Hayley is at a truck stop and stops when she hears a noise. A vampire begins to attack her and Klaus pulls him off saying, "that's no way to treat a lady," before making short work of the vampire. Hayley is happy to see Klaus who comments, "you did say that it was urgent." He adds that she was foolish enough to make a deal with Katherine and now she is nothing more than a loose end and will be lucky if Katherine lets her live. Hayley reminds Klaus that he promised to protect her and Klaus replies, "I will, just as soon as you tell me everything you know about Katherine."
Elena is in the shower, while Damon and Stefan discuss plans for her. It seems that Damon wants Elena to go back to school, but Stefan is not keen on the idea of going and playing chaperone and reminds Damon that he has to go and find the cure because Elena needs it now more than ever. Caroline walks into the room and says that she believes taking Elena back to school is a fabulous idea. Damon is surprised to see Caroline, who explains her presence by saying that their house has the only vervain free showers in town, thanks to their fancy water filters. Caroline says that Liz believes things are going to get worse and so Damon agrees to go after Katherine and instructs Caroline to take Elena to school. Stefan and Damon head into the bathroom to tell Elena the plan and she says that she has nothing better to do. Damon then uses his sire bond to tell her to go to school, learn, study hard and not eat anybody.
Elena is now at school and she takes down a flyer announcing a memorial for Jeremy. Caroline is on the phone leaving yet another long message for Tyler. Matt approaches Caroline to ask about Bonnie and Caroline says that Bonnie is fine and that she's just a little drained from everything. Elena interrupts the conversation to ask about getting her old spot on the cheer leading squad. Caroline replies that she thinks this would make Damon really happy.
Damon is now at Klaus' and says that he has come up with a list called, "things you suck at: number one, finding Katherine. Number two, covering up your secret conversations with that backstabber Hayley. So where is she and what does she know about Katherine?" Klaus asks why he should help them, since they killed his brother and then imprisoned him in the Gilbert living room. Damon tells Klaus that he needs to prioritize because Katherine has the cure and his guess is that she is going to want to use it on him. Damon suggests that he gets the cure and gives it to Elena so that everyone wins. Klaus replies, "I can't help you mate, Hayley's off limits."
Liz and Stefan are talking and she tells him that the entire blood supply from the hospital is missing. Stefan asks if she is accusing the vampires and Liz replies that this town is at a tipping point and that one more unexplained house fire and things are going to tip over. Liz then apologizes and says that it's been a rough week. She adds that Miranda Gilbert was one of her best friends in highschool and to see what's happened to her family. Stefan promises that he will do whatever he needs to, to help. Liz replies that he needs to because whoever stole that blood put a lot of people in danger and risks exposing all of the vampires, including her daughter. Liz asks if Stefan can think of who wants blood that badly.
At the highschool, Elena is in her cheerleaders uniform. When a cheerleader from an opposing team heads back to her bus to get her makeup, Elena quickly follows. Elena quickly attacks the girl and pulls the ribbon out of her hair. When Elena returns, she is wearing the ribbon in her hair and Caroline notices it and the girl Elena attacked, who is now wearing a scarf around her neck. Caroline asks if Elena is out of her mind, and if she heard what Damon told her. Elena replies, "who cares, I'll do whatever I want." Stefan approaches and asks if everything is okay and Elena replies, "as soon as the queen backs off," before walking away. Caroline tells Stefan, "remember how Damon sired her to behave? Yeah well, it didn't really work." Stefan gets on the phone with Damon and informs him that Elena fed and says that the sire bond is not working. Damon says that it's impossible but Stefan reminds Damon that Elena's sire bond stems from her feelings for Damon and that with her humanity off, she has no feelings. Damon replies that all this time he wanted to break the bond and that this whole time all she had to do was to turn it off. Stefan asks where he is right now and Damon replies that he is at a truck stop in the boonies looking for a dead vampire that might lead to Catherine. Damon instructs Stefan to get Elena home and says that he will be there as soon as he can.
