UPDATED FROM JULY 2020

MYSTIC GRILL

Caroline entered the Grill at five minutes after five. She looked around for her best friend, who was always on time for a get-together, a trait Aella's parents had instilled in her since she was young.

Walking past the pool tables, she didn't realize she had a frown on her face until a familiar voice questioned her, "Hey Caroline, are you okay?"

Caroline spun round to meet the face of the male voice, a smile replacing her frown as she stared into the blue eyes of Matt Donovan. "Hey, Matt. Um... have you seen Aella?"

"Nope," he shrugged with a small smile, now he realized she wasn't distressed, just confused. "If you want to kill some time, um, you can rack?"

"Rack?" Caroline frowned, unsure of what he just asked, desperate to not look down at her own 'rack.'

Matt only chuckled, somehow working out what was going through Caroline's mind at her wide eyes. "I mean play some pool," he gestured behind him, and he could see Caroline physically relax. "Come on. You're the only one of our group I haven't faced before; I'll let you break."

And Caroline only smiled, taking the offered pool cue.

JENNA'S CAR

"I'm so sorry we're running late," Jenna sighed as she tried to calm herself down before her date.

Was this a good idea?

"It's no problem," Aella waved her off, distracted by the beautiful green trees they passed to reach The Grill.

Jenna looked over at her, confused, "What? Miss, I-Hate-Being-Late-To- Everything, is not bothered?"

"Oh," Aella sat up, eyes wide, and laughed not so subtly at her error. "I meant that... Caroline um... she said she was going to be a little late... so it's um... no problem." Aella sarcastically applauded herself mentally at the massive lie she had horribly come up with.

"Ha!" Jenna snorted, staring at Aella for a moment before focusing back on the road. "Not happening, Aella Bennett, spill... now."

Aella stared at the side of her guardian's face before she sighed in annoyance. "Fine, I may be slightly... most probably... but definitely not presumably... setting up Caroline and Matt." She squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for her adoptive aunt to yell. Instead, she heard what could only possibly be described as a cat dying, as her Aunt squealed excitedly at the thought.

"Caroline and Matt!" Quickly facing the strawberry blonde, Aella watched her Aunt nod desperately at the thought, "Yes! That would so work?"

"Really?" Aella questioned unsurely, her smile growing at someone finally seeing what she saw.

"Yes," Jenna nodded in agreement with the coupling. "Now tell me all the gossip, before I turn this car around and leave Logan from all my nerves."

MYSTIC GRILL

"...And there she was, all nonchalant, sat with my dad and Steven. Like it's no big deal that, not only was she in my dad's kitchen hours away from here, but she had also beat me there!" Caroline laughed as she hit the ball into the corner pocket, doing a little dance in celebration. "All because I left my cell at home, and we couldn't miss our nightly chats. Aella said it was for my safety, but..."

"Yeah..." Matt smirked at the story and at Caroline's victory dance. "I'm not gonna lie. Aella freaks me out how perceptive she can be, it's so weird sometimes."

Caroline knew that exact feeling, and now she knew why. She wondered how the hell she never picked it up in the past. Nodding in agreement, she looked down at her phone. "Yeah, she's pretty perceptive sometimes." Except now. Caroline noticed the lack of texts or calls from her best friend and wondered, where was that perception now?

"How late is she?" Matt frowned, concerned Aella was late at all. This was nothing like his Aella, especially with Caroline.

Caroline groaned, "Nearly half an hour, but I'm 95% nothing's wrong, though. She was helping Jenna for her date, and I know what Jenna can be like." She pocketed the cell phone and looked over the table at Matt as he missed his shot, "Which makes me wonder, why were you here all alone?"

Matt looked at his watch, "I was supposed to meet Tyler at five too, but he's always late, so I'm not too worried."

..............................................

..............................................

"Okay!" Jenna chuckled as she and Aella made it to the doors of the Grill. "We made it, and I'm only ten minutes late for my date."

