A/N: Welcome to the latest update! I hope you enjoyed the second reunion between Grace and Elijah as much as I did! :)

Show your appreciation by leaving a review, but like always no flaming.

I don't own The Vampire Diaries. All characters (except for Grace) are owned by author L.J. Smith.

Enjoy xx

BITE ME!

"I may not be there yet, but I'm closer than I was yesterday." ~Unknown Author.

Inspired by the knowledge that Niklaus was indeed missing me as much as I missed him, prompted an impromptu late morning walk through the town and then the surrounding woods. I was feeling restless; like I needed to do something important, but I couldn't put my finger on exactly what that was. So I let my feet do the navigating, since I didn't have a specific destination in mind. I turned down a random street and broke out of my musings when I realized that I had quite literally walked directly towards the more expensive part of town.

Woah… I really need to stop zoning out during my walks… I thought sheepishly, and decided to turn back before I got myself hopelessly lost, and had to endure Damon's less than merciful teasing when I called him to come pick me up. I walked until I recognized my surroundings so I could go home, despite still having that nagging feeling and found myself standing in front of what probably would've been a rather impressive, and very expensive looking Southern style mansion in its heyday, and paused to look at it awestruck.

It was a beige sandstone two story, with two wings, a balcony above the front door, and what looked like a decent sized attic. There were loads of large French windows and an unattractive, overgrown front garden framing a long and wide white brick driveway. Across the elegant gothic-style black iron security gate I was holding onto, was a huge foreclosure sign, which indicated that it had been closed down not too long ago.

Shame.

If it wasn't for the general grubbiness of the place, it probably would've been a very pleasant house to look at, let alone live in. But I knew that whoever eventually bought this place – whether or not it was for an investment or to actually live in – would certainly have a lot of maintenance and renovation to do. I stepped away from the gate and continued walking down the street heading in the general direction of town, when something beside the property caught my attention. It was a large private rolling green meadow that stretched out as far as the eye could see at the back of the dilapidated mansion. It instantly reminded me of a recent memory not long ago involving my family and I walked as close as I could get to it without fear of trespassing on private property. It was then I was overcome by a familiar and yet not familiar dizzy spell, and I instantly glimpsed a vision:

I was looking down on myself walking calm and carefree along a grassy meadow; similar to the one I had been looking at moments before, dressed a lot smarter than I usually did, and carefully carrying something small in my arms, wrapped in a pure white blanket.

A baby?

I was approaching something, unhurried, and had a smile that was bigger than my face could handle. I suddenly reach where I was headed and gasped when I recognized the group of people standing or sitting around some wicker chairs and picnic tables. It was my entire family; all dressed up in 21st century clothes. It looked like they were in the middle of throwing a party due to the colourful and delicate Japanese paper lanterns and colourful decorative bottles that dangled or hung from the trees behind them. At the very front of the group I recognized Niklaus – faceless as usual – and I could tell that he was beaming at the child I was immediately and carefully handing him. I saw myself hugging him around his waist and Niklaus leaning into it, as I looked over his shoulder and beamed at the child too.

I suddenly came back to reality and gasped in shock.

What the hell was that?

Was that a premonition of what was to come? Or a pipe dream? It certainly would be cruel if it turned out to be the latter. But I wasn't taking any chances; I looked around and spotted a slightly moss covered concrete bench and darted over to it, taking a seat and pulling out my sketchbook and pencils. I immediately drew the image permanently seared into my brain: a sketch of Niklaus and me gazing lovingly at a baby; our child…?

"Hey Grace!" I snapped my head up and saw a bemused looking Damon striding towards me. "This is a weird place to find you sketching." I quickly closed the sketchbook and replaced it and my pencils back into my purse, with every intention of finishing and perfecting the picture. Because if it turned out to be the real McCoy, I was going to preserve it and hold onto the wish with every fiber of my being. I smiled awkwardly at him.

"I was suddenly inspired." I told him, not necessarily lying. Damon raised an eyebrow and looked at what he probably assumed I was sketching. He shrugged, looking at me strangely.

"Whatever. It's your picture, not mine." He said before reaching out and yanking me to my feet. "Come on." I frowned.

"Where are we going?" I asked, a little wary.

"To have a little chat with Elena." Damon replied. I made a face at him.

"You're just a glutton for punishment, aren't you?" I questioned him.

"I'm ignoring that." He retorted, wryly. I giggled, and got into the car; taking one last look at the mansion curiously before Damon drove off, heading for the Gilbert Residence. When we got there, Damon just breezed on in like he owned the place and I paused at the threshold and sighed heavily at the rude gesture before following him. "You should really lock your door." I turned round the door frame to see Elena giving Damon a dirty look. "Oh, come on, pouty. At least give me two points for ingenuity." Damon cajoled.

