A/N: Jonas wasn't very nice, was he? He didn't seem very nice in canon. Very like, 'you're with me or against me', so I hope I'm portraying him accurately. I think Thea is putting up with him because she feels guilty about Greta (there is more to the story there) and now she needs his grimoires to try and fulfill her deal with Elijah. But yeah, Thea and Jonas aren't done clashing yet.

The next day Thea slept late and by the time she finished getting ready, Luka had already gone to school, which left her alone in the apartment with Jonas.

Thea pointedly didn't say anything to him as she made herself breakfast and sat down to begin her research. There had to be a way to take down Klaus before he broke the curse. She just had to find it.

"I've read through all of those," said Jonas. "There's nothing in there about stopping an Original Vampire like Klaus."

"Well, I'm going to look again," said Thea, tightly. "You know as well as I do that magic is an art, not a science. Sometimes all it takes is inspiration from one spell to spark an idea for a brand-new one."

Jonas narrowed his eyes at her irritated tone. "Just put them back where you found them."

Thea huffed in annoyance, but didn't respond.

"I meant what I said. If you jeopardize getting your sister back..." said Jonas.

"Just stop it!" exclaimed Thea. "I'm not 16 anymore, Dad. Your threats don't scare me. I want Greta back as much as you do, but I'm not willing to sacrifice the rest of the world to get her back. We can't let Klaus break the curse. It's too dangerous."

Jonas clenched his jaw in anger. "Why do you care so much about stopping the Sun and the Moon curse from being broken? Half of all vampires walk in the sun because they have daylight rings."

Thea scoffed. "You don't understand."

"No, I don't understand," said Jonas, angrily. "How you could choose the lives of strangers over your own flesh and blood? Vampires prefer the night to attack their victims anyway, breaking this curse won't be endangering anyone."

"This isn't about vampires walking in the sun," said Thea, trying to concentrate on the grimoire she was reading.

"Then what is it about?" asked Jonas. "Don't tell me you want to break the curse in favor of the wolves."

Thea sighed. "Can we just stop talking about it?"

"No, Thea," said Jonas. "You're keeping something from me... Is this about Devin?"

Thea frowned. Devin was a werewolf she dated back in high school.

"Dad, please..."

"Are you trying to break the curse for him? Or some other wolf?" pushed Jonas.

Thea rolled her eyes. "Oh my god... The curse of the Sun and the Moon is fake!" she exclaimed, unable to take Jonas' condescending argument anymore. "So there's no breaking it to favor either vampires or werewolves."

"What?" asked Jonas, confused.

Thea sighed. She was hoping to avoid this, but somehow Jonas just brought it out. Did all parents have a way of needling the truth out of their children or was Jonas a special case?

"It's just a story," said Thea. "Klaus made it up, so werewolves and vampires would scour the earth for the doppelganger and the moonstone."

Jonas looked skeptical. "Why would he do that?"

"Because he, himself, was cursed. He used to be a hybrid. Half-werewolf, half-vampire. Deadlier than both. So the witches cursed him and forced his werewolf side into submission. So he couldn't make more like himself. That's why he wants to break the curse, to spawn a new species and take over the supernatural world."

Jonas looked bewildered. "He wants to..."

"Take over the world, yes," said Thea. "Or something like that. That's why the witches cursed him, I'm guessing. To protect the balance." She paused, looking into his eyes. "And that's what we have to do too."

"How do you know this?" asked Jonas, looking at Thea with narrowed eyes.

"Greta and I talked about it," said Thea, deciding on a half-truth. "Before she left Austin."

Jonas scowled. "Why did you wait until now to tell me this?"

Thea shrugged. "Would it have mattered?"

Jonas sat down, putting his head in his hands.

"Greta knew?" questioned Jonas.

Thea nodded sadly.

Jonas sighed, looking devastated. "She knew this was his true goal and she chose to follow him anyway."

Thea didn't know what to say. She loved Greta, but Greta was no saint. Not that Thea was better, but it didn't change Greta's decision.

Thea suspected Greta's feelings for Klaus were the true reason she had chosen to be one of his witches, but Thea didn't dare say the words aloud. They might break her father. That Greta had fallen for a man like Klaus.

Jonas rose suddenly and grabbed his jacket. "I'm going out."

Thea just nodded and watched as he left the apartment swiftly. It was a familiar move- anytime Jonas had been uncomfortable or upset, he just left, wanting to be alone with his thoughts.

o – o – o

Thea had her head buried in grimoires when her cell phone rang later that day. She was surprised to see it was Alaric.

"Hello," she said, answering the call.

"Thea, it's Alaric... Something's happened."

Alaric quickly explained that Jules, the blonde werewolf that had killed Rose, had brought her pack into town and had captured one of the local vampires, Caroline, demanding another local, a werewolf named Tyler, in return.

