"If the hybrid hadn't lost his head already, I would've ripped it off by now, Klaus" I said on the phone.

"Pointing fingers won't help me, you will help me" Klaus answered.

"Stefan has been looking for him, there are no signs… He could be anywhere by now"

"He took the hybrids head"

"Yes, Klaus, I'm aware that he has access to werewolf venom now, and he will use it to kill vampires, but if he was smarter, he would get out of town, because he has seen we are too much for him to handle" I said rubbing my forehead.

"You shouldn't underestimate the hunter, love. He has the toxin, and I'm in Italy, trying to keep discreet to the Volturi while digging a freaking sword. So all of you have no access to the cure, I would be careful" he said. "Anyway, his tattoo is the map to the cure, and it's your job to find him, catch him, and above all, keep him alive. Is that too hard for you?"

"Careful with that tone, Klaus, I don't like it" I snapped and he chuckled. "Damon is looking for him but not for the same reasons…"

"Keep Damon in check then" he said. "And do not reveal it to him, the way things are going it seems he enjoys vampire Elena a bit too much"

"You sent someone to spy on them in college" I rolled my eyes.

"The fact that you seem so suspicious about what could've happened there, just confirms my theory"

"Didn't you?"

"Maybe" he said. "The more who find out about the cure, the more who will go after it. Nations have gone to war over less. You mark my words, tell one soul and I will throw the hunter's sword in the Mediterranean and we can end this quest right now. Am I understood?"

"Do I need to remind you again, I'm not a hybrid, you're not my boss, and you should be careful of that tone, or I'll take that sword you're bringing and shove it up your..."

He had already hung up.

Damon had called me about five times and Alice informed me he had called the Cullen home number as well looking for me. When Elena's name flashed in my screen I knew it wasn't her, so I didn't even answer. I went through the hunter's trailer, looking for something. His scent was fresh and Dean's head was there, but no signs of where he might have gone. I walked out and met Stefan.

"Nothing?" I asked.

"No" he grumbled. "And Damon and Elena must be looking for us"

"I'm avoiding them until we've dealt with Connor"

"That's a good plan"

"I'm thinking of going to next town, see if he's passed by…"

I was interrupted as his phone biped with a new message. He sighed and took it from his pocket. He frowned as he opened the message and looked at me.

"Just found him"

He extended me his phone and I took it.

Hunter at Mystic Grill with hostages. They all die at sundown.

"He's taken Jeremy" I sighed.

"And Jeremy doesn't remember a thing about him" Stefan reminded me.

"Let's go"

We were halfway to the Grill when our phones biped simultaneously. It was a message from Damon, saying they were gathering at the Lockwood Mansion to plan the attack. I told Damon to go, not divulge anything and I would check the Grill. Damon would be even more pissed once only Stefan showed up, but I had to make sure I would be able to stop them in case they went to the Grill. I was approaching the Grill when a police officer blocked my path, and I saw the streets leading to the Town's Square was closed off.

"Sorry, there's a gas leaking and the area is blocked…"

I looked him in the eyes.

"Let me through"

He smiled stepping back and I rushed to the square. Liz let me pass when she saw me and seemed worried as she eyed the Grill. I watched the Grill for half an hour, I had already established that he had three hostages, April Young, Matt and Jeremy, and he was getting antsy as nothing happened. I informed Liz to probably get a sniper if possible. If she was able to put him down, without killing him, before Damon did something, everything would be great. Stefan showed up, approaching me with his hands in his pockets. I stopped playing with my necklace and cocked an eyebrow at him. He stood beside me, turning to look at the Grill as well.

"So?" I asked.

"Damon, Elena, Tyler and Caroline are planning on going in there and ripping Connor in pieces. He's outnumbered to them" he said.

"And what did you say?"

"That I would check for any traps, since Connor has werewolf venom"

"Tyler?"

"Apparently all he knows is that one of his hybrid friends showed up dead. The other hybrids covered the story well as Klaus requested, they told him Connor had tried to attack Klaus, but when he realized Klaus wasn't there it was too late, Dean was attacking him and lost the fight. Of course the fact that one hybrid had accused you of being the one to decapitate Dean didn't even cross his mind again"

"Connor is getting antsy with the quietness" I said hearing him pace back and forth.

"So is Damon" he said.

I sighed, taking my cell and dialed Klaus' number. He picked it up going straight to the subject.

"Do you have him?"

"No… He made hostages at the Grill to get vampires to kill" I said.

