Elena sat in her car in the parking lot of Mystic Falls High School, staring at the pilfered item in her lap. Damon would kill her when he realized she'd stolen his phone. She saw it sitting on the counter, untouched, after Damon told her he hadn't found Stefan. She followed her instinct and grabbed the phone while he had his back turned. When he grabbed the strap of her bag she had frozen, so sure she'd been caught. She'd never been able to fool the 170-year-old vampire before, what made her think she could fool him now? But to her surprise (and by some miracle of God), he'd just threatened her and let her go.

She wasn't sure of his password to unlock the phone, but it was just a 4-digit code, how hard could it be? Especially if she asked Jeremy for help. The only problem was framing her query in a way that wouldn't raise his suspicions and have him running to Alaric, who would in turn rat her out to Damon. She was contemplating her options while turning the phone over in her hand when a knock on her window made her jump.

She looked up to see Caroline at her window, beaming, Bonnie right beside her. Elena hurriedly scooped up the phone that had fallen to the floorboard before shoving it in her bag and clambering out of her SUV.

"What were you doing in there?" Caroline gave Elena a suspicious look.

"Oh, nothing. Just you know, preparing myself. Finals week, you know." Elena shrugged, avoiding Caroline's gaze.

"Mmmm." Caroline made a skeptical noise in her throat but seemed to drop the issue to Elena's relief. Elena knew she couldn't trust Caroline to keep her mouth closed, knew she'd report Elena's every move to Damon. Although now that Elena had Damon's phone, that'd give her several hours of a head start. But what if Damon showed up at the school, Elena thought. It honestly wasn't out of the realm of possibility, which worried her. Damon never gave a damn about anyone but Elena, let alone their opinions. If he wised up and figured out what she was up to, no doubt he'd charge into the school and yell at her.

"Hey, I'll be right back. I need to talk to Jeremy about…something. Plans, for this weekend." She hoped Caroline didn't see right through her lie as she headed toward the back of the school to the stoner pit before Caroline or Bonnie could object.

Elena found Jeremy sitting on the ledge behind the dumpster, just like she thought she would. Matt was with him.

"Hey Jer, can you do me a favor?" Elena asked, tightening her grip on her bag nervously.

"What's up?"

"Hey Matt." She smiled meekly as she unzipped the small pocket on the front of her bag. "Jer, are you any good at unlocking phones?"

"I mean, I guess…." Jeremy narrowed his eyes as he regarded her with suspicion.

"I need to get into this phone." Elena held up Damon's phone in its nondescript case.

"Whose phone is that? Do I even want to know?"

"Um, it's Stefan's. He left it and um…. I just wanted to see what was on it. That's all."

"Stefan's…. wait, didn't he call you after he left?" Jeremy jumped down from the ledge and stepped forward, towering over Elena. When did her little brother get so tall?

"Not from this phone though. Please, Jeremy. Can you help me or not?" Elena shifted nervously, glancing around for either of her friends.

"Give it here." He sighed. After some quick finger movements, he handed it back to her.

"This phone's got a security flaw. You can swipe up to use the camera, and if you look at the photos, it will get you access to the rest of the phone. Don't lock it, because it's glitchy and may not happen again."

Elena beamed and gave her brother a quick hug. "Yay, thank you!"

She was almost across the small parking lot when Jeremy's voice called out, "And Elena? Don't tell Damon I helped you break into his phone."

She froze at the sight of the smirk on his lips and scowled at her brother and ex-boyfriend when they broke out into laughter.

She buried her nose in Damon's phone as she walked across campus to the main building, where her locker and first class was located. If she was going to snoop, she needed to do it before she found Caroline and Bonnie again. The last thing she needed was Caroline sending Damon an hourly update, only for her to hear Damon's phone go off in the vicinity. She froze mid-step when she opened his browser. Right there was her clue. A map of southern Virginia, and red marks littering the border of Virginia and North Carolina. Stefan was headed south, and Elena knew just where he was headed.

"Hey Care," Elena whispered as they sat in class while Alaric wrote on the board.

Caroline glanced over at her from across the aisle.

"You know how you've been talking about a road trip? I know just the place to go." Elena smiled conspiratorially. Caroline's face lit up, all suspicion gone at the thought of their summer.

"Where?" Caroline glanced up toward the front to make sure their history teacher was still absorbed in the notes he was writing on the board.

"Florida. Beaches, sand, it's perfect for the summer!"

Caroline grinned. "Oh my God, Elena, you're a genius! Bonnie will be down there too, maybe we can hang out with her for a bit!"

Elena felt relieved. She had been worried Caroline would put two and two together, but maybe Caroline hadn't been filled in on Damon's adventure. Assuming Damon didn't go all caveman on them, they could plan a month-long road trip down the eastern border and spend several days in Florida. That would give her enough time to find Stefan, and their drive down there would give her time to track his progress south, making sure that he stayed on track.

