Stefan arrived back at the bar only to be greeted by the sound of someone crying. He followed the sound around the side of the building. Lucy sat on the dirty ground, her back against the wall as she sobbed into her hands.

"Hey, hey, hey." Stefan crouched beside her and pushed her hair behind her ear. "What's wrong, Lucy? What happened?"

"What's wrong with me, Stefan?" she gasped as she looked at him. Fat tears rolled down her face and from the looks of things, she'd been crying for some time.

"What do you mean? Explain it to me so I can help," he coaxed.

She sucked in a shuddering breath trying to calm herself down. "Nik doesn't want anything to do with me anymore. I'm just a nuisance." She shook her head. "It never felt right, Stefan, like I love him more than he loved me, but it hurts. It hurts so much."

Stefan sighed. "Oh, Lucy. I wish I could fix this." He stood and held out a hand. "Come on." She took his hand and he pulled her to her feet before sweeping her up in his arms. Lucy leaned her head against his chest and let him carry her. She was tired. Just so tired.

He strode into the bar and frowned at Klaus. "This has gone far enough. You need to fix this."

Nik looked between them with wide, frantic eyes. He rushed over and took Lucy from Stefan's hold. She wrapped her arms around his neck and snuggled into his chest. "What happened?" he questioned Stefan. "Is she hurt?"

"Not physically. She thinks there's something wrong with her. That you don't love her anymore," Stefan explained with a scowl. "Now, why would she think that?"

The hybrid clenched his teeth. This was all much more complicated than it was supposed to be. He had only intended to teach Lucy a lesson about toying with his feelings, about betrayal. A few weeks and he'd drop the compulsion. She'd be pissed but she'd get over it. But now that he had her, had spent time with her, he didn't want to let her go. If he removed her compulsion now, she would flee, he knew that. He was also terrified that she would hate him for what he'd done and he'd never see her again. He also knew he couldn't keep her compelled forever. He brushed her hair back from her face to find her staring at him.

"Take the wolf to the car," he ordered Stefan. "We'll be along shortly."

Once the Salvatore left, Klaus sat Lucy on top of the nearest table and stood between her legs. He cupped her face and looked in her eyes. A brief thought of compelling her sadness away crossed his mind, but that was what had gotten him in this situation in the first place. "I'm sorry you're unhappy, sweetheart. I don't mean to make you feel unwanted. You mean more to me than you could possibly imagine. Once we're finished with all this wolf business we'll spend some time alone together and I'll prove it to you. Okay?"

She gave him a small smile and a nod of her head. "Okay, Nik. I'm holding you to that."

He chuckled and pulled her against his chest. "Of course you will, love." He embraced her for a moment then held out a hand to help her off the table. He kept their fingers linked as he led her to the car. Stefan shook his head when he saw them walk out of the bar and Klaus did his best to shove his guilt into the deepest part of his soul.

***

Lucy trailed behind the other two as they walked through the forest looking for Ray's pack. Nik kept glancing over his shoulder to check on her and she'd smile or give him a little wave. She didn't like this, didn't really want to be here, but she didn't want to be separated from the two of them either. If they would quit bickering that would be fantastic though.

They slowed to a stop and Lucy came up to stand beside Nik. He draped an arm around her shoulders as they watched the wolves setting up camp. She found that odd since they were all going to shift anyway. She shrugged. It didn't matter. Klaus led her over to a large tree and motioned for her to stay. She nodded once and leaned against the side.

Stefan walked into the camp and dropped Ray on the ground. As scared as the wolves looked, it was nothing compared to their fear when Nik announced who he was. It didn't take long for her to back away from the clearing so she didn't have to watch as they were all fed Nik's blood then killed.

"You can come out now, Lucy," Nik called what seemed like an eternity later.

She kept her arms wrapped around her as she made way to her two companions. Bodies littered the clearing like yesterday's trash.

"They're all dead." Ray shivered from his perch on a large rock.

"He's through his transition. He should be feeling better soon." Nik tilted his head to look at the new hybrid.

Stefan huffed in annoyance. "So, this your master plan? Build an army of hybrid slaves?"

"No, not slaves. Soldiers, comrades."

"For what war, might I ask?"

Lucy sighed. She'd give about anything for these two to quit sniping at each other every five minutes. Blood began to leak from Ray's eyes. "Um...guys?"

"Just a minute, love. I'm trying to teach Stefan here the tactical benefit of having an army so large no one would dare pick a fight."

"Do you honestly believe they'll be loyal?" Stefan snapped back.

"Guys," she said only to be ignored again.

"It's easy to be loyal when you're on the winning side," Nik started but she cut him off before he could say anything else.

"For fuck's sake, would you look?" she yelled with a gesture at Ray.

Nik arched a brow then turned to his wolf, taking a seat beside him when he saw the blood. He turned his head and looked him over. "Something's wrong."

