The light buzz from my phone broke the stillness of the night, awakening me from a deep slumber. I turned slowly and noticed Rosalie peacefully asleep beside me, her chest rising and falling with each breath.

The dim light of the clock on the nightstand illuminated the room, showing it was 3:33 AM, the witching hour—an eerie time when secrets and shadows seemed to come alive.

I felt around the soft sheets until I located my phone, the screen illuminating my face with a harsh glow. It was a text from Mr. Saltzman demanding attention.

"Where are you?!" it read, filled with urgency.

With a hint of defiance, I typed back, "I'm in my room,"

"Are you?" he pressed further, skepticism lacing his words.

"Yes, my Gran is sleeping," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady in this digital exchange.

"I thought we had a better relationship than that," he accused, his disappointment palpable even through the screen.

I couldn't help but roll my eyes at his dramatics. "We don't have a relationship," I retorted coolly.

"Where are you, Bella?"

"In bed," I stated flatly, unwilling to divulge more.

"Caroline told me she saw your grandmother leaving," he texted, the implication of betrayal hanging in the air.

I groaned internally, feeling a wave of frustration wash over me.

With a resigned sigh, I typed back, "Rosalie and I are with her cousin," hoping to quiet his constant worry.

"Was that so hard?" he shot back, his tone both probing and accusatory.

"What do you want, Mr. Saltzman?" I replied, my patience wearing thin.

"I was just checking in," he finally answered, leaving me to ponder what he thought would come from it.

I finally got back to sleep when yet another buzz woke me up.

'You've got to be kidding me.' I groaned.

6:45.

I looked at my phone; it was a text from Damon. He was whining about me not answering his call and that Elena was mad because of me.

Again, I ignored him.

Stefan, Caroline, and Jeremy were sprawled out in the cozy living room of the Gilberts' house, the familiarity of the space wrapping around them like a warm blanket.

The soft glow from the lamp in the corner illuminated their faces, and the quiet hum of the evening created a relaxed atmosphere.

Upstairs, Elena was nestled in her bed, surrendering to a deep sleep that seemed peaceful (AN: still human, for now...) when, suddenly, Jeremy's phone buzzed loudly against the wooden table, startling all three of them.

"It's Bella," Jeremy said, glancing at the notification with curiosity and intrigue as he pulled the phone closer.

"What's it say?" Stefan asked, leaning in a bit more, his brows furrowed with concern as he wondered if the message was urgent.

"She and Rosalie just met someone named Henry," Jeremy replied, scratching his head in confusion, his eyes scanning the screen.

"Who's Henry?" Caroline asked, her eyebrows lifting in surprise as she tried to wrap her mind around this new development.

Jeremy shrugged, a look of uncertainty on his face. "No clue, honestly, but Bella said to pass it on to my sister."

"Did she ever mention that dream she keeps talking about?" Stefan prodded, the seriousness of the conversation beginning to settle over them.

"The Klaus dream?" Caroline chimed in, feeling the weight of the topic shift.

Why would Bella bother telling Elena about dreaming of marrying Stefan?

It seemed a bit too personal.

"No, I meant the Elena dream," Stefan clarified, his tone showing a hint of irritation as he noticed Caroline's puzzled expression.

"Not that I know of. Maybe Elena has heard something about it," Caroline suggested, her mind racing at the possibility.

"Maybe Elena knows Henry," Jeremy added thoughtfully, recalling how Elena and Bella had been getting closer in their friendship lately.

"Maybe I should just ask her," Caroline said, determined to get to the bottom of this mystery.

"And I could reach out to Bella," Jeremy offered, looking down at his phone as if figuring out the best way to get in touch, but Stefan was already standing up, feeling the moment's urgency.

"I think I should talk to Bella," he decided firmly, ready to take action.

"Elena might open up to you more easily than to me," Caroline said quietly, feeling the tension in the room. "So maybe Jeremy could check in with Bella instead."

"Uh, fine, whatever," Stefan replied, his frustration simmering beneath the surface.

"Are you hungry?" Caroline asked, trying to ease the mood and shift their focus away from the tension.

"No, I'm good," Stefan replied, exasperated, throwing his hands toward the ceiling. "I'm just going to go check on Elena."

