"Why are you back?" Katherine asked when I entered the house. "Shouldn't Damon be screwing your brains out?"

"Shut up" I grumbled.

"Trouble in heaven?"

"You just can't keep your venomous mouth shut, can you?"

"Moody" she chuckled. "Fine, I'm going to my room… wait for Demetri"

I went to my room and took off the necklace Elijah gave me. I put it on the jewelry box I brought with me and grabbed my bracelet from the clutch.

"I hope that's going back to its rightful place"

I arched an eyebrow at Damon, leaned against the doorframe.

"Katherine let you in?" I asked.

"You live in a house that vampires don't need to be invited in, and you don't lock the door" he said walking to me.

He grabbed the bracelet from me and put it in my wrist, like he did on my first day as vampire.

"What are you doing here?" I asked taking off the pins from my hair.

He stared at me for a moment and I frowned.

"You've changed. A lot. You're not the same Bella who died on prank night, and you're definitely aren't the Bella who came to Mystic Falls hoping to escape the crazy supernatural of Forks" he said. "You didn't shut your humanity off, though. You just put a barrier around you, so things don't affect you so badly. Something I don't really understand…"

"Damon" I started.

"But it doesn't matter. Because you're still you. Everyone changes, but I can see you're essentially the Bella I fell for" he took a step closer.

"You can't know that" I chuckled mirthlessly, rolling my eyes. "I just got back, you don't know this new me yet"

"I still love you, and it was the only thing on my mind, even when you were dancing with Elijah, even when you were mocking my resentment, even when you were carelessly calm when I woke up from Stefan's attack. You left me, you told me you didn't want me to come after you…" he cupped my face and involuntarily grabbed the lapels of his jacket. "And I still love you, just as much as I loved you before, maybe even more. You could try to kill me, and I would still love you. It's unconditional, and it's forever"

My lips twitched into a smile and he kissed me softly.

I hummed in pleasure as Damon's fingers ghosted over my bare back. I turned my head on the pillow and smiled at him. He was lying on his side, his head propped on his arm, looking at me with a smirk.

"What?" I asked.

"Nothing"

I narrowed my eyes and he chuckled. I threw my leg over his hips and pushed him on his back before straddling him. He grinned and grabbed my thighs, trying to make me move.

"Slow down" I teased.

"I've missed you" he said huskily, sitting up.

He wrapped his arms around me, his hands flat against my back, pulling me to him, chest to chest.

"I know" I smirked.

He smiled, but then a frown slipped into his features. I smoothed it with my fingertips but it wouldn't go away. I know he had realized I never answered him how he expected. He told me he loved me and all I did was smile and unzip my dress in invitation. He told me he missed me and I didn't say it back. My blood ran cold every time I didn't utter the words I wanted. But Demetri was in the next room, and I couldn't give him proof that I still had a heart and that it beat - metaphorically - for Damon. I kissed Damon softly and embraced him back. He was tense and I sighed.

The door opened and I cocked an eyebrow at Katherine who calmly strolled in.

"Bella said you had gotten better in bed since 1864 but with all this sweetness, I'm calling her bluff" Katherine said.

Damon rolled his eyes at her, and rested his head against my shoulder.

"What do you want?" I asked as she went in my bathroom.

"Just that amazing oil you have" she said coming back and showed me the bottle with a smirk. "Demetri and I are going to take a bath"

I rolled my eyes at her and she left. Damon frowned at me.

"I'm over her, believe me, but can we not be in a house where she's screwing some other vampire?" he asked.

I laughed and jumped off bed. I threw my discarded gown on an armchair and grabbed some clothes from the closet. I pulled on the printed skinny jeans and a white blouse with leather booties. When I came back to the room, Damon was pulling on his jacket.

"Come on, let's go to your place" I said taking his hand.

Ignoring Stefan's watchful eyes and scowl, I looked for a bottle of wine. I found the one I wanted and showed it to Stefan with a flourish.

"Nice choice. Celebrating your return?" he asked cocking an eyebrow. I shrugged and pulled Damon' shirt back on my shoulder as it was slipping, quick enough not to flash Stefan. "Not everyone will welcome you back this quick, or celebrate"

"But it is fun not to be a do-gooder sometimes, isn't it?" I asked passing him to the stairs. "It's fun to be bad"

"We are bad influence on you" he laughed shaking his head.

