Same Night
Night - Street
(Song:) Youth Knows No Pain - Lykke Li
Rosie was walking alone in the streets, the only things lighting the way being the street lights. She continued to walk, looking completely in shock after what had happened, now that she was a hybrid. She stopped walking, gazing off into space ahead of her. She looked around, knowing that she had to go home to get to Tyler so they could work on breaking the sire bond that she knew that she already had, starting to walk down the street again. She sensed someone behind her, slowing to a stop, looking over her shoulder.
No one was there.
Rosie turned forward, knowing that she was being followed even if she didn't see anyone, rushing away, turning around a corner into a dark alley.
...
Alley
Rosie rushed into the alley.
Klaus appeared in front of Kacie, making her stop. "Running home to Tyler so you can ask how he unsired himself?"
Rosie tried to step around him. "Just-"
Klaus stepped in her way. "You know, the sire bond with hybrids come in pretty handy at moments like these. But you will not try to get help from Tyler or try to have yourself unsired. Do you understand?"
Rosie looked at him in anger and hate. "What?"
"Listen." Klaus told her, stressing the single word.
Rosie sighed, angrily. "I don't know what you want me to do."
"What I want is for you to listen." Klaus told her. "And you don't have a choice but to." Rosie glared at him. Klaus smirked. "You will come with me, actually."
"Go with you here?" Rosie asked.
"Besides leaving town with Tyler to avoid me, you've never left Mystic Falls, have you?" Klaus asked.
"Just that once." Rosie answered.
"Then I'm sure you'll be glad to know that we're heading to Chicago." Klaus told her. "Pack your bags. Avoid Tyler. I don't want what happened to his sire bond happen to yours."
Klaus walked past Rosie, leaving her alone.
Rosie breathed a heavy sigh filled with annoyance, anger, hate, sadness and desperation, turning around to watch him go.
(Song Ends)
...
Day Two
Day - Woods
Stefan and Elena were lying under a blanket on the ground of the woods.
Elena woke, looking up at Stefan, smiling. "Hi."
Stefan smiled. "Hi."
...
Flashback - Earlier in the Day
Salvatore Boarding House - Stefan's Room
Stefan was packing up stuff for a camping trip in the woods.
Damon, Emma and Isabella were in the room with him.
"You're making a big mistake." Damon told him.
"No, I'm not." Stefan told them. "If I can get Elena used to animal blood right out the gate."
"You're reaching." Isabella told him.
"Maybe she'll be able to bypass all the things that you guys went through." Emma told them.
"Delusional." Isabella told her.
"Maybe she actually has a shot at this." Emma told them.
"Wrong." Damon told her. "You're just wrong, Em. You both are."
"She won't be able to handle it if she hurts someone." Stefan told them. "Her compassion is her Achilles heel and everything is magnified right now."
Isabella tilted her head. "Then you better hope she's not a fan of Bambi."
...
Now
Day - Woods
Stefan and Elena were walking through the woods. They saw a deer eating nearby.
Elena breathed heavily.
"Close your eyes." Stefan told her.
Elena looked up at Stefan, closing her eyes.
Stefan rushed toward the deer.
Elena opened her eyes, gasping.
...
Flashback
Day - Salvatore Boarding House - Stefan's Room
The Salvatores and Gilbert were talking.
Damon stabbed a knife into the table. "She needs human blood, Stefan, from the vein."
"Oh, come on, you know what happens." Emma told him. "One of you name me a vampire who didn't kill at least one person when they were new."
Isabella stood, walking closer to them. "One of you name me one who went on a bunny diet and didn't kill dozens. Remember how many people Evelyn killed after taking you up on the bunny diet?"
"She killed that many because Klaus got inside her head." Stefan told her. "If I remember correctly, he got inside our heads, and we killed more than our fair share, too."
Isabella looked away.
...
Now
Day - Woods
Elena drank the blood from the deer. The blood coated her mouth and chin. She pulled away from its neck, breathing heavily.
...
Flashback
Day - Salvatore Boarding House - Stefan's Room
The Salvatores and Gilbert were talking.
"If Elena kills someone, she will crumble." Stefan told them. "How much pain do you think she could take before she shuts off her humanity switch?"
"It happens to the best of us at least once." Damon told him. "We get over it, Stefan. In a hundred years or so."
...
Now
Day - Woods
Elena stood from the ground.
The deer ran away.
Elena watched it go, still looking traumatized by the feed.
...
Flashback
Day - Salvatore Boarding House - Stefan's Room
The Salvatores and Gilbert were talking.
"No, I think I'd like her to skip that part." Stefan told them.
Damon started unpacking the bags that Stefan was packing for the trip in the woods. "She can't learn to control the bloodlust, if she's never actually experienced the bloodlust."
"What are you doing?" Emma asked. "Knock it off."
Damon continued to unpack the bag. "It's a cheat. It's like giving a kid a calculator before they know math."
"Stop it." Stefan told him, grabbing Damon's arm.
Damon pushed Stefan's arm away.
Stefan and Damon stared each other down.
Isabella and Emma watched them.
...
Now
Day - Woods
Elena touched the blood around her mouth, crying.
"Don't worry, he'll heal." Stefan told her. "Bigger animals are more resilient." Elena turned to face Stefan. "Hey." Stefan dabbed at the blood around Elena's mouth with a cloth. "You did it. I know it's hard." He caressed her face. "But you can do this."
Elena continued to cry, nodding.
...
Flashback
Day - Salvatore Boarding House - Stefan's Room
Stefan and Damon were still staring each other down.
Isabella and Emma exchanged an annoyed look.
Emma walked closer, pulling the two apart, standing between them. "All right, boys, play nice."
Elena walked in. "Whoa, what's going on?"
"We're just having a little disagreement about process." Emma answered simply.
Elena looked at Damon and Isabella. "You're still not on board with the animal plan."
"Honestly, I don't give a damn which way you go." Isabella told her. "That's your choice to royally screw up like all of your other choices."
Stefan gave Isabella a look, packing things in his bag. "Isabella..."
"What?" Isabella asked.
"I say rip off the proverbial band-aid and let it bleed." Damon told her. "You're a vampire, Elena. Be a vampire."
Stefan finished packing, walking toward Elena. "Ready to go?"
Elena nodded. They both started to leave.
"Vampires eat people." Damon told them. They stopped in the doorway, looking at the others. "It's part of the natural food pyramid. Trust me, you're going to be miserable."
Stefan walked out of the room. Elena stood there for a second, then followed Stefan.
Emma looked at Isabella in slight amusement. "'Honestly, I don't give a damn which way you go, that's your choice to royally screw up like all of your other choices'?"
Isabella tilted her head, shrugging.
...
Now
Day - Woods
Stefan was standing behind Elena, trying to teach her how to use her super speed.
Elena giggled. "I can't do it."
"All right, it's like the starting line of a race, right?" Stefan asked. "So you just push off with every ounce of strength that you have."
"Yeah, but I was a cheerleader." Elena told him. "I sucked at track."
"Just concentrate, okay?" Stefan asked. "You can do it."
Elena crouched into a running position, exhaling. Stefan placed his hands around her waist.
"I can't." Elena told him. "All I can think about is your hands on my body."
"Oh, okay." Stefan told her simply, taking his hands away.
Elena grabbed his hands, putting them around her waist. "No, no, no. I-I didn't say to take them off. It feels good."
