Sorry about the lateness, just wasnt happy with it yesterday :/ Next update will be Tuesday at the latest, please leave reviews, they help :)
Elena pushed open the door to her father's study; the light trickling through on the way to the bathroom caught her attention. Her father never really used that room anymore; it was left for storage, his books, certificates and a pull out couch for an extra guest on occasion.
The room was musky, and held a scent of dust and old unused furniture; it was clear in comparison to all the other rooms in the house that this one was used the least.
"Hey dad" Elena peaked in the door way as Grayson reached for a box under a mound of books and papers. As he twisted to answer her voice he knocked over some small boxes resting on a shelf and grunted a small curse under his breath. Elena giggled and made her way over to him, holding her hands out to take the box from him as he shimmied through the make shift path he had created towards the stored boxes.
"This room huh!" Grayson exclaimed and Elena nodded swiping her finger on the window sill to wipe away an inch of dust.
"Dad, this is the only room mom doesn't have reign on...and well..." she paused to put a hand over her mouth to stop her smile. It really was the only room in the house that Miranda kept her nose out of, and Grayson was awful at keeping things organised. He was a hoarder, he kept receipts and useless presents from years ago, along with broken Christmas tree stands which had been replaced and tools that were bent out of shape and completely unsalvageable. But Elena loved him for it, he still had some of preschool pictures hanging around the room that she had drawn for him, father's day cards, birthday cards, hell he probably had every single thing she had ever given him in this room. Elena's heart warmed at the thought, this room was his, and it was a disaster, but it was still a little piece of him.
"Well what..?" Grayson reached over to tickle her and Elena squirmed into a fit of laughter.
"I'm...sorry" Elena squealed under her breath as Grayson lifted her into a hug.
"You're right" he said as he held her tightly and Elena hugged his arms closer. It was moments like these she loved, her father was often busy with work or chores around the house, but he always had time for her.
"Your mom does have a magic touch doesn't she?" he chuckled again, releasing Elena and placing his hands on his hips as he shook his head disapprovingly "she doesn't even want to look in this room"
Grayson stepped over to the box he had salvaged and started searching, picking up an old candle stick holder, a cigarette box and containers with papers that seemed like they were tea stained and ancient.
"What are you looking for?" Elena asked as she sat on her heels and pawed through some of the objects in the box.
"Uncle John is looking for some sort of journal, I'm not sure if I have it but he is insisting I do..."
After a few minutes of looking through the box, Grayson sighed in resignation and began placing everything back as best he could.
"I'm going out with Stefan tonight" Elena blurted out almost impulsively. He was going to find out from Miranda either way, it wasn't that Grayson was strict, but whenever she was upset or grumpy, the first conclusion Grayson jumped to was 'a boy'. Thus opening up about a relationship with Grayson was sometimes uncomfortable, so the majority of the time Elena opted for Miranda's advice.
"Oh?" Grayson continued tidying around him, seemingly unaffected by what Elena had just said.
"Were going to the movies" Elena trailed off.
"Elena" Grayson turned to her, and opened his mouth only to close it again, he seemed hesitant about something. And Elena tilted her head waiting for him to continue. Grayson fidgeted with some papers in his hand, it wasn't like him to be so indecisive with her and Elena felt an odd sense of insecurity as she watched him crease his brow.
"What dad?" Elena asked impatiently and reached for his hand when Grayson still didn't reply, he looked as though he was distracted, worried, something was definitely on his mind. Finally he looked up and smiled at her, but still his smile didn't reach his eyes.
"Just be careful Elena" she nodded, slightly concerned about his mood, but then chalked it up to 'growing pains' on his part. This might be him accepting that you're nearly 18 Elena! She thought to herself, but the un settled feeling wouldn't leave her stomach.
Grayson rose to his feet, squeezing her hand in the process, "Thanks dad" Elena nearly whispered, finding it hard to find her voice.
"Dad are you ok?" Elena asked.
"Yes, yes. I'll be back in a minute, honey" Grayson kissed her cheek and left the room leaving Elena with the clutter of objects and old antiques that were pulled from the box.
Elena shifted looking around the room until a box caught her eye labelled 'Photos', she pulled it closer and found stacks of old albums and unsorted picture pockets from years ago. Photo's of Miranda and Jenna at prom, Grayson graduating college, Jeremy as a baby, the lake house. Elena couldn't stop smiling to herself, the memories, how much they had all grown, how happy Grayson and Miranda still were after all the years together.
Elena rummaged deeper into the box looking for embarrassing pictures of her and bonnie as children so she could torture her about it at school on Monday. She giggled to herself knowing there were a few stragglers of Bonnie's 'Goth' phase and Elena's spice girl obsession. A book peaked out at her from the bottom of the box, the corners were worn and the covering was flaky and faded.
Elena flicked through the pages, carefully pulling them apart as they swelled together and struggled to keep within its bindings.
June 1864, it has been considerably cold today, the ice has begun to set and the snow will be coming soon. But as the weather changes so has the feeling of change diluted among the people of mystic falls, many hide from the night, fearing the demons that conceal them.
Elena read on, feeling dread in the pit of her stomach. This old journal, could this be what Uncle John was looking for?
Another body found today drained of blood; it is becoming increasingly difficult to approach the beautiful lady Pearl and the new guest in the Salvatore mansion Katherine Pierce. Although when I met Giuseppe Salvatore this evening, I saw the scepticism in their eyes when I showed them the compass.
Elena bit her lip recognising the name, Giuseppe Salvatore, Stefan's dad? Katherine Pierce, the woman from Stefan's journal. Elena read on frantically, remembering the night of the crash, Stefan's wrist at her mouth. The inexplicable change in his features after the Tyler's party.
