A/N: I don't own anyone but my OC's…though I wished I owned the rest…*sighs*

Brooklyn sat before the fire as she enjoyed her drink. Tonight she opted for hot tea instead of the usual fare. She needed a clear head after everything that happened in North Carolina.

"So Klaus is real?" Stefan crossed the room. He sat down beside Brooklyn who nodded regretfully.

"Yep," she exhaled, "Afraid so Stefan."

"Great," the vampire huffed. "But we killed Elijah…"

"Stefan stop," Brooklyn shot a sharp look towards him. "Did you just say Elijah?"

"Yeah why?"

"We've already met," Brooklyn confessed. "At the Masquerade he was there and we talked out on the balcony about Klaus and how my dreams are connected to him. It seems he has been was looking for me."

"And you didn't tell Damon or any of us because….."

"Because of this," she gestured at him. "You are starting to teeter on the brink of panic."

"Ya think Brook! I mean after all that was who the vampires that kidnapped Elena were gonna turn her over to!"

"Well I'm sorry," she snapped. "But right now with everything that's been going on I think we have enough to deal with! Did you two geniuses think that maybe we could've found out where Klaus was hanging out before skewering him like a piece of meat!"

Brooklyn stared her friend down in an angry but not intimidating fashion. The one big lead they had on Klaus was now gone!

"Well maybe you should take it up with Damon. He's the one who ran the coat rack through Elijah."

"Well maybe I will," Brooklyn started towards the kitchen but froze. Stefan too heard the sound of footsteps closing in on them. The hunter snatched a stake in her hand as Stefan did the same. Rose sidestepped out from the shadows; fear clouded her eyes.

"What do you want?" Stefan growled.

"I mean no harm," Rose held up her hands in surrender. "I'm sorry for what happened."

"You were willing to sacrifice Elena," Stefan's eyes darkened.

"You don't understand," Rose begged them to listen. "Trevor…."

"Enough," Brooklyn placed a hand on Stefan's chest. "Stefan let's hear her out."

"I know who you are," Rose pointed a finger at the hunter. "Klaus is looking for you."

"Newsflash," Brooklyn snorted, "I already knew that."

"Well there's more you don't," Rose crossed her arms.

"Then start talking," Brooklyn went and seated herself in the chair. "Because I have all night."

Alaric and Damon pulled up to the boarding house finding the Charger in the same place it had been when they left.

"So she woke up and screwed your brains out," Damon smirked. "I like it."

"You're not the one with the bruises," Alaric grimaced as he slid out. The juts of his hips were discolored with yellow and purple from the rough wild sex mere hours before.

"But you loved it," Damon teased playfully.

"Yeah yeah," Alaric started up the gravel path.

"Look I've never met anyone who's laid eyes on him. We're talking centuries of truth mixed with fiction. I mean, we don't know if he's even real or not! For all we know he could be some bedtime story!"

Stefan wasn't buying what Rose was saying.

"He's real and he doesn't give up. If he wants something," her eyes turned towards Brooklyn, "or someone he gets it. If you're not afraid of Klaus, then you're an idiot."

"Stefan he's real," Brooklyn hoped she could get through to him. "Don't ask me how I know this but I do. When I see him, in my dreams, it's real."

"Brook I know you're upset," Brooklyn shot a hand across her chest. Her eyes narrowed to two angry slits.

"Upset? Stefan, we can't just wave this off! Elijah was very real and an Original! He knew who I was! He sought me out at the Masquerade for crying out loud!"

"Really now?" Damon stood beside Alaric in the doorway. Brooklyn tilted her head back in frustration and muttered a curse word beneath her breath.

"Yes, Elijah found me at the Masquerade," Brooklyn paced in front of the fireplace. She knew she had some explaining to do but she felt justified in not telling them right away.

"When were you going to tell us?" Alaric had a pained look upon his face.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner," she looked towards them both. "But he knew who Klaus was and he was having dreams about me….About me being killed by Klaus."

