AN: Wow, literally just under a month between updates. I know that that's not good enough for you guys, but I'm trying, I really am. So read some Sarah and April bonding time. See you soon. :)

I was a little surprised to see April in the café on my next shift, but her reason made my heart sink in realisation. I should've anticipated it sooner. "I was just wondering if you had seen her." She'd confessed, and I shook my head, though knew exactly what had happened. A dagger. The better question to ask April, is who did it? Klaus was definitely the best possibility, especially after what went down at the Grill, but Elena had proved herself capable before. Or one of her little minions could've done it for her.

April sighed, nodding defeatedly; she must've known that Rebekah probably wouldn't be here, or that I might know what's going through that spontaneous mind of hers sometimes. I had to say something. Think, Sarah. "She might be somewhere with her brother," I offered, feeling that that might partially be true, and April's head bobbed slowly.

"I thought they weren't getting along at the moment." They aren't. They don't. They almost never do. I was just lying to you to try and make things easier! I couldn't say any of that, obviously.

I shrugged, trying to look nonchalant and totally not worried, but underneath I was anything but that. "Maybe they tried to work something out?" That was highly unlikely, but April didn't need to know that. Her hands wrapped around her iced tea nervously, something I knew plenty of. April had never really struck me as the shy type, mainly because she wasn't...well - me. But how can people drink that in January?! I'd understand if we were living in Florida or California or something, but is Virginia! And it's cold outside! Don't you dare start humming that under your breath, Sarah.

"Is your Dad really a secret agent?" She asked, the question seemingly falling out of her mouth before she could stop it, and the girl looked almost mortified at herself while I grimaced, stopping wiping the same counter surface I had been doing for the past five minutes. Hey, it gets slow real quick in the café.

"Special agent," I corrected, and while the reason my eyes actually darted away from April was because I was a little uncomfortable discussing Dad, but she leaned in closer, like I was about to give her top-secret, military classified intel. "Is this about the fire?" I asked delicately.

It was her turn to check our surroundings, forgetting that I had done it seconds previously, and no one else had come in. "I know that everyone says it was a freak accident, and they could be true, y'know, he might've just left the stove on that night or whatever, but my Dad's..." She stopped herself and took a deep breath, "... Was meticulous about safety. That's why he said he sent me to boarding school, it was safer than here..."

"Same," I murmured quietly and at her puzzled look, added, "not like same-same, but saaaaaame." Even I couldn't understand my own explanation.

Closing my eyes, taking a deep breath, the words fell from me after a moment's hesitance like honey. "Just after I was born, my Mom and my sister, and me as well I guess, were put into Witness Protection. She had seen some kind of drug deal, or something, and so they were driving, then this..." I felt like laughing hysterically, my voice wobbling like an idiot. "This gangbanger, shot the driver and they died in the crash. My Dad joined NIS after that, and it's a lot of long shifts and sensitive cases. So, when his mentor, Frank, retired, he asked for him to look after me. And now I'm here."

I don't know what prompted me to tell April my life story, sniffling and blubbering pathetically as I did so, but I didn't like it. Science could tell me it was shame or risk of lowering my standing society that made me how onto them so tightly, not allowing for any kind of wriggling that would end up hurting me. I didn't like sharing them, even in an empty room with a girl I could probably trust; I hadn't even told Rebekah the whole story, giving her the Sparks Notes version, and it was strangely guilt-inducing, confessing to April before her. Sharing meant weakness, it meant showing someone the weak chink in my armour, the best place to hypothetical slide the knife between my ribs. But it was irrational; April wouldn't stab me. Hopefully.

Almost as soon as I turned away from her, gulping down air as quietly as possible to try and stave off the waterworks, I heard the familiar, distinctive scraping of a wooden stool along the floor and then the deep reverberations and the raggedly hiss of someone running into the counter edge before April wrapped her arms around me. It was nice, and I appreciated the comfort she tried to give, but I felt uncomfortable. I didn't mean to, I really didn't want to - I can't help it. Maybe it was the lingering doubts about telling April, or maybe I was too antisocial to accept hugs, only give them.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to make you cry." The junior whispered, something hauntingly childlike in her words.

I wanted to chuckle, the sound too watery for my liking. "It's cool, lots of people and things make me wanna cry." You weren't on that list until now. This didn't seem to appease the Junior, baby-blue eyes watching me carefully, as if I would fracture and shatter into a thousand pieces at any moment. "April, relax. Honest, I'm fine."