"Yeah." Stefan told her. "What does it feel like?"
"It feels like you're touching every nerve on my body." Elena answered, smiling.
Stefan slid his hand up and down Elena's arm and waist. "Everything is heightened. Taste, smell, sight, touch."
(Song:) Hurt - The Gods of Macho
Stefan kissed Elena's neck. Elena looked pleased, turning him to look at her, beginning to kiss passionately. She jumped up, putting her legs around his waist. Stefan rushed them together into a tree. Elena placed herself back down on the ground as they continued to kiss. Stefan unzipped Elena's jacket, unbuttoning her jeans. Elena pulled Stefan's shirt over his head, kissing his chest, trailing to his lips.
A moment later, Elena suddenly stopped, pushing Stefan away.
(Song Ends)
Stefan looked worried.
Elena rushed off into the woods, falling to her knees, puking up the animal blood.
...
Pastor Young's House
A man entered the house, which had crime scene tape around the door and numbers lying on the floor where the bodies had been found. He searched around the house with a flashlight in hand. He made his way over to the stove, seeing the gas line had been taken out of it.
...
Flashback - 4.01 "Growing Pains"
Day - Pastor Young's House - Kitchen
Pastor Young removed the hose from the stove.
...
Now
Day - Pastor Young's House - Kitchen
The man shone the flashlight to the floor, where a burnt lighter lied.
...
Flashback - 4.01 "Growing Pains"
Day - Pastor Young's House - Kitchen
Pastor Young lit the lighter.
The kitchen was set ablaze, engulfed in flames.
...
Now
Day - Pastor Young's House - Kitchen
The man opened the oven door on the stove, revealing a letter inside, with the name April written on it. He opened the letter, glancing over the letter. He proceeded to leave the house, the letter with him.
...
Mystic Grill
(Song:) Woe Is Me... I Am Ruined - The Lonely Forest
Damon was sitting at the bar, drinking alone.
Liz walked toward him, pulling out the chair to his right.
"That seat's taken." Damon told her. Liz tossed down a newspaper in from of Damon, walking to his other side to take a seat. Damon took the paper, reading the headline. "'Faulty gas line leads to tragic explosion at Young farm'." He let the paper fall. "Really?"
"Better than 'Town Council blown up. Police have no suspects'." Liz replied, giving him a significant look. "Unless the perpetrator is right next to me."
Damon took a swig of his drink. "Well, don't look at me. I always take credit for killing people. Ask Elizabeth."
"I already did." Liz told him. "She was with Emma, making sure nothing lethal happened to her. Emma wouldn't lie to me about that, now would she?"
"No." Damon answered. "No, she would not." Liz gave him another significant look. Damon put his drink down. "Seriously, stop looking at me like that, Liz. If I was going to kill twelve people, I wouldn't blow them up. I'd have a dinner party."
"The explosion was sparked from inside." Liz told him. "This wasn't an accident."
"You say that like it's a bad thing." Damon told her. The man who had taken the letter from Pastor Young's home walked into the Grill, seeing Damon and Liz talking. "The Council's dead, Liz. I see that as a win."
"I've known some of the Council since I was a kid." Liz told him. "They were my friends."
"Well, your friends tried to kill your daughter." Damon replied. Damon saw the man from earlier approaching. "Who's the new guy?"
The man looked at Liz. "Excuse me, Sheriff." Sheriff stood. "Hi, um, I was wondering if I could speak to you for a minute about the explosion at the Young farm."
"I'm sorry, Mr...?" Liz trailed off.
"Oh, Connor Jordan." The man answered, holding his hand out to her, wearing a black glove.
Liz took his hand, shaking. "Are you with the insurance investigators?"
"No, no, I'm more of an independent contractor." Connor told her. He looked at Damon. "Can we speak in private?"
"Sure." Liz answered.
"Thanks." Connor told her, walking away.
Liz looked at Damon, following Connor.
Damon spoke to himself, looking at the drink in his hand. "Nice to meet you too, Mr. Busybody Guy."
(Song Ends)
...
Mystic Falls High School - Outside
Liam and Evelyn had Jeremy and Matt helping them put boxes into the back of a car.
Evelyn looked at Liam. "So, what are these again?"
"They're paper lanterns." Liam answered. "The student council made them for after the memorial. We light them up in honor of all the dead."
They walked over to the remainder of the boxes.
"Nobody thought fire might be a little inappropriate?" Matt asked.
"Yeah, I wouldn't make that crack in front of Elena." Jeremy told them.
"How is she?" Liam asked.
"I guess she's fine, considering." Evelyn answered.
"If there's anything I can do, you know, short of giving her a ride, you'll let me know, right?" Matt asked. "I'm only alive because she told Stefan to save me first. She's a vampire because of me, so I'd like to pay it back or forward or whatever. And... Emma. She's the one who brought me back before I actually died."
"Yeah." Evelyn agreed.
"Well, thanks for helping me with this, guys." Liam told them. "Between newbie vampires, Tyler being back into his own body, everyone, including Caroline, ditched out on this. Rosie's not even answering her phone. Did she seriously not get the memo that it was safe to come home again?"
Matt shook his head in confusion. "I don't know. Last I heard, she was leaving town."
"And it's not a problem, Evelyn." Jeremy told her.
Matt looked at Liam. "And you're another martyr I need to pay it forward to. You know since you saved me from Damon and made sure he didn't kill me."
"Matt, I'm only human." Liam told him. "If he was gonna kill you, he would've killed you, but he didn't because Elena came in sweeping to save the day."
Matt chuckled. "Still. Thank you."
Liam shrugged.
Evelyn, Jeremy, Matt and Liam grabbed more boxes, walking toward the car.
A young girl walked up to them, making them stop. "Liam?" Liam looked at her, knowing she knew her. "Picture an emo pixie cut and braces."
Liam smiled. "April?"
"Yeah." April answered.
Liam put the box down, walking up to April, wrapping his arms around her. "You look great."
April smiled, hugging back. "You, too."
Jeremy looked at Evelyn. "This is April. Elena used to..."
"Elena used to babysit you." Evelyn finished. "And you and Liam were best friends. Yeah, I remember."
April and Liam pulled out of the hug, turning to look at them.
"Yeah, before I got shipped off to boarding school by my dad." April told them.
Liam put a hand to his mouth. "Your dad. Oh, my God, I am so sorry about your dad."
"Thank you." April told her. "I guess. I sort of don't know how to answer when people say that."
"Your dad was Pastor Young, right?" Matt asked.
"He had the faulty gas line." April told them. Matt looked down awkwardly. "Sorry, I haven't figured out what to say about that yet either. Wow, I am being a freak. Um... I'm just, you know, not much for grief, I guess. I have to go register or something, I think." She spoke the next word to herself. "Stupid."
April walked away quickly.
Evelyn, Matt, Jeremy and Liam watched her leave sympathetically.
...
Salvatore Boarding House - Stefan's Room
(Song:) Change - Kopecky Family Band
Elena was leaving a message on her phone. "Hey, Elizabeth, it's me. I'm back. I, um... Can you call me? I've been having some..." She looked toward the door, looking away, whispering. "Adjustment issues." Stefan walked into the room with a bottle of wine and two wine glasses in hand. Elena hung up, turning to face him. "Hey."
"Hi." Stefan told her.