Aella snickered at Jenna, "Shows him that you're not desperate but may be still interested."

Jenna chortled and went to put her keys away when she realized she had forgotten her purse, "Crap! My purse, I will not be one of those women who demand a man pays for their dinner. I'm going back to the car, I'll see you there."

"You got it, dude," Aella smirked, thumbs up as Jenna jogged away, walking into the Grill, ignoring her Aunt's calls that she was going to tell Caroline she said that. Also adding as Aella opened the bar's door, that the teen had better tell her all the gossip of Matt and Caroline later.

Walking in, she immediately looked out for her blonde best friend, smiling widely and doing a little dance when she realized that Caroline and Matt were together. And they were not only playing pool together but also laughing together.

Mission was a success.

Aella's eyes subconsciously scanned the local hang out as she headed towards the two, but paused when she saw Logan, not waiting alone for her aunt, but with Sheriff Forbes. Two members of the recently discovered Town Council. Quickly moving over to the spare booth behind the one Liz sat in, Aella spun her fingers around and sat back as she listened clearly to the whispered conversation.

"-over the entire west side of the lake. All the caverns by the falls were clean, no signs of habitat," the Sheriff was telling Logan.

"Then they're staying in town," Aella gulped, she knew exactly who the 'they're' they were talking about.

"We canvassed all abandoned buildings and warehouses."

We? Aella wondered to herself. Was the entire police department in on this?

"There has to be a private residence," Logan necessitated. Liz was quick to agree unhappily with the thought, "And that much harder to locate, if not impossible. These creatures are smart. They know how to go undetected."

"Well, someone who only comes out at night should eventually become obvious."

Aella could almost see him shrugging all knowingly. So they didn't know much about modern vampires, Aella thought to herself. More based on the information from the first Town Council by the sound of it.

"What about the watch?" The Sheriff asked, and Aella's eyes went wide at the words.

"I'm working on it."

Like hell, he was.

"I knew the Gilberts. That watch is passed down to the men in the family."

Aella saw Jenna's hair enter the Grill and quickly made her way over to Caroline and Matt as she heard Liz's final words, "I'd start with Jeremy."

Over her dead body.

"-I'm just glad I had someone to talk to."

"-Talk to who?" Aella jumped into Caroline and Matt's conversation. "I'm so sorry that I'm late; Jenna was talking forever choosing what to wear and then took my cell away when I was ignoring her."

Caroline was quick to turn on her best friend, "And why couldn't you text me in the car?"

Holding her hands up, Aella leaned against the pool table, "She literally gave it to me back outside," she motioned to Jenna, who was now sat with Logan. "-go ask her."

She knew Caroline wouldn't, plus Jenna would back her up if she wanted the gossip tonight, so Aella wasn't worried.

"Fine," Caroline agreed through gritted teeth. "Now, we just have to wait for Tyler."

"Oh," Aella stared at Caroline wide-eyed; thankfully, her best friend was too focused on Matt to notice the glint in Aella's eyes. "Is Tyler late?"

"Yeah," Matt smiled politely, waving the two away. "Don't worry about me."

Caroline shook her head firmly, "No, you let me wait with you. Now we're waiting with you. No argument."

Matt had to look away to hide the smile forming on his face, but Aella saw the curve of his lips as he turned, doing a happy dance in her head. When her eyes wandered over to Jenna and Logan, she saw the well-known form of Tyler making his way through the crowd, slightly out of breath. "Oh, look, it's Tyler."

Matt and Caroline were quick to stare at the football player; Matt swiftly questioned his friend, "Where have you been, man?"

"Sorry, dude," Tyler shrugged, leaning next to Aella on the pool table. "Elena wanted to speak to me and wouldn't shut up."

"Really?" Caroline raised a brow at her friend's unusual behavior, once again missing the sly smile Aella had on her face as she looked away from the trio.

