Araya looked around the house. It felt different, colder. The warmth of having Elena as a friend had left and she knew she wasn't entirely welcome anymore. She knew she had many relationships to patch up in one night. Tyler, Elena, Caroline, and Elijah were all mad because she had once again screwed up. She figured it would be her last time for anything. Raya knocked on Elena's bedroom door tentatively.

"Come in!"

Araya pushed open the door. "Elena, I have to apologize."

"No, you don't."

"Yes, I do. Everything I said was completely unfair. We're all terrified and stressed and it's making us do and say things we wouldn't normally."

"I said horrible things too. I don't know what—I didn't mean any of it. I'm so sorry, Araya." Elena pulled her friend into her arms. "Have you been drinking?"

"I'm not having the best life right now. Tyler came back into town last night and he fought with me. You, Caroline, and I fought at the Grille and when I got home I said something to Elijah and he took it wrong. He thought I was comparing him to my ex, Gareth. I'm making amends for tomorrow night and the horrible birthday leading up to it."

"What do you mean? Your birthday and tomorrow night? I know you're nervous about everything, but what can Klaus do . . ."

"My death day will be the same as my birthday."

"I thought your birthday was in July . . ." Elena frowned. "Araya . . . tell me what's going on."

"Tell her, Ray," Jeremy said from the doorway. "She deserves to know why you're so scared."

"Klaus is going to use me as the werewolf sacrifice." Tears fell down her face in a slow waterfall.

"But . . ."

"I'm so sorry I didn't—"

Araya was cut off by Jenna calling up the stairs that everyone was there and ready, waiting for them to come downstairs. She was the last to get downstairs, so the last seat available was the most awkward. It was worse for her because she was in the corner with a seat for Klaus on the end. Across from her was Tyler, next to him was Damon. Elijah sat to Araya's other side. It was obvious that Elijah was still mad, but something in his face had changed. Klaus was missing and Jenna reported that he called saying he would be a little late; he was having car problems.

When he arrived, Jenna introduced him as Nik Phillips

Elena stood in her place next to Stefan, pulling all eyes to her. "Well, we have our food and it looks magnificent thanks to the culinary skills of Alaric. I know its Jenna's party, but I wanted to make the toast because it's our very own Araya's birthday tomorrow and I think we should sing to her because we all love her."

"No, I don't think I could handle the nails on a chalkboard sound that is Jeremy's singing voice!" Araya said without her normal fire. She was busy trying to figure out why Klaus was frowning.

"Raya doesn't get any wine, she's already a little tipsy," Jeremy said, forgetting that the mayor was sitting right beside him.

Jenna said, "You're joking right, Jer?" Jeremy nodded and replied, "Of course."

They sang—even Klaus—and sat back down to their dinner. There was polite conversation about school, work, books, and what year of wine to have. Then the mayor asked the question Jenna had been wondering: "How long have you known Elijah?"

"I met him on the first day he came to town."

"So, Raya," said Tyler, "eighteen tomorrow." When she nodded and smiled, Tyler continued, "How old are you, Elijah?"

The tears that had refused to fall once she had entered the dining room freed themselves at Tyler's obvious disapproval, hate, and jealously. Araya quickly wiped them away.

"Tyler!" Carol exclaimed. "You can't just—"

Alaric was the one to try to smooth things over. "Okay, okay, I think we should all just rewind. None of this matters."

"It all matters!" Tyler shouted. "Raya is supposed to be mine! She's not supposed to be here with some vampire that is way too old and serious for her and she's not supposed to be dying tomorrow night either!" Tyler was out of the house right after his breakdown. The whole room was in shock. Some had known that Tyler loved her, but they never thought that he would react so harshly. Suddenly Araya pushed herself away from the table and ran outside into the rain.

"Araya," Elijah said, "come back inside before you catch a cold."

"Does it even matter? I'm going to die with you and Tyler hating me. If I would even be lucky enough to have a tombstone—"

Elena appeared in the doorway with Damon and Stefan right behind her. "Klaus is gone and Carol needs to forget that this happened . . ."

Elijah started back inside without another word.

Damon asked Stefan and Elena to give him and Raya a moment and they did after a shivering, Raya nodded. He pulled her up onto he porch. "Say it right now and I can get you away from here. I can still save you."

"Tyler is still in Mystic Falls, Damon. We would all hate you if he died."

"I'll hate you if you die."

"No, you won't. You'll grieve me and move on."

"I won't have too."

Before she could react, his blood was sliding uncomfortably down her throat and she couldn't move away from him. Suddenly, Damon was ripped away by Elijah.

"Damon . . ." she said weakly. "What did you just do? NO! Dammit, I HATE YOU! This wasn't supposed to happen!"

"I'd rather you hate me forever than die!"

She curled up on the bed. "Elijah. Elijah, I'm so sorry about earlier."

"You aren't the one that should be apologizing. I'm sorry that I overreacted."

She opened her eyes and leaned against the headboard as she watched him change clothes. "It's weird. This will be the second time this week that I've told someone how I became . . . this.

"Gareth and I had known each other since I was born. He was three years older than me and we ended up being friends. When I was fourteen he asked me out. I said yes because I loved him. I had since I was ten. After I turned fifteen, I asked him for a ride to my friend Jonathan's party. Instantly he was jealous and he hit me because he said I was cheating on him. Slowly, each time I did something wrong or he thought I did, the beating would escalate. Then one day he snapped. I was locked up in his basement for a week. One night he forgot to lock the door and my chains so I tried to escape. He caught me and while he was trying to get me back down the stairs and I stabbed him repeatedly to get him off of me. Finally, he let go and fell down the stairs, snapping his neck."

"You aren't a monster."

She sighed and curled into his chest. "Tomorrow night . . . whatever happens . . . whoever Klaus decides to use . . . don't get distracted and don't lose your resolve. We need him gone."

"I won't. I can promise you that." He kissed the top of her head. "Love, Damon's blood won't wear off by the sacrifice."

"I'd be like Klaus is now? How his werewolf side is repressed by his being a vampire?"

"I would think so, yes."

"Okay." She sighed and snuggled into his chest before falling asleep, no distressing thoughts disturbed her slumber.