A winter-themed party takes place in Mystic Falls, but amongst the celebration Caroline and Stefan argue with Tyler over what to do with Klaus and his hybrids. Stefan breaks into Klaus's house and attempts to steal Alexander the hunter's sword while Caroline once again plays "the distraction" to Klaus at the winter party. She comments on the piece of art Klaus donated for display, telling him honestly that it feels "lonely" to her. Meanwhile, Elena and Damon go to the Gilbert Lake House to help Jeremy face some dangerous inner demons with the help of Bonnie and Professor Shane, who shares that he knows where to find the cure to vampirism. When Hayley snaps Caroline's neck, to save her and Professor Shane's plan, April finds Caroline "Dead." April finds out about the supernatural things happening in Mystic Falls and that Rebekah is daggered in the Lockwood cellar. Finally, Klaus discovers Tyler's plan which leads to all 12 of the hybrids being killed and Klaus drowning Tyler's mother.
[Salvatore's House] (Elena wakes up in Damon's bed. She looks at Damon) Damon: This would be so much more fun if we were naked Elena: That was your call, not mine Damon: I was being a gentleman. You shouldn't have stayed Elena: I know Damon: I should have made you leave, sent you packing. I promised Stefan Elena: I know Damon: You're sired to me, Elena, which means everything that you think you feel might not even be real Elena: I know, Damon, but... It feels real. And I'm not ready to let go of that Damon: I could make you. Invoke the sire bond Elena: So do it Damon: I told him I would set you free. Right after I didn't tell him that we slept together Elena: So, what do you want to do? Damon: I want to throw you back in my bed and never let you leave Elena: So do it (Elena's phone rings) Damon: Saved by the cell phone Elena: I have to meet Bonnie. She's teaching Jeremy how not to kill me. Want to come? [Klaus's Mansion] (Stefan enters and sees Klaus painting) Stefan: Looks like a giant snowflake Klaus: I prefer to think of it as an expression of post-modernism. It's my donation to the winter wonderland charity event (Adrian enters) Adrian: You said it was urgent? Klaus: Yes. Take this to the mystic grill immediately Adrian: You want me to be a delivery guy? Klaus: What I want is for you to do whatever I say, without the attitude. Be careful with that. It's still wet (Adrian leaves) Stefan: Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves, you know Klaus: What is the point of my hybrids being sired to me if I can't maximize on the benefits of free labor? What are you doing here? Stefan: Elena is sired to Damon Klaus: I intuited as much Stefan: Which means I need to find the cure now more than ever, and here you are making post-modern snowflakes Klaus: I've delivered. I retrieved the hunter's sword from Italy, which we'll use to decipher the map hidden in the hunter's mark. You're the one who's supposed to deliver the hunter and his mark Stefan: Well, Jeremy is the hunter, and he has to keep killing vampires to complete his mark, but we can't quite figure out how to keep him from killing us Klaus: Sounds like quite the chore, which is why I feel perfectly justified in doing a little charity work Stefan: Or maybe you're lying about having found the sword Klaus: Why would I lie to you, Stefan? We're in this together. The hilt acts as a cypher which we'll use to decode the marks on Jeremy's tattoo when he's killed enough vampires to complete it. I heard you moved out of your house. Bit of a martyr move, hmm? Stefan: I'm not here to bond, Klaus Klaus: Oh, on the contrary, I think right now I'm the best friend you've got [Old Lockwood Cellar] (Adrian enters. Tyler and Haley are there) Adrian: I'm sick of taking his crap. I should rip his throat off, see if he can boss us around without a larynx Tyler: You won't have to take it much longer Kim: You keep saying that, but here we are, hiding, plotting a revolution that's never gonna happen Haley: Never say never. And never say I don't pull through. I found the witch that's gonna save your lives Adrian: Are you serious? Tyler: We promised you guys we'd free you from Klaus. You did your part by breaking your sire bond. Now Hayley and I are going to do ours [Mystic Falls' Square] (It's winter wonderland in Mystic Falls. The square is filled with Christmas decorations. Tyler is with Caroline) Caroline: You're going to do what? Tyler: Hayley found a witch strong enough to do the body-jump spell... You know, the