The following morning, Elena headed downstairs to find Stefan, Damon, and Anna outside. "Hey, can we talk?" Stefan asked.
"Why?"
"We went to see Katherine."
"Correction: you went to see Katherine. I just happened to be listening in nearby." Anna said.
"Come on in." They sat down around the kitchen.
"Katherine said she was willing to give up the moonstone if we manage to get her out of the tomb." Anna explained. "I don't know about them, but I say it's a bad idea."
"You don't believe her, do you?" Elena asked.
"No, of course not." Damon said. "We just want the moonstone."
"According to Rose's friend Slater, there's the way to destroy the spell that Klaus wants to break." Stefan told her.
"No spell, no doppelganger sacrifice so ergo you live."
"How do you destroy it?"
"By releasing it from the moonstone." Stefan explained.
"How do you guys even know this is gonna work?" Elena asked.
"'cause we have a crafty witch on our side."
"You discussed with Bonnie."
"She agreed to do anything she could to help us." Stefan said.
"And I say, leave the witch out of this." Anna said. "Are you forgetting what happened the last time she opened the tomb?"
"Yeah, well if we don't do something, Elena will die." Damon pointed out.
"It's Katherine who has the moonstone. She's not gonna give it to you." Elena said.
"We're gonna get it from her." Stefan told her.
"Well, what he means to say is we will pry it from her cold dead hand if we have to."
"Bonnie just needs to find a way to release the seal long enough for us to get in, get the moonstone and get out in time for her to return it." Stefan explained.
"And why can't I just go in and take it from her?" Anna asked. "I'm a ghost, not a vampire. The seal wouldn't effect me."
"How would you be able to sneak up on Katherine? She can see you." Stefan pointed out.
"Fine, but I still think this is a bad idea." Anna said.
"Whoa, seems like you guys have already all planned out." Elena said.
"Yep, we're awesome." Damon said.
"Except for one thing. I don't want you to do it."
"What?"
"What are you talking about? Elena, we don't have a choice." Stefan told her.
"What about Klaus?" Elena asked.
"We'll find him right after we get the moonstone."
"Is that before or after that he kills everyone that I care about, including the two of you?"
"She's got a point there." Anna said.
"Elena, if we can dispel the moonstone, we can save your life."
"I know, everybody keeps saying that." Elena got up and left.
"Yeah, or Klaus will still kill her and everyone else in town." Anna told them. "Do you two ever think of how it would effect someone?"
"Are you worried about Jeremy?" Damon asked.
"Of course I am. But this town's important to me, too. So, how are we going to do this?" Anna asked.
At the Boarding House, Elena showed up. The door was open before she could get in. "Hey."
"I will never get used to that. How'd you know I was here?"
"I heard you park your car out back." Lexi told her. Elena stepped into the house. Rose came in, wearing nothing except a robe.
"It's not nice to leave a girl naked so early in the morning." She looked up and saw Elena with Lexi. "Sorry, I thought you were…"
"I… sorry."
"Well, this just got awkward." Lexi said.
"There is no one else here."
"Actually I came to talk to you." Elena told her.
"Then I should probably get dressed."
"Does this have something to do with you and the guys?" Lexi asked when Rose left the room. Elena looked at her, surprised. "Anna told me."
"Sort of." Elena told her.
A few minutes later, the girls were sitting around the living room. "It's a bad idea." Rose said.
"No, it's not. From what Stefan told me, your friend Slater obviously has more information about Klaus. You and Damon just gave up before you got it." Elena told her.
"Because somebody blew up a coffee shop with us in it." Rose explained.
"Yeah, if that doesn't say back off, I don't know what does." Lexi said. "Obviously someone knew it was a vampire hangout. If I were still one of them, I would've ran too."
"There's more to learn. We just have to find a way to learn it." Elena told her.
"Why are you coming to me with this?" Rose asked.
"Because you owe me." Elena pointed out. "One word from me and Damon and Stefan could have killed you for kidnapping me."
"Or maybe it's because you know that they wouldn't want you doing this."
