Chapter One: Graduation

A/N: EDITED (2014.05.13). Was re-reading this story and thought I should try to fix some stuff.

On this story though: A lot of the first two chapters are similar to the events during 4x23 "Graduation." I changed some things (as previously said) and editing this I took out some parts leaving mostly the important stuff. Chapter 3 is where the real AU begins.

Something I'd like to point out: Pairings will include background Forwood and Beremy. And if I can say anything for certain it's that I will not do Delena.

If after reading that and it's still sounds good then please, go forth and read! :D

It was dark.

Elena Gilbert blinked, squinting through the mass of black before her and coming up with nothing. She could see no shadows, nor any semblance of any light.

Where was she? What happened? And why did she feel so odd? Like she wasn't herself?

She grunted as she felt something rise inside her chest and grip her heart—fear? Though it felt a lot like anticipation. An excitement she found odd, because not only could she not move but she felt as if she couldn't breathe either. As a vampire she didn't need to breathe but she could feel the lack of it like she did. And she felt so stationary. So still, and so trapped.

But despite feeling surrounded, the feeling in her heart swelled and she felt… she felt a puzzling sense of victory as she heard the faintest of cracks. Like bone or wood, or did that sound more like concrete?

"Elena," a faint voice called in the distance, though not enough to turn her attention.

Slowly, she heard the cracks move, much louder than the voice. She felt them splitting as whatever was encasing her began to break.

Rigidly, her right arm broke free of its restraints, followed by a leg and then her chest. Light filtered in as the mask over face also shed away. She reached out, her body poised to get up as the light engulfed her eyes.

"Elena!"

Her eyes shot open and Jeremy quickly came into view. He knelt in front of her, concern written all over his face. They were in the cemetery from the night before.

"Are you okay?"

Everyone had gone home hours ago, and she and Jeremy had stayed behind near their parent's graves, talking and catching up. Bonnie was supposed to bring the veil back up before dawn but despite the next day her brother was still there and he looked concerned, "It was just a dream. I'm fine, Jere."

He nodded and gave her a small smile, "Ric was here, I didn't want to wake you but he said he'd come back with some food."

The corners of her lips lifted into a smile and she hugged her brother, "I missed you."

"I missed you too," Jeremy chuckled, having heard that phrase at least twenty times already.

A sudden buzzing in her pocket prompted Elena to pull away from her brother's warmth. She pulled out her phone and put it to her ear, "Caroline?"

"Elena! I've been calling you!" Caroline said, she sounded somewhat frantic.

"Sorry, I fell asleep."

"I spoke to Bonnie earlier and she says that she can't bring up the veil without the full moon."

Elena glanced at Jeremy, "So that's why my brother's still here."

"Watch out for the undead…dead," Caroline said, coming up a bit confused, "but other than that you better come to grad, okay?"

Elena's brows rose as she remembered what day it was, "Um yeah, sure."

"Elena!"

"Of course I'm coming, Care. Don't worry!"

"Good. Because this is like, a rite of passage into adulthood, and you can't skip it. I'll see you later," Caroline said and then hung up.

Even after everything that Elena did without her humanity, Caroline was still acting normal. She hadn't really talked to her blonde friend since she got her switch flipped right side up. Elena felt guilty that the first time they spoke, without her vendetta fueled emotions, Caroline didn't seem the least bit mad. Even after the horrible way she completely dismissed her at the Grill the day before.

Elena planned the next time she could, she would sit her down and apologize.

"What was that about?" Jeremy sat on one of the concrete benches, patting the seat next to him so she would sit.

"That was Caroline. The veil won't be put back up till tonight."

"I'll be here for your grad," he smiled.

Elena wrinkled her nose and smacked his arm, "Don't be all sentimental."

"What? I've always been sentimental," Jeremy laughed and she shook her head.

"Well I never thought I'd see this again," they turned to see Alaric coming towards them, a paper bag of fast food take-out in his hand.

"Ric," Elena gave up her seat and sat across Jeremy. She watched as Alaric pulled out what he'd bought, "Burgers and fries for breakfast?"

