She Knew

by WhiteHairedD

Elena and Angela Gilbert were born on June 22nd, 1992 in Mystic Falls, Virginia. But Angela knew. And because she knew, it was easy for her to carve out a purpose for herself in her new life: protect her family (blood-related or otherwise) and prevent as many pointless deaths as possible. One thing she didn't know, however, was just how difficult that would prove to be. [SI-OC OT3]

11. Superhero

Jfc dude this fic's gonna end up being a million words long haha. I might split it into a series honestly, if/when it reaches 180k words. I keep trying to cut down on stuff, but because I'm writing this chapter by chapter, it's difficult to tell when information would best fit into the story, and that can sometimes lead to repetition.

I'm sorry for taking so long to update. This year's been really rough so far, with my depression coming back, me finally finishing my essays and thinking I can stop being an anxious mess, just in time for my grandma to pass away… I've not been having the greatest of times, lads. Idk why I just said lads. I'm not British. Anyway. I hope this chapter's stupid long length makes up for my absence. If you would be kind enough to let me know your thoughts, I would appreciate it a lot. Reading feedback always gives me serotonin, but please don't feel pressured to say anything. Knowing people enjoy my work makes me happy enough ❤

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CHAPTER 10

SUPERHERO

.

The day found her easily, and sooner than she expected. Sooner than it found her sister, who had finally returned to being the morning person she'd been before the murder. In the midst of all the supernatural drama that had been happening recently, she took solace in the fact that things were slowly going back to normal. Whenever her sister wrote in her diary, she no longer had that heartbreakingly solemn look on her face. Her brother laughed more, and didn't need someone to be present whenever he opened his closet. Jenna was more relaxed, the way she used to be before she lived with them.

And Angela, for the first time in months, felt happy. It was as if something fell back into place yesterday. As if a part of her was restored. She cherished the light in her chest, and decided not to think about it leaving her again. If she did, she would risk snuffing it out herself.

The forecast said today would be warm, so she went with a light yellow sundress as the base for her outfit before meticulously doing her makeup. Whenever she was in a good mood like this, she always spent more time on her appearance, subconsciously making sure she looked as amazing as she felt. With what she told Jenna last night, she was sure she would get teased for it.

The house was still asleep when she headed out the back door to the patio couch, her fingers pressing the keys of her BlackBerry to let Anna know she was awake. They had gotten to know each other better over the past week, with them meeting every day, and Angela had been surprised to learn how much like a teenage girl she could sometimes be. A sixteen-year-old girl, since apparently that was the age at which she was turned. She did have a bit of a sadistic streak, but at her core she'd proven herself to be kind and loyal, and despite the comically different lives they led, she was glad they were becoming friends.

"You're lucky I don't sleep a lot."

She looked up at the sound of Anna's voice, and once her words sunk in, gave a teasing smile. "A morning person and a night owl? How many babies did you have to sacrifice to get that deal?"

Anna huffed and sat beside her. "You start to lose count after a while." She raised her wrist to her mouth and bit down with a quiet crunch. Angela had gotten so used to the sound it barely filled her with disgust. "Here. Breakfast."

The taste of her blood had changed to become almost palatable with time, and if she concentrated hard enough, she could almost fool herself into thinking it was pomegranate juice. She wondered if it was because she'd gotten more used to drinking her blood specifically, or just vampire blood in general. Maybe if she tasted Stefan's again it would be even sweeter. The unbidden thought made her cheeks heat up, and she pulled away before Anna could notice the change in temperature. "Thank you. We're still on for tonight, I assume."

"We are." Anna eyed what she was wearing. "You should keep that on. It fits the dress code."

"Oh. Good to know. Should Tyler wear a tux?"

"No, that'd be too dressy."

"Smart casual. Got it."

"Uh, yeah, sure." She let out an amused breath. "Whatever that means."

"Well, you should know, shouldn't you? You're five hundred years old."

"I also only have three looks. Dress, not dress, and sleep."

A dark chuckle passed her lips. "The girls are gonna have fun with you." The way Anna's eyes became panicked made her chuckle again, but she decided to be merciful and change the subject. "Just to be sure, you're still keeping your promise about Elena, right?"

Shortly after their first meeting, she asked Pearl to keep the doppelgänger thing a secret until she felt it right to tell Elena herself. The arrival of not only two, but five vampires so soon after their parents were presumably killed by one was enough for her sister to deal with. Learning that she shared a face with a five-hundred-year-old psychopath could wait.

"You know," Anna said slowly, "she's gonna find out sooner or later."

"Why? Did your mom say something?"

"No. I'm saying something. You said she doesn't like you keeping secrets. This is a pretty big secret."

"I don't want her head to explode. I'll tell her eventually, I just want her to get used to being around vampires all the time."

Anna sighed, and though she didn't say it, it was clear she disapproved. "We'll keep our promise. As long as you keep yours, about the Council."

"The Council doesn't know nearly as much about vampires as they'd like to. And they're not as smart as they think. As long as you don't take off your ring or touch any vervain, you should be fine. I have a few ideas on how we should start making them trust you that I'd like to talk about tonight. Blending in's the big one."

"Blending in's the only reason we moved into a house so quaint."

She raised an eyebrow. "Quaint? Are your pillowcases knitted and everything?"

"Yes, actually."

She pushed herself off the couch with a smile. "I look forward to seeing them. Now, I need to make breakfast for everyone."

Anna wagged an arm. "Could just give them some of my blood."

"Mm… think I'll pass. Don't want them complaining because the jam tasted weird."

That startled a genuine laugh out of her, complete with the most adorable little snort she'd ever heard. Anna slapped a hand over her nose and looked at her, wide-eyed in panic. They stayed in bewildered silence until Anna lowered her hand and glared. "Never. Mention that."

Angela gave a single, grave nod. "Okay."

"…Okay." Teenage girl indeed.

.

Jenna was onto her.

It started with breakfast, when she came down the stairs for coffee and caught Angela humming in the kitchen. She squinted at her through those thick black glasses she only wore when she was fresh from sleep, looked her up and down, and said, "Cute outfit," in a tone that implied something totally different than what she said.

Angela replied with a simple, "Thank you," as if she couldn't tell what she was getting at.

Jenna slurped her coffee noisily. "Why're you wearing it?"

"It's cute."

"Uh-huh…"

She felt a grin forming on her face. "If you want to say something, say it."

"Oh, no." She walked to the table and chose a chair. "I'm just telling my favorite niece she looks pretty."

"Your favorite?" The sound of Elena's voice made her look over her shoulder. Her sister poured herself some coffee and sat next to Jenna. "Rude."

Jenna snorted. "You're twins. It doesn't count. You're basically the same person."

Angela looked Elena up and down, taking note of how warm and traditionally Gilbert her looks were, as opposed to the contrasting cool-toned features she sported. Sometimes she found it odd, how her sister was the doppelgänger yet she was the odd one out. "You honestly don't know how funny that is." She served the French toast and set it down on the table.

They were in the process of filling their plates when Elena paused, fork-wielding hand stuck in some food. She looked at Angela with a frown. "You're wearing heels. Inside the house."

"And?"

"You hate it when we wear shoes inside. You make us all wear slippers."

She shrugged and took a bite. "It's a good practice. Makes us not have to mop every day."

Elena huffed. "Right, so why are you wearing heels?"

"Yeah, Angie." Jenna had a knowing smirk on her face. "How come you look so good today?"

"What, am I not allowed to look good anymore?"

"Sure you do. I just find it interesting."

"I find you interesting, auntie-mine."

"You're in a good mood. I wonder why."

"How can I not be in a good mood when I get to experience living with you?"

"Flattery will get you nowhere."

"Have I ever told you how pretty you are? I mean, seriously, Scumfell missed out big time."

"Mm… nice try, but no. Not distracting me. Though we can talk about boys all you want."

Elena looked confused. "I'm missing something. Aren't I? Why…" Her eyes widened, and Angela could tell that it finally clicked.

"Alright." She stood. "I'm gonna wake up Jeremy."

Elena's mouth fell open as she stammered incoherently. "Wait!"

"Nope!" She was up the stairs before you could say 'chicanery.'

.

The second time Jenna called her out was hours later, when she was getting ready to go to Sheila's house. The group decided they would go over their game plan there, since doing it at the Gilbert, Forbes, or Lockwood residence might draw undue attention.

Elena had already met up with the others, but Angela stayed behind. Her waves always looked better when they were freshly washed, and with the girls inevitably crowding the sink, she didn't want to hog even more space in the Bennett bathroom.

She pulled open the front door to exit the house when she was spotted. At the sound of footsteps, her eyes flicked over to see Jenna's strawberry blonde ponytail swishing down the stairs, her eyes locked on her in suspicion. "Where are you going?"

"Out."

"When are you coming back?"

"Later." When the suspicious look on her face didn't dissipate, Angela smiled as innocently as she could. "Is that a problem?"

"No. Why would it be a problem?" Her all too curious eyes told her she wanted to dig, and had she had more time, she would be happy to oblige. Unfortunately, it was nearly six o'clock, and she had no idea how ready the others were.

"Alright then. Bye."

Jenna let out a groan that made her pause again. "Okay. I can't do this anymore. Spill."

"Spill what?"

"Who's the guy?"

She turned away to hide a grin. "No."

"No? What's that supposed to mean?"

"It's a simple word, Jenny-wenny. Thought you learned it as a baby."

Her face hardened to create a stern, disapproving expression, perfectly befitting her role as their guardian. "Angela Liana Gilbert."

The usage of her full name only deepened her amusement. "Wow, you're really serious about this, aren't you?"

"You've literally never shown interest in anyone. Of course I'm serious. At least tell me what he looks like. You said his eyes are dreamy. What color are they?"

Eh, what's the harm? It's just one question. "Blue."

"Hair?"

Okay. Two questions. "Brown."

"Light brown or dark brown?"

Three. She breathed a laugh. "Dark brown."

