Dear diary,

I just found you again, here is as Caroline has been teaching me 'the tea' of my life post Voldemort. Now I am finding my morals and beliefs questioned on a daily basis. Can I be friends with this monster? Damon hurts people. Hurt me. Killed so many more. But is it my job to try and get him to see the error of his ways just like I gave Voldemort one last chance to change at the end… how many chances do I give him? It's within a vampire's nature to kill… werewolves are cursed with the full moon. How different really is bloodlust? I've seen good in him. Unlike Riddle, even as a child he was evil. Damon is different. I've seen him use blood bags, try and be better for me, for Elena and for his brother. His love for Katherine blinding him, from everything I have heard, she isn't really worth it. Is she the monster lurking in Damon? Can I save him?

Right, I reckon it's catch up time.

First off…

The redhead kept on writing until the little book knew everything that had occurred since she arrived at Mystic Falls. When she was done, she placed the book into her underwear draw, so it would be harder to forget about. Then made her way downstairs.

"Thought I'd make American pancakes; I got a bunch of stuff from the store." He said as he flipped the orangey flat cake.

"Sure," she said eyeing the pancake.

"Come on, it's good. Here try it with this," he said handing her the maple syrup.

"I've had it before… and isn't this, Canadian?"

"Eat your pancake," Alaric grumbled, she laughed at him.

"Uh, Alaric,"

"Yeah,"

"Thanks, you know for yesterday." She said looking down at her plate.

"You got it," he said then clapped his hands. "Now, I am heading to the school to get some work done, I'll have keys on me so do whatever you want ok."

She nodded, prodding the pancake in front of her. As soon as her uncle left she threw it in the bin. She didn't want to hurt his feelings, but after trying the thing several times, she wasn't really a fan.

Grabbing fruit and throwing them in a blender, she drank as she worked, she tidied the house and did some homework, and wrote a letter to Wood. She hoped he was doing well; he had been on the reserve team for a while. In total he had played seven games since he had left in her third year, but he was hitting the age people normally joined the first squad. After she had completed all of her tasks, she smiled looking at the time.

She headed upstairs to go and paint, she had been working on a landscape painting with a waxing moon above the ocean. She didn't move from the canvas until she heard the front door opening. Alaric she smiled putting the paint brush down.

"Hey Ric," she greeted him once he was in her line of sight. She continued down the stairs, as he put down his bag on the sofa.

"Had a little chat with Stefan today, as in vampire Stefan." He said. "He said he guessed that I knew about them, knowing about magic through you."

"What else?"

"By the time we finished talking, the Gilbert journal was missing I don't know who took it but…"

"It's fine," she said smiling at her uncle. "Just let them deal with it, it has nothing to do with us… yet."

He laughed but nodded.

"You know, if you wanna leave Mystic Falls, you came here to –"

"It's ok Ric, and honestly. By the looks of it I reckon I am never going to get that quiet life. Come on let's buff up my pop-culture knowledge."

The two spent the night watching various important movies of the era. Things that is she was a normal Muggle she would have known. Until there was loud banging on the door.

Alaric cautions her to stay back, slowly walking to the door, Azalea has her wand in her hand behind her back.

"Lea!" she heard Damon's voice yell he sounded angry and hurt. Oh no. "Lea!" he yelled again.

"It's ok Ric," she said softly before rushing past her uncle and opening the door, Damon went to grab her, but was blocked by the door.

"Invite me in," he snarled.

"Oh yes Damon, trying to attack me then snarling at me, sure," she said leaning against the door. He gritted his teeth his hands clenched.

"Did you know?" he said his tone angry, though he was no longer snarling.

"What are you talking about?" she said completely puzzled.

"The journal," he said. "My father's journal, they figured it out and went without me."

"Damon look it's late, I can see you're upset, I don't know what you're talking about. Start from the beginning."

"Stefan and Elena said they would help me get Katherine back. They'd help me open to tomb and free her but –"

"– they double crossed you," she said softly, stepping out of the house to give the hurting vampire a hug. "Damon I am so sorry," she said, she felt him put his arms around her.

