MYSTIC FALLS

Caroline and Tyler awkwardly walked through the woods, Anna trailing them as they followed her mom and the deputies carrying Damon's body.

"Where are they taking him?" Caroline spoke to Tyler for the first time since their kiss. Thankfully, before either of them could talk about the awkward kiss that, somehow, felt nice, Anna had dropped next to them with a sly grin on her face.

Tyler's eyes looked around him as he assessed where they were in the woods until he realized where Mason had directed them. "They're taking him to the old Lockwood Cellar. It's what Mason uses when he transforms."

Anna, who had been keeping an eye out behind them, in case anyone was following, let out a loud snort. "So he's happy to reveal our species, but his true identity, he's happy to keep to himself."

Tyler's mouth twitched at the vampire's truth as Caroline glanced over it, their eyes meeting since their kiss. "She's right, you know. Mason is being incredibly hypocritical right now."

"Mason is also agitated that a 17-year-old humiliated him, and a vampire mocked him," Tyler defended his uncle; he looked at the two girls. "He's messed up, I know that. But this is not the Mason, I know, the Mason, Aella knows."

"That's Katherine's M.O," Anna pointed out. "She did the same with Damon; that's what she's doing with Mason."

"It doesn't matter what Mason's gone through," Caroline's face twisted as she thought of the consequences of Mason's actions. "Mason broke the number one unofficial rule we all have; he revealed our species to the actual enemy. What happens next is anyone's guess."

Tyler hesitantly nodded; Mason had opened up a big can of angry worms and had no idea what he'd really done. Tyler saw the group approaching the cellar and signaled the girls to stop. They crouched down to watch them.

"-Careful," Liz told the deputies as they entered the cellar. "The wooden bullets and vervain won't keep him down for long."

Once they all entered the cellar, the three carefully made their way over. It was quiet until a shot echoed around them, making all three jump.

For the first time since she'd become a vampire, Caroline wished she didn't have advanced hearing as she heard Damon plead with her mom, and her mom completely ignored him. Damn was a jackass, but he didn't need to be tortured.

"-This is how it's gonna work. Answer me, and you don't get shot, understand? How many of you are there?"

"-Liz, please."

Another shot echoed around the air, causing Tyler to only jump this time; the vampires had heard the clicking of the following bullet being loaded. "What's happening?"

Caroline couldn't answer, hearing the malice and sadness in her mom's voice. So, Anna replied, her stomach turning at Damon's cries, "She's torturing him."

"-How did you fool us? How do you walk in the sun?"

When Liz shot again, Caroline moved to enter the cellar, but Anna stopped her. "If you go in, it's all over."

"-I will drag this out painfully."

"-But you're my friend."

Caroline had only heard Damon use that same tone with Aella and knew that Damon's friendship with Liz was real, and he didn't deserve this. Caroline removed Anna's hand from her arm, turning to face her, and Caroline proclaimed, "It may not be best for me, but he's my friend."

"-He's not gonna tell us anything. Kill him."

The two vampires heard the order, and Caroline wasted no time before running into the cellar. Anna groaned to herself before she followed because while Damon wasn't her favorite person, Caroline was her friend. She wasn't going to abandon her.

TEMPLAR GARDEN, VIRGINIA

Aella's wide eyes turned to look up at Stefan's identical ones before looking down at the page before. There it was drawn, twin to the stone that she held in her hands; the moonstone.

Nate settled in his chair, hands behind his head proudly, "Even Bilbo couldn't have dropped a better cliffhanger than that."

Aella's green eyes met her uncle's, "Is there anymore?"

"Nope," Nate popped his 'p' before sitting back up again. "At least for that book. I've not looked for it in any other ones."

"There's got to be more," Aella pondered, looking between the stone and the image on the page. "Why would grandad have this?" She turned her gaze to Nate, "Surely he would have seen it and wanted to know more?"

Nate shrugged, "My dad was a hoarder when it came to old books that mentioned curses and the use of old magic. Strange, but everyone has their own hobbies."

Stefan raised a weary brow, "Still a strange hobby."

Nate snorted, "Have you heard of the hobbies people have?!" He leaned forward, excitement in his eyes, and he looked at Stefan, "Did you know some dude in Australia collects his own navel fluff?! Has like a full jar of it." Nate shuddered at the thought, "It'd make sense; those Aussies do live upside down."

