You guys are awesome! A fan created a poster for Pretty Girl and its awesome! The link is in my bio so go check it out!

I know I've said that Lily Collins was my inspiration for Alex, but I think I'm going to go to my original inspiration and that is Lyndsy Fonseca. Think of Alex how you want, but from now on she will be Lyndsy Fonseca to me.

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Season 1 Episode 21 Isobel

I had been at the Salvatores for a week. A whole 7 days. It had been a week since I last saw my mother, or John for that matter. It was the longest 7 days of my life, but I wasn't ready to go back, not after the way I had acted. I had opted to take a different bedroom though, not feeling right about taking Damon's bed. It was a bit musty at first, but after I aired it out a bit the room wasn't so bad.

I had gone back to school, Elena forcing me to go. I hadn't been myself though, not since the fight. I was used to disappointment when it came to everything else, but not from my mom. Not my best friend. The only person I could confide in was Damon. And if I couldn't talk to him, I immersed myself into my sketches. I found that I got a lot of inspiration when I was upset about something and with nothing better to do, I was cranking out works of art one after another.

This was the seventh day since our fight and I was just climbing out of the shower. I grabbed a towel and dried myself off as I always did. I then padded back to my room and shut the door behind me. I was just about to drop the towel when I heard him speak.

"Well good morning to me." Damon said behind me. I jumped clinging to the towel and he seemed disappointed.

"I'm beginning to think that this whole you walking in on me thing is not an accident." I joked with him and grabbed the clothes I had set out before I got in the shower.

After I had cried that night in his arms that's where everything changed. No more were we awkward with one another. There was a mutual understanding now. Damon hadn't tried to push me away and I wasn't sure if that was just because he didn't want to or he knew that I had no other place to go. However, I enjoyed his company and he seemed to be enjoying mine.

"Smart girl." Damon replied. I rolled my eyes. "Are you helping with that float thing?"

"Unfortunately." I replied. "Caroline roped me into it."

"Good." He said. I looked up at him confused. "You need to get out."

I furrowed my brows.

"I have a feeling you're trying to get rid of me." I said suspiciously. I didn't know what I would do if he told me to leave. I couldn't go home, and John was still in town so I couldn't go to Elena's. Bonnie was avoiding both Elena and I so that was out. I might be able to convince Caroline to let me stay with her if I-

"It's not that." He said from my bed. "It's just that… You have been moping around this house-"

"I have not been moping." I interrupted him.

"Yes you have." He said. "Don't pretend like you haven't cried every night since you have been here."

I opened my mouth but shut it immediately. He wasn't wrong. I had been crying an awful lot. Mom had tried to call, but I ignored her. She left me tons of voicemails, but I hadn't returned them. Damon had called her once, told her I was ok and that he wouldn't let anything happen to me. I knew she was sorry, and I knew she was upset. I just couldn't bring myself to forgive her right now.

"If you want me to leave I will." I said bitterly, not meeting his gaze. I swallowed as I heard the bed creak as he got up. He walked over to me and took my chin in his hands, making me look at him. There was something strangely intimate about just that little gesture.

"I don't want you to leave." He said. "You stay as long as you need to."

"Thank you Damon." I said, my face flushed. He nodded at me, his fingers lingering on my skin. His touch was sending sparks through my whole body, and I wondered how long I could stand there without fainting. I became hyperaware that I was standing in a towel, in a bedroom, with Damon Salvatore, and that thought didn't bother me as much as it should have. I shifted uncomfortably and he chuckled.

"Get dressed." He said as he walked out the door. I waited for a second, knowing that he might just poke his head in at the right moment. When I was sure he was gone I dropped the towel and put my clothes on. I ran a comb through my wet tangles and then grabbed my bag.

I went down the stairs and saw Damon on the couch. He was flipping through a magazine. I furrowed my brow and took it from his hands.

"How to know if your crush likes you back." I quoted the quiz on the page. "Why are you reading this?"

"I want to know if you like me." He said with a wink. I narrowed my eyes. "Actually I already know that one."

