Gilbert Residence
John is in the kitchen, and as he closes the refrigerator door, he sees Katherine standing there, posing as Elena.
John startled, "You scared me".
"Sorry". Katherine said.
"Is Jenna home?"
"She had to meet the fire chief about the building. She doesn't know the truth. They've covered it up".
"Yeah I know. How's Jeremy?"
"Holed up in his room".
Upstairs, Jeremy is in his bed. He's unconscious after taking all those pills.
Elena arrives at the house. She is on the phone with Stefan.
"I looked everywhere". Elena says.
Stefan's voice on phone, "What do you think, someone stole it?"
"Yeah, someone definitely took my stuff".
Katherine and John are still in the kitchen.
"Can I help?" John asked.
Katherine looks down at John's ring.
"Sure". Katherine said.
Elena is still on the porch, on the phone with Stefan.
"You want me to pick you up?" Stefan asked.
"I'm just gonna check on Jeremy before I go to the hospital, can you meet me there?"
"You bet. I'll get Gracie and head out".
"Okay, I love you Stefan".
"I love you too".
Katherine grabs a knife and cuts off John's fingers, including his ring. Then she pushes John against the sink.
John says horrified, "Katherine?!"
Katherine reveals her vampire face, "Hello John, Goodbye John". She stabs him. She then left out the back door quickly.
"Just one more stop to make". Katherine muttered.
She then had sped off to the Salvatore House. She had waited in the back to see if she could make her move, once the coast was clear she made her move and went up to Grace's window opening it then speeding inside hiding. Grace had woken up when she heard her window open so she blindly got out of bed and went to close it, not thinking of anything she went back to bed but she was on full alert when she had seen someone move quickly in the shadows.
"Who's there?" Grace said quietly.
"Hello Gracie it's been a little while". Katherine's voice said.
Grace stood still as a statue, her body frozen in fear, she felt her blood run cold, she knew that voice anywhere and when she finally turned to face it she seen no other than Katherine.
"Katherine".
"I liked you better when you were younger so dumb and naive about things".
"W-what are you doing here? What do you want?" Grace tried to keep the fear out of her voice but Katherine picked up on it.
"Tell your uncles I'll be seeing them soon".
With that said Katherine sped out of the bedroom window leaving Grace there confused and scared just then Stefan opened her bedroom door.
"Gracie? What are you doing up?" Stefan asked.
'I can't tell him about Katherine yet, what do I do?!' She thought to herself. "I thought I heard something but it wasn't nothing".
"Gracie are you alright?"
"Yeah I'm fine".
Stefan knew that she was lying about something but he decided to let it go for now. "Well Caroline's in the hospital I'm gonna meet Elena over there get your shoes on and we'll head out".
"Alright".
'That was close I just wish I knew what to do' Grace thought to herself. She had put all that aside for the time being as she quickly put on a sweatshirt, some sweatpants and her sneakers. Once she was dressed she had went to go see Stefan exiting his room.
"Let's go Gracie".
She simply took his hand as they left.
Gilbert Residence
Elena is terrified, and then she remembers Jeremy.
"Jeremy!" Elena yelled panicky. She races up the stairs to his room. "Jeremy! Jeremy!" She finds him unconscious on his bed. "Please, Jeremy, wake up!"
Elena shakes Jeremy frantically and he wakes up.
John is taken away in the ambulance. Stefan and Grace arrives at the house. The officer tries to keep them from entering.
"They're okay". Elena tells the officer.
Stefan and Grace follow Elena upstairs to Jeremy's room.
"What happened?" Stefan asked. He then turned to his niece for a moment. "Gracie stay behind me". The ten year old had nodded as she was still shaken by Katherine.
"He said that Anna gave him her blood and then he took these pills and now...I mean he looks fine but then again so do you. So, I just...I don't know". Elena replied.
Stefan takes Jeremy's face in his hands and examines his eyes.
"Look at me". Stefan tells Jeremy strictly.
"I'm fine, okay? I feel exactly the same". Jeremy replied annoyed.
