Stefan and I had been going crazy trying to find a cure for Damon's werewolf bite. The both of us wanted him to survive, we wanted him to be alive for a lot longer than he was. We asked Bonnie to speak to the witches, and she reluctantly found the answer. Klaus. He was the answer for the cure. I didn't know what that meant, but as soon as we got Bonnie home, we sped to Alaric's apartment, where Klaus was staying.

   "How is he?" I asked Stefan as we walked up the stairs of the apartment complex.

   "Damon?" He let out a deep sigh and pushed the hands deep into his pockets. "I think... I think the bite has gotten worse, but you know how he is. He doesn't tell us how he's feeling or what's happening."

   "And Elena?" I wanted to speak about Damon no more. If I continued to think about him, I would break down and cry. I didn't believe that Klaus would have a cure. And if he did, why would he give it to the people that tried to kill him?

   "She's with Damon," Stefan answered. I stopped and looked at him with wide eyes, surprised. "No, it's nothing like that, Clara. I had to tell her about him, make him believe that there's still hope."

   "Yeah, whatever," I sighed, opening the front door to Alaric's apartment. Katherine was sitting on the bed. She didn't look happy or excited, she looked mad. "Hello, Katherine," I greeted with yet another sigh.

   "Two days, I've been waiting!" she hissed, standing. "I'm supposed to be free of Klaus' compulsion by now. He's supposed to be dead!"

   "We ran into complications," Stefan said, glancing around. 

   "Complications?"

   "Doesn't really matter," I answered, crossing my arms. "We just really need to find him. Do you have any idea where he might be?"

   Katherine suddenly grabbed our throats and pressed us to the wall. She gave us a look that told us to be quiet as the door creaked open. "Klaus," she breathed, "you're back. Look who decided to come for a visit." She pulled us away from the wall and made us look Klaus, who came in with Elijah by his side. I stared at him, slightly frowning. He looked away from my eyes.

   Klaus smirked as he looked at Stefan and I. "You two just keep popping up, don't you?"

   "We need your help..." Stefan swallowed. "For my brother."

   "Well, whatever it is, it's gonna have to wait a tick," Klaus answered. "You see, I have an obligation for my brother that requires my immediate attention." I looked at Klaus, who had an unreadable look on his face. It was as if he were debating something in his head.

   "You understand how important family is, or you wouldn't be here," Elijah said, mostly to Stefan. "My brother gave me his word that he would reunite me with my own."

   "And so I shall," Klaus added from behind Elijah. When Elijah turned, Klaus plunged a dagger to his heart, killing him. I gasped and took a step back. Watching how cruel Klaus was to his brother was different than hearing it. It was sudden, it was terrifying. He suddenly took Stefan by the throat and pushed him to the wall. "Now, what am I going to do with you?" He pushed a stake through Stefan,smirking. "Do you feel that? It's scarping against your heart. The slightest little movement and you're dead."

   "He's just trying to help his brother," Katherine added from the corner.

   "The witches said you had a cure," Stefan panted, pain in his voice. "Make me a deal. Just give me the cure and I'll do whatever you want."

   Klaus pulled the stake from Stefan, making him fall to the ground. He kept his back to us, the indifferent scent of blood filling the air as he poured himself a glass. "Trouble is I don't know if you'd be any good to me the way you are now. You are just shy of useless." He took a drink of the blood and circled Stefan once, and crouched in front of him. "I heard about this one vampire, crazy bloke, always on and off the wagon for decades. When he was off, he was magnificent. In 1917, he went into Monterrey and wiped out an entire migrant village... A true ripper. Sound familiar?"

   "I haven't been that way in a very long time," Stefan said. He looked pained at the memory Klaus had brought back. Did Stefan really do those things? Was he the vampire that others whispered about? I couldn't believe it.

   "Well, that's a vampire I can make a deal with," Klaus implied. "That's the kind of talent I can use when I leave this town."

   "Then take me," I broke in. "Leave Stefan out of it and take me instead."

   "Clara," Klaus pondered out loud. " Clara, Clara, Clara. Oh, your story is even more interesting than the infamous Ripper of Monterrey." He glanced at Stefan—who was getting up and staring at us—as he circled me. "Have you heard of her story, Stefan? Oh, you should hear the infamous story of this little ripper. She destroyed towns, villages, with her humanity still intact. She may as well have destroyed the microstate of Andorra with the amount of people she has killed."

