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Only reviewer: Since Jeremy and Bonnie aren't going to get together in this story, I figured I'd add him into the scene with Tyler and the others. Give him a little more of a presence in the story, rather than sitting around with Bonnie not getting together. And yes, the Martins will show up soon, they're not my favourite characters either. ;)

Just a quick note then onto the chapter – Elijah! Yay! But I'll be uploading again next week, no break this time!

As always thanks for the favourites and follows, on this story and others, and don't forget to leave a review with your thoughts and opinions if you have the time! It's always appreciated. Enjoy!

Chapter 17: Rose

"We're getting closer," Stefan declared as Damon rounded a bend at the end of the road. "Bonnie said there's an access road just past mile marker six."

"Great," Damon said with a roll of the eyes, smirking at his brother before looking to his sister through the rear view mirror. "Pass us a blood bag, Sis." Now sitting up in the back, Sarah reached down to the cold bag at her feet, pulling out a blood bag and slapping it into Damon's out reaching hand. "Thank you," Damon said with a grin before he began to sip from the bag, as if it was a smoothy.

Sarah just shook her head to herself, before grabbing a bag for herself and taking a drink along with her brother. As they drank though, Stefan watched, and Sarah could tell he was hungry. It was around time for his daily feed, but she was waiting for him to ask, testing his control. After all, she didn't want to be babysitting him her whole life.

It took Damon a few more seconds to realise that Stefan was watching them both, eyes going to Stefan who quickly looked away at his brother's glance. Embarrassed, even if he shouldn't be. He was taking the proper steps to better himself and that was nothing to be ashamed off. Though it was something Damon would tease him about to no end. But that was just Damon being Damon. "If you want some just ask," Damon said with a grin, to which Stefan turned back without batting an eye and said, "I want some."

"Ah, that's so sweet. You're gonna be all big and strong and save your girl but don't worry, I've got your back it'll be fine," Damon teased as he looked back to the road, sipping on his blood bag as he drove.

"Will you quit it," Sarah said, deliberately slapping her eldest brother's arm as she reached into the cool bag they'd brought. She'd been prepared for this when they stopped by the house to pick up some blood, brining along some special bags for Stefan in case he got hungry or in fact remembered it was his scheduled feeding time. Being precise with his feeding times had obviously helped, as now he was only hungry when he knew it was time for blood. It was working, he was getting stronger, healthier and in complete control. Still, Sarah tried not to get ahead of herself as she pulled out a bag for Stefan.

"There you go Stefan," Sarah said holding out a smaller blood bag than hers and Damon's. He stared at it for a moment before looking back at his sister with a raised brow. "It's the kiddy sized," Sarah teased, smiling as he snatched the bag with a growl, ignoring his siblings matching smirks. She still had the right to have as much fun with him as Damon though.

"So what's with the sudden change in diet? Afraid me and Sarah aren't going to be enough to save Elena?" Damon teased, receiving a kick in the back of his chair from Sarah as she glared at him through the mirror. She caught the hidden threat behind his words, that Stefan wasn't enough to save Elena and that he was, making him a better suitor for her.

"Quit it, Damon. Final warning," Sarah said before putting her blood bag to her lips, keeping eye contact with her blue eyed brother until he broke it off with a grumble.

"For your information," Stefan began, answering Damon's question, since his brother did sort of have a right to know. "I've been drinking a little everyday. Sarah's been watching me, making sure I don't go over board and I've slowly been increasing my intake," Stefan explained before taking a sip from his 'kiddy' bag, pacing himself just like he'd been taught.

"Does Elena know you're drinking blood?" Damon asked, frowning at the amount of restraint his brother was showing, at least in comparison to the previous times he'd drank blood.

"I've been drinking hers," Stefan answered with a thin smile to his brother.

Damon hummed, turning back to the road with an irritated and confused frown, sipping on his blood as he pondered his brother's words. "How romantic," Damon said as he stopped drinking. There was then a pause before he continued, and Sarah knew why he'd taken the pause after he started speaking. "Since we're road trip bonding, remember the days when all you lived for was blood?"

"Alright, that's it," Sarah declared, leaning forward and snatching the blood bag from Damon.

"Hey!" Damon snapped looking back annoyingly before turning back to the road, settling for glaring at Sarah through the rear view mirror as he continued to drive. "What'd you do that for?"

"I told you to stop it, you didn't, so I'm cutting you off," Sarah said with a smug grin as she shoved the blood bag back into the cooler. Stefan started to snicker, taking another drink as Sarah joined him, both grinning away as Damon scowled at them both.

After another half an hour drive, Damon pulled over onto a side road, continuing on for another half a mile until he pulled to a stop next to the tree line. Once he'd pulled to a stop, they all climbed out, Damon deliberately trying to close the door on Sarah before she got out, but she shoved it open, smirking at him as she climbed out. He replied with a forced smirk of his own before closing the door for his sister as Stefan pulled out the bag of weapons, slinging it over his shoulder as he began to walk off towards the trees with Sarah in toe and Damon behind her.

"The house should be just beyond those trees," Damon said pointing to the trees ahead of them. If they'd followed the road, they'd have gone around them, but parking here gave them cover and hide their getaway car in case they needed to make a quick escape.

Stefan was just about to walk past the first tree when Damon called out to him and Sarah. "Wait," he said, both turning around as he approached them. "I've got a lot more experience than either of you do with these sorts of things."

