Stefan walked in front of the cellar door and stared through the door bars as Damon was laying facedown on the floor from inside. "You coming to snap my neck again?" Damon asked groggily as he looked weakly up towards Stefan. "Because I woke up feeling completely unmurderous.. And I'm pretty sure it's safe to set me free." He added with a fake smile before Stefan reached in between the bars and tossed a plastic vile full of blood towards Damon. "Oh, man, really? You practically bled me dry.. Atleast spring for a bag or something. I'm thirsty." Damon stated sarcastically down at the vile as he picked it up. I rolled my eyes in amusement and stepped in front of Stefan and placed a bottle of Fiji water in between the bars.

"How's this?" I asked sweetly and Damon sighed from up at me.

"Not exactly what I had in mind." Damon admitted and I smirked as he groaned, getting up from the floor weakly as Klaus stepped in front of me, taking my place. Damon sighed and breathed heavily as he got up before he shuffled his feet towards the door and grabbed the water, furrowing his eyebrows at Klaus who smirked back at him.

"Hello, mate." Klaus stated in amusement and Damon scoffed in annoyance.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Damon asked weakly and I sighed, stepping into his view.

"Babysitting." Stefan answered as he leant against the cellar door and I rolled my eyes at him as Damon slowly nodded in agreement.

"I have to help Elena babysit Jer, who is house ridden—thanks to your brother." I informed Damon before I looked at Klaus in annoyance as he smirked back at me. "Give him a vile of blood every couple of hours so he doesn't desiccate." I added as Stefan handed Klaus two viles of blood.

"If he gets too much strength back, or if he just annoys you—bleed him out again." Stefan stated with a sigh, putting his hands in his jean pockets and Klaus smirked in agreement.

"Silent treatment, huh? Is that your best shot?" Damon asked in annoyance his brother from where he stood inside of the cell. "He's still pissed at me because his girlfriend got a crush on me." He informed Klaus with a sigh before Klaus furrowed his eyebrows.

"Are you sure about that?" Klaus asked and I rose an eyebrow in question as Stefan looked down quietly. "Because I caught him trying to sneak out of Rebekah's bed this morning, which would suggest to me that he's moved on." Klaus pointed out and I furrowed my eyebrows at Stefan who sighed deeply.

"Well, well. Looks like my brother ripped out a page from my revenge sex handbook." Damon replied in amusement and I rolled my eyes at him and folded my arms over my chest.

"Well, why don't you two enjoy your little, uh—villain bonding time?" Stefan asked with a sigh as he looked between Klaus and Damon. "I'll let you know when I get the dagger from Rebekah." He added nodding at Klaus and I sighed deeply, shaking my head at the two.

"I don't even wanna know." I pointed out in some annoyance before I looked at Damon who stared back at me pleadingly. "Try not to have too much fun, hmm?" I asked with a sigh, giving Klaus one last smirk before I walked upstairs as Stefan followed. Stefan and I walked towards the front door as he put on his leather jacket before his phone started ringing. He rose an eyebrow and pulled it out from his pocket before stopping in the hallway and I furrowed my eyebrows at him. He looked between the phone and I before he cleared his throat and answered it.

"Damon's fine. I locked him up with all of the creature comforts he deserves." Stefan stated with a sigh and I rose an eyebrow in confusion as he walked towards the door again.

"That's not why I called." Elena replied from the phone and I gave Stefan a questionable look as the two of us walked out the front door. "Kol just tried to kill Bonnie." She added in a worried voice and I furrowed my eyebrows as Stefan and I exchanged a look.

"What? Is she okay?" I asked, looking at the phone, knowing Elena could hear me before I heard her sigh.

"Yeah, just shaken up." Elena answered as I shut the door behind us. "She managed to hold him off but Kol seems pretty intent on murdering anyone whose looking for that cure." She added in defeat and Stefan sighed in agreement as we walked towards his motorcycle that stood outside of the front door.

"Yeah, Klaus has me trying to convince Rebekah to give up her dagger so we can take care of Kol." Stefan replied, looking at me and I nodded in agreement.

"I don't just wanna dagger Kol, Stefan. I want Jeremy to kill him." Elena stated emotionlessly and I widened my eyes and looked back at the house before I took the phone from Stefan as he started his motorcycle and revved the engine to cover our voices.

"I'm sorry. What did you just say?" I asked in disbelief, walking further from the house as Stefan followed.

"Bonnie says she's got all of this crazy new power. She thinks she can hold him long enough for Jeremy to get a clean shot." Elena pointed out and I scoffed, shaking my head.

"And then what, huh? Klaus and Rebekah will kill every single one of you—maybe even me, out of spite." I warned in annoyance towards her before handing the phone back to Stefan.

"Mariana's right. They may be dysfunctional, bickering lunatics—but they stick together no matter what." Stefan added and I nodded, folding my arms over my chest.

"That's why you need to find the dagger and use it on Rebekah. She can't come looking for revenge if she's lying in a box." Elena pointed out and I scoffed, shaking my head at Stefan exchanged a look with me.

"Yeah, I can't do that." Stefan answered emotionlessly and Elena sighed.

"Yeah, I know you can't because vampires can't use the dagger, but Matt can." Elena stated in reassurance and I furrowed my eyebrows back at her. "It's not like she doesn't deserve it. And Bonnie thinks that she can get Klaus out of the picture, too. At least temporarily. Once we get this cure, none of it will matter because we can use it against them." She added and I slowly shook my head in disappointment.

"Alright, fine. But how do you plan to lure Kol in?" Stefan asked emotionlessly and I scoffed, tilting my head at him as he avoided eye contact with me completely.