When the bell rang, the girls gathered their books and filed out of the classroom. Elena has successfully kept Caroline at bay the entire day, now she just had to escape to her car and think of how she was going to get Damon's phone back to him without being found out.

"You coming to the Grill with us, Elena?" Bonnie asked as they walked down the halls. Bonnie was leaving for her family vacation in 4 days, and this was her last chance to hang out with everyone before finals began the next day.

"I can't today." Elena apologized. "I'm sorry, Bon. I've just really got to get home."

Bonnie waved her off. "Don't worry about it, I'll talk to you plenty over the summer I'm sure."

The double doors flew open to reveal the lawn directly outside of the building, ending 20 feet away as the parking lot began. Elena's smile faded quickly at the sight of Damon at the front, leaning casually against his blue Camaro, sunglasses on and lips twisted into a frown.

"Oh, that doesn't look good." Caroline muttered. "See ya." She and Bonnie scampered off, wanting to avoid Damon's obvious foul mood. Elena took a deep breath before she moved toward him. There was no reason for him to be here, Caroline hadn't contacted him and she'd driven herself to school, which only meant one thing. Damon had found out, although she had to give him credit for waiting to confront her after school like a decent, well-adjusted individual.

"Hi Damon."

"Well at least you have the decency to look properly ashamed." He observed, crossing his arms.

"Damon," Elena sighed.

"Get in the car." He growled, stalking around to the driver's side of his car.

"But…I-I drove, my car…" Elena trailed off, motioning towards the other side of the lot where her car was sitting.

"You'll get it later." He said matter-of-factly. "Do as you're told, Elena."

She begrudgingly opened the passenger door and slid in, placing her bag on the floor gently. He was a calm sort of angry right now, something she knew was not a good sign. It was just a matter of minutes until he blew, and there was no telling what his trigger would be. It almost certainly would be something unrelated to why he was angry. Maybe the tremor in her voice as she spoke, or the way she shrunk in her seat. Maybe an idiot driver on the road who didn't use their turn signal, or the way she shut the door to his precious car just a little too roughly. When he was quiet-angry like this, it was always something small and innocuous.

"I'm sorry, Damon."

"Shut up." He snapped, and her neck cricked at how quickly she turned her head around, shocked at his voice. He hadn't spoken to her like this ever, not even when he had been furious at finding her at Slater's.

She remained silent as he roared through town, staring out the window through burning eyes. She refused to let the tears fall, refused to give him the satisfaction of knowing he was getting to her. Finally, Damon screeched into the driveway, stirring gravel at his speedy entrance. He bolted out of the car, slamming the door closed behind him. Elena grabbed her bag and followed him inside the house. By the time she closed the front door and set her bag down, he had already poured himself a glass of bourbon.

She stood silently at the entrance to the living room as she waited for him to speak, her hands clasped primly in front of her.

"You took advantage of me." Damon breathed, almost too quiet for Elena to hear. She gingerly walked down the steps into the room.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't speak. Don't say a goddamn word, Elena." His voice shook along with his body.

She pressed her lips together in a thin line and bowed her head forward, allowing her hair to form a curtain around her face. She wasn't one to feel shame often, that would imply that she was wrong, and she often felt that she was right in her decisions. But something about Damon's reaction to her right now had her feeling shame like she had never felt before. She knew what she had done was wrong, but at the time it had been worth it. Damon's anger seemed a small price to pay for more information on Stefan, at the time. She still wasn't sure she fully regretted it. Sure, she regretted going behind Damon's back, but she needed that information. She could move forward in her plan with that information.

"You betrayed my trust. I have never, ever lied to you. I didn't tell you before I left, because I knew you'd insist on going with me, to the point where you'd endanger your life. But I came over the minute I got back. Why can't that be enough?"

Elena waited a moment before responding, wanting to make sure he was done.

"I know it was wrong. I-I don't…." Elena's voice broke. She didn't know what to say to make it better, if there even was anything.

"You don't even care. You are so wrapped up in Stefan, and endangering yourself to rescue him when he doesn't even want to be rescued. You'd risk throwing everyone else away, we're not even relevant to you." His words cut through her like a blade. As much as it hurt to admit, she couldn't deny his words.

"How do you know he doesn't want to be rescued?" At that, Damon swore and threw his glass into the fire and Elena jumped back as it roared in response to the liquor that had been throw into it.

"Be gone by the time I'm back." Damon's voice was hostile as he flew across the room and the door flew open with a bang. Elena watched him with tears in her eyes as the engine started and he tore out of the driveway. Damon was gone. She hadn't had a chance to return his phone, and now he was gone.

Elena sighed as she slid into Caroline's car, ignoring the incredulous looks Caroline was throwing her as she reached for her seatbelt.

