In 1912, Zachariah Salvatore, a council member is murdered in the same way they have been in present day. Flash forward, Alaric has been put into jail by the Sheriff after Meredith said he came at her with a knife and she had to shoot him. The present-day murders in Mystic Falls remind Damon of a similar crime spree a century earlier. In flashbacks to 1912, Stefan and Damon attend Zachariah's funeral and learn he was not the first council member murdered. Rebekah searches for the White Oak tree in town and she needs the Salvatores to find it. Damon recalls a beautiful vampire, named Sage ( Cassidy Freeman ). Elena questions Meredith, who reveals she knows more about Alaric's past than Elena does. Elena and Matt break into Meredith's apartment and find a secret box of files on the Council members. Sage shows Damon a whole new way to exist: a woman is not only a prey, but also a pleasure. Matt and Elena find a Gilbert journal that belonged to the original Jonathan Gilbert's granddaughter, but Meredith came home before they could search more and she catches them. Rebekah and Damon follow Stefan as Damon feeds on a girl, trying to force him into feeding on a woman in order to learn how to fight his urges. Elena and Matt find Stefan feeding on the woman but Matt pulls her away. Elena and Matt go back to her house, where Matt gives her back the Gilbert journal. Alaric is released from jail after the coroner's office sends an error about time of death. In 1912, Damon convinces Stefan to drink human blood, but Stefan kills the woman and turns into a Ripper. In present time, Damon pledges to help Stefan in a way he did not in the past. Stefan reveals Samantha Gilbert confessed to the murders in 1922, but Damon says he already had killed her. Meredith comes to explain herself to Alaric, saying that it was him that committed the murders all because of the Gilbert ring.
Mystic Falls, 1912 [Town Square] (Mr Salvatore and Sheriff Forbes are talking) Sheriff Forbes: Will you get home all right, Mr.Salvatore? I could send for one of the police vehicles Mr Salvatore: A little winter chill never hurt anyone, sheriff Forbes Sheriff Forbes: I'm less concerned about the cold front, more for your safety Mr Salvatore: One councilman's murder doesn't make an epidemic, Gerald. Good Night Sheriff Forbes: Good Night (They part ways. Mr Salvatore walks alone in the empty town square. He hears a noise and turns himself. Someone stabs him. He falls on the floor, dead. The murderer leaves) Nowadays [The Town Square] (Carol and Liz are walking towards the Sheriff's office) Liz: The mystery's not gonna get solved any faster with you yelling at me, Carol Carol: We have 2 council murders and an attempted murder on our hands. If you have a suspect, it is your duty to keep me in the loop Liz: No, it's my duty to make sure I don't accuse an innocent person of being a serial killer Carol: Just tell me who it is, Liz (They enter) [The Jail] (Alaric is in jail. He wakes up. He has a wound on his shoulder. He sees that he's in jail. Liz and Damon are here) Alaric: I didn't do it Damon: You're arresting him? For what this nutjob Dr. Fell says? Liz: No, I'm detaining him. The cell is for his own good. You were shot. Dr. Fell used vampire blood to heal you Alaric: Dr. Fell is the one who shot me Liz: Because you came at her with a knife Alaric: Yeah, with a knife I had found hidden in her things Damon: Are we gonna ignore the part where he's one of the killer's victims? I mean, the guy was practically stabbed to death Liz: Well, Dr. Fell suggested his wounds could have been self-inflicted Alaric: My God, you think I stabbed myself? Liz: Look, I think I don't know what to think. I've got nothing except murder weapons from your stash and a respected member of a founding family pointing a very long finger Alaric: She is setting me up. I'm being framed here Liz: Well, that may be so, but I don't have any proof of that Damon: Well, then we'll find some Liz: No, just stay out of this, Damon. You getting involved is only gonna make matters worse Damon: Listen, Liz... Liz: Don't make me put you in that cell with him [The street] (Elena and Matt are running. She's faster than him) Matt: What are we running, a marathon? Elena: If you can't keep up... Matt: Elena, you can't outrun your problems (He stops but she keeps running) Matt: Although it looks like you're gonna try. I talked to Bonnie! (She stops) Elena: What did she say? Matt: They're at her mom's house. Abby's gonna complete the transition Elena: She decided to become a vampire? Matt: Yeah. Caroline's gonna help her through it, teach her control and stuff