"You don't sound it," she murmured but thankfully didn't press it. "Well if you see her," she said in a cheerier tone, both knowing who 'her' was, "can you tell her I'm looking for her?" I nodded dutifully, part of me wondering if I should tell the girl to cut out the middle-man and just give her Rebekah's number. But that would be more suspicious. Most teenage girls answered texts within milliseconds of it coming in, and Daggered Originals could do no such thing. I say 'most' teenage girls, because I don't and I am part of the statistic demography.

"Maybe Matt'll know," she wondered, and when she caught my knowing look, blushed ungracefully. I tried being gentle, but there was no reason to beat around the bush.

"Don't go there," I hoped she heard what I meant in my vague warning. She shook her head sheepishly.

"Yeah I know, I know it's just - How off limits is 'off limits'?" Even April winced a little at her question. I swallowed. Bad question, bad time and bad line of thinking, Snow White.

"I think if you're asking that kind of question... Then you already know the answer." Thank God you found that mental filter in time, Sarah. Could've lost one of your few friends. I didn't want to hurt her feelings, and in the end it was up to Matt, but I also knew Rebekah wouldn't give up her potential 'beau' as easily as a scared April would.

April sighed, scratching her arms repeatedly, which made me frown. Why is she doing that? It reminded me of a self-conscious tick, like the way I rubbed my palms or tucked loose strands of hair behind my ear. "I know, I know it's bad." For a moment I thought I had spoken aloud. Shit, whoops. But then she continued. "It is so wrong that it is off the scale of bad things friends do." Phew.

"It's just a crush though! It can't be anything more 'cuz he doesn't see me like that. But I guess if he did, then the story might be different. I'd be really conflicted and stuff, and of course, Rebekah would never speak to me again..." Speaking of bad friend things, I tuned her out. It was really bad, and most likely exactly what Mike did to me.

April was a lot more like me than I first thought. Listening to her nervous rambling was strangely soothing of my own, knowing that someone, especially someone like her, was just like me. It was easy to see where I sat in a school's social hierarchy, and then predict my placement on the fringes of the wider society, with my good behaviour but the morally ambiguous actions of my friend and her family. April's place wasn't as clear-cut as mine, with ties to more than one cheerleader and an entire group of 'Populars' she hung out with in school. She could be described as a 'Cool Loner', a free spirit drifting between the higher tiers of school society, never being tied down to one particular group. And that was far higher than my position.

It may seem strange to analyse myself, and my world like this, but it made sense to me to. It made it easier to understand. And then life threw an April-shaped spanner into it, with her perfect complexion but her shyness, that tore down any expectation I had for her. "For now, play it cool." I instructed her, like I had any experience in a situation like this. "If he seems interested, then..." Rebekah would most likely kill her.

"I'll be honest, I don't think I'm the one you should be asking for advice about relationships." April pulled a pained face.

"But I can't talk to Rebekah about Matt! Not that there's anything to talk about, I..." She sighed. "I get that it's awkward for you in the middle - but thanks. You won't tell Rebekah, right?"

"Do I look suicidal?" I replied dryly, and Snow White cracked a smile. Actually, don't answer that, I thought mentally. I might not like your answer, Junior. Though I understood her hesitance to ask Rebekah about the guy they both like, she did have a whole lot more experience in the love department, whereas mine was barely an office.

"Yeah... Not yeah! I mean no to your question but yeah to the advice. So, yeah." She drew out her last word. "I'm gonna head off. See ya later." I nodded, waving her off. Bye April Young. Thank you for being as much of a weirdo as I am.

Mike stopped by the cafe a little later, which was a nice surprise, taking a break from his paint-stripping scotch or burning whiskey to drink black coffee at the Red Bean. The sirens we heard a few minutes later wasn't as nice. I leaned over the counter towards him. "There here to arrest you for the unlawful possession of a firearm," I stage-whispered, motioning to the bulge on his belt. "Or firearms," my eyes travelled down his leg, no visible evidence of the gun but I knew it was there. Mike merely scowled, a warning sign to most, but I pursued it. I don't know why.

"Here I thought you were doing better," I scolded playfully. It had been a while since he had been packing as much heat as he was now. Usually it was just the side, and for the wandering eyes of the authority, his old badge would greet them, and they never looked close enough to see just how out-of-date it was. Flashing lights sprinted across the windows, howling as they went. I wandered over to the windows, craning to see them go, and then to see them stop just around the corner, the reflections of the blue specks still dancing in the glass. What's going on down there? I wondered.

