Words cannot explain my sorrow and guilt for not updating as often as promised. But every time I write a chapter, and do that or too long I get a headache (usually because it's around midnight, my free time). I watched 4x07 on Thursday and may or my not hae spontaneously combusted. SPOILERISH - Julie Plec says the sire bond doesn't affect emotions, AKA that scene at the end of the episode (you know the scene) and Elena's feelings aughta be real. Hopefully. Please

Anyway thanks for reading if you still are after my laziness has shown through recently and enjoy. (P.S. I took some stuff from the latest episode and warped it. But this is basically how I wanted it to go.)

Caroline was elsewhere in her mind. She didn't know what had come over her. When they announced April Young's victory and and new title as Miss Mystic Falls, she said her congratulations and thought nothing of it. "Caroline?" Elena walked up to her, shaking her out of her trance. "What's going on?"

Caroline stared back "Nothing, is something wrong?" She replied hastily.

"No" Elena said "Not any more than usual, you just look out of it."

"Nope." Caroline said twisting her mouth. Elena walked away, tentatively and told Caroline she'd catch up with her soon, and that she needed to talk to Damon. This brought Caroline back to sanity "What?" Caroline remarked "What are you going to say?"

"I'm going to keep him up to date, I don't think he even knows about the breakup." Elena answered, turning back to face her.

"Well, don't do anything hasty." She said.

"What do you mean?" Elena asked.

"Well...I was talking to Stefan, he called me after dropping your stuff off at your house. And it just got me thinking..."

"Thinking what?"

"He just seems so genuinely heartbroken, are you sure you're doing the right thing?

Elena raised her eyebrows and took a couple steps forward "Caroline this morning you were all for me telling Damon how I feel, what ever happened to that? You told me you agreed with whoeer I chose. That it was about me?"

"I know what I said." Caroline countered "But I didn't think you were really considering Damon. I thought you were just going to talk to him, get things settled and move on! I thought you would come to your senses and go back to Stefan! You always do."

Elena just stood there "So everything you said this morning was just you trying to guide me towards Stefan?"

"Elena, I want what's best for you, and the more I think about it, the worse Damon is, do you really think he's any good?"

"You're biased." Elena said.

"I'm truthful!"

"Hypocritical!" Elena was raising her voice and sharpening her tone.

"What!?"

"You are telling me to stay away from Damon because you think he is bad, that I may have feelings or him now but it will hurt me eventually, right?" Elena quieted down just a bit.

"Yes, exactly I-"

"You've been ogling at KLAUS all day! And you want to judge me about Damon?"

"All I'm saying is you and Stefan are perfect. You know I'm right."

Elena was annoyed, very annoyed, but kept her cool and said "You were so supportive this morning, now you're just making this harder than it already is."

Caroline looked sad "I'm sorry I'm taking sides, but that's my opinion. I should have told you earlier but you were so sad and...you belong with Stefan, I thought you still knew that. Somethings wrong here." She walked away as Klaus walked up with a bottle of champagne and an offer to Caroline to walk around the grounds. Elena stood there, angry with Caroline, suddenly butting in. She knew Caroline never liked Damon, and now she was just trying to trick her into going back to Stefan. The whole day she had acted so considerate, so un-opinionated, but it was all just part of her own motives. She decided to go home

As Elena left the property, her mind filled with thoughts of Caroline's words, she realized she had forgotten to find Damon just as she heard Jeremy's voice call her from the other side of the street. Her home road was empty except for her and her brother. "Jeremy" She greeted him and crossed the street to where he walked. She started to say hi before she saw his sleeve, the cuff of it was tinged with a dark red, and she recognized it's scent. "Jeremy what happened!" she said coming closer. She took his hand, but he said nothing.

"What's going on?" She inquired, and discovered his wrist was still oozing with fresh, warm blood. Before she could put her head up and get away from it, she felt an awful, stabbing pain in her right side. She lowered herslef to the ground in agony as she looked first at the slim, 4-inch wooden stake in the side of her stomach, then at her brother's blank face.

"Jeremy..." She half-whimpered "Please." Jeremy slowly pulled a specially carved, wooden stake from his bag

"I have to Elena." He said darkly

"Jeremy, I'm your sister, I love you." She pleaded. The pain in her side was persistently agonizing.

"You are a vampire."

"But I'm still me Jeremy, I'm still Elena!"

"You're one of them. A killer." Just as her had taken hold of her shoulder, and was bringing back his arm to drive the stake through her heart, he suddenly dropped his weapon and yelled a terrible moan of pain as he clutched his head with both hands and rolled to his side. Elena looked up to see Bonnie, closing the door of her small silver car with one hand, and reaching out towards Jeremy with the other. She was using her magic on him.

"Bonnie" Elena rasped. Bonnie twisted her hand and Jeremy lay still on the sidewalk. Breathing, but still. Bonnie dropped her hand and jogged to Elena, "Calm down Elena, don't move, I'll get the stake out." Bonnie winced as she cautiously pulled the wood from her friend's bloody side.

"Thank you." Elena quietly said "Jeremy..."

"He's fine" Bonnie said. "Help me get him in the car, we need to bring him home." After a moment Elena had healed, and was bringing an unconscious Jeremy to Bonnie's car. She plopped him in the back, and sat into the passenger seat as Bonnie turned the ignition on.

"Bonnie, how are you using magic?" Elena asked, addressing the elephant in the room.

"The simpler spells I've been familliar with since I was a newbie are coming back." Bonnie smiled a small, inside smile.

"Why didn't you say anything this morning?"

"I didn't even know, Proffeser Shane, the guy who's been helpping me get my magic back told me I'd be able to get the simple stuff back soon, but I only just tested it. I guess step one is all set." Elena nodded.

"Guess so."

They got home and Elena carried her brother into the living room, setting him gently on the couch and patting his head. Bonnie had gone to tell Atticus her news once she was sure Elena would be fine. She took out her phone to call Stefan.

"Elena" He picked up after a ring.

"Stefan, I'm at home with an unconscious Jeremy who just tried to stake me, and who didn't show up for the pageant. And neither were you, what is going on?"

"Elena...I...made him kill another vampire, I thought he would tell me how far his tatoo had grown but he ran off, I didn't mean for him to go after you."

She was getting upset, but controlled herself, besides a stern voice "Why would you do that to him Stefan."

"I was doing it for you, so we can find the cure and you won't be like this." He stopped abruptly, hoping he wouldn't notice the bit of truth he leaked.

"Like this?" She asked. (She notice) "Stefan, if you think theres something wrong with me, and you want me to be fixed by compromising my brother's control over himself, I don't want the cure. Not like this."

"Elena. I don't want to give up on this."

Elena sighed, still stern "This isn't right Stefan. We agreed yesterday evening we can't hold on. You need to let go." There was silence as Stefan let the words in. "Goodbye" Elena said.