'Gran.'

'Mrs. Higginbotham.'

'Bella, Rosalie?' Gran looked between us.

It'd been weeks since homecoming, a Saturday. I think, and during that time, Rosalie and I decided to talk to Gran about Isobel's father. Rosalie spent the night over so we could strategize a game plan.

'We need to talk.

'What about?'

'Isobel's father.' Rosalie said gently as we sat on the couch. 'Bella told me about Isobel and Beau.'

I did not tell her about John; if she ever learns about vampires, I'll spill.

Gran looked at me, then at Rosalie. 'What's his name?'

'Henry Flemming.' She sighed.

At last, I had a name.

'Has he tried to contact me?' I asked.

'Yes, but that man- he's not like Margaret; at least sheunderstood that you belonged to Charlie and Renée.'

'How?'

'Tell us everything.' Rosalie grabbed my arm.

I caught a glimpse of Bella as she stood outside her house, and I noticed Rosalie's car leaving from my bedroom window.

It seemed like they had a sleepover; as I watched them, I couldn't help but think about the sleepovers I used to have with Bonnie and Caroline.

Bella turned toward my house, and for a moment, our eyes met, but when I waved to her, she stormed off without acknowledging me.

I really needed to talk to her, but it seemed like she was avoiding me at all costs.

I was burning with questions about Isobel's parents and what Ric had said to her. Caroline mentioned that she and Rosalie had taken off for the rest of the day. She also shared that Rosalie suspected Ric of doing something to Bella.

All I could think about was the day we confronted her. Ric had been so intimidating, and I was terrified to even think about it, let alone talk about it with him or anyone else. I kept it all to myself because I feared it would only cause more trouble.

If Bella's grandmother ever found out, it would be a total disaster. I'm trying to prove myself, but she just won't give me the chance.

I should focus on Jeremy for now...

Why the heck is Jeremy standing in the middle of the road like that? I wondered as I rushed outside.

'Jeremy!' I called as I approached the Gilbert house. 'Get out of the road.'

'Jeremy?!' I saw Elena and The Saltman walking towards Jeremy. I backed away. 'What is he doing?!'

Suddenly, a car comes whipping around the corner and speeds towards Jeremy; Alaric and Elena run to him.

He just stood there; Jeremy stood there.

'Jeremy!' I cried.

'Oh my god!' Screeched Elena. 'Jeremy!!'

'JEREMY!!' Hollered Saltman.

'Jeremy, move!!!!'

Alaric pushes Jeremy out of the way at the last second and is hit by the car instead; I screamed. Elena runs over to Alaric's body and turns him over. The car pulls up next to them.

'There I go again. Bumping into people...' a voice said smugly.

He drove away; the smell of burning rubber filled my nostrils. Jeremy gets up and runs over to them; I did the same.

'Jeremy, have you lost your ever-loving mind!' I screamed.

'He's gonna be alright.' Elena sighed, and then she turned to Jeremy. 'Are you all right?'

'I don't understand.' Jeremy said, dumbfounded.

'Who was that on the phone earlier?'

'It was Klaus!'

'What, that Klaus just now in the car?' I asked, looking between them and Alaric. 'Oh my god, he's dead...'

'No, Bella, he's wearing a Gilbert ring,' he said quietly, 'Ric will come back.'

'You were compelled, Jeremy!' Elena exclaimed. 'We've gotta get him inside- help me!!'

Alaric is lying on our sofa, still dead. I called Damon, and Bella went to grab a knife.

'What's the knife for?' Jeremy asked.

'Protection.' Bella answered.

'Klaus can't come in here.' I told her.

'But Damon can.'

'You need to get over that.'

'He literally killed her, Elena.'

"How is he?" Damon asked as he walked in.

"He's dead, but he had his ring.' I said. 'Klaus' hybrid hit him. Now we wait."

"Jeremy, why aren't you wearing vervain? Where is your bracelet?" He turned on him.

"I don't know," Jeremy said.

"It was Tyler! It had to have been. That's why he was hanging out with you. To get you off the vervain."

"Klaus is trying to send us a message. He wants us to find Stefan, who stole his coffins full of his dead family members."

"Coffins?"

"Yep! So all we have to do is find four coffins, and voilà! No one else on your family's Christmas list needs to die!"

"Wait, that's your big plan?!" Jeremy scoffed. "To steal back four dead originals so this evil hybrid doesn't kill me and everyone else we know?"