We were at the point now that it was ok to joke about it. It felt good, instead of ignoring one another, we instead joked around with that same playful banter I loved so much. I had missed it.

"Alright smart ass." I said and tossed the magazine back to him. "I'll see you later."

"I'll be waiting with bated breath." He said dramatically. I rolled my eyes and when I turned I saw Stefan standing behind me. Things hadn't been going as smooth with Stefan as they had with Damon. Although I had forgiven him, things were still awkward, and I was still a bit frightened of him. Stefan was still controlling his hunger and also judging me for getting closer to Damon. I could see it every time he looked at me.

"Let me drive you." Stefan said. I hesitated before I agreed. "I'll be right there."

I nodded and walked out to his car.

"She's been here for seven days." Stefan said to Damon. Damon was still flipping through the magazine.

"I can count baby brother." Damon said. Stefan took the magazine and threw it into the fire. "Well that was rude."

"Why is she still here?" Stefan asked. Stefan meant nothing by his little outburst, he didn't mind having her here. It was the fact that she was getting closer to Damon every second that made him nervous.

"She's having a rough time." Damon said. "Just like someone I know."

"This is different." Stefan said. "You need to tell her to go home."

"She won't listen to me." Damon replied. "Besides I like having her around. She makes me feel… alive."

"You can't keep playing with her like this." Stefan said. "She cares about you."

"And who said I don't care about her?" Damon replied. Stefan huffed.

"I thought you were trying to keep your distance." Stefan said.

"And now I'm not." Damon said. "Things change Stefan."

Stefan sped over to Damon, catching him by the throat and shoving him up against the wall. Damon was surprised, but seemed to chuckle. Stefan was back on animal blood, which meant that he wasn't as strong as Damon.

"People die wherever you go." Stefan said. "If you hurt her-"

"I'm not going to hurt her." Damon said and shoved Stefan's hand away. "I have no desire to kill her…. Anymore."

"I know." Stefan said. "That's what worries me."

Damon watched as Stefan picked up his school bag and made his way to the door. Damon furrowed his eyebrows.

"What if you change your mind Damon?" Stefan asked. "What if you decide to start drinking from her again?"

"I won't." Damon said. He hadn't thought about drinking from Alex in a long time. He had much more respect for her life than he originally had. He worried about how she would feel more than how he would feel.

"I hope you're right." Stefan said. Stefan then walked out the door, leaving Damon to his own thoughts.

Stefan, Elena, and I arrived at the school after a long and quiet car ride. I knew neither one of them liked how close Damon and I were becoming. However, neither said anything about it. They knew they couldn't make me stop talking to him, even if they wanted to. Thing were different now. He wasn't keeping his distance and neither was I. I didn't know where this would go, but I wasn't going to stop.

When we got into the cafeteria we looked around for our station. We were working with Caroline on the Miss Mystic Falls float for the parade. I knew that Bonnie was also in that group and I wondered if she would talk to us. She said she wasn't going to come in the middle of Elena and Stefan, but I didn't understand why she wasn't talking to me. I wasn't dating a vampire.

"Hey Mr. Saltzman." Elena said when Alaric approached us. He didn't look happy and he didn't greet us back.

"Come with me." He urged the three of us. "We need to talk."

"Isobel is in town?"

Alaric had just broke the news that Isobel was back and that she wanted to speak with Elena. Elena, who was seated at a desk in Alaric's classroom, was staring at the wooden desk. I reached for her, gripping her hand. She didn't look at me, she just squeezed it as a silent thank you.

"Did you ask her about Uncle John?" Damon asked. "Are they working together?"

"No." Alaric replied.

"No they're not?" Damon asked.

"No, I didn't ask." Alaric answered.

"What about the invention?" Damon continued.

"Didn't ask." Alaric admitted.

"Did she know about the tomb vampires?" Damon asked.

"I don't know." Alaric said.

"Did words completely escape you?" Damon asked sarcastically.

"No, I was a little too distracted by my dead vampire wife to ask any questions." Alaric said. Damon backed off then. He turned to Elena.

"What did she want?" He asked.

