Bonnie leaned heavily on Tyler as they walked into the cemetery. They were late but the expression on Bonnie's face dared anyone to complain about it. She could think of a million things she would rather do with her time. However, she couldn't behave as if she were little more than a petulant child. Everyone's safety could be compromised if even a fraction of the travelers' plan was successful. They had come frighteningly close to lowering the veil and releasing millions of supernatural spirits that would suddenly be corporeal again. Any hope of keeping the supernatural world a secret from humans would be out the window.

She had given much thought to Ansel's dire warning. Bonnie wondered how the world would change if humans knew the truth. Mystic Falls could hardly be considered a case study. The town liked to pretend that they were ignorant of the things that went bump in the night. The townsfolk had the luxury of playing dumb because the founding families stood guard. The Council had been formed well over one hundred years ago. However, guardians started protecting Mystic Falls hundreds of years before that. This sleepy little town had long been a beacon for the supernatural community.

The original Council had been compromised of humans. In present day, nearly every founding family contained at least one supernatural member. The Fell family was the only exception since Logan had been killed. However, Meredith frequently asked Damon and Caroline for blood donations. She had no qualms about using vampire blood to heal her sickest patients. Frankly, Bonnie thought it was time for the Council to make some changes. Humans alone wouldn't be enough to protect the town long-term. There were 'Big Bads' lurking in the darkness that humans would be helpless against. Case in point, the travelers could have possessed everyone in Mystic Falls if not for Bonnie and her friends.

The Bennett witches were working at a fast pace to prepare the cemetery for the seance. The candles placed on the ground were arranged in a specific pattern. The cemetery also smelled of fresh herbs. They were meant to enhance the connection with the Other Side.

Bonnie wondered if they had swiped the herbs from her greenhouse.

Tyler asked, "Are you okay?"

She nodded. "Yeah. I am just ready to get this over with."

He kissed the top of her head. He whispered, "I'm right here with you."

"I know. I appreciate it," she replied.

Lucy and Joanna walked over to Bonnie. Both women wore cautious expressions. It was obvious that they didn't want to risk upsetting her again.

Seeing her cousin and great-aunt behave that way made her feel guilty. Bonnie asked, "Are we almost ready to start the seance?"

Joanna nodded. "Soon. We're still waiting for Klaus and his siblings to arrive."

Lucy frowned when she noticed that Bonnie's hair was wet. "What happened to you?"

"What?" Bonnie asked with a confused look on her face.

"Your hair is wet," Lucy elaborated.

Bonnie smoothed a hand over her hair. She had slicked it back into a messy bun. There wasn't much she could do with her hair until she was back home. She said, "Oh. I went for a swim."

Joanna's jaw dropped. She pulled her jacket tighter around her body. "You went swimming in this weather?"

Bonnie laughed softly. "The cold doesn't really bother me anymore...perks of being a hybrid."

Joanna looked to her daughter for confirmation.

Lucy shrugged her shoulders. "I'm not as sensitive to the cold as I was before this all happened. But I can still feel the cold and I don't like it."

Tyler's arm was still wrapped around Bonnie's waist. He chuckled. "Bonnie has always been a little snowman. Miss Sheila used to call her 'Frosty'."

Bonnie looked up at Tyler with a small grin. "You remember that?"

He nodded. "I thought it was hilarious."

She rolled her eyes playfully. "Grams was always after me to put on my coat during the winter. I would forget it in the most random places."

Tyler chuckled because he had been the same way. His body temperature had run hot even before breaking the curse.

Joanna cleared her throat. "I was hoping that we could talk, Bonnie."

"I would rather that we didn't. I am calm and happy. I don't want to get upset again. Besides, I pretty much said everything that I needed to say," Bonnie replied.

Tyler squeezed her hip in support. Bonnie was not angry anymore but she was still hurting.

Joanna said, "I don't have any intention of upsetting you, Bonnie. Frankly, I don't how breakfast went so incredibly wrong. I want to start by apologizing for this morning and yesterday afternoon. We were rude, inconsiderate, and worst of all we hurt your feelings. Finding out that we are werewolves was jarring but I think we are all old enough to have handled the situation with more grace. Above all, we should not have been so careless with our remarks. There are none among us that wish you dead."

Bonnie was confused because Joanna sounded so reasonable now. She asked, "Are you speaking for Aunt Della, too?"

