November 1.

Salvatore Boarding House.

Stefan was asleep in the large living room when the sound of the book on his lap falling to the ground startled him out of his slumber and he sat up, looking around.

"Damon?"

He called out, expecting to see his brother, as he stood up, walking around, but no one answered.

He walked towards the opened backyard door, closing it when he heard a blur and he walked around, confused.

"Damon?"

He called out again but as he turned, he was pushed to the floor and he gasped, turning back up and in that moment, a female vampire crouched on him, her face vampiric as she snarked and her fangs were out.

"Lexi?!"

Stefan gasped out and her face returned to normal, smiling at Stefan.

"Hi!"

She beamed at him, standing up and helping him as well.

"W-what are you doing here??"

He let out, surprised as he hugged her which she reciprocated as she scoffed.

"Psh! How could you even ask that!"

Stefan smiled at her.

Lexi was a blonde haired beauty and the oldest friend Stefan had.

He knew he'd be lost in this world, on the part of destruction if she hadn't run in to him in their first encounter.

"I missed you."

He said earnestly and she grinned at him before ruffling his hair.

"Happy birthday."

He chuckled, looking at her fondly.


Gilbert Residence.

Cherith walked into the house early that morning as Leslie dropped her off, just in time to see Jenna dressed up and patting her curly hair.

"Hey Jenna."

Jenna smiled at her before turning back to a mirror and checking her face.

"Morning party animal. How's Leslie?"

Cherith gave her a thumbs up before frowning.

"I thought you didn't have plans today. Are you going on a date?"

Jenna scoffed.

"Why is it that anytime I'm so much as dressed nicely, you automatically suspect I'm going on a date."

Cherith shrugged as she sat on the base of the stairs.

"I dunno, isn't that what adults love to dress up for the most?"

Jenna sighed mumbling.

"This child… Anyways! Like I've made quite clear, after that douchebag, I'm swearing off men. Now! I, am heading to the station."

Cherith frowned.

"What? Why?"

Just then, Elena and Jeremy began coming down the stairs and Cherith stood up so they'd be able to get down freely.

She looked at their faces intent on knowing what happened.

Jeremy looked slightly moody but Elena just looked tired.

"Did one of them blow up a car or something?"

She gestured towards her siblings and Jenna scoffed.

"If one of you ever did that, believe me, you'll be taking me to see the psychiatrist. All the things you've all put me through… But no! We're going because of Vicki."

"Donovan? What's the deal with her?"

Jeremy sighed, folding his arms.

"She left town."

Cherith's eyebrows raised.

"Wait. Just like that? I thought saw people spotted her yesterday. Also… what does that have to do with you both heading to the station??"

This time, it was Elena who answered.

"The sheriff wants to question the last people who saw her."

"Will Matt be there?"

She nodded and Cherith sighed.

"Poor Matt. Doesn't have the best luck with family hm? I swear if I ever run into Vicki again, I'm going to tear into her and tell her just how much of a git she really is"

They turned to look at her oddly.

"Git? What's that?"

Jenna said and Cherith shrugged.

"It's a British slang. Get with the times."

Jeremy sighed, walking to the door and opening it.

"Let's just get this over with."

He grumbled as he walked out and Jenna nodded.

"True. We will see you later Cherry. Try not to destroy the house when we leave, okay?"

Jenna said as she and Elena walked out and Cherith gave her an offended look.

"Oh yeah? Well maybe I should do that then!"


Grams' Residence.

That evening, Bonnie packs her belongings into her luggage when her Grams walks by, resting on one side of the wall.

"You leaving?"

She asked and Bonnie nodded with a sigh.

"Yeah. You know dad doesn't like it when I stay here for too long."

Sheila scoffed, walking into the room.

"Because he misses you or because he doesn't trust me. Your father's problem is he lacks imagination. He thinks I fill your head with my witchy juju."

She smirked and Bonnie grinned at her.

"And he's right though."

"He's always right. That's his other problem."

Bonnie grabbed the necklace, preparing to drop it in her luggage when her Grams spoke up.

"Uh-huh. You need to be wearing that."

She pointed at the necklace and Bonnie shook her head.

"I have to give it back to Caroline. It doesn't belong to me."

She explained but Sheila was adamant.

"Yes, it does. It belonged to your ancestors and now it's yours."

"Emily was your ancestor too, why don't you just take it?"

Bonnie pleaded, wanting to be rid of the necklace but Sheila kept persuading her granddaughter.

"It didn't find me child, it found you. Protected you too."

She turned Bonnie around, holding her hair and Bonnie sighed, slowly putting the necklace around her neck.

