Blair stormed into the Salvatore Boarding House. Her emotions were one hell of a whirlwind on top of her already enraged temper. Elena knew about Katherine and from the sounds of the phone call she had been in an accident. And Blair, well Blair blamed Stefan for all of it.

"Stefan!" she shouted as she moved quickly through the place. He clearly wasn't in the lower area of the House, so she started for the staircase. Blair was about to dart up there to look for him but stopped when she heard someone come into the House.

Blair went down and found Stefan coming in through the front door. Without thinking before acting, she stormed over to Stefan and shoved him. "How the hell did Elena find out?! Where is she?!"

It took Stefan a second to process her instant rage. "She was in my room. She got thirsty so I went to get her something." He didn't even get the chance to tell her that he found the accident site but Elena wasn't there.

"You didn't think to hide Katherine's picture before leaving her alone in your room?!" Blair clearly wasn't letting her rage go. It was clouding her so much that she completely missed the whole 'where is Elena' side of it all.

"I had other things on my mind." Stefan tried to be subtle with his reply, but that just made things worse.

Blair would swear she saw red when he said that and did something she didn't think through. Blair pulled her arm back and punched Stefan across the face.

Stefan didn't feel like he deserved that whatsoever and decided not to hold back what he was thinking anymore. He rubbed his jaw before asking, "What are you more upset about, Blair? The fact Elena found out or the fact I slept with her?" When Blair looked away without answering, he knew he wasn't going to get an answer for that. This made him ask something else. "Why did you encourage me if you…"

Blair shouted her answer before he even had a chance to finish his sentence. "Because I thought it was what you wanted!"

Stefan was taken aback by her answer – It wasn't what he was expecting to hear.

In his silence, she asked him, "Do you remember the last thing you said to Minnie? You said something along the lines of, 'If you still loved me then you would do anything for me'." Blair had to swallow a lump in her throat before continuing. "A feeling as strong as that doesn't fade away so easily."

Blair crossed her arms and cleared her throat, not looking at him. Instead, she asked him, "Where's Elena now?"

Stefan accepted the topic change for the moment but was not going to let this go. "She's with Damon."

Blair stared at him and blinked a few times. "Elena's with who now?" Since she wasn't expecting an answer, she popped her lips and went over to the drink cart. "Well, at least we know she won't get hurt." Blair poured herself a drink.

Stefan's brow furrowed a bit. "What makes you say that?"

Blair took a sip before answering. "She looks like Katherine. Which probably means he's falling for her, too." She downed the glass and poured herself another. "Falling for the face instead of the soul. Ridiculous."

Blair left Stefan to do what he wanted in regards to finding Elena. She truly believed that Damon wasn't going to hurt Elena. Now if Blair herself was the one taken by Damon off to who knows where, she wouldn't be as confident. It was because of this confidence that Blair went to school and acted like everything was normal.

As soon as Blair walked onto the school grounds, Jeremy went straight for her, saying, "So you won't talk to Harper but you're living in an apartment she paid off?"

Blair looked at him and laughed. "How the hell did you hear about that?"

Jeremy's answer to this was simple enough. "Jenna's not as quiet on the phone as she thinks she is."

"Can't argue with you there." Blair adjusted her backpack as they walked towards the school together. "What can I say, Jer? I wanted the apartment." She grinned at him after saying that.

"Even you aren't that selfish," Jeremy countered. He draped his arm around her shoulders. "I'm not trying to give you any crap, Blair."

"I know." Blair hugged him as they walked. "I'm glad I can talk to you about her."

"Doesn't Tyler know?" Jeremy asked curiously.

Blair looked up at Jeremy, with her arms still wrapped around him as they walked, and said, "He knows." She returned her gaze forward. "I just – I don't know. I guess we just never really go into the details of the important stuff."

Jeremy felt pretty good about that. "So does this mean I'm more important than your boyfriend?"

Blair stopped walking and removed her arms to stand in front of him. "Jeremy, you will always be more important to me than any boyfriend. You're my best friend."