Elena looked at the bottle of wine and the wine glasses. "What's that for?"
"This is from the year you were born." Stefan explained. "I think we should celebrate."
"Celebrate what?" Elena asked.
"Your first feed." Stefan answered. "I know it was disgusting and traumatic and it was horrible, but you did it. anyway." He walked closer. "You survived it."
"Well, um, I wouldn't say I survived it." Elena told him. "It actually kind of made me sick."
"Listen, I choked it down for a month before I could stomach the taste." Stefan told her. "It gets easier." He held out the champagne. "This, on the other hand, will go down like silk."
Stefan smiled.
Elena smiled. "You're so cheery."
"Yeah, because you're here and you're alive... ish." Stefan told her. "And you're gonna get through this." Elena nodded. "So, would you like to do the honors?"
"Okay." Elena told him, popping out the cork, making it fly across the room. She squealed, laughing. Stefan laughed with her. The champagne was overflowing. "Oh, my gosh."
Stefan poured the champagne into the glasses, clinking them together. "Cheers." Stefan kissed Elena sweetly. Stefan's phone rang. He pulled away, answering. "Perfect timing, Damon. Yeah, we just got back. What?"
(Song Ends)
...
Mystic Grill
(Song:) Fear and Loathing - Marina and the Diamonds
Elena approached Damon at the bar, starting to sit in the seat to the left of him. "Did you do it?"
"That seat's taken." Damon told her.
"But there's no one here." Elena told him.
"Well, I'm just going to pretend like there's someone there, because the alternative is just too damn depressing." Damon told her.
Elena stood, walking over to his other side, sitting down. "Did you set off the explosion that killed the Town Council?"
"Am I wearing my 'I Blew Up The Council' T-shirt?" Damon asked. "Why does everybody keep asking me that?"
"Did you?" Elena asked.
"No." Damon answered. "Anything else?"
Elena hesitated. "Yes, something's wrong. I can't keep any of the animal blood down."
"Well, there's a shock." Damon told her sarcastically.
"I think I need your help." Elena told him.
Damon sighed. "Of course you do. Pick your meal." He pointed to someone sitting out of view. "You've got Asian fusion." He pointed somewhere else. "Mexican. What about some good old American comfort food?"
"No." Elena told him. "No, no human blood." Damon looked away in annoyance. "Stefan's right. I have to at least try to get through this without hurting anyone."
Damon finished his drink, standing. "Fine. Come on."
Damon grabbed Elena's arm, pulling her with him.
...
Bathroom
Damon pulled Elena inside, closing the door, locking it behind them.
"What are you doing?" Elena asked.
Damon bit his palm. "Giving you what you need." He held his bleeding hand toward her. "Drink."
"What?" Elena asked.
"You're a new vampire, Elena." Damon told her. "You need warm blood from the vein. Maybe this will do the trick. Or not. But... Just don't tell Stefan and Emma."
Elena stared at the blood on his hand. "Why not?"
"Because blood sharing is kind of... personal." Damon answered.
"What do you mean, it's personal?" Elena asked.
"Just drink." Damon told her.
Elena continued to stare at his hand, then him.
Damon nodded.
Elena took Damon's hand in hers, starting to drink. She closed her eyes, lying her head on his shoulder as she continued to drink. Damon stroked Elena's hair, backing into one of the bathroom stalls, closing his eyes, appearing to be pleasured by the fact that Elena was drinking his blood, continuing to stroke her hair.
...
Lockwood Mansion - Tyler's room
Tyler and Caroline were in bed together, kissing.
Caroline pushed him away. "This is wrong. A bunch of people died and we're having sex."
"Grief sex." Tyler told him. "It's healthy."
"It's selfish." Caroline told him.
"It's natural." Tyler told him. "Besides, if we stopped having sex every time somebody died in this town, we'd explode."
Tyler began kissing Caroline again.
(Song Ends)
Caroline pushed him away. "Shouldn't you at least be worried about Rosie? She's been AWOL since everything that happened, and she hasn't been answering her phone."
"I got a text back from her." Tyler told her. "She's fine. She said that she was already halfway out to Chicago when she heard about what happened."
"Still, we need to be more sensitive." Caroline told him. Tyler touched Caroline. "Tyler."
"Oh, come on." Tyler told her. They looked at each other for a moment. "I love you. How's that for sensitive?"
Caroline smiled. "I love you, too."
They laughed, placing their foreheads together, beginning to kiss each other.
The doorbell rang.
Tyler looked up, annoyed and confused. "Who the hell is that?"
...
Foyer
Carol opened the door, revealing Connor outside. "May I help you?"
"Good evening." Connor told her. "I'm hoping I can help you, actually. I spoke with Sheriff Forbes earlier. My name is Connor Jordan."
Connor held out his black-gloved hand toward her.
Carol shook it. "Carol Lockwood. I know who you are, Connor, and I believe the Sheriff made it clear that the tragedy at the farmhouse was an internal matter."
"That's one way of looking at it, I guess." Connor told her. "Although, I prefer the term, 'Cover up'. Do you mind if I come in?"
"You know, I really don't think that's a good idea." Carol told him, trying to shut the door. Connor forced his way inside. "Uh, excuse me."
"Thank you." Connor told her. "You're aware that it wasn't an accident. Any rookie fireman could tell you that."
"What are you?" Carol asked angrily. "The press?"
"Not exactly." Connor told her. "So, twelve Council members are dead. You're the Mayor, why weren't you at that meeting?"
"It wasn't official town business." Carol answered.
"What was it then?" Connor asked.
Tyler walked downstairs, pulling his shirt on. "Mom? What's going on?" He walked around his mother, approaching Connor. Connor turned to face him. "Is there something I could help you with?"
"Maybe." Connor told him. "How are you doing? I'm Connor."
Connor reached his black-gloved hand out.
Tyler took it. His skin started to burn, making him growl in pain.
Connor pulled out a pistol, shooting Tyler several times, making Tyler fall to the floor. Connor continued to shoot him.
Carol was in shock and horrified. "Tyler! Oh, my God!"
...
Tyler's Room
Caroline heard the commotion, sitting up in a pink bra, grabbing a robe, standing, starting to leave the room.
...
Foyer
Connor reloaded his gun with wooden bullets.
"Tyler!" Carol told him. "Tyler, run!"
Tyler opened his eyes, rushing to stand, rushing across the room, shattering through a window.
Connor ran out of the open door to try to follow him
Caroline walked downstairs, the robe wrapped around her.
Carol and Caroline looked at the smear of blood on the floor, looking at each other in shock and confusion.
...
Salvatore Boarding House - Library
Evelyn stood on the staircase, calling someone on her phone, waiting for an answer.
Elizabeth used a pair of metal tongs to pull the wooden bullets out of Tyler's stomach.
Caroline was standing nearby, watching. "Please tell me that's the last one."
Elizabeth observed the bullets. "These were specially carved. The length, the width." She looked at Tyler. "Be thankful for once in your life that you're a hybrid, because if you were a normal vampire, you'd be dead."
Elizabeth placed the wooden bullet in a glass of alcohol to clean it off.
Evelyn walked toward them. "I called and left a message for Rosie. Just leaving text messages isn't enough anymore. She needs to answer her damn phone before I go to Chicago and look for her myself."
