Stefan looks out the window as the morning sun begins to rise.
He leaps off the rooftop, landing effortlessly on the ground.
He stands just outside the schoolyard, watching a crowd from a distance.
*****
A car spins out of control, falling into the river. Stefan quickly dives in.
He pulls Elena out, lying her on the ground--a mixture of shock and awe on his face.
STEFAN: Damon.
Damon stands by the window, smirking.
DAMON: Hello brother.
*****
Elena gasps as she sees Stefan's face change in the mirror.
ELENA: What--are you?
Merdith points her video camera towards Stefan in the school hallway.
V.O.(Vicki): So, who is this girl anyway?
V.O.(Caroline): CAROLINE: Meredith Sulez—she was the one Klaus fed to Stefan to make him go blood-crazy again.
She looks in the mirror and screams as she sees 'Stefan' appear behind her--only to vanish.
*****
VICKI: What, you never heard of ‘crazy old man Sulez’? The conspiracy nut? He claimed that he saw a vampire kill someone back in the 50’s.
DAMON: I’m the vampire he saw.
The two girls look at Damon in surprise.
*****
MEREDITH: GET AWAY!!!
She pushes Damon—causing him to go flying into the side of the dumpster. He hits it so hard that it makes a dent.
Meredith stares at her hand in shock.
MEREDITH: How…? How did I do that?
DAMON: That’s what I’d like to know!
*****
Elena and Katherine are up on the roof.
ELENA: What—do—you—want?
Katherine smiles.
KATHERINE: Everything you have, Elena. I want a life of my own. Yours seems good enough, so either you share it—or I will take it from you.
*****
Stefan and Elena talk in front of her house.
ELENA: Just hear me out, ok? You remember how Damon was when you and I first met? He was a monster—a remorseless killer. Just like Katherine. Maybe, instead of trying to stop Katherine, we should be reaching out to her?
STEFAN: Katherine’s different, Elena. Whatever humanity she had died long before I ever met her.
*****
The rooftop...
BONNIE: They didn’t just pull Jeremy back, Damon—they’re keeping him back. His life-force is tied to theirs now.
DAMON: So if he dies, they die?
BONNIE: And vice-versa.
*****
Vicki's hand is exposded to the sun.
*****
On the other side of town, Jeremy starts to scream.
JEREMY: My hand—it felt like it was on fire!
*****
The woods...
VICKI: It’s like we’re—connected or something. Have you ever seen anything like this?
A sudden recollection hits Jeremy.
JEREMY: Actually—yeah, I have. Just don't tell anybody about this, ok?
*****
TYLER: I don’t believe you sometimes, Caroline. The guy dumped you because he found out you’re a vampire, and you’re just going to go back to him? What if he doesn’t change his mind?
CAROLINE: He will. Trust me—I talked to Elena, and she told me that she acted pretty much exactly the same way when she first found out about Stefan. If those two could make it work, then so can me and Matt.
Tyler’s face falls.
*****
Matt turns around, seeing Vicki for the first time.
VICKI: I know how you feel about--about people like me, Matt...
Tears in his eyes, Matt hugs her.
MATT: You're my sister! I don't care what you are!
*****
Lexi holds Damon up by the neck.
DAMON: (gasping) Impossible—I killed you! I drove the stake through your heart myself!
LEXI: Haven’t you learned by now, Damon? It takes a lot more than a stake through the heart to kill an Original!
Damon begins to laugh.
DAMON: You’re an original?
LEXI: Bingo!
*****
STEFAN: What are you...?
DAMON: It was Lexi, Stefan.
Stefan freezes.
DAMON: Lexi's alive.
A shocked expression covers Stefan's face.
Meredith waves goodbye to her friends, before walking out into the parking lot. She walks up to her car, dropping her keys accidentally.
MEREDITH: Whoops…
She picks them up off the ground. When she stands back up, someone is leaning next to her car.
KLAUS: Hello. Out late, aren’t you my dear?
She jumps when she sees him.
MEREDITH: Yeah, late-night study session. I am going to ace those finals. Uh—aren’t you a little old to be hanging out in the student parking lot?
He laughs at that.
KLAUS: An understatement.
MEREDITH: Are you a teacher here?
He smiles.
KLAUS: For about five minutes. I confess, I wasn’t very good at it.
MEREDITH: Well, we can’t all be education gurus.
