"Alaric's wife might have been your mother?" Stefan asked his girlfriend who looked beyond confused. She was relaying the potential information her aunt told her. Elena still wasn't sure about any of it. She sighed.

"It can't be true, right?" Elena asked, hoping that Stefan would tell her that she was being ridiculous. "I mean, the coincidence alone is just crazy. Not to mention it might mean that I have a younger sister which is even crazier. Mr. Saltzman has a daughter. Natalie. She's Bianca's friend. I met her about a week ago."

"I have the address for her friend Trudie," Elena told Stefan, holding up a yellow sticky note.

"You want to talk to her?" Stefan inquired even though he already knew the answer to that. Elena shrugged, shaking her head.

"I don't know. I…I-I don't know," Elena said as she walked away. She was still conflicted about all this new information. It meant facing the fact that her birth mother was the dead wife of her history teacher and she could also have a younger sister. "If it's true and they are the same person, that means my birth mother is dead and I have a little sister that I didn't even know about until now. And I don't know if I could handle any of that."

"Elena, did Jenna tell you anything about Alaric's wife?" Stefan asked quietly. "How she died?"

"Just that she was killed and the case was never solved," Elena answered quietly, looking up at Stefan. "You knew that already?"

"The night at the school when he attacked me, he told me some things about her death," Stefan explained to her calmly as Elena hung on to his every word.

"Well-" Elena started to say but Stefan stopped her.

"No, no," Stefan said, not wanting her to worry. He pulled her hands into his as he gazed directly at her. "It's not possible. The coincidence is…it's too much."

"Does Natalie know about vampires?" Elena asked him softly, looking concerned at the idea of the middle-schooler being involved in any of this. "You said that Mr. Saltzman knows and it's why he came to Mystic Falls so does that mean she knows too."

"No, she doesn't know anything," Stefan told her firmly. "Alaric said she didn't but…"

"But?" She questioned and Stefan sighed.

"He did mention she was in the house the night her mother died," Stefan revealed to Elena who felt sad for the young girl. She remembered the quiet demeanor of Natalie from that night at Bonnie's. The girl was nowhere near as chatty as Bianca or Bianca's other friends. Elena related to her a lot on that level since she was never quite as talkative or outgoing as Caroline. Especially since her parents died. "Alaric said she was asleep upstairs so there could be a chance she knows more than what her dad says. There's no telling whether or not she heard or saw something."

"That's terrible," Elena said, wondering if maybe there was more to Natalie Saltzman than she originally thought. The girl was her potential sister, after all. Stefan shook her head. "She's so young. Younger than Jeremy."

"I know but like I said, the coincidence is too much," Stefan told her, trying to reassure his girlfriend. "Now, listen, if you do decide to go talk to Isobel's friend, I'll go with you. Okay?"

"I just don't know what I'm gonna do yet," Elena said quietly. She was as confused as she was before she knew about all the Alaric stuff. Maybe even more so. Elena reached forward and hugged her boyfriend, seeking solace in his arms. She felt like the whole world had been ripped out from under her and only in Stefan's arms did she find comfort.

"I have to get going," Stefan told her as he held her in his arms. "I gotta go deal with Damon."

"How's he doing?" Elena asked him as she pulled away to look up at him. Stefan sighed heavily.

"He's dealing in his own way," Stefan said cryptically but even Elena understood that didn't necessarily mean anything good.

Nor did it make her feel any better.

Stefan stood in the town square by himself in between dealing with Damon and worrying about Elena. It seemed that lifting the curse on the tomb had done no one any favors. Nothing had gone back to normal and everything had become infinitely worse much to Stefan's displeasure. Especially with this Isobel thing.

It was only then that he laid eyes on Natalie Saltzman for the first time.

Stefan had briefly met Bianca Bennett at her grandmother's home. Bianca was kept firmly out of the witch and vampire business. Bonnie said she was much too young to be brought into anything quite yet. Although Stefan and Elena hadn't heard much from Bonnie since her grandmother's death.

"I hope Bianca's doing alright," A girl with red hair stated as she and two other girls walked down the street. It was a nice winter day in Mystic Falls. While it was still chilly, the sun was still beating down on the small town.