"I am. I wish that I could say that you merely caught Della at a bad time but that would be a lie. The truth is, my older sister is bad-tempered, combative, and assertive in the best situations. You can imagine how her attitude changes when she feels push into a corner."

"Why is she pushed into a corner? I know being a werewolf isn't ideal for some of you, but there are options. You could still try to bind your wolves. It's not so difficult."

Joanna laughed softly and shook her head. "You are right, we could do that but it would be a mistake. It was a mistake for Ayana to have placed that curse on our bloodline. Nature always has its due. Della is worried because she does not want to be part of Klaus' pack. She doesn't trust him to treat us well. We know what he did to the other wolves that he sired. We know what he has done to other witches that were once in his employ."

Bonnie slowly started to understand. They had been turned into creatures that they had been taught were ambomniations. Now they were forced into a reality where Klaus might become their alpha. Bonnie confessed, "I don't trust Klaus either but my wolf is vulnerable to him. It is worse when he is in his wolf form."

Joanna was glad that Bonnie seemed to understand the extent of their predicament.

Lucy interjected, "Klaus was just as affected by that encounter, Bonnie."

The girl said, "Then that makes the situation even more dangerous. You know what Klaus does to those closest to him. What happens when he decides having a pack makes him weak?"

Tyler nodded in agreement. Klaus was too damaged to be a true alpha.

Lucy wished that she had some convincing defense for her mate. However, Bonnie had spoken truthfully. Klaus was mercurial and could not be trusted now. She wanted to believe Elijah when he said that Klaus was changing. But she wouldn't put her family at risk on the strength of hope.

Joanna said, "We have to find an alpha before Klaus decides he wants to be it. I'm sure Ansel is encouraging him to take responsibility for us."

Her daughter nodded in agreement because it was the truth. She had listened to Ansel encourage his son to take his rightful place as the alpha for their family. Klaus had rejected the idea but he could change his mind at any time. Lucy said, "They want you to be the alpha."

Bonnie blinked rapidly for a few seconds. "Excuse me?"

Joanna said, "I know it seems rather sudden but no one else can do it."

Tyler scowled at the woman and tightened his grip on Bonnie. He couldn't believe she had the nerve to ask for something so costly. "They want someone capable of fighting off Klaus if it comes down to it."

"Oh," the girl exhaled.

"You have fought him many times in the past. You stood against Silas and survived. Bonnie, you are the strongest living witch in our bloodline. You are the only person capable of being our alpha."

Bonnie's jaw dropped. She said, "I...I don't even know how that would work. Technically, I already have a pack because I am with Tyler."

Lucy grinned and said, "We know that Tyler has his own pack but there is nothing that says you cannot have your own, Bonnie. In fact, there is precedent for two wolf packs merging."

Tyler frowned at Lucy. He wondered how she came to know about the ritual. It was a closely guarded secret within the werewolf community. He said, "Lucy is talking about a Unification Ritual. It happens when two alphas marry or complete the bond. In theory, we could merge our two packs into one. However, it is not a simple thing. It will change everyone."

Joanna was curious. "How would it change us?"

"We would all evolve into something different. The special abilities possessed by the two alphas would be shared by our pack members. It is a practice from the Old World. It probably wouldn't have effect on two normal packs but we aren't normal," Tyler explained.

Bonnie said, "Well, you are right about us being abnormal. But I am confused about the rest of it."

Tyler confessed, "I'm no expert in this."

Lucy said, "Just tell us what you know."

He looked around the cemetery and spotted Gabe. He beckoned him over to them. "I would rather have someone with more information explain this."

Gabe crossed the cemetery in long strides. He asked, "Yes, Alpha?"

"What do you know about Unification Rituals?" Tyler asked.

Gabe glanced around the group curiously before he said, "In the old days, different packs were blessed with different abilities. Sometimes alphas from different packs would marry to gain different abilities. It fell out of practice centuries ago because we reached our zenith as it were."

Tyler asked, "What would happen if Bonnie and I were to do the ritual?"

The older man gaped at his alpha. He cleared his throat and tried to regain his composure. "I've got no clue. You are a vampire/werewolf. Bonnie is a witch/werewolf. I don't know what abilities would pass between the two packs. Just guessing, but you would probably pass along some of your vampire traits. Bonnie would probably pass along some of her witch traits."

Joanna had not expected that answer. She didn't know if everyone would agree to this. However, it was the best option to keep them safe from Klaus.

Tyler looked up when he heard a car pulling up. He spotted the Original siblings and scowled. "Let's talk about this later."

