The Vampire Diaries S2.16 Recap

I’m back!! OMG, stop the presses and get this girl some medication because something must be up…  What can I say? Last night’s episode inspired me – or maybe it was the fact that I wouldn’t be doing a recap for a new episode until April 7 that motivated me (WTF)… ^_^

However, you know that Nina Dobrev is getting better at being Katherine when one looks at “Elena” in the above picture and wonder when she became such a snide-looking snot… As one can tell, I am not a fan of Katherine.

The House Guest
Although Stefan is a lot more carefree in this season, he still manages to take me by surprise sometimes. Like, in the opening of last night’s episode when he mischievously grabs Elena for a little romp on his bed. I mean, the man actually picked her up and literally fell on top of her, so eager was he. I mean, that was so hot in so many ways that I’m still blushing even now. And given our current “standards” for TV – and what we’ve already seen on VD so far – it wasn’t even anything actually to blush about but yet I was still all googly-eyed…

However, in waltzes Katherine to disturb Damon downstairs – or is it Elena? Because she sure looks and acts like Elena, which means that whoever Stefan is macking on upstairs isn’t Elena… Fortunately for Stefan though, Elena was the one with him, although now both he and Damon realize just how good Katherine has gotten at mimicking her doppleganger.

“You mean she’s not gone or dead yet?”

I do love how completely open and antagonistic both Stefan and Damon are towards Katherine now. Elena wants her out but Katherine dangles her knowledge and her badass vampire skills in front of the boys – they need her in order to defeat Klaus. Elena begs to defer, but the brothers realize that with Katherine on their side, they do have a stronger advantage. However, it would work even better if they could get some more witches – I mean, warlocks – too…

While Damon pours over the Gilbert journals to find the site of the witch massacre that Elijah had been previously asking about, Stefan enlists Bonnie’s help to arrange a meeting between him and Jonas Martin. Luka trudges along but Jonas is not hearing any of it – I mean, he may as well just said that Stefan was an insignificant pup next to Elijah because wow, the vibes said it all. Dr. Martin is so not interested.

Jonas
Casting a spell on Luka, Jonas astro-projects his son to find Elijah’s body and remove the dagger. Things get a little spotty though Katherine senses Luka’s presence and running straight to the dungeon, sees the dagger in Elijah’s heart being moved by an invisible hand. Luka panics, thinking it’s Elena but Jonas tells him that it’s Katherine, and orders his son to stake her through the heart now. Luka takes his chance but misses (still ow!) and Katherine screams for Damon’s help. When Damon arrives, he only sees Katherine bleeding on the ground while the dagger is being pulled and thinking fast, grabs the nearby flamethrower (that he had been using to try to burn Elijah’s body) and sprays the room.

Unfortunately for Luka, his projection is susceptible to physical harm and he lights up like a candle, his physical body back at home instantly engulfed in flames. Jonas tries to save his son but it’s too late – Luka is dead and we now have one extremely pissed warlock hellbent on revenge. Jonas quickly casts a tracking spell to find Elena – the Salvatores took away his son. He’ll take away what they most prize also.

Caroline
The girls (Elena, Bonnie, Caroline and Jenna) are bonding tonight at Mystic Grill while Caroline struggles with the hot/cold behavior from Matt and Jenna mopes over her quasi-relationship with Alaric. Finally deciding to take a stand on her feelings for Matt, Caroline rushes up to stage and belts out a song to him, declaring her love to the world. The girls are impressed with Candice’s – I mean, Caroline’s – vocal chops and Matt is touched. Running up on stage, he grabs Caroline and lays a kiss on her. And then they proceed to make out on stage while everyone whistles and catcalls.

Elena gets a frantic call from Stefan though, warning her that Jonas is on a rampage. When he arrives at the grill, Bonnie tries to intercede him but without her powers, she’s no match for him and he starts destroying the place, looking for Elena. Caroline provides a distraction to allow time for Stefan and Elena to slip away but Jonas mind-freezes her and she crumples to the floor in pain. Matt sees her and being the sweetie that he is, rushes over to save Caroline from Jonas – and so Jonas stabs him in the neck with a broken glass shard while Caroline screams. Omo, I was stunned. I don’t care how pointless Matt is to the story – you cannot kill him!!!

Left with no other option, Caroline briefly changes into vamp mode before biting her wrist and feeding Matt his blood. Disoriented from the blood loss, Matt weakly accepts although his eyes are wide in fear and horror. When he wakes later in her room, poor Caroline is just glad that he’s alive and well now, and excitedly exclaims that everything is okay now – they love each other and they’ll be together. Sweetie pie, this ain’t Twilight; Matt’s not just going to be thrilled and beg you to turn him into an immortal undead. Massively freaking out, Matt makes a run for it while Caroline tries to calm him down. And suddenly it dawns him.

“Oh my god, what did you do to Vicki?!”

Vicki who??

Katherine
Elena and Stefan rush back home to hide from Jonas but when she heads upstairs to clean up, she is surprised by Jonas behind her. As Jonas lunges for her, she screams – and then her face changes as she sinks her fangs into his neck, killing him. Huh. Go Katherine.

Bonnie heatedly states that she didn’t have to kill him, which Katherine deadpans that it was necessary. When Bonnie leans over Jonas’ still body, he suddenly bounces back up, clamping both hands on her head, much like what he did when he first took her powers away. Later in Jeremy’s confidence, Bonnie tells him that Jonas had returned her powers to her – and also told her how to kill Klaus. Cue ominous music.

Although Stefan and Damon still don’t trust Katherine – and it appears that they have secretly found the site of the witch massacre – they grudgingly accept her presence. Not that they really  have a choice about it anyway. Katherine being Katherine, decides to try her hand at seducing Damon later that night, slithering herself all over him while he reads the journals in bed.

“Katherine. There are six bedrooms in this house. Go find one.”

And Damon unceremoniously shoves her off the bed and goes back to reading. OMG, I love Damon.

Mommy Dearest
Jenna and Alaric are still on the outs although he does walk her back from the grill. Alaric tells her that there are just things about Isobel’s death that he can’t tell her but that Isobel is dead. And that he loves her. Alaric’s heartfelt admission doesn’t touch Jenna though (I may have seen an eye blink…) and she calmly bids him a good night.

However, the gods aren’t not on Alaric’s side because when Jenna is taking out her frustration on a tub of ice cream while Elena watches, the doorbell rings – and guess who’s come back to Mystic Falls now?

“Hello. I’m Elena’s birth mother.”

Alaric is so screwed.

Comments:
Okay, I don’t even know why, but I liked this episode. Maybe it was because it had such an AWESOME first five minutes…

Sadly, as I mentioned earlier, we have a whole month to go before a new episode of VD… Maybe I’ll go back and recap the ones I missed, although that seems a little strange in my head… Who knows though? Stranger things have happened in there…

For my readers who are still unfailingly supporting me, here’s a teaser excerpt from the second half of Chapter 16 -

The deep blue curtains softly move from the gentle draft of the wind.

There is a singular suitcase sitting off in the corner.

This is her bedroom.

It was here, that he had his life’s one most perfect night.

Ou Chen’s gaze stops warmly on each item in the room – her dresser, her slippers, her hair accessories, the white flowers on her nightstand, the two pictures by those white flowers, one picture of her and Xiao Cheng and the other one of him hugging her on their wedding day.

His gaze lingers on that picture of her. Ou Chen’s heart falters momentarily, feeling it about to split open completely, blood gushing from its wound.

Her picture flashes across the TV in the bedroom.

The awards ceremony has officially begun.

Award after award is announced as the host proclaims each winner and the recognized actor or actress quickly give their acceptance speeches. Ou Chen numbly sits on her bed, mentally grasping at every flash of her that the camera captures.

In the midst of so many stars, her beauty is calm like the waters.

He sees her for a total of three times. One is of her smiling, one is of her clapping and one is of her steady gaze. No matter her expression or action, she is still beautiful enough to stop time. Perhaps, he does wish for time to stop forever, so that he can forget his decision, forget everything, if only just to watch her like this.

Sorry I’ve been MIA lately – I’ve lost a bit of motivation towards blogging, and then got behind with VD recaps back in December (which made it even harder to come back). Unfortunately, I haven’t been feeling as much towards Vampire Diaries of late… while I still massively chase the series, I feel like the second half of this season (and sometimes even the entire second season, period) is lacking in comparison to its freshman season. However, there are some exciting series coming this fall (e.g., Secret Circle, Sarah Michelle Gellar‘s comeback, Ringer) that I will be keeping my eye on… And I hope to take up VD again this fall. Unless, of course, I get extremely motivated by one of the upcoming episodes.

In terms of Summer’s Desire (I know; omg, it’s kind of awful how I just keep putting that off), I really haven’t touched that since I uploaded the first half of the last chapter. I don’t even know why I’m taking forever to translate it… All I can say right now is that I’m still planning on doing it eventually – but I have no idea when. I know that doesn’t really make it better but maybe it’s better than outright saying I’ve given up on translating it?

I really do miss blogging, although I can understand that I lost a lot of readers with my extended (last minute) hiatus. I am trying to keep an eye out for projects though, and have watched a lot of things of late that I would love to blog/talk about… I’m stuck on Dream High and My Princess right now (I think the entire country of Korea and plus some here are stuck on those serials), although I can already see Dream High NOT going the way I wish it would… I’m also following Yang Mi and Feng Shao Feng‘s Gong 宫 right now intermittently, although I think all 35 episodes have now aired.

So all in all, thank you for those who are still periodically checking back in with me! While I can’t promise consistent updates right now, I do want you to all know that this blog is still on my mind and still something that I would like to return to soon. I greatly appreciate all the wonderful comments that have been left in the past few weeks!!