It was obvious that the gears inside her head were turning, hoping to find someone that matched that description. "Hm… how old is he?"

"I have to go, you know."

She leaned in close. "How old is he?"

"See ya!"

The last thing she heard before shutting the door behind her was, "That means he's older!"

It didn't take long to get to Sheila's house, and as soon as she rang the doorbell, she was dragged inside by Tyler, frantic and frustrated-looking.

"Hey!" He gestured towards his clothes. "Does this count as whatever the hell smart casual is?"

Does no one in this town know men's fashion? "Yes, it does." She patted his shoulder and walked past him. "Proud of you."

He victoriously turned to Bonnie, who was sitting on the couch. "See?"

"No." Her tone was full of mischief. "You definitely have to go back and change."

His nostrils flared. "I'm gonna kill you."

Bonnie snickered, the sound distorting halfway through as Angela sat down next to her. "Is that before or after you throw me at a wall?"

"Before."

"Oh, good. Hate to actually feel it."

Angela chuckled. "You look beautiful by the way."

"Thanks." Bonnie smiled. "You look beautiful too."

"The other two still getting ready?"

"Mhm, in the bathroom." She looked at Tyler when he sat down in the armchair, and then back at her. "So…um…what's Pearl like?"

"Pearl?" Tyler asked. "Thought you'd be more interested in Anna."

"I already met Anna. Pearl's the mom. She's older. Seems like the bigger threat."

"She's reasonable," Angela said. "As long as she doesn't feel slighted, everything should go fine."

Tyler crossed his arms and got more comfortable. "How 'bout the dude? Harper."

"I haven't talked to him much, but he seems nice. Like he wouldn't hurt someone unless he had to. Besides, Bonnie's right. Pearl's the biggest threat. If she doesn't want us hurt, he and Anna won't do anything. I'm almost positive."

"Almost?"

She shrugged. "As with anything."

That answer didn't put him at ease. "Angie… are you sure about this?"

"As with anything." He looked at her flatly, and she rolled her eyes. "What, do you want me to lie to you?"

"No, I just—" He leaned forward to rest his forearms against his knees. "I'm worried about you."

"About us. We do this together. Or did something change?"

"No, of course not, it's just— it's hard to focus on anyone but you. When, uh, when you're the one getting thrown at trees by ghosts."

"That was weeks ago."

"Week. One week ago."

"Over one week ago." He shot her another look. "Ty, everything's fine. I broke down; cried; had a panic attack. The whole shebang. I'm feeling good now."

"You know it's not that simple," Bonnie muttered.

She did. But she also knew that it was impossible to predict when life would next throw her a curveball, or whether her own mind would get to her first. And she didn't want to try. Not now. Not as long as she felt that light in her chest. "It is today."

The sound of a door opening drew her attention to the hallway that led further into the house. Elena and Caroline soon rounded the corner, and Caroline's face brightened at the sight of her. "Oh, good! You're here." She did a spin, her blue-and-white dress swaying from the momentum. "How do I look?"

She gave a warm smile. "Stunning. All of you. You look stunning." And so very grown-up. When did they all grow up? Better yet, when did she become a mom?

Elena came to sit next to her. She intertwined their fingers and drew a deep, steadying breath. "Game plan."

Angela squeezed her hand. "Game plan." She reached into her purse, shoving past the stake that matched the one Elena carried with her, and instead withdrawing five small vials of liquid. "Vervain. Take one and drink it. I know we can't be compelled, but if something goes wrong and a vampire bites us, this'll stun them."

Bonnie seemed wary. "Is that something we need to worry about?"

"Not really, but it's good to be covered on as many fronts as possible."

Tyler grabbed the one closest to him. "Couldn't hurt."

"Bottoms up." She downed hers and watched as, one-by-one, the others followed suit. When they were done, she put the empty vials to the side for future use. "Now, since Bon-Bon doesn't have a tattoo, she gets this fancy little thing." She brandished a syringe, making Caroline cock a brow.

"What," she started sarcastically, "is she gonna play doctor with the spooky scaries?"

"That's vervain too," Elena said. "Our ancestor wrote about it in one of his journals. If you stick it in a vampire, they're meant to pass out."

Angela nodded and handed it to Bonnie. "That's right. But remember. We'll only resort to violence if it's in self-defense."

Bonnie looked at it curiously. "Won't they know I have this?"

"As far as I know, they can't detect vervain unless it's right against their nose. Which usually makes it way too late." Unless, of course, they kiss Elena's hand like a perverted douchebag.

"Huh…" She smiled mischievously and put it away. "Sucks to be them."

Tyler narrowed his eyes. "Self-defense, Bonster."

"Hey, it's your job to be trigger happy, small-wood. But if I don't use it tonight, I'm definitely carrying it around in school. Since Anna's gonna be there."

Caroline threw her head back and groaned. "Don't remind me. If she comes for any of my titles, I'll sue."

"I wouldn't worry about that," Angela said in amusement. "Girl only has three outfits."

"Ugh, seriously?"

"Oh, don't be mean. I'm sure after a couple centuries, trying to keep up with the latest fashion trends gets tiring."

"Being old should make it easier to look good, not harder. It's a skill. Like carpentry."

"Yeah," Bonnie said, "or brewing your own tea."

"Yeah. Or lame-o witch tea brewing."

"Hey! Who are you calling a lame-o witch?"

Caroline put her hands on her hips. "Okay, Bonnie? Any witch whose most exciting hobby outside of cheerleading is making tea? Is lame."

A pillow smacked her in the face, courtesy of the one and only Bonnie Bennett, and startled a laugh out of Elena. Caroline, on the other hand, was not amused. There was a blank look in her face that spelled danger. "I'm gonna kill you."

"Yeah?" Bonnie grinned. "Get in line." She yelped when Caroline charged her, pillow in hand, and began attacking.

Tyler had been frowning the entire time, and Angela finally decided to say something. "You okay?"

His eyes focused on her. "What? Yeah, I just— I mean, I've been wondering for a while now, how can Anna be in school? Vampires can't walk in the sun."

Oh.

Caroline blinked, letting go of the pillow she'd been pretending to suffocate Bonnie with. "Wait, that's right. Vampires can't walk in the sun. Can they?"

Oh, no.

When she stayed silent, Tyler's eyebrows rose. "Angie. Can vampires walk in the sun?"

"Um…" She winced. "Not most of them?"

Caroline's eyes went wide. "What?"

Tyler looked at her in disbelief. "Are you serious?"

"Yes?"

"Why didn't you tell any of us?" he exclaimed.

"She did," Elena said with a sigh. "She told me."

"And you kept quiet too?"

"I asked her to," Angela said.

"Why?"

Why indeed. An answer left her before she had time to think about it, but when it did, she realized it was the truth. "There's someone I didn't wanna out."

His mouth dropped open. "You mean there's another vampire in town?"

"Yeah, but… he's been good to me. We're friends."

Something in his disposition changed. In his posture; the set of his jaw; the look in his eye. He was no longer astonished. Now, he was angry. "You're friends."

"Yes. We're friends. Is that so difficult to believe?"

"You haven't made a friend since me."

She shrugged. "Someone had to be next. Why not him?"

"Because he's a—" He cut himself off. "He's a vampire. We don't make friends with vampires."

"That's a really bad outlook to have on a night like tonight."

He scoffed. "You're kidding, right?"

She leaned forward, trying to get through to him. "It wasn't my secret to tell, Ty. It still isn't. It's his. If I thought he was a threat, I would've told you immediately."

"How can you say he's not a threat when one of his kind killed your parents?"

"If a human killed them, would you want me to hate you instead?"

"Don't. Don't do that. It's not the same and you know it."

"It's exactly the same."

"He's a monster," he spit the word like it was poison, and a hot rush of anger filled her chest. "And Anna's a monster too. Maybe they didn't hurt you like that dick, Damon, did, but they're still monsters."

"Tyler, witches are monsters. Humans are monsters." You're a monster, and I love you all the same. "If an alien saw everything humanity has done, don't you think it would call us evil?"

"We don't need blood to survive."

"You're right. We don't. Yet we draw it anyway. That makes us worse than vampires. Not better."

"Right." He stood and ran a hand through his hair. "Here I am, trying to protect you, and there's some guy I don't even know about. I mean, what if he tries something? What if he hurts you and none of us can put him down because we don't even know his name?"

She glanced at Elena. Saw that she understood who they were talking about. That she would understand what she was about to say. "If that ever happens, you'll know exactly who he is."

He shook his head. "I can't believe you. You're willing to risk your safety just to keep some asshole's secret."

It wasn't as bad as the word Jeremy had been called, but at that moment, all she wanted to do was slap him. That frightened her. The fact that Stefan had become a person she was willing to defend in front of her family like that. But just as she'd gotten to know Anna, she'd gotten to know him, and decided he was worth defending.

She looked at him evenly. "I wouldn't be so hasty to call him that if I were you. Other than Damon, the only asshole that's made me have a panic attack is you."

Maybe if she slapped him, the look on his face would have been less painful. He looked lost for a moment, like he wasn't sure he heard her properly. Like he couldn't have. It was a look that immediately made her want to take her words back. She didn't mean it. She only wanted to hurt him. He had to know she didn't mean it, right? "Tyler—"

"No." He shook his head. "No." Without another word, he left the house, letting the door slam shut behind him.

She got up, fully intending on following him, but something held her in place. She looked at her hand, and at who was attached to it. "I have to talk to him, Lena. We have to be united tonight."

"I know. And we will be." Elena stood up. "Let me talk to him."

She frowned. "But—"

"It would be better if I talked to him. Please, trust me."

It wasn't that she didn't trust her. She just wanted to know why she was insisting. "Wh—"

"Trust. Me."

Her frown deepened. "Okay."

Elena smiled. "Thank you." She made her way out of the house, leaving her alone with Bonnie and Caroline.

"Um," Caroline said, "I'm… gonna…" She stood up and gestured vaguely towards the hallway. "Just come get me when he's back to normal, okay? Because if there's one thing I don't miss from our relationship, it's… that."

