Elena:

Damon and I stayed at the lake house for two more days. We drove to Richmond yesterday again to check in on his dad. Grandma has been staying in the hotel with James and so they'd be nearby. Katherine flew back to New York but she told us that she plans to come back again in two weeks, sooner if necessary. Hopefully his dad will continue to make progress. He's on track to be discharged in just a few days. Damon is ecstatic that his father is doing so well but I think he's still a little wary. His dad has been so sick for so long. I think it's just really hard for him to process everything. Life can change on a dime. Damon loves his father so much and because of that love, he has transformed into someone that I can love. Did I really just mention love in the same sentence as Damon Salvatore? Dear God, I must be losing my mind, I think to myself. But strange as it seems, I like this Damon, more than like him if I were to be entirely honest with myself.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

"I was just thinking about everything."

He gives me a smile and squeezes my hand then continues, "Are you ready for today?"

"As ready as I'll ever be, I guess. We need to talk to Elijah about pushing the Bradley story."

"I know we do. We also need to run things past Brady. Now I know that despite his admonitions, you and I are going to go to the house but I still think we should keep him somewhat in the loop. We can just leave out that little piece of the puzzle," he points out just as he pulls into his parking space at the station.

"No kidding. He'll never agree to let us go over to their house. We're going to have to be really careful though, Damon. I've already had one attempt on my life."

Sucking in a breath, he turns in his seat slightly and takes my hands in his. "No one is going to hurt you, Elena. I'd die first," he stresses. Seeing the absolute sincerity in his eyes, I swallow thickly and nod.

"Let's do it," I say, giving him a terse smile before stepping out of the car. When Damon and I walk in, the room suddenly quiets so much so that I could hear a pin drop. Fuming on the inside, I fist my hands, relaxing only when I feel Damon's palm against my back urging me forward. After sharing a look, we walk directly to Elijah's office. Damon raises his hand to rap on his door. As soon as we hear a 'come in', we walk inside, Damon pushing the door shut behind us. Immediately, I walk over to Elijah. Not caring who sees me, I fall into his arms and hug back. I know that only Damon is privy to this show of affection but I wouldn't care if the whole station could see us hugging. They know how deep this is for both of us. After letting me go, he extends his hand to Damon. Surprising me yet again, Damon gives him a one armed hug and a nod, conveying his thoughts without words.

"Alright, do you two want to tell me what you wanted to talk to me about now?" Elijah asks, his gaze turning from Damon to me before he takes a seat. The two of us do the same, each taking a seat in front of his desk.

"We don't want to let the Bradley case go, Elijah. They deserve more than to have their memories fall through the cracks."

"He's right, Elijah."

"Look, I just got off the phone with Tobias Fell. He told me that the mayor doesn't want Amber's case re-opened."

"And just how do they know we were investigating Amber's case?"

"I don't know. Did either of you talk? Is that why what happened, happened?"

"Brady and I were talking at the bar but we kept our voices low. Oh hell, Mason was there that night. He joined us while Brady and I were engaged in conversation. I suppose he brought it up to Richard."

"Listen, I happen to believe the Bradley family deserves justice too. So if you want to keep investigating, just keep me in the dark. That way I have plausible deniability. Do you both understand?"

"Yeah, we understand," I add, shaking my head back and forth.

"Elena, speak up."

"We want to use our show as a platform. How can we do that and still keep you in the dark?"

"Oh no, you're not going to go public with your suspicions until you have some kind of evidence. I will not allow you to give some ambulance chasing lawyer ammunition to sue us for libel and/or slander. I suggest that you two come up with a topic for this week's show because this meeting is over."

Clearly frustrated himself, Damon blurts out, "Come on, Elijah. Help us out here."

"I have a broadcast meeting to attend to. You two can see yourselves out," he adds, not giving us an inch.

"Fine, but with or without your help, we are going to find the responsible party or parties," I snap, getting up and walking out of the room. Moments later, Damon follows me out and the two of us go to his office to make plans for this weeks telecast.


Taking my hand, Damon gives it a comforting squeeze and after sharing a look, he raises his hand to rap on the door. A few seconds later, it cracks open.

"Can I help you?"