   I looked away from Stefan's burning gaze, frowning. It was my past that caused so much pain, my anger. I took it out on other people, on towns and villages filled with those that were happy and had the life I deserved. Didn't I deserve to be happy as well? That was my way of thinking before Elijah found me, before he compelled me to think differently. When he died, that was the only thing that did not change. I still believed that I was selfish back then.

   "Katerina, come here." Klaus signalled her to come closer with his his hand. Slowly, Katherine made her way to him, placing her hand on top of his. Suddenly, Klaus pulled Katherine's hand to him and sunk his teeth on her wrist, eyes changing to a bright golden colour. 

   "Aah!" Katherine screamed. "No... No... No, no, no!" She watched her wrist in horror.

   Klaus bit into his wrist and then pushed it to Katherine's mouth. She tried to pull away, looking at him with a frightened expression. Klaus had blood all over his lips, a small smirk decorating the different shades of red. He looked at Stefan and I before glancing back at Katherine. The bite began to heal. I took a step forward and grabbed her hand, watching it close slowly. 

   "You want the cure?" The smirk Klaus had around his lips faded. "There it is." He passed his hand through his mouth, cleaning the blood.

   "Your blood is the cure..." Stefan uttered, watching Klaus closely.

   "Gotta love Mother Nature," Klaus shrugged. He laid a hand on Stefan's shoulder, and looked at me with a small smirk. "Now... Let's talk, you two."

    Klaus held a vial in his hand and poured some of his blood on it. Stefan and I watched, thoughts running through both our minds. I kept my arms crossed, becoming impatient with how slow Klaus was moving. He slowly picked up the vial, smirking and admiring his own blood. "There it is," he breathed. "You want to save your brother? You want to save your love? How 'bout a decade-long bender? And I have big plans for the two of you when I leave this town."

   "I'm not like that anymore," Stefan said, shaking his head.

   "Me neither," I added.

   "Well, that's too bad," Klaus smirked, looking at Stefan and I. He seemed to have a knack for smirking. Maybe it was his way of showing that he cared none. "You two would have made one hell of companions." He poured some of the blood down the sink.

   "Wait!" Stefan and I chorused, stopping him.

   Klaus, once again, smirked. "Now that's more like it." He threw each of us a blood bag. "I want you two to join me for a drink." He picked up his glass of blood and took a sip from it.

   The blood moved behind my fingers when I squeezed the bag gently, causing me to swallow hard. My mouth began to salivate at the thought of drinking the whole blood bag. I had stopped drinking human blood since the dance, since I killed that girl and my compulsion of being in control wore off. Since then, I went with the vegetarian diet of having Bambi, his family, and friends. But, I craved the warm and delicious taste of human blood. I craved it to the point where I wouldn't mind ripping through someone's' artery.

   Stefan took a sip of the blood of his bag, glaring at Klaus. He couldn't control himself when it came to human blood, either. We were so alike in that small mistake of vampire creation. The both of us couldn't control ourselves when it came to blood, we destroyed for it.

   "Finish it," Klaus spat at Stefan. "All of it. You as well, Clara. You do everything I say, and I save your sweet Damon. That's the deal."

   While glaring at Klaus, I ripped the bag open and began to drink. He smirked, watching as I forced the blood down my throat. It was delicious. I felt the veins under my eyes begin to bulge out, my fangs pushing their way through my gums as I continued to savour. When I finished, I slammed the bag on the counter, still glaring at the hybrid. Stefan was more controlled over it, with a calm demeanour as he allowed the blood to dance down his throat.

   Klaus threw yet another bag at us, the smirk decorating his lips. "Again," he demanded.

   The blood was controlling us. I reluctantly ripped the bag open and began to drink, savouring the delicious liquid. It ended up with Klaus handing us bag after bag, enjoying how Stefan and I continued to drink even without his command. We couldn't control ourselves. The blood was this monster that controlled us.

   "You two are very cooperative," Klaus chuckled. "It's almost as if you two are enjoying it." He handed us yet another blood bag.

   "No more," I panted, pushing it away. "Not until you give us the cure."

   "Not until we make a deal," he concluded. "It's your choice. You two can either remain here, living your life in Mystic Falls, or you can embrace what you truly are, leave the town, and save Damon's life."

   I had made my decision the moment I received Katherine's call about him being bitten. Since then, I had decided to do whatever it took to save Damon's life. I took a deep breath, ripped open the blood bag, and swallowed the liquid. Stefan did the same, but he wanted more. He was less in control than I was, and that surprised me. How could he be worse than I was with blood? I destroyed thousands of lives, he destroyed a village

   "That's the spirit," Klaus cooed, smirking. He stood and turned to Katherine. "Sweetheart..."

