Chapter 2: The Night of the Comet

There's a couple camping in the woods, waiting to see a comet pass over. The boy says that he's going get something in the car. When he doesn't return the girl exits the tent and see the boy's body up in the tree. She runs to the car, but the doors are locked. She looks around and suddenly someone jumps her.

The next morning, Elena and Stefan wake up in their respective beds, and write in their journals, "This morning is different. There's change. I can sense it. Feel it. I'm awake. For the first time in a long time I feel completely and undeniably wide awake. For once I don't regret the day before it even begins. I welcome the day because I know, I will see her/him again. For the first time in a long time, I feel good."

Elena finishes getting ready for school and is met in the hallway by Jenna, who is deciding what to wear for a guardian/teacher conference. Jenna comments on Elena's uncharacteristically cheerful mood, and tells her that Jeremy has left already to finish a project in woodshop. He's actually gone to look in on Vicki at the hospital.

Later in Mr. Tanner's class, Elena and Stefan exchange smiles, as Mr. Tanner lectures about the comet that's about to pass over Mystic Falls. Later in the halls, Caroline and Bonnie walk together, discussing Bonnie's apparent witch lineage that Bonnie learned of from her grandmother. Meanwhile, Jeremy searches the school grounds until he finds Tyler. He quizzes him about Vicki's recovery, which he doesn't know about. Jeremy threatens to kill him if he hurts Vicki one more time, and then leaves.

After lunch, Stefan & Phoebe have science class together. The two pair up as lab partners.

"So Elena told me about the copy of 'Wuthering Heights' you tried to give her," Phoebe commented. "That was sweet of you."

"It's no big deal, really. We, uh, have a library full of old books at home," replied Stefan, nonchalantly.

"It is a big deal. Do you know how much old books like that are…wait. Did you just say you have an entire library of old books?"

"Yes," replied Stefan, looking around, nervously.

"And we are now planning your wedding."

"Come again?" asked a confused Stefan.

"If you marry my sister then I can have access to your beautiful library," Phoebe explained, somewhat jokingly.

Stefan laughed, "Phoebe, you don't have to be my sister-in-law to borrow a few books. You're my friend, and more importantly my girlfriend's sister. You can borrow any book you want, whenever you want."

"Are you serious?" Phoebe asked, surprised.

"Completely. I need to keep you on my side, so if I screw something up with Elena-," he began.

"I'll have your back," she finished.

Stefan smiled and nodded.

"Can I check it out after school?"

"Sure."

Phoebe beamed, "Thanks."

Stefan smiled back, more amused at her love of literature than anything, "You're welcome."

After school, Matt and Elena walk outside, and talk.

"So how's Vicki?" Elena asked.

"They're keeping her overnight to make sure there's no infection, but she should be able to come home tomorrow," Matt answered.

"That's good news," said Elena.

"Yeah," Matt agreed.

"Did you get in touch with your mom?" she asked.

"I called and left a message. She's in Virginia Beach with her boyfriend, so...we'll see how long it takes her to come rushing home," he explained.

Elena sighed, "Vicki's lucky that she's okay."

"I know, and now there's talk of some missing campers."

Stefan, who was at a nearby table, tuned in with his vampire hearing.

"Did she say what kind of animal it was that attacked her?" Elena asked.

"She said it was a vampire," answered Matt.

"What?"

Stefan perked up at this news.

"Yeah, she wakes up last night and mutters 'vampire' and then passes out," Matt explained.

"Okay, that's weird," said Elena.

"I think she was drunk," said Matt. He noticed Stefan, and asked, "So what's up with you and the new guy?"

Elena glanced over at Stefan, "Matt, the last thing I wanna do is hurt you."

"It's okay. Really, it doesn't hurt me. I'm glad you've moved on, and I'm glad he makes you happy," Matt told her. "I'll admit I was hurt when you first broke up with me, but now I'm good."

Elena gave a small smile, "Who is she?"

"What?"

"Who is she?" Elena repeated.

Matt struggled to make words form.

"The only reason you'd be so cool about me moving on, is if you're doing the same," she explained. "So who is it?"

