The waiting room outside of the sheriff's office was not in fact a waiting room but a corridor with a line of chairs facing the wooden door emblazoned with Liz's name and rank.

"These chairs have not gotten any more comfortable over the years." Jenna grumbled as she, Elena, Jeremy and Izzy waited to be called.

"Exactly how many times have you sat here, Aunt Jenna?" Jeremy teased as the red-head blushed slightly.

"Stefan!" Elena practically shot out of her chair as the boy wandered around the corner and headed towards them.

"Ahh young love." Jenna sighed.

"Jenna?" Izzy caught the woman's attention.

"Yeah?"

"You probably shouldn't be so…unconcerned with the fact that we all got called to the police station."

"Right…yeah…mature adult…" Izzy bit back a laugh as the woman scowled at the door in front of them.


Liz Forbes' office was not the most spacious room Izzy had sat in. Besides the picturesque view of the town square, the room itself was pretty dull; full of filing cabinets and a cluttered desk with an open file containing an un-flattering image of Vikki Donovan. Izzy shifted in the hard chair as Liz shut the door and moved to take a seat behind the desk.

"I hate to call you down here Izzy, but I just need to turn over every stone before I can dismiss this as another runaway addict."

"No problem, Liz." The blonde smiled. "After everything you did for us this summer, 5 minutes answering a couple of questions is nothing. The worst part was dragging Jeremy and Elena out of bed." Liz laughed before glancing down at the open file, sighing and getting straight down to business.

"When was the last time you saw Vikki?"

"Ooh, a couple days ago I think; she was over at our place hanging with Jer – I just remember seeing someone burrowing through the fridge and I knew it was her."

"And do you have any idea where she's gone?"

"Well she didn't say anything to me, it was Jeremy who told me she had left town."

"Is there anyone I can talk to that may know what happened to her prior to her leaving town?"

"Aside from Matt? My sister and Stefan Salvatore were the only people I saw her talk to that day. And if she'd seen anything I know Elena would've told me; that girl can't keep a secret for anything." She joked and the sheriff smiled.

"I know, I remember she found Caroline's birthday present once when they were kids, I told her not to say anything; that it was a surprise for her. An hour later my daughter comes to me and tells me that if her new bike doesn't have streamers coming out of the handlebars, she doesn't want it." The pair laughed before Izzy's face dropped;

"God, I wish I'd made more of an effort to speak to Vikki now, maybe I could have done something." She acted her part beautifully as she wrung her hands in her lap and looked down.

"Vikki isn't the first addict I've had to investigate, let me assure you that if she was planning to run, there was nothing you could've said to stop her." Izzy nodded solemnly. "So, what was her behaviour like that day? Any signs of aggression?"

"None, she was just…sketchy…like she was there for a reason but didn't want anyone to know."

"Saying goodbye?"

"Perhaps, but maybe not so literally; maybe just a final conversation with everyone before she left."

"That sounds fair." Liz capped her pen and closed the file. "Thanks for that Izzy, I'll let her brother know and after that…well it's just a matter of whether or not she turns up somewhere that's received our notice of her absence."

"No problem." Izzy rose from the chair and turned to leave but stopped. "And Sherriff, if there's anything I can do to help, not just with Vikki but with anything, let me know; I know Miranda and Greyson were such active members of the community and I'd love to continue their legacy so…"

"Yes, Carol Lockwood mentioned something to me a few days ago…I'll get back to you on that one Izzy."

The blonde smiled at the Sherriff before exiting the room.

"All done?" Jenna asked as she, Jeremy and Elena looked up.

"All done." She confirmed. "Anyone want some waffles?" She laughed as Jeremy sprung from his seat and called out that he'd be in the car. "Wanna join us Stefan?" Izzy asked as she noticed the gap between him and Elena, maybe it wasn't out of love that Elena had been so eager to speak with him earlier.

"I…umm…I actually have a guest waiting back at home for me so…" He glanced at Elena who stared stubbornly at her feet. "…rain check?"

"Rain check it is." Izzy shot him a small smile. "Let's go." She linked arms with Elena and the duo followed Jenna to the car.


"You're wallowing." Izzy told Elena as she entered the living room and found her sister curled up on the sofa.

"So is Jenna." She pointed to the red-head as she walked in carrying a bowl of popcorn. "We're wallowing together."

"My wallow is legitimate; I was dumped, you're the one who dumped Stefan." Jenna pointed out as she slumped beside her niece.

"Yeah, well Logan's a jerk. You're better off without him, Jen." Izzy told her as she checked her hair in the hall mirror.

"You didn't get a brush-off email saying; 'I'm leaving town. See ya.'." Jenna pouted.

"Wanna keep it down in there?" Jeremy called from the kitchen.

"Why?" Jenna asked, peeking over the couch. "What are you doing?"

"Homework." The three women exchanged looks and Izzy strode through the open space and into the kitchen.

"Since when did you do homework?" She asked, trying to get a look at the work spread out on the table.

"I gotta finish this." He grabbed the book from her hands and resumed scribbling on a pad. "I'm way behind and I have a quiz tomorrow so…"

Izzy turned back to the living room and raised an eyebrow at Jenna and Elena as they peeped over the back of the sofa.

