Sarah's POV

"...To repeat, the animal terrorizing Mystic Falls has been caught."

"Scum ball. Scum bucket." Aunt Jenna was muttering, glaring at the TV.

"Who are you talking to?" Elena asked her while I snickered in my breakfast.

"Him!" Jenna pointed at the TV.

"The news guys?" I chimed in. "Isn't his name Fell or something?"

"Also known as Logan 'Scum' Fell." Jenna spat. "Did your mom ever tell you why I moved away from Mystic Falls?"

"Oh, no way." Elena laughed. "You and him?"

I eyed the TV. "He's cute." Kinda.

Jenna shook her head. "He is not cute. There's nothing cute about him." She said before she pointed at the box in Elena's hands. "What are you doing with that?"

"Sarah and I got it from the safe deposit box yesterday." Elena replied. "Mom'd told Mrs. Lockwood she would loan it to the founder's council for their heritage display."

Hearing mention of the council's made my hackles rise... and I knew they needed something specific—and dangerous—from the box, I just couldn't figure out what it was yet.

"Is that grandma Beth's wedding ring?" Jenna pointed at the sapphire ring in my hands.

I nodded. "Originally it was great-great-grandma Mary's wedding ring." I said as Jeremy walked into the living room.

To say my family hoarded antiques was an understatement, they were as proud to be part of the founding families as the other families... maybe even more.

"How much do you think this stuff is worth?" Jer asked, mainly to rile Elena up. "You know like, on eBay?"

"You're not gonna find out." Elena slightly glared as I hit the back of Jer's head, rolling my eyes at them.

"That stuff is mom's and dad's." Jer suddenly said. "You can't just give it away."

"We're not giving anything away." I assured him.

"It's called a loan, Jeremy." Elena replied as I made a face at her to change her tone.

I swear the two of them lived to antagonize each other... it had always been this way.

"Your boyfriend's here." I announced a few seconds before the bell rang.

Elena didn't reply and instead ran towards the front door, eager to get her hands on dear Stefan. It was time for me to get to the Grill anyways so I hurried out the door and into my car.

•••••••

"You're taking Damon to the founder's party? What about us?" Bonnie asked our blonde best friend.

We'd planned to go as a trio—totally spies kinda way.

Caroline shrugged. "Go with Elena."

"She's asking Stefan." I informed them.

"Okay, then go just both of you." Caroline proposed.

"Gladly." Bonnie said. "What about your mom? Is she okay with you bringing Damon?"

"And I'm supposed to care, why?" Yeah... Care's relationship with her mom wasn't the best these days.

"He's the older, sexy, danger guy." Bonnie said as if it was a given.

"Older, sexy, danger guy?" Care mocked. "Is that an official witch tweet?"

Bonnie's face fell. "No more witch jokes, okay? That whole Mr. Tanner prediction thing has me freaked."

"Okay. And Damon's not dangerous." Care announced.

"Oh he is dangerous alright." I chimed in. "And so very hot, phew."

Care eyed me for awhile before she spoke up. "Are we interested in the same guy?"

I sighed. "Never happened before." I said, confirming her suspicions. "Sorry, Care. I... I don't know, there's just something there."

"Well, it's not like I'm with him, you know." Caroline laughed. "But may the best girl win." She winked at me and I knew we were good.

Caroline then told us about Damon's issues with Stefan. "You know, like, major deep-rooted drama."

"Like...?" Bonnie fished.

"I'm not really supposed to say." Care played coy, knowing damn well she would tell us everything.

Us best friends had a rule : 'I won't tell anybody... except my best friends.'

"Caroline Forbes, when have you ever kept a secret in your life?" Bonnie joked.

Care sighed. "Okay. But you can't tell Elena."

"Of course not." Bonnie replied.

Yeah, right. Here comes drama—and I was certain that was what Damon was going for.

•••••••••

"Delicate flower vs Naughty vixen." Bonnie held up two lipsticks in the air.

Elena, Bonnie and I were in my room, getting ready for the founder's party.

