I met Damon at the top of the stairs, and sighed, leaning against the wall.

"Caroline is going to check on Matt" I said. "He was released"

He nodded and I looked at the closed door behind him.

"Did she wake up?"

"No" he sighed. "Stefan is worrying too much, as usual"

"He's right. I'm worried too" I said. "She didn't want this. What if she decides not to feed?"

"We'll take care of her, she will adapt" he said soothingly, and pulled me to him.

"Bonnie will look for a way out, but… I doubt she'll find one" I rested my forehead against his sternum and listened to his strong heartbeat. "How do you feel?"

"Fine, Bella. You have to stop worrying so much too. Between you and Stefan, I'll go insane" he said with a smile.

I kissed him softly, and thanked God nothing happened to him. Hours had passed since Klaus' death and nothing happened to him, Stefan or Caroline. Klaus had lied. But Tyler…

"I have to call Emmett to check how things are going with Ric's body, and Jasper to see if he found anything on Tyler" I mumbled. "Mrs. Lockwood is going insane, and Caroline…" I swallowed the lump. "Elena can't die now. We'll bury enough people as it is"

"Keep Stefan some company, I'll take care of things for now" he said softly. "You need a break"

I nodded and accepted his soft kiss before he ran down the stairs. I entered the dark room and sat beside Stefan on the window seat. He wouldn't take his eyes off Elena, who was still lying still in bed.

"Did you come here to tell me I was stupid too?" he asked quietly. "Because Damon has done a great job at it"

"What?" I scowled. "What did he say?"

"Basically, and at least in softer words, that since I chose to save Matt first, I shouldn't be feeling so guilty about Elena"

"Your brother is an asshole" I told him.

He chuckled and I took his hand.

"We'll be here for her. Nothing bad will happen" I assured him. And myself.

He kissed the side of my forehead, and squeezed my hand.

"Why are you such a great friend, even when you tried not to be, even when I killed you?"

"I like to think that it's because we are true friends" I smiled.

We heard a gasp and I eyed Elena as she snapped up. She took deep breaths and looked at us with wide eyes.

"What… What happened?" she mumbled.

Stefan let go of my hand and ran to comfort her.

"Is Matt alright?" she asked.

"More than alright" Damon said entering the room. "Just got released from the hospital. Thanks to our hero, Stefan"

I scowled at him and he gave me his most innocent look. She turned to Stefan, her confused frown still on.

"How did you…"

"Save you?" Damon finished.

"Shut up" I told him and smiled at Elena. "We'll give you two a few minutes"

"I'm dead?" she asked fearfully, looking between me and Stefan. "Is that why you two don't answer me?"

"Elena…" Stefan said softly.

"I'm dead" she said in shock. "No, no, no. This wasn't supposed to happen! I… How did I have blood…?"

"Meredith" I said. "You were worse than she said when I took you to the hospital"

"Why? She knew! I can't! This can't happen!" she panicked.

"Maybe it doesn't have to" I said soothingly.

"Elena, I talked to Bonnie" Stefan said cupping her face. "She says she's stronger than ever. There might be something she can do to help you"

"Stop being delusional" Damon said. "There's only one thing that can help her. Is to feed. Before she gets out of control like Bella did and feels guilty about a mistake"

"She has all day to feed, Damon" I said quietly. "We won't let her hurt anyone or herself. Everything is under control"

"We have to try everything we can to find a way out" Stefan added.

"There's no way out. We all know the drill. Either she feeds, or she dies. There's no door number three" Damon said.

I glared at him as Elena's panic intensified.

"No! I was supposed to be dead! I was ready to die! I don't want to be a vampire! I don't! I can't" she cried.

I grabbed Damon's hand and tugged him to the door. Elena's head snapped up from her hands when she heard me open the door, and she jumped up, running to me.

"No! Please, Bella, stay!" she said desperately, hugging me. "I need you"

"Okay" I muttered rubbing her back.

