AUTHOR'S NOTE: This chapter covers the entire month of August.

The beginning of August passes by without any supernatural incidents. Bonnie is still with her family as expected though she does call in every other day to see what's going on and Liam has no problem talking for half an hour with her filling her in. The more time he spends with Caroline or Stefan, the easier it is for him to accept their vampire nature when talk of it slips out.

Now that he has his own personal xbox, he spends most of his free time playing the console and dodging Caroline's attack of picture taking. Even though the camera is his, it doesn't stop the blonde vampire from finding the camera and snapping pictures of everyone for him.

The middle of August is a completely different story on the supernatural front. Damon has decided to finally grace Reese's home with a visit, Liam opening the door to him when Reese was busy upstairs. Liam had froze, a smirk playing on Damon's lips at the boy's reaction until he calmed down enough to move again.

Damon had kept his features masked in a chill manner, Liam relaxing as the seconds passed by. The boy didn't have anything against Damon though when Damon squatted so he was at eye level, Liam knew something was off. Why was Damon acting so friendly? And then Liam knew, as did Reese when she came down a second too late, and Damon attempted to compel Liam into inviting him inside.

Damon looked smug as he held Liam's gaze, Reese leaping off the third-to-last step, her anger suddenly spiking. Reese would have torn Damon a new one had she not watched as Liam kept his cool, squaring his shoulders and stood tall, before slamming the door in Damon's face.

Reese was really going to have to thank Stefan once again for getting Liam a vervain necklace.

Surprisingly, Liam doesn't retreat back into himself after Damon's attempt at compelling him. Instead, it's his new favorite story to tell Stefan every chance he gets about the look on Damon's face when he realized his compulsion didn't work.

School for Liam is quickly approaching, though he still has a bit of time to spend with his aunt and supernatural buddies. His school list gets emailed to Reese, since she's in charge of all of his expenses and the two set a date to go shopping the next day.

When the next day arrives, Liam and Reese are dressed and ready to head out and tackle the school list. They're in for a surprise though when Liam throws open the front door and Stefan is standing there, his fist poised as if he were about to knock. Reese snorts at his deer caught in headlights look before he puts his hand down, Liam low-fiving him on the way passed him.

She unlocks the car from where she stands, Stefan grinning at her and asking where they're going. Reese tells him that they're going school shopping so that Liam will have everything when he gets back to Texas and Stefan nods in understanding.

Looking sheepish with his hands shoved deep into his front pockets, Reese snorts at how innocent Stefan seems to look and invited him along for the ride. He takes a moment to think about it before shrugging and agreeing. So when Liam sees Stefan heading for the passenger side of his aunt's car, he quickly climbs over the seat into the back and makes himself comfortable.

When they get to the shopping center, they immediately set out to gather up any folders, paper, pens, pencils, and highlighters. Reese lets him pick out any other folders and binders with any movie or cartoon characters that he wanted as extras. When they gathered up all of the school supplies, Stefan volunteered to buy his shoes and backpack, and Reese argued with him the entire time that he didn't have to do that but he insisted.

In the end, Stefan ended up buying the backpack, two pairs of shoes, and a few more outfits. He was officially Liam's favorite vampire.. only he told Stefan not to repeat that in front of Caroline.

Towards the end of August, Stefan and Damon are actually trying to bond as brothers again. After Damon realized that Elena was acting odd when someone mention Stefan and Reese, he pulled her aside and they talked about it. He made it clear that, yes he did love her, but he wasn't going to sit around and pine if she was suddenly interested in Stefan again because he finally had eyes for someone other than her. Elena had tried with all her might to deny everything but Damon knew better. They had argued for three days about it until Elena gave in and told him that yes, there were still lingering feelings but that she only wanted to be with Damon now. She wasn't going to be Katherine.

So that was that and now Damon was trying to somewhat bond with his little brother hence the reason they were now sitting in dim lighting at the bar inside Mystic Grill.

"So where's Barbie, the Witch, and the Munchkin?" Damon drawled as he twirled the liquid in his glass. "You four are practically the Brady Bunch now-a-days."

Stefan scoffed. "Are not. And they're out and about. Caroline had something planned."

Damon opened his mouth to pester his brother about just what plans the barbie vampire had but familiar, very familiar, voices have him looking over his shoulder and towards the entrance. "So they made plans to come to the Grill." He snorted. "How unoriginal."

"Shutup, Damon." Stefan sighed. "Leave the girls alone. It's Liam's last week here so Care probably does have something planned."

"Interesting. What do say we go make sure the squirt has a fun time with the boys as well."

