Chapter 2

"So you're taking her out. How sweet" Valerie was in Stefan's room trying to entertain herself while he was getting ready to go out.

"Technically, I'm not taking her out" against all believes and superstitions vampires did have a reflection in the mirror and right now Stefan west the best example of it "She lost her diary and when I went to give it back to her she told me about this back to school party. I'm not even sure if she's not going to be there"

Valerie put her foot on the table and started to swing in the chair.

"Technically, you're talking rubbish; and in practice, the only reason you're going there is to taste her, admit it"

Stefan turned around and gave her a look full of concern and… pity.

"I would never hurt her and I'm going to make sure she's save from anybody else" an excruciating pain appeared on his face "I've been trying to teach you that for the last 150 years" he whispered the last words.

"You know I haven't touched a human for the last 20 years" she stopped swinging and took her foot off the table "I'm not as strong as you, Stefan. I've made some terrible choices in the past and I have to live with their consequences" she sighed and walked to the window half covered with heavy curtains, which were adorned with a golden thread. It let in some light into the old room and painted fantastic patterns on the wooden floor "I've learned my lesson. But I'm highly captivated with your fascination with her and I'm sure there's more to it that you're not telling me"

He was about to say something when the door to his room opened and Zach stormed in.

"You promised" he was evidently furious when he tossed the newspaper towards them. There was a picture of a young couple on the front cover.

"This was an animal attack, it says they were mutilated by some kind of bear" Valerie leaned on Stefan's desk covered with old books and scrolls.

"Don't give me that" Zach shook his head "I know the game, you turn up and they always suspect an animal attack, you said you had it under control!" he spat it out like a cobra spitting out its poison.

"I do" Stefan said confidently and frowned.

"Please, uncle Stefan" she heard a plea in his voice "Mystic Falls is a different place now, it's been quiet for years; but there are people, who still remember. And you being here is just gonna stir things up"

Valerie just kept listening to them.

"It's not my intention" Stefan said assertively.

"Then what is? Why did you come back, after all this time, why now?"

Good point, she thought.

"I don't have to explain myself" Stefan was getting irritated.

"I know" Zach hesitated "that you can't change what you are. But you don't belong here anymore and I can't tell you what to do. But coming back here was a mistake" he turned around and left without looking at the two of them.

"The Background" by Third Eye Blind

00:01 "He's got the point, you know" Valerie spoke once the door closed "But we're here and whether we want it or not we need to finish what we started" she reached for the book that was lying on the top of the pile. It had an old leather covering and when she opened it, she found a black and white picture on the first page. It was a portrait of a beautiful young woman. She was wearing a stunning period lace dress and her long dark curls framed her young face.

Elena's face.

Underneath the picture, the note said "Katherine, 1864".

"We have to finish it for Elena's sake" she closed the book with a loud and walked towards the door "I'm gonna be ready in 5 minutes, you can wait in the car"

"You're going with me? To a high school party?" Stefan was highly amused by that.

"Well, you're going and out of two of us, I am the younger one that needs some fun. Anyway, I could use a good party. And you can introduce me as your cousin"

"Are you sure? It's a teenage party. Somebody starts a fight and there's going to be blood. Are you ready for this?"

His concern made her feel once again as his daughter.

"I'm gonna be alright" she smiled and went to her room.

***

01:32 When they got to the party everybody was already having fun. There was a bonfire in the middle of the clearing and they could hear music coming from somewhere.

"You're gonna be alright?" Stefan asked her but she could tell his mind was already set at Elena.

"I'll be fine. Go, get the girl. I'm gonna get a drink and some guy to keep me entertained for a while"

01:55 music fades away

She didn't have to tell him twice and once he was gone, she scanned the crowd. She looked at all the young faces around her and was surprised when she recognized a few. Once, she knew their ancestors and her memory could go back as far as the Civil War. But Mystic Falls has changed since then and just as every time she came back, she suddenly felt the burden of years. Everything around her was constantly progressing, developing and moving forward.

Everything except for her.

She could see Stefan talking to Elena on the wooden bridge over the river oblivious to all the attention they were attracting.

On her right she noticed a teenage boy walking into the forest and what caught Valerie's interest was the way Elena left Stefan's side and followed the guy into the darkness.

That must have been the brother.

She's heard Elena Gilbert's story from Zach. Last spring her parents died in a car accident. Their car fell off the bridge into the water and in some miraculous way she and her brother Jeremy survived and were found on the banks of the river.

Valerie felt a deep sympathy for the girl. She knew what it meant to see the loved ones dying and she thought that Elena was doing a remarkable job at trying to move on.

Apparently Jeremy wasn't.

Suddenly there was a stir between the trees.

"Somebody help!" she heard Elena shouting and that's when she noticed her brother carrying a girl in his arms.

She wasn't moving.

"She's lost a lot of blood, her throat is torn open, somebody call an ambulance!"

People gathered around them and Valerie couldn't saw what was going on so she took a few steps closer.

"Vickie! Vick!" she heard Jeremy and Elena shouting and all of a sudden everything went still.

"Eyes on Fire" by Blue Foundation

00:01 And for the first time in 20 years Valerie was in paradise.

The smell was unbelievably strong and it penetrated her flesh straight to the bone. Every cell in her body woke up as if after a very long dream and started to yearn.

For human blood.

Her breath slowed down and her senses sharpened. She could smell the grass crushed under her feet, thousands of leaves humming in the air and burned wood in the fire. She could smell the clouds passing by and the moon shining high above them.

She stumbled and took a few steps back but it didn't help. The scent was everywhere and when she looked around she could see people around her. And she could hear their heartbeats.

Every one of them had their necks exposed and she could see the faint pulse on their throats, she could almost taste that sweetness in her mouth…

"No" she whispered and turned around just in time to hide her changing eyes, which started to cover with a thin black thread.

She could barely control where she was going but once she reached the nearest tree, she staggered and fell to the ground, leaning her back on the warm bark.

She had to snap out of it. She started to breathe deeply but that didn't help since the wind was bringing the scent only closer to her.

She couldn't control it anymore and she was just about to get up when she felt a set of strong hands around her picking her up and she heard Stefan's voice.

"It's alright, Val, I'm here"

She closed her eyes and dug her nails into his arm.

She was saved.

And so were the people around.