The next day Elena tried to pretend like everything was normal, she got dressed, brushed and put her hair up, and brushed her teeth only to stop with a gripping reality check in the corner of her mind.

Heading downstairs she took off right out the door ignoring the shocked looks from the group of people in the kitchen.

Eliza gulped back the last of her coffee/ tonic and put her cup in the sink to wash later. Jeremy shoveled the last of his eggs in his mouth so happy that there was another cook in the house, Greta was amazing. Jenna had a thermos filled with coffee/vervain and her book bag to head to the campus for the day, and Jackie was finishing a blood bag before she headed out to shop with Eliza since it was finally the weekend.

"I have some news, with Eliza on the mend Nik has asked me to return to the compound,"

"Aw that sucks,"

"You will be missed sweetie,"

"Damn,"

"Greta thank you for everything you have done for me, for all of us this last week it will never be forgotten. I hope you keep in touch, and visit when you can,"

"I'll make sure I make the time for visits, he won't mind that he would probably encourage it a lot to know you have a bit of supernatural backup in case Jackie is unavailable,"

"That's great to know, be safe, travel well, and let us know you got back safe," Eliza hugged her before everyone else did too.

Greta left first when her cab arrived. She put her bags in the trunk and got in waving to everyone as it pulled away.

Eliza, Jeremy, and Jackie were next getting in the Impala and heading to the next town over to go shopping.

Jenna took the responsibility to lock up the house and make sure it was all good til someone came home later.

Elena met Stefan outside in public at the coffee shop near the grill to get answers she knew it was risky doing it in public where people would overhear but it felt safer for her.

"You said you would explain everything that's why I asked you to meet me here. When you google vampire you get a world of fiction. What's the reality?,"

"I can tell you whatever you want to know,"

"I know you eat garlic,"

"Yes,"

"And somehow sunlight's not a issue,"

"We have rings that protect us,"

"Crucifixes?,"

"Decorative,"

"Holy water?,"

"Drinkable,"

"Mirrors?,"

"Myth,"

"You said you don't kill to survive,"

"Animal blood keeps me alive but not as strong as Damon he can be very powerful,"

"And yet you let him get involved with Caroline?,"

"Forcing Damon not to do something is much more dangerous believe me,"

"He was hurting her,"

"He was feeding on her, he was able to take away her memories of being bitten using a form of mind control called compulsion, she never knew what was happening to her. If he wanted to kill her he would have,"

"It doesn't make it ok,"

"No, no none of this is ok Elena I know that,"

"Are there any others aside from you and Damon?,"

"One other but other then that not in Mystic Falls not anymore,"

"Not anymore?,"

"There was a time when this town was very much aware of vampires and it didn't end well for anybody. That's why it's important that you don't tell any one,"

"I can't promise that,"

"Elena, give me today I will answer any questions that you have and when it's over you can decide for yourself what you want to do with what you know, it wil be your choice," Elena agreed to his terms for the day.

Eliza, Jackie, and Jeremy had already hit a handful of stores already and it had only been a few hours. They had picked up a few more vervain plants to add to their greenhouse, some house decor items, and some new clothes for them all. Though Eliza did pick up a new journal she saw for Elena that was a soft brown leather, and a pure black leather one for Stefan, for Damon she had found a moon blue shirt that was really tasteful, and for Jenna she found a nice ankle bracelet that could be filled with vervain as a backup.

She knew Elena was spending time with Stefan she just hoped she let him explain everything.

At the Salvatore house Damon paced the house annoyed and trapped.

"Where are you Stefan? I'm trapped at the house and getting really bored and really impatient and I don't do bored and impatient," Damon headed straight for the bourbon as he tried to get a hold of his brother.

"Bring me my ring!," hanging up he put his phone back in his pocket as he walked around the couch where Vicki laid.

"Oh don't get blood on the couch please," walking over he sat on the table next to where she laid and moved the towel he had put on her neck.