"She wants to see me." Elena said, still flustered over the whole situation.

"Alaric is supposed to arrange a meeting." Stefan explained. "We don't know why or what she wants."

"You don't have to see her if you don't want to." Damon insisted. Elena scoffed.

"I don't really have a choice." Elena replied.

"She's threatened to go on killing spree." Alaric said. Damon didn't even flinch.

"Oh!" Damon said and then looked at all of us. "I take it that's not okay with you guys."

I rolled my eyes from my seat. We had to figure something out. Whatever Isobel wanted, I didn't think it was to have a good relationship with her daughter. I suddenly realized that both of us were in a similar situation. We both had parents that had suddenly shown up. Although hers was a vampire and mine was a hunter, it was still a similar situation.

"I want to do it. I want to meet her." Elena said. "If I don't, I know I'll regret it."

We all looked between each other. I licked my lips.

"I'll go with you." I said. "For moral support."

"I'll be there too." Stefan said. "Just in case something goes wrong."

"And what about me?" Damon asked. "What should I do?"

"You stay outside with me." Alaric said. "Isobel made it clear that the two of us are not allowed inside."

"Well that's a bunch of sh-"

"It's settled then." Elena said cutting Damon off. "Let's do it."

Elena sat by herself, eyeing Stefan and Alex over by the pool tables. Alex was being much more casual then Stefan. He was staring right at her, grinning. She was nervous, to say the least. She had tried to calm herself down, knowing that nothing was going to happen. But she was about to meet the woman who gave her up. How do you prepare for that?

Elena looked up when someone approached. She felt her heart skip a beat. She recognized her picture. It was Isobel. She sat down in the seat next to Elena.

"Hello Elena." She said looking her over.

"This makes me nervous." I said watching as Isobel and Elena talked. They hadn't been there long, but the idea of Isobel anywhere near Elena gave me anxiety.

"Not me." Stefan said, leaning on a pool stick. I looked over at him.

"How is this not freaking you out?" I asked him. He caught my gaze and then tapped his ear. I nodded in understanding. Isobel could hear us. Stefan was playing it cool. I on the other hand could not play it cool. My hands were drumming on the pool table, and my leg was bouncing ferociously.

Stefan reached over and stopped my hands after a while. I made a face, but stopped my tapping. I moved to biting my nails.

"Who's my father?" Elena asked.

"Not important." Isobel replied. "He was a teenage waste of space."

"A name would be nice." Elena said.

"It would, wouldn't it?" Isobel said. "You ask a lot of questions."

Elena narrowed her eyes. She could feel Stefan and Alex watching intently.

"Your new boyfriend over there by the pool table? Stefan Salvatore. Why Stefan?" Isobel asked. "Why didn't you go for Damon? Or are you enjoying them both like Katherine did?"

Elena looked at Isobel shocked. Isobel smirked.

"Or is he already taken." Isobel said and looked over at Stefan and Alex. "She's pretty. Not as pretty as you though."

"How do you know Stefan and Damon?" Elena asked, not interested in hearing Isobel bash her friend.

"Again with the questions." Isobel said. "Sorry but I'm out of answers."

"Why did she look over here?" I asked after Isobel turned back around to Elena. Stefan looked visibly uncomfortable. "Stefan what did she say?"

"Nothing important." Stefan said. I tried to urge him to give up the details, but he ignored me. I huffed, not having any more nails to chew. I then started to twirl my hair.

"Why did you want to meet me?" Elena asked. "Can't be to just catch up."

"Because I'm curious about you." Isobel said. "But the real reason is: I want what your uncle wants. Jonathan Gilbert's invention."

Elena furrowed her brows.

"How do you know my uncle?" Elena asked, voicing her thoughts.

"I used to spend a lot of time here when I was younger. John had a crush on me for years." Isobel explained. "He even had a girlfriend at the time… what was her name?"

"Lauren." Elena said, gritting her teeth. Isobel smiled.

"Lauren. That was it." Isobel said. "I might just have to pay her a visit."

"Don't." Elena said. "Leave her out of this."

"Oh…" Isobel murmured. "That's Alex's mom right? Pity of a father really."

