Disclaimer:- The Vampire Diaries and anything related to it (sadly) does not belong to me. The only thing I own is Scarlett and the ideas for the story. Hope you like it.
Scarlett Williams leaned against the counter in the kitchen of the Salvatore Boarding House as she stirred a cup of tea, idly watching a large black crow perched on a tree in the garden. It had been a long summer. She gazed out of the window as she thought of the car accident which had left her best friend, Elena Gilbert, an orphan. She could remember the glazed look on Elena's face at the funeral as she stood beside her younger brother Jeremy and her aunt Jenna.
The funeral had attracted practically all of Mystic Falls – the Gilbert's were a well loved family, as well as being descendents of the town's original Founders. Scarlett had stood quietly with her friends, Bonnie Bennett and Caroline Forbes, the three of them offering silent comfort to Elena in her hour of need. The service had reminded her of her own mother's funeral two years before, the event which had led to Scarlett selling her family home and moving in with Zach Salvatore, her mother's oldest friend.
Sighing softly to herself, Scarlett pulled her mind back to the present, picked up her mug and started walking through the large antique-shop of a house in the direction of her bedroom. It was still early, and she had to get ready for the first day of school. She was just about to climb the stairs when a noise in the front parlour made her turn, a frown marring her pale, heart-shaped face.
"Zach? Is that you?" she called. There was no reply. She walked into the parlour, placing her mug on a side table before stepping into the middle of the room. A door creaked from the direction of the kitchen, and Scarlett felt her heart begin to race. Unlike most of the town, she was well aware of the truth behind the legends of Mystic Falls. Glancing around the room, she quietly tiptoed towards the desk in the corner of the room. Zach kept a handgun loaded with wooden bullets in the top drawer in case of unwanted visitors.
The drawer was well oiled and made no sound as she slid it open. She carefully lifted the gun and took off the safety. Slowing her breathing, she reached out with her mind to try and find who, or what, had entered the house uninvited. She could sense Zach, his emotions calm and peaceful in sleep.
"I hope you're not planning to use that thing on me," a soft male voice muttered from near the front door. Scarlett's eyes flew towards the voice as she brought her arm up, preparing to fire. Her gaze landed on the intruder and she gasped in shock.
"Stefan! I wish you wouldn't sneak up on me." The vampire smiled softly at her, his hazel eyes full of mirth. He nodded his head towards the gun still pointed at his chest.
"Are you going to put that away?" Scarlett blinked, having completely forgotten that she was currently pointing a weapon at her godfather. She blushed as she placed the gun, safety catch on, back in the drawer, and she smiled sheepishly as he walked towards her.
"Sorry about that. I hear strange noises and I immediately think the worst." Stefan nodded in understanding, before pulling the slender teenager into a tight hug. Her smile widened as she returned the gesture.
"We didn't expect you back for a while," she murmured as he released her and stepped back. Stefan's visits to his home were usually few and far between – he had only visited twice since Scarlett was born.
"I've decided to stick around for a while. I'm tired of always being on the road. I want a normal life. Plus, I have to make sure that my favourite goddaughter is well taken care of." Scarlett rolled her dark blue eyes.
"I'm your only goddaughter." Stefan raised one eyebrow and smirked slightly.
"My point exactly." Scarlett chuckled quietly. She was incredibly fond of the vampire, having known him for most of her life. He visited infrequently while she was growing up, bringing stories and presents from his travels. For the last couple of months he had been staying at the Boarding House, catching up with his goddaughter and spending some time at his home. Scarlett frowned slightly as a thought entered her mind.
"What about Damon?" Stefan's face darkened. Scarlett had never met his elder brother, but everything she had heard about Damon Salvatore suggested that she didn't particularly want to.
"I haven't seen or heard from him for fifteen years," Stefan replied. "I doubt he'll come visiting in the near future." Scarlett nodded before glancing down at her watch – eight o'clock.
"When you say 'normal life,' I take it you mean a normal teenage life?" she queried. He nodded in reply. "Well then, we'd best get ready for school."
Scarlett could sense the heightened curiosity of her peers as she and Stefan walked from the parking lot to the registrar's office. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply through her nose, something her mum had taught her in order to prevent the headache that always followed being exposed to so many heightened emotions. A hand touched her back, and she looked up to see Stefan smiling gently down at her. She returned the gesture as she led him through the school corridors.
"Ms Jones?" The dark haired receptionist glanced up with an inquisitive smile on her face before her eyes landed on Stefan. Scarlett sighed as she felt the desire and curiosity radiating off the older woman. Apparently she was going to have to get used to this while Stefan was around.
"Can I help you?"
"Yes, Ms Jones," Scarlett replied, dragging the woman's attention back to her. "This is my friend, Stefan Salvatore. He's transferring here and needs to pick up his class schedule."
"Of course, which school are you transferring from, Stefan?" Scarlett rolled her eyes at the woman before turning to her godfather.
"I'll wait for you outside," she murmured and he nodded in response before returning his attention to the receptionist. As she left the room, Scarlett saw Bonnie staring intently at the back of Stefan's head. She chuckled softly to herself, running a hand through her waist-length auburn hair as she made her way to her friend.
"Not you too," she joked. Bonnie just stared at her in disbelief. Scarlett waved a hand in front of her hazel eyes. "Hello? Earth to Bonnie, you in there Bonnie?" Caroline laughed as she heard Scarlett's teasing, joining the pair standing in the corridor.
