So this is my author's note. This isn't my first fic ever, but it's my first TVD one. Please let me know if you think anything is wrong / implausible!

Couple of house keeping things:

- This is set after 4x05, with a couple of minor changes; rather than Damon knowing about the swords / cure, Caroline does.
- Tyler didn't cheat, but he has feelings for Hayley, and she reciprocates them.
- Bonnie hasn't visited the Professor at all - she agrees to use her powers because she wants Elena to be human again.

Enjoy, read, review, you know the drill. 8D

You know the worst part about being a vampire? You can forget about normalcy. Seriously, the average life is underrated. Yeah, it may be boring, but whenever bad things happen, you can see a solution, and at least you know the solution is feasible. And real.

I'm rambling. I guess it's just that, sometimes, I don't want to be part of the supernatural world. It doesn't go by the same rules as everything else.

"So what exactly are we looking for?" I can hear the apprehension in my voice, and I know it annoys Bonnie because of the face she pulls. I pull one of the grimoires down from the shelf and in to my lap, and she follows suit.

"Anything that deals with the fabric of time." She responds before setting down a grimoire on the coffee table. We're in the Salvatore boarding house, patiently awaiting the arrival of Stefan. Well, Bonnie is patient. I'm tapping my heel. The sooner we get this over with, the better.

Klaus hadn't initially wanted to tell Bonnie about the cure, but then Stefan and I had argued that we would need a witch in the midst of this, and since Klaus had torn out the heart of the last witch he'd used, there wasn't anyone else. Plus, Bonnie was almost as determined as Stefan was when it came to the whole Elena-human-vs-vampire thing. And she was powerful.

So it was just the four of us that knew about the tattoos, the cure, and now the swords.

Which brings us to looking for a spell that would allow a momentary glimpse into the past – just enough for us to see where another of the swords is. I'm almost positive I'm going to be of no help, since my knowledge of magic is limited to Harry Potter, but it isn't really fair to make Bonnie comb through a million and one spell books all by herself.

My ears prick at the sound of feet crackling through undergrowth. "Stefan's nearly here." I say, and a heartbeat later he is striding through the door.

"How's Elena?" Bonnie asks him when he's close enough.

A small frown crosses his face at the question. "She's fine, she's with Damon."

Stefan probably isn't fine with that, but there's nothing else to be done. I shoot him a hesitant smile as he grabs a grimoire, and then the reading game begins.

Four hours later, and we're no closer than we were when we started. That's not to say we haven't found anything useful – there was this weird incantation that supposedly gave someone the sensation of drowning – but nothing dealing with time. Naturally, I got bored after the first twenty minutes.

An hour in, Stefan grabbed us a couple of blood bags and I've been absentmindedly sipping from one ever since. Bonnie lets out a cry of frustration as she slams close another book.

"Time for a break, I think." I say, standing up and stretching my legs. What I really mean to say is – enough for the day. Regardless of how distracted she might have been during "vamp training" with Damon, Elena is bound to want to know what's been keeping us occupied for an entire afternoon.

"Good idea." Bonnie's face breaks into relief, and the three of us traipse outside.

Stefan starts to speak. "So, if they ask –"

"– I've been looking for some new protective spells –"

"And we offered to help." I chime in. We each share a glance, maybe because we know that it's never going to be as simple as giving them an excuse. They'll want to know the why as well, but that is not going to happen.

After I've dropped Bonnie off at her house (she said she wanted to spend some more time looking through spell books at her house) we head to the Grill. We spend the entire drive in silence, more because I know if I open my mouth I'll start rambling about how Elena loves him, she wouldn't do anything with Damon, she's fine, this will all be fine eventually.

We reach the bar just as I spot Tyler walking in. I swallow. To say the discovery of his pretty werewolf friend had put a black spot on our relationship was an understatement. I want to trust him, I do, but the fact that he didn't say a single thing about her at all says more than his rushed apology.

But I love him. I'm not just going to give up.

Stefan and I sidle out of the car and through the door. The first thing I see is a smile Elena and smug Damon, both seated at the bar. Stefan must have noticed this too, because he tenses ever so slightly. The pair of them spot us, and Elena's smile drops slightly as she moves away from Damon.

"I'm going to go find Tyler." I say, as inconspicuously as I can. The man I want is in the corner, talking to one of his football friends. I head in his direction, flicking some hair off my face in the process. When I reach him, it's just the two of us.

"Hi." I say, giving him a small smile.

"Hey." He responds.

I don't know what to say next. I could start with one of many prepared speeches about our relationship, but I don't want to be that girl anymore. So, instead, I open my mouth and ask a question. "How are you?" When he tilts his head to the side as though he's not sure where I'm going with this, I press on. "I mean, I know you were kind of close with Dean, so."

He nods. "Yeah, it sucks. The whole sire thing sucks." A muscle in his jaw tenses.

"I'm sorry." I take a step closer with every intention of hugging him, but he glances away. The impulse dies in my throat.

He shrugs. "It just makes me more determined to break everyone else out of it."

