'Caroline Forbes has been off lately.' Caroline heard Rosaline Hale whisper to Bella Swan during lunch one day.

This made her concerned; Caroline did not need this. It had been days since she compelled her mother to forget about her, Stefan, and Damon being vampires. Bonnie wouldn't see or speak to her, and Katherine was terrorizing her and using her to spy on Elena and Stefan. And then there were the situations with Matt and Tyler going on.

She felt so alone.

No, Caroline did not need ace reporter Rosalie Hale on her heels.

'I wouldn't know,' Bella commented quietly, 'She doesn't talk to me anymore.'

Caroline felt guilt wash over her, or at least human Caroline would have.

Vampire Caroline was drowning in it; she was essentially doing the same thing Bonnie and Elena did to her. Bella listened to her philippic about them patiently and rightfully suggested that they would explain to her what was going on.

Bella determined there was more to the story and that if Caroline were patient, they would let her in.

Maybe Bella could do the same for her, but she couldn't.

The truth could endanger her; Bella couldn't know the truth.

'Maybe Elena Gilbert said something to her.'

'Like what?'

'Like you're trying to steal Stefan, even though Caroline was with him first.'

'They weren't together together.' Bella pointed out. 'And Elena broke up with him.'

'How do you know that?'

'He told me this morning.'

'This morning?!'

'He gave me a ride.'

'I bet.'

'To school.' Caroline could hear the laughter in her voice.

This heightened hearing was amazing.

'What did you talk about?'

'Music.'

'Music?'

'Yeah, I'm making him a playlist.'

'Seriously?'

'I'm sorry, nothing sexy happened.'

'Why did they break up?'

'He didn't divulge.'

'Why do you think they broke up?'

'Damon.' Caroline heard Bella whisper.

'What was that?' Rosalie demanded.

Caroline, too, was curious about Bella's remark.

Why would she mention him?

Did she remember?

'Elena is going through a lot of problematizing things,' Bella grumbled, 'and a boyfriend would problematize things further.'

'Hm.' something told Caroline that Rosaline wasn't completely satisfied with her reply. 'How's the Stefan Salvatore mix tape going?'

'So far, all I got is Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake.'

'What is the deal with you and him?'

'What do you mean?'

'He looks at you like you're something to eat.'

This caused Bella to snicker and send Caroline into an immediate panic.

She remembers she has to.

'Nothing, really. I'm friends with Jeremy, and he was dating Elena.'

'Nothing is going on, but you're putting together a mixtape for him.'

'A platonic mixtape.'

'Well, email me that platonic playlist.'

'I think Bella remembers!' Caroline pointed out to us as we waited for Jeremy.

She'd been quietly fuming about something all day; at first, I thought it was about Damon and/or Katherine, but no, she dropped this bomb on us.

'What?' Bonnie choked on her water. This was the first time she'd seen or spoken to her since she made her ring.

'I heard her talking to Rosalie, who commented that Stefan looks at her like she's something to eat, and Bella laughed. First of all, Bella doesn't know how to enjoy a dirty joke, and second of all, she remembers! She remembered everything!'

'That's-'

'Why was she talking to about Stefan?' I flared.

'They were talking about me first.'

'Why?' asked Bonnie

'Rosaline is paying too much attention to me, and Bella pointed out that we don't talk anymore.'

I feel Caroline's guilt from here; Bonnie must have, too, because she put an arm around her.

'You're trying to keep her safe.'

'Yeah, but I'm putting her through the same thing I went through. I was so alone, and now Bella is too!'

'She's not alone, she has Rosalie-'

'How is this prevalent to Stefan?'

Bonnie threw me an irritated look as Caroline looked at me, she too, seemingly annoyed.

'Bella thinks Damon is the reason why.'

I balked at the remark. 'What?'

'He gave her a ride to school.'

'Damon told me.' Bonnie and Caroline exchange a glance. 'What?'

'Damon told you?' Bonnie repeated.

'Yeah...'

'Is Bella onto something?'

'No, she isnt!' I hissed. 'Is she spreading lies about me? Did she tell Rosalie that?'

'No, she said it under her breath.'

'What did she say to her?'

'She played the Elena is an orphan card.'

The Elena is an orphan card. I wasn't aware that I could weaponize my parents' death.

'Did Bella mention what she and Stefan talked about?'

