"So, how'd this happen?" Lexi asked him

"We met at school. And she's only been one for a few months." Stefan explained.

"Are you sure she's not lying?"

"Positive." Stefan told her. "This thing vibrates if they do." He showed her the ring he got from her.

"Is she any different from the last girl you fell for?"

"I am not comparing her to Katherine." Stefan told her. "They are two completely different people."

"I've heard that before."

"I'm serious." Lexi looked at him. She saw that he really was serious.

"So, Elena's not some manipulative little bitch?" She asked.

"No." Stefan told her. "Elena's different. She's down to earth and kind and it's almost like she's human. Around her, things feel normal. Even before I knew what she was, I felt a connection with her."

"Oh my god." Lexi looked at him. She was smiling. "You're in love with her, aren't you?"

"What? No, no. We're just friends." Stefan protested. "Besides, she's not ready for a relationship anyway."

"Yeah, but you can't deny how you feel about her." Lexi pointed out.

"Am I that obvious?" He asked.

"Yes."

At the Grill, Damon ran into Caroline. The place was full of people. "Some turnout, huh?"

"It was your idea." Damon pointed out.

"Still, it's nice that you want to do something for him." Caroline said. Damon noticed Lexi.

"I'll see you later." He walked over to his brother's best friend. "I thought you were coming with him."

"He said he'd meet me here." Lexi told him.

Elena heard a knock at the door. She was surprised to see Stefan waiting outside. "Hey."

"What are you doing here?" Elena asked.

"Lexi told me you came by." Stefan told her. "You didn't seemed upset earlier."

"The girl dressed like a…" Elena stopped herself. She couldn't believe how jealous she sounded.

"What do you…oh." Stefan laughed. "It's not like that at all. Lexi's from my old school and she's my best friend. There's nothing romantic between us. Ever."

"Oh." Elena said. "She kept looking at me."

"Well, I've talked to her about you, guess she wants to make sure you're okay. Why'd you come over earlier?"

"I don't know." Elena said. She started to go back inside. Stefan grabbed her wrist.

"Elena, you can tell me."

"Stefan, I can't. That's the problem." Elena said. "I've kept this secret so long, and others, and I can't even tell my best friend mine and that I've also known hers. Do you see where I'm at here? I need to talk to someone, and since you and Jer are the only ones who know…"

"Hey, it's okay." Stefan told her. "You can talk to me about anything. You know that."

"Thanks." Elena said. "I needed that."

"You need a ride to the Grill?"

"You're going to Caroline's party?" Elena asked.

"Lexi talked me into it and it's my birthday."

"Really?" Elena asked. "Well, Jer and I were planning to stay in, but we might stop by." She turned to go back inside, then turned around. "Happy birthday, Stefan."

"Thank you." She went into the house. She had no idea what was going on with her. It felt like her emotions were a complete mess right now.

At the party, Caroline met up with Bonnie. "Hey, I was wondering when you'd get here." Caroline told her. "I'm really sorry about this, but can I have the necklace back?"

"I'm sorry. I can't give it back to you." Bonnie said, remembering what her Grams told her about it being a family heirloom.

"But it doesn't belong to either of us."

"I know, but I feel we should talk to Damon about it." Bonnie told her.

"You're right." Caroline said. "It was kinda my fault to begin with." She walked over to where Damon was sitting.

"Hey, what's up?"

"Bonnie wouldn't give up the necklace." Caroline told him. "I know it's my fault considering I gave it to her without asking you…"

"It's okay, Caroline." Damon told her. "Besides, it's pretty much useless without her help."

"I thought it was just a necklace."

"It is, but there's this legend connected to it saying that it sort of chooses its wearer." Damon recovered.

"Okay, you are so weird." Caroline walked away from him.

Lexi was next to Stefan. "Oh, come on. Don't tell me you can't dance." She said.

"Actually, I really can't." He pointed out. "You know that."

"Okay, but you're not a bad dancer, either." Lexi shot back.

"How do you always talk me into this?"

"I'm your best friend, that's how." Lexi told him.

Elena showed up just then, noticing them together. Jeremy went over to talk with Matt. Damon walked over to Elena. "I was wondering when you'd show up."

"He seems happy." Elena said.

"Yeah, guess who helped come up with the idea for this thing." Elena looked at him in shock.

