Grace had kept running till she was out of breath she saw that she was closer to Mystic Falls High, 'Almost there just a little further'. Grace had then began walking she felt as if someone was following her, she turned to see no one on the sidewalk. 'That was weird' Grace had continued her way to the high school with the man still following her.
"What is it about this child that is familiar?" He muttered.
Before he got caught he super sped away, after a few minutes Grace had arrived to the high school and ran into Jeremy outside.
"Grace? What are you doing here? I thought you were at school". Jeremy said.
"I was but I did something stupid have you seen Stefan". She replied.
"Yeah he's inside come on".
The two go inside the school, Stefan and Bonnie were taking a break from setting up for the carnival.
"Bonnie I was hoping I could talk to you for a minute". Stefan said.
"Sure what is it". She replied.
"Damon and I were hoping you could help Grace control her powers".
"Yeah I can do that".
"Damon also said that if it becomes too much for her to stop".
"Alright".
Just then coming down the hall is Jeremy with Grace.
"Uh Stefan isn't Grace suppose to be at school?"
Stefan was confused so he turned around to see his niece with Jeremy.
"Grace what are you doing here and not at school?" Stefan asked his niece.
"Uncle Stefan I did something really stupid after Uncle Damon told me not to do". Grace said.
"What did you do?"
"...I may or may not have used my powers at school then I ditched and came here".
"Grace Marie Salvatore! What were you thinking?! You probably have Damon worried half to death right now!".
"I didn't mean to use my powers I was just tired of people picking on me".
Before Stefan could respond his phone rang.
Meanwhile
Damon was at the Boarding House pouring a drink when his cell phone rang.
-Hello.
-Is this the guardian to Grace Salvatore? The voice over the phone asked.
-Yes I'm her cousin, is everything ok?
-I was hoping to ask you that she wasn't seen after recess, is she sick again?
Damon became confused and was starting to fume a little.
-She isn't with me what happened.
-I don't have any specific details all I know is that she wasn't seen after recess.
Damon tried to keep his calm.
-I will find her.
-Alright.
Damon hung up then called his brother.
-Yeah Damon. Stefan answered.
-Tell me you know where the hell Grace is, I just got a call from the school saying she wasn't seen after recess. Damon said.
-I have her Damon I'll bring her home.
-Alright.
Damon had hung up and took a deep breath, 'At least she's safe' he thought to himself.
Mystic Falls High School
Stefan had just gotten off the phone with his brother and looked down at his niece.
"Do I have to tell you who that was?" Stefan asked his niece.
"It was Uncle Damon wasn't it".
"Yeah it was, Grace you are to never ever again do something like this again. Not to mention what you did was dumb, irresponsible, and stupid, you exposed yourself in public where everyone at your school seen. What would you have done if someone who was after us seen you? I'm not trying to scare you Grace I'm stating the facts if some who was after me or Damon and they seen what you could do, they'll take you and possibly drain you of all your power. I don't want anything to happen to you Gracie not because you can't control your powers".
"I never thought of it like that, Uncle Stefan I just wanted people to stop picking on me and I thought if I used my powers they stop".
"Gracie if you use your powers won't make them stop it might make people afraid of you but it won't make people stop picking on you".
The ten year old had stayed silent for a moment before speaking up again, "Uncle Damon's mad isn't he?"
"What do you think?"
"I'm toast".
"Let's go".
The two then head home, Grace had held her head down the whole time. The whole time the same man had watched Stefan and Grace walk home.
"I will find out more about this child". He said.
He then super sped away before Stefan caught his scent.
Salvatore Boarding House
Damon is pouring a blood bag in a glass. Stefan and Grace arrive.
"Grace go up to your room and wait for one of us to come up". Stefan said.
"Yes sir". She said.
The ten year old had went up to her room to wait for her punishment.
"Care for one?" Damon asked.
"No, thank you. I'm not hungry, just ate". Stefan replied.
"Are you worried that one day, all the forest animals are gonna band together and fight back? I mean, surely they talk".
"I'm just happy that's a blood bag and not a sorority girl supplying your dinner".
"I like this. You, walking on eggs shells around me because you think I'm gonna explode. Very suspenseful. Is Elena worried too? I bet I'm your every conversation".
"Have you heard from Katherine?"
