Gravity

Disclaimer: I don't own anything or anyone from The Vampire Diaries.

WOW! I was expecting a mixed bag of reviews for the last chapter and boy did I get one! Lots of mixed feelings, happy, angry, disappointed, upset, excited! All understandable! Here's another one to test you all… :)

March 7th 2017

Tuesday 1.00pm

Mystic Falls

"I heard you were back in town."

I feel a smile creeping onto my lips and I turn around slowly to see Klaus looking at me with his signature smirk on his lips.

"Hello Gilbert." He winks at me playfully.

"Klaus!" I wrap my arms around him in a hug; it's been a long time. "I was hoping I would run into you."

"Oh yeah?" he steps back with a smirk. "You didn't call though."

I roll my eyes. "I don't have your number." I tell him pointedly.

"We should change that." He smiles softly and I nod agreeing. "It's been a long time."

"It's been at least over a year." He informs me. I frown when I realize it. I don't think I've seen him since he and Caroline broke up at the start of our sophomore year of college. "I came home at Christmas but didn't see you?"

"I spent it in New Orleans with some family." He explains casually before looking around The Grill to see if I'm with anybody. I'm not, I was supposed to be meeting Caroline but she just text me to say she's been held up and rescheduled to tonight. "You got time for a drink?"

"By drink you mean coffee, right?" I tease as he rolls his eyes.

"Maybe for you, it's bourbon-o-clock according to my watch." He winks at me, I roll my eyes and he motions for me to go sit down. I wait for him to return and just like he said he has a glass of bourbon in one hand and my coffee in the other.

"Thanks," I smile appreciatively as I take a small smile. "So…what have you been up too?" I ask curiously.

He shrugs. "Not much. I'm still working at the garage…nothing new happening with me. Same old, same old." I nod with a small smile, he seems different but I can't explain how. "What about you? College life treating you well?"

"Yeah." I try to fight off my smile. "College life is great…better than expected."

"Good." He replies and I can see that he means it. "You seem happy, I like it." His smile fades slightly and my heart starts to pound hard against my chest because I feel like I know what's coming. "I know it's a long shot but…have you heard from Damon?"

I swallow the growing lump in my throat and shake my head silently. Klaus nods in understanding and takes a sip from his bourbon.

"He misses you, you know." He tells me. "You should see him Elena, he's-"

"Klaus don't." I cut him off. "Please." I feel my voice crack despite myself. "I can't go back there."

He frowns but doesn't take the hint. "I know you've moved on, I get it. You did what he told you to do, but Elena-"

"Klaus please!" I cut him off again desperately. "Don't do this. You're right, I have moved on, I…I have a boyfriend now."

I watch as his eyes widen. "What? Since when?"

"Since the start of junior year." I confess, trying to push back the guilt. "His name is Liam, he's a pre-med student."

He nods slowly. "Pre-med? Right."

"Don't look at me like that." I scowl at the look on his face.

"Like what?" he asks in faux-innocence.

"Like you've just found out I've betrayed your best friend. I waited for two years before I couldn't wait anymore. Damon told me to move on. I tried everything to get him to see me. I turned up at the prison numerous of times but every single time I was turned away. He rejected my phone calls; he sent back all my letters unopened. I tried! There is only so much a girl can take." My eyes start to water and my voice cracks. "I didn't want to give up on him but I had too. I was about to go insane!"

"How do you think he feels, Elena? He's rotting away in a prison cell for a crime he didn't commit while you're out here living your life playing doctors and nurses!" he snaps at me coldly.

"Damon was the one who turned himself in! Damon was the one who pleaded guilty! I never asked for any of this!" I hiss at him furiously, my entire body shaking with anger. "If I had had it my way, we would both still be miles away from here together! Damon is the one who gave up first, not me! So don't sit there and judge me because I didn't sit around sulking for the last two years over something which is completely out of my control!"

He shakes his head at me. "Did you even try to find out the truth? You told me back in Portland that you wouldn't stop until you proved Damon's innocence."

