A/N: this was written 7 episodes before the season finale, and at the time this is how i envisioned the season finale might go. The story starts out on the premise that the town was out celebrating founder's day, and during the parade Katherine, who already knew of Elena, kidnapped Jeremy.

My mind was empty, and yet crowded, at the same time. There was no other way to explain it. It was like a dozen people were in my head- arguing, theorizing, complaining- but they were all drowned out, all barely audible. Because the second part of me was completely numb. Struck by fear…by the crushing white shock of what had just happened.

"Elena? Elena, what's going on? What's wrong?" Stefan says. His voice is full of concern and panic. Damon stands further back, looking past Stefan to me, his blue eyes focused, with a hint of worry in them.

At the sound of my name, I finally felt the tears brimming in my eyes, and the painful hollow feeling in my chest.

"He's gone. She took him. He's gone." My voice cracks, even though I'd spoken barely above a whisper.

"Who's gone?" Damon asks, his brow furrowed in confusion.

"Jeremy. She took him. Katherine…she took him."

And then the world came rushing at me, and everything was black.

"Elena. Elena, wake up. Elena?"

Elena opened her eyes, and found that the person calling her name was Stefan. He sat beside her, gently holding her hand. She was in Stefan's house, in Stefan's living room, the familiar couch supporting her. But…but that wasn't right. She hadn't been in his house just a moment ago…and then she remembered.

"Stefan, what- how- how did I get here? I can't be here. I have to go, I have to save Jeremy," Elena said, her words stumbling out in a panic, as she half-jumped off of the couch.

"Shh, Shh. Calm down, Elena. It's going to be okay. You passed out. It's only been a few minutes. Don't worry. I'm going to find him. I'm gonna make sure he's okay," Stefan said, putting his hands on Elena's shoulders. It was a gesture that Elena assumed was meant to comfort her. But she only felt trapped.

"No. She told me. She told me what the bargain was. I have to give her what she wants. If i don't go- It's the only way to save him," Elena replied, shaking her head as her voice rose frantically.

Stefan shook his head gently. "I can't let you do that. She'll kill you, Elena. I can't let that happen."

Elena looked at him, her brown eyes suddenly confused.

"What do you mean?" Elena asked, her voice thick with apprehension, as she asked the question she was sure she knew the answer to, but hoped desperately was wrong.

"You're staying here. You are not leaving the house. And Damon's going to make sure of that. But I am going to save Jeremy," Stefan said, an air of determination surrounding him. "I promise."

It was then that Elena finally noticed Damon, standing several feet away. His eyes, as usual, gave nothing away. But Elena imagined she saw a flicker of disagreement. That someone, anyone, was on her side; that someone else disagreed with Stefan's decision.

Elena stood up from the couch slowly, wishing Stefan wasn't so close to her. The tears that had been threatening to fall finally cascaded down her face, but she didn't acknowledge them.

"You can't do this. You can't keep me here, Stefan. It's my brother. Why are you doing this?" Elena couldn't believe it. Who was Stefan to tell her what to do? To stop her from what she had to do?

Stefan's demeanor changed; he was pleading now. He didn't want to be the bad guy- but there was no way in hell he was going to let Elena deliver herself to Katherine. He could rescue Jeremy without her ever having to be in danger.

"Don't you get it, Elena? Can't you see?" Stefan could hear the desperation in his voice.

"I'm doing this for you. I can't lose you. Please tell me you understand."

Elena looked up and into his eyes, and suddenly she did understand. She understood that Stefan wasn't going to change his mind, that she'd have to find another way out. Another way to Jeremy, without his- or Damon's, help. But she knew Stefan wouldn't leave until she agreed with him, and every minute ticking by was a minute Jeremy was out there, alone, afraid, with a homicidal vampire holding him hostage. So she feigned compliance, feigned defeat, and let him think she was going to go along with it.

"I understand," Elena whispered, sitting back down. "I'll stay here."

She let her head fall slightly, not sure where to look.

Still in the corner of the room, Damon re-crossed his arms, his eyes narrowing. That wasn't the Elena Gilbert he knew- backing down with barely a fight? Something was up. But he kept silent.

