The Choices

Stefan had been called. He would be on his way shortly. Now Alaric and Bonnie watched Elena as she tried to come up with a plan.

"I think Damon found something. Maybe whatever killed these people is still close. Maybe we can put an end to this quickly." Elena was kind of rambling.

"They're not likely to come to us with Katherine's vampires here," Bonnie noted.

"Maybe I can get away from them and draw the killers to me." Elena said.

"Draw them to you?" Bonnie asked dubiously.

"Yeah, and then Katherine's vampires would take them out when they got too close to me."

"After you give Katherine's vampires the slip?" Bonnie asked. "Elena…"

Elena immediately realized what she had said and raised her hand to stop Bonnie.

"It was just a rough draft. But we need to do something."

"Maybe we should wait for Damon," the witch suggested. "You said he was coming back."

"And maybe you should go find him." Elena snapped back. She immediately shook herself and apologized.

"Sorry. Sorry," she said. "But I think he was 30 or 40 yards that way when he left," she said pointing. "Can you see if you can get anything there?"

"Sure," Bonnie said, thinking it would not be a bad idea to get away from this irrational Elena for a little.

"Would you like me to stay with you?" Alaric asked Elena as Bonnie started to walk away.

"No. I'll be fine. You should stay with her in case she needs help."

Alaric nodded and moved to catch up with Bonnie.

Suddenly Elena felt very tired. Or maybe just overwhelmed. She sat down in the field and drew her knees to her chest.

A few choices, she thought. Go with Stefan when they met. Stay with him when she found out about him – even though at first she decided not to. Help Damon open a tomb, go in after him when she found out it was more of a trap for him than a rescue – a trap set by people she trusted.

A choice to save him again when he was caught in a burning building. Another to save him, Bonnie, Jeremy and a maybe others when things went bad between Bonnie and Katherine. Just a few choices, and suddenly she was pledging her loyalty to the baddest vampire she knew of. She was surrounded by vampire protectors – or traitors. She could not tell the difference, and worse, she was not sure Katherine could tell the difference. And there were vampires trying to kill her – not that they wouldn't kill anyone else, but it felt very personal. And to top it all off, Alaric Saltzman was right - she had vampires and witches arguing over her. Just a few choices had led to this.

She sighed and ran her fingers over the new bracelet – the token of her agreement with Damon. She couldn't have imagined ever having anything so beautiful on her wrist. There was another choice to make, and she had no inkling of which way it would go. But she knew that whatever her decision would be, it would change things. It would have consequences. She did not regret any of the choices she had made that had led her to where she was just then. But perhaps unlike some of the others, the decision of whether to keep or return the bracelet would be carefully made. She would take her time.

She rested her head against her knees and actually fell asleep.

She did not hear Bonnie and Alaric approach her. Nor did she hear Bonnie stop Alaric when he moved to awaken her.

"No," Bonnie said. "Let her rest."

"She needs to know." Alaric replied softly.

"She'll know soon enough. And Stefan will be here soon. If she wants, he'll be able to follow."

"I'm not sure I can leave her here alone." Alaric said.

"She'll be fine. One thing I am absolutely convinced of now, nothing will be able to approach her too closely before she is surrounded by Katherine's vampires. They will protect her."

Still Alaric didn't move.

Bonnie pulled at him. "We need to get going. Stefan may have vampire speed, but we don't."

Alaric sighed and left with Bonnie.

The Chase

Damon was running as fast as he could.

He may have started off the pursuer, but it had changed. Luckily he had recognized soon enough, barely, the trapish nature of where he was headed. Now he was the prey.

He hadn't stopped to count the number of those chasing him. It could be just the one he had sensed at first, or the two they had feared. It may even be more.

Whatever it was, he had a new mission now. Lead them away from Elena, as fast and as far away as he could.

He was getting stronger, faster. He wasn't sure he was up to full strength and speed. He had been tested recently and had actually done much better than he expected to when it had started. But then he had motivation – keep the creature away from Elena.

Different method now – same motivation. Same task. Keep it or him or them away from Elena. This time it would be running – being chased. But drawing them away from her.

It didn't leave much time for scheming or much breath for what he had to do. But it would be enough. He had to. He and she both needed help.

Damon managed to pull his phone from his pocket and hit a speed dial. He wasn't sure she would, but she answered.

"Damon."

"Need help. Can you track phone?"

"Yes. We'll be there. Is Elena OK?"

"Don't know. Can't talk"

"OK," Katherine said. "I can check that. But she's not with you?"

"No. Drawing them away from her."

"Thank you, Damon. Keep moving and keep your phone on."

Alone?

Stefan was leaving his car. He had come as soon as she had asked, but she was calm on the phone and with others, so he was not unduly alarmed.

But when he left his car and started on foot to where she said she was, he became concerned.

There were vampires near. He started moving at top speed to where she said she would be.

At first he tried to sense the other vamps. They weren't moving, at least not at first. He thought one of them had started to follow him, but had soon stopped. They were giving him room for whatever reason. So he concentrated on Elena.

He found her sitting, curled up, alone. Why alone? Bonnie, Alaric and Damon were supposed to be with her.

He stopped several yards from her and concentrated. Relief flowed through him as he heard a steady heartbeat, steady breathing and…he would get in trouble if he called it snoring, so he just smiled to himself.

Stefan approached her slowly and quietly – scanning the field and trees that surrounded them. He could see nothing unusual.

"Elena," he said softly, tapping her shoulder. Then he stared. Her wrist held a new bracelet. He hadn't given it to her. Who? Katherine? Was it something else she was making Elena do?

"Elena," he repeated, whispering into her ear as he kneeled in front of her.

"Stefan," she said, instinctively hugging him as she woke up.

She kept her eyes closed and held the hug for few seconds, not really knowing where she was - or caring.

Stefan was not going to interrupt her. He began to think he had his old Elena back.

Then it hit her. She opened her eyes and broke off the hug. She started to stand, but needed his help to get all the way up.

She looked around for the others but did not see them. "Where're Bonnie and Mr. Saltzman?"

"No one was here, Elena, you were alone."

"Damon didn't come back?"

Stefan shook his head. "No one was here."

"Yes, Stefan, they were." Stefan's heart sank. She had returned to her recent attitude towards him.

"You were alone when I arrived, Elena."

"OK. Sorry. It's just not going well so far." She began to think. Where had she pointed for Bonnie to go? Where had she last seen Damon?

She found it and started moving towards it. "Come with me OK? I think I last saw them there," she said pointing.

"Elena, we need to be careful. There are other vampires in the woods."

"I know Stefan. They're Katherine's. But the idiots won't help. We need to find them on our own."

Stefan was, as so often lately, confused by what Elena said, but he caught up and walked with her to wherever she was going.