Matt was in the locker room, talking with Bonnie on the phone. Vicki was behind him. She'd heard about spirits being able to become visible, but for some reason, it was difficult for her to show herself to others besides Jeremy.
"All right, I'll grab my keys, we'll head to his house." She heard Matt saying. Vicki knew she had to help her brother somehow.
"Matt." She tried whispering. Then she felt something change in the air around her. "Matt?" She repeated. He stopped dead in his tracks. Slowly, he turned around and saw her. He blinked, like he couldn't believe what he was seeing.
"Vicki?" He asked, unsure.
"It's really me." She told him.
"But…how? You're…" Then Matt remembered Jeremy telling him that ghosts could appear to anyone that had known them in life.
"I'm here to help you." Vicki said.
"How long have you been watching me?" Matt asked her, still trying to make sense of all this.
"For most of this summer." Vicki said. "I've tried talking to Jeremy, but it's like something forces me out every time."
"Why are you here?"
"I want to help you." She told him.
"Hang on." Matt said. He took out his phone and called Bonnie.
"What is taking so long?" She asked him.
"Vicki's here." Matt told her.
"That's impossible, Matt. Vicki's dead."
"No, I mean she's here, Bon." Matt said. There was a pause on the other end of the line as Bonnie began to realize what he was saying. "She says she can help us, but I'm not so sure of what to do."
"Okay, stay where you are and don't let her…" She hesitated to find the right word. "Just don't let her disappear on you yet. I'm on my way."
Back at the car, Rose and Anna still seemed pretty mad at Katherine. "You okay, Jer?" Anna asked.
"Fine, but next time, she better leave me out of her evil schemes." Jeremy said.
"Everyone back home will thank you once Klaus is dead." Katherine said.
"Where's my phone?" Damon asked her.
"Do you need to check in with Elena?" Katherine asked.
"Katerina, give him back his phone." Rose demanded. "We need to know how things are going over there. Lexi tried to reach me an hour ago."
"Why didn't you say anything?" Damon asked her.
"You guys were too busy arguing about Mikael." She pointed out. Damon looked at his messages and frowned.
"Bonnie's been texting me."
"What is it?" Jeremy asked.
"It's Klaus. He's at the school." Damon told them.
"That must be why she tried to reach me." Rose realized.
"No turning back, Damon."
"Shut up, Katherine!" Everyone yelled.
"The best shot at taking out Klaus is by finding Mikael."
"And what are we supposed to do in the meantime? Let him kill the rest of our friends before that?" Anna pointed out.
Damon handed Jeremy the keys. "Stay with her so Anna can guide you." He told him. "I'm going back."
"Not alone you're not. As much as I don't trust Katerina, you're going to need back up." Rose pointed out. "Anna, I know you don't want to do this, but…"
"I don't really have a choice either way." Anna pointed out. "Klaus has to be stopped." Rose left with Damon while the others watched them leave.
"Do you think you can track him down?" Jeremy asked her.
"I only returned just last year." Anna said. "I can try to find him, I think I may have passed the location on my way to Mystic Falls last year. Back when I was alive." She sighed. "Of course, it's kind of hard to track in the middle of nowhere." They both turned to stare at Katherine.
"Hey, I'm not the one who stranded us here." She pointed out.
"My phone has a GPS in it." Jeremy said, remembering. "If we can find the main road from here, maybe you'll be able to lead us to him." Anna smiled. She loved that he was so good with technology. She'd been a bit of a tech geek herself when she was alive.
Back at the school, Bonnie, Matt, and Vicki were talking. "Okay, so why are you here exactly?" Bonnie asked her.
"I'm just here to talk with you two right now. I don't have much time." Vicki explained.
"She said she could help us." Matt told her. He turned to his sister. "Right?" She nodded.
"There's something you need to know." Vicki told them. "I ran into a witch, she's the reason I'm telling you this now. The reason the hybrids can't transition is because Elena's still alive. There is no magic solution for it."
"That's crazy." Bonnie said. "We have to be able to save both of them."
"Don't look at me, I'm just the messenger girl." Vicki told her. "Anyway, I'm going now." Before either Bonnie or Matt could protest, she vanished.
Meanwhile, in the gym, Lexi was still trying to come up with an idea. She glanced at the clock. They only had six minutes to figure something out. "There's gotta be away around this compulsion." Lexi said. "However he phrased it, there must be a loophole somewhere…"
"Caroline's dad!" They both looked at Elena, who seemed to have remembered something. "Stefan, he was able to resist compulsion. I don't know how, but he did it. Maybe it's possible."
