Hey guys. So, this one's kind of a long one. I would've updated yesterday, but FF wouldn't let me upload the file. Anyways, here you go.

"I was… human, before," I said, confused as to where to start.

He just gave me this look and said, "Really?"

"You know what I mean," I added, crossing my arms. "I was in the woods one night, back where I'm from, in New Jersey…" I tried to keep myself from going under, from letting the memory engulf me all over again. "You know how people are, right?" I asked, turning to him, feeling as if my reason for having been in the forest were now pitiful. "My fried had gotten a bottle of scotch, we've never tasted scotch-"

"I get it," he interjected, nodding solemnly.

I nodded back and continued, trying not to let out everything I was feeling.

"I wandered away, from being that drunk. I saw Damon, and… I don't know…" I sat back in the bench, trying to figure out exactly what it was I was feeling. "He was muttering things, about someone having not been somewhere, about how it always happened to him, how he ended up alone." I looked back up at Tyler, seeming to find comfort in his brown eyes. "He came up to me and was all… 'You'll never leave me, right? You'll stay with me forever?' And, I was drunk, I was stupid, foolish, I said yes.

"And then he bit me." I looked away from him for a second, the intensity of his eyes too much at the moment. "When a vampire bites you, and you don't expect it, when they're being aggressive, or if it's against your will, it hurts, and it hurts a lot. It was as if he were tearing at my throat, digging his fangs into me, ripping at it…

"I was on the verge of passing out, but then he put his hand to my mouth, and I was drinking his blood." I smiled softly, not knowing what was running through his mind, his mouth set in a straight line, his jaw tight, his face passive. "Being drunk and light headed, I drank, and drank, and drank."

"And he killed you?" I nodded once, bowing my head, looking at the water spiked with wolfs bane. "What did he do? Snap your neck? Finish drinking all of your blood?"

I laughed, but it sounded mangled and depressed.

"I wish it would have been that easy." I shook my head, turning my hand to look at the faint markings of fingernails. "He dug his hands into my skin," I explained. "All over, ripping it off. Then he went for my limbs, twisting them in ways I never thought would have been possible, filling me with a pain-" I gasped slightly, feeling the pain all over again. "A pain that was… it was just horrible.

"He broke each of my fingers and then, he bent down and kissed my forehead, as if he had any right to.

"He left me there to die. A slow, painful death where I bled my insides out."

He leaned his head to the side, his eyes trying to decipher what I wouldn't let him see.

"When I did wake up, it was… confused… lost… I was alone, Tyler." He finally dropped his eyes, giving me the freedom to sigh. "And then I stumbled across my friends…" He looked back up. "You can guess the rest, right?"

He nodded, smiling, I guess.

"How'd you find out who he was?"

"That part is easy enough." I glanced down at my watch and saw that there was still about ten hours before the moon decided to rise. "He looked for me. Came to me, told me how he was…" I shook my head. "He was vulnerable the night before, and that something had come over him, something that scared him, and that he was sorry.

"I bit him," I said, glad I at least did something to hurt him. "But he threw me off like a rag doll." I shrugged, smiling a bit again. "Then he ran. And I've been looking for him ever since. Stefan met with me once, to try and help me with being a vampire, but he wouldn't tell me where Damon was. He just showed me how I could eat animal blood and survive. Then, he too, picked up and left."

He stirred, moving in his seat, letting his arm hang behind the bench.

"Well, I'm glad we've gotten past all the awkward situations."

"Are you scared?" I asked, jumping at the fact that he had acknowledged that we could comfortable talk about things.

And I really was curious. Ever since Damon had changed me, I'd had extra time, and I read up on everything else supernatural.

The experience would be painful for him, and he would probably be driven to tears.

"Of course, I'm scared," he said, meeting my gaze directly.

The fact that he always did this made me comfortable around him, as if he really was someone worth trusting.

"Bodily mutilations? Changing into a dog?" He gave me a "come on" look, smiling just as I felt I looked when I tried to smile. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't scared."

"I can help you," I offered, knowing exactly what I would get myself into, but feeling I had to help him and not leave him alone. Not during his first transformation anyways.

He shook his head, his mouth open as if he were going to say something.