For a bit of happy news, I am set to graduate this June with a master’s degree in psychology!!

Be sure to sign up for email updates or follow me on Twitter so you don’t have manually check on the blog all the time!
Tammy

The Vampire Diaries S2.10 Recap

Well. Tonight’s episode was about everyone all willing to do The Crazy in order to protect those they loved – and some of those actions had some dire consequences. I had been spoiled on the ending – okay, fine; so I had purposefully spoiled myself – and was watching this with a heavy heart. Although it does great things plot-wise, I couldn’t help but grimace and frown…

Luka & Bonnie
Verdict is still out on whether warlock junior is as evil as his warlock senior but it sure doesn’t look promising, and it’s especially worrisome that Bonnie can’t seem to keep her eyes off him. Bonnie, are you blind?! THIS kid over Jeremy?? In a bid to get closer to Bonnie, Luka ends up showing her how to draw energy from another supernatural’s powers – his – and Bonnie is delighted to be able to have such a bonding experience with another fellow Wiccan. Jeremy’s not blind though and comes upon the two grinning foolishly at one another, realizing now that the new kid is trying to move in on his girl. Luckily, Bonnie’s saved from trying to make awkward conversation when she gets a text from Damon.

The Moonstone
Katherine tells Damon and Stefan that she would be more than happy to hand over the moonstone – if they’ll release her. Since I’m sure the Salvatore brothers would rather dance around in sunlight without their magical rings than let the crazy vampire out, Damon and Stefan decide to enlist Bonnie’s help for temporarily releasing the spell on the tomb. Katherine is weakened from lack of blood, so it would be a quick in and out for either of them.

Elena is less than thrilled and much to Stefan and Damon’s confusion, she flatly refuses to have anything to do with the spell as she doesn’t want to be saved. Damon and Stefan have their minds made up though, and essentially brush off Elena because they are willing to do whatever it takes to save her. However, so is Elena. Who clocked Damon’s reaction when she was so adamant about making sure that the BOTH of them did not die for her??

Seeking Rose out, Elena dangles the possibility of granting her the ability to walk in the daylight if she helps her. Intrigued, Rose agrees and takes her to find Slater (yes, the same unfortunate vampire who was previously compelled by Elijah to stake himself) to learn more information about Klaus.

Finding Slater’s decomposing corpse and his scared human girlfriend, Elena convinces her to hack into his computer files by promising to persuade Rose to turn her into a vampire. Elena is sure getting a little manipulative of late but I’m sure the whole looming threat of a painful death has something to do with that… When the girlfriend is able to get ahold of a contact, Elena tells her to pass along a message – that the doppleganger is willing to meet him.

To her horror, Rose realizes that Elena is actually on a suicide mission so as to save everyone else. Her efforts to convince Elena are futile and seeing no other option, Rose ends up calling Damon.

Jeremy & Stefan
As the others prepare for the casting of the spell, Jeremy keeps casting worried glances over at Bonnie, knowing that she is not strong enough to cast one of such magnitude. Even when Bonnie casts a much smaller one – burning the picture of Katherine to create a dust that will temporarily incapacitate her when thrown on her – her nose begins to bleed, which Jeremy notices. Knowing that Bonnie will not back down from attempting the spell, Jeremy secretly pockets some of the dust and goes to the tomb alone.

Jeremy is able to catch Katherine by surprise, shooting a stake into her and then sprinkling the dust on her, knocking her out. However, he wastes precious time looking for the moonstone, finally finding it in the back of the tomb. Breaking out into a run, Jeremy is almost to the exit when Katherine suddenly comes to and turns angrily on him. Jeremy hurls the moonstone out of the tomb but is caught by Katherine, who sinks her teeth into him in glee.

When Damon, Stefan and Bonnie arrive at the tomb, Stefan sees the moonstone lying on the ground. Katherine then walks into the line of sight, dragging Jeremy behind her.

“Take your time breaking the spell. I’ll just amuse myself here with my little toy.”

Although Jeremy’s ring protects him from dying, it also means that it’ll keep him alive forever for Katherine to have an endless buffet of blood. Bonnie attempts to break the spell by channeling Luka’s powers – causing him to experience the same torment and anguish – but even his additional power is not enough and Bonnie ends up collapsing from her attempts.

Disappointed and angry that she’s still stuck in the tomb, Katherine turns to take her frustration out on Jeremy’s neck. Seeing no other option, Stefan runs inside the tomb, ripping Jeremy away from Katherine and throwing him outside at Bonnie. As Bonnie clutches at the bleeding Jeremy on the ground, Katherine smiles smugly at her new roommate.

Damon
Meanwhile, Damon has left Stefan and Bonnie to chase down Elena and angry doesn’t even begin to cover what he’s feeling. Elena refuses to budge though and the two engage in a heated argument which culminates in Elena throwing a punch at Damon, who easily stops it, resulting in the two literally getting in each other’s faces. The vibes, man, the vibes!

“Never. Ever. Do that again.”

They are interrupted by vampire lackeys who have arrived to take Elena to Klaus. Damon readies himself for a fight when Elijah arrives on the scene, causing Rose to instantly run away. Well, we know where her true loyalties lie now, don’t we? Because of warlock senior sneaking into the Gilbert home earlier to steal some of Elena’s possessions, Elijah is now able to use magic to find her. However, as opposed to aiding the vampires, Elijah ends up ripping their hearts out and leaving after making sure that they are the only two who know of the doppleganger’s existence.

Damon escorts Elena home since her ride ditched her and all, and he again berates Elena for her insane plan.

“I don’t question why you and Stefan do everything you can to protect me. Why should you question me when I want to do the same thing?”

A bandaged and shamed Jeremy opens the door upon Elena’s arrival, whispering her name brokenly. The next instant, Elena is screaming Stefan’s name as she hurtles towards the tomb, to which Damon grabs her. Struggling and screaming at Damon to let her go, Stefan can only sadly listen in from inside the tomb while Katherine smirks. Finally giving up, Elena trudges weakly away.

“Great. You martyr yourself into a tomb while I’m stuck with a semi-competent witch.”

Damon promises Stefan that they’ll get him out and Stefan in turn asks him to watch over Elena. And to make sure that she doesn’t come near the tomb. Everything will be okay.

Other Subplots
Caroline and Tyler are fast bonding over their newfound supernatural abilities. When Tyler stumbles upon Mason’s journal, chronicling his transition – and also recording the very first transformation – Tyler realizes that he will have to endure hours of agony before completing the change. However, Caroline promises him that she’ll be there for him though and help him every step of the way and the depth of emotion on Tyler’s face is absolutely moving. The moment turns awkward though, when Matt buckles up his courage to come to Caroline’s house to admit that he misses her and finds his best friend there instead.

As if his actions weren’t obvious enough, Jeremy finally tells Bonnie that he has feelings for her and that he knows it isn’t just a one-sided thing. When he leans in for a kiss, Bonnie turns her head away though and the hurt on the poor boy’s face is enough to make anyone wince. It’s not as if the night hasn’t been craptacular enough for him already.

Comments
I can’t believe Stefan is stuck inside the tomb with Katherine. This is beyond crappy. I understand that it’s a great plot twist and now there will be all sorts of fun scenes between him and Katherine playing mind games on one another but it makes me want to seriously gag. Especially given the scenes from next week’s preview. ^_^

Will be on vacation next week so won’t be able to put up a recap for next week’s eppy, which is also the mid-season finale. SIGH. I can’t believe it’s time for a mid-season finale already…

I am so sorry!! I’ve been getting angry comments (which are I can understand but nevertheless make me sad), and I know it’s been ages – and this isn’t even the full chapter. However, it is exactly the halfway point of the final chapter, so I’m going to upload this now and start translating the second half now…

For a refresher, Chapter 15…

Chapter 16

Ou Chen holds a wineglass in one hand while he stares unseeingly outside his window. Is she in the middle of filming right now or is she on her way home? Butler Shen should have already made her the meal that he had specifically made up for her; will she eat some more tonight? She hasn’t seemed to gain much weight these past few weeks, the only difference now is that she sleeps more than before.

Compared to before… His eyes darken as countless images flash through his mind.

So many years ago underneath that cherry blossom tree, her eyes full of hatred as she threw that green, silken scarf into the air, telling him that only if he died would she ever forgive him…

For Xiao Cheng’s surgery, she had knelt before him and yet he told her that she could only have his kidney if she married him…

Running a fever for so many days and nights because Xiao Cheng refused to accept the kidney that she had bartered for with her marriage to him, crying out like a little child while she was in a feverish and catatonic state…

After Xiao Cheng’s passing, her sitting motionlessly by the window throughout the days and nights, not eating or drinking anything, not sleeping or resting, only fading away more and more each day like smoke…

Ou Chen tightly closes his eyes as he downs the drink in one gulp, letting it burn down his throat to his stomach. He wants so badly to stay by her side, to watch her eat, watch her study her scripts, watch her sleep… As long as he can see her everyday, he would give up everything for that kind of happiness.

But then, how much longer must he wrong her… Can he only grant her her freedom when she has nowhere else to go? And when she gets a little better, he then has to tightly hold onto her, not letting her live until she again experiences that same desperation?

Just like an evil curse.

Can he really let her go in the future… he doesn’t know if he can really do it.

*******

The night is getting later and later. Ou Chen has been buried in his files for some time now; only by completely immersing himself in his work can he temporarily forget his internal struggles. Standing up and grabbing his jacket, he looks outside to see that the sky is completely covered in stars. It’s already 10:30pm right now. By the time he gets back home, she will have already fallen fast asleep.

“Chairman!” His assistant hurriedly rushes to her feet as he walks out of the office.

Ou Chen is stunned as he halts his footsteps, not because of his assistant’s call but because he catches sight of a familiar person curled up on the lobby couch!

