Outfits in the external link  

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

Liv: (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."

From 6.02 "Yellow Ledbetter", in the girls' dorm room, Elena and Liv were talking.

"Alaric will compel away any memories, and then make me forget that I had him do it," Elena told her.

From 6.02 "Yellow Ledbetter", in the girls' dorm room, Elena, Liv and Alaric were talking.

Alaric compelled Elena. "Who is Damon Salvatore?"

"He was a monster," Elena told them.

From 6.04 "Black Hole Sun", in the prison world's boarding house, Damon, Kacie, Bonnie and Kai were talking.

"To get home, we'll harness the power of the eclipse using a mystical relic," Kai told them. "It's called an Ascendant."

From 6.05 "The World Has Turned and Left Me Here", in Tory's House, Lindsey and Tory seemed to feel something from the necklaces.

"What the hell was that?" Tory asked.

Lindsey looked up with a glimmer of hope. "Bonnie. And if Bonnie's alive, doesn't it make sense that..."

Tory looked at Lindsey hopefully. "Damon and Kacie are, too."

From 6.05 "The World Has Turned and Left Me Here", in the prison world's underground tunnels, Kacie rushed toward them, forcing the Ascendant into Damon's hands, pushing him into the light.

Damon looked at Bonnie and Kacie. "No!"

Damon was brought up into the light. With a bright flash, he was gone.

The only thing left was the Ascendant, falling to the ground, shattering.

Kai kicked Kacie in the side, making her roll onto her back.

The arrow was forced further into her back, making Kacie breathe heavily in pain, glaring up at Kai.

Kai furiously raised the ax above Kacie's head, lowering it with a yell of rage.

Bonnie watched in horror. "Kacie!"

From 6.05 "The World Has Turned and Left Me Here", in the Salvatore Mausoleum, Kaylin, Stefan and Nicola looked at Damon in shock, not quite believing what was happening.

"I'm back," Damon told them.

Kaylin looked as if she was about to cry, pulling all of them into a tight embrace. Damon wrapped his arms around them. Nicola started to cry in relief, wrapping her arms around them. Stefan wrapped his arms around them, closing his eyes in relief, repressing emotion. 

From 6.06 "The More You Ignore Me, the Closer I Get", in Whitmore Medical Center, Elena and Jo were talking.

"I know what your sisters are," Jo told her. "I know what you are."

Elena looked at her in realization. "You're a witch."

 From 6.06 "The More You Ignore Me, the Closer I Get", in the back of Tripp's van, Damon and Enzo were chained up.

Damon pulled at the chains. "Stefan, Kaylin and Nikki could've told me there was a hunter in town."

From 6.06 "The More You Ignore Me, the Closer I Get", in the road, the girls were talking.

"I want my memories back," Elena told them.

"Wait," Caroline told her. "What?"

"I want Alaric to uncompel me," Elena told them.

Liv an Alex stood on either side of Elena, looking at her sympathetically, nodding understandingly.

From 6.06 "The More You Ignore Me, the Closer I Get", in the road,Tripp slammed down on the gas, heading straight for the car, Stefan, Kaylin and Cristian. Stefan, on his cell phone, looked up in just enough time to see them coming, rushing out of the car, away. Kaylin and Cristian rushed to the other side of the road. Tripp's van crashed into the car, flipping it over, flying through the car, crashing over the Mystic Falls sign, landing upside down. Alaric was thrown off the vehicle, groaning, landing on the ground within Mystic Falls.

Stefan helped Damon, and Cristian helped Enzo, toward the border, bleeding, holding wounds, breathing heavily or coughing up blood, finally reaching outside of Mystic Falls, out of the border. 

Jo pumped Alaric's chest. "Alaric!"

Alaric gasped for air, looking up, opening his eyes. "I'm not supposed to be alive."

From 6.06 "The More You Ignore Me, the Closer I Get", in the road, the girls were talking.

"All the magic stripped away, but Jo saved him just before he died," Lindsey told her.

Tory sighed impatiently, deciding to be blunt. "Alaric is not a vampire anymore, Elena. He's human."

From 6.06 "The More You Ignore Me, the Closer I Get", in Skull Bar, Stefan, Damon, Kaylin and Nicola were sitting at a table together.

"Now quit stalling," Nicola told them. "There's a girl you need to go see."

From 6.06 "The More You Ignore Me, the Closer I Get", outside the Skull Bar, Stefan and Alex were talking.

"Could we just get past this, please?" Stefan asked.

"I'm sorry, Stefan, but after everything you did, it's gonna require a little more work than that," Alex told him. "You didn't just break my heart. You broke my trust. And you, above anyone else, know how well I deal with that."

Alex turned around, walking away.

From 6.06 "The More You Ignore Me, the Closer I Get", in the girls' dorm room, Elena slowly opened the door to face Damon after four months of him being dead.

The two of them looked at each other for a long moment, waiting for something to happen, their eyes meeting at last. 

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

Same Night - Same Scene

Night - Whitmore College - The Girls' Dorm Room 

The scene was continuing from the previous chapter. Damon and Elena were looking at each other.

"Okay, I'll start," Damon told her nervously. "I know Alaric eternal sunshined our relationship out of your brain, but please, please tell me it's coming back." He bounced slightly. Elena looked at him blankly. "Or at least part of it, because... imagining this exact moment is what go me through the last few months."

Elena took a moment to answer. "I'm not sure what to say."

"Easy, so easy," Damon told her, stepping into the room, holding her arms. "Just say, that you missed me as much as I missed you." 

Elena looked at Damon, shaking her head slightly. "I remember... pain." She took her arms out of his arms. Damon looked disappointed. "I remember all the terrible things that you did to the people I care about." Damon looked down, trying to find words. "I honestly don't remember anything good between us." Damon continued to look hurt. "I thought if I saw you in person, it might change everything, but..."

"Maybe you just need a little more time," Damon told her.

"I know that I loved you," Elena told him. 

"Yeah," Damon told her, smiling.

"And I know that apparently, I forgave you for all the awful things that you did, just like Alex did," Elena told him. "And that we ended up hurting her and Stefan so that we could be together."

Damon looked down. "Yeah, w--"

"But I just don't remember it," Elena told him. "I'm sorry, I just don't... feel it anymore. I'm sorry."

"Yeah, um..." Damon trailed off, backing out of the room. "Yeah."

Elena grabbed the door. "I--I really am sorry."

Damon opened his mouth to speak, but he couldn't find the words to say.

Elena closed the door in Damon's face.

------

Worlds Colliding (The Vampire Diaries)

------

Day Two

Morning - Whitmore Medical Center - Alaric's Hospital Room 

Liv sat with Alaric at the Whitmore Medical Center. "How you doing?" 

"I'd be doing better if someone wasn't messing with those," Alaric told her.

They looked at Damon, messing around with buttons on the machine. 

"Come on," Damon told them. "Keep going. We are on a roll. All the terrible things I did to the people that she cared about." 

"Well, uh, let's see," Liv told him. "All the terrible things you did to the people that Elena cared about. You turned Caroline and Eliza into your own personal blood juice boxes. You turned Matt's sister-slash-Tory's cousin into a vampire. You were the reason that Isabel kidnapped me and John and nearly got both of us killed. You're one third of the reason of why everything bad ever happened to Nicola. You were also the reason that all of the vampires got round up on Founder's Day three years ago and nearly got Kaylin, Cristian and yourself killed in the process. You turned Nicola into a vampire. You had Kacie half-compelled to forget that you attacked her not once, but twice, so she thought that she was going insane. You threatened to kill Bon-Bon a couple of times."

