Disclaimer: I do not own the Vampire Diaries and never will, but I do own Charlene Davis and Megan Swann and any other characters I come up with.

Author's Note: Hope you love the updated version! :D

"So, that's what Caroline was talking to me about." Megan explained to Stefan, who was standing in the living room of the boarding house. "Sorry for the short notice, but I totally forgot about it until Caroline mentioned the contest. Do you still mind escorting me?"

"Of course not." Stefan assured her, shaking his head even though she couldn't see it. "I'd be happy to escort you."

"Okay, good!" Megan said in relief. "Honestly, I really never wanted to be in this contest in this first place. I mean, I do enjoy stuff like that, but I only did it because my friends were entering. I never thought I'd actually be picked for the founders' court."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm not part of a founding family." Megan told him. "Ever since I remember, only the Forbes, Lockwoods, Gilberts, and Fells get picked for Miss Mystic Falls."

"Oh. Well, we'll have fun."

Megan smiled. "We always do. I'll talk to you later, and if not, I'll see you tomorrow. I love you, Stefan."

"I love you too." The phone call ended, and Stefan slipped his phone in his pocket before looking at his other hand.

It had a blood pouch in it. He quickly hit it inside of a drawer, then closed it before he started down the hall to go down to the basement.

Once he got there, he made his way over to the fridge and opened it up. He peered inside to see the contents of it and there was still the same amount of blood bags inside as before.

Just then, he heard Damon's voice behind him. "Well, well, he's liar and a thief." Stefan looked over at him and his brother just stared right back. "So, when were you going to share?"

Stefan didn't say anything for a moment. "Go ahead, help yourself." He gestured to the blood bags.

"No, no, no I'm talking about the fact that you're a closet blood junkie."

"So, I'm drinking blood again." Stefan shrugged, like it didn't matter, and in his mind, it didn't. "You're the one that shoved it on me, what's your problem? I have it under control."

"Under control? You robbed the hospital!" Damon exclaimed angrily.

Stefan barely even flinched. "So, what's your point?"

"Fine, whatever man, drink up." Damon said, shaking his head slightly. "Just remember, we're trying to keep a low profile. Why don't you just walk up to Sheriff Forbes and ask her to tap a vein?"

"Have my actions negatively impacted you? I can't imagine what that feels like." Stefan mocked.

Damon ignored that. "Yeah, what does Megan think about the new…you?"

"Nothing's changed; I'm still the same person."

"Clearly."

Stefan rolled his eyes. "Megan doesn't need to know anything yet."

"You've been off the human stuff for years, Stefan. If you're having trouble controlling…" Damon was cut off.

"I'm not having trouble." Stefan said sharply.

Damon scoffed. "Who do you think your talking to?" he asked rhetorically. "I know what it's like." He stepped towards his brother. "That Jekyll and Hyde feeling…that switch, sometimes it goes off and you snap. Right now, is not a good time for me to be worried about you snapping, and I would be worried about Charlene too, but at least she admits that she needs help."

Stefan ignored the jibe, deciding to comment on the statement before. "I know that it pains you to see this, but I'm fine, okay? I'm fine." He took a blood bag from the fridge. "So please, do me a favor and leave me alone." He closed the fridge and shoved past Damon to leave.

After school the next day, Megan was with all the other girls picked for the Founders' court. Including one who wasn't part of a founder family, her name was Amber. Megan knew of her, but not personally. Still, it was nice to see there was someone else just like her.

They were here for the first practice of the Miss Mystic Falls contest along with their partners. Megan was with Stefan, of course, and she smiled across at dance partner for life.

He smiled back at her.

Then Megan shared an amused look with Elena, who was with her partner. His name was Scott something.

Just the whole dance steps were amusing especially with Carole Lockwood teaching them.

"Honor your partner." She said with a bright smile. "Stay focus, right hand around."

Stefan held his right hand towards and the look on his face made her giggle.

"Flirt with your eyes."

Megan crossed her eyes at Stefan, sticking her tongue out playfully, which caused him to laugh with a twinkle in his eyes.

"Left hand around."

"Do you know how ridiculous this looks, Stefan?" Megan questioned, giggling. "How you were able to do this with keeping a straight face, I have no idea."

"Both hands." Carole said.

"You're only saying that because you don't know how to do it." Stefan teased.

"Well, Stefan, it's not my fault that only one of us was alive when this dance was invented." Megan told him, mockingly.

He pretended to look hurt. "Ouch!"

Megan let out a sound between a cry and a laugh as Stefan grabbed her by the waist and twirled her around right before dipping her. She was a fit of laughter by now when he pulled her back up and tugged her close. Megan buried her face into his shoulder to try and get her laughter until control as Carole got onto the two of them.

"No! No! There's no touching during this part." She snapped at them as Megan managed to get until control and pulled back away from Stefan. "It's about the simple intimacy of the near touch."