"Hi Aimee. It's Elena and this is Damon Salvatore," I introduce the two of them when she opens the door a little further.

"Um, hi," she says, brushing strand of hair behind her ear.

"Aimee, you're probably aware but Damon and I are investigating Ben's death. I was wondering if maybe we could have a look in Ben and Ambers' rooms. We're hoping that maybe we'll see something that might have been overlooked by the police or by your folks."

"I suppose it would be okay? I mean, mom and dad want whoever killed Ben to go to jail," she says, stepping aside to let us in. Once we're in the house, she shows us to Amber's room first. When I look around, it's as if she's still alive. Her teddy bear and rag doll are laying atop her bed. There are posters of her crushes on the walls. It's so stark and cold yet in a sense, it's alive too almost as if they're waiting for her to return home. Shivering, I run my hands up and down my arms trying to warm up. Swallowing thickly, I feel my emotions starting to get the best of me when I see a funeral bouquet laying atop her dresser. It's all dried up and the petals that have fallen off are laying askew. Taking a breath to compose myself, I walk over, gently running my fingers over the cold wood. I almost manage to choke back my tears but when I see the 'beloved daughter and sister' written on the now browning ribbon, they break free. In my mind's eye, I can almost imagine the same saying 'beloved son and brother' as I stare at it. I have to take several more deep breaths before I can turn around to face Damon and Aimee again. When my eyes meet Damon's, I can see that he knows exactly what I'm thinking. Seconds later, he turns to face Aimee.

"Did Amber have a diary, jewelry box, hope chest, any place that she kept her secrets?"

"Not that she ever told me."

"Can we see Ben's room too?" I ask, knowing that I need to get out of her room.

"It's just down the hall, follow me," she says, pulling the door closed after Damon and I cross the threshold. I jump when I hear it slam shut. When we reach Ben's door, she twists the knob then reaches in to turn on the ceiling light. She steps aside to let Damon and I in.

"I'll be in the living room. Just turn out the light and pull the door shut when you're done."

"Thank you, Aimee," Damon says, giving her a heartfelt smile. I feel the same shiver in this room as I did in Amber's. The curtains are drawn. They're the kind of curtains that don't let any light through. It seems so dark and almost scary in here. He has some black light posters on the walls. As with Amber, the funeral bouquet is spread across his dresser. But because his funeral wasn't very long ago, the flowers are more wilted and drooping than dried out. Still several petals are strewn across the top too. It's eerie really. No stuffed animals are laying on his bed but there are a couple of skull pillows. They're creepy to be honest. But then I remember that Ben liked tattoos and if my memory is correct, he did have skulls inked on each forearm. When I turn around, I see Damon pulling open the drawers of his bedside table. I can see that he's frustrated by the way he pulls them open and closed.

"I'll check the closet," I say. Although he doesn't look up, I can see his head bob slightly. When I get done weeding through his shirt and pants pockets, I walk out. Damon is sitting on the bed, his eyes a million miles away.

"I didn't find anything. I was so sure that there would be..," he starts to say, stopping suddenly when he gets up to walk over to the dresser. Standing back slightly, he stares at it. Then he starts to slide it away from the wall, the sound startling me.

"What are you doing?"

Saying nothing, he stoops down and runs his hands along the hardwood floor. "Yes," I hear him say. Reaching into his jeans pocket, he pulls out his jack knife. Using the blade, he raises one of the floor boards. Looking over his shoulder, he gives me a big smile then pulls out what looks like a journal. Gasping, I somehow drag myself over to him, my mouth hanging agape when I see that it was Amber's.

"Damon, I can't believe you found this. We're going to have to ask Aimee if we can take it."

"We will. Let me fix this," he says, putting the floor board back into place. When it's flush, he stands up and pushes the dresser back to its original position. "Let's go," he says. After stealing a quick kiss from my lips, he steps aside so I can step out. Turning off the light, he pulls the door closed so we can go to find Aimee. I'm a little stunned when I see that her mother is now home.

"Elena, Damon? Aimee said you asked to look into their rooms."

Sharing a look with me, Damon nods. "We found this," he says, handing it to her.

"This is Amber's diary. Where did you find it?"

