Okay so I finally got this chapter up after two weeks lol. Sorry you guys and thanks for the patience I am going to try and keep up on the chapters from here on out.

The usual disclaimer still applies (as it will for the rest of this story) and please do review :) I cannot begin to tell you guys how much I appreciate hearing your thoughts.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

Chapter Two

Everything Happens for a Reason

"Hello?! Is anybody out there?" Stefan paced back and forth, caged-like a dog. He had just woken up, the thirst for blood stirring him from the rest he had been unknowingly forced upon. It was the only way he could control the hunger. Feeling like he was hit in the head with a brick, the vampire gripped the bars for balance, only to scream at the burn of the vervain covering the rusted metal texture.

"Hey!" he yelled, looking over his hand. It wasn't healing at it's normal rate, so Stefan knew he had been in there for a decent amount of time. Eyeing his surroundings, his nose filled with the stench of moisture, dirt…and death.

"Do you know where you are?" Stefan turned back to the bars to see an older woman, her black hair greying at the roots, and knotty. She looked worn, her once beautiful pale skin was wrinkled like a piece of old paper.

Had she been thrown in the trash as well?

"No…do you care to inform me?" He wasn't about to try and make friends, this woman was on the other side of the bars, so it was highly unlikely she was an ally. She definitely was not a vampire or wolf, so there was only one other option.

Witch.

The woman laughed as she approached, placing her face against the bars, the vampire could hear her heart beating casually. She wasn't afraid of him. "No, not in particular. You must be thirsty." She grinned with a teasing wink and up until she had said anything, he had forgotten of his hunger when he realized he was in an unknown room, captured. His throat burned as his hands began to twitch and with a low growl he could feel his face change as the thirst took over.

"Are you volunteering?" a snarl escaped his lips as he rushed the bars, careful not to touch them this time as he cocked his head to the side.

"Oh my lord, no dear. I am not foolish enough to allow a vampire who has not fed in a month to feed on my blood!" Conveniently, the woman left out the phrase or ever as if just to tease him again, but the Salvatore was shocked, recoiling at the woman's words and had nearly forgotten about his hunger.

"A month!?" he exclaimed turning around again to look at the wall where a set of chains hung, untouched in years. He had to regain his control before he drove himself mad, but the stranger found nothing more than amusement in his anger.

With a sigh, she banged on the cage, acting as a rude child would treat an animal at the zoo. "Yeah, I guess we are sorry about that." She paused, tapping her finger on the bar, "Except we aren't really. You see…your kind capture my sisters only to use them as walking blood bags. We aren't going to just…allow you to kill us all without a fight, and taking some of our own bargaining chips.

Stefan stiffened before turning around slowly, "What is it you want then? Do you expect to trade me for your witches? Because I can guarantee my brother does not have any of your so called sisters." The vampire found the woman's ignorance comical, something he felt the need to mock. Of course he knew she wouldn't believe him, so nothing he said actually mattered.

"That may have been the idea vampire." Replied the witch, "We already have sent a messenger…or five, to offer your friend Elena and also your brother our deal."

"Oh yeah? What deal is that?" Stefan shot back. He was beginning to struggle with his hunger as his agitation grew.

"We will trade you…for one Original."

Now she was getting cocky and in turn, aggravating her vampire captive even more.

"That wouldn't do me any good thanks to the bloodlines. We will die anyway if they do that. I…and my brother with Elena as well could die." Stefan sneered through his teeth, but the greying witch cackled, only emphasizing her age.

"Well you see that's fine. I figured in the spirit of negotiations we will trade you for…the oldest."

"You mean Elijah?"

The witch nodded happily at his reaction, which wasn't as nervous as before. As far as they knew, Klaus was the sire of their bloodline, so they would be safe.

"Yes, Elijah Mikaelson and his bloodline, for you." She pointed to him with a raised eyebrow before turning to leave.

"No." Stefan spoke softly, after giving the offer only a seconds thought. "No way."

The witch stopped at the large steel plated door and returned to his gaze, "The good thing about this arrangement is…it's not up to you and I hope that for your sake one of them agrees. I guess we will have to see."

