a/n: I think for this story, I'm going to be pulling some inspiration from the books...so if you've read them, you'll know what I'm talking about. If you haven't, you'll be surprised. Thank you so much for the reviews!! This one's a short chapter but I promise the next one will be longer!
THREE
"Didn't you have school today?" Damon asked as I got ready for lunch with John.
I paused and then shrugged. "As much as I would like to graduate, I don't see how much good my diploma will because I can only use it for a few years anyway. I missed two days last week, it won't kill me to miss another one." I stopped fidgeting with my hair and looked at him. "Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why ask me about school?"
He shrugged and laid back down on the bed. "I just assumed you would have wanted a few more weeks of being normal."
I sat down beside him and put one hand on his chest. "I've accepted the fact that I'm never going to turn eighteen, that it would be pointless to go to school. You mocked Stefan when he did it."
"Yes, but he hadn't been to school in over a hundred years. It seemed ridiculous. You're just finishing what you started and then I can show you what it's like to be a real vampire."
"Mmm," I muttered as I leaned down to kiss him quickly. "Can't wait." I stood up and began to leave but paused at the door and turned back to him. It was strange to think that since I had met him and Stefan, I had never imagined that I would be here, with him, not knowing if Stefan was alive or not.
He smiled and raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"
I shrugged, "Just thinking. I'll see you later," I said and sped out the door and to the Grill. I was there in five minutes flat with ten minutes to spare. Luckily John was early and I wondered if that was where I got it from. I shook that thought aside; it was still too eerie for me.
"Elena," he said as he met me by the entrance. I inclined my head to him and he opened the door for me. We got a table at the back of the restaurant and I sat with my face to the door so that I could watch everyone coming in and out. "I'm glad you came."
"Why wouldn't I?"
"I just wouldn't blame you if you hadn't." He stopped as a waitress took our orders and he looked at me with curiosity. "You're eating?"
"Am I not supposed to?" I asked. I was full from the blood I had before I had gotten ready. "My senses are magnified and this food tasted good before, I want to see what it tastes like now."
He couldn't hold back his smirk no matter how hard he tried. "Before I say anything, I want to apologize for everything."
"Apology accepted. Just tell me one thing; why did you want Stefan and not Damon?"
"I would have preferred that both of them were out of your life, but it was Stefan's jealousy that was deadly to you. Your mother is furious with me at the moment because you turned when she sent me here to stop that from happening," he said tightly.
"On that note, why didn't you tell me sooner that you were my father? Did Dad ever know about this?"
"No, your father delivered you at the hospital, but Isobel never told them who the father was. She would come here sometimes to visit a friend. I saw her and we started hanging out. One thing led to another and...then you came along. We were young and she did the right thing. The day she had you was the last time I had seen her until recently. She gave me this ring that night. I had no idea she was investigating vampires until she tracked me down as one. She knew that the Salvatore's were back in town and told me I had to come here and stop you from getting involved. Only I was too late. I wish I could have told you sooner, but it never seemed like the right time to have that discussion."
I nodded, "I understand." I took a sip of the water that was in front of me. "But you will understand if I hold some reservations in trusting you."
His lips twitched. "I wouldn't expect anything less."
We sat in silence, unsure of what else to say to each other. "So...what was my mother like?" I asked even though it felt unnatural to call Isobel my mother. I wouldn't be saying that again if I could help it.
"She was like you. Strong, independent, sweet. Everything good about you is from her. She's different now. She's like Katherine now; selfish and cruel."
"She can't be that bad if she wanted to protect me from all of this," I countered.
In the blink of an eye, there was a brunette woman standing beside the table, smiling down at both of us. "I'm glad you think that way Elena. I would be devastated if you hated me."
I had gone still all over; rigid with anticipation of an attack. She only slid into the booth beside John leaned forward, supporting her head in her hands. "Isobel?" I said quietly.