"You know him?!" Bonnie finally managed to ask.
"Yeah, do you know him Scarlett? Cos if his face is as gorgeous as his back, I'm gonna need an introduction!" Caroline winked cheekily at the red head and walked away. Scarlett rolled her eyes behind Caroline's back.
"Yes, I know him. Now, onto important matters, where's Elena?"
"I'm sensing Seattle … and he plays the guitar," Bonnie said, completely ignoring Scarlett's attempt to change the topic of conversation. Scarlett glanced at her friend, her brow furrowed – Stefan had just been in Seattle. Just then a tall brunette walked up to the group, a wide smile on her face.
"You're really gonna run this whole 'psychic' thing into the ground, huh?" Elena asked. She stepped forward and hugged Scarlett, whispering in her ear, "Her Grams says that Bonnie's a witch."
"Pretty much. Now tell me, Scarlett, am I right?" Before she could answer, a disappointed look passed over Elena's face and she took off towards the men's bathroom, muttering, "I'll be right back." Scarlett watched her friend, her lips pressed in a grim line. She knew that Elena's little brother, Jeremy, was having problems dealing with his parent's deaths. Every time she walked past him, she was overtaken by a cloud of grief and pot smoke, but she didn't know what she could do to help.
"Please be hot," Bonnie whispered beside her. Scarlett raised one eye brow and smiled disbelievingly at her.
"Seriously?"
"What? There are like, no hot guys at this school anymore."
"Yes there are," Scarlett argued.
"Okay, name one that you would date." Bonnie had her there, and she smirked at her auburn haired friend before turning back to the guy in the office. Suddenly, he turned around and Bonnie's jaw dropped.
"All sorted?" Scarlett asked Stefan as he walked towards them.
"Yeah, I've just got a couple of things to sort out. See you in class?" Scarlett grinned widely before nodding her head in her friend's direction.
"This is Bonnie." Stefan smiled and nodded his head politely before walking away. Scarlett turned to start walking to class, but soon realised Bonnie was nowhere to be found. Looking down the hallway, she saw her friend following Stefan like a lost puppy. She also saw Caroline's face change as Stefan walked past her – she'd definitely be asking Scarlett for an introduction later. Scarlett rolled her eyes. It seemed to be becoming a habit.
As she caught up with Bonnie, she saw Elena leave the men's room and walk straight into Stefan. Scarlett grabbed Bonnie's arm and pulled her closer to the lockers.
"Let them bond," she whispered in her friend's ear. Bonnie smiled mischievously.
"Elena won't like you playing matchmaker," she warned. Scarlett's smile was, if possible, even more mischievous than Bonnie's, and her dark blue eyes twinkled with mirth.
"Elena doesn't have to know." The two girls watched as Elena and Stefan tried, unsuccessfully to get out of each other's way. He finally moved to the side and let her pass. As she neared her friends, Elena turned to look over her shoulder, to catch the new boy with the dark hazel eyes gazing after her.
"I didn't know you liked dancing in public so much, Elena," Scarlett teased. Elena blushed furiously and gently shoved her friend who was laughing with Bonnie.
"Let's just get to class …"
It was the last class of the day – history. Usually, Scarlett loved history, but when it was taught by someone like Mr Tanner, she felt completely justified in ignoring everything he said. Stefan walked in and took the empty seat next to her.
"Good day so far?" she asked him quietly.
"Very," he replied. "I'm sorry I haven't seen much of you, Scarlett." The girl shrugged one shoulder, brushing off his apology.
"We live in the same house, Stefan. I'm sure we'll be ripping each other's hair out before long." Stefan smiled just as Mr Tanner walked in to begin the class. About half way through, her phone buzzed in her pocket, alerting her to a text message. As sneakily as possible, she pulled out her phone.
Bonnie:- Ur hot friend is totally checking out Elena ! ;) Scarlett smiled and quickly sent her a message back.
Scarlett:- She's checking him out too – WIN !
Later that night, Scarlet was stood in the kitchen making dinner for her and Zach when Stefan walked in. He seemed tense and a deep frown marred his brow.
"There's rabbit in the fridge," she told him. "I thought you might be hungry." Stefan nodded brusquely and walked to the large appliance, pulling out a bottle of dark red liquid. If Scarlett were a normal girl, this would have freaked her out, but she'd known about the existence of vampires her whole life. Tara Williams was not one to keep secrets from her daughter. "Is everything okay?" she asked her godfather. Stefan perched on a bar stool, sipping blood from the bottle as he watched her cook. He sighed heavily.
"It's harder than I thought it would be," he replied. Scarlett nodded in understanding. She could sense his turmoil, his stress and agitation. Reaching up, she rubbed her temple.
"Still finding it hard to control your powers?" Stefan asked. Scarlett pondered the question before replying.
"Sometimes. Most of the time it's easy to shut everyone out, but if someone's emotions are particularly intense, then it's a bit harder." Stefan nodded as he digested her words. "And you being a vampire, with all of your emotions running on overdrive makes it a lot harder. But I'll get used to it," she finished before Stefan could feel too bad about it.
"I'm meeting Elena and the girls at the Grill later on. You should come." Stefan took another sip from the bottle before standing up.
