Damon watched with amusement as Audrey glared at him with everything she had. He was never affected when the Gilbert sisters were mad at him. It became a usual thing when he came to town. The only thing that did affect him was when they'd do something stupid because of their anger. "Now don't get your thong in a twist princess. Obviously, I was doing this to protect you two,"

"By keeping information from us?! Damon this is Stefan we're talking about!" Elena argued. Damon rolled his eyes and took another swig from his drink. He faced the unlit fireplace, turning his back on the girls.

"Hate to break it to ya Elena, but Stefan Is gone," He grumbled. Thoughts of Andie came to mind, and how his own brother killed her. Damon knew Stefan was never coming back and if he did he wouldn't be the same. "He's gone off the wagon and is back to his ripper ways. There's no getting him back,"

"You're wrong. He called me last night," Elena reasoned. Damon turned to her at the mention of this.

"What did he say?" He asked.

"He didn't say anything but I know it was him. I had Sheriff Forbes trace the origin of the call and it came from Tennessee," Elena explained, watching as Damon picked up all the documents he collected over the months. Every attack, every death, was documented.

"Yeah, where he's probably feasting on all of the country folk. We've been over this Elena, Stefan's gone," Damon said growing more and more annoyed.

"He wouldn't of called if he was gone Damon," Elena mumbled, turning away to walk out. Damon stared at the documents before throwing them into the fireplace and igniting them in flames. Audrey stared at her friend in wonder.

"You know why she's so persistent. She just loves him so much," Audrey explained. "Just like you love him too ,Damon. That's why you're so hurt right now," Damon only scoffed in response.

"I'm hurt because my brother is turning back into the monster he was before. You never saw how bad he got Audrey. I mean, everyone thought I was bad but he was ten times worse," Damon angrily admitted.

"How?" She asked walking over to stand by him. He was staring at the fire as memories flooded back into his mind.

"Back before he changed his ways, Stefan was well known. He was called the ripper because when he attacked, he'd feed so hard he'd rip the bodies apart. After he was done though, he'd do his usual remorse thing and try to put the bodies back together. It was extremely gruesome. He's killed thousands of people. When he met Lexie she changed him blah blah blah. When he gave up that lifestyle he went back to being the brother I knew. I know what happens after this, and I really don't think he'll come back," Damon explained. He tried to hide the tears that gathered in his eyes but they betrayed him. Audrey leaned her head against his shoulder.

"Elena is never going to stop until she sees for herself," She mumbled. "If Stefan really is gone she'll only deny it until it becomes true for her," Audrey knew what her sister was like. She knew how stubborn she was, because all the Gilbert's have that trait.

"Why can't your sister be more like you little bird?" Damon asked with a slight chuckle. Audrey smiled and shrugged.

"Not everyone can be as blessed as I am," She joked.

-

"So what does this mean? You've now become Buffy the vampire slayer?" Audrey questioned as her sister practiced her defensive skills. Alaric was helping both the Gilbert sisters learn how to fight against a vampire.

"No Audrey, but we need to be ready in case we see Klaus," Elena sighed.

"Oh, because two human defenseless girls can take down an immortal hybrid," Alaric snickered while the sisters argued. Elena sighed and opened her mouth to say something when her phone went off. She quickly got it out to check it.

"It's Tyler. He wants us to meet him at the Grill," Elena explained while Audrey rolled her eyes. As much as she hated being in the company of Tyler Lockwood she'd bare with it for her sister's sake. "Come on, let's go,"

-

"A lot of us like to keep to ourselves for the full moon, chain ourselves up. But there are some werewolves that like to gather in places where they don't have to do that, where they can enjoy it," Tyler explained to the two sisters.

"What kind of places?" Elena questioned leaning forward.

"Mountains, state parks, deserts, that kind of stuff," Tyler answered taking a sip from his drink.

"Anywhere in Tennessee?" Audrey asked chiming in. Tyler nodded.

"Yeah. Here, give me your phone. I'll try to pull up a map," He said holding his hand out to Elena. She quickly handed her phone to him and glanced over at her sister.

"Thanks for this. I know it's asking a lot," Elena mumbled.

