AN: I wish everyone a happy 2011 :) and I hope you like chapter 12!

Disclaimer: As usual, I don't own anything Vampire Diaries- or Twilight-related

Last Chapter:

Elena wasn't going to sleep. She was going to think. And she was going to tell her friends everything she could.

Elena POV

Stefan? She thought, waiting for a reaction.

I'm here, Elena, I'm listening. Bonnie, Meredith? Stefan said.

Elena sighed at the sound of his voice, longing for his embrace.

Bonnie and Meredith both told Elena they were alone and ready to listen.

Good, because I have a lot to say. Elena said, and she began to tell them everything she remembered from her conversation with Eleazar. Her friends stayed quiet until she was done, and even then it took them some time to process everything she had said.

So… what do we do now? Bonnie said hesitantly.

What can we do? Meredith said. We can't just rush in and take Elena, we have to think about this very thoroughly.

Meredith is right. Let's go over everything. We can't get near you, because they can hear us come. Stefan pondered.

We don't even know where I am. Elena pointed out.

Can you guys get out of my head already? You wouldn't believe how utterly annoying and depressing your little rescue talk is. Elena stifled a gasp when she heard Damon.

I'll lift the spell when Elena is rescued. Elena heard Bonnie say, and she didn't understand it, but there seemed to be a hidden message to Bonnie's words.

Then I'll just have to make sure Elena gets rescued, isn't that right Birdie? Again, Elena knew that Bonnie and Damon were telling each other something, and she couldn't stand not knowing. Stefan interrupted before Elena could ask Bonnie about it.

What are you talking about, Damon? He said, and Elena could hear that he was trying very hard not sound hopeful.

What I'm saying is, that I might know a way to get you and your precious Elena reunited. And you would, too, if you'd paid attention to anything she just said.

Why would you help us? Meredith said suspiciously.

Because I want to get rid of your pathetic babbling, that's why. Now are you going to listen or what?

Yes. What do you have? Stefan said. Elena realized he didn't care about Damon, and that having her safe was the only thing on his mind.

Well, as you know, they have to bring Elena to their big boss alive. And as you pointed out, you can't get to Elena because they hear you coming. Elena, do you think they would mind if a bird came close?

That's it! Stefan said.

Elena didn't understand. What are you talking about?

Stefan explained. Damon can turn into a crow. He would be able to fly over Fell's Church and look for your presence. Then we would know where you were. I don't know what he plans on doing when he gets to you, but I guess he's got it all planned out?

Of course I do! Elena has to turn. Damon said dryly, and dead a silence followed.

Then chaos erupted in Elena's head as voices broke the silence by shouting at the same time.

He's crazy. Meredith scoffed.

No way! That was Stefan.

Are you mad? Bonnie cried.

Elena just stayed silent. That was his great idea? Keeping them from changing her in their kind of vampire, by turning her into his kind? She was speechless.

If you would all just calm down, you'd see that there's no other way.

Oh yes, please tell us your great explanation. Bonnie said, and Elena was surprised at her attitude.

Damon snorted but explained anyway. There's no way to tell the difference between a dead body and a freshly turned vampire.

Elena remembered that part of Stefan's story. He and Damon woke up in their coffins.

It would be easy to fly to Elena, give her some of my blood and then kill her. Those others would leave since their prisoner is dead, and when Elena wakes up she's good as new.

No! Stefan said again. But Elena could hear that it didn't sound as determined as the first time.

She scooted down until she was covered by the blanket and buried her hands in her hair. She was shaking her head and mouthing 'no' even though she knew they couldn't see her.

There has to be another way! Bonnie and Meredith said simultaneously.

You can look for another solution all you want, let me know when you're ready to acknowledge my greatness. Damon said, and Elena knew that he wouldn't talk again, until they'd go along with his plan.

Stefan? There must be something else we can do, right? Meredith asked, but Stefan didn't answer.