Carole turned away from them, and Megan couldn't help but make a face behind her back as she congratulated Amber on a job well done. The black-haired teen shook her head before turning her attention back to Stefan while they got back into position.

"If you ask me, the 'near touch' is overrated." He whispered to her with a smile.

"Trust me, I know." Megan purred playfully before laughing. "It looks like you're in a good mood."

Stefan smiled again. "Is that a bad thing? Would you prefer me to be brooding and tortured?"

"No, I'm not complaining, but I love every side of you." Megan smiled and moved closer to him again.

He stopped her though. "Oh, no touching!"

Megan pouted at him as they went back to dancing.

Meanwhile, in the hallway, Caroline was with Bonnie. "The Fell cousins don't have a shot and Amber Bradley is only on the court, so the pageant doesn't look like its founding families only – which of course it is." She informed the young Bennett witch. "I mean, sure Megan is only on it because of that too, but she doesn't count and has much of a chance of winning as I do. So, all that's left is Elena who totally has the sympathy vote since her parents died. How can I complete with that?"

They stopped in the hallway before where the dancing was occurring as Bonnie turned to her.

"Very nice, very sensitive." She said softly.

Caroline let out a sigh. "Oh, I'm sorry, this must sound really unimportant. In light of everything."

"It's okay, I get it, you want to win."

"Well, my grandmother was Miss Mystic and both of my aunts. My mom is the only one who didn't get the gene and I want this. I actually deserve this." They entered the dancing room just as Megan and Stefan were leaving.

Megan stopped at the sight of them and the air was filled with silence. "Um hey." She greeted awkwardly.

"Hey, how are you?" Stefan asked Bonnie, but she didn't answer, making the air around them fill up with awkwardness.

Caroline broke the long silence. "I begged Bonnie to fill in for Matt." The blonde explained. "He had to work."

Megan just nodded at her before turning to look at her sister. "Do you mind if we talk?"

"We only have 30 minutes for rehearsal." Bonnie answered, obviously coming up with an excuse so she didn't have to speak to her.

"Look, it's not going to take that long. I just need to talk to you really quick, that's it." Megan told her. "Please."

Bonnie hesitated for a moment before nodding and following her sister out of the room.

Megan turned to Bonnie once they were alone. "Look, I don't know what I did wrong, Bon." She started to say. "Just tell me what's wrong, so I can know what to do so I can fix it."

"It's not worth talking about." Bonnie brushed it off in a cool and collected voice.

"Not worth talking about? Are you kidding me right now?" Megan grew frustrated. "Of course, it's worth talking about. You've barely even talked to me since you've been home, even at the house, you go out of your way to avoid me. How could it not be worth talking about? Not only that, you won't even look at Stefan. Does he have something to do with why you're pissed off at me?"

Bonnie was silent through her entire speech until she finished. "Look, Megan, I can't pretend everything's okay. Everything Grams did was to protect us from those tomb vampires. And now they're out which means she died for nothing."

"Grams didn't die for nothing, Bonnie. She died protecting us and yeah, the spell didn't work, but that doesn't mean shit. She still died for a good cause and to be honest, I think there's no better way to die than protecting the ones you love." Megan said hotly and she knew her words irritated Bonnie by the look on her sister's face but at the moment, she didn't care. But it didn't stop her face from softening. "I miss Grams too, Bonnie. You weren't the only one who lost her." Bonnie said nothing and she went on, "I still want to know what I can do to make it better…"

"That's the point, you can't do anything." Bonnie finally said, and it made her heart break a little. "I blame him, Megan, and I'm not going to put you in a position where you have to choose sides. I'm just having a hard time with it, okay?"

Megan crossed her arms. "Okay, but it's not Stefan's fault. Grams would have died even if she didn't do the spell…"

Bonnie looked at her, confused. "What are talking about?"

She said nothing for a moment before sighing heavily. "Grams was sick, Bonnie. She had been sick for a while, and I found out about it by accident. She knew it too, but she risked doing the spell because she wanted to protect us. She made the choice, Bonnie. No one else." Megan saw her sister's eyes well up with tears. "But if you want to blame other people, go right ahead. It'll only leave you alone in the end."

With that, she turned around and walked off with her head held high, even though it hurt her that she made her sister cry.

It was the day of the Miss Mystic Falls pageant, and Charlene was upstairs getting ready. Though she wasn't part of the court, she still had to go since she was Gilbert, but she didn't mind going to this founders' thing because her sister and Megan were in it, and she wanted to support them. So, she ended up going with them to buy their dresses and got one of her own.

She loved it too. It was purple and very flowy, and it had a silver design around her waist, and it looked beautiful on.

Charlene looked at herself in the mirror as she smoothed down her dress and smiled at her reflection. She felt good today and she was excited to do something normal.

"You look gorgeous!" Megan gushed, making the blonde turn and look at her best friend.

"Thank you." Charlene smiled at her before gesturing to her updo hairstyle. "Is the hair Megan approved?"