Damon runs into Rebekah and is surprised that she is there. Rebekah says that she was looking for answers and all she found was professor Shane dead and wondering if anyone knows anything about the cure. Damon snarks, "so you don't get to turn into a real girl after all." Rebekah replies that she will get the cure because all she needs is Katherine and she is betting that Damon can help her find Katherine. Damon asks why he would help her and Rebekah holds up a vile of Klaus' blood saying that they need this to interrogate a vampire, who is practically dead from a wolf bite. Damon then agrees and tells her to follow him.
Klaus and Hayley are sitting at a table and he says that now that Hayley is fed and well rested that it's time for her to tell him about Katherine. Klaus replies that in her case, he favours hospitality over being hostile but reminds Hayley that he has been known to change his mind on a whim and so again asks where Katherine is. Hayley asks, "you seriously believe I know?" Klaus replies, "you tipped her off as to what we were up to and then sent her off on a course to find the cure, then she sent her lackey to snuff you out. Tell me, what did Katherine promise you." Hayley answers that she was in New Orleans trying to find information about her real parents when Katherine found her and told Hayley that she could help. Klaus says, "an orphan, well that does explain your bravado, abandonment issues will do it every time." Hayley answers, "it sounds like you would know." Klaus reminds Hayley that he is the only one who can protect her and that he is happy to do so provided she co-operates.
Back at the school, Stefan approaches Elena and asks if she fed on the cheerleader and if she knows anything about the hospitals missing blood supply. Elena assures him that she is sick of blood bags and would prefer something a little warmer. Stefan tells her that he knows what she is going through because he was having the time of his life when he first turned as well. He adds that he didn't start ripping people's heads off until 1912 and that the next thing he knew, he was killing an entire village. Elena asks if she is supposed to be scared of becoming Stefan and he replies that she should be, because he knows how deep down Elena can fall and how hard it is to climb back out. Stefan adds that Elena is better than this and she says that maybe this is the better version of her before walking towards the gym. Caroline tells her that she is not going to cheer and Elena replies, "try and stop me." They begin to cheer and when Caroline is tossed into the air, Elena backs away and Caroline falls to the ground. In the upset over Caroline, Elena leaves the gym.
As Elena walks out, Stefan approaches and asks what she does for an encore. He says that she played them all because she had herself placed on the cheer leading squad, knowing that she would have access to vervain free victims. Elena says that it wasn't that hard because they want her to be okay so badly that they will do anything she asks. Stefan points out that the problem with a gym is that there are too many witnesses and that she has to go further for some real fun. Stefan says that he knows a dive bar off the beaten path. When Elena suggests that he is bluffing, he reminds her that he had his switch flipped Mystic Falls as well, and knows where to take someone to have a good time. Stefan throws his helmet at Elena and when she catches it, he injects her with vervain.
Damon and Rebekah are in a hospital and Rebekah asks why he believes a sick vampire would check into a hospital. Damon says that he would need protection from the sun and that he would be hungry and delusional. Damon checks the blood bank and notices that all of the blood is missing. Damon tells Rebekah that Stefan said that all of the blood had been stolen from Mystic Falls as well. He believes that this means their vampire is nearby and hungry. Rebekah is suspicious and says that she heard his conversation with Stefan and it does not make sense that he wants the cure, because that would just bring Elena and Stefan back together. She walks out of the room and says it would be best if they left this up to her.
