Review responses:

Only reviewer: Yeah, they really should have told Jenna everything sooner. Sure she would have been freaked, but it would have been way easier to protect her. And Jules will be just as bad here as she is in the show, so you've been warned. And I think Elena and Elijah did some sensible things...sort of. Maybe more civilised than sensible.

So here's the second part of By the Light of the Moon. Hard hitting chapter for both Sarah and Scarlett here, for different reason though, as you'll soon see.

I also wanted to let you all know that I'm going to have to go back to two week gaps again, since university is coming up and I'm kinda bricking it. Hopefully around Christmas I'll get back to a weekly upload, but in order to balance my education and still produce decent writing, I need the extra time. Sorry if this disappoints any of you, hopefully I'll be able to make it up to you all down the road. Until then, please enjoy the story!

And a quick thank you to all the new favourites and follows on both this story and others!

Chapter 22: By the Light of the Moon

"Forgive the intrusion. Me and my sister mean your family no harm," Elijah said to Elena, as he made himself comfy on the seat by Elena's window, leaning back against an arrangement of cushions while Amelia stood in front of Elena's mirror. Her blue eyes calm and tense free, much like her brother's darker ones, the opposite to the suspicious Sarah and Elena.

"Why did you kill those vampires back in Richmond when they tried to take me?" Elena asked, taking a step so that she was stood alongside Sarah at the end of her bed, facing the two Originals with an equal distance to them as Sarah. A united front against theirs, as opposed to Stefan and Damon who were forever shoving her behind them.

"Because we didn't want you to be taken," Elijah answered smoothly with a cool gaze to match the ever confusing look of Elena and Sarah.

"As I'm sure you're already aware," Amelia interjected, hands going into her jacket pockets as she spoke. "Klaus is the most feared and hated of the Originals. But those that fear him are also often desperate for his approval," Amelia explained.

"And if word were to get out that the doppelgänger exists, there'd be a line of vampires eager to take you to him and we can't have that," Elijah concluded, both smiling in unsettling unison as Sarah and Elena stared back.

"Hold on…you don't want to take her to Klaus?" Sarah asked, brow as low as it could possibly go.

"No," Amelia answered with a light shake of the head.

"Why not?" Elena responded, frowning along with Sarah as she watched the two Originals.

"Let's just say that our goal is not to break the curse," Elijah said elusively.

"So what the hell is your goal then?" Sarah asked, eyes moving between the two older vampires.

"Klaus's obsession has made him paranoid. He's a reclusive. He trusts only those in his immediate circle," Elijah continued to elaborate.

"Like you two?" Elena asked.

The two Originals shared a look, a brief but noticeable one before they looked back to their hosts. "Not anymore," Amelia answered, something like sadness linger in her voice, but the flash of fire in those blue eyes said otherwise.

"You're still yet to explain what this has to do with your goal," Sarah stated bluntly, still waiting for her answer. The two Originals stared back, somewhere between amused, and dismissive of her rudeness. However, Elena stepped forward from beside her, a knowing look forming as she pieced it all together.

"You don't know where he is, do you?" The look from the two Originals gave away their goal, something they obviously weren't happy about doing. Elena backed up to stand in line with Sarah, folding her arms as she decided looked away. She could see trying to out think the Originals wasn't going to do her any favours. Better to take a step back and try again.

"So you're trying to use me to draw him out," Elena said, looking back to the Originals.

"Well to do that we need you to stay put and stop trying to get yourself killed," Elijah said flippantly as he leaned back against the window frame, forcing a smile to his lips.

"And why should we trust you?" Sarah asked, attitude unable to stay out of her voice.

"Because if we wanted to take Elena then all her family would be dead – yourself included – and we'd be taking her to Klaus as we speak," Elijah said not so passive aggressively as he smirked back towards Sarah who sneered in response, not amused by his tone.

"What my brother means to say," Amelia stepped in, literally taking a step forward. "Is that we're not here to harm any of Elena's family or friends, or so that we can take her to Klaus for his praise and approval. We're here for our own reasons, but our goals are similar to yours, Elena," Amelia explained as her gaze and speech focused on her. "That's why we're here and we're prepared to offer you a deal."

"What kind of deal?" Elena asked, intrigued by this idea.

"Do nothing," Elijah said simply as he stood up. The movement alone enough to make Elena and Sarah step back, reevaluating the situation as he stepped over to stand at his sister's side. Once they both realised it wasn't an attempt to threaten or intimidate them, they relaxed a little and Elijah then continued. "Do nothing, live your life, stop fighting and then, when the time is right, you, I and Amelia shall draw out Klaus together and we shall make sure your friends and family remain unharmed."

"And then what?" Sarah asked, brow once again lowered as she studied the Originals, waiting for the loop hole that benefited them greatly in this deal.

"Then we kill him," Elijah stated simply.

"Just like that?" Sarah replied unconvinced.

"Just like that," Elijah repeated confidently. "Me and my sister take great pride in our words. When we make a deal, we keep the deal," Elijah explained, more softer and friendly than before. Sarah was on to him though. She noticed the specific way he and his sister used words, the way they were careful to choose each and every one. She glanced over to Elena, wondering if she too had noticed, not that she seemed to display any concern.

"How are you gonna be able to keep everybody safe?" Elena asked curiously, making sure the two Originals could deliver what they were promising.

"We know about your friend Bonnie, the local witch as we understand it," Amelia began to explain, momentarily alarming Elena at the mention of her best friend. "We have friends nearby with similar gifts to her. Stronger than her, in fact."

"You know witches," Elena said, almost grudgingly as she nodded along, arms folded, thinking, of course. Just as Sarah was.

"Together, we can protect everybody that matters to you," Elijah stated.

