Chapter Ten

"No, you have to twist your arm more," Faith insists as she readjusts Elena's stance. They stand in the middle of the living room training, the furniture pushed against the walls to allow more room. "Now try." Elena aims a punch and watches it connect with Faith's abdomen. Faith flinches for a second but recovers quickly. "Nice one," Faith grins.

Damon leans over top of the couch, dressed to go running with Matt. "You're still favouring your left, though," he reminds Elena. "You always do that."

"You wanna give it go?" Faith asks him jocularly but with a serious look in her eyes. Damon's eyes flash with a challenge Elena knows he can't take on.

"I'm always ready to take on a Slayer," he says with his usual teasing arrogance.

"For the love of God, take it outside!" Bonnie pleads, her eyes snapping open. She sits cross-legged on the floor in the dining room concentrating on a task of Willow's.

"It's cold out," Damon protests.

"So what? You're a—" Bonnie catches herself at the last second and bites her lip awkwardly.

"Please take it somewhere else," Willow urges, trying to ease the tension.

Faith rolls her eyes and strolls through the door to the patio. "Are you guys coming?" she calls over her shoulder. Damon ushers Elena forward, out into the cold.

Elena leans against the side of the house, watching as Faith motions and Damon comes to stand across from her. Faith pounces, but Damon manages to duck away from her. He tries to go for her jugular but, seconds later, she knocks him clean off his feet with a high kick. He lands on the ground with her foot to his throat.

"If you were still a vampire that would've worked," she tells him, removing her foot and holding out a hand to help him up. "But you can't rely on that kind of speed anymore."

Damon takes her hand, nodding intently. "Wanna try again?" he asks, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Sure. Try and rely on strength this time okay? Not speed." Damon nods and they begin again.

Elena moves further down the patio where she hopes her cringing won't be a distraction. Faith is at least decent enough not to hurt him, but Damon just can't keep up the way she remembers that he used to. It's as if he remembers how to move, but he keeps forcing his body to do things it can't anymore. Faith is surprisingly patient with him though and Damon is shockingly receptive. Every few minutes she stops him, explains a few things and they go again.

"Hey," Matt sidles up to her. He's been spending a lot of time at the boarding house since Kol left, mostly working out with Damon; it surprises her to see them spending time together, but she's glad that they're getting along.

Elena looks at him out of the corner of her eye with a smile, quickly returning her gaze back to the sparring match before her. "Hey Matt," she breathes. "I'm assuming you're here for Damon?"

"Yeah," Matt answers as he glances over to where Damon is sparring with Faith. "I guess he's busy, though."

"You can wait with me. I doubt they'll be very long." She winces as Faith lands what looks like a particularly nasty kick. Damon gets up right away and launches himself back at her again. "Or I can just go with you instead." She glances down at the sweats and t-shirt she was wearing for her own training. "Just let me change my shoes."

The two of them head into the house where Bonnie and Willow are still working quietly. Elena digs her running shoes out of the hall closet and motions for Matt to follow her out the front door while she puts them on.

"Sorry, I think Bonnie's trying to concentrate," she explains, seating herself on the porch to put her shoes on.

Matt nods absently. "So you and Damon have been training with Faith, huh?"

"I have," Elena corrects as she leans to stretch her legs. "Damon just started today. She's really good. I'm glad you and Damon have been working out together, though, or whatever it is you're doing; it's good for him to have something to focus on."

Matt shrugs. "He seems...mellower. Either that, or it's just the fact that if he wanted to snap my neck these days, I think I'd actually stand a chance."

"Do you think he's doing okay?" she asks softly, standing and grabbing Matt's shoulder for balance as she stretches her quads. "Has he said anything to you?"

"It's not like we sit around in our pyjamas drinking hot chocolate and talking about our feelings, Elena."

Elena switches legs. "I know, I just...wondered." She finishes her stretch and rolls her shoulders a few times for good measure as the two of them head down the driveway.