"Let me get this straight, he picks you up from school-where your car currently is-and takes you here, and then ditches you?"

"Leave it." Elena warned with a heavy sigh. She received enough badmouthing of Damon from Caroline when she had called her half an hour prior, saying she needed a ride. As mad as she was at Damon, she knew she was deserving of at least half of what he had thrown at her.

Caroline opened her mouth to retort but snapped it shut at the withering look Elena was giving her. "Are you okay, at least?"

"I'm fine, I just want to get my car so I can go home."

Elena was tired. After Damon had stormed out she sat down on the couch and cried for a few moments, angry that she had taken his bait, shocked at his cold indifference, and regretful of her actions of the day. She knew Damon and Alaric were throwing unquantifiable resources at finding Stefan and bringing him home. So why was she so intent on finding him herself that she'd risk Damon's friendship? He was the closest link she had to Stefan right now, and she just dismissed him as if he were nothing. She had some apologizing to do. If Damon ever talked to her again, that is. Damon didn't have his phone when he'd left, but she left it in plain sight on the table so hopefully he would see it when he came back to town.

The sun had started to set by the time Elena called Caroline, and it was dark as Caroline drove into the deserted parking lot of Mystic Falls High.

"Are you going to be okay?" Caroline asked, worried that her friend had said very little on the short drive.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. I had better get home before Jeremy and Alaric worry. See you tomorrow." Elena collected her belongings and made her way to her dark SUV. She dug around in her bag for her keys, using the headlights from Caroline's car to light her way. Satisfied that she had found what she needed, Caroline pulled out of the parking lot, leaving Elena alone.

She hurried to her car, ready to get home. She looked up just in time to see the silhouette standing beside her car.

"What do you want, Katherine?" Elena's heart pounded, echoing all through her body. She felt a white-hot anger flow through her veins at the sight of her doppelganger. Katherine had been MIA for weeks, they all assumed she'd gone on the run again after the sacrifice.

"I just came to see how everyone's second favorite doppelganger is doing." Katherine gave a coy smile as she sauntered closer to Elena.

"Aren't you supposed to be off hiding under a rock?"

"Aren't you supposed to be sucking face with Damon?"

Elena's face flamed with Katherine's biting retort. "There's nothing going on between us, Katherine. Stop playing your games."

Katherine grimaced and raised a shoulder in a casual shrug. "Might want to find a way to explain your little rendezvous to Stefan, then."

Elena rolled her eyes. She didn't have the energy to do this back and forth that Katherine was so fond of. She was full of empty threats and indifferent innuendos. All talk and no action, Elena had learned that soon after Katherine came into town. Everyone was so worried about what she was up to, when she was going to come after Elena, but Damon had been right-if Katherine was after Elena, Elena would've died the night of the fire in her dad's old building.

Elena was about to tell Katherine just that-that she knew she was all games and intimidation when she gasped at the sight of the figure walking around from the other side of the car.

"Stefan," Elena breathed as she felt her heart jump up into her throat, furiously pumping blood through her veins.

"I told you not to do this." He stepped forward, the varying lights and shadows casting harsh shadows on his face.

"You're here." Elena's lips cracked into a blissful smile, unminding of the words and tension flowing off her boyfriend.

Katherine gave a small laugh from behind Stefan as she leaned against the hood. Elena craned her neck around Stefan's tall figure to give Katherine a glare, but all Katherine did in response was give her hair an effortless flip and examine her nails as if they were of the most interest to her at the moment.

"Ignore her." Stefan cast a quick cursory glance back at the 500-year-old vampire. He turned back to Elena, his mouth twisted into a severe frown.

"Call Damon." Stefan instructed.

"I-I can't. Damon, he…he left, and he doesn't have his phone. But why-I mean, can't you just call Damon yourself? I don't understand."

"Call anyway." Stefan stepped closer until he was mere inches away from Elena. Before Elena could react properly to what was going on (she was so shocked at the fact that her boyfriend was here. Right here in front of her, after all the worrying and looking she did, how else was she supposed to react, honestly?) Stefan was reaching into her pocket and holding her phone out for her to take.

Elena wordlessly took her phone, and with wide and glazed-over eyes, followed Stefan's instruction.

Damon flew down the deserted highway just south of Wickery Bridge. He was so damn sick and tired of being Elena's lapdog. He knew it was his fault, he had dropped his tough guy exterior too quickly, proven that he would do whatever Elena needed because of his love for her. He let her get under his skin in a way he swore he'd never let happen again, not after Katherine. But just one flash of her big brown eyes full of tears and those perfect lips pursed into a pout, and he was putty in her hands.

