Written 2013 by VeGirl

Finally we were on a flight to get back to Mystic Falls. Amariya had come with us to help with the transition and we had two days before the mysterious Wiccan holiday that I barely could pronounce.

I was lucky getting the seat next to our charming host. "How did you get the sword through the metal detector?" I hissed.

He raised one of his eyebrows. "Compulsion."

"Neat," I muttered.

"I can teach you," he offered.

I turned to give him a surprised look.

"After I've turned you," he continued, raising his wrist towards his mouth with a questioning look.

I scowled at him. "I swear I'm gonna O.D. on that stuff one of these days," I muttered.

Amariya was on my other side, so I did my best to block Klaus out and turn to his sister instead. "What do we do when we get there; apparently you know sites in the area where we could go through." I was anxious to get this plan working.

"I've been thinking... What happened the day before you met Damon?"

I tried to go back in time to recall what really had happened. "I walked around town, saw the sign of the garden tour and joined it. That's when I thought I saw him in the window," I told her and she still had the thoughtful expression on.

"The next day I went on a trip with the Vampire Stalkers." Her eyes widened a bit by the phrase, but she rolled her eyes and motioned for me to continue. "We drove around town, but I can't think of anything substantial like the old school house, I'm sorry."

She sat in silence, thinking hard. "Okay, where did you go?"

I went through the day in chronological order, trying to remember every tiny detail.

"And this was on the twenty-first of June?" She pulled out her iPhone to look at the calendar and I couldn't help but to be impressed by her way to adapt to the modern society in no time, after being cold and out for almost a millennium. "Yes, that was the day of the solstice," she mumbled to herself.

"After lunch we went to the old Salvatore estate, the high school and Bree's Bar; that was where I met Damon that night." I got some enthusiasm in my voice immediately. "Bree was a witch; could that be it?"

"It sounds unlikely, but it's worth a shot," she said still in her own thoughts.

The plane landed in Atlanta, and as soon as we got through customs a black car waited outside.

"Do you have a car waiting at every airport as well?" I asked Klaus, implying that he was a spoiled brat.

"No." He laughed. "But I told one of my hybrids to leave it here for us."

"Your hybrids? But I thought we couldn't just waltz into Mystic Falls..."

"Oh, I can; you're the ones who need a special passport," he said making my mouth fall open.

Oh please remind me that I don't belong here, why don't you.

I would have thought we would all just go to Klaus' mansion, but that was apparently impossible, so Anna and I checked into a hotel in Covington, while Klaus took Amariya with him to his house. After having spent so much time together, I was terrified when he left us, what if they couldn't find us again? What if we were stuck here without any help what so ever?

The next day they came back though when we just exited the breakfast area. I had barely slept that night and had a smashing headache.

"Wow, you look... wrecked," Klaus said. "It looks like you had a real bender last night." He had the teasing tone to accentuate the expression on his face. I glared at him, but was so glad to see him and his sister again, that I nearly jumped into their arms.

"Research!" Amariya said and her eyes glittered. "Are you ready? We have to find the location before tomorrow."

My stomach clenched and I took a deep breath. "Let's go find it."

The July heat was quavering and Anna and I were grateful for the air-condition in the car as I guided Klaus to the location. I was so tense when we stopped the car and got out that my head was almost spinning.

We walked up to the facility and I grabbed Anna's arm for support, but it was of course closed. Which bar is open at ten o'clock in the morning?

Anna and Amariya stopped, making me jerk back a little.

"No, this isn't it!" Anna said.

Really?

"Anna, how would you know?" I said a bit cocky. "You weren't there."

"I just don't get that feeling I had by the old school," she said and it actually made sense; this didn't send out that same vibrations.

"But you said that the owner was a witch?" Klaus asked me and I nodded. "Was; as in; not anymore?"

"Yes, she's dead."

"That could explain the lack of magic now." Klaus and Amariya looked at each other with confirmative nods, and they started to look around for a place to hold the magic we needed.

In a flash it hit me and maybe Anna at the same time, because we stared wide at each other. "Damon killed her before we got here."

The siblings stopped and turned towards us. "Before?"

"Yes, sorry; I forgot."

They looked at each other and amazingly enough, not even Klaus was mad. "Back to the drawing board," was all he said and motioned for us to get back to the car. He usually gets raging mad, what happened?

"Are you okay?" I asked when Klaus was about to close the door after me as I got in the car.

He looked surprised at me. "I'm not the one who needs to get back in the game, luv."