“Young Mistress arrived at about 6 o’clock and I wanted to inform you but Young Mistress didn’t want me to trouble you, so…”

On that black leather couch, Xia Mo is fast asleep, curled up like a little child. Her breathing is even and deep, a small smile seemingly playing on her lips as her hands are clasped around her front, as if having a sweet dream. Ou Chen crouches next to her and softly pokes at her hands and is shocked at the coldness of them!

“Why didn’t you cover her with a blanket? Even if you had no blanket, you should have immediately gone out to buy one!” Afraid of waking her from her slumber though, Ou Chen’s voice is only a low hiss.
“I…”

The assistant begins to tremble nervously. Because Xi Meng recently had to travel out of the country to take care of some business matters on the young chairman’s behalf, she was only recently transferred over here. She had heard that the young chairman greatly doted on his wife but never quite realized the extent…

“Get out!” Ou Chen is livid as he shrugs out of his own jacket and carefully covers Xia Mo with it. His movements are light and yet they cause her to slowly wake up. Since she had come specifically to wait for him, she had never actually fallen into too deep of a sleep.

“You’re off work!” Silently staring at him for a few seconds, her eyes are filled with exuberant happiness as she quickly struggles to sit up on the couch, one hand going to smooth her hair back down, awkwardly adding, “Oh, I fell asleep, didn’t I? I don’t know what’s going on but lately I’ve just been especially sleepy.”

Ou Chen tucks the jacket tightly around her, feeling her body slowly warm back up, his voice hoarse, “You’ll get a cold sleeping like this. Why are you here instead of going back home? If you came, why didn’t you have the assistant notify me instead of waiting for so long?”
” ‘Hua Jing’ finished filming today,” Xia Mo’s smile is radiant, “so I don’t have to go film anymore.”
Ou Chen stills. “You came, just to tell me this?”
“Yes. I can focus my time on staying at home and taking care of the baby, and I can also come see you all the time.” Her eyes are warm.
“Xia Mo…”
“It seems like it’s been forever since I’ve last seen you,” she lightly takes a hold of his hand, a flicker of light twinkling in her eyes like the outside stars, “the baby really misses you, and I… also really miss you.”
“Xia Mo…”

Ou Chen feels his heart slowly flood with warmth and then slowly freeze over with pain; doesn’t she know how much more difficult this makes things for him to finally decide? Watching her smile, he will again unconsciously become a demon to lock away all her freedom! Tearing his gaze away from that smile, the hoarseness of his throat makes him unable to continue speaking for a long time.

“I’m really hungry. Let’s eat dinner, okay?” Seeing no response from him, Xia Mo smiles lightly back although her heart is doing somersaults. Actually, she can guess what Ou Chen is feeling – she has hurt him too much in the past. In order to make up for that past hurt, it will probably take a lot more time.

She has time now. She will do everything in her power to make him happy.

“Okay, let’s go home.”

The instant that he hears she’s hungry, nothing else matters as Ou Chen takes out his phone to call Butler Shen to have dinner ready by the time they get home. However, Xia Mo actually stands up from the couch, pulling him upright also as she laughs in delight. “Let’s not eat at home tonight. Let’s go to Yun Nan Restaurant, okay? I really want to eat their roasted chicken, so tender and fresh – I haven’t eaten there in so long!”

They eat at Yun Nan Restaurant that night.

The red tables, the golden yellow lanterns, and the ancient uniforms of the wait staff while they quietly bring the dishes over to their table. There are no other customers surrounding them, as if it is only their world. The aroma of the chicken waft through the air along with their other food and she eats lustily, laughing at the same time while she tells him of funny stores from filming “Hua Jing”. He quietly listens to her, his adoring gaze never straying from her moving smile.

It is close to midnight by the time they return home. Ou Chen emerges from the car with her curled up in his arms, fast asleep. He carefully carries her up to the second floor, carefully placing her down on the bed, carefully changing her into her pajamas and then covering her with the comforter.

Xia Mo groggily shifts in her haze. As if struggling to stay awake, she grabs onto his hand although her eyes never open, as she sleepily murmurs to him, “Don’t go… I’ve been… wanting to see you…”

She holds onto his hand the entire night. Sleeping as deep as the princess in a fairy tale.

Ou Chen sits by her bedside as the moonlight falls across her face.

*******

After that night, the time that Ou Chen spends at home increases. Even if he needs to leave to attend meetings or deal with work matters, he would always hurry back home afterward.

The spring days are becoming more and more apparent as the weather becomes warmer. Xia Mo spends every day out in the gardens, watering the flowers, watching the rainbows that are created from the sun’s rays bouncing off the streaming water. Whenever a flower is in bloom, she would always excitedly pull Ou Chen outside to see, laughing with pride.

Whenever Ou Chen is at home, she spends the majority of her time with him, reading the newspaper with him, laughing over their childhood memories or even just slicing fruit for him. However, no matter what she says, he never allows her to pick up a knife and so ultimately he is the one who ends up actually cutting the fruit.

One day, Xia Mo is surprised to discover that Ou Chen has already prepared the baby’s room.

“It’s so cute…”

Pink curtains on the windows and pink wallpaper covering the walls, butterflies dangling above the baby crib with a generous amount of toys covering the room, and a white, fluffy rug lying on the floor. There are countless outfits hanging in the closet already, all soft pink and precious. There is a pink bath tub in the bathroom, pink baby toiletries and various shampoos and washes for babies. Even the diapers have been prepared and they are actually also a light pink.

Xia Mo can only stare at the room in amazement, this room that Ou Chen has painstakingly prepared somehow.

She suddenly laughs, slanting him a look. “But, are you really that sure that the baby is a girl? What do we do if it’s a boy? Make him use pink?”

Ou Chen chuckles, tugging on her hand to guide her to the room across the hallway.

Xia Mo is again taken aback. It is essentially the exact same room but now decorated in light blue instead. Light blue curtains on the windows, light blue wallpaper covering the walls, light blue sheets on the bed and a giant fluffy white rug on the floor. There are still countless baby clothes filling the closet, all for little boys. There is a blue bath tub in the bathroom, blue baby toiletries and various shampoos and washes, and even the light blue diapers.

“If it’s a boy, he’ll sleep in this room. If it’s a girl, she’ll sleep in that one.” Ou Chen smiles softly, his warm gaze falling to the bed, staring as if there is a newborn currently sleeping there, the obvious excitement in his eyes causing Xia Mo to reach out to grasp onto his hand.

“The rooms are amazing. You must have spent a lot of time preparing them.” These two rooms had originally been guest rooms; she wonders when he had had time to turn both of them into baby rooms.

“As long as you like them.” Seeing the happiness on her face, a warmth fills Ou Chen’s heart. In truth, he had actually prepared a lot more.
“I love it!” Xia Mo walks over to the closet and lovingly runs her hand over the various clothes. Thinking about it for a moment, she turns back around with a laugh. “But weren’t you in too big of a hurry? We’ll probably know what sex the baby is in a few days.”

In a few days…

Ou Chen’s eyes dim a little as his warm hand slowly turns cold.

*******

A month before the premiere of Asia’s biggest annual awards show, “Hua Jing” receives a nomination! Because of the massive publicity beforehand, Director Wu’s association, and the fact that this movie had brought back Luo Xi, the anticipation for this movie had greatly built up even before its release.

Even though Yin Xia Mo has the least drawing power, her past romance with Luo Xi but then marrying into the Ou family is enough to capture the public’s curiosity and interest.

But the excitement about “Hua Jing” only really starts after its official release.

The mix of its fantasy and realism, and how artfully those two things were combined to make such a touching story was beyond anyone’s imagination. The film was heartbreaking but then the ending also brought satisfied smiles to everyone’s faces. The audience was completely blown away by the chemistry between the two leads!

When it finally came time for announcing the nominations, “Hua Jing” unsurprisingly received the nod for Best Film, Best Director, Best Male Lead and Best Female Lead. When compared to the other qualified movies, the only one that even came close to “Hua Jing” is Luo Xi’s other movie that was filmed earlier that year.

Xia Mo actually has no time to think about this as she has begun to worry about Ou Chen.

He normally only stays in his office, the master bedroom or the living room; however, she has started to notice that after she heads off to bed, he will disappear off to another room on the first floor, staying there for a long time before resurfacing.

She hesitates for awhile before finally knocking on that door. When Ou Chen comes out and sees her, there is a brief moment of surprise and panic in his eyes.

She looks behind him into the room. “This is…”

Xia Mo takes a few hesitant steps into the room. It is actually completely prepared for a child to live in! Everything in the room is specifically for kids three years and up, cute stuffed animals sitting on top of the bed, sparkling hair clips carefully covering the dresser, books filling the shelves, and an open journal lying on the desk – it seems that Ou Chen had just been writing something into it.

Seeing Ou Chen quietly place the closed book away, Xia Mo feels unease creeping into her heart and then remembering the two baby rooms upstairs, she asks hesitantly, “This room is for a girl. Are you getting a room ready for a boy too?”

And in fact, she does find a boy’s room across the hallway. Everything is also prepared in that room; school supplies, clothes, toys, a little computer, children’s books and even a tiny bicycle.

“Ou Chen… why are you getting the rooms ready so soon? Is there something going on?”
“No reason, just that it makes me happy to do this.”

Ou Chen picks up one of the stuffed animals while he smiles lightly. Bit by bit, everything in these rooms has been personally prepared by him. Thinking of the baby being able to use everything in the future, his heart fills with joy and satisfaction.

She studies that smile carefully – and her eyebrows furrow.