I ran for so long, there was no escaping it, his eyes were black pools, demonic, veins that creased his normal features into a monster. I knew I was about to die. You cannot run from a vampire. I saw the vampire who killed me, I recognised him. It was Stefan Salvatore.
Elena swallowed hard on the lump in her throat and felt her stomach twist into a huge knot. It can't be, it shouldn't be. But It all made sense, she would be a fool not to make the connection, it all added up, but it shouldn't, Stefan's uncle called him 'Uncle Stefan' at the boarding house. The night at the bridge, how had no one questioned how Stefan just happened to be walking wickory bridge in the middle of the night. How his face changed so suddenly in front of her. What was happening? Was she going crazy? Was Stefan really who she thought he was, a young high school student who just moved from Chicago? Or the latter, that word didn't want to say, didn't want to think because it was crazy. But she had to know, she just had to.
Elena threw on her jacket, she didn't even bother to change out of her sweat pants, she jumped into her mom's car and grabbed on to the steering wheel before shifting into drive. She bit her lip looking at the journal on the passenger seat, trying to gather her thoughts, but she couldn't, they were all scrambled up in her brain, everything was pointing to an answer that didn't make any sense about him. But could it all be coincidence. Is this really happening at all? Is this a nightmare she's about to wake up from? Because it certainly felt like it
She drove out of the drive way and turned up the stereo as loud as she could to block out her thoughts.
It's not true, it can't be? Can something like that actually be true? She couldn't see him tonight and not know; actually she couldn't wait the rest of the afternoon without knowing the truth.
Outside the Salvatore boarding house Elena's heart was pounding, she had gotten there in no time at all, her breath was trembling and her hands were shaking. After another second, she grabbed the journal and walked to the front door, she pounded it as hard as she could hurting her fist in the process and paced the porch as she waited, pulling the hair out of her face walking in circles restlessly skipping back and forth.
And finally the door opened and Stefan walked out, his face was awash with concern and he immediately noticed the journal in her hand, the recognition in his eyes hit Elena's gut like a sword. Elena stopped, breathless at the sight of him; her heart nearly plummeted when she saw the guilt riddled in his face, like the book she had just read, she could read him like the words of Jonathan Gilbert himself. And the shock that appeared in his eyes when he swallowed hard at the sight of her told her that she wasn't crazy, there was something not right here in the least.
"Stefan. What are you?" Elena burst out noticing how harsh her words had slipped out.
"Elena please" Stefan walked towards her and she took a step back.
"What. Are. You?" Elena dropped the book in front of him, he knew what it was, she could tell. But still he bent to pick it up, smoothing over the hard cover that had protected it all these years.
"Elena listen to me; please don't be afraid of me"
"Stefan. Please I need to hear you say it so I don't feel crazy about all the things that have been happening around here!" Stefan stepped back, resigned to this inevitability, it was clear by the way he looked at her, like he had been broken all this time anyway for just not coming clean. He looked into her eyes already filling with tears as she watched him slowly suck in a breath and hold it longer than she had ever waited for anything in her life. How was it that she already knew without him having to tell her, how was it that after this short amount of time that she could hear his thoughts, feels his pain, his internal struggle to be here with her even now?
"I'm" Stefan's voice broke and he blinked hard.
"I'm a vampire Elena" those words were clear, crisp, like a harsh breeze knocking her knee's over. She was expecting it, but still as soon as the words were said, Elena's face dropped, she had suspected it, but hearing it come from his mouth hit her in the pit of her stomach and suddenly she felt ill. Fear, complete and utter fight or flight mode kicked within her and Elena nearly tripped up over herself as she turned to leave.
"This was a mistake" Holding her stomach Elena dashed to the car, her vision beginning to get blurred as she struggled to find her keys under the barrage of tears threatening to consume her.
"No, Elena wait" and he was in front of her car door suddenly. No steps, he was just...there!
"Oh my god!" How did you...? You?" Elena stuttered and suddenly felt the urge to scream, what could he do to her? What was he capable of? Elena gasped and tried for the door handle and failed.
She turned again, making a run to the other side of the car, remembering the words from the journal she had read earlier.
'I knew I was about to die. You cannot run from a vampire.'
But as soon as she opened the door it was slammed shut again, Elena wasn't trapped but her body had stopped moving, she was so scared her body was not responding. And the tears fell down her eyes as she shook waiting for whatever he was going to do next.
"Please Elena" Stefan spoke softly
"Leave me alone Stefan" Elena wept against the car door, shaking as she tried to open the door again but failing.
"Elena please you can't tell anyone, please this is dangerous" Elena turned, still petrified but somehow finding the strength to look him in the eyes
"You...you killed people, you want to kill me" Stefan's brows creased.
"No. Elena please, I choose not to drink blood anymore, when Jonathan wrote that I had, I...was just different them elena" Stefans voice started to fade, he was breathing heavily watching her, knowing that there was nothing he could ever say to make this right. The only thing to do was to protect her.
"Please go Stefan" Elena tried again, hoping he could hear her.
"You can't tell anyone, it's dangerous Elena there are others who" there was urgency in his voice, but it was still soft, it was still touching her like it did yesterday when he kissed her. No! He's a monster!
"Who kill people?" Elena answered almost screaming now, inches away from his body.
"Yes" Stefan stepped back and Elena took the chance to get in the passenger side, before she could slam the door shut, Stefan caught it one more time.
"Elena, I promise you I will go and leave you alone forever, you just need to believe me when I say telling anyone is a mistake"
Elena stared at him from the perched open car door, she wanted to nod, but she couldn't, she wanted to look away but she couldn't. "Just go" she whispered.
Stefan nodded and took one last glance at her before he disappeared. Soft, weary eyes scanned her face as he let go of the car door.
"I never asked for this" he whispered, and suddenly he vanished, only a small sound of a small gust as evidence of his presence.
