Why Her?

The envelope was on Elena's lap as she drove. She was not going to let it out of her sight before giving it to Katherine.

Elena glanced at Jeremy in the rear-view mirror. She couldn't read his expression and didn't try to talk to him. She was hoping he would talk to her later, as he had promised.

Elena pulled out her cell as she drove – her non-Katherine cell. She called Bonnie as Damon watched her.

"Bonnie? I need a favor. Would you get Mr. Saltzman and meet at my house later?"

"Any reason for this?" Bonnie asked

"Yeah, but I can't explain right now – you know, talking on the phone while driving. But bring Emily's spell book OK?

"That's a lot to ask, Elena."

"I know, but there's a good reason. Please?"

Bonnie hesitated. "OK. And when is 'later'?"

"Sooner rather than later. I'm expecting someone to come by, and I'd like to have this done before then. As soon as possible actually."

"Will Damon be there? You two are in the same place a lot lately."

"Will it keep you away?" Elena asked.

"Yeah."

Elena sighed. "Then no. Damon will not be there."

"OK. I'll get ahold of Alaric Saltzman and we'll be there as soon as possible."

"Thanks." Elena said as she disconnected and replaced her phone.

"Seeing Bonnie behind my back?" Damon asked.

"Still my best friend Damon. I'm hoping that doesn't change." It was probably the biggest thorn remaining between them.

"I don't know what I think about that."

"Why you?" Jeremy suddenly asked from the back seat.

Elena glanced back at him again. His expression had changed, but was still unreadable.

"Why me? What do you mean?" his sister asked.

"I've known you my whole life. Yeah, guys hang around you, but not like that. Not that I've seen."

"They weren't 'hanging around' me Jeremy."

"I know. Damon told me what they were doing. But why you? What have you done that would make them do that?"

Elena sighed. This was not going to be easy to explain.

"It wasn't anything I did. Someone is just looking out for me."

"I beg to differ," Damon said.

"Damon…" Elena began.

"No," Jeremy said. "I don't know if you'll tell me, but I think he will. Why Elena?"

"She made choices Jeremy, she stood up for people, including me. Her choices led her to where she is."

"Not choices I've seen."

"Don't be so flattering," Elena muttered.

"No," Damon said. "You haven't. You haven't been at the right place at the right time. When it got too close to you, I erased your memory. But she has been doing things, she has stood up for people, helped people."

"Helped who?" Jeremy asked.

"Me for one. I didn't see it in her for a long time. All I saw in her at first was a chance to annoy my brother through her. It took me awhile to realize that there was something more there than just that. I finally saw who she really was when she stood up for me in Georgia."

"I read about that."

"I don't know what she wrote," Damon continued. "But I know that that's when things changed in my mind. She literally saved my life, and I decided then that I wasn't going to let anything that would hurt her get to her. She's stood up for a lot of people, including you. Maybe she didn't do it the right way, but that's what she was doing."

Jeremy didn't respond, so Damon continued. "You may have missed the part where she stood up for people, but you have seen the part where others are standing up for her. No one will get close enough to hurt her – not while I'm alive. And you've seen today that I'm not the only one. Now you have to decide."

"Decide?" Jeremy asked.

"Decide whose side you are on."

"Damon…" Elena tried.

"There are sides?" Jeremy asked.

"Yes. You're either for Elena or against her. You will either stop anything that might be trying to hurt her from getting to her, or you will let them."

"It's not that simple," Elena said.

"Isn't it?" Damon asked. "Stefan has chosen – he's with me. Alaric has chosen – he's with us. Katherine has chosen, she's with us. Even Isobel has chosen. Jeremy must choose."

"Katherine," Jeremy said. "The one you took the envelope for."

Elena nodded. She did not want to have to explain Katherine to Jeremy. So she tried to change the subject.

"Bonnie is on my side too."

"Is she?" Damon asked. "Would she have made the same choices as you? When she had the chance, did she?"

"It's not that simple, Damon. She's doing what she thinks is right. I can't ask her not to."

"Elena tried to keep you away from this, Jeremy," Damon said. "And what you've see today has not changed anything. She's still going to do everything she can to protect you. The question is, will you do the same for her? You have to choose a side, Jeremy."

Invoking Emily

Alaric and Bonnie were in the house talking to Jenna when Elena and the others arrived.

Damon didn't enter the home. "Call me later?" Elena asked as she saw him turn before entering. He nodded and went on his way.

"Jenna, I didn't think you'd be here." Elena said.

"I finished early and I'm glad I did. I'm not sure why Rick is here to see you, but I'm always glad to see him."

Elena glanced at Bonnie and was glad to see that the spell book wasn't in the open – it was probably in a bag Bonnie carried.

"Well, did you get enough time with him? Can I have him for a little?"

Jenna looked happy. "He assured me he will speak more with me when you're done with him, so go ahead. Do what you need to."