Elena: Did Bonnie say... Is there anything I can do? Matt: She knows it's not your fault, Elena. She's just... Upset Elena: Damon turned her mom into a vampire to save my life. It's absolutely my fault Matt: You're gonna make me run more, aren't you? (Her phone rings. She looks at it) Matt: Who is it? (She answers) Elena: Sheriff Forbes. Everything ok? He what? [Sheriff's Department] (Elena enters and sees Damon) Elena: Were you just with... Damon: Ric's fine. Sheriff wants me to stay out of it Elena: But you're not going to, are you? Damon: Seems just as good a plan as any Elena: Your friend's in jail for murder. You have to do something Damon: Well, I guess I could rip out Dr. False Accusation's throat or maybe her tongue. You know, I could chew it up in little, tiny pieces and feed it to the squirrels Elena: Stop it Damon Damon: Guess me staying out of it suddenly sounds like a good idea, doesn't it? I saved your life last night. You're welcome Elena: You know, you could show a little compassion about Bonnie Damon: I know. You're right. Her and her mom must be really hurting right now. Should I send lasagna? Elena: Ok, now you're just being mean Damon: I'm mean. You hate me. The earth is back on its axis Elena: You know what? If you keep pushing people away, you're gonna end up alone (She leaves) [Salvatore's House] (Stefan is wrinting on his diary but he's seems stressed. He keeps hitting his ring against the desk. Damon enters) Damon: "Dear diary, the chipmunk asked me my name today. I told him it was Joe. That lie will haunt me forever." Stefan: What do you want? (He closes his diary and puts it on his shelf with the others) Damon: I was hoping we could hang. You know, little brother bonding. I mean, I know we don't actually "hang out." We team up. We join forces, activate our wonder twin powers (Damon takes a diary) Stefan: What are you doing? Damon: Digging up clues. Most of the originals are gone, but we have a whodunit going on. Hey, do you remember when we came back for Zachariah's funeral? Stefan: Vaguely. Why? Damon: 'Cause if memory serves, he wasn't the first founders council member killed that year or even that month Stefan: Your point being? Damon: I'm trying to remember what year it was Stefan: 1912 Damon: So much for vaguely. 1912. Or as I like to call it, last time Mystic Falls had a serial killer on its hands (Stefan opens the diary and reads) Mystic Falls, 1912 [A cemetery] Stefan: It feels so strange to be home again after so long away. I thought I would never return, certainly not for a funeral (Everyone goes out of the Salvatore's family vault. 2 women rejoin Stefan) Mariana Lockwood : I'm sorry for your loss, Mr. Salvatore. I'm told you're a distant cousin of Zachariah Stefan: His nephew, actually. Miss... Mariana Lockwood: Lockwood. Mariana Lockwood. And this is my friend Samantha Gilbert Stefan: As in Jonathan Gilbert Samantha Gilbert: My late grandfather. Did you know him? Stefan: Crossed paths. I'm sorry. I don't mean to be... Inappropriate. But no one seems to be willing to discuss the details of Zachariah's death Samantha Gilbert: He was murdered, and he wasn't the first Mariana Lockwood: Samantha, don't be a gossip Samantha Gilbert: Why not? He should know. He's a founding family like us. Be careful, Mr. Salvatore. It's not a good time to be a founder in this town (They leave. He sees a crow and then turns himself and sees Damon) Damon: Have you been eating the relatives again? Stefan: Damon Damon: It's been a long time, brother Stefan: It's been almost 50 years. Surprised you came Damon: And miss the funeral of... What do you call him? Uncle Zachariah? Stefan: I see you're still mad at me Damon: Why would I be mad at you, Stefan? You made me become a vampire, and now I walk the world alone drinking other people's blood Stefan: Any chance you took it all out on our nephew Zachariah? Damon: If I'm not mistaken, you were the one who killed our family members. May our father rest in peace Stefan: I'm not like that anymore, Damon Damon: Well, congratulations, Stefan. If you'll excuse me, I'd like to live out my eternal existence as far away from you as possible Stefan: Damon, wait. Let's grab a drink, catch up. I've missed you, brother Damon: Sure. Why not? Nowadays [Salvatore's House] Stefan: Ah. I get it. I get it. You're bored. Your best friend's in jail, and you don't have anything better to do with yourself Damon: Well, there's that. And... I was hoping you could help me solve a murder (He takes the journal and leaves) [Mystic Grill] (Rebekah is sitting at a table with Carol Lockwood) Rebekah: Thank you for meeting with