Alaric sat in the empty Higginbotham household, rereading his exchange with Bella. He does this for hours before another text from her nearly makes him crush the phone.

It said simply: I met Henry Flemming.

Alaeic thought he would bust a blood vessel. What?! When?! Was his instant reply.

I met him twice. The first time was after you got run over.

Alaric replayed the day he pushed Jeremy out of the way of

Klaus' hybrid.

And the second?

Yesterday at the grill.

When were you going to tell me?!

I thought Elena had told you about it the first time. It seems I'm not the only person she's keeping secrets from.

What does Henry want?

It seems like he wants to get to know me.

What?

What do you mean by what?

Why does he want to get to know you?

I am his granddaughter.

Does he know about Elena?

I don't know, but what Henry little information does know, he got from Maraget, so I doubt it.

What did he talk about?

He saw me with Rosalie and left.

Why?

She introduced her as Caroline Forbes.

So, he knows the sheriff.

Where are you? Is Klaus dead?

No.

What?! Why not?

Your boyfriend and his brother.

What?! I can't believe that Stefan and Damon willingly put Elena in danger.

Well, they did.

The only reason I agreed to give my blood was that you said Klaus could be killed and that you would kill him!

I know what I said.

Well, clearly, you don't.

Klaus will die.

If Elena dies before Klaus, I'm cutting a deal with him to save my grandmother.

Alaric tried calling her, but she refused to answer.

Rosalie opened the window, allowing the warm sunlight to spill into the room, illuminating the dust motes dancing in the air. She glanced outside and spotted a figure standing uncertainly in the middle of the road, their silhouette half-hidden by the morning haze.

She squinted, trying to make out the person's features. Was it Mr. Saltzman, with his familiar scowl, or one of the enigmatic Salvatore brothers?

Bella lay sound asleep in the room's stillness, her phone ringing insistently like an urgent alarm disrupting the quiet.

With a sigh, Rosalie answered Bella's phone, her voice slightly hesitant. 'Hello?'

'Is this Isabella Swan?' came a sharp and clear voice from the other end.

'This is her phone. Who is this?' Rosalie asked, curiosity piqued.

'Riley Biers,' the voice replied, casual but curt.

'Okay, Riley Biers, how do you know Isabella Swan?' she probed, sensing there was more to this call.

'A friend of a friend.'

'What friend?' Rosalie pressed, feeling a protective instinct flare up.

'Vic.'

'Are you referring to—never mind. Isabella is asleep. Can I take a message?' Rosalie inquired, her tone firm.

'No, I'll talk to her in school tomorrow,' Riley replied abruptly, cutting the conversation short.

Rosalie hung up just as Bella's phone began to ring again, its shrill tone finally rousing Bella from her deep slumber.

'What's going on?' Bella groaned, her voice thick with sleep as Rosalie handed her the phone, worry etched across her face.

'Miss popular,' Rosalie quipped, trying to inject humor into the tense atmosphere.

'Hello?' Bella answered groggily while Rosalie quickly grabbed a pen and paper, ready to jot down anything important.

'Someone is standing outside in the road,' Rosalie scribbled, holding it up for Bella to read.

'Who's this?' Bella asked, her interest piqued as she peeked out the window. A shocked gasp escaped her lips, and her head whipped around to face Rosalie. 'What?!'

'Who is it?!' Rosalie demanded, urgency spilling over onto the paper she held.

Bella quickly scrawled a message on the same paper, 'Damon is standing in the street.' She spoke again, her voice laced with disbelief. 'Nothing what.' A sigh escaped her. 'It's nothing, Caroline.' Rosalie slumped onto the bed, her frustration palpable. 'What's going on with Elena?' Bella asked, rejoining her on the bed. Suddenly, she shot to her feet, wide-eyed. 'What did you mean Elena's been in an accident?!'

They exchanged bewildered looks, the weight of the news hanging heavily between them. After a moment, Bella let out a shaky breath of relief. 'Okay. What? Yeah, I'll be there—come alone.'

'What?' mouthed Rosalie, confusion lining her brow.

'I'd rather take my chances here than deal with Damon,' Bella stated firmly, her resolve hardening.

'Take your chances against what?' Rosalie wrote down, anxiety creeping in.

