I look down in surprise when I see Caroline's number flashing across my screen. What the hell? I thought we hated each other or something. I shrug, pressing ignore, but she just calls back a few minutes later. I let out a sigh, bringing the phone to my ear.

"Don't we hate each other?" I demand.

"Are-are you alone? Where no one can hear you?" she asks, her voice barely a whisper.

I frown, "Yeah, I'm at a store. What's wrong?"

Suddenly there's static on the other line before a voice comes on that I never thought I'd hear again. "Why hello Aria."

"Ric...?" I whisper, not understanding how he's alive.

"I have your friend Aria, and if you don't come to the school, I'll make her feel even worse pain than she already is." Alaric threatens, getting right down to business. So he's a vampire then...just like Esther wanted.

"What makes you think I care? Why would I walk into danger for someone I hate?" I question, but I already know I'm going. I can't leave Caroline there alone, even if we hate each other.

"You were best friends, you've known her all your life. I know you'll come. If you aren't here in 20 minutes in my room...I kill her." the line goes dead, leaving me standing there in shock.

If I go Alaric will capture me, most likely torturing me. If I don't, Caroline dies...damn it, why can't I be all bad?

I have to go help her even if I do die trying. At least I would have died a hero and not a villain. Hopefully Damon or someone will realize that Alaric has me, and come save my ass.

I hop into my car, speeding out of the parking lot. A few people honk at me, but I ignore them, flying 60 down a very, narrow street. If Alaric doesn't kill me, my driving will.

"Shit!" I curse, veering to the left quickly when I see a car coming. The car spins for a second, but I regain control, continuing to fly towards the school. I get there in 10 minutes easily, parking in the lot.

I get out of the car, slamming the door closed behind me. I can't believe I'm about to do this. I take a deep breath, before speeding into the school. I decide to walk at normal pace towards Alaric's room. Not wanting to just run in there to my death. I'll walk to my death instead.

I walk into Alaric's room, my mouth falling open when I see Caroline. She's sitting at a desk, not by choice, with a pencil stabbed into each hand, keeping her in the seat. He tied a cloth around her mouth and by the looks of it, it has vervain on it.

I feel someone appear behind me, and I instantly know it's Alaric. I surprise him by spinning around and stabbing a vervain syringe into his neck. He obviously didn't see it coming because he didn't stop me.

He looks at me startled, his eyes rolling back into his head before collapsing. That won't knock him out for long. I need to hurry. For once I can't be slow and lazy.

I run over to Caroline, pulling out the pencils. I wince when the vervain burns my hands, but I throw them down quickly. I prepare myself before untying the cloth, the vervain making me want to scream.

"Aria I-" I cut her off.

"No time to kiss now Care, we gotta go." I urge, causing her to nod. We both hurry out of the room, but I don't get far before something grabs me throwing me back. I look up at very angry Alaric, his eyes blazing with fury. I glance past him at Caroline who stopped, looking at me worriedly. "Run! I'll be fine!" I yell, just wanting her to get out.

Alaric glances back, looking like he's going to go after her. I let out a battle cry, running at him full speed tackling him to the floor. He growls at me, easily throwing me off. I just needed to distract him so Caroline could get out.

I stand up, looking at the vampire nervously. "Can we just call a truce Ric?"

He appears in front of me, wrapping his hand around my neck. I glare at him, not able to breathe in the slightest. He pulls a giant stake out of his jacket, stabbing it into my chest.

I scream, falling to my knees as soon as he lets me go. I breathe heavily, feeling like my chest is about to explode. He pulls it out roughly, causing me to cry out.

He grabs my hair, dragging me back toward the classroom. I scream out, not able to fight him due to the fact my chest is healing. Slowly I might add. He gives a hard yank to my hair, throwing me into the room. I look up at him though blurry eyes, "What? You going to stab pencils into my hands too?"

He picks me up, practically tossing me into a chair. He puts on some gloves, making me wince. Great...vervain. This should be just great. He pulls out a cloth from a huge bucket of vervain before walking over to me.

I try to fight him but he grabs my hands, pulling them behind my back. I scream as he wraps the cloth around my wrists, the vervain burning me. A few tears fall out of my eyes, the pain finally really getting to me.

