Someone is ringing the bell.
"Uncle Damon you want me to get it?" Grace asked from the couch.
"Yeah I'm gonna make you a snack". He replied.
Grace then went to the door, "Who is it?" She called.
"It's John". John called.
Grace had swallowed hard and called for Damon. "Uncle Damon it's for you".
Damon them emerged from the kitchen to see Grace standing there with the door still close.
"Sweetheart who is it?"
"It's John".
"Go eat your snack I'll handle this".
"Alright".
She then went past him has he swiftly rubbed her hair he then went to open the door.
"Hey partner!" John greeted.
"What do you want?" Damon asked.
"You haven't return any of my calls".
"Most people take that as a hint".
"Where do we start looking for vampires?"
"How do you act John? You obviously don't care about catching vampires, you're here talking to me".
"Actually, I care very much".
"What Isobel say about that? I mean, considering that she is one".
"Isobel and I share a mutual interest. The original Jonathan Gilbert has an invention that was stolen by a vampire. That vampire was then burned alive in Fell's church, or so Jonathan thought and the invention was lost forever. But then the vampires weren't killed, were they? They were trapped and now they're free, thanks to you which means the invention is retrieval".
"What is it?"
"The only thing that matters is that I want it back and you're going to help me if you want your secret safe as well as your niece".
"Why bring me into it John? I mean, I don't know what you are talking about much less who has it".
"Oh come on Damon! You were around back then, you know who these people are, what they look like. He was friendly with a woman who turned out to be a vampire. Her name was Pearl. Does that ring a bell?"
Long pause, they look at each other. Grace was finished her snack and was in the door way of the kitchen listening.
"I'm not playing anymore. Get out. Get out".
"I beg your pardon?"
"You know, I only entertain this whole blackmail scheme thing of yours because I thought that you and Isobel could lead me to Katherine but see, now I know you've no idea where Katherine is, because if you did you would know that Katherine and Pearl were best friends. See, you don't know everything, do you John?"
"I'll tell the entire council what you are. They just might take your niece from you".
When Grace had heard that her breath got caught in her throat as fear started to rise in her chest.
"Go for it! I'll kill every last one of them. Then I'll sever your hand, pull your ring off, and I'll kill you too. Do you understand that?" He then picked John up by the front of his shirt shooting him a evil death glare. "Let's get one thing straight Johnny boy if anything happens to Grace, if she so much as skins her knee I will find you and kill you. Do I make myself clear". He said in a calm but threatening voice.
"Yes". John managed to get out.
Damon let him go just as he straightened his shirt and left, once John was gone Grace had came out from her spot and hugged Damon's torso. Grace was shaking in absolute fear and terror, Damon had picked her up and held her closely.
"Shh Gracie it's alright nobody's gonna take you from me. Remember what I said nobody will ever take you away from me and Stefan I would die before I let anything happen to you". Damon soothed her.
Grace looked up at him. "Sorry wrong choice of words sweetie but it's true I would die before I let anything happen to you Stefan would too".
"I don't wanna be taken away". She whimpered, Grace clutched Damon's jacket in her small fist as she hid her face in his chest.
Damon held his young niece tightly and protectively he kissed her temple then whispered in her ear, "I'll always protect you Gracie".
Founders Hall
Anna arrives, she goes outside. Damon and Grace rejoins her.
"In the running for Miss Mystic Falls?" Damon asked Anna.
"Sometimes you have to wear uncomfortable heels to blend in. I remember this event from 1864, I was supposed to enter before everything happened". Anna replies.
"I always hated these things it's just a dumb thing where girls get dolled up and for what? If you ask me it's stupid". Grace piped in.
"Ah, nostalgia's a bitch". Damon said.
"If you're just gonna mock me can you move along please?" Anna says.
"John Gilbert thinks your mom stole an artifact from Jonathan senior back in 1864".
"What are you, his errand boy?"
"I don't know what it is but I don't want him to have it".
