Two days had passed almost peacefully. Caroline's dad was gone, so we didn't have to worry about the council spreading vervain in town. But, Katherine had taken Elena's necklace from Bonnie, we were still unaware of why. My health was quickly deteriorating, and I practically had to hide from my friends, so they wouldn't see me so bad and find out what was going on. Bonnie was having trouble with Jeremy, who was seeing his ex-girlfriend's ghost. She had asked me to help, to make it stop, but I explained I couldn't. It was a consequence of bringing him back from the dead, and he if he was seeing Anna was because he was letting her in. It didn't please her at all and their relationship was slowly crumbling.

As for Damon… Damon was being Damon. He kind of disappeared for these two days, and I had suspicions it had something to do with Katherine's return, although Elena assured me, and herself, Damon wouldn't.

But I knew he would, specially considering our last conversation.

And at Caroline's insistence, I decided to participate on senior prank night. Not that I would be going to school…

"So… can I know why you've disappeared this summer or is it a supernatural people's secret?" Matt asked as I picked at the lock of the janitor's closet.

"I needed a break, vacations" I shrugged smiling up at him as the door opened.

"Right" he chuckled.

"I needed to solve a couple things… Edward, Stefan…"

"So, Edward is coming back too?" he asked as we got the rolls of toilet paper.

"No, he's… on vacations" he arched an eyebrow and I frowned. "Rehab"

"Oh" he mumbled and smiled at me. "You are my new source of information, no one tells me what's going on"

"Sorry, Matty" I smiled sadly. "We don't mean to, it's just… you freaked out on Caroline's vampirism, and then you tried to shoot me and Damon"

"I am sorry about that"

"I know, we just thought you wanted to stay away from us and our problems"

"I don't. I want to help" he said as we walked towards the gymnasium. "I hate being useless"

"You're not useless, Matt" I said and he rolled his eyes so I bumped my shoulder with his. "I throw away useless stuff. Not gonna throw you away"

"Flung me against the wall, maybe?" he said jokingly.

"If you try to kill us all again" I retorted.

"Touché" he laughed.

We met Bonnie by the pool and I left them with the task of toilet-papering the pool.

"I'm gonna check on Elena and glued drawers" I told them.

Once I was out of their sight, I leaned against a wall, taking deep breaths. I rubbed my chest through my black tank top and decided I should get the atropine from my bag I left in Ric's classroom. Carlisle had called me the day before to check on me, and I assured him I was fine, by his tone I could tell he wanted to come check, but if he came, then the whole family would come and Mystic Falls was complicated enough as it was.

I started to walk to the exit, when I saw people leaving.

"Hey, what's up?" I asked a girl.

"We were busted at the gym" she shrugged. "Too bad"

I nodded and turned to get Elena and the others so we all could go home. I was going back to the pool when someone grabbed me and held me by my throat against the wall. I wheezed and the girl stared at me with shock.

"Blaire"

Her British accent and knowledge told me we were in deep problem. She reminded me a bit of Elijah, she had bluish-green eyes, so bright and clear, as Elijah's were when he was worrying.

"I'm… not Blaire" I choked out.

She scowled at me, letting me go and I almost fell to the floor but she grabbed my arm and dragged me away. I connected the dots as I regained my breath.

"You're Rebekah" I mumbled.

"Thank God, someone seems to know me or remind me" she said bitterly. "Nik has to see you"

"What? Klaus is here?"

"Came for the doppelganger… But it seems I've found another"

"He already knows me!" I told her desperately thinking how to get Elena as far away as possible. She seemed confused. "He didn't tell you. I'm helping him"

She groaned and continued to drag me along the corridors. We found Caroline and Tyler making out against lockers and Rebekah cleared her throat.

"Caroline, go" I told her as they turned to us.

Caroline stood in front of Tyler, glaring at Rebekah's grip on my arm.

"Who the hell are you and what do you think you're doing?" Caroline hissed.

"Don't" I whimpered as the grip tightened.

"You must be Caroline, the vampire… And you must be Tyler, the Lockwood werewolf" Rebekah said.

"Let her go" Tyler said threateningly.

"You are in no position to make demands, my dear" Rebekah taunted.

"We'll see" Caroline said as her face changed.

"No!" I snapped as Rebekah threw me away and Caroline attacked her. "Care!"

Rebekah, without hesitance or problem, snapped Caroline's neck and she fell lifeless on the floor. Rebekah grabbed Tyler, and he barely put up any fight. If she could so easily kill Caroline, Tyler, without a full moon, would be the same.

"Go ahead and don't try anything stupid" Rebekah told me.

I scrambled up and giving Caroline one last look, I turned and walked to the gym, feeling Rebekah's gaze burning in my back. My blood went cold when I got to the gymnasium. Elena was standing in the middle of the court with two other students while Klaus lazily sat on the bleachers.