"What do you think? Alien?" Jenna mock whispered.

"Some sort of replicate, definitely." Elena agreed as Jeremy rolled his eyes.

"I can hear you." Izzy grinned at his renewed behaviour and re-entered the living room, searching for her phone.

"Where are you going?" Jenna asked through a mouthful of popcorn.

"Out."

"She's wearing her favourite leather jacket." Elena observed. "And her heels are fancier than normal."

"I still don't know how you complete everyday tasks in stilettos." Jenna sighed wistfully. "Come on, fess up; where are you going? Hot date?"

"I wish." Izzy sighed miserably. "I'm meeting someone."

"So it is a date?" Elena perked up at the thought: her sister had never really been one for dating and now that she knew that all of her one-night-stands were just covers for feeding, Izzy being open about meeting someone was exciting.

"It's not a date." Izzy glared at the pair as a car horn sounded outside. "That's my ride. See ya." She blew them a kiss before slamming the door behind her and striding down the driveway.

"Whose car is that?" Jenna asked as they scrambled from the sofa and peeked through the window.

"Damon Salvatore's." Elena said with a frown as she watched Izzy climb into the front seat of the baby blue Chevy Camaro.

"That is one sexy man." Jenna sighed as she returned to the couch.

"Hmmmm." Elena murmured as she watched Izzy throw back her head and laugh before the convertible pulled away.


"Twice in one day, this is a record even for me." Izzy noted as she and Damon made their way down the sterile corridors of the justice building.

"Well I'm not surprised." She raised an eyebrow at his words. "Always suspected you had a thing for handcuffs." There was a beat of silence before he let out a low groan and rubbed the shoulder she had promptly punched. "That's assault."

"Bite me."

"With pleasure." He grinned at her and the pair stopped just outside of the Sherriff's office.

Izzy's smile dropped slightly when she eyed the small cardboard box under his arm and remembered that they were no longer the bickering best friends and that the man before her was single-handedly responsible for Vikki Donovan's death.

"Ladies first." He gestured to the door as Liz called for them to come in.

"Izzy, Mister Salvatore, please take a seat." She gestured to the two chairs before her as Damon pulled the door closed behind them. "I understand from Carol Lockwood that Zach is out of town?"

"Yes, he is." Damon confirmed. "But I spoke with him and he filled me in and asked if I could bring this to you." He placed the box on the desk and pushed it towards the eager woman.

"Vervain." She breathed as she opened the box and retrieved one of the delicate lilac flowers.

"It's all we have at the moment, we hope it's enough." Izzy told her as she laid the flower carefully back in the box. Liz took a deep breath before divulging the information they had been hoping for.

"It's a small circle." Izzy crossed her legs and tilted her head, her interest piqued. "Founding families, a few city officials…"

"And your deputies, of course, right?" Damon asked and she nodded lightly.

"Are we any closer?" Liz shook her head.

"I think our facts are wrong; we've always believed that vampires can only come out in the dark. What if that's changed?"

"Is that even possible?" Izzy asked. "I've read and re-read all the Gilbert journals and I've never come across any mention of being able to withstand daylight."

"We've exhausted every other option." She sighed. "We have to consider that the vampire may be walking around during the day…right in front of us." Izzy bit back a smirk as she feigned shock.

"So what's the next step?"

"We're now looking at anyone new in town; since the deaths began, should turn up a suspect or two."

"And we of course, will do anything we can to help." Damon charmed her as he and Izzy sat very relaxed in the anxious woman's office.


"Why are you taking me to the Boarding House?" Izzy asked as Damon's car began travelling in the opposite direction to the Gilbert house.

"It's a surprise." He shot her a grin as they turned up the driveway of the Boarding House.

"Is it a good surprise or an I've-killed-another-innocent-resident surprise?" She asked sceptically.

"Not telling." He teased as they exited the car and made their way to the front door.

"I swear to god, if you've turned another-" She was cut off as she was flung to the floor of the panelled hallway.

"Surrender now and I'll let you keep your life." A female voice ordered as Izzy was straddled and her eyes covered.

"What the hell?" Izzy clawed at the hands blinding her and eventually pried them from her face. "Lexi?!" She sat up, the female vampire still in her lap. "Oh my God, Lexi!" The two blondes flung their arms around each other, Lexi still in Izzy's lap.

"Room for another?" Damon waggled his eyebrows as he leant against a wall, watching their reunion.

"Can't you let me greet an old friend without requesting a threesome?" Izzy groaned as Lexi stood and held out a hand to help her up.

"Never let an opportunity pass you by." He shrugged. "Have fun." He called behind him as he made his way to the staircase.

"Damon, wait!" Izzy caught up with him. "You didn't have to let me know she was here but…" She hesitated for a moment before reaching out and squeezing his hand. "…thank you."


Izzy let the door close softly behind her as she re-entered the Gilbert house 10am the next morning. She climbed the stairs, heels in hand, with a stupid grin on her face as she recounted her night of dancing, drinking and the occasional bit of gossiping with Stefan and Lexi.

