It has been a couple of days since homecoming. And let's just say I'm slowly getting paranoid. Nobody has seen Klaus and wherever I go I feel like I'm getting watched.

Me and Elena were running laps around the neighborhood, we stopped since we were out of breath.

"Lena that's the same guy I saw yesterday." I say turning around and seeing a guy in a black hoodie running towards us.

"Keep running." Elena tells me and I start sprinting, and so does Elena. We make a left turn and he was still following us. Then we make a right turn and we didn't see him behind us. I sigh and walk forward and I walk into the guy. I gasp.

"Excuse me." The guy says taking off his earbuds. "I should have been watching where I was going." He tells me and Elena.

"Don't worry about it." Elena says.

"You both have a nice day." The guy keeps running.

"Are you sure it's the same guy?" Elena ask and I instantly nod.

"I'm 100% sure it is." I say, which worries me and Elena.

—

"I'm slowly going insane. 2 days ago, I saw him here while I was eating a burger, then yesterday I saw him sitting in a car as I walked, then today running." I tell Bonnie and Elena at the grille.

"You're not going insane. Klaus is still out there, and he knows you all tried to kill him. That guy is probably the same guy." Bonnie says.

"Why hasn't he made a move?" Elena asks. "There's been no sign of him, nothing."

"We all feel insane, join the club. Every-time I close my eyes, I have that nightmare on repeat." Bonnie mentions.

"The same dream?" Elena asks and Bonnie nods.

"What dream?" I ask, furrowing my eyebrows.

"There's 4 coffins. Klaus is in one of them. It's weird." Bonnie tells me.

"What if it's a witch dream?" I ask. "What if the witches are trying to send you a message, apparently I'm suppose to get them, but in night terrors."

"I'll figure it out. It's probably just stress. What about Stefan?" Bonnie asks, changing the subject. "Has there been any sign of him?"

"He betrayed us, Bonnie. The Stefan that we know is gone." Elena says, which I don't believe. I think Stefan did that for a good reason, we just don't know it yet.

"How is Damon handling that?" Bonnie asks.

"Damon is... Damon." Elena says, which we all see Damon drinking with Alaric at the bar.

—

Bonnie went off to go home since she was stressed about her dream, and me and Elena went over to Damon and Alaric. Elena was talking to Damon while I was talking to Alaric.

"How are my grades?" I ask, since he was also my history teacher.

"Your average is a 98. You're doing good." Alaric says. "Thankfully don't have to worry about your grades, you're school smart, Elena and Jeremy, not so much." I chuckle but then my laughter stops.

"Don't mind me." Klaus says from behind. I turned around and see him and the same guy that has been following me.

"You going to do this in the grill, in front of everyone?" Damon asks.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I just came down to my local pub to grab a drink with a mate. Get a round, then, would you, tony?" Klaus asks him and Tony nods.

I finally put together that the guy was following me and Elena because of Klaus, and i furrow my eyebrows and my eyes widen, in which Klaus smirks before laughing.

"I'm surprised you stuck around town long enough for happy hour." Damon says.

"My sister seems to be missing. Need to sort that out. And the truth is, I've grown to rather like your little town. Thinking I might fancy a home here. I imagine you're wondering how does this affect you. And the answer is, not in the slightest. As long as I get what I want, and everyone behaves himself, you can go on living your little lives however you choose. You have my word." Klaus tells us.

"What more could you possibly want?" Elena asks.

"Well, for starters, you can tell me where I might find Stefan." Klaus asks.

"Stefan skipped town the second he saved your ass." Damon walks closer to Elena as he saw Klaus walking towards Elena.

"Well, you see, that is a shame." Klaus throws a dart and it lands perfectly center of the dartboard. "Your brother stole from me, I need him going so I can take back what's mine."

"That's not our problem. Fix it yourself." I say and Klaus walks over to me, and I actually thought he was going kill me, but he didn't.

Damon walks closer to me, but not in front of me. Klaus just laughs. My leg starts to bounce uncontrollably.

"Well, this is me broadening the scope, sweetheart." Klaus smirks from realizing you got nervous from the fact that your leg was shaking.

—

"You ready?" Alaric asks me and Elena.

"Vampires, hybrids, and originals. No problem. I'm worried." Elena says, and I nod agreeing with her. Jeremy is not in a good place right now.

"Proof you're still human." Alaric says as Jeremy walks in the kitchen.

"Hey Jer, we're cooking, come join." I say.

"Sorry, I'm just passing through." Jeremy says and i roll my eyes.

"Aww. Well, I thought we'd all stay in, have a meal together like a typical atypical family." Alaric tells Jeremy.

"Why?" Jeremy asks, confused.

"Maybe because you got fired and you didn't tell anyone." Elena says pissed off and Jeremy sighs.

"Look, can we do this later?" Jeremy asks. "I made plans with Tyler. He's right outside."

"Hold up. You all know I love Tyler as a brother , but I'll be the first to admit he's not in the right mindset right now. You can't hang out with him, it's not safe." I say.

"He can hear you, he's right outside. And you're younger than me—"

"That's means nothing. You don't see me hanging out with someone who's sired to Klaus, do you?" I cross my arms. "You aren't leaving."