Matt chuckled, "You've been spending way too much time with Phoebe."

"That's not an answer," she laughed.

"Okay, look, I'll tell you the same thing I told Phoebe. Yes, there is a girl I've got my eye on. But I'm not going to ask her out just yet, because everyone thinks I'm on the rebound and I don't want her to feel that way," he told her.

"Oooh sounds serious," she joked.

"Maybe," he shrugged. "I really like this girl and I want her to feel special, not like a rebound."

"That's sweet," said Elena. "Now, tell me who she is."

"Not gonna happen. Like I told Phoebe, when I'm ready to ask her out, I'll tell you who she is," he told her.

Elena gave an exasperated sigh, "Fine."

"I'm gonna head to the hospital to check on Vick. See you later."

Elena waved him 'goodbye', and headed to the table where Stefan had been, but he wasn't there. Meanwhile, back inside, Jenna meets with Mr. Tanner to talk about Jeremy's attendance record. He hints that Jeremy is probably taking drugs, and questions Jenna's suitability as a guardian, which makes Jenna angry.

Matt and Stefan arrive at the hospital, but Matt reaches a hysterical Vicki first. As Matt looks for help, Stefan uses compulsion on Vicki to calm her down, as well as alter her memories of the attack. Stefan attempts to leave the hospital without being seen, but Matt catches a glimpse of him as he skirts down the hallway. Matt follows Stefan as he enters a blood donation room, which causes Stefan's face to change. Matt enters the room, but Stefan has already jumped out of the window.

Meanwhile, Bonnie, Caroline, and Elena sit at a table in front of the Grill and talk about Elena's visit from Stefan the prior night. Caroline is skeptical of Elena's assertion that all the pair did was talk, but Elena swears that's all that happened.

Elsewhere, Jeremy arrives home to find Jenna waiting on him with an "are you doing drugs?" talk at the ready. Despite Jenna admitting to recreational use in the past, Jeremy blows her off, and leaves the house.

Meanwhile, at the Salvatore Boarding House, Phoebe was excited to see Stefan's library. She'd thought of nothing else since their conversation in science. She was smiling to herself as she approached the door. As she knocked, it swung open. Walking inside, she called out for Stefan. There was no reply. Turning a corner, the same crow from the Grill on the first day of school flew at her. It scared her, and she turned around, coming face-to-face with a strange man, who just smiled down at her.

"I-I'm sorry for barging in. the door was…," she began. She stopped short when she saw the door was now closed.

The man finally spoke, "You must be Elena. I'm Damon. Stefan's brother."

"I didn't know he had a brother," said Phoebe, not correcting him on who she was. She was still really confused, and Damon's eyes were drawing nearly all of her attention. They were almost as blue as Matt's.

"Well Stefan's not one to brag," he joked, smiling at her.

Phoebe felt herself smiling, involuntarily.

Damon gestured to the living room, "Please, come."

"Wow," said Phoebe, looking around. "This is your living room?"

"Living room, parlor, Sotheby's Auction. It's a little kitschy for my taste," he replied, jokingly. He watched her look around amazed. "I can see why my brother's so smitten with you. It's about time, too. For a while there I didn't think he'd get over the last one. Nearly destroyed him."

Phoebe knew he was baiting her, but she asked anyways, "The last one?"

"Yeah. Katherine, his girlfriend?"

"Pretty sure it's still too early for the whole awkward ex's conversation."

"Oops. Well, I'm sure it'll come up, now. Or maybe he didn't tell you because he didn't want you to think he was on the rebound."

"Possibly," she replied, seemingly uninterested in the conversation anymore.

Damon noticed this, and tried to spice it up again, "We all know how those relationships end."

"You say that like every relationship is doomed to end."

Damon smirked, "I'm a fatalist."

It worked. Phoebe was interested once again, "Not every relationship ends permanently. Sure, some hit a bump in the road, but when it's worth it they work together to get over that bump."

"True, but some roads just come to an end," replied Damon.