Stefan and Damon walked out quietly as I comforted her. I spent the next hour with her, talking, and explaining why I hadn't want to complete the transition, and why I didn't regret it anymore. She explained to me why she didn't want to be a vampire. She had considered, many times. But she would be erasing her chances of a family, of growing old, of development. She didn't want to be forever stuck as a 18-years-old, watch everyone she cared about die, and was terrified of the possibility of hurting someone. Her biggest worry was Jeremy though. She was the last of his family. He was her last family. How could she watch him grow old, have a family of his own, and die and not be a part of his life?

And I didn't have an answer. I had thought of all of that. She was even one of the people I would watch grow old and die. I had thought of having a family, but it was not a big worry to me since I only fell in love with men that couldn't have children. I had been terrified of hurting someone, and I had hurt Jeremy. Which caused me to complete the transition. I didn't chose to be what I was. I had been so determined on not being a vampire, so how could I try to soothe her? I could explain why I hadn't want it, and why I didn't regret, but I couldn't give her any assurances. Especially considering what freaked me out about being a vampire, was the fact of losing my powers. She wasn't a witch, she couldn't understand that either.

"Say something, please" she said quietly.

"I don't know what to say, Elena" I mumbled. "I didn't want to be a vampire either. I am. And I'm happy, not exactly for being a vampire... It's complicated"

"What makes you happy about it?"

"Damon" I smiled with a shrug.

"Would you undo it?" she frowned.

"Last night, I was so scared that Damon could die. I had never felt that way. Things were out of my control, and it would affect my life in a painful, unexplainable way… I had almost lost him when Tyler bit him, but I was human. Now I'm immortal, I would live forever without him… It was awful." I swallowed hard. "After last night, knowing that Damon would feel if I died… I don't think I could go back to being human. Not without him. It would be him to watch me grow old and die. It would come a time that we couldn't be together anymore. That thought… crushes me" I smiled sadly. "It's cheesy, but I… Can't live without him. So, no. I wouldn't go back"

When I walked into the kitchen, I found Stefan pacing, gripping his hair and Damon scowling at him.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"He's admitting this is all his fault" Damon rolled his eyes.

"Stop it, Damon" I said angrily. "She asked him to save Matt. He respected her wishes"

"And now the world has one more quarterback. Bravo" he said sarcastically.

"Bonnie will find a way out" Stefan mumbled hopefully.

Damon scoffed and walked out of the kitchen. I sent Stefan an apologizing look and followed him out of the house.

"Where are you going?" I asked as he strode to the car.

"Home"

"What's the matter with you?" I asked grabbing his arm. "What's wrong, Damon?"

"This is wrong" he said gesturing to the house. "This is fucked up. Stefan going insane with guilt but not admitting regrets. Elena terrified of becoming one of us. Bonnie looking for a stupid cure!"

"Why do you want Elena to become a vampire? She doesn't want it!"

"Because that would make things much simpler!" he said and sighed. "We wouldn't have to worry about her safety every second. Stefan wouldn't lose her. They could be together, forever. I know it must surprise you, but I want that kind of happiness for him"

"You're lying to me" I said softly with a deep frown. "What are you not telling me?"

"I'm tired of this shit. I'm going home. Call me if there is any news" he said.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him deeply. He hummed and held me tight to his chest. I slipped my hands down, under his jacket and rubbed his chest through the T-shirt.

"I love you" I mumbled between kisses.

"Me too" he muttered.

I pulled back and smiled. He gave me a smile and walked to the car. As soon as he was out of the street, I uncrossed my arms and smirked at the white oak stake I had taken from the inside of his jacket.

I slipped into the house quietly, and kept an eye out for Elijah. I found Rebekah packing things up, and she was completely distracted. All the pity I had felt for the loss of her brother, it had vanished after Elena's first tear of fear. She had tortured Damon, me, made our lives hell, and now she had made my friend go through an unwanted transition.

"Leaving so soon?" I asked.

"Sneaking up on ladies is not a nice thing to do, Isabella. Apparently you've learned the bad manners with your boyfriend" she said without looking at me.

