"Beat him at his own game?" Elena repeated as the two headed up the stairs. "Yes." Stefan hissed under his breath as they neared the top. Elena only nodded in retrospect. "Okay." She said. As they walked into the main room, Damon paced, Lexi shot daggers at Klaus, and Klaus leaned casually against a wall. "Ah, there they are. Stefan, Elena." Klaus curtly greeted. "Klaus." Elena said through clenched teeth. "Don't pout, my dearest Elena. It promotes wrinkles." He chided.

A low growl sounded from the other side of the room, none the less from Lexi. "What are you trying to get at?" she asked, now standing in front of Klaus. "Me?" Klaus asked with a raised brow, "I explained it to you already. And I am not the kind of man who repeats himself." He finished. "On the contrary, your not a man at all. You're a hybrid freak." Came Damon's loose lipped comment. A small laugh was heard from Elena. Klaus turned to shoot Damon a look, then turned his attention back on Elena. "Now, I was informed that you were still alive…well alive as a vampire can be." He started. "So, I came back to finish you. As you should've been when I first killed you." He said.

[[ Stefan's POV ]]

I watched on with curious eyes, Lexi's posture, Damon's comments, Klaus' actions. Everything. Anything at any moment could turn ugly. I continued watching as Klaus rapped on at Elena, never stopping once. So, I cut in. "Now, what in hell, "I started. "makes you think that you can come back here, and kill my girlfriend?" he asked. "Because, I for one, certainly will not let that happen." I said, narrowing my eyes at him. "And what makes you think," he responded. "She'll stay alive any longer?" he asked. His eyes challenging me, "Because you love her? Because you feel something? Because your no longer a ripper?" he growled. "I can do one better. Something neither of you, which includes you, Damon and Lexi can help." He hissed.

"And that would be?" I asked. Bad move, Stefan. I thought. Bad move. "Because I will do, what I came here for. I'll kill Elena. And when I am done, Lexi and I can both move on." Klaus repeated. He gripped my shoulders tightly, his pupils dilating. "Turn it off. Turn off your feelings, your humanity. Ripper." He finished. Something was going on, I had to listen to him. This wasn't the first time he'd compelled me. My shoulders went slack for just a moment. I closed my eyes, and blinked. When I opened my eyes, I glanced at Elena. And felt nothing for her, even if she was a vampire. Feelings? Checked out. Humanity? Checked out. Ripper Stefan? Checked in.

She watched on in horror. Klaus was still able to compel people, and she felt tears spring to her eyes as he compelled Stefan. Why did she just stand there? She didn't make an effort to do a thing, and now? He was back to being a Ripper douche. "Stefan…" she whispered, as everything settled in. The air thick with tension. "Elena." His voice was harsh and sharp. "Stefan, please…you know this is me. It's Elena. I don't care how much compulsion he's used on you. I know the real Stefan's in there!" she said exasperated. "No." Stefan growled, "He's not. He's gone Elena. And this time he's gone for good." He said. Klaus gave a satisfied chuckle, and Elena let the tears leak from her eyes. Running down her cheeks, and she just about fell to her knees. "Looks like that little plan of yours?" Klaus said suddenly, "Fell apart. Just like last time." He hissed. Elena glared at him, her eyes red from crying. "You did this. You turned him into a monster. You bastard!" Elena growled. Her eyes grew red with anger, and she could feel her fangs elongating from her canines. "ELENA!" Lexi's sharp yell came.

Lexi had a good hold of Elena, as she thrashed about trying to make her way to Klaus. "Elena stop!" she said. "He can still kill you. Fighting him isn't worth it! We'll get Stefan back. I promise you! Just, come with me." She said trying to calm her the best she could. Leading a very angry and upset Elena out of the room, Klaus watched on. "Such a pity." He said shaking his head, glancing at Damon who too gave him a nasty look. "Don't you too start with the waterworks. All I need is more leverage." He smirked. "Wasn't going to." Damon bit back hastily. "Hm..Stefan?" he asked, and Stefan immeadtley returned his attention back to Klaus. "Go into town, find someone to feed on, and then come back." He ordered, and just like that Stefan was gone.

Damon watched his younger brother leave, influenced by the compulsion. "I know, you may think you have won." Damon started, crossing his arms over his chest. "But you haven't. Not by a long shot. Because I know my brother, and I know Elena. They can, and they will kick your ass." He growled. "Oh will they now?" Klaus countered. "Because last time I checked your brother was under my compulsion. " he hissed. "And now? So are you." Klaus growled. "What're you talking about? I'm not under anyone's compulsi-" his sentence was soon cut short.

" Turn your emotions off. Your humanity. Any feeling you have towards Elena. You feel nothing. All you know is that you and your brother, are both very much Ripper like." he said, as his compulsion continued on. "And in the end, we will kill Elena. Do you understand?" he asked. "I understand." Damon said. At that moment Lexi chose to walk into the room, She gasped. "What've you done?" she growled. "Me? I fixed them. Both of them." he said with a shrug, and just like that Klaus was gone.

A/N: I tried to make this one a bit longer. Sorry for the abscense. I had to re-write this whole chapter because my computer crashed. Though chapter nine is here now! So read and review! :D