"We're having a disagreement, okay? They're willing to risk everyone that I love and I'm not." Elena explained.
"You're right to try to keep the others safe." Lexi told her.
"They're just trying to protect you." Rose pointed out.
"And you've proven you couldn't care less whether I'm protected or not so we're back to you taking me to Slater."
"What exactly do you hope to achieve by this?" Rose asked.
"How would you like to be able to walk during the daylight?" Elena asked her.
"I've been the slave to shadows for 500 years, what do you think?"
"I think I know a witch who's willing to do whatever it takes to help if you're willing to make a deal."
"There's no way this is going to end well." Lexi said. "But I'm in."
A few minutes later, Anna arrived. "Okay, which one of you called me?"
"I think it was Gilbert Jr. here." Damon said.
"Shut up." Jeremy said.
"Just ignore him." Bonnie told him. "We're glad you're here. We could really use a hand with this."
"You're not seriously planning to let Katherine out, are you?" Anna asked.
"I don't know if we really have a choice, Anna." Bonnie said. "I might be able to lower the tomb spell long enough for you to get in there and grab the moonstone from Katherine."
"How? It took both you and your grams last time and look what happened to her." Jeremy said.
"Jeremy!" Anna was surprised at him. She knew bringing it up was never a good idea, especially around Bonnie. She also still felt guilty for her part in it.
"I'm aware of what happened. I've learned a few new things."
"Bonnie…"
"How will you get it?" Bonnie asked Stefan.
"She hasn't been feeding. She's weaker, we're not." He pointed out.
"You wouldn't be underestimating her, do you?" Bonnie asked.
"It's a plan. Is it perfect? What plan is?"
"Let me do it. I've got my ring, I could get in, get out and no spell necessary." Jeremy said.
"Yeah, but then Katherine kills you and I know you'll come back, but I still think it's too dangerous." Anna told him.
"The barrier doesn't stop ghosts. Can't you go with him?" Damon asked.
"We've been over this. Ghosts can't turn invisible, especially young ghosts, we're either on this side or we're not." Anna said. "Besides, I'm not sure I'd even be able to fight her and protect him at the same time."
"Maybe I can help better the plan. Do you have anything that belongs to Katherine?" Bonnie asked. The others looked over at Stefan.
At old apartment, Rose knocked on the door. "Slater? Slater, it's Rose. Open up!" She turned to Elena and Lexi. "He's not home, sorry."
"We didn't come all the way out of here for nothing." Elena pointed out.
"Seriously, I can't believe you're even trying that one, Rosie." Lexi said. "I'm not letting you out of this." Rose opened the door with her strength.
"After you." The group entered. Lexi could sense something was off. "Slater?"
"Something's wrong." Lexi noticed. She looked around and found a vampire, dead and greying. She did the last thing she expected to do, she screamed. That got Rose's attention.
"I don't think he's gonna be much help." Rose said. Elena entered and saw the body.
"Oh, my God." She turned to Lexi. "You okay?"
"Yeah, sorry about that. I'm normally not so freaked about this kinda stuff." Lexi told her. Elena looked around and found some papers and a computer while she and Rose covered and got rid of the body.
"Looks like whoever blew up the coffee shop found him and killed him for his information."
"Yeah, probably for helping people like us." Rose told her, coming back in. "The guy was a vampire almanac. Knowing too much information just beat him in the ass." She walked over and opened the curtains.
"What are you…" Elena began.
"Tempted glass, UV rays can't penetrate." She looked out the window. "I used to just come here and watch the day."
"I remember. We used to hang out here a few years ago." Lexi said.
"I'm sorry about Slater." Elena told them.
"It wasn't you're fault, Elena." Lexi told her. "Besides, I didn't really like Slater that much. No offense, Rose."
"None taken." She said. "Any luck?"
Elena was looking at a computer. "It's password protected, I can't get in"
"Then this is pointless, let's just go." Rose said.
"Wait, I hear something." Lexi told them. "Sounds like it's coming from the bedroom." Then Rose heard it, too and left to investigate.