"I don't see a lady around here"

"Why are you here?" she asked turning to scowl at me. "Shouldn't you be with your friends? Tragic about Elena. Not to make a gray day any grayer, but… Does Matt have insurance?"

"Shouldn't you be with your siblings? From where I come from, a loving circle of family and friends, when someone dies, we stay together… Oh, wait, your circle is not like that. Your brothers can't stand you, Niklaus was the only one that could. Oops, I guess we left you without family"

She snarled, and attacked me, smashing me into the wall. I pulled her hands off me and used the stake. She gasped and looked down at her stomach, where my hand was holding the stake and blood dripping off.

"Oh, yeah, I got that from Ric after he died" I taunted.

I pulled it off her, and she staggered back, her eyes full of fear. I let my face change as I prepared to attack. I ran to grab her, and she was ready to run, but suddenly Damon appeared in front of me, and held me.

"Stop" he said.

"Let me kill her!" I snapped.

"Are you out of your fucking mind?" he said trying to take the stake from me. "We would have Elijah and Kol after our heads… That is, if we don't die with her!"

I clenched my jaw and loosened my grip on the stake. He took it from me with a sigh, and Rebekah smiled.

"Good to know his leash on you is still tight" she said.

I growled and Damon got out of my way this time. I only had time to grab her before I felt the pain in my back and the sound of shots were heard. Rebekah grunted and I felt Damon's arm wrapping around my waist and then everything was a blur around us as he ran away with me.

"Ouch! Fucking shit, just take it out already!" I snapped.

"If you hadn't gone there" he said.

I hissed as I felt his gloved fingers dig deeper into my flesh, trying to get the vervain-dipped wooden bullet out of my back.

"Caroline isn't answering" I muttered, typing a message to Stefan.

I whimpered as he took the bullet out and threw it aside. He took off the gloves and sighed.

"Great, all we needed when the council is hunting us down is Barbie missing" he said.

"Call Liz, maybe she can help" I said pulling my shirt back on and stood up. "I'll go to the Cullens', see if they were threatened too"

"Be careful" he said.

"Always am"

I walked out of the woods and ran inside the mansion. It was quiet. Too quiet. I walked around the living room and sensed a different scent. It was not one of the Cullens. It was human. I focused and could hear a fast heartbeat by the top of the stairs. I took my keys and threw them on the stairs, the metal crashing on the hardwood made a lot of noise. A man snapped from his position, ready to shoot me on the stairs, but I blurred and stood behind him. He looked around confused.

"Boo" I taunted.

He turned around quickly and I grabbed his rifle before he could shoot. I knew him. He had worked with my dad. He looked at me wide eyed and open mouthed. The image of fear.

"Cat caught your tongue, honey?" I asked amusedly.

He reached to grab something on his pocket but I grabbed him by the neck and lifted him.

"Tsc, tsc. I'll have to teach you how to play my game" I said.

"Please…" he choked out.

"Let's see if you have an idea how to play… Tell me where are the rest of your friends"

"I'm on vervain"

"Hm, I'm not really a fan of spiced drinks, but I can try it" I shrugged and his heartbeat accelerated. "Ready to talk now?"

He stayed silent.

"Fine, let's play then"

I let my face change and he screamed as I sunk my teeth on his neck. The vervain made his blood burn down my throat a bit, but it was weak, almost like pepper on a burger. I pulled back and grinned at him. His heart was almost pounding out of his chest as he struggled against my hold on his neck.

"So, are you going to tell me what is going on?" I asked nicely.

"Your father…"

I smashed him into the wall and he grunted.

"I don't think it's smart trying to get under my skin with that subject" I snarled. "Tell me before I snap your neck"

"I-I… Please" he cried.

I let my fangs elongate again and he tried to push me away.

"Wait!" he cried.

I paused.

"Pastor Young. He's the new Head of the Council. I only had to shoot them down, and then he would take care of them"

"Fools" I chuckled imagining him shooting the Cullens. "Well, are you sure that's all?"

"Yes" he stammered out.

"You're coming with me"

I let my face change completely and bit into his neck. When his heart slowed down and he relaxed on my arms I let him go. He fell to the floor, unconscious and I grabbed his arm and dragged him to the car. He could be useful.