"Hey, don't diss the food. I actually miss this," he bit into his burger and Jeremy nodded, mumbling his agreement.

With another shake of her head, Elena laughed just as her phone vibrated once more. She reached for her phone and looked at the screen, "It's the Grill. It must be Matt."

She got to her feet, "Hey, you went AWOL this morning. What happened?"

"Hello, Elena," her brows knitted together at the voice on the other side, "It's your old dead friend Conner here. You remember me?"

Elena froze, "Where's Matt? What do you want?"

"Hey, relax. I want what I always wanted. Silas and the cure. Where are they?"

"The cure?"

"Don't play dumb with me. I know you and you're friends have it. And if you give it to me, I'm sure I can promise not to hurt Matt, or any of these fine relatives here for graduation."

Alaric was already standing and he caught Elena's eyes, gesturing his departure, having heard everything.

"Look, I don't know where the cure is, but I can get it. Just don't hurt anyone," she shook her head.

"Good, that's what I like to hear," Connor hung up before she could say anything else.

Elena took a deep breath, and Jeremy raised his brows.

"Who was that?"

"Connor, he's at the Grill and he's threatening the life of everyone there unless we get him the cure and Silas."

"So what are we going to do?" Jeremy asked.

"First let's get out of here," she suggested.

Jeremy nodded and the siblings headed out of the cemetery.

A persistent knock on the front door of the Salvatore boarding house had Damon speed walking towards it.

"I'm coming, I'm coming. Just calm down!" he shouted, and mumbled to himself, "Not like its unlocked or anything."

He swung the door open and his glare quickly dropped into a confused frown, "Vaughn?" and before he could do anything the hunter aimed and fired onto his shoulder.

"Ugh!" he staggered back, feeling something from the bullet seep into him. Grabbing Damon by the shoulders Vaughn stepped in, pushing the vampire back into the living room.

Over the other man's shoulder Damon watched as at least six others followed behind the hunter. He pushed Vaughn away just as he fell back onto his couch, "Whoa whoa whoa, who're all of you?"

"Witches," Vaughn answered almost absentmindedly and surveyed the room.

"This isn't a party," Damon eyed the seven intruders, his hand came to his bleeding shoulder, "Get out of my house."

Smiling, Vaughn stepped towards the vampire, towering over him, "I don't quite think you're in the position to make demands. Now, where is it?"

"Where's what?" Damon brows furrowed, hell, he couldn't read thoughts.

"The cure. These witches are accompanying me to track it down. Now where is it?"

Damon scoffed and fingered his wound, clenching his teeth as he pulled out the bullet. He sat back when it was out and he shook his head, "How would I know? It was taken from us by a conniving little bitch."

"Don't lie to me. I've been on the other side of the veil looking in. We know you have it and none of us are leaving till you give it us."

Damon raised his brows and shook his head.

Irritated, Vaughn lifted his gun again.

"Aye, don't make me shoot you again. I don't have to remind you that I actually enjoy torturing you lot."

"Hey, man. I didn't even kill you, okay."

"Not the answer I needed, Damon," he fired again, this time aiming for his leg.

"Argh!" Damon's hands flew to his right thigh just as Vaughn was tackled to the ground by Stefan, who wrenched out his heart.

On the other side of the room a witch collapsed with her neck snapped, and Damon watched as Lexi moved on to another witch.

Ignoring his still bleeding knee, Damon sped towards the witch directly across from the couch he sat on, gripping both his hands around her neck before a sharp pain broke through his skull.

Clenching his teeth, he dropped to his knees with his hands on his head. He managed to open his eyes enough to see Stefan clutching his own temples.

Vaughn lay immobile beside his brother as the three remaining witches towered over them and soon enough everything went black.

Jeremy shook his head, listening to the endless ringing on the other end of the phone. After he hit the automated voicemail recording he hung up before it could beep, "Stefan won't pick up."

Elena frowned, "Try Damon."