"Maybe, I have a few things I want to take care of first," he replied. Scarlett smiled teasingly.
"Like pouring your heart out on a piece of paper?" she asked lightly. Stefan looked at her, his eyes questioning. "Don't worry, I haven't read any of your journals. Apparently it's a big thing for Founders to do. Mum even convinced me to start. Something about preparing future generations …" Scarlett trailed off, gazing out of the kitchen window. A hand on her shoulder brought her back to reality, and she turned to find Stefan looking down at her, his eyes sad and kind.
"Are you okay, Scarlett?" Scarlett thought hard about his question, a question so many people had asked her. Two years may seem like a long time to most people, but Scarlett still felt the loss of her mother every day. She had been a constant source of support, comfort and love, and to lose her so suddenly… Scarlett couldn't quite make herself get over it. She swallowed slightly before replying.
"I'm fine Stefan, thank you." He gazed into her eyes a few moments more, before gently placing a fatherly kiss on her forehead.
"Have fun this evening, Scarlett."
When Scarlett entered the Grill, she saw Matt and Bonnie sat together talking. Quickly getting a drink from the bar, she joined them just as Matt asked how Elena was doing.
"Her mum and dad died – how do you think? She's putting on a good face, but it's only been four months," Bonnie replied.
"Has she said anything about me?" Scarlett had just raised her glass to her lips, but immediately put it back down.
"Oh no, we are so not getting in the middle," she told him. "You pick up the phone and call her." Matt cleared his throat slightly before talking.
"I feel weird calling her, she broke up with me." Bonnie glanced and Scarlett and they shared a sympathetic look.
"Give it more time, Matt." As Scarlett nodded in agreement, the door to the Grill opened and Elena walked in, closely followed by Stefan. Matt and Bonnie turned to see what had caught their friend's attention, and before Scarlett could shut it out, she felt Matt's sadness burst into her mind. He shook his head slightly before looking back at Bonnie.
"More time, huh?" Scarlett could feel his pain as if it was her own, and she reached up to subtly rub her right temple. Matt stood and walked away from their table, towards Elena and Stefan.
"Well this evening just got awkward," murmured Bonnie, before glancing at Scarlett who was still pressing her fingers against her temple and frowning slightly. "You okay, Scarlett?"
"Huh?" Scarlett opened her eyes and focused on Bonnie who looked worried.
"Are you still getting those headaches? You should see a doctor about it." Scarlett shook her head slightly, causing the pain in her forehead to intensify.
"No, it's fine. My mum had them too. Sadly, they're genetic," she laughed faintly at her own joke, but could see that Bonnie was not amused. Looking over Bonnie's shoulder, she saw Elena and Stefan approaching, closely followed by Caroline.
"Mind if we join you?" Elena asked. Scarlett and Bonnie both smiled widely.
"Of course not, all my best friends together at last. I never thought this day would come," Scarlett said cheerfully, closing the walls of her mind to everything but her own emotions. Stefan chuckled at her words, and sat down between her and Elena whilst Caroline took the chair opposite.
"So, you were born in Mystic Falls?" Caroline immediately began the interrogation. Scarlett rolled her eyes at the blonde's persistence.
"Mhm, and moved while I was still young," Stefan replied, glancing over and Scarlett. She smiled at him, assuring him that she'd go along with whatever story he came up with.
"Parents?" Caroline continued. Stefan hesitated slightly before answering.
"My parents passed away." Significant looks were exchanged around the table, before Stefan's eyes finally settled on Elena. Scarlett took a slow sip of her drink, watching her friend's reaction.
"I'm sorry," she finally said. Stefan nodded, acknowledging her kind words. "Any siblings?"
"None that I talk to," he replied. "But Scarlett is pretty much my sister – we live with my uncle, Zach." All eyes turned to Scarlett and she smiled fondly at Stefan.
"Stefan and Zach really helped me out after …" She trailed off. Everyone around the table gave her sympathetic looks, except for Caroline. - she just looked confused.
"But Stefan wasn't here. How could he help you if he wasn't even in town?" Bonnie kicked her under the table for her insensitivity.
"We wrote to each other," Scarlett answered. Bonnie let out a long 'oh' of understanding.
"So that's who you write to all the time. I thought you must have had a long distance boyfriend who you were keeping secret." Scarlett's nose wrinkled in disgust.
"Eugh, no! Stefan's practically family." Everyone at the table laughed at her reaction, but Scarlett suddenly felt very uncomfortable. She had the strangest sense that someone was watching her. She glanced around the bar, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. In an attempt to shake off the feeling, she returned her attention to the conversation.
"So Stefan, if you're new then you don't know about the party tomorrow," Caroline said, her eyes alight as she gazed longingly at Stefan.
"It's a back to school thing at the Falls," Bonnie explained. Stefan nodded before looking at Elena.
"Are you going?" he asked her.
"Of course she is," Scarlett answered before Elena could open her mouth. Elena glanced at her best friend who just winked, before turning back to Stefan, a bashful grin on her face. Scarlett smiled, delighted to see her friend so happy, but she still couldn't rid herself of the feeling that someone was watching her.
Soon enough, Scarlett and Bonnie were the only ones left at the table. Stefan had walked Elena home, promising to see Scarlett later, and Caroline had gone to find someone else to talk to. The two girls got ready to leave.
"You need a ride?" Bonnie asked, pulling on her jacket.
