Worlds Colliding (The Vampire Diaries, Book Five)

chapter 14 - No Exit

Outfits in the external link 

From 1.01 "Pilot", night in the woods, over the fog-covered forest floor.

Nicola: (voice over) "Previously on Worlds Colliding (The Vampire Diaries)"

From 5.10 "Fifty Shades of Grayson", outside the boarding house, Katherine and Valentina were talking.

"You have the ability to keep living inside someone else's body," Valentina told her.

From 5.11 "500 Years of Solitude", in Stefan's room, Katherine used the last bit of her strength she had to grab Elena by the head to complete the Traveler spell.

Mia: (voice over from 5.12 The Devil Inside) "Katherine Pierce has permanent control of Elena Gilbert's body."

From 5.12 "The Devil Inside", in the tomb, Katherine and Valentina were talking.

"I want my sister, I want immortality, and I want Stefan Salvatore," Katherine told her. 

From 5.13 "Total Eclipse of the Heart", Katherine and Valentina were on the phone. (on campus and in the Grill)

"Remember what we talked about?" Katherine asked. "I take Stefan away from Alex, you take Matt away from Kacie, and we find the most fun, spontaneous ways to do it. Matt and Eliza are my Elena Gilbert cheat sheets. If one doesn't know the answer, then the other will."

From 5.13 "Total Eclipse of the Heart", in the Grill, Kacie and Matt were talking.

"Why would Valentina be compelling me?" Matt asked.

From 5.13 "Total Eclipse of the Heart", outside the Grill, Valentina appeared behind Kacie, snapping her neck, letting her temporarily dead body fall to the ground. She looked at Matt. "You're not going to tell her anything."

Later, Kacie and Matt were talking.

"Stay the hell away from her," Kacie told her. "She's a psychotic bitch that almost killed you."

"Kacie, I think we need a break," Matt told her.

Kacie turned around, walking away.

From 5.13 "Total Eclipse of the Heart", in Valentina's car, Valentina was in the driver's seat.

Matt got into the passenger seat.

"Did she buy it?" Valentina asked.

"I took care of it," Matt told her.

 From 5.12 "The Devil Inside", in the foyer of the Lockwood Mansion, Liv, Lindsey, Tory, Elena/Katherine and Valentina were talking.

"Her father was a Lockwood," Lindsey told them.

Tyler and Kacie were standing on the stairs, listening.

From 5.13 "Total Eclipse of the Heart", outside the Lockwood Mansion, Kacie and Tory were sitting by the pond.

Tory looked over the birth certificates. "'Tory Lockwood...' Ash Lockwood'... Michael Lockwood'..." She looked up in confusion. "We were all..."

"My dad is all of your dad," Kacie answered.

From 5.13 "Total Eclipse of the Heart", in Wes' makeshift lab, Damon and Enzo entered a room where a group of Travelers were waiting for them.

The Travelers started to chant. "Evhas elebuk estupay."

"And you are?" Damon asked.

Wes was behind them, making his way to the front. "My backup."

Enzo and Damon fell to the floor in pain. 

Wes pulled out the syringe he had taken from Aaron's bag, injecting Damon in the neck with it.

Damon: (voice over from 5.13 Total Eclipse of the Heart) "Wes has this sick little scheme to destroy vampires by making them feed on each other."

From 5.13 "Total Eclipse of the Heart", in the other room of Wes' makeshift lab, Damon continued to feed on Joey until he ripped his head off, letting the head and the body fall to the floor.

"Okay," Enzo told him. "I can see how this might be a problem."

Damon had blood covering half of his face, looking at Enzo darkly, breathing heavily, knowing that he got what he deserved.

From 5.13 "Total Eclipse of the Heart", in the basement cell of the boarding house, Nicola was still chained to the wall, sitting on the floor, leaning against the wall weakly, bleeding profusely, opening her eyes.

"The only way for me to truly be free is to end all of the ties connecting me to this place," Damon told her. "Including you." He wrapped his arm around Nicola's waist, pulling her up. He pricked his finger against one of his teeth, pressing it against her lips. "I'm gonna do something that will only kill you more. Turning you into a vampire." Nicola pulled her head away weakly. Damon let go of her, standing, turning around, walking out of the cell, closing the door, locking it behind him. He seemed to regret this choice more than he let on. "Goodbye, Nicola."

Damon turned to leave.

"Damon..." Nicola trailed off weakly to stop him. Damon looked at her through the barred window. "Please."

Damon didn't answer, looking at Nicola through the bars, walking away.

Later, Nicola was still chained to the wall, sitting on the floor, leaning against the wall, weak, limp. She appeared to be absolutely still. She was no longer bleeding.

Stefan and Kaylin were kneeling next to her. Stefan wrapped his arms around Kaylin, pulling her closer. Kaylin leaned her head against his shoulder, letting a few tears fall. Stefan had tears in his eyes, looking up, letting a few fall.

There was nothing but silence.

Nicola gasped herself back to life, looking straight ahead. 

-----~-----

Day One

Morning - Richmond, Virginia

Random Home - Outside

The shot panned across the front yard of a secluded home, leading to the porch. There were blood-stained newspapers lying on the steps. The shot panned through the open front door, inside.

-----

Inside

Enzo was looking at a picture on a table of two lovers. "You think they fell in love milking cows?"

"Probably," Damon answered. "Then she became one. So he drank himself into oblivion. She cheated with the pastor."

"Just because you lost your true love doesn't mean you have to dump on others," Enzo told him.

"There's no love in there," Damon told him. "Look at that picture, it's old. The milk maid's no where to be found. It's just pathetic ole farmer John."

"Manners," Enzo told him. "It's impolite to speak ill of our hosts."

"I doubt he'll mind," Damon told him.

The man in the picture was lying dead on the floor.

"Please," Enzo told him. "All right, cranky." He looked at his phone. "It's been almost eight hours since you last fed. So I suppose that's about right."

"Are you timing me?" Damon asked.

"You feed on vampires now," Enzo told him. "I am a vampire. The only way to ensure my safety is to know how long you can last until your next fix."

"Or, you can just leave," Damon told him.

"I don't abandon my friends, Damon," Enzo told him. "Besides, if you hadn't come with me to kill Dr. Wes, he wouldn't have stuck you with that nasty virus." Suddenly, the dead man gasped himself back to life, sitting up. "Ah! Just in time."

"What did you do?" the man asked. "What's happening?"

"You died, but luckily you had my blood in your system, so when you drink this..." Enzo trailed off, holding a blood bag up to the man. "You'll feel much better." He force fed him the contents of the blood bag. "There you are."

The man grabbed the bag out of Enzo's hand, starting chugging it.

"Good boy," Damon told him.

Enzo and the man stood.

"What was that?" the man asked.

"That was blood," Enzo answered. "You're a vampire. Congratulations."

"I'm a what?" the man asked.

"I know, I know," Enzo told him. "It's overwhelming and Damon will explain more in a bit, but before he does, settle a bet. Your wife, where is she?"

"Wait," the man told them. "I drink blood now?"

"Again, we'll explain everything," Enzo told him. "Where's your wife?"

"She's gone," the man answered. "She left me years ago."

"Pastor?" Damon asked. The man turned to face him. "Pastor?"

"Pharmacist," the man answered.

Enzo groaned in disappointment.

Damon made a celebratory gesture with his arm. "Yes!" He looked at Enzo. "I will take that as a win for me, not for you."

Damon smirked at the man, transforming, biting him, feeding ravenously, letting the dead, decapitated man's body fall to the floor, holding his head in his hands. He looked at Enzo, blood covering his mouth, nose and chin, still transformed.

"Oh, stop trying to scare me, Damon," Enzo told him. "I'm not leaving you. I'm the only friend you have left."

Damon didn't answer, looking at the man's head in slight guilt, lost in thought.

-----

Worlds Colliding (The Vampire Diaries)

-----

Mystic Falls, Virginia

Salvatore Boarding House - Nicola's Room - Bathroom

Nicola's blood stained clothes were sitting on the rug in front of the bath tub.

There was water running The curtain was drawn closed.

Behind the curtain, Nicola was showering. She looked at her arms, bloodstained with her own blood, but she was completely healed from the torture.

Nicola seemed distant, expressionless. She continued to look at her bloodstained arms until she washed the blood away.

-----

Living Room

Stefan, Kaylin,  Cristian, Alex, Liv and Katherine were talking.

Cristian, Alex, Liv and Katherine were in shock.

"How did this happen?" Liv asked.

"Well, not to revisit old conversations, but Damon and Enzo fed Nikki blood, and they obviously left her to bleed out and die in the cell, and A plus B equals..." Kaylin trailed off.

"But why would Damon do that to Nicola?" Liv asked.

"He's doing what he does when he has a problem," Stefan told them. "He's cutting ties, and he's running. Including with Nikki."

Cristian sighed, shaking his head. "But he turned her into a vampire."

"Listen, remember when Klaus took me out of town and we spent the summer tracking werewolves and falling off the deep end?" Kaylin asked. "Nikki didn't give up until she got me back to Mystic Falls and helping me come back from the edge. Damon knew that she wouldn't give up on him, so he did the one thing worse to her than death, because he knew that she would hate him."

"Has she completed her transition?" Liv asked.

Cristian raised a finger to his lips to silence them.

Nicola walked into the room, clean, clothed and her hair still slightly drenched. "Don't stop gossiping on my account."

"How are you doing?" Cristian asked.

"Ready to kill," Nicola answered. She hesitated, shaking her head. "I can't stop thinking about blood." She took a deep breath, looking away. "I never wanted this to happen."

"I know you didn't," Kaylin told her, walking closer. "And Stefan and I didn't either. And for the longest time, neither did Damon. I swear to you." 

