KILL OR BE KILLED

Jeremy and I stood in the bathroom, as I filled him in on the recent supernatural information while I combed through my hair.

"I can't believe Tyler Lockwood is a werewolf." Jeremy stated from behind me.

"We're not sure about that yet." I corrected him. "But the only thing we know for sure is that Mason Lockwood is." Stefan told me that Mason has threatened Damon, and so now I was worried. I didn't want either of them getting hurt, yet it seems to be heading in that direction.

"It should be easy enough for us to figure out." Jeremy said.

"Ah, no." Elena's voice rang from the doorway, and Jeremy and I swiveled our heads to look at her. She continued, glaring at Jeremy, "There is no us. We said that we wouldn't keep things from you anymore. But that doesn't mean that you're allowed to be involved in it."

Jeremy rolled his eyes, "I'm not a kid anymore. I can handle myself." Elena was about to protest, but he cut her off with a wave of his hand. "I already heard what you had to say to me the other day, remember?"

Ah, so that was where they were during Jenna's barbecue. Elena was trying to convince Jeremy to stay out of the supernatural world. In a way, I was grateful. But it wasn't her choice to decided what Jeremy wanted to do.

Elena gave me a look, "Aren't you gonna say anything to him?"

I sighed, and turned to Jeremy, momentarily forgetting my hair. "Jeremy, this is really dangerous. And I'm not gonna lie to you; I don't want you involved."

"By definition of being in this family, I'm involved." He stated.

I nodded. "Just be careful, okay? Please, don't get hurt."

He rolled his eyes, stating sarcastically, "Yeah, because getting killed, kidnapped a few times, and fed on, totally doesn't count as being 'hurt'."

"Jeremy."

"Alright." He said. "Just saying. I'll be careful, okay?"

"Good." I stated.

He gave Elena a smirk, and walked past her. Her mouth hung open, and she looked at me with wide, angry eyes. "What the hell?" She whisper-yelled. "That's what you had to say to him?"

"What did you want me to say?" I asked, confused.

"You should've told him to stay away from all this crap." She answered. "He doesn't listen to me. And thanks to you, he's gonna go get himself killed!"

Her words cut through me like a sharp blade on a knife. "Elena, it's his choice to make, not ours. We can't control him." I told her stiffly.

She stood silent for a moment, before shaking her head in anger. "God, do you ever care about anyone but yourself?" She questioned softly.

I froze, dropping my comb on to the granite countertops, effectively startling myself. I couldn't believe she just said that to me. How... I didn't... was that what she thought of me? Did she think I was selfish? Uncaring?

I swallowed, very uncomfortable. "How could you even ask that?"

Elena narrowed her eyes at me. "I'm just trying to keep this family together and alive."

"And you don't think that I want the same thing?" I questioned her in disbelief.

Elena's eyes dropped to the ground, then did a full circle around the room, her gaze landing on anything that wasn't me. "I don't know what to think." She finally answered.

I sighed, pausing for a few seconds. Then, I said. "We're all scared, Elena. And as much as I don't want anyone involved in this entire mess, it's not my call to make. I'd rather you and Jeremy live a life not surrounded by vampires and werewolves, but I'm not going to force you two to make that choice."

She didn't say anything for several seconds. When she finally opened her mouth and looked at me, she seemed sad and tired. "Just... don't die, okay?" She questioned awkwardly.

I smiled at her attempt to sound nonchalant. "Only if you make the same promise first."

"Fine. I won't."

"Then I won't either."

After our very awkward conversation that didn't really lead anywhere, Elena left the bathroom, and I walked back into my room. I opened the door to my walk in closet. Picking out my clothes, I wore a black sleeveless top, mint green jeans, black high-heeled sandals, silver hair clips, a silver rose necklace, a jade bracelet, and an emerald ring.

Once I closed my door, I was surprised to see the person right in front of me.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." Stefan said, his green eyes matching the color of my ring. He leaned in to kiss me, but I stopped him just in time. He looked at me confused, and I side-stepped him, going to close my bedroom door as realization crossed his features.

This time we both embraced each other, and kissed. Our relationship had to stay a secret for now, for if Katherine were to find out... it wouldn't end well. "Hi." I said when we parted.

"Hey," He smiled at me. "Are you ready for today?"

Uh, another day of "fighting" with Stefan. I gave out a puff of laughter and shook my head. "No. I hate fighting with you, even if it's fake."

"I know, but if Katherine thinks that we are fighting, then she will think that she's winning, and it keeps her from following through with her threats." Stefan said, stroking my hair softly.