"Should I call a paramedic up here? What should I do?" Elena asked.
Stefan looks at Jeremy's eyes, "No, he's fine".
"You mean I'm not a vampire? Damn it!" Jeremy cursed.
"Don't say that Jeremy! Jer, why would you want that?" Elena asked her brother.
"Did you hear about Anna, what happened to her tonight? She's dead".
"What?" Grace asked from behind Stefan. She then moved beside Elena just as Stefan took a seat by Jeremy.
"Jeremy, Jeremy. Come here, sit down". Stefan tells the teen boy.
Stefan pushes Jeremy back down on the bed. He grabs his face in his hands and makes him look at him.
"I am very sorry about Anna but it's very important that you listen to me right now. With every passing moment, Anna's blood is leaving your system. If you try to kill yourself right now, you could really die".
Jeremy looks away.
"Hey!" He slaps him. "Do you understand me?!"
"Stefan..." Elena says.
"Yeah, I understand". Jeremy said.
"Good".
Stefan gets up and stands next to Elena. Grace then went around and held one of Stefan's arms, she felt herself about to go back to sleep but she kept jolting awake.
"What about the pills that he took?" Elena asked.
"He didn't take enough to die so Anna's blood actually healed him of that". Stefan then lifted Grace up with one arm and she laid her head on his shoulder wrapping her arms around him. 'I wish I could tell you Uncle Stefan' she thought to herself.
A policeman knocks on the doorframe of Jeremy's room.
"Miss Gilbert?" A police officer says from the doorway.
"I'll be right there". Elena replied.
"You need to be at the hospital". Stefan tells Elena as he shifts Grace.
"But..."
"No, no, no, I'll stay here with Jeremy".
"What about me?" Grace asked.
"You'll stay with me, you could use the rest
"No, I don't need a babysitter". Jeremy said annoyed.
"Yes, you do". Elena tells her brother. She then turned to see Grace about to fall asleep in Stefan's arm. "You can put Grace in my room if you want".
"Thanks". Stefan said.
Elena had left just as Jeremy fell back asleep, Stefan then brought his niece to Elena's room so she can rest. He laid Grace down on the bed and covered her with the light blanket.
"Sleep tight sweetheart". Stefan whispered. He then kissed her head and went back to Jeremy's room. After a few minutes Grace was fast asleep, she then started tossing and turning she started to dream back from when she first met Katherine.
*Dream*
Grace was a little over six now, she and Lexi had just returned from the park. Katherine was watching them from afar. 'Well this should be fun' Katherine thought to herself. She had heard rumors about Damon and Stefan having a young niece but she didn't believe it until she saw for herself, Katherine then quickly sped over to the front door and opened it she put her foot in to see if she could enter and once she could Katherine entered the house. Lexi was in the kitchen when she heard someone at the door, she glanced at the young girl who was eating her lunch she didn't want to leave Grace by herself but she figured a second wouldn't hurt.
"Gracie I'm gonna go check to see if your uncles are here, stay here and eat your lunch alright sweetie". Lexi said.
"Ok Lexi".
Lexi then went to go check she grabbed a stake for protection, Katherine had sped up behind Lexi holding a syringe in her hands. Lexi had spun around looking wide eyed in fear at Katherine who gave an evil smirk.
"Katherine". Lexi said.
"Hello Lexi". Katherine said.
She then stabbed the syringe in Lexi's neck injecting her with vervain, Lexi then began to fall to her knees as the vervain began to weaken her. Katherine then got down on one knee and briefly talked to Lexi. "Make sure to tell Damon and Stefan I send hi, now where is that precious little girl".
"L-leave her alone". Lexi said weakly.
"But I wanna meet what's her name? Oh little Gracie".
Lexi lifted her head to see Grace standing in the door was watching with frightened blue eyes.
"Gracie run". Lexi told the scared girl.
Before she could run Katherine had sped over and picked her up and she started to fight Katherine's hold.
"N-no, leave her alone". Lexi said.
"Well I must be on my way tell the boys I have something they want back". Katherine said.
"Lexi help". Grace said.
