HAUNTED.

"So how is she?" Leya asked Stefan over the phone.

"Irritated. Hungry. Restless… I could go on. The fact that she used to take drugs only makes this harder for her." Stefan replied as he stood outside. Damon was currently watching Vicki while he talked to Leya.

"How long do you think it will take, before she can return to being semi-normal?" Leya asked packing her bag.

"Not for a while. Look I gotta go before Damon puts any ideas into her head."

"Look after her, Stefan. The last thing we need is another Damon running around." She parted and hung up after Stefan said he would see her later.

It was Halloween today. Leya had never really paid much attention to her parent's anniversary, she knew they died on Halloween, but she never mourned when the day arrived each year. She presumes it's because she was only a baby when they died, and she didn't know anything about them besides the things people have told her. Did that make her bad daughter?

Leya shook her head dismissing the thoughts from her mind as she picked up her bag and walked down the stairs grabbing her car keys on her way out.

As she unlocked her car she saw Jeremy storm out his house obviously upset, most likely about Vicki. Matt like any other concerned brother reported Vicki missing once he couldn't find her, unbeknownst to him that she was going through a drastic change, and now the police station and half the town was holding a search party for her.

"Jeremy!" Leya called out, catching his attention and waved him over.

"Hey, Leya." He greeted dismayed.

Her heart went out to the saddened teenager. "Hey. I was just wondering if you wanted a ride to school, or the police station."

Jeremy smiled slightly, his heart lifting at her kindness. "Yeah. Uh, a ride to the police station would be great."

"Fantastic. Let's go."

Minutes later they sat in the car in silence Leya tapping her fingers to a nonexistent beat, her eyes flicking every few seconds to Jeremy, who was slumped in the passenger seat looking at the scenery passing by in a blur.

She let out a breath of air the sound making a swooshing noise and she turned to Jeremy, mouth open ready to ask what's been plaguing her since they entered the car, but she hesitated and turned her back on to the road snapping her mouth shut.

"Just ask whatever it is you want to ask, Leya." Jeremy said amusedly.

She hesitated. "I'm not judging you or anything, I'm just curious. And I know it's really not any of my business, but I just wanted to ask…" She paused her eyes flicking to Jeremy, who raised his eyebrows in question.

"Why Vicki?"

Jeremy sighed exasperated. "Not you too."

"No judgment. I swear." Leya promised and Jeremy could see the sincerity in her eyes and told her what he had never told anyone, not even Elena or Jenna.

"After my parents died I felt like crap. Like nothing-even-really-mattered crap. And all of a sudden I get these moments and things started to feel just a little bit better, and Vicki was in every single one of them."

Leya nodded her head understandingly and they looked at each other for a second, and everything was fine. The air in car seemed to get lighter and Jeremy didn't seem as upset as before. Leya understood and just as she promised there was no judgment and Jeremy didn't mind Leya sticking around for a while.

"I have got your costume. It's all here." Caroline sang walking up to Bonnie and Leya handing the former a bag. Bonnie's grin faded as she held up said costume.

"Seriously?" She asked angrily as she examined the costume in distaste. Leya chuckled silently as she saw Bonnie grimace holding up a pointed witch hat, she found it very ironic.

"Ahh come on. Can someone please be excited that it's Halloween? I just wanna have fun. You know just some silly, fluffy Damon-free fun. And don't get mad at me about the costume it was Leya's idea."

"What?" Bonnie snapped looking at the accused girl.

"It was a fleeting comment, I didn't think she was actually listening. Besides… I find it appropriate for such an occasion, don't you?" Leya asked smirking at Bonnie playfully.

"What are you going as?" Bonnie asked as she further examined her costume.

"Uh, I think I'll pass this fun-filled event."

"What?! Why?" Caroline screeched. "The Haunted House is, like, the best party the school has."

"Halloween's sort of the anniversary of my parent's death." Leya mumbled looking away.

Bonnie wrapped her arm around the taller girl and rubbed her arm comfortingly. "It's completely understandable if you don't want to go. And you don't have to."

"Well I think you should go." Caroline announced, saying in a rare moment of kindness from the usually insensitive girl. "It'll take your mind off things. And I don't think your parents would want you to wallow in grief every Halloween. Especially since it's an awesome holiday."

Leya laughed breathily and contemplated what Caroline said, she looked up to see both Caroline and Bonnie with hopeful looks and said with finality. "I don't have anything to wear."

Caroline squealed and Bonnie laughed.

"Lucky for you, I have an extra costume." Caroline proclaimed holding up another bag Leya didn't see before that would most likely hold another witch costume.

