~Thanks for all the reviews! I do not own the vampire diaries~

Erika POV

I couldn't sleep that night. I felt so disgusted being under the same roof as Elena. While I did support her not liking that everyone was helping her and she was trying to think of her own plan, I do not support her offing herself. I should be mad at myself though, she did try to contact Klaus when Rose was still alive. That should have been a hint she was always going to sacrifice herself.

In the middle of the night I took off. I texted Stefan letting him know that I left. I drove all the way to the boarding house and let myself in. I snuggled against Damon.

"What are you doing here?" He groaned half asleep.

"I couldn't stay with Elena. I can explain more tomorrow morning. Go back to sleep." I told him as I kissed him gently. He kissed back and held me close. We instantly fell asleep.

In the morning my phone was ringing and Jenna was begging I get up and go with her and Elijah to the different historical sites.

"Jenna today is just not a good day for me…" I whined.

"Please! Carole told me about the internship and there is that gallery exhibit coming up. You could take all the photos you need. Just say you will come."

"Fine. I'll meet you at the house in an hour." I agreed then hung up.

"Spending another day with Elijah?" Damon questioned as he kissed my shoulder.

"I do not want to see him but I'll just make due with giving him the cold shoulder."

"So what did happen last night?"

"Elena knew all along that she was going to die. She let us all believe that we could save her and she was prepared to sacrifice herself." I looked at Damon who was speechless. I guess he didn't want to upset me anymore than I already was. "I'm just going to go shower." I crawled out of bed and turned on the steaming water and got ready for the day. When I was dressed and we went downstairs to eat breakfast together and then I made my way home to meet Jenna.

Elijah POV

I followed along as the Gilbert girls showed me the different sights of Mystic Falls. I conversed mostly with the older Gilbert since the other one was pretending I wasn't present. She would chime in every now and then but mostly would be lost in the photos she captured.

"The old Fell property actually starts beyond that fence." Jenna explained as we were at our new location.

"Ah, the Fells. One of the founding families." I commented.

"Why do you say it like that?"

"My research showed me that this area actually settled two full centuries earlier. It was a migration of townsfolk from the northeast, um, it was Salem, to be precise."

"Massachusetts? As in the witch trials?"

"Which means the ever-lauded founding families…didn't actually found anything."

"Well, I bet it was the men who made a big deal about being founders back in 1860. Men are very territorial." Erika commented.

I smirked. "Yes they are."

Elena POV

I was startled from reading Jon Gilbert's journal when I hear Stefan entering the room. He hangs his jacket on the wall.

"Was Erika with you?" I asked.

"Umm…no she left last night." He responded.

"I'm guessing she was mad?"

"You could say that."

"Are you still mad?"

"Yeah, I'm still mad."

"We have a difference of opinion, Stefan. We're not always gonna agree on everything."

"Elena, you've agreed to sacrifice yourself to Klaus. To say that we have a difference of opinion is the understatement of the century."

"You would know."

Stefan glares at the journal. "What does Johnathan Gilbert have to say?"

"A lot. It's insane the things he wrote in his journal." I commented as I handed it to him. "That he kept from the founding families. Stuff that nobody knows. Stuff that...you never told me."

"We were, uh...We were angry at the founding families for what they did to Katherine. We wanted revenge. I didn't know about Johnathan Gilbert's ring yet. I didn't know that he would ...that he would survive."

"He describes you as a monster."

"That's what I was. I want you to know the truth...But I want you to hear it from me. In the weeks after I became a vampire, I relished in it. I took it to the darkest place I could."

Damon POV

I met up with Alaric at the Grill. We were talking about how it went when he went to check on the girls with Elijah. "Jenna thinks he is so charming while Erika looked disgusted about being there."

"You sound jealous. Are you jealous?" I asked him.

"A little bit."

I look up and see the girls and Elijah walking in. Erika was ahead of them and gladly took the seat next to me and kissed my cheek. "Hello handsome." She smiled.

"Hey gorgeous." I kissed her lips. "How was your adventure today?"

She rolled her eyes and just looked at the menu.

"Hey guys." Jenna greeted.

"Heard you guys had quite the meeting of historical minds today." I commented.

"Yeah, I guess you could say that."

Xavier came over to take Erika's order. "I came over just in time to hear the wonderful world of history and how my girl took amazing photos like always." He grinned.

"Well, as much as I'd like to continue this, I've got papers to grade." Alaric tried to excuse himself.

"What? No! I always miss out on everything because of work and school. When do I ever get to be with all of you intellectuals? Can't we have some kind of dinner party or something?"

My mind was thinking about his question and I beamed. "I like the idea and I'll be happy to host. How does tonight sound?"

"Yes and Erika is going too!" Xavier confirmed. Erika groaned.