The weak vampire tried to get up but couldn't due to the large amount of vervain in her system, 'Damon, Stefan please hurry' Lexi thought. After a couple of hours Damon and Stefan had arrived but Damon got an uneasy feeling in his stomach and his brother knew it.
"You alright?" Stefan asked.
"Something doesn't feel right".
"It's probably nothing".
"Maybe, maybe not".
Once they got to the door they were on full alert when they seen the front door ajared, they super sped inside to see Lexi out on the floor and their niece nowhere in sight.
"Lexi". Stefan said rushing to his friend.
"Gracie! Gracie, sweetheart where are you!" Damon called out for his niece.
"S-Stefan?" Lexi asked.
"It's us Lex what happened". Stefan replied helping her up.
"I-it was Katherine, she took Gracie".
Damon was furious, his blood was boiling he then picked up the nearest thing which was a vase and threw it across the room causing it to shatter.
"That bitch!". Damon yelled.
Just then his phone rang and he answered it.
-Yeah. Damon answered.
-Hello Damon I have someone here who wants to talk to you. Katherine's voice came in.
The phone was silent for a moment when a soft sob came on breaking Damon's heart.
-Uncle Damon? Grace asked followed by a sob.
-Hey baby are you ok. Damon replied with a soft voice.
-I'm scared can you come get me. Grace said.
-Where are you sweetheart?
Before the six year old could answer Katherine came back on. -Meet me at the address I'm about to send to you, you know if you wanna see Gracie again.
-Katherine I swear to god if you touch a hair on her head I will rip your heart out. Damon threatened.
-I'll see you soon Damon.
The phone went out and Damon was close to crushing it.
"I'll be back". Damon said.
"Damon where are you going?" Stefan asked his brother.
"To get Gracie back". With that said he left.
Meanwhile Katherine had hung her phone up then looked over at the scared six year old who shook in fright.
"Well Grace it looks like your uncle is coming". Katherine said to the frightened girl.
"W-who are you?" Grace asked.
"My friends call me Katherine, you can say I'm friends with your uncles".
"I wanna go home".
Shortly after that Damon had arrived at the address it was a simple house he went up to the door and kicked it in, Katherine smirked when she heard the door being domlished.
"Looks like Damon's here". Katherine said.
"Gracie! Katherine!" Damon called out.
The six year old had hopped down from the chair and ran to find Damon, she saw her uncle looking around.
"Uncle Damon!" Grace called out.
Damon heard the familiar childish voice that belonged to his niece, Grace had ran his way and he bent down and picked her up holding her closely. He then pulled her away for a moment scanning her over for injuries.
"Are you alright sweetheart?" Damon asked.
"I'm ok I was just scared".
Damon then held his niece again and looked over to see Katherine still standing there so he sped over to her giving her an icy cold stare.
"If you ever come around my niece again I'll end you". Damon threatened.
"I'll be in touch Damon". Katherine said.
Damon had sped out of the house with Grace still in his arms going back to Stefan and Lexi.
*Back to reality*
Grace had awoke with a start as she felt her heart pounding in her chest as she began to look around and realized she was in Elena's room. 'I need to tell Uncle Stefan before it's too late' Grace thought to herself.
Mystic Falls Hospital
Matt is sitting alone outside of Caroline's room. Bonnie arrives and walks over to him.
"How is Caroline?" Bonnie asked.
"She's not good, Bon". Matt replied sadly.
"What happened?"
"We were driving and Tyler heard this noise and he got..."
"A noise?"
"He got this migraine or something and he lost control of the car and...I thought that Caroline was fine and then...and then she wasn't so..."
Sheriff Forbes is at the hospital desk. Damon walks over to her.
"Liz, I came as soon as I got the message. Is she okay?" Damon asked concerned.
"She's in surgery, it's...they're doing everything they can. I need your help Damon". Liz said.
"Sure, anything Liz".
"Mayor Lockwood is dead. They thought he was a vampire. They put him in the basement".
"Mayor Lockwood was a vampire?"
