Summary: All Celia Saltzman wanted was her mother back in her life. Moving to Mystic Falls and making new friends had never been part of the plan. Neither was finding new family. After finding out the truth about what happened to her mother, Celia soon discovers that it wasn't the only secret that lies within her family.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything you recognize here. TVD belongs to L.J. Smith and the CW.

Setting: TVD AU

Notes:

Twelve

"Just stay in the car, love. This shouldn't take long." Klaus smiled at her.

Celia gave him a skeptical look. "She's not going to trust two random guys showing up to her door. He probably warned her."

Stefan nodded his head toward her. "She has a point."

"Alright then what would you suggest?" He eyed her curiously.

She considered her options for a moment. "Let me try. If it doesn't work, you two are fast enough to grab her."

"Don't make me regret this." Klaus narrowed his eyes at her.

Celia got out of the car approaching the blonde that was in the yard and greeted her in a southern accent. "Um hi, our car broke down and my phone is dead. My brother is out of minutes on his phone and my boyfriend left his at home. Would you mind if I came inside and called for a tow?"

"I don't know." She eyed them suspiciously.

"Please? We were headed out to eat and she gets awfully grumpy when she is hungry." Klaus spoke up in a surprising southern accent.

She reluctantly agreed a few moments later only for Klaus to compel her to also let him and Stefan in. Celia stood inside quietly while Klaus questioned the woman and her roommate about the whereabouts of Ray Sutton. They both swore they didn't know where he was and then the roommate took off running. Klaus caught her and Celia looked away as he got the truth out of her. She frowned when he then ordered Stefan to take care of them.

Celia rolled her eyes as she headed out to the car. "You could have just compelled them."

"I couldn't risk them tipping Ray off." He explained following her.

She huffed stopping at the car. "I just don't get why you are so hellbent on making him be a ripper again."

"You'll find out soon enough." Klaus assured holding the car door open for her.

"How's it going?" Alaric asked watching the elder Salvatore look over a map.

"Well he hasn't gone full blown ripper yet which is good for Celia, but makes it a bit harder to track." Damon admitted with a sigh.

"I hate to think what will happen the longer she is near Klaus." Ric frowned at the thought.

"Stefan won't let him hurt her. He's showing surprising restraint considering he is a ripper." The elder Salvatore broker pointed out.

"We'll just have to keep looking then." He sighed gazing at the map again.

After Stefan was done, the three of them drove over to a local dive bar. Celia remained in the car while the two men went inside. It was a few minutes later when Stefan returned with a burger, cheese fries, and a soda for her. She gave him a thankful smile and took the food. While she ate, he went back inside where Klaus was torturing Ray for information.

She was finished eating by the time they returned. Stefan placed an unconscious Ray in the trunk then they drove away from the bar. Celia fell asleep along the way only to wake up a few hours later. She wasn't sure where they were now. It was mountainous and there were trees seemingly everywhere. They parked the car then Stefan pulled Ray out of the trunk waking him up.

Celia remained silent as they trekked through the woods only to be surprised when they came upon a campsite. It didn't take long to realize that all of the campers there were actually werewolves. She looked at Stefan who gave her a reassuring look. Celia stayed quiet while Klaus made a big show of forcing his blood down the wolves throats and killing all of them. When they came to, she was horrified to see that they were all getting sick and dying. Ray ran off and an angry Klaus bit Stefan.

"Find him and bring him back. If you don't, you die." He glared at Stefan.

Stefan glanced at Celia then reluctantly left her behind to search for Ray. She frowned worried about what would happen to her best friend. When the last wolf died, Klaus began to throw a tantrum and destroyed the campsite.

"I don't understand! I did everything I was supposed to do. The doppelganger is dead. This should have worked." Klaus yelled out furiously.

Celia let him get it all out then bit her lip as she touched his arm gently. "Nik? If I may?"

"What?" He was surprised that she called him that and even more surprised that he felt a bit calmer.

She took a breath then looked at him. "A witch performed the binding ritual and gave you the means to undo it. Someone once told me that nature has to be balanced and witches keep that balance. Sure, they gave you the means to return to your hybrid form, but that already throws off the balance a bit. I don't think they were going to make it that easy for you to make others like yourself."