"Tough call." Elena replied. "Can we mix them?"

"Definitely not." I mock-gasped, affronted she would make that fashion faux-pas.

Bonnie laughed as she eyed Elena in her pretty flowery dress. "Look at you, getting pretty for your date. You seem happy-ish."

"I am-ish." Elena replied. "Tonight's going to be a good night."

The next few minutes were spent in a comfortable silence as we put finishing touches on our outfits.

My dress was a gorgeous dark blue, centered at my waist and stopped just after my knees. I paired with nude pumps and a beige clutch. My hair was in its usual wild curls down my back, and my face only had the bare makeup on it, with the only accessories being diamond earrings my parents bought for my 15th birthday— I was going for the effortlessly elegant look.

"So, out about it." Elena suddenly said.

"What?"

"Don't let my happiness stop you from telling me whatever it is you wanted to tell me as soon as you walked in the door." Elena eyed the two of us knowingly.

Honestly, I didn't want to repeat what Care had said, knowing it was Damon's way to make trouble for Elena—I liked the guy, but I liked my sister way more.

"What if I tell you in the morning?" Bonnie proposed. "I don't want to ruin the night."

I sat on my bed, knowing Bonnie was going to crack.

"Bonnie, out with it."

Bonnie's face was resigned. "Okay, but it has to go in the vault because Caroline will kill us if it gets back to Damon that she squealed... Apparently Stefan has a very interesting back story."

"Uh-Huh." Elena was getting interested.

"Do you know what happened with his ex-girlfriend, Katherine?"

Ugh. Again, the weird feeling when talking about this Katherine girl.

"I know that they both dated her and that's why they have issues." Elena replied, as I'd told her my conversation with Damon.

"Yeah, they both dated her. Only she chose Damon." Bonnie said.

"Allegedly." I chimed in. I might like the guy but I didn't trust anything that came out his mouth.

"Yes, allegedly. And that drove Stefan mad, so he did horrible things to try and break them up. He manipulated the girl. He filled her head with all these lies until it finally worked, and she turned against Damon."

Elena was skeptical—and rightfully so. "That sounds like one person's side of the story, meaning Damon's."

Bonnie shrugged. "I just wanted you to know."

"Anyway, his past relationships are none of my business."

"Truth." I added in. Everyone was entitled to their past—good or bad.

Bonnie was still dubious. "Unless he's a calculating, manipulative liar. That is your business."

Elena snorted. "Stefan is none of those things."

Bonnie raised a brow. "Yeah? How would you know?" She asked, effectively shutting Elena up.

Oh, boy.

~

As we finished getting ready, Elena's phone rang.

"Hello. Hi, Mrs. Lockwood. What do you mean? Is it? Are you sure? 'Cause I saw it. Let me check. Mm-hmm. I will find it and bring it. Okay, bye."

"What was that about?" I asked after she hung up.

"I can't believe this." She snapped.

"What?"

"Jeremy stole a watch from the box and now Tyler's mom absolutely needs it." She replied.

Huh.

"He didn't steal it." I informed her.

"Like hell." She spat. "I'm gonna talk to him."

I caught her arm as she was going out. "Let it go."

"No."

"Elena." I snapped. "The watch was dad's. And he said it went to the first born son, so..."

"... He was going to give it to Jer." Elena whispered.

"Yeah."

She sighed. "I'll let it go."

"Yeah."

The watch staying in Jer's hands was my plan—at least, now I knew what the council was looking for.

•••••••

Bonnie and I walked up the stairs to the Lockwood's arm in arm, laughing at her near fall from my car.

"Mrs. Lockwood, Mayor Lockwood." I greeted the couple as we arrived at the front door.

"Sarah, honey, how many times will I tell you to call me Carol?" Mrs. Lockwood lightly admonished. "Come on in, girls."

"Thanks, Mrs—uh... Carol."

Getting further into the room, B and I bursted into giggles.

"She's still waiting for you and Tyler to get back together, get married and be the next Mr and Mrs. Lockwood?" Bonnie asked, still giggling.