"Do you both think this is funny?" Elena demanded us. I struggled not to smirk.

Yes.

"Yes, Elena. I find hilarity in the lengths that I have to go to repeatedly save your life." Damon deadpanned. I sank down onto the couch, and crossed my legs; absently wishing that I had a bowl of popcorn to snack on while watching these two in their verbal spat.

"What does Stefan say about this?" Elena sniped. I looked at Damon curiously, wondering what he had been up to before he had found me sketching beside that foreclosure. He shrugged.

"We had a good laugh." Damon replied, and I immediately realised that Damon had taken another visit to see Stefan. I had to speak up.

"And how is Miss Katerina this morning?" I asked casually. Damon grinned.

"Seething, actually. What you said to her last night really shook her up." Damon reported back, brightly. He was obviously delighted that somebody had actually managed to get underneath Katherine's skin, and lived to tell the tale. Elena looked shocked.

"You actually spoke to Katherine? Are you insane?" Elena wanted to know.

"Completely sound. Just wanted to relay a message to her from Elijah." I told her, smiling serenely. "Actually, now that I think about it; it was more like a warning." I amended, cheerfully. Elena looked horrified.

"And you call me suicidal…" She muttered before addressing Damon again. "Speaking of Elijah; what did Stefan say about Elijah still being alive?" She asked him. Damon sits down next to her on the couch, putting his arm behind her head.

"Yeah, that … I didn't tell him." He responded. Elena frowned at him.

"Why not?"

"Well A) he can't do anything about it; and B)… what I just said." Damon replied.

"Plus, he already has enough on his plate fending off your petulant doppelgänger." I added, picking at the dirt underneath my fingernails. We all look up when Jeremy walks into the room and takes a seat beside me on the couch opposite Elena and Damon. He offers me a smile, and a nod to Damon who sits forward, frowning a little.

"Where's Bonnie?" Damon wanted to know. Jeremy frowned with confusion.

"I thought she was meeting you?" Damon shook his head.

"No, she's on moonstone duty and I am on Elena patrol." Jeremy looked at me.

"So what's Grace doing here then?" He asked.

"To keep me company." Damon replied simply. Both Gilbert siblings and I just looked at him in annoyance. Was that seriously why I was here? To keep him company? I could be home right now painting my latest sketch on canvas. I huffed and immediately pulled out my sketchbook, continuing with my sketch. This immediately caught Jeremy's interest.

"Hey, you sketch too?" He sounded excited. I nodded and handed him the sketchbook, while Elena and Damon observed us from the other couch. Jeremy eagerly flipped through the pages. "Wow. These are great!"

"Thanks." I told him, before looking at Damon to clarify something. "So Bonnie's doing some more research on the moonstone, and you're keeping an eye on Elena so she doesn't give us the slip again?" I asked. Damon nodded. "And I'm just here to keep you sane?" Another nod. "That's gonna be hard work." I teased, poking my tongue out at him. Damon makes a face at me and throws a cushion at my head which I dodge.

"Cute. Very cute." He retorts, copping the cushion in the face when I threw it back at him. Jeremy is the only one who laughs with us.

"And who's on Tyler Lockwood and the full moon?" Jeremy asked.

"Vampire Barbie asked me if she could handle it, and I said, why not?" Damon confirmed. "Figured if she screwed up, he'll bite her and then I'll be rid of two of my problems." I threw Jeremy's pillow at Damon and it hit him square in the face. He glared at me.

"You're lucky that's all I threw at you, Damon." I stated sternly before returning back to my 'premonition' sketch. Elena looked extremely alert.

"Hold on a second. Tonight's the full moon?" Damon nodded and reached for his phone when it started ringing.

"Yep. But you were too absorbed with all your suicidal tendencies to notice." He tells her before rising to his feet and answering the phone. "What?" He barked to the unlucky caller. He listened for a few minutes before his eyes widened. "What? Why? Hang on. I'm gonna put you on loud speaker." Damon pulls the phone away from his ear and stabs at the loud speaker. "Alright, say it again, Rick." Damon instructed. I sat up straighter when Alaric was mentioned. Because he would only be calling if some muscle was required to take down vampires and the like. Something that I wasn't eagerly anticipating right now.

"Sheriff Forbes has officially declared Mason Lockwood a missing person." Alaric's voice drifted up from Damon's phone. My eyes narrowed.

"I agree with Damon: what? Why?" I echoed.

"Some girl from Florida showed up on the Lockwood's door step looking for Mason." Alaric replied, sounding tired and irritated.