"Of course they wouldn't make it that easy. I suppose you have a point. Thank you for your input, love." Klaus was still quite upset, but he had calmed down considerably.

Celia relaxed a bit. "You're welcome. Um, while we're talking, I'd like to make a deal with you."

"Oh? What kind of bargain are you wanting to make with me?" He looked at her intrigued yet also slightly amused.

She made a silent prayer that Stefan would make it back okay. "Stop biting Stefan and I'll help you get your hybrids."

Meanwhile, Stefan ran through the woods following Ray's scent. The werewolf was attacking another man. Stefan jumped in fighting Ray off. Unable to subdue him, Stefan killed him instead. Shaking his head at the failed hybrid, Stefan got to his feet only to be surprised when he saw his brother.

"Hey. You alright?" His blue eyes looked over his younger brother with concern.

Stefan nodded his head waving him off. "Yeah I'm fine. I should get back. What are you doing here?"

"I was looking for you and Celia when this guy attacked me. Where is she?" Damon admitted then glanced around.

He sighed in relief when he didn't see any bites on Damon. "I left her with Klaus. She's fine. I know Ric wants her back home, but you really hurt her. She just needs some time to heal."

"Yeah and we get that. She can heal away from Klaus." The elder Salvatore insisted.

Stefan shook his head at his brother. "I'll tell her to call him later. Don't follow me, Damon."

The younger Salvatore vampire sped off in the opposite direction. Damon was very tempted to follow him. Instead, he listened and returned to Ric. He looked disappointed when he didn't see Celia with Damon, but it was pretty much what he had expected.

"Stefan said that she is okay. He's going to tell her to call you later." He assured him.

"Celia has always been stubborn like her mother. She's not going to come back home until she knows Stefan is safe from Klaus." Ric pointed out with a sigh.

"Why would you want to help me?" Klaus gave her a curious look.

Her shoulders shrugged. "It keeps Stefan safe and it keeps you from getting so angry that you destroy things."

"I suppose you make a fair point. You have yourself a deal." He nodded his head smiling slightly at her.

Stefan eyed them both curiously as he returned. "I found Ray, but he attacked me. I had to kill him."

"It's alright. He would have died anyway." Klaus gestured to the dead bodies scattered around while pouring some of his blood into an empty beer bottle.

Celia sighed in relief when she saw him hand the bottle to Stefan. At least now she knew Stefan would be okay. The sun was starting to set as they headed back to the car. Exhaustion was beginning to set in for her as they drove away. She was sound asleep when they entered Chicago. Klaus checked them into a hotel letting Stefan carry Celia up to their suite. She snuggled against him relaxing in her sleep. The sound and feel of her pulse was intoxicating to Stefan. He fought the urge to bite her and gently laid her down in one of the beds instead. After tucking her in, Stefan sped off to feed.

It was when he returned that he saw Klaus again. "So what's up with you and Celia?"

"I'm afraid I don't know what you mean." His brows raised at the younger vampire.

Stefan scoffed at that. "You were absolutely livid at the campsite then you just instantly calm down when she talks to you. She asked you to not hurt her Dad and you returned him relatively unharmed. Hell, you changed your hairstyle just because she suggested it."

"Celia made some valid points, that's all." Klaus shrugged his shoulders.

He shook his head at him. "If you say so. I wouldn't get your hopes up though. She's never going to forgive you for killing her mother or forget."

"I'm well aware of that. Is this her concerned best friend talking or are you rooting for her to fix things with your brother?"

Stefan sighed at that. "I'm just trying to protect her. You said yourself that your blood was the only cure for the wolf bite yet Damon drank from her and it healed him partially."

"Did it now? That's intriguing. I'm surprised that she hasn't mentioned it." Klaus appeared surprised.

He made a face. "She doesn't know. I mean, the drinking was consensual, but she doesn't know it healed him a bit. Celia was mourning her mother and about to lose her sister. She had enough on her plate."

"Well I assure you that nothing is going on between her and I. She is rather stunning though, huh?" He teased smirking softly.

Stefan rolled his eyes at him. "Leave her alone, Klaus."