AN) Hey everybody! Thank you so much to everybody who reviewed last chapter as well as the chapter before that! I will probably revise the authors note tomorrow, but I wanted to send out the chapter tonight so it cuts some of the waiting time.

Sorry about the delays, all I have to say is that we have an older house! I am truly grateful to everybody for reading and reviewing my story! It makes me excited to write another chapter!

Enjoy! And let me know what you think! :)

~UnicornNinja12

"Do ya need a break from modern livin'?
Do ya long to shed your weary load?
If your nerves are raw
And your brain is fried
Just grab a friend and take a ride
Together upon the open road"

~"On the Open Road" from A Goofy Movie

BPOV

"He's still not answering," I say closing my phone for what felt like the millionth time, "And I'm not sure if he will answer any time soon." I sigh out of annoyance as well as concern. Ever since Spike moved to California, his calls and texts became erratic before completely stopping.

"Well then I guess you'll have to come with us," Father said.

My head snapped to my father's face. "You'll let me come with you guys?" I ask shocked. Earlier Father had been adamantly against me joining him on the road trip, so what has changed?

"Yeah that's what I said," Father said with a small smile.

I smiled brightly before capturing my father into a hug. "Thanks Father!"

Hesitantly, Father returned the hug. "No problem Bella," he said softly.

Realization sinks in and after an intake of breath, I pull back slightly. "Do you know what this means?"

"Uh, no?"

"Family road trip!" I squeal, "Plus Elena and Alaric!"

He looked at me weirdly, but says, "Yeah, I guess."

-BOS-

Not long after our conversation, Father and I made our way to Elena's house to meet up with Elena and Alaric.

After waiting a few minutes outside Alaric's car, I ask confused, "What's taking them so long?" Was there a necessary task I had forgotten that required this much attention? I furrow my brows in thought. No, I don't think I have.

"Probably goodbyes or something," Father said bitterly. My heart tugged uncomfortably knowing he hadn't said goodbye to anybody before he left. I didn't know how to comfort Father.

I looked down sadly before asking, "Would you like me to honk the horn until they either come out or get extremely angry?" Please say this cheers him up...

Father smiled before saying, "Have at it."

I smile brightly before heading toward the driver's door. Alaric seemed really nice, so I felt upset I maybe upsetting him, but the jury was still out on Elena. I don't want to assume she is like my mother because she is not my mother. Hopefully this trip will allow me to properly assess who Elena is.

Here comes the first part of her test. Okay, I was doing it only to amuse Father and it is a fun activity, but they don't need to know that.

I gently place my hand on the horn and keep it there allowing the horn to blare. I chuckle seeing Alaric run to the door and Uncle Stefan run to a window on the second floor.

However, my amusement was cut short by someone saying, "Crap!" and a loud crash following the phrase. I lift my hand off the horn in shock before noticing what appeared to be a paper boy who had crashed into the curb.

"Yikes," I say before going over to check on the fallen guy. "Hey are you okay?" I ask as I approached him.

"Yeah, no thanks to you," he says standing up and brushing himself off.

"Sorry about that, I should have checked around me before I hit the horn. I didn't mean to startle you," I say beginning to pick up a few of the newspapers that had fallen out of his bag.

"Yeah you should-" he paused for a moment. I looked up at him and he seemed to have a change in heart. He pushed up his glasses before saying, "You shouldn't feel guilty at all 'cuz I did it on purpose."

"You did it on purpose?" I ask tilting my head. Why on Earth would someone do that on purpose?

"Yeah, um, I was practicing a stunt, like all professional stuntmen practice their stunts!"

"You're a professional stuntman?" I ask tilting my head.

"Well not yet at least. I'm still in school. But when I get out -BAM!- I am going to be a stunt double for Taylor Lautner," I looked at his pale Irish skin and wonder how that's going to work. "All I need is a good tan."

"Well good luck with that," I say with a smile as I put the last of the newspapers into the bag. Who knows, maybe he could become a stuntman. For Taylor Lautner? Well I don't know, but it never hurts to try. "I have to get going though. It was nice meeting you," I say before heading towards Father who was talking to Uncle Stefan and Elena.

"Sorry you can't come too, Stef," Father said, not sounding sorry at all.

"Yeah, then it would be a true family road trip!" I said merrily. I had approached them at this point and stood beside my father.

Uncle Stefan ignored Father and me as he said to Elena, "Call me if you need anything."

"Oh, I'll take really good care of her," Father says butting into their conversation.

Elena grabs Uncle Stefan by the neck and kisses him.

"Eww... I did not need to say that," I moan covering my eyes and turning around.

After few moments, I ask, "Is it safe to look?"

I was answered with silence. I sigh and keep my eyes covered until I heard Father say annoyed, "Okay, time to go."

I peek through my hands and make sure it's safe to look before turning around. I smile and say, "I call-"

However, I was rudely interrupted by Father who said, "Shotgun."