"I'm sure she is, Madison," Another girl with dirty blonde hair said in response. "Her and Bonnie's dad came back from his business trip so they're having time with family. My parents sent them a casserole."

"As if casseroles make everything better," A third girl mumbled under her breath. Her voice was so quiet that the other two girls couldn't hear her but Stefan caught her words with his enhanced hearing.

He knew immediately who she was.

Natalie Saltzman.

It wasn't because she bore any resemblance to Alaric.

No, she didn't seem to look much like the history teacher at all. She instead bore a heavy resemblance to someone else.

Elena.

It was almost uncanny as Stefan stared at the young girl.

The same long dark brunette hair, the same brown doe eyes, and the same slender figure. While her eyes were the same exact shade and captivating like Elena's, they were a bit bigger than Elena's eyes which almost seemed to pull him into their depths. Her face was unique with delicate features and her skin was a lot paler than Elena's olive skin tone. Stefan stared at her and couldn't help but notice that he'd never seen anyone who looked quite like her.

She was pretty for her age no doubt but while Elena's beauty was enchanting, Natalie's was ethereal.

It seemed to confirm for Stefan that Natalie was Elena's sister. There was no way around it. They looked too much alike for it to just be merely a coincidence. She even sounded a bit like Elena when she spoke.

It was plain to see that Natalie and Elena were sisters.

Half-sisters.

Which also meant that the same Isobel, who was Elena's mother, was also Alaric's dead wife.

Stefan continued to watch the girl walk past him, not even taking notice of him, as he felt a feeling of dread sweep over him. He knew this wasn't going to be easy for Elena. Not when she was already dealing with so much.

It seemed like nothing could really go back to normal in Mystic Falls.

One thing always seemed to lead to another.

This time it seemed to lead to Elena's biological mother and her long-lost sister.

"I don't know. It's just weird, I guess," Alaric said as he helped Jenna put up the banner for the fundraiser going on that night at the grill. "Me being raffled off like a Disney Cruise."

"In this town, fundraising is like indentured servitude," Jenna joked and Alaric chuckled. "You don't have a choice. Besides…you're a bachelor and you're eligible, so there you go."

"Here. Let me help you with this," Alaric offered as he went to help Jenna fasten the banner to the wall on the other side. "So where's Natalie?"

"She's hanging out with her friends. I gave her some money for frozen yogurt so she'll be fine," Alaric said, looking amused at the thought of his daughter.

Things had been a bit weird between them lately.

Ever since Alaric revealed that he found her mother's killer and refused to tell her who it was. He'd also kept his conversation with Stefan Salvatore a secret from her. He didn't want her knowing about the Salvatore brothers…for her own safety. This vampire business was getting more and more complicated by the day. However, it seemed that his daughter knew he was keeping secrets. She was refusing to speak to him and had been rather short with him lately. A tactic her mother used to use as it would turn out.

The cold shoulder.

"I think she's also embarrassed by this whole bachelor fundraiser thing," Alaric lied because that wasn't the truth. The reason his daughter was staying away from him because she knew he was hiding something from her. Jenna smirked. "It's kind of embarrassing, after all."

"I think that might win you some points tonight," Jenna teased him and Alaric gave her an amused look. "Hot single dad. Women love that."

"I guess I'll have to take your word for it," Alaric told her before leaning down and pressing his lips against hers. Jenna's eyes fluttered shut as she melted into the kiss. He pulled away and gazed at her softly. Jenna was so caught up in his gaze that she almost forgot what she set out to ask him. It made her almost regret bringing it up. "Oh, god. I can't believe I'm going to do this."

"What?" Alaric asked her in amusement. Thinking that it was something cute or funny.

"I am totally going to ruin this moment," Jenna told him, looking at him apologetically. "But I-I have to tell you."

Alaric gave her his full attention as Jenna sought to tell him something that she'd been dreading dropping on him from the moment they met for their brunch date. She kind of hoped that she was wrong but at the same time she just had a feeling that she wasn't wrong.