"More than a couple," Alaric told her.

Liv nodded.

"Subjective," Damon told them. "Sometimes, I was being funny."

"And you killed Stefan and Kaylin's best friend at Stefan's birthday party," Liv told him.

"Unfortunate coincidence," Damon told her,

"And then you snapped Jeremy's neck when Alex said she'd never love you," Liv told him. "You drained Nicola of vervain so you could compel her to tell you where Jeremy and Eliza were so that you could use their lives as bargaining chips to convince Tory and Lindsey to do a locator spell so you could go kill people, leaving her to bleed dry in your own cellar. You tried to kill Tyler... repeatedly. You killed Nicola's father. Luckily, as far as I remember, you haven't really done anything to Luke and Ryan."

"On second thought, let's focus on all the charming, heroic things the two of you obliterated from my girl's mind," Damon told them.

"I'm not the one that did the compelling," Liv told him.

"No, but you're the one that sat there and let it happen," Damon replied.

"I tried to talk Elena out of it, against my better judgement, by the way," Liv told him. Damon went back to messing with the buttons. Liv stood, pushing him back. "Stop that." 

"Look, if I could take it all back, I would," Alaric told him.

"I know," Damon told him. "And listen. Despite the fact that my long list of dastardly deeds involves killing you, I'm glad you're alive."

"Thanks, man," Alaric told him.

"Yeah," Damon told him, tapping Alaric's shoulder hard, making him wince from the pain. "Although, had you actually died a vampire instead of becoming human again, your compulsion would have gone away, and she would be mine again."

"Hey," Alaric told him. "Really heartfelt. Appreciate it."

"Now she's stuck with only evil me memories forever and ever," Damon told them.

"If you kill him, he is dead for good this time," Liv told him. "You remember that, or go and get out."

"Aw," Damon told her. "Little Liv's protective of the father figure. How touching." 

"Can I just tell you that I am one phone call away from getting to see you killed again?" Liv asked. "It would be amazing to see Cristian kill you."

"Cristian saved my life last night," Damon told her. "I doubt he would kill me now."

"Wanna take a bet?" Liv asked. 

Damon stopped messing with the monitors. 

Liv smirked, looking at Alaric smugly.

"Thank you," Alaric told her.

Liv smiled, sitting down in the chair she had been sitting down in.

Jo walked in. "Good morning."

"Hey," Alaric told her. "I don't know if this is a good time."

"Just a heads-up, doc," Damon told her. "You're gonna be in real high demand with a bunch of vampires who want to be human again if you could repeat that little healing trick that you did at the border with Ric last night."

"Well, just a heads-up, but saving Alaric's life was a matter of a treatable death wound, perfect timing, and fear of losing the most interesting guy I've dated in a while adrenaline," Jo told them. "100% unrepeatable." She looked from Damon to Liv. "Which is why you will tell no one."

Liv looked at Alaric. "She's bossy."

"Mm-hmm," Alaric answered.

Liv smiled. "I like her." Damon tapped Alaric's shoulder, making him wince in pain again. Liv stood, pushing Damon out of the door. "All right, let's go."

"Yeah, leaving them two alone..." Damon trailed off.

"Shut up," Liv told him.

Damon and Liv left Jo and Alaric alone. 

Jo looked at Alaric. "Liv's bossy, too. And she doesn't seem to like Damon."

"Yes, she is, and no, she does not," Alaric answered.

Jo smiled. "I like her, too." 

"She'll be glad to hear that," Alaric told her.

"Do you have a nice suit and a clean pair of socks?" Jo asked.

"Uh, yeah, I think so," Alaric answered.

"Good," Jo told him. "I'm releasing you. Hospital fundraiser's tonight. I'm making the interns go, so I need a date. I'll start your paperwork."

------

Warehouse 

Kaylin, Enzo, Stefan, Matt and Nicola were standing in a small abandoned store house, interrogating Tripp, who was chained up to a chair, beaten pretty badly from the car accident.

"Hello, again," Kaylin told him. "That was quite a mess you made at the border last night. Hit-and-run. Tsk, tsk, tsk. Good thing Matt here was in the neighborhood to give you a ride home."

Tripp looked at Matt. "You brought me here?" 

"You went after my friends," Matt told him. "What'd you expect?"

"Your friends who kill people," Tripp told him. 

"Come on, Kaylin," Stefan told her. "Ask him what you want to know. Let's get this over with."

Kaylin looked at Tripp. "Stefan has already made a very passionate argument in favor of snapping your neck, whereas in a surprising role reversal, I've opted for the 'let's think this through, get all the information before we kill him' method."

"Don't be a bitch," Nicola told her. "You know, you can dry the vervain out of him, compel him to forget everything, and he'll never set foot in Mystic Falls again."

"You don't really think he's a one-man vampire busting operation, do you?" Enzo asked. "Look. While Tripp tortured me for the names of you and your friends, I had a front-row seat to quite a few urgent phone calls and visits from mysterious right-hand men, many of whom were wearing uniforms not dissimilar to the one you've been traipsing around in. I'd just like to know what they're up to while he's here with us."

There was a moment of silence.

Kaylin looked at Enzo. "Did you hear anything?" 

"I didn't hear anything," Enzo answered.

"That's what I thought," Kaylin told them. "Which is precisely the problem."

Kaylin picked up a hammer, slamming it onto Tripp's hand, making him scream. 

"You're more devious than first impressions give," Enzo told her.

Kaylin smiled, tilting her head. "You ain't seen nothing yet."

"They're doing the same thing they were when they were with me," Tripp told them. "They're tracking vampires like your friends Alex Gilbert and Caroline Forbes." 

Stefan looked at Kaylin. "Take two hours, get the names of his men and what they know. After that, he's a liability. Get rid of him."

Stefan turned, walking out. 

Nicola looked at Tripp. "You heard the man." 

Kaylin slammed the hammer onto Tripp's other hand, making him scream.

------

Whitmore College - Outside Campus 

Elena, Alex, Caroline and Eliza sat outside together on a blanket.

"You didn't feel anything?" Eliza asked.

"I felt scared and guilty, and his eyes were really, really blue and pretty, but...." Elena trailed off. "No. I don't remember loving him."

"So you don't remember," Eliza told her. "So be it."

"That's your advice?" Elena asked.

"Well, Elena, look at your life right now," Caroline told her. "You're doing well in school, you're following your dreams, you met Liam, who also has very pretty eyes, not to mention he's never killed your guys' brother."

"True," Alex told her. "I mean, after everything that happened between me and Stefan, maybe a little break from the Salvatore Brothers is in the cards for the both of us."

"You both taking a break from Stefan and Damon?" Caroline asked. "Does that sound like an impossibility to anyone else?"

Alex smiled, taking a drink of coffee. 

Eliza looked behind Elena. "Look. McDreamy's coming. I got to go. We'll see you later."

"Bye," Alex told her, standing, walking away.

Caroline and Eliza followed her.

Liam sat down with Elena. "So guess who came into the hospital for a shoulder arthroscopy this morning."

"Hello to you, too," Elena told him.

"Lady Whitmore, the girl from the bonfire, the one you miraculously saved from certain death, and I can't figure out how," Liam told her. "Turns out she was here on a tennis scholarship before she blew out her arm last year. Now, she needs to get her cartilage cleared out every six months." 

"You're still obsessing over that?" Elena asked. 

"But here's the crazy part," Liam told her. "She doesn't remember getting hurt in the corn maze crash."

"Wow," Elena told him. "She must have been really drunk."