me, mayor. I figured as head of the preservation society, you'd be a good person to ask about the oldest trees in this community Carol: A long line of Lockwood women used to keep those records back before any of them had actual jobs Rebekah: I've been to the founders archive, but I can't seem to find any record of the tree I'm looking for Carol: It probably got cut down. Big old trees built half this town in the 1900s (Damon and Stefan enter) Damon: Ho. She-devil, 9 o'clock (Rebekah looks at Damon. He and Stefan go at the bar) Rebekah: Do you happen to know who kept the milling ledgers during that period? Carol: Back then, all the logging mills were owned by the Salvatores (Damon and Stefan are at the bar) Damon: So what does the Cal examiner, bill Forbes, and Alaric Saltzman have in common? (Stefan keep hitting his hand on the bar) Damon: Come on. Knock it off (Stefan takes the bottle and pours himself a drink) Damon: You know, quitting blood cold Turkey after a ripper binge, probably not the best approach. Every time you play that all-or-nothing game, you eventually leave a trail of bodies, so I'm thinking now's a good time to pay our old friend moderation a visit Stefan: They were all on the founders council, Damon. That's what they have in common Damon: But why them, huh? Brian Walters and Alaric weren't from founding families. I mean, hey, if you gotta slaughter council members, go a-list. At least in 1912, they killed a Salvatore (Rebekah rejoins them) Rebekah: Which Salvatore would that be? [Sheriff's Department] (Alaric is still in jail. Liz is with him) Alaric: You'll have to agree, sheriff, there's no motive here Liz: Look, both the medical examiner and my ex-husband got into altercations with Meredith Fell before their deaths. Now, she said you were a witness to her fight with Brian Walters Alaric: So what are you saying, that I was defending her honor? I barely knew her then Liz: She said she also told you Bill threatened to report her to the medical board for giving him vampire blood Alaric: No, she didn't Liz: A 2 a.M. Call on the night he was killed? I pulled your records. You spoke with her for over an hour Alaric: Ok. I, uh... Yes, I... I remember calling her, but I... I was drinking, and I... I don't remember the conversation Liz: Well, do you have an alibi for the night Brian Walters was killed? Alaric: I was there the night of the bridge fundraiser, ok, until midnight. You saw me there Liz: Time of death was between 1:00 and 3 a.M Alaric: Well, then, I... I must have been home sleeping, I'm sure. I'm sure of it [Mystic Grill] Rebekah: So Zachariah Salvatore was your nephew? Damon: Well, our father knocked up one of the maids during the civil war. She had a son. But as far as everyone else knew, Stefan and I were dead. Family name had to go somewhere Rebekah: And, uh, your family owned the logging mills back then Damon: You're full of a lot of questions Rebekah: I'm just researching the town history. I grew up here, after all Damon: You know, you don't have to disguise your true motives. Blondie bex. If you want more s*x, just ask for it Rebekah: Not enough liquor in the world Damon: Oh, come on. It was too good for you to be this hostile (Stefan takes the bottle and gets up) Damon: You'll have to excuse my little brother. He's jonesing for some o-positive Stefan: I'm not jonesing Rebekah: So they never catch the killer? Damon: Nope. Wrote it all off on vampires Rebekah: Maybe it was a vampire Stefan: Yeah. Yeah, maybe it was a vampire, Damon Damon: Don't think for a second you didn't cross my mind, too, brother. But these murders weren't your style, were they? Plus there were no other vampires circulating then Stefan: Well, there was one other vampire. Remember Sage? Damon: Oh, right. Sage. Speaking of great s*x Mystic Falls, 1912 (Stefan and Damon are in front of tent, drinking) Stefan: Maybe you've had enough Damon: Hit a man when he's down (They enter. There's a boxing game. Everyone is gathered around the ring. A woman is fighting against a man on the ring. She wins) Sage: Who's next? $100 to any man who can beat me (She looks at Damon. Stefan rejoins him) Stefan: I can teach you how to survive without human blood, you know Damon: You do not get to lecture me on how to live my life, not anymore (He leaves him, Sage rejoins him) Sage: What's your name? Damon: Not interested Sage: Well, Mr. not interested, you seem to me like a gambling man Damon: I'm afraid you have me all wrong (She takes a bill and puts it in his pants) Sage: Well, that's too bad (She leaves) Nowadays [Mystic Grill] Rebekah: I knew Sage once. Trashy little thing (Damon looks