I look down at my hands. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"

The look he gives me – it's like he can't believe I wouldn't immediately take his side. "Klaus is evil Care, and he needs to be stopped."

"I know that. I just mean – I don't think you should go blindly declaring war on him." I shrug, trying to diffuse the tension, even though part of me is boiling inside.

"Why? Because you don't think he deserves that? Because he likes you?"

I can literally feel the pink rise to my cheeks. "No." I press my lips together in a firm line. "I don't care about Klaus, I care about you."

"So why are you defending him?"

"I'm not!" Now I'm angry. I don't want him to take on Klaus for his sake – and he thinks I'm against him? The guy is an original – you don't just lightly plot against them without having some kind of death wish.

And how he's just as infuriated as I am. "He tried to have me kill you!"

"Exactly Tyler!" I shriek. To hell with the fact that people are staring, or that I must look crazy, or even to the small voice in my head that screams Klaus didn't let me die when he could have. "You of all people know what he's capable of – do you actually think he's going to just let you take his hybrids away?"

He eyes find mine. "What else can I do?"

It takes a second for me to realise that there's no easy way to fix this. "I don't know." I say in a small voice that reminds me too much of the insecure girl I used to know. "I just don't want you to get hurt."

"I can't be selfish about this Care." He says softly.

Selfish. The word hits me somewhere in my stomach. "Is that what you think I'm being?" I demand.

He doesn't say anything, and his hand drops from my arm. Of course. I'm being selfish. And a control freak. A teenage vampire who can't control her emotions. He doesn't have time for this kind of thing, not when he's out on some hell-bent-hybrid mission thing.

"I'll be fine. Hayley has this ide –"

"Right. Hayley. I forgot, your new best friend." The words escape before I even have the chance to think them over, and they are drenched in bitterness.

His face hardens. "I thought you understood."

"Well, you didn't exactly give me much to go on." I bite back as I turn away. Right now, the mask that holds back a tidal wave of emotions is wearing thin, and I can't quite frankly keep it together while he just stands there as though nothing is wrong.

And because the universe is clearly set on screwing me over, Hayley chooses that moment to make her presence known. How freaking perfect. Tyler catches my arm just as she spots us.

"Care, please." The other girl starts to walk towards us. I turn back to face him, one last time. "I need you to be with me." He needs me on his side – that's what he means. I can't quite find the words, even though I had them before.

"Ty – everything okay?" Her voice breaks my reverie. I swallow.

"Just teen drama." I say, facing Hayley, who doesn't seem fazed by her lack of timing. "I'll let you two get back to your precious plan." The sarcasm drips, and I stalk off before either of them have time to say anything else.

I wake up the next day groggy and bloated. Well, not actually bloated – one of the nice things about having fangs is not worrying about my weight, which I certainly embraced last night when I made my way through an entire tub of Ben and Jerry's. Naturally, I watched 'Love Actually' and spent at least 90% of it in tears. Partly because of my fight with Tyler, but also because what did Emma Thompson ever do to make her husband look at another woman?

I was pathetic, but I probably needed to get it out of my system.

After my first coffee, Bonnie calls. "Hi." I answer, suppressing a yawn.

"Hey. Are you going to be able to come up today? I think I might have found something."

"Oh." Needless to say, I'd completely forgotten about the search for swords. It would provide a nice distraction though. "Yeah, that sounds good."

"Cool." She pauses, and I know her well enough to know there's something else on her mind but she doesn't know how to say it.

"Bon, what's up?"

She breathes through the line. "Elena told me you had a fight with Tyler."

"Yeah." I sigh, and my free hand comes up to rub my temples gently. "It's not even that complicated. It's just stupid."

"Do you want to talk about it?" She asks, gently. A surge of gratitude runs through me.

"I'd like that. But not over the phone, I don't want to deprive you of my ugly tears face."

She starts to laugh, and it takes less than a second for me to join in. "Okay, well, I'm heading over to Stefan's right now, meet me there?"

After she's hung up, I scribble mom a quick note, just letting her know where I'll be. I feel kind of guilty about barely talking to her last night, but there will be plenty of time for a debrief later.

Instead of taking the car to the Salvatore's, I decide to run there. The woods between our houses aren't exactly populated by normal people, and it's been a while since I've had the chance to stretch my legs. I jog out, across the street, and when I'm positive I'm out of the eyesight of non-supernaturals, I start to sprint. The wind whips my curls into a frenzy around my head, and I'm lost in the exhilaration.

My senses have full control; every leaf is sharper, every flower is sweeter, and every word uttered in that flawless English accent is –

What?

I immediately stop running, and there he is; leaning against a tree, and saying my name through that ridiculously cute smirk he wears.

"Klaus." I fold my arms across my chest. "What are you doing here?"

He grins. "No welcome back kiss? As I recall, the last time we were in these woods, you were propositioning me for – what exactly did you call it?" He tilts his head, and his eyes roam over my face languidly.

I scoff. "Drop the innocent act. Seriously, what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in Italy?" I take a step in the direction of the Salvatore's, just in case I need a head start.