Nicola nodded. "I know. He said that he was gonna turn me so that I would hate him. So that all of his ties to Mystic Falls would be broken, even with me, because he knew that I wasn't gonna give up on him unless he did the one thing that would make me hate him more than anything..." 

Katherine sighed, turning her back to everyone, slightly annoyed.

Liv noticed the way Nicola was talking, confused. "You said, 'He said that he was'." Nicola nodded. "You don't think that's the real story?" 

"No," Nicola answered. "There's the thing that makes me believe that you can't be a vampire and a Hunter at once." 

"You think that even if you kill a vampire now, that you won't be awakened as a vampire Hunter?" Stefan asked. 

"That's what I'm hoping," Nicola told them, striding past everyone.

Cristian turned after her. "Look, Nicola, I get that you want to kill Damon and Enzo--"

Nicola picked up her jacket. "Enzo? Yes." She turned to face them. "Damon? No." 

"Really?" Liv asked. "You don't want to kill him, even after what they did to you?"

"They slit my wrists, they bled me of vervain, tormented me, left me to bleed dry in our cellar and left me to die," Nicola told them. "But, surprisingly, it's not the worst thing that's ever happened to me." 

Kaylin walked toward her. "Nikki, I can't let you go after them like this. Not right now. You need to feed, to..." Nicola looked away, sighing. Kaylin realized why. "You don't wanna feed. You don't wanna complete the transition." 

"I don't want to turn, Kaylin," Nicola told her. "I never did. And not to revisit old conversations or anything..." The others exchanged a look, knowing that Nicola had heard the entire conversation. "But my dad spent his life trying to protect me from this. If I turn, it's like I'm saying what he thought or said didn't even matter." Kaylin sighed. Nicola shook her head. "I don't want to turn." 

"You'd rather die than turn into a vampire?" Katherine asked. "I mean, I get why you don't want to, but I'd rather..."

"Rather what?" Nicola asked. "Rather stay alive? Rather survive?" Katherine nodded with a duh expression. Nicola shook her head. "I don't even know what I have left to live for." 

Kaylin placed her hands on Nicola's shoulders. "You have me and Stefan. Okay? Think this through. Don't let yourself die just because of some set-into-your-brain thinking. Uncle Zach would understand. He wouldn't want you just to give up, and you know that. Now, can you tell me that your mother would want you to give up?"

Nicola hesitated. "No." 

"Okay," Kaylin told her. "Then just don't give up. I'm not gonna tell you to turn or not to turn. That's your choice. And it's a pretty big choice." 

"Monumental," Liv told her.

Kaylin nodded. "Exactly. But, as the girl that's been protecting you since the beginning, I'm saying that I don't want to watch you die." 

Caroline walked in without knocking with papers in her hands. "And you won't have to."

"What are you doing here?" Alex asked.

"I asked the Sheriff to help me track down Damon," Cristian explained.

"You were right," Caroline told them. "He's off the rails. This is from my mom."

Caroline handed Stefan some papers.

"Let me guess," Cristian told them. "Missing persons and animal attacks?"

"Check and check," Caroline answered. "But there's something else. All of the victims were found inside their homes without their head... and their skin was desiccated."

"Damon's feeding on vampires," Stefan told them, flipping open the folder, looking at the crime scene images.

Kaylin looked at the photos. "I shouldn't have let him go."

Nicola looked at the photos.

"No," Caroline told them. "Uh-uh. No, you three are not turning Damon's roosting chickens into a Stefan, Kaylin and Nicola Salvatore guilt trip. No one could've stopped him from going after Wes last night."

"I guess Wes must have injected him with whatever he was going to give Elena that makes vampires feed on vampires," Liv told them.

"After trying to turn me into one?" Nicola asked. "I call that karma." 

Caroline, Liv and Katherine stifled their chuckles.

Cristian, Alex, Stefan and Kaylin couldn't deny the irony on that one.

"Ah," Caroline told them. "Good news, bad news. Bad news is that when this happened to Jesse, we had to kill him, but the good news is... I'm sorry, usually there's some good news."

"I have to find him," Stefan told them.

"Well, I can come with you," Katherine told him.

"And me," Alex added.

Caroline's phone rang. She looked at the Caller ID. "It's Kacie. She's the only one I've really spoken to out of her, Tory and Tyler since the, um, incident." 

"The incident?" Liv repeated. "You mean the time when Tyler almost killed Tory, his own, witchy, newly-founded sister, and Kacie had to stop him?" 

Caroline ignored that, picking up the phone. "Hey."

Kacie's voice was on the other line. She sounded stressed. "Hey. Have you talked to Matt?" 

"No," Caroline answered. "Why?" 

At the Lockwood Mansion, Kacie closed the front door, walking around the foyer. "Because it turns out that Valentina has been compelling him to forget things." Katherine had been listening, silently freaking out. "Matt said he was going to avoid her, but I haven't heard from him."

"Do you think that he's in trouble?" Caroline asked.

"I think he hasn't been at home or work and his phone goes straight to voicemail," Kacie answered.

"Okay," Caroline told her. "Well, I'll come right over. I think we can figure this out together. I'll see you soon." 

"Thank you, Caroline," Kacie told her.

"No problem," Caroline told her.

Kacie hung up.

Caroline hung up.

They could hear thunder outside suddenly, and having been focused on the phone call, Nicola had heard it extra loud, jumping. 

Kaylin looked at her sympathetically.

Nicola inhaled. 

Cristian looked at Caroline. "Maybe I should come with you."

"No," Caroline told him. "No, no, I'm fine, Cristian. You all need to deal with Damon. We can handle this. Besides, it's time Tyler and I to move into the next phase of our post-break-up, pre-friendship relationship timeline, and it's time for me to help Tyler, Kacie and Tory get used to the fact that Tory is in fact their sister."

"Okay," Cristian told them awkwardly. "I'm going to stay out of that one."

Katherine chuckled. "I'm going to get some clothes." She looked at Stefan. "And you'll pick me up at my dorm?" 

"We both will," Alex told her.

Katherine unsuccessfully tried to hide the fact that she was annoyed and disappointed. "Sure."

Katherine walked out of the house, closing the door with a medium slam.

Nicola closed her eyes at the heightened hearing. 

Liv looked at Caroline. "The bad news is that Tyler hates everything right now, including Kacie and Tory. The good news is... hmm." 

Caroline broke into a smile. "It'll be fine."

Liv looked at Nicola. "And you'll be fine too, once you get some blood in your system." Nicola opened her mouth to speak. Liv cut her off. "Yes, I know that this is a big deal, especially for you, Nicola. But don't you think that there should be four Salvatores in the world, not three?" 

Nicola gave her a look. "Liv."

Stefan turned to face Nicola. "Look, like Kaylin said, think it over."

"Why are you talking like you won't be here to see this decision through?" Nicola asked. "I'm going with you, Stefan."

"No, Nikki, you're not," Stefan told her. "You're angry, and you're emotions are heightened right now. Going up against Damon and Enzo is not what you need right now."

Nicola exhaled, looking away.

"I'll stay here," Kaylin told them. "I'll make sure everything goes..." Stefan and Nicola looked at her. Kaylin hesitated. "Smoothly."

Stefan nodded sadly, looking at Nicola. "Is there anything that you want me to do?" 

Nicola nodded. "Yes. You find Damon. You snap his neck. You bring him home." 

-----

Whitmore College - The Girls' Dorm Room

Katherine was packing her clothes, on the phone. "What's going on with Matt?"

Valentina was sitting with Matt at a table in a diner. "Nothing."

"Really?" Katherine asked. "Because Kacie, Tory, Caroline, Lindsey, Luke and who knows who else, are meeting to pow wow about him as we speak."

"Fine," Valentina told her. "Matt found out about you."

"He what?" Katherine asked.

"Kacie gave him vervain," Valentina told her.

"Kill him," Katherine told her.

"Katherine," Valentina told her.

"Kill him," Katherine repeated. "Now."

"He doesn't need to die," Valentina told her. Matt watched her curiously, cautiously. "The vervain will be out of his system soon and I've kept him out of sight since last night, so he hasn't told anyone."

"So, you two have just been tucked away, canoodling?" Katherine asked.

Valentina shook her head. "I don't even know what that means."

"We all love Matt Donovan, Valentina," Katherine told her. "Otherwise, he would've been dead a long time ago. But when it comes to keeping my new Doppelganger body a secret, no body is that important. But I am going out of town with Stefan and Alex. They want to find Damon. Apparently he turned Nicola into a vampire."

"What?" Valentina asked in shock. "Nicola's a vampire?"

Hearing this, Matt looked up at Valentina in shock.

"Yeah," Katherine answered. "No telling how long Nicola will be a vampire, because little niece Nikki wants to die as a human, but considering her love for her family, I don't think she's gonna let her die. Kaylin and Stefan are pissed about the whole situation, but now they want to find their brother."

"I thought you wanted Damon and Alex out of the picture," Valentina told her.

"I do, but I saw an opportunity to destroy Stefan and Alex's relationship, and well, I took it," Katherine told her.

"And what happens when you get too close?" Valentina asked. "Too comfortable? If you somehow do get Alex out of the picture, what happens when you slip up? Will you kill your precious Stefan, too?"

"Using my own words against me," Katherine stated. "Now, that's a Petrova specialty. Take care of the Matt issue before I get back into town, Vallie, or I'll do it myself."

Katherine, who had finished packing a bag for her trip with Stefan and Alex, ended the conversation with Valentina.

-----

Diner 

Valentina and Matt were sitting at the table.

Matt finished his meal. "So Nicola's a vampire now?"

"If she completes the transition," Valentina answered. "Knowing Nicola Salvatore, she'll want to die to honor her father's wishes, but she'll want to live for Stefan, Kaylin and Damon."

Matt was in shock, processing it all. "It'll be fine. I just need to convince Tory, Kacie and my friends I'm okay. I'll keep your secret. No one has to die."

