Fifteenth.

I stayed locked in my room for two days. I knew that it was juvenile and that at any point Stefan or Damon could kick me out. By the second day I actually anticipated that, but it never came. I didn't hear much movement around the house, the occasional door opening or closing, a bottle of alcohol being poured, but aside from that there was nothing. I cut myself off completely, no food, no drink, no TV and no phone. I needed time alone to make some sense of what had gone on out in the woods, but understanding was completely out of my reach.

I regretted throwing the camera almost instantly and spent half of the night cleaning it up. Most of the shards were unrecognizable plastic and metal. I never found the photo card, I figured it was probably sitting in the trashcan somewhere amongst the pile of pieces that had once been one of my more favored possessions. I deserved to lose them for acting the way that I was. I had used my feet to scan the floor for any extra shards, letting the pieces cut into my skin. I knew that I'd have to now mop the floor but I let them bleed anyway, the pain a reminder of my foolish actions.

Late into the second night I was hungry enough to poke my head out of the room. The hallways were dark, illuminated only by the lights from the lower level. I took a few steps out and listened, I could hear both Stefan and Damon breathing rhythmically and deeply so I knew they were asleep. I slipped out through the doorway and over to the banister. I looked down into the deserted hallway with its dim lights casting a glow on the floor. Satisfied that I was the only one awake I quickly descended the stairway and headed for the kitchen.

The fridge was usually pretty bare, a few doggy bags from The Grille and various bottles of alcohol, but that was about it. I opened the door hoping to find some of the bottles of blood that I knew Stefan was stockpiling. Thankfully there was one left, that would save me a trip to the basement. In truth I probably would have gone to bed hungry before I would walk back down there again. I stood in the light from inside the fridge and took a few sips. Closing the door I turned to exit the kitchen as the overhead light suddenly illuminated. Startled I jumped back and dropped the open bottle which hit the floor at an angle, splashing blood all over me, the fridge and the counter before coming to a rest on the floor where the rest of the contents spilled out.

Damon stood in the entranceway with his hand on the light switch. I sneered at him as I wiped blood from my arms and shirt. "Thanks a lot!" I shot at him bending down to pick up the bottle and trying to contain the spreading mess.

"My pleasure," he replied smirking at me. "To what do we owe the pleasure of your presence this evening? Finally decided to bust out of the cocoon?"

I grabbed some paper towels from the counter and attempted to soak up some of the mess. "What do you want Damon?"

"I don't want anything, your adoring fans on the other hand seem to be demanding your attention," he said to me in a slightly annoyed tone.

"What are you talking about?" I asked without looking up from the mountain of bloodstained towels in front of me.

"Your phone was ringing, incessantly."

"My phone is off and upstairs in my room," I told him as I stood, my hands full of soiled towels. I placed them in the trash can and started searching for another roll.

"I beg to differ," he says holding the phone out to me.

I snatched the phone out of his hand and he turned and walked out of the room. I stared down at the display that read "4 missed calls." That was impossible, I'd only been out of my room for a few minutes and I hadn't turned my phone on in days. I jabbed at the screen to see who was calling, but they were all listed as "unknown." Strange. I put the phone down on the counter, found some old rags and cleaned up the rest of the mess. I turned off the light and headed back up to my room. When I got there I found two cold bottles of blood on my bedside table. I peeked around to make sure I didn't have any unwelcome visitors before closing the door again.

I sat down on the bed and opened one of the bottles. It had definitely just come out of a cooler; sweat was forming on the outside of the bottle as I drank. I put the second one aside and looked at my phone again. All four calls were received in the same five minute period while I was out of the room. I shook my head and put it down on the table. I reached under the mattress and pulled out my journal. After only a few lines my phone started chirping. I picked it back up to see "one new voicemail" on the screen. I checked the missed calls again but there were no new ones. I put down my pen and sat up in the bed.