"They're both just kids, Thea," said Alaric. "I hate to think what they're doing to Caroline. Damon is on his way there now, but..."

"Your faith in his ability to de-escalate the situation without violence is... lacking?" guessed Thea.

"You said you didn't want anyone to get hurt," said Alaric. "Especially innocent people. Now's your chance to prove it."

Alaric said he'd text her where the werewolves were holding Caroline hostage and then hung up.

o – o – o

When Thea arrived at the place Alaric had indicated in his text, which was in the middle of the woods, Stefan and Tyler were already there, talking to Jules who was standing near an RV. Thea saw Damon walking towards them.

"What are you doing here?" asked Damon, changing directions to confront Thea.

"Alaric called me," said Thea. "Thought you could use the help."

Damon scoffed. "More likely he wanted you to stop me from ripping these wolves to shreds."

"He said Tyler's just a kid," said Thea.

Damon looked momentarily guilty. "He's 17. And a wolf. He needs to die. They all do."

"It's that attitude that got Rose killed," said Thea.

Damon growled angrily. "Don't think because you helped me yesterday that I will hesitate to snap your neck."

Thea sighed, but decided to ignore Damon's threat. "Why don't you stay here and I'll see if I can resolve this peacefully?"

Thea marched towards where Stefan and Tyler were standing, facing Jules. Damon just narrowed his eyes and followed her.

"Tyler's free to make his own decisions," said Stefan, who had a firm grip on Tyler. "Once you release Caroline."

"My brother the peacemaker," said Damon, using vampire speed to get in front of Thea.

"It's good to see one of you is," said Thea, walking up to the group.

"What are you doing here?" asked Jules, looking at Thea. "This is between us and the vampires."

"Concerned parties asked that I intervene," said Thea. "Just give us the girl and we'll be on our way."

"Let go of Tyler," said Jules, looking back at Stefan.

"Give us Caroline first," returned Damon. "Without a full moon, it's not an even fight and you know it... We will take you."

"I'm not so sure about that tough guy," said Jules.

She whistled loudly and suddenly they were surround by about half a dozen werewolves, all of them wielding anti-vampire weapons.

"Well..." said Damon, looking at Thea. "Now would be a good time to intervene."

Thea raised an eyebrow. "Let's all just calm down."

She cautiously raised her hands. Taking down the six werewolves would be straining, but doable, as their strength and healing abilities were greatly diminished while in human form. But she was still hoping they could resolve this peacefully.

"I'm calm," said Jules. "Let's try this again. Give us Tyler."

Thea looked over at Damon. "Give peace a chance, Damon."

He heaved a big sigh, but agreed.

"You heard her," said Damon, turning to Tyler. "Go. Get over there."

Thea breathed a sigh of relief and lowered her arms. The werewolves wouldn't hurt one of their own. Tyler quickly walked over to the RV and stood behind Jules.

Thea looked around, expecting one of the werewolves to go and get Caroline.

Instead, one of the werewolves spoke up.

"Which one of you killed Mason?" the werewolf asked.

Thea frowned. "Who's Mason?"

"The werewolf I killed," answered Damon, smirking.

"Boys," said the werewolf, pointing to Damon. "Make sure that one suffers."

"Stop!" shouted Thea.

"Stay out of this, human," said the werewolf.

Damon just smirked. "Never met a witch, have you?"

Thea just rolled her eyes and raised her arms. She muttered a quick incantation and pushed her magic out, giving all the werewolves present mini-aneurysms.

All the werewolves, except Tyler, immediately grabbed their heads.

"Get the girl," Thea said in a strained voice.

She pushed her magic harder, knowing it was best for everyone if they all lost consciousness. She felt the blood dripping from her nose as all the werewolves groaned in pain around her.

Damon and Stefan quickly went into the RV and emerged a few seconds later with a pale blonde girl, who Thea assumed was Caroline.

A few more seconds and the werewolves all stopped groaning, dropping to the ground, unconscious.

"Fuck," said Thea, wiping the blood away from her nose. "That's going to be a headache tomorrow."

"Thank you," said Stefan, caring arm on Caroline's back.

Thea nodded. "We should go. They won't be out for long."

"You go on," said Damon, looking around at all the unconscious werewolves as well as Tyler, who was still standing in the shadows.

"Are you learning impaired?" asked Thea, rolling her eyes. "No one is dying tonight." She turned to Tyler. "When they wake up, tell them to leave town. There's enough trouble coming without a werewolf pack looking for revenge."

Tyler just nodded and retreated further into the dark.

"Let's go," said Thea. She looked at Caroline. "You look like you could use a blood bag or ten."

Caroline smiled. "Thank you..."

