Outfits in the external link  

From 1.01 "Pilot", night in the woods, over the fog-covered forest floor.

Alex: (voice over) "Previously on Worlds Colliding (The Vampire Diaries)"

From 5.22 "Home", on the Other Side, The Other Side came crashing down, overrun by chaotic winds.

Bonnie: (voice over from 5.21 Promised Land) "The Other Side is collapsing, and everyone in it is going away."

From 5.22 "Home", in the Salvatore Mausoleum, Luke and Ryan woke Tory and Lindsey up.

Luke looked between them in regret. "Damon and Kacie didn't make it through."

Elena looked at Lindsey and Tory. "We need to start the spell again."

"We can't," Lindsey told her. "That was our one shot."

From 5.22 "Home", just outside Mystic Falls, Liz and Markos were talking nearby the two Travelers restraining Tyler/Julian.

"The spell the Travelers cast across Mystic Falls eliminates spirit magic," Markos told them.

From 6.01 "I'll Remember", just outside Mystic Falls, Caroline, Eliza and Liz were having a picnic.

"Vampires can't get into Mystic Falls," Eliza told them.

"They can lurk around the borders," Liz told them.

From 6.01 "I'll Remember", in the Salvatore Mausoleum, Elena was mixing the herbs

Liv: (voice over from 6.01 I'll Remember) "Lucas has been feeding Elena some concoction..."

From 6.01 "I'll Remember", in the cemetery, Hallucination Damon wrapped his arm around Elena.

Liv: (voice over from 6.01 I'll Remember) "That allows her to hallucinate Damon."

From 6.01 "I'll Remember", in the street, Elena and Liv were talking.

"The herbs, they make me so thirsty," Elena told her.

Elena transformed, biting the girl on the neck.

From 6.01 "I'll Remember", in Town Square, Matt ran toward the girl.

From 6.01 "I'll Remember", in Alaric's classroom, Alex and Alaric were talking.

"Stefan didn't say goodbye," Alex told him. "Damon, Kacie and Bonnie died, and he just left."

From 6.01 "I'll Remember", outside Nicola's House and somewhere outside of Mystic Falls, Nicola and Kaylin were on the phone. 

"Have you heard from Stefan?" Kaylin asked.

"No," Nicola answered. "I was actually kind of hoping you would have. You guys gotta remember that I am a vampire now, and this crap is permanently in my life, and I can handle whatever you guys tell me. You said that you had someone helping you?"

Kaylin looked across the square. "Yep. You won't like who, baby vamp."

Enzo placed his hands on Kaylin's waist. "Where are you going?"

"To check out a lead," Kaylin answered, grabbing his wrists, taking his hands away, turning to face him. "And I told you that this..." She leaned closer, kissing him slowly. After a moment, she pulled away, opening her eyes to look up at him with a smirk. "Has no strings attached."

"Who said anything about strings?" Enzo asked.

From 6.01 "I'll Remember", in the Lockwood Mansion, Jeremy and Eliza were kissing heavily.

Liv: (voice over from 6.01 I'll Remember) "How much her precious, pure snow flake truly has fallen..."

From 6.01 "I'll Remember", in the woods, Eliza stopped at the shrines, sitting down on the edge of the tree, taking a drink.

Liv: (voice over from 6.01 I'll Remember) "In the way of alcohol and numbness."

From 6.01 "I'll Remember", at the pre-party, Jeremy, Eliza and Caroline were talking.

"You're spiraling, Eliza," Caroline told her. "You need help."

"You're right, Caroline," Eliza told her. "I need help because I am trying to find a way through the pain of losing our two closest friends."

"But you're just numbing the pain," Caroline told her. "Liza, that's not getting through it. That's just holding it off."

From 6.01 "I'll Remember", in her car and in Stefan's House, Elena and Stefan were on the phone.

"I need you to tell me you're going to find Damon and bring him back," Elena told him. "Because I don't think I can live forever without him."

"I can't," Stefan told her. "I gave up. I moved on."

From 6.01 "I'll Remember", in the girls' dorm room, Elena and Alaric were talking.

"I want you to take away Damon," Elena told him. "I want you to compel me to forget that I ever loved him."

From 5.22 "Home", on the Other Side, Damon, Bonnie and Kacie stood next to each other.

"This place is going down," Kacie told them.

Huge holes of light poked through to the Other Side, while the wind blew all around them chaotically.

Bonnie took either of their hands.

A huge orb of light ripped through the tree tops.

"Do you think it'll hurt?" Bonnie asked.

The fabric of reality itself started to shatter, leaving nothing but light.

"I don't kn--" Damon started.

Before Damon could finish his sentence, a brilliant, blinding white light engulfed them all.

------~------

Flashback 1 - Four Months Ago

Other World 

Night - Mystic Falls Cemetery 

The bright white light engulfed them all.

It slowly faded into nothing.

Damon, Bonnie and Kacie opened their eyes, seeing that they were still in the same place where they had been when the Other Side had collapsed.

Their hands were still interlaced, all of them letting go quickly. 

"Huh," Kacie told them. "That got awkward fast."

They looked around in confusion.

"What happened?" Bonnie asked. "Where are we?" 

Kacie started to walk out of the woods.

"Where are you going?" Damon asked. "Hey." 

Bonnie and Damon followed her.

 ------

Town Square

Kacie, Bonnie and Damon walked the streets of Mystic Falls.

Kacie reached to touch her teeth. "Well, I feel a fang. I'm still a hybrid. Either I'm a dead hybrid or Mystic Falls is no longer magic-free."

"Look," Bonnie told them.

Damon and Kacie followed her gaze to the in-perfect-condition Mystic Grill.

"I definitely blew that up about an hour ago," Damon told them.

"Why don't we see any people?" Bonnie asked. "If we're still on the Other Side, we should at least be able to see the living."

They looked around in confusion. 

"Where the hell are we?" Damon asked. "I don't mean geographically."

Kacie looked around. "I have no idea." 

------

Worlds Colliding (The Vampire Diaries)

------

Now 

Real World

Day One

Morning - Lockwood Mansion - Living Room

Jeremy was sitting shirtless on the couch, a deck of cards in his hands.

Eliza was sitting in a chair across from him, only in her bra and leggings, a deck of cards in her hands. She smirked. "Your turn."

 Jeremy nearly set down a card. 

Matt walked in. "Jer! Come on, we're going to be--"

Matt saw them, closing his eyes in disapproval.

"Sorry," Eliza told him, pulling her shirt on. "Jeremy found a way to get me to open up again, and it was actually working."

"I bet is was," Matt told her. "What are you doing here, Eliza?" 

"Alaric, Liv and Elena have the dorm room on lockdown today, Mom's at work, and Caroline can't come home," Eliza told him. "Where else would I go?" 

"Right," Matt told them, looking at all of the alcohol in the room. "How about you guys find a new way to open up that doesn't involve strip poker and bourbon?" 

Eliza stood. "All right. Then why don't I go hang out with that Sarah girl, make sure that she's okay after the attack and compulsion? I mean, you guys want me to get back to who I was so bad, then I better start helping people again."

"Eliza, this isn't you," Matt told her.

(Song:) Salvation - Gabrielle Aplin 

"I know, Matt, and I'm working on it," Eliza told him. "Because right now, even I scare me."

Eliza walked out of the room, leaving. 

"Jer..." Matt trailed off.

"I'll talk to her, okay?" Jeremy asked. "Find a way to get her back."

Matt sighed, nodding, walking out of the room. 

------

Savannah, Georgia 

Stefan's House - Kitchen 

Toast popped out of the toaster.

Ivy quickly dropped them onto a plate. She was in the kitchen alone, cooking breakfast. She walked over to the fridge, pulling out orange juice.

Stefan walked into the room. "Hey."

Ivy turned to face him, surprised. "Hey." 

Stefan was confused. "Uh, what are you doing?" 

"Um, I'm--I mean, I thought it would be nice to d--" Ivy cut herself off. "Completely overstay my welcome." She set the orange juice down, disappointed. Stefan walked further into the room, turning off the stove. "I'm sorry, I thought I--never mind what I thought."

"No, no," Stefan told her. "I just--I wasn't really expecting you to... still be here. That's all."

"Right," Ivy told him. "Because why should you expect someone you spend the night with to make assumptions about breakfast? I'm gonna go." 

Ivy started to walk out of the room.

"No, no, Ivy," Stefan told her. "I was just--"

"No, I get it," Ivy told him. "I am super into you, you're intermittently into me. Breakfast, bad."

Ivy grabbed her purse.

"Ivy, look, why don't we... have dinner tonight?" Stefan suggested. "Although, I should probably do the cooking."

Ivy smiled.

Stefan sighed.

------

Whitmore College - The Girls' Dorm Room 

Elena was looking at all of the framed pictures on her dresser.