"I could ask her but you know, you've made it pretty clear that you don't trust us so why should I even bother?"
"Because you want to stay in Mystic Falls and John Gilbert's in town, making that impossible. Find out where it is. He leaves, you can buy a welcome mat".
Grace looked around for Bonnie but couldn't find her, 'I just need to get away from Uncle Damon and go find Bonnie. But where could she be?' She tried to move away from Damon but he caught her.
"And just where are you off too?" Damon asked.
"I need to talk to Bonnie about something. Girl stuff". She was lucky that she picked up her lying skills from Damon.
'Something's going on with her I just need to find out what it is' Damon thought to himself. "Well if we wanna find Bonnie let's find Elena".
"Ok".
Grace had took a hold of Damon's left and thought, 'I just hope he or Uncle Stefan find out I don't want them to get rid of me'.
Elena enters a room to put her dress on. Amber is already here, she's nervous.
"Are you okay, Amber?" Elena asked.
"I hate being the center of attention. I get panic attacks". Amber replied.
"Do you need some privacy so you can change?"
"Actually I'm just- I'm gonna go get some air".
She leaves and closes the door. Elena takes her dress, she sees Damon and Grace in the mirror.
"Hey, you can't be back here". Elena says.
"We need to talk". Damon replies.
"Does it have to be right now?"
"Yes it does". Grace said.
"Normally I would have a completely different outlook of what I'm about to tell you but since it could really inconvenience me, I'll squeal". Damon said.
"What are you talking about?" Elena asked confused.
"Stefan's still drinking human blood".
"What?!"
"It's true we seen it, he won't even listen to me". Grace added.
"Yeah, a month ago I would have rejoiced but with the council back on the alert, it is not a good time for Stefan to fly off the handle". Damon said.
"I know he's been a little edgy but he said that was normal".Elena said.
"He has a fridge full of stolen blood bank contraband in the house".
She sits down on the couch.
"Oh my god".
"He has no idea what normal is, his entire existence isn't normal. Normal to a vampire is drinking human blood but he spent all this time fighting it when he should have been learning to control it and now it's controlling him instead. He didn't know he was scaring Grace with it either".
"I can't believe this. I mean, it's Stefan that we're talking about here".
"Stefan on human blood Elena; he'll do anything, he'll say anything because he's not gonna want to stop. Trust me".
Elena is still talking to Damon.
"This is all my fault; I'm the one who fed him the blood in the first place". Elena said with guilt in her voice.
"Yeah it is your fault". Grace snapped, she shot daggers at the teen.
"Grace". Damon warned her.
Stefan enters, interrupting them.
"What's going on in here?" Stefan asked.
"I was just filling Elena on your extra-curricular activities". Damon answered.
Stefan laughing, "What are you talking about?"
"It's not funny Uncle Stefan". Grace snapped.
"I know about the blood, Stefan". Elena said.
"I'm uh - I'll be downstairs, drinking. Let's go Gracie". Damon states.
"But-" Grace said but was cut off.
"Let's go Grace".
They leave. Stefan smiles.
"I was going to tell you". Stefan said.
"When?" Elena asked.
"I'm fine. I'm fine, the blood, it doesn't change anything".
"It's changing you. Damon said you're scaring Grace, do you want your only niece to be scared of you for the rest of her life?"
"Why? Because I kept it a secret from you? Come on Elena, look, giving the way you're reacting right now, can you really blame me for doing that? And leave Grace out of this she's not your concern she's mine and Damon's"
"Are you hearing yourself right now? You've been stealing blood and lying and you say that everything's fine? Everything's not fine, Stefan!"
"So what - so you and Damon all of a sudden have everything figured out then?"
"It's not about Damon. It's about what's happening to you".
"I know and I'm telling you that I'm fine. I'm fine. Please, come on. Elena I thought you...I thought you believed in me".
Someone is knocking on the door. It's Carole Lockwood.
"Elena, let's go. The line-up's starting". Carole said.
"I just...I need a minute". Elena said.