Amelia then stepped forward to stand in front of Elena, blue eyed gaze locked onto the doppelgänger's. Next to her, Sarah tensed but Amelia barely even gave her a second glance, her focus entirely on the prize at hand. "So, do we have a deal?" Amelia asked, soft yet political smile at her lips.

Elena stared for a moment, eyes slowly lowering in thought while Amelia's remained firmly on her. Sarah's eyes continued to flick between her and Elijah, waiting to act in case Elena turned down this offer. She could see only one reason why she would, but she wasn't convinced Elena would have worked it out. Then again, she'd been smart enough to almost get to Klaus the other day.

Feeling the human's gaze on her, Sarah turned to meet Elena's soft brown eyes. She tried to communicate the missing piece of information to her through that look alone, but it was futile. She wasn't as close to her as Stefan and even he would struggle to get all that across in one look. Instead she just urged Elena to be cautious, but she seemed to find something else in Sarah's green eyes, as she turned back to the Originals.

"I need you to do one more thing for me," Elena declared.

"We're negotiating now?" Elijah asked, almost amused, but more so irritated, by the way Elena was acting. However, a swiftly raised hand from Amelia silenced him, her eyes remaining on Elena as her smile twitched ever so slightly.

"What is it?" Amelia asked calmly.

Elena looked to Sarah. "Her brother's trapped in a tomb, Stefan. A magical barrier prevents vampires from leaving. Would you be able to lift it so that he can leave?"

"Is that all?" Amelia questioned, giving nothing away.

"Yes," Elena answered.

"Then if that's all, I'd be happy to add it to the outline of our deal. What about you Elijah?"

"A tad tedious, but I suppose we can accommodate," Elijah said dismissively, more focused with making adjustments to his suit than anything else. Another twitch at Amelia's lips before she turned her attention back to Elena and Sarah. She held out her hand, and Elena hesitated for a moment before taking Amelia's hand, shaking it as she did her best to look happy. Still not fully able to trust what the Originals' were offering.

"One more thing you should probably know about," Sarah spoke up. Amelia turned to her, awaiting what she had to say with wide eyed curiosity. Her brother however, merely rolled his eyes as they found their way over to the younger vampire. "There's another vampire trapped in there with Stefan. Ideally we'd prefer it if she remained in the tomb. She's called Katherine Pierce."

Both Elijah and Amelia's eyes widened ever so slightly at the name. "Katerina," Elijah murmured before his sister swung around, steel blue eyes meeting his. Elijah merely smiled back at her mildly angry face, before then looking to Sarah. "Thank you very much for informing us. We shall see to it that your brother is released by the end of the night."

"And we will deal with Ms. Petrova," Amelia cut in harshly, very unlike the polite manor she'd been projecting the entire time.

And with that, Elijah began to make his way towards the door, Amelia in toll right behind him. Elena and Sarah watched them both go in silence, watching as they left the room before shutting the door behind them. They waited a few moments, then Elena let out a breath as she turned towards her friend. "I guess that went about as well as it could have."

Sarah stared back at Elena, thinking over everything to make sure she was right. Her gaze then lowered, shame drifting through her mind as she contemplated not speaking up. She could, she could say nothing and let it all play out. She and her family and everyone she cared about would be safe. Elijah and Amelia had promised, which was apparently a big deal to them. Everything would be fine. Except…

"You're going to die," Sarah said quietly, because she couldn't not say it. Elena had been a good friend to her, and had done so much for her brother. She might not owe her this much, but Sarah knew if she didn't say anything and Stefan ever found out, he'd never forgive her. So she spoke up and Elena frowned back at her.

"Excuse me?"

"The deal you just made," Sarah said as she lifted her gaze to meet Elena's. "Did you notice the wording? They said they'd protect your family and friends." Sarah paused, staring into Elena's brown eyes, making sure she fully absorbed everything and understood what she then said next. "They didn't say anything about you."

"I know," Elena admitted, and now Sarah was the one frowning at Elena.

"What'd you mean, 'you know'?"

"I know that whatever they have planned, there's a chance I'll die. That's why they didn't mention protecting me. They can't guarantee my safety. But they can guarantee the safety of everyone I care about, and honestly, that's all that matters to me," Elena explained firmly, eyes never wavering from Sarah's, who was admittedly a little shocked by all this. She'd know how determined Elena was before, but even then she'd stumbled. This was different to what happened at Slater's.

"You really are going to do it," Sarah said, as if realising what she'd already known.

"Yes. I am," Elena declared. "But this way there's a chance I might survive too. If Elijah and Amelia succeed in killing Klaus before he uses me in his ritual, then I'll be able to go back to my life."

"And if not you'll be dead," Sarah said, not in protest however, just as a fact she wanted to be sure Elena understood.

Elena nodded in agreement, smiling bravely. "Yeah… But everyone else, including you, gets to live. Both our families, and all our friends, will be safe. Because at the end of the day. Klaus will either get what he wants from me, or Elijah and Amelia will kill him. Either way, you're all out of the crossfire."

Sarah was speechless for a moment, unsure as what to say. On one hand she was unbelievably grateful for the sacrifice Elena was willing to make, to ensure that her family would survive and remain together. But at the same time…she wasn't sure she wanted to see Elena die. If she'd been okay with it, she would have staked Katherine back during the masquerade ball, killing both of them. But she hadn't. Because she did care. And that left her conflicted.

"Elena…"

"You don't need to say anything, Sarah," Elena said as she closed the gap between them, her fierce and passionate eyes coming even closer to Sarah's susceptible green ones. "I know what family means to you. Family means a lot to me too. And I care about your family too. Not just Stefan. But you too, and even Damon." Another brave smile. "I'm willing to take this risk for our families. And I know you'd do the same if you could. But it's me they all want. I'm the doppelgänger."