"Excuse me?" Sarah scoffed at her brother, arms folding as she stared back at her brother questioningly.

"Nothing personal, Sis, it's just I have a few more years of being a bad ass than you," Damon said smugly.

"Yeah, but who does it better?" Sarah asked rehotorically, but Damon didn't get that hint and they both said at the same time, "Me." Sarah began to frown while Damon continued to grin away smugly.

"What's your point?" Stefan asked, waving his hand as he tried to get his brother back to his point so they could hurry up and save Elena.

"My point is," Damon continued, truing his attention back to Stefan. "Whoever has Elena is probably who was after Katherine in eighteen-sixty-four and before that."

"And?" Stefan asked.

"And it puts them at five-hundred years old and strong. Are you sure you want to do this?" Damon asked, brow lowering in mild worry. Not that he'd admit it to his little brother and sister if they ever asked – but after all their time with him, they didn't need to ask. They could just see it.

"Yeah, I'm certain I want to do it," Stefan said simply.

"Me too," agreed Sarah with a nod as simple as Stefan's.

"Because if we go in that house, we may not come back out," Damon spelt out for them all.

"Alright, then I won't come out," Stefan said with a shrug.

"We're all coming out," Sarah said as she held up her hands to both brothers. "Now let's quit the dramatics and get in there, save Elena and complete phase one of my plan," Sarah said with a nod before she and Stefan started to walk.

"You make it sound so easy," Damon said mockingly as he followed from a few steps behind his younger siblings.

"Yeah well, phase two's when it gets real tricky," Sarah said before looking back with a smug grin of her own. "Finding you a long term girlfriend." Damon stuck out his tongue, doing a silent imitation of his sister before then following. It wasn't as grudgingly as he pretended it was, but he quickly caught up to them as they walked through the tree line, spotting the old abandoned house surrounded by the forest, facing a wide open field. Ideal place for a vampire to hide out and make camp during the daylight.

"Alright, so what's the plan then hot shots?" Damon asked, hands on his hips in a dramatic hero pose as Stefan and Sarah analysed the house, listening in to see what they heard. Distant chatter, hard to make out what it was. Possibly Elena, but hard to tell. Definitely two female voices and two male and four heart beats. Three significantly slower than one, but two of the three still pretty lively for vampires.

"We improvise," Sarah declared, looking to her brothers with a grin. Damon seemed less than pleased with her answer, but said nothing as Stefan dropped the weapons bag on the ground, bending down and unzipping it before handing out weapons. He gave Damon a couple of short wooden stakes that he stuffed in his back pockets. As for Sarah, he threw her one of Alaric's home made stake guns, filled with several sharpened miniature wooden stakes. It was pretty impressive Sarah had to admit as she looked it over. Stefan also took another gun for himself as well as the vervain grenade he'd been eyeing in the car.

"We good?" Stefan asked as he stood up, looking to his siblings.

"We're good," Sarah answered, when Damon remained quiet.

"So we've got three vampires and our damsel in distress," Damon summarised, looking to his sister. "Where does your great plan of winging it take us from here?"

Sarah just smiled back. "Follow my lead," she said confidently before dancing off towards the house, silently running with her brothers in tow, before they reached the wall of the house. All three pressed their backs against it, staying still as they listened. Some more chatting from inside, clearer now. One of the vampires was talking to Elena, fancy sounding too by the sound of things.

Sarah then frowned, counting again before coming to a realisation. One of the vampires had been killed. Only three heartbeats now. Stefan looked to her frowning, but Sarah just shrugged optimistically in response. Whatever made their lives easier.

Bending down, she then picked up a small rock, looking to both her brothers, making sure they understood her next move. When both nodded back, she threw the rock smashing the window in between her and Damon. With that, Damon then rushed in, followed by Sarah and Stefan, all taking up hiding spots in the hall they'd just broken into. Front hall by the looks of it. Big staircase at the back wall that lead up to the next floor and three archways that broke off into other areas of the house with double doors at the front. Good ambush spot. So they waited, and surely enough the vampires came to them.

One in a dark suit held Elena tightly by the arm. The other was a woman who Sarah couldn't see clearly from her hiding space. She did however get a good look at the man holding Elena, as he turned with her to face the woman, displeased by what was going on. And it was about to get a whole lot worse for him.

Damon moved first, racing behind the man and Elena, making the both look back, by which point he was gone. Stefan and Sarah then did the same, racing around the room while remaining out of sight, but letting them all know they were there. The man pushed Elena to the woman, trying to spot the Salvatore as they raced around but never finding them quickly enough. This was how good they could be when they were all on the same page. This guy didn't stand a chance.

Having taken up knew hiding spots, Sarah stopped and her brothers did the same, while the man looked around, trying to spot them or catch another gust of wind, hoping to catch them too. He turned back to the woman. "Rose," he said lowly, levelling his gaze on her.

"I don't know who it is," the woman stammered, but still Sarah didn't have a good line of sight, couldn't see her face as it was hidden behind her short brunette hair. Stefan then made a break, rushing past them both, making them look one way before he doubled back and run up the stairs while they weren't looking. They'd heard him though, that was the intention.

"Up here," he whispered, baiting them in. The man fell for it, rushing up the stairs to the landing only to find no sign of Stefan anywhere.

