Matt, Keith, Bonnie, Jeremy and Veronica were sitting around the kitchen table. Veronica had given each a cup of coffee, in order to stay awake.
“Thank you” Jeremy said uncomfortable. “You don’t really know Elena. It’s not like you owe her anything”
Veronica cast him a grin that didn’t reach her eyes. “Anything for my soldiers” she replied charming.
“How’s that going?” Matt asked, trying to keep a conversation. “Do you need anyone else in your…army?”
“Why? Interested?” Veronica returned, raising her eyebrows. “For now the training’s canceled” She turned...

Though visiting hour was long over, it didn’t stop Stefan from sneaking into Elena’s bedroom. Elena had fallen asleep shortly after Bonnie had left. Stefan had expected Damon to be in the room, but Elena happened to be alone.
Stefan walked to the bed and sank down on it. Elena, sensing his stare, opened her eyes and frowned.
“Stefan?” she asked sleepy.
“It’s okay. Go back to sleep” Stefan hushed, regretting he woke her.
“No” Elena moaned and she sat up difficult. “I’m up” She cast him a faint, tired smile. “I’m glad you came”
“I had to come and see you, but I didn’t...

“Veronica, wait up!” Jeremy yelled as Veronica opened the door of her car. She took a deep breath and tried to keep a straight face.
“What?”
Jeremy scratched the back of his head, searching for words. “Did you hear me talking inside? Because I was just talking to myself” he lied. He tried to read Veronica’s face to see if she was buying it.
“Of course you were” Veronica replied in a serious tone. She stepped in and after she inserted the key in the ignition she looked back at Jeremy. “You need a ride?” she offered.
“Actually, I was going…” Jeremy started, but Veronica...

“How are you holding up?” Bonnie carefully tried to make a conversation. Elena rewarded her with a furious don’t ask stupid questions look. “You know, I’ve been trying to communicate with the spirits. Maybe I can persuade them to help you”
“No, thank you. I think you’ve done enough already” Elena replied cold.
Bonnie looked down and thought about leaving for a second, but then lectured. No more running, no more hiding. It was time to own up to her mistakes.
“Elena” Bonnie started, looking up again. “There’s something I’ve wanted to tell you ever since I was released...

Jeremy entered the building and walked straight to the training room. He found Veronica, talking with someone on the phone.
“Jack, you’re going to be so proud of me” she said with a slightly trembling voice. “I promise that when you get here there will only be humans left”
Jack said something in return.
“Of course I’m careful. I’m not going to fall for anyone. They took away the only person I ever cared about and they will pay for it. And anyone who’s trying to stop me, will go down with them…I have to hang. I will see you real soon”
She hung up, turned around and gasped,...

Damon walked through the aisles of the hospital when he bumped into someone.
“Aaah, hot coffee” Bonnie groaned. She had two paper cups of coffee in her hand, only now there was not much left of it.
“What are you doing here?”
“I wanted to see how Elena’s doing. Caroline said she wasn’t feeling very well and then Jeremy told me you brought her here” Bonnie explained a little out of breath. “I thought she might like some coffee, but actually I’m not sure she’s allowed to drink it. Well, I guess it doesn’t really matter anymore”
“No, I mean, what are you doing here?”...

Elena had pulled up the sheets. She was getting cold. After Damon had left she’d started crying again and her face was wet from tears. Was this one of the many side effects chemo had? Or was this part of the cancer?
“Hi, there” a small voice said from the end of the bed.
“Go away” Elena said with heavy voice. “I don’t want anyone to see me like this” She added as she tried to dry her eyes.
“I know, which is why I brought this” Caroline said secretive and she lifted a bag. She walked towards the bed. “I’m going to make you all pretty again. Now, make some room”
Elena...

Damon and Elena were lying on the bed, Elena’s head resting on Damon’s chest. “I believe we’ve been here before” Elena mumbled.
“Hmm” Damon confirmed. “Do you remember what you said back then?”
Elena relegated on the bed and closed her eyes. “I said I wouldn’t leave you, that I would stay with you until the very end”
Elena felt a teardrop on her head, but she didn’t look up. “Promise me you won’t leave now either”
“I promise” Elena whispered and she pinched Damon’s hand. She knew it was a lie. She knew that no matter how much medication she was taking, the...

Human rights advocates were floored on Monday night when NBC News published the details of an alarming Justice Department memo detailing the protocol for sending drones after United States citizens. It's not as if they hadn't suspected that the Obama administration's top secret drone attack protocol contained some unsavory details. They just didn't expect them to be so frightfully broad. The scoop by Michael Isikoff is actually startling not for the details but rather for the lack of details. It's very vague about a decision-making process that puts American lives on the line. Put simply, the...

Elena was still in the hospital. She had traded the bed for the seat, which was much more comfortable than the former.
The door opened and Damon came back with two coffees. He gave one to Elena and she took a sip, curling her nose.
“Is there alcohol in this?” she asked surprised.
“Oh, right, that’s mine” Damon apologized. “Sorry” He switched the cups and took a sip from his coffee with bourbon. “Why aren’t you in bed?” he asked a little accusatory.
“Damon, don’t start” Elena said in begging tone.
Damon shut his mouth and signaled that she had to get up. Elena pulled...