"Dear, sister, I ask for one and you get two useful people" he said smirking.

"K-Klaus" I stammered out glancing at Elena.

"Thank you, for having the good sense of being frightened, Isabella" he said angrily walking to me. "You didn't keep your word"

"I helped you"

"You forgot to mention the doppelganger was still alive!" he roared.

"What does it matter? I'm alive too" I said in the vain hope he would let her go.

He grabbed me by the red leather jacket I wore and got face to face with me.

"Do you think this is a joke?" he snarled. "You knew I was having trouble creating hybrids and I'm sure it's connected to the fact that she's still fucking breathing!"

"I'm a doppelganger too" I pointed out.

"Yes, I should have realized you being alive wasn't such a good thing" he pushed me away. "But, I don't want to make any mistakes again"

Bonnie entered the gym with Matt and stared at the scene shocked.

"Oh, so good you've decided to join us" Klaus said sarcastically. "Your witchy interference has caused some undesirable side effects. Every time I try to turn a werewolf into a vampire hybrid, they die"

"Should I care?" Bonnie said through gritted teeth.

"Well, my best guess, now that I know that Elena is alive too, is that they are interfering" Klaus said. "So, for now, my plan is to kill Bella and Elena and try again... So…"

He grabbed Tyler, and bit his wrist, forcing Ty to drink his blood, I held Elena back and watched with horror, knowing what would happen.

"You should look for another answer… Or your friends will die" Klaus said and snapped Tyler's neck. "Go on then. Fetch your grimoires and what not, I'll wait here with Elena and Bella"

"I can help her get an answer" I said.

"Yes, but I do not trust you anymore, so, we're depending on dear Bonnie"

"He'll be in transition soon" Rebekah commented looking down at Tyler.

"Go!" I told Bonnie and Matt.

"Let them go" I asked Klaus again referring to the two innocent students.

"No" he said irritably.

Rebekah had left, dragging an unconscious Tyler and Bonnie and Matt hadn't returned. Caroline hadn't shown up either, so I guessed she was with Tyler or with Bonnie. Elena stood watching Klaus, her arms crossed protectively on her chest. I approached her and rubbed her arms.

"It will be okay" I whispered.

"Liar" Klaus sang. "Consider me hurt, you've lied to me all summer, I thought we were friends" he said teasingly. "Do not trust her word, Elena"

"Tyler can die" she mumbled ignoring him.

"We'll find a way out" I said.

"Where is Damon?"

"I don't know" I sighed checking my phone.

Klaus had seemed amused and didn't try to stop me from calling Damon. He hadn't answered, so I sent him a text asking where he was. Klaus wanted Damon to come, and although I didn't like that, I had no other idea of what to do.

"Are you okay?" Elena whispered frowning at me. "You're shaking and…"

"I'm fine" I cut her off.

The exit door opened and Stefan stopped when he saw us before walking past us to Klaus and bowing his head.

"I want your forgiveness and I pledge my loyalty to you, Niklaus" he vowed.

"Your word means nothing to me anymore" Klaus said in a bored tone.

"I've realized my mistakes, and I regret it"

"Do you?" Klaus retorted angrily and walked to us.

"Yes… I assure you, nothing connects me to Mystic Falls and its habitants anymore" Stefan said seriously.

Klaus stood up and pointed at the students.

"Let's drink on it then. Kill them"

Stefan's eyes flickered to Elena and he didn't do anything. Klaus took my hand and I let him pull me closer, not knowing where this was going with.

"So, you won't mind if I drink from Bella, will you?" he asked tilting my head aside as I tensed.

Stefan froze and stared at him.

"You are pathetic, my friend. I'm sorry for you" Klaus snarled.

Klaus lips brushed against my skin before he let me go abruptly, and I fell in Stefan's arms. Klaus grabbed Elena and she tried to fight him off.

"Fascinating. The only thing stronger than your craving for blood is your love for this one girl and your friend" Klaus taunted before hitting Elena.

She cried at the force of the blow and fell on the floor, a hand against her cheek as tears streamed down her face. Stefan lost control, attacking Klaus who held him by the throat.

"Why don't you just turn it off?" Klaus asked angrily.

"Let them go. Leave them alone and I'll follow you forever, I'll do anything, just let them go" Stefan pleaded, wheezing for air.

"All I wanted was your allegiance. It seems I'll have to take it..."

Klaus let him go slowly and Stefan stood motionless staring at Elena's red face as she sat on the ground trying to control her tears.

"Nik!"

Rebekah stormed in glaring daggers at Elena.

"The bitch has my necklace!" she yelled.

"What?" Klaus asked tiredly.

"The vampire girl has a photo of them!" Rebekah said pointing at Elena and Stefan and showed the cell phone to Klaus. "Look! My necklace!"

Klaus frowned and then cocked an eyebrow at Stefan and Elena.