And then there were two.

"It's Stefan, isn't it?"

Her heart nearly stopped. She turned to look at Bonnie. She didn't seem upset or betrayed in any way, but almost satisfied. Like she finally solved a problem that had been bothering her for days.

"The vampire you're friends with," she added, and it snapped her out of her shock.

"Uh… yeah."

Bonnie's eyes gleamed in triumph. "I knew it. When Bree described what it felt like to touch one, it clicked, but I couldn't for the life of me figure out how he walked around during the day."

"That ring he wears. Emily Bennett enchanted it. As long as a vampire wears it, they can walk in the sun."

Bonnie frowned. "Hold on, Emily? But wasn't she—"

"From the nineteenth century? Yeah. I had to alter the tomb story so no one would suspect him. Katherine pretended to be thrown in with everyone else in 1864, not in 2007. It was opened for the first time this month. Not the second."

"But… then that makes the Salvatores…"

"Old?"

"Yeah," she breathed. "That makes them old."

"Yeah." She bit her lip. "Look… only Elena and your grams know the truth. Please don't tell Care and Tyler. It's not our secret, and I genuinely don't believe he's a threat to any of us."

"Is that why you've been hanging out with him? To see if he's a threat or not?"

"No. I've been hanging out with him because I like him. A lot. Please promise me you won't tell anyone."

Bonnie's eyebrows furrowed in thought. Silence lingered for so long she almost repeated her request, but then… "I promise."

She searched her face for any signs of deceit, and found none. "Thank you."

"You said there's little you wouldn't do for me. Well, guess what. There's little I wouldn't do for you, too."

Her heart melted. "Do you have any idea how lucky I am to have you in my life?"

"About as lucky as I am to have you in mine. If you weren't around, Grams would've passed away. I'll never forget that, Ann. Never."

"You don't even know if I was telling the truth."

"No, I know. Call it magic or intuition or our weird family link, but… I'm positive you were telling the truth about her. I just am."

They passed some time talking about lighter subjects, among which was—much to her delight—the nasty rumor that had begun to circulate about a certain mousy blonde bully. Just as Bonnie started recounting a conversation she had with some cute guy the other day, the front door swung open. In stepped Elena and Tyler, who looked considerably calmer than he did before.

Angela stood up and hesitantly approached him. He didn't seem to mind, so she took another couple steps. When he didn't object that time either, she finally closed the distance and brought him into a hug.

"I'm so, so sorry," she muttered into his shoulder. He slowly wrapped his arms around her, but said nothing. After a time, she pulled back to examine his face. He looked like he wanted to say something, but wasn't sure how. "I didn't mean what I said. It wasn't your fault. You know that, right?"

"I know," he said quietly. He had yet to let go of her, and for some reason it made a pit form in her stomach. "We should go now, if we don't wanna be late."

She nodded. "I'll get Caroline."

"I'm already here." Angela turned to see her standing at the edge of the living room, eyes flicking between her and Tyler. "Are we…"

"Back to normal."

Caroline sighed in relief and smiled, though it looked strained. Not strained, her mind whispered. Fake. Why would it be fake? "Good! Let's go."

They reached Pearl's house within minutes. It was pretty; a white sided, grey roofed, two-story colonial with a respectable lawn, it rode the line between middle- and upper-class without marking its residents as wealthy enough to raise any questions. It made her wonder what story they'd come up with for themselves.

She parked the car and turned off the engine, taking a moment to look at them all. The entire ride through, the back seat had been teeming with nervous energy, with Bonnie getting progressively more and more fidgety, Tyler being stiff as a board, and Caroline babbling about nothing and everything. "We ready?"

Caroline bounced from her spot between Bonnie and Tyler, that fake smile plastered on her face. "Ready! To meet… our maker."

Bonnie looked at her, bewildered. "Thanks, that makes things so much better."

"Okay, can you not be sarcastic when I'm trying not to freak?"

"I get sarcastic when I'm trying not to freak!"

"Guys," Angela chuckled, "everything will be fine. Let me and Elena handle everything. You just be your normal, lovable selves." She turned to her sister, whose deep, brown eyes were full of warmth.

"Come on," she said. "Let's do this."

"Alright." Angela gripped the handle and gave them one last look. "Maniacs? Roll out."

They climbed the steps to the porch, the sound of their footsteps loud against the dark grey stone. She pressed the doorbell and waited, until finally the door was pulled open. Harper was on the other side, and there was a small, kind smile on his face she found impossible not to reciprocate. "Good evening, Miss Gilbert. I hope tonight finds you in good health."

Though they hadn't spoken nearly as many times as she and Anna had, his impeccable manners and genuine disposition always made her feel at ease. "It does, thank you. I would ask you the same, but… given your undead state, I think the answer's obvious."

His smile turned into a chuckle. "Indeed." He gave a cursory glance to her companions, though his gaze lingered on Elena. "Please," he gestured behind him, "come in."

The inside was cozy and adopted a more minimalistic style than what she'd been expecting. Full of dark wood and light colors, she wondered whether it was furnished by one of them or by a professional. Either way, she found it lovely. He began leading them down the hallway, passing by doors and archways she curiously looked through.

"So," Caroline piped up. "Are you Harper?"

"I am. And I believe you're Miss Forbes."

"Yeah, Caroline. Nice to meet you. Um, how old are you?" She found that question funnier than she probably should have.

"One-hundred-sixty-six years old. I was twenty-one when Ms. Pearl found me, close to death on a battlefield. She healed me."

"Healed you?" She chuckled nervously. "Did she… have to turn you into a vampire too?" That question, she did not find funny.

"No. I wanted her to." He opened a pair of sliding doors, and invited them to enter.

The first thing that caught her eye was the fireplace. It was directly in front of them, with a television mounted above it and an armchair on either side. In front of it, two cream-colored loveseats faced each other with a wooden coffee table to divide them. She immediately gravitated towards the loveseat to her left, since the knitted pillowcases it sported were prettier.

Elena sat directly to the side of her, and to Elena's side sat Tyler. The girls sat across from them, leaving Harper to sit in the armchair closest to her. "Ms. Pearl will be down shortly. I'm afraid you'll have to contend with me in the meantime."

Angela gave him a smile. "You say that like it's a negative. It only gives us more time to get to know each other. I'd like for us to become friends."

"I'd like that as well." His eyes found Elena. "You must be Angela's sister. Elena, right?"

Elena nodded. "Yeah. You already know Caroline, and this is Tyler, and Bonnie."

"Bonnie… Bennett?"

She was nervously playing with the hem of her burgundy, flowery dress. "Uh, yeah. Did you know my ancestor, Emily?"

"We met. Briefly. She was closer with Ms. Pearl than she was with me. Though not too close, I think, since she wanted to leave her trapped forever."

Bonnie winced. "I'm… sorry. For that."

He shook his head. "Where one member of your bloodline abandoned us, another one saved us." He gave her one of his smiles, warm, and absent of any ill will. "For that, I am forever grateful."

Something in Bonnie changed. Her face relaxed; her shoulders dropped. She was less afraid, like she finally understood what Angela had been trying to tell them. Vampires were monsters the way humans were monsters, and good the way humans were good. Just more. She gave him a smile, sincere in its own right. "You're welcome."

He turned his head to Angela. "I must thank you as well."

This again… "Thank yourselves. If any of you were cruel, I would have left you to burn with the others."

He went silent. "I suppose I should consider myself lucky. Watching someone light my pyre as I lay unmoving… it would be a bad way to go."

Indeed, what she did was horrific. And yet… "It had to be done."

He inclined his head, eyes never leaving hers. That was something he did a lot, she noticed. Nonstop eye contact. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she remembered that eye contact was meant to make people trust you. She suddenly realized how dangerous that could be. How dangerous he could be. What did she know about him really? Him and his impeccable manners; his genuine disposition; his nonstop eye contact… maybe she misjudged him completely. "Maybe." She startled at how he echoed her thoughts, before recalling the last thing she said.

"I couldn't take the chance," she replied, mouth suddenly dry. "Most of them would have been unhappy under Pearl's rule. Rebellious. They would have led to your demise, which would have hurt us both."

"Then we are further in your debt." At the new voice, she turned her head towards the entrance. Pearl, Anna, and a man she didn't know stepped into the living room. "Assuming that is true." Pearl smiled, hands clasped in front of her. "Welcome. I hope you didn't have any issues getting here."

She stood up. She wasn't sure why. Out of respect maybe, but it made the rest of them stand up too. "None whatsoever. Thank you for the invitation. You have a beautiful home."

Amusement flickered in her eyes. "Perfectly befitting a biologist seeking to open her own apothecary, is it not?"

Biologist. Good choice. "I should think so."

Her gaze shifted to Elena, and had Angela blinked, she would have missed how her face tightened in shock. She recovered quickly, and extended a hand. "You must be Elena. My name is Pearl."

Elena shook it, though her fear was visible. "Nice to meet you."

Pearl greeted them one by one, and when introductions were over, she motioned towards Anna. "This is my daughter, Annabelle."

"Call me Anna."

"And this," she motioned towards the man, "is Felix. Our warlock."

Felix was relatively young. College age, if she wasn't mistaken. Every garment he wore was black, even the leather satchel at his side, and made the contrasting red of his hair and blue of his eyes stand out even more. He stepped forward with an easy expression, but Angela was an expert when it came to playing innocent. She had to be, for her parents to never suspect her. She could tell he was one step away from casting a spell and killing her. "I don't mind being called a witch." He took her hand, and a wave of fear rolled through her. "You must be the mystery girl."

She glanced at her sister and forced a chuckle. "Mystery girl? I like the sound of that."

"You can do magic?" Bonnie asked.

He let go of her. "I can. And your powers are awakening."

Bonnie bit her lip. "Can you… I mean, would we be able to talk at some point? I'd like to ask you some things."