"I'm back. And bearing gifts." It's only then that a notice the long, slender package he's been idly holding in one hand. A couple of pieces of puzzle click in my head.

"Is that –"

"Indeed." He grins.

I manage a smile. "Can I look at it?"

"Patience, love." I scowl at the 'term of endearment,' which he sees as an obvious sign to continue. "You know, if it's swords you're interested in, I've got a particular specimen that –"

"Don't finish that sentence!" I shriek, which only makes his smirk wider. Admittedly, part of me wants to smile back, but that's probably because I'm starved of affection right now, so I'll take what I can get.

"I was merely going to say I have a collection at my house I'd be happy to show you." He holds out a hand invitingly.

"I can't." Mockingly, I place my hand on my heart. "What a shame." I make an attempt to dash off, only he side steps in front of me, effectively blocking my exit.

"Where are you running off to?" He asks, simply.

I expel some air in a somewhat annoyed fashion. "Stefan's. If you must know, we're working on finding another sword."

"In that case, I'll join you." He moves aside, and gestures in front of him, as though he thinks we'll run off like chums in the sunset. Not going to happen. My hands find my hips, and I fix him with a look that is supposed to say "back off."

"You're not invited." I say, resolute.

He grins. "Sweetheart, it's not going to be much of a witchy hoodoo if you're missing your prize artifact." He holds the sword up, tantalizingly.

Damn it. He's right. I don't know much about magic, but I'm guessing that simply having a sword there would help infinite amounts with finding another one. That doesn't mean I'm going to let him have his way easily. My eyes narrow as I swallow a small amount of pride. "Fine. You can come." I flick some hair over my shoulder. "But play nice or Bonnie will have full permission to use you as a guinea pig for her new spell."

He smirks, and I run off.

When we arrive, Bonnie is already there. She goes to say hello, but the words seem to die in her mouth when she sees Klaus, who comes in a split second after me. Stefan stands, and there's an awkward couple of seconds when no one speaks.

"He insisted." I roll my eyes, and shoot both of them a look that says "we'll talk later."

Without waiting for a response, Klaus saunters in like the whole goddamn world has been tattooed with his name. "Stefan, so delightful to see you again." He claps a hand on the other man's shoulder, who manages a stiff nod. "And Bennett Junior! Here I was thinking you'd sworn off magic. Let's hope your relapse hasn't stinted your powers." He smiles at her, but the expression doesn't extend beyond his lips.

Bonnie narrows her eyes, and Klaus tenses his jaw. Neither of them break eye contact, so I'm guessing they're waging mental warfare. Bonnie's probably trying to give him an aneurism, and Klaus is fighting it off. A sliver of pain crosses his face, but then it disappears.

"I think they're fine." Bonnie says casually, as she looks away.

"No more demonstrations." Klaus growls, taking a step closer. A shadow sets in across his face, and I recognise enough warning signs to know that things could get very messy, very quickly.

Stefan comes to the rescue, clearing his throat. "Did you get the sword?"

Klaus looks away from Bonnie, the hints of a smile starting. Crossing the room, he sets the package down on the table, and begins to unwrap it from the material it's enclosed in. Without waiting for permission, the three of us join him. The last piece of cloth is pushed aside, and there's a moment in which we're all thinking the same thing; one piece of the puzzle fixed. This cure thingo is real.

And then the second is broken when Bonnie reaches out a hand to touch it. A sassy Klaus appears; he tuts and swats her hand away.

"Unless you want to find your arm missing an appendage, no contact is to be made with the sword." He drawls, before wrapping it up once more. I glare at him. Maybe I wasn't obvious enough the first time. Or maybe Bonnie addled his brain with their mental scuffle before. Either way –

"I'm doing this for her benefit." He says, before I even have a chance to berate him. "The last person who touched it had the flesh of their hand seared off." He shrugs and saunters off. So now I have to content myself with glaring at his back.

Stefan folds his arms across his chest. "The hunters were bound to their swords by magic, so it makes sense that the weapons themselves would have some kind of protection." He runs a hand over his forehead.

"So we can't actually touch the sword." I try rationalising, because both Bonnie and Stefan are looking more and more annoyed. Klaus is doing God knows what, but I highly doubt it's anything productive. "So what. We can still use it in a location spell, right?"

Bonnie huffs. "Maybe, maybe not. Who knows what other kinds of protection it has on it." She flops on to the couch, and sits there staring at a grimoire that is strewn across the table.

"Well, we'll just have to try everything then." I shrug, looking to Stefan for support. He nods, and we both grab another grimoire and sit down on the couch. Before opening mine, I glance back up to Klaus who is watching me with a curious look on his face.

"Well, I'd love to join your little book club," He chuckles, and starts to walk in the direction of the door, "But I've got some more pressing matters to attend to." And with that, he walks out. I scowl and turn back to reading. It's only a matter of time before we find something that works, and luckily time is something we've got on our side.

So no time travel stuff this chapter, sorry! The big spell thingo will happen very soon though. If the characters seem OOC, please let me know!

Follow me on tumblr gloriousforbes