"What made you want to become a vampire?" Elena asked, changing the subject. Elena liked Lauren, and she wasn't going to have Isobel talk bad about her.

"It's a very long list of reasons, Elena." Isobel answered. "All of which I'm sure you've thought about."

"No." Elena replied bitterly.

"That was your first lie. It's inevitable, you're going to get old, Stefan won't." Isobel said. Elena looked at Stefan. "Forever doesn't last very long when you're human."

"I'm sorry but I don't have what you're looking for." Elena said getting up. Isobel grabbed her arm.

"Sit down." She ordered. "And tell your boyfriend to walk away."

Elena looked up at Stefan who had advanced with Alex right on his tail. Elena nodded to him and he slowly backed away, pulling Alex with him. Elena sat back down.

"I want the invention." Isobel said.

"I don't have it." Elena replied.

"I know that but Damon does and you're going get it for me." Isobel explained.

"He's not going to give it to me." Elena said. There was no way Elena could convince him to give her the invention. Elena had betrayed Damon's trust once, and he wasn't too keen on forgiving her. They may have been civil, but there was not a chance that she could get that invention from him.

"Maybe not." Isobel said and then turned. "But he might give it to her."

Elena's blood ran cold as she followed Isobel's pointed finger. She looked up and locked eyes with Alex. She looked very concerned and she narrowed her eyes at Isobel, looking very much unafraid of the vampire. Elena swallowed.

"Get it." Isobel ordered. "Or her blood will be on your hands."

Isobel then stood up and turned back to Elena.

"It was nice meeting you Elena." She said and left the Grill.

I was sitting in the living room, watching Damon walk back and forth across the parlor floor. I was wondering when he would end up wearing a hole into it. Stefan and Elena sat there as well, every once and a while looking at me, to see if I was freaking out yet. We were going over the game plan, seeing as Isobel had threatened my life if Damon didn't give over the device.

"We keep her here." Stefan suggested. "That way nothing can happen to her."

I shook my head.

"I can't just stay here." I said. "I've missed enough school already."

"She's right." Elena said. "People will get suspicious."

I looked up to where Damon had paused. He was staring at me with determination, but also concern. He was concerned for my safety, and I couldn't help but feel giddy about that revelation.

"Then you can't go off alone." Damon said then looked at Stefan. "She is not allowed to be alone."

"I don't need a babysitter." I muttered. Damon turned to me, sped across the room so fast I barely saw him. He crouched in front of me, so close that our noses were almost touching. I was surprised at how quick he was in front of me, I felt my head spinning.

"She will kill you." Damon said, his words long and careful. "What about that do you not understand?"

"I'm fine Damon." I said. "I can take care of myself."

"Not against a vampire." Damon said, straghtening. He then looked at Stefan. "Watch her at all times, you got that?"

Stefan nodded. I grumbled to myself, crossing my arms over my chest. I hated feeling like a child, but Damon was right. I was nothing to Isobel, and if she wanted to kill me she definitely could. Damon and Stefan then talked strategy, while Elena and I stayed silent. She seemed pretty shaken up by the whole Isobel thing as well. I leaned over to her.

"How are you doing?" I asked her. She let out a laugh.

"You've just been threatened by my biological vampire mother..." She scoffed. "And you are asking me how I am?"

I shrugged, making her shake her head.

"I've been better." Elena replied honestly. "You have to promise me that you won't go off alone."

I watched her carefully. She seemed just as worried as Damon was, but Elena's eyes were filled with more sorrow. If I died, what would she do? Would she cry? Would she mourn? I liked to think of Elena as a friend now, a close one, and the thought of her dying terrified me. I wondered what she would feel if I died. I didn't like the idea that I was going to have to be on lock down, but I knew that it would give the others peace of mind.

"I promise." I vowed. She nodded to me a small smile forming on her flawless face.