There was one of Caroline and Elena, sticking their tongues out. There was one of Elena kissing Damon's cheek. There was one of Alex, Liv and Elena. 

Elena set a cardboard box on her bed, grabbing a blue button-up shirt from the bed, folding it, placing it in the box. She grabbed another framed photo of Damon and Elena posing beside each other, putting it in the box. "It's been four months. It's time for me to move on."

Liv was standing in the room with her. "You gonna erase Bonnie and Kacie from your head, too?"

Elena walked toward the dresser, grabbing the photo of her kissing Damon, and then grabbing photobooth pics of them making faces. "Missing Bonnie and Kacie makes me sad, Liv." She slid her drawer open, with both things in her hands, grabbing Damon's black shirt, folding the things tightly to her chest. "Missing Damon makes me dangerous." She put the two pictures in the box, placing the photobooth pics in her diary as a bookmark, placing it in another box. "Alaric will compel away any memories, and then make me forget that I had him do it. I need you to keep the truth from me, too. Everyone around here and Stefan are on board."

"What about Kaylin?" Liv asked.

Elena turned to face her. "Somehow I doubt she'll take much convincing." 

(Song Ends)

------

Diner

(Song:) Hello, Goodbye - Israel Cannan  

Nicola, Alex and Cristian sat at a table together. 

"You said that Stefan was looking for a way to bring Damon, Kacie and Bonnie back, Cristian," Nicola told him.

"I thought he was," Cristian told them. "I've been feeding him leads for months. He let me believe he was following them."

"You're telling me that this whole time, no one has been doing anything to help Bonnie, Kacie and Damon?" Alex asked.

"I wouldn't exactly say no one," Cristian told them.

Alex and Nicola looked at him in confusion.

(Song Ends)

------

Unknown Hotel 

At the hotel, Kaylin was talking privately to the manager at the front desk. 

Enzo appeared next to her. "So, this, uh, lead you were following."

"What about it?" Kaylin asked.

"Did you find anything?" Enzo asked.

Kaylin pressed her lips together, shaking her head. "Nope."

"I can always tell when you're lying, Kaylin," Enzo told her. Kaylin looked at him weirdly. "You did find something. Why aren't you telling me?" 

"Because you've done nothing to earn being told," Kaylin answered. 

Enzo raised his eyebrows at the challenge. 

Kaylin smirked. 

 ------

Hotel Room

(Song:) Sexy Silk - Jessie J

 Enzo had pulled Kaylin into the hotel room, unbuttoning her blouse, kissing her neck. "Oh, just lay it down."

"I told you, they didn't tell me anything," Kaylin told him in amusement. 

"So you want me to seduce it out of you?" Enzo asked.

"I can't be seduced," Kaylin told him. "It's a Salvatore specialty."

"You Salvatores are also monstrously secretive," Enzo told her. "Lucky for me, I'm quite gifted at unraveling the truth."

Enzo kissed along Kaylin's neck, down her chest to her bra. 

Kaylin took a deep breath, smiling. "Okay. They said there's a coven in Oregon. They'd found a way to communicate with their ancestors on the Other Side before it went away. Maybe they know what happened to Damon, Bonnie and Kacie. They told me that the coven calls itself the Gemini Coven. They're small and weird and don't like outsiders."

Enzo stood straight, putting his hand on the small of Kaylin's back to pull her closer. "See? You did lie to me about what they told you."

Kaylin gave him an innocent look. "I just wanted you to work for it."

"You could have just told me," Enzo told her.

"Where's the fun in that?" Kaylin asked, weaving her hand through Enzo's hair, pulling him closer to kiss him.

Enzo pushed her against the wall, kissing her deeply. 

Alex and Nicola appeared.

Alex cleared her throat. 

"Any day now," Nicola told them. 

Kaylin pulled away from Enzo, looking toward them with a smirk, pressing her lips together, only slightly embarrassed, but not at all ashamed, buttoning her blouse. "Alex." 

"Kaylin," Alex replied.

Kaylin pushed Enzo out of the way, walking toward them, smiling. "Nikki."

Nicola smiled, wrapping her arms around Kaylin. Kaylin returned the embrace, smiling.

"Well, well, well," Enzo told them. "Well, there's two blasts from the past." Nicola and Kaylin pulled away, looking at him. Enzo looked between them. "Looks like gorgeous-es are reunited once again."

Kaylin looked at Nicola. "Ready to go kick some ass, Nikki?" 

Nicola was unfazed. "Hell. Yeah."

Alex smiled.

(Song Ends)

------

Whitmore College - The Girls' Dorm Room 

Alaric was here now.

Liv closed the window curtains. 

Elena was sitting in a chair across from an empty one, looking at Liv. "You know, Liv, you don't have to be here for this."

"Oh, if you're forgetting Damon, then there is no way I'm missing this," Liv told her, sitting down on her bed.

"I'm not forgetting him," Elena told her. "I'm just forgetting all of the good things that made me fall in love with him."

"Right," Liv told her. "That still sounds like the same thing to me." She looked at Alaric. "So talk me through it again, Ric." 

"I raided the psychology department's research library, and a nutshell would be using a combination of hypnotherapy and memory reprocessing techniques," Alaric told them. Liv nodded, pretending to know anything about what he was saying. Alaric sat down in the chair across from Elena, placing a hand on her knee, compelling her. "The more we talk, the more you'll relax and open your mind to me." He stopped compelling her, sitting back. "We're going to be searching through memories that are deeply embedded, and each significant memory that we hit, which is connected to Damon, I will help you modify. And this should eventually lead us to the signature memory which one erased will create a positive domino effect through all your other memories."

"Can't you just compel her to forget everything at once?" Liv asked. "Or we can go get a beer." 

They chuckled.

"Nice try, Liv," Alaric told her.

Liv tilted her head, looking away. "Yeah..." 

"I am supernaturally rewiring three years of your sister's memories," Alaric told her. "If it were that easy, it wouldn't be so terrifying." Elena nodded, looking sad. Alaric placed his hand on her knee, compelling her again. "I have some questions. Answer them honestly."

"I will answer everything honestly," Elena told them.

"Do you have doubts about this?" Alaric asked.

"Yes," Elena answered. "But I know I have to do this."

"Are you afraid?" Alaric asked.

"More sad than afraid," Elena answered.

"Why sad?" Liv asked.

"Because I don't want to stop loving him," Elena answered.

Liv gave her a weird look.

"Do you trust me, to be digging around in your mind, and do you trust Liv to sit and be a, wishfully, quiet audience?" Alaric asked.

"I trust both of you completely," Elena answered.

Liv held up two thumbs up, smiling. 

"Okay," Alaric told her. "Well, then, let's--let's get started. Who is Damon Salvatore?" 

"He was my boyfriend," Elena answered. "I loved him, and he died."

"And when did you first meet him?" Alaric asked. 

"I was in high school," Elena answered.

Liv looked down.

 ------

 Flashback - 3.22 "The Departed"

Night - Road 

Damon and Elena met for the first time.

Damon looked at Elena in confusion. "Katherine."

"No, I'm Elena," Elena told him.

Damon seemed to believe her. "I'm Damon."

 ------

 Now 

Day - Whitmore College - The Girls' Dorm Room 

Elena, Liv and Alaric were talking.

 "And what was he like?" Alaric asked.

"There was something different about him," Elena told them. "Dangerous. But not in a way that scared me. He was exciting."

------

 Flashback - 3.22 "The Departed"

Night - Road 

Damon and Elena met for the first time.

 "I don't know what I want," Elena told him.

"Well, that's not true," Damon told her. "You want what everybody wants."

Elena smiled a small smile. "What?" 

------

 Now

Day - Whitmore College - The Girls' Dorm Room

Elena, Liv and Alaric were talking.

 "And how did he make you feel?" Alaric asked.

"Like anything was possible," Elena answered. 

Alaric compelled her. "You had a nice moment in the road with a stranger. But that's all he was, a stranger."

"Stranger," Elena repeated, letting a tear fall. "Two people passing in the night."

"Are you okay?" Liv asked.

"Hmm, yeah," Elena answered. "Let's just keep going."

------

Flashback 2 - Four Months Ago 

Other World

Day - Unknown Neighborhood 

Bonnie, Damon and Kacie walked through the deserted streets of Mystic Falls, still in their clothes from the night before.

Kacie's leather jacket was slung over her shoulder. Bonnie's gray jacket was tied around her waist. 

Damon groaned. "How many more streets are we going to wander?" 

"How many times are you going to ask us questions we don't have the answers to?" Kacie replied. "Huh?" 

Damon gave Kacie a look.

Kacie smiled sarcastically.

"There's something weird about these cars," Bonnie told them.

They stopped next to a white 1990s car. 

