Tyler shuts the front door quietly behind him and immediately hates the fact that he feels the need to. This is his house; he shouldn't have to sneak around, shouldn't have to feel threatened at the prospect of running into anyone in here that would cause him harm, especially with his father gone. But he does, and it makes his temper flare despite the fact that his day has been relatively relaxing. His nerves are soothed momentarily as he recalls waking up sometime in the afternoon to Jeremy's warm lips against his throat and hand sliding softly across his stomach.

He'd said he would keep the moonstone away from Mason for a little while longer as he slipped out into the light rain, but they both knew that it was a half-hearted promise. He doesn't want to hold onto it anymore.

He's walking carefully across the foyer in hopes of making his way up the stairs and slipping into his room unnoticed when he hears familiar voices. They float across the gleaming empty space, and as Tyler moves closer to them he realizes that they are coming from the same room as last night. He keeps his footsteps as light as he can, and this time he doesn't enter but stands out of sight near the door frame, brow furrowing automatically as he listens in.

"-can't get it."

Elena?

It doesn't seem likely, but now that he is closer Tyler recognizes the voice he hears as hers. He should know; they grew up together, but... what is Elena doing here? What could she possibly need to talk to Mason about? He wants to look around the corner, but won't risk being seen. He doesn't really know how, but he knows that it's best for him to stay out of sight.

"I can get it," he hears his uncle say. His voice has a slightly desperate undertone to it, something Tyler has never heard coming from him and he shifts, body inadvertently trying to get closer to conversation. "He knows I know now. He'll give it to me, eventually."

"Eventually isn't good enough, Mason." That is definitely Elena. But it doesn't sound like her. Elena's voice has never been that hard.

"I threatened him. I didn't want..." Mason clears his throat, but Tyler has already caught the pained shade to his words. "Just give it a little more time-"

"I don't have time." The ice in her voice melts, but the seductive tone that slides into it's place doesn't seem organic, either. "Now, if you just let me Compel him..."

"No." Mason is firm. "No, he doesn't need to be. You can't anyway."

"Oh, but I can." The lowness of her voice makes Tyler want to shiver, but not because it's alluring; she sounds as if she's a hunter who's known nothing but success. "It doesn't work on you, but he's not been turned yet-"

"And he won't be." Mason says sharply.

The seductiveness drops and the steel is back, words clipped. "You're right. He won't. Especially if we get moonstone."

Mason is quiet. The silence stretches, and Tyler's muscles feel tight from standing so still, and he thinks he can feel the topic of discussion weighing him down, burning in his pocket.

"You can't Compel him." Mason says. "It doesn't work that way, and you know it. It has to be given willingly; I have to give it to you. You need m-"

Tyler jumps violently at the sudden crash and a grunt, and when he hears Elena's voice over the blood rushing in his ears it's so close he figures they must be up against the wall. Which makes no sense because by the sound of it they were all the way across the room seconds ago. "No," Elena's voice is pure venom, more frightening for its calmness. "What I need is for you to do as your told. Make no mistake, get the moonstone or I will Compel him to give it to you before I snap his neck." There's another bang, this one just as close to Tyler's face, making the pictures rattle on the walls and he hears Mason make an injured noise. Her voice is softer when she tells him "I don't want either one of us to suffer, despite what you may think. I want to help you, but you have to help me. I want this curse broken, to be with you..." A soft rustling his heard now and a sigh. There is the unmistakable sound of a kiss and something murmured which sounds like, "Just get it, Mason."

What the fuck? Tyler's heart is racing and he fumbles in his pocket to grab ahold of the stone, surprised that it's still cool to the touch. It shines in the light of the foyer, the purples and greens and blues creating a pattern that swirls and makes Tyler's head hurt from just looking at it. He knows that Jeremy asked him not to, but he doesn't want this anymore, doesn't want to hold onto this anymore, be responsible or put in the middle of any of this-

He grits his teeth and braces himself before stepping into the room. His eyes first find the overturned desk, papers scattered everywhere, the frame of family photo cracked. He whips his head around to the wall where Mason is standing alone, to the billowing curtains around the open terrace doors, and back to Mason. Tyler turns quickly, confused. He knows- he heard Elena in here. But the room is empty except for him and Mason who is rubbing at his neck and breathing hard. Tyler's foot hits something, he thinks its the baseball because he feels it roll away, but he doesn't look down to see because the noise has made Mason's eyes snap up to his.

Tyler takes an involuntarily step back. Something flickers in Mason's eyes, an emotion close to regret, and he takes a careful step forward.

"Tyler, what-"

"What the fuck is going on?" Mason's jaw clenches but doesn't answer, and Tyler feels his temper flare higher. "Tell me what the hell is going on. Why was Elena here?"

"Did you see any of that?"

"What, no?" Tyler doesn't want to answer any questions. He wants his questions answered. "But I heard most of it."

"That wasn't Elena. It was my friend Katherine."

"I don't care!" Tyler shouts; he doubts it was a 'friend' but he doesn't want to know who that person was. Well, he does want to know, but it's not his main focus. He wants to know what they were talking about.

