Guys. Guys. Break it up. Come on. You're in a hospital for god sakes!" Matt was trying hard to pull the brothers apart, but to him, it felt like trying to part some really big super magnet: they wouldn't budge.

Stefan was the first to compose himself and realize what a scene he was making and quickly got to his feet, not bothering to look at Damon. Damon, looking annoyed ,got up, wiping the trickle of blood from his lip.

"Someone drank too much red bull this morning. You're too jumpy, Stefan. You even jump to conclusions before I'm even finished talking." Damon said, scowling at him. Lowering his voice and getting in Stefan's face, Damon continued. "If you would have let me finished, I was going to tell you that Katherine was doing what she does best: playing people. So I was actually kissing Katherine. Not Elena. Might want to keep your petty jealousy under control."

Stefan looked at Damon and actually looked embarrassed at what he had done. Everyone in the room was still sending worried looks their way. "Back to your old magazines people. Show's over," Damon said, resuming his position near the operating room. Stefan followed shortly after.

"Look, Damon…" Stefan began.

"I don't want your apologies , Stefan. I want you to just get your head in the game. We are on the same side here. We both want to protect Elena," he said with a nod to the emergency room. "That means getting rid of Katherine. So if you could just let your guard down for one minute and trust me," and at this Damon had almost a pleading look in his dark eyes "then we can end this bullshit."

Stefan didn't know what to say. He hadn't really trusted Damon in such a long time. And we wasn't sure if now was the time to do it, what with Katherine in the mix again. But looking at Damon and how he seemed to have changed—found some humanity within—Stefan made a decision. "Alright, Damon. I'll trust you, but one wrong move, and I'm done. And Bonnie would second my action in a heartbeat," Stefan added, explaining what Bonnie had told him to Damon.

"Then you have nothing to lose either way, than, do you brother?"


A few rooms down Jeremy couldn't stop shivering no matter how many blankets were over him. It didn't help him much that he was a bit wet from the blackish liquid that had seeped onto his chest after they made him ingest charcoal to make sure all the pills were gone. "Dying would have been easier, than living like this at this moment," he thought miserably as he shivered again.

"Nice to see you awake and not vomiting," Jenna said walking into the room. She looked angry and worried and disheveled..

Jeremy wa speechless. He didn't know how to explain what happened. He himself was confused. One minute he was in his bed practically dying, the next, he was passed out in the bathroom with an empty cup with what looked like blood in it; the taste of it had even lingered in his mouth. Second later, paramedics showed up and he was rushed to the hospital. "What happened?"

"What happened? What happened is that you were selfish and stupid," Jenna began.

Jeremy wanted to kick himself. He hadn't meant to say that out loud, and now all hell was going to break loose on him.

"What were you thinking Jeremy? You've lost so much and you've gained so much in the process. You moved on and you were happy. And what about us? Me and Elena love you so much. I don't even know what to tell her when she comes out of surgery."

"Wait, what?" Jeremy shot up and for the first time took in Jenna and saw her sporting a small bandage on her head. "Jenna. What happened? Is Elena ok? Are you ok?"

"Of course I'm ok," she said, dropping some of the anger out of her voice and softening up. "But Elena…she's still in surgery. They say she'll be fine, but.." and she started to choke up.

"Jenna. Why is she in surgery. I don't understand."

Sniffling, Jenna sat down. "I don't really know. I have to go ask Damon what happened. I was rushed here to get looked at, and have you looked at, and it's just a mess, and…"

"Wait, why would Damon know what happened?"

"He's the one who found us and called 911. Who knows what would have happened if he hadn't come."

Jeremy thought about it and it made sense now why he was here. He looked at his wrist and noticed his bracelet was gone; the bracelet he read about in Elena's journal that would protect him from being compelled. Damon had erased his memories again.

"Jeremy," Jenna asked concerned.

"Sorry, I was just thinking about something…so what do you know? How bad is Elena?"

"All I remember is letting Elena in. She went to the kitchen and I went to the living room to sit and wait for her because I needed to talk to her about something…" She shook off the image of seeing Elena and Damon kissing and continued on. "Next thing I know, I feel a hard hit on the back of my head, and I wake up on the couch with paramedics looking me over. And all I know from them is that they got a call from Damon saying me and you were hurt, and that Elena had been hurt and that he was bringing her himself because she was worse off."

Jeremy couldn't believe this was happening. After all the horrible things he had said to Elena, and now she was in the hospital, probably scared out of her mind. He knew how much she hated hospitals ever since the car crash.