"Elena recently found out she was adopted and she's been looking for her birth mother," Jenna explained as quickly as possible so that she could finally get to the point. "Whose name was Isobel."

"Isobel?" Alaric questioned, not really taking Jenna seriously. What were the odds of that, anyways? "Like my wife?"

Jenna nodded and Alaric shook his head.

"Natalie is Isobel's only child," Alaric explained to Jenna. "She didn't even want Natalie. I had to convince her to keep Natalie."

"Are you sure?" Jenna asked doubtfully. "Not before you were together?"

"Nope," Alaric asked, laughing a bit at the idea. It was crazy. The very idea of Isobel keeping something that big from him. "No way. Natalie's the only kid Isobel ever had."

Jenna frowned a bit, a regretful expression on her face, before taking her phone out of her purse. She searched for the image she was looking for before bringing it up. She held up the phone for Alaric to see.

"This is Elena's birth mother," She told him as Alaric took the phone from her hand and glanced at the picture. It the old cheerleading photograph of Isobel from her high school days. Alaric froze, growing very pale as he continued to stare at the old photograph of his wife. Jenna stared at him, searching for a reaction. She desperately hoped that he would laugh at her and tell her it was a mistake…

But he didn't.

"Ah, she, uh…" Alaric fumbled for words with a dumbfounded look on his face. "She never told me."

He handed the phone back to Jenna who seemed just as shocked as he was. Alaric couldn't believe it. Isobel had a child before Natalie. That child being one of his history students which meant that Natalie also had a sister.

It didn't make sense.

Isobel never told him about having a child. She never even alluded to it. In fact, she made it clear from the beginning that she never wanted children. When she got pregnant during their time at Duke together, he begged her not to get rid of it. She reluctantly agreed, not wanting to lose him.

Alaric had stupidly believed that Isobel would change her mind about kids when she held their baby in her arms for the first time but she didn't. She seemed almost indifferent. Alaric dismissed it as post-partum at first but as the years went by, she was still distant from Natalie. Alaric knew she had a complicated relationship with her parents and assumed it had to do with that but it didn't explain why she hid the fact that she had a child from him. Alaric would never have judged her for it.

This was all too much.

First, the mystery of his wife's disappearance and now there was this alarmingly huge secret.

He was starting to feel like he didn't know his wife at all.

"I, uh…" Alaric said nervously as he backed away, still trying to process this new information. "I'm gonna go. Yeah, I'm gonna go."

Alaric finally walked off, leaving Jenna alone with this startling information.

He came to Mystic Falls to find answers about his wife's disappearance. Alaric certainly didn't come to this town looking for even more questions. It felt like he might never find out the truth. Not now.

Fuck…how was he going to tell Natalie this?

Natalie had a sister.

Elena Gilbert.

"Thanks for meeting me," Alaric said as he walked up to Stefan who was still in the town's square. The vampire was still reeling from his observation about Natalie Saltzman. Elena's sister. "Something's come up."

"Jenna told you," Stefan stated and it wasn't a question. Alaric nodded.

"Yeah," Alaric confirmed, still looking uneasy about this new information. He was still struggling to process it while having an existential crisis about his wife. What else had Isobel been hiding from him?

"So it's true," Stefan said, already knowing it was true. "Your wife Isobel was Elena's birth mother?"

"This doesn't seem like news to you," Alaric stated suspiciously. Stefan took a deep breath.

"It was until an hour ago. I saw your daughter walking with her friends," Stefan informed him and Alaric didn't know how he felt about a vampire taking notice of his daughter. It felt strange to him and it made him feel even more uneasy about the whole situation. "The resemblance between her and Elena is remarkable you could say."

"I never really noticed. I've been a bit busy lately," Alaric admitted. "But at the same time, I never knew Isobel had a child before Natalie so I probably wouldn't have suspected it even if I did notice their resemblance."

"Does your daughter know yet?" Stefan asked him and he shook his head.

"I only found out twenty minutes ago," Alaric retorted, scoffing as he did so. "I have no idea how I'm supposed to tell her any of this. She has no clue."

"You don't think your wife would've told her anything?" Stefan inquired. He knew that mothers and daughters had close bonds so perhaps Natalie knew something. Alaric shook his head again.

