Takes places in season six, but a few changes - Elena never wiped her memories, and Alaric is still a vampire. Bonnie's still gone, but Damon's back and with Elena. Enjoy.

I KNOW PLACES

Baby I know places we won't be found and they'll be chasing our trace tryin' to track us down

CHAPTER ONE

"Bennett technically means blessed, or one who is blessed, and that is exactly what they are. One of the most powerful families in history, the Bennetts were forced from Salem during the witch trials in 1692. They relocated to Virginia, though they've technically been living in secret for the past hundred years."

I didn't want to hear this, but I was stuck in the classroom for another twenty minutes. To be fair, Ric did warn me that he was going to cover Bonnie's family – it was kind of an important part of occult studies, after all – but I knew that I needed to move on with my life eventually, whatever that meant. Bonnie wouldn't have wanted me to hide from her family's history, just so that I wouldn't have to think about her. If anything, she'd want me to know. She'd want us to keep her family's legacy going.

Thankfully I didn't really need to listen. Whatever Ric was telling the rest of the class, I knew in detail. He was watering it down quite a bit (apparently even the occult studies professor couldn't take the occult too seriously), and he wasn't saying anything I didn't know already. I was in the class for comfort's sake anyway; I'd finally declared my major as English, with an emphasis in historical nonfiction writing, but I may as well have just included a minor in occult studies to top it off. This section was focused on the history of the occult, something that definitely applied to my major.

I felt myself let out a sigh of relief once he dismissed us for the afternoon. I hadn't written a single thing down throughout the entire lecture, just kind of dazed off while the rest of the class took copious notes. We had a midterm in less than a week, but I wasn't worried about that either. Though none of the other students knew it, I had the good fortune of living under the same roof as our professor.

We weren't exactly allowed in Mystic Falls at the moment, which meant that everyone had relocated to be near Whitmore College. It was almost like my family was complete, minus the gaping magical hole that was Bonnie Bennett. While we were somewhat in a routine now, none of us let a day go by without at least trying to come up with a way to bring her back.

We'd found a place big enough for six vampires, one human, and one hunter only a few minutes from the edge of town, which meant that the backyard was the forests of Virginia. It had been an old boarding house too, just like our old, and currently abandoned home, but this one had been updated a lot in recent years. While the Salvatore boarding house was dark and traditional, our new home was bright and open and full of light.

There was a little cottage in the backyard for Caroline, who claimed it the moment we signed the lease. Nobody argued with her, since it meant she would be able to decorate the studio in pink without having to bring it into the main house. Ric stayed in the master suite on the first floor, while the rest of the guys, Stefan, Matt, Enzo, and Jeremy, had rooms on the second floor, along with a full-on man cave. Damon and I had our own little apartment above the garage, with a private entrance and living space.

I was anxious to get back home; it was Friday after all, and the lecture hadn't exactly been uplifting. I needed my own normal, with the people that I considered my family. They were the ones who understood me, and it wasn't nearly as exhausting to be around them as it was to be around everyone else. I didn't have to act in front of them. I could be just my normal, vampire self.

"Elena," Ric said as I was on my way out. I could see how tired he looked, even if he was immortal. Of all of us, he took Bonnie's death the hardest, even moreso than Damon. Ric was the one that understood all this supernatural stuff the best, and he had come back to life by her sacrifice. None of us ever forgot what she did for us, but the Bennett family grimoire had a special place on Ric's desk in the library at home. Nobody ever closed it.

I stopped in the door and looked back. Everyone else had already left, and I felt myself relax. "What's up?" I asked, hitching my bag up on my shoulder and taking a few steps back toward his desk.

He didn't say anything at first, just watched my face. "I just wanted to see how you were doing. I know that lecture couldn't have been easy on you, and I'm impressed that you were even here."

I shrugged. "It was pretty much the furthest thing from easy, but I can't just disappear from real life any time things get hard. I did that once, and I'm sure we can all agree that it was a disaster." Nobody liked to talk about that emotionless Elena phase either, but he knew what I was talking about.

"You're right," Ric said. "And I think Bonnie would want you to be here, learning about her family. Just know that none of us have given up hope. We're all still trying, and we will get her back someday."

I felt my shoulders shrink at the promise. It wasn't the first time he'd said it to me, even though my best friend had been gone for almost five months already. I knew there were so many leads that we had yet to even find, but it was starting to feel hopeless.

Ric took a big step toward me, and pulled me into his arms without hesitation. As weird as my family was, it was all I had, and Ric was the closest thing to a dad that I would ever have again. I felt safe there, with him, and it was what I needed, even if I didn't realize it.

I could feel his cheek, rough with the facial hair that he took off only every few days or so, against the top of my head. He smelled like bourbon and just a hint of mint, probably a piece of gum that he had chewed earlier to try and cover up the O negative he had for breakfast.