"You're not even dressed yet. Escorts wait downstairs, Stefan".
He looks at Elena and leaves.
Stefan goes into the bathroom and slams the door. He puts his fist into the mirror and breaks it. Amber enters in the bathroom.
"Oh God, sorry!" Amber says quickly.
Stefan's face has changed; he goes towards her.
The escorts, the mayor and a crowd of people are waiting for the girls.
"Miss Tina Fell, escorted by Bartholomew Whitmore". Mayor Lockwood said.
Tina goes down the stairs. Upstairs Caroline and Elena are waiting.
"Has anyone seen Amber?" Carole asked.
Elena looking if she sees Stefan downstairs, "Do you see Stefan down there?"
Caroline look above the balcony.
"Nope, just my boring fill in escort". Caroline replied.
"What happened to Matt?"
"They wouldn't let him out of work. Wait, what happened to Stefan?"
"I don't know, he just disappeared somewhere, I don't know. What am I doing? I never should have gone through with this".
"What do you mean?"
"I need to find Stefan, this isn't me, I'm not this person anymore".
"No, no, no way, no. You had your chance to drop out and believe me I was all for it because there is no way that I could beat you. Elena, you're doing this because it was important to your mom".
"Miss Caroline Forbes and her escort Jeffrey Lockwood Hamilton". Mayor Lockwood says.
She looks at Elena and goes down the stairs.
"Elena, you're next". Carole says.
Grace was beside Damon as she looked around for her other uncle, just because she was angry at him didn't stop her from worrying about him.
"Uncle Damon". Grace said.
"What is it Gracie". Damon said sipping his drink.
"I don't see Uncle Stefan anywhere".
Damon then scanned the room and didn't see his brother anywhere. 'Dammit Stefan I didn't think you would do it with Gracie around' Damon thought to himself. Grace had taken this opportunity to slip away while Damon was distracted, she then thought to herself 'If I were Uncle Stefan where would I go to get away from everyone?' It then popped in her head. 'The parking lot'. Grace had then made her way outside to look for Stefan.
Damon quickly glanced to see Grace gone and he immediately panicked. 'First Stefan now Grace this is gonna be one long day' Damon thought to himself. He then looked everywhere for his niece but couldn't find her. 'For a ten year old she's fast, now where the hell is she?' He continued looking for her everywhere and still didn't find her.
Stefan is in the parking lot with Amber; he has her by the arm and is walking with her. Grace had went out to the parking lot and begin looking around till she heard voices and knew one of them belonged to Stefan.
"Where are we going?" Amber asked.
"I don't know". Stefan answered.
"I'm in the ceremony".
He pushes her against his car.
"Not now you're not".
He compels her. Grace didn't like how human blood was changing her uncle and she hoped that he wasn't gonna do anything he'll regret later.
"You're standing in the parking lot with me".
"I'm in the parking lot with you".
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm not very good to be around right now, I'm a little bit on the edge. I've been drinking the human stuff and it's really screwing with my head. She knows now. God! She wasn't supposed to found out, I didn't want her to found out, now everything's ruined. And on top of everything my niece who I love more than anybody is scared of me".
"You seem sad".
He laughs.
"I'm not sad. I'm freaking hungry!"
"Don't do it Uncle Stefan". Grace whispered.
Elena is waiting upstairs.
"Miss Elena Gilbert, escorted by Mister Stefan Salvatore". Mayor Lockwood says.
Damon looks for Stefan. Elena goes down the stairs and looks for Stefan but she doesn't see him. Damon takes Stefan's place to escort Elena. She smiles and rejoins him.
Elena whispers, "Where is Stefan?"
Damon whispered, "I don't know".
He takes her hand and they rejoins the others girls and their escorts outside. They pass by Jenna and Alaric.
Jenna turned to Alaric, "What is she doing with Damon?"
"I have no idea". He replied.
The couples take their positions for the dance. They bow and curtsey to their respective partner.
