A/N: This is a little back story and Emma-Stefan bonding moment. I love Stefan but no worries, in my mind he and Elena are meant to be, just like the books. Also, I don't just put things in my stories for no reason, there is a whole story in my head and Emma's been dying to get me to type it for her. Also, this isn't the *whole* story, see if you notice what she left out. On a side note, I'll be moving and unsure how often I'll be able to update next week. Hopefully often- my muse has been working overtime...

Chapter 9

The next morning Emma sat on the couch pulling on her shoes slowly, thinking about the night before. It was amazing how so many things could happen in just a couple of hours. She was almost killed, saved, fought with Damon, fought with her brother, and made up with Damon all in one night. No one could say last night was boring.

She sighed loudly, shaking her head. She and Damon had just gone to sleep after that kiss last night. She had been mentally and physically exhausted; unable to keep her eyes open any longer. When she woke, Damon was gone. She had searched for her brother but he was gone as well. It worried her a bit but she also knew Damon was a big boy and could take care of himself. She was more concerned about Jake.

"Good morning," a voice from the doorway startled her. Emma hadn't realized she'd been so lost in thought, allowing Stefan to sneak up on her. She smiled at him, returning the greeting. He sat on the other end of the couch as she finished lacing up her sneakers.

"I feel the need to apologize for last night." Emma told him, sitting back and turning toward him, resting her temple against her fist. "There was a lot going on that you didn't really need to be involved in."

Stefan gave her a crooked grin. "I told you, Damon and I are the ones that need to do the apologizing. We had some good times with your brother but what Damon did..." He shook his head. "That changed Jake. I take responsibility since I pushed Damon into going to college in the first place."

"Oh, I think Damon can take responsibility for his own actions. You didn't make him kill anyone, Stefan." Emma knew that Stefan liked to take ownership of Damon's actions a lot. Damon told her all about it. "He knows how to feel his own guilt."

"Still," Stefan said. "Jake has every right to angry with both of us."

Now Emma shook her head. "No, you're not those same people. If Jake can change in a few short years, and trust me, he has, then you guys can too. I know both of you, not well, but well enough. You're not evil killers that just do terrible things just for fun."

"How do you know?" Stefan was curious and unconvinced.

"I wouldn't be alive." She pointed out. "Damon had every opportunity to kill me that first night. He's had many since. He could have killed Jake last night, or the cops that came to the house, or countless other people who have been in our way the last week. There is nothing stopping him, if he was a cold-hearted, psycho killer."

"I can see your point." Stefan conceded, sitting forward on the couch and resting his forearms on his knees. "But I will caution you on wholeheartedly trusting him. Damon is many things but I don't know if I'd count stable among them."

Emma smiled. "Thanks for watching out for me. I think I'll be okay, but I will keep it in mind."

Stefan was silent a moment and Emma could see the internal debate going on in his head. He wanted to ask her something but he didn't wasn't sure. She let him battle it out in silence for a moment. Finally, he looked over at her. "I wanted to ask you about something you said last night, but if it's none of my business, please tell me."

Emma frowned in confusion but nodded. "Sure, anything. Ask away."

Taking a deep breath he looked back to the floor before speaking. "Last night you said something that changed the argument between you and Jake. You said it and it was almost like slapping him in the face."

Emma sucked in her breath through her teeth. He had noticed that, huh? Pressing her lips together it was her turn to have an internal debate. What should she tell him?

"You don't have to tell me-"

"No, you're fine. Are you talking about him not having a 'squeaky clean' past?"

"Well, that too. But you also told him he 'had to let go.' That just seemed to take the fight right out of him, like it meant something." Stefan seemed embarrassed. "It's too much, too personal, I shouldn't have asked."

Emma chewed her bottom lip thoughtfully, wondering what to say. She would have to remember that vampires were more observant about things than other people. She hadn't realized Stefan had picked up on both things she'd said to get Jake to cooperate last night. So much for thinking she was sneaky.

"It's alright, it's just hard to explain-"

"You don't have to-"

"No, I want to, it's just...difficult." Emma sighed. "Did Elena tell you why Jake and I came back to Mystic Falls a few years back?"

"To take over your parents' book store." Stefan told her.

She nodded. "Yep. But that's all she said?" He confirmed. "Good ol' Elena." Emma smiled in appreciation of her friends ability to keep things on the down low. "We came back because our parents died and left us the book store."

"Your parents are dead?" Stefan looked shocked. "No one ever said a word."

"It's a tragic story that happened many years ago. People don't like to talk about it, including us." Emma said, feeling her eyes water at the thought of it all. She pushed back the tears though. She hadn't cried over her parents death in months and she wasn't about to start now; she was trying to move on with her life and move past that sadness. Her parents wouldn't have wanted her to dwell forever. But she wasn't done explaining it to Stefan.

"It was a horrific accident,"

"You don't have to tell me about it. I understand." Stefan held up a hand to stop her.

"No, it's good to get it out. Bottling it up makes it worse." She told him. Taking a breath she continued. "It was terrible. It was a car accident, like Elena's parents. That's kind of why Elena and I are such good friends. I was able to listen and talk with her about her parents with true empathy. To lose your parents so suddenly, so unexpectedly- people can't truly understand what that's like. You appreciate the sympathy but people can't comprehend the heartache unless they've been there. Elena and I have been good for each other in that way." Emma sighed, standing and beginning to pace.

"My mom didn't die right away," she continued, watching her shoes and she walked back and forth across the sitting room. "She was in the hospital, alive for hours after the crash. The doctors knew there was nothing they could do to save her, her internal organs were just crushed to bits. All they could do was make her comfortable..."

"Emma," Stefan stood, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Really, you don't have to-"

But she had started and she couldn't stop. There was a tremble in her voice she couldn't mask but she kept talking through it. "Jake was there the whole time, at the hospital with her. I was away at college, hours away. I had to have a friend drive me, I was out of my mind with grief. I got there for her last moments. Jake and I each had one of her hands but her last words were to him. 'Jake, you have to let go.' And then she was gone." Emma finally stopped pacing, hugging herself. She Stefan hesitating, not knowing what to do to comfort her. She really didn't want him to comfort her so she stepped back, looking at him. "It was my trump card last night, Stefan. It was cruel of me to use it, but I had to snap him out of that anger. I think, though, that I might have been unfair."

"Jake will forgive you." Stefan's compassion showed in his eyes. How could her brother think that either of these brothers was evil? Vampire didn't mean demon, it just meant different. Their ability to love, sympathize, and any other array of emotions made them just as human as she was. Evil was in the intent. If anyone was evil, it was her for bringing up the subject with Jake last night.

"He might," She conceded. "But not today."

"Have you told Damon any of this?" Stefan asked. She shook her head. "You should."

"I will."

"He might use it against Jake, though." Stefan warned.

"He might. He won't, but the possibility will be there, I understand." She reached down to pick up her bag. "Sorry to be all tragic and emo and then go, but I do have a store to run. I am late opening today."

Stefan surprised her by sweeping her up into a quick hug. "Don't dwell on the bad today, okay? Keep in mind, Jake stayed the night in this house and both vampires are still alive this morning. That's progress." He stepped back, flashing her an infectious smile.

"Optimism. I love it." Emma returned the grin. "Teach your brother some of that, please."

"That's another conversation for another time." Stefan rolled his eyes. Emma put her bag over her shoulder and walked out the door. "Brother," Stefan sighed to himself when he was alone. "What have you gotten yourself into?"