"Sure, maybe." He brought a black business card out of his pocket and gave it to her. "Give me a call sometime. See what I can do." His words got a grateful smile out of Bonnie, and Angela wanted to shake her. Couldn't she see how dangerous he was?

"Annabelle," Pearl said. "Would you escort Angela's companions to the dining room?"

Tyler frowned and took a protective step towards Angela. "What about her?"

"She'll be with you in a moment."

"Why not now?"

"It's okay, Ty." She had a good idea as to why Pearl wanted her alone, and it had to do with verifying her story. "I'll be fine." That didn't alleviate the distrust he held in his eyes, nor did it make him back down.

Pearl chuckled. "Do you honestly believe that if I wanted to hurt her I would need your permission? I invited you to a civilized dinner party, and a civilized dinner party I intend to have. I suggest you listen to her."

He clenched his jaw. "But—"

"Tyler," Angela cut him off. "I'll be fine. I promise."

"Come on," Caroline muttered. She gently pulled him back and looked at Anna. "Where's the dining room?"

"I'll show you."

Before they left, Elena gave her a soft, reassuring smile. "I love you," she mouthed, and Angela couldn't help but smile. "I love you too," she mouthed back.

As soon as they were gone, Harper slid the wooden doors shut, and she was, for all intents and purposes, trapped. "So," she casually sat back down, trying not to show her fear, "am I right in assuming this is about my reincarnation?"

"You are," Pearl said. "Felix?"

"She wasn't lying." He sat directly in front of her, on the coffee table, and their knees bumped against each other. It nearly broke her calm façade, as it was all she could do not to flinch away. "I've never met one of you before. Wasn't even sure you existed."

"Yeah, well…" She awkwardly cleared her throat. "As far as I understand, we're really rare."

"I know. I had to dig through my ancestors' stuff just to get my facts straight. I brought a copy of everything I found, if you want it."

And just like that, all fear left her. "Are you serious?" In all her years as Angela Gilbert, she hadn't once been able to find a reliable, detailed piece of information regarding people like her.

A smile played on his lips as he reached for his satchel. It took a moment for him to dig through it, but eventually he retrieved a slim, beige folder. "Here."

She took it from him slowly. Carefully. Like it would rip if she was too rough, and all the knowledge would be lost. "I…" She looked back at him. "I don't know what to say." How could she? Maybe she misjudged him like she misjudged Harper. Not even Sheila had been able to provide her with an entire folder, and her bloodline was ancient.

And how could she not feel hope when he smiled at her like that? Like she was his dearest friend, reunited after decades? When his eyes were so bright and blue, like Jeremy's and her father's? When he had given her so much information. Information she wanted more than anything. What kind of monster would she be if she didn't return the favor?

He leaned forward, and she thought that maybe, just maybe, if he came a tiny bit closer, she could dive into the beautiful water that made up his eyes. "Was the story you told Anna the truth?"

"Yes." The word left her as a whisper, quick and quiet, because the only voice she wanted to hear was his.

"Do you mean the vampires in this house any harm?"

"No."

"Would the vampires in this house be dead if not for you?"

"Eventually."

"Are you planning on honoring your deal with Pearl?"

"Yes."

"How many of the people you brought here tonight can be trusted?"

"All."

A distant, feminine voice said something, and Felix pulled away. She gave a slow, sluggish blink, and with it came the realization of what just happened. Cold dread washed over her. She opened the folder. Inside were ten pages of empty paper. A bluff. Of course it had been a bluff. If Sheila Bennett hadn't been able to provide anything, how some random warlock? No. Of course she hadn't misjudged him. And going by the uncomfortable look on Harper's face, she hadn't misjudged him either.

"I apologize for the deception," Pearl said. "The spell required a strong, emotional reaction from you. This seemed the best way to do that without seriously threatening you." Threatening her would have been the better option. She'd been threatened before, by Damon and Emily. The emotion she felt now she'd never felt before, and it nearly put out the light in her chest.

"I've never heard of a spell like that."

"Because it's not as efficient as you think." Felix's voice was much colder than she remembered it. Detached. The smile was gone from his face, and his eyes were empty. He took the folder from her hands and put it back in his satchel. "So not many people bother to learn it. It's a truth spell, technically, but only for information you'd give us anyway. If you wanted to keep it secret, you just wouldn't answer."

She refused to acknowledge him, eyes remaining glued to Pearl. "Is he staying for dinner?"

"No. I'm afraid he has other business to attend to." That was all this was to him. Business.

"Good." She stood up and slid the doors open, stopping for a moment to look behind her. "I never want to see him again."

The chatter she heard from further in the house was her guide, and led her to the dining room. The wooden table in the middle was long, seated eight people comfortably, and above it hung a chandelier. On one side were Elena, Tyler, and an empty chair she assumed was hers. Across from them was Caroline, flanked by Bonnie on the side closest to her, and Anna on the other. It was Anna that noticed her first, as she was already looking in her direction. Her contented expression faltered when she got a look at her face.

"Did you know?" she asked wordlessly. The way Anna's expression dropped completely told her that yes, she did.

Caroline noticed her next, and she instinctively made herself smile for her. Caroline smiled back, clueless. "Hey! Guess where you get to sit."

"Where?"

"Across from me." At the new voice, she nearly snorted. Do you make a habit of sneaking up on people and announcing things? She turned around. Pearl motioned to one of the head seats. "You are the guest of honor, are you not?"

"You flatter me." She went to sit down, and when Harper came to assist her, the smile she gave him was genuine. An apology for doubting him, even if he never knew. "Thank you," she whispered. He nodded kindly and sat down in the chair she thought was hers.

Elena was across from Bonnie, to her left, and gently grabbed her hand. "You okay?"

To lie or not to lie? "I'm okay."

She didn't seem fully convinced, but some of the tension left her body. That was good. Tonight had to go perfectly.

"I apologize for the delay." Pearl sat down. "Have we missed any conversation?"

Caroline perked up. "We were just talking about all the activities Mystic Falls has to offer!"

"They were telling me about the Founders' Party," Anna said. "Apparently they still have those."

It wasn't part of the plan, but since the gang figured out the truth about the rings, she would be stupid not to take this opportunity. "It's this Thursday. You should come. The Council doesn't know that vampires can walk in the sun. It would help erase suspicion."

Pearl nodded. "I'll keep that in mind. Has the Council been active all this time?"

"No. It reformed after our parents died. Were killed. By a vampire."

"Oh… my condolences."

How many times had she heard those words? Her response was instinct by now. "Thank you."

Elena gently cleared her throat. "Speaking of the Council… I read what they did to you. What he did to you. Johnathan?" Pearl stiffened. "I can't apologize because I'm not him, but as a Gilbert I can promise you… this time, history won't be repeating itself."

Pearl was silent for a time. "Let us hope," she finally said, "for all our sakes, that your penchant for truth comes from your sister." Her head turned to the side. "Margaret," she called out. "Our first course."

The dark, wooden door behind her opened, and out came a middle-aged blonde pushing a trolley full of food.

Tyler looked between them in confusion. "Who's this?"

"The woman that owns this house," Pearl said. "Technically. We went through the proper, legal means of possessing it, but the deed is in her name. This way, no unwanted vampires can enter."

He watched as a plate of soup was placed in front of him. "Did you have to compel her?"

Margaret looked at him with a smirk on her mauve, painted lips. "Please. I grew up on Anne Rice. The only thing she compelled me to do was never betray her. After I let her."

At his still confused expression, Pearl spoke up. "Of all the things that have been invented since I was desiccated, I must admit that the internet is the most marvelous. Did you know that there are entire forums of humans happy to give themselves to creatures like us?"

Some light returned in the form of mirth, and Angela chuckled. "Welcome to the twenty-first century, Pearl. It only gets weirder from here."

Pearl lifted her wineglass with a smile. "Here's to braving it."

She lifted her glass in turn, seeing everyone else do the same. "And to the friendships it has in store for you."

It was an aromatic white wine, which she imagined paired beautifully with what she could now tell was butternut squash soup. She picked up her spoon and brought some to her lips. Yes. She nearly sighed at the comforting taste. It paired beautifully.

Pearl quietly cleared her throat. "Miss Bennett."

Bonnie stopped eating and looked up. "Yes? Uh… ma'am?"

"Please, call me Pearl." Bonnie nodded delicately. "It's your grandmother we have to thank for freeing us, is it not?"

"I guess. Yeah. Other than Ann."

"You… mean Anna?"

"Oh," she winced, "no, sorry, I mean Angie. Angela. I couldn't say her name right as a baby, so I always called her Ann. It… kind of stuck."

"Ah. But it was your grandmother who overpowered Emily, no? I should like to meet her when she wakes. Thank her in person."

"She… doesn't really like vampires."

"What witch does? It only furthers my belief that she would want to know who she risked her life for."

Bonnie chuckled nervously. "You don't know her."

"No. But I know people. Witches among them. Bennetts among them."

"If… you don't mind me asking, what was she like? Emily?"

She set her spoon down with a quiet click, gracefully bringing her hands together to support her chin. "Emily… Emily was kind. To those she considered friends, she was loyal to a fault. To those that crossed her, she was death incarnate." A wistful smile pulled at her lips. "We were friends, her and I. Good friends. Perhaps, after a century of slow starvation, the only pain of freedom was knowing she was dead. And the only pain worse was knowing she wanted us dead too."

"You loved her," Bonnie said softly.

Pearl only stared at her for a moment. "You love your friends, do you not?" Bonnie nodded. "No more than I loved Emily."

Silence filled the room, though Angela's mind was loud as ever. When Sheila absorbed Emily's essence, had it only pushed her back to the Other Side, or had it erased her from existence? Where the thought would have been unfortunate before, now it was close to unbearable. It was so easy to replace Emily's distorted face with Bonnie's. Pearl's face with hers. The pain she would feel if Bonnie was gone forever was indescribable. They were sisters, even if not by blood. She would be beyond repair. Gone forever too. Was that how Pearl felt now?