"Yeah." I said. "But it doesn't make it any easier. And then there's Caroline... who... " I trailed off, not finishing.

"Hey, everything's gonna be okay." Stefan said softly, taking a deep breath. "We have to keep up this ruse for a little while but it's the best way to keep Katherine from hurting anybody." His eyes softened even more. "From hurting you."

I was still worried. Not for my safety as much as for everybody else's. What if Katherine did get between Stefan and I? What if he started to realize that I wasn't really worth fighting for? It would break my heart. I spoke truthfully. "I'm just worried that she might get her way with us. We can fake a fight, we can pretend that her threats are tearing us apart, but none of it is real, right?"

Stefan gave me a look that suggested he was shocked to know that I was thinking this way. "Of course none of it is real." He suggested, "How about this? Today, when we're fighting, if I way 'I can't do this anymore, Ariana', what I'll really mean is that I love you, so much."

I smiled, feeling a bit better, but still nervous. I replied, "And when I say, 'Fine Stefan, whatever'," I smiled. "Well, that means I love you too."

He smiled brightly, and kissed me. Electricity buzzed through us, and I felt stupid for thinking that we would break up over a fake fight. We loved each other, and even if the fights were real, I knew that some way we'd be able to overcome our differences and be together.

Elena and I drove to the new Mystic Falls Public Park, where we were to help set up, build, and decorate the new structures. Being Miss Mystic Falls, I had to attend, while Elena was just along for something to do. I offered Jeremy, but of course he didn't want to do it, especially after finding out that Elena would be coming with me.

People were gathered everywhere around the park. Stefan and Damon were probably already here, building things on the other side of the long, green, grass field.

"There's Caroline." I said to Elena, looking in the direction of my blonde friend... who... was in an alliance with Katherine.

"And there's my cue to go the other way." Elena said, turning around. "You can help paint with her, I'll go sort out the cloth by the sitting area."

"Okay." I said, seeing that Elena still didn't like Caroline, even though the latter was now a vampire. Actually... that probably made the gap between them even wider.

Caroline and I were in a conversation, mostly about her relationship with her mother. We were both painting the beautifully made veranda. I dipped my huge, flat paintbrush into the white acrylic paint, and started to color the wood in a pattern-like stroke. Caroline was doing a similar thing, though she was painting a different part of the veranda brown.

"So suddenly, she's in the running for 'mother of the year' just when I'm trying to avoid her the most." Caroline stated, then looked at me. "I'm babbling, you don't want to hear this."

"Oh, no, sorry," I said, "Tell me what happened."

"Well, I was a bitch which is part of the course with us." She explained. All of a sudden, she changed the subject. "So, how are things with you and Stefan? Anything?"

I almost groaned, thinking that just for a second I may have been wrong about her and Katherine. But now I was sure. Even the usual Caroline wouldn't be this interested if she knew I'd rather not talk about something.

"No, not since the fight." I lied. "He's been pushing me away because he thinks that Katherine might get jealous enough to hurt me." I shrugged, trying to look sad. "I just don't know how to change his mind."

"You said that Katherine's dangerous." Caroline stated. "Maybe he's got a point."

"Yeah, I know that she's dangerous and I know that he's just trying to protect me, but it feels like giving up and I just..." I trailed off.

"Just what?" Caroline piped up, sounding interested now.

My next statement was probably more of a jab against our relationship: mine and Caroline's. "I just thought that we were stronger and closer than that."

I saw her look down guiltily and stay silent, knowing that she felt bad. Something was up with her. She wouldn't betray me and Stefan like that. Katherine had done something to make my best friend act this way, and I needed to find out what it was.

I started painting the wall of a structure, and realized that Stefan was across the lot from me, just a few meters away. I looked at him, and he stared back. I had to bite the inside of my lip to keep from smiling; nothing about this situation was supposed to be funny.

"Oh, oh." Caroline spoke up, glancing between Stefan and I. "Longing looks are being exchanged."

This was it. My chance to make Caroline believe that Stefan and I were actually finished. Actually fighting. "I'm gonna go talk to him." I announced, placing my paintbrush back on the pallet.

"No, Ariana." Caroline argued. "I think it's a bad idea."

I ignored her, and headed over to Stefan, who didn't look up even when I was standing right next to him. "Do you still care about Katherine?" I asked him rudely.

His eyes snapped up to mine, and he pleaded. "Don't do this. Please don't turn this into something that it's not."