'I'll have Rosalie's cousin drive me home,' Bella replied, determination flashing in her eyes.

'What's going on?' Rosalie pressed, searching Bella's face for answers.

'Typical entitled Elena shenanigans,' Bella mumbled, her pen moving quickly as she wrote, 'Elena was in the hospital.'

'Ugh, I truly can't stand her,' Rosalie said, writing, 'What happened?'

'Yeah, she seems to have a knack for grating on one's nerves,' Bella said aloud, her frustration evident as she added, 'She didn't say.'

"I should get her," I sighed, frustration creeping into my voice as Caroline hung up the phone. The weight of the situation pressed down on me. "Damon is going to try to force Bella to come with him—"

"Give Damon a chance," Elena said.

Give Damon a chance, I thought, glancing at her, searching for any sign of hope amidst the turmoil.

"But Bella doesn't like Damon," Caroline objected, her eyes wide with concern. "And with good reason."

"And you know that better than anyone," Elena countered, her voice icy as the tension thickened.

"If Damon causes a scene in front of Rosalie, she will call the cops," Jeremy interjected, stepping resolutely between them, his protective instincts kicking in. "I should get her; she'll talk to me."

"I'll go with you," Caroline offered gently, her resolve unwavering even in uncertainty.

With determined expressions, Caroline and Jeremy grabbed their coats and hurried out the door, leaving Elena and me in the quiet room, the tension still hanging heavily between us.

"Did Bella ever tell you what her dream was about?" I asked, breaking the silence and hoping for a glimmer of insight.

"No," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Did Bella mention anyone by the name of Henry?" I pressed, the name feeling significant, laden with unresolved meaning.

"I think that's Isobel's father," Elena said, recalling a conversation as her brow furrowed in concentration. "She mentioned it to Bonnie and me when we went to find Abby."

"She met Isobel's father?" I asked, surprised and eager to know more.

"Kinda, but not really. Her grandmother won't let her meet him," Elena explained, a hint of sadness coloring her words.

"Did Bella say why?" I inquired, hoping to uncover more about this tangled web of relationships.

"No... but remember Jenna?" Elena paused, her voice thick with emotion as tears filled her eyes. "Remember when we told Jenna that Bella was my sister?"

"Do you think Jenna knew why?" I asked, my curiosity piqued.

"She said John told her about Bella; maybe he told her about Henry Flemming too," Elena replied, her gaze distant, lost in thought.

"And maybe he told Bella," I added, the pieces slowly coming together in my mind, though the mystery still lingered like an unwelcome shadow.

Alaric concealed himself in the dimness of the upstairs hallway, peering through the window as Meredith's car gracefully glided into the driveway, the sunlight glinting off its polished surface. The moment the car came to a halt, Bella, Rosalie, and Meredith spilled out, laughter and chatter accompanying their strides as they made their way toward the front door.

His gaze shifted to the sidewalk where he saw Stefan and Elena drawing closer, their expressions animated with urgency. In a flash, Alaric reached for his phone and typed a quick message to Bella, alerting her to his presence inside

the house and the approaching duo.

Bella's patience, clearly worn thin, cast an exasperated glance at her bedroom window before snatching her bag out of the trunk. She dashed toward the door, Rosalie sprinting to catch up with her.

"Slow down, or you'll end up on the floor!" Meredith called, her voice rising as she hurried after them, concern lacing her tone.

Alaric's ears perked up as Bella entered the house, her voice ringing out with a hint of gratitude. "Thanks for everything," she said.

"Bella!" Rosalie called urgency in her tone.

"Rosalie, I'll talk to you later," Bella replied, her voice firm yet quick as she tried to brush past.

Like Elena's voice pierced the air, Bella turned the deadbolt with a soft click. "I need to talk to you!"

"I'm not feeling well!" Bella shouted back, the tension palpable as Alaric crept stealthily down the stairs, every step deliberate and quiet.

"Can we come in?" Stefan asked, his voice edged with concern.

Alaric raised a tightly typed message for Bella to see, the words stark and threatening: "I'll end him if he enters this house."

"Uh, no. I'll talk to you tomorrow at school," Bella shot back, her eyes narrowing in Alaric's direction, a mix of frustration and defiance evident on her face.