AN: Thanks so so much for the reviews and favorites and follows! It makes me so happy that people are enjoying EWY! This chapter is a little shorter than usual. But the next is going to be craziness and will be longer. I hope you enjoy! Leave me some love! And Go read Live, Learn, Life, Love, Die, Dust, Gone right now! It's amazing!

Chapter 20

I will be, all that you want
And gather myself together
Cause you keep me from falling apart
All my life, I'll be with you forever
To get you through the day
And make everything OK

I thought that I had everything
I didn't know what life could bring
But now I see, honestly

You're the one thing I got right
The only one I let inside
Now I can breathe, cause you're here with me

And if I let you down
I'll turn it all around
Cause I would never let you go

Cause without you I cant breathe
I'm not gonna ever, ever let you leave
You're all I've got, you're all I want
Yeah

And without you I don't know what I'd do
I can never, ever live a day without you
Here with me, do you see,
You're all I need

I Will Be by Leona Lewis

Layla's POV

Damon went to get me breakfast, he said he'd be back soon. His phone has been buzzing almost non stop for the last ten minutes, I guess he forgot to grab it. I can't stand the sound anymore so I snatch the phone off the nightstand and answer.

"Damon's out right now." I didn't even bother to see who was calling.

"Ah Layla. How are you today love?" Uhg Klaus. He sounds especially cheerful.

"Oh just peachy. And yourself?" He chuckles for some odd reason.

"I am quite well thank you. Let Damon know I have the information he asked for. Have a good day sweetheart." He hangs up before I can ask any questions. Information?

I hear the door close downstairs so I go down to find Damon in the kitchen. Elena and Stefan are also here. Elena is sipping from a blood bag.

"Chocolate chip muffin for the lady." I take the muffin from Damon and kiss him on the cheek.

"Thanks. Klaus kept calling while you were gone so I answered." I hold his phone out to him but it takes him a second to react. He's looking at me strangely, as is Stefan.

"He said he had the information you asked for. What's he talking about?" Now Damon looks as if he's been caught doing something. He swallows and I see Stefan shift nervously beside Elena. She looks as confused as I must. Oh great, what's going on?

"It's nothing important." He is lying! And Stefan knows what its about too. Uh uh, I refuse to be kept in the dark.

"Are we really going to have this same fight about you hiding something again?" I'm trying to keep my voice calm. I'm giving him a chance to own up.

He stares at me blankly, defiantly. His automatic response to conflict is to lash out and I don't want that.

"Damon just tell me, ok? I wont get mad unless you keep lying." This is kind of awkward with other people in the room but I wont give him an out.

"What is going on guys? I definitely know when both of you are keeping something to yourselves." Elena comes to stand by me.

"Damon…maybe you should…" Damon turns to face Stefan with a scowl. Apparently he's pissed he said anything.

"Thanks for the back up brother." By this point I'm openly glaring at my boyfriend. I'm about to punch him if he doesn't open his damn mouth. He glares back for a few seconds.

"You know people always say that they're not going to get pissed as long as you tell the truth but we all know that's a lie. You are going to flip out. So at least let me explain everything before you try to stake me. Got it?" This sounds bad. I nod my head in agreement. I have the urge to grab hold of Elena's hand for support.

"Remember how you got that phone call a while ago that really freaked you out?" Yea this is going no where good.

"Yes." My voice comes out small.

"The person that you thought was calling…really was calling." My hearts drops. What!? No, that makes no sense.

"W-What do you mean? That's impossible." Now I kind of wish Stefan and Elena would leave the room but I find myself reaching for my best friends hand despite myself. Elena squeezes my hand but looks at me confused.

"She had vampire blood in her system when she died Layla. She's a vampire." I think I may faint. I can hear my heart pounding in my ears.

"No! She can't be! She was cremated, we had a funeral!" Now I am yelling. This cant be right. Elena still has a hold on my hand, squeezing tighter.

"She is. I don't know how but it's true. She had to have known a vampire." I can barely keep myself upright, I know I'm shaking.

"H-How do you know?" He comes towards me and I'm too weak to stop him. When he reaches me he sets me on a stool. He must be able to tell I'm feeling unsteady. Elena stays close to me.

"She called your phone. I talked to her and she left me a message at the Grill for me because she saw me. She's in Mystic Falls." I'm starting to feel angry. He was right I was pissed.

"Why would you hide this from me!? She's my mother Damon! I thought she was dead!" Elena gasps next to me. She too looks angry, but she doesn't know the whole story. She shoots a questioning look at Stefan who seemed to be in on this as well.

"I'm trying to protect you! She wants to hurt you!" She wants to hurt me? Knowing that alone hurts. Tears of anger and confusion sting my eyes.

"And what are you planning on doing? Are you going to kill her?" I look to both Salvatore's. I don't care that tears are streaming down my face. Elena wraps a protective arm around my shoulder.

"You're damn right I'm going to kill her! It's probably what she's planning on doing to you!" I push out of my chair and swing my arm back. The slap hits Damon square on the cheek causing his head to fly to the side.