"Are you only just getting home?" Elena's voice made her jump as the brunette peered at her from her position in bed. "It's 10am Iz, where have you been?"

"Out." Izzy shrugged as she abandoned her mission to collapse into her bed and instead headed for Elena's. "Scooch." She told her sister as she slipped underneath her covers and nestled into their warmth.

"Out with Damon?" Elena raised an eyebrow as she spoke.

"Not exactly." Izzy mumbled as she tried to heat up her toes. Elena continued to stare at her disapprovingly until Izzy sighed and caved. "Okay so I was with him at first and then once my…errand…was done we parted ways and I've been at a party all night."

"A party?" Both girls turned to the doorframe as a new voice joined their conversation. "Anyone we know?"

"God I hope not." Izzy chuckled as Bonnie entered the room and joined them under the covers of Elena's bed. "Waaay too old for you two."

"How was your weekend with Grams?" Elena asked as all three cuddled up in the double bed.

"It was…interesting." Bonnie said cryptically. "But that's not important right now; I'm more concerned with the fact that you're still in bed."

"Very true Bon-Bon." Izzy turned to her sister. "Aren't you normally Little Miss Mornings-Are-For-Getting-Things-Done?"

"I'm tired." The girl faked a yawn.

"Bull."

"I am tired; tired of thinking…of talking…of-"

"Can I get a one-line version so I can at least pretend to be helpful?" Bonnie interrupted and Elena looked down at the quilt as Izzy sighed.

"She broke up with Stefan."

"Oh my God! I'm so sorry! Are you okay?" Elena shot her a look. "Right, stupid question." Izzy smiled softly as Bonnie wrapped an arm around her best friend's shoulders. "I know I've been kinda MIA lately; I suck."

"You don't suck." Elena sighed. "But if you do want to make it up to me – get my mind off this breakup." Bonnie paused for a moment before giving them each a stern look and saying:

"Just remember that you asked for it." Izzy and Elena exchanged curious glances as the girl slipped out of bed and closed the bedroom door and open window before grabbing a lone pillow. She rid it of its cover and ripped it open.

"Hey!" Izzy exclaimed as feathers poured out of the now useless pillow and onto the bed.

"Be patient." Bonnie told her as she spread out the feathers and picked on, holding it up. "I need to swear you to secrecy."

"Secrecy? What are you on about Bon?"

"Swear." Bonnie insisted. "Because Grams made me promise not to show anyone." Elena and Izzy exchanged another look before simultaneously agreeing. "There are no more windows open right?" Bonnie asked with a small, knowing smile.

"Yeah, it was just that one." Elena pointed to the window Bonnie had previously shut.

"And there's no fan and no air conditioning."

"None, you know that Bon." Izzy frowned. "What are you doing?"

"Grams just showed me this; you're gonna love it." She jumped up onto the bed and sat cross-legged facing them. "You ready?" They nodded as she placed the feather back onto the bed and placed her hand slightly above it.

"Oh my god." Elena breathed as they watched her raise her hand and the feather follow. It danced slightly before she let it fall again.

"It's true." Izzy whispered as she thought back to the candle incident at the Lockwood mansion. "Everything your Grams said."

Bonnie grinned as she placed both hands over the pile of feathers and levitated them all, filling the air with hundreds of dancing feathers. Izzy and Elena scrambled out of bed to stand amongst them before sharing a grin and bursting into laughter as the impossible snow storm of feathers tickled their skin.

"It's both impossible and true." Bonnie agreed. "I'm a witch." Izzy watched as Elena hugged her friend and the feathers fell to the floor. "It's weird huh? After all this time joking about being psychic…I really am a witch." They all flopped back onto the mattress as they digested the news. "You don't think I'm a freak now, do you?" Bonnie asked, sitting up slightly to gauge the sister's reactions.

"Of course not." Izzy answered for both of them.

"Bonnie I just...don't understand though." Elena said. "If your Grams asked you to keep all this a secret, why did you tell us?"

"You're my best friend." She squeezed Elena's hand. "And you're my best friend's sister so you're kinda my sister by default." Izzy laughed as she spoke. "I can't keep secrets from you."

Izzy's smile tensed as Elena once again embraced her bestie.

I can't keep secrets from you.


"Hey, back for more?" Lexi grinned at Izzy as the blonde dug down the sides of the couches in the Boarding House with a frown.

"Not at 3 in the afternoon." Izzy laughed. "Did I leave my earrings here last night?" She asked, standing from the sofa and glancing behind the cushions of the opposite one.

"No idea, I was sleeping when you crept out in the early hours."

"It was 10am, Lex." Izzy laughed. "Not such an ungodly hour."

"Depends on perspective I guess." The 350 year old vampire shrugged. "Anyway, you've arrived just in time to contribute to the 'Elena Debate'." Izzy quirked an eyebrow at the phrase.

"There's nothing more to say, Lex." Stefan sighed as he entered the room and fell onto the sofa beside Izzy.

"Of course there is." Lexi waved away his comment. "Because we didn't talk about your biggest selling point."