"How did you think I spent my entire senior year of high school? Of course I tried! I tried everything but I found nothing! Nobody would help me, not even you!" I snap angrily. "I tried to talk to the police but they closed the case! My Dad didn't want to know, he pretty much told me to get over it! I tried, okay? I tried!" I shake my head in disbelief.

I can't believe I'm letting myself go back here. I stand up to leave.

"Elena wait," he sighs loudly, grabbing my arm softly. "I'm sorry, I'm being an asshole."

"Yeah, yeah you are being an asshole." I snatch my arm out of his grasp and storm out of The Grill without looking back.

"Wait, wait, wait!" Caroline grabs a hold of my arm from where she is laying on her bed. "You're telling me that you made me bail on my plans with Elena, but as soon as something comes up for you, you have to go?" she doesn't sound happy.

I nod regretfully. "Sorry Care, it's important."

"What could be more important than spending the day in bed with me?" she pouts, her fingers trailing slowly up my arm.

I hold in a groan. "Trust me, this is one of the only things that is. I promise I will make it up to you," I lean down and press a quick kiss to her lips, darting out of the room as fast as possible before she can say another word.

"You owe me, Salvatore!" she shouts after me as I fly down the stairs.

I run all the way to meeting point instructed in the vague but urgent text I received from Gilbert. I see his car first, then I spot him leaning against it. A cup of coffee in his hands. He looks for too casual for this to be an emergency.

"This better be good, Gilbert." I huff as I approach him. "You don't know the day I'm missing out on because of this."

He rolls his eyes and reaches back into his open car window. He pulls out a small envelope and hands it to me. I look at him curiously but he just motions for me to open it. I sigh, roughly ripping up the paper and pulling out a small sheet. I frown confused.

"It's an address?" I ask confused.

"Jesus Christ," he mutters under his breath. "How the hell did you make it to college, huh?" he asks me in disbelief and I glare at him angrily, a snarky reply on the tip of my tongue but he cuts me off before I get the chance. "It's Will's new address." he explains like I'm stupid. I keep glaring at him as I shove the address in my pocket. "Clear up your evening. I've got a couple of things to do at the station but then you and I are taking a roadtrip. Meet me back here at five, don't be late!" he gets back into his car and drives away before I can say anything else.

I huff in annoyance and turn around, getting the fright of my life when I come face to face with my Uncle Zach.

Shit.

"What are you doing?" he asks angrily, his eyes blaring with rage. He's never looked so scary. I swallow a gulp and take a step back, trying to act as casual and cool as possible.

"Nothing."

"It didn't look like nothing." he takes another step forward.

"Gilbert was just harassing me, that's all. Made a few digs about the family, you know? The usual stuff. I just told him he was an asshole and that was the end of it."

"Oh yeah?" he raises an eyebrow and takes another step closer so we are stood toe to toe. He's menacing, is my uncle Zach but I try to pretend like this is a completely normal situation. "So then what was in the envelope he gave you?"

"Wh-what?" I stutter and shake my head. "What envelope?"

"Don't talk to me like I'm stupid, Stefan!" he shoves me back roughly. "I saw him give you something, what was it?!" he shoves me again.

I hold my hands out in front of me defensively. "Zach, it's nothing I swear!" Oh shit, he looks pissed. Like, crazy angry.

"Stop lying to me!" he roars at me furiously and I gulp, looking around the empty town square nervously. "Hand it over." he orders me sternly.

I shake my head furiously. "I don't have anything!"

"Hand it over!" he shouts angrily. I shake my head. "Stefan, I'm going to ask you one more time. Hand. It. Over." he snarls through gritted teeth.

I do the only thing I can think of at the time.

I turn on my heels and run.

I can feel him hot on my heels as I sprint through the town square.

"You okay?"

I run into Alaric on my way out of The Grill. I force a smile. "Yeah, I'm fine." I push some hair from my face, trying to stay strong.