"Thea Martin. Luka's sister."

Caroline's smile fell a little, but she managed to keep a friendly face. "Oh."

"It's okay," said Thea, shaking her head. "I get that a lot."

o – o – o

"So how about a drink at mine?" asked Damon, as he leaned against his car.

Stefan had just left with Caroline and Thea and Damon were standing near the road where they'd parked their cars.

Thea frowned. "Why?"

"Drinking is how I say thank you," he said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Aren't we enemies?" asked Thea.

Damon smirked. "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer."

Thea laughed. "You're a piece of work, Damon."

Damon's smirk just grew. "So what do you say?"

"I'm going to have to decline," said Thea, shaking her head.

"Ah, come on," coaxed Damon. "My bourbon is the best. Way better than what they have at the Grill."

Thea chuckled softly. "I know what you're trying to do. And I get it- you're just trying to protect the people you care about. Maybe you think you can get me to open up about where the moonstone is or, hell, maybe you think you can convince me to join your team..."

Damon scoffed. "You're reading way too much into this... Maybe I just think you're cute."

Thea laughed at that. "I'm not your enemy, Damon." She paused, expression turning serious. "But I'm not your friend either."

With all she was keeping from the Mystic Falls gang, including the true nature of the curse, the fact that Elijah and her father were planning on sacrificing Elena in order to kill Klaus, it wasn't smart to get too close to anyone in Elena's orbit.

Damon just tilted his head. "Offer stands if you ever get thirsty."

Then he got into his car and drove off.

o – o – o

"Hey, Dad," said Thea, entering Jonas' apartment. "Do you have any angelica and..."

Thea trailed off, surprised when she saw Elijah standing next to Jonas in the living room.

"Feeling a little drained?" asked Jonas, eyebrow raised.

Thea nodded. "A little."

"Given you took on a pack of wolves by yourself, that's not entirely surprising," said Elijah.

Thea sighed, annoyed at these all-knowing Originals.

"You're welcome," said Thea, moving past Elijah to get the herbs her father was holding out.

"Indeed," said Elijah, smiling and looking Thea in the eye. "Thank you."

Thea smiled, though his intense stare was a little unnerving, as if he were trying to read her thoughts with his glance.

"Well," said Thea, feeling slightly uncomfortable. "I'm going to make some tea with these." She held up the healing herbs Jonas had given her. "And go to bed."

"Before you go," said Elijah. "I was hoping to have a word."

"About what?" asked Thea.

Elijah looked at Jonas, who nodded slowly, almost reluctantly.

Thea frowned at the odd exchange of glances.

"What?" she asked, confused. "What's going on? What did you want to talk about?"

Elijah sighed, tilting his head and fixing her with that unreadable, penetrating stare.

"About how you serve Klaus."

Thea gasped. "What do you mean?"

"Your father confronted me earlier," said Elijah. "About the true nature of the curse. As I was once among them, I happen to know that only those in his inner circle are told the truth."

Thea tried to control her breathing. "Like I told my father, Greta and I talked about it. And she's in Klaus' inner circle."

Elijah raised an eyebrow. "I see you choose your words carefully, Thea... You say you and your sister discussed this, but from who did you learn the truth?"

"Don't lie, Thea," said Jonas, voice firm.

"You, you don't understand," said Thea, trying to keep the quiver out of her voice.

"All this time," said Jonas, angrily. "All this time I've been searching for your sister. For the monster that manipulated her. And you've been secretly on his side. Where is she? Tell me right now!"

"I don't know!" exclaimed Thea. "I'm not one of his witches, I swear! I'm not lying."

"Then how do you know of the hybrid curse?" demanded Elijah. "If you are not one of his?"

Thea looked from Elijah to Jonas, trying to hold back her tears. She had to tell the truth. Her father would hate her forever, but it seemed like he would anyway. And maybe she was beyond caring at this point.

"I'm not one of his witches," said Thea, slowly. "But I used to be."

Elijah frowned. "Klaus does not release witches from his circle... At least not alive."

Thea pursed her lips. "He made an exception."

"Klaus does not make exceptions," said Elijah, shaking his head. "Your silence would be too important."

Thea scoffed. "He knew I wouldn't talk."

"And why is that?" asked Elijah, still looking at Thea skeptically.

Thea sighed and shook her head, not wanting to form the words.

"Ah," said Elijah, finally understanding. "I see."

"What?" asked Jonas, still looking confused. "Why did he let you go?"

Thea sighed and looked at Jonas warily. "Because when I refused to help him anymore, he took Greta in my place."

A/N: Little pieces of the puzzle coming together... I'm planning on some flashbacks next chapter of some of the backstory (how Thea came to work for Klaus, how it all fell apart, etc.)

Let me know what you think so far!