Hey guys! Finally updating this story, sorry it has taken so long. My brain just hasn't wanted to do anything with this story for a while. But alas, here we are.

To everyone who has reviewed this story, thank you so so much for taking the time to do so. Thank you to anyone who has read any of my stories. But big shout out to all of the other writers out there, who constantly inspire me with their stories.

Sheila 'Grams' Bennett's Residence

As Stefan pulled the car into the drive he noticed immediately that Sheila was standing on her porch, as if she had been waiting for something, or someone… Them? As he turned off the car he looked over at Bonnie, for what had to have been the millionth time in this fairly short car ride, and noticed once more how quiet she was.

"Hey. Your grams looks like she was expecting us."

That caught Bonnie's attention and she quickly looked up, saw her grandmother and sighed. "I guess I should have known long ago that she was telling the truth about being a witch. She always knows when I'm upset and coming her way."

He reached over and gave her hand a light squeeze before quickly exiting and rounding the car to her side. He opened the door, helped her out, and as they turned and walked over to the intimidating woman, he kept his hand on her lower back.

"Stefan Salvatore."

"Sheila, it's great to see you. Although, I wish it were under better circumstances."

She narrowed her eyes, gazing back and forth from him to her granddaughter, taking note of his hand placement. "And what are the circumstances, Salvatore. All I know, is that something happened and that my grandbaby was upset. Now tell me, did you do something to upset her."

"Grams, stop." Bonnie decided to intervene, "Stefan didn't do anything, unless you want to count him flirting with me. Vicki Donavan was attacked by a vampire at the party tonight."

"So then you know, about what we are? What he is?"

"Yup. Let me tell you, it was a lot easier to accept the idea of vampires and witches, when nobody was in danger. Now, part of me just wants to rewind this day and forget."

Stefan looked down at the young girl who had captivated him, and felt a heavy weight settle on his shoulders. "I'm so sorry, Bonnie. If I knew what was going to happen tonight, I would have tried to stop it, or at least better prepared you for what most vampires are really like."

"It's not your fault. I should have figured, if there is one of you then there must certainly be more out there. Not all vampires can be Angels, some are Spike and Drusilla."

Despite the heavy mood, the three of them couldn't help chuckle at Bonnie's description. "Is Vicki going to be alright?"

"She lost a lot of blood, but the paramedics think that they got to her in the nick of time. Care's mom said that if she had been found even five minutes later, that she would be dead. So, keep your fingers crossed and send good vibes her way."

"I'll do more than that, you and I will go visit her first thing in the morning. We can kill two birds that way. I'll cleanse and purify her room and you can learn the basic skill every witch should know. Then, you and I are going to have a long conversation about your heritage. Stefan, keep us appraised on the situation. But for now, I think it would be best if you two said your goodnights and you try to get some rest, baby." Sheila nodded to Stefan before turning to go inside to wait for her granddaughter.

"I'm so sorry that the night ended like this. I promise Bonnie, I'll get to the bottom of this. I want you to feel safe in your town, and not worried or on edge."

"It wasn't your fault. I just think that I need to get some sleep, like Grams said. Maybe when I wake up in the morning, I will have made sense of the situation."

He nodded and reached out a hand to touch her, before pulling back quickly like he changed his mind.

She raised a brow, "You can touch me, I'm not afraid of you. I still like you and want to get to know you better, I'm just really tired and confused about everything else." She grabbed his hand in both of hers, "I promise we will talk tomorrow, but for now I just want my Grams' tea and sleep. Okay?"

He looked into her eyes, trying to gauge if she was telling the truth, but all he saw was honesty. Relieved that she wasn't upset with him or now disgusted by what he was, he nodded. "Okay. Get some sleep. I'll call first thing tomorrow and see how you are feeling." He kissed the back of her hand before releasing it as he took a step back, and watched her follow the path her grandmother had previously taken.

Stefan slammed his was into the Salvatore Boardinghouse and followed the sound of his great great nephew's heart, into the kitchen. Zach looked up and immediately asked, "Is it true? Did a vampire attack Vicki Donavan?"

"Yes."

"I thought we agreed that you would behave yourself or just go. We can't afford you slipping up like this."

"Zach, calm down. It wasn't me, I was with Bonnie for pretty much the entire night."

He looked at his uncle, "If not you, then who was it?"

"I don't know, but I'm going to find out." With that he walked up the stairs to his room and then he calmly closed the door behind him. He rested his forehead against the door and took a deep breath, thinking back on the rollercoaster of a night. Suddenly he heard something rush past him, and he whirled around and noticed his balcony door was open. A crow cawed out from the other side of the room and he turned his head to look. Stefan felt the hairs on the back of his neck and arms raised and he turned back to see a pale, black-haired man.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that whenever Stefan Salvatore is even remotely close to happy, something always tries to correct the situation… Specifically, one Damon Salvatore. Stefan's older, estranged, vindictive brother, who had promised to make his life a living hell. It's just as well that Stefan hadn't had a chance to get too comfortable.