"Yeah, they're all 20 years old or more, and yet they look brand new," Damon agreed, running his hand over the hood. 

"Wait, I know this car..." Kacie trailed off, looking at the house next to them. It was The Gilbert House, toys all over the lawn. "And that is the Gilberts' not-so-burnt-into-a-crisp house."

They walked up to the house.

Damon saw a newspaper on the grass, picking it up, unfolding it, reading. 

Bonnie looked at him in confusion. "Hmm."

Damon turned to them, showing them the newspaper. "Look." 

"Rare solar eclipse expected to be seen across 12 states'?" Bonnie read. 

Damon rolled his eyes. "The date." 

"May 10th, 1992," Bonnie told them. "Is that--? Are we--? But that's impossible." 

The sky turned a darker blue. 

They looked up to see an eclipse blotting out the sun.

"I don't think we should be asking where we are," Kacie told them. "I think we should be asking when we are."

------~------

Now 

Real World 

Day - Whitmore College - The Girls' Dorm Room 

Elena, Liv and Alaric were talking.

Elena had her eyes closed. 

Alaric was showing her a memory. "Tell me about this moment."

------

 Flashback - 3.10 "The New Deal"

Night - Gilbert House - Porch 

 Damon was starting to leave, turning back. "No, you know what? If I'm going to feel guilty about something, I'm going to feel guilty about this."

Damon kissed Elena passionately.

Elena: (voice over) "He kissed me." 

------

Now 

Day - Whitmore College - The Girls' Dorm Room 

Elena, Liv and Alaric were talking.

 "I mean, I shouldn't have let him," Elena told them. "I knew that he was in love with me, and even though he and Alex and Stefan and I were on the outs, I shouldn't have let him."

Alaric leaned forward, compelling Elena. "He kissed you, you thought it was inappropriate. You told him so."

"I told him it was wrong," Elena told them.

"Who is Damon Salvatore?" Alaric asked.

"He was my boyfriend," Elena answered. Alaric looked down in disappointment. "I loved him, and... He--he died."

There was a long moment of awkward silence.

Liv stood, clapping her hands together once. "Okay. You know, why don't we take a little break, yeah? To be honest, I could use a drink." Elena gave Liv a look. "What? You're having your mind wiped of the guy you loved. Cut me some slack."

Elena looked away. 

Liv smiled.

------

Flashback 3 - Four Months Ago 

Other World 

Day - Gilbert House - Porch 

Kacie swung herself on the old porch swing on the porch.

Damon leaned against the house.

Bonnie was sitting on the steps. 

"Where is any booze in this empty retroville?" Damon asked.

"It feels so weird to be back here," Bonnie told them. "I practically grew up on this porch."

Kacie smiled. "So did I." Bonnie and Kacie smiled. Kacie stopped the swing. "All right, talk us through it." 

Bonnie turned to them. "Before the Other Side collapsed, my Grams said that she made a sacrifice so that I could find peace." She showed them the bone necklace that Grams had given her. "She gave me the same necklace that Shane had given me, Lindsey and Tory to complete the link, and she said that it would keep me connected to them, no matter where I go, and under whatever circumstance." 

"The part where you actually have a theory," Damon told her. 

Kacie rolled her eyes. "Well, this clearly isn't peace, otherwise, I wouldn't be stuck here with you. Bon-Bon I'm cool with, 'cause she's my best friend. But the guy who nearly drove me insane by compelling me to keep my mouth shut about you and your brother and your sister and half-compelled me to forget when images started to flash through my mind before I triggered the wolf curse and made it impossible for you to compel me again? Not so much." 

"Rude," Damon told her.

Bonnie went on. "She must have, I don't know, sent me somewhere. And when I held both of your guys' hands, it took you with me." 

"Well, did she happen to whisper a safe word in her last breaths?" Damon asked. "A clue, maybe, on what to do with that stupid, creepy necklace? Witchy path out of here?" 

"No," Bonnie answered. "But if we got here by magic, magic should be able to get us out, and if I can't do magic on my own, then the necklace should let me tap into Lindsey and Tory's, just enough to do what needs to be done." 

Kacie raised her eyebrows. "And that frown that's not upside down is telling us what?" 

Bonnie looked toward a candle, taking a deep breath, raising the necklace toward it. "Phesmatos incendia."

They waited for the flame to come, but nothing happened.

Bonnie looked down in disappointment. 

"Still can't do magic," Damon told her. "Perfect."

------

Now 

Real World 

Day - Whitmore College - The Girls' Dorm Room 

Elena and Liv were alone in the dorm room for now.

"You're the last person I think would object to me erasing positive memories of my boyfriend from my head," Elena told her. "What is your deal? Why don't you just let us do this?" 

"It's not up to me, Elena, but Alex, Nicola, Kaylin and Enzo are literally chasing a lead," Liv told her. "What if they find something out? Yeah, you know, what if Damon returns home, and everything returns back to normal? And you're just sitting there all confused and weird?" 

"Then Alaric will bring back my memories," Elena told her. 

"But--" Liv started.

"But what?" Elena asked. "Go ahead, Liv. Say what you need to say. I don't want to... pressure you into agreeing." 

"I..." Liv trailed off, searching for words. "Don't know what to say. I was actually trying to think of what Bonnie and Kacie would say."

Elena sighed. "And?" 

"And... they'd say that you should do what's best for you," Liv answered. 

"Look, I think it's great that you guys still have faith, I really do, but... for my own survival, I need to let him go," Elena told her.

"Well, then go along with what-would-Bonnie-Bennett-and-Kacie-Lockwood-do plan," Liv told her. She laughed. "I'll make bumper stickers."

Elena giggled, wrapping her arms around Liv. "I love you." 

Liv wrapped her arms around Elena. "I love you, too." She pulled back. "Just don't turn into some brain-washed robot, okay?" 

Elena tilted her head at Liv.

Liv smiled.

------

On the Road - Nicola's Car

(Song:) I Got Something For You - Tim Murdock 

Nicola was driving. 

Alex was in the passenger seat, hanging up her phone.

Kaylin and Enzo were in the backseat. 

Alex sighed. "Liv said that they're going on with the plan."

"Sisterly bonding," Kaylin told her. "Very sweet."

"Kaylin, you don't like me or Elena," Alex told her. "And you never have. I get it, and I understand why."

"Actually, I got over that a long time ago," Kaylin told her. "Damon didn't die because of either of you, so you two got a get-out-of-jail-free-card."

Alex smiled a small smile.

"So, I heard you enrolled into of school," Enzo told her.

"How did you hear that?" Alex asked, looking at Nicola.

Nicola shook her head. "Don't look at me."

Alex looked at Kaylin. 

"Hey, don't blame me if he listens onto my phone calls," Kaylin told her. 

"Whatever," Nicola told them. "When do we exit?" 

"Soon," Enzo answered. He looked at Nicola. "You should consider enrolling. Looks can only get a girl so far these days."

"Yeah, well, I'm not taking feminist tips from a guy who just used his tongue to get secrets out of a girl who is literally like a sister to me," Nicola replied. 

"Hey," Kaylin complained. 

"So did you guys make up the 'Gemini Coven' lead?" Alex asked. "Because I've never heard of them. Who are they?" 

"No idea," Kaylin told them. "I'm just going off by what those witches told me."

"And that's not where we're going," Enzo told them.

Kaylin looked at him. "What? Wha--Wait, where are we going?" 

Enzo smirked. "You'll see."

Kaylin looked at him in confused suspicion. 

(Song Ends)

------

Savannah, Georgia 

Stefan's House - Kitchen

(Song:) Now You Know - The TVC

Stefan was hastily chopping cucumbers and mushrooms. He put them in a steaming pan. He dropped cheese in it, beginning to pour wine in the pan, dusting his hands. He went to the fridge, opening it, taking out a blood bag. He squeezed it into his mouth, drinking. He heard the door open, hurrying to toss it back in the fridge, turning to see Ivy. "Hey." 

"Hey," Ivy told him.

"Perfect timing," Stefan told her. "I was just, uh--"

"I ran into some of your friends," Ivy told him.

"What?" Stefan asked. "Where?" 

Enzo and Kaylin stepped into the house, no invitation needed.

Enzo rubbed his hands together. "Stefan. You are a hard man to track down. Uh, I wasn't sure if you're new... friend would invite us in, but she said that this was your place. Which means, open invitation to all your mates, right?"

Enzo walked away.

Stefan looked at his sister in guilt. "Kaylin." 

"Hello, brother," Kaylin told him. "Got any bourbon?" 

Kaylin stepped aside to reveal Alex and Nicola behind her. 

Alex looked at Stefan with hurt.

Nicola looked at Stefan with a slight angry expression.

Stefan looked down.

(Song Ends)

------~------

Dining Room

(Song:) All the Glitter's Gone - Romans  

Stefan, Ivy, Kaylin, Enzo, Nicola and Alex were all sitting around the table, eating in silence. 

