Sixteenth.

Bonnie and Caroline were at the house fifteen minutes later and we were all holed up in Damon's room. My head was spinning. I thought back to the day that my mother presented me with the ring, the feel of the ribbon as I untied the bow, the soft fabric it had been folded up in. She had told me that it wasn't really from her, but I still considered it her gift to me. She didn't have to give it to me after all, especially not after my father told her the truth about my birth. Now I felt as if I had lost the last piece of her, the one possession that I had kept with me throughout my life.

The girls tried to keep my mind off of it. They started asking me about my childhood, growing up in Bulgaria and England. I told them about the farm, at least what I could remember of it, and about my father. I told them about our luck finding the little cottage in southern England and starting our lives over after my father's death, how we managed to survive without the internet and cell phones, cars and electricity, credit cards and shopping malls. Life was so much more simple back then, but it was hardly boring. I'd give up all of these modern luxuries to go back, even just for a day.

We watched as the morning light filtered in through the windows. I had thought that the boys would have been back by now. With each moment that went by my anxiety mounted. We all waited and listened for the front door to swing open downstairs. After a few hours we were all getting antsy, hungry and a bit cranky from having been up so early. By noon the walls seemed to be closing in on us and we all agreed that it would be safe to go downstairs as long as we stayed together. We all walked down to the living room, grabbed the couch cushions that were still scattered around and sat in front of the hearth.

Caroline stood after a few minutes, walked to the back of the couch and held up one of the few bottles of alcohol that had survived my tirade. "Who's in?" she asked us shaking the liquid around.

"Me," I told her without wasting time to think about it. My nerves were raw and needed the numbing comfort that only Whiskey could bring.

"Me too," Elena quickly answered, clearly needing a distraction as well.

"Bonnie?" Caroline asked.

"No thanks," she replied shaking her head. "I am hungry though. Maybe I should run out and get us some food."

"Maybe delivery would be a better idea," Elena countered. "I think it would be better if we stick together." We all agreed that was probably a good idea. Caroline got out her phone and called while Elena and Bonnie went in search of some plates and napkins.

When she hung up the phone I worked up the nerve to ask her something that had been haunting me. "So is it true that you were with me when I was finally able to open my eyes?" I asked Caroline after the girls were out of earshot.

"Yeah, you were crying so I held your hand," she told me. "I wasn't really sure what to say so I just told you to open your eyes. I was afraid that after getting all of that vervain at once you might not ever open them again. It was my fault you know, I was the one who gave it to you."

"I know," I confessed, "Elena told me. She looked away from me ashamed.

"I thought we were helping, but then when you didn't wake up…" she trailed off, guilt and shame reflected in her words as well as her tone.

"Caroline," I said as I reached for her arm, "thank you."

She looked back at me with surprise. "Thank me for what? I could have killed you. Well, maybe not killed you, but done some serious damage."

"I know, but you didn't," I reminded her. "When you took my hand and whispered encouragement in my ear, it was the first time I really thought that if I concentrated and tired as hard as I could, that I might just do it. When I opened my eyes, I thought you were someone else."

"Lexi?" she asked.

"Yeah," I answered. "She was the only one who has ever known how to comfort me like that, to bring me back from a dark place. Everyone always tries to force smiles, hug, and tell me it will all be okay, when all I really need is someone to take my hand and let me know that I'm not alone. So thank you."

She smiled over at me. "Stefan talks about her sometimes. He even told me once that I reminded him of her. I'm sorry I never had the chance to meet her, and I'm sorry I wasn't who you were expecting."

"I'm not," I told her, "If I ever see Lexi again I'm going to kick her ass for leaving me all alone in those woods. If you had been her I wouldn't have had the strength." I smiled back.

"So sorry to interrupt, but I believe I have something that belongs to you." Both of our heads whipped around to see Katherine standing in the open doorway, my ring dangling from its chain in her hand. Caroline reacted immediately, rushing at her, fangs barred, but she was stopped short when Katherine sprayed her in the face with vervain. "Little trick I picked up from a wolf a few years back," she said about the little spray bottle as she walked in a few steps, "handy." Caroline was writhing on the floor and I rushed over to help her but was stopped before I made it up the steps when she held the bottle up to me. "Trust me, this will hurt you a lot more than it does her."

As Caroline rose another woman entered through the doorway glancing over at her and Caroline grabbed her head and dropped back to her knees, screaming out in pain. Elena and Bonnie came running back in from the kitchen; I tried to warn them to stay back but Katherine had heard them. She lifted an eyebrow and descended on them in a flash. The woman who stood in the doorway left Caroline in a heap, and with a sweep of her hand she threw Bonnie up against the wall. She had to be the witch who had helped Katherine trap me in the cabin. Katherine grabbed Elena who struggled against her grip and I rushed at her, but she picked Elena up and ran around to the living room. "So, she said as she glared at me. What do you say? Either you come with me or I kill Elena, then the witch and vampire Barbie while you watch."

"No," I shouted without even thinking. "Let her go, leave them alone, I'll come with you." Elena's face twisted in pain as Katherine tightened her grip and smirked. She glared up at me as she spoke to Elena, her face right next to Elena's ear. "Looks like you've been spared again, but just know that one day there won't be anyone around to save you." With that she threw Elena's arms down against her back and ran at me. I tried to shield myself, but the witch had bound my hands to my sides. "That was possibly the stupidest decision you have ever made." I felt a set of hands grab my head from behind as Elena, Bonnie and Caroline looked on helplessly. I felt the twist and heard the crack, and then...