"I'm free." Jenna also confirmed.

"I guess I'm free too." Alaric answered sadly.

"It'd be a pleasure." Elijah also agreed.

"Great." I smiled.

Erika POV

This day could not getting any worse. First I had to spend the morning with Elijah and now I'm getting dragged to a dinner party to spend even more time with his stupid face. I was riding with Damon in his car. "Do I have to go tonight?"

"Yes. I want you there and I could use more vampire backup for when I try to take down Elijah." He replied.

"Is that what this is about? You impulsively jumped on Xavier's stupid idea just to attempt to kill Elijah?"

"Why not? He wouldn't expect it to happen."

"This is stupid."

"Look with Elijah out of the way, Elena wouldn't have the need to out herself to Klaus." I cringed at Elena's name. "Sorry but you know it's true."

"It wouldn't matter. Elena believes she is helping all of us if she just died."

"Maybe she wouldn't have to. I need you to do me a favor."

"What is it?"

"I need you to go see Katherine."

"Absolutely not. Bitch tried to kill my brother. I want nothing to do with her."

"She might have information we could use."

"Then you go talk to her."

"I can't. I'm planning a dinner party." He suddenly stopped on the side of the road and shoved me out of the car.

I looked at my scraped hands as they healed up. "Damon…I'm going to…" I was cut off by a bag thrown at my face.

"Hate to do this to you sweets. Love you." He said before he sped off.

I groaned as I got up and walked over to the tomb. As I got closer I see Katherine desiccated. I grab the bottle of blood out of the bag and toss it at her. "Wake the hell up." She weakly picked up the bottle and slowly drank it. Soon enough she looked like her old self. "Damon got you some clothes." I told her as I hung it on the gate for her.

"What is it you want, Erika?" Katherine asked.

"Why is John back in town?" I asked her.

"I had no idea. You tell me."

"He says he cares about Elena and I. He wanted to protect us from Elijah and Klaus."

"Touching."

"You and I both know that he is scheming something bigger than that. Apparently he told Damon an old wives tale on how to kill an Original."

"And you want to know if it's true. If it was, I wouldn't tell you."

"Huh and here I thought I was the one you trusted the most. I mean you did try to kill my brother so I should have known better." She glared at me. "I would have figured you would want them dead as much as we do."

"Klaus, yes. Elijah, no. He's compelled me to stay in here. If he dies, I'm stuck here forever."

"Sucks to suck."

"Better tell your boyfriend it's a suicide mission. He can't do it."

"Damon will do whatever he wants. He's capable."

"No he won't."

"Even with a dagger and some white oak ash?" I questioned. She was stunned. "Welp that is the answer I needed."

"You have to stop Damon. If he kills Elijah, then I'm stuck here forever."

"Aww you're scared." I taunted. "Should have thought of that before you crossed me."

"Erika please. I'm begging you. I will help you kill Elijah or even protect Elena. Just get me out of here first. Please."

"Oh please. I get you out of here you're going to high tail it out of here. It's what you're good at."

"I'll stay Erika. I know I have hurt you but I will protect you and do what you want. I'll stay."

"I have to go. I got the answers I needed."

"I haven't said anything to you."

"You did and Damon will be happy with the results. Goodbye." I vamped to the boarding house.

After I showered and got dressed I was downstairs helping Jenna and Xavier set the table while we chatted.

"So what's going on with you and Alaric? I feel like there's some tension." I asked Jenna.

"I don't know. I really like him. It's more than like and I want it to work, but I can't help but feel that he's hiding something from me. And then I've got John whispering things in my ear about him." Jenna responded.

"Like what?" Xavier questioned.

"Things I don't want to believe. Things I don't believe, not if they're coming from John's mouth."

"Good you shouldn't believe anything John says. He just wants to cause trouble." I told her.

"Trust is the key to any relationship. I mean, I am so grateful that Erika tells me everything." Xavier added in as he grins at me. I grin back. We continued talking and when the table was ready I went to the library.

"Hey, Jenna needs help with the wine." I told Alaric. He nodded and walked out of the room. We eyed each other curiously as we listened to be sure Alaric was gone. I follow Damon as he goes to the trunk and gets the dagger and ash out. "So what is the plan?"

"Well since you oh so love to point out how much stronger Elijah is than me, it's going to be about the element of surprise." Damon answered as he continued prepping.

"What do you need me to do?"

"Encourage all the gentleman to take their after dinner drinks in here while you do coffee with the girls."

"What about Xavier? I don't know how comfortable I am if he goes with you guys."

Damon turned to me when he hides the dagger from view. "I won't let anything happen to him. Promise." He kissed me gently on the lips.

I sighed content. "I trust you."