"A witch's talisman is a powerful tool. Don't be giving that to anyone, okay?"

She said as she hooked the necklace for Bonnie who turned back to her with a sigh.

"I just wish it was prettier."

Sheila shrugged with a side smirk as Bonnie out the crystal under her clothes.


Gilbert Residence.

Elena sat in the living room, doing nothing in particular and Cherith is on another sofa, holding a bowl of popcorn and watching a movie when Jenna flopped on the couch with Elena in it.

"You're wallowing…"

She grouched at Elena who was playing with the red blanket on her lap and she sighed, looking at her aunt.

"So are you…"

"Well, my wallow is legitimate. I was dumped."

"Yeah well, Logan's a jerk."

Elena added and Jenna sighed, looking disappointed.

"You didn't get a brush off email saying 'I'm leaving town. Seeya'."

Cherith who was listening with an ear suddenly spoke up.

"Maybe next time we run into him, you'd finally allow me stab his eye ball out."

Elena and Jenna gave her a look and she shrugged.

"What? The guy doesn't deserve to look normal! Besides, this… is exactly why I'm not interested in a relationship!"

She gestured disgustingly at the 2 and they glared at her.

"You cheeky little brat!"

Jenna said amazed and Elena dry chuckled.

"You know, this is the reason why I begged mum and dad to throw you out the day they brought you in. I just knew you'd turn out like this!"

"Uh, absolutely gorgeous and flawless, you mean?"

She said, flaunting her hair and Jenna and Elena scoffed, amused at her.

"Hey, would you guys keep it down over there?"

"Why, what are you doing?"

Jenna asked curiously, sitting up and turning to Jeremy, sitting at the dining, looking busy.

"I'm working."

Elena frowned, thinking she heard wrong and sat up as well, turning to look at him too, skeptical. Even Cherith was surprised.

"Working? Since when do you so homework?"

"Well I gotta finish this. I'm way behind… and I have a quiz tomorrow, so…"

He looked pointedly at them before going back to his work, leaving the 3 ladies surprised.

"What so you think? Alien?"

Elena whispered to Jenna who gave her a side look and turned back to Jeremy.

"Some sort of… replicate…"

She whispered and Cherith giggled into her hand, chewing some popcorn as Jeremy looked up at them, unimpressed.

"He can hear you."

He gave them a dry smile and went back to his work again as Elena and Jenna still stared at him like he was a fascinating study.

"Well! I for one am proud of you big bro. Knock em dead!"

Jeremy scoffed as he worked and Cherith went back to her movie while Elena looked suspiciously… not sure what to think of it.


Elena laid in her bed, staring up at the ceiling the next morning when Bonnie entered her room after knocking.

"You up?"

She asked Elena who looked pitiful.

"No."

She replied, covering her head up with her blanket and Bonnie smiled, walking to the bed and pulling the covers from Elena who grouched.

"No… No!"

But Bonnie held it tighter.

"Why haven't you called me back?"

Elena sighed, not sure what to say.

"I'm sorry…"

Bonnie raised an eyebrow.

"Are you gonna stay in bed forever?"

"Yep. It's pretty comfy, you know?"

Bonnie sighed.

"Move over…"

She said to her best friend who rolled to the other side and she slid into the bed and under the covers.

"I'm officially worried… what's going on?"

Elena looked like she had no idea how to explain as she stared up at her ceiling.

"I'm tired of… thinking… of talking, like…"

She stuttered and Bonnie nodded.

"okay, I get you. Can I maybe get a one line version or something?"

"Stefan and I broke up."

Bonnie looked surprised at that, as she hadn't been expecting Elena who had been happy with him, to ever say that.

"I'm so sorry… are you okay?"

Elena gave her a look.

"Right. Stupid question. I know, I've been kind of MIA, when you needed me the most… I suck."

"Wanna make it up to me?"

Elena asked Bonnie who eagerly nodded.

"Get my mind off of it."

Bonnie grinned as she stood up.

"just remember you asked for it!"

She chirped as she closed the room windows and grabbed Elena's feather pillow, tearing it into shreds and the feathers piled up on her bed and Elena sat up, aghast.

"H-hey!"

Bonnie grinned at her as she sat on the bed too.

"Be patient. Now, I need to swear you to secrecy."

Elena looked at her.

"It's kind of a bad time for that kind of stuff."

"Swear, cause I'm not supposed to be showing you this."

Bonnie said again pointedly and Elena sighed, giving up.

"Okay! I swear."

Bonnie grinned.

