Damon had stayed awake the rest of the night trying to piece together about what happened with his niece he sipped on some of his liquor.

'Somebody helped Grace escape, it had to be a vampire. Just who did it and why?' His mind roamed about the situation for what seemed like hours but it was only for a few minutes till he had heard small patters of feet coming down the steps and knew Grace had woken up.

"Uncle Damon?" She said in a small voice.

"What are you doing up Gracie?" Damon asked.

"I can't sleep".

"Wanna talk about it?"

She nodded they had went to the kitchen, Damon was heating up some water then poured some hot cocoa mix in a cup just as Lily laid her head on the table. Damon then saw how depressed she looked.

"What is it Gracie?"

"I can't remember Uncle Damon, it's all a blur about what happened. I'm trying to remember but I can't".

"What can you remember?"

"Not very much, just small bits. All I can remember is a house, a man I think, Katherine was drinking from me, and a woman's dead body. It's fuzzy".

Damon then became very furious at what he heard Katherine did, Grace then brought her fingers up to her neck to see if the fang marks were still there but when she didn't feel anything she became frantic a bit.

"It's gone, the marks are gone".

"What?" Damon became confused and curious, he went over to his niece and examined her neck to see no fang marks. 'How the hell did they disappear in a few hours? What the hell is going on?'

"Uncle Damon I swear she drank from me I'm not lying".

"Hey hey calm down sweetheart, I believe you there's no need to get upset".

"What's wrong with me Uncle Damon? What's wrong with me?" Grace began to sob, the lights in the house began to flicker in the house even though they were off and some stuff began shaking.

Stefan had been woken up to feel his bed shaking, he then got up to go check on his niece when he got to her room and didn't see her he became frantic then he heard crying so he flew down the steps into the kitchen to see Damon consoling their niece. He then saw the water over boiling so he went to cut it off just as Grace continued to sob in Damon's shirt soaking it with her tears.

"W-what's wrong w-with me Uncle Damon? What?" Grace sobbed for a few more minutes.

"Gracie I need you to take a deep breath and calm down alright, take a deep breath and calm down. Deep breath in and out. In and out". Damon saying calmly instructing her.

Once she had began to calm down her eyes and cheeks were red, her eyes were still wet, her bottom lip continued to tremble and she just held onto Damon. Stefan had poured the hot water into the cup with the cocoa mix he then slipped some vervain into the drink and put it next to the two.

"You alright now sweetheart?" Stefan asked.

"I just wanna know what's wrong with me". She replied in a quiet voice.

"There's nothing wrong with you honey". Damon said coming into the conversation.

"If there's nothing wrong with me then why did the marks heal? How did the marks heal? Why was I able to throw Katherine off me?"

The brothers had shared a look with each other then went back to their niece.

"Look sweetheart don't worry about that right now, it's late and you should be resting. Let Stefan and I worry about all that alright".

"Ok".

She then slowly drank her hot coco and was sleepy from all the crying plus her magic so Stefan had picked her up and she snuggled into his embrace, she then whispered in his ear.

"Uncle Stefan could you stay with me?"

"Sure sweetie".

The brothers then took her up to her room and tucked the blanket around her.

"G'night Uncle Damon". She said sleepily.

"Sweet dreams mio piccolo angelo". He replied then kissed her forehead. "Stefan can I talk to you for a quick minute".

"Sure, we'll be right in the hall sweetheart".

"Ok".

They then went out to the hallway and began quietly talking.

"You put vervain in the coco?" Damon asked quietly.

"Of course I did". Stefan replied. He stayed quiet for a moment before speaking up again. "Damon we need to find out what exactly is going on with Gracie before her father comes to town or Katherine goes for her again".

"Don't you think I don't know that Stefan? You don't think that for a damn second that I'm not scared or afraid? Well I am, I'm afraid that if she doesn't control her powers she might end up killing herself or someone else. But the important things are that we find out how Anna was able to come back, who killed her, why they killed her, and why they helped Gracie. And I know it was a vampire".

"How do you know it was a vampire to help Grace?"