"No, but..."

"Get in, we'll figure it out!" Stunned I watched him wink at me as he closed the door for me. What had happened to him; he seriously couldn't be transforming into a nice guy, right?

"So..." Amariya said as we sat in the car. "What did you do after going to the bar that day?"

I sighed and did my best to recall what happened. "High school, Dr. Gilbert's office and the library?" I sighed since I had no idea where to start. I started to show directions for us to get there, but Klaus turned and watched me with crooked eyebrows.

"I've been in and out of this town double the length of your lifetime, luv. I can find my way around here."

I felt stupid. "Sorry."

He started the car and I sat quiet in the backseat the entire round, I didn't even get out when they stopped by the doctor's office. Crestfallen was the word.

"Wait a minute, didn't you tell me you were at the Lockwood estate as well?" Anna asked when they all got into the car again.

I watched her. "Yes, how could I have forgotten that one?" My mind must be out for the counting, but it was definitely on now. "Yes, I was out in the garden, the big stone stairs had this tense feeling and I thought about that episode when Elijah was walking there with Elena," I said turning to Anna all excited. "I said I wished you'd be there."

"Bing, bing, bing; and we have a winner!"

I looked at the siblings that congratulated each other. "That's it? Did we make it?"

Amariya laughed. "We've found it, now we'll go test it, are you ready?" I nodded and we drove up to the area where I knew Tylers house was located. We discussed the problem of these double realities which I still had hard time understanding, especially the fact that Klaus could travel in between, but Anna and I couldn't.

"Can they see you if they're inside?"

"No, silly, this is just the setting, not the actual home." Klaus gave me a patronizing look. "Haven't you ever heard of time as the fourth dimension, time-dilation, or relativity-theory? Don't you ever watch the news or read a book, sweetie? This country sure has dumbed down these last centuries." He muttered.

"Well, I'm not actually from this country... so," I mumbled offended; turning to look the other way.

Klaus just chuckled and opened the door for me to get out. As we rounded the house there were a lot of people walking around in the garden, looking at the plants and flowers in a similar way I had done outside a specific brown bond timber house. That felt like a relief.

I walked towards the specific area of the stone stairs and made my way over there. Immediately there was a tingling feeling, some kind of tension and as the others closed in I watched the girls' expression; I could see how they were affected as well.

Amariya smiled. "You found it; good girl!"

I turned toward Klaus. "Your sister is so much nicer than you."

"Yes, but I have saved your life, pet," was his valid argument; and granted, that rang a little higher.

"Why don't you just jump in bed together?" Anna mumbled and both Klaus and I stared at her and then at each other.

"Way ahead of you, luv." Klaus said and we shared a smile. We had indeed slept together, but sleeping was all; except waking up cuddling in the morning of course. That had been a surprise for us both.

I did my best to snap out of those thoughts. "Okay, how do we do this?"

* * * * *

At the break of dawn we were back. The neighborhood was eerily quiet, which made us all whisper as we set up the acquired candles and magical accessories Amariya ordered. I felt all jittery and Anna looked like she felt the same.

Amariya motioned for Anna and me to come closer and when we did, the weak humming that seemed to come from the big piece of rock escalated to a hissing sound and when we did like our head-witch told us to; grab hold of each other and sit down on the stone; the noise rose to a roar and then a scream. We held on for dear life until everything got quiet.

The next time I opened my eyes the sun was shining bright at us and I was freezing. How did it get so cold?

"Emma?" Anna came to at the same time, and we were still holding hands.

"Anna, are you okay?" I asked.

"Yes, but I'm so cold; how can it be so cold?" she whined. "Didn't they say some crap about time travelling in different pace or something? I really didn't listen that close."

"Does this mean it worked?" I hardly dared to breathe.

Could it really work? "If it has, we really need to get out of here," I whispered and we got on our feet and scurried to the rendezvous point where a car waited.

So far, so good...

We drove back to the hotel, but in our jittery state we had forgotten that we had checked out of there. Klaus had our suitcases and everything for us not to be linked to our old reality and I just turned the car around and drove back into town. I think I held my breath when we took the turn over Wickory Bridge, on our way in to town.

The feeling of passing the sign that said 'Welcome to Mystic Falls' was indescribable.

After have been whispering the entire night, both Anna and I squealed out loud. "It worked, it worked!" We laughed and cheered. But when the cheering subsided we didn't know where to go. I wanted immediately to go after Damon, but I had to be smart.