"I'm gonna take a look at her lab, see if she's not an alien or a super solider or something," Liam told her.

Elena laughed nervously. "When do volunteers have access to the patient labs?"

"Since never, but if you rat me out, you can't be my date to the hospital fundraiser tonight," Liam told her.

"Yeah?" Elena asked. "Well, we have to go. Jo said that it's mandatory."

"Doesn't mean it can't still me a date," Liam told her, kissing Elena briefly, standing, walking away.

Elena sighed, still unhappy and unsure about Liam's investigation.

------

Prison World 

Day - Salvatore Boarding House - Living Room 

Bonnie woke up on a sofa.

"Oh," Kai told her. "Look who's awake. How do you feel?" 

"Like you shot me with an arrow and saw you cut off my best friend's head," Bonnie answered.

"Right," Kai told her. "Well, Kacie fed you some vampire blood, and I sewed her head back on, so... you know, crazy dimensional prisons. You can't die. So, she should be awake soon." They looked at Kacie's unconscious body on the couch opposite of Bonnie. There was a messily stitched, bleeding line around her neck. Her hair was mangled and unevenly cut from when Kai had cut her head off. Kai looked at Bonnie. "Anyhoo, I have no idea how you managed to shatter the Ascendant into a billion pieces, but we need to put it together before the eclipse at 12:28. You want to help? I know you're a puzzle person."

"I don't want to help," Bonnie told him. "You're a psychopath. This place is your prison. I'm not letting you out. Besides, you'll just kill us the minute we get out."

"You've been through a trauma," Kai told her. "Your memory's probably a little fuzzy right now, so you might be thinking that your magic will protect you, but all I have to do is hold your hand, and your magic suddenly becomes mine." He grabbed Bonnie, taking her magic aggressively, making her wince and groan in pain. "What was that? Huh? What? You're gonna do the spell and finally get us home?" 

Kacie rushed up behind Kai, feeding ravenously, letting his temporarily dead body fall to the floor. "That's about enough of that." 

"Kacie," Bonnie told her in relief.

"Come on, get that thing, let's go," Kacie told her. 

They both got the pieces of the Ascendant, running out of the house.

------

Real World

Whitmore College - The Girls' Dorm Room 

 Alex was looking at pictures on her dresser of everyone of her friends, including Stefan.

Caroline and Eliza were standing in the room with her.

"It's okay to still care about him," Eliza told her. "After all that you two went through together, I would still care about him, too."

Alex sighed, turning to face them. "I wanna get past this, but I just... I just don't know how."

"I know that," Caroline told her.

There was a knock on the door.

Alex sighed, going to answer the door.

Stefan was standing behind it.

Caroline, Eliza and Alex exchanged a look.

"That's weird," Caroline told them.

Eliza nodded.

"What's weird?" Stefan asked.

Alex looked at Stefan. "Girl talk, not something you wanna hear. And, when I said, 'it's gonna take a little more than that', that meant time and space, and this doesn't look like time and space to me, so, goodbye."

Alex tried to close the door in his face.

Stefan edged inside. "Hey, Alex, look. Neither of you are safe. Tripp's men still have your names."

"So, what?" Caroline asked. "You here to protect us? News flash. We don't need your protection, and more importantly, I don't want it." Her phone rang. She answered. "Hey, Mom. Can I call you back? I'm trying to help Alex to get a piece of gum off of her shoe."

Stefan, Alex and Eliza gave Caroline a look.

Liz was standing on the side of the road, her head bleeding. "Actually, honey, this can't wait. Do you have any idea where Tripp Cook might be?" 

"Tripp?" Caroline repeated. "No. I have no idea. Why?" 

On the side of the road, a man was aiming a gun at Liz.

"Because one of his men just ran me off the road, and they're gonna kill me if they don't get him back," Liz answered. 

Caroline looked at the others in shock and horror. 

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

On the Road - Stefan's Car

Stefan was driving.

Alex was in the passenger seat.

Caroline and Eliza were in the backseat.

Caroline was trying to call someone. "Answer your phone, Kaylin."

"I just... I didn't call Mom today, you know?" Eliza asked. I always call Mom every Saturday morning, but, no, today, I said, 'Screw it. I want to sleep in. I'll do it tomorrow.'"

"Well, don't worry," Stefan told them. "We're almost there." 

"We're almost there?" Alex repeated. "You said, 'two hours, and then kill him'. Do you even remember how long ago you said that? I mean, what kind of person sets a ticking clock with setting his watch?"

Caroline's phone rang. She answered. "Tell me that Tripp is still alive."

Nicola was on the other line, standing outside of the warehouse with Kaylin. "Tripp is still alive. Surprisingly torture-resistant, but alive."

"Why isn't Kaylin answering her phone?" Caroline asked. 

Kaylin hesitated, sounding slightly guilty and awkward. "My fingers were covered in blood, and the touchscreen wouldn't work."

"Just don't kill him, okay?" Caroline asked. "One of his guys took Eliza's and my mom, so just keep your hands off of him so I can get her back, okay? Nicola, Kaylin, please." 

"You got it, Caroline, we're not gonna let anything happen to your and Eliza's mom," Nicola told her, hanging up, walking toward the warehouse. 

Caroline sighed in relief, hanging up.

Kaylin followed Nicola toward the warehouse.

------

Small Warehouse - Inside 

Tripp was still restrained. 

Enzo punched Tripp in the face, making his mouth bleed.

Matt walked into the room. "All right, that's enough."

Tripp looked at Enzo. "I thought I could make the world a better place by getting rid of people like you, teach kids like Matt to be strong, defend yourselves." He looked at Matt. "But look at you. You're on the wrong side." 

"I'm not on the wrong side, man," Matt told him. "My side's just really freaking complicated." 

Nicola and Kaylin walked in. 

"Update," Nicola told them. "Tripp's henchmen kidnapped the sheriff of Mystic Falls."

"What?" Enzo asked. 

"It's a contingency plan in case anything ever happened to me," Tripp told them.

"That's your idea of being on the right side?" Matt asked.

"You can set the meet off the edge of town of Old Miller Road," Tripp told them. "You can do the trade there. They know they'll be safe behind the border. And send Matt. They trust him." 

------

Night - Tory's House - Outside

(Song:) The Hardest Part - Nina Nesbitt 

Tory was sitting on the porch swing, sighing, letting herself swing back and forth. She looked up when she heard someone approach. 

Tyler walked toward her.

"Ty," Tory told him in slight surprise. "What are you doing here?" 

"I... couldn't stop thinking about Kacie," Tyler told her, stopping a few feet away.

Tory looked at Tyler sadly. "I can't either."

"And I guess I just needed to talk to my sister," Tyler told her.

Tory smiled sadly, sliding over to give him room. "That's good. 'Cause I needed to talk to my brother."

Tyler hesitated, sitting next to her.

There was a long moment of silence. 

"Where do you think she is?" Tyler asked. 

Tory looked down in guilt. "I don't know, Ty." 

"You know, I can't even remember what the last thing she said to me was," Tyler told her. "Not as Julian, me, but me me."

"I don't remember what the last thing Kacie said to me was, either," Tory told him. "We all had a lot going on back then, Tyler."

"But that's the thing, Tory," Tyler told her. "We all have a lot going on all the time. It never stops, and it never goes away. You know what else doesn't?" 

"The anger," Tory answered. "Believe me, I know." 

"Yeah," Tyler told her. They both took a deep breath. Tyler looked at Tory. "I'm sorry." Tory looked at him in confusion. "I'm sorry that I was such a dick to you when I finally found out that you were my sister. I'm sorry that I scared you, made you angry, pushed you away... And I'm sorry that I'm the reason that you lost Kacie." 