Stefan opened his mouth to correct Nate but stopped when Aella shot him a look. Instead, he questioned the collection Nate had spoken of, "Is there a way for you to check out his collection to see if there's more to the story."

Aella, whose eyes were focused on the story she re-read, pointed at Stefan without looking away, "That's actually a good idea."

Nate groaned, head falling to the elegant table with a groan as he mimed shooting himself in the head, "Did you not hear when I call my dad a hoarder! There's like a room full!"

Aella's eyes, again, did not move from the page, "We'll get those 'friends,'" She quoted with her fingers. "You apparently have to help."

"They are real," Nate's eyes widened at her words. He looked uneasily at Stefan, "I totally have friends. They're just busy."

Stefan struggled to hide his smile, "I believe you, Nate."

Yet, Nate heard the humor in his tone and turned an icy glare towards his niece, "See what you did, you little Gremlin. He thinks I have imaginary friends."

Aella finally looked at her uncle, a devious look in her eyes, "Well, if the hat fits..."

Nate used his magic to close the book Aella was reading, and Stefan had to snort, knowing Aella had used the trick on her friends and him multiple times in the past. "Did I do that?!" Nate stood up, hand to his heart, "How silly of me."

"Child," Aella muttered, opening the book back up.

"Awesome, uncle!" Nate shouted back as he walked away from them.

Aella's middle finger was missed as Nate left the room with a spring in his step.

Stefan watched Aella as she read and re-read the text, hoping Nate had missed a crucial detail that would help them, "What are you thinking?"

Aella looked at him, biting her lip in thought, "I think this stone is important. I don't know how, but it feels important." She closed the book and picked up the stone, "Katherine's not stupid. Why did she have the stone in the first place? And why's it so important that she created a relationship a whole year before even thinking of coming to Mystic Falls?" She looked up at Stefan, "What do you think?"

Stefan didn't hesitate to answer her, "I think you're right." He stroked the apple of her cheek, "As much as I hate her, Katherine is not stupid. She's been playing this game a lot longer than we all know. Each action is planned carefully, and I can assure you she'll have contingencies." His eyes turned towards the stone in her hands, "The stone, the story mentioned it was the amulet that held the witch's power. Can you not feel that kind of magic?"

"No." Aella shook her head, turning it around in her hand. "But there could be several reasons why: different kinds of magic, the age of the spell, the fact the witch may not be alive any longer, or the obvious - it's just a stone."

Stefan took the stone from her as he surmised, "But even a regular stone can become a powerful instrument in the wrong hands."

Stefan's phone rang, and he pulled it out of his pocket. He frowned when he read the name, "It's Tyler?"

Aella snorted, "Caroline couldn't have killed Damon already, could she?"

Stefan shrugged, answering the phone, "Hey Ty-" When he paused, Aella's grin fell when she saw her boyfriend's eyes widen.

Even before he hung up the phone, she knew something was wrong in Mystic Falls. "What happened?"

Stefan stood up and began gathering their things; his nose flared as he growled. "Mason just made a big mistake."

MYSTIC FALLS

"Stop!"

Liz spun at her daughter's voice, "Caroline? What the hell are you doing here?"

Caroline peered down at Damon before looking back at her mother, "Y-you can't hurt him. I-I'm not going to let you."

Liz glanced between Damon and Caroline, her brows furrowed, "You know what he is?"

"I do," Caroline shakily stepped forward, wincing at how bad Damon looked. "I know what he is, and I know who you really are, and I still can't let you hurt him."

Caroline felt a form coming behind her, and when she saw her mom's eyes dart to the person, she knew it was one of her deputies. When a hand pushed her forward, Caroline glared over her shoulder at the deputy, "Hey!"

Suddenly a noise echoed in the small space, and the deputy readied his gun. Liz's eyes burned as she looked to her daughter, "Who else is with you?"

When there was a second noise, Caroline saw Anna before the vampire began speeding around the small space. Liz's gun was soon in hand as she and the deputies failed to focus on the quick-moving form. When Caroline saw the deputy ignore Anna and turn back to Damon to finish him off, Caroline used her speed and strength to hit the gun out of the deputy's hand and knock him unconscious, as Anna killed the second, until only Liz stood. By then, the blood of the dead deputy in such an enclosed space was too much for Caroline as her face began to disfigure. Liz could only look on in horror as it was revealed her daughter, her child, was one of the monsters she hunted.

Damon wasted no time, moving towards the dead deputy and feeding on him as Anna collected the guns, including Liz's, who still stared at her daughter with dread.

