Hello, and welcome to my newest story. Standard disclaimer applies, I do not own Vampire Diaries, I am not making any money with this fiction and it is solely for the enjoyment of my readers.

Second chapter is already half way written, there will be time where my beta-reader will be helping me improve it, so that it is ready for you all to read.

Thank you to angel85qcca for Beta-reading. I appreciate all the time you have spent helping me with this.

So, my dearest readers, read, review, and most of all, enjoy.

It was a lovely home- hidden and peaceful- secluded from the road by a corpse of trees. Similar to the Gilbert house, it had a wraparound porch, with white trimmings, complimenting the soft dove-grey paintwork. Although there were signs of age in the paint and wood, it had been well kept by the previous owners.

It was smaller than her family home- on the inside there wasn't much of a foyer, just a long corridor with open arches leading towards the living areas. The stairs were strong and sturdy, with a soft blue rug complimenting the slightly dark wood. And just like the outside, everything had a gentle white trimming around it.

For Olivia, it was the perfect dream house, small, and only three bedrooms, secluded but close enough to town to be there in less than fifteen minutes. She loved the open air and the forest surrounding the beautiful town of Mystic Falls, but still liked the convenience of being able to just drive and pick up a tub of ice cream without feeling guilty about the fuel.

After three years of traveling around the world, she was ready to just settle down and relax. There was no need to rush about, no need to work any time soon and no need to follow everyone's time table or expectations. All she wanted was to create a home she could spend forever in and a place where her siblings could run away to whenever they needed a break. It was probably a cliché ideal, but who didn't want to find their perfect home? It may have not been perfect for forever, but it was perfect for right then. It was just a shame that her mother couldn't be there to help her settle in, like they planned to when she was in high school.

She was sad that she wasn't there for their parent's funeral. Being out of the country, she didn't even realise that they had passed until she came back to America. By that stage, their Aunt Jenna had taken over legal guardianship and everything had been settled. It was another reason why she bought the house. Olivia didn't want to live in a house that was a museum to everything she had lost. However, she tried to keep in mind that she wasn't the only one affected by the loss of her parents.

Everything had hit her baby brother hard and she knew that he needed a break away from everything; a place where he could come for respite and relaxation. Olivia's siblings, however, were still unaware that she had come back to town again, after leaving to settle her affairs. Elena was so focused on shouldering everything and not saying a word, while Jeremy kept stumbling into situations he was unable to handle; their emails were heartbreaking.

The wind whispered through the small crystal wind chimes, sending them singing through the breeze. The sunlight filtered through them, sending coloured light dancing on the walls through the windows. Birds chirped as they flew through the air, landing on the trees surrounding the house. Insects buzzed through the newly formed herbal gardens. There was nothing but soft natural sounds, the perfect ambience for her new home.

Lifting her face to feel the sun, Olivia paused her cooking for a moment, just enjoying the peace and serenity. Her home was finally settled, no more packing, no more sorting. It was finally ready to be lived in. Her household book, a worn leather handwritten thing, was propped on the counter, a timeless recipe for an apple and cinnamon pie facing her.

It had taken days to set up the herbs and the gardens and crystals in the right place to make her home a sanctuary. Many prayers to the Mother Earth had helped her on what she felt was the right path. Olivia was confident that this was the place for her and a safe retreat for her brother and sister. They could prepare themselves mentally for whatever they needed here. School work and social lives were bound to be tiresome for the two when added to the grief.

With quick, deft fingers, she pulled her long brownish-red hair up in a bun with the band wrapped around her wrist and continued on baking. Humming, she barely glanced at her book, almost knowing the recipe off by heart; however, she had to make sure that she focused solely on the intent in her cooking.

Olivia was smaller than her sister, both in height and stature. While Elena was a tall, lithe beauty, she was more an English rose: small, curvy, and pale, with her hair an odd shade, a mix between red and light brown. Olivia's resemblance to her mother and Aunt Jenna was uncanny, while Elena, they all supposed, was like Jeremy, taking after their father.

Brushing some flour off her peach coloured top, Olivia continued her baking, focusing on the love, protection and healing brought from using apple and cinnamon. Considering herself a home witch, Olivia only used apples from the trees near her herb garden and the herbs grown from her ground. The apples had to be the same and the ground cinnamon used had to be made from her own hand.

She felt that this would have the perfect effect when breaking to her family that she had moved back to Mystic Falls, without telling them her plans in the first place.

Olivia figured the best person to break the news to first would be her Aunt Jenna. They were close in age, and they were as close to sisters with their age group than any other type of relation. With a sigh, she placed the pie in the oven and darted up the stairs to change. She had just enough time to freshen up before the pie finished cooking.

