Chapter 14: The Past is Never Past

The diner was nearly empty when a man in his early twenties with dark brown hair entered. Matt was wiping down a table when the man approached.

Matt barely glanced at him. "It's closing time, man. Sorry, we're not serving anyone else."

"No, it's all right. I'm actually looking for someone." The young man pulled a picture out of wallet and handed it to Matt. "Have you seen this girl? She's a close friend of mine, and I haven't seen her in a while."

"That's Evangeline," Matt's eyebrows creased.

"So you know her?" The stranger's eyes widened inquisitively.

"Yeah, we're… related." Matt skirted the whole truth. "Who are you anyway?"

"How rude of me," the young man apologized smoothly. "I'm Jared. Evangeline and I went to high school together. After graduation we lost touch, and I've been trying to reconnect with her for months."

Matt deliberated Jared's words. This guy was human and an old friend of Evangeline's. He seemed interested in her. If Matt could somehow get her to see what a normal, human connection could amount to maybe she'd come to her senses. The day's events built up in his mind, and he made a decision on impulse. "You know what? I'm actually meeting at her place tonight. Do you want to tag along?"

"Perfect," Jared grinned.

Evangeline sat at the kitchen counter, looking worried. "I feel so bad for Matt. He's been through so much, and I just wedged myself into his life and ruined everything."

"You didn't ruin everything." Elena comforted her sister. "He's glad to have family again. He just wants to keep you safe."

"I know…"

The door opened and Elijah entered swiftly.

"You're back." Evangeline beamed. "What did Klaus say?"

Elijah gazed at her seriously. "Niklaus reacted much how I suspected he would. He laughed for several minutes, praised the Petrova line, things of that sort."

"So he agreed." Evangeline's insides warmed with relief.

"Emphatically." Elijah cracked a slight smile.

Elena turned to Evangeline. "Just so you know, Matt doesn't know about that last part of your conversation this morning. I didn't think it was my place."

Evangeline creased her eyebrows anxiously. "Could you keep that a secret for now? I don't even want to think about how everyone would react." She pictured Damon and shuddered mildly.

Elena shook her head slightly. "Okay," she agreed.

The door burst open, and Damon swaggered in, followed by Stefan.

"We're here if you need us." Stefan eyed Evangeline meaningfully.

"Yeah, we wouldn't want to miss the party." Damon rolled his eyes. "But for the record," he glared at Elijah, "I'm on Matt's side."

Evangeline sighed and headed into the kitchen to get a drink.

"Who the heck is this guy?" Damon jibed as Matt entered with a stranger.

Evangeline turned from the kitchen and gasped at the sight of Matt's guest.

"Evy, baby," He called smoothly.

Her insides froze, and her hand clutched her necklace, anxiously praying it might strengthen her somehow. "What have you done?" she gaped at Matt in whispered dread.

Matt couldn't understand. "He said he was a friend from high school."

Evangeline strained to keep her voice even. "Did he also tell you that I have a restraining order against him?"

"What?" Matt blanched. "Evangeline, no, I didn't know."

Damon interrupted, "Someone want to tell me what's going on?"

Evangeline tremored with anger. "Jared is my ex," she confessed angrily. "We broke up... after he hospitalized me."

Elena gasped, and Elijah and Stefan immediately stepped forward protectively.

"What?" Matt looked ashamed and disgusted.

Jared took a measured step toward her. "Evy, sweetie, I'm here to win you back."

Evangeline could have thrown up. The fury boiled inside her. "Never," she glared.

"But Evy, I've changed." He tried to look genuine.

"So have I," her temper rose, and her hands dropped tensely to her sides.

"Evy, baby, I miss you. … I love you."

"You destroyed me," she screamed, causing everyone to take a step back in surprise. "I loved you," she lowered her voice scathingly, "and while you slapped me around you were sleeping with my best friend."

Elijah placed his hands on Evangeline's arms protectively.

Jared's eyes narrowed. "So this is the rebound," he scoffed.

Damon tilted his head. "Yeah… probably not a guy you want to mess with."

Evangeline shook her head defiantly. "I was done grieving over you before I even came to Mystic Falls."

Jared laughed, "Then why did you leave in such a hurry?"

"It's always about you, isn't it?" she raged. "You don't know anything about me."

"I'm going to win you back, Evy." He stared earnestly.

Evangeline exhaled crossly. "You always were a sore loser."

Stefan cleared his throat, "I think it's time for you to leave, Jared."

Jared suddenly quivered peculiarly. "I'm not leaving without Evangeline."

"Yes you are," Elijah asserted composedly. "Leave now." He stared into his eyes to compel him.

Jared just pushed him away, much to everyone's astonishment. "You can't tell me what to do." His eyes flickered yellow. Evangeline gasped.

"A werewolf." Elijah stepped back to reevaluate.

Jared suddenly scrambled away nervously. "How do you know about werewolves?"

"Because we're vampires, idiot," Damon retorted mockingly, "Now get lost before we kill you."

Jared edged over to the door. "This isn't over," he threatened. Then he disappeared into the night.

"Evangeline," Matt started.

"It's not your fault, Matt." She saw his distraught countenance and hugged him tightly. "I know you were just trying to protect me. But you need to trust me when I say that no one will protect me better than Elijah. He loves me."

Matt glanced back and forth between the two with a pained expression. "You have to promise me that you'll do everything you can to protect her," he stared at Elijah.

Elijah gazed at Evangeline tenderly. "I give you my word."

"Charming werewolf ex-boyfriend, by the way." Damon broke the tender moment, and rolled his eyes.

Evangeline still felt dumbstruck. "I... didn't know."

"Well, you definitely have type," Damon teased, "I mean, considering your two most recent love interests are supernatural beings."

"Really, Damon," Elena chided.

"What? Just saying…"

"I hope he doesn't stick around," Evangeline commented, more to herself than the others.

"Amen to that," Stefan sighed.