Tory had tears in her eyes, starting to cry.

Tyler started to cry at her reaction.

Tory wrapped her arms around Tyler, holding her older brother while they both thought of their sister.

(Song Ends)

------

Prison World 

Day - Mystic Falls Hospital - Hospital Room 

Bonnie and Kacie walked inside quickly. 

Bonnie looked at Kacie's neck. "That looks really bad." 

"What?" Kacie asked. Bonnie turned Kacie to face the mirror. There was a long, thin line scarring across her neck, stitched up messily, bleeding. Kacie took in the sight of the wound and the ragged shape her hair was in. "Oh, my God."

Kacie looked through the supply closet, seeing cleaning alcohol, taking it, cleaning the wound and the blood away. She saw a plaid scarf, sighing, pulling it out, tying it around her neck. She started to pull at the falling off pieces of her hair to get them out of the way.

"Are you okay?" Bonnie asked.

Kacie nodded. "Let's just put this thing together. When did that psycho say that the eclipse was?" 

"12:28," Bonnie answered.

Kacie looked at the clock on the wall. "It's 10:45. We've got an hour and 43 minutes. We can do this." Bonnie and Kacie looked at each other, nodding, starting to piece the Ascendant together. "You have the creepy bone necklace, right?" 

Bonnie pulled it from under her shirt, hanging around her neck. "Just in case." 

"Good," Kacie told her. "Then we can finally go home." 

------

Real World

Night - Whitmore Medical Center Fundraiser

(Song:) Msk - Yellowcard 

Jo and Alaric arrived. 

"So, what are you, the guest of honor or something?" Alaric asked.

"I won an award for a battlefield medical clamp I patented," Jo explained. "Whitmore likes to trot me out when they want to raise money."

"So, basically, you're a genius," Alaric told her.

Damon wedged himself between Jo and Alaric, wrapping his arms around their shoulders. "Or she has a witchy advantage." Jo and Alaric were both annoyed and irritated. "What, supposed to be a secret that she's a witch?"

"I don't practice, so no witchy advantage, just a lot of hard work," Jo told them. She looked at Alaric. "Who invited him?"

"He sort of invited himself, mostly to stalk Elena," Alaric answered.

"Oh, don't be cynical," Damon told him. "I'm here to spend some quality time with my once dead, now human best friend." The door opened. Elena walked in. Damon smiled. Liam walked in next to Elena. Damon let his smile fade. "Who's that?" 

"That would be Liam, valedictorian, straight A's freshman year taking junior-level classes, not to mention medical royalty," Jo answered. "Not so bad on the eyes, either. Looks like he's Elena's date."

"What do Liv and Ric see in you?" Damon asked.

Alaric gave him a look.

------

Elsewhere 

Elena wrote her name down for a raffle.

Liam was standing next to Elena. "You know those things are rigged, right?"

"Is that another one of your conspiracy theories?" Elena asked. "Super soldiers take over the world to carry out vicious fundraising schemes?"

"Well, when you say it like that, I sound like a loser," Liam told her. 

"When I win my trip to Fiji, you don't have to come," Elena told him. Liam raised his eyebrows, kissing Elena briefly. "Oh. Okay. Maybe you can come." Elena saw Damon looking at them unhappily, looking at Liam. "Can you grab us a couple drinks?" 

"Sure," Liam answered, walking away.

Damon approached Elena.

"Sorry," Elena told him. "I didn't know that you were here."

Liam returned. "Hey. Wine or beer?" 

"You know, um, it doesn't matter," Elena told him. "Whatever you want."

Elena failed to prevent Damon and Liam interacting.

Damon shook Liam's hand. "Hi. Damon Salvatore, Elena's ex. Nice to meet you...?"

"Liam," Liam answered.

"Liam," Damon repeated.

"Wait," Liam told him. "Damon?" 

"Damon," Damon answered.

Liam looked at Elena. "As in the ex who died?"

"Right," Elena told him nervously. "Yeah, um, that is what I... What I told you. Obviously, that's not true." 

"It's a figure of speech," Damon told him. "It's more kind of an emotional death. You know, it was a very messy breakup, but we're past that now." He looked at Elena. "Right? We're... we're in the friend stage."

"Right," Elena answered.

"Yeah," Damon told them.

"Yeah," Elena repeated.

Damon looked at Liam. "So the ex meets the new guy. Heh." He compelled Liam. "How freaked out are you right now?"

"I feel a little threatened, but I think I could take you," Liam answered.

Damon looked at Elena. "Confident. Pfft. Sexy."

"I'm sorry," Liam told them. "What's going on?"

"Focus," Damon told him. He compelled Liam. "Go to the bar, get her a Chardonnay."

Liam walked away.

Elena looked at Damon. "I hate Chardonnay."

Damon turned to face Elena, smiling. "I know."

"What are you doing?" Elena asked.

"I'll explain on the dance floor," Damon told her, offering her his hand. "May I?"

Elena took his hand. 

Damon led her to dance floor.

(Song Ends)

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

Warehouse 

Caroline, Eliza, Stefan and Alex walked into the small abandoned warehouse to see Tripp chained to a chair.

Nicola looked at them. "Hey, guys."

Eliza looked at the bad shape Tripp was in timidly. "What did you do to him?" 

"Oh, he's fine," Enzo told her. "Just a little blood loss. I think he may have an iron deficiency problem."

"Knock it off," Stefan told him. "Their mother's life is on the line." 

"Hang on," Enzo told him. "Just so I'm clear. All Alex had to do to get you to treat her with a modicum of respect is to stop paying attention to you. Is that how this works?" 

"Shut up, Enzo," Kaylin told him, trying to unchain Tripp. "And did we really need three chains? I mean, who is this guy, the Hulk?" 

"Well, I didn't restrain him," Stefan told them.

"No, but you let your sidekick Enzo do it, because what could go wrong when you team up with your sworn enemy?" Alex asked sarcastically. 

"Oh," Enzo told her. "That's brilliant." He looked at Stefan. "Of course that's why she hates you. That's how you worked her into such a state in Savannah. That's why she told you to go take a leap. She hates you because she doesn't hate you at all."

"I'm sorry," Stefan told him. "Are you still talking?"

"She's still in love with you, mate," Enzo told him. Stefan turned to face him. Alex looked at Enzo incredulously. Kaylin gave Enzo a look. Nicola cleared her throat awkwardly. Enzo looked at Caroline and Eliza. "Tell your mum I send my best."

Enzo walked out of the room, leaving.

Kaylin pulled Tripp up. "All right, let's go." 

Nicola and Kaylin walked out of the warehouse, pulling Tripp with them.

Caroline and Eliza gave Alex a sympathetic glance, following Nicola, Kaylin and Tripp, leaving Stefan and Alex alone. 

There was a long moment of awkward silence. 

Alex looked at Stefan. "Whatever he just said, now is not the time to talk about it. We will talk about it later. Do you understand that?"

Stefan nodded awkwardly, looking away. "Mm-hmm."

------

Whitmore Medical Center Fundraiser

(Song:) Belong - Cary Brothers 

Damon and Elena were dancing.

"Why are you doing this?" Elena asked.

"Why?" Damon asked. "Well, because I'm an incredible dancer, and it would be a shame not to share my talent with the world. Oh. Don't worry. I didn't see you smile." He twirled Elena around, pulling her closer. "Miss Mystic Falls. First time we ever danced. Stefan stood you up... Bloodlust issues, surprise, surprise. So I stepped in."

