Mystic Grille, February 2010

Abigail found herself enjoying her lunch far more than she had expected. Matt Donavan, the blonde waiter who'd sat her at the bar was genuinely nice. Instead of finding her confusion over the menu offerings or the spinning stool, he took it in stride.

"There are far too many choices," she mused. "Do you have anything simple? Salad greens with cold chicken, perhaps?" She was yearning for something familiar in this jarring new time.

"I think we can manage that." He answered with a smile. "Are you sure about the plain water? We have soda, tea?"

"Water's fine, thank you, Matt." She said, returning his smile.

As he walked to the kitchen to put in her order he saw Caroline come in, pointing to his section and the bar, she nodded and walked over to where Abigail was seated.

"Is this seat taken?" A pretty blonde with shoulder length hair asked.

"No," Abigail answered shyly.

The blonde gave her her full attention and announced, "You're new in town. Visiting, tourist, or relocation?" Her smile took the sting out of her overt curiosity.

Abigail studied the girl. Her inquisitiveness wasn't out of rudeness, she just liked to know the current state of her little town. Smart and sensible.

"Abigail Morgan," she said, holding out her hand. "Let's go with relocation."

The blonde's eyes lit up. ""Caroline Forbes, sheriff's daughter. Are you going to be staying in Morgan House?" As they shook hands Abigail felt herself drawn to this girl. She was as genuine as Matt.

"It is my house, so…" Abigail offered, allowing her lunch companion to wrap her mind around the news.

"I understand that, I suppose," the bubbly blonde replied, smile still in place. "It's just, doesn't it need work?"

Abigail focused on Caroline, the question about the house's condition wasn't what she planned to ask. Clearly this girl had other concerns about Abi's home.

"Undoubtedly," she answered. Curiosity peaked. "I'll be taking care of it, but first I have some other errands." She smiled as Matt returned with her food.

"Abigail is moving into Morgan House, Matt. Isn't that amazing?" Caroline was saying. Abigail could hear the leading tone and waited to see his reaction.

Discomfort, that was as plain as the blonde boy took in the news. What were they worried about? Clearly something to do with the house. Maybe they had seen someone go inside, could they know her benefactor?

As Abigail ate and allowed the young people control over the conversation, she wondered if she could find something in her mother's spellbook to make the truth come out. Her mind flashed to the letter, it's revelation about her family and what she truly was. She followed Caroline and Matt's conversation, interest peaked when she heard familiar names.

"Did you say you know a Bennett?" Abigail's fork remained poised with the final bite of her delicious salad waiting. Seeing her companions still, she smiled reassuringly. "My family has old journals in my home. I read the name and it must have stuck."

Still a bit uncomfortable, Matt and Caroline chose to believe her. "Bonnie," Caroline answered, smiling. "She's one of my best friends."

Abigail realized she was wasting time beating about the proverbial bush. All she really needed was to simply ask the appropriate questions. She was new in town, they had answers, all she needed was her natural talent to get to know those in her orbit.

"One of your best friends?" Abigail tried sounding merely interested in finding others close to her age. She popped the last bite of her lunch into her mouth and chewed.

Matt gave a rather uncomfortable chuckle. "Yeah, our friend group keeps growing."

Arching her eyebrow in curiosity, she asked, "Growing?" Swallowing her bite and taking a drink. "Like me, I hope?" She smiled at the two of them to show the truth of her words. They were nice kids.

"Some more welcome than others." Caroline muttered. Seeing a flash of hurt cross Abi's face, she rushed to clarify. "Not you, you seem nice. There's been others. Long story."

Abigail gave the other woman a sweet smile. "I have a bit of time left before I have to go around with my errands."

She listened carefully as Caroline unleashed a tirade against Damon Salvatore. He was duplicitous. He used people. On and on it went. Matt had hustled off to get Caroline's meal and to wait on his other tables. Shooting Abi sympathetic looks for her having to sit through his girlfriend's rant. A rant she'd unleashed on purpose.

"So this Damon?" Abigail hoped her voice didn't catch. "He's a bad addition to the town, but it sounds like you have others?"

Caroline had stopped speaking, taking a breath that allowed Abi to finally ask another question and hopefully get her away from Damon's vileness. A wrinkle formed in Caroline's forehead. "Yes, there are others." She smiled. "But the rest are more welcome. Damon's younger brother Stefan, he's dating my other best friend, Elena Gilbert."

Abigail nodded her encouragement. Caroline was a font of information. A little nudge and she'd unleash a wealth of her feelings and observations. "Stefan is the exact opposite of Damon." She looked almost dreamy. Dear lord, she wanted him. Poor Matt.

Abigail found Caroline's rant of Damon balm for her abused soul, but trying to rectify the Stefan her new friend was gushing about with the one who had presented her with his "courting gift" was beyond difficult. Even having seen him with Elena at her house, seemingly free of whatever demon had controlled him, she still wasn't entirely convinced.