"What girl?" Damon asked, as everybody listening in to this conversation exchanged pained looks with each other. This was not going to be an easy conversation to have with this girl. Who knew if she was a werewolf like Mason was, or if she was just a worried girlfriend of his?

"I don't know, but she sure got everyone in a tizzy." Alaric told us.

"That's so not good." Elena piped up.

"Where are you?" I asked, eying Damon worriedly.

"I'm at the Grill." Alaric replied, reluctantly, obviously realizing that it wasn't Damon who had asked that question but one of the others who was listening in on the conversation.

"I'm on my way." Damon stated, terminating the call and shoving his phone into the back pocket of his jeans. I stuffed my sketchbook into my purse and got to my feet also.

"I'm going with you." I declared, and pulled him aside when he opened his mouth to protest. "You're NOT leaving me here with Elena. Let Jeremy guard her." I stated firmly. Damon eyed the siblings and thought better of his protest. He nodded.

"Change of plans. You babysit." Damon tells Jeremy who grins and immediately lays down on the couch, resting his head on Elena's lap. She scowls down at him.

"Oh, Grace!" I walk over and peer down at Jeremy with a raised eyebrow. "Can you show me some more of your sketches later on?" He asked me, hopefully. I nodded.

"Sure. Raincheck." I agreed. Damon and I headed for the front door before Damon turned and walked back, obviously remembering a last minute word.

"Hey you know…" Elena scowls up at him. "You should get out, enjoy the sun. Oh wait, you can't." He grins at her craftily and dodges when Elena throws a cushion at him. Jeremy laughs at her, before Elena pushes him off her lap and dumps him on the floor. I rolled my eyes and followed Damon out of the door, towards the light blue Camaro.

"Was that really necessary?" I asked him, disapproving a little. Damon shrugged.

"Probably. But it's payback for attempting to punch me and for actually punching you." Damon insisted. "How is your jaw by the way?" He asked.

"Fine. I don't bruise easily. I'm built for roughing it." I told him. "Besides, if she had gone too far, I do have a few self-defense techniques up my sleeve." Damon and I got into his car, and he looked at me with interest.

"Such as?"

"When I was a kid, I studied Karate; earned a black belt. Then when I was a little older, I studied the art of sword fighting; kendo, stick fighting and sword techniques used in the 11th century." I replied.

"You've been a busy little beaver, haven't you?" Damon sounded both impressed and nervous.

"If you like. But ever since I've been studying sword fighting, I've become pretty proficient at it. I think the term in the old world is 'shieldmaiden'. And I always keep this…" I withdrew a medium sized dagger from my hidden holster and showed to him. "On my person at all times." Damon's eyes widened at the blade.

"Where were you hiding that?" He whispered.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" I replied, fliratiously. Damon looked amused, then frowned when it looked like something occurred to him.

"Wait, if Elena went too far, were you going to stab her?" Damon sounded protective. Good.

"I would think that I have a bit more sense than that, Damon. I know when to use these skills, and when not to." I said defensively. "Plus, I had always wondered why I had taken up sword-fighting. But now that my memories are slowly returning to me; I realised that my desire to learn was a subconscious one, because I had been slaughtered like a pig and had been completely defenseless when it occurred." I explained. "I never want to feel that way again." I absently rubbed where my birthmark was; and shuddered when my newly revived memories allowed me to remember the icy sting of Mikael's broadsword sliding into me as easily as a knife through melted butter.

"Is it weird that I find that attractive?" Damon randomly asked, and I looked at him strangely.

"Very." I replied.

We didn't say much for the rest of the trip towards the Grill. Damon's comment kinda ruined it for all of us. "So what are we doing when we get to the Grill, or should I make myself scarce?" I asked him, as he pulled up outside my apartment block.

"I dunno. I'm making this up as I go along." Damon muttered absently as we ran across the road towards the Grill. It didn't take long to spot Alaric sitting in his usual spot at the bar. He seemed to be the middle of grading papers. Damon immediately walked over to him, and I was about to follow when Henrik materialized beside me.

"What's going on?" He asked, glancing about curiously. I looked at him in surprise.

"Where the hell did you go? I haven't seen you for nearly two days." I scolded him.

"Where Elijah was." Henrik responded, matter-of-factly. I smiled immediately at his words. Of course he would've been; If I were in his position I'd do everything within my power to stick around with the person I missed the most for as long as I could.

"Well, Damon and I are meeting Alaric here to discuss this chick who knows Mason. She's been asking around town about him." I replied, changing subject.

Henrik paled.

"You don't think she's a werewolf like Mason was, do you?" He asked, worriedly.