"Okay. So there's no windows opened, right? No fan, no air conditioning?"

She asked pointedly and Elena looked around the room nodding.

"Right, none. What are you doing?"

"Grams just showed me this. Are you ready?"

She said excitedly to her and Elena nodded, confused.

Bonnie placed a hand over the feathers and as she raised it, a feather raised with it, floating mid air and Elena's eyes followed it in confusion.

"Bonnie… what's going on?"

She breathed out and Bonnie dropped the feather, before raising both hands again.

Just as she raised them, more feathers floated in mid air before dropping and Elena gasped in shock before she let it float down.

This time, she stared at Elena and just as fast, all the feathers rose up in the air, floating beautifully around the room, twirling in circles and Elena laughed in amazement, staring around, hands covering her mouth and Bonnie smiled softly.

"It's true, Elena… everything my Grams told me… it's impossible, but it's true. I'm a witch."

Elena scoffed with a grin.

"I believe you."

What with all the things she'd figured out, being a witch was not too far off the impossible/possible scale.

She laughed as she stared around her seemingly brighter room.


"It's weird huh?"

Bonnie gushed at Elena as they sat on her bed after the big revelation.

"After all this time, joking about being psychic. I really am a witch."

She laughed, before looking at her friend with concern and fear mixed in.

"You don't… think I'm a freak now, do you?"

Elena immediately shook her head at the thought.

"No of course not!"

She assured Bonnie strongly, holding her hands in hers.

"Bonnie I just... I don't understand though. If your Grams asked you to keep all this a secret, why did you tell me?"

Bonnie smiled, rolling her eyes at her seemingly naive friend.

"Because, Elena… you're my best friend. I can't keep secrets from you!"

She said like it was the most absurd thing in the world and Elena nodded, suddenly feeling super guilty as she remembered that she herself was keeping a very huge and dark secret from her friends and family, and the guilt ate at her.


Salvatore Boarding House.

Elena parked her car that afternoon and got out, staring at the huge building with trepidation as she walked towards the front for and rang the doorbell, waiting for an invite in.

"It's open! Come on in!"

Elena frowned, startled at the female voice she heard but walked in, looking around.

Just then, Lexi came down the stairs and she stopped in shock when she saw just who she was looking at.

"Oh my God! H-how… Uh… Wh--… Who?"

She stuttered, pointing at Elena like she'd just seen a ghost.

Elena frowned, looking Lexi up and down as she was only covered in a towel.

"I'm Elena. Who are you?"

Lexi suddenly understood who was standing in front of her and she sighed slightly, shaking her head.

"I'm Lexi. A friend of Stefan's."

"Is he… here?"

Elena asked hesitantly and Lexi nodded.

"Yeah uh, he's in the shower. Want to wait?"

Elena's eyebrows raised as Lexi said that, staring at the towel wrapped around her body and all sorts of scenarios running through her mind.

She immediately shook her head, not wanting to be in the house any longer.

"No."

She said, turning to leave and Lexi, still fascinated by the girl in front of her, nodded.

"Okay. Well, I'll tell him you stopped by."

"That's okay."

Elena muttered as she rushed out of the house, a huge frown on her face.

"Oh, Stefan Salvatore we have a lot to talk about…"

Lexi gritted her teeth as she zoomed up the stairs and into Stefan's room just as he was buttoning up his shirt and she bellowed out in anger.

"Are you out of your mind?!"

Stefan frowned, turning to her in confusion.

"Is there something wrong?"

Lexi scoffed.

"I just met your Elena."

She blurred to the picture of Katherine on Stefan's desk and Stefan sighed, knowing what she was implying already.

"You have a lot of explaining to do."


Gilbert Residence.

Cherith sighed as she went through the course programs for UCLA on her computer.

It was a good school, but she honestly felt not excitement… nothing, in particular, to the school.

Just as she was sure lots of people were expecting her to attend Whitmore college as well.

But Cherith just wasn't interested in either of them.

She felt super frustrated as she sat at her desk, the months to graduation suddenly feeling super close.

She knew she technically had a while before she'd start sending out college applications, but this was something she'd procrastinated for a long time coming.

Add her age into the bracket as well.

Technically she'd finish high school at age 16, but in a way, it was still young and she didn't know if she wanted to jump into the college life immediately.

Frustrated, she slammed her fist on her desk and let out a shriek as the bulb in her bedside lamp blew into smithereens.

Quickly standing up and moving back, she felt a flash of pain under her feet and winced as she turned her right foot over and saw a small glass sticking out which she gingerly removed and a little blood gushed out which she cleaned.

