"Catherine…Catherine…"

That name was burned into my head as I drove away from the old life I had lived. It made me sick to hear that name and think of how it was so close to me. My stomach walked on hot coals of fire for the name and now here I was running from it. I needed to run from it; it was a part of me and I was a part of it. The 'it' I speak of is complicated and people of the normal world would never be able to comprehend what 'it' was.

"Catherine…Catherine…" the voice in my head kept repeating.

Yes, yes, I hear you, but I'm not listening. My head ached from that name and I had to stop driving. I looked down at my phone and saw that someone was calling; Stefan Salvatore. I couldn't answer the phone when I was feeling like this. He was my best friend and I couldn't let him hear me like this. I was a basket-case when I had headaches.

The phone continued to vibrate as I pulled to the side of the road. A sign in front said:

Mystic Falls, VA

Miles to go: 5 miles

I wasn't far from my destination and I didn't want to be out any later, but my head hurt so badly. The vibrations of my phone seemed to be getting louder and louder, so finally I answered it.

"Hello?"

"Alyson, are you ok?" Stefan asked; he sounded worried.

"Yes, yes. I'm fine, just pulled over on the side of the road. I have a little bit of a headache." I groaned as my head throbbed.

"Do you want me to come get you; where are you exactly?"

"About 5 miles from you. I'm in front of a mile marker sign, if you can find me." I replied. And only within a matter of moments, Stefan was standing beside my old Volkswagen. He still looked as charming as he did the last time I saw him. I almost forgot that he was always faster than me; yes Stefan Salvatore was a vampire and had been for about 146 years.

His eyes were almost glowing in the night sky as he looked down at me opening the door. I looked rough as I peered up at his worried face. He was over-reacting with me and I hated when he did that. He always worried about me; I was basically considered his sister with has much time I spent around him and that I did love him like he was my own brother.

"You don't look good. Let me drive you to the house." Stefan shook his as helped me slide over to the other side of the car. He got in and began driving me back home. Home; I had no real home. I was an orphan; I lost my parents when I about 10, during a terrible rain-storm and I was the only survivor. Stefan rescued me as their car hydroplaned and ran into a tree. I was dying but he saved me; that was the night that I was reborn.

I didn't become a vampire, but Stefan gave me some of his blood that helped me regain my strength to live. It was too late for my parents; they died instantly on impact. I was in the back seat and I was crushed. Stefan was my savior that night and he helped me find my way to my other family; the Johnson. They were my mother's brother's family. I was no longer Alyson Kingsley, but known as apart of the Johnson Family. I kept in touch with Stefan and he visited me all the time at the Johnsons.

My life at the Johnsons wasn't what it was hoped up to be. I was treated as the outcast and the loner. I had to get a job as soon as I turned 13 and I went private school as well. Everyone picked on me for being the loneliest kid at the school. I was located in Richmond, VA and I wanted to leave. Stefan noticed that I didn't like it there and that my mother's brother's family was not the best lifestyle for me. So when I turned 17 Stefan offered a place at his house. I accept the offer and loaded my old Volkswagen with my stuff.

My uncle, Charles (my mother's brother) said I couldn't leave unless I was able to provide for myself and have a place to stay. I did; I was going to be with Stefan. My uncle disapproved of that; he never did like Stefan and didn't like that my mother had died and left me with his family. I was the outsider in the family and my mother and uncle never got along well. So I guess I was a problem, but now I was escaping from this hell.

When I left the Johnsons, my uncle cursed me out and gave me the bird as I drove away. I cranked my radio up and didn't look back as I left Richmond. I was free of my horrible family, but for some reason the name 'Catherine' popped into my head. I didn't understand it, and I was going to talk to Stefan about it but he was more focused on getting me back to the manor.

Salvatore Manor was huge; it was three stories tall and I had remembered it from when I came to visit Stefan while still being with the Johnson. Stefan brought me here when I had long breaks from school. I enjoyed it; we got closer and spent all our time together. I had wanted to live here since I had met Stefan seven years ago and was getting to.

We drove through the small town of Mystic Falls, population was a few thousand, but only one vampire to been known of. I was the only one that knew he was a vampire, except for his vampire brother, Damon Salvatore. He was just the opposite of Stefan, even though I had never met him. Stefan said he was violent and very uncontrollable. He brought a bad name to what Stefan represented in a good well behaved vampire. But I was glad he wasn't around to make me pull my hair out.

