A/N: Sort of followed the episode with some tweaks. Tried not to rehash a bunch of what happened on the show because, well, we all know what happened on the show. Hope you enjoy…

Step 4: A Helping Hand

Elena and Bonnie listened to my story at lunch the next day with rapt attention. Bonnie's jaw literally hit the table when I mentioned Damon was my rescuer. I knew the guy wasn't the most popular among this group of friends but I was surprised they were so shocked that he would help me. He didn't seem all that EVIL to me. Oh, how naïve I was.

Wait! I don't want you to think that I think Damon is evil. I'm friends with the guy now and I wouldn't be friends with an evil person. At the same time, let's not kid ourselves. Damon's actions are not always honorable; he has his moments of wicked weakness.

Back to Bonnie and Elena; Elena was insistent that while it was nice of Damon to help me and he did have his kind moments I wasn't to trust him. Or to ever invite him into my house. I thought that was a weird caveat but she was so adamant that I promised her I wouldn't. Elena can be pretty intense when she wants to be.

Conversation moved on to the dance that was Friday. Bonnie was the one making most of the plans and Elena and I could do no more than just nod our agreement as she checked off her mental list of things to do Friday after school. By the time we committed the order of events for Friday to memory, lunch was over and classes resumed.

I'd like to tell you that the rest of Wednesday and Thursday were exciting and full of vampire drama but I have to be honest; the next two nights were pretty standard. No pretty vampires for me either night. Thursday Elena didn't even show up to school which was weird to me since she hadn't seemed sick the day before. Apparently this wasn't weird behavior for her, though, according to classmates. It seemed that school was optional for Elena Gilbert. This was my first, and only, moment of doubting my new friend's integrity.

Friday, the day of the dance, was not what I would call standard, however. It started at lunch; I joined Bonnie and Elena as they were chatting about what they were making their boy toys wear that night. A girl walked up and began talking about some cute guy who wanted to see Elena at the dance tonight. Elena was totally amused until the girl mentioned his name; Klaus. I could feel the mood instantly shift to tension and unease. Elena's face fell and Bonnie looked worried. I could agree that Klaus was a rather dumb name but it wasn't disappointment I was reading in my friend's eyes. It was fear. That much fear in a teenage girl's eyes was not normal.

After the random girl left, Bonnie and Elena were tight lipped about the situation. They were trying to blow it off in order to not alarm me but I could tell they were keeping a secret from me. Something was very wrong. But, as the new girl in town and as I barely knew them, I could see their point in keeping me out of the loop. I couldn't blame them. So, for better or worse, I let it drop.

After school I went home to take Layla for a safe walk around the neighborhood and then headed to Bonnie's to get ready. She was all excited for me to meet her boyfriend, who was also Elena's little brother, Jeremy. A steady stream of Jeremy gushing spilled from her as she pulled my hair up and back a la Audrey Hepburn. It took many bobby pins but Bonnie could work magic with hair and by the time she was finished, I didn't look half bad. Between that and the dress Elena was letting me borrow, I looked like I stepped out of the 60s. Not being one for the retro look I was a little skeptical but Bonnie assured me I would fit in. As she finished getting ready I marveled at the fact that kids would get so into a themed dance here. I was hoping that the entire dance was as enthusiastic as Bonnie and Elena; otherwise we would stand out severely.

Jeremy gave Bonnie and me a ride to the dance; Elena and Stefan were meeting us there. Jeremy was super cute but so not my type. He and Bonnie were adorable with each other and I could how much they were in to each other. It was sweet to see. Sigh, young love.

Now, I realized a while before this moment that I was going to be a total fifth wheel. I don't want you to think I didn't foresee this problem because I had. At this point, however, I was just going along with my new girl friends because that's what you do when you're new and you're trying to fit in. You go along with things, as long as they don't get you killed. In my narrow view of life at the time, a dance didn't seem life or death to me. It's almost embarrassing how wrong I was.

Once at the dance Jeremy asked to speak to Bonnie alone. I decided to go on in and find Elena and Stefan who had already texted they were in the dance. Walking into the gym my jaw hit the floor in amazement of the sights around me. I shouldn't have worried about my outfit fitting in.

Not only was the place decked to the nines in 60s style decorations and blasting 60s music, the entire school was there mingling and dancing in a giant mass of excited happiness. I had never seen such a sight at a high school event. If I hadn't known any better I would have thought I time traveled backward and into the decade the dance was portraying. This school knew how to throw a party.

"Amazing, isn't it?" A familiar voice said in my ear. I turned to smile at Damon Salvatore.

"That's just what I was thinking. I don't know that I've seen anything like this in my high school experience." I admitted. I had to practically shout to be heard over the music.

"Me either." Damon looked more perplexed than impressed but shrugged which ever expression it was off. "You're here alone. What did I tell you about being alone?" That fatherly, scolding tone again.

"I'm here with Bonnie and Jeremy. Trying to find Elena and Stefan. I am perfectly safe in the middle of a crowded high school dance." I defended myself. "It's sweet you care though." I added as a jab; I remembered how much hated being called kind, he would probably seethe at being called sweet.