"That's what we're here to find out." I replied; then remembered what was happening tonight then swore. "Oh, shit! The full moon!" I walked briskly over to where Damon and Alaric were sitting and stood between them; aiming to grab their attention so I could address the whole 'full moon' situation. I jumped when someone's hand wrapped around my waist and I turned to look at Damon sharply. "What are you doing?" I demanded. Damon frowned at me with confusion before realizing what he was doing and immediately withdrew his hand.

"Sorry…" He mumbled; but I had the feeling he didn't mean it. I looked at Henrik with confusion, and was shocked at the territorial glare on his young face directed towards Damon.

If looks could kill…

Just then the main door opened and in walked a tall, statuesque woman with long blonde hair, blue jeans and a purply-grey tank top. She had a gold arm cuff on her left bicep. Matt, who I didn't realize worked here, walked by clearing away tables and wiping them down. The woman flagged him down and started speaking to him. "Mmm, Mason's mystery woman." I blinked at Damon's words and looked at him.

"Her?" He nodded and I took a better look at the woman.

"Where is Mason anyway?" Alaric asked, also observing her.

"Decomposing in his truck." Damon replied bluntly, and I made a face. So much for respect for the dead, no matter how much of a rotter he had been. I chose to ignore it, not wanting to deal with the drama that would definitely arise from the discussion. Alaric took a swig from his bourbon.

"So you think she is a werewolf?" Alaric asked us both, and I shrugged.

"She could be." I reasoned, logically. Damon snorted.

"Well, I hope not. It's a full moon tonight, Ric, but we should definitely find out."

"How do we do that, exactly?" I frowned. Damon digs around in his pocket and pulls out what looked like wood chips. Alaric and I stared at them with confusion.

"What's that?" Alaric asks.

"Wolfsbane." Damon replied quietly. I reached forward and picked one up, examining it curiously. Henrik peered down into my hand at the little piece of wolfsbane while Damon puts the rest back into his pocket. I took a sniff of the piece and wrinkled my nose. It had the sharp, pungent scent of what wet bark smells like after a rainstorm.

"So this does to werewolves, what vervain does to vampires?" I asked, handing it back to Damon who deposited it back into his pocket with the rest.

"Yep." Damon replied, reaching for his drink.

"So how are you going to get suspected she-wolf over there to eat the wolfsbane without getting suspicious or ripping off your head?" I asked him, skeptically. The waiter comes over with a glass of water for me. I thanked him as Damon replies to my question by popping a piece of wolfsbane into my glass. "Hey!" I growled. But Damon encouraged Alaric and me to watch the glass and before our eyes, the clear liquid changed to a dull gold colour as the wolfsbane dissolved like an alka seltzer tablet or a Berocca tablet. That made my lip curl with disgust.

"That's how." Damon replied smugly. I rolled my eyes.

"Good plan. But next time, use your own drink." I muttered, before looking for the waiter to get another drink; but then paused, wondering if drinking wolfsbane would have the same protection benefits as drinking vervain did. "On second thoughts." I grabbed the glass and immediately gulped down the wolfsbane laced liquid. I made a face. "God, that tastes like arse…" I grimaced. Damon sniggered as Alaric rolled his eyes and Henrik turned a nasty shade of green.

"If you're done, how are we going to broach the subject of her?" Alaric gestures towards the woman who takes a seat at the bar and orders something from the waiter. She appears oblivious to her small audience.

"The Drunk and the Rescuer." I suggested. Alaric, Damon and Henrik all looked at me with confusion.

"What the hell is that?" Damon wanted to know. I grinned.

"Simple: I walk over and pretend that I've had a crappy day, and hopefully it will grab her attention and we'll strike up a conversation." I explained. "Then one of you will pretend to be drunk of their arse and hit on her, at which point the other gent will 'intervene' and strike up a conversation with us – or rather her – and then either 'drunkard' or me will spike her drink, make an excuse and leave." I said.

"You want us to roofie her?" Damon stated, sounding a little surprised that this suggestion had come from me. I smirked.

"It's a little bit subtler than simply go up to her and shoving a handful of wolfsbane in her mouth, innit?" I reminded them. Alaric shrugged; a plan was a plan. "So who wants to be whom?" I asked casually, leaning against the bar top.

"I'll be the drunk." Alaric volunteered.

"Which means I'm the Good Samaritan." Damon stated, a little dryly and displeased. I offered him an unsympathetic grin.

"Well, I would; but it would look dodgy if a woman half Alaric's size attempted to tell him to shove off. He could be an aggressive drunk." I pointed out. "Not saying that you are, of course." I told Alaric, who shrugged.

"Don't worry about it." He suggested, before taking another swig of his drink and ordering another. When it arrived, Alaric stood up from his stool. "Shall we get on with it?" He stated. I nodded and moved for the bathroom. Henrik followed me, looking concerned.