"Isn't this the one you got from Damon?" Bonnie suddenly asked Caroline holding up an amber crystal necklace.

"Yep. Wear it. Toss it. I don't care, I just want it gone. Hey, have you seen Elena?" Caroline asked before looking sternly at Bonnie and Leya. "Do we know what she's wearing?"

"I don't think she's going tonight. She's probably with Stefan." Leya replied.

"Riding to his castle on his white horse?"

"Oh don't be bitter. It provokes wrinkles." Bonnie teased and Caroline smiled sarcastically as the trio walked off to class. Caroline discreetly (or at least trying to) feel her forehead for any unwanted wrinkles.

It was late in the afternoon when Leya started to get ready for the party. She was dreading to go, not because of her parent's death, no. Caroline was right when she said that they would want to her live, that's all they wanted, they had even died to save her. The reason she didn't want to go was the fact that she was reluctant to wear the costume Caroline gave her.

It hadn't looked bad when she saw it in the bag, but now that she was wearing it… Leya grimaced tugging the edge of the skirt down. It was a short black dress, the top part was a sort of corset design with green lace interweaved in the front and thick off-shoulder straps; she was wearing thigh-high black socks under black heels. Leya sighed as she started to collect her hair in a bun; the last accessory that Leya had found buried deep down at the bottom of the bag was a dark red wig sadly there was no way of backing out now.

Placing the wig on her head and fitting it into position she picked up her wand and thought of where to put it. She could put it in her sock, it would be easier to access it that way, but the slight bulge might be a little odd. So she took a note from a good friend and securely weaved her wand behind her ear and walked out of her bedroom.

Leya paused as she walked passed a mirror and stood in front of it staring at her reflection. But the person staring back at her was not her, it was her mother. The bright green eyes of Lily Potter stared with happiness, with pride, her red hair fanning out behind her like a glowing halo.

Leya snapped out of her daydream as she heard a sharp intake of breath behind her. She spun around to see her aunt staring, but not seeing.

"You look beautiful, darling."

"Thanks Aunt Daisy." Leya replied quietly.

Daisy looked fantastic decked out in a 1920's theme. Her gold dress sparkled and complimented her red hair which was pinned back. Her red lips stretched into a smile as she finally saw her as Leya and not her mother.

"You know when you were a baby you had the darkest shade of red hair I had ever seen." Daisy reminisced as she walked closer to play with the wig, fixing it seeing as Leya had put it on just a little wonky. "Your father and I had made a bet. I said that you would grow out of that color and it would eventually turn into the mess of black hair he had, he disagreed. He'd said that you would have that beautiful red hair until you grew old..."

She trailed off her eyes far away.

"Then what happened?"

"He lost the bet, obviously." Daisy started with a laugh. "As the winner I had made him wear drag the whole day. It was non-stop complaining with him, but your mother loved it. Well, up until the moment he had torn the dress he was wearing which was one of your mum's favorites."

Leya laughed. Her alto laughter mixed with her aunt's soprano giggles.

"It's getting late." Daisy said once their laughter died down. "If I keep you any later then you'll miss all the good fun. You should go, besides I have my own party to get to!"

"Thank you." Leya paused. "Thank you for sharing that."

Daisy chuckled waving her hand. "It's nothing. Besides I'm sure stories like those were the reason you came here in the first place."

When Leya arrived at school she was pleasantly surprised, the place looked spectacular. The decorations were amazing, the music was loud, costumes varied from gruesome deaths to fairy princesses and the atmosphere was sublime. Definitely not what she expected for a muggle High School party.

"Look at you!" Caroline exclaimed in surprise as Leya walked closer to her and Bonnie. Leya curtseyed playfully and did a little twirl much to the amusement of Bonnie and Caroline.

"And look at you two, with your blonde wig and enormous witch hat." Leya commented tugging on Bonnie's blonde wig and eyeing Caroline's hat.

Bonnie giggled as Caroline replied. "Thanks. But we don't pull off the witch look as good you do. And what is with that stick in your hair?"

Leya couldn't help but laugh at Caroline's comment.

"It's called a wand. Like a magician." Leya teased telling them the truth even though they didn't know it.

"You're in a good mood." Bonnie smiled as she observed Leya. Bonnie didn't know what it was but for some reason she absolutely glowed with happiness.

"Yeah, I had a bit of a laugh with my aunt earlier."

"Well now that you're here, Leya, can we go the Haunted House? I heard people saying it was really good this year." Caroline pleaded impatient.

Leya and Bonnie agreed and soon enough they were off to the Haunted House. As they walked down the halls fake skeletons, zombies, ghouls and mummy's often tried to scare them, and they succeeded, with Bonnie and Caroline at least who often let out tiny screams, Leya just laughed. She's seen much scarier things.

