The horizon swallowed up the sun, its orange and pink hues which once painted the sky now dissipating as darkness cascaded upon Mystic Falls. The inhabitants of the apparent picturesque town grew quiet, streets becoming vacant as overhead lamps began illuminating the now empty streets. In these late hours, it was only the Mystic Grill that seemed alive. Patrons scattered themselves around dining tables and bar stools, most conversing the events of their day over cuisine or nursing potent beverages while ruminating at the bar. The town was a tight knit community- each baring familiar faces to one another. As such, when a tourist was passing through, it was immediately evident.

Rupert Giles and the three teens felt the town's gazes as they strolled into the local restaurant. The flight and long drive they just experienced in the last 24 hours had left them weary and famished. Spotting the Grill from their rental car on their drive into town had at the time seemed fortunate; now they weren't so sure.

"Is there something on my face?" Willow whispered anxiously to the others, subtly glancing around.
"I think it's on mine too." Xander quite audibly gulped as he followed Giles to an empty table in the corner.
Upon taking their seats, Buffy leaned forward on the table and whispered conspiratorially. "They have their pitchforks on standby."
Giles appeared on edge by the other patrons' stares but chastised the others nonetheless. "This is quite a small town. They are most likely curious as to who we are and why we're here. Do try to be polite."
Xander glanced around the Grill before looking back at Giles. "Not the hero welcome I expected. Seein' as we're here to save the day I expected a parade. Or at least some balloons and pointy party hats."

Their conversation was cut short as a relaxed, somewhat fatigued looking man approached their table.
"Hi, my name's Matt and I'll be your server today." He handed them menus with a friendly smile and explained the day's specials before leaving again.
After a moment of silence, Xander spoke. "At least we have the only normal person here serving us."
They each surveyed the menus, deciding their orders as they overheard a poorly whispered argument by the bar. Buffy and Giles strategically glanced over the menus and past Willow and Xander to watch the commotion. Meanwhile, the younger male at the table behaved less inconspicuously, rotating his torso to look directly at the spectacle.
In what the four assumed was just immature relationship drama made public, they overhead their server loudly whisper to a blonde female. "You can't! You'll get me fired!"
His female companion waved away his complaints as she grabbed an apron from behind the bar and put it on.

Within seconds she approached their table.
"Hi! I'm Caroline and I'll be your waitress today. Are you ready to order?"
The four exchanged confused glances and did not get a word out before the woman spoke again.
"So where are you all from?"
Giles smiled politely at the young woman, commandeering the conversation before Xander could. "We're visiting from California. It's a school trip of sorts, these are history students of mine and we've heard this town has a rich heritage so we decided to visit and see for ourselves."
Buffy shot Giles a look. Of all subjects.

Willow nervously jumped in. "Yeah, the entire history dating back to its founders is so interesting. I'm glad we get to do our project on here."
Caroline tilted her head to one side, squinting at them as her eyes filled with suspicion. "But you sound British."
Rupert nodded. "Born and raised in the United Kingdom. I moved here a number of years ago when I was offered a position in their history department."
Buffy gesticulated in his direction. "Best teacher we ever had. History is so boring- learning from books, I mean. He always tries to bring it to life."
"He even reenacts important moments in history with costume theatre." Xander grinned, seemingly proud of his contribution to their cover story.

"Okay... So how long are you in town for? Where are you guys staying?" Caroline continued her line of questioning.
"We've been fortunate enough to rent a charming house on Hallow Street, just a five minute drive from the town's square." Giles adjusted his glasses. "Do you have any recommendations of places to visit while we're here? Or perhaps know of a local guide who could give us a tour?"
The suspicion in the blonde's eyes abated as she began to appear bored. "Oh, I don't know. Maybe ask a member of the historical society or our history teacher, Mr Saltzman."
Xander perked up. "Great idea! You know, with the local history teacher. Maybe I- we can get your number and we could get in touch to organise a meeting-"
Caroline rolled her eyes. "It'd be easier to call the school."
"Right, of course. Another good idea." He slunk back down in his seat, attempting to appear nonchalant in the face of rejection as he fiddled with his menu.

Buffy gave Xander a quick look of sympathy before moving her gaze back to her Watcher, her eyes pleading.
"I'd say everyone is ready to order now." Giles looked pointedly between the others and their menus.
The self-proclaimed waitress looked surprised. "Actually... I'm finished my shift now! I'll go get Matt."
With that, she turned and stalked away. Willow glanced behind her and watched as she removed the apron and spoke briefly to Matt before pulling out her cellphone and appearing disinterested again.

Matt quickly returned to their table, notepad in hand. "Sorry about that. She's uh... Not our best employee. Can't get good help nowadays, huh?" He awkwardly laughed.
The others exchanged confused glances before making their order.
As he strode to the kitchen, Buffy murmured, "What the hell was that about?"
Willow shrugged, Giles looked perplexed and Xander appeared wounded.
"She probably already has a boyfriend and just didn't want to seem mean."
The two girls gave their friend an encouraging smile, attempting to preserve what's left of his ego.
The older male simply sighed and shook his head. "Let's just have this meal and get to the house. We still have a tremendous amount of research to do."