Tyler nodded. "I'll go with you." He looked at the others. "This guy knew what he was doing. His gloves must have been steeped in vervain. He was looking for a vampire and he didn't hesitate for a second when he found one."
Elizabeth looked at the bullet. "These etchings..."
Elizabeth touched the bullet, but was burned by it, making her flinch back.
"Are the bullets spelled?" Caroline asked.
"I don't know." Elizabeth told them. "They're something."
"Let me see." Emma told her. Elizabeth handed her the tongs. Emma dropped the bullet into her hand, but nothing happened. "It's not spelled. It's vervain."
Emma turned the bullet to observe it, looking over the mark on the wooden bullet.
It was an X with tips on the ends, and then one vertical line through the point where they connected.
Isabella walked into the room.
"You rang?" Isabella asked.
Elizabeth looked at her. "Yeah." She used the tongs to pick up the bullet, holding it toward Isabella. "Have you seen anything like this?"
"This guy is a professional vampire Hunter with a mark on the bullets I've never seen before." Isabella told her.
"I was just thinking you might know what they are." Elizabeth told him.
"What do I look like, Van Hesling?" Isabella asked.
...
Day Three
Morning - Mystic Falls' Church
Elena and Liam were lying out memorial pamphlets on the rows of benches in the church.
Liam looked at Elena, who looked worse than usual. He walked toward her. "How are you feeling? A little strung out?"
Liam handed her more pamphlets.
"I'm fine." Elena told him. "It's just my emotions are all over the place. Everything's heightened." She opened one of the pamphlets. "I mean, just the sight of all the names of the dead makes me want to cry for a week."
"You didn't have to volunteer." Liam told her.
"People died." Elena told her. "People we've known our whole lives, so yeah, I did." She glanced over at the front of the church and saw April sitting on one of the pews. "Is that..."
Liam nodded. "April Young. Yeah."
"Oh, wow." Elena told him. She looked at Liam. "How is she?"
"I think she could use a familiar babysitter to talk to." Liam told her, taking the pamphlets from her.
Elena nodded, walking toward April, sitting next to her. "Hey there."
"Hey." April told her. "Long time, no see. Not since..."
"My parents' funeral." Elena finished.
"Yeah." April agreed.
Elena wrapped her arms around April. "Are you gonna survive this?"
April pulled away. "They want me to speak. I guess all the kids who lost somebody can. What am I supposed to say? 'I'm sorry my dad didn't fix the gas line'? But, if I don't say anything, then... I mean, what if nobody does? My dad and I didn't always get along or anything, but, everybody still deserves to have nice things said about them at their own funeral, you know? I mean, for my mom's funeral, everybody said these really nice things."
"You say what you want to say." Elena told her. "Or you don't say anything at all. And don't worry about your dad. Everyone in this town loved him."
"Yeah." April agreed, her voice growing thick. "Until two days ago."
"Even still." Elena told her, taking her hand to comfort her, but soon felt the hunter rising inside of her, feeling the pulse in her wrist, starting to stand. "I'm sorry, I... I have to go."
Elena walked quickly away.
April watched her go in confusion.
...
Bathroom
Elena walked into the bathroom, puking Damon's blood into the toilet. She stood, walking over to the sink, puking over the sink and the mirror. She looked at herself in the bloodstained mirror, breathing heavily, seeing the blood staining her clothes, dripping down her chin, getting upset, beginning to panic, looking as if she was about to cry.
...
Bennett House - Living Room
Bonnie was lying on the couch, depressed, unmoving.
Sally was knocking on the door.
Bonnie didn't answer.
"Bonnie?" Sally called. "Bonnie, I know you're in there. Bonnie, please. It's important."
...
Foyer
Bonnie toward the door to open it for Lindsey.
"You all right?" Sally asked, stepping inside.
Bonnie shook her head sadly. Sally looked at her somberly. They were both obviously still grieving from what the witches had done to Grams and Sabrina, wrapping their arms around each other, starting to cry.
...
Living Room
Bonnie and Sally were sitting on the couch together.
"It was like they were dying all over again." Bonnie told her. "Just because we didn't listen to the witches about not doing black magic."
"Well, we're dealing with the Other Side." Sally told her. "It's not exactly reliable. Witches are probably just messing with our heads, trying to teach us a lesson."
"Well, it worked." Bonnie told her. "I tried to do a basic nature spell this morning just to clear my head and it just brought it all back. Like it was happening all over again."
"I know." Sally told her. "I haven't been able to do a spell since what happened, either."
Sally pulled herself together, sighing.
Bonnie looked at her sadly. "Sorry. I'm a mess. I've been holed up in here avoiding everyone. I've completely blown off Jamie." She sighed. "You didn't just come here to see how I was doing, did you? You came here because you needed something, right?"
Sally stood. "Yeah, but it can wait."
"No, come on." Bonnie told her. "Lindsey. I'm okay. If something's wrong, tell me."
Sally sat down next to Bonnie, unwrapping a cloth with the wooden bullets from the vampire Hunter. "All right. Isabella and Evelyn gave these to me last night, hoping that I could fill you in on what's going on. They burn vampires to the touch. Could just be steeped in vervain, but this writing... I haven't seen anything like this before..."
"And you're wondering if it's magical writing." Bonnie finished. "I haven't seen anything like it, either. I don't think it's magical." Sally sighed. "Where'd Isabella and Evelyn get these?"
"I think we have a new vampire Hunter in town." Sally told her.
Bonnie nodded understandingly. "That's bad timing."
Sally managed a small smile.
...
Mystic Falls Church - Bathroom
Elena was cleaning up the blood she had puked up, on the phone.
Elizabeth's voice was on the other line. "I'm here. Isabella's here. Where are you?"
"I'm in the basement bathroom." Elena answered. The doorknob started to rattle and turn. Elena turned to look at it. "Is that you at the door?"
Elizabeth and Isabella were outside, walking toward the church.
Elizabeth had a garment bag hanging over Elizabeth's shoulder. "Not yet."
Connor was on the other side of the door, knocking on it.
"Sorry, there's someone in here." Elena called. "Elizabeth, hurry."
Elena turned on the water, continuing to clean up the blood on the sink, floor and toilet.
...
Hallway
Elizabeth walked down the stairs with the garment bag with the new dress for Elena to change into. Isabella followed her.
Connor was sitting on a couch outside the bathroom.
Elizabeth saw him. "You again. I saw you at the Grill. Stalking small town funerals?"
Elena opened the bathroom door, taking the dress from Elizabeth. "Oh, Elizabeth, thank God." She looked around the door to look at Connor. "Sorry, I-I split coffee all over my dress."
Connor stood, looking at Elena suspiciously.
Elena looked at Elizabeth and Isabella.
Isabella smiled unconvincingly.
Elizabeth nodded.
Elena closed the door to change.
Connor looked at Elizabeth and Isabella. "We have not met. I'm Connor Jordan."
Connor held out his black-gloved hand for Elizabeth or Isabella to shake.
Elizabeth looked at it. "Elizabeth. Germaphobe."
Isabella looked at Connor. "I'm Isabella, but everyone calls me Izzy." She shook her head, making her voice sound like she was a tad younger. "And my mom told me not to talk to strangers."
Elizabeth smirked, looking at the bathroom to call inside to Elena. "Everything okay in there?"
...
Bathroom
Elena placed all of the bloody tissues into the garment bag. "Yeah, just a minute."