Enzo looked at Stefan. "Good stuff, mate." 

Stefan nodded, pleased. 

"So how do you guys know him?" Ivy asked.

"He's my brother," Kaylin answered. She looked at Nicola sitting on the other side of Enzo. "She's our cousin." 

Ivy looked at them in surprise, raising her eyebrows. "You're his sister and cousin?" 

Kaylin looked at Stefan, feigning surprise. "You didn't tell her about us, big bro?" 

Stefan looked down. 

Ivy realized that this was a sensitive subject, looking at Alex and Enzo. "What about you?" 

"Stefan and I went to high school together," Alex answered. "He used to to date my sister. And then, they broke up, and we went out for a little while." Ivy, Alex and Stefan exchanged an awkward look. "Not that he's not allowed to date. I mean, we broke up. I just didn't realize that he had met someone. So how did you meet, exactly?" 

"Uh, Ivy's car was in the shop, where I work," Stefan answered.

"You work at an auto repair shop?" Nicola asked skeptically.

"It's relaxing," Stefan told them.

"Why?" Ivy asked. "What did you used to do?" 

"Ah, man of all seasons, jack of all trades," Kaylin told her.

Enzo looked at Ivy. "You have a lovely clavicle."

"Oh," Ivy told him awkwardly. "Thank you. I think."

"Forgive me," Enzo told her. "I--I always notice a woman's neck. I'm a neck person. So is Stefan, right, Stefan?" 

"Not anymore," Stefan told them.

"Ah, well, that's silly," Enzo told him. "You can't just stop being a neck person."

Ivy leaned over to whisper to Kaylin. "Is Enzo your boyfriend?" 

"It's complicated," Kaylin told her. Stefan looked at Kaylin in confused surprise. "It's never simple with him. He's a complicated person."

"Uh, hello, I'm right here," Enzo told her. Kaylin looked at him, tilting her head with an innocent smile. Enzo looked at Ivy. "I have super-sensitive hearing. Practically supernatural." Kaylin rolled her eyes at his attempt to tell Ivy the truth, taking a sip of wine in boredom. "Do you believe in the supernatural, Ivy?" 

"I've... never really thought about it," Ivy told them.

"I, myself, am a believer," Enzo told her. "Had to get two witch friends of ours, Tory and Lindsey, to do a locator spell to find my buddy here."

Everyone exchanged looks, forcing laughter.

(Song Ends)

------

Flashback 4 - Four Months Ago 

Other World 

Day - Salvatore Boarding House - Kitchen

(Song:) Whatta Man - Salt-N-Pepa 

A song was playing on the radio.

Damon was flipping pancakes, dancing and mouthing the song. He had a bottle of bourbon in his hand, drinking it while he cooked. 

------

Foyer 

Kacie and Bonnie walked into the house. 

Bonnie had a teddy bear and a grimoire, along with her necklace. Kacie had a portable CD player. 

They heard 90s music playing and smelled food, smiling.

------

Kitchen 

Bonnie and Kacie walked into the kitchen to see Damon dancing and drinking bourbon.

Bonnie cleared her throat.

Damon stopped dancing, clearing his throat, turning the music down and returning to cooking. 

"I didn't know you cooked," Kacie told him.

"I don't," Damon told them. "How'd you guys sleep? Me... not good. My 1992 mattress was very lumpy. Whatcha got there?" 

Kacie looked at the CD player. "Uncle Mason's CD player, which hadn't been at my house since he had moved out."

Bonnie waved her bear. "Miss Cuddles. I lost her when I was nine. But I went to my house last night, and there it was." She lifted the book. "I also found this at my Grams' house. Her old grimoire." 

Damon walked over to the radio with bourbon in his hand. "Yeah, well, I found this. Nikki gave it to me last year so we could drink it when Ric died." 

Damon removed the CD that was playing.

(Song Ends)

"So we're in this snap shot of another time," Kacie told them. "Or something." Damon twisted the CD rack, covering his eyes, picking randomly. "Everything that existed in 1992, still exists."

"For better, or for worse?" Damon asked, kissing the CD in his hand, putting it into the radio, turning it on and starting the music.

(Song:) Little Miss Can't Be Wrong - Spin Doctors

Bonnie hurried to turn it off. 

(Song Pauses)

"Listen, there was a time when I couldn't practice magic," Bonnie told them. "This Grimoire taught me a lot. Maybe I can reteach myself." 

Damon turned the radio on. 

(Song Resumes)

Damon looked at Bonnie. "If you were still a witch. Which, with our luck, and your skill, probably ain't the case."

"Would a little support kill you?" Bonnie asked.

"You know, I am acutely aware that we are in some otherworldly time dimension," Damon told them. "However, do you ever think for one second that maybe it's you two being negative reacting to my natural self-negatively?" 

"You're ridiculous," Kacie told him.

"Nope, I'm consistent," Damon told them, putting two pancakes onto two plates, setting them in front of them. "Eat your pancakes."

Kacie looked at her pancake, which had a dog designed onto it with whipped cream. She looked at Damon's smirk with annoyance. "Seriously?" 

"Yep," Damon answered, taking a newspaper from the counter, dropping it in front of Kacie. "Oh, and, you can use that to use the restroom when you're done. Or do a cross word. Or both." 

"Oh, gee, thanks," Kacie told him sarcastically. "Breakfast with my best friend, and my least favorite person, who just loves to do dog jokes, and a crossword puzzle from 1992, when I don't even like crossword puzzles." 

"Kacie, give it to me," Bonnie told her. Kacie gave the crossword puzzle to her. "Thank you." Bonnie opened the paper. "All right, what's a seven letter for--"

The sky darkened like the day before.

(Song Ends)

They looked up in surprise.

Damon looked out of the window to see the eclipse. "You've got to be kidding me. Bonnie, look at the date on that paper." 

Bonnie looked at the paper. "It says, May 10th, 1992. It's the same day as yesterday."

They exchanged looks.

"We're living the same day all over again," Kacie told them. 

"Well, that proves it," Damon told them. "We're in hell. My own personal, custom-built hell. And you're both in it with me." He raised his bourbon. "Bottoms up." 

Damon took a sip.

------

Now 

Real World 

Mystic Falls, Virginia

Night - Lockwood Mansion - Living Room 

Eliza walked into the Lockwood House to see Jeremy having a drink. "You got one for me?" 

Jeremy looked at her for a moment. He nodded. "Yeah." He poured Eliza a glass. "Here you go." 

Eliza took it, sitting down next to him. "So, where's that Sarah girl?" 

"Uh, around here somewhere," Jeremy answered.

"Did Matt give you crap about having her over?" Eliza asked.

"Yep," Jeremy answered.

"And you don't care, do you?" Eliza asked.

"Nope," Jeremy answered. Eliza sighed, sitting back, taking a drink. "Anything you wanna talk about?"

"Like what?" Eliza asked.

"You know what," Jeremy told her.

Eliza hesitated for a moment, sighing. She looked at Jeremy. "I hate this."

"You hate what?" Jeremy asked. 

"All of us drifting apart," Eliza answered. "It feels like, just because we lost three friends, it's okay to lose the rest of them, too." 

Jeremy smiled a small smile, taking Eliza's hand in his. "You know, that's what I love about you." Eliza looked at him in slight confusion. "Even when you're at the worst point in your life, you still look out for us, and you still want to make sure that we're okay."

"You're my family," Eliza told him. "All of you are, and I'm so short on family these days that I could use a few friends to call family, and it feels like I'm losing everyone." 

"Hey," Jeremy told her. "You're not gonna lose me, all right?" Eliza nodded. "I just need you to talk to me, to get you through this phase, and then everything will be okay. But I'm not pushing. You talk to me when you're ready to talk to me, okay?" 

Eliza nodded, sighing, leaning her head against Jeremy's shoulder, just relaxing in his arms.

------

Outside - Streets 

Matt jogged down the road.

A car stopped beside him. It was Tripp. "Hey, five miles with the group this morning wasn't enough for you?"

"Tripp, hey," Matt told him. "I'm just blowing off some steam, trying to get... distracted. What's up?" 

"That girl, from yesterday, the one with the animal bites," Tripp told him. "You know where she ended up?"

"Yeah, at my house," Matt answered. "I'm not sure how that happened."

"She there now?" Tripp asked.

"No, she split," Matt told him. "Why?" 

"I have some deputy buddies over at the station," Tripp told him. "One of them said that the Sheriff ran the plates, and the car came up stolen."

"You're kidding," Matt told him. 

"No," Tripp answered. "You know I can be paranoid, but if there was a bad element coming through town, I want to keep tabs on it."

"Yeah," Matt agreed.

"So, let me know if she shows back up at your place?" Tripp asked.