But you're strong, too, right? Can't you just break the door open en get Elena? Bonnie suggested.

It wouldn't work, Bonnie. Elena said. They're stronger than him, and there's three of them.

Look, I'll try to find out when they are planning to leave. Alec will be here soon, and he knows more about those things. Elena said.

Okay. Tell us when you know more, and we'll try to come up with a plan. Stefan said.

We'll find a way, Elena. I promise. He added.

I know you will. I miss you. I miss all of you. She said, then she heard voices in the room next to her.

Alec is here. I'll let you know when there's something important.

Wait, Elena? You're okay, right? They didn't hurt you? Stefan asked worriedly.

Don't worry about me, I'm fine. Elena assured him.

She said goodbye to her friends and rose from the bed. When she stood in front of the door, she didn't know if she could just enter the living room. She knocked and opened the door when Carmen said she could.

She saw Carmen and Eleazar sitting on the couch, and Alec stood in front of them. He nodded at her, he wasn't smiling, but he didn't look angry either. She looked away, not at all comfortable around him.

"Can I get some water?" She asked, looking only at Carmen.

"Sure, there are glasses in one of the cabinets." Carmen said, nodding at the sink.

Elena looked around until she found a glass and held it under the tap. When she took a sip from her water, Alec began to talk to Carmen and Eleazar, continuing the conversation they had before Elena came in.

"So, as I just said, Volterra will be ready in two days."

"Does Antonio know we're going to need the jet?" Eleazar asked.

Alec nodded. "It's scheduled to land nearby, the morning Volterra is ready."

Elena put together what they just said and nearly choked on her water.

"We're leaving in two days?" She asked.

Alec turned around to look at her. "What? Do you already have something planned?"

"Alec!" Carmen hissed.

He shrugged.

Elena was yelling inside her head. We're leaving in two days!

What? She heard Stefan say, sounding distressed.

That's not enough! Bonnie cried.

I've been thinking about this, and I mean really going over every detail, and I'm starting to think we should consider Damon's plan. Meredith said.

Elena was shocked, and since Stefan and Bonnie didn't say a word, she guessed that they were, too. Meredith wouldn't say anything good about Damon, she wasn't too happy about vampires in general –though she made an exception for Stefan –and Elena would have never thought that Meredith would say something like that. But if Meredith saw no other way, that said a lot about the current situation.

Elena had almost forgotten that she was standing in the same room as Carmen and the two men. They were still talking about Volterra, but she didn't recognize any of the names, so she quietly slipped back into the bedroom, taking her glass of water with her.

She'd made up her mind. Meredith had gone over every detail, and Meredith was good at thinking things through, so Elena knew there was nothing left to do but go on with Damon's plan. It made her feel sick and she tried not to think too hard about it. From what she'd learned, being Stefan's kind of vampire was definitely easier than being Carmen's kind.

I think Meredith is right. She told Bonnie and Stefan.

No!

Elena knew that Stefan realized how desperate their situation was, and he couldn't think of another option either, he was just being stubborn.

She decided she'd had enough of this place, and there was only one way to get out of it.

Damon. She said.

I'm glad you finally see reason. He answered.

How are we going to do this?

Elena! Stefan groaned at her determined voice, but he didn't say anything else.

I'm going to fly over Fell's Church and I'm going to find that house you're in. Do you think they'd let you open the window?

Yes. Carmen wouldn't mind.

Then you open the window, I give you some of my blood and then I kill you. You appear to be dead and your vampires leave. Simple like that.

Elena shivered when he so casually talked about killing her, and she was glad her mental voice couldn't shake.

I'm okay with all that, there's just one thing. She said, having thought about this earlier. It has to be Stefan's blood.

What? Damon said, sounding genuinely confused.

I'm turning by drinking Stefan's blood. She didn't know why this was suddenly so important to her, but it felt like the right thing.

I'll make sure of it. Stefan said, and Elena felt relief flow through her body. She hadn't thought about Stefan rejecting her, but this did mean that he had accepted that there was no other way. That he really wanted her.