He tilts his head and looks at me sympathetically. "You don't look fine."

"I just had a little run in with Klaus that's all, nothing too bad." I shrug casually and Ric nods his head in understanding.

"Do you want me to go and have a word with him?"

"No, Ric." I smile despite myself. "You don't need to do that. Thank you though." I tell him sincerely.

"Well you know where I am if you want to chat." he offers kindly and I know he means it. Ric is one of the only reasons I even made it through my senior year of high school. I would never have been able to graduate if it wasn't for him helping me - in more ways than one.

"Thanks Ric, I might have to take you up on that pretty soon." I smile sadly.

He looks at me questioningly. "How about we take a walk right now?"

"You don't have to do that."

"No come on, it's a nice day." he holds open the door to The Grill and I nod with a smile and follow him out.

Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit.

My ankles hurt but I keep on running, Zach is red hot on my tail. There's no getting out of this one now, he knows I've got something to hide. He knows that I'm up to something with Detective Gilbert. The only thing I can do now is lose him and deal with the consequences of this tomorrow.

I avoid an old lady walking slowly down the street, she shouts after me to watch where I'm going. As I keep running up the street I spot an opportunity as I approach Mrs Flower's Flower shop. As I sprint past, I knock down one of the big floral displays behind me, I turn my head over my shoulder as I keep running. Yes! It worked, Zach goes crashing straight into it, tripping over onto the ground. I'll go back and pay for the damages later I made to the display.

I watch for a split second as Zach groans in pain as he stumbles to the ground but I keep running.

I don't think it will take him long to get back up.

I sprint around the corner towards The Grill, immediately crashing into someone. I go to keep on running without an apology, ignoring their protests and complaints but when my eyes focus they widen when I see who it is.

"Elena!"

She looks at me shocked that I've just acknowledged her, especially so suddenly. It's not like we have spoken many times throughout the years. I'm breathless, my hands are shaking but I dig my hand into my pocket and pull out the envelope.

"Are you okay?" I hear Mr Saltzman ask me in concern but I ignore him. I need to make sure Zach doesn't get his hands on this address. The second he does, he will know that this is about and he will probably put everything we have built up for the last four years to shit.

"Take this!" I roughly shove the envelope into her hands much to her confusion. I can tell that she's startled. "Go call your Dad! He'll explain everything!" She stares at me with wide eyes as I turn on my heels and continue to run, it's not until seconds later I feel a body crash into mine and before I know it Zach is on top of me, his fist pounding into my face.

"Where is it?!" he barks at me in between punches, seemingly oblivious to anyone else's presence.

I stand completely frozen. Stunned. I grip the envelope tightly in my hands as I watch Stefan turn and run away. Ric looks at me questioningly but before he can even say anything, what looks like a blur at the speed of it, another body barges past us and I blink just in time to see him dive onto Stefan, tackling him roughly to the ground.

I scream in shock. It takes me another minute to realize that the second man is Zach Salvatore.

"Where is it?!" I hear him scream angrily as he violently pounds his fist into Stefan. "Where is it, Stefan?!" My heart starts to beat faster as I realize he must mean the envelope Stefan gave me. The envelope that I'm currently holding in my hands for anyone to see. I quickly shove it into my purse out of sight as Ric shakes himself out of his shock and runs over to them. "You're a rat, Stefan! You're a rat!"

I watch frozen as Ric struggles but eventually wrestles Zach off of a beaten Stefan, he holds him tightly in a strong grasp as Zach tries to escape. The two Salvatore's are barking insults at each other, words spitting out of their mouths fast and furiously.

I hear the sirens before I see it. Sherriff Forbes and her deputy rush out of the car towards the ruckus. Barking orders at them both to calm down.

I stay frozen where I am as I watch as they cuff both Zach and Stefan. My purse is feeling ten times heavier than normal as I watch them get taken away. Ric turns to face me with a look of disbelief on his face.

