DISCLAIMER: IT'S NOT MINE.

AUTHORS NOTE: Hey guys *Looks sheepish"* I would first of like to say I am SOOOO sorry I haven't updated in a while my mom was sick and I have to help her at work, also my computer got stolen so I have to use my sisters which my brother usually has, and I know I promised to get this chapter up before August started but it wasn't done yet but I stayed up extra late finishing it, and just did, so I could post it. Again I would like say sorry and now I would like to thank the people who reviewed. I personally think that my writing sucks but it makes me feel better that you guys don't hate the story : ) and without further ado here is the much awaited, sorry again, chapter 3.

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I woke up to sunlight shining in threw my window. I got out of bed and went to the open the curtains on the larger window in my room. It was a beautiful day today, the sun was just starting to rise so the sky was not its usual blue but a mixture of orange and pink; my favourite time of day. I was about to go and get dressed when I thought I saw something, walking over to the doors that led to my balcony I grabbed my robe. My balcony had the best view in my opinion. It overlooked the side of the manor and had a perfect view into the forest but I could also catch a glimpse into the front of the house. As I stepped out onto my balcony I went to the end and tried to get a glimpse into the front (I'm not usually this nosy really, I respect people's privacy it's just the fact that Stefan and Damon are hiding something from me that really upsets me, and is making me nosy, honestly) but all I could see was what looked like Stefan arguing with someone and then I heard a car door slam shut and saw a car drive off. I walked back to the doors, my curiosity being dealt with, to get dressed.

After getting dressed I went downstairs and was heading to the front door when I heard behind me "Not already abandoning us are you Clary?" There was that infuriating nickname again, really when was Damon going to get it?

"I wouldn't dream of it, unless of course you continue to call be by that nickname." I said with a smile on my face.

"Oh come on you know you love it, you hate it but you love it, like how you let Stefan call you 'Izzy' or 'Issa'." He said with a lopsided grin.

"…Fine you can call me Clary, but not in public…please Damon." I said with a small smile on my face.

"Okay deal. Now where were you heading at this time?" He asked with a completely serious expression.

"I was planning on going for a walk in the forest…maybe even into town if that's okay." I half asked half stated.

"Okay that's fine…I just don't want you disappearing again." He mumbled, I could see that I had hurt him a lot by my choice.

"I won't and I'm sorry" I moved to give him a hug and he just pounced on me, had I been human he would've broken my bones. He set me down on the ground and gave me a big smile.

"Be careful Clary." This was going to take some getting used to. I was about to walk out the door again when I was once again stopped.

"Where are you going?" I was asked for the second time in two minutes. I turned around to see Stefan with a questioning gaze on his face.

"A Walk." I said innocently.

"Okay but grab a jacket it could rain." He said with a serious expression.

"Stefan it's beautiful outside." I argued back, but not with much force I'd learned from our childhood Stefan usually won our arguments, and the few times I did win I had suspected it was because he had let me.

"Weather is unpredictable Clarissa…just grab a jacket." He said with an air of protectiveness and annoyance, this was him being normal you should see when he gets all big brother on me.

"Fine" I sighed drawing out the end and heading back up the stairs to retrieve my white coat. When I came back down Stefan was waiting.

"Mind if I join you." He asked hesitantly.

"No of course not I was just going to go for a walk in the forest and maybe into town, but by all means join me." I said quickly.

He gave me a smile as I was opening the door and was about to walk out after me when I turned around with a smile on my face and said "You're forgetting something."

"What?…Oh fine I'll go get my jacket." He said as it dawned on him what I was getting at. He was gone and back in the blink of an eye.

"Ready to go now?" He asked with a hint of amusement in his voice.

"Sure." I laughed. We walked into the forest that was on the edge of the property and wandered along a path for awhile in silence, just admiring the settings. I had always loved the forest here in Mystic Falls, it was perfect. They weren't over grown with trees but spaced openly, one of the things that sometimes did annoy me when I was younger though. It made playing certain games completely unfair. However as I grew older I came to appreciate the forest and the solace it offered me.

Stefan and I continued to walk through the forest until we came across a fallen tree and decided to rest for a little while. We sat on the log for a few minutes until Stefan broke the silence. "Why did you come back to Mystic Falls?" Stefan asked while staring at something in the distance.

"I thought that was obvious by the way I reacted when I found out that Zach was dead." Stefan was looking down at his hands when I said this. "When did you come back I never saw you all the other times I came." He looked up at me shocked when I said this.

"You've been to Mystic Falls before? Since you left?" He asked with a look in his eyes that I couldn't identify. All the while completely ignoring my question directed at him.

"Ummm…yeah I came every few years to see how your family was doing; they were always like a second family to me. I hadn't been here for awhile though, I think the last time I came was maybe ten years ago. That was why Zach was insisting on me visiting."

"I…I never knew they didn't tell me." He mumbled looking a bit shocked.

"Yeah…I asked them not to mention it to either of you guys…it would just make things harder on you and I wasn't ready to see you two yet. I'm not even sure if I am now…"

"I see… I understand you know." Stefan was looking at me with an intense look in his eyes.

"What do you mean you understand?" I was starting to get confused.

"Why you left, why you didn't want my family to tell us you were visiting, and why it's still hard for you to see me and Damon even after all this time."

"It's getting easier. I have to admit though when I saw you in town a part of me wanted to hop back on that bus." I admitted sheepishly.

Stefan chuckled at this. "You were always some what afraid of confrontation."

"It's a curse. So what were you and Damon doing here?" I asked.

"I actually came to visit Zach as well; Damon followed me here and was not exactly keeping a low profile. That's sort of how Zach died. To some it all up we locked him in the basement, he got out, and broke Zach's neck."

"What exactly happened to Damon? He used to be so sweet; he was one of the nicest people I knew. Did all this happen just because I left? Did I make him like this?" I asked worried that the Damon he described to me was a reaction to my absence.

"No, it wasn't you. It was mainly me…and Katherine. The love he had for Katherine and what he thought happened to her because of me was what fuelled his rage." Stefan explained to me.

"Oh…" Katherine was a sore subject for me…Wait, what did he just say. "What do you mean 'What he thought happened to her?' "

"Well Katherine wasn't in the tomb like we thought she was…apparently she bribed one of the guards to let her out." He said hesitantly while scanning my face for reactions.

"Oh…" There was a few moment of silence before I spoke again.

"Well we should get back I didn't know it was getting so late." I noticed the sun beginning to set in the horizon as I started walking back towards the manor, when I didn't hear any footsteps behind me I turned around to see Stefan still sitting against the fallen tree staring at me. "You coming?" I asked reaching out my hand. He stood up, walked over and took hold of my hand.

"Of course." He answered with a slight smile on his face. I smiled back but couldn't help the fear rising up from somewhere inside of me…

Katherine was alive and she was out there somewhere!

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AUTHORS NOTE: PLEASE REVIEW TELL ME YOUR THOOUGHTS! What you liked and most importantly what you hated! Or at least vote on my poll on my profile for the pairing you want to see in this fic.

- Alicia