At the Boarding House, Anna was with Jeremy. "Hey, don't worry so much."
"I can't help it. What if she gives her life trying?" Jeremy asked.
"If anything happens, I could just get it." Anna said. "Though I don't know if I'll be able to even touch an object like that." She put an arm around his shoulder.
"Yeah, but you're touching me."
"I don't know. It's like, there are some objects ghosts can't touch or pick up, as though it's protected. It's different than holding someone's hand or whatever." Stefan returned to the room.
"This belonged to Katherine. I found it with her things after I thought she was dead but it was hers." He handed Bonnie and old portrait of Katherine. Bonnie took it and placed it in a bowl. She did a spell and it started to burn.
"What is this?" Damon asked.
"I can turn the metal into ash, blow the ashes on her and it will incapacitate her for a minute or two. Long enough for you to get the stone and get out." Bonnie explained. A few minutes later, she set them on the table.
"We should get the torches."
"Alaric's stakes are in my trunk. Bonnie?"
"Go ahead. I'm almost done." She told them. Anna stayed with her. She saw what happened before and was concerned.
"What are you doing? You're not strong enough." Jeremy said.
"I'll be fine." Bonnie told him.
"You could get hurt."
"And Elena could die. I'll be fine. I promise." Bonnie said.
"I got this okay? Go get me something to put this in, alright?" Jeremy asked. Bonnie left the room. Jeremy took some of the ashes.
"What are you doing?" Anna asked.
"Look, it's not worth losing her life." Jeremy pointed out.
"Okay, I'm concerned about her, too, Jeremy." Anna told him. "But this is too dangerous. Katherine will likely kill you no matter how many times you come back."
"So, what should I do? Let Bonnie try to risk her life to let her free?" Jeremy pointed out. He started to leave.
"Hang on, I'm coming with you." Anna said. "There's no way I'm letting you out of sight. Not when you're gonna be around Katherine."
Meanwhile, back at Slater's apartment, they'd convinced the girl, Alice, to help them get into Slater's computer. Lexi was with them, surprised by the information they'd found.
"These are all leads to vampires?" Elena asked.
"Slater was obsessed. Almost as much as me." Alice told her.
"What about that one: Cody Webber? They exchanged dozens of emails about Elijah." Rose observed.
"I could call him." Alice offered.
"Tell him that we're trying to send a message to Klaus: the doppelganger is alive and she's ready to surrender." Elena told her.
"What?!" Rose and Lexi shared a look with each other and followed Elena into the other room.
"What are you doing?" Rose asked.
"I'm getting Klaus's attention." Elena said.
"If Klaus knows that you're alive, he'll find you and he'll kill you." Rose pointed out. Then it hit her. "Which is exactly what you wanted all along."
"It's either me or my family." Elena told them.
"So all of this is a suicide mission so that you could sacrifice yourself and save everyone else?"
"Elena, this is crazy." Lexi said. "I know we need to stop Klaus, but this isn't the answer."
"I don't know how else to keep my family and the people I care about safe, Lexi." Elena told her. "The way I see it, it's the only way."
"And how would everyone else feel if you died saving them?" Lexi pointed out. "Your brother, your aunt, your friends, Stefan."
"That's just it." Elena said. "If I didn't do it willingly, he'll kill all of them, Lexi. I couldn't live with that." She left the room. Lexi turned to Rose.
"We've got to do something about this."
"There's only one thing I can think of."
"Do it."
In the tomb, Anna was hiding nearby Jeremy. She waited until Katherine was unconscious before moving. She quickly looked around the tomb, knowing she wouldn't be stupid enough to keep it on her, where Jeremy was looking.
"Come on, where is it?"
"Jer, back here!" Anna called. He followed the sound of her voice and found her near the moonstone. Jeremy picked it up and ran to get out, with Anna close behind him. Suddenly, Katherine rushed over, but Anna threw her off, forcing him to fall to the ground. He managed to throw the stone out of the tomb.
