A/N The Vampire Diaries Settings and Characters all belong to LJ Smith and the CW. Any original characters and this story are copyright © 2011-2018 to Hopelessromanticgurl, all rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author.

At least she was going to try. After the funeral Bonnie was going to spend some time with her family. Elena called her every day but she never picked up. She was just leave her the 24th or was it 25th message. "Hey, Bonnie, it's me just checking in, seeing how you're doing. We miss you here. Don't let your aunt drive you too crazy. Come home soon. Love you."

Just as she hung up her Aunt walked up toward her. "What are you doing out here? It's cold."

"Thinking, writing. The, uh...funeral for Bonnie's grandma, It brought back a lot about mom and dad." She paused for a second trying not to cry before she continued. "I was wondering. You said that you would do some digging about them, The adoption."

"Right." Jenna nodded softly.

"So did you, dig?" Elena wondered.

"Come on inside. Your dad kept everything from his medical practice, Records, logs, Old appointment books. I found an entry from the night you were born. Patient and a birth date. Isobel Peterson." Jenna explained as they both moved inside and went over to the kitchen table to get some records.

"Do you think that's her real name?"

"Pregnant teenage runaway, probably not. First name, maybe. But where's she get Peterson? Classmate? Best friend? So I binged it. I searched for all the Petersons in this area Born the same year as Isobel, found 3, 2 men and a woman, Trudy, Who lived in Grove Hill Virginia ."

"That's not far from here."

"Well, watch this." Jenna said as she typed some information onto her computer. "Isobel. She was a cheerleader."

"Trudy still lives there. This is her address."

"What about Isobel?"

"I couldn't find anything about her. " Jenna sighed and decided to be honest. "Listen. There's something else. Mr. Saltzman, Rick, his wife was from around here, and her name was also Isobel."

"Wait. "was," as in..."

"She died."

Elena froze, her birth mother...dead? No she couldn't handle that. Not again. She smiled fakely at her Aunt. "Thanks, Jenna. I'm going to go upstairs to my room and um...start some homework." With that Elena ran up to her room without saying another word.

Jenna sighed. She wasn't planning on telling Elena that part. Until she knew for sure that Alaric's wife was her birth mother but it had to be said. She just hope Elena didn't stop looking now.

Upstairs Elena was pacing back and forth trying to process everything Jenna just told her. Suddenly she felt two gusts of winds and felt two arms wrap around her arms waist and a kiss was placed to the back of her head. She relaxed drastically and went limb against the strong mainly chest. "Stefan." she sighed.

"Jenna just called. Told us everything. Are you ok?"Lexi told her.

"DO I have to answer that." Elena muttered.

"No, but we are here if you want to vent." Stefan told her.

Elena sighed. "It can't be true, right? I mean, the coincidence alone is just crazy." She tried to convince herself more than them. She sighed and turned in Stefan's arms. "I have the address for her friend Trudy."

"Do you want to talk to her?" Lexi asked.

"I don't know. I... I-I don't know. If it's true and they are the same person. That means that my birth mother... i-i-is dea-dead, and I don't know if I could handle that." Elena stuttered a bit.

"Elena, did Jenna tell you anything about Alaric's wife? How she died?"Stefan asked carefully.

"Just that she was killed and the case was never solved." When he didn't show any surprise she looked to him surprised. " You knew that already?"

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

"Well-" she started but he cut her off.

"No, no. It's not possible. The coincidence is- it's too much. Now, listen, if you do decide to go Talk to Isobel's friend, I'll go with you. Ok?"

She just nodded softly and laid her head on his chest with a sigh. "I just don't know what I'm going do yet."

"It's ok. There is no pressure or time limit. Take all the time you need." Lexi told her gently.

Elena just nodded. What was she going to do now? Did she still want to know her birth-mother even if she was already dead? She clung tighter to Stefan. Why did it seem like everyone in her life was dying?

Stefan rubbed her back and kissing her head. "You know Lexi and I will support you whatever you decide to do."

Again Elena just nodded.

She didn't know what or how it happen but the next thing Elena knew she was standing outside Trudy's doorstep, with Stefan and Lexi behind her.

"Just remember, if she doesn't invite us in, don't make a big about it. We will just wait outside and listen." Lexi said.

Elena just nodded nervously. Stefan squeezed her hand. "We will be right here when you get out."

Stefan and Elena shared a kiss. Trudy answered the door.

"Can I help you?" She asked sweetly.

