'I had to do what I was told. Klaus wanted the moonstone and you.' I heard Isobel say.

Katherine sold us out again; well, she sold me out again.

But Isobel double-crossed her back, fine by me, but I wonder what would happen to me?

Am I going to die?

The vehicle stopped, and I heard doors open. Isobel and whoever she was with got out and opened the side door; she stood outside, staring at me.

'Get out.' she commanded; when I didn't move, she stated, 'Just because I can't compel you doesn't mean I can't force you to come with me.'

'So, is that what happened?' I demanded as I got out. 'You were compelled to betray Katherine?'

'If I was, I couldn't tell you.'

'Keeping secrets from me again?!'

'It's not first, and definitely not the worst.'

'Like Bella Swan?'

She smiled faintly. 'Isabella Maire Swan.'

'So she is my...' I couldn't finish it. 'So you lied. You did find Klaus, didn't you?' I had to change the subject. 'He knows where I am now. Are you taking me to him?'

Isobel didn't answer but walked to a tombstone and crouched in front of it.

'What is this?'

She cleared some leaves from the tombstone. It read, "In loving memory - Isobel Flemming - Jan 18, 1978 - May 4, 2007."

She took me to her grave.

'My parents, your grandparents, put it here when it became obvious that the police weren't going to discover my body. They stop by every week and bring flowers, even though no one is laid to rest here. The Isobel they knew was deceased. So maybe there's a part of me that's buried here, the human part that I renounced when I decided to become a vampire, the part that used to dream about the day that she'd know her daughters.'

'What?'

She did think about me; she might have even cared.

Isobel shrugged. 'And instead, you got to meet the other part...The part that would betray her flesh and blood.' Her phone rang, and she answered. There was a pause, and then she replied, 'Yes.' another pause, then she responded, with a surprised voice, 'Let her go?' another pause. 'I'm done?'

She hangs up with a look of relief. 'Who was that?'

'I'm so sorry, Elena. I was such a disappointment to you.'

She snatched off her necklace and started burning in the daylight, shrieking as she burst into flames and fell to the ground in front of her grave.

'You went too far.' Gran chided.

'I know.' I admitted.

'You need to apologize.'

'If she ever speaks to me again, I will.'

I sat in the den with the occasional glance toward Elena's house.

'You're late, kid.'

'Whatever, Mr. Saltzman.' scoffed the kid.

Klaus observed the sweet-smelling, dark-haired girl hurry to the seat behind Jeremy, the doppelganger's brother/cousin.

Isabella Swan was her moniker, a fitting name for someone so exquisite.

He heard it in passing from the doppelganger's friend group. Whenever Stefan, the doppelganger's aficionado, or anyone in the group mentioned it, the doppelganger would have a temper tantrum.

He couldn't ask; that would alert others to his presence.

Occasionally, he'd catch her glaring at him; maybe she could fill in the blanks.

She clearly knew Alaric Saltzman

A potential ally, perhaps, or, at the very least, something to drink when he gets his body back.

She was congenial with a blonde girl, not the blonde that the doppelganger associated with.

Forbes, Caroline, the doppelganger's cohort.

Hale, Rosalie, was Isabella's comrade; she could divulge all.

'Your buddy is staring.' Hale hissed.

'Just ignore him.' The Swan Girl.

'It's creepy.'

'What do you want me to do about it?'

'Ask him what his problem is! His eyes are for you.'

The Swan glared at him before returning to her assignment. 'I don't have the mental strength to weather the emotional trauma that will lead to.'

The Hale girl turned her violet-blue eyes on him; the Hale girl would do just nicely.

'Did you talk to the Saltman?' Caroline heard Bella ask Rosalie as they walked past her and Bonnie to the table furthest away.

'He wants to see me after school.'

'Why?'

'Talking in class.'

'Talking in class...' Bella muttered under her breath. 'Are you going?'

'What alternative do I have?'

'Don't go. Bail, tell him you have a family emergency. I was talking in class, too; why not meet with us both?'

'I don't care; I'm going tell him off. I've noticed that your neighbors have been avoiding you.'

'Elena and I have always had problems, and I guess Jeremy took her side to keep the peace.'

'The whole group is avoiding you, even Caroline.'

Caroline turned to them to catch Bella looking at her; they both looked away from one another the instant they made eye contact.

'Caroline presumably only knows what she's been told.'

'What has she been told?'

Bella remained silent as Elena sat next to Bonnie. 'Hey, guys.'

'Hey.' Bonnie answered.