Megan smirked. "Heck yeah, it is!" Her arms tightened around the bag that Charlene figured was holding her dress. Before she could ask why she didn't have her dress on, her best friend answered it, "We have to put the dresses on when we get there. Anyway, come on, let's go. Elena is already downstairs."

"Okay, I'll be down in a minute." Charlene informed her, and Megan nodded before leaving the room. She glanced at herself in the mirror one last time as she took a deep breath and let it out. "Everything's going to be good. I'm not gonna loose control." With those words and another deep breath, she left the room and headed downstairs.

The doorbell rang as soon as she made it downstairs.

"I'll get it!" Megan offered before going over to the door just as Elena came down as well. She opened the door and there was Alaric, dressed in his suit and tie. "Alaric, hey! You look great!"

"You look great too." Alaric smiled at her, and she beamed at him.

"Thank you! I try." Megan joked.

Charlene and Elena looked at each other and giggled.

Then Elena turned to Alaric. "I heard you're driving."

"Yeah I am. Let me get those for you." He said, taking hers and Megan's dress bags.

"Thank you." Elena and Megan chorused together.

Charlene shook her head, smiling as Alaric entered the room and closed the door behind him.

"How…how is Stefan?" Alaric asked Megan, who frowned in confusion.

"What are you talking about? Did something happen?"

He shook his head. "No, but he seems on edge."

"He's just been having a tough time lately, that's all." Megan said, waving a hand. "He'll be fine."

Before Alaric could say anything else, John appeared, and Charlene forced herself not to make a face at the sight of him.

He looked surprised to see their teacher here. "Alaric. Hey buddy, what are you doing here?"

"I'm the chauffer."

"I thought I was driving."

"No need, we're going with Ric." Jenna said as she came down the stairs.

"Are we ready?" Elena questioned.

Jenna gave him a tight smile. "Jeremy can ride with you."

John looked disappointed, but Charlene couldn't bring herself to care as they headed out the door.

Anna arrived at the Founder's Hall dressed in her black dress. She took her jacket off as she headed inside and kept it in her arms. Anna nodded and smiled at people as she walked. When she walked outside, she saw Damon Salvatore, heading her way with a glass of wine in his hand.

"In the running for Miss Mystic Falls?" Damon asked with his usual smirk on his face as he headed his way over to her.

She didn't look at him. "Sometimes you have to wear uncomfortable heels to blend in." She said as her reply as Damon went to stand beside her. She looked out onto the dance floor as she continued, "I remember this event from 1864, I was supposed to enter before everything happened."

"Ah, nostalgia's a bitch." Damon mocked.

Anna rolled her eyes. "If you're just going to mock me, can you move along place?" She glanced over at him for a few seconds before looking forward again.

But Damon stayed there, speaking again, "John Gilbert thinks your mom stole an artifact from Jonathan senior, senior back in 1864."

Anna looked over at him with a smirk of her own. "What are you, his errand boy?" she teased, walking forward a few steps before turning to face Damon, who was now standing in front of her.

Damon ignored her teasing. "I don't know what it is, but I don't want him to have it."

"I could ask her, but you know, you're made it perfectly clear that you don't trust us." Anna said. "So, why should I even bother?"

A smirk returned to Damon's face. "Because you want to stay here in Mystic Falls and John Gilbert's in town, making that impossible." The smirk fell from his face and he looked at Anna seriously, "Find out what it is. He leaves and then you can buy a welcome mat." He walked away with Anna watching him, shaking her head in disbelief.

"You look miserable," John said as he stood next to Jeremy, who he had found at a table, looking bored out of his mind.

Jeremy looked at his uncle in disbelief. "Are there really a whole month of these events that I'm supposed to show up at?"

John chuckled. "You could fight it if you want but it's part of being a Gilbert."

"Yeah, you mentioned you know a lot about the family." A curious look crossed Jeremy's face as he looked at John.

"Political writer, crazy inventor." He answered as he regarded Jeremy seriously. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, I read his journal."

John looked at him surprised. "Is that right?"

Jeremy nodded. "Yeah. I found it in all dads' stuff."

"Well, it's surprising," John said. "Most of them are locked away."

It was Jeremy's turn to be surprised, "There are more of them?"

"Jonathan Gilbert journaled his whole life, right down to the bitter, insane, drunken end." John told his nephew. "He had a lot of demons."

"And did you read all of them?" Jeremy questioned curiously.

"I've browsed, yeah."

"What did you think about what he wrote?"

John laughed, "Crazy ramblings of a mad man, of course." He looked away from Jeremy and noticed a girl who had just entered, "She's very pretty." John complimented as the girl met his eyes and she quickly left though.

"Yeah, uh, she's a friend of mine." Jeremy said. "Excuse me."

John nodded and watched his nephew walk away to catch up with the girl, suspiciously.

TBC...

In...

Miss Mystic Falls, Part 3...