Peachie X continues to bless us with her Beta services on this story. Hope she doesn't decide to curse us instead - I will probably just follow her blindly into it...

Witches' Truce

Bonnie hesitated as she approached the porch. She had been in the house for only a few minutes earlier in the day when things turned bad.

The door opened as she stood, thinking.

"Please come in," Natalie said. "it really is safe for you here."

"And Sylvia?"

"She just snapped, Bonnie. She is sorry for what she did."

"I need for her to tell me that." Bonnie said.

"It'll be hard for her, she doesn't admit it when she's wrong. But she will – she really is glad that Elena is unharmed."

"Unharmed? It took a magic ring to save her, and she was in a lot of pain. I'm not sure she is back to 100% yet, but she still has to talk to the vampires and try to get them to let her keep working on this."

Natalie closed her eyes and nodded her head. "All right but she is sorry she did it. She promised me she will not act so rashly again." Natalie hesitated before asking, "Do you really think Sarah is safe?"

"She's safe," Bonnie replied, with a fairly cold stare, "as long as Elena wants her to be safe. Right now, that's what Elena wants. I have no doubt they will be back by noon."

Natalie nodded. "So please come in. Tell me about this ring you say saved her."

Bonnie entered and followed Natalie to a kitchen table where Sylvia was sitting. Sylvia did not speak and Bonnie could not read her expression. She decided to concentrate on Natalie as she pulled her phone out and placed it on the table.

"Elena will call when they arrive."

"I really appreciate this." Natalie said sincerely. "We really appreciate this."

"Elena insisted," Bonnie replied. "but it won't be pleasant. The vampires will make a lot of noise, threats. But Katherine promised Elena that Sarah will be safe. She keeps her promises to Elena. So whatever is said, remember, they will listen to Elena."

"I could see that watching them from the window and when she was with them on our doorstep. I will keep my promise to her as well. Now you said something about her being alive because of a ring?"

Bonnie decided she was really interested in the ring so she started.

"Yes. It's something Emily Bennett did for a couple of Elena's ancestors," Bonnie began.

Vampire's Response

"Don't get out until I'm at the door waiting for you," Elena told Sarah as she left the car. Elena had been sitting behind Isobel, who was driving, with Damon between her and Sarah.

As Isobel left the car, Elena pulled her aside. "Damon has already promised. I need you to promise to protect Sarah while we're in there."

Isobel stared coldly at Elena. "My loyalty is to Katherine, not to witches. Yours should be as well."

"Please." Elena pleaded. "I'm asking as a favor to me. Katherine has already guaranteed her safety."

Isobel continued to stare. "Then why do you need me? I would not protect anyone from Katherine except for maybe you - maybe. Not her."

"Not from Katherine, from anyone else that is in there. Those that came with us are all back at the house. I don't know if she will be able to control whoever is in there with her. Please, as a favor for me."

Isobel stared at Elena. Her harsh expression softened as she remembered that Bonnie had done a favor for her, though Elena probably did not know that.

"As a favor for you," Isobel responded, "from anyone but Katherine."

"Thank you," Elena said giving Isobel a hug (which was not returned) before circling the car to open the door for Sarah. Damon and Alaric with her now. She called Bonnie as she opened the door.

Stay between me and Isobel," Elena said. "Let me do the talking unless she talks to you."

Sarah had watched Elena become more and more upset – running around trying to protect her. She finally had to speak.

"Elena," Sarah said. "You don't have to worry about me. I told you I've fought vampires before – never lost. I can take care of myself."

"You don't know who's in there. They won't care that it wasn't you that attacked me – just that it happened."

"That doesn't bother you?" Sarah asked. "Is that what you work for?"

Elena looked at Sarah. She was calm, there was no trace of the fear or nervousness that Elena felt. "Katherine will eventually do what's right, and she won't hurt you but she will threaten you and your family. Didn't you say your mother was worried about you?"

Sarah nodded. "She's my mother. It's her job to worry about me. I could put a protection spell around us now before we go in."

"No!" Elena said quickly. "No spells, the vampires may feel threatened. Let Katherine vent, let her say what she wants. She won't hurt either of us, but she will get ugly."

Sarah was genuinely confused. "If she won't hurt us, why do you seem so afraid, Elena?"

"There will be a lot of them and they're fast. Don't think you will see them before they hit you."

Sarah nodded. "I've seen their speed Elena. I get it, they're a threat to me, but you say they won't hurt me and they seem to do what you say."

"At least be polite." Elena muttered as she pulled Sarah behind her and pushed Damon to get him to enter.