"You're trying to stir up memories," Elena realized. "This isn't a good idea."

"I stepped in, sexy as hell, and saved you from complete and utter humiliation," Damon told her. "Of course, you were just worried about Stefan, but there was this moment, this one moment, where everyone else fell away, and it was just the two of us."

"Look," Elena told him. "I'm here with someone. You can't just come unannounced and ruin my night."

"Come unannounced?" Damon repeated. "What are you talking about? I literally went through time and space to be with you."

"I know, but look," Elena told him. "Do you want me to feel guilty? Because trust me, I do, okay? I feel horrible, and I'm sorry, but I don't... I don't know what to tell you. What do you want me to say? I don't remember us."

"I do," Damon told her. "And no matter how much I missed you, or how much pain I was in, I never would have erased everything we ever had. Even if I was drowning in grief, I'd rather hang on to every moment that I ever held you, or every laugh that I ever heard, every shred of happiness that we ever had. I would rather spend every moment in agony than erase the memory of you."

Damon put a hand on Elena's cheek.

After a moment, Elena pulled away. "I need some air." 

Elena walked away.

(Song Ends)

------

Elsewhere

(Song:) Two Weeks - Grizzly Bear

Alaric observed Damon and Elena, standing with Jo.

"So that seems to be going well," Jo told him sarcastically.

"Yeah," Alaric told her. "That's my fault. I shouldn't have compelled her."

"You shouldn't mix painkillers and booze," Jo told him. "Whatever you did for Elena, that's her choice. Remember that. No pun intended."

"I am not on painkillers," Alaric told her. "In fact, I feel awful, but I am enjoying every miserable human moment of pain."

"To being powerless and mundane," Jo told him.

"Cheers," Alaric told her. They clinked their classes together, drinking. "Ah. So, I guess we are both formerly supernatural beings. Should we start a support group?"

"Well, technically, I relinquished my magic and put it away for safekeeping," Jo told him.

"I didn't know you could do that," Alaric told her.

"Let's just say I chose to remove myself from a tragically dysfunctional family, and I haven't regretted a moment of it," Jo told him.

Alaric nodded thoughtfully.

(Song Ends)

------

Prison World 

Day - Mystic Falls Hospital - Hospital Room

Bonnie and Kacie continued to work on the Ascendant until they got to the last piece.

"Yes," Kacie whispered excitedly. "Yes!" 

"The last piece's missing, Kacie," Bonnie told her.

"What?" Kacie asked.

"It's gone," Bonnie told her.

"No," Kacie whispered worriedly, looking around. "No! Where is it?" 

"I don't know," Bonnie told her.

Kacie shook her head in denial. "This isn't happening." 

The power inside the hospital suddenly shut off, making both of them looking toward the door nervously.

"Kacie..." Bonnie trailed off. 

"Shh," Kacie told her, leading the way out into the hall. "Stay behind me."

------

Hallway 

Bonnie and Kacie walked into the hallway.

Kai appeared at the end of the hall, holding the last piece. "Looking for this?" He looked at Kacie. "You bit me, drained me of blood and stole the Ascendant, naughty girl. You two weren't planning on using it and leaving me behind, were you? You left a trail of blood in the driveway. Figured where else would you stop and play nurses?" He looked at Kacie. "Nice scarf, by the way." 

"Bonnie..." Kacie trailed off.

Bonnie raised her arm toward Kai. "Vados!" 

The spell exploded over Kai, sending carts and debris falling over him.

Kacie rushed over, taking the last piece of the Ascendant. She stopped when she didn't see him. "He's gone." 

"What?" Bonnie asked.

Kacie looked at Bonnie.

Kai appeared behind Bonnie, gripping her throat. "I took some of Bonnie's magic earlier. Did I forget to tell you guys that I know an invisibility spell?" 

"Don't," Kacie told him, stepping closer. "Let her go!" 

Kai started to take Bonnie's magic, making her gasp in pain. "I wouldn't." Kacie stopped walking. Kai stopped taking Bonnie's magic. "Kacie, you try and kill me, I'll take all of Bonnie's magic, her blood, the Ascendant, go home and leave you both for dead. Or we can work together. What's it gonna be?" Kacie looked at Bonnie. Bonnie nodded. Kacie exhaled in defeat, nodding. "There's two good girls. Now, we have an hour until the eclipse. It's time to go home."

Bonnie and Kacie looked at each other worriedly.

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

Real World

Night - Whitmore Medical Center Fundraiser

(Song) How Long Do I Have to Wait For You? - Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings 

Damon took a shot at the bar, trying to take another.

Elena took it before he could. "I want to remember."

"Well, you're a day late and a dollar short, honey," Damon told her.

"I mean, I want to try," Elena told him. "Knowing that there's this whole piece of my life missing, it's... It's driving me crazy, okay? So I have to at least try to get it back."

"Yeah," Damon told her. "How are you supposed to do that?"

"I know there's nothing we can do about the compulsion, but maybe if we unwind the memories backwards, something might trigger something, and maybe they'll all come back, right?" Elena asked.

Damon was confused yet agreeable. "Yeah. Sure. Tell me what you want me to do."

"Take me to the last place I told you I loved you," Elena told him.

Damon smiled.

(Song Ends)

------

Prison World 

Day - Underground Tunnels

Bonnie and Kacie stood face to face under the hole in the ground.

Kai had his backpack. "I brought you each a present." He opened his bag, pulling out a bottle of alcohol. "Ta da! Zima, for Kacie." 

Kai tossed Kacie the bottle of Zima.

Kacie caught it halfheartedly. "Thanks." 

Kai pulled out Bonnie's teddy bear. "Ms. Cuddles, for Bonnie. Thought you might want to bring them along." Bonnie nodded sarcastically. "I know you two think I'm a monster. I mean, I did murder of heavily maim most of my immediate family, but after a long period of self-reflection, I've come to the conclusion that I could have handled my anger better." 

"You said you wanted to get out of here, and I quote, 'To give the rest of the Gemini Coven an excruciating death,'" Kacie told him.

"I didn't mean it," Kai told them. "Honestly, I would do anything to get my family back, and the thing I'm most scared of is trying to figure out how to live in the world again. Sort of wishing you've been a positive influence on me. You're good people, in different ways. Kacie, you're brave, strong, and you'd do anything for the people you care about." He looked at Bonnie. "You're sacrificial, loyal, patient. I want to be more like you." He used a high-pitched voice for Ms. Cuddles. "What do you say? Friends?" 

"Let's just go home," Bonnie told them.

Kai took out the Ascendant, handing it to Bonnie.

------

Real World

Night - Old Miller Road 

Stefan, Alex, Nicola, Kaylin, Caroline and Eliza waited outside of the border of Mystic Falls with their car next to them.

Another car pulled up on the other side of the border.

"They're here," Kaylin told them, pulling Tripp out of the car.

Matt got out of the car on the other side of the border, along with other men, one aiming a gun at Liz, who's head was bleeding.

Caroline stepped up to the border. "Mom?" 

Eliza stepped after her, holding her back. "Caroline, stop! The border." She looked at Liz. "You're bleeding." She looked at the men. "What'd you do to her?" 

"I'm fine," Liz told them.

"Okay," Matt told them. "Let's do this. Let her go, and you can have him."

"Tripp first," the man with the gun told them.

"Let her go, or I'll kill you," Caroline told him. 

"Sweetheart, it's okay," Liz told her. "Kaylin, let Tripp go."

Kaylin released Tripp.

Tripp walked over to the men.

"He's across," Nicola told them. "Now let her go."