"Stefan," her voice sounded calm thankfully. "Sounds great!" Jesus, the pep in her own voice terrified her. "Are there more than the Salvatores?"

Caroline was momentarily sidetracked by Matt bringing her ood. Giving him a peck of a kiss, she dug into her food with the same carefulness of Abi's upbringing. Chewing carefully, she answered after swallowing. "Sorry, starving." Abigail smiled in understanding. "Yeah, there've been others. Alaric Saltzman, our history teacher. He had to replace the one who passed away."

Abi tutted her condolences. "Animal attack." Caroline noticed Abi's widened eyes and took it for fear and shock, not for the realization that the resident vampires weren't under complete control. "Don't worry, they caught the mountain lion."

Compulsion, it was clear to Abigail. Caroline had been compelled. Possibly Matt as well. Curious. Tilting her head, Abigail tempted something she had never tried, but having read her mother's explanation for who and what they were, she decided to give it a go. Infusing her voice with as much power as she could, she asked the question she really wanted to have answered.

"Caroline, what made you so uncomfortable about my house?" Abigail's voice sounded the same, but she felt the power flowing through her words.

Caroline didn't take on the look of someone being compelled. Her eyes stayed clear and focused, and her voice didn't sound any different when she answered.

"Because I know that the football team breaks into Morgan House every year on Devil's Night." Abigail raised an eyebrow, even though she'd thought she heard Damon muttering about the state of her back servant's entrance, she hadn't thought about this type of violation. "They say that a real life sleeping beauty inside. She lays in the only room that looks made up. A friend of ours, Tyler Lockwood says he touched her. She's warm and breathing, but doesn't react. I was worried that you would have found her, or noticed the jimmied door."

Abigail shook her head. "So you were worried about some ghost story and the fact that your friends broke into my house." She considered the explanation and decided that it made sense. "Thank you for sharing this with me, Caroline. Not to worry, no ghosts and I don't care that rambunctious teenagers decided to use my house as a dare. It's a new day, after all." She smiled and Caroline returned it.

"It's so easy to talk to you, Abigail." She said, as Matt returned with Abi's check. "Put my number in your cell so we can keep in touch. And Matt's too."

"Actually, I lost my phone. It's one of my errands, but hunger called to me first." The blonde girl tutted and wrote two sets of numbers on a paper napkin. "When you get your replacement, put these in." Matt nodded his agreement and Abigail smiled. "We're your first friends in Mystic Falls, and I'd hate to lose touch."

Abigail kept her smile and took the check that Matt had placed in front of her. Seeing the price and having noticed the extra money people were leaving behind, she handed him a fifty dollar bill. He went toward the till, but Abi stopped him.

"Keep the rest, Matt." Abigail called, noticing his shocked reaction she realized she'd given him far more than he expected. "You've done such a wonderful job of feeding and welcoming me, I think you're more than worth it."

"It's more than double your check, Abigail." He said, clearly uncomfortable with the amount she was offering.

She sighed heavily. "Would paying for Caroline's meal and giving you the rest be more amenable, Matt?" His smile returned, clearly that worked. "Then cover Caroline's check as well. And thank you both, but I must be off."

Abi hopped down from her stool and left. She didn't notice that she was still being watched. The noise of the Grille making her want to get outside now that she was no longer distracted by her lunch companions. Outside in the fresh air and with far less noise to overwhelm her, she began walking down the street.

She kept her eye out for a storefront that looked like it offered a phone that looked like Damon's or a clothing store to expand her wardrobe. She passed a library and thought about stopping, but moved on. Later, she decided. A bright flashing storefront offered various phone options. Crossing the street, Abigail headed for the obnoxiously bright store. She opened the door and a young woman approached her.

After a cheerful greeting, the woman asked what Abi needed. Was she a current customer or was she interested in 'switching carriers'. Abigail went with honesty. She was a new customer entirely. She could tell that this excited the woman. Reading her was incredibly easy, she clearly wanted a sale so she could make more money.

The woman flitted about the store, showing phones and explaining features and other technological words that Abi had no concept of understanding. Finally, just to quiet the blathering, she picked one that looked the most like the phone she'd gotten to know with Damon.

Launching into another round of decisions, the woman inundated her with options for 'plans'. Abigail held up a hand and asked for the best plan, then allowed the woman to activate the phone, paying after what felt like an eternity, Abigail left the store.

The shop girl had given her a short tutorial on various options and applications. How to add contacts, like Caroline and Matt's, the camera features and something about 'facebook', 'twitter', and 'google'. Nodding so the woman would know she was listening, Abigail drifted. She'd learn the same way she'd learned Damon's, from use.

As she finally found herself outside, she walked the street further ready to finish her errands and head back to the house. Her major problem was the charging of her new phone. Her house didn't have electricity, so she'd have to make arrangements to begin updating the house. Clothes first, then library, she decided. Smiling at her new reality, she confidently walked along, knowing that she was in charge of her own destiny finally.