Damon thought about what his brother had said sink in, could their niece be adopted? If so where are her parents? Why weren't they told the truth? Many questions had roamed his mind afterwards, his mind then went back to the thought of his niece being supernatural it had sickened him because that'll means she'll be in more danger but he'll look into it.
Salvatore boarding House
Stefan is doing exercises in his bedroom. Damon enters with a glass of blood in his hands.
"Could you turn it up a little bit? It's not annoying yet". Damon tells his brother.
"Sorry". Stefan says.
Damon switches off the music.
"When are you going back to school? Gracie's going".
"Soon. And Gracie isn't going through what I'm going through".
Stefan is on the floor, doing push-ups.
"Oh come on. Just drink already. Come on, this self-detox is not natural".
He puts the glass next to Stefan.
"Can you get that away from me please?"
"How long did it take you to wean yourself of it the last time you indulged? Plus since Grace isn't up yet you'll be fine".
Stefan continues doing push ups.
"That's not good".
"I'll be fine; it just takes a little bit of time".
"I don't get it; you know, you don't have to kill to survive. That's what blood banks are for. I haven't hunted in a human in...God way too long. In fact I haven't hunted humans since Gracie came to live with us".
"Oh, I'm impressed".
"It's completely self-serving. I'm trying to get the town off the trail of vampires which is not very easy considering that there is an entire tomb of them running around".
"What are we planning on doing about that?"
"We are not going to do much of anything if you don't have your strength. There's nothing wrong with partaking in a healthy diet of human blood from a blood bank. You're not actually killing anyone".
"I have my reasons".
"Well, what are those holier-than-thou reasons? You know, we never actually discussed this. You know, I'd- I'd love to hear this story".
Damon sits down on the couch.
"You're really enjoying this, aren't you? Watching me struggle?"
"Very much so".
"I hate to break it to you Damon but...I actually have it under complete control".
"You do? Well, then you should just carry on, making the rest of us vampires look bad".
He gets up.
"Have a great day, Stefan. Oh and you're picking Gracie up after school".
He leaves the glass of blood on the table. Stefan stares at the glass. Damon returns.
"Oh, hey, almost forgot something. Oops".
He takes the glass and leaves. He drinks and relishes in the taste of the blood. Damon then went to go check on his niece who was getting up for school, he opened the door and seen she was just getting up.
"Gracie hurry so we're not late". Damon said to his niece.
"Alright". She replied back.
Damon then left her to get ready for school he headed to the kitchen to make her breakfast, Grace then came down dressed in a blue t shirt, dark colored jeans, her black leather jacket, black chucks, and her hair in a ponytail. She also had her backpack hanging on her shoulders.
"Morning Uncle Damon". Grace said entering the kitchen.
"Morning sweetheart eat so we can go, we don't wanna be late". He said.
She then took the plate of food which was an egg sandwich with bacon and a bottle of orange juice, once she was finished Damon put her plate in the sink while she held onto her juice.
"I'm ready Uncle Damon". She says.
"Alright just one sec". He replied, Damon stood at the bottom of the step and yelled to his brother. "Stefan I'm taking Gracie to school I'll be back later".
"Alright, bye Gracie I love you". Stefan called back.
"I love you too Uncle Stefan". Grace called.
The two then left and headed to the elementary school, during the walk Damon noticed something was off with his niece so he spoke, "You alright Gracie?"
"I can't stop thinking about what happened it was really scary Uncle Damon".
He then got to her level and when she didn't look at him he gently cupped her chin looking into her crystal blue eyes giving her a soft gentle look.
"I know what happened was scary sweetheart but I promise that'll never happen to you ever again".
"I love you Uncle Damon". She threw her arms around his neck holding on tightly.
"I love you too sweetie". He held onto her tighter.
The two had continued the way to the school and after a few more minutes they arrived. Children were running in the school as they had gotten off the bus, getting out of their parents cars or walking.
"Alright sweetheart you have everything you need".
"Yup".
"Be good, behave and I'll see you after school alright. Stefan's picking you up".
Grace then became uncomfortable when Damon had said that, truth is she was still afraid of Stefan after seeing his vampire face. She had never seen that part of her uncles and now that she has it made her scared.
"Ok".
Damon knew something else was wrong with Grace and he picked it up when he seen her tense up after he told her Stefan was picking her up, it clicked in his head when it had something to do with his brother.
"You alright Gracie?"
"Yeah I gotta go, bye Uncle Damon love you". She then ran off.
"Love you too".
He made a mental note to talk to his brother and niece, he quickly did a perimeter scan to make sure that there were no lurking threats around once it was all clear he left.