There has to be something not quite right. Why is he in such a rush to get everything ready for the next four, five years before the baby is even born? Unless he…

Although there is no single imperfection in his perfect smile, there is a darkness in his eyes that does not disappear. Is it because she still hasn’t done enough, is it because he still minds her shared past with Luo Xi…

One day, Butler Shen passes onto her an invitation to the Annual Awards Ceremony while she is watering the plants in the living room. Seeing that flashy gold invitation, she thinks momentarily to herself and then asks Butler Shen whether Ou Chen has left yet.

“Young Master has not yet left.”
“Is he in the library or the bedroom?”
Pausing briefly, Butler Shen finally says, “I don’t believe either.”
“Huh?” Slightly startled, Xia Mo answers, “All right, I understand.”

Both the library and the bedroom show no signs of Ou Chen, the balcony also comes up empty, and he is in neither of the two baby rooms. Going back downstairs, Xia Mo comes upon a slightly opened door to one of the rooms at the end of the hallway.

Ou Chen sits by himself at the desk and appears to be writing a letter. He is writing very slowly, as if carefully mulling over every single word before committing it to paper. The afternoon sunlight sprays down upon his lonely figure, conveying a tepid and yet surprising sadness.

Xia Mo quietly watches him. Separated by that small distance, she suddenly seems to know to whom he is writing that letter and what its contents contain. She tightly clutches at her hands, her fingernails digging into her palms as a way of curtailing the biting pain in her heart. After waiting for some time, she lightly knocks on the door.

“May I come in?” Xia Mo’s voice is soft, only entering the room after seeing Ou Chen quickly tuck the letter away into a drawer. Acting as if she has seen nothing, she smiles lightly at him, “Are you free the night after tomorrow?”

“….?”

Ou Chen carefully guides her over to the bed to sit down. Her stomach is already protruding out but she still looks as beautiful as ever.

Xia Mo waves the gold invitation, exclaiming happily, “I was nominated for the Best Lead Actress award and the academy has asked me to attend the ceremony. Will you come with me?”
“Luo Xi is not going with you?”
“You’re my husband; I want you to come with me.” She grasps his hand, and sheepishly adds, “Although I probably won’t win, I want you to be at my side in case I do win.”
“….”

Ou Chen stares longingly at her and in that brief moment, he so badly wants to say yes to her, wants to be at her side, and witness her bask in her glory. But, since he has already made his decision,  any more hesitation will only add to the pain.

“That night… I am otherwise occupied already.” He quickly looks away from her.
“Can’t you change them?”
“I’m sorry.”
“… it’s okay… Besides, it’s not like I’ll win anyway…” She playfully swings his hand back and forth. “If I get another chance like this though, you have to come with me the next time, okay?”
“… okay.”

Ou Chen hoarsely agrees, his heart seizing with pain.

*******

With the upcoming awards ceremony quickly arriving, speculations and theories for who will emerge as winners that night increase in intensity.

The winner for Best Picture will either go to “Tian Xia Meng Shi” or “Hua Jing”. The amazing cinematography and writing of “Tian Xia Meng Shi” has made it the media’s new prize and has gained more favor than past films. “Hua Jing” has a newer style of filming and has earned rare praise for its modern take on production. Both movies have their own individual qualities although it seems that “Hua Jing” has earned more praise.

Speculation for Best Male Lead is the least debated as the splendid performances of both “Tian Xia Meng Shi” and “Hua Jing” has earned Luo Xi a double domination. Media believes that regardless of his performance for “Tian Xia Meng Shi” or “Hua Jing”, Luo Xi has already completed shed his former reputation of only being an actor with good looks as his acting has excelled beyond belief.

The buzz is mostly about who will win Best Female Lead. “Tian Xia Meng Shi” has Shen Qiang’s brilliant performance while “Hua Jing” has Yin Xia Mo’s breathtaking emotions. It is hard to differentiate between who is the more superior actress between the two. What is of most interest to the media though, is that each woman has her own ties with Luo Xi -

One is the rumored girlfriend of many years and although Luo Xi has never publicly  admitted to their relationship, she has nevertheless always appeared at his side.

One is the girlfriend whom Luo Xi publicly announced to the entire world, shared a sweet relationship with and then was suddenly rejected for a marriage into the wealthy. There is gossip that this news once made Luo Xi attempt suicide and to ultimately leave the entertainment world. In fact, his performance in “Hua Jing” is also only because of her.

Who exactly is Luo Xi’s soulmate, who exactly owns his heart now, who will ultimately win Best Female Lead and even who will be walking down the red carpet next to Luo Xi tonight – these are all the questions that everyone is talking about!

Under the public’s anticipation, the awards ceremony has finally arrived.

That afternoon, reporters have already flocked to the sight, their microphones and cameras ready on hand. Screaming fans crowd around the entrance, many of them already having lost their voices by the time the actors arrive for the event!

As the doors open wide and the red carpet is rolled out, the fans and reporters are blocked off by security and rope. As each actor passes through, the crazed fans scream their name and wave signs at them, cheering them on and pushing each other to get a closer view. Cameras flash repeatedly as reporters struggle to get the best shot. It is a sea of flashing bright lights and screaming people.

Yao Shu Er arrives with Cai Ni at her side, wearing a soft green dress with matching flower accessories in her hair. When fans cheer for her excitedly, she smiles in return and waves back at them. In the past year, she has officially made her way into the film industry, having completed two supporting roles. Although her scenes were not plentiful, she has received much positive praise for her performances.

Wei An is accompanied by an up and coming businessman, wearing her classic red and her neck adorned by a long black agate necklace. Although she has constantly been plagued  by gossip and scandal, her trendy songs and upfront personality have served to boost her popularity back up.

While the reporters interview the arrived actors, they anxiously await the arrivals of Luo Xi, Shen Qiang and Yin Xia Mo, tonight’s most anticipated three stars. Who will Luo Xi be accompanied by when he arrives for the ceremony?

*******

“The last awards ceremony we went to together, you won Best Newcomer. Tonight you’ll definitely win Best Female Lead.”

In the car, Pan Nan is full of confidence as she says this to Xia Mo. She was awed by Xia Mo’s performance in “Hua Jing”, and in her mind, that award belongs to no one else.

“Shen Qiang was really good and although I haven’t seen the other three nominees, I’ve heard that their reviews are raving too.” Xia Mo laughs as she studies Pan Nan. Her white prince outfit is adorned with a gold pin on the jacket lapel, and her long slim legs in white pants.

“I think your chances of winning Best Supporting Role is even bigger. I bought the DVD for “Hei Bai Dao” a few days ago, and the personality of Xiao Yu is really different from your own and yet it felt so real.” Xia Mo wholeheartedly believes that Pan Nan has a great future ahead of her; she is realistic and yet comes from an idol singer background. However, she has relentlessly worked at everything she has done and has already achieved pop star queen status in just a short year.

“Really? Hahaha!” Pan Nan breaks out into laughter. “Actually, I really want to win but after hearing your comments, I think I’ll be happy regardless!”

The limousine finally arrives at their destination. They pull into a parking garage reserves specifically for the attending actors, where they will then go to the official entrance to the ceremony. This spot is restricted from fans and reporters but when Pan Nan and Xia Mo step out of the car, they suddenly hear a rush of noise!

Four to five reporters are surrounding a figure wearing a purple dress, firing off question after question, their tones unfriendly and intrusive.

“Miss An, why would you be restricted access to the ceremony? Is it because you forgot your invitation?”
“There are reports that you’re facing bankruptcy and that you recently pawned off some old jewelry and clothing; is that true?”
“I heard that one of your affairs was discovered by your lover’s wife and that she publicly slapped you, causing him to break up with you; is that true?”
“If the academy didn’t invite you tonight, why are you still here?”
“…..”
“…..”

Each humiliating question being fired at that figure like a shot, Pan Nan and Xia Mo lock eyes with each other, already knowing who it is. And indeed, when the reporters catch sight of Pan Nan and Xia Mo standing off to the side, they make a rush for them, shoving that figure out of their way. They catch sight of that figure’s face and there is a crazed look on the carefully made face of An Hui Ni.

“Ms. Yin, aren’t you supposed to arrive with Luo Xi? Why are you here with Ms. Pan Nan?” Amidst the excited murmurs, Xia Mo is surprised to find Fang Jin Hua amongst the reporters.
“Do you believe you’ll receive Best Female Lead?”
“There are rumors that your marriage with Young Heir Ou Chen is currently on the rocks; what’s the situation now?”
“We’ve heard that Young Heir Ou Chen has changed over all of his share holdings into your name and that even the titles of his various homes are now under you. Did you know about this?” Fang Jin Hua watches Xia Mo, an unreadable expression in her eyes. It is as if she is not just explicitly asking as a reporter but because she wants her to know this.

Xia Mo’s heart freezes! Thinking back on Ou Chen’s recent strange behavior, she reflexively clutches at the phone in her wristlet. The phone is currently on silent mode, but she’ll able to sense it if it vibrates.

The reporters all share a look with each other at Fang Jin Hua’s words. Fang Jin Hua’s news has rarely been proven incorrect and they all huddle closer around Xia Mo.

“Is it true?!”
“Have you two already decided on a divorce, so you’re now splitting your assets?!”
“Does this have anything to do with Luo Xi?!”
“….”
“….”

As the reporters rush towards Xia Mo and Pan Nan protectively places Xia Mo behind herself, exclaiming loudly this area is off-limits to them, An Hui Ni suddenly shoves her way through the throng of people!

“Yin Xia Mo!”

An Hui Ni’s death glare narrows in on Xia Mo, her eyes filled with burning hatred. Silence quickly falls over the reporters as they wait to see the guaranteed fight explode between these two women. Xia Mo stares back at An Hui Ni, filled with a sense of foreboding. Every time she runs into An Hui Ni, something always has to happen.

