Well, there was this group of witches called Travelers, and basically Katherine's family was part of it, and her daughter was one, and they have thing thing where they can take up residence in other people's bodies and just tag along for the ride.

So their leader got free, and they were setting up to do this big ritual, after the whole Silas thing, that involved Elena and Stefan as the last doppelgangers, and would pretty much turn Mystic Falls into a magic-free zone.

And the other side collapsed too. So they managed to do it, and turned Mystic Falls into a magic free zone. So if a vampire tries to cross the barrier, they die of whatever killed them in the first place.

So none of us can go home.

Mom and I, we'd meet up for picnics outside the town limits, though.