"Because they compelled her to forget what happened with Anna, when I asked Gracie what happened she said it was fuzzy but she said she remembered Katherine drinking from her, a man, and a woman's dead body. My guess is that the woman's dead body was Anna and the guy whoever the hell he is killed Anna and helped Grace".

"Alright we'll deal with that later right now we all need some rest, I'm gonna stay with Gracie".

"Good night brother".

"Night".

Stefan then went back to his young niece who was tossing and turning, he then was by her side in a minute he laid next to her pulling her close. He then remembered an old lullaby that Damon use to sing to her when she was a toddler as he began to sing it. He also remembered that Max or Jess would sing it to her when she was a baby.

"La notte si avvicina.

La fiamma traballa.

La mucca nella stalla.

La mucca e il vitello,

La pecora e l'agnello,

La chioccia* con il pulcino,

Ognuno ha il suo bambino,

Ognuno ha la sua mamma,

E tutti fanno la nanna".

Grace had a sleepily smile on her face as she remembered the song.

"I like that song Uncle Stefy".

"I do too sweetheart, try to get some rest".

The ten year old had curled into Stefan's side as she used his shoulder as a pillow. Once she was in a deep enough sleep he had whispered to himself. "Don't worry Gracie we'll figure out what you are and we'll protect you. I won't let nobody hurt you, not ever again".

The next day

It's the Mystic Falls Historical Society Volunteer Day. Preparations are underway. Carol Lockwood is giving a speech.

"This is all part of the historical society, continuing efforts to give back to the community. Thanks to the generous donation of the Fell family. We are now standing on the sight of our newest public park. Thank you to everyone who has shown up today to lend a helping hand. Thanks". Carol said.

Mason is removing boxes from his trunk. Stefan and Grace walks up to him.

"Stefan right? The other Salvatore". Mason said.

"The nice one. And this is my niece Grace. The ones offering an apology".

"Not interested".

"Please hear us out". Grace said.

"Look, my brother acted impulsively". Stefan said.

"You think?" Mason replies.

"If you and Damon keep at each other throats, somebody innocent is going to get hurt and I don't want that. You have family here so I can imagine you'd want that either. We have our niece and we want to keep her out of the cross fire of things. So what do you say we just quit the whole alpha male fighting thing and call a truce?"

"I made that same offer to your brother. He turned it down with a knife".

"He made a mistake. I'm here to make sure that neither one of you make another one".

"Tell your brother to watch his back".

Stefan catches Mason's arm. Grace then narrowed her eyes and started to inflict pain on Mason who then grabbed his head, Stefan then tugged her arm giving her a stern glare as she stopped.

"Well, I'm guessing that he only has to worry about that during a full moon. Otherwise you're not as strong, am I right? Or you would have killed Damon by now. There's one of you. There's two of us. I think you're the one that needs to watch his back".

"If he comes at me..."

"He won't".

They shake hands and Mason leaves carrying a box. Damon appears behind Stefan and Grace.

"What are you doing?" Damon asked.

"Negotiating peace on your behalf". Stefan answered.

"I don't want peace".

"We do". Grace said.

"Consider it opposite day". Stefan says.

"Stefan, please tell me you don't seriously think a hand shake just solved our problem".

"No, actually I think that the first chance Mason Lockwood gets, he's gonna drive a stake through your heart and then through mine, all because you took it upon yourself to try to kill him. So thank you, because we don't have enough problems".

"He tries anything I'll do something". Grace said.

"Uh no you won't and what have we told you about using your powers in public". Stefan scolded.

"Excuse me". Damon said in a firm voice, giving his niece a hard glare.

"Uncle Stefan". Grace whined.

"I gotta go". Stefan said.

He leaves, leaving Damon there with Grace.

"Grace Marie I told you many time you are to not use your powers in public unless it was a life or death situation, so if it wasn't either of those why'd you use them?"

"He was threatening you, Uncle Damon I couldn't let that go".

"Grace you can't do that to every person who threatens one of us".

"Yes I can".

"No you can't, if you lose control one day by doing that to someone Something very bad can and will happen to you. I don't want that to happen so until Bonnie teaches you I don't want you using them for any reason. Do you understand me".