Elena whispering, "What are we gonna do?"
Damon whispering, "Right now, we just have to get through this".
The girls and their escorts begin to dance. Elena and Damon dance, they look at each other and smile. The dance ends.
Stefan is still in the parking lot with Amber. Grace keeps glancing around to make sure she doesn't get caught but her eyes were glued to the scene in front of her.
"I don't hurt people. I don't do that. I'm the good brother. I'm a good uncle". Stefan said.
"Do you want to hurt me?"
He looks at her.
"Uncle Stefan no". Grace whispered.
"I want to kill you, I want to rip into your skin and I want to feed on your blood". Stefan says.
He touches her hair and looks at her neck.
"Don't Uncle Stefan don't your stronger than this". Grace whispered.
"Under your skin, pulsating, floating". Stefan goes on
He touches her neck.
"Your carotid artery right here. If you puncture this just right you can control the blood flow. It takes practice but it doesn't have to make a mess, you don't have to waste any".
"What's stopping you?" Amber asked.
Stefan still touching amber's face, "If I do this, if I give in, there's no going back".
"Then don't".
"I just want one taste; that's all I need, I just want one taste".
His face changes. Grace tensed as she seen Stefan about to make his move.
"One taste". Amber says.
He finally bites her and drinks her blood. Grace covers her eyes as Stefan continues to drink from Amber.
The girls are on the stage, the mayor arrives.
"Where is Amber?" Caroline asked.
"I don't know. Elena answered.
"Before I crown the winner, I'd like to offer a personal thank you to all of these young ladies for their efforts to better our community". Mayor Lockwood says.
Everyone applause.
"So, without further a due it is my honor to announce our very own Miss Mystic Falls, Miss Caroline Forbes!"
She is surprised. She and Elena are laughing.
"Congratulations!" Elena said happily.
"I actually won!" Caroline exclaimed.
They embrace each other; the mayor puts the banner around her shoulder.
John and Sheriff Forbes are in the bathroom where Stefan was earlier.
"There is blood on the glass". John said.
They look at each other.
"Get me Damon Salvatore". Sheriff Forbes said.
Stefan is still in the parking lot with Amber. Grace continues to watch over her uncle.
"You can do it Uncle Stefan". Grace whispered.
"I can't do this. Stefan said.
"What's the matter?" Amber asked.
"I can't do this".
"It's okay, it doesn't hurt that much, just not so hard next time".
"Oh god oh god oh god! I can't stop".
He touches her face.
"Why aren't you afraid of me?"
"You told me not to be".
"What? What's your name?"
"Amber".
"Listen to me, Amber. I need you to be afraid of me. I need you to run like hell do you understand me? Run, run now!"
She runs. Grace watched as the teen girl ran from Stefan.
"I knew you could do it Uncle Stefan". Grace whispered.
Damon is waiting for Elena, she rejoins him.
"What is it, did you find him? Did you find Grace?" Elena asked.
"There were signs of a struggle in the upstairs bathroom". Damon answered.
Bonnie is looking at them.
"There was blood and that Amber girl is missing. And my guess would be that Grace followed him".
"Oh my god! He wouldn't hurt her, he won't!"
"Let's just find him, okay? Let's get your coat come on!"
They leave, Bonnie follows them.
Amber is running but she falls into Stefan. Grace swallows hard as she takes in the scene before her.
"You said to run!" Amber cried.
"I changed my mind". Stefan said.
She screams and he bites her. Grace had watched in horror at what Stefan was doing. Elena, Damon and Bonnie arrive.
"Grace". Damon called to his niece.
Grace had heard Damon calling her and he sped going to her side, Grace had latched onto Damon hiding her face away from Stefan.
"Stefan!" Elena called.
He releases her. Damon then let go of Grace as she hid behind him going towards Stefan's direction.
Damon: Stefan, come on get control. It's okay, come on. Breath through it man.
Stefan catches Damon and throws him against a tree.
"Uncle Damon!" Grace cried.
