A/N: Another update! And so soon! It was because I already had most of this chapter written last week and I will be gone next week and well... I just couldn't wait! Thanks to 'cold kagome' and 'Jezziedavamp' for reviewing! And to answer your question Jess: In my story Damon and Stefan are half brothers. :) Now, in this chapter, I again raise more questions than I answer. However, I did a lot of planning today and I finally think I have a plot for this story! I'm still open to ideas, but at least now this story will go somewhere, lol! Also, to clarify in my story world Witch's blood heals a werewolf bite. Also, this chapter is longer than the rest so I hope it will hold your attention until I come back from vacation. I hope you guys enjoy! Keep reading and reviewing! You guys rock! Look! Lots of exclamation points!

(Now)

Stefan's POV

He ate his breakfast silently as he watched Damon from across the island. He hated the way he casually ate while reading in some old book his had taken out of his fathers library. He just sat there as if he had no care in the world, and Stefan couldn't be more irritated at his nonchalant behavior. That... and the fact that he had been there the whole weekend and didn't show any signs of leaving.

"Do you have any oatmeal?"

Stefan looked over his shoulder to see Mrs. St. Peters, the nanny that he and Elena had found on Saturday. She was an older woman in her mid-seventies, and had huge glasses and a slight hearing problem. She wasn't their first choice, but as Damon had put his two cents in, they needed someone who wouldn't ask a lot of personal questions.

"Besides," Damon had said, "I'll be here too."

Stefan had just ignored him then, only thinking him to be joking-but now?

"Danielle is only six months old... I don't think she can eat oatmeal." He said.

Mrs. St. Peter's squinted at him. "What? No, the oatmeal's for me!"

Stefan heard Damon snort and he groaned just slightly and turned in his chair to face her fully. "Sorry, I don't have any. And I have to get going or I'll be late for school."

"What kind of house is this if it has no oatmeal?" Mrs. St. Peters grumbled.

"Preach it sister." Damon said from behind his book.

Stefan rolled his eyes and started for the hall, stopping as he passed by Danielle in the high chair he and Elena had bought the day before. He looked down at her and couldn't help but smile. She was gurgling happily to herself, and pulling at her tufts of brown hair that were randomly placed around her head.

He put his face next to hers and whispered. "You be bad and try to make Damon leave, okay?" Then he gave her a kiss and headed for school.

The first thing he did when he got there was head straight to Elena's home room. He lingered at the door until he saw Elena walking down the hall with Caroline. He jogged down to meet them and gentlemanly offered to take her books. She smiled and gave them to him while Caroline rolled her eyes and pretended to gag.

"I'll see you to love birds at lunch." She said as she waved goodbye and continued down the hall.

Stefan leaned against the wall and motioned with his head for Elena to do the same. She did and then looked up at him. "So?"

"He's still here."

"Really?" She asked, surprised. "But from what you told me... he should be gone."

"I know. I don't quite understand what's going on. We fought all weekend. He complains all the time about everything." He also stays out to late at night and comes home smelling like a blood bank, but Stefan decided it best to keep that part to himself. "So by my calculations, he should have been gone Thursday night."

"But that's when he got here."

"Exactly."

"Stefan." She pushed his arm and laughed softly as she took her book back. "It's okay, I'm sure he'll leave soon." She lingered in the doorway, there was still two minutes before class.

Stefan braced himself against the door frame looked down at her with contemplation. "Yeah... but he's also acting a bit weird."

"Weird how?"

"Like... snooping through stuff... and reading random old books from the library. Of all the years I lived with him I don't think I had ever even seen him pick up a book."

She shrugged helplessly. "I don't know what to say, Stefan... I'll come over after school and help you drive him away."

He sighed. "I wish you would stay away till he leaves..."

Elena gave him a look and shifted her weight. "Really? Besides, aside from him purposely trying to put me in awkward conversations he's been pretty.. gentlemanly to me."

"Of course he has!" Stefan felt like exploding out of his skin. "That is all his ploy!"

Elena was about to answer when she heard Mr. Saltzman. "Is there something you want to share with the class?"

She looked over her shoulder at him and shook her head. "Sorry, Mr. Saltzman." She quickly looked back at Stefan and stepped on her tip toes and gave him a kiss.

"Stop worrying, I'll talk to you later."

Stefan lifted himself off of the door frame and gave Mr. Saltzman and nod, who gave one in reply, and then he headed for his own class.

