A/N - Rewritten September 2018.

Bonnie already left for school. Elena and I were riding with Jenna. I felt bad that I hadn't talked to Jenna in a while. I missed spending time with her.

"Jeremy's got his sketch pad out," Elena said, skipping down the stairs. Jenna and I both looked at her in surprise.

"You're kidding."

"Nope" Elena shook her head. "But don't say a word. The minute we encourage him, he'll put it away."

"Psychology major," Jenna said proudly, pointing at herself. "Check that."

Elena checked her phone, frowning. Jenna looked at me, but I just shook my head sadly.

"And you and Stefan? Update?"

"He knows how I feel and where I stand. And I know where he stands, but it doesn't matter." Elena told us. "He's leaving, moving away."

"Where's he going?' Jenna asked.

I shook my head at her while Elena opened the door for us. "I'd stop asking questions. The answers get scary" I told her.

"Yours leaves, mine returns" Jenna sighed.

"Logan?" I asked.

"He's back" Jenna grumbled.

"Urg" Elena and I groaned.

"I didn't let him past the front door" Jenna quickly said.

"I hope you slammed it in his face" I laughed at the thought.

"Ah, medium slam" Jenna joked.

"three-strike rule, Jenna" Elena told her firmly. "You're not even allowed to watch the news."

"Exactly" Jenna nodded. "No more Logan 'Scum' Fell."

I ran into Tyler almost as soon as I got to school.

"Hey," I said shyly.

"Hey." He nodded to me.

"So… you wanted to talk" I hitched my shoulders. This was really awkward.

"The other night… I get that you were really upset, and everything…" Tyler trailed off, obviously no surer where to start than I was.

"Tyler, I really needed the other night. But sometimes you can be a real ass, and you broke my nose, and you're a jerk to my brother…" I started rambling.

"It sounds to me like you're looking for excuses," Tyler said, leaning over me. "Look, you're hot Ella. And I like you."

His words surprised me.

"Tyler…" I wasn't sure what to say.

"Look, I get it. I'm not always the nicest guy. But, come on, give me a chance."

I couldn't say no. Not with that pleading look on his face.

"Okay," I sighed. He smiled. "ONE chance," I said firmly, holding up a finger to emphasize his number of chances.

"Okay, okay. So… I'll see you later, then?" I nodded. Tyler grinned and kissed my cheek, surprising me, before running off.

The rest of the day, my head was in the clouds. The day passed quickly and soon, Jenna took us Gilberts to the Career Fair.

"Hey" I found Matt first. It was awkward, but I wanted to try to be normal around him, especially if I was giving Tyler a chance. "Still want to be an astronaut?"

"I can't believe you remember that" he laughed.

"I still remember the tinfoil you used to wear on your head" I teased.

"I was eight," he said defensively.

I smiled, looking him over. I could feel my heart tug, and firmly rammed it down. "How are you?"

"I've had it easier" he admitted. "What about you? And Elena?"

"As of right now, Elena and Stefan have broken up, but I'm positive that they'll be back together soon," I said firmly.

"Well, you've never been wrong before" Matt agreed.

"So, I heard about Caroline."

"Not you too" Matt groaned. "We're friends."

I tried to ignore the hope that shot through me as I gave him a pointed look.

"It's not a big deal."

"No?"

"No" he wouldn't look away from me. I could feel my heart urging me to close the distance. But I couldn't do that to Tyler. I wasn't that kind of girl.

So I looked away, taking a step back.

"Ahem," Matt coughed. "Hey, you never answered me. How have you been?"

I shrugged, stepping further away. "I dunno. Ask me tomorrow."

"No, seriously." He pulled out his phone and glanced at it. "I got your text. You had me worried."

"Oh, it's okay" a small, petty part of me wanted to make him jealous. "Tyler took care of me."

"Tyler?" he asked, stunned.

I nodded, a blush coloring my cheeks.

"I should, ah, probably go find him" I pointed out the door, taking another step away.

He nodded slowly. "Yeah," he said slowly. Before I stepped out the door, he called after me. "Ella!" I turned to look at him. "You never told me. What do you want to be?"

I decided to be brutally honest, partially because I had no idea what career I wanted and partially because Matt had always been good to me, and I just wanted him to… I don't know. So, I was brutally honest.

"Loved."

I didn't pause to look at his reaction, scared of what I'd see. Or not see. I booked it out of there, looking for Tyler.

I bumped right into Elena, who was dragging Jenna away. "What's going on?"

"Logan. He's here. And Stefan warned us away" My eyes went wide as I realized what she was saying. Logan was a vampire. Bad news for Jenna.

"When Logan was at the house, what did he say?" Elena asked Jenna.

"Oh. Fake flattery, stupid dimpled grin, puppy-dog eyes." Jenna grumbled.

"Jenna, this is serious," I told her, forcing her to look in my eyes. "What did he say?"

"He was the usual Logan" Jenna shrugged. "He was charming, a little more manic than usual. He kept trying to convince me to let him in."

Elena and I shared a panicked look.

"Jenna, listen to me carefully. Do not, under any circumstances, talk to him again" Elena ordered.

"Hey, Elena, Ella. Jenna" Mr. Saltzman came up to us. I smiled at the look he and Jenna exchanged.

