Disclaimer: Nothing is mine! It all belongs to someone else.

I was putting eggs into the fridge when my phone rang.

"This is Brighton."

"Hey Bri! It's Bianca."

"Hey, what's up?"

"I was wondering where you disappeared to. You just left without saying anything. I know things have been rough lately, but I didn't think things had gotten bad enough for you to just up and leave town."

"I couldn't deal with it, Bianca. I couldn't live in that apartment without thinking about what he did, what I did. It was too much." I had to sit down before I was overcome with emotion.

"I know. But I thought you were getting through it. I was trying to help." She paused then sighed. "Ok Bri, will you at least tell me where you are so I won't worry about you lying in a ditch somewhere."

"I'm staying with my brother for awhile, in Virginia."

"Aahh, the cute brother that Emily told me about? That one?"

I laughed. "Yes, the brother that Emily has been crushing on since she was fourteen." Bianca laughed. I was pretty sure I heard Emily talking in the background. "Don't you guys worry about me. I'll be fine. I'm just gonna to take a breather from the supernatural. I'll be back as soon as I can." I hoped she didn't know about the history of Mystic Falls.

"Okay. Call me or Emily if you need to talk or anything." I knew I was right about Emily when I heard her yell in agreement over the phone.

"I promise I'll call you. And I promise I'll be back soon." I knew I was lying to her but I didn't know how long it would take me to get over Phillip.

"I love you, girl" Bianca told me.

"Love ya too. Bye."

We hung up and I sat at the table in thought until Ric unlocked the front door and threw his bag on the floor.

He threw himself onto the couch and huffed in exhaustion. I walked over and sat next to him.

"How was your day at the office, dear?" We played this game a lot when we were little.

"It was great." Ah, I smelt sarcasm. "Is the pot roast done, hun? I love when dinner is on the table when I get home from work."

I laughed at his question. We both knew I would never be the type of woman who would be a stay-at-home wife and fix pot roast. He joined in laughing and soon we were a mess of cackles and guffaws on the black couch.

As soon as the laughter died down into the occasional giggle and snicker, he spoke up. "What did you do today?"

"I went and got my car, ate at the Grill, bought food for you, talked to Bianca, and just relaxed for awhile. What about you?" I knew to leave out my encounter with Damon. It would only upset him.

"I dealt with ignorant students and graded essays. That's about it. What do you want for dinner?"

"I planned on ordering something." He nodded his okay and pointed to where the take-out menus were. I called a Chinese place and ordered. As we waited, the silence was stifling. I could tell he had waited the entire day to hear the rest of my story. I avoided the confrontation like the plague. I washed whatever dishes were lying in the sink and then cleaned the counters. I got plates and glasses out for dinner. When I ran out of things to distract me, the door bell rang and I ran to get it. Ric sat on the couch; he knew I was procrastinating.

We had finished our lo mein and egg rolls when he asked the question. "Who is it that you're running from?"

My fork stopped halfway to my mouth. "What makes you think I'm running from anything?"

"Well, you seemed pretty okay with Bianca and her witchiness which means that there is someone or something else that you're running from."

"There isn't anyone." I stuffed a dumpling into my mouth and looked away.

"So there is someone." He waited patiently. "What is his name?"

I sighed. "His name was Phillip."

"Was?" Ric tilted his head.

"Ya, was."

He nodded in understanding. He had Isobel. I wonder if he knew. "Who was he?"

I put down my fork and pushed my plate away. I couldn't eat anymore. "I met him after I met Bianca. He was beautiful. Dark curly hair and beautiful green eyes; he had a swimmer's body. God, he was gorgeous." Ric cleared his throat. He didn't want to hear about Phillip's body from his kid sister. "Oh right." I said sheepishly. "We met at a party when I went back to visit Bianca the following summer. We instantly connected. He knew everything. Of course, he knew all about art. He had been to the Louvre and Italy and Greece. I was so envious and he promised to take me to see the best art in the world." I stopped for a second.

"Well, did you go? Did he take you?"

"Of course he did. I fell in love with him way before that though. We went out for about six months before we slept together."

"Bri!" Ric whined. He didn't want to know.

"Trust me. It's part of the story. Otherwise you would still think I was a virgin." He threw his hands up in submission then he motioned for me to go on.

"It was after a party and we were both slightly intoxicated. We went back to his place and it happened. But he…he changed. Sometime during…the act, his face changed. His eyes got red and veins started popping up. I didn't know what to do. I thought…I didn't know what to think. I hadn't ever…anyway before I could scream, he bit me."

"He was a vampire." Ric was angry. I couldn't bear to look at him.