Founder's Hall
Damon arrives and meets the rest of the council for a reunion.
"The coroner's office has officially ruled Vicki Donovan's death a drug overdose. Her family has been notified, the truth will stay in this room and we can put this behind us". Sheriff Forbes says.
"Thank you Sheriff. And on to a more pressing issue, John Gilbert has asked to say a few words". Mayor Lockwood said.
Damon seems surprised.
"Welcome back John, it's good to see you". Mayor Lockwood said introducing John.
"Hello everyone, it's wonderful to see you, I wish it were under better circumstances. As a founding family member I find it's my duty to report some very distressing news". John started.
Damon speaking discretely to the Sheriff.
"He's a Gilbert?" Damon asked.
"Elena's uncle. His name is John but I call him Jackass". Sheriff Forbes replied.
"A hospital blood bank in the neighboring county of Amherst has reported several break ins over the past two weeks. 7 hunters, 4 campers and 2 states employees have been reported missing as well. All of this within a 75-mile radius of Mystic Falls". John went on.
Mayor Lockwood interrupts him.
"Okay okay, no need to get alarmed right at this moment". Mayor Lockwood said.
Sheriff Forbes turned to Damon and said, "Meaning he doesn't want to cancel the Founders' Day Kick-off Party".
"You think all of your problems are over but I'm here to tell you, nothing's been solved". John finished.
Damon seems uncomfortable. Right before he left he wanted to ask Liz something.
"Hey Liz could I ask you something". Damon said.
"Sure Damon what is it". Liz replies.
"How would I find adoption records?"
She seemed surprised at his question. "Any particular reason if I may ask".
"I wanna know if my niece is adopted or not, the birth certificate we have is a copy but if we get the original one we'll know".
"I didn't know you had a niece".
"She's our distant niece".
"Well I can look into that for you I just need her name and birthday".
"Her name is Grace Marie Salvatore and her birthday is September 14th, 1999".
"Alright when I find something I'll let you know".
"Thanks Liz".
"No problem Damon".
Gilbert Residence
Elena is in her bedroom with Stefan.
"Why would he write a report on vampires? Do you think he's starting to remember?" Elena asked.
"Damon took away those memories for good, you don't have to worry about that. I tell you what: why don't you just ask him?" Stefan asked.
"I...I can't".
"Why not? I mean if he doesn't know anything then it's just an innocent question. Hey Damon and I haven't even told Gracie she might be adopted".
"I don't even know how to talk to him anymore. I mean, we used to be a lot more open with each other. But now, with all these secrets just piling up...You know, I haven't even told him that I am adopted yet. And I didn't know that Grace was adopted".
"Maybe it's time you start opening up to him. I'm not saying you should tell him everything but at least try to find out what he does know and be prepared for it. We don't know yet but knowing Damon he's looking into it for sure".
She rubs his shoulder.
"What about you, how are you doing? What about Grace?"
"Much, much better. I'm still, you know...a little jittery, a little bit on edge but I'm gonna be okay. As for Grace I think she's ok to be honest she might be scared of me after she seen my vampire face".
"I've been really worried about you and I missed you. Just give Grace some time I'm sure she'll come around".
"I just needed to lay low for a little while and let my body readjust. It's only been a few days".
"It feels like a lifetime".
They kiss each other.
"I've missed you too".
They start kissing more passionately. Stefan lays Elena down on the bed. Elena rolls over and lays on top of Stefan. Stefan, somewhat aggressively, rolls her back over so he's on top. He stops kissing her.
"Stefan, what's wrong? Stefan?"
His face starts transforming. He throws himself back against the wall, breaking a lamp in the process.
"I have to go get Grace from school". He then quickly rushed out.
Someone knocks on the door. Elena opens it. It's Damon.
"Oh good you're here". Elena said.
"You ask I come. I'm easy like that". Damon replied.
Elena points upstairs. Damon sees Jeremy eating in the kitchen.
Damon yells loudly, "No Elena, I will not go to your bedroom with you".
She catches his arm. He laughs and go upstairs with her. Jeremy looks at them. Elena and Damon enter her bedroom.
"Ah, just like I remember".
"Stop messing around".
He goes to her bed, takes the teddy bear off the pillow, lays on her bed and holds the teddy bear on his chest.
"Did you know that your uncle has been kicking it with the Founders' Council?"
"What?"
"Yep".
"Perfect, we'll just add it to the growing list of how everything is falling apart".
Damon notices the broken lamp and points an arm of the teddy bear towards it.
"What happened right there?"
"Uh...nothing".
She seems uncomfortable. He looks at her.