Stefan leaned against the wall and slid down to the floor to put his head in his hands. The stress was beginning to blind him with the hunger and his mind began to race back and forth between his brother and Elena. He knew Elena would be hesitant, only for two reasons, the main one being Elijah. For some strange reason she cared for the Original, but secondly, the most important part; the number of vampires that would fall with his death.

Damon was a different story, he would probably make a sarcastic comment, and may end up agreeing even though he hoped his brother would say no but as long as Elena was by his side, it was likely.

Closing his eyes, Stefan tried to fight his bloodlust, the feeling beginning to rip him from the insides like an animal tearing through it's prey. Focusing on old memories, his brain shifted it's way to Katherine, the first doppelganger him and his brother fought over before Elena.

The one that the younger doppelganger allowed to step in between her and Damon, without Katherine's actual involvement.

The Grill was empty, so Stefan ducked in, hoping to dodge any witches that may have been following him. He had been out hunting, hoping to find some kind of wild life to feed on. Elena had made the habit of stealing the bags from the hospital (and convincing a group of vampires to "take over the shipment" so they would still get a supply coming through.) as a means of survival, but Stefan did not want to touch the human blood as long as it wasn't necessary.

Running his fingers along the bar of the Grill, he picked up a trail of dust left from the two weeks since the humans (the few left) fled Mystic Falls due to the massive "gas leak" . A shuffle from the kitchen brought his attention away from the decrepit scenery and he quickly ducked behind the first table he could, and listened while the door opened and soft footsteps exited the kitchen.

It was a vampire, he figured by the lack of heartbeat and by the smell of the rose perfume, female.

"I can hear you…" a rough voice cooed and Stefan recognized it immediately. Slowly standing up, he faced Katherine, dressed in a form hugging deep purple dress that was not situation appropriate-as usual- and her long brown curls flowed down her back.

"Katherine…Last I remember, you fled." He pointed out a hint of disconcertion in his tone. He hadn't seen her in years.

"Last I remember, I said I wasn't coming back until Klaus was gone. Of course when I got the news, I didn't expect the entire town to be in shambles! I didn't realize that the Original's held it all together."

Stefan shook his head and peered out the door, he could hear voices, but they were still far enough way. Katherine must have heard them too, as she waved him on and quietly swung the kitchen door open to lead him inside.

"This is where you have been hiding?" asked Stefan in a whisper, following the woman who turned him to the far corner of the room. Katherine was always the spoiled type. She always wore the best of clothes, and wherever she traveled she always stayed in a first class hotel, or compelled someone with a mansion. This was more than out of her character, so she must have been desperate.

The vixen only nodded crouching down under the only window, which was there just to let any smoke out while cooking. "I've only been here for two days, figures when I would try to leave, every exit was blocked off. It's like a prison has taken over Mystic Falls." She informed him as she waved her hand towards the outside. "Likely I would get stuck here, like karma decided to come back and bite me in the ass."

"Why did you come back Katherine?" Stefan questioned her vigorously, "What made you think it would be a good idea to return?"

The vampire pouted, puckering her lip, but her dark eyes seemed to light up in desire.

"I missed you of course." She lied.

Stefan smiled back factiously as he studied her carefully. She was lying, she had other plans.

They stared at each other, battling with their eyes, seeing who would fall first when suddenly a loud bang erupted through the Grill as someone knocked the door off it's hinges.

"Come on out!" A man yelled, a gunshot banging against the wall. "You're surrounded!"

Katherine grabbed his hand instinctually, and for a second Stefan jumped at the warmness of her touch. It was unlike her, but before he could react, the kitchen door swung open and she pulled him to his feet. Katherine Pierce was one to run for her life, but if cornered and unable to make a deal she would fight like hell before falling. He knew that much. Before them stood three witches, the two women-twins- aiming crossbows and an older man stood in front, chanting.

"Get out of here Stefan." Katherine ordered, pushing him towards the window, but she was too late. The arrows flew at them, one catching Stefan in the shoulder but the brunette was fast enough to catch the next two before running to the Salvatore.

The man-warlock- began to use his magic to hold them down. Weakened by the vervain tipped arrow, Stefan struggled as the man approached Katherine, who's nose began to bleed from the force of his magic and soon from her ears as well as he hit her –hard- across the face.