He looks like he might snap. His eyes are turning red, the veins starting to show. I'm sure his fangs are pushing through his gums.

"Thought you weren't going to get mad princess? I'm guessing you're feeling a little hypocritical today. Is it because your piece of shit crack whore of a mother wants to rip your heart out?"

This time it's Elena who delivers the blow. Hers is hard enough to knock Damon square on his ass. He's up and lunging at her without a second thought. Stefan steps in front of Elena and pushes his brother back to the ground. How could he say that to me? How did this all happen?

"You know what? Fuck all of you!" He stands and walks out of the room, No way is he leaving!

I run out of the kitchen and grab him by the wrist. He whips around and yanks his arm from my grasp. He leers down at me. I'm beyond pissed right now and ridiculously upset but I know once the anger passes I'm going to need Damon. He lied to protect me and though it doesn't make it right it does mean he wasn't trying to intentionally hurt me. I reach up and take his face in my hands. His expression softens slightly.

"Please don't leave Damon" Confusion is clear on his beautiful face.

"Aren't you leaving me?" Behind his rage there's vulnerability and hurt. I stand on my toes and bring my lips to his. Instinctively his arms wrap around my waist. I pull away, his eyes return to their normal crystalline blue.

"I am angrier with you right now than I have ever been. I'm not sorry that I slapped you and I'm not sorry that I yelled. Keeping this from me was incredibly selfish and wrong. I know you want to protect me but this isn't just some random person that wants to hurt me, it's my mom. My mom that I thought died. This is a lot to process. And though the anger is at the forefront of my mind right now I also know that you're the only person that can get me through this. I need you right now. I love you so so much. To answer your question, no I'm not leaving you." He looks astonished. When is he going to get through his head how much he means to me?

He pulls me back into an embrace.

"I really am just trying to protect you Layla. I won't let her near you." I sigh into his chest.

"I want to talk to her. I have to." He holds me at arms length.

"If you think I'll let you see her than you are completely fucking insane."

"That's not your choice to make. Are you going to lock me in the basement?" I sound defiant. Our glares return. I hear movement behind me.

"I'll tie you to my god damn bed if I have to!" Elena and Stefan stand beside me now.

"She needs to see her mom Damon. I don't know the whole story but she deserves the chance to speak with her." I smile at Elena in thanks.

"Fine! You wanna see her? Let's go see her!" I roll my eyes at the ridiculous vampire in front of me. He's fighting to stay in control.

"You can't be there. You'd probably kill her in front of me before I even say one word." The annoying ass smirk returns to his lips.

"I'll go with you. And I'll ask Caroline to come." I hug Elena. She's such a good friend. This is something I can agree to.

"That sounds fair brother. They could meet her somewhere public." I nod in agreement. Even I'm not so crazy to meet her alone. She may be my mother but we have never gotten a long. Damon growls and pulls at his hair like a child.

"I will be right across the street from wherever the hell you meet her! If she makes one wrong move I swear on my life I will snap her fucking neck!" He does not look at all happy. I'm happy he's agreed though. I hug him tightly. It takes him a moment to reciprocate.

"Thank you Damon. I love you." I don't say it to soften him up, I just want to say it. I do love him and he needs to know that hardship isn't going to make me feel any different. He inhales sharply when I say the words, he does that every time. Is he that surprised?

He buries his face in my hair. "I love you too."

We agree to go ahead with our plan tomorrow. Well if she picks up her phone tomorrow. Damon speaks to Klaus who tells him that there were two other vampires were traveling with my mother but they left town almost as soon as they got here. My mother is staying in a hotel in town. She told Klaus she only wants to speak with me and explain some things. I know her better than that. Damon may be right…she might be here to hurt me. After all I've done I wouldn't be surprised. A small part of me is still hurt by the fact that she probably is here with bad intentions. A part of me still desperately wants my mothers love. When I was very small I think she did love me. I remember bed time stories and trips to the park. I remember kisses and embraces. I remember a family here.

Damon told Stefan everything as well as Caroline. I'm upset but more relieved. They don't think I'm a bad person. So I sit down with Elena on the antique couch and tell her about my past. I cry harder than I did when I told Damon everything. I'm a tad emotional feeling at the moment. Elena hugs me close to her through almost the whole story.

"You've been through so much Layla. Don't you see how strong you are? You're amazing. How could you think any of us would hate you?" I smile weakly at my friend.

"I guess I've always hated myself. How could anyone love me when I hate myself so much?" She shakes her head.

"Don't say that. You need to realize how great you are. You're an amazing friend, we all love you. You have no idea how much you've done for Damon. I've never seen him truly happy, I never thought I would." I can't help but smile.

"I know this is cheesy and lame but you really are my best friend Elena." She laughs and I can't help but join in.

"I think we need to keep you distracted today. So how about we do something fun? I'm sure you don't feel up to it but you need to. Just sitting here will make you lose your mind, trust me."

"Ok, let's have some fun then." I have an unshakable feeling that something awful is going to happen tomorrow.