New chapter! Really hope you enjoy… please R&R.

He had been with the humans in Fells Church for a day now. He was impressed by their determination. They were so determined to get Bonnie back. He had called on a friend, Darla, to help. They had had a 'thing' a few decades years ago and well somewhere along the line they had become friends. Darla and the other witch were working on spells to find Bonnie, but nothing seemed to be working. Elena was a mess. She felt responsible and the others blamed her. They had told Sage as much. Meredith had said those exact words, "I blame Elena" It was so unlike her to blame anyone, Sage had been shocked.

So much had changed in the few days since their return from the dark dimension. Damon was alive again – Sage wanted to ask how, but he knew that now was not the time. Damon was in love – again Sage wanted to ask how, but he knew that now definitely was not the time for that conversation. Meredith had a brother, Christian and Sage could tell that Meredith hadn't had time to adjust or even think about it properly. Sage had asked her about it but she had closed the conversation down almost immediately. Meredith was not one for sharing her feelings, especially with a vampire; the hunter in her couldn't afford to show weakness. She was a girl after Sage's own heart. He had never been one for sharing, always preferring to keep his distance. But he had to admit that the dark haired girl intrigued him. He found himself watching her, trying desperately to understand her better.

Matt or Mutt as Damon referred to him as, was an interesting one. He was not romantically involved with any of the girls and yet he was incredibly protective of them all. In the human world it would be described as brotherly love. In the vampire world no such thing existed. The life of a vampire was a solitary existence until you found a mate and then it was the two of you against the world. Stefan and Damon were the only exception he had ever heard of, and they proved the point with their jealousy and discord. That was why Sage was so surprised by Christian's presence in the house. The long lost vampire brother? Something about it just didn't ring true. He could never tell Meredith that though, so instead he would watch. So far he seemed to be enjoying the chance to get to know his sister and he seemed to be trying to help as much as possible with the search for Bonnie.

Sage was sat in the garden talking to Meredith about everything that had happened. She was filling him in on all the details. He sat there besides her completely shocked. Of course, his expression remained the same; he was a vampire after all. "Can't you at least look shocked?" Meredith asked.

"Sorry. I am shocked. It's just a vampire thing; it's easier to hide emotion when you're dead." Sage apologised.

"Well, could you try to make your face express your emotions? It makes conversation slightly challenging." Meredith replied.

"I will." He said, opening his eyes wider and allowing his jaw to drop in what he hoped looked like a 'shocked' expression.

Meredith exploded with laughter. "Oh Sage, you do look a sight!"

"Why thank you very much!" Sage sulked, purposefully pulling his face into a pout. Meredith began to laugh harder.

"Thank you for cheering me up." Meredith smiled at him when she had finally stopped laughing.

"That's ok. Now will you please tell me about your brother?" Sage replied, genuinely interested.

Meredith was shocked by the sudden change in conversation but obliged after all Sage was a friend. Vampire he might be but he had saved hers and her friends lives more than once. "Erm… Klaus."

"Excuse me? What about Klaus?" Sage asked.

"Klaus. He attacked my family when I was a child. I had a twin brother; Christian. Klaus made us drink each other's blood. He made me into some sort of vampire – different though. I don't really know what I am, to be honest. I only need the tiniest bit of blood and I don't know what would happen if I didn't get it. At home we have blood pudding and stuff like that all the time. Now I know why." Meredith stopped for breath and Sage was glad for his vampire abilities. Hiding his true horror at this tale was saving Meredith a lot of pain. Instead he smiled gently at her to continue.

"I only found out recently that I had a twin brother. I had been blocking out the memory. Then when Damon was stuck on that moon, Christian rescued him. Damon brought him here to meet me and we sat up talking for hours when he first arrived. I still don't know what I think. I mean, I know it doesn't matter to you because you are one too, but he's a vampire. Stefan is different. Stefan is my friend because he doesn't want to be a monster; he feeds on animals rather than hurt humans. I respect that." Sage frowned gently at her words. She clearly didn't think very highly of him, after all he was exactly that; a monster. Monster Sage, the vampire who preys on the weak, drinking human blood… She didn't even know the worst of it. She'd never met his father. "Damon's only redeeming quality is Bonnie. She seems to be changing him and the best bit is she doesn't mean to. She is happy with him how he is; the evil bloodsucker he is, but he's changing. Only problem is: she's not here to see it!"

This made Sage chuckle. The idea of Damon having any redeeming quality was a novelty idea to him but it filled him with hope. "Do you think I have any redeeming qualities?" He asked shyly, not that Meredith would notice.

"Many." She replied simply, "I barely know you, but I can see you are good."

"But I'm a bloodsucking monster just like Damon!" He blurted out.

"Maybe. But I think everyone's destiny is yet to be decided. You can be whoever you choose to be." She said honestly. "That's the problem with Christian. I've yet to find his redeeming quality. Once I do, I'm sure I'll be more at peace about it all."