"Elena, if you do this—I want no part in it. This will wage a war that none of us want. Trust me." I warned, looking at Stefan in urgency but he ignored me.

"Mariana, we're doing this. They are controlling us and I have had enough. Haven't you?" Elena asked with furrowed brows and I sighed deeply, looking between Stefan and his phone in defeat.

"I'm warning you.. Don't do this." I stated cautiously again, in a more serious tone and Stefan met his eyes with mine.. Staring at me quietly.

"Fine. We'll do it without you." Elena replied emotionlessly. Stefan looked away from me slowly and I scoffed, shaking my head and walking away from him and towards my car that was parked in the driveway.
~~~

I shut my car door and locked my car before walking up towards the house as the front door opened. "I'll take your request for a truce under advisement." Kol stated as he stood in the doorway while Elena stood inside the house, in front of him.

"Is there any way you could be wrong about Silas?" Elena asked, furrowing her eyebrows towards him and he sighed in some annoyance.

"Trust me, Elena. Some things are better left buried." Kol replied emotionless before he turned away from her and towards me as I leant on the railing of the steps. "Awe, cousin. You seemed to have missed a good conversation. Plus we had drinks." He stated with a fake smile and I slowly nodded as he walked off of the porch and walked past me.

"Well, maybe next time." I suggested with a sigh before I turned towards the front door where Elena stood. I narrowed my eyes and walked up the porch and inside, closing the door behind me as Elena sighed deeply. "What the hell? How are you so stupid that you would invite him into the house?" I asked angrily towards her and she rolled her eyes.

"I needed to get him to trust me." Elena pointed out and I scoffed, folding my arms over my chest.

"Right. Trust you enough so you could kill him. Well, how'd that turn out for you?" I countered in annoyance and Elena narrowed her eyes at me before she turned on her heel and walked down the hall, towards the kitchen.

"If you were here, maybe he would have stayed and talked to you about old family memories that he loves, oh so much." Elena replied with a scoff as she opened the fridge and I rolled my eyes and leant against the kitchen table.

"Please. I'm really surprised though, after all of the stupid decisions and schemes you've had.. This one actually turned out for the best." I pointed out with a small shrug before the front door opened and closed quickly. I furrowed my eyebrows and looked down the hall towards Jeremy who scanned the house as he held a stake riffle in his hands. I sighed and gestures for Elena before she closed the fridge and we walked out of the kitchen.

"Hey. I'm sorry. He left. I mean, I tried to stall as long as I could." Elena stated in defeat towards Jeremy who motioned the gun down as the doorbell rang. I narrowed my eyes at Elena who furrowed her eyebrows and Jeremy sighed.

"That's Bonnie. She was right behind me." Jeremy reassured and I exchanged a look of some relief with Elena. She walked past Jeremy and towards the door before she opened it and I felt my body stiffen.

"I've considered your request for a truce." Kol stated quietly from where he stood outside on the porch, overlooking all three of us now. "Request denied." He added, this time on a more serious and angry tone as he narrowed his eyes at Elena who widened hers. I waved my hand, shutting the door and locking it quickly before the three of us disappeared around the house. "I'm sorry, I've already been invited in!" Kol yelled from outside before he kicked the door in and I gasped, putting a hand over my own mouth, knowing he was now inside the house. "Hide and seek? Fine by me." Kol stated emotionlessly before I heard his footsteps wander around the house.

-Elena-

I stood at the top of the stairs and listened while Kol walked around from under me, inside of the kitchen, talking on the phone indistinctly. "Do you know that your darling former blood-bag, our cousin, and their brother are trying to kill me?" Kol asked into the phone and I furrowed my eyes.

"What?" Klaus countered in confusion from the other side of the phone and I heard Kol's footsteps walk closer towards the stairs.

"Don't pretend like you're not in on it. You're obsession to find the cure clearly trumps any sibling loyalty you once felt." Kol stated with a scoff as his footsteps walked into the living room.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Klaus replied in a serious tone from the phone again and I held the crossbow tightly towards me.

"I'm going to rip off Jeremy's arm, kill Elena and then torture our dear cousin.. Just for sport... Then I'm coming for you." Kol warned and I clenched my jaw as he hung up the phone and now stood at the bottom of the stairs. He turned towards me and I quickly fired an arrow at him and heard him groan as it landed in his leg. Kol clenched his jaw and I vamped away from the stairs and down the hall before I was pulled into my room and I widened my eyes.

"You seriously have a death wish, don't you?" Mariana asked angrily at me and I rolled my eyes as I threw the crossbow on my bed.

-Mariana-

"This wouldn't have happened if you had been apart of the plan." Elena countered and I scoffed in disbelief as the two of us quickly pushed Elena's dresser towards the door. The door cracked open as the two of us tried to push it and Kol groaned loudly from the other side before he overpowered us both and we groaned, falling back as the door opened fully. Elena crawled on the floor away from Kol and I clenched my jaw, getting up and vamping towards Elena. I grabbed her quickly before I vamped up both into the bathroom and shit the door behind us, locking it. We went into Jeremy's room and shut his bathroom door also before we stood beside him as he held the stake rifle in his hand. I breathed heavily towards the door as grunts came from inside of the bathroom before Jeremy's door was broken into and Kol appeared in front of us. Jeremy shot the rifle towards Kol. I narrowed my eyes as Kol caught the stake in his hand and scoffed.

