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Thank you for all the reviews and follows!
Blu3B3rryT3a: I did! I thought the Hollywood Sign thing was really funny, so I put it in there. Pretty much any type of Klaus is sexy. Enzo basically watched Maya grow up, so of course he isn't going to want to hear about her sex life, plus of course Damon's going to be one of her go to people for the 'stuff Enzo says she's too young for' he's the irresponsible one out of the two. You're probably right, Damon suffered through some serious shit during the war, and then it was topped off with Katherine messing with his head, he'd definitely benefit from some therapy, but he'd just eat the therapist! Thought I'd surprise you guys with a quick Elijah cameo, what was he doing in L.A though?
Careena1: Season 1 has begun! The Jenna/Elijah thing is going to be fun to write, because I think that everyone's reactions are going to be ridiculous.
Assenavira: It's Stefan!
lillen20: Don't worry, that's not going to happen, Maya would literally cut a bitch if someone tried!
Nozomi Akiyama: You're welcome
Guest: Thought I'd surprise you all with a little bit of Elijah/Jenna fun, the chaos that it's going to cause when Klaus and Maya find out is going to be hilarious! And Jenna has no idea what Elijah did to Klaus 1000 years ago, it will all depend on whether she and Klaus are actually friends when she finds out. I think Caroline was just making sure that Maya's expectations aren't too high for their town!
NonBinaryAceKitten: Thank you!
IPackASourPunch: Thank you! Hope you enjoy the first real foray into canon!
impastelcutie: I dunno, is it a ship? Or is it just some fun? Jenna hasn't met Alaric yet after all. Klaus is really getting there with the kids, but it is slow progress, eventually he'll probably be like 'these were always my children'.
xotinkerbella: Maya's definitely got a little extra boost now, she's going to need it to take on Mama Original and the Crazy Aunt! Caroline is still very possessive over her friendship, but now that Damon and Enzo are in Mystic Falls permanently, she has a chance to build friendships with those two. I haven't mentioned who she lost it too, but I might have done it in this one! I know that we're all still mad at Elijah, but canon Klaus has said that he can't be without his brother because Elijah was his best friend. So they are going to have to make up, and we're going to have to forgive him eventually. Hopefully he'll become more likeable as time goes on, but I think there was a deleted scene in Legacies where Elijah tells Hope what he did, but even that didn't really go into everything and why, and we weren't given any real closure on it. Klaus does want the family, but especially now, when he's found out that the last person that he adopted, not only betrayed him, but never told him that he was alive after the fire, Klaus is very wary of doing anything like it again.
LifePrice1412: You're the only one that did!
sam: Katherine is going to try. Also Maya's a teenager with a lot on her shoulders, she's going to want a way to relieve that stress, sex isn't just about love, it can also just be for fun, and she wants to have fun, she knows in her heart that Klaus is her endgame, so why not have some fun before she gets to that stage in her life?
Lilithnocte: Thank you! Hope you enjoy the first real canon chapter!
WiseGirlDivergence46: Glad you liked it! Hope you continue to enjoy!
L2pantelis: Thanks!
Saiyanprincess1511: I know it's a little weird for some people, but Elijah really has no connection to Maya, he doesn't know her and hasn't watched her grow up, so in no way would he think of her as family. It would definitely be different if Jenna and Elijah got together when Maya was a kid and there was an established relationship there, before Maya ever met Klaus. I thought Jeremy always got the short end of the stick, so I like giving him fun scenes, also he's only 14 so far, so he should be able to have fun. You'll just have to see what changes there are to Stefan's first day of school.
Serena Salvatore: Thank you!
Heroina: Thanks, Jenna's a badass and needs to put Elijah in his place. Enzo watched Maya grow up and doesn't want to know about those things, but of course Damon would! The kids and Klaus were adorable, and I wanted to really emphasise the fact that they're becoming a family without him even realising. His relationship with his own family is so fraught with betrayal, hurt, death and pain, he needs to know that family is supposed to be there for you, and love you without any strings. I think that all of the Originals forgot that as they got older, and just kept holding onto their anger and resentment.
xoxoKaraKxoxo: Thank you, Maya and Kol's reunion is going to be a little while, considering the Original's can't come to Mystic Falls until Katherine gets there, so that she doesn't run before she can get locked down. Yes, that was another sneaky movie reference!
DarkWolfYingFa: I can't give you any info about the pairings, you're just going to have to keep reading! I do get that Jenna/Elijah can be weird, but the big difference between their potential relationship (and nothing has been set for Jenna's endgame yet), is that Elijah doesn't know Maya, he didn't watch her grow up, and there's no connection there, like there was with Marcel/Rebekah. Rebekah knew Marcel as a child, she watched him grow up, and then still decided to be with him. But like I said, I haven't decided on what I'm doing with Jenna right now, I just want her to be able to have some fun, because she's about be dealing with some serious stress.
Guest: Have a look at the top of chapter 3, I do address that point, I aged Jenna up so that it works.
Rhia7899: Thank you!
Guest: Thank you! Season 1 has started, so hope you enjoy!
silverblade243: Damon's in a different place now, than when he was in canon, so some parts of him might be the same, but other parts of him will be different. I have an idea for Caroline's pairing that I'm almost certain about but you'll just have to keep reading. Thanks!