I don't care what you drink, as long as we get this over with, everything's fine with me. Damon said. I'm off searching for that house now.

There's something else, Bonnie said, Aunt Judith won't stop calling me, she knows that something's up. And you already missed a day at school, Elena.

I can take care of that. Stefan said.

Thank you. Elena said, and then she yawned. It's getting late, I'm going to bed. I hope I see you all tomorrow.

Bye, Elena. Meredith and Bonnie said, and then it went quiet, as if they'd hung up the phone.

Elena pulled the blanket up to her chin and tried to fall asleep. She wouldn't think about what would happen the next day.

Bonnie POV

Bonnie was up early the next morning. She, Meredith, Damon and Stefan would gather in the woods near the cemetery, and they would discuss everything there. She was curious as to how that would go, since the last time Damon and Stefan saw each other, Damon pinned Stefan to the ground with a stick. She decided to keep away from Damon as much as possible, Elena seemed to have guessed that there was something going on and Meredith was good at seeing things like that, too. She didn't know what it was that Damon wanted from her, but it had to be important, or he wouldn't care so much about getting Elena back to Stefan.

Bonnie and Meredith had to go to school, but since it was Wednesday, they had the afternoon off. They'd leave for school after meeting Stefan and Damon in the woods, and after school they'd meet Stefan at the boarding house.

Bonnie tried to avoid stepping into puddles as she made her way trough the trees. She tugged at her brightly coloured hat so that it covered her ears, and pulled her coat tightly around her body. After a few minutes, she could hear voices and she recognized Meredith's. It didn't take long before she saw Stefan sitting on a rock in a clearing with Meredith standing next to him. Stefan scowled at something on the other side of the clearing, and Meredith had one eyebrow raised. Bonnie could already guess who was responsible for that. As she stepped out from between the trees, she followed Stefan's gaze and saw Damon casually lounging on one of the lower branches of a tree. Seeing Damon made her feel uneasy in the pit of her stomach and she quickly turned to Stefan.

"Did I miss anything?"

"No, we waited for you before deciding anything." Stefan said.

"There's not much left to do, though." Meredith said. "We just have to wait and see what happens."

Bonnie could see that Stefan didn't like that, having to trust Damon. Bonnie wondered if he considered feeding on human blood, so that he could save Elena himself. He was much too weak now, his face pale and dark circles underneath his eyes. He probably hadn't slept at all. Meredith was unusually nervous, she ran a hand through her hair repeatedly and her eyes continued to shift between the faces of Stefan, Bonnie and Damon.

"So what will happen while we're at school?" Bonnie asked. She and Meredith wouldn't know if something went wrong, and they both hated that. She already knew they would be counting the seconds until they could leave school.

"Damon found the house where they keep Elena, he'll bring Elena my blood. Elena seems sure that she'll be able to let him in. If she drinks it, he will…turn her." Bonnie barely heard Stefan's last words, but she could see the pain on his face as he spoke them.

"I will wait until Elena is left alone and I'll take her to my room. We'll probably communicate through the mind-link, so be prepared for that when you're in class."

Meredith nodded.

Stefan tossed something to Damon. "That's my blood." Damon caught it and nodded, not a trace of a smirk on his face. Bonnie was glad to see that he took this seriously. He had promised to free Elena, and she'd heard Stefan say that he didn't treat promises lightly. Of course, that meant that she had to fulfil her own promise, too.

After going over their plan once more, Bonnie and Meredith had to leave for school. They both wished Stefan good luck, and Bonnie glanced at Damon, who nodded.

Damon POV

Damon didn't see why he should stay in the clearing any longer. His little bird was leaving, he knew exactly what he had to do, and he wanted to get this over with. He didn't mind about the chattering in his head, he could easily ignore it, but he needed the witch to keep her promise. Which meant he had to keep his, he had to save Elena. And, surprising himself, he did care about her. He had no idea why, but this whole situation was making it hard for him to keep up the 'I-don't-care attitude'. Another reason why he wanted this to be over with.