"Are you feeling some better?" Stefan exclaimed as the street lights shined against his pale complexion.

"Yea, I'm fine. I just can't stop thinking about me being free of the Johnsons. Seven years of hard work and private school, ugh gives me a headache."

"But there's something else on your mind, what is?"

Shit, I'd hoped he would be able t read the confused expression upon my face. He knew me too well to know when something was wrong or that I was lost in thought. I didn't want ask him tonight; my head was hurting even more than before he had come to get me.

"I'll tell you tomorrow; my head is killing me." I sighed as we pulled in the circle driveway under the covering of the Salvatore Manor.

"Ok, I'll show you your room and I'll bring your stuff up." He smiled as he turned the car. He was such a good friend to be taking me.

"You don't have to; its summer and it isn't like I have school tomorrow. I'll get it tomorrow and set everything up then." I yawned as I climbed out of the car.

I almost fell getting out of the car; I was just so exhausted and my head was still throbbing. Stefan ran around the car and grabbed my arm and helped me to my feet. I stared into his face; his eyes were silent yet they sought warmth. I wish I could have given my friend warmth and hope to live through this life. He was hidden from the social world of Mystic Falls and he wanted to be a part it so badly, but he didn't know how.

School wasn't until August; maybe he could go to high school with me. I was going to be a senior and he would too (sort of). It would make him feel more sociable and more apart of the world he left over a century ago. But anyways, Stefan helped me into the house I once remembered as a younger teen. It had a large parlor and a massive library. The staircase was my favorite thing about the manor; I used to slide on the railing and see if he could catch me at the bottom. Too many fond memories of this house made me feel home.

I sighed, "It's beautiful."

"I love this house and I could never part from it. I've always felt so lonely here, but that's changed now that you're here." Stefan replied turning and hugging. He gave great bear hugs and sometimes he didn't mean to squish you to his chest, but I liked it. He was my only family that I had.

"I know. I love you Stefan and thanks for taking me again. You don't know how much I appreciate you doing this."

"Don't thank me, I don't deserve it." He said backing off and scratching the back of his head. Inside he knew that he deserved thanks but he didn't want it.

"So do you want to see your room?"

"Sure" I somewhat cheered as I followed him up the large staircase. Turning and turning up the stairs, I could see flashbacks of me and Stefan sitting in the library reading; of course I was reading 'Twilight' and him writing in his journal. He helped me start my first journal and I haven't stopped writing since. I started my first novel, because of him. I wouldn't say he inspired me, but he taught me how be a better writer. But reading Stephanie Meyer's books started the ball rolling for me becoming an amateur writer.

"So how's the novel coming?" Stefan exclaimed as if he knew what I was thinking about.

"Good, I'm in the editing stages now. Hopefully I can get it published before I graduate.

"Cool, I'll have to read it sometime." He smiled as we turn down the oversized carpeted hall. This house seen numerous years of history and Stefan was apart of it. Then we stopped in front of a large down that now held a dark red sign on it:

Alyson's Sanctuary

"This is your room, I hope you like." Stefan opened the large door and light flood the hall. I gasped as I entered my new personalized room. It was everything I could have ever imagined; the walls were painted a pale shade of green with white and gold swirling butterflies. I had a king sized canopy bed with white comforter-set and I had old-wooden oak furniture. My room was covered with empty selves for my books and there were already pictures of me and Stefan and my family in there.

But lying all alone in the middle of my new bed was a journal. I looked back at Stefan as he nodded for me to go and grab it. I plopped down and sunk into the mattress as I opened the blue leathered journal. There was a note inside, it said:

To A Dear Friend,

You've always been quiet and shy to open up to the world. But now you can let yourself free here and write you dreams and thoughts; hidden away from the poisoned world. This journal is a gift of friendship and peace that you will have a wonderful life ahead of you and that life will better to you.

Your loving friend,

Stefan.

Tears ran down my face I turned to thank Stefan, but he was already gone. I fell back on my bed and let the tears fall like rain from my joyous eyes. Stefan had not only been a friend once again, but a brother. He brought me home to where I belonged.

I was free of fear and pain; I was home forever.