Welcome To Mystic Falls

Elena was leaning against the wall of the waiting area merely watching as Jenna who was in full-on panic mode right now, continued to mumble to herself as she paced back and forth.

The very much freaking out Summers woman glances at the board again before groaning in worry, Brianna's flight had landed 15 minutes ago yet there was still no sign of the blonde. Which was only making Jenna panic even more "Oh, God. What if she didn't get on the plane and she's run off somewhere, what if she's in jail or in a ditch somewhere, wha-"

Elena realizing that Jenna was about to have a complete panic attack grabs her Aunt's shoulders forcing her to face her fully "Jenna, I'm sure she is fine she is most probably just grabbing her bags".

At that moment, Jenna turns her head quickly scanning the crowd again desperately looking for Brianna. As she examines the group of people exiting the plane her eyes land on a young girl with mid-length blonde hair. It was those green eyes that made it click for Jenna, Brianna's clearly got her mother's eyes.

"Brianna!" she yells over the crowd causing her to turn revealing a tired-looking Brianna, carrying 2 bags and a heavy-looking chest.

Jenna and Elena make their way towards me and I place my bags on the ground. Jenna without hesitation wraps her arms around me who instantly tenses at the contact, not that the excited Jenna noticed. She was still too stunned from seeing me after so long to notice my closed-off body language "Brianna, last time I saw you, you could barely walk, now look at you."

I offer her a small awkward smile "Hi, Aunt Jenna." I whisper before I tense as Elena steps forward wrapping her arms around me. While I loved Elena, we hadn't been as close in the past two years which was mainly my choice. I hadn't wanted to involve Elena in the supernatural so the easiest way was to slow contact.

"Hey Brianna, it's good to see you. I'm so sorry about your mum."

I again smile at the two of them as I pull back and adjusts the bag on my back "It's good to see you both and thank you. Also, I didn't get to tell you earlier but I'm sorry about your parents, how are you and Jeremy doing?" I ask turning to look at Elena whose face quickly falls at the mention of Miranda and Grayson.

"We're ok, it's been hard but we're taking it day by day." Elena says as smiles at me, so happy to finally see me again, although we hadn't spoken to each other, over the years, she, had been wanting to see the me again she just wished it was under different circumstances.

Jenna smiles at me then at Elena, it was nice to have the cousins together again, even if it was for a sucky reason "How about we get you home?" She suggests turning to me, she could just see how exhausted Brianna was. "I'm guessing you are going to need some sleep after the flight"

I nod as I play with the edge of my jacket merely just dreaming about me bed, I really wanted to crash right now "Yes, please. Jet lag is no friend of mine "

Elena giggles and goes to grab one of the bags, Jenna does the same but when she tries to lift the chest she can't make it budge. Much like Xander, she couldn't even move the thing an inch.

I quickly grab the chest lifting it easily, as though it weighed nothing. Jenna's eyes widen as she stares at me in shock, opening her mouth to question it, I just shrug speaking up before her aunt could get suspicious "I'm stronger than I look."

Jenna arches a brow not really sure what to say, without another word she shrugs accepting it before placing an arm around me as she and Elena begin leading me back to the car.

I get into the back seat of the car and stays very quiet. I just listen as Elena tells me all about Mystic Falls and her friends. After Elena had finished speaking I put on my headphones and leans my head against the window, trying to zone out. Jenna looks back at me realising that I was just putting on a show, trying to act like I was fine when deep down I was broken. Jenna had seen the sadness in my eyes and how my smiles rarely reached my eyes. She only hoped that being around family would help me heal but Jenna knew it was going to take time, how much time she was not sure.

The whole journey back to the town I hadn't seen in years, was such a blur to me the vampire slayer. It was like I was on auto-pilot, I had merely sat in the car staring out of the window the whole trip. While both Elena and Jenna had spoken leaving not a moment of silence the whole trip, I was very happy not to pipe in and merely listen.

Which for the normally chatty sarcastic I was beyond rare.

As they finally pull up in front of the Gilbert House, I couldn't help but sigh as I stare at her my new home. It was a simple two-story house, much like the house I lived in here when I was a kid. While it was nice...it just didn't feel like my home.

Wanting nothing more than to crash for the night I climb out of the car grabbing my bags with the help of my aunt and cousin.

Adjusting my weapons chest in my arms the I couldn't help but hope that this chest would be gathering dust soon enough. I wanted to be done with the whole Slayer gig. I wanted to be normal...or at least pretend to be a normal teenage girl.

"Welcome home, Brianna...Jeremy!" Jenna screams for her nephew as she pushes the front door open, quickly dropping Brianna's suitcase by the staircase groaning slightly. Joyce had always warned them that Brianna had a shoe obsession and the strawberry blonde was pretty sure this case was nothing but shoes.

Jeremy comes down the stairs glaring down at his aunt with an annoyed brooding look "What!" he yells, only for his angry annoyed face to soften as he spots me his blonde-haired cousin.