"Hopefully your brother will influence me the rest of the night" I smirked.

He shook his head with amusement, a smile on his lips and I genuinely smiled back. Stefan was almost back to… Stefan. I was glad he was not antagonizing me too for leaving. But I still didn't know how to react to his new, a little detached version.

"I was almost going downstairs to drag you back" Damon said.

He was lying against the pillows, his arms folded behind his head, satisfied mischievous smirk on his lips. He was the image of peace, ease. I climbed into bed, handing him the bottle and held out the glasses. He opened the bottle and poured the wine, settling the bottle on the nightstand, he took one of the glasses. We clinked them together, not officially making a toast.

"So, will you tell me what happened the last couple of months?" he asked, kissing me lightly on the lips.

I licked my lips and smirked.

"Hm… Damon and wine. I like that flavor"

"Don't try to distract me"

I sat up and stared at the glass in my hands. The wine brought back a memory. One I didn't want to remember, especially not then.

"It's been so long since we've used this room" Aro said with delight, looking around the dining room. Correction, dining hall.

I took a piece of steak and chewed slowly.

"How is your dinner?" Felix asked smirking.

"Delicious" I said putting on the best smile I could.

"Do we get dessert too?" Demetri asked amused.

Aro tilted his head to the right, his eyes never leaving me. It was unnerving how he watched me. Five burly vampires stepped forward, and picked up the bodies lying closer to Aro and the others and the one at my feet, clearing the table. I had eaten with almost ten dead men surrounding me. What have I become? I gave my plate of human food to one of the vampire servants, even though there was still half of the food left. I slowly sipped the wine and leaned back on my chair, trying to look as relaxed as one of them. Screams could be heard from the corridors, and the doors were thrown open. A girl, a bit younger than me – maybe sixteen – struggled against Heidi's hold, tears streaming down her face, her heart drumming in her chest. If the rate got any faster either it would equal that of a hummingbird or she would collapse. I stood up, my chair scrapping loudly on the marble floors. Aro looked at me with a raised eyebrow, seeming amused.

"Is there a problem, Isabella?" Aro asked. "Don't you like our dessert?"

I swallowed hard. This was a test. I had to pass it or they would never truly let me in.

I walked to the girl and she stared at me with wide eyes. She stopped screaming but was still sobbing. She looked at Heidi, at her eyes than back at my brown ones.

"Please" she sobbed.

I steeled myself.

"A good dessert is a silent dessert" I said forcing a smile and looked into the girl's fearful green eyes. "Still and silent"

Successfully compelled, she stopped sobbing but was still shaking. I took her from Heidi, and led her to the table. Grabbing Felix unused glass of wine, I bit her wrist and let the blood pour one the expensive crystal. Aro laughed while the others watched. I let go of the girl, and raised my glass.

"To this wonderful dinner" I toasted. "Thank you, Aro, for welcoming me"

"It is my pleasure to have you in my family, dear" he said with that creepy smile of his.

I grinned and drank the blood.

The wine was dark, reminding me of the girl's blood.

Damon's fingertips on my back brought me back to the present.

"You're so beautiful" he whispered in my ear, biting my earlobe gently.

I realized he was tracing the triskelion on my back.

"Even with that?" I mumbled.

"Even more with this. It makes you look badass"

I chuckled and let him pull me closer. Leaning against him, my back to his chest with his arms wrapped around me, I relaxed.

"I drank" I whispered.

"What?"

"You wanted to know what happened. I know how Stefan… sometimes I blacked out, I would wake up to ten, fifteen bodies around me. And before a day passed, I would do it again. I am a ripper"

"A ripper doesn't have control, Bella, you do. I taught you" I could feel his frown as he buried his face on the crook of my neck.

"You don't get it, Damon"

"Than explain it to me"

"Alice came to apologize, the day before my birthday. She told me why she told Carlisle to change me. She saw the future without me in it. Edward would leave Mystic Falls not forgiving himself for not being there to protect me, keep me alive. He would go back to his old lifestyle or join the Volturi… He can't leave, he has to stay"

"Why?"

"I can't tell you that, you'll see soon, I think" I shrugged. "Anyway. She said my death would be a blow to everyone. She couldn't see Klaus leaving if I died. And the Volturi were coming"

"For what?"

