STEFAN: Mystic Falls.
I was born here.
This is my home.
DAMON: And mine.
ELENA: And mine.
STEFAN: For centuries, supernatural creatures have lived among us.
ELENA: There are vampires. Werewolves. Doppelgängers.
BONNIE: Witches. KLAUS: Even hybrids.
ELENA: There are those who protect them. -What's going on?
I need to ask you about your son.
You have no idea what you're up against.
DAMON: And those who want them dead. -We are the beginning.
(ALL SCREAMING)
ELENA: They are the ones we love.
STEFAN: And the ones we've lost.
This magic is dark. You made your choice.
-Now they're taking it out on me. -I'm sorry, Grams.
-Aah! -Oh, my God!
STEFAN: Then there's Elena, she's one of us now.
A vampire.
And I'll do anything to help her survive it.
ELENA: Mm.
-Hi. -Hi.
DAMON: You're making a big mistake. -No, I'm not.
If I can get Elena used to animal blood...
DAMON: You're reaching.
...maybe she'll bypass the things we went through.
Delusional.
-Maybe she actually has a shot at this. -Wrong. You're just wrong, Stefan.
She won't be able to handle hurting someone.
Her compassion is her Achilles' heel and everything is magnified right now.
Then you better hope she's not a fan of Bambi.
STEFAN: Close your eyes.
She needs human blood, Stefan, from the vein.
You know what happens. Name a vampire who didn't kill at least one person...
-...when they were new. -Name one who went on a bunny diet...
...and didn't kill dozens.
If she kills someone, she'll crumble.
How much pain you think she can take before she shuts off her humanity?
DAMON: It happens to the best of us at least once, but we get over it, Stefan.
-In a hundred years or so. -I'd like her to skip that part.
She can't learn to control the bloodlust if she's never experienced the bloodlust.
-Knock it off. -It's a cheat.
Like giving a kid a calculator before they know math.
I said stop.
(PANTING)
Don't worry, he'll heal. Bigger animals are more resilient.
Hey.
You did it.
I know it's hard.
But you can do this.
Whoa. What's going on?
Just having a little disagreement about process.
-Still not on board with the animal plan. -Nope.
I say rip off the proverbial Band-Aid and let it bleed.
You're a vampire, Elena. Be a vampire.
Ready to go?
Vampires eat people.
It's part of the natural food pyramid.
Trust me, you're gonna be miserable.
ELENA: Heh. I can't do it. STEFAN: All right.
It's like the starting line of a race.
Push off with every ounce of strength you have.
I was a cheerleader. I sucked at track.
Just concentrate.
Okay. You can do it.
I can't. All I can think about is your hands on my body.
-Oh, okay. -No, no. I didn't say take them off.
-It feels good. -Yeah?
Mm-hm.
What does it feel like?
(ELENA SIGHS)
It feels like you're touching every nerve on my body.
Everything is heightened.
Taste...
...smell...
...sight...
...touch.
(HEART BEATING)
(COUGHING)
(THE LONELY FOREST'S "WOE IS ME... I AM RUINED" PLAYING OVER SPEAKERS)
Seat's taken.
"Faulty Gas Line Leads to Tragic Explosion at Young Farm." Really?
Better than "Town Council Blown Up, Police Have No Suspects."
Unless the perpetrator is right next to me.
Don't look at me. I always take credit for killing people.
Seriously. Stop looking at me like that, Liz.
If I was gonna kill 12 people, I wouldn't blow them up.
I'd have a dinner party.
The explosion was sparked from inside. This wasn't an accident.
DAMON: You say that like it's a bad thing.
Council is dead, Liz. I see that as a win.
I've known some of them since I was a kid. They were my friends.
Your friends tried to kill your daughter.
Who's the new guy?
Excuse me, sheriff.
Um, I was wondering if I could speak to you for a minute.
It's about the explosion.
-I'm sorry, mister.... -Oh. Connor Jordan.
Are you with the insurance investigators?
No, I'm more of a, uh, independent contractor.
Can we speak in private?
FORBES: Sure. -Thanks.
Nice to meet you too, Mr. Busybody-Guy.
So, what are these again?
They're paper lanterns. Student council made them for after the memorial.
You light them up in honor of all the dead.
Nobody thought fire might be inappropriate?
I wouldn't make that crack in front of Elena.
How is she?
I guess she's fine, considering.
If there's anything I can do, short of giving her a ride,
you'll let me know, right?