"Katherine Pierce…" he growled, "Or should I say Katerina Petrova, how nice to finally meet you."

Katherine hissed, licking the blood away as it dripped to her mouth and parted her lips to speak, but she didn't have the chance as the female witch pressed a stake against her chest.

"No!" cried Stefan, reaching for the witch's arm. He was quick enough to snap the woman's wrist, halting her as she went to apply the pressure, but without prevail when her twin plunged a second stake into Katherine's heart.

"Katherine!" Stefan called, trying to grab her as she shrieked in agony.

Stefan killed those three witches that night the second he watched her die. It could have been because watching Katherine die before him was like watching Elena pass, the pain being too great, or because he knew that throughout Katherine's six hundred years of survival, she had always fought for herself, but she had died saving his life. Regardless of the cause, Stefan's despair and desperation took over, giving him the strength to take them down, and the ability to ignore the vervain in their blood that one time as he fed on all three of them.

Anger took over his soul that day, Katherine's death leaving him unexplainably broken. The woman that he thought destroyed him the most during his life; it was her death that had truly ruined him.

Maybe he deserved what was happening to him now, locked in the cell. Allowing her to die as he did, put a cold spot on his heart. It led him to follow Damon once he began drinking human blood. Which had ended up with him in this predicament.

Maybe this was supposed to happen.

The hospital lights flickered as Caroline and Elena went towards the exit, carrying enough blood to last their group a couple of weeks, causing the blonde to halt her soft hum.

"This doesn't look promising 'Lena." She whimpered, turning to look behind her.

Elena knew this could happen. Each second that a vampire was out of the confines of their safe house, their life was at risk. It was the way their livelihood went since the war had started. "Let's go." She instructed and picked up speed with Caroline close behind. They needed to get out as quickly as possible, even though as they made it to the door they stopped dead in their tracks at the sight of a young girl with ebony skin, her dark eyes piercing theirs in front of the exit. Everything about the girl reeked of contempt and power, and instantly Caroline pulled the crossbow from her back, and aimed it at the witch's head.

"Who are you?"

Elena knew what she was- a witch- she could sense the power pouring through her skin, and even weakened of her magic from the spell that started this war, the witch was strong.

"Caroline Forbes." The girl laughed. She looked like she was only fifteen of sixteen years old, a child fighting a war among the supernatural. "And Elena Gilbert. It is so nice to finally meet you both." Her voice strung with confidence, and both vampires wondered just how long the witches had been training her for.

"You didn't answer the question." Elena's voice boomed, echoing in the hallway as she rushed her, rubbing her blade against her throat.

The witch's eyes burned in fury as she pushed the brunette vampire back, catching her off guard, and used her powers to hold Elena down, doing the same to Caroline as well.

"My name is Amelia." Her voice sang as she continued on with pride. "Amelia Bennett." Both vampires eyes shot up – fear striking their hearts. "You two are the reason my grandmother is dead."

Fire began to emerge from the witch's hands, giving the vampires the ability to move again, but Elena's arm was caught in the crossfire. "You will burn!" The witch bellowed, her voice carrying all of those in the Bennett line.

Caroline cried out to her friend, who screamed in agony from the burn, watching as she fell to the ground in an attempt to put the fire out. She would heal, but the pain wasn't enjoyable. Caroline had experienced it a couple of years ago herself.

Even in her pain, however, Elena realized who it was they were dealing with, a Bennett witch, and this one was the last of their line, able to call upon the powers of her ancestors. It would make her weak in the long run however, using up all of her magic.

Meeting her friend's ancestor in the eyes, she stood again, Caroline helping her up by her good arm, even though the damaged one was slowly beginning to heal.

"I will not harm a child."

The witch lashed out with her magic, tossing the brunette to the wall, leaving Caroline free to push the girl away. "This is your fault!" The Bennett cried, "You were the doppelganger, you were the one who turned this town to hell!"

"Elena!" the blonde called out as she heard her friend groan. She went to run to her, as Amelia's anger seemed to be focused on the former doppelganger.

"I'm fine Care! You need to get out of here!"