He felt his brother's gaze on him as he watched the girls disappear between the trees.

"Damon-" Stefan said, but Damon interrupted.

"I know." He said. His brother wanted him to be careful with Elena, to be gentle. He wanted to thank him. Damon sensed it in his thoughts, and he didn't want to hear it out loud.

"I'll tell you when they're gone." Damon said, and then turned into his other form.

His birds eye quickly found the house where he'd sensed Elena's presence, and he landed in a nearby tree.

Elena? He tried. He could see her from his spot. She was lying on her back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. When he called her name, her head shot up.

Yes? She said anxiously.

I'm ready if you are. He tried to sound joking, but it was surprisingly difficult. Ugh, he shouldn't get involved with his brother's problems! But it wasn't for Stefan or his girl, it was because he needed his little bird's powers. Instead of just forcing her, he had to go and play saviour. He needed to get away from his brother's influence.

But now he had to focus on he task at hand.

Elena, I need you to open the window. Can you do that?

He saw her get up and leave the room. Then he could hear voices coming from the house.

"Carmen? Is it alright if I open my window? I'd like to get some fresh air into the room."

He had to admit, the girl was a good liar.

"Of course you can." A woman's voice said.

A men's voice groaned. "Carmen…I'm not sure…"

"She knows better than to run away. She won't leave the room. And I'd like some clean air, too. I don't know how you two can stand it all day long!" A more boyish voice said.

Elena closed the door to the bedroom and walked up to the window.

She opened it all the way, and waited. Damon waited, too. If those other vampires suspected something, they would be listening now. When their conversation went on and they didn't talk about Elena anymore, he flew to the window and perched on its border, carrying the vial that held Stefan's blood.

Take the blood and drink all of it.

Elena POV

Elena watched the bird land on the edge of the window and saw that it held a vial with blood.

Take the blood and drink all of it. She heard Damon's voice say.

She slowly reached out to take the vial, and then held it in her hands, hesitating.

Stefan? I'm going to drink it now.

Okay. His voice sounded weak and Elena had to resist the urge to cry, she was scared.

She twisted the lid and opened the vial before fear could get the best of her and drank it. She glanced at the door and desperately hoped that no one would come inside now. When she looked back at the bird, a handsome guy was sitting in its place. Damon. It was the first time she saw him, and he wasn't like she imagined. When she heard him talk, he always sounded mocking, sneering. The guy in front of her looked serious, caring, almost.

Damon. She nodded at him in greeting.

He returned the nod and slid down from the windowsill without making a sound. When he stood in front of her, he held her head between his hands and frowned.

I'm going to break you're neck. Are you sure about this? He asked.

Oh, Elena! Bonnie's whimper startled her. Elena realized that Bonnie and Meredith were at school, hearing Damon tell her how he was going to kill her. Turn, not kill, Elena corrected herself.

I'll see you soon, Bonnie, Meredith. I love you Stefan.

Then she looked up at Damon, wiped a single tear from her cheek, clenched her jaw, and nodded.

Damon POV

Damon admired her. There had to be something wrong with him, if he admired humans. Yup, definitely something wrong with him, first the little witch got him all mellow, now Elena.

He was holding her face between his hands, ready to snap her neck. She looked up at him and nodded, telling him it was okay to kill her. He almost didn't want to. But he moved quickly, Elena wouldn't feel a thing. He felt her go limp between his hands and caught her. He had to be fast now and he moved at incredible speed. He placed Elena's neck against the nightstand, trying to make it look as if she fainted and hit her head. Then he knocked against the wood to imitate the sound of her fall. It took him less than two seconds to do all that and fly through the open window.

I'm waiting for them to see her and leave. He told Stefan.

He was still on his way to the tree he wanted to land on, when he heard a cry of alarm from the house, it was Carmen.