It wasn't long before Elena left and I was back up in my room, well the room I had been staying in for a week. Damon had gone to do an errand as he said, but I didn't believe him. He was probably off killing someone, and he knew I wouldn't like it so he lied to me. Because I had some free time, I started to sketch, drawing Isobel's profile. She was a pretty woman, I had to admit. I could see Elena in her, past all the evil that clouded her face. Her hair was as dark as a midnight sky, her skin white like snow. I looked over the sketch and shivered at the thought of my demise coming by her pale hand.

I looked up suddenly when the door opened. Damon revealed himself then, as handsome as he ever was. He has that wirey smile on his face, but it was shrouded by annoyance and worry. I put my sketch pad down as he closed the door behind him.

"You doing alright?" He asked me. I let out a small laugh.

"Well my life has been threatened by a vampire who happens to be my cousin's birth mother." I said. "Other than that I'm great."

He chuckled and then sat down on the edge of my bed, close enough that I could reach out and touch him. I looked over his features. Gone was the cocky and funny Damon from this morning, he was now replaced by a serious and angry Damon. I liked the former one the best.

"You know I'm only doing this to protect you right?" He asked. I nodded. He reached forward and took my hand in his. I had to hold back the gasp that came to my throat at the gesture. He was tracing my palm, as if he was trying to calm himself.

"Where did you go?" I asked him. He didn't answer me right away. Instead he focused on my hand, leaving trails of electricity in his wake.

"I told Isobel to back off." He said. My eyes widened. "Don't worry I'm ok."

"She could have killed you." I murmured. He chuckled.

"I'm much stronger than Isobel." He said. I furrowed my brows. "It's an age thing."

"So, since you're older that makes you stronger?" I asked. He nodded. We then fell silent and I continued to enjoy the feel of his hand in mine. I wasn't scared of Isobel. Ok I was scared, but I knew that with this plan she wouldn't be able to get me. I would be fine.

"How does she know John?" I asked him. Damon tensed, and he ceased his tracing. I waited patiently for him to respond.

"They… dated." Damon admitted. I froze, and then shook my head.

"Wait, but John was dating my mom all through…." I trailed off, understanding Damon's hesitation. Not only did John leave my mother to raise me, he also cheated on her the whole time they were dating. It made me sick to my stomach.

"He's such an ass." I muttered.

"I know." Damon said, patting my hand. "Well, I'm going to let you sleep."

I nodded and released his hand. He went to the door and opened it letting the light from the hallway illuminate the room. I suddenly felt the urge to stop him, make him stay with me. But I couldn't find my voice, and the idea of him rejecting me made me stay quiet. I let him go and sighed when the door closed. I then turned out the lights and tried to fall asleep.

I didn't sleep well. I was awoken with terrible nightmares. Nightmares of Isobel chasing me and killing me. Blood everywhere... I had woken up several times with a cold sweat on my brow and a scream caught in my throat. I didn't dare let it go, for fear that Damon would be alerted. I didn't want to bother him with a petty little nightmares. He had more important things to do.

When I got up I went into the shower, washing off the previous night from my body. I wanted to forget it all, but all I could think about was Isobel's vampire face and how she bit me, my blood covering her mouth. I stayed in the shower until I couldn't any longer. I couldn't waste any more time in there. I dressed in a daze, not feeling up to today. But I had made such a fuss I had to go.

"You look like hell." Damon said when I walked down the stairs. I glared at him before I grabbed an apple. I had to wait for Stefan, because now that I was in danger I couldn't go anywhere without him.

"Didn't sleep well?" Damon asked. I shook my head. He gave me a sympathetic look. "This will all be over soon."

"Will it?" I asked him and took a bite out of my apple. "Or will this keep happening to me?"

"I'm not going to let anything happen to you." He promised me. I swallowed hard and blinked. Stefan then came down the stairs and we went to school. I looked back over my shoulder at Damon and he looked like he wanted to say something. He didn't.

Production of the floats were still underway. Caroline was barking out orders to me and I begrudgingly followed suit. I could feel Stefan's presence suffocating me. I didn't like being watched, and Stefan was not letting up.

"She's not here Stefan." I said. "You can loosen up a bit."