"It was under a floorboard in Ben's room. Mrs. Bradley, would you let Elena and me take it with us? I promise you that we'll get it back to you."

"Do you think it'll help to find Ben's killer?"

Sharing a look with me again, Damon says yes, that he hopes there will be something in it to shed some light on this mystery.

"We'll do anything for our children. Neither of them deserved what happened to them. If it'll aid your quest, please take it with you," she says, handing it back to him.

"Thank you, Mrs. Bradley. We'll keep you in the loop as much as we can."

"I'd appreciate that."

"We'll get out of here now. Thank you again, both of you," I tell them as sincerely as I can. When she nods, Damon and I leave the house and hop back into his car. Since it's already evening time, rather than go back to the station, we go over to Damon's house, knowing that it'll be private there. Once we're inside, he leads me into the living room and tells me to make myself comfortable. Since we don't have to be back to the office anymore today, he tells me to kick back and that he's going to go upstairs and change into something a little more comfortable himself. When he gets back, I unconsciously lick my lips because with his tight tee shirt on, he looks so ripped. It should be illegal to be so insanely handsome.

"Do you want something to drink, Elena?"

"Sure, whatever you have is fine."

"Do you want the alcoholic variety or just plain soda or water?"

"I could use a drink."

"Wine, bourbon, Vodka, Di Saronno?"

"Did you know that Di Saronno and fruit punch is pretty yummy? It's good by itself though too."

"Di Saronno it is then," he says. Walking out of the room, he comes back in a few minutes with an ice bucket. After pouring us each a tumbler full, he hands me one then sits down himself. After clanking our glasses together softly, we each take a drink, the amaretto taste is so smooth as it goes down. Damon gives me a look then sets his glass down, scoots over to my end of the couch, and before I can even take a breath, he presses his lips to mine, the kiss passionate and fiery.

"I like how I feel when you kiss me," I blurt out, slapping my mouth for saying that out loud.

"It feels out of this world to kiss you too, Elena," he whispers, stealing one more before letting go and reaching for Amber's diary.

"Let's have a look," I tell him when he drops it in my lap. Picking it up, I thumb through it, pointing out different passages.

"Right there, Elena," he says, pointing to a passage dated about six months before she allegedly killed herself.

"Dear Diary,

It finally happened last night. I went all the way with him. He's teased me for so long, making me want him. He cornered me so many times. I can't even tell you how much I enjoyed it when he'd stick his hand down my pants or hitch my skirt up so he could stroke me or stick a finger inside till I'd explode in ecstasy. Even though I know it's wrong because he's a married man, I know the marriage is a sham and that's all I need to justify what we're doing. Last night I went to a motel with him. Before I knew what was happening, he plied me with alcohol. Although I was tipsy, I knew what I was doing. Sex with him was simply mind-blowing. I can't wait till we can do it again. I'm a little sore but it's so worth it. Until next time, Amber.

Thumbing further ahead, Damon points to another pertinent entry dated approximately eighteen weeks before her untimely death.

"Dear Diary,

I don't know what I'm going to do. How am I going to tell my parents? How am I going to tell him? I know he doesn't want anymore children. He said he was very upset with his wife when she got pregnant again, telling me that one kid was more than sufficient. But from the times I have seen him with his son, he seems to be an okay father. Although I've never seen him overly affection with the boy even before her miscarriage, I've also never seen him raise his voice to the boy. I don't know? I'm too afraid to ask. I don't know what to do. I know I have to tell him but how? I need to tell someone. Ben, I'll tell him, he's always been the best big brother. He'll keep my secret, I know he will. Bye for now, Amber.

"Well, we do know that Richard is married but I have no idea as to whether he wanted Tyler or not. I don't know, Richard seems the type who would want an heir to inherit the Lockwood millions. He'd want to keep the money in the family."

"I agree, Damon. Maybe we're barking up the wrong tree, I don't know? But it seems quite obvious to me that Richard has some sort of a connection to all of this."

"I know, Elena. We have no clue as to who this is other than the fact that he's a adulterer and didn't want kids." Picking up my glass, I swallow back what's in it and hand it to him to get me a refill. Smiling at me, he gets up to put some fresh ice in our glasses and then pours us each another drink. I continue to thumb through it, smiling sadly when I see her sonogram photo. She was having a boy.

