"I'm so glad you asked me to help." Caroline beamed as she came down from down the hall and over to the table in the student dorm lounge to talk to them.

Payton had managed to get Valerie to come with her to go see Caroline, after Valerie had practically agreed with Payton that the girl needed to get out of town and away from Julian quickly, which suited Payton just fine, because it meant one less person getting in the way of her and Stefan, who were still a bit rocky that morning.

Caroline had been more than happy to help Payton come up with a plan to get Valerie to leave town. This was almost like her idea of fun putting together a fake identity and a story for the girl to live under. Payton knew the girl would be the perfect person to help out with this.

"Thank you for offering." Payton said back as she came round to stand behind Caroline who had now taken a seat and was clicking around on the laptop she had brought through.

Valerie anxiously paced the room, the ride over with Payton had been a deadly silence she had been trying to forget and now she had two of Stefan's closest female's to contend with. She just wanted to get this over and done with.

"Seattle looks nice," Caroline said after sometime, looking up over the screen at Valerie, who looked unsure, as the blonde went to turn the screen around so she could see it and Payton looked back at Valerie uneasily, "they got the space needle, great coffee and Mount St Helens..."

"Sound's interesting..." Payton tried to encourage Valerie to consider this place so they could get this over and done with sooner.

"Rain." Valerie remarked at the location choice in a fed up tone.

"Didn't take you as much of a sunshine person." Caroline found herself saying as she turned the screen back her way and began exploring as Payton found herself smirking.

"I mean there's always somewhere far far far away," Payton began to say as she looked back at Valerie, "perhaps Indonesia."

Valerie who had crossed her arms, now gave Payton a disbelief look that she would even suggest some place so far.

"Aww that is a good idea!" Caroline agreed with her friend, before she added, "you could rent a hut on the beach and drink out of coconuts."

"And be 9,000 miles away from Payton's boyfriend." Valerie pointed out, knowing that neither of them wanted to actually help her, this was to help Stefan and Payton.

Payton went to make a remark back at the comment, but Caroline knew from Stefan who had texted her before Payton arrived to try keep Payton in track, because her emotions were like a cannon ball, especially the anger and if Valerie pissed her off, then she would explode.

"Uh," Caroline quickly interjected before Payton could have her say, as she went to go on, "let's put a pin in locations for a moment and talk names because Valerie Tulle is way too traceable."

"I'm thinking..." Payton went to go make another bitter remark, but Caroline once again saved her friend the back lash in the long wrong.

"Matilda!" Caroline exclaimed causing Payton to snap her head over at Caroline with confusion at the name choice and Valerie to also frown back.

"What the hell, Caroline?" Payton shook her head in amusement at the random name choice.

"She could totally pull of a Matilda!" Caroline tried to convince the two of them, as she went on, "Matilda Pettigrew," she then put on an accent, "from Liverpool, England."

Caroline began to chuckle to herself, as she went to grab a notebook she had also brought from her dorm room, "Should I write it down?"

"You're handling like me I'm some sort of wounded bird, like I'm some sort of victim, but I'm not." Valerie tried to tell Caroline, knowing it would be no use with Payton.

"What do you want us to treat you like then?" Payton folded her arms this time, thinking Valerie really wasn't their problem right now, the girl could have at least been grateful they had welcomed her into their lives for the time being despite the angst that came with it.

"Once Stefan kills Julian, he can't hurt anyone else and I can just put this whole mess behind me." Valerie sighed coming to take a seat down opposite Caroline.

"What mess?" Payton frowned, still stood behind Caroline, not understanding what the whole 'mess' thing was.

"You know, the whole reason I'm afraid of Julian." Valerie said back, presuming they knew and it was why Payton had been so petty with her, but instead she was looking back at two women who looked very confused.

"No?" Caroline shook her head urging her to go on.

"My big secret. The entire horror story," Valerie went to explain to them, as Payton felt her once anger grow into unease, Valerie still could see both Payton and Caroline looked confused, but she directed her eye contact at Payton, "Stefan must have told you."

"No." Payton was shaking her head now, dread washing over her, thinking he would have if she wasn't so damn angry last night, he might have got a word in, but yet part of her felt like maybe she didn't want to know anyway.

This just sounded bad. She felt physically sick all of a sudden.

"He promised me he wouldn't tell anyone," Valerie continued on, as she leant forward slightly, "but I didn't know that included you."