Matt gives her a furtive side look as they reach the mailbox at the end of the driveway. "Do you want my honest opinion, Elena?"

"Of course."

Matt halts, looking grimly towards the house and then back at her. "I think if he didn't love you so much, he would have gotten down his knees and begged Caroline to turn him back days ago." Elena simply stares at her friend, processing the information she thinks she knew all along. "But he's trying, Elena," Matt continues, "Anyone can see that. Maybe he'll adjust."

Or maybe he won't. Elena thinks back to Katherine's words.

Can you live with yourself when it makes him miserable?

Matt looks away for a moment, "I'm sorry, Elena. I didn't mean to upset you..."

She waves him off. "No. Thank you, Matt. Thank you for...well, you always tell me the truth. Even when I don't want to hear it." She touches his shoulder lightly. "You're such a good friend to me; I don't deserve it."

"You died for me, Elena. The very least I can do is be honest with you." He jerks his head towards the road. "Race you to the mill and back?"

Elena grins. They used to race everywhere when they were little: to the mailbox, the end of the street, the kitchen table; it didn't matter as long as they were running. She jumps into a starting stance, "One, two—"

Matt takes off running before she can finish. "Cheater!" she yells after him, running to catch up.

Matt slows down at the top of the hill before they reach the mill. "You're slacking, Elena." he calls to her jokingly.

"You suck!" she yells back breathlessly. "And you cheated!"

When she finally reaches the top of the hill, Elena collapses onto the grass gasping. "I am so out of shape."

"Oh c'mon." Matt collapses next to her. "You didn't do that badly. And yeah...I cheated a little."

Elena slugs him on the arm and lays back, looking at the sky. "This is nice," she says after a moment. "I've missed this."

"Elena, there's something I want to tell you." Elena flinches, causing him to chuckle. "For once it's nothing bad. Relax. I was just talking to Willow yesterday and...well, she knows this vampire in LA."

Elena rolls over to face him, "You mean Angel?"

Matt nods. "Yeah him. Anyways, we were talking about it, and I think that's where I'm going to go after you guys leave."

"You're going to leave Mystic Falls and become Angel's new sidekick?" she asks with raised eyebrows.

"I don't know about the sidekick thing, but...it's time for me to leave, Elena," he confesses. "And, with you guys heading back to Europe and stuff, I just thought...maybe I could do some good somewhere else. I'm so tired of this town, and with the high school condemned, there's not any point in sticking around for graduation so..."

Elena absently picks a piece of grass. "I met him actually, when I was in LA with Katherine."

"Yeah?"

"He's...well, I think you'd like him. I know he could use the company. I'm going to miss you, though."

"It's not that far. And I'll come back and visit as soon as you get Jeremy back, okay?"

"Promise?"

Matt grins and holds out his hand. "I'll do you one better," he tells her. "Pinky swear?"

Elena laughs and hooks their pinkies together. "Deal."

Elena leans back against the pillows, chewing absently on the end of her pen as she tries to find the right words. The bedside lamp gives a soft glow to the creamy pages of the journal spread open in front of her. Even though her thoughts vary from muddled to downright fearful, it feels good to at least put them back on paper again. Her feelings are easier to work through when they're all laid out in front of her.

"Hey, there you are," Damon pokes his head into what has become their bedroom. She feels like she should move back into her own house now that Kol is no longer forcing her to stay here, but every time she thinks of it, she sees Jeremy's bedroom door like a big gaping black hole and she can't bring herself to do it. So she stays.

It's not conventional, but then nothing in her life is anymore and Damon certainly isn't complaining.

She places the ribbon in her journal and sets it aside. "Hey. How did the meeting with Liz go?"

Damon shrugs. "It was fine. I'll be a properly documented human in no time." He tries to be flippant, but Elena can sense the bitterness in his words. He flops down on the bed next to her.

