I was in the den with my favorite two relatives, my Dad and Uncle Kol, writing a story as Dad sketched. Aunt Rebekah came waltzing in, her dress torn, her hair like a rat's nest, and immediately Uncle Kol went over to her and began teasing her.

"Out all night, what a scandal, what a poor example to set for the children…Hope you won't take after your aunt dear niece." Uncle Kol called back to me without breaking his gaze with his sister.

"Uncle Kol, I know about sex already. I'm over 500 years old-" I stood up from my seat on the sofa.

"You're still a virgin aren't you?" Uncle Kol turned on me.

My face felt hot, as I realized my dad had now too looked up to me in interest. Sex and parents don't mesh well.

"I'm 15 Uncle Kol, no person with morals and values and a brain would lose their virginity before then,…unless they were ra- nevermind…even at 15…teenage pregnancy…you think people my "age" would learn from others mistakes, but no, more and more sex, and more and more pregnancy, then they get all nervous and angry and ugh. If you're going to be stupid, why do it when you know if there's a risk that you may get the thing you want least of all?"

"Well, Adeline, the people of the present have gotten dimmer and dimmer. I mean, look at what we call music now, and what people wear now, and how they try to be "cool" or "rebellious." Aunt Bekah rolled her eyes. That's right, she went to school with me. She knew exactly where I was coming from. I had successfully changed the subject from me though, so that was a plus too.

"My daughter- smartest 15 year old girl in the world." Dad grinned up at me, obviously proud. I had a code and degrading myself by having sex as a teen was not something I was going to do. I didn't believe in falling in love as teens if you were mortals, because mortals changed their minds all too often, and it was a fact, most high school relationships don't last, but for those lucky few, I was jealous…I guess I was just bitter.

Now, don't get me wrong, and say I'm too conservative, because I would think of myself as liberal- with freedoms for all and such, but I myself had learned from such stupidity. That boy I was ready to leave my family for…he wasn't worth it. I learned love was only a façade when you're my age…appearance wise at last. I could only rely on my family and friends. I couldn't risk falling in love, it was too dangerous.

I suddenly wondered what had happened to him, and how happy he must be in college, or in his job or something with his girlfriend or wife or something. I sighed inwardly. As much as I hated to admit it, I still missed him. He never found out what I really was, and we'd only ever kissed and held hands…so why did he matter so much? I found myself daydreaming about him all too often still.

If I had left Dad successfully, would I have aged with him, or turned him? Would we have even worked out? There were so many what-ifs…

Uncle Kol then asked Dad to hang out, and they left me with my aunt, who threw a shoe at them as they left, and I started to laugh, coming out of my little world. Uncle Elijah walked in, and gave me a look that said this was adult business, so I huffed, and walked out of the room to the dining room and ordered one of the servants to make me breakfast.

While I picked at breakfast, I pictured my latest visit to California, just last week, taking a short break from all the drama here. I got there and asked around for Ben Porter, but they said he had left town with a pretty blonde on his graduation night from the high school, about 6 years ago, and no one had seen or heard from him since.

I should've known I'd be too late, but I still had had a small sliver of hope.

I then left the house, and started running, at human speed, but I still grew tired. All these dreams and nightmares were tearing me apart. I was scared. That nightmare had seemed so real too. I'd woken up, and had left my room to go next door to Kol's, then crept down the hall into Dad's to make sure they were still alive. I'd camped myself outside Dad's room last night, guarding him, so when he opened his door this morning, he found me sleeping on the ground with a pillow and a blanket.

I hadn't told anyone what I'd dreamt about, but they knew something was eating at me. Not even Kol's humor was cheering me up.

I got back to the house later on in the day after wandering around town for a while and realized no one was home. I called Uncle Elijah, Uncle Finn, Grandmother, but got no reply. I rang up my aunt and she answered on the first ring.

"Niece." She said coldly.

"Aunt Bekah- have you seen anyone? I can't find them."

"Try the bar, remember your father and your uncle were going? I bet the pair of fools are wasted by now." I could almost see her roll her eyes in disgust.

"Of course, thanks Aunt Becks!" I then snapped the phone shut, and went to the Mystic Falls Bar and Grill. I should've known the momentary peace of the day would've ended abruptly, as I walked in to see Alaric stab my uncle. His skin immediately hardened and he groaned and fell into Alaric.

"Uncle Kol!" I called out, my nightmare coming true. "Alaric stop-" But I didn't get to finish, as Meredith, the psycho caught me off guard as my greatest weakness was my love for my family- especially my favorites. She freaking stabbed me through the back, noting how I hadn't keeled over with my uncle.

Well great, now my red halter top was ruined! I gasped for breath as she dragged me outside with Alaric and my uncle.

I felt myself stiffening, and I was growing irate at how I was being ambushed by some ugly bitch who belonged in an asylum.