"Give me the necklace and I might consider not hurting anyone" he said calmly.

"I-I don't have it" Elena stammered out. Klaus glared at her. "I don't, I swear! Katherine took it!"

"Oh, Katerina" Klaus sighed. "Too bad, it would make your witch friend's life easier. But seeing you've lost my sister's necklace… Let's get this show going, shall we?"

Klaus walked to me and I turned to run, by instinct, but he grabbed me by the hair. He turned me to face my friends and held out a pocket knife out to show them. Elena scrambled up and Stefan tensed. Rebekah frowned at Klaus as if she didn't agree with what he was doing.

"Bonnie has twenty minutes to get an answer" he said and I cried out as he cut down my arm.

Stefan sucked in a sharp breath, looking at my bloody arm and Klaus walked to the timer and set the clock.

"The waiting is killing me of boredom" he turned to Stefan, looking him in the eye. "I want you to feed on those students now, enjoy the ride and make sure they don't. Then if I don't have a solution to my hybrid issue or the necklace when the time is up, drink from Bella, and make sure Elena is watching"

I held my arm close to me as Klaus stormed out with Rebekah. Stefan was staring at the blood dripping down my arm, staining my camouflaged leggings. He turned to the two students and Elena begged him to stop. I held Elena as she cried, and made sure she wasn't looking as he savagely killed the two students. I couldn't tear my eyes away though.

07:00

"Where the hell is Bonnie?" Elena grumbled pacing back and forth.

"She won't get an answer" I mumbled and Stefan and Elena looked at me.

Stefan was the image of desperation. His face was contorted into a scowl, between pain and rage, his shirt was bloody and his hair a mess from running his fingers through it. Elena stopped and checked my arm. I had wrapped my jacket around it, hoping it would help Stefan's craving a bit if I could mask the scent somehow. It was still bleeding, a lot, and I felt weaker by the blood loss.

"Caroline's dad" Elena whispered and her wide eyes met mine. "That's it!"

"What?" I whispered.

"Caroline's dad was able to resist compulsion, Stefan!" she said standing up. "I don't know how but he did it. Maybe it's possible"

"Yeah" Stefan half scoffed, half laughed. "It's just mind control, no big deal. All I need is some focus and a couple of years of training… Guess what, we don't have time!" he snapped pointing to the clock.

5:49

"Klaus told you to drink from me" I said. "When the time is out, you drink from me and once you've stopped, you can give me some of your blood…"

"Don't you get it!" he yelled. "I'm ripper, Bella! A ripper doesn't stop, I can't stop!"

"Stefan" Elena protested.

"I listen to what you two are saying but all I can hear is Bella's blood pumping through her veins, the drops falling on the floor, the smell…" he stared at me with such intensity I flinched. "And when that buzzer goes off, I will have to feed on you. And you wanna know what's worse? I'm not gonna be able to stop" he whispered the last part.

"I don't believe that!" Elena said. "You can fight it, you just have to want it bad enough!"

"Because I love you?" he asked with a soft scoff.

"Yeah, Stefan, that's right! Because you love me, and Bella. It's Bella! Your friend, she has done so much for you"

"I know!" he yelled at her with tears in his eyes. "I fucking know it's Bella, Elena!"

"You'll fight because you owe us that, after everything we've been through" she said tears spilling down her red cheeks.

He stared at her and nodded.

"You're right" he looked at me. "You were the one who reminded me of who I am through this whole thing…" he looked back at Elena. "I owe you everything because you were the one thing that kept me from giving up, from shutting it all off"

And although he's speech was filling her eyes with hope, I could still see the hopelessness in his.

"It's okay, Stefan" I whispered trying to give him a smile, even if it was a tiny one.

"But I can't help what I am, Elena. The more blood I get the more I want"

Her eyes widened as she understood he couldn't fight it. He looked down at me with remorse.

"You're dead, Bella"

4:15

With each second that passed, the dizzier I got and my visions weren't helping me. Elena noticed something was off with me. But it wasn't the time to tell her sometimes I had visions and that at the moment, I was seeing Matt drowning. Stefan sat in the bleachers staring at me while Elena paced right behind me. Damon hadn't called me back or given a sign of life. Bonnie hadn't called telling us how things were going, but considering Matt was drowning, I guessed, not good.

0:45

My heart was racing as I tried to get up. Elena helped me up and looked at me with a deep frown.

"He'll stop" she whispered hopefully.

"Elena…"

"He will stop"

"Please, Elena, don't" I whispered. "Don't get your hopes up, I don't want you to have them crushed"

She wiped her tears and hugged me.

0:30

"It will be okay" I whispered.

"No, it won't" she cried.

"Listen to me" I whispered in her ear. "When the buzzer goes off, when he attacks me… Run"

"What?" she pulled back. "No!"