"I got you good didn't I, well you're not going to be any fun today," tossing back his bourbon he stood and moved above her head.

"I'm so going to regret this," lifting his wrist he bit into it opening his vein and moving it down feeding his blood to Vicki.

"Drink up, drink it up, don't drip there you go good girl that's it," Damon encouraged her as she drank from his wrist.

Eliza, Jackie, and Jeremy arrived back in Mystic Falls early. Stopping at the Salvatore house she got out to talk to Damon and gave the car to Jackie to take Jeremy home or to the grill his choice.

She had grabbed the bag with the shirt and journal she had bought the brothers and made her way to the front door. She knew he couldn't answer it so she opened it slightly and yelled in letting Damon know it was her.

Walking in further as soon as she was in the shade two arms wrapped themselves around her in a tight hug.

"It's great to see you up and about baby girl," leaning back Eliza looked into Damon's eyes seeing he was being truthful about it.

"I'm happy to be back up on my feet, Greta had to leave but Jackie is pretty much living at the house now and Jenna doesn't mind she likes the security, I brought you a gift," she said pulling away out of his arms before reaching in the bag removing the shirt.

"Damn I love it thank you Lizzie it's gorgeous," Damon admired the shirt loving the color of it.

Making their way into the sitting room Damon folded the shirt and placed it on the table next to the door, and grabbed two glasses quietly asking if she wanted a drink.

"Can't for a while til the tonic is out of my system, Greta said it would react badly,"

"Ok good to know I'll grab you some water we need to talk," Damon said heading into the kitchen to get her water.

As Eliza walked around the sitting room she saw Vicki laying on the couch. When Damon reentered the room Eliza raised her eyebrow at him at the body on the couch.

"I fed her blood she will wake up,"

"Ok good to know, Jeremy would be upset if she died and would be displeased,"

"Understood, now please sit baby girl," Damon gestured to the single chairs that he had flipped around to face each other.

"Were do you want to start?,"

"At the beginning I am truly sorry I screwed up our engagement in 1864 with Katherine of all people I should have done it more respectfully and ended it before I hooked up with her so it wouldn't reflect bad on you. I am also sorry I wasn't there to protect you the night she killed you, if I had known I would have tried to do anything I could to destroy her for it. After you died though Ramon and Alexandra disappeared I looked everywhere after I was turned to try to make sure they didn't succumb to the curse but they were gone house locked up and empty and just gone,"

"Oh so they packed up and left?,"

"That's what I thought, I found their belongings in a barn not long after and moved them all into a storage unit for safe keeping, I held onto to everything as I guess a memory of you,"

"You have everything?,"

"Yes and when I got my ring back I will take you to it and let you go through it,"

"Oh Damon thank you for saving my families belongings," she leaned over hugging him tightly it was such good news to hear.

"You're welcome baby girl, now I am sorry for all the stupid crap I've done between then and now if I had known you were reborn and we were connected I never would have,"

"I know Damon and I appreciate the apology but it's not needed we didn't know,"

"True, now I want you to head on home ok and when I get my ring back you will be the first I come to and we will go to the storage unit ok,"

"Ok Damon," Eliza stood a small smile upon her lips as Damon walked her to the foyer.

"Oh I got this for Stefan too so please make sure he knows," she asked as she laid it on the table by the front door.

"Of course," hugging her he sent her off feeling better that they talked and spent some time together.

Eliza chose to walk home it wasn't that far and the walk would do her good after being cooped up for the past few days.

She took her time just enjoyed the fresh air and looked around at the houses.

When she arrived home no one else was there so she figured they went to the grill. Getting inside Eliza made her way into the kitchen and after opening and closing cupboard and the fridge door she began cooking a large dinner for everyone.

Elena was driving Stefan through the forest trusting him for the day.

"Stop here," exiting the car all Elena could see were ruins of a house.

