Break On Through

Mystic Falls Hospital
[Alaric is lying down on an MRI couch, about to go into the MRI scanner. Elena and Meredith are in the control room, preparing to scan Alaric.]


 * Elena: What are you looking for?


 * Meredith: I don't know. A tumor, vascular anomalies, anything physical that might explain his behavior. If it's medical, I can treat it.


 * Elena: And if it's not?


 * Meredith: Well, then we'll deal with that too.

[A technician slides Alaric inside the machine. Alaric stares at his reflection in the mirror placed above him.]


 * Elena: When did you suspect him? That it was Alaric who was killing all of those people?


 * Meredith: It was after he told me about his ring. I remembered a story my grandmother had told me about Samantha Gilbert and her secret journal. I don't know if you know this, but we Fells are notorious busy-bodies.


 * Elena: But then, why did you protect him?


 * Meredith: Because I'm a doctor, I don't like to see someone hurt by something they have no control over. And because when he and I first met I felt like...I don't know, I- I just kind of want to help him.

[Alaric continues to stare at his reflection in the mirror in the MRI machine. His reflection glares down at him, but Alaric is not making the same expression. Alaric starts to panic. Meredith talks to him over a speaker.]


 * Meredith: Everything alright in there?

[Alaric closes his eyes and opens them, he stares at his reflection again, its expression is the same as his.]


 * Alaric: Yeah. Yeah, everything's okay.

[After the scan, Alaric is in a regular hospital room getting ready to leave. Elena comes in.]


 * Elena: Meredith says that everything is normal.


 * Alaric: Yeah, well, everything is normal, because there is nothing wrong with me. I didn't kill Brian Walters, I didn't kill Bill Forbes, and I sure as hell didn't shove a hunting knife into my stomach.

[Alaric looks down at the ring, which is the only thing he hasn't picked back up.]


 * Alaric: Or I did and I've gone insane, just like your ancestor who wore that ring.


 * Elena: Look, I'm gonna call Bonnie, the rings were made by a Bennett witch so maybe a witch can reverse the damage.

[Alaric pushes the ring towards Elena.]


 * Alaric: Take it. I don't want it any more.

[Elena takes the ring and looks at Alaric. Damon enters the room.]


 * Damon: You ready to ditch this House of Horrors? Oof, you look terrible.


 * Alaric: Yeah, let me...let me check outta here.

[Alaric leaves the room. Elena gives Damon a hateful look and leaves too.]

Outside Mystic Falls Hospital
[Elena is walking out to her car, Damon is following her.]


 * Damon: Don't worry about him, take him out for chicken soup, get him a martini, make sure he doesn't kill anybody.


 * Elena: What is wrong with you? How could you just go out feeding with Stefan like some vampire pub crawl?


 * Damon: Oh right, I thought we were talking about Alaric, but of course we're talking about Stefan.

[Elena turns around and walks up to Damon.]


 * Elena: You stood there and let him feed on an innocent girl.

[Damon closes the gap between them.]


 * Damon: I didn't let him do anything, if you want to get nit-picky about it, I made him.


 * Elena: Why would you do that?


 * Damon: Because we're vampires, Elena. We need human blood to survive. We're predators, not puppies.


 * Elena: Well, Stefan found a way around it before.


 * Damon: Stefan has built himself a delusional wagon which he has repeatedly fallen off of. What he needs to learn is control.


 * Elena: He was able to manage when he was drinking my blood. Small amounts every single day.


 * Damon: Ah, yes, back when you two were in love and it was all rainbows and unicorns.


 * Elena: I'm just saying, maybe you're not the right person to be teaching Stefan about self-control.

[She gets into her car and gives Damon another death glare before he walks away.]

Abby's House
[Bonnie comes out of the house and sees Caroline walking up with an ice chest.]


 * Caroline: Hey.


 * Bonnie: Hey.


 * Caroline: I totally lucked out. The hospital just had a blood drive, so I got some O negatives, some A's, and my personal favorite [Caroline pulls out a blood bag.] B positive.

[Bonnie and Caroline are watching Abby who is in her garden standing next to an empty bird bath.]


 * Bonnie: I made her a daylight ring. She's been standing out there all morning. I don't think she's taking this very well.


 * Caroline: Well, it's only been a few days since she turned. Your mom is still adjusting.

[Caroline and Bonnie walk over to Abby.]


 * Caroline: Ms. Wilson, why don't you come inside? Have something to drink?


 * Abby: I can't feel it any more. My garden, it's gone. I can't feel anything.

[Abby walks towards the house.]


 * Caroline: I don't understand.


 * Bonnie: Witches have a connection to the Earth. We can literally feel nature. Life.