"Down here," Damon sang out tauntingly. The man turned back, glaring at thin air. Irritation across his brow. With his gaze distracted looking for her brothers, Sarah peeked out and fired a stake from her gun before dashing off to another hiding place. The vampires didn't even notice, preoccupied with the stake that had gone through the man's hand.

A warning shot.

He pulled it out with little care, glare of irritation intensifying. Sarah fired another shot, which he caught with his bare hand that had already healed. He didn't spot her though, she'd already moved, having given her brothers the perfect distraction. When he then looked back down the stairs, he saw that the woman and Elena were gone. Elena taken by Stefan, and the other vampire by Damon, Sarah keeping a close eye on the man in the sharp suit.

Throwing aside the two small takes he now held, the suited vampire made his way down the stairs, adjusting the cufflinks in his shirt as he did. "Excuse me. To whom it may concern, you're making a great mistake if you think you can beat me," the suited man said with a grin as he approached the coat stand in the corner. Picking it up, he snapped it in two before then adding with a ghost of a smile. "You can't."

Cocky this one, almost as much as Sarah was. Should make for an interesting show. "I repeat, you can not beat me," he said again as he began breaking the hooks off the large stake he was now wielding. Once he'd done that, he began twirling it, as if it were a bow staff. After a few twirl he settled for holding it by his side, looking around as he continued to speak to his enemies. "So I want the girl, on the count of three, or heads will roll." He then turned away from the staircase after walking back over to it, looking around the rest of the room as he asked, "Do we understand each other?"

A guest of wind then slapped the back of his neck and with a small grin he turned to face who'd appeared at the top of the stairs on the landing above. The suited man lifted his gaze, smiling a little when he saw Sarah standing at the top, legs firmly parted as she stood her ground, long raven hair draped over her leather jacket. Gun full of wood, firmly held in her hand that was relaxing at her side.

He chuckled a little, finding the situation humours apparently before then taking a single step towards the stairs. "Are you surrendering?" he asked politely, almost admiring the idea.

"Nah," Sarah said with a screwed up face and a shake of the head.

"Really?" the suited man questioned, edge hinted at in his voice, but more confused by her strategy than anything else.

"Yeah, I'm in too good a mood to surrender to the likes of you." The man raised an eyebrow, as if asking her to go on. "See, I just defeated my mortal enemy. Locked her in a tomb, left her to rot. My family recently got back together, officially – that's sort of big a life goal for me, so that's a great – and my friends all just got me a new bike," Sarah said with sarcastic mocking excitement. Directed at the man in the suit of course, not at her amazing friends and family. "So you see my life is just too good right now to get killed by the likes of you."

"That's quite a story, and an achievement from the sounds of thing," the suited man conceded, looking down momentarily before meeting Sarah's gaze with his brown eyes once more. "It would be a shame if it had to end like that." HIs grip on the large stake tightened. Sarah responded with a tightened grip on her gun.

She was just about to move when suddenly Elena spoke up from behind her. "I'll come with you," she said as Sarah looked back, frowning at her. She was hugging herself, but didn't seem all that scared, at least to Sarah, but she'd known Elena a while now and could tell easily when she was putting on a show. Her eyes met Elena's and she saw the plan in them. Elena then stepped past her, standing along side her as she looked down to the man at the base of the staircase. "Just please don't hurt my friends, they just wanted to help me out," Elena said in their defence while Sarah continued to frown from beside her.

The man then rushed up the stairs, making Elena jump and Sarah step out in front of her, raising the gun in one hand. He stopped, smirking as his head tilted, eyeing Elena past Sarah. "What game are you playing with me?" he asked suspiciously, right as Sarah felt Elena push the vervain grenade into her free hand.

"How about, Pin the tail on the donky?" Sarah suggest with her own head tilt, her words confusing the suited man enough to momentarily daze him. Elena had caught her meaning though, pulling the pin from the the grenade before Sarah threw it forward into the man's face. It exploded in his face and Sarah had been expecting to get hit herself but Elena pulled her back, using her own body to shield her from the vervain as the man cried out in searing pain. As he did, he dropped his large stake, now defenceless as it fell over the side of the staircase.

And yet already he'd healed, looking back up with a more than irritated glare. He began to advance, Sarah now forcing Elena behind her as she raised her gun about to fire at the vampire's chest. He tired to rush her but a miniature wooden stake struck his chest. However it wasn't from Sarah's gun, but from Stefan's as he came down the staircase on the other side, firing away as he came down to the landing from above. Sarah then opened fired as well, the combined force of their shots forcing the vampire back as they continued to hit him in the chest.

He kept coming though, fighting back as he pushed his way up the stairs until suddenly both Stefan and Sarah were out of ammo. With the suited man now baring down on them, Stefan charged, tackling the vampire, both clattering down the stairs as they hit the bottom.

Remembering the large stake, Sarah pushed Elena into the corner and then leapt over the railing, dropping down to find Damon already there, picking up the stake. She helped him, not that he needed it, and both then turned, seeing the suited vampire stood above Stefan, hand posed and ready to rip out his heart.

In unison, Sarah and Damon rushed forward to protect their brother, the stake they both held going straight through the suited vampire's heart and out the other end. Despite this, he continued to try and fight, but Sarah and Damon now had the upper hand, and the leverage as they lifted him off the ground. They pressed on, the man glaring at them both and snarling away until the stake hit the wall, going through it and further through the vampire.