Valentina picked up a container of syrup for her meal.

Matt tensed reflexively.

"Relax," Valentina told him. "I'm not going to syrup you to death." Matt smiled awkwardly, exhaling. Valentina looked at him curiously. "What's canoodling?"

Matt raised his eyebrows, tilting his head forward slightly.

-----

Salvatore Boarding House - Outside - Driveway

Stefan was packing their bags into the trunk of his car.

Alex was leaning against it, looking toward the open front door. "Will she be okay?"

Stefan continued to pack the last suitcase in. "Nikki?" Alex nodded. Stefan closed the trunk, hesitating sadly. "I don't know. I don't know if she'll complete the transition. If she does..."

"Do you think being a vampire will destroy her?" Alex asked.

"I know it will," Stefan answered. "See, Nikki likes to act like she's so strong, like she can take on anything. But she's telling the truth. She never wanted to be a vampire. Zach and Monica did everything in their power to make sure it didn't happen until they couldn't anymore.  Nikki might have her remaining family of vampires, and her friends as vampires, but... Being a vampire just isn't for some people. Nikki is one of those people. If she does complete the transition, and she loses control and hurts someone, then she'll spiral. There's only so much that Kaylin and I can help her with." Alex nodded sadly. Her phone vibrated. She looked at the text. Stefan stepped closer. "Is it Kacie?"

"Luke," Alex answered. "They're debating on whether or not the Matt situation is enough panic for Tory and Lindsey to do a locator spell. And Caroline's miserable because she and Tyler can barely even look each other in the eye." She looked at Stefan. "You both have weird ex situations."

"We..." Stefan trailed off. "There's nothing weird going on between me and Elena."

"Come on, Stefan," Alex told him. "First, she tells us she's going to fight to get Damon back, and then she re-breaks up with him, and now she's seemingly jealous all of the time, and apparently, she needs your 'help' for even the littlest things?"

"She knows I'm her friend, and she asked for my help, without the implied quotes," Stefan told her. "You do not have to be jealous."

"Yeah, well, I am jealous," Alex told him. "I'm re-living a little deja vu."

"What happened with Damon is not gonna happen with me," Stefan told her.

"Well, look, I'm just saying that Elena and Damon's break up is messy and you are not messy," Alex told him. "You're stable and sane and..."

Stefan held Alex's hands in front of her. "We're about to spend twelve hours in a car with her alone, so whatever she's feeling, I'm sure we'll be able to figure it out. And no matter what, I'm still gonna love you."

Stefan placed a hand on either of her cheeks, kissing her.

Alex pulled away, smiling, kissing him again, this time more passionately than before.

-----

Richmond, Virginia

Random House - Living Room

Damon hummed, dragging the man he had killed's corpse into a chair in the living room.

"I didn't realize you liked to play with dolls," Enzo told him.

"Well, Kaylin likes to make a big show," Damon told him. "She kills them, cutting their wrist with a design like art and her initials on each wrist. Apparently, her torture queen days was the reason why she doesn't do it anymore. Stefan likes to set them up, put their heads back on and pretend like it didn't happen. Kaylin takes too much pride, Stefan takes too much guilt. I, on the other hand, couldn't give a crap. I wonder how Nikki would do this, like me, my brother, or sister. You know, now that Nikki's a vamp."

"Well, we've got eight hours until you need to feed again," Enzo told him. "I wonder... What New York's like these days?"

"Crowded," Damon answered.

"Perfect," Enzo told him. "Let's go." Outside the house, unseen voices were echoing, chanting. "What is that?"

"It's the obnoxious theme song of the Travelers," Damon answered, opening the door. He tried to step outside of the threshold, but he couldn't move. Just the opposite of an invitation. The Travelers had put a boundary spell up. They were trapped. Damon groaned. "No!"

Wes suddenly came up to the door to face them. "As a man of science, I always considered magic a cheat.  Turns out, I cheat. How's the appetite?"

"Funny you should ask," Damon told him. "I was just craving a blonde."

"You're my patient 0, Damon," Wes told him. "I couldn't let you ride off into the sunset without a few tests."

"A few tests?" Enzo repeated.

"Well, one test," Wes told them. He looked at Damon. "Now that you're trapped with only one source of food, how long can you go before you feed on your best friend?"

Damon turned his head to look at Enzo. Enzo shook his head. Damon looked at Wes.

Wes smirked.

-----

Mystic Falls, Virginia

Salvatore Boarding House - Nicola's Room 

(Song:) Radioactive - Imagine Dragons 

Like they had done multiple times before, Kaylin and Nicola were in black work-out clothes and training.

"You really think that this is gonna convince me to complete the transition?" Nicola asked.

"I don't care if you complete the transition," Kaylin told her. Nicola tilted her head, unconvinced. "Scratch that, I do care. I just don't want the biggest decision of your life to be affected by what I want."

Kaylin punched toward Nicola. Nicola pivoted to make her miss. Kaylin spun around to kick her. Nicola raised her arms to block the move.

"I'm getting slower," Nicola told her. 

"Because you're getting weak," Kaylin told her. "Because you can hear things around you that you didn't hear before. Like the new chain you have holding up the punching bag has a creak in it." The punching bag moved slightly, creaking. Nicola looked toward it. "Like the flickering, buzzing lights." The lights flickered, buzzing. Nicola looked toward them in annoyance. "Like you can smell the blood downstairs in the basement." Nicola took a deep breath. "That is the only thing that you want, and you can't keep anything else down."

Kaylin punched toward Nicola, bringing her out of her daze.

Nicola held up an arm to block the move. "Why don't you tell me something that I don't know?"

"Do your eyes burn?" Kaylin asked. "That's the redness and the veins crawling beneath them when you transform. Does it feel like something is trying to push their way through your gums? That's your fangs, which bite so easily through skin, that it's almost like butter. Does your body ache? Do you have sensitivity to light? Those are all factors pushing you to feed."

"I thought you said that you didn't want what you wanted to effect my decision," Nicola told her, spinning to try to backhand punch Kaylin, growing weaker.

Kaylin easily caught  her wrist. "I don't."

"Then what do you want, Kaylin?" Nicola asked, kicking toward her. Kaylin easily brought her knee up to block the move. "What do you want me to do, huh? What do you want to hear me say? What do you want from me?"

"I want you to be honest with me," Kaylin answered.

"Honesty about what?" Nicola asked. "Honesty about how I feel? About what I'm thinking?" Kaylin nodded, letting go of her wrist. "Honestly, I think that all of this is my fault."

"How?" Kaylin asked, confused and nearly exasperated.

"Because I should have fought harder," Nicola answered. "I nearly killed Enzo, and it wasn't enough. I had been too caught up in the fact that Damon was the one to be doing this to me. I took on eight tomb vampire ghosts all at once, Kaylin, and that had been while I was sick."

"And the only reason you didn't get to kick their asses was because of Damon," Kaylin told her. "Because you didn't want to hurt Damon."

"And look at how that turned out," Nicola told her, turning away from her.

"Nikki..." Kaylin trailed off.

"Why are you doing this, Kay?" Nicola asked. She turned to face her. "Why are you trying to convince me to turn? Why aren't you just shoving a blood bag in my mouth and forcing me to feed?"

"I'm not trying to convince you to turn," Kaylin told her. "And I would never force you to, because I don't want you to hate me for the rest of eternity." She stepped closer to Nicola. "Nikki, you're like my sister. Hell, you are my sister, doesn't matter how we're blood related. I was always there for you, and you were always there for me. In some ways better than my own brothers ever were." She started to speak mockingly, turning away from Nicola, pacing away from her. "They frown upon weakness. They frown upon their little sister disliking the girls that had ruined their lives long before they turned into vampires. They even went so far to be hypocrites when they found out about me and Klaus." Kaylin turned to face Nicola, no longer mocking, turning serious. "But I never had that problem with you. You let me be weak in front of you. You told me that it was okay to feel something. You never gave up on me. You did everything in your power to make sure that I was okay, even when you were dying. And I don't want you to die, but I don't want to be the reason that you turn, because either way, I would lose you." Nicola looked away, tears in her eyes. Kaylin stepped toward her. "These are all the things that you have to go through just in the transition alone. When you become a vampire? That opens so many new doors. The pros? You can do anything. You can see anything. You can feel anything. You can be anything you want. The strength, the speed, the freedom, the immortality. All of the good things that are heightened when you turn. Love, happiness, joy, freedom, passion, desire, drive. And then the cons. The most obvious and the one you feel every day is the blood lust. The feeling of having to kill, having to learn control. All of the bad things that are heightened. Hate, sadness, loneliness, anger, confusion, hopelessness. Everything good comes with a bad flip side. I'm just trying to make you see every aspect that there is to be a vampire before you make a decision that could either change your life forever... or make it end before the day is out. And you know how much I hate the 'C' word, but the choice is yours."

Kaylin turned around, walking out of the room.

Nicola watched her go sadly, letting her words sink in.

(Song Ends)

-----~-----

Gas Station

(Song:) You Belong Here - Leagues 

On the road, Stefan, Alex and Katherine had stopped at a gas station, getting out of the car.

"You ever think about getting a new car?" Katherine asked.

"What are you talking about?" Stefan asked. "This car is a classic."

"Yeah, and so is the Wright Brother's plane, but you don't see people still flying around in that thing," Katherine told him.

Stefan began to pump gas into the car. "You know, uh, I appreciate both of you being here, but you didn't have to come."

"I told you, I'm doing this for you," Alex told him.

"And so am I," Katherine told him. "Because you're still holding on to something that maybe this is the time that Damon can be saved."

"And you don't think he can?" Stefan asked. "Look, I know that he crossed the line with Jeremy and Eliza, but, you know, he has crossed many lines before."

"You mean when he actually killed Jeremy and used Caroline and Eliza as human blood bags," Katherine told them. "Yes, I recall."