They were now in her car, headed towards the boarding house in hopes of finding the cure. If Elena knew the Salvatores at all, they would know exactly where that cure was.

Jeremy scrolled through her contacts, pressing call at Damon's name and also coming up with nothing. He tried Matt before trying Stefan and Damon again. He shook his head, "They're not picking up. Do you think something happened?"

"I don't know," she replied but she was worried already. The worst scenarios quickly came to mind.

"Elena, look," Jeremy pointed to the side of the road where someone was waving them down.

"Lexi?" Elena pulled over and they both hopped out of the car.

"Oh thank god," the blonde muttered in between breaths, "The boarding house. It's been ambushed."

"What? Stefan and Damon?"

"Inside. One of the hunters. Vaughn. He came with some witches and attacked us. They got the upper hand and I left to get reinforcements. Stefan mentioned you were still at the cemetery."

"We were just heading to the boarding house," Jeremy said. Elena's eyes closed with her sigh.

"What is it?" Lexi asked.

"There's another hunter named Connor. He has Matt and is threatening to kill everyone at the Grill unless we give him the cure and Silas," Elena related her concerns to the older vampire.

Everyone just had to step out of the veil all at once, good thing Kol hadn't shown up yet. Though hopefully, after last night, never again.

"Vaughn was spewing something about the cure too," Lexi shook her head, "Look maybe you can call your friends. Get them to go and stop Connor. We need to rescue the Salvatores, before they're both killed."

Elena nodded in agreement.

Just then her phone rang and Jeremy picked it up, "It's Alaric," he answered, "Hello?"

"Jeremy?" his voice sounded muffled and rusty, like he'd been coughing.

"Yeah, Ric. Did you get him?"

Lexi turned to Elena which the younger girl elaborated, "He went to the Grill to find Matt."

"Yeah," Alaric coughed at the dust around him, waving his hand in front of his face as he stepped out of the room that had exploded and into the main area of the Grill which was now, thankfully, empty, "I managed to get him away before he hurt anyone but I didn't see Matt here. I think they took him to another location."

"Okay," Jeremy spoke, nodding.

"Yup. He did however, have some explosives on him. He couldn't have gotten those just anywhere."

Elena's brows lifted, "Explosives? His RV maybe?"

"Makes sense," Jeremy nodded, "Did you hear that, Ric? Maybe he has Matt at his RV? It was towed into the scrap yard after he died. It's worth a shot."

"Yeah, but I can't go there right now, I'll have to get rid of Connor. He'll wake up and I'd rather have him confined somewhere," Alaric surveyed the empty restaurant and turned back to the unconscious man in the rubble.

"Good idea, go to the boarding house after, we'll need help," Jeremy hung up after, looking to his sister, "I'll go get Matt. Alaric will come and back you guys up."

"Wait," Elena grabbed Jeremy's arm before he could go, "you can't go by yourself. We don't know who's there. I'll call Caroline, I don't want you alone."

Jeremy groaned inwardly, "I'm dead, what'll they do to me?"

"Not to burst your bubble, kid, but everyone else is dead too. If you're going to rescue someone you need all the help you can get," Lexi put in as Elena called her friend. It didn't take long to explain what was going on and to ask her to help Jeremy. When Elena hung up she gave Jeremy her keys.

"Take the car, the boarding house isn't far; Lexi and I can run from here. Be careful okay, and don't go till Caroline gets there," she warned.

"Yes, mom," Jeremy chuckled, getting into the car. He watched them speed away as he started it.

Hopefully, everyone was still okay.

Stefan let out a scream he had been holding in till then. His head felt like it was imploding and his arms that were tied down were literally on fire.

After what felt like hours, the flames extinguished and the throbbing in his head subsided.

He breathed, trying to catch his breath and his eyes watched Damon who was across from him. His brother, who also sat chained to a chair, grimaced at him.

Vaughn stepped in between their view of each other and spoke, "Tell me one more time. Where is the cure?"

