It wasn't just Damon waiting for him when he finally arrived back at home, but Enzo and Maggie as well. Damon had clearly explained what had happened because they both turned glares on him when he entered the room. Damon wasn't glaring, but his face had taken on a stony blankness that was even worse.

"I can explain." Stefan said, before any of them could speak.

"Good. Do so." Damon ordered.

The calm frosty tone made him flinch. Damon was way past anger, entering into rage, if he was speaking to him in that particular tone of voice.

"When I went to retrieve Johnathan Gilbert's journal, from Alaric before Christmas. He attempted to attack me."

"You've known about this for a month?" Maggie snarled.

He flinched again. He had no excuse.

"Yes. I… I questioned him about his attempt to stake me and he told me that he knew what I was because he'd recognised Damon."

"How?"

"He said you'd killed his wife."

"And you believed him?"

"No!"

A flicker of surprise passed through Damon's eyes at Stefan's passionate denial. That surprise was probably his fault as well, he'd been hard on his brother in the past, despite that fact that his hands were far more blood-soaked than Damon's could ever be.

"No. I didn't believe him. I questioned him further and he admitted he'd only seen you feeding from her before you both disappeared. When he said her body was never recovered, I suspected you may have turned her."

"What was her name?"

"Isobel. Isobel Flemming."

Recognition entered Damon's eyes, as Stefan uttered the name.

"Why didn't you ask me about any of this before tonight?"

Stefan opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He was unable to respond. Didn't know what to say. He didn't notice the looks the other three exchanged at his silence, concern mingling with the still present anger. It wasn't like Stefan not to have an explanation. It also wasn't like him to keep secrets that could potentially endanger Maya.

"I don't know." Stefan said eventually.

"Okay. I turned Isobel Flemming into a vampire. She asked me to, and she proved she could handle it, I spent a year training her to control herself and settle into being a vampire. Taught her some tricks to help her get by. I haven't seen her since."

"Okay. I… erm I found out some other stuff… just today, that you should know as well."

"What?"

"So, it turns out that Isobel was Elena's birth mother."

None of them spoke, all staring at Stefan in varying degrees of shock.

"That's not all." He said after waiting a moment or two for them to offer some sort of a response. "Elena, kind of stumbled on me with Alaric after you left, and she knows you're the one who turned Isobel."

"I see."

No hint of what he was feeling escaped from Damon, though Stefan doubted he cared much what Elena thought about him, as long as it wouldn't impact on Maya in anyway.

"AlsoAlarichasamagicringanditbroughthimbacktolifeanditoldhimtogohomeandidtalktohimtomorrow"

"Could you repeat that?" Damon asked, staring at him strangely.

Maggie and Enzo were also giving him bemused looks, and Stefan realised he'd spoken too fast for them to understand.

"Em. Alaric has a magic ring. It brought him back to life after I killed him and I told him to go home, and that I'd talk to him tomorrow."

If looks could kill, the glare Enzo was sending his way would have fried him on the spot. Maggie looked like she was debating between restraining Enzo and killing him herself. Damon had gone back to the stony blankness he'd bore when Stefan had first arrived home.

"I see. Are we to expect any more murder attempts? Will he come after Maya next time?"

"No!" Stefan shook his head fiercely, "Look. I made it clear to him that if he comes after you again, I will rip his ring off his finger and kill him again. All he wants is the truth about his wife. I'll tell him what you told me, and that will be the end of it."

"And if it's not?"

"Then I'll do what I said and kill him."

"You'd better." Damon stood up, "I'm going to check on Maya."

Enzo waited until he was out of the room before speeding forward and pinning Stefan to the wall with an arm across his neck.

"You got lucky this time. Screw up like this again and Damon's brother or not. I will desiccate you and bury you in a tomb for the next century."

He didn't wait for a reply. Flashing out of the room with Maggie, leaving Stefan alone, massaging his throat.

He waited until the school had emptied out of pupils and most of the staff to enter the classroom and confront the teacher. He sped in, grabbed him and had him pinned against the chalkboard before her could react.

"I know Stefan spoke to you today. I know he told you I turned Isobel. She came to me. She wanted to be a vampire. So I turned her, I trained her, and I haven't seen her since. I don't know where she is. I don't care where she is. Hate me as much as you want if it makes you feel better about her abandoning you. But if you ever, attack me in front of my daughter again, I will make your death feel like an eternity. Do you understand me?"

He waited for the teacher to give a pained nod, before releasing him and flashing away. Normally he'd have killed him for what he'd done. It was safer that way. Sure, the teacher had the magic ring, easy solution to that though.