"What the hell was that about?"

I have no idea.

I wait impatiently in the waiting room at the police station. Apparently my Dad is in the middle of some important questioning and cannot be disturbed. I hold out the piece of paper in front of me, my eyes scanning over the words over and over again.

It's an address.

I don't know who for and I don't know why but I have a strong nervous feeling in my stomach that this is about Damon.

"Elena," I look up to see Ric approaching me. Liz wanted to have a few words with him over what happened between Stefan and Zach but he was just as clueless as I was. However they still needed his statement since he was the one to break up the fight.

If you could call it a fight, I don't think Stefan even got one punch in.

"You can leave this with me, I'll make sure your Dad gets it." He motions to the envelope in my hands. "I don't mind waiting."

"No." I shake my head, clutching the piece of paper tightly in my hands. "I'll do it." He sighs and takes a seat next to me. I turn my head to look at him. "You don't have to wait with me, Ric."

"Are you kidding? I got an elbow to my jaw over that thing, I want to know what's so important." he shrugs casually but I can sense the curiosity and concern in his voice. "Do you recognize the address?"

"No." I shake my head. I take a deep breath and let the question which has been badgering around my mind for the past hour finally escape my lips. "Do you think it's about Damon?" I hate the way my voice cracks slightly as I say his name.

Alaric stays silent for a moment. "It could be about anything. You never know with those Salvatore's."

"I just...I have a feeling in my gut that it's something to do with him." I shake my head. "Am I being ridiculous? You're right, the Salvatore's are involved in a lot of dodgy things. This could be anything." I sigh and run my hand down my face tiredly. "But what if it's not?" I frown. "What if Stefan found something that I couldn't?"

"Like what?" Ric looks at me sadly. "Elena, you tried everything."

"Maybe I didn't try hard enough." I frown, my eyes burning. "Maybe I shouldn't have given up so easily."

"Elena," he sighs and shuffles closer, taking my hand in his bigger comforting one. "You were 17 years old, you were a senior in High School. It wasn't your job to save Damon, especially since he didn't want to be saved."

"I let him down." I murmur quietly. "No matter how I feel now, no matter how much I've moved on with my life - I will never be able to forgive myself if there was something else out there that could have helped him."

"Listen to me," he squeezes my hand. "You had another shot at life to make something of yourself and that's what you did. You got to live a normal life, go to college with your friends. Nobody resents you for that. That's what Damon wanted for you so that's what you did."

I let out a shaky breath and nod my head slowly. "You're right." I sigh loudly. "I put my life on hold for two years trying to find something, anything, but I still came up with nothing. I don't think I would have been able to survive another setback."

"Look, Elena, you shouldn't be getting yourself involved in any of this. Whatever this is." he motions to the envelope in his hands. "Leave it with me. I'll make sure your Dad gets it."

I nod slowly, my mind briefly wondering back to my letter from Damon where he told me to stay away from his family. They are trouble - he said. Maybe I should listen. "You're right." I pass him over the sheet of paper and slowly stand up, but before I can leave I hear the sound of my Dad calling my name.

I turn around as Ric also stands up. He looks between us confused, a hint of worry on his face. "What's going on?" he asks puzzled.

Ric hands him over the sheet of paper without a word and I watch as my Dad's eyes widen and immediately he looks at me. "Where did you get this?" his voice is slightly panicked.

"Stefan gave it to me." I reply cautiously, not at all liking the way he is looking at me right now.

"Stefan?" be barks in astonishment. "What the hell did he say to you?"

"He didn't get to say much, he got tackled to the ground by his uncle seconds later." Ric interrupts and I watch as my Dad pales. "It wasn't exactly a peaceful confrontation." he points to his own bruised jaw from where Zach elbowed him amongst the struggle.

"Shit!" he barks furiously and I take a step forward.

"What's going on, Dad?" I ask with a hint of urgency. "Whose is that address?"

