Hello again everyone! Thank you for all the lovely comments about me taking my moving break!

It was a little longer than expected due to one of my best friends since childhood battling COVID since August. She lost her battle on the 28th.

I am now back and wanted to ask you all something. Normally I try to get my chapters around 7 to 8 pages. Would you rather I did smaller chapters like this and update more regularly, or stick to longer and monthly?

See you all around the internet Enjoy!

"I'm not here to cause trouble," she said looking at Azalea. "I am here to apologise for what happened. My mother and I had no idea. We wanted to let everyone know that we kicked everyone who was involved out, a lot of them left. It's just us and Harper now."

"Thank you apologising." The redhead said.

"My mother is with the Salvatore's now. We truly are sorry and we really do just want to live in peace."

"How are we supposed to believe that?" Alaric said.

"With time," Azalea moved closer to the teen. "Call it a probation period. We will talk as a group, I can't speak for everyone, but I don't have a grudge, from what I have seen everything you have done was to get your mother back. I can't blame you for that."

She smiled in relief.

"I'm glad, and I just wanna say that I really admire your story." She said giving a little nod to Azalea.

"You planning on staying in Mystic Falls?" Alaric asked.

"Yes, but we are happy to agree to terms," she said. "When we were here before, there weren't bloods banks and other methods of getting blood. My mother wants to adapt and make peace."

The redhead smiled.

"Then I look forward to seeing you around school. It'll be nice not to be the new girl anymore."

Anna laughed, then with a little nod made her way back up the drive.

The two made their way back inside. The redhead plopped on the sofa as her phone buzzed, she frowned as she saw Damon's message on the screen.

Hey avoid the house for a while Stefan's detoxing human blood. We'll let you know when it's safe again.

She frowned that didn't sound good. She wished that she knew a way to help Stefan, he had once said that he and his brother almost thought of it like a drug or alcohol addiction.

Problem was there was no rehab for vampires. No way to treat the –

"Of course," she whispered, her mind throwing her a memory from her time at Hogwarts. She stood up quickly rushing to her trunk where she kept her old school books. She could vaguely hear her Uncle's concerned voice as he made his way up the stairs, but she was too busy flicking through her charms book for 6th year. She kept scanning the Index.

Grinning she turned to the page. Scanning the effects of the spell and how it worked.

"Lea," her uncle was panting at her door. She shut her book, and grabbed her backpack.

"What's happening? What's wrong?" he said coming into the room. She dodged his hands as he tried to place them on her arms.

"I'm heading out," she gasped, her whole body high from her discovery. She knew her plan was going to work.

"What? Where are you going?"

"The Salvatore House." She said grinning at him. "I reckon I can help Stefan," she said, tucking her wand into sleeve so the Muggles around couldn't see.

"Don't wait up." She said, kissing her Uncle's cheek as she flew down the stairs towards the car. As she jogged down the porch steps, she saw Elena leave the house. The who froze as they saw each other.

"Stefan?" she said to her, Elena nodded. Then the brunette took in her friends' manner. She began to move again, towards her friend.

"What –"

"I have an idea to help Stefan," Azalea said gesturing to her backpack.

"Get in." Elena said, unlocking her car. The two dived into the car and Elena set off.

"Damon's message sounded bad," Elena said as they flew past The Grill.

"I think Stefan's ripper problem is worse than most." Azalea said, Elena bit her lip.

"I shouldn't have given him any blood," Elena said guiltily.

"No, from what I have heard, doing that saved his life. And I may be able to get this monkey off his back forever."

"Really," Elena turned to look at her friend as they got further out of the town centre.

"Yeah, we will have to test and see, but I reckon it'll work."

It didn't take long for Elena to head up to the Salvatore drive. Where an angry leather jacket wearing vampire was stood in the middle of the road. Azalea rolled her eyes at his over dramaticness, as Elena stopped in front of him.

"Here we go." Azalea muttered.

They both got out.

"What are you doing here?" Damon said angrily. "Are you both stupid? What about the message was unclear?"

"Damon I was here yesterday," Azalea said in a bored tone, but then she noticed the way his facial expression changed. "He was tempted… wasn't he…" she said softly. Elena gasped as the two watched Damon's face reveal the answer.

"Right," Azalea said firmly. "Inside. I have a plan." She gestured patronisingly for him to lead the way. He glared at her, looking between the two of them. Then back at the house.

"While we're young Damon," she said, beginning to walk ahead of him. He blurred in front of her, grasping her upper arms stopping her from going any further.

"No. Go home." He said, then looked over to Elena who hadn't moved from beside the car. "Both of you."

"I can help him," she said, she tried to move her arms. He glared at her keeping his hold.

"Really?" she said raising an eyebrow.

"Let her try, Damon." Elena said. He looked back at Elena, then at Azalea. He watched her seeing how much she believed whatever her plan was she could do it. He let her go.

"Neither of you move from my side. You got that. Neither of you go anywhere near Stefan. Got it?"

They both nodded.

"Damon, why did you let them in! " Stefan growled, as the who entered the house.

"Stefan, come sit in the sitting room." Azalea gestured for him to go.

Carefully, Stefan followed deliberately standing as far away from the two humans as possible.