"I got you something today," she remembers. She slips out of the bed and pulls a small box out of her purse. "It took forever to figure out where Jeremy put it, but..." She comes around the bed to stand in front of him. "I think you should have it. It was Alaric's after all." She opens the box, revealing one of the Gilbert rings.

Damon regards the box with trepidation. "I'm already homicidal enough, should we really throw psychotic into the mix?"

"You have to die a whole bunch of times for that to happen, Damon," she states with a stern look. "And if you think I'm going to let you die multiple times than maybe you're already psychotic."

"Well no one ever said I was stable," he mumbles taking the box from her hands. "I'll make you a deal. I'll wear this, but only until we've dealt with Klaus. Then it goes back in the box."

Elena nods. "I can live with that."

She plucks the ring from the box and slides it onto his left hand. "You're starting to collect an awful lot of bling," Elena comments, regarding the daylight ring still on his right hand.

Damon flexes his fingers. "Just call me Liberace."

He sets the box down on the nightstand and takes her hands, tugging her down onto the bed with him. "Since we're exchanging family heirlooms, I have something I wanted to give you too."

Damon reaches over her into his nightstand drawer and holds out a rectangular blue velvet box for her to take.

Elena raises her eyebrows curiously. "What is it?"

"Open it."

Elena takes the box from his hands and cracks it open, revealing a silver bracelet. She pulls it out, dangling the delicate chain between her fingers. "It's lovely," she smiles. "Thank you." She turns it over to clasp it and the light catches on an engraving. "Damon, I think the jeweller got my initials mixed up." She turns the bracelet over so he can see the letters engraved on the flip side: GEC in flowing script. "It should be ECG."

Damon runs a finger over the initials absently. "Actually, Elena, they didn't. Those were already there; they're my mother's initials."

She holds it out to him, "This was your mother's bracelet?"

"Yes."

"Damon...I—"

He clasps his hand over hers, forcing her to close the fist holding the bracelet. "I want you to have it. I almost gave it to you for your birthday actually, but..."

She swallows. "You didn't."

"It didn't feel right then. It didn't feel right when we found out about all the weird witchy juju in that necklace either, but I was going to give it to you anyways because I didn't want you to be without vervain." He fingers one of the links on the chain. "This bracelet would have been too small for you as it was, so I had a few links added with vervain infused in them. But before it came back from the jewellers, you became a vampire and obviously you didn't need it anymore, so I left it there. I was walking past there this morning and...it feels right, now."

Elena looks at the bracelet in her hands and then back up at him, her eyes welling with tears. "I'm so sorry."

Damon frowns in confusion. "What?"

"You did all these wonderful things for me and I left you to die alone in a storage facility and then I choose Stefan," she chokes. "And when now there's all of this... you should hate me. Why don't you hate me?"

"Elena..." He looks away for a moment, gathering his thoughts. "I'm not going to lie to you," he finally confesses. "What you did...in October, it sucked. It really, really, fuckingsucked. But—" He grabs her hand, stopping her from pulling away from him. "If you tallied up all the things we've both done to hurt each other on a scoreboard and tried to balance them out, I don't exactly come away as the good guy in all this."

"But—" He puts a finger over her lips.

"I don't love this, Elena. Not by a long shot." He strokes her cheek with his thumb, fixing her with the full intensity of his gaze. "But I love you," he breathes, almost with reverence, as if he's afraid to cheapen it with over use.

"I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry," she sobs into his shoulder. "I did this to you."

"This isn't your fault," he gently wipes one of her tears away. "Don't cry, cara."

"What was that you called me?" she asks, sniffing slightly.

He pulls back, looking slightly embarrassed. "From your middle name, Carina? When you thought the jeweller had mixed up your initials it came to mind. It's Italian for 'dear.' I'm sorry, it just slipped out... there's been a lot of Italian in my head lately."

"It's okay. I like it. You know—" Elena glances down at the bracelet. "I don't even know what your mother's name was."

He takes the bracelet and fastens it around her wrist for her. "It was Grace. Grace Eleri Colwyn. She had this before she was married."