"I'm just saying, you've never really closed him off like this before," Stefan told her.

"I mean..." Katherine trailed off. "Obviously, I still care about him. I guess I got my hopes up too many times. I want off the emotional roller coaster that is Damon's redemption. You know, it's just--it's dizzying." She looked at Alex. "Are you hungry? Because I'm starving."

"Uh..." Alex trailed off. "Sure. What do you guys want?" 

"Whatever you're having," Stefan answered.

"Same, but with a lot more salt and maybe covered in chocolate," Katherine told her.

"Coming right up," Alex told them, walking away, into the gas station.

Stefan continued to pump gas station into the car. 

Katherine made sure that he wasn't paying attention to her, walking around the pump, to the back of the car, lifting the hood barely so Stefan wouldn't see, revealing the engine. 

Stefan looked toward her, but from where he was standing, he couldn't see what she was doing. "What are you doing?"

"Just looking for my... earring," Katherine told him.

Stefan looked at the ticking numbers on the pump.

Katherine looked desperately around the engine, breaking off a black hose.

Stefan put the gas nozzle away.

Katherine hurriedly and quietly put the hose into the engine, closing the hood, walking around the car, leaning against it in a sexy manner.

Stefan walked around the gas pump, seeing her.

Katherine smiled.

(Song Ends)

-----

Richmond, Virginia

Random Home - Living Room

Damon threw a chair through the window to see if that exit had been sealed off. The chair shattered through the window, landing on  the porch outside. Damon approached the window, putting his hand up, but the boundary spell kept him inside.

"Give it up, mate," Enzo told him. "Those Travelers sealed this whole place up tight."

"The spell can't last forever," Damon told him.

"It doesn't need to," Enzo told him. "Wes only need it to last eight hours. Remember? Then he can come back inside and autopsy my mangled corpse."

Damon sighed, leaning against the wall, groaning, sliding into a crouch. "You're pretty zen about all this."

"Did you forget everything I taught you in that cell?" Enzo asked. "Calmer heads will always prevail."

"Always the soldier," Damon told him.

Enzo stood, walking closer. "But you do have people we can call, like your brother, sister, niece, or either one of your exes. They can find Wes and threaten him, or maim him." He sat on the back of a couch in front of Damon. "Anything that doesn't involve your fangs on my neck."

"Kaylin told me to leave and not come back," Damon told him. "Stefan didn't do anything to disagree. And that was before they found out about Nikki." He seemed to have a slightly guiltier tone when he spoke her name. "I'm not calling them."

"So my life is not worth your pride?" Enzo asked.

"They won't come," Damon told him.

"Or they will," Enzo told him. "Then you might hurt them. You don't want to risk them, do you? Me, on the other hand..."

Enzo stood, turning away.

"I'm not going to feed on you," Damon told him. Enzo turned toward him. "I'll find another way."

Enzo didn't respond, turning to walk away.

Damon looked away, leaning his head against the wall. 

-----

Mystic Falls, Virginia 

Lockwood Mansion - Study 

Tory and Lindsey sat on the floor, having their eyes closed in concentration, chanting. "Phesmatos tribum nas ex viras, sequitas sanquinem." Caroline and Kacie sat together, watching them. "Phesmatos tribum nas ex viras, sequitas sanquinem."

Luke and Tyler walked into the room, each carrying two coffee cups, handing two to Caroline and Kacie, keeping the last two from themselves.

Tory and Lindsey continued to chant in the background.

"Thank you," Caroline told them, taking a sip. "Mm. Good coffee." She looked at Tyler, trying to relieve the tension. "Although, I take mine with a little more awkward silence with chanting witches in the background."

"Nice try, but you don't take anything with silence," Tyler told her. "Chanting witches, on the other hand..."

"You know, it's actually good to see them chant an actual spell for a change," Caroline told them. "Instead of breaking and shattering everything. It means that they're completely done with Expression."

"Well, almost," Luke told them. "Lindsey's getting Tory to edge off of it."

"So, Matt," Caroline told them. "Um, he's missing?" 

"He's not missing, he just hasn't been home in almost two days," Kacie told them. "And his not answering his phone. Yeah, we had a fight, but it wasn't that kind of a fight. We were both drunk. I'm over it already. I just hope he is, too."

The chanting stopped.

They looked at Lindsey and Tory.

Lindsey and Tory opened their eyes in confusion. "He's here."

"What?" Tyler asked. "What do you mean?"

Tory pushed herself off the floor, walking toward the door. "We mean, he's here."

They exchanged a confused look, following her out of the room.

-----

Foyer

Tory walked to the door, opening it.

Matt walked in, wrapping an arm around Tory. "Hey, Tory." He walked further into the house, looking at the rest of them. "Lindsey, Luke, Caroline... What are you doing here?"

"Kind of wondering the same thing," Tyler told him. "Where the hell have you been?"

Tory looked out of the door. "Alex?"

"No, Alex should be searching for Damon with Stefan and Elena," Caroline told them.

Valentina walked in. "Did I give you my sunglasses?" She looked around them. "Oh." She looked at Matt. "I thought you said they wouldn't be home and you wouldn't have guests."

Kacie held up her hands in confusion. "Okay, rewind, start over." She looked at Matt. "This whole time, you've been with Valentina?"

"It's a long story," Matt told them. 

Lindsey, Tyler, Caroline, Tory, Kacie and Luke all exchanged a shocked and confused look.

-----

Gas Station 

Stefan looked into the engine of his car, holding the same black hose that Katherine had broken. "Oh, man." Katherine paced next to him slowly, smirking. Stefan held it toward her. "Hey. Can you hold this for a second?" 

"Yeah," Katherine answered, taking it.

Stefan looked back into the engine. "Careful. It has grease on it."

"Oh," Katherine told him. "Okay." 

"I have no idea how this hose ripped out, but we're not gonna be able to go anywhere until I get a new one," Stefan told her. Katherine looked thoughtfully at the hose in her hand. "I guess I'll see if that mechanic has a spare." Katherine rubbed the greasy hose all over her shirt, staining it. Stefan stood, turning to face her. "You weren't careful at all?"

"What?" Katherine asked. "What?" She looked at her shirt, faking a gasp of surprise. "I love this shirt."

"You loved that shirt," Alex told her, making them realize she was there, having two bags of food in her hand.

Katherine looked at her as if she was busted, putting her hands to her head, leaving a trail of grease. "Alex. Hi."

"Now there's grease all over your face," Alex told her. Katherine groaned in frustration. Alex turned to Stefan, handing him his bag of food with a smile. "Enjoy. And if you don't, I think I know what you will."

Stefan smirked knowingly. "And what's that?"

Sending a point to Katherine, Alex kissed Stefan passionately. Stefan kissed back, knowing what she was doing.

Katherine looked awkward, frustrated, changing the subject. "Well, you've got all that engine stuff on you, and I clearly have to change." Stefan and Alex pulled away. "I saw a hotel, like, a couple streets down that way. Do you think we should get a room, so that we can shower while we're waiting for the car?"

"No," Stefan told her. "I should probably stay here in case they finish early, but you can go."

"Give them your phone number," Alex told him. "I assume that your phone does receive incoming calls, right? Or is it from the Han Dynasty, just like your car?"

"That's funny," Stefan told her.

"Will you grab my bag?" Katherine asked.

"Sure, be right there," Stefan told them.

Katherine turned around, walking away, smiling slyly.

Alex watched her go, slightly suspicious.

-----~-----

Mystic Falls, Virginia

Lockwood Mansion - Living Room 

Kacie, Tory, Caroline, Tyler, Luke, Lindsey Matt and Valentina were sitting in the living room. 

Matt poured drinks, explaining where he had been. "I was on my way out of town and then, there she was, sitting on the front steps, waiting for me."

"Subtlety's not my strong suit," Valentina told them. "I felt bad about compelling him. And bad about snapping Kacie's neck." She smirked, tilting her head. "Again, subtlety."

Valentina took a drink smugly.

Lindsey looked at Matt, not believing. "So why haven't you been answering your phone?"

"Uh..." Matt trailed off. "I lost it last night."

"Last night where?" Luke asked.

"Atlantic City," Valentina told them. "I'd never been, and neither had Matt."

"One drink led to three and that led to five, and, uh, the rest is kind of a blur," Matt told them.

"Yes, because she's compelling you," Tory told him.

"Tory, I'm wearing vervain," Matt told her, holding up his wrist with his vervain bracelet. "She's not compelling me."

Kacie stood, walking forward, taking off his vervain bracelet, compelling him. "Where have you been?"

"I told you, Kacie, she's not compelling me," Matt told her. "We're having fun."

"Fun?" Kacie repeated. "Oh, come on. Just like the time when she buried you and Nicola alive. Whoa! Pop open the champagne."

Valentina looked at Matt. "I thought you said she'd be cool with us hanging out?"

Kacie looked at Valentina. "And what the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Valentina stood to confront Kacie.

"Uh..." Tyler trailed off awkwardly, knowing that this wasn't going to end well.

Valentina looked at Kacie. "It means you've done nothing but judge Matt since he walked through that door, when everyone here knows that it wasn't just me that led to this very moment right here, where you're on the brink of no longer having a relationship. Isn't that right, Matt?" 

Matt didn't answer, looking like he was trying to keep his expression clear of a reaction.

Kacie looked at Matt, hurt, turning around, walking out of the room.

Tory and Tyler exchanged a look, following Kacie out of the room.

Caroline, Lindsey and Luke looked at Matt and Valentina. 

Matt didn't show a reaction.

Valentina smirked.

-----

Hallway

Kacie walked toward the foyer. Tyler and Tory followed her.

"Kacie," Tory told her. "She's just trying to get under our skin to distract us."

