Salvatore Boarding House
Damon had gotten up a bit early because he needed to talk to his brother so he waited a little while and the whole time he kept thinking about the fact that Grace was adopted he knew that wouldn't change a thing she will always be a Salvatore. Stefan had finally woken up and headed for the kitchen where Damon was fixing breakfast for Grace.
"Damon what are you doing up so early?" Stefan asked.
"I have to talk to you without Gracie around". Damon replied.
"Why".
"I asked Liz to look up adoption records on Gracie".
"Ok and".
"She's adopted Stefan, Gracie's adopted".
"What? Did she find the original birth certificate?"
"Yeah the mother's name is Anna but there was no father listed, I was up last night trying to track down either of them but nothing. Max and Jessica had her birth certificate changed once the adoption was final".
"How do we tell her?"
"I don't know but it's not gonna change a thing, she will still be a Salvatore".
What they didn't know is that Grace had woken up and had heard everything. 'I'm adopted?' She thought to herself. Many things had roamed her young mind she ran back up to her room trying not to be heard but the brothers still heard her.
"Dammit". Damon cursed.
"Wanna go talk to her?" Stefan asked.
"Might as well".
The two brothers had went up to their niece's room and heard crying, Damon knocked on the door. "Gracie? Sweetheart were coming in".
They enter her room to see her on her bed with her knees drawn to her chest silently sobbing, they quickly rushed to her side.
"Gracie it's alright just because your adopted doesn't change anything, you'll still be our niece". Stefan said gently.
"Stefan's right nothing's going to change at all". Damon added.
"W-who are my real parents?" She hiccuped.
"All I know is that your mom's name is Anna". Damon said.
"Can we find her? I wanna know why she gave me up".
"Are you sure about that Gracie?" Stefan asked.
"I'm sure I deserve to know the truth".
"I will do my best in tracking her down for now you should get ready for school". Damon said.
"Alright".
The two brothers left her room Stefan went to get ready for school while Damon wanted to begin his search for Grace's mother but waited till he was alone to do it. After a few minutes Stefan and Grace emerged from their rooms dressed for school the whole time Grace had stayed quiet.
"Gracie you alright?" Stefan asked.
She simply nodded as they went downstairs she went to the kitchen and ate her food quietly she sipped on her juice, after a couple minutes she was finished she put her plate in the sink and slowly put her backpack on.
"You got everything Gracie?" Damon asked.
She quietly mumbled, "Yes".
"Let's go".
"I can drive her". Stefan offered.
"Grace you want Stefan to drive you?"
She shook her head as she took a hold of Damon's hand but quickly dropped it as she went over to quickly hug Stefan. "I love you Uncle Stefan".
"I love you too Gracie, have a good day at school". He kissed her head then went to the garage to his car while Damon and Grace left out the front door.
Damon held his niece's hand the whole time he had also kept his guard up the whole time as he scanned around for any possible or potential threat, when he looked down at his niece's face and saw how glum she was he wish'd that she never found out.
"Gracie please say something". Damon said.
"Do you think my parents wanted me?" She asked.
Damon stopped in his tracks he was shocked at his niece's question. "I don't know sweetheart but it's their loss to see what a great kid you are, but listen to me sweetie just because your adopted doesn't mean anything you'll still be family to us".
"I don't wanna go to school Uncle Damon can I just miss one day? Please".
"Alright just one day and you'll stay with me because I don't have time to find a babysitter".
"Ok".
Mystic Falls High School
Stefan is parking his car. Elena sees him and joins him.
"Nice car". Elena commented.
"Thought it was a waste to leave it in the garage".
She smiles, they kiss.
"I didn't know you were coming back today".
"You know, I woke up this morning and I was feeling great and I figured it was time for me to get back into things".
"Does that mean you're okay now, with all the cravings?"
"Yeah, I mean the worst part is over so...now all I want to do is just spend as much time with you as possible".
"I'm okay with that".
They kiss.
"Hey, thank you for helping me get through the rough patch".