Klaus specialty Caroline: So you're going to put him in someone else's body, and then what? Tyler: We'll encase the body in concrete, then bury it Caroline: Why not just desiccate him like Bonnie did? Tyler: Because to do that spell you have to stop a human heart. I was a little short of volunteers Caroline: Well, who was dumb enough to volunteer their body to be a Klaus sublet? Tyler: Ok, don't freak out Caroline: Freak out? Freak out?! I'm about to hemorrhage. You volunteered? Tyler: It's not forever, just long enough for the hybrids to be able to completely disappear Caroline: I can think of better ways for us to spend our senior year than you buried in concrete, Tyler Tyler: This started with me. This has to end with me. I need your support [Gilbert's Lake House] (Jeremy is chopping woods. Damon and Elena arrive and park the car. Jeremy looks at them and Bonnie rejoins him) Bonnie: Jeremy? Jeremy: They shouldn't be here Bonnie: They're here to help you. Do you trust me? Jeremy: Yeah. Yeah, I trust you Bonnie: Let's go inside (They go inside) Damon: What the hell is Professor Shadypants doing here? Elena: I invited him (Damon and Elena are in front of the door) Shane: Hey, listen. We are ready to get started, but before we can do that, we need her... In here Elena: This is your house now, Jer. You have to invite me in Shane: Go ahead, Jeremy. Invite her in Jeremy: You can come in [Salvatore's House] (Stefan is looking at some papers. His phone rings and he answers and puts the speaker) Stefan: Hey. Sorry. I know I'm late Caroline: If I'm gonna be a friend in your time of need, then you need to work on your punctuality. I'm in a crisis. Where are you? Stefan: I'm at my house. Why? What's wrong? Caroline: My boyfriend is a dumb-ass martyr. And why are you at your house? Aren't you trying to keep your distance from Elena? Stefan: Well, she's not here anymore. Damon took Jeremy to the Gilbert lake house with Bonnie, so I guess her house is safe for her again. Hey, listen; I got Klaus to tell me a little bit more about this hunter's sword. You know that map in Jeremy's tattoo? The sword decodes it. It's literally the key to finding the cure Caroline: Klaus told you this? Stefan: Yeah. Why? Caroline: And did he happen to hand over the sword for safekeeping? Stefan: Uh, what do you think? What's wrong? Caroline: We need to get our hands on that sword, like, today. Tyler and his hybrids are taking out Klaus tonight [Mystic Grill] (Caroline is looking at Klaus' painting. He rejoins her) Caroline: Here to steal tiny Tim's crutches? Klaus: Dickens was a dark man. You would have liked him Caroline: Nice snowflake, by the way Klaus: Is my work really that literal? Caroline: I'm serious. There's something... Lonely about it Klaus: I'm gonna take that as a compliment. Can I offer you some champagne? Caroline: Can't. Too many adult prying eyes. Don't want to be a high-school cautionary tale at the next town meeting Klaus: Well, then, it's a good thing the high-school part is nearly over Caroline: If we're gonna be nice to each other, then I will need that glass of champagne Klaus: Is that our thing? Caroline: We don't have a "thing." [Klaus' Mansion] (Stefan is looking around for the sword. He's on the phone with Damon) Damon: Well, he's not walking around with it. Check the rest of the house Stefan: I am. I haven't found anything Damon: Try the sock drawer. People leave the sketchiest stuff in sock drawers Stefan: I'm gonna need real ideas, Damon Damon: Here's two: Kill Tyler before he goes to Klaus, or, since Klaus has suddenly become MVP in our relay race for the cure, tell him about the hybrids Stefan: Nobody's killing Tyler Damon: Hello? Stefan Stefan: Look, I know it's a touchy subject, but do you know where Elena is today? Damon: I think she's running around... Trying to figure out how to deprogram Jeremy Stefan: How'd she take it last night... You telling her to stay away from you? Damon: Not well Stefan: You okay? Damon: Peachy. Got to go. Bonnie's enlisted Dr. Evil in her plan, and I have to thwart him [Gilbert's lake house] (Shane is tying Jeremy to a chair. Elena and Bonnie are sitting in front of him) Shane: All Jeremy feels when he sees a vampire is a burning desire to kill them. Even if consciously he doesn't want to, as in your case, it's his subconscious that's calling the shots Bonnie: Persuasion helps reverse your conscious thoughts Shane: Think of it as kind of a conditioned response, right? See vampire, kill vampire. What