He looks at me for a moment before turning to Ric. "Who did that?" he points to his jaw. "Zach?" Ric nods slowly, looking as puzzled as I feel. "I need you to press charges."

"Whoa," Ric holds his hands up. "I just told Liz that I'm not getting involved. There is no way in hell I'm pressing charges against that sociopath! I can take a little hit to my jaw like a man and walk away!"

My Dad shakes his head. "You can drop them in the morning, I just need to make sure we can keep Zach in custody tonight."

"Dad, will you please tell me what the hell is going on?!" I snap at him impatiently.

"Elena please, it's nothing for you to worry about." he approaches me and places his hands on my arms softly. "Go home."

"No." I reply stubbornly. "Not until you give me an explanation, an honest one!"

"It's confidential."

"Confidential?" I challenge him. "Or about Damon?" he pales and I gasp. "It is, isn't it?!"

"Elena, nothing has changed. Damon's case is closed. He pleaded guilty at his sentencing. How many times do I have to tell you that there is nothing else you can do? You've moved on with your life, you're at college with your friends, you have a nice steady boyfriend who is actually a decent guy and comes from a decent family. Do not let yourself get dragged back into the mess that is the Salvatore's over something that has absolutely nothing to do with you." he tries to appease me but I know better.

"It has everything to do with me if this involves Damon!" I reply defiantly. My heart is pounding hard against my chest. I have a bad feeling in my gut about this.

He shakes his head, looking somewhat annoyed that I wont accept his answer. "Elena...you don't know what you're talking about. This is something completely separate."

"Promise me?" I challenge him. "Look me in the eye and promise me that you're telling the truth." I motion the address in his hands. "That this has nothing to do with Damon?"

He sighs but grips my shoulders tightly, his eyes boring into my own. "Elena, I promise you I'm telling the truth. This doesn't involve Damon." we stare at each other long and hard for a moment before I sigh loudly and take a step back, suddenly feeling defeated.

"Okay," I sigh and accept his answer. "Fine. I believe you."

He looks relieved. "Thank you."

I nod slowly. "I guess I should go then." I smile briefly at Ric who sends me a comforting smile back, before I head towards the exit.

Feeling defeated.

I feel my shoulders sink in relief as Elena leaves the station but it doesn't last long because soon Alaric is stood in my face with a scowl on his face.

"So are you going to tell me why you just lied to your daughter's face?" he questions me angrily.

I let out a loud sigh, knowing that I'm probably not going to be able to get out of this one. Especially since I need him to be able to hold Zach overnight. "Follow me," I motion him after me as I walk back through the staff door in the station. I tap in my code and walk into an empty interview room.

I turn to face Alaric, hoping that he'll go easy on me for this but somehow I doubt it. "I only lied to her to protect her."

"Protect her from what?" he asks defensively and I bite my tongue to stop myself from reminding him that Elena is my daughter and not his. He's not even legally her uncle!

"From all the progress she's made in the last two years going to waste." I confess and Ric's eyes widen.

"What? You told her Damon's case was closed! You told me it was closed!" he barks at me angrily and I roll my eyes.

"It is closed." I step closer to him. "You need to listen to me, what I'm about to tell you needs to stay between us. Elena cannot find out about this."

"Fine," he holds out his hands. "Come on then, tell me."

"I have reason to believe that it was Zach Salvatore who murdered Vaughn." I watch as his eyes literally widen, it would have been funny if the situation wasn't so serious.

"What? How long have you known this for?" he asks me accusingly.

"Around three years." I shrug, waiting for the blow. It came.

"What?!" he shouts furiously. "You've known this for three years and you've done nothing? Damon is rotting away in a prison cell for this and you've done nothing?!" He's furious. "I know you hate the kid but he was just that, a kid! Nobody deserves that! No matter what he's done to your family!" Wow he is really mad. "What about Elena, huh? She begged you to help her and you did nothing! You told her you knew nothing, that there was nothing you could do!"