"I doubt it. Isobel and Natalie weren't exactly close," Alaric informed Stefan who nodded in understanding. "Natalie had a very complicated relationship with her mother. I find it very unlikely that Isobel would've ever told her something like that and I don't think Natalie would've hidden it from me."

"Okay," Stefan said, satisfied with that answer even though there was a million questions racing through his mind. He wasn't alone. Alaric was still confused at the situation laid out before him.

"What does Elena know, anyways?" Alaric asked Stefan. Stefan took a deep breath before answering.

"About your wife?" Stefan asked him and Alaric shook his head.

"About everything," Alaric elaborated and Stefan crossed his arms. "About you…your brother."

"She knows what I am," Stefan admitted to the history teacher. "And she knows that you know about the vampires."

"Does she know about Damon and Isobel?" Alaric asked him worriedly. Stefan shook his head.

"No. I couldn't tell her," Stefan answered him honestly. "Not until I was sure."

"You said you'd help me," Alaric reminded him.

"I asked Damon without saying too much," Stefan said, shaking his head. "But he doesn't remember."

"Ask him again," Alaric insisted.

"Damon is not stable right now," Stefan tried to tell him. Alaric scoffed.

"You know, he murdered my wife…the mother of my only child," Alaric retorted, feeling frustrated that he was no closer to having the answers he wanted than he was when he last spoke to Stefan. "Or, at the very least, made a meal out of her. When has he been stable?"

"I'm telling you not to push this," Stefan warned him, wanting him to understand that Damon was not someone to mess with. Not now that Damon discovered that Katherine had never been in the tomb. There was no telling what Damon was going to do.

"Give me a reason not to," Alaric snapped and Stefan stared at him calmly.

"Your survival. How's that for a reason?" Stefan asked him and when Alaric remained unfazed, Stefan continued. "Or if you lack any self-preservation, your daughter's survival."

It was only then that Alaric seemed to listen as he remembered Natalie. He still kept Natalie's knowledge about vampires a secret. Her even knowing about vampires put her in danger. Alaric didn't need vampires knowing that she knew about them.

"I'll handle it, but for now, I need you to let it go," Stefan demanded of him and Alaric scoffed.

"Is that what you'll tell Elena? Let it go?" He questioned sarcastically. Stefan took a threatening step towards him but Alaric wasn't intimidated by him.

"Leave Elena out of this."

"I need to know what happened," Alaric asked again. "I think you would too."

"I need something more than just your wife's name," Stefan told him, exhaling as he took a step back. It was clear that Alaric wasn't going to give up any time soon. "A picture. Something I could show Damon."

Alaric immediately dug out of his wallet and pulled out an old photograph. He handed it to Stefan who took it with caution. Stefan glanced at the photo of a very beautiful brunette woman, who strongly resembled Elena and Natalie, holding a toddler in her arms. The pair smiled at the camera and Stefan felt pity at the sight of a toddler-aged Natalie. The fact that it was his brother who might've killed the girl's mother…Elena's mother too.

"Maybe he'll feel a shred of humanity," Alaric said in a quiet voice, referencing the toddler featured in the photograph. Stefan just gave him a sad smile before walking off.

He honestly doubted it.

His brother was hopeless at this point.

Natalie arrived at the Mystic Grill for the weird bachelor fundraiser that her dad had somehow got roped into doing. She supposed there wasn't a whole lot of eligible bachelors in town. None that were particularly good-looking or young so her dad was practically forced into doing it.

Then there was the whole issue of her dad.

For the past week, he'd been way more secretive than usual. There was definitely something he wasn't telling her and not to mention she hadn't seen him all day. He kept giving her money, telling her to have more fun with her friends which wasn't like him. Her dad usually liked to keep her close to him but now it was like she couldn't be far enough away.

What was he keeping from her?

Natalie knew it had to be identity of her mother's vampire killer.

There was nothing else it could've been.

"Natalie, over here!" Jenna called out, eagerly waving her over to the table she along with Elena, Jeremy, and a cute looking guy were sitting at. Natalie smiled awkwardly. Her dad was already standing on stage with the other eligible bachelors.