"That's an unusual name."

Damon leans back against the pillows, allowing Elena to settle against him. "Her family came from Wales at some point, I think."

"Why don't you ever talk about her?" she murmurs, toying with the buttons on his shirt, "Stefan never did either."

"Stefan was only four when she died; he doesn't remember her. And I just...don't like to."

"Oh."

"It's not like she was a bad mother or anything. It's just...not something we talk about." He pauses for a moment, thinking. "Most women, they weren't very well educated back then. But Mother loved books," he finally offers. "That's how I got my name actually, from one of her favourite plays, Damon and Pythias."

"I don't know it."

"You wouldn't; it's not very well known. Her copy is downstairs somewhere, though if you want to find it."

"Tell me instead?"

"Basically, it's a Greek myth," he explains. "The story goes that Damon and Pythias were best friends, but Pythias pissed off King Dionysus and was sentenced to death. Pythias wanted to go home and get his shit together before his execution, but the King was afraid he would run off. So Damon offered to take his place while Pythias settled his affairs. Dionysus allowed it, under the condition that Damon would be killed if he didn't return. He was about to kill him when Pythias returned just in time to save his friend and Dionysus was so impressed with their loyalty to each other he let him them both go."

Elena looks up at him, smiling. "Do you think Klaus knows that story? I think he could benefit a lot from it."

"Oh I'm sure he knows it," Damon replies. "But somehow I doubt that anything involving him would be to our benefit."

"Bastard," Elena quips.

"Mind if I run to the drug store and meet you back here?" Bonnie suggests the following morning, nodding her head to the drug store just up the road from where the girls are strolling. "I want to grab some aspirin."

"Sure," Elena nods. "I just wanted to grab some cereal real quick. Meet you here in five."

She ducks inside, heading straight for the cereal aisle. She's not crazy about the stuff herself, but—for some reason—Damon's newfound human tastes require Lucky Charms by the boxful and Caroline never managed to curb her love of Fruit Loops. She reaches up to grab a box when she catches movement out of the corner of her eye.

Klaus leans casually on the shelf to her left. Elena nearly drops the box. She closes her eyes for a second, hoping she's imagining things. Opening them slowly, she turns them back to where she spotted him; he remains there, an insolent grin plastered across his face.

"Tell me, Elena," he says, pushing himself off the shelf. A few boxes of Cornflakes tumble off, surpassing his notice. "Why is my doppelganger wandering around Mystic Falls all by her lonesome? Why anything could happen."

"What-what are you doing here?" Elena stammers, trying to stall.

"Well you see, Elena, delegation is the key to success. I sired my hybrids, gave them my orders, and left them to Stefan. It's nothing he can't handle. He's quite a capable lad when he puts his mind to it. But then I'm sure you know that."

"But why are you here?" Elena protests, her eyes flashing quickly towards the door.

Klaus takes a step closer. "Why, to check on you, of course. I was quite concerned when I couldn't reach my dear brother. Tell me Elena, where is he? I left him explicit instructions not to let you wander about by yourself and, here the first thing I see when I arrive in town is you strolling around with your little witch like you don't have a care in the world."

Elena swallows, thinking rapidly. This is good news, he doesn't know yet about Elijah. If she can stall him long enough to get Elijah here, they might possibly be able to make it out of town unscratched.

"He's...he's at the movie theatre with Damon," Elena blurts the first place away from the boarding house that comes to mind. Klaus arches an eyebrow, causing her to wince inwardly. He surely knows she's lying.

"Now why would Kol suddenly develop an interest in taking your boyfriend to a movie? Either there's a lot I don't know about my own brother," he takes a step closer. "Or you're lying to me." Klaus brings his arms up on either side of her so she is pinned against the shelf. "You know what happens when you lie to me, Elena. Now tell me the truth." He hits the shelf roughly for effect, sending several boxes of Fruit Loops flying through the air.