Elena nodded and led them up to her room. She was only being polite when she turned to Jeremy and asked "Do you want to come?" She really did not want him with them, but she felt she had to ask.

"No. I do have some things I want to do. We'll talk later." He just watched them climb the stairs.

Bonnie and Elena sat on the edge of Elena's bed while Alaric pulled up a chair.

"Thanks for coming. Bonnie, remember the pages you showed me in Emily's spell book that said Emily had spelled things when Jonathan Gilbert thought he had invented them? Can you open to the page showing rings?"

Bonnie nodded as she turned the pages.

"Look," she said to Alaric pointing that the picture.

"That's my ring." He said. "Emily did that?"

"Yes," Elena said. "Emily did that for the Gilberts. The Gilberts did as much as anybody to defend the town against vampires. Emily was helping them."

"And it helped them fight vampires." Alaric said. "There are two – mine, and John Gilbert had the other."

"Yes," Elena said. "I think Katherine took it when she killed him." She thought Bonnie winced a little when she said that. Elena turned to Bonnie.

"Emily did this - the rings work even now. Could you do this? Could you make rings like this?"

"Why would you ask Elena?" Bonnie asked. "This wouldn't help Katherine, but you're helping her now."

"Emily was helping Katherine when she did this. I don't think they were on different sides Bonnie. We don't need to be either. I'm going to see if I can get the ring back from Katherine, and if you can do this, we can protect more people."

"You know I want to protect people from vampires like her, Elena. But why would you ask? Are you getting worried about what she might do to you?"

"And why would you ask for the ring back?" Alaric asked. "If it was worn by Gilberts, it would keep her from killing them when they attacked her. She won't give that back."

Elena had another chance to keep her plan to herself, but Damon was right about Alaric – he was on her side, though she did think Damon was wrong about Bonnie.

"I am going to ask her for the ring back to give to Jeremy. It was our family's ring anyway. It should be his."

"Do you really think she'll do this?" Alaric asked.

"I don't know. But to be truthful Bonnie," Elena said, making eye contact, "if she doesn't, I would like to ask you to make a ring for him."

Bonnie shuddered. "I don't know if I have that kind of power. How would we know if it works? Kill him and see if he comes back? Elena, this time you're asking too much."

"I'm only asking for you to help protect the last member of a family who has done a lot to protect Mystic Falls. I'm only asking you to do what Emily did."

"You're bringing her up an awful lot. Do you really think you know that much about who she was?"

Elena hoped she hadn't pushed too far. "Her and you. We all want the same things."

Asking Favors

It wasn't dark when she came. Elena knew she could come anytime, so she sent Bonnie and Alaric away, stayed up in her room and waited. Maybe it was stupid, she didn't know Katherine's schedule, but she wanted to get this over with and so she hoped it would be soon.

It was.

Katherine arrived less than an hour after Elena was alone. She knocked.

"Come in." Elena was not sure, who it was, but she hoped.

"Thank you Elena."

Katherine looked normal. That was good. It had been some time since Elena had seen the icy, distant look that Katherine had given her during her first few visits. Even when she thought Katherine was upset with her recently, she always looked normal. Disappointed, exasperated, but normal

"It's been some time since I've been here," Katherine said.

"Yeah." Elena answered. OK, she looked normal, and the old fear wasn't there anymore. But it was still hard – she still never knew what to expect.

Katherine waited for more, but it did not come. She sighed. "I could come every day until you're willing to chat with me a bit more, but I really do have other things to do. Do you have the envelope?"

Elena pulled it out of the drawer she had placed it in and carried it to Katherine. "Sorry about the phone. I really am learning what you expect. I will get better at it."

Katherine only nodded.

"Nathaniel?" Elena asked. She didn't know what else to say. Katherine would tell her something, or not.

"We help each other sometimes. We have an alliance of sorts. If he is mentioned, you can trust the messenger. Although I am glad you and your escort were being careful."

When she said no more, Elena decided to get it over with.

"Do you have John Gilbert's ring?"

That got Katherine's attention. She looked at Elena. "Yes. Why do you ask?"

"It's a family heirloom. I was thinking you might be willing to give it back to me – as a favor."

Katherine broke eye contact with Elena and looked at the envelope. "A favor. Elena asks for a favor."

Katherine was quiet for awhile before speaking again. "Are you doubting that my protection for you is adequate? The ring would keep you alive, no matter what happened to you, but I will not let anything get close to you."

"Me?" Elena asked. "No. I don't want the ring for me. I want to give it to Jeremy. It should be his anyway."

Elena had to gasp and take a step back when she saw the sudden change in Katherine. Her face had instantly changed from normal to as icy and threatening as Elena had ever seen.

"You know what that ring can do, and you want me to give it back to a family who has tried to kill me for 150 years?" Katherine asked, glaring at Elena.