Mason POV:

Elora had only been gone for a day but I was surprised by how much I missed her, I was debating if I should send her a text or not when my phone starting ringing, I blindly answered it hoping it was her but it wasn't...

It was my Sister in law, Matt Donovan had an accident and died and my nephew Tyler was a wreck over it she was asking if I could come back to help.

I prayed this wasn't what I thought it might be, if it was I knew one thing for sure, this was Katherine's doing.

Dammit! why did I try to play this game with her for so long? I should have just bitten her the first chance I got but I wanted that damn moonstone, I wanted a way to end my suffering, to end the suffering all werewolves face.

I get in my Jeep and start driving back to Mystic Falls, I think back to when I first came back to this cursed town...

September 29th, 2009:

"A little heads up would have been nice!" I am screaming at Katherine acting upset after "discovering" she's identical to Elena.

Kathy was playing dumb, she came back to Mystic Falls... well just outside we met at this B&B, after I called her about running into Elena.

"Please Mason, you have to believe me I didn't know... There are things I haven't told you... Maybe you should sit down."

"Please Kath," I grab her hands in mine, "Whatever it is, just be honest with me, you and me... I know its complicated but sometimes I feel like your the only one I can trust, please don't keep anything from me." I was really laying it on thick but she needed to buy the love sick puppy act, I needed her to underestimate me and believe I was not threat if I was ever going to get out from under her.

"Your right, first of all my name... it's Kathrine Pierce, I hate being called Kathy." I chuckled at that,

"Alright, thats a start, what else?" I ask playing up the dumb lovable puppy act,

I saw her relax some and then she went on to tell me, I'm sure a very edited, version of the truth. She told me she had been turned nearly 500 years ago, she was always on the move only looking out for herself but when she found me, for the first time she felt like standing still. I had to fight the urge to roll my eyes at that one.

"Mason, I love you. You're the first guy I've been able to trust in... forever. I hate that you have to go through all this pain when you turn. You're right, I did bring you back to Mystic Falls for more than you to figure out your family history and understand your wolf. I want to make it so you never have to turn again... never have to experience that kind of pain. And to do that we need to break the sun and the moon curse, and to break the curse we need the moonstone that's in your family's possession as well as a person... who looks just like me. So, please tell me more about Elena Gilbert."

Elena Gilbert POV:

The full moon was 6 days from now, and I was tearing my hair out with anxiety over Elora still being up in those mountains with Mason. (a/n: I know this isn't accurate with the moon calendar from 2010 but pretend it is for the purpose of this story and so I don't have to re work the whole plot/timeline.)

The last time I ever remember being this freaked out and panicked was the day I discovered Stefan's secret,

(Same Date) September 29, 2009:

Elena POV

omg, omg, omg, omg! this couldn't be real, this couldn't be happening. I left the car wash with Logan Fell, he let me look at some old news reels. Stefan and I had bumped into this guy that was in his 80's and swore he knew Stefan, plus he was still being cagey about his brother... he was keeping something from me. I wanted to prove my sister wrong, that he wasn't dangerous... but how could I deny what I had just seen with my own eyes. No, no, there had to be another explanation. Before I thought better of it I found myself at the Salvatore's Boarding House, knocking on the front door,

"What are you?" I ask timidly when Stefan answer the door.

Stefan: "You know." he states looking defeated

Elena: "No, I don't."

Stefan: "Yes, you do, or you wouldn't be here."

Elena: "It's not possible. It can't be." I am freaking out please, just give me another explanation, anything... lie to me but please this can't be real.

Stefan: "Everything you know...And every belief that you have is about to change. Are you ready for that?" I take a deep breath, I need to know...

Elena: "What are you?"

Stefan: "I'm a vampire." God, why did I keep pushing? Suddenly I found myself in a horror film, I was the silly girl who goes to investigate the strange noise while everyone shouts at the scream for her to turn back...

Elena: "I shouldn't have come."

Stefan: "No. Please."

I turn to run away but suddenly he's in front of me,

Elena: "No. No. How did you do that?"

Stefan: "Please don't be afraid of me." Is he kidding right now?!

Elena: "Let me go."

Stefan: "No. Elena, there's things that you have to know and understand."

Elena: "Let me go!" I manage to wiggle out of his grip and RUN to the car, I get in starting the engine

Stefan: "Elena, please." he's still trying to get me to listen, my hands are shaking I'm so freaked out and I just need to get out of here, the engine starts up and I speed home.

I raced in the door but before I could run upstairs to my room Aunt Jenna was calling me to the dinner table, apparently since John was here we were eating together, pretending to be one happy family.

John: "There you are, we were starting to get worried, where were you?"

Elena: "Uh.. just out."

Jenna: "Well, you're here now so how about we all just eat."

Elora: "Great thinking aunt Jenna,"

We were all sitting a eating in excruciatingly awkward silence.

John: "So Elena, Elora tells me you've starting seeing someone, tell me about him?" I shot Lo a look and suddenly missed the excruciatingly awkward silence.

Elena: "It's still new, we're getting to know each other."

John: "Salvatore, that's his name right?"

Elena: "Uhh yeah, Stefan Salvatore."

John: "Funny, I wasn't aware Zach had any living relatives." Okay it was starting to get hot in here, why did I suddenly feel like I was being interrogated? it must just be my adrenaline still pumping from racing over here.

Jenna: "Well its not like your best buddies, that would require you to be likable enough to have a friend."

John gave her a tense smile, but was still looking at me for further explanation,

Elena: "Uh, he's Stefan's uncle I think."

John: "hmm"

Elora: "He's actually really nice, Uncle John. I... I think I was just being a paranoid over protective sibling..." Lo tried to jump to Stefan's defense to ease the tension.