She sighed, confused with everything and wondering about her life and college and seemingly moving out of the home she'd grown up in.

Standing up, she walked out of her room, limping slightly and entered the bathroom, grabbing the medical kit and treating the wound, cleaning it up.

Thankfully, it was just a slight prick and so she could still walk around and ignore the pain.

She then prepared to go down the stairs and grab something to pack the broken glass in her room and also replace the bulb when she stopped as she saw Elena talking to Stefan by the front door and sighed, making the 2 turn to her as she slowly got down the stairs.

"Elena, should I bring the ex repellant? It just might Chase away unwanted organisms from our door."

She grouched and Elena sighed, about to chide her when she saw her sister's dull face.

"Hey, you okay?"

Cherith waved her off as she walked into the kitchen.

"No. I'm going crazy thinking about life. But don't worry, I'll live."

She gave Stefan a look before entering the kitchen and grabbing a sweeper broom and packer and heading up to her room, even as she heard the front door closing.

As Cherith finally changed the bulb, watching it turn on, she sighed in relief before turning it off and her sister entered her room.

"Hey… I think I might head to the grill for a bit. Will you be okay here?"

Cherith grunted as she flopped on her bed, cocooning herself and Elena walked over to her sister, a small smile on her face.

"Wow… Cherith Gilbert being quiet and not snotty. The world must be ending."

She said, before looking at the computer and seeing Whitmore college on the screen.

She smiled, going over to it.

"Ah yes… the dreaded time for college applications is near. You know… mum and dad would be really proud of you for following in their footsteps and heading to Whitmore."

Cherith sighed, feeling even more miserable.

"Just hang in there for a year. Bonnie, Caroline and I will join you after, and a year after us, Jeremy would be there too. You'll get the whole crew back. Oh, and Leslie too."

"Leslie is set towards UCLA"

"Oh…"

Elena looked at her sister's dull face and nodded, thinking that was why she was sad and stood up, patting her sister's head.

"That sucks… but, I'm sure you'll find other friends at campus. And if you don't, you could always torture the teachers and stuff."

She smirked and Cherith scoffed before snarking at her sister.

"Don't you have somewhere else to be? Begone from my presence!"

She commanded and Elena chuckled as she walked out of her sister's room.

"Yep. That's the Cherith I know and cherish."

Cherith groaned and shouted at her sister who left the room.

"That stopped being funny years ago!"

As soon as she was left alone in the room, she idly wondered about what Elena had said…

Her parents would have been glad she was following in their footsteps.

But… she had 2 sets of parents, didn't she?

Taken that her birth father, Christian Gilbert also went to Whitmore with his brothers… her birth mother didn't.

She was British.

And sadly, Cherith didn't know much about her, as much as she'd have loved to, but… she knew her mother had gone to the University of Oxford, England.

That was a whole continent away!

Cherith groaned as she stood up from her bed, moving to her window and opening it, sitting on the window seat and staring up into the sky.

"Well… are the 4 of you looking down on me and laughing at the dilemma I'm in? Cause I bet you are. That's what adults and their lots do right?"

She sighed, before cussing out and slapping the window seat in anger and the sound of a bulb breaking brought her out of her reverie as she cussed.

"Fucking hell! Not again! Freaking fake bulbs!"


Mystic Grill.

Caroline smiles as she greets a bunch of people, turning to walk around her successful party when Damon stops in front of her, straight faced.

"Where is it?"

He demanded and Caroline sighed, shaking her head.

"No. Bonnie wouldn't give it back."

Damon sighed, finding the patience in him not to snap her neck.

"So rip it off her neck!"

"Well I tried to! It just… shocked me!"

She said, confused and Damon took a deep breath in before exhaling it out, frustrated.

"Why does it keep doing that?! I need that crystal. Damn it!"

He whispered angrily to himself and Caroline sighed.

"Why are you being like this? I'm so good to you and I'd do anything."

She said sultrily, hands going around his jacket and Damon just stared at her, unamused.

"It's just some stupid necklace."

Damon grabbed her hands dropping it from his body and gave her a hard look, sneering.

"No, you are the only stupid thing here. And shallow."

He turned to leave when he said another word again.

"And useless."

With that, he walked away angrily, leaving a teary eyed and depressive looking Caroline behind.


An hour later.

Outside, a deputy is in his patrol car, driving slowly around when he stops, he stops when he hears the cries of a girl.

"Help me…"

She whimpers and he slowly got out of his car, turning on his flashlight and going down the small stairs and into the small passage way between the Grill and another building.