"Hi, Jenna," Natalie greeted. She was already very familiar with the woman since her dad was spending so much time with her. Natalie had only met Jeremy on a handful of occasions and Elena…well, Natalie had only met her once at the sleepover at Bianca's house.

"You've already met Jeremy and Elena," Jenna said before gesturing towards the cute guy. "This is Stefan Salvatore. Elena's boyfriend. Stefan, this is Natalie Saltzman. Ric's daughter."

"It's nice to meet you, Natalie," Stefan said, giving her a polite smile. Natalie smiled back at him. He was very cute with that intricate hairstyle a lot of high school boys seemed to be into doing with their hair. His eyes were a very pretty oak green yet somehow he didn't strike her as a high school boy. There seemed to be something mature about him despite his youthful looks. Natalie just couldn't put her finger on it.

"You too," Natalie responded and he made room in between himself and Elena. She thanked him as she took a seat next to him even though she thought it was strange he would've been okay with her sitting in between himself and his girlfriend.

Weren't boyfriends and girlfriends supposed to be all cuddly with each other?

Natalie settled into her seat in between the two high schoolers, casting her gaze on her father who was lined up with all the other men. She could've laughed at how uncomfortable he looked. However, it only took her a moment before she realized that someone was staring at her.

Elena.

Natalie smiled nervously at her. She didn't know why Elena was staring at her like that. Almost like she had never seen her before but they'd met a couple weeks ago now. Unless Elena had forgotten.

"Sorry," Elena apologized when she realized she'd been caught. "Um…I just really like your eyes. They're very pretty."

"Oh…thanks, I guess," Natalie said awkwardly as both she and Elena blushed. Stefan looked at the two sisters in amusement. "I always thought they were weird and creeped people out."

"No, they're really pretty. Very captivating," Elena assured her and Natalie nodded, immediately thinking Elena Gilbert was a weirdo.

"This boy used to tease me at my old school," Natalie said, trying to make conversation. "He said that whenever I cried, the entire room would flood and everyone would drown."

"Well, he probably liked you," Elena said knowingly, giving the girl a small smile in which Natalie returned. "Boys usually tease you if they like you. Matt Donovan used to tease me and he was my first boyfriend."

"Yes, well, no one ever said that boys were smart," Natalie retorted and Elena laughed. She realized that she really liked Natalie. There was something both quiet and intellectual about her that Elena liked.

"True," Elena said in agreement as Stefan sat quietly listening to Elena getting to know her long-lost sister. Even if her sister didn't know she was her sister. "But I notice you don't look a lot like Mr. Saltzman."

"I guess I look more like my mom…unfortunately," Natalie muttered the last part quietly and Elena almost hadn't heard her. Elena frowned when she heard her although Stefan wasn't surprised by her remark. Alaric mentioned that Natalie and her mother weren't very close.

"You and your mom weren't close?" Elena asked her, seeming concerned by her comment. "Mr. Saltzman mentioned she passed away or went missing."

"Yeah, she went missing a couple years ago," Natalie answered her before shrugging. "I know it's not really cool to say since my mom might be dead but we didn't really see eye to eye on a lot."

"Really?" Elena asked, very interested in learning anything about her birth mother although it seemed like she wasn't getting the answers she wanted to hear. Stefan frowned, hoping that this wouldn't hurt Elena too much. Natalie nodded.

"My mom was really cold and distant," Natalie informed Elena who was starting to lose more and more sense of who Isobel Flemming was. "She was really obsessed with her work. She used to work at Duke University as a parapsychologist which is a fancy word for fairytale researcher."

"That sounds interesting," Elena said softly and Natalie scoffed.

"Yeah, if you're into vampires, werewolves, and witches, maybe," Natalie said sarcastically before shaking her head. Stefan frowned, furrowing his eyebrows into confusion as he wondered if maybe Natalie knew more than what Alaric had originally let on. "My mom cared more about those mythical things than she did her own family. She hurt my dad a lot which I never really forgave her for. It's why I really like your aunt. I think she's good for him. She makes him happy and I haven't seen him this happy in a long time."

