Isobel

Alaric was at school, in his classroom at his desk. It was just after sundown when he felt her presence.

"I thought you had left" he told Isobel. He felt the old feelings, but tried to ignore them.

"I had. Now I'm back."

"Another errand to bully me into running for you?"

Isobel chuckled. "No. Nothing for you, but I am on a mission for Katherine."

"What kind of mission?"

"The kind I'm not allowed to repeat to you."

"Then why are you here."

"I'm here to warn you, to inform you. Something's happening here. I don't know what it is. I don't know who is involved. I only know my part."

"Why are you telling me this?" Alaric asked suspiciously.

"Because knowledge is power. Information leads to good choices. You need to choose. I think you should get out while you can."

"Isobel, what is going on?"

"I told you I don't know. Katherine's not really trusting me right now. It seems trying to protect my daughter didn't go over well with her. I'm not sure talking to you is helping me either. But I had to give you the choice. Make it soon."

Isobel start to walk out of the classroom.

"I'm not leaving. They need my help."

Isobel turned back – her normal constant, distant look, almost smirk, was gone. She almost looked pleading. "Why do you always have to be like that – why be involved? Why can't you just do the safe thing? I have a daughter – with her father gone, you are as close as there is for her. Stay safe for her."

"You threatened her - and me."

Isobel shook her head and actually looked sad. "I'm not a threat to either of you."

Alaric stared as Isobel left .

Bonnie

"You're not going with me," Elena yelled at Damon. She had just left her house, having told him to remain inside until she returned. "It's not safe for you there."

"We agreed that talking to Bonnie is the first step. I can at least go with you until you're close and then watch the perimeter."

"I told you, I'd rather have you here in case Jenna or Jeremy needs help."

"And I told you that's an excuse to keep me out of trouble. But I live for trouble, Elena, and now your trouble is my trouble."

Elena suddenly turned on him and pushed against his chest as hard as she could. Caught off guard, he stumbled backwards and fell onto his back. He had trouble getting up.

"You look fine, you can walk and talk and act normal, but you're not up to a fight. Katherine told me so, and she was right. Go back to my house and wait. Or go hunting – but not for humans, though I doubt you could take one now."

The headlights of a car passed over them and returned as the driver backed up. "Everything OK Elena?"

The lights blinded her. Elena tried to shield her eyes, and saw Alaric leave the car and walk to her.

"She's fine. Go away." Damon said as he pulled himself up.

"Have you got a stake?" Elena asked Alaric?

Alaric pulled one out of his jacket. "Do I need a stake?" He was glancing around them, looking for trouble.

Elena pointed at Damon. "Right there. Put him out of his misery."

"Why? Willing, but wondering…" Alaric asked.

"Because it will hurt him less that what will happen if he goes to Bonnie with me. Go back Damon."

"Are Damon and Bonnie fighting?"

"You could say that – a 'to the death' kind of fight. And guess who's losing."

"That was harsh." Damon said, finally standing, but not moving.

"Isobel's back." Alaric said, and looked at both of them. Both of them were shocked.

"Why?" Elena asked.

"Don't know. She said she was warning me that something's going on. She said she was here for Katherine, but wouldn't tell me why."

"Did she want to see me?" Elena asked.

"Not this time. She said I should leave town."

"Great. I have got to get Bonnie to understand. This isn't good"

"Then we'd better get going" Damon said.

"I'm going with Mr. Saltzman. She won't kill him." She said, climbing into his car, motioning for Alaric to get in the driver's seat. He did and they left Damon standing on the side of the road.

"Finally going to talk to her?" Alaric asked as they drove.

"Already did. It did not work out. Need to go again."

"What's with Damon?"

Elena only stared at him. She was trying to decide if she should tell him a little, everything, or nothing.

She decided on nothing.

"Can you just drop me off there? Then check on Jenna? I assume that is what you were going to do."

"Yes, but shouldn't we talk about Isobel's message? Where is Stefan?"

"At Bonnie's. But it is not going to be pleasant there. I'll fill you in at home when I get back."

"How will you get back?"

"I'll call if I need a ride." The car was stopped. "Thanks." Elena closed the door behind her and made the trek to Bonnie's door. Stefan opened to her knock. He stood still, blocking her entrance.

"Can I come in?" Elena asked.

"Can you? Without an invitation?"

"Stefan…"

"Oh stop!" Bonnie called. "If you're Elena, come in. If you're Katherine, stay out."

Stefan stepped aside and Elena entered. "Does that really work? Is it a witch thing?" He asked.