He spoke only to Damon, but even if Stefan wanted to say something he couldn't. His throat felt sore and he was still trying to just breathe. Before they woke up, the dead witches they had killed and Vaughn had risen again. Lexi was nowhere in sight and Stefan hoped that she had gotten away.

"Where. is. the cure?" Vaughn repeated enunciating.

Damon shook his head, "Look, buddy—"

Stepping aside so that Damon could see, Stefan immediately bent his head as the aneurysm came back full force and his hands caught on fire, spreading up his arm.

"Okay, stop!" Damon exclaimed, tugging at his restraints, "Stop! I'll tell you! Just stop hurting him already!"

"That's more like it," Vaughn stepped back into Damon's view, "Now where is it?"

"No," Damon shook his head, "untie me. It's easier if I show you."

"Damon, no," Stefan mumbled, shaking his head. He couldn't just give Vaughn the cure. It wasn't meant for Silas, not after all their hard work.

"Don't listen to him," Damon told Vaughn with a shake of his head, "I'll give it to you. Just untie me," when the hunter didn't move he added, "What'll I do: run?"

Vaughn stared at him long and hard before pulling off his chains. He stepped back giving Damon the space to get up. Rubbing his wrists, Damon glared at Vaughn before he stood, feeling a tense pain on his shoulder and his right thigh. He already had a feeling what it might be, having been previously bitten.

Stefan's puppy dog eyes met Damon's before the latter made his way from the living room towards the foyer.

"Hey hey, where are you headed?" Vaughn followed, grabbing his bad shoulder. Damon held in his groan and shook him off.

"To the stairs, moron," he rolled his eyes, "Just follow me."

He led him up the stairs and stopped in the middle of the hallway in front of a painting. Feeling the sides, he swung it open revealing a hidden safe.

"Wow, could you vampires be any more clichéd," Vaughn spoke.

"Yup," Damon only smirked, turning the dial to unlock it, "nothing like good old fashioned hidden safes."

He pulled it open and rummaged through, eventually coming up with a small box. He tossed it to Vaughn who easily caught it, and then proceeded to shut both the safe and the painting close.

Vaughn fiddled with the tiny lock and then pulled the box open, pulling out the glass encased cure. He eyed it, "This is it?"

"Yup."

"How do I know you're not just handing over some blood?"

"I'm a vampire," Damon looked offended, "why the hell would I keep blood in a tiny glass case? That's the cure. And if you don't believe me maybe you should try it."

Vaughn frowned, putting the cure back in its case, "Okay, I believe you. Now where's Silas."

"You're never satisfied are you?" Damon shook his head which earned him a jab with the gun, "Ah, okay. I'll take you."

Downstairs, Damon grabbed his jacket from the coat rack and paused. Vaughn almost ran into him.

"What are you waiting for?"

"Well aren't the Slytherins coming?" he gestured to the six people surrounding his brother.

Vaughn looked back to them, nodding his head as one of them followed, "Happy now?"

Damon refrained from saying a word. He couldn't leave Stefan all by himself, but he knew that he also couldn't stay and have them torture Stefan. At least if they thought he was giving them what they wanted they'd have no reason to continue torturing his brother.

Turning to the door, he pulled his jacket on.

He sincerely hoped that anyone on their side showed up. And soon.

"He seems nice," Matt commented, indicating Alexander and causing Rebekah to laugh before she stopped herself.

"Don't make jokes, I'll laugh and you'll fall," she glanced down at the bomb, the beeping having already driven her mad.

"I have the Gilbert ring. I can't be killed by anything supernatural," Matt swallowed, and continued his suggestion, "so maybe, if you're the one that detonates the bomb I won't die."'

"Absolutely not," Rebekah said almost instantly. She had already thought of that and quickly dismissed the risk, "You'll blow into a billion pieces, the ring with it."

"There's only one way to find out."

Rebekah blinked, thinking only for a second, "Fine, okay."

Staring into Matt's eyes she could tell he was scared, even if it was his suggestion.

"The first rule of truly living: do the thing you're most afraid of," she whispered, suddenly leaning in and meeting his lips.