"Then go inside and get him" he said irritated.

"He has hostages, Klaus!"

"Do you expect me to care about hostages?"

"Well you should. Damon does, so does Caroline, Elena, Tyler. They are planning on taking Connor down and if they get to him, you've just wasted a trip to Italy. The sword is of no use without the map. And Jeremy is one of the hostages, and we need him alive to read the map" I said, pacing myself while gripping my hair. "I can slow them down, buy us time, but Damon is getting antsy to do something. So if you want Connor alive, you better get the hybrids on board with my plan"

He stayed in silence for a long moment and I looked at Stefan who was watching intently. My eyes snapped to the Grill before coming back to his.

"Fine. I'll make sure they help" Klaus said.

I hung up and sighed. My head snapped as I heard a familiar voice.

"What?" Stefan asked.

My eyes scanned around and when another familiar voice answered the first, my eyes went to the windows of Alaric's loft.

"They're at Alaric's" I said quietly. "Elena was watching us. They are impatient"

He rolled his eyes and glanced back at the Grill.

"Call them, tell them we'll be checking it out… Damon has found a way in to the Grill, the tunnels"

Stefan did as I asked informing how many hostages and who and snapping at Damon for complaining when he asked for more time.

"As if dealing with Klaus wasn't bad enough" he grumbled.

I chuckled and checked my watch, keeping my focus on the loft to see if they were going to do something or not. Trying to control myself as Elena and Damon interacted.

"So are you gonna explain why you've saved Rebekah?"

"Because Klaus shouldn't have tried to do that. I used her for information, it was the least I could do" I said.

"So, moment of compassion for Klaus' humanity wasn't real… right?" he asked eyeing me.

I looked at him and cocked an eyebrow.

"Why? Can't I?"

"Well, if I remember well, he made me try to kill you" he frowned.

"We all did bad things" I said turning away.

"Yes, but he's still Klaus… Look, have a crush on badboy Damon is one thing but Klaus…"

I turned sharply and glared at him.

"Do not, ever, question my loyalty to your brother, are we understood?" I growled.

"I didn't mean like that" he sighed.

"I can be friends with whomever I want. Do not piss my off right now, Stefan, I already have your girlfriend on my nerves" I snapped.

I took deep breaths to calm down and he relaxed, my eyes had changed without me realizing it.

"Sorry" he muttered.

"Connor is making a werewolf venom bomb, I'll wait for the hybrid, get Damon under control"

I sat in a park bench, waiting for the hybrid to show up. My phone rang and thinking it was Stefan I answered without looking.

"You snapped his neck… Nice" I deadpanned.

"B-Bella?"

I frowned, tensing up and sat straight.

"Caroline? What's wrong?" I asked.

"Tyler broke Nate's neck after talking to Klaus and stormed off… Damon didn't answer his phone and I know you're at the square, and I'm afraid Tyler went to get Connor by himself…"

"Caroline, slow down! What happened to you?" I asked worried at her tone. "Are you crying?"

"No" she snapped in a shaky voice.

My frown deepened as I saw Tyler approach the square.

"Tyler, wasn't it?" I asked knowingly.

"He… Do you know?" she asked quietly.

"Yeah. Sorry, Care… I told him he had to tell you"

"Well, it was Klaus who spilled it without knowing I was listening" she muttered.

"Look, I'll stop this jackass from going in, and we'll talk later"

She thanked me and I hung up before rushing to block Tyler's path.

"Not so fast" I said pushing him back.

"Get out of my way… I can deal with him" he said.

"No, you can't"

"I won't have a problem with the venom, and he will have some problem killing me… I can rip his head off before he rips mine"

He tried to go around me but I grabbed him by the arm.

"Tyler, I'm already mad at you for Caroline, don't make me do this…"

"What the hell is wrong with you?" he snapped at me. "Jeremy and Matt are in danger!"

But the cure would be jeopardized if I let him go in there.

I snapped his neck and he fell lifeless to the ground. I sighed and picked him up. I carried him to where Liz was and she looked at me in shock.

"Shoot him with this vervain if he wakes up before I solve this problem" I told her giving her a few vervain darts I had left.

"What are you doing, Bella?" she asked quietly.

"I'm keeping him safe, Liz" I shrugged.