I'm only alive because she told Stefan to save me first.
She's a vampire because of me,
so I'd like to pay it back or forward, or whatever.
Yeah.
Jeremy?
Picture an emo pixie cut and braces.
April?
-Yeah. -You look great.
-Remember April? Elena-- -Elena used to babysit you.
Yeah, before I got shipped off...
-...to boarding school by my dad. -Your dad.
Oh, my God, I am so sorry about your dad.
Thank you...
...I guess. I sort of don't know how to answer...
...when people say that.
-Your dad was Pastor Young, right? -He of the faulty gas line.
Sorry, I haven't figured out what to say about that yet, either.
Wow. I am being a freak. Um....
I'm just, you know, not much for grief, I guess.
I have to go register, or something, I think.
Hey, Care, it's me.
I'm back. I, um....
Can you call me?
Been having some adjustment issues.
(FOOTSTEPS)
-Hey. STEFAN: Hi.
ELENA: What's that for?
This is from the year you were born.
I think we should celebrate.
-Celebrate what? -Your first feed.
I know it was disgusting...
...and traumatic and it was horrible...
...but you did it anyway. You survived it.
Well, um...
...I wouldn't say I survived it. Actually, it kind of made me sick.
Listen, I choked it down for a month before I could stomach the taste.
It gets easier.
This, on the other hand, will go down like silk.
(BOTH CHUCKLE)
You're so cheery.
Yeah, because you're here. You're alive-ish.
And, uh, you're gonna get through this.
So would you like to do the honors?
Okay.
Ah! Ha-ha-ha.
Oh, my God.
Cheers.
(CELL PHONE RINGING)
Ugh. Perfect timing, Damon.
Yeah, we just got back.
What?
-Did you do it? -That seat's taken.
-But there's no one here. -I'm gonna pretend there's someone...
...because the alternative's just too depressing.
Did you set off the explosion?
Am I wearing my "I blew up the Council" T-shirt?
Why does everybody ask me that?
-Did you? -No.
Anything else?
Yes. Something is wrong.
I can't keep any of the animal blood down.
Well, there's a shock.
I think I need your help.
(DAMON SIGHS)
Of course you do.
Pick your meal. You got Asian fusion...
...Mexican, or what about some good old American comfort food?
No. No human blood. Stefan is right.
I have to at least try to get through this without hurting anyone.
Fine. Come on.
What are you doing?
Giving you what you need.
-Drink. -What?
You're a new vampire, Elena.
You need warm blood from the vein. Maybe this will do the trick.
Or not, but just don't tell Stefan.
Why not?
Blood sharing is kind of personal.
-What do you mean it's personal? -Just drink.
This is wrong. A bunch of people died, and we're having sex.
Grief sex. It's healthy.
-It's selfish. -It's natural.
Besides, if we stopped having sex
every time somebody died in this town, we'd explode.
We need to be more sensitive.
-Tyler. -Oh, come on.
I love you.
How's that for sensitive?
I love you too.
(BOTH LAUGH)
(DOORBELL RINGS)
Who the hell is that?
-May I help you? -Good evening.
Uh, I'm hoping I can help you, actually. I spoke with Sheriff Forbes earlier.
My name is Connor Jordan.
Carol Lockwood.
I know who you are, Connor. I believe the sheriff made it clear...
...the tragedy at the farmhouse was an internal matter.
That's one way of looking at it, I guess. Heh.
Although, I prefer the term "cover-up." Uh, do you mind if I come in?
You know, I really don't think that's a good idea. Uh, excuse me.
Thank you.
You're aware it wasn't an accident. Any fireman could tell you that.
-What are you, the press? -Not exactly.
So 12 council members are dead. You're the mayor. Why weren't you at that meeting?
-It wasn't official town business. -What was it, then?
TYLER: Mom?
What's going on?
Is there something I could help you with?
Maybe. How you doing? I'm Connor.
(TYLER GRUNTING)
CAROL: Tyler! Oh, my God!
Tyler!
Tyler, run!
(TYLER GRUNTS)
CAROLINE: Please tell me that's the last one.
STEFAN: These were specially carved...
...the length, the width.
If you were a normal vampire, you'd be dead.
This guy knew what he was doing.
His gloves must have been steeped in vervain.
He was looking for a vampire and didn't hesitate when he found one.
These etchings.
-Are the bullets spelled? STEFAN: I don't know.