"Ya. I told Bianca what happened the next day and she let me in on the world's little secret: vampires exist. I didn't know what to say to Phillip and I didn't know what to do. When I confronted Phillip about it, he wooed me even further, told me that I was the love of his life, and persuaded me that it was okay, that vampires could have human girlfriends and boyfriends. I was deeply in love with him so of course I didn't doubt him. I moved in with him two months after that. We were perfect. He treated me like royalty and I loved him too much to see what he really was: a monster." I paused to take a drink.

"We didn't have to work because of the money he had acquired over the years so there was no reason to go out. Gradually he starting making me stay indoors with him and feeding him. I grew so pale and thin that I couldn't move from our bedroom. I managed to get the phone from across the room and call Emily one night when Phillip had gone out. When she got there, she was surprised to see me. Apparently she thought me and Phillip had moved out of town. Phillip had lied to all of my friends so no one would suspect a thing. She packed a bag for me and helped me out of bed. We had almost gotten to the front door when Phillip walked in. He threw me down and attacked Emily. He bit her right there in our living room and I couldn't do anything to stop him." I was angry now and I couldn't contain it- I was shaking.

Alaric grabbed our plates and put them in the sink to wash later. He grabbed my hands and pulled me toward the couch. Once we were seated, he persuaded me to continue. "What happened next?"

"Emily had called Bianca to tell her where she was going. Bianca said she had felt a bad vibe that day. She knew something bad was going to happen. She had followed Emily just in case. She was right. Bianca got there just in time. She attacked Phillip with vervain and managed to get me and Emily out. I don't know how she stopped him from following us but I didn't see Phillip for several months."

"He managed to find you." Ric stated, concerned.

"He's a vampire, a hunter. It's in his blood…or the blood he drinks- you know what I mean. Anyway he found me back at school. I was leaving class one night and there he was, waiting for me outside my apartment. Of course, he couldn't get in and I didn't intend on inviting him in ever. But my roommate didn't know our history and he compelled her to invite him in. I didn't find out until a week later when he left a dead bird on my pillow." My throat swelled up with terror. I didn't know how I was going to get through this next part. Ric started to rub my back in comfort.

"I had come home from a theatre party and I found him waiting for me in my bedroom. I tried to scream but I knew it was useless. He stopped me and my roommate wasn't home." Tears were falling from my eyes and I was gasping for breathe. But I rambled on.

"He grabbed me and threw me at the mirror. He complained about how I left him and how lonely he was after I left. I lay on the floor, my back was throbbing, and I pleaded for him to stop. He just picked me up and kissed me. When I fought him, he broke my nose. When I kicked him in the shin, he threw me to the floor and kicked my ribs. He broke two. I wasn't going to stop fighting though. Dad taught me better." Ric smiled at that. Our dad both taught us how to defend ourselves. But dad had never gone against a vampire.

"I struggled to my feet and tried to get to the door but he slammed it shut and threw me against it. He pulled my head back and kissed me again. Then he…" My throat closed up and I couldn't get the words out. But Ric understood and pulled me into a fierce hug. He just rocked me as I sobbed into his shoulder. I didn't stop crying for ten minutes. I pulled away and wiped my nose. When I opened my mouth to continue, he stopped me. "You don't have to go on. I don't think I can handle it."

"I have to." I said pleading with him to let me talk. I had to get it out. I hadn't told anyone the full story. Most people heard the abridged version, the one without nudity. "When I woke up, he was gone and I had bite marks all over my body. I couldn't remember the fight. I thought Phillip had come back and apologized and we just had passionate sex." Ric looked like he was about to interrupt with a question but I stopped him with my hand.

"He came back the next night with flowers and two plane tickets to Paris. We skipped town and went. I didn't ask questions about his sudden reappearance. I didn't worry about school or my friends. All I thought about was my love for Phillip." I breathed in and out before I continued. "He had compelled me for the first time that night when he attacked me. I had known him for two years and never once had he compelled before then."

"How do you know all this then, if he compelled you?"

"I'm getting to that. We got back and all was seemingly well; right up until Emily came to visit me. She saw us enter my apartment happily. So she called Bianca. Bianca came and they both ambushed me when I was at class. It was morning so Phillip wasn't around. I didn't believe them when they told me about what happened between Phillip and Emily. But Bianca showed me the truth. She did a spell that lifted the fog from my mind and showed me the memories that Phillip had hidden. I was upset and confused and angry. How could he do this? I thought I had loved him. I suddenly didn't know who I could trust: Emily and Bianca or Phillip. Bianca gave me some vervain and told me what to do with it and how to test him. When I got home that afternoon, I pretended everything was fine and he believed me. I cooked us dinner and when we went to bed, we started to do what we did every night."

