A:N/ Welcome back! This chapter was finished a lot quicker than the others because it was shorter. The next will be a lot longer, promise. I hope that you'll enjoy this chapter.


Reviews:

The Wanderess: Hey! I'm so happy that you love this story. Taking in what you said, Stefan and Alana won't have anything happening for a while yet, as it would be unrealistic in real life. I'm trying to make this story the best it can be and having your support really helps, so thank you. I hope you like this chapter and continue along with the rest of the story. And please, if there is anything wrong or you think I should know, don't hesitate to leave a review and let me know. Hope you like it and thank you for your review!


I know there may be some grammar mistakes that manage to slip through and I'm sorry for that. I do go through editing for about 2 days making it as good as it could be. So, if some slip through, I'm sorry.

Let's begin…


I was sat on the porch swing, my journal laid out on my lap and my phone held to my ear as I left Bonnie another voicemail.

"Bonnie, hey. I'm just checking in, seeing how you're doing. We all miss you here. Don't let your crazy aunt drive you up the wall too much." I sighed, "Come home soon. Love you." I hung up the phone.

"What you doing out here? It's cold." Jenna said as she stood sipping her coffee.

I pressed my lips into a tight line, "Thinking, writing. Everything with Bonnie's grandmas' funeral, it just… I just brought everything back up a lot of things from mom and dad. You said you would do some digging about them, the adoption."

"Right." Jenna nodded.

"So?"

"Come on inside." Jenna gestured to the door as she walked through.

We both went inside. Jenna pulled out her laptop and sat down at the dining table; I stood beside her and removed my jacket.

"Your dad kept everything from his medical practice – records, logs, old appointment books," She pulled out a journal and pointed to a specific page, "I found an entry from the night you and Elena were born. Patient and a birth date. Isobel Peterson."

"Do you think that's her real name?" I asked as I skimmed over the page.

"Pregnant teenage runaway? Probably not. First name, maybe. But where'd she get Peterson? Classmate? Best friend? So I binged it." Jenna pulled up the search engine and typed in the name, "I searched for all the Petersons in this area born the same year as Isobel, found 3 – 2 men and a woman, Trudie, who lived in Grove Hill, Virginia."

"That's not too far from here." I smiled.

Could I really have found my birth mom?

I was filled with all kind of emotion, hurt, anger, love… relief.

"Well, watch this."

Jenna typed something else into the search engine and pulls up as image of Isobel from high school.

"Oh, my god. She was a cheerleader." I smiled again.

"Trudie still lives there," She handed me a post-it-note. "This is her address."

I looked over the post-it-note, "What about Isobel?" I asked.

"I couldn't find anything about her," I took a seat at the table, a little disheartened. Jenna briefly paused before continuing, "There's something else. Mr. Saltzman, Ric, his wife was from around here, and her name was also Isobel." Jenna smiled bleakly.

"Was… as in…" I felt my heart lurch as she nodded.

"She died."


Later that evening, Stefan came over to talk about the new information I now had on my birth mother.

"It's crazy, right? I mean, it can't be true. The coincidence alone is just crazy." I shook my head. I turned around and handed Stefan over the post-it-note. "I have the address for her friend Trudie." I smiled small.

"You wanna talk to her?"

"I don't know what I want, Stefan." I sighed and took a seat beside him on my bed, "If it's true that they're the same person, which means my birth mother is dead. I don't think I'm ready to relive those memories."

"Alana, did Jenna tell you anything about Alaric's wife? How she dies?" Stefan asked me.

"Just that she was killed and the case was never solved."

Stefan shook his head, like he knew already. I looked at him surprised.

"You already knew, didn't you?"

He nodded, "That night at the school when he attacked me, he told me some things about her death."

"Well…" I stood from the bed but Stefan caught onto my wrist, pulling himself into an upright position beside me.

"No, no. The coincidence is – it's too much. Listen, if you decide to go talk to Isobel's friend, I'll go with you. Okay?" He smiled.

I returned the smile, "I don't know what I'm going to do yet." I told him.

"I should get going. I gotta deal with Damon." Stefan sighed.

I nodded, "Right. How's he doing?"

"He's dealing in his own way." He replied.

That can't be in a good way then.


I decided that I had to do this alone. If I was about to meet my birth mother for the first time, it had to be me alone.