They're something.
How you feeling? You look a little, uh, strung out.
I'm fine. It's just my emotions are all over the place.
Everything is heightened.
I mean...
...just the sight of all the names of the dead makes me wanna cry for a week.
MATT: You didn't have to volunteer.
ELENA: People died.
People we've known our whole lives...
...so yeah, I did.
Is that...?
MATT: April Young, yeah.
(SIGHS)
Oh, wow.
ELENA: Hey, there. -Hey.
-Long time no see. Not since-- -My parents' funeral.
Yeah.
-Are you gonna survive this? -Heh. They want me to speak.
I guess all the kids who lost somebody can.
What am I supposed to say?
"I'm sorry my dad didn't fix the gas line"?
But if I don't say anything, then....
I mean, what if nobody does?
My dad and I didn't always get along or anything...
...but everybody deserves to have nice things said at their funeral, you know?
I mean, for my mom's funeral, everybody said really nice things.
You say what you wanna say, or you don't say anything at all.
And don't worry about your dad.
Everyone in this town loved him.
Yeah.
Until two days ago.
Even still.
(APRIL SOBS)
I'm sorry, I--
I have to go.
(KNOCK ON DOOR)
STEFAN: Bonnie?
Bonnie, I know you're in there. I can hear you breathing.
Bonnie, please, it's important.
Hey. You all right?
Can I come in, please?
Hey. Hey.
BONNIE: My grams, it was like she was dying all over again...
...because I didn't listen to her about not doing black magic.
No, you're dealing with the Other Side. It's not reliable.
Witches are messing with your head to teach a lesson.
Well, it worked. I tried to do a basic nature spell this morning...
...just to clear my head, and it just brought it all back.
Like it was happening all over again.
Sorry. I'm a mess. I've been holed up in here...
...avoiding everyone. I've completely blown off Jamie.
You came here because you needed something.
-Right? -Yeah...
-...but it can wait. -Oh, come on. Stefan, I'm okay.
You're not exactly a drop-by kind of guy. Something is wrong. Tell me.
All right.
These burn to the touch. Could just be steeped in vervain...
...but this writing, have you seen anything like this before?
No. It's not magical writing, if that's what you're thinking.
Where'd you get these?
I think we have a new vampire hunter in town.
Mm. That's bad timing.
-I'm here. I'm here. Where are you? -I'm in the basement bathroom.
-Is that you at the door? -Not yet.
Sorry, there's someone in here.
Damon, hurry.
Ah. You again. Stalking small-town funerals?
(DOOR OPENS)
Oh, Damon. Thank God.
Sorry, I spilled coffee all over my dress.
We have not met. I'm Connor Jordan.
Damon. Germaphobe.
-Everything okay in there? ELENA: Just a minute.
So, what brings you to Mystic Falls? Bible salesman?
(CHUCKLES)
No, no, no. Actually, I'm in, uh, environmental cleanup.
Oh.
Heard you had a bit of a pollution problem.
-Huh. Well, I was unaware. -Mm.
I breathe pretty easy.
(TOILET FLUSHES)
(ELENA SIGHS)
So sorry that took so long.
-No problem. DAMON: Well, enjoy your stay.
We love visitors, and the scenery is to die for.
(GASPS)
Funeral pun. Too soon.
Sorry.
(GASPS)
Sorry, you scared me. I was just practicing my speech for later.
(GASPS)
-Did you bring the blood bag? -You wanna say that a little louder?
Here.
Mm.
Elena.
ELENA: No, I can't.
It tastes like....
-What's wrong with me? -I don't know.
Maybe it's your dopplegänger blood, you're rejecting the transition.
-I'm dying, aren't I? -No, you're not dying.
-You just need to drink from the vein. -No.
No, no. I can't risk killing anyone, Damon.
-Maybe I'm better off dead. -Don't you think like that. Elena...
...you'll be fine.
Okay?
(CHURCH BELL TOLLING)
I have to get back inside.
Oh. Great.
STEFAN: What's in the bag, Damon?
Mid-service snack. Church always gets me hungry...
...with the whole "blood of Christ" thing, you know.
-I brought it for Elena. -Really that intent on having your way?
-It's not my way, it's the only way. -If she hurts someone...
...she'll be desperate to turn the guilt off,
maybe enough to shut off her humanity.
What, and become a Ripper?
-I can't let her be anything like me. -God forbid she's anything like me.