"Are you sure that this is a good idea?" He asked me, worriedly. I chuckled softly.

"Henrik, I used to do this all the time with some of my former friends to avoid being hit on by losers." I told him. "Don't you remember?" I asked him, and he thought back and nodded, smiling a little.

"Oh yeah." He and I grinned and I put on my 'pissed off' face and stomped over to the bar, taking a seat beside the girl, groaning with irritation. She looked over at me with mild concern.

"You okay?" She asked, pausing mid-chew. I buried my hand into my hair and huffed.

"It's just been one of those days. I had plans to catch up with my older brother—" I noticed Damon cringe at the mention of Elijah. I subtly smirked. "And he had to cancel at the last minute. Business thing." I improvised. Although, I had the strangest feeling that I probably wasn't that far from the truth. The girl hummed with sympathy.

"That's sucks." She commented.

"Like you wouldn't believe." I agreed, blowing a strand of my hair from my face. "I'm Grace." I introduced myself to her.

"Jules." She replied, politely, taking my hand and squeezing it once. I winced at the grip, but managed not to show it on my face.

"So have you just moved here?" I asked, curiously. Jules shook her head, swallowing her mouthful.

"Nah, I'm just visiting. Searching for a friend of mine." She replied, then studied me curiously. "You wouldn't happen to know where he is. His name is Tyler Lockwood?" I pretended to give the name some thought.

"Doesn't ring a bell. Sorry." I lied. Jules shrugged.

"Don't worry about it." I glanced up at Alaric, who nodded and made his way over; laying on the 'drunkard' angle heavily. I raised an eyebrow.

"Well hello." Alaric greets both Jules and I, slurring a little. He turns to the bartender who approaches looking a little disapproving. "Can I have a scotch, and whatever this beautiful woman is drinking?" He asks. Jules laughs lightly.

"No, one is my limit." She tells him. Alaric presses on with his part of the plan.

"Oh come on, it's not like I'm a freak. I'm just being friendly to somebody who's new to town." Alaric attempts to redeem himself. I waved a hand to grab his attention.

"And ignore chopped liver over here." I added, dryly. He glances up at me and looks 'sheepish'.

"Did you want to be my friend?" Alaric asks me, and I winked at him before replying.

"No, but that's beside the point. We were in the middle of a conversation." I attempted to sound annoyed, and nearly failed and started laughing instead. Jules decides to step in before things got out of hand.

"Okay, if you insist." Both Alaric and I smirk triumphantly. The 'bitch' took the bait. "How do you know I'm new?" Jules questioned him. Alaric takes a generous sip from his drink.

"Because I've never seen you here before and I am here every night." He improvises expertly. Damon makes his move.

"Excuse me, is this guy bothering you?" He asks Jules looking and acting like the perfect 'Good Samaritan'. Alaric pretends to take offence.

"I'm not bothering anybody." He protests. Damon offers him a nasty smile.

"Perfect. Well … do it elsewhere." Damon turns and 'takes notice of me' and brightens. As Alaric looks at all three of us. "Gracie! I'm sorry I'm late." I froze on my stool.

Gracie!?

"Is this your brother?" Jules inquired, looking between us both doubtfully. Damon walks over and kisses my cheek, wrapping an arm around my shoulders.

"Yeah. Hard to believe isn't it?" Damon drawled, grinding his knuckles into my scalp. I resisted the urge to elbow him in the balls as I plastered a patient smile on my face.

"Isn't he a scream?" I commented, wrapping my hand around his arm which was still wrapped around my shoulders. "Did your business plans fall through, brother dear?" I asked Damon, digging my nails into his arm. Damon winced a little, then increased the pressure around my shoulders.

"Yeah, unfortunately. But it means I get to spend more time with my adorable little sister." Damon didn't miss a beat.

"I'm gonna order a drink." I announced and flagged down the bartender. I noticed Henrik standing behind a completely sober Alaric, trying to stuff his knuckles into his mouth to stop himself from laughing. I ignored him.

"Don't worry about that guy, he's harmless. He's sort of the town drunk. And you know, when we get tired of him we just put him in a cab and send him back to wherever he came from." Damon reassured Jules. While Damon was talking, and keeping Jules' attention on him, Alaric quickly puts wolfsbane into Jules' glass and picks it up.

"Please don't talk about me like I'm not here." Alaric sounded wounded, before he gives the glass to Jules and nods to both Damon and I.

"Why are you here?" Damon retorted. Jules accepts the drink from Alaric.

"Thank you for the drink." She tells him. Alaric smiles and raises his glass to his lips to take a sip and leaves. Jules puts her drink on the counter without drinking it. That rang alarm bells.