"Missed." Kol stated before Jeremy shot the gun again and Kol caught the stake again with his free hand. "Missed." He repeated before I pulled out the gun from my waistband behind my back and started shooting his chest with wooden bullets. Kol groaned loudly as he stumbled back with each bullet that hit him before he fell into the bathroom.

"Go!" I warned loudly towards Elena and Jeremy who ran out of Jeremy's room as gunshots still erupted from around us. Kol knelt on the floor of the bathroom before he threw one of the stakes he held towards me and I groaned as it pierced my leg. I looked down at it and back up towards Kol to see him gone and I widened my eyes. I heard groaned come from the hallway and I clenched my jaw and pulled the stake out of me quickly. I ran out of Jeremy's room to see Jer groaning from where he lay on the stairs while Elena lay unconsciously on the floor with blood running down her head as Kol stood above her. I vamped towards Kol who easily turned around and grabbed me by my throat, throwing me to the wall. I groaned loudly as he pulled out one of the balusters from the staircase railing and vamped towards me, plunging it into my stomach. I gasped as the baluster went through me and into the wall behind me, keeping me there. Kol walked away from me and smirked down at Jer who groaned, slightly moving from the stairs he lay on.

"Now.. About that arm." Kol sighed as he walked down the stairs before grabbing Jeremy by his feet, pulling him the rest of the way down the stairs. I widened my eyes as I watched before I between my stomach and Elena who lay on the floor beside me.

"Elena." I stated down towards her, groaning loudly as I moved my foot towards her and felt the baluster shift around my insides. "Elena." I repeated in a louder voice as I nudged her in the side and I watched as she lightly stirred. I sighed in some relief as she opened her eyes and looked up at me in confusion before gasping.

"Oh, my god. Kol." Elena stated quickly, standing up from the floor and I slowly nodded and looked down at my stomach.

"You need to pull it out." I warned and Elena quickly shook her head, making me sigh loudly. "Elena... Kol has Jeremy.. We're better together. So pull it out." I stated emotionlessly and watched as Elena's jaw clenched. She clapped her hands around the baluster before she quickly pulled it from the wall and from me, making me gasp. I sighed in relief as I started to heal and Elena threw the piece of wood to the side of us. We both vamped down the stairs and towards the kitchen as Kol's voice came from it.

"I'm going to chop off your arm, but don't worry. I'll give you a little bit of blood after to speed up the healing process.. But—which arm is it? I guess I'll chop off both arms just to be safe." Kol stated with a sigh and I clenched my jaw as Elena and I ran into the kitchen just as Kol had a butcher knife going through the air towards Jer. Elena yelled loudly and pushed Kol away from Jer. "No!" Kol stated angrily before Elena pushed the knife into his chest and he groaned in agony. I vamped towards Jeremy and untied the binds Kol had used to toe Jeremy down to the kitchen island. Jeremy got off of the kitchen island and walked quickly towards the sink and grabbed the hose, pointing it towards Kol who groaned loudly while Elena pushed him up against the counter, still pushing the knife into him. Jeremy turned on the water and started spraying Kol with the hose and I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion as he yelled out in pain while Elena quickly moved away from the water. I watched as Kol's face burned and I widened my eyes, realizing it was vervain water. Elena went towards Kol again and grabbed a silver stake from the inside of his jacket.

"Jeremy, now!" Elena yelled in warning before she tossed the stake to Jeremy who caught it. Jeremy let go of the hose and went towards Kol and I widened my eyes.

"No!" I yelled out before letting out a gasp as Jeremy plunged the stake into Kol's heart. Kol let out a curdling scream and we all backed away as the stake burst into flames that spread through out Kol's body. I widened my eyes as Kol screamed loudly and flailed his arms around him, trying to put the fire out.

"No!!! No!!" Kol screamed loudly before he knelt beside the table only to fall to the ground and become quiet as flames overtook him. I slowly shook my head and looked up between Jeremy and Elena before I saw their eyes set on something behind me. I furrowed my eyebrows and turned around to see Klaus standing on the porch, staring down at his brother with tearful eyes.

"Klaus.." I whispered towards him and watched as he looked up at me and clenched his jaw.

"What did you do?" Klaus asked angrily pacing on the porch as the fire died out.

"We didn't have a choice." Elena replied in defeat as her and Jer stood in the hall beside me now. "He was trying to cut off Jeremy's arms." She pointed out as she gestured to Jer.

"Lies. He never would've gotten inside if you hadn't have set a trap for him." Klaus countered through gritted teeth and I folded my arms over my chest as Elena shook her head.

"You said you were going to put him down, too." Elena replied and Klaus scoffed, shaking his head back at her.

"I said I was going to make him suffer on my terms!" Klaus yelled back at her and I looked down as tears filled his eyes.

"Klaus.." I stated in defeat up at him and watched as he looked at the doorway slowly.

"I'm going to burn this house to the ground." Klaus stated emotionlessly and I furrowed my eyebrows at him. "And then when you try to flee for your lives, I'll kill you all without blinking." He added, narrowing his eyes at us.

"You kill us, you'll never get to the cure." Jeremy countered angrily. "You'll never be able to make any more hybrids." He added and Klaus gave a small smile.