Damon gets up. "I'm fine sweetheart". He assured his scared niece.
"Stefan stop it!" Elena cried out.
All the sudden Stefan holds his head, Bonnie is casting a spell that hurts him. She stops.
"It's okay. Stefan". Damon assured his brother.
Stefan runs away. Grace then ran over to Damon. "Uncle Damon are you alright?"
"I'm fine sweetheart but the two of us are gonna have a long talk later".
"Yes sir".
The police arrive. Damon, Grace, Bonnie and Elena are still here.
"She doesn't remember what happened". Sheriff Forbes said.
"It's a good thing the girls got here when they did, she lost a lot of blood". Damon replied.
Sheriff Forbes turned to Bonnie and Elena, "You didn't see anything?"
Long pause, Elena and Damon look at Bonnie.
"No, we just found her and then called Damon". Elena responded.
"Is she gonna be okay?" Bonnie asked.
"It looks like it yeah. Why don't you girls get back to the party? Damon and I can take it from here".
"Okay". Elena says.
"Go on Gracie". Damon tells his niece.
She nodded and went back with Elena and Bonnie.
Elena, Grace and Bonnie leave; Damon stays with the Sheriff.
"They didn't see the bite mark?" Sheriff Forbes asked.
"No, I got here before they got too close. There was too much blood, they couldn't see it clearly". Damon replied.
They look at each other.
Bonnie goes to her car, Elena and Grace follows her.
"Bonnie, can we talk about this?" Elena asked.
"There's nothing to talk about". Bonnie said.
"Bonnie, please!" Elena pleaded.
"I told you I wasn't gonna make you choose but I need to make the choice for myself. Please just leave me alone".
She gets into her car, Elena looks sad. Grace then glared up at Elena.
"You know none of this would be happening if you hadn't fed Stefan your blood". Grace said angrily.
"Grace I was only trying to help him". Elena defended herself.
"And look what happened today, my uncle is off the hinges because of you. He worked hard to get off of human blood for years and you give it to him. I blame you for what happened not only today but in the woods too. I understand you wanted to help but you didn't have to give him your blood".
Damon then went over to where Elena and his niece are, he saw that Grace was really laying into Elena.
"Grace Marie Salvatore". Damon said strictly.
Grace had looked over to see Damon giving her a warning glare, she then moved over to him.
"Yes Uncle Damon". Grace said.
"First thing I want you to apologize to Elena".
"For what? Speaking the truth, Uncle Damon it's her fault that Uncle Stefan is on human blood".
"Grace she was trying to help him, if she didn't give him the blood something could have happened to all of you".
The ten year old turned to face Elena. "I'm sorry Elena, I'm just looking out for Stefan. He and Damon are the only family I have and I don't wanna lose them".
"It's alright Grace I forgive you". Elena said.
"Let's get home Grace". Damon said.
The two then head home.
Salvatore Boarding House
Damon and Grace are heading home but Anna is waiting for them. Grace was almost asleep so Damon had picked her up and held her closely.
"All right now, this is getting weird". Damon says.
"We're here to talk". Anna replies.
Pearl arrives.
"Not in the mood, today's been a no good, very bad day".
"Annabelle tells me you're looking for something I took from Jonathan Gilbert". Pearl said.
"Give me a minute". Damon said.
Damon had carried his niece up to her room, once she was changed for bed he tucked her in.
"G'night Uncle Damon". Grace said. sleepily.
"Sweet dreams sweetheart". He then kissed her forehead then left her room.
He then went back downstairs to see Pearl and Anna waiting.
"I'm listening". Damon said.
She gives him the device.
"What is it?"
"Jonathan was passionate about his inventions. He confided in me that he had created a detection device meant to track down the town's vampire element". Pearl explained.
"It was a pocket watch".
"That's what it turned out to be yes. But that's not what I stole. I discovered my mistake when I saw the watch in Jonathan's hand, the night they took us, its stile pointed at me".
Damon looks at the device.
