The End Is Near

Bella's Point of View

I took a shower and got dressed before anyone else got up. I grabbed Damon's keys and headed to the university. I needed one last piece of this crazy messed up puzzle and it turned out that Isobel (Elena's mom) had it at her office. It took me three hours, but I finally reached the university and headed straight for her office.

"Can I help you?" a girl in her mid-twenties asked me.

"Yes, I'm looking for Vanessa Monroe." I said.

"That would be me." She said.

"I think you've already met my friends Alaric Saltzman, Elena Gilbert, and Damon Salvatore." I said.

"Oh," she said.

"Calm down I'm not going to hurt you; I came for something that belongs to me." I said.

"What would that be?" she asked.

"The MacKenna athame." I replied.

Her eyes got huge and it took a moment for her to reply, "You're the last." She whispered.

"Yes, I guess Isobel read up on my family." I said.

"Yeah, a lot actually; other than vampires your family's history was her obsession." Vanessa said. "I've also read everything about your family."

"So it's safe to assume you know what I am and why I need it." I stated.

"Yes to the first no to the second." She replied. "Why do you need it?"

"To put an end to something; may I see it?" I asked.

"Yeah follow me." She said.

"Now if I turn my back on you I don't have to worry about you shooting me will I?" I asked.

"No." she said.

"Good then I think we will get along just fine." I said as we walked into what could only be called a small museum.

"Isobel collected many things over the years; she had them displayed in here. Every artifact has something to do with vampires or your family." Vanessa said then pointed to the center of the room, "There it is."

Laying in a glass covered case was the athame; it had intricate Celtic knotting. Vanessa unlocked the case and removed the glass. I reached out and grabbed it immediately feeling the power flow through my veins. I looked over it more and there on the handle was wording that I knew so well;

"Ní mór do gach íobairt." I said.

"What is that?" she asked.

"Gaelic for 'All must sacrifice'" I replied as I turned the athame over. I placed it in its travel case and turned to Vanessa, "Thank you."

I started to leave, "Wait," Vanessa said and went to another glass case, "I think you'll need this." She said unlocking it and coming back over to me handing me a book, "It belonged to the first of your line; her name was…"

"Brighid." I said. "Thank you for all your help and I would appreciate if any of my friends come here you speak nothing of this to them."

"My lips are sealed." She said.

I drove back to Mystic Falls and when I got to the boarding house everyone was there;

"BELLA!" Bonnie yelled at me the moment I walked through the door, "Where the hell have you been?"

"I had errands to run." I said putting my bag down.

"You didn't think you leave a note?" she accused.

"No, they were my personal errands I didn't think they concerned you." I said.

"Where did you go?" Jake asked.

"I went over to the university where Elena's mom worked. I thought I could find something out." I said.

"Did you?" Bonnie asked.

"I found some things that might help." I said and pulled out the athame, "This belonged my ancestor; it's what she used to curse the moonstone." Then I pulled out the book, "This is her journal; I haven't read it yet."

"Let me see it." Bonnie said holding her hand out. I handed it to her and she got a confused look on her face, "What is this?"

"It's Gaelic." I said and took the book back.

"You understand that?" she asked.

"Yes Bonnie I do, my family came from Ireland and Grams taught it to me." I replied. "Now I'm going upstairs and I'm going to relax; if I find anything I'll let you know."

I made my way quickly to my room and locked the door. I began to read and how I had to do things became much more clear.

Damon's Point of View

Bella had been upstairs for over four hours now and I decided to go and check on her.

"Come in," I heard her say after I knocked, "Damon what do you need?"

"I came to bring you out of this room; you need to eat." I said. "Find anything?" I asked.

"Yes, but nothing concrete." She replied.

I picked up the athame, "So this is what drew the first blood." I said looking it over.

"Yes," she said and came up behind me, "It's amazing that something so small can cause so much pain and heartache."

As she took the knife I was holding it too hard and it cut my skin;

"Damn it." I said as it burned my skin and did not immediately heal.

She took my hand looked at my cut, "You haven't been feeding."

"Been distracted." I said.

"Here," she said and held out her wrist. I looked at her shocked; never in the entire time I had known her had she ever offered her blood to me, "Go on."

"I'll get a blood bag." I said.

"Suit yourself." She said and looked as pain clouded her eyes.

Then it dawned on me and I grabbed her wrist, "Bella I'm not rejecting you." I said.

"Funny that's how it seems." She replied dryly.

"Bella please I just know you have been using a lot and I know you need your strength." I said cupping her face.

"Screw my strength; I'm stronger than you know." She yelled moving away from me.

"I know you're strong Bella, but right now you need everything you have." I said.

"I can spare a little blood Damon." She snapped.

My anger started to rise, "So you're offering your blood to me to feed." I said.

"Yes." She replied.

I blurred in front of her and allowed my vampire face to show, "Are you still offering?"

"Yes," she said.

I gently took her wrist in my hand and then looked at her one last time; she nodded and I bit down. Bella's blood was unlike any other I had ever tasted; it was sweet and I could feel the power coursing in her blood calling to me to drink more, but I did not. I pulled away and looked at her;

"Feel better?" she asked and I just nodded, "Good." she said and headed for the door.

"Where are you going?" I asked following her.

"I'm hungry." She said and kept walking.

"I'll drive." I said.

We arrived at the Grill and I was still in a daze from what I tasted within Bella's blood. Everyone was there and greeted us when we walked in;

"Damon are you alright?" my brother asked.

"I'm fine." I said trying to clear my very foggy head.

Caroline looked at me and gasped, "You drank from her!"

"What?" Bonnie said looking at her.

"He drank from Bella, I know that look." Caroline said.