Meanwhile, Stefan smiled, weakly.

"Thank you. And remember. I will find him."

But as Stefan turned to leave, Elena raised her head again, and called for him.

"Stefan, wait. There's something you have to understand, too," Elena said, her voice different than before, full of a will and a conviction she hadn't had before.

"Yes?" He asked, tentatively.

Elena took a breath, ignoring the shaking, choking sound in her throat.

"If Jeremy- if he's hurt," Elena began, steeling herself, "Or if he dies...I will never. Forgive you."

Damon's eyebrows shot up, as his eyes flashed to Elena, then to Stefan, then Elena again. He'd seen Elena mad, and he'd seen Elena righteous, but never once had he seen her so…thoroughly disgusted with his brother.

But Stefan's only reply was to nod, and then he was gone.

Elena waited a few moments, shivering even though there was a fire lit not five feet away from her, before promptly jumping up from the couch as quickly as she could, intent on going out the front door. But Damon was, predictably, directly in front of her in under a second.

"Aaaand just where do you think you're going?" Damon asked, his eyes dancing with the sarcastic, mock-playful tone he preferred to actually showing emotion.

"I'm going, Damon," Elena replied simply.

"What happened to your 'understanding' ? Don't tell me you lied. And to Stefan, no less." Damon's mouth curled up into a smirk, challenging Elena. But she wasn't about to banter with him; she didn't have time for it. Instead she went straight into attack mode, saying things that were guaranteed to garner his attention.

"Do you actually agree with this? Being Stefan's personal guard dog? You know Katherine better than anyone, Damon. Stefan isn't going to find them. And even if he does, She'll kill Jeremy. It's me for my brother. It's me who has to do this," Elena replied, glaring at Damon. She was disgusted with him, too, for ever agreeing with Stefan.

Damon blanched, not caring to be called anyone's guard dog, let alone his brother's. But he stood firmly in front of Elena, preventing her escape.

The fire crackling behind them was casting odd shadows across the room, and with the look on Elena's face, the shadows seemed to imply that her anger fueled their flames. But her stubborn desire to defy Stefan's wishes didn't come from a place of hate- they came from love. Because she knew that her being in this house was Jeremy's death. Katherine had been clear enough with that: It was a trade. Her life for his.

But for the life of her- quite literally, in fact- Elena couldn't understand Katherine's motivation. Was it a game? Some twisted form of jealousy? But jealousy of what? Stefan's love? Damon's questionable friendship? She had left them. So why did she want them back now? But that hardly mattered. Katherine wanted Elena dead. And Elena had come to terms with it. Welcomed it, a little, in fact. Because she was tired of the fear, and the pain…the mind games, even her own weaknesses. It just needed to be over. She just needed to be done.

"Elena…be serious, here. He's…he's of Gilbert blood. Technically, he isn't even your brother," Damon said, his tone still straining for the faux-playfulness. He was trying to calm her down. Because he knew that for all Katherine's pretend innocence, her laughter and beauty, her fickle, flighty nature- she was a more devious killer than himself. The extent of her cruelty, mingled with her intense hatred of Elena- for sharing her face, for sharing her boys- meant her certain death. And for reasons he couldn't quite understand, that couldn't happen. It just couldn't.

Elena's response wasn't at first in words- but in a slap. The sound cracked in her ears as she struck Damon's handsome face, for the third time since she'd known him.

"How dare you talk about something you know nothing about!" Elena raged, the tears flowing again. "I was at the hospital the day he was born. I played with him, I watched over him. I-I taught him how to tie his shoes, I helped him with his homework, and I tried to protect him from- from- all of this. I don't care what Stefan says or- or about any pieces of paper, or even blood. He is my brother. And nothing- nothing- can change that."

Damon stared at Elena. Her form was pitiable, her body shaking with rage, hot tears dripping down her face- she didn't even know how truly weak she was. How easy it would be for even an underfed vampire like Stefan to snap her neck in the blink of an eye. And yet, she wanted to do this. Any sensible human would respond with cowardice, would save themselves instead- but as he looked in her eyes, and heard the frantic beating of her heart as she finished her outburst- he didn't even feel the initial rage he usually felt whenever she hit him. All he felt was the pure love she was made of.