"This is so tragic, Damon," I whisper, reaching up to wipe the newly formed tears from my eyes.

"It is," he agrees, taking a swallow of his drink. After setting his down, he takes the diary from my hands and turns a few more pages. I don't miss the way his mouth drops agape at the same time his eyes widen. "Listen to this," he says, taking another swallow before he reads from it. "This entry is dated ten days before she died."

"Go on."

"Dear Diary,

I talked to Richard tonight. Unable to hide my bump any longer, he pulled me into his office to ask me to explain. Feeling like I had no other choice, I told him the truth. For the first time I'm afraid of what he could do and the measures he may take to get me out of Mystic Falls. I don't want that. I want to be with him. He was so livid, his face got redder with each pound of his fist on his desktop. I've never seen him so angry. When he started to close in on me, I ran out of his office. Knowing that I can't go back there, I told Ben about it and he said that I needed to watch my back. He said I could stay with him if need be. For now, I feel safe in my childhood bedroom. After his blow up tonight, I was afraid to go back to my apartment for fear he'd show up there demanding I take care of my problem. I'm keeping my baby even if he won't have anything to do with me anymore. Someone is knocking on my door so goodbye till next time, Amber.

"Wow, that's explosive evidence," I remark, my own mouth now agape.

"Elena, just because his anger reached def con five doesn't mean that he killed her. Obviously she was afraid of him but we don't know if he was all bluster or if he actually had one of his goons kill her or force those pills down her throat. We don't know the circumstances of her swallowing those pills. Did she do it under duress or of her own free will?"

"You're right. Just when I think we have a break, you shoot holes in it again."

"I'm sorry, Elena, but we need irrefutable proof that she was killed. All we have is that she was frightened of Richard. But she doesn't actually come out and say just who the father was but it sure sounds like it was him doesn't it?"

"It does," I agree.

"Are you hungry?"

"Yeah, I am." Standing up, he takes my hand and leads me into the kitchen. As soon as I sit down, he starts throwing some ingredients together for some eggs. When we finish eating, he pulls me into his arms, asking me to stay the night.

"I am tired," I admit, yawning widely.

"We'll just sleep, Elena. I love having you in my arms."

"Who would've ever thought that you and I would end up in this place?" I utter, shaking my head, a smile on my face.

"Not me but I'm certainly glad we're here," he says, dropping a kiss to the tip of my nose. Once we finish up the dishes, we go upstairs to his room, taking the diary with us so we know that it's safe. He tucks it in his bedside table, hands me one of his tee shirts and a pair of boxers then points out the bathroom for me to change. Tired, I do so quickly before crawling under the covers and into his arms. Moments later my eyes drop shut and drop me into the abyss between wake and sleep.


"Come on, Elijah, let us do this."

"Do what?" I hear someone say. Looking up, I see Tobias Fell and Richard Lockwood himself.

"Damon and Elena would like to do another show on the Bradley siblings."

"Look, I know this isn't my decision to make but don't you think you should respect the privacy of that family? They've been through enough without you two keep bringing it up."

"I have to agree with, Richard," Tobias says, staring at Elijah and then to me and Damon. As soon as those two walk away, I step back when Damon punches the wall. Fortunately not hard enough to break his hand but I know it hurts since he's rubbing it.

"Damon, stop that," Elijah warns. Now, get to your set. Your show starts in thirty minutes." With that, he turns on his heels and walks away. Lacing his good hand with mine, we go together to the studio where our show is broadcast.


"Hello everyone, welcome to our show. Tonight we'll be talking about the 'Loch Ness Monster.' Due to family matters, Esther Mikaelson is unable to join us. However, she recommended her colleague, Dr. Isobel Fleming, to fill in for her tonight. Please welcome her," he tells the audience, shaking her hand when she comes to out to join the two of us on the set.

"Hello, Dr. Fleming," I say, taking my turn to shake her hand.

"What can you tell us about the mythical Nessie?" Damon asks as picture of the monster are displayed on the screen behind us.

