"Let's talk outside" I said quickly.

Elijah only stepped back on the porch, but cocked an eyebrow when Stefan blocked my way. He looked at me with worry, a deep frown that matched Elena's and Matt's. I put my hand on his arm, and gave him a tightlipped smile.

"It's okay" I whispered.

"Be careful" he sighed, stepping out of my way.

I passed Elena and closed the door as I walked out. Elijah followed me down the street silently, but I could feel tension rolling off him in waves.

"You can't kill me" I stated after a few minutes.

"I do not wish to anyway" he said with a chuckle. "And that is exactly why you didn't have to think twice before stepping out of that house. You trust me"

"Yes, it seems my trust on some people is never-ending"

"Yes, and my patience as well" he said with a pointed look. "Klaus?"

"I was wondering how you would get to the point. It was faster than I thought" I said crossing my arms on my chest. "Yes, he's locked inside a coffin, incapable of hurting anyone"

"You decided to enable the most powerful creature on this earth when you have someone hunting our race down. Smart" he said sarcastically. "Especially considering he created your bloodline, and is now vulnerable…"

"You're bluffing"

"When have I lied to you, Isabella?"

"Oh, right, you don't lie, you only twist your words and back off on your promises" I snapped.

He grabbed me by the throat and pinned me to a lamppost.

"Easy" he said seriously. "My temper is a bit off today after my sister called"

"Blondie begged for help?"

"You have been around Damon too much" He scowled.

"I love him, why wouldn't I?"

He eyed me for a long moment, his eyes taking me in, and finally smiled. His hold on my neck loosened and I calmly put my feet back on the ground.

"I want to talk to Elena" he said.

"Impossible. Consider me your contact"

"I think this is more of her interest than yours" he shrugged.

"Why?"

"Because she seems to still care about people's safety, differently from you and your little boyfriend. Give me my brother, and I will make sure everyone you want is safe"

"You cannot keep that promise" I laughed. "You cannot stop Klaus"

"If I only awake him in a century, after erasing your friends' tracks, there won't be a problem" Elijah smiled. "He didn't find Katerina"

I stared at him. No, that was not good enough. Giving Klaus to him was not an option.

"It would make me very happy, Isabella, if you cooperated" he smiled. "Give me my brother, and I'll be in debt with you" he stepped closer, looking me in the eye. "I will help you"

"Why did you let him in, again?" Damon asked through the speakerphone.

"Bella told me to" Elena muttered.

"Why?" Damon snapped.

"It does not matter" Elijah said from the other side of the table. "Bring my brother's body back, and I will keep my end of the deal"

"What deal?" Stefan asked frowning at me.

"Ric is an Original for all intents and purposes. Elijah and Rebekah can help us with him, and they can get Kol too. Ric can't face three of them" I said.

"And you can get the stake from Ric…" Elena mumbled sadly.

"No!" I said taking her hand. "I didn't give up on him, Elena. Elijah will help me get him into rehab, like Lexi used to do with Stefan"

Damon laughed on the phone.

"Bella, it does not please me to say this… but I don't think Ric is like me" Stefan said. "He's worse"

"Ric's problem began as human and it intensified as vampire. Ric is gone. We have to get rid of Alaric" Damon said.

"He did not give up on us, I will not give up on him" I said.

"I have promised Isabella that I will not wake Klaus for a long time" Elijah said to Elena. "I know you worry about his bad temper and vengeful attitude. Elena, I give you my word…"

"Which means nothing to us" Damon cut in. "You like to break promises, if I remember"

"Isabella?" Elijah cocked an eyebrow to me.

"I trust him" I said looking at Elena. "If you do not, trust me then. Have faith in me then."

"This is all bullshit…"

"Bye, Damon" I snapped and hung up.

Silence filled the room. Elena looked between me and Stefan and with a sigh, turned back to Elijah.

"Help Bella with Ric, then you have Klaus' body" she said. "I want everyone safe, Elijah"

Elijah nodded and I relaxed a bit on my seat.

"How will we lure Ric in?" I asked.

"I think I can help with that" Jeremy said from the corner of the room.

"Maybe you should stay" Stefan said, as I turned off my phone, because Damon wouldn't stop calling.

"I'm the only one that is truly immortal here. I'm going" I said. "Besides, Elijah is here"

Stefan nodded, understanding what was implied. Elijah wouldn't let me get hurt. I looked at Elena, who was standing in the middle of the room, watching us. She seemed worried and nervous. I smiled at her, and waved goodbye. She ran to me, wrapping her arms around me in a tight hug.

"Be careful" she whispered.

"Be safe" I said back.

When she let go of me, I turned and walked out. Alice, Emmett, Elijah and Rebekah were waiting. Alice gave me a meaningful look and a tiny nod. I knew Edward had gone with Bonnie to meet Damon, so she could spell Klaus' coffin. I approached Elijah, but Rebekah blocked my way, glaring daggers.