They entered a house, about the size of her own. It had a "For Sale" sign in front. Elena was a little surprised that no one had come out to meet them. Damon led the way into the house.

Katherine was waiting in a large living room. It was sparsely furnished – a number of chairs and a desk with what Elena thought was the equipment Katherine had used to listen in on. There were five or six others in the room, but they did not approach. Katherine, who had been sitting at the desk arose and came towards the group, her face wearing the expected glare.

Elena held on firmly to Sarah's hand with one hand, the other tried to position the phone so that at least Katherine, Elena and Sarah could be heard.

Sarah did let out a slight gasp. Katherine did look just like Elena. The clothing and hair were different, but everything else was the same – except the expression. Katherine's cold eyes were looking straight at Sarah.

Elena hesitated, but seeing that Katherine was glaring at Sarah, she spoke. "I'm fine."

Katherine's eyes left Sarah, moving to Elena's then to the phone she held before returning to Elena.

"Really, Elena? Fine? Did my equipment malfunction, because I heard you dying."

Elena spoke softer, more deliberately, "I'm fine."

Katherine stared at Elena briefly before saying "Please allow me to speak with the witch now, Elena. She must be allowed to speak for herself."

Katherine turned back to Sarah, glare intact.

"Sarah Proctor." Katherine said coldly. "Were your ancestors in Salem in the late 1600s?"

Sarah nodded. She was taken aback by Katherine's glare, though from what Elena had said, something like it was expected. It was unsettling that Katherine looked so much like Elena, but was so different.

"Please speak clearly," Katherine said. "Elena's phone will only hear your words."

Sarah found that she had to deliberately control her voice to keep it calm. "Yes."

"In fact," Katherine continued. "a Proctor is on the list of those that were executed in Salem. Is that not correct?"

"Yes." Sarah said, then added "It is correct."

"An ancestor of yours?"

"Yes."

"How do you feel about that? Do you feel your ancestor was treated justly? Dying for the 'crime' of witchcraft?"

"No, of course not." Sarah's voice was not as strong as she would have liked.

"And why is that? What was unjust about it?" Katherine's glare was intact and could be heard in her voice. Katherine's glare was getting to Sarah after all.

"He hadn't hurt anyone. They killed him for what he was, not for what he did."

"So you understand that people should be punished for what they do, not for what they are. Exactly what did Elena do that she deserved to die at the hand of witches?"

Sarah looked at Elena before responding. She mostly wanted a break from the glare. "Nothing, but she didn't die."

Katherine looked at Isobel, "Didn't she, Isobel?"

"She did." Isobel responded. Her voice held no emotion.

"Damon?" Katherine asked, turning to him. "You were there? Did Elena die at the hands of a witch?"

Damon's glare matched Katherine's. "She died. You know it, I know it and Elena knows it."

"She died." Katherine said, glaring at Sarah again. "So I ask again, what did she do?"

Sarah was understanding why Elena was concerned. She hadn't see anything like Katherine's attitude in the other Vampires. Was it because they seemed to follow Elena, but Katherine didn't?

"Nothing. It was a mistake." Sarah was losing control of her voice.

"Mistakes can be deadly," Katherine said. "perhaps you're making another one now."

Elena couldn't help interrupting now. "You promised she would not be harmed."

Katherine looked at Elena as she responded. "And she promised you would be treated well. Her broken promise breaks ours to them."

Elena shook her head. "No! You promised me, not them. All I ask is that you keep your promise to me."

Katherine glared at Elena in silence for a minute, then looked to Isobel. "Surely you could have done better raising her, taught her to not interrupt."

"Left her with Gilberts," Isobel said in the calmest voice that had spoken during the encounter.

"My parents did fine." Elena said. "I promised her safety as you promised me. I know you will keep that promise."

Katherine continued to glare at Elena. "You do know what I will do Elena. Tell my why she is here if her promises are empty."

"She's here to apologize and to keep us talking." Elena said.

Katherine turned back to Sarah. "Do you know what has happened to anyone who has tried to hurt Elena?"

"Yes," Sarah replied. Her voice was getting stronger. Elena had been right – threats and noise, but nothing else. "Bonnie told me."

"I see no reason for this time to be different." Katherine said.

"Because I told her it would," Elena said desperately. "I told her we would keep talking, that we would keep trying to reach an agreement."

"Another promise for them to break. Why would I accept that?" Katherine asked.

"Not you," Elena said quickly. "you don't have to accept it. I speak for Nathaniel."

"You presume too much." Katherine said, continuing to glare at Elena.