"I'm waiting." Klaus leans closer to her. "Every time I have to resort to compelling you, Elena, is another person who makes your brother into a meal. Oh yes, he's still alive. I've found him quite useful." His pupils dilate and Elena trembles, preparing herself for the show of her life. He can't know she's wearing vervain. "Tell me where Kol is," Klaus demands. Elena's eyes settle on something just beyond his shoulder, one of the flashing signs encouraging people to buy lottery tickets. Parking Lot. It suddenly flashes. Elena gulps.

"He's in the parking lot," Elena replies, more evenly this time. "Stefan's Porsche is acting up."

Klaus pulls away, then pushes the shelf behind her. She screams as it tumbles over onto the next aisle. It hits the one on the other side and sends them falling like dominoes, sprinkling shattered glass and bits of food in its wake.

"Excellent," Klaus replies coolly. "Let's go then. I have a bone to pick with my brother. Perhaps I'll break a few of them. After you," he ushers her forward, gentlemen like. Elena looks around the store at the people staring at them in utter disbelief. She picks her way through the debris to the door.

Klaus takes her arm, yanking her across the street and through the square. As soon as they turn the corner into the parking lot Klaus's eyes whip back and forth. It takes him all of two seconds to realize Kol is not there.

He opens his mouth, but a series of explosions rip through the air and he releases his grip on Elena's arm. In the confusion, an un-known force yanks her away from Klaus, and tackles her to the ground behind a nearby car. Elena glances sideways; next to her Matt crawls to his feet.

"Run," he mouths.

Elena glances under the car. Klaus is getting up off the ground, his face partially burnt from a vervain grenade. He takes a step towards the car and Elena blanches.

Matt pulls another vervain grenade out of his pocket and launches it over the car. "Elena. Get out of here," he orders through gritted teeth.

There's a squeal of brakes behind her and Bonnie spills out of Damon's Camaro. She grabs Elena's arm and shoves her into the car with an astonishing amount of force, slamming the door behind her. Elena recovers her breath as the car peals away at triple the speed limit with Damon at the wheel.

"What. The. Hell?" Elena spits. "We have to go back!"

"Yeah, that's not happening," Damon replies.

Elena scrambles to see out the back window. "How the hell could you involve Matt in this?" she cries with rage.

"No one wanted to involve Matt," Damon protests. "But he was nearby with load of vervain grenades in his car and we had to get you out of here before Klaus caught on."

Elena throws him a glare that could liquidate kidneys.

Damon sighs in frustration and holds up his left hand, flexing his fingers a few times to show the Gilbert ring is gone. "They're going to be fine. Elijah and Willow were right behind me. Bonnie can take care of Matt. Alright?"

Elena crosses her arms. "You gave him the ring?"

"If anyone should have that thing it's Donovan. That kid is like a supernatural danger magnet." He glances at her. "Does it bother you that I gave it to him?"

Elena shakes her head, settling back into her seat. "No, I'm glad you did. I just..." She trails off, staring out the window worried and angry. She's relieved Matt has the ring, but that doesn't guarantee his safety or anyone else's.

Damon's phone rings, breaking the silence. "Please tell me you have good news," he answers. Elena can detect the shrill sound of Caroline's voice, but she can't hear make out exactly what she's saying. Damon nods a few times "Okay. Meet you there."

He flicks on his turn signal and pulls the car onto a side road.

"What's going on?"

"We're picking up Caroline in Buckingham and then we're meeting Faith at an airstrip outside of Charlottesville."

"What about Bonnie and Matt? And Willow and Elijah?"

"Faith is going to meet us at the airport. The rest of them are hopefully going to play 'Distract the Single-Minded Hybrid' long enough to get you the hell out of here."

Elena absently bites one of her fingernails, a newer stress habit for her that she picked up just last summer while Stefan was away on his Ripper-cation. Damon takes her hand, pulling it away from her mouth.