'Music. They chatted about music.'

'Music?' I repeated.

'She's making him a playlist.'

'What?' Bonnie laughed.

'She's making him a playlist.' Caroline looked square in the eyes. 'I think we should tell Bella.'

'I don't want that freak in my business!'

'She has pictures of your birth mother; even if she doesn't remember, she's already in your business. She may know more than you.'

'She has a point, Elena.' Bonnie muttered.

I groaned and turned away. 'I want to Alaric, Damon, and Stefan first.'

I found Bella's playlist stuffed in my locker after school; I skimmed through it:

1. Swan Lake- Tchaikovsky

2. Bullet with butterfly wings- smashing pumpkins

3. Toccata and fugue in d minor

4. Dangerous mind- within temptation

5. Forsaken- David Draiman

6. Stand my ground- within temptation

7. Dragula- rob zombie

8. Living dead girl- rob zombie

9. Larcimosa- Mozart

10. Larcymosa evanescence

11. The red- Chevelle

12. Cabrini green- Phillip glass

These were among the few of the songs I glimpsed; not going to lie; I was predicting more classical music or at least more Neil Diamond.

'What's that?' I heard Jeremy ask over my shoulder.

'Bella made me a playlist.'

'A playlist?'

'A playlist.'

'That's so 80's.'

'I think it's kinda cool.'

'Where is Bella?'

'Probably on her way home, why?'

'Elena texted me; she wants you to come by.'

'Elena and I broke up-.'

'She wants you to come by, and she wants you to bring your brother.'

'Did she say why?'

'My guess is that it probably involves Bella.'

'What about Bella?'

'Maybe she wants the three of you to ambush her again.' he let out bitterly.

'Jeremy-'

'I don't want any of you causing her any more distress!'

'No one is going to cause Bella more distress.' I shoved the paper in my pocket. 'Did you talk to Bella?'

'No, why?'

'She said she wanted to talk to you and Caroline about something.'

'Did she say what?'

'I don't know, she wouldn't spill. She was worried Damon was listening to us.'

'Last time we talked, she was trying to tell me something.'

'Tell you what?'

'I was asking about her birth parents.'

Oh, that's right, it's easy to forget that Bella is also adopted.

'Her birth parents?'

'She mentioned that she saw Isobel.'

'What?!'

'I think Isobel saved her from being crushed.'

'WHAT?'

'She was trying to tell me something, but Elena and Bonnie walked up.'

'Do you think she knows about Elena being adopted?'

'She knows, I told Bella after Elena told me.'

So Jeremy helped me dodge a bullet.

Many people gathered at the Gilberts, the Saltman, the Salvatore brothers, Bonnie and Caroline.

Maybe they're finally going to tell Caroline and Jeremy the truth.

I wondered who I could approach first: Jeremy or Caroline.

Wait, Mr. Saltzman is there?

I mean, he could be there for Jenna, but she left ten minutes ago.

Did he know?

I should talk to Forge and see if he can help me out.

I haven't seen Tori around; maybe she works with those other vampires, the tomb vampires, I think Stefan called them.

Or maybe that vampire that Damon was obsessed with; what was her name again?

Katherine?

'Why was I summoned?' Damon complained as he and I walked into the house.

'Yeah, why-'

'I think we should tell Bella Swan!' Caroline boomed before I could get my foot in the door. 'I don't think she entirely forgot about vampires!'

'What?'

'Yeah, Caroline thinks we should tell Bella.' Elena lamented.

'That's a dumb idea!' Damon let out.

'I agree.' Jeremy replied.

'Thank you.'

'No, not with you.' he threw Damon an irritated look. 'I think we should tell Bella.'

'Me, too.' Bonnie raised her hand.

'Ditto.' Caroline and Jeremy raised their hands.

Alaric raised his hand as well, and Damon frowned. 'Not you, too, Alaric.'

'Stefan hinted that she might be able to resist compulsion; maybe she knows and can tell us how. Besides, she can tell us about her uncle.'

'Isobel was the one who saved her from being crushed.' Jeremy confessed. 'And I think Bella saw her the day of the parade.'

'When did you find this out?!' Damon flared.

'It was the day Caroline was released from- whoa.'

'What's whoa?'

'The last thing she said before Elena and Bonnie walked up was we might related.'