A/N: It's been a really long time, guys. I'm sorry! I definitely lost motivation for this fic, but it's safe to say that I've found it and there will be about four or five more chapters in this! I already have another chapter in the works. I promise you won't have to wait long at all for updates! :) Thanks for bearing with me! Shout out to Ordinary Person for asking me to finish this!

Love you all,
Anneryn

I DO NOT OWN THE VAMPIRE DIARIES OR THE CHARACTERS.

Chapter Seven:

It's crazy how normal it felt to be around Mason. It feels like old times. He's always felt more like a big brother, than an uncle. It's unreal how different he is than my dad. He's his polar opposite. Thank God. There's no way in hell that I could handle two of them.

"Come on. You're trying to tell me that the most interesting thing going on in your life right now is school?" Mason asked me. I shrugged, trying to brush off his question. He didn't look convinced. He took another swig of his beer and sat across from me, on the couch. "Then, at least tell me who you've been seeing. You've got some serious hickeys going on." He tried, gesturing to my neck. I fought the blush settling in my face. I told Jeremy to ease up on those.

"I'm not seeing anyone serious." I lied. My eyes flitted over to Jeremy's for a second, before I forced myself to look away. I could see Damon in the corner of my eye, looking way too amused at what was going on.

'Ouch,' Damon mouthed. Jeremy got up and 'accidentally' spilled his soda on him. I laughed and Damon scowled.

"You're gonna have to open up to me sometime, if we're going to be living together, Tyler." Mason told me. I nodded. "Come on. Let's get out of here for a little while. I wanna catch up with my favorite nephew."

"Tell me the truth. How bad have things at home gotten? I know that I've been gone, but I'm not stupid. When I talked to Richard, he sounded rough. I know that he's always been driven and set in his ways, but damn. You can… You can talk to me Tyler. I'm back in Mystic Falls and I'm not going anywhere. I've got your back. If shit's going down, I want to know about it. You're just a kid. You shouldn't have to shoulder everything on your own. It's not right." Mason tried to get me to talk to him, as we walked around town.

It's tempting. It's so tempting… but how do I know that my dad won't somehow hear about this? The last thing that I need to deal with is his backlash. Always fearing him… Never knowing what he'll do to me next… It's so exhausting. I don't want to keep everything bottled up inside, anymore… but I can't tell him. It's too soon. I can't. I'll just… I'll tell him as little as I possibly can and maybe that'll keep him from asking too many questions, until I can answer them, safely.

"He's been on my case a lot the past few years, Mason. You know how he is. Everything has to be perfect – look perfect. His image is everything. It's always been everything. You know? Mom… she can't make it twenty-four hours without pouring herself into a drunken stupor. As long as she can play the doting mayor's wife, he doesn't care what else she does in her free time. It's been hard, Mason." I told him, truthfully. Even only telling him a third of what had been going on, it still felt like a huge burden was lifted off of me.

"I wish you would've called me… or something." Mason breathed, as he rubbed the back of his neck. "I haven't been around much and I get why you didn't. Just… You're not alone in this anymore. I meant it when I asked you to live with me. I think that it would be good for both of us. I hate living alone and I miss my family. It's a win-win for both of us. I love you, Ty. You're my bro." Mason leveled with me. I tried to ignore the way that his words made my heart swell. It's the feeling that I haven't felt so long – love. I've missed it.

"Thanks Mason. That means a lot. I love you, too. I've missed you." I told him. He hugged me and I tried to reign in my emotions. I can't cry. Crying is weak. I can't afford to be weak… It's not the Lockwood way.

A/N: Reviews would be lovely.