Now it just sounded like Stefan hadn't told her on purpose. Or maybe that was what Valerie wanted her to think. Maybe Valerie was doing this on purpose to make her more angry.

But she couldn't shake that bad feeling. It wouldn't go away.

"Well, his loyalty certainly is attractive, isn't it?" Valerie smirked to herself.

Payton found herself going to lunge forward, the anger and unease not being able to be kept at bay, she wanted to rip the girl's head off for making such a mocking comment about her boyfriend, but before she could push the girl into the wall behind with her vamp speed and strength, Caroline acted fast and grabbed hold of Payton's elbow to stop her from playing into Valerie's game.

"Just tell her!" Caroline exclaimed back at Valerie, as she held onto a raging Payton, who was looking back at Valerie with a deep glare.

"Never mind," Valerie shrugged casually, realising just how easy it was to touch a nerve with Payton, "as you were saying, Matilda Pettigrew from Liverpool. Hmm. It's good. I like it."

Payton looked back at the girl in disbelief at the mind games she was playing and of course like always Payton was breakable, she always was when someone mocked her, she always gave into it, because her anger and insecurities got the better of her, she knew if she didn't get the hell out of here and find out her own way, then she would completely lose it so she snatched her arm back from Caroline and stormed off out of there.

"Payton!" Caroline called after the girl when she saw her walk off, getting onto her own feet, not wanting her to go, "Payton!"

Payton went the only place she could go to calm down on campus and that was straight to her Dad's apartment, she once again didn't even bother knocking as she came through the front door, thankfully her Dad was sitting on the couch watching TV, not stood in his underwear or something.

"Payton," Alaric quickly got onto his feet, wondering why the girl was rushing into his home in such a state, "what's wrong?"

Payton rushed over to him and engulfed him into a tight embrace, he was slightly knocked back off his feet, but once he regained balance, he held her in his arms and she sobbed quietly, getting out all the tension and upset she felt inside.

"Hey," He rubbed his hand up her back in a soothing manner, as he gently asked, "why all the tears?"

"Everything's a mess!" She cried, looking up at him through teary vision, "why is it whenever Stefan and I are finally happy something goes wrong?"

"What's happened this time?" Alaric asked feeling bad for her and the fact they could never catch a break.

"Valerie that stupid heretic had a past relationship with him when he was a human. She was his first love and obviously she's now back! She and Stefan know something I don't." Payton explained to him before she let out another large sob.

"Come sit down," He encouraged, bringing her over to the couch and sitting her down, before switching off the TV that had his wedding video playing, "what do you mean Stefan and Valerie know something?"

"I don't know, Dad. Whatever it is it's a secret between the two of them. It makes me feel sick to think he's kept something from me and the fact she just loved rubbing it in my face. I knew this was too good to be true."

"I'm sure Stefan wouldn't have kept something from you on purpose and I'm pretty sure he wouldn't be stupid enough to throw away your relationship for some old fling from a hundred odd years ago." Alaric tried to reason with her.

"It doesn't matter whether or not he feels that way, it's just the fact this keeps happening, surely this means we shouldn't be together."

"Not necessarily..."

"It's that damn universe!"

"I think you need to talk to him, Payton. He would hate to know you are upset like this." He tried to tell her.

"I don't even know if I can face him. I'm scared he'll just lie to me. And that scares me." Payton looked back at her Dad with fear.

"Where is he now?" Alaric asked.

"He's getting ready for some stupid ball at the Salvatore house. I think he's using it as his chance to kill Julian."

"The man Lily brought back?" He presumed from what he had heard from Bonnie and others since he had been so focused on Jo he felt a bit out of the loop.

"Yep and it makes me feel even worse that he is picking Valerie's wishes over my own. I mean, I know that sound's so damn selfish and spoilt, but I know I am selfish and spoilt, but god, if that was me, I wouldn't be picking Mason's wishes over Stefan's. It just feels like he's just forgotten about me."

"I think you need to talk to him and let him know how this is affecting you. I think you need to tell him straight that you want answers and you won't be messed around with like some fool." He suggested to her.

"But I am a fool. I will always act like a fool when it comes to him."

"Then try prove to him that you won't settle for less than what you deserve."

Stepping outside her Dad's apartment a while later, Payton dialled Stefan's number and waited for him to answer, when he failed to pick up, she decided to leave him a message.

"Stefan, it's Payton. I really need to talk to you. Please call me back."

Hitting the end button, she sighed in frustration and came back up to her Dad's apartment, she stayed there for a few hours, hoping he would call her but he never did.