Lucy rolled her eyes. "You don't say?"

***

Damon stood at the edge of the water he'd shoved Caroline into a moment before. The stupid girl was going to get herself or Lucy killed.

"I'm not going home, Damon. You may have given up on them but I haven't. I need to help Stefan. Don't you want to save Lucy? Or do you not care about her anymore?" she snarked from the water, as if that would save her from him.

Damon strode into the water. "Don't you ever presume to speak about my relationship with Lucy. You can't possibly begin to fathom how I feel for her. She is here because Klaus compelled her. Stefan is here to protect her. I told you that he needed us to back off. This is not backing off, Caroline. And running around in a forest full of werewolves on the night of the full moon is not remotely safe. They'll both kick my ass if you get hurt."

"Please, Damon. This is the closest I've been to him since he left."

He groaned. The little blonde was almost impossible to refuse when she pleaded. Besides, he wanted to see Lucy even if she wanted nothing to do with him. And maybe if Stefan told her himself, Caroline would finally get the hint and quit tracking him down. "Fine. But we're out of here before nightfall."

"I promise," she said.

"I'm not kidding, Caroline," Damon said.

"I said I promise."

***

"You said I'd feel better. Why don't I feel better?" Ray asked as he continued to bleed and shake.

"Some master race," Stefan snarked.

"Lose the attitude."

Lucy ran a hand over Nik's back trying to keep him calm.

One of the other wolves woke up and Nik instructed the human to feed her. No sooner had he spoken than Ray took off across the campsite. "Go get him," he ordered Stefan.

Lucy followed her friend with her eyes until she couldn't see him anymore but kept her place beside Nik. When Stefan didn't return immediately, Nik went in search of him. Lucy stayed where she was, watching the others as they woke up. Another wolf began to bleed from the eyes. What the hell was going on?

A sick feeling settled in her stomach. "Nik!"

He returned to her side. "What is it?"

She gestured to the others.

"It will be all right, love." He ran his fingers over her arm and went to check on his wolves.

Night had fully fallen by the time the last wolf revived. Lucy didn't like how they were acting and stayed glued to Nik's side. As he killed the human that had fed the wolves so they could transition, one of the wolves began walking toward them. Blood still ran from her eyes and her movements were jerky. She looked more like a zombie than a hybrid.

"There's only room for one alpha here," Nik said but she kept coming. Lucy gripped his arm as it became evident this wolf wasn't the only one acting that way.

"Damn it, Nik," she said in a low tone. She turned so they stood back-to-back as the wolves closed in.

"Can't blame me for this one, love. I did everything I was supposed to. It should have worked."

"Think I'll blame you anyway," she said as the first wolf leapt in their direction.

Nik used its momentum to throw it further away from them but the next one was upon them in seconds. This was not going to end well.

***

Damon stared at his brother over the body of the hybrid that had tried to kill him. Stefan had ripped out its heart. "What part of quit following us did you not understand?"

"Technically I didn't follow you. I followed Caroline. She's the one who came after you," Damon explained. "How's Lucy?"

Stefan raked a hand through his hair. "Physically she's fine. He takes care of her. Mentally? Emotionally? She's a mess. She doesn't act like herself. She cries a lot."

"Damn it." Damon bit his lip as he thought. He needed to get her out of this.

"Look, get out of here. Get Caroline home. It would better for Klaus to lift the compulsion but see if Bree can find some sort of spell." Stefan bent and picked up the hybrid, draping him over his shoulders.

"And if we find something?"

"Find me. I'll help get her home. If you take her now, you're going to have to lock her up until we fix her. None of us want that."

"All right, Stefan. Take care of my girl and I'll take care of yours."

Stefan waited until Damon was out of sight before turning to head back to the camp.

***

As the last wolf fell, Lucy heaved a sigh of relief. Some they'd ripped the hearts from. Others had collapsed on their own. They were all dead. Nik looked at the bodies, a sour expression on his face. They had taken so long to find the wolves and now they were gone. Wasted.

Pain radiated up her arm and she turned it to see the bite just above her wrist. She groaned in annoyance and walked over to Nik, grasping his hand to get his attention. He glanced down at her and gave her a weak smile.

"Are you alright?" His eyes searched her for injury.

She shook her head and turned her arm so he could see the wound.

Nik tsked and led her over to the large rock. He sat then pulled her into his lap before offering her his wrist. She bit into it and drank Nik's sweet blood. His free hand made circles on her back while she drank. She pulled back and licked his wound before leaning against him.

His arms wrapped around her to keep her close. "I don't understand it. I did everything I was supposed to. I killed the werewolf. I killed the vampire. I killed the doppelganger. Why didn't it work?"

But the doppelganger wasn't dead. Elena was very much alive. The words formed on the tip of her tongue, but she bit them back. She wasn't entirely certain why.