"I'm not taking any chances." He replied. I rolled my eyes. Suddenly my phone started to ring. I pulled it from my pocket and saw that it was a number I didn't recognize. I furrowed my brows but answered it anyway.

"Hello?" I asked.

"Hello Alexandra." I heard on the other end.

"Who is this?" I asked politely. No body called me Alexandra, no one who knew me well anyway.

"Isobel."

I felt my bones chill. Stefan was now talking to Elena, so he wasn't paying attention to my conversation. I opened my mouth to yell at him.

"I wouldn't do that." Isobel said. "Not if you want your mother to live."

My stomach dropped at the sound of that.

"Where is she?" I asked in a whisper. Isobel chuckled. "Don't touch her."

"You don't get to ask questions here or give me orders." Isobel threatened. "Now… start backing up slowly."

I did as she said, backing away from Stefan very slowly. He didn't look up.

"How do I know this isn't a trick?" I asked.

"I guess you will just have to trust me." She replied. I swallowed. "My friend is going to create a diversion. When he does I want you to run."

"How will I know-"

"You'll know." She said. The phone went dead then. I searched the area, not seeing her at all. I didn't see anything unusual really. But I couldn't take the chance on telling Stefan. If Isobel had my mom then she could die. I felt tears prick my eyes at the idea that I had brought her into this mess. Threatening me was one thing, but when you threaten my mom, things got personal.

Suddenly, I heard a commotion. I snapped my gaze to the left to find a crowd surrounding one of the floats. Matt's arm was trapped underneath a trailer. Stefan was then focused on that. I took that as my cue and started to run away from the scene. I ran until someone grabbed me. I kicked and thrashed but it got me nowhere.

I was then shoved into the backseat of a car. I struggled to sit up, but when I did I found that Isobel was the only one, besides the driver, in the car. She was looking at me sinisterly. I scrambled to the corner, far away from her.

"Where is my mother?" I spat at her. Isobel chuckled.

"You humans are so gullible." Isobel said and started searching through her phone. I felt the sudden realization hit me like a brick.

"She's not…" I began. "You never had her."

"She's safe and sound." Isobel replied. "I can't say the same for you though."

"What do you want?" I asked. She rolled her eyes and ignored me. I knew what she wanted. She wanted the device, and this was her way to get it.

I was getting really tired of being leverage.

"What do you mean Isobel took her?"

Damon had been on a rampage ever since Stefan, Elena, and Bonnie had entered the boarding house. Damon had trusted Stefan to watch her, and he couldn't even do that right.

"They created a diversion." Stefan said. "They must have got her when I wasn't looking."

"We need to give her the device." Elena said. Damon shook his head.

"No." Damon replied. "No way."

"Damon we have to." Elena added.

"I am not going to give the device to Isobel, so that she can give it to John so John can kill me." Damon replied. "I'll get her my own way."

"But it'll be useless, Bonnie can take its power away." Elena said. Damon scoffed.

"I don't trust her." Damon said watching Bonnie.

"I can remove the original spell." Bonnie said. Damon and Bonnie glared at one another before he shook his head.

"No offense, but you're no Emily Bennett." Damon said. "I'll get Alex myself."

"Really? How are you going to do that?" Stefan asked. "Because Isobel is a vampire and Alex could be dead the second you walk in the door."

"I'll handle it." Damon replied. He didn't want anyone, especially Bonnie, getting their hands on this device, especially since it was harmful to vampires.

"We're doing this, Damon. And we're doing it my way." Elena said and held out her hand. "Now give me the device. We're wasting time!"

Damon eyed Elena. She looked at him expectantly. They were all right. If he came barging in there Alex could be dead. He dug the device from his pocket and gave it to Elena.

"I'm trusting you." Damon said to Elena. Elena nodded and took the device.

I was sat in a chair, Isobel's two lackeys by my side. I had tried to escape, but they grabbed me and sat me back down. Isobel threatened to kill me if I tried to get up again. So there I sat, waiting for anything.

I heard the front door open and Isobel headed down the hall. I looked at the two minions beside me. A handsome guy and pretty girl who had blank faces. I assumed that they had been compelled to do this.