Hayley is looking through Klaus' art and is not being complimentary. Klaus says that "painting is a metaphor for control - every choice is mine, the canvas, the color. As a child,I had neither a sense of the world or my place in it, but art taught me that one's vision can be achieved with sheer force of will. The same is true of life, provided one refuses to let anything stand in one's way." Hayley asks if his thing is to show a girl a few mediocre paintings, whine about his childhood and then she is supposed to swoon and spill all of her dirty secrets. Klaus replies, "I've felt I've had many charms but regardless, I'm enjoying myself." Hayley asks if Klaus enjoys hunting her friend Tyler up to and including for the next century? Klaus replies, "surely not the next century, only until I kill him." Hayley says that Klaus talks a good game but the fact that he let Tyler go suggests that Klaus knows that if he kills Tyler, he knows that Caroline will hate him forever. Klaus turns and replies, "If I simply killed Tyler then his punishment would be over but sentencing him to a lifetime of paranoia and fear, that's Tyler's true punishment. But come now, you didn't really think that there was a future for the two of you did you? Hayley points out that Tyler might have left Caroline for her, if she had used the cure to kill Klaus. Klaus suggests that if Tyler has even half of Hayley's resolve that he might even make it through the year. Hayley replies that "it doesn't take resolve, it takes allies; a network of people willing to do anything for you, including chase down loose ends to their death. It's how Katherine escaped you all of this time." Klaus suggests that Hayley knows the names of Katherine's special helpers.
When Elena wakes up, she's in Damon's bed and asks what Stefan did to her. Stefan says that he brought her home before she could cause anymore trouble. Elena assumes that she is being grounded because she dropped Caroline but Stefan says it's because she fed on someone in public. Elena stands up and starts to undress in front of Stefan and says that she was hungry. Stefan asks if she is going to continue to strip in front of him but she claims it's because she is done cheering. Stefan replies, "so when in doubt, manipulate people with sex; that's the same trick Katherine used to pull." Elena tells Stefan not to compare her to Katherine because she's been running so long she's afraid of her own shadow whereas; Elena is not afraid of anything. Elena says that she has shut it all off including her feeling for him and that she sees him standing there and though he looks good and she remembers the good sex they used to have, she doesn't feel anything about it anymore. She then points out that Stefan still does and asks why he cares what she does. Stefan says that he brought this into her life and that it's his fault that she's like this. Stefan says, "I've killed hundreds of people and I can live with that but I'm not going to live with the people that you've killed, or what that will do to you." Elena is clearly not listening and starts texting. Stefan grabs the phone away from her and asks who she is texting. Elena says, 'look at you, your whole world revolves around me, maybe you're the one who needs to turn it all off." They are interrupted by a noise and when Stefan heads downstairs, he finds a bunch of kids in his living room partying. Elena says that he was trying to stop her from enjoying the party, so she brought the party there.
Kids are drinking and partying when Caroline arrives. Stefan says that it won't last because they'll either drink all of the booze and leave, or Damon will come home and kill everyone. Caroline points out that they cannot compel them to leave because they are all on vervain from the town water supply. Elena is dancing on top of a table and Caroline comments that looking at her having fun makes you want to just let go. Stefan says that he can't because when he parties to hard he ends up killing people. Caroline tells him that he has the green light because he is at a kegger full of girls, and is single. She suggests he take his own advice and have some fun. Stefan grabs Caroline, tosses her over his shoulder and heads for the dance floor.
Rebekah comes across Damon feeding and she asks how this is going to help them. It's worth noting that Damon is feeding on a Black woman, the preferred vampire meal. He says that he has been on the other side of a werewolf bite and first you get really sick and then really hungry. Damon believes that with the sun going down, that the vampire there are looking for is going to be in search of his last meal and so he just laid out a meal for him. The woman makes her way back to the car with blood dripping down her neck. The vampire approaches but before he can feed, Damon stops him. It turns out that Damon knows the vampire. When he Will asks for help, Damon rips out his heart. Rebekah rushes over and asks what the hell Damon was thinking and Damon says that he was too far gone and so he put him out of his misery.