[Bonnie cups her hands on both sides of a dead plant. She recites a spell and suddenly the plant starts to bloom into a beautiful flower.]


 * Bonnie: When Abby became a vampire, she lost it. I don't know how to help her.

Wickery Bridge
[Construction workers are restoring the Wickery Bridge, and townspeople are there for the restoration fundraiser. Alaric, Meredith and Damon arrive. Damon looks at Rebekah who is speaking to Carol Lockwood.]


 * Damon: Rebekah's up to something. She's been snooping around in places she shouldn't be.


 * Alaric: Tell me again, why are we here?


 * Damon: Ric, the world can't stop just because you're an accidental psycho killer.


 * Meredith: Do you have any tact whatsoever?

[Carol approaches them.]


 * Carol: Alaric, I'm glad you're here. Did you bring the sign?

[Alaric is confused.]


 * Carol: The restored Wickery Bridge sign. The history department promised me you'd have it today.


 * Alaric: I- I don't have the sign actually it slipped...it slipped my mind. I've been...busy.


 * Carol: Well, it's not an emergency. We'll just um- unveil it when the bridge is complete.

[Carol leaves.]


 * Alaric: Get me outta here.


 * Meredith: My pleasure.


 * Damon: I'm gonna stick around for a bit.

[Damon is looking at Sage who looks back at him and smiles.]


 * Alaric: Who is that?


 * Damon: Blast from the past.

[Damon walks over to Sage. Carol is making a speech.]


 * Sage: Damon Salvatore, my favorite student.


 * Damon: Sage, my hottest teacher. What are you doing here?


 * Sage: I'm just passing through.


 * Damon: Oh, come on, nobody just passes through Mystic Falls.

[Rebekah walks up to them.]


 * Rebekah: Look what the cat dragged in.


 * Damon: Easy there, Rebekah. You know she use to beat men for sport.


 * Rebekah: She always was quite common.


 * Sage: Rebekah. What a happy surprise.


 * Rebekah: What are you doing here Sage?


 * Sage: Well, I heard Finn was finally freed from that casket your rageaholic brother Klaus carted him around in.


 * Rebekah: Mmm, Finn, you just missed him. He left town and didn't tell a soul where he was going.


 * Sage: He probably went looking for me.


 * Rebekah: Or quite possibly he forgot all about you.


 * Sage: I doubt that.


 * Rebekah: No? Cause he didn't seem to mention you. Sorry you came all this way for nothing. Have a nice life.

[Rebekah leaves.]


 * Sage: God, I hate that elitist Original bitch.

Salvatore Boarding House
[Stefan walks to the parlor with a blood bag and starts pouring it into a glass when he hears footsteps and Elena appears with a book in her hands. She stops and looks at Stefan.]


 * Elena: Hi.


 * Stefan: Hey.

[Stefan puts the blood bag down.]


 * Elena: I'm sorry, Damon told Alaric that there was no one home, otherwise I would have....


 * Stefan: I just got home.


 * Elena: I just came by to pick up this book that you found, on my ancestor, Samantha.


 * Stefan: That's fine.

[Elena walks over to Stefan.]


 * Elena: How are you doing? Damon said that you were...


 * Stefan: Yeah, I'm – I'm okay. Did you get everything you need?


 * Elena: Yeah. Well, if there's anything I can do to help.

[Elena starts to leave.]


 * Stefan: You don't have to read that, you know.

[Elena turns around.]


 * Stefan: I can just tell you what happened. Samantha Gilbert was committed to an insane asylum, she tried to give herself a lobotomy with a knitting needle, and bled to death on the floor of her cell. If the same thing is happening to Alaric then there is nothing you can do.


 * Elena: Okay, well, I'm gonna let you get back to...whatever it was you were doing.

[Elena leaves. Stefan picks up the blood bag.]

Woods
[Sage and Damon are walking together.]


 * Damon: Finn, really?


 * Sage: He's my one true love. He turned me so we could be together forever. Then Klaus daggered him and locked him away and I've been waiting ever since. Please don't tell me that you and Rebekah are friends.


 * Damon: Not unless you count hate sex.


 * Sage: Good, cause her and Klaus always treated me like some peasant whore.


 * Damon: Ah, she's just lurking around because she wants something from me. Can't figure out what it is though.


 * Sage: Why don't you get inside her head and find out?


 * Damon: Cause it's impossible. She's too strong.


 * Sage: I bet I could get in there.


 * Damon: Sage, she's an Original. It's not gonna happen.


 * Sage: Have you forgotten everything I taught you? Rebekah may be an Original, but she's a girl. You find her weakness and exploit it and I'll walk right in. That is if you want my help.