At first he didn't respond, but as his shock slowly faded she felt his lips move against hers. Her hand found his cheek and subconsciously, she pushed back meaning to step where he stood but instead she was suddenly pulled back by her shoulder.

She dropped to the ground with Matt still standing on the platform, quickly shaking out of his daze.

"Well well, what do we have here?" a girl stood over Rebekah.

The brightness of the sun caused the original to squint at the stranger, but something about her seemed familiar.

"Hey! Get away from her!" Matt shouted from where he stood, and Alexander stepped out of the RV, puzzled. Looking around, Rebekah saw familiar faces advancing towards the small clearing in a circle.

"Who are you?" Alexander demanded, surveying them.

"Hybrids," the girl said. Rebekah blinked, recognizing her. She was one of the last twelve hybrids that Klaus had had, before they were all annihilated. What was her name again?

"State your business," the hunter demanded, he didn't like the feeling he was getting from them. And he was clearly outnumbered.

"My name is Kim. We're the product of the Original hybrid, Klaus. And he's also our cause of death. We want nothing more than to find him and get our revenge," Kim stated, speaking for all.

Rebekah scoffed, more at how ridiculous she sounded rather than any sisterly related protectiveness to Klaus, "You won't find him."

The girl glared at Rebekah, pulling her to her feet. Her voice was low, "And why is that?"

Rebekah had half a mind to wrench her arm away and snap her neck. But she reminded herself that there wasn't one but ten people against her and if she could help it, Matt would not be a casualty, "Nik skipped town. And seeing as I don't think you can leave, you're out of luck."

"I guess you'll have to do," Kim replied, the veins under her eyes surfaced as her teeth viciously sank into Rebekah's neck.

"NO!" Matt cried out in horror, not being able to do a thing.

Alexander merely watched with furrowed brows as others from the pack jumped in as well.

Bonnie walked out of the girls locker room with her graduation gown on.

After grams promised she would hide her body Bonnie had gone from the basement to pick up her gown, and the few things she had from the locker room. She would hate for her friends to have to pick it up after learning of her death.

She sighed, fiddling with the cap in her hands, with her gym bag slung over her shoulder she was headed home to get her dress. She still didn't know if it was a blessing or a curse that the veil decided she wasn't strong enough dead to bring it back up. This way she could graduate and she would also see her friends and her father one last time. The only thing was, she still didn't know if she had it in her to say goodbye.

Bonnie pushed away her thoughts, rounding the corner into another hall.

Just then Katherine appeared beside her, falling into stride. Bonnie rolled her eyes, 'Not now.'

"I don't think red is really your colour Bon Bon," Katherine said, not looking to the witch.

"And here I was hoping the ghost of anyone would've killed you already."

"Funny you should mention death. Because I'm here to collect that immortality you promised me," Katherine retaliated, unphased.

"Funny you still think you're gonna get it. I told you Qetsiyah's the only witch who knows the immortality spell. She was a no show, so you're outta luck."

"See, here's the thing, Bonnie," she turned, halting both of them in their path, "I can't disagree with you, because I have been feeling out of luck lately. But this has nothing to with luck, this is all you. I know you can talk to Qetsiyah, and if you can't—then find a way. Because if I don't get that immortality soon, I may just have to get rid of a few people you know and love for you to see my point."

"Did you just threaten my friends?" Bonnie asked, sounding just as threatening.

Katherine replied with a shrug and Bonnie straightened, shifting her feet.

"I can crush your skull without even flinching," she hissed, watching as the vampire's expression turned into a nonchalant smile.

"Go ahead," Katherine looked behind the witch, "Make your move."

Bonnie turned to follow her gaze just as her phone rang. Her classmates walked by, holding their gowns.

Without another glance at the doppelganger she picked up her phone and turned away from Katherine.

"Hello?"