I was stood outside Trudie's home. I held up the post-it-note with her address on it and then looked up at the house which matched the address. I walked up the stairs to the front door. I lifted my hand to knock but I hesitated, I didn't know if I was doing the right thing. Shaking the nerves from my body I knocked on the door.

Realising what I had just done, I shook my head and turned to walk away. The door opened behind me and I stopped and turned around.

"Trudie? Tru-trudie Peterson?" I stuttered as the woman looked at me confused.

"Yes?"

"I'm Alana Gilbert. I wanted to talk to you about your friend, Isobel Flemming." I managed to get out over the raging beating coming from my heart.

She smiled, "Well, I haven't heard that name in years. How do you know her?" She asked.

I took a sharp inhale, "Well, I'm… uh, do you know if she had twins that she gave up for adoption?" I asked.

Her eyes widened, "My god. You're her daughter," she laughed, "I was just gonna make some tea. Would you like some?"

"I'd love some."

She opened the door wider, inviting me into her home. "Uh, the kitchen's this way." Trudie backed away from the door, waiting on me pass by her. I stepped over the fresh hold and entered her house and she shut the door behind me.

"I wasn't gonna come. I didn't think I was, but I was driving, and I hit this stoplight, and it made me think about when I was learning how to drive and then my mom would always warm me about this blind…" I smiled shyly.

"I'm sorry for barging in." I whispered.

Trudie smiled, "It's no problem. Um, just a surprise, thought."

She led me over to the table and we both took a seat opposite each other.

"I haven't thought about Isobel in years."

"When was the last time you saw her?" I wondered.

She furrowed her brow as she thought back, "About 17 years ago, when she left to have you. We kept in touch for a while, but, well, you know, people drift apart."

"Do you know where she ended up?" I asked. I wanted more information… I needed more.

"She was in Florida for a while. She was on her own. I know it wasn't easy." She sighed and shifted in her seat.

The only thing that was constantly pressing on my mind was who my father was and if she knew my mother, then maybe she knew of him also.

"Do you know who my father is?"

She sniggered, "I could never get her to fess up. Anyway, she finally pulled it together, got into college on a scholarship." She informed me.

"Where about?"

"Somewhere in North Carolina. Duke, I think. Smart girl, smart school." Trudie smiled as she remembered back.

The kettle cut us short of the conversation as it whistled from the kitchen, making Trudie jump.

"Let me just grab that."

"Of course." I smiled and nodded as she left the room.


Trudie and I were looking through old yearbooks from Trudie's past when she pointed to Isobel.

"Ah. They came to the games for us. The football team hadn't won in years. We were the stars. Well, Izzie was. But I was a damn good backup." She grinned.

I smiled and gazed over the photo, "This is great. Thank you." I nodded my head at her.

"You haven't touched your tea." Trudie informed me.

I completely forgot all about it as I was lost looking through the photographs.

"Oh." I leaned over and retrieved the cup and took a sip. I screwed my face up at the unusual taste. I smelled the liquid and it reminded me of something.

"What is this?" I asked her confused.

She shrugged, "Oh, it's just some herbal mixture."

It clicked.

"Vervain?" I asked as I raised my eyebrow.

"You know." I told her. I knew she knew. I knew there was something she was keeping back from me. What was it?

"Know what?" Trudie played dumb to my question.

"You didn't invite me in, and you're serving me vervain tea. You know." I responded.

She stood from her seat, "I think that you should probably leave."

I placed my cup down.

"No, wait. Please. What aren't you telling me?" I pleaded with her. I needed to know more.

"Please leave. Now." Trudie told me sternly.

Choosing not to over step the mark, I nodded and left the house. She closed the door quickly behind me as I walked down to my car. I grabbed my keys from my purse when something caught my eye. I looked up and seen a man standing in the middle of the road, watching me. I unlocked the car as fast and I could, igniting the engine and drove off down the street, not looking back.


I made my way to the Salvatore House to inform Stefan about what I found out. As I entered the house, it was empty. Stefan was nowhere in sight.

"Stefan?" I called. No one answered.

I walked over to the staircase and looked up them, "Stefan?" I called again but like before, no one answered.

I walked up the stairs and headed into his room, hoping that he was in there.

"Stefan."

"Better. Me."