"You what?!" Elena and Bonnie bore incredulous expressions as they listened to their friend.
"I interrogated the only new people to appear in town recently and I think they're clean. The old guy seemed really old- like hundreds of years and immortal kind of old- but he's just British. They seem too normal and boring to be involved."
The 3 women were sitting in the Gilbert's kitchen while Stefan Salvatore leaned against the door-frame.
"You can't just do that, Car'. You can't play twenty-one questions with people in town." Elena's astonishment was plainly evident in her voice.
"Well do you have any better ideas?"

Stefan took a step into the room, attempting to calm the situation. "Caroline, I understand you want to do whatever you can to help- but you shouldn't put yourself in harm's way. Even if they were the ones behind all of this, your questions would surely tip them off and put you in danger. And if they are not, you just made some tourists feel incredibly unwelcome."
Caroline petulantly sat back and folded her arms across her chest. "So unless I have witch powers, fangs or am dating a vampire, I can't help my friends?"
Bonnie rolled her eyes. "You know that's not what we're saying."
The blonde snapped, "Isn't it?! Every time something like this happens, you guys act like I'm not here. Like it doesn't affect me. 'Oh Caroline is too stupid and selfish and shallow to help.' Well you know what? Fine. Don't accept my help. I'm done trying." Gathering her things, the sheriff's daughter packed her belongings into her handbag and headed for the front door.

Despite pleas to stay, Caroline walked outside and straight to her car, her knuckles white from her tight grip on her keys. The cold, crisp night air against her exposed face and arms had no effect on the anger and frustration burning inside her.
Without any warning, a dark figure appeared from amongst the shadows in her peripheral vision as she unlocked her car.
With a jump, she yelled, "Do not come any closer or else!"

"Very threatening, Blondie." A familiar face, with an even more familiar smirk, stepped into vision.
"Damon! Don't sneak up on me like that!" She continued opening her car door and sat inside, slamming the door behind her.
In quick, fluid movements the older Salvatore brother was in the passenger seat beside her.
Caroline let out a frustrated groan before turning to face him. "What do you want?!"
"How has the 'sit back and do nothing' method been working out?" Despite his obvious enquiry, Damon acted disinterested, glancing out the window into the night.
"Well FYI I haven't been doing nothing. I did something and now I'm being condescended for it." She turned the key in the ignition and started up the engine. "Can you get out now? I'm not in the mood for... You."

Ignoring her obvious aversion to his presence, he continued. "What did you do?"
She was silent for a moment, deliberating whether to tell him or not. However, the need to vent her frustrations won out. "I tried to help and as usual no one appreciated it. New people showed up at the Grill and I just asked them a few questions to see if they have anything to do with the kidnapping and Bonnie-attacking thing. To see if they were suspicious. But no, apparently I can't handle something as small as asking strangers questions." Her words came out frantically, all within one breath.
Damon scoffed, his eyebrow perking up. "And what do you think of the new arrivals?"
She rolled her eyes. "They're boring. Here from California on a history trip or something. Asked me to recommend a tour guide."
"Who comes all the way to Mystic Falls for a history lesson?"
"Freaks? I don't know. Either way, they seemed human."

Damon looked out the window pensively before glancing back over at Caroline, a smile creeping across his face. "Want to team up and actually do something helpful?"
She scowled. "With you? No thanks."
"Suit yourself." He stepped out of her car, leaning down to speak again. "Enjoy wallowing over being excluded from their inner circle."
As he went to close the door, Caroline shouted. "Wait!"
The older Salvatore brother hovered expectantly.
"Do you have a plan?"
After he settled back in the passenger seat, Damon gestured to the road. "Let's go have some fun with the newcomers."
"Before we go, you know I'm vervain'd right? Don't try pull any of your crap."
"Oh Care-bear, like you didn't enjoy it when I told you what to do." A crooked smile appeared on his face as he waggled his eyebrows.
Caroline turned out onto the road, her face stern. "Try anything and you can figure out where they are staying yourself."

After a few minutes of driving through town, Caroline squealed and pointed out the window. "Wait that's her!"
Damon recoiled, covering his ears before following her line of sight. "That's who? New girl on the cheerleading squad? Don't worry, she's only slightly prettier than you."
She pulled over and gave him an icy look. "No, you ass. It's one of the students from earlier. Why is she going into the cemetery? Goth much?"
With one eyebrow quirked, Damon watched as a short, blonde teenager climbed over the ten-foot wall and started strolling along the grave sites, her eyes searching.
Waiting to ensure she was out of range of hearing, the vampire quietly opened the car door. "You wait here." He interrupted Caroline as she began to protest, giving her a seemingly important but ultimately inconsequential task to do so he can be left in peace. "I need you to keep an eye out and text me if the others you saw earlier show up."