"No, no. A mistake was made, they said he dropped like the others when John's device went off but he...he couldn't have been a vampire, I've known the man my whole life and now Carol Lockwood is gonna want answers and all I can think of right now is Caroline and..." She begins to cry.
"It's okay. It's okay".
Damon hugs Liz as she weeps.
Elena arrives at the hospital, she walks over to Bonnie.
"Bonnie. How's Caroline?" Elena asked.
"She's weak. They don't know if she's going to make it". Bonnie replied.
"What?"
Bonnie embraces Elena. Damon is near and peers over at them.
"Is there something that you can do? Like a spell or something?"
"She doesn't know how, do you?" Damon asked.
"No, I don't". Bonnie answered.
"No, you don't because it took Emily years to learn a spell like that".
"Well, I can take down a vampire, that spell was easy to learn".
"I can give Caroline some blood".
"No, no way". Elena said.
"No, just enough to heal her. She will be safe in the hospital and it will be out of her system in a day, she will be better Elena".
"It's too risky, I can't agree to that".
"Do it". Bonnie said. She sees Elena's expression. "This is Caroline. We can't let her die. Do it".
"If I do this, you and me, call a truce?" Damon says.
"No. But you'll do it anyway. For Elena".
Bonnie leaves. Elena and Damon are alone.
"I know this is probably the last thing you want to do right now but we should talk about what happened tonight". Damon spoke up.
"Yeah, one of the tomb vampires got into the house and almost killed John". Elena said.
"What? When? What are you talking about? After I left?"
"You were there?"
"Come on, Elena, you know I was".
"When were you at the house?"
"Really? Earlier, on the porch, we were talking, all cathartic, feelings exposed. Come on, we kissed, Elena".
"Okay, I don't have time for this Damon".
"If you want to forget what happened fine but I can't".
Jenna arrives. Damon moves away while Jenna glares at him, but listens in.
"Elena, I came as soon as I got your message. How is John?" Jenna asked.
"Where have you been?" Elena asked.
"At the fire department, I had to fill out a report. I told you earlier".
"No, you didn't".
"Yes, I did".
"No, Jenna, you didn't".
"Yes, I did".
Damon suddenly realizes that Katherine was the one he kissed, not Elena.
"Oh!" Damon said.
Jenna and Elena look at him with confusion.
"Mmm, you got to be kidding me".
Damon realizes that he has said that out loud. He looks at both Jenna and Elena and walks away.
Gilbert Residence
Jeremy is asleep in his bed. Stefan paces beside his bed, still watching out for him. Grace then went to see Stefan.
"Uncle Stefan?" Grace says from the doorway.
Stefan turned to see his niece awake. "Hey sweetheart I thought you were asleep".
"I can't sleep".
"Why not?"
'Here it is the moment of truth'. "Uncle Stefan there's something I need to tell you".
"What is it sweetheart".
Grace moved closer to her uncle taking a seat on his lap. "Gracie you know you can tell me anything".
"I know and that's why I have to tell you something important. At first I didn't know how to tell you but I need to tell you before I explode".
"Gracie what is it?"
"It's about...Katherine. She's back she told me to tell you and Uncle Damon she'll be seeing you guys soon".
Stefan was stunned at his niece. "I'm sorry I waited so long Uncle Stefan I didn't know how to tell you I was scared".
"It's alright Gracie".
He hears the front door open. "Grace stay here and don't leave this room until it's safe".
Grace nodded as he left the room.
It's Katherine still posing as Elena. He goes down the stairs.
"Hey! How was Caroline?" Stefan asked.
"Not good". Katherine said. She embraces him. "Just what I needed".
She tries to kiss him, but Stefan, realizing it's Katherine, grabs her by the back of her neck and bares his fangs at her. He throws her on the couch. Katherine gets up without missing a beat.
"Katherine".
"At least I fooled one of you. Too bad I couldn't fool little Gracie she's too smart".
He rushes over to her and pushes her against the wall.
"Feel better?"
"Why were you around my niece?"
"I just wanted to say hi".