(~~~)

At lunch a bunch of kids decided to eat outside. The weather man had said it was going to be the last warm day before a big chill and everyone wanted to take advantage of it. So Stefan and Elena had a pick-nick lunch, and shared the blanket with Matt, Jeremy, Bonnie, and Caroline who also shared their lunch hour.

"Augh, I just love these warm days!" Matt cried laying down and spreading himself out on the grass. Caroline flicked him in the stomach.

"Sit up, your such a goof."

He just stuck her tongue out at her in reply.
"Oh real mature." This time his reply was to grab her around the waist and yank her down beside him. Everyone else laughed at them, though Stefan was still slightly distracted.

"Well, personally I like the cold days, with snow. They are perfect hot coco days." Jeremy said squinting as he looked up at the sky.

"Really? Me too." Bonnie agreed casually.

Stefan heard this and at least wasn't distracted so much that he couldn't share a knowing glance with Matt. Though he couldn't help think it to be a bit trivial.

"What about you, Stefan?" Elena asked from beside him. Her head was resting against his arm as she used him as back support.

"It doesn't really matter. As long as you're with me, any weather is good."

"AWW!" Bonnie and Caroline squealed at the same time. Caroline socked Matt in the stomach, he moaned and rolled to his side.

"What was that for?"

"Why can't the rest of your male race be that romantic?"

"Romantic? You thought that was romantic? Sorry bro, but that was the cheesiest line I've ever heard." He said as he sat up cautiously. But not too cautious-this time Bonnie got him, and again he fell to his side.

Stefan shrugged and looked down at Elena and smiled, she smiled back. It was true though-normally he didn't really even pay attention to the weather.

He was about to remark that maybe Matt take some moves from the Stefan Salvatore handbook when he heard Caroline gasp and then squeal.

"What's wrong?" Jeremy asked, looking concerned.

Elena shook her head. "No, that was not her, I'm in trouble squeal, that was her hot boy squeal." She made eye contact with Caroline who nodded furiously.

"So, where is he?" Bonnie asked looking about.

"Over there, " She said pointing to the parking lot, "And I swear, he looks just like that guy from that picture at your house Thursday night, Stefan."

Elena sat up quickly and the two of them exchanged a look. Then they swerved there heads toward the parking lot. And to their utter disbelief they say his silver Porsche parked near the exit, with non other than Damon Salvatore himself leaning against it.

He wore a black leather jacket and small slick sunglasses. His dark hair pushed to the left side and blew back gently in the light November breeze. The corners of his mouth played with a smirk.

"How can you tell?" Elena finally asked. Stefan silently agreed with her. There was no way she would have recognized him, not with the sun glasses and the fact that the picture was taken nine years ago-he would have grown up. He hadn't... but he should have.

"Uh, his hair. And that leather jacket looks just like the one that guy was wearing. Too bad you don't remember who he is, Stefan, then you could go see if that's him." Caroline said as she stood and wiped leaves off of her pants.

"Um.. where are you going?" Elena asked pulling herself up on her knees.

Caroline let her hair out of the pony tail it had been contained it and shook her head a couple of times. "I'm going to go introduce myself, of course!"

Matt frowned. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"Yeah, I'm with Matt, that sounds stupid." Bonnie put it.

Caroline rolled her eyes at them. "Oh, give me a break. What? You going to give me a lesson on "stranger danger"?"

"Yes." Elena and Bonnie chorused.

"Whatever, be right back." And with that Caroline flounced off to the mysterious stranger-Damon. Stefan watched on edge, ready to jump up to his friends aid at any moment.

"You know what... she's right.. he does kinda look like the guy from the picture." Bonnie stated. She turned to Elena and her eyes widen, and then she looked at Stefan.

He knew that Elena and told her that Damon had showed up on Thursday night, but he also knew that she had yet to tell her that he was, in fact, Stefan's brother.

Elena looked at him briefly and then looked back at Bonnie. She nodded her head and mouthed, "I'll tell you later." "You better." Was the mouthed reply. All the while Jeremy and Matt were oblivious to them for they were still watching Caroline.

"She's coming back." Matt said as he stole food from Elena's plate. She slapped his hand and then turned her attention back to her friend.

Caroline walked over and came right up to Stefan. "Hey, so- he say's he wants to talk to you."

