A/N

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There's a lot to be said about driving over 400 miles by yourself with all your worldly possessions packed in bubble wrap. I made it to Mystic Falls in a little over 8 hours, stopping only twice to pee and fill up on coffee.

The majority of my drive was spent thinking about that dream I had last night. Like I said, I've been having these dreams for a while now, and they were always the same. Maybe the positions were different…but the activity never was, until last night. When the dreams first started, I have to be honest…I was a little freaked out. I had never seen this man before, and I didn't understand why out of no where I was having porno dreams about some stranger…well, I still don't understand it…but I guess I've gotten used to it.

I know it doesn't make any sense but I swear, one time I woke up and had marks on my neck! I know…I know, I must have just scratched myself in my sleep or something.

I guess there's a part of me that wishes he were real. I haven't had sex since I broke up with my boyfriend, a year ago. If it weren't for my late night dream booty calls, I probably would have lost a part of my sanity by now.

Actually…I have a sexual relationship with a figment of my imagination…I guess I've lost more than just a part of my sanity.

Anyway, back to last night. I just can't stop thinking about it. Something was wrong with him. I could just tell by how tense his body was. If only I could speak to him, and ask him what was wrong…

"Stop it Jeanne, it's a dream…he's not a real person…and you sound crazy. And now you're talking to yourself, which is even crazier…I'm going to put on the radio now." I said to myself and put on the radio as loud as it can go just to drown out the crazy person dialog inside my head.

It was around 7:30 when I drove down the tree-lined street that my new home was on. It really was a surreal experience. I drove slowly looking at all the quaint homes with porches and front lawns. It looked like a painting…. definitely not what I'm used to coming from Brooklyn. Don't get me wrong, Brooklyn is great…and I'm sure it has a lot to offer that Mystic Falls doesn't…but this is just, pretty...

I grabbed my phone and opened up the email from the realtor. 2614 Pine Brook Road. My little house was just so damn cute…and I was paying the same exact in rent that I was paying for a studio apartment in Brooklyn! And the studio apartment didn't come with a porch and a front lawn. Maybe this isn't going to be so hard getting used to after all.

I pulled the U-haul into the driveway and hopped out. It was early August and the warm air smelled clean and fresh. The sun was getting ready to call it a night, but was still bright enough to light up the street. I could even hear birds chirping…I sat on the steps in front of my new home and took in my peaceful surroundings.

"WELL IT'S ABOUT DAMN TIME!" Tyra screeched as she ran up the driveway towards the house…ending my peaceful interlude that lasted all of 4 minutes.

We hadn't seen each other since last Christmas when she and her husband came up to New York, and seeing her now made me realize just how much I missed her.

After catching up about life and the family, she helped me bring some bags in the house. With it now being past 9, I really didn't feel like unpacking the moving van…besides, I was going to need to recruit some muscle to help with the furniture.

"Wanna grab some dinner? You have to be starving..." Tyra asked after dropping some more bags of clothing in the middle of the empty living room.

"Yeah, actually I am. All I really had today was a lot of coffee."

"So come on, we'll go to the grill…the foods really good, and I'll introduce you to some people."

It wasn't hard to convince me. I was starving and in no position to turn down meeting new people. So, I freshened up in the bathroom, and we jumped in her car and headed to the grill.


"So did Damon ever tell you where he disappears to at night?" Elena asked while folding laundry in Stefan's bedroom

He laughed…"Did you think he would? Whatever, there's no point in trying to figure him out, as long as he's not hunting humans or killing people for sport then it's none of my business…and I'm ok with that."

"Yeah, well…leaving at the same exact time, and coming back at the same exact time almost every single night is pretty creepy…"

"A lot of things about Damon are creepy but as long as I'm not involved…and you're not involved, then we're not involved…and that's a good thing." Stefan replied kissing Elena on the lips. "Come on, I have to go talk to Ric about something, he's at the grill with your aunt."

"Nah, you go…I'll stay here. I have some studying to catch up on anyway." Elena said as she pulled some books out of her bag.

"Ok, I'll be back in a bit." Stefan answered and headed downstairs.

He opened the front door to walk out just as Damon was walking in.

"Hey…I'm going to see Ric now to talk about the new weapons he was telling us about, you wanna come?" Stefan asked his brother.

"Uh yeah, I'll come…but I can't stay. I'll drive…you can get a ride back with Ric." Damon said as he walked back out to his shiny black Ferrari. The brothers got in the car and headed over to the grill.


"Well I've only been here for about 2 hours, but so far so good. The town is just beautiful…and Tyra was telling me there's a lot of local history, I'm a big nerd for that type of stuff…" I said with a laugh as I sat at the table with Tyra and her friends, Jenna and Ric.

As it turns out, Ric works at the school also, so he's definitely a good person to meet on my first day in town. Luckily I planned my move so that I would have at least a month before school started up. I figured this would give me time to get settled in, become familiar with the area, maybe even make a friend or two?

"Yeah, I'm actually very involved in the Mystic Falls Historical Society, so any time you want to learn about centuries old town gossip…I'm the one you want to talk to." Jenna said.