"Nah, my car's out front," Scarlett replied as she fished her keys out from the bottom of her bag.
"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow."
"Night Bonnie." The girl waved as she left the bar. Scarlett pulled her crochet cardigan back on and slung her bag over her shoulder before heading for the exit. Her phone buzzed in her bag, and she tried to grab it, not looking where she was going. Just as her hand closed around her phone, she bumped into what felt like a brick wall. Looking up, Scarlett was hypnotized by the brightest pair of blue eyes she had ever seen.
"Are you okay?" His voice was deep and sexy, and it sent shivers running straight down Scarlett's spine. She stepped back slightly so that she could look at the man before her properly. Tall and obviously well muscled, his skin was pale and smooth and he had soot black hair that fell just to the collar of his jacket. Scarlett smiled nervously. She had never met such a gorgeous guy before, let alone spoken to one, and was embarrassed as hell for having knocked into him.
"I'm fine, thanks," she said, finally finding her voice. One corner of his mouth lifted in a slow, seductive smirk.
"That's good. We wouldn't want a pretty thing like you hurting yourself." Scarlett laughed nervously. She watched as his eyes trailed slowly over her body, before rising back up and settling on her lips. Her breath hitched slightly, and his smirk became satisfied.
"I should go," she murmured, making to move past him, but he stepped in front of her.
"Do you need a lift home?"
"No thanks," Scarlett replied, shaking her head. "My car's out front."
"I could walk you to your car …"
"I'll be fine," she insisted, and with a slight smile, she walked out of the door and into the night. Damon watched her go, taking a deep breath to catch the last traces of her scent. Jasmine, rose, and something just a little bit spicy. His smiled widened. Maybe being home wouldn't be so boring after all.
Scarlett was sat crossed legged on Stefan's bed reading when Zach came in brandishing a newspaper.
"You promised," he said to Stefan, handing over the paper. Scarlett glanced up, a frown marring her delicate features. She could feel Zach's fear. Stefan examined the paper in his hands before looking at his great-nephew.
"This was an animal attack.
"Don't give me that," Zach replied with obvious frustration. "I know the game; you tear them up enough they always suspect an animal attack. You said you had it under control." Scarlett put her book to one side and stood, walking to Stefan's side to read the headline over his shoulder – Bodies found mutilated by animal.
"Zach, Stefan does have it under control. He's only drinking animal blood." Stefan squeezed her hand slightly. Zach looked at her, then shook his head sadly.
"Please, Uncle Stefan. Mystic Falls is a different place now. It's been quiet for years, but there are people who still remember, and you being here … it's just gonna stir things up." Stefan frowned as he replied.
"That's not my intention."
"Then what is?" Zach burst out. "Why did you come back? After all this time, why now?"
"I don't have to explain myself," Stefan retorted. Scarlett nervously chewed her bottom lip. She understood why Zach was worried - if the town started worrying about vampires again, then things would get very complicated, very quickly. But she trusted Stefan. Zach hesitated before continuing.
"I know that you can't change what you are, but you don't belong here anymore."
"What are you talking about?" Scarlett asked. "This is his home, of course he belongs here." Zach looked deep into Scarlett's eyes, so like her mother's, then shook his head sadly.
"I can't tell you what to do, Uncle Stefan. But coming back here was a mistake." And with that he turned and left the room, flinging the newspaper down on a table. Scarlett and Stefan were both silent for a few moments, processing the conversation that had just occurred. Stefan slowly walked towards a large wardrobe, trailing his fingers over the door.
"He didn't mean it, Stefan. Zach's just scared." Scarlett tried to console him, but the vampire was lost in his own thoughts as he pulled the door open, revealing hundreds of leather bound journals. He pulled out one in particular, opened it and looked inside. Scarlett couldn't see what had caught his attention, so she moved forward slightly.
"It's late. You should go to bed, Scarlett." Scarlett hesitated slightly before nodding and walking to the door. Before she left, she turned and looked at her vampire godfather.
"I'm glad you're home, Stefan," she whispered, closing the door behind her as she left.
"The Battle of Willow Creek took place right at the end of the war, right in our very own Mystic Falls. How many casualties resulted in this battle?" Scarlett was twirling a lock of her long auburn hair through her fingers, staring down at the blank page in her notebook.
"Miss Williams?" Her eyes flew to Mr Tanner, who was looking at her in despair.
"Um … A lot?" There was chuckling around the room. "I'm not sure … like, a whole lot."
"Cute becomes dumb in an instant, Miss Williams." Scarlett glared at him as he turned his attention to Matt.
"Mr Donovan, would you like to take this opportunity to overcome your embedded 'jock' stereotype?"
"It's okay, Mr Tanner. I'm cool with it." Mr Tanner did not appear to be impressed.
"Elena?" he asked. "Surely you can enlighten us about one of the town's most significantly historical events." Elena shook her head slightly.
"I'm sorry, I … I don't know," she replied. Mr Tanner looked at her sternly.
"I was willing to be lenient last year for obvious reasons, Elena. But the personal excuses ended with summer break." Scarlett glanced at her friend as she felt her embarrassment and sadness fill the room. She would have liked nothing better at that moment than to give Mr Tanner a piece of his own medicine. His comments were completely below the belt.