"What did you want me to do? She was 17, she was a kid. I didn't want her to mull around for the rest of her life over something way out of her depth. I had to stop her, not just for her own sanity but for her own safety too!" I defend myself immediately. "Did you really think Zach would have just allowed her to continue snooping around and asking questions without any consequences? She was getting too close. I had to steer her away. I had to make sure that there was nothing for her to find. I had to make sure she gave up, that she moved on with her life!"

He shakes his head at me in disbelief. "You manipulated her!"

"Oh come on, I did no such thing!"

"Yes you did! You convinced her that there was nothing else she was able to do to help Damon! You manipulated her to move on with her life because you convinced her that there was no other way! You didn't just convince her either, you convinced everyone!"

"I protected her!" I shout back angrily. "Look at her now, Ric! She's happy! She's smiling and laughing! She's finally free of him, she no longer has some sordid ghost version of him lingering around in her head 24/7. She's finally moved on. You may think you were around those first two years but you didn't live with her. You didn't have to hear her cry herself to sleep every single night. My heart was breaking because her heart was breaking. I had to do something."

"If she finds out that you've had this evidence all this time but did nothing she will never forgive you." he warns me.

"I'm willing to take that risk. I'm not a bad man, Ric. I'm not going to let Damon rot away in prison for the rest of his life, no matter how much I hate him. I haven't been able to do anything because I don't have any solid evidence. Nothing that would hold up, anyway. I haven't been able to use all my time and resources because the case was closed and opening it up again would cause too many questions. How do you think the Salvatore's get away with so much in this town? It's because they have friends in high places, they have friends in this very station. I have officers in this building right now who would run to Zach in a second with this information!" I hold my arms out. "I can't risk Zach finding out that I'm investigating him or I would never be able to free Damon. That's why it's taken me nearly four years, that's why I haven't been able to tell anyone about this, especially Elena."

He stares at me for a long moment, I can practically see the wheels spinning in his head. "You're really doing this all alone?"

I cringe slightly. "Not exactly. The Sheriff knows what's going on, I had to make it at least somewhat professional if I wanted my evidence to hold." he looks at me expectantly, like he knows there's more too it. "And..." I sigh, not wanting to admit this. "Stefan Salvatore has been helping me, off the record."

He lets out a dry laugh in disbelief. "Are you serious? So you couldn't involve Elena because of her safety but you are more than happy to throw Stefan into the middle of it?" he accuses me.

"It's different. he's a Salvatore himself. They are family!"

"From the way I just watched his own uncle lay into him earlier I don't think that matters!"

"That wasn't supposed to happen." I actually feel a little guilty about that. "Zach was never supposed to know anything. Look," I try to reason with him. "This address belongs to someone I believe can help send Zach down. His name is Will, he's an old friend of Damon's but he owed Zach a lot of money. He also owed Vaughn a lot of money. I think he was the one who called the cops that night - the tip we received was anonymous but we managed to trace the call back to a town, South Hill. I found out from Stefan recently that's where Will used to live. Why would someone from another town report an anonymous tip that they suspected a disturbance from a completely different neighborhood if they didn't already know the disturbance was going to happen?" I tell him seriously, Ric staring at me in a mixture of amazement and shock. "I need you to press those assault charges against Zach. I'm going to send Stefan to this address tonight, and if you want to see Damon out of prison, I suggest you let me."

Ric stares at me for a long moment before I see him give in. "Okay. I'll press the damn charges." I feel my shoulders sink in relief but it doesn't last long. "On one condition." I close my eyes in annoyance but let him continue. "You let me go with Stefan tonight. There is no way in hell that I am letting you send him into something like this alone."

I clench my jaw, reluctantly giving in.

"Fine."

I clutch my phone tightly in my hand. Something doesn't feel right. It's not that I believe my Dad would flat out lie to my like that, but there was just something in the way which Stefan looked at me. When he handed over that envelope like I was the only other person he trusted.

Why else would he do that if it didn't have something to do with Damon?