"Well, he makes her happy too," Elena said, giving her a small smile despite the new information Natalie had given her about her mother.

"I hope he doesn't screw it up," Natalie said, glancing at her father and Elena shook her head.

"I don't think he will," She responded and Natalie returned her smile before the two girls focused their attention on the stage as the fundraiser officially started. Carol Lockwood, the mayor's wife, stood on stage with the line of handsome bachelors which included Natalie's father.

"And what do you do, Bachelor Number Three?" Carol asked a man standing next to her father. She held a mic up to him.

"Yeah, I'm a plumber," He answered awkwardly.

"Well, isn't that wonderful?" Carol said happily. "We could always use more plumbers."

"That sounded so fake," Natalie told Elena who only laughed before nodding. Natalie had a point. Carol wasn't exactly known for her sincerity and honesty.

"Moving on," Carol said as she moved on to Natalie's father. "Number 4, Alaric Saltzman. Wow, that's quite a mouthful. What do you do, Alaric?"

"I'm a teacher at Mystic Falls High," He answered a bit awkwardly.

"Oh, Beauty and Brains, Ladies. This one's a keeper," Carol said, trying to hype him up. "What do you teach?"

"History," Alaric told her and she grinned.

"History. Well, that's super interesting," Carol replied and she couldn't sound anymore insincere to Natalie. "And any other fun facts about you?"

"I have a daughter," Alaric added awkwardly, gazing at Natalie in the audience. She blushed at the attention while Elena nudged her in the side playfully, smiling at her. Stefan also smiled in amusement at the embarrassed girl. "Her name's Natalie and she's in the seventh-grade."

"A single dad, Ladies," Carol stated as most of the women in audience awed. Natalie resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Gross. "You won't find anyone more devoted than a single dad. Now you said you teach history…give us a fun fact about Mystic Falls. Something crazy."

"Uh, well…" Alaric trailed off, locking eyes with Damon Salvatore who seemed to mock him. It filled Alaric with anger.

"He's probably saving the best stories for his date," Carol said, saving Alaric from coming up with an actual response. She then moved over to Damon Salvatore. "And last, but not least, Damon Salvatore."

At his name, Natalie gave Stefan a curious look. Stefan caught her gaze and gave her a warm smile.

"My brother," He answered and Natalie nodded in understanding even though she thought Stefan didn't look much like his brother. Damon had piercing blue eyes which contrasted against his raven black hair. It was a far cry from Stefan's oak green eyes and intricately styled light brunette hair.

"We don't have much on you," Carol admitted, holding up her index card.

"Well, I'm tough to fit on a card," Damon said in smug tone and there was something arrogant about his face that Natalie didn't like. She liked to think she was a good judge of character too.

"Which means unemployed," Natalie muttered under her breath. However, Stefan heard her and smirked. She was actually very witty for someone so young. Stefan liked that about her.

"Do you have any hobbies? Like to travel?" Carol asked him. Damon smirked.

"Oh, yeah. L.A., New York," Damon listed off. "A couple of years ago, I was in North Carolina, near the Duke campus, actually. I think-I think Alaric went to school there. Didn't you, Ric?"

Natalie furrowed her eyebrows in confusion as she listened to the man speak. He glanced over at her father who fixed him with a cold look. Natalie had never seen her father look at anyone that way. Ever.

What was this guy talking about?

Did he know her father?

As far as Natalie was aware, her father didn't have any friends. The only person he hung out with was Jenna. She didn't think she remembered her father mentioning anyone by the name of Damon Salvatore.

"Yeah, cause I know your wife did," Damon said, starting to brag. Natalie shook her head as she tried to figure out what he was getting at. He knew her mother too? Stefan worriedly watched the expressions on both sisters faces as Damon went on. "I had a drink with her once. She was a great girl. Did I ever tell you that?"

Natalie didn't understand.

It was almost like he was taunting her father.

"She was delicious," Damon finally stating, continuing to smirk at her father. "Mmmm."

It was then that realization came over Natalie.

It was him.

Her mother's killer.

The vampire.