"Hey." Elena's concerned voice brought her out of her thoughts. "Are you okay?"

Her nose was burning, and she blinked before any tears could form. "Yeah. I just…" She forced a chuckle. "Sorry. My emotions have been kind of everywhere recently. This body still has its own hormones. Being a teenager sucks."

After a moment, Anna cleared her throat. "Well, I guess we have something in common. Being a vampire sucks too. Because, y'know, we…suck…blood…"

Silence filled the room. Angela lifted a hand to cover her mouth, but she was too late. Everyone turned to look at her. "I'm sorry." Her words were quick enough to not be marred by any giggles. "That was just… really bad."

Her words seemed to spark something in Bonnie, as the sympathy in her eyes became overshadowed by her bright grin. As the rest of the table expressed their own varying degrees of amusement, she looked at Anna, and saw that she understood. All was forgiven.

After that, the ice was broken. Conversation flowed freely, with her family showing exactly what Elena promised Pearl. What Angela promised herself. This time, history wouldn't be repeating itself. Not while she was around.

They were halfway through their main course—an absolutely heavenly filet mignon she was determined to get the recipe for—when she decided it was time to get down to business. She swallowed her food and dabbed the edge of her mouth with a napkin. "You mentioned your apothecary earlier."

Pearl set her glass back down, now filled with red wine. "Yes. It was owned by your father, if I'm not mistaken."

"It's owned by us now, but our aunt, Jenna, has control over it until we turn eighteen. I was thinking, if I introduced Anna to her as a friend of mine and you as her mother, it would be a step towards achieving your goal before you even buy it."

"Does your aunt know about vampires as well?"

The plan had been to tell her after the tomb, but seeing Tanner's corpse didn't only change something in Angela. It changed something in Elena too. She became significantly warier of vampires, if not outright avoidant. Angela wanted them to be on the same page when they told Jenna; the page they'd been on before Tanner's death. Being confronted with all their parents left behind would be confusing enough. Hearing two different stories would be the last thing Jenna needed.

"Not yet," she replied. "For now, as far as any human outside this house is concerned, you're three perfectly normal citizens. I would also recommend enrolling Anna in the high school this Monday. It would give you enough time until the Founders' Party to begin making your mark."

Pearl smiled. "I had the same thought. As far as your aunt is concerned, I suppose it wouldn't harm anything. Perhaps you and your sister could bring Annabelle home from school one day. Let her stay for dinner."

She caught onto the insinuation. "Invite her into the house, you mean."

Pearl shrugged and took another sip of wine. "Trust breeds trust." She recalled saying something very similar to that in the past.

"Didn't we show enough trust by coming here?" Elena asked. When Pearl's eyes shifted towards her, she swallowed nervously. "I mean… we're under your roof. You could've killed us all if you wanted to." Beneath the table, she saw her hand inching towards her purse. The stake. She forced her heart to remain calm through sheer willpower. "But we came here on our own."

Pearl's eyes narrowed, flicking over Elena's face. "Your heart is pounding," she muttered. "I wonder why."

Angela decided to speak before anything got out of hand. "Talking back to a vampire as old as you is terrifying. Especially when this is her first time meeting you."

Elena drew a breath, hand placed atop the purse. "Yes. I'm sorry. I meant no offence. I only meant, since we freely put our lives in danger, didn't we already prove ourselves?"

Pearl smiled. "Are you worried I'll have you murdered in your sleep?" She almost sounded amused. When nobody said anything, she chuckled. "Elena, if I wanted to kill you…" Her dark brown eyes became clouded by red, the smooth skin above her cheeks jagged and purple. It was a sight she was familiar with, from both the Salvatores and Anna, but she was the only one to have seen it before. Down the table, she heard Caroline's gasp, and the screech of Tyler's chair sliding backwards. "I'd do you the decency of letting you see my face." As she spoke, her fangs were plainly visible. A power move, to show that she had the upper hand. That though she hadn't killed them, she still could. She always could. As easy as breathing.

Through the makeup, Elena had grown pale. "I— I'm so sorry," she whispered.

Angela gently intertwined their fingers, moving the hand that was on her purse back onto her lap. "I think that's enough. It would be a pleasure to host Anna at our home. Though I doubt our dinner will be as extravagant as this."

Pearl's face faded back into its human form, though her cool smile was just as threatening. "I should hope not. It would put us to shame. Now…" She took the last bit of filet mignon into her mouth. "Shall we move on to dessert?"

"Can I…" Elena shut her eyes. "May I use the bathroom?"

Pearl nodded. "You may."

"I'm going with her," Angela said.

"Of course," Pearl said. "Harper, if you would be so kind."

It wasn't too far away, and she held Elena's hand the entire time. When Harper showed them where it was, Elena all but burst through the door. Angela stayed behind to ensure he left them alone, then entered the room. Her sister was bent over the sink, her knuckles white as they gripped its edge, her body moving harshly in tune with her sharp breaths.

She rested a hand on her shoulder. Elena shook her head and motioned at her ear. Vampire hearing. Angela turned the faucet on to max, something Stefan once confirmed interfered with their powers.

"I thought I could do this." Elena's voice was shaky. "I thought I could come here an— and be strong for you. Talk to a five-hundred-year-old vampire like it's nothing. After the day we spent with Damon, I was so sure I could be strong for you. Could be like you. But I get it now. With Damon, my anger was stronger than my fear. But now, all there is is fear." She looked up, and there were tears in her eyes. "Tyler was right. Dad was right. Her face— her—" She reached for her throat and drew a shallow breath. "Is that what they saw? Him and Mom? Tanner? Is that the last thing they saw before they died? The face of a monster, ripping them apart?" She shook her head, the tears slipping from her eyes. "I can't do this, Angie. I can't do this. I'm so sorry."

Angela brought her hands up to gently wipe the tears away. "Lena… do you realize how well you're doing?" Elena went to protest, but she hushed her. "All your life, you've been taught that vampires are evil, senseless creatures that kill without cause. And even though I argued with Dad every chance I got, his beliefs had to have an effect on you. Still, you come here and make polite conversation. You talk about Johnathan Gilbert when you know he's a touchy subject, because it makes our argument stronger. You reach for a weapon when you challenge Pearl, because you're prepared to defend yourself. That's bravery if I've ever seen it."

"But I have to be braver. I have to be stronger. I have to be like you in case you're not there. We're in too deep for me to be anything less."

"And you will be." She softly petted her cheek. "You went through your trial by fire, Elena. Now, when the flames fade away and you wash off the heat, you'll find yourself stronger. Sharper. Like the forging of a greatsword. Or a shortsword." She smiled. "Because you're not that huge."

Elena huffed. "Not now."

"Right. Sorry." She moved her hands away from her face to hug her, the way her mother would whenever words failed.

"You know," Elena mumbled after a while, "sometimes I think you're a superhero. You do half the work around the house, get good grades, play supernatural mediator, and still have time to provide emotional support for everyone."

"Not a superhero, remember?" She altered her voice to sound more like a young Tyler. "Shit! Angie! You're a demigod!"

Elena pulled back with a grin. "You know what? Never mind. You're just an arrogant old lady."

Angela gasped loudly, and it made her sister giggle. The sound was exactly what she was aiming for. "You hussy! Take that back."

"Mm…" She dug a packet of tissues out of her purse. "I don't think so."

She pursed her lips to maintain her stern façade. "And I only do half the work around the house because someone doesn't lift a finger."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

They stared each other down before Angela broke, and they shared a quiet laugh. "Are we okay to go back?"

Elena finished blowing her nose and threw the tissue in the waste bin. "Yeah." She gave her a smile. "It's time for me to start becoming a superhero too."

They returned to subdued conversation and eight untouched plates of dessert. Pearl's eyebrows twitched when she noticed them. "Elena. I hope you're feeling well."

"Much better. Thank you."

Pearl nodded. Angela expected her to apologize like any decent person would, but she simply motioned to their seats. It was then that she realized. Maybe, in her eyes, there was nothing to apologize for. She achieved exactly what she wanted to. She reminded them who was in charge, even if it meant Elena having a panic attack. If Pearl was human, or even not surrounded by Anna and Harper, Angela may have attacked her for that. Her wisdom outweighed her anger, however, and made her stay her hand.

"Soufflé." Elena smiled as she sat down. "My favorite."

Angela's eyes were locked on their host. "If it's alright, I'd like for you and I to have our dessert in the living room. There's something I want to talk to you about that would be best said in private."

Pearl looked at her carefully. Analyzing her. Determining whether or not this was part of a trap. "Very well." She pushed herself up, and when Harper went to follow, raised a hand to stop him. "You and Annabelle stay with the rest of our guests. We wouldn't want to be rude." She turned towards the door Angela was now positive led to the kitchen. "Margaret." After a moment, the woman poked her head out. "Bring mine and Angela's dishes to the living room." Pearl crossed the room and offered Angela a smile. "Come."

Without anyone to make room for, Angela sat more comfortably, close to the middle of the loveseat. Pearl was standing by the doors, though Angela could feel her curious eyes continue to analyze her. She almost started fidgeting when Margaret finally came in and set their dessert on the coffee table, the porcelain of the dishes clacking quietly as it pressed against the wood. The woman retreated into the hallway, sliding the doors closed behind her, and Pearl finally sat down on the loveseat opposite her. "Now…" She picked up her dish. "What is it you wish to talk about?"

"Katherine."

Pearl calmly sliced the soufflé with her spoon. "Ah." She brought it into her mouth, saying no more. Angela took that as her cue to continue.

"You told Damon how she escaped, which means you know that she betrayed you. Along with everyone else in the tomb."

"Who you massacred," she replied, slicing off another piece of soufflé. "Do you see me shedding tears for them?"

"If Harper had been among them, would you not be shedding tears?"

"But he wasn't, was he?"

She edged forward in her seat. "The fact remains that Katherine left you to rot. To burn, for all she cared."

