Lucky for you, Peachie X acted as Beta on this chapter. The good in it is probably hers, the flaws remain all mine...

The Spell

Bonnie was standing next to Alaric, in front of Elena and Sarah when she felt it. It passed through her a little ways and stopped Damon, Isobel and the other vampires as if they had hit a wall.

Bonnie was only confused for a second before she realized what had happened.

"You cast a spell." she said to Sarah. "Protection?"

"Yes," Sarah said. "I don't know if what you're telling me about Elena is true, if she's dead and will come back, but if it is, she's vulnerable to them. We all are."

"You're not chanting. You're talking to us." Bonnie said, amazed.

Sarah raised her hands showing that her fingers were moving. "My hands have taken over. I can multi-task, a little."

"You need to let them in." Alaric said to Sarah, though still watching the vampires, especially Isobel. Damon looked livid, Isobel also. "We can't have them calling for help."

"No! Why would I?" Sarah asked, not believing what he was saying.

Bonnie went to her to answer. "He's right. They won't hurt Elena, they've protected her time after time against anything that has threatened her. But if they can't reach her, more will come. Maybe you can keep the six or seven vampires out there now from getting to us, but if they can't get to Elena, more will come – dozens after sunset. We have to let them get to her."

"They protect her?" Sarah asked, not understanding.

"Yes, vigorously."

"But you and Alaric?"

"They know we're with Elena," Bonnie reassured her. "They were with us when we came here. They know us. We'll talk to them. We'll make sure they leave you alone until Elena is back with us, and we'll only let the two of them that are closest to Elena approach. We'll tell them to keep the rest away from us."

Sarah wasn't sure, but thought she could start the spell back up if needed. She nodded, but added "Away from us and the house."

Bonnie was getting nervous and quickly agreed. "Us and the house, fine. You can drop the spell now."

Sarah shook her head. "Stand next to Alaric. I'll pull the spell back behind you so you can talk to them. Nod when they agree and I'll drop it."

"You can do that?" Bonnie said with wonder as she moved to stand next to Alaric.

She felt the spell move behind her. Alaric had his darts ready.

Damon was instantly in Bonnie's face. "Let us get to them."

Alaric spoke to Isobel before Bonnie could answer "She has my ring on. She'll be fine."

"Put your darts away, Rick," Isobel said coolly. "We're not the enemy here."

"Promise to leave Sarah alone and she'll let you in." Bonnie told Damon.

"The witch?" Damon spat back. "No promises to witches today."

"She didn't do it," Bonnie yelled back. "She helped us get Elena out, and now she's trying to protect Elena."

"Protect her from me?"

"She doesn't know you, so yes. You know Elena will be royally pissed if you hurt someone that was trying to protect her, someone that did protect her by helping us leave the house. Promise you will leave Sarah alone until Elena is back, then we'll do whatever Elena says."

"You know what she'll say." Damon said. He was softening, but not much.

"Yeah." Bonnie said. "So do you. So leave Sarah alone until Elena is back. Only you and Isobel can get close – the rest need to be farther away. They can be in the yard but not by us or the house."

"She's setting terms?" Isobel asked Bonnie icily. "Or is it you?"

Bonnie looked at Isobel as she answered. "You know that with your speed it won't matter, but she'll feel better. Then we let Elena decide. Agreed?"

Damon closed his eyes, not completely satisfied, but nodded his head. "Agreed," Isobel said as she quickly moved to speak to the other vampires. They backed off.

When Isobel returned, Bonnie turned back and nodded to Sarah. Damon was at Elena's side so fast it made Sarah cringe. She had heard vampires were fast, but hadn't seen a demonstration so close to her. She thought she would have to remember the vampires' speed in case there were any more problems.

Alaric had put his darts away when Isobel agreed the terms. When she returned, he grasped her hand and deliberately walked slowly to stand next to Bonnie, between Isobel and Sarah.

How Long?

Damon was sitting next to Elena, watching for any sign. Sarah, as instructed, was on the other side. Isobel and Alaric stood behind Sarah, Bonnie had moved to stand behind Damon. The other vampires were around them but keeping their distance as instructed.

"I can't stand this. When?" Damon asked

"Give it time." Bonnie said. "He got the ring on in time."

"Is he sure of that?" Damon asked, glaring at Alaric. "Perhaps before going inside would have been better."

"She would have said no, Damon." Isobel said sharply. "You know that." She was visibly upset.

Sarah was watching Elena. If she looked at either vampire she only saw glares, so she watched Elena. Finally, she couldn't help herself. She had to touch somewhere, maybe check her pulse. She lifted Elena's wrist to try to feel.

"Don't touch her!" Isobel screamed. "I should be next to her now." she added in frustration as Sarah pulled her hand away.

"She stays next to Elena." Bonnie said firmly.

"She's my daughter!" Isobel yelled back.

"She'll be fine. Stay with me," Alaric said in a soothing voice, his arm around her.

"Now you're vulnerable to them," Isobel said to Alaric in a much softer tone, though still tense.

"So stay with me until I get the ring back."

"She's getting a ring like that, one way or another," Damon said.

They were interrupted by a sharp, audible intake of breath by Elena, followed by "Ow, ow, ow"

Damon immediately started to pull her up into a hug.

"Careful, Damon," Alaric said quickly. "It hurts at first."

Damon laid her back down and leaned over her instead. Her eyes were closed as she tried to breathe normally.

"Damon?" Elena asked as she opened her eyes. She tried to hug him, but laid back down when it hurt. "What happened?"

Damon pulled up her hand to where she could see the ring.

"How'd I get a…" she began, then pulled her hand to her head as a reflex to the pain.

"Elena, are you all right?" Damon asked.

Elena shook her head and tried push herself up. "Help me sit up."