"Which is?"

"Sex." Izzy laughed as Stefan held his head in his hands.

"Oh, come on Stef, don't get all 1864 on us and blush whenever the dirty deed is mentioned." Izzy teased him as she joined him on the couch.

"So, have you and Elena had sex yet?"

"Actually, can we not discuss this?" Izzy interjected. "I've known her since she was 11 and while I'm aware that it's unlikely she and Matt sat around playing cards all the time, it's not something I want to know about."

"Ignore Iz and answer my question."

"No." Stefan sighed. "No we have not had sex."

"Figures; no one walks away from vampire sex." Lexi smirked. "So go to her, rock her world with your vampy stamina and she'll be yours forever."

"Yeah, but see, this isn't about sex or…or compulsion or any of our other tricks; she has to want to be with me; on her own terms." Lexi rolled her eyes at him as she retrieved a blood bag from a small pouch at her feet.

"Wow, that sounded all mature and grown-up." Izzy nudged him teasingly.

"I am mature and grown up."

"You're eternally seventeen and you just blushed at the mention of sex." Izzy pointed out with a grin.

"You're horrible."

"I love you too." Izzy blew him a kiss as Lexi stabbed the blood bag with a straw and began slurping from it.

"Want some?" She asked, offering the bag to them.

"No." Stefan answered quickly and rose to stand at the opposite side of the room.

"Relax, I didn't kill anyone for it." She assured him. "This phlebotomist I went out with a few times is my supplier." Stefan shot her a look. "Oh don't judge, ok? Listen I tried the animal diet; lasted three weeks."

"It doesn't matter; but if I start again…"

"You could stop." Izzy told him earnestly. "I know you could." Stefan offered her a small smile of thanks as Lexi continued slurping.

"I'm just jealous of your restraint." She told him. "I have zero; I delight in hedonism. Speaking of which, what are we doing tonight?" Her eyes flicked between Stefan and Izzy.

"Funny you should ask." Damon drawled as he joined them in the parlour.

"Well I wasn't asking you." Lexi sighed.

"You mean you didn't come all this way just to see me?" He smirked.

"You know what Damon, you're right; after a century I finally realise that death means nothing without you." She ended her statement by promptly showing him her middle finger.

"Why are you so mean to me?" He pouted as he leant against one of the arches leading into the room.

"Uh, have you met you? You're not a nice person."

"Uh, I can be." He defended himself. "Can't I Isabella?" He held out his hand to reveal a pair of sparkly earrings.

"I really don't think that I'm the person you should be looking for a defence from, Damon." She sighed as she rose to retrieve her earrings from him. "But I will admit that you have your moments." She pocketed the earrings.

"Well isn't that a flashback." Lexi smirked as she watched them stand side-by-side. "Both dressed in black, Damon being nice to Izzy and no-one else on the planet…one could be mistaken for thinking nothing happened between you." Damon sneered at her observation as Izzy silently returned to the sofa. "Don't get testy Damon; everyone knows that it was all your fault."

"Someone really needs to shut you-" He was cut off as Lexi flew out of her seat and pinned him to the wall by his throat.

"I'm older and that means stronger." She reminded him. "Don't ruin my time with Stefan and Iz, cause I'll hurt you. And you know I can do it." She released him and wandered back to her discarded snack.

"There's a party at the Grill." Damon delivered his original message. "You'll love it; banquetts, tacky wait staff, all of Stefan's friends…"

"Yeah, I don't want a birthday party." Stefan said, his arms crossed over his chest as Damon frowned.

"Well it's not for you." He told his little brother. "It's a party party; no one knows it's your birthday." He assured him. "Caroline's throwing it."

"Stay away from Caroline." Izzy warned him with a sigh.

"We're friends; it's cool." He told her with a smirk. "It's important for the town to see us out and about like normal folk…we need to blend." He eyed Lexi's collection of blood bags with disgust. "I prefer mine at 98.6." He smirked before strolling from the room.

"Let's go." Lexi decided and Izzy and Stefan shared a look. "Please?" Izzy smirked at how easily Lexi got Stefan to agree. "Awesome." She pushed herself from the chair and flashed them a grin. "I'm going to shower and then we're going to party!"

"I can't believe we're going to this thing." Stefan sighed as he took Lexi's seat.

"Oh come on Stef, it's not like she's asking you to run outside at midday without your ring." She laughed. "It's just a party."

"A party that Damon wants us to go to." He mused. "So my question is; why? I think he's up to something."

"What could he possibly do in front of everyone at the Grill?" She asked. "Besides, we'll both be there and it's not like we haven't taken him down before." She reminded him. "He'll behave Stef." She reached out to take his hand. "You and Lexi get one day a year to be together…don't let his mind games ruin that."

"I thought it was my birthday?" He joked.

"Actually, it's my day." Lexi corrected him as she re-entered the room wearing only a towel. "And that guy that jumped naked in the Trevi fountain, and got drunk on the torch of the statue of Liberty…" Izzy laughed at the mental images she was conjuring. "…that guy can take a break from all of his worrying for one night and go to a stupid party." She dragged him from the chair. "So quit your whining and go get ready." She turned him towards the staircase and pushed him down the hallway.