"Did you get the missing piece? Where is it?" It was John's voice. I was relieved and also sickened at the same time.

"I don't have it yet." Isobel admitted. I could hear both of their footsteps.

"Then why did you call me?" John asked. The two entered the room and John's eyes landed on me.

"Because I have the next best thing." Isobel said. John's eyes widened and he looked back at Isobel, who smirked at him.

"What the hell are you doing?" John asked looking back to me. I tried to raise up, but the guy held me back down again.

"Getting what I want." Isobel replied. John made a murderous face.

"Yeah but… she's my daughter." John said. "You need to let her go right this second."

"That gaudy ring on your finger comes off you know." Isobel threatened. I fought against the hands on me, to no avail.

"Come on Isobel, I know you okay? It's me John." John said trying to get through to her. "You can't hurt a kid. Not my kid."

"I'll kill her to prove you wrong." Isobel said. "She means nothing to me."

"But she mean's everything to me." John said. Isobel shrugged.

"That sounds like a personal problem." She replied. John shook his head in disbelief.

"Really? Are you that far gone?" John asked. "Look, I know you've changed but the old Isobel is somewhere in there, isn't she? Come on let her go."

Isobel looked touched by his words. She then walked around him and nodded to her lackeys. The two of them threw him down.

"No!" I yelled and got up but the girl pushed me back in my seat. They started kicking John, keeping him down. "Stop! Please! Leave him alone!"

Isobel gestured for them to stop. She then bent down and took the ring off John's finger.

"Nice try." She said. "We'll see how you do without this."

John looked up from the floor, his head bleeding. Isobel walked out of the room and John's eyes connected with mine. I never thought in my life I would be thankful for being in a room with John Gilbert.

"What does this device do?" I asked John. His head had stopped bleeding, but the red stuff caked his wound. He was seated on the floor, and I was sitting in a chair. The male minion of Isobel's was watching the door.

"It kills vampires." He said. I furrowed my eyebrows.

"Then why would Isobel want it?" I asked him. It didn't make sense. If it killed vampires then why would Isobel want it.

"She has her own reasons for wanting them dead." He replied. "As do I."

"Right." I said. "You think all vampires are bad."

"They are all bad Alex." John muttered. "They are undead, they have no human qualities."

"You obviously haven't met the right ones." I replied. He stared at me. I fidgeted under his judging gaze.

"Because Damon is so good right?" He asked. "Damon kills people."

"So do you." I said. "You kill vampires."

"They aren't people Alex." He replied.

"Damon and Stefan are my friends." I said. "I trust them with my life."

"You know how stupid that is?" He asked me. "Dating a vampire? It is the most self-harmful thing you could ever do."

"And yet you hang around Isobel." I said. "I know you cheated on my mom with her."

John set his jaw and visibly swallowed. He couldn't get around this. He had been caught.

"I know I'm not your favorite person." John said. "But I never meant to hurt you."

"Well, you did." I replied.

"And now, I'm trying to protect you." John said. "You need to stay away from the Salvatores."

I scoffed. The only one who was hurting me was him. Damon and Stefan were trying to protect me. I wasn't going to write them off just because John said to.

"I can take care of myself." I said. "I have been for years."

"You can't fight a vampire Alex." He said, then he paused. "But I can teach you."

"Excuse me?" I asked him. He nodded. "Are you offering to teach me how to hunt vampires?"

"If there is one thing you ever get from me…" He said. "I would hope that it could save your life."

We stared at one another for a long time. I was about to retort, to tell him to go screw himself, but then the male one grabbed me and lifted me up.

"Where are you taking her?" John asked. Isobel came back in.

"It's time for me to do your job." She said and grabbed my arm. "Don't worry. I'll hand deliver her to Damon personally."

We were in the park. I could see Elena from behind where Isobel's two workers had held me. Isobel vampire sped to her position behind Elena. The two conversed and then I was dragged out into the open. I could see Damon standing a few feet behind Elena. I saw a flicker of relief in his eyes.

"Give me the device." Isobel ordered.