"Crap, crap, crap," Jenna muttered as she rushed around the kitchen as Maya watched on in amusement, "It's your first day of school and I'm totally unprepared! I haven't even made you breakfast!"
Maya poured coffee into a travel thermos and put a croissant in a sandwich bag for her mother, "Mom, chill, I'm the one that makes breakfast remember, and yours is ready to go."
Jenna sighed as she saw what her daughter had prepared for her, "Thank you baby. Now how are you getting to school? Because I can drop you off."
Maya shook her head, "I think Care's coming to get me, besides don't you have a big presentation today?"
"Yes, I'm meeting with my thesis advisor at-" she looked at her watch, "Now! Crap! Okay I have to go, you'll be fine?"
"Of course, go!" Maya laughed, maybe they should have come home a couple of days earlier so that her mom felt less frazzled.
Jenna dropped a kiss on Maya's cheek and rushed out of the door, freezing as she saw what was in the driveway, a car- an Audi with a big bow on top. "Maya!" she called.
Maya came out of house and stared at the car in the driveway, "What is this?" Maya asked.
"You tell me!" Jenna exclaimed.
"You didn't get this for me?" she asked.
"No! I'm still waiting for Miranda to finish paying off your old car, maybe it was one of the guys."
"I'll ask," Maya said, "But you should get going, I'll let you know who this belongs to once I find out."
"Okay," Jenna sighed, "I have to go or I really will be late, figure out who's car that is before you go to school. I'll see you later." She got into her car and quickly drove off while Maya walked over to the vehicle and pulled an envelope out of the bow. She opened it and car keys dropped out with a card that simply said 'Happy Birthday'.
Furrowing her brow in confusion, Maya headed back inside and went upstairs, knocking on Enzo's door, she waited to get a response before going in, Damon and Enzo had made up over the summer and the elder Salvatore had mostly taken up residence in his lover's room, and she was not going to just barge in. "Come in!" Enzo called. He was getting ready when Maya entered, while Damon was still lounging in bed.
"Hey, did either of you two get me a car for my birthday?"
"No," Enzo said slowly, "Someone got you a car?"
"It's sitting in the driveway and Mom doesn't know anything about it, I didn't even hear anyone drop it off."
"It's not even your birthday yet," Damon grumbled from his place in bed, "I've got till Thursday to get you something."
"Well there's only two other people that you know, that can afford to get you a car," Enzo said, shrugging on a shirt.
"And it was probably Nik," Damon said, sitting up, the sheet pooling in his lap, revealing his naked chest.
"Damn!" Maya said with wide eyes, "Did you look this good when you were human?" she asked playfully and Damon shot her a smirk.
"Oh this is all me baby!"
"Hey!" Enzo complained, throwing a balled-up shirt in her direction, "Quit eyeing my boyfriend!"
"I can't help it!" she replied, "Not when he's got all that attractiveness on display!" she waved her hand in Damon's direction and the vampire waggled his eyebrows at her suggestively.
"Then get out!" Enzo insisted, pushing her out of his room, Damon stood, uncaring of his nudity, "Damon!" Enzo hissed.
"What? I have something I need to do!" Damon shrugged.
Enzo grumbled and shoved Maya out of the door, "Call Nik! Make sure he's the one that sent the car!" he whirled on Damon, "Am I really going to have to tell you to make sure you're wearing clothes around Maya?"
/ / /
Maya giggled as she let her friend shoo her out of the room. Shaking her head as the door slammed behind her, she shot Nik a quick message to see if he was awake first, Arizona was 2 hours behind Virginia.
Her phone rang and she picked it up, "Hey Nik," she smiled.
"Good morning Love, any particular reason you wanted to talk to me so early?"
"Well, it's the weirdest thing, I went outside this morning, and do you know, there's a car, sitting in my driveway that doesn't belong to me."
"Really?" Klaus asked, "Was there a note left?"
"Just a card that said, 'Happy Birthday', but it's not my Birthday."
"It is on Thursday," Klaus said.
"Nik…did you get me a car for my birthday?"
"Well, I don't like the idea of you being without transportation, and I needed to get you a present."
"Nik that's a brand-new car! I can't accept that!"
"It's not like I can return it," Klaus dismissed, "Besides it'd be poor form to refuse a gift."
"But Nik this is huge!"
"Just accept the gift! I won't take no for an answer here, it's not like you don't need it."
"But-"
"Just say thank you."
"Thank you," Maya said.
"If you don't feel like it's enough, you can always thank me properly when I come to Mystic Falls."
"Nik!" she exclaimed, causing Klaus to laugh.
"Go to school," he said, "You're going to be late if you stay on the phone with me much longer."
Elena downed a coffee and rushed outside to get into Bonnie's car, frowning as she saw Jeremy get into what looked like Maya's new car. Overall the Gilberts had had a terrible summer, she'd been plagued with nightmares, missed Cheer Camp, thanks to her broken leg, and to top it all off, had had to start her community service. Her mom was still upset at her, Jeremy had barely spoken to her, and she was exhausted. Not to mention, the license that she had received just before the summer had been taken away from her, so that now, she had to bum a ride, or walk in order to get anywhere.
Today was the first day of school, and she was in no way ready to go back, Mystic Falls was a small town, and Maya had been gone all summer, so this was the first time since the accident that the two girls would be seen in public at the same time. Elena had no doubt that she was going to be the focus of the gossip at school.