The man let Liz go.

Liz walked across the border.

Tripp crossed the border. He had a strange look on his face.

"Are you okay?" Matt asked.

"What's happening to me?" Tripp asked.

A huge slice across Tripp's throat suddenly appeared. He fell to the ground, dead.

Matt watched, horrified.

"Oh, my God," Alex told them. 

Matt watched Tripp die as he desiccated, turning to Stefan, Alex, Nicola, Kaylin, Caroline and Eliza. "What the hell did you do?"

"Wasn't me," Kaylin told him. "Wasn't Nikki. Enzo must have turned him into a vampire when Caroline called us earlier." 

Matt looked down at Tripp's body in pain. 

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

Tory's House - Living Room 

Tory sighed, sitting on the couch, holding her necklace, thinking. Lindsey was sitting next to her.

Liv walked into the room. "Tyler just left. You guys okay?" 

"Just thinking," Tory answered. 

"About?" Lindsey asked.

Tory sighed, taking a moment to think about how to answer. "This..." She looked around the house. "All of this..." She looked at Lindsey and Liv, shaking her head. "It's not our home. Our home is in the Lockwood Mansion, or the Salvatore Boarding House in Mystic Falls, and I can't even go there. If I go there, then the werewolf gene gets taken, and I lose my leverage against any lingering Travelers that are roaming the earth. You know, the ones that want to rid the entire world of our magic and our friends. Markos said that there are Travelers everywhere, that they are the faces that surround us everyday, the ones that we don't notice because we're too busy making a mess of what we have that they don't. So, if that's true, then the only thing standing between the extinction of magic and the Travelers, it's me. And all they have to do is give me a shove into Mystic Falls, take our Doppelganger and Wraith blood, and start the spell again. And I cannot risk that." 

Lindsey nodded. "It's too much pressure for a 18, nearly 19 year-old-girl."

Tory nodded. "Yeah, it is."

"But, it's not the only thing on your mind," Lindsey told her.

Tory shook her head. "No, it is not." 

"Talk," Liv told her.

Tory sighed. "I keep thinking about Bonnie. We felt her magic. We felt the connection break. But don't you think that we would've felt her death?" 

"What do you mean?" Lindsey asked. "You think that Damon lied to us about Bonnie and Kacie being killed by Kai?" 

"No," Tory answered. "I just think that Damon thinks that Kai killed Bonnie and Kacie." She looked at the necklace in her hand. "I heard this vibrating against the table earlier. Like Bonnie was trying to make a connection again. I think that she's just weaker than she was before, but she can come back. All we have to do is help her and Kacie come back. Just like we helped her send Damon over here." 

Lindsey hesitated, sighing. She pulled her necklace out of her pocket. "I'm just glad I'm not the only one who felt it. It felt like I was going crazy."

Tory and Lindsey exchanged a sad smile. 

Liv looked at them. "I say it's worth a shot." Tory and Lindsey looked at her. "Try it."

------

Prison World 

Day - Underground Tunnels

The eclipse was right above Kacie, Bonnie and Kai now, creating a circle of light.

"It's now or never," Kai told them.

Bonnie cut her hand, letting the blood fall onto the Ascendant. "Sangina mearma. Ascendarum cavea. Sangina mearma. Ascendarum cavea."

------

Real World

Night - Tory's House - Living Room 

Liv, Lindsey and Tory were talking.

Liv nodded to Lindsey and Tory encouragingly. "Go on, then."

Lindsey and Tory exchanged a look, nodding. They held one hand, using the others to hold the necklaces, closing their eyes in concentration. "Sangina mearma. Ascendarum cavea. Sangina mearma. Ascendarum cavea. Sangina mearma. Ascendarum cavea. Sangina mearma. Ascendarum cavea."

------

Prison World 

Day - Underground Tunnels

Kacie, Bonnie and Kai stood in the circle of light created by the eclipse.

Kai abruptly gripped both of their arms. "Just in case you thought you'd try to go without me." 

A drop of blood landed on Ms. Cuddles.

Bonnie continued to chant. "Sangina mearma. Ascendarum cavea. Sangina mearma. Ascendarum cavea. Sangine mearma. Ascendarum cavea."

The Ascendant clicked.

"So long, 1992," Kai told them.

Bonnie looked at Kacie. "Now." 

Kacie broke free from Kai's grasp, pushing him out of the circle of light. 

Kai fell to the ground, angry. "I still have some of Bonnie's magic, Kacie."

Bonnie put the Ascendant in Kacie's hands.

Kai used magic to pull Bonnie down next to him.

"No!" Kacie told him, trying to step out of the light. Bonnie raised her arm toward Kacie. Kacie looked as if she had walked into an invisible wall. "Bonnie, what are you doing?"

"Bye, Kacie," Bonnie told her.

"No!" Kacie told her.

The light pulled Kacie toward the eclipse.

The Ascendant fell to the ground, shattering. 

Kai screamed in rage. 

Bonnie smiled a small, sad smile. 

------

Real World

Night - Tory's House - Living Room

Lindsey and Tory both exhaled, breathing slightly heavily. 

"What just happened?" Liv asked.

"I just felt like we pulled something here," Tory told them.

"It was the same feeling when we pulled Damon here," Lindsey told them.

Liv raised her eyebrows. "Let's just wish that's a sign it worked."

Lindsey and Tory smiled.

They all stood, walking toward the door.

------

Prison World 

Night - Underground Tunnels 

Kai turned toward Bonnie in anger. "Why do you keep doing this?" 

"I told you that I wouldn't release you," Bonnie told him. "And I wasn't planning on breaking my word."

Kai walked closer in rage, grabbing Bonnie by the arms. He looked at her incredulously. "There's nothing there. There's no magic."

"It's so strange," Bonnie told him sarcastically. "I wonder if I accidentally put it somewhere. Oh, I remember now. I put it somewhere safe."

Bonnie smirked triumphantly.

"Where did you put your magic?" Kai asked.

"Do you remember saying you wanted to be more like me and Kacie?" Bonnie asked. "Brave, strong, being able to do anything for the people you care about? Sacrificial, loyal, patient?" 

Kai turned to look at her in realization. "You put it in the bear, didn't you?" He turned around, picking up his bag, but Ms. Cuddles was gone. Kai yelled in fury. "Come on!" He calmed himself, turning to Bonnie. "Where's the stupid bear, hmm?" 

"Oh, it's gone," Bonnie answered. "Just like Kacie's gone. I guess we're stuck here forever. Sorry."

Bonnie smirked, clearly not sorry at all.

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

Real World

Night - Road Just Outside Of Mystic Falls 

Damon was leaning against the hood of his rental car, looking up at the bright stars in the sky. 

Elena stood next to him awkwardly. "I don't remember being here with you that night."

"Okay," Damon told her. "What do you remember? How are you rewired?"

"I remember that we had to stop the Travelers," Elena answered.

"Yeah," Damon answered.

"You had a plan, but you didn't tell anyone what you were doing, and the next thing I know, you're dead," Elena told him. "I heard that you drove your car into the Grill and the blew yourself up so that you could trigger some explosion."

Damon smirked. "There's just one little part of that story that you're missing. You got in the car with me."

"What?" Elena asked.

"I was all ready to go, and the door opens, and you jump in the car and say, 'we're in this together', and you weren't taking no for an answer," Damon explained. "That was the moment I realized you were the perfect girl for me, because you were just as crazy as I was."

"Okay," Elena told him. "Tell me more. Something happy."

"Okay," Damon told her. "Happy. Well, there is a motel ice machine in Denver that's got some stories."

