Chapter 1

Elena was an hour outside of Mystic Falls. She was going home to live for the first time in fifteen years. After graduating from high school she left home and moved to Los Angeles to attend UCLA. Elena had thrived in college. She'd been a cheerleader, just like in high school, she majored in english and liturature, then went on to master in the same. To say she was an over achiever was an understatement. She also met her soulmate, fell in love and got married.

After graduating with her bachelors degree Elena tought elementary school. She loved her fourth graders and began feeling the urge to have a baby of her own but there was more she wanted to do first. She and Jack, an LA police officer, had only been married for a year so after discussing it they decided to wait. Elena was in the middle of writing he first book, something she'd always wanted to do, she was also going to start grad school when the spring semester started. It just wasn't a good time to add a baby into the mix.

A few weeks later Elena was at her laptop working with a frustrated look on her face.

"What's wrong babe?" Jack asked. He was watching a football game on TV and heard her sigh heavily and looked over to see what was bothering her.

"I'm writing the last chapter and it's not coming out right. I've edited parts of it 3 times and I still can't get it the way I want it."

"Is the TV bothering you? I can turn it down."

Elena smilled at her sweet husband. "No it's not that sweetie. It's just me. This sucks. My fourth graders can write better book reports than what I have here." Elena complained

Jacked laughed. "I doubt that Elena. Do you want me to read it?"

"Jackson Montgomery you know the rule!" Elena's rule was no reading until it was finished. That had been her rule all through college.

"I know, I know. I just thought I would offer."

"And you are sweet to offer. I'll get it right eventually. I still have time before my publisher's deadline." On a whim Elena had sent the first couple chapters of her book to a few publishers. Just to see what would happen. Most of the replies were thanks but no thanks we're not interested but just when Elena was about to give up on her dream she got the letter she'd been hoping on. She met with them, agreed to their terms and accepted their contract bonus. Elena was on her way to becoming a writer. It was a year later when the book finally hit the bookselves and it was a huge success, much to Elena's surprise. She took her time with her graduate work to concentrate on her second book.

Three things happened all at once. Elena's second book came out in the book stores, she received her graduate degree and she decided she wanted to change jobs. So in September of that year she started teaching english and liturature at the local high school. Elena described teaching high school as the most rewarding and most challenging experience of her career.

Two years later, after Elena had finished the third and final book of her series she and Jack had their first baby. A little boy they named Jackson Aaron Montgomery after his dad. Elena took a little time off work and writing to spend time with her new son. She'd always heard people talk about the joys of motherhood but of course never understood until she held her firstborn, nursed him and watched him grow. He was a sweet little boy and when he was three he said he wanted to be a policeman just like his dad. Jack Jr.s little sister Katelyn arrived that same year.

Elena's life was complete. She had a good life. Beautiful children she adored and an amazing husband. Her children were happy and thriving. When Jack Jr. started kindergarden and Elena was busy with work and her next novel tragedy struck that would forever change her life. Elena was in the middle of a lecture on Shakespear with one of her senior classes when the school principal came to her classroom and asked to see her in the office.

"Oooh Mrs. Montgomery is busted!" The whole class said laughing. She was a great teacher and all of her students loved her. They all said she made liturature fun.

Elena laughed at them, "You guys just hush and read chapter 16 while I'm gone. I'll be right back."

When she got the office to police officers were waiting for her when she walked in. Elena's heart immediately sank to her stomach. She knew these men well. "Stephen, James. What's going on?"

"Elena have a seat." One of them said.

"I'm fine just tell me what's going on."

"Elena it's Jack. Something's happened." The officer said then looked at the other. "Jack's been shot." He went on to say.

"Ok, well he's fine right? He was wearing his vest wasn't he? He always wears his vest." Elena reasoned trying not to panic.

"Yes he was wearing his vest but Elena he's not fine." The other officer said as tears filled his eyes. "Elena, Jack's been killed."

All Elena could do was stand and shake her head. "NO!" she yealled at them. "YOU'RE WRONG!" she yelled again. "He's just been hurt. Someone made a mistake. He's just been hurt. Take me to him. He'll need me. What hospital is he in? He'll need me. Take me to him please. Please take me to him." Elena was hysterical. She looked at her friends as tears fell from her eyes. "Please tell me he's just been hurt. It's just a mistake right?" Her friends couldn't speak through their own tears they shook their heads and helped her sit down in a chair before she collapsed. Elena put her face in her hands and sobbed for the husband she'd lost and the father her children would grow up without. "How did it happen?" She asked when she had calmed down a little.