(Now)

Damon's POV

He deciding to go the school was a last minute thought. He was just driving around town after a morning of unsuccessful searching through Stefan's things for any word on Katherine, when he drove past the building. He caught a glimpse of long dark hair on the lawn of the school,and was fooled only for a moment for he then looked harder to see Stefan beside Elena Gilbert.

So with a smirk he pulled into the parking lot and then casually exited his vehicle and leisurely leaned against it as he scoped out the crowd that Stefan was with. He had not been standing there long when one of the girl's noticed him. He cocked his head to the side and waited. Soon enough she had stood up and began walking toward him.

"Hey, you look familiar even though I don't think I've ever met you. I'm Caroline." She said.

He looked her over. She had blonde hair that had clearly been straightened that morning and porcelain skin. She was not bad looking, but she wasn't drop dead gorgeous either.

"I'm Damon, I do not think we've ever met. I'd remember a face like yours." He said slowly, as if savoring ever word. Girls fell for it every time.

As expected, Caroline practically swooned at his words. She grinned flirtatiously and flipped her hair back. "Aw, thanks. So... I'm gonna guess you don't go to this school- or any school."

"That would be correct." He answered, pulling his sunglasses up down and off. She seemed to take a breath and bit her outer lip. "I actually just moved here. I moved in with my brother- he goes to school here."

"No way! Who's your brother?" She looked up at him expectantly, eager for his words.

"Stefan. Stefan Salvatore."

Her mouth fell open and she threw a look over her shoulder and then back to him. "No way! Stefan's a friend of mine! I didn't know he had an older, hot brother."

Damon smirked. "Yes, well, he likes to pretend I don't exist, it's easier that way for him."

She laughed prettily. Damon decided she wasn't all that bad. When she had first come over to him, he had contemplated the idea of just taking her back to the house and having himself a bite... but it wouldn't be hell if she stayed around a bit. Besides, after a long hard day of dealing with Stefan, a baby, and an older woman, plus looking everywhere just for clue of Katherine? Yeah, he would want some eye candy at the end of the day. A little blood also never hurt.

"So, what are you doing tonight?" He asked.

She began to blush. "Nothing, why?"

"Well maybe we can get a bite, and you can show me around town."

"So... so.. like a date?" She wanted to know.

Damon wanted to roll his eyes-oh teenagers. "Sure, if that's what you want."

"Yeah sure! Totally!"

"Sweet. Okay. Could you go get Stefan for me. I want to talk to him."

"Yeah, sure." She smiled at him again, and then turned and sauntered back to her group.

He waited patiently, again resting against his car. Within moments Stefan joined him. He stood in front of him with hands in his pockets.

"What do you want?"

Damon coolly put his sunglasses back on. "Just stopping by."

"Well, stop. And leave Caroline alone, okay."

"Sorry, that won't be happening. Caroline and I have a date tonight. The girl's a bit desperate... "

"Seriously, Damon, if you touch a single hair on Caroline's head I'll-"

"You'll what?" Damon scoffed. "Ground me? Take away my allowance... Stake me?" He almost laughed at the thought of her brother gathering up enough courage to even wield a stake let alone driving one into Damon's heart.

Stefan was quiet and then frowned in defeat."Damon, what was your point for this visit?"

"Point? No point, just felt like stopping by, getting a bite, scoping out the locals... seeing who my brother hangs out with..."

"Leave." Stefan said tightly. Damon pushed himself off of the car and rose his eyebrows high in slight irritation.

"Wanna say that again?"

"Seriously? I don't want to do that anymore. Just please, my lunch is just about over, thanks for ruining it, now please.. just leave." He sighed and waited.

Damon cocked his head to the side and then leaned back against his car. "Fine. See you tonight little bro."

Stefan hesitated for a moment and then straightened up and walked back to his group. Damon watched him for a moment more and then smoothly hopped into his car. It was probably best he went home and fixed himself up- he did have a date after all. He smirked and started his car.

(~~~)

"I like the banana cream, but chocolate is pretty good too." Caroline chirped, clearly on cloud nine. From what Damon had gathered in the past hour as they had eaten dinner and were now entering desert is that this was only Caroline's second date ever.

Apparently she had once went out with Matt, but they decided to, 'just be friends'. And she was so glad she was with an older more sophisticated man than those juvenile high school boys she knew. Damon feigned interest, but he really didn't care about a word that left her mouth.

She finally picked what desert she wanted and then gave the menu back to the waiter. She turned her full attention back to Damon.

"So, where do you want to go first?" She asked eager to please.

