah, soft smile on her lips. She was just as heartbroken as Sarah was right now, but despite it she was still here, smiling about some secret only she and Caroline knew about. Sarah turned to Elena, staring at her as if that would pressure her into giving her some answers. The brunette just smiled back at her, a smidgen of Caroline's eagerness and excitement in her own eyes.

Turning back to Caroline, the young vampire waited until Sarah's eyes were back on her, then dramatically pulled the tarp off in one fell swoop like a magician's assistant. It was then Sarah saw what it had been hiding, the tarp, which landed next to Caroline but no longer touching the brand new beautifully blue motorbike. As awe took over her features, Sarah approached the bike, her hand running over the body of the vehicle. It was just like the bike Ronnie had given her. Only a darkish blue, and completely new, although you'd think the same about the bike Sarah already had, considering how well she looked after it.

"Caroline…? Elena…? What is–" Sarah asked, both amazed and confused by what was going on as she looked between her two friends.

"It's your new bike," Elena answered with a smile at Sarah's reaction.

"From us," Caroline added, almost jumping on her tip toes, yet managing to pull back her smile just enough to make it smaller than Sarah's.

"But, why?" Sarah asked, unable to piece it all together as she looked between Elena, Caroline and the bike.

"Well," Caroline began in her usual sheepish Caroline manor that they'd all grown accustom to. "We remembered what you told us about Ronnie giving you your bike, and how that was a big sign of love and all."

"So we thought," Elena jumped in, stepping up to Sarah's side as the three closed in around the new bike, as if it was a newly born baby. "After what happened, that maybe you needed a new bike. One that's about friendship instead of love," Elena explained as she placed her hand on top of Sarah's that was resting on the new bike. Sarah glanced over to Elena, seeing the girl smile at her and she couldn't help but smile back, grateful to have friends like this.

"Oh! And I also compelled the guy to make it exactly like your old bike, except blue instead, and then got him to give it to us for free," Caroline said gleefully, making Sarah laugh. By the way she said it she was obviously proud of that fact and was hoping Sarah felt the same way, which she did.

"But then I told Stefan and he said he and Damon would pay for it," Elena explained, the voice of reason as she shot a parental and amused look towards Caroline.

Caroline began to pout at that, folding her arms as she kicked the ground. "Way to suck the fun out of it," she grumbled, only to make Sarah laugh again.

"It's a good thing you came up with the back up plan then," Elena pointed out with a playful grin. All at once Caroline perked back up, clapping her hands together eagerly as she beamed back at the two.

"Oh, yeah! Come on, let's show her the next bit," Caroline said, almost vamp speeding around the bike before grabbing both Sarah and Elena's arms and dragging them back towards the garage. It wasn't like they weren't trying to follow her. It was just she was walking a hell of a lot faster and they were both struggling to keep up with her, which made it look like she was the one in control suddenly. Once they reached the open door, she let them both go and jogged ahead inside. Following at a slower pace, Sarah walked in with Elena to find Scarlett stood alongside Caroline. A table full of various mundane weapons between them including baseball bats, tire irons, shovels and even a tank of gas. "Tad da!" Caroline cheered, gesturing to the table as Scarlett smirked from the opposite side.

When Sarah went speechless once more, now completely losing the plot, Scarlett explained it to her this time. "Well since you have your new bike and all, we figured you wouldn't be needing the old one. So we thought it'd be a fun idea to completely and utterly destroy it," Scarlett said in an almost sarcastic cheerfulness.

"Like a cleansing ritual," Caroline added.

"It's not a cleansing ritual, that's dumb," Scarlett said over to Caroline while keeping her eyes on Sarah and Elena.

"Their not dumb," Caroline shot back, eyes also remaining on Sarah and Elena.

"Yes they are," Scarlett replied as Sarah and Elena looked to each other, doing their best not to laugh at the argument going on in front of them.

"Will you stop it, you're ruining the moment," Caroline hissed, finally looking over to Scarlett.

"You're stupid cleansing crap is ruining the moment," Scarlett growled back.

"Eh, guys?" Elena spoke up, with her and Sarah on the verge of bursting out into laughter as both their lower lips trembled in unison. The arguing vampire and werewolf turned to their friends, suddenly realising their argument hadn't been as subtle as they'd thought.

"Sorry," Caroline quickly apologised as the fight left both her and Scarlett.

All the same, Sarah could help but smile at them both. "It's fine. And thank you," she said, making her way over to the table. She went to Scarlett first, pulling her into a grateful hug which she returned. Then it was Caroline, who practically leapt onto Sarah the second she was within range. Both thankful for surviving Katherine and her manipulation, together. Lastly she turned to Elena, the pair embracing each other in a tender hug. Before they parted however, Elena placed a gentle compassionate kiss on Sarah's cheek.

"We're all here for you, whenever you need us," Elena said as she stared into Sarah's eyes with a confirming smile. Sarah almost started crying again then and there, but having cried enough today, she managed to keep the joyful tears to herself. With friends like these, and brothers like hers, she'd be fine. She believed that now, for the first time since Katherine had returned. She truly believed it was all going to be okay, even if it was a few weeks away.

"So, how do we do this exactly?" Sarah asked, glancing over to her bike as she quickly whisked away any lingering tears.

"Easy," Scarlett spoke up. "Like this." She turned to Caroline motioning for her to follow her lead. The two then started to grin before they both used their supernatural speed and strength to grab Sarah's old bike and fling it out of the garage and into the drive way. With their combined strength it was more than enough for them to throw the bike in such a way that it flew straight through the air before crashing onto the ground. Silence settled in, before the four women then erupted into insane cheers and screams.

They each grabbed a weapon and the tank of gasoline, then ran over to the bike, beating the crap out of it until there was nothing recognisable left. It might have hurt a little, but the feeling of doing it with her friends and the fact that it was proof she was moving on made Sarah forget all about whatever pain she might once have felt by doing this to her bike. Then, once they'd tired themselves out, Sarah poured the gasoline across her bike, lit a match and then flicked it over towards the bike. The thing erupted into flames and they broke out into more cheers and joyful screams as they watched the bike turn into a bomb fire.

It was then Sarah realised how far she'd come in such a short time, not just in terms of getting her family back together, which she'd now done, but in her life. She had a home, had friends, people she truly did care about, enough to put her own goals aside to help them. Tonight she could have killed Katherine, could have done what she'd wanted to do for so long. But instead she spared her, originally for Elena and now for herself. She was done letting Katherine dictate and control her life. She was a footnote on her life's story now. She would no longer influence her actions and thoughts. This was her life now. And she was going to enjoy it with the people she loved.