I was startled as Damon walked out of the bathroom, shirtless.

"Well, you look…"

"Dashing? Gorgeous? Irresistible?" Damon quipped.

He walked across the room, closing the space between us. I pushed him back once he came uncomfortabley close to me.

"Drunk. You look drunk, Damon." I finished my earlier sentence.

"No reason why. Do you know that I am one of Mystic Falls' most eligible bachelors?" He smirked.

He had me at a loss, "Huh?" I screwed my face up.

"Yep." Damon replied, popping the 'P'.

"How are you?" I asked truly concerned.

"Never better." He smiled. I knew that he was putting a front on, and I can't blame him, I don't the same when my parents died.

"What can I do for you? I'm a barrel of favours today. It's my newfound purpose-how can I help people?" He put on a button up shirt and began to do the buttons.

"I'm just looking for Stefan." I said as I watched him, all fingers and thumbs trying to do up his shirt.

He huffed, "Help a guy out, will you? Can't get this." He moaned.

I rolled my eyes and placed my bag on Stefan's bed as I walked over to Damon. I grabbed the front of his shirt tugging him closer to me as I began to do up the buttons.

"So I found out who my birth mother is." I smiled.

"Eccch. Who cares?" Damon replied.

I looked up at him, hurt.

He rolled his eyes, "She left you. She sucks."

Damon and I exchanged looks for a few moments then I glanced over his shoulder and smiled.

"Stefan." I said as I smiled.

He also smiled as I walked over to him.

"Uhh. I need a bigger jacket. Wow. You know, an occasional sorority girl might, um, you know, help fill you out a little bit." Damon smirked.

He removed the jacket and tossed it onto Stefan's bed as he left the room.

"He's fine."

"He's Damon." Stefan smiled.

I smiled, "Maybe this heartache will be good for him. Might even remind him that he still has one."

"Won't hold my breath." Stefan grinned, revealing all his pearly white teeth.

I laughed as I walked back from him and grabbed my purse from his bed.

"So, I went to see Trudie Peterson."

Stefan's face became stony at my words.

"I know. I'm sorry. I hadn't planned on going. I just… ended up there." I smiled weakly.

"How was it?" he asked.

"She served me vervain tea. She knows about vampire stuff, and it can't be a coincidence." I replied, taking a seat on the edge of his bed.

Stefan sighed, "It isn't. This is Alaric's wife."

Stefan removed a picture of Isobel from his pocket and handed it over to me.

I looked at the picture in great detail.

"This is her. He gave this to you?" I was lost for words. This really was my mother.

He nodded, "Everything he knows about Vampires, he learned from her. He believes that she was killed by one."

My breath got caught in my throat at Stefan's words.

"Oh, god." Was all I could muster up. I didn't know what to say, how to feel. A vampire had killed my birth mother… I hadn't even had the chance to meet her.

"Listen, Alana, there's a lot about Isobel that Alaric can tell you, but I need you to hold off a little while before you talk to him."

I looked at Stefan confused, "What? Why?"

"I know that it's a lot to ask of you, but will you do that for me?" He looked at me, concerned.

After everything he had done for me over the past few weeks, I'm sure I could do this one small thing in return.

"Okay." I nodded.


I was stood at the front of the Grill with Matt and Caroline.

"He's already been hit on, like, 35 times. He's total cougar bait." Caroline laughed.

"Impressive." I added whilst laughing.

"More like embarrassing." Matt quipped.

Caroline waved at someone behind me, "Hi, Mrs. Donovan."

I didn't know Matt's mom was back in town.

I smiled at her surprised.

"Alana, honey." She smiled and hugged me tightly.

"Hey, Kelly. How are you doing?" I asked. It had been so long since I had seen her. She was looking well.

"Oh, same old. Oh. Matty tells me your sister broke his heart." She pretend pouted. I looked over to Matt who was affronted by his mothers' actions.

"Mom."

"Just kidding. Calm down. He found his rebound girl." Kelly joked.

"Oh. Here you go, sweetheart. However many that'll buy."

Kelly extracted some money from her purse and handed it over to Caroline, who takes it with a small smile.

"I just hope I don't get Bachelor 3. I dated him in high school. Not impressive in anyway." She whispered.

Matt shook his head, embarrassed as Caroline returned and handed Kelly the tickets.