"You got a better idea?"

" Yeah! Let's get the hell out of here! Pack our bags and go!"

"Hey, Jeremy," I said, "calm down."

"No, no!! I'm not going to calm down, Elena! This happens every time, no matter what we do! Get on my case about school and work... Who cares? None of us will make it out of this town alive."

He left, and Bella followed.

"He said he wants his family back," I told Damon.

"No! No!!!" He flared. "I know what you're thinking. The answer is no!"

"If we give him Rebekah..."

"Yeah, then Klaus undaggers her; the first thing she does is kill you! Frying pan, fire. Not an option!"

"Klaus' coffins...How many did you say they were?"

I sat in the Gilbert house, holding my knife and staring at Mr. Saltzman's body. It was nighttime, and he still hadn't returned to life despite wearing his magic ring.

I didn't know how long this would take; no one told me how long this would take.

Gran and Rosalie have been trying to contact me for hours; the phone calls and texts can only pacify them for so long.

'Uhh..'

I jumped and nearly stabbed myself; I heard faint breathing from the couch.

My cell phone rang, making me gasp.

'Hello?'

His voice sounded like a death rattle.

'Jeremy? Elena?'

'Bella.'

'Bella?' I walked over to the couch so he wouldn't hurt himself trying to see me. 'Where- Why do you have a knife?'

'Protection.'

He sat up. 'From me?'

'No, but your violent outbursts do give me reason to arm myself.'

'Izzy-'

'Bella.'

'We need to talk.'

'I should go; my grandmother is worried.'

I turned towards the door just as Elena walked in. 'Bella.' She gasped. 'Ric,' she cleared her throat, 'Hey!' I stood aside, and she walked in. 'When did you come back?'

'Just a few minutes ago.' Saltman said as he walked over to us.

They turned to me. 'How's Jeremy?' I asked, eager to get them focused on someone else.

'Yeah, how is Jeremy?'

'Hating me. Hating life. Hating the fact that we can't even have a family dinner without somebody dying before dessert. Are you okay?'

Before Mr. Saltzman coughed violently into his hand and saw there was blood on it.

'Is that supposed to happen?' I asked.

'No.'

'Oh my god!' Cried Elena.

'Something's wrong! The ring!'

He collapsed on the floor, moaning; I approached him cautiously.

'Mr. Saltzman?'

'Ric, hey.'

Elena opened the front door, letting the paramedics in.

Who called them?

'What happened?'

'He got hit by a car, and...he's coughing up blood.'

'Get his vitals.'

'Pulse pretty weak. Looks like internal bleeding. We gotta get

him out of here.'

'Let's move!'

'Let's not and say we did.' A voice from the doorway. ' Why don't you two meet us at the hospital?'

'What?'

The two paramedics start to leave.

'Hey-'

'No, no, no, wait. No wait! You have to help him!! What are you doing?'

'You can still save his life, Elena. Here, take my blood.' He raises and offers her his wrist. 'I can't get in. You're going to have to invite me.'

'Isn't that the guy who hit him?' I asked.

'No. Why are you doing this?'

'Klaus asked for his family. You didn't deliver.'

Mr. Saltman started coughing again. 'Ric! Oh my god! I'm right here.'

She rushed over to us and knelt next to him.

'He's going to die. You might want to invite me in, Elena.'

Suddenly, the guy cries and falls to the ground; Elena runs to the door.

'Jeremy!'

'He's not dead yet.'

Jeremy enters the house and runs into the kitchen.

'Where are you going?'

He takes a meat cleaver and goes out of the house again.

'What are you doing?

I rushed to Elena as Jeremy cut the guy's head off.

'Aahhh!'

'Now he's dead.' Jeremy said as he stood up, and I think I'm going to be sick. 'We've gotta get Alaric to the hospital now.'

'What are you doing here?'

'Dr. Fell.'

Dr. Fell was my doctor during both of my trips to the hospital.

She was about 5'7, had brown eyes and wavey dark hair; she wore the typical doctor's coat.

'What did you do this time?'

'I'm visiting.'

'You'd better be!'

'I promise! I promise.'

'I'm serious, Isabella Swan! I don't want to see you as a patient again!'

'I found a friend who keeps me out of harm's way.'

'Are you taking your medication?'

'She makes me take it.'

'Good, you said you're visiting... is it your grandmother?'

'My... teacher.'

'Ok. I hope they're ok.'

'Yeah. Me, too.'