KLAUS: I don’t think I caught your name, Ms…
She shakes his hand.
MEREDITH: Sulez. Meredith Sulez.
Instead of shaking it, he lowers his head to kiss the top of her hand.
KLAUS: Enchanted. I am Klaus.
Meredith gives him an awkward look.
MEREDITH: Ok—judging by the accident, I’d say you’re from out of town. You generally save that kind of greeting for gals that are over eighteen.
He smirks.
KLAUS: My apologies. You seem very mature for your age.
MEREDITH: Mature enough to carry mace, so don’t get any ideas.
KLAUS: I used to carry one, but then airports started installing metal-detectors.
Meredith laughs, but he doesn’t seem to understand the humour.
KLAUS: Somehow, I think we’re talking about two separate things, aren’t we?
MEREDITH: I’ve got to go. It was nice talking to you, Mr…
KLAUS: Just Klaus.
She nods.
MEREDITH: Good night, Mr. ‘Just Klaus’.
He puts his hand against her door, keeping it closed.
KLAUS: Before you go, I have to ask—do you know Stefan Salvatore?
She shrugs.
MEREDITH: Not personally—we’re in a few classes together.
KLAUS: But he knows your name, correct? He knows who you are?
MEREDITH: I guess. It’s a small town. If you really want to know about Stefan, you should ask Elena Gilbert.
He smiles in amusement.
KLAUS: I believe she’s—indisposed at the moment. Which is a shame, because Stefan’s in a lot of trouble.
Meredith looks at him, concerned.
MEREDITH: What kind of trouble?
KLAUS: Oh, his brother crossed the wrong people. Stefan tried to help, but he fell in with the wrong crowd.
MEREDITH: Stefan? Are you sure? Have you told the police?
KLAUS: I doubt they would be much use. Shall I bring you to him?
She hesitates.
MEREDITH: Well—just let me make a call, ok?
She turns around and pulls out her cell phone. However, before she can dial a number, an arm wraps around her neck.
KLAUS: You won’t need that where you’re going!
*****
Still in bed, Meredith tosses and turns—memories of that night going through her mind…
She gets flashes of wolves, and blood, and strangely-coloured eyes…
V.O.(Klaus): A true ripper enjoys the kill…
V.O.(Meredith): No, please…
She sees Damon, Liz, and Elena standing over her at the station…
V.O.(Damon): Who attacked you—who did this?
V.O.(Meredith): Stefan—Stefan Salvatore!
She sees Stefan’s blood-red eyes stare at her hungrily.
V.O.(Meredith): You—what are you people?!?
V.O.(Damon): Isn’t it obvious—I’m a vampire!
Meredith gasps, sitting up in bed. She’s in such a blind panic that she lashes out, smashing her alarm clock with her bare hand.
Staring at the wreckage, she shakes her head.
MEREDITH: No, this can’t be happening…this can’t be happening…
She runs into the bathroom, moving at super-speed, and stares at her reflection in the mirror. She examines her eyes, which are normal—then opens her mouth to check her teeth.
Normal again.
Sighing, she goes back into her room, pulling a pile of books out of her bag—all books on the occult. She opens one up and starts to read.
MEREDITH: (muttering) Anyone who dies from a vampire bite—becomes a vampire themselves on the third night…
She looks out the window, at the moon hanging in the sky.
Taking a deep breath, she grabs her bag and climbs out the window. Even though it’s the second floor, she lands on the ground effortlessly.
*****
Sometime later, Meredith walks up a stairway leading to an old house on the hill. The grass looks like it hasn’t been cut for weeks, and there are several strange markings on wooden signs. Pentagrams and crosses and symbols that can’t be identified.
Meredith knocks on the front door.
VOICE: Who is it?
MEREDITH: It’s me, Gramps.
An old man opens the door, looking down at her.
GRAMPS: Sure you should be out this late? You dad’s gonna read me the riot act, you know?
MEREDITH: I have to talk to you—it’s important.
GRAMPS: So important it can’t wait—
MEREDITH: I was attacked!
He looks ashamed.
GRAMPS: I’m sorry, kid. You know I would have come visit in the hospital, but your folks…
She shakes her head.
MEREDITH: No, it’s not...I wasn’t attacked by an animal, Gramps!
He waits for her to finish.
MEREDITH: I think—I think I was bitten by a vampire.
His face becomes serious.
GRAMPS: You’d better come inside.