"Any news?" I asked entering the living room.

"Bella!" Liz said shocked. "That's one of my officers!"

"He was trying to kill me" I shrugged and dropped him. "So any news? Did Bonnie find something?"

"Bonnie doesn't have anything yet" Damon said dropping his phone on the coffee table. "Which doesn't matter since Stefan and Elena are missing"

"Why is Pastor Young in command?" I asked Liz.

"Because he threatened Carol too, she had her hands tied"

"Great. So, Stefan, Elena, Rebekah are missing" I mumbled.

"And Caroline" Meredith added watching as Liz paced.

"The Cullens?" Damon asked getting maps.

"They were not at the house. Some had gone hunting, Edward is with Bonnie, Carlisle heard Pastor Young talking to Meredith… I told them to lay low" I shrugged.

"They weren't aiming to kill at the attack" Damon said. "He is holding them hostages"

"The Lockwood cellar?" Meredith suggested.

"No, only Lockwoods and us know about it. And it would be too easy to locate, right under Carol's nose" I said grabbing the unconscious man and sat him on the couch. "Let's see what else I can get from him"

"What are you going to do?" Liz asked worriedly.

"I want my friends back safely, that means your daughter too" I said to her. "Are you going to criticize me, really?"

She sighed and looked at the map of the town with Damon. I slapped the man lightly and he came to with a weak grown.

"Wake up, budy" I said. "Needing some vampire blood? I just don't guarantee I won't kill after, accidentally turning you…"

That seemed to wake him up. He tried to sit upright but was still weak.

"Now, I have my boyfriend with me this time" I said pointing to Damon. "There are two of us… And don't even try to ask help from Liz and Meredith. Not gonna work. So, are you gonna cooperate?"

He glanced at Liz and nodded.

"Where are they?" Damon asked glaring at him.

"They who?" he mumbled.

I let my face change and he got even paler.

"I-I don't know!" he stammered.

"Get rid of him" Damon said. "He isn't going to help"

"I really don't know!" he cried as I took a step forward. "He thought I was Liz's ally! They wouldn't tell me anything! That's why I only had to shoot them down!"

"You're lying!" I growled.

"I'm not! Please!"

I grabbed him by the shirt and lifted him.

"Stop"

I turned to Matt and cocked an eyebrow as I let my face go back to normal.

"He doesn't know anything" Matt said.

"How do you know?" Damon asked.

"I know where they can be" Matt said approaching the coffee table. "It's not on that map"

"Set him down, Bella" Liz ordered.

I smirked at the guy, letting my face change.

"But he's so tasty" I said.

"Bella!" Meredith and Liz snapped.

I tossed him down and he tried to scramble up. I motioned for Matt to get out of his way, and he seemed confused. The man hadn't even reached the door before I blurred in front of him and attacked. After a few gulps of blood, he fell lifeless on the floor.

"What the hell?" Meredith cried running to help him.

I stepped over him and walked to the couch.

"I would need to feed in case we got in a fight, and he was the enemy. Two birds" I shrugged wiping my chin.

Liz stared at the man in shock.

"Matt, where are them?" I asked.

"I'm not sure…"

Damon grabbed him by the neckline and I got on the edge of the couch.

"My patience with you has run out. Elena needs to feed or she'll die again, and it will be your fault if we don't get to her in time… So she'll have died because of you, twice in 24 hours. Now, spill it" he snapped.

"The cattle ranch" Matt said frowning. "Pastor Young has a ranch… It's isolated and if it can hold bulls I imagine they can hold vampires"

Damon let go of him and Matt pointed out where the ranch was on the map.

"It's about two hours away" Matt said.

Damon checked his watch. The clock was ticking, against Elena.

I answered Edward's call as we got ready.

"I was about to call you" I said. "We've found them, but I was wondering if Alice could help. She's not answering the phone"

"She must be without signal, they went hunting, to wait until things calm down around here" he mumbled. "Bella, I need your help"

"What?" I frowned.