"Then you get out and walk. The end of the road just means you've reached the end of the predictability part of the relationship. You can either go in different directions and find new roads, or go on an adventure together. Most people just prefer the predictability of the road, which is why so many people just move onto new roads. But there are those that prefer the excitement of the unpredictable. The path where the only constant or sure thing is that you're together," elaborated Phoebe.

"Aren't we the optimistic romantic," said Damon, impressed and somewhat amused.

"No, that's my sister. I'm a realist."

"Coulda fooled me," he grinned.

"Even for a fatalist, surely you can admit that when you really love someone you get selfish. You do whatever it takes to keep that person with you," said Phoebe, somewhat seriously.

Damon just stared at her, trying to read her. The things she was saying…it was like she was reading his mind. He was also confused as to why she wasn't reacting like most girls do, when he tries to charm them. Somehow she was able to stare him in the eye without smiling, or blushing. She could have a conversation with him, without flirting back, or just standing there waiting for him to flatter her with compliments. He was so engrossed in trying to figure her out, he didn't even notice Stefan.

"Phoebe. I see you've met Damon," said Stefan, making his presence known.

"Phoebe?" asked Damon. "Who's Phoebe?"

Stefan looked at Phoebe.

Phoebe smiled sheepishly, and waved, "Hello."

Damon looked confused, "I thought you were Elena."

"Sorry. I meant to correct you, but I was so confused about the door and the random crow, and then your eyes are almost as blue as my friend Matt's so they kinda sucked me in, and shortly after that we were engaged in conversation and I wasn't sure how to just announce 'Hi, my name's Phoebe. I know Elena and I look alike, but that's because we're twins. Don't worry, though, we're only paternal twins so we look a little different. I also wear glasses, because I'm blind as a bat.' Actually, that phrase is pretty inaccurate. Bats can see really well, unless it's daylight. They're nocturnal, you know?" said Phoebe, almost all at once.

Stefan, thankfully, stepped in before she could rant anymore, "Phoebe. You wanted to look at those books?"

"Right! Yes. Thank you," said Phoebe, grateful for cutting her off.

Stefan directed her to the library. The brothers both waited for her to get out of earshot before speaking.

Damon whistled, "Great gal. I like her. She's cute, and she's got spunk."

"How long was she here?" asked Stefan.

"Why? Are you worried about what I might say?" asked Damon.

"I don't trust you, Damon. I wouldn't put it past you to say something you shouldn't, just so she'll repeat it to Elena," replied Stefan.

"Now, how would I manage that, when I thought she was Elena?" asked Damon.

Phoebe returned before Stefan could reply, "Are these okay? I just started grabbing ones that sounded interesting, and before I realized it I had a whole stack of them."

"For what?" asked Damon.

Stefan looked at the books in her arms, "I told Phoebe she could borrow some of our books. These are fine."

"Of course they are," said Damon. He smiled at Phoebe, "You can borrow any book you want, whenever you want."

"Thank you," said Phoebe, returning his smile. "It was nice to meet you, Damon."

"Great meeting you, too, Phoebe," he replied, kissing her hand.

Phoebe's smile grew. She avoided his eyes as she left.

At the hospital, Vicki wakes in a much-improved mood as she chats with Matt, with no apparent memory of a vampire attack. Instead she believes she was bitten by an unknown animal. Jeremy walks into the hospital room and Matt excuses himself. Upset at Jeremy's arrival, Vicki tells Jeremy to back off, until he reveals the fact that he's the one who saved Vicki the night of the party.

Back at the Gilbert House, Phoebe is in the kitchen making a sundae with Aunt Jenna.

"So how was school?" asked Jenna.

"Mostly boring," Phoebe told her.

"Isn't it always?" Jenna joked.

Phoebe laughed, "Yes, it is. But after school was interesting."

"What happened after school?" asked an intrigued Jenna.

"Well, at school Stefan tried to give Elena an original copy of Wuthering Heights. I mentioned it to him in Science class, and he told me he had an entire library full of old books, so it was no big deal," Phoebe began.

"Oh, I'm sure you loved that," Jenna teased.

"I know!" Phoebe agreed. "Anyway, he invited me to go over after school, and borrow some of the books. So I did."

"You must've been in heaven."