Then her bravery turned to a look of plea. "And I know this isn't fair of me, but I need you to keep quiet about all of this." Sarah tried to object but nothing came out of her mouth when it opened. "Promise me, Sarah," Elena said desperately as she took Sarah's hands in her own. Sarah glanced down, surprised by Elena's actions before looking back up into those eyes. Those begging, big brown eyes. "Promise you won't tell anyone. This has to be our secret. It's our only chance at protecting everyone we care about."

"I promise," Sarah said, lips moving on auto pilot.

Elena smiled back in pure gratitude, tears brimming around her eyes. "Thank you," she whispered.

"I should be thanking you," Sarah laughed out hollowly, sniffing as she realised she too was fighting off tears. It was strange. Looking at Elena and knowing she'd practically just agreed to her death, which could be months away, and yet still felt like it was a goodbye. One Sarah probably wasn't ready for if she was being honest with herself. She liked having Elena around, and if everything worked out, she'd probably love having her as a sister in law. She was practically like one already.

"You can do that after this is all over," Elena said before pulling Sarah into a much needed hug. Sarah complied, and knowing how much Elena needed it right now, she held on for as long as the young girl wanted. She had started down the path towards her own death, and sure she'd rather be with Stefan right now, holding onto her love. But somehow, it just felt right being in this moment with Sarah instead.

An hour had passed and still Tyler hadn't changed. There had been screams. Screams of immense pain. Bones cracking, limbs moving into unnatural places, fur sprouting over his skin. It was like the wolf was inside was still settling in. Figuring out how best to come out, how to change Tyler into his alternative form without killing him. Because that's what it looked like it had been doing at several points. He was in so much pain, and Scarlett could see in his eyes that he wanted to die. He'd even asked, shocking Caroline. But both firmly said no.

Now Tyler was on the floor, sprawled out in between the tidal waves of pain. There was a few short moments in which he could catch his breath. Moments like this.

Scarlett couldn't understand it though. On her first full moon she'd changed so quickly in comparison. Why was Tyler's taking so long. It couldn't be because of her necklace, she hadn't even had it at the time. What made her different, what made this horrible ordeal so much harder for him? No matter what the answer was, she wasn't getting it tonight, and even if she did know, she doubted it would help Tyler. Though she did have the power to do that. Right around her neck.

She looked down at the necklace, once again rolling the thin black crystal in between her thumb and finger. She could survive the change. She'd gone through it more than enough times now. She could spare Tyler from this pain. But that would mean trusting him with so much, her very weakness and power. Something he might very much want to keep for himself. Was sharing it really an option?

"I want to help but I don't know what to do," Caroline suddenly spoke up softly. Scarlett glanced over, finding the blonde cautiously approaching Tyler, playing with her fingers as she looked down at him sadly. Scarlett was the same, only she knew how to help, and was debating whether she should or not.

"There's nothing you can do," came Tyler's hoarse voice from the floor. He didn't even have the strength to roll his head over and look at them. This long night was slowly killing him. With a sorry and sad look Scarlett made her way over, kneeling down next to his head and in the process giving Caroline the courage to kneel down next to him too.

"Tyler. I know it hurts, but you have to push through it. If you don't, I don't know what will happen," Scarlett explained seriously. That's how she'd done it, powering through the change, even on her first night when it had hurt the most. She had to go through it, to fight it made her feel as if her body would be torn in two.

"I can't…I can't…" Tyler mumbled out through sobs, head brushing the floor as he shook it.

"Yes you can," Scarlett insisted as she leaned over. "I know you Tyler, and I know you're strong enough to do this. Just push, let the pain guide you through the change. I know it'll be incredibly painful, but once you get through it, I promise it'll get better. But you have to do this, Tyler. Please," Scarlett pleaded with him, not wanting to see any more of this. He just had to fight, to stand up and get through it. Then they could put this all behind them and move on.

Her words seemed to give him strength, as he placed his hands on the ground and began to push, push until his knees slid under and took the bulk of his weight. He was doing it, he was fighting. Scarlett motioned Caroline back and the two slid back to give Tyler more space. It was a struggle, you could hear it in his voice, the grunts and groan of a man trying. He closed his eyes, squeezed them shut, and then pushed on through.

The muscles along his back began to twist, moving before Scarlett and Caroline's very eyes. It was as if something was living inside him, trying to get out. In some ways, it was. Then the sound of his spin breaking echoed around them, making Caroline jump. Tyler cried out in pain, each section of his spine breaking up as it reshaped itself. His back arched inwards, a cry unlike any before rushing out from his stretched lips. His arms gave way and he collapsed to the ground, crying out as his limbs twisted this way and that, like he was possessed by a demon in some Hollywood movie.

"Get out!" Tyler shouted in between his cries. Not out of hate, but out of warning. "Get out! I don't want to hurt you."

"No!" Caroline snapped to Scarlett's surprise, as the vampire remained firmly stood.

"Get out!" Tyler shouted again.

"No!" Caroline shouted back, striding over and kneeling down next to his collapsed and breaking body. "I'm not leaving you," she declared, taking him in her arms and holding him, while still allowing him room to move should his body need it.

"Neither of us are," Scarlett added as she came back in, kneeling down beside Caroline.

The snapping bones and spasming muscles stopped for another moment. Either because the wolf inside was rethinking how best to come out or because Tyler had stopped trying to force the change. Scarlett wasn't sure which she preferred. "How are you feeling?" she asked softly, watching as Caroline carefully ran her hand through Tyler's hair, doing her best to comfort him.

"I'm burning," Tyler said quietly before his face contorted in more pain. "It burns!" Suddenly his arm swung out and both women skidded back to avoid it, only to find his arm was twist in an unnatural angel, fur sporting even more so than before. So much so his skin was almost missable beneath the hair. His hand was shifting to, bones inside breaking down as Tyler screamed, the hand shrinking in on itself. It didn't make it the whole way though, and then suddenly started to reform as the hair receded.

