𝐋𝐄𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐈𝐍
family defines you, even if it does demand sacrifice

ECHO paced the Salvatore's living room, and chewed on her nails as she came up with ways to hurt Damon.

Even though she knew, deep down, that Isobel wasn't her actual birth mother, she did have the old Echo's memories and feelings which made her confused. She didn't want to feel hurt, but she was. And it doesn't help that her actual birth mother was dead too, so this situation reminded her of that.

Damon was fixing the window because he got attacked last night, and Echo did not feel sorry for him one bit. He deserved it. He deserved all of it. Because of him, her birth mother was a monster. He killed her and sucked the life out of her.

"I say we go to Pearl's, bust down the door, and annihilate the idiot that attacked us last night."

"I say that's a perfect idea. How about you just go, Damon? Maybe you'll get attacked again and hopefully you'll get a—" Echo began, feeling anger inside her that reminded her when she was in hell and tortured until she finally broke.

"I dare you to finish that sentence," Damon said, turning to look at her, hiding his hurt feelings.

"I hope you get a stake in your heart. There. I said it," she spat, crossing her arms. Damon vamped over to her and she barely even flinched. "If you're going to hurt me then do it. Kill me like you did to her."

"I'm not going to kill you, Echo." Damon backed away from her.

"Yeah. And then what? We turn to the rest of that house with the vampires and say, 'oops, sorry?"

"I can't believe you made a deal with her," Elena said, shaking her head.

"It was more like helpful exchange of information. And it's not like I had a choice. She's... scary. Besides, she's gonna help me get Katherine back." "

"What if Katherine doesn't want you back?" Echo asked, her eyes traveling to Damon's. "Then what?"

"Oh, she'll want me back."

"Of course she is. Damon gets what he wants, as usual. No matter who he hurts in the process," Elena spat, crossing her arm, standing by her twin. Side by side, they looked beyond angry.

"You guys don't have to be snarky about it."

"I woke up this morning to learn all the vampires have been released from the tomb. I've earned snarky," Echo stated, huffing. She really can never get a damn break, can she?

"How long are you going to blame me for turning your birth mother into a vampire?"

"Okay, I cannot believe you just said that," Echo said, clenching her jaw. "Elena, I'll be outside. Away from you." She glared at Damon on her way out, slamming the door behind her as she walked to her car. It was turning out to be a stressful day already.

ELENA and Echo were hanging out downstairs in their home, sitting in the kitchen. Elena's phone rang, but she didn't answer it.

Elena furrowed her eyebrows wondering why she didn't answer the call. "Who's that?" She asked.

"Damon," Elena rolled her eyes. "He keeps calling me because you won't answer his calls. It's annoying." She sighed. "I can deal with some girl time right now," she stated and Echo nodded in agreement.

They turned to go up the stairs, but was interrupted by Damon walking through their door.

"Um, Hello? What the hell are you doing here?" Echo asked, folding her arms. "I didn't recall inviting you over here."

"Yeah, yeah, but you're ignoring me."

Echo clicked her tongue. "Are you talking about the sixteen miss calls? Sorry, I don't know what you're talking about. My phone is dead."

"Is Stefan here?" Damon asked, sounding worried.

"Wow. Do you actually sound worried for your little brother?" Echo asked, tilting her head. He glared and she sighed. "No. Why?"

"Is something wrong?" Elena asked him, worried for her boyfriend.

"He went out to the woods and didn't come back. I can't get him on his phone. I figured he was with you."

"It's nice to see you care," Echo gave him the third degree. Honestly, she didn't know why she was so angry at him. She knew that him doing what he did, hurt the old Echo, but did she actually have a reason? Hell if she knew. After all, she is a Winchester, and Winchester's don't know how to act about their feelings.

Elena tried calling Stefan, but was sent straight to voicemail. "It's going straight to voicemail, where could he be?"

"You're not going to like what I'm thinking."

ECHO and Damon were standing outside Pearl's door. Echo had to literally force Damon and kick him in the balls just to get him to let her go with him. He was reluctant, but he didn't want to be kicked in the balls again, so he agreed.

"Pearl! Pearl open this door or I swear to God I'll bust through and rip your head off."

Suddenly, the door opened to reveal the man that attacked Stefan and Damon at the house. "Pearl's not home." The vampire poked his head out the door. "Hmm. Beautiful weather. Not a ray of sun in the sky. And a beautiful girl." He eyed Echo who glared. "Hmm, I bet you are just delicious."

Echo smirked. "Why don't you come and find out then? I'm sure you'll understand the whole biting off more than you can chew thing."

The vampire smiled. "As much as I would love to, I prefer it in here."

Damon glared at the man. "Where's my brother?"

The vampire pulled the door open some more. "Billy." He called. Suddenly two men appeared, dragging Stefan with them who groaned in pain.

"You're dead," Damon growled as he tried to step inside, but couldn't.

"Whoa. I'm sorry. You haven't been invited in."