Now he went ridged, skin turning grey as his head dropped forward. Eyes lifeless as his veins began to pop out against his grey and distant face. Nothing left but a shell he'd once occupied. Hearing footsteps from behind, Sarah looked back with her brother seeing the woman's face at last. The poor woman seemed hysteric, tear stains on her face as she stared uneasily at the two Salvatores and the dead vampire. Sarah went to speak, to reassure her it was all good and they weren't going to kill her like they had with the other vampire, but before she could even open her lips the woman had fled.

Damon stepped off to go after her, but Elena called down to him, saying, "Just let her go." Damon stopped, looking up with Sarah at Elena who was stood at the top of the stairs. She raced down, Stefan meeting her at the bottom, both embracing as Sarah smiled. She couldn't see Damon's face, though had an idea about what it would be doing. God she really needed to get him a girlfriend, before the cycle began anew.

"Are you hurt? Are you okay?" Stefan asked, holding Elena tightly as she smiled against him, finally looking up with her smile just as strong.

"No, no I'm good," Elena said as she leaned back, the couple still holding onto each other as they smiled thankfully at each other. "Thanks for coming," she said, before looking past him and to the other two Salvatores. "Sarah–"

"No thanks needed," Sarah said lifting a hand. "Your my friend, it was a no brainer…sort off." Elena chuckled at that. "And besides, you saved me from that vervain grenade so your debt is paid."

"Thank you," Elena said all the same. Sarah smiled back, then followed her gaze over to Damon.

"Damon–"

"No, I'm good thanks," Damon said with his usual grin after interrupting Elena. "Other than Stefan, our family doesn't really do the whole, 'thank you,' thing," he said with a face. "Me and Sarah will be out in the car. You two just come out whenever your done with…" He glanced them both up and down, waving a hand at them as he said, "Whatever this is." He then turned, heading for the wooden doors as he called for his sister to follow him. With a last look to Elena and Stefan, Sarah smiled before following her eldest brother out, leaving the couple for a few minutes while they celebrated and enjoyed each others company.

"I know this sounds crazy but alcohol helps, or at least it helps me," Caroline explained as she walked back into the room, three glasses in hand and a bottle of booze in the other. It had been Caroline's idea to start drinking, to take the edge of them all, even though they'd all managed to calm down, especially Tyler. But Caroline being Caroline, once she opened her mouth she couldn't stop herself from rambling off as she went to get the booze. "You know, with all that inside jittery stuff," Caroline explained as uncapped the bottle and poured the amber liquid into the three glasses.

"Thanks," Tyler said, taking the glass as Scarlett did the same, only for Jeremy to be left empty handed as he stood next to Caroline.

"Hey what about me?" Jeremy asked, gesturing to Tyler and Scarlett who were sat opposite him, both with drinks in hand.

"You're nuts if you think I'm giving you drink," Caroline scoffed, smirking slightly as she did. "Do you have any idea what Elena would do if she found out, plus it's not like you need it to fight off supernatural urges," Caroline pointed out, before her eyes then went to Scarlett. She stared at he for a few seconds before then snatching the glass out the teenager's hand when she went to take her first drink. "And now that I think about it, I'm not sure I'm comfortable giving you a drink either," Caroline said as she sat Scarlett's glass on the nearby mantle above the fireplace.

"Why not?" Scarlett asked with a pouty frown.

"Whatever Elena would do to me, is no where near as bad as what Sarah would do to me if I gave you drink," Caroline pointed out, drinking at the mere thought as she shuddered.

"Sorry kids," Tyler said with a chuckle as he took a sip of his own.

"Hey," Scarlett said, catching Tyler's attention. "You want me to throw you around the room again?" Scarlett snapped.

"Sorry," Tyler apologised, taking another sip, before looking up to Caroline. "With being a vampire…do you feel…hot?" Tyler asked sheepishly.

"Not really," Caroline answered. "I don't really feel the temperature. I mean my bodies cold, because of the lack of circulation and all, but I don't notice it. There's a few tricks though, to make sure people don't realise I'm as cold as I actually am. Like drinking coffee. Lots and lots of coffee," Caroline said with a nervous laugh at the end.

"Don't know if I could stand coffee. It's like my skin's on fire," Tyler said as he stared down into his glass.

"It'll pass," Scarlett said from next to him. "You still notice it but it'll get easier. And we aren't really effected by temperatures either," Scarlett explained for Tyler, mostly to try and put his mind at easy about something that was obviously bothering him. But for his reaction of a simple head nod, Scarlett imagined it might be something more than that.

"I guess wolves and vampires are different," Jeremy said despite knowing it all already, he was playing a part for Tyler, trying to nudge the conversation along and hopefully help. It was sweet, and that brain behind that thick head of his could actually be pretty smart when he set it to something. It was finding something he wanted to use it on that was the probably usually. His school work was forever going up and down, depending on his interest in the subject as well as whatever else was going on, like this for instance. And yet he was still doing better than her.

"I wonder if there's anything similar?" Jeremy suggested, looking to Caroline, almost as if prodding her to try and find common ground with the other supernatural species across from her.

"Well I've got heightened emotions. And at the beginning they were pretty out of control," Caroline explained, looking to Tyler hopefully.