"No." Stefan gripped his brother's retreating shoulder and pushed him back on his stool. "If they call us over then we'll go. If not, just let them have their fun."

Damon pouted, earning a chuckle from his usually uptight brother but sat back down nonetheless. Just when Damon thought the night was going to be boring, Reese's harsh mumblings reached his ears.

"No, Caroline, I'm not singing it."

"What do you think they want her to sing?" Damon suddenly asked his brother, making sure to keep his voice low so Caroline didn't hear.

Stefan shrugged. "I don't know. Could be anything." He didn't even bother to reprimand his brother on eavesdropping since he was listening in as well since there was nothing else to do.

"Come on, Reese! You have to! Liam told me you've been writing more frequently."

"Way to drag me down, Care." They heard Liam groan.

"Sorry, buddy, but come on! Aren't you curious as to what she's been writing in her book?"

"Well.."

"Oh my god, you guys suck!" Reese laughed. "It's nothing, really. Nothing spectacular. Just a silly song not worth singing."

"What kind of silly song?"

Both Damon and Stefan peered over their shoulder as inconspicuous as they could, waiting for Reese's answer to Caroline's question. From the looks of Liam's shoulders shaking with silent laughter, he knew already what the song was about.

"It's.. uh.. it's ab-"

"A boy." Liam answered for her. "It's a song about a boy."

"Interesting." Damon smirked. "Who do you think she wrote about?"

"It's about Stefan, isn't it?!"

Damon snorted. "Of course."

"Shutup, Damon." Stefan frowned. "You don't even kno-"

"How'd you know?" Reese whined. "You haven't even read it. Or heard it!"

"You two are really oblivious, aren't you?" The blonde vampire snorted. "Just go up there and sing it. It's not like he's here anyway."

"And our night just got interesting." Damon ordered another drink before turning to where the trio was sitting.

"I don't know, Damon, maybe we should leave."

"Please." The elder Salvatore scoffed. "You know you want to hear what she writes about you. Just sit back and relax baby bro. And don't be seen."

Damon and Stefan have a bit of a stare down while Damon keeps an ear out for Reese and Caroline's conversation. He can hear the rapid beating of the witch's heart and the pleas of her nephew to get up on stage. Stefan looks ready to bolt though Reese's next words keep him rooted to his spot.

"Fine. But you're getting the guitar from behind the bar."

What can he say, he's just as nosy at the rest of Mystic Falls.

Stefan stays facing the back wall where the bartender keeps all the liquor, trying his best to not be seen as Damon carelessly peers over his shoulder to see what's going on. He watches as Caroline leaps from her chair, Reese's head falling to the table as Liam laughs at her misfortune. When the blonde vampire gets closer to the bar, she easily catches Damon's eye and winks.. causing the elder Salvatore to snort in amusement.

Of course Caroline knew they were there.

She easily gets the guitar from the bartender, the guy all smiles when she tells him that Reese has an original song to sing for the crowd. The guitar is soon in Reese's trembling hands and Caroline is pushing the witch up towards and then on the stage.

The moment Reese is standing behind the microphone, her heartbeat is racing again. The lights over the patrons dim just the slightest and a spotlight is turned on. Customers sitting at the tables and booths whoop in joy, and Reese visibly gulps.

Damon can't help but snort in amusement and Stefan rib checks him just as Reese starts to talk.

"H-hey, everyone." She feebly waves at the crowd before fumbling with the tuning pegs as she speaks. "It's nice to know that I'm welcomed when I'm spotted up here." Some more people in the crowd whoop and Stefan smiles at her warm welcome on the stage.

"She seems popular with the crowd." Damon murmurs.

"They enjoy her singing." Stefan shrugs. "The first time she sang here, she had the entire place singing along with her."

"Well, you're probably expecting some amazing song but if I'm being quite honest with you, it's really not." She continues to tune the guitar, rambling as she listens for the correct chords. "This song is supposed to be played on a ukulele but since I don't have mine, this guitar is going to have to do."

"Just shutup and sing!" Caroline yells from her table, Liam sniggering at the blonde vampire.

"Shutup, Care." Reese glares in her direction from the stage. "This is the first time that I'm singing this song so it's a bit nerve wracking. If you want to head to the bar and get a drink, be my guest because this song is a bit of a girly one. About pining after a crush. Sort of. So yeah, don't expect anything soul deep and what not."

Stefan is frozen in his seat, as a few people in the crowd murmur and laugh among themselves at Reese's ramblings. Having heard Reese just confirm that she has a crush on him made him want to smile and laugh in relief but he knew that Damon was smugly smirking at him so he stayed fairly neutral.