The drive was nice, even if she was in an out-dated BMW sedan. The car was her Old Faithful and had been with her since high school. It was her first car and had been with her for a very long time. Through careful management and driving, she had been able to keep it road worthy for years.

She navigated through the town as though she had never left, knowing each street like the back of her hand. It wasn't long before she was in front of her family home. Frowning at the sight of a strange black car parked out the front of the house, she pulled up in the driveway and got out, being particularly careful with her still warm pie. With her other hand, Olivia grabbed at the fresh clotted cream she had bought from a grocer near her new home. Aunt Jenna had always been fond of the fresh cream piled on her apple pie.

Idly, Olivia wondered at the car. Was it possible that her Aunt had another guest? It wasn't important, and if there was a guest, she had made enough for everyone and extra to snack on, just as long as Elena and Jeremy had a slice.

Her boots thudded on the steps before quieting down on the porch itself. It was odd coming home as a guest, rather than being able to just waltz into the house like she used to.

Swallowing thickly, she hoped that she had timed it well and that her brother and sister were still in school. Balancing her cargo, Olivia rang the doorbell before rearranging everything back the way it was. It wasn't long before footsteps were heard and the door was thrown open.

"Hey, Aunt Jenna," Olivia said with a sheepish grin, "I brought apple pie." Still grinning, she offered up the still warm dish. Aunt Jenna looked at her with a bemused smile and ushered her in.

"This is a bit of a surprise," she said idly, "I've got another guest, so I hope you've made enough pie." Olivia laughed and nodded, walking down the hallway into the kitchen. Placing the dish on the bench, she looked over to the kitchen table and held in a gasp.

Intense brown eyes stared out of a much chiselled, Romanesque face. Dark hair, stylishly cut, fell down around his ears. Although he was sitting down, Olivia could swear, that underneath his well-tailored suit, a lean muscular body was hidden. Tall, dark, and handsome had just been personified by the man before her. "Um, hello," she greeted with a blush, "I'm sorry to interrupt your time with my Aunt."

Aunt Jenna walked in with a smile before pulling out some dishes from a cupboard.

"Olivia, meet Elijah Smith. He's a writer from out of town, interested in the History of Mystic Falls." She pulled out a knife and started cutting the pie. "Elijah, would you like a coffee or tea break? Olivia here makes the best baked goods in the county."

He was still staring at her, just as she was with him. Blushing, Olivia dropped her gaze and decided to help with serving the food onto the plates.

"I would love one, thank you," came his reply. Swallowing, Olivia took in his deep voice and strange accent, deciding that he was just one large bundle of attractive male. Abruptly, she excused herself, racing up to the bathroom near Elena's room.

Turning on the cold water, Olivia rinsed her hands before placing them, still wet, on her burning cheeks. What was wrong with her? She had never reacted that way over a man since her high school days. She wasn't a teenager anymore, and she had to get her act together. It wasn't as though he was Dirk Smith, the cheating ass who used his smile and charm to get what he wanted out of her. Olivia had always been a sucker for intense eyes and a beguiling smile.

When she came back down to the kitchen, her plate and a cup of tea were waiting for her. Taking her place next to her Aunt, Olivia offered Elijah a shy smile. "So what part of out-of-town are you from?" she asked, slightly cheeky.

With a small quirk of his lips, he replied simply, "Chicago."

Glancing at Aunt Jenna, Olivia blinked widely. "Wow, that's some distance to travel for a book you're writing. How did you come by Mystic Falls?"

"The internet offers interesting histories of America when one takes the time to search for it. I was simply looking for a place that was rich in legend and truth. Mystic Falls seems to fit that bill, do you not agree?"

Olivia, despite trying to curb her teenager-like crush, blushed at the extended use of his accent. However, she was deeply interested in how he came to her town."I think that the truth of the town can be stranger than fiction, especially in this place. However, there are only select years that things have been energetic to say the least, the rest of the time it's intensely quiet and lazy," she replied. Taking a bite of her apple pie, she was pleased to see that it tasted just the way she had hoped. Scratching the denim of her jeans nervously, Olivia swallowed, unsure of what else to say, really.

"I do admit, however, I am much more interested in the Founding of the town, and its possible mistruth," Elijah continued.

Both blinking, Aunt Jenna took the time to put in her question. "What exactly are you talking about?"

Turning his head slightly, he shifted his gaze from Olivia to the other woman. "There have been some theories that the original founders were not, in fact, the ones celebrated in the town, but survivors of those who escaped from Salem during the massacre."

"The supposed witches?" Aunt Jenna continued questioning.

"Yes, I'm interested to see if there is any factual evidence to support this theory and thus focus a good amount of content of my book with it."