"Something big, evidently." Mike called from behind, and I jumped, not realising I'd spoken. He crept up behind me, peering over the top of my head. It was hard to distinguish the edge that had infiltrated his words, the one I liked to call the 'secret-agent' edge, that he, my Dad and a few of their colleagues had all perfected.

I attempted to shrug it off. "Guess we'll find out about it later, huh?" I asked cheerfully, not liking the way Mike stood, bordering defensive, and his hand had moved to his hip. What is he doing?! Why's he acting like this? I'd never seen him so agitated, usually the textbook definition of a cool, calm, bad-ass. He was the Bruce Willis in R.E.D. Unless something went down in D.C... A traitorous, logical voice whispered. No, no! Don't think like that. I can't think like that, I chanted rationally. Nothing has happened to Dad or his team, Mike would've told me. And they can survive anything, nothing has happened. And until Mike's back un-stiffened, that's what I kept telling myself.

Whatever issue Mike was dealing with without me, it probably had nothing to do with the fault gas main that caused the police blockade. Maybe he's having some kind of delayed PTSD, I thought absentmindedly as I checked the front door was locked. Recently, Sylvia had been giving me more and more responsibilities, and more hours. It was nice, and I was grateful for the sudden increase in my pay, but some days you definitely feel the minutes passing. After all, you were the one who linked it to D.C., not him. I was the one being paranoid, feeding off of his harmless, federal instincts. There was nothing wrong with Dad. Jesus... April's daddy issues are aggravating mine. Wow, that was harsh. Am I really like that?

"Hey, I was hoping to bump into you!" The happy, perky, almost-Caroline-Forbes shout of the very person I was just thinking badly of, nearly made me drop my keys. I yelped, spinning to meet April, and maybe unfortunately, Matt a few feet behind.

"What is it with people sneaking up on me today?! Jeez..." I was a little unusual for me to explode like that, but I had decided today was a bit of an unusual day.

April ignored it, taking it in her stride. "We were gonna go get a coffee at the Grill with Jeremy, do you wanna join us? I feel like I haven't seen you in ages!" I frowned, then rolled my eyes.

"Yeah, nine does feel like a long time ago now." I replied, slightly sarcastically, and it was April's turn to frown.

"This morning?" She asked, as if unsure of herself, and I frowned along with her. Did she leave and go get high? Even Matt looked a little confused, but there was something else there... Fear? It wasn't quite that, but it was close, like the look on your face when your teacher asks for homework you've forgotten to do, but everyone else has done it for a change.

Then I noticed it. The slight glazing in her eyes, a gentle film of mental cloudiness seen nowhere else in her face that was a very clear sign. Compulsion. I sighed internally. Please God, if you're there, don't let the Elena Gilbert gang use April to test the long-term effects of compulsion. I tried jogging her memory. "Yeah, you came to the café, we had a chat then you said you were going to find Matt."

"Find Matt... I did!" Her eyes brightened and she smiled, the haze clearing, hopefully not just temporarily.

"Nice Yoda impression," I snarked and she rolled her eyes, instantly snapping back to usual self, and while my body relaxed in relief, Matt's shoulders seemed to tense.

"I have always been a bit of a rebel," she shot back, and I smiled. Good to have you back, April.

"That, and you're short, green and have hair coming out of your ears," I replied back calmly, pocketing the keys. The Junior's mouth fell open but behind her, the jock snorted.

"Rude," she huffed, keeping her back to the blonde, her cheeks a fiery shade of mauve. It made me feel a little bad. If someone said anything like that to me in front of Elijah, I don't even think that the ground swallowing me whole could save me.

"Sorry," I murmured, making sure she could hear me. She nodded in response, eyeing me.

"You get to buy the first round," she told me and I winced, reminded of just how little was in my bank account right now.

"Your first drink," I compromised, and April shrugged, turning away and walking back to Matt. I trailed behind, watching as the jock ignored me, carefully making sure I didn't look him in the eye. He knew I knew about the compulsion. When did she get compelled anyway? And why? I wondered, not paying attention to where we were walking, only following the two in front of me. Did she walk in on some kind of top-secret Elena Gilbert Gang plan? Or something more sinister like a private moment between the newbie vampire and one of the Salvatore's?

I hadn't noticed we had reached the Town Square until I had started squinting, screwing up my eyes against the bright, harsh blue lights. It felt like it had taken longer than it should've, but then again, most of the streets and alleys had been closed, Matt and April leading me down a twisting, unfamiliar route and I was just an oblivious idiot. Jeremy sat alone on one of the iron benches, twisting something in his hands absentmindedly as he stared into the asphalt. In front of him was the Grill... Or what was left of it. Where's all the windows? I thought stupidly, then looked down at the sidewalk behind the yellow police tape, jagged shards littering the ground, sparking angrily in the police lights. Oh there they are.