Alaric had been sitting with her trying to keep her company, Jo was out trying to walk around campus, Alaric explained that he had come to the conclusion Jo wasn't Jo last night after talking with Bonnie, she was another vampire soul from the phoenix stone, but he wanted to keep her safe even if she wasn't really his to do so.

She felt bad for him knowing he had been so set on getting his wife back. Payton hated seeing him look so disappointed. It was like all his grief hit him hard all over again. But she knew he had to face it this time round and not run from it. He had to let it in.

Payton had decided to pop out to get them a fresh bottle of wine and a new bottle of bourban, knowing her Dad could probably take the edge of his day a little, she also decided to pick up some groceries for him as well. When she got back, Payton was confused to see Valerie and Caroline had turned up at the apartment whilst she had been gone for the past hours.

"What the hell is she doing here?" Payton found herself narrowing her eyes over to Valerie in frustration to see the woman stood there, as she closed the door with her hip and carried the groceries through into the sitting room.

Before anyone could answer her, Jo who had somehow come home and was now coughing up blood in the bedroom, she was tucked up in Alaric's bed, Payton frowned at the sight, wincing slightly at how harsh the cough was and how frail Jo looked all of a sudden.

What the hell had she missed since she had been at the grocery store?

"Jo came back unwell so I called Caroline and she brought Valerie with her. You weren't picking up your cell phone." Alaric told her in a strained tone as he sat beside Jo worriedly.

Payton put one of the grocery bags down onto the coffee table, looking through to the bedroom before getting her cell phone out of her back pocket, frowning when she saw it was dead, "Well that explains why. My phone died. What's going on?"

"It seems like a vampire soul in a human body does not make a perfect match make." Valerie answered in her knowing ways.

"What does that mean?" Jo asked on behalf of all of them.

"Oscar had a vamprie body, got some other vampires soul and then he lost the plot. Jo is a human. Clearly a basic human body is unable to contain the essence of a vampire soul," Alaric nervously looked back at Valerie, as Jo also looked between each of them in panic, "add that together, carry the one, you're a decomposing mess."

Payton gave Valerie a slight glare at her brutal-ness but then again, she shouldn't have expected anything less, but Caroline was already onto that one, she quickly grabbed Valerie's arm and lead her out of the living space through into the bedroom so she could have a word with her after that.

Payton turned her head back to her Dad who was now anxiously looking back at a tired looking Jo, she put the groceries down onto the coffee table with the other bag, coming through into the bedroom to him and then she laid her hand on his shoulder in comfort.

Alaric laid his hand on top of her own, before she intwined their fingers and gave him a good squeeze, "I'm here, Dad."

"I know, Pay," He said softly back to her, before going on, "thank you."

"I'll let you two have a moment to say goodbye, yeah?" Payton suggested pulling her hand away slowly.

"Thanks." Alaric nodded back at her, turning back to Jo as Payton headed out of the room.

As she came back, she grabbed the groceries and went through into the kitchen, she began to offload them into the cupboards and refrigerator as she did, Caroline came to join her and flashed her a small smile.

"So this is where you ran off to earlier." The blonde said to her as she went to help her put things away.

"I was not staying in the same room as that twisted manipulative bitch..." Payton muttered under her breath, referring to Valerie, but she also didn't care if the heretic even heard her, "what are you still even doing with her anyway?"

"I've been trying to set some place up for her all day! When we got that call about Jo I knew she would be helpful." Caroline shrugged.

"Well, thanks for still trying at least," She sighed, before going to go pour herself a glass of wine, but Caroline stopped her, "what?"

"You know when you feel this way, drinking only makes matters worse." Her friend tried to warn.

Payton scoffed, shaking her head, "I wanted one drink, Caroline. Plus my Dad is going to need something after having to watch his wife die all over again."

"I just think you should be careful." Caroline tried to advise her, she had many encounters with a drunk Payton to even count.

"Fine," She sighed, pushing the drink away from her, going to grab some bourban instead, "I'll just get my Dad one instead."

"What's gotten into you lately?" Caroline found herself asking in a genuine concerned tone.

"What do you mean?" Payton frowned back, wondering if she had been that different, had she?

Aside from the anger, weakness and disappointment, she thought she'd been fine.

"You just seem off. I don't know."

"I guess I've just had a lot of change to deal with." She shrugged back.

"Did you talk to Stefan?" Caroline asked.