I know from past experience the kind of bad stuff Zach used to get Damon mixed up in, and it wouldn't surprise me if he was now using Stefan as his replacement.

"Hey, what happened to meeting in The Grill?" Caroline strolls into my bedroom. "Your Mom let me in." she briefly explains.

I nod before answering her question. "I just didn't feel up to being around other people tonight. I figured we could just order in a pizza or something instead?" I offer and she shrugs, dropping herself onto my bed.

"Sounds good to me."

I try not to let my mind wander back over to what happened today but it can't help itself. Before Caroline can snap me out of my thoughts the feeling of my phone vibrating in my hands beats her too it. I jump slightly and look down at the screen. "It's Liam." I quickly hit answer. "Hey," I plaster a smile on my face, mostly for Caroline's benefit who is staring at me with a huge grin.

"Hello beautiful, you were supposed to call me today."

Crap.

"Oh shoot, sorry. I was out with Caroline all day, it slipped my mind." the lie falls easily from my lips and my best friend sends me a confused questioning glance. "Besides, it was probably for the best, don't want to interrupt your study sessions. How's it going?"

"Good. I've finally got my head around one of the modules I was struggling with. I think I've finally cracked it."

"That's great, Liam."

"I'm going to go for a couple of beers with some of my study buddy's tonight to unwind a little, nothing too wild. I've set an early alarm again tomorrow." he sighs tiredly into the phone. "Some spring break, huh?"

"It'll be worth it in the end."

"I know. I miss you."

"I miss you too." I see Caroline pulling sickly faces at me and I roll my eyes. "But it will fly by, look I've got to go I'm with Caroline right now and she's getting antsy from lack of attention." I smirk. She huffs and sends me a mocking glare. "I'll call you tomorrow?"

"Yes, and don't forget this time!" he warns me teasingly and I smile. "I love you."

"You too, bye!" I hang up, glancing at Caroline who immediately sits up straight.

"Unless you've gotten so boring that I spent the last few hours in a daydream, I'm pretty sure we didn't spend the day together?" she looks at me accusingly and I sigh. "You going to tell me why you've just lied to your boyfriend?" she questions me suspiciously.

"I've had a really strange day." I admit as I take a seat on the edge of my bed. "When I was waiting for you earlier at The Grill, I saw Klaus-"

"Yuck." Caroline interrupts me with a grimace. "There's someone I hope I don't run into while I'm here."

I roll my eyes, biting back a comment about how I'm pretty sure she spent days in her room crying when they broke up but I'll keep one that for another time.

"Anyway, it was fine at first. I was happy to see him," she pulls another face but I ignore her. "It was going well until he brought up Damon."

"Of course, way to kill the mood." she rolls her eyes and I hold in a snarky reply about how Damon isn't Voldermort.

"As I was leaving I ran into Ric, he could tell that I was little upset so he asked me to take a walk. We barely made it out of The Grill before we were practically knocked down by none other than Stefan Salvatore." I watch as Caroline freezes, slowly sitting up on the bed.

"Stefan?" there's something different in her voice but I don't think too much of it.

"It gets worse." I frown, that feeling is back in my stomach. "When he realized it was me, it was like he was grateful or something. He quickly handed me an envelope, practically threw it into my hands. He went to run away but before I even knew what was happening, Zach Salvatore appeared out of nowhere and literally tackled Stefan to the ground and started beating him."

"What?!" Caroline shrieks loudly, jumping to her feet. I'm a little taken aback from her reaction but put it down to her usual dramatics. "Is he okay?!"

"Yeah…" I frown slightly. "I think so…" I shrug, honestly, I was more concerned about what Stefan gave me than Stefan himself. "Your Mom showed up and arrested them both."

She stares at me for a long moment, a look of something between shock and worry on her face. "So what did Stefan give you?" she asks after a moments too long of silence.

"It was an address." I frown. "This is the strange part though…he told me to call my Dad."

"What?" she asks confused. "Why?"