"Thank you for having me tonight and I'd like to thank Esther for recommending me. I look forward to seeing her in this chair again soon. As for Nessie, Sir Peter Scott gave the Loch Ness Monster the scientific name of Nessiteras rhombopteryx after an expedition to find Nessie. During the expedition he took a picture of its flipper. The Loch Ness Lake in the Scottish Highlands. Along with its many currents, it is twenty four miles long, one and a half miles across and has a depth of four hundred and fifty to seven hundred and eighty eight feet deep. Tales told by locals near Loch Ness date farther back than even the first dated sighting probably to keep children out of the dangerous waters in Loch Ness. Legend has it that the monster would come out of the water as a horse and gallop quickly right into the water with any rider it picked up and then devour him or her in the water," Isobel informs us while using her hand to gesture at the picture of the monster that's currently showing on the monitor.

"The most famous picture of Nessie turned out to be a forgery yet sightings of the monster have been reported as far back as 565 A.D. The first dated sighting did occur in 565 A.D. A man named Saint Columba rescued a swimmer in Loch Ness from a monster about to eat him and then tamed it. In 1933, a road was built near Loch Ness and number of sightings spiked. On April 14, 1933, a man named Mackeys claimed to have seen an "enormous animal "rolling and plunging" in the lake and told Alex Campbell who was in charge of salmon fishing in the lake. He also claims to have seen the monster many times after learning of the Mackey sighting. Also in 1933, a couple named Mrs. and Mr. George Spicer said they saw a "prehistoric" monster, not in the water but out of the water. It was crossing the road and then disappeared into the Loch."

"This is really a fascinating subject, Isobel. What more can you tell us?" I ask, completely enchanted with the story.

"Many have managed to take photos of Nessie. Some have been hoaxes; more have been perceived to be other natural occurrences, such as water currents. The first photo was taken of the "tail" by Hugh Gray, but it is perceived to be of a log instead. A year later, the most famous picture of Nessie was taken by Colonel Robert Wilson. In this photograph, the head of the Loch Ness monster is raised out of the water by its long neck that is connected to a humped body. But, in 1993, Christian Spurling confessed that the photo was a fake. He claimed that he had helped Colonel Wilson make the fake monster. The first expedition to use sonar and an underwater camera with a strong light to find the Loch Ness Monster was in 1972 led by Robert Rines. The sonar did detect something big moving in the water while, in August, the camera took a picture of what seemed to be a diamond paddle or flipper that many believe was faked. In 1987, Operation Deepscan took place. More than twenty boats used sonar to scan the lake together, leaving no gaps between as they went across the lake. Nothing unusual was found."

"So Isobel, what do you believe?" Damon asks, looking at her and then the camera.

"I'd like to believe it's real. However there have been expeditions to see what kind of food sources are in Loch Ness. From what they've gathered, there isn't enough in the Loch Ness to feed a plesiosaur which is what many believe Nessie to be."

"I'd like to believe too, Isobel," Damon admits.

"Thank you for joining Damon and I tonight, Dr. Fleming. We really appreciate that you were able to pinch hit for Esther."

"My pleasure. Thank you both for having me." Right before my very eyes, Damon stands up to address the camera.

"Before we close the show tonight, I'd like to mention the Bradley case again. Their parents have lost two children and if in some way, we and you in this audience can help bring Ben's killer or killers to justice, we owe it to them to do so," he starts to say.

"Elena, I and the rest of the people that help put this show together are committed to try to solve this mystery. If we or any of you in the audience know anything to bring those responsible to justice, please call that number that's scrolling on the chyron at the bottom of your TV screen. We'll see you all next time," he concludes, smiling at the camera as it pans from him to me and Isobel.

"What the hell are you doing, Damon?" I think to myself when I see the anger that's burning white hot not only in Elijah's eyes but also in Richard Lockwood's and Tobias Fell's. They're standing side by side just out of the camera's view waiting to pounce on Damon as soon as it fades to black.


Huge thanks to you, Eva. Love you lots. You mean the world to me.

And a massive thank all of you for the reviews. I can't begin to tell you how much they mean to me.

chapter title: 'If We Hold on Together' by Diana Ross from the animated movie 'The Land Before Time'.

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Be safe, be vigilant and have a wonderful day.