"I know where your family's tomb is at," I said, already having pinpointed every place in this town, just never associating it with names. "I'm meeting you there whether you want me to or not, okay?"

His mouth was still opened, and he wasn't meeting my gaze.

"And what's with the wolfs bane?" I asked, grabbing the bottle from between his hand. "It'll just diminish your strength, not make the transformation any less painful."

"Thanks," he said, smiling sarcastically at me. "As if I wasn't worried about this enough already."

"Sorry," I replied, going for a smile. "But stop drinking it, okay? You'll just end up numbing yourself from the inside."

He leaned his head to the side again, meeting my eyes again, making me feel like I had to look away, but like I didn't want to.

"What makes you care so much?"

"Tyler," I rolled my eyes. Had he not listened to what happened to me? "I was alone when I woke up. I…" My sarcastic tone faltered, and my smile fell. "Killed people, Tyler." I didn't know why but saying his name made him all that more real, as if I now had someone who would understand exactly all I went through. "I don't want you to hurt anybody, I don't want you to feel the way I feel."

"You'll run the second I tell you to run?" He asked, his eyes completely serious, seeming to intensify by the minute. "You won't stay and let yourself get mauled?"

I nodded, not really planning on leaving.

He seemed to half buy it, because he nodded, while still looking at me.

"Meet me by the tomb at eight, alright? The moon is set to be at its highest point at ten, so that should give us enough time to get things ready."

"Okay." I smiled and nodded one more time, getting up.

But he grabbed for my wrist.

"Where are you going?"

I turned, smiling while slightly questioning him.

"I have to go deal with my own personal issues."

He closed his eyes for a bit, looking away, then back at me.

"Promise me you won't go and get yourself killed?"

I shook my head.

"Tyler, I'm not getting myself killed today because I have to help you get through this." He looked like he was biting back a smile. "I'll see you soon," I added, as he dropped his hand, and I burst away, setting my mind on where exactly I was going to go, following the faint scent I had picked up not to long ago.

I stood in front of the large house, hearing a certain breathing inside, but no vampire presences.

I knocked on the door and held my breath, not sure what I would be facing.

The door opened a bit, and a tan girl with brown hair stood before me.

A witch.

I could feel it.

"Hi, um, is Damon here?"

"Who's asking for him?" She said, and I immediately felt something probing on the exterior of y mind.

A smart witch. One that was experienced, one that knew her stuff.

"And what are you doing with Tyler?"

I sighed, holding inside me my impatience.

"I can't go through this whole explanation thing again. But can I come in? I'll explain everything."

She looked me over once more, before stepping back.

I took one step forward, and slammed straight into the shield the home had.

More than vampires lived in this house.

"My name is Caroline, Damon turned me into a vampire about a year ago, I was on the bus in the morning and I met with this werewolf. I was searching his mind and he felt it, he made me get off and he confronted me. To make that long story short, he's now my best friend. I guess. I like him, he's okay, and I'm going to help him with his first transformation tonight."

"Tyler?"

"Tyler Lockwood," I confirmed, nodding.

"Did you say he could feel you trying to get into his mind?"

"Yea." I smiled, but then it fell. "Why?"

She looked pensive, and then opened the door the full way. "Come in," she said, and this time, when I stepped through, I didn't slam into anything.

She closed the door behind me, walking past me.

"My name's Bonnie Bennett-"

Holy hell. A Bennett witch.

Yea, once you knew where to look, you can find out anything about anyone.

"And I think I know why Tyler knew you were trying to get into his mind." She pulled a book out of the huge bookshelf in front of her, flipping through the pages wildly.

"Because he's a freaking werewolf," I said, that being the only logic that crossed my mind. "I could read his mind because I was a vampire. We could read each others minds because-"

"You guys are mates."

I held my finger in the air, my next words frozen in my throat.

Mates?

"Yea," I said, trying to recover myself. "I'm mated to a werewolf."

Holding the book, she moved around the desk, toward me.

"So, you didn't feel the intensity of his eyes? He hasn't made you promise him things? You don't feel the need to help him?" She looked up at me. "Didn't you say you were going to help him with his first transformation?"

"Because I know how horrible it is to be alone, not because I'm mated with him!"

She smiled cunningly, closing the book.

"Call him," she ordered.

"What do you mean-?"

