Chapter 26

Memory Lane

Mystic Falls, 1864

"Look who found his dancing shoes," Katherine comments, a smile playing across her lips as her and Stefan dance. Stefan smiles back looking into her brown eyes as he moves forward attempting to place a kiss on her lips. Katherine leans back, holding in a giggle, "No touching Mr Salvatore. Those are the rules," she reminds him.

"I thought you didn't believe in rules," Stefan retorts his eyes finding his brother's as he stares at the two of them. "My brother is still upset that you chose to escort me," Stefan comments, a hint of guilt in his voice.

"Well, Damon needs to concede that is younger brother is a better dance," she says, gazing over at Damon, "besides, it looks like he found someone else to occupy his time." Stefan eyes widen in surprise as he sees Elouise, dressed in her modern jeans and a t-shirt joking and laughing with Damon.

Elouise smiles over at Stefan, giving him a small wave, "Elouise," he murmurs.

"Stefan don't," Katherine tells him, as Stefan watches helplessly as they leave together.

"Elouise," he exclaims, trying to call her back, still worried about what his brother might do to the innocent girl. Stefan shrugs off Katherine following them as he opens a door to reveal the Mystic Grill.

Elouise stands over a pool table, a grin on her lips, "Your turn," she says to a smiling Damon.

"Prepare to loss," he warns her, grabbing Elouise's arm as she giggles, pulling her into a passionate kiss.

"You worry about her," Katherine comments, still wearing the ball dress that belonged in 1864, "you think that Damon is going to hurt her, that he's bad for her. But Stefan love does that to us, it changes us, love did it to me. Don't fight it Stefan, you loved me once, you can love me again." Stefan turns to face her, finding himself once again in 1864. "I love you, Stefan. We'll be together again, I promise," Katherine murmurs, her lips meeting his.

Stefan wakes up from the dream in horror, smiling when he sees Elena sleeping on his chest. She wakes up groggily, looking at his face, "Are you okay?" she questions concerned.

"Yeah, bad dream go back to sleep," he assures her, before staring down at her again. He rushes out of bed, as Katherine sits up, "Katherine," Stefan guesses correctly.

"You have to admit I am getting better at this," she tells him, "it was easy to get inside your head have you completely forsaken your nature?" she questions him, jumping out of the bed. He rushes over to attack her, but she pushes him over and he falls to the ground. "Are we really going to do this again?" Katherine asks tiredly, "you know I could rip you apart and do my nails at the same time."

"What do you want?" Stefan hisses as he pulls himself back up.

"I wanted to see you, I missed you Stefan. Indulge me for a little while, please?" she pleads with him, an innocent smile on her face.

"Why are you and Rose back in town?" he questions her.

"Me, three reasons, you, you, and you," Katherine says to him, "Rose still thinks her and Damon are friends," she tells him, rolling her eyes.

I step into the Mystic Grill still trying to get everything that happened yesterday through my head. My little brother and possibly sister was a werewolf, who else could this happen to? I spot Damon and take a deep breath, I needed to speak to him. "Hey," I greet him as we met, both walking up to the other, "thanks for the gift," I add. So far it hadn't given me much, but I'm sure it was bound to give me something.

"So," Damon says to me, a question unwritten in the air.

"We're fine," I assure him, "well semi fine in the way that you were going to kill my sister but didn't and I can't hate you," I ramble stopping myself when I see Damon smirking. "Shut up," I scold him, looking at the dessert in his hand, "What are you doing?" I question confused.

"I'm going to Jenna's barbecue to have a chat to Mason Lockwood, then poison him with sliver," he tells me.

"That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about, Mason Lockwood is with my brother Levi so," I pause here trying to figure how to say stay away from him.

"Relax Elouise, Mason Lockwood is the only person on my hit list," he promises me.

"Okay good, because I don't know if I'd be able to forgive you if you hurt my brother," I confess, shifting nervously from foot to foot. I knew I should be worried about him going after Mason, Levi's friend but I just knew Damon wouldn't listen to me.

"Elouise," Damon says, causing me to look up into his blue eyes, "I know how hard it is for you to forgive me, I'm not going to do anything to make you hate me."

I smile up at him, "Good, if you want I can talk to Levi about this werewolf stuff, I'm meeting him later," I suggest.

"He may be your brother, but remember he's still a werewolf Elouise we don't really know how dangerous they are," he warns.

I nod, "Got it, I'll be fine," I promise him.

Katherine sits in the Salvatore living room, a smile playing on her lips as she looks through one of Stefan's journal. "You shouldn't read someone's journal," Stefan says as he walks in spotting her.