"Wow. I guess you're not all bad." She said. The minute she said it, she realized she meant it.

"You think I'm the bad guy?"

"Well, you think I am, right?" Elena pointed out.

"I'm trying not to judge." He explained. "You don't seem like a bad guy to me."

"Well, I'm just trying to find a way so that Jeremy and I can get through this, graduate, and leave." Elena told him.

"That sounds like something anyone in high school would say."

"Well, because of the change, we'll have to leave soon after he's done at our school." Elena explained. "Think about it. We can't let Aunt Jenna know about this, plus they'd try to kill us."

"I'm not them, Elena."

"Prove it." Elena walked away from him. He stood there, stunned. She really didn't trust him at all.

Bonnie found Caroline. "Hey, he isn't mad at you, is he?"

"No, he was actually cool with it." Caroline said. "He also said something about it only working in your hands. Weird, huh?"

"He said that?" Bonnie asked, surprised. There was no way he could know her family's secret.

"Yeah."

"What else did he say about it?" Bonnie asked.

"That's about it. He did tell me a while back, though, that his family knew yours pretty well." Caroline walked away from her, leaving Bonnie in a state of shock.

Lexi looked over and noticed Elena looking at Stefan. She was keeping her distance from him. She went over to her. "Hey, Elena."

"Hi." Lexi sat down with her. "What are you doing?"

"You seemed upset. Figured we could use some girl talk."

"Okay."

"It doesn't matter that you're different, you know." Lexi said. Elena looked at her in surprise.

"How do you know I'm…" Elena began.

"Stef's my best friend, Elena." Lexi pointed out. "And my brother was turned."

"You have a brother?" Elena asked.

"I did." Lexi explained. "He died when our old house burned down. He helped me escape, and I met Stefan when I transferred over."

"Sorry about your brother." Elena said. "I had no idea you knew about…"

"Well, it's partly why we're friends." Lexi told her. "He helped me with training for a while."

"I don't know if I can do this." Elena admitted.

"Well, he talks a lot about you, in a good way." Lexi told her.

"You seem so sure this'll work. I dumped my old boyfriend partly because of this, but also because we kept arguing a lot." Elena explained.

"I know how hard it is with the heightened emotions and stuff." Lexi said. "My brother went through it, too. But your positive emotions are heightened, too, Elena."

"I'm scared. What if I can't control myself around him?"

"But you came here because of him, right?" Lexi pointed out. "I get it. I can tell that you're in love with him. I know he feels the same way." They looked over at him. Elena felt confused. She couldn't tell if she had feelings for him.

"Take it from someone who's been dating a long time." Lexi said. "Love really can conquer all." She got up to go over to Stefan.

"Hey, Lexi." Elena said. "Thanks. It was nice meeting you."

"You two looked like you were getting along."

"She's cool, but she's in denial." Lexi told him.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Stefan asked.

"I think you know."

Outside, Damon and the Sheriff were in the ally. He'd found a guy's body when he came out and had called her There was only one thing he knew: that it couldn't have been either of the Gilbert kids, because they were both inside the Grill the entire time. "So, what do you think?"

"It's serious. We're going to have to find out who did this before they strike again. Did you see anything?"

"No, I was just out walking and found him." Damon told her.

"We'll keep an eye out for anything suspicious. Let us know if you see anything." Sheriff Forbes said.

Inside, Elena walked over to Stefan. "Hey."

"Hey, you guys made it?"

"We didn't want to miss a great party." Elena said. Damon went over to Jeremy. She noticed and listened in.

"Hey, I hate to break it to you and your sister, but we've got a problem."

"What's up?" Jeremy asked.

"There's been an attack and I think whoever did it wants to frame you. As much as I hate to do this, the only way any of us stand a chance is if we team up."

"Are you okay?" Stefan asked her.

"Yeah, it's just, they found something." Elena told him. "I don't know how we're going to stop this guy."

Lexi went over to Damon. "Hey, what's going on? Things look kinda serious over here."

"It's nothing, really."

"I know, remember?" Lexi pointed out. "You can tell me."

"We've got a bit of a problem."

"You mean a…." Lexi began.

"See, that's why I don't tell you these things. The first thing you do is panic."

"At least Stefan's honest." Lexi told him. The Sheriff was standing near the back door. Suddenly, a guy came over to her.