"I think the Lockwoods have a family secret because the Gilbert device affected them but vervain didn't so they're not vampires, they're something else.
"Is this your new obsession?"
"You'd rather some unknown supernatural element running rampant upon our town. Fine, I'll drop it".
"We haven't seen the last of Katherine, you do know that right? We have no idea what she's up to".
"Sure we do. She came back to profess her undying eternal love for you so I'm gonna let you deal with her because I have more important things to do like explode. Cheers!"
"Damon don't forget what I told you, if you lose control you will force me to give Gracie back to Lexi".
"You're not taking Grace from me over my undead body".
"Speaking of Grace what are we gonna do about her punishment?"
"I will go talk to her now".
"Want me to come with?"
"I got it".
Damon then went up to talk to his niece when he got to her door he had heard her pacing and mumbling to herself so he opened her door causing her to jump a little and sit on her bed holding her head down in shame.
"Grace do you have anything to say for yourself". Damon said firmly.
"I didn't mean to do it Uncle Damon I really didn't".
"Why did you, explain it to me".
"Because I'm the weird Salvatore kid who lives up at the creepy boarding house with my crazy uncles. They made sure that I'd always remember".
"Gracie that doesn't give you the right to hurt them with your powers. Why didn't you come to me or Stefan?"
"I didn't know how to tell you".
"Gracie we had this talk many times before don't be afraid to come to us sweetheart and I will be going down to that school to talk with the principal".
"Alright".
"Now your punishment, you are grounded for two weeks. No phone unless it's for an emergency. No tv, no computer unless it's for school, no xbox or video games, no magic for two weeks".
"Yes sir".
Mystic Falls High School
Jeremy is buying popcorn at the carnival. Damon and Grace arrives.
"Hi Jeremy". Grace said.
"Hey Grace". The teen replied.
"Jeremy, it's so good to see you alive". Damon said.
"Aren't you a little old for a high school carnival?"
"A hundred and fifty years too old. But I thought Grace would enjoy it". He takes some of Jeremy's popcorn and eats it.
"You're pretty funny cracking jokes when I could I don't know...blow the whole lid off this thing by telling someone what you really are".
Damon catches him and takes him away from the crowd with Grace following.
"Uncle Damon stop it not here". Grace said.
"So please tell me that that is not a threat". Damon says.
"Maybe it is". Jeremy replied.
He shows him the ring and Damon chokes him from behind with an arm under his chin.
"Uncle Damon stop it". Grace hissed.
"This is what we're not gonna do: we're not gonna walk around like we are invincible when it's this easy for me to end you". He releases him. "If you want to tell people what I really am go ahead and try". Damon holds up Jeremy's ring; he stole it from his hand. "I will shove this ring so far up your ass, you'll really have something to choke on".
He flicks the ring at Jeremy's face and leaves while Jeremy holds his face where the ring hit him in pain before looking down and recovering the ring.
"Uncle Damon did you really have to do that?"
"Yes Grace I did have to do that".
"Why do I have to be here if I'm grounded?"
"To keep an eye on you to make sure you don't use or lose control of your powers until Bonnie teaches you".
"Is it that or you don't trust me to be by myself?"
"Grace it's not that you're too young to stay by yourself and with you not having control of your powers, I don't want anything bad to happen to you".
"Well if I promise not to use my powers will you promise to not do anything stupid or lose control".
Damon stopped in his tracks and looked at his niece. "How do you know anything about that?"
"You and Uncle Stefan don't talk quietly besides I was on the steps and I heard him. Uncle Damon please for me don't lose control not over someone like Katherine. I don't wanna leave again not when I just came back".
"I'm not gonna lose control I promise and you need to stop eavesdropping".
Damon is looking at Tyler who is arm wrestling in a competition. Stefan arrives. Grace goes to Stefan's side and takes his hand.
"Hi Uncle Stefan". Grace said.
"Hey kiddo". He replies.
"Gracie here's a tip, don't suck up to Stefan because you're still grounded. My decision isn't going to change". Damon tells his niece.
"I'm not sucking up". She muttered.
"You're lurking". Stefan tells his brother.
"I'm observing". Damon replies.
"More like obsessing".
Tyler wins.
"He's got strength".
"He's a triple letter varsity athlete, of course he has strength. You're over reacting".
"Uncle Stefan's right you're over reacting". Grace piped in.