Tentatively I pushed the voicemail button and listened. "Well, my dear Katherine Ella-Norrah I see you haven't changed your number. Probably a wise move since it would have been a bother to have to learn a new one." My blood ran cold as Katherine's voice emanated from the device. "I understand that you might have lost something very special to you and that you'll probably want it back." What was she talking about? "Whenever you're ready, I'll be waiting. Come and get it my girl." Before the phone cut out I heard a metallic thump and what sounded like a chain falling. I threw the phone across the bed and then horror enveloped me as I realized what she had been referring to.

I reached up to my neck, but it was gone. My ring and chain had fallen off and Katherine had somehow gotten her hands on them. I panicked and punched in Elena's number then realizing what time it was I hung up, stared at the phone for a minute and then turned it off. Think Norrah, think, when was the last time you remember having it on. I thought back a few days but then hit a wall made up of vervain and witch hazel. Before that, I had to remember before that. On the hillside, damn Norrah, relax and think! Did I have it that morning, I thought back trying to retrace my steps. Yes! I had tucked it into my shirt before we started to run, I felt it bounce against my skin with each step. I had it that morning, so it had to be here somewhere.

I started yanking the sheets off the bed frantically searching, taking each sheet and shaking it out violently, feeling in between the platform of the bed and the mattress, then flipping the mattress off the bed, narrowly missing Damon as he raced into the room and grabbed my hands. "What the hell is going on? Norrah, Stop! What's the matter?"

"My ring. She said she has my ring. I have to find it!" I rushed into the hallway scanning the carpets. Damon followed me out and tackled me against the wall.

"What ring? Who has it?" He asked me as I fought loosened my arms from his grasp.

"My Ring! My Ring!" I yelled back, "The one I wear on the chain, its gone."

"I don't know what ring you're talking about," he said as he slammed my arms back against the wall.

I took in a deep breath and pushed him off of me into a wooden beam and raced down the stairs. In the living room I started throwing couch cushions and knocking glasses off of the tables. I threw one right at Damon's bar set-up and took out three crystal decanters. I was in a complete frenzy as both Damon and Stefan came running down the stairs. I heard the front door fly open and Elena rushed over to the edge of the room, her mouth hanging open in shock as Damon crashed into me pinning me to the floor. I was hysterical but I'd lost the will to fight him. I was defeated and she had won.

"What happened," I heard Elena ask.

"I don't know," Stefan answered as he came down to help Damon get me up. "I heard some banging, saw Damon run and ran down after him."

I grabbed onto Damon as he helped me on to the couch and collapsed unto his arms. I was crying so hard that I was trembling. "She keeps saying something about a ring."

Elena walked cautiously into the room and sat on the couch across from us. "A ring? What ring?"

"Some ring she said she wears around her neck," Damon whispered loudly across the room.

"Oh my God," Elena said as she rose and crossed the room kneeling in front of me. Damon pushed me up off of his shoulder to look at her. "Norrah, what happened to the ring?"

"She has it," I croaked out. "Katherine has it."

Elena knew what I meant. She motioned to Stefan to step out of earshot with her. "We have to get that ring back from her and fast."

"First you have to tell me what the big deal is about a ring."

"It was Katherine's mother's wedding band," she explained to him. "When she handed Norrah off to Katherine's father she tucked the ring unto the blanket with her. When Norrah's mother found it in the sheet she knew it was meant for Norrah and she saved it for her. She's been wearing it around her neck for over five hundred years. That ring is all she has left of her humanity."

"So what does Katherine want with it?" He asked.

Elena looked into the room to make sure we couldn't hear her and pulled him a few feet further away. "It's not just a ring. Bonnie says it's a powerful talisman. It's how they were able to get Norrah out of the cabin. Katherine must know what it is and now she's using it to get Norrah to come after her."

"We'll take care of it," he told her as he motioned to Damon. "You two stay put and call Caroline and Bonnie to come stay with you. I don't want you alone in case she comes here looking for you."

Damon helped me up to my feet and handed me over to Elena. "Go up to my room, lock the door and stay there," he demanded as he grabbed his coat and they took off into the night.