Echo stepped in front of Damon. "Well, I don't need an invitation." She was about to step inside when Damon grabbed her, holding her back.

The vampire at the door smirked. "That's right, I suggest you keep your bitch under control, cause I'm guessing a lot of the guys in here would love to get a hold of her."

Echo growled at the vampire. "I'm gonna kill you. And I'm gonna enjoy it."

The vampire smiled. "You've got spunk kid. I like that." The vampire then turned to Damon. "Miss Gibbons?" He called.

Suddenly a woman with bite marks all down her neck appeared. "Yes, Frederick, Honey?"

"Never let these bad people in."

Miss Gibbons nodded. "I'll never let them in." The woman smiled before walking off.

Fredrick turned his focus back to Damon. "145 years left starving in a tomb, thanks to Katherine's infatuation with you and your brother. First few weeks, every single nerve in your body screams with fire. The kind of pain that can drive a person mad. Well... I thought your brother might've wanted to get a taste of that before I killed him. Billy."

Suddenly Billy stabbed Stefan in the stomach who groaned in pain and fell to the ground.

"You have a nice day," Fredrick said before closing the door in their faces'.

Echo was about to kick the door down when Damon grabbed her, and threw her over his shoulder, quickly running back to the car.

"Get the hell off of me!" Echo yelled as Damon places her back on the ground. She stared at Damon in disbelief. "What the hell is a matter with you? I'm going to go get Stefan for Elena!" She tried to move past Damon, but he grabbed her

"You're not going in there."

"Oh yes, I am."

"No."

Echo sighed. "Why are they doing this?"

"Revenge. They want revenge."

"We have to do something."

"I know." He grabbed her again when she tried to move past him. "Echo, listen! We don't know how many of them are in there. If there are too many they will kill you." He looked into her eyes. "We aren't enough to get him out, especially if I can't get in."

ECHO, Damon and Elena headed over to the school to get Alaric to help.

"Mr Saltzman. We need your help," Elena said to him.

The four of them were now in the classroom. "Stefan's in the house," Echo said. "Unfortunately, Damon has not got a come in and party invitation. I would go in alone, but—"

"Your life is valuable," Damon cut in before turning to face Alaric as the younger Gilbert twin turned her head to stare at him in shock. "Yours, on the hand..."

Echo frowned as she recalled Damon's words before she turned to Alaric. "We leaned about your weird mojo resurrectus ring." She saw his face and decided to elaborate, "You tried to kill Damon. He killed you. You came back. Your ring did it. Am I leaving anything out?" She asked, turning to Damon who shook his head.

Alaric glared at Damon. "Yeah. The part where I try and kill you again. Only this time I don't miss."

Echo quickly slammed down on Alaric's shoulders as he went to stand up. "Sit and listen."

"That's a shame," Damon told him. "Because the woman in charge of the crowd can help you find your wife."

"You're lying."

Echo sighed and stood in front of the teacher. "Help us and then find out."

ALARIC placed his weapons bag on the table, at the sight of it, Echo whistled while Damon smirked.

"Teacher by day, vampire hunter by night."

Alaric looked over at Damon. "I've you to thank for that."

Elena held up a dart and frowned at it. "What are these?" She asked.

"Those are tranquilliser darts filled with vervain."

Echo picked up one of the darts and inspected it. "Awesome!"

Damon shook his head and spoke up, "Just get me in. I'll get Stefan out."

Elena looked at Damon sceptically. "That's your plan? You're just gonna take them all on yourself?"

"Of course not. The fiery Gilbert here will be joining me. Plus we will be a little stealthier than that, hopefully." Damon turned to Elena. "You know Stefan's gonna lecture me for putting you in danger."

Elena shrugged. "I don't care as long as we get Stefan out of there safely."

Echo stared harshly at her sister. "You're only driving the getaway car, remember that."

ECHO and Damon waited outside the house as Alaric went in.

"How long is this gonna take?" Echo whispered, frowning.

"Depends on how good the teacher is," Damon whispered back.

The two stand in silence for a few moment before Damon broke it, "I didn't know Isobel was your mother. If I did..."

"It wouldn't of been any different," Echo stated, crossing her arms before sighing. "But... I know that was years ago. So, I understand that you're different than you were back then." She turned to him. "I'm mad, yes, but I also understand people can change and do things that they regret. I'm not saying you regret it, but it's something you might not fully like. Either way, I understand."

Damon stood there in shock, but before he could say anything, the back door opened.

Echo quickly headed inside clutching her axe and stake. "Good job, Ric." She snuck into the house and made her way into the hallway when she sees one of the vampires heading back into the kitchen. She slowly and quietly followed after him, and was about to shake him when Damon appeared and staked him.

She stopped and glared at him. "Really? That was my kill."

Damon rolled his eyes. "You can have the next one. Come on."

The two slowly headed downstairs to see the guard by Stefan's room stand and start to head into the hall.