"Tyler, breathe. Just breathe through it, okay?" Caroline said above Tyler's cries.

"It's not working! Nothing's working!"

He was right, nothing that they were doing was working. Scarlett wasn't even convinced it was helping, but she had nothing to compare it to other than her own experience. And that had been under different circumstances as it was. She'd gotten through it though, had done so many times since. But Tyler was struggling to even get through his first full moon. Scarlett could see his body, withering away. It was taking so much out of him. His ribcage was showing through his skin, although she wasn't sure what that meant about the change. What she did know was that she could do this. Tyler was proving he wasn't ready. And seeing him like this, when she had the power to help. She couldn't take it. She had to do something. She would be fine no matter what, Tyler she wasn't as confident about.

Another cry of pain erupted from Tyler and Scarlett's mind was made up. "Tyler, listen to me," Scarlett said, crawling back over to his side. "I'm going to make this all better, okay. I'm going to show you how I control my change." He looked at her, a mix of betrayal and horror in his eyes. She had expected that, considering he was now thinking she'd been keeping it from him just for kicks. "But there's a catch. It means I'll have to change instead of you."

"No," Tyler blurted out without thinking, head shaking from more likely the pain and spasms than of his own will. "No, I can't put you through this."

"Except I've done it before, Tyler. I can handle it. You can't, not yet. But I'll help you, I'll make sure you're ready for the next full moon," Scarlett explained, looking him in the eye to let him know she could handle it. She was more than willing to take his place in this situation, at least until he was ready. He broke down quick enough, nodding frantically as he closed his eyes in shame.

"All right," he said so quietly it almost didn't register.

Scarlett nodded, before she tilted her head forward and began to undo the clasp to her necklace. "Scarlett," Caroline called out in alarm.

"It's all right, Caroline" Scarlett said with a look over to the nervous vampire. "I can do this." She finished removing the necklace, holding it out for Tyler to see. "This was my mother's necklace. It's the only thing left of her that I own. But it means more to me than that. It allows me to control my supernatural side, to change when I want without the full moons dictation. I'm going to put this on you and it should stop you from changing."

"But you'll start to change," Caroline pointed out, coming in to join them once more, kneeling beside them.

"Yes," Scarlett said as she put the necklace around Tyler's neck. "But I've got more experience than him. I know what I'm doing, and know I can handle it," Scarlett said firmly as she pulled away from Tyler, the necklace now hanging around his neck.

They waited a moment, all three staring at each other as they waited for a sign it had worked. For Tyler to say it had, for Scarlett to start changing, for some glow in the eyes between them. But there was nothing, a whole minute passed and nothing. "Is it working?" Caroline asked Tyler who had pushed himself up onto his arms.

"I don't–" was all Tyler got out before his back once again arch inwards and he cried out in pain, another snap of bone following.

"He's still changing!" Caroline shrieked as she grabbed hold of Tyler – holding onto him as he cried out – but still looking to Scarlett who stared on in shock. That wasn't right. He shouldn't still be changing. He should be in control, like she was. Able to chose if he changed or not. "Does it take time to work or something?" Caroline shouted over Tyler's screams.

"No," Scarlett said. "It should start working instantly. He shouldn't…" Scarlett's sentence fell short when Tyler's head shot up and then fell back down, amber eyes surrounded in darkness now meeting hers. Saliva dripping from the mouth as his jaw jerked this way and that, accommodating for the new teeth forming in his mouth.

"Run!" Tyler roared before he dropped onto the floor, limbs flying all over the place as his muscles twisted and reshaped, bones reforming inside him to take on his new shape. This was it, Scarlett could see it, she could feel it. This was the big one, the final one.

"Caroline, we need to get out of here, now!" Scarlett shouted as she backed away from the frantic Tyler.

"We can't just–" Caroline shouted back before Tyler snapped at her, teeth coming close to bitting her arm until she pushed herself back at the last second, screaming as she did.

"Caroline, run!" Scarlett shouted, grabbing her arm and yanking her up before both raced out in a blur, slamming the iron barred door shut behind them. Tyler had flipped over now, crawling around on all fours like a rabid animal with his nose to the ground as he sniffed out his prey. He then landed his bright amber eyes on Caroline and Scarlett. He let out a loud growl, teeth snapping as he charged across the room. Caroline was still fumbling about with the chain lock for the door but luckily Tyler's own chains stopped him before he could get close enough to bite Caroline.

However, one snapped in the process. He then quickly realised what was stopping him from getting at his prey and was back across the room in a blur, pulling at the chains that held him in place. And to Scarlett's horror, he actually managed to break two or three of them.

Finally Caroline finished the lock, backing up just in time as Tyler threw himself at the barred door, claw like hand reaching through as he tried to grab Caroline. He was truly more animal than man now, and with none of the self control that Scarlett normally had. Her necklace really was doing nothing for him. She felt horrible for giving him false hope, but quickly shoved it to the back of her mind as Tyler shook the bars that were separating him from his prey. Considering how easily he'd broken through those chains, Scarlett doubted the door would hold him for long.

"Caroline, come on," Scarlett said, but her words were barely heard over Tyler's incessant growling. So she grabbed Caroline's arm and pulled her out.

"I'm sorry," Caroline shouted back, but Scarlett doubted Tyler would remember anything after this point. She sure as hell didn't during her first change.

They got beyond the next door, this one made of solid wood, and pushed it shut, leaving Tyler alone to finish his change. It wasn't ideal, but he was too dangerous for either of them to be around now. Caroline began to cry, balancing her head against the heavy wooden door. Scarlett felt for her, she did, her empathy hitting a spike for some reason, but they had to secure Tyler. So the teenage werewolf quickly grabbed the wooden beam and lowered it into place, making sure the door wouldn't open until either herself or Caroline decided it was over.