"Hi Mr. Saltzman" I smiled widely. He was nervous.

He smiled at me before looking back at Jenna. "Yeah, I was hoping to, uh, see you here tonight."

"Career night in the new bowling" Jenna joked. It was bad, but he laughed. Maybe I wouldn't tell Jenna yet.

"Okay. Well, then, we're gonna go" Elena pulled me away from Jenna and our teacher.

Once we were a ways away, I pulled from Elena. "You can go talk to Stefan, but there's nothing I can do, so I'm going to wander around" Elena reluctantly nodded, letting me go.

I walked around, trying to find Tyler. I said I'd see him here, so I really wanted to find him.

I eventually did find him. Fighting with Jeremy. Before I could do anything, Mr. Saltzman and the mayor and separated them. Mayor Lockwood took them outside.

"Come on," I said, grabbing Mr. Saltzman's arm. He shot me a confused look. "You do not want to leave them out there with him" His eyes lit with understanding and he followed me outside, after them.

"Fight" Mr. Saltzman and I came out as the Mayor ordered them to fight. Tyler's eyes found mine.

"Come on, Dad" he looked slightly guilty before quickly moving his eyes away.

"No, it's not gonna happen" Jeremy refused.

Tyler tried to walk away, but his dad grabbed him and pushed him at Jeremy. "I said fight!"

"Stop it!" I screamed, running over to Jeremy and Tyler, who both grabbed me, holding me so either could step in front of me to protect me in the mayor made the wrong move.

"Whoa. What's going on out here?" Mr. Saltzman calmly walked over to us.

Mayor Lockwood turned to him. "I'm just letting these two kids work it out," he said confidently, the face he used when interacting with the public. "We're good here. Go back inside."

"I don't wanna go back inside," he said cheekily. "What I want is an answer to my question. What's going on out here?" Tyler and Jeremy didn't loosen their hold on me. If anything, they held tighter as the mayor visibly got angrier.

"Who do you think you're talking to?" Mayor Lockwood dropped his charming persona. "Do I look like a student?"

"No," Mr. Saltzman said calmly. "You look like a full-grown, alpha-male douche bag." Jeremy and I quietly chuckled at Mr. Saltzman's bravery.

"You don't talk to me like that" Mayor Lockwood moved closer to him. "I could have your job like this" he snapped.

Mr. Saltzman chuckled. "You do that. Then it'll be you and me in this parking lot, 'working things out'. You cool with that?"

"You just marked yourself" Mayor whispered. A strange presence filled the mayor, not like when Emily possessed Bonnie, but like Mayor Lockwood… plus.

"Okay," Mr. Saltzman nodded.

Mayor Lockwood turned to us. Tyler and Jeremy pushed me behind them. Mayor Lockwood glared at Tyler for a moment. I squeezed his hand, not wanting Tyler to go with his dad, but he just pulled away, walking off with his father.

"You all right?" Mr. Saltzman asked once they were gone.

Jeremy and I nodded.

"Thank you."

Mr. Saltzman nodded. "Thanks for the heads-up," he told me. I smiled.

"Well, you seemed to be itching to call him out. And he was a douche" I started walking off after Tyler. "Take care of my Aunt Jenna."

I chuckled at the stunned look on his face as I walked away. "Yeah, she does that" I heard Jeremy tell him before I couldn't hear any more.

I found Tyler sitting on a metal picnic table by the parking lot. Without a word, I nudged him over and sat beside him.

"I don't pity you" I look straight ahead, even as I felt him look at me. "I know that's what you're scared of, why you don't tell anyone. So you're dad's an ass, more so than you've ever been. I don't pity you."

He didn't say anything, but after a minute, I felt the warm leather of his jacket slide over my shoulders, and the heavy weight of his arm resting around my waist.

I tilted my head back, catching a glance at the moon. "Have you ever noticed how everything seems more intense where there's a full moon?" I asked him. Tyler looked back, then back at me.

"Not really. I don't usually think about that stuff." He admitted, pulling me closer.

I sighed and rested my head on his shoulder. I stared at his right hand, sitting on his lap. Gathering my courage, I reached over and grabbed it, holding it tightly in my hand. I felt his lips as he kissed my head, squeezing my hand in return.

"I should go home" I whispered, reluctant to break this little, perfect moment we had.

Tyler sighed. "Okay. You should go find your aunt. I'll ask Matt for a ride." I nodded and stood up, taking off his jacket.

"Keep it," he told me as I held it out for him. "I can always get it back later" he smirked.

I smiled, putting the jacket back on. "Goodnight," I said softly, kissing his cheek, just an inch from his lips.

Before I could pull away, he cupped my face and planted his lips on mine, kissing me deeply.

"Goodnight" he his breathing was ragged as he pulled away. I stepped away from his embrace and walked away, constantly peaking back with a blush on my face. Every time I looked back, he was standing in the same spot, watching me walk away until I turned the corner and couldn't see him anymore.

I was settled for bed, figuring Elena wouldn't be home any time soon. Jenna and Jeremy were already in bed. I was about to fall asleep when my phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Ella?" It was Elena, sounding really freaked out.

"Elena? What's wrong?"

"We look like her."

"Like who? Elena, are you okay?"

"Katherine. Ella, we look like Katherine."