"So Grams is telling me that I'm psychic, our ancestors were from Salem, which isn't all that, I know, but she's going on and on about it, and I'm like, put this woman in a home already!" Bonnie said, talking to Elena as she drove, "But then I started thinking, I predicted Obama and I predicted Heath Ledger, and I still think that Florida will break off and turn into little resort islands..." She chanced a quick glance at her best friend and frowned, "Elena! Back in the car!"
Elena startled and looked over at her friend apologetically, "I did it again, didn't I? I-I'm sorry Bonnie. You were telling me that…"
"That I'm psychic now."
"Right, okay then, predict something. About me."
"I see-" Bonnie was cut off by a black bird colliding with the windshield. "What was that?! Oh, my god! Elena, are you ok?"
"It's ok. I'm fine."
"It was like a bird or something. It came out of nowhere."
"It's fine, really, I'm not freaked out."
"Really?" Bonnie asked, "Because you've been having nightmares all summer, did you even get any sleep last night?"
"No," Elena shook her head, "Not really, they won't go away."
Bonnie glanced at her friend for a moment as she turned into the school parking lot and pulled into a space, "Have you spoken to Maya?" she asked.
"Bonnie," Elena sighed.
"Look you said that the nightmares are focusing on Maya specifically, maybe they're trying to tell you to talk to her."
"I have nothing to say to Maya!" Elena said, looking out at the students milling around and narrowing her eyes when she saw Jeremy laughing with her cousin, "Except to tell her to get her own brother and stop stealing mine," she scowled.
Bonnie followed her eye line and suppressed a sigh, starting an argument on the first day was not a good idea, especially when the official opinion of the town didn't look like it was in Elena's favour. "Look just ignore her then, we need to focus on the year ahead and we can't do that, if we're giving her any attention, that's all she wants."
"You're right," Elena agreed, getting out of the car and throwing her bag over her shoulder, "I want nothing to do with she-who-must-not-be-named." Looking over at Bonnie, Elena gave her a convincing smile, "Make a prediction Miss Psychic."
Bonnie smiled back, "I predict this year is going to be kick ass! And I predict that all the sad and dark times are over, and you are going to be beyond happy."
"Now that is something that I can get behind," Elena nodded, the two of them heading inside the school building.
/ / /
Maya and Caroline were waiting in line at the school office, "I still don't understand why you have to come here to pick up your schedule," Caroline frowned, eyeing the guy in front of her, she hadn't seen his face yet, but fingers crossed that he was hot.
"It's because the school wants to make sure that I'm not going 'crazy' after my near-death experience," Maya rolled her eyes, "I bet they're going to say that they want me to see the Guidance Counsellor just to be sure."
"Ugh," Caroline rolled her eyes, small towns were such a pain.
Maya turned her attention back to the guy in front of her as he spoke to the secretary, he sounded familiar, but she wasn't sure why.
"Your records are incomplete." The school secretary said to the guy, "You're missing immunization records, and we do insist on transcripts."
"Please look again," the man said, "I'm sure everything you need is there."
"Well, you're right. So it is!"
"Thank you," the guy said, collecting a class schedule and locker assignment from the woman before turning around.
Maya's eyes widened as she took in his face, and memories flooded her mind, he offered the two girls a small smile before walking around them.
"Oh my God," Caroline whispered, "He's so hot!"
Maya shot her a look, "We need to make a phone call."
"What?" Caroline asked.
"The new student, that's Stefan freaking Salvatore!"
/ / /
"No D, we're fine," Maya whispered, "He can't even hear what we're saying." Maya and Caroline were on one end of the cafeteria, whilst Stefan was on the other, staring longingly at Elena.
"Are you sure that you don't need me to come and get you?" Damon asked, "Steffi doesn't exactly have the best control of himself."
Caroline snorted in amusement, "We're fine! We'll meet up with you at the Grill after school, I'll tell you all about the story he's giving people. I can't believe that you didn't know your brother was in town!" Caroline prided herself on knowing anything and everything that was going on in school and the fact that Damon didn't even know that Stefan was in the same town as him was inconceivable to her.
"It's not like I've spent much time in town Caroline!" Damon hissed back at her, "Unlike you, I spent most of the summer in California!"
"Yeah, yeah, rub it in," Caroline rolled her eyes, "Okay, he's coming over this way, we'll talk later!" She quickly hung up the phone and shot Stefan a smile as his eyes briefly landed on her.
Maya rolled her eyes after he passed, "Seriously?"
"What he's hot!" she exclaimed, "And there is a major lack of male real estate here!"
"Oh please," Maya scoffed, "D is far better looking."
"Yeah well it's not like he's available," Caroline complained.
"So go after someone else! Elena and Matt broke up, he's cute, and in bed he really tries."
"I still can't believe that you slept with Matt Donovan of all people."
"It was like right before he and Elena got together," Maya defended, "And he was really sweet."
"Does Elena know?"
"God no, if she did she probably never would have dated him!"
"I can't date him anyway, just look at him," the girls looked over at Matt, who, much like Stefan, was staring longingly at Elena, "He's still hung up on her."
"He'll get over her," Maya shrugged, "Maybe…"
"Whatever," Caroline shook her head and stood, "Let's get out of here, we're starting to get stares now that the new boy isn't here."