"Klaus is not their friend. Not an official enemy though. They don't like him because he has power and wants to expand it. They've heard rumors about doppelgangers, witches, werewolves, vampires and Klaus, all in the same town. They would come here. They would kill people. A lot of us, dead or captured. But if I changed, that vision got blurry for Alice, so maybe there was hope I could avoid all that"

"And you did" he sighed.

"I went there. I asked to join them, be their spy. They wanted to train me. But now I know for sure, they just wanted to drive me into being one of them. They taught me how to fight, hunt… They said I had to cut down all my contacts so they were sure I was not working against them" I turned my head and looked at him. "And I knew I had to say something so you wouldn't search for me. I had to do that. To keep everyone safe. To keep you safe. And you believed me so easily" I cried.

He kissed me, shifting so I was lying on my back and he laid on his side, our legs entwined.

"I'm sorry. I knew something was off, I just…" he sighed.

"What?" I frowned.

"I've spent the last century and a half chasing women that never loved me"

"I'm not them, Damon"

"I know"

"I love you, never doubt that" I whispered.

He kissed me hard, and when he pulled back he leaned his forehead against mine.

"So?"

"After two weeks, it became unbearable. All the people I killed, all the people I've watched be killed. All that blood…" I whispered. "I shut it off. I would go insane if I didn't, Damon"

"It's okay, you're back home, and you're coming back" he murmured against my hair.

"Katherine showed up. Elijah had sent her to search for me. He thought she would be good on finding someone who was running away. She found me there, and once she mentioned all Originals were back and Aro realized it was true, they let me go. Well, they let me come to check it out, but I need to go back. If I don't… they will come, or Demetri will drag me back, I don't know"

"Shit" he hissed.

"We can't tell the others. They would freak out. No one is supposed to know. I'm breaking that rule by telling you, if Demetri thinks someone knows…"

"I understand"

"I'm sorry I've left. But I had to"

"It's okay now" he hugged me. "I'm just glad you're back"

I groaned and pushed Damon away from me.

"What?" he scowled.

"Elena"

I stood up and put on my printed jeans and white shirt.

"How did you…?"

"Cold One thing. We are always tuned on our surroundings. I can smell her"

I heard a car park and put on my ankle boots as Damon got dressed. We went downstairs just as she knocked.

"Oh, this should be good" I heard Stefan say as he got out of his bedroom.

I smirked at Damon, agreeing with his brother and he rolled his eyes. I leaned against the foyer wall as he opened the door.

"Hey" she said awkwardly to him. "Why haven't you answered my calls?"

"I was busy"

He leaned against the door, so now she has a clear view of me. She looks at me with shock and then scowls at Damon. Knew it.

"Really, Damon?" she asked harshly. "Weren't you the leader of 'Bella is a coward bitch for running' campaign?"

"Were you?" I asked amusedly.

"I was" he grinned at me and then turned back to Elena. "But she's good in the sack"

"I'm flattered" I said cocking an eyebrow at him.

Elena huffed and walked past us to the living room. Stefan chuckled and followed her, coming from the staircase, where he was watching the show.

"Look, Damon, if you're mad at me, get over it" she said crossing her arms as we joined them on the living room.

"Oh, I'm over it" he said smirking at me.

I shot him a warning glance. As much as it was fun to screw with people, make them mad, I was not really enjoying him making me seem like a whore or a toy.

"What's wrong with you? You hated her 24 hours ago! She left us"

"You could talk as if I was here" I said going to get a drink.

"Can't we move past that, Elena?" Damon retorted.

I sat next to Stefan, and put my legs on the coffee table, both of us watching the interaction.

"Why did you leave?" Elena asked me frowning.

"Because I wanted to" I shrugged.

"Do you have any idea what we've been through?" she asked exasperated, tears filling her eyes. "We have hybrids all over town, Jeremy almost died for real, Caroline was bitten by Tyler, Damon went to ask Dr. Fell where she got the blood that transformed you and was attacked, Caroline's dad died, I was accused of being the serial killer, and…"

She glanced at Stefan and shook her head, taking a deep breath to get herself under control. Stefan frowned and looked away. I had to ask Damon what he did.

"I would say I'm sorry for leaving, Elena" I said. "But I'm not"

"What happened to you?" she whispered in horror.

"Is there a reason you came here so early?" Damon asked.