Except that An Hui Ni is currently gnawing on her lip, her face alternating between red and white as her entire body suddenly starts to shake and tears start streaming down her face. “Yin Xia Mo, could you just let me go, please? Even though I was wrong in the past, please let me go! I beg you to not let Ou Chen blacklist me anymore; I still have a family to raise! My parents aren’t doing well, please don’t be so cruel to me, please give me another chance…?”

These devastated tears have the reporters dumbfounded and then they begin to hurriedly take pictures of the tear-stained An Hui Ni! What big news! Faded actor, An Hui Ni is actually begging her old rival, Yin Xia Mo, for mercy!

“Are you done messing around?” Pan Nan continues to stand in front of Xia Mo as she looks down at An Hui Ni. “What are you doing? Planning to use Xia Mo to get on the news? It’s always been you coming after her and now you’re finally getting your just desserts! And your acting just really sucks, your crying is absolutely fake!”

The reporters cannot help but chuckle.

An Hui Ni flares up in embarrassment, not knowing whether she should keep crying or not as her face freezes up.

“Wipe your tears.”

Holding a tissue out, Xia Mo’s voice is quiet but firm. “If you put this same amount of energy towards your acting, no one would be able to ruin your career.”

An Hui Ni stares dumbly at that tissue. Her shaking hand reaches out to grab the tissue from Yin Xia Mo’s hand when she suddenly slaps her hand away. “I have no chance! I don’t have a chance anymore! This is your fault! I will never forgive you! Ou Chen ruined me! He won’t even give me a sliver of hope! Yin Xia Mo! I swear I will get my revenge!!!”

In the commotion, security finally rushes over and drag the crazed An Hui Ni away and also escort the wayward reporters out. While being pulled away by security, An Hui Ni continues to scream and cry, even when she finally disappears from sight, her cries still echoing through the parking lot…

The Vampire Diaries S2.09 Recap

I had really high expectations for this episode (for the flashbacks!) so I was mildly disappointed that there weren’t actually as many scenes of Katherine’s past. But of course, even as a human, Katherine was just as manipulative and selfish as she is now as a bloodsucking fiend.

No new (T)VD until December 1 – and THAT’S the episode that looks really spectacular!

Poor Ian Somerhalder is really sick.

Elena & Katherine
Since her encounter with Elijah, Elena is now obsessed with finding out what exactly her connection to Katherine is and why exactly the oldest vampire in the history of time – Klaus – is looking for her now. Seeking Caroline’s help, Elena finds Katherine to learn more about her past with Klaus. While I understand Elena’s need to know more, it was probably still a rather reckless move to talk to Katherine, regardless of her being trapped inside the tomb and all. Now that Caroline is notorious for being the “Distractor” of all things, Elena enlists her aid in doing just that with Stefan as she knows he would never agree to the plan. As any sane, ex-but-not-really boyfriend would say.

After rotting in the tomb for a few days without any blood intake, Katherine’s not looking all too well and unsurprisingly, is not really forthcoming with the information when Elena asks. However, little snippets of blood quickly change her mind, and she ends up plopping herself down while divulging her past with Elena.

Apparently, Katerina couldn’t really keep it in the pants as a human either and she was disowned by her parents when she had a baby out of wedlock. The horror! Out on her own and penniless, Katerina ended up meeting a nobleman by the name of Klaus, who quickly took a liking to her. The feeling was reciprocated too – until she found out what he was, that is, and the real reason for why he was interested in her. I guess the whole needing to spill every single drop of her blood on a little moonstone wasn’t quite the romance that Katerina was expecting.

Hightailing it out of there and pursued by a long-haired Elijah and Trevor (EW…), Katerina ends up hiding in the forest. However, Trevor is able to snuff her out and as we know it already, saves her life by sending her off to find Rose while he leads Elijah on a merry chase in the opposite direction. Turns out that even back then, Trevor had a thing for the human Katerina, and hoped to save her life by running away with her (until she died??). However, Rose is understandably peeved about Trevor endangering the both of them for a mere Petrova doppleganger and always intended to give her back to Klaus.

When Katerina ends up trying to kill herself, Rose feeds her her blood so that she’ll heal. Unfortunately though, Katerina has actually been one step ahead of them this entire time and she then hangs herself with Rose’s blood in her system, thus sealing her fate. Trevor is horrified that his love is now the same as himself and Rose realizes that Katerina had simply been using them to save her own skin. Katerina apologizes although she’s not really sorry for what she has done – better they die than her after all.

Bonnie & Jeremy
I don’t care that Bonnie’s older and that Jeremy used to be a tool (because he isn’t anymore) – I am a total fan of this pairing! They are SO cute! And if Luka messes it up (and damn it, it looks like he’s going to have an unfair advantage over Jeremy), I’m going to be annoyed… ^_^

Jeremy casually invites Bonnie to hang out at the Mystic Grill after school and although Bonnie is initially kind of wigged – “you are Elena’s little brother” – she ends up agreeing to it. However, this is when new student, Luka, appears out of nowhere and asks for directions to the school office. Jeremy is all sorts of helpful while Bonnie just gawks and stares at Luka like he’s a new spellbook.

And since Mystic Grill is apparently the only restaurant in the entire Mystic Falls, guess who Bonnie ends up running into when she goes to meet Jeremy? She makes small chat with Luka and his dad but then her radar lights up when Luka’s dad nonchalantly asks whether her ancestors come from Salem. Everything goes on red alert though, when she ends up patting Luka lightly on the shoulder and a frisson of awareness passes through her.

Things seem to progressing smoothly for Jeremy and Bonnie until Luka ends up approaching her on the side. Bonnie flinches and is now wary of him – until he waves his hand and floats salt off the table. Fascinated and intrigued, Bonnie realizes that Luka is actually just like her. Luka apologizes for his dad’s abruptness earlier but they just want to fit in at Mystic Falls. Hopefully, this will prove to Bonnie that they can be trusted.

Moments later, a smiling Jeremy turns to find Bonnie and sees the two deeply engaged in conversation. Laughing self-deprecatingly to himself, Jeremy ends up grabbing his things and leaving. NOOOO!! I hate warlocks.

Damon & Rose
Trying to learn more about the moonstone and the origins of the Petrova curse, Damon accompanies Rose to find an old friend of hers (whose name I unfortunately cannot remember…). Given his eternal lifespan, he’s had time to acquire an assortment of degrees over the years – he was also the friend who helped her get in touch with Elijah.

The three hold their secret meeting in a cafe with gigantic windows in broad daylight (the double-paned, tinted windows block out the UV rays of the sun). Damon realizes that the only reason the Originals are attempting to break the curse is because whoever does it first curses the other species forever. Meaning that if the vampires break the curse first, then werewolves will forever be damned to only shift on a full moon. And if werewolves break the curse first, vampires will never be able to walk in the sun without a daylight pass.

Unbeknownst to our trio though, Elijah is carefully stalking them outside on the sidewalk as he plays carelessly with a handful of coins. When the conversation finally turns to what exactly needs to be done in order to save Elena though, Elijah casually tosses the coins towards the cafe – and the windows completely shatter, letting the full brunt of the light inside. Rose and her friend start sizzling in pain but when Damon looks outside, there is no longer anyone standing there.

“We’re dead! We’re all dead!”

While the other friend quickly escapes, Damon saves Rose who starts crying and screaming at him. Most likely partly out of sympathy and partly not knowing what to do with a hysterical female in his arms, Damon quickly bundles her into the car and heads back to the mansion.

Calming down, Rose tells him that he should know that Elena is doomed. Klaus always gets what he wants and nothing will ever stop him – and then she tells him that he’s right in turning off his feelings for Elena. It won’t allow him to get hurt. When Damon calls her out on her feelings for Trevor, the two end up sharing a glance.

“I’ll turn off the switch if you do it too.”

And in a paltry attempt for both of them to forget whom they truly love, Damon and Rose end up finding comfort in each other’s arms.

Elena
Although Caroline is good with the distraction by spilling to Stefan about Tyler knowing her secret, it doesn’t take him long to figure out that she’s doing what she does best – babbling. Stefan knows that it has something to do with Elena though and tries to get Caroline to spill the truth but she holds firm to her promise to Elena.

Meanwhile, the bad news just keeps rolling for Elena as Katherine tells her that breaking the curse doesn’t just require a Petrova doppleganger and the moonstone. It also requires a werewolf (Tyler), a witch (Bonnie), and a vampire (Caroline). They all have to be sacrificed. And nothing will stop Klaus from getting his hands on Elena now that he knows about her existence. Oh, and by the way – although Katherine saved herself by becoming a vampire, Klaus ended up killing her entire family as vengeance for her getting away. Just something to think about…

Stefan has arrived by this time, realizing that the only thing that would cause such a tizzy with Caroline would be Elena meeting with Katherine. He urges Elena to not believe Katherine but it is clear that even he himself, has doubts. Katherine smugly reminds him that she is the safest out of them all. Because when Klaus comes to slaughter everyone, she’ll be snug in her little tomb since no vampire would enter for fear of never getting out.

“I’ll be the safest, psychotic bitch in Mystic Falls.”

Elijah
Rose’s friend ends up calling her to tell her that he did find a way to break the curse without killing Elena – but that they’ll need the moonstone. Damon says he’ll be able to get it back but when the friend hangs up, Elijah is standing behind him, monitoring his every word. Elijah praises him for his excellent acting, to which the vampire numbly asks him how it is possible that Elijah can compel him.

“I am special, after all.”

Elijah then tells the vampire to stake himself and after a moment’s hesitation, he drives the stake through his own heart. As Elijah stands over the now rotting body of Rose’s friend, Luka’s dad emerges from around the corner.

“Now was that really necessary?”