Mason arrives to arm wrestle against Tyler.
"I bet I can take you". Mason says to his nephew.
"Enter the uncle". Damon comments.
"That's ridiculous". Stefan said.
Mason beats him.
"Okay, he's the champ, who wants to go next?" Tyler asked.
"Stefan wants to go". Damon said.
"Yeah, sure, I'll...give it a shot". Stefan said.
Stefan joins Mason.
"Get him Stef!" Damon cheered for his brother.
"Go Uncle Stefan". Grace cheered.
"My brother and niece over there thinks I can beat you".
"They're wrong".
They start the wrestling, both putting in hard pressure. Mason beats him. Stefan rejoins Damon and Grace.
"Maybe next time Uncle Stefan". Grace said.
"You didn't put in any effort at all". Damon says angrily.
"Yeah, actually I did". Stefan said.
"Come with me. You too Gracie".
Mason defeats the next contestant. Stefan, Damon, Grace go in the hallway.
"Is he...?"
"No, no, it wasn't that kind of strength but it was more than human, if that makes any sense".
"What is up with that family? They're not vampires, what the hell are they?"
"What am I?" Grace asked quietly.
"Ooh, ah, maybe they're, um, ninja turtles!" Stefan joked.
That made the ten year old chuckle.
"You're not funny".
"Or no, zombies, werewolves".
"No comedic timing at all".
Damon turns his head and sees Carter repairing something.
"What? What are you up to?"
"Uncle Damon don't you promised".
"This is reality and there's no such thing as werewolves or...combat turtles".
"I said ninja turtles, actually".
Damon goes toward Carter. "Hey you!"
"I have a name". Carter said.
"Yeah I don't care". He catches his shoulders and compels him. "I need you to pick a fight with someone, a kid named Tyler Lockwood".
"Damon, don't do this. Not with Gracie around". Stefan tried to put an arm around his niece but she threw it off in anger.
"Uncle Damon you promised". Grace said then stormed away. The brothers weren't paying attention when Grace had stormed away.
Motioning Carter away with a brushing motion of his fingers. "It's just an experiment. Get him mad, don't back down no matter what he does, okay?"
"I won't back down".
"I know you won't".
He releases him and pats him on the back as Carter leaves.
"Where's Gracie?" Damon asked when he didn't see the ten year old.
"Do you realize someone is going to get hurt right?" Stefan then stopped. "What are you talking about Gracie's right-" He stopped and turned to his side and didn't see Grace. "Well this is just great our ten year old niece is somewhere around here pissed off and probably about to lose control of her powers thanks to you".
"No, someone is going to get mad, as in rage. And I don't mean Gracie".
"What's that going to accomplish?"
"That Tyler kid is incapable of walking away from a fight. Let's see who intervenes; maybe it's the ambiguous, supernatural mystery uncle".
"I'm gonna go find Gracie before she loses control again".
Stefan walks away to go find their niece, Grace was walking around she was trying to calm herself down but as she looked around everything was beginning to shake. 'Calm down you can do this Grace just calm down'. The same man was watching her from afar and looked at everything that shook.
"This child is a great source of power I must keep an eye on her". The man said.
The ten year old had finally calmed down and everything stopped shaking, Stefan had finally found his niece.
"Grace there you are". Stefan said relieved.
"Hi Uncle Stefan". She muttered.
"Sweetheart what is it?"
"Uncle Damon broke his promise and now you're gonna give me back to Lexi".
Stefan was surprised. "Sweetheart what are you talking about".
"I heard you and Uncle Damon talking about if he loses control because of Katherine that you'll give me back to Lexi, then he promised he wouldn't do anything tonight for me".
Stefan had sighed and took a hold of his niece's hand taking her somewhere private to talk.
"Gracie you have to understand something, when Damon becomes unstable because of Katherine believe me you don't want to see that so I did say I would give you back to Lexi but for your protection. And hey Damon always keeps his promises to you".
"Not tonight".
"What did he promise exactly?"
"That he wouldn't do anything around me or lose control".
"Well he didn't lose control did he?"
"No but he compelled someone".
"Gracie I can't explain his actions but I do know one thing".
"What?"
"He would never ever do anything to put you in any kind of danger, he loves you more than anything. You wanna hear a secret".
"Yeah".