The four of us chatted a while over our burgers. Ric filled me in on school politics, who I want to stay away from, who's ass I might want to kiss.

Jenna and Tyra told me about the area nightlife, which apparently is the grill…and not much else.

I must say though, for a Thursday night, the grill had a pretty nice crowd…so maybe this really is the place to see and be seen.

I excused myself to the bathroom and left the 3 chatting at the table. As I was waiting on line for the restroom, a friend from back home called. With the jukebox playing and all the background noise, it was just too hard to hear. I slipped out a back door to fill my friend in on Mystic Falls…


"So why can't you stay long? Where do you have to go?" Stefan asked as Damon pulled the Ferrari into a parking spot.

"Why are so you so concerned with my life all of a sudden?" Damon asked, with no intentions on telling his brother anything.

"Just curious."

"Yeah well curiosity kills people."

"I thought just cats…"

"Nope, kills just about everybody" Damon responded and held the door open for his brother.

The pair walked in and surveyed the busy restaurant. They spotted Ric and headed over to the table.

After everyone exchanging their hellos, Ric and the Salvatores excused themselves and went over to the bar for a drink, leaving Tyra and Jenna at the table.

Tyra sighed while looking at Damon from across the room. "There's something just not right about him. Sexy as hell, and don't tell my husband that, but his whole persona is just so…dark." She said to Jenna as she sipped her drink.

Jenna turned around and checked Damon out for a moment, then turned back. "Well, he's always wearing all black…maybe that's why his persona is so dark." She said with a chuckle. "I don't know, Ric seems to like him, and Stefan is a good guy…I guess Damon is just the blacksheep."

"Hey, where's your cousin? She's been gone for like 15 minutes…" Jenna asked looking towards the bathroom just as I was walking back in.

"Sorry I took so long, I was bragging to my friend about all the clean air I'm currently breathing." I said and slid back into the booth.

The second I sat down I felt that familiar cold feeling. The feeling I only feel late at night when I'm in the deepest layer of sleep, and he shows up. I felt the chills run down my body.

I turned and looked around in a panic with this weird feeling as if I would see him standing there. Which would make no sense whatsoever since I am very much awake right now. But it was a feeling I couldn't even describe. I could swear he was there with me, but he wasn't…of course he wasn't.

After a few seconds, I was able to shake the feeling and my body temperature went back to normal. Tyra, Jenna and I were having a conversation about the upcoming 'End of Summer' festival that Mystic Falls was hosting next weekend when Ric came back to the table with a friend.

"Jeanne, this is Stefan…Stefan, this is Tyra's cousin Jeanne…she just moved here from New York."

Stefan and I shook hands and he and Ric joined us at the table.

"Jeanne is actually going to be a teacher at the High School starting in September, so you should probably get used to calling her Ms. Cardella." Ric added.

"Oh, are you a student at the school?" I asked…even though he did look a little old to be in high school..

"Uh, yea …I'm a senior. I'm actually dating Jenna's niece. It's a small town, so you'll see a lot of familiar faces in the school and out." Stefan said with a smile.

There was something very wise beyond his years about this kid…I thought to myself.

"Actually, if you're looking to earn some brownie points, you can grab Jeremy and some of the guys and help Jeanne bring her furniture into the house." Jenna said, knowing that I was going to need some serious help unloading that truck.

"I'd be happy to help." Stefan responded

"Where did Damon go" Jenna asked, nonchalantly.

"Oh, he had to go take care of some things, so I actually kind of need a ride home" Stefan said with a boyish charm type of smile…

Ric was about to offer but Tyra beat him to it.

"You live in the old boarding house right? I have to drop Jeanne off and it's only a block away from you, I could give you a lift."

"That would be great…thank you"

With that, we all paid the check for the food and drinks and said our goodbyes. I exchanged phone numbers with Jenna and Ric with plans to see them again in the future and we all went our separate ways.

The car ride was just general conversation about the town and things a new comer needs to know. Closest pharmacy, best pizza, biggest mall…things like that. Within 10 minutes Tyra slowed down in front of what can't be considered a house…but more along of the lines of an estate. It was dark, massive, and beautiful. There was a black Ferrari parked in front. Clearly this Stefan kid was loaded...

"Thanks so much Tyra, and it was a pleasure meeting you Jeanne…I'll get some of the guys and come by tomorrow say around 2pm?"

"That's great Stefan, thanks so much."

With that Stefan got out and headed towards his house.

Tyra asked if I wanted to spend the night at her house, since my bed was in a truck, but I declined. I brought a blanket in earlier, and I was really anxious to spend my first night in my new home, even if it was on a hardwood floor.

Tyra offered to come over the following day when the boys were bringing the furniture in to help me set the place up, which I gratefully agreed to.

We said our goodbyes and I went inside.

I ruffled through my bags to find a tank top to change into and found my blanket and pillow. I brushed my teeth, turned out the lights and went to sleep on my bedroom floor…

I wonder if I'll see him tonight…