"I know," I said softly into his chest, squeezing just a little bit harder. I needed the extra comfort to get through missing her these days. Usually I just retreated into our own apartment when I was feeling lonely without Bonnie, but it was as if Ric knew I needed something more at that moment.

"We'll get her back Elena, I promise." I nodded, and pulled back so that I could wipe the tears in my eyes. I was just glad that there was nobody else around to witness me losing it, once again. "Let's get out of here. I'm ready for the weekend." I laughed, and we both grabbed our things so that we could head home.

We were almost out of the building when I heard my name again, only this time I didn't recognize the voice. I turned in the direction, and saw a guy my age, if not a little younger, coming from where the classroom was. Ric gave me a wary look, but I just nodded, and motioned toward the parking lot. He gave my arm one last squeeze before heading out the door.

"I thought that was you," the guy said once he got to where I was standing. He looked familiar, but I couldn't quite place him yet. "I saw Jeremy earlier, but I didn't realize until now that you were in this class with me."

"I'm sorry," I said, shaking my head slightly. "I'm not sure that I remember who you are?" I wanted to be nice, but I was exhausted and really just wanted to get home so that I could have at least a few hours before Caroline's party started later.

He looked down, almost contrite, but had a smile on his face. "I guess it has been a few years. The last time I saw you, I was in that terribly awkward life phase called puberty."

I studied him again. He had sandy blonde hair that was cut short on the sides, but left just a little bit longer on top, and his eyes were a distinct shade of green. He was tall, at least six inches taller than I was, and had thick, broad shoulders. It was the cleft in his chin, however, that finally got my recognition.

"Oh my god, Ian!" I said finally, as soon as it hit me. There was a reason I didn't recognize him at first - he'd been fourteen the last time I'd seen him, and his arms had been so small that he couldn't have been able to lift more than twenty pounds or so. This guy in front of me was no longer that awkward, gangly teenager. He was most definitely a certified, gorgeous piece of man.

I threw my arms around him on impulse, and he caught me easily. I could hear his chuckle in my ear, which just made me squeeze him tighter.

"Why didn't Jeremy tell me you were here too?" I asked, pulling myself away so that I could get another look at him. He and Jeremy had been best friends up until that summer that Ian left and my parents died. They were inseparable, and spent nearly every day together.

He ran a hand through his hair, causing it to stand on end. "I literally saw him a couple hours ago. I had no idea either of you were here; I just transferred at the beginning of the semester. I'm giving the summer a shot to see how I like it before moving back to Virginia completely. My parents aren't exactly excited at the prospect of me going to college on the opposite coast."

"But you grew up here - Mystic Falls is your home. Why wouldn't you want to come back?" I asked.

He shrugged. "I've been gone for almost four years, and a lot has changed. California feels like home now, but there's still something missing. I was hoping spending the summer back to help me figure out what it was."

I smiled. "Well, I hope you find it," I said. I felt my phone buzz in my pocket, so I held up a hand so he wouldn't think I was rude for pulling it out. It was a text from Caroline.

Hey, can you pick up another few handles of tequila, and we need more red cups.

Of course. "I'm sorry Ian, I have to go. We're having a party tonight and Caroline doesn't think we have enough alcohol, even though we bought out the entire liquor store last night."

He laughed. "Caroline Forbes? I hadn't thought of her in years." I don't think he realized what he said until after he said it, because he actually looked kind of embarrassed as soon as the words came out of his mouth. "I didn't mean that..." he started, but I just laughed.

"Don't worry about it. I know Caroline wasn't always nice to you, but you're right - a lot has changed in the past few years. But hey! You should stop by tonight. It'll be fun, and Jeremy will be there. We have enough booze to last until next year, though it is weird thinking that you're old enough to drink with me now."

In actuality, he wasn't old enough, but neither was I. Technically, anyway, but we were still college students and Fridays still consisted of beer pong and Jell-o shots.

He paused before responding, and I felt my pocket buzz again with another text from Caroline.

"That sounds like fun, thanks for inviting me. I don't really know a lot of people here yet, so I was kind of just planning on getting a burrito and watching reruns of the Walking Dead all night."

"It'll be nice to catch up then Ian," I said. "What's your number? I can text you our address."

He rattled off a number with a different area code, and I added him as a contact into my phone.

"I'll see you later then," he said, but didn't make like he was going to be the first to leave. My phone buzzed again, for a third time, and I knew that Caroline wouldn't stop until I responded.

"I got to go, but definitely stop by. It should be fun." I waved goodbye, and turned back in the direction of the parking lot. I tossed a glance behind me as I exited the building, but Ian hadn't yet moved. He was rooted to the same spot, his gaze still on me too.