"Very exciting." Kelly smiled and walked into the Grill.

I turned around and locked eyes with Alaric. We shared eye contact for a few second before he turned and walked off. I turned around with a dissatisfied look on my face. I thought that, maybe, he would come over and talk to me about Isobel. I couldn't have been more wrong; it seemed that he was avoiding me.


A while later the Bachelors were all lined up on the stage, preparing to be bought off for charity.

"Yeah, 'cause I – I know your wife did." Damon's words caught my attention.

He knew Isobel?

"I had a drink with her once. She was – she was a great girl. I ever tell you that? Cause she was – Delicious. Mmm! Mmm mmm mmm."

My mouth dropped.

No! No, this can't be true! It just can't! Damon… Damon killed my mom.

I felt the blood draining from my face as Jenna turned to me.

"Are you okay?" She asked concerned.

"I… I'll be back in a minute." I reassured her.

Stefan approached me and I completely blanked him and headed straight for the exit. The tears were bulging at my eyes, begging to fall, but I tried my best to hold them back.

Outside, I paced back and forth, holding my hands above my head.

How? How could this have happened? I repeated in my head.

"Alana."

I turned and stopped pacing as Stefan exited the grill moments after me.

"He killed her? Damon killed my mom?" I asked, as stray tears slid down my cheek.

"I don't know what happened. Alaric said that they never found the body." Stefan's face fell.

"Stefan…" I whispered. I could literary feel my heart, tearing apart inside my chest.

"I know. I'm sorry. I wanted to tell you. But I just – I wanted to know more." He admitted.

I walked closer to him as more tears fell from my eyes.

"I felt sorry for him. He made me feel sorry for him! I hoped that this whole Katherine thing would change him." I yelled. "God, I'm so stupid." I began pacing again.

"He doesn't know about the connection to you. I thought about confronting him, but he's already on edge.

"Why, Stefan? Why are you protecting him?!" I asked. My emotions threatening to overcome me.

He looked down and sighed, "Because you're not the only one hoping that he might actually change."

I shook my head slightly, it was too much. Too much was going on all at once, I was losing track of everything.

I looked over Stefan's shoulder and then back at him, but I had to do a double take as I recognised the man on the other side of the road from earlier.

"It's him." I whispered.

Stefan turned around and looked at the man on the other side of the road.

"I've saw him before… he was standing outside Trudie's." I said.

Stefan's form froze up.

"Get back inside. Come on." He instructed me and ushered me back into the Grill and followed me in.


As I walked back into the grill, I didn't take in the people around me. I was inside my own little bubble. My emotions were heightened after everything that had happened tonight, I wanted to cry; I wanted to scream, but most of all, I wanted to rip Damon's head off.

Just as I thought about Damon, I walked straight into his path.

"Whoa. Easy there. Buy a ticket like everyone else." He smirked.

I saw red, I had to confront him.

"Did you enjoy that? Rubbing that in Alaric Saltzman's face?

"What?" Damon looked genuinely confused.

"As soon as I thought I saw something good in you, Damon. You go and ruin it. I thought you were redeemable. I guess I was wrong." I said to him as my eyes swelled up again.

"Alana." Stefan walked up behind me and placed a hand on my shoulder.

Stefan shook his head as I looked at him, warning me not to say anything.

Damon looked between us.

"Am I missing something here?" He asked.

"Oh, sorry. Did I forget to mention earlier when we were talking about my birth mother? You know, the one that gave me up?" I looked up at him.

He nodded, "Mm-hm."

"Her name was Isobel." I spat.

I watched as Damon's face faltered.

"Yeah. Forgot to mention that when we were talking. Go on. Reminisce about how you killed her now." I shook my head as tears were beginning to fall freely. I rammed into his shoulder as I passed by him and left the Grill.

"Come on. Let's get you home." Stefan said from behind me. I didn't answer, I just nodded.

I stopped abruptly when my eyes set upon the man before. Stefan stood in front of me and pushed me behind him to shield me.

"I have a message for you." The man spoke.

I stepped out from Stefan's back.

"What?" I asked as I wiped my face.

"Stop looking." He replied.

"Stop looking? Stop looking for what? Who are you?" I asked.

"She doesn't want to know you. She doesn't want to talk to you." He informed me.