"I know this sucks for you, but we can't go back and you know that. You know that Klaus won't be reasoned with; even if we handed you over, he'd still kill us all." She can't see his eyes behind his sunglasses, but she knows he is looking at her intently. "I'm never going to apologise for trying to keep you safe, Elena."

Elena doesn't say anything because she knows this to be true. And it kills her because she shouldn't be alive. All of her friends are in danger. Hell, the world is in danger because of her existence. She likes being alive, being a human again, but her life can't possibly be worth this much. It isn't fair.

Damon squeezes her hand gently. "Hey, look at me. They're going to be fine."

She turns to him with haunted eyes. "You don't know that."

She turns her attention back to the window until Damon brings the car to a halt in front of a Blockbuster in Buckingham. Caroline appears on the driver's side seconds after Damon parks.

"Yes?" he asks, raising his sunglasses.

"I'm driving," Caroline insists.

Damon chortles, "No you're not."

"I have quicker reflexes!" she protests, stamping her foot.

Damon shakes his head. "Get in back, Barbie. Reflexes or not, I've owned this car longer than you've been alive. I know what I'm doing with it."

Caroline huffs, but crawls over Elena to seat herself in the back.

"Music anyone?" Damon asks flippantly. Both girls scowl at him. "Wow. Feeling the love today." He turns the car onto the highway with The Clash blaring. Caroline turns around in her seat, keeping an eagle eye on all the cars behind them.

"Damon, drive faster!" she urges frantically. "We're being followed."

"Is it Klaus?" he questions as he presses his foot down harder against the pedal.

Caroline shakes her head, though he doesn't see. "Nope, I'm pretty sure it's just vampire minions."

"Are you positive?" He jerks the car into the next lane, cutting off a Mercedes behind them.

Caroline watches the line of cars behind them for a moment, trying to look into the tinted windows of the car following them. "When was the last time you saw a hippie, a biker chick and a guy who looks like he stole his clothes from Kevin Federline in a Prius together?"

Damon curses under his breath and stomps harder on the gas while weaving in and out of traffic as fast as the Camaro can manage.

"Are they hybrids or just plain vampires?" he asks through gritted teeth.

"How could I possibly know?" Caroline exclaims shrilly. "It's not like they're driving around all yellow eyed and furry."

Damon brakes suddenly before stomping on the gas pedal and whipping around a semi-truck in the process. "How are we doing?"

"They're keeping up," Caroline replies anxiously.

Damon glances into the rear-view mirror, thinking quickly. "Caroline, how quick do you think you could compel someone to give you their car?"

"Um...if you give me a shirt with enough cleavage, I won't even have to compel them."

"Great." He wrenches the car over, cutting off three lanes of traffic and pulls the car onto the next exit, careening down it at top speed. Upon entering the town, he runs straight through several red lights and makes a few random turns, finally screeching the car to a stop in a Wal-Mart parking lot. "We don't have much time," he reminds as he turns around to face the blonde vampire. "Compel someone. Now."

Caroline nods and climbs out of the car at warp speed, disappearing in the cavalcade of cars. Damon eases his tired car towards the back of the lot, hiding it behind a large RV.

Seconds later, Caroline pulls up in a black SUV with dark windows. She pushes open the passenger door with panicked eyes. "Get in!" she shouts. Elena dives in the front and Damon slides into the backseat.

"Where am I going?" Caroline asks, panicked, as they shoot out of the parking lot.

"The airport, Caroline," Damon barks in irritation.

"No. I know that." Caroline blows her bangs out of her face, gripping the wheel tighter. "I just don't know how to get out of town."

"Take a left," Damon orders. Caroline follows the direction, putting them on an unfamiliar side street.

She bites her lip. "Um...Damon, this is not the way we came."

"Try a right?" Elena suggests, thumbing through the glove box for a map. Caroline glances over her shoulder and whips a U-turn at top speed, sending them back flying the other direction onto another unfamiliar street.

"Ugh, does this thing have GPS?" she complains, her eyes scanning the roads for a hint as to where to go.