John: "Nonsense, there is nothing more important than protecting your family. This should have fallen to your father but I think it's time I take you all out, teach you how to handle a weapon."

Jenna: "What? No! Miranda wouldn't want them shooting guns, are you crazy?"

Jeremy: "Guns? cool."

Elena: "No not cool, sorry Uncle John I'm with Jenna on this, no guns."

John: "So you're not interested in learning how to protect yourself and your family, what if some mad man came and wanted to hurt you all, how would you protect yourself?"

Jenna: "It's Mystic Falls, John, I think they're safe."

But suddenly my mouth went dry thinking about what Stefan was... What had I gotten myself into?

John: "Let me put it another way, I'm not leaving until I know all my brother's children know how to handle a weapon and defend themselves."

Jenna: "Kids, looks like your learning to shoot." Jenna immediately said not wanting John here any longer then necessary

Jeremy seemed like the only one really pumped, Elora looked confused trying to see straight through me to see what was wrong, damn she could read me too well, but I didn't want her involved in this, it was bad enough I was involved, I couldn't let my family get hurt, John was right about that, I needed to protect my family.

"Present":

Elena POV

I wonder if things would have been different if I had just told her the truth that night...

September 29, 2009:

She crawled in bed with me that night, and I tried to pretend to be asleep but she just held my nose until I was forced to "wake up" for air.

Elena: "What the hell Lo?"

Lo: "You tell me, what has you so freaked out, at dinner it looked like you had just seen a ghost?"

Elena: "It's nothing, I just had a fight with Stefan."

Lo: "About what?"

Elena: "I'd rather not talk about it."

Lo: "Since when, we talk about everything... we don't keep secrets."

Elena: "Yeah well we're not little kids anymore, can you please just go back to your own bed, we're getting too old for this."

Lo: "What the hell is your problem?"

Elena: "Nothing! I'm just tired and I would like to go to sleep in my bed... alone."

Lo: "fine, I'll leave I guess."

She left, and I knew I had hurt her feelings, all I wanted to do was to stop her and confess everything but I was trying to protect her... at least thats what I kept telling myself.

September 30th 2009:

3rd person POV

Elora Jeremy and Elena were staying at the Lake house with John friday night, he wanted them to stay longer but it was halloween and Jer and Lo wanted to go to a party still he did his best to make sure they learned basic defense and how to handle weapons. Elena was still freaking out about Stefan but promised to give him a chance to explain when she got back Saturday. She hadn't told her siblings anything and she was starting to feel guilty. Elora kept asking her what was wrong always being able to know when her twin was lying or keeping secrets but Elena couldn't bring herself to say the words out loud... not even to herself.

Elena hated being around guns but Lo and Jeremy were having a blast. Lo actually surprised everyone with killer aim, there wasn't a target she couldn't hit. Jeremy found an old cross bow and that became his weapon of choice. Lo tried to tell him it wasn't practical to carry around but it just felt right in his hands and he wasn't putting it down. Elena responded better to hand to hand combat and basic moves to break free of different holds but her mind was somewhere else and not a lot of what they learned stuck with her.

Back in Mystic Falls Stefan was going crazy trying to keep from freaking out that Elena now knew his secret and wasn't handling it well... Damon was right Stefan was his own worst enemy sometimes. Speaking of Damon he was still obsessed with getting the tomb open and planned to figure out a way with or without the crystal Caroline was having trouble getting back from Bonnie. Mason was enjoying getting tight with his nephew and pissing off his big brother whenever he got the chance. He talked Richard into letting him on the counsel saying he was finally ready to assume the responsibilities of a founding family member. He hadn't seen Katherine's double again but new he had to find a way to get close when he did. If Katherine needed her for whatever this curse really did he needed to stay close to be one step ahead.

Back at the Lake House

As the Gilbert sibling were packing up ready to head back home John pulled Elora aside. (UJ is for Uncle John)

John: "I was impressed with you today... you definitely have warrior blood running through you."

Lo: "Uh yeah it was kind of fun, thanks. And sorry again for making you come all the way here, I don't know whats going on with Elena lately she's been hard to read... I'm probably making too much of things. People grow up, its normal we're not attached at the hip anymore right?"

John: "No." John's response surprised Lo. But he continued.

John: "Trust your instincts, you have them for a reason. If you think Elena has gotten into trouble, follow up don't talk yourself out of checking... you'll regret it otherwise. Elena is very different than you. You have strength and conviction, she has more heart and passion. Those will get her into trouble and she's going to need you to pull her back down to earth when she's not thinking clearly. Promise me you'll always do that, that you'll protect her."

Lo: "I promise." Lo responded not fully understanding where all this was coming from but seeing her Uncle was being very serious.

John: "These are some of your ancestor's journals... I want you to have them, read them and when you're ready to talk... call me."

Elena beeped to horn letting her sister know it was time to go.

Lo: "You sure you don't want to come back with us?"

John: "And risk Jenna scalping me in my sleep? I'm good." Lo giggled and gave her uncle a hug goodbye before joining her brother and sister in the car.

October 29 2010 "Present"

Mason POV:

I had just pulled into the driveway when I saw Tyler storm out of the house, I chased after him.

Mason: "Hey, hey! come on just stop."

Tyler: "Leave me alone!"

Mason: "I won't alright, I've been there I know what your going through."

Tyler: "You don't know anything!"

Mason: "I killed my best friend, Jimmy, it was a drunken fight and it was an accident... I know Ty and I'm so sorry this happened to you but you need to know this isn't your fault."

Tyler: "OF COURSE IT IS! Who else fault would it be?!"

Mason: "Come on, let's go take a walk."

and I told him... I told him everything.