A/N - Im really proud of these last few chapters of book 3. I've been having so much fun writing this story so far, and yes, I do plan to continue. I'm really curious to see what you all think.

Another huge thank you to my beta juxtaposed92. She really is extremely helpful and its so great to have another person read my stuff over before I post it.

Without further ado, here's the next chapter. Let me know what you think!

Damon headed towards the door where Klaus, Rebekah, and Elijah had just come through. They all separated, heading in different directions and Damon immediately followed his target. The plan was in motion.

"Rebekah!" He called after her. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Alaric creeping towards her from behind.

She turned to face Damon, her face filled with curiosity. "Damon. The brave, idiotic human who tried to ruin my brother's plan to become a hybrid."

Damon stood his ground. "That's right."

She tilted her head to the side, amused at his apparent stupidity. "What do you want?"

"Who, me?" He asked, pointing towards himself in mock confusion. "Oh sweetie, I'm not the one you should be worried about." Alaric was right behind her now, a dagger in his hand. Damon nodded towards Alaric. "He is."

At that, Alaric quickly drove the dagger down into her heart. She stood for a moment, frozen in shock and then fell to the floor, turning grey.

Damon grabbed her arms and dragged into the closest closet, hoping that she wouldn't be discovered for at least a while.

Part one of their plain, completed.

Katherine slipped out from where she had been hiding. It would have been confusing if anyone had seen two Elena's around, but now it was her turn to do her part. She had watched from the shadows as Damon and Alaric lured Rebekah away, and as Klaus immediately headed out the back with Elena and her gang. Elijah was standing by the door, clueless to the fact that his sister was probably being daggered right at that moment.

"Elijah." Katherine said in a normal voice. The name wouldn't have normally been heard through all the din, but with his super sensitive hearing, she knew he would. Sure enough, he immediately turned toward him, a guarded look on his face.

He walked over to the side hallway she was in. "Katherine. What are you doing here?"

She gave him an award winning smile. "I am here for you. Now that Klaus has let me go, we can finally be together. No more running." She reached up to his face, trying to show him just how much she still cared about him.

He didn't flinch back, but he didn't lean into her touch either. "Katherine." He said in a disapproving voice. "It isn't that easy. Klaus is still frustrated with you. Just because he gave you a pardon, doesn't mean he won't kill you if you get on his bad side. I'm his brother, Kat. I have to stay with him."

She gave him her best puppy dog eyes. "Don't stay. Come away with me."

"You know that I cannot-"

Snap.

His neck whipped to the side and he fell to the ground. Behind him, Lexi stood, her mouth set in a determined line.

"Nice job distracting him. It almost sounded real." Lexi accused.

Katherine glared at the blonde, her head tilted to the side. "It worked. That's what matters."

"Where is she?" Klaus asked the moment they were alone.

As soon as Klaus had arrived, he had headed straight towards Elena. She told him she was willing to talk out back. As they had walked out, Stefan and Caroline had followed. Now the three of them, Stefan, Caroline, and Elena, stood facing Klaus on the back porch of the Lockwoods house.

Elena crossed her arms. "She'll be here. Just don't hurt anyone."

Klaus squinted his eyes, unbelieving. "How do I know you're telling the truth?"

"Because I'm right here."

All four vampires turned towards the door. There stood the doppelganger, standing strong in the face of her death.

"Katherine?" Klaus asked, not buying it.

"No." She said, her voice firm. "I'm Max. You killed me. And now if I don't let you kill me again, you'll kill my friends."

Stefan and Caroline faced the ground in guilt. Elena looked at her. "Max, please you shouldn't have to do this."

Max shook her head, determined. "No. I don't have a choice."

Klaus spede over to her, his eyes moving back and forth between hers. She stared back at him defiant. His nose was almost touching hers.

That was when they made their move. All at once, Stefan and Elena were holding his arms behind his back as the doppelganger put her claw-like hand over his heart.

Bonnie felt a jerk in her gut. It was happening. Now it was her turn. She pulled away from her kiss Jeremy, grabbing his arms. "It's time." she said. "They've started."

He nodded, his eyes open wide in understanding. He quickly laid down on the ground and she placed her hands over his heart, chanting.

Klaus struggled against Stefan and Elena as they struggled to hold him down. His eyes meet the doppelganger's. Suddenly they went wide as he realized what was happening. Her evil and triumphant smile gave her away.

"You are Katherine." He stated, and then began choking. The spell was working. Klaus was weakening.

Bonnie continued chanting, feeling Jeremy's heart slow beneath her hands. How could she do this to him? They had just gotten together and now she was killing him. I'll bring him back she thought, trying to convince herself of his safety. It didn't work. She still knew she would most likely lose him, but she didn't have a choice.

Klaus fell to his knees, gasping.

Thwonk.

Elena managed to glance to the side where Caroline had been standing a moment ago. Now there stood someone else. He looked young, maybe around 18, and looked a little too much like Klaus for her liking.

In a flash, he was on Katherine. He snapped her neck before prying her away from Klaus who got back up almost immediately, throwing Stefan and Elena off him.

Something was wrong. The connection had been broken. Bonnie opened her eyes and stopped chanting. "Come on guys!" she said to herself. "We need a connection to take him down."

She looked down at Jeremy and was relieved to find he was still breathing. She hadn't killed him. Yet.

"You didn't really think I came without backup, did you?" Klaus said, now that he was back in control of the situation.

Stefan, Caroline, and Elena had scrambled back to their feet. Katherine was lying to the side with a snapped neck. She wasn't going to be anymore help.

Klaus glanced at the boy who had rescued him. "Thank you Kol." He turned to them. "This is my youngest brother. Kol, this is the doppelganger, Elena, and her little gang."

"No." Said another voice from the doorway. This time, it really was Max. With Katherine laying dead at the other end of the porch and Elena facing off against him with her friends, Klaus, also figured out this fact. "I'm the doppelganger you want."

"Max." Klaus says. This time, there's no question in his voice.

"No! Max, I told you to stay home!" Elena accused.

Max threw her a glance. "It's not your choice to make. This is my life and I don't want anyone else to die for me."

"Please . . ." now Stefan was begging. He turned to Klaus. "Please don't hurt her. She didn't do anything wrong."

Klaus turned towards Stefan. "I don't care. I need to be able to make my hybrids and as long as she's alive, that can't happen." He faced Max, pulling out a stake from the inside of his jacket.

Max took in a deep breath, watching the stake. Her eyes filled with terror, while her face remained stoic.

"No!" Elena yelled, trying to speed over to Max. Kol blocked her. He tisked and wagged his finger back and forth in front of her face.

Everyone watched as Klaus raised the stake and swung it down, towards the girl's heart.

As the stake came down, Damon jumped out from behind the door frame and placed himself between the sharpened piece of wood and Max, the newbie vampire.

Time seemed to stop and speed up all at once. Elena watched as the stake came down on Damon, logging itself in his chest, Blood began seeping out from under his shirt. He gasped, his mouth and eyes wide open. It was as if he was just as surprised at what he had just done as the rest of them were.

Max gasped at the realization that she was still alive, as Damon fell to his knees.

Klaus stood there, dumbfounded and Caroline took the chance. She speed around Kol and plunged her fingers into Klaus's chest so they were just touching his heart. Stefan caught on to what she was doing before anyone else and didn't hesitate to snap Kol's neck.

The connection was back. Bonnie placed her hands back over Jeremy's chest and began chanting again. She felt her power surge and flow through her. Jeremy's heart had slowed to almost nothing. She kept going. The wind was picking up, twirling around her, but she barely noticed.

Finally, she felt his heart give one final beat and stop.