"There's a B&B down the road and there's a motel on I-90 but you know, if you ask me, it's kind of a mistake." Damon suggested. But Jules smiled at him politely.

"No, it's fine. I was just telling your sister that I was just here for a visit. Long story, but I'm looking for my friend." She explained to him. Damon's returning smile was painfully polite.

"Who?"

"Mason Lockwood." Jules replied. I frowned, pretending to be confused.

"Mason Lockwood? But I thought your friend was called Tyler?" I questioned her. Jules nodded.

"Yeah, I'm looking for them both." Damon 'brightened'.

"I know Mason!" He announced.

"You do?"

"Yeah. He's a great guy." Damon lied through his teeth. Jules looked a little suspicious.

"He's missing." She declared and Damon and I adopted a 'horrified' look between us.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Like… I mean, missing missing?" Damon asked. Jules' suspicion deepened.

"How do you know Mason?" She demanded. Damon shrugged, aiming for nonchalance.

"Friends of friends." He replied. Jules nodded, but still didn't touch her drink. Damon, Alaric and I glanced at each other with frustration. Henrik was looking nervous; the full moon was steadily creeping closer and we were nowhere near closer to knowing if Jules was a werewolf like we suspected. "But you know, listen, I'm really tight with the sheriff. If there's anything I can do, or Grace here, can do to help locate Mason, we will." Damon told her. I nodded, smiling a little.

"He's a great guy." I agreed.

"After his brother's funeral, he stuck around and helped Tyler and…?"

"Tyler?" Jules looked surprised.

"Yep. Mason was with him the whole time. Helped him through all his grief." Damon told her. We eyed Jules' untouched drink and finally Damon decided he needed to say something. "You haven't touched your drink." He observed. Jules shrugged.

"You know what, I'm not much of a drinker. I really should get going." She decided, and got up from her stool. All four of us started to panic.

"Oh, come on. Look, one drink." Damon insisted, and Jules sighed glancing towards her drink. She reluctantly grabbed the glass.

"I guess it'll help me sleep." She agreed. Damon grabbed his bourbon, and raised it in a salute.

"To sleep." He declared, and took a sip of his drink; while the rest of us waited with baited breath for Jules to reveal whether or not she was a werewolf. However, the second she took a whiff of the drink she immediately slammed it down on the counter and glared angrily at us.

"You fools." I cursed underneath my breath. "You both think you're so clever, don't you?" Jules spat. Damon didn't blink.

"What do you want with Mason Lockwood?" He was all business.

"He's my friend." Jules replied promptly.

"Sorry to inform you, honey. You won't be able to find him." I informed her darkly. Jules narrowed her eyes dangerously at me.

"And why not?" She demanded. I fingered my dagger, ready for a retaliation. Damon placed a calming hand on my shoulder.

"You should leave town." Damon sternly suggested. Jules looked scandalized.

"You're threatening me? On a full moon? How stupid are you?" She asked the both of us. I smirked, standing up from my stool.

"I like to live dangerously." I responded. Alaric walked back over to us to defuse the situation, while Henrik stood protectively in front of me, as though trying to protect me from potentially getting mauled like he did.

Brave, but useless; considering that he was already dead.

"Damon, how about that second round?" Alaric slurred. But Damon shook his head.

"I think we're done, Rick." Damon announced, and Alaric immediately dropped the drunk act. "You think that I'm afraid of you?" Damon sneered. Jules smirked.

"No, I don't. That's your vampire arrogance." Jules agreed with him. "You should be. I sniffed you out the moment you entered this bar, along with your pathetic wolfsbane. I've been at this a long time, and any other night of the month, the situation would be reversed, but tonight is not the night to pick a fight with me." Jules declared. She gets up from her stool and gathers up her things. "You've been marked." She declares to both Damon and me. She turns and leaves. I follow her outside.

"You're generous with the threats, Cujo." I told her once we were outside. "But let's hope you can deal with the consequences for such claims." Jules froze mid-step.

"What did you call me?" She snarled. I ignored her and got up face to face with her.

"I've faced a bigger and badder threat than you could ever possibly be. But I vow to you, right here and now; that if you even dare to come near my friends, I will gut you and slit you from navel to nose." I whispered into her ear. Jules growled.

"You're bluffing." I unsheathed my dagger and spun it in my hands, before holding it close to her face. The silvery blade glittered wickedly in the florescent lighting. Jules paled a little.

"It's a bona fide promise." I told her. "Hope you have a pleasant romp through the woods tonight." I said, re-sheathing my dagger and walking back into the Grill but stopping when Damon, Alaric and a very, very scared Henrik immerged instead. Henrik immediately ran to me and threw his arms around my waist even though I couldn't feel them around me.

