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"Now arriving in Mystic Falls, Virginia." The bus driver announced as he pulled to a stop in the middle of town. I was so happy to finally get up and stretch after that seven and a half hour ride up from Augusta, Georgia. Sure we had stopped here and there, but getting my small suitcase and hopping off that bus felt like the best thing in the world.
As the bus pulled away I looked around the town to see that Mystic Falls hadn't really changed that much. Just the people in it, well except for two special people in particular. I knew they still lived in that house, except it had been years since I had been to Mystic Falls and I didn't' know which way I should go.
"You really thought this one through didn't you Nola." My conscious and rational thinking finally came to life for the first time that day.
Now I just felt like an idiot standing in the middle of town not a thought in my head of where I should be going. Apparently I should have been paying more attention too because someone smacked right into me knocking me to the ground.
"Oh Jesus! I'm so sorry. Here let me help you up." Someone crouched down and I felt a pair of strong arms wrap around me helping me to my feet.
"No it's my fault." I shook my head brushing dirt of my blouse, "I should have looked where I…" I looked up at the man. Holy crap was he gorgeous. He had wide, deep brown eyes and slightly side-swept short brown hair in a color that matched his eyes. I couldn't stop staring at his physically well bit form….
This mystery guy had this confused/worried look on his face. I think the confusion came from the fact that I had been staring at him for a good minute and a half.
I shook my head to clear my thoughts and try and focus, "Sorry completely my fault I should have looked where I was going but I was so wrapped up in trying to figure out how to get somewhere that I didn't look…" I cut myself off blushing realizing I was a rambling like an idiot.
I gave him an embarrassed smile, "Sorry, when I'm nervous sometimes I ramble." He smiled back at me and I felt like I was going to melt where I stood. He extended his hand towards me which I quickly shook,
"It's ok, sorry I never said hello, my name is Jeremy Gilbert."
"Hi I'm Nola Landers."
"Sorry to ask but, it's a pretty small town, and I've never seen you around before and judging by the suitcase I'm guessing you're new to Mystic Falls." Jeremy laughed and I thought it was one of the greatest sounds ever.
"Uh yeah." I laughed, "I was hoping to visit some family, but I forgot how to get to their house, and neither of them are picking up there phones, so I'm just stuck here till I figure something out." I confessed.
"Well I could give you a ride, like I said small town." Jeremy grinned at me and I swear actual butterflies were fluttering in my stomach.
"Are you sure? I don't want to put you out." But he had already grabbed my tiny purple suitcase.
"It's no trouble at all, where do you need to go?" Jeremy asked me as we started walking towards what I presumed to be his car. He popped the trunk and lifted my suitcase inside; I saw his muscles flex a little…Gulp…
I ripped my thoughts away from his body, "Um the Salvatore boarding house, I'm here to visit my Uncles Damon and Stefan." I smiled at him; but Jeremy's expression completely changed.
"Uncles?" He questioned me, "Damon and Stefan are your uncles?" He opened the door to his car for me and I stepped in. I went into my bag and pulled out my wallet, "Yes they are." I showed Jeremey the picture of all four of us together when they came down to visit me and mom in Augusta last year.
Jeremy just gave me this funny look before he started driving. I tried to keep my cool because I didn't know how many people knew about the fact of Stefan and Damon being vampires. And I didn't need to go around blabbing their secret and then watch them get staked in the damn town square.
"And do they know that you have come to see them?" He asked me nervously
I shook my head and kept my answer simple, "No, it's a last minute thing, a family thing." I explained not saying anymore. As much as I thought Jeremy was sweet and incredibly hot, I didn't know if I could trust him, but the name Gilbert did ring something familiar in my mind.
"Well this should be interesting." Jeremey mumbled as we drove towards the more woody, nature part of Mystic Falls. I rolled down my window and breathed in the fresh air that felt amazing against my face after that long bus drive.
Jeremy pulled into the familiar drive way and a smile spread across my face as we pulled up to the house I had always called a second home. We got out of the car and Jeremy handed me my suitcase, my excitement almost bursting,
"I can't wait to see them!" I giddily stated
"Yeah I bet they can't wait to see you," Jeremy said making an attempt at a small smile as he walked towards the door and let himself in. Was this guy a friend of Stefan or Damon?
I walked through the hallway, and so many happy memories flooded into my head,
"Damon, Stefan you guys should come here. There's a…surprise for you guys." Jeremey said, sounding like he was picking his words carefully.
"What the hell is it little Gilbert?" A charming, gruff and attitudeish voice filled the sitting room. I smiled to myself as I stepped through the door way to the siting room.
Damon instantly saw me.
"Nola?!" His voice and face full of surprise and enthusiasm, and it warmed me that he was happy to see me.
