When they arrived to Eliza's house she slipped out of the car and headed up to the front door. As Stefan joined her she turned to face him.

"I don't feel much like joining the party Stef I'm gonna just go upstairs to have some me time,"

"I understand Lizzie," Stef said as she opened the door and they entered.

She toed off her shoes and placed them on the shoe tray, as Stefan did the same leaving them on the floor by the door. She then kissed his cheek and headed upstairs.

He on the other hand headed into the kitchen to join Elena and Bonnie. Smiling at him as he entered the room they brought the food to the kitchen table to start eating.

It was awkward though, no one spoke for the first five minutes before Elena chose to break the silence.

"Did Tanner give you a hard time today?,"

"Well he let me on the team I must have done something right,"

"Bonnie you should have seen Stefan today, Tyler threw a ball right at him,"

"Yeah I heard,"

"Why don't you tell Stefan about your family,"

"Um divorced, no mom, live with my dad,"

"No about the witches, Bonnie's family has a lineage of witches it's really cool,"

"I wouldn't call it cool,"

"Well it's certainly interesting I'm not too well versed but I do know there is a history of Celtic druids that migrated here in the 1800's,"

"My family came by way of Salem,"

"Really?, Salem witches,"

"Yeah,"

"I'd say that's pretty cool," Stefan said as he turned to Elena.

"Really why?,"

"Salem witches are heroic samples of individualism and non conformity,"

"Yeah they are Bonnie proudly said.

Elena smiled seeing them get along when the door bell rang. Eliza heard it to stepping out of her bedroom door staying out of sight but to hear who was down stairs.

"I wonder who that could be," Elena said heading up to answer the door.

As she opened it of course they were met by Caroline and none other then Damon.

"Surprise! Bonnie said you were doing dinner so we brought desert,"

"Hope you don't mind,"

"Oh," Elena replied awkwardly.

"What are you doing here?,"

"Waiting for Elena to invite me in,"

"Yea you could,"

"No, no he can't stay can you Damon?,"

"We're just finishing up,"

"It's fine, just come on in," and with that Damon stepped inside smirking at now having access to their house.

"You have a beautiful home Elena,"

"Thank you."

Stefan felt horrible he wanted to keep Eliza safe in every way and now he failed in one way.

As the group sat in the living room to talk and drink Eliza took the chance to slip downstairs to eat, not realizing that Stefan and Damon had noticed. After serving herself some of the food and and bottle of her water she sat at the now abandoned kitchen table.

"I cant believe that Mr Tanner let you on the team, Tyler must be seething, but good for you go for it,"

"That's what I tell him you have to engage, you can't just sit there and wait for life to come to you you go get it,"

"Elena wasn't so lucky but that was only cause you missed summer camp, god I don't know how you will ever learn the routines,"

"I'll work with her on them she'll get them," Bonnie offered to placate Caroline.

"Well I guess we could put her in the back," that comment earned a scoff from Eliza as she ate.

"You don't seem like the cheerleader type Elena,"

"Oh it's just cause her parent's died, yeah she is just going through a blah phase, she use to be way more fun, and I say that with complete sensitivity,"

"Bullshit!," Eliza screamed as she stormed into the living room abandoning her food.

"Caroline Forbes you are the biggest airhead in this whole town. You never think before you speak, you expect everyone to like you, you get jealous whenever someone else gets something you don't, and now you are being a cold hearted bitch by bringing up our parents like that. I hope karma bites you in the ass for being a bitch," Eliza stormed out of the living room after her speech and went back upstairs.

She threw herself on her bed tears flowing from her eyes. She couldn't believe how cold hearted Caroline was being. Looking up at the photo of her parents sitting on her night table she missed them so much. She couldn't do this without them, her mom should be here talking about boys and heartbreak, and her dad would be teaching her all about the family legacy.

A knock at the door opened to reveal Stefan who had come upstairs with her food and water wanting to make sure she was ok.

As she turned to face him she smiled a small smile at him as he laid her stuff on the dresser. Walking over he wrapped his arms around her light but tightly to comfort her.

After a few minutes he let go and with a 'you ok' look and a nod from her he headed back downstairs.