"Sister" Elijah warned calmly.

"I should rip you apart for what you've did to Nik" she growled.

"And you would never get him back. I bet Damon would know which ocean to dump him in" I answered.

"We can go" Stefan said walking out of the house.

"Esme and Rose will be staying" Emmett informed.

"Alice?" I asked.

"I can't see If it will work" she mumbled.

"It will" Stefan said confidently.

"The plan is stupid so you shouldn't be so confident" Rebekah said and walked away.

Elijah sighed at his sister, and with a nod to me, followed her. I had his support and he could get his sister to cooperate. That was all that mattered.

We had split into two teams. Stefan and I, Alice and Emmett. Elijah preferred to stay alone, declaring he didn't need help on waiting. Sometimes he wasn't such a gentleman, sometime he was just like the rest of his family. A pain in the ass. But at least he had sent Rebekah away. Not that I liked the fact that she was meeting Damon and taking Klaus' coffin. If it was for me, she would stay a million miles away from Damon.

"Caroline and Tyler are preparing to run" Stefan said quietly, pocketing his phone. "But she wants to help"

"I don't think it's a good idea" I said watching the woods.

"I agree. We already have enough people here. I told her to check on Elena, Matt and Jeremy"

Stefan frowned as I walked away without an answer. I blurred through the woods and stopped in front of Jeremy. He gasped in fright and then relaxed, realizing it was me.

"What are you doing here?" I frowned.

"I came to help"

I rolled my eyes, and let him follow me back to my spot.

"Caroline won't find one of them there" I said to Stefan, nodding to Jeremy.

"You shouldn't be here" Stefan sighed.

"Ric doesn't see me as target" Jeremy shrugged. "I wanted to help"

"You should be with your sister. She's scared enough as it is" I said looking at my watch. "It's been almost an hour since you've called Ric"

"He's up to something" Stefan said. "Probably planning how to attack"

"Bella" Alice said, approaching us. "I saw Esme and Rose running through the woods" she looked at Jeremy with a frown. "I think they're looking for someone who should be at the house. And I can't get in touch with them"

"I'll tell Caroline. She was going to stay with Elena and Matt" Stefan said to Alice.

"It won't work" Alice said.

"Why?" I asked frowning.

"Because I've planned it all" Jeremy said quietly. "Caroline won't find anyone"

"What?" I snapped.

"Elena had to get out of town. I knew Esme and Rose would look for me. That way Matt could get Elena out of the house" Jeremy said.

"Dammit, Jeremy!" I snapped, taking my phone.

"I'm tired of all of you defining what's better for my sister. I want her safe, and that's only possible out of this town" Jeremy said angrily. "You trust Elijah, but I don't. Any of them. They would kill Elena without thinking just to get rid of Ric"

"Maybe it's not a bad plan" Stefan sighed and I frowned at him. "Elena will be safe, in case we can't get Ric"

"I hope nothing goes wrong with that plan" I muttered leaning against a tree.

Stefan answered his phone, and all of us looked at him.

"Damon?" He frowned and looked at me.

"Why does she only turn off her phone in shitty situations?" I heard Damon say.

I extended my hand to Stefan and he gave me the phone.

"I turned it off because you were calling nonstop" I said.

"Bella" he sighed.

"What?"

"Ric was here... Is here, somewhere"

My eyes widened and Elijah approached me with a frown.

"What?" I mumbled.

"He knew I was here... He said he got the information from someone but I think he followed Rebekah"

Elijah turned to leave but I grabbed his arm.

"Where are you going?" I asked.

"Help my sister"

"She's gone too" Damon said on the phone. "I tried to stop Ric, but he was stronger than us…"

"What do you mean?" Elijah snapped.

"Alaric staked Klaus. He's gone" Damon said. "Rebekah ran"

Elijah stared at me in shock, and I tried to stop the tears.

"I'll be there as soon as I can" I said quietly.

"You don't have to, Bella…"

"Yes, I have to, Damon" I said. "I… I love you"

"Love you too" he sighed.

I lowered the phone and stared at it.

"I'm sorry" Elijah said quietly. "I have to go"

I nodded slowly, and he brushed his hand with mine before blurring into the woods. Stefan came to me, and grabbed me by the shoulders. I looked at him, trying to focus on his face through the tears, but I couldn't. He hugged me when my legs gave out, and I sobbed in his shoulder.

"Everything will be okay" he whispered.

But it wouldn't. I would lose him, Caroline… Damon.

Damon. Damon. Damon. Damon.

"I have to go" I said.

He nodded and I kissed his cheek.

"Love you, Stefan" I mumbled. "You're my brother" I smiled.

"Go, Bella, he needs you" he smiled.