"Elena's heartbeat!" She cried. The boy's voice cursed and the door to the bedroom burst open.

He heard Carmen gasp and saw her kneel down next to Elena.

"She's dead." She said, choking on the words.

"How is that possible?" The man, Eleazar, said. He knelt down next to Carmen and took her hand.

"She hit her head." The boy said dryly, he acted very indifferent compared Carmen and Eleazar. Damon thought that if this wasn't about Elena, who he –oddly enough –liked almost as much as his little bird, he would find this Alec boy amusing.

"Just leave, Alec." Carmen said, sobbing. Alec shrugged and Damon almost couldn't see him head for the woods, his movements were so quick they were blurry.

Carmen POV

"What do we do?" Carmen said. Her eyes stinging with tears that wouldn't come.

"Do you think Aro would approve of leaving her here?" Eleazar asked. His eyes doubtful. Carmen didn't think that Aro would mind. This sort of thing didn't really have anything to do with vampires. They had to be careful with bodies drained of blood, not teenagers who seemed to have run away.

"I think he wouldn't mind, the police will think she ran away from home." Carmen said. It didn't feel right to leave Elena like this, but she couldn't leave anything like a flower, that would mean there was someone with her when she died.

"We can't bury her. It would look like murder." Eleazar said.

Carmen knew that he was thinking about the same thing, but they couldn't leave Elena here, it would take a long time before anyone found her.

"I think I'll call the police and say that I've seen people in this house while it's supposed to be empty. I'll make it sound like something's wrong. They'd come and check then, right?"

"I guess so…" Eleazar nodded.

Carmen stroked Elena's cheek. "I can't believe it. She must've fainted or something, why would she fall? Maybe we didn't give her enough food. She seemed afraid to ask anything, maybe she fainted because of the hunger."

Eleazar shook his head. "Her stomach would've complained, I never heard that. And she wasn't afraid to ask for the water. Don't blame yourself." He squeezed her hand.

"I should probably call now. There's no point in staying any longer." Carmen said.

She wanted to leave. What Eleazar said made sense, she shouldn't blame herself, but something told her that this was her fault. She tried to keep herself together, but her chest hurt from holding back the sobs.

She took a few deep breaths and called the police. She told them exactly what she planned, the person on the other end of the phone seemed slightly alarmed and promised that they would check the house. By the time she hang up, Eleazar had packed all their belongings and put them in the car. Carmen was glad they would finally leave this place, and a part of her was glad that Elena wasn't leaving with them. Of course she was sad that Elena died, no human death had upset her this much since she changed, but she told herself that Elena wouldn't have wanted the life that waited for her. Holding on to that thought, she was able to keep her chest from heaving with unnecessary breaths, and to smooth out her face. Eleazar hadn't been as close to Elena, and to see Carmen cry would hurt him as much as Elena's death did.

They agreed on splitting up. Carmen would drive the car to a certain point, and Eleazar would meet her there after he tracked Alec. Eleazar immediately left, easily finding Alec's scent. Carmen went back to the bedroom. She softly kissed Elena's cheek, to say goodbye, and then she left, too. When she was alone in the car, she let the sobs escape. She would have enough time to pull herself together on the way to their meeting point, and she was glad to able to let her emotions out. She didn't see the road in front of her, she could only see Elena's sleeping face, placed in her lap. She wouldn't have such close bonds with humans again. She knew that Elena was special.

Damon POV

They're gone. Damon said. Stefan had been asking him about that almost every single minute, and Damon was glad when he could finally shut him up. He waited a few moments after the car turned around the bend, and then he quickly went to the house. He found Elena where he left her, her head angled up against the edge of the nightstand. If he hadn't seen her drink the blood, he would've thought she was dead, too. But that's what happened almost every time someone was turned. Most freshly turned vampires woke up in their coffins, just like he and Stefan had.

