A/N: Now we are at episode 1 of season 1, the little prolog chapters were kind of the background for Harper. What did you think about the previous chapters? What do you want to see in the ones that are to come? Please review!

Chapter 4 - Ashes, Ashes, We all fall Down

~X~

The school was exactly the same as before the summer. Every student was the same, every teacher too. And once again, Harper Bellrose entered the shadows. It was comfortable there, no one really noticed you or bothered you. You were nobody, and that was exactly what Harper wanted to be.

She walked around the school with ease, looking down into her marvel comic book she had gotten at the gas station that morning with Tyler. She was headed towards her locker when she bumped shoulders with someone.

"S-sorry" She mumbled as she bent down to pick up her comic that she had dropped. But she didn't get the chance to do that though, as the guy that she bumped into was much faster and reached for it himself. Which resulted in their heads colliding.

"Ouch.. damn we are really clumsy" Harper looked up to see none other than Matt Donovan in front of her. Rubbing his forehead with a sour face.

"I'm so sorry" Harper panicked and stood up quickly, she turned around in embarrassment and walked away. Leaving Matt by himself, with her comic still in his hands.

"Hey! You forgot this!" He shouted, but he had lost track of Harper in the hallway. He sighed and looked down at the comic. She probably wanted this back.

"Yo Donovan! What's up man" Tyler Lockwood approached him, wearing his usual crooked smile. When his friend was unresponsive he waved a hand in front of his face, making Matt snapp out of his thoughts.

"Oh hi.. man I am so tired" Matt muttered and looked at Tyler, who noticed the comic in his hands.

"Since when do you read comics? That's very… nerdy" Tyler commented and raised an eyebrow. Matt hadn't read comics since they were little, so it was very odd to see him holding one now.

"Nah, it's not mine" Matt sighed as he started to walk towards his locker.

"So whose is it then?" Tyler asked, following his friend.

"Harper Bellrose's.. she dropped it and I didn't get the chance of returning it" Matt stated as he opened his locker to get his books. Meanwhile, Tyler thought back to about one hour earlier when he and Harper had been at the gas station to get something to eat. He hadn't even realized that she had bought the comic.

"Give it to me, I can give it to her.. since you know.. I live with her" He suggested and rolled his eyes to show his annoyance. He wasn't annoyed by Harper. She minded her own business and kept to herself, so he hadn't even had a good chance of getting to know her over the summer.

"That must be weird," Matt said and handed the comic over to Tyler, who stuffed it into his backpack.

"It totally is.. you know her mom hasn't shown up anywhere. The police can't find her" Tyler said and looked around the hallway, trying to put up a front of disinterest.

"Freaky as hell, I feel bad for her" Matt knew exactly what it was like, hell he wasn't even sure if his mom was where she said she was. He was fending for himself together with Vicki, so at least he had some family. Harper had no one but the Lockwoods.

"Yeah," Tyler agreed and studied his friend. Matt was staring across the hall at someone. And that someone was none other than Elena Gilbert.

"Elena Gilbert, man get over her.. she clearly has" Tyler said as Elena gave Matt a small wave. Which he ignored and looked at Tyler.

"I am over her man" But clearly he was lying.

~X~

Harper had worked at the Grill for ages. She had been the perfect employee, she even picked up extra shifts now and then. Of course this changed during summer, but she hadn't quit the job completely. Even though she didn't need it. The night of the first day back to school was also her first shift back at the restaurant.

"Hey Vicki" Harper said as she tied her apron around her waist. Vicki was the closest thing to a friend that Harper ever had. She wasn't into drugs like Vicki, but as they had worked together for so long that some sort of friendly relationship grew.

"Harper.. god I've missed you" Vicki said and hugged Harper. Vicki hadn't been to the funeral, which was strange since she had often been to Henry's parties. But Harper guessed it was the grief of Henry that was too much, and Vicki just didn't want to show it in public.

"I missed you too," Harper said, and hugged her back.

"Is it true that you are living with Tyler Lockwood?" Vicki asked as they walked out to the restaurant area, the place was already crowded.

"His parents took me in after the whole thing, it's complicated" Harper sighed and went behind the bar to serve the people sitting by it. She wasn't even of age, but the owner didn't care. And the customers didn't either.

"Yeah I mean.. It's Tyler Lockwood! I would totally freak if I lived at his house" Vicki stated as she waited for the first rounds of food to be ready to be served. They worked the night shift, so the two girls that were before them just handed their notepads and orders onto them. The Grill was an easy gig, no customers ever fussed or were picky.

"It's not that bad, I finally have hot water and food three times a day" Harper snorted and looked at Vicki, who laughed and looked at her notepad once more.

"You know what I mean! Harper-" Vicki was cut off by the chef in the kitchen, who also happened to be the owner. He glared at Vicki and handed her the food that was going to table 5.

"Get back to work" He grunted. The girls shared a look and continued with their work. Throughout the night, Jeremy Gilbert tried to talk to Vicki and it was pretty painful to watch since she clearly had no interest in him. Harper was stuck in the bar the whole night, but from the corner of her eye she saw Tyler sitting together with Matt Donovan and weirdly enough the blonde made her all fuzzy inside.

~X~

"You guys are home late" Mr. Lockwood sat in the living room with his wife. Drink in hand, even though it was a Monday.

"Sorry dad, the grill was packed tonight so Harper got some extra hours in" Tyler said before Harper was able to say anything. She looked at him in question but he ignored her.

"I really wished that you would stop working there, you don't need to anymore" Carol sighed into her cup of tea and looked up at Harper. She was way too good for that place, according to Carol. She needed to do some extracurricular activities instead and start thinking about the future. Not living day by day as she used to.

"I want too, I like the small independent things" Harper said, her voice soft as she switched her gaze between Richard and Carol. She understood the gratitude that she felt towards them, and she hoped that she had shown that gratitude over the months that had passed. If they hadn't taken her in she would have fallen into the system and ended up where the government thought would be best. She now lived a privileged life, all thanks to them.

"But working there with that Donovan girl.. honestly I have no idea how she and Matt are related" Carol said and shook her head, she and Richard were on the same page on that one. Vicki Donovan was not a good girl, she did things that Harper should be kept away from at all costs.

"Maybe they aren't" Richard chuckled and took another sip of his whiskey. This made Tyler mad, to him, his parents had no right to say such things about Vicki and Matt. They weren't people to look down upon.

"Dad!" Tyler protested, and Harper already knew what was coming. She had seen it before, and it wasn't pretty at all.

"Don't speak to me in that tone" Richard Lockwood stood up from his seat and pointed with his whole hand towards Tyler. Harper wanted them both to stop, but was way too scared to do anything.

"I can use whatever tone I want, don't speak that way about my friends" Tyler argued, but as he said them. A slap could be heard. It wasn't the first time, and would probably not be the last. But Richard had slapped Tyler across the face which left the side of his face an ugly shade of red.

"Now you two listen here, under my roof, I can say what I want as I am the man of the house, I tell everybody else what to do. You will stop using that tone against me and you, Harper, will quit your work at the grill" Richard said and sat back down to a very tense looking Carol. She was no longer holding her tea and she looked as if she was about to cry, but couldn't.

"Go to your room, it is not up for discussion" Richard added, waving his hand in dismissal. Harper ran up the stairs, not caring about what Carol might say tomorrow about it. Tyler was right behind her, he didn't look sad about what happened, he was furious.

"Welcome to the family" He grunted towards Harper, before slamming his bedroom door, leaving her alone.