Jeremy acted like he was going to cry and started fanning himself. "I think I need a moment."

Blair playfully shoved him for that before walking away. "Jackass."

"You know you love me!" Jeremy called back as he headed for the parking lot to talk to Mr Saltzman.

Blair had free period so she sat outside the school at one of the free tables. Her sketchbook was out in front of her and she was in the zone. At least that was until a hand shot out and slammed on the paper in front of her. "What the hell?!" She looked up to see that the hand belonged to Bonnie. "What do you want?"

"I've waited long enough, Blair," was Bonnie's instant reply. "Now it's time for answers." She sat down beside Blair and got right to it. "I can't access my magic and my Grams says I need to face what I'm afraid of. You're a part of that."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Blair gathered up her things and tried to leave, but Bonnie grabbed hold of her arm to stop her.

Bonnie couldn't let her leave that easily. "I know you know what I am, but I don't know what you are. That's part of what's scaring me, Blair. What did Emily want with you?"

Blair took a deep breath before releasing it. She was going to proceed to act like she had no idea what Bonnie was talking about but failed. Blair rubbed her forehead before caving in. "Not here. I'll meet you at the other part of what's scaring you in an hour."

"You know?" Bonnie wasn't expecting to hear that.

"If I'm part of the equation, it's not that hard to figure out where the location is." Blair pulled her sketchbook off the table and left.

About an hour later, Blair sat on one of the fallen walls at the old Fell's Church. She heard Bonnie approach and started talking before anything could be said to her. "I knew Emily in 1864. No, I'm not a Vampire or an Immortal like in Highlander…I'm Cursed. I'm Cursed to live life after life. When I die in one life I come back in another. This makes my blood powerful. Emily wanted my blood in 1864 for some spell but I refused to give it to her. I don't have a habit of trusting Bennett Witches. I've been burned by them in the past."

Bonnie moved to stand in front of her. "How are you Cursed?"

Blair shrugged. "Hell if I know." She didn't know who her 'Soul-Source' was. That's what she called her original life anyway. Blair hopped off the wall and walked up to Bonnie. "Any other questions?"

Bonnie had just one. "Is this why you never liked me—Because my family hurt you in the past?"

Blair nodded. "Yeah. Pretty much. It didn't help when they framed me for being a Witch during the Salem Trials so they could escape while I was being burned." Blair had to make something abundantly clear, "Just because I'm telling you this, doesn't make us friends." She proceeded to walk away. "Good luck with your magic."

Blair went back to her apartment to find Harper sitting on the floor in the hallway. "Uh…hi?"

Harper stood up with a bit of a groan then smiled. "Hello. I have an invitation to extend to you and since you're not answering your phone, I am here in person."

Blair pulled her phone from her pocket and found the ringer was off. "I don't even remember doing that."

"Auto-pilot," Harper reasoned. "I'm afraid you get that from me. So much stuff going on in your head that your body just does things while not paying attention to all the details."

Blair scoffed a chuckle. "You have no idea. But it's nice to know I have someone to blame it on." She paused before putting the key in the door. "What's the invitation?"

Harper pointed to the phone in Blair's hand. "If you checked your texts then you would find at least one from your boyfriend. Tyler's parents have invited us over to their house for dinner tonight."

Blair's face hardened a bit at this. "They all know who you are?"

Harper lied when she said, "Uh, no," and quickly added in, "but since Vivian isn't here anymore that makes me the only other Alden in town. Now that you and Tyler are dating they want us all to get to know each other better or something."

Blair crossed her arms and stared her down. "What's the big deal with us dating? Does this have anything to do with our ancestors being engaged then not?"

"You have one of the journals? Nice. I thought they were all taken down south." Harper was impressed to hear that.

By this time Blair had opened the door and they were now in the small kitchen. "Down south?"