Just as I took my final breath, and my eyes began to close completely, all senses shutting off, I noticed Dad rush in, pull the dagger out of my heart and of my Uncle's, then started to beat the Salvatore's and Alaric.

As soon as I got my senses back, I got up and held dad back from attacking Damon.

"You're family hates you as much as the rest of us do." Damon smirked, and Dad tried to attack but I got in the middle, and Uncle Elijah had recovered from his freeze-up as well, and commanded his brother to stop.

"We must go. Stop our mother."

So he knew. Uncle Elijah knew…and by the way Damon and my uncle were speaking, I knew the deed would be carried out tonight.

No. I would not be fatherless.

As my family began to walk up the steps, I turned on Damon and hissed, "If you think I'm going to let my family go without a fight, you're an imbecile Damon. I thought I could trust you."

"Cam-"

"Save it. You had sex with my aunt. To me, that's incest, because you are a brother to me."

"Sweetheart, we have to go." Dad called, holding out his hand for me from the top of the stairs. I narrowed my eyes at Damon for a minute, then pushed him over into a garbage can, then rushed up in a blur to my dad.

"Now we can go." I told my dad.

We then rushed to catch up to my uncles.

We were walking like a bunch of total BAMF's through the woods, when Uncle Kol asked Dad how it had gone with Caroline.

He was truly after her then…great, everyone wins but me in love.

"She was in on the plan- she was supposed to get me away from you, so I couldn't protect you Kol. I realized, and rushed back, and I saved you, but I was distracted that my daughter had gotten involved as well. No matter. I'll always protect her." I looked down, touched, and embarrassed. "I may be a hybrid, but I felt it when you got stabbed. It was a huge pain in my heart." Just then he crouched over and gripped his chest in agony as I guessed Uncle Finn was starting his ritual. Uncle Elijah and Kol started to get wide-eyed, but then they turned back to normal, and we looked to Uncle Elijah for an explanation.

"Mother is sending a message. She knows we know by now."

We got to the old witch house, and when it came into view, I found the urge to turn around and run after my entrapment in there…but I fought it and found Dad's hand as we walked up to the circle where Finn and Gran cowered from us.

Gran was such a coward, she revealed her motives and opinions while she was safe from us attacking.

"Uncle Elijah is better than you." I spat back at her after she criticized him. "He's a better person than you'll ever be. You just wish to destroy our family."

She laughed at me. "Child, I do not wish to cause you pain, but I'm doing what must be done."

"I'm going to feel pain and fear until you're dead bitch. I can't rest until I know my Dad will be safe again."

"You care so much, but he doesn't about you nearly as much."

"You're asking for it." Dad growled. "How dare you accuse me of not loving my own baby girl! Just because you and Mikael hate me, doesn't mean I can't be a good parent."

"Niklaus, don't worry, she'll be safe with me after you're gone, you can be sure she'll be in good hands."

"I'd rather die than go with you." I looked over her in disgust. "I'll go off on my own if I lose my family. I know you want me for my power, but lady, I'm not handing it over to you. I'll find a way to die before I let you control my life."

"Once again- smartest girl." Uncle Kol praised with my father.

Just then, the flames of the torches grew large and blinding, and we all shielded ourselves, Dad shielded me and when the flames subsided, we all came back up, and Finn and Gran were gone.

Kol then turned to me and said hurriedly, "Adeline, be brave, be strong. I'll be back soon enough. Trust me. I can't stay here anymore, it's too dangerous. But know I love you. You're my favorite niece." He grinned widely.

"I'm your only niece Uncle." I said, playing along for old times' sake.

"Atta girl." He kissed my forehead. Then he fled.

I found out that Uncle Elijah was planning to leave also when we got back to the mansion, and all I could think was, great, just peachy.

The only one was wasn't making plans to leave yet was my aunt. I eavesdropped on her and my dad as they spoke, him burning his drawings, and her saying he was the only family that hadn't ever abandoned her.

I felt a burst of pride for a moment. I swore I had the best dad ever.

I zoned out for a minute, and was so confused what they were talking about when I listened in again, so I walked into the room and asked what wasn't over.

"Nothing sweetheart, go back to sleep." Dad waved his hand dismissively. I mean, I was in my pajamas, rubbing my eyes.

"There's another white oak tree, so we could still all die." Aunt Rebekah admitted.

Dad glared at her and she shrugged, "She has a right to know Nik. She's your daughter, she's exactly like you- she'd hate to find out you died from something she thought was gone. Would you really want her to be totally unprepared for your death?"

"You make it seem inevitable!" Dad shouted.

"I don't know, but Nik, as much as you try to protect us, your girls, you can't. Some things just have to told for their own good, even if it can hurt them now, it won't be as much of a shocker when it actually happens."

I gaped at my dad and he came over to my and hugged me. "I'm not going to let my mother separate us darling. I promise."

I wondered how long until that promise was broken.

...

REVIEW!

ALERT!

FAV!

Now should Adeline have her old romantic interest come back into the picture, or no?