"Yeah, I will," Matt answered.

Tripp drove away.

------

Whitmore College - The Girls' Dorm Room 

Elena, Liv and Alaric were talking.

Elena was standing by the window, looking outside. "It was the Miss Mystic Falls pageant. Stefan was supposed to be my escort, but..." 

------

Flashback - 1.19 "Miss Mystic Falls"

Day - Lockwood Mansion - Miss Mystic Falls Pageant

 Elena was in her blue dress, walking down the steps. 

Elena: (voice over) "He bailed on me." 

Damon was waiting at the end of the stairs for Elena. 

Elena: (voice over) "Damon stepped in." 

------

Now 

Night - Whitmore College - The Girls' Dorm Room

Elena, Liv and Alaric were talking.

Elena was smiling, looking out of the window. "He saved me from being embarrassed in front of everyone." 

------

Flashback - 1.19 "Miss Mystic Falls"

Day - Lockwood Mansion - Miss Mystic Falls Pageant

 Damon was holding Elena's hand, leading her down the hall toward the other contestants, including Alex and Caroline. 

Elena: (voice over) "He took my arm, and led me out with the rest of the girls and all their dates, and we danced." 

The dance began.

------

Now 

Night - Whitmore College - The Girls' Dorm Room 

Elena, Liv and Alaric were talking.

 "I remember that was the first time I felt it," Elena told them.

Liv stepped closer. "Felt what?" 

Elena turned to them. "How sexy he was. I'd never let myself notice until then. I mean, obviously I knew he was attractive, but... I didn't want to see him that way."

Alaric stood in front of Elena, compelling her. "You went down the stairs, and no one was there." 

"I was embarrassed, but I got over it," Elena told them.

"Who is Damon Salvatore?" Alaric asked.

"He was my boyfriend," Elena answered. "I loved him, and he died." 

Liv put her hands to her head in frustration, turning away from them. "Ric, I hate this. I mean, wha--? How much longer is it going to take?" 

"Until we find that signature moment," Alaric answered. He looked at Elena. "The moment you knew you loved him."

"Well, that's easy," Elena told them. "It was after I found out about the sire bond, and Alex's sire bond. Everyone kept telling me that my feelings weren't real, but I knew that they were."

Alaric compelled Elena. "Okay, your feelings were because of the sire bond. Who is Damon Salvatore?" 

"He was my boyfriend--" Elena started.

"That's not it," Alaric told her. "You gotta dig deeper, earlier."

"I--I--I don't know," Elena told them. "Okay, I--Maybe it was when we spent the night at the motel together. I wasn't back together with Stefan yet, and, and Alex and Damon were on the outs..."

------

Flashback - 3.19 "Heart of Darkness"

Denver, Colorado

Night - Motel Room

 Elena and Damon were lying in bed beside each other.

Damon was touching Elena's hand.

Elena: (voice over) "And all I could think about was kissing him." 

------

Outside

Elena kissed Damon passionately.

------

Now 

Night - Whitmore College - The Girls' Dorm Room

Elena, Liv and Alaric were talking.

"I wanted to kiss him so badly," Elena told them.

"I remember that," Liv told them. "Talk about awkward." 

Alaric compelled Elena. "No one kissed anyone. Who is Damon Salvatore?" 

"He was my boyfriend--" Elena started.

"That's not it, next," Alaric told her.

"I don't know, Ric," Elena told him.

"Well, think about it, Elena," Alaric told her. "Think about that moment where you knew this person was somebody you had feelings for. That you loved, that you could see those feelings going on forever. Trust me, you never forget." 

"Maybe Liv's right," Elena told him. "Maybe we should just forget about this entire thing. It was a stupid idea, okay? I can't do this anymore, all right? I'm done. I'm sorry."

Elena walked out of the room.

Alaric and Liv exchanged a look.

Liv sighed, tilting her head down.

------~------

Flashback 5 - Two Months Ago 

Other World 

Day - Salvatore Boarding House - Kitchen

(Song:) Connected - Stereo MC

Bonnie and Kacie were sitting at the table. Kacie was listening to music. Bonnie was doing the crossword. 

Damon was behind the counter, flipping pancakes.

"What's a seven letter word for 'Kill me now'?" Bonnie asked.

"That joke got old six weeks ago," Kacie told her.

"And so did this crossword puzzle," Bonnie told her. "Ever day for two months, I've done this stupid thing, and I still can't figure out 27 across. Old tongue twister, Eddie turned top 40?" 

Damon put two pancakes on a plate, circling it with whipped cream, placing it in front of Kacie.

Kacie saw the dog design, stabbing it with a fork, breaking the plate. "I hate your pancakes." 

Damon spoke into Kacie's ear tauntingly. "Whoa, don't take it out on the doggy pancakes or the plate." Kacie glared at him from over her shoulder. Damon turned away to walk toward the counter. "They, like myself, are waiting for our good friend Bonnie to be witchy to get us the hell out of here." 

Bonnie stood abruptly. "You know I've been trying."

"And failing," Damon told her. "Further evidence we're in hell. Not only am I stuck with Kacie and you, I'm stuck with the useless version of you."

Bonnie was appalled and speechless.

Kacie heard something, looking behind her. "Did you hear that?" 

"What would I have heard, Kacie?" Damon asked. "We're the only three people here. We were the only three people here two months ago, and we're the only three people here now." 

Kacie slammed her hands on the table, standing, looking directly at Damon. "Well, I swear I heard something." 

"Maybe it's the sound of existential despair," Damon told her. "I hear that's what hell sounds like." 

"You know what?" Kacie asked. "You think we're trapped in your hell? I have to spend every day on repeat with the person I like least on this earth and have to keep him from ripping my best friend's head off because of his impatience. Maybe we're trapped in mine." 

Kacie turned around, walking out, leaving angrily.

(Song Ends)

------

Now 

Real World 

Savannah, Georgia 

Night - Stefan's House - Dining Room 

The dinner between Stefan, Ivy, Kaylin, Enzo, Nicola and Alex continued.

"So, Stefan, tell us," Kaylin told him. "This house, very charming. When'd you get it?" 

Stefan was standing, pouring a glass of wine. "About a month or so ago."

"No, more than that," Ivy told him. "Remember? We met two months ago, and you already had it."

"You've lived here for more than two months?" Kaylin asked.

"Yeah, I guess I have," Stefan answered.

"Well, I guess that's just weird, because, you know, everyone thought you were living somewhere else," Alex told him. Stefan sat down. "And your job was supposed to be investigative work, not auto repair."

"Right," Stefan told them. "Well, I've moved on from that job." 

"Well, you can't move on from the investigative work until you've solved the investigation, Stefan," Nicola told him. 

"How about we just drop it?" Stefan asked. "I'm happy doing what I'm doing now, and that's all that should really matter, right?" 

Kaylin looked at Stefan incredulously, leaning forward against the table, opening her mouth to speak.

Enzo laid a hand on Kaylin's. "There, darling. No need to make a scene. Really, it's all just some big misunderstanding. Perhaps this will clear it all up."

Enzo grabbed a fork, standing, stabbing it through Stefan's hand into the table.

Ivy screamed.

Alex spit out her wine in surprise.

Nicola looked at Enzo in shock.

"Enzo!" Kaylin told him. 

Stefan winced in pain, looking at Enzo incredulously. "What the hell is wrong with you?" 

"So many secrets," Enzo told him. "What are you running from, Stefan?" 

Enzo pulled the fork out of Stefan's hand.

The wound healed.

Ivy was in confused shock. "Um, I--I don't--"

Alex stood, taking Ivy by the chin, making her look at her, compelling her. "Calm down, come with me. Let's go upstairs."

Alex and Ivy walked out of the room.

Nicola looked at Enzo. "'No need to make a scene'?" 

Stefan and Enzo looked at each other with hatred.

"What kind of coward abandons his sister-like distant niece, eliminates all contact with his actual sister, and gives up on his brother?" Enzo asked.

"You don't know what you're talking about," Stefan told him, standing, rushing toward Enzo. 

Kaylin sat back in her chair in annoyance, watching them, taking a sip of wine.

Enzo held Stefan away, rushing him into the fridge, grabbing a fork, stabbing it into Stefan's neck. "Why don't you enlighten me?" 

Stefan pushed Enzo back into the dinner table in front of Kaylin and Nicola, making it break into wooden pieces.

Nicola stood, backing away from them. 

Kaylin, staying seated as if nothing had just happened, held the wine glass in her hand, looking at Enzo. She took a drink, looking at Stefan.

Stefan pulled the fork out of his neck. Enzo stood, rushing toward Stefan, pushing him against the wall. Stefan headbutted Enzo, making him stumble, punching him in the face, making him fall. Enzo stood, holding onto the kitchen counter for support. Stefan snapped his neck, letting him fall to the floor. 