Lurking in the shadows, staying out of sight, Damon stalked the agile teenager who appeared to have a morbid fascination with death. His gaze followed her as she fearlessly walked between tombstones, each step she took matched by a silent one of his. His eyes saw every movement, every bend in each blade of grass she stepped on, despite the absolute darkness that shrouded the cemetery. There were no lights nearby and the moon was hidden behind clouds far above the overhanging branches of the looming trees. She shouldn't be so comfortable here at night. She shouldn't be able to meander around tombstones and rocks and the uneven ground without missing a step. No human would be capable of such a feat in this unforgiving nightfall. Yet human she was, as Damon heard the steady beat of her heart, watched the rhythmic pulsation along the curve of her neck. His eyes settled on her throat, the predator in him imagining tasting her. Snatch, eat, erase. After all, he was the reason girls like her shouldn't be alone at night.

A bustling of leaves disturbed his reverie. Before his eyes even caught up with the source of the noise, the girl turned to face the dark figure emerging from behind the trees.
"You shouldn't be out here alone, Girly."

Damon internally debated stepping in to stop the heavily built, well-over-6-foot-tall, obviously freshly-turned vampire from attacking the teenager. His reasons for considering it, however, were motivated by nefarious intentions.

"You should be more worried about yourself, big guy." The girl appeared unperturbed as the youthful vampire advanced towards her, blood vessels dilating beneath his now reddening eyes.
"You know, I was told not to stop for a snack, but I think I'll make an exception for you."
The blonde tilted her head, amusement evident in her eyes. "So I guess this is the part where you expect me to scream and run? Trust me, I'm quaking in my designer boots." She leaned against an adjacent headstone nonchalantly. "Before we get into this whole dance, I'm going to give you a chance to voluntarily tell me who gives you your orders?"
The towering vampire continued his slow advance, hoping to strike fear in his victim. "Believe me, sweetheart, it's someone you'd never want to meet. Don't worry, I'll make your death a lot less painful than they would."

Damon watched the curious scene unfolding before him, staying out of the way as the newbie vampire and his petite prey engaged in an unusual exchange.

The teen shook her head in disbelief. "Why are the new ones always so cocky? You'd think there'd be an adjustment period but nope, you guys hop out the grave with zero common sense."
The vamp seemed irritated and sped up his advance towards her. "You're going to regret that."
The blonde looked into the distance, feigning thoughtfulness. "Strangely enough, I never do."

With that, the vampire lunged at her, arms swung out to grab her in a bear-like grip. The teen quickly rolled out of his path, however, and grabbed him immediately after he collided with the headstone.
"Y'know, for once I wish you guys would learn some respect." With little effort, she tossed him a few feet across the graveyard, watching as his back bounced off the wall, cracking some of the bricks as fragments fell to the ground. "I know, new town. But still, you'd think word would get out and some of you would start cowering in fear. Make a run for it. Yet time and time again you make the same old plays and end up in ashes. Do your sires teach you nothing?"

A growl rumbled up into his throat as he jumped to his feet. Running towards her, he dodged a kick and grabbed her leg, using it to throw her across the grass and into another tombstone.
Slightly out of breath but otherwise unfazed, the teen bounced back up onto her feet, rolling her shoulders back. She reached inside her black leather jacket and pulled out a piece of wood, one that had been clearly sharpened into a lethal weapon. "Last chance to give me names and locations of your bosses."
Without replying, the large vampire ran at her again. He grew increasingly frustrated as she dodged all of his punches, each of hers landing on his abdomen and winding him. Eventually he managed to tackle her to the ground, a noise from behind him catching his attention.
"This isn't the witch, you stupid newborn! Why are you wasting your time with her?" A tall, slim figure stood several feet away, chastising the enraged vampire.
He kept her pinned to the ground as he answered the man behind him. "I'm sorry, sir. But you don't understand- she's different, abnormally strong-"
The other man shook his head. "She's not who we want."

The blonde let out an exasperated sigh. "I'm right here, guys. Didn't your mother ever teach you manners?" In one slick move, the teen swung her leg out to push the massive vampire off of her, quickly following him as he rolled over so she was hovering over him. In a matter of seconds, she drove her stake into his chest and watched as he exploded into dust underneath her. In the background she heard the other man mutter "Imbecile" but by the time she turned around he was gone.
"What the hell?" She stood up, shaking the dust off her jacket as her eyes searched for any trace of the other man, but there was none to be found.

Even Damon didn't see where he went, he was too engulfed in watching this seemingly weak, petite blonde overpower a vampire twice her size. The ease and precision in her movements, her superhuman strength… The oldest Salvatore brother's mind was reeling. In over a century and a half, he had never encountered anything like her. He strained his ear to listen once more, ensuring he didn't mishear her heartbeat the first time. Uncharacteristically deciding to stay hidden, he watched as she checked every inch of the cemetery before eyeing her as she left and disappeared into the night.