"Jer, are you gonna be ok if I leave you for a minute? I need to find out what's going on. I feel stupid not knowing anything at all." Jenna stood up and Jeremy felt bad for all the stress he was putting on her paired with what was happening now.

"Go. I'll be here. I want to know and if you talk to her," he said feeling guilty, "tell her I'm sorry."

"You can tell her yourself when she's out," Jenna said nodding her head, and with that she left the room.

Jenna still couldn't believe how all of this had happened. She couldn't even bring herself to tell Jeremy about John. She wasn't even aware if Elena even knew what had happened to him. Hell, Jenna didn't even know what had happened to John.

"I locked the front door. The back door is always locked," she thought to herself. "What the fuck happened," she groaned out, too shocked to care that she sounded like a crazy person.

She knew she was in the right place when she saw Stefan and Damon waiting outside an operating room. Before she reached them, Matt walked over to her.

"Jenna, are you ok?" Matt asked, giving her a hug.

"Yes, Matt. I'm fine. Thanks. I have to go. I have to find out about Elena."

"Of course. Go."

She continued walking toward the boys, tapping Damon on the shoulder. He turned, waiting to see what kind of reaction Jenna was going to have.

"First, I want to thank you for everything. I owe you for my family's life. For my life," she said. "But I need to know what happened."

Giving a quick glance to Stefan, Damon gave Jenna the same story he had told Matt. Jenna's face turned to horror as she heard about what happened to Elena. When she heard about what Damon saw regarding John's body, she stopped him.

"Wait, the paramedics said they went to the kitchen to go get John because you said he was dead, but all they found was blood—lots of blood—but no body. What happened to him, then?"

Stefan and Damon gave shocked glances at each other as they heard the news.

"I don't know, but it can't be good," Damon finally replied, thinking about the possibilities. His thoughts were interrupted, however, by the emergence of the doctor from Elena's room.

"Are you the mother?" The doctor asked, approaching Jenna.

"No, I'm her aunt. Her legal guardian, I…"

"I'm her mother," said a voice from behind Jenna, and in unison, Jenna, Damon, and Stefan turned around, shocked to see Isobel standing there. "What's happened to my daughter?"


The doctor looked just as confused, but decided it was better not to get involved. "Well, guardian or parent, I wanted to tell you that Elena made it out of surgery and we will be moving her shortly to the ICU. She lost a lot of blood, but the damage wasn't as bad as we expected. She took a beating, but she's going to be just fine."

"Thank…Thank you doctor," responded Jenna while everyone was still in shock over Isobel's appearance, including herself. "When can we see her?"

"The anesthesia should wear off in a few hours, but you're welcome to be in the room when she gets there. Take care of yourself," he said, nodding at Jenna's bandage.

Jenna turned from the doctor to look at Isobel. "I thought you were dead? Alaric said you were murdered and now you're here? And you knew Elena was here? What the hell is…"

"I don't really have time to explain everything to you. I just came to see that Elena was alright," she said, giving a glance between Stefan and Damon.

"No. You can't just show up here with some lame excuse as that. I'm not letting you near Elena. Especially not until you explain yourself!" Jenna looked like she had about as much as she could take for the day, but she was still livid in defense of Elena.

"Listen, blondie," Isobel said stepping closer to Jenna. "Why don't you leave me to chat with these boys here and forget you even saw me," Isobel cooed, her pupils dilating.

Jenna stared at her for a moment, then got closer to her face. "I don't get dismissed like that and you don't talk to me like that, you…"

"Jenna. Enough. Let me talk to her. You've been through enough today." Stefan stepped in, seeing Isobel's face getting more hostile by the minute. Jenna was about to argue, but Stefan continued. "I promise she won't get near Elena. I'm not leaving her. I'll even call security if I have to." Isobel laughed under her breath at that comment, but it seemed to do the trick with Jenna.

"Alright, but I'm only leaving to tell Jeremy the news. When I get back, I want you gone," she said, walking away, looking over her shoulder as she went.

Just as she rounded the corner, the doors to Elena's room opened and she was wheeled out. Other than the few tubes sticking out of her arms, she looked in better shape than when she came in. There was more color to her face and her breathing looked almost back to normal.

Stefan reached out and grasped her hand real quick, just to feel her and see she was ok. It was killing him that he couldn't be with her right now. "I'll see you soon, Elena, he whispered to her as she was carted off to her room.

Damon looked like he had wanted to do or say something too, but he held back. Isobel's eyes never left Elena as she surveyed the damage done.