He settled into his chair and pretended to contemplate the matter. "Any near by parks, or forests?"

Her smiled fell just a little and her nose turned up at the suggestions. "A forest? Really?"

He shrugged. "Or a mall, whatever."

She smiled, relieved. "I know a great mall-only five minutes from here- it's in the next city but it's one of the best!"

"Great." She either ignored the sarcasm or did not hear it.

"You know, I still can't get over the fact that you are Stefan's brother, it's just so weird!"

"Yeah weird. Have you ever met anyone else in his -our- family?"He asked casually.

She shook her head. "No, he said his mom left him a couple of years ago. Well I guess it's your mom. That's just horrible! Have you seen her since she left?"

Damon set his mouth in a grim line. After Katherine, his mother was just about the last person he wanted to discuss with anybody-ever. "You know what, let's change the subject."

Caroline seemed to get the hint and started blabbering away about the mall. Despite Caroline being a bit artificial, at least he hadn't had to compel her all night. It made things easier when people just cooperated.

He continued to not really listen to her all the way through desert and even when they were at the mall. He just nodded his head and made agreeing noises every once in a while and basically was charming without any real effort..

She took him around the mall, showing him the best stores, and yadda yadda yadda. She yapped on and on about people she recognized and what their relationship status was. Soon enough he had had enough of the date and interrupted Caroline mid sentence.

"It's getting late, I should take you back now."

She glanced at her watch as she saw that it was only eight. "You are such a gentleman, oh my gosh. Elena and Stefan has told me to be careful with you- but seriously, I have no idea what they are taking about!"

His ears perked up at the mention of Stefan's name. "They told you to be careful around me?" He asked with mock concern. She nodded woefully.

"Yes. They said that you were not as genuine as you seem, but what do they know? I mean, Elena just met you and Stefan said that you two haven't seen each other in a long time. People change right?"

A slow smirk came to Damon's face. "Right. Of course. People change." Vampire's though? Yeah, Vampire's on the other hand...are rather stoic. "Now come on, lets get out of here."

He put his hand behind her back and quickly guided her out of the mall and back to his car. As he walked with a hand on her back he could feel her heart beating. And along with that he could feel the rushing of her blood through her veins from his finger tips. His mouth began to water. As soon as they were both in the car he drove to her house.

When they were a couple houses away from hers he parked the car along the street and turned to her. Normally he would just take a bite and be done with it, but, as he kept reminding himself, he was going to keep her for a while. So he decided compelling her to comply would be the easiest thing to do.

He turned in his seat to her and she turned a bit too, looking down and blushing. "Look at me please." He said.

She looked up and then was caught in his gaze like a fly caught in spider's web, unable to look away-unable to move. She just stared at him with almost dead like eyes, awaiting to do whatever he bid her to.

"I'm going to drink your blood, and you are going to be fine with it. And you won't remember when it's over."

She nodded as if in a trance and then he smiled and released her. She blinked a couple of times and then her focus registered on him and she once again smiled, for the first time all night speechless.

Damon took that moment and pulled her closer to him. First he kissed her lips and found her eager and clearly inexperienced. He slowly moved down from her lips to her cheek to her neck. And then, caressing her lightly, he let his fangs expand and then he sunk them into her.

She whimpered and squirmed but he held her tightly and drank. The feeling of her blood rushing through him set a surge of energy to his brain. It been a day since he had had anything fresh. He loved how alive he felt and didn't want to pull away.

She had stopped squirming now and it was easier to hold her without the thought of possible decapitation. Finally after a moment or so more he finally pulled back. He ran his tongue around his teeth and smiled. He then pulled her coat up more around the spot he had bit her and kissed her lips once more.

"Goodnight, Caroline. Thanks for the drink. See you tomorrow."

Clearly in a daze, not remembering anything except for the fact that Damon had kissed her, she let herself out of his car. "Bye, Damon... see you tomorrow." And then she quickly headed for her house.

He watched her go and then turned his car back on and rested his head against the headrest. He ran his tongue over his teeth again trying to get whatever remains he could. He enjoyed the thought of having a plaything like Caroline, but he realized that she was not going to satisfy. As he looked around he saw a night time jogger ahead of him. A smirk came and rested on Damon's face. He turned up the volume on his radio, put his car into gear and began to follow said jogger.

(Then)

Damon's POV

"He needs blood, Claudia." Katherine said.

Damon could barely make his girlfriend out from where he lay in his bed. It didn't help that his vision was becoming blurry and that he couldn't stop shaking.