I'm doing is creating a kind of middle step. It's like a detour where his subconscious learns to recognize you as someone he loves, someone he wants to protect. And that gives him a choice. He can choose to take the detour instead of the conditioned response. Ok. Talk to him. He'll listen Elena: I'm not... Sure what to say Shane: You chose to do this here at your family's vacation house, right? So maybe just start by telling him why Elena: Every holiday, we came here. This place was family, and when mom and dad died, Jenna made us come here, and we thought it was an awful idea, but it was like they were here with us. They would have wanted us to stick together, Jer... To fight for each other no matter what Shane: Jeremy, how do you feel about Elena right now? Jeremy: She ruined our lives. She's not even my real sister. She's just the reason that everyone I've ever loved has died. She means nothing to me. I will kill her, even if that means I die myself (He wakes up from his hypnosis) Jeremy: Did it work? [Somewhere in Mystic Falls] (Stefan is alone. Caroline rejoins him) Caroline: Hey Stefan: Hey Caroline: Did you find the sword? Stefan: Nope Caroline: What are we gonna do now? Stefan: Klaus is the only shot we have at finding the cure. We need him. Tyler has to call it off (Tyler is behind them) Tyler: Well, that's not gonna happen (He looks at Caroline) Tyler: You told him? I've had 12 hybrids sworn to secrecy for a month. I have Hayley and a witch risking their lives, and you're blabbing my plan to him? Stefan: Look, all I'm asking you for is a little bit of time, ok? Tyler: How long? An hour? A day? Because every minute that goes by that we don't do this, they're at risk. You and Klaus already served one of them up for Jeremy to kill. I don't owe you anything. I'm taking him out Stefan: I'm sorry, but I can't let you do that Caroline: Stefan... Stefan: I'm sorry, but I can't (The hybrids arrive behind Tyler) Tyler: Sorry, man, but you don't have a choice [Gilbert's House lake house] (Elena is outside, on the pontoon. Damon rejoins her) Damon: You're not allowed to feel this sorry for yourself unless you're sitting on a bar stool. Fortunately, I travel with the bar Elena: It didn't work. I shouldn't have put so much hope into reprogramming someone's mind. If it were that easy, then you and I wouldn't be in this situation. Right? Last time I was here, I was so completely in love with Stefan. Now that's barely a memory. Is that the sire bond... Or just that I'm so happy to be here with you? Damon: Maybe there's something else they can try [Old Lockwood's Cellar] (Caroline and Stefan are there. Kim is also there and Tyler is preparing the chains) Caroline: Tyler Tyler: Keep them down here until we're ready to bring Klaus in. Use these if you have to Stefan: Come on, Tyler. This is bigger than you. It's about more than revenge for us Tyler: I know what it's about for you, Stefan. It's about the cure. You know what happens to a hybrid when he's cured of being a vampire? We go back to being werewolves, turning on every full moon. We could give a rat's ass about the cure Caroline: Tyler, come on Tyler: I needed you on my side, care. That's all I wanted [Gilbert's Lake House] (Jeremy is looking at family pictures. Bonnie rejoins him) Bonnie: Are you okay? Shane wants to try again (He gets up and Damon enters) Damon: Survey says: Ehhh. Professor Shane has been dipping into the magical herbs a little too much if he thinks using a vampire to suppress the need to kill another one is going to work on a hunter. It's like dangling a cheeseburger in front of someone on a master cleanse. Just find someone else to attach your warm and fuzzy detour feelings to. Gee, I wonder who that could be (Jeremy looks at Bonnie) Jeremy: You. I feel that way about you Damon: Well, this isn't awkward at all. I'll be... anywhere else (Shane rejoins Elena on the pontoon) Shane: It was good thinking using Bonnie as Jeremy's emotional touchstone. Damon is very intuitive. And Bonnie told me about your relationship with him. I don't mean to pry, obviously Elena: It's... complicated. Any ideas how to hypnotize me out of it? Shane: You know, in all my world travels, the one spell that I've never found is how to break somebody from loving too much. Trust me, I've looked. My wife and son died. I was just... I was trying to figure out a way not to miss them (Damon rejoins them) Damon: If your hypno-herbs work, we should be singing "Kumbaya" around the fire by dinner. So now