But this only solved one of their problems.

"Caroline, you need to get out of here, right now," Scarlett said, staring at Caroline as she sniffed, slowly turning around. She was confused at first, until she gasped, seeing Scarlett's bright amber eyes glowing against a black background.

Already she could feel it, the full moon taking effect. The tingles had started, the ones that normally lead to change. but something was different than normal. The change was…slower. She'd felt the tingles since she first removed her necklace, her body preparing for the transformation. And yet by now, she would have finished, had she started to change from when she took her necklace off.

She tried to force it along, to encourage the process, but her body refused to let her go at her normal pace. Her mouth had already shifted per usual, accommodating for her canines, her hands turning to claws. But then they shifted back, as if it was all wrong. Too easy.

"What's happening?" Caroline asked, watching as Scarlett went through the motions of changing back and forth.

"My necklace… Tyler still…has it," Scarlett said, suddenly feeling sick as she hunched over, arms wrapping around her chest. What the hell was this? She thought. The change had never been like this, not even her first, without the necklace. Surely it couldn't have been like this. She would have remembered if it was this–

The unnatural sound of snapping bone and muscle forced an aching scream from Scarlett as she collapsed onto her knees. Never, in all her changes since she became a werewolf, had turning felt like that. Sure bones had snapped before, and her body had been reshaped through a painful series of movements. But it had never been like this. The pain amplified, body breaking one piece at a time. The next bone breaking only after the second when you thought it might be alright.

Her back snapped inwards and her shoulders dropped, as if they'd been ripped from the sockets of her shoulder. She cried out, tears filling her eyes and blurring her changing vision. This wasn't changing. Not like she'd experienced it. This was unnecessary torture. Everything breaking over and over, in the most painful and dragged out way possible. Her gums ached, her limbs were twisted and pulled. Her bones poked her organs unnaturally, causing waves of pain at the slightest move, which was forced upon her in random spasms.

Her shifts had always been easy compared to this. Painful yes, but like any medical procedure she'd been able to brave it and power through, and after a few minutes she'd have changed. But now she couldn't power through. She was trying too, but her body wouldn't move the way it normally would when changing. She was being held back, forced to endure the cursed full moon. To suffer in her change rather than relish in it.

"I…can't…control it," Scarlett breathed out through clenched teeth, which she was certain were starting to bleed. For a second she even thought she'd bitten off her tongue, before realising that too was reshaping, twisting all the way down through her throat and making her want to throw up. She'd never noticed that part before, it had been one of the seamless parts of the transformation. But thanks to this slow torment, she was realising there were a lot of little details in her change from human to wolf that she'd never noticed before. Like her nails peeling off, as he fingers inverted inside her hands which turned to paws, bones inside crushing in on themselves. The same for her feet. Her skull shattered inside her own head, muscles stabbing out and twisting into new shapes as they took on the natural form of the wolf. Her spin elongated, breaking through the base as it stretched into a tail. Skin being stretched over her new tailbone as to provide a surface for hair to grow on. Even her mind was changing. Logical thoughts gone, her only focus her stomach. Her hungry stomach.

She began to growl, glow eyes locking onto Caroline, who would be as good as any deer. Scarlett lunged, still more human than wolf, but her paws were useless for grabbing Caroline who darted out the way. Her claws weren't even ready yet, and when she tried to bring them out, she felt only stings of pain, as they pressed against fragile skin.

The pain was just enough to make her grab onto what little sanity she had left. She was fighting the urges inside, but she could feel herself losing for the first time. Massively outnumbered all of a sudden. It wouldn't be long before she lost it all together, and if Caroline was still nearby when that happened, she wouldn't be able to stop herself.

"You… have to…run," Scarlett groaned out, fighting everything inside her. Her thoughts, her instincts, her change, the wolf.

"Scarlett, I can't just–"

"Go!" Scarlett roared, her eye flashing as Caroline raced out of the cellar and up to the top of the stairs, stopping to look back at Scarlett who was now hidden in the shadows of the underground.

"Do you want me to call Sarah?" Caroline offered.

"NO!" Scarlett roared once more. "Don't let her…come near me. I…can't…" She couldn't finish. Another growl erupting before it vanished into animalistic squeal of pain and Scarlett once again collapsed to the ground. The change kicked in again, and her limbs began to fail in unnatural directions, bones pricing internal organs as said organs tried to move, only to be stuck in place by the moving bones. It had never been like this. This…this was hell. Hell for one whole night and with no control over yourself.

Before Scarlett couldn't understand why anyone would view lycanthropy as a curse. The power, the strength, the speed, the ability to change into a wolf and become one with nature. It was an unbelievable experience to describe and it give her something nothing else in the world could. But this wasn't like that. This made Scarlett realise why it was called a curse. She'd been lucky with her necklace. It gave her the chance to see it all in a better light. While everyone else saw it like this. As one torturous night every month, were your own body broke you down until all that remained was something that was neither man, nor animal, but a monster. A monster who's only goal was to kill and feed, no matter what.

And this terrified Scarlett to her core. Because this was her first, real, full moon. She'd been living in a perfect ideal werewolf's world. Now she got to see what it was really like. For Mason, for Tyler, for anyone else like her. And it honestly killed a part of her.

As they made their way through the woods around Mystic Fall, Amelia's gaze drifted up to the full moon overhead. "What shall we do about the werewolves?" Amelia asked aloud, walking along side Elijah towards the tomb where they'd been told they could find Katherina. Her eyes still fixated by the beauty of the moon above. It had been a while since she'd stopped to appreciate it, maybe tomorrow, she thought.