It was the fact that he understood what the teacher was feeling that truly stayed his hand. He understood the heartbreak and loneliness that came from the loss of the person you loved. He understood the pain of abandonment.

He might be able to put the teacher through any amount of physical pain. None of it could match the particular mental anguish that came with knowing someone you loved had walked away from you without a seconds thought.

So, the teacher could live. For now.

Damon was in the living room nursing a bourbon and musing over the events of the previous week, when Dobby popped in.

"Special Agent LaSalle, be asking Dobby to tell Mister Damon that a pair of vampires be visiting. They be being stopped by the fifth layer of wards."

Interesting. The wards were based on a person's intent and willingness to kill or harm the people who lived in the boarding house. Fifth layer meant they weren't definite enemies, but they couldn't be considered friends or allies either. They might not intend to harm anyone, but they had considered that it might be necessary and were willing to inflict harm if it served their purposes.

"Did you recognise them, Dobby?"

"Dobby is not recognising either of them."

"Okay. I'll go see who it is and what they want. Could you tell Agent Blye I'd appreciate if one or two of her team could provide some back-up."

"Dobby will be doing so."

He disappeared with a crack as Damon rose to his feet and headed for the front door. When he opened it, he saw Anna and Pearl, looking much better than she had immediately post tomb, standing about halfway down the driveway. Anna looked surprised to be stuck and was leaning forward slightly as if trying to push her way through whatever was blocking her. Pearl on the other hand was putting on a display of being completely relaxed, it was only the slight knowing look in her eyes and the slight tightening of her hands into fists that gave her away as being anything but.

Damon strode forward, stopping when he was about a foot away.

"Pearl, Anna. I didn't expect to see you again."

There was movement on his left. He turned his head slightly and saw Special Agent LaSalle and Agents Gomez and Reynolds striding towards them, wands drawn and held ready. Not pointed at the two vampires yet, but they would be at the slightest provocation. Anna and Pearl turned to look as well. A slight widening of Pearl's eyes and Anna's mouth dropping open in shock, her head swivelling between Damon and the three aurors, was all he needed to tell him they recognised the three for what they were.

Pearl turned her head back Damon's way.

"Hello Damon. I was hoping we could have a word."

"Sure, as long as you don't mind doing it out here, with company."

Pearl took a deep breath. Damon wondered if she would refuse, but she surprised him by merely nodding.

"I have no objections. I'm merely here to inform you that I am no longer the only vampire to escape from the tomb. We've taken up residence at a farmhouse just outside of town. It will suffice for now."

"All 25 vampires?" Damon asked in alarm.

He knew he shouldn't have trusted that witch to have resealed the tomb properly, and the last thing this town needed was 25 murderous vampires out for revenge on the inhabitants. He glanced at Agent LaSalle, and saw the same alarm in his eyes.

"Not all, some. I imagine that a few have already left town. Others are probably still in the woods or like us acclimating."

"How did they get out of the tomb?"

"I think the witch screwed up that part of her hocus pocus."

Of course, she had. Damon should have insisted that Sheila check the tomb to make sure the seal was back up, rather than taking the witch at her word.

"What are y'all intentions in Mystic Falls?" Agent LaSalle asked.

Pearl turned her head towards him, silent and assessing for a moment.

"Mystic Falls is our home. They took that from us. Our land, our home. It's time we rebuild."

Damon was about to reply, but a wave of Agent LaSalle's hand made him bite back the scathing comment he'd been about to make.

"If y'all and your associates need help to re-establish yourselves in this century, then I can put y'all in contact with some people who can assist ya." Agent LaSalle offered, before his face hardened and her eyes turned steely, "This help will come with conditions though."

"Such as?"

"Y'all can't all stay in Mystic Falls, y'all have to spread out across America, that many vampires in a small town, 'specially one that knows 'bout vampires, is too dang'rous. Any thoughts y'all have on getting revenge on the town, drop 'em now. A massacre on that scale would be too noticeable and MACUSA won't stand for anythin' that risks the Statute… Those two conditions are the same whether y'all accept our help or not. If y'all do accept our help than y'all have to follow our laws for as long as y'all live in our society. If y'all'd rather, we can point y'all to some places where vampires have their own communities. Chicago, New Orleans, San Francisco, all have big vampire crowds, with their own rules. But they'll help y'all get back on your feet."

Pearl stayed silent for a moment, as if weighing his words. From the looks Anna was giving her, Damon guessed that whatever plan they'd had when they arrived had been derailed by the presence of the aurors and the wards around the boarding house.

"And if we don't agree to abide by these terms… Any of them?"