"Fine." He huffed, but they all saw the smile on his face.

"I need clothes." Izzy laughed again at Lexi's blunt statement.

"There's a closet full upstairs." She told her as so too rose. "The best of the 1980s, if I remember correctly."

"Excellent, I love me some leather."


Elena's car pulled effortlessly into the leaf swept driveway of the Salvatore Boarding House. She frowned as she noticed the other car parked on the driveway and questioned why her sister was visiting the brothers.

She strolled to the door of the imposing house and taking a breath, she rang the bell.

"It's open!" A female voice called out. "Come on in!" She gently pushed the door open and stepped into the entrance hall. "Oh my God…" She stopped as a woman wrapped in a bath towel approached her, shock written all over her face. "…How…how…" Elena frowned as the woman's face alternated between shock and anger. "…what are you-"

"Elena!" The girl looked up as her sister called her name and offered a small wave to the blonde as she leant over the bannister of the staircase.

"Elena." The stranger whispered her name as she studied her.

"Uh, hi…" She trailed off as Izzy bounded down the stairs and joined the strange blonde in the entrance hall.

"Elena, this is Lexi; she's a very old friend of Stefan's." She told the girl. "And Lexi, this s my sister Elena." Izzy and Lexi's eyes met and Izzy silently communicate the fact that this was not Katherine.

"Is he here?" Elena asked, interrupting their silent conversation. "Stefan?"

"He's in the shower." Lexi told her, as she plastered a smile on her lips. "Do you want to wait?"

"No." She mumbled as she eyed the gorgeous blonde and the small towel she wore.

"We'll tell him you stopped by." Izzy told her, her smile slipping as Lexi's eyes never left the brunette. "I'll be home soon; we can drive to the party together."

"That's okay; I'll catch a ride with Bonnie." She mumbled before leaving the house.

"Oh…okay then…" The door slammed behind Elena and Izzy frowned as she heard her car start and race from the property. "I guess I'll…Lexi wait!" She called behind the older blonde as she jogged up the stairs towards Stefan's room.

"Are you out of your freaking mind?!" She sighed as she heard Lexi confront Stefan.

"What are you-"

"I just met Elena!" She too jogged up to Stefan's room as Lexi cut him off with a glare. "You have some serious explaining to do!" Izzy entered the room just as Lexi held up a small yet very old picture of Katherine from 1864.


"You have some serious emotional damage." Izzy snorted as she sat behind Stefan's desk flicking through one of his old journals.

"No, it's not what you think." Stefan explained to Lexi as she sat cross-legged on his bed applying make-up for the party. "She's not Katherine."

"Then they're related." Lexi stated. "Because they could be twins." Izzy squeezed her eyes shut at her words.

Of course it was clear that somehow Elena was a descendent of Katherine but the resemblance was truly unnerving. When she had first arrived in Mystic Falls and stumbled across Elena and her family, there was nothing to indicate that the girl would grow up to be a mini-me of the demon woman. But, as she had watched Elena grow she had been comforted by the fact that despite their shared appearance, the girl was nothing like Katherine.

"I have no desire to tie Elena to Katherine." Stefan assured Lexi. "Okay yes, yes the resemblance is what drew me in. But that's it: Katherine and Elena may look the same on the outside but on the inside they are completely different."

"So Elena isn't a raging bitch then?"

"Not unless it's her time of the month." Izzy joked.

"Elena is...Elena's warm and she's...she's kind, and she's caring, and she's selfless, and it's real. And honestly when I'm around her, I...I completely forget what I am." There was beat of silence in the room as the two blonde's digested his outburst.

"Oh my god…" Lexi breathed.

"You're in love with her." Izzy realised as she crossed the room to sit beside Lexi on the bed as Stefan fell into an armchair.

"Yeah…yeah I am."


Elena peeled herself off the couch as the doorbell rang. She kept one eye on the television screen as she opened the door, trying to not miss a second of the crappy show she was watching.

"Hey." She jumped as the person on the other side greeted her and she turned her attention away from the screen and instead focused on Stefan.

"What are you doing here?"

"Um, Lexi said you came by and you seemed upset."

"Right…the girl in the towel."

"The towel?" He asked confused at her pursed lips. "Oh!" He realised her meaning. "No, no, no, not like that she's not exactly a girl…well she is a girl but…" He trailed off as he realised he wasn't explaining himself very well. "Lexi's 350 years old."

"You mean she's a…"

"Yeah…and my oldest friend…noting romantic. Ever." He assured her.

"Ah." She nodded in relief. "Okay, well it's just that she kept staring at me and it was…weird."

"Yeah, well I talk about you a lot so…I guess she felt like she knew you." He told her with a small smile. "So, why'd you come by?"

"I uh…it was a mistake." She told him as she gestured for him to step into the house.

"Elena, talk to me."

"I can't…Stefan I can't, and that's the problem. I'm keeping all these secrets from everyone. I can't even tell my best friend. Do you know how hard that is? It's like I need to talk to someone but the only person I can talk to is you and Izzy...and as much as I love my sister I…"

"I want you to know that I will always be here for you." He told her as he reached out to take her hand. "You can come to me about anything, okay?"