"No! No child of mine is ever going to do that!" Claudia said sharply standing beside Damon bed with her arms folded over her chest.

"He's not a child, Claudia, and if he doesn't get it he could get worse." Damon could see Katherine just faintly as she turned to his mother. "He is a Vampire, it's what we do."

"He may be a Vampire, but he also was a Human-" She was cut off.

"And they require blood as well. It's just that we have to get it a different way than you do." Though out of it, he could hear no trace of urgency in Katherine's voice.

"NO!" His mother shouted. The noise burned Damon's ear drums and he moaned in pain . He closed his eyes, and began to roll to his side, but then just in time remembered that's where his wound was. He began to feel fidgety. He couldn't move to either side without being in pain, but they refused to let him fall asleep!

"Katherine..." He croaked. There was no answer. He called her out again, but still no answer. He slowly opened his eyes and at once felt dizzy, as if he was on a ship caught in a storm. He closed his eyes again and called out her name, this time louder.

He then heard a quite, "Shh." near his ear and then felt a cool hand on his face. He carefully opened his eyes. He squinted hard and could barely make out the figure of his sister, Lyric, beside his bed, leaning over him and soothingly petting his face.

"Lyr-" He tried to say but she shook her head and put a finger to his lips.

"Listen, Damon, I heard what Mother and Katherine were arguing about. You need blood to get better. But you can only have witch blood with a bite like this, and Mother won't let you. So... here." She thrust her wrist out to him.

He did not understand what was going on. "Wha-?"

"Damon! You have to bite me and take some of my blood. It's the only way you'll get better!"

"But-"

"Damon, please!" He could hear desperation in her voice even if he couldn't see her face all to well.

He slowly opened his mouth and sank his teeth into his sister's wrist that she held to his face. To his surprise he felt a pain in two of his front teeth as he bit and he groaned and tried to pull away. But Lyric was not going to budge.

"Drink it!" She begged.

Blood was now swirling around in his mouth and dripping down the sides of his chin. Slowly he began to swallow it. To his astonishment it was sweeter and much thicker than he was used to and as soon as it hit his throat he began to feel better. He bit harder into his sister and sucked in more, and more. His fingers around Lyric's arm no longer felt week and his shaking was beginning to subside. His sister's blood was helping!

After a moment or so Lyric slapped his hands, and in surprise he dropped them and she pulled her wrist away. He whimpered slightly and looked up at her not sure what to say when he saw that she had tears in her eyes. Finally he said quietly, "Lyric.."

She didn't say anything as she wrapped a scarf around her wrist and then grabbed a towel and began to wipe his face as if he was a child. He felt like a child even though he was nineteen. "Do you feel better?"

He nodded. "Yes."

She helped him sit up."Good."

She sat on the bed beside him and then gave him a hug. "I knew I could help."

(Now)

Stefan's POV

Danielle would not stop crying. Nothing he did seemed to work. Mrs. St. Peter's had taught him the correct way to change a diaper, so he gave that a try-she still cried. He fed her- she still cried. He walked around the house with her- she still cried. He even put her to bed, but after fifteen minutes of nonstop screaming he decided he felt cruel leaving her in a room by herself in such state.

Now he just paced in front of the fireplace with her laying on his shoulder, still crying. He never knew that that many tears could come out of such a small child.

"Where's Damon? Huh, Danielle? Where is he?" It was almost eight thirty- which certainly wasn't the latest he had been out, but this was the first time he had been out with someone Stefan knew. And the fact that Danielle wouldn't stop crying also made the time seem to go on forever.

"Do you think... maybe he left for good? That we don't have to worry about him anymore?" Hopefulness began to creep into his voice. With him gone, even if he did have Danielle, things could almost go back to normal, at least in his mind.

Danielle's only reply was to cry harder. He sighed and bounced her up and down a little more. "Do you miss your mommy... is that it?" He asked her quietly leaning his head against hers, her fine hair tickling his face. "I know how it feels to have your mother abandon you. Don't worry, we've got each other now. I think we'll be good, as long as you stop crying."

Just then Stefan heard the front door opened and he turned around and started for the hall. Within seconds he could hear Damon's voice as he presumably hung his leather jacket on the coat rack in the hall. "Stefan, what in the world have you been doing to the baby? I swear you can hear that thing from outside." He stepped into the room and strolled over to him.