Maya frowned as she looked around, "Yeah, hey have you seen Jeremy anywhere? I drove him, so if we're going to the Grill I need to know if he wants to come."
"Uh…" Caroline made a face.
"What?"
"I may have heard… that he was hanging out with the stoner kids…"
"Oh seriously?" Maya asked, exasperated, she hoped that by managing to keep her Aunt alive, Jeremy wouldn't have an excuse to fall into his druggie period, but it seemed like it had happened anyway, "What the hell? What is he hanging out with the stoners for?!"
"Two words, Vicki Donovan."
"She's 18, he's 14, she's an actual adult woman, what the hell is she doing hanging out with a 14-year-old?"
"She's working at the Grill today, we'll see if we can get her to back off then."
"Good, because that woman is going to stay the hell away from him or I'm going to hurt her."
"You won't be the only one," Caroline muttered as the two left the cafeteria.
At the Grill after school, Jeremy rushed inside, not wanting to get a lecture from Maya about the weed that she'd caught him smoking, although he had to admit, she wasn't really mad at him for smoking, she was mad at him for smoking on school property. And yeah, maybe that had been stupid, but after the summer he'd had, stuck with Elena and his mom, he decided he'd deserved a way to relax.
"Hey!" Jeremy said, stopping by Vicki.
"Working," she muttered, walking away from him.
Jeremy watched as she headed over to Matt and Tyler's table and then when she came back he stopped her, "Hey, what's your deal? I mean, this summer you act one way and then school starts, and you can't be bothered?" He was hurt, he really liked Vicki, thought that she understood him.
"Look," Vicki said, "Jeremy, I really appreciate all the pharmaceuticals, but you can't keep following me around like a lost puppy."
"When was the last time you had sex with a puppy?" he asked, louder than intended, but she was acting like it meant nothing to her.
"Hey, keep it down!" she looked around, making sure that no one else had heard her, "I don't want to the whole world to know that I deflowered Elena's kid brother!"
"Yeah, and deflowered and deflowered!"
"We hooked up a few times in a drug haze. It's over. You gotta back off before you ruin things between me and Tyler."
"Oh, come on, the guy's a total douche. He only wants you for your ass."
"Yeah? What do you want me for?" she asked, shaking his hand off her and walking away.
Jeremy watched her go and was crushed, he cared about her, thought that they could be together, but she was treating him like he was a little kid. He turned around and stormed out of the Grill, he didn't want to be there anymore.
/ / /
"Hey Jeremy!" Maya called as he rushed past her and Caroline's table, "That girl is nothing but trouble."
"Yeah well, deal with it later, Damon's here." Caroline nodded over at the door, where the vampire was just coming in.
Damon's eyes skimmed over the bar, before landing on the girls, he headed over, and tugged Maya out of the booth and slid in before pulling her back down to sit next to him. Caroline opposite them both, "What are you doing?" Maya asked.
"Stefan's coming over to the Grill, I don't want him to see me just yet," he said.
"So you're hiding behind me?"
"Pretty much," Damon nodded.
"How do you know that he's coming over?" Caroline asked.
"And you do know that you're taller than me, right?"
Damon opted to ignore Maya's comment, "I may have done a tiny bit of stalking/scaring of Elena, and Stef was with her, she's coming here to meet Bon-Bon, and he'll follow."
"Stalking?" Maya asked unimpressed.
"I couldn't help myself!" Damon exclaimed, "She looks so much like Katherine I kinda want to snap her neck! And now that I know that Stefan is obsessed, it makes it so much more fun!"
Rolling her eyes Caroline reached over and slapped him upside the head, "No killing her Damon, Klaus needs her!"
"I'm not gonna kill her," he defended, "I swear! I just like tormenting Stefan."
"What did you do Damon?" Maya asked.
"I freaked her out this morning," Damon said, "I sent a crow right into her windshield on the way to school, and just now, she was at the cemetery, visiting dear old dad and writing in her journal, I just stirred up a little fog, sent another bird."
"Damon!" Maya exclaimed, "That needs serious amounts of fresh blood!" she hissed, "Like killing people amounts! I told you the council's active here! At least tell me you hid the bodies?"
"Of course I did," Damon shrugged, "What do you think I am? An amateur?"
"Yes," Caroline replied, shooting him a grin when he scowled at her.
"Enough about my extremely intricate plot to torment my brother and his new obsession, tell me what you got on him," he looked at Caroline.
Shaking her head, Caroline spoke, "He lives with his uncle up at the old Salvatore Boarding House. He hasn't lived here since he was a kid. Military family, so they moved around a lot. He's a Gemini, and his favourite colour is blue."
"You got all of that in one day?" Damon asked.
"Oh please," she scoffed, "I got all that between third and fourth period."
"Well literally every part of that is a lie," Damon said, "Stef was here back in '94, his favourite colour is purple, Zach's our distant nephew, not his uncle and he's not a Gemini, I am, Stef's birthday is the 1st November."
"Seriously he even lied about his birthday?" Caroline deadpanned.
Damon shrugged, "What did you expect from an eternal 17-year-old who wants to repeat high school for like the 20th time?"
"I'm liking him less and less," the blonde frowned.
Maya smirked and shook her head, "Head's up, the new kid's arrived." She said, seeing Stefan walk through the doors, attention fully locked on his companion, Elena. "Guess you were right D. So now what? How else do you want to fuck with him?"