Bonnie followed his gaze and her spine straightened. She said, "You are right. We'll continue this conversation at my house."

Lucy asked, "We don't have to be out after the seance?"

"Someone had better get Aunt Della to settle down. I won't be disrespected in my own home but this conversation is important."

Joanna said, "I will tell Della to shut her big mouth. You have my word, Bonnie."

"Thank you," the girl replied. Bonnie walked deeper into the cemetery. As she passed, the candles ignited. Briefly, her eyes caught Abby's. Her mother was standing near a mausoleum...well away from the other witches.

Tyler stayed back but he kept a watchful eye on his mate. He would intervene if necessary.

Lucy wasn't surprised to see Klaus arrive in his wolf form. He was too prideful to allow his enemies to see him weakened by the hex. There was no doubt that the Bennett witches were his enemies-family or not.

Ansel followed his son into the cemetery. He watched his descendants with a proud smile on his face. It did not matter to him who was a wolf, a witch, or some combination. They were all of his blood.

Joanna moved beside Bonnie. "Do you know how to start the seance?"

Bonnie slowly pulled the talisman out of her shirt. The stone was already shining. Bonnie was careful not to touch it the stone. She was in no mood to fall into a trance. She said, "They're waiting for us."

Joanna smiled seeing the talisman that had once belonged to her mother.

The young woman walked over to the fire roaring within the cauldron. She chanted in Latin as her hands hovered over the flames.

Della moved as if to assist Bonnie, but stopped when Joanna shook her head. She needed to trust that the girl wasn't helpless despite being a witchling.

A large black crow swooped down and flew in a circle over Bonnie's head. Russell settled on her shoulder once the flames in the cauldron died down.

Ayana, Drusilla, and Sheila appeared on the other side of the cauldron.

Bonnie smiled at her grandmother. "Grams…"

Sheila returned her granddaughter's smile. "It is good to see you, but I have nothing to offer in this conversation, child."

"I know but I just wanted to see you," she replied honestly.

Drusilla eyed the crow on Bonnie's shoulder. She could sense the magic within the creature. She said, "That is not the familiar that I sent to you."

Bonnie reluctantly looked away from her grandmother. She said, "He is a friend. You sent Nyx to me?"

Ansel grinned because he had seen his daughter's hand in things the moment the kitten dashed into his room. He slowly approached the group of witches...his descendants.

Drusilla nodded. "I watched what happened in the woods against the abominations the humans created. Your familiar will help you channel that power safely. That talisman will help you, too."

She frowned. "All this talisman has done so far is send me into a trance or give me visions that I would rather not have."

The other witches murmured when Bonnie admitted to having visions while awake.

Drusilla smiled kindly. She said, "It is because you know not how to use that talisman. But you will learn..."

Sheila looked at her sisters with a disapproving scowl. "Perhaps the two of you could help Bonnie with that."

Della frowned at her sister but nodded. "We have gotten off on the wrong foot…"

"Della has been a nightmare," Joanna clarified.

Della scowled at Joanna. For just a moment, it felt as if they were young girls again. Sheila had been the oldest of the three and acted as a second mother. She said, "I am sorry, Sheila. I am sorry for many things…"

The older woman smiled at Della. "None of that matters anymore, Della. Please, just help keep my granddaughter stay safe. Bonnie is the very best of me and you all need her."

Della looked to Bonnie and said, "Yes, we do."

Bonnie was shocked to hear the proud woman say that she was needed. However, she understood the desperation that came with thinking of being under someone's control. Perhaps Klaus wasn't as craven as he once was but he also was not to be trusted.

Klaus stayed on the fringes but he was observing everything.

Joanna cleared her throat and looked to Ayana. She asked, "Ansel is here under your orders?"

"Yes, Ansel and I have worked together to find a way to stop Esther and Mikael. The veil is safe for now, but they will try to escape again. You must be prepared for that possibility. Esther and Mikael are more dangerous than the travelers could ever hope to be," Ayana explained with a grave tone.

Lucy said, "But that is not the only reason that you sent Ansel to us…"

Ayana nodded. "The spirits have seen the future. We have tried many different scenarios but the results are always the same. Our numbers are too great now and secrets are too hard to keep in your world. Humans will learn that the supernatural world exists. When that time comes, they will erase our kind from existence if we are not ready."

Everyone began speaking in whispers. None wanted to believe the dire warning, but the progenitor of their line wouldn't lie to them. Humans had a long history of killing anything different or confusing. The humans would certainly consider the supernatural world a threat.