"So this is not for discussion." I pressed. "That's what you're saying?"

"No, I'm saying that this isn't up for discussion right now because we have ears on us." Stefan jerked his head behind me. I turned around, catching sight of Caroline and Damon, who were so obviously trying to look like they weren't listening to our conversation, which, they were.

"Okay, when?" I asked.

"I don't know."

"I saw her, Stefan." I continued. "We're like the exact same person. How could you hate her and be in love with me?"

"You're reaching." Stefan stated with a humorless smile. "I'm not... I'm not Damon."

"How about we don't bring Damon into this right now?" I questioned, surprised that he'd bring up his brother into this fake argument while he was still listening. Ouch.

"You know, I can't... I can't do this anymore, Ariana." Stefan said, his words burning right through me. I tried remembering what he had said to me earlier, where he was saying that those words would mean "I love you". But... my mind was fuzzy, occupied.

"Fine, Stefan." I said, shrugging, "Whatever." I love you too.

I left, trying to make my exit dramatic, while I felt three specific eyes following me as I departed the scene. Hopefully, Caroline would see this fake fight as some sort of break up or something. Damon on the other hand... well, I didn't know what he thought.

3rd person POV:

Stefan turned away for a moment, feeling nervous about the fake argument. It seemed too real. When her eyes burned into him like everything that she was saying was true. Stefan knew that it was fake, and that once Katherine was gone—or dead—him and Ariana would be back together. She was meant to be with him, and he knew it. He loved her with every fiber of his being, the connection was extraordinary. Amazing.

Damon and Caroline were gazing at the path where Ariana had left, feeling confused. He turned towards Caroline, asking, "Doesn't Ariana's behavior seem a little... odd to you?"

Caroline furrowed her eyebrows, "Yeah. I've never seen her act that way before, though it's completely understandable, given the circumstances."

"Relationships are about communication." Damon stated.

Caroline rolled her eyes, and left, leaving Damon to his own thoughts. There was definitely something going on, and he was gonna figure out what.

"Please tell me that you two were just bonding." Stefan stated, as he came up behind Damon, watching Mason's back as the werewolf walked away.

Damon smirked, and turned around to face his brother. "So, what's up with this faux drama in your relationship?" He asked, awaiting the answer.

Stefan tensed, looking away, "What are you talking about?"

"Oh come on, Stefan." Damon almost rolled his eyes. "You and Ariana don't fight." His smirk widened. "Especially not over me."

Stefan stared at him squarely. "Drop it, Damon."

"With pleasure."

Ariana POV:

I stared straight forward, my mind not processing what I was looking at. I heard someone sit by me, and her voice asked, "You okay?"

I sighed, "I don't think so."

"You know, maybe it's for the best." Caroline said on a brighter note.

"It's not for the best, Caroline." I denied. "None of this is." I saw her look down sadly, and immediately felt bad for snapping at her. Though, in a way, it kinda was her fault. Stefan and I were "fighting" because she was here. But I couldn't blame her, she was my best friend. Katherine was the manipulator, and she needed to be stopped. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to take it out on you. You're just being a good friend." Oh, the irony.

"No." Caroline disagreed. "I'm not. I'm not being a good friend at all."

I looked at her, surprised. She admitted it. Caroline was just confused, that's why she was working for Katherine. She must've been threatened by her.

Suddenly, Caroline stood up, looking into the woods; annoyed. "Is she leaving?" She asked no one in particular. "Where is my mom going?" She left, and I was about to follow her, but she had disappeared.

I walked in the general direction of where Caroline went, and found her. She was looking at her mom in disbelief. My eyes caught sight of a flash of blonde and pink, before the colors blended in with the forest. Liz.

"What's going on?" I asked Caroline.

"I don't know." She replied, suspicious. "Something's up."

Caroline was in deep concentration: her eyes shut, her hands by her ears, trying to heighten her already strong vampire senses. She was listening to something intently.

"Oh god." Her eyes snapped open.

"What?" I asked, worried.

"Stefan and Damon."

My blood froze to ice. "What?" I repeated, this time, it was barely a whisper.

We were running. The trees in the woods rushed passed me. Or was I rushing through them? I couldn't be sure. Everything was a bit blurry as Caroline and I ran through the green haze, looking for the Salvatores. Something bad was happening, yet Caroline refused to tell me anything specific. I think it had something to do with her mom and the vampire council.

The vampire hunters... Stefan... Damon.

Caroline halted suddenly, and I slowed to stop. "They've been here." She stated, and my stomach lurched. She bent down and looked at a plant. It was painted in red: blood.