"Darn it!" I said as Alaric laughed from the front seat. I shook my head and take the spot behind Father while Elena takes the spot behind Alaric. I see Father smirk at me through the mirror and I say half-heartedly, "Don't smirk at me Father! You cheated!"

"I cheated," Father says with his smirk growing, "I said it before you."

"Well, you interrupted me as I was saying it Father," I say with a small smile on my face.

"So," he said shrugging, "It still counts."

I roll my eyes and see Elena staring at us weirdly. Before I could stop myself, I ask, "Is there something wrong, Elena?"

Her eyes snap toward me before shaking her head. "No, it's just so bizarre. I still can't believe that your Damon's daughter. You're so..." she hesitated trying to find a word, "Formal."

Father rolls his eyes and turns to talk to Alaric. "Umm... thanks?" I say confused. What does she mean by that? "Is that good or bad?"

Her eyes widened. "It's not a bad thing, I just noticed that you seem very formal around people."

I narrow my eyes slightly, on the defensive. "How would you know? You just met me?" I ask trying to still sound casual and mask my unease.

"I know we just met, it's just something I've noticed." I nod still suspicious. "Like you call your dad Father."

"And that's a problem?" I ask genuinely confused. He is my father, why shouldn't he be called Father?

"Father is so formal most people call them things like Dad instead. It's more personal and more modern," she says in clarification.

Huh? Personal and modern. Elena's probably right about this. "So I should call him Papa Bear?"

Father's – Dad's- head snapped toward me. "No. No calling me Papa Bear."

"But it is modern and helps form personal bonds. Plus you used a double negative; therefore you want me to call you Papa Bear."

"Don't. Call. Me. That!" Dad said narrowing his eyes.

I merely raise my eyebrows mischievously at him when Elena says to me, "Keep calling him that." I let out a small laugh and we all go silent except for the faint sound of the engine. After a few more minutes of silence, I say, "Is anyone else waiting for a Goofy Movie moment? It is far too quiet." I look at Alaric and say, "Please tell me you don't have the sudden urge to sing."

Alaric laughs and says, "No I don't. But maybe Damon does." He sends Dad a look and Dad responds with a dark look.

"I'm in no mood for a duet, thank you very much."

"Oh, so you are aware of the songs of the Goofy Movie," I say raising an eyebrow. "I can picture you singing Max's part of On the Open Road."

"Bella, enough," Dad declared sending me a look.

I nod and turn to look out the window with the song stuck in my head. Alaric turns on the radio to calm things down.

"How are you doing back there? You know, this whole pretending to hate me thing is getting a little silly," Damon said, addressing Elena, who was pointedly looking out the car window.

"I don't think she's pretending. You did kill her brother," Alaric points out. I raise an eyebrow hearing this, but make no comment or any other reaction.

"There is a huge asterisk next to that statement: he came back to life."

I wonder if Dad kills frequently then. Is he anything like Mother? He didn't seem to mind that he had killed Elena's brother, even if his death had been temporary. That was one of the traits that I lacked was I couldn't just switch off my emotions. I couldn't kill without remorse, mind you that I had only killed out of self defense and I still felt remorse. I could feel everything. I quickly got lost in my thoughts as Elena and Damon's conversation continued on.

"Yeah, thanks to a ring you didn't know he was wearing," Elena says bitterly, still staring out the window.

"Why are you so sure I didn't know?" Father asks looking back at her.

"Did you?"

"Yes."

"You're lying."

"Elena, I saw the ring!" Dad insisted continuing to look back at her. "It's a big, tacky thing, it's hard to miss."

Elena didn't seem to believe him as she went back to staring out the window.

-BOS-

"So Isobel was officially employed by the anthropology department given that most paranormal phenomenon is rooted in folklore," Alaric said as he guided us through the halls of DukeUniversity.

When we arrived at the anthropology office, we saw a brown haired lady talking to young man with an athletic build. Hearing us walk in caused them to look up from their work. "Excuse me, hi. I'm Alaric Saltzman, I called earlier," Alaric said after their conversation broke off.

"Yes, of course. I'm Vanessa Monroe, research assistant comparative folklore and this is Jackson, a student I'm tutoring," she said before looking strangely at Elena and saying, "Uh, let me just grab Isobel's keys."

"These are my friends Elena, Damon, and Bella. I hope this isn't too much of an imposition."

I could see Jackson staring at me after Alaric mentioned me. He sent me a smile that I pretended not to notice.

"Oh please, Isobel's office is right through there. Isobel was one of my first professors. I'm a grad student, she was brilliant and one of the reasons I went into folklore. Uh I have to ask, has there been any news?"

"No, I'm afraid not."

Vanessa nodded before saying, "It's this way." She opened the door and we all walked in, even Jackson, who was much too close to me for comfort. "I'll grab the light, feel free to look around. It's fascinating isn't it?"

Nobody responded as they began to search for books that maybe helpful. I begin to search taking several steps away from the follower I seem to have gained.