"You really think I care for an instant about my bloody hybrids?" Klaus asked and I exchanged a confused look with Elena. "I want the cure so I can destroy it. I would've killed you all the second we dug it up—but now I'm just gonna watch you burn instead." He stated angrily before he fell to his knees, groaning put loudly and I furrowed my eyebrows. Bonnie walked through the door quickly and I looked at her confused.

"Invite him in." Bonnie instructed towards Jeremy who looked back at her as if she was insane. "Do it!" She said more forcefully and we all looked at Klaus who slowly stood clenching his jaw and narrowing his eyes at us. I exchanged a look with Jer before he looked back at Klaus and took a deep breath.

"Come in." Jeremy stated emotionlessly before Klaus stumbled into the house as Bonnie held her down. I grabbed Elena and Jeremy, pulling them back from the two.

"Living room! Go!" Bonnie warned us as Klaus growled from the floor. Elena, Jeremy and I ran through the family room and into the living room and the kitchen before turning around as Klaus vamped towards us, only to be stopped by a barrier. Klaus clenched his jaw and slammed his fist against the barrier, over and over again but he couldn't get in. Jeremy grabbed the white oak stake from Kol's body as Klaus groaned loudly in frustration. Jer, Elena and I walked into the hallway and towards the front door as Klaus vamped at Bonnie who stood in the family room but he was stopped by another barrier.

"Witch, you can't do this to me." Klaus stated emotionlessly towards her as he planted and she narrowed her eyes.

"You have no idea what I can do now." Bonnie countered, tilting her head at him.

"I will hunt all of you to your end!" Klaus yelled loudly and angrily towards the four of us, making Elena and Jeremy jump. I gestured Elena and Jeremy out the door as we all still looked at Klaus. "Do you hear me!" He yelled again as Bonnie walked away from him while Elena and I walked out onto the porch. "Do you!?" He added angrily after Bonnie who walked out before Jeremy shut the door behind us.
~~

Jeremy paced the living room floor in front of Bonnie, Elena and I as there three of us sat on the couches. Her sighed as he looked down at his arm before he pulled his sleeve down. "Didn't work." Jeremy stated as he looked between the three of us.

"It took time for Finn's line to die off, remember? It'll work." Bonnie reassured Jeremy who nodded back at her.

"What if it doesn't?" Jeremy countered in defeat and I opened my mouth to speak but was cut off.

"Where's that Gilbert optimism?" A familiar voice asked and I looked towards the large doorway to see Damon come from the hall.. Clean and dressed in dark jeans and a black long sleeve.. As well as a smile on his face. I sighed in relief and stood from the couch as we walked towards each other. "Hi." He stated with a smirk towards me and I tilted my head and smiled. We hugged each other and I closed my eyes, taking him in as he rubbed my back reassuringly. "Sorry I missed all the excitement." Damon stated and I sighed as we pulled away.

"I'm just happy to see you." I replied with a smile and Damon tilted his head down at me. The front door opened and I looked past Damon as Stefan walked into the house wearing jeans, a white shirt and a leather jacket.. As he held the headstone in his hand.

"Looks like I didn't miss much." Stefan pointed out towards the five of us as he shut the door behind him. "I got the Silas headstone." He added gesturing down at it.

"We're just waiting for Jeremy's mark to grow." Elena stated from behind me as her and Bonnie stood from the couch also. Stefan gave a short nod and put the headstone on a small table inside of the living room.

"Klaus is trapped in our living room." I stated emotionlessly towards Stefan who looked at me.

"Temporarily." Bonnie informed and I nodded quietly as Stefan stared in between us. "I, uh.. Drew on the new moon to bind the spell." She added, exchanging a look with me as she folded her arms over her chest.

"Got three days to find that cure. Four max." I pointed out emotionlessly and Jeremy sighed from behind me.

"If we don't, we might as well look up Katherine Pierce and see if she wants some company in hiding because he will come after us." Jeremy stated and I sighed as Elena turned towards him.

"We'll find it." Elena reassured in amusement and I rose an eyebrow as she looked at Stefan. "Now that we got Rebekah taken care of, all we need is Professor Shane, then we'll have everything we need." She added with a shrug and Stefan sighed.

"Yeah.. I didn't, uh.. I didn't dagger her." Stefan stated towards Elena as he put his hands in his jacket pockets and she furrowed her eyebrows.

"What? Why not?" Elena countered in defeat and Stefan shrugged.

"I didn't need to. She's on our side." Stefan reassured and Elena looked at him in disbelief while I exchanged a look with Damon.

"On our side? Did you really just say that?" Elena asked with a scoff and Stefan slowly nodded.

"Yeah. She handed over the headstone. I mean, she wants to find this cute more than any of us." Stefan stated as he gestured down at the headstone and Elena sighed, shaking her head.

"Why could you possibly think that you could trust her?" Elena asked in defeat and Damon sighed, tilting his head at his brother.

"Let me guess. She pledged her allegiance to you while you were naked in the sack." Damon suggested emotionlessly and I looked at Elena who looked at Damon in disbelief. Stefan looked away from her and Elena furrowed her eyebrows, coming to realization that what Damon said was true.

"I bet you were just dying to get that out, weren't you, Damon?" Stefan asked in annoyance as he stepped towards his brother who furrowed his eyebrows.

"Oh, was that supposed to be a secret?" Damon asked, shrugging at Stefan who gave him a fake smile. "Maybe you should have made that clearer while you were bleeding me dry in our cellar." He added and I exchanged a look with Elena who seemed uncomfortable.

"Yeah, to keep you from killing Jeremy." Stefan countered in annoyance and I rolled my eyes at the two.