"Bonnie! It's Caroline, I need you to meet me at the scrap yard. There's dead people everywhere and Elena called me earlier about having to save Matt and I had to meet Jeremy here because this is where Matt is and it all sounded frantic and I thought we could use some back up just in case and I mean Elena couldn't come with us because the boarding house has been attacked, and Stefan and Damon are stuck in there apparently with lots of undead guys, but she has Lexi and Alaric and it'll only be me and Jeremy and what if there's more than we can handle—"

"Whoa, Caroline, slow down. I can't understand," Bonnie said, momentarily forgetting her initial conversation with the vampire.

Katherine's eyes narrowed, having listened in. She only had to hear a small portion of it before she tilted her head in curiosity.

"What's going on?" Bonnie continued, and quickly added, "The shortened version."

Caroline took a deep breath, and Bonnie could hear Jeremy call out to the blonde, who silenced him, "The undead are attacking us. All of us. Elena, Lexi and Alaric are going to save Damon and Stefan, and Jeremy and I are near the wrecking yard," there was a short pause, "Jeremy says he saw Matt and he really needs our help. So you need to come here right now!"

"Okay, okay. The scrap yard," there was only one in Mystic Falls.

"Yes! Hurry!"

And they both hung up. Suddenly remembering her first conversation, Bonnie turned, scanning the hall.

It was empty, save herself. Katherine was gone.

Pulling off her graduation gown, she resumed her earlier path towards the parking lot. She would deal with Katherine later. Right now, there were more urgent things to do.

Vaughn and the witch, who Damon decided to call "Carrot" due to her hideously bright neon hair, followed closely behind him.

Damon had driven and led them to the top of a hill, with a waterfall. He remembered going there as a kid, jumping off the cliff and into the ravine with Stefan and their friends. He remembered how deep and nice it was, and quite vividly the way Giuseppe smacked him over the head for bringing his little brother to such a dangerous spot.

"Here we are," Damon stopped at the top, leaning casually against a tree with his good arm. He felt his body temperature going up and he was already slightly feeling dizzy. It didn't help that his leg was also throbbing with the wolf venom.

"Where exactly?" Vaughn asked, looking around.

"It's where I dumped Silas," he turned, looking to both Vaughn and Carrot.

They shared a look before stepping forward to the edge, closer to where he stood. He continued with his tour guide voice, "Closed off to hikers, no food for animals, endlessly deep water."

"I'm not following you, Damon," Vaughn turned, "where exactly did you put the body."

"Well uh, you see," Damon looked behind him and pointed as he explained in a more or less serious tone, "I dragged his stone ass through here, I flung him in that general direction and he tumbled down there... somewhere."

Vaughn's face was incredulous but he continued, "What do you know about physics? What is it? Is it distance equals velocity times time?"

For the first time Carrot spoke, "We're not stupid. Tell us exactly where it is."

She advanced, but Vaughn stopped her. The marks on Damon's neck and the way he looked came to attention, "What the hell happened to you?"

"Oh," Damon looked to his shoulder, seeing it from the corner of his eyes, "will you look at that. That's nasty."

Vaughn chuckled, looking to his gun and putting two and two together, "Connor, he must've laced these bullets with werewolf venom."

"Ding ding ding!" Damon rolled his eyes. With a smirk he said, "Not as dumb as you sound."

Immediately Vaughn fired one into Damon's other leg, and he groaned as both of his legs gave way. He couldn't stand anymore and he fell to his knees.

"This was all a lie, eh? You knew you were a dead man," he paused to pull the cure from his collar, "Well, you're not gettin this back."

"Where's Silas?" Carrot demanded.

Straightening, he chuckled at her question, and suddenly felt his head imploding in itself, "Arghh!"

"The lady asked a question," Vaughn said as the aneurysm subsided, "One more jolt with werewolf toxin and you'll be dead within minutes. Where's Silas!?"

Breathing deeply he looked Vaughn in the eyes. He had no gamble on whether or not he would shoot him. It wasn't that Damon wanted to die but either way it didn't matter. With the first shot of the venom he was technically already dead, and when someone had faced real death as much as he had, it no longer shook him like it used to.

Vaughn clutched the trigger.