"Then you will be dealt with accordingly." All southern charm left Agent LaSalle's voice as he stared Pearl down, "Times have changed. You and your friends must change with them if you wish to survive."

"I'll talk to the others. Some may accept your offer, but there are some…" she trailed off.

"We won't hold the actions of a few against the many. Talk to your people," he produced a business card and held it out to her, "If you do decide to accept our help, give me a call."

"And if I don't call?"

"Then my bosses will come and attempt to persuade you. Let me be clear, we don't want to kill you if we don't have to, we will do our best to persuade you, but the first attempt to act against us will be responded to in kind."

"Understood." She hesitated and turned back to Damon, "How many of us would you accept living in Mystic Falls?"

"How many of you can be trusted not to feed on and kill the locals? How many of you can be trusted with daylight rings and have the ability to blend in? I won't risk the safety of my family, because you and yours cant be trusted to control yourself."

Pearl nodded but didn't reply. She looked at Anna and then back at Damon and Agent LaSalle.

"I'll talk to the others. Goodbye Damon, gentlemen."

She turned and walked away, Anna following closely behind.

"How long will you give her to call you back?" Damon asked once they were both out of sight.

"I'll need to report this to Commander Graves and Director Picquery, that decision will be up to them, but it's likely that she wont get more than a week. We take threats to the Statute very seriously in America, we've had too many close calls."

"We've studied the history of philosophy and we've talked about the different branches of philosophy, now we're going to go deeper. For the rest of this year, we're going to be talking about the metaphysics branch of philosophy. So, who can remind us, what metaphysics is the study of?"

Maya put her hand up, she wasn't the only one, but she was the one Professor Mira called upon.

"Metaphysics is the branch of philosophy which studies and asks questions about the makeup of the natural world, and it is the area of philosophical study that has the most overlap with science."

"Precisely. Now metaphysics as a branch of philosophy asks many different questions, but one of the oldest questions, and one that lies at the heart of many other questions is 'What is reality?'. What does it mean for something to be real, to actually exist? On the surface it seems quite simple. I'm going to ask a series of questions, put your hands up if you think the answer is yes and keep it down if you think the answer is no. Are chairs real?"

A sea of hands went up across the classroom as everyone answered yes, Professor Mira smiled and nodded.

"Very well. Are phones real?"

Everyone's hands once more shot up into the air.

"Are dogs real?"

Again, every single person put their hands in the air.

"Okay, now are rainbows real?"

Maya's hand shot up as did everyone else's in the room. Professor Mira smiled at them,

"Okay now consider what science tells us about rainbows. They are really just moisture particles in the air refracting and reflecting sunlight. The particles are real, but the rainbow isn't. Now put your hands up if you still think rainbows are real."

There was a bit of wavering this time, but most people, including Maya, still put their hands up.

"Mr Gallagher, why have you put your hand up. Why do you think rainbows are real?"

"Because you can see them, that makes them real."

"By that reasoning if we can't see something does that make it not real? Oxygen for example? We can't see it, yet science tells us we breathe it in every day."

"That's different."

"How?" Professor Mira waved his hand, "No don't answer just yet. But this very argument is the crux of the question, what is reality? Chairs, phones, dogs, they're all made up of particles, just like rainbows. Is seeing something enough to make it real? Or are the particles, so tiny that we can't see them, what's truly real, and the objects they make up which we can't see are not. The Upanishads, scriptures written in India between 800 and 300 BCE as part of a larger set of scriptures called the Vedas. The authors of the Upanishads asked the question 'what is truly real', their answer was Brahman. They defined 'Brahman' as being the unchanging and eternal yet conscious stuff that underlies and causes all visible things."

Professor Mira paused for a second and looked around the class.

"So, if Brahman is all that is truly real, then what about the visible things? According to the Upanishads they're illusory, and yet we all treat them as real, and with good reason. How would we be able to interact with the world if we didn't treat our food, our loved ones, our pets, as real? Today's task, on the board is a list of things, I want you all to get into groups of four and discuss each item. Which are real, which are illusions, and why do you think so."

Jacob and his desk partner Maria turned their chairs around, so they were facing Maya and Ronan, who like always had sat next to her. Maya smiled at Jacob, over the past year and a bit she'd come to enjoy debating things with him in class, and they often teamed up when the group sizes were bigger than pairs. She didn't know Maria, who had only joined the class this year, that well, but she wasn't the type to not pull her weight in group projects, so Maya had no objection to teaming up with either of them.

"So," Ronan said checking the board for the first item, "Money, real or not real?"