"Damon had cut his humanity off for years but when you came along he turned it back on, the moment he saw you as a baby he turned it back on. I never seen him truly happy before".
"You mean in a way I helped Uncle Damon turn his humanity back on?"
"Yes, Gracie you are the only person that Damon has actually cared about and I know him well enough to know that he'll never do anything to hurt you or put you in danger".
Damon is walking alone in the hallway when Caroline arrives. Damon senses her, stops, and turns around to face her.
"Hey Blondie, they let you out?" Damon asked Caroline.
"I remember". Caroline said.
"What do you remember?"
"I remember how you manipulated me, you pushed me around, abused me, erased my memories, fed on me".
"You're crazy".
"Memories have been coming back, in pieces".
"You can't remember. It's impossible, I mean unless you're becoming a..."
Caroline smiles, "I have a message from Katherine, she said "Game on".
"Wait..."
She pushes him with strength, he is thrown backwards and slides on the floor.
"You suck". She leaves.
Elena is talking with a girl when Damon arrives.
"Elena". Damon states.
"What do you want, Damon?" Elena asked annoyed.
"I know I'm the last person you want to see right now but I need you to come with me".
"Whatever it is I'm not interested".
Damon: Yeah, I need you to come with me right now, Elena.
She reluctantly stops what she's doing and follows him.
Tyler is walking through the carnival and enters the parking lot while texting on his cell phone. Stefan and Grace followed him and hides themselves to observe the scene.
"Are you sure this is a good idea Uncle Stefan?" Grace asked quietly.
"I'm just looking Gracie, stay by me if things end badly I don't want you in the crossfire". Stefan answered.
Carter is walking in the opposite direction and intentionally bumps Tyler with his shoulder as he passes.
"Watch where you're going". Tyler said.
"You got a problem?" Carter asked.
"Yeah, you walked right into me".
"What are you going to do about it?"
"You're kidding right?" Carter pushes him. "You better back off". Carter pushes him. "You hit me again, I swear to god..."
Carter punches him in the face. They fight, Mason arrives. Mason pushes Carter away and stands in between the two to separate them.
"Hey Tyler! Tyler! What the hell man?" Mason yelled at his nephew.
Mason struggles with Carter but Carter punches him in the face twice and pushes him against a car. Mason somersaults back over the car, jumps over Carter and crouches on landing. His eyes are glowing yellow. Tyler sees his eyes. Grace had also seen Mason's eyes change.
"Uncle Stefan please tell me you saw that too?" Grace says.
"I did Grace". He says.
"Your eyes!" Tyler yelled.
Mason hits Carter; he falls on the floor. Mason and Tyler leave, Stefan and Grace arrives to help Carter.
"You all right man?" Stefan asked.
"Why did I just do that?" Carter replied.
"You were just in the wrong place at the wrong time".
"That was a close call Uncle Stefan". Grace said.
"No kidding let's go find Damon". Stefan said.
Caroline rejoins Matt at the ring toss.
"What are you doing here?" Matt asked.
"They discharged me. All better!" Caroline replied happily.
"How do you feel?"
"I feel pretty good".
"Yeah, 'cause earlier you were..."
"I'm all better". She kisses him quickly. "All better!"
"Okay, um, you want to give it a shot?"
"Yeah!"
He gives her one of the rings. She throws it at a bottle, and she breaks three bottles.
"Whoa, hey, nice shot, killer!"
"They must already have already been broken".
He embraces her. She looks at his neck, detecting his pulse.
"Oh no".
"What's wrong?"
"I got to go". She leaves and he follows her.
"Wait Care, are you okay, I mean..."
"Just leave me alone!" She leaves.
Elena, Stefan, Grace and Damon are in a classroom talking about Caroline.
"How did this happen?" Stefan asked.
"Well, I fed her blood and Katherine obviously killed her and A plus B equals..." Damon replied.
"I thought I told that bitch to beat it". Grace whispered.
"Grace language". Stefan said in a warning tone.
"But why?" Elena asked.
"Because Katherine is a manipulative, nasty, little slut". Damon said.
"I agree you should just let me take her out with my powers". Grace said.
"Not happening". Damon said strictly.
"And she said "game on"? I mean, what does that even mean?" Stefan asked.
"It means she's playing dirty. She wants us to know".