"You'll have to compel half my staff now" she sighed glancing at the officers watching us. "What's going on? Damon said he was about to solve this a couple hours ago"

"You'll have to trust me in this" I said and she looked skeptical. "Please"

She sighed and nodded. I turned to go back to the square, dialing Stefan's number to see where he was when suddenly there's an explosion at the Grill. I ran to it, not thinking twice before entering. Connor shot Nate, the hybrid, in the heart and he died. He looks down at his arm, but then notices me. He smirked and aims at me.

"Don't be stupid" I said.

He shot me in the head, and I winced, before pulling the wooden bullet out, wiping the blood from my forehead.

"Jeremy, are you alright?" I asked.

He nodded, watching us with apprehension and I stared at Connor who was scowling at me.

"Go ahead, try again, but we both know you're getting out of here with me" I said.

Stefan came in from the back quietly, but Connor noticed and grabbed Jeremy, pulling him closer to him as he aimed at Stefan. I rushed in front of him and Stefan ducked down behind the bar. Connor shot me several times, and I stood still. His gun went out of bullets and he pushed Jeremy away. He reloads it and takes a step closer to the bar. I follow his movement and he keeps his eye on me as he continues approaching the bar.

"You don't need to do this" Stefan called out.

"Bella" Jeremy said.

I looked at him, he was frozen, looking down at the mat he had stepped in. The sound of a bomb ticking filled my ears as I stared at the device right beside Jeremy.

"We can end this now" Stefan said. "Just put down the gun and come with us"

"Come out and I'll hand it over to you. I'm don't like to make trades with women" he said smirking at me.

"Well, I'm the one you can't kill, I'll call that fear" I taunted. "Think about this"

"We'll tell everything you need to know, no one has to die" Stefan added.

"I don't make deals with vampires!"

"Let Jeremy go and I'll give you the truth" I smiled softly. "You want to…"

I was interrupted as Elena burst in. I scowled at her and she eyed Jeremy, raising her hands in surrender as she looked at Connor.

"Please!" she cried.

He points his gun to her, and I tensed. Stefan might have had chance, but she was a newbie.

"Don't hurt him, please" she begged.

He pointed the gun to Jeremy, seeing he was everyone's weak point.

"Come any closer and he's dead" he threatened.

"Elena, get out of here" Jeremy said desperately.

"Shut up" I said quietly and Elena frowned lightly at me.

"He's the only family that I have. Just… Let him go, please" she said.

"Your girl is watching!" Connor taunted Stefan. "I'll shoot the boy right in front of her, on the count of three! One… Two!"

I stepped forward and Stefan stood up at the same time. Connor seemed lost about who to shoot first, but in a quick decision he settled on Stefan. I rushed to him, and tackled him to the ground, but he fired anyway. I heard Stefan rushing to Jeremy and then the bomb went off. I got knocked off Connor with the explosion, wincing as nails and pieces of glass pierced my skin.

"Jeremy?" I heard Elena calling.

Connor came at me and then suddenly Elena pinned him to the wall. He slipped from her hold and tried to stake her. She held his wrist away from him, struggling. I pulled him off, turning to get between them. Stefan knocked the stake off his hand and blurred away from him. I sighed, the hunter was safe. Elena rushed to Jeremy, and I leaned against the wall. She bit into her wrist and fed her blood to him, pulling the bullet out at the same time. I pulled the largest pieces of glass and a few nails before going to the tunnels to check on Stefan and Connor.

"Run as fast as you can!" I heard Stefan say.

I frowned, rushing to find him, and found him pinned by Damon who had a hand in his chest, pulling at his heart.

"Damon!" I yelled.

"Why are you protecting him? Tell me!" Damon snapped.

"Let him go" I said. "I'll tell you, but you have to let him go"

"Tell me!" he yelled looking at me as Stefan cried in pain. "Now!"

I grabbed him and threw him away from Stefan, my face changing as I snarled at him.

"Enough" I snarled.

He stood up, his eyes changing as well, and pinned me to the wall.

"What are you up to?" he asked angrily.

I wrapped my hands around his neck, and my nails started to draw blood. He winced as I got to the jugular.

"Not of your business, sorry" I said.

He groaned, torn between holding me or fighting me off. He didn't make the decision. I gasped as a stake went through the side of my neck and Damon let go of me, looking shocked. I pulled it out and turned to Elena. Her eyes had changed and she snarling at me.

"Hurt him again and I'll kill you"

My own face changed fully and I tackled her to the ground. She was inexperienced fighter, but she was driven by something deep. Stefan pulled me off her, and Damon held her.

"What the hell is wrong with you two?" Stefan asked scowling.

"She hurt Damon!" she snapped.

I glared at Damon.