tell me why I'm not killing you Elena: Damon... Damon: I'm serious. Why are you after the vampire cure? Shane: I didn't say I was looking for the cure, but I can tell you where to find it Damon: Klaus' sword will tell us where to find it Shane: The sword will lead you there, sure, but so can I Elena: What? How Shane: Because I've already been there [Mystic Falls Square] (Carol is with April) Carol: Instruct the guests to drop their donations at the gift tree in the grill April: Yes, ma'am (She sees Tyler) Carol: Excuse me (She smiles takes two glasses of champagne and rejoins Tyler) Carol: There you are. Quick, a toast before people can judge us. What's wrong? (Carol and Tyler are sitting on a bench) Tyler: Please say something Carol: But you'll miss graduation. Which... I guess is a ridiculous thing to worry about Tyler: I'm their Alpha. They're looking to me to help them Carol: You do what you have to do, Tyler. Don't look so shocked. I'm trying to channel your father. He'd be proud of you, you know. You're a leader of people, just like he was Tyler: Thank you, mom [Gilbert's Lake House] (Shane shows them the rock he showed at the exposition at the high school) Damon: It's a rock Shane: It's not just any rock Damon: Hmm. So is this that silly little wives' tale that you told at the occult exhibit? Shane: All right, long story short... Once upon a time, there was a witch named Silas who loved a girl and wanted to be with her forever. So he and his best friend, another witch, made an immortality spell, and then Silas' best friend witch got jealous and killed Silas' girl before he had a chance to make her immortal. Well, cursed to an eternity without his one true love, Silas finds a way to reverse the immortality spell, and then, before he has a chance to take it, his former friend buries him underground, leaving him and the cure to rot Elena: So it's a cure for immortality? Shane: Human blood is the life force of an immortal. No more immortality, no more need to feed on blood. You dig up Silas, and you've got your cure [Old Lockwood Cellar] (Caroline and Stefan are still there helded captive by the hybrids) Caroline: Oh, this is ridiculous. We are not hostages Kim: Sure you are, sweetie (Caroline gets closer. Stefan's phone rings. He looks at it) Stefan: Relax. It's my brother (He answers) Stefan: What's up? Damon: Don't ask how or why or who, but I just found the answer to your Tyler problem Stefan: You're kidding. We don't need the sword [Gilbert's Lake House] Shane: This is the mark of the brotherhood of the five. Then up the arm, you have the murder of a girl by a witch. The symbols in the vines are your map, which you obviously no longer need. When this mark is complete, it will contain the spell that we need to dig up Silas Damon: And where did you say he was buried? Oh, I forgot. You didn't Shane: You've threatened to kill me, what, like, 3 times already this week? The location is how I'm gonna survive your bad moods Elena: And what's in it for you? If not the cure, then what? Shane: I'm in this for Silas, all right? Up until this point, he's only been myth Damon: So write a thesis Shane: Would you rather be the guy who writes about Noah's ark or the one who sails it down the Hudson River? Damon: I'm not buying it Shane: You don't have to buy anything. You just have to believe that I can fix your brother, and when his hunter's mark is complete, I'm gonna take you to the cure [SCENE_BREAK] [Mystic Grill] (Caroline enters the restrooms with Tyler and Haley) Tyler: How the hell did you even get out? Caroline: I got out because even your idiot hybrids recognized the stupidity of your Alpha hybrid martyr plan Tyler: I'm not going to fight with you anymore, Caroline Caroline: Oh, we're gonna do plenty of fighting, the second that you shove Klaus into someone else's body Tyler: We've been through this. I don't have anyone else's body Caroline: Yeah? Well, I do Haley: What? Who? Caroline: Klaus' sister Rebekah. She's got a dagger in her. Stefan's been hiding her coffin in the tunnels. We dump Klaus into her body and bury her. We just killed two original birds with one stone Haley: It's too late to change the plan Tyler: Call Bonnie. Make sure it'll work Haley: Tyler Tyler: It's a brilliant plan, Hayley (He looks at Caroline) Tyler: You're a genius. I love you Caroline: Mmm. I love you, even when I hate you Tyler: I got to go find my mom, let her know I might actually graduate [Gilbert's Lake House] (Shane rejoins Jeremy and Bonnie