"Nope," Payton shook her head, an uneasy feeling coming to the pit of her stomach, "I left him a voicemail but he hasn't got back to me, my phones dead. But I doubt it."

"I'm sure you'll figure it out." She tried to assure her friend, just then they both felt a chill run through the air, the sound of a former heartbeat no longer beating in their vampire hearing, signalling that Jo had passed away in the other room.

A few moments later, Alaric emerged from around the corner looking slightly pained from everything, before Caroline was immediately going out of the room to help him, "We should, um, freshen everything up."

"Caroline," Payton sighed, thinking that was probably the last thing her Dad wanted to do right now, "it's fine."

"Just let her." Alaric said coming through unbothered and grabbing the bottle of bourban, he popped open the lid and took a large swig straight from the bottle.

"I guess you don't want the glass I poured you." She said to her Dad.

"I'll take it," He said laying the bottle back down on the counter top and picking up the glass, "I'm so glad you're here."

"Really?" Payton smiled sadly back at him.

"I needed you the day I lost her and I definitely do again. We're family, Pay. We're the only family we have." Alaric reminded her, pulling her into a tight embrace.

"I know, Dad." She breathed, wrapping her arms around him and closing her eyes tightly.

She heard the sound of an explosion with her vamp hearing, causing her to pull out of the hug moments later, frowning slightly, "What was that?"

"What was what?" He asked in confusion clearly not having heard it.

Payton slowly let go of him and came through into the living room, she saw Valerie transfixed on the TV, Alaric followed Payton through, he frowned when he saw what Valerie was watching. Payton also frowned at the sight, she recognised the video to be her Dad's wedding video, she knew he had a habit of watching it back to help deal with his grief or maybe it was to put it on hold, but she wasn't one to judge.

"What are you doing?" Alaric asked defensively wondering why she was playing it and so engrossed in the video that witnesses his wife's death.

"What is that?" Caroline questioned as she came on through carrying some fresh sheets for the bed.

"It's his wedding video." Payton answered in confusion as to why Valerie wanted to watch it, the girl was seriously pushing her buttons that day.

"Post explosion," Alaric remarked referring to the part Valerie was so fixated on, "I've never been able to watch it past the wedding vows."

"Turn it off or I'll make you turn it off!" Payton threatened coming forward slightly.

"Quiet!" Valerie ordered still not taking her eyes off the TV.

"Excuse me?" Payton exclaimed at how rude the girl was being to her, her anger was only rising now.

"I recognise this chant," Valerie pointed to the TV where the camera had fallen over and was on the floor, but the Gemini Coven was chanting in the background, "that Gemini kid Kai, thought they were sending him to a prison world..."

Payton found herself lunging forward slightly, going to shove Valerie out of the way and grabbing hold of the remote to turn it off, "Just stop with this bullshit!"

"No, you're not listening!" Valerie interjected, moving out of the way so she wouldn't be hit by the girl, as Payton turned back to face her with a glare, "they weren't sending him away. They were trying to save the next generation of Gemini twins."

"What?" Payton scoffed, shaking her head, thinking this was just crazy.

"I think your babies are still alive." Valerie turned her head to look at Alaric.

"Are you serious right now?" Payton scoffed, she couldn't see past this rage she felt, clearly Valerie was messing with them, there was no way this was possible, "wow," Valerie turned her head to look back at Payton, as Alaric tried to process what he was hearing, "you really are such a low life coming up with these stupid lies and theories. You're just trying to ruin another persons life for your own stupid gain!"

"I'm not ruining anything." Valerie said defensively, as she went on to explain, "I'm only telling you the truth."

"The truth?" She repeated, laughing loudly in disbelief that Valerie was really so sly, "what about the truth about how you are so obsessed with my boyfriend and wanting to cause trouble no matter where you go?"

"I haven't done no such thing!"

"You just couldn't wait to get out of that damn prison world and stick your claws into him, could you? You selfish bitch!"

Payton quickly lunged forward and pushed Valerie down onto the floor with heavy force, she threw a punch in the girls face, but it was short lived when Valerie used her witch power to get Payton to back off. Payton rolled off Valerie's body with a groan and onto the ground below her, clutching her head in agony as Valerie chanted some witch spell at her.

Alaric quickly rushed over to his daughter to help her, whilst Caroline got the woman to stop, "Valerie, stop it!"