"Well, the girl, Scarlett, will fall under the protection of our deal with Elena. As will that other Lockwood boy. Meaning we'll shall have to find another to substitute for the ritual," Elijah explained, before Amelia's gaze dropped to her brother, raising an eyebrow at him as they continued to walk through he woods.

"I meant about the fact that they might be loose tonight," Amelia pointed out, the corner of her lips turning up ever so slightly in amusement.

"Ah..." Elijah said slowly, realising as his own lips turned into a ghostly smile. "Yes, well, I suppose if we run into them we'll just have to restrain them," Elijah said simply, the tomb entrance coming into view up ahead. "And besides, it's not like we can do anything about it now. But if anything should happen as a result of that dreadful werewolf curse, then we shall go to Elena for another talk."

"Your empathy warms my heart, Elijah," Amelia said sarcastically as they descended the stairs into the tomb.

"I aim to please," Elijah replied before they entered a small stone room. As described to them, the brother and sister found a large stone against the wall, blocking the entrance in. They'd already had Jonas and his son Luka lift the spell on the tomb, so the only thing keeping the two vampires inside was the large stone.

Being the brother that he was, Elijah offered to move it, and Amelia, being the sister that she was, allowed him. She stood back, hands in her rain coat pockets while Elijah moved the stone aside. It took some effort but he still made it look easy. Like the large rock was nothing more than a heavy cardboard box. He sat it aside, before then moving to his sister's side, his own hands going into his jacket pockets as they waited for the vampires inside to come to them.

They did after a moment. The one they presumed to be Stefan appeared first, holding a lantern in his hand, frowning at the sight of Amelia, but even more so at Elijah. Someone obviously hadn't been kept in the loop, but that was neither of the Originals' concern. They had their deal, and getting Stefan out was part of it. Once they fulfilled that part all they had to do was keep Stefan and the others alive until their business was concluded. It didn't really matter if none of them got along or were honest with each other. Elena's word was all that they concerned themselves with.

At least that was the case until Katerina stepped into the corridor. Amelia's face twitched at that, but she managed to hide it – and her emotions – quickly behind a still mask of nothing. Much like her brother had, though his reasoning was different to hers, just like their history was with Katerina. The doppelgänger vampire, however, wasn't able to control herself at the sight of the two Originals. She took in a quick breath, air catching in shock as she staggered back into the stone wall. Shaking from head to toe.

It pleased Amelia to see Katerina this way, the way she hoped the runaway had spent her whole life. Scared and alone, jumping at shadows because one of them might have been lurking in anyone of them. After what she'd done to Elijah, and to the rest of Amelia's family, it was the least she deserved in the Original's opinion.

"Amelia," Katerina said shakily, staring in horror at the freckled vampire that stood in the entrance to the tomb. "Elijah," she added, still shocked but a little less scared. It wouldn't help her. Even if she could somehow whoo Elijah to her side, she wouldn't survive Amelia if she tired. But she was too busy to deal with this troublesome nuisance, she would save her for later. Once they'd dealt with Klaus.

"Good evening, Katerina," Elijah said calmly, apparently ignoring the fact that Katherine had been more scared of his sister than him. Not that that kind of thing ever bothered him. He knew how fearsome Amelia could be, but his lack of concern over her fear did concern Amelia, as if there were some part of him that still cared. "Thank you for having the good sense to be frightened."

"Stefan Salvatore?" Amelia asked, succeeding in keeping the contempt for Katerina out of her voice as she spoke. The other vampire nodded, looking between Katerina and the two Originals, as if trying to work out the history between them. But then he nodded again, meeting Amelia's gaze while Katerina took another step back, keeping close to the tomb wall. "Your release has been requested."

"What? By who?" Stefan asked with a frown of confusion.

"The lovely Elena drives a hard bargain. However, we've reached a peaceful agreement. And as part of that agreement, she and your sister asked if we could release you. And so we have." Elijah then gestured for Stefan to step on out of the tomb with a sweep of his arm, while Amelia stood still alongside him. Keeping one eye on Katerina and ready to move if she took another step. "So if you'd please step out of the tomb."

"I can't," Stefan answered.

"We've had the spell lifted. You are now free to come and go from this place as you please," Amelia explained politely, still keeping Katerina in the corner of her eye as she looked to Stefan. Slowly the youngest vampire of them all stepped forward. He looked back to Katerina, who stared at him in confusion, frowning as she watched. But even now Amelia could see her planing her escape. But there would be no escape. Not this time.

A few more steps and then Stefan was out of the tomb, looking back to confirm he'd cross the threshold. He looked to the Originals, and they stared back at him and then Katerina ran, thinking she'd found her window. She hadn't, and Amelia was in front of her in a blink of an eye, blocking her path. Startled, Katerina gasped, stumbling back as Stefan jumped aside at the sudden movement. He continued back, stood in line with Elijah, looking between him and Amelia as the blonde Original glare at the terrified Katerina.

"As for you," Amelia began, quickly using her compulsion to make sure that Katerina didn't look away, pulling her into that hypnotic gaze. She might have disapproved of compulsion, but for someone like Katerina, she was willing to make an exception. "You are not free to come and go as you please. You will stay here until otherwise instructed by myself, or Elijah."

"Amelia," Katerina begged, and Amelia savoured it, finally getting want she'd wanted from Katerina after all this time. But it was too little, too late as for as she was concerned.

"Be silent," Amelia ordered. "I don't want to hear another word out of that treacherous mouth of yours," she spit before turning to face Stefan who was staring in utter confusion, still stood alongside Elijah who was happily watching his sister. "You are free to go, Stefan. Elena and your sister can explain the deal we've made. And as long as Elena keeps her word, we'll keep ours," Amelia explained, staring at Stefan until he finally began to move, heading towards the stairs.