"My mother had a lot of diaries dating back to the Founding Era. In fact it was a large focus of her attentions," Olivia said, taking another bite.

Aunt Jenna continued on, "Yeah, it was something she did with Carol Lockwood. Do you know where they were put, Olivia?"

Nodding her head, she pointed to the closet under the stairs. "In one of the boxes down there. Not sure which one though. If you like, since I've only just come back into town, I can help you both sort through them," she offered, hoping not to sound as nervous as how she felt.

"How long are you in town for?" Aunt Jenna asked.

Olivia had the grace to feel a little ashamed. "Well, that's the thing, I've just moved back. I bought a place on Old Entry Lane and spent the last couple of days setting it up. That's why I came over, to let you know that I moved back into town."

"And that's why you brought peace offering pie," she said, knowingly, taking another big bite. "And because of the pie, you're forgiven for not letting me know sooner. I'm taking that you want it to be a surprise to the others too?"

Olivia nodded and turned to Elijah. "As you can tell, I've only really had settling in to occupy me, so I'm more than happy to offer a hand if you need it."

His piercing stare was back once more. Blushing, Olivia bit her lip and gazed back. Blinking a little, she noticed that his stare dropped down for a moment before meeting her eyes once more. It was quick as a flash, and not something she normally would have caught.

"I would sincerely enjoy it," he said softly to her. Each time he spoke it felt like a spell to her. "And of course, yours, Jenna, whenever you have the time."

Smiling at him softly, she got up to where she had placed her purse and pulled out a card and a pen. Crossing off a number, she put the pen back into her bag and walked over to Elijah. "The number crossed out is my old home number, so it's no longer in service, but I've always got my cell on me, so you can catch me on that."

He offered her a small smile, his fingers lingering on her as he took the card. Slipping his hand into his jacket pocket, he pulled out his own business card and handed it to her. "All numbers are valid, and, to repeat your own words, you can always catch me on my cell." He then placed her own card back into his jacket pocket. "Thank you, Olivia, for making the effort to make me feel welcome here."

Blushing, Olivia shook her head, "It's no worry, really. But I'm glad that you feel welcome." Clearing her throat softly, she glanced at the clock. "Aunt Jenna, I've got to get to the store before it closes, I've got to fill up my shelves, so I have to dash." Turning back to Elijah, she gave him another smile. "I'll see you again, soon."

"Most certainly. However, before you go, I compliment your baking skills. This is the best apple pie I've had in a very long time." His gaze finally turned warm instead of remaining intense, setting Olivia in an easier mood.

"Before you leave Mystic Falls, you'll have to tell me your favourite baked good, that way I can treat you with something before you leave." She offered, feeling more than a little shy. It was so odd, and unlike her, to act that way. However, in her defence, it had been a very long time since any male paid her a decent amount of attention.

"Pecan Pie."

Offering him a grin, she picked up her handbag and walked towards the front door. Aunt Jenna followed quickly. Taking in a deep breath, she turned towards her Aunt with a tentative smile. "Let the others know I stopped by?"

Aunt Jenna frowned. "I think that's something you should probably do, don't you think? You owe them that much for leaving as quickly as you did. Not to mention you coming back without a word."

Swallowing, Olivia looked down at her feet. "I guess I got so caught up with trying to get my affairs sorted out, that I fell in love with the idea of it being a surprise."

"You can't waltz back into their lives without so much as a by-your-leave. They deserve much more than that. Apart from me, every other family member, including yourself, has walked out on Elena and Jeremy. They're not going to be anywhere near as forgiving as you're hoping they'll be."

Olivia felt as though she was being unusually harsh. "I just wanted a chance to get the house all ready so they can have an escape to come to whenever they need a break from things. For me to be there for them, I had to get things sorted out with work and my accounts," Olivia tried to explain. She wrapped her arms around her stomach defensively.

"Haven't you ever heard of email and a cell phone?" Aunt Jenna said, exasperated. "Look, I'm not the one you have to explain yourself to, Jeremy and Elena deserve answers themselves, not a passed on message by me."

Olivia nodded, "I'll call them tonight, yeah? Maybe meet them over by the Grill or something, somewhere neutral?"

"Talk to them, not me. That's something you're going to have to organise. Although, they're going to know you're here as soon as they see that pie in the fridge."

She sighed again and shifted on the spot. "Yeah. Anyway, I do have to go, I need to get as much shopping done as I can. I literally have nothing at home, apart from what's growing on my trees."

Aunt Jenna nodded. "Alright, I'll talk to you later. Once you get this thing sorted out with your brother and sister, we can go for a drink or something."

Smiling, Olivia nodded and said goodbye. It was going to be so much harder, dealing with everything, than she originally had planned.