AN) Hey! Sorry about the long wait, but hopefully this will make you all happy! Thank you to vampirelove41, Peaceful Dragon Rose, twilightfanjm, steph A15, 01katie , Carla Mikaelson , Vivi H88, vampgurlkisses , lis3011, MusicalLover17, ellaryne, NeonEnigma88, winxgirl1997, and Guest for reviewing the previous chapter! I hope you liked the preview I sent you! (Sorry Guest, I would have sent you something, but I didn't know how to send it to you :S) Thank you to everyone who is following, favoriting, or reading this story! I am truly grateful to you all!

Please feel free to tell me if you have any questions or suggestions! Enjoy this chapter!

~UnicornNinja12

"Somewhere something is calling for you
Two worlds, one family
Trust your heart
Let fate decide
To guide these lives we see"

~"Two words One family" by Phil Collins

AN) Thanks to Guest who pointed out I wrote the wrong song title! Sorry about that!

1874

"Are you ready to see your Mother, little Bella?" Mrs. Higgins as she began clearing the dinner.

I smile excitedly and say, "Yes, I miss Mommy!" The last time I had seen Mother it was Christmas and I couldn't wait to see her again. "When will she arrive?"

"Tonight," Mrs. Higgins said picking up the last of the plates from the table.

"Tonight?" I ask, anxiety sinking in. I look outside and take in the position. "It's almost twilight," I say, knowing Mother couldn't be in sunlight with out burning. "I don't have much time to get ready!"

Mrs. Higgins set the plates to the side and looked at me. "I don't see what you are worried about darling, you look lovely."

I duck my head as I feel a blush creep onto my cheeks. "But not lovely enough for Mother." I was in a simple skirt and bodice that fit loosely to my body and my hair was falling out from my bun.

Mrs. Higgins smiled and gave me a motherly hug. "Little Bella. Your Mother would forgive that. It has been but six months since she has last seen you. Surely it would not make much of a difference."

I look up into her eyes. "Really?"

She smiled down to me. "Really."

I hug her back. "Mother likes the fancier dresses though."

Mrs. Higgins chuckled. "If you insist you must change, you may."

I smile at her. "Thank you Mrs. Higgins. I am very fortunate to have you."

She smiled down at me and gently placed a kiss to the top of my head. "And I you."

After a moment, I excused myself and ran in search of a dress Katherine would like.

-BOS-

The sound of a horse drawn carriage cut through the silence of night. I briefly glance at the window before fixing my hair and looking for any imperfections in my dress. Gone was the casual dress that I had on and in its place was an elegant and highly fashionable dress. I lightly traced the pattern on my fancy emerald dress while preparing for Mother's arrival.

"Ms. Isabella-" I sent the maid a reproachful glance, "Bella." I smile and nod. "Mrs. Higgins requests your presence downstairs in the drawing room. Your mother has arrived."

"Thank you, I will head down now," I say sending her a smile.

She smiled back and took my two bags downstairs.

I quickly walked down the stairs and into the drawing room. "Mother," I say with a large smile as Mother turned toward me.

"Isabella," she called out fondly.

I ran toward her and hugged her as tight as my eight year old body could. "I missed you Mommy," I said into her side.

"I'm sure you did," Mother said patting my back. "Meet me in the carriage Isabella. We've got a long distance to travel before dawn breaks."

I nod and quickly make my way to the carriage. It was a good night overall. Mother came and wanted to take me someplace with her and Mrs. Higgins was fine.

A scream erupted from the house and I grimaced knowing what was going on in there. I naively hoped Mother would leave in peace, but since when did Mother ever leave without death being around the corner? As I was about to leave to help Mrs. Higgins, Mother exited the house slightly bloodstained, but ready to leave. Mother swiftly ordered the stagecoach to leave and we were off.

After a few moments of silence, I ask Mother, "How are you doing Mother?"

Mother scowled at me before saying, "Call me Katherine."

I shrug off her negative attitude and say, "Okay Katherine, how are you?"

"Fine," she said tersely.

Silence followed her brief answer and was broken when I asked, "Isn't this the part where you ask me how I am?"

Mother regarded me for a moment. "Maybe, but why ask a question I already know the answer to?"

I shrug. "Social protocol? Curiosity? Sheer boredom?" I offer.

Mother raised an eyebrow at me. "Hmm... true, but we're not in public and I am not bored enough. And I also I don't want any long conversation about your life, so keep silent." I nod and look down.

It was nearly dawn when I next dared talked. "I would prefer to talk about you." Mother glared at me. "I only speak of myself in hopes that you would speak to me. Why do you never talk to me about yourself?"