We head upstairs right as the doorbell rings. Jenna answer and she is disgusted. I look over her shoulder and see john. I glared at him. "Who invited you?"

Damon gently pushed me away. "John. Surprise. Leave."

"When Jenna told me she was coming to a dinner party for Elijah, I decided I couldn't miss out on all the fun and games." John defended.

Alaric, Damon, and I look at each other before looking back at John. "There are not going to be any game tonight, John. It's just a friendly dinner party." Alaric told him.

John looks at Damon and I. "What he said." Damon assured as I nodded.

We dispersed amongst ourselves as we waiting for Elijah to arrive. I was in the corner with Xavier talking quietly.

"I can't believe John invited himself to this. I was looking forward to a great evening." Xavier whined.

"I'm not. He is always trying to weasel his way in. He says he cares about Elena and I but I think he just wants to see Damon screw up somehow and get himself killed."

"Why would Damon get himself killed?" I gave him a look. "This isn't just an average dinner party is it?" I shook my head. "Damn it! Why do you guys ruin everything?"

"I'm sorry buddy." I gave him a sympathy hug and he just scowled. I kissed his cheek. "I'll make it up to you I promise." I smiled and he smiled back.

Elijah finally arrived and we sat ourselves at the table as the wine was served.

"I hate to break it to you, Damon, but according to Elijah, your family is so not a founder of this town." Jenna told Damon as she poured him some wine.

"Hmm, do tell." Damon looked to Elijah pretending to care.

"Well, as I mentioned to Jenna earlier, a faction of settlers migrated from Salem after the witch trials in the 1690s. Over the next hundred years they developed this community where they could feel safe from persecution." Elijah matter of factly.

"Hmm. Because they were witches." Jenna commented.

"Yeah, but there's no tangible proof there were witches in Salem." Xavier also commented.

"Well, the lore says that there was this wave of anti-witch hysteria. It broke out in the neighboring settlement, so these witches were rounded up. They were tied to stakes in a field together and, uh, burned. Some say you could hear the screams from miles around us. They were consumed by the fire. Could you pass the..."

"I wouldn't repeat this to the Historical Society." Jenna smiled at him.

"It's starting to sound a little like a ghost story to me." John commented not impressed.

"So, why do you want to know the location of these alleged massacres?" I asked him.

"You know...a healthy historian's curiosity, of course." Elijah smiled at me.

"Of course." I smile back but I know he's up to something.

Stefan POV

I was with Elena outside on the porch as she reads allowed the pages in the journal about the originals. I was getting more and more anxious as she was confirming what I already knew about the dagger.

"But the ash from the tree was saved and witches forged a dagger to which the ash could be bonded. This alchemic bond provides the necessary poison" Elena finished another sentence as I stood in front of her.

"Elena…"

"I wonder if this is true. I mean, do you think this dagger actually exists?"

"I know it does..." She looks at me in shock. "John gave it to Damon."

"John gave Damon the weapon that's supposed to kill Elijah? This one?" she questions as she points on the drawing on the page. I nod confirming and she continues reading. "It must be brandished by humans alone, for it will bring death to all demons who wield it."

I snatched the book from her and reread what she read. I quickly dial Damon's number. "John is trying to get Damon killed." His phone went straight to voicemail. "Why is your phone off? Call me."

"What's going on, Stefan?" Elena asked me frantic.

"Damon is planning on killing Elijah. Tonight." I told her.

Erika Pov

"To make this party even more historical in the sense, I think the gentleman should take their drinks in the study." I announced.

"I have to say the food was almost as wonderful as the company." Elijah commented as he looked at me. I just rolled my eyes.

Jenna hands John a stack of plate. "Here you are, gentleman, make yourself useful. Hmm?" He scowled but walked off to the kitchen anyway.

Everyone dispersed as I grabbed what remained on the table to take to the kitchen when my phone rang. I answered. "Hey Stefan."

"Erika, where is Damon?" He yelled.

"In the library with the men."

"You have to stop him from doing anything."

"Why? What's wrong?!"

"If Damon uses the dagger, or any vampire, they will die."

"How do you know?!"

"It's in the journal, which means John knew."

I breathed heavily in anger. "I'll take care of it." I hung up and ran to Alaric as he was heading in the direction of the library. "You cannot let Damon use the dagger."

"What? Why?"

"It kills any vampire that uses it. Only a human can do it. Now hurry we don't have time."

"Come with me and grab Elijah."

Damon POV

I had the dagger in my hand ready to go for it when Alaric and Erika burst into the room. I dropped it back in the hiding spot and gave them an annoyed look.

"Gentleman, we forgot dessert." Alaric stated.

"Elijah. Escort a lady to the table." Erika said sweetly.

"Of course." He held his arm out and she took it and then both left the library.

