Disclaimer: The people at CW have stopped answering my calls… Maybe they blocked my number because they're tired of me asking for the rights for The Vampire Diaries… I don't own TVD.

Previously on The Vampire Diaries…

It was Katherine, but it wasn't. Something was different… Through the front window, I could see her; a young woman with straight dark hair coming out of the ice cream shop, arms linked with none other than Stefan Salvatore.

I focused intently on the young woman, tuning out her voice and listening to her body. Tha-thump. Tha-thump. Tha-thump. Tha-thump. Tha-thump. Tha-thump. Now it was my turn to pick my jaw up off of the floor.

Now…

I ignored my half-finished fries and practically yanked my waitress's arm off when she walked by. I shoved a fifty at her, "Keep the change." I went as quickly out of the door as I could without drawing attention. I had to know.

"…up with Damon?" Katherine—no, I didn't know if she was Katherine—the young woman had a more serious tone to her words as she spoke. I darted across the street, keeping about twenty feet behind the couple as they walked. "He was actually quiet this morning…"

"Last night, we found out that back in 1861, Damon was married." I stopped; momentarily stunned that Damon had told his brother everything. "Somehow, Katherine and Emily tested the town; it was to see if vampires could go about unexposed. It failed when Katherine became obsessed with us and killed Elizabeth, Damon's wife. Emily had never wanted anyone to get hurt, so she cast a spell on the town, to make us forget Elizabeth…" They turned the corner to go down a side street. I waited, to any passerby, it would seem that I was casually leaning on the wall of the office building, but I was really listening, "…gave Elizabeth Katherine's blood and she turned when Katherine killed her."

Elena stopped, stepping back from Stefan for a moment to look at him, "If Emily cast a spell to make you forget, how can you know all of this?"

I pushed myself off of the wall, taking measured strides down the alley, keeping to the slight shadows that the neighboring building provided. The only other person that knew about the spell that was still living was Katherine. I needed to know everything. "Yes, Stefan, pray tell." I smirked at him as they both turned to face me and Stefan stepped slightly in front of Elena to shield her from me, "How can you know all of this?"

Stefan's lips parted slightly in surprise when he recognized me, "Elizabeth."

"You're Elizabeth?" The young woman asked in awe.

"Beth." I corrected instantly. "Now, Stefan, I would appreciate it very much if you would tell me exactly how you can know about Emily's spell, because unless you've miraculously brought her back from the dead, only Katherine and I knew about the spell."

Stefan was silent for a moment, before saying sadly, "I'm sorry for what happened to you."

"Saying you're sorry isn't going to help me kill Katherine, now is it?" I sighed, "I'm going to ask you one more time, Stefan. How can you know?" Each of the last four words was punctuated by the click of my heels as I stepped closer.

Stefan pressed the girl back a few steps, "What happened to you, Beth?"

"I died, you idiot. Now answer my question before I stick a hypothetical bendy straw into you girlfriend's pretty, pretty neck." Would I actually hurt the girl? No. Okay, well probably not. I hoped Stefan didn't know that.

"Katherine." I mentally rolled my eyes; of course it was Katherine. "She told Damon last night and Damon told me this morning."

I love(d?) Damon, but Katherine had to die. The urge to kill Katherine was stronger than my need to see Damon at the moment, and so my more primal feelings took control of my mouth for the moment. "Being 'buddy-buddy' with Katherine never goes well for anyone." I ground my teeth together to keep from hissing at Stefan's revelation. I turned to the girl, "Doppelganger—"

"Her name is Elena." Stefan interrupted me, more than a little irritated.

I continued, ignoring the younger Salvatore brother, "Stay out of my way and you won't get dead. Same goes for you, Salvatore." Besides the fact that 'Salvatore' just sounded awesome, it distanced me from Stefan. Back in 1861, Stefan was like a brother to me, and Giuseppe was like a father; I couldn't let those feelings couldn't get in my way now that I was so close to my goal.

"Out of your way?" Elena asked, confused.

There was 'Off-Switch Beth' and there was 'Normal Beth.' At the moment, 'Normal Beth' was stuck in the hypothetical dungeon while 'Off-Switch Beth' had a bit of fun. "I'm going to kill Katherine and won't hesitate to kill anyone who tries to prevent me from driving a stake through her non-existent heart." I turned to take my leave when I felt a strong, vice-like grip on my arm. I looked over to see that the hand belonged to Stefan. "Don't touch me." I warned, yanking myself away.

"Beth, wait." Stefan hadn't changed much; he still wanted to help people that were beyond saving. "Please."

Aw, he was going to be nice… I turned back to glare at him, waiting.

"Can we at least talk?"

I really considered talking. Just talking. Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea… Maybe he could help me find Katherine. If all else fails, I could always use him as bait… "Alright Stefan. I'll bite." I waited, arms crossed.

"Tonight, eight thirty, at the boarding house."

"You have a boarding house? No, wait, don't answer that." I turned to leave again, "See you at eight thirty." Inside I was fuming. I couldn't decide which emotion was stronger; anger or fear. I was angry because Stefan was controlling the situation. I was angry because the girl, Elena, looked like Katherine. I was angry that she wasn't Katherine. I was angry because Katherine was still breathing. I was afraid of Katherine. I was afraid of what I didn't know. I was afraid of how Damon would react when I saw them tonight. I was afraid of myself, of what I was becoming…

R&R please.