Behind Amelia, Katerina moved about, as if trying to get Stefan's attention, pleading with her eyes. But without her tongue, the young Salvatore just continued on up the stairs, leaving her behind in the tomb. Amelia smiled at that, happy to see that Katerina's power over men was fading with the ages. Or perhaps it was something as simple as karma, catching up to her. If that was the case, then Klaus would have a lot coming his way soon.

"Time for us to leave too, Brother," Amelia declared, hitting him with a pointed look.

"Agreed," Elijah said, briefly lowering his head before he looked back up, past Amelia and to Katerina. "Goodbye, Katerina," he said simply, offering her a dark smile before he too left the tomb.

And as Amelia's smile grew, she too started to walk out, not even gifting Katerina with a glance over her shoulder, because she had no need to look back. Katerina had gotten what she deserved, and Amelia had been the one to enforce the justice that had been served. She would be trapped down there, alone, until Amelia returned to execute her for all she'd done to her family. And she'd make it painful. Oh, how painful it would be for the manipulative whore.

Hugging herself, Caroline slowly, and cautiously approached the Lockwood cellar. It was still a couple of hours until sunrise, but the temptation to check and her general fear of Tyler and Scarlett roaming around the woods forced her back. She had to be sure they were still in the cellar, even if they were still wolves. If not, she'd have left the forest and them. And she didn't want to abandon her friends.

"Scarlett," Caroline said quietly, peering down the steps and into the dark cellar below. She stood at the top, waiting for her eyes to adjust, until she saw a shape in the darkness. She backed up, ready to run for her life, but then heard a dreamy inhale, and exhale, of breath. Not something she'd expect from a werewolf on a full moon.

She dared to look back down into the darkness and smiled when she saw Scarlett at the bottom of the stairs. The poor girl was asleep, curled up on the stone floor, naked, and completely out of it. The door next to her, had been beaten down a bit, but it was still standing. Minus a chunk of wood which had been broken down into splinters that lay around Scarlett. Despite the obvious health hazard though, Caroline saw no sign of blood.

She stepped down the stairs, stopping next to Scarlett as she bent down. She pushed back the girl's dark hair, finding her young face relaxed, lips partially open as she breathed in and out. Compared to how she'd looked when she first started to change, she looked a lot more peaceful now, almost making her look younger than she seemed. Caroline's smile grew, softening like the girl before her. Sure Scarlett put on a tough act, and was pretty strong and powerful, but she was still just fifteen, a whole year younger than Caroline. And seeing her like this reminded Caroline of when she was younger and wanted a sister. She never got one. But even so, that memory triggered something inside of her then.

Taking off her scarf, she folded it into a small pillow, placing it beneath Scarlett's head. Next she took of her jacket, placing it over the teenager as to stop her from catching a chill. Werewolf or not, Caroline wasn't taking any chances. "…What…?" came Scarlett's distant voice, stirring as Caroline made sure that her jacket covered as much of Scarlett as possible.

Panicking, Caroline backed up quickly before stopping, worried that her sharp movements might frighten Scarlett and awaken her. "It's okay, Scarlett. It's just me," Caroline said with a soft voice, offering Scarlett a sympathetic smile as the girl's eyelashes fluttered ever so slightly.

"Caroline…what…?" Scarlett said, still half asleep, and only speaking in between deep breaths.

"It's okay, it's over," Caroline reassured her, rubbing the girl's shoulder lightly as to comfort her. "I'm just going to go and see how Tyler is doing and then I'll take you home."

"Jer…Jere…Jeremy…" Scarlett mumbled.

"Okay, I'll take you to see Jeremy," Caroline promised. "Just let me check on Tyler first." Scarlett's head moved in a nod, before she then went still, breathing as she snuggled into the scarf her head was resting on. Caroline smiled sorrily once again, before slowly getting up, moving carefully as not to wake the tired girl. From there she then went into the cellar and found Tyler, back to human as well.

They'd done it, they'd survived the night without killing anyone, or themselves.

Sat by Elena's window, each of them took up half the seat – Elena with her legs curled up against her and Sarah with one leg curled in while the other stretched out towards the ground. Since agreeing to keep her secret about the deal, they hadn't talked much. They'd just been waiting. Waiting for Stefan to be released and come home to them. Sarah still wasn't convinced she could trust the Originals, or that their supposed 'Word' actually meant anything at all. People who really care about the deals they make don't need to say it, they prove it in their actions. And so far, neither Elijah or Amelia had done anything to prove their word meant a thing.

That was until Sarah caught sight of something in the window. She knew it hadn't come from outside, it had been a reflection off the window and its dark background. Elena had seen it too and both turned to see Stefan walking into Elena's bedroom. "Hey," he said simply, but the emotion in that word was enough to tell anyone how grateful he was to be back.

"Stefan," Sarah gasped in glee before racing from the window seat and throwing her arms around her brother, holding him after what had been far too long. "You're okay."

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm okay," Stefan said as they parted, smiling back at his near teary eyed sister. He then looked past her, Sarah turning with him to see Elena now stood, doing all she could to hold herself back out of respect for family. Sarah was grateful, but she'd had her moment and now it was time to let Elena have hers.

"I'll give you two a minute," Sarah said with a smile to the couple, planting a kiss on her brother's cheek before adding, "It's good to have you back." Stefan smiled again, watching her head out before turning to Elena. Sarah's smile turned to grin then, hearing Elena pounce on him before she'd even left the room, wrapping him up in a long awaited kiss. And considering what followed, it had been a good thing Sarah remembered to close the door behind her.

Climbing through the open window, Scarlett found Jeremy in his room, lying on top of his bed, seemingly a sleep with his headphones still playing music. Despite his position, Scarlett knew he would have been worrying about her ever since the moon went up. But they'd agreed he'd look after his sister tonight while she dealt with Tyler and the full moon. However, after what she'd been through, she'd found herself wishing Jeremy had been with her.