Comments:
I knew it! There was just something really fishy about Luka’s dad – and Luka, but I suppose we’ll have to see – and now it looks like he’s in cahoots with one of the Originals. It’s a bit troubling that Elijah is so powerful and omniscient when he’s really just a lackey of Klaus… And also makes me wonder who they’re going to get to play Klaus… I would love to see one of the old Buffy crew get the role, like David Boreanaz  (although highly doubtful since he has his own show) or James Marster…

Loved the budding friendship between Stefan and Caroline! And how cute was it that he likened Caroline to Lexie (whom I had thought was AWESOME). Things are definitely not looking so great for Elena though, now that it’s painstakingly obvious that she’s not the only one who’s in danger. I’m really curious as to how Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec are going to write the story out because all the people that were mentioned – Bonnie, Caroline, Tyler (why would Elena mention him, out of all people??), Jeremy – it would be awful if any of them died.

The ending scene between Elena and Stefan made me cry alongside Elena… But the hug between the two of them totally made my day. I love Stefan. Well, I love Damon too but I love Stefan just as much and I feel like he’s always neglected by fans. Stefan is all sorts of awesome too, case closed.

The Vampire Diaries S2.08 Review

Since I’m late on this recap, I’m not going to write a detailed summary like I normally do. Instead, I’ll just highlight some of the significant/my favorite scenes and give a quick commentary on them.

Two week’s ago, Paul Wesley made me cry like a complete baby at the end of the episode. Two week’s later, it is Ian Somerhalder’s heartbreaking confession that does it for me. These two men can ACT.

Stefan and Damon team up together to save Elena after she is kidnapped by two new vampires, Trevor and Rose. You know, for naming the episode after her, Rose didn’t seem to have as big of a role in the whole episode as I thought she would. I mean, she wasn’t even The Big Bad Vampire. Kind of disappointed.

Elena, being one of the Petrova dopplegangers (what exactly does this MEAN???), is actually the key to breaking the sun and moon curse. While the moonstone actually binds the curse, a sacrifice is needed in order to break it. Hence, it is Elena who must die in order to break the curse.

Some hundreds of years ago, Katherine – or Katerina Petrova, as is her real name – was the original Petrova doppleganger. Trevor was initially sent to kill her but for some strange reason, spared her and helped her to run away. Because of that, he and Rose have been on the run from the Originals, the vampires whom Trevor had served.

Elijah, one of the said Originals, comes to collect Elena. His surprise and delight at seeing another Petrova doppleganger is obvious and it appears that her being human is an even better surprise. While Rose is able to secure her freedom from Elijah, he ends up knocking Trevor’s head off. Blood spurts everywhere in a pretty spray.

Damon learns that Stefan has been drinking some human blood every day, and it is Elena’s, to boot. Awkward silence follows.

Stefan and Damon successfully save Elena, and the pure joy on Damon’s face as Elena descends down the stairs to him is palpable. Except – she’s really running to hug Stefan although she does lock eyes with him, mouthing “thank you”. Damon’s smile is bittersweet and he mouths “you’re welcome” back to her.

Serious (and CUTE) vibes between Jeremy and Bonnie all episode long, as Jeremy stays with her while she casts a spell to send a message to Elena while she is kidnapped. It is clear that the spells are starting to take a toll on Bonnie though and she implores Jeremy to keep it a secret for her. Jeremy promises her that he will – meaningful glances abound!

Budding vibes between Tyler and Caroline too, as Tyler learns of Caroline’s secret. He is actually overjoyed to be able to share his secret with someone else as he worries about the next full moon. Caroline tells him that she will be there for him and he doesn’t need to worry about being alone now.

But the kicker scene for me in this entire episode – and all Delena shippers, I’m sure – is the ending scene, in which Damon visits Elena to return her necklace to her. Elena is instantly wary though – why does Damon need to say something with her necklace? Because, Damon responds, this is probably the most selfish thing he has ever said in his life…

“I love you, Elena. And it is because I love you that I can’t be selfish with you. I don’t deserve you. But my brother does.”

As Elena’s eyes widen at Damon’s confession, he places a gentle kiss on her forehead, whispering that he wishes she didn’t have to forget – but she has to. And when Elena comes to again, she finds herself alone in her room, necklace securely clasped around her neck.

And to show just how powerful the Originals really are, we see Elijah, having been staked to the wall by Damon, come back to life as he angrily rips the wood out of his chest.

The Vampire Diaries S2.07 Recap

Wow, major twist in the middle of the episode where I literally screamed and jumped up in my chair. Some things I saw coming but I have to admit that I was surprised by the ending – not the last few minutes per se but the general outcome of the plan to Kill Kat.

On another side note – I know I’m massively behind on Summer’s Desire (I’m sorry!) but I’m trying to finish my bigger research papers before I actually sit down to work on that translation. VD recaps are a much quicker task, which is why I’m still regularly updating them.

Katherine
Since getting Jenna to gut herself was apparently not enough to appease Katherine, she threatens Caroline to pass a message onto Stefan and Damon – give her the moonstone or else Mystic Falls will rain blood.  At the masquerade party tonight.

Damon’s just itching for a chance to have a go at Katherine and after losing Elena, Stefan’s right on that train too. The two Salvatore brothers plot to take Katherine down at the party and enlist everyone’s help (except for Elena, who is being kept out of it for her own safety). Alaric is tasked to teach the men how to use his awesome weaponry, Caroline stands off to the side and watches initially, while Bonnie brings in her Wiccan powers to the mix. I was kind of missing Elena’s presence in the middle of the action – I mean, even Jeremy is part of the gang now! – but it was neat to watch the other girls get a little more involvement with the boys’ plan.

Katherine also readies herself for the party, purposely straightening her hair to look exactly like Elena’s. A mysterious friend visits Katherine in her room – Lucy – and Katherine reminds her that she has a debt to pay. And she also a date to this masquerade party.

Conveniently, the first person Katherine runs into at the party is Matt, who is confused at “Elena’s” appearance after just telling him that she wasn’t going to attend. Katherine can’t seem to stop gushing on how hot Matt is (SO weird…) but then reminds him again what he is tasked to do. Falling under compulsion again, Matt blankly repeats that he will get Tyler drunk, go after him, and he won’t stop until Tyler kills him.

The Plan
As everyone is charged with different responsibilities, Bonnie is left to cast the trapping spell for Katherine. Jeremy runs interference for her and seems to be the general errand/messenger/odds-and-ends guy for the group.

Katherine spies Stefan across the room and haughtily demands a dance from him. Stefan ultimately grants Katherine a dance when she asks him whom she should kill instead then. While dancing, Katherine again asks Stefan for the moonstone. When he answers that he would only give it back to her under his terms, Katherine smirks as one of Tyler’s friends runs up to her to compliment her on her outfit. Leaving Stefan’s side to fix the girl’s necklace from the back, Katherine shoves her fist into the girl’s spine.

“Paralyzed from the waist down. And now dead.”

Leaving the dead girl in Stefan’s arms, Katherine warns him again that she will not wait any longer for the moonstone.

When Jeremy approaches Katherine with a message from Damon and Stefan, she ends up attacking Caroline in a bid to find out what exactly the two brothers are planning. Caroline tries to keep mum but since she kind of has a complex with Katherine – I suppose I would too if the crazy had killed me – she ends up spilling details of the “Kill Kat” plan. Katherine learns that the moonstone is actually with Bonnie, who’s upstairs in another room, and so drags Caroline with her.

“I did it! I actually did it!”

However, the instant that Katherine steps across the threshold, Caroline breathes a huge sigh of relief as she starts giggling. It turns out that our intrepid little blonde was faking the entire thing as her role all along was to serve as bait for Katherine. With Bonnie’s trapping spell in place, Katherine can no longer leave the room – as Stefan and Damon emerge from their hiding spots.

Meanwhile, Elena has caught wind of the plan from a guilty-looking Alaric (gotta work on your poker face there, Ric!) and sneaks out to the masquerade party to find out just what the heck is going on. Spying Jeremy talking to Katherine earlier, she pulls him behind the bushes and learns that everyone is here to kill Katherine. Elena is not pleased.

Katherine scoffs at Stefan and Damon’s ploy to kill her but she is taken by surprise when Damon launches a stake into her back – and from outside, Elena screams in pain as blood begins to spread on HER back. Jeremy and Bonnie start freaking out as both Stefan and Damon begin to fight Katherine. Being the older one, Katherine holds her own but for every stab that she sustains on her own body, the exact same wound appears on Elena.

Bonnie finally realizes that whatever is happening to Katherine must be happening to Elena too, and she yells at Jeremy to stop Damon and Stefan. Hauling butt to get there, Jeremy finds them right as Stefan has Katherine on the ground and Damon is preparing to thrust a stake through her heart. Both brothers are horrified when Jeremy tells them that there is some physical connection between Katherine and Elena right now and if they kill Katherine, they’ll kill Elena too.

Now stuck at an impasse – Stefan and Damon can’t really leave the room either – Katherine proceeds to provoke and taunt both Salvatores as she mercilessly/annoyingly proclaims her undying love for Stefan while ignoring Damon. The one who didn’t love her enough and the one who loved her too much.

“Doesn’t it bother you that Damon’s in love with your girlfriend??”

Both brothers refuse to rise to her bait – although Damon briefly falters and has to be stopped by Stefan – and Katherine can only whine about how everyone is always just concerned about poor, little Elena.

Matt, Tyler, & Caroline
Matt’s doing a pretty good job trying to provoke Tyler into killing him, when the former begins to taunt the latter with the knowledge of his dead dad being a douche. Trying to get a rise out of Tyler, Matt destroys the frame of his dad’s picture and then starts wailing in on him. Tyler is struggling to hold onto his temper but it’s obvious that it’s a struggle for him. Luckily, Caroline hears the commotion from downstairs and rushes upstairs, jabbing an elbow into Matt’s face when she realizes what’s wrong with him.