"Uncle Damon!" I gave an excited cry of joy as I dropped my bag and ran towards him. He scooped me up in his arms and spun me around in a circle; just like the way he did when I was little. He put me down and beamed at me,
"What are you doing here?" He asked me full of genuine happiness
"I well… something." I was interpreted by someone coming into the room.
"Hey Jeremy, what's going on?" Stefan walked into the room
"Uncle Stefan!"
"Holy crap, Nola?" He exclaimed in pure pleasure to see me. I ran up and hugged him with all my might. He pulled back and got a good look at me,
"Oh my gosh, how you've grown into such a remarkable young woman." Stefan told me as he spun me around to get the full look. I smiled and felt Damon come up behind me and flung is arms around my shoulders,
"Well of course she has. She does have Salvatore blood in her." He grinned which made me laugh. Out of the corner of the room we heard a nervous cough, we all turned around to see Jeremy. I blushed forgetting all about him as I saw my uncles.
"Jeremy. Get gone now." Damon stated with the off-putting edge that was almost always in his voice.
"What I think Damon meant to say was, thank you for brining Nola here, but we need to have some family time right now." Uncle Stefan explained in his always reasoning, wise voice. I smiled thinking how perfectly balanced my Uncles were for each other.
"No problem. I'll see you guy later." He turned to leave
"Thank you Jeremy." I said to him before he left; he just gave me a small smile that made all giddy,
"No problem." Then he left. I turned back towards my uncles,
Damon rolled his eyes, "Well now that, that's taken care off. What are you doing here? Even though we are very stoked to have you here." He grinned at me.
"Nola, where's your mom?" Stefan asked me. "Yeah where is Amelia?" Damon asked.
Now the hard part. I hadn't thought about it all day, or thought about what I should say. I could barely even admit to myself.
"I…mom um…" I barely got three words out before I broke down sobbing. I felt Damon and Stefan led me over to the couch trying to comfort me.
"Nola, just try and calm down ok. Please tell us what is going on?" Stefan asked me in concern but his voice had an underline of worry to it.
"Life is funny isn't It?" I asked between sobs, "All the time I was growing up we always thought something magical or supernatural would do us in; considering what I am, and how people hate the idea of me."
"It was all for not though, the whole protected inconspicuous life against supernatural threats was a waste." I hiccupped out as I felt Damon rubbing my back,
"Nola, what are you saying?" Damon asked me in an uneasy voice
"All that wasted time and effort only to have her die in an ordinary, human car crash." I sobbed out into my hands, my whole body racking and shaking with pent up emotion.
I heard Stefan and Damon gasp behind me. Stefan pulled me into his arms,
"Jesus Christ Nola…when..." He paused, I could hear thick emotion cover his voice, "When did this happen?" He quietly asked me.
"Two days ago." I cried, "I tried to call, but I just couldn't. Then this morning I got up and just packed a suitcase and bought a bus ticket here." I hiccupped, "I didn't even think the whole day, I just got on the damn bus."
I put my face in my hands, "What am I going to do? My mother's dead." I cried out loud my sobs filling the silent room, "I'm almost seventeen and my mother's dead; from a simple car crash." I said with a bit of anger filling my voice, it didn't seem fair.
"What am I going to do?" I asked my uncles looking up at them for the first time, "I don't have anywhere to go?" Suddenly feeling lonely, lost and scared. Damon kneeled down in front of me and took my hands in his,
"Yes you do. You're staying right here with me and Stefan. You'll live your life here with us now, in Mystic Falls." He said with all the determination in the world.
"I can't do that to you guys, I can't just uproot your lives here because of me, think of the danger I am putting you both in. Just because of me and what I am."
"Nola, we are big boys, we can take of ourselves, and we can take of you too." Stefan kindly replied, "You're our niece, and we want you here in Mystic Falls with us. Now we know we can't replace Amelia, but we will try our very best to make you happy, comfortable and safe here."
Tears streamed down my face as I pulled them both into a hug, "Thank you both so much." I sobbed into them, "I am so blessed to have you both as family." I felt Damon kiss my head as Stefan rubbed my back, "I don't feel so scared anymore." I confessed feeling this weight lift off my shoulders and my heart.
After I had managed to calm down a bit, Stefan brought me some water and Damon gave me some tissues to dry my face.
"Now…we hate to ask this, but as anything been prepared or set for…the burial?" He cautiously asked me. I nodded my head,
"My friends from Georgia helped me set everything up yesterday. The funeral is in three days, with a quick viewing in the morning, and then the burial in the afternoon. Then at night the special traditional service, led by me and our friends in Georgia." I told them
"So everything is taken care of?" Damon asked me, but I shook my head,
"Well no, I don't have anything packed and nothing is ready for moving, I know we still have that tiny apartment but mom and I have a lot of crap." I lightly joked rubbing my hands through my hair, thinking of everything that needed to be packed.