"I have that," Tyler said with a sad smile. Scarlett could relate. It was an emotional time, for her it had been exciting, for him it was scary. Just different emotions for different people. From what she gathered though, werewolf emotions weren't as intense as vampire though. Werewolves had more…spikes in their emotions, while vampires were always high and eventually got used to it. As far as Scarlett could tell there was always going to be a random spike from time to time and you never really got used to it. She just happened to have a better control over it thanks to her necklace. It really was the gift that kept on giving.

"So…is there anyone else like you?" Tyler asked, looking to Caroline. She opened her mouth to answer, then caught sight of Scarlett's shaking head for next to Tyler. It wasn't obvious to him, but one look and Caroline knew that Scarlett really didn't think it was a good idea for her to tell him about the others. Damon in particular, which Caroline could figure out for herself. So she quickly adjusted her answer, figuring she could explain later if she had to. Better that than risk Damon coming down on her like a stack of bricks, and there was no guarantee that Sarah would come to her rescue on this and Stefan would probably be on the fence too.

"Just me," Caroline answered. "It's a really long story we can share another time. How many other werewolves are there?"

Tyler looked to Scarlett who shrugged before he looked back to Caroline. "Just us I guess, and my uncle Mason, but he left town," Tyler explained sadly, before Scarlett awkwardly looked away at the mention of Mason. Caroline and Jeremy did the same, remembering how they were involved in his death. Scarlett was looking away not only because of that, but at the memory of him and her that flashed through her mind. Luckily Tyler was too consumed in his miserable thoughts to notice any of this and by the time he looked back up, the others had all recovered from their guilty thoughts.

"Look, Tyler," Caroline began as she set her glass aside on the mantle next to Scarlett's, taking a step towards Tyler as she did. "You can't tell anyone, okay? Not about you, Scarlett, not about me. No one will understand." Tyler made an obvious look to Jeremy. "He's the exception," Caroline quickly answered.

"Plus I kind of figured it out with Scarlett," Jeremy said jokingly as Scarlett shot him a look, remembering exactly how he found out. He hadn't had a clue and had only found out because he was on to Anna, who despite being a damn old vampire, was really bad at hiding her secret in comparison to Scarlett who'd been a werewolf for a couple of months at that point.

"Don't worry. I'm not going to tell anyone," Tyler promised with a low nervous voice.

"I want to tell you about my mom and yours and the founding families and the council but I need to know I can trust you. This is life and death, Tyler," Caroline stressed.

"It's okay, Caroline," Scarlett spoke up, meeting her green eyed gaze before turning to met Tyler's brown eyed one. "We can trust him," Scarlett said with a friendly smile, trying to make him feel at ease. Maybe it was the wolf nature, but she did trust Tyler, with her secrets and with all the wolf stuff. Just not with the Salvatores, not yet. To many things could go wrong and she cared about them all to much to let that happen, even Damon, as much as it irritated her. So she was going to take this step by step. Even if the wolf inside her was excited to have someone around like itself – that Scarlett didn't have a complicated history with either.

"Thanks, Scarlett," Tyler said sincerely as he smiled at her, only for it to fade as he looked down once more.

"We're all here for you man," Jeremy added as he stepped closer towards Scarlett, the group tightening around Tyler, letting him know they were all there to help him.

"Look, I'm…I'm sorry about earlier. It's just, I feel alone with this," Tyler explained as he looked back up. "This–This thing is gonna happen to me. On the next full moon, I'm gonna turn and I won't be able to stop it and it just sounds so–so–so painful," Tyler explained as he began to hyperventilate, sniffling a little as tears pricked the macho man's tough exterior. "I'm scared," he finally admitted only to find himself wrapped in Caroline's arms.

"It's okay," she whispered soothingly to him, holding him as he hugged her back, still trying to fight the frightened tears even now.

"Don't worry Tyler," Scarlett said, putting her hand on his shoulder as she stood up. "You're not alone. I promise. We'll be with you, every step of the way." As she spoke, she felt Jeremy slid his arm around her waist, holding her against him as she let her head rest against his chest, keeping her hand on Tyler's shoulder as she did. They weren't going anywhere. She hadn't been alone when she went through this, and neither would Tyler. For her it had been quick, instant, over before she knew it and had had no knowledge about what was going on. It had been scary but it had passed. For Tyler it was a million times worse. Knowing what was coming and that it would still be worse than whatever he could think off. It was the kind of thing that could drive someone mad, like it was to Tyler. But she would help him, especially since no one else would.

"You want a drink?" Damon asked, walking into the study to find his sister sat in front of the lit fire, staring into the flames. A book rested in the spot next to her, but she hadn't opened it. Had sat down with the intention of reading but once she had couldn't find the strength to go through with it. It had been happening a lot recently, ever since Katherine walked back into her life. She just couldn't sit and enjoy a book anymore. It was hell. Thankfully though, there was a substitute for that, which Damon had just suggested.

"Please," Sarah groaned out as she looked over her shoulder, Damon stood at the minbar behind her, smirking away as he threw together a couple of drinks.

"Scotch?" he asked, pouring the drinks before she even answered.

"Thanks," Sarah said as he passed her the glass, before taking a drink from his own as he leaned down onto the minibar's counter top.

They were both aware Stefan had entered the room, but didn't both to say anything as they drank. Sarah staring off into the flames, glass of scotch now in hand while Damon just stared off into space. "Where's Elena?" he asked, solely because he noticed she wasn't here but their brother was.