She had her necklace back on, which had helped settle her body, but her mind was still trembling from what it'd gone through. The worst change of her life. She was now starting to realise why she didn't remember much about her first night as a wolf, because it was probably so painful she'd blocked most of it out. Being forced to change was one thing, but having it dragged out, breaking you down piece by piece without a smooth motion to it. It had been the most physically painful thing Scarlett had ever endured.

And now all she wanted was her boyfriend. His warm embrace.

Fortunately, the always prepared Caroline had brought a spare change of cloths for Scarlett too, which she was now dressed in. She and Tyler had gotten changed before Caroline dropped her off at the Gilberts'. She was spending the rest of the night with Tyler, just to be safe but said she'd call if anything came up. Scarlett hoped nothing did, because all she wanted from now until the end of time was Jeremy's presence, his touch.

She crossed the space from the window to his bed, and as she got onto the bed, he sat up, feeling the movement of it beneath him. The second he saw her, he threw his headphones back and quickly blinked away whatever sense of sleep he'd had before she joined him. It made her smile, seeing how he dropped everything for her. It made her feel special, and right now, she'd needed that.

"Scarlett, hey, how'd it go?" he asked, sat up with his legs stretched out before him, while Scarlett was sat on her folded knees, hands resting on the fabric of her torn jeans. At the question her gaze dropped, the memory of the horrid change coming back to her in flashes that made her muscles twitch at the thought. But how could she explain such an ordeal to him. Only Tyler could really understand, having been through it himself, but it wasn't exactly something you'd want to bond over.

"Not good, Jer," she answered quietly.

"Did something happen with Tyler?" Jeremy quickly asked.

"No. Nothing happened with Tyler. At least nothing that wasn't supposed to happen. But…"

When she didn't continue, Jeremy moved onto his knees, adopting the same position as Scarlett while carefully taking her face in his hands, tilting her head until she was looking into his soft brown eyes. Eyes that said he was there for her and God how she needed those eyes, and him, right now. "But what?" he asked softly, not wanting to force it out of her, but needing an answer. Needing to know nothing serious had happened that he could have been there to help with. Maybe he could have helped had he been there. Maybe he would have stopped her from giving up her necklace, and then she never would have had to go through that pain.

"I…I gave my necklace to Tyler," Scarlett answered with a sniffle, tears of remembrance pricking her eyes as she spoke.

It didn't take Jeremy long to put two and two together. "But then…what happened to–"

"I changed, Jeremy," Scarlett abruptly sobbed out, fear slipping into her voice as the tears started to bubble up in her eyes. "And I know I've done it before, hundreds of times in fact. But this was… Jeremy it was just…" She was struggling to find the right way to describe it until she realised that she never could. So she went with a word that would make sense, but could never capture the range of what she'd gone through. "…painful."

Jeremy wasn't sure how to respond, staring into Scarlett's tearful blue eyes as he tried to wrap his head around it. He already knew that she went through pain every time she changed, which was true. But this time she hadn't had her necklace, and she'd been unable to push through, changing at a snail's pace, allowing her to feel every body breaking second off it as she'd screamed.

"I couldn't force it like normal, couldn't just get it over with. I had to go through it…for hours?" She wasn't sure, the whole experience already fogged in painful memories, that made it feel like it had been for hours. "My body breaking and remaking and breaking and it hurt. It hurt so much," she explained as the tears flowed out and hysteria began to come out. "I couldn't control it. I couldn't stop it or finish it, I was just stuck in this place of pain and I…I…"

From there Scarlett broke down into full on crying, and Jeremy pulled her into a hug, holding her tightly as she pressed her face against his shirt. Fingers clawing around the fabric as she inhaled is scent, needing it to fill her and make her feel sane once again. After tonight she just need him. "It's okay," Jeremy reassured her. "It's over now."

"I can't go through that again, Jeremy. I can't," Scarlett cried out into his chest, unable to even stand the thought of having to do that again in a month's time.

"And you won't have to, ever. I promise," Jeremy said as he looked down into her eyes, before pulling her back in. "I'll make sure no one takes your necklace away, especially on full moons." It was a sweet promise, and one Scarlett needed to sooth her mind for now. She forced herself to believe it, despite the problems such a promise could bring. She just needed to believe for tonight. Until the memories faded, however long that may be.

"Scarlett?" When the voice came it made her jump, as she pulled away from Jeremy and they both looked to the door. Finding Sarah stood there with a frown. "What's the matter? What's going on?" she asked, taking in the situation, and most importantly, Scarlett's tears.

The teenager couldn't answer, sobbing like a blubbering fool and hating herself for it. She'd thought herself so grown up, but after tonight, all she wanted was to curl up in her bed with whomever she loved and stay there for the rest of her life. Free from the full moon and the pain and everything. Thinking of how unobtainable that was made her start crying all over again, her head dropping against Jeremy's shoulder.

She felt Jeremy roll his head towards her, motioning Sarah into his room. He then began to move Scarlett off him, and she had been about to cry out and grab on for dear life until she felt Sarah take her. Possibly the only other person in the world she'd let hold right now. She cuddled into the vampire, crying like a little girl as Sarah simply held her comfortingly. No judgement in sight. Not even a question. She was just there, like she always was when she needed her. Through her sobs she sniffed and knew Jeremy was still with her. Sat on the bed beside her and Sarah. Giving them just enough space without straying too far from Scarlett's comfort bubble. Just where she needed him.

Wrapping her arms around Sarah, the young werewolf settled herself in for a long night, as her protector and boyfriend comforted her, never even thinking of leaving until Scarlett said so.