Thank you as always to the people who decided to follow the story and favorite it.

Now onto the story.

Chapter 6- Beginning of Summer break, 2005

"The Sun, oh how I've missed you!" Caroline exclaimed. I smiled at my blonde friend who seemed to be basking in the sun. I had to learn to get used to these hotter drier summers, but never would I adore the season as she did. I was all for winter mostly because I was a sucker for Christmas and giving gifts.

"Care you say that every summer." Bonnie reminded her.

"Yeah, and it's always true."

"For you. It's too hot to be that happy, especially since we just got out of school." She fanned herself with her hand.

Elena and I shared a look at our friend's dramatics. "Let's get you somewhere cool before you melt." She saddled up to Bonnie and slung her arm over her shoulder. Bonnie's Gram had pulled up ready to take us all over to her house. We spent so much time with each other over the years we just had clothes at each other's places. Well, I had clothes at everyone's but Elena's.

At some point it was a major problem for us, almost costing us our friendship.

"Why do you only go to sleepovers at Bonnie's and Caroline's but not mine?" She asked me as soon as we were alone one day.

"El Bell." I sighed.

"Don't El Bell me Maverick. If we're best friends, then we should be honest so why does it always feel like you're lying to me?" Her eyes held unshed tears.

'Because I am lying to you. Because I hate your parents so much that I'm willing to let them die. Because I can't stand to be around those monsters.' I thought in my head. I remember the awkward hello I gave them the few times we have met when they picked up Elena. They seemed nice enough, but I just can't let go of the fact that their tortures. That they hate vampires so much that they would disregard ethics completely.

Not having any words, I gave Elena a rare hug. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. If you want me to come over I will but please don't think that just because I don't that, I like you less than Care or Bonnie. You, Elena Gilbert, are one of my best friends in the whole world. Never doubt that."

When we pulled back, she had a teary smile. "You don't have to come over if you don't want to. I just… I don't want you to forget me."

I scoffed. "As if."

We were stronger than ever now, and she no longer asked me to come over. I still see Jeremy at school, and I've grown closer to Vicky. When I'm not with my Angels and Bosley's I was with her, and we really talked. I didn't have to sugar coat my problems to her, she got it. She got it, she understood what it was like to have a flighty drunk mom. Matt was even there sometimes when Vicky wasn't not to go so deep but to say 'Hey I understand. I relate and I'm here for you.'

I had much more stability than I used to thanks to their support allowing me to get myself together mentally. With my allowance money I was able to hire a weekend nanny that would get Windy from school on Fridays and be with her at home until Sunday. My house now felt like a home, it was filled with things and our rooms were decorated. I no longer felt like this was a realm I had to be in but a realm that I accepted.

Our drive to Bonnies was filled with Caroline chatting whatever, I think it was some new song. She was still talking about it by the time we made it to grams and until we got into Bonnie's room.

"So, what's the plan, Bon?" Elena asked, sitting on her bed beside her.

"You know." She wiggled her eyebrows.

Caroline let out an irritated noise. "No. No nachos. You make them too good, and I can't have all those calories and carbs."

"Care, it's just some cheese and chips." I told her.

"No. There's also salty beef and jalapenos and everything else I shouldn't be having." She whined sadly. I kind of felt bad for her.

"Ok. I know how much you want to be healthy, so we'll forgo the nacho's and go for ice cream and wafers and maybe some popcorn?" I asked innocently.

She nodded. "Those are passable." I kissed her on the cheek and went to grab the snacks.

We ate, watched some really cheesy bad movies, even did some karaoke which we weren't bad at (mostly Bonnie with her top-notch vocals). At least if I wanted to compete in the Ms. Mystic Falls pageant, I could label my skill as back up for Bonnie. Can't exactly put magic down in this town, now can you?

After a while we settled down again just relaxing with the TV being used as background noise. I was laid back on a pillow with BB laying on my stomach. Caroline's head was nudged up on my ribcage and Elena was curled up on Bonnie's legs.

"I hope this never changes." I mused.

"What?" Caroline spoke softly.

"Us. This. In another year we'll be in high school. Boys will start coming into our life. Things will start changing."