"I was, but that's not the interesting part," Phoebe told her.

"A library full of a bunch of old, musty books wasn't the highlight of your day?" asked Jenna, a little confused.

Phoebe shook her head, "I met Stefan's brother."

Jenna's eyes widened, "Stefan has a brother."

Phoebe nodded.

"What's he like?" Jena asked, giving Phoebe her undivided attention.

"Nothing like Stefan. When I got there, he thought I was Elena, and he kept trying to bait me into conversations that would stir things up with Stefan," she told her.

"What do you mean? Like what?"

"Like talking about his ex, Katherine. Damon," Phoebe began. As she said the next word, she did air quotes, "accidently let slip that Stefan just got over a bad break up. Then we talked about relationships in general, which was actually-."

Jenna cut her off, "Hold on. Two points, here. Stefan is on the rebound, and didn't tell Elena. And you actually had a conversation with a guy that isn't family or Matt Donovan?"

"Yes, and yes."

"Okay, you talking to a guy is an achievement of its own, but an actual conversation...Phoebe, that's a miracle!" said Jenna, excited.

"I don't understand how that happened, but...the more important thing here is Stefan's ex. Should I tell Elena, or should I tell Stefan to tell her, before Damon tells her?" Phoebe asked her. "I mean, I could tell that, when he thought I was Elena, he wanted for me to know about Katherine. I don't know why, but whatever the reason, I really think this would be better coming from Stefan."

Jenna thought it over, "I'd say do whatever you feel is right. No matter what, she's gonna find out. It's just a matter of when and from whom."

Phoebe nodded in response. Jeremy came home, and Jenna left the kitchen to talk to Jeremy. Elena came in as Jenna was doing that, and joined Phoebe in the kitchen.

"What's that about?" Elena asked.

"I think Jeremy walked out on Jenna earlier, when she was trying to have the 'don't do drugs' talk with him," Phoebe answered.

Elena made a face of understanding, "Mmm. So where were you after school? You're usually hanging out with Matt."

"I was at Stefan's," she replied, a little awkwardly. "He told me I could take a look at his library."

"You must've been in heaven," said Elena, making her way to the sundae assembly line.

"Yes. I was. But before I got to the library, I met Stefan's brother Damon," Phoebe replied.

Elena stopped, "Stefan has a brother?"

"Well, you already knew he had siblings," said Phoebe, in a slow and confused manner.

"No, I didn't," Elena denied.

"Remember the night you brought him to the Grill, and Caroline invited him to the bonfire at the Falls?" she asked.

Elena nodded, thinking.

"After he told you his parents died, you asked him if he had any siblings. He said none that he talks to," Phoebe explained.

Elena made a face that told Phoebe she remembered, "Right. But why didn't he tell me his brother was in town?"

"Elena, you two just met a few days ago. Do you really expect him to tell you 'Hey, my brother's in town, just FYI.'?" Phoebe asked.

Elena looked down, "I guess not."

"Elena?"

Elena looked up at her sister.

"Just because he didn't tell you yet, doesn't mean he's trying to keep it a secret."

Elena nodded, and Phoebe left the kitchen.

The next afternoon, Bonnie and Elena walk through the square passing out flyers. Caroline spies Damon but when she approaches him, he disappears.

Meanwhile, at the Salvatore House, Zach confronts Stefan about Damon's continued presence and the danger he's putting them all in. He asks if the girl is really worth the risk. Phoebe arrives at the Salvatore House, and rings the bell. Zach answers the door, and she asks to see Stefan. He gestures for her to enter, and calls for Stefan.

"Phoebe," said Stefan, coming down the stairs. "Go through all those books already?"

Phoebe laughed, "Not yet. I wanted to talk to you about Elena."

Stefan gestured for her to have a seat in the living room. They sat on the couch, and Phoebe explained why she was there, "Yesterday when I was talking to Damon, he mentioned your ex Katherine."

Stefan's body language told Phoebe he didn't like that.

"I didn't say anything to Elena, but I think you should, before Damon lets it slip to the right Gilbert twin, this time," Phoebe told him. "She's already kinda upset you didn't tell her about your brother."

