Final.

I heard someone calling my name; screaming it actually. "NORRAH, WAKE UP! NORRAH!" It was Lexi, we were still in the car but we had parked and Rebekah had gotten out and walked towards a building.

My vision was fuzzy, I couldn't see anything clearly. My head was throbbing, I put my hand up and felt the dried blood in my hair and the lump that had formed. I started to look skyward but Lexi stopped me.

"Don't you dare!" she warned me. "Do you want her to find out what you really are? Leave it alone."

I groaned, I didn't want her to find out, but it was affecting my ability to think clearly. I looked up at Lexi and quietly asked her where we were.

"Back in Mystic Falls at the boarding house," she answered as she looked over her shoulder.

"Why are we here? What is she going to do to me?" I asked, fear rising in my voice.

"We have a plan, so just sit tight and go along with it. You're going to be fine and we're going to get you out of here but you have to play along, understand?" she asked me.

I started to nod before realizing what a monumentally bad idea that was. "They're coming, just go with it Norrah, please!"

I saw tears in her eyes again; I couldn't stand to see that. 'I will' I silently mouthed to her as I heard the door open and the seat push forward. Rebekah got ahold of my arm and pulled me upright. She shifted me out of the car and then backed me up into someone who bent down and picked me up effortlessly. I tried to see who it was but my vision was still so blurry.

"It's Damon", Lexi told me, "but don't move or react, it's all part of the charade."

I was so thankful to have her there with me. He carried me into the house and down to the parlor where he placed me on the sofa.

"She's a mess," he commented, "what did you do to her?"

"Nothing really, just knocked her out," Rebekah responded.

"With what, an axe?" Damon asked. "Could you have been a little more delicate?"

"Be careful Damon," she warned him, "remember what happened the last time you stood up for her? Now, let's clean her up first before we dine, I rather like the smell of fresh soap and shampoo with my meal."

I started to panic; I could feel my heart pounding in my chest. So that was the plan? Rebekah and Damon feeding on me?

"You need to relax Nor," Lexi said calmly to me. "It's all part of the plan." They could both hear my heart beating wildly.

"Well, it seems our little dinner guest can hear us," I heard Rebekah say. "It's probably better you know anyway; the higher your blood pressure the faster you'll die."

"It's too early for dinner," Damon broke in, "Besides, I have a better idea."

I could see one figure pull the other towards him; hear their lips lock as they kissed. "Why don't we go upstairs and burn off some energy before we eat?" he asked her.

I heard her chuckle. "I hope you aren't trying to spoil our night because if you are then I might just have to kill you too."

"Well let's go upstairs and find out," Damon replied.

"And leave her here to run as soon as we close the door?" she asked him, "I don't think so."

"Fine, then we'll put her in the basement," he responded as he lifted me from the couch.

Was he crazy? Did he forget what happened the last time I was down there? I tried to fight him but was in no shape to take him on.

"How about a pre-dinner drink?" Rebekah asked as she grabbed my wrist and bit down hard.

I moaned in pain and she dropped my arm after a few moments. Tears had started to form in my eyes as Damon opened the door and started descending the stairs.

I heard Lexi's voice in my ear. "It's okay Nor, you have to calm down, please!" I knew there was a reason for her panicked tone and had to guess that Damon's eyes were turning red and fangs were out just smelling the blood in my hair and now dripping from my wrist. He put me down on the dirt floor near the middle of the room, I could feel the burning start, but it wasn't anywhere near as bad as it had been the last time.

Damon walked out and was about to close the door when Rebekah pushed in.

"I don't trust that she wouldn't find some way out." She said as she lifted her leg and stamped down hard on each of my legs, effectively breaking them. "There, that will slow you down just a bit now wont it?" she asked with a smile spreading across her face.

I heard the door slam and the large plank placed in its place, locking me in. The tears in my eyes had cleared my vision somewhat and I reached up and rubbed them. I could feel the burning sensation starting to spread as I glanced around the room. That's when I saw them. In the corner behind where the open door would have hung were a small bottle and a note.

My legs were already swollen and turning an unappealing shade of purple, but I could use my arms. I sat myself up slowly touching the gash on my head and examining my legs closer. Using my elbows I slowly inched over towards the bottle. I stopped just before grabbing it and listened. Damon and Rebekah were clearly indisposed and I could safely reach out for the bottle and note. I was surprised to see that the bottle was half full of witch hazel. The note merely said to drink it and the burning would stop, so of course I did.

Once I could breathe easily again Lexi appeared at my side. "Now heal yourself," she told me.

"What, why?" I whispered back. "If I heal then she'll know or she'll suspect Damon. I don't want him getting hurt too."

"Have I mentioned that we have a plan?" she asked me. "Just does it, we're going to get you out of here."

"How?" I asked, stalling for time.

"Katherine Ella-Norrah heal yourself right now!" Lexi yelled at me.

I looked up and concentrated and felt everything starting to come together. It took about five minutes but everything healed and I stood up. I looked over to the other side of the room but the light for the vervain plants was gone as were the fifty pots.

"Where did the vervain go?" I asked Lexi.

"Don't worry about that now…but if I were you I'd avoid the kitchen," she said to me. "Now go over to the door and whisper Stefan's name."

I was still confused but I did as I was told and suddenly Stefan's appeared. He pulled up the plank and unlatched the door. He could see that I was still a bit unstable on my feet so he picked me up gingerly and carried me up the stairs. I was feeling woozy and cloudy again so I rested my head on his shoulder as we walked right out the front door. He told me to hold on tight and ran away from the house and about halfway down the street that connects to the main part of town.

There was another man standing near a truck and I was handed off to him. "Don't worry Norrah, you're in good hands." I rested my head on the man's shoulder and closed my eyes. My vision was spinning and I couldn't focus enough to see anything. My legs had healed but my head was still really sore.

"Take her to Caroline's and get some blood into her," Stefan told the man before running back to the house. The man settled me down in the truck and took off towards Caroline's.

When we got there Caroline greeted us and invited me in. The man who I had decided to refer to as my savior placed me down gently on a bed. He told Caroline to get me some blood, fast. She left the room and he awkwardly sat down on the bed.

"Thank you," I managed to get out, my eyes closed.

"No problem," my savior replied.

I didn't recognize his voice so I had to assume we'd never met. How noble to help someone you've never met before. Caroline came rushing in with the blood, three bags total and jammed a straw into one. My savior left the room while I drank, slowly at first and the ferociously as my strength returned. By the time I had emptied the last bag I felt as good as new. I was still a mess; there was blood in my hair and dirt just about everywhere else.

I asked Caroline if she wouldn't mind me using her shower. She came back with a stack of towels, washcloths and my clothes that I'd left at the lake house.

"We brought all of your stuff back with us," she told me as she got me set up in the bathroom.

"We?" I asked.

"Yeah, me, Bonnie and Elena," she said.

"Why did you bring them back here?" I asked her nervously.

"I had no other choice," she explained. "We took Elena's truck up there and Bonnie is scary when she gets mad so they had to come. They're over at Bonnie's now; we can call them after you get yourself cleaned up."

"Hey Care, I'm going to get going," my savior called out. I could hear his footsteps coming down the hall closer to us. Caroline stepped out of the bathroom and thanked him for all of his help. He stood just out of sight so I wasn't able to catch a glimpse of him right away. They hugged and then Caroline shifted out of the way. He took a step forward and peeked into the bathroom to say goodbye.

I instantly dropped everything in my hands and stared out at him. I couldn't believe what I saw as I looked into his eyes, at his hair and his smile. It couldn't be; how is this possible?

"Thomas, is that you?"