"What were you thinking, Grace!" Both Damon and Henrik shouted at me.

"Countering her threat." I replied, not remorseful at all; but with a vendetta. Damon glanced about for a glimpse of Jules but it seemed she was just as fast as a vampire, as there was no sign of her.

"Where is she?" Damon snarled. Alaric sighed, defeated.

"Just let it go, Damon. Don't be stupid." Damon turned on him, his icy blue eyes flashing angrily.

"So what? Just let her get away? "You've been marked." What the hell kind of wolf throw-down crap is that anyway?" He wanted to know. Alaric was at his wit's end.

"Damon, look up! Just look up." He pointed to the cloudless, star-filled sky and we all saw the full moon. "If this werewolf stuff is true, one bite and you're dead. One bite! Alright? Don't risk it. Just go home, lock your doors and we'll deal with it in the morning." Alaric suggested. Damon and I exchanged doubtful looks. Both of us were in the shit, and we decided not to press our luck; despite my warning to her.

"Yeah." Damon nodded, before snagging my hand and tugging me along to his car. I didn't protest. There was safety in pairs. Henrik was practically valcroed to my side. The poor kid was probably having kittens that I was going to end up like him.

Fat fucking chance.

Damon, Henrik and I burst through the doors of the Boarding House. Damon practically throws me in the direction of the Library, before he turns and locks the doors. I walked into the Library to wait for Damon when I noticed Rose sitting at one of the black leather couches.

"Rose?" I questioned with confusion. Last time I saw her, she was fleeing the minute Elijah showed up at Slater's apartment and she saw him kill one of the three vampires that had come to 'escort' Elena to Niklaus. The redhead looked at me with surprise.

"Grace? What are you doing here?" Rose asked, equally as surprised. I was about to reply when Damon walks in behind me and sees Rose.

"You just can't stay away, can you?" Damon stated to Rose, obviously still holding a grudge towards her for agreeing to take both Elena and I to Richmond.

"You don't answer your phone." Rose shrugged. Damon moved past me, to the fireplace to make sure that it was still functioning properly.

"What do you want?" He asked, annoyed. Rose sighed.

"I wanted to apologise." She tells him, and I retreated towards the corridor; with the intention of heading for the kitchen to get a drink. But Damon flashed into my path, warning me with his eyes not to move another step. I scowled at him, but obeyed; folding my arms across my chest.

"Just admit it, you don't have anywhere else to go." Damon sounded almost amused by this. Rose frowned at him.

"I'm sorry about Elena. I wasn't thinking straight. I didn't know that she had a death wish. I'm sorry, Damon." She insisted, then bit her bottom lip; seeming reluctant to speak. "And I have nowhere else to go." She eventually admitted. Damon did not look sympathetic.

"There's nothing here for you, Rose." He told her, firmly. I was shocked at his behavior, and I opened my mouth to tell him so. But Rose spoke up first.

"Well, then…" Something smashes in another part of the house. Damon, Rose and I react to it, and being the closest to the door; I race towards the room the sound came from to investigate.

"Grace, wait!" I heard Damon growl from behind me.

"Come back, Grace!" Henrik yells, frantically. I stop, and Damon and Rose come up and shove me firmly behind them. I watched as both of them walk into the living room and I follow a little warily. Almost immediately, we notice a smashed window and without warning, a huge snarling wolf jumps me and I immediately throw it off, readying myself for another attack. I snatch a nearby sword off the wall and hold it defensively against the wolf, whom I assume is Jules.

Jules glances at the sword cautiously, but then dodges me with inhuman speeds; throwing me off guard and then jumps me again clamping her powerful jaws down on my shoulder.

I scream in agony, alerting both Damon and Rose.

"GRACE, NO!" Both Henrik and Damon screamed in horror.

Rose tackles Jules, but the crafty wolf manages to buck her off and chomps on Rose's shoulder as well. Damon grabs a second sword off the wall and swings it out. I stagger to my feet, grabbing the sword and approached Jules who was still savaging Rose's shoulder and stabbed down viciously into Jules' back causing the wolf to whimper in pain and struggle. But it succeeded in releasing Rose who scrambles away with Damon's help. I planted a foot on her back and pressed down on the sword.

"You should've heeded my warning, Jules. Now you've wounded a member of the Mikaelson's, and your days are numbered." I sharply withdrew the sword, earning another whimper from the wolf. "Get out of my sight." I snarled, then watched as the wolf flees the way it came. I let out a shaky breath, as Henrik rushes towards me; eying my heavily bleeding shoulder with horror.