He pushes her against another wall as someone begins to open the front door. Stefan is distracted by this and Katherine takes the opportunity to grab his arm, bend it behind his back, and throw him down on the floor. She smiles and rushes out of the house. Elena and Damon enter the house. Stefan is on the floor but stands up immediately. Grace heard the commotion end so she left Jeremy's room and was at the top of the stairs.
"Uncle Damon!" Grace called out running down the steps.
The ten year old had wrapped her arms around Damon's waist holding on tightly as he wrapped his arms around her.
"Stefan?" Elena called.
"Elena". Stefan replied
"What happened?"
"Katherine happened". Damon says.
"No kidding". Grace muttered.
Damon, Grace and Stefan are in the kitchen.
"Did she say what she wanted?" Damon asked.
"No. Gracie tell Damon what you told me". Stefan said.
Damon looked down at his niece who was by Stefan. "Gracie what's he talking about?"
"I wanted to tell you guys Uncle Damon but I was scared, at first she told me not to tell you then earlier she wanted me to tell you guys that she'll see you guys soon".
"Woman certainly knows how to make an entrance". He then turned his attention to Grace. "I'm not mad Gracie and I understand that you were scared but don't be afraid to come to one of us next time".
"She said she fooled one of us, at least. What does that mean?"
"She pretended to be Elena too when I showed up earlier tonight".
Elena enters the room. Stefan walks towards her. Grace had stayed beside Damon keeping her arms wrapped around one of his.
"I told Jeremy, I can't lie to him anymore". Elena said.
"Are you alright?" Stefan asked.
"No, I'm not alright. I thought that with all the tomb vampires gone things would get better".
"I know. We all did".
"Katherine was in this house, that means she's been invited in, what are we gonna do?"
"Move". Damon said.
"Maybe that'll work". Grace said.
"Very helpful, thank you". Elena replied.
Elena sits down.
"Katherine wants you dead; there's zero you can do about it; you would be dead but you're not. So clearly she has other plans". Damon said.
"Right and we need to find out what those other plans are and not provoke her in the process. What happened tonight when you thought she was Elena?" Stefan asked.
"To risk another frown line encroaching on a very crowded forehead. We...kissed".
"Uncle Damon really". Grace said disgusted, letting go of Damon's arm.
"And you thought it was me?" Elena asked.
"What do you mean you kissed?" Stefan asked.
"Well, you know, when two lips pucker and they go".
He puckers his lips and makes kissing noises. Stefan rushes at him with his super speed but Damon uses his super speed as well and stands next to Elena.
"Uncle Damon gross". Grace said.
"Don't be obvious, Stefan". Damon said.
Stefan starts towards Damon again but Elena gets up and puts her hand in front of Stefan.
"Could you two stop and act your age?" Grace says.
"Stefan wait, he kissed Katherine, not me". Elena said. She looks at Damon. "I wouldn't do that. We don't have time for this guys".
"Elena's right we need to know why Katherine's here and what she wants". Grace added.
"Later". Stefan said.
"John must know something. There has to be a reason why Katherine tried to kill him". Elena said.
"She's Katherine. She loves to play games and you're fooling yourself if you think you're going to find out what she's been up to before she wants you to know". Damon said.
"No, actually Elena's right, John could know something through Isobel. Your mother, she was in touch with Katherine so maybe we can go to the hospital and get him to talk". Stefan says.
"I've got a better idea".
"What's that?" Elena asked.
"I'm just gonna ignore the bitch. See you".
"I like that idea". Grace said.
"Is that smart?" Elena asked.
"If Katherine thinks she's been ignored it will lure her out, she'll make a move". Damon replied.
"Yeah? And then what?" Stefan asked.
"Stake her, rip her head off, something poetic. We'll see".
"I like that idea". Grace said as she hung onto Damon.
Lockwood Mansion
Carol Lockwood is talking with Sheriff Forbes and Damon, Grace was beside Damon the whole time. She hated funerals since her parents died.
"I want to know exactly who's responsible for killing my husband". Carole said.