"Yeah, yeah. Maybe it's just mind control, right? Maybe it just takes some focus, a couple decades of training. No big deal."
"Hey, what happened to the guy who never gave up?" Lexi pointed out.
"He fought a losing battle."
"Stefan, you can control this. When that buzzer goes off, just... just drink from me." Elena said. Before Lexi could explain why this was a bad idea, Stefan spoke up.
"You don't get it. I can't stop, Elena! I'm a ripper! A ripper doesn't stop! I listen to the words that come out of your mouth, and all I hear is the sound of your heart pumping blood through your body."
"Relax, Elena." Lexi thought, feeling that Elena was slightly panicked. "We'll help him get through this."
"When that clock ticks down... I'm going to have to feed on you. And you want to know what's worse? I'm not going to be able to stop."
"I don't believe that. You can fight it. You just have to want it bad enough." Elena said.
"Why, because I love you?"
"Exactly, Stefan." Lexi said. "You told me that you loved her enough to die for her when I met you here. If you can't fight it off for yourself, you're going to have to fight it off for her. I've seen how much you've both been through."
"You're right." He said. "Through all of this, the only thing that's kept me from turning it off has been you. Well, both of you. But if I get too close to her blood…"
"When have I ever let you down?" Lexi said. "I will make sure Elena stays safe from you, even if I have to knock you out to do it."
"Whoa, you guys must've been close friends." Elena said, a little surprised that she would go that far to help her.
"Don't underestimate a ghost, Elena. Even in death, friendships, family, and relationships still matter." Lexi told her.
Back in the hallway, Matt and Bonnie were still trying to make sense of what Vicki told them. "What in the world was that about?"
"I'm not sure." Bonnie said. "Usually ghosts do their own dirty work and I'm not so sure she was acting alone here."
"What do you mean?"
"According to An…according to a friend," Bonnie corrected. "Your sister seems to have a dark aura or energy around her."
"You think she was telling us the truth, though? That we can only save one of them?" Matt asked.
"I don't know. But we can't just let Tyler die."
"We can't let Elena die, either." Matt pointed out.
"So how are we supposed to help them?" Bonnie wondered.
"You should trust that back up's on the way." She heard someone with an English accent say. She glanced around, but didn't see anyone.
"Bonnie, come on." Matt said. When she finally turned back, she saw that Matt was headed toward the hallway. She ran to catch up with him.
Back in the gym, there were a few seconds left on the clock. "Okay, is everyone clear on the plan?" Lexi asked.
"Elena, you have to run." Stefan told her.
"But Klaus said if I run…" Elena said.
"I know what he said, but if you stay, it won't matter." Stefan pointed out.
"You can fight this, Stefan." Lexi said. "I'll help her, you focus on fighting this off." Just then, the buzzer went off.
"Stefan, I love you." Elena said. "Don't give up." She ran out of the gym. Lexi could see him struggling.
"Stef…"
"Go with her! I'm not sure how long I can hold it off!" He yelled at her.
Next thing she knew, she was by Elena's side, not like she had to struggle to keep up beside her anyway. "He's really struggling, but it seems to be working. For now, just keep running."
She kept close to Elena's side as they ran down the halls. Unfortunately, it came to a stop when they ran into Klaus. "Lexi?" She heard her panicked thoughts.
"It's alright, I'm still with you." Lexi said.
They entered the cafeteria. Stefan was already there. Lexi noticed he'd staked himself. "Are you okay?" He looked at her. "Don't answer that. We've got company."
"Now this is fascinating." Klaus said from behind her. "I've never seen this before. The only thing stronger than your craving for blood is your love for this one girl."
"To be fair, she's a really amazing girl." Lexi said. Elena smiled at the comment. What Klaus said next scared all of them.
"Why don't you turn it off?" He asked Stefan.
"No." He said.
"He's not going to win this one without help." Lexi realized.
"Come on. Your humanity is killing you. All the guilt must be exhausting. Turn it off." Klaus told him.
"Stefan..."
"You're strong," He said, removing the stake from him. "But you're not that strong. Turn...it... Off."
"No!" Stefan pushed him off. Klaus tried to grab him, only to be pushed against by the wall by some unseen force. "Lexi." Stefan whispered.
"Run!" She called to them. She began to lose her concentration on Klaus just as the two of them started running for the exit. That momentary lapse was all he needed to break free.
"It seems even your ghost friends can't save you this time."
"Stefan, I'm so sorry!" Lexi said.
"It's not your fault." He told her. "This whole idea was stupid to begin with. Promise that whatever happens, you'll protect Elena from me."