downstairs) Shane: How's it going? Bonnie: I think we're making progress (Her phone rings. She answers) Bonnie: Caroline, hey Caroline: Bonnie, I need you to think fast. I know that the daggers don't work on Klaus, but what if we put his essence into Rebekah? It'll work, right? Say it'll work Bonnie: Slow down. Slow down. What's happening? Caroline: Just come on, Bonnie. Will it work? Bonnie: Yeah. I don't see why not Caroline: Oh. Bonnie Bennett, I love you Bonnie: Do you need my help? I can leave Elena here with Jeremy Caroline: Elena? She's there, too? Bonnie: Yeah. She came with Damon. Who's being slightly less horrible than usual Caroline: You know what? I can't deal with this right now [Mystic Grill] (Caroline looks at Haley) Caroline: She said it would work Haley: I gathered. Congratulations Caroline: Than you (Haley breaks her neck and looks at her body) Haley: My pleasure [Gilbert's Lake House] (Elena takes a box of Christmas decorations. Damon looks at her) Elena: Jer and I should take these decorations home with us. We could use the holiday cheer Damon: Look at you... suddenly Polly optimist Elena: I think Shane's gonna get us through this. I trust him. Which you clearly don't Damon: Maybe because I think he blew up 12 people at the Young farm Elena: What?! Damon: A little tip, Professor: I heard you before you even took your first step Shane: I see we're back to the false accusation part of our relationship Elena: What is he talking about? Shane: Da... ha. Damon discovered that I was in contact with pastor Young prior to the explosion at the Young farm. The pastor was severely depressed. He had lost his wife to cancer, and he sought me out for a little supernatural assistance. I tried to help, but he was too far gone. It's just I never expected that he'd take 11 innocents with him (Jeremy and Bonnie enter) Jeremy: Elena (Damon gets up) Jeremy: It's okay. I think we've got this Bonnie: Elena, don't move, ok? No matter what Shane: Jeremy, remember the detour. Choose the right path [Mystic Falls Square] (Haley is talking with Klaus. Stefan watches them from afar. She gets closer to Klaus, says something and leaves. Stefan rejoins him) Klaus: She doesn't like me much. Where have you been all day? Stefan: I've been around Klaus: I'm not interested in vagaries, Stefan. You've been dodgy and Caroline's been lovely, which I've come to recognize as a tool of distraction. Now do you have something to share with me, or should I compel it out of you? Stefan: I broke into your safe to look for the sword Klaus: Why? Stefan: Because I don't trust you Klaus: I showed you the sword. I explained its value. I've been on your side the entire time. What do you want from me...A secret brotherhood handshake? Stefan: I found the letters. You have a few pen pals over the centuries? Klaus: Well, is keeping my victims' letters really so different from writing their names on a wall, like you did, ripper? Loneliness, Stefan. That's why you and I memorialize our dead. There's the briefest of moments before we kill where we literally hold their life in our hands, and then we rip it away, and we're left with nothing. So gathering other people's letters or writing their names on a wall... It's a reminder... That in the end we're left infinitely and utterly alone [Mystic Grill] (April tries to enter the restrooms but the door is blocked by Caroline's body) April: Oh. Sorry. Oh. Hello? Are you ok? Um... Oh, my gosh! Caroline! Oh! Somebody help! Help! (Caroline gets up) April: Holy crap Caroline: Have you seen Hayley? April: You didn't have a pulse. You were dead (Caroline calls Stefan) Caroline: Stefan, it's me. That little werewolf slut has lost her mind. Go to the Lockwood cellar and make sure that Rebekah's body is still there. I'm gonna find Tyler. Hayley is trying to screw this up (She hangs up and compels April) Caroline: Forget everything you just saw and heard. You are miss Mystic Falls, and you have duties to fulfill April: Okay (She leaves) (Caroline gets out of the restrooms and runs into Matt) Matt: There you are. Stefan has been looking for you. Adrian's leading Klaus to the cellar Caroline: How come the only time April Young isn't following you around like a lost puppy is when I'm lying dead with a broken neck? Matt: April saw you? Caroline: Yeah. It's ok. I compelled her Matt: She's... she's wearing Jeremy's vervain bracelet. She can't be compelled [Mystic Falls' Square] (Tyler is on the phone with his mother) Tyler: Hey, mom. I don't see