It was a fairly innocent question, so it came as a shock to me when she threw me through the carriage door. My body bounced off the dirt road multiple times before I rolled on to my side. I began coughing as air returned to my lungs. Rubbing the back of my head gently confirmed I had gotten multiple cuts. I winced as I pulled out a piece of glass from my hair.

Mother told the stagecoach to stop and slowly walked out of the carriage, her piercing gaze on me. "Isabella," she said taking several predatory steps toward me before using vampire speed to kneel beside me. "I'll tell you what I want to tell you." She proceeded to pick me up and slam me up against the nearest tree. "And you will do as I say if you wish to continue breathing."

I could smell my blood and it was beginning to make me sick. Mother, it appeared, also smelt my blood. "My Isabella, you do smell delicious." Mother looked as if she were conflicted before saying, "You must taste just as well." At that she sank her teeth into my neck, none too gently at that.

I tried to push her off, but she just growled and bit more savagely into my neck. I looked around for anything that could stop her without the possibility of killing her when I looked at the horizon. The sun was up, barely, but any sunlight could kill Mother. And she was standing in the sunlight. "Mother, the sun, you are in the sunlight," I say shaking her shoulder feebly, "You need to get back into the carriage." Mother dropped me and I fell to the ground in a heap.

Everything was spinning and I couldn't lift my head. The smell of blood wasn't helping either. I turned onto my chest, burying my face in the grass and dirt beneath me, hoping to block the smell. I felt around for any more glass or wood shards, but found little had remained stuck in me.

"Mother?" I called out. "Are you okay?" I hadn't heard anyone enter the carriage, so I was a little worried. I carefully turned toward the carriage and the sight before me confused me. Mother was standing in the sunlight and she wasn't burning. Relief flooded through me as well as curiosity. "Mother, what's going on?" I ask confused.

Mother, who had been turning her hand in the sunlight in confusion, turned toward me and said, "I don't know." I had never seen my mother confused before. She quickly snapped out of it though and said, "But whatever it is, I like it."

-BOS-

BPOV

"So," I say breaking the silence that had fallen over us, "Who is Elena?" Father's eyes narrowed suspiciously. Raising my hands in innocence, "All I know is this Elena person knows who I am and has told Caroline about me. I am just curious." I pause. "Was she the witch standing next to Mother?"

"Mother?" Father chuckled. "That was not Katherine. That was Elena."

I furrow my brows in thought. "Is she Mother's twin then?"

"No," Father said before downing his drink, "We don't know how she looks like Katherine."

"Oh," I say not sure what else to say. "I'm sorry I couldn't tell the difference between them, though it should have been obvious."

"I thought you said you couldn't read minds?" he asked.

I tilt my head. "I can't."

"Then how were you supposed to know?" Father asked staring deep into my eyes.

I sigh. "I guess I couldn't have known for sure, but Mother doesn't like having straight hair." I pause before asking, "Is Elena your friend then?"

Father scoffed and said, "No."

I nod and say, "Well it is a good thing she is not, that would have been a crummy friend. Friends don't let friends get torched by a witch."

"You don't say," Father says sarcastically before setting down his empty glass.

I smile. "Yeah, that's rule number one in friendship."

The sound of a door shut caught my attention and a moment later Uncle Stefan walked into the room. "I've convinced Caroline into staying at her house until I can teach her how to hunt."

"And I would care about this because..." Father demanded.

"Because we don't want to have another Vikki Donovan running around."

"Vikki Donovan? Another vampire?" I deduce. Father sends me a look and I silence myself.

"Stefan we have a guest," Father chastised mockingly, "Isn't it rude to talk of people she doesn't know?"

Uncle rolled his eyes at Father's antics. "Whatever Damon. I just want to do my best to train Caroline so we won't have to kill her too."

"You couldn't do that!" Father fake gasped before saying, "It's Elena's best friend!" He shook his head before uttering, "Seriously, Blondie has no chance at surviving. We may as well kill her now before she slaughters the town."

"Caroline won't do that. She will be fine." Uncle Stefan looked uncertain even as he spoke.

"Sure keep telling yourself that," Father said before turning to me. "So what do we do with you?" Father flashed over to me and began to twirl a lock of my hair. "You see I don't fully trust you. Katherine could have planted you here to spy on us. However, there is the slightest chance that you maybe are telling us the truth, then..." he said trailing off.

"Then what?" I ask trying to keep the hope and happiness from my voice.

"We'll cross that bridge when we get there."

I nod. "That works."

"So how do we know your Damon's daughter?" Uncle Stefan asked.