Wickery Bridge
[Rebekah is walking past the catering table when Damon comes up behind her.]


 * Damon: Did I ever tell you you're sexy when you're bitchy?


 * Rebekah: We're talking now, are we? Cause you were quite rude the other day, using me to help you with Stefan and then shooing me away like a stray dog.


 * Damon: Oh, but that was brother business, you can't hold that against me. Besides I really did appreciate your help even if I don't show it.


 * Rebekah: You were mean.


 * Damon: You like mean.


 * Rebekah: No, I don't.


 * Damon: No? You didn't get a thrill back there pushing Sage down, crushing her dreams of true love?


 * Rebekah: Maybe a little.


 * Damon: See? Mean. Can Sage and I interest you in a drink back at the house?


 * Rebekah: Not a chance in hell.


 * Damon: Well, you know what they say: two's company, three's a party.

[Rebekah and Damon stare at each other for a while.]


 * Damon: Fine.

[Damon puts his drink down on the table and leans in towards Rebekah and brushes his hand past her hip.]


 * Damon: Enjoy the rest of your day.

[He walks away, leaving Rebekah looking puzzled.]

Abby's House
[Jamie is in the back, chopping wood with an ax. Caroline walks up to him.]


 * Caroline: Haven't seen you up at the house. Abby's been asking for you.


 * Jamie: I've been pretty busy.

[Caroline bends down to pick up some of the wood.]


 * Jamie: [Shouting.] Hey, hey!

[Caroline stands up, startled.]


 * Jamie: Stay away from me!


 * Caroline: Easy! I was just gonna help you carry the fire wood up. You're scared of her.


 * Jamie: She's a vampire.


 * Caroline: She needs to feel connected to the people she loves. She needs to feel normal right now.


 * Jamie: She's not normal. None of this is normal!


 * Caroline: Well, Abby didn't choose this, this was forced on her. She could have let herself die, but she didn't. She's trying to make this work so she can be there for you and for Bonnie. So.....

[Caroline's phone starts to ring.]


 * Caroline: So, just get over yourself, okay?

[Caroline walks away and answers her phone.]


 * Caroline: Hey, what's going on?


 * Elena: Bonnie's not returning any of my calls.


 * Caroline: Sorry, she's still mad and seriously Abby's transition has been a little rough, so she's got a lot on her mind.


 * Elena: I know and I get it but, something really terrible has happened to Ric and...and I really need her help.

Gilbert Residence
[Alaric is in the dining room, reading through Meredith's file on him. Meredith walks over to the table with two glasses and a bottle of whiskey.]


 * Meredith: I really don't think you should be looking through that stuff.


 * Alaric: Ah, it's the truth, restraining orders and all. My life in a series of police reports.


 * Meredith: You don't strike me as an angry guy. Which sounds weird, given everything, but you don't.


 * Alaric: Yeah, well I was stupid when I was younger. But, listen, it's not like these guys didn't have it coming. I mean, this guy here, broke a beer bottle over a bartender's head. This guy, hit his girlfriend. This guy, okay, this guy was just a douche.

[Meredith and Alaric laugh.]


 * Alaric: Everyone needs to find a way to deal with their dark side. Some people meditate. I became a vampire hunter.


 * Meredith: Mm, semi-retired.


 * Alaric: Listen, there's something that's not in these reports that I need to tell you about.


 * Meredith: Okay. Ominous. Shoot.


 * Alaric: Your cousin, Logan Fell, the one who was vampire-slayed. I did the slaying.


 * Meredith: The vampire thing, it's not my fight. I use their blood for what I need and leave the judgment to everyone else. Although, I have kind of been wondering why you never drove a stake through Damon's heart.

[Alaric laughs.]


 * Alaric: I tried once. He killed me. Yeah, yeah, figures.

[Alaric rubs the finger where the ring used to be.]


 * Alaric: The thing that started all this ring stuff was me being angry enough to think I could take on a vampire in the first place.

[Meredith takes his hand and puts it in between both of hers. She smiles at him.]

Salvatore Boarding House
[Damon walks down into the basement and he sees Stefan drinking a blood bag from the freezer. He also sees that there are multiple blood bags scattered on the floor.]


 * Damon: Oh, come on. Slow down, brother.

[Damon walks over to Stefan and takes the blood bag out of his hand.]


 * Damon: Whoa. Control, remember? Doesn't matter whether it's blondes or blood bags, same principles apply.


 * Stefan: What did you say to Elena this morning?


 * Damon: Oh, you're stress eating. Sublimating. You two deserve each other with all your pining and moping.

[Stefan moves toward Damon.]


 * Stefan: I asked you a question, Damon.