"Enough." I sighed loudly at the two as Elena nodded in agreement.

"Stop it, both of you." Elena added looking at both of the men in disbelief as Damon looked at her with a sigh.

"You know what, why don't you tell her to calm down, Damon?" Stefan asked emotionlessly and I furrowed my eyebrows at him as Damon slowly looked back at him warningly. "You've managed to use that site bond pretty well so far, haven't you?" He added with amusement and Damon gave a small chuckle and swung a fist towards Stefan but I beat him to it. I vamped towards Stefan and pushed him against the wall, punching him harshly. I let him go and watched as Stefan breathed heavily, looking at me in disbelief and confusion. I turned away from him and towards Damon who furrowed his eyebrows at me while Elena looked disappointed.

"AH! AHHHH!" Jeremy yelled loudly and I looked at him in confusion as he ripped his shirt clean off of him while he looked down a his arm. I watched as a black tattoo spread from the back of his hand up his arm and to his shoulder. "It's happening." Jer stated as he breathed heavily.

"Oh, my god." I whispered as I watched the tattoo form and Jeremy looked up at all of us, noticing we were staring.

"You can see it?" Jer asked in confusion and I slowly nodded as the tattoo grew more and more until it appeared across Jeremy's chest.. Stopping in his heart.

"Here we go." Damon stated quietly as he sat on the arm of one of the couches, narrowing his eyes at the tattoo before us.

-Time Skip-

I folded my arms over my chest and overlooked the beach that I stood on. "Couldn't they have hidden this cute in Hawaii? Where the hell did you take us?" Damon asked as he sharpened a heavy knife that he brought with him.

"Two hundred miles off the Nova Scotia Mainland." Shane answered, stopping beside Damon and I as he looked through the many trees that stood away from the shore. "If you recall, the whole point was to hide the cure on the worlds most obscure, desolate land." He pointed out as he took something from his bag.

"Oh, yeah? I thought the whole point was so no one could find Silas." I countered, looking at him in confusion as Damon put his knife back into his backpack.

"The oldest, deadliest freak in the world." Damon added and I smirked a bit as he stood up from the beach.

"Yeah, that too." Shane agreed before he turned towards Damon and I. "Sunscreen?" He asked, gesturing at the bottle he held in his hand. Damon furrowed his eyebrows down at the sunscreen before he exchanged a look with me.

"Is that a joke?" Damon asked in a serious tone and Shane slowly nodded.

"Right." Shane replied quietly before he put the sunscreen away and I chuckled. I looked further down the shore at Stefan who tied up the boats while Rebekah stood beside him, glaring at Elena who walked by.

"You know, you're not really helping." Stefan pointed out towards Rebekah who sighed.

"You're perfectly capable of tying a not." Rebekah countered as her eyes trailed after Elena who walked towards me.

"You're giving Elena the evil eye—it's not really helping." Stefan pointed out and I sighed in annoyance at them.

-Elena-

"She killed my brother, tried to get you to put a dagger in my back. She's lucky all she's getting is the evil eye." Rebekah warned from behind me and I rolled my eyes.

"You know I can hear you, right?" I asked in annoyance, not looking back at her as I stopped walking.

"You know I don't care, right?" Rebekah countered in amusement and I clenched my jaw and threw the bags I was carrying, on the ground and grabbed something from one of them. I turned around and vamped towards Rebekah, grabbing her by the throat and positioning the white oak dagger in front of her threateningly.

"Elena!" Mariana warned loudly from behind me before Rebekah pushed me off of her and towards the ground, making me groan.

"Go ahead, try to kill me. But then you'd have to face your real problems. Like the fact that Stefan invited me here himself." Rebekah stated as she looked down at me in annoyance. "I guess he likes me again." She added with a smirk before she walked away and I scoffed.

-Mariana-

I walked towards Elena as Stefan now stood above her, holding a hand out for her to take. I sighed as I held my hand out also and Elena took mine quickly, standing herself up. "That wasn't smart, you know. She probably would've killed you." I pointed out as the two of us walked away from Stefan.

"Well, I'm pretty sure we've already established how 'not smart' you think I am." Elena replied in annoyance as she wiped the back of her leggings off.

"Looks like someone forgot her team-building exercise." Damon stated as he walked towards Elena and I.

"I'm not apologizing for not wanting her here." Elena stated emotionlessly as she unzipped her jacket and threw it on top of her bags after she put the stake away.

"You know, Stefan just brought her here to make it seem like he's moving on. He wants you to think that he's over you. And that maybe you can't get under his skin." I stated looking towards Stefan who packed up his bag.

"You know what, you're right. With any luck, I'll only have to tolerate her for a few more days and then we'll find the cure and I'll never have to deal with her again." Elena replied with hope in her voice and I nodded in agreement as Damon scoffed.

"Human Rebekah.. I can't imagine her without fangs." Damon pointed out in amusement and I smirked, shaking my head at him.

"You know.. Neither of you have talked about what you'll do when we find the cure." Elena countered as she looked between Damon and I, making me furrow my eyebrows. "Will you take it?" She asked quietly and I looked at Damon who remained quiet.

"You know.. I don't like to speculate." Damon answered and I slowly nodded in some agreement as we looked away from each other.

"I think Shane is ready to lead the hike." I stated, changing the subject as I looked down at Elena's bags. "Pack up. Let's get moving." I added emotionlessly before I walked away from her.
~~~