   "No!" I interrupted him, pushing myself up. "Please, let me give it to him. I... I want to say goodbye, I need to say goodbye to him." I swallowed the small bit of blood that was left on my tongue. "Please, Klaus. I'll come right back, just let me say goodbye to him."

   "The noble Clara Forbes," Klaus teased. "You always want to say goodbye, always wanting to see the last of people before they parish. Why should I let you?"

   "Because somewhere in there, you have a heart," I said, looking into his eyes. "Please, let me give him the cure and say goodbye. I'll come right back after that, I swear."

   Klaus stared at me, surprise written all over his face. He ambled towards me, stopping when his chest was right against mine. Slowly, he brushed his fingers down my cheek, making me shiver from the sudden cold. He tilted his head to the side, watching me in curiosity. "Take this over to Damon, and come back," he compelled me, laying the vial on my hand. He turned and looked at Katherine. "Katerina, sweetheart, accompany her. Make sure she, and you, come back." 

    I sped out of the apartment, hurrying to the boarding house. Katherine was besides me. I didn't know whether she was worried, whether she cared, or whether she just came because she was planning on ruining something. I knew that Damon had given her vervain so she couldn't be compelled. So, why was she coming along? Did she truly still care for Damon?

   I entered the boarding house and ran up the stairs, stopping at the entrance of Damon's room. Elena was laying right next to him on the bed. She suddenly looked up and saw me, pushed herself away and stood. "Clara!" she gasped, almost relieved. 

   I ignored her and ran next to Damon's side, laying my hand on his cheek. He was so sweaty, and pale, and so cold. I felt Death's bony fingers tugging at him gently, trying to take away the small bit of life he had left. But, Damon was fighting Death. I brushed my thumb up and down his cheek, swallowing my tears. His eyes fluttered open, and he stared at me. 

   "Clara..." he panted. "Clara, you came..."

   "I will always come," I soothed, brushing the hair on his forehead back. "I will always come back to you, Damon." I forced a small smile, feeling two trails of tears fall down my cheeks.

   "I've... I've been hallucinating about you," he coughed. "It was when... When... It was when we used to run around in the woods, when I used to chase you through the trees, when we sneaked out in the middle of the night."

   I smiled and wiped away my tears, staring down at the blue eyes that looked as if they held almost no life. He was dying, and I needed to hurry. I laid my forehead against his for a few seconds, smiling softly to myself. "We were in love, then, and we let it get away," I whispered. "I wish I had done things differently. When we were young, when we were alive, and you'd look my way, and I generally pretend not to notice. When I did look your way, I didn't have to force a smile; it came naturally. In those moments, I imagined being with you in so many ways. Some people are worth the wait, Damon, and you were one of them. You were worth everything; you stole my heart without even knowing, and that sucks."

   I pressed my lips to his, forcing my eyes shut so the tears wouldn't escape. It didn't matter, though. They fell down my cheeks freely, a few of them landing on him. "Damon," I whispered against his lips, "I want you to be happy. I wish you someone who brightens your world and awakens your soul. I hope you find someone who makes you fall apart, makes you come undone, in all the best ways, just like you have done to me."

   I opened the vial with Klaus' blood and laid the opening on Damon's lips. He began to drink it while staring at me. His blue eyes were glossy, holding tears and a face of confusion. When all of the blood was gone from the vial, I pulled it away and smiled. He was to live, and that made me happy.

   "Where's Stefan?" Elena asked, ruining the small moment I was having. 

   "Are you sure you care?" Katherine returned. 

   "Where is he?" Elena insisted. 

   "He's paying for this," I said, showing her the empty vial. "We both are."

   "They gave themselves over to Klaus," Katherine continued for me. I could practically feel her crossing her arms and rolling her eyes. "I wouldn't expect him to come anytime soon."

   "What do you mean they gave themselves over?" Elena sounded confused, and angry. It was like she understood what Katherine meant, but she didn't want to understand.

   "Goodbye, Damon," I uttered, and laid a kiss on his forehead. Without looking at him once again, I stood and walked to where the doppelgängers were waiting.

   "The Idiotic Duo here decided to sacrifice everything for Damon," Katherine explained to Elena. "Including you. It's a good thing you have Damon to keep you company. Goodbye, Elena." She turned to walk to me, but suddenly stopped to look back at Elena. "Oh, it's okay to love them both. I did."