The two talked for an hour or so before Damon decided to head home as he did so Azalea noticed her phone had several missed calls from Stefan. She was furious with the vampire; Damon had been so hurt. She turned off her phone and began to get ready for bed.

Barely awake after a restless night of waking and turning the redhead did wanting to leave the warm cocoon of duvet. She very much wanted to roll over and keep trying to sleep. She did not have that luxury.

With a deep breathe braced for the cold air. She got ready quickly throwing on a red jumper and some jeans. She made her way down to the kitchen, putting the kettle on, as she grabbed some fruit, and yogurt for breakfast she turned her phone back on to see more calls from Stefan.

Now slightly anxious, she called him.

He answered almost immediately.

"Stefan, Da –"

"Anna took Elena," Stefan cut her off.

"What?" she said gasping clutching the phone closer to her ear, Alaric looked at her with anxious eyes, she waved him off for a second. "I'll be over to help straight away."

With a twirl she apparated with a pop.

She arrived in the Salvadore study/bourbon room thinking she'd be unlikely to fall on someone there, but Stefan was already in there pacing anxiously. The sound of her entrance, turned his head to her direction.

"Lea,"

"We'll find her, Stefan" she assured him, trying to think of how she could locate her missing friend.

Stefan's phone rang, his eyes widened at the caller ID.

"Elena,"

The redhead felt relief, she was ok?

"Are you ok?" he said anxiously, there was a long pause. "I can get it," he said.

Ah, it wasn't going to be that easy. Azalea looked at him curiously, but didn't interrupt. After another few minutes passed, Stefan put the phone away from his ear as Damon walked into the room.

"Go head, grovel again. Oh wait, no, I don't care." He said with his bourbon in his hand.

"What about if I grovel?" she asked using her big eyes and her small stature.

"How adorable, I know you didn't betray me, but she did." He walked away, taking a drink from his glass.

"Stefan, I'll –"

"No, you stay here. Damon will keep you safe, the idiot was working with her, and you were a target then. They may still be after you too." He said. "Look after her," he called a little louder.

Damon glared back at his brother, until he left the room.

"Hello, as your captive. I would like to set some ground rules." He said smiling at her mischievously.

"Ha ha," she rolled her eyed, she lifted her wand arm back up.

"Rule number one is don't leave," he said taking the holly stick from her and placing it on the table.

"Hey!" she protested, he grabbed her arms, preventing her from moving past him.

"Rule number two –"

"Damon! I know you are angry with her right now, but we have to help. I have to help, move out of my way."

"Rule number two, is when I stupidly go help my brother and Elena in spite of everything. You stay put."

She stopped struggling and looked at him shocked.

"Now," he said letting go of her and smirking. "Are you going to be a good girl and stay put, or do I have to tie you up to stop you from trying to help. You are a serious goodie two shoes."

"You two both know I am the witch who took down the most powerful evil wizard we have ever had right?"

"Yep." He said but then pulled his lips down. "But… you are still human, which means against vampire's you have a major disadvantage. Basically, a Muggle. So…" He said grabbing her arms and manoeuvring her, walking behind her.

"Damon," she squirmed.

"We are going to sit here," he pushed her down into the seat. "We are going to be a good, and read a nice book." He reached over her grabbing a book from the shelf and placing it on her lap. She scowled at him. He looked back sternly.

"Stay put,"

"Woof,"

"That's the spirit." He said, smirking as threw the book at him.

Muttering to herself trying to think of a way that she could help. As much as she hated to admit it sometimes channel magic was more useful in these situations. Bonnie's Grams!

She rushed to the table grabbing her wand and twirled, disappearing with a loud crack.

She knocked on the door and the older woman answered.

"Sheila I'm sorry to both –"

"I did a locator, Stefan is on his way to get them," she told the young witch. Azalea felt her shoulder drop in relief.

"Them? May I come in?"

She smiled and gestured for her to come through.