Valerie reluctantly agreed to stop as she got herself back up onto her feet, her hand clutching her cheek where it was now healing from Payton's punch, Payton breathed heavily as the pain began to subside once Valerie had stopped chanting, Alaric looked back on with concern at how his daughter had just completely flipped out, he had never seen her act like that before.

"C'mon," He encouraged her, helping her get up onto her feet, "let's go take a walk."

"Are you serious right now?" Payton looked at him in disbelief, as she went on to say, "me take a walk? You should be throwing this bitch out of your damn apartment for making up lies about your unborn children!"

"You're out of control, Payton. Go!" Alaric yelled at her, he couldn't help it, too much had happened that day, he really didn't have the time or energy to deal with her anger.

Her emotions were out of control. This secret had really taken it's toll on her. The thought of losing everyone had clearly hit her hard and Alaric wasn't about to be witness to the girl spiralling out of control for a second longer. He had to bring her back before she seriously lost it.

Payton stormed out of the apartment with her Dad, her hands were shaking in rage as they came out of the apartment building and began to walk through the campus, it was dark out and barely anyone was out which gave her Dad permission to make his feelings very clear.

"How could you be so stupid!" He yelled at her from behind as he went to catch up with her.

Payton stopped in her tracks, snapping her head round to look at him in disbelief that he was actually siding with the heretic over her, "Are you kidding me right now?"

"You let your anger get the better of you!" Alaric pointed out to her in his own anger.

"She deserved it! Keeping secrets from me and taunting me with them to get my boyfriend right in her hands! Then that bullshit she made up in there about the babies still being alive! Is she for real?" Payton justified her actions, thinking Valerie deserved it.

"Of course you have every right to be upset about that and I get your a vampire with heightened emotions, but I have never seen you like this before!" He exclaimed in slight concern.

"Well we all break, don't we?" She gave him a look, before turning back on her heel and going to go sit on the nearest bench.

Alaric followed her over and took a seat down, before letting out a large sigh, "Not like this though. This isn't you, Pay."

"Who even am I, Dad? I lose everything." Payton found herself suddenly hit with sadness replacing the anger she had once felt.

"Don't say that." He put his arm around her back to comfort her.

"I do." Payton broke out into a sob, as she shook her head, the realisation hitting her hard, "anyone who gets close to me, they either die or someone takes them away from me. I get the Grill, my whole dream and that gets taken away. It's just a vicious cycle on repeat for me with no give. It's always going to be this way."

"No, it's not." Alaric tried to tell her, not liking how much it sounded like she had just given up.

"Dad, every single time I look at you, I see you putting that gun to your head and you actually doing it and dying. It's on repeat in my head." Payton told him in a sorrow tone, thinking that image had never left her head since the night he had done it, it haunted her.

Alaric lowered his head in shame, not realising how much it was still bothering her, "Payton, I am sorry for that you know that and if I could take it back I would."

Payton shook her head, thinking it didn't matter right now, no matter what he said, she'd feel like that, so she continued to rant on, "Then I see Jo and her dead body and I know you see it too!" He lifted his head back up to look at her, giving her a sad knowing look, he knew she was right, "But as always you hold it in and it hurts me to think that you're hurting inside."

"I'll be fine, Payton. I don't know what else to tell you about that." He tried to convince her even though he didn't even believe it himself.

"I just feel like no one can trust me anymore. Everyone's keeping things from me!" She grumbled.

"I can't speak for Stefan right now, but from my end, I am sorry for not telling you more about Jo and the stone." Alaric apologised, knowing he had messed up.

She looked back at him, tears pricking her eyes, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't want to disapoint you. I knew how much you were against it. But I just had to have her back." He explained.

"You're forgetting I'm the girl who's ex boyfriend died and went to the other side. I get it. That pain is indescribable."

"I should have realised you would be able to understand. I am sorry." Alaric apologised once more.

"Well, let's hope you don't keep anymore secrets from me." Payton sighed.

"I won't but I have to be honest with you. I believe Valerie." He admitted to her in a tense tone.

"You what?" She scoffed shaking her head, thinking everyone just always took Valerie side over everything, she had won over Stefan and now her Dad.

"I know you don't want to believe it and you think Valerie is only doing it to hurt you more and manipulate us, but maybe she's right, P. She's a witch, right? She knows her chants and why would she make something like that up, huh?" Alaric tried to explain to her.

"Because she's a bitch! It's what she does!" Payton protested.

"But she has no bad blood with me? So why would she hurt me?"