As they walked down the hall Leya looked up to see dozens upon dozens of fake bats hanging from the ceiling and in-between, hidden amongst them was a skeleton ready to fall down frightening the next couple of people that stepped in its path.

Leya smirked pulling out her wand and at the right moment when the skeleton fell she whispered. "Locomotor."

Everyone screamed as the bats took life and fluttered everywhere. They dashed in-between people, over heads and under legs. One bat had gone up Caroline's dress and she practically screamed bloody murder. Another one had kept repeatedly hitting one guy in the face and wouldn't stop not matter how many times he pushed the animate bat away. After people had gotten over the initial shock they started chasing the bats laughing as they went. And with the flick of her wrist the bats went limp once more inanimate.

Bonnie, Caroline and Leya stumbled out of there laughing in delight.

"Those bats were amazing!" Bonnie cried as they walked.

"I know. I have no idea how the committee pulled it off." Caroline added when they stopped, standing by a fake cauldron. "But it really sucked when that one went up my dress; I mean seriously how the hell did they do that?"

"Perhaps it was magic." Leya teased a wickedly secret smirk on her face and Caroline pushed her lightly joking that magic wasn't real. She didn't see Bonnie's inquiring look.

"Cider for the ladies? it's a Lockwood special." Tyler interrupted walking up to the impeccably dressed girl's three glasses in his hands.

"Oh, no way. Last year I was hung-over until Thanksgiving." Bonnie replied.

"Lightweight. I am going to drink until someone is hot enough to make out with." Caroline said taking one of the glasses.

"I'll give it try." Leya added taking the other glass.

"Sounds like a plan." Tyler said clicking his glass with the two girls.

Leya winced as the alcohol slid down the throat. It wasn't that she wasn't used to the burn, she had drunk Firewhisky on several occasions, it was just that whatever Tyler had mixed tasted really bad. And with an awkwardly forced smile she gave her drink to Caroline who'd already finished hers, and promised the girls she would see them later and went on her way to explore the party more.

As Leya walked down the halls she accidently bumped into someone and as she turned around to apologize her blood went cold.

"Vicki?" She hissed. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm having fun. It's Halloween." Vicki mockingly replied. "Now, get out of my way."

Vicki tried to side step Leya, but Leya blocked her way. "You have to leave, Vicki. All of this isn't good for you." She said sternly.

"I said get out of my way." Vicki all but snarled reaching out gripping Leya's shoulder to push her aside.

Vicki's nails left bloody trails as she pushed her aside, and Vicki stopped hungrily eyeing her shoulder. Leya tensed and just as Vicki lunged for her everything became a windy blur and she soon found herself in an empty classroom with Vicki and Stefan.

"What you're following me now?" Vicki snapped irritated.

"You didn't really give me much of a choice." Stefan replied. Stefan looked over at Leya who had fallen on the floor from the fast movements griping her shoulder.

"Are you alright?" Stefan asked concerned.

"Brilliant." Leya replied sarcastically.

Vicki walked forward towards the door, but Stefan easily blocked her. "Let me out of here." She demanded.

"You shouldn't be here, Vicki." Stefan told her. "Crowds like this, it makes it even harder for you to keep yourself under control."

"I'm fine." Vicki unconvincingly replied.

"Really?" Stefan asked skeptic. She hummed in response. "No headache? Your stomach's not screaming at you? You're not feeling light-headed or anxious or cranky like if someone looks at you the wrong way, you could just rip their head off?"

Vicki started to breathe heavily as Leya stood watching, gripping her shoulder.

"Do you wanna know what that's called? It's called hunger." Stefan continued. "And it's only going to get worse and worse every minute that you pretend like it's not controlling you."

Vicki stood there silent unable to answer and Stefan grabbed her arm as Leya opened the door following them out. They walked through the party intending to leave, Stefan holding Vicki in a tight grip so she wouldn't run off when they came across Elena.

"Thank God." Elena breathed seeing Stefan, Vicki and Leya together unharmed. Leya had covered her bloody shoulder with the thick strap from her dress.

"What's the matter?"

"I lost track of Jeremy. I was worried." Elena replied watching at Vicki.

"What's going on?" Matt asked walking over.

"Hey. Uh, everything's fine." Stefan replied waving his hand in a nonchalant way.

"I told you to quit bothering me." Vicki shouted abruptly, wringing her arm out of Stefan's grip.

Leya, Stefan and Elena looked at her surprised.

"No, Vicki. Don't do this." Elena stammered.