...
Hallway
Connor looked at Elizabeth and Isabella suspiciously.
Elizabeth looked at Connor. "Well, since her mom's dead, I guess we can break her rule once or twice. You know, as long as we're waiting for a..." She said the next words louder for Elena to hear. "Drama queen!"
Connor smirked. "I'm sorry for your loss."
"Yeah, we get that a lot." Isabella told him.
"So, what brings you to Mystic Falls?" Elizabeth asked. "Bible salesman?"
Connor laughed. "No, actually, I'm in environmental clean up."
Isabella nodded, unconvinced. "Oh."
"Heard you had a bit of a pollution problem." Connor told them.
"Huh." Elizabeth told him. "Well, I was unaware. I breathe pretty easy."
Elena walked out of the bathroom, looking at Connor. "I'm so sorry that took so long."
"No problem." Connor told her. He looked between them, pointing over to Elizabeth and Elena. "Sisters?"
"Yes." Elena answered.
"Please, call them the Gilbert Girls." Isabella told him, smiling. "Well, enjoy your stay. We love visitors and the scenery is to die for." She gasped, putting her hand to her mouth. "Funeral pun. Too soon. Sorry."
Elena looked around Elizabeth to give Isabella a look.
Isabella smiled a sly smile, turning around slowly, walking away.
Elena and Elizabeth looked at Connor, turning to follow Isabella.
...
Upstairs
Sally walked through the crowd, looking around.
Morgana was sitting on one of the pews, sighing.
Sally smiled sadly, walking toward her. "Hey, Morgana."
Morgana looked up in surprise, smiling. "Sally." She stood. Morgana and Sally embraced. "I've missed you."
Sally opened her mouth as if to say something, but she looked behind Morgana, closing her mouth. "Hey, Scott."
"Scott?" Morgana repeated, turning around to face Scott.
Scott looked shocked to see her. "Morgana. What are you doing here?"
"Why do you care?" Sally asked, crossing her arms over her chest. "Run out of girly distractions?"
Morgana smiled awkwardly. "All right, on that note, I'm just gonna go."
Morgana walked away.
Scott watched her go, looking at Sally. "Sal, I..."
Sally grew impatient for him to go on. "What?"
"I'm sorry." Scott told her.
Sally sighed, looking down, out of the corner of her eye toward the floor, sighing, looking as if she knew exactly what he was going to say. "What are you talking about?"
"About everything." Scott answered.
Sally hesitated, looking at Scott for a moment, walking away, leaving Scott standing there alone.
...
Outside
Isabella, Elena and Elizabeth were walking across the grounds.
Elena looked over her shoulder toward Isabella. "Did you bring the blood bag?"
"Would you mind saying that a little louder?" Isabella asked sarcastically. They each stood next to a tree. Isabella handed Elena a blood bag. "Here."
Isabella and Elizabeth stood on either side of Elena, using their bodies as cover.
Elena took the blood bag, ripping the top open, beginning to drink, but began to feel sick again, spitting the blood out, handing it to Isabella. "No, I can't. It tastes like..." She looked up desperately. "What's wrong with me?"
"I don't know." Elizabeth told her, wiping the blood off of her chin. "Maybe it's your Doppelganger blood. You're rejecting the transition."
"I'm dying, aren't I?" Elena asked.
Damon appeared behind Isabella and Elizabeth. "No, you're not dying." They all looked at him. "You just need to drink from the vein."
"No." Elena told him. "No, I don't-I can't risk killing anyone, Damon. Maybe I'm better off dead."
Elizabeth turned to her, grabbing her shoulders. "Don't you think like that. Elena, you'll be fine. Okay?"
The church bells rang.
"We have to get back inside." Elena told them, walking toward the church.
Isabella looked at Damon and Elizabeth. "The two friends need to talk, and I'm not willing to be an audience, so..." She used her thumb to point toward the church. "I'm just gonna be over there."
"Wow, thanks, Izzy." Damon told her sarcastically.
Isabella smiled sarcastically, picking up the blood bag, putting it away, walking in the same direction Elena had.
Stefan stood further on the lawn, watching Elena and Isabella walk inside.
Elizabeth looked at Damon. "No, she's right... Damon."
Damon nodded, starting to walk away. "Understood." Elizabeth sighed, picking up the garment bag, starting to follow. Stefan followed them. "Ah, great."
"What's in the bag, Elizabeth?" Stefan asked.
"Mid-service snack." Elizabeth told him sarcastically, moodier than before. "Church always gets me hungry. The whole blood Christ thing, you know."
Stefan looked at Damon. "Way to put her in a mood, Damon."
Elizabeth sighed. "Isabella and I brought it for Elena."
Stefan looked at Damon. "Are you really that intent on having your way, that you would bring in her friends into the situation?"
"He didn't bring us into anything." Elizabeth told him. "Elena herself did. She's the one who called me to ask us for her help."
"And it's not my way, it's the only way." Damon told him.
"If she hurts someone, she'll be desperate to turn the guilt off." Stefan told them. "Maybe even desperate enough to shut off her humanity."
"What, and become a Ripper?" Elizabeth asked. "We can't have her becoming like Morgana, now can we?"
"Well, I can't let her be anything like me." Stefan told her.
"God forbid if she's anything like me." Damon told them. "That's really what you're thinking. She's gonna go off the rails eventually, anyways, so the faster we can make it happen, the sooner we can get her back on track."
"She's strong." Stefan told them. "If we help her, she can survive this."
"She's starving, Stefan." Elizabeth told him. "She hasn't been able to keep blood down for days."
"What are you talking about?" Stefan asked. "She told me she was fine."
"Well, then she lied." Elizabeth told him.
"Your four legged protein shake was a bust." Damon told him. "The juice box is a no go. She can't even keep my blood down."
"She drank from you?" Stefan asked.
Damon looked to the side. "Oops. Did I say that out loud?"
Damon turned around, walking away.
Stefan looked hurt.
...
Elsewhere
The shot panned from Stefan and Elizabeth to Emma standing alone, walking toward the church.
Matt saw her, walking toward her. "Emma ."
"Matt, who's talking to me." Emma told him. "Never thought that would happen."
Matt smiled a small smile. "Yeah, well, I never got to thank you before, for saving my life out on the bridge, when Stefan went back to save Elena. If you hadn't been there, I would've died, and Elena would've died for nothing."
"She became a vampire, Matt." Emma told him. "She would have came back either way."
"Yeah, but if you hadn't been there, I wouldn't have." Matt told her. "So, thank you."
"Don't worry about it." Emma told him. "I just did what anyone would've done." Matt scoffed silently, looking away. "Damon excluded."
Matt looked at Emma. "I still had to thank you. Just doing by what you did, you could've screwed up your recovery, and you could've died on the night that your life got saved. So..."
"Yeah, 'thanks', 'don't do it again'." Emma told him. "Trust me, I've heard it all."
Matt nodded, starting to walk away. "No kidding."
...
Inside
Matt walked inside, sitting in between Elena and Jeremy.
Elena was very pale.
Matt and Jeremy looked at her.
"You okay?" Matt asked.
Elena nodded.
Jeremy looked at Elena. "Hey, April was looking for you. She wanted help with her speech."
Elena looked around. "Where is she?"
...
Balcony
Connor was loading a gun.