"To get to me!" She pressed.

"I think you're overthinking this way too much."

"So how is she going to prove it, huh? And how is it even possible? I mean where could they be hiding, huh?" Payton raised her brows up thinking none of this made sense.

"I guess we'll find out if you come back inside in a civilised manner and learn to control that anger of yours." Alaric suggested to her.

"Ok fine," She shook her head in defeat, "but if she's wrong, I'm not going to be sorry for the destruction I cause towards her for her lies."

"Alright." He gave her in, knowing he probably wouldn't be able to stop her, but for his own selfish gain, he hoped Valerie was right, he needed all the hope he could get right now.

Coming back through into the apartment, Valerie was sitting down on the couch, Caroline opposite her, "We want to know how we can find them," Alaric said as they came on through to join them, "what can we do?"

"A locater spell." Valerie answered with a nod.

"Can you do that right now?" Payton asked folding her arms.

"Of course." Valerie nodded once more, before asking him if he had a map.

Alaric went through into his bedroom to go find one, whilst Payton came to sit beside her best friend on the couch, glaring deeply at Valerie, not wanting to break it as a warning that if she was really messing with them, then she would make it well known to her that it would be more than just a punch she'd throw her way next time.

When Alaric came on through, Valerie asked if he had any candles so she could use them for her spell, they all gathered around the coffee table moments later, candles were lit, the map was rolled out, they all sat around waiting in anticipation, Payton ready for this to be all a big fat lie and Alaric clutching on straws that this would work, he had to have hope.

"Twins are the lifeblood of the Gemini Coven. If a pregnant mother is in danger then a transfer is our magic fail safe. It's rarely used but used nonetheless..."

"Or maybe it's not even possible!" Payton flashed a sarcastic smile over at Valerie still not buying into this idea.

"Pay..." Her Dad warned, she sighed shaking her head and looking down at the map to try focus on something other than the anger.

"I don't know, I'm kind of with Payton on this," Caroline found herself saying, as she looked at Alaric, "I mean, c'mon, this does sound kind of crazy!"

"My wife who died just months ago looked me in the eyes and said goodbye to me," Alaric tried to justify his decision to even go through with this despite his daughters concerns and now his friends, as his eyes looked at Valerie, "why the hell not?"

"I don't want you to get your hopes up!" Payton tried to tell him her own concerns.

"Me too!" Caroline added.

"I need your blood." Valerie told him, ignoring the girl's disapproval, she was so sure this was true.

Alaric held out his hand and Valerie used a knife to graze over his skin, she then turned his palm down to the map and then guided it over to a certain part, "We'll put your blood in Indonesia," Valerie said, as her gaze fell on Payton for the first time since her punching her earlier, "the further point from Mystic Falls."

"Funny." She grumbled back knowing it had been her suggestion earlier on to send Valerie there, she should have knocked her out then and shipped her over there whilst she had the chance.

"Your progeny are obviously made up of your DNA," Valerie began to explain, as Alaric grabbed a cloth to put over his bloody hand, "if they're alive, the blood will travel along the map. Once it's in the proximity of the babies, the map should ignite."

"Should but won't." Payton said dryly back, still thinking this was ridiculous and a waste of time.

"Payton, seriously..." Alaric looked back at her.

"Sorry," She sighed, knowing she should really learn to keep her mouth shut, as she turned to Valerie, "go on."

"Close your eyes. Clear your mind," Valerie told Alaric, in which he did, before she did the same and then began to start the spell, Payton narrowed her eyes over to Caroline nervously, as the girl shared the same look back.

The two girls looked down at the map, watching as the blood drew together on it to form one bubble, then suddenly the blood began to move, Payton felt her stomach drop as she watched the blood move quickly across it, it was going in a straight line at quite a speed, she couldn't believe this was even in happening.

As it grew closer to the edge, Caroline spoke up on behalf of the two of them, "Guys, I don't think this is working..."

But Valerie continued to chant, causing Payton to grow angry again, as the blood then began to trickle off the map onto the table, "Jesus Christ! Just stop it!" Payton exclaimed in fear and frustration.

The blood began to drip off the table and onto the floor in-between Payton and Caroline, Payton moved away slightly at the blood puddle that was beginning to form, "The blood is just off the map now!" Caroline remarked.

Valerie had finally stopped chanting and had reopened her eyes, she glanced over at where the blood had gone, Caroline began to grab a tissue from the side and Payton did the same, she began to wipe it up and Payton went to lay her hand beside her to help, when suddenly the tissues caught on fire, causing a huge ignition to rip through from the floor to the map on the coffee table.