/ / /
"So you were born in Mystic Falls?" Elena asked Stefan, the two of them were sat with Bonnie at a table, Stefan opposite both of the girls.
"Mm-hmm, and I moved when I was still young."
"Parents?" Bonnie asked.
"My parents passed away."
"I'm so sorry," Elena said, "I lost my dad not too long ago."
"I'm sorry," Stefan replied, "I know how painful that can be."
Elena nodded, "It was, but I'm trying to move on," she looked upset for a moment, before pasting a smile on her face, "Do you have any siblings?"
"None that I talk to. I live with my uncle." Stefan shook his head, mind briefly going to Damon, he hadn't seen his older brother in years, and now that he was in Mystic Falls, he was on edge, especially with Elena being in town.
"So, Stefan, if you're new, then you don't know about the party tomorrow. It's a back to school thing at the Falls." Bonnie cut in, wanting to bring the mood up.
Stefan gave Elena a hopeful smile, "Are you going?"
"Of course she is!"
Elena shot Bonnie a surprised look, before nodding sheepishly, "I am."
"Good, that's good," he moved to say more, but stiffened when he heard familiar laughter coming from somewhere in the Grill. Eyes darting around he gasped when he caught sight of his brother, sitting with two girls across the room. "Who's that?" Stefan asked, not noticing the look on both girls faces. He recognised the red-head, she was in the car with Elena the night that he'd pulled her out of the water, he'd thought that she was dead, but it turned out that someone else had gotten to her.
"That's Maya and Caroline," Bonnie scowled, "Maya's Elena's cousin and Caroline is her best friend."
Stefan looked back at them, "You don't sound as if you like them too much."
"We're not friends."
"But she's your family," Stefan said, looking at Elena.
"Have you ever had that one person in your life, that just causes trouble?" Elena asked.
Stefan glanced back over at the other table, catching Damon throwing his arm over the red-head's shoulders and pulling her in close, seemingly flirting with her, while he made eyes at the blonde, "Oh I have one of those in my life," he said, tearing his eyes away from them.
"Why are you so interested anyway?" Elena asked, not liking the fact that Stefan had his attention on her cousin.
"They're sitting with my brother," he said, frowning.
"What?" Bonnie asked, both girls turning to look at the table, but only seeing Caroline and Maya sitting there.
"There's no one with them," Elena said, "And didn't you say you didn't have any siblings?"
Stefan shot an alarmed glance at the table when he realised that Damon had disappeared, "Actually I said I didn't have any I talked to." He stood, he needed to check outside, find out where Damon was and stop him from doing whatever it was that he'd planned, "This was fun Elena, but I've got to go, I'll see you both later." Stefan rushed out of the Grill before they could say anything.
"Seriously?!" Elena scowled, Maya had just ruined her night without even trying, "What just happened?"
"I think Maya just cock blocked you, without saying a word," Bonnie muttered, a little weirded out by Stefan's behaviour, "But maybe it was for the best, Matt's still totally hung up on you."
Elena shook her head, "No! She can't just do this to me! Everyone at school already thinks that I'm some dangerous alcoholic, she doesn't get to poison the new guy too!" she stormed over to Maya's table, where she and Caroline were laughing over a shared basket of fries. "Hey!" Elena said.
"What?" Maya asked.
"Who were just over here with?!" Elena demanded.
"Some ridiculously hot guy," Maya replied.
"Totally hot," Caroline agreed, "You know what, he's probably great in bed," she said, wiggling her eyebrows at Maya.
Maya smirked, knowing exactly what Caroline wanted her to do, it was definitely mean, but Maya didn't mind being mean, "He's definitely got to be better than Matt," Maya looked back at Elena, "That's not hard to do, but really puts the effort in, right 'Lena?"
"What?!" Elena asked taken aback, "What are you talking about? You haven't slept with Matt."
"Oh my!" Maya faux gasped, hand on her heart, "Did he not tell you? Matty Blue-Eyes and I had a short but passionate love affair, just before you two got together."
"You're lying," Elena denied.
"If I was lying then how would I know that he has a small birthmark shaped like a teddy just above his-"
"Oh my God!" Elena exclaimed, rushing away from the table in anger.
"Maya!" Caroline said, faux shocked, "That was vicious!"
"I know," Maya replied, "You did this to me you know! Before I met you, I was never mean."
"Before you met me you were four!" Caroline scoffed.
Stefan hadn't been able to find Damon anywhere, and had run home, hoping that he'd be at the Boarding House, instead he found his nephew Zach, watching the news with a frown. When he entered the house Zach turned on him, "You promised!" he said, pointing at what the TV was showing.
"That was an animal attack."
"Don't give me that, I know the game," Zach said, "You tear them up enough, they always suspect an animal attack. You said you had it under control!"
"And I do, this wasn't me," Stefan insisted, he didn't want to mention Damon, not when he couldn't find his brother, not when he wasn't sure if what he'd seen wasn't just a trick of the mind.
"Please Uncle Stefan, Mystic Falls is a different place now. It's been quiet for years, but there are people who still remember. And you being here, it's just going to stir things up."
"That's not my intention Zach."
"Then what is?!" his nephew exploded, "Why did you come back? After all this time, why now?!"
"I don't have to explain myself to you, this is my home!"