"Leave Jeremy alone." Anna said, getting in front of him.
"You really think you can protect him?" Katherine asked.
"I can try." Anna told her.
Outside, the group met at the church ruins. "Sorry I'm late. I got the grimoire from home." Bonnie told them.
"Jeremy couldn't take the pressure?"
"He said he'd be here." Bonnie said. She and Stefan headed underground. As they did, Bonnie felt as though Anna was calling her.
Damon's phone rang. He answered. "Not a good time Rose."
"Don't be angry with me."
"Why, what did you do?"
"You need to get to Richmond immediately."
"Tell me."
"Dude, we were both idiots, okay?" He heard Lexi say into the phone. "Just get over here."
Back in the tomb, Anna was still in front of Jeremy. "How long before your power gives out?" Katherine asked.
"At least my strength can't be depleted like yours." Anna shot back.
"You've never kept it up this long, have you?"
"Anna, stop." Jeremy said.
"No. I can't let her get to you, Jer." Anna said.
Outside the tomb, Bonnie and Stefan were setting up when he suddenly noticed the moonstone on the ground. "What the hell?"
"Is it the moonstone?" Bonnie asked. Then she heard Anna's voice, as though she were using telepathy.
"Bonnie...it's Jeremy…he's…"
"Anna?" Bonnie called. There was no sign of her. Katherine showed up at the door, with Jeremy nearby.
"I'm sorry. I took some powder." He told them.
"Don't worry, I know that he's wearing his ring so no matter how many times I kill him, he'll just be coming back for more." Suddenly, Katherine dropped to the ground, taking Jeremy with her.
"Let him go!" They were surprised to see Anna. "I'm so sorry. She sped behind me and the next thing I knew, he was out."
"Where the hell is Damon?"
"We can't wait, we have to get him out of there." Bonnie pointed out. "We still have what's left of the ash. Do you think you can get close enough?"
"I don't have a choice."
"It's gonna take me some time." Bonnie told them.
"How long?"
"I don't know, a while."
"You don't have to do this, Bonnie." Anna said. She managed to pull Jeremy out of Katherine's grip. "I can get him out of here."
"Yeah, but what if she decides to go after you next?" Bonnie asked. "She knows a little more about this ghost thing than the rest of us, Anna."
"I'll do anything it takes to get you guys out of here while you're still alive. Well, somewhat alive." She corrected, looking at Stefan.
"You really think you can protect your stupid human friend, don't you?" Katherine said.
"Touch him again and I swear I will kill you." Anna told her. "I've had practice."
Back at Slater's apartment, Rose was with Lexi, who was pacing. "Do you have to keep doing that?"
"I can't help it." Lexi told her. "If he doesn't show, we're screwed."
"This coming from Miss Optimistic?"
"Hello, you'd feel the same if you're best friend was trying to get themselves killed." Lexi pointed out.
"What are you doing here?" She heard Elena call from the other room. They both entered to find out Damon had arrived. Elena turned to Rose. "You called him?"
"I'm sorry, Elena."
"You said that you understood."
"She lied." Damon told her. "Come on, we're leaving."
"No."
"I said we're leaving."
"I'm not going with you."
"You do not get to make decisions anymore."
"Damon…" Lexi began, trying to intervene, but Elena spoke up again.
"When have I ever made a decision? You and Stefan do that for me but this, this is my decision."
"Whose gonna save your life while you're making decisions?" Damon pointed out.
"You're not listening to me, Damon. I don't want to be saved." Elena told him. "Not if it means that Klaus is gonna kill every single person that I love."
"This isn't going to work, Damon. I've tried to get through to her." Lexi told him. "Using force isn't going to work, at all. She's too determined."
"So what are we supposed to do now?"
"Hey, it's not my fault she's got a martyr complex." She protested. "Besides, she's almost exactly like your brother."
Back in the tomb, Bonnie was working on the spell. Katherine was awake, with Anna standing between her and Jeremy. Jeremy was pressed against the wall so Katherine couldn't sneak up behind them this time. "Bonnie no! You have to stop her, she's not strong enough!"