April sat on the floor next to him, leaning against the wall, her wrists and ankles tied, a cloth tied around her head, resting in her mouth.
...
Pews
Elena, Matt and Jeremy sat together.
Jeremy shook his head. "I don't know."
Elsewhere, Evelyn, Isabella, Sally and Morgana were sitting together.
Elsewhere, Tyler, Caroline, Elizabeth and Liam were sitting together.
Emma walked in, standing next to Tyler. "What are you doing here, Tyler?"
"Being sensitive to the community's loss." Tyler answered.
"With a Hunter out to get you?" Emma asked.
"I'm not letting a Hunter stop me from being where I'm supposed to be." Tyler told her.
"Also, if he shows his face, I'm gonna kick his ass." Caroline told them.
Emma nodded sarcastically, walking away, sitting next to Damon and Stefan, on the other side of Damon.
Carol began the service. "Before we begin the Mass, we'd like to open the floor to anyone who would like to share a memory about our late friends on the Town Council. I know that April Young wanted to say a few words about her dad. April? April, are you still here, honey?" Up in the balcony, Connor put a wooden stake into his gun. April was still unconscious. "Is there anyone else who would like to share a recollection or a memory about Pastor Young?" No one moved. Up in the balcony, Connor pointed his gun at various people, getting ready to shoot if one of them revealed themselves to be a vampire. Finally, Elena stood. Stefan looked worried. Evelyn took a breath of worry. Elizabeth looked from Morgana to the stage. Carol nodded encouragingly. "Come on up, Elena."
Connor pointed his gun at Elena's back. Elena proceeded to walk up to the podium.
At the back of the room, Isabella walked inside.
Liam, Morgana, Caroline and Tyler turned their heads to look at her.
Stefan, Damon and Emma turned their heads to look at her.
Isabella smiled, dipping her hand in a bowl of holy water, touching her forehead, chest and both shoulders in the formation of a cross. "Don't know why that always makes me smile."
Emma , Damon and Stefan looked forward. Isabella sat next to Stefan.
Elena was walking toward the podium, looking hungry, sick and weak.
"She doesn't look so good." Damon told them.
"Maybe you should have told me she was rejecting all food sources." Stefan told him.
"Jealousy's beneath you, brother." Isabella told him.
"Oh, bite me." Stefan told her.
Isabella narrowed her eyes, looking away.
"I, uh, when I talked to April earlier she was kind of nervous about coming up to speak." Elena told them. "And now that I'm up here, I'm kind of nervous too." Emma, Damon, Stefan and Isabella exchanged a look. Elena held on to the sides of the podium. "The worst day of loving someone is the day that you lose them."
Elena stopped.
The vampires in the room could smell and hear blood dripping from somewhere.
Caroline looked from Elizabeth to Tyler on either side of her. "Do you smell that?"
"Smell what?" Liam asked.
"Blood." Elizabeth answered.
Scott sat alone, looking up, smelling it too.
Elena started to breathe heavily.
Evelyn spoke to the vampires through vampire hearing. "Nobody move." Sally looked at Evelyn and Morgana in confusion. "Don't turn around. It's a trap."
...
On the balcony, a pool of blood had started to form next to April. The blood had seeped through the balcony and started to drip into the holy water.
Elena was still at the podium, trying to fight the urge for blood. "I, um..."
Elena breathed deeply, veins starting to crawl toward her eyes.
Stefan walked up to the podium, wrapping his arm around her. "It's okay, it's okay. I got you, I got you."
Stefan led Elena off the stage and back into the row next to Matt and Jeremy.
Connor continued to follow Stefan and Elena with his gun, but pointed it back at the podium.
The priest walked over to the podium. "Please turn to page forty two in your hymn book. Let us join together in a song."
Everyone in the room stood up and began to sing.
(Song:) How Can I Keep From Singing - St. Phillips Boy's Choir
Connor pulled his gun back.
Elena leaned on Stefan when they finally got back to their seats. "The blood. Stefan, the blood. I can smell it. There's so much."
"It's all right." Stefan told her. "Just remember what we talked about. Focus, push back. Come on, you can do this."
"What's wrong with her?" Matt asked.
"She's hungry." Stefan answered. "She hasn't fed."
"So get her out of here." Matt told him.
"I can't." Stefan told him. "There's somebody watching us."
"I'm gonna go rip his head off now." Elizabeth told them.
"You do that, Elizabeth, and you risk exposing all of us." Evelyn told her.
"Well, I think the risk will be slightly diminished when I, you know, rip his head off." Elizabeth replied.
"Stefan, I'm losing it." Elena told him.
"You have ten seconds before I go old-fashioned on the new guy." Elizabeth told them.
"I'm helping you." Damon told her.
"See, this is why I like you on my team." Elizabeth told him.
"Don't do it, guys." Emma told them. "Please."
"Three, two, one." Elizabeth told them. "Bye."
Damon and Isabella turned to walk out of the aisle.
Emma grabbed Damon's arm, reaching past him to grab Isabella's.
"Wait, wait, wait, wait." Matt told them. "Elena, feed from me." Damon and Elizabeth turned back forward in surprise to look toward Matt. "It's okay, everyone will think you're upset. Just feed from me." Stefan looked at Matt and Elena. He let Matt take Elena in his arms. Connor pointed his gun down at Elena and Matt. "It's okay. You'll be okay."
Elena moved Matt's collar, biting his neck, feeding.
Connor still had his gun pointed on them, but only saw Elena "crying" on Matt's shoulder.
After a while, Elena stopped drinking, going back to normal. "Thank you."
Elena pulled away from Matt, wiping the blood from her mouth.
Connor lowered his gun.
Matt raised his collar to hide the wound.
Tyler walked up the aisle toward the stage.
Caroline, Elizabeth and Liam watched him in confusion.
"What is he doing?" Liam asked.
"Being another freaking martyr." Elizabeth answered.
Morgana looked at Evelyn. "The blood. I can smell it. It's got to be April. We have to help her."
Morgana tried to walk around Evelyn.
Evelyn grabbed Morgana to stop her. "Morgana, we can't risk it."
"Then I'm gonna do it." Morgana told him, continuing to try to push past Evelyn.
(Song Ends)
Tyler spoke from the podium, making them all turn to look at him. "Excuse me. I just wanted to say a few words about Pastor Young."
Connor recognized Tyler, pointing the gun at him immediately.
"What do we do?" Emma asked.
Everyone sat back down.
Tyler began to speak. "Back in first grade, I was a brat who couldn't be bothered with team sports. Didn't care much about anything that didn't affect me. But he was the one who made me understand how important it is to be part of a team; a community. Of giving yourself up for the sake of..."
Connor shot at Tyler with a wooden stake.
Tyler spun, falling to the floor.
Everybody started to scream, ducking into the aisles, running out of the church.
Damon and Elizabeth made their way out of the church with the crowd and outside.
Emma watched them go in frustration, looking away.
Morgana turned to follow Damon and Isabella.
Morgana looked at him. "Eve." Evelyn looked at her. "Get that son of a bitch."
Evelyn nodded, turning, making his way out to the church with the crowd and outside.
Caroline, Elizabeth, Liam made their way to the stage. Morgana followed them.
Elena got up to the stage the same time they did.
Caroline and Carol knelt on either side of Tyler.
"Oh, my God." Liam told them.
Caroline pulled the stake out of Tyler's chest.