"But why Caroline?" Elena asked.
"I don't know".
"Caroline must be completely out of her mind, she doesn't even know what's happening to her". Stefan said.
"Oh I think she does. All of my compulsion from the past started wearing off the minute she was in transition".
"We have to find her".
"Yep, and kill her".
"No Uncle Damon". Grace said.
"You're not gonna kill Caroline". Elena said forcefully.
"She knows who we are. She's officially a liability, and we've got to get rid of her".
"Damon, absolutely not".
"Need I remind you of a tragic little story of a girl named Vicki Donovan? Caroline, of all people, will not make it as a vampire. Her mother is a vampire hunter. Guys come on, we all know how this story's gonna end, just flip to the last chapter and..."
"It's not an option Damon". Elena said.
"No? Your silence is deafening, Stefan. Wait, wasn't there a school carnival the night you staked Vicki? I never had a town where history repeats itself. You know I'm right".
"We're not gonna kill her". Stefan said.
Stefan leaves. Elena follows.
Damon looking at Elena, "It's the only way".
"Uncle Damon if you do it I will never forgive you and I'll call Lexi myself to come and get me". Grace threatened.
Caroline is alone crying when she sees Carter who is wiping his bloodied nose after his fight. She realizes she wants his blood and fights her temptation. Carter notices her.
"Hey, is everything okay?" Carter asked.
"I'm so sorry!". Caroline cried.
"What?" She rushes over behind him and bites him twice. She throws him back, sits on his chest and ravenously drinks again.
Elsewhere, Matt is talking with Bonnie.
"She's obviously pissed at me for something but for what, no clue". Matt said.
"What happened?" Bonnie asked.
"She freaked out and she's been like that all day. Cool one minute and crazy and neurotic the next".
"She almost died, it's bound to mess with her head. Plus, she's Caroline".
"Yeah, I'm used to the insecurities and all that. It's who she is, love it or hate it, but this seemed...I don't know...different...more. I can't explain it".
Damon is looking for Caroline. He notices a wooden tent peg in the ground. He walks over and takes it. Elsewhere, Elena, Grace, and Stefan are looking for her too.
"I don't like this". Grace said.
"You agree with Damon, don't you? Stefan?" Elena asked.
Stefan punches the side of a trailer.
"Uncle Stefan it'll be alright". Grace said.
"Stefan. Hey". Elena tried.
"Damon's right, not about what we should do but about what's gonna happen. Katherine already signed Caroline's death sentence". Stefan said.
"Well we can't let it end that way. She's doing this to me, isn't she?"
"Actually, she's doing it to me".
"If she were doing it to you wouldn't she come at me?" Grace asked.
The trio is still looking for Caroline. Stefan notices something different in the air.
"Uncle Stefan what is it?" Grace asked.
"Where could she be?" Elena asked. She sees Stefan. "What is it? Do you hear her? What's going on Stefan, what is it?"
"Blood. I can smell blood".
Caroline is crying next to Carter's body. Damon arrives. She has blood all over her face.
"He's dead. I killed him. What's wrong with me?" Caroline cried.
"Hey, hey it's okay. I can help you". Damon comforted the blonde.
"You can?"
"Yeah, I have to".
"What are you gonna do?"
"The only thing I can do. I'm gonna kill you".
"Please don't! I don't want to die!"
"Yeah, but you are already dead".
"No! I'm not. Don't say that, okay? Just help me!"
"Okay".
"Okay? Just help me please! Please, please!"
"Okay, okay. It's the only way".
He embraces her and behind her back raises the stake ready to kill her but Stefan arrives and rushes over and pulls his hand away. The stake falls to the ground.
"Stefan!" Damon exclaimed.
Elena is standing with Caroline. Grace was standing away and when she had seen Damon with the stake still in his grip she started to feel anger rise up in her, she felt something surging through her body. Her once crystal blue eyes were now changing color.
"Get away from me! You killed me!" Caroline yelled at Elena, thinking she was Katherine.
"No, no, no, no Caroline! That wasn't me. You know that! That was Katherine". Elena said.
"No! Then why did she look like you?! And why, why did she do this to me?"
"Stefan, we've got to get her inside".
"It's okay Caroline, come with me". Stefan said in a gentle voice.
"She will die, it's only a matter of time". Damon states.