"Wait, Isobel. She's alive?" I felt a glimmer of hope bubble in my stomach.

"You need to stop looking. Do you understand?"

I sighed, "If she's alive. Does that mean she's a…"

I began to inch forward but Stefan stopped me by pulling my arm back.

"Alana, he's under compulsion." Stefan whispered in my ear.

"Do you understand?" The man asked again.

I looked at him, "Yes. Yes, I understand."

"Good." He looked down the street.

"I'm done now." He took a step backwards into the road in the path of an oncoming truck. The truck was going too fast to stop as it blared its horn. He was too late.

"Ahhh!" I screamed and grabbed Stefan's shirt.

A moment after the incident took place, Stefan and I ran onto the middle of the street. People all around us were yelling. Stefan kneeled down to get a closer look at the man. I look to the ground and notice a cell, laying on the concrete. I picked it up and placed it into my back pocket.

Stefan grabbed my arm and pulled me along behind him.

"Come on. Let's get out of here. Come on." He dragged me off to his car.


I was laying in my bed. Beat. I glanced at the night stand and picked up a photograph of my parents and I. I looked at the photo for a few moments longer before placing it down on my lap. I remembered that I had that man's cell in my pocket; I pulled it out and grazed through the call list. Once I looked through them, I stopped scrolling once I landed on the last dialled number.

I wasn't thinking when I hit 'Call' before I could change my mind I placed the phone to my ear and listened to it ringing.

A woman picked up, "Was there a problem? Did you find her? What's going on?

I was speechless… it was my mom.

"Isobel?" I asked quietly.

The call went dead. I held back the urge to cry as I rolled over in my bed and placed the phone on the night stand.

All I wanted was my sister to be here, to hold me and tell me everything would be alright. But I knew that wouldn't happen. She asked to be kept out of all the drama; she didn't want to know anything anymore. Nothing. She was enrolled in a new school in Denver, made new friends and already had a new boyfriend. I hardly heard from her anymore, and when I call, she's either too busy or it goes to voicemail.

I was alone; the only person that would always be there for me was, well, me.


"Damon hasn't said a word to me. Every time I try to talk to him he shuts me down." Stefan sighed as I retrieved books from my locker.

"Do you think maybe he's looking for Katherine?" I asked.

Stefan shrugged, "I don't know. He waited a hundred and forty five years only to find out that Katherine could not care less. I mean it's gotta hurt, right?

I smirked, "I couldn't have asked it to happen to a nicer guy." I closed my locker and we began walking.

Stefan stopped me by placing a hand on my shoulder, turning me to face him.

"You have every reason to be upset with him. Have you thought any more about what you're going to do?"

I shrugged, "No, Stefan. I haven t. Isobel, my vampire birth mother, who's related to my vampire ancestor Katherine, who basically screwed over your vampire brother? I haven't thought about it at all."

Stefan hung his head, "I'm sorry I brought it up."

"Don't be. It would just be nice to have one day without having to deal with any of it. No vampire mother or brother." I smirked.

"No vampires at all?" Stefan raised his eyebrow.

I smiled, "No vampires but you." He smiled at me, "I just want to be normal, do normal stuff. School, homework, and here's a thought, fun." I joked.

Stefan nodded as he laughed, "Ooh, that sounds good to me, where do we start?"


Caroline, Stefan and I were walking across the field talking.

Caroline stopped and turned to face us, "I'm thinking nothing huge, just a diner at the Grill maybe a late movie." She said.

"You mean like a double date?" Stefan asked her.

"Two pair out on a Friday night coupled. Yeah a double date." She beamed.

I looked at her confused, "Caroline, Stefan and I aren't a couple." I informed her.

"Ohh, right. I forgot." She smiled small.

"I think it sounds like a great idea." Stefan added.

I looked at him, shocked.

"You do?"

"Yeah. A nice evening out with friends. Sounds fun, as in 'fun'." He smiled down at me.

I nodded, "Right, fun. Okay, a double date it is." I smiled at Caroline.

She nodded and hopped along.

"This is going to be so awkward." I laughed.

Stefan shook his head and we walked away.


I was in my bedroom getting ready for tonight's 'date'. Just thinking about it made me feel weird. I was sat at my mirror as I placed a nude lipstick on my plump lips, enhancing the shape.