April's sole focus was on him. "Hey Jeremy." She called, and the boy looked up. His dark face lightened as he saw us approach, and he bobbed his head in greeting. "Sorry we're so late, we had to take this crazy detour."

"There was a gas leak," Matt explained, something strange edging into his voice, to using on Jeremy, and the other boy nodded along with his words. Well that's not totally suspicious.

His nodding grew in confidence. "Yeah I heard about that," he replied vaguely, as if the damage dead ahead of him had disappeared in the middle of the conversation. He spotted me, and smiled. "Oh, hey Sarah."

I smiled tightly back, pressing my arms closer to my body, jamming my hands deeper into my coat pockets. God it's cold. And awkward. Something had gone down between the three of them while I was at work, only two of them remembered, and one of those two was being all contemplative. In a Gilbert, that seemed to foreshadow disaster.

Whenever April was compelled, she seemed to lose any social manners and morals she may have, along with her ability to translate social cues. "Yeah, and then we had to stop by Tyler Lockwood's house because we had to see Caroline." So that's who compelled you, little April Young. So much for friendship. "We talked to her for a little bit, but now I was thinking we could all go get some coffee." She looked up, and her face dropped. Good grief, April, have you only just noticed?

"But the Grill is closed. How about the Red Bean?" Her face drooped, but she turned to me, eyes hopeful. "But you've already closed up. I'm guessing you -"

"Won't sneak us all back in?" I interrupted her, "No, I quite like my monthly payslips, and I feel that that might make them stop." She looked a little chagrined, and glanced between the two guys.

Jeremy stood up suddenly, startling us all. "You know what, it's okay. I, uh, I need to get home anyway." He apologised, flexing his right hand, staring down hard at it. "I'm feeling a little over it today." Jeremy sounded more sincere, his voice less hollow, and I think everyone could relate. Yeah, everyone has days like that. April seemed a little put-down, and then surreptitiously glanced at me. Why are you... Oh. Without Jeremy, any awkward plans would now be for me, April and Matt. So then without me... Oh April. So much for 'off-limits'.

I sighed, but gave her a small nod. I wasn't too excited for whatever we might now be doing. Going home is a good idea right about now... Sarah tired... I opened my mouth.

"I should probably get home too." Matt interjected, and I shut my mouth. I think we all knew what it meant now. April nodded sadly, not looking at either of the guys, neither looking at her.

"Oh. Alright then." She spun on her heels, glancing at me hopefully, and I twisted around as well. No one should do the walk of shame by themselves after a conversation like that.

"Hey April!" Jeremy called, and we both looked back at the two guys, the brunette straightening out of a crouch. He walked towards us slowly, holding something. "Did you drop this?"

The Junior inspected the bracelet briefly, and shook her head. "Oh, that's not mine."

"You sure?" He pressed, and Matt frowned at him. "Here, let me see your arm." Jeremy demanded, and after a moment's hesitation, April reluctantly raised her arm. He grabbed it gently, and April jumped slightly, but Jeremy seemed to take no notice, clasping the two ends together and releasing her wrist.

She was blushing under the two men's scrutiny. "Uh, thanks, but..."

"I like it." The jock interrupted her, and April's blush slid further down her cheeks, tingeing the back of her neck. "It looks good on you. You should wear it." And like that, fate was decided. Now she's never gonna take it off. Crushes... I say as if I'm any better.

I thought it was a bit gaudy for April's taste, the thick black cord with a single large, round, silver charm, a strange emblem stamped on it. That looks so familiar... I had a feeling it was the entire bracelet, rather than just the mark, but I couldn't place it.

"Okay," Snow White blinked, looking at me sheepishly, and my face probably looked similar. Matt eyed Jeremy meaningfully. Well this is weird. April waved at them, and we both turned, walking away from them.

"Guys," I muttered under my breath. April huffed in agreement. Hard to understand, hard to spend time with, and hard to live with, no matter their age. All the way from fifteen to fifteen-hundred. I murmured goodbye to April a little later when our paths diverged and she waved back at me, her new trinket catching in the light. I stopped. That was Jeremy's. He used to wear one like that, always tucked into his sleeves, not over them like April is. Why would he give it to her? And Matt was definitely insistent on her having it as well. I shook my head, carrying on down the familiar route. This town was getting weirder and weirder by the day.