He smirks at me, fining it amusing that I'm crying. He goes back over to the bucket grabbing one more cloth. His eyes light up as they walk towards me, "Since I know how much you like to talk." he wraps the cloth around my mouth, tying it around my head.

I scream, but nothing comes out because of the cloth. Every breath I take hurts, the vervain making the air like knives whenever it goes down. I take a few deep breaths, closing my eyes. Don't try and focus on the pain...don't try and focus on the pain...

Alaric pulls out his phone, calling someone. I hear Elena's voice coming from the other end after a second, "Whoever this is, it isn't funny." she growls into the phone, still thinking that Ric is long gone.

"Who else would it be?" Ric questions, his tone sinister.

"Ric?" Elena whispers, and I think I hear some hope in her voice.

"Listen closely, I'm at the school. I have your sister, and if you want to keep her alive, I need you to get into your car and come down here right away. If you tell anyone where you are going. I will kill her." Alaric warns, before hanging up the phone.

Wow, he gave her the same incentive as me. Not very original Ric.

He smirks at me, causing me to muster up my best glare. Ric tilts his head at me, just looking amused. "It will be fun when I finally get to rip your heart out." he growls, causing me to shake a little. I can tell.

Ric actually wants to kill me.

=====================

My heart rate speeds up when I hear the doors to the hallway opening. Damn it Elena, you should have just let me die. Well...I wouldn't let Caroline die so I guess it's kind of nice that Elena cares.

"Right on time." Alaric smiles, but there's no humor in it. Just malice. I thought Klaus was bad when I first met him...

I hear Elena's footsteps speed up, running towards us now. She probably heard me whimpering in pain because every breath I take hurts like hell. She runs into the room, her eyes going wide when they see me.

"Aria..." she mumbles, turning towards Alaric with a brave face. "Let her go Alaric." Elena commands.

Alaric shrugs, gesturing to me. "Free her yourself."

Elena looks at me, and I give her a slight shake of my head but she just ignores me. She hurries over to me, kneeling down next to me. She places her hand on my arm, giving me a small smile. "Hey, it's going to be okay." Elena goes to untie my hands but suddenly Alaric springs up, stabbing the stake into my shoulder.

I scream so loud you can easily hear it through the cloth. Elena jumps up, taking a few steps back. Alaric pulls it out of my shoulder, causing me to cry out once again.

"You said you'd let her go!" Elena cries.

"How many times do I have to tell you Elena?! Stop trusting vampires!" he growls, practically seething with anger. I take quick breaths, anything to block out the pain but it's not working. I'm in too much pain to even worry about my sister right now. "Now sit down." he shoves her into the seat next to mine.

Alaric once again pulls out his phone, probably calling to threaten someone else this time. I'm not surprised when Stefan answers his call. "Alaric."

"The one and only." Alaric grins, like it's funny or something.

"What do you want?" Stefan demands.

"I have your precious Aria and Elena. I will rip apart Aria first then Elena unless Klaus hands himself over to me. So get to it, I'm sure he'll need some convincing. You might want to mention Aria is here." Alaric shrugs before throwing the phone down onto the desk.

Klaus...it hurts hearing his name...I hate how I hurt him. I never meant for Damon and I to kiss. I still love Klaus even though he hates my guts. I've just realized finally that I love Klaus and Damon.

"I don't think the vervain is working anymore." Ric states, walking over to me and untying the cloth. I take a few deep breaths, breathing in the non vervain air.

"You might as well just kill me. If you kill Klaus I'm dead anyways." I say, my voice sounding like I smoke 50 packs a day.

Alaric smiles at me slightly, "Where's the fun in that?" he dips the cloth back into the vervain water, making sure it's nice and soaked. I start to tremble as he walks back, not wanting the vervain anywhere near me.

"Alaric please. Just..." I whimper, feeling tears run down my face.

"Alaric that's enough. Let her go!" Elena yells but Alaric shoves her back into the seat right away.

"Shut up." he snaps, before slowly bringing the cloth towards my mouth. "This keeps the vervain in her system. It's like inhaling razor blades with every breath." Alaric wraps it around my mouth, causing me to scream once again. It burns so bad...I've never been around this much vervain.

Elena places a hand on my arm, trying to reassure me. "Why are you doing this?" she asks, looking at Alaric with tears in her eyes.

"It'll be easier on you when you put her out of her misery." Alaric states, circling us like we are his prey.

