Elena was stunned. She had expected to be handled roughly. But she was held gently, almost cradled. She actually felt safe in Isobel's arms. When they arrived at the door of a vacant house - was that a hug from Isobel as she carefully set Elena down?

Elena could only stare at Isobel as the vampire whispered "I really wish you had left town when I asked. Are you always this obedient?"

It took Isobel's spoken "go in now" as she nodded her head towards the door to get Elena to break eye contact, turn around and enter the house.

Then Isobel had a choice to make. She had done all Katherine asked of her – secure the witch, immobilize Damon (for a bit, no real damage), and bring Elena here. Katherine did not forbid her from entering with Elena, but she wondered if it would be better for her only daughter if she were there, or not there. At least she knew that either way, Elena would be safe with Katherine. She had made that deal with the vampire long ago. She decided it didn't matter. She wanted to be there. She took control of herself, returned to her normal, distant demeanor, and followed Elena.

"Ah, Elena. So nice to see you again." Katherine said. The room was brightly lit. Elena's eyes at first followed Katherine's voice and she met her eyes. Then she glanced nearby to where Bonnie was crumpled on the floor.

"Bonnie!" Elena ran to her, noticing several other vampires in the room. She knelt by Bonnie. The witch looked bad – it took a few seconds for Elena to tell that she was breathing.

Katherine spoke again. Elena tried to pay attention to both the vampire and her best friend.

"We've had a delightful chat, Elena. Bonnie has been very helpful. For instance, she discovered, in her research, that Damon will recover his full strength without needing further assistance – just a few weeks time is required, as long as he does not run afoul of another witch. This is excellent news – all I could have ever hoped for."

Elena was angry. It was the first time in Katherine's presence that she couldn't feel the fear. "Then why did you do this to her?"

"You know, Elena. We discussed it thoroughly. Debts must be paid."

Elena stood and turned toward Katherine, still standing by Bonnie. She managed to catch the vampire's eyes. "Then let me take her to a hospital. You're done with her."

"Well, there is still the matter of the interest."

"Interest? What else can you do to her?"

"Oh dear!" Katherine's eyes moved back to Bonnie. "Has she died already?"

"No more, please. She can't take anymore."

The vampire was not moved. "In my day, they used to say an eye for an eye, Elena. I learned long ago that such was not sufficient. If things are just left even, events recur much more often than if you take, say, an eye and a hand for an eye."

"Please Katherine, you've done worse to her than she did to Damon. Please let me get her to a hospital. I will find a way to make it up to you."

The vampire smiled - though it was not a happy smile. "Ah, then Elena wishes to choose the interest. If not the witch, then who will it be? Your brother Jeremy, perhaps? Or a stranger? So many choices."

"Elena, no." Bonnie said weakly. Her eyes were open, but she had not moved. "No one else. Let it end with me."

Elena returned to her side tried to comfort her when there was a commotion at the door. Stefan and Damon had arrived. They put up a bit of a fight but were quickly subdued by the other vampires.

Elena did not like the interruption. "Stefan, Damon – no. Not now"

"Katherine" Stefan demanded, "Let them go."

Damon didn't speak, but looked at Elena frantically. She shook her head.

Katherine did not turn towards them. "Silence please. Elena is choosing. It needn't be a person Elena. Fire perhaps. A school or even the hospital, though there may be some collateral damage."

"Katherine, please. Leave her alone. She won't hurt him again." Elena's plea came from Bonnie's side.

"Oh, I know that. We worked that out very early in our conversation. I've done every test I can think of and I'm sure she is telling the truth. There is no further danger to Damon from her."

"Then, please, let us go."

"I'm afraid I can't. Further delay would deteriorate the message. It must be crystal clear, Elena. Choose now."

Elena's eyes glanced around the room stopping briefly at all who she recognized - Stefan, Damon, even Isobel. Then her eyes met Katherine's cold eyes. Elena turned back to Bonnie and gave her as much of a hug as she dared. She whispered "Don't worry. We'll get you some help in a minute."

Elena turned to face Katherine. "OK, I've chosen. Me."

"What? No." seemed to come from Damon, Stefan and Bonnie all at once.

"Silence." Katherine seemed to have a bemused expression. "It is not your debt to pay."

"I'm taking it. I choose me. I will pledge my loyalty to you for what you call the interest."

"Elena," Stefan said, "You don't know what you're doing."

"Yes I do. I'm saving Bonnie's life, or Jeremy's or both."