at Stefan) Damon: You really think it was Sage who was killing all those founders back then? Stefan: Town questioned every grown man in Mystic Falls. Probably never occurred to them that a woman could have done it [Mystic Falls' Hospital] (Elena is waiting on the parking lot. Mereith parks her car and gets out of it) Meredith: I'm due in surgery. Whatever case you're gonna make against Alaric, make it quick Elena: I don't have to make a case. He didn't do anything Meredith: How do you know? Sure you live with him, he takes care of you, but do you really know anything about him? Elena: I know enough Meredith: Let me tell you what I know. He was arrested for fighting 4 times before the age of 21. When he was at Duke, his future wife Isobel filed a restraining order against him twice. Although then she married him, so I guess that says more about her Elena: Ok, you're making all of this up Meredith: Am I? How would you know? You took pity on a borderline alcoholic vampire hunter, and you never even thought to look any deeper Elena: How could you do this to him? He didn't kill anyone, and you know it Meredith: You date vampires, Elena. It shouldn't come as a shock to learn that your guardian is a murderer (She leaves) [Mystic Grill] Rebekah: So, uh, tell me more about your old relatives. I heard they tore down half the woods to make this town Damon: Easy there, lushy pants. It's been a hoot and a half, but it's boys night, and you weren't invited (He takes the bottle, Stefan takes two glasses and they leaves) [Meredith Appartment] (Matt and Elena break into her appartment) Elena: Wow. Nice job Matt: I'll add breaking and entering to the list of life favors you owe me Elena: Ok, look, I don't know how much longer she's gonna be in surgery, so let's see what we can find (They start looking) Matt: Don't you think the police already combed through this place? She handed over everything she had Elena: Yeah, I'm looking for the evidence that she didn't hand over Matt: And you're sure it's her we should be investigating? Elena: I know him, Matt. He's innocent. And I know that Meredith's a Fell, founding family, which means... (She opens tha closet. She looks everywhere. She pushes the closes and sees a trap door on the wall) Elena: Skeleton in the closet... Just like a true founder (She opens it and finds a box in it. They look into it. They see the files) Elena: Brian Walters, Bill Forbes (He finds a big file and show it to her) Matt: Alaric Saltzman [Mystic Grill] (Damon is playing darts. Stefan is drinking and doesn't seem fine) Damon: So... Let's just say sage was killing everyone in 1912. Who the hell is doing it now? It's not that psycho, Dr. Fell. She's a woman. There's no way she could stab 3 grown men (He throws a dart but Rebekah catches it) Rebekah: That's a bit sexist. A woman could easily kill a man with the right motivation Stefan: You just, uh, don't give up, do you? Rebekah: Why are you so grumpy? Damon: He's on a master cleanse, trying to be a better man and all Rebekah: Yeah, you were a lot more fun in the twenties Damon: You'll rile him up. He's testy when he's being self-righteous Stefan: I'm not being self-righteous, Damon. I'm just not interested in slaughtering innocent human beings anymore Damon: Oh, ok. Fair enough. My mistake. You used to be self-righteous (He takes Stefan's diary and starts reading) Damon: "Dear diary, Damon has lost his way. Though I have pulled my own life together, he continues to waste his." Rebekah: Ouch (She takes the diary from her hands and reads too) Rebekah: "His bitterness consumes him. He is nothing but blackness and bile." Oof. Judgey (She looks at Damon) Rebekah: You know, if I'm being honest. You didn't seem like much fun either, Damon Damon: I wasn't. Woman I was in love with was stuck in a tomb. She wasn't getting out for 100 years. I wasn't having any fun at all Mystic Falls, 1912 (Damon is feeding on a woman. Sage rejoins him) Sage: You're doing it all wrong. Bad vampire Damon: I was hungry. Now I'm not hungry. My quality of form is... Purely subjective Sage: A woman isn't just for food. She's for pleasure Damon: I do not need a woman for pleasure. I am spoken for Sage: We are all spoken for in some way. But what is being a vampire if not relishing in the pleasure of it? Come along. Let me show you (They enter the tent. There's a boxing game. Everyone is still gathered around the ring) Sage: Look at the women. They're beautiful, aren't they? (He looks at a group a women) Sage: Not them. They're too hungry for attention. You want the ones who button themselves up. Watch them. They can't tear their eyes