"I prefer it when you are frank, Angela. You want me as an ally in your fight against Katherine."

Her words died in her throat, all diplomacy going out the window. "Yes."

That seemed to amuse her. "Yes," she repeated simply. She set down her dessert and rested an elbow on the back of the loveseat. "Do you know how long a hundred forty-five years is? Truly know? Time passes quickly for creatures like us, but when you have nothing to do but think… one hundred forty-five years is a very long time to hold onto grudges. I've always known what Katherine is. Cunning. Selfish. Ruthless. A survivor. I admired that about her once. Now, after a century and a half of doing nothing but thinking, I've come to the realization that she's worth little more than the dirt I spent all those years lying on. I hold no hatred for her in my heart. Only indifference. All I want now is to live in peace."

"And I admire that," she said gently. "All I want is to live in peace too. But a war is coming, Pearl. If you want to stay in this town, you won't be able to ignore it. Katherine will return at some point, of her own volition, though I don't know when. I don't even know where she is." Tyler never noticed when she took a hair from his head, with how much she tended to touch it. She learned that Mason was being cloaked too, and hadn't been able to use him to track Katherine. "Which means I have no idea when we need to start preparing to take her on. If you want to live in peace here, in Mystic Falls, I'm afraid you'll have to fight for it."

Pearl let out a breath of faint amusement. "Si vis pacem, para bellum. And what is to stop me from selling this house and moving elsewhere? If things truly are as you say. My apothecary isn't a strong enough attachment to keep me from saving my life."

It was then that she knew she had her. She couldn't help but smile. "What about Emily's life?"

Pearl's eyes narrowed. "What about it?"

"Do you not know what happened to her? How she died? Or did you assume she died of old age?" Pearl stayed silent, watching her. "She was burned at the stake two days after you were sealed away. Because Katherine turned her in."

"You lie."

"Katherine is cunning. Selfish. Ruthless. And Emily was a loose end."

"Emily was the most powerful witch I ever met. And Katherine was never a fool. She wouldn't let someone like that slip through her fingers."

"You don't have to take my word for it." She reached into her purse to pull out a leather journal. "This belonged to Grace, Emily's daughter." She held it out, and Pearl took it immediately. "She was only four when it happened. Had nightmares of it her entire life. The entry on October 23rd details it most explicitly." She had no idea if she'd even need it. Only took it with her because it was evidence of Katherine's treachery.

She watched as Pearl flipped through the pages. Finally she stopped. And then, she found it. She could tell because her posture grew rigid. Her eyes, dark. She gripped the journal tightly before letting go with a long, slow breath. "You could have forged this."

She shook her head. "I remember reading that when Grace was four, she thought you and Anna were a queen and princess from a faraway land. She made up an entire story about you and the kind of fruit you used to eat the most. Used to call you… God, what was it?"

"Queen Pearl the Peach," she whispered.

"That's right! Queen Pearl the Peach. And Anna was Princess Anna the Apple, because if she was the daughter of a peach it only made sense that she'd also be some kind of fruit. I got the impression she was a clever kid."

"How could…" Pearl took a sharp breath. "But Emily, she wanted us to rot forever."

"She thought that Katherine was still in there. And assumed everyone inside would be freed. She was only trying to protect her family."

Tears built up in Pearl's eyes for but a second before she shut them. When they opened again, they were dry. And full of red. The veins beneath crawled to the surface until they reached her impeccable cheekbones, and she forcefully set down the journal before she could rip it in half. Wordlessly, she stood up and crossed the room. She leaned against the doors for a moment, her back shuddering. She roughly shoved them apart. Then, she was gone.

Angela stared at the space where she'd been. Was she was meant to follow? How even could she follow? Before she could think too much, Pearl returned with something in her hands. She closed the doors and sat in the loveseat, allowing her to see what it was. Or, rather, what they were. An empty blood bag. A tube. A needle.

She went about putting it all together as Angela understood what was happening. Pearl stabbed her arm with the needle, holding the bag so her blood would flow inside, and she still couldn't bring herself to speak. Her mind was a jumble of emotions. From 'holy shit' disbelief, to 'fuck yes' excitement, and last but not least, the classic 'what the hell is my life right now?'

Once the bag was full, Pearl pulled the needle from her arm and let the skin stitch itself back together. She held the full blood bag out to her, making sure to look her in the eye. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she remembered that eye contact was meant to make people trust you. "I apologize. For scaring your sister, and your friends."

Angela's mouth moved soundlessly, until she decided to simply accept her offering. "I… Thank you, Pearl." Her thumb moved over the bag, making the warm blood swim around, as if to prove that it was real. "Will you be staying after all?"

Pearl picked her soufflé back up, swinging one leg over the other and getting comfortable. "I believe I will. I have unfinished business with an old… bestie."

.

The third time Jenna called her out was after they left the house. Angela made sure to get that recipe from Margaret—along with the one for the soup and soufflé—and they bid their farewells with significantly less fear than she expected them to have. Whatever conversation the others had while she and Pearl were talking must have repaired the rift Pearl's intimidation created, and though she didn't know who to credit for that, she chose to believe it was Elena.

"Did you see her face?" Caroline whisper-yelled on their way to the car. "It scared the bejeezus out of me!"

"Yeah, I saw her face," Tyler said. "Everyone saw her face."

"Oh yeah." Caroline's giggle was cut short when she nearly twisted her ankle, and Tyler held her up before she could fall to the ground. It seemed she had a bit too much to drink.

Bonnie chuckled and said, low enough for only the twins to hear, "Only way you're getting into his arms again." That startled a gasp out of Elena, while Angela tried desperately to stay silent so Caroline wouldn't get suspicious.

Elena bumped Bonnie's hip with hers. "You're sassy today."

"It's a good day," she responded.

Angela unlocked the car. The girls got inside, and she was about to as well, but noticed that Tyler was still standing there. She turned to him in confusion. "Aren't you coming?"

He shook his head. "Nah, some of the guys from the football team are having a party tonight. Place is out of town."

"Oh. Okay."

"Look…" He stepped closer. "I'm sorry I said that thing about your friend. I shouldn't have."

She smiled in amusement. "No, you shouldn't have. But I get why you did. You were trying to look out for me."

"Trying being the operative word here. All I did was upset you."

"And you're apologizing for it. The you of five years ago wouldn't have done that. He would've thrown a temper tantrum and left. That's progress."

He shrugged, a gentle smile playing at his lips. "The me of five years ago didn't have you. You're a good influence."

A good influence. A superhero. Was that who she'd become? It should have felt good, knowing how important she was to the people around her. How she made them kinder, stronger people than they would have been without her. But it was so tiring, looking after four kids and knowing they couldn't look after her in turn.

Deep down, she knew it was her fault. They would listen if only she spoke, but they were still so young. They shouldn't be trying to save their town from becoming puppy chow for Klaus. Because that was what they've been doing, even if she hadn't let them know. The least she could do was be a stable force they could lean on throughout the madness. An anchor, no matter how cold and lonely it was to sink into the sea.

"You should go," she said quietly. "Wouldn't want to miss that party."

"Yeah." He cleared his throat and shot her another smile. "See you later."

Her hand rose to give him a small wave and she finally pulled the door open to climb into the driver's seat.

Bonnie watched him walk away. "Where's he going?"

"Think frat party but the high school version," Angela said.

"Jock party?"

"Yup."

"Ooh," Caroline said excitedly, "we should party too! Do you wanna go to the Grill?"

"The Grill?" Elena asked. "We just got done eating."

"That's not the only thing that's at the Grill, genius."

"You want to get even more drunk?"

"What do you mean 'more drunk'? I'm not drunk." Elena turned around so she could see her face when she sternly raised her eyebrows. Caroline pouted. "I'm tipsy! There's a difference!"

Angela snorted. "Sure, Jan."

"…What?"

She shook her head and got the engine running. "Never mind. So, where the hell are we going?"

"Grill!"

"Asking anyone other than Caroline."

"I don't know," Bonnie drew out. "I kinda wanna get drunk too."

"Girls' night out sounds fun," Elena said.

Angela smiled and smacked the steering wheel. "Grill it is."

It was a Saturday night, which meant that the Grill was completely full. So full that its patrons were unlikely to notice four underage girls getting shitfaced in the corner. Okay, maybe not shitfaced, and definitely not Angela. She still had to drive. But the fact remained that it was prime time to get wasted.

Caroline rushed to one of the only unoccupied tables and snatched the drink menu, flipping to the wine section and scanning its contents. "Hm… what's the most expensive thing they've got?"

Angela laughed, sitting across from her. "Really?"

"What? I have taste. Let's see… there's this one called Caber— Cabernet Sauvignon from… Blasted Church? What kind of name is that?"

"How much does it cost?"

"Who says we have to pay?" Bonnie asked from her left. "We're all single. We can get our flirt on for the night, can't we?"

Caroline looked at her like she was a godsend. "You're the smartest person I've ever met." She glanced at the bar, and a wicked smirk formed on her face. "Ooh, guess who's working tonight."

Angela followed her line of sight and groaned at who she saw. It was Evan, one of the few boys at their school brave and stupid enough to have repeatedly hit on her. She looked back at Caroline. "What are you saying?"

"You're hot and he's into you." Her smirk widened. "Capitalize."

She looked at Elena; a plea for help. "It's a good plan."

She looked at Bonnie; her last hope. "Come on, Ann. Live a little."

She looked at Caroline; the bane of her existence. "Do it, slut."

"Ugh! Fine!" She got up and pointed at them. "But you owe me big time."

Evan was conventionally attractive, but that was never something she cared for unless she already cared for their personality. And his personality was the walking, talking embodiment of a high school fuckboy. Which was to say she hated him.

She slid into a barstool and watched as he mixed a drink for a man further down the bar, waiting for him to notice her. Finally, he did, and she acknowledged him with a small, teasing wave.