"Are you…Are you Trudy? Trudy Peterson?"

"Yes. How can I help you?"

"Uh, my name is Elena Gilbert. I wanted to talk to you about Isobel Flemming."

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

This lady seemed nice enough. Her gentle voice made Elena feel more comfortable.

"I think that, um, well...Do you know if she had a baby that she gave up for adoption?"

"You're her daughter." Trudy's eyes just lit up like she won the lottery "I was just going make some tea. Would you like some?"

"Sure." Elea smiled nicely.

"Uh…" Trudy looked to Lexi and Stefan then back to Elena. "The kitchen is this way."

That wasn't an invitation. It was a statement of placement. Elena looked to Lexi and Stefan.

Stefan kissed the back of her head. "We're just along for the ride. We will wait out here." Stefan said kindly. He and Lexi turned and headed back to the car.

Elena inhaled and exhaled but then smiled and stepped inside. They went into the dining room and sat down.

"I'm sorry for barging in."

"It's no problem. Just a surprise, though. I haven't thought about Isobel in years."

"When was the last time you saw her?"

"About 17 years ago, when she left to go have you. We kept in touch for a while, But, well, you know, people drift apart.

"And you don't know where she ended up?"

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

"Do you have any idea who my father is?"

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

"Where did she go?"

"Somewhere in North Carolina, Duke, I think. Smart girl, smart school." The tea pot sang breaking their conversation. "Let me just grab that."

The conversations were endless as Trudy told Elena all about what Isobel was like in high school. Elena was so excited by it, she forgot all about her tea.

"Ah. They came to the games for football team hadn't won in years. We were the stars. Well, Izzy was. But I was a good backup." Isobel said as they looked through some old pictures.

"This is great. Thank you." Elena said with a huge smile.

"You're haven't touched your tea."

"Oh. Yeah." She took a sip and then her eyes went wide. "What is this?"

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

"Vervain? You know." Elena said wide eyes.

"Know what?"

"You didn't invite me in, And you're serving vervain know."

"I think that you should probably leave."

"Wait. What are you not telling me?"

"Please leave. Now!"

Elena rushed from the house. Stefan and Lexi followed her back to the car, knowing she wouldn't say anything yet. Elena felt someone watching her so she turned around. A man was standing looking very angry. Elena shook it off and just quickly got into the car.

They arrived back at Elena's house. They were alone so Elena knew it was safe to speak. They went to her room and sat down on the bed.

"She knows about vampire stuff, it can't be a coincidence."

"It isn't." Stefan sighed. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a picture and gave it to Elena "This is Alaric's wife."

"This is her. This is Isobel. He gave this to you?"

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

Elena went white as she tensed. It had to be a lie. There was no way a vampire killed her mother. There was just no way.

"Listen, Elena, 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."

"Why?"

"I know that it's a lot to ask of you, But will you do that for me?"

Sighing Elena nodded softly.

"Thank you. I'll be back." He kissed her head and in a flash he was gone.

Elena sighed. "Lexi, what's he up to?"

"I honestly don't know, Elena., but whatever it is he will tell you when the time is right."

Elena sighed once more and nodded. "I don't like it, but ok."

"Don't worry, whatever Stefan has has planned it doesn't involve putting you or anyone you love in danger."

"I know. But it doesn't mean he won't put himself in danger. He's still on animal blood."

"Don't worry. He'll be fine. Come on, let's go get ready for the fundraiser tonight."

"I forgot about that."

"You've had a lot on your mind. Did you know Damon was on of the bachlor's for tonight?"

"What?" Elena laughed. "Really?"

"Yep."

Elena giggled and shook her head. "I'll go just to see that."

Both girls laughed as they went into the closet to get ready.

A few hours later everyone was ready and headed to The Grill. The girls sat with Jenna as Mrs. Lockwood started going to going through the line of men allowing each man to tell a little about themselves. She had to admit some of them were really cute. But none could match Stefan he was a million times better.

"Thinking about Stefan." Lexi teased.

"Maybe..." Elena blushed.

"It's ok. I'm thinking about Lee too." Lexi laughed.

"Where is he anyway?" Elena wondered.

"Off hunting, he didn't wait to raise suspicion here so he went to the next town over. He'll be back tomorrow."

"Seems like a life time, huh?" Elena asked.

"Oh yeah."

Elena smiled gently. "You'll see him sooner than you think."