"Well thank you for coming by." She dropped his hand and moved back to the door, silently telling him to leave.

"Hey, do you want a ride to the Grill tonight?" He asked her, once he was stood back on the porch.

"You're going to Caroline's party?" She asked with a laugh.

"Lexi and Izzy are dragging me." He told her with a smile. "It's my birthday so…"

"Really? Wow, um, happy birthday then." They both laughed at the awkwardness of the conversation.

"Thank you."

"But actually, I think I'm going to stay in tonight." She told him, one hand on the door. He nodded and moved away from the porch, making his way back to his car. "Happy Birthday!" She called after him as he disappeared into the shadows.


The Grill was packed full of dancing teens by the time Lexi and Izzy arrived. Their eyes flittered over the crowds before they descended into the area that had been cleared as a make-shift dance floor and headed for the bar.

Izzy's eyes narrowed as she saw Damon all but dismiss Caroline from his side as they approached.

"I thought we agreed for you to stay away from her." Izzy said by means of a greeting.

"We were just discussing how much I'm enjoying this 'amazing party'." He rolled his eyes. "Where's my brother?"

"He said he'd meet us here." Lexi told him, her eyes still on the crowd.

"Buy you a-" She ignored his offer and strolled away from the bar, disappearing into the mass of bodies. "Well that was just rude." He mumbled, pulling a laugh from Izzy as she claimed the bar stool beside him. "What's your poison these days?"

"Anything…as long as you're buying."


Izzy leant against the oak bar surveying the party filling the Grill. She liked the view from here, it allowed her to keep tabs on everyone, for instance she could watch Lexi try to coax some dance moves out of Stefan while out of the corner of her eye she could ensure that Damon and his fangs were getting nowhere near Caroline's neck as they conversed.

She drained the glass in her hand and signalled for the bartender to refill it. Glancing down at the outfit Lexi had talked her into she sighed, the best of the 1980'sthat's what she'd promised and boy, did her overflowing wardrobe comply. As she had opened the massive doors a collection of leather and neon tumbled out onto the plush carpet of her old room at the Boarding House.

It had been quite fun to spend the afternoon with someone who also remembered one of the better decades of the last century and as the two blondes had danced around the room in luminous tutu's and legwarmers, she had almost forgotten exactly why she'd been supressing her vampire side for five years.

Movement at the door to the Grill caught her attention and she broke into a grin as Elena hesitantly stepped into the party. She placed two fingers to her lips and let out a whistle alerting the girl to her location. With an eye-roll to her sister's actions, Elena begrudgingly joined her at the bar area.

"I knew you'd cave and stop being Madame Mopey." She greeted the younger girl.

"I figured Caroline would hate me forever if I didn't at least show my face." She forced a smile and the pair observed the party. "So…Stefan and Lexi..." Izzy turned and followed Elena's gaze to the duo as they played pool in the back of the Grill.

"Are the very best of friends." Izzy cut in. "In fact, she's more like family to him."

"But not to you?" Elena asked.

"Lexi's always been more of Stefan's friend than mine." She told her. "She's helped him through some of the darkest periods of his life." She drained her re-fill and placed the glass on the bar. "Don't get me wrong, I love her; she's great for Stef – really gets him to lighten up and actually enjoy himself, but she's never been a big fan of the older brother."

"Which I for one don't understand at all." Damon drawled as he joined them. "I mean, look at me." Elena rolled her eyes as he gestured to himself. "Well would you look at that…" He nodded towards the pool table. "…Stefan actually has the capacity smile."

"It's not like you've given him a lot of reasons to be happy lately." Elena quipped as Stefan all but cleared the pool table.

"Oh, you're right. Poor Stefan persecuted throughout eternity by his depraved brother." Izzy glared at him, a warning to not step out of line here. "Does it get tiring being so righteous?"

"It flares up in the presence of psychopaths." Izzy smothered a smirk at her sister's retort.

"Ouch! Well, consider this psychopath's feelings get hurt." He placed a hand over his heart and signalled for Bourbon.

"What's going on with Caroline and Bonnie?" Izzy asked, ignoring Damon's presence and nodding towards the two girls.

"They're fighting over some necklace." Elena told her. "Caroline gave it to Bonnie and now she wants it back." Izzy raised an eyebrow as she recognised the crystal around Bonnie's neck as the one Damon had stolen from the Lockwood Mansion. "Actually, I should really go say hi."

"Caroline seems very determined to get that necklace." Izzy said, just loud enough for Damon to hear. "You could almost say she's compelled to get it back." Their eyes met and the vampires stared at each other. "I wonder why it's so important?"


"The famous Elena." The girl in question took a deep breath as Lexi approached her.

"Towel girl." She greeted her and Lexi's smirk made her feel a little uncomfortable.

"I've been called worse." The blonde shrugged. "Here." She handed her one of the three tequila shots in her hands and the pair moved to a small table.