"I know, I'm sorry," Katherine tells him, her gaze meeting his, "it was just so tempting, all of your inner thoughts and feelings, laying there on your desk for me to read." Stefan takes the journal from her hands, replacing it with a glass of blood.

"Damon's private stock," he tells her, as she takes it.

Katherine nods, "That's right. You don't do human, I read that, I also read about your recent werewolf siting, that must have come as a surprise," Katherine comments, smirking.

"What do you know about werewolves?" Stefan questions her, surprised that she knew about them.

Katherine sighs, "I know not to pet one. Their bite kills, Stefan," she warns him, "its best to stay clear of them during a full moon."

"And, how do you know this?" Stefan asks her, almost wearily.

"Who do you think was responsible for ridding this town of vampires in 1864?" Katherine questions him in response.

"Founding families," Stefan says without thought.

"Spearheaded by?" Katherine asks him, giving him another hint.

"The Lockwoods," Stefan answers, things beginning to make sense.

"You remember the Founder's ball, don't you? The one you were dreaming about?" she asks him, smiling as she thought about the dream she gave him.

"I was your escort," Stefan remembers.

"That was before you and Damon, knew me and Rose's little secret," Katherine says, smiling.

Mystic Falls 1864

Katherine and Stefan stand raising a toast to George Lockwood as Rose approaches them, placing a hand on Katherine's forearm. "A word," she says quietly.

Katherine smiles, handing Rose a glass, "Come on Rose it's a celebration," she tells her daughter.

Rose frowns, her face serious, "Katherine," she repeats. Katherine nods upon seeing Rose's face, going to the side with her. "Henry and I looked into the attacks from the other night," Rose tells her, a frown still painting her features.

"That's good news, Rose. It means we have nothing to worry about," Katherine reminds her.

Rose shakes her head, "No they were torn apart, the founders are going to investigate, you know that," she says to her, worry hinting in her voice.

"Relax Rose,' Katherine says gently, "this town is my home and these vampires are our family. We won't let anything happen, but I think its time you had a chat to your good friend George Lockwood," she instructs her, as Rose brown eyes found George Lockwood, a smile hinting her features as he looks at her.

"From the moment we met George we knew he'd be a problem," Katherine tells Stefan, pacing around the room, drink in hand.

"So you're saying all the Lockwoods are werewolves," Stefan concludes at her words.

"The werewolf gene runs in the Lockwood family, not that there all wolves," Katherine corrects him.

"How many werewolves are out there? Clearly its not just limited to the Lockwoods," Stefan guesses, thinking about Elouise's suspicion of her brother.

Katherine smiles, "You're right there are others, not many. They're practically extinct," she informs her, shrugging as she finishes her drink placing it on the table. "My turn to ask a question," Katherine says, looking up into Stefan's eyes. She takes the journal from the table, pulling out the picture he had of her and Rose and showing it to him, "Why did you keep this picture? Why didn't you burn it? Tear it up? Why did I come back, I have a better question, why did you? For Elena? No. You came back to fall in love with me all over again," Katherine declares to Stefan.

Stefan takes in her words, moving towards as he places a hand on her face, a soft smile on his lips, "What is it about you that makes me still care?" Katherine moves forward to kiss Stefan but Stefan acts first, forcing a vervain dart into her back as she collapses.

I watched Levi nervously as I sat across from him, unsure of how to ask him the question that had been plaguing my mind. I mean how does anyone even start that conversation? Levi was frowning as he went over the menu, and it saddened me to think that his eyes looked years older than he was. I wondered if mine did to, if that is what this supernatural world that life threw us into did to people. "Levi," I say softly, drawing his brown eyes to my ones. I take a deep breath, "Areyouawerewolf?" I question so fast, that I doubted he understood me.

Levi's frown grows deeper, "If you're asking then you already know," he tells me, his voice cold, nothing like the warmth that had been in it yesterday. I sigh, wondering what happened, did he not trust me? "I know you know vampires," he explains to me at my look of confusion.

"How?" I ask in surprise, if he knew that meant Mason knew as well.

"You don't enter a town, not knowing your enemies," he mutters.

"Enemies," I repeat, "you mean that werewolf, vampire, hating each other crap is true?" I ask. I may have already known the answer to that, but I didn't want it to be true.

Levi shakes his head, "You really think I'd tell you anything, knowing that you'd run off and tell your vampire friends?" he questions me. I stare at him in surprise, a little hurt by the accusation. Maybe it had been true, I would have told Damon, that's why I was here, but I hadn't viewed it as Levi obviously did like a betrayal.

"I'm sorry," I murmur, feeling a little ashamed, "its just," I start but stop again when I realize I really didn't have an excuse.