My risk was rewarded. Damon scowled at me in response. I grinned back. His buttons were too easy to push. "What are you doing here anyway? Didn't you already graduate high school?" I asked, changing the subject before he got genuinely angry.

"Stefan's guardian. Chaperone at the dance. It's kinda the same job, I suppose." Damon responded, no hint of irritation in his voice. My diversion worked. "Trying to find Alaric and someone else." He glanced at me quickly than looked away. He was being vague on purpose. I didn't know him well enough to pry but my curiosity was piqued. Who was this 'someone else'? All so mysterious.

Any more conversation was cut short by the appearance of a girl on stage. It was the same random girl that approached Elena and Bonnie at lunch. She looked cute in her little dress but her smile seemed fake and plastered. She got the room's attention then dedicated a song to Elena… from Klaus.

Damon's head whipped around at the mention of the name; he began scanning the crowd almost frantically. I was finding it strange that this guy with a messed up name was stalking Elena. She had looked scared before, I was sure she was terrified now.

"What a creep." I frowned.

Damon looked at me. "You know him?"

"Klaus? No, just that girl up there mentioned him to Elena earlier today."

Damon seemed dissatisfied but nodded. "I heard."

That was interesting. He was scanning the crowd again. I saw Elena and the gang standing not far off from where we were. Damon was not looking for them. "He scares her." I observed. Elena was also looking around, her face upset in a similar manner as earlier at lunch.

Damon looked over his shoulder at Elena. His face softened a bit, as if he felt bad for her. "As he should." Damon looked back at me. He sized me up, looking as though he was debating telling me something. The words tumbled out whether he wanted them to or not. "He scares us all."

I tried not to show the level of my surprise. My thoughts went immediately to 'stalker,' but my gut was telling me this was something more. Before I could question him further, Damon took off into the crowd without a goodbye.

I sighed and joined my friends; hello fifth wheel.

Bonnie took Jeremy onto the dance floor. Elena looked at me but I waved her and Stefan off to go dance as well. I didn't need a babysitter.

For the next 30 minutes or so I was involved in what the majority of Mystic Falls would consider a 'normal high school dance' experience. I stood alone, bopping to the catchy music of the decade, I danced a slow dance with a classmate whose name I'll never remember, I drank punch, and I giggled with my friends when they weren't out dancing with their boyfriends. It was pretty…well, normal. The only difference was I could tell my friends were on edge about something; a lot of smiles were being forced.

It was the rest of the night that ended up being very, very not normal. About a half hour into the dance for our little gang, a series of events was put into motion that I can only describe in vague detail. It seemed that someone told another someone something that wasn't supposed to be revealed and that something was spreading through the group like wildfire. No one seemed happy about it and expressions were going from worry to anger. I totally felt left out of the loop but things were happening so rapidly I had no one to complain to.

Finally, at one point, Damon found me and asked me to go find Jeremy and stick with him, insisting it was important I stay with him. He seemed serious so I left the gym in the direction Damon pointed and headed down the hall. I caught up with Jeremy quickly.

"Hey. What are you doing in the hallway? Dance is back that way." I jerked my thumb over my shoulder as I fell into step beside him.

Jeremy barely looked at me. "I have to get something from my locker. It's for Bonnie, I told her I'd give it to her tonight."

Now it seemed to me that you weren't supposed to be wandering the halls during a dance. If a teacher caught us we'd be in big trouble and I didn't want to get detention or suspended in my first week of school. Oh, how small those problems seem now. Bring on detention if I could only not have to worry about super vampires and werewolf hybrids.

"Can't it wait until tomorrow?" I asked my nervousness at being caught showing up in my voice.

Jeremy pressed his lips together and shook his head. "You don't have to come." He added.

"I have orders." I told him, thinking about how intent Damon had been for me to stay with Jeremy. He didn't question my words.

Our path was blocked rather suddenly by another student. I don't know where he came from, a corner maybe, but it was like he just…appeared. He was flanked by two other students, all big, kinda burly boys. Their expressions seemed vacant, yet fierce at the same time. It instantly sent chills down my spine.

The next few minutes were a blur. They sort of picked on Jeremy who was already in a mood and not wanting to deal with these three and their drama. But then they started shoving and I was grabbed by one and slammed up against a wall face first. I saw stars as my head hit the brick hard. One of the goons was pushing me against the wall with all his body weight; he had my arm at a weird angle and I couldn't do much but try to stomp on his feet while I meagerly struggled to get away. I had no success in the foot or getting away department.

It sounded as though the other two were going to town on Jeremy. I screamed his name a couple of times but he never answered. After what seemed like ages there was a shout of "hey idiot!" and the fighting stopped. However, weird noises began, like someone shot an arrow out of a bow. Of course, that couldn't be right, who'd have a bow and arrow on school property? Who'd have time to shoot one?

There was more scuffling, this time much shorter in duration. I was released and by the time I turned, shaking out my arm, Jeremy was standing next to Stefan and Damon and the three students were on the floor out cold. Those Salvatores had impeccable timing.