Caroline shook her head as she shot her crossbow directly to the witch barely grazing her ear. The blonde had learned the hard way in the beginning of the war to avoid getting close to any witch at all costs, unless absolutely necessary. They made sure that the scar, worn proudly on her chest, would remind her every day.

It was just another battle wound.

"I'm not leaving you!"

The witch turned her attention to the blonde, attacking her and leaving Elena free from her power. She was beginning to get weaker and clearly the young child had over extended her abilities and thought this would be over much faster than it was. Amelia Bennett was not as strong as they originally thought.

Moving in at lightning speed, the vampire grabbed the witch by the throat, as her arm was already fully healed.

"Leave, Amelia. I do not want to harm you!" She steadied herself, lifting the witch off of the ground. Witches, even though supernatural, were still human and needed to breathe. They would use that comeback always, after all…witches were more human than vampires ever could be. After all even she- holding this young girl by the neck- wanted to tear her apart, reminded her just how demonic she really was. Elena Gilbert, was one of the only vampires left fighting for the humans of her town, but she had no other choice.

She couldn't kill her, this was Bonnie's granddaughter.

Putting her down to her feet, a solemn look in her eyes, she begged the young girl. "Please Amelia, leave us. We will cause you no harm."

The witch straightened, herself, fixing her coat and glared her down, unafraid of Elena's vampire prowess, ignoring Caroline who was dangerously close as well.

"Fool." She taunted, and before the brunette could react, a stake was driven through her chest, causing her to fall back to the ground.

"Elena!" Caroline ran to her friend, who was choking in pain. It was a common feeling however, both girls have nearly died in fights between the witches many times.

The blonde- filled with power as anger overcame her, gave a look to the witch that could kill. She was never a fighter, but things could easily change.

She growled as she turned to face the witch, yanking the stake from Elena's chest, it had barely missed her heart. The witch was weakened, now drained of her power but clearly still a threat, which made it easy for Caroline to move in rapidly and without forethought, snapping the gir'ls neck, her eyes blackened in ferocity.

It has been one hundred years since Elena has been a vampire, and this was the first time she had witnessed her friend kill someone as she just did.

She had never seen it, and now the truth of the war they were fighting, truly-twenty years later- had finally come to light.

Yet somehow, she found herself unaffected.

For a brief moment, her friend looked back, seemingly lost to her surroundings as Elena stood carefully, looking around the hospital hallway as she waited for the wound to close.

"Let's go." The blonde's normally bubbly voice began to quiver as her eyes turned back to normal. Her eyes flickered in regret when she looked down to the ground, acknowledging what she had done.

Nodding slowly, Elena opened the door to exit the hospital.

The vampires made it back to the Mikaelson Manor in record time, despite Elena's injury, but before they entered the large courtyard, once rich with flowers from the garden and luscious green grass that was now ruined from the lack of care and raging battles, the two girls sat on the steps.

Elena and Caroline had realized what they had just done. It was bad enough they were the reason (in theory) that the girl's grandmother died, but then they went and killed her. Even if Caroline was the one who caused her death, it was a joint effort.

"That was Bonnie's granddaughter Elena.." the blonde vampire began to cry, "Bonnie was my best friend, how could I do something so horrible? What have I become?"

The war has been going on for twenty years now, and she wondered if Caroline had ever questioned her actions before. Elena knew better, just like herself, questioning what you were doing would only slow you down, and in the long run, get you killed. Unlike their early years of being vampires, both of the girls have learned to cover up their emotions unlike before when they wore their love, hatred and despair on their sleeves. This girl though, they had been there when she was born, and even though Bonnie's daughter Dalia had whisked her away from Mystic Falls at her first chance (a way to keep her daughter away from vampires) she knew Bonnie tried to keep close.

Yet they had to force themselves not to care, the memory of the girl's lifeless body-killed by their hands- lying on the ground. They had to put on that façade they had learned to hold on to before moving forward.

It reminded Elena of Elijah, always so collected, relaxed and never betraying his emotions, but he had to hide them, because Elena knew from her own experiences just how dangerous Elijah Mikaelson could be when he showed how he felt. Yet still, he was who she strived to be like. He was the image that held her to the ground, slowly but surely tipping to the edge.

Elena held Caroline as she mourned the death of their friend's relative, all while allowing her own mind to shift around, reminding herself of the oldest Original.