"As Caroline likes to remind me, Stefan's in this mess because I bit Damon. I figure I owed you one. Have either of you talked to her today?" He asked glancing up from Elena's phone. The two sisters shook their heads.

"No, why?" Audrey asked.

Tyler shrugged. "Just curious. Here," He handed Elena back her phone and pointed at a place on the screen. "That's your best bet," The sisters thanked him before walking over to Alaric, who was sitting at the bar.

"Did you get anything?" He asked them.

"How do you feel about a little hike through the Smoky Mountains?" Elena asked with a sigh.

"You wanna hunt down a pack of werewolves on a full moon?" He asked the two in disbelief. They both nodded.

"We'll be out of there before the moon is full. If you don't come with us, we'll go by ourselves. What? You're the one who told us we could handle things on our own now," Elena snapped referring to Alaric moving out of their house.

"Yeah. I meant like frozen dinners and SATs. A-all right fine. Let's just....let's just go. But, uh, you're driving," He said pointing to Elena. The Gilbert sisters rolled their eyes and turned around to walk out of the bar. The drive to Tennessee was long and awkward. There wasn't a lot said between the three, mostly just between the sisters. "So what's the plan if you actually find Stefan and Klaus?"

"I don't know. I guess we just pray we find Stefan first," Audrey answered for her sister. Nothing else was said until they reached their destination. They all spent a couple hours walking in silence before things were finally said again.

"In a couple hours, the full moon's gonna rise just above that ridge. If Tyler's right, that's where the pack'll be," Alaric stated pointing up at where he was talking about. Elena smiled.

"You were a boy scout, weren't you? A boy scout, slash vampire slayer?" Elena laughed nudging Alaric.

"Slash whiskey-drinking all-around lost cause," He said with a slight tint of sarcasm. The trio stopped so Alaric could pull something from his bag. As he opened it the sisters peaked inside to see a large amount of weapons.

"Wow. You came stocked," Audrey commented.

"Well, we aren't exactly bird-watching. Here. Put that in your bag," Alaric said handing both girls a grenade.

"Vervain grenades?" Elena questioned with confusion.

"Wolfsbane," Alaric answered.

"Well, since we're exchanging gifts," Elena sighed pulling out John Gilbert's ring. She handed it over to Alaric who took it from her cautiously.

"That's John Gilbert's ring," Alaric pointed out.

"It was yours once. Go ahead. Take it. I'll protect you from whatever supernatural danger we're about to get ourselves into," Elena chuckled, attempting to ease the tension.

"He gave it to you," Alaric said.

"Yeah, but I'm the doppelganger. It's not gonna work on me. He left it for if I ever have kids," Elena explained. "I tried giving it to Audrey here but she refused to take it,"

"Why?" Alaric asked looking at the younger sibling.

She raised her shoulders in a shrug. "I believe that if the time ever comes where, God forbid, I happen to die, I'd like to go naturally. Something about being dead and than coming back to life creeps me out," Audrey explained.

Alaric shook his head and laughed. "Yeah, well, then why don't you," He said looking back at Elena. "Save it for future generations of stubborn, relentless baby Gilberts?"

Elena rolled her eyes. "Okay, and how about you borrow it until after we survive this? I'd feel bad if I got you killed before happy hour," Audrey laughed at her sister's remark and followed her to the edge of the river they were walking along. "I don't know why you think that you're a lost cause," Before either of the girls could get a reply they were pushed into the water. Alaric was quick to raise his crossbow at the smirking Damon Salvatore. Both sisters turned around to see Damon and they both stared at him in shock.

"Damon! How are you even here?!" Audrey shouted.

"Thanks for the tip, brother," Damon said to Alaric ignoring the sisters.

"You sold us out?!" Elena shouted at Alaric with betrayal.

"You think I'd take you two to a mountain range of werewolves on a full moon without backup?" Alaric questioned with a raised eyebrow. The sisters looked at each other and crossed their arms at the two men standing before them. Both of them were still in the cold water but neither of them cared.