Echo turned to Damon and smirked. "My turn."

Damon smiled and gestured for her to go ahead.

She walked up to the vampire. "Hi, how are you?" The vampire spun around to face her, and she kicked him in the balls harshly. And when he bent down, she brought her axe down, and cut his head off.

Damon walked over to her, impressed. "Damn."

ECHO kicked down the door to Stefan's cell, and ran over to him.

"Echo..." Stefan breathed as he stared at her. "You shouldn't be here—"

Echo stared at the man currently hanging from the ceiling bleeding. "Enough of that, we are gonna get you out of here."

"We?"

"Hello, Brother," Damon said as he walked over to the two of them.

"Oh, my god," Elena breathed as she saw the state Stefan was in.

Damon rolled his eyes and turned to his brother. "That one was supposed to stay in the car." Elena walked over to her boyfriend and took his face in her hands.

Just as Damon was about to stake the vampire currently tied to the chair, Stefan cried out, "No. No. Not him."

"Whatever. Let's get you down."

"There's vervain on the ropes." Damon walked away from the ropes and looked at the twins. "Echo, pull the rope. Elena, be prepared to catch your boyfriend."

Echo pulled on the ropes and Stefan starte to fall, but Elena caught him, holding him up.

Damon turned back towards the door
"All right, let's go. Clothes on."

"Wait." Stefan groaned in pain.

"What? Guys, come on. We have to get out of here."

"Please." Stefan pointed to the vampire in the chair.

Echo sighed and walked over to the vampire on the chair, and yanked out the stakes that were lodged in his legs.

"Come on, we gotta go," Damon said, trying to hurry the group along.

Echo turned to Elena. "Can you get him in the car?"

Elena nodded. "Yeah."

Damon turned to Elena. "All right, go."

"What about you two?"

"You rescue, we'll distract. Go."

With that, Elena wobbled away with a very hurt Stefan. Echo watched them with worried eyes before following after Damon.

Echo threw a stake at the female vampire currently in front of the room with the pool table.

Once they heard the vampires start to panic, their made their way silently around the house and hid, preparing to attack.

ECHO who had climbed onto the ceiling and was currently hanging from a pipe, dropped down on the vampire below, drove her stake through his heart.

Damon lifted the body and placed it on the table making sure that Fredrick would see it when he walked by.

When Fredrick appeared, Damon jumped at him, and shoved him against the wall as the two fought. Damon managed to get Fredrick on his back, and punched him repeatedly until two vampires came, and grabbed Damon.

Echo ran into the room and tackled one of them to the ground. She threw punches the vampire and was about to stake him when he threw her onto the table. She did a kick-flip so she was standing up, and she kicked a vampire harshly in the face, sending him reeling back.

When he stood up. She sent a jab at his face and did a butterfly kick, sending him flying to the other side of the room. She quickly grabbed her stake, and tossed it at him, and it went straight through his heart.

She jumped off the table by doing a front flip, and she turned around to see Damon and Alaric staring at her with wide eyes.

She smirked, proud of herself. She then groaned and ran for the door where she saw Fredrick take off. "I'm going after Fredrick."

"Wait up," Damon called as he and Alaric ran after her.

They ran out the door and then froze upon seeing how many vampires were outside.

"How many of those vervain darts do you have left?" Damon askrd Alaric.

"One."

"Not gonna be enough," Echo stated as the three of them slowly walked back into the house.

"So, what you said to get me to do this, about my wife. It was a lie, wasn't it?" Alaric asked as the three of them stared at the door.

Damon nodded."Yep."

Suddenly, the thumping on the door stopped.

"Stop." A woman yelled. "What's going on here?" The door opened and Pearl and Anna stepped inside. They looked around the room, shocked. "What did you do?" She asked Damon.

"Me? Your merry little band of vampires spent the day torturing my brother."

"Trust me. The parties responsible for this will be dealt with."

Damon looked at Pearl, annoyed. "Our little arrangement doesn't work unless you learn to control them. You know I have half a mind to let Echo here kill you for the fun of it. Because, apparently, she's really good at it."

"This wasn't supposed to happen."

"Well, it did," Echo retorted.

Damon nodded in agreement. "If I had a good side... not a way to get on it."

As the three of them walked past Pearl and Anna, Echo paused and turned to Pearl. "I should warn you it's a mess downstairs. I may have had a little too much fun." She gave her a small smile before stepping outside, realizing that Frederick ran off, and Eena was out there right now.

"Elena," she quietly said before running into the woods as Damon and Alaric ran after her.

"STEFAN!" Echo shouted as she saw Stefan stabbing the now dead Frederick over and over. She grabbed his arm, forcing him to stop.

Stefan growled at her as the blood rushed to his eyes.

"Stefan," Elena whispered, walking up to stand beside her twin.

Slowly Stefan's face turned back to normal, dropped the stake, and looked at Elena, horrified at what he had done.