"What else?" Elena asked.

"Well, can't forget the night of your graduation," Damon told her.

"Well, I did, so..." Elena trailed off.

"Shame," Damon told her. "Probably one of your best speeches. You in your very passionate and adorable way told me you were in love with me, and hell if you were gonna apologize for it. My favorite memory of us? Oh, one that I've relived a million times over the last four months is this summer night that we had before you went off to college. You wanted to show me this meteor shower, so we drove out in the middle of nowhere, and the moment those shooting stars started to fall, rain. Lots of rain. You were so sure it would clear, and it was just easier to believe you, and I took your hand..."

Damon took Elena's hand, putting it on his shoulder.

Elena looked into his eyes for a moment. She blinked. "This isn't working. I'm sorry."

Elena turned around, stepping away.

"Hey," Damon told her. "Maybe you just need to try a little harder."

"I am trying," Elena told him. "I get that we had an amazing life together, and I know that I loved the fact that you were reckless and probably made me feel very free, but now, when I look into your eyes, I just..."

"What?" Damon asked. "What do you feel like?"

"I feel like..." Elena trailed off. "Like I'm looking at a stranger, because I'm never gonna be able to give you what you want, because I just can't remember."

"Hey," Damon told her. "There are things you can't erase, and you know that." He placed a hand on either of Elena's cheeks. "Hey." He started to drift closer. Elena pulled his hands away. Damon backed away. "Sorry." Elena turned away, looking straight ahead in determination, walking away. "Where are you going? Hey!" Elena crossed the anti-magic border into Mystic Falls, beginning to drown all over again. "Elena!" 

A rapid series of flashbacks, all of memories of Damon that Elena had been compelled to forget came back. One stood out among the rest. It was of Damon and Elena standing in the pouring rain.

Elena choked and gasped against the water flowing from her mouth.

"Elena!" Damon told her, pulling her back to safety. Water stopped flowing. Elena gasped for breath. "Hey! What the hell are you doing? 90 more seconds, you'd be dead. Hey."

"I'm trying to undo the compulsion," Elena answered. "It's the only way."

"No, no, no, no," Damon told her. "Hey. Listen. I would give anything for you to remember, but I'm not gonna risk your life. It's the last thing I would ever do. Even if you don't remember that. Let's get you home."

Elena didn't answer, still catching her breath. 

------

Whitmore College Medical Center - Liz's Room 

Stefan, Alex, Caroline and Eliza took Liz to the Whitmore Medical Center. 

"This is totally unnecessary," Liz told them.

"You hit your head," Eliza told her. "You could have a concussion, and we know better than to trust that you're going to take yourself for a checkup back home." She looked at Alex. "Do you mind waiting with us?" 

"Not at all," Alex answered. She looked at Stefan. "But you can go now. We're fine." 

"Alex, could you at least just check and see how long the wait is gonna be?" Liz asked.

"Gladly," Alex told her, walking out of the room. 

Caroline looked at Stefan. "I'm not really sorry that she's still icing you out, because you kinda deserve it."

"Yeah, I know I do," Stefan told them. "But is there anyway you want to help me fix that?" 

"Sorry, Stefan," Eliza told him. "In a case such as yours, we cannot pick and choose which side we're on. If Alex wants us to stay out of it, then we're gonna stay out of it."

"Right," Stefan told her. "Sorry, Eliza."

Alex walked back in with a nurse. "Care, Eliza, I'll be right outside, okay?" 

Caroline and Eliza looked at Alex, nodding. "Okay."

------

Hallway

(Song:) Another Love - Tom Odell 

Stefan and Alex stepped out into the hall. 

Stefan closed the door behind him.

"Please don't ask my best friends for their opinions," Alex told him.

"You heard that?" Stefan asked. 

"Yeah," Alex answered. "I've got super hearing. I hear everything. Remember, you used to call me Eavesdropping Queen?" 

"Yeah, you listened to everything I said back then, and now you're not," Stefan told her. Alex gave him a look, looking away. "Well, it's later." 

Alex looked at him in confusion. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yes, you do," Stefan told her.

Alex sighed, looking away. "You really wanna talk about what Enzo said?" 

"Why don't you?" Stefan replied. "Even after all that I did to you, you're still in love with me?"

Alex turned to face Stefan. "After all that we went through together, I can't imagine a day when I'm not. I thought that you were worth being in love with, and I still do, because when I woke up as a vampire, you said that I would get through it, and I did, because when I lost Damon, and watched Elena move onto with him, I couldn't imagine why she would let anyone like you go, because of all of the pain that I went through with the curse, or with Damon and Elena, or with Silas and Rosalita, you were the only one that could understand what I was going through, and you were the only one I could actually be me again with. Because I helped you get past your dark times, and you helped me get past mine. Because you were practically my best friend. Because I trusted you." 

Stefan sighed, looking down. "What I said? About using Ivy as a distraction? It was the truth." Alex looked up at him. "I knew that, by seeing you, I would think of all of the horrible things that happened to us, and all of the horrible things that I did to you, but I am incredibly sorry for the way that I treated you." 

Alex looked down for a moment. "You said once that once you fell in love with someone, you didn't know if you could ever unfall for them. I guess that's really true." She smirked without humor. "I accept your apology."

"But you're still hurt," Stefan told her. "And you have every right to be." 

Alex nodded. "Yeah, I do. And this might sound crazy, but, the only person that has the power to hurt me like this is the one that that has the power to make me love, and to feel so helpless like that, either in the good way or the bad, scares the hell out of me."

There was a moment of long silence, both of them looking at each other but never speaking.

Alex didn't know what to do, so she walked away instead, leaving Stefan behind. 

------

Whitmore Dorm Building 

Damon walked Elena back to her dorm room. 

"I remembered something out there, just bits and pieces, but, um..." Elena trailed off. "There were these stars, and then it started to rain."

"When you became a vampire, part of me was thrilled, because suddenly, there was this possibility I could have you in my life forever, but then the other part of me was devastated, because I realized you'd lost the life that you wanted to have," Damon told her.

"It started to rain, and then what happened, Damon?" Elena asked.

"And since I've been gone, you've gotten part of that life back," Damon told her. "You're thriving, you're happy. Yeah, sure. Maybe you'd be happy if we gave it another chance, but the truth is... You're better off without me."

"What are you talking about?" Elena asked.

"I died," Damon told her. "You started over. I need you to live your life. Be happy. I love you. Enough to let you go." 

Damon looked down, sad.

Elena continued to look at him. "It started to rain, and then what?" 

"It got cold and muddy," Damon told her. "You were miserable, so we got into the car, and... we drove home."

Damon turned, walking away.

Elena didn't look convinced.

------

Flashback 

Night - Middle Of Nowhere 

Damon and Elena were standing together on a dock, watching for shooting stars. 

Elena smiled widely. 

Damon smiled.

It started to rain.

"Come on," Damon told her. "It's time to abandon ship."

"No, no, no, wait," Elena told him. "Just give it a second. It'll clear up." It started to rain harder, to where the rain was a pounding down pour. Damon and Elena looked at each other for a long moment, kissing passionately for a few, long, endless moments. They finally pulled away. "Promise me this is forever."

"I promise," Damon told her.

Damon and Elena smiled, kissing passionately in the pouring rain.

(Song Ends)

------

Now 

Night - Jo's Apartment 

Alaric and Jo walked into the apartment.

Alaric groaned in pain. "Okay. Oh. I might have to rethink this whole painkiller thing."

"I need to get out of this dress and order a pizza," Jo told him.