Kaylin clapped slowly, sarcastically. "Bravo, brother. Very well done." 

------~------

Whitmore College - The Girls' Dorm Room 

Liv and Alaric were talking.

Liv was looking out of the window.

Alaric looked at Liv. "Okay, as you can see, we've hit a wall with Elena."

"Gee, you think?" Liv asked. Alaric gave her a look. Liv sighed, closing her eyes, tilting her head. "I'm sorry, Ric."

"I just need some insight, Liv," Alaric told her. "Do you have any idea when she first fell in love with Damon, or why she's having such a hard time opening up to us about it?"

"That's easy," Liv told him. "She doesn't want to admit what everyone already knows. That Elena fell in love with Damon while she was still with Stefan, and Alex was still with Damon."

Alaric nodded thoughtfully.

------

Savannah, Georgia 

Stefan's House - Dining Room 

Stefan started to pick up the mess, looking at Kaylin. "You should get your boyfriend out of here before he wakes up."

"He's not my boyfriend," Kaylin told him.

Stefan shook his head in confusion. "Kaylin, Nikki, what are you doing?" 

Kaylin stood angrily. "No, what the hell are you doing? Every day for the past four months, I have been traveling the world, meeting up with witches, making new friends who can help me find out where Damon, Kacie and Bonnie are, and how the hell we can get them back."

"Making new friends?" Stefan repeated. "Like Enzo? The best friend of one of your brothers, and killed by the other, half the reason that Nikki is now a vampire? I guess it doesn't matter what happened or what he did as long as he's got an accent, right? What is it with you and dating psychopaths?" 

Enzo slowly started to wake, keeping the impression that he wasn't. 

"A, Enzo's not a psychopath," Kaylin told him. "He's about halfway there." Stefan nodded sarcastically. "B, we're not dating. There's no strings attached so we don't end up falling for each other. C, if you wanna call him a psychopath, look at everything that you and I have done in the past. It's no different from what he's done, and you know it. He's just more honest about it. D, do not try to make this about him. This is about you. This is about us. Damon died, and I have been trying to bring him back, and you told everyone that you were, too, but come to find out, you gave up months ago. You haven't even spoken to me since the day that he died."

"Kaylin, we have gone for nearly 100 years without speaking," Stefan told her.

Kaylin shook her head. "You're wrong. I came to you, face-to-face, in 1912, in the '20s, and then again in the '90s. And you want to know why? Because you came looking for me to apologize. So, tell me, how are you going to apologize about giving up on Damon dying, or abandoning Nikki to become a vampire on her own?" 

"I didn't give up," Stefan told them. "I faced reality. I had to move on. You know, the months before I moved here, I was following every lead that Cristian sent my way. I spoke to every witch, every shaman, every psychic in 20 countries, around the globe, and every lead was a dead end."

"I have been searching for twice that long, Stefan, which means that I've been to twice as many everything," Kaylin told him. "And, yes, every lead has been a dead end, but I am not giving up."

"They have another lead," Nicola told him. "There's this coven in Oregon--"

"The Gemini Coven," Stefan finished. "Yeah, I looked into them, too. Nikki, there was nothing there. Because there's nothing we can do. Kacie, Damon and Bonnie are dead. I had to come to terms with that, so why aren't either of you?" 

Enzo was still listening. 

"Because we're not you, Stefan," Kaylin told him. "We're stubborn, and relentless, and we do not give up. Maybe if you did a little less of that, then maybe we can get along just fine all over again."

Stefan looked effected by her words.

"Look, I know that things have been chaotic for our family in the past, but we had moved past all of that once we went home, and we stayed home, and we fought for each other," Nicola told them. "Hell, Stefan, we have even died for each other. And just when I thought that we were getting back to the way it was, it just all falls apart. And, if you want it to continue to fall apart, since it's only you and us now, then let it, because they're no use in fixing a family that died when Damon did."

Kaylin looked at Stefan angrily, turning around, walking out of the house quickly, walking past Alex as she did. 

Nicola looked at Stefan with disappointment, shaking her head, turning to follow Kaylin.

"I made sure you wouldn't be alone," Stefan told her. "I made sure that someone was there to look after you. To help you."

Nicola looked back at him. "You mean Tyler? You had Tyler look after me this entire time because you couldn't do it yourself?" 

Stefan sighed. "Nikki--"

Nicola turned back to him. "Nikki is a family nickname, and you wanted out of this one, remember? Maybe you'll get the chance to call me Nikki again once you stop being a douche and come home." 

Nicola turned around, walking out of the house, walking past Alex.

Stefan looked at Alex, shaking his head. "Alex, please not you, too."

Alex sighed. "I'm sorry for just barging in like this. Enzo dragged us here without telling us where we were going."

"It's fine, Alex," Stefan told her. "I really don't care."

"Why?" Alex asked. "Why don't you care? You're the one who always cared. It's what I liked about you. You know, midst all the crazy in our perfectly-messed-up lives, you cared more than anyone. So how could you just stop?"

"'Cause I had to," Stefan told her. "I had to move on.  I had to start over. I couldn't just live my life with my old friends, I couldn't just go near Mystic Falls, or Kaylin or Nikki, or--"

"Or me?" Alex finished. Stefan looked down with shame and guilt. "'Cause I thought we were closer than that. I mean... Could you hear in all those messages that I left you, you couldn't hear that I was completely falling apart without you?" Alex waited for him to answer. Stefan was still looking down guiltily. Alex looked away in realization. "'Cause you never listened to them."

"I had to move on," Stefan told her. "I didn't have a choice." Alex looked away in sadness. "I had to erase everything."

Alex looked up, looking more angry that sad now. "Well, let me summarize them for you. You're a dick. If you want him out of your house, you'll have to throw him out yourself."

Alex turned around, walking out of the house, never looking back.

------

Whitmore College - The Girls' Dorm Room 

Liv walked back to the dorm to see Elena ripping open the box of Damon's thing, her cellphone sitting on her bed next to the box, on speaker. 

Automated voice: "... is not available. Please leave a message." 

"Lucas, where are you?" Elena asked. "I need more of that stuff, like, now. I'm starting to go--" She cut herself when she saw Liv and Alaric, but then started to go through the box. "I don't want to hear it, okay? Ric, we tried, it didn't work. Liv, you wanna say, 'I told you so', go ahead, but it's over."

"It didn't work because you weren't being honest," Alaric told her.

Elena looked at Alaric incredulously. "I wasn't--Are you crazy?" Alaric closed the door. "I was being completely honest. Do you think I want to talk to you about my romantic life?" 

"You weren't being honest with yourself," Liv told her. 

Elena looked at the box.

"Look, I want to hear all the Damon stuff, while you were still with Stefan, and while Damon was still with Alex," Alaric told her.

Liv sighed. "Elena, I know you were completely faithful to Stefan, and Damon loved Alex."

"Of course you were, and I know he did," Alaric told her.

"I did everything--" Elena started.

"I know," Alaric told her.

"I stuck with him, even when he lost his humanity," Elena told them.

"I know you di--" Alaric started.

"Even when Klaus made Alex a slave, Damon loved her," Liv told her. "Elena." She sighed, taking Elena by the hands to calm her down. "We know you both did. You don't want to admit it because you feel like you're betraying Stefan and Alex, but this won't work until you do. I know you loved Stefan, and that Damon loved Alex."

Elena looked at the framed pictures of her and Damon. 

"Elena, you and Alex have been lucky enough to love two people this deeply in your young life," Alaric told her. "There's nothing wrong with that. It's okay."

Elena smirked without amusement. "It's okay to love them both." She looked from Liv to Alaric. "That's what Katherine used to say." She had tears her eyes, slowly sitting on the bed. "How sad is it that my own evil Doppelganger was smarter than me?" 

Liv sat next to Elena, holding her arm sympathetically. 

Elena gave Liv a small, sad smile, letting a tear fall.

Alaric grabbed a chair, sitting in front of them.

"It's okay, Elena," Liv told her. "You can tell us. Tell us the moment you knew you loved Damon."

Elena had tears in her eyes, but was reassured. "It was Homecoming."

------

Other World 

Night - Salvatore Boarding House - Hallway

(Song:) All Through the Night - Sleeping at Last

Damon as sitting on the floor, throwing a ball at the wall, catching it.

Elena: (voice over) "It was after Stefan, Alex and Kaylin had been compelled by Klaus, and they had saved him the night of the dance, when we thought they were all gone."

Damon stopped throwing the ball, looking at his hand, his expression numb, sad.

Elena: (voice over) "And I was trying to put on a good face, because I wanted to believe that we could get them back, but I was sad, and I was losing faith."

Damon stood, walking down the hall.

------

Flashback - 3.09 "Homecoming"

Night - Salvatore Boarding House - Living Room

Elena and Damon were in the living room, talking.