She missed his presence, as they had grown…closer over the years before the war, before he had become desiccated. Now he was a rotting corpse, hidden away by the wolves, a common pawn to act as a treaty in war.

A shuffle in the trees surrounding the property broke both her and Caroline's thoughts.

"Care…go inside, alert everyone."

Night had just fallen so any of the vampires who did not have a daylight ring (which had been all of them except Caroline and Elena) were at attention.

Elena stood sharply as the blonde disappeared, aiming her friend's crossbow in the direction of the trees.

"Who's there?" she called out, "Show yourself!"

A short whistle drew her attention to a stout man, who was balding, dressed in all black.

"I'm unarmed vampire!" He held his hands up in surrender, but she wasn't fooled.

"A warlock is never unarmed. What do you want?"

She was soon joined by the other vampires, each with a weapon in hand. They meant business, and the others had no problem killing witches, no matter who they belonged to.

"I am simply here to deliver a message." He held his hands in front of him now, approaching the group of vampires slowly, "In reference to our captive, Stefan Salvatore."

Caroline was before him in a second, holding a dagger to his throat, tears still staining her cheeks, "What about Stefan?" she hissed into his ear and Elena ran to her friend's side, unsure if she should break her emotional friend from the intruder or let it be.

Decisions, decisions, but Caroline Forbes would do as she pleased.

"Well? What about Stefan?" she repeated Caroline's question.

Elena had hoped deep down that the youngest Salvatore brother was dead, believing that, she had mourned him once already and she wasn't sure if she could do so again without breaking.

I should have searched for him she lamented what has happened to me?

"Your friend is alive, and we are willing to make a trade. " the warlock gave her a smug grin, as if he could feel her pain, and Elena instantly got the wrong idea.

"I will go with you-for him." She needed to repay him somehow for giving up, but the idea was that much nicer had he been dead. The witches after all, had never taken a hostage before.

"We don't want you girl." The warlock laughed and Elena eyed him dubiously, knowing this was not going to end well, "We want Elijah Mikaelson."

Tyler could feel his "pack" becoming restless. They were beginning to take sides, and where a pack should always be united as one, they were split down the middle. It left the hybrid helpless, torn between the two sides, those who wanted to honor their agreement with the vampires, and those who only wanted to survive-even if it meant siding with the witches.

The inner turmoil, the lack of trust and the stress of knowing that they were surrounded by the magic of the witches, who were willing to burn the place down without any qualms, was only making matters worse.

"Guys, if we are going to fight back, we need to have a united front." Tyler sat by the fire, in a circle with the rest of the pack members, who all looked extremely worn down. They were not out there fighting the war like the others… but they were still affected, separated from their families, caring for children in the wilderness. This war was taking a toll on all of them. "We are wolves and strongest in a pack."

"Correction, kid. We are wolves. You are a hybrid." Taj, one of the older wolves in the pack spoke up. Tyler tried his hardest to respect the man, even though he returned the notion. His mother always taught him to respect his elders, but in all actuality, Tyler was older than him.

"I was a wolf first and I am always a wolf first." Tyler defended himself. "If not, I would have gone with the Salvatores when they offered, I ended up getting separated from the woman I love because of it."

Tyler paused, to make sure he locked eyes with each person in the circle, drawing out the effect. "I don't only want you all to trust me, but I needyou to."

There was a quiet murmur around the circle as the fire popped and cracked, sending little sparks in the air.

"We can do this guys. I know we can."

It couldn't be said enough. Tyler was not a leader, but he knew how to get everyone's attention.

"So we fight, then what?" a young woman asked, she was one of the newest in the pack, running rogue until she got caught in the woods with Tyler and the others. It amazed the hybrid that there were so many wolves. It was as if they flocked to Mystic Falls just before the war started.

Maybe everything happened for a reason.

"We fight by the vampire's side, "he deducted finally, "We will keep our word, and we will survive."

So what are everyone's thoughts? I'm curious, who do you think the witch is that weakened the rest? What did Caroline and Elena do to get Bonnie killed?

Why were all of the wolves in Mystic Falls? Is Katherine really dead? (is she ever actually dead?)

Let me know what you guys think in the reviews :)