"Just keep driving," Damon demands through gritted teeth, glancing behind them from where he sits in the back seat. "Drive through someone's yard if you have to. Just get us back to the highway!"

Caroline makes a few more turns, screaming at Damon the entire time, and they finally find themselves back near the highway.

"Ease up," Damon warns, leaning forward. "We don't want to draw their attention again." Caroline glances into the rear-view mirror.

"Yeah... I think they already spotted us," Elena remarks, spotting the Prius a few cars behind them in her side mirror. Caroline jerks the wheel—slamming Elena and Damon into the doors—and hits the gas, sending them flying through a red light and onto the highway once more. A siren sounds as a police car starts following them.

"Shit!" Caroline curses.

"Just pull over and compel them," Elena suggests. Caroline glances into her side mirror.

"Yeah, if I do that, the vampires be right on us." She keeps her foot on the gas. "We're twenty minutes from the airport. Maybe I can just outrun them?"

"You can try," Damon starts, "But they'll probably call it in. You are so not ready for full on chase like that." His mouth twists as if he's remembering something that amuses him. Caroline glowers back at him in her rear-view mirror but then her eyes widen.

"I have an idea," she gasps. "Both of you, the second I pull over, get out of the car and get into the cop car as fast as you possibly can."

Without warning, Caroline lurches the car onto the side of the road and the cop behind them follows suit, skidding to a stop. "Hurry!" she yells. Damon and Elena jump out of the car before it comes to a complete stop, running for the police car behind them. The cop gets out slowly, his hand on his gun, but finds Caroline in front of him before he can draw it.

"You're going to let us borrow your car," Caroline compels quickly. Behind them, the car full of vampires slowly comes to a stop.

A tall vampire with dreadlocks comes straight for Elena, but her training with Faith pays off. She feints to the right and manages to land a kick to his groin before he can grab her. He drops to the ground and Elena yanks on the door to the cop car, but it refuses to give. She's about to go around the driver's side when something grabs at her ankle, yanking her to the ground with a loud smack. She kicks whatever holds her off and rolls away, slightly dazed. She reaches for the door again, but Caroline appears in front of her and rips the passenger door right off its hinges.

"You drive!" Caroline yells as Elena scrambles into the car, she around turns just in time to Caroline raise the door and bring the jagged edge down on the vampire in front of her. "Get ready to drive, I've got Damon!" Caroline exclaims, Elena turns the ignition on and seconds later, Caroline hurtles into the passenger's seat, dragging Damon with her.

"Go!"

Elena stomps on the gas, sending the car hurling back onto the highway while Caroline holds onto Damon, who hangs halfway out of the car. Caroline brings an arm back and punches out the metal grille separating the back seat. Letting go of Damon and works herself into the back.

Damon sits back comfortably in the passenger's seat and stretches out his legs. Inspecting the console, he flips a switch and the siren begins to pierce. "I gotta hand it to you, Blondie," he begins with a gleeful smirk, "That was not a bad plan."

Faith greets them at the airstrip with a quirked eyebrow. "I take it you ran into trouble?"

"You have no idea," Caroline exhales.

Faith nods her head to the plane. "C'mon. Elijah called in his pilot; we're all set to go."

"What about the others?" Elena looks back towards the road, worried.

"They'll be alright," Faith assures her. "They know what they have to do, Elena. We need to get you out of here. Now."

Damon puts a hand on the small of her back, urging her forward and onto the plane.

They arrive in Scotland in the middle of the night. Elena wraps her arms around herself against the chill as Faith urges them off of the plane and into a sleek black town car waiting for them on the tarmac.

"We've got a bit of a drive," she informs them. "We're outside of Inverness right now."

The car pulls away, leaving behind the twinkling lights of Inverness and turning into the winding blackness beyond. Elena dozes in and out on Damon's shoulder listening to the gentle timbre of his voice as he and Faith discuss the merits of various brands of crossbows and why Prague is a terrible place for an ambush. Across from her, Caroline thumbs through a fashion magazine, making an occasional noise in the back of her throat when she sees something particularly heinous.