Instantly, an arm was over Vaughn's head, cracking his spine and throwing him into the lake. Alaric stood in the hunter's place, a smile on his face.

Damon hadn't even noticed Carrot's silent demise.

Bending over, Alaric also threw her over the edge as well.

"Oops," Alaric commented with a grin.

"One slight problem," Damon breathed, his eyes threatening to close.

"Oh you mean this?" Alaric's smile didn't falter as he held up the cure and placed it in his pocket. He bent down to sling one of Damon's arms over his shoulders, "Come on, buddy, you don't look so good."

"How did you—?"

Alaric chuckled, "I was actually burying Connor in a pit down a mile that way," he didn't bother to point, "I thought I heard your sarcasm, and figured you'd want some help."

Damon breathed out his laugh. In a rush they were on the road and Alaric helped him into a truck that Damon didn't recognize.

"Whose truck is this?"

Alaric shrugged as he hopped in and drove, "It had some gardening tools and fertilizer in the back. Much easier burying tools than a shovel."

He laughed at his own idea before noticing that Damon had gone unconscious.

Almost immediately Alaric's smile dropped, and he focused on the road. He couldn't go back to the boarding house and there was literally nowhere else to go. Scanning through some names in his head he tried to think of a plausible place to retreat to and stepped on the gas.

After dropping Damon off, he still needed to get to the boarding house and help Elena. Time was of the essence.

Elena fell to her knees, clutching her head, "Wait-!" she pleaded in between a cry.

After arriving at the boarding house she had entered, and only had time to notice the witches and Stefan before being mentally attacked.

Vaguely, she noticed Stefan fighting against his retrains. One of witches stepped forward and the pain faded, "What do you want, vampire?"

"I have what you want," she said, slowly getting to her feet. She looked to Stefan who shook his head.

"Elena, you shouldn't have come here," he rasped out, shaking his head and warning her with his eyes. He knew what she was going to say, and he already knew that they wouldn't believe her.

"And what do we want?"

"The cure," she said, "And Silas."

The witch smirked, "We already have those."

Almost instantly, Elena fell to her knees, grasping at her head.

A beat later one witch's neck was snapped and followed by another before they began to notice. The leader of the group didn't move with her concentration still on the doppelganger. The remaining two looked around and tried to find the source of their friends' deaths.

Briefly, Lexi appeared to toss one of them across the room but that time was enough for the last witch to concentrate on her. Lexi dropped to the floor, and Elena shook her head.

"No," she muttered. The duo had waited, but Stefan's shouts had prompted them to act without Alaric. They had been so close. Two more and they would've won.

If only we'd had gotten to another, and just as the thought passed Elena's mind the witch who was focusing on her dropped dead, followed by the last.

Lexi looked around and then to Elena, astonished, "Did you do that?"

Elena shook her head, but her eyes narrowed, "I don't—I don't know."

"Dear sweet Elena, you really are dense," a voice spoke from behind her and Elena turned just as Katherine passed by.

Ignoring the new presence Lexi got up, already pulling at the chains around Stefan's wrist.

The older doppelganger spun on her heels to eye Elena. She shook her head, "We may look alike but don't take credit where it's not due."

Elena glared at her and then turned her attention to Stefan.

"Are you okay?" Elena gazed at him with worried eyes, noticing that the burns on his hands and arms weren't healing.

Katherine slightly craned her neck to see from where she stood, but she didn't move.

Elena frowned, "Why aren't you healing?"

"I'm fine," Stefan murmured, leaning back against the chair.

"He just needs a little blood," Lexi said, having already retrieved a blood bag. She handed it to her best friend.

When he was done and his wounds were healed Elena inspected his hands.

"Good," she spoke, her worry fading. It was then that she noticed someone missing, "Where's Damon?"

"He went to show Vaughn where we buried Silas," Stefan replied, getting to his feet. He was massaging at his temples.

"Buried? Isn't—"

"Yeah, he's still in the garage," Stefan nodded.

"Well then why aren't we going after them? Damon will need our help."