"There were three hundred and forty six casualties, unless you're counting the local civilians." Stefan's calm voice broke the awkward silence which had engulfed the room. Scarlett smiled to herself, thinking that if anyone in the room would know the answer, it would be him. Mr Tanner looked questioningly at Stefan.
"That's correct. Mr …?"
"Salvatore."
"Salvatore? Any relation to the original settlers here at Mystic Falls?" Mr Tanner seemed genuinely curious. Stefan hesitated slightly, and Scarlett ducked her head to hide her smile. Tanner would never guess that Stefan himself was one of the original Founders of the town.
"Distant," Stefan finally replied. Tanner nodded.
"Except, of course, there were no civilian casualties in this battle." He turned back towards the blackboard, but Stefan's voice stopped him.
"Actually there were twenty seven, sir. Confederate soldiers, they fired on a church, believing it to be housing weapons, and they were wrong. It was a night of great loss." Tanner glanced around the classroom sheepishly, embarrassed to be receiving a history lesson from one of his students. "The Founders Archives are stored in Civil Hall if you'd like to brush up on your facts. Mr Tanner." Whispers circulated the room at Stefan's last comment. Scarlett caught his gaze and shook her head slightly. She knew that Stefan had just made himself Mr Tanner's worst enemy.
Scarlett was sat on Elena's bed, braiding her mane of auburn hair over one shoulder as she waited for her friend to finish getting ready. She was driving Elena to the start of school party down at the Falls, and had joined the Gilbert family for dinner beforehand.
"So, how long have you known Stefan?" Elena's voice was slightly muffled as she was in the bathroom finishing her makeup, but Scarlett could tell she was fishing for information about the school's newest arrival.
"Practically my whole life," she replied.
"The two of you seem really close …"
"We are. He and Zach are my family." Elena left the bathroom, her makeup flawless and her long brown hair dead straight. She looked carefully at Scarlett as she asked her next question.
"Have the two of you ever … you know, been more?" Scarlett grinned – Elena couldn't have been more obvious if she'd tried. She was interested in Stefan.
"Never, that would just be way too weird," she said firmly. Elena nodded as she pulled on a leather jacket. Scarlett decided to do some fishing of her own. "He likes you, you know?" Elena nearly fell over as she was putting on her boots, and her dark eyes flashed to Scarlett's.
"He's told you?" She sounded completely shocked at this revelation. Scarlett's full lips curved into a secretive smile.
"He doesn't need to, I can tell." Elena nodded slightly, and a small smile crept onto her face.
"Shall we go?" Scarlett nodded and grabbed her bag before following her best friend down the stairs.
"Hey Jeremy, if you want a ride, we're leaving now," Scarlett called.
"You don't have to, you know," Elena told her. Scarlett shrugged dismissively.
"Elena, you're practically family too, that extends to your little brother." Elena grinned and the girls waited for Jeremy in the car. "You know what I think?" Scarlett asked.
"What do you think?" Elena replied, her eyes sparkling.
"I think this year is going to be pretty awesome."
As soon as they reached the party, Jeremy left Scarlett and Elena to do his own thing. Scarlett shared a worried look with her friend before they went to find Bonnie. She was stood next to a fire, beer in hand. Hugs were exchanged, and the conversation quickly turned to one Stefan Salvatore.
"Just admit it Elena," said Bonnie, as she exchanged a knowing smirk with Scarlett. Scarlett said nothing, just took another sip from her glass and pretended not to be interested in the conversation.
"Okay, so he's a little pretty," the brunette replied. Scarlett nearly choked on her drink.
"I'm not sure how he'd feel about being called that," she said, as she tried to imagine Stefan's reaction to being described as pretty.
"Come on, he has that whole romance novel stare," Bonnie replied, before jokingly saying, "Stefan's eyes looked deep into hers, piercing her very soul …" Scarlett and Elena burst out laughing at Bonnie's comment. It sounded exactly like a line from one of those trashy novels Scarlett's mum used to read.
"So where is he?" asked Bonnie.
"I don't know… Scarlett?" Elena turned to the red-head, who was also looking around for the subject of their conversation.
"I'm not sure, but he definitely said he'd be here," she replied, before looking at Bonnie. "Why don't you tap into those psychic powers of yours and tell us where he is?"
"Right, I forgot," she replied with a smile. "Okay, so give me a sec, Grams says I have to concentrate …"
"Wait, you need a crystal ball," Elena said, her face the picture of seriousness. She glanced around, before picking up an empty beer bottle and handing it over to Bonnie. But as Bonnie and Elena's hands touched on the bottle, Bonnie's eyes became unfocused and Scarlett felt a surge of energy unlike anything she'd ever felt before. It wasn't emotional; she wasn't quite sure what it was. Bonnie ripped her hand away from the bottle. Elena and Scarlett stared at their friend, but whilst Elena seemed genuinely confused, Scarlett just looked worried.
"What?" Elena asked.
"That was weird … When I touched you, I saw a crow." Scarlett raised one eyebrow at this. She remembered seeing a crow the day before, she wondered if Elena had seen one too.
"What?" Elena asked again, her voice more hesitant than before. Scarlett glanced at her and let the walls around her mind drop slightly until she could feel Elena's unease. She gently touched her arm to reassure her. Bonnie looked at Scarlett when she continued.