Damon was furious.

"I don't understand," Elena told him. "Stefan, Kaylin and Alex wanted Klaus dead, more than anything. That's what we were counting on."

"This could have all been over!" Damon told her, throwing a glass into the fireplace, making the fire spark up.

"Hey," Elena told him. "Damon... Hey! Hey, listen to me." She put a hand on either of his cheeks. "We'll survive this. We always survive. Trust me."

------

Now 

Other World

Night - Salvatore Boarding House - Living Room 

Damon was standing in the doorway, looking into the flames of the fireplace. He was thinking of the moment, too.

------

Now

 Real World 

Night - Whitmore College - The Girls' Dorm Room 

Elena, Liv and Alaric were talking.

"We had already lost everything," Elena told them. "We were sure that we had lost them, too."

------

Flashback - 3.09 "Homecoming"

Night - Salvatore Boarding House - Living Room 

Damon and Elena stood together. Elena still had a hand on either of his cheeks.

Damon frowned in confusion and anger, defeated. "We're never getting my siblings or your sister back. You know that, don't you?"

Elena looked devastated. "Then we'll let them go. Okay? We'll have to let them go."

Damon nodded.

Elena: (voice over) "We didn't know that they had saved him to save Damon and Cristian from his hybrids, including Luke at the time. All we knew that was that we thought they were gone. And we thought that we had to let them go. I knew how much it hurt him, because it hurt me, how much we felt like we were betraying them. But we did it."

------

Now 

Other World 

Night - Salvatore Boarding House - Living Room 

Damon stood in front of the fireplace, looking into the flames. He held a hand to his cheek like he could feel Elena's touch then and there.

------

Now 

Real World 

Night - Whitmore College - The Girls' Dorm Room

 Elena put a hand to her neck. "Letting them go... in that moment, I loved him. I didn't want to. I mean, it terrified me, but, for that moment, I loved him."

------

Now 

Other World 

Night - Salvatore Boarding House - Living Room

Damon stood in front of the fireplace, looking into the flames, lowering his hands, holding a bottle of bourbon.

------

Now

Real World 

Night - Whitmore College - The Girls' Dorm Room 

Elena held Liv's arm tighter before, bracing herself for what was about to happen, looking at Alaric. "Do it. It's okay. I'm ready."

"I need you to be sure," Alaric told her. "Are you sure?" 

"I'm sure," Elena answered. "Just take it away, please."

Alaric leaned forward, compelling Elena. "You never let go of Stefan and Alex or Kaylin. You always believed that they were worth saving, and when you figured out that Damon didn't, you decided to move on without him. You had to save Alex so that you could reunite her with Jeremy and Liv and have your family whole again."

(Song Ends)

------

Flashback - 2.01 "The Return"

Night - Gilbert House - Alex and Elena's Room 

 Damon snapped Jeremy's neck, letting his body fall to the floor. 

Alex knelt next to him, crying in despair, looking up at Damon in hatred.

Elena and Liv ran upstairs, worried.

"Jeremy?" Elena asked.

"Alex?" Liv asked. 

"Liv," Alex called, crying. "Elena!"

They turned to face her, seeing her kneeling next to Jeremy's dead body.

"Jer," Elena told him. "Jer?" She ran into the room, falling to her knees, facing Alex. "No, Jer."

Liv knelt to their side, crying, holding her head. "Jer! Jer! No!"  

 Liv put her head against Jeremy's chest.

------

Now 

Night - Whitmore College - The Girls' Dorm Room

Elena, Liv and Alaric were talking.

"He killed Jeremy," Elena told them in realization. "He snapped his neck right in front of Alex. Liv and I..." She looked at Liv. "We were so upset. It hurt so much to see them like that." 

Liv looked at her, taking a deep breath. "Elena, who is Damon Salvatore?" 

Elena looked angry. "He's Stefan and Kaylin's brother. Nicola's ancestor He's a monster." She looked away with hatred. "Then he died." 

------~------

Savannah, Georgia 

Stefan's House - Outside - Nicola's Car

Alex sat outside in the car, in the passenger seat, crying. Her phone rang. She pulled it out, seeing that it was Elena, taking a deep breath to compose herself before answering. "Hey." 

Elena was in the dorm, picking out clothes. "Put on some party clothes, grab Nicola, and even Kaylin, and come to Whitmore. Tory, Luke, Lindsey, Ryan, Cristian, Tyler, Eliza and Caroline are coming over, and we are going out." 

Alex forced herself to laugh. "You sound good."

"I am good," Elena told her. "I had a good day. I ditched all my classes and hung out with Ric and Liv. And we, um... We talked about Bonnie and Kacie. I had a good cry, and I don't know. I--I feel like things are taking a turn for the better. So get Kaylin and Nicola and get your asses down here and let's have some fun. Love you." 

"Love you, too," Alex told her. She saw Kaylin and Nicola walking past the car. "Look, I gotta go."

Alex got out of the car. 

------

Outside

Nicola looked as if she was about to cry.

Kaylin walked toward Nicola sadly. "Nikki--"

"Kaylin, Stefan said that he got Tyler to watch out for me, but I just told him that his sister died because of me," Nicola told her. "I'll be lucky if he ever even wants to see me again."

"Hey--" Kaylin started.

Nicola turned away, hesitating, angry yet sad tears in her eyes, turning toward the tree line surrounding the house. 

Alex stepped toward her. "Nicola..." 

Nicola didn't answer, punching a tree trunk angrily with all of the vampire strength she had, making it break, falling to the ground. She looked at it, breathing heavily, not feeling any better.

Enzo appeared. "Well, that was impressive."

"Don't even start with me right now, Enzo," Nicola told him.

Alex sniffled, walking toward Nicola, wrapping her arms around her.

Kaylin watched them in regret. 

Nicola sighed, becoming sad, relaxing, wrapping her arms around Alex, tilting her head into her shoulder.

Enzo seemed angry. "I'll be right back." 

Enzo turned around, walking away, into the house, leaving the girls alone.

------

Inside 

Stefan was kneeling to the floor, picking up the broken legs to the table.

Ivy walked into the room. "Hey, did your friends and family leave?" She noticed the broken table. "Whoa, what happened?" 

"Oh, you know, my friend, he's a... a bad drunk," Stefan told her.

Ivy smiled. "Yikes. Well, at least your ex-girlfriend Alex seemed nice. And Kaylin, my God, your sister's a trip. But I couldn't really get a read off of Nicola."

Stefan looked at the broken legs in his hands. "Yeah, Nikki's not much of the sharing type." There was a moment of silence. "Well, I'm going to go throw these out." He walked into the backyard, returning to see Enzo having Ivy by her neck with both his hands. Stefan slowly walked closer. "Let her go."

"Okay," Enzo told him, snapping Ivy's neck, letting her body fall to the floor.

"No!" Stefan told him, rushing toward Enzo. 

Enzo threw Stefan off onto the floor, slowly approaching him. "I've got three girls hurt by you in very different ways because they care so much. Alex's crying, Nicola's angry enough to punch down trees, and Kaylin's looking like she blames herself for all of this mess when you're the one to blame." Stefan sat up. "I'm over here trying to figure out why you have such an effect over these girls, because I can't see what's worth caring about." Stefan stood, tears in his eyes. "You know, Damon once told me that Kaylin was so hurt by the two of you once that she disappeared for about 100 years, and also that he promised you an eternity of misery. And I remember thinking, 'Well, what could their brother have ever done to inspire so much pain or hatred?' But now I get it. You're not a brother to any of them, not even to Nicola, the one you all took under your wing. Brothers don't give up." Enzo took a step forward. "So every time I see you doing anything that looks like you've done so, every time you try to start over in a life that's nothing but a lie, I will make you pay." Stefan looked at him in pain. "I will be the one to bring you the misery you deserve." Stefan growled, rushing toward Enzo. Enzo snapped Stefan's neck, letting him fall to the floor. "See? We're all still neck people."

Enzo walked out of the back door.

------

Whitmore College - Tyler's Dorm

(Song:) Everybody Hurts - Bread & Butter

Tyler was walking toward the door, slowing to a stop, sighing. He turned to his phone, calling someone. 

Kacie: (voicemail) "Hello... Uh, yeah, got you. It's Kacie. Leave me a message." 