"Why didn't you tell us?" Alaric gripped her shoulders.

"I could sense he wasn't evil or manipulative like Katherine. In case you forgot I can pick up on those vibes…including those of vampires."

Damon raised an eyebrow as she stared straight at him.

"Look I didn't mean to scare anyone okay? But I did what I had to do. I love you and Damon and would never deceive you."

"I know that," Alaric gently cupped her face in his hands.

"So what else did Elijah have to say? What infinite words of wisdom did he divulge to you?"

"Don't underestimate Klaus," she whispered.

Brooklyn was throwing clothing in her bag when she heard a light rapping on the door.

"Can we talk?" Rose stood in the doorway.

"What's there to talk about?" Brooklyn didn't turn around and continued shoveling dirty clothes in her bag.

"About how I know who you are," Rose slowly stepped in.

"Really?" Brooklyn stopped and turned around. "So what did you call up the Physic Hotline?"

"No," Rose was sad in her answer. "Because I know of your bloodline and what it means to Klaus."

"Oh yeah that," she crossed her arms.

"It's not only the Petrova doppelganger he's after."

"Yeah I kinda figured that when he perverted my dreams with all the blood and scary faces."

"This isn't funny Brooklyn."

"Who said I was laughing?"

"Look I know we all got off on the wrong foot," Rose started to say.

"That would be putting it very lightly considering you tried selling my friend upriver."

"And I'm sorry for that. Look I lost someone very dear to me: Trevor. He begged Elijah for forgiveness and was killed as show of 'mercy'."

"And I'm sorry you lost someone but it doesn't change what's happening and what happened."

Rose stood silent as Brooklyn got a feel for the vampire's aura. Rose was frightened to her core yet lost at the same time. Apparently the death of this Trevor dealt a death blow to her.

"You're right," Rose acknowledged. "But there's more that you don't know about the curse."

"You mean about the werewolf, the doppelganger and the vampire? Gee while we're at it let's throw in a magical wardrobe for added measure!"

"There's more to it," Rose continued. "The blood of the three has to be spilled upon the stone. And not just a few drops either."

"So how does my bloodline tie into this?"

"One of your ancestors went up against Klaus and succeeded in killing several of the Originals. Klaus swore revenge upon her and her descendents and hunted every single one down. But he missed one and the child grew up a hunter and taught his own children about the Originals and the curse."

"Anything else you wish to divulge Ms. Dickens?"

"I know you don't trust me and you have every right to but hear me out."

"I'm listening."

"You also have a connection to the moonstone."

"This keeps getting better by the minute," Brooklyn flopped down on the bed.

"Your ancestors had kept it hidden until it was stolen from them. After the Aztec shaman cursed vampires and werewolves, he entrusted the stone to one his best warriors. He and generations after him guarded the moonstone."

"Lemme guess….It somehow made its way to England where a certain dark haired vampire stole it from one nasty blonde haired vampire."

Rose was growing frustrated by the hunter's snarky manner but didn't let on.

"Yes Katherine stole it from Klaus and fled to the New World where she changed her name to Pierce."

"But how would it have made it to England?"

"That I don't know," Rose answered regretfully.

"But you never said how I tie in to the moonstone."

"One of your ancestors was in possession of it when Klaus found it."

"Then it was stolen by our resident psychotic bitch."

"So how do we find out more about the moonstone?"

"There's a vampire in Richmond named Slater. The guy's a fanatical researcher, a walking encyclopedia of vampire lore."

"Well then I suppose that's where we should start huh?"

Damon was seated across from Alaric in the library. The vampire watched his lover lick the tip of his finger before slowly turning the page. He had not given up on finding anything new about the moonstone or doppelganger story and was going back through Isobel's journals. Damon tilted his head as he ran a finger around the top of his glass, watching the rich soulful hues sway back and forth. He cared about Alaric that much was certain.