"I don't know. I just figured you would be able to tell if it was Elena or Katherine. I'm tired and mad and want to get this over with." Bonnie was sitting at a table surrounded by spell books.

"I know Bonnie. I'm here to do just that."

Bonnie slammed closed the book she was reading and glared at Elena. "What right do you have to insult my heritage, hide a murderer and threaten Mystic Falls?"

Elena consciously took a breath before responding. She knew this would not be easy, and she was right. Her voice was oddly calm.

"I didn't insult your heritage, I reminded you that if Katherine had not saved Emily, she would have died long before becoming a powerful witch and the matriarch of a family of witches. Including you. You would not be alive if it wasn't for Katherine. I am not hiding a murderer. If Katherine is a murderer and is hiding, she is doing that herself. I have no idea where she is. And I am not threatening Mystic Falls. You know I have no power. Katherine is threatening the town, but not without cause, and only if certain things happen. Things you control."

Bonnie had transformed form murderous glare to icy stare. "And what are these things I control?"

"Hurting me, Stefan or Damon. I never would have thought it possible, but you attacked Damon when he had not hurt anyone and you did what you had to disable Stefan and me in the process. You attacked us without knowing the facts. Would Emily have done that? Would your Grams?"

The witch continued to stare at Elena. "He may have not killed John Gilbert, but he has killed in the past. "

"That wasn't your bargain with Stefan. And anyway, it doesn't matter why you hurt him – or any of us. If it happens Mystic Falls will be destroyed."

Both Stefan and Bonnie stared at Elena. They had trouble believing it was her, from both the coldness of the words and the delivery. Stefan moved to look into her eyes.

"How do I know you're really Elena?"

Elena sighed. "You not recognizing me is not helping. You did this to me" she said, showing a scar from when he had bitten her wrist. "Or did you do this kind of thing to Katherine as well?"

Stefan winced. "Is she compelling you?"

Elena continued to look directly into his eyes. She pulled her necklace out and showed it to him. "Vervain is intact."

"Are you her minion now?" Bonnie asked sarcastically.

Elena turned back to her. "I'm her messenger."

"Why are you doing this?" Bonnie asked. The anger was leaving, replaced by exasperation, maybe some fear.

"I have no choice."

"There's always a choice," Stefan said.

Elena continued to face Bonnie. "Then I've made my choice. This is the only way I can protect my family and friends – including you, Bonnie."

"How can you even consider…" Bonnie began.

Elena interrupted her. "Because she can do it and she will. You claim she is not into protection. Call it revenge then. She will take revenge on you and Mystic Falls if we are hurt by you or anyone else in town for any reason."

"You expect me to give up? Let the vampires and who knows what else run free killing and …" Bonnie could not finish.

"No. No one is asking you to stop protecting Mystic Falls. She is not asking you to leave any other vampire or monster or even her alone. Just us three. We will do no harm."

"She's a monster. How can you even deliver a message for her?"

"Emily pledged her loyalty to Katherine. Did she ever withdraw her pledge, Bonnie? Did she ever refuse Katherine's requests?"

Bonnie shook her head. "No."

"Would she have helped a monster?"

"You don't know what she has done."

"Do you? Is it in your books? Did Emily know? What would she have done? What did she do?"

Bonnie stopped arguing, though she still looked like she was fuming.

"Katherine is giving you one more chance than you gave Damon. There will not be another."

Finally Stefan spoke into the silence that followed.

"What do you want from her Elena?"

"I want her to stay my best friend. I want her to protect Mystic Falls and those she loves with all her power, like Emily did. And I want her to honor Katherine's demands – like Emily did. I want her to leave Damon to us if there is a problem."

"I'll think about it." Bonnie finally said.

"Thank you." Elena said, breathing a sigh of relief and turning to leave.

"What's the status?" Stefan asked. "Is she safe now?"

Elena turned to face him. "We should stay with her a few days just in case. I don't know if I completely trust Katherine yet. I also don't know why Isobel is here. I do believe she won't attack her with you or me here. Will you stay with her tonight and tomorrow? Then maybe she will have decided and we can decide what to do next."

Stefan nodded. He glanced down and then looked back at Elena. "Just one more question. Do you still love me?"

She immediately met his eyes. "Stefan – you were the only who could help me this morning. You did as I asked without hesitation, without question."

"There were questions," he said.

"You didn't voice them. You trusted me. You're watching over my best friend. I've never loved you more."

She hugged him and left, pulling out her cell phone to call Alaric.