Klaus gets off the phone and tells Hayley that according to Rebekah, her vampire assailant is dead, making her free to go or stay. Hayley says that she could be persuaded to stay and enjoy some of his good life and maybe she could drum up a few more of Katherine's secrets and he could do something for her. Klaus tells Hayley that she will never convince him to let Tyler go free and so she points out that she will never get her chance with Tyler, anymore than he will get a shot with Caroline. Hayley points out that she likes a painting he did because it showed her how twisted he really is and that she can possibly relate. Klaus asks if she is staying or going and Hayley says, "you like to be in control you told me." Klaus and Hayley begin to have sex.
Back at the party, Elena is getting her grove on with gusto and Stefan and Caroline are dancing. When Elena notices the two them, she wanders over and says, "look who finally joined the party." Stefan asks if she is jealous but she replies, "no, that would imply emotions and we've already established that emotions are useless." Caroline asks Elena to dance with them but Elena says that they look good together and that Caroline should take Stefan out for a spin.
Liz shows up and asks Elena what is going on and where Stefan is. Elena says just some under age age drinking and drug use and that Stefan is busy flirting with Caroline, which is fine because he will make a good rebound for her because of the whole Tyler thing. Liz says that she is shutting things down right now but Elena grabs her arm and suggests that she stay and have a drink. Liz instructs Elena to take her hand off of her and Elena says, "either you have a drink or I will." Elena then pushes Liz against a wall and Caroline arrives just in time to save her mother. When Caroline moves to go after Elena, Stefan stops her and tells her to calm down. In the distraction, Elena slips out the door.
Caroline and Stefan are walking through the woods looking for Elena. When Caroline asks where the hell Elena is, Stefan replies that she is right where she wants to be. He adds that Elena drew all of those people to the house, waited for a distraction and now she is free. Caroline says that she cannot believe Elena is doing this and adds that Elena hurt Liz. Stefan tells Caroline to search the woods and that he will search the roads, then instructs Caroline to just snap Elena's neck if she finds her.
Damon is home now and in the middle of Elena's party with Rebekah following. Rebekah asks what he is hiding and says that she knows he knew Will and that Damon killed him to stop Rebekah from finding Katherine and getting the cure. Damon asks if Rebekah really wants to the cure. He then tells her to look at the girls at the party because while they look happy now, in five years they are going to settle for mediocre starter husbands and a mind numbing career. He then adds, "about that time, they are going to realise something you're never going to have to learn - life sucks when you're ordinary. What makes you exactly not like them? You're a vampire. You take that cure and become human, you're no one, nothing. Trust me, losing this cure is the best damn thing ever to happen to you." Damon walks away and then gets a text from Stefan telling him that Elena is missing.
In the forest, Caroline calls out to Elena that she is stronger than her and doesn't want to hurt her. Elena jumps out of the woods asking "whose going to get hurt?" She then forces Caroline to the ground and starts to strangle her. Caroline gets to her feet and Elena says that she is not bad but then Alaric didn't train her. Caroline tells her to stop and that this isn't her. Caroline adds that she hurt Liz. Elena asks if Caroline is trying to make her feel guilty for hurting Liz and suggests that Caroline should just turn it all off, so she can stop whining about how Tyler left her and that as a bonus, she won't have to feel guilty about all of the dirty thoughts she's had about Klaus. Caroline tells Elena to shut up and Elena replies, "make me." Caroline and Elena start to fight again, with Elena quickly getting the upper hand. She says, "you fight like a girl," then picks up a stake. Before Elena can use the stake, Damon and Stefan arrive and pull Elena away.
Damon takes Elena away leaving Caroline alone with Stefan. Back at the house Caroline calls Tyler yet again and leaves another message begging him to answer because she wants to talk to him. Caroline then gets a message from Matt, asking her to meet him at Tyler's house. Stefan enters the room and asks Caroline if she is okay and she asks if he means besides her best friend trying to kill her. Stefan reminds Caroline that Elena is not herself and that with her emotions off, she's the worse version of herself. Caroline asks how they get her back and why Elena would turn her emotions back on considering that she is an orphan, who just lost her brother and that her life sucks. Caroline asks why Elena would come back to them and Stefan replies that even when he was at his worst that Elena did not give up on him and therefore, they cannot give up on her.