"I feel like I should be surprised that you guys can drink but I've seen Izzy stumble home reeking of whiskey so…"

"It helps curb the cravings." Lexi told her with a smile as she noticed the other blonde in the corner chatting with a very handsome young man. "But it also makes for a lot of lushy vamps." She joked as she drank one of the shots.

"I've never seen Stefan drunk." Elena mused. "He always seems so…"

"Uptight?"

"Yeah." Elena laughed. "But not with you."

"Well that's the benefit for knowing someone for over a hundred years: you can just be yourself."

"He can't be himself with me."

"Not yet." Lexi shrugged. "The first step was him telling you, the rest comes with time."

"You seem so sure."

"Look, do you really think that when we first met we were 100% open to each other? No. You have to hide parts of yourself to make sure that the person you want to be with is the right person." She paused, seeing that Elena wasn't buying it. "Okay, look at Iz and Damon." Elena scrunched her nose up at the sound of her sister's name being paired with that monster. "When you talk to Damon he's a jerk, right?"

"Right."

"But when she's around…he's different." They watched as Damon appeared to be re-entering the bar and glanced around the room, his eyes settling on Izzy as she happily flirted her way to another free drink. "Because they know each other; she knows that he is more than capable of being a monster, but she also knows that he'd probably jump in front of a bullet for her." She said with a smile. "And while she may not like him right now, there's no one who knows that man better than Izzy."

"Because they've been through stuff together." Elena concluded. "You really know just what to say, huh?"

"I'm old." Lexi shrugged. "Besides, the love of my life was human. He went through, what I imagine you're going through: denial, anger, et cetera. But at the end of the day love really did conquer all." She gestured to Elena's tequila as she spoke. "Are you going to drink that?"

"Go for it." She pushed the shot towards the vampire, happy to skip over Lexi's love confession. "I'm scared." She told her as the shot was downed.

"But you're here...'cause you're crazy about him, I get it okay? I mean what's not to love?" They both looked over at Stefan as he concentrated on the pool game in front of him. "Listen; take it from someone who's been around a long time; when it's real, you can't walk away." She drank the final shot, flashed her a smile and left the table.

"Hey Lexi…" She called after her. "…It was really nice meeting you." The blonde winked at her before skipping over to join Stefan's pool game.


Izzy weaved her way through the crowd in search of the man who had promised her a free drink ages ago. She frowned as she saw him making out with a different blonde in the shadows at the back of the Grill and with a shrug she turned and headed for the bar.

"Woah!" She reached out to grab the young girl in front of her who had swayed a little too much. "I got you." She said as she caught her and pulled her upright. "Caroline?"

"I slim…I'm slipped…I slipped."

"Woops, someone's hammered." She sighed, leading her over to an empty booth.

"Well...a very nice but not handsome bartender was very kind to me tonight. Unlike the rest of the global universe. Are those curly fries?" Her eyes brightened as she spotted the half-eaten fries atop the table and grabbed for them. Izzy rolled her eyes at the girl and managed to flag down a passing waiter.

"Can I get some coffee for the drunk girl?" She joked as the boy eyed Caroline before leaving. "Bad night, huh?"

"Baddest." She huffed, her mouth full of fries. "Am I shallow, Iz?" She peered up at her.

"Is that a trick question?"

"I don't mean to be." She sighed, pushing the fires away from her. "I wanna be deep, I wanna be like…the abyss deep."

"No offense, Caroline, but deep's not really your style." She dropped into the seat opposite her and smiled as Matt Donovan arrived with coffee. "Thanks, hun." She smiled at him and gestured for him to join them.

"I'm shallow." Caroline wailed, falling into Matt's side as he sat beside her. "I'm so shallow. In fact, I'm worse than shallow; I'm a kiddie pool!"

"You're not a kiddie pool." Izzy told her as the tears began to fall. "Is she Matt?"

"You're not a kiddie pool." He agreed as she sobbed into his shirt. "Want me to take her home?" He asked Iz.

"Thanks Matt." She smiled at the boy who helped Caroline up.

She reached out to once again catch the girl as she stumbled but stopped as Matt reached out for her, placed her arm around his neck and scooped her up into his arms.

"Hey, you forgot your-" She called behind them as she held up Caroline's purse. "Nevermind." She sighed, leaving the booth and following them out of the Grill.

"You and I will discuss this later." Izzy exited the Grill just as Liz glared at Caroline, the drunk girl still in Matt's arms.

"Can't wait." She rolled her eyes at her mother.

"You forgot your purse." Izzy told them as she joined them beside Liz's police cruiser.

"Thanks Iz, you're the best." Caroline mumbled, still glaring at her mother. "Let's go, Matty." She patted the boy's chest and with a small smile he carried her to his car, Caroline's purse swinging from one of his hands.

"What's going on?" Izzy asked as she finally noticed the police cars and ambulance parked outside the Grill.

"There was another attack." Liz told her, as she directed her deputies to not let anyone else leave the premises. "We've got one dead but luckily, there's a witness." She gestured to a shaking girl sat on the back of the ambulance.

"A witness?" Izzy asked in disbelief. "That's very…careless…"

"They got cocky." Liz said. "But it's good for us because she thinks she can identify the attacker."

