'Welcome to mystic falls' that's what the sign said as the car drove into the little virgina town. The car turned down a few roads before it stopped in front of a two story old looking house, the driver got out and walked up the steps of the porch then knocked on the door. He could hear two people talking inside the house, then seconds later the door opened to reveal a woman who looked to be in her mid fifties her lips set in a frown "do you have any idea on the time I am-"she stopped mid sentence when she looked at the man standing on her porch she quickly turned on her porch light and her eyes widened. "Well not the welcome I was expecting but hello to you to grams" Shelia 'grams' Bennett just stared at her smirking grandson "Chris I didn't expect you home until tomorrow'' Chris shrugged then yawned "ya know grams it is a long ass drive from Salem to mystic falls" grams chuckled "bonnie is here in your room" she informed Chris as he walked in. "I'm gone a year and you already gave away my room " Chris asked playfully grams scoffed "yeah right as if Joseph would ever let her live here" Chris laughed. Seconds latter bonnie came running down the stairs at the sound of her cousins laugh her black curly hair bouncing as she ran towards him. When she was close enough she lunged at him with her arms spread catching him in a hug.

"Nice to see you to bonnie" Chris choked out since her hold around his neck was really tight and he could barley breath "bonnie you should let the man breath" that was weird before his road trip to Salem to 'find himself' grams always called him 'boy' or ya know Chris guess she sensed something different about Chris.

Chris gently unwrapped Bonnie's arms from his neck and looked down at her since she was slightly shorter than him."so I assume you'll be in the guest room" he said more than asked and bonnie looked at him in fake horror "Christopher Bradley Bennett you just get home and your already demanding your room back" she asked with a slight smile. It's always been like that, teasing each other, acting more like siblings than cousins . "Um I hate to interrupt this little moment but suppers done and we need to eat Chris I'll set out an extra plate for you." Chris nodded and walked into the dinning room and sat down in his usual chair. For a moment it was if nothing had change. Like he never went on a year long trip to Salem, New Orleans and various other magic hot spots to improve his own powers.

Bonnie came in with a plate and some silverware and put them down in front of Chris with a small frown "why don't you help" Chris stuck his tongue out and smirked at her "cause I just got home and I'm really tired…. Plus I have been working my way through America just to make money so..." and that was kinda true but not 100%, but instead of dwelling on the though he stuck his tongue out at his favorite cousin. Grams walked in and sat the food down "you better like this I worked hard" Chris looked at the food and laughed "yep it sure is hard work picking up the phone and ordering Chinese" grams gave him a smile that said 'you're not complaining' and he wasn't, he missed his grams a lot.

After supper Chris excused himself from the table saying he was going to bed and then assuring bonnie he was just tired after his long drive once again it was almost all of the truth.

After he shut his door someone knocked at his door it was grams "your not just tired are you" grams gave him a knowing look "no ma'am I used a lot of magic" a witch using too much magic was really bad, deadly even. Grams looked at him with a raised eyebrow leaving an unsaid question "it was only two vamps this time. followed me all the way from Salem, git rid of them in Connecticut." grams patted his shoulder "get some rest" grams told him as she walked out his door Chris nodded and shut the door after her.

Chris fell on his neatly made up bed, complements of bonnie he assumed. Sleep tugged on Chris's eyelids, Chris didn't fight it and slipped into the world of dreams.

In the dream Chris was standing at the famous falls of mystic falls when a fog rolled in and a crow landed on a near by tree branch. Panic swelled up in Chris's chest he recognized this method by a certain vampire 'no he can be why would he be here" a snap drew him out of his thoughts. Chris whirled around and saw a girl with curl hair he instantly recognized her as Vicky Donavan. Vicky looked highly emotional and so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't see the man come up behind her until his breath was on her neck, she turned around and saw there was no one there, the man appeared behind her and spoke something to her then he tilted her head and bit her neck

Chris shot up sweating and breathing hard and his heart beating rapidly "no no no he can't be" he spoke to him self while thinking about the dream and after moments of silence he came to a realization. Damon Salvatore was in mystic falls. Chris pulled the covers off of him and walked to his bag and opened it.

Chris soon found what he was looking for a gold ring with a sapphire set in it and in the sapphire was a hollow center filled with vervain. Chris also took out some candles. He then set them in a circle and placed the ring in the circle. If Damon Salvatore is in town then Chris was going to need protection.

Using a spell that a friend taught him to enchant the ring to not only keep him from being compelled, but to also mask his scent. He didn't need that backstabbing fanged asshole knowing he was back until Chris wanted him to.

Spiritus exaudi orationem meam. Benedic annulum habeat abscondas me ab inimicis meis, et custodierit me