"I'll put on some tea, child. Bonnie."

"What?" she said through her teeth.

"Why do you think I helped so easily?" she raised her eyebrow. As the Bennet witch made the drinks, Azalea looked at the shelves of grimoires. They had so many… so much knowledge.

Sheila walked back in with a teapot and a tray of biscuits.

"Thank you," she said grabbing a chocolate biscuit.

"I'm surprised you haven't left this town. Given everything, I thought you were looking for a bit of peace."

Azalea laughed.

"I was, but now people need me, my friends need me. I can't leave now. Though I am curious how much do you know about my world?"

"More than some," Grams said. "Core witches unless born to the Muggle world, don't tend to ever leave their bubble. However, I had a marvellous Muggleborn friend that I made during the civil rights days… we would use our abilities to help others in the crowd, and uh… deal with some of the brutality."

The redhead grinned at the idea of Sheila and a core witch hexing and jinxing some of the officers back then.

"Did you try and teach other your versions of magic?"

"We did but with little success, she found she could do basic versions of our magic, vampire aneurisms, and locators if they weren't too far. I in turn had a similar level, most of the spell I could do we already had a version of. Accio, Wingardium Leviosa a few others."

Azalea sipped her tea, both witches knew where the conversation lingered on going, yet neither spoke for a moment.

"I would be happy to teach you alongside Bonnie if you want," she said after they had gone through half their tea and in Azalea's case another three biscuits.

"I wouldn't want to impose; I'm feeling a little – not useless – but a lot of spells…"

"Both have their advantages and disadvantages," she told her. "You are your own battery, plugged into the wall. You do not get tired, or have risk of injury from your magic. You can fly, you have charms for the most wonderous things, in battle you can cast and move on, much of our magic need an absolute focus, and as soon as we removed our concentration the effect is gone. You can hex and jinx away in battle, we can only focus on the one incantation. You understand child? There is balance, and just because you need to channel your energy through that stick, or you can't do a locator spell it does not make you weak."

"Thanks," Azalea said hiding behind her red hair. Sheila chuckled, then both witches turned at the sound of the door.

"Lea –"

"I came to ask the same thing you did," she said sheepishly as Bonnie hugged her Grams tightly.

"Let's give them a minute," Azalea said pulling her two friends from the room. They waited until Stefan nodded to let the two girls know that they were ready to talk strategy.

"So what do we do now?" Elena said, as we walked in.

"Stay here," Stefan said.

"Be prisoners in our on home. I don't think so." Grams said.

"I can't protect you if you leave the house," Stefan said looking at the witch anxiously.

"We'll protect ourselves," she said, Azalea liked the old witch she had real character.

"We have to help him get Katherine back; he's not going to stop until he gets her." Elena said.

"No, he doesn't deserve to get what he wants." Bonnie said scowling at her best friend.

"What other choice do we have," Elena replied.

"Witches being pulled down by vampire problems as much as we to do to stay out of it. I'll open the tomb. You get your brothers girl and destroy the rest with fire then this will all be over." Sheila said.

"Could I not open it with my magic?" the redhead suddenly turned to the group. "The magic works differently, perhaps I could."

"We can certainly try that first, but have everything ready in case we need to step in," Sheila said, giving the redhead a 'I told you' look.

"We still have to get Damon to agree," Stefan said.

"He agreed once," Elena said.

"Then we double crossed him, he's angry." Stefan said.

"He's hurt, there's a difference," Elena corrected.

"He still trusts me," the red head put in. "I haven't done anything to him; I don't plan to double cross him. I won't do it to anyone," she said with a serious look on her face. "I got the marks to prove it." She ended grimly.

Hey everyone sorry about Stalking chapter I have edited it now, so if you want to reread without the edit notes in the middle of it haha. Whoops.

What do you think about the idea of Azalea learning channel magic too? Or her ability to possibly open the tomb herself? I have been trying to think of ways that the two magics can work, balance or overpower each other.

Let me know your favourite things so far.