"No." Elena's eyes moved to follow the voice of a vampire that had approached them. His voice was without emotion. "Nathaniel was informed that you completely trust Elena Gilbert. We will trust her on this."

Katherine spoke to the other vampire, her voice still harsh. "Nathaniel does not have the power to send her back in to talk to them. I do. Only I can send her back into danger." Elena winced at this statement.

Sarah noted the harshness Katherine used with the other vampire, and was impressed by his lack of response.

"The agreement is to let her deal with the witches," the vampire said. Elena thought she recognized him as the one who had previously given her an envelope for Katherine. "We will trust her to continue to act for us."

Elena looked at him and said a soft "Thank you." He nodded at her before slipping away from the group again.

"Elena," Katherine's glare was gone, but her words were still cold. "why do you trust them? How do you expect me to trust them after what they did to you?"

Elena felt better now that Katherine seemed to be over the threatening to kill them stage. "Why do you have to trust them? Aren't you dealing with people you don't trust now?"

Katherine glared at Elena again. "Act for Nathaniel as you will, as I agreed. But know that when they hurt you, they did not hurt Nathaniel, they hurt me. There's a price to be paid."

Elena sighed. "I know." she said softly.

Katherine turned to Sarah. "I will not let her go in again without vampires."

Elena had not mentioned the subject to Sarah. She turned to her. "I need to have Damon go in with me."

Sarah started to agree when Katherine interrupted.

"At least two" Katherine said, her voice remaining cold.

"It wouldn't have mattered" Elena argued. "I don't think they would have been able to stop her."

"Are you trying to convince me to let you go in or to keep you out?" Katherine asked Elena harshly.

Elena looked at Katherine who was glaring at her again. She spoke softly, trying to sound contrite. "In. I have to go back in."

"At least two," Katherine repeated, looking back at Sarah. "and Sarah Proctor must swear an oath to me that she will protect you."

"I've already made that promise." Sarah said quickly.

"To Elena?" Katherine asked.

"To Bonnie."

"Not good enough. Make it to me now," Katherine demanded.

Sarah was amazed at Katherine's mood swings. She hesitated and looked at Elena, who nodded. "I swear I will protect Elena while she is in my house with me."

"While she is anywhere with you." Katherine said sharply.

Sarah's respect and empathy for Elena were increasing she saw what Elena had to deal with. She quickly nodded. "Anywhere with me. I will protect her whenever and wherever she is while she is with me."

Katherine looked back at Elena. Her expression completely changed now – she looked normal. "I also insist that Alaric Saltzman, to whom I am now greatly in debt," she turned to meet Alaric's eyes briefly and nodded to him, then turned back at Elena, "I insist that Alaric Saltzman also accompany you and stay at your side."

"He should just give her the ring," Damon said.

"No," Elena said. "they won't attack me again."

"Elena…" Damon started to argue, but stopped when she shook her head.

"Two vampires and Alaric Saltzman, Elena. No less." Katherine wasn't glaring but was insistent.

"I promise," Elena responded. "No less."

"You will also need to wear the microphone again. Where is it?"

Elena looked at Damon who removed it from his pocket and gave it to her. She replaced it and spoke into it as Katherine placed something in her ear and listened.

Katherine nodded. "I can hear you - that will work." Then she turned to Sarah and spoke with a blank face and calm tone.

"Your family will die eventually. The vampires in this room will live forever. If Elena is harmed by your family again, you all will be destroyed along with anyone with the name of Proctor we can find. The Proctor witches will not betray us again and live. Do you understand?"

Sarah was angered by the threat but decided to do what Elena had said – let her vent. She had to control her voice again to say "Yes. I understand."

"Good. Keep your promise – keep Elena safe." She turned to Elena. "Go now, you have just enough time to make it there by noon." Katherine returned to the desk without further comment.

"That went well." Damon said as they returned to the car.

"Well?" Sarah asked. "She threatened to kill everyone with my last name."

"You're still alive." Damon said, smirking. "I would have bet against that."

"Damon, please." Elena said. "She has made threats against my family too, Sarah. You said your family would keep their promise, that I can speak with them without being attacked again. And you'll invite Damon and Isobel into your house?"

"Yes," Sarah replied. "but what do you think they can do in there?"

"We can watch the witch that attacked Elena," Damon said. "If she so much as looks at Elena, you will see how fast we can get to her and break her neck."

Elena gave Damon a quick glare and held the door for Sarah. "Please just get in the car. We need to hurry."

Sarah obeyed, feeling she had to watch out for Elena now, as well as keep an eye on the vampires she would be inviting into her home.