"Oh my gosh." I choked out, swallowing.

"What are you two doing out here?" The deep, gruff voice came behind us, and we turned to look at our new visitor. Mason, who was a werewolf. I had a better question, what was he doing out here?

"Have you seen Stefan?" I forced the question out.

"Yeah, Ariana, I've seen him." He responded with a clenched jaw, eye burning. "Seen Damon too."

He did something. The way he was talking—holding himself. He knew about their disappearances.

"Where are they?"

"You don't need me for that." He stated, gesturing to Caroline. "I'll let your friend here sniff them out."

So he knew. He knew about Caroline. Not only that, but he was friends with her mother and could share the "secret" at any time.

"Does your mother know what you are?" He continued to ask her. "I'm happy to tell her."

Caroline started forward, but in a move so fast that I completely missed, Mason grabbed me, and I suddenly found myself in his grips. His arm circled my neck, putting me in a choke hold. Caroline froze.

"Don't be stupid!" He warned her, "Necks snap easy around here."

Fear settled into me, and I started breathing heavily. His grip around my neck wasn't too tight, but it was enough for me to stay still and be afraid.

"You won't hurt her." Caroline stated.

"Watch me." Mason threatened, tightening his hold just a bit. Caroline's eyes flashed in anger and she blurred forward. Mason's body left my side, and I turned my head, seeing Caroline push him into tree. The impact knocked him out. He wasn't dead, at least. Of course not. He was a werewolf. Who knew what the steps were to kill that kind of supernatural creäture?

Caroline kicked Mason again in the stomach with a super strength, and he went hurtling into a different tree. Just for good measure.

"Come on." She called to me, as if it was a casual outing to the Mystic Grill. Ha, I wished. God... I just realized that Mason had threatened to kill me. Obviously, he wasn't actually going to do it, but it was still a frightening thought.

We started forward again, eyes peering for any signs of movement within the forest.

Coming across another piece of land covered in ruins, Caroline and I stopped running. She closed her eyes again, trying to listen. When her eyes opened again, she looked horror-stricken.

"Caroline." I queried, concerned, "Caroline, what's happening?"

"My mom." She breathed out, still in shock. "She's killing them."

"What?" I quickly sucked in a breath. "We have to stop her!"

I started down the stone steps into the unknown underground, but Caroline stopped me. "No, I can't." She claimed. "Ariana, she's gonna find out about me." Seriously? Stefan and Damon were gonna die, and if she wasn't going to help me, then... I had to at least try. I shook off her arm, and proceeded down into the ruins. "Ariana!"

I shuffled about in the stone like structure, picking up an old wooden plank left on the dirt ground. I ran into the opening, hitting the first deputy I could find. I didn't want to hurt him, but I wasn't going to stand by and watch while he killed the people I loved.

I failed. The same deputy immediately grabbed my arms, shackling me. I couldn't move forward. Damon and Stefan were on the ground, covered by gun wounds and blood. Stefan was unconscious, and Damon was heading there. He didn't even have the strength to look up and see what had created all the noise.

Caroline's mom was in front of me, pointing her gun in my general direction. "Ariana! What are you doing?"

"You can't kill them." I pleaded, "Please, they don't deserve to die."

Before she could respond, a sound like the clanking of metal reverberated through the cell we were in. The gate made a rattling sound like chains as it closed practically by itself. But I knew what was really happening.

"What was that?" Another one of the deputies asked in fear.

"Who else is with you?" Liz asked me.

I kept my mouth shut. A flurry of golden-yellow whizzed passed us. Caroline ran in her vampire speed, and bit one of the deputies, effectively killing him. Oh, my god. She punched the one holding me, and he landed on the ground with a loud thud. Her face was covered in blood—her vampire features in full view—as she stepped out of the shadows.

"Hi mom." She said, looking at Liz. The mother stared back, terrified. She just found out that her daughter was a vampire. Was the creäture that she had dedicated her life to killing. I then received a feeling of guilt as I realized that this could forever change their lives...

I was so grateful that Caroline had helped. If not, the brothers may be dead. She sacrificed herself to save them. It was honorable and noble of her. Those actions supported my theory that Katherine had threatened someone to get to her. But who?

I knelt beside Stefan, rubbing his back soothingly as he sat up, his back bent. He was trying to become stronger as the vervain faded, not wanting to feed on the humans.

Damon fed from one of the deputies, then turned his head to Stefan. "You need to drink some deputy blood."