Damon did. Elena began to look at the people around her and tried to remember what had happened. Her eyes stopped at Alaric.

"You put the ring on me?" she asked Alaric.

He nodded.

"When? Don't remember." Her voice was weak. She was having trouble talking.

"You weren't really aware of much when I thought to do it," Alaric responded. His relief was obvious.

Elena exhaled and nodded her head. "Thank you. How long?" she asked Alaric.

"How long what?"

She took a breath and repeated. "How long does it hurt like this?"

"Not long," he reassured her. "A few minutes."

Elena nodded and continued scanning those around her.

"Your aunt." Elena said to Sarah.

"I know." Sarah said, looking relieved. "I'm so sorry."

Elena shook her head. "Not you. Your aunt did this, but you're in danger now. Stay with me."

"You can't protect her, Elena." Damon said curtly. "Not after this."

"I have to. If not me, you. Promise?" Elena implored, looking into his eyes.

"Elena…"

She caught and held his eyes. "Promise me, Damon."

Damon stared at her. He couldn't bear to not give her what she wanted when she was in pain like this. Damon nodded his head. "I will."

Elena did pull him into a hug now, though it still hurt a little. "Help me up." Her voice was getting stronger.

"Are you better now?" Damon asked,

"No, not yet," Elena admitted. "But we need to decide what to do."

"We'll see what Katherine wants to do." Isobel said as Elena stood.

"No." Elena said firmly. "I'm the one on the line here, not her."

Elena's cell phone rang – her Katherine phone. She had to pull Katherine's earpiece out to put the phone to her ear.

"Katherine?" Elena asked.

"Are you all right, Elena?"

"I'm getting there," Elena replied. "Why didn't you just use the earpiece?"

"Some things are not for public consumption, Elena. It sounds like one of the witches left the house with you. Is that correct?"

"Yes." Elena replied hesitantly.

"I need you to have Isobel bring you and her to me."

"No!" Elena exclaimed, suddenly concerned. "It wasn't her. She helped me get out."

"Elena, do you know what happened there?"

"Yes, Sarah's aunt attacked me, not her. Sarah helped me."

"We were betrayed, Elena." Katherine's voice was as icy Elena had ever heard it. "We were tricked into sending you in without protection and you were attacked. If I heard right, you owe your life to Alaric Saltzman."

Elena knew she sounded desperate as she continued to argue. "I do and I know it. He saved me, they got me out of there and I'm fine. It's not Sarah's fault. She helped protect me."

"She set this up, Elena. I heard her say so. She led you right into the house, into a trap. We could not have known, only she could have known."

Sarah spoke now, knowing Elena was talking about her. "What's the matter?" she asked Elena.

Elena responded with the cell phone still at her ear. "Katherine wants me to take you to her."

"Katherine?"

"My boss. The one I work for."

"I thought it was Nathaniel."

"She's helping him by having me do this for him."

Whatever was upsetting Elena, Sarah felt her family was responsible. "Elena, I'm so sorry about this. I'll go."

"No!" Elena said, worried about the way Katherine would treat her. "I'll try to get you back inside your house and see what I can do out here."

Sarah shook her head. "No, Elena. I want to do whatever it takes to make this right."

"You don't know what you're saying."

"Please, Elena, I need to. You've already paid too high a price for this."

"Elena!" Katherine's voice came from the phone.

Elena still stared at Sarah as she spoke into the phone. "Sorry. I had to talk to Sarah. She said she'll come."

That seemed to calm Katherine down. Her tone was considerably milder as she responded "Good. Bring her."

Elena concentrated on Katherine again. "I won't take her there unless you promise me she is safe – that no one will hurt her."

"Elena, I can have her brought here." The icy tone was back.

Damon was, as usual, standing right next to Elena. She pulled his shoulder until he leaned his ear to her and let her whisper into it. She covered her phone's mouthpiece, "Be ready to take Sarah to her door if I nod."

Damon glared but moved to stand next to Sarah.

"You can have her taken to you," Elena said into the phone. "I'm asking you not to. Please, trust me on this and please guarantee her safety."

Katherine was silent for a minute before she spoke. "Very well, Elena. I give you my word that she will not be harmed, but some will stay near her house. They need to know the gravity of what they have done."

Elena breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you. We'll be there soon."

Katherine disconnected without responding.

Elena shook her head at Damon and he backed off. She spoke to Sarah, "She's expecting us. She promised me you will be safe."

Sarah nodded. "I need to talk to my mom before we go."

"No," Isobel said coolly. "You're not going back in there. You're going to Katherine."

"Just to the door," Sarah implored. "I won't go in."

"No!" Isobel said sharply.

"Yes," Elena said to Isobel. "We'll go with her. You, me and Damon."

"We should go too." Bonnie said, motioning to Alaric.

"No," Elena said. "they need to see her with vampires. They need to know that they brought the vampires into this, but they are not hurting her."

"And that I am with them willingly." Sarah added.

Elena wasn't sure what Sarah meant, but didn't ask. She turned to Alaric. "Can I remove the ring now?"

"Not if you're going back there." Damon said.

"I don't think it'll happen again Damon. Can I remove it?" she asked Alaric.

"Does it still hurt?" Alaric asked. "Are you feeling better?"

"The pain is gone," Elena said.

Alaric hesitated, staring at her. "You should be able to," he finally said.

Elena removed the ring and gave it to him. "Thank you. You've done nothing but help me since you came to town, and now this. I can never repay you."

"Don't try to, Elena. Just make it back to Mystic Falls with me. Don't make me face Jenna unless you're standing right beside me."

Elena nodded, suppressing a laugh, and took Sarah's hand, then Damon's. "Isobel, join us?" she said as she started walking towards the door.