The Token

"I could have picked you up for this," Damon said the next morning.

"I know." Elena replied as she entered the driver's seat. "Bonnie prefers me to drive."

Damon nodded. Then as Elena was starting the car, he stopped her.

"Wait," he said, pulling a small box out of his pocket. "I have something for you first."

Damon opened the box and removed a silver bracelet.

Elena looked at it in his hand and then stared at him. "It's beautiful. What's this for?"

"A token of our agreement."

"'Agreement'. Is that what we're calling it?"

"Well," Damon said as he pulled her wrist close and fastened the bracelet in place, "I admit its not as catchy as your term of 'this whatever this is that we're doing', but I like it better."

Elena looked at the bracelet on her wrist. "It must have cost a fortune. Did you get this for me?"

"I got it for the woman who loves me. If you decide that's not you, you can give it back. It can be your signal to me that you've chosen, and it's a choice I wouldn't want."

Elena started her car. "I can just use my words, and maybe keep the bracelet?"

"Now that would be a bad choice on your part"

Left Out

"Why are we here?" Damon asked as Elena pull into the school parking lot.

"Mr. Salzman is coming.."

"Why?"

"Because I invited him. I think he can help."

"Just one more person at risk." Damon said as Alaric came to the car. Elena left the car and opened the trunk where he placed a bag.

"Did you hear any more details on the supposed animal attack" Elena asked as Alaric climbed into the seat behind her.

"Two now," Alaric replied. "Another body was found this morning."

Elena leaned against the wheel. She looked like she was taking it personally.

"You really don't know that it was a vampire," Alaric said.

"If it was," Damon said, "It could be more than one. One would not have needed to feed again so quickly. And, if just passing through, it would have left already. If it is vampires, we have to be ready for more than one."

"Agreed. Should we get Stefan?" Alaric asked.

"Not yet," Elena said. "I think he'll call me later anyway. If we need him, we can get him then. Let's just pick up Bonnie."

The Location

Bonnie came though the door as soon as Elena pulled into her driveway.

"Elena, did you hear? There's another one."

"Yeah I did. Mr. Salzman didn't say where though. Is it the same area as the first?"

"Close enough," Bonnie said as she sat next to Alaric. "Something's going on. I tried some stuff at home, but couldn't get anything."

"What are we looking for?" Elena asked as she returned to the road.

"Anything belonging to the victims would have probably been removed with the bodies." Alaric added.

"Something tangible would be best." Bonnie said. "But even just being at the location should be enough to give me what I need."

"We'll try the first location first," Elena decided. "There will probably be people at the new one."

The Rules

Alaric was leading the way. Damon hung back and was finally joined by Elena.

"Do you think this is a good idea?" He asked her. "With a second body, there is almost sure to be something – something dangerous to them and you."

"You of all people know that she can defend herself against a vampire, Damon. And he can too."

"And we don't know if there is more than two."

"I'm counting on you and Bonnie to be able to tell me if there is – if we're in over our heads."

"And what is this about Stefan calling you later?" Damon demanded.

"I kind of told him to last night – before we talked. And anyway, it is within the rules you set."

"Rules can change, Elena."

"No. The bracelet sets them in stone. As long as I wear it, I expect you to do as we agreed, and I promise to do so as well. Now let's catch up to them before they need us."

The Search

Alaric stopped and waited for them all to join him.

"We're getting close to the first place. We need to be a little stealthy in case there's someone around."

They were surrounded by trees, but Alaric was leading them out of the woods to what could be a pasture.

"The first body was found in this area." Alaric said. "Are we close enough?"

"We'll see." Bonnie picked a spot a settled down, pulling supplies out from a bag she had brought.

Alaric was also busy readying his stakes and darts.

Elena pulled Damon aside. "Do you sense anything?"

Damon looked alert, but shook his head. "Nothing. Not right now anyway."

"Can you walk around a see if you can pick up a trail?"

"You make it sound so easy." Damon said as he started to walk away from them. It was harsh enough that Elena knew he was still a little ticked at her.

"Let us know if you find something. OK?"

Damon turned around, his face hard. But it softened as he nodded. "I will."