"She's alive, and that's enough to know," Isobel said and headed toward the elevator.

""Why are you here Isobel? Are you Katherine's bitch for life now?" Damon said, following her to the elevator.

"I'm nobody's bitch Damon. I'll leave that job to you. But I already told you, I just wanted to see that Elena…"

"Bull. Like you care about Elena. Spill." Damon said, stepping closer to her.

Sighing, Isobel glared at both of the brothers and stepped back into the elevator. "We've gone over this. I don't care about anyone other than myself in the scheme of things. I was just checking on a promise…"

Before the doors shut, Damon rushed in, followed close by Stefan. Stefan pressed the stop button on the elevator. In seconds flat, Damon had Isobel by the throat, pinning her to the wall.

"What's going on? What is the master plan in all of this? So help me, I will rip your throat out right here if I have to!" Damon snarled, squeezing tighter.

"I don't think Elena could forgive you for that. Especially now that John is dead. How would she handle her mother being dead as well?" Isobel said, hoarse as Damon's grip tightened.

"What she doesn't know, won't kill her."

"Talk," Stefan said, "And Damon, put her down. We both know that threat isn't going to work with her. And I believe there is a reason she showed up so obviously in our presence, so she's got something to say regardless."

Looking like it was the last thing in the world he wanted to do, Damon set her down, giving her the death look with his eyes.

"Now what promise were you here to check on?" Stefan asked.

"I guess you'd find out eventually, but…as you know, Katherine wanted the device to get rid of all tomb vampires in this town, and…"

"Yeah, Yeah. We've heard this part already. She wanted them dead and then she said she was pissed at John for going after me and Stefan. Let's go from there," Damon said impatiently.

"Well, I came to town shortly after everything went down to just check on things. See what kind of damage was done on either the town or the vampires. I got some news out of some citizens kind enough to indulge in some information, and waited around to talk to Katherine."

"Why would you care what the damage was?" Stefan asked.

"It's not important. There were some people I was interested in seeing what had happened," Isobel said, thinking of Alaric and John, but shrugging her shoulders as if it wasn't important. "Anyways, before any of this went down, I had Katherine promise that Elena would be safe."

"Well obviously that back-fired miserably," Damon said.

"Obviously, Damon. That's why I was in town too. I never could know when Katherine decided to keep a promise, because they don't seem to matter to her either way."

"So how did you find out about Elena, then? Were you watching her house?" Stefan asked getting angry. "If you were why didn't you help her? You had to know Katherine wasn't there for some chat."

"First off, Stefan, you know just as well I do that you have to be invited in, and I was never at her house. I didn't think Katherine was going to go near her. There was no reason. I knew she wanted to see John, but…" Isobel paused as the elevator began to beep and start moving again.

"Talk fast, Isobel," Damon said.

"Fine, spark notes version, I ended up finding Katherine and she told me that she killed John and that Elena walked in afterwards. And Katherine being Katherine, felt threatened, as I knew she would, that Elena was involved with Katherine's "boys" as she puts it. Her words not mine, stop snarling at me." Isobel said as Damon became angry. "And that, in retaliation, she gave Elena a "warning stab" but for me, she didn't kill her."

"And you're okay with that? Katherine stabbing your daughter and leaving her for dead?" Stefan asked. He wasn't really too surprised at her attitude, but he would have thought her own daughter would mean something to her.

"Like I told you. I was making sure that Elena was alive, and she is. Am I ok that Katherine stabbed her? No, but it's not my job to look after her all the time. I gave up caring a long time ago." The doors opened up to the lobby at that moment, and Isobel stepped out. "I do know that even if I did care, Katherine would snap me in half before I could bat an eye. So I lose either way. I'll see you boys around."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Damon said as she walked away.

"That Katherine's business isn't done in town, and so then, neither is mine so it seems." She rushed out the doors before she could be asked anymore questions.

"So what do you think this all means, Damon," Stefan said, sending the elevator back to Elena's floor.

"It means the bitch is back in town and she's not going to stop till she gets what she wants," Damon said, punching the wall.


Jeremy was sitting up in bed, relieved that Elena was ok. Jenna had just left the room to go to the ICU. Obviously Elena was in more dire need of help than he was at the moment. He was told that later he could go see her, but not before he had a psych consult. Punching the pillow at the thought, Jeremy felt like screaming. "This is why I wanted it to be over," he thought miserably. "I wouldn't have to deal with this stupid stuff. I could shut it out." All plans for that seemed to fly out the window as soon as he puked up the entire contents of his stomach.