Damon and Elena are in the bedroom and she asks how much longer she has to sit there. Damon says until she can imagine a time when she doesn't want to kill her best friend. Elena asks if he is judging her, then asks how many times he has tried to kill Stefan. Elena walks over to Damon and he is looking at a picture of himself and Will. Elena tells Damon that she is tired of the stupid lectures about needing to feel and that she does feel - she feels amazing. Damon says that she doesn't want to be like this and so Elena asks him how she should be and if she should go back to being the scared little girl who couldn't admit what she wants. Elena adds, "for the longest time you wanted to be with me but you were scared that I would find out how awful you are but it doesn't matter anymore because I don't care. Be honest, you like me better like this."
Caroline heads over to Tyler's but is unable to enter and asks why she can't get inside. Matt has to invite Tyler inside the house. Caroline asks what's going on and Matt says that Tyler sent him a package in the mail, and hands over a letter to Caroline. It says that Tyler misses her but as long as Klaus is alive, he cannot come home and that Klaus won't stop trying to kill him and that she won't stop trying to protect him. Tyler says that the only way to make sure that Caroline is safe, is for him to go and never come back. It seems that he left Matt the deed to the house in the belief that it will protect her in ways that he cannot anymore. He finishes by saying that he will always love her. Caroline starts to cry and Matt holds her.
Hayley is getting dressed and Klaus says, "run away little wolf." He notices a mark on her shoulder and says that in his long life that he has only seen that mark on a handful of others - all from the same blood line - a werewolf line who once thrived through what they now call Louisiana. Hayley gets out of bed and tells him not to lie and Klaus says that he wouldn't do that because matters of family are sacred.
Stefan gets a call and it's Liz, who says that they have a problem. Stefan then calls Damon who is in a car to tell him that there have been fifty more blood bank thefts all near Mystic Falls. Stefan says that someone is stockpiling blood and that he believes that Silas followed them back from the island and would need to gorge on blood. Damon says that he is not in the mood to investigate the blood supply. Damon tells Stefan to hold down the fort for now until he gets back. In the car, Elena calls Stefan naive and Damon replies that emotions are over rated. It turns out that Damon is taking Elena to New York.
This was beyond an Elena centric episode. I know that Elena just lost Jeremy but once again, everyone has completely forgotten about Bonnie. They all know that something is wrong with Bonnie but apparently Elena grieves more than anyone else and must be handled until she comes to her senses. Yet another episode with the only inclusion of a Black woman being treated as bait. With the exception on Bonnie who only exists to serve, Black people on The Vampire Diaries have a life expectancy of a New York minute. Elena was never a likeable protagonist and with her humanity turned off this is even more true.
I don't know about you but it seems to me that they are lining up Caroline and Stefan for a relationship, if Tyler is well and truly gone. I think I like them better as a couple. The entire interaction between Klaus and Hayley is clearly a set up for the new spin off The Originals coming up on CW. I think that they two have really good chemistry together and least we now have a reason to explain what they'll be doing in Louisiana.
Speaking of Klaus, he and Rebekah are clearly up to something, though what it could possibly be, I'm not sure. I did however like what Damon had to say to Rebekah about wanting to be human. I am so sick and tired of vampires going on about wanting to be human as though growing old, getting frail and sick and eventually dying is some wonderful event. Damon and Klaus are the only two have managed to avoid this ridiculous vampire trope that The Vampire Diaries seems intent on pushing.
With only a few episodes left for the season, it's time that The Vampire Diaries move things along. I suspect that this season will probably end a cliffhanger involving Silas. If they are going to do this, they need to start showing us why Silas is someone to be feared and building him up as an antagonist. All of this Elena angst is not moving the storyline anywhere.