"You're welcome". They pause, then look each other. "We're gonna be late".
"Okay, uh, you know what? I'll catch up with you, I'm gonna grab my stuff. I'll be right behind you".
"Okay".
She leaves; he goes to the trunk and opens it. There are a lot of blood bags from Mystic Falls Hospital. He grabs his stuff and closes the trunk.
While Damon and Grace are walking to the Founder's hall but what they didn't know is that Katherine was watching them from afar while smirking, something was on the young girl's mind.
"Is Uncle Stefan gonna be ok? He seems different". Grace spoke.
"I'm sure he'll be ok sweetheart he's going through a difficult time right now".
"He just scared me a little".
Damon had mentally cursed his brother. "He didn't mean too Gracie but I'll talk with him about it".
They continued to walk when they finally got to the Founder's hall.
"Gracie you stay by me the whole time don't wander off". Damon told her firmly.
"Alright".
The two go in and see Sheriff Forbes and John, Damon had put his hands gently on Grace's shoulder holding onto her protectively.
"Damon hi". Sheriff Forbes greeted him.
"Hello Liz hope you don't mind I brought Grace she wasn't feeling well this morning and I didn't want to leave her by herself so here she is". Damon replied.
Liz had looked down at the young girl. "Hi Grace". She said.
"Hi". Grace said shyly.
"We have a spare room she can go to while we talk". Liz said.
"I'd rather her stay with me". Damon replied.
"Alright let's get down to business".
Damon, John and Sheriff Forbes began talking while Grace had put her headphones in.
"There was a disturbance at the hospital blood bank last night; some of the supply was compromised". Sheriff Forbes stated.
"Compromised? You mean stolen?" Damon asked.
"We almost missed it. The inventory records were altered but when the night manager was questioned he had no recollection of changing them".
"Meaning that the vampire who stole the blood used mind control to hide the theft". John added.
Damon looks at John, "I know what you meant".
"We wouldn't have noticed had John not alerted us to recent discrepancies in other hospital blood banks in the county". Sheriff Forbes continued.
"How lucky for us, we have John". Damon said.
He looks at John, he made sure to his hand on Grace's shoulder protectively when John looked down at the young girl who was occupied on her phone.
"We're stepping up security at the hospital, giving the guard vervain to prevent this from happening again".
"Sheriff, may I offer a suggestion? Why don't Damon and I put our heads together? We can track down whoever is doing this". John said.
"Truthfully I can use the extra hands. Is that something you would be willing to do?"
"Well, of course, I mean if it'll help". Damon said.
"I think we could make a good team, don't you think Damon?" John asked.
He looks at Damon.
"John, whatever I can do to help keep this town safe; even if it means spending time with you".
He looks at John and smiles, John smiles too. Damon and Grace then left heading home the whole time Damon noticed something was up with his niece. "Something on your mind Gracie?"
"I can't stop thinking about my real parents. Did they want me? Did they even love me? Is something wrong with me?" Her voice started to crack and Damon couldn't stand to see or hear his niece in pain.
"Gracie, sweetheart look at me". He said gently but firmly.
Grace looked up at Damon, her ocean blue eyes are starting to water and when a tear fell Damon had gotten down on one knee and gently wiped it away with his thumb.
"Sweetheart you shouldn't worry about your parents I will deal with that. I know you have questions about your parents and I can't answer them besides it's there loss to see what an awesome kid you've become". He wiped more tears that were coming down he then continued. "Gracie there is nothing wrong with you alright sweetheart I can't explain your parents actions but there isn't anything wrong with you. And sweetheart you'll always have me and Stefan as your family, adopted or not you'll still be our niece no piece of paper is gonna change anything we still love you for you".
"I love you too Uncle Damon". She embraced him in a hug and held on tightly.
"Let's head home".
The two continue walking and after a while they finally arrive home, Grace was in the living room while Damon was in the kitchen making her lunch. Someone is ringing the bell.