"Let's go to Klaus, I'm sure they are wondering how things worked out." Anna had some wise arguments, but I just had to take a detour past the Boarding house, just to find Stefan's car on the driveway, but not Damon's.

Where could he be?

Anna threw herself around the necks of both Amariya and Klaus in pure bliss, and I couldn't do anything but to follow her lead.

"I'm so glad that everything worked out for you," Amariya said.

"Welcome to the other side!" Klaus said cheery, his eyes sparkling with mischief; it was obvious that he was back in business. The head of the food-chain was back.

We had already been settled in each guestroom and we both needed a warm shower first thing. It felt amazing after those days we had rushed around in Europe, living in a car. This felt almost like home and that was something I never would have thought. After the shower I put on a clean pair of dark blue jeans and a long sleeved white t-shirt. Even if it was warm inside, I remembered how cold we had been when we came to, laying in Tyler's back yard.

Klaus had arranged for someone to make a big hotel breakfast for us and I had to stop myself from commenting what a nice guy he had turned into. He most certainly would have proved me wrong and that usually ended with someone's death.

"So, are you off to find you Salvatore-boy now?" he said where we sat by the white linen-covered impressive breakfast table.

My stomach clenched at the thought of him. "Yes."

"Good luck."

"I'll stick around here." Anna said, looking a little weary at our host.

"Be my guest," he said in the way that you didn't really know if he was friendly or sarcastic.

"Call if..." I shrugged, and Anna gestured that she'd be fine.

I had no idea where to start looking for Damon when I now finally had broken through the barriers, and I ended up driving around in town.

The pale blue convertible wasn't anywhere in town and I feared that he had skipped town altogether. I drove past the sight of Elena's house and Alaric's apartment building but nowhere was that blue convertible to be seen. Finally I stopped by the Grill to see if anyone knew where he was. It felt like home to step inside that door, but I noted that they had redecorated while I was gone.

Matt stopped in the middle of a step to stare at me. "Emma, is that you?" His face split up in a big smile and he walked quickly up to me to give me a big hug. "Where have you been?"

I didn't really know what to say. "I had to take a detour... But now I'm back." I put on a brave face. "You've redecorated," I commented with a gesture around the room.

"Yeah, we had a crazy ass vampire-hunter blow this joint to pieces," he said with a dull laugh.

"What?!"

"Never a dull moment in this town..." He had a smile on his face, but his tone was tired. "A lot of stuff's been going on while you were gone."

"Yes I heard about the hunter, and Elena's transformation."

"Yeah, you should be a bit careful around her, she almost killed me."

I looked confused at him.

"She's been having a bit trouble keeping food down..." He looked around to make sure nobody was listening in on our conversation. "Blood, more specific..."

We just looked at each other while I was thinking about how much had happened.

"But you look good." He put on that brave crooked smile of his.

"Thanks', you too," I replied polite. "I was actually looking for Damon," I said, shrugging my eyebrows. "Have you seen him? I thought he might be at Alaric's but I can't find him."

Matt went completely still. "Alaric is dead."

"What?" My eyes widened at this info.

"It is a long story... he went homicidal hunter and they killed him and Klaus."

"Klaus isn't dead," I said with certainty. "I just saw him."

"Yeah it's complicated..."

I sighed and tried to melt this information. Alaric was dead? Wow, I wondered how Damon was doing; they had been friends.

"Yeah, I don't know where Damon is," Matt said as if he had read my mind. "He comes in here for a couple of drinks once in a while."

I just nodded and got an instant need to get out of there. "Thanks', I'll..." I just gestured to the door and we both nodded. "It was good to see you," I said and he mumbled something alike and then I left.

I sat down behind the wheel of my car, just staring out the window. Alaric was dead? I liked him, why did he have to die? How was Damon coping? I had to find him! I turned the key and drove another round in town, his car was still missing and I didn't want to stop by the boarding house to talk to Stefan or Elena about it.

Of all places, I decided to go to the cemetery. It felt both eerie and familiar to walk there; cemeteries had never scared me, but this one had been through a lot. I found Elena's parents' grave, and finally by a tree, I found Alaric's. There were no flowers, but an empty bottle of bourbon clued me in on who had been here; the man I was looking for.

With new energy I took the car to Bree's bar, and it was hard not to think about how we had been here just yesterday, looking for a way to get Anna and me back in town. I got inside and ordered a beer by the bar, thinking about the night I had met Alaric and Damon there. I missed Alaric; I missed his sarcastic humor, and his way of handling Damon's shitty mood. I raised my beer bottle in a toast to the man I hoped to see again.