When he spoke, his voice was quiet.

"You do realize, if I let you go…she will kill you," He said, his brow knitted together, still hoping she'd abandon her cause, but another part of him admiring her for it.

"I know that, Damon. But there's something you don't realize," Elena replied, her voice calm. She reached out a slender hand, and held it to Damon's cheek,; not in a romantic way, but as a thank-you.

"And what's that?" Damon asked, his skin burning where she touched him.

"That love…any kind of real love…It's not about who you would kill for, Damon. It's about who you would die for."

And with that, Elena removed her hand, and was out the door, running. She wasn't sure, but she had an idea of where she was supposed to go: where it had all began.

And unbeknownst to her, Damon was already following.

By the time Elena had reached the tomb, she could barely breathe. It had been about six miles, she guessed, from the Salvatore home and down into the woods, and she'd ran the whole way. She'd had to- she had no idea how long it would be before Katherine would get bored of the game, forgo the deal they had, and kill Jeremy for the hell of it.

As she entered the darkness, she wished with all her heart that she'd thought to bring a flashlight- not out of fear of what was in the dark, but so that she could find Jeremy quicker. The only vampire left in this tomb was the one that was supposed to kill her, anyways.

But as it turned out, she did have light. She neared a passage way that was glowing from torchlight, the one she was obviously intended to go down. And as she squelched a final pang of fear and continued on, she heard a slight rustling behind her. But she didn't stop to see what it was.

Damon watched as Elena entered the god forsaken tomb he'd once believed inhabited Katherine. How ironic, Damon thought bitterly. Of all the places to kill Elena, she would pick the tomb. Katherine had always had a flair for the dramatic.

But no. Elena wasn't going to die tonight. He had made up his mind as soon as Elena had ran from his home. Ever since Katherine had returned to Mystic Falls, she had only proven Stefan right: she was a sadistic, selfish creature; incapable of love, of kindness, of any real feeling. Damon grimaced at the thought that more than a few people had said the same about him; but this was where that ended.

He had come to the conclusion that, yes, someone would die, tonight. Someone with big, brown eyes and long, dark hair, and the kind of laughter that fascinated you. Someone he used to love…who had just been a monster, all along.

He gripped the wooden, homemade stake in his right hand and followed Elena inside.

"Elena!"

"Oh my God, Jeremy!" Elena replied, running to him. There he was. She'd found him.

The passage she'd followed down ended in a small room; if you could call it that. The rock walls were a sickly orange color under the firelight of torches set up all around, and there was a small wooden table and a chair in the corner. But Elena didn't pause to see what was on it- her only concern was Jeremy, who was sitting against the wall, bound by chains embedded in the rock.

"Jeremy, Jeremy, are you okay?" Elena gasped, kneeling down to hold her brother, checking him for cuts or bite wounds. But he appeared to be in one piece.

"Elena. I'm fine. But you need to help him- she chained him, too…but he hasn't woken up," Jeremy replied, staring behind Elena's shoulder.

"Who? What?" Elena asked, turning. And that's when she saw him. Stefan.

"Damon, honey, is that you?"

The voice was sweet, sugary. But it carried an aftertaste with it, if you listened hard enough; it was too sweet. Burnt. Sickly. Decaying. It made Damon cringe- or maybe what had made him cringe was the pain he felt at the back of his neck. The stake he'd brought with him fell from his hand as he dropped to the ground- Katherine had gotten the jump on him. He recognized that the sensation had been the sting of a needle, which normally wouldn't have hurt him at all- but if the searing fire infiltrating his veins was any indication, the syringe had been full of vervain. His eyes grew heavy as he began to pass out, but on the inside he was screaming.

"Don't worry, Damon. It's just like going to sleep."

That was the last thing Damon heard, as Katherine's face hovered above his, her curls loose around her shoulders, and her fangs protruding from her gums, as she smiled down at him.