Natalie couldn't help the gasp that came out of her mouth at the revelation. Standing on that stage was none other than her mother's killer. The vampire who drained her dry according to her father's words. The one her father apparently found and refused to tell her about.

Tears flooded Natalie's eyes because she realized that vampires really did exist. She had always known they existed because of her parents but she'd never seen one face-to-face until today. Never had a vampire stood in front of her yet here was actual proof in the form of her mother's killer. Her mother's killer who bragged about her death in front of a room full of people.

Damon Salvatore.

But if Damon Salvatore was a vampire, then that meant…

"Are you okay?" Stefan asked her, placing a hand on her shoulder. Natalie hadn't even noticed the horrified look on Elena's face or the tears falling from her eyes. She jumped from Stefan's touch.

"I'm uh…great," Natalie lied, knowing that she had to get away from him. If Damon Salvatore was vampire than that meant that Stefan was too. It irked her that she'd been sitting next to a vampire for the past half an hour. "I just need to use the restroom. Excuse me."

Natalie got up from her seat and nearly ran to the bathroom, trying to get as far away from Stefan and Damon Salvatore as she could. But also to cry and maybe even puke. Natalie felt absolutely sick to her stomach after hearing Damon Salvatore brag about killing her mother.

Stefan watched the young girl run away with narrowed eyes.

Alaric said that Natalie was oblivious to vampires but the way the girl acted told another story. She looked downright terrified and sick. As if she understood exactly what Damon was saying. Stefan wasn't sure but before he could think any more on this, he noticed the tear stricken look on Elena's face. Elena who looked as sick and revolted as Natalie had at Damon's confession.

"Are you okay?" Jenna asked Elena, not knowing what was going on with her. She clearly didn't understand the sinister undertone in Damon's weird speech.

"I just need some air," Elena said before abruptly getting up from her seat and vacating the grill. Stefan ran after her.

Elena stopped on the sidewalk as she ran a hand through her long brunette tresses. She shook her head, trying to process what had just happened.

"Elena," Stefan said as he stepped outside. Elena turned to look at him.

"He killed her?" Elena questioned incredulously. "Damon was the vampire who killed her?"

"I don't know what happened," Stefan admitted, shaking his head. "Alaric said that they never found the body. I thought maybe Natalie would know something. Alaric said that she was asleep upstairs when it happened but she's never admitted to seeing or hearing anything. Not to him."

"Oh my god. Stefan," Elena said in shock. She couldn't believe it.

"I know. I'm sorry. I wanted to tell you," Stefan apologized to her as Elena looked back at him with tears in her eyes. "But I just…I wanted to know more."

"I was feeling sorry for him," Elena said angrily, not believing she could've ever felt sympathy for Damon Salvatore. Not when he murdered her mother. "Hoping that this whole Katherine thing would change him. I'm so stupid."

"He doesn't know about the connection to you," Stefan said in an attempt to explain his brother's actions. Elena looked up at him incredulously. "I doubt he even knew Natalie was there. I thought about confronting him, but he's already so on edge."

"Why are you protecting him?" Elena demanded angrily. Stefan sighed. "He killed my birth mother with Natalie, who's apparently my little sister, sleeping upstairs."

"Because you're not the only one hoping that he might actually change," Stefan answered her honestly. Elena looked away for a moment and it was only then that she noticed something odd.

Or someone odd.

"That man," Elena stated, looking past Stefan and out onto the street. "I saw that man outside of Trudie's."

"Get back inside," Stefan told her as they both glanced at the older man who was staring at them. Elena didn't hesitate in doing exactly what Stefan asked of her. This spelled trouble. Especially after everything going on with her mother and this weird behavior from Trudie earlier. There was definitely something going on and Elena had no idea what.

Natalie couldn't believe it.

She just couldn't believe that her mother truly died at the hands of a vampire.

It was silly to think that way since she'd known it all along but there was a difference between hearing her father's account of it versus actually seeing the person who did it in person. That person somehow being a vampire. It was almost surreal to think that vampires were really in this world and one had killed her mother.

Natalie didn't know what to think.