"Hey, it's me," Tyler told her, sitting down. "I'm supposed to be on my way to Eliza, Alex and Elena's because we're going out with Liv, Cristian, Tory, Luke, Ryan, Lindsey, Caroline, Nicola and Kaylin, but I decided that I had enough time for this. So, as you can see, I paid your cell bill again. I just want to hear the sound of my insane sister's voice. I found something out yesterday that I didn't know what to do with. Nikki--" He cleared his throat. "Um, Nicola said that she felt guilty for telling you to go after me, and you took off before she could help you. I guess she doesn't really know you. I know that you would've gone after me, anyway, and you would've wanted to go alone, so no one else would be in danger. And I don't know how many times I can apologize over voicemails that you're never going to get, but... There's no right way to apologize to your sister about how you, uh... how you killed her. So I guess I'm just have to convince her that it wasn't her fault, and that she doesn't have to feel guilty about someone she had no control over, and I guess I'll just have to call you tomorrow and apologize. Again. I miss you, Kace." 

Tyler hung up, sighing, looking down. After a moment, he stood, walking out of his dorm, closing the door behind him. 

------

Other World 

Night - Lockwood Mansion - Foyer 

In the empty, 1992 version of the mansion, Kacie stood alone in the dark foyer, looking around, sighing, running a hand through her hair. She noticed a bracelet on her wrist. It had two charm letters. M and K. 

Kacie closed her eyes in pain, taking a deep breath, looking around. "I miss you, guys."

------

Real World 

Night - Lockwood Mansion - Foyer 

Matt opened the door, walking past the place that Kacie would have been.

------

Living Room 

Jeremy and Eliza were asleep in each other's arms, hearing Matt, waking up, not knowing what it was. 

Matt walked in.

"You scared the hell out of me," Eliza told him.

"Shh," Matt told them. "We've got a little problem. Sarah's shady. The plates on her car are stolen. She's gotta go."

"What are you?" Jeremy asked. "Deputy Dewey? How do you know that?" 

Sarah appeared in the doorway behind Matt. "It doesn't matter how he knows it. He's right. I stole it from my old boss. He had wandering hands, so I wandered my hands to his car keys."

"Look, no offense, but you've gotta find someplace else to stay," Matt told her. 

"I totally get it," Sarah told him. "I appreciate you guys helping me, really I do. It's okay. I have family here. Sort of. I mean, I haven't met him, but my dad. He supposedly lives here. It's not like he's just going to let me sleep on the street, right?" 

"Matt, at least let her stay until she finds her dad," Eliza told him.

"Seriously, Eliza?" Matt asked. "You pick now to start caring again?" Eliza gave him a look. "I'm on the community protection committee, and she's a car thief." 

Eliza stood. "All right, fine. We can go stay at the Salvatore Boarding House. No one's there." 

"Look, Eliza, I know that you wanna help, but--" Matt started.

"But nothing," Eliza told him. "Helpfulness doesn't exclude criminals." She looked at Sarah. "No offense." 

Sarah shook her head. "None taken." 

Eliza led the way out of the house. 

Sarah followed her out. 

Matt looked at Jeremy. "What did you say to her?" 

Jeremy shook his head. "Nothing yet. I just told her to talk to me when she was ready to talk. And she did talk some, but I know there's a lot more to come."

"Well, if you keep it up, then we might have Eliza back by the end of the month," Matt told him, turning around, walking out of the room.

Jeremy seemed thoughtful, taking a bottle of bourbon, drinking. 

------

Day Two

Morning - Outside of Mystic Falls - Tripp's Van  

Tripp was driving his large van, with his phone between the seats. 

Matt's voice was on the other line. "So she says she has family here." 

"That's probably another lie, but I'll look into it," Tripp told him. "Thanks, Matt."

Matt was walking in front of the Lockwood Mansion. "Look, Eliza's good, all right? She's just going through some stuff."

"I know all about her," Tripp told him. "I grew up with her dad." 

"Wait, you're from Mystic Falls?" Matt asked.

"Born and raised, till my parents split," Tripp answered. "I think that's why I'm such a geek about this town. My family were such big supporters. We're one of the Founding Families, actually."

"Which family?" Matt asked.

"The Fells," Tripp answered. "I'm Thomas Vincent Fell the third, to be exact. My dad called me Tripp, and I was such a clumsy kid that I took my mom's maiden name when he bailed. I mean, can you imagine? 'Tripp Fell'?" 

"So if you're a Founding Family, that means you know all the stuff that go along with it, right?" Matt asked.

"Oh, is there a secret handshake that never got taught?" Tripp asked. "Look, I gotta go. I'll see you later for training though, yep?" 

"Yeah,  sure," Matt answered, hanging up.

Tripp hung up, opening the partition separating his seat from the large back seat of his car.

Inside were vampires, struggling to break free of the chains. 

"And final words?" Tripp asked.

Tripp drove into Mystic Falls.

The young vampires began to choke and spit up blood. 

Tripp was unfazed, clicking the button from the front seat.

Sun blazed in the back from the skylight.

The vampires began to burn and were set on fire, screaming hysterically as they burned. 

Tripp closed the partition, smiling, turning up the music in his car.

(Song Ends)

------

Other World 

Day Two

Night - Salvatore Boarding House

(Song:) Everybody Hurts - R.E.M.

Kacie came back to the Boarding House to see Bonnie cooking and Damon sitting at the table in silence. Kacie sat across from Damon.

"Took you long enough," Damon told her.

"Shut up," Kacie told him.

Bonnie walked over to them, placing food down in front of either of them.

Kacie smiled a small smile as a thank you. She looked at the bracelet with the M and the K.

Damon began to eat.

Bonnie looked at them with understanding concern. "I miss them, too, you know." 

Damon looked at her in slight surprise.

Kacie nodded sadly.

Bonnie began to eat.

Damon grabbed the newspaper, looking at the crossword, sounding impressed. "Look who got 27 across."

Bonnie smirked. "I wish. 27 across is a rock I am pushing up an endless mountain."

"It's an old tongue twister Eddie turned an top 40, Eddie Vedder, Pearl Jam," Damon told her. "Yellow Ledbetter. Good work." 

Damon set the newspaper down. 

(Song Ends)

Bonnie looked confused, taking the paper, seeing 27 across filled in. She looked at Kacie and Damon. "Are you guys messing with me?" 

"No," Kacie answered. "You messing with us?" 

"I didn't finish this," Bonnie told them.

"Well, neither did I," Kacie told her.

"Me, neither," Damon told them.

"There's someone else here," Bonnie told them.

They looked around in confused suspicion. 

------~------

6.03 "Welcome to Paradise" Trailer

(Song:) You Should Ask Yourself - The Days The Nights  

From 6.03 "Welcome to Paradise", in Dean's Garage, Stefan pulled Dean toward his car, opening the truck, revealing Ivy's dead body. "This is my girlfriend, Ivy. My sister's boyfriend killed her last night right in front of me. I need to find him and kill him." He closed the trunk, turning to face Dean. "I need a few days off."

From 6.03 "Welcome to Paradise", in the woods, Enzo smashed an ice bag onto Stefan's head, making him fall to the ground.

Kaylin turned to face Enzo. "What the hell did you do now?"

From 6.03 "Welcome to Paradise", in the woods at night, Tyler and Nicola were talking.

"That sounded like a threat," Tyler told her.

"No," Nicola told him, walking past. "Just a request."

From 6.03 "Welcome to Paradise", in a diner, Tripp looked at someone unseen. "You never know who's eyes are watching."

From 6.03 "Welcome to Paradise", in the woods, Kaylin punched Stefan in the face, making him stagger back.

From 6.03 "Welcome to Paradise", on the other world, in a grocery store, Kacie rushed toward a man. The man drove a broken stake into her heart, making her groan in pain.

Damon rushed closer, pushing the man against the shelf.

Bonnie used magic to turn the surrounding alcohol surrounding the man into flames.

REVENGE IS SO

From 6.03 "Welcome to Paradise", at the swimming hole, Liv was in the water, breathing through the surface, looking toward the sky, gasping for breath. She looked around in confusion, turning around.

Cristian appeared in the water in front of her. "Show off."

TASTY

Liv smiled. "What's the point of being a vampire without investing into its perks?"

From 6.03 "Welcome to Paradise", in the woods, Alex, Elena, Liv, Caroline, Eliza, Tyler, Luke, Ryan, Matt and Jeremy stood together.

Eliza, Elena, Alex and Caroline offered everyone shots.

"We all need a release," Elena told them.

"I don't want to sound like an alcoholic, but I do want a shot," Eliza told them.

Eliza, Elena, Alex, and Caroline handed out shots to everyone but Matt and Tyler, all of them taking them.

From 6.03 "Welcome to Paradise", in the woods, Stefan aimed a gun at Enzo.

"You've got to be bloody kidding," Enzo told him.

From 6.03 "Welcome to Paradise", at the swimming hole, Kaylin and Nicola stood together.

Cristian walked up to them. "Who invited you?"

WORLDS COLLIDING (THE VAMPIRE DIARIES)

Elena and Alex were sitting on a bench in black dresses. Kaylin and Nicola were sitting in two chairs on either side of them in black dresses. Stefan and Damon stood behind them, wearing black suits.