"A normal traffic stop went bad. Witnesses said he was walking abck to his cruiser to write the ticket and check the guy out. Before Jack knew what was going on the guy was out of his car with a gun and..well you know the rest."

"Has he been cought?" Elena asked

"Not yet."

"You have to find him. For Jack. Promise me."

Her friends nodded, "We will Elena."

Elena wiped the tears from her face and stood up. "I need to see him." She said.

"We've already Identified him to the ME Elena. It's not necessary." They said.

"Please guys. He's my husband. My childrens father. I need to see him. Oh my god my kids. How am I going to explain this to J.J.?"

"The department has resources Elena. You won't go through this alone."

The next two weeks went by in a complete blur for Elena. When her parents got the news they were on the first plane out to Los Angeles to help with the kids and funeral arrangements. Friends and family came from all over. Elena's home was bursting at the seams. On the day of the funeral Elena was holding it together as best as she could for her children. Katelyn at just three years old didn't really understand. She was just happy to have so many people to play with. Including uncle Jeremy. When it was time to go she found Jack Jr. sitting on his bed with a picture frame in his hands.

"Whatcha got buddy?" Elena sked and sat down next to him.

"A picture of daddy." He said. Showing Elena the picture.

"Oh I see." It was a picture taken the previous year at the police departments charity event. "You know you look very much like your dad."

Jack Jr. smiled his precious toothless grin. "I do?"

"You do and your dad loved you so much. I don't want you to ever forget that ok." Jack nodded. "K come on it's time to go." Elena took her son's small hand and they walked out of the house together.

As the weeks passed and turned into months Elena found it harder and harder to be in her home alone. Her mother had stayed a few weeks and helped Elena pack up Jack's things. She took his unforms to the station and said her goodbyes. She gave some of his other things to his friends. Eventually her mom had to get back to her own job and Elena was left alone. Elena decided what she needed was a change. A new start at a new life. It didn't mean she loved Jack any less or wanted to forget him but she felt she couldn't move on with the constant reminders of him all around her. She felt a change would ease her mourning and help her broken heart to begin to mend. The answer came to her one evening as she was surfing the web. She got an email from the Mystic Fall High School Alumni Association announcing that the school board was looking for an english teach at Mystic high.

"You've got to be kidding me." Elena said out loud and immediately went to the website given and sent off her resume' in an email.

A week later she heard back with a request for an interview. She called the next day to set up a phone interview. Two weeks passed with no word and Elena gave up hope that she'd be going home but then one morning her phone rang as she was walking out the door to work. The school board decided she was a perfect fit for the job and wanted her to start after the Christmas break. Elena accepted without having to think about it.

Elena was let out of her current contract, Considering the circumstanses the school board agreed she needed a change, she packed up what she could and started on the road for Mystic Falls Virginia the week of Christmas break. She had a moving company do the big stuff for her and it would have to be put in storage for a while. She and the kids would be staying with her parents for a while until her house in Los Angeles sold and she could find something to rent town.

So an hour outside of Mystic Falls Elena looked in her mirror at her children. Katelyn was sound asleep and Jack was watching a movie on the DVD player until he saw her looking back at him.

"Momma are we gonna be there soon?" He asked in his sweet almost six year old voice.

"Pretty soon buddy. Only an hour more."

"I'm hungry." He complained.

"I know must be it's past lunch time but grandma, grandpa and uncle Jeremy are waiting for us. So put your headphones back on and watch your movie ok."

Four days in the car alone with her kids had worn her nerves past the breaking point and when she finally saw the "Welcome to Mystic Falls" sign she internally yelled "Hallelujah" and when she stopped the car in front of the house where she grew up she got the kids out and let them run up to the house. Elena took a moment to herself. She leaned back against the car looking at the old familiar house and her dad came walking out to join her.

"Well, What are you thinking about." He asked

"Well, I'm back where I started. I'm home daddy." Tears started falling from Elena's eyes.

"Are you ok Elena? I mean, are you handling things ok?"

"I'm going to be daddy. I think I'm going to be just fine." Elena said and started walking toward the house and her new life.