Della asked, "How can Ansel help us with this of all things? No offense…"

Ansel smiled and said, "I know you think that I know nothing of your modern world but I have watched from the Other Side. You all carry cameras with you everywhere...this was inevitable. However, it is the past that will save our kind from the humans. The only way for everyone to survive is to unite."

Joanna looked concerned. She hoped that Ansel wasn't suggesting forming a single pack. The Bennett witches would never go for it because Klaus would surely become alpha. She asked, "You mean that the two sides of your family should unite?"

"I would love to see my blood heal the wounds between them but this is bigger than our family. Werewolves, witches, and vampires must come together. Using our strengths is the only way to survive what is to come."

Della huffed, "Impossible…"

Joanna said, "Normally, I wouldn't agree with Della but the wounds are too great. Perhaps wolves and witches might be able to put aside our differences. We have never been enemies but the same cannot be said for vampires. Your son has been killing our kind for hundreds of years now. Klaus and the other vampires killed so many werewolves that they nearly became extinct."

There were murmurs of agreement from the other witches. Klaus had made quite a legend for himself over centuries. Those legends had gained new life since he returned to prominence after breaking the hybrid curse.

Elijah wanted to defend his brother could not find a compelling argument. Klaus was guilty of every crime alleged here. Elijah had tried tempering his brother's behavior with limited success. Lamely, he said, "Vampires saw werewolves as a threat because their bite is poisonous. They hardly needed Klaus' encouragement to eliminate the threat. My brother has many flaws but he has a vested interest in this. We can all work together. You have my word..."

Bonnie scoffed, "Don't put yourself above Klaus as if you are some paragon of virtue. You stood by your brother's side while he murdered indiscriminately. You could have ended his reign of terror but did nothing. When you had the opportunity to stop Klaus with my help, you betrayed me! Your words are worth less than the dirt beneath my feet. Not because you are a vampire, but because you are a liar and a coward."

The original vampire seemed flummoxed by Bonnie's venom laced words. He could see her barely contained rage. Elijah could feel Bonnie's magic rippling in the air around them. "Miss Bennett, if I have done something to offend you…"

Unconsciously, the girl's fingers elongated into claws. She gave a sharp laugh as her eyes shifted to gold and black. "You care so little for the way you have hurt my family that you don't even see it. My mother is standing a few feet away from you...disconnected from her magic, bloodline, and legacy. She is a vampire because of you!"

Abby was shocked that Bonnie seemed to care so much. She had done very little to earn that sort of defense from her daughter.

His eyes widened just a touch. Then he was looking around the cemetery at the other scowling faces. It took mere seconds to find Abby standing in the shadows. He looked back to Bonnie and cleared his throat. "The outcome was unfortunate, but I had to protect my family. It was a simple choice to make. It is one that I would make again a thousand times...even though it gave me no joy."

Tyler saw the moment that Elijah's words hit Bonnie. He tried to get across the cemetery in enough time to stop his mate from doing what came natural. "Bonnie!"

Bonnie growled loud enough to be heard throughout the otherwise quiet cemetery. Bonnie lunged through the air so fast it looked as if she could fly. She was inches away from Elijah when someone snatched her out of the air. She growled and struggled against the person holding her.

Tyler breathed hard as he held onto Bonnie. He murmured into her ear, "Calm down."

Bonnie struggled harder. "Let me go! I might not be able to kill Elijah at this moment but I will make him wish that I had! One bite! Just one!"

Elijah couldn't shake his disbelief. Bonnie had always been mild-mannered and sensible. Surely, this was the wolf raging inside her.

Ansel said, "Bonnie we cannot hope to succeed if we fight each other."

"No! I will not let anyone stand here and devalue my life. I will not suffer in silence any longer. I will not suffer alone. What if Damon and Stefan had decided to kill me instead of Abby?" she growled.

Elijah said, "I knew that the Salvatores brothers wouldn't choose you. They both knew Elena would never forgive them for killing you."

Bonnie roared as her magic grew more wild. Clouds started gathering in the sky. She said, "You knew nothing of the sort! They tossed a coin you self-righteous asshole! None of you care if I live or die! Why should I care if any of you survive?"

Tyler growled because Bonnie's magic was affecting him again. Her wolf was calling to him, too. His grip on Bonnie loosened as he tried to regain control.