"I'm looking into it but you have to be straight with me. Is there any reason Richard was affected by the vampire device?" Sheriff Forbes asked.
"What are you implying? That he was one of them?"
"No, no. No one's implying that". Damon said intervening.
"Your deputy screwed up, plain and simple which makes you responsible". Carole said.
"Carol..." Damon started.
"Your husband is the one who helped John Gilbert execute his idiot plan in the first place". Liz said.
"Liz..." Damon said.
"Someone got my husband killed". Carole said.
"We're all on edge here. You've suffered a great loss. The whole town has. We have to stick together, okay? Trust each other, we'll get through this".
Grace had held her head down the whole time while holding onto Damon's hand. The two had walked away from the two women and Damon noticed something was wrong with Grace.
"Something on your mind Gracie?" Damon asked.
"I don't like funerals". She said.
"Does anybody?"
"It reminds me of mom and dad's even though I was too young to remember I vaguely remember".
"I still remember that day like it was yesterday".
"Uncle Damon".
"What is it Gracie?"
"Why did the device affect me?"
Mystic Falls Hospital
Stefan and Elena are walking down the hallway to John's room.
"Ready for this?" Stefan asked.
They enter the room together.
"John?" Elena called.
He opens his eyes and panics when he sees Elena. He tries to press the button to call the nurse, but Stefan grabs his hand and takes it away from him.
"I'm Elena. I'm not - I'm not Katherine".
"We know she did this to you".
"We need to know why".
"Where is she?" John asked.
"You tell us". Stefan says.
"I don't know".
He tries to sit up but Stefan pushes him back down.
"You're a little too weak to play tough guy. Why don't you just sit back and answer a few questions?"
Elena places the Gilbert ring into John's hand.
"Please, tell us why she's here. What does she want?" Elena asked.
John doesn't respond.
"She'll try again; we can't help you if you don't confide in us". Stefan said.
"In you?" John asked in disbelief.
"In your daughter then".
"My daughter should have driven a stake through your heart by now". He looks at Elena. "I never spoke with Katherine directly, she never trusted me". He looks at Stefan. "So either kill me or get out because I can't stand the sight of you with my daughter".
"You see the world with such hatred. It's gonna get you killed". Elena said.
Elena walks out of the room. Stefan is alone with John. Stefan hesitates, and then he rushes over to John and chokes him.
"You may be okay with dying but I have a better plan for you".
He bites his wrist and puts it in John's mouth and forces his blood down John's throat.
"You now have my blood in your system; all I have to do is kill you. Now take my advice. Leave town. Elena doesn't want you here. You've got about 24 hours before the blood leaves your system, that's enough time to disappear or so help me God, I will turn you into a vampire and I will watch you hate yourself more than you already do". He releases him. John gasps in horror. "The clock starts now". He leaves the room.
Lockwood Mansion
Damon was completely stunned at Grace's question. "Gracie what are you talking about?"
"When I was with Uncle Stefan and Elena I heard this really loud noise".
'If Grace isn't a vampire how the hell did she get affected by the device? More importantly why didn't Stefan tell me?' Damon thought to himself.
"Uncle Damon what if I'm-what if I'm something supernatural?" 'Well something else supernatural'.
"Look sweetheart let me and Stefan worry about it alright, we'll figure it out".
"Alright".
Damon is now watching Mason and Carol. He talks with Sheriff Forbes.
"Who's the guy with Carol?" Damon asked.
"It's the mayor's younger brother, Mason Lockwood". Liz replied.
"Is he on the council? Like John Gilbert was when he rolled in?"
"He's nothing like John. For one, he's not an ass. He's not a believer either. He wants nothing to do with the council. He's too preoccupied finding the perfect wave".
"Thanks". Sheriff Forbes walks away. "See you". Damon continues to watch Mason and Carol.
Katherine walks towards the entrance of the Lockwood house. Tyler stops her and grabs her hands in appreciation.
"Hey Elena, thanks for coming. Come on in". Tyler said.
Katherine enters the house, smiling.
A/N: I put in how Katherine first met Grace for those who were wondering about it.