"Sweetheart can you get that". Damon called.
"Ok".
Grace had gotten up and went to the door, "Who is it". Grace called.
"It's Anna". Anna replied.
Grace had opened to see the teen vampire.
"Hi your Grace right I'm Anna". Anna said.
"Hi". Grace said.
"Is your uncle around?"
"Hold on".
She then called to Damon. "Uncle Damon it's for you".
"Coming". He called.
"So how are you after what happened?" Anna asked the young girl.
"I'm ok I have nightmares but nothing else".
"I'm sorry Grace".
"It wasn't your fault Anna".
Damon then came into view to see his niece talking with Anna, he then quickly turned to Grace for a moment. "Gracie your lunch is on the table".
"Alright bye Anna". Grace said to the teen.
"Bye Grace". Anna said.
Once Grace was in the kitchen Damon turned to Anna.
"I suppose I should be grateful, you learned how to use the bell". Damon says.
"I'm here on behalf of my mother". Anna states.
She enters.
"On behalf of or in spite of?"
"I'm sorry about what the other vampires did to Stefan and Grace. Abducting him, torturing him, and for taking Grace. It wasn't supposed to go down like that".
"You're playing house with half of a tomb of really pissed off vampires. What do you think was going to happen?"
"My mom is devastated; they tried to over throw her".
"Why isn't she here telling me this?"
"She doesn't really do apologies".
"Well, it's a coincidence, 'cause I don't do forgiveness. Just run along. And if you're going continue playing house with these little vampires pets, you might wanna stop robbing the blood bank dry because they're onto it".
"I haven't been to the local blood bank in at least a week".
"Then it's one of your others".
"The others are gone, Damon".
"Well, where did they go?"
"They weren't cut out for this town. After what happened with your brother and niece my mom kicked them out and they took off. It's just us and Harper now".
Once Anna left Damon had shut the door sighing, Grace had heard everything by standing in the door way of the kitchen.
"Gracie what have I told you about eavesdropping?" Damon asked his niece.
"Sorry Uncle Damon".
She then went and leaned into his side wrapping her arms around his torso. "Do you think Uncle Stefan could have done it? I mean he has been acting weird lately and it would make sense".
"Gracie this isn't for you to get involved in and frankly I don't want you getting involved in any of this".
Grace then let go of her uncle and stared at him with an angry expression. "If this is about Uncle Stefan then I wanna help him too".
Damon was taken back at his niece's expression. "Grace Marie you better watch your tone right now". He warned her in a firm voice.
"He's my uncle, Uncle Damon and I want to help him".
Grace had fury lit up in her eyes as she glared over at Damon who was giving her a warning glare.
"I understand Grace but there are just some things that a kid needs to stay out of, things like this".
"I'm sick of being treated like a baby! That's all you and Uncle Stefan do is treat me like a baby".
"Grace Marie Salvatore I'm going to tell you one more time to watch your tone and mouth right now".
Damon could handle a lot of things, killing something or someone, compelling people, but dealing with a very pissed off ten year old was something else for him. He never knew that Grace ever got this angry before he always saw her as a quiet shy kid but to see this side of her was surprising.
"I don't want to be treated like a little kid anymore Uncle Damon".
"But sweetheart you are a kid, a defenseless little girl. You're a kid, you need to stay in a kid's place. All you need to worry about is school and doing stuff a kid does".
Grace didn't want to hear anymore so she stormed off to her room and slammed the door and paced around thinking to herself. 'Who does he think he is? I can help I know I can! But how can I help?' She was still so angry and when her light blew out she started thinking again. 'Could I be a witch?' Damon was still downstairs when Stefan is back from school. Damon walks up to him.
"How was school?" Damon asked.
"Fine. Where's Gracie?" Stefan replied.
"Yeah? Same old, same old? Nothing new? No stories to bring home? Oh and Grace is up in her room"
"You're making small talk, why?"
"You seem awfully chipper lately, less doom and gloom, a little more pep in your step".