Tyler is still reeling from seeing the usually dainty Caroline take down Matt when the second girl – the same girl whom Tyler had previously almost killed when they were struggling for the moonstone – chanting to herself that she cannot fail if Matt fails… Grabbing a letter opener off the desk, she lunges at Tyler, stabbing him in the shoulder. Reacting instinctively, Tyler throws her off and she slams her head against the desk, falling motionlessly to the ground. And we now have our second Lockwood werewolf.

Bonnie & Lucy
Realizing that the spell connecting Elena and Katherine must have been cast by the second witch she saw earlier, Bonnie demands that she undo the spell on Elena. During their confrontation, the two witches end up touching each other and Lucy reassures Bonnie that she knows she can be trusted – so give her the moonstone.

Lucy walks into the room where Katherine is trapped and says the spell is broken. Before handing the moonstone over to Katherine though, Lucy is sure to get her word that once she hands it over, her debt is paid in full. She owes Katherine nothing. Katherine hurriedly says yes and holds her hand out – but when Lucy drops the moonstone in her hand, Katherine is instantly consumed in pain and she falls to the ground, writing in agony before finally passing out.

Elena
Stefan rushes to find Elena, elated that she is okay now and that Katherine has finally been taken care of – which means that they can be together again. But Elena actually calls a great big halt to his joy for while she still definitely wants to be with him, she needs to make sure that the people she cares about are safe. Can he understand that? Seeing Elena’s mind made up, Stefan has no choice but to temporarily accept this decision.

Katherine wakes up to find herself trapped in the very same tomb underneath Fell’s Church, moonstone in hand. As Damon prepares to close the door on her, Katherine tells him that Elena is in danger. She’s the doppleganger; why else wouldn’t she have killed her already? Katherine exclaims that Elena needs to be protected and Damon, believing that Katherine is lying yet again, promises that he’ll protect Elena. He seals the door shut with a finality as Katherine screams at him in frustration.

Walking back to her car by herself (Stefan, why the HECK would you not accompany her?!), Elena is accosted by a masked figure – the same figure who had watched Katherine when she first walked into the party – and is taken away.

Comments:
Loved this episode! The part where it became apparent that Katherine and Elena were physically connected really threw me as I didn’t realize at first that it was due to a spell and not because of another reason altogether. I’m kind of bummed that Elena and Stefan didn’t get back together right away but I guess I can kind of understand where Elena is coming from… It is kind of traumatic to watch your aunt stab yourself.

I do have to say though, when Katherine first became a more regularly-occurring character on the show, I couldn’t quite differentiate Nina’s acting as her from Elena because they actually seemed pretty similar. However, I think Nina did a great job as Katherine last night – especially when she was fighting with Damon and her face was sneered up at him – and I definitely saw more apparent differences as the series progressed from the premiere.

OMG, this episode was so good and yet so sad at the same time… I know, that makes absolutely no sense but I was on pins and needles for a solid two hours before the damn thing even started because I kept getting tweets about it from people watching on the east coast. It made me want to live on the east coast just so I could watch VD a whole three hours faster… ^_^ I’m such a sucker. Was that a pun??

Elena/Katherine
Wow, the beginning was hot as we start with our favorite couple (unless you’re a Delena shipper, that is) flirting deliciously in Elena’s bed – and then segue back and forth with Katherine’s passionate scene with Mason. Nina Dobrev has SUCH a hard job, folks… Getting paid thousands per episode to kiss such hotty guys… Someone’s got to do it, right??

Elena feels kind of bad about sneaking around behind everyone’s backs but it’s pretty obvious – and mildly hilarious – that Stefan has no such qualms about it. She briefly worries what will happen if Katherine were to find out about their fake breakup but then is instantly distracted again…

Katherine wants the moonstone STAT from Mason but he candidly replies that he doesn’t trust anyone; however, since he loves her and everything, he promises to come by again later that night with it. Until then, it is safe in its secret hiding place.

“What happens when I give you the moonstone?”
“We live happily ever after, of course.”

Mason
Believing that he’s incredibly on top of his game right now, imagine Mason’s surprise when he arrives at the decorating party for the upcoming masquerade ball and sees a nonchalant Stefan working. Stefan casually greets him, informing him that Sheriff Forbes is fine and well but oh look, now he’ll have to find someone else to do his dirty work for him. Who would have thought that Stefan could be sarcastic??

Damon is even more determined than ever to grill Mason now, especially after being informed by Jeremy about the curse and the moonstone. That purpose is further cemented when Bonnie unwittingly brushes up against Mason and informs Stefan that she had seen him kissing “Elena”. The Salvatore brothers approach Bonnie for her help in subduing Mason, Damon being his usual charming self and Stefan editing his brother’s words. Although initially unwilling, Bonnie changes her mind when Damon rephrases his request – Mason’s the bad guy here and does she want to help Elena or not?!

Bonnie grudgingly acquiesces and uses her Wicca powers on Mason to temporarily knock him out so that Damon can take him back to the Salvatore mansion. Surprisingly, Bonnie deals rather well with knowing that Damon is probably not going to serve Mason a cup of tea while asking him for information. Before she leaves though, she mentally searches Mason’s mind to try to find the location of the moonstone, texting Stefan afterward. She runs into Caroline on her way out and although Bonnie isn’t quite sure how to deal with her fledgling vampire friend, she ends up letting Caroline accompany her back to the Lockwood property.

The Moonstone
Now knowing the location of the moonstone, Stefan sneaks away to the old well at the edge of the Lockwood property. Uneasy with not knowing what the heck is going on with everyone, Elena follows him there. Although worried about Elena’s presence, Stefan urges her to wait for him while he jumps into the well – filled with vervain. OMFG. As the vervain slowly begins to eat at his body, Stefan screams for Elena.

Luckily, Caroline hears Elena’s screams and she quickly helps Elena get down into the well. Saving Stefan first – who looked like he was melting – Elena starts fishing around in the vervain to find the moonstone. She spies the floating device attached to the box, pulling it out – and is then attacked by SNAKES. I swear, VD is going to give me a heart attack by the time this episode is over… Shrieking and furiously throwing them off, she continues to drag at chained box, before yelling at Caroline to pull her back up.

Damon
Mid-torturing Mason for information about Katherine and the moonstone, Damon is interrupted by Jeremy, who comes bearing more information – and wolfsbane (which is a werewolf’s version of vervain). Armed with a new weapon now, Damon uses the wolfsbane on Mason as Jeremy grimly watches. However, Jeremy tries to save Mason when Damon finally realizes that he has given up everything he knows.

“It’s kill or be killed! So you either suck it up or leave!”

When Jeremy stalks out of the room, Damon briefly commiserates with Mason – he knows what it’s like to love Katherine. In fact, he even understands that he and Mason are actually a lot alike. However, Katherine will eventually rip his heart out – so why doesn’t Damon just do it for her? And so he does. Literally.

Returning with the moonstone, Stefan comes upon Damon as he’s rolling Mason’s body up. Spying Mason’s phone, Damon is unable to resist the opportunity to call and taunt Katherine, although Stefan urges him against doing so. Infuriated that Damon actually got one over her, Katherine then tells him that he is sadly mistaken if he thinks she doesn’t have a Plan B. And a Plan C, and a Plan D… but he knows how the alphabet goes, right?

Aunt Jenna
Elena returns home to find Aunt Jenna and Alaric preparing dinner. BTW, how cute are Jenna and Alaric?? When Aunt Jenna hands Elena the phone though, she is stunned to hear Katherine’s smug voice on the other end. As Alaric watches the color drain from Elena’s face, Katherine tells her that she’s known all along that the fight with Stefan had been staged… how easy it was to get inside her house the first time… and how easy it was to switch Aunt Jenna’s vervain-filled perfume… and that she’s had another spy all this time…

As Katherine’s words register in Elena’s mind, she looks over at Aunt Jenna who has blankly started to fondle the knife in her hand. Dropping the phone and screaming Aunt Jenna’s name, both Elena and Alaric watch in horror as Aunt Jenna plunges the knife into herself.

Rushing to the hospital, Jeremy comforts Elena as they anxiously wait for the news. Luckily, Aunt Jenna is going to make it but it seems that Katherine has finally and truly gotten to Elena.

“She’s going to pay, Elena. I don’t know how, but she’s going to pay.”

Elena & Stefan
Elena goes to Stefan afterward, who has already heard the news, and the mood is somber and tense as they both know what’s going to happen now. Stefan apologizes for not realizing that Katherine would have already gotten to Jenna but Elena says that it’s her fault; she was too selfish in thinking that she could still be with him when Katherine had made it clear that she will go after anyone in retaliation.

“I know what you’re going to say…”
“Then let me say it. It’s over, Stefan. It has to be.”

As tears start running down Stefan’s face – and mine!! – Elena again tells him how much she loves him, and how she knows how much he loves her… Stefan fervently shakes his head in denial but Elena’s mind is made up and she kisses him one last time before running out of the room, leaving a devastated Stefan.

Damon stops her on her way out, and torment is apparent on his face too as he apologizes for taunting and provoking Katherine. It he hadn’t done so, she wouldn’t have gone after Jenna…

“It doesn’t matter anymore, Damon. She got her way. Katherine won.”

Katherine
And as if we didn’t hate this bitch enough already, we see her compelling someone that she needs a werewolf and since the one she had is gone, well… she’ll just have to get another one. Matt dumbly nods his acknowledgement as Katherine again asks him what he is tasked to do.

“I’m going to go after Tyler. And I won’t stop. Until he kills me.”