'Bella's here.'

Elena scoffed as Bonnie looked over at her. 'Maybe you should talk to her.'

'I don't want to speak to that freak.'

'But she's your sister.'

'Not by choice.'

'But that's not her fault.' Caroline looked over at Bella.

'Caroline,' asked Bonnie, 'are you ok? '

'She smells so good.'

'She can't smell that good,' Elena reverberated. 'can she?'

'It's taking every ounce of self-control I have not to rip open and drain her dry.'

'That makes two of us.' Elena muttered.

'You got eyes on you.' Rosalie whispered to Bella.

Caroline glanced at Elena; she was looking at her sister, Bella.

'Who's eyes?' Bella's quiet voice whispered.

'Gilbert.'

'Jeremy?'

'No.'

Caroline peeked at Bella; she and Elena locked eyes and turned away.

Both girls were stubborn and pig-headed; getting them together would be arduous for Caroline.

'I need to go hunt.'

Talking in class!

The both of us were talking, so why was Rosalie singled out?

Why not call us both?

It was obviously a ploy to separate her from me, but why?

What does the Saltman want with Rosaline?

What could he possibly say to her that he doesn't want me to hear?

Maybe they want her to be on team Elena; Rosalie is a fluff piece reporter, but a reporter nonetheless. Rosalie could be a helpful ally if she were ever brought into the loop.

But why?

Why would they want to jeopardize Rosalie's life because she's useful? Anyone who knows is either dead, deadly or, in my case, playing dumb.

Did they honestly think I'd be foolish enough to tell her about all this?

I'm unsure if Gran should know; she will have to know, eventually. And whether she likes it or not, Elena must tell me everything.

Because, unfortunately, we are sisters.

I haven't seen Isobel and John since I should call them.

Klaus waited in Alaric's class for the Hale girl; women talk; that was a constant. He would find out about the Swan girl's relationship with the doppelganger.

The scent hit his nostrils before the footsteps reached his ears.

'She's not coming.' a voice called from the doorway.

'Miss Swan.' he responded in a strangled voice.

'Mr. Saltzman.'

'Please, call me Alaric.'

He turned to see the girl glaring at him.

'What do you want with Rosalie, Mr. Saltzman?'

'Your conversation was distracting-'

'We weren't distracting anyone!' she flared as she stomped inside. 'What do you want with Rosalie?'

Her fury was amusing. 'I wanted to talk to you.'

She looked away, folding her arms. 'About?'

'Elena.'

'If you want to talk about Elena, then you need to talk to Elena.' she hissed as she tossed her hair over her face.

'I haven't seen her.'

'Well, she's here.'

The doppelganger was here?!

'She wasn't in class.'

'Well, she's here.'

'With everything going on with her mother-'

'Cut the crap, Ric! It's not me who has issues with our connection; it's Elena!'

Connection?

'Miss. Swan-'

'Ric-' the elder Salvatore, Damon, called from the doorway. 'Oh, hello, Isabella.'

She shuddered at the sound of her name. 'Further evidence. Stay away from Rosaline.'

She tried to push past him, but he held her in place. 'We need to talk about what you said to Elena.'

'Elena is the only person I need to talk to about what I said to Elena. Not some guy who wants to get in her pants.'

'You little-'

'Bella?' called a woman's voice.

Damon reluctantly let her; she jerked away and staggered out of the class as a senior woman hobbled towards her.

'Bella-'

'Gran.'

She looked at them. 'Bella-?'

'Just checking on some extra credit I turned in. We should go; we're holding up a parent-teacher conference.'

She led the older woman as quickly as possible.

'What was that about?' Damon demanded.

'Talking in class.'

'Who were they?' asked Gran as we sat waiting for food.

We decided to go to the grill for dinner.

'They were Alaric Saltzman and Damon Salvatore.'

'I often see that dark-haired man with the sheriff.'

'That's Damon.'

'And that other man is the new history teacher, isnt he the one from Jenna's party?'

I nodded. 'Alaric Saltzman. He was Isobel's husband.'

'What?!'

'Yeah, he was trying to find out what happened to her. He thought she was dead.'

'That woman! Does he know about you?'

'Probably, the only way I'd know is by talking to Elena.'

'Does he know about her?'

'I'm pretty sure he does.'

'Isnt he dating her aunt?'

'Yes, but I don't believe he knew Isobel had children.'

'Is he trying to form some type of association with you?'

'No, it does appear like it.'

'I bet he's buddy-buddy with her.'