Elena nodded in return and turned back to Alaric and Bonnie.

"Anything, Bonnie?" She asked.

Bonnie just nodded. She was concentrating.

"I think she wants to concentrate for a minute," Alaric said softly.

Elena watched as Bonnie did her spells, occasionally glancing at Damon for a sign that he had found something.

The Turf

Damon managed to signal for Elena to come closer. He spoke before she came too close.

"Found something. Stay here. I'll be back." He moved into the trees at a speed Elena knew she could not begin to match.

"Damon what is it?" She asked. He was out of sight before the words were out.

Then Bonnie let out a squeal.

"Elena, get back here!" she yelled.

Elena ran back to her. Alaric was there as well.

"What is it Bonnie?" She asked.

"Damn, damn, damn. Three…no four vampires. And they're coming at us - fast."

"Where?" Elena asked, looking around them, but not seeing anything.

"All around us. I can't focus on anyone enough to hit it with anything."

"What can I do?" Elena asked.

"Stay close. I'm going to try something." Bonnie began a chant.

Alaric moved close as well, also scanning the area around them.

Something surrounded them that Elena could only describe as wind – though it was not quite right.

"Do you know what she's doing?" Elena asked Alaric.

He shook his head.

"It's a protection spell." Bonnie said quickly. "Usually for a house. I'm trying to define an area of this field for protection. Now stay put and shush." She resumed chanting.

Alaric pulled gently on Elena's arm and pointed. There was someone coming. Just one. She couldn't be sure, he was still fairly far away, but it made sense that it was one of the vampires Bonnie had seen.

"Vampire?" Elena asked.

"I can't tell." Alaric said. "It could be, I guess."

"Yes," Bonnie said forcefully. "Shush."

Elena watched him approach. It didn't look quite right. She started to walk towards him.

"Elena, stop!" Bonnie demanded.

"No, give me a sec Bonnie. I think I know who he is."

"You need to stay within the air movement."

"I will. Can you just stop it for a minute? And if there's a problem, start it back up again?"

"I can stop it. I can't guarantee I can start it back up."

"Just be ready. If I scream, it'll be your signal to start back up."

The wind died down. It was not very far from Bonnie and Alaric, so Elena was mostly waiting for the vampire to get close enough to hear her.

"Stop." She said. It obeyed. "What do you want?"

"I'll have to ask your friend, the witch, to not interfere." The vampire said.

"Interfere?"

"With our protection of you."

"You work for Katherine." Elena said, and turned back to Bonnie who was approaching with Alaric now. "He works for Katherine, Bonnie."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

"He won't hurt us." Elena said, and turned back to him. "Are there four of you?"

"Yes. Please ask your friend to not interfere."

Bonnie spoke now. "I promised Katherine I would protect her with my power against any threat. From where I stand, that looks like you."

Elena gave Bonnie a "What?" look as the vampire spoke again. "We need to be able to approach her to protect her. Please do not interfere."

"Bonnie, it's OK," Elena said as she turned back to the vampire. "I thought you were to remain unseen."

"We have been. When the Salvatore left, we drew closer. Then your friend began to interfere. She must allow us to approach you if needed."

"You saw Damon leave? Do you know where he went?"

"No."

"Can you follow him and help him if needed?"

"No. I was told you know the rules. Please ask her to not interfere."

"You just startled her. She was only protecting me. Now that we know who you are, she won't interfere."

"Don't be so sure," Bonnie said.

Elena shot her a quick glare and turned back to the vampire.

The vampire only nodded and ran out of sight.

"Katherine's right," Elena muttered. "She does work with idiots."

"Yeah," Alaric said. "Let's just keep those idiots on our side."

Bonnie was still glairing when Alaric started laughing. "What's so funny?" Bonnie asked.

"Come on, you don't see it?" When neither girl answered, he said, "There's a turf war between vampires and witches over Elena. It's funny."

Elena did not laugh. "We're wasting time here now. Can you find where Damon went?" she asked Bonnie.

"Probably, though it would help if I had something of his."

Elena fingered her new bracelet, and wondered if she should wait for Damon to return as he asked, or if she should have Bonnie try to find him.