Trouble (Vampire Diaries fan fic, Book Two!!!!!!!),

Chapter 17__Know Thy Enemy

Stefan, Damon and I were going downstairs as Stefan told us, "Isobel just showed up at their front doorstep."

"What's she doing here?" I asked.

"I don't know," Stefan said. "That's what I'm gonna go find out."

Katherine stopped us in the hall. "I don't think that you should tell her I'm here."

"What?" Stefan asked. "Why?"

"It's better if she and John not know that I stayed in town after I got out of the tomb," Katherine told us.

"You're the one in cahoots with them," Damon said. "You made a deal with John that almost got me killed."

"I did what I had to get out of the tomb," Katherine replied. "Now I'm reconsidering my alliance."

She started to turn around as Stefan asked, "What do you know?"

She turned back. "I know that I want Klaus dead, which puts me squarely on Team You. Besides, if you guys ever need me to swap places with Elena again, the less people that know that I'm here, the better. Think about it, Stefan. Come on. Be smart."

"Tell you what," I said, ignoring Katherine, looking at Damon. "Why don't you, uh . . . Call Alaric and let him know that his wife just showed up on his girlfriend's doorstep."

Stefan left the house, and I walked out of the room.

~

Elena, Stefan, Damon and I all sat in the library as Elena asked, "Do you really think that Isobel's telling the truth that word's gotten out about the Doppelganger?"

"Look, I don't trust a word that she says, but I think we'd be stupid to ignore the warning," Stefan said.

"You know, you should just stay here," Damon said. "It's better for us to keep an eye on you."

"What, in the house that any vampire can enter because you burned the deed so I couldn't lock you out?" I asked. "No. Her house is safer."

"Well, then we'll stay there," Damon replied.

"So is that the plan?" Elena asked. "Neither of you will let me out of your sight again?"

"Let me know when you come up with a better one," Damon said.

"Fine," Elena said. "Then one of you two bodyguards is gonna have to come with me to the Lockwood luncheon."

"That'd be me," Stefan answered.

"Not me," Damon said. "I have witch stuff to attend to with Bonnie."

"Does that mean that you're taking her to the . . ." I trailed off.

When he put a finger to his lips. "Shh."

Katherine walked in behind us. "Don't get quiet on my account. If you have a plan to combat the impending vampire doom, please do tell." No one answered. "Seriously, what is the plan to get us out of this mess, hmm? I delievered you a moonstone, a werewolf, and the dagger to lure and kill Klaus, and right now all you have is a moonstone. Or so you tell me."

"No, we have it," I said.

"Where is it?" Katherine asked.

I smirked, looking at Damon. "It's in a very safe place."

"I've been honest with you," Katherine told us. "Time to return the favor."

"Let me be honest with you," Damon told her. "Don't mistake the fact that we haven't set you on fire in your sleep for trust."

Elena looked back at Katherine, smiling as Katherine said, "Fine. Be that way."

We were glad when she left.

~

Damon walked in later with John's dead body.

"What or who should I thank for killing John?" I asked.

"Isobel," Damon answered. "He has his ring, he'll be back."

"Damn it," I whispered.

Damon dropped him, looking at me. "Have you been here all day alone with Katherine?"

I scoffed. "No. I just got back."

"From your little mystery place that you haven't told anyone about?" Damon asked.

"Does it matter?" I replied.

"No," Damon answered.

"Then stop asking me about it," I said, thinking about the cabin. I looked down at the blood stain on his shirt. "You kinda have blood on your shirt."

"Yeah," Damon sighed, walking to the stairs, up and to his room.

~

Isobel had kidnapped Elena, died and let her go. Klaus was in town, and he had Katherine.

Damon and I walked into the living room to see Elena and Stefan.

"He knows I'm not gonna run," Elena said.

"Which is why we need to take some precautions, 'cause we got played," Damon said. "All of us."

He set a stack of papers down, Elena looking at them. "What's this?"

"It's the new deed to our house," Stefan answered. "Damon had burned the old one so Nicola couldn't change it from Zach's name to hers and lock him out."

"But, I'm reconsidering," Damon said.

"Isobel had the right idea with the safe house," Stefan said. "You'll stay here till it's all over. That way, you both can control who gets invited and who doesn't. The only bad thing is . . .if one of you dies, which is more than likely, the seal breaks again."

"Although, I'll be super pissed if you both lock me out," Damon said. He looked at me. "I still wouldn't put it past you. That's why she's signing it too."

"As long as murderous vampires stay out, I'm happy," I said with a smile. I looked at Damon, tiliting my head. "And you really need to start trusting me."

John gasped alive, Damon rushing over and grabbing his shirt as John said, "I swear I had no idea what she was gonna do. I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry."

"Damon, let him go," Elena said, standing.

~

Well, I got my protection back, finally, even if it was just until Elena died in the sacrifice.

It just had to take Elena to be in danger from a big, bad Original to do it.