That's really what you're thinking. She's gonna go off the rails eventually.
The faster we can make it happen, the sooner we get her on track.
She's strong. If we help, she can survive.
She's starving. She hasn't been able to keep blood down for days.
-She told me she was fine. -She lied.
Your four-legged protein shake was a bust. Juice box was a no-go.
She can't even keep my blood down.
She drank from you?
Oops. Did I say that out loud?
(ORGAN MUSIC PLAYING)
(ELENA BREATHING UNSTEADILY)
You okay?
Hey, uh, April was looking for you. She wanted help with her speech.
Oh. Where is she?
I don't know.
STEFAN: What are you doing here? -Being sensitive to the community's loss.
With a hunter out to get you?
I'm not letting a hunter stop me.
Also, if he shows his face, I'm going to kick his ass.
Before we begin mass, we'd like to open the floor to anyone...
...who would like to share a memory about our late friends on the town council.
I know that April Young wanted to say a few words about her dad. Uh, April?
April, are you still here, honey?
Is there anyone else who would like to share a recollection...
...or a memory about Pastor Young?
Come on up, Elena.
Don't know why that always makes me smile.
She doesn't look so good.
You should have told me she was rejecting all food sources.
-Jealousy is beneath you, brother. -Oh, bite me.
ELENA: I, um....
When I talked to April earlier, she was kind of nervous about...
...coming up to speak...
...and now I'm up here, I'm kind of nervous too.
The worst day...
...of loving someone is the day that you lose them.
Do you smell that?
Blood.
Nobody move.
Don't turn around, it's a trap.
(ELENA PANTING)
I, um....
It's okay, it's okay. I got you, I got you.
McGINNIS: Please turn to page 42 in your hymn book.
Let us join together in song.
CHOIR (SINGING): My life flows on
In endless song
Above earth's lamentations
The blood. Stefan, the blood, I can smell it. There's so much.
It's all right, just remember what we talked about.
Focus. Push back. Come on, you can do this.
What's wrong with her?
She's hungry, she hasn't fed.
-So get her out of here. -There's somebody watching us.
I'm gonna go rip his head off now.
You do that, and you risk exposing all of us.
I think the risk will be slightly diminished when I,
you know, rip his head off.
Stefan, I'm losing it.
CHOIR: It sounds an echo in my soul
You have 10 seconds before I go old-fashioned on the new guy.
STEFAN: Don't do it, Damon, please. -Three, two, one, bye.
Wait, wait, wait. Elena, feed from me.
CHOIR: What thought the tempest loudly roars
It's okay, everyone will think you're upset. Just feed from me.
CHOIR: I know the truth it liveth
What though the darkness 'round me close
It's okay. You're okay. I'm here.
CHOIR: No storm can shake my inmost calm
While to that rock I'm clinging
Since love is lord of heaven and earth
Thank you.
CHOIR: How can I keep from singing
The blood, I can still smell it.
It's gotta be April. We have to help her.
Elena, we can't risk it.
-Then I'm gonna do it. TYLER: Excuse me...
...I just wanted to say a few words about Pastor Young.
ELENA: What do we do?
Back in first grade, I was a brat who couldn't be bothered with team sports.
Didn't care much about anything that didn't affect me.
But he made me understand how important it is to be part of a team.
A community.
Giving yourself up for the sake of--
(PEOPLE SCREAMING)
CAROL: Tyler!
CAROL: Oh, my God.
(TYLER COUGHING)
(GRUNTS)
I'm gonna kill that bastard.
Damon is way ahead of you. Stay here, I have to help.
-What about April? -I got it. Go.
-I have to call an ambulance. CAROLINE: No, he's fine.
The whole town just watched you get shot. I'm calling an ambulance.
Elena?
(GRUNTING)
Damon!
(GROANS)
(DAMON GROANING)
Ow.
-Ah! What the hell was that for? -You know what.
DAMON: Ah. Ha.
ELENA: April.
(YELLS)
She's not dead, but if you feed on her you will kill her.
-Let go of me! -Look at her, Elena, it's April.
April Young. She's not a warm body for you to feed on, she's your friend.
She's an orphan, just like you.
She's scared, just like you were.
(GASPS)
Please, don't hurt me. Please.
No one is gonna hurt you. No one is gonna hurt you.
(APRIL SOBBING)
She needs you. You can make her forget all of this.
APRIL: Why did he do this?