"From what?" Kacie asked, turning to face them. "This is Matt we're talking about. Did you forget the time he went to Europe with me after I tried to drain him of every single drop of his blood from his body?"

"That was because Klaus sired you to," Tory told her. She gestured toward the study. "Valentina doesn't have that excuse."

Tyler sighed, shaking his head. "Maybe she's right."

"You're not seriously buying all of this?" Tory asked what sounded like a statement.

"Hell of a lot easier to buy than other things that have happened," Tyler told her, giving Tory a significant look. "Isn't that right, Tory?"

Tory looked down. "Tyler..."

Tyler turned around, opening the front door, walking outside, letting the door swing closed.

Tory looked at Kacie.

Kacie turned around, walking upstairs.

-----

Night - Hotel Room 

Stefan, Katherine and Alex entered a dingy-looking hotel room.

Stefan was carrying all of Katherine's bags. "What did you do, bring your entire closet?"

Katherine laughed, going to pour them all a drink from the minibar. "Well, I didn't know how long we'd be gone, and let's be honest, Damon's spirals require a little more than an overnight bag."

"Hmm," Stefan hummed. "We'll get him back. He's hurt, but he's not a lost cause."

Katherine handed them their drinks.

"What makes you think that?" Alex asked.

"Because I know what he's going through," Stefan answered.

"What do you mean?" Alex asked.

"Neither of you know what it's like being in love with you," Stefan told them. He looked at Alex. "You know, every single atom in my body tells me that this is the right thing, that we are a perfect fit. And that kind of love, it can change your whole life. And then when somebody who made you feel that way suddenly stops, the vacuum is just..."

"I get it," Katherine told him. "They built a whole prophecy around it."

"He's not handling it right, but he's not gone," Stefan told them.

"You need a refill," Katherine told them, taking the glasses.

Katherine's hand lingered on Stefan's.

Alex looked away in jealousy, like she had known this would happen.

Stefan pulled away. "Uh. I should go wash up."

"Okay," Katherine told him.

Stefan looked at Alex, walking into the bathroom, closing the door.

Alex turned to Katherine. "What the hell was that?"

"What was what?" Katherine asked with fake innocence.

"Why is it, that every time I'm happy, you have to come in and take it from me?" Alex asked.

"Whoa," Katherine told her, pretending to be hurt by her words. "I'm not trying to hurt you."

"Right, and that's why this always happens?" Alex asked.

"Look, I get that you're insecure because of what happened before, but that's not what's happening," Katherine told her.

"Damn right it's not," Alex told her. "Last time, I sat there and watched it happen. If this happens, I'm not gonna watch it happen." There was a moment of silence. "I'm gonna go get some ice. When I get back, hopefully you'll stop being a bitch."

Alex turned around, walking out of the hotel room, closing the door behind her. 

Katherine smiled slyly, happy that her plan finally seemed to be taking affect. 

-----

Richmond, Virginia

Random House - Living Room

Enzo set chains onto a table.

Damon walked closer from behind.

"Towing chains, farmer's best friend," Enzo told him. "In about an hour, mine. Take a seat."

"They're not going to let us out of here until I kill you..." Damon trailed off, sitting down in the chair in front of Enzo. "Or you kill me."

"Don't be dramatic," Enzo told him, chaining Damon up to the chair. "We'll work something out."

"There's no cure, Enzo," Damon told him. "Not for this."

"You've given it all of a day and a half," Enzo told him. "That's what you do, isn't it? There's a problem, you run. You did it to me, you did it to your girl, you did it to your family."

"Because when I stay, I destroy things," Damon told him.

Enzo had finished putting the chains around Damon. As one last measure, he used a monkey wrench to tighten them up. "We're not all as fragile as you think we are."

Enzo walked toward a table, picking up Damon's phone. 

"What the hell are you doing?" Damon asked.

"Calling for backup," Enzo answered.

"I thought I told you not to call them," Damon told him.

"And I told you your pride isn't worth either of our lives," Enzo replied, walking off to make the call.

Damon struggled against the chains holding him back.

-----

Hotel Room 

Katherine looked through her bags, until she heard a phone buzzing. She fell down onto the bed, picking up the phone, seeing it was Damon's name on the Caller ID, rolling her eyes. She answered, having fake worry in her voice. "Oh, my God, Damon?"

Enzo's sarcastic voice was on the other line. "Hello, 'Stefan'." He stood just outside the room where he had chained Damon to the chair. "How wonderful to hear your beautiful, feminine voice." 

"Enzo," Katherine told him in annoyance. "What the hell do you want?" 

"I'm in a spot of trouble, actually," Enzo told her.

"Where's Damon?" Katherine asked.

"Oh, he's here, salivating, about to chomp into my neck and feed until my head pops off in a grotesque but slightly comical fashion," Enzo told her.

Katherine sat up from the bed. "Wes infected him?" 

"You know about the virus," Enzo said. "Good. We could use a hand. Wes enlisted some of those singing witches and trapped us in the house."

Damon tried to speak over Enzo, where Katherine could hear him. "Do. Not. Come. Here."

Enzo looked at Damon. "He doesn't want to risk feeding on the lot of you. That's sweet, really, but you'll be fine. Besides, if he does feed on you, I have orders to kill him."

"Okay," Katherine told him. "Um, text me the address to my phone, and we'll be there as soon as we can."

"Fine," Enzo told her. "And, uh, tick tock. I managed to restrain him, but you know how persistent Damon can be when he wants something."

"We'll be there soon," Katherine told him, hanging up the phone.

Stefan popped his head out of the bathroom door. "You say something?" 

"No," Katherine told him. "Heh." 

Katherine tossed the phone across the bed, beginning to plot her next move.

-----

Richmond, Virginia

Random House - Living Room

The time had finally come for Damon to feed. He thrashed violently, trying to break free of the chains. 

"It'll be all right, mate," Enzo told him. "They'll come and we'll sort something out."

"Or they'll come and I'll feed on them," Damon told him.

"Those are also options," Enzo told him. "As long as I live, I'm good. Joking. Kind of." Suddenly, Enzo was shot through the shoulder. He started to bleed profusely. He was shot again. Wes and the Travelers were standing outside the door, watching the scene unfold. Enzo turned to Wes. "If you were aiming for my heart, you missed."

"Don't worry, I wasn't," Wes told him. "The chains were a good idea. Now, I can see exactly how strong he becomes when enraged." Damon completely obliterated the chains in mere moments, transforming hungrily. "Conclusion, very strong."

Damon rushed toward Enzo.

Enzo pushed Damon across the room with vampire strength and speed. 

Damon slid into a chair, making it hit a desk, making a lamp fall and shatter against the floor. Unaffected, Damon stood.

"Boy, do I miss that indestructible Augustine cage right about now," Enzo told them. Damon rushed toward him, biting him on the neck, feeding. Wes and the Travelers watched in silence. Enzo struggled with Damon. "Damon, stop! Damon, stop! Stop! Please, Damon, stop!" 

Damon continued to feed from Enzo.

-----~-----

Damon was still feeding from Enzo.

"Damon, stop!" Enzo told him. "Stop, please! Damon!" 

Damon suddenly pulled away, starting to choke on Enzo's blood. He knelt to the floor, vomiting blood, gasping for air.

 Enzo looked at Wes. "What did you do to him?" 

"My friends have raised the acidity in your blood," Wes told him. "There must be some witchy explanation for it, but he's basically drinking hydrochloric acid. I suggest you leave before the spell wears off."

"And go where?" Enzo asked. "With you?" 

"There's one more thing I need from you," Wes told him. "Then I'll let you go for good. The other option is to stay in here with your cannibal friend and see how long you last."

"Go, Enzo!" Damon told him. "I tried to kill you, I'll do it again." 

"No," Enzo told him.

"Go, Enzo!" Damon told him.

Enzo hesitated a moment, grabbing his coat, walking out of the house.

Wes followed him, both of them leaving. 

Damon continued to gasp for air. 

-----

Hotel - Outside - Stairwell

(Song:) Fleur Blanche - Orsten  

The shot panned from the top of the stairwell to where a brunette was sitting at the bottom of the stairwell, her face unseen. It continued to close in on her, circling around her to reveal Alex.

Alex seemed sad and distant, inhaling, pulling a piece of her hair behind her ear. After a moment, she grabbed the bowl, using her other arm to grab the railing, pulling herself up. She walked toward the ice machine, opening the door, using the bowl to shovel the ice inside, hesitating there for a few long moments. 

-----

Hotel Room - Bathroom 

Katherine was taking a shower, turning the water off.

She heard Stefan's voice. "The car's done."

Katherine grabbed a towel. "I'll be right there."

Katherine wrapped the towel around herself, getting an idea, smiling, stepping out of the tub, walking forward. 

-----

Hotel Room 

Stefan started to pack up the bags.

Katherine peered out of the door. "Hey, uh, will you grab me my shirt? It's, uh, the green one right on top."

"Yeah," Stefan answered. "Sure."

Stefan grabbed the shirt, handing it to Katherine.

Katherine smiled. "Thanks."

"Yeah," Stefan told her, turning around, walking away.

Katherine left the door parted open, removing her towel, running her hands through her hair. 

Stefan continued packing up without noticing the door was open.

Katherine turned toward the door, annoyed that he wasn't taking notice. She got dressed, walking outside of the bathroom, standing behind Stefan, gently touching his shoulder.

Stefan turned around to face her. 

Suddenly, Katherine kissed him, passionate, not giving Stefan a warning or a chance to stop it.

-----

Balcony 

Alex was walking toward the room with the ice bucket, slowing to a stop when she heard the kiss.

-----

Hotel Room

Katherine was still kissing Stefan.

Stefan pulled away. "Wait, wait, wait. This is, uh, wrong. I mean, uh, I'm with Alex, you and Damon just split up. What's wrong with you?"