"No." Stefan said brusquely, "I'm gonna be fine. It's just gonna take a little bit longer."

"Damon's right, you know." Caroline spoke up from the corner of the cell. "If there's ever a time to break your diet..."

"It's his choice, Caroline." I defended, getting flashbacks from when he was on human blood.

"This is a most unfortunate situation." Damon stated, rising from the ground. "Two deputies dead, and you." He looked at Liz. "What am I gonna do with you?"

"You won't tell anyone, will you?" Caroline questioned her, but she continued to remain silent. "Mom? Mom? Please. Look, I know that we don't get along and that you hate me but I'm your daughter and you'll do this for me, right?" Her voice cracked, but Liz did not speak. "Mom, please. He will kill you." She looked pointedly at Damon.

"Then kill me." Liz stated, tears in her eyes.

"No!"

"I can't take this." Liz's voice cracked. "Kill me now."

Damon approached her dangerously. "But you were gonna drag it out so painfully." He caught her arms, forcing her to stand up. She looked at him in fear.

"No, no, no, no, no, no!" Caroline shouted, standing up.

"Damon, don't!" Stefan warned.

"Damon, please!" I pleaded. He better not hurt Caroline's mom. I was mad that she tried to kill the Salvatore brothers, but it was for what she believed in, for what she thought was "right". You couldn't blame someone for trying to do what was best for everyone.

"Relax guys." Damon said, staring at me. "No one is killing anybody." He looked at Liz. "You're my friend." His eyes roamed the room, landing on the dead deputies. "We've got to clean this up."

Caroline arrived at the boarding house with a luggage packed with Liz's clothes and necessities. "Hey, sorry that took forever." She apologized. "I just didn't know how long my mom was gonna be here."

"Damon says it'll take three days' tops for the vervain to leave her system." I explained, eyeing the huge luggage. Definitely over packed. "Hopefully sooner."

Stefan rejoined us, and I smiled, seeing that he looked stronger now, fuller.

"Hey!" Caroline smiled, looking at him. "You get some bunny in you?" The three of us started to walk towards the cellar where Liz was staying.

"Yeah, I'm feeling much better, thank you." Stefan said, then looked at me. A silent communication passed between us, and I smiled, before looking away.

We were right next to the cellar, when I heard Liz say to Damon. "Can you keep Caroline far away from me please? I don't want to see her."

Caroline's face drained of color, looking sick. I felt sick.

"She's your daughter, Liz." Damon said.

"Not anymore. My daughter's gone."

"You have no idea how wrong you are about that." Damon argued, finally coming into our view. Caroline dropped the luggage, pivoted, and walked down the hall, presumably back up on to the ground floor. I followed her, wanting to help console her.

While I was passing a dingy room filled with discarded things, I saw Stefan standing over a fridge, holding in his hands something plastic and red: a blood bag. Human blood.

"Stefan...?" I eyed him, concerned yet curious as I stopped walking. "What are you doing?"

"Katherine took a little vervain every day and built up a tolerance to it... I could do the same with blood." He looked at me intensely. "I could learn to control myself on it."

My heart rate sped up, and I fumbled for something to say. "Are you sure?" I asked, stupidly, "Last time..."

"I almost died tonight, Ariana." Stefan stated, "Because I was too weak. I told you I'd find a way to stop Katherine, didn't I? Well, this is it." He held up the blood bag, "This is the only way because she's stronger than me. And unless I change this..." His voice dipped lower, almost as if refusing to say the next words. "I can't protect you."

"I appreciate your concern but..." I touched my ear. "Can we talk about this later?"

Anger flared up in his eyes, and he started raising his voice. "He can hear us wherever we are, because he drinks this. This is the only thing that can help me!"

He was really starting to freak me out. "Stefan, you're not thinking rationally—"

"This is the most rational thought I've had in a long time." He stated. "I'm done playing her games. I'm done pretending." His eyes softened a bit. "She can't tear you away from me, I won't allow it. She can't hurt us anymore."

I was scared. Scared for us. Would this really be the answer? To let Stefan drink human blood? I know that it seemed as if I wasn't giving him enough credit but... I didn't know what to think. We couldn't predict the future, so we didn't know whether this method would succeed or not. What price would we pay if it failed?

"I'm sorry Stefan," I started, "I—I need a moment." I left him there as I returned to the living room in the house.

Caroline lied on the couch, cuddling a pillow to her chest as she stared at the fireplace. I pushed down many of the emotions I was feeling, and asked her. "You want me to take you home?"