"Most of the Aldens live in the New Orleans area now," Harper explained. "Our family made a big move down there in the late 1800's. A few stragglers stayed behind, but not many. Now to answer your question – The Aldens and the Lockwoods had an arrangement. An Alden daughter would wed a Lockwood son and unite the families. We were a pretty big deal in these parts back in the day."

Blair slid a can of soda across the little kitchen island to Harper. "And, what? The families of now want to make good on a century's old arrangement?" She found that laughable.

Harper shrugged a bit. "Pretty much."

"Our families are stupid." Blair had no shame in saying that.

Harper merely shrugged again. "I think it's kinda nice. It's like your living history here in the now. I think that's pretty damn cool."

Blair stared at her blankly. "I'm living history all day, every day. I'm good in that department, thanks."

Harper had no idea what Blair was talking about. She didn't know that Blair was the Cursed One – Vivian never told her that. "Uhm…how so?"

Blair realized her error and waved her hand like it was nothing. "Just referring to all the history homework Mr Saltzman assigns us. That's all."

Harper narrowed her eyes at her daughter but didn't say anything further about it. "Whatever. So, are you going to get changed for the dinner or what?"

"I never said that I was going. I'm all for spending time with Tyler but dinner with the parents? I'll pass." Blair took her soda and went into the living room area. "Too serious for my blood."

Harper followed her because things weren't going the way she expected them to. "Look, I'm sorry about the whole ancestors' arranged marriage thing. I officially take off all pressure and if things get too serious then I will segue into something else." She held up her hand with the Girl Scout's salute. "You have my word."

Blair rubbed her forehead with a groan. "Fine. I'll go. But be warned, there will be underaged drinking on my part."

Harper turned around, saying, "I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that." She set her can of soda on the counter and headed for the door. "I'll meet you at the car."

Blair was about to as her what the hell she was supposed to wear, but Harper left the apartment before she could say a word. On her way to her bedroom, she remembered that she didn't verbally invite Harper in. "Well, at least I know she's not a Vampire."

Later that night, Blair sat awkwardly at the Lockwood's dinner table with Harper beside her and Tyler across. Everything was set pretty fancy and felt wrongly dressed in her black and white daisy patterned tea dress, leather jacket, fishnet tights, and combat boots. She never cared how she looked before but she could feel Carol Lockwood's eyes boring into her and that was starting to get under her nerves.

To break the silence that's been looming since the meal started, Blair said, "Everything is delicious, Mrs Lockwood."

"Thank you, Blair." Carol was going to leave it at that but at the look her husband was giving her to say more, she did. "I must admit I am surprised to find someone so young knowing the proper utensils to use. Tyler here would eat with the serving fork if he was allowed."

"Better than whatever this tiny fork is used for." Tyler held up the smallest one from the setting with a 'whatever' expression before putting it back.

"I've had a lot of practice," Blair admitted. "Been in far more fancy settings than I care to admit."

A not-so-genuine smile spread across Carol's face before saying, "Based off your attire, I never would have guessed."

Tyler came to Blair's defense. "I think she looks great."

Richard interjected a bit there. "I'm sure Blair just hasn't had a chance to unpack everything yet."

Blair looked at him peculiarly. "Excuse me?"

"Your new apartment," Richard answered before taking a sip of wine.

This was the first Tyler had heard of this. "You have your own apartment?"

Harper gave Richard scolding eyes before jumping in. "I just got it for Blair. It was time she had a place of her own."

"A young girl living all on her own?" Carol did not sound too pleased about this. "That's just asking for trouble."

Harper could tell Blair's blood was boiling because Harper's own was doing the same, but she contained it better than her daughter. She placed a hand on Blair's arm to tell her she'd deal with it and did. "Blair happens to be very responsible for her age. She is also very proud. There is nothing wrong with her having a place of her own. I'm sorry you don't have the same faith in your own son. It's quite nice feeling that for your child."

Carol was about to give Harper a piece of her mind but stopped herself when Richard cleared his throat and said, "Well, this was a lovely meal. Tyler, I think the adults have taken up enough of your time. Why don't you take Blair into town for dessert?"