Rose silently watched as Damon continued gazing across the room. The glint sparkling in his mocha hues spoke volumes to her. His body was relaxed in the presence of the human, nothing like she witnessed in North Carolina. Brooklyn was close by, making her own observations about her undead lover. Damon's usual tense aura was nowhere to be sensed but rather something else was in place.

"Now isn't this precious?"

Damon shot up with a defensive look in his eyes. Alaric rubbed his and blinked at the pair. He then looked towards Damon who looked as if he had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Brooklyn grinned as she stepped down and across the room, clearly amused by Damon's expression.

"Relax," she assured the vampire. "Your secret's safe with me."

"Whatever," Damon rolled his eyes. Brooklyn frowned behind his back as he went to help himself enough to another drink. "So did you two social butterflies come up with anything?"

"There's a vampire in Richmond who may know more about the curse. His name's Slater."

"Great well let's go," Damon finished off his drink in one gulp. Brooklyn started to gather her things but was stopped by Damon who blocked her path.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"With you," she huffed.

"Wanna try that again?"

"I'm not Elena, Damon. You can't boss me around and threaten me."

"Which is why I'm doing this," Damon scooped her up finding the hunter fighting against him.

"Damon put me down damn it!"

"Nope," he pressed his lips tightly. Alaric followed them down the hall with Rose right on his heels. Brooklyn continued cursing and beating against Damon's chest but the vampire simply waved aside her protests. "You are going to stay put until I get back."

The vampire dropped her unceremoniously in the spare room and slammed the heavy iron door behind her. Damon locked the ancient door and handed the key over to Alaric. His eyes were two pools of steel as he relayed his orders.

"She stays put. No one goes in and no one goes out but you."

"Do you really have to do this?"

Damon cast a strange look at the human. "In case you haven't noticed Rick, Brooklyn isn't exactly one to obey. I can't have her going off and getting hurt. Last thing I need is a dead werewolf on my hands."

Alaric picked up the underlying concern in his voice. Brooklyn's fist pounded angrily on the door as she wailed and cursed on the other side. It was killing Alaric to do this but Damon's stern look convinced him this was the best way to go.

"You know you probably didn't have to lock her up," Rose added her opinion.

"You don't know Brooklyn like I do," Damon snorted.

"You know it must be difficult for you," she said out of nowhere.

"Difficult for what?"

"To be in love with both of them."

"I'm not in love with anyone," Damon denied her astute observation.

"Wanna try that again?" Rose smirked.

"Well you're way out of your league," Damon instantly threw up his defensive walls.

"No, I believe it is the other way around," Rose relaxed in the seat as they rolled into the underground garage. Damon slipped out as Rose came around to join him. Without warning he hurled the older vampire against the vehicle with eyes turned and fangs flashing.

"You know I could rip your heart out," he growled. Rose simply fisted the vampire's jacket and slammed him against the concrete pillar.

"You're sorely mistaken! Remember I'm older and stronger than you are so don't mess with me!"
Damon couldn't find his voice as Rose released him. "Come on."

The vampire followed her up the backstairs then down a vast tall corridor. People passed by with coffee in hand while others were chatting away on their phones. The rich aroma of coffee and milk filled the air as Rose pushed open a glass door then stepped inside a modest looking coffee shop. Damon noticed the tall panes of glass openly embracing the burning rays of the sun.

"Aren't you worried about…." Damon gestured at the windows.

"Slater had them tempered to block out UV lights," Rose casually answered. "There he is over there."

A slender chocolate haired man was seated in the corner with a laptop perched before him. Damon snorted as he was looking at Slater, the alleged walking encyclopedia of vampire lore.

"Slater," Rose shook the vampire. Slater leapt up, startled at first but once his mind caught up with his eyes he immediately calmed down and smiled warmly at them both.

"Rose," he embraced her shortly. "It's good to see you!"

"Slater this is Damon Salvatore," Damon nodded curtly. "Slater we need your help."

Yeah...Another update...