"And you think it's because I drank human blood again".
"I don't want to brag but I would definitely take responsibility for this new and improved you".
"Well, I hate to burst your bubble but I'm clean".
"Yeah, not possible".
"Not only isn't possible but it is quite true".
"Stefan, just be serious for a second. You spent the last century and a half being a poster child for Prozac and now you expect me to believe that this new you has nothing to do with human blood. Nothing".
"I'm clean".
"You're lying!"
"Believe what you want".
Stefan leaves, Damon seems suspicious. Grace had heard the argument between her uncles and sighed sadly, she always hated when they fought with one another she then heard Stefan going to his room and calling Elena.
Gilbert Residence/Salvatore Boarding House
Elena is in the kitchen. She opens the fridge and takes a bottle of water. She's on the phone with Stefan.
"I'm sorry for the short notice; I didn't even know that the contest was coming up much less that I would be in it". Elena said.
"I will be happy to escort you anyway". Stefan says.
"My mom was really into this Founders' day stuff. She was even Miss Mystic in her day. I kind of want to do it for her".
"It'll be great, we'll have fun".
"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow, I love you".
"I love you too".
He hangs up. He has a blood pouch in his hands. He opens a drawer and hides the blood pouch in it. Grace had heard him as he goes in the basement she follows him as he opens a fridge there are a lot of blood pouches in it, Grace had made her way over to Damon. She took his hand just as Stefan takes a blood pouch he looks at it but Damon and Grace are looking at him in the shadow.
"Well well, he's a liar and a thief. So, when were you gonna share?" Damon asked, as he held onto Grace's hand.
"Go ahead, help yourself" Stefan offered.
"No, no, no I'm talking about the fact that you're a closet blood junkie".
"So, I'm drinking blood again. You're the one that shoved it on me, what's your problem? I have it under control".
"Under control? You robbed the hospital! Not to mention you're starting to scare Gracie!"
"It's true Uncle Stefan you are actually scaring me". Grace added.
"So, what's your point?" He then turned turned to his niece. "Gracie I'm sorry for scaring you I really am".
"Fine, whatever man, drink up. Just remember, we're trying to keep a low profile. Why don't you just walk up to Sheriff Forbes and ask her to tap a vein?" Damon replied sarcastically.
"Have my actions negatively impacted you? Have they negatively impacted Gracie? I can't imagine what that must feel like". Stefan replied.
"Yeah, what's Elena thinks about the new...you?"
"Nothing's changed; I'm still the same person".
"Clearly".
"Elena doesn't need to know anything yet".
"You've been off the human stuff for years, Stefan. If you're having trouble controlling..."
"I'm not having trouble".
"Yes you are Uncle Stefan please admit you need help". Grace piped in.
"Who do you think you're talking to? I know what it's like. That Jekyll and Hyde feeling, that switch, sometimes it goes off and you snap. Right now is not a good time for me to be worried about you snapping. I don't want you to snap in front of Gracie". Damon continued.
"I know that it pains both of you to see this but I'm fine, okay? I'm fine". Stefan said.
He takes a pouch from the fridge.
"So please, do me a favor and back off".
He closes the fridge and leaves, Grace then dropped Damon's hand and chased after Stefan.
"Uncle Stefan, Uncle Stefan please admit you need the help". She said to him
Stefan heard his niece calling out to him he took a deep breath and turned towards her.
"Gracie, sweetheart I love you alright but please stay out of this. I don't wanna sound too harsh but there are some things that a kid shouldn't get involved in and this is one of those things". Stefan replies softly.
"I don't wanna see you snap Uncle Stefan".
"I won't snap Gracie, look I gotta go but we'll talk later alright".
He then kissed her head and took off leaving Grace standing there with a glum expression on her face just as Damon comes up behind her wrapping her in a hug from behind, Grace held onto Damon's arms.
"We need to help him Uncle Damon". Grace said.
"I know sweetheart".
"But how? He won't admit he needs help".
"We'll find a way".