away. Those are the women who secretly crave seduction. They'll put up a good fight, but the game is in winning them over, making them beg for it Damon: What if they don't? Sage: You're a vampire. You take it (They looks at Samantha Gilbert) Sage: Her (He goes toward her and then looks at Sage. She smiles) Nowadays [SCENE_BREAK] [Mystic Grill] Rebekah: That sounded like sage, all right Damon: How did you know her? Rebekah: She was obsessed with my brother Finn over 900 years ago Damon: What? Creepy, suicidal guy? (Stefan is agitated. He keeps hitting his hand against the table) Damon: You're doing it again (Stefan gets up) Stefan: I need to, uh... I got to get out of here Damon: Sure. First admit you're jonesing Stefan: Damon, I'm not gonna... (Damon catches him) Damon: Admit it Stefan: Ok, fine. I'm freaking out. I'm ready to eat the entire wait staff. Why do you need to hear me say it? Damon: Because I'm feeling a little self-righteous, too (Stefan leaves) [Meredith's Appartment] (Elena is looking at Alaric's file) Elena: She's got everything on him... Medical records, old court documents (Matt finds a journal) Matt: What's this? (She takes it and opens it) Elena: It's an old Gilbert journal Matt: Why is one of your old family journals in her closet? (He reads a paper) Matt: Didn't you say the medical examiner's time of death was between 1:00 and 3 a.M.? Elena: Yeah. Why? Matt: Because the county coroner's office says that's wrong (He shows her the paper. They hear Meredith) Matt: Oh my god (He takes the box and they enter the closet. Meredith enters the appartment. He's about to talk but Elena puts her finger on his lips to make him stop. Meredith has changed clothes. She takes her keys. They don't hear anything so they open the door but Meredith's here, waiting for them) [Sheriff's Department] (Matt and Elena are in Liz's office) Liz: What were you thinking? Elena: I know that we had no right Liz: No right? You broke the law Elena: But we found something that clears Alaric. It gives him an alibi in the Brian Walters murder Liz: you mean this? (She shows him a paper) Elena: What is that? Liz: A letter from the county coroner's office correcting the error in the time of death of Brian Walters. Meredith Fell received it today. She brought it to me several hours ago, full of apologies for accusing an innocent man Matt: Why would she have a copy hidden in her closet? Liz: I can't ask those questions, Matt, because of the very fact that you broke into her home to find it. Do you know how much I'm already protecting both of you? Elena: I'm sorry Liz: Just get out of my office and go home, please. Alaric'll be released as soon as the letter is authenticated. Go [An alley] (Stefan goes out of the Mytic Grill and goes in an alley. Damon and Rebekah follow him) Rebekah: So he doesn't want to drink human blood? Damon: Ah, he has an eternally guilty conscience Rebekah: Funny. When I knew him in the twenties, he didn't have any conscience at all. It's one of the things I liked most about him. He can't possibly think he can survive without feeding Damon: Oh, on the contrary. He's determined to live his life pursuing one extreme or the other. He's a stubborn one, my brother. Think I'm gonna need some help with this one Rebekah: What can I do? (A woman gets out of her car. Damon goes to see her) Damon: Hello Woman: Hi Damon: This may seem very forward, but you're just so pretty Woman: Thank you (He compels her) Damon: And please don't scream. You're about to have a very, very bad night (Damon bites her and drinks her blood. Stefan rushes toward him and makes him stop. Rebekah catches the woman) Damon: Sorry, brother. It's dinnertime. Have a bite Stefan: What are you doing? Damon: Tough love, Stefan. You're not gonna survive this cold-Turkey thing. You never do. It's time to get that monkey off your back Stefan: No Damon: Feed... Or I'll let rebekah have her way with her. You know she'll kill her Rebekah: Oh, I will Damon: Then her blood'll be on your hands. Or you can just have a little drink, save her life. Come on, Stefan. You were the one that said you didn't want any more innocent life slaughtered. Save her. Go on. Have a bite. I snatched. You eat. I erase. Hell, I'll even heal her for you when it's over Stefan: Why are you doing this? You know what blood does to me Damon: 'Cause you let it control you. You always have. I'm just here to help you learn how to fight it Rebekah: This is rubbish (She's about to bite the girl but Stefan stops her and looks at the girl's neck, bleeding. He finally bites her and drinks her blood. Damon looks at Rebekah) Damon: I got it from here. Go