Stefan shook his head, "I don't know where Damon went. We never talked about where we were going to bury Silas. I have no idea where he could've led Vaughn."

Elena's forehead wrinkled in worry and Stefan felt the same.

"Okay, lovebirds," Katherine called from where she now sat, "I know you both want to find Damon and all, but do I need to remind you that your living room is currently littered with dead witches. I doubt they'll appreciate their unexpected nap, courtesy of everyone in this house."

They turned to her in unison as she pointed to the bodies.

Lexi, who stood at the entrance of the foyer nodded, "I hate to agree with any psychotic bitch, but she's right," Katherine flashed Lexi a smile and walked out of the room, leaving the cleaning up to them. The blonde's eyes followed her out and she rolled them, continuing, "We need to get rid of them before they cause any more trouble."

The two nodded in agreement.

"I'll go. Elena, you come with me," the blonde gestured, heading to one of the bodies.

"I'll come with," Stefan offered, taking a few steps before grimacing and bringing a hand to his head.

"No," Elena shook her head and pushed him onto the couch, "You stay here. As much as I hate to leave you with Katherine, you need some rest."

Lexi merely raised both brows with a shrug when Stefan looked to her for back up.

"We'll be back soon," she said.

Quickly, the two of them piled the five bodies into the van outside and headed out ignoring the Salvatore's protests.

When the sound of the vehicle was out of earshot, Stefan leaned back on the couch with a sigh, briefly closing his eyes.

The entire day had been exhausting already and it had hardly even begun.

It's great to have Lexi, but why did everyone else have to step through the veil too? He thought with another shake of his head. Casting aside wishful thinking he then began to brainstorm locations Damon could have gone. A few minutes in he could only think of three or four places his brother might go to. Deep in thought he almost jumped when a hand traveled up his chest and a petite figure nuzzled into the crook of his arm.

Opening his eyes, he pushed Katherine away, and moved a seat down.

"Go away, Katherine," he mumbled.

"What? Don't I get a thank you for saving your life?"

"Thank you for saving the day," he replied in an exasperated way, "Now go away."

"That wasn't what I had in mind," Katherine muttered and sighed, pulling her feet from underneath her and placing them on the floor, "You're no fun."

"I'm not here for your entertainment, Katherine," Stefan glanced at her, "I don't even understand why you're here."

"Maybe I missed you," she pouted, moving towards him but only earning herself a sneer.

She stopped, "Oh, that's right—Elena. It'll always be Elena for you now," the corners of her lips turned up and she gave a short chuckle, "But doesn't it hurt to know that it'll never again be 'always Stefan' for her?"

Stefan scowled at her, his fingers curling but he didn't say a word as he got to his feet.

"Oh, don't pout Stefan," Katherine called after him as he headed out of the room, "It's not a very good look on you."

She laughed as he fled from sight and she reclined on the couch.

A few moments later she heard someone approach before they barged through the door.

Alaric stood at the foyer, eyeing her for a moment before concluding, "You're not Elena."

"I'm not," she said, and dismissed him altogether as she closed her eyes as if to take a nap.

"Alaric," Stefan suddenly appeared at the foyer. Stefan noticed the distress in his expression, "What is it?"

"It's Damon," Alaric answered and the young man stepped forward, suddenly afraid of what he might say next. Feeling his pocket, the former-hunter pulled out the item in it and handed it to Stefan. His expression was grim, "He's dying, Stefan."

Almost instantly, the younger Salvatore's heart dropped.

The many times Damon cheated death were not enough to have Stefan be thankful that death knocked at his door so frequently. Alaric didn't need to elaborate; the worry, the distress and the desperation that was written all over his face explained everything to Stefan.

It was bad. So bad that Stefan could only think of one thing that could so severely threaten a vampire's life: werewolf venom.

He just knew he smelt something odd on Vaughn earlier.

Stefan swallowed the lump in his throat. Klaus wasn't in Mystic Falls, and he may be too far to travel back and forth before said venom killed his brother.

But, as if immediately finding the answer to all his problems, his eyes fell on the item in his hand—the cure.