I had my outfit for this evening all picked. It was a nude cocktail dress that stopped just above the knee. Perfect for this evening, paired with black heels and a black leather jacket.

My hair had grown considerably longer over the past few weeks. It was now below my collar bones. I quite liked the length it was getting to. The only reason it was cut short was so that people could tell Elena and I apart, but not that she was no longer here, I could let it grow and people would know it was me.

My hair had a slight kink into the style as I ran a comb through it.

The doorbell rang and I headed down the stairs.

I made my way downstairs and pulled on my heels at the bottom. I headed over to the door and opened it slowly.

Stefan was stood, flowers in hand and dressed… lovely.

"You got me flowers!" I asked in shock.

He didn't answer straight away; instead, he took in my appearance and smiled.

"I figured it's a date, why not do it right?" He smiled. I felt the heat rise inside of my cheeks as he called it a 'date'.

Did he really think this was a real date? I asked myself.

"I would have driven too but you're the one with the car." He added.

I laughed, "You know, for someone that was probably around when they invented cars. They would have one." I smiled as I smelled the flowers Stefan had brought me.

"Oh, I have one. I just never drive it." He smiled.

"Thank you, Stefan. For the flowers." I looked up at him as he nodded and a smile appeared across his lips.

"Do you think it's too late to cancel?" I asked with a shy smile.

He looked at me, furrowing his brows.

"Why would we do that?"

"I don't know. This all just seems surreal. Like we aren't supposed to have a normal life."

"That's exactly why we're going to do it. We're going to go out, have some fun and try to remember that we don't have to be so serious. Listen, when I decided to stay here and to get to know you, it's so that I could do things like this. Bring my gir… friend flowers, take you out, and try to be normal." Stefan smiled as he turned a shade of red.

I decided not to comment on his slip of the tongue.

"Okay. Let go." I smiled and placed the flowers on the table and Stefan and I headed to the Grill.


"So, Matt, do you like working here?" I asked as we were all sat at a booth in the Grill, having a mean and exchanging words.

"It's not that bad. Wait staff it pretty good and that can't keep a bartender to save their lives. I actually put my mom up for a job." Matt replied and placed a fry in his mouth.

I smiled, "How's it been? Having Kelly back?"

Matt shrugged. "You know, same old Kelly. She's trying, sort of."

I smiled, remembering a memory.

"Kelly and my mom were best friends growing up. That's how Elena, Matt and I first met, we all shared a crib."

Stefan smiled.

"You're kidding?"

Matt laughed, "No, we have known each other out whole lives." He smiled at me as I smiled at him.

We all heard laughing behind us and saw Damon and Kelly getting drunk at the bar.

"You've got to be kidding me." Matt sighed.


A while later we were all stood at the pool table, having a game.

"At least they're having fun." Caroline shrugged as we watched Jenna, Damon and Kelly drinking together.

"They're drunk." I sighed.

Matt stood from taking his shot, "Remember when Alana's parents busted us here after the homecoming?" Matt laughed.

Caroline burst out laughing. "Oh my god yes!"

"Ohh, god. Don't remind me." I laughed. "We were wasted; it was the first time I ever got drunk. I blame you, Matt."

He rolled his eyes, "Her parents got seated at the next booth."

"And Matt had me pretend that I was choking so we could get away."

"Except her dad was a doctor so he jumped up to save her." Matt laughed recalling the memory.

I shook my head, "I ran, slipped on the wet floor and bit it in front of the whole Grill. Do you remember that?" I pointed to my head, "3 stitches, a hangover for days and I was grounded from seeing this one." I looked at Matt as we smiled at each other.

We stared at each other smiling. Caroline cleared her throat.

"I'm going to the restroom. Alana?"

"Sure." I nodded.


In the restroom, I was washing my hands under the running tap as Caroline sat behind me on the counter.

"So um, what are you doing?" she asked.

I looked at her reflection in the mirror, "What do you mean?" I frowned.

"Well the point of this was to show him how much you care about Stefan. You know, not to hopscotch down memory lane." Caroline rolled her eyes.

I turned off the tap and grabbed a towel, drying my hands.

"Caroline, Stefan and I aren't together. I was only trying to make conversation."

I don't know how many times I have to tell her that we're not together for her to finally get it through her head.