"What? No!" Elena glares, thankfully not wanting to kill me.

"Isn't this what you wanted Elena? For me to teach you how to kill a vampire?" Alaric questions. "Well, here's a vampire Elena." Alaric gestures to me with the stake, before holding it out to Elena. "Kill her."

Elena shakes her head, fighting tears. "This isn't what I want."

"Of course it is, all those hours you spent training, getting stronger. You could be a hunter Elena. But you've never actually staked a vampire through the heart." Alaric insists, talking like I'm not her sister. Would Elena really be willing to kill me? At least me deciding if my sister will kill me or not is distracting me from some of the pain...

Elena glares at him, slapping the stake away from him. "Why are you doing this?!"

"Because you need me. Because you're an 18 year old girl without parents or guardians, or any sense of right and wrong anymore." Alaric growls.

"Look at you. How is this right?" Elena fires back, gesturing to the tortured vampire next to her, who feels like she is going to die from vervain burns.

"She's a murder. She once told me she murdered people...and liked it. Now how is that right?" Alaric seethes. "Listen Elena, your parents led the council. It was there life's mission to keep this town safe. They weren't dead six months before you and your sister undid it all."

"You don't know anything about them." Elena snaps.

"Why? Am I wrong? Do you actually think they'd be proud of you?" Alaric glances over at me, "They sure as hell wouldn't be proud of there daughter who turned into a monster." Alaric looks back at Elena, leaning down next to her. "If you don't side with the humans. You're just as bad as them." Alaric stands back up, holding the stake out once again. "Now kill her...or I'll do it for you, and I'll make it hurt."

Alaric grabs Elena's arm, hauling her towards me. He shoves the stake into her hand, before taking a step back. Elena stands in front of me, the stake trembling in her hand.

Right as I think she's actually going to kill me, she spins around trying to stab Alaric. Alaric grabs her arm, stopping her easily. "I thought I taught you better than that." Alaric growls.

"You did." Elena replies, her hand grabbing the small bottle of vervain, smashing it onto his face. He screams out in pain, bending down to hold his burning face. It hurts doesn't it.

Elena hurries over to me, untying my hands, then untying the cloth around my mouth. I get up sluggishly, the world spinning when I try to walk. "Go! Come on, get help." Elena urges, pushing me forward.

I start to head towards the door, but Alaric appears in front of me, already recovered. Shit. I was way too slow. Now we're both dead. Alaric snarls at me, grabbing my shirt and throwing me into the hall. I scream as my back hits the lockers so hard I hear something snap. This has just not been my day.

I watch helplessly as he throws Elena into the lockers, wrapping his arm around her throat. "I should kill you. I should gut you like Bryan Walters, Bill Forbes, and all the other cowards I plan on ripping apart. You're the worst offender of them all Elena. You don't deserve to live."

"So then why am I still alive? There is obviously no humanity left in you. So what's stopping you Alaric? If you want me dead then kill me!" Elena glares, acting surprisingly brave. Ric's eyes start to turn red veins underneath his eyes star tot appear, "Do it, kill me!" Elena shouts.

I'm surprised when Alaric lets her go, taking a step back. I let out a cry when he hauls me up from the ground, wrapping his arm around my neck, holding me in place.

"I may not kill you, but I'll kill this monster." he threatens, and I feel him taking out his stake.

Damon and Stefan suddenly come shooting down the hallway, grabbing each of Alaric's arms. Alaric lets me go, preoccupied with them. I crawl over to Elena, who kneels down next to me, keeping a hand on my shoulder.

"Do it now!" Damon calls out, his face scrunched up in concentration. Alaric suddenly gets away from the boys, snapping Stefan's spin just like that. Damon tries to grab him from behind, but Alaric spins around, snapping Damon's neck.

Klaus appears in front of Alaric, sinking his...nails? into Alaric's chest. Alaric cries out in pain, trying to fight him but Klaus keeps his grip. Alaric finally composes himself, snapping Klaus' wrist. Klaus cries out, Alaric throwing him into the wall.

Klaus tries to get back up, but Alaric picks him up once again throwing him into another set of lockers. Klaus lays on the floor a second too long, causing Alaric to straddle him, holding the white oak stake above him. Klaus holds up his hands, trying to push Alaric's away.