"A crow, there was fog, a man, and … you, Scarlett … I'm drunk, I've been drinking, there's nothing psychic about it." She tried to explain away her strange comments, but neither Scarlett nor Elena was falling for it. "Yeah, okay I'm gonna get a refill." With that, Bonnie turned and walked away. Elena watched her friend leave, still confused, before looking at Scarlett.
"What was that about?" she asked. Scarlett shook her head slowly, gazing after Bonnie.
"I'm not sure, but I'm going to see if she's alright." Elena nodded and Scarlett jogged to catch up with Bonnie, who was making her way towards Tyler Lockwood and the alcohol.
"Hey girls, need refills?" he asked, holding out two plastic cups filled with beer. Scarlett grabbed Bonnie's arm and started to pull her away.
"We're good, actually, thanks Tyler." He shrugged and turned back to his friends as Scarlett pulled Bonnie over to a slightly quieter area.
"Before you ask, Scarlett, I don't know what happened," Bonnie said. She was shaking slightly, and Scarlett pulled her into a hug to try and calm her down.
"Hey, it's okay Bonnie. We'll figure it out," she said, trying to soothe her friend. She felt Bonnie gradually relax, so she pulled away and looked into her eyes. "Feeling better?" Bonnie nodded and smiled slightly.
"Thanks Scarlett. How do you always know exactly what to say?" Scarlett grinned at her friend and shrugged.
"It's a natural talent; some people are just born with it." Bonnie laughed at Scarlett's joke, and the pair returned to the party. Just as they moved back, they heard Elena scream for help and Matt start yelling. Scarlett ran towards to commotion, and found Elena and Matt standing over an unconscious Vicki Donovan, Matt's younger sister. Scarlett quickly moved up to them and saw the reason for the yelling – there was a large, bloody bite mark on her neck. Pulling off her jumper, Scarlett bundled it against the wound, applying as much pressure as she could without causing further damage.
"Somebody call an ambulance," she said calmly." "Tyler, move everyone back, she needs air." Tyler started shoving people away, telling them to give Scarlett space to work. Scarlett's mum had been a doctor at the local hospital before her death, so she was probably more qualified than anyone to take care of Vicki until the ambulance arrived. She glanced around, looking for her godfather and when she caught his eyes, she nodded. It was practically imperceptible, but he saw it and he knew what it meant. This was no animal attack. It was a vampire.
Stefan turned and hurried into the night, while Scarlett returned her focus to Vicki as they waited for the medics to arrive.
Stefan ran like the wind in order to get home. He sprinted through a side entrance, straight into Zach's study. Zach glanced up looking confused.
"What's going on?" he asked.
"Someone else was attacked tonight, Zach, and it wasn't me." Stefan rushed up the stairs to his bedroom. He had an awful feeling that he knew exactly who was to blame for tonight's attack. He glanced around his room, noticing that his balcony windows were wide open. As he stepped towards them, a large black crow flew in and perched on one of the beams near the ceiling. Stefan felt a presence behind him. He turned slowly to find his brother leaning against the balcony railings, a smirk curving his mouth.
"Damon," he stated.
"Hello, brother." Stefan stared at him in disbelief.
"Crow's a bit much, don't you think?" Damon stalked into them room, running his long fingers over some papers on Stefan's desk.
"Wait 'til you see what I can do with the fog," his brother replied, raising his eyebrows smugly. Stefan's brows furrowed as he watched his brother carefully.
"When'd you get here?" he asked.
"Well, I couldn't miss your first day at school," Damon joked, moving to a bookcase and pretending to show an interest in its contents. "Your hair's different, I like it."
"It's been fifteen years, Damon."
"Thank God, I couldn't take another day of the Nineties. That horrible grunge look did not suit you," he laughed. "Remember, Stefan, it's important to stay away from fads."
"Why are you here?" Stefan finally asked the question he'd been wanting to since he stepped into the room. Damon turned to him, a sarcastic smile on his face.
"I missed my little brother," he said as if it was obvious, but the smirk gave away his true feelings.
"You hate small towns, it's boring. There's nothing for you to do," Stefan retorted. Damon was fast beginning to annoy him.
"I've managed to keep myself busy," he smirked. Stefan didn't like that smirk – it made him feel like Damon knew something he didn't.
"You know you left that girl alive tonight? That was very clumsy of you." Damon sighed, almost apologetically.
"That could be a problem … for you." Stefan shook his head slowly.
"Why are you here now?"
"I could ask you the same question," Damon replied, pushing himself away from the dresser he'd been leaning against. "However, I'm fairly certain your answer could be summed up all into two little words - Elena and Scarlett. His smirk was challenging, daring Stefan to deny it. Damon resumed walking around Stefan's room, occasionally picking things up only to drop them with disinterest.
"She took my breath away… Elena. She's a dead-ringer for Katherine. And that pretty little goddaughter of yours … Well, she's intriguing, to say the least," he said, glancing back at his brother. Stefan glared in return.
"Is it working, Stefan? Being around her, being in her world, does it make you feel alive?"
"Elena is not Katherine, Damon," Stefan replied slowly, making sure that Damon heard every word.
"Well, let's hope not, we both know how that ended." Damon stopped in front of Stefan and made eye contact with his brother.
"Stay away from Scarlett, Damon. She has nothing to do with this - I'm not going to let you hurt her. Her or Elena." Damon chuckled.