"You should know that Esther is planning on killing her entire family. She's linked them all together with a spell. Whatever happens to one, happens to all of them."

I put the glass down on the coffee table and stood up with a frown.

""That's great. Klaus will finally be dead. We win. Why do you look like someone just shot a panda bear?" Damon asked looking between me and Elena.

"Because to kill Klaus, Elijah has to die!" I snapped. "He doesn't deserve that"

"Agreed, that's why I came here" Elena said.

"Am I supposed to care for Elijah?" Damon retorted scowling.

"Neither Rebekah or Elijah can be killed. If Jake's connection to her is real, it will kill him" Elena said.

"And Elijah is good" I protested.

"Don't screw this up, neither of you" Damon warned. "We need them gone"

"He's right" Stefan said. "Klaus has to die, they all do"

"Democracy wins, I'm sure more people agree with us" Damon said.

Elena scowled at them, sighed and walked out.

"She's not gonna listen to anything I say" Damon groaned.

"Maybe because of this sleepover?" Stefan teased.

"We have to do something, Damon, she is right. They can't all die" I said.

"Klaus has to die. So Elena is safe and my moronic brother is back" he said, Stefan rolled his eyes.

"Fine, let's say we could kill him. There has to be a way to kill only him!"

"Why do you care?" Stefan scowled.

"Because if all of them die, and word spread, we're all dead. They will come for us" I said panicky.

"Who?"

"The Volturi!"

"We can deal with them some other way. Besides, if Klaus is gone and his hybrids too, why would they come?" Damon said.

"Because I am here. Because Edward and Alice are here, their gifts are too precious for Aro. And let's not mention we have a Bennett witch"

"Bella, we have to deal with one thing at a time. For now, let's work on getting rid of the Originals" Damon sighed.

I rolled my eyes at him and went upstairs to get my jacket. I put it on and ran downstairs to the door.

"Where are you going?" Damon asked angrily.

"To make sure Demetri doesn't hear about this stupid plan" I said. "We can't have the Volturi knowing"

He nodded and I turned to him and kissed him lightly on the lips.

"I'll be back" I whispered before blurring out of the house.

I entered the house and focused, but I couldn't hear anything. I ran to Katherine's room and threw the door open. There was no sign of them, only their scent, but it was hours-old. I searched the whole house, and finally found a note in the kitchen.

Sorry, we got bored.
See ya.
xoxo
Katherine

I roared and threw the table next to me on the wall. I called Alice and she agreed to meet me at the Boarding House.

I walked out of the car and smiled at Jasper, Edward and Carlisle.

"Guess she couldn't keep her mind shut for long" I sighed.

Edward took me in a tight hug, spinning me around, making me smile. I hugged him back and grinned at him as he put me down.

"Have you lost your mind?" he whispered scowling.

I rolled my eyes at him and hugged Carlisle and Jasper. We walked in the house and Alice jumped from the couch, running to me. I chuckled as she hugged me, tighter than Edward had. I would have been crushed immediately if I was still human.

"Sorry" she squeaked.

"It's okay, Ali. Why did you tell them?"

"I was with Edward when you called. I told Jasper weeks ago" she said sheepishly.

"What do we owe the pleasure of the visit?" Damon said wrapping an arm around my waist. The act was possessive but Edward didn't give it much attention, either he was ignoring or he wasn't so affected by it.

"Demetri and Katherine are gone" I said, "I tracked them until the highway but them the scent disappears"

"They must have got a car" Edward said.

"They're gone?" Damon scowled.

I showed them the note she left.

"If he left with her, not back to Italy, he's left duty, he won't report to Aro, and it will raise suspicions" I said.

"And if he went back to Italy so suddenly, without Bella… It will bring trouble" Alice said.

"We cannot fight the Volturi" Carlisle said sadly. "It would be signing our death sentence"

"We could gather people" Damon frowned.

"They would see it as an army against them" Jasper said.

"We are all in Aro's list, all I've done was keeping him away as long as I could" I sighed.

"Damon" Stefan said entering the house.

"What now?" Damon snapped.

Stefan frowned at the gathered group.