"So what is this?"
"I have no idea but now it's yours".
"What's the catch?"
"There is no catch. My daughter wants to stay here. I want to stay here. You refused to trust us and for good reason. Consider this an apology".
He looks at them and leaves.
Stefan enters in his bedroom, he tries to calm down. Elena arrives.
"You shouldn't be here". Stefan said.
"I know". Elena responded.
"Now you know".
"That wasn't you".
"Oh, it was absolutely me. A monster, a predator, that's who I am Elena".
"That's what the blood makes you".
"The blood brings out what's inside of me and if you think any differently then you're an idiot".
"I know this isn't you Stefan".
"I wanted to drain every ounce of blood from that girl's body".
"No".
"It's who I am Elena".
"No, you can't scare me off".
"Why would you risk it? Why would you come here?"
"Because I did this, this is my fault; I'm the one who made you drink the blood".
"All you did was expose me to who I really am".
"This isn't you".
Stefan screams, "Stop saying that!"
She starts walking towards him.
"Don't get any closer to me".
"I'm not gonna let this happen to you".
"Stop".
"Stefan, I'm not gonna give up on you! I believe in you!"
"Stop!"
He pushes her against the wall very roughly and slams his fist into the wall.
"Stop!"
She's afraid; he looks at her.
"I'm so sorry".
"It's okay. It's okay".
He puts his head on her shoulder. He begins to cry.
"I don't know what's happening to me".
"It's okay, Stefan. Its okay. You're gonna be okay".
She takes a vervain dart and stabs him with it. He falls and Damon enters in the room, she looks at him.
"Sure you want to do this?" Damon asked.
"I'm sure". Elena replied.
They put him in a cell in the basement. He closes the door.
"There's no guarantee it's going to work".
"It has to".
"Coming?"
"I'm gonna stay here".
She sits down opposite the cell door, resting her back against the wall. Damon looks at her for a moment then sits down as well, facing her.
Grace was up in her room she had began tossing and turning as she started to have a weird dream.
*Dream*
Grace was standing alone in a empty house.
"Hello". Grace called out. "Is anyone here? Hello?"
She then began searching around and didn't find anybody then she heard a voice that made her blood run cold.
"Hello dear Gracie". A woman's voice said.
The ten year old had stood in shock as her eyes widened in fear she then slowly carefully turned around to see Katherine.
"Katherine". Grace said with fear in her voice.
"My you have grown so much Gracie". Katherine said.
"Don't call me that. What do you want? Why am I here?"
"Simple I want your uncles help with something and in return I can give you some information".
"What information?"
"I can tell you who your real daddy is, I know him".
"How do you know him?"
"We go back along way, a very long way".
"What do you want?"
"When the time comes I'll be around but for the time being you don't tell them about this unless you want something bad to happen".
"I won't I promise".
"Well till next time".
*Back to reality*
Grace had awoken with a start, gasping for breath she looked around to see that she was out of her dream state. 'Could Katherine really know who my father is?' She asked herself. 'I need to tell Uncle Damon but I can't what should I do?' She then got out of her bed and went to go find Damon, Grace had checked his room and seen it empty that caused her to panic a little she then went downstairs and saw the living room, kitchen, and library empty she then checked the basement. The ten year old had seen Elena and Damon sitting together outside a cellar Grace figured that they had locked Stefan up she made her way over to Damon, he was slowly starting to doze off when he felt Grace plop down in his lap as she wrapped her arms around his neck lying her head on his shoulder.
"You alright sweetheart?" He asked brushing some hair from her face.
She shook her head as she buried her face in his shirt as she gripped some of it in her fist.
"Another nightmare?"
She simply nodded. "You wanna talk about it?"He asked wrapping his arms around her. 'I wish I could but I can't. I don't know what to do' she thought to herself. Damon had kissed her head as he laid his cheek on the top of her head, Grace had went back to sleep curled into Damon's lap and she still had one thing on her mind, 'What should I do?'