ahead Rebekah: Night's just getting started Damon: Scram. No one likes a lurker Rebekah: You're a real ass, you know Damon: So I'm told (She leaves. Stefan is still feeding) Damon: All right, that's enough (He tries to stop Stefan) Damon: Come on. You're gonna bleed her dry. You're gonna drain her. Come on. I said that's enough (He stops him and takes the girl. Stefan's angry) Damon: Hey, you wanna fight hunger, or you wanna fight me? (He bites his wrist and makes the girl drink her blood) Damon: I got you. That's a good girl (Elena and Matt pass by. They stop) Elena: What are you doing? (Stefan turns himself. He has blood all over his mouth. Elena seems horrified) Elena: Stefan Stefan: Elena Elena: What are you two doing? Damon: Relax, Elena. Just a little experiment. There's no need to make this more dramatic than it needs to be (Matt catches Elena) Matt: Elena, let's just go. Elena! (They leave. Stefan looks at Damon) Damon: So... That's gonna take a little time (Stefan leaves) Damon: Stefan. Wait. Hey. Stefan, wait [Gilbert's House] (Elena and Matt are in the kitchen) Elena: Just say it Matt: I just don't get it, your thing with them Elena: I know it doesn't make sense. But at the beginning, after my parents died, there was something about being with Stefan that just... Felt safe Matt: Safe? Elena, he's a vampire Elena: I know, believe me. Just saying it out loud sounds crazy, but... It's like I knew that he would never stop loving me, like he would never... Matt: What? Elena: Die. Like he would never die Matt: Like your parents did. And Damon? Elena: Damon just sort of snuck up on me. He got under my skin, and no matter what I do, I just... I can't shake him Matt: Once you fall in love with someone, I don't know if... I don't know if you can ever shake 'em Elena: I'm sorry. Is... is this weird? Talking about them with you? Matt: No. Not really. I got you something (He takes the journal from his pocket) Elena: The journal? Matt: It's your family's. You should have it. Meredith and that idiot deputy were too busy questioning you to give a damn about me. Sometimes it pays to be the only normal one in a town of vampires. Practically invisible (Alaric arrives. She gets up and rejoins him) Elena: Are you ok? Alaric: Yeah. Yeah. I'm all right (They embrace each other) [Salvatore's House] (Stefan is sitting in front of the fireplace. Damon enters) Damon: They let Ric go. Sheriff Forbes said she's out of suspects again, but Ric is in the clear. I know it may not seem like it, but... You did really well tonight. I mean, before you know it, you're gonna be the king of moderation. Elena will understand Stefan: Doesn't really matter what Elena thinks Damon: Uh-uh. None of that. No more no humanity Stefan. There's a road called recovery, and we are on it (Stefan gets up) Stefan: Why do you even care, huh? The whole brother-bonding thing, getting Elena to hate you. Why, you feel guilty because you kissed her? Is that it, Damon? Because you can stop. Go back to hating me. It was a lot easier Damon: Can you for one minute actually believe that I'm trying to help you? Stefan: I don't need your help Damon: Don't need my... Are you kidding me? Do you remember what happened last time you said that? Stefan: What are you talking about? Damon: 1912, Stefan, the last time I convinced you to drink human blood Mystic Falls, 1912 (Damon and Stefan are under the tent, in front of the ring. Looking at women) Damon: Go ahead, Stefan. Pick one Stefan: They're people, Damon Damon: Yes, they are people, Stefan, people with blood pumping through their veins, waiting to be opened up and sucked dry. You've just forgotten how good it feels. So had I, but Sage, she reminded me... It's worth it. It's all worth it (Sage fights a man. He falls on the ring. He's bleeding. Stefan looks at him) Damon: Not him, Stefan. Not him... Her (hey look at Mrs Lockwood) Damon: Her. She's the one Stefan: I don't do that anymore Damon: But you can, Stefan. We can. Let the past be the past. Have a drink with me, brother (They're outside. Stefan is drinking from the woman. Damon looks at him) Damon: I knew you still had it in you. Don't be greedy (Damon tries to drink but Stefan pushes him) Damon: Stefan. Stefan (Stefan drinks so hard that he decapitates her) Stefan: Oh, my God. Oh, my God (He catches the head) Stefan: I'm sorry Damon: Stefan, stop (Stefan tries to put the head back on the body) Stefan: I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry Damon: Stefan, stop (He tries to stop him but Stefan pushes him) Stefan: What did you do to me?! (He looks at the body and gets up) Damon: You just need