Caroline was just about to leave her house when she heard someone knocking on wood, which made her jump. When she looked outside, she saw a well-dressed man standing on the doorstep of Bella's house.

Caroline heard Bella's faint and clear voice and asked, "Hello, may I help you?"

The man asked, "Hello, is this the Swan residence?"

Bella replied politely, "Technically, no, but I am Bella Swan."

The man introduced himself as Steve Kingsley, John Gilbert's lawyer, and said he was there on behalf of John. Bella's voice demanded, "What seems to be the issue?"

The man replied, "He wanted to give you something for your birthday; this is your sweet 16, right?"

Bella confirmed that it was her birthday, and they questioned him; Caroline heard the door, peeked at Bella's house, and found no one there.

Suddenly, Elena and Bonnie approached Caroline, and she was asked, "What are you doing?"

Caroline debated on whether or not to tell. It could be nothing... but it could potentially be dangerous for Bella.

Her scent was like cocaine or maybe heroin to vampires.

Caroline finally replied, "It's Bella's birthday."

Bonnie mentioned that Bella had shown them a bracelet that her friend Jacob had given her the year before, and when Caroline asked where she was, Elena snipped in a snarky voice, "You were with Damon."

Caroline then informed them that it was also the first anniversary of Bella's attack, and Mr. Tanner's anniversary was the day before. Bonnie suggested that they invite Bella to come with them, but Elena simply said, "Do what you want."

There, she had her answer; Elena had chosen for her, and she said, "Let's just go. I'll talk to her later."

Gran and I stared at the dark-haired man in a gray-tailored suit; he said his name was Kingsley.

'What is this about?'

'John. He wanted Bella to have something.'

'Have what?'

He takes a Malina envelope from his waistcoat. 'This.'

I took the envelope and looked at Gran. 'Open it, bella.'

I slowly opened it, and there was a white envelope with my name written in cursive. As I examined it, Gran exclaimed, 'Oh, my Lord! This is a check for 15,000 dollars.'

I pivoted- and nearly fell- to face her, handing me a check for 15 grand.

'What?' I choked as I took the check, then looked at the man. 'He- how?'

'He figured you'd want a new car, or maybe you could put it towards college.'

'But his- Elena and Jeremy-'

'He had another lawyer for his niece and nephew.'

'Why did John leave me this?'

'Well, you'd know better than I. Good day.'

Victoria found it extraordinary how much the Gilbert girl resembled Katherine.

She'd heard one of those other vampires talk about how much she looked like Katherine, but Victoria had only caught glimpses of her.

The Salvatore brothers always surrounded her.

When she saw her on the day James called her and Laurent to the school when the Swan fainted, it took everything she had not to scream out at her.

Katherine was why her sister was dead; perhaps the Gilbert girl was her descendant.

She, James, and Laurent had been together since the 1840s, three centuries after she and Anne met Katherine.

Following Katherine led to Anne's death, but never mind that now. The Gilbert girl seemed hung up on the Swan girl. It was hard to get her alone; she barely went out, and when she did, she was near another vampire or wolf.

James posing as an employee was helping but taxing. He wanted Bella Swan, they all did, but she and Laurent were willing to wait; James, however...

'I have her address; I can use my position to get inside her home.' he insisted.

'She's too close to the sheriff both figurative and literally.' Victoria protested.

'We just need to get her into my office.'

'Or we could get Victoria in one of her classes.' Laurent suggested. He turned to her. 'What teachers do you share?'

'That would raise suspicion-'

'Victoria, you worry too much.'

'She was attacked by a vampire once already,' Victoria countered, 'and I think there could be vampires working with cops.'

'Like who?'

'That history teacher, perhaps.'

That man... Every time Victoria saw him, he brought a sense of foreboding.

He and The Salvatore brothers...

Danger!

Danger!

Danger!

Look out, Vic! Her mind would scream at her.

Sometimes, her feet wanted to drag her away to safety...

But she was outvoted...

'I'm sorry, are you in the right class?' Mr. Saltzman asked as Victoria tried to hurry into the room.

'I just transferred into your class,' Victoria stated flatly, 'Dr. Francis-'

'Ah, Tori.'

'Victoria.'

'The principal told me about you.'

Victoria smiled, thinking back to when James compelled the principal. Saltzman cleared his throat, and she caught him blushing.

That could be something later.

'Class, this is Victoria Sage-'

Something hit the floor in the doorway, making Victoria jump and turn to see her.

Bella Swan.

She looked like a deer caught in the headlights.

'Miss Swan, you're late.'

She hurried to her seat between a blonde-haired girl and a dark-haired boy.

Victoria chose to sit in the back just to observe her.

She could play on the fact that she was the new student and needed help.