As Jenna gestures to Brianna's bags, Jeremy huffs before moving to grab the heavier ones but not without turning to Brianna, offering me a small smile "Hey Brianna, umm... I'm sorry about your mom"

While Elena and Jenna are stunned to silence by the normal grumpy Jeremy actually being nice I merely rub my shoulder awkwardly, throwing my younger cousin a small smile "Thanks umm...I'm sorry about your parents."

After an awkward moment, Jeremy nods before shutting back down again and begins making his way upstairs to put the bag in Brianna's room.

Elena sighs as she watches her younger brother go, she had really been hoping to get Jeremy to interact more with his family, but to be fair that had been more than she expected.

Jenna watches as Jeremy heads up the stairs clearly having the same thoughts as Elena, shaking her head she forces a smile back on her face as she turns to Brianna "So Brianna, are you hungry cause I'm sure we have something in the kitchen, I think."

Elena laughs while I just shake my head, I just wanted a moment alone and I wanted to sleep for a week but I would settle for a moment of peace "Honestly, I'm kinda beat, so... I just wanna crash."

Jenna nods, "Sure, Elena could you show Brianna to her room?"

"Sure." Elena agrees before she heads up the stairs gesturing for me to follow, as I make my way up the stairs and I stop and turn towards Jenna "Goodnight Jenna."

Jenna smiles at me, noticing that I had my mother's smile, I really was a mini Joyce "Goodnight Brianna."

As I follow Elena towards my new room, I look around the house, it was a very typical small townhome, much like the one I had in Sunnydale with my mom.

Stepping into me new room I examine the large room, it was bare, except for a few pieces of furniture. It had no life, no personality, it was just blank.

Elena not noticing my emotionless look walks towards the bed and drops the bag next to the boxes that had been shipped there a week earlier.

Finally, she turns towards me "Well this is you, umm... I will let you get settled and rest but if you need anything I'm right down the hall." I look at the brunette who was smiling brightly at me and nods, unable to summon words. Honestly, I felt like I was about to break, and I just couldn't afford to break down right now.

Elena watches me in worry and just as she reaches for the door she glances back at me "If it's any consolation...I'm glad you're here Brianna."

Without another word, Elena was gone and I was alone, for what was probably the first time since I found my mother's body.

"And then there was one" I whisper as I look around the room, the walls were bare, the room had no personality but I couldn't find it in myself to care, if I was honest with myself I preferred it this way, the room reflected how I was feeling.

Empty.

The hope I had felt earlier when I had been told that I was released from the council had been dwindling; the further away I had gotten from my friends.

They were the ones who had been there for me over the past two years, after everything they had been through they had become my family and now here I was, on the other side of the country away from them.

Sure, Elena, Jenna, and Jeremy were my blood relatives but I had not seen or spoken to them in years. It was like being back to where I was when I was having to keep secrets all the time.

They have no idea about me being the slayer, which meant I was right back where I started. Lying and keeping secrets; hiding who I really was.

Willow and Xander have been there for me through everything and now I had no idea when I would see them again.

Sitting down on my bed, I take a shaky breath finally letting the tears I had been holding back fall, I was alone and although Elena had said that she could talk to me, I knew that I couldn't.

I couldn't drag Elena into the dark world of Demons and Vampires. Correction... I wouldn't.

I walk along the beach by the water, there was a beautiful sunset in the background and the sound of the ocean was calming. As I walk along the shore in my pink sundress I feel the sand between my toes and the soft breeze go through my hair, it was calming and peaceful.
Stopping in my steps I lift my head to bask in the sun, closing my eyes as I doe, it is then that I feel two strong arms wrap around my waist. A small smile grazes my lips as I entangles my fingers with Angel's, resting m head against his chest.
Basking at the moment I turn my head softly to look up at him "How did you find me here?" I whisper to him like I always do.

"If I was blind, I would see you."

I smile so content being in his arms, praying for it never to end "Stay with me".
"Forever. That's the whole point. I'll never leave." I feel myself smile but then Angel whispers one last thing into my ear "Not even if you kill me."

I gasp shooting up in my bed.

Panicking at the unfamiliar environment I run a hand through my hair my brain going a mile a minute. Taking a deep breath I sigh as I remember I was in Mystic Falls.

Bringing my knees to my chest I sigh as I continue running my fingers through my hair; memories of my mother and Angel plaguing my mind.

Shaking my head I let out a small huff before looking at the clock sighing at the time. 6 AM was way too early to be awake. It was basically the middle of the night.

Sighing knowing there was no way I would be getting back to sleep anytime soon, I climb out of bed and inspects my new room.

Staring at the boxes that were still yet to be touched I clench my jaw, I wasn't ready to unpack yet. Because the moment I did, this all became real. It would be official, this was my home and that was one thing I just wasn't ready to admit yet.

Moving past the boxes my eyes land on my gym bag, if there was one thing that would get my mind off all of this...it would be fighting.

Fighting was one of the few things that kept me going at this point; I was able to put all of my anger into the fight, which kept me from lashing out at other people. It also helped me focus on something other than the pain and grief I was feeling.