I overlooked the ridge below me as water flowed peacefully while the annoying sound of a phone losing service cut the air. "Satellite phone lost its signal." Shane stated with a sigh of frustration as he walked in front of the group as did Damon.

"Well that's a good sign." Damon replied in annoyance and Elena sighed from beside me and looked around us as weird noises filled the air.

"Is anyone else a little creeped out?" Elena asked in defeat as she held onto the arms of her backpack.

"So then leave. Out of everyone, your presence is the least necessary." Rebekah pointed out from behind her and I rolled my eyes and gave her a look of warming from over my shoulder.

"Please don't start." Stefan replied with a sigh as he walked beside her.

"I'm merely stating the facts." Rebekah countered innocently and I rolled my eyes. "Jeremy has a spell on his body. Bonnie's the witch that unseals the curse. Shane is the human compass. Mariana is from one of the first era of witches leading back to Bonnie's so she's a weapon, clearly. You and I have the tombstone, which does god knows what, and Elena has no point." She stated in annoyance, making Elena chuckle in annoyance.

"What about me?" Damon asked in defeat from the head of the group.

"You have a nice behind." Rebekah answered in amusement and Damon shrugged. Stefan smirked in amusement at his brother's reaction and looked down, shaking his head.

"I think we should pick up the pace. The suns going to go down in a few hours and I'd like to have some idea of a camp ground before then." I stated with a sigh as I moved to the front of the group, standing next to Damon who smirked down at me.
~~~

The group walked through the woods, holding flashlights as the sun successfully went down yet, we had successfully not set up camp yet. "Centuries after Qetsiyah died, there were these miners who were excavating a well on the island. Suddenly went mad, bled themselves dry. No apparent reason." Shane pointed out as his headset lit the path in front of him. "So, the legend spread that these miners, in exchange for a drop of their blood, saw visions of their lost loved ones in the well they were digging." He added and I furrowed my eyebrows and exchanged a look with Bonnie who walked behind the group. "The word traveled and explorers sought out the well to see if the legend was true." Shane stated with a sigh as we all stopped walking.

"So the well was magic?" Bonnie asked, furrowing her eyebrows at Shane who shrugged.

"Well, Yeah. Some people believe the voices of lost souls were just a wind vortex whipping through caves. And visions were caused by inhaling the island's poisonous plant life." Shane answered quietly and I rose an eyebrow as we all looked around the woods quietly.

"And what do you believe?" Elena asked emotionlessly towards him and he looked at her with a serious expression.

"I believe in Magic." Shane replied quickly and I watched as Bonnie rose an eyebrow. "My wife and my son died within months of each other." He pointed out quietly before looking down at his left hand to see a white scar there. "And so.. I decided to try the well out for myself." He added and I furrowed my eyebrows at him. "I offered up my blood and I waited... Then I heard my wife's voice.. And I saw her. I saw her eyes. Her smile. My blood let me see her again." Shane stated and Damon sighed, pulling his backpack further up his shoulder.

"Yeah, got it." Damon replied sarcastically and I rose an eyebrow at him. "Don't eat the poisonous flowers." He added before he started walking again. I exchanged a look with Stefan before the group followed after Damon.

"Wait, Stop. Stop!" Shane warned abruptly, stopping in his tracks quickly as he looked over the group and I furrowed my eyebrows. "Stop." He added more quietly now before he walked ahead of Damon who furrowed his eyebrows as Shane knelt towards the ground on his hands and knees. "Is everyone paying attention?" He asked, looking back at the group from over his shoulder as we all crowded around him. "First lesson in survival.." Shane stated as he picked up a rock from beside him and tossed it on the ground feet in front of him. A net quickly sprung up from the leaves that covered it and I rose an eyebrow up at it before looking back at Shane. "Stay together. Keep your eyes open." Shane warned as he got up from the ground and looked over our group again. He started walking and the group followed as Jeremy, Elena and I stayed in the back.

"Ah. I ran out of water." Jeremy stated in defeat as he opened his water bottle and Elena shrugged.

"Here. Take mine." Elena suggested as she handed Jeremy her water bottle and he took it.

"Magic well, seriously?" Jer asked in amusement and I sighed, shrugging.

"Who knows. I mean.. we've all lost someone. The chance to maybe see them again? I kinda get it." I pointed out quietly as I looked between Elena and Jer. I gave a small smile and followed behind the group as the two stayed back. I heard the sound of an arrow arching from behind me before I widened my eyes. "Look out!" I warned, vamping towards the two and pushing them out of the way. I groaned as I felt an arrow alive part of my left leg before the three of us fell to the ground. I looked up to see an older man wearing full clothing and some type of face paint as he grabbed another arrow and arched his bow. He was ready to let the arrow go before he groaned loudly, arching his back and dropping the bow and arrow. I furrowed my eyebrows and got up from the ground to see the man face plant into the ground and I furrowed my eyebrows and saw a tomahawk was sticking out from his back.

"What the hell just happened?" Elena asked breathlessly as she got up from the ground, as did Jeremy.

"Someone just saved my life." Jeremy answered breathlessly as he furrowed his eyebrows at the body.
~~~

Elena, Jeremy and I rejoined the group as Shane led us into a clearing where some kind of barn was. "What is this place?" Stefan asked, furrowing his eyebrows at the scene as sand turned towards him.

"According to island lore, a group of college kids cake here for spring break. A few weeks later, they were all found dead—completely drained of blood." Shane answered and I furrowed my eyebrows and looked around the place skeptically.

"Well, tragic for them, brilliant for us. Who sleeps where?" Rebekah asked with a sigh and Damon slowly looked around the place.

"Well, that's lovely. There's a mystery man with a hatchet lurking in the woods and we're just gonna camp." Damon stated sarcastically and Shane sighed.

"We're safer here than we are hiking in the dark." Shane pointed out as everyone moved towards the barn.

"Let's just keep going. You know? Get the cure. Get in, get out. Where is it?" Damon asked, tilting his head as he walked towards Shane before they stood an inch or so apart.

"How stupid do you think I am?" Shane asked in annoyance towards Damon who shrugged.

"Stupid enough to raise an immortal witch. So I'd say.. incredibly." Damon answered sarcastically as I put my bag on the ground and took out my water from it.

"Yeah, I'm shocked you even want the cure, considering you've got the most to lose once Mariana is human. And that's just saying if she even wants it." Shane replied emotionlessly and I furrowed my eyebrows at him as he walked away from Damon who remained silent. I looked at Elena who sat on the ground beside me before back at Damon who was staring at me quietly. I went to open my mouth to speak but he walked away quickly and I sighed in defeat. I put my water down as Elena got up and moved towards the barn after Shane.