"Is this you being all protective and god-fatherly? I guess I'd be impressed, if I hadn't already talked to her…" Stefan growled slightly, his frown deepening. "Tell me something, when's the last time you had something stronger than a squirrel?"
"I know what you're doing Damon, it's not gonna work," Stefan replied, turning away. Damon's hand shot out to grab his brother's arm.
"Come on, don't you crave a little?" He shoved Stefan backwards.
"Don't." Stefan said. Damon shoved him again.
"Let's do it, together. I saw a couple of girls out there … Or let's just cut to the chase, let's go straight for Elena and Scarlett." Stefan finally fought back, pushing his brother away from him.
"Stop it!" he cried.
"Imagine what their blood tastes like!" Stefan felt the blood lust surge within him as his fangs lengthened. He knew that if he looked in a mirror he would see the worst part of himself, the veins around his now blood red eyes dark and protruding. "I can," Damon finished.
"I said stop!" Stefan yelled, and he tackled his brother out through his bedroom window, smashing the glass on their way down. He landed on the ground. His body ached from the impact – his diet made physical pain more intense. Slowly, he rose to his knees, looking for his brother who was nowhere to be found.
"I'm impressed," Damon's voice came from behind him. He was stood leaning against a wall, his arms folded over his chest. "I'll give it a six, missed some style, but I was pleasantly surprised." Stefan doubled over to catch his breath as Damon joked at his expense. "Very good with the whole face 'argh' thing, it was good." Damon smiled widely, but his eyes glinted with malice.
"You know it's all fun and games Damon, huh? But wherever you go people die," Stefan said to his brother. Damon shrugged unconcerned.
"That's a given," he said blankly, as if it were the most natural thing in the world to kill someone, which for him it was. Stefan shook his head.
"Not here, I won't allow it," he said adamantly. Damon smirked in response.
"I'll take that as an invitation," he replied, licking his lips in anticipation.
"Damon, please. After all these years can't we just give it a rest?" Stefan pleaded.
"I promised you an eternity of misery," Damon replied, pushing himself away from the wall and approaching his brother. "I'm just keeping my word."
"Just stay away from Elena and Scarlett," Stefan replied.
"Well you see, there's two of them and only one of you … You can only look out for one of them, and I think we both know which one that will be." Stefan shook his head, about to reply when Damon pointed at his hand. "Where's your ring?" Stefan looked down to find his hand bare, the ring which allowed him to walk in the sunlight missing. "Sun's coming up in a couple of hours, and poof! Ashes to ashes," Damon teased. Stefan took a few deep breaths before Damon laughed.
"Relax, it's right here." He held out his hand, palm up to reveal Stefan's ring. Stefan slowly took it and placed it on his finger, just as Damon grabbed him by the throat and threw him against the garage door. Stefan landed on his back and Damon stood over him.
"You should know better than to think you're stronger than me. You lost that fight when you stopped feeding on people. I wouldn't try it again." Damon crouched down beside his brother. "And just so you know, if I want Scarlett, I will have her, and there is nothing you can do to stop me." He glanced up and smiled. "I think we woke Zach up." He stood and turned to walk into the house, leaving Stefan lying on the floor. Stefan took a deep breath and gazed up at the sky. If Damon was back for good, things would not go well in Mystic Falls, and as much as he wanted to protect both Elena and Scarlett, Damon was right. He could only protect one, and that one wouldn't be his goddaughter.
After Vicki and Matt had been taken to the hospital, the party started to break up. Scarlett, Elena and Jeremy went to Scarlett's car and she drove them back into town. The ride was quiet – they were all shocked at what had happened to Vicki, none more so than Jeremy. Scarlett, however, was puzzled. If another vampire was in town, it could potentially cause a lot of problems for Stefan. She glanced in her rear-view mirror to see Jeremy staring out the back window.
"Do you fancy going to the Grill for coffee? I said I'd meet Bonnie and Caroline there." Elena glanced back at her brother, then shook her head.
"I think we'll just go home thanks, Scarlett."
"Okay, no worries." Scarlett dropped Elena and Jeremy off at home before making her way to the Grill. When she walked in, she saw Caroline and Bonnie sat at a table already nursing cups of coffee.
"You okay, Care?" Scarlett asked as she joined the two girls. Caroline smiled sheepishly at her and nodded, her blonde curls bouncing vigorously.
"I'm fine, just a teensy weensy bit drunk." Bonnie smiled half-heartedly.
"Better sober up before I take you home, your mum won't be too happy that you've been drinking.
"Eugh, like she even notices," Caroline scoffed. The waiter arrived with Scarlett drink, and the three of them sat talking quietly as they sipper their coffee's. After a while, Bonnie asked Caroline if she was sober yet. Caroline looked at her, then sighed and held her head in her hands.
"No," she whined. Scarlett smiled slightly before placing some money on the table.
"I better get home before Zach starts to worry," she said, standing and wrapping her scarf around her long, slender neck.
"Text me when you get back?" Bonnie asked. Scarlett nodded and quickly hugged her friend before kissing Caroline on the cheek.
"Fell better soon, Care." Caroline smiled dazedly.
"I love you, Scarlett. You're the bestest friend ever." Bonnie and Scarlett laughed, before Scarlett waved and walked out of the bar. She was nearly at her car when someone tapped her on the shoulder. She spun around, prepared to scream, only to come face to face with the blue eyed stranger from yesterday night.