That second was all that Bonnie needed. She surged out of Tyler's grasp.

The witches around them, that had triggered the werewolf curse, were similarly agitated.

Lucy growled as she tried to stop the transformation. "Bonnie, stop this!"

Tyler grabbed her again just in the nick of time. He realized there was only one option to calm her down. He bit into Bonnie's shoulder violently. Tyler kept his sharp teeth embedded in her flesh for what felt like an eternity.

Bonnie slowly began to calm down. She blinked rapidly as her eyes went back to green. She looked around at everyone.

Klaus shifted into his human form uncaring of his nude state. He chuckled. "You should have just let her bite him. I've bitten him before, he would have lived."

Elijah glared at Klaus. "Your concern for me is overwhelming, brother."

Damon parked in front of Liz Forbes' house and turned off his beloved Camaro. Then he ran a frustrated hand through his dark hair while stifling a groan. He was not ready to talk to Elena, but avoiding her forever was not an option. Mystic Falls was a small town. Moreover, the former couple were part of the same close-knit social group. They were bound to cross paths eventually and it would be awkward for everyone involved. Damon decided it was best not to put everyone in that position. However, he had no interest in a long drawn out conversation.

He had scheduled this little conversation while knowing he only had 45 minutes to spare. Tyler had asked him to attend a meeting at Mikaelson Mansion. At first, he thought it was a strange request to receive from the hybrid. The two men were civil but they had not really reached friend status yet. However, Tyler was eager to have back up. The teen explained that Bonnie was having a hard time controlling her magic and wolf side when angered. The Bennett witches had infuriated the little witch that morning. Apparently, the Mikaelsons made the situation worse during the séance. Damon was short on details because the texts were quick salvos. However, he knew that Bonnie had been inches away from biting Elijah. Ansel and Tyler had worked tirelessly to calm her down after the fact.

Damon climbed out the car and walked up to the house. He rang the doorbell and then stuffed his hands into the pockets of his leather jacket.

Elena opened the door tentatively. She had been worried that he would find a reason to cancel at the last minute. She had been in her own body for days now and Damon had been steadfastly avoiding her. It broke Elena's heart but she tried to understand his position. Katherine had broken Damon's heart and tormented him while masquerading as Elena. It was natural that he would need time to adjust.

She said, "Hi, Damon. Please, come inside."

Damon nodded at Elena and walked into the house. He walked to the living room that he knew well. Damon often spent time with Liz at her home now that Caroline no longer lived there. He enjoyed socializing with Liz when she was not wearing the hat of mother or sheriff.

He took a seat in a chair to ensure that Elena could not sit beside him. Damon was still worried about his ability to say no to the doppelganger. His feelings for Elena and Katherine were as complicated as he was old.

Elena frowned when she noticed Damon's seating choice. She cleared her throat. "Do you want something to drink? I think Caroline's mom has some bourbon around here."

Damon knew that Liz had bourbon on hand. It was their drink of choice. However, he didn't think drinking would be a wise decision right now. He could get blind drunk later at the boarding house. "Thanks but I'm good."

She nodded and sat down on the couch. Elena picked up the remote and turned off the television. "It's good seeing you, Damon."

"It is good to see the real you again," he admitted.

Looking at Elena, Damon wondered how he had ever believed Katherine's farce. Her eyes were bright and hopeful in a way that his sire could never hope to achieve. Unfortunately, hindsight was always 20/20.

Elena said, "I was worried that you were avoiding me."

"I was," he admitted.

"Oh…"

"But you knew that," Damon added.

Elena was many things but she wasn't dumb. Yet she had hoped that Damon would lie to her. She nodded. "I did, but I understand…"

Damon licked his lips and sat forward in the chair. "No, I don't think that you do, Elena. I've been trying my damndest to figure out what to say to you."

"Because of what Katherine did to you," she declared bitterly.

He shook his head. "No, I am not holding some grudge against you because Katherine was a bitch to me. She's been winding my crank long before you were born."

"What is it then? Do you think that I mad because you didn't realize Katherine was impersonating me?" she asked.

Truthfully, Elena was a little angry that no one had noticed that she was different. All her friends had seemed happy to forget her completely. She tempered her anger by learning everything that had happened in her absence. Her friends lives had been less dangerous but more complicated emotionally.