"Look Damon, I'm worried about Stefan. He says that everything's okay but he's clearly struggling. How long is it gonna take before he goes back to normal? He told me that Grace might be afraid of him".
"A few days, give or take". He then stopped. "Wait go back Grace might be afraid of him? What happened".
"It's been a few days. It happened in the woods when Stefan was down I let him drink my blood so he could get stronger again then when Frederick got up Stefan lost, I told him to stop and when he looked at us he looked at us with his vampire face. I think that's what caused Grace to be scared of him".
"Give then, I don't know. What's the big deal?" He then let what Elena told him sink in. He now knows why his niece is afraid of Stefan.
He gets up and gives her the teddy bear.
"He's not himself, Damon".
Damon goes toward the dresser, opens the drawer and looks in it.
"Well, maybe his problem is that he has spent too long not being himself".
He takes a bra from the drawer. Elena takes it from him and put it back in the drawer.
"Please don't make me sorry for asking you.
He takes a picture from the mirror; she tries to take it back but is too slow.
"It is what it is Elena. The Stefan you know was "good behavior Stefan", 'reign it in Stefan", "fight against his nature into an annoying excessive level Stefan" but if you think there isn't another part to this then you have not been paying attention".
He pouts at Elena as if ready to kiss her, but instead Elena takes back the picture.
"He's not you, not even close".
"Well, he doesn't want to be me. That doesn't mean that deep down though he's not".
He gets closer to her, looks at her and leaves.
Stefan was walking to pick his niece up from school and he was trying to calm himself the whole time, he was never one to show his anger in front of Grace it was already bad enough that she seen his vampire face and she's scared of him he didn't want her to be anymore afraid of him. He got to the school just as all the kids are rushing out he scanned the large group of children and spotted his niece.
"Gracie". Stefan called out.
The young girl had heard her name being called and she knew the voice all too well, when she looked over to see Stefan her emotions were all over the place. In a way she was happy that Stefan was picking her up and it would been nice to spend a little time with him. On the other hand she felt a little scared because she didn't like what was happening with him and ever since what happened in the woods she wanted to stay a little distant from him.
"Hi Uncle Stefan". Grace said.
"Ready to go home". He says.
"Yeah let's go".
The walk home was quiet and the whole time Stefan was trying to control himself not wanting to lose it in front of Grace.
"Uncle Stefan are you ok?" She asked worried about him.
"I'm fine sweetheart". He tells her.
Grace already knew he was lying but she would let it pass for the time, when they got home Grace went to the kitchen for a snack and to do her homework while Stefan is looking for a book. He seems to be stressed. He roughly pours himself a glass of whiskey and drinks it. Grace decided to check on her uncle so she peeks her head in the room he's currently in.
"Uncle Stefan are you ok?"
"I'm fine".
"Are you sure?"
"I said I'm fine Grace!"
He then realized his mistake when she stormed off to her room crying and to make matter's worse for himself Damon came home.
"Hey Stefan where's Gracie?" Damon asked his brother.
"Before you yell at me let me explain myself". Stefan said.
"What did you do?"
"I've been so stressed out by everything that's happened so I had a drink then Gracie asked if I was ok I said I was but when she asked again...I yelled at her".
Once Stefan was finished Damon had sped over to him and punched him across the face.
"What in the hell is wrong with you?!"
"I deserved that".
"I thought I was bad when it came to my anger. What would poesse you to yell at her as if it were her fault?"
"I was so stressed out Damon, it was an accident. I never meant to take it out on Gracie".
"But you did and by the way when exactly were you gonna tell me that Grace is afraid of you?"
Stefan looked stunned at his brother's question. "W-what?"
"Elena told me, she told me you told her that Grace was afraid of you because you showed your face vampire face in the woods".
Stefan looked away from his brother for a moment when Damon spoke up again. "You're going to tell me everything. Right now".
Grace was still up in her room crying into her pillow that she was hugging to her chest, just then her light started flickering in her room she figured it could have been the power so she shrugged it off for the time. She had stopped crying by now and she felt nothing but anger towards Stefan, how could he yell at her when she was looking out for him? She didn't know what was going on with him and she didn't care all she wanted was for him to go back to the way he was before.
Grace had gripped the pillow so tight she could have ripped it apart but instead the lamp by her nightstand had busted. 'How did that happen?' She thought to herself. The young girl had gotten off of her bed and examined the broken lamp and wondered something.
'Did I cause this to happen?'
She noticed that the lamp broke when she was angry the light above her had flickered a few times. The young girl was beginning to get scared and had one important thought, 'what's happening to me?'