I probably don't need to tell you this, but Peachie X is still doing Beta on this story (and she continues to improve it...)

The Invitation

As Damon and Isobel arrived at the Proctor house, several cars were pulling up. Katherine was out of the door of one and was immediately at Damon's side as they reached the doorstep.

"Wait." She said to Damon, looking at Elena.

"She's bleeding," Sarah said as Isobel let her down. "we need to get her taken care of."

"I think it's stopped." Elena said, still in Damon's arms.

"What happened, Elena?" Katherine asked. "I heard noises and screams and then Sarah and spells. What happened?"

"A vampire pulled me out of the car and was starting to bite me when he suddenly dropped me." Elena explained.

"Bite you?" Isobel asked, surprised. "Not just take you?"

Elena moved her head and pulled her hair aside so that the interrupted bite was clearly visible. "Bite me."

"They were out to kill you." Isobel said, shaking her head.

"What made him drop you?" Katherine asked, touching the marks on Elena's neck.

Elena looked at Sarah. "Protection spell?"

Sarah shook her head. "My mom and I created a spell for this – to get a vampire to let someone go. I'm sorry about the fall, but he was biting you."

"No, you're right," Elena said quickly, rubbing her neck. "I'd be dead otherwise."

"Other vampires." Katherine said softly to Isobel.

"Absolutely." Isobel replied.

Katherine looked at Elena, then Sarah, then spoke to Isobel. "I'll go in with Elena and Damon. Most of Nathaniel's that came with us are with me now. We'll leave our other two outside here along with one of Nathaniel's. You take the rest of Nathaniel's, start where you were attacked and spread out in pairs. See if there are any other vampires around that they do not know."

Isobel nodded to Katherine and looked at Elena. She sounded concerned as she said "I'll be back soon."

Elena nodded to Isobel as she turned to leave.

"Alaric?" Katherine asked Elena. Damon was finally letting Elena stand.

It was Damon who answered. "Bringing the damaged car. Should be here anytime."

Katherine nodded and spoke to Sarah. "Will you allow us in now?"

Sarah looked at Elena and whispered, "Elena? The threats."

Katherine spoke to Sarah before Elena could respond. "We need to get Elena inside where she'll be safe from uninvited vampires."

Sarah spoke to Katherine now. "You threatened my family."

"The threats applied if your family hurt Elena again. You kept her safe and I am grateful. I mean you no harm, but I need to be with her now."

Sarah looked at Katherine. She looked normal – not cold, not glaring. Sarah turned to Elena.

"Elena?" Sarah asked.

"Her mother and aunt will be safe with you in there?" Elena asked Katherine.

Katherine nodded. "Describe her aunt," she said to Elena.

Elena looked at Sarah, who didn't react. "Silver hair, her mother has red hair. But both are safe with you in there?"

"Both are safe with me in there as long as you are safe in there, Elena."

"How can I trust you?" Sarah asked Katherine.

"Do you trust Elena?" Katherine asked Sarah.

Elena looked at Sarah and nodded. "You can let her in."

"Will you be able to talk agreements with her there?" Sarah asked Elena, the concern still showing on her face.

"First we ensure Elena's safety," Katherine told Sarah. "Then she can discuss agreements with you."

Sarah closed her eyes and sighed as she said, "Damon, Katherine, come in."

Katherine Can Do That?

Sarah was in a bedroom with Elena, cleaning and bandaging the cuts and scrapes. Katherine, who stood a few feet away, was the only other one in the room, though Damon insisted on standing on the other side of the closed door.

"I'm picking up a lot of life debts here, Elena." Katherine said. "First Alaric and now Sarah. I don't know that I can afford any more."

"They're my debts." Elena replied, grimacing as Sarah cleaned a cut on her knee.

"While you work for me, they're mine as well."

"I'll try to stop getting killed." Elena said looking at Katherine now. "Have you heard from my family? You say someone knows I'm here, could that mean someone knows I'm not there? Would it mean they are in danger?"

Katherine did not look concerned. "Marcus checked in an hour ago. They were fine then, but they should probably know what happened here."

"No!" Elena said quickly. "I don't want them to worry. But is someone telling others where I am? And if so, would it be one of yours?"

Katherine looked a little surprised. "Elena, that's a bit dramatic."

"What I mean is, can you trust this Marcus?"

Katherine stared at Elena now. "Do you not trust me? Marcus has been with your family before, though you may not know that. I trust him."

"I'd like to call Stefan, just to make sure they're OK." Elena said, shaking her head at the damage done to her jeans before pulling them on again.

"Very well," Katherine sighed. "I'll leave it up to you what you want to share with him about what has happened."

"Do you want to call before or after lunch?" Sarah asked. "You will eat with us, won't you?"

"We can have food brought in." Katherine said, looking at Sarah.

"No." Elena shook her head. "I trust them."

"Then you're the only one." Katherine said her gaze shifting to Elena.

"Sarah saved me." Elena argued.

"She did," Katherine said. "but she did no cooking."