He stared around the room, lost and depressed. He was trying to focus on something else, but it wasn't working. Scanning the room, he saw that there was a tray nearby with some random instruments; a puke cup; a syringe.

Something clicked in his head when he saw the syringe. "I tried to kill myself, and couldn't do it because I had to puke it out the drugs," he thought, getting hopeful, "but Damon gave me his blood to heal the damage I had done… So that means there is still vampire blood in my system…I still have a chance."

Jeremy kept this thought in mind as he reached for the syringe on the tray.


Elena opened her eyes, blinking around in confusion. It took her a minute to figure out where she was. Her heart raced a bit as she realized she was in the hospital. She tried to sit up, but a hand gently pushed her down.

"Don't try sitting up, Elena. They said you need to rest," came Jenna's voice from her side.

Turning her head, Elena saw a tired Jenna sitting by her bed with a bandage on her forehead. "Jenna? Are you ok? What happened? Where's Jeremy? We should go." She ended hectically. She was never one for hospitals, and being the patient wasn't making her feel better.

"Elena. Calm down. You're not supposed to be moving around," Jenna said, now getting worried because Elena was struggling with the IV's and attempting to get out of the bed. "You're going to be ok, ok? Breathe. I'm fine, just a bang to the head, and Jeremy puked everything out, so he's going to be fine too."

"Wait? What?" Elena said, forgetting her struggling. The last thing she knew of Jeremy was that he had the stomach flu. At least that's what Damon had told her.

"He…" Jenna sighed, "He over dosed on some painkillers at the house and nearly died if he hadn't thrown them up and….if Damon hadn't come. But he's going to be fine and he's going to get help. What do you remember, Elena?" Jenna didn't really want to focus on Jeremy and freak her out any more than she already was; she also wanted to stall her from making a bolt for the door.

Elena's eyes were darting from Jenna's to the door and back. She tried to calm herself, but the last time she was in a hospital, she was lying in a bed while she looked on helplessly as they tried without success to revive her parents. It was like she could literally see them pumping their chest from across the room right now. She closed her eyes against the image, feeling the burn of tears behind her eyelids. Talking fast, she responded to Jenna, leaving some details out.

"I don't really know a lot, Jenna. I came home and no one was around. I called up to Jeremy and was on my way up when I heard a noise in the kitchen, but…" She didn't know if she should tell her she saw John or not.

"I opened the door, walked in, and saw John on the floor," and at this she started tearing up. No matter how much she disliked him for everything he had done, he had been her family. Uncle, and then she learned, father. Jenna grabbed a tissue from the box and held it out to Elena, taking one herself.

"I went to help him, but I felt a sharp stab in my shoulder and was slammed down to the floor. I don't remember anything after that," she ended, hoping her story sounded convincing.

"Oh Elena. I'm so sorry something like this happened. And I know you're freaking out right now, but you can't leave. But I'm confused with your story," Jenna said.

Elena panicked a little more. She didn't know what Jenna knew and she didn't know what she missed either. Her worry spiked the heart monitor, causing both her and Jenna to jump.

"Oww," Elena said as her shoulder shifted at the startle.

"That's why you should lie down," Jenna said.

"No. I'm fine. What are you confused about? I'm sorry that I don't remember enough to be helpful…" Elena trailed off.

"You said you came home and no one was around…Elena, I let you in the house. I interrupted you and Damon's little make out session. Did you forget that as well, or were you hoping I wouldn't remember that?" Jenna said, looking a bit judgmental.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Elena said, trying to look as confused as she could. She knew vaguely from the conversation Damon and Katherine had in the kitchen that a kiss took place. She wasn't aware, however, that Jenna knew anything about it.

"Alright. If that's how it is, I'll let it go. Only because you're injured, though. Just please think of what you're doing Elena. I'm just so glad you're ok," Jenna said, breaking down.

"Jenna, don't cry. Listen, why don't you get some sleep. You look exhausted. Call Alaric and have him drive you home," Elena said. She really wanted her to rest, but the other part wanted her out of the room so Elena could leave without protest.

"No. I called him though, and he should be here soon. But I'm not going anywhere. Besides, I don't feel safe going home just yet. I don't even know if the police are done in the kitchen with, you know…"

Elena felt bad for not thinking of what was going on at home. "I understand. Well let's go see Jeremy, then, and see how he's doing," Elena said, sitting all the way up and starting to remove the breathing tube from under her nostrils and slowly making her way to undoing the IV.

