MJ's POV

It's been a few days since Tyler turned into a hybrid. Klaus left town. I don't know about mummy, I mean Rebekah. I've loved being back with my cousins and have been spoilt. Just the other day they all throw a surprised party for me. To celebrate my birthday. Though it's months late, it was a lot of fun.

I'm still feeling conflicted on what to do. After Elena told me of what Stefan and Klaus did over the summer while I was with them. I wish she hadn't and was glad Klaus had shielded me from it. I know Elena only told me to try make me see how dangerous Klaus is. But it made me see how Klaus protected me instead.

Anyway Elena got me up at dawn this morning. I was not happy. She and Ric dragged me to the woods. Where Alaric started to train Elena. While I sat on a log hugging the wolf plush Klaus had given me. Right now Elena is wearing a stake sleeve with two stakes in it. "So the pressure of your punch ejects the stakes" Alaric explains.

"Easy enough" she says as she faces the dummy. She tries but the stakes stay in the sleeve. "That's weird" she mutters and punches it again harder. But the stakes still stay in. "Must be jammed or something" she says as she removes the sleeve.

"You're not strong enough. Better start lifting some weights, put some meat on your bones" Ric tells her.

"Thanks for not sugar-coating it" Elena mutters. Ric takes something out of his bag and shows it to her. Asking her if she kn what it is. "A vervain grenade. I've used one before" she states. Right she used one against Elijah.

"Then you know the element of surprise is your only advantage when it comes to a vampire" Ric states. He pulls the pin out of a grenade and throws it in Elena's hand. "Surprise" he says.

"Oh my god!" Elena exclaims and throws it away from us. It explodes. I yelp in fright ."This isn't a joke to me, Ric" she snaps. She wraps a comforting arm around me. "You scared MJ" she scolds.

"You think I'm joking? Vampires will take whatever they want. They will hurt whoever they want. Even a child like MJ. And they'll do it without remorse. It's their nature" Ric states.

"You don't have to use pronouns. You can say Stefan" Elena grumbles.

"Look, I get why you're here. Stefan hurt you. You don't want it to happen again and want to protect MJ" Ric says in a gentler tone.

"But you think that I'm crazy. To believe that I can protect myself or MJ from a vampire who's flipped the switch on his humanity" she says.

"I think you found a way to get out of bed this morning. And that makes you the strongest person I know. I think that you can do pretty much anything" Ric states handing her the sleeve. She puts the sleeve back on.

"Elena, school" I say.

"Right" she says and we leave. While Ric packed up. She dropped me off. "Remember, Caroline is looking after you after school. She'll be at football field practicing with her squad" she states.

"I know, have fun" I tell her and she nods her head. I go inside and to class. I didn't really pay much attention.

(Time skip)

I'm sitting on the bleaches reading. While Caroline and the other cheerleaders stretch. Care always thought I'd be a good cheerleader. She's taught me some simple moves. Suddenly Rebekah appears in workout clothes. She stretches while Caroline went to talk to Tyler.

Rebekah makes impressive gymnastic moves that end with a front split. She looks at Caroline and Tyler with a smile. The other cheerleaders welcome her to the team. Once practice ended Caroline came over to me.

"Where to Care?" I ask her.

"My house, I need your help picking an outfit out for tonight" she states.

"Tonight?" I say confused.

"The bonfire" she states.

"Oh, am I going?" I ask curious. I usually would by home mum. But she's gone now.

"Yes, you'll be with Elena or Ric" she tells me. "I have a new outfit for you to wear" she states. I smile and she drives us to her house. We went to her room and I helped her choose an outfit. Until we were called to the school.

Where the others made a plan to vervain Stefan and lock him up. Ric was made my guardian for the night. We found out Tyler is sired to Klaus. Which means he feels loyal to Klaus because Klaus's blood created him. He'd seek acceptance from Klaus, by doing whatever he says. Damon vervained him in front of me. Elena scolded him while Care took care of Tyler.

(Time skip to Bonfire)

Elena and I arrived at the bonfire. "I'm getting a drink" she tells me.

"What about me?" I ask her.

"Find Ric" she tells me before leaving. I pout and go look for Ric. I find him by his car.

"Hi MJ, I got to some food" he tells me and hands me a bag. I give him a grateful smile. I sit in his car and start to eat. "Are you happy being home?" he asks me.

"Yes" I say.

"I'm sorry if I scared you this morning, but you and Elena have to be prepared" he tells me.

"I'm ten" I remind him.

"You're never to young to learn to defend yourself" he tells me. He gets a text. "It's Elena, time to dart Stefan. Stay here, we'll be back shortly" he tells me before leaving. I sigh and lay down in the back seat feeling tired and fall into a light sleep.

I wake to the sound of the trunk door closing. "What's going on?" I mutter rubbing sleep from my eyes  Elena gets into the front passenger seat.

"Sorry we woke you MJ, it's time to lock Stefan up" she tells me. I nod my head as I sit up and look at the back to see Stefan unconscious. Alaric heads for the drivers side and knocks into something.

"I see all the geniuses came out to the bonfire tonight" he mutters. Suddenly the car starts to bun, with Elena, Stefan and I inside it. I scream in fright and Elena pulls me into her arms. "MJ! Elena! Open the door!" Ric shouts after failing to open it.

Elena tries and it won't open. I start to cough as the car fills with smoke. "I can't! It won't open!" she shouts.

"Elena, I'm scared!" I cry as I cling to her.

"It'll be ok MJ" she tries to reassure me as she starts to cough. Alaric rushes to another car to try to find something. He returns with a stick and tries to break the glass. It doesn't work. Elena tries to break it with her feet but it doesn't work either. The fire is stronger.

"I want mummy" I cry. Elena coughs because she can't breathe. She turns her head and sees Stefan.

"Stefan!" she shouts. He wakes up just as Elena almost collapses. He breaks the trunk with his feet. "Go MJ" she says pushing me towards the opening. I start to crawl toward it with Elena following me. I reach it and Alaric grabs me pulling me out.

"It's ok, you're safe now" he assures me. "I have to get Elena" he states putting me down. He races back over to the car and helps Elena grab Stefan. They rush away from the car. The car explodes.

"Mummy!" I scream and she appears. Pulling me into her arms and I cry into her shoulder.

"What happened?!" she demands.

"She was in the car with Stefan and Elena when it caught fire" Ric states.

"Take me away mummy" I cough.

"Your safe now" she assures me stroking my hair. She ran away from the others. She took me to hospital and had a doctor look at me. Who suggested I should stay the night, just to ensure nothing was damaged from the smoke inhalation.

"I'm scared" I tell mummy.

"I know sweetie, but you're safe here" she assures me.

"I want to be with you and Uncle Nik" I tell her. She smiles and hugs me.

"I'll call him and we'll sort it out. I just have an errand to run" she states.

"Can you stay until I fall asleep?" I ask hopeful.

"Of course" she says as she sits beside me stroking my hair. She hums a tune and starts to sing. "The sky is dark and the hills are white
As the storm-king speeds from the north to-night,
And this is the song the storm-king sings,
As over the world his cloak he flings:
'Sleep, sleep, little one, sleep;'
He rustles his wings and gruffly sings:
'Sleep, little one, sleep.'
On yonder mountain-side a vine
Clings at the foot of a mother pine;
The tree bends over the trembling thing,
And only the vine can hear her sing:
Sleep, sleep, little one, sleep" she sings. I fall into a dreamless sleep. As she continued to sing.

A/N

Picture above of Tyler and Caroline. Picture on the external link of Alaric's burning car.