"Well how about the day after tomorrow we leave early in the morning, get to Augusta by the afternoon and help you start packing, we can pick up boxes and packing tape, everything you need. I'm sure it will go quickly if three of us were there packing." Stefan reasonably stated.
"Does that sound ok Tink?" Damon asked me in his pet name for me which made me smile,
"Yes, God guys that sounds amazing, just you being there and helping me pack is enough help and burden off my mind already." I sighed
"Hey do you want to rest in your old room? You've had a long trip and I bet you must be exhausted." Damon asked me, and it wasn't till he said that did I realize how tired I was. I shook my head grateful at the offer.
Stefan took my suitcase and they both led me to the old room I used whenever I came to visit them. Damon opened the door and it was exactly how I remembered it, the familiar sense brought a smile to my face. I ran over to the bay window and flung it open letting in the fresh air from the garden below. The window was one of the reasons why I loved this room, I loved sitting on the window seat all night and looking up at the moon and the stars.
"Now we can change anything you want. We will make this your dream room anyway you want it." Damon smiled at me
I clapped my hands like a child, "Really? Even the bathroom? Anyway I want it? Seriously?" I was so giddy at the prospect.
Stefan laughed, "Yes however you want it, but for right now how about you get some rest."
I nodded my head wanting to lie down. Both of them gave me a kiss and a hug and told me to come down whenever I was down resting.
After they left I unzipped my suitcase and pulled out my toiletry bag and went to the bathroom to wash my face, then I flopped on the bed and pulled the blanket around me as I drifted off into a dreamless, peaceful sleep.
I woke up on the plush comfortable bed, getting the best sleep I've had in three days. I looked over at my phone realizing I had been asleep for almost two hours. I rolled over and my stomach started grumbling also realizing I haven't had a full meal all day and it was close to 6:30 pm.
I made my way down to the kitchen trying to scrounge up some dinner and not be a bother to Stefan or Damon but I wasn't having much luck. I walked around the kitchen going from place to place but not finding a whole lot to eat.
I heard someone come into the kitchen, "Sorry I guess now that we have an actual functioning human living in this house we will have to stock up on something other than booze and blood." Stefan laughed.
"It's ok, I did come unannounced after all." I laughed
"Come on, how about I take you to The Grill, and get us some dinner, then afterword's we can go food shopping."
"Sounds great, just give me a minute to freshen up." I raced upstairs combed my hair and put it back in its curly ponytail and changed my blouse. Then within two minutes Stefan and I were out the door on our way to town.
"Do you want to ask Damon if we wants to meet us there?" I asked Stefan as we made our way closer to town.
"I already called him, he will meet us there. He had to run an errand with a friend." He told me and I nodded my head.
"I…I'm guessing that you guys didn't tell anyone about me or mom?" I quietly asked him
"No." He paused, "No we didn't. Damon and I thought it would be in you're and your mom's best interest and safety if people didn't know about the both of you." He softly told me and I nodded my head knowing that in reality it was the smartest measure for all of us.
"Guess that's going to change now, isn't?" I jokingly asked, while I looked out the window. I felt Stefan grab my hand in his. I looked over at him.
"Yes it will, but no matter what happens, Damon and I will always protect you. And we have amazing, reliable friends in Mystic Falls that you'll get to know and they will love and protect you like we do." Stefan smiled a heartfelt smile and I couldn't help but smile back.
We got to The Grill and Stefan opened the door for me, "I can't wait to meet your friends, you've guys told me so much about them." I grinned as we entered the restaurant.
"Well here's your first chance." Stefan motioned over to the bar where a girl and a boy were; the guy was behind the bar the girl was at the bar talking to him. Both were blond and both very good-looking. They stopped talking as soon as Stefan and I came over to meet them.
"Rebekah, Matt this is Nola. She is Damon and mines niece." I could tell they were shocked to say the least but they quickly recovered and composed themselves.
"Hi it's nice to meet you both." Remembering them from the letters Stefan had written me, "Stefan has told me a lot about you both." I smiled at them while I shook their hands.
"Nola is going to be staying with Damon and me on a permanent basis." He told them.
"Well welcome to Mystic Falls." Matt smiled at me, "Any relatives of Stefan and Damon are welcome here."
"Yeah…I'm sure you'll get to know everyone real quick." Rebekah told me, but there was something in her voice, that, just through me off a bit.
"Thanks." I told the both of them offering them a quick smile as Stefan led us to our table.