"Yeah, maybe so, but it's not gonna happen tonight".
"Oh yeah it is".
He picks up the stake and rushes over them but Elena puts herself in front of Caroline.
"Uncle Damon no!" Grace yelled.
The ten year old tried to calm herself down because the lights around them had started to blow out.
"Grace calm down! Calm down sweetheart". Damon told his niece.
"Damon, she's my friend". Elena says.
Damon hesitates, staring at Elena who refuses to move. Then he drops his arm.
"Whatever happens, it's on you".
Grace then walked over towards her uncle and hugged his side. "I'm sorry". She mumbled.
Bonnie arrives.
"Caroline?" Bonnie asked.
"It's okay, come on". Stefan said.
Bonnie saw the blood on Caroline's face, "No, you're not; you can't be". She touches her and is horrified by the truth.
"Bonnie?" Caroline asked.
She sees Carter's body.
"Oh god!"
"Bonnie..."
Stefan takes Caroline away from the area to the bathroom. He takes some tissues to wipe the blood off her face. Caroline starts washing away the blood too.
"She hates me! Bonnie hates me". Caroline sobbed.
"No, no, she's just in shock, we all are". Stefan replied.
"And what about Matt?"
"Ssh. One thing at one time, let's get this blood off, come on".
"I'm a murderer. I'm a monster!"
"Look at me, your emotions are heightened right now. It's part of the transformation. it's completely normal. I promise you. Okay?"
Caroline sees her face changing in the mirror and starts to panic.
"Why does this keeping happening to my face?!"
"Look at me, look at me, look at me! Caroline, Caroline! Look at me! Look at my face, look at my face!" His face has changed too. "You see that? When you feel the blood rushing, you tell yourself that you're going to get through it, that you're strong enough. Yes, yes, no matter how good it feels to give yourself over to it, you fight it off, you bury it. Watch me, watch me". His face is normal again. "It's the only way you're gonna survive this thing. Try".
She takes a few breaths; her face returns to normal.
"That's good".
"Why did Katherine do this to me?"
"I don't know, I wish I did. Hey, hey, I promise you I will not let anything happen to you. Come here. Come here". He embraces her.
Elena and Grace are still with Bonnie.
"I can't believe this is happening". Bonnie said.
Damon arrives with a shovel in his hands.
"Come on, don't pout about it. I got a body to bury". Damon said.
He looks at Elena.
"I thought you were calling the shots. No? Hm, it sucks to be you, buddy".
Bonnie looks at him and gives him a headache. He falls to the ground clutching his head and curls up. She opens a faucet with her powers and water starts coming out a hose.
"Bonnie stop please this wasn't his fault". Grace pleaded with the teen witch.
"I told you what would happen if anyone else got hurt". Bonnie said.
"I didn't do this". Damon said holding his head in pain.
"Bonnie, it wasn't his fault". Elena said.
"Everything that happens is his fault Elena".
"Bonnie, what are you doing?"
"Bonnie please don't!" Grace cried.
She creates a fire, the fire goes toward Damon.
"Bonnie please he's my uncle".
"Bonnie stop it!" Elena cried.
Damon starts burning.
The ten year old had shut her eyes and let all the emotions in her body take control, she had tears coming down her face by now. She tried to force her energy on Bonnie but couldn't focus, everything around began to shake. The lights had started to blow up, by this time warm blood had started to ooze out of her nose on both sides. She opened her eyes and focused on the water trying to aim it on Damon, she couldn't do it. She started to feel pain in her head, her vision became blurry soon she passed out. 'I tried Uncle Damon, I'm sorry if I failed'.
"Bonnie, Bonnie, stop it! You're going to kill him!"
Damon is still burning.
"Bonnie!"
She jumps over the fire line and shakes Bonnie by her shoulders. The fire goes out as Bonnie's concentration is broken.
"Why did you stop me?!"
"Because this isn't us. Bonnie, this can't be us".
Elena looks at Damon and puts her arm around Bonnie. They leave. The girls saw Grace passed out.
"Oh no Grace, wake up please wake up. Bonnie what happened?" Elena asked in a panicked voice.
"I think she used so much energy trying to put the flames out or stop me that she passed out".
Damon had seen his niece passed out on the ground.
"No, no no no no". Damon muttered.