"Yes sir".

Mason is helping Liz.

"Oh thanks Mason". Liz said.

"Hey Sheriff, you've got a second?" Mason replied.

"I'm out of uniform. Let's go with Liz".

"Alright Liz. I was hoping to talk to you about the council".

"I don't know what you're talking about".

"I know you and the others founding families have a secret council".

"If that were true then you'd know it's a secret and isn't discussed with non-council members".

"I know I rejected all that but it's only because I wanted a life outside of this town, not because I was a non-believer. Look, I know vampires exist and you have two of them living right under your nose".

"Really?"

"Yeah".

"Who would they be?"

"Damon and Stefan Salvatore".

"That's impossible. I know Damon Salvatore. Do you know what he's done for this town? Beside they have a niece who's living with them".

"I know it's a lot to digest".

"No. I watched him kill vampires. He's an ally; he's part of the Council".

"Think about it. When did the vampire attacks begin? When Damon and Stefan Salvatore moved to town?"

"They walk in the sun, Mason".

"They've evolved. It's not 1864. They figured it out, Liz".

"No. Damon Salvatore is my friend".

"What if I can prove it to you?"

They look at Stefan and Damon

Damon and Grace joins Liz.

"Hi Ms. Liz". Grace said.

"Hi sweetheart". she replies with a motherly smile.

"Hey, I saw you with Mason earlier. What was that about?" Damon asked.

"Oh, I ah, I just asked him to help with the cleanup in the woods".

"That's why I'm here for, put me to work. Should I go help him?"

"Oh no. You know, he's...I'm sure he's fine".

"Are you okay, Liz? You seem really upset".

"It's Caroline. We had a moment".

"Is there anything I can do?"

"No, Damon. Thank you. It's just horrible parental skills paying off in spades". She walks off.

Back to Elena painting. She looks at Stefan. He looks at her. Caroline is looking at them.

"Oh, oh. Longing looks are being exchanged". Caroline says.

"I'm gonna go talk to him". Elena replies.

"No, Elena. I think it's a bad idea".

Elena leaves and goes towards Stefan when Damon and Grace joins Caroline.

"What's her problem?" Damon asked.

"Don't worry about it". Caroline answered.

"Why are you being such a bitch to your mom?"

"Don't worry about it".

"You shouldn't do that Caroline you only get one mother in life, don't treat her like that".

"Says the kid with two and one's a vampire".

"What?"

"Let's go Gracie". Damon said taking her away from the blonde.

"Uncle Damon do I have a vampire mother?"

Elena joins Stefan.

"Do you still care about Katherine?" Elena asked.

"Don't do this. Please don't turn this into something that it's not". Stefan said.

"So this is not for discussion. That's what you're saying?"

Damon and Caroline are listening in on them from afar.

"No, I'm saying that this isn't up for discussion right now because we have ears on us".

They look at Damon and Caroline. They both pretend that they're not listening.

"Okay, when?"

"I don't know".

"I saw her Stefan. It's like we are the same person. How could you hate her and be in love with me?"

"You're reaching. I'm not...I'm not Damon".

"How about we don't bring Damon into this right now?"

"You know, I can't...I can't do this anymore, Elena".

Elena remembers this really means "I love you". She replies in code.

"Fine, Stefan. Whatever".

Elena leaves. Damon and Grace are still with Caroline. The ten year old had dropped the subject of her vampire mother for the time being as sh watched what was going on,

"Relationships are about communication". Damon says.

Caroline leaves.

"Uncle Damon will I ever be in a relationship like that?" Grace asked.

Damon chuckled. "Sweetheart you'll never have to worry about that because you're never gonna date".

"Uncle Damon do I have a vampire mother? Like Elena?"

When Mason saw Grace standing by Damon talking with him he was thinking, 'Something's up with that kid. She's a witch but her eyes had changed color and that only happens to werewolves. So either this kid is a full werewolf or part it's the only explanation. I have to get to the bottom of it'.

A/N: That was a decent lullaby I found, here is part one and the second half is in the works. hope you liked it.