"Please take her." He said, though he hated the fact that he was trusting him with her.

Damon sighed and took Danielle from him and she almost immediately stopped crying. Stefan shook his head, still unable to comprehend why that happened. "I have to go take an aspirin." He said and headed for the kitchen. "Whateves." Was the reply.

Stefan frowned, walked into the kitchen, grabbed the bottle of aspirin from the table and poured himself a cup of water and he thought. He wondered how he would go about asking his brother about his "date" tonight. He decided it was best to go with the direct route. It seemed to be what Damon dealt with best.

He swallowed the aspirin and then went back to the other room. He found Damon sprawled on the couch with a sleeping Danielle on his chest. Stefan leaned against the couch and looked down. Damon too had his eyes closed, but Stefan knew by the way he was breathing that he was still awake. No one but a baby could fall asleep that fast.

"So, how did your date go?" He asked perching himself on the arm of the other couch.

Damon didn't answer at first just breathed in deeply a couple of times, but then answered with, "Deliciously."

A frown immediately jumped to the younger boy's face and he pushed himself off of the couch and took a step back.

"Oh don't freak out. It was just little bite, a midnight snack if you will." He opened his eyes and turned his head to look at his brother disinterestedly.

"Damn, Damon. I'm have to call Caroline." Stefan said instantly and whipped out his cell.

Damon made a face and snorted. "Why? She's home, alive, and compelled. She's fine."

Stefan ignored him and waited for Caroline to answer.

"Hello, Caroline here." Came her voice.

"Hey, Caroline, it's Stefan... I just wanted to make sure you were okay.."

"Um.. yeah... why wouldn't I be? Btw, I had a great time with your brother. He is super hot!"

Stefan pressed his lips into a thin line. "Right. Are you sure your okay?"

"Sheesh, Stefan, what did you expect your brother to do to me?" Here she giggled, and Stefan could only guess why.

"Nothing. I... I guess I'll see you tomorrow, bye."

"You are so weird, Stefan." He could tell by her voice that she was probably rolling her eyes. He hung up and then turned to his brother. Damon was looking at him expectantly. "So, is she dead?"

"... No."

Damon flashed him a smile. "Miracles of miracles! Now please, take this drool bag off of me, and put it to bed. I want to take a shower and go to sleep."

Stefan walked over and slowly picked up Danielle. Miraculously she stayed sleeping. He headed toward the stairs and then paused.

"Damon. Honestly. What are you still doing here?"

Damon stretched, picked himself up off the couch and casually walked past Stefan. He turned as he reached the base of the staircase. "Honestly? I'm here to find what I'm looking for and make your life a living hell in the process. 'Night."

Stefan's eyes followed his older brother up the stairs and then hesitantly climbed the stairs himself. "It's because of Katherine, isn't it."

Damon slowed his walking, but kept the same haughty posture as before.

"For some reason, you have it in your head that I know where she is. Well, I don't-Damon. As far as I know-no one does. But then, you would know more about the others than me. Wouldn't you." Stefan could almost feel the venom seeping from his words. Suddenly this was much more about him hanging around Caroline. It was more than Katherine even.

Damon lifted his head to the ceiling and then turned slowly and glowered. At him. "Oh please, Stefan. You still think I'm the reason everyone left you? I'm sorry baby brother, but they left you on their own." He crossed his arms over his chest.

As he did that action Stefan caught sight of the ring on his finger. The ring that he had been trying to avoid seeing since Damon had arrived. But see it he did. He held Danielle closer to him and climbed up the rest of the stairs, unsure if he could even hold himself up.

"Not everyone." He managed to say, his eyes fixed on the ring.

Damon followed his brothers gaze and just for a moment broke his arrogant stance. His features almost became sad in that one moment-but Stefan convinced himself it must have been a trick of the light because soon he had the ring hidden under an arm and a scowl was on his face.

"Oh please. You barley even knew the guy."

Stefan couldn't believe his ears. His mouth dropped opened and he switched Danielle to his other shoulder. "Because you killed him!" His voice startled the baby and she jolted and began to whimper. Neither brother did anything about it. They just stood-staring at each other.

Finally Damon spoke. "Yes, I did. And you know what? I still don't care. The guy was a d-"

"Don't! Stop!"

"Just because you don't want to hear it doesn't make it any less of the truth. But then, you probably never saw that side of him- or at least pretended not to. Because, God Forbid if little Stefan's world was rocked."