I shook my head. "Yeah, no way. I mean, I love Ty, and the sex was amazing but we're way better off as friends."

Tyler and I had dated for two years and it was so casual we didn't even mention it that much. The only people who cared were Vicki, because she 'dated' him after me, and his mother—and mine—who wanted us to end up together and make more founding families' babies.

"I spot some liquor." I grabbed Bonnie's hand. "Let's go!"

"You're an alcoholic, S." Bonnie sighed, hurrying after me.

"And I'll take that as a compliment." I winked at her, and busyied myself at the bar, making sure the adults didn't catch us.

I was kinda into my liquor, my bourbon's, and I was proud of my fantastic tastes, thank you very much.

••••••••

I alone—in a remote room at the Lockwood's— looking at mom and dad's wedding rings when I felt Stefan and Elena come up behind me.

"Your parents?" Stefan asked as they stopped beside me.

I nodded, taking a sip of my stolen bourbon. "There's a lot of history here."

Elena walked forward as she began to read the founder's party first ever registry.

"The founding families welcome you to the inaugural founder's Council celebration. Wow, look, it's the original guest registry."

I stepped closer to take a look. "Look at all those familiar names—Sheriff Williams Forbes, Mayor Benjamin Lockwood... Nothing changes much, huh."

"Is that Damon Salvatore? And, Stefan Salvatore?" Elena pointed at the names.

Well, oops.

"The Original Salvatore brothers." A voice said behind us, turning out to be Damon along with Caroline. "Our ancestors. Tragic story, actually."

"We don't need to bore them with stories of the past." Stefan stiffly said.

I didn't get why he didn't want Elena to know about him—she'd freak out for a bit but then it'd be all good, a great couple without all the lies.

"It's not boring Stefan. I'd love to hear more about your family." Elena told her beau.

Caroline sighed. "Well, I'm bored. I want to dance. And Damon won't dance with me."

"Mm-mmh." He didn't even look contrite.

"Could I borrow your date?" Care asked Elena with pleading eyes.

After a lot of "uh's" and "oh's", Stefan was dragged to dance by a cheery Caroline, leaving Damon behind with Elena and I.

Glancing between them, I could tell they had issues—already—so I made myself scarce. "You know what, I feel like dancing too. See you guys later."

•••••••••

I had lied.

I didn't go dancing or to find Bonnie like I thought I wanted to. Instead, I was hiding in the huge Lockwood's garden, sorting my messy feelings out and playing with a flick of fire.

I did that sometimes—play with magic, it centered me, made me extra connected with my surroundings... something even my being a vampire didn't do so well.

So it was in that little safe haven of mine where I heard slight shuffling, with a distraught Caroline walking across the yard.

"Care...? Caroline!" I rushed after her to see her crying. "Care, what's wrong?"

"Damon..." She sobbed.

"What happened? I was gone for like half an hour."

Seeing her really confused and teary, I opened my arms. "Hey, Care, come here. Everything's gonna be okay."

Her arms spasmed at my waist. "Promise."

"Promise." I whispered into her hair.

••••••••

3rd POV

~A few hours later, late into the night, Lockwood Mansion~

"Thank you for staying so late." The mayor, Mr. Lockwood adressed the small group that had stayed behind.

"Did you get the Gilbert watch?" Sheriff Forbes asked his wife.

"She claims it's packed away in her parents' things." Mrs. Lockwood replied.

"I can get it." Logan Fell, walking out of the shadows said.

"Good. We're going to need it." The Sheriff informed.

"Are you sure?" Mayor Lockwood inquired.

"Five bodies all drained of blood? I'm certain." Sheriff Forbes was absolute.

"They've come back."

~

In a specific room in the Gilbert Residence, a green eyed twin gasped awake, her eyes flashing a bright blue—she'd just seen the reunion of the council.

"Fuck!" Her whisper was carried outside the window— directly into the ears of a certain blue eyed vampire who'd been watching over her.