 * Damon: I told her what she already knows. You're a vampire and you drink human blood and to get over it.

[Damon closes the freezer.]


 * Damon: Which is the same thing I'm telling you. Own it, live it, love it. Stop being ashamed of who you are.

[Damon starts to leave, but Stefan grabs his arm and pulls him back around.]


 * Stefan: Do me a favor, Damon. Next time you talk to Elena, keep me out of it, okay?


 * Damon: Gladly. Now, unless you're interested in a Sage-Rebekah sex sandwich, I suggest you make yourself scarce.

Abby's House
[Bonnie is cooking in the kitchen. Jamie enters.]


 * Bonnie: Who are you again?


 * Jamie: The guy who lives out back. You know, the one you're not related to.


 * Bonnie: Right.


 * Jamie: Caroline and I had a little talk.


 * Bonnie: Sounds like code for Caroline lectured you.


 * Jamie: Maybe, but I needed it. Abby's always been there for me, now it's my turn.

[Jamie holds up two pieces of firewood.]


 * Jamie: Thought I could build a fire.


 * Bonnie: Please. Maybe it'll distract everyone from my crappy cooking.

[Jamie walks into the living room and places the firewood in the fireplace. Abby walks in.]


 * Abby: Jamie.


 * Jamie: I'm so sorry, Abby. I'm sorry about everything.

[Jamie hugs Abby. Abby smells Jamie's blood and bites him. Jamie screams, Bonnie runs over to them.]


 * Bonnie: Abby!

[Bonnie uses her migraine inducing spell on Abby and she clutches her head in pain, while releasing Jamie. Bonnie rushes over to Jamie and kneels down next to him. They all look horrified.]

Salvatore Boarding House
[A man is playing the piano. Sage sits next to him, while Damon uncorks two bottles of wine.]


 * Sage: Remember this song?


 * Damon: All right Miss Master Seductress, where's our victim?

[Damon pours the wine into glasses.]


 * Sage: Patience. Between her craving for affection and her pathological fear of being left alone, our little get together is too tempting to resist.

[Sage bites the wrist of the man playing the piano and feeds on him.]


 * Damon: Finn's gone, you know.

[Sage stops feeding.]


 * Sage: I choose to believe otherwise.


 * Damon: He strung you along for 900 years, didn't bother to call, he's gone.

[Damon hands her a glass.]


 * Sage: You know, the Damon I knew was holding out for someone too.


 * Damon: Yes, he was. Hope's a bitch, Sage. Get out while you can.

[Damon pours wine into her glass. The doorbell rings.]


 * Sage: The sweet chime of desperation.

[Rebekah enters the room with a bottle of wine and holds it up.]


 * Rebekah: I stole it from Nik who stole it from a Queen. Not sure which one. Well this is depressing. What happened to the party?

[Sage gets up and walks over to Rebekah, taking the bottle from her.]


 * Sage: It just arrived.

[She breaks the neck of the bottle off.]

[Damon and Sage dance together. Rebekah watches them and sits down next to the man on the piano. She bites his neck and starts to feed. Sage gestures to Damon to go over to her. He does and Sage sits down on the couch.]


 * Damon: How bout a duet?

[Rebekah stops feeding for a second and looks at him. She goes back to feeding. Damon grabs the man's wrist and begins to feed as well. They both stop after a while and wipe the blood from their lips. Damon pushes the man, who is now dead, off the bench and moves toward Rebekah. He gently grabs her face in his hand and Rebekah stands up. They are about to kiss when Rebekah looks over at Sage.]


 * Rebekah: What about her?


 * Damon: I don't want her. I want you.

[Damon kisses Rebekah. Sage watches from the couch and smiles.]

Abby's House
[Outside, Abby is pacing around outside the barn. Bonnie walks up to her with a blood bag.]


 * Bonnie: You have to drink these, it'll help.


 * Abby: I almost killed him!


 * Bonnie: Caroline said that this kind of thing happens a lot at first when you're still new.


 * Abby: No, no! I should just go before I hurt Jamie again or you!


 * Bonnie: The only way you're gonna hurt me is if you leave. Don't give up on this. Not again. We can make this work.

[Abby takes the blood bag from Bonnie. Caroline approaches them.]


 * Caroline: He's fine. Nothing a little vampire blood can't cure.


 * Abby: Thank you.


 * Caroline: Now, I need a favor.

Gilbert Residence
[Alaric pushes a pad of paper with writing on it towards Elena.]


 * Alaric: Listen, I want you to have this. This is a list of my bank accounts, passwords, where to find my will, and how to contact my family, just in case this doesn't go my way.

[Elena pushes the pad back towards Alaric.]


 * Elena: No, no, no. Don't even think like that.