Jake started to breathe heavily and glared at me, but Bella intervened.

"I offered it to him Jake so back off." she said and Jake sat back down.

The entire time we were at the Grill I noticed Bella would talk, but her mind was on something other than the topic at hand. She covered her tracks well, but not well enough and we went got in the car I confronted her about it;

"What were you thinking tonight?" I asked as we drove.

"About what I have been reading." She replied without hesitation but I could hear the distance in her voice.

"Don't do that." I said.

"Don't do what?" she asked.

"You're becoming distant; what did you find out?" I asked as we pulled into the drive way.

"That no matter what we do someone is going to die." She said.

I turned to face her and looked into her eyes, "Bella I swear you will not lose anyone else."

She stroked my cheek and smiled a little, "Good night Damon." She said and got out of the car. I sat there a while trying to figure out how to keep my promise to her.

Bella's Point of View

I got back up into my room and sat down on my bed. Seeing my friends happy tonight made my decision so much simpler than in the beginning. I knew that no matter what they were going to be safe and they would have each other. I walked over to my desk and picked up the athame and repeated the writing on it. In one week the moon would be full and the plan would be set in motion. I took the vial out of the hiding spot and examined it. Before the next week I would need blood from everyone and it started tonight with Damon. I had intentionally cut Damon's hand, but when he didn't heal I don't know what came over me but I offered my blood. It felt right and like it should happen; he was so careful and gentle that I barely felt when he bit me. I shook my head to clear it from the thoughts that distracted me and focused back on my plan. It was simple get blood from everyone, fake everyone into thinking I was going to kill them, get Klaus to come here, then of course kill myself. I laid back on my bed and fell asleep; starting tomorrow my plan would be put in motion.

(Three days later)

Over the past days I had gotten blood from Elena, Bonnie, Caroline, Tyler, and Leah; it was simple a few little cooking accidents and I had their blood. I also retrieved some of Jenna's blood from when she had been in the hospital. Jake, Matt, Stefan, Jeremy, Anna, and Alaric were much more difficult. I had a plan though; it was getting closer to the full moon and if all else failed I was going to improvise. Klaus had no idea how the ritual worked so that would work to my advantage.

"Bella?" Jake said as he opened my door.

"Hey Jake come on in." I said.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Cut the shit Bells I know you; look I know you won't give me all the details just tell me what I can do to help." He said.

"You really want to help me?" I asked.

"Yeah." He said.

"Fine, but if I let you, you have to keep it a quiet. You can't even tell Bonnie." I said and he looked uncomfortable, "Jake it's the only way to keep her safe."

"Alright, I promise." He said.

"I've been collecting everyone's blood there's a spell to protect and I needed it." I said.

"That's what's up all the cuts." He said.

"Yea, but I still need yours, Matt's, Stefan's, Anna's, Jeremy's, and Alaric's." I said.

Jake held out his hand, "Go ahead."

I took out my knife and looked at him, "This is going to hurt." I said and slid the knife across his palm.

"DAMN!" he said.

"Told you it was gonna hurt." I said and grabbed a vial collecting the blood.

"So what's your plan for everything else?" he asked.

"I need to convince everyone I'm gonna sacrifice them." I said and his eyes got wide, "I'm not going to Jake I promise I just need to convince them so that I can get Klaus here and finish this."

"You have been hiding so many secrets." Jake said.

"Hey don't you dare judge me." I said and nudged him. "Wanna help me get everyone else's blood?"

By the end of the day I had a vial of everyone's blood with Jake's help. Jake kept his mouth shut and the plan was going good; now all I needed was to get a message to Klaus and I knew just who to go to. Jake covered for me while I went out. I drove an hour outside of town and walked into a house.

"What do you want?" I heard a familiar voice ask.

"I came to you so you could give Klaus a message." I said.

Elijah emerged from the shadows and looked at me warily, "He already received your last message."

"Well this time I think he'll like this one…I'm giving in." I said.

"Why should I believe you?" Elijah asked.

I took his ring from my pocket and tossed it to him, "I've looked everywhere and there's nothing that I can do to stop this."

Elijah smiled and placed his ring on his finger, "I knew you'd come around." And then touched my shoulder.

"Don't you dare touch me or assume anything I have no choice and I know if I don't do this you will kill everyone." I said beginning to cry.

"When do you want to do this?" he asked.

"The ritual has to be performed during a full moon which is in a couple of days. Meet me at the cemetery since it has to be done on hallowed ground." I said.

"Klaus will be pleased." Elijah said.

"I could care less what Klaus feels." I said and walked out.

I got back to the house and Jake was the only one there;

"Everyone is at the Grill I told them I would wait for you; how did it go?" he asked.

"Perfect; Elijah believed me." I said.

"What now?" Jake asked.

"Now we do one more thing; I don't want Tyler to be defenseless." I said. "I'm going to make it where he can change at will like you, but I need your help." I said.

"What are we gonna do?" he asked.

"Bind you by blood; he will be your brother like the rest of the pack." I replied.

"What about the imprinting?" Jake asked.

"It won't change; he and Leah will still be imprinted just he will feel the full force of the pull." I said.

"How do we do this?" Jake asked as we headed for the car.

"It's a simple ritual we just need you and him; no one else can be around." I said. "We do it before we meet Klaus and Jake I need your help on that. You have to say everything that you would if I was actually turning on you. You have to react and try to attack me since I will try to hurt Bonnie. It has to be believable."

"I will." Jake said and hugged me.

A/N: Alright there you guys go Chapter 22. I hope you guys enjoyed it. Now the next chapter won't be up until probably next week since it is Thanksgiving and I have finals coming up. Please Review and let me know what you think. Also don't forget to vote on my poll for this story.