She hopped down from the counter, "Try less." She spat.

What the hell is her deal!?

"Caroline!" I called after her as she left the restroom.

I followed her out into the bar, "Caroline."

I followed behind her; "Katherine?" a man grabbed my arm and stopped me in my tracks.

I didn't recognise him at all.

"I… I'm sorry, you have the wrong person." I told him.

He nodded.

"Come on, Alana!" Caroline called for me.

"My mistake." He nodded and released my arm. I nodded and headed back to the pool table.

I could feel the man's eyes burning a hole in the back of my skull as I walked away.

"Hey." I smiled as we returned.

"Matt's cheating." Stefan smiled.

"No need, I'm awesome." Matt smirked and prepared to take another shot.

Stefan turned to me, "Everything okay?"

I nodded, "Everything's fine." I smiled.

I pulled out my cell and began writing a message to show him.

'That man over there just called me Katherine.'


We drove back to Stefan's and I turned off the ignition.

"So, you didn't recognize him, you haven't seen him before?

I shook my head, "No, not at all. There wasn't anything familiar about him."

Stefan sighed, "Right, let's call it a night, ok? Send Matt and Caroline home?"

I was about to get out of the car but I grabbed his hand stopping him from leaving.

"No, wait." He turned and looked at me as I still held his hand, "The whole point of tonight was to forget about all this stuff. We need to make it through one night. One night." I smiled weakly.

Stefan tightened his grip on my hand, "You sure?"

I shook my head, "No, I'm not, but we have to at least try. If there is another vampire in town, he'll still be here tomorrow. We'll deal with it then."

"OK." Stefan smiled.

We heard a car pulling up at the side of us.

"It's them." Stefan announced. "Come on."

We both still sat there, our hands intertwined. I didn't want to let his go; I wanted to keep a hold of it for as long as I could. He smiled and gave my hand one last squeeze before he released my grip and climbed out of the car. My heart was racing and my cheeks flush.


We all headed into the house and headed towards the living room.

"Man I've always wanted to see what it looks like in this place." Matt smiled like a kid in the candy store as he looked around.

Stefan nodded and placed his hands in his pockets.

"Yeah, I guess it's a bit much."

"Yeah, my entire house could fit in here, like twice." Matt laughed.

Caroline shivered.

"Feel like I've been here before. It's weird." She sighed as she entered the living room.

Hearing Caroline say that made me uncomfortable as I knew fine well why this place felt like she had been here before.

"Hey guys, Uh, do you want to watch a movie of something?" I asked.

"Whoa; these are great!" Matt beamed as he walked towards a collection of small cars.

"You like cars?" Stefan smiled at him.

Matt rolled his eyes and smiled, "It's an understatement."

Stefan nodded his head, "Come with me."


Stefan took us outside to the garage and opened it.

"Prepare yourself, my friend." He smiled to Matt.

He removed a tarp that was hiding a car underneath.

Matt's eyes widened in surprise.

"Wait, how do you have this?"

"Got passed down through the family." Stefan smiled.

"Why don't you… I mean… why don't you drive it?" Matt opened the car door and looked inside.

Stefan shrugged, "Well, it doesn't run, I mean, it's not that I could figure out."

Caroline sniggered, "Why would you keep a car that doesn't run?"

"Matt rolled his eyes, "Be more of a girl right now?"

Caroline laughed.

Stefan turned to Matt, "Hey, want to come take a look at this for me?"

Matt turned and looked at me with a smile on his face, "Alana, remember the old Camaro your dad use to have?"

I nodded, "Obviously."

"I built and rebuilt that engine about 20 times." Matt boasted.

Stefan was impressed, "Wow."

Caroline sighed in annoyance.

"I don't like sports cars; they're too hard to make out in."

"It wasn't that bad." Matt and I shared an uncomfortable stare. Caroline turned and left the garage, I ran after her.


"Caroline…" I called after her and she finally stopped walking away from me.

"I don't want to talk about it." She huffed.

I shook my head, "You're being ridiculous."

"And insecure and stupid. But that doesn't change the fact that Matt's always going to be in love with your sister and I'm always gonna be the back-up."

I frowned.

"You're not the back-up Caroline. Elena has move on, started a fres…" She cut me off before I could finish.