 * Alaric: Elena, I need to know that you and Jeremy are gonna be okay.


 * Elena: We're all gonna be fine.

[Elena's phone rings, she answers it.]


 * Elena: Caroline?


 * Caroline: So, Abby thinks Bonnie can reverse the damage of the spell. I guess this same thing happens to witches who get obsessed with dark magic. They lose control and start acting out their darkest impulses.

[Elena gets up and walks away from the table.]


 * Elena: Thank you so much.


 * Caroline: I'm gonna hang back here with Abby, but Bonnie's leaving now, so....

[Bonnie walks up to Caroline and silently asks to talk to Elena on the phone.]


 * Caroline: Hold on.

[Caroline hands Bonnie her phone and goes to help Abby pack up some herbs. Bonnie takes a deep breath and starts to talk to Elena.]


 * Bonnie: I need a personal effect of Alaric's, something he wore before he started wearing the ring.


 * Elena: Okay, yeah, I- I'll get it. Bonnie, I'm so sorry for everything, thank you for doing this.


 * Bonnie: Be ready to do the spell as soon as I get there. We have to work fast. I'll see you soon.

[Bonnie hangs up very quickly.]


 * Alaric: Good news? Bad news?

[Elena turns around and walks back over to the table.]


 * Elena: Bonnie thinks that she can help you with a spell.


 * Alaric: Well, it's worth a try.


 * Elena: But she needs something that you wore before you put on the ring. Something personal.

[Meredith walks into the kitchen.]


 * Alaric: Well, there's uh- there's my wedding ring. It's at the loft.


 * Elena: Okay, yeah, uh- that's a...that's a good idea.

[Alaric starts to get up, but Meredith pushes him back down.]


 * Meredith: I think it's better if you stay here with me.


 * Alaric: Oh, you and your tranquilizers. It's in the dresser by the kitchen. It's in a...an aspirin bottle, probably covered in cobwebs.


 * Elena: Okay.

[Elena looks at Meredith and leaves.]

Salvatore Boarding House
[Damon and Rebekah are lying in Damon's bed together. They are both naked and draped in sheets. Rebekah is asleep, Damon is awake and sees Sage enter the room. He nods at her. She quietly walks over to the bed and sits next to Rebekah. She places her hand on Rebekah's head and gets inside her head. She smiles. Damon mouths "What?" to Sage and Sage puts a finger to his lips. She nods her head towards the bathroom and starts to walk over to it while taking her shirt off. Sage is in the shower and Damon goes in with her.]


 * Damon: I take it back, your plan is amazing.


 * Sage: I told you if you got her comfortable enough, she's an open book.

[Damon moves closer to her.]


 * Damon: Well, are you gonna torture me or are you gonna tell me what she's up to?


 * Sage: I'd rather show you.

[Sage kisses Damon. He sees the memories that Sage saw when she touched Rebekah.]


 * Rebekah: A white oak tree. There must have been a new tree to replace the old.

[Damon gets another memory.]


 * Carol: It probably got cut down.


 * Rebekah: Do you happen to know who kept the milling ledgers during that period?

[Damon breaks off the kiss and looks at Sage.]


 * Damon: There's another tree.

[Damon is in the library looking for the logging mill records, still wet with a towel tied around his waste. Sage walks in.]


 * Sage: Milling records?


 * Damon: Our family made one of its many fortunes selling lumber. It's why Rebekah's been digging around about this stuff. That tree was on our land and milled by our yard. The ledgers will tell me where it was shipped. Business archives should be around here somewhere. Get upstairs, make sure you keep her distracted.

[Sage goes back upstairs. Damon finds the milling archives and pulls out the one from 1912. He flips through it and finds where the tree was shipped to: the old Wickery Bridge.]


 * Damon: You gotta be kidding me!

Alaric's Apartment
[Elena walks up the stairs to Alaric's loft. She gets to the top and is startled by Stefan who is leaning against the doorframe.]


 * Stefan: Missed you at the house. Alaric told me you'd be here.


 * Elena: You made yourself perfectly clear this morning, Stefan. You don't want to be around me.

[Elena walks over to Alaric's door and unlocks it.]


 * Stefan: I'm not trying to hurt you, Elena. I just can't be who you want me to be right now. I'm not in control.


 * Elena: So then, what are you doing here?

[Elena enters the loft, Stefan follows.]


 * Stefan: I uh- I did a little more digging on Samantha Gilbert. [He closes the door behind him and turns on the lights.] Founding families were always pretty good about destroying their records, but I found a couple of newspaper articles. It seemed she killed two people while she was in the institution. A nurse and a guard.


 * Elena: So, she was a psychopath. I get it.