"Oh my god!" Payton and Caroline both chorused as they sprung back in horror.

Valerie got onto her feet whilst Alaric shot back agains the couch, the tissue continued to burn before everything went out including the candles, Valerie gasped at what had gone on, before her eyes flickered between Payton and Caroline.

"What the hell happened?" Alaric questioned in his own anger this time, now Payton knew where she got it from, or maybe she always knew.

"Not possible." Valerie said looking between Caroline and Payton still.

"What's not possible?" Alaric pushed for answers.

"The babies," Valerie said as Payton and Caroline frowned back, "they're here."

"Here?" Payton scoffed, shaking her head, knowing this was a massive joke, before she found herself marching on through to the kitchen, "I'm sorry, Care, but I'm having that drink!"

"I don't blame you," Caroline agreed, as she went on, "where are they? Floating in a raft somewhere in the Pacific Ocean. Look at the map! Your spell didn't work!"

Valerie watched as Payton popped open the bottle of wine and went to take a large swig of the bottle, before her eyes went back onto Caroline, "They're not on the map, Caroline," as she stepped forward, her eyes turning back onto Payton again, as she shook her head, "they're inside of you, Caroline."

Payton felt her eyes widen as she snapped her head round to look at Caroline and Valerie, not expecting to hear that kind of response, this was so messed up, she didn't know whether to laugh or cry at how crazy this all sounded.

"I think it's time for you to go," Payton said coming on through the wine bottle in her hand, Valerie's eyes trailed down to look at Payton, before she looked back at her eyes, "I mean, this is just some messed up shit."

Alaric looked just as pissed off as Payton had earlier on, "You know what, she's right," He agreed, as he put his hand over his face in distress, "I need some space."

"You need to take this serious." Valerie warned them all.

"We'll be the judge of that."

A little while later they had managed to get Valerie to leave, they were sitting around talking about the craziness of the night, Caroline felt so confused right now, feeling a huge amount of pressure to have this be true. Alaric was just trying to process everything and Payton on the other hand was thinking of ways to get rid of Valerie, whilst preparing herself for the hurt that would come with this not working out.

Reluctantly she headed back to the Lockwood mansion, when she got back later that day, Payton arrived back to an empty house, she felt weird being in the Lockwood mansion all on her lonesome, but she found a note on the counter top from Tyler and Mason. They had decided to go away for a couple of days to blow off some steam. Payton presumed Matt was on a deputy patrol, which just left her on her own to figure out what the hell she was going to keep herself sane whilst she waited for Stefan to reappear.

She couldn't believe what had happened that day. So much was going through her head. And now she had to face Stefan. Payton couldn't shake his dread from her body. She felt sick.

She decided to have another long hot soak in the bath, have a pamper and cook herself some dinner. Payton was sitting in the sitting room in the darkness, the only light coming from the TV where she was watching some trash TV and drinking some wine, when the front door unexpectedly opened causing her to snap her head round to it, seeing the two Salvatore brothers storming on through.

"He's still alive!" Stefan remarked as they came on through closing the door behind him whilst Damon was walking through to the sitting room, "I don't know what you're moping about."

Payton felt her stomach clench when the two brothers realised she was sat in the darkness by herself, Damon ignored her as he went to pour himself a bourban from the bar cart and Payton found herself getting up to go turn a lamp on so they could light this house up.

Stefan awkwardly made eye contact with this girlfriend who had now looked away from him in unease, as she retook her seat on the couch and switched off the TV, picking up on some tension from not only herself and her boyfriend, but also Damon and Stefan.

"No talking until I'm seeing two of you," Damon snapped back at his brother, quickly pouring himself a drink and downing it, "then I'll kick both of your asses."

Payton found herself downing her own drink in unease, as Stefan leant against the wall opposite her near the arch way of the sitting room, he looked completely and utterly awkward right now yet she couldn't work out if it was because of Damon's sour mood or because she was sat there.

But she wasn't going to move. This was her house. She basically brought them here and convinced Tyler, Matt and Mason to let them stay here. Plus she deserved to know what the hell was going on when Stefan had ignored her all day long and was keeping secrets from her.

"This is why there is a hardline between evil and good, Stefan!" Damon roared at his brother, as he turned to look at him, "I don't cross into your territory and you don't cross into mine."