As he walks a bit deeper, he stops, gasping in shock at a body, blood pooled around the neck.

He brings out his radio to call it in.

Some moments after…

Sheriff Forbes arrives at the scene, staring at the body before she turned to the deputy.

"Keep this contained."

The officer though was not done with his explanation as he turned to her.

"That's not all."

He pointed his flashlight at the other end away from the body, where the girl crying from earlier sat on the ground, head in her laps.

Sheriff Forbes quickly moved to her and squatted by her side.

"Hey…"

She spoke to the girl softly and she looked up, mascara running down with tears.

"Did you see what did this?"

The girl nodded slowly and Sheriff Forbes almost fell over with relief. Finally they had a hit.

"Tell me everything you saw."

Inside…

Elena walks over to where Stefan was playing pool and he smiled at her.

"Hi…"

"You came."

She nodded.

"Yeah, uh… I couldn't miss you hundredth and… something birthday."

They smile softly at each other.


Another hour after…

Stefan walks out of the Grill, anger on his face, mixed with pain and horror at what his brother had done.

He'd killed Lexi!

Killed her like she was some unimportant person to him. To Stefan!

"Stefan! Stefan!"

Elena called to him urgently and he turned to her, his face stuck in the constant horrific realization of what his brother has just done to him.

"He killed her!"

He gritted out, still not believing.

"He killed Zach too! Tanner! He turned… Vicki! I have to kill him!"

He said, turning and looking determined but Elena held him back.

"No! You can't do that!"

She tried reasoning with him but he got even more angrier.

"Why are you trying to save him?!"

He shouted frustrated.

"He is, never going to change! Don't you see that, Elena?! He's never going to change!"

He tried to convince her and she nodded understandingly.

"I know that, Stefan! I'm not trying to save him! I'm trying to save you! Do you know what that could do to you?? If you killed your own brother?!"

He kept shaking his head, not wanting to listen.

"Everywhere I've been, pain and death follow: Damon follows! No more!"

"Stefan, wait! Please just-just talk to me… let me be here for you."

Stefan shook his head, looking at Elena.

"You were right to stay away from me."

He backed away from her and she stared at him, unsure what to do but her heart feeling for him.


Salvatore Boarding House.

Damon sat at the bar, drinking a bourbon as if waiting for something… or someone.

The sound of a blur settling behind him made him turn slightly.

"Told you I'd take care of it."

Was all he said, as if expecting some for of praise from a stony eyed Stefan.

Stefan took one look at him and charged him.

Punching him and then throwing him to the ground with vampire speed and he slid across the floor, hitting his back dangerously as he let out a gasp of pain.

Stefan walked over to him, punching him twice and as his fist came down a 3rd time, Damon held it back, using his leg to kick Stefan away from him and both were in their feet.

Damon angrily walked up to his brother and with his vampire speed, held him but Stefan got the upper hand as he turned and pinned Damon to the wall.

"Come on."

Damon breathed out.

"I did this for you. To get them off our trail!"

He tried to convince Stefan who whispered back to him dangerously.

"You never do anything for anyone but yourself."

With that, he brought out a wooden stake from behind his back pocket, immediately stabbing Damon just a little bit from his heart and Damon gasped in pain, shaking as his eyes watered slightly, looking down at the stake.

"You missed."

He shuddered out in pain but Stefan shook his head.

"No. You saved my life. I'm sparing yours. Now, we're even."

With that, he pushed the stake deeper into Damon who gasped in pain and Stefan left him as he fell to ground.

"And now we're done."

With that, he turned and walked away from his brother before he could get even more murderous and end up doing what he'd wanted to before.

Damon gasped in pain where he sat, holding the stake with both hands and pulling it out of his body painfully, sighing.


Bennett Residence.

Bonnie is deep asleep, tossing and turning, having a nightmare, the crystal shining slightly.

She's running deep in the forest as if someone was after her as well. She soon falls over a branch by the old ruins of a church, looking around and she gasped as she sees the dark silhouette of someone from afar and scrambled to her feet, turning when she's met with someone she'd only seen in pictures who'd dies years and years back.

"It's coming."

Emily Bennett said, looking at Bonnie seriously and Bonnie woke up with a gasp and shudder, only to find herself in the woods near the old church.


Hi guys!

I've always hated Damon for what he said to Caroline in season 1. Calling her stupid, shallow and useless.

That could do a lot to a person's self esteem, especially someone like her.

What did you guys think of this chapter and also Cherith's feelings on College???

Please comment!!!!!!!! And like and follow too!!!!!!!!

Thank youuuuuu!!!!