Damon who had stayed downstairs was worried about Eliza. He wished he could do what Stefan was doing but he chose to let the 'good' brother do it while glaring at Caroline. He wasn't the only one, Bonnie was pissed, Stefan was disappointed in her, and Elena was sad.

"I'm sorry Elena I know what its like to lose both your parents, in fact Stefan and I have watched almost every single person we ever cared about die,"

"We don't need to get into that right now," Stefan said gesturing to the ceiling with a subtle nod to Damon.

"You're right Stefan, last thing i want to do is bring her up," Stefan shook his head at Damon's antics more concerned for Eliza then dealing with him.

Elena stood in the kitchen washing dishes when Damon walked in.

"One more,"

"Oh thank you," Elena gasped as the glass he held out slipped but he caught it.

"Nice save,"

"I like you, you know how to laugh, and you make Stefan smile which I haven't seen in a very long time,"

"Earlier did you mean Katherine?,"

"Mhm,"

"How did she die?,"

"In a fire, tragic fire,"

"Recently?,"

"Seems like it was yesterday,"

"What was she like,"

"She's beautiful, a lot like you in that department, she's also very complicated, and selfish, and at times not very kind, and sexy and seductive," Damon described fondly not knowing Eliza stood on the other side of the wall listening sadly at how much emotion was still behind talking about her.

"So which one of you dated her first,"

"Nicely deduced, ask Stefan i'm sure his answer differs from mine, Damon replied closing the dishwasher he had helped Elena fill with the dinner plates.

"I'd quit cheer leading if I were you,"

"Why do you say that?,"

"I saw you at practice you looked miserable,"

"You saw that?,"

"Am I wrong?,"

"I use to love it, it was fun. But things are different this year everything that use to matter doesn't anymore,"

"So don't let it, quit, move on, problem solved tada"

"Somethings could matter again,"

"Maybe but seems a little realistic to me,"

"I'm sorry about Katherine, you lost her too,"

"Hey need some help?," Bonnie asked as Eliza slipped in behind her in the doorway.

Damon looked at her expression it seemed anytime any time Katherine was mentioned or if he and Stefan looked at Elena a certain way it would devastate her. It couldn't be possible, could she still love them. Stefan he knew was always her brother no matter blood or not he never had to fight for her attention with him she shared it evenly. He knew he had screwed up when they had been engaged back in 1864 by choosing Katherine, maybe if he hadn't she wouldn't had been killed.

Elena walked over placing a hand on Eliza's arm taking her plate whispering how she didn't have to be down there. With a thankful smile and nod Eliza gave her the plate and turned around heading back upstairs.

Damon stood leaving the room so Bonnie and Elena could talk and clean the kitchen.

Eliza sat on the top stair of the staircase instead of entering her room to spy on the guys she cared about. She heard as Damon compelled Caroline away to the kitchen. She knew now he would taunt Stefan or make some comments to make him mad.

"They are people Damon, Eliza is your Elizabeth even if you two are not on good terms. Caroline is not a puppet, she doesn't exist for your amusement, for you to feed on whenever you want to,"

"Sure she does, they all do. Minus of course Lizzie, I swear I won't hurt her this time Stefan. This is me being truthful and sincere about one thing. Elizabeth was and will always be important to me. Yes I screwed up severely in 1864 with her but when I feel is the right time I will make amends with her and do it so good it allows us to be friends at least. The other are anything I want them to be, they're mine for the taking,"

"Alright you've had your fun, you used Caroline, you got to me and Elena, you upset Eliza twice in one night good for you now it's time for you to go to give Eliza at least time to heal tonight,"

"That's not a problem because I've been invited in, and I will come back tomorrow night, and the following night, and I will do with your little cheerleader whatever I want to do. Because that is what is normal to me. I will of course leave Elizabeth alone but don't expect me not to check in on her to make sure she is safe," with that said Damon stood going to the door slipping on his jacket and boots, and turned to yell to Caroline when he saw Eliza sitting on the stairs.

He gave her a small smile hoping she could tell he still care. He was right when he told Stefan he would leave her alone and never torment her.

When everyone had left Stefan went upstairs and checked in on Eliza again finding her asleep on her bed before taking off himself for the night.