Tyler coughed repeatedly.
Stefan walked onto the stage, standing on the other side of Elena.
"I'm gonna kill that bastard." Tyler told them.
"Damon, Isabella and Evelyn's way ahead of you." Stefan told him. "Stay here, I have to help them."
Stefan turned to leave.
Elena grabbed his hand. "What about April?"
"I got it." Morgana told him. "Go."
Stefan walked away, leaving.
"I have to call an ambulance." Carol told them.
"No, he's fine." Liam told her.
Elena turned around, walking away.
Carol looked at Tyler. "The whole town just watched you get shot. I'm calling an ambulance."
Carol stood, walking away, leaving.
Liam looked around.
Elena was gone.
"Morgana, Isabella." Liam told them. "Elena."
Morgana turned around, looking at the balcony above the doors with a determined expression.
Isabella looked at Caroline and Liam. "We got it. Stay with Tyler."
Caroline and Liam nodded.
Morgana and Elizabeth exchanged a look, turning around, walking away, walking past Matt and Sally as they did.
...
Outside
Connor threw his duffel bag full of weapons in the bed of his pickup truck. He got in his car, shutting the door.
Elizabeth rushed toward the truck, ripping the door off, grabbing Connor, throwing him onto the ground. Connor still had his pistol with wooden bullets, shooting Elizabeth multiple times, rolling over her, pulling a stake from his belt, trying to stake Elizabeth.
Evelyn rushed toward them, pushing Connor into the truck, making him fall to the ground.
Nearby, Stefan and Emma looked around.
"Damon?" Stefan called. "Evelyn?"
"Elizabeth?" Emma called.
Connor shot Damon, making him fall. Evelyn rushed toward him. Connor shot him repeatedly, having lost count just to have him fall to the ground, running into his truck, driving off.
Stefan and Emma ran toward them.
"Ow." Elizabeth told them.
Emma held her hand toward Elizabeth. Elizabeth took it, letting her help her up.
Stefan turned to Damon, holding his hand toward him. Damon took it. Stefan started to pull him up, but stopped, punching him in the face. Damon fell back to the ground, groaning.
"What the hell was that for?" Emma asked.
"He knows what." Stefan told her, walking away.
Evelyn stood, rolling his eyes, walking toward Damon, holding out her hand toward him. Damon looked at it in surprise, taking it, letting her help him up
...
Inside - Balcony
Elena walked up into the balcony. She saw April, tied, the cloth tied around her mouth, bleeding. "April!"
Elena walked toward her, slowing to a stop when she saw the blood. She transformed, rushing toward her hungrily.
Isabella and Morgana rushed in front of Elena, keeping her back.
"She's not dead, but if you feed on her you will kill her." Isabella told her.
"Let go of me!" Elena told them.
"Look at her!" Morgana told her. "Look at her, Elena! It's April. April Young. She's not a warm body for you to feed on. She's your friend. Come on, Elena, normally, I'm the one people have to hold back from doing something I'll regret." Elena slowly returned to normal. Morgana and Isabella let her go. "She's an orphan. Just like us. She's scared. Just like we were."
Isabella bit her wrist, turning toward April, feeding her her blood.
April gasped, waking, looking at Isabella, crying. "Please, don't hurt me. Please."
"No one's gonna hurt you." Isabella told her. "No one's gonna hurt you." She stood, looking at Elena. "She needs you. You can make her forget all of this."
"Why did he do this?" April asked.
Elena shook her head. "No, I-I can't, Isabella. You have to do it."
Morgana shook her head. "No. The only way you're going to learn is if you do it yourself."
"No, I can't." Elena told them.
"Yes, you can." Morgana told her. "You just need to believe what you're telling her. Okay?"
Elena knelt next to April, lightly touching her shoulder. "April, listen to me." April looked at her. "Everything's gonna be okay. You're gonna get through this. Just like I got through it." Elena compelled her. "I'm going to help you. I promise."
"I'm gonna be okay." April repeated. "You're gonna help me."
Elena looked at Isabella and Morgana, smiling.
Isabella and Morgana smiled.
Elena looked at April. "You watched the funeral from up here so that you could grieve alone. It was a beautiful service. People said really nice things."
April smiled.
"Well, besides Tyler getting shot." Morgana told her.
"Morgana, I thought you were helping me." Elena told her.
"Oh, I am, but you can't have her forget that while she tells people she watched the funeral from up here if you don't wanna be caught and killed." Morgana told her. "Just saying."
Isabella smiled, rolling her eyes, shaking her head.
...
Night - Mystic Grill
Jeremy, Liam and Matt were waiting at the bar for their food order.
Matt had a bandage over his neck. "That was insane. How do you think they'll cover this one up?"
"An assassination attempt on the Mayor's son." Jeremy answered.
"Altar boy goes postal." Liam told him.
Jeremy pointed at Matt and Liam. "You know, they could say that it's related to Rosie being AWOL." Liam looked down, looking thoughtful. Jeremy smiled. "I see that look."
Liam looked up. "What look?"
"The one that says you're crushing on your best friend's sister." Matt answered.
Connor approached the bar, sitting down, looking at Matt. "Hey." He gestured to his neck. "What happened there?"
"Uh, girlfriend went a little overboard." Matt told him, walking away.
Jeremy looked at Connor, seeing a large tattoo on his arm. "Nice ink."
Jeremy stood, walking away with Matt and Liam.
Connor looked down at his bare, unblemished arm, confused.
"What ink?" Liam asked.
"You didn't see his tattoo?" Jeremy asked. "It was huge."
"He didn't have a tattoo." Matt told him.
Jeremy nodded. "Yeah, he did."
Back at the bar, Connor watched Jeremy, Liam and Matt walk out. He seemed troubled by the fact that Jeremy could see this tattoo.
...
Connor's Trailer
Connor walked inside, sitting down, opening the letter that he had taken from the Pastor's house earlier, beginning to read it.
Pastor Young: (voice over) "Dear April, I'm sorry for what you're going through. What I did was a necessary sacrifice and I'm afraid it's only the first of many more sacrifices to come. There's always been an evil that spread through Mystic Falls, but now a greater one is coming. My death is but the first in the war ahead. I will see you again when we all find our salvation. Until then, I love you. Dad."
Connor put down the letter.
...
Salvatore Boarding House - Library
Stefan poured Elena a drink, handing it to her, pouring himself one.
Elena sniffed the alcohol, groaning in disgust.
"It helps with the cravings." Stefan told her numbly.
Elena took a sip, coughing.
Stefan took a sip of his.
"You're mad." Elena told him.
"Yeah, I'm mad." Stefan told her. "You lied to me."
"I didn't lie." Elena told him. "I just didn't tell you."
"Come on, Elena, you lied to me." Stefan told her.
"You were just so happy that things were going well and-and..." Elena trailed off.
"You think I'm happy?" Stefan asked.
"I just didn't want to ruin it for you." Elena told him.
"You're in hell, which means that I'm in hell." Stefan told him. "I understand you going to Elizabeth for help before you came to me, because she's your great aunt. But you went to Damon for help before you went to them."
Elena started to cry. "Yeah, because I thought that he would understand."
"You think I don't?" Stefan asked.
"Stefan, please." Elena told him.