His eyes travelled from her hand to her shoulders, down the curve of her back, and to where her dress stopped right above her knees. It was difficult to suppress the disgusted shiver she felt go down her spine at his obvious thought process. She followed him with her eyes as he came to stand before her, not tilting her head to look at him comfortably, but instead looking at him from beneath her lashes. Though she hadn't tried seducing a man in nearly two decades, she remembered this was something they seemed to like.

"Hey, stranger," he said teasingly. "Do I know you from somewhere?"

She wanted to snort and walk away, the way she did when he hit on her in school. The audacity of him, acting like the few times they'd spoken he hadn't tried to get in her pants.

She smiled and made sure her voice was breathier than usual. "Are you saying I'm forgettable?"

"Not easily."

"You're not easily forgettable either. Actually… I've been having trouble getting you out of my head recently." The line was so cheesy it almost made her gag.

His smirk became smug. "Oh yeah?"

"Yeah." She chuckled and looked away, feigning embarrassment. "Sorry, I, um… I don't usually do this kind of thing."

"No, I had a feeling you were just playing hard to get." He ran his eyes over her again. "I get off in an hour. Why don't you wait here and we can go somewhere fun?"

Ew, did I just get asked out? She couldn't say yes, but she had to make him think she was interested. What could she say? Her eyes searched the room. Bar. Shelves. Alcohol. She could change the conversation to alcohol, and work in the fact that she wanted wine.

Her eyes flicked to the man down the bar. "What's he having?"

"Uh… pisco sour. Why?"

"Never had one of those before. What's in them?"

"Brandy." That voice didn't belong to Evan. It belonged to someone she never wanted to see again. She turned her head to the left and found herself face-to-face with a pair of ice blue eyes. "Lemon juice. Syrup. Egg." He crinkled his nose. "Never liked eggs. Pancakes are a much better breakfast food." He barely glanced at the boy. "I'll have a glass of bourbon."

"What the hell are you doing here?" she demanded.

"What, I can't support the local economy?"

Evan looked between them. "Do you know this guy?"

"Unfortunately."

Damon smiled. "You, Miss Gilbert, are a very mean person."

"Says the literal mass murderer."

"Oh, you've been getting chummy with all sorts of mass murderers. I'm just the only one that's killed in front of you."

Evan blinked. "Wait, what?"

"You're also the only one that's choked me half to death, promised to make my life a living hell, threatened to rip my heart out, snap my neck, and kill everyone in my whole entire town, including this dude," she gestured at Evan, "who in all fairness I wouldn't miss too much."

"Ouch." Damon turned towards him. "You hear that? She wouldn't mind if I killed you here and now. That's gotta hurt, no?"

"W— What are you talking about?"

"Oh. Right. Forgot you were out of the loop. See, I'm a murderous, bloodthirsty vampire, and she's a crazy person."

She rolled her eyes. "I'm the only reason Sheila didn't kill you as soon as you stepped foot in Mystic Falls."

"You're also the only reason she's in a coma right now."

Despite Bonnie's thanks for keeping her alive, she'd been carrying that guilt with her since it happened. And now, someone finally confirmed she was right to feel that way. That should have made her happy, shouldn't it? All it did was make her resent him more.

"Did Bree tell you?"

His smile was cold. "We're friends, remember?" He turned towards Evan. "Forget everything you heard since I got here. And get me that bourbon, free of charge."

She watched him walk away. "Why are you here right now, Damon?"

He briefly scanned her body. Not in a lustful way, like Evan did, but in a way that suggested he was forming a plan. "You got any other dresses?"

"Why?"

"Because you're keeping your end of the deal. The Lockwoods are members of the Council, and I hear they're having a fancy get-together this Thursday. Along with the rest of their vampire-hunting buddies."

"What are you saying?"

"You're going to be my date to the Founders' Part—"

"Absolutely not."

His eyes narrowed. "Why?"

"Because I'm having a great day today and you're not ruining it for me?"

"We made a deal."

"Yes, we did, and I fully intend on keeping my end of it. But I don't need to be your date to do that. I'll just rave about what a great guy you are. Extol your virtues, ignore your many, many, many faults. The biggest hurdle will be getting through it all without puking."

He blinked once, evidently deciding to ignore that last bit. "Word around town is you've turned down everyone that's ever asked you out. Which makes people think you have ridiculously high standards. Ridiculously high standards people will think I meet if you show up as my date. It's simple. Classic. Effective. We're doing this my way."

"No. We're not."

His fingers twitched atop the bar, and though they were nowhere near her, her throat closed up. "I'm not asking, Angela."

She clenched her jaw so she wouldn't show him how much he frightened her. If you act like prey, he'll treat you like prey. She straightened up. "And what are you going to do if I keep saying no? Hm? Kill a bunch of innocent people? Go for it. Maybe you'll get yourself caught. You can't hurt anyone I care about. Which means you can't threaten me."

He tilted his head. "Is that what you think?"

"That's what I know. Your mind games won't work on me." She slid off the barstool. "Or on my sister."

"Are you Damon?"

She looked behind her. Caroline Forbes stood there, her pink glossy lips curled in a smile that was far too wide to be genuine. The rest of the group was watching from a few feet away, with Bonnie's hand ready to reach for the syringe and Elena's heated eyes focused solely on Damon.

"Who's asking?"

"Is that a yes?"

A smirk pulled at his lips. "Yes."

Caroline's hand shot out, and the sound of it impacting with the side of his face was like a crack of thunder. For a second, Angela forgot how to breathe. She could only stare as Damon turned his head back to them, face empty from shock.

Caroline's pretty features were twisted into a scowl, and she wrapped a hand around Angela's wrist. "Never talk to her again. Okay?" Her smile returned, nastier than ever. "Nice to meet you." The last thing Angela saw before she was dragged out of the Grill was his cold, hard eyes boring into her.

Elena was on her as soon as they stepped outside. "Are you okay?"

"What was he doing here?" Bonnie whispered, looking behind them as they hurried to the parking lot.

She paid them no mind. She was staring at Caroline. "You just slapped Damon."

"I told you I would."

"For me. You just smacked a vampire in the face, for me."

"Yup."

Her feet slowed to a halt once they reached the car. "Caroline."

She turned around to face her curiously. "Hm?"

"Will you marry me?"

"Well, duh."

The laugh that left her was somewhat manic, but she didn't care. "If any boy hurts you again, I'm castrating him."

Caroline giggled. "You better!" She turned back around and nearly twisted her ankle again, but saved herself by grabbing onto the door handle.

Bonnie rushed over to support her. "We need to get her home."

"Yeah." Elena was looking at Angela. "Are you okay? What did he want?"

She rolled her eyes and unlocked the car. "Hop in, girls. I have a joke for you."

On the way to Caroline's place, she recounted what happened. While Caroline herself had laughed at the story's absurdity—a big, bad vampire begging a high schooler to be his date to a boring party—Bonnie had grown pale at what he might do to make her say yes. But Elena? Elena was angry.

They finished dropping the girls off at their respective houses, and now she was saddled with watching her sister silently seethe all by herself. Elena mumbled something beneath her breath, but she didn't quite catch it.

"What was that?"

"I'm gonna kill him."

She rolled her eyes. "No, you're not."

"I've been training. Every morning, on my jog, I go to the park down the street and practice staking the trees."

"Prac—" A laugh escaped her, and Elena shot her a glare. "You're being ridiculous."

"No, I'm being your sister. Is there some giant, groundbreaking reason he needs to stay alive?"

"Christ, Elena, half an hour ago you had a panic attack because a vampire showed you her fangs. What do you think will happen if you try to kill one?"

"Nothing. Because this vampire can't hurt me, remember? If he does, he'll die anyway."

She shook her head. "Exactly. He can't hurt you. He can't hurt any of us. Which means there's not a good enough reason for me to want him gone."

"But he can hurt people we don't know. Innocent people. Isn't that a good enough reason to want him dead?"

"I said gone, not dead. And there are reasons I want him around, they just— you won't understand. Not when you're like this."

"So make me understand."

She sighed. "Okay. Let's start with the basics. He's a source of knowledge. If he wasn't around, we wouldn't have been able to find a witch to tell us what's wrong with Sheila, which means she could be dead right now. He's a source of strength. When Katherine comes back and he realizes she doesn't care for him, he'll want her dead more than anyone. He's unpredictable. And while that's a bad thing, it's also a great one. He can see possibilities the rest of us won't, which could mean the difference between life and death. He's S—" She cut herself off.

Elena stared at her curiously. She seemed calmer than before, and spoke when the silence lingered for too long. "What?"

She pursed her lips. "He's Stefan's brother. And I know for a fact that their relationship can be repaired."

Elena continued staring at her. "And… why didn't you want to say that?"

She fell back into silence, watching the streetlights pass them by. "I don't know where you are with him," she finally said. "Didn't want to speak for him if you two are closer."

"I… did say I've been avoiding him like the plague, right? Or was that a hallucination?"

"I assumed he was excluded from the list."

Elena huffed and turned to her, the leather she was sitting on emitting a quiet creak. "Angie, we've had like three real conversations. Total. And yeah, okay, maybe he's jaw-droppingly gorgeous, and maybe behind the fangs he's a good person, but that doesn't change the fact that he does have fangs. And I… I honestly can't see myself with someone like that. Not yet. Not when Mom and Dad's deaths are still so fresh in my mind. Not when I keep imagining them looking worse than Tanner."

She came to a stop in front of their house and turned to look at her properly. "He'd make you happy." It was an argument she'd used countless times, but what other argument was there, when their relationship hadn't progressed nearly as quickly as it would in a world where she never existed?

A soft, loving smile crossed Elena's lips. "You make me happy. You. Always and forever, remember? I made that promise with my sister. Not some boy I barely know. Or… would the right term be 'man'? Grandpa? Oh! He's a grandpa and you're a grandma! No wonder you get along."

Angela laughed. "You know, we were having a moment here."

"Uh-huh, we were having a moment when you called me fat too."