 * Stefan: She was under suicide watch. No personal effects, no jewelry.


 * Elena: Wait, so, your saying that the violent behavior can still happen even if the person isn't wearing the ring?

[Stefan nods.]

Gilbert Residence
[Alaric is asleep on the couch. Meredith is in the kitchen.]


 * Meredith: You still with me?

[Alaric wakes up.]


 * Alaric: Yeah. Yeah, I'm still with you.


 * Meredith: I'm half-dead too. Neither one of us has slept in two days. Don't worry, I've got coffee on.

[Alaric gets up and goes into the next room. He looks through Meredith's bag and grabs the tranquilizers in it. He takes off the caps and pours the liquid onto the floor. He does the same thing with the second tranquilizer.]

Salvatore Boarding House
[Damon is burning the milling record from 1912. Sage enters.]


 * Sage: Rebekah just left.


 * Damon: Happy, I hope.


 * Sage: Did you find what you were looking for?


 * Damon: Yep. 1912, the Salvatore milling company chopped down a forest, its most valuable wood came an old white oak tree that was used to make the Wickery Bridge. These aren't public records, so Rebekah's gonna chase her tail for a long time.


 * Sage: So all the wood stripped from the underside of that bridge is basically a weapon that could kill an Original?


 * Damon: Yep.


 * Sage: You see how this could be a problem for me, right?

[Damon looks at Sage, gets up and starts walking over to her.]


 * Damon: Why? Because of your true love Finn? Let me tell you something, I met the guy, you're not gonna miss him.

[Sage rushes over to Damon.]


 * Sage: I will rip your head off in two seconds if you take one more step.


 * Damon: Alright, let's make a deal. You let me kill Rebekah, I consider Finn untouchable, you guys walk into the sunset together.


 * Sage: Is that a promise?


 * Damon: Yes. It's a promise.

Alaric's Apartment
[Elena is looking for Alaric's wedding ring in a chest of drawers.]


 * Stefan: What if Bonnie's spell doesn't work? What are you gonna do with him?


 * Elena: I'm not gonna do anything, Stefan. I'm gonna keep looking until we find something that'll help him.


 * Stefan: You don't know how long this has been going on. Might be too late.


 * Elena: It's my family's ring that's doing this to him. It's my responsibility to fix it.


 * Stefan: You can't put that on yourself. Not everyone is your responsibility. Not everyone can be saved.


 * Elena: Are we talking about Alaric here or are we talking about you? Because I wasn't planning on giving up on either of you.

[Stefan and Elena look at each other. Stefan then opens up the last drawer. Inside are photos of the dead bodies of Bill Forbes and Brian Walters, newspaper clippings, and other stuff about the murders.]


 * Elena: What is that?

[Stefan picks up one of the pictures.]


 * Stefan: Pictures of his victims.

Salvatore Boarding House
[Damon enters the library.]


 * Damon: Sage, let's go, we have Originals to kill.

[Sage is not in the library anymore.]


 * Damon: Sage.

Alaric's Apartment
[Stefan and Elena are looking through the stuff in the drawer. Elena sees an envelope with Jeremy's name on it. She opens it and takes out the papers inside. She reads the note attached to all the other papers.]


 * Elena: "Jeremy, if anything happens to me, carry on my work. You have the other ring, let the ring make you strong. The council must be cleansed before the work can begin."

[Stefan takes the papers from Elena.]


 * Stefan: It's the Founders Council roster. Looks like some sort of hit list.


 * Elena: No, Alaric didn't write this.


 * Stefan: Who else would have written it, Elena?

[Elena tears up the note that Alaric wrote for Jeremy and continues to search for the wedding ring in the drawer. She finds the aspirin bottle, opens it, and tips the ring into her hand.]


 * Elena: I have to get back.

Gilbert Residence
[Meredith is in the kitchen. She grabs two cups out of a cupboard. Alaric enters the room.]


 * Alaric: Looking for something?


 * Meredith: I don't know where anything is in this house. [She pours the coffee into the mugs.] I'm sorry, I can't remember, do you take cream?


 * Alaric: No cream.


 * Meredith: I was gonna make sandwiches. I'm starving.


 * Alaric: Can I ask you a question?


 * Meredith: No mustard. I hate mustard.


 * Alaric: Do you ever feel remorse?

[Meredith looks up and turns to face Alaric.]


 * Meredith: I'm sorry?


 * Alaric: Well.

[Alaric picks up a knife off the counter and walks around the counter, coming closer towards Meredith.]


 * Alaric: You are a council member. And the Council was formed to protect the people of this town from vampires and yet, here you all are, just looking the other way, ignoring your responsibilities. Like you and your vampire blood. So I'm asking you, do you ever feel remorse? Because you should.