"Have you seen Elena?" Damon shook his head at his brother. "I can't find her"

"Shit" I sighed. "She has a terrible timing to get in trouble"

After Damon and Stefan contacted Caroline, who revealed Bonnie and her mom were helping Esther, and Elena had a meeting with Elijah, I decided to intervene. If I let it in Damon and Stefan's hands they would be more than willing to kill Elijah. The Cullens decided to keep an eye on the other Originals, distract Rebekah, Kol and Klaus with Caroline and Ric while Damon, Stefan and I got Elena. We went to the Originals house, but no one was there and there was not a trace of Elena. Damon's phone rang and he showed me it was Elijah before answering.

"Hey, buddy! Missed you! How long has it been?" he said answering.

"You and your sarcasm were not missed since last night" Elijah answered calmly.

"Oh, right. Well, I did not miss you so much. Bella distracted me" he smirked.

"Stop" Stefan hissed at him.

"He has Elena!" I mouthed to him.

"Lucky you" Elijah said sarcastically.

"Don't be jealous" Damon said sweetly.

"Anyway, just wanted to warn you. Rebekah is watching Elena. She has orders to kill her should she tries to run or someone tries to rescue her"

"This is where you were supposed to say how much you want to give her back" Damon said scowling when Elijah didn't continue.

"What I want? A bit obvious, but let me enlighten you since your brain isn't so bright"

Damon opened his mouth to retort, but I shot him a glare.

"You will help me stop my mother"

"My goal is to get rid of you and your brother if you didn't notice. That's counterproductive" Damon said.

"You help us now, or Elena dies screaming in agony. The choice is yours" Elijah said. "Oh, and she is not at our state, so you can leave my house now"

I looked around and down at the first floor, we were being watched.

"Klaus' hybrids update me if he is not answering his phone. I hope you haven't done anything to him… There are an awful lot of people to revenge him in this town" Elijah said. "You have until 9 o'clock, the moon will be full and high on the sky at 9:06, when my mom will do the spell. I would hurry up to think of something"

He hung up and Damon put the phone in his pocket frowning at us.

"What do we do now?" he asked.

I grabbed him, throwing him on Stefan and out of the way. A hybrid was about to attack and collided with me as I got in the way. We rolled down the staircase as he clawed and growled at me. He had not been trained, Klaus trusted the hybrids' strength too much. I landed underneath him and kicked him off me. Standing up while he was still in the air, I grabbed him by the neck and threw him on the ground. He cried out in pain and I ripped his head off easily. I let the head fall from my hands and wiped the blood on his blue shirt. I looked at Stefan and Damon who were watching me with shock and awe.

"They trained me" I shrugged.

Damon stepped forward and I looked behind me at the front door. Two hybrids stood there, watching me with wide eyes.

"I would run if I were you" I said feeling my face go back to normal.

They didn't, but stepped back as we walked out of the house to Damon's car.

"I'll get Elijah to free Elena" I said not climbing in and checked my phone. "If someone can convince him, it's me. Stand by, and get a plan B. We have three hours"

Damon gave me a look that said I better be careful, and entered the car. He started the engine and I ran on an opposite direction.

"I had to sniff the whole town to find you" I said as I approached Elijah.

He was sitting in a bench on the park, where we had walked before Klaus took me to break the curse. He inclined his head and I saw his lips twitch as I sat down next to him.

"Shouldn't you be doing something?" I asked. "I hate to admit, but when it comes to killing thousand-years-old resurrected witches, I have no idea what to do"

"Yes, unfortunately even when killed, my mother doesn't seem to want to stay dead. Not with the spirits of nature at her side" he said. "So, I'm wondering what to do in case your friends screw up on the task I gave them, not that I would have much time..."

"Ye little faith" I said and he smiled. "When I died… When you left me on the quarry…"

"I'm sorry, Isabella"

"I saw Blaire. The spirits brought me back" I said. "She, Bonnie's grams, dad, Rose-Marie, Jenna… I had some things to do, that's why they brought me back. One of them was bringing you back. And no one asked me to kill Klaus. So why would the spirits now help her killing all of you?"

"Because we are abominations, Bella"

"If you get killed… The Volturi will come for us" I said.

"Yes. That must motivate your friends a bit more"

"Where is Elena?"

He looked at me with amusement.

"It would be counterproductive to tell you"

"Where is she? Tell me" I snapped.

"I will not. You must not interfere in my plan" he said standing up.

I kicked the back of his knee and he fell forward. He stood up quickly and glared at me.

"I do not want to hurt you, Bella" he said warningly.

I let my face change.