I looked nodded at Alice and Emmett and blurred through the woods.

With each beat of my slow heart, his name filled my mind.

Damon. Damon. Damon. Damon. Damon. Damon. Damon. Damon. Damon. Damon. Damon.

He was all that mattered. All there was to me in that moment.

Elijah swore to me he was not the one who created Mary. Finn was already gone. And Klaus… Klaus, the one who took responsibility for our bloodline, had been killed.

It couldn't be true. It had to be Rebekah, or Kol.

Please God.

I stopped running, and held on to a tree for support. My heart clenched, and I sobbed freely, letting myself be weak, only for a moment.

What would I do if Damon… died?

I had no answer. Simply because I could not see myself without him. He had infiltrated every aspect of my life. He was in every inch of my skin, engraved like a tattoo in my life. He was consuming. He was everything. And I was not going to lose him. I couldn't.

I wiped my tears and took my phone.

"Bella?" He answered with surprise.

"Elijah" I Said. "Where are you?"

"At my brother's house" he said suspiciously.

"I need you. Can I come over?" I said quietly.

"Of course"

I ran on the opposite direction of my original destination, Damon. I ran with all my strength, and when I finally came to a stop, my legs trembled. I hit the door with my flat hand and held myself on the threshold. Elijah opened the door with a surprised expression. I grabbed him by the shirt and hugged him. He wrapped his arms around my waist tightly, and carried me inside as I quietly cried.

"Please" I begged.

"I'm sorry" he whispered.

I pulled back and pulled my hair behind my ear.

"Please, please, help me" I cried.

"How?" He asked, confused, a deep frown of worry. "I wish I could…"

"Don't say that. You're the only one that can help me!" I said desperately. "Please, Elijah, help him"

"Bella… I can't" he said sadly.

I fell on my knees, grabbing his hands. I was not above begging on my knees.

"I'll do anything. I'll leave him if necessary. I'll go with you anywhere you want, as long as you want. Just, please, don't let him die" I cried.

"Bella…" he said tugging on my hands.

"I can't! I can't! Please! It hurts to think of… I can't live without him. Don't make me" I cried.

He pulled me up and held me to him, trying to calm me down.

"Please, Elijah. I'll do anything"

"I would help if I could, but I can't" he said softly. "I don't know how to"

"You're lying!" I snapped, pushing him away.

He grabbed me by the arms, and I tried to fight him off.

"Stop" he ordered and I froze. "I am not lying, Isabella, I do not wish you to hurt like this. But I cannot prevent it. I'm sorry. You should go"

"What will I do?" I said quietly.

"You will be strong. You will survive this"

I looked around the storage shed. Several doors were open, but there were no signs of fight. I heard something, but it was not close to me.

"Damon?" I called out.

I heard footsteps, and followed the sound. I found Damon coming back from outside. A car was there, probably Rebekah's, and Klaus' coffin, closed, almost entirely burned. Damon smiled sadly at me, and I ran to him. He whimpered as I tightened my arms around him, but did not complain. I buried my face on his chest and inhaled deeply, an unnecessary action, his scent would never leave my memory. I pulled back and kissed him softly, cupping his face.

"Are you okay?" I whispered.

"Yeah, I feel fine" He Said.

I eyed him, but he was not lying, he seemed fine. I kissed him again and rested my forehead against his.

"Maybe I'll go with you" I whispered. "Who knows? Maybe that's the only way for me to die"

"Don't say that" he muttered, his hands tightening on my waist. "You'll be alright"

The voice in my head that had told me I couldn't live without him had quieted down, with no apparent reason. So I told him the only truth.

"I won't be fine. But I'll survive"

We sat together, waiting for something. Jasper had gone hunt Ric down, to make sure he would leave us alone for a few hours. I knew now, he wouldn't give up. There was no turning back for him. He had killed Klaus, dooming Damon, Stefan and Caroline, even though it was not for sure. He had killed Klaus knowing Tyler would die too. Damon seemed fine all the time, although it did not matter, Sage seemed fine until her last second. Damon talked to Stefan on the phone, and apparently everything was fine in Mystic Falls. A hour hadn't passed yet, when my phone rang. I frowned at the screen.

"Elena?" I asked.

"Are you with him?" she asked, and I could tell she was crying.

"Yeah, I'm with Damon" I mumbled.

"I… I had to go back to Mystic Falls, Stefan, Caroline and Ty…"

"I know"

"Can I talk to him?"

"Of course"

I passed him the phone and played with his hand in mine. He assured her he was fine, and everything would be alright. She said something and he paused. I looked at him and he gave me a small smile.

"Me too, Elena" he mumbled. "Bye"

He gave me my phone back, and pulled me to his lap. I wrapped my arms around him again, and buried my face in his neck, kissing him softly.