"Let me know if I can help." Izzy forced a smile and the sheriff moved away to help secure the Grill.

Her eyes never left the girl receiving medical attention and she let out a deep, shaky breath; every other 'attack' had been Damon…if he'd been careless…this could be it for him.

She squeezed her eyes shut at the thought, fully knowing that she should be relieved that his reign of terror was finally over but, at the same time, it would kill her to see the end of Damon. Her Damon.


The Grill wasn't nearly as full as it had been the first time she'd entered that night. She walked very slowly beside Sheriff Forbes as the women escorted their witness into the Grill.

"Look around and let me know if you see anything." She gently encouraged the girl as Izzy stood as still as stone beside them, her eyes never leaving Damon as he and Lexi stood at the bar.

She felt her breath leave her chest as the girl extended her arm and pointed directly at the pair. The girl was quickly bustled out of the Grill by one of the ever-present deputies and Liz made her way through the crowd, her hand fiddling with something in her pocket.

Izzy extended her hearing as Liz reached the bar, hoping to hear some kind of explanation but instead, her ears were filled with a gasp as a needle pierced skin.

"What are you doing?" Damon asked, his voice louder than the small gasps.

"Thank you for the vervain, now if you'll excuse me." Izzy felt her knees buckle as two deputies half-carried half-dragged Lexi from the bar.

She forced herself to get it together and soon met Stefan at the back-door of the Grill and the pair shared a tense look before following the Sheriff out into the night. They jogged down the sidewalk, watching as Lexi was carried away and both let out low curses as the vampire's head reared, her fangs on show, and she launched into an attack on her captors, effectively flinging them into nearby cars.

Liz's gun fired but Lexi just kept going, ignoring the metal bullets as they penetrated her skin. She got to within arm's length of the Sheriff, her fangs still bared and ready to feed, when Damon ran in front of her, a stake in hand.

"Oh my God." Stefan breathed, shock written all over his face as Lexi fell to the floor, a stake protruding from her chest.

She wrapped an arm around Stefan and blurred him away from the scene, knowing that if Liz found them there'd be more questions than they could answer. She stopped them in the small park opposite the Grill and dropped Stefan onto a bench. She listened for any remaining sounds of the ambush but all that followed was a whispered order to "Get her in the car, quickly." She refocused on Stefan who sat with his head in his hands, trying to process what they'd just seen.

"Stefan…"

"He killed her." His voice was emotionless as he lifted his head to meet her eyes. "He killed Zach, he killed Tanner, he turned Vikki…I have to kill him."

"No." She pushed him back onto the bench as he tried to stand. "No, you can't do that."

"Why are you trying to save him?" He asked as she kept him in place on the bench. "He's never going to change, Iz! No matter how hard we try he's always going to be a monster!"

"I'm not trying to save him." She told him, crouching so their eyes would be level. "I'm trying to save you." She took his hands. "You have no idea what this will do to you, please Stefan."

"Everywhere I go, pain and death follow." He told her, his voice rough. "He follows."

"Stefan, please, just think this through I-"

"I can save us, Iz." He told her, his eyes now filled with rage. "You and me. We're so much better without him."

"He's your brother."

"That monster is not my brother."


Izzy closed her eyes and leant back against the cool tile of the kitchen as she sat on the work-surface. The sounds of the brother's fight filled her ears as she tried to block it out but the occasional crash and thud kept startling her.

She had followed Stefan back to the Boarding House when he'd calmed slightly, but knew that as soon as he set eyes on his brother, the rage she had witnessed earlier would return and nothing would stop it.

And so, she had escaped to the kitchen, hoping to sit out the fight for as long as she could, knowing that she'd only step in when there was a chance they'd kill each other.

"You saved my life and I'm sparing yours." Stefan whispered dangerously. "We're even and now we're done." He spat and blurred out of the room and away from the house.

Izzy sighed as she heard Damon fall to the floor with a groan and pushed herself off the counter, following the groans to a dim room.

"If you've come to exact revenge for Lexi, I think there's at least one organ Stefan forgot to punch." He groaned as he pulled a stake out from just below his heart.

She said nothing and instead sat beside him on the solid wood floor, ignoring the small pool of blood and instead staring straight ahead.

"What's the plan, Damon?" She asked quietly.

"What?"

"You told Lexi that it was all part of the plan." She repeated the words she had heard him whisper just as she had blurred Stefan from the scene.

"Did I?"

"You know, this evening Lexi used us an example to Elena." She told him. "She said that there's no one who knows you better than me." She let out a breath. "And I know that the only reason you revert back to…" She trailed off, trying to find a better phrase than being a monster. "…is because of her."

"Get to the point, Iz." He groaned, pushing himself up so they were shoulder to shoulder.

"Katherine." He stiffened at the name. "She's the reason you're here, isn't it?"

The room was silent as the two vampires sat shoulder to shoulder, staring into nothing. Izzy let out a strangled sob as he reached out and took her hand, squeezing it slightly and giving her all the information she needed to know: Katherine Pierce was going to ruin her life once again.