I sat there in silence while dusk silently was closing in, and that was when I thought about the day I went searching for Damon last; the day I had been Klaus' girlfriend. I found him in a stripper joint close by, and immediately I headed for the door and walked over there.

The moment I saw him my heart almost stopped. I wanted to run up to him and jump into his arms, but he was drunk and I recognized all the same actions I saw that horrid day when Klaus did his cute little prank by compelling me to believe I was his girlfriend.

He was wrecked!

I started to hyperventilate and just stood there glued to the floor.

Suddenly I saw how he got on his feet, a bit unstabile as expected and with that hard, glib expression he used to hide his feelings behind was obvious as he headed for the bar, right in my direction.

My stomach was in a knot when I saw his eyes fall on me.

He stopped dead in his tracks. "Emma..." he breathed and his face changed from grey veiny snaggletooth into drop dead gorgeous Damon again. "You're back?" He looked like he didn't believe his own eyes.

"Yes, right on time; it looks like." My voice might have been a tad sarcastic.

He had his eyes on me, looking like I was a figment of his own imagination when he slowly walked up to me. Stopping right in front of me, with his eyebrows still furrowed, he reached a hand out to touch me but stopped inches from me.

"You're still not real are you; I'm still just imagining you, aren't I?" His eyes were dull and lifeless.

My heart just broke, but I took a deep breath. "What would I say if I was just in your mind?" I said quietly.

"You never talk to me, you just smile." His shoulders were slumped forward and he forgot to keep his guard up. "I wish you'd say you love me..." It was barely a whisper.

"I do love you."

"Please come back, and stay."

There I stood merely inches from him, and he wanted me; a smile spread on my face. "Make me." I know it was a bit cocky and I'd rather take him in my arms and comfort him, but that was slipped through my lips.

Once again, he furrowed his eyebrows and tilted his head, but then his expression faded into that empty shell again. "Okay, that was new, and you know what; I can't take it anymore." In horror I saw him take his ring off and then he was gone.

I just froze.

Oh my God, was it daylight out? What time was it? I couldn't think. My mind was going hundred miles an hour, but my feet weren't moving.

In an instant the paralyses broke and I bent down to pick up his Lapis Lazuli ring from the floor, and the next second I was running towards the door. Once outside I looked in every direction, but I couldn't see him anywhere.

"Damn that vampire speed!" I hissed through my teeth. "Perhaps I should take Klaus up on his offer to turn me?" I mumbled to myself as I ran to Damon's car and took a big leap into it, found the hidden key and took off.

Where the hell was I supposed to look for him?

If he got home to the Boarding house, Stefan would stop this suicide mission, so that was not plausible. Where was I supposed to find him?

Think Emma! I scowled myself. Didn't Stefan have one of these stupid whims as I watched him on my TV; where did he go; the quarry? I didn't know about any quarry. Elena would know but I couldn't ask her, could I; no, she'd be devastated!

Where would I go if I was him?

It hit me like a flash of lightening; his hiding place, his secret house. I hit the gas pedal and slid through an intersection to get out of town in the right direction. Then there was nothing to do but break the speed limit through the darkness, with his ring still clenched in my hand.

I found the small road more easily than I thought I would have in the dark, and I just kept going. The trees came worryingly close one time, and I thanked my lucky star that I didn't crash into it.

All of a sudden I had to hit the brakes like crazy, and the big car skidded to a halt right in front of the road block. Damn it!

"Damon!" I yelled and watched the clock in panic, it was way over three, and I started to search everywhere in the car for the damn remote to open the boom. My hands fluttered over the dashboard and under it, while I strained my eyes to make something out through the dim light from the dashboard; illuminating almost nothing. I found the remote and pressed the damn thing open. It felt like forever before the boom was high enough for this pale blue convertible to fit under, and then I was off again; with grovel spurting out behind me. 

The road had more turns than I remembered and was even narrower; the darkness from the forest and whatever hid in it didn't bother me though. All I could think about was that I needed to get to him before sunrise, which I could almost feel coming.

"Damon!" I yelled again out into the darkness, and that was when the road turned yet again and I didn't even see the tree before I slammed straight into it.

In a deafening crash, everything got quiet.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Hello my lovelies,

I hope you like the new adventures I have for Emma, but things aren't looking that great right now.

I love to hear your thoughts! // VeGirl

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