"I sometimes help clean here," Jackson said taking another step toward me, "Perhaps I could help you find what you need or you want."

"Umm, sure, but I'll need for you to take a few steps back first," I say feeling really uncomfortable.

He chuckles and takes two small steps back. "Sorry about that."

"So do know any books about werewolves would be?" I ask hoping to make this quick.

Jackson smiled and said, "Sure, follow me." He then led me to a spot near Elena and pulled a book down from the shelf and handed it to me. I had begun to flip through the book when I felt an unwanted arm wrap around my waist. I cringed when I heard him say, "I think I know of a few more books outside of here that could do a lot more research."

"No thank you," I said curtly, unwrapping his arm from my waist. I struggle to keep from whacking him and from the looks of it Dad is about to do the whacking for me.

"Are you sure? We could continue our research in my dorm."

"I am well aware of what that euphemism implies and I have no interest in it. You'd be best if you leave me be," I warn him one final time. If there was one thing I had in common with my mother is my temper and I wasn't about to let this jerk continue to push me. He tries to grab my shoulders, but I dodge out of the way and send a punch to the gut. "Try and touch me again and I'll hit lower."

Jackson lets out a groan, but looks up at me and grins. "Feisty. I like that."

The next thing I hear is a loud growl and Jackson is slammed into the shelves on the far side of the room. There Dad stands pinning him to the shelves, his face transformed into his vampire face and growling. "You dick," he hisses out in rage before ripping into his neck. He pulls back after a second to say, "How dare you touch my daughter?" Jackson shakes in fear and whimpers when Dad punches him in the face.

Grabbing his jaw, Dad looks into his eyes and begins to compel him. "You will silently go to your dorm. There you will whack yourself in the nuts every minute until I arrive and will stay in your room until I say you can leave. You will not tell anyone about our encounter. Understand?"

Jackson shook his head and said robotically, "I will silently go to my dorm and whack myself in the nuts every minute until you arrive. I will stay in my room until you say I can leave. I will not tell anyone about our encounter."

Dad smiled a dark smile. "Good. Now go."

After Jackson left the room, Dad asks, "Where did Veronica go?"

Shortly after saying that, Vanessa comes back with a crossbow and shoots it at Elena. Any person could see how much Elena means to my dad, despite all his walls. If Elena was hurt, it would Dad too.

Reacting quickly, I tackle Elena to the ground, catching the arrow in my left shoulder. I hiss in pain when it rams into my bone.

Alaric pushes Vanessa against the wall to prevent her from taking anymore shots.

Sitting up and backing away slightly, I take my hand grab the arrow and try to pull it out. I slowly begin to pull it out, which proves to be a little difficult around the pain as well as the smell of the blood. "Here, I'll pull it out," Dad says coming to kneel beside me. Without warning, he yanks out the rest of the arrow and places it gently into my hand.

I groan. "Thanks," I say with difficulty. I was beginning to feel dizzy, not entirely due to blood loss. The smell of blood was wafting into my breaths making me feel sick and the blood on the arrow was not helping me.

"That bitch is dead," Dad says, getting to his feet, ready to kill Vanessa.

"You're not gonna kill her," Elena says firmly.

"Watch me."

"You touch her and I swear I will never speak to you again."

"What makes you think that has any power over me? Because I took an arrow in the back for you? You're severely overestimating yourself."

"Right. I forgot that I was speaking to a psychotic mind who snaps and kills people impulsively. Fine, go ahead, do whatever you want."

"Hey, watch how you talk to my father," I say in a warning, sending her a reproving look. Elena ignores me.

"You're trying to manipulate me," Dad says.

"If by 'manipulate' you mean 'tell the truth' okay, guilty," Elena says before leaving.

I narrow my eyes at her retreating figure. Go ahead, walk away you manipulative girl I don't like the way she treats Dad. Vanessa was trying to take a shot at her and Elena is defending her. Not that I think that Dad should have killed Vanessa, but Elena didn't need to mess with my father's mind like that. I really hope she isn't always like this.

I scoot backwards and lean against the bookcase, trying to fight the urge to throw up. "Are you okay Bella?" Dad asks softly as he sits next to me, "You look pale... well more pale than before."

I open my eyes and look at him. "Yeah, I'm fine. It's just the smell is getting to me."

"Right. Super sniffer. Are you going to be alright?" Dad asked with a concerned look in his eyes.

"I should be. If worse comes to worse, I'll just pass out," I say with a slight chuckle before searching my pockets for some Purell or Germx. Not finding any, I sigh. "Yeah, we'll see."

"I'll be back," Dad says before disappearing from sight. A few moments later, he returned with Germx, bandages, and his leather jacket. "Hopefully this should work," he says before putting some Germx on the wound. I hiss in pain. "Sorry," he says quickly putting on the band aid and offering his jacket. "Any better?"

I put on his jacket and smile while saying, "A lot better."