"Not real." Maya said at the exact same time, Jacob responded:

"Real."

Maria sighed,

"Are you two going to disagree on everything?"

"Yes."

"No."

"Probably." Ronan said after the two of them once again spoke simultaneously. "Okay, Maria. Money, real or not real?"

"Real," she said after a moment's thought, "What about you, which side do you come down on?"

Ronan gave Maya an apologetic smile.

"I'm gonna go with real as well, sorry."

She just grinned at the three of them.

"Support your arguments." She chirped, repeating something Professor Mira would often say when they were having discussions.

"What are your arguments first, we all agreed it's real, so why don't you think it is?" Ronan asked.

"Simple money is a concept. A paper note or a coin are real objects that you can see, touch, and feel. But money isn't the same, it's a social construct. Money only has value if the people using it believe it has value. If the government collapsed, paper bills and coins would become worthless, the government doesn't even need to collapse for money to stop having the value we attribute to it, just look at the Great Depression, and Germany after World War One. Inflation skyrocketed to the point that money ceased to have value. And if something only has a conceptual value, then it's not truly real."

"Damn." Maria spoke after a few moments of silence. "I've changed my mind, I agree with Maya, money's not real."

Ronan nodded, Jacob on the other hand grinned and shook his head.

"It's for those exact reasons that money is real. We live in a society which was built on the basis of money having an attributable value. Our society would not function without money, our society does function though and therefore money is real."

"Both very good arguments." Professor Mira said, having wondered over to their group. "Write both of them down. Philosophy has no need of definitive answers to the questions it asks, merely knowing there are questions to ask is the point of it."

The rest of the lesson was taken up with going through the items on the list. Some of them were easy to agree on, like food, clothes, bags, common everyday items, others were more nebulous and debateable like stories, dreams, and optical illusions.

"Good work today class, I heard some very interesting discussions. Homework, read through chapter three of the textbook and answer the questions, in written format to be handed in next Friday."

"Viva la revolution!" Maya hollered, taking aim at Enzo with her Nerf gun. Long live the Revolution!

Several things happened at once. Enzo dodged, firing back with his own Nerf gun whilst yelling:

"À bas la République!" Down with the republic.

The door which Enzo had previously been standing in front of was pushed open. And the foam dart Maya had aimed at Enzo, struck a surprised looking Stefan directly in the forehead.

There was a distinct silence for a moment before Maya started giggling. This set off both Enzo, and Maggie, who'd been hiding behind the couch reloading and had popped up when silence had fallen. All three of them were in fits of laughter, whilst Stefan just stood there and shook his head.

"The French revolution? Really?"

"History homework." Enzo said guilelessly, which probably would have worked had Maggie and Maya not piped up with:

"French homework."

And:

"Cultural Studies."

At the exact same time. Stefan just rubbed the bridge of his nose and sighed.

"I thought you were spending the night at the Grill." Enzo said.

"We were, but something came up. Where's Damon?"

"Kitchen." The three combatants chimed as one.

Maya caught Maggie's gaze and grinned, she grinned and nodded back, as one they turned and began pelting Enzo with foam projectiles.

"Liberté, égalité, fraternité!" Maya crowed as Enzo was forced to duck behind one of the chairs under the hail or darts that had come his way. Liberty, equality, fraternity.

"Voudrais-tu rejoinder la glorieuse revolution?" Maya asked Stefan, whilst Maggie continued to fire in Enzo's direction.

"I'm gonna go see Damon first, then I'll come and join the revolutionaries." He promised.

Leaving them to it, he went to find his brother. To his surprise it wasn't just Damon and Dobby in the kitchen. Sheila was in there with them, both Damon and Sheila looked serious as they sipped on their tea and conversed in low tones. He heard something about the tomb and vampires before he cleared his throat and alerted them to his presence.

"Uh, hey. You're missing the revolution."

"I thought you were spending the evening at the Grill. Having your little platonic friends hangout with Elena."

"We were. Then Elena ran into someone who mistook her for Katherine, so I sent them all home and came back here, there are other vampires in town. Again."

Damon and Sheila exchanged looks, neither of them looked particularly surprised by Stefan's news.

"Did you see them? Did you recognise them?" Damon asked.

Stefan shook his head.

"They were gone by the time Elena told me. What's going on?"

Damon sighed.

"Pearl and Anna came to see me today."

Before Stefan could ask any questions or Damon could elaborate on his statement, Dobby disappeared with a sharp crack and reappeared moments later.

"Some vampires is being caught by the first layer of wards. Special Agent LaSalle is asking if mister Damon or mister Stefan can be saying if they recognise them."