The next day at breakfast Elijah informed me that he wanted me to spend the day with him. I agreed knowing he was worried about Jules and her pack. I didn't really think I would have had a choice anyway, my father was one of those people who got what he wanted

That's how I ended up touring Mystic Falls with Elijah and Jenna, currently we were walking through the woods. Jenna was showing us the old property lines, why Elijah needed to know this o had no idea. All i knew was that I was bored out of my mind, though I wouldn't let my boredom show.

Jenna pointed over to a fence, "The old Fell property actually starts just beyond that fence."

"Ah, the Fells. One of the Founding Families." Elijah spoke up.

Jenna cocked her head curiously, "Why do you say it like that?"

"My research showed me that this area was actually settled almost two full centuries earlier. It was a migration of townsfolk from the northeast, um, it was Salem, to be precise."

"Massachusetts? As in the witch trials?"

I mentally rolled my eyes. Of course, the only thing Salem is known for is the witch trials. It was true though, many people came from Salem to Virginia to flee the witch trials. I knew the Bennet witches were among them, however I also knew that there were other settlers before them, but they were forgotten about years before being wiped out or fleeing for their lives. It was here in Mystic Falls that my father and his family lived, it was here that they had become vampires. The people who lived here, including the Original Bennet witch, had fled after many had died at the hands of my father's family.

My attention was brought back to Elijah and Jenna when my father said. "Which means the ever-lauded founding families...didn't actually found anything."

Jenna shrugged, "Well, I bet it was the men who made a big deal about being founders back in 1860. Men are very territorial."

I laughed and voiced my agreement giving Jenna a smile. She smiled back, giving me a conspiratorially wink. I giggled and winked back. My father observed all of this and I could see him mentally roll his eyes at our behavior, though he sent me a slight smile.

"Yes, there are," he said nodding his head towards the road.

Jenna smiled shyly, "Elijah, Estelle, this is my friend, Alaric Saltzman."

Alaric groomed sheepishly, "Yeah, I got your message about walking Elijah here through the old property lines. I thought I would tag along. You know being a history buff and all. Where to next? "

"I'm pretty curious about the freed slave property owners. Some say, you know, the descendants of the slaves are the true keepers of American history." Elijah said.

I raised an eyebrow, now we were getting somewhere, why would my father really be interested in that? He was definitely looking for some place in particular.

"Well, I only brought the surveys. I got that list in the car. Just give me a sec." Jenna replied.

I offered to walk with her, leaving my father with Alaric. As we walked to the car I overheard my father say with my vampire hearing, "Alaric Saltzman. So you're one of those people on Elena's list of loved ones to protect."

"So is Jenna."

"You don't have to be jealous. I don't really pursue younger women. It's a joke, Ric, lighten up." I looked over towards them at that comment to see my father pat Alaric on the shoulder and then walk towards us.

Alaric stood still for a moment before walking to join us. "Right," he mumbled.

Alaric stayed with us for a bit before leaving to meet Damon at the Grill. I asked if I could join him since I was hungry and needed to talk to Damon. Alaric agreed, as long as Elijah was okay with it. Elijah knowing I was bored gave his permission, saying he and Jenna would be along soon.

Alaric and I arrived at the Grill to find Damon with Andie. I sighed, knowing I wasn't going to get the details I wanted today. Alaric gave me a sideways glance, probably wondering at my reaction. I wondered what Damon and Stefan had told everyone about me, another thing to ask them about later. Alaric and I sat down at the table with Damon and Andie, Damon raised an eyebrow at my presence but didn't say anything. I greeted him and Andie and ordered a sandwich and drink.

"Other than your lecture on the history of Mystic Falls, did you get anything out of Elijah?" Damon asked Alaric.

I raised an eyebrow at the question but didn't say anything. Damon just ignored me while Alaric glanced at me and then looked back at Damon. "No, it was boring."

"Very boring." I added.

"Of course, Jenna thinks he's charming." Alaric told Damon.

Damon smiled, "You sounded jealous." He looked to Andie and asked her, "Sound a bit jealous?"

"Kinda do." She said with a smile.

Alaric shifted uncomfortably and glanced towards Andie and then me, "Maybe we shouldn't talk about this here."

"Andie? She's been compelled not to divulge my secrets. Haven't you?" Damon said to Andie.

"Uh-huh."

Then he nodded towards me, "And we aren't going to say anything Stella doesn't already know."

I inclined my head towards my ex-husband but didn't reply. That statement wasn't technically true, he probably knew more than I did about the whole thing. Of course, I knew things he didn't know, so I guess it evened out.

Damon leaned over and kissed Andie, "Mmm. My lips are sealed." Andie said.

Alaric shook his head, "This is too weird."

I wrinkled my nose. "You're telling me," I muttered.

"I just need the right opportunity." Damon muttered.

I cocked my head wondering what he was up to but didn't ask. I knew I would find out sooner or later.

"Ah, there's Jenna with her new boyfriend." Damon said as he waved at my father and Jenna as they walked in.

Alaric frowned and I blanched, "Please no." I said.

"Hi." Damon called out to them, ignoring my comment.

"Hey, guys." Jenna said as they walked over.

"So I hear you two had quite a meeting of historical minds today." Damon commented nonchalantly.

"Yeah, I guess you could say that." Jenna laughed.

"Well, as much as I'd like to continue this, I've got papers to grade." Alaric set some money in the table as he said this and stood up.

Andie spoke up eagerly, "No, you know what? We should continue this. Let's have a dinner party."

Damon cooed, "Ooh, my girl. Full of good ideas. I'll be happy to host. Say tonight. Maybe?"