FLASHBACK EARLIER THAT DAY

"Elena," Aella pulled her best friend aside when they finished English, the only class that just the two have them had together. "I need a favor?"

Elena raised a brow and rested on one of the desks, "I'm listening."

"How do you feel about running interference with our very own, Tyler Lockwood today?" Aella smiled, bouncing in her place.

Elena knew that that particular smile on Aella's face was never good and grew slightly concerned, "What have you done?"

"Nothing," Aella was quick to assure her, raising her hands innocently. "But, it may help two of our favorite people realize something."

"Who?"

"Caroline and Matt."

Elena was quick to stand up, shaking her head negatively, "No way." Yet, her steps halted as she thought it over and turned slowly towards her grinning friend with a matching grin. "Actually, yes."

Aella clapped happily.

And Elena was in on the plan.

NOW

Matt was confused, "So she didn't actually need you for anything?"

"No," Tyler laughed, totally confused too.

But Caroline wasn't confused once she saw the smirk on Aella's face. The brunette quickly removed the grin with a wink at her best friend, but Caroline knew something smelt witchy.

"Well, now we have everyone here, we better get onto planning the Carwash tomorrow," Caroline smiled tightly and pulled Aella over to one of the free tables. She thanked Matt over her shoulder, missing his sad smile at her departure. "Did you have something to do with Elena and Tyler?" Caroline demanded, forcing Aella into the opposite chair.

"Who, Moi?" Aella innocently answered, picking up the menu off the table as she scanned the laminated card. She looked over it to her best friend, eyes glistening as a smirk pushed through the innocent facade, "Maybe."

But instead of yelling at her or hitting her, Caroline squealed, throwing the menu aside and taking hold of her best friend's hands. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

Aella was quick to shush her as Matt and Tyler glanced at them following the blondes squeal, "Shush. Or all of Mystic Falls will know too."

Caroline zipped her lips, but her smile quickly overtook her closed lips and instead kissed their joined hands, laughing with Aella. When she let go, she picked up the folder she had placed on the table and took a deep breath, "Now, even though I'm thrilled, we're so behind on the planning tomorrow."

Aella nodded and looked at the opened folder, "So who's in, and whom do I have to threaten."

GILBERT HOUSEHOLD

Jeremy was laid on his bed, turning the antique pocket watch in his hands as he thought at what he saw Bonnie do at the party when a knock echoed through his room. "Yeah?" He answered, waiting for whoever to open the door. He wasn't expecting the girl, until recently, he thought he loved to stick her head around the door.

"I come in peace," Vicki smiled half-heartedly, holding up a peace sign with her fingers.

Sitting up, Jeremy was quick to place the pocket watch on his side table and stand up, "What are you doing here, Vick?"

Vicki shrugged, stepping into the room and closing the door, leaning against it. "I looked for you at school today. I thought over what you said to me."

Jeremy scoffed, "Well, obviously, you didn't listen, or you wouldn't be here."

"Jer.. please," Vicki whispered. But Jeremy had had enough and walked over to the door opening it up. "You made it clear how you felt for me when you said yes to Tyler's invite to the Founders Party."

Vicki stepped forward to him, but he turned his head and pulled the door open slightly more. Vicki tearfully nodded and walked out the room, wincing as Jeremy shut the door promptly.

"Congratulations, Vicki," she sighed, walking to the stairs. "You really messed this up."

"Vicki."

Ignoring the slight irritant in her ear, she started walking down the stairs.

"Vicki."

Turning at her name, Vicki looked to Jeremy's door happily. However, that feeling was quickly deflated as she noticed his door was still firmly shut and continued down the stairs.

When she opened the front door, she jumped back in shock at the black crow sitting on the porch railing. "Shoo, shoo," she waved the bird away and made her way home.

SEXY SUDS CAR WASH

The car wash was in full swing. Caroline and all the 'volunteers' had really outdone themselves. Cars had been pulling in every couple of minutes, and they had already passed their goal only hours into the charity event. While Coach Tanner hadn't been everyone's cup of tea, no one should die like he had, and this was the way they could all pay their respect to the man and his family.