"Yes I'm. I'm the Elena back up; I'm your Bonnie back up. Ever since Elena left, you've gone to Bonnie for everything."

I looked at her, shocked at what she had just said to me.

"Seriously, Care?" I was hurt at her words.

How could she think that about me, I thought she knew me better than that?

"You don't get it. Why would you? You and Elena are everyone's first choice."

I didn't know how to reply to that. We stared at each other in silence; neither of us knew what else to say. What else was there to say? Caroline made her feelings very clear.

The tension was so thick in the air; you could cut it with a knife.

Stefan and Matt pulled up in the Porsche.

"Piece of cake." Matt beamed. As he managed to get the car started.

He got out of the car and looked at Caroline as she looked at the ground.

"You know what? Why don't you guys go ahead and take it for a spin?" Stefan, feeling the tension in the air and sensing that there was a very awkward silence between us, decided to separate the situation.

"Really?" Matt asked with a smile."

Stefan tossed him the keys, "Yeah."

"Caroline?" Matt asked her. She shook her head and climbed into the car without saying a word to me as she passed.

The drove off down the road, leaving Stefan and I behind.

"You alright?" Stefan turned to me.

I nodded, "If it's not vampires, its girlfriends." I smiled.


Once Caroline and Matt arrived back at the house we followed them in to be meet with a shocking sight.

Damon and Kelly were making out against the wall and we had interrupted them.

Matt turned to Caroline, clearly embarrassed.

"I got to…"

Caroline nodded, "It's fine, just go."

I turned to face Matt before he left, "I'll give her a lift home." I reassured him.

He nodded, "Thanks, man."


Stefan walked me to my car.

"I'm sorry I'm bailing." I smiled shyly.

"Just wish you'd let me drive you home." We stopped walking and I turned to face him. Worry was evident on his face.

"Stefan, normal people don't have bodyguards or baby-sitters. We're normal tonight, remember? That's what you said." I smiled.

He nodded, "I know, I just get so worried about you." He admitted.

It was then, in this moment, that I knew he really did care for me.

I smiled, "I can't live my life afraid that someone is gonna come after me. I won't."

He nodded in agreement.

"Okay. Call me when you get home safe." He instructed me.

I knew if I didn't call he would probably come over worried. Or be worrying all night.

"I promise." I smiled and headed to the car.

Stefan opened the door and I climbed inside.

"Goodnight, Stefan."

"Goodnight." He replied and closed the door.


Back at the house. I was stood in the bathroom with Jeremy as we brushed out teeth. I looked at him in the reflection.

"So, how was your night?" I asked as I spat into the sink.

"Ah… same old… you?" he asked.

I shrugged, "Yep." Popping the 'P'.

Jeremy and I parted ways and I headed into my room. I pulled my hair up into a pony and pulled out my cell to call Stefan.

"So, I'm home. Teeth brushed, and ready for bed." I smiled into the phone.

I heard him sigh, "Good, good. I'm glad."

I furrowed my brows, "Stefan, is everything okay? You sound serious." I asked. As I took a seat on the edge of my bed and pulled my legs off the ground.

"No, no, no, no. Not tonight, you still have a few minutes left of normal. I'll tell you about it tomorrow okay?" he replied.

I nodded, "I had a really good time tonight."

He sniggered into the phone, "Such a liar."

I laughed, "No, seriously. It was exactly like how I imagined in a way."

"I had a really nice time too."

"Okay, I'm gonna go. Speak tomorrow?"

"Of course. Goodnight, Alana." He whispered into the phone.

"Goodnight, Stefan." I replied and hung up the call.

I removed the pillows from my bed and pulled back the sheets and climbed into my warm, cosy bed. I placed my cell on the night stand and switched off the light. I mentally prepared myself for tomorrow. I knew Stefan had something to tell me, and I was waiting with baited breath to know what it was.

I curled up into the foetal position and hugged my pillow as I let sleep over come me…


A:N/ Another Chapter finished editing and ready to be posted! I'm really glad that more and more people are following and clicking favourite on my story. It means a lot to me. So, thank you to the new and old. The next chapter will be up in the next 3-4 days this time as it's a lot longer and I have to edit it for yous. I hope you continue to follow along with me on this journey. As it will be a heck of a ride!

Until next time…