[Alaric rushes towards her with the knife and cuts her on her side. She spills the coffee on him and breaks the mugs. She rushes into the front room and sees the tranquilizers are empty. She goes towards the stairs and Alaric cuts her off, grabbing her as she rushes up the stairs. Meredith goes into the bathroom and locks two of the three doors. When she goes to shut the final door, Alaric appears and tries to force the door open. Meredith keeps pushing the door back and grabs a pair of scissors which she stabs Alaric's hand with. Alaric screams and retracts his hand from the doorway allowing Meredith to slam the door shut and lock it. She looks down at her wound and sees she's bleeding profusely.]

Wickery Bridge
[Damon drives towards the bridge and sees Rebekah standing in front of a bonfire of the wood from the white oak tree. Damon stops the car and gets out, slamming the door in frustration.]


 * Rebekah: Your grand plans always seem to get ruined, don't they? Sorry to disappoint you. Again.

[Rebekah walks away. Damon turns around and sees Sage by his car.]


 * Damon: You set me up.


 * Sage: No. I'm just looking out for myself.

[Damon walks over to her.]


 * Damon: I told you I'd save your creepy boyfriend!


 * Sage: And you lied to me, Damon! The Originals are linked, if one dies they all die. If I can get inside her head, don't you think I'd be able to get inside yours?

[Damon rushes toward Sage and grabs her by the throat, pushing her against his car.]


 * Damon: I should end you.


 * Sage: I'm 900 years old, Damon. You're not capable of ending me.

[Sage pushes Damon off of her and throws him down onto the hood of his car.]


 * Sage: Do you really think that I would risk Finn's life for one of your petty revenge fantasies?

[Damon gets up and moves closer to Sage.]


 * Damon: Let me tell you something, your long lost love has a suicide wish. Cause when mama witch linked them together in a spell he's the one that volunteered to die.


 * Sage: He wouldn't do that.


 * Damon: He didn't want to live. Not for you. Not for anyone. He doesn't love you, Sage. Now, when I do find another way to kill those Originals, I'll start with Finn.

[He gets in his car.]

Gilbert Residence
[Elena and Stefan enter the house, but Stefan grabs Elena's arm. He signals for her to stay and moves into the house. He goes into the kitchen and sees the shards of ceramic and blood on the floor. Elena closes the front door and Alaric comes downstairs, wrapping a towel around his hand and looking cheerful.]


 * Alaric: Hey there.


 * Elena: Hi. Where's Meredith?


 * Alaric: Oh, she got called into the hospital for a last-minute surgery, but she'll be back later.

[Elena nods and looks at Alaric's hand.]


 * Elena: What happened?


 * Alaric: Oh, I...I broke a coffee cup and sliced my hand open trying to pick up the pieces. Did Stefan catch up with you?


 * Elena: No.

[Alaric takes another step down the stairs.]


 * Alaric: Did you get my ring?


 * Elena: I couldn't find it.

[Alaric comes down the stairs.]


 * Alaric: Yeah, well my place is a bit of a disaster. I guess I'll just have to go get it.

[Alaric looks down at the bloodstained knife lying on the floor. Elena looks down at it too then back up at Alaric, who is staring at her. Alaric is about to go for the knife, when Stefan grabs him from behind and puts him in a sleeper hold.]


 * Elena: Don't hurt him!


 * Stefan: I'm trying not to.

[Alaric passes out. Stefan lays him down on the floor. He seems to hear something and stands up. He looks up the stairs.]


 * Stefan: Elena, I need you to come upstairs with me.

[Stefan moves towards the stairs.]


 * Elena: Why?


 * Stefan: I'm gonna need your help.

[Stefan and Elena walk up the stairs. Stefan breaks the bathroom door open. Meredith is sitting on the floor with blood all over her. Elena flips on the light and rushes over to Meredith.]


 * Elena: Meredith. Hey.

[Stefan's face starts to change and Elena looks at him. Suddenly, Stefan's face becomes normal again. He bites his wrist and gets down next to Meredith to feed her his blood.]


 * Elena: You're gonna be okay.

[Stefan gets up and stumbles out of the bathroom. Elena stays with Meredith. The next morning, Alaric is asleep in his bed. Damon is sitting in a chair next to him when he wakes up.]


 * Alaric: What the hell are you doing here?


 * Damon: Just making sure the witch didn't turn you into a toad or a block of salt. Bonnie did a little spell, it's nothing to worry about, it's just something to keep the killer in you at bay.

[Alaric flexes his injured left hand and looks at it.]


 * Alaric: Did something happen?