"You don't have to, uh... you're right," Katherine told him. "I'm, I'm sorry, I was just in, uh, a moment. I shouldn't have..."

-----

Balcony 

Alex had heard everything, and she knew what it meant.

The container of ice fell to the concrete, all of the ice spreading over the balcony floor.

-----

Hotel Room 

Katherine and Stefan heard the noise, looking toward the door.

Stefan walked toward the door, opening it, walking out of the room.

-----

Balcony

 Alex turned around, walking away quickly.

Stefan followed her. "Alex, wait--"

Alex came to a stop, but she didn't look at him. "How many ways are there for me to say, 'I told you so'?"

"It's not what you think," Stefan told her.

Alex turned toward him with angry, sad tears in her eyes. "You're really gonna stand there and use the most ridiculous, stupid lie there is?"

"She kissed me," Stefan told her. "I put a stop to it."

"How long did you let it go on?" Alex asked. Stefan hesitated. Alex nodded, looking away. "That's what I thought." Stefan took a step toward her. Alex took a step back, holding up a hand. "Don't."

Stefan sighed. "Enzo called us. Wes infected Damon with the vampire virus." Alex looked at him. "We know where he is."

"And here you are, wasting time in letting Elena kiss you," Alex told him. "Whatever's going on between us right now, it can wait until we find Damon and find a way to help him. And then I'm gonna go stay the night at Kacie, Tyler and Tory's."

Alex turned around, walking away.

Stefan watched her go with regret.

(Song Ends)

-----

Hotel Room 

Katherine had been listening. She smiled widely, excited that she had succeeded. She turned to the bed, picking up her phone, calling someone, closing the suitcase in front of her. "Stage One of dividing and conquering Stefan Salvatore and Alex Gilbert? Success. Stage Two? Success. Stage Three? I'm working on that right now."

Valentina was in the Lockwood Mansion with Matt, carrying two drinks. "Why are you calling me?"

"To tell you that I'm more than halfway to getting Stefan back," Katherine answered. "Oh, and before I forget... Who do you think Stefan and Alex love more? Damon, or Elena? Damon has been infected by the Ripper virus, and I know exactly where he is, so if I can get him to attack me, the only way to save me would to be for either Stefan or Alex to kill him. See, if Alex kills him, then she'll feel so guilty that she'll spiral out of control, and then she'll turn into a Ripper all over again. And this time, it won't be Damon and Elena getting closer. It's gonna be me and Stefan. And, if Alex kills Damon, then Stefan will hate her forever, not to mention Kaylin and Nicola hating her forever. That is, if little niece Nikki decides to complete the transition. She only has a few hours left, anyway."

"You want to make Alex kill the former love of her life and lose the current love of her life in the process?" Valentina asked. Matt looked up, alarmed. "Dark. Even for you."

"Thank you," Katherine told her. "So, how goes it with Matty Blue Eyes? Dead yet?" 

"Still working on it," Valentina told her. "Let's just say that messing with Matt's relationship with Kacie, Tory and Tyler is nearly as fun as your little mission."

Katherine smiled. "I knew you would love it, Vallie. But you're Valentina Petrova. Of course you love it just like me. Good luck with dealing with Matt one way or another, and getting Kacie Lockwood and Tory Donovan out of the way."

Valentina chuckled. "Good luck with your plan to win Stefan's love."

Katherine hung up, smiling, turning toward the door.

-----

Mystic Falls, Virginia

Lockwood Mansion - Living Room 

Valentina hung up, playing cards with Matt.

"So, I'm curious," Matt told her. "We've spent nearly two days together now..."

"Canoodling," Valentina told him.

"Canoodling," Matt told her. "Exactly. It seems like you went through all this trouble to save your sister, but she only seems interested in Stefan."

"It's Katherine," Valentina told him. "I didn't expect sisterly boozy brunches."

"Yeah, but you did expect something," Matt told her.

"Are you going to play a card or what?" Valentina asked.

"Look, I've been where you are," Matt told her. "My mom used to disappear for weeks at a time and then show up one day out of the blue and pretend like nothing happened. Before you know it, I'd be at the stove, making her a grilled cheese. Or, Tory's mom, my aunt Amelia. She was just like my mom. She would be gone, but for even longer than that. So, me and my sister would have to take care of Tory and her brothers, Ash and Michael, for her. And my sister, Vicki... she would disappear for days, and I would think that she was dead, but she was really out getting drunk or high."

"This isn't like that," Valentina told him.

"Isn't it?" Matt asked. "She decides when you're worth it, on her watch. But guess what? You're never going to be as interesting as the next guy she wants to sleep with."

"Matt. you'd say anything to help Alex and Elena," Valentina told him. "I'm not an idiot."

"You are if you think Katherine's going to choose you," Matt told her. "She's not."

"Do you know why you find yourself forgiving your mother, your aunt and your sister?" Valentina asked. "Because the second they walked back into your life, you forgot all of those horrible things that they did, because at the end of the day, they're still your family, and you love them. And do you know why you find yourself being a father to your cousins Tory, Ash, Michael? Because you knew that they couldn't be half of who they are, or were, without you in their lives." She put down her cards, standing up. "Give me your wrist." Matt gave her his wrist. Valentina transformed, biting into it, tasting his blood. She pulled away, smiling. "The vervain is gone." She pretended to pout sarcastically. "Our fun is over."

Valentina turned around.

Matt grabbed Valentina by the arm, pulling her closer. "Wait. Since I'm going to forget this anyway..." 

Matt kissed Valentina. Valentina was surprised but kissed back.

Valentina pulled away in confusion. "What was that for?"

"Thank you," Matt told her. "If I'm going to be threatened and held against my will, I can think of worse scenarios."

Valentina looked at Matt for a moment, kissing him passionately, twining her hands through his hair. She laid down on the coffee table, continuing to kiss Matt, pulling him closer to her, kissing his neck. She had her hand on the small of his back, pulling him closer, wrapping a leg around his waist. They continued to kiss.

Matt took Valentina's phone from her back pocket, texting one-handed.

Help. K 

Valentina noticed he wasn't into it, turning her head to see him texting on her phone. "What the hell?" 

Valentina pushed her phone out of his hand, looking up at Matt angrily.

-----~-----

 Matt and Valentina were sitting across the table from each other once again. 

"What'd you expect?" Matt asked. "Elena and Alex are my best friends. I'll always protect them."

Valentina pulled on her jacket. "It just sucks. You were one of the only decent people in this town."

"And I still am," Matt told her. "And so are you." He stood. "You could've killed me this morning and you didn't. You're not like her, and you know it."

Valentina still looked very angry, standing, walking closer until she was right in front of Matt, compelling him. "Forget everything you're not supposed to know. We partied, we slept together, then I left. Goodbye."

Valentina walked out of the room.

Matt looked confused.

-----

Foyer 

Valentina walked through the dark, unlit foyer toward the door. 

Kacie and Tory stood in front of her way.

"Going somewhere?" Kacie asked.

"Actually, I am, and you're in my way," Valentina told them.

Matt walked out of the study.

"Matt!" Tory told him. "Are you okay?" 

"Yeah," Matt answered. "Why? What's going on in here?" 

"You texted me from Valentina's phone," Tory told him.

Matt looked at Tory in confusion.

Kacie smirked bitterly in realization, looking at Valentina. "So you compelled him again." 

"And they say Lockwoods are dumb, angry bitches, like you and Tory, Kacie," Valentina told her.

"We might be angry and bitches, but we're not dumb," Kacie told her, transforming, rushing toward Valentina, pushing her up against the wall. "What are you doing to him? Tell me!" 

Valentina grabbed Kacie by the throat, using vampire speed and strength to spin around to slam her against the wall where she had been.

"Valentina, stop!" Matt told her. 

"You might not remember, Matt, but this is your fault," Valentina told him. "Trust me." 

"I can make him remember," Tory told her. "I know a spell that can undo every last drop of compulsion on him."

"Not if I kill him," Valentina told her, rushing toward Matt, trying to grab his head to snap his neck. 

Tory raised an arm toward Valentina, casting a pain infliction spell.

Valentina groaned in pain, holding her head.

Tory gestured her arm toward the wall, magically throwing Valentina into it.

Valentina fell to the floor, groaning in pain. She turned toward Tory, angrily rushing toward her.

Kacie rushed toward Valentina before she got to Tory, pushing her to the floor, rolling on top of her, holding her down. "Young hybrid beats old vampire every time." 

Valentina was struggling, pushing Kacie onto the floor next to her, rolling over her. Kacie pushed Valentina down again, nipping at her arms. Valentina punched Kacie in the face, making her fall to the floor, rushing out of the house. 

Tyler walked in a second too late. "What the hell happened?"

Tory walked toward Kacie. "Long story."

 Tory held a hand toward Kacie.

Kacie took it, letting her help her up. 

"Wait a second," Matt told them. "Does anyone want to tell me how this is my fault?"

Tyler looked at the others in confusion. 

Kacie and Tory looked at Matt, sighing.

-----

Richmond, Virginia

Random House - Living Room

Damon was leaning against a support beam. 

Katherine stood in the doorway.

"No," Damon told her. "Don't. Do not." Stefan stood next to Katherine. "I said don't!" Alex stood next to Stefan. Damon stood. "If you come in here, you ain't coming out."

"What exactly happened in here?" Alex asked.

"I wanted revenge," Damon told them. "I got stuck with a vampire virus... almost killed my last friend... Typical Damon. Though I suppose I deserve it, considering what I did to Nikki."

"Enzo texted me the address here," Katherine told him. "Okay, we're here to help you."

"You can't help me," Damon told them. "I feed on vampires now. You're all vampires. Do yourselves a favor and leave."

"Well, that's not going to happen," Stefan told him.

Damon rushed toward them, but before he could do that, he was stopped by the boundary spell, veins appearing under his eyes. "Stay back!"