"Stop..." Stefan had lost all fight in his voice. He couldn't do this... he couldn't have this conversation. Not now. "I'm taking her to bed."

Damon didn't say a thing as he turned and went to his room, slamming the door so that anything hanging on the hall walls shuddered.

Stefan made his way to the room he had given his niece and sank into the closest chair, which happened to be a rocking chair. He just sat there, tears threatening to flow over, and rocked and rocked until Danielle finally fell asleep.

(Then)

Stefan's POV

There was a knock at the door. He wasn't usually allowed to answer the door, but ever since Ryder and Brooklyn had left he had been doing a lot of things he hadn't be allowed to do before. Yet, Stefan knew-had a gut feeling-that he probably shouldn't open the door this time. But the knocking was still there, slow and steady-waiting, and no one was there to answer it.

He pushed himself away from the table where he had been doing his homework and gathered his courage. He made his way to the door, and then with a deep breath opened it. Who he found standing there was one of the last people on earth he would have thought to be standing at his door-under any circumstance-ever.

"Katherine?"

She gazed down at him, looking just as he remembered her. Brown silk hair falling down her back, dark piercing eyes that could either make you feel insignificant or superior. Her body was slender and lithe and she used everything she had to her advantage. And she still scared him.

She moved past him into the house looking around. He followed her.

"What are you doing here?"

She stopped her searching and turned to look down at him again. She cocked her head to the side as she did so. Stefan shifted uncomfortably as her gaze seemed to strip him. A small smirk alighted her face.

"Damon's not here." He said. She still hadn't spoken.

She leaned toward him and ran a manicured finger along his collarbone, over his shoulder and half way down his back before she walked past him and into the kitchen. A distasteful shiver ran through his body and he followed her.

She looked around the kitchen and then peered down at the table where his homework still lay.

"Book report?" She finally said.

He looked at her confused. "What?"

She pointed to the table. "You were doing a book report-I interrupted you."

Stefan didn't know what to say and just stood therein the kitchen door way, watching her.

Katherine leaned against the counter and flicked through some mail that his mother had left there since yesterday. "So, how old are you now, Stefan?"

She didn't make any sense to him. Why was she asking such unimportant questions? "Uh... twelve."

She didn't reply and pushed herself off of the counter and took a step toward him. He took an involuntary step back.

"I'm not here for Damon. Did you know your father owned a summer house in Mystic Falls, Virginia?"

Stefan looked over his shoulder, as if perhaps his mother would be behind him and save him from this bewildering situation. She wasn't there. "So?"

"I hear it's nice over there." She shrugged, and came even closer to him.

This time he tried to hold he tried to hold his ground, and just leaned back a bit. This close he could smell her perfume. She always wore the same perfume, and it always made him think of that day two years ago..

He blinked and straightened up when he realized she had asked another question and he had missed it. "Huh?"

She seemed to be out of patience now, which was another reason she scared him so much. Her mood swings were terrible if he remembered correctly. She extended her hand and shoved him against a wall, planting said hand on his chest.

"Where's your mother?"

Stefan's heart was racing so fast and he just knew she could feel it. "I don't know! Katherine-what are you doing here!" He begged.

She narrowed her eyes at him, but apparently finally deemed him worthy of an explanation. "I have some unfinished business with your mother. Klaus is on my trail and I need her. Plus I still need to think of something to do with Elena, and then there's Damon still trying to look for me, making a mess out of everything."

Klaus. Elena. Those names had no meaning to him. His mother. Damon. Those two names used to mean the world. Now it all swirled around in his head but he had no idea what any of it meant. "Wh...what?"

She rolled her eyes but then leaned forward and ran a finger down his face, still holding him up with her other hand. "Tsk. Sometimes I'm not careful with what I say. Or it could just be you... you Salvatore boys seem to have that affect on people."

He could feel vomit rising in his throat both from her touch and her stench.

"Look at me." Stefan tried not to, but he couldn't help getting caught in her gaze. Trapped. Like a fly in a spider's web.

"You will not remember anything that I have told you. In fact... you will not remember that I came to visit at all."

Stefan blacked out then. At least he thought so. For when he came to he was sitting at the kitchen table-his homework splayed out in front of him. He looked around puzzled. Had he fallen asleep? He must have.

He shook his head, trying to get back to focus and turned all his attention to his book report. However, in the back of his mind two words nagged at his thoughts and kept trying to make their way to the top. Just two words over and over...Mystic Falls..