"Maybe she is." Katherine said. Anna could feel the barrier weaken, but she could tell Bonnie wouldn't last much longer.
"You got to stop her." Jeremy said.
"Shut up."
"You shut up, you evil moron." Anna told her. "It's thanks to you we're in this stupid position to begin with."
"You're the ones who locked me in here, remember?"
"Cause you threatened our friends, nearly killed their aunt, and probably would've killed the rest of the group." Anna pointed out. "And on top of all that, all of us are still in danger because of you were stupid enough to run!"
Suddenly, Bonnie passed out. Stefan ran over to her side. "Bonnie! Bonnie, wake up please."
"Yes please because I'm still in here!"
Anna pushed her back with her powers. Katherine fell against the wall opposite of them. She moved to get up, but Anna kept her there.
"Are you okay?" Stefan asked as soon as Bonnie opened her eyes.
"It didn't work. I'm not strong enough. Even with help I can't do it." Bonnie said. Suddenly, Anna released Katherine and she was able to stand up.
"What did you do that for?" Jeremy asked.
"My powers…they're affecting me." Anna told him. She turned to him and he got a good look at her. He could practically see right through her, literally. "She was right. If I use too much of it at once before I'm ready…"
"You might disappear." Katherine took a step toward her, but Anna tried to use her invisible barrier. It worked for a second, throwing her off.
"Anna, stop! You can't risk this. We all need you." Bonnie looked at them, and headed toward the tomb, but she was still weak from the spell.
"You have to get out of here while I can still keep this up." Anna told him. Jeremy was hesitant. Suddenly, she lost the barrier and froze in shock.
"Anna…"
"Guys!" Anna called. Suddenly, Jeremy was out of the tomb. He looked around, but Anna wasn't there anymore.
"Anna?"
"I think she went back to the other side." Bonnie said, holding him. She looked up and saw that Stefan was in the tomb now. "We should get you out of here." She carried Jeremy out of the tomb.
Lexi re appeared in Slater's apartment, only to find Elena and Damon the only ones there. Then she noticed a bunch of bodies on the ground. "What the heck happened here?"
"Elijah happened." Damon told her. "Apparently, the not so dead Original showed up here, killed these guys when they came for Elena, oh, yeah, and your BFF ditched us the second he showed up."
"We better get out of here." Lexi said. Elena nodded, still shaken by what just happened.
Back at the Gilbert's house, Jeremy and Bonnie went into the kitchen. Jeremy went to get ice for the bite he received when Katherine sneak attacked them. "I'm home, okay? I don't need an escort to my room."
"I don't know. Between here and upstairs there's still time for you to do something stupid." Bonnie told him.
"I already feel bad. I don't need you to bread me." Jeremy said.
"Stefan is stuck in there and I don't know how to get him out. What should I be doing?"
"You should admit that you never should have tried this in the first place."
"I didn't have a choice, Jeremy!"
"Yeah, neither did I." Jeremy said. "How was I supposed to know Anna's powers would weaken like that?"
"Why did you two even have to get involved?" Bonnie asked.
"Because I didn't want you to get hurt, and she wasn't going to let me go alone." Jeremy said. "I couldn't stand it if you got hurt, though."
"Look Jeremy… you can't feel that way about me." Bonnie told him.
"Don't."
"What?"
"Don't act like this is one sided and like I'm some kid that has a crush on his sister's friend. You could have died today." Jeremy pointed out.
"And you almost did." Bonnie said.
"That was a chance I'm willing to take." He told her. He started to get closer to her.
"I can't… I can't. I'm sorry." Bonnie said. She headed out of the house.
"Why are you denying it?" She looked and saw that Anna was back. "I can tell you like him."
"Look, I can't take the chance that he might get killed. It was stupid of him to get involved in the first place."
"Well, once you know about the supernatural, it's kinda hard to stay out of it." Anna told her. "Anyway, it's obvious you like him, too."