"I'm not afraid of you, Damon," Stefan told him.

Damon seemed a bit confused and annoyed by this. He turned his back to them and said nothing.

Katherine stepped inside. "Neither am I."

Damon turned to see that she had come inside. "No. No. No." He tried to force Katherine back out of the house, but the spell was still in effect. "You gotta get out." He tried harder, but to no avail. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"I'm proving to you that you're not a lost cause," Katherine told him.

Alex stepped inside.

Stefan followed.

Katherine picked up a jagged piece of glass from the floor.

"No!" Damon warned.

Katherine cut a small wound on her hand, holding it up to Damon. "See." Damon turned his back to her, trying to fight the urge to feed on her. "You can resist this. You can do it. Why? Because you love me, and that love is stronger than any craving."

"Get away from me," Damon told her.

Alex saw how Damon was cracking, trying to get Katherine to back down. "Elena, he's going to feed..."

"No," Katherine told her. "No. He's not going to. He's not going to. You can do this." She put her hand on Damon's shoulder, trying to get him to turn around. "There you go. Turn around." Damon finally turned around, looking at Katherine. "There you go."

Damon, no longer able to fight it, attacked Katherine, starting to feed on her.

Stefan instantly rushed after Damon, trying to pull him off her. "Damon, stop!" He continued trying, but he was unsuccessful at getting Damon to stop. "Damon, Let go of her. Let go of her! Let go!"

Katherine kicked a wooden stake toward Alex.

Alex saw it, but didn't pick it up.

"He's going to kill me!" Katherine told them.

Alex picked up a shard of glass, cutting her palm with it, letting the blood well up to her skin, hoping to pull Damon's attention from Katherine to herself. "Here. Hey, look over here. Do you smell that? Feed on me, not on her." Damon finally let go of Katherine. "That's good. Feed on me. You can't kill me, even if you wanted to. So feed on me."

Damon reluctantly bit Alex on her neck, feeding.

Stefan snapped his neck from behind, letting him fall.

Alex held a hand over her neck, looking at Stefan and Katherine, still hurt and angry.

-----

Mystic Falls, Virginia

Salvatore Boarding House - Living Room 

Nicola seemed too weak to do much of anything. She smelt the air, turning toward the hall. She slowly walked toward a door at the end, opening it, walking down stairs.

-----

Basement 

Nicola walked down the basement hall, turning toward the side room, standing in front of the deep freezer, slowly opening it to look inside to the dozens of blood bags inside.

Nicola took a deep breath. She took one of the blood bags in her hand, feeling it, weighing it, debating what she really wanted. Her hand was shaking, because of how weak she was, and how much her body wanted the blood. She barely raised her gaze, sensing someone behind her. "I know Stefan called you. He find Damon?"

"You feed yet?" Kaylin replied. Nicola slowly shook her head. "Nikki, you're gonna die without it. Just look at how weak you are already. Tick tock, Nikki."

"I know," Nicola told her, still looking at the blood.

Kaylin slowly walked toward Nicola, standing behind her. "Did you make your choice?" Nicola shook her head. "I have."

Kaylin took the blood bag, forcing it into Nicola's mouth, forcing her to feed.

Nicola backed away, coughing blood over her skin. She looked at Kaylin. "What the hell did you do?"

"What you wanted to do," Kaylin told her, holding the blood bag toward her.

Nicola looked at it hungrily for a long moment, taking it, pulling it to her lips, feeding hungrily, starting to transform, gasping slightly as her new fangs grew in, piercing through her skin. She backed into the wall behind her, leaning against it, sliding to the floor, still drinking. She took it away, breathing heavily.

-----

Reality 

In the next second, Nicola was still standing next to the freezer, looking at the unopened blood bag in her hand.

Kaylin was still leaning against the doorway behind her.

What she had just seen about Kaylin force feeding her had been a hallucination.

Kaylin didn't say anything for a moment. "So what's it gonna be?"

Nicola slowly looked toward her.

-----~-----

Lockwood Mansion - Study 

Tyler was picking up some papers.

Tory walked inside. "Well, the only thing that Matt remembers is that they slept together."

"Well," Tyler told her, standing, looking at Tory.

Tory gave him an awkward smile. "I'm gonna go see Lindsey and Liv, after talking to Luke for a bit." She turned to the door. "So..."

Tyler turned after Tory. "Tory." Tory turned to face him. "I never said I was sorry. I was pissed, and drunk, but no excuses. Okay?"

Tory nodded. "Okay. Look, I'm just gonna take a page out of the Eliza Forbes hand book and say something like..." She started mimicking Eliza's voice. "'We all can get past this together.'" Tyler chuckled. Tory shook her head, speaking regularly. "Okay? I... I just want us to be good again."

"I said I was sorry," Tyler told her. "I didn't say I was past it."

"Of course," Tory told him. "Obviously. I mean, Rome wasn't built in a day."

Tyler looked at her in confusion. "How evolved do you think I am? Kacie and I just found out you knew we were related for months now, and you still didn't tell us. We had to find out from someone else. Kacie might be over it already, but I'm not. I mean, what's a fair amount of time for me to get past that? A week? A month? Tell me, what sounds right to you?"

"Okay, you made your point, Tyler," Tory told him more harshly than she meant.

"Look, I'm not trying to be a dick, but I need more than a couple days to sort through and process all of this, okay?" Tyler asked.

Tory nodded, pressing her lips together, backing away, more angry than hurt. "Understood."

Tory turned around, walking quickly toward the door.

"Tory--" Tyler started, following her.

Tory held an arm out to Tyler, using magic to stop him from following her, hanging onto the door frame, walking out of the room, turning around the corner.

-----

Foyer 

Kacie was sitting on the stairs.

Tory walked into the foyer. 

Kacie stood.

Tory made a hopeless gesture. "Please don't tell me that you're hating on me, too, Kacie." 

"I don't hate you," Kacie told her.

Tory looked at her in slight surprise. "Really?" 

Kacie smiled a small smile. "Really."

"Why?" Tory asked.

"Because, even if you did lie to us, I could see this little moments when you wanted to tell me, but I pushed you away," Kacie answered. "I just... what took you so long to tell us?"

"I wanted Tyler to be here when I told you guys," Tory told her. "I wanted to tell you together." Kacie nodded. "And I guess I was scared."

Kacie looked at her in confusion. "Why were you scared?" 

"Because I knew that if you were anything like me, you'd be pissed," Tory answered. "And you were. So..."

Kacie nodded, looking down. "I'm sorry, Tory."

Tory nodded. "You know, Luke was right. I should've told you guys a long time ago, even if it wasn't in the right way. Lindsey and Bonnie's funeral or the Katherine-dying drinking celebration..."

"But we did find out," Kacie told her. "And Luke? He wasn't wrong, but he doesn't know exactly how we feel."

"Exactly," Tory told her. She chuckled once without humor, looking down. "You know, Luke is the only boyfriend I've ever had, because he used to be just as angry as I am now. But, since he turned into a hybrid, it got... mellowed out."

"Well, I had never been really good at choosing," Kacie told her. "The only good one that I ever chose was Matt." 

"'Was'?" Tory repeated. "Are you guys..." 

Kacie sighed, shaking her head, looking upstairs. "I don't know." 

Tory placed a hand on Kacie's arm, smiling sadly. She walked past her, opening the door, walking outside, leaving. 

Kacie looked at the stairs again, sadly.

-----

Salvatore Boarding House - Cell 

Damon was locked up in the cell. He woke up in pain to see Stefan and Kaylin standing in the same room. "Ah. I know you can't help yourselves, but if you bring home a rabid animal, you're gonna get bit."

 "I never should've told you to leave," Kaylin told him.

"I'm going to kill both of you, Kaylin," Damon told her. "Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but at some point, I'm going to rip open your throats and you're both going to die."

"Ah, come on, Damon," Stefan told him. "You think I'm afraid of a Ripper? Who do you think invented the word? You know the feeling you get when you're around vampire blood? That burning in your veins? I feel that on a daily basis. And there's a way to control it."

"And let me guess," Damon told him. "It would bring you no greater pleasure than to teach me."

"No," Stefan told him. "That's a good guess."

"Right now, I'm going to go get you little bit more vervain and then I'm going to go get another drink and let you think about what a royal pain in the ass you've been lately," Kaylin told him.

"Wait..." Damon trailed off. "Shouldn't there be a brunette baby vamp around here taking this all in and smugly telling me how badly I screwed up?" Stefan and Kaylin didn't answer, exchanging a look. Damon dreaded the thought. "She let herself die, didn't she?" 

Kaylin took a deep breath. "You tell me."

Stefan and Kaylin stepped aside.

Nicola walked into the cell, completely fine.

Damon looked at her in surprise.

Nicola looked at him with an expressionless look.

Stefan looked between them. "We'll give you two a moment." 

Stefan and Kaylin walked out, leaving. 

There were several moments of silence. 

Damon was the one that broke it. "Well, I'm taking the fact that I wanna rip your throat out as a sign that you turned." 

Nicola nodded. "You think?" 

"You hate me," Damon told her. "Good. Finally, you've come back to your senses." 

"I don't hate you, Damon," Nicola told him. "As strange as it seems, your plan failed. I'm just seriously pissed at you. And you wanna know why? It wasn't because you tormented me. It wasn't because you got inside my head and used everything you could against me. And my God, it's not even because you killed my dad, because you've paid me back in ways that I can't even dream of. I'm pissed because you looked at me through those bars and saw me bleeding out, and you just walked away. And I might be senseless to not hate you, but I don't care. And I know that you didn't turn me, that you didn't leave me to die because you wanted me to hate you." 

"And what in the world would make you think that?" Damon asked.

"Because you were so scared that I would have actually let myself die," Nicola answered.

Damon exhaled. "So why do you think that I turned you?" 