"What are we doing here?,"

"I want to show you something," Stefan started walking towards the ruins.

"In the middle of nowhere?," Elena had stayed by the car, door opened.

"This didn't use to be nowhere, use to be my home," with that said Elena closed the car door and made her way over to where he stood.

"It looks so,"

"Old?," Stefan stood looking at the pillar that use to grace the driveway to his home.

"It's because they are,"

"Wait how long have you?,"

"I've been seventeen years old since 1864,"

"Oh my god," Elena was shocked her jaw had dropped and her eyes widened.

"You said you wanted to know, I'm not going to hold anything back. Half century before the boarding house was even built this was my families home, and about ten feet that way stood my best friend Elizabeth Mackenzie's home," Stefan pointed to his left, Elena's right and through the trees.

"Damon and I we were both born here the Salvatore brothers, best friends before everything happened.

Mystic Falls 1864

Damon rushed out the front door first holding onto the football Stefan chasing after him as Elizabeth walked out behind them laughing at their antics.

"Wait where did you learn this game?,"

"Camp outside of Atlanta, one of the officers picked it up at Harvard, catch," Damon called out tossing the ball high in the air for Stefan to catch.

Elizabeth had sat on the top step of the stairs fanning herself as she watched her best friends.

"Wait wait what are the rules?,"

"There are no rules," Damon tackled Stefan as Katherine followed by Emily walked out of the house.

"Who needs rules?, mind if I join you?," she asked walking down the stairs past Elizabeth and towards the brothers.

"Ah you could get hurt, my brother likes to play rough,"

"Somehow I think you play rougher," Katherine grabbed the ball and took off running waiting for them to chase her.

Elizabeth was invisible to them now that Katherine had come outside and so she stood brushing off her dress and walking around them headed down the drive to go home.

"Elizabeth where are you going?," Stefan called after her only now realizing she was leaving.

"Going home enjoy you time with her," she forced out as she kept her back to them and kept walking.

"Why are you standing there that is clearly a girl who wants to be chased, if you won't do it I will," Damon said taking off after her first.

Stefan lingered a minute looking where Elizabeth had walked away and then turned running after them.

Present Day

"You knew Katherine in 1864?, Damon made it seem like,"

"Damon was trying to make you think I was still heart broken, he saw that I was happy with you and he wanted to ruin it,"

"All because you loved the same woman a hundred and forty five years ago?,"

"She wasn't just any girl," Stefan said thinking back on his memories again.

Mystic Falls 1864

Katherine ran through the bush maze in the backyard as Stefan chased her arriving at the marble statue at the end.

"I win what's my prize?,"

"What would you like it to be?," Damon asked from where he sat.

"They extended your leave?,"

"I was simply having too much fun to return to battle,"

"Your commitment to the Confederacy is inspiring," Stefan hugged Damon happy his brother was staying.

"Well this works out wonderfully for me,"

"How's that Miss Katherine?,"

"Now i'll have both of you here to keep me entertained, first and foremost I need someone to escort me to the founder's ball,"

"I would be honored,"

"With pleasure," Damon tipped his hat.

"The smart and kind Salvatore brothers both coming to my rescue, how will I ever choose?," Katherine made her way out of the maze.

Present Day

"She chose me, I escorted her to the ball at the original Lockwood mansion," Stefan said as he and Elena made their way to a still standing marble bench where she chose to sit.

"The first founder's party? Where you signed the registry,"

"I didn't care that I had gotten something that my brother wanted I didn't even care if it hurt him I only knew that I wanted her,"

"So he was upset,"

"That's the thing about Damon he doesn't get mad he just gets even," Stefan tried to make Elena understand what his brother was really like.

"What Damon wants Damon usually gets, now I didn't know it at the time but turns out that night Katherine was with him too,"

"So he stole her from you not the other way around?,"

"Turns out she wasn't ours to steal," Elena was surprised at all she was learning but at least he was sharing.