"I can't go home."

I neared her, asking, "Why, Care?"

"Because I'm scared." She admitted, tears finally escaping her eyes.

Sadness engulfed me at the sight of her sobbing, and I sat down next to her on the couch, placing an arm around her. "Why are you scared? Please, Caroline, you can talk to me."

She looked at me guiltily, then admitted in a rush of blended sentences; "Katherine's gonna be there and she's gonna want me to tell her everything that has happened today. She told me I had to spy on you and report back to her."

I sighed. "I know." I said, and she looked at me, surprised. "And... I was so mad at you at first. But then, I put myself in your place, and asked myself why you would do this to us. To your best friend. And Stefan; who has been such a good friend to you."

"I know, and I'm such a terrible one." She stated.

"No, you're not." I argued. "I knew that you wouldn't have done what you did without a good reason...and I realized... she threatened someone, didn't she?"

Caroline nodded many times. "Matt, she threatened Matt." She sobbed harder. "And I am so scared of her, Ariana! I am so scared of her."

"We all are." I admitted. "We should be."

"Why is she doing this?" She questioned. "What does she want?"

I shook my head, finding no answer. "That's the million dollar question." I embraced her, and she buried her head into my shoulder. "Caroline, we'll find a way. We'll stop her, we have to."

"I'm not going to betray you again, I promise." Caroline said and hiccupped. "I'll help you, I'll stand by your side."

I smiled weakly. "Thank you. I'll stand by your side too. We'll be okay." Whether that last statement was a lie or not... would always be a mystery.

Caroline fell asleep, probably mentally and physically tired. I swiped a blanket from one of the chairs and tucked it around her. Not that she'd ever get cold, but it was a polite gesture, and she deserved the best luxuries.

I stood up and walked towards the door, feeling the long day finally catching up with me, exhausting me. I almost bumped into Damon, who intercepted me out of nowhere.

He was about to speak, but I put a finger to my lips and whispered. "Caroline is sleeping on the couch."

"I heard, and you?" He asked hopefully.

"I'm going home." I stated softly, sidestepping him as I made my way to the huge dark wood front door. Turning around, I caught Damon staring at me, and said, "Thank you. I appreciate what you're doing for Caroline's mom. It means a lot to me. So thank you."

He looked surprised for a moment, then responded, "Your welcome." He changed the subject. "Hey, Stefan didn't drink the people blood, if you were curious, but he needs to and deep down, you know it."

He looked at me for a few more moments, before giving me a small smile, and walking away. He was right. I did know it. Stefan needed human blood to defend himself. But I was still afraid, frightened by what would happen afterwards.

I leaned against the door frame outside of the Salvatore library. I could see the back of Stefan's shoulders and head as he sat still on the couch.

"You can come in." He spoke up.

I walked into the room slowly. "I'm sorry about earlier."

"No, I'm sorry." He said. "I didn't mean to frighten you. I just... can't bear the thought of seeing you hurt."

I smiled a bit, finally standing next to where he was sitting. "Stefan, if you believe that you can control it, then I do too."

"I know that we're not certain it will work, but if I don't try..." He trailed off, then stated. "I just need a few drops of blood in my system every day. I think it's worth trying."

"So do I, but I don't want you to do it alone." I said, reaching for the letter opener on the table.

"What are you doing?" Stefan asked, concerned. "You don't have—"

He cut himself off right when the sharp metal of the knife broke the skin in the palm of my hand. A sharp pain traveled up my arm, but I ignored it as I knelt next to Stefan. He seemed to be in a trance, glancing back and forth between my face and the blood pooling in my hand.

"Ariana, this could be dangerous..." He started, doubting himself.

"Stefan, it'll be fine." I stated. "It's you and me, Stefan. Always."

I placed my palm against his lips, and watched as veins appeared on the skin under his eyes. He sucked the blood, his tongue tickling my skin as he ran it over my hand. It didn't hurt at all. He pulled away, and I kissed him, feeling the sharp fangs graze my own lips. When I pulled away, his face was normal again. This time, he took my face between his own hands and kissed me passionately.

He did it. He controlled his bloodlust. We could do this, together.

Yay, another chapter! I have another story on fanfiction that I'm working on right now. It's called Power, Love, and Destruction. It's basically about a beautiful girl with extraordinary powers who can not die, and makes the Originals see something other than darkness. Please check it out if you're interested, and tell me what you think. :)

And for this chapter, if you liked it, hated it, please review! Thank you.

-Spiralcloud