I smiled sadly when Ric cringed.

"When he bit me, I tried so hard to pretend that everything was the same, that I was happy. But I knew what I had to do. He fell asleep when he was finished and I laid awake all night next to this…this monster who had lied to me and made me forget. I knew I had to wait until morning when he was the weakest. When the sun started peaking through the curtains, I stood and walked to my bag to get the stake Bianca had given me. As I waited for him to wake, I readied myself between the bed and the window. He woke and tried to draw me into his arms, but I didn't go. Phillip knew something was up. He sat up and then he noticed the stake in my hand. He tried to compel me. I went to him and when he was in reach, I staked him. He looked so stunned, I started crying. Here was a man I loved or thought I had loved, and I had killed him. He fell back onto the bed and he starting to shrivel. I fell back into the window and tore the curtains from their rods. When the sun fell across the sheets, Phillip burst into flames. I shut my eyes and willed everything to go away. I finally mustered the courage to open them and Phillip wasn't there anymore. He was just dust. I didn't know what to do. I tripped and crawled over to the opposite side of the room and slid into a corner."

I was too tired and worn out. I wanted my past to finally be behind me. Hopefully telling Alaric was the final step.

"I don't know how long I was there, in that corner, until Bianca came to get me. She got me in the shower and told me she'd clean up the mess. By the time I was finished and got out, she was vacuuming the room." I laughed at that and looked at Ric. He wasn't laughing. "Sorry, I never thought about it. She vacuumed up Phillip. A Bissell got rid of a vampire." I laughed until I was in hysterics and I was crying. I guess I cried over anything these days. Ric was staring at me like I had grown a third head.

"I think it's time you got some sleep, Bri."

I stopped laughing and realized how tired I was. I stood and swayed on the spot. Ric caught me and helped me into bed. I was out before he turned out the light.

-Alaric POV-

I turned out her light and shut the door behind me. As I walked into the living room, something caught my eye outside the window. Damon Salvatore was leaning against a tree in my backyard.

-Alaric POV-

I rushed outside and toward Damon.

"What the hell are you doing here?" He pushed himself off the tree and stepped closer.

"I was here for story time. She is very compelling isn't she?", he said. I grabbed his shirt and shoved him against the tree.

"Damon, stay away from her! I swear if you do anything-". Damon pushed me back and punched me in the gut. I could tell he didn't really want to hurt me, just warn me.

"Ric, I would be careful. I think you're getting a little too comfortable around me. Have you forgotten what I am?"

"No, Damon," I said mockingly, "I haven't forgotten what you are. Brighton just told me what things like you do. How dare you come here and invade her privacy! You may be able to do that with me, but not her! Leave her alone."

Damon looked interested and nonchalant at the same time. "Look, she freaked out the other night after she brought Anna back and I just wondered why."

"That ritual worked? Wow, I guess she was right about Bianca."

"Bianca who?" Damon was searching for more clues.

"Nobody." I changed the subject. "What do you mean she 'freaked out'?"

"I was trying to ask her a question and she started screaming. I don't know." He shrugged and leaned up against the tree again.

I was getting angry. "Brighton doesn't just start screaming, you did something."

Damon looked insulted, well fake-insulted. "Hey, all I did was ask her how she knew about us vamps. Now maybe I did get a little too close. But it's not my problem that she can't handle a hot guy like me getting all up in her 'grill'."

I stepped over into his 'grill', "Listen, Damon, leave her alone and don't talk to her ever again. She's had enough shit in her life and she doesn't need one more psycho vampire who just wants to control her in it."

"I don't want-"

I punched him- hard. "I mean it, Damon. If I hear about you talking or even looking at her, I will kill you, for good." I walked back to the house. I slammed the door, locked it, and turned off the outside light, leaving Damon in the dark.

-Damon POV-

Man, Saltzman can hit when he tries. My jaw kind of stung where his ring scraped it. I rubbed it to soothe the pain. Anyway why did he assume that I wanted to control her? Why does everyone assume that I'm just a vampire that concocts evil plans? Oh wait; I am a vampire that concocts evil plans. But not this time. I just want to know her, understand her. Brighton's the first girl in a century and a half who has caught more than my eye. There were feelings whose names I didn't know.

As I looked at the tiny Saltzman house, I knew that I had to talk to Brighton. I had to get her to give me a chance. I swore to myself that I wouldn't let anyone ruin this for me. I wouldn't let myself ruin this.

Music that helped this story along: The Vampire Diaries Soundtrack, of course, A Fine Frenzy, Florence and the Machine, Imogen Heap, Kate Havnevik, Jason Walker, and American Idiot: Broadway Cast Recording (I know it's random.)

Please review. They're always lovely.