"Are you alright, Grace? Say something!" He pleads. I glanced up at Damon who was trying to decide who was the worst injured. I solved his problem for him when I give in to the excruciating pain and begin to collapse. I thud into something warm, then feel myself being picked up and the wind rushing by me before being gently deposited on a plushy bed. Damon immediately inspects my wound and goes to bite into his wrist, but I stop him.

"No, go to Rose. She was bitten too. Remember werewolf bites are poisonous. She might have seconds!" I told him. Damon nodded, hesitating before vamp-speeding into the bathroom and pressing a towel onto my wound. I gasp in pain.

"I'll be back. Keep the pressure on!" Damon urges me, kissing my forehead and vamp-speeding from the room. I immediately grope for my phone which was in one of my front pockets and access my speed-dial.

"Who are you calling!?" Henrik demands, sitting beside me looking extremely stressed out.

"Elijah…" I mumbled the answer to my brother before I find the number I'm looking for and quickly dial it. Henrik immediately brightens just as I put it to my ear, and wait impatiently for him to pick up. I don't have to wait for very long.

"Hello, Grace. What a pleasant surprise to hear from you, sister." Elijah greets me, sounding a little surprised. I yell out in pain before I could respond to him. "Grace?! What the world has happened?" Elijah demands, sounding extremely urgent.

"Elijah … help me, please!" I whimpered. I hear shifting in the background, which indicated that Elijah was moving fast wherever he was.

"Of course. Where are you?" Elijah didn't hesitate. I muttered the address to the Boarding House to him and whimpered again. "I'm coming, just hold on." He promises and disconnects the call. I let the phone fall on the pillow beside my head and turned my head towards Henrik. He was crying.

"I'll be alright, Henrik. Please don't cry for me." I urged. He nodded, and curled up beside me. I groaned inwardly, realizing that he probably thought I was dying. The next thing I know, I hear Henrik's relieved but frantic voice muttering in my ear.

"He's here, Grace. Elijah's here!" I must've blacked out from the blood loss. I absently wondered where Damon had disappeared to, as I sluggishly got up off the bed – nearly collapsing twice - and walked towards the window where I could see a hugely concerned Elijah staring at me with horror. I unlock the window with trembling hands and fall into Elijah's arms as he scoops me up and carries me back to the bed, laying me down on it.

"Who did this?" Elijah demanded, his long elegant, but calloused fingers inspecting Jules' grisly bite mark on my shoulder. I glanced up at him. His expression was livid, and I was glad it was not directed towards me. "This was obviously the work of a werewolf; who did this to you?" Elijah's voice was low and apoplectic, I could not refuse him the answer.

"Her name is Jules. That's all I know about her, apart from the fact that she was looking for a friend of hers." I told him, weakly. Elijah nodded, before shrugging off his suit jacket and rolling up his sleeve. I watched him bite down into his wrist with that familiar crunch and he sat behind me, allowing me to lean against him as he offered me his wrist.

"Drink deeply, Grace." He requested, and I obliged. "Where is your friend? Why isn't he healing you himself?" Elijah was furious. I pulled away from his wrist, ignoring how his blood smeared around my lips to answer his question.

"Rose was bitten too. We don't know how long it takes for werewolf venom to kill vampires, so Rose was the bigger priority." I told him. Elijah apparently didn't like that answer.

"He chose poorly then. You are a human; you are more fragile than a vampire. You should've taken first preference." Elijah insisted. He got up and shrugged on his jacket, heading for the bedroom door. I immediately snagged on his jacket sleeve.

"Don't, Elijah. I made him go to her." I told my brother who looked at me angrily.

"That was positively idiotic, Grace. Rose is going to die anyway, you were the one in immediate danger." Elijah scolded me. I hung my head in shame. "You're just lucky Niklaus wasn't here. He's not as lenient as I am when it comes to family being threatened." He told me.

"I know. I'm sorry, Elijah. Forgive my poor judgement." I asked him, quietly. Elijah sighed and wrapped me up into his arms.

"Don't ever scare me like that again. I lost you once due to my ignorance, and as a result lost Niklaus' trust. I'm not about to lose you again." He vowed. Tears sprang to my eyes and I breathed out shakily before pulling away and wiping them.

"Could you take me home, please?" I requested, getting to my feet. Henrik stood across the room, nodding approvingly at my request.

"I'll meet you there, Grace." Henrik promised before materializing out of sight. Elijah nodded.

"It would be my pleasure to escort you home." Elijah agreed. I put my hands about his neck, as Elijah picked me up bridal-style and vamp-sped us both from the Boarding House.

A/N: Hoped this didn't suck. I wanted to write some more about Grace and Elijah interacting together. Please review xx