"He doesn't know what he's talking about." I stated with a shrug as I walked up behind Damon who took off his backpack.

"Yeah, well, we'll find out tomorrow." Damon replied emotionlessly and I rose an eyebrow and slowly folded my arms over my chest.

"Do you really think I'm going to take this cure and fall out of love with you? I'm not the one with a sire bond to you, Damon." I pointed out in annoyance and watched as he turned towards me finally.

"No, I'm saying we don't know. And if we find it tomorrow, we will." Damon replied and I slowly nodded and looked away from him.

"Look, I'm one for optimism and all.. I mean, this cure is going to change so many things.. But maybe this cure is a fake." I pointed out with a shrug as I put my hands around Damon's neck. "Maybe Elena will still be a vampire, as well as Bonnie's mom. Maybe Jeremy will still want to kill us. And maybe anyone who wants to take this cure is going to have that option." I added with a sigh and watched as Damon stared down at me. "Caroline. Stefan.. You?... If you want it." I stated quietly and tilted my head up at him as he remained silent.

"No, I get it. Everything changes tomorrow. It'll be all unicorns and rainbows." Damon replied, looking away from me and I shook my head back at him.

"No, not everything, Damon. I had feelings for you before I was a vampire.. And I'm sure they're not going anywhere after." I stated reassuringly and he gave me a small smile before he pulled me towards him and I sighed, hugging him tightly as he rested his chin on top of my head.
~~~

"Jeremy!" Elena yelled loudly around the camp as her, Damon and I walked back into it after searching the woods for Jeremy most of the morning.

"Did you find anything?" I asked looking at Bonnie who came from from the woods across from us.

"He's not on the trail." Bonnie stated in concern and I looked at Shane who stood beside Jeremy's empty tent holding his bag.

"His gears still here." Shane pointed out before he threw it back down beside the tent as Stefan and Rebekah walked into the camp from the other side.

"He's not at the quarry, either." Stefan added as he put his hands in his coat pockets and I exchanged a look of worry with Elena.

"Split up." Damon clarified and I looked at Bonnie and shook my head.

"Bonnie, will you stay here and try a locator spell?" I asked and Bonnie nodded reassuringly towards me before she quickly walked towards Jeremy's tent to gather supplies.

"I'll stay here and make sure she's safe." Shane added before walking towards his tent and Damon rolled his eyes.

"I'll stay here and make sure you're not lying." Damon countered in annoyance and I sighed at him and looked at Elena who stared awkwardly between Rebekah and Stefan, sighing in defeat.

"Fine. We'll keep searching the island." Elena stated in defeat and I nodded in agreement before the four of us walked away from camp.
~~~

"Jeremy!" Elena yelled through the woods and I sighed as it echoed from around us. "Jeremy!" She yelled again and I shook my head.

"Why don't you yell louder? Maybe we haven't drawn enough attention to ourselves already." Rebekah asked from behind Elena as the four of us walked and I rolled my eyes.

"I'm sorry. And how are you helping?" Elena countered in annoyance.

"You guys are ridiculous." I pointed out in defeat and Stefan looked back at me from over his shoulder in agreement.

"I'm stronger than you, faster than you and can charm the islanders a lot easier than you." Rebekah answered, ignoring me and Elena scoffed lightly.

"Not disagreeing on the easy part." Elena countered sarcastically as she walked around a tree and Rebekah rolled her eyes.

"All right. We get it. You two hate each other." Stefan stated with a sigh, moving a tree branch from our path as he looked back at the two, gesturing for them to walk in front of us.

"I tried to be her friend. But somehow, I ended up with a dagger in my back because I'm the evil one." Rebekah replied in annoyance and Elena rolled her eyes.

"Technically, you didn't achieve evil status until you killed me." Elena pointed out and walked forward only to trigger a trap wire. Rebekah vamped forward just in time to catch a large branch that had spikes attached to it. Elena gasped and jumped back from the branch, staring down at the spikes that were centimeters from her.

"Nice catch." I stated, slowly nodding at Rebekah as I examined the branch and Rebekah gave me a smile.

"Thank you." She stated and Elena slowly shook her head, breathing heavily.

"No, actually, thank you. This thing would've killed me." Elena stated, gesturing towards the branch.

"I don't care what happens to you either way. But if you're going to die, it might as well be epic." Rebekah pointed out emotionlessly and I exchanged a look with Stefan before I sighed, shaking my head.