"Now get out of the water and lets go," Damon said thinking they'd actually listen to him. But Gilbert's are stubborn and everyone knew that. When they made no movement Damon narrowed his eyes at them. They had a stare down for about five minutes before Damon had enough. "Get out of the water,"

"If we get out of the water, you're going to make us go home," Elena argued.

"Yes, because I'm not an idiot like you two," He stated with a dramatic eye roll.

"Right now, you're all acting like idiots," Alaric commented.

"You gave up on him Damon," Elena pointed out.

"I didn't give up on him, Elena. I faced reality. Now get out of the water!" He argued in return.

"No!" Both Audrey and Elena replied.

"What's your big plan? Huh? The two of you gonna walk through a campsite full of werewolves, roast a marshmallow, and wait for Stefan to stop by?" Damon mocked them as he jumped into the water with them.

"Our plan was to find him and help him. Damon, this is the closest that we've been to him since he left. I'm not going home," Elena answered seriously. Audrey nodded her head in agreement.

"Klaus thinks you're dead, and he probably has some strange infatuation with you," Damon said pointing to Elena first then Audrey after her. "That means, you're safe and as long as you stay away from him so are you, Audrey. This? This is not safe,"

"I'm not leaving before we find him," Elena growled gritting her teeth together.

"It's a full moon tonight, Elena," Damon argued.

"Then we'll find him before then. Damon, please," Audrey pleaded for her sister. Damon looked between the two and sighed giving up.

"Okay. Okay. But we are out of here before the moon is full and I'm werewolf bait," Damon growled.

"We promise," Audrey answered.

"Unless you want to relive that whole deathbed kissy thing," Damon smirked, winking at the younger sister. She blushed and looked away.

"I said we promise," She answered again.

"Fine," Damon sighed. All three of them walked out of the water together. They all continued their walk in complete silence until Damon ruined it. "How are you doing? Both of you?"

"Fine," Elena muttered.

"You know I could help you, right?" Damon smirked.

"No thanks,"

"Just one little whoosh," Damon continued.

"Yeah with my luck you'd drop me," Elena chuckled sarcastically.

"What are you guys? Twelve?" Alaric laughed. Audrey laughed too.

"Damon you know what I noticed?" She said walking in step beside the dark haired man.

"What little bird? My charming good looks?" He smirked wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Took you long enough,"

"Actually, I was going to say that you're basically my knight in shining armor but you're right about the looks part too," She teased playfully.

"See there's a reason you're my favorite Gilbert," Damon laughed. Elena rolled her eyes at the duo in annoyance.

"If I didn't know any better I'd say you two were a couple," Alaric stated shivering in disgust. "Thank God, Audrey isn't that stupid to be with you,"

"Hey! Little bird, you'd love to be with me right?" Damon asked with a fake pout. Audrey was still laughing from Alaric's remark but she managed to nod her head.

"Of course you raven haired freak. I'd die a million deaths to be with you," Of course she was kidding like she always did when she was around Damon, but that didn't stop a slight pang to hit Elena's chest.

"Awe, and I'd save you each time," Damon smiled pulling her to his chest. She laughed and pushed him away.

"We've got about another mile to go," Alaric stated looking ahead of them.

"The sun's about to set," Damon noticed looking up at the darkening sky.

"I can see that, Damon," Elena stated angrily.

"I'm just saying," Damon mumbled. Audrey nudged him and shot him a look. He faked a look of innocent before grabbing her to pull her close to him again.

"The moon doesn't reach it's apex for a while. We have time," Elena sighed. Twigs began to snap beside them and a man stumbled out. Alaric raised his crossbow at him but the man was fixed on Damon.

"Vampire," He growled speeding in front of him. Damon pushed Audrey away from him and tackled the man. They fought for a little bit until he eventually got Damon against a tree. Alaric shot an arrow at him but it did nothing. The man tried to bite Damon so Audrey acted quickly. She grabbed the wolfsbane grenade Ric gave her earlier and took out the pin.

"Damon!" She shouted throwing it to him. He caught it just as it exploded in the man's face. The man staggered back and screamed, holding his burning face. Damon kicks him in the stomach and he rolled to the ground unconscious.

"Let me guess, hybrid," Ric panted.