   When Katherine stepped out of the room, I turned to Elena. "Don't let him do anything stupid," I told her as I quickly glanced at Damon. He was gaining some of his colour, no longer looking like Death had a grip on him. I looked back at Elena, smiling softly. "Take care of him for us, Elena, okay? He's an idiot and a huge pan in the ass, but that's just Damon. Even if he acts tough and like he doesn't care, don't believe him. He needs someone to be there for him." I gave her a quick hug and sped out of the house, finding Katherine waiting for me on the street.

   "That was some speech," she teased, following besides me as I continued to walk away from the boarding house.

   "Why are you still here?" I asked, stopping. "You're not compelled, you can leave!"

   "I will," she shrugged, "but, I wanted to see how much you truly loved Damon. Makes me almost regret killing you and having him fall for me."

   "Can we not do this now?" I asked, raising a hand and shaking my head. "I really don't care about the past right now, okay? It's the least of my worries." I turned and continued my walk.

   "Clara," she stopped me, "did you truly love Damon as much as you said? Or were you covering your real feelings for his brother?"

   "Those were my real feelings," I told her. "I was covering nothing; I'm not like you, Katherine. I only loved one, and that was Damon. He was always my first choice, always. It was always him." She stared at me, mouth slightly open as I rambled on. 

   When I stopped, she straightened her composure and nodded. "I guess there really is something different between us," she said, crossing her arms. "You should start to look after yourself only, Clara. It's bad looking after others." The next time I blinked my eyes, she was no longer in front of me. 

   As I continued my walk to Alaric's apartment, I was stopped by Klaus calling me from Stefan's cellphone. He wanted me to meet him in a warehouse instead. I sped to where he wanted me to meet them, seeing him and Stefan standing over a coffin with Elijah's body inside. There were two compelled workers behind the coffin.

   "Put him with the others," Klaus ordered as he closed the coffin. "We're leaving town tonight." When he saw me standing besides Stefan, he smirked. "So, did you make it on time?"

   "I did," I nodded, quickly glancing at Stefan. He looked relieved. "He's... He's better. Katherine left, though."

   "You won't be seeing her again, you know?" Stefan added.

   "Because she's on vervain?" Klaus asked. "I've been around a long time, Stefan. I rarely get played for a fool. Besides, won't get far. You two will help me see to that."

   "What is it you really want from us?" Stefan asked, stepping closer to the hybrid.

   "All will be explained in time," Klaus responded, laying a hand on his shoulder. "Once we leave this tragic little town."

   "Then are we done here?" I chimed in, stepping next to Stefan. "Can we go?" I felt like a child asking their parents if we could leave an uncomfortable party.

   "Not quite," Klaus denied. "You see, I have a gift for you two." There was a taunting smirk around his lips. He turned and signalled behind him. "Come here." A girl and boy walked out, both looking frightened. "Don't be afraid," Klaus taunted. He turned to Stefan and I when the couple next to him. "See, I wanna make sure you two honour our deal... That you'll be of use to me." He sunk his teeth on the girl, who screamed in pain. Then, he sunk his teen on the boy, who did the same. He held the duo by their necks, smirking as his lips were decorated red. "I could have compelled them to behave, but a real ripper enjoys the hunt."

   When he let go of them, something in me told me to go after the boy. And I did. I stopped in front of him, grabbed him by the neck, and immediately sunk my teeth in the same spot Klaus had bitten. The sweet blood ripped through the skin, sliding to my tongue and down my throat. You know when you eat something, and it's so delicious that you don't mind that it's completely unhealthy and probably slowly killing you as you bite? While you're eating it, you don't care. It's only after you're done that you realise. That was how I was with the blood. I continued to drink until the boy stopped screaming, until he fell limp on top of me. I pushed him away and panted, feeling the small trickle of blood on my chin. Stefan was a few feet away from me, the girl dead by his feet. 

   My hands shook as I stayed on my knees, looking up at Klaus and Stefan. I felt out of control, as if the blood was making me lose the last bit of control I had left. My fangs didn't retract back to my gums, the veins under my eyes didn't leave, and the horrible thirst for blood burned my chest. That was when I knew that the control I had left was no longer there. Killing the boy, enjoying his screams and his blood, was what took that scintilla of control that was left.

   Klaus was staring at Stefan and I, amused. It was almost as if this were a show, and we were the entertainers. He smirked. "Now we can go."