Her arrogance vanished, instantly replaced with annoyance. "Who else would it be?" she asked. She narrowed her eyes as she studied my face. She leaned back, a bitter smile playing on her lips. "God, you look so much like Katherine. You could have been twins."
I wanted to call Damon, but from the intensity of her gaze, I knew it would be a bad idea. "Don't compare me to her," I demanded. "I'm nothing like her."
She laughed. "You are very much like her. Not completely, but I see a lot of her in you."
"Isobel," John said in a tone of warning.
She glared at him before turning her attention back to me. "I just wanted to talk and get to know my daughter."
"Why? You've had plenty of time for that before," I said and scanned the crowd for the escape routes. I looked at John who was clearly unhappy about Isobel's being here. "I think we should catch up another time," I said to him and stood up.
She was on her feet just as fast as I was. Her arms were crossed in front of her chest and her head was held high. "Where do you think you're going?"
"Anywhere away from you," I sneered and pushed past her.
She grabbed my wrist and was surprised when I pulled out of her grasp. She wasn't expecting me to be that strong for a newborn and neither was I. However, I didn't let the surprise show on my face. "If I have to start killing your friends and family to get you to talk to me, I'll do it," she threatened.
I stared at her and she smirked in satisfaction as I slid back into my seat. "Fine, I'm listening."
"Isobel, I don't think we should do this here," John said on my behalf. The place was practically empty and what people were here were busy trying not to look at us from the scene I had just caused.
She ignored him and reached across to grab my hand. I instantly pulled it back, pushing my ring back down. "I want the inventions that John Gilbert made back in the day."
I looked at John for this one. The only one that I knew about was the watch that pointed to vampires. "You'll have to ask him for those. The Council has those, don't they?" I asked.
She gave me a blank stare. "I know that. That's why I was asking him."
I said nothing as she turned to him. "You have two days to get them all to me or I take that ring back and kill you myself. You, Elena, are very intriguing to me."
"I am?"
"I can sense unfathomable power emanating from you right now. I've heard legends of those in Transition feeding from witches and gaining more powers, but I've never actually met anyone who had tried it."
I felt cold all over. I had been wondering about that sort of thing too. It didn't help that since my death anything relating to me as a vampire was odd and not normal. I defied all the usual process. It would only be appropriate that this was one of them too. "What would that do?"
"I don't know yet, but I'd like to find out," she said and smiled. I vaguely remembered that she had sought out Damon because she was well versed in vampire legend and lore before he turned her.
"I'm sure you would, but I will not be anyone's experiment."
She nodded and pulled something out of her purse. "Not now, but this might change your mind."
She put a leather bound book on the table. It was black with a hint of brown here and there. It was well used, the spine was creased almost to the breaking point and the pages were well worn. I picked it up carefully, and realized what it was immediately. "Katherine's diary."
Isobel's brow rose, she wasn't expecting me to know what this was. "Very good."
"Where did you get it?" I asked.
"That's not important. What's important is the content. My number is on the last page, when you read it, call me and we'll talk about it," she said. The air shifted as she sped out of the Grill, leaving John and I both stunned.
I looked at him. "Why would she want me to read this?"
He shook his head. "I have no idea."
I put it aside for now. "Are you going to give her the inventions?"
He shrugged, "She can have them. The only reason she wants them is because she doesn't want me to have them. If I had done what she'd asked and protected you..."
"You couldn't have prevented any of this from happening, even if you tried your hardest. Give her the inventions and let me know if you need anything from Damon," I said and stood up, gathering my things in the process. "Thanks for the lunch anyway. I guess I wasn't in the mood to eat it after all."
"Elena?" he said and I waited for him to continue. "Don't mention Isobel to Damon or the fact that she gave you the journal. There might be some unpleasant things that he's not ready to hear."
"I wasn't going to tell him about the journal, but I wasn't going to keep the rest of it from him. I want him to be able to trust me. Keeping this from him would not be a good idea. I'll be in touch," I said and raced to the boarding house.