"Okay," Alaric told her, sitting on the couch, groaning.

Jo walked into the next room, starting to change clothes.

Alaric saw her shirtless, noticing a huge scar on her abdomen as she buttoned up her shirt. "Ouch."

"This?" Jo asked. "Yeah, I had an accident when I was younger. I lost my spleen."

"Car accident?" Alaric asked. 

Jo walked closer, sitting next to Alaric. "Actually, it was less an accident and more like my brother tried to gut me with a hunting knife. Like I said, tragically dysfunctional family. I just killed the mood, didn't I?"

"No, no," Alaric answered. "Let's just say, uh, we both have complicated, tragic and dysfunctional histories. Guess we're a match."

Alaric and Jo kissed.

------

Whitmore College - The Girls' Dorm Room 

Liam knocked on the open door.

Elena turned to face him.

"Hey," Liam told her, walking closer.

"Hey," Elena told him. "You're still talking to me. Sorry  I ran out like that." Liam put a folder into Elena's hands. "What's this?"

'So, I finally got a look at Lady Whitmore's labs," Liam told her. "Turns out, they sent her home without doing the shoulder surgery, because the injury doesn't exist anymore. Seems to have spontaneously healed itself, and all this after meeting your dead boyfriend tonight? None of this adds up. The only thing that's really clear is that you're not just a liar, but you're a liar with secrets, so you can tell me the truth, or I can figure this out on my own."

Liam walked out of the room.

Elena sighed, closing her eyes in defeat.

------

Mystic Falls Cemetery - Salvatore Mausoleum 

(Song:) Concrete Angel (acoustic) - Christina Novelli 

Kacie had suddenly found herself in the crypt. She looked around desperately. "Bonnie. No. No. No, no, no, no." 

Kacie saw Ms. Cuddles sitting on the gate.

------

Outside 

Tory, Liv and Lindsey ran into the cemetery, looking around. 

"Kacie?" Liv called. 

"Bonnie!" Lindsey called. 

"Kacie!" Tory called.

They continued to look around for Bonnie and Kacie for several moments. 

Lindsey slowly sunk into defeat, disappointed. "It didn't work."

Tory looked toward the Salvatore Mausoleum, looking inside in shock, walking closer, not willing to believe until she could tell for herself. "Kacie?"

Kacie turned around to face her. "Tory?" 

Tory smiled in relief, starting to cry. "Kacie!" 

------

Salvatore Mausoleum 

Tory ran into the crypt, running into Kacie's arms, both of them crying in relief. 

Lindsey and Liv walked inside, incredulous yet relieved.

"Oh, my God," Liv told them. 

Kacie and Tory breathed heavily, crying, pulling away, but holding each other's arms. 

"You're back," Tory told her. "You're really back."

Tory laughed hysterically. 

"What about Bonnie?" Lindsey asked. "We felt her. We know she did the spell." 

Kacie's relief was dialed down. She was relieved, happy, yet in despair, letting go of Tory, turning to the gate, picking up Ms. Cuddles, hugging her to her chest. "She sacrificed herself to save me. She's alive."

Lindsey smiled, starting to cry. "We can get her back?"

Kacie nodded, starting to cry. Tory, Liv and Lindsey wrapped their arms around her tightly in relief.

Kacie held all of them, looking forward in excitement and determination. "We can get her back, Lindsey. We'll get her back. I promise." 

(Song Ends)

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

6.08 "Fade Into You" Trailer 

(Song:) The Lords Prayer - Reverend Horatio Duncan & Amos Sweets 

From 6.08 "Fade Into You", in the dorm building, Liv, Kacie, Lindsey and Tory were talking.

Kacie had cut her hair, slightly bouncing with nervousness and anticipating, looking at Tory standing next to her. "How do you think they're gonna react?"

Tyler looked at her in shock, not quite believing what he saw. "Kace?"

"I'm guessing shock, disbelief, relief, et cetera," Liv told them.

"It's me, Ty," Kacie told him.

"She's back," Tory told him.

Tyler had tears in his eyes, wrapping his arms around either of his sisters, almost as if he would never let go. Tory wrapped her arms around them happily in relief. Kacie held them tightly, smiling through the happy tears.

Tory, Tyler and Kacie turned around.

Caroline, Eliza, Alex and Elena stood there, all shocked and in disbelief, but smiling at the thought that they had one of their best friends back.

Kacie walked toward them. Caroline, Eliza, Alex and Elena wrapped their arms around her tightly, all of them smiling, laughing ecstatically.  

From 6.08 "Fade Into You", outside of Mystic Falls, Matt looked relieved, shocked, happy and confused, yet he didn't are about how she got there, because she was actually there. "Kacie!"

Matt ran toward Kacie, out of the town border.

Kacie smiled, running into Matt's arms, just letting him hold her for a few long, sweet, endless moments.

From 6.08 "Fade Into You", in the dorm building, Nicola and Tyler were talking.

"Now that she's back, will you promise to stop hating yourself and blaming yourself for Julian killing her?" Nicola asked.

"That depends," Tyler told her. "Will you promise to stop blaming yourself for not being able to go after her before Julian killed her?"

Nicola smiled. "Deal." 

From 6.08 "Fade Into You", in a road, Stefan, Damon, Kaylin, Alaric, Tory and Lindsey were dressed against the chill of the air.

"Were you invited to Friends-giving?" Stefan asked.

"Why?" Alaric asked. "Were you not invited?"

From 6.08 "Fade Into You", in the dorm building, For Friends-giving, most of the group was gathered for the dinner. Alex, Elena, Nicola, Caroline, Tyler, Liv, Cristian, Luke, Ryan, Olivia, Lucas and Jo.

"All right," Caroline told them. "If everyone could gather around..."

A THANKSGIVING DINNER

From 6.08 "Fade Into You", in the dorm building, Elena, Alex, Liv and Liam were talking.

Liv looked at Alex and Elena. "We're vampires."

Liam took a second to respond incredulously. "You're all what?"

TO SINK YOUR TEETH INTO

From 6.08 "Fade Into You", in the dorm building, everyone was sitting at the table.

Nicola decided to change the subject to something less painful. "Could somebody please pass the dinner rolls?"

From 6.08 "Fade Into You", in a field, Tory and Lindsey stood side by side in the field that appeared to be completely empty. They closed their eyes in concentration, both of them gathering as much magic as they had.

Wind started to blow around them powerfully, blowing their hair back. 

Magic radiated out of Tory, as if like a bomb.

From 6.08 "Fade Into You", in a house, Damon spoke to someone unseen. "I'll just kill him."

From 6.08 "Fade Into You", outside a house in the prison world, Kai opened the trunk of Damon's car to reveal Bonnie inside.

From 6.08 "Fade Into You", in a house, a locket in a bowl exploded with light.

Lindsey and Tory screamed out once in surprise, covering their heads.

From 6.08 "Fade Into You", outside a house in the prison world, Bonnie was on the ground, waking up.

From 6.08 "Fade Into You", in the dorm building, Alex and Stefan looked at each other 

Alex smiled slightly in shock.

From 6.08 "Fade Into You", in the Skull Bar, Damon and Elena were sitting at the bar.

Elena took Damon's hand in hers.

Damon smiled a small smile in slight shock.

From 6.08 "Fade Into You", in the dorm building, Liv and Elena were sitting on stairs, speaking to Stefan over the phone.

"Can you two just kiss and make up?" Liv asked. "It's getting weird."

"You're just mad because no one knew how to carve the turkey," Stefan told them.

Alex looked down the hall to give Liv a look.

Liv smiled innocently.

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.