"I think I can help Stefan. Cause, I reckon one thing is true, you can't keep yo-yoing, it's too dangerous. So, I propose I put a spell on you," she said pulling the book out of her bag. "It'll mean you can only drink my blood, and if you drink from anyone else, you'll feel your insides burn… and vomit. If you can sort yourself out on my blood, which according to every vampire I've come across is the most delicious; then you'll be able to cope with everyone else when the time comes."

"Lea, I could kill you," he whispered.

"But you won't," she said smiling. "I trust you Stefan,"

"You would really do that for him?" Damon said looking at the redhead softly.

"Apparently I have a saving people thing," she said, smiling slightly as she thought about her friends and family.

"Sure, as long as Elena is ok with it," Stefan said looking at the brunette, Elena put her hands on her thighs and pursed her lips. Taking in everything the redhead had said, she didn't speak for a minute.

"All right, sounds like a good plan," she said. She didn't like the idea of him drinking human blood, but she wanted what was best for him, and if everyone who was far more knowledgeable than her is saying that this is the best way for him then, she had to be supportive.

"Ok, so I'm your blood bag for the next few months, years or whatever," she grinned.

"But –"

"End of discussion now come on the spells already done, cheers,"

Damon snorted at way she used her wrist like a glass lift.

Stefan came over nervously.

"Don't you want to prick your finger," Elena said anxiously.

"Why? He wouldn't feed like that normally."

"I think baby steps are a better approach," Damon said looking at his friend anxiously. "Perhaps we should pour some into a glass or better yet, get a nurse…" He trailed off, then he himself vanished.

He was back in seconds, blood bag in hand; looking at Azalea before offering it to Stefan. The younger vampire took it hesitantly watching his friend's confidence. Then he looked at Elena who smiled in encouragement; giving him a small nod.

"Wait," Azalea said, she swished her wand and the vase on the table became a bucket. She offered it to him. "Ok,"

He took a sip. His whole body convulsed as the blood returned, Damon caught the blood bag as Stefan grabbed the bucket, ducking his whole head inside.

Elena rushed to him, rubbing his back soothingly as he began to cough, resurfacing.

"It was originally used to torture vampires in wizarding custody, but after what I heard about the thing for alcoholics," Azalea said looking at her friend in concern.

"This is great," Stefan said, Damon could see the excitement and hope in his brother's eyes. He really had a shot of getting this demon of his back. This crazy hunger, he couldn't help but smile at his brother. Then at his best friend, who was making it possible.

"This is it Stef, this is how get deal with this once and for all." Damon said, as Elena took the bucket from him.

"I'll give a few pints, and then take a blood replenish. You have two bags to last till tomorrow, is that enough Damon?" she turned to him.

"Yep, I'll go get a nurse," Damon said, blurring from the house.

Azalea and Elena felt bad for the women Damon brought, but both knew it was the lesser of two evils. As the woman prepped to take the redhead's blood Stefan was very still. He was nervous of how his body would react to the fresh blood of his friend when her blood was already so tempting.

"Ok ready Stef." Damon snapped him out of his thoughts. He nodded.

The room was silent as the needle went into the pale arm. Stefan felt the veins rush to his face as his fangs grew.

"Control." Damon snapped at him. Stefan closed his eyes and held his breath.

"You -can do this Stefan." Elena encouraged.

"Done, put pressure on that," the nurse said, and for the longest to minutes Stefan had had for a while. He hadn't paid any attention to the conversation that had taken place while the blood and seen drawn.

"Elena, could you?" Azalea said tiredly, her hand gesturing to the bag. Elena dove into Azalea's bag and grabbed the blood replenish, handing the bottle to the redhead.

"Here," she said gently.

"Thanks." Azalea smiled taking a sip of the bottle.

"You ok?" Damon walked towards her in concern.

"I'll be fine." she said, the colour already returning to her face. Damon took one of the bags and gave it to Stefan. The nurse made her way to the kitchen, as Damon had instructed her earlier.

Stefan took a deep breath before he took a sip of the warm blood in front of him. He closed his eyes. It was the most delicious thing he had ever tasted; he clutched the bag as he drank as fast as he could.

"Stefan, slow down," Elena said, as Damon watched him anxiously. Prepared for a crazed Stefan to attack the recovering witch, he didn't. Once he had realised that the bag was finished he threw it to the floor.

"More!" he growled; his face still morphed.

"No," Damon told him firmly. He growled at his brother, looking at his friend. Her heartbeat teasing him, calling to him.

"Control," Damon snapped at him, gripping his shoulder like a vice.

"I'll take you home." Elena said, grabbing both their bags.

"I'm fine. you don't need to hover." she said. "I'll be fine in a few minutes."

"Show off." Damon said. She stuck her tongue out at him. Elena however was looking at her boyfriend anxiously. She had never seen this side of him. She still wasn't sure if she wanted to…

What did you guys think? I am sorry the break was so long, a lot of bad stuff happened once I got home. One of my very good friends nearly died from COVID. So needless to say writing wasn't on my mind til she was doing better.

Please let me know in the comments your favourite moments so far! What your guesses for the future are

Xx