"I'm going to go back and check on Bonnie, see if she found anything." I pointed out and Stefan nodded at me before I looked at Elena who sighed, tilting her head. "Try to be careful." I added in some amusement before I walked away from them, back the way I came.
~~~

Once I got back to camp, it was nearly dark. I furrowed my eyebrows as it was nearly empty and the fire was out. I looked towards the barn where a small light was coming from before I heard instinct voices. "—I'm not that easily manipulated, Professor.. And there is one minor flaw in your logic." Damon's voice stated quietly from the barn and I rose an eyebrow walking towards it. "I don't give a crap about Bonnie Bennett." Damon added in a serious tone and I felt my body tense as a muffled groan came into my ears. I vamped into the barn and pulled Damon away from Shane who he had strapped to a chair and whose neck he was trying to snap seconds ago.

"What is wrong with you?" I asked Damon angrily as I pinned him to the bar wall. He breathed heavily from under me before he pulled my hands off of him and narrowed his eyes at the back of Shane's head before he quickly exited the barn. "What did you say to him?" I asked in annoyance as I turned to Shane who was bleeding from his cheek and mouth.

"Your boyfriends a maniac, Mariana." Shane stated in heavy breaths and I rolled my eyes and broke the rope around him.

"Stop messing with my friends." I warned angrily towards him before I threw the rope to the ground and walked out after Damon who stood in the middle of the campground. "Shane is the only thing keeping Bonnie safe. And you try to kill him?" I asked in disbelief as I stood behind Damon. "And you wonder why Bonnie hates you." I pointed out angrily before he turned towards me.

"I don't wonder, Mariana, because I don't care. I don't care about her. I don't care about some lame-ass cure for vampires, either." Damon replied emotionlessly and I furrowed my eyebrows.

"How can you say that right now?" I asked quietly, taken aback by him and watched as he stayed silent for a moment or two.. Just staring at me.

"Because I don't want you to be cured." Damon answered quietly and I stared at him in confusion.

"I'm not fighting with you about this anymore. Being human isn't going to change my feelings for you." I stated angrily towards him and he sighed.

"Fine. Say that you do take the cure. What then? You grow old. You die. And I'm still a vampire." Damon replied and I furrowed my eyebrows at him. "Face it, Ari, we don't work." He stated and I scoffed, stepping closer towards him.

"No, we do work. Do you want to know why we work, Damon?" I asked, shaking my head up at him as he became quiet. "We think the same exact way. Every thought you've had, I've probably had it. So I know what you're doing and why you're doing it. Things aren't easy so you're just going to push me away now, huh?" I asked in disbelief as he stared down at me. "That's what you do, Damon. You think that you don't deserve something so you ruin it. I'm not going to let you pull that. Not this time and not on me." I warned, clenching my jaw and I watched as he turned away from me and started walking away. "Take the cure with me, or neither of us take the cure." I stated loudly after him and watched as he stopped in his tracks. "That's how much I know this is real, Damon. That's how certain I am that I'm going to love you after all of this is over. Take the cure with me. We can grow old together... Or don't take the cure and we can still have a forever, Damon." I added quietly and watched as Damon remained still..

"You know, I used to miss being human." Damon whispered softly and I gave a small smile. "Now I can't think of anything more miserable on earth." He added emotionlessly before he walked away from me and I felt my chest cave in on itself and I let out a light gasp.. Feeling air realize from my lungs as my eyes glazed over. I scoffed lightly and shook myself before I walked over to mine, Elena's and Bonnie's tent and looked in it to see it empty.

"Bonnie?" I asked in confusion before I looked around slowly.. Only for my eyes to land on the barn. I clenched my jaw and walked back into it to now see it vacant and I scoffed in annoyance and shook my head, pacing back and forth. I groaned and walked back into the camp as Rebekah, Stefan and Elena returned. "Where is everyone?" I asked in confusion and Stefan furrowed his eyebrows.

"What are you talking about?" Stefan asked and I sighed in defeat.

"Well, Bonnie's not here and Shane's stuff is all gone." I pointed out in frustration and watched as the three of them widened their eyes.

"Oh, my god." Rebekah stated worriedly before she vamped towards her tent before out, holding her empty bag. "The tombstones gone." She pointed out in concern towards us. I clenched my jaw and exchanged a look with Stefan and Elena before we all looked back at Rebekah. I watched as she walked into my tent and I furrowed my eyebrows as Elena and I followed her.

"What are you doing in my tent?" Elena asked down at Rebekah who breathed heavily and looked through Elena's bags quickly before she turned and grabbed Elena by the throat.

"Where's the tombstone? What have you done with it?" Rebekah asked worriedly towards Elena as her eyes glazed over.

"What are you talking about?" I asked angrily as Elena choked from the loss of oxygen going to her lungs.

"Like it's not bloody obvious. All you people ever do is betray me and here you go again." Rebekah countered angrily before Stefan vamped into the tent also.

"Let her go. She didn't take it." Stefan stated in a serious tone towards Rebekah who looked at him for a few seconds before she pushed Elena away from her. I grabbed Elena as she breathed heavily from in my arms and rubbing her throat.

"Was any of this real? Was it just a-a ploy to distract me while Shane ran off with the tombstone?" Rebekah asked and I furrowed my eyebrows at her.

"You think I would do that? You think I would let some psychopath run off with the cure?" Stefan countered angrily and I rose an eyebrow at the two. "Every single moment of my last one hundred and forty six years has been ruled by the pain of being a vampire." He added and I looked at Elena as she furrowed her eyebrows at him silently. Stefan looked at her before he looked back at Rebekah and clenched his jaw. "And this cure ends that. It ends the guilt and it ends the suffering. You really think I would jeopardize that?" He asked in disbelief and Rebekah looked away from him.

"Fine. You didn't take it. But that doesn't mean I trust her." Rebekah stated as she looked back at Elena who furrowed her eyebrows. I exchanged a serious look with Elena before she rolled her eyes and gave a light scoff. She knelt towards her sleeping bag and pulled it back to reveal the white oak stake.

"I didn't take it, but here. Consider this a peace offering." Elena replied quietly as she gestured the stake towards Rebekah.

"Don't you get it, Elena? There is no peace. We're all screwed." Rebekah stated in defeat and I scoffed, walking forward.

"Exactly, Rebekah. We're screwed. Bonnie's gone. Shane's got the tombstone. Jeremy's missing—who knows when Damon's coming back." I pointed out in annoyance before I shrugged. "So us four, right here.. This is all we've got." I added, gesturing around the tent and looked around them as they all watched me silently. "So we're either in this together.. or it's over. For all of us." I stated emotionlessly and looked at Stefan who looked down. I turned back to Rebekah who looked down at the stake Elena still held out towards her.. before she took it from her and I nodded, exchanging a look with Elena.