Not Alone Tonight

Chapter 5

Chapter 5: A Beautiful Place To Die

Stefan is sitting on the edge of Bonnie's bed while she sleeps. She starts waking up and Stefan turns to face her. "Hey. How are you feeling?" "What are you doing here?" Bonnie sits up, "How did I get here?"

"What do you mean?" Stefan asks confused, "I brought you home. The witches almost killed you." "What witches?" Bonnie asks shocked. Stefan furrows his brows. "You don't remember?" Bonnie raises her eyebrows at Stefan. "They must have messed with your memory."

Stefan readjusts himself on the bed. "What's the last thing you remember?"

Bonnie concentrates. "I was with Jeremy on the island and Katherine showed up, but we thought it was Elena... That's the last thing I remember."

Stefan looks at her. "There's something you should know... Silas is here, and he's been getting inside your head by pretending to be Professor Shane."

Damon groans as he wakes up. He looks around the room to find that he's alone. He calls Stefan. "Damon, what did you do?" Stefan sighs. "Let's just say it involves a 5'7 brunette and her blonde accomplice." Stefan groans. This explains why he hasn't heard from Rebekah since she left his bedroom. "Please don't tell me this is going where I think it is."

"Wrong fantasy brother," Damon remarks, "Unless you're into betrayal and snapped necks. They stole the lead I had on Katherine. If you're trying to find the words to tell me how badly I screwed up, save your breath."

Stefan sighs, "I didn't stop the massacre."

Damon groans, "Guess Silas has everything he needs." Stefan nods and even though Damon can't see him, he knows his brother is nodding. "Everything but the cure."

Elena speeds into a street parking space with Rebekah in the passenger seat. They get out of the car. "Why are we stopping?" Rebekah asks indignantly. "We've searched three cities in the last 24 hours," Elena groans, "I'm sick of Top 40 radio and I smell like leather."

Rebekah rolls her eyes. "And that's my fault? Did you ever think that maybe Damon has bad information?" Elena looks around. "Have I mentioned how I can't stand the sound of your voice?" Rebekah presses her lips together. "Too bad, we're not done. Get in, next town."

Elena spots a girl walking to her car and licks her lips. "In a minute, I'm hungry." Rebekah calls after her, "We're not here for a pub crawl." Elena rolls her eyes. "I said in a minute." Elena appears next to the girl and startles her before exposing her fangs and going to the girl's neck. The girl's eyes widen, "Katherine, what are you doing?"

Rebekah raises her eyebrows. Elena stops and pulls back. "You know me?" Elena asks surprised. The girl responds, "Of course... And I know most people around here prefer you to feed from the neck, but I asked you to drink from the wrist, remember?" The girl pulls back her sleeve and reveals two puncture marks.

Rebekah laughs, "The conniving little bitch compelled the whole town." Elena and Rebekah interrogate the girl only to find out that the girl would only give answers to Elena who she thought was Katherine. Unfortunately, the girl couldn't provide information on Katherine's whereabouts.

Damon and Stefan get out the car and walk towards Damon's car. "If they so much as even scratched the paint on my baby..." Damon says threateningly. "Well, just be grateful Sheriff Forbes was able to track down the car after you let them, ah you know, steal it from you."

Damon glares at his brother, but unlike usually it's a glare without malice. "Remind me to send her some mini-muffins... Did we really need that much gas or are you making me lug this around as punishment?" Damon asks, the two large containers still in his hands. "Both," Stefan smirks and Damon groans.

"We're going to Willoughby," Stefan informs his brother. "Wait," Damon says confused, "That name wasn't on the list." Stefan looks amused. "Oh, you mean the list they stole from right under your nose after you let your guard down?" Stefan chuckles and Damon rolls his eyes and starts filling his car with fuel. "They'll be there. Sheriff Forbes tracked down the car they stole right after yours."

Damon has a mild look of surprise grace his features. "Screw the muffins... I'll get her champagne."

Rebekah and Elena walk over to a postal worker outside the post office. "Hey, excuse me, um... Do I have any mail today?" Elena bats her eyelashes at him. "What happened to your hair?"

"I cut it," Elena answers in an irritated tone. The postal worker looks at her confused. "In the last two minutes?"

"I was here two minutes ago?" Elena narrows her eyes at him. "Are you feeling okay Miss Pierce?" Elena nods. "Yeah, I'm... I'm fine. Um, thanks." The man nods and walks away.

"She was here two minutes ago," Elena informs Rebekah, "That means she can't be that far away. How about you check inside, and I'll look in the parking lot?" Rebekah nods and heads inside. Elena walks over to the parking lot. She sees a girl with dark curly hair in black car. Thinking it may be Katherine, she hides behind a van. The girl gets out and it's not Katherine. Elena lets out a sigh of relief. Suddenly someone grabs her from behind and shoves her against the van – Katherine has her pinned by the neck.

"I'm impressed," Katherine says, "I never thought you'd find me here." She starts choking Elena. "Oh, well it's a beautiful place to die," Katherine smirks at Elena. From behind, Rebekah grabs Katherine's neck and pushes her to the ground. "I couldn't agree more," Rebekah smirks, "You've chosen a beautiful place to die." Katherine is shocked.