"Jeremy came to beg Bonnie for help, with Elena. He kind of made her ignore some limits…"

"What do you mean?"

"She's going to stop her heart, to pull Elena back from the other side. In the grimoire it says a part of the person dies when she transitions, so she wants to pull that part back… And save Elena from wherever Pastor Young is keeping her"

"What grimoire?" I scowled. "It wasn't mine. Hers?"

"No…"

"One of the ones we got from Luka's father?" I asked. "Edward if it is, stop her, it's dark magic. She has used it enough!" I sighed. "Elena… We'll take care of her. Take care of Bonnie, the lines are getting blurry for her apparently"

"Alright, thanks"

"I'm sorry I can't help" I said. "I have to go"

"It's okay" he mumbled.

I sensed something else was wrong. I guessed it was the fact of how far Bonnie would go when Jeremy asked.

I turned and entered the car.

"Is his presence really necessary?" I asked glancing at Matt.

"Thanks" Matt muttered.

"I don't mind, I just worry, Matt" I mumbled.

"He's showing the way"

"GPS, Damon" I said. "You need one"

He gave me a look and I smiled as he sped off.

I grabbed Damon's arm as he was about to get out of the car.

"Maybe I should go" I said.

"Who said I was going first?" he smirked.

I frowned and looked at Matt, who seemed just as confused as me.

"What?" Matt asked.

"They are not going to shoot you. You distract them" Damon said.

"Damon, that's unnecessary, and dangerous" I said. "Matt will stay in the car. I take care of them while you get Elena out"

"Just a little thing you haven't thought about" Damon said. "Who will she feed of? These guys are on vervain"

I sighed and looked at Matt.

"Stay here… Don't worry, okay? I won't let her hurt you"

He nodded, his frown going from confused to worried. Damon rolled his eyes at me and got out of the car. We walked a few yards and stopped in front of the house.

"The barn" I pointed it out.

He went in that direction while I watched the house. I saw someone on the window and knew they were aware of our presence. I whistled loudly.

"Pastor Young. Why don't you take care of the problem I am to this town personally?" I yelled.

The door opened and the Pastor eyed me with disgust. I smirked letting my face change and noticed a man coming from behind the house. He shot me and I hissed at the vervain on the wooden bullet. I dug my fingertips into my shoulder and eyed the bullet before dropping it.

"Not cool. I liked this jacket" I said.

Another man came out of the house, with a gun in hand and the man from behind the house got brave, walking forward. I let my fangs elongate and ignored the burn of the bullets as they shot me in the chest. The first to shoot me was the first to go out of bullets. I blurred to him and snapped his neck. I looked at the pastor and he grabbed the gun from the other man and aimed it at me. He was going to shoot me in the head but I grabbed the bullet before it connected with my forehead. He frowned at me.

"Let me guess. Alaric didn't tell I was different" I taunted.

The other man turned to run but before he could take his second step, I had already snapped his neck. Other two men walked out of the house and were easily killed. The pastor went inside, knowing I couldn't enter. I chuckled, wiping the blood from my chin. I heard crashing and shooting from the barn and ran there. It was full of vervain in gas, and I choked when I got to the door. It burned the skin, eyes and airways easily. That's why the officers had little vervain on their system, they had other, more important uses.

"Damon!" I called out.

He didn't answer and I ran inside, walking blindly, ignoring the pain as I searched for something. Someone grabbed me by the wrist and pulled me outside. I took deep breaths and wrapped my arms around Stefan.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"Yeah" he groaned.

"Elena?"

"Damon got her out… I was freeing Rebekah" he said coughing.

"Caroline!" I said ready to go back inside.

"She's not there" Stefan said weakly, dropping to sit on the ground.

I frowned but kneeled by his side and helped him take out his jacket that had too much vervain.

"She wasn't here?" I asked.

"No, I didn't see her all day. She probably escaped" he mumbled.

"Stefan" I said and his eyes fluttered closed. "Oh, come on, don't do this…"

I looked around, worried about being attacked by other officers. I could hear them talking inside the house, and guns being prepared. I looked back at Stefan who was almost out from so much vervain.