you. Things have changed. It's gonna be fine. I'll be back later. I'll pick you up (Haley rejoins him) Tyler: What are you doing here? You're supposed to be taking the witch to the cellar Haley: There is no witch, Tyler Tyler: What? Haley: I made it up [The woods] (The hybrids are waiting) Kim: Where the hell is the witch? Adrian should be here any minute (They turn themselves and see Adrian) Adrian: Kim (Klaus rips his heart out) Kim: No! [Mystic Falls' Square] Haley: I never intended for you to put Klaus down. I needed him for the sacrifice Tyler: What? Haley: I don't know how to explain it, but I made a deal with someone who can help me find my family Tyler: What are you talking about? What kind of deal? Haley: There needed to be 12 for the sacrifice, Tyler Tyler: 12 what? Haley: I'm sorry Tyler: Hayley, what did you do? Haley: If you run now, you might make it out alive [The woods] (Klaus kills all the hybrids. Once they're all dead, he follows Kim into the Lockwood's cellar) Klaus: Where is Tyler Lockwood? You'd do well to answer me, love. Where is he?! Kim: I don't know Klaus: Wrong answer (He kills her) [Gilbert's Lake House] (Elena, Bonnie and Jeremy are looking at the Christmas decorations) Jeremy: Check this out Elena: Jenna used that to make out with Logan fell (Damon is outside looking at them. Elena watches him and rejoins him) Elena: All the drama, and you're missing the actual fun part Damon: Elena, we can't. I can't Elena: Damon, you can't keep telling me that this isn't real. I know how I feel and that you feel it, too, so stop fighting it Damon: It's good to see you like that... All normal with your brother. I want that again for you. Christmas was always mine and Stefan's favorite holiday when we were kids, not that I've celebrated since. I kind of miss that Elena: You're thinking about how upset he'll be when he finds out that you and I are together Damon: I've been lying to him all day Elena: No. You were helping me with Jeremy Damon: The point is not what I was doing. The point is that I'm here with you. I was supposed to invoke the sire bond, Elena, send you away I was supposed to do the right thing by you and the right thing by my brother. Which is what I'm gonna do right now. You're gonna go home Elena: What? No. Damon... Damon: I'm gonna stay here with Jeremy. I'm gonna help him complete the mark. I'll teach him how to hunt. I'll protect him, and we'll kill vampires without you Elena: Damon, please Damon: I'm setting you free, Elena. This is what I want. This is what will make me happy [Salvatore's House] (Caroline rejoins Stefan in the library) Caroline: Matt can't find April. I can't reach Tyler. This is a disaster. Is this you in crisis mode? Because it's a lot more stealth than mine Stefan: I thought I'd be happier watching Klaus get led away to the slaughter, but for some reason, I can't help but feel kind of... Guilty Caroline: Yeah. You and me both. All day I've been trying to remind myself of all the horrible things he's done Stefan: See, that's the thing. We've all done horrible things. And I'm sitting here trying to figure out what makes us any better than him. And I think it's just that we have family we can trust Caroline: Yeah, you're right Stefan. Trust is everything. Have you heard from Damon? Stefan: Yeah. He's still with Jeremy at the lake house Caroline: Did he happen to mention... Where Elena was? Stefan: Wait. Why are you... why are you asking me this? They're together, aren't they? How together are they? Caroline, tell me. How together are they? [Gilbert's House] (Jeremy opens the door to Bonnie. They look at each other) Jeremy: Thank you (She embraces him. Damon and Elena go to the car. Bonnie goes into the car. Jeremy closes her door. Elena goes to the passenger side. She looks at Jeremy and he waves at her. He goes inside and she looks at Damon) Elena: I was ready to fight you on this, but suddenly every part of my body is telling me that I need to get in this car and leave you Damon: So do it [Mystic Falls' Square] (Carol is alone and leaves a voicemail to Tyler) Carol: Tyler, honey, you're supposed to be in my sober cab. I think I drank half the party (She hangs up and Klaus arrives) Klaus: Good evening, Carol. You're looking for Tyler... I'd like a little word with him myself Carol: Klaus, please. Don't hurt him. He's my son. He's all I have Klaus: And you're all he has. There's a beautiful symmetry to that, don't you think? (He drowns her, killing her and leaves)
O Come All Ye Faithful