'No note passing in class, Miss Swan, Mr. Gilbert.' Saltzman snatched the barely concealed paper from her. The Gilbert boy looked confused as Saltzman opened the letter.

He stared at the note, then looked at the girl for a moment, then at Victoria.

He cleared his throat and went to his desk; he spent the entire class looking bbetween and the Swan girl.

Bella Swan kept her eyes on her paper, her heart throbbing the whole time.

It put Victoria on edge.

Did he know?

Did she tell him?

How did she know?

This is too much.

The money.

Elena.

Now, Victoria.

This was a lot.

It's best just to focus on the positive right now.

John Gilbert left- I mean gave me 15 grand.

Fifteen thousand dollars...

I was thinking about it all day.

That's a lot of money.

'What are you going to do for your birthday?' asked Rosalie at lunch, snapping me out of my thoughts.

The question was a welcomed distraction.

We sat in a quiet corner of the room; it was a Monday.

'I was thinking about going to see my... Uh, what do I call her?'

'What's her name?'

'Margaret'

'Then you're going to see Margaret.'

'My bio mom wanted to name me after her.'

'What did you call her before?'

'Mrs. Flemming.'

'You called her that?'

'She wants me to meet her husband, bio grandpa.'

'What does your grandmother think?'

'She supports my decision and will not stand in my way, but I can tell the thought of me meeting him makes her uncomfortable.'

'Why-' Rosalie started to ask before Jeremy sat next to me.

'Happy birthday, Bella.'

Rosalie and I exchange a glance, then look at him. 'Thanks.'

'What are you doing later?'

'She has plans.' Rosalie started picking at her salad.

Jeremy glared at her for a bit, then looked at me. 'What are you doing?'

'Hanging out with Margaret.'

Jeremy veered around to Rosalie. 'Could you please give Bella and me a minute?' he hissed.

Rosalie glared at him, then stood with her tray in hand. 'You have exactly 5.' she sizzled back before walking away.

'When did that start?'

I looked at my lunch, leftover ravioli from last night. 'When did what start?'

'You and Rosalie.'

'She was a friend when everyone else pulled away from me.'

I felt him shift beside me. 'Bella.'

'Jeremy.' that sounded like Bonnie.

I glanced up to see Bonnie seemingly glaring at both of us. 'Bella.'

I blinked at the frostiness in her voice; despite what was going on between Elena and me, Bonnie had always been kind to me.

Did she hate me too now?

'Hi, Bonnie.' I stammered.

I glanced behind her and saw from across the room, and I saw Caroline and Elena watching us from their table.

'Jeremy, I need to talk to you.'

'Alright.' Jeremy stood and headed towards Bonnie. 'See ya'll, Bells.'

Caroline watched Bonnie and Jeremy walk away and then looked at Bella. She returned to her food without looking at them; Caroline glanced at Elena as she watched Bella.

'How's vampire training going?'

'Fine.'

'Do you think Bella hates me for almost help killing her?'

'No, if anything, she blames Damon.'

'Shouldn't she?'

Elena turned to her abruptly. 'She needs to let it go.'

'He literally killed her, Elena. How do you let that go?'

Elena scoffed, and they turned to see Bella dumping her tray in the garbage and leaving. 'When she and Rosalie were talking in the bathroom, she told Rosalie that she was an only child.'

'She is her parents' only child.' Caroline pointed out. 'Besides that smart of her.'

'How so?'

'She's already a target because of her scent, and if anyone were to find out she's got blood ties to the doppelganger-'

'Blood ties to me!'

'What?!'

'You said blood ties to the doppelganger!' Elena snapped. ' I am a living, breathing person, not a human hybrid maker!'

Elena stormed away.

'Mr. Saltzman was making eyes at the new girl.' Rosalie murmured to me after school.

We were waiting for our rides outside.

'I noticed.'

My note made sure of that.

And as if she was reading my mind, Rosalie asked, 'What did your note say?'

'I wanted to talk to Jeremy.'

'About?'

I shrugged. 'I don't know, hanging out, I guess.'

'Is that what you were talking about at lunch?'

'No, Bonnie showed up, and he left with her.'

'Oh. He does like 'em old. There's my ride.'

'See you tomorrow.'

Rosalie had hardly left the parking lot before I heard, 'Happy birthday, Bella.'

Caroline's voice made me jump and drop my bag.

'Caroline!' I gasped.

'Sorry.' she quickly grabs my bag before it hits the ground. 'Here.'

I took it from her. 'Thanks.'

'What are your plans?'

'Gran and I are going to visit Margaret.'

'Who's that?'

'Isobel's mother.'

'You met Isobel's mother?' Elena's voice behind me made me drop my bag again.

'Bella.' muttered Caroline.

'I believe we already had this conversation.' I replied as Caroline handed me my bag again.