"Actually, I called you huge, which doesn't necessarily apply to width. You're like a giraffe. You, Tyler, and Caroline. Me and Bonnie are the only normal ones, and she's a witch and I'm a superhero."

Elena shook her head and opened the door. "No, you know what you said."

She retrieved the keys and followed suit, stepping out into the cool night air. "Uh, yeah, I said you're like a giraffe. Maybe I'll paint spots on you while you're sleeping."

They climbed the steps to the porch, and Elena groaned. "Oh, God, remember when I got the chickenpox that one time? I couldn't understand why no one would hug me."

She slid the key into the front door and twisted. "I definitely remember you crying all day because no one would hug you."

Elena chuckled as they stepped inside. "Yeah, that's right. Hey, remember when…"

"Oh!" She heard Jenna from the living room. "I think that's them." The sound of her slippers shuffling against the hardwood floor gradually became louder until finally she came through the archway into the foyer. She grinned when she saw them. "Hey!" Her eyes moved between her and her sister, but they seemed to fixate more on her. "Did you have fun? Wherever you went."

"Yeah." Elena set her purse down on the console table. "How come you're all happy?"

A light blush came to her cheeks, and she looked back into the living room. "Oh, well, uh—"

Her body went numb.

She saw his hair first, his head slightly bowed as he stepped through the archway. Then, his jacket. Black leather, only a shade or two darker than the brown of his hair. When he turned the corner to face them, she saw the small smirk on his lips, and finally, staring straight into her own eyes were his; ice blue and triumphant.

"Hello, Angela."

For a second, she thought she would break the strap of her purse, the way Pearl nearly broke the journal. "Hello, Damon."

"You know," Jenna said gleefully, ignorant of the tension, "I get why you didn't tell me who he was now. I might've stolen him for myself!"

Damon turned to her, and if Angela didn't know who he was, she would have found his expression utterly chivalrous. "Please, Jenna. Someone as lovely as you deserves better than a poor soul like me."

The blush on Jenna's cheeks intensified, and she gave a bashful laugh. "See what I mean? A perfect gentleman." As she walked past her and Elena, she leaned in to whisper, "And super hot." With a wink directed at her, she climbed up the stairs and disappeared from their sight.

Angela waited to hear the click of a door shutting, signifying she had entered her bedroom, and scoffed. "Are you kidding me?"

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Elena asked incredulously.

He shrugged. "Maybe next time, your friend should keep her hands to herself."

Elena clenched her jaw and reached for her purse. The stake. A rush of wind blew past her and then Damon had it in his grip. "Now, now," he tutted. "Let's not do anything stupid."

Elena stepped back at their close proximity. "Maybe you should keep your hands to yourself too. You can start by giving that back."

He had the gall to laugh at her. "Why? What do you have in here? Your diary?" He unzipped it and went to look inside.

"Tampons," Angela blurted out. "Period pads. Condoms." She went over and snatched it from him, quickly zipping it back up and tucking it close. "Things you don't want to see."

He smirked. "You just named three of my favorite things."

She stared at him until it hit her. "Oh! Oh my God! Ew!" She moved further away. "You're disgusting!"

His eyes darkened. He walked to her and leaned in close, making her go completely still. She didn't breathe, watching as a hand came up to trace her collarbones. The touch was so light it almost tickled, and she forced herself not to shiver. "Baby," he purred lowly, "I can be downright filthy."

She clenched her jaw. "Get. Out."

"Mm, but Aunt Jenna was kind enough to invite me in. It would be rude to leave so soon, wouldn't it?"

She narrowed her eyes. He was asking for it, wasn't he? She shoved her left wrist into the side of his neck and watched his eyes go wide. He startled back with a small cry, allowing her to slip past him and stand next to Elena. "You really should keep your hands to yourself," she said venomously.

He sneered. "And you should be kinder to a volatile, bloodthirsty vampire like me. Maybe you'd prefer it if my hair was lighter. If I had a brooding brow. Those green, smoldering eyes to look deep into your soul."

"Oh, boo-hoo," she pouted, "my brother got the girl a century ago so now I terrorize every woman he speaks to. Grow up, Damon. Do you know that five minutes before we got here I was convincing Elena not to kill you? Elena. The biggest baby I know wanted to kill you." She ignored the look her sister gave her. "Want to know why Katherine chose Stefan? Why she will always choose Stefan? Because despite everything he's been through and all his flaws, he actually tries to be better. He doesn't blame others for his mistakes. He doesn't terrorize people when his humanity is on. He's not pathetic." She stepped closer. "He's not you."

His eyes darkened, though this time with something far more dangerous than lust. He flashed in front of her, barely an inch from touching her skin. "He's also not here," he snarled, "to keep me from whisking you away and making you watch as I kill hundreds of innocent people."

She laughed, and found that Elena was right. With Damon, her anger outweighed her fear. "You think that's why seeing you kill Tanner upset me? Because he was innocent? Nobody's innocent, Damon. Tanner was a bully to his students, even if he looked out for them in the end. It upset me because I was trying to save him. Because I let myself care. Humans have a switch too. After we get hurt enough, we're able to reach it. If you whisk me away and make me an accomplice to murder, I'll just turn it off. You can start with Evan, like you said. The corpses will pile up and up and still I'll keep it off. As simple as breathing."

A film of fascination descended over his eyes. "Do you really mean that?"

Faintly, she remembered that Elena was there. That what she said could change her perception of her forever. That she would realize just how far she was from being a superhero. Somehow, the thought set her free.

"Yes."

The fascination watched her for a time; silent, still, until it faded away and took the darkness with it. "I think, Miss Gilbert, I had you all wrong."

She straightened up. "Good. Maybe you'll realize all your other mistakes too." She stepped to the side and raised an arm, pointing to the door she left unobscured. "Now, Mr. Salvatore, get the hell out of my house."

Much to her surprise, he did what she said, though not without giving her one final, long look. Then, she was left alone with her sister, and somehow that was worse.

Elena had an indiscernible expression on her face. "Did you really mean that? About— what was it, a switch?"

She walked to the living room with a sigh, carelessly casting her purse aside. "I rarely lie."

"That's why you don't want to kill him," Elena said, following behind. "Or have him gone,or whatever. You don't care if he kills innocent people. As long as they're not people you care about. Right? As long as you don't have to feel any pain."

She reached into the liquor cabinet and went about pouring herself a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon. "This feels like an accusation."

"That's because it is." Angela turned around, and finally made out what the expression was. It was disgust. "What Harper said. You made all those vampires— all those people watch as you burned them alive. How many of them were innocent?"

"I don't know."

"Do you even care?"

She turned back around just in time for a tear to slip down her cheek. She absently wiped it away and took a sip of wine. "What I care about is keeping you alive. You, Jeremy, Jenna, and everyone else. If that means killing a tomb of potentially innocent people, then that's what it means."

There was silence. "Who are you?" Elena whispered.

"Your sister."

"…Who were you?"

"…It's late. You should go to bed. Have trees to stake in the morning."

"No." Elena came to her side. "No, you don't get to do that this time."

She turned her head to look at her. "I'm not sure," she said quietly. "There are holes. I remember losing people, but I don't know who. I felt pain a lot. Sadness. Loneliness. One day, I decided to just… stop feeling it. I hurt people. Not physically, but on a deeper level. Emotionally. Telling them I loved them and leaving the next day. Breaking into their jewelry boxes or desks on my way out. Manipulating them to get things I wanted.

"But as soon as I became a Gilbert… as soon as I met you and realized I had somebody, I let it all back in. The guilt nearly consumed me, when I realized what a terrible person I'd been. What a terrible person I was, because that kind of thing never fully goes away. It's why I try to be so open with you. With everyone, if I can afford it. I never want to be that person again. That person had nobody." She reached up to gently cup her sister's face. "Angela Gilbert has everybody."

Elena drew a shaky breath. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"I was afraid. Afraid you'd look at me different. And tonight, even though I didn't tell you, you looked at me different anyway. So I thought, what the hell."

Elena shook her head, pressing her lips together to keep the tears at bay. "I'm sorry."

She smiled. "Just promise me something? Don't tell Jeremy yet. Not until he's fifteen. I don't know if he'll understand right now."

"I promise."

"Thank you." She reached up to lay a gentle kiss on her forehead. "You should sleep. It's almost midnight."

Elena drew another breath, this one deeper and steadier. "Yeah. You're right. Goodnight, twinny."

"Goodnight, twinny."

She watched Elena leave the room, listening to the soft sound of her footsteps ascending the stairs, and sat on the couch. Her mind took her on a journey through all that happened that day, as it usually did. Searching for important information, anything she could use in the future, but it kept bringing her back to what she just told her sister. She handled it well. Would it be so bad if she told the others? She decided to put off that thought for later. For now, she had more practical issues to worry about. She always kept their bedroom shutters closed at night, out of paranoia that a crow would be watching them, but maybe she should shut the ones on the first floor as well. The last thing she wanted was for Damon to creep into the house like some kind of—

She sat up so quickly she nearly spilled her wine.

Damon. Damon had been invited into the house. By Jenna. Tonight. If he was invited into the house tonight, he couldn't have been behind her parents' murder. "Holy shit," she breathed. How was it that for every bad thing Damon did to her, something good came out of it? Now, she could finally cross a name off her list. The rest would come to her with time. All but the vampires of Augustine. Those, she had to go to herself.

But first, she needed a way in. It shouldn't be too hard. Her father used to be a member, and she was a young, impressionable teenager whose parents were killed by a vampire. Why shouldn't she want them all to suffer? If she pushed the sheriff a bit harder, if she got into the Council herself, she might be able to convince Augustine to let her in their ranks. It shouldn't matter that she was underage if she made the right name for herself.

She couldn't help but smile, the light in her chest brighter than ever. Yes. Bonnie had been right. Today was a good day.

---

Not me sobbing at what was supposed to be a stupid, cliché, feel-good self-indulgent fic becoming the most serious work of fiction I've written in my life. I hope my descent into madness at least felt natural lmao.