Stefan walked in and Elena spotted him and smiled widely. They shared a smile and a wave. He was about to walk over when it was Damon's turn to tell everyone about himself.

"Oh, yeah. L.A., New York. Couple of years ago, I was in North Carolina, near the Duke campus, actually .I think…I think Alaric went to school there. Didn't you, Rick? Yeah, because I know your wife did. I had a drink with her once. She was…she was a great girl. She was…she was… Delicious." He licked his lips with a smirk.

It hit Elena like a million bricks, or better yet a speeding train. She tensed and turned whiter than Stefan and Lexi.

Jenna noticed this. "Are you ok?"

"I just need some air." Elena choked out. Now was not the time to tell her what she had just figured out. She grabbed her jacket and rushed out of building. Stefan was close behind her.

"Elena…"

"He killed her? Damon was the vampire that killed her?" Elena asked. She knew the answer but needed to hear it from him.

"I don't know what happened. Alaric said that they never found the body." Stefan told her.

"Stefan..." she said breathlessly.

"I know. I'm sorry. I wanted to tell you, But I just…I wanted to know more."

"I was feeling sorry for him, Hoping that this whole Katherine thing would change him. I'm so stupid." Elena shook her head. Damon was never going to change. How could she actually think he would?

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

"Why are you protecting him?" Elena yelled, taking her anger out on him.

"Because, you're not the only one hoping that he might actually change." Stefan answered.

Elena sighed and nodded. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you."

"No worries. I understand."

Just then Elena got another feeling she was being watched. She looked behind Stefan and saw the same creepy man from Trudy's house.

"Elena, you ok?" Stefan asked.

"That man. I saw that man outside of Trudy's."

Stefan turned and saw the man. He didn't know who he was but he was heading toward them so he quickly pulled Elena closer to her and gently edged her forward back inside. "Get back inside. Come on."

They went back inside and Elena went into the bathroom to freshen up and hide the fact she was crying. But it didn't last long. The second she walked out of the bathroom she bumped into none other than Damon Salvatore. "Whoa. Easy there. Buy a ticket like everyone else."

"Did you enjoy that, rubbing it in to Alaric Saltzman? She asked angrily.

"What?" Damon asked clearly confused.

"Just as I was starting to think that there was something redeemable about you."

"Elena…" Stefan was behind Damon and shook his head.

"Am I missing something here?" Damon asked seeing his brother.

"You're a murderer. I hate you. You've ruined my life."

Damon just sighed acting like she was being a drama queen. "What have I possibly done this time."

"I found my birth mother. Her name was Isobel."

Realization hit Damon and he frowned.

"Go ahead. Reminisce about how you killed her." Elena said as she lost the battle with her tears and they spilled down her cheeks. She quickly left again. Of course her knight in shining armor was never far behind.

He wrapped her jacket around her "Come on. Let's get you home." Then he quickly took her arm and pulled her slightly behind him That same creepy man was standing less than a foot in front of them. He didn't want Elena to get hurt.

"I have a message for you." He said.

"What?" Elena asked.

"Who are you?" Stefan asked protectively.

"Stop looking." The man told them.

"Stop looking for what?" Elena asked again.

"She doesn't want to know you. She doesn't want to talk to you." The man told them again.

"Isobel?" Elena guessed.

"You need to stop looking. Do you understand?" The man asked her.

"She's alive? Does that mean she's a…"

"Elena, he's under a compulsion." Stefan told her.

"Do you understand?" The man asked once more."

"Yes. I do." Elena nodded.

"Good. I'm done now." The man said and took a step back right in front of a huge truck as it smacked into.

Elena screamed and hid her face in Stefan's shoulder. That was not something she needed to see, especially tonight, could her life get any worse?

Stefan slowly tried to move closer to the man to see if he was alive or not. Elena whimpered and clung tighter to him. She was in shock and she needed him to stay as closer to her as vampirerly possible.

"Stay, I'll go." Lexi said coming up behind them and walked over to the man.

When she did she noticed his cell phone. Maybe Elena's birth mother really was just a phone call away. She grabbed it and put it in her pocket.

"Come on. Let's get out of here." She said looking to the frozen girl in Stefan's arms. Stefan nodded and carried Elena, as he followed after Lexi.

He didn't know it, but Lexi was actually considering giving the phone to Elena. But what would the outcome be? What if it only made the situation worse? She'd have to carefully think about this and carefully decide what to do, but most importantly did she tell Stefan?

A/N What do you think? Leave me your thoughts in a review.

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