Caroline, who was operating the pay station, was quick to hand out duties once her group of friends had arrived. Jeremy, Bonnie, and Matt working together in one group. Stefan, Aella, Elena, and Tyler in the other.

Aella was quick to strip down to her bikini and shorts. Like with many things, she cared zero about other people's opinions of her body in the slightest. So what if she had some love handles and a few stretch marks around her hips? That was what she had to endure by becoming a woman, and dammit, she was proud of them!

Elena wasn't as confident as Aella, even if, in Aella's opinion, she had a bangin' body, so still had her top on.

As Tyler cleaned the front of the car, while Elena focused on one side, Aella and Stefan had moved to the back. Stefan kept his eye on Aella as she danced around the car with her soapy sponge; Caroline had placed the responsibility of keeping Aella, somewhat tame, on him.

"So how's Hannibal Lecter doing?" Aella asked as she spun over to Stefan as the latest song ended, keeping her voice low, knowing Stefan could hear her.

Stefan shrugged while he cleaned, "He should be harmless by tomorrow night."

Aella watched him for a few moments, "You know, I never asked how you felt about this? After all, he is your brother."

Stefan thought over her words; a small part of him wanted to tell her that he hated doing this to his brother. Yet, the moral side within him was telling him this had to be done - no more would be hurt. The Stefan before Aella would have just smiled and said it was 'okay,' instead, he sighed sadly at his girlfriend and told her the truth, "It hurts to have to do this to my brother, but it needed... needs to be done."

Aella smiled in appreciation at his honesty, and with her own sad smile, just nodded. Looking down at her bucket, she saw the green hose and decided that Stefan needed to be distracted, so she picked up the green hose.

"Hey, Stefan?"

Stefan looked up, "hmm?"

Only to be squirted in the face with ice-cold water.

Stefan laughed softly in shock, as he wiped his eyes water-free, to reveal his girlfriend holding the hose in her two hands, smiling wide, "Did you really just...?"

"Oh," Aella looked down at the hose in mock shock. "Did I just surprise an actual predator with boring old water?" Her fake shock quickly changed into a cocky grin.

Stefan dipped his sponge in the soapy water. He pointed at Aella as she slowly started stepping back, seeing the challenge in her eyes, vamp speed or not, Stefan was still pretty fast. "You're going down, Pixie."

Aella only stuck her tongue out at him before spinning on the spot and running away as she shouted over her shoulder, "Bring it on, Edward!"

Stefan chased Aella around the car, letting her gain some distance, while the group watched them having their own fun. He caught her between their two groups of friends, and he squeezed the sponge over Aella's head, drenching the brunette as she squealed and their friends, even Tyler, laughed at the moment.

"Okay, okay-" Aella held her hands up as she giggled "-I surrender."

Stefan laughed with her as he gently wiped the suds and water from her face. Aella still giggling when she rose to her toes and lovingly kissed Stefan on the lips.

"-Enough with the free peep show people, we have cars to wash!" Caroline shouted out when she noticed the lack of car washing.

Marching over to the couple, she frowned between the two, noticing the culprits who now held up the cleaning line. "I should have known it would be something to do with you two."

Stefan and Aella glanced at each, desperately trying not to let their smiles breakthrough as they both mumbled to the blonde, "Sorry, Caroline."

Caroline's head rose a little at the power and turned to head back to her pay station when she saw Elena, still in her maroon shirt. "Um, Elena? What the hell are you doing?"

Elena turned to Caroline, sponge in hand, confused by the blonde's words, "Cleaning this car?"

Caroline shook her head in disgust, "No? I mean the hell are you wearing? The event is called sexy suds, you know." And with that, the blonde walked off, eyebrow raised.

"Did we just get scolded?" Stefan snorted, looking between himself, Aella, and Elena.