"All right. Fine. You want me to stay? Let's all stay in, then. Yo, Tyler, come on in." Jeremy shouts and Tyler walks in.

"This is weird. Klaus has hybrids stalking me and Ash, and now you're just sitting in our kitchen." Elena says, and I was paranoid. I felt like Tyler being here wasn't good.

"Maybe I should go." Tyler says.

"No, stay. You're not doing anything." Jeremy stares me and Elena down, but I know we're right, Tyler whether he's aware or not is up to something.

"Unless you have to, you know, check in with your hybrid master."

"It's not like that Elena." Tyler replies.

"What is the difference between being compelled and being sired?" Alaric asks, finally sitting down at the kitchen table.

"Compulsion... that's just kind control, like hypnosis. And being sired is... it's like faith. You do something because you believe it's the right thing." Tyler explains which makes me confused.

"So you believe listening to Klaus is the right thing to do?" I ask.

"I have no choice. I can't fight what I believe in. Klaus released me from a curse that was ruining my life, i owe him for that."

"What if he asked you to... jump off the bridge" Alaric asks Tyler.

"He wouldn't. And even if he did, I'd be fine. I'm a hybrid." Tyler says.

"Ok. Do what if he asked you to rip your own heart out?" Elena asks the obvious question.

"He wouldn't."

"What if he did?" I ask.

"I don't know. Then i'd rip out my heart." Tyler shouts, which makes Jeremy even furrow his eyebrows. "You guys sound like Caroline, getting all freaked out over something you don't understand.

"Wow. Klaus has terrorized every single one of us, i can give you a list of every single thing he has done."

"You're overthinking it, Ash. I can still make my own decisions" Tyler responds as Jeremy gets off the phone with someone. "I've got to go." Tyler finally walks out.

Elena and Alaric go to clean up and talk.

"Where are you going Jer?" I ask and he walks away without his ring. "Lena!" I shout to get there attention.

"He's compelled." Elena panicked and we all run outside to Jeremy standing in the middle of the road. We see a car coming.

"Jeremy!" I shout starting to run into the road but Alaric pulls me back and pushes Jeremy out of the way, which causes the car to crash into Alaric.

The person who was driving the car rolls down the window. "There I go again bumping into people." It was Tony. He drives off and i just look at Elena, Elena could tell Ashley wanted to break down, but she just wouldn't. She wouldn't allow herself to.

—

"How's he doing?" Damon asks.

"He's dead, but he has his ring. Klaus' hybrid hit him. Now we just wait." Elena says.

"Jeremy, why are you wearing vervain? Where's your bracelet?" Damon ask, and Jeremy is clueless.

"Where's Ash? I expect her to be filled with anger." Damon jokes.

"She's in her room. She's keeping all her feelings in. She was more sad than anger about what happened." Elena explains.

"What do you mean sad?" Damon asks. "Nobody died, permanently."

"She's overwhelmed. Klaus has done everything to hurt her and she's upset. Just think about everything that has happened, which is all because of Klaus. She's going to break soon." Elena says

I was in my room and it was basically nighttime. I know Damon came over but that was hours ago. I walk out of my room and I hear Damon compelling Jeremy.

"What's happening?" I ask.

"It's not safe for Jeremy. He needs to leave town. You saw what Klaus would do to get what he wants, he'll go after him again." Elena explains.

"I know. You're sending him out of town until this is over, right? And somewhere safe, right?" I ask and Elena nods.

"Our family friends in Colorado. And yes, he will be safe and he'll come back when it's ready." Elena says and I hug her.

"Ok, ok. But we need to at least get Klaus to not hurt any of us, Caroline, Bonnie, none of us." I say.

"We can give him Rebekah as a deal." Elena says.

"I'll do it. You stay with Jeremy and Damon." I say.

"I'll drive you there." Elena says and I nod.

—

I hear a knock on the door and it's Klaus. He lets himself into the boarding house, which makes me roll my eyes.

"I trust you have news on Stefan." Klaus says.

"Nope, didn't even try to find him. But I do have something else." I say. Klaus follows me down to the basement where Rebekah is.

"My poor sister. I can't turn my back on her for a moment. Let me guess, you did this?" Klaus asks and I shake my head

"Elena did. Day of homecoming while I was forced to go dress shopping. You have Rebekah." I cross my arms.

"Are you negotiating with me?" Klaus chuckles.

"Rebekah for Jeremy." I say, not joking about negotiating at all.

"Very reasonable. Consider him spared." Klaus says.

"Another thing, she'll want to go after Elena, which means I'll have to hate her and I don't feel like having this anger with me. And believe it or not she's been very caring— surprisingly." I say which makes Klaus laugh.

"I can control Rebekah. Besides, I still need your help finding Stefan. You not trying won't benefit your friends. And word of advice, my beloved sister only cares for people if they are worth being cared for, same goes for me."

When Klaus said that, I got this feeling, not a huntress feeling, a genuine feeling that he meant what he said. I little smile formed on my lips.

"Um, you can uh— let yourself out." I say walking up the stairs and Klaus leaves the house.