"Tell me where Elena is now!" I growled.

"What are you up to?" he said with suspicion. "Do you honestly think I'll give you the answer? Ruin my mother's plan, and then you have Elena"

"Give me Elena and we'll ruin your mother's plan"

He narrowed his eyes.

"You want us dead, why would I give her first?"

"I do not want you dead, Elijah!" I said letting my face go back to normal. "But you don't have the right to put Elena's life at risk!"

"Rebekah will not kill her until I tell her so"

"Elena stabbed her in the back! Of course Rebekah will hurt her!" I took a deep breath and calmed down. "You promised to protect her, to help me, Elijah. Give her back"

"I promised that was the last time I helped a Petrova. You are safe, I didn't break my word, Isabella"

"I want my friend back, now!" I yelled.

"It's not that simple"

"Make it. You owe me that. You left me to die!"

His eyes turned sad and then cold.

"You are trying to manipulate me" he hissed getting in my face. "Your friends told you to come here and make me release Elena"

"Klaus manipulates you so easily, I thought I should give it a try" I taunted.

"Who are you?" he growled. "Isabella would never…"

"Elijah would never leave me to die" I shot back.

"One mistake doesn't make another right" he said. "Leave now, and this will be forgotten"

I grabbed him by the lapels of his jacket and shook him.

"Not until you tell me where she is"

He easily pushed my hands off him, and when I tried to attack he got my arm twisted behind my back.

"You think two months of training with them you can face one of us?" he scoffed. "You're going to help your friends on getting my mother under control, and Elena won't be hurt"

He pushed me away, with not much strength and when I turned around he was gone. But I had gotten what I wanted. I grinned and ran into the woods.

"The clock is ticking, we have an hour and we can't find the damn witch of the west" Damon grumbled on the phone.

"I'm searching for Elena" I said. "Alice and Jasper are looking around the Lockwood property since Rebekah is with Elena. Esme and Rose are supposed to keep an eye on Jake, the last thing we need now is for him to interfere"

"Fine, call me" he said.

"Will do, bye"

I hung up and stopped walking. I frowned and turned around to face Leah. She arched an eyebrow at me.

"Your scent is not helping, stay away" I said.

"Why don't you want Jacob knowing?" she asked.

"Because I might hurt Rebekah. I don't need him getting in my way"

"I would ask why don't you just let them die, but it seems you're in a tight schedule" she said. "I'll make sure no one bothers you… Make it painful for Barbie Klaus"

"Don't worry, the She Devil will suffer" I grinned.

She turned around, phased and ran into the woods. I took a deep breath. The smell in Elijah's clothes was almost exactly like the one in the area I was. I knew I recognized it from somewhere. I had camped here one night with Edward and Emmett on the unsuccessful hunting trip. Taking another deep breath I caught the faint scent of Elena. It was not too hard to find the small crater on the ground. I jumped in and frowned at the tunnels. It was a nice place to keep someone hostage. I walked for a couple minutes and with a grin, I found Elena pacing while Rebekah sat calmly, checking her phone. Elena looked at me with wide eyes filled with relief.

"Hm, what do we have here" I asked amusedly.

Rebekah looked up at me and cocked an eyebrow.

"Elijah told me to kill anyone who tried to take her" she said.

"I would like to see you try" I laughed.

"Won't even break a sweat" she laughed back.

"I texted Jasper and Alice with the location" I told Elena giving her my phone. "Go that way, to the hole… They'll get you out"

Rebekah stood up glaring at me and Elena looked between us with apprehension.

"Go" I snapped at Elena.

She grabbed my phone but before she could run, Rebekah threw her back and got in my way to her.

"Let's do this" I said smirking.

"Jake won't be too happy I'll kill his old best friend" she said and smirked. "But then… you're already dead to him"

I launched myself at her, and she grabbed me by the hair. Oh, she fought like a bitch. I twisted her arm and she cried out. I threw her on the ground and kicked her in the ribs.

"Leave" I growled at Elena.

She gasped seeing my face and started to run as I told her. Rebekah stood up and kicked me hard, I flew back several feet. I dusted myself off, standing up and saw her going after Elena. I grabbed her by the hair and wrapped a hand around her neck.

"If I rip your head off, will you die?" I asked pulling her backwards.