"Help him Elena." I whisper, hating seeing how close Alaric's is to killing him.

"Stop!" Elena screams, picking up a piece of glass off the ground. She holds it up to her neck, "Let him go or I'll kill myself."

"Put it down Elena." Alaric commands, looking up at her.

"Why? Because you still need me alive? Their is a reason Esther used me to make you isn't there? She didn't want you to be immortal. So she tied your life to a human one. Mine. That's why you only have one lifespan to kill all vampires then you'll be gone. So when I die you die too. That's it. It has to be."

"You're wrong." Alaric denies.

"Am I?" Elena questions, starting to run the glass over her neck. I smell blood and have to fight myself not to attack her. I'm way too weak right now. I'm almost dying.

"Stop! Stop!" Alaric cries, looking at Elena desperately.

While Alaric is distracted, Klaus kicks Alaric off him, jumping up and grabbing Elena and I. He shoots out the door, running far enough away form the school so Alaric can't come after us.

Once we're safe, he sets us both down. Elena tries to say something but before she can, he smashes her head into a tree knocking her out. I want to worry but my eyes are drooping closed already.

"Why...why didn't you leave me there? Alaric...could have killed me...you would have been happy..." I mumble, my eyes only half open.

Klaus catches me as I start to collapse to the floor. He looks at me gently, wiping a bloody hair out of my face. "The only person that is allowed to hurt you love, is me."

That's when I finally let my eyes close.

=====================

I groggily start to open my eyes, when I feel someone shaking me awake. I don't want to open my eyes, it hurts. I have such a splitting migraine and my body just hurts.

"Ari. Come on." I hear someone urge, there voice cracking slightly. I blink a few times, only seeing a blue pair of eyes. "Thank God." blue eyes mumbles, holding something out to me. I instantly smell the blood, my body tensing up. I try to reach up, but my hand just falls back down. Blue eyes brings the blood to my lips, the blood dripping into my mouth. After a few drops I have enough energy to reach up and grab the bag.

I literally drain it in 10 seconds.

Thankfully blue eyes gives me another which I drown easily. The figure is finally starting to come into view, and I smile slightly when I see it's Damon. "Damon." I whisper.

Damon once again hands me another blood bag, "Drink. You need a lot."

I chug it down, finally glancing around my environment. I'm...in a car, and Elena and Stefan are sitting in front, and they both keep glancing at me to make sure I'm okay.

"I feel terrible." I groan, wincing as the sun hits my eyes.

Damon smiles sadly, grabbing a pair of black sunglasses, and slipping them on me. "You went through a lot. It's going to take a little while to heal. Especially with all the vervain you inhaled."

"What happened? The last thing I remember is Klaus knocking Elena out..." I frown, seeing everyone share a look. "What's wrong?" I demand seeing all of their worried looks.

"Aria..." Damon breathes out, a concerned look in his eyes.

"Spit it out, I'm not in the mood." I warn, glaring at him through my sunglasses.

"Klaus took Elena, he was draining her of all her blood. He was going to kill her. We had to stop him...we had Bonnie do a spell, to desecrate him. Like what he did to Mikeal. He's not dead...but he's not alive either." Damon explains, causing my heart to stop for a second. They technically killed Klaus...

"Are you sure he was going to kill Elena?" I ask, feeling tears gather in my eyes.

"He was going to kill me Aria." Elena nods, looking concerned for me.

I sniffle a few times, laying back against Damon. I look up at him through teary eyes. "I guess you had to then."

"As much as I love holding you, we're at your house. We have to get out." Damon smiles, as Elena and Stefan get out of the car. Stefan opens up my door, holding out his hand to me. I take his hand, forcing myself to get up. As soon as my feet hit the floor, I stumble but Stefan keeps a hand on my waist.

Damon gets out quickly, coming over to us, and replacing Stefan's hand with him. We all head towards the front door, Damon keeping a firm grip on me so I don't topple over.

"The sun is going down soon then Ric will be able to terrorize the streets." Damon states, seeing the sunset from down the street.

"He won't be able to hurt me. It's you three we should be worrying about." Elena sighs.

"Nah, he won't be able to find us." Stefan shrugs, making me wonder where the hell we are going to go. Elena walks up the steps, opening the front door. "I'll call you when we're on the road." Stefan tells her, telling me I'm going to take a road trip with the