I groaned in the back of the car, my head spinning due to alcohol and weariness. My parents sat in the front, their expressions unreadable. I assumed they were mad at me, probably disappointed too.

I hadn't wanted them to see me like this. I silently cursed Caroline for going off to who knows where, leaving me stranded at the party. And with Matt out of town I had no one else to call except for my parents.

"Say something," I groaned; I couldn't stand the silent treatment they were giving me. Though I knew I full well deserved it.

"What do you want us to say?" my father finally asked in his always calm voice.

"Say that you're mad at me, yell at me. Tell me what a disappointment I am! Anything, but don't act like I am not here!" I cried.

"Darling we're not mad at you," my mother said, her voice equally calm.

"But you are disappointed, I can hear it in your voices," I pointed out.

"Yes we are but that is jut because we thought you knew better Elena," my dad said, his voice sounding tired.

I hadn't noticed how late it was. They must have been sleeping when I called them. I thought about it again and knew that they had probably still been awake waiting or me to come home.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled, falling back into the seat, "I am a real screw up."

"Elena darling we are disappointed in you for getting drunk and then stranded at a party. But we are also proud that you had the right mind to call us instead of find your own way home," my mother said.

I groaned again, "Ugh why can't you guys be like normal parents and make me feel bad?"

I saw my dad smile through the rearview mirror, "Because darling we're not normal parents," he said.

I couldn't help but smile back, "I love you two."

"And we love you Elena," my mother said, turning to smile at me.

In that moment another set of headlights appeared through the dark, they were coming right at us. My dad swerved the car, nearly missing them but it was too late to miss the bridge. The car crashed through the wooden rails and was mid air for what seemed like minutes but was really just seconds.

I heard my mother's gurgled scream as the car hit the water. My head slammed back into the seat and everything became fuzzy. I groped around for a way out but only found water. Water that was now quickly filling the car.

The last thing I heard before I blacked out was my father calling my name.

I stood in the woods looking out on the falls. This was such a peaceful place and I visited it every time that I came back to Mystic Falls. It was quiet here, except for the bridge that occasionally cars passed through.

It was hard to come back here, back to my home. No matter how far I traveled Mystic Falls was always where I came back to. There so many memories here, mostly good ones of my early human years. And as I look back on my final days I am filled with sadness.

They had seemed like happy times for me, being with Katherine. But I know now that they weren't. It was because of Katherine that I had to watch everyone I ever knew and loved die. Well everyone except my brother, who had also fallen victim to the curse.

Though he embraced this life, I tried best to shut it out. I even fed on animals rather than humans. But no matter what I did I couldn't deny the fact that I was a monster, just by the sheer fact that deep inside of me there was that hunger. A hunger that I fought to control every day.

As I continued to reflect on things I heard a strange noise from the bridge. I strained my ears and listened as a car went crashing over the bridge and was now sinking into the water. Worst of all there were people in there.

I ran as fast as I could to where I had heard the crash. As I looked down into the water I could scarcely see the sinking car. In a moment I was diving into the water, pushing myself farther down until I reached the car.

There were three people in the car, two women and one man. The woman in the passenger seat was already dead and the one on the back seat was unconscious. The man was the only one who was aware of his surroundings. He was pulling on his seat belt vigorously but it wouldn't budge.

I wrenched his door open swiftly and then moved to undo his seat belt. But his hands caught my wrist before I could undo the belt. He pointed to the back seat, a strong urgency in his eyes.

"Save her," he gurgled through the water. I looked between him and the girl for a moment. She was probably already brain dead I thought. It would be wiser to save the man first. But he continued to push me away.

I nodded in understanding and then swam to the back door. I pulled it open and then reached in to undo her seat belt. I took her motionless body in my arms and then moved back to the front, "I'll be back," I mouthed to the man who was looking at me with appreciative eyes.

I swiftly pushed through the water and then emerged from underneath. I swam the girl to land, laying her down away from the water. She still didn't move and I could feel her weak heartbeat.

I pushed her wet hair out of her face and quickly jumped back. It couldn't be, was it possible for her to still be alive? Impossible I saw them burn the church, she was in it.

I stood there stunned when she started coughing up water. Her body was heaving on the dry dirt and she managed a hoarse whisper. "Mom, dad, I love you."

I remembered the father immediately and plunged back into the icy water. The car was farther down this time and I had to push harder against the water. When I finally made it to the car I saw that it was too late, he was already gone.

I didn't want to leave their bodies there but people would suspect something if they were on land too. So with sadness I let the car continue to sink. I watched for a moment and then remembered the girl, the one that the father had given his own life for. He'd refused to let me save him until I'd saved her.

When I came back to her she was mumbling things and shaking. Her body was pale and her heart still hadn't recovered. I looked her over once more, the resemblance was dad on but there was no way that this girl could be my Katherine.

This girl was different I could tell, from the way her heart continued to fight for life; to the way that she curled into me when I carried her.

I carried her back to the boarding house and then got Zach's car. I told him to call and report that there had been an accident on Wickery Bridge and then I took her to the hospital.

Once I was sure that she would be alright I erased the nurse's memory of me ever being there and then I left.

But I knew I couldn't stay away for long, I had to know her.