Levi shrugs, "Its fine Elouise, I already knew where your loyalties lied, I just wanted to meet you," he tells me honestly, standing up and walking away before I had a chance to argue.

Meanwhile in the Salvatore basement, Stefan has attached Katherine to a chair with chains. "Now where were we? That's right you were going to tell me why you and Rose came back to Mystic Falls," Stefan says to her, a slight smile on his face in knowing he had the upper hand.

"You don't have to do this," Katherine tells him.

"Answer the question," Stefan snaps, ignoring her words.

"I came back for you," Katherine repeats.

"We're going to play by my rules now," Stefan tells her, slipping on a pair of gloves as he picks up some vervain and places it across her face, while she screams in response.

"Answer the question," Stefan commands her, removing the vervain and watching her.

"You're going to torture me now?" Katherine asks, her voice hurt.

"I'll do whatever it takes for you to tell me the truth," Stefan informs her, voice cold.

"Later that night at the Founder's Ball," Katherine begins to recount but Stefan quickly interrupts, "I don't want to hear anymore stories of the past." Katherine smiles, "Yes you do Stefan, that's exactly what you want to hear."

Mystic Falls 1864

Rose stands against a table, drink in hand, as George Lockwood joins her. "She's all alone. Does this mean I can finally have you all to myself?" he questions her.

Rose flashes him a smile, "You know I always have time for you," she purrs gently, "your father has outdone himself," she comments, looking around.

"Knowing father he'll want to throw a founder's party every year," George tells her smiling back at her.

"You know, I'm rather surprised you came looking for me," Rose comments to him, taking a delicate sip of her drink.

"Why?" George asks her in surprise, "because we aren't as close as you and your precious Damon Salvatore, because we can change that," he suggests, eyeing her over.

Rose laughs, before sending him a smile, "No because I'm a vampire that could kill you in your sleep," she threatens him, the smile never leaving her face.

"I beg your pardon?" George says, feigning shock.

"Relax George," Rose cooed, "I know you know my secret."

"This conversation is over," George declares, making his way out of the room but Rose grabs his arm.

"And I know your secret too, I know that you're strong just not as strong," she whispers, as she releases her grip on his arm.

"How do you know who I am?" he questions her in surprise.

"You think I'd settle into a town without knowing my enemies?" she asks him, as she felt the presence of Katherine who had taken her place beside her.

"What do you want?" he questions the two of them as they smile.

Stefan takes a chair, sitting down in front of Katherine, "What did he want?" he questions, interested in the story he had never realized, had been going on.

"Elouise, what are you doing here?" Elena asks in shock, as she steps into the kitchen, where Elena and Jenna were preparing. She had invited her but Elouise had declined saying that she was seeing Levi and then had plans with Daniel.

"You invited me remember," she replies, giving her a wink as Elena realizes the truth it was Rose.

Elena shakes her head unsure of what to do, but when she sees Jenna looks at her quizzically she smiles at Rose, "Right, I totally spaced," she says to her, her heart beating fast.

Rose just shakes her head before turning to Jenna, "Thanks for letting me come, I sometimes feel I'm intruding on your kindness," she tells her, putting on an innocent voice.

Jenna laughs, "You're welcome anytime, besides you're not the plus one I'm worried about. Why is Damon coming?" she questions Elena in annoyance.

"Because Alaric is a pity taker. Come on Jenna, be nice," Elena urges her.

Rose smiles, a playful light in her eyes, "Yeah, what's wrong with Damon?" she asks innocently.

Jenna gives her a look, "He doesn't know how to keep his paws off you," she replies, leaving the three of them in silence as Rose frowns.

"Good news, I found the shot glasses," Mason declares as he walks in, not realizing what hung in the air.

"That's our cue," Rose says to Elena, grabbing her arm and leading her out of the room.

"What are you doing here?" Elena hisses as they stand in the living room.

Rose laughs, "Relax Elena, I'm just having some fun," she tells her.

"You can't be here," Elena snaps, looking at Rose nervously not knowing what she was planning on doing.

Rose rolls her eyes, "Will you change your mind, if I promise not to kill anyone?" she questions sweetly. Elena opens her mouth to respond, but before she can Damon walks in.

"Hey Elouise," he greets.

"Hey Damon," she replies, flashing him a grin.

"Not Elouise," Elena mutters.

"Rose," Damon guesses, rushing towards her as Rose holds him back.

"Don't Damon," she warns him, "I would hate to mess you up, you're looking dashing," she comments.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Damon growls.

Rose sighs, "I just wanted to spend some time with my best friend, you're avoiding me," she pouts. "Leave," he orders her.

"Why I love a good barbecue," she argues, smiling.