"Elena…"

"I can't leave you"

"He won't stop after he kills me, he'll lose control. I need you to run off before he hurts you too"

0:15

"Please" I begged.

She nodded and hugged me again.

"I love you" she whispered brokenly. "You're like a sister to me"

"You too, Ellie"

She jumped in fright as the buzzer went off. I pulled away from her and took three steps away from her before turning to Stefan. He was gripping the edge of the bleacher tightly, holding himself, as his face changed, focusing on me. He groaned and snapped up, his face unrecognizable as he stared at me with nothing but hunger and an evil smirk.

"Go!" I told Elena.

She turned and ran to the door that led to the cafeteria's corridor. Stefan looked at her, but as I turned to run to another door his attention snapped back to me. I started to run and heard him laughing. I didn't have the energy to run, but I tried my best, and Stefan followed me almost calmly, blurring to spots I passed by, watching me panic. Finally he got tired of the chase game, and blocked my path. He bared his fangs at me and stepped backwards.

"Stefan, don't" I begged although I knew it was futile. "Please…" I cried.

He blinked and his face started to go back to normal. He looked at me with shock, and then rushed to me. I gasped and fell backwards as he held himself to a locker.

"Go" he groaned. "Run!"

I scrambled up and ran the opposite direction, back to the gymnasium, and to another corridor. Elena was nowhere in sight, and I was relieved by it.

Problem was, it was starting to be too much for my heart. I made a stop, rubbing my chest and catching my breath as my heart gave a painful clench. I held on to the wall, fearing I would fall, my knees going weak. I heard a crunching noise behind me and turned to see Stefan a few feet away. He was breathing heavy as his face was changing again. He let go of the wall and stood up straight. I leaned against the wall, and watched as he approached me.

"It's okay, Stefan" I whispered.

He scowled at me and blurred. Nothing happened and I turned to see he had staked himself with a broom. He fell on his knees and I stepped forward.

"Don't" he snapped.

A door was pushed open and I let my tears spill as Klaus dragged Elena to us.

"I thought I was being kind to you by telling you to kill Bella instead of Elena" Klaus said. "But my theories are always incorrect lately. I thought the only thing stronger than your cravings was your love for Elena"

He looked at me as I slid down to the floor against the wall. Elena cried while looking at me and Stefan, both on the floor bleeding.

"But I should have known, that as with your brother, you couldn't just kill your dear friend, Bella" Klaus continued and crouched next to Stefan. "I never adored Blaire… But I do see the appeal in Bella"

"Stop" I groaned.

I didn't want him to put ideas into anyone's head. Elena was already too insecure as it is.

"Why don't you turn it off?" Klaus asked Stefan.

"Never" Stefan growled at him.

"Come on, your humanity is killing you, mate" Klaus said. "All the guilt must be exhausting. Turn it off"

"No!"

"You're strong, but you're not that strong"

Klaus pulled the broken wood stick from Stefan and smirked at us.

"Let's play a game, shall we?" he said. "Let's see what's stronger. The love for a woman, Elena, or the love for a sister, Bella. Stefan, choose"

"No!" Stefan yelled pushing him away.

"See? You suffer from holding on so tightly to your humanity. Choose, Elena or Bella?" Klaus pressed.

"Kill me" I whispered.

"No, Bella" Elena cried.

"You are not a part of the game" Klaus snapped at us. "Stefan, choose!"

"No" Stefan said again, pleadingly, still breathing heavy, still trying to control himself.

"Turn it off" Klaus said angrily looking straight into Stefan's eyes.

"No" I snapped.

Stefan just stared at Klaus and suddenly tried to attack him. Klaus lost all his patience. He grabbed Stefan and pushed him roughly against a wall.

"Turn. It. Off!" Klaus yelled.

Stefan stared blankly and blinked his eyes. His shoulders relaxed as if the weight of the world had been lifted.

"What did you do?" Elena gasped.

"I fixed him" Klaus said calmly stepping away.

"He didn't need to be fixed!" I yelled angrily.

"I think a test is in order, don't you?" he asked and walked to Elena. "Ripper, now you may choose… where to start your feast"

He pulled Elena's hair aside and stepped away. Stefan looked at Elena and his face began to change again, this time, not a trace of remorse, of fight. There was no trace of Stefan. He looked at me and then back at Elena with a grin. Elena visibly shuddered as his face changed and he launched himself at her. She screamed and I scrambled up with the last of my strength. Klaus watched with amusement. Stefan had pushed Elena against the lockers and was drinking from her neck. She started to stop struggling and her eyes fluttered. I grabbed Stefan by the head and focused the rest of my energy on him. He screamed in pain and fell unconscious on the ground. Klaus groaned in annoyance and Elena stared at me in shock.

My heart clenched painfully again, paused, and gave a weak thump.

My eyes rolled back and I crashed against the floor before darkness took me.