Damon was asking if I was okay when Stefan blurted out something about this being a distraction. Damon went off to find Elena and Stefan left after making sure Jeremy and I were alright. My orders hadn't changed, I was supposed to stay with Jeremy so I took him into the girls' bathroom to clean up his injuries best I could.

"Did they kick you in the face?" I was appalled.

"They tried." Jeremy sighed looking like he wanted to be any place but where he was right then. "They got my ribs good though." He winced and grabbed his rib cage.

"Do they have something against you?" I asked, stepping back from him, my feeble attempt of trying to mend him finshed.

He looked at me a moment, his eyes showing the internal debate on whether or not he wanted to tell me something. Eventually he shook his head. "No, we were just in the wrong place at the right time for them." He stood up and headed for the door. "Listen, I know you're supposed to stick by me but I need to find Bonnie. Now."

"Well I'll go with you." I offered. He stopped short. I ran into the back of him. He turned, grabbed me by my upper arms and got right in my face. I think he wanted me to see how serious he was but to be honest he scared me a bit.

"No. You need to find Elena. Stick by her. She might need help tonight." Jeremy was even more intense than Damon had been earlier. I could do naught but nod in agreement.

"You find Bonnie, I'll find Elena." I summarized.

Jeremy nodded and let go of me, turned and left. I stood alone in the bathroom a moment trying to piece everything together. Something very weird was going on and every instinct in my body told me to run straight home and never speak to any of these people again. Oh instinct, how I should have listened to you.

Instead, I decided not to analyze it too much and just help out my friends. Jeremy only wanted me to find Elena and honestly, I was worried about her. That stalker guy Klaus was probably around and that's why Stefan and Damon were so amped up about her. I squared my shoulders and took a deep breath before stepping into the hallway. Then it struck me. Where in the heck was I supposed to find Elena?

The school is a maze; the same people who design rat mazes must have designed this school. It was only a week at Mystic Falls High for me and I was nowhere near having the layout memorized. I turned a corner and stopped because I knew if I wandered to far from the gym I'd be wandering the halls until Monday. Maybe I should just look for Elena in the dance.

I was about to turn and do that when I heard running footsteps. They were coming from a hall that crossed the one I was in and they were coming fast. I saw Elena's purple dress and white boots fly by with Stefan close on her heels. I jogged down the hall to catch up, feeling a little triumphant. Found her! That was easy.

By the time I got to the hallway the two of them were farther down, banging on a closed door. Elena was hysterical and in tears; this couldn't be good. She was crying Bonnie's name and repeating 'no' over and over. I was hesitant to get any closer, something very strange was happening.

I could hear all sorts of noise coming from the room. I recognized where we were; the room was one of the lunchrooms in the school. Bright lights were flashing in the windows. Stefan and Elena were both trying to open the doors but neither one was successful. Elena was sobbing now and I was afraid to approach; I didn't want to see what was going on in that room.

Then it was dark. As suddenly as it started it had all started, it stopped. Elena rushed the room, the doors giving way to her easily. She was still screaming Bonnie's name. Stefan followed her in. I didn't want to. I didn't want to go in that room, I didn't want to see what was going on with Bonnie. I knew it would be bad. Elena wouldn't be so upset if it wasn't bad.

My legs had a mind of their own. Apparently they wanted to see what was going on in that room and they didn't care how much my brain protested. Slowly they took me inside and toward the horrible scene that was playing out before my eyes.

Bonnie's dress was super cute tonight. Those were my first thoughts. Crazy, I know, but I don't think your brain works right when dealing with loss and horror such as that. Elena was crying that Bonnie was dead and Bonnie certainly looked dead from where I was standing. I had never seen someone…dead.

More than anything, though, Elena's sobs were affecting me. The pain, loss, and sorrow in those cries were heart wrenching. I wanted to comfort her, tell her it was going to be alright. I was frozen in place, however, knowing no words could do this moment justice.

I am not sure when Damon came in. It could have been minutes, it could have been hours; time seemed frozen. He was calm and cool about the whole thing. He walked up to me first and made me look at him and not at Bonnie. It took some effort but I finally met his steely gaze. "I need you to help Stefan with Elena. Elena needs to go home and you need to help her."

I opened my mouth to object; I wasn't close enough of a friend to help her. This was something that needed family support, boyfriend support. I was just the new girl. Words failed me, however and Damon repeated what he wanted me to do. I nodded.

I didn't hear what Damon said to Stefan but it must have been similar as what he said to me because Stefan got a hold of Elena and started dragging her away from Bonnie. As they got close I helped, taking some of Elena's weight on the other side. We got her to the SUV and she crawled into the back seat. I got in with her; her sobbing had subsided into quiet tears but her face made Stefan and I painfully aware of how much she was suffering. As Stephan drove us back to the boarding house Elena laid down, curled up in the seat next to me, her head resting in my lap. All I could do was try and sooth her by petting her hair and offering words of assurance. Yeah, those words sounded hollow in my ears, too. Bonnie was already gone. How was life ever again going to be the same for Elena? For Jeremy? For any of us?