Tyler wasn't going to turn down this opportunity for escape. "Thanks."

Blair left the table with a fake smile upon her face. "Thank you for a lovely dinner." As she walked out with Tyler, she added in quietly so only he could hear, "We are never doing this again."

Blair and Tyler sat on a bench in the Town Square with their bowls of ice cream that evening. Between bites, Tyler asked, "When were you going to tell me you had your own apartment?"

"I literally only brought my stuff over to it last night," Blair answered with a mouthful of ice cream and her hand in front of her mouth to keep Tyler from seeing it. After swallowing, she added in, "It doesn't feel like mine. Harper paid it off for a year and put a whole bunch of money into an account for me. I have no clue how I'm supposed to feel about it."

Tyler didn't get what she was trying to say. "Who cares? A solo apartment and free cash? Don't question it Han, accept it."

Blair opened her mouth to try again and explain what she meant but seeing him take another bite of ice cream and smile made her stop. This wasn't something she wanted to get into. At least, not with him. Laughing a bit, she said, "I'm not having a party, if that's what you're thinking, Lockwood."

He was very expressive with his playful disappointment. "No party?! What?! You have to have a party."

"I don't have to do anything," she smugly countered with a wide grin.

Tyler used his spoon to point at her. "Mark my words, Han. I'll convince you to have a party."

Blair used her spoon to point at Tyler to mock his previous action. "Good luck with that, Lockwood. It'd be interesting to see you try."

Blair woke up early the following morning and sat in the chair by the window. That was probably the only thing she truly loved about her apartment – how the sunlight shone through that one particular window first thing in the morning. For the first time in a long time there wasn't anything on her mind. She just sat there and looked out through the glass at nothing in particular. Blair could have sat there forever but the knock at the door prevented anything even close to that from happening.

She got up from the chair with a groan and went to answer it. Blair figured it was either Harper or Mr Saltzman. Well it was more likely the former than the latter. It was this thought that made her surprised to see Stefan standing on the other side of the door. "What are you doing here?"

"Elena is back. She's fine." Stefan stepped as close to the doorway as he could get. "But there's something else we need to talk about. Can I come in?"

Blair crossed her arms firmly. "No. Whatever it is you have to say you can tell me right here."

Stefan didn't think that was a good idea. "This really isn't hallway talk."

Blair smiled in mock sweetness. "I'd prefer it like this. That way if I don't like what you have to say I can just slam the door in your face and you can't stop it."

Stefan looked down and sighed. "I wanted you to hear this from me in case Elena brought it up." He took a moment to essentially gather up the guts to tell her. "I was there, the day your father's car went off Wickery Bridge. I'm the one who got you and Elena out."

Blair was having a hard time processing this. "What – what are you saying to me?"

"I heard the accident but by the time I got there it was too late. The car was already submerged. Elena's father and yours were awake. Neither would let me help them until I helped you and Elena. So…I did. And when I got back to the van…they were gone."

Blair felt her heart pounding in her chest as her body filled with grief and rage. She shoved him further into the hall and stepped out to yell at him. "You should have saved him! You should have saved him and not me! He was the best! He – he was…" She couldn't get her sentence out because Stefan hugged her tight. Even as she tried to push him away, he wouldn't let her go so she broke down in tears instead. "I miss him so much."

Stefan wished she didn't have to know this but if Elena told her instead of him then that would have made things even worse. "I'm so sorry, Blair. I'm so sorry."

They pulled apart when the door down the hall opened and Alaric stepped out to see what was going on. "Everything alright out here?"

"Everything's fine." Blair went back into her apartment after Alaric did, and said to Stefan, "You're not welcome here," before doing what she said she'd do if she didn't like what he had to say – she slammed the door. Blair rested her head against the door before sliding down to the floor in tears. She didn't know that Stefan was sitting against the wall on the other side. It was almost like they were parallel lines – always close but never together.

End Season 1 Episode 11