I raised an eyebrow, my ex-husband was definitely up to something. He hated to host anything. "Really? You host?" I muttered too low for anyone but my father and ex-husband to hear me.

"It's good for me. Jenna?" Andie said.

"I don't know if tonight works..." Alaric hedged.

Jenna spoke up, ignoring Alaric, "Yeah, I'm free."

"It'd be a pleasure, both Estelle and I will be there." Elijah spoke up.

"Great." Damon said with a smile.

Damon, Andie, and Alaric took off and Elijah and Jenna joined me. "He's up too something," I muttered quietly, too quietly for Jenna to hear.

"I agree," Elijah said just as quietly.

Later that evening Elijah and I arrived at the boarding house, seeing as we were guest for a dinner party Elijah tang the doorbell. Damon answered with a smile, I wondered if he found it as odd as I did for me to wait on the front steps.

"Good evening." Elijah greeted politely.

"Hello, Damon." I said softly.

Damon smiled, "Thank you for coming. Please, come in."

Elijah allowed me to step inside but when I reached Damon he said. "Just one moment. Can I just say that if you have less than honorable intentions about how this evening is going to proceed, I suggest you reconsider."

Damon shook his head, "No, nothing, nothing dishonorable. Just getting to know you."

"Hmm. Well, that's good." Elijah said as he stepped in. "Because, you know, although Elena and I have this deal, if you so much as make a move to cross me, I'll kill you and I'll kill everyone in this house. Are we clear?"

Damon looked to me and I nodded, letting him know Elijah was serious. "Crystal." Damon said as my father reached for my arm and escorted me into the dining room.

As we were eating Jenna spoke up, "I hate to break it to you, Damon, but according to Elijah, your family is so not a founder of this town."

"Hmm, do tell." Came the reply.

"Well, as I mentioned to Jenna earlier, a faction of settlers migrated from Salem after the witch trials in the 1690s. Over the next hundred years they developed this community where they could feel safe from persecution."

"Hmm. Because they were witches." Jenna added.

"Yeah, but there's no tangible proof there were witches in Salem." Andre chimed in.

"Andie's a journalist. Big on facts." Damon told Elijah.

"Well, the lore says that there was this wave of anti-witch hysteria. It broke out in the neighboring settlement, so these witches were rounded up. They were tied to stakes in a field together and, uh, burned. Some say you could hear the screams from miles around us. They were consumed by the fire."

I straightened up as my father said that, now I knew what he was looking for, but I wasn't sure why. Damon voiced the question I was asking in my head, why did he want to find it? Elijah brushed it off saying he just had a heathy historian's curiosity. Damon just nodded and the subject was dropped for the time being.

After dinner the men separated or as Andie put it, "The gentlemen should take their drinks to the study."

Damon and Elijah went to the study, while John an uninvited guest who had shown up randomly and Alaric helped us girls clean up. Suddenly Alaric got a call and walked out and when he came back in he announced we had forgotten dessert. He and Andie burst through the study doors and told them.

Elijah escorted Andie back into the dining room while I slipped out to see if I could figure out what Damon and Alaric were up too. I entered the study unnoticed to see Damon and Alaric angrily miming at each other. Damon then threw a paper at Alaric and angrily stalked out, bumping into me.

"What do you want?" He snapped at me.

"Don't talk to me that way, love," I growled at him. "We might not be married anymore but I didn't put up with it then, and I'm not going to now."

"Whatever." He mumbled pushing past me.

Alaric walked over, "You were married to him?"

I nodded, "For roughly 20 years. He didn't mention it?"

Alaric shook his head, "Nope, then again he hasn't told me a thing about you. Are you really Elijah's daughter?" I nodded. "Wow," He was all he said.

We made our way into the dining room just in time hear Andie say, "Ric, would you do me a favor and grab the notebook out of my bag?"

Alaric walked over to her bag and started digging in it.

Elijah raised an eyebrow at me as if to ask if I was okay, I nodded and gave him a small smile.

"Elijah, did John tell you he's Elena's uncle-slash-father?" Damon called for my father's attention.

"Yes, I'm well aware of that." Elijah replied.

"Of course, she hates him, so there's absolutely no need to keep him on the endangered species list." Damon said spitefully.

"No Ric, it's in the front pocket. On the...you know what? Excuse me, guys. Sorry." Andie rushed over to grab her notebook.

John ignored Damon's insult and asked my father. "What I'd like to know, Elijah, is how do you intend on killing Klaus?"

Elijah frowned, "Gentlemen, there's a few things we should probably get clear right now. I allow you to live solely to keep an eye on Elena. I allow Elena to remain in her house living her life with her friends as she does as a courtesy. If you become a liability, I'll take her away from you and you'll never see her again."

Andie came back into the room with her notebook and sits down. "Okay. My first question is when you got here to Mystic..."

Before she could get the word 'Falls' out Alaric came up behind Elijah and stabbed a dagger through his heart through the back of his chair. Elijah cried out and dedicated, "No!" I screamed out.

Alaric pulled the dagger out and places it on the table looking at me and Damon. I relaxed slightly, knowing that once the dagger was removed my father would be able to wake up. I knew however that I couldn't let them know that, so I acted like he was dead.

"What have you done?" I asked moving to go over to him but Damon grabbed me.

"I'm sorry, Stella, but it was the only option to keeping Elena safe."

I shook my head indicating he was wrong. Damon only wrapped his arms around me, as if he was comforting me but then he injected me with something with a syringe. The room began to spin and everything faded into blackness.