When the car finally slows, gliding through a security checkpoint, Caroline's face blanches, "Um, can I get an invitation?" She manages to gasp.

Faith's eyes grow wide, "Come in!" She says loudly, watching as Caroline begins to relax. "Sorry, I completely forgot about that."

"It's okay," Caroline nods, recovering her breath.

The car slides into well-lit driveway. It looks almost like a prison with high chain link fences, cameras and large fluorescent lights mounted on the top. The car slides through a checkpoint and the door opens.

"Faith?" someone asks.

Faith leans forward from her spot across from Elena. "Right here, Xander."

A dark haired man pokes his head into the car. One of his eyes is covered with a patch, but he has a warm smile, "Everyone accounted for?" He asks briskly.

Faith nods. "This is Elena, Damon, and Caroline. Everyone, this is Xander Harris."

Xander nods at them, eyeing them carefully. "Willow called," he tells the Slayer curtly. "Big bad wolf got away, but everyone survived. They'll be here tomorrow."

Elena breathes a sigh of relief.

"Excellent," Faith replies. "I'll just get them settled then." She slides herself out of the car and urges them to follow her. "Any word from B?" She asks, stretching her arms up above her head.

"She and Spike are on their way back now," Xander summarizes, "She didn't say much, but given her mood, I'm gonna error on the side of caution and say things went bad-ish."

Faith makes a face in response but doesn't say anything.

Elena glances around her surroundings, which appear to be a compound of some kind. It's a mind boggling combination of buildings, some of which are old—gorgeous even—making the space feel like a good sized college campus. But it's also dotted with newer, more modern buildings that appear purely functional. The whole area is flooded with florescent light and surrounded by a twenty foot high fence.

"It's been awhile since I've been to prison," Damon quips, glancing around.

Faith rolls her eyes, "You have no idea," she mutters. "C'mon, the guest house is this way."

Faith leads them down a winding narrow pathway that curves around some trees, losing sight of the driveway completely. Finally, after a few minutes of walking, she stops in front of an ugly, modern looking two story building. It's boxlike, with more of an air of a storage facility than a guesthouse. Faith pulls out a key from her back pocket and unlocks the imposing metal door. "I'll show you guys around more in the morning, but for now—" She opens the door and flicks on a light, showing a small entryway with a set of stairs. "C'mon on in. There's a kitchen over here, it should be stocked for you," she turns to Caroline. "I hope you're okay with animal blood."

Caroline shrugs, "I don't love it, but I can drink it." Faith nods and gestures to the stairs, "There's two bedrooms are up there. There should be some clothes for you, hopefully Willow and Bonnie can bring you some of your own stuff when they get here tomorrow. Need anything else?"

Elena shakes her head.

"I'll come back for you guys in morning and give you the tour and everything, sound good?" Faith continues.

Damon nods and Faith gives them a small smile before ducking out the door. Elena turns to Caroline as soon as she shuts the door. "I remember how much the animal blood sucks," she tells her quietly. "You can feed on me if you need to. I won't tell."

Damon chortles, "You need all the blood you can keep in your body Elena. At this point it's a wonder you're not clinically anaemic." He looks at Caroline with a slight scowl, "If you absolutely have to...you can feed on me."

Caroline mouth turns up slightly at the corners, "Thank you both. But I'll be fine." She links her arm through Elena's. "C'mon, we should all get some rest. Everyone is okay and I have a feeling things are about to get crazy."

A/N: Just a clarification note to readers, in case you weren't already aware, Buffy/Angel verse in this story is canon compliant to the best of my abilities through their respective series finales but I will NOT be following the storyline in the comics. More Buffy to come! Thank you so much for reading/reviewing/following etc. I appreciate it so much and it is always nice to hear from you. Special thank you to my beta Two-Ways-Down-None-To-Go formerly known as Skye Velomatic.