"I know that you can't change what you are. But you don't belong here anymore!"
"No? Then where do I belong?"
"I can't tell you what to do. But coming back here was a mistake!"
"You're right," Stefan said, "You can't tell me what to do." he brushed past his nephew and went upstairs, checking each of the rooms, but had no luck, Damon was nowhere to be found.
"So what's the plan?" Maya asked, looking between Damon and Enzo.
"No plan just torment," Damon shrugged.
"Oh come on!" Maya scoffed, "You're Damon Salvatore! The day you don't have a hair brained scheme in your back pocket is the day that Kol admits that he is not the most attractive Mikaelson!"
Damon rolled his eyes, "Fine, I have plans, but nothing that won't piss Enzo off."
"Really?" Maya asked, "Nothing?"
"Nada," Damon shook his head.
"I might have an idea," Enzo said, looking between the two.
"What you got Zo?"
"You said that Stefan can't help but be around Elena, right?"
"Yeah," Damon nodded.
"Then make him afraid of you, afraid for her. Insert yourself into her life."
"How do you expect me to do that without acting like I want her?"
Enzo turned his gaze to Maya who wasn't really paying attention, when she realised that he was looking at her, she shook her head, "Oh no! I'm not part of the plan, I just wanted to know what it was! I have plans of my own that I need to focus on. I don't need to be distracted by whatever you're cooking up!"
"Oh come on Maya," Enzo cajoled, "It'll help you too! You need to know what Katherine's up to when she gets here, and we all know that she's going to focus on Elena. The best thing to do, is to get closer to your cousin."
"But I hate my cousin!" Maya whined.
"I don't care, you're helping!"
Maya groaned, crossing her arms and pouting, "Fine, what's your stupid plan."
"Damon's going to fake date you."
"WHAT?!" Both of them yelled.
"Listen!" Enzo held out his hands placatingly, "Think about it, if Damon fake dates you, then Stefan is going to be worried about all the terrible things he could be doing to you. He's established that he likes Elena to the public, so you can brush him off when he approaches you, then the only way that he can get to you, without raising Damon's suspicions is through Elena."
"Elena's not going to want to talk to me! Especially after what I said at the Grill!"
"What did you say?" Enzo asked.
The Siphon shrugged, "I may have mentioned the private area of her now ex-boyfriend."
"Ugh," Enzo looked like he wanted to be sick, "How many times do I have to tell you that I can't know this stuff?!"
Maya laughed and Damon smirked, "Serves you right."
"Just for that you're doing it," Enzo replied.
"It's such bullshit, it'll never work!"
"Look just try it out for a couple of days, go out! Make Stefan notice you."
"Fine," Maya relented, "But when this doesn't work, I want your signed Battlestar Galactica Viper Helmet."
"You don't even like Battlestar Galactica!" Enzo protested.
"But you do, and I'm feeling mean today."
"Plus I hate the thing," Damon said, "It's ugly, and takes up way to much space in the apartment."
Enzo gave Damon a horrified look, as though he was seeing his lover in a new and terrible light, "How dare you, that's a collectible!"
"So's the Time Machine from 'The Time Machine', but you don't see either one of us buying it." Maya replied.
"But you did buy a signed Batman Cowl," Enzo said, "When I'm right, I want that."
"But it's Christian Bale's, you hate Bale!"
"But you don't. Sorry Love, but I'm feeling mean today," the English vampire replied.
Maya gasped, as though she'd been physically hurt by the use of her own words against her, "Fine! You're on!" she held out her hand for a shake.
Enzo grasped her hand and shook it, before letting go he pulled her close, "And you two better make it look it real, or I'm coming for more collectibles!"
Maya and Caroline split up when they got to the Falls, Caroline heading for the beers and Maya looked around for a comfortable spot from where she could observe the goings on without being bothered by the party goers.
"Hey! You made it!" Caroline smiled as she spotted Stefan.
"Um, do I know you?" Stefan asked the blonde.
"Right, Caroline Forbes," she held her hand out and Stefan shook it, still a little confused, "I know everything and everyone at school, it's nice to meet you, Stefan right?"
"Uh, yes, it's nice to meet you too."
"Let's get you a drink."
"Well I'm-"
Caroline cut him off and grabbed his arm, tugging him towards the coolers, "Oh come on!" she insisted, and he stumbled after her, she was surprisingly strong for a human. They made it to the cooler, and Caroline handed him a drink, when she turned to get her own Stefan took the opportunity to disappear. Turning back around, Caroline frowned at the empty space in front of her, "Rude," she muttered, grabbing another drink for Maya, she was going to go find her friend.
/ / /
Maya was leant against a tree on the other side of the party, texting, it was quieter, and far less crowded, when Stefan came up to her. "Hi," he said, giving her a smile.
"Hey," Maya gave an uninterested wave and turned back to her phone.
Stefan cleared his throat, "Um I'm Stefan, I'm uh, new here," he tried again.
"I know," she replied, glancing at him, "You're Damon's brother, right?"
"You uh- you know Damon?" he asked, inwardly cursing, he really had seen his brother yesterday in the Grill, those bodies found on the edge of town must have been his handiwork.
"Uh yeah," Maya let out a little laugh, like she couldn't believe he was asking her that, "He's my boyfriend."
Stefan choked on his beer, "Your what?!" he wheezed.