"I am sure that you are somewhat mad. I think most people would be in your situation. We all expect our friends and family to know when we aren't ourselves or when we are in trouble. However, history suggests that our own lives and desires distract us. If we were more observant, I would have known that Silas had locked Stefan in a safe. If we all cared a little more, we might have noticed that Bonnie was dead and not just 'away' like Jeremy claimed. Maybe we might have noticed that Matt was being possessed by a traveler when he started disappearing without explanation at odd times. Klaus killed Tyler's mother and then forced the kid to go on the run. We stood around doing nothing. We fought harder when all Klaus wanted was a couple bags of your blood."

Elena felt the weight of their past mistakes as Damon listed how they routinely let each other down. She swallowed thickly and remained silent. It was obvious that Damon was working up to something.

He continued, "I took my time before coming to see you because I didn't know how to say that we can't get back together."

Part of Elena had been expecting this outcome but it still hit her hard. She asked, "Are you dating someone else? Caroline mentioned that Bonnie's aunt is staying at the boarding house…"

Caroline had warned Elena against showing up at the boarding house. First, the decision had already been made that she wouldn't be invited into the house. Second, Caroline said that Damon had a 'guest' staying in his room. It took some prodding but Elena had been able to learn more about his 'guest'.

Damon shouldn't have been surprised that Caroline blabbed to her best friend. He said, "No, this isn't anything to do with Elodie. We're friends…"

"That sleep together," she replied bitterly.

He smirked. "I sleep with most of my female friends. Bonnie happens to be a notable exception."

Elena glared at him.

Damon shook his head. "We are the worst versions of ourselves when we are together. You and I compromised so much that we were hardly recognizable. You bent yourself into pretzels to excuse my behavior. My obsession for you fed into the darkest parts of my personality. Our relationship poisons everyone around us. We're toxic, Elena. I should have ended things with you the moment we realized that Stefan had spent the summer dying repeatedly at the bottom of a lake. That was a perfect example of how far my head was up your ass."

Elena said, "We couldn't have known…"

"I should have known, Elena! He is my little brother. Stefan might have lost track of me over the years but I never lost track of him. I have always known where Stefan was even if I kept my distance. The only exception was when the Augustine Group imprisoned me."

She said, "I…I didn't know that."

He shrugged. "Stefan doesn't know it either. Rather I loved or hated my brother I always knew where to find him. What I feel for you isn't love…not any good version of it."

"I don't believe that, Damon. We had good times," Elena argued tearfully.

He smiled. "We had some good times but a broken clock is right twice a day. Katherine is a bitch that I will gladly kill if given the chance. Nevertheless, she did us a favor by imploding our relationship. Neither of us was ever going to end it."

"Is this Bonnie? Jeremy said…"

"Don't listen to your idiot brother. Bonnie assumed that I would be in a rush to rekindle our relationship, but she was wrong."

Elena said, "But you two are friends…"

He nodded. "We are."

"Best friends?" she asked skeptically.

Damon chuckled. "Yes."

"And you aren't sleeping with her?" Elena asked.

"It wouldn't be your business if I was, but no. I don't think Tyler would go for that. And I'm not interested in being bitten by a hybrid again," he quipped.

Elena shook her head. "This doesn't make sense! You love me, Damon."

"I care about you, Elena. I am not saying that I want to kick you out my life. I am just saying that you can't be my life anymore. And I can't be yours. I am too busy for a real relationship right now, anyway. I've got travelers to kill and a niece to train in self-defense. Right now she's just a little arsonist with a temper."

She opened her mouth to reply but stopped short. She asked, "Arsonist?"

Damon nodded with a proud smile. The girl was meek in unfamiliar situations but she had his flair for the dramatic. Damon was glad that he could help ensure their family line didn't die out. In the past, he found himself regretting the decision to kill Zach. He still wasn't fond of his judgmental nephew, but he had extinguished the last living Salvatore. Damon was glad that was not the case. He liked the thought of their name living well into the future.

"She set the cabin on fire after I freed her. It reminded me of how I escaped the Augustine Group," he admitted.

Elena just stared at Damon because she didn't know how to respond. Finally, she said, "This is a lot for me to take in…"

He nodded. "I understand."

"Can we still be friends?"

Damon said, "I don't know that we were ever really friends but we can try."

Elena wasn't satisfied but she could tell that Damon's mind was made up. This all felt so wrong. Katherine had destroyed her life and now Elena had to pick up the pieces somehow. "Okay…"

The older vampire was surprised that Elena gave in so easily. However, he was glad there wasn't any huge argument or tears. Damon didn't have the patience to deal with that.