He tried again. "You don't know who she is."

Elena stood up and started walking towards Katherine. "I know you loved her."

She locked eyes with Katherine and walked forward, only stopping when she stood immediately in front of her.

"Stop!" Stefan yelled. "She could rip your throat out"

Elena's eyes finally left Katherine's and moved to Stefan. "I know that. She knows I know that. I know that she knows I know that. Please shut up."

Katherine's face shifted from a slight smile and back to cold indifference as Elena's eyes returned to hers. She made Elena stand and stare at her in total silence.

"You and the witch," Katherine finally said.

Elena thought she heard a faint gasp from Bonnie's direction as she shook her head. "No. Just me."

She hesitated and added "You know she'll help me if I need it. She'll owe me a life-debt."

"And if I refuse?" Katherine asked.

"Then you lose me. I'm not losing Bonnie or Jeremy. I've already lost too much. I'm not losing anyone else."

Katherine stared at her for what seemed like forever before finally speaking softly. "Say the words."

Elena took a deep breath and held Katherine's eyes. "I, Elena Gilbert, hereby pledge my loyalty to Katherine Pierce. I swear to serve and to protect her for the rest of my life."

"And for as long as I otherwise may exist." Katherine amended.

"And for as long as I otherwise may exist." Elena repeated.

Katherine continued to speak softly. "Bravo again, Elena. All debts are paid. We both have what we wanted. You have a witch that will recover – eventually, the last of the Gilberts, and a town that will never know who saved it, why, or even that it was saved. Was it worth it? I have a Damon who will be his old self in a couple of weeks, a witch who understands, who will maybe even be an ally, and an amazingly unexpected amount of interest."

She smiled – not the cold smile Elena had seen so often. Was it genuine? "I look forward to the future, Elena. It'll be a hell of a ride…"

One head motion from Katherine and the room was empty of vampires, except for Stefan and Damon. Stefan rushed to Elena who was rushing towards Bonnie. Damon stood still, just inside the door.

"She's bad Stefan. We need an ambulance."

"No," he replied. "We need to take her to the hospital now."

Elena turned to him and expressed her concern. "Can we safely move her?"

"I can. I'll take her straight there."

"Thanks."

He only nodded in reply.

"Stefan. Stefan" Elena repeated until he turned his eyes toward her. "Thank you and I'm sorry. I'm sorry for anything I said or did the last few days that hurt you. Thank you for helping me and for taking care of my best friend."

"OK," he said.

Elena gave him a kiss on the cheek as he carefully lifted her. "Please hurry. I'm right behind you."

She saw the blur and felt the air move as he left.

She leaned against the wall and closed her eyes for a moment – finally thinking she could relax, for just a minute.

When she opened her eyes, Damon had not moved.

"He's going to think you're bipolar," Damon said. "Yelling at him one minute, kissing him the next."

"Yeah." Elena said softly to herself.

She turned to face Damon. Nearly the entire room was between them. She slowly moved, closing the gap. "Damon, will you help me?"

"I'll help you with anything – you know that. But what exactly do you mean this time?"

"Help me with Katherine. I don't know how it works. Is this like an every day thing or a once every 30 years thing?"

Damon's face remained blank. "I don't know. I've never been her minion."

She was very close now. Definitely in his space. He still did not move.

"But you did what she asked you to as long as you had her." She said. "And you would still do what she asked of you now, wouldn't you?"

"Yes. I did it then and would do it now."

"Will you help me?" Elena repeated.

"I will" Damon nodded his head. "Anything you want."

"Thank you. Thank you for that. I need to know I can count on someone while I'm doing this, and I don't know if…" The rest remained unspoken. "And thank you for everything the last few days. I could not have made it without you."

"It's not like I don't owe you my life, Elena"

Elena held his eyes. "And would you not call me her minion?"

Damon just smirked. That made her feel just a bit better about how things stood between them. She hugged him and kissed him on the cheek.

"Now, I need to go repair some damage."

"Stefan?" She thought she saw a bit of a wince.

"Yeah. I know and you know that there's something between us. But I'm not willing to give up on Stefan yet, and I know you haven't given up on Katherine yet."

Damon just stared ahead of himself as she continued speaking. "You were right of course. There's a choice to be made, Damon – We'll both have to make it. But we don't have to choose today."

She left the house with him still standing stiffly, staring ahead.

End of Part I - "Vampires and Witches and Elena". The next chapter, the Epilogue, introduces Part II.