He super sped over to her just as Elena and Bonnie moved out of his way.
"Gracie, Gracie please wake up sweetheart please. Sweetheart you need to wake up please". He was lightly tapping her cheeks.
"Damon she's pretty much out of it for the night take her home, she needs to rest".
"Is she gonna...make it?"
The teen girls had never seen Damon this panicked or scared before.
"She'll be fine she used up too much energy and passed out".
Damon stayed on his knees till he got to his height then picked his niece up holding her close then super speeding home. The same man had followed them.
Later, Elena is at her locker. Stefan arrives.
"Hey. Caroline is okay for now. I'm gonna check in on her later". Stefan said.
"What about the guy that she..." Elena said.
"It's taken care of".
"Damon's right, isn't he? It won't end well for her".
"No, I'm gonna make sure that he's wrong".
"I just can't believe what this day has turned into".
"Not your normal day, huh?"
"I was stupid to think that it could be. I mean, nothing about my life is normal. My best friend is a witch, my friend is a vampire and I have a doppelgänger who's hell-bent on destroying all of us".
"I'm sorry. If it makes you feel any better my niece is a witch".
"No, it's not your fault, Stefan. It's no one's fault you know? It is what it is".
He touches her face.
"I'm fine, I'm fine. It's just that...you know what? I'm fine. Okay, I'm gonna to call you tomorrow, okay? Good night Stefan". She leaves.
"Good night".
Salvatore Boarding House
Damon had just arrived to the house he rushed inside and took Grace right up to her room and covered her up, he wished that she never used her magic at all. He then pours himself a glass of whiskey. Jeremy is there behind him. Damon senses him.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Damon asked.
"You don't lock your front door". Jeremy said.
"Yeah. I was busy".
Damon is going to drink.
"No I wouldn't...I laced it with vervain".
"Why would you do that?"
Jeremy has a stake in his hands.
"So I could stake you...with this".
He throws the stake on the floor. Damon picks it up.
"You came here to kill me?"
"It's only fair. You killed me first".
"What made you wisen up?"
"My father hated vampires, my uncle too. They were absolute. They knew exactly what they stood for and I figure maybe I should too. I mean, stand for something. But killing you, what's that gonna do?"
"Look, I don't do the big brother thing very well. Sorry, I don't have any milk and cookies to offer you".
"Dick".
He gets up and starts leaving.
"Wait. My father hated vampires too".
"He did?"
"For the same reasons your dad did. Only it was 1864. People knew how to whittle".
He shows him the roughly-whittled stake. Jeremy chuckles.
"Did you do this?"
"Yeah I tried. It's a lot harder than it looks".
Once Jeremy left Damon had went to go check on his niece, Grace was still passed out in her bed Damon had gotten a wet rag and cleaned the blood from her nose and left it on the nightstand. Stefan had finally came home and didn't see signs of his brother or niece.
"Damon? Gracie?" Stefan called out.
Damon had heard his brother calling him but he didn't want to leave his niece's side, he then brought one of her small hands into one of his larger ones.
"Please wake up Gracie you have to wake up sweetheart. I can't lose you". He muttered.
He then remembered the day that their relatives brought her home for the first time.
*Flashback*
Damon was starting to stir a little, the sun was beaming through the curtains of the room he was in. He heard his phone ringing beside him he then reached out for it an answered.
-Hello? Damon answered.
-Damon it's Stefan, look Jess wants to see us something about a family meeting. Stefan said.
-Alright I'm on my way.
He then hung up and quickly got dressed, he pocketed his phone and left out heading to his relative's house. Once he got to the house his brother had also arrived.
"Hello brother". Damon said.
"Damon". Stefan said.
"So what did Jess wanna tell us?"
"I don't know but she seemed happy".
They walked up and knocked after a couple of minutes their nephew Zach had opened up.
"Hey Uncle Damon, Uncle Stefan come in". Zach said opening the door wider.
"Thanks Zach". Stefan said.
"Jess! The guys are here". Zach called.
"Zach quiet down she's asleep". A woman's voice replied.
"Uh she?" Damon asked confused.
Jessica had then came up to see Damon, Stefan, and Zach.
"Damon, Stefan I'm so glad you could make it follow me". Jessica said.
"Where are we going?" Stefan asked.
"You'll see".