"My boyfriend, why are you so surprised?"
"Damon just got into town, he couldn't possibly be your boyfriend," he said, God, Damon must have already layered on some pretty heavy compulsion.
"Well, yeah he just got into town, but we met last month in L.A and we've been together ever since." She gave him a perplexed frown, "Look, is there something you wanted? Because this weird panicky energy I'm getting from you," she vaguely gestured to him, "It's not really something I'm enjoying, so maybe you could just like, go away?"
Stefan's eyes widened, "We need to talk about Damon-"
"No, we don't need to talk about anything, dude apart from your name, and the fact that you're my boyfriend's baby brother, I don't know anything about you. So why don't you just back off? Because you're really freaking me out, leave, before I make a scene."
"I-"
"My best friend is Caroline Forbes, so you can bet that I'm a damn expert at making a scene!"
Stefan held his hands up in surrender, that poor girl, she probably had no idea what she was saying, he thought to himself, "Okay, I'm leaving," he said. Staying in her line of sight as he moved away from her.
Caroline waited until Stefan was further away from Maya before she joined the other girl, "Hey! What did he want?"
Maya tapped out a message on her phone, explaining the situation and showed it to Caroline, causing the younger girl to laugh, "You might actually lose your bet with Enzo!"
"Don't even joke about that Sunshine!"
/ / /
"Just admit it Elena!" Bonnie laughed.
"Ok, so he's a little pretty," Elena replied.
"He's got that romance novel stare!"
"Yeah," Elena laughed, fighting back a yawn, she really needed to get some sleep, "Stefan looked deep into her eyes, piercing her very soul!" she mocked.
"Exactly," Bonnie said, "So where is he?"
"I don't know," Elena shrugged, "You're the psychic one, you tell me."
"Right I forgot, okay, give me a sec, Grams says I have to concentrate."
"Wait! You need a crystal ball," Elena picked up an empty beer bottle from the ground and handed to Bonnie.
Bonnie's fingers grazed Elena's hand as she reached for the bottle, "Ahh!"
"What?"
"That was weird," Bonnie shook her head, "When I touched you, I saw blood…and a wolf."
"What?"
"A wolf, blood, there was fog and a man. I'm drunk, it's the drinking. There's nothing psychic about it! Okay, I'm gonna get a refill." Bonnie walked off before Elena could stop her.
/ / /
Stefan frowned as his eyes darted all around the party, Damon was nearby, he had to be, he turned, prepared to do another lap of the place when he bumped into Elena, "Stefan! You came."
"Hi Elena," Stefan said, mind distracted by the very real possibility that his brother was there, ready and waiting to hurt someone, "Did I scare her off?" he asked, pointing at Bonnie's retreating form, if Elena was alone, he didn't want to leave her, she must have been Damon's target.
"Oh uh no, she's uh… you know what, never mind, you're here!"
"I'm here," Stefan repeated.
"You know, you're kind of the talk of the town."
"Am I?"
"Yeah, you're the mysterious new guy,"
"Well, you have the mysterious thing going, too. Twinged in sadness."
"What makes you think that I'm sad?"
"We met in the cemetery," Stefan said, as though it was obvious.
"Well technically we met in the men's room at school, but you don't want to know, everything going on with me…it's not exactly party chit-chat." The two of them had drifted a little bit away from the main party, moving somewhere quieter so that they could talk.
"I've never really been very good at chit-chat," Stefan offered.
"My dad died, at a conference in California, he was mugged, and I didn't take it well, I guess I've always been a daddy's girl at heart. I did some stupid things, and last spring, at party just like this, I got drunk, and I got into my cousin's car, she was driving, I was upset, angry at her. We're not friends, we're barely family, and…I don't even know why I got into her car," she admitted, "I never would have if I wasn't drunk. She drove, I got mad at her, I got mad, and then the car was in the lake. Maya was unconscious and then I was out. We both survived, but I nearly killed us, I did." Elena sighed, "Wow, I think that's the first time I've ever said that and actually meant it."
"You won't be sad forever Elena," Stefan said.
"I don't think that's true," Elena shook her head, "I can't sleep, I haven't had a good night since before the accident!"
Stefan looked at her with sympathy, "Have you tried talking to Maya?" he asked.
"What?"
"You believe that you nearly killed your cousin, maybe your nightmares are how your guilt is manifesting. Talk to your cousin, the worst thing that can happen is nothing."
"I don't know," Elena shook her head, "Maybe, but I doubt it'll help."
"Well, you'll never know if you don't try," Stefan said, getting closer to her and getting a heady whiff of her scent, and his eyes shifted a little, Stefan pulled back and looked away.
"Hey are you okay? Your eye, it just-"
"Oh, um... yeah, no. It's, um, it's nothing. Uh, are you thirsty? I'm gonna get us a drink!" Stefan rushed off, so that he could try to calm down.
/ / /
After dropping off a drink with Maya, Caroline did a few laps of the party, making sure that everyone knew that the Head Cheerleader was in attendance, once that was done she headed back to the cooler to get a couple more drinks. "Hey!" she said, spotting Stefan again, "There you are! Have you been down to the falls yet? Because they are really cool at night." She was trying to be friendly, and yes, maybe throw it out there that she was available to Stefan, "I can show you if you want?"
"I think you've had too much to drink Caroline," Stefan said.