'Alaric Saltzman creeps me out, I don't want any relationship with him. Besides, I'd rather be friends with John. Did our test come back yet?'

'Yes.'

'Did you open it yet?'

'No. Has John contacted you?'

'No.'

'What about Isobel?'

'No.'

'I have to tell you something.'

'Here is your order.' Matt placed our food in front of us.

'Thanks, Matt.'

'How are things going?'

'Great, how are you?'

'Good, considering.'

Good, consider.

'That's good.'

Matt started to leave but stopped and turned to us. 'How has Caroline been?'

Gran and I exchange a look. '... Fine.'

'Aren't you two together?' she asked.

'Matt.' called Caroline's voice from the bar.

'I don't know anymore.' he looked away. 'Excuse me, I have to help another table.'

Matt hurried away from us before Caroline reached him. 'Matt.'

'Is everything ok?' asked Gran.

'I don't know.' she sighed, turning to me. 'I just don't know anymore.' she paused. 'You and Elena should talk.'

'Have you spoken to Elena about this?'

'I decided to come to you first. I figured that Bonnie and I could drag or lure Elena somewhere. Are you going to the dance tomorrow?'

'No.'

'Sit down.' insisted Gran.

Caroline paused, glanced at me, then shook her head. 'I don't want to hold you up.'

'Never.'

Caroline closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and then looked away, and I noticed her face changing.

No, no, no.

Not- not caroline.

She can't be a vampire...

They wouldn't be stupid enough to turn the sheriff's kid.

Elena's not that stupid.

She must have caught my reaction, or maybe my face must've shown my suspicions because she backed away.

'Is not what you think.' she choked. 'I have to go.'

'Poor girl, I hope everything goes well for her.'

'Yeah, me too.'

'We have a problem!' Caroline rushed into the house.

'Hello to you, too.' Damon said as Caroline rushed over to Stefan and me on the sofa.

'What is it?' I asked.

'Bella.'

I sighed; I didn't want to see or think about her!

'I think she figured out that I'm a vampire.'

'What the hell do you mean you think she figured out you are a vampire?' ordered Damon. 'What did you tell her, Caroline?'

Caroline cowered as Damon approached her. 'N-nothing.'

I jumped up and rushed to her and took her hand as Stefan stood between her and Damon, 'Caroline, what happened? Why would you think that?'

'I went to the grill to see Matt, but he doesn't wanna talk to me. He was serving Bella and her grandmother. I was trying to extend the olive branch, but her blood...' she shook her hand. 'She must have seen my face change.'

'Did her grandmother see?' asked Stefan.

'No, I don't think so.'

'Maybe it's a sign you should talk to her.' I turned away from him. 'We should at least alert her about Klaus.'

That's right, we need to warn Bella about Klaus.

I sent her a simple 'We need to talk.' text and told her where to meet me.

We met where the stoners go; when Jer and I arrived, Bella was already there. She wore a brown shirt, jeans, and worn-out sneakers.

She was pacing around frantically; she stopped, looked at us, then resumed pacing.

'Have you taken your medication, Bella?' Jeremy asked.

'Why am I here?' she ordered, glaring at me.

'Caroline told us that s-'

'What else did she say?'

'Bella-'

'Why am I here? Though can I pretty much guess.'

'Ok, fine, so you know! I figured you're such good friends, John, he would have told you.'

'You really are that self-centered, aren't you?' she scoffed. 'Someone literally died, and you're making this about you!'

'Isobel didn't care about you! She didn't care about me; she didn't care about anyone but herself. She crossed Kathrine, and Klaus killed Isobel.'

Elena-'

'What do you mean Klaus killed Isobel?'

'You didn't know?' Jeremy looked at me. 'You didn't-' he turned to her. 'No one told you?'

'I thought John would have told her. Maybe now she knows what it's like to-'

Bam!

I stumbled, holding my left cheek; Jeremy was standing between us, and Bella was trying to get to me.

She... She hit me.

She actually hit me.

'Bella, no! Bella, stop!'

'How dare you! How dare you! You self-centered bubblehead-'

'I'm not self-centered!'

'You kept my mother's death from me all because I figured out we were related before you could! If you would have just talked to me, John, or Jeremy!' she motioned to Jeremy. 'We discussed the possibility of Isobel being my mother before you came.'

I looked at him. 'I didn't know-'

'Because you don't talk. You don't want to be involved or are too prideful to talk to them. Guess what, Elena, I'm involved! And I don't want to talk to you.'