Elena

She hesitated before walking into the lounge after Caroline. Her vampire hearing could pick up the whispered conversations and shocked exclamations. No doubt Caroline was telling them about how she'd found her and Damon. She smiled softly. She'd been gone for almost a week, then spent days unresponsive. She was nervous about walking into a room of friends yet she didn't know why. Her hand found Damon's, holding him tight afraid to let go.

"It's okay. They just want to see for themselves." His gentle voice would have soothed her but those words gave her the strength to walk through the door.

She pushed the door open and was immediately crushed by a small figure. The blood rushing through their veins was too much to handle. The sound of their heartbeat. She felt her eyes change. She did everything in her power to stop her fangs slicing through her gums. She shrugged out of Bonnie's embrace, turning and burying her face in Damon's chest. She felt his hand stroke her hair as he whispered calming words to her.

"Breath deeply. Focus on your breathing instead of their heartbeat. You can control this."

She did as she was told, eyes closed focused on her breathing. She turned around to see a shell-shocked Bonnie.

'I'm sorry Elena" her voice wavered on the verge of cracking "I forgot."

She smiled understandingly, even she forgot sometimes. "It's okay."

She reached for her best friend, hugging her tightly. Focusing on her breathing, not her blood. Bonnie released her and pressed something small into her hand. A ring. Silver and delicate with blue stones.

"I'm sorry."

Next she felt Jeremy's strong arms around her, holding her tightly against him. Tears finally spilled from her eyes dampening his shirt. He squeezed her again before retreating. She glanced at Stefan who sat brooding in a corner. She smiled warmly but the only thing returned to her was a look of disgust. She found Damon's hand again and tugged him forward, needing him by her side.

She could feel everyone's eyes on their joined hands, silent judgement yes undisguised curiosity.

She felt Damon tense beside her. She sighed then rolled her eyes, raising an eyebrow.

"Really? You're all gonna sit there and pretend Caroline didn't come rushing in here, squealing about what she say about twenty minutes ago." She heard Damon laugh softly

"Something she rudely interrupted may I add" cut in Damon, shooting glares at Caroline.

"Hey! I didn't expect you to be making out. In a bed. Come on! Cut me some slack." squealed Caroline. She glanced at Bonnie, they shared a look before looking back at her, their eyes boring into hers.

"Later." she mouthed quickly at them. Their eyes narrowed clearly not satisfied.

She glanced around the room decided to get the worst over with.

"Klaus isn't dead." She spoke the words softly but they rang through the room like a knife.

Silence took over, pure shock covering everyone's faces except Caroline. There was hope in her eyes. No one noticed except her, she met Caroline's eyes with understanding. It's hard to lose someone. Especially someone you love.

"Why you are all so sombre? This is a good thing right?" Damon's voice cut through the silence. Eyes looking at him as if he'd gone utterly mad. He rolled his eyes. "That means Tyler could still be alive."

Understanding flashed through everyone's mind. No one said anything else or made a single sound except Caroline, she looked at Damon with her eyes watering, tears rolling down her cheeks. "Thank you" she whispered so softly that human's would not be able to hear.

She glanced at him quickly, there was no hint of sarcasm in his eyes. He met her gaze steadily, offering support in the best way. Silently.

It was Jeremy who spoke next. "What do we do?" Drawing the attention away from Caroline to him.

When no one spoke, she decided someone had to at least put in an idea. "We find Tyler." she said softly. She held out a hand to Caroline and pulled her gently to her feet. She hugged the blonde tightly whispering almost silently in her ear. "We'll find him Care. We'll find him."

The duo left together, shadowed by Damon then almost reluctantly by Stefan. No matter what was going on with the three if them, he still had to help.

Damon

As soon as he stepped outside the boarding house he felt arms around him.

"Caroline?" He was shocked, the blonde barely looks at him without repulsion on a good day.

"Thank you." was all she said before she zoomed into the woods behind the Boarding House. He stared after her shell-shocked, briefly registering Stefan zoom after her.

He looked at Elena who was smiling at him, looking vaguely amused "Did that just happen?" He asked quietly. She laughed out loud.

"Yes, it did. I'm not the only one who sees the good parts of you. Everyone knows they're there." How did she say stuff like that and manage to sound completely sincere and not at all corny? He rolled his eyes before grabbing her hand.

"Shall we check down by the old Lockwood land? Isn't that were the old cellar is where Tyler normally transforms?" When she nodded quickly, they raced into the woods.

He didn't know how long they searched for. He was sure he'd passed that boulder about three times previously but he knew there was nothing he could do that would cause Elena to call this off.

When she froze, her gaze locked on something he was by her side instantly. He followed her frozen to gaze to a lump lying on the ground. He squeezed her shoulder.

"It'll be okay." he whispered in her ear. Within seconds they were next to the body. He watched as she turned it over, crying in delight as she did so.

"Ty, wake up." Tyler's eyes shot open as she slapped him gently on the cheek. He gripped her tightly. The boy looked completely confused.

"Elena?" He shook his head, trying to clear his mind and think straight. He sat bolt upright. "Caroline! Elena where is she?" His panicked voice made him worry for Elena. Last time he'd tried to help this kid, he'd been bitten.

"Elena. Emotional werewolf plus vampire. Not smart." he hissed at her. Realisation crossed her face, she stood up and backed away from Tyler slightly. She glanced at him. He could see the little wheels turning in her head.

"Damon, how about you take Tyler back to the boarding house and I go find Caroline?"

He pulled her into a tight embrace, whispering in her ear.

"Be careful" he smirked slightly "Don't know if I can cope with a repeat of last week." He kissed her cheek softly before adding "Go. Caroline needs to see him." He watched as the disappeared at inhuman speed. He glanced back at Tyler who was staring after her.

"She's a vampire." Thank you, Captain Obvious. He rolled his eyes.

"Nah, she's always been able to run that fast." One look at Tyler's face told him the kid wasn't up for sarcasm just yet. "Meredith gave her vampire blood to heal her then her and Matt drove of Wickery Bridge." Tyler's eyes practically bulged out his skull. He rose his eyebrows yet again.

"Boarding House now. Caroline's gonna deafen us all when she sees you." But the smile took the bit out of his words.

Elena

"Caroline?" she called into the silent woods. She frowned, surely they'd be anxious for news. "Care!" She called slightly louder. She sighed while fishing her phone out her pocket. Caroline answered on the first ring, her voice panicked.

"Did you find him? Is he gone?" She was glad she was the one to be able to tell her the news.

"Care, he's alive-" their conversation was cut short by the sound of air then crunching leaves. She frowned. 'Caroline? You okay?" No reply, more leaves.

"Elena? What's up? She just dropped her phone then took off." She didn't want to talk to Stefan right now.

"Tyler's okay, he's back at the Boarding House. I suppose I'll see you there." She sighed.

"Elen-" She cut him off abruptly.

"Bye Stefan." She said quickly before hanging up.

She didn't know how long she stood there. The silence was deafening, so loud and overwhelming. She focused on the sound of the wind, her eyes closed. With her senses heightened everything was brighter, more beautiful. The rush of the wind was more intense. The heat of the sun more warming. Everything she felt was multiplied. Her happiness. Her sadness. Her guilt. She took a deep breath, readying herself to go back to reality. She turned, the sun warming her back and the wind lifting her hair and she went home.

A/N Yet another update, not too sure where to go from here, definitely to do with the klaus/tyler angle and maybe katherine coming back to explain herself. Views?

Reviews mean the world to me. I love you all.

-E x