Disclaimer! I do not own Vampire Diaries or any of the extremely attractive cast...alas...However, Alex and her story are mine. Please don't 'borrow' her! And now, onto a tea party!

Mystic Falls, 1862

Mayor Lockwood held another of his balls last evening. The mansion had changed little in my four years absence. No, in fact, it had remained the same Victorian beauty that had housed the Christmas Ball of my twelfth year. But its inhabitants had changed. Mayor Lockwood had changed. I had crossed him berating George in the study as the party commenced downstairs. It was frightening, his eyes flashed gold for a moment and a monster had replaced his face. George had only shrugged it off. Grandmother had told me to ignore it but something told me it should be remembered.

Present

The Lockwood land had grown since the last time I was here, by more than a hundred acres. It was still pretty, but I couldn't say much more. I hated nearly everything about this town, the Lockwood Mansion included. Da, on the other hand, loved it. "Look at this!" he whistled, walking up the wide front steps. "Piece o' beauty ain't it?"

"It's nice." I shrugged. Been there, seen that. He knocked on the front door and waited, I tapped my flats on the tiled porch. The door opened and a middle aged woman with mid length brown hair and an expensive suit on smiled at us.

"You must be the Conners." She smiled widely, extending her hand. "I'm Carol Lockwood." A spark of understanding this was the head of the Lockwood family now. I inhaled deeply, remaining with my arms crossed and sour look ruining her niceties. She didn't smell like a dog.

"Michael Conner." Da extended his own hand and firmly shook Carol's hand in his own. I frowned at the American version of the family name. Gran would have thrown a fit. I said nothing and remained in the moody teenage persona that was working quite well for me. He glanced at me, waiting for my intro I suppose.

"I'm Alex." I muttered.

Da shook his head, but technically I didn't do anything wrong. Carol cast me a disappointed look. No doubt Da had regaled her with tales about my good manners over the phone. Those only applied when I was in a good mood. "Well, the Founders are waiting. Do come in." Her thousand watt smile was annoying, but Da replied with one in kind and stepped into the house. I followed grudgingly.

Inside air conditioning thrummed through the vents, cooling the rooms that appeared as if the Civil War had happened yesterday, minus the TVs and radios of course. Carol walked on ahead, leading us to the living room. A group of people sat sipping iced tea and speaking quietly. "Everyone." Carol cleared her throat. The room's occupants turned to stare at us while I fidgeted uncomfortably. "This is Michael and Alex Conner."

Suddenly there was a swarm of townsfolk. I nearly died from the flashbacks. Only this time they didn't have torches and a Winchester aimed at my head. Through the melee of intros, I caught two. The first was from a teen my age, and man did he smell like wet dog. "Tyler Lockwood." He smiled cockily.

The second was a man whose eyes bored into mine. I knew those eyes. They had once held mine in another era. "Jonathan Gilbert, a pleasure to meet you Alex." Ah, that explained it. A Gilbert. His keen gaze told me he knew just a little too much for his own good. John smiled, and I could only think of a snake as his eyes twinkled. "Where's Damon?" he asked Carol.

"Kitchen." She replied. "Care for some tea Alex?" John asked, gesturing towards what I knew to be the kitchen. I nodded absently, following him as Da set about speaking with the town's royalty. Jonathan Gilbert was a quiet man, and said nothing as he passed through the halls. I stayed the same, noticing the newer pieces that had come to the house since last I was here.

"Here we are." John stepped inside a room that differed from the rest. Chrome and steel decorated the chef styled kitchen, windows wide open to light the Hell's Kitchen fan dream room. The fridge was open, a man with dark hair and clothing peering inside. "Pass me the tea Damon." Jonathan asked, pulling forth two cups from a cabinet. I went to the window, staring at the grounds that had grown since 1864. A fountain played nearby, its sweet water scenting the air.

"Here you go." A glass of amber tea appeared before my line of sight. I took it, smiling slightly.

"Tha-"The glass fell from my grasp, shattering against the pristine tiled floor. Tea soaked through my flats, and my hands began to shake.

"Are you okay?" I nearly sobbed as the soft voice and concerned eyes of Damon Salvatore caught mine.

Well, there it is! Finally got over my writer's block thanks to a new playlist of music themed on these two! (If you want to know what it is, I've got a list somewhere *glances at huge mess of papers on the desk*...somewhere...

Anywho, rate! I would love to hear some ideas and constructive criticism.

Theme Song:

"Jar of Hearts"- Christina Perri