•.•.•.•.•

MYSTIC FALLS, PRESENT DAY

"LIZ Forbes," Grace muttered, driving along in the cop car. The perfect place to make a sacrifice with a full moon was the cemetery, obviously.

"You'll make a fine addition to my collection of worthless humans I don't care about."

Beside Grace, Liz remained unconscious, her vervain ring cast away so it would be easier to get answers out of her.

If only the humane side of Grace had control. But if was all pushed back into her mind, so deep that it would take a special person to bring it back. The very person who had done this to her.

Grace stopped the car abruptly, then went around to the other side to drag the woman out.

However, there was a kink in her plans when she was interrupted so quick-like.

From behind, a pair of hands took her and drove her into the ground, making Grace unable to move. She was pinned, face in the dirt.

"Look who we have here, Miss No Humanity."

Though Grace had no idea who this was, she almost felt like she had heard the voice before.

Grace could not reply, as her face was practically buried in the ground.

"You know, I've done some thinking. And I'm gonna help you get your humanity back, of course. But not before I have a little fun with you."

Damon pulled Grace up to her feet, and she glared as hard as she could through the dim moonlight.

"Who the hell are you? Why do you keep showing up wherever I go?"

Damon shrugged, giving a smirk. "It's a talent of mine. Now, I know you've been kidnapped and compelled and whatnot, so I'm going to try something that might fix a little bit."

Grace was not amused, but she figured it could not hurt.

"Unless you wanna stay for the show, I suggest you hurry this up."

Damon met her eyes, taking her face in his hands. She flinched, as if preparing to hit him away.

"You're going to remember me. Damon Salvatore. And you'll remember every moment we've had together."

Grace's eyes began to roll back rapidly, as if she were in a seizure. Her body went limp, falling into Damon's arms. His eyes went wide, afraid he had killed her.

Yet, after a moment passed, Grace returned to normal. She looked into Damon's eyes, visibly confused. But they were still so empty, so inhumane. Still no humanity.

"Damon. What are you doing?"

He let out a relieved sigh, disbelieving of the myth that had actually worked.

Grace tore out of Damon's grasp, remembering the task she had on-hand.

"I don't know what's happening to me. I'm remembering so many things at once and forgetting things all at once it's- I don't know what's wrong with me."

Damon dusted off his pants, nudging the body of Liz Forbes.

"I'll tell you what's wrong with you. You've let Klaus take over your life. Pro tip; it's not a very smart decision to make."

Grace turned back to Damon, watching him with a straight face.

"At least Klaus could help me forget. A-And how did you just do that thing? Did you- did you compel me?"

Grace did not like how she felt after receiving a load of memories all at once.

Damon leaned against the car, folding his arms. "I did some research. Turns out, there's a few things known about vamp-witches. Although no one believed they could exist, there were theories about their strengths and weaknesses. One of your weaknesses, madam, is compulsion by normal vampires. Crazy, right? The universe works it out."

Grace simply shook her head.

"Right... that's cool I suppose. I'll go back to my work, then. Goodbye, Damon."

But really, it bothered her. A weakness. One that she did not know about before. And Katherine... for all of those years, could compulsion really have been the reason she stayed alongside her?

That made Grace remember another thing she wanted to accomplish while she had the chance to feel nothing. Kill Katherine. Obliterate her.

Whatever it took to have her dead, Grace would do it.

While she thought about these things, she realized Damon was still there.

Rolling her eyes, she said, "Look, Damon. I don't know what you're waiting on me to do or say, but it's obviously not happening. So you can stay and watch or leave. But don't you dare try to interfere."

Damon shook his head.

"Well you're about to hate what I'm going to say, but... I can't not interfere. It's kind of what I was sent here to do. Bonnie?"

At that moment, there was an excruciating pain that shot through Grace. She was blinded for a moment, but knew the Bennett witch was inflicting an aneurysm. One of Grace's favorite tricks, personally.

"You're really going against another witch, Bonnie?" Grace sputtered, falling to her knees with a groan.

"We don't claim you. The universe doesn't, either."

Harsh words. Grace was almost sad.

Instead, she let out a small laugh. "Y-You think I don't know that? I was forced into what I am. I never had the choice- AH! PLEASE!"

There was internal bleeding from Grace's brain. It drained from her ears, eyes, and nose. Bonnie was killing her.

Damon finally intervened.

"Bonnie, stop!" he commanded, kneeling down to a writhing Grace.

Grace held her head, letting out a deep breath. The pain ceased eventually, until she was left on all fours, dripping blood.

Something almost clicked.

"Why I am being treated like the villain here is beyond me. All of you- you're all monsters," Grace spat, glaring to Bonnie.

"Wait a minute. Is that- is that anger I hear? Emotion, dare I say?" Damon taunted.

Grace brought herself to her feet slowly, rolling her eyes at Damon.

"No, Salvatore. I'm simply speaking the truth. You were made into a monster because you chose to follow Katherine around like a lost puppy and let her control you. Pathetic. And Bonnie. Not at all hesitant to go against another witch and for what? Because the universe says so? Weak."

They were both speechless for a moment.

But not for long thanks to Damon and his quick wit.

"A sassy little vamp-witch you are. That must be what Klaus sees in you."

Grace turned her head, almost in a curious way. Damon knew what he was doing. It took him a bit to piece everything together, but he realized it so suddenly.

Grace had to really love Klaus to do what she was doing.

"But then again, Klaus was the one who had your humanity turned off, wasn't he? I wonder why he likes toying with you so much-" "Please, shut up. You're so damn annoying."

Yet, Damon continued, while he had Grace at his expense.

"Let's see. The two of you go way back, you say? Exactly how far back? It's hard to remember, probably. You know why? Because Klaus has manipulated you and your memories so many times that it all gets fuzzy when you think about the past."

He paused, awaiting a response from Grace.

She chewed her lip, clearly having conflict within herself.

"I want to talk to Niklaus. Do you know where he is?"

Damon crossed his arms.

"I might have an idea."

NOTES

ooh prepare for angstiness heehee i love y'all also thank you SO MUCH for 10k reads like holy??? how?? anyways, in other news i have a new stefan fanfic, 'the night we met' if y'all wanna read that too!!