"Give me Alex." Elena replied. Isobel narrowed her eyes but nodded. The two let go of my arms and I walked forward toward Elena. She stopped me before I could pass her.

"You were never going to hurt her." Elena said, gripping my arm tightly. I could only focus on Damon.

"No." Isobel said. "I was going to kill her."

I swallowed, feeling my skin crawl.

"Don't look for any redeeming qualities in me." Isobel said. "I don't have any."

"But you took a risk with Damon." Elena said. "How did you know he would give me the device?"

"Because he's in love with her." Isobel said like it was obvious.

My eyes flickered over to Damon. He stood, tense and straight as he stared right back at me. It was just an observation, and I didn't know if Isobel was right. But by the way Damon was on edge now, there was something that made me believe that Isobel was telling the truth.

Elena placed the device into Isobel's hand. She looked satisfied with herself. Now that she had it, I felt at ease. Although, I wouldn't feel completely safe until I was closer to the Salvatores.

"Thank you." Elena said.

"For what?" Isobel asked surprised.

"For being such a monumental disappointment." Elena said. "It keeps the memory of my real mother perfectly intact."

"Goodbye Elena." Isobel said. She then walked past us. Arm in arm, Elena and I walked toward the brothers in front of us. Elena launched herself into Stefan's awaiting embrace, while I lingered back. Damon wasn't looking at me. He was glaring at the ground.

"Let's get you two home." Stefan suggested. The thought of going back to the Salvatores made me sick. There was somewhere else I needed to be.

"I need to talk to my mom." I said. Damon's gaze shot up. "I have to go home."

They dropped me off, all the while Damon did not talk to me. He didn't even look at me. I tried not to let his reaction get to my head. Isobel was probably just playing with both of us, and I couldn't let her get to me, especially since Damon and I had gotten so close. I walked up to the front door, using my keys to get in. I didn't even look back to the vehicle as it drove away. I was shocked at the state of things inside the house. The house was a mess, empty cartons everywhere and dishes scattered across the room.

I found her sitting on the couch, watching some stupid TV show that I was sure she only watched because I liked it. Her hair was a greasy mess on top of her head. She had no makeup on and she wore some of my old clothes. I wondered if that was her way of remembering me.

She looked up when I opened the door in shock. There was a second of tense silence before she moved. Her legs shot up, bringing her with them. Both of us stood there, staring at one another for a long while, neither one of us blinking or breathing. She was the first to move. She took a few steps up to me.

"Baby, I am so sorry." She said, tears brimming her eyes. "I shouldn't have-"

But she was cut off when I pulled her into a bone crushing hug. She returned it, holding me close and whispering how sorry she was to me. I tuned her out, just happy to be home. The thought that I could have lost her today made me realize that what happened in the past didn't matter. She was my mother and I loved her regardless.

"I love you mom." I said.

"I love you too baby." She murmured. I pulled back to look at her.

"I'm not a baby." I replied. She had tears running down her face.

"You'll always be my baby."

John was lounging on the couch, hoping that Alex had gotten home ok. He assumed that being with Damon was better than being with Isobel. He had her number, he could call her. But he voted against it. John was still nothing to Alex, and he was beginning to wonder if he would ever get his chance.

His phone ringing broke him from his thoughts.

"Hello?" He asked.

"On your doorstep you'll find what you've been looking for." Isobel told him.

"And my ring?" He asked moving toward the door.

"Don't screw this up." Isobel barked. "You know what you have to do, John."

"I got it." He said, picking up a manila envelope. "I won't fail."

"You better not." Isobel warned. "Katherine wants all of those tomb vampires dead, and I want to add two more to that list."

"Let me guess." John said.

"Stefan and Damon." Isobel said. "I don't want this life for her."

"And I don't want it for Alex." John said. "Consider them gone."

"She's our daughter, John." Isobel said, referring to Elena. "We owe that to her."

"I know." John replied.

"And for God sakes keep Damon away from your daughter." Isobel said before she hung up the phone. John slammed it shut and looked at the device in his hand. He would get rid of both Salvatores, that way neither one of his daughters would ever know the life of a vampire.