"I don't know. My Dad was pretty vague about it when I went to the station. I…I thought it might have been about Damon."

Caroline stares at me hard. "And was it?"

"No." I shake my head. "I don't know…" I huff in frustration. "My Dad promised me that it had nothing to do with Damon but I don't know…I just have this bad feeling." I run my shaky fingers through my hair. "I haven't felt like this in a long time, Care."

She smiles at me sympathetically. "It's natural for you to be concerned about him, Elena. You never really got closure from what happened, but…" she stresses. "You're not that same girl anymore. You have something really good with Liam, and what happened earlier may seem like a little white lie but that's how it all starts." She tells me pointedly and I cringe. "Don't ruin what you have over a feeling that could have well been the dodgy Chinese you ate last night." she shrugs casually and I let out a dry laugh.

"I think I'm just being paranoid. The Salvatore's are involved in all sorts of questionable dealings, Damon himself warned me away from them." I watch Caroline as she shuffles awkwardly on the bed. "It could have been about anything, I mean, Stefan's not exactly a saint, is he?"

"No." she mumbles in reply. "I guess not." She fiddles with her phone for a moment. "I just remembered that I need to call my Dad." She blurts out quickly, seemingly out of nowhere.

"Okay…" a little taken aback from the sudden subject change. "Everything okay?"

"Yep, yes…everything is fine. I just…need to give him a quick call. I'll be right back!" she darts out of my bedroom quickly before I can say another word.

I shake my head and fall back onto the bed, trying to shake away this feeling that won't go away.

"Salvatore!" My eyes squint as a beam of light darts into the otherwise pitch black room. "Time's up, you're done. Come on, let's go."

The door soon opens and I groan, clutching my bruised ribs as I stand up from the poor excuse of a bed. The prison guard approaches me and cuffs my hand roughly. "Hopefully this will be the last time we see you in here for a while, I'm getting sick of the sight of you kid."

I don't answer him, instead I let him lead me through the grimly lit hallways until we reach my block, he escorts me past numerous of cells before we reach mine. Another guard is waiting, he opens the door and nods his head to the one behind me. They uncuff me and shove me back in, slamming the cell closed behind me with a loud clang.

"Welcome back, roomie!"

I fall onto my bottom bunk and sigh with relief. My cellmate jumps down from the top bunk and looks at me with a smirk. "Ouch, they got you good!" he comments while taking in my bruised and cut face. I roll my eyes and ignore him. "That's what you get for playing with the big boys."

"I won fair and square." I grumble in annoyance. "It's not my fault their sore losers. They shouldn't be playing poker if they can't take a beating."

"You don't hustle a hustler, you know what I'm sayin?" he warns me seriously. "Next time stick to the little leagues."

"You mean the assholes who are too drunk from homemade moonshine that they can't even hold up their own cards properly?"

"That's exactly who I mean, Salvatore." he rolls his eyes. "Don't be an idiot. Next time it could be worse than a few days in sickbay and another week in solitary. Trust me on this one, stay clear." he jumps back onto his top bunk as the guards call for lights out.

I sigh, reaching over to the only photograph I have on my wall. I pull it down and hold it in front of me like I do almost every night.

I let my mind wander for a quick second. What is she up too? Is she at college? Did she go down a different path? Maybe she's travelling?

I don't really care what she's up too as long as she's happy. Is she happy? I hope she's happy.

A tiny smile creeps onto my lips as her laughing face stares back at me.

Her smile is the only thing that keeps me going in this hellhole.

You know what to do!

Thank you so much for reading and thank you even more for all of your wonderful reviews for the last chapter! I was really taken aback. I wasn't supposed to update this today, I was going to wait until Thursday but I've just got home and it's almost midnight and I knew I wouldn't get on a laptop at all tomorrow – so I figured I would post this as a thank you for all of your feedback!

Don't be shy to let me know your thoughts on this one too – good or bad!

Thanks again, until next time!