"She's home," Stefan answered as he descended the short set of stairs, making his way over to join his brother and sister.

"And you're here why?" Damon asked as he turned around, glass now in hand once more. Sarah was just listening though, lost in the flames as she thought of old memories. Something else she'd been doing a lot of recently. She had Ronnie to thank for that one.

"Because she wanted to be with Jeremy and Jenna," Stefan answered understandingly, just content with the fact that Elena was safe again.

"Here," Damon said, holding out his glass. Stefan took it, raising it in thanks as he made his way around, sitting next to Sarah on the couch. Drinking from the glass as Damon poured himself another glass.

"Listen guys, about what Rose told Elena, about the curse…" Stefan began trailing off a little at the thought of it. That had been a bit of a shock to hear, that after everything, Elena was the key to breaking this sun and moon curse they'd all heard so much about. With the moonstone and Elena's blood, apparently they could either free werewolves from the moon, or vampires from the sun. It certainly made the car ride home a little less victorious. All of them knowing what would follow now that Elena officially had a target on her back.

"Don't worry," Sarah spoke up. "We'll protect her. Just like we told Katherine." She lifted her drink, taking a gulp before going back to watching the flames dance for her. Her own privet little show between her and the fire, lost in the imagination of her mind.

"Shouldn't be too hard. From the sounds of it, barely anyone knows she even exists," Damon said with a shrug as he downed his own drink, topping it up once more as Stefan looked back over the couch at his brother.

"You know, the only way we're gonna be able to do that is if we're not fighting each other," Stefan pointed out to Damon who met his gaze. "We let Katherine come between us. If we let that happen with Elena, we're not gonna be able to protect her."

"I one-hundred precent agree, Brother. Which is why it's Sarah's job to keep us in line," Damon said with a smug grin towards the back of his sister's head before he took a drink from his fresh glass of scotch.

"Hooray for me. Nothing I love more than playing mother to you two," Sarah said in monotone enthusiasm, tired from the day and ready to rest. Leaving her brothers' pointless squabbling until tomorrow. She could worry about how she was going to deal with it then. For now, she was taking the victory and waiting for an excuse to go to bed while she sipped at her scotch.

"I seem to remember you enjoying it when we were younger," Stefan pointed out with a smirk.

Sarah looked to him, her face exhausted but still managing a grin for him. "That was different. I was a child, and wanted to be grown up and in charge." She turned back to the flames. "Now of course I realise how much of a pain that is." She took a swing from her drink, Damon doing the same as they both finished their glasses. Once they had, Damon sat his down, heading for the doorway.

"Well, I'm off to bed. Night kids," Damon said with a wave over his shoulder.

"Don't even start with that," Sarah warned, pointing to him over her shoulder while Stefan chuckled form next to her.

"Want another?" Stefan asked, holding out his hand for her glass.

"Might as well," Sarah sighed handing him her glass. "Doubt I'll be able to sleep now that he's riled me all up," she added in the same monotone voice as before, smiling tiredly while Stefan chuckled at her joke. Once he refiled their glasses, he sat back down with her, the two quietly enjoying each other's company while they watched the flames party for them and they nursed their drinks.

It was well past midnight before they finished their drinks, finally feeling like they could sleep now that all the drama had past for the day. Stefan was the first to get up, turning off the lights before taking Sarah's glass and his own, leaving them out to be cleaned in the morning. A chore he normally found himself undertaking in the mornings after any of them had been drinking. Usually his siblings where too hungover to deal with the clean up.

Sarah stood, walking towards the fire, about to put it out when suddenly a floor board creaked. She looked up, turning around to look at Stefan who had heard it too. She stepped towards him then heard a floor board creek from behind. They turned and the wind tinkled their necks. Turning back around they found nothing there before the same feeling happened again. At first Sarah thought it might have been Damon, but he'd been too tired for this kind of trick. There was someone with supernatural speed in their house.

She knew it wasn't Scarlett either, she'd texted earlier, saying she was spending the night with Jeremy and Elena. Partially acting as a guard dog but also staying per Jeremy's request. Sarah had been more than happy with that idea, but now that left just her and Stefan to deal with this new threat.

She turned back to her brother, seeing he'd retrieved two stakes from one of their hidden spots in the study. He threw one to her and she caught it, both looking to where they'd last felt the wind, where the supernatural probably was. "Who's there?" Stefan called out, holding up the stake and ready to fight. Sarah was a little more relaxed, arms at her side while she firmly held her stake. Ready to move at a moments notice though. She caught sight of a shadow moving from the hallway and watched as the supernatural revealed herself to be the vampire from house where they'd saved Elena today. Or as Sarah knew her…

"Rose," she said in greeting. At the sound of her name the woman teared up a little. Sarah could guess way. The other vampire, the one she hadn't seen that had been killed. It must have been Trevor. He'd been like family to Rose, her best friend if not more than that.

She put her stake down on the minibar and approached the older vampire, gently wrapping her arms around her as Rose did the same. Crying softly for a moment as she buried her face into Sarah's shoulder. Sarah didn't mind, she just held her old friend, giving her some time to pull herself together. She'd never been one for crying, to iron willed for that. That had been something Sarah liked about her, but losing Trevor, it was going to do a lot more than shake the foundations. "I'm sorry," Sarah said softly to her, letting her know she knew and that she didn't need to relive it by telling her. She kept saying it, over and over until Rose pulled away, having recovered from her little break down.