"I can't do this." Bonnie said. "It's people like him that we're trying to protect. Besides, he's probably got a crush on you or something." She looked surprised when she realized what she just said.
"Bonnie, there's nothing to worry about. Yeah, I like Jeremy, he's a great friend, but he needs to be with someone alive." Anna told her. "Despite the fact that we have a connection, I would never hold him back from living his life. Ghosts are supposed to help people, not hold them back. Well, the good ones, anyway."
"What are we going to tell the others about…" Bonnie asked.
"Just leave that to me." Anna said. "You should probably go. I'm going to go check in on him." She faded and Bonnie left the house, thinking about what she said.
A few minutes later, Elena, Damon, and Lexi showed up outside. "Thank you for bringing me home." Elena told him.
"Well, you ride left you. I didn't want to leave you stranded." Damon pointed out.
"She was just scared. She didn't mean to run."
"Yes she did. She's been running for five hundred years."
"What do you expect? The Originals have been after her for five hundred years." Lexi pointed out. "She wouldn't have abandoned us if one of them hadn't shown up."
"How can you be so sure?" Damon asked her.
"Rose is my friend and she's got a good heart. She would never do something like that unless she felt threatened."
"I can't believe Elijah is alive. Why do you think he killed those two vampires and just let us go?" Elena asked.
"If I had a dollar for every time some evil vampire surprises me…" Damon said. "What you did today was incredibly stupid."
"Actually the only thing that was stupid was that I got caught." Elena told him. "I don't question why you and Stefan and everyone else try so hard to save me. You shouldn't question why I would try to save all of you."
"I know you mean well, but dying isn't going to solve everything." Lexi said. "What if he decides to kill everyone after he's done with you? What then?"
Suddenly, the door opened and the group saw Jeremy. "What?"
"It's Stefan." Jeremy told them.
At the tomb, Anna heard Elena head in. She came out just in time to see Damon practically slam her into a wall. "Damon…"
"It's been a really bad day for him." Lexi told her, appearing next to her.
"Stefan's in here, Damon! How could you let this happen?" Elena yelled at him.
"What are you talking about? I was too busy saving you from your crazy kamikaze mission." He pointed out. Anna glanced back and knew the others were listening in.
"You didn't have to go after the moonstone in the first place!"
"It was the right call, Elena!"
"The right call? How would any of this be the right call?" Elena pointed out. "Damon, let go of me!"
"Seriously, this is no way to treat a lady." Lexi ran over to intervene. "Really, don't make me separate you two."
"Lexi, enough." Anna said. "Come on, Elena." She led her out of the tomb.
Lexi turned and saw Stefan in the tomb. Damon walked over to the edge.
"Of all idiot plans, Stefan."
"We'll figure something out." Lexi told him.
"No it's alright. Bonnie has the moonstone. Work with her. Try to figure out how to dispel it." Stefan told them. Anna returned a few minutes later.
"You martyr yourself into a tomb and I've got to partner with a semi competent witch? Wonderful." Damon said.
"Hey, we'll keep an eye on him." Anna said. "Make sure Katherine doesn't try anything, you know?"
"I'm with her on this." Lexi said.
"Keep Elena away from here." Stefan told them.
"Yeah 'cause that will be easy…" Damon said.
"Promise me. No matter what happens, you'll protect her." Stefan said.
"I promise." Damon said.
"You know we'll do whatever we can." Anna told him. "Right?" Lexi nodded. Damon left the tomb and Anna faded away shortly after, leaving Stefan alone with Lexi as Katherine came over.
"That's the biggest mistake that you've made." Lexi restrained herself from slapping her, not like it'd do any good since Katherine couldn't see her anyway. Stefan looked over at her.
"I know they'll be okay." Lexi told him. He believed her.
A/N: Okay, Jeranna fans, please don't be angry with me for what Anna told Bonnie. At some point, Anna and Jeremy will try to see if they have feelings for each other, just not at this moment, since she's obviously convinced that ghosts and humans can't be anything more than friends for now. May change in a later chapter. Anyway, please be kind and review, but no flames.