Reminder - Beta by Peachie X. You owe her things...we all do...

Losing Trust

"Our family did this? Our family?"

"You know who the Proctors are, Sarah." Natalie said. "Most of them, anyway."

Sarah took the ring from her mother's hand and examined it more closely, "I've seen the spells, of course, but never cast one. Katherine said it might be something she would ask me to do for the vampires around Elena."

"Some who get these rings protect, some kill. You have to be careful."

The younger witch nodded, still looking at the ring. "Is there anyway to tell specifically who made this one?"

"Sometimes." Natalie said as she took the ring back. "There's no mark on this ring that I can see. Though some do put markings on this kind of thing, I never did."

"You've made these before?" Sarah should not have been surprised. It had been several years since they had started to change – sometimes she forgot the specifics about what her mother and aunt had done.

"Yes. Sylvia did also, though I don't think she ever put anything distinctive on them. Either one of us could have made this ring."

Sarah suddenly looked stricken. "There were two." She shook her head.

"Two what?"

"Two vampires that attacked Elena. They only sent us one ring. If they have the other and can figure out it was a Proctor ring…"

Sarah hesitated, then spoke again. "I've got to go to Mystic Falls, talk to Elena."

"What? Now? Sarah…"

"Mom, I have to." Sarah insisted. "They're not stupid, they'll find out who made the rings, then about our family."

"Sarah, I know this is a Proctor ring because I've made them. They won't know."

"I can't take that chance. Plus if our family is going after Elena, she needs to know what they're up against. If I leave now, I can be there by mid-afternoon."

Natalie did not want her daughter to leave so soon after the loss she had suffered. "Sarah, you said you would talk to her after the funerals."

Sarah tried to reassure her mother. "I'll be back tomorrow, Mom. I just have to tell her before she finds out some other way, she'll never trust me if I don't."

Natalie briefly considered offering to go with her, but decided she couldn't. "I can't leave here until after…"

"I know Mom, I'll be fine." Then she voiced a concern she had barely thought of before. "Will you be? If our family is involved and finds out they've failed, that Aunt Sylvia is dead, will they come after us?"

"We've done nothing against them. They have no reason to bother us. Even Sylvia wouldn't have…" Natalie's words trailed off. She was not so sure it was true anymore.

"I'll ask Elena about having someone watch over our house."

Natalie's pain was obvious. "So it's come to this? Seeking protection from vampires? It's not part of the agreement we made."

"Anything that threatens our town is part of it – even our 'cousins'."

"Elena isn't part of the agreement either."

"I just want to ask her if she agrees. If she thinks we need help, I'll call Nathaniel. We don't have to do this alone, Mom. Not anymore."

The older witch didn't answer, so Sarah spoke again as she left the room. "I'm going to get ready, I need to leave right away."

Natalie gave in. "Just be careful, and be back tomorrow."

Her Kind

"They're so close," Alaric commented. Bonnie had noticed, and pointed out to him that several vampires were very close to the school building.

"Don't we have security at this school?" Bonnie asked. "How can they not be challenged?"

"If they were, a little compulsion would easily keep them form being bothered."

"That's the one shadowing me" Bonnie said, pointing. "I wish Elena would get him to leave me alone."

They were silent for a moment before the witch spoke again. "The students are seeing them. They can't stay there."

"I asked Stefan to talk to them," Elena said from behind them.

Bonnie turned to face her friend. "You haven't talked to Katherine or Isobel?"

Elena shook her head. "Whatever is going on, they haven't told me. I'm about ready to use the phone to ask Katherine, even though she'll probably just yell at me."

"Does Damon know anything?" Alaric asked.

"I haven't seen him since he dropped me off here this morning. I'm sure he would have told me if there was anything weird going on. There was no one hanging around by the school then either."

Alaric nodded, then spoke to Elena again. "You'd better go if you want lunch today, though tell me if Stefan learns anything."

Elena nodded and pulled herself away from the window. "I want lunch. Bonnie, will you come with me?"

"Save me a spot, I'll be there in a minute. I need to ask something first."

