It had been a quiet car trip down. It was very obvious that the situation wasn't ideal. Mason wanted her to stay in Florida. There were enough teenagers running around in Mystic Falls and it was barely safe enough for them. He didn't want her getting mixed up in that. But she had begged and threatened him, wanting to come back to see his nephew. Her old friend. It had been years since either had seen each other and she had done a lot of growing up since then.

Probably, under any other circumstances, it wouldn't have caused such an issue, but the Mayor had died. Mason's older, and only, brother had died and that was something that needed Mason's attention. It would leave his nephew with so many questions, little answers, and a whole lot of rage. And it was that rage that could potentially add him into the danger.

Natalie could feel the butterflies in her stomach as they got closer to the Lockwood mansion. Her hands weren't still, her fingers fiddling with each other. She couldn't handle how excited and anxious she felt.

"Nervous?" Mason asked.

She nodded. He reached over and squeezed her hand in his.

"It'll be fine. He'll be just as excited to see you as you are to see him. Hell maybe even more."

Nat looked at him, "I know."

The Branco had reached the house and Mason drove into the driveway. Tyler was standing right outside the front door, on welcoming duty, and saw him drive up. It was obvious that there was someone in the passenger seat next to Mason, but Tyler couldn't tell who it was. He just assumed that Mason brought a date, which was a little odd and rude but expected.

Mason exits the Branco first, Nat following after him. Instead of going around the front of the vehicle, Nat traveled around her side and around the back. She wanted a little more time to prepare herself. She watched as Mason and Tyler exchanged works and half smiles with each other, giving them a little time for their reunited moment. After the hug, Nat decided to make her little entrance.

"It's good to see you again." Mason told his nephew.

"It's good to see you, too."

Nat walked up the steps, and as she walked between the two into the house she said, "Me too."

Tyler looked shocked before looking back at Mason and asking, "Was that-?"

Mason nodded, "Nervous as hell but yeah it is."

They two chuckled and entered inside the house. Tyler went back outside to welcome more guests in as Mason made a round around the front room, looking for his sister-in-law.

TheVampireDiares

Not many people had noticed the two new arrivals, but one who did was Damon Salvatore. As he and Sherriff Forbes spoke, he noticed Mason and Carol chatting. Not knowing who the guy was, he asked Forbes herself.

"Who's the guy with Carol?"

Liz looked over, "The mayor's younger brother, Mason Lockwood."

"Is he on the council? Like John Gilbert was when he rolled in?"

Liz smiled a half smile, thinking about how interesting it would've been if Mason was on the council. "He's nothing like John," which was very true, "For one, he's not an ass. He's not a believer either." Or so she thought. "He wants nothing to do with eh council. He's too preoccupied finding the perfect wave and housing a teenager."

Nat, who had been near the food table, made her way up to Mason and Carol. It had obviously been the first time Carol had seen her today, judging by the surprised face, lifted eyebrows that were accompanied by a happy smile, and the hug that the two females shared.

"And who's she?" Damon asked about Nat, "Sister or girlfriend?"

Liz laughed and shook her head, "That's Natalie Gren. She's an old family friend of the Lockwood family. She actually lived in this house for a little while. She followed Mason down to Florida a little while after she turned 14… about three years ago."

It was a curious thing, a 14 year old traveling after a surfer. At least, Damon thought it was interesting. He was interested more in the detail behind her leaving. What would make a 14 year old flee Mystic Falls and chase after a guy like Mason Lockwood? There was defiantly more to that story and Damon intended on finding that out.

He watched as the girl talked with Carol and Carol talked with her. He watched as Mason put his arm around her in a protective kind of way. As they all spoke, Nat glanced over at Damon, offered a smile, and then looked back at the older woman in front of her.

TheVampireDiaries

After the long chat with Carol Lockwood, the two Floridians excused themselves. They had bags to bring in and a younger Lockwood to find and talk to. After bring in their bags and putting them into the rooms that Carol had offered them, the two went searching the house for Tyler. He had seemed to disappear after the boy had seen him when they arrived and Nat wanted to talk to him.

The two found him in his father's study. He wasn't alone and they were both drinking from a flask. Tyler had taken a swig of it before handing it to the other boy. He was cute; at least he was to Nat. She couldn't speak for the hunk of beef cake next to her or the one inside but to each their own and she wouldn't judge.

As the other boy took a swig from the flask, Mason chose that moment to walk into the study. "Hey, what's going on in here Tyler?"

"Nothing," Tyler said as the two boys exchanged nervous-surprised expressions.

Mason held out his hand to the unknown boy, "You got somewhere else to be?" He asked.

He didn't say anything back, he just handed him the flask and walked out of the room. As he left, Mason took the spot where he had been leaning and took a gulp of the alcohol in the flask. He handed it back to Tyler, but it intercepted by Natalie, who had walked into the room undetected. She took a sip of it and sat down next to Tyler.

The three shared a comfortable laugh.

TheVampireDiaries

I don't think I have to say it but just in case, I DO NOT OWN THE VAMPIRE DIARIES! I ONLY OWN MY OC, NATALIE GREN! Please review! I'd like to know who is all into the story thus far and what you're all excited about in the upcoming chapters.