Focusing on what Stefan had taught her, Caroline was able to transform her face back to normal as she tearfully took a step towards her mom. "Mom?" Her heart broke as Liz took a fearful step back.

They heard footsteps entering the cellar, and Liz hoped it was Mason or another deputy. When Tyler stepped into the room, Liz quickly called out to him, "Run, Tyler. Find your mom, tell her where I am."

Incredibly, Tyler glanced down at Damon, ignoring her completely. "You okay?"

Damon looked up from the deputy's neck, wiping the blood away from his mouth, "Don't worry, baby Lockwood. My beef is with your uncle, not you."

Liz's eyes darted around the room in disbelief, looking at them all, "You all know." She turned to her daughter, "And you, y-you're a-"

Caroline's expression hardened, "Yes, mom. I'm a vampire."

Without thought, Liz's eyes darted to the guns Anna held, something Caroline noted with disgust, "Already thinking how to kill me. God, Mom! Guess you won't be winning mom of the year this time... or like ever!"

Damon groaned as he stood back up, looking at the bullet holes in his shirt with detestation, "This is a most unfortunate situation." He walked over to the unconscious deputy and casually snapped his neck. Liz held a hand to her mouth in horror. "Two deputies are dead, and you." He turned to Liz, his expressions closed up. "What am I gonna do with you?"

Caroline turned to her mom in desperation, "You won't tell anyone, will you? Mom?" As much as Damon liked her mom, she had still tried to kill him and now knew their biggest secrets. "Mom?" Caroline ran over to Liz, ignoring her flinch, and shook her body. "Please. Look, I know that we don't get along and that you probably hate me, but I'm your daughter, and you'll do this for me." Liz's eyes didn't leave Damon as Caroline began crying when Damon said nothing to counteract her words. "Mom, please. He will kill you."

All was quiet until Liz slowly turned to look her daughter in the eyes for the first time; tears glimmered in her fierce gaze. "Then kill me."

"No!" Caroline recoiled, turning away from Liz.

"I can't take this," Liz continued jaw set. "Kill me now."

Anna held Caroline as Damon stepped towards Liz, holding a shuddering Caroline as Damon bent his head, so his gaze met Liz's. Then, in a crazy turn of events, Anna watched in astonishment as Damon simply said, "You're my friend."

Caroline's head looked up from Anna's shoulder in bewilderment as Liz let out a shaky breath and began crying with relief in Anna's arms. Damon looked to Tyler, "We've got to clean this up."

.................................................

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Aella hung up the phone as Stefan drove them home, biting her lip to cover up how angry she was feeling.

Stefan glanced over at her, "Is Caroline okay?" Yes, he'd heard the conversation, but Aella would know from Caroline's voice rather than her words how the blonde was feeling.

Aella rested her chin on her knee as she held it to her chest, "Acting like her mom isn't locked up in the basement and now thinks she's a monster. Acting strong because she feels she needs to." She turned, and her eyes were flooded with tears as she looked towards Stefan, "I need to get home."

Stefan's foot increased pressure on the accelerator without thought. "And Mason?"

"Liz has his attention for now," Aella gazed out the window into the darkness.

"And Tyler's at the boarding house?" Stefan confirmed.

"Mmhm," Aella nodded. "Caroline's concerned about what Mason could do." She snorted, "I think Tyler's just staying because it's the only thing Caroline can control, and she needs to feel a little in control right now."

Stefan's attention returned to the road but let out a brief huff of laughter, "I'm surprised by Anna."

Aella looked at Stefan with a lopsided grin, "She knows she's a part of our crazily little family now. She'll protect us all with all her might, just like we'd all do with her."

"Jenna won't be happy," Stefan smirked.

A tearful laugh escaped Aella's lips, "Oh my lord, Anna's first, 'never put yourself in danger again,' rant. She glanced at her boyfriend, "I hope we're home for it."

Stefan gestured for her to look out the window, "Well, we're nearly home, so I think we may just catch it."

Aella looked out the window as they passed the 'Welcome to Mystic Falls' sign. Stefan turned on the indicator as he prepared to turn towards the boarding house when an idea came to Aella. She leaned over and turned off the indicator. Stefan glanced at her in surprise, and Aella faked a smile, "Just keep driving."

Stefan knew this road led only to one of their friends' houses. Nevertheless, his jaw clenched as he carried on driving.