"And judged," Elena nodded, not surprised at her friend's action at all. "Yeah."

"Wow."

"Are you kidding me?" Aella laughed at the two of them, walking over to Elena, "That was Caroline channeling Rosalie Cullen rather than the Volturi. Wait until it's prom or a huge party..." She took hold of Elena's shirt and tugged it up, "Lift 'em up."

Knowing precisely what Aella was like, Elena didn't even question her best friend undressing her and instead rolled her eyes and lifted her arms. Unfortunately, the action caused Elena to get stuck in the shirt as she bent her arms a little too early, Aella snorts of laughter, not doing anything to help her get untangled. "Aella, help me!"

Stefan watched the girls laugh as Tyler stood next to him, watching the two girls for an entirely different reason, smirking smarmily, "Now, that's what I expected when I sighed up to this stupid thing."

As he continued eyeing the two girls up, without hesitation, he missed Bonnie stepping towards the two at her cousins and best friend's laughter. Nor did he see the tightening of Stefan's grip on his sponge at the look in Tyler's eyes as he tapped Stefan on the back, "You're a lucky son of a bitch, Salvatore."

Bonnie grimaced at his words, "You're sick, Tyler," throwing the dry cloth at Tyler when he turned in shock at her voice. She had not missed the fact that Stefan hadn't moved, and his hand was white from the tension he had on the sponge. "Why don't you actually go and work for once in your life."

Tyler just shrugged and left the two as Bonnie stood next to Stefan, "He's just a jealous ass." Stefan only smiled tightly back at her, so Bonnie tapped him on the shoulder just as Tyler had done and smirked, "But he is right, you know..." She looked to Aella and a freed Elena when Stefan turned to her, and she smirked up at him. I know and can sa my best friends are hot... "You are one lucky SOB."

Stefan showed his gratitude by laughing at her words, knowing they came from love, while Tyler's had been anything but.

"What are you two laughing at?" Aella smirked, walking over the two.

Stefan smiled at his girlfriend's cousin, "Bonnie was just telling me a joke."

Aella's eyes went wide at the words and jumped up and down in the spot, "Oh. Can I go next? I have a joke. Pleeaasseeeeeeee."

Bonnie raised her brow at her cousin, "Does it mention anything about cheerleaders or awkward sexual positions?"

"Ummm?" Aella thought out loud as she went through the joke in her head before smiling and announcing with a fierce shake of her head, "Nope."

"Oh, c'mon Bonnie," Jeremy smiled over from his car and wiggled his brows at the girl who had been on his mind since the Founder's Party. "You know Aella only gets excited at the funniest ones."

"That's true," Aella was quick to agree, pointing at her surrogate brother.

Bonnie groaned out loud and waved her hands at her cousin, "Fine, go ahead."

Aella practically cackled out loud and waited for an eager Matt, Tyler, and Jeremy to come closer before she started talking with her' story' voice. "A penguin is driving along the highway when suddenly his engine starts running rough. He sees smoke in his rearview mirror. He pulls off the highway, finds the nearest service station, and pulls up to the garage with the car shaking and sputtering. He tells the mechanic what happened, and the mechanic says, "Okay, give me ten minutes to check it out."

Bonnie and Stefan suspiciously listened on, not liking the mischief growing in Aella's eyes, "Meanwhile, the penguin sees an ice cream shop across the street. Thinking this is a perfect time for a tasty treat, he heads over and gets himself an ice cream cone. After he finishes, he walks back over to the garage and asks the mechanic, "So, did you find out what's wrong?"

Aella rubbed her hands together as a chuckle escaped her lips; she loved this joke, "The mechanic glances at the penguin and says, "It looks like you blew a seal. The penguin quickly wipes his face and says, "Oh, no, that's just the ice cream."

Aella and the boys burst out laughing while Elena shouted at her, Stefan just shook his head in humor. Meanwhile, Bonnie stomped off with disgust on her face as she muttered to herself, questioning how she was related to Aella.