"Stefan Salvatore, I promise that I'll keep Elena safe." Lexi said. "I also promise that I will never, ever, give up on you." She told him as tears started to form in her eyes.
Elena, who had been watching the scene from the doorway, couldn't even bring herself to move as she watched the guy she loved turn his humanity off-because of Klaus' compulsion. "Elena." She turned around and saw Lexi. "We have to go. Now." Elena nodded.
"Where do you think you're going?"
"Go! I'm not going to fail twice in one night." Lexi said, pushing Elena out the door, giving her a running start.
A few minutes later, Rose was leading Damon down a hallway. "What are we doing here?" He whispered.
"According to Lexi, she only managed to get Elena out of the school before they caught up to her." Rose said. "It seems our hybrid friend compelled your brother to shut off his emotions. This is where I last felt her calling from."
"Which room is she in?" Damon asked.
"I don't know." Rose said.
"You can find her in 215." They heard a voice say.
"Who are you?" Rose asked, answering it.
"I'm…a friend." The voice told them. Damon looked at Rose, who seemed to concentrate hard.
"Oh, now I can see you, sort of. Just your outline, though."
"I'll take what I can get. Elena's in room 215." The voice said. "I've done what I could to try to wake her, but she's in deep sleep."
"Thanks." Rose said. She headed down the hall, while Damon waited.
"Hang on, do we know you? You're voice…it sounds familiar."
"Never mind that, Damon. Elena is in trouble and you're the only friend who's actually looking for her." There was a pause, then. "Oh."
Before he could really think about what happened, he heard Rose calling him. "Damon, I found her! Come on!"
He followed Rose and saw Elena lying on the bed, her blood being drawn through an IV. Lexi was sitting next to her. "They sedated her."
"We better get her back home." Damon said.
"She really needs a friend right now, Damon." Lexi told him. He looked at her. She looked tired and completely drained of energy.
"You feeling okay?"
"It's been an exhausting night, even for me. I'm trusting you, don't make me regret it." Lexi said. The next thing he knew she was gone. He pulled the needle out of Elena's arm and picked her up.
"Let's get her to your place." Rose said. He nodded and carried her out to his car.
About an hour later, Elena was awake and resting in the Boarding House living room. Rose was sitting next to her. "Are you sure you're feeling okay? You lost a lot of blood."
"I'm fine, just a little tired." Elena said. "That sedative was pretty strong." Damon walked over to them.
"Hey, have some bourbon. It'll help you forget." He handed her a glass. She sipped the liquid. "Yeah, it's strong. You know I can help you forget, too. At least the memories you don't want to keep."
"No. No compulsion." Elena told him. "I need to remember. All of it." Rose looked away. She didn't want to tell her that she knew Damon had already erased her memory. Especially seeing the condition she was in right now. While hard to believe, she thought she actually looked worse than Lexi had earlier.
Damon showed her that he had her necklace. "I stole it back for you."
"He's really gone this time. I watched it happen." Elena said. "After everything that we went through to get... to help him. Now he's just... Gone." Rose put her hand on her shoulder. "Where were you two?" She finally asked them.
"Where we weren't supposed to be." Rose said, regretting she let Katherine trick her into coming. If she had been helping Lexi, they may have stood a better chance at helping them. She also knew now wasn't the time to blame anyone. They needed to figure out how to get their friend back.
"I shouldn't have left." Damon said. Rose looked at him. Apparently, he felt the same way as her. "I promise you... I will never leave you again." They looked at each other.
"Well, isn't this cozy?" Everyone turned to the doorway in surprise.
"What are you doing here, brother?" Damon said, getting up.
"Last I checked, I lived here. Klaus is gone, but he's asked me to keep watch on you until he returns." Stefan told them. "From now on, you're under my protection. By all means, carry on." He left the room. Damon and Elena looked at each other.
"Hey, if anyone can help him get his humanity back, it's you guys." Rose said. "And I'm sure Lexi's not the only spirit friend willing to help."
"You really think we can do this?" Damon asked.
"I wouldn't be a spirit guardian if I didn't believe that." Rose pointed out. "And I've always been a hopeful person. We lost a battle, not the war."
"Thanks, Rose." Elena said. "At times like this, it's good to know we still have each other." Rose put her arm around her shoulder, careful to avoid where she was hurt, not wanting to risk it. She looked up at Damon, who had started to leave, but had turned around.
"Oh, get over here." She said. He walked back over to them, hesitating when he got close. Rose grabbed his arm and pulled him into a group hug.
Elena looked up. Thank you, guys. For everything you did to help me tonight. And thank you, too, for trying to help. I just wish I could see you.