Comments:
I can’t believe it. I’m numbed. I’m saddened. I’m angry! And I am praying for the day that Katherine dies a horrible and awful death because I HATE HER WITH A FIERY PASSION. And seeing Stefan cry was quite possibly the saddest thing I’ve ever seen on VD… I mean, even more than the first time that Elena broke up with him after finding out about his true nature.

I forgot to talk about the awesomeness of Caroline in this episode too, who had an amazing mother-daughter moment with Sheriff Forbes. Unfortunately, while Sheriff Forbes promised Caroline that she would never hurt her, Caroline knew that her mom would never trust Damon and Stefan. And even as it pained her to do so, Caroline ultimately ended up compelling her mom’s memories away, promising her that everything would go back to the way it was…

It totally looks like VD is going to kill Matt off. Which actually makes me think that they’re NOT going to because it’s too obvious. ^_^

The Vampire Diaries S2.05 Recap

Yea!! Compared to last week’s semi-lackluster episode, this one definitely shined and moved the story a lot further than before. We had some sweet moments peppered throughout the episode – Elena actually got screentime with our two leading men – and we also had our share of tension-filled scenes to remind us that it ain’t all love and roses in Mystic Falls.

Mason
Finally coming clean to his nephew about the Lockwood curse, Mason tells Tyler of how he accidentally killed his best friend a year ago in self-defense, triggering the curse. However, Tyler is still wary of his uncle’s true motive for coming back to Mystic Falls and continues to hide the moonstone (which we still know nothing about!) from him.

In a bid to establish a truce between Mason, Stefan approaches him at the opening event of a new park in Mystic Falls and apologizes for Damon’s rash actions. Mason isn’t having any of it though, warning Stefan to tell his brother to watch his back. However, Stefan is no pushover either, and he casually remarks that there are two of them and only one Mason… And oh yeah, they probably only have to worry about him when it’s a full moon, right?? Recognizing the truth in Stefan’s words, Mason tersely agrees to a truce but Stefan – and Damon – are clearly aware that Mason is not planning on letting the Salvatore brothers off the hook.

“Oh, I believe that the first chance Mason Lockwood gets, he’s going to put a stake through your heart. And then he’s going to put it through mine.”

However, it turns out that Mason actually likes to get other people to do his dirty work for him as he instantly coddles up to Sheriff Forbes and rats out the truth about Damon and Stefan. Of course, Sheriff Forbes is initially unbelieving – they can’t be vampires when they walk in the daylight! Additionally, Damon Salvatore is her friend and has been a great ally to the Council. But Mason’s urgent insistence eventually convinces her to at least let him prove it to her. But how?

Stefan & Elena
Meanwhile, Stefan and Elena have been successfully keeping up the ruse of their “rocky relationship” in front of Caroline and Damon. Although it is clear that Caroline is clearly feeling guilty for planting the seeds of doubt in Elena’s mind about Stefan, she continues to keep mum about working with Katherine. On the other hand, Damon is not so sure that Stefan and Elena are truly fighting, and wonders what exactly the two are conspiring.

“What’s with the faux drama in your relationship? You and Elena don’t fight. Especially not about me.”

I have to say, even though their public fight was staged just for Caroline’s benefit, it was so random when Stefan suddenly pulled Damon into the conversation. I think Elena was momentarily taken off guard too because there was definitely a slight widening of the eyes as she had stared back at Stefan.

Jeremy & Tyler
Keeping to her promise to no longer keep secrets from Jeremy, Elena has been updating him on the Lockwood family although it is on the condition that he not get involved. However, Jeremy is also a stubborn and pigheaded mule, and purposely gets closer to Tyler to grill him. Surprisingly, Tyler ends up spilling his guts to Jeremy in a rather heartfelt conversation – does anyone else see the beginnings of an awesome bromance here?? – even pulling out the moonstone to show Jeremy. Unfortunately though, their two drunk lady friends decide that this is the opportune moment to sneak in on the private conversation and one of them grabs the moonstone from Jeremy’s hand in jest.

Exasperated, Tyler chases after her and the two jokingly (not so much on Tyler’s part) struggle for the moonstone on the stairs. Of course, Tyler gets the moonstone back but then in a moment of carelessness, the girl goes careening down the stairs, slamming her head against the hardwood floor, much the same way Mason’s best friend had one year ago. As Tyler stares down at her still body in horror, the girl’s friend begins screaming and Jeremy catches Tyler’s widening eyes, their expressions mirroring the other… And then the supposed dead girl bursts out into crazed laughter, giddy from having fooled all of them. Both Jeremy and Tyler collectively let out their breaths in relief.

Damon & Stefan
True to his word, Mason ends up spiking the kids’ lemonade with vervain and Sheriff Forbes watches in grim shock as Damon instantly spits it back out, his throat burning. Understandably, Damon is livid and swears that Mason Lockwood is dead now. Although Stefan isn’t pleased, he understands that Mason has turned into a liability now and he could possibly expose them to the town. Uh, he’s one step of you, fellows.

Stalking Mason into the woods, the Salvatore brothers have him cornered and are getting ready to pounce – when they are suddenly riddled with wooden bullets. It is Sheriff Forbes and two of her men, who had been lying in wait for Mason to spring the trap on Damon and Stefan. Injecting them both with vervain, Sheriff Forbes takes Damon and Stefan to the Lockwood’s old dungeon to get information from them – i.e., torture them until they give her what she wants.

Luckily, Caroline had heard everything going down, and she and Elena follow into the woods to find Damon and Stefan. The girls come upon Mason leaving the dungeon, and he taunts Caroline with the truth of her nature – does her mom even know what she is? Grabbing Elena and threatening to snap her neck, Mason tells Caroline that she wouldn’t even be able to take him on before he killed Elena. Uh, did I miss the memo that Mason was actually a snitch AND a psychotic one at that?? But Caroline does take him on and it is SO satisfying watching her whale in on him and then kneeing him in the balls. You go, girl!

Elena rushes into the dungeon to save Damon and Stefan but Caroline hesitates, not wanting her mom to find out about her. When Sheriff Forbes questions Elena on who else is with her, Caroline runs in with vampyric speed, killing and dispatching the two deputies with her mom. Sheriff Forbes watches her daughter in horror, blood now covering Caroline’s face.

“Hi Mom.”

Damon recovers by drinking the blood of the dead policemen while Stefan waits out the effects of the vervain. Sheriff Forbes numbly sits there, trying to process what has just happened. A scared Caroline asks her mom if she’ll keep their secret for them – otherwise, Damon WILL kill her. For a split second, it looks like Damon will kill Sheriff Forbes – and considering the fact that she was just shooting wooden bullets into his kneecaps a moment earlier, you kind of can’t blame him. I mean, he’s killed people for much less – and then tells her that she’s his friend. And he’s not going to kill her.

They decide to wait for the vervain to pass through Sheriff Forbes’ system so that Damon can erase her memory and she agrees. However, she later bitingly tells Damon that she doesn’t want to see Caroline – her daughter is dead to her. Sadly, Caroline is standing right outside the door, listening to the entire conversation.

Caroline finally comes clean to Elena about her involvement with Katherine, apologizing for being a bad friend to her and Stefan. But Katherine had threatened to hurt Matt, and Caroline is just so scared of her… Elena understands Caroline’s reasons and forgives her, the two friends bonding.

Elena
Unfortunately though, Elena and Stefan end up fighting for real when she sees him holding a bag of human blood. Stefan is insistent, telling her that he cannot protect her when he is so weak. If he starts drinking a little human blood every day, perhaps he can learn how to control it and he’ll be stronger than Katherine. Disappointed and angry, Elena stalks out of the house when she comes upon Damon. She pauses when he tells her that Stefan didn’t drink the “people blood” – although he should be learning how to control the cravings and deep down inside, she knows it too. Elena acknowledges Damon’s remark and then stops again.

“What you did today for Caroline’s mom… that was the Damon who was my friend.”

I sense a softening of Elena towards Damon again… And how sweet was the moment when happiness flickered across his face at her words??

Elena walks back into Stefan’s words, asking him again if he thinks that he can control the cravings. Stefan’s not sure himself but he needs to at least try. Otherwise, he will never know. And so Elena picks up a letter opener, slicing her palm open and offering the pooling blood to him.

“You and me, Stefan. We’re in this together.”

And as Stefan looks into Elena’s eyes, he takes her palm and drinks a taste of her. She wordlessly watches as his face momentarily changes into vampire and then shifts back, letting go of her hand. A new kind of gleam has entered Stefan’s eyes now and as Elena gently caresses his face, Stefan leans in to passionately kiss her.

Mason
Shaken by nearly killing a girl, Tyler tells his uncle of that day’s event – how for a brief moment, he had hoped that she wouldn’t wake up again – and how he never wants to feel that way again. And so Tyler hands the moonstone over to Mason.

Late that night, Mason meets up with someone in the forest – and it turns out to be Katherine.

“You got the moonstone back.”

And we flash back to that memory of a year ago, as Mason stares down at his dead friend in shock. Katherine comes running out to him, and he grabs her in a hug, shaking and near having a full-on panic attack. Katherine hugs him back, whispering comfortingly, as she smiles down at the dead human smugly.

Comments:
Woah, totally didn’t see that one coming! Mason in cahoots with Katherine?! Geez, that girl sure gets around… And here I thought he was going to be one of the good guys… Although, maybe he is a good guy who is dearly misguided now (sort of like Damon).

Loved the brief moment of Damon and Elena in this episode! And in a creepy sort of way, loved the sweetness between Elena and Stefan when she offered her blood to him. It’s actually a great idea because now Stefan HAS to learn how to control his bloodlust because if he doesn’t, then he may end up killing the woman he loves.

No new VD next week.