I smacked Alaric and he points to the dagger. I look at him confused. He rolls his eyes and goes to the desk and scribbles on some paper before he hands it to me. I look at it. It says the dagger will kill you if you use it. I groaned and scrunched the paper before throwing it at him. We both casually walk back to the dining room where Jenna is pouring coffee.

"Sorry, guys, dessert is taking longer than I thought. I usually just unwrap food." Jenna apologized.

"I know this is a social gathering and all but Erika you should take some photos. Could be good for your portfolio and maybe some images for Elijah's book." Xavier offered.

"I don't think so." I shut him down.

"I would like to see your photos in this type of setting. Some intimate photos would be lovely for future projects." Elijah added in.

"I didn't bring my camera." I pouted. "Sorry."

"I brought mine! I'll go get it." Xavier rushed out of the room.

"Alaric please go stop him." I begged. He nodded and left. Jenna was still in the kitchen as we sat around awkwardly.

"Elijah, did John tell you he's Elena and Erika's uncle-slash-father?" Damon asked. I glared at him and then at John.

"Yes, I'm well aware of that." He confirmed.

"Of course, Erika hates him, so there's absolutely no need to keep him on the endangered species list."

"What I'd like to know, Elijah, is how do you intend on killing Klaus?" John asked.

"Gentlemen and Erika, there's a few things we should probably get clear right now. I allow you to live solely to keep an eye on Elena. I allow Elena to remain in her house living her life with her friends as she does as a courtesy. If you become a liability, I'll take her away from you and you'll never see her again." Elijah answered seriously.

"Alright I have the camera!" Xavier cheered as he walked over. Before Elijah turned, Alaric stabbed him with the dagger. He screamed and then dies on the spot. Xavier faints from shock.

"Now, get rid of him before Jenna comes back with dessert." Alaric ordered.

"All right." Damon said as he goes to grab Elijah. I go to Xavier's side and try to wake him up.

Damon POV

I dragged Elijah's body down to the cellar with Alaric close behind.

"You said there wasn't going to be any violence." Alaric accused.

"Says the guy that did all the killing." I threw at him as I start to walk out. He grabs my arm.

"Hey, I took the shot because I saw an opening, not because I planned to do this with Jenna in the house. Now, you can't lie to me like that." He tells me. I roll my eyes to leave again but he keeps his grip firm. "Hey, I am your friend, damn it. And you don't have any friends. So, no more lying."

I sigh and nod at him. He is my only other friend besides Erika. We make it up stairs and Erika is trying to calm Xavier down. I chuckle when my phone rang. I answer it and its Stefan giving me bad news. I rush downstairs to find Elijah gone. Damn it!

Erika POV

After Damon told me what happened we both rushed out to the family cabin to get to Elena and Stefan before Elijah. We quickly discussed and plan and gave Elena the dagger. It worked out in the end since Elijah was so preoccupied in healing her, she got the upper hand to stab him. We all went back to the boarding house and for the second night tonight put Elijah's body in the cellar.

I watched curiously as Damon searches the jacket pockets. "Uhh! What do we have here?" He pulls out the moonstone and shows it to all of us. "A little moonstone bar of soap. I'll hold on to this."

"So, that's it. I mean, as long as we keep the dagger in there, then he stays dead." Elena comments.

"Pretty much." I confirm.

"Okay, then...Good night." She walks out but turns to see the three of us staring at her. "You know, you guys want me to fight, fine, I'll fight. But if we're gonna do this, you can't keep anything from me anymore. From this moment on, we're doing it my way."

"That seems fair." Damon agrees.

Elena looks over at Stefan. "Okay."

"Okay." Elena confirms with him then looks at me. I nod at her and she smiles as she walks back upstairs.

"Seems like she's had a change of attitude. How did you get through to her?" Damon questions Stefan.

"I told her a little story about when I was making the wrong decisions and somebody showed me there was a better way." He replies.

"Lexi?"

"Yeah. You remember her?" Stefan asked and then walked out.

I rub Damon's shoulder. "Hey, it's ok." I kiss his cheek. "Let's go upstairs." We both walk up to his room and hear his shower running. We speed walk to his bathroom to see a naked Katherine.

"Hello, Damon. Erika. Hey, do you have a robe?" She greets.

"How did you get out?" I questioned her.

"I knew that if I begged you not to kill Elijah, that's exactly what you'd do. Little known fact...Originals can compel vampires. But as soon as they die, the compulsion wears off." She said matter of factly. I groan.

"And you knew." Damon chuckled distastefully.

Katherine smirked then looked at me seriously. "And I'm still here. I didn't run. I meant what I said, Erika. I'm going to help you." She looks at herself and sighs. "So…How about that robe?"

~Sorry for taking so long