"This is why you can't go cold turkey…" I muttered and bit my wrist. "Let's keep this between us" I whispered.

I put my wrist to his lips and he held it to him as he drank greedily. After a few gulps I pulled my wrist back and he leaned back with a sigh.

"Sorry" he said sitting up.

"Are you alright now?" I asked and he nodded. "Then there's nothing to be sorry for"

He looked at me with an worried look and I frowned. He looked away and I followed his eyes to see Elena and Damon a few feet away, she had her back to us, but Damon was staring at us. Jealousy and rage could be easily seen in his light blue eyes. I pulled my sleeve down and took Stefan's hand to get up. He gave me an apologetic look and I sighed before turning to go to Damon.

Stefan took Elena home, and that left Damon and I alone at the Boarding House. Damon had arrived and went straight to the shower, claiming he still felt vervain on him. He had closed the door, so I couldn't join him, and I had to take a shower on another room. I sat in bed, dressed only in one of his shirts, and waited for him. I knew he was avoiding me. The ride had been silent and when I tried to say something, he changed subject, telling me Rebekah had run home. He walked out of the bathroom almost half an hour later, a towel wrapped low around his hips, and drying his hair with another.

"Are you going to tell me what happened to Elena?" I asked quietly.

"Rebekah helped Stefan attacking the guard. When I came in they almost had it. But there was another guard, who started the vervain ventilation… We got them killed and Elena fed from one of them, apparently she was so desperate that she didn't mind a bit of vervain on the blood. I got her and Stefan out and he decided to stay to help Rebekah" he shrugged.

"I meant why she seemed mad at you"

"She remembered the times I compelled her" he said.

"Oh" I mumbled.

Yes, Elena had always been clear about the subject. She was completely against it. So, it was expected she would be mad at him for it.

"So, are we going to talk about…"

"Aren't you going to ask on what I compelled her? You seem very interested on the subject" he said. "We can go to more interesting subjects when you finish avoiding"

"I'm not avoiding it…" I sighed. "Just thinking how to get to it"

"How about: I've shared blood with Stefan, Damon, wanna talk about it?" Damon said sarcastically going through his drawer for clothes.

"He was really bad, Damon. He was weak from lack of feeding and the vervain was too much" I said.

"We had humans close by" Damon snapped. "Why do you think I brought Matt? He was vervain-free and a good blood bag"

"You've been acting like an ass all day, Damon. Matt is not a blood bag!" I said, standing up angrily.

He grabbed me by the shoulders and pushed me into a wall, his face changing.

"I came this close to killing Stefan!" he snarled. "Don't you get it!? You're mine!"

I stared into his eyes, waiting for the beautiful light blue to come back, and he breathed heavy. I cupped his face and pulled his face closer to mine.

"I've never wanted him, Damon. I love you. I'm yours, completely. And you're mine" I said softly. "I'm forever yours"

His lips crashed onto mine, a furious kiss, that ignited fire as quick as if I was full of gasoline and he was my lighter. I wrapped my legs around his waist, and he ripped the shirt off me. He was being rough, and I couldn't complain.

"Mine" he growled before biting down on my neck.

I moaned and his towel dropped, allowing us to connect in every way.

I took deep breaths to catch my breath and smiled into his chest. He wrapped his arm around me, and I threw my leg over him before looking up, something coming into my mind.

"Why were you in a bad mood this morning?" I asked.

He sighed and stared at the ceiling.

"I didn't like that Elena had to go through what you went through, the same fear… And I hated that Stefan thought of a solution I didn't when it was you… Bonnie"

"It wouldn't have worked" I said.

"Yes, but at least I could have said I tried everything before being selfish and begging you to complete the transition for me" he shrugged.

"I've never been happier, even with all the trouble we have" I smiled straddling him.

He pulled on my right leg, making me lose balance and in a swift move had me under him, his hand trailing up my thigh.

"Good" he said and leaned down to brush his lips on my sternum. "Because you're mine forever"