to learn when to stop. I can help you Stefan: I don't need your help (He leaves) Nowadays [Salvatore's House] Damon: The founders council killer had nothing on you. By decade's end, they were calling you the ripper of monterey. I let you walk away. I watched you go over the edge, and I didn't do anything to stop you Stefan: You couldn't have Damon: Sure, I could have. But I just didn't want to. But I want to now. Whenever you go too far, I will be there to pull you back, every second, every day till you don't need m Stefan: Why? Damon: 'Cause right now... You're all I got [Gilbert's House] (Elena is reading Samantha's Gilbert journal. Alaric arrives) Alaric: Hey, I was gonna make some coffee Elena: I'm good. Gonna head to bed in a few Alaric: Hey, listen, Elena. The, uh... The sheriff told me about everything you did today, and... While I appreciate it, I don't want you getting in trouble because of me, ok? Elena: If not for you, for who? Alaric: Well, still, I... I'm the one who's supposed to look after you, even if I suck at it Elena: Ok, well, how 'bout we just agree to take care of each other, then? Alaric: Heh. Deal. What are you reading there? Elena: Old family journal Alaric: Any juicy family secrets? Elena: It's hard to tell. I mean, at first, I thought it was Jonathan Gilbert's journal, but it ended up being his granddaughter's, who apparently went just as crazy as he did, so great genes, huh? Alaric: Well, at least you have something to look forward to Elena: Good night, Ric Alaric: Good Night [Salvatore's House] (Damon is playing piano. Stefan arrives with a book in his hands) Stefan: So I, uh... I dug into the old family archives from the early 1900s Damon: So now you want to be helpful Stefan: Want me to go back to being mad at you? Damon: What'd you find? Stefan: Well, nothing from 1912. They never did arrest anyone for the founders' murders, but they did get a confession 10 years later Damon: They did? Who? Stefan: Jonathan Gilbert's granddaughter Samantha. They assumed she was crazy, locked her up in an insane asylum Damon: Then what? Stefan: Trail ends there. I mean, she was a founder. You know they like to look out for their own Damon: Samantha Gilbert. That is very weird Stefan: Why? Damon: Because I'm pretty sure I had already killed her [Gilbert's House] (Someone knocks on the door. Alaric opens. It's MEredith) Meredith: I know what this looks like Alaric: Yeah? Well, I sure as hell don't. You shoot me, you have me thrown in jail, and then you have me freed Meredith: I did it for you, Ric. I forged the coroner's note to clear your name Alaric: Oh. You know what? People are right. You are psycho Meredith: Yeah... Now that you've been cleared, they'll look somewhere else. They won't look your way again. Please, you have no reason, but I need you to trust me anyway. If you let me in, I can explain (Elena is in her bedroom, reading Samantha Gilbert's journal) Samantha Gilbert: I don't feel like myself. I am losing time... As though I am going mad [Salvatore's House] Stefan: So you think Samantha Gilbert's still alive, running around Mystic Falls, killing founders? Damon: It's not possible. If she became a vampire, we'd know about it, right? Stefan: Well, then she must have had a ring that brought her back to life. I mean, she was a... a Gilbert, right? Those rings are passed on through generations Damon: Yeah, but even if she had a ring, she wouldn't be alive today. Doesn't protect her from old age Stefan: Jonathan Gilbert only made two of those rings. Jeremy has one of 'em, and the other is... Damon: Alaric's [Gilbert's House] (Alaric is looking at Brian Walter's file) Meredith: Like the sheriff said, the victims were killed with your weapons (We see a flashback from when the body was discovered and when Caroline discovered her father and then when Liz showed him and Elena the murder weapon) Alaric: Yeah, but I was attacked Meredith: With your own knife, a wound that could have been self-inflicted Alaric: It's impossible. I would know if I were killing people Meredith: Would you? Have you had any blackouts, instances of lost time? Alaric: Y-you're insane Meredith: No, but I think you might be. You wear a ring that lets you cheat death, Ric. How many times can you die before it changes you? I think you're sick, and I want to help you. This has happened before almost 100 years ago (Elena's here. Meredith and Alaric look at her) Alaric: Elena Elena: Ric, I think she's right (She has Samantha Gilbert's journal in her hand) Mystic Falls, 1912 (Zachariah Salvatore is walking alone. Samantha Gilbert arrives and stabs him. She's wearing the ring)
1912