"Alright, well.. here goes nothing."

Reese breathed out deeply, placing her fingers on the chords. Grinning sheepishly, with just a hint of a blush coloring her cheeks, her eyes sparkled with the rush of adrenaline that came with singing to a public crowd. Even if it was just a bit embarrassing for her.

"I'm.. in.. trouble, I'm an addict, I'm addicted to this boy.
He's got my heart tied in a knot and my stomach in a whirl.
But even worse I can't stop calling him, he's all I want and more,
I mean damnnn, what's not adore?"

She strummed in short abrupt stokes before pausing and then starting again, Reese trying her best not to laugh as she sang and several people in the crowd cheered and laughed.

"Aw, isn't that cute." Damon cooed.

"I've been playing too much guitar, I've been listening to jazz.
I called so many times, I swear he's going mad.
And that cellular will be the death of us, I swear.
I swear."

"Say one word and I'll smash my glass against the side of your head." Stefan dead-panned, his eyes trained on Reese on stage. Damon's response was to hold his hands up in surrender.

"And oh, o-oh, o-oh, o-oh, oOoOoOoh.
I'm running my mouth just like I got him but I surely don't.
Because he's so o-oh, o-oh, o-oh Rock and Roll
and out of my league.
Is he out of my league?
Let's hope not."

"If anything, she's out of your league." Damon snickered. "You better do something cheesy and go claim your girl after this song ends.

Stefan groaned. "Will you just shutup and listen."

"I'm in trouble, I'm so cliché, see that word just wears me out.
Makes me feel like just another girl to laugh and joke about.
But even worse I can't stop calling him, I love to hear that voice.
And honestly, I'm left with no choice."

"I'll, um.. I'll be back." Stefan mumbled, his eyes trained on the stage as he suddenly pushed off from the bar.

"I've been playing too much guitar, I've been listening to jazz.
I called so many times, I swear he's going mad.
And that cellular will be the death of us, I swear.
I swear.
And oh, o-oh, o-oh, o-oh, oOoOoOoh.
I'm running my mouth just like I got him but I surely don't.
Because he's so o-oh, o-oh, o-oh Rock and Roll
and out of my league.
Is he out of my league?
Let's hope not."

The second Reese strummed the last chord, she laughed off the remaining of her nerves as people cheered and clapped for her song. She wasn't nervous about singing in front of a crowd because she's done it before but she was nervous for singing this song in front of a crowd.

She can hear Caroline and Liam's cheers over everyone else, them being the only two calling her out by name. The second her gaze sweeps over the people closest to the stage, her heart practically drops to her stomach and her throat closes up. She's pretty much a deer caught in headlights as Stefan, the guy she just sang a song about, offers her his hand with a dimpled grin to lead her off stage.

Reese is frozen up until she's hears someone yelling out, "Kiss him!", and then she's glaring towards the bar where the shout came from and Damon is saluting her with his drink.

Reigning in her annoyance towards the elder Salvatore, she takes off the guitar from around her neck and shoulders, standing it up against the stool and takes the offered hand. Stefan's smug and amused expression turns into something more warm and affectionate, and suddenly any nerves that were felt have flown out the window.

Reese smiles back at him, biting her bottom lip to keep from laughing and more people start wolf-whistling and cat-calling towards them. The town of Mystic Falls is very small and nosy, and it doesn't take much to put one and one together. Stefan is obviously the guy in the song.

The second she hops off stage in front of him, he brings her closer, his free hand brushing along her jawline and pushing her hair back before swooping down and catching her lips in a kiss. They're both smiling into the kiss, Stefan feeling her shake with silent laughter as the cheers get louder, and they pull apart before one last quick peck.

Her arms go around Stefan's waist and she leans her head on his shoulder, Stefan chuckling while the cheers die down. "So, I'm rock and roll, huh?"

"Oh my god." Reese groans.

She leans back, straightening herself out and looks toward their table where Damon is now standing with a scowl on his face and Caroline looks overly bright and cheerful. "Did something happen that I don't know about?"

"Yeah," Stefan laughed when he caught sight of his brother. "-Damon just lost a bet. Caroline is now a hundred dollars richer."

Of course Stefan returned her feelings. If you're confused as to how he was suddenly relieved about "Reese returning his feelings", you seriously haven't read the beginning AN, paid attention to this story, or know me at all. Shame on you. Now leave me a review as your punishment.

Lol. Just kidding. No.. but seriously.. shame on you!

Song is called "Trouble" by NeverShoutNever.