"Genetic testing?" I offer as a suggestion.

"If he was human when you were conceived and he's a vampire now, won't that make a difference?"

"Yes, it would." I turn toward my father and ask, "Do you have any clothes or maybe a hairbrush that you used as a human?"

"Probably."

"Then that could be a sample. Now do you have anything of Katherine's that would have hair or anything like that?"

"I definitely do." Uncle Stefan sent Father who said defensively, "I just saved some of her things in case we needed something of hers to get her out of the tomb." Uncle Stefan sent him one more disbelieving look before dropping it.

"Well," I say, "I'll find a lab that can run a paternity test. All you need to do is find the stuff."

Father shrugged indifferently. "Whatever." He turned around and began to walk toward the door. "Stupid girl. Vampires can't reproduce."

"I can still hear you," I state.

"Good," he said before disappearing from my sight.

I stare at where my father left before turning my focus to my uncle's inquisitive stare. I tilt my head to side and observe him as well. After a few moments of staring at each other, I say, "So how long do you plan on staring at me awkwardly before saying anything? Because this isn't at all creepy." Uncle Stefan let out a short chuckle. I roll my eyes. "Go ahead laugh at me. But I've got to find a place that can run a paternity test. Do I need a baby sitter or can I go find it myself?"

It was Uncle Stefan's turn to roll his eyes. As he tried to say something, Father interrupted by shouting, "Yes you do need a babysitter! Stefan, babysit!"

I huff and grab Uncle Stefan's arm. "Come on babysitter. I've got work to do. Can I borrow your computer?" He narrowed his eyes at me suspiciously. "Relax, I don't intend on doing anything other than search for a lab." Uncle Stefan reluctantly nodded and directed me toward it.

After a few minutes of searching, I found a place in Lynchburg that could run the test. I quickly copied the down the address and directions before exiting the browser.

"Did you get the things you need?" Uncle Stefan asked. Father nodded and we all went outside.

Father pulls out his keys and I can't help but say, "I call shot gun." They both look at me weirdly. "Sorry Uncle Stefan, I get sit next to Father!" They continue to stare at me. "Geez! You do know the rules of shot gun, right?"

Father lets out a frustrated sigh before saying, "I'm not putting up with this the whole ride."

The next thing I see are stars before slipping into darkness.

-BOS-

"I can't believe you knocked me out!" I say irritated. "Then you leave me in the car and take the test by yourself!" This is what I get for getting excited. I need to calm down.

Father shrugged not taking his eyes off the road. "I cracked the window," he said as if that excused everything.

"I thought you would need moral support," I say mockingly. "When do you get your test back?"

"Soon. Compulsion saves a lot of time."

"I imagine it does," I say smiling before noticing Uncle Stefan sitting in shot gun. "Hey! I called shot gun!"

"Too bad, you were taking a nap," Father says sending me a meaningful look.

I ignore the comment and look out the window silently.

We were about a town from MysticFalls before Father's phone rang.

"Hello?" A pause. "Yes this is Damon Salvatore, do you have the results?" Another pause. This is it. The moment of truth and I can hardly breathe. "Are you sure? There isn't the slightest chance of error?" Father lets out a sigh at whatever the person says over the phone. "And the other test? [Pause] Okay. You know what to do. You will not remember me or running any tests for me." He snapped his phone shut and throws it into the backseat, nearly hitting me.

"You okay Damon?" Uncle Stefan asked concerned.

Father sends him a look, but remains silent the rest of the trip. After cutting the engine, he quickly exited the car and blurred into the house.

I turned to Uncle Stefan befuddled. There were so many questions I wanted to ask, but I didn't know how to ask him. Was Damon my father?

"Yes, Damon is your father," Uncle Stefan stated as if knowing what I was thinking.

I smile before asking concerned, "Is he okay with it?"

Uncle Stefan hesitated. "Well, it's a bit of a shock to him."

I nod. "It's not exactly the easiest thing to learn. But I am happy to have met him."

"Are you leaving then?"

"I was supposed to be in Utah, but since I already disobeyed, I don't know anymore." I run a hand through my hair before letting out a humorless laugh. "Mother's going to kill me." I wasn't sure if I was joking. Perhaps I should just run...

"You can stay with us awhile if you would like," Uncle Stefan offered.

Tempting. Really tempting. "Are you sure? I wouldn't want to inconvenience you all."

"Nonsense; if it was going to be a problem, I wouldn't have offered. Besides Katherine is already in town and most likely knows you're here. Stay with us."

I smile. "Thanks."

Uncle Stefan smiles back. "Let's get your stuff."

Until next time!