a/n: Why yes, I was watching Heroes while I wrote this part (for those of you that watch that show, you'll know what I'm talking about)

NINE

I was very grateful that Stefan and Bonnie were not at the boarding house when it was time to head over to Jenna's. The last thing I needed was an awkward car ride there. Caroline was still out of town and had called me early this morning to tell me she wouldn't be coming to the party. That made me less tense because it meant everyone could relax and be themselves. Jenna had asked me to bring a few things and Damon had helped me load them into the car. I volunteered to make the dessert and after a fake protest from Jenna she agreed to let me. "Why are you bringing all of this if Alaric and Jenna are the hosts?"

"Jenna cannot make a dessert to save her life and she asked me to get the things she forgot. It just turned out to be that she forgot napkins, beverages, and ice."

He shook his head and laughed. "Anything else before we go?"

I looked around then shook my head briefly. "Nope."

We drove to Jenna's at a slow pace and sure enough, a mile within range, the necklace at my throat began to pulse. "No repeats of last year. You are not going outside without one of the other vampires around."

I looked at him and tilted my head. "Telling me I can't do something only makes me want to do it more." He stared at me the way he does when he won't take no for an answer. I sighed and nodded. "Not that I was planning on going outside by myself anyway. And I really don't think anyone should go outside alone." He nodded in agreement and parked the car. "Will you promise me something?"

He twisted in his seat to look at me. His blue eyes sparkling with mischief and humor. "And that would be?"

"Do not pick any fights with your brother."

"Not every fight we have starts with me."

"I know that. I'm going to make sure he does the same thing. This is about Jeremy. I don't want the focus on anything else but him."

He cupped my face and pulled me to him over the consul in the middle of the car to kiss me in a reassuring manner. "I promise to ignore my brother so the focus will be on yours."

I pulled back and smiled. "Thank you."

We got out of the car and started loading our arms with things to carry up to the house. The only problem was it had taken us two trips last time. No matter how strong vampires were, we could still only carry so much with an awkward grip. "Want some help Miss Gilbert?" Harper asked as he appeared next to me. The door to the house was wide open.

"Sure Harper, that would be great," I said and let him carry the cake into the house while Damon and I hurried to get the rest. We were a little early and it turned out that the men were outside drinking while cooking on the grill. Harper joined them after setting the cake on the last bit of empty counter space. "Go," I said and gave Damon a slight push towards the back door as I went to help Jenna finish setting up the table.

"I'm so glad you came."

"Why wouldn't I?"

"I meant back to town. This year has been so boring without you," she said as she tucked some hair behind my ears.

I shifted my feet and looked down. "I'm not staying much longer. You know that right?"

She nodded and pretended that it didn't hurt either one of us. "I know. I just wish things had been different."

I knew she meant me not being a vampire and I could only agree with her. There were days where I hated what I was, mostly because it hadn't been my choice to turn. I would have waited a few years. I shook my head to clear my thoughts. "We should have a girls night for all of us before I leave," I suggested.

"All of us?"

"You, me, Bonnie, Pearl, and Anna. Caroline if she's back."

"Are you ever going to tell her?"

I thought about it again as I had been since coming back to town. "Her mother is on the Council and knowing Caroline, she's not the greatest person to tell your dirty little secrets to."

"Yes, but she's dating Matt and that kind of secret can put a strain on a relationship. That's how it was with you and Stefan in the beginning right?"

I sighed knowing she was right and we both looked up as Stefan, Matt, Tyler, and Bonnie walked into the foyer with presents and other party favors in their arms. "The other guys are out back," I told them and then looked at Bonnie. "The girls are in the living room."

She shook her head before setting her things down and then returned to help Jenna and I. "I swear, men think grilling is some sacred ritual," she said, earning a laugh from both of us.

Jenna hugged Bonnie in greeting and they exchanged the usual pleasantries of not having seen someone in awhile. Then she asked the question that made Bonnie and I look away from each other. "Are you seeing anyone?"

Jenna noticed the tension in the room and made an "O" with her mouth. "Stefan and I recently started seeing each other," Bonnie answered in a voice that said it was the first time she had ever said that out loud.

"It's okay, I knew about it," I said to Jenna who was torn between babbling apologies and excusing herself.

"Well, then I'm glad to see the two of you are still like sisters." She looked towards the living room where Anna and Pearl were sitting quietly. "Come on, it's rude to not include them."