She grabbed my arm and threw me over her head and to the ground. The earth made a cracking sound and the tunnel shook with the strength of the impact. She stepped on my back, pushing my head on the dirt.

"If I rip your head off, you will die" she taunted grabbing my arms and pulling them backwards.

I cried in pain as she almost tore my arms from my body and then suddenly she let go with a painful gasp. I stood up rubbing my shoulder and frowned at her. She slouched against the rock wall, clutching at her chest like she had been stabbed. Someone stabbed one of the Originals. I ran to Elena, and she was looking up at the hole, waiting for something.

"Alice? Jasper!" I called.

"They're not here" she said.

I grumbled and laced my fingers together, bending down. She looked down the corridor and put her foot on my hands. I propelled her up, and she grabbed the edges of the hole. I was about to push her up when something attacked me from behind. Rebekah tackled me to the ground and Elena screeched as she was left hanging.

"Bella!" she cried looking down.

I punched Rebekah and tried to get up, but she was fast, and pinned me to a wall. Her palm on my chin, her fingers against my lips while her whole left hand held me to the wall. She pushed her right hand up, and I felt the pressure to my bones, she was going to rip my head off. I could feel the strain on the connection of my skull to my spine. I tried to push her off but couldn't. Elena screamed as her fingertips slipped and she fell back on the tunnel. She groaned in pain and it gave me motivation. She was back to danger. I put my palms flat against the wall behind my back and jumped, my knees connecting to Rebekah's chest, and throwing her off me. I grabbed her by the head, ready to snap her neck when I remembered all Originals would be knocked out. Would that help? Damon and Stefan wouldn't stop Esther. Rebekah took advantage of my moment of hesitation and jumped on me, snapping my neck. I cried in pain and fell on the ground. Being a hybrid, she couldn't kill me that way. If I was of her kind only, I would be knocked out. But it was still painful, I could feel it in all my bones. I fell on the ground, going still, willing the pain to pass quickly. I heard Elena running, and Rebekah sighing.

"You just don't die, do you?" she asked amusedly. "Well, let me play a bit with Elena while you're down"

I whimpered and ignoring the pain, tried to get up. I slowly crawled up, and when I got up, I had support myself on the rocks. I groaned in pain as I dragged myself and when the pain eased a bit, I ran. I found Elena stuck inside a cave, where there was an empty coffin. Rebekah was pouring gasoline inside.

"Have you lost your mind?" I snapped pulling Rebekah away with all the strength I had.

"I like to think of myself as spontaneous" she retorted lighting a match. "Probably why Stefan and Jake like me so much"

She threw the match, and half of the cave got on fire. Elena jumped to the other side, watching Rebekah wide eyed. I grabbed Rebekah and pushed her against a wall.

"Enough, Rebekah" I snapped.

She easily pushed me off. Pain still burned through me.

"Let's see if you can enter" she said.

Grabbing me by the neck, she threw me in the cave. Like a cold one, I could enter, but I felt pain. The fact that she had threw me by the fire did not help. Elena panicked, patting the flames off of my arm with her coat as I thrashed in agony. I had heard about the pain of being inside a house you are not invited in. Good lord, I couldn't think. I flinched from Elena's touch and without realizing I had thrown myself across the room to the wall.

"This is fun" Rebekah said blocking the exit and lit another match. "How does it feel to know that these may be your last minutes?"

"You tell me, you're the one whose mother's is trying to kill you" Elena snapped. "Let her out!"

"Your tough act doesn't suit you" Rebekah shot back.

"I never said I was tough, but we both know that I am right"

I whimpered on the ground and opened my eyes as I sensed Rebekah moving. She was out of the way and I ran out of the cave, falling on the ground, breathing heavy.

"She doesn't hate you, Rebekah" I murmured. "Your mother… She just, doesn't understand your nature. She thinks there is no other choice"

"Spare me your pity, Bella. We're not girlfriends. Want me to prove it?"

I heard the scratch of another match being lit.

"You wouldn't dare" I mumbled looking at her with narrowed eyes.

"Do you think I fear you? I can easily kill you" she snapped.

"Klaus would kill you for killing the doppelganger"

"I don't care about Klaus" she roared.

"You won't do it" Elena said quietly. "Because there's still a chance that you might be alive tomorrow. And if that's the case and you kill me now, you'll have used up all of your revenge. Wasted it and isn't that what you want? Revenge? Because I- I pretended to like you and then I stuck a dagger in your back. I mean, that's why you are going after Matt and constantly teasing me about Stefan, isn't it? That's why you're tormenting me, because I hurt your feelings."