"Too bad Jasper could come back any minute" he said. "Or do you think he wouldn't mind catching us naked?"

I chuckled and he kissed my shoulder.

"I love you" he whispered. "And I'm sorry, for everything I've put you through, for tking so long to understand my feelings… We had little time…"

"Shh" I whispered. "I'll always love you. That's all that matters. It will last forever"

He rested his head on my shoulder, and I tried to will the tears away. One escaped.

"Oh, isn't that sweet?"

I snapped up, and Damon, pulled me behind him, glaring at Ric.

"What are you doing here?" I snarled.

"Finishing the job" he said pointing the white oak stake to Damon.

"You've already finished" Damon said coldly.

I wiped my tear and Alaric smiled.

"But it was so easy, I didn't have enough fun"

"Please, leave us alone, you've done enough" I said.

"I was thinking… What if I staked you, left the stake for some time… I would get Elijah, because he surely will come for you…"

Damon blurred to him and threw him against the wall.

"Damon!" I gasped.

"Go" he said.

I didn't move.

"Go, Bella!"

I knew what he was doing. He was protecting me. From the possibility of Ric getting to me, from his death. He didn't want me there to watch it.

He only forgot a minor detail. I would rather die than leave him.

And I could not be killed.

I let my face change as Ric stood up, and he smirked. I attacked him, and he twisted out of my grip, grabbing me and smashing me into the wall by the head. I kicked him off and Damon punched him. He chuckled, licking the blood from his lip, and punched Damon. Damon staggered back, and Alaric kicked him, making him fall on the ground. I jumped on Ric's back and grabbed his head, ready to snap it off his neck. He backed up, pinning me to the wall, and grabbed my arms. It was a fair fight. With a lot of difficulty, he was able to get free and then he twisted us, so he was facing me. He smirked and used all his strength to thrust his hand in my chest. I gasped in pain, and I could feel his fingers close to my heart.

"I've heard someone wanted to die since her little boyfriend is doomed" he taunted. "Let's see if you can live without your heart"

"You'll be doing me a favor" I grunted.

Damon grabbed him and pulled him off me. I fell on the ground, and took a deep breath. I looked down and saw the hole was already healing, but I was bleeding out. Ric wasn't stronger than me, but he was stronger than Damon, and he was winning the fight. I stood up, ignoring the pain, and was ready to attack when he just stopped. Damon stopped attacking too, and watched Ric with a frown. Alaric gasped and fell on his knees.

"Ric?" Damon asked.

"Something is not right" Ric grunted. "I can't breathe"

Damon reached out to help him, but froze. He looked up at me, with wide eyes.

"Elena" I mumbled.

"Go" he said.

And this time I've listened.

I didn't get in time. When I got to the wicker bridge, I found out what happened. Stefan was getting Matt out of the water. He had a wild look as he checked if Matt was fine. I looked at the river and saw the truck almost in the bottom. I jumped on the water and swam as fast as I could, knowing it was useless.

Maybe Bonnie could help…

I saw Elena unconscious on the passenger seat, and I tore the metal door off. Taking off her seatbelt, the silence of her heart confirmed my thoughts. Bonnie would be out only hope. I grabbed her and swam to the surface, where Stefan met me. He quickly laid her on the ground, and started CPR. I got out of the water, watching him with worry.

"You'll be fine" he murmured. "You're not dead. Come on…"

"Stefan" I mumbled.

"She told me to get Matt out first" he said.

I looked at Matt and saw he was unconscious but his heart was beating strongly.

"I should've gotten her out first" Stefan continued. "Come on, Elena, please"

As my mind ran through everything, something clicked.

"Stefan" I said softly. "Stop"

He shook his head and pressed his lips to hers, trying to push some air into her lungs. I grabbed him by the shoulder but he ignored me and didn't stop. I wrapped my arms around him, and pulled him away. He sobbed and struggled against me.

"Stefan, please, calm down"

Before I could say anything else, he fell on the ground and cried. At lost of what to do, seeing he was beyond listening, I just comforted him.

"Hey, Damon" I said quietly on the phone.

"I'm almost in Mystic Falls… How is he?" He asked.

"He got a bit out of control, but I finally got him to listen. Well, me and Meredith"

"We have to ask Jeremy if he wants to bury Ric with her… I hid his body"

"Damon, you don't understand…" I said. "This morning, when I brought Elena to the hospital, Meredith gave her your blood"

"I really don't know if that's good or bad" he said.

"Me neither. She didn't want this. Stefan is going insane with the possibilities. Jeremy was not very happy either. I don't know what to do"

"I'm sure she will be fine"

"What about you? How do you feel?" I asked.

"Perfect. I haven't felt anything" he said.

I sighed and looked at the morgue's door, it would be a long night.

"Just get here soon, so I can kiss you, please"