And after a taste of her lips, of her forgiveness and good nature directed towards him (something that had always been reserved for Stefan) it was hopeless. So, he used the small amount of duty he felt towards his younger brother and threw his energy into finding Stefan. Elena was sad, Damon had a way to solve it. Simple as that. But he was done. Damon had been fooling himself thinking Elena gave a damn about anyone or anything other than Saint Stefan. He hoped she had taken his advice to be gone by the time he returned, because he could not be held accountable for the shit he would throw on her life if he had to look at her insufferable face.

He slowed down as he approached the sparse trees that signaled the start of the Salvatore property. The house was dark as he drove up, which made him happy. He and Stefan rarely bothered with lights when it was just the two of them-it was pointless, they were perfect predators. But lights and safely locked doors and windows accompanied Elena and her humanness. He turned the key, shutting off the loud roar of the Camaro's engine, and stepped out of the car. With his mind fixated on the bag of blood and glass of bourbon that was waiting for him inside, he turned the knob and threw open the front door.

Silence. Wonderful, peaceful silence. Humans were so damn loud with their heartbeats and breathing and endless chatter to fill the silences. So full of life. Damon didn't mind it in small doses-he wasn't like Stefan, he hadn't had periods of isolation during his 140-odd years as a vampire. He frequented bars and clubs and parties (mostly to find a meal or fuck, often both) and surrounded himself with people. But since coming back to Mystic Falls, the only human whose company he tolerated in large doses was Elena's. And maybe the witch's. But stick him with that damn quarterback and he was bound to dent some skulls. Regardless, after the day he'd had quiet was just what he needed.

Elena's betrayal stung him. He was an asshole, no question, but at least he'd never lied to Elena. She could always count on him for his honesty, if nothing else. So what spurred her to swipe Damon's phone, he couldn't understand. Frankly, he didn't care at this point. He'd made his feelings quite clear, and she'd made hers clear. It was what it was, and Damon was done with the whole thing.

Damon went to the small table in front of the fire and immediately made himself a drink. After downing and immediately refilling, he spotted his phone sitting on the table. He picked it up to see a text from Caroline and a missed call from Elena, but ignored them. Caroline was probably just bitching, and fuck Elena. He'd answer his phone when he was damn well ready.

An hour later he was sufficiently buzzed and topped off on some O Negative, and feeling a little guilty for ditching Elena. He was still rightfully pissed, but he hoped she got home okay. Deciding to stop by her house and check, he grabbed his leather jacket and headed out. The air was unseasonably cool and crisp, perfect for a late-night run over to her house. He wasn't going to go inside, he wasn't ready to see her because he knew he'd cave immediately. No, he was just going to peek inside her room, make sure she was safe in bed, and then he'd go hunt for a midnight snack.

The front of the house was lit up, signaling that Alaric and Jeremy were still up, although Damon was positive that Elena was already asleep, or nearly there, at 11 pm on a school night. After a cursory peek into her dark room to see no sign of her, he decided to go inside the house. It was finals week (damn, when had he become such a sap, knowing the schedule of a girl and a bunch of her teenage friends), so maybe she was up late cramming.

"Sup." Jeremy's distracted greeting came from the couch, where he was in an intense online match.

"Your sister here?" Damon asked, shutting the door behind him.

Alaric walked into the living room from the kitchen. "What do you mean, she's with you. Isn't she?" Alaric's forehead wrinkled in anxiety.

"No. Not since this afternoon. You didn't check?" Damon asked, incredulous. Elena had a damn target on her back and a certain knack for finding trouble. You check on her at least once a night just to make sure she didn't drown herself while brushing her teeth, Alaric and Jeremy should have known that by now.

"Shit," Alaric sighed as he threw down the towel he was holding and tore up the stairs with Damon on his heels. Alaric threw Elena's door open to a dark room, the bed untouched.

"Shit, damn, fuck!" Alaric cursed, spinning on his heel and throwing a kick at the leg of the table in the hall.

"You've got to be kidding me." Damon hissed through clenched teeth. "Has she been home at all?"

"You were the last one with her, dude." Jeremy piped up from the stairs, headset resting around his neck.

Dread suddenly filled Damon as his dead heart dropped to the pit of his stomach. He whipped out his phone and noticed the voicemail from Elena. He strode down the hall away from Alaric and Jeremy as he pushed play and held the phone to his ear.

Elena's voice traveled through the phone and into his ear. "Damon, Stefan has a message for you. You've been warned once. This is your last warning. Be at the old tomb under the church by midnight."

Damon's hand clenched the phone tightly and he could hear the metal and plastic strain under his grip. Elena's voice was detached, methodical. She had been compelled. He had told her repeatedly, that until they found her necklace she had to drink vervain. It was too risky not to. Too risky because of precisely this.

"I know where she is." His strained voice choked out. All his anger toward Elena vanished just like that. It was his fault. He knew he shouldn't have left her. Just because Klaus was out of Mystic Falls didn't make the town safe. Whatever Stefan had done, it was Damon's fault. And he was going to do whatever necessary to make sure she was safe.