"Things have already changed a lot for some of us." Bonnie poked at my boobs. I'll admit that they were huge and if my body was like it was when I was in my home realm they wouldn't stop growing until I was 17. I smacked her hand away without any heat.

"I'm being serious Bon." They just didn't know how serious. "Life happens and keeps happening. I just don't want it to tear us down."

Bon met my dark brown eyes with her hazel ones, entrapping me in her. "As long as we're together, it can't." She said confidently.

"Yeah. If it tries, I'll just kick life's butt." Care fake jabbed into the air making me laugh.

Elena at the same time reached for my hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "So don't worry too much about it. We're here until the last beat, remember?" I nodded, thinking back fondly on it.

We came up with it last year. 'Til the last beat' meant that until all of our hearts stopped, we were all still alive. That we would never truly be dead until we were all dead. It was most definitely morbid, but it just showed exactly how deep our friendship ran.

Slowly the Angels drifted to sleep which meant it was Me and Sheila time. Over the five years since I've met her, she found out I was a witch, very anticlimactically I might add, and said my magic was different but not wrong. She helped me with magic control which I still struggle with but not as horribly as before. I could make spells last longer while enhancing my body and my voice mimicking was excellent.

"Ready to practice." She called out hearing my footsteps.

"Yeah. Maybe this time I'll really nail the extra magic leakage." I said sarcastically.

Sheila ignored it and gestured for me to sit across from her on the living room floor. "Your reserves are deep. You have an abundance of magic I've never even heard of so it's not too bad if you do lose it if you were practicing solo. But you never want someone to get your signature."

"Yeah, yeah. I know."

We settled into routine light some candles with a bowl of water and dirt in between us. I could feel my connection with the elements form on a personal level. I further relaxed and closed my eyes.

"Now release it." Sheila instructed. I pulled on my core and pulled magic to the surface letting it circulate the room.

"Good, Good. Now focus it on the elements." That was easy.

I let my power flirt with the candle flames, twist in the air, agitate the water and move the dirt.

"You feel it. The elements, children of mother nature herself. A connection that is deep and intertwined in everything. We take from nature and eventually give back."

"It's amazing." I said with my eyes still closed.

"It's time honey. Cut off your magic and pick up the excess. It's yours and everything that you let out can be let in again."

I did as she said. I cut the magic off and slowly gathered up any of my magic still lingering around. If it didn't want to come back, I coaxed it to compliance. If it gave me trouble, I reminded it I was the boss. After what felt like hours, I finally was successful.

Tears spilled from my eyes when I opened them. Sheila wore a proud smile on her face, and I couldn't help it. I hugged her tight with so much gratitude I couldn't put it into words.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you." I kept repeating.

"It's ok child. It's ok." She patted my head. "You did great and anyone else who could have known would say the same thing."

I wiped my tears with a laugh. "I can't wait until Bonnie comes into her powers then I'll have a fellow witch by my side."

"Hey!" She chided.

I rolled my eyes. "You're not as young as you used to be and I need her prepared for the future Sheila. I'm keeping her from most of it but we can't protect her from it all. When the time comes, she needs to be ready." I was firm in this. Sheila knew it too and nodded in understanding.

"Ok. One more time and you can head off to bed."

"I wonder if your students ever get tired that you actually care about their work ethic." I joked.

"Not as tired as you will be if you don't do it again."

"Yes, Grams."

Third POV

Somewhere else in the world Enzo was stalking someone. The vampire that used to be held prisoner was up and keeping tabs on the world around him. He watched the black-haired man dazzle the women with his gorgeous blue eyes getting free drinks and blood with a smile.

Enzo was slowly plotting vengeance because after all these years he had found the man that abandoned him. He didn't know how yet he was going to go about it, but he knew it would be painful.

Meanwhile the black-haired man was just biding his time with alcohol, women and blood because he knew soon the time would be upon him to return home.

What a glorious night that will be.

So yes, more fluff. Point moving fluff but still. I think I'm going to do one more chapter of just character self-plot but not story plot before diving into the nitty gritty.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter- BigSmallWonder