Fourth.

Stefan helped the girls settle me into the extra bedroom in Bonnie's house. They brought me some tea and cookies to nibble, but I wasn't very hungry. Elena and Bonnie sat on the end of the bed and Caroline sat in the overstuffed chair across the room. Stefan stood leaning against the doorframe watching me, it was making me nervous. Everyone was quite, no one wanted to be the first to break the uncomfortable silence. I sighed, "I'm fine, I swear. I'm sorry that I made you all nervous but I'm okay."

"You've been through a lot," Stefan said to me, "it's alright if you need some time, but we're all here for you. Katherine has gotten to all of us at one time or another." I nodded at him and he pushed himself upright and unfolded his arms. "Well I'm gonna get going. Are you sure you don't need anything?" he asked one last time.

I shook my head. "No, but thank you for everything Stefan, really." He nodded down at me, put his palm up in a little wave to everyone, and headed out. I reached up and rubbed my ring between my thumb and forefinger.

"So what actually happened while you were in that cabin anyway?" Caroline's voice cut through the silence.

"Caroline!" Elena scolded as she glared at her.

"What? She's been gone for almost four weeks," Caroline retorted, "something must have happened besides Katherine killing that woman." I winced as the memory flooded back. I didn't have any real connection to the woman, didn't even know her name, but I felt guilty nonetheless. Katherine had probably planned to kill her anyway, but I know that my actions that day had likely hastened the process.

"It's been four weeks?" I asked looking towards Bonnie and Elena as they exchanged tense glances.

"Four weeks tomorrow," Elena confirmed. I tried to process it, to figure out the timeline, but it was all still so raw that I couldn't concentrate long enough to work it out.

"Well?" Caroline prodded despite the dirty looks that Bonnie and Elena threw her way.

"Caroline, leave her alone!" Bonnie snapped at her in response.

I was staring down at the quilt covering the bed, running my fingers over the delicate stitching and the different textures of the fabric blocks. After a moment I spoke. "It was how I imagine hell to be. The walls closing in on me, an open door mocking me as I lay desiccating and rotting on the bed; my mind still worked but I could barely move and the worst part was that I didn't even care."

I knew that they were all looking at me but I couldn't look up. I took a few deep breaths and reached for my tea taking a few large gulps. I thought for a minute before realizing something wasn't right. "Hey," I looked up at them, "where is Damon?" Again I watched as uncomfortable glances passed between them. Elena turned to me.

"He's dealing with Katherine," She said. Of course, I don't know why I didn't think about that. "She figured out you were gone. Stefan said it was like she sensed it the moment you got out, and tried to come after you. Damon went after her and Stefan came and got me."

"Did she threaten you?" Elena looked away from me. "Elena, what did she say?"

Bonnie spoke up. "She said that if Stefan and Damon didn't return you to them that she was coming after Elena," She told me as she grabbed Elena's hand. "She said that if she found Elena she wouldn't hesitate to kill her." She squeezed Elena's hand and looked back at her. I watched as she comforted Elena without a word, that was true friendship. I missed that.

"I'm going back," I said as I threw the blankets off of my legs.

"What? No, Norrah, you can't. She can't be trusted. Who knows what she would do this time." Elena said to me. "I won't let you go."

"She threatened you," I reminded her. "I can't let her do that and think that she can get away with it."

"Norrah," Bonnie reached out and took hold of my upper arm, "you can't go out after her. She knows this area too well and it's dark. Besides, the cabin is gone." Caroline rushed over blocking my exit. I puffed out my cheeks in frustration.

"Get out of my way Caroline or I'll remove you myself." I felt my anger level rising as she stared back at me. Elena slipped in between us causing me to back down. "Elena, what are you doing?" I asked her in an exaggerated whisper.

"I'm trying to stop you from doing something stupid." I felt the sting of her words. "We are all safe in here, Katherine can't get in. Everyone just needs to relax," she said as she turned back to look at Caroline, "We're safe for now."

For now, her words repeated over and over in my head. What was going to happen tomorrow, next week, next month? We couldn't all stay in this house forever, but it seemed pointless to argue tonight. They were right, I didn't know the area well enough, and besides that I hadn't regained all of my strength yet, so it was possible Katherine could overtake me. I rolled my eyes and with a sigh I sank back down on the bed. I was kidding myself thinking I could find her right now anyway.

My eyelids were quickly getting heavy and the pillows looked so inviting. I started to suspect that there was more than just tea in my mug but rather than fight it I gave myself over to it as the girls argued quietly about sleeping arrangements. Within minutes I was fast asleep and dreaming about my home in England.