"You fed on him, Elena." Stefan told her. "You fed on him. I know that may not mean much to you, but it means a lot to me. And I know it certainly meant a lot to Damon. I told Emma what it meant, and it means a lot to her as well. She might not be with Damon anymore, because of what's going on with us right now, but she still loves him. And you know this."
"I didn't want to hurt any of you." Elena told him. "I'm-I'm sorry-I-look, I'm really, really sorry. Why am I crying?" She wiped her eyes. "I'm so sick of crying!"
Elena stood, starting to pace.
"Your emotions are a bit heightened right now." Stefan told her.
"I feel like I've been crying since the day that my parents died." Elena told him. "My life it's-it's like a never ending funeral. We keep burying people, Stefan. You want to know what's heightened? This grief, I can't stop feeling everyone's grief." Stefan walked closer to her. "All the hurt, I feel like it's trying to explode out of me."
Stefan took Elena's hands in hers. "Hey, come on. Come with me."
"Where?" Elena asked.
"There's something we need to do." Stefan told her. "Come on."
They walked away together.
...
Mystic Falls High School - Outside
Elizabeth and Emma got out of Emma's car, walking toward Bonnie, who was also getting out of her car.
"What are we doing here?" Emma asked.
"I don't know." Bonnie told her. "Ask Stefan."
Caroline, Liam, Matt, Jeremy, Stefan, Elena, Emma, Evelyn, Sally, Isabella, Morgana and Damon were all sitting at the tables or standing around outside of the school as Elizabeth, Emma and Bonnie walked toward them.
"Stefan, what are we doing?" Elizabeth asked.
Stefan had some of the paper lanterns in his hand. "We're finishing the memorial we didn't get to have earlier." He handed a lantern to Elena. "We need to start healing, Elizabeth. We've all lost so much, especially recently." He handed a lantern to Morgana. "I think we're numb to it. We push it away, we make a joke out of it, ignore how we feel. We've never just let ourselves grieve."
"So you're lighting lanterns?" Damon asked skeptically.
"Yeah." Stefan answered. "Yeah, we need to do this."
"What we need to do is find out who this hunter is, and what he knows about the death of the Council." Damon told them. "We have more important things to be doing right now than this."
(Song:) Ungodly Hour - The Fray
"Not tonight, we don't." Stefan told him. Isabella scoffed. "This is for my uncle Zach.. Stefan looked at Isabella. "And my friend Lexi." Elizabeth sighed. Stefan looked at Damon. "And for Alaric."
Isabella reacted to her best friend's name, looking down.
Stefan lit the lantern, handing the lighter to Matt.
"This is for Vicki." Matt told them.
Caroline stood, taking the lighter from Matt, looking at Liam next to her. "This is for our dad. And Rosie and Tyler's."
Caroline lit her lantern.
Jeremy stood, taking the lighter from Caroline, looking at Elena and Emma. "This is for our parents." He looked from Matt standing next to him. "For Vicki." He looked at Evelyn. "Anna." He nodded to himself. "Jenna." He looked at Isabella. "And Alaric."
Damon reacted, looking down.
Jeremy lit his lantern, looking at Liam, handing the lighter to him.
Liam stood, taking the lighter from Jeremy. He looked at Caroline. "This is for Dad."
Caroline nodded.
Liam lit the lantern, holding the lighter toward Emma, tilting it back and forth, waiting for her to take it.
Emma took it, taking a lantern from the table, looking from Stefan to Isabella to Elizabeth. "This is for Lexi." She nodded to herself. "My mom." She looked at Damon. "My dad. And Alaric."
Isabella reacted, looking down.
Emma lit her lantern, looking at Elizabeth , holding the lighter toward Elizabeth.
Elizabeth tilted her head at Emma, giving Stefan a look. "Seriously?"
Stefan nodded.
Elizabeth rolled her eyes, taking a lantern, taking the lighter from Emma, looking at Stefan and Damon. "Our parents." She looked at Damon. "Zach." She looked at Stefan. "Lexi." She looked at Isabella. "Alaric."
Isabella looked down, reacting worse than before.
Elizabeth lit her lantern, holding the lighter toward Isabella, knowing he wasn't going to take it.
"No way." Isabella told her. "I'm not doing that."
Isabella and Damon walked away, leaving.
Elizabeth held the lighter toward Bonnie.
Bonnie took a lantern out of the box, standing, walking closer, taking the lighter from Elizabeth, standing in between Liam and Caroline. "This is for my Grams."
Bonnie lit her lantern, holding the lighter toward Sally.
Sally stood, grabbing a lantern, taking the lighter from Bonnie, nodding to herself. "This is for my mom and my dad."
Sally lit her lantern, holding the lighter toward Evelyn.
Evelyn took the lighter. "This is for Anna and Pearl."
Evelyn lit her lantern, holding the lighter toward Elena.
Stefan looked at Elena.
Elena stood, standing next to him, taking the lighter from Evelyn, lighting the lantern. "This, um, is for my mom, my dad, Jenna. And for me, I guess."
Elena lit her lantern, holding the lighter toward Morgana.
Morgana stood, taking the lighter from Elena, looking at everyone. "Everyone you've ever lost. Everyone this town has ever lost. Mason. Rose." She smirked. "Hell, even Ester." She looked around. "The us that we were before our lives were over run by everything that we go through every day. The ones who only had to worry about what was for homework or what was for dinner. We've all died... in some way or another. So this is for all of us."
Morgana lit her lantern, stepping forward and released her lantern.
Liam released her lantern.
Evelyn released his lantern.
Caroline released her lantern.
Sally released her lantern.
Jeremy released his lantern.
Bonnie released her lantern.
Matt released his lantern.
Isabella released her lantern.
Emma released her lantern.
Stefan released his lantern.
Elena released her lantern.
They watched them as they floated off into the night sky.
...
Cemetery
Isabella was sitting on a bench with a bottle of bourbon. She was talking to a gravestone. "They're floating lanterns in the sky. Can you believe that? A Japanese lantern is the symbol of letting go of the past. Well, here's a news flash. We're not Japanese." She took a drink of the bourbon. "Do you know what they are? Children. Like lighting a candle is going to make everything okay or even saying a prayer or pretending Elena is not going to end up just like the rest of us murderous vampires. Stupid, delusional, exasperating, little children. I know what you're going to say; 'It makes them feel better, Isabella.' So what?" She looked at Alaric's grave. "For how long? A minute, a day? What differences does it make?" She stood, walking toward the grave, still speaking to it. "Because in the end, when you lose somebody; every candle, every prayer is not going to make up for the fact that the only thing that you have left is a hole in your life where that somebody that you cared about used to be." Alaric's ghost was sitting on the bench, listening to Isabella. Isabella couldn't see him. "And a rock with a birthday carved into it that I'm pretty sure is wrong." Alaric smiled, laughing quietly. Isabella sat on Alaric's tombstone. "So, thanks, friend. Thanks for leaving me here to babysit, because I should have been long gone by now. I didn't get either of the girls, remember? Elena chose Stefan, and Emma dumped my ass because she's tired of all of it, which makes her the smartest one out of all of us. I'm just stuck here fighting with my brother while my sister and my best friend are trying to keep us from fighting, and taking care of the kids. You owe me big."
Isabella took a final drink from the bottle of bourbon, placing it on Alaric's tombstone, standing, walking away.
Alaric remained sitting on the stone bench. "I miss you too, buddy."
(Song Ends)