Damon and Stefan look to their nephew. "Hey don't look at me you gotta find out for yourself".
The two brothers shrugged and followed Jessica up the stairs as she stood outside of a closed door.
"Are you guys ready to see the newest addition to the family?"
"Sure".
She opened the door quietly and the brothers followed her, once they were in the room the brothers had heard a baby's cry so Jessica had picked up a small baby girl who was crying.
"Damon, Stefan I want you guys to meet Grace Marie Salvatore".
Stefan smiled at the small child. "Hey there sweetie I'm your uncle and I'll always protect you".
Damon looked at the small baby just as she reached her arms out toward him. "I think she wants you to hold her Damon".
"Can I hold her?"
"Yeah".
Jessica then handed Grace over to Damon, he then cradled the small infant for the first time in over a hundred years he had an actual smile on his face.
"Hey munchkin I'm your other uncle and once you're older I'll make sure no boy tries to date you".
Grace had squealed as she was playfully swinging her arms around making everyone laugh.
"Damon, Stefan, Max and I were talking the other night. I wanted to ask you both if it be ok that we name you Gracie's guardians. I know that your vampires and I don't care about that, but if anything were to happen to us we want you two to take Grace".
The brothers had looked at each other then down at the laughing, gurgling baby.
"Ok we'll do it". Damon said.
"Thank you both I think we made the right decision by leaving her with you guys".
"You made the best decision Jess, we'll look after and protect little Gracie at all times".
Once the visit was over the brothers had left, Damon felt changed after meeting their new niece and Stefan had noticed something different about his brother.
"What?" Damon asked.
"You seem different after seeing Gracie".
Damon had stayed silent because he knew what happened. "I turned my humanity back on".
Stefan was surprised he knew Damon had his humanity turned off for many years and now that it's back on was a surprise.
"What made you cut it back on?"
"Gracie. The second I looked into her eyes it was like I found a meaning in life".
"Aw the big bad Damon is going soft".
"Bite me".
*Back to reality*
Stefan had checked his brother's room to find it empty then went to his niece's room to find Damon by her bedside brushing hair from her face.
"Damon? Everything alright?" Stefan asked.
"We almost lost her tonight Stefan". Damon replied.
"What are you talking about?"
"After you went to help Blondie, Bonnie used her magic to set me on fire my guess is Gracie tried to help me but couldn't. Elena and Bonnie saw her passed out, she used too much energy that she passed out".
Stefan had heard the fear in his brother's voice. "Damon she's gonna be ok she needs to rest".
Damon had wiped his eyes from the burning tears that were glistening his eyes. "I thought we lost her".
"We'll never lose her but once Bonnie starts helping her control her powers it won't be as bad".
Before Damon could reply they heard a small groan coming from their niece, Grace was starting to stir a little.
"Gracie? Come on sweetheart open your eyes". Damon said.
The ten year old had started to flutter her eyes open till she saw Damon and Stefan looking over her.
"What happened? And why does my head hurt?" Grace asked.
"Gracie what's the last thing you remember?" Stefan asked.
"It's a bit fuzzy but Bonnie was burning Uncle Damon and I was trying to help, but I couldn't". She then faced Damon. "I'm sorry if I failed Uncle Damon I couldn't save you".
Damon then brought Grace into a tight hug then spoke, "You never have to be sorry about trying to save one of us".
"And I'm sorry for what I said before about calling Lexi and having her come get me, I'm really sorry I was mad and it just came out".
Damon kissed her temple while rocking her back and forth. "All is forgiven sweetheart all is forgiven, I'm just glad your ok now that's all that matters".
Stefan then returned with an aspirin and a cup of water. "Take this Gracie it'll help your head".
"Thanks".
"I have something to do so I'll see you guys later".
Stefan then left the room leaving Damon and Grace there. "Uncle Damon?"
"What is it Gracie?"
"Could you stay with me? Just until I fall asleep?"
"Sure sweetie".
Damon then laid on the bed while Grace had curled into his right side laying her head on his chest, he was stroking her hair back gently and he hummed a lullaby like he use to when she was a baby. Grace had started to feel sleepy as her eyes began to close but she kept waking up.
"G'night Uncle DaDa".
Damon had kissed her head and replied, "Sweet dreams baby".
Outside the house the man was standing in the back and muttered, "If I'm right this is his child".