Rebekah cocked an eyebrow at her, and looked at the match.

"You're right, I do prefer taking my time watching you suffer. Much more satisfying." she said, blowing the flame off.

"Enough, Rebekah, let them go. It's over"

I turned around and frowned at Jake. He was shaking, and staring down at Rebekah. They got in a stare contest and I heard Elena sigh. She was checking my phone. She showed the screen to me.

9:10

She ran out of the cave, past Rebekah who didn't do anything, and to me. She helped me up and I threw my arm around her shoulders. We passed Jake, and he stayed behind with Rebekah. A few feet behind him we met Alice and Jasper. Jasper picked me up and Alice took Elena. She was going to take her home, and Jasper dropped me off at the Boarding House. He left since I need to feed, and his control still wasn't the best. Damon walked in an hour later, looking tired, tense and nervous.

"Hey" I mumbled.

He looked at me and frowned.

"What happened to you?" he asked worriedly.

"Well, as much as you men think it's sexy, chick fight is not easy" I joked. "Rebekah is not as Barbie as I thought, she knows a thing or two"

He sat beside me on the edge of the bed, and ran his hand down my head and hair, before slipping his arm around my waist and pulling me to his lap. I shared my blood bag with him and ghosted my fingertips on his forehead, trying to erase the V etched there.

"What is it?"

"I changed Abby to break the connection with Esther, so we could stop the sacrifice" he said.

"Bonnie's mom?"

"She's in transition"

"You'll have to give Bonnie some time, she will understand eventually" I whispered. "We had to stop Esther, save Elena. I was not going to get her out of there safe, you had to do it"

"No, I didn't. Stefan was the one supposed to do it, but… it should have been me, so" he shrugged.

"Why?" I frowned.

"He's hanging by a thread. Barely over his last ripper binge and all he wants is to be the old Stefan again. He has enough to feel guilt about, and he will be for decades at least, why add to it?"

"You're a good brother, Damon"

"I tried to steal his girl and had an affair with his other girl in 1864. I promised an eternity of misery. I don't think that qualifies me to the Brother Of The Year Award" he chuckled and kissed my neck.

"Whatever, you are" I said nuzzling his neck.

"I was worried about you" he murmured against my neck.

"You are silly, I would be fine. I'm badass, remember?"

"Well, excuse me for worrying about the safety of the love of my life" he scoffed, lying back on the bed bringing me on top of him.

"I love you too, even though you always say it in twisted ways" I said and kissed him.

Dear Isabella,

Today I did things I abhor to protect the one thing I value most. My family. If anyone can understand that, it's you. Someone who doesn't think about her own safety to protect her loved ones, someone who died over and over for a friend, a sister or a lover.

I'm a hypocrite, and my mother opened my eyes to my behavior. I think and say of myself as noble, virtuous. But when it is convenient I kill, maim, torment, I use people when I see it fit. I always thought Damon was not good enough for you, you deserved so much better. Today I realize, I am not better than him, and cannot be. I was foolish to hope. Forgive me for putting you in a uncomfortable position.

Tell Elena I am sorry and that I respect her for her courage, sincerity and compassion, all almost as wonderful as yours.

Your compassion is a gift, Bella. Carry it with you. As I will carry my regret.

Always and forever.

Elijah

"Hey, everything okay?" Damon asked.

I folded the letter and put it in my pocket, blinking away the tears. I turned to Damon with a smile and grabbed my last bag from the room. I was taking my stuff to the Boarding House.

"Yes" I pecked him on the lips. "Thanks for letting me stay at your place"

"The doors are always open for you, sweetheart" he said taking the bag from me and gave me a smirk. "Stefan went hunting, so we have the house to ourselves for a few hours"

He wiggled his eyebrows and I giggled, wrapping my arm around his waist as we walked out of the house I had been sharing with Katherine and Demetri.

"I love how that sounds" I said.

"And I love the sound of that giggle" he said and kissed my cheek.

"Back to cheesy?"

"Shut up"

I giggled again.

AN: Song I was listening to while writing this chapter: Monster - Paramore and Renegade - Paramore. Highly recommend :)

REVIEW!

xoxo Luuh