"Thank you," Rose said with a sad smile to Sarah.

"Sorry to interrupt," Stefan spoke up, Sarah looking back over to her brother who had a frown of confusion, stake now at his side seeing that there was no threat. "But who are you?" Stefan asked, looking at Rose.

"My name's Rose," she answered, giving Stefan a proper look up and down.

"Lexi over sold him a bit," Rose muttered to Sarah who allowed herself a grin as she looked back to her friend.

"Well, you remember Lexi," Sarah said before the two began to chuckle softly. She then looked back again, seeing her brother was even more confused than before. "She's a friend of Lexi's, Stefan. That's how I know her. We've met a few times over the years."

The streets were a mural of shadows, twisting and turning to the dim light that flickered from the street lamps, and from the building windows above. It was quite a sight, hence even more when you were a vampire. Or at least that's what Ronnie though, telling Sarah and Lexi so as they made their way down the ever populated streets of New York. Sarah wasn't quite sure if it was the liquor bringing this enthusiasm out of him, or Lexi that seemed to eagerly agree with him. Then again, she was also very drunk. They all were, but vampires could hold their alcohol a lot better than any human could. At least that was what they always told themselves, but even vampires had a threshold and Sarah was confident they might well have passed it.

"How much further is it, Lexi?" Sarah cut in, disrupting their conversation about art. It might have been art. Sarah heard the worlds 'colour,' 'light,' and 'tapestry,' and assumed it was art related. She'd been dropping in and out of the conversation, snuggled up against Ronnie, her head resting with a dreamy smile on his shoulder while his arm cuddled her waist. It was all truly romantic. At least until Lexi's big mouth ruined the moment. Sarah swore Lexi would never mess with Stefan if he got into a relationship, but if it was her, Lexi was differently going to intrude. Payback probably for messing up her routine with Stefan. Big sisters could be so annoying.

"Just around this corner," Lexi said as they turned, and in so doing Lexi crashing into Sarah, both only held up by Ronnie who miraculously managed to stay on his feet. Lexi descended into mad laughter while Sarah scolded her, only to then join in along with Ronnie as they continued on down the street. People gave them odd looks, most crossing the street to avoid them. The right decision. But they'd already ate at the bar, Lexi said they should before attending the festivities. It had been nice feeding with Lexi again, as it had been so long since they'd last shared a drink together.

"Alright, we're here!" Lexi announced, throwing up one arm while the other remained around Sarah's shoulder, not willing to let go in case she stumbled again. Before the three was a brick building, like all the rest in New York with a few signs out front to attract people in. And there was a line. A long line.

"The theatre?" Sarah asked in disbelief as she looked to a grinning Lexi. "You promised me a show."

"This is a show," Lexi exclaimed, words slurring in her drunkenness.

"An entertaining show!" Sarah shot back.

"You enjoyed it when we saw it last week," Ronnie pointed out, sensible even when drunk.

"Ah ha!" Lexi declared, pointing a swaying finger at Sarah. "So that's why you…" her words trialed off, frown forming as she tried to recall what she'd been about to say. Definitely too much to drink. They alone probably drained the bar off half it's contents, same for the humans they left behind. "What was I saying?"

"Something about me being right," Sarah said with a giggle that she couldn't stop all of a sudden. It had been the same back at the bar. After Lexi got involved, she'd been giggling right up until they left, and now she'd started again.

"Doesn't sound like me," Lexi said as she stared up at the night sky in thought. Unable to focus for Sarah's giggling fit. She ended up looking back to her, slapping her arm with her hand. "Will you stop giggling!" Lexi snapped in a pouty manor. Sarah just continued on.

"She can't help it," Ronnie said, smiling as she watched Sarah continue to giggle against his chest.

"She can too," Lexi growled, almost falling into Sarah again. "She just likes to pretend she can't."

"Don't know what you're talking about," Sarah replied her giggles dying down.

"So where are your friends, Lexi?" Ronnie asked, looking towards the crowd out front in case anyone had noticed them. Most of the people who had seemed to be dreading the idea of them coming inside. Some had even left the cue for the same reason, hardly wanting to spend time with a bunch of drunken hooligans when they'd come to enjoy a show. The rest just ignored them, focused by others things.

Lexi looked towards the crowd, eyes squinted as she stood up on her tip toes. Only able to by leaning on Sarah, practically pushing her down as she did. Then her eyes widened and she broke out into a smile. She lifted her hand, waving it madly back and forth, her weight moving with it, making it hard for Sarah to remain standing. "Hey, Rose! Trev–!" she didn't get the rest out, suddenly falling down on top of Sarah in a very unladylike like manor. Now they had the attention of the whole line, most of which were now tutting and staring on in disbelief, and some even in outrage.

"Ops…" Lexi mumbled from on top of Sarah.

"I'll, 'ops,' you in a second," Sarah snarled out as Ronnie helped them both up.

Once back on her, feet Sarah brushed down her cloths and then noticed the two strangers standing before her. Both smirking as they eyed the three. The woman had short brown hair, done neatly up behind her head, dressed in similar cloths to Sarah and Lexi. Her green eyes shining with amusement. As for the other, he was only slightly taller than the woman, stubble lining his jaw much like Ronnie's, though not as bold. His hair was brown too, combed over in a fashionable style. He's smirk said he was amused like his companion but it didn't quite reach his blue eyes.