Elena nodded and left the room.

Bonnie turned back to Alaric. "What did you need me alone for?"

Alaric pulled a ring out of his pocket and moved to give it to her. "Do you know what this is?"

Bonnie glanced at it as she accepted it. She felt a small jolt.

"I feel something, but I don't know what. It's charmed or something."

"It was on one of the vampires that attacked Elena. It allowed him to attack her during the day."

"Oh." Bonnie examined it more carefully. "I guess it could be. It has all the right elements."

"Do you know who made it? Can you tell?"

The witch looked at him, then back at the ring before shaking her head. "I can tell it's not what Emily or Grams would have done. It's not like what is in her spell book."

She gave the ring back to Alaric. She noted he looked a little disappointed and added, "I'll look some more when I get home."

She had started moving towards the door when Alaric's eyes were pulled to her as she let out a gasp. She froze in place and waited for the vampire to enter the room.

"Why are there vampires out there in plain sight?" Bonnie asked Isobel, her expression was hard.

"Because of your kind." Isobel said icily as she walked towards Alaric.

"What? My kind?"

The vampire turned to face Bonnie now speaking with the same tone. "Your kind. From what we can tell, Marcus was attacked by a witch, or witches. Witches can get to Elena too easily here. That's why we're close."

"You can't tell a witch from anyone else – close or far." Bonnie insisted. "Why are you so close?"

"To be able to get to Elena. Damon is giving her a ring with a button that, if she pushes, will bring us to her in seconds."

"Damon's here too?"

Isobel was visibly irritated. She turned back to Alaric. "Get rid of her, Rick."

Alaric sighed and turned to Bonnie. "You should go. Elena's waiting for you."

"Get rid of the guy following me around." Bonnie said as she turned and left the classroom.

"Witches attacked Marcus? The same ones who made the ring?" Alaric held the ring out.

"Our best guess. We have no idea who or if it was the ring maker."

"Did Katherine send the other ring to Sarah?"

"Yes. We haven't heard back from them, though."

Alaric nodded.

Isobel smiled slightly. "I have been sent to help you with this one."

"I have class in a couple of minutes." Alaric noted.

"I am capable of researching without you, Rick."

"I don't have my books here either."

Isobel was not fazed. "Do you have a computer with an internet connection here?"

Alaric nodded.

"That's all I need, Rick. Katherine gave me the number of someone who might be able to help. Get me on the net and go to class."

Relief

Sarah knocked on the door she had been directed to. She had tried to think of what to say to Elena as she drove. She didn't really have much.

"May I speak with Elena?" Sarah asked the woman who opened the door.

Jenna hesitated. 'Anyone could be a threat to Elena,' she had been told.

"About?"

Sarah had no idea who this was or what she should to say to her. She decided to play it safe.

"She helped me with some stuff a couple of days ago. I just need to ask her something."

Jenna hesitated, but decided to give Sarah a head motion to invite her in. At least she would be able to tell if she was a vampire.

"Thank you," Sarah said as she entered. "Are you Elena's sister?"

"Aunt, and guardian."

"OK." Sarah said. "Is she home?"

Jenna shook her head and motioned for Sarah to sit in the living room. "She should be home any minute. Can I get you anything?"

"Just water, please."

Sarah heard the front door open before Jenna had returned. She rose and faced the door as Elena entered with Damon.

Sarah was relieved when Elena ran to her and gave her a hug. "Sarah!"

Jenna was back with the water, also a little relieved that Elena seemed to know Sarah.

"Are you going to introduce us?"

"Sarah, my Aunt Jenna. Jenna, this is Sarah Proctor. She's been a big help to me in the short time I've known her."

The Distance

"Are you sure?" Alaric asked Isobel.

Isobel's face was hard. "No doubt. No wonder that witch attacked her."

"Sarah saved Elena."

"The question is, for what?" Isobel said, pulling her phone out. "They can't be trusted."

"Who are you going to call?"

Isobel ignored the question. "At least there's hundreds of miles between them," she muttered as she pushed the buttons on her phone.