I sigh as I sit next to Daniel on his family's porch trying not to think about Levi but wanting to think about at the same time. "When did life get so screwed up?" I question Daniel, thinking back to a time, when I had one friend, one sister and one set of parents and nothing supernatural plagued my existence.

"Its not screwed up," Daniel counters, offering a warm tea that I clasp my hands over, "its complicated yeah, but not screwed up," he tells me, sitting down beside me. I nod, taking a sip as the warm liquid ran down my throat, as I fought back a tear.

"I just, Levi said he knew I had chosen my side but I don't want this to be about sides. I mean I have somebody I love on everyone side of this equation," I mutter, thinking about my vampire friends, and my parents who hated vampires and now my werewolf siblings.

"I get that Elouise, but he's not wrong, you can't expect everyone to call a truce because they all care about you," Daniel retorts, making me feel worse for even considering that it might be possible.

I sigh, looking out at the familiar street of this familiar town, "You know one day I'm going to walk out of this town and away from all its craziness and I'm never going to look back," I declare.

"What are you doing here?" Damon questions Rose again as she sits curled up on the Gilbert sofa, searching through old photo albums.

She looks up at Damon a frown on her face, "Honestly I wanted to say sorry, I totally overreacted the other day. I mean you have every right to be angry with me but believe I've had a lot that I needed to do before seeing you again," Rose tells him, her brown eyes staring into his blue ones.

"How come I don't believe you," Damon counters.

Rose sighs, "You don't have to but I'm not going anywhere," she informs him, a twinkle in her eyes, "but if you want a promise I won't hurt Elouise she has nothing to fear from me. Just you do know she'll never accept you for being who you are, you know that right." A growl comes from Damon at her words but Rose just smiles handing over the photo album to show a picture of Elena and Elouise playing together when they were younger, "Its so nice don't you think that two sisters could be together," she whispers, as she passes him walking back into the kitchen.

Mystic Falls 1864

"I just spoke to Giuseppe Salvatore the round up happens tonight," George informs Katherine and Rose as they walk with him around the Salvatore estate.

"Good," Katherine nods, "ensure they do a body count before the church is set ablaze," she reminds him.

"I will," George promises her.

"28 vampires," Rose says almost to herself.

"Once the flames create chaos, crawl to the exit under the quire loft. I'll be there to set you free," George promises the both of them.

Rose and Katherine both smile at each other, "Oh and make sure you're not followed, everyone needs to believe we perished in that fire," Katherine tells him, her voice cold and emotionless.

"What are you planning?" Rose questions Damon as she follows him outside to where he is preparing to follow Mason.

"Nothing for you to worry about," Damon tells her.

Rose shrugs, "Okay, you can hate me all you want Damon but just remember that I'm always going to be here, because me and you we're the same. We do bad things and we don't look back and we don't care about humans," she says to him, a smile on her lips.

Damon smirks, "I'll remember that," he replies to her, brushing past her as he makes his way to confront Mason, sliver knife in hand.

I take a deep breath as I spot Damon at the bar of the Grill. I still couldn't believe Rose had spent the time at the barbecue being me and Elena had said she was pretty successful. I followed my gaze to where Elena and Stefan were talking probably breaking up as we speak and then to Caroline who was watching them. Caroline I couldn't believe my sister working for Katherine and Rose. I take a step forward trying to remember all the people I loved as I approached Damon. "Hey," I greet him, my voice low.

"That you?" he questions me. I nod, grabbing a napkin and playing with it in my hands.

"Drinking?" I question looking at his glass, trying to make conversation. Damon just shrugs in response. "I can't be friends with you," I say, forcing the words out of my mouth even though they weren't true, "I thought I could forgive you but I can't. I realized that when you killed Jeremy that could have been Levi, I mean you've made it clear that you don't care about my siblings," I remind him.

"Elouise," Damon starts his expression hurt which made me feel even worse.

"I'm sorry Damon, but I don't want anything to do with you anymore," I tell him, turning around and walking away before he could say anything. My eyes find Caroline who immediately looks away when she sees me make eye contact, my heart sinks, Elena was right, Rose and Katherine had gotten to her. I still couldn't work out why me and Damon couldn't just pretend to not be friends, like Stefan and Elena were pretending. Except Stefan seemed to think that if Damon knew Rose had threatened everyone I loved, he would go after her, even if I begged him not to. I suppose he was right. He had after all made enemies with Mason, therefore making things between me and Levi worse. Yet this just didn't seem fear, I didn't want to be some pawn in Rose's game and there was no way in hell I wanted to give in to her demands, but I didn't have any choice and I hated it.

A/N Sorry this chapter has taken so long to get out, just being very busy...I hope you enjoy :)