Mason looks away from him, and Tyler's hand tightens around the stone. He fights to keep his voice steady. "You want this?" Mason's eyes dart back to Tyler and then to his hand where the iridescent stone peaks from his fist. Of course he wants it, Tyler can feel how much he does, sees it in the way he straightens up and his eyes gleam. He gestures with his full hand. "You want this - you're going to tell me everything."

Mason's expression shifts to one of wariness and his voice sounds like it wants to bargain. "Tyler-"

"Everything."

They stand there, Tyler's heart still pounding in his chest, eyes taking in Mason's rumpled clothing and quickly resigning expression. When Mason finally nods, the look on his face makes Tyler want to reconsider his demand.

=..=..=

"A werewolf?" Jeremy figures he should be more shocked but as he meets Elena's gaze in the bathroom mirror all he can muster up initially is mild surprise. But really, why should he react strongly? He knows about vampires of all things -dated one even. And now you're dating a werewolf.

"Not a werewolf," Elena says as if she can hear his thoughts. "Mason Lockwood is the werewolf, but Tyler isn't."

"But he carries the gene."

"He carries the gene."

Neither of them say anything. The minutes stretch until Elena turns around to face him directly. "Are you going to be okay?"

"How is the gene triggered? Can it be?" He doesn't answer her question because he's not sure yet how he feels. Is there a right way to feel?

Her eyes are troubled when they sweep over his face. "We don't know yet. I mean, there's nothing in the books we've read...or notes... Damon has theories..." She trails off.

Theories, he thinks. Damon has theories about Tyler. Tyler. His Tyler.

There is another lengthy pause in the face of Jeremy's silence. "Are you going to be alright?"

He ignores her question again. "Is Tyler going to be alright?"

"I- I don't know. He should be," she looks unsure. "I mean, we don't know exactly-"

"No, I mean his uncle. Mason. He threatened him." More unease begins to fill him.

"Why?"

"He threatened him for something."

"What?" Elena looks confused and alarmed. "For what?"

"A moonstone?" He says it like a question, hoping to get an answer, to see Elena's eyes light up in recognition, but they don't. Instead, the cloud of confusion gets heavier.

"Moonstone? What is that, what does it do?"

"I don't know, I was hoping you did." The feeling of being helpless washes over him suddenly. No one knows what's going on. He can tell from his sister's expression. No one in this fucking town as a clue-

"I've never heard of it, but I could ask Stefan about it."

Jeremy nods, but isn't really listening; what is going on at the Lockwood's right now? Is it safe for Tyler to be home? Yes, his brain immediately answers. If Mason were going to hurt him he would have done it already. But that was before he warned Tyler... before he threatened him... and I asked him not to give him the stone. How dangerous is he?

"They- he only transforms on a full moon, or what?" His voice sounds urgent to his ears, but he doesn't have a clue where he needs to be or what to do.

"Pretty much. Look, Jere," she hesitates "I know that this is all weird and a little scary but you cannot tell Tyler that you know this."

"What?" Disbelief and annoyance rolls through him. "How can I not tell him about this?"

"Because," she says carefully, "he might tell Mason. And Mason can't know that we know, especially that Damon and Stefan know."

"Why not?"

She hesitates again. "Because... a bite from a werewolf can... it can kill a vampire, and if he finds out that Damon and Stefan know he'll connect the dots and..."

"So Tyler could kill them?"

"No. Well right now he can't, but if he were to change-"

"But I can't keep him in the dark about this, Elena. What if he does whatever he needs to do to trigger this thing and I could have prevented it?"

"But we don't know what it is yet Jeremy." She's imploring. "We don't know anything and to bring it up will just make everything more confusing." He opens his mouth to speak again but she continues. "Please, Jeremy. Don't say anything. Once we find out what triggers the curse we can talk about what to do then, but saying anything now will just make everything worse." She eyes him warily. "He wouldn't believe you anyway, would he? I mean, unless, have you..."

He gets what she's hinting at, and rolls his eyes. "Don't worry. I haven't told him about vampires. I don't want him to think I'm crazy." Like that even matters anymore, really, because when everything gets out he's sure everyone will think they've gone insane – or that this was one big nightmare.

Elena looks relieved but she still sounds worried when she asks, "So you won't say anything?"

Jeremy does not want to keep this a secret from Tyler, and frankly he doesn't know how he possibly can. This isn't like before when all the contact they had was either a toss up between a punch to the face or a tentative conversation that never really became civil. He can't imagine sitting down on his bed, or at the Grill, or in the woods and looking into Tyler's eyes and not telling him about this... this thing that could change his life and probably will. The inner struggle pulls at his chest, and it's the thought that Tyler won't believe him anyway that makes him say, "Fine." He looks her straight in the eye. "But the minute you find out what triggers this thing you tell me, Elena."

She nods quickly and silence falls again. His head is spinning and a pressure is building between his eyes. Why is everything so complicated? Why does he attract these kinds of things? Has he ever dated someone who was ever always human? Died human? Jeremy doesn't think so. It's Vicki and Anna all over again. God, Tyler is a fucking werewolf or he carries the gene that could trigger at any moment. He could kill people, he could kill vampires. Or he can be killed...

Jeremy can't handle this right now.

He turns to head back into his room.

Elena tries again. "Are you going to be oka-"

"No." He shuts the door behind him.