"With your mind." She nodded. "Call him with your mind. Just say his name, call him."

I felt my eyes widened, but then there was also something inside me that was telling me the truth.

Bracing myself, I called out to him.

Uh, Tyler?

Caroline?

I fought to keep the surprise of my face while saying, "I don't hear him."

"You realize I'm a witch, right?" She said, biting back a smile. "I can feel it when you two exchange things. And right now, he's desperately thinking thoughts to you."

I bit my lip as I tried to ignore the gibberish Tyler was sending my way.

Did you call me? Caroline? Caroline?

I shoved him out, something bursting inside of me.

I laughed and shook my head.

"I came here to stab Damon in the heart, not to find out the kid I happened to stumble upon was my-"

"Soulmate? Mate? Love of your life?"

"No," I said, shaking my head. "He's not."

"So, if I say that I could find a way to make it that you go through the transformation tonight instead of him?"

"You'd be lying," I said, blowing her bluff as quick as she said it.

She shook her head, opening the book again, flipping much less this time, showing me the pages.

I scanned it, the words sinking in.

How to switch with your mate.

"What the hell?" I asked, looking up at her. "Where do you get these things?"

She shrugged, closing the book. "Other witches."

"Fine." I said, crossing my arms, challenging her. "Make us switch places."

"Because you love him?"

I gasped, uncrossing my arms.

"Oh, come on," she said, smiling. "I don't really know you or anything, but I know enough to know that you care about him. Even though you just met him, you guys hit it off immediately. You want me to switch you guys so he won't suffer."

I resisted the urge to mock her, my legs shaking.

But…

No, no, no, no.

None of it was true.

I just didn't want Tyler to go through what I went through.

Because you care.

No, no no.

I groaned out in frustration.

"Just switch us, okay? Before it's too late."

She nodded, opening the book again, using her witch powers to pull up a chair for me, motioning for me to sit down.

"You need to think about him," she said, setting the book on the table, placing her hands on my head. "Which, even though you don't want to admit, you do all the time."

"Quit it," I snapped, digging my fingernails into my palms.

"Relax," she said, noticing my tense position. "Think about him."

I sighed and leaned on the chair, thinking of the tiny things I knew of Tyler.

His guts to be drinking wolfs bane, on a bus, slowly, determined to work his way through the water bottle, wanting to diminish his strength, knowing what was coming to him soon, the screams he had told me about, the way his eyes looked lost and helpless when he told me how he killed the girl, how intense and fierce they were when he was listening to me.

How I was going to risk myself to join him in the tomb, just so he wouldn't be alone.

Face it, Caroline. You just met the kid, but you're crushing on him big time.

I heard his tortured laugh, saw his brown eyes, his strong jaw, his sweet, heart melting smile, and then I felt someone else join me in my mind.

Caroline?

Tyler?

I could feel him smiling, I could feel how the happiness was running through him.

What are you doing?

Tyler! I remarked, mentally laughing. I just left!

It's been a while, he defended, and then I felt compelte peace, as if he was laying back on something. So, you find Damon yet?

No, I said, sighing. I'm at this house, it looks like a boarding house, except it's… roomier. He wasn't here.

So where are you now?

Waiting for him, I guess. I ran across a witch. Bonnie?

Yea, I know her.

She didn't really trust me at first, so I had to tell her how I knew Damon and everything…

I felt him smile, and I seemed to relax even more.

"It's done." Bonnie said, releasing the hold she had on me.

It's done…

What's done? He asked.

Oops.

My sadness, I blurted, desperately reaching for something. Hey, I have to go, but I'll meet you later, like we said?

I'm not really sure we can just hang up…

I laughed, out loud, and Bonnie looked at me strangely, but then she smiled, knowing exactly what was going on.

Preoccupy yourself with thinking how it won't hurt, okay?

How are you so sure?

Tyler, you'll have to learn to trust me.

I pictured him nodding, biting his lip, as he didn't reply, filling my head with an empty silence.

"Face it, Caroline," Bonnie said. "You're crushing on him big time."

And instead of wanting to snap at her for making that comment, I had to work extremely hard to bite back my smile.

Do you guys think I could get more reviews? Because I honestly want to know if people are liking my story or not. Not getting that many reviews makes me think people aren't reading/liking my story.