"So?" Damon said frowning at her.

"I'm not even going to ask what happened lately for her to be so protective of you" I sneered.

She growled and I pushed Stefan's hands off me.

"So possessive. He's all yours. I'm done" I said.

"Bella…"

I ran through the tunnels until I was in the forest. I held onto a tree, as my body shook with sobs, and I pressed my hand against my mouth to keep my screams from being heard. A few minutes later, I heard footsteps getting closer, a branch snapping under a foot…

"You can be the strongest, but you're also the most pathetic"

I looked up at Connor, who was aiming a gun at me.

"Werewolf venom?" I asked.

"Yes"

"I already have it" I muttered picking at another piece of glass still in my arm.

"Let's not take chances" he said smirking.

I stared at him.

Stefan wanted the cure for Elena. Klaus wanted the cure for Elena. And if Elena was human, we would never leave. Damon might like her vampire version, but as a vulnerable human, he would want to stay to protect her. A doppelganger alive. The dangers would never end. Ironic, that everyone wanted the cure for Elena, and now, this moment that I had the chance to secure the map to it, I couldn't care less if Elena was dead or alive.

"Shoot me, I really don't care" I said waiting. "Go ahead" I said when he hesitated.

"Too bad Damon Salvatore isn't alive anymore… I would have fun watching him suffer as you slowly died" he said smiling and shrugged.

I snapped up and pushed him against a tree. My hand breaking the trunk after it went through his chest, ripping out his heart. His eyes quickly turned lifeless, and I pulled my arm back, letting him fall to the floor. I stared at his heart in my hand and gasped. I fell on the ground, crying out, and threw the heart away from me. I gripped my hair tightly, not caring that I was getting my hair bloody.

"Bella!"

"No!"

Stefan crouched down next to me, and pulled my hands back from my face.

"Bella…"

"Damon" I cried. "He killed him, I couldn't control myself!"

"What?" he asked frowning.

"I just ripped his heart off… How…. I lost the cure. I'm stuck forever without Damon"

He cupped my face, making me look into his green eyes.

"Bella, Damon is alive… We were looking for you" he said softly.

"Damon?" I asked shakily.

"Connor bluffed…"

I looked at the body lying in front of me.

"Bella? Did you hear me? Damon is fine…"

"The cure" I mumbled.

He followed my gaze and sighed, sitting down next to me and wrapping an arm around my shoulders.

"I ruined it"

"Don't worry about it" he said softly.

"It's lost…"

"We can find another hunter, just like Klaus did with this one" he said hopefully.

"900 years later" I deadpanned.

"We have eternity, it doesn't matter"

"Are you alright?" Damon asked as Stefan led me inside the Boarding house.

"She's a bit shaken up…"

"Did you find Connor? We have to kill him!" Elena said.

"Leave him" Damon said kneeling in front of me as I sat in the couch.

"But you said we had to…"

"I'm saying I don't care right now!" he snapped at her and cupped my face. "Bella?"

"I killed him" I said staring at the fire. "I lost it, and killed him"

He looked at Stefan, his deep frown revealing he knew the importance of Connor. He knew of the cure.

"It's lost" I said burying my face in my hands.

"Elena, you should go home, check on Jeremy" Stefan said softly.

"I just… I'm sorry, Bella" she said quietly. "I kind of snapped. You weren't helping today and… I shouldn't have attacked you"

I nodded and she said goodbye before leaving.

I washed the blood off my hands under the shower and then entered to wash my hair and face. The water turned pink as it cascaded down my body and down the drain. I stood half an hour under the water, before deciding that only a bath could calm me down. I turned off the shower and stepped out, wrapping a towel around me as I searched for the bath salts Alice had given me. When I stood up I gasped at the blood in the sink. I hadn't used it, I was sure of it, yet, it was full of blood. I turned on the tap, to see if it would be drained, but it started to spill, getting all over the bathroom. I turned it off and turned around to grab another towel, when I saw Connor. He was sitting on the edge of the tub, his elbows in his knees and staring at me with a frown. He was bloody in the chest and I looked down at my hands to see they were bloody all over again.

"Killer" he said quietly.

I looked at him, breathing heavy, and turned, slipping in the blood and falling.

"Damon!" I screamed.

When I blinked, everything was gone. The blood, Connor…

"Whaty" Damon asked bursting in the bathroom.

I looked around once again, and wondered if the second time with werewolf venom was faster. Klaus wouldn't forgive me for killing Connor, and I would die without his blood…