He lifted her up and carried her in his arms. It wouldn't take long to get to the boarding house. He left the house and ran through the woods, careful not to let the branches tear her skin. It hadn't been an real promise, but his brother had asked him to be gentle, and he was going out of his way to be nice anyway. After a few minutes, he could see the boarding house from behind the trees.

Stefan must've felt him coming, because he was waiting in front of the house before Damon reached the edge of the woods.

"She's all yours." Damon said, and handed Elena over to Stefan. Stefan immediately took her in his arms, cradling her against his chest. He looked up, locking eyes with Damon.

"Thank you." He said, and Damon nodded. Then he turned and headed upstairs, leaving Damon outside.

Well, he hadn't done all this work just to turn around when his part was done. Damon followed Stefan up the stairs and watched him lay Elena down on the bed.

We're outside the school now, can we come over? Bonnie sounded in their heads.

Stefan quickly looked at Damon, who shrugged.

I'm not sure if that's such a good idea… She's still unconscious, and I don't know what she will be like when she wakes up. Stefan said.

Oh come on, Stefan! You said we could! And Damon's still there right?

Yes.

The two of you will be able to stop her if she does something dangerous. And Meredith and I could wait outside when she wakes up. Bonnie pleaded.

Fine. But when I tell you to leave, you leave, okay? She'd hate herself if she hurt one of you.

Promise. We're on our way.

Stefan sighed. Damon began to regret his decision to come up here with Stefan. There was nothing going on, Elena was sleeping and Stefan was worrying. And it would take some time before his little bird arrived.

"How long is she going to be like this?" Stefan asked, stroking Elena's hair.

"How would I know? It's only been an hour, it could be midnight when she wakes up." Damon said. After standing there for a few more minutes, he was bored out of his mind.

He slipped out of the room without saying anything and decided to do something else until the witch came.

Stefan POV

Stefan heard Damon leave the room, but he didn't bother to look up. Damon was not acting like his leering self, which made Stefan feel confused. He couldn't deal with confusion right now, all his attention was focused on Elena, so he pushed his worries about Damon to the back of his mind. Elena. He held her in his arms, sitting on the bed, and kissed the top of her head. He knew that it could take a while for her to wake up, but he wouldn't leave her for even a second. It was frightening, holding her and not hearing her heartbeat. He knew that she was going to be fine, she would wake up, but he panicked every time he watched her long enough to notice she wasn't breathing. He stroked the stray strands of hair out of her face and kissed her forehead. He didn't know how long he sat there, whispering her name, telling her that he loved her, that everything was going to be alright, when voices outside the boarding house startled him.

It was Bonnie, and she was yelling his name, while Meredith told her to shut up.

"What did you make the mind-link for?" He heard her say.

"Oh, right!"

Stefan? We're at the boarding house now, can we come up?

Yes, but there's not much to see. It could be a while before she wakes up.

He heard them climb the stairs to his room when the window burst open and Damon flew inside, already changing from bird to vampire.

There was a knock on the door and Bonnie and Meredith entered. Bonnie saw Elena cradled in Stefan's arms and her eyes widened.

"She's really here! She's gonna be fine!" She exclaimed happily.

"Oh, Damon, thank you!" She took a few excited steps in his direction and then halted, blushing. She carefully stepped back until she stood at Meredith's side again, and her eyes changed from big and excited to big and scared. Damon bowed, "My pleasure."

Bonnie seemed to relax after that. She'd been so happy to see Elena, she'd forgotten how dangerous Damon was. Stefan looked at Meredith and saw that she wasn't at all as happy as Bonnie.

"Are you sure she'll be fine?" She asked Stefan.

He nodded, "I'm worried, too, even though I know there's no reason. She'll be okay."

Meredith moved closer to the bed and took Elena's hand in hers.

"Then we'll just have to wait." She said, and gave Elena's hand a soft squeeze.

AN: Next chapter will probably be the last, unless something very unexpected pops up in my head ^^

Don't forget to review :)

A happy new year to all!