"You guys are so lame sometimes." Allison said.
"Excuse me, you're the one who chose a lame Bon Jovi song." Caroline said.
"Hey, don't go around dissing 'You Give Love a Bad Name'." Maria told her. "Besides, they're my favorite band."
"Do we really have to get into this argument again?" Stefan asked.
It had been a week since Katherine had left. The group was hanging out at the Boarding House.
"I hate to say it, but I agree with Stefan." Tyler said, putting his arm around Caroline's shoulder. "You guys do this every time we set up the karaoke machine." Matt and Nate watched the two of them, smiling.
"How are you doing with this?"
"I'm okay with it, really. Besides, Care and I have been done a long time." Matt said.
"You'll find someone else, I know it. A lot of girls are into the nice ones." Nate pointed out.
"I noticed you're technique the other day. Did you practice martial arts?" He asked him.
"I have two black belts back home and used to teach a beginner's class." Nate explained.
"Think you can show me a few pointers?"
"Anytime."
On the other side of the room, Bonnie and Lauren were practicing levitating small items. Lauren managed to levitate a pen, uncap it, and write something down on a sheet of paper.
"Whoa. You have got to teach me that sometime." Bonnie said.
"It only works for short notes." Lauren told her. She levitated the paper to her and it fell in her lap.
"I can't believe they're having this fight again." Damon said.
"I know, but we don't always choose our friends." Maria pointed out. Damon kissed her on the cheek.
"Oh, what about that vision you were going to tell us about?"
"Will someone do something before they start wrestling again?" Elena said. They looked back over at the others. Allison and Caroline looked ready to go at it.
"Don't look at me, I'm not getting involved with that again." Jeremy said.
"You two relax. I've got it covered." Damon walked over to them.
"That's not going to end well." Elena said.
"You'd be surprised, Elena." Maria said. "He's gotten better at it."
"He has." The group jumped. They hadn't noticed Stefan come up beside them.
"Do you vampires always have to surprise us?" Jeremy asked.
"It's never intentional around you guys." He pointed out.
"Let it go, Jer." Maria said. She smiled as Stefan walked off with Elena. She noticed the others talking.
"What's that?" Jeremy asked Bonnie.
"If I told you, it wouldn't be a secret, would it?" She pointed out. "It's from Lauren."
"Got it."
"Ali, we've been over this. No fighting with our houseguests."
"I'm sorry if I provoke easily." She said.
"We're going to have to work on that." He said.
Maria smiled, looking at all her friends around the room. "Okay, everyone. Listen up. The other day...when I was apparently possessed, she left a few memories behind. Anastasia was Katherine's friend in Bulgaria. When she was banished, she followed after her to make sure she'd be safe. When Katherine went on the run, she left with her and helped her until she turned. Afterward, she returned home. She was her protector…and somehow, I'm her descendant."
"You think it might have something to do with you being…the way you are?" Bonnie asked.
"It's possible. I still don't remember who my parents were, but if they sent me to Emily…I keep thinking there's a reason I'm like this." Maria said.
"We'll figure this out." Damon told her. He squeezed her hand. She smiled at him.
"And we'll help." Caroline added.
"Thanks, you guys." Maria said. "I'll let you know if I get any more visions."
"Well, at least you've got something to go on now."
"Yeah, it'd help if I could understand her." Maria said. "I'm only getting images because she doesn't speak any language I know."
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Everyone turned to each other. "Did anyone have a plus one or something?" Allison asked. No one responded. Then came another knock.
"I'll get it." Maria said. She opened the door. "What are you doing here?" She asked.
"I was in town and figured I'd stop by." Maria returned to the living room.
"Hey, guys." The others looked up and were surprised to see Katherine with her.
"I thought you left town."
"Our flight doesn't leave for another three hours." Katherine told him.
"Wait, if it doesn't leave until today, what'd you spend the rest of the week doing?" Allison asked. "Packing your bags?"
"Actually, that's exactly what we were doing." Katherine told her. "I just came to say good-bye."
"Hang on." Elena got up. "We've been thinking about things."
"You're pretty good at coming up with plans."
"You're point?"
"We've decided you'd make a powerful ally." Maria told her. "In case we get into a situation we can't get out of on our own."
"If that happens, you know how to reach me." Katherine said. "I already programmed my number in your phone."
Maria took her cell phone out and found that it did have Katherine's number in it. "Well, I guess I'll be seeing you guys."
"While you're here," Nate said. "You might as well join us."
"Yeah, I was about to kick Ali's ass at karaoke." Caroline said.
"You so were not!" Allison protested.
"There they go again." Jeremy said.
"We may as well learn to live with it, Jer." Stefan said.
"She's you're new roommate." He pointed out.
"Don't remind me." Damon said.
"So, what do you say we tag-team these two and show em how it's done?" Maria asked Katherine.
"Why not? I guess I could stick around for a few minutes." Katherine said.
"You going to join them?" Stefan asked as Maria and Katherine walked over to where the others were standing.
"Mind if we switch partners? I think Care and Ali will literally kill each other if we don't split them up." Elena said.
"No problem."
"Now this I've got to see." Tyler said. "You coming, man?"
"Of course." Matt said. Everyone else that'd been sitting down gathered around the teams.
Before the music started, Maria glanced back and looked at Damon. He was smiling. After everything that'd happened with this group, she was glad that they were all sticking together. And now that they had a new ally on their side, whatever came next, they'd be ready for it.