"I see you haven't changed much," the woman said as she eyed Lexi.

"So much for cutting back on the drinking," the man added with a chuckle that the woman joined in.

"Shut up," Lexi snapped with a grin. "I could empty a whole bar if I wanted to and still walk away."

"Remind me who you just fell on?" Sarah asked with a glare at Lexi.

"That was entirely your fault," Lexi said with a look to her friend.

"How about introductions?" Ronnie asked with a hopeful smile. "Before you two end up on the street again."

"Watch it Blue Eyes," Lexi warned, using the nickname she'd given him at the start of the evening. She then turned to the two strangers, pointing to them both as she introduced them. "Sarah, Blue Eyes. This is Rose-Marie and Trevor."

"Nice to meet you," Rose said as she shook Sarah's hand while Trevor shook Ronnie's.

"You too," Sarah replied.

"And my name's Ronnie, not Blue Eyes," Ronnie informed them both as the two smirked back at him.

"He's drunk, ignore him," Lexi said as she waved him off, giggling along with the others as Ronnie rolled his eyes.

"So, I believe we have a show to see?" Trevor stated with a look to the theatre.

"Don't get your hopes up. It sucks," Sarah warned as the group of five began to make their way inside.

"Keep talking like that and they're going to kick you out," Ronnie pointed out with a grin, lips tickling the side of Sarah's head.

"I'd like to see them try," Sarah responded with a challenging grin.

"Alright fine, I'll kick you out then," Lexi warned before the entered the theatre, their laughter echoing out into the street as the door closed behind them.

"Lexi always said you were one of the good ones," Rose said to Stefan once Sarah had finished explaining how they met. Struggling a little bit when it came to the parts involving Ronnie. She'd felt like she'd gotten over it, or maybe she'd just pushed it down, but talking about it still brought up that feeling of betrayal. That was always going to be a tough pill to swallow. "At least more so than her anyway," Rose said with a thin smile and nod to Sarah.

"Hey," Sarah said with a frown of light offence as she patted Rose's arm. "I'm the one that's supposed to be your friend remember."

"Sorry," Rose said, a little ashamed until Sarah smiled at her softly, letting her know it wasn't serious. It was Trevor's death. She normally would have played along, like Lexi would have. But she was a wreck without Trevor, broken and feeling utterly alone. "I'm not even sure why I came here. It's just when I saw you I–I didn't know what to think."

"It's okay," Sarah said as she rubbed Rose's shoulder. "I understand why you ran back at the house."

"I don't have anywhere else to go, Sarah," Rose said as she looked up into her green eyes. "Without Trevor I don't…I can't…" She just couldn't find the words to describe it. No one could. It was worse than losing a limb, she'd just lost a part of who she was. "All I know is I don't want to run anymore."

"Well, you can stay here for a while if you like," Sarah said, knowing full well Damon would have something to say about it. He always did, especially whenever Sarah started letting people stay in their house without consulting him. But this was her friend and she wasn't going to kick her out right after she'd lost her best friend. She might just need to get to Damon before he found out was all. Otherwise he might well try and kill her.

"Thank you," Rose said sincerely. "But there's something you should probably know. And before I tell you, this isn't me trying to negotiate my stay here. I want to help. But you all need to know the full story before we go any further."

"What full story?" Stefan asked, arms folded as he stood behind the couch with a concerned frown. The one he usually had before someone told them bad news.

Rose looked to him, then back to Sarah, seriousness in her green eyes which made Sarah panic a little. She knew it took a lot to shake Rose, and even with Trevor's death in mind, she looked properly terrified, but managed to hide it from everywhere but her eyes. "You might have killed Elijah, but this isn't over." Elijah, that had been the name of the vampire she and Damon killed. That's what Elena had told them on the ride home. "The Originals, they'll come for her, Elena. They have to. They're doing it for him."

"For who?" Sarah asked, feeling a lump in her throat form for some unknown reason.

"Klaus."

Walking up to the old worn house, hands shoved in her rain coat pockets, Amelia prepared herself for what was on the other side. She'd received the call but had a feeling she was too late. She had a sort of sixth sense about these things. She pushed open the front door, letting it creek as it swung open. Then she stepped inside, one step, then another. She turned to her right, finding a man in a sharp suit hanging from the wall. A large stake through his heart, holding him up against the wall, his skin grey and body limp. She checked her watch before sighing and then returned her hand to her pocket. Assuming when she'd gotten the call and the time it was now, combine that with when the confrontation most likely happened and when it ended, and he was due to come back any second.

A second passed, then the sharp suited man's head lifted up, the grey to his skin fading as he looked down at the stake in his chest. He grabbed onto it with both hands and started to push, trying to get it out of him but was met with very slow progress.

"Let me," Amelia spoke up as the man looked over to her, his expression neutral, as always. She smirked a little as she walked over to the man, grabbing onto the stake with one hand and then pulling it out in one fluid motion. She let go and sent the stake flying through the air where it landed near the foot of the stairs with a clatter. The sharp suited man dropped to the floor, straightening his tie and pulling on his jacket before looking up at the blonde haired, freckled face woman opposite him. His brown eyes meeting her blue.

"Thank you, Amelia," Elijah said with a small grin.

"My pleasure, Brother," Amelia retorted with a grin of her own.