"Damon."

"Hello, brother." Damon smirked.

"Crow's a bit much don't you think?"

"Wait 'til you see what I can do with the fog," he wiggled his eyebrows.

Stefan clenched his jaw before asking, "When'd you here?"

Damon pushed away from Stefan's desk and started looking through and messing with the items that littered the bookshelves. "Well, I couldn't miss your first day at school, now could I? Your hair's different. I like it."

"It's been fifteen years, Damon."

"Thank god! I couldn't take another day of the 90s. That horrible grunge look," he scoffs, "did not suit you. Remember Stefan, it's im-"

"Why are you here? What do you want?"

"A guy can't miss his brother?"

"If the guy is you and the brother is me, the person you promised an eternity of misery to… then, no. That girl is still alive, which does not bode well for you."

Damon pulls his lips back in a mock grimace. "That could be a problem… for you."

"I'm not worried. Why are you here, now?" Stefan stares at Damon steadily.

"I could ask you the same question. Although, I think that that answer can be summed up into one word…"

Stefan worried briefly that Damon knew about Bonnie. He would definitely have to ensure that she was drinking vervain. Now that he thinks about it, Sheila has probably been making sure of that for years.

"…Elena." Damon did that thing with his eyes, making it seem like he had just caught you in a trap. When Stefan's brows quirked and the corner of his lips twitched, as if he was suppressing a grin, some of the wind was taken out of Damon's sails.

"Well, in a way you are correct. I stayed because I wanted to make sure that she wasn't Katherine and wouldn't go on some murder spree. But I quickly realized that Elena is human, and I had no worries in regards to her."

"If you aren't staying for Katherine's imposter, why are you staying?"

"Sometimes it is nice to go home… although hardly ever with you lurking in the background. Honestly, I should have known better to think that my return would escape your notice. I'm planning on staying, for a while at least. I'm tired of constantly moving and looking over my shoulder for you."

"So, I'm to believe that this has nothing to do with the imposter. You don't care about her at all?" Damon cocked his head to the side and tried to get a reading on whether Stefan was telling the truth or not.

"Believe what you want Damon, you always have. And why should I care? I didn't love Katherine, she had to compel me. As for Elena, I care for her in that she is an innocent with no ties to any of this." He gestures between himself and his brother. "It's not her fault she was cursed with genes that make her look and sound exactly like the woman who helped drive a wedge between us. She seems… nice, I guess. Honestly, I get weirded out every time I see her or hear her voice. Very unsettling."

"If that's so, then why have I seen you hanging out with her on more than one occasion?"

"Stalking, brother? Perhaps it is you who has gotten blindsided by the pretty face of our past. Now, if you wouldn't mind leaving, I've got somewhere to be tomorrow."

To the surprise of both brothers, Damon did leave. Quietly. To say that Stefan had not reacted the way he had come to expect was disconcerting. Sure, when he had first run into the clone he had hoped for an instant that it was his love. But after that brief moment, he quickly understood that she was just a teenage girl. Although he had been quite taken with her, enough that he told her that he wanted her to get everything she was looking for, while he was compelling her memory of him away.

So, what had he missed when he, through the eyes of his crow, watched Stefan and Elena's brief interaction outside of the boy's restroom in the school? Had Stefan not come to the rescue of dear Elena when their history teacher was being a dick? Was he not sitting next to Elena at the Grill, with her leaning in close to him? What had he missed?

Whatever it was, he would figure it out. He would make Stefan miserable and he would find a way to free Katherine. Once he did, watch out world because they would burn it down.

****Chapter End****

So, this is what came out. I wanted to change Stefan's interaction with Zach a bit, because 1) I forgot that there was a couple who died at the beginning of the first episode, and that was when Zach confronted Stefan and 2) Because honestly, I feel like Stefan is a bit calmer in my story.

Also, his interaction with Damon starts of pretty much the same, but I didn't want Stefan to seem too worried about Vicki being bitten and surviving because Bonnie already knows about him being a vampire. Plus, she and Sheila are on his side currently (hopefully always, but who knows with stories) so he feels more secure and less on edge. Also, Damon would totally see Elena near Stefan and automatically assume that he had a crush on her, because Damon is all about the transference of his feelings to anyone with Katherine's face. My opinion only.

I don't know if I'll put that toxic relationship together in this story, but I do have something very specific that I want to do in regards to him and Bonnie. What is it? When will it happen? Why am I teasing you? I won't tell you what it is. I have no idea when it will happen, let's say sometime around the whole Emily/Bonnie and Damon showdown. And I am teasing you, because it will help me remember the direction that I want this story to go in.

Don't worry Stefonnie is totally endgame. Vicki will not die… because honestly Matt deserves to have someone in his life live and care about him.