-No, I can't, Caroline. You have to do it. -The only way you're gonna learn...
-...is if you do it yourself. -I can't.
Yes, you can.
You just need to believe what you're telling her.
Okay?
April, listen to me.
Everything's gonna be okay.
(SOBBING)
You're gonna get through this.
Just like I got through it. I'm going to help you, I promise.
I'm gonna be okay. You're gonna help me.
You watched the funeral from up here so you could grieve alone.
It was a beautiful service.
People said really nice things.
That was insane. How do you think they'll cover this one up?
Assassination attempt on the mayor's son.
Altar boy goes postal.
Hey. What happened there?
Uh, heh....
Girlfriend went a little overboard.
(LYKKE LI'S "YOUTH KNOWS NO PAIN" PLAYING OVER SPEAKERS)
Nice ink.
What ink?
You didn't see his tattoo? It was huge.
-He didn't have a tattoo. -Yeah, he did.
YOUNG: Dear April, I'm sorry for what you're going through.
What I did was a necessary sacrifice.
And I'm afraid it's the first of many more sacrifices to come.
There's always been an evil that spread through Mystic Falls...
...but now a greater one is coming.
My death is but the first in the war ahead.
I will see you again when we all find our salvation.
Until then, I love you. Dad.
-Ugh. -Helps with the cravings.
(COUGHS)
-You're mad. -Yeah, I'm mad.
-You lied to me. -I didn't lie, I just didn't tell you.
Come on, Elena, you lied to me.
You were just so happy that things were going well and--
-You think I'm happy? -I didn't wanna ruin it for you.
You're in hell, which means that I'm in hell.
Then you go to Damon for help.
-Because I thought he would understand. -You think I don't?
-Stefan, please. -You fed on him, Elena.
You fed on him.
I know that may not mean much to you, but it means a lot to me.
And I know it certainly meant a lot to Damon.
I didn't wanna hurt you.
I'm sorry, I-- Look, I'm really, really sorry.
Why am I crying?
I'm so sick of crying!
Your emotions are a bit heightened right now.
I feel like I've been crying since my parents died...
...and my life is like a never-ending funeral.
We keep burying people, Stefan.
You wanna know what's heightened?
It's grief. I can't stop feeling everyone's grief.
All the hurt, I feel like it's trying to explode out of me.
Hey, babe.
Come on.
-Come with me. -Where?
Something we need to do. Come on.
-What are we doing here? BONNIE: I don't know.
-Ask Stefan. DAMON: Stefan, what are we doing?
Finishing the memorial we didn't get to have earlier.
We need to start healing, Damon.
We've all lost so much, especially recently. We think we're numb to it.
We push it away, we make a joke out of it, ignore how we feel.
Never just let ourselves grieve.
-So you're lighting lanterns? -Yeah. Yeah, we need to do this.
What we need to do is find out who this hunter is...
...and what he knows about the death of the Council.
We've more important things to do.
Not tonight, we don't.
(SCOFFS)
This is for my Uncle Zach.
My friend Lexi.
For Alaric.
This is for Vicki.
This is for my dad, and Tyler's.
This is for our parents, for Vicki...
...Anna, Jenna...
...and Alaric.
No way, I'm not doing that.
This is for my grams.
This, um...
...is for my mom, my dad...
...and Jenna.
Everyone that we've all lost. Everyone that this town has lost.
And for me...
...I guess.
DAMON: Floating lanterns in the sky.
Can you believe that?
"Japanese lanterns is a symbol of letting go of the past."
Well, here's a newsflash: We're not Japanese.
You know what they are?
Children.
Think lighting a candle is gonna make everything okay, or even saying a prayer.
Or pretending Elena is not gonna end up
just like the rest of us murderous vampires.
Stupid, delusional, exasperating, little children.
I know what you're gonna say:
"It makes them feel better, Damon." So what?
For how long? A minute, a day?
What difference does it make?
Because in the end, when you lose somebody, every candle, every prayer...
...is not gonna make up for the fact that the only thing that you have left...
...is a hole in your life where that somebody that you cared about used to be.
And a rock with a birthday carved into it that I'm pretty sure is wrong.
(SIGHS)
So thanks, friend.
Thanks for leaving me here to babysit, because I should be long gone by now.
I didn't get the girl, remember?
I'm just stuck here fighting my brother and taking care of the kids.
You owe me big.
I miss you too, buddy. hting my brother and taking care of the kids.