"Don't move." He told her. He grabbed her arm. "Do as I say and I'll let you live. Unlike your stupid brother."

"You…" Before Lexi could say another word, he sped out of the Grill, taking her with him. The Sheriff tried to stop him, but he was too fast.

"Oh, god!"

"We'll handle this." The Sheriff told Damon. She turned to the deputies. "Make sure the front entrance is blocked. Don't let anyone in or out." She headed outside.

"Oh my god." Stefan said, realizing what happened.

"We've gotta do something." Elena said. She found Jeremy across the Grill. "Jer, come on!" She called to him.

"Excuse me." Stefan said.

"We can go out the back." Jeremy said. Almost as if everyone had silently agreed, all four of them ran out back of the Grill. In the quad across the street, they saw that the guy still had Lexi. The Sheriff showed up.

"Let go of me." Lexi said.

"Not a chance, princess." The vampire told her. The Sheriff tried to shoot at him, but he rushed at her and knocked her out of the way. However, in doing so, he had let go of Lexi. Instantly, Elena, Jeremy, Stefan, and Damon were at her side.

"I'm okay." Lexi told them. The vampire got her again, but this time, she was ready. She punched him in the arm, then kicked him in the stomach.

"Whoa." Jeremy said.

"How did you…" Damon started.

"You think I don't know how to get out of these situations by now?" Lexi asked. "You guys trained me, remember?" The vampire was getting up. The group looked at each other and nodded in silent agreement.

Jeremy tried to restrain him from behind, but was thrown off. Lexi took a stake out of her boot and handed it to Elena. Elena rushed at him from behind and tried to stake him, but missed and ended up staking him in the stomach. Stefan pulled her out of the way. "You okay?"

"He may not be dead, but that'll slow him down." Elena pointed out. "Stefan!" She pulled him behind her as he started getting up. Lexi was over by the Sheriff when it came toward her.

"Lexi!" Stefan called. Lexi picked up a stake that was lying on the ground and tossed it to Damon. He staked the vampire instantly. The Sheriff had woken up and noticed this last part. Lexi walked over to the group, slowly. "Lexi, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I am." She said, smiling.

"That was pretty cool." Jeremy admitted. Damon was over by the Sheriff.

"How are you?"

"I'm fine." Sheriff Forbes told him. "Thank you." They looked at the body on the ground. "We better put him in the car."

"Got it."

Inside, the group was talking. "Stefan? You okay?" Elena asked.

"Fine. I'm just glad she's safe." Stefan said.

"It could've happened to anyone here." Lexi pointed out. "I'm just glad I have friends who know how to kick his butt."

"Well, we've had some practice, too." Jeremy told her.

"If he had done anything to you, I would've…" Stefan began.

"Hey, I would've taken him down, too. No one messes with our friends, right?" Damon pointed out. The group looked at him in surprise.

"I guess we can trust you." Elena said. "But if you turn against us…"

"Relax, I'll keep him in line." Stefan told her. They looked at each other. "I know how to deal with my brother."

"Thanks, Stefan."

"I haven't had this much fun since that class trip when…" Lexi started.

"I thought we agreed not to bring that up." Stefan pointed out.

"I might not like what you two are, but I will keep your secret." Damon told Elena and Jeremy. "Last thing we need is for this to get around. Besides, my brother likes you and I'm trying to be more supportive." He added.

"Thanks for everything, guys." Lexi told them. She got up.

"You're leaving?" Elena asked.

"I don't go to school in this town." Lexi pointed out.

"I'm really glad you stopped by." Stefan told her.

"Hey, relax. You lovebirds will see me again." Lexi told them. Elena and Stefan stared at her. "I'll be back sooner than you think. Of course, that's if I can get out of that research internship they forced me into." She headed to the door and waved to them before walking out.

"Hey, she's your best friend." Damon pointed out.

"I know." Stefan said.

"She's really cool." Elena said.

"You're pretty cool yourself, Elena." Stefan told her.

"Thanks." She thought about what Lexi had told her earlier. Did she really care about Stefan as more than a friend? Stefan remembered what she'd told him about Elena fighting her feelings.

"Are we just going to sit here all night? Cause everyone's leaving." Jeremy said, jerking everyone from their thoughts.

"I'll see you at school tomorrow." Stefan told Elena.

"I'll look forward to it." She said. The group left the Grill. Little did they know, the next few days were going to change everything.