"Elena," Jenna said, grabbing her hands, "If you don't stop trying to get out of this bed, I will call the nurse to sedate you. You could injure yourself more. So please, for me, just stay. I'll bring Jer to you. It's easier that way."

Elena closed her eyes against the dizziness that overcame her from sitting up and the nervousness she had been fighting since awaking. "Ok. I just want to make sure he's fine."

"Ok. I'll be back in bit with Jeremy then, " Jenna said heading out. "Stay," she said with a final glance her way.

In the hallway, Jenna passed Matt and Tyler.

"How's Elena? Is she gonna be alright," Matt asked, concern and exhaustion lining his face.

Smiling at Matt's concern, Jenna nodded, "She's going to be just fine. Doctors say she was lucky. I'm going to go get Jeremy to see her now." Jenna started walking away before she remembered Caroline. "I heard about Caroline, how is she doing?"

"She hasn't woken up yet, but the doctors have done everything they can. All we can do is wait and see how she is when she's up," Matt said looking downcast. Tyler looked especially distraught and guilty.

"I'm sure she'll be just fine. You know Caroline. She'll be up in no time bossing everyone around and complaining about the sheets," Jenna said giving a smile. "I'll see you around."


Damon and Stefan stepped out of the elevator. Damon was rubbing his knuckles as it was healing from the damage he did in the elevator.

"I think you hurt the elevator more than yourself," Stefan said looking at his hand.

"What a shame. Now the hospital will look like a less comfy and cozier place. Oh wait, it already is," Damon said. Stefan shook his head and continued to Elena's room.

"Hey Stefan, wait up," came Matt's voice from the waiting room. He really wanted to get to Elena, but he didn't want to blow off Matt. He knew he was worried too.

"I'll see if she's up, then," Damon said. "Have fun with Mutt."

"It's Matt," Matt said, looking a bit peeved.

"Damon…" Stefan started, but Damon was already down the hall.

Damon walked in to a surprising scene. He expected Elena to be in the bed recuperating, but instead, she was standing at the end of the bed, all wires and tubes taken out, attempting to put shoes on, and looking like she was going to pass out. Damon rushed over before she could fall.

"What in the hell do you think you're doing, Elena. You women and shoes. I mean, I know those hospital slippers are pretty fashionable, but they are not worth dying over." Damon said, supporting Elena's weight. Then he realized that her heart was beating pretty fast. "Elena?"

"I'm fine," she panted out. "I just can't be here. I can't be in a hospital. I want to leave. Can you just help me? Please?" She pleaded. He'd never seen her more panicked. If he wasn't a tougher person, he would have whisked her out in a heartbeat.

"As much as I would love to give in to your puppy dog eyes and do what you say, the answer is no. You have to rest, and I know you don't have awesome hearing like me, but your heart is beating so hard, it's almost out of your chest. Not a good thing, Elena." And with one swift motion, Damon swept Elena up and laid her back on the bed, but not without a couple of feeble swings of her arm.

She was still swinging at him when Stefan came in the room.

"What's going on?" he said, rushing to Elena's side and brushing Damon off.

"Well, we almost had a jailbreak on our hands. Elena was halfway out the door when I got here," Damon said.

"Elena, it's going to be ok. Relax," Stefan said, just glad to see Elena awake.

She stopped struggling and looking over at Stefan, tears in her eyes, started breaking down. Stefan stroked her head and gave her a kiss. "Shhh, It's ok," he told her.

Soon after, a few nurses came in alerted by the absence of her heart monitor. Elena looked at them with evil eyes as they told her she would have to be hooked up again.

"You might have to give her something," Damon whispered in one of the nurses ears and walked out of the room.

Jenna was halfway to Jeremy's room when there was a rush of movement running past her in the hallway heading in the same direction.

"Please say they aren't going to Jeremy's room," she thought, speeding her steps.

"Jenna," she heard from behind her.

"Rick. Oh thank god. I'm so sorry I bothered you. I just... I didn't know who else to call. It's just so crazy and now I don't know if there is something wrong with Jeremy and," she was going on, getting hysterical.

"Shh. Calm down. It's fine. I'm here for you, Jenna. I care about you," he said, hugging her close.

She put her head on his shoulder for just a moment to calm herself before she rushed to see what the commotion in the hallway was about. Alaric let her stay there for a minute, just holding her when he realized she was too still.

"Jenna?" He asked, moving her away to see her face, and worrying when he saw she had passed out and wasn't breathing.