Tyler left his house and saw Veronica standing on the doorstep. He was surprised to see her, but acted it was pleasant.
“Hey, I didn’t expect to see you here” he said as he walked to her. He gave her a kiss on the lips and though she didn’t turn away, he could still feel her abstention. “Something wrong?” he asked suspicious.
Veronica didn’t answer.
“Walk with me?” she simply requested and she started walking, Tyler next to her. “I’ve been thinking” she started after a few minutes of quietly walking. “You’re a high school kid and I’m 23 years old and I know that’s...

Caroline was sitting at the bar in Mystic Grill, waiting for Derek. She had spotted him in the café a lot lately, but she had always thought he was just hanging around. Now she knew better. Derek didn’t just hang around. He kept his eyes and ears open to make sure he absorbed every important detail any of them said and then he’d hurry back to Veronica to spill the gossip.
The door opened and Derek appeared. He noticed Caroline at the bar and he sensed trouble, but as fast as he was, Caroline was faster. She grabbed his collar and forced him toward the men’s room.
“Hi, babe” a guy...

Damon rushed inside the hospital, carrying an unconscious Elena. He ran to the reception and asked for doctor Fell.
The woman behind the desk waved at something behind Damon. Meredith walked quickly to them while she signaled at a nurse.
“She collapsed” Damon explained breathless. The nurse rode a stretcher to them and Damon lay Elena down on it. The nurse pushed the stretcher forward and Damon and Meredith followed.
“What happened exactly?” Meredith asked.
“I’m not sure” Damon started slowly. “She was feeling sick and she lied down on the couch and Katherine was going to take...

Bonnie was waiting in the woods. Caroline had called her to meet her there. Bonnie looked around nervous. This reminded her a lot of when Katherine had lured her to the ruins of Fell’s Church, pretending to be Elena. But since Caroline didn’t have a doppelganger Bonnie figured she didn’t have much to worry.
“Hey” Caroline called as she came her way.
“Hi” Bonnie replied sober. “What’s the urgency? Why did you want to meet me here?”
Caroline noticed a little hostility in Bonnie’s voice.
“What, I need a reason to meet my best friend?” she avoided the question. Bonnie maintained...

Elijah was looking around in the living room when Damon and Elena came downstairs. They’d hopped in the shower and hadn’t particularly hurried up. No, they hadn’t been doing it, but with Elena not feeling very well, the last thing they wanted was a showdown with a pair of Originals.
When they came downstairs, Katherine was already settled with a blood bag and Elijah checked Damon’s extensive book collection. As soon as Elijah lay eyes on Elena he raised an eyebrow.
“Forgive me for being blunt,” he said. “but you look rather unwell”
“That’s because she saw your face” Damon...

The Grill.
Bonnie was sitting at the bar, gazing at a candle, trying to lit it with a candle.
“What are you doing?” Veronica asked while she dried glasses.
“Nothing” Bonnie said quick and she looked away from the candle.
“I’ve seen you before. Your Keith’s friend, right?” Veronica acted all innocent. “He told me about you. Said you were such a nice girl. I hate to be the one to bring you the news, but he’s a little messed up in the head, so you might want to keep your distance”
“Really?” Bonnie asked, sipping her water. “Last time I checked you were the one planning...

Elijah grabbed Rebekah’s throat as he put himself up.
“Where is Niklaus?” he asked shaking with fury. Rebekah took Elijah’s squeezing hand and pulled it away.
“You’re weak. You need to regain strength” she said strict and bossy.
“What I need is to find Niklaus and put that dagger in his heart” Elijah objected.
“I’m with Elijah on this one” Katherine said and Elijah turned his head to her slowly. “Elena?” Katherine shook her head. “Katerina” Elijah realized. “You stand by my sister as she gives me my life back…and yet I don’t see you shiver with fear. Perhaps...

The evening fell and Rebekah and Katherine were sneaking down the woods. Rebekah had called Katherine to tell her she had a plan and she needed her help.
“Where are we going?” Katherine wanted to know.
“To Klaus’s hiding place” Rebekah vaguely explained. She walked through the cemetery and stopped at a grave. The stone said: “Here lies Esther Mikaelson, beloved wife and mother”
“What are we doing at your mother’s grave?” Katherine asked confused and a little disrespectful.
Rebekah didn’t respond, but bowed forward and removed the stone. Katherine came closer and noticed...

Caroline felt her phone buzzing against her thy, but she tried really hard to ignore it. Bonnie was trying to figure out the words in the books, but since she was powerless her ability to read ancient languages was gone. Eventually she looked up and cast Caroline an irritated glance, as if blaming her for the current inconvenience.
“Will you just pick up?” she said frustrated.
“It’s probably my mom, wondering where I am” Caroline replied reluctant. “She can wait. This is more important. You have to get your powers back”
“I can’t concentrate, ‘cause your phone has been buzzing...

Elena was sitting at the living table, writing a letter. Damon was trying to reach Caroline, to get more information about the herbs she’d been providing for Elena. Elena was so focused on her letter that she didn’t hear Damon come in.
“I can’t reach her” he said apologizing. “I’ll try again in a few minutes”
“You don’t have to worry her” Elena said soft as she folded the letter. She stood up with the intention to put the letter in her purse.
“What’s that?” Damon nodded suspiciously at the letter.
“Just some scrabbles” Elena lied and Damon jerked the letter out...