"I think you turned me because you knew that after all that you did to me, after what Valentina did to me when she buried me alive, I would get sick all over again, and this time, I wouldn't be able to fight my way through because this time, it was so much worse than the last," Nicola told him. "Or that if I didn't get sick, that I would be forced to deal with the choice of killing a vampire one day, and might turn into a vampire Hunter that would make me want to kill you, Stefan and Kaylin and everyone else we know and care about. I know that you turned me to try and cut your ties with me, to make me give up on you, but you also turned me because you were trying to save me. Tell me that I'm wrong."

Damon shook his head, looking down sadly. "No. No, you're not wrong."

Nicola took a deep breath. "You knew that I would've just let myself die either way." 

"And then why didn't you?" Damon asked.

"Because of you," Nicola answered.

"Why?" Damon asked. "So you can gloat about what's happening to me?" 

"I think what's happening to you is a thing called 'karma'," Nicola told him.

Damon smiled a small, regretful smile at the irony. "That's what I said. That's exactly what I said."

Nicola shook her head. "But I didn't want to gloat, or see you struggle, Damon. I didn't let myself die because I wanted to see you better than this." 

"Why?" Damon asked. "Why haven't you given up on me? I did the one thing that was worse than death for you, Nikki. Why do you still care?" 

Nicola looked down, letting a tear fall, but she quickly wiped it away before he saw. "I don't know. It's that famous expression. Everything is heightened."

"Including the love for the three vampires who destroyed your life," Damon finished, somber. 

"You, Stefan and Kaylin are my only family that I have left," Nicola told him. "If I hate you, then I have absolutely nothing. I'm not going to give up on you, no matter how badly you want me to. I never will." 

Nicola turned away.

"She has," Damon told her.

"You're talking about Elena?" Nicola asked. 

"Mm-hmm," Damon answered.

"Stefan told me and Kaylin about what happened," Nicola told him. "She practically got herself killed to prove a point today."

"Do you remember the Vampire Ripper, Jesse?" Damon asked. "When he attacked me, Elena had to kill him, but if there was the slightest chance that there was another way to stop him, she would've taken it."

"Yeah," Nicola told him. "So?" 

"She knew it would be impossible for me to resist her blood and then she just kicked Alex a stake and essentially told her to kill me," Damon told her. 

"So, what are you saying?" Nicola asked. "Are you saying that Elena wanted Alex to kill you?" 

"You got another excuse?" Damon asked. Nicola took a moment to contemplate his question. She walked out of the cell, closing the door behind her. "That's what I thought. If my ex-girlfriends, out of all the people in the world, have given up on me, then why haven't you?" 

Nicola didn't answer, looking at Damon through the bars, walking away.

-----

Diner

(Song:) Poisonous Spider - Company  

Katherine met a sulking Valentina at the diner she visited earlier that day. "So. I could use a steak."

"You're chipper," Valentina told her. "That must mean Damon is dead."

"Not exactly," Katherine told her. "In fact, he continues to be he bane of my existence, and according to Kaylin, Nicola did complete the transition, so there is a chance that little niece Nikki is gonna destroy herself by turning into a vampire, but Stefan and I had a moment, before Alex had to come in and ruin the moment. Don't worry. I'll keep the details to myself, but it definitely reaffirms his feelings for Elena, i.e. me. And Stefan and Alex had quite the fight after she found out about it. So it's only a matter of time, Vallie."

"Sounds like you're going to get everything you want," Valentina told her.

"Of course I will," Katherine told her. "Assuming you took care of the Matt situation."

"Your secret is safe," Valentina told her.

"Perfect," Katherine told her. "Valentina, I'm in a really good mood right now, which means I really don't feel like worrying about whatever's making you mopey."

Katherine raised her hand up, summoning a waitress to take her order. 

"You won't have to worry about me for much longer," Valentina told her.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Katherine asked.

"Kacie Lockwood bit me," Valentina told her, raising her arm to showing Katherine a gruesome wolf bite on her arm.

Katherine took Valentina by the arm, looking at the bite worriedly, in shock and denial.

(Song Ends)

-----

Salvatore Boarding House - Library 

Lindsey and Tory were talking.

"Well, I was right about Tyler not letting me off the hook that easily, Lindsey," Tory told her. "He told me that he was sorry, but that he also said that he needed more time. Essentially, in the cryptic subtex, he told me to leave him alone until he can figure out what to do."

Lindsey sighed, getting a glass of bourbon. "You need a drink, Tory."

"Or four," Tory told her, taking the half-empty glass, drinking it in one chug, holding it toward Lindsey. "More, please."

Lindsey smiled a small smile, taking it, pouring more, handing it back to her.

Tory drank more slowly this time, sitting down.

Liv walked in. "Hey. When did you get here?"

Tory shook her glass, making the ice rattle. "About one and a half of these ago."

"Hey, Liv," Lindsey told her.

"Hmm," Liv hummed, walking closer. "What are you guys doing here?"

"Can't stand to be in the same house as a compelled cousin Matt and a pissed off half-brother Tyler, and a half-way-to-forgiving half-sister Kacie that are all mad at me at the moment for very different reasons," Tory answered, getting a new drink. "Hmm. Matt's my cousin. I'm related to The Salvatores through very distant grand aunt and uncles Silas and Rosalita. Tyler's my brother, and Kacie's my sister...."

"Is there one person in Mystic Falls you're not related to?" Liv asked.

Lindsey shook her head absentmindedly, raising her eyebrows, closing her eyes, sitting down, taking a sip of bourbon.

Tory sighed. "You were right. Luke was right. I brought this on myself. I knew that not telling Kacie and Tyler would come with consequences. Guess now I just have to deal with it and learn from my mistakes."

"Glad we could help," Lindsey told her.

"So, did you find Matt?" Liv asked.

Tory nodded. "Yes, and doing the locator was a total and complete waste because the second we're done, Matt's out on the front porch, walking through the front door."

Lindsey pointed at Liv. "And Kacie was right. Valentina's been compelling him to forget things."

"What do you mean?" Liv asked. "What kind of things?"

"Who knows?" Tory asked. "He tried to message me, but Valentina stopped him." She got out her phone, showing them the message. "'Help. K' was all I got."

"Huh," Liv told them in confusion.

Tory took her phone back. "So, did they find Damon?"

"Yes, they did," Liv answered. "And Nicola completed the transition."

Tory sighed in relief. "Oh, thank God Nicola completed it. I may be related to her, Kaylin, Stefan and Damon distantly, but technically, they're still family, and I really like Nicola and Kaylin as family. Haven't really gotten the chance to like Damon at all, and haven't been close to Stefan, either."

Liv chuckled. "Alex called. She said that she was staying at your place because she's pissed at Stefan and Elena."

"Wait, why is Alex pissed at Stefan and Elena?" Lindsey asked.

"Because Elena kissed Stefan," Liv answered. Tory and Lindsey raised their eyebrows in slight shock. "Apparently, it wasn't like that. I mean, Stefan stopped it, obviously. He says that he couldn't do it to Damon and Alex."

"Yeah, but she could?" Lindsey asked. "I just... I don't get it. She knows that this would destroy them, make Alex see boyfriends of exes' past. What does... What is she doing?"

"That's what I mean, it's like she's given up on Damon," Liv told them. "And he thinks that Elena was trying to get Alex to kill him tonight."

"No," Tory told them. "I mean, she may be mad at him, but she would never want him dead."

Lindsey came upon a revelation. "Unless..." She looked at Tory. "Matt texted you 'Help. K' before Valentina stopped him. 'K', as in Katherine. And when Katherine was dying, Valentina figured out a way to put Katherine's spirit inside Valentina's body."

"Yeah, but that didn't happen because Katherine has a change of heart," Liv told them.

Tory slowly sat up with realization, putting her glass on the table. "Katherine's never had a heart. Why would she now? She's the one that told us that the Travelers were big on spirit possession."

Liv shook her head in denial. "No. No. You guys don't think that... It's impossible that she'd be... We would have noticed! It's Elena. We know her. She's my sister. Alex and I would've figured it out..." Lindsey and Tory tilted their heads at her. Liv let the news sink in. "Oh, my God."

The three girls exchanged one long look.

-----~-----

5.15 "Gone Girl" Trailer 

From 5.15 "Gone Girl", in the basement cell, the Salvatores were talking.

"Katherine's been inhabiting Elena's body," Nicola told them.

From 5.15 "Gone Girl", in an abandoned building, Katherine and Valentina were talking.

Katherine sighed in disappointment. "They know."

From 5.15 "Gone Girl", in the basement cell, the Salvatores were talking.

"They are brilliant," Damon told them.

THE KAT IS OUT OF THE VALLIE

From 5.15 "Gone Girl", in flashback, Valentina pulled back her hood. Rosalita walked toward her.

From 5.15 "Gone Girl", in Wes' makeshift lab, Damon slammed Wes onto a table.

From 5.15 "Gone Girl", in a church, Valentina was lying down weakly, looking at Katherine. "They're all looking for you."

From 5.15 "Gone Girl", in the boarding house, everyone but Damon and Tyler were gathered.

"Nothing a little locator spell can't fix," Luke told them, gesturing to Tory and Lindsey with his eyes, pointing toward them subtly.

Everyone looked at Tory and Lindsey.

Liv walked closer, biting her wrist, using her blood to let it fall onto the map in front of them.

From 5.15 "Gone Girl", in the living room of the boarding house, Katherine looked at everyone who had gathered. "Which one of you is gonna get to kill the elusive Katherine Pierce once and for all?"

WORLDS COLLIDING (THE VAMPIRE DIARIES)

Kaylin and Nicola were standing by the far wall on either side of two chairs that Stefan and Damon were sitting in. Alex and Elena were half-laying on a bench in front of them, facing each other. The girls were in white dresses. The boys were in black clothing. They looked into the camera darkly.