"Well, of course I have! So-"
"Caroline." Stefan cut her off abruptly, "Let me make it clear to you. You and me, it's not gonna happen. Sorry." He walked away from her.
Caroline watched as he left, embarrassment and hurt on her face, he didn't need to be so rude, but he was. She left to go and find Maya, suddenly wanting to get the hell away from the party.
Elena walked up to Stefan with a smile "I was wondering who abducted you, but now I know."
"Yeah, is she uh, like that with everybody?"
"She's always after the freshest meat," Elena nodded, "She'll back off even- God you've got to be kidding me!"
"What is it?"
"My brother," Elena scowled.
"The drunk one?"
"That would be the one. Excuse me."
"Need some help?"
"Trust me, you're not going to want to witness this. Jeremy! Jeremy!" She followed him into the woods. "Jeremy, where the hell are you going?"
"Leave me alone Elena!"
"I don't think so!" she chased after him, but Jeremy kept moving and then tripped over something, or rather someone.
"Oh my God!" Jeremy gasped, it was one of stoner kids, he wasn't even sure of her name.
"Oh my God!" Elena said, she ripped off her jacket, "Something bit her! Here!" she gave Jeremy her jacket, "Put this on her neck, stop the bleeding, I'll call an ambulance!"
Stefan whooshed back to the Boarding House, slamming the door open, startling his nephew, "What happened? What's going on?" Zach asked.
"Someone else was attacked tonight Zach, and it wasn't me." Stefan panted, rushing upstairs to his own bedroom, where a bird was sat on his desk, it squawked once and then flew out of the open window, where a man was stood, "Damon."
"Hello brother," Damon smirked, he had agreed with Enzo that it was probably best to keep things private between them, at least until Katherine showed her face, so he had to temporarily move back to the Boarding House.
"The crow's a bit much don't you think?" Stefan asked, aiming to act as unaffected as he could.
"Wait till you see what I can do with the fog," Damon smirked, moving further into the room.
"When'd you get here?"
"Well, I couldn't miss your first day at school. Your hair's different. I like it." He looked around the room, fingering the journal on Stefan's desk, keeping his brother in his line of sight.
"It's been 15 years, Damon."
"And thank God for that! I couldn't take another day of the nineties. That horrible grunge look? It did not suit you. Remember Stefan, it's important to stay away from fads."
"Why are you here?"
"I miss my little brother," Damon shrugged.
"You hate small towns. There's nothing for you to do."
"Oh I've managed to keep myself occupied."
"You know you left that girl alive tonight. That's very clumsy of you."
"Ah. That could be a problem... for you."
"Why are you here now?"
"I could ask you the same question. However, I'm fairly certain your answer can be summed up into one little word... Elena," Damon fought the urge to sneer, it was time to make it look like he cared about Katherine, "She took my breath away. Elena. She's a dead ringer for Katherine. Tell me is it working Stefan? Being around her? Being in her world? Does it make you feel alive?"
"She's not Katherine!"
"Well, let's hope not. We both know how that ended." Damon was getting bored now, he'd forgotten how lame 'bunny-diet Stefan' could be. "Tell me something, when's the last time you had something stronger than a squirrel?"
"I know what you're doing, Damon. It's not gonna work."
"Yeah? Come on. Don't you crave it a little?"
"Stop it!"
"Let's do it. Together. How about the blonde, that was so desperate for your attention, and Elena's stunning cousin? Or better yet, let's just cut to the chase, go straight for Elena!"
"Stop it!"
"Imagine what her blood tastes like!" Damon laughed as Stefan's face changed, "I can."
"I said STOP!" Stefan charged at Damon and they both fell through the open window, to the downstairs entrance.
Damon straightened up, already away from his brother, "That's was impressive, I give it a six, missing style, but I was pleasantly surprised. Very good with the whole face thing!"
"You know, it's all fun and games, Damon, huh? But wherever you go, people die."
"Well that's a given." Damon shrugged, it wasn't anything new to him, and Stefan really needed to stop being so sanctimonious.
"Not here. I won't allow it!"
"Well I'll take that as an invitation."
"Damon," Stefan tried another tact, "Please, after all these years, can't we just give it a rest?"
"I promised you an eternity of misery, I'm just keeping my word."
"Just stay away from Elena!"
Damon smirked, "But not her cousin? How hypocritical of you Stef, already willing to let one girl die so that yours can live." Stefan's jaw clenched in anger, "Hey where's your ring?" Stefan looked at his hands, blanching when he realised that it was gone, "Oh yeah, the sun's coming up in a couple of hours, and poof, ashes to ashes…relax. It's right here." He held up the ring, tossing it at his brother and then slammed Stefan up against the wall, "You should know better than to think that you're stronger than me." Damon's eyes turned icy, "You lost that fight when you stopped feeding on people! I wouldn't try it again." He let go of his little brother and eyed the human standing nearby, "I think we woke Zach up. Sorry Zach." Damon shot his nephew a cold look, and then headed upstairs. This was going to be fun.
Stefan dropped heavily into the seat at his desk, opened his journal and stared at the last words that he'd written 'The bad things stay with you, they follow you, you can't escape them, as much as you want to. So what do I do now?' Sighing he picked up a pen and wrote six words before whooshing out to go and check on Elena, 'I never should have come back.'
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