"This isn't about you, Damon. Get over it!" Stefan grumbled back, Payton immediately picked up on anger she hadn't seen on her boyfriend before, it was unsettling.

"You know, I'd never thought I'd say this, Stefan, but I just miss the days when you just let your big brother handle all the dirty work!" Damon told him.

Payton was sadly agreeing with him but had it really come to that? Her agreeing with Damon?

"Quite frankly, I can't figure out why you have such a big beef with this guy!" Damon added as Payton found herself now sparking up.

"You and I both," She sighed looking over at her boyfriend with suspicion.

Damon looked back at Payton, somewhat stunned to hear that she had no idea either, which immediately made him put the pieces together, "Unless V-card Valerie got under your skin."

"Yeah what big secret at the two of you harbouring?" Payton got up onto her feet and folded her arms, giving him a look, waiting for him to slip up.

"Neither of you want to start with me right now." Stefan warned the two of them, he wasn't in the mood for his brothers drama nor Payton's accusations.

"I'm surprised you haven't talked to Payton about all of this and the fact you seem to be choosing Valerie over Payton. I thought she was the one!" Damon exclaimed to his brother.

Payton felt somewhat glad to have Damon here right now by her side, sticking up for her, something she never thought would quite happen, yet here they were, side by side, trying to figure out what the hell Valerie had done to make Stefan push away from them.

Payton found herself scoffing, taking a sip from her wine glass, "Just reminds me of a certain time he couldn't shake Elena."

"What is it about the first time that makes it so memorable?" Damon taunted his younger brother.

Within a flash, Stefan lunged forward and attacked his older brother, causing Payton to jump back slightly at first, her wine glass flying out of her hand and down onto the floor with a loud smash just as the two brothers collided with the coffee table, the pieces of wood also smashing along with her glass that night.

She snapped her head round to look at what was going on, just as she saw Stefan pull himself off Damon, clearly he didn't think a fight with his brother was worth it right now.

The two brothers began to pant, as Payton swallowed away the lump in her throat, the once anger filled tension was now filled with one of upset and unease, Payton found herself looking down at her boyfriend, the hurt hitting her hard at how massively had felt like they had changed in such a small space of time and all it took was Valerie coming in to mess things up.

She couldn't have felt further away from him.

"You both want to know the truth?" Stefan said as he looked down at the floor with sadness in his eyes, as Payton braced herself, "I got Valerie pregnant."

Damon lifted his head up from the ground and looked at his brother in shock, as Payton felt her stomach drop at the words she was hearing coming from her boyfriend's mouth, not only was Valerie his first love and first everything, she also carried his child. Now she seriously felt like she was going to throw up.

Was this Valerie's sick plan? Because she couldn't have a baby with Stefan all those years ago she was now toying with her Dad?

"What?" Damon frowned.

"In 1863," Stefan continued on with the story, he didn't want to even look at either of them right now, as he sat up against the couch, "Julian found out about it and he beat her until the baby was no longer alive."

Damon groaned as he sat himself up also, as Payton listened in intently, her heart pounding in her chest.

"I could have been a father." Stefan said looking back at his brother, completely blanking Payton, but she could see the tears in his eyes.

She felt like she was going to be sick.

Quickly she rushed out of the room, vamp speeding upstairs and straight over to the bathroom, where she found herself retching over the toilet, of course nothing was going to come out, she was a vampire or so she thought, but she was completely taken back when she threw up the dinner that she cooked for herself just hours before, the contents of it going down the toilet along with the wine she had consumed that day.

Wiping her mouth in disgust, Payton quickly flushed away the contents and closed the lid, before crashing down against the bathroom wall beside her, breathing heavily, she still felt so physically sick from what she was hearing and the thought of him carrying this not wanting to tell her, plus Valerie's games.

She felt like all the trust was gone. Like there was nothing left anymore. Her whole life felt a mess.

And now she had been sick.

What vampire ever threw up?


Author note: I'm so sorry I went quiet the past few weeks. But here is two brand new parts to make up for it!

Thank you so much for taking the time to read and support this story.

Thank you so much to Djone246 for reviewing the last part.

I'd love to know your thoughts on the last couple of parts.

Did Payton have every right to be annoyed at Stefan for bringing Valerie back and being late for their date?

Do you think Payton has been acting out of character lately?

Should she have hit Valerie like she did?

Will her and Stefan ever be okay?

Thank you.

Best wishes always,

guiltypleasurexo