Stefan nodded, "Thank you for giving me the heads up. I'll talk to her tonight."

Phoebe smiled, "Anytime."

Stefan smiled back, and walked her out.

Later that evening, Jeremy meets Vicki in the Grill and gives her more pain pills. Tyler sees them together, and isn't pleased. Night falls and the candlelight celebration begins.

Matt lights Elena's candle, who passes her light on to Stefan. Stefan and Elena step away from the others, and Stefan apologizes for his omission of Damon's presence. He also tells her about Katherine. He assures her he is not on the rebound, because Katherine was a long time ago.

Back in the Grill, Vicki sees Damon sitting in the bar and recognizes him. She goes to the restroom, downs a handful of pills, and is attacked by Damon. Jeremy soon goes into the Grill and asks if anyone has seen Vicki prompting an argument with Tyler, who hints that Jeremy's been "dealing." As Matt leaves to look for his sister, Elena and Phoebe confront Jeremy about his options: therapy, rehab, or talking with them.

Matt searches the square for Vicki and sees Stefan. He warns Stefan that even though he's not with Elena anymore, he'll always be looking out for her. Hearing screams from Vicki, Stefan excuses himself and runs to the top of the building where Damon is threatening Vicki.

Damon compels Vicki to make her believe Stefan was the one to attack her, taunting Stefan's choice of lifestyle again. Stefan asks if this was all about Damon trying to expose him, but Damon answers that it's to remind him of his old self. Damon then compels Vicki to forget. Stefan asks what Damon is really up to, to which he responds "That's for me to know and for you to dot dot dot...".

After Damon leaves, Stefan brings Vicki back to the Grill. Matt checks Vicki's injury as he thanks Stefan for his help finding her. Bonnie gives Stefan Elena's e-mail address and cell phone number. When she touches his hand she gets another vision.

Meanwhile, Elena and Phoebe arrive home and find Jenna searching Jeremy's room for drugs.

"Jer?" questioned Elena, approaching Jeremy's room.

"Nope, it's me, the hypocrite patrol," replied Jenna.

"What are you doing?" Phoebe asked her.

"I've become my worst nightmare. The authority figure. Who has to violate a fifteen-year-old's privacy. Jackpot!" she replied, finding Jeremy's bong. "I see the hiding places haven't gotten any more creative."

"What brought this on?" Elena asked.

"Your ass-hat of a history teacher shamed me good yesterday," Jenna answered.

"You got Tannered," said Elena.

"Been there," Phoebe added.

"'Discover the impossible, Ms. Summers.' Got it. Thanks. Like I didn't know I was screwing up," muttered Jenna.

"You're not screwing up, Aunt Jenna," Phoebe told her.

"Yes, I am," Jenna replied. "You know why? Because I'm not her. She made everything look so easy. You know, high school, marriage, having you two. I can't do it. I'm gonna say or do the wrong thing, and he's gonna get worse, and it's gonna be my fault."

The twins sat in silence, as Jenna went on. When she was done, she sat down on Jeremy's bed, "It's impossible."

"This is just the fear talking," Phoebe told her. "You're a little scared, that's all."

"We all are," Elena added.

Phoebe looked at her sister, "You can't let fear dictate your life, or it'll cripple you."

Elena thought for a moment, and then announced, "I have to go do something. But are you gonna be okay?"

Jenna smiled at the twins, and nodded.

Back at the Grill, Jeremy witnesses a romantic moment between Tyler and Vicki, and sulks away. Walking alone to her car, Caroline senses she's being followed, and she's right. Damon appears at her car. The two flirt, before leaving together.

Elena rings the bell at Stefan's, and they walk outside to watch the comet overhead. She admits to being scared earlier when she talked with Stefan, since she's not sure she'd survive if her world broke apart again. They discuss what they each would have written in their diaries if they'd had the chance. Stefan looks at Elena and says that this is reality right here. They share a tentative kiss followed by a more lingering one.

Meanwhile, over at Caroline's, Caroline is in bed with Damon. He looks up from kissing her stomach and changes into his vampire form before biting her.