"Matt, he won't leave me alone." Vicki said turning to her brother, her tone withdrawn and frightened.

"You need to back off man." Matt said to Stefan, defending his sister like any good brother.

"Matt, It's okay-"

"No, it's not okay. What the hell is your problem?" Matt asked stepping up to Stefan's face.

Leya felt a swift breeze and turned to see Vicki gone. "Stefan, Elena. She's gone." Leya said before bolting off in the direction she suspected Vicki had gone.

Leya walked around dozens of people but not one of them was Vicki. Leya looked around and thought it was pointless with so many people. And walked towards a door that led outside.

Leya opened the door shutting it quietly and turned around to see busses. School busses in fact all lined up in row, she guessed this was the back of the school. Leya heard a noise that sounded awfully like struggling, so she walked behind the first bus and started to peak around the edges in-between the two busses.

"Vicki. Vicki. What the hell!" Leya heard Jeremy scream.

She rushed forward her wand gripped tightly in her hand to see Vicki her face demonic like with creeping veins and bloody eyes. Just as she was about to lunge at Jeremy, Leya ran forward and cried.

"Stupefy!"

Vicki flew back and hit the ground painfully, but it wasn't enough to stop the newly vampire and she was soon back up on her feet flying at Leya with speed she pushed her against the bus.

Leya fell crumbling down. Vicki had thrown her so hard; Leya had banged her head violently against the bus. Everything around her started to blur as blood trickled from the back of her head down her neck.

Leya's eyelids felt heavy, but she forced them to stay open as Elena came around the corner screaming wielding a wooden plank. The force of the blow Elena swung the plank at Vicki snapped in half, but just as before Vicki was fine, it had only made her angrier than she already was.

Vicki pushed Elena just as she did to Leya and Elena went flying straight into a pile of cut wood, injuring herself. Leya managed to crawl to her wand which was laying just a few meters away; she lifted it up a spell on the tip of her tongue, when Stefan came around the corner.

Stefan forcefully pushed Vicki against the bus as Jeremy helped Leya stand, when Vicki pushed Stefan away and disappeared under one of the busses. Leya gripped her wand tightly as Stefan ordered them inside.

Leya and Elena each seized one of Jeremy's arms and started to run towards the door leading back into the school. They were barely inside when Vicki appeared behind them pushing Leya and Jeremy to the ground and biting Elena.

Elena let out such a blood-curling scream Leya felt it vibrate through her. And before she could do anything there was a flash of color and Stefan stood behind Vicki holding a broken wooden plank. The sharp end had gone through Vicki piercing her heart, ending her short life as a vampire.

Everyone was in shock until Stefan pulled the plank out of her earning a pained. "Vicki!" From Jeremy.

Stefan had to hold Jeremy back as tears spilled over Vicki's cheeks, her skin turning a grotesque gray, veins appearing as she faded away.

Elena sank to her knees next to Leya who was kneeling next to Vicki's dead body. Stefan had taken Jeremy back home as he called Damon for back up.

All Leya could think about was that a teenage girl had died, and she hadn't done anything to help her. This was a girl with a protective, concerned brother and a mother, who even though wasn't there often still loved her. And now she was just…. Gone.

"You should go." Damon told the girls as he stopped next to them. "I got this."

Elena stood and glared at him.

"You did this. This is your fault." She cried.

"You confuse me for someone with remorse." He replied emotionlessly staring at Vicki's body.

Leya felt the anger build up in her and without even realizing it she had stood and punched Damon squarely in the jaw actually making his head snap to the side and take a couple of steps back.

Damon breathed in sharply, rubbing his jaw slightly. "None of this matters to me. None of it."

"You take people's lives, you destroy them, they die around you. They die because of you. How could it not matter? It matters and you know it."

Leya tried to punch him again, only this time she was too slow. He caught her hand and turned his eyes on to her which for a moment before was on Elena who stood to the side still staring at Vicki's body. His eyes had gone steely at her words.

"You need to leave. The both of you."

Elena tried to say something to make him feel at least an ounce of guilt for Vicki's death, but he just interrupted her.

"Your wounds are bleeding and you need to leave."

With a scoff a few tears slipped down her cheeks for the deceased girl who lay only centimeters away from them Leya grabbed Elena's arm gently and pulled her away.

Elena sniffled softly as they reached the parking lot.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Leya asked quietly.

"No it ok, I need to deal with Jeremy."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, Leya. It's fine." Elena said with the tiniest of smiles. "You're a good friend you know. I'm glad you came here, otherwise might never have known you."

"Likewise." Leya replied with a sad smile. "I'm just next door if you need me. Don't hesitate, even for a second."