"Hi," she said shyly, pushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear. Mr Tall, Dark and Handsome smiled down at her, one corner of his mouth tilted slightly higher than the other. It was cute, and Scarlett found herself staring a bit longer than was probably polite.
"Good evening, beautiful. Can I buy you a drink?" His voice was exactly as she remembered it, warm and deep, and Scarlett found herself wanting to listen to him talk for as long as possible. Then reality set in, and she stepped back slightly.
"I was actually just leaving," she said, pointing in the general direction of her car. He almost looked … disappointed? But he didn't even know her, he couldn't be disappointed that she couldn't stay and enjoy his company. "Maybe some other time?" she said hurriedly. His smirk reappeared, and he tipped his chin down slightly in agreement.
"Absolutely," he said quietly. Scarlett smiled and turned to walk to her car. Damon watched her get in and drive away, his eyes following her tail lights as they moved further down the road. "See you soon, Scarlett," he said quietly to himself, before going into the bar. He sat down behind two girls drinking coffee and ordered a glass of bourbon. Bored, he listened in on their conversation.
"Keep drinking, I've got to get you home," one of the girls said. "I've got to get me home."
"Why didn't he go for me?" the other girl asked, her blonde hair beginning to fall out of its curls. Damon smiled at her pathetic question. Tonight had just become interesting. "You know, how come the guys that I want never want me?" she continued.
"I'm not touching that," her friend replied.
"You know, I'm inappropriate, I always say the wrong thing, and Elena always says the right thing." She sighed miserably. "God, she doesn't even try and he just picks her, and she's always the one that everyone picks, for everything, and if it's not her it's Scarlett. And I try so hard and I'm never the one…" Her rant trailed off. Her friend shook her head slightly. Damon's smile widened – here was his way to really get to Scarlett.
"It's not a competition, Caroline," she said quietly. There was a pause, and Damon waited to hear what the sad blonde girl would say, his smile faltering slightly.
"Yeah it is," she told her friend, and Damon's smile returned more devious than ever. He could definitely use this one.
"I'm going to pay the bill," the blonde girl's friend said, as she got up and walked to the bar. Damon glanced over to the girl – Caroline, was it? He smiled charmingly at her. She met his eyes, and he tipped his head slightly. She raised her eyebrows, obviously flirting with him, and then smiled widely. It was almost too easy.
Scarlett got home just as Stefan was about to leave. She smiled at him, draping her jacket and scarf over a chair in the parlour.
"Where are you off to at this time of night?" she asked. He rubbed the back of his neck with one hand, looking slightly bashful.
"I was actually going to go see Elena." Scarlett smiled knowingly and crossed her arms over her chest.
"Oh, really?" she asked, raising one eye brow. "Well, as her best friend, I feel duty bound to warn you that if you hurt her, godfather or no, I will stake you in your sleep." Stefan chuckled at her threat.
"Got it." Scarlett started to walk to the kitchen to get a drink before bed, when Stefan stopped her. He looked down into her eyes, a frown marring his brow. Scarlett could feel how nervous he was.
"You don't have to worry, Stefan. Elena likes you," she told him. He shook his head slightly.
"That's not it, Scarlett. It's about Vicki Donovan's attack…" Scarlett studied his eyes. There was something he wasn't telling her.
"Do you know who it was?" she asked Stefan quietly. He nodded.
"It was Damon." Scarlett's jaw dropped. As far as she knew, Damon hadn't come back to Mystic Falls since the early nineteen hundreds.
"He's back?" she asked. Her voice trembled slightly. Zach and Stefan had told her all about Damon, how he killed mercilessly and without feeling. If he was back in town, things were about to get extremely bad.
"Yes, he is," Stefan replied. "I need you to be careful, Scarlett. You know I'll try and protect you, but Damon is…" Scarlett nodded. She knew Damon would be stronger than Stefan, as he fed on humans, which meant that she would have to take some extra precautions.
"Don't worry, Stefan, I know what to do. Go talk to Elena, I'm sure she'd like to see you." Stefan cupped her cheek in his hand and gazed into her eyes.
"You sure you're going to be alright?" he asked. Scarlett smiled.
"I'll start sleeping with a stake under my pillow." Stefan laughed and kissed her forehead before leaving. Scarlett headed to the kitchen to get a glass of water before going to bed. Once in her room, she walked to her dressing table and pulled a small, silver locked from her jewellery box. Scarlett opened it to reveal a picture of her mother and some dried purple flowers. Vervain. Placing the locket around her neck, she started getting ready for bed. She changed into her pyjamas, brushed her teeth and was just sitting down to brush her hair when a loud cawing noise filled the room. Her eyes flew to her bedroom window, and there on the window seat sat a large, black crow.
Slowly, Scarlett rose and tried to shoo it away, but it wouldn't move. She threw her hairbrush at it, and it flapped its wings disdainfully and flew into the night. Scarlett hurried to the window and closed it, snapping the lock shut. An eerie chill crossed the back of her neck, the same one she had experienced last night.
She was being watched.
So... What do you think? I've had this chapter for a while, and I'm hoping to turn into a full length story. Let me know your thoughts, constructive criticism is always welcome, and hopefully I'll have the next chapter up soon. Bare with me though, I'm also working on something for publication, so I'll have to share my time between that and FanFiction.
As always, much love xxx