"And food from the outside is better - even with someone out there trying kill me?" Elena asked.

Katherine actually smiled at this and spoke to Sarah. "She's always like this, you know. She's done everything I've asked of her, helped me time after time, but never quietly. Always questions and arguments, something I never get from the vampires that help me. It's the reason I trust her more than any other, and the reason we're both still alive."

Katherine spoke to Elena before opening the door. "I trust Sarah with your safety now. She, Bonnie and I will go to their kitchen and make you something from scratch you can eat. You wait with Damon and call Stefan."

Elena was stunned. "You cook? Can I trust that?" she said as she followed Katherine through the door.

Shaking her head, Elena took Damon's hand and pulled him into the living room as Katherine and Sarah found Bonnie and went to the kitchen.

Alaric was in the house now and approached them.

"Are you OK?" he asked Elena, his concern showing.

"Yeah." Elena was leaning against a wall now. "Do you know where Isobel is?"

"I know what she's doing. They think someone's told somebody that doesn't like you that you're here. She's checking for other vampires."

"You didn't have any trouble coming here?"

"No," Alaric shook his head. "but it was close – a quick trip."

"And do you think someone is gunning for me?"

Alaric laughed. "So far, witches and vampires. Sucks to be you."

Elena scowled as he spoke to her again. "I trust no one that didn't come with us."

"Not even Sarah?" Elena asked, almost not believing what he had said. "She did cast a spell that saved me."

"Maybe she did," Alaric said, "but I couldn't see. Until I can, she's still in the 'maybe' column, and she's the only one in this house there. The others are still on the 'no' side."

Elena continued scowling at him as she pulled her phone out and let herself slide into a sitting position. "We have to trust someone eventually, or this won't work."

Alaric laughed humorlessly as he responded. "How's this working so far?"

He left when Damon shooed him away as she dialed Stefan. "Damon, you know Sarah saved me, right?"

Damon nodded. "Yes. Led you into a trap once, saved you once. That makes her neutral so far."

Elena closed her eyes and shook her head as Stefan answered. "Hello, Elena."

"Hi Stefan. Just seeing if everything's OK there." Elena tried to keep her voice normal.

"It is. And with you?" Stefan asked.

Elena hesitated. "Katherine said she's having someone named Marcus stay there with you. Is that right?"

"Yes. He's here."

"Do you know him?" Elena asked. "I mean, did you know him before he went there?"

"Yes," Stefan confirmed. "he and I carried Jenna and Jeremy to safety once."

"Do you trust him, Stefan?"

"Elena, what's wrong?" Stefan asked suspiciously.

Elena hesitated briefly before saying, "Some things have happened here. Katherine and Isobel think someone was tipped off about my being here. I'm just worried someone will go there if they know I'm not there."

"You think Jenna and Jeremy are in danger even without you here, Elena?"

"Yeah. Maybe you should take them somewhere else."

"Elena, you know that would scare Jenna to death." Stefan replied firmly. "The only place she would let us take her is to you."

Elena sighed. She knew he was right. "OK. Stefan, tell Marcus what I told you, OK?"

"You really didn't tell me anything, Elena."

"Just tell him, Elena," Damon said. "They need to know."

Elena closed her eyes as she spoke the words. "Someone tried to kill me."

"Twice." Damon said.

Elena sighed and repeated "Twice. Please don't tell Jenna or Jeremy, just Marcus. I know you guys need to know."

"But you're all right?" Stefan asked, his voice sounding concerned.

"Yeah, thanks to Alaric Saltzman and Sarah, one of the witches."

"Who did this?"

Elena sighed. She really did not want to admit it to him. "A vampire and a witch."

"A witch?" Stefan was surprised. "You said you were meeting with witches. One of them?"

"Yeah."

"Elena..."

"Stefan, don't. I've already been through this with Katherine and Damon and everyone else. We've worked that out."

"Do you want us to go there?" Stefan asked. Elena couldn't read his tone now.

"No," Elena said quickly. "Keep them away from this. Be careful though, someone may try to get at them as well."

"All right, I'll tell Marcus. We'll be careful. But Elena, no more double talk. We need to know this kind of thing."

"I know. I just don't want you guys to worry about me."

"Too late, Elena, I'm worrying." His voice was flat. "I will keep it from Jenna, for now, but she needs to know."

"Later, Stefan. We'll discuss that later. Just keep them safe for now, please."

"Yeah." Stefan's voice was getting harsher. "You call me with any more news."

"Fine." Elena said matching his tone. "And you call me with any news."

"Fine." Stefan said and disconnected.

Elena let the phone drop to the floor, pulled her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs. "God I'm messing this up."

Damon leaned over and kissed her cheek. "You're doing fine," he whispered. "quit trying to protect everybody. We've got that covered. Just get this damn treaty or whatever done and let's get out of here."

"Do you think I'm wrong to keep this stuff from Jenna?" she asked, looking at him.

"I think it won't matter whether you keep it from her or not if you don't make it back to her. I'm going to make sure you make it back so that it matters."