 * Damon: Let's just say you've got an alter ego hell-bent on killing Council members. So we're gonna pack up some of your stuff, we're gonna go to the loft, just for a little bit. You know it's like house arrest. Polite.


 * Alaric: Wait, where's Meredith?


 * Damon: She'll be fine, Ric.

[Down in the kitchen, Elena is doing dishes when Bonnie enters.]


 * Bonnie: Hey.

[Elena turns around.]


 * Bonnie: You okay?


 * Elena: Yeah, I'm fine.


 * Bonnie: Abby says that all the dying and coming back to life might have chipped away at Alaric's psyche, making it easier for the darkness to take hold. [She holds up a glass container full of dry herbs.] These herbs are the binding element of the spell. He needs to take them twice a day.

[Elena goes over and picks up the container.]


 * Bonnie: I'll get you more. Abby and I are gonna work on the garden.


 * Elena: How is she doing?


 * Bonnie: The transition's been hard, but I think she'll be okay. Eventually. I'm gonna go back and stay with her for a while. It'll give us a chance to work things through.

[Elena puts down the container and starts to tear up.]


 * Elena: I'm sorry, Bonnie, I - I didn't – I didn't want this to happen. If there was anything that I could do to make it different, I...

[Bonnie embraces Elena.]


 * Bonnie: I know.


 * Elena: Please say that you forgive me.


 * Bonnie: Of course I do.

Abby's House
[Jamie and Caroline are out in the garden, planting new plants.]


 * Caroline: Am I even doing this right?


 * Jamie: Yeah, you're doing fine. Hey – uh – thanks for helping out with Abby. Bonnie's really lucky to have a friend like you.


 * Caroline: Well, I went through the same thing once. With my dad. But it didn't really work out, so...you know. Well, when Bonnie gets back she can snap her fingers or wave her hands or whatever and make the herbs bloom.

[Caroline senses something.]


 * Caroline: I think Abby's up.

[Abby is inside the house, writing a letter, her stuff packed up next to her. Caroline enters.]


 * Caroline: What are you doing? [Realizing she's writing a goodbye letter.] You're leaving. [She scoffs.] You're kidding me.


 * Abby: I have to. I don't know how to do this.


 * Caroline: Do what? Be a vampire or a parent? Because I can help you be a vampire, I can teach you self-control, but being a parent, I mean that's all you. Bonnie grew up without a mom, because you ran away once, but now you have an eternity to make up for it and you're just gonna throw that away?


 * Abby: She's better off without me.


 * Caroline: No, she's not. No one is better off without their parents. She wants to make this work. Please. Just stay.

[Abby gets up and takes her bag.]


 * Abby: Tell them I'm sorry.

[She leaves.]

Gilbert Residence
[Elena is downstairs, finishing the dishes. She is all alone in the house. She goes upstairs and sits on her windowsill. She is making a phone call. Jeremy answers on the other line.]


 * Jeremy: Hello?


 * Elena: Hey stranger.


 * Jeremy: Hey, are you checking up on me?


 * Elena: Do you need checking up on?


 * Jeremy: Well, I'm not flunking any of my classes. Yet. And I got a dog.


 * Elena: Hey, have you talked to Alaric lately?


 * Jeremy: No, why? Is everything okay?

[Elena's eyes start to tear up.]


 * Elena: Yeah, everything's fine – um- I just wanted to hear your voice.


 * Jeremy: Okay. Hey, can I call you later? I'm actually on my way out with some friends.


 * Elena: Yeah – um- of course, Jer. Go out, go have fun, and um- I – I just miss you.


 * Jeremy: Yeah. Yeah, I miss you too.

[Jeremy hangs up. Elena puts down her phone and cries.]

Salvatore Boarding House
[Stefan is in the library, drinking. Damon enters holding something wrapped in brown Kraft paper.]


 * Damon: Little early in the day for you, isn't it?


 * Stefan: Just having a little toast.


 * Damon: To what?


 * Stefan: Control.


 * Damon: If you're happy, I'm happy.


 * Stefan: Why are you in such a good mood? Sage double-crossed you, tree's a pile of ash, Alaric's got a psychopathic alter ego.


 * Damon: You know, Stefan, I'm a philanthropist, I make the world a better place. Restoring bridges, landmarks, and...

[Damon rips the paper off what he carried into the room. It's the Wickery Bridge sign.]


 * Damon: Historical signs made of the same white oak as the Wickery Bridge.

[Stefan gets up and looks at the sign.]


 * Stefan: They think all the wood burned.


 * Damon: I sold my rage. Whew! You should have seen me.


 * Stefan: We have a weapon.


 * Damon: Game's back on, brother. Let's go kill some Originals.