There were so many mysteries surrounding her mother's death that she always assumed she would never know what happened to her. However, now she was starting to get answers. Natalie just didn't know if she wanted any answers.

The young girl had stepped outside for some fresh air as she tried to process everything that was going on. She was hoping the fundraiser would be over soon so her dad could take her home and they could discuss what this all meant. Especially what to do now that her mother's killer was in town and apparently was aware that her father knew who he was.

"Come on. Let's get you home," Stefan Salvatore said as he lead Elena out on to the street. Natalie nearly jumped back in surprise at his presence. The brother of Damon and who Natalie was pretty positive was also a vampire. She looked between him and Elena curiously.

Did Elena know he was a vampire?

Or did she have no clue?

Should Natalie say something to her.

Natalie's racing thoughts were then put on hold as an older man suddenly appeared in front of Natalie, Stefan, and Elena. Elena jumped in surprise at the man's sudden appearance, looking up at him in worry. Natalie's gave the man a curious look as she wondered why he was staring at both her and Elena.

"I have a message for you," The man stated, looking between Elena and Natalie. "The both of you."

"What?" Elena questioned and Stefan immediately stood in front of the two sisters protectively. Natalie furrowed her eyebrows in confusion at the gesture. Why did they seem so concerned?

Maybe it was it just some weird old man.

"Who are you?" Stefan asked demandingly.

"Elena…Natalie," The man said, ignoring Stefan. Natalie looked up at him suspiciously, becoming alarmed at the fact that he knew her name.

"How do you know my name?" She asked him bravely, glaring him down. Natalie figured that maybe it wasn't weird. It was too much of a coincidence that she just saw her mother's killer and now this weird guy knew her name.

"Stop looking," He told the two girls which further confused the both of them. Elena shook her head while Natalie continued to stare at him in confusion.

"Stop looking for what?" Elena questioned.

"She doesn't want to talk to you. Either of you," He said coldly and Natalie's eyes widened in understanding. She…he said she. As if someone sent him.

"Isobel?" Elena said in stunned amazement. Natalie's eyes flashed towards her. She briefly wondered how Elena knew her mother's name. Her attention was taken away a moment later by the strange man staring the two of them down.

"You both need to stop looking. Do you understand?" He told them and Natalie couldn't do anything but stare at the man in quiet shock.

"She's alive? Does that mean that she's a-" Elena started to say and Natalie knew what the rest of her sentence was going to be without her even saying it. It was the exact same thing that she was currently thinking.

"Elena, he's under compulsion," Stefan informed her. Natalie glanced up at him curiously.

Compulsion…

Yes, she read something in her mother's research that vampires had the ability of mind control. Unless you wore vervain. It was why she had her bracelet and why her father made her ingest vervain on a daily basis. Vervain made vampires weak.

At least she knew the rumors were true now.

"Do you understand?" The man asked again. Elena nodded.

"Yes. I do," Elena replied and the man's attention turned his attention to her.

"And do you understand? He asked her and Natalie swallowed hard before nodding, trying to find the ability to speak in the midst of her shock and anger.

"I understand," Natalie finally told him.

"Good," He said in satisfaction before glancing out at the street. "I'm done now."

The man immediately stepped back and not a second later, he was hit by a car. It happened so fast that Natalie hadn't even had time to scream like Elena. She just stood there in shock.

Stefan and Elena immediately ran over to the man lying dead in the street while Natalie remained on the sidewalk. She shook her head, her heart pounding against her chest, tears flooding her eyes as she tried to make sense of what had just happened.

The man had been compelled by a vampire to warn both she and Elena for some reason.

It didn't take a genius to figure out what it all meant and who the apparent "she" was.

Somehow Natalie had always known it deep down. She just never wanted to admit it to herself. She never wanted to think about the other possibility of her mother's disappearance as being something other than death.

Natalie shook her head before quickly running away. She didn't want any questions from Elena and Stefan and she definitely didn't feel ready to ask her own questions yet. She needed to find her father and she needed to find him fast. Only he would have the answers she needed.

Through out all of this, one thing was apparent to Natalie.

Her mother wasn't dead.

She was a vampire.