'I thought-'

'Thought what?' I scoffed as I fished around in my bag for my iPod. 'That I would wait until you decided you were ready to meet her?!' I put in my earphones. 'I've lived most of my life without your guidance, and I can manage this too without you. Besides, she doesn't have that kind of time.'

I put on "You Don't Bring Me Flowers," used all my willpower, and ignored Elena until I saw the truck.

I jumped in next to Gran, and I watched Elena pouting in the rearview mirror.

On her way to meet James, a conversation in Saltzman's class made Victoria stop dead in her tracks.

'A vampire?! Do you think she's with Rebekah and Klaus?'

Klaus?

Why did that name sound familiar?

'I don't know.'

'Is she a tomb vampire?' that sounded like Caroline Forbes.

What on earth was a tomb vampire?

'I don't know.'

'Could she be a vampire Klaus compelled to watch over me and Tyler?' that was Katherine- no- Elena Gilbert's voice.

Vampires can't compel other vampires.

'Stefan didn't mention it.'

'Maybe he was compelled not to.'

'Maybe he doesn't know; maybe she's supposed to be watching him.'

That was a male, Saltzman, maybe?

Or one of the salvatores...

But wait...

They're speaking about Stefan as if he isn't there...

Is he dead?

Or maybe just not there?

She needed to find James and Laurent.

After we left school, I got cleaned up, and then Gran and I headed off to see Margaret.

I wore a dark blue blouse, a full-length khaki-colored skirt, and white sneakers.

Gran suggested I take the money and hire a personal stylist.

Margaret was about my height, she had Isobel's face and build, and her hair was the only indication that she was only old.

However, the stress of losing Isobel could have turned her gray.

She was dressed in white.

She had blue eyes.

'Isabella.' she gasped as she clutched my hand. 'I'm so happy to see you.'

'Hello, Margaret.'

I went outside and found Caroline with Bella. I saw Caroline's lips move and was probably saying, 'Happy birthday, Bella.' I saw Rosalie in the back seat of a red convertible driving off.

Bella flinched and dropped her bag; I don't understand how we're related.

'Caroline!' I heard Bella choke as Caroline caught her bag.

'Sorry.' I was close enough to hear them. Caroline handed Bella her bag. 'Here.'

'Thanks.' Bella looked at her feet.

She was wearing a green shirt.

'What are your plans?'

Bella shrugged. 'Gran and I are going to visit Margaret.'

'Who's that?'

'Isobel's mother.'

'You met Isobel's mother?' I heard my voice cry out.

'Bella.' muttered Caroline.

'I believe we already had this conversation.' Bella snipped as Caroline handed her the bag again.

The way she'd been hounding me all summer, I thought to meet her together.

'I thought-'

'Thought what?' she said in that flat voice of hers as she fished around my bag for something. 'That I would wait until you decided that you were ready to meet her? I've lived most of my life without your guidance, and I can manage this, too, without you. Besides, she doesn't have that kind of time.'

'Well, the way you were hounding me, I just thought you needed your handheld.' We were silent momentarily, and then I asked, 'What is she like?'

She didn't respond; was she ignoring me?

Caroline pointed to her ears, and I noticed the white iPod in her hand.

Unbelievable!

She's the only way I get answers to my unresolved questions about Isobel, and she's choosing to keep me in the dark?!

I started to grab her and force her to tell me, but her grandmother drove up.

'Can you believe her?!'

'Yeah, I wouldn't peg her as a Neil Diamond fan-'

'I'm talking about not letting me know she was wearing those.'

'Ok...'

Caroline was not getting it, or she was under Bella's spell.

'She spent most of the summer bugging me about seeing Isobel's mother only to go without me!'

'I'm too exhausted worrying about my dad to dissect your mixed-up feelings for Bella right now, Elena.' she said as she rubbed her temples.

'I don't have feelings for her.'

'Then why are you so bitchy about this?!' she challengeed. 'Bella told you that she was sick, I know, because I was eavesdropping, and you refused.'

'She gave me the impression that she needed me there.' I raged, hurt by her sudden shortness.

'She's not Jeremy; she doesn't need a big sister to guide her.' Caroline said, her voice going back to its previous tone. 'When you're an only child, you tend to your own older sibling.'

Bonnie wasn't much help either...

'I thought you wanted nothing to do with Isobel and her family.' was her reply.

As was Alaric, though he mentioned that he would talk to Bella's grandmother about the situation.

And Jeremy was my harshest critic.

'Then why the hell did you refuse to go with her, Elena?!' Jeremy groaned as he read John Gilbert's diary. 'She even suggested that you go separately.'

'I don't want to go; I just want answers.'

'Answers you would have gotten if you'd met her.'

Only Damon was my only supporter.

'We can go see her whenever you want.'

'Let's go tomorrow.'