I nodded in agreement and we moved our chat to the living room to include the other two. I was actually surprised that the thoughts I were receiving from the others were only general reading of their mood and I relaxed more and enjoyed myself. Pearl and Anna were telling us of their encounters in history and it was truly fascinating. I could hear them speaking, but even then I couldn't help but think about how I would someday be telling some strangers that I had been through in the past four hundred years. "Excuse me," I muttered and went upstairs to my old room. I was glad to find that nothing had been touched since I had left except that the bed was a little crumpled. I touched the bed to smooth it out and stood perfectly still as I saw Jenna clear as day laying down and crying onto my pillows. I stepped back and bumped into the dresser, staring wide-eyed at the bed. "Damon," I whispered, putting enough loudness in my voice that he would be able to hear me.

In seconds, he was closing the door behind me. "Elena? What's wrong?" he asked as he pulled me to him.

"I don't know," I said and stepped back. My eyes were still glued to the bed. "But I'm pretty sure I picked up a new power somewhere along the way."

His brow rose in curiosity. "Please explain."

"I was downstairs listening to Pearl and Anna reminisce about the past and I couldn't help but think that I would be the one telling stories like that in the future. But it also meant that everyone I cared about would be gone, so I excused myself and came up here to just...I don't know, to just be silent. I was going to straighten out the comforter and when I touched it I could see Jenna on it. She was crying on my pillows as she held them. When I stepped back, the bed was empty, but it was definitely something that happened in the past."

"Psychometry," he said although it was mostly to himself as if he were mildly surprised to have remembered the word.

"What?"

He shook his head as if my voice had reminded him he wasn't alone. "Psychometry is the ability some people have that lets them see the past and the future of an object that they touch."

I groaned. "First telepathy, now this?" I narrowed my eyes at him and stood a little straighter. "How do you know all this?"

"I met one before," he said with a grin that told me he knew more about this person than I was going to like. Thankfully, he left it at that.

"So werewolves, witches, vampires, telepaths, and psychometrics? And I happen to be four out of five. Fantastic," I said with heavy sarcasm as I ran a hand through my hair several times just to process this new information. "So, how does this sort of thing happen?"

He shrugged, "I didn't really ask for details, but mostly it's through the offspring of witches and warlocks. Some people get the ability to harness the elements and raw magick itself like Bonnie, others get a special ability."

"Or two or three," I added and smirked. "Let's keep this between us for the moment."

He nodded and I followed him downstairs as Alaric called that dinner was ready. Everyone helped in getting plates dished up and after ten minutes of semi-organized chaos, we were seated around the extended dining room table engaged in conversation mostly revolving around Jeremy and his plans for the future. Since here was an odd number of people at the house, one side had five, the other six, and one person sat at each of the heads. John was at the far end and to his right were Stefan, Bonnie, Matt, Tyler, and Alaric with Jenna at the other head of the table. To John's left was the more crowded side with Jeremy next to him followed by Anna, Pearl, Harper, Damon, and then myself. I was glad the Salvatore brothers were on opposite sides of the table and was able to concentrate on the conversation and not the fight that might break out. About halfway through dinner, I caught a piece of Alaric's thoughts and I looked at him with shock.

He saw me and motioned for me to come with him as he excused us both from the table. "You're what?" I asked the moment we were at the den at the back of the first floor.

"I thought if you heard my thoughts right before, you would give it away. Besides, I already asked Jeremy if it was alright and now I'm asking you."

I stared at him as he showed me the contents of the little ring box he pulled out from the bottom drawer of the desk. "Did you really think I would say no to this?" I asked and hugged him hard.

"Not really, but just in case," he said and we walked back into the dining room. I had the hardest time containing my wild smile as we settled into our seats. Damon's gentle squeeze on my thigh helped clear my mind a little. Until Alaric cleared his throat and got everyone's attention. I had to keep my eyes away from Jenna because I could feel them misting over already. Luckily, everyone else was focused on Alaric as he began his speech. "I just want to congratulate Jeremy again on his successful high school career. There was a lot of ups and downs from both of my former Gilbert students and I wish them the best of luck in their futures." He then turned his attention to Jenna. I could hear her heart skip a beat as her mind processed what was about to happen. "Jenna, you are an amazing person for dropping everything to take care of your niece and nephew. Especially since they are the most unusual of people." There was a little laughter from everyone. "I never thought I would get over Isobel, but seeing you with your family and how you accept everything and make the best out of any situation changed my mind." He got down on one knee and held open the box for her to see. Her breath picked up and her heart fluttered in her chest as tears of joy streamed down her cheeks. "Jenna Sommers, will you marry me?"

The room filled with heavy anticipation as Jenna stared at him with wide, teary eyes. She began nodding her head slowly and then quicker and quicker. "Yes, of course I'll marry you!" she cried and there were cheers across the table.

"So much for keeping the focus on Jeremy," Damon muttered in my ear and I smacked him playfully.