After the waitress took our orders I looked at Stefan, "When we get back from shopping do you think I could borrow a computer?" I beamed at him, "I want to start getting ideas for my room." I excitedly told him as I went over all the ideas in my head.
Stefan laughed, "Yeah, what were you going for?" He asked me interested
"Well I was thinking enchanted, magical, nature, flowers, birds, woodsy, with a touch a mystical and fairy quality." I explained then started laughing at how many adjectives I had just sounded off for one room.
"Whatever you want to do with it is fine by us." He chuckled I looked over at Matt and Rebekah who were looking at us. I knew I had to ask Stefan an important question,
"Uncle Stefan, do any people in Mystic Falls know about you and Damon?" I asked him knowing immediately he would catch my drift.
"Oh, a fair amount of people know. Our trusted friends, acquaintances, and allies." I was a bit shocked, but I was glad that my uncles had people they could trust and rely on.
"Are there any other," I paused whispering, "Vampires in Mystic Falls?" I asked in an innocent manner that made him smile.
"A good amount." He chuckled, "Let's see there is Caroline, Tyler-who is a hybrid, I'll explain that later." He paused and pointed over at the counter, "Rebekah."
"I knew it!" I exclaimed, "She's too graceful to be a human, she just has this quality to her; and since I know she can hear me I'll also say, nice earrings." I said aloud and saw her smile.
"Ok, Caroline, Tyler, Rebekah…Klaus, Rebekah's brother, Silas…I'll explain him too, but he's one you really need to stay away from." He sternly told me and I nodded, knowing Stefan must be serious, Stefan paused, "And Elena."
"What?!" I asked him flabbergasted, "When the hell did this happen?" I exclaimed
"I'll explain that later too." He sighed into his hands, thankfully the waitress had just come over with our food so I let the matter drop.
After a couple of minutes of small talk I asked Stefan about the high school in Mystic Falls.
"It's good…excellent. You'll get a real good education. We will enroll you next week after the funeral and everything." He smiled, but I could tell that he wasn't finished,
"How is their music/performing arts department?" I tentatively asked him, but the look on his face said it all. I groaned, "That bad huh?"
"Don't worry, we'll find you a good place for your craft." He reassured me.
"It's ok, I think I can still find a good musical performance group in the area, once I get teleportation down." I winked at him
"What are we talking about Tink?" Damon came up behind me and gave me a kiss on the forehead before taking a seat next to me. I saw a man sit next to Stefan who quickly introduced himself,
"Alaric Saltzman." I shook his hand,
"Oh my god, you're Alaric!" I happily exclaimed, "I'm so happy to finally meet you, Damon has told me so much about you."
Alaric smiled, "Has he now?"
"Why of course, Damon as told me all about his best friend Alaric!" I turned to Damon who seemed to be blushing, while Stefan and Alaric were laughing their heads off.
"Oh crap! I really put my foot in my mouth. Damon I'm so sorry." I quickly apologized for embarrassing him, but like the good guy Damon is he just laughed it off.
"It's ok Nola, someone should tell this guy how appreciated he is because I sure as hell don't." He laughed
"Got that right." Alaric smirked
"Alaric this is Nola, she is our niece." Damon finally explained to him. Alaric smiled at me, if he was shocked he didn't let on about it at all.
"It's a pleasure to meet you. How long will you be in Mystic Falls?" He asked me and I suddenly got all quite, looking away from him
"Nola will be staying with us permanently." Stefan explained to him.
"So what were you guys talking about?" Damon asked us quickly changing the subject for my benefit, I looked up at him. He gave me a quick wink, I smiled, always looking out for me.
"We were talking about getting Nola enrolled in school." Stefan told them
"Well it's a good thing you have the best history teacher in all of Mystic Falls High School right here." Damon declared
I smiled at Alaric, already knowing that from Damon's letters, "Well I'm sure I could pull some strings and get you into my class." Alaric smiled at me.
"I would be very grateful Mr. Saltzman."
"Oh please call me Alaric or Ric when we aren't in school, and let me be the first to welcome you to great Mystic Falls High school." Damon snorted at this sarcastic statement which made all of us laugh.
"Hey Tink I was thinking, maybe we should leave tomorrow morning instead of the next day. That way it gives us an early jump on packing and everything. Does that sound ok?" Damon asked me looking at Stefan also.
I nodded, "Whatever is easier on you guys." I quietly said thinking about the looming tasks ahead.
"Well then I guess we'll leave tomorrow morning then." Stefan said and I managed a weak smile
I turned to Damon,"Do you want to come grocery shopping with me and Stefan after we eat?" I asked changing the subject which I think they knew that.
Damon draped his arms around me and gave me a squeeze, "Sure, sounds good Tink." I sighed leaning into Damon suddenly feeling exhausted about everything in my life.