SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE

When Stefan returned home in the early hours of November 1st, he knew he wouldn't be able to sleep so soon after the emotional night he, and his friends had. Aella had stayed with Matt when the footballer refused to let go of his friend following the confirmation Vicki's body had been found, so Aella, Elena, Caroline, Liz, and Jenna had all gone to the Donovan household hoping to bring some comfort to Matt.

Stefan instantly headed the library, and pulled a specific book from the many bookcases; The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde had always been a favorite, and he hoped it would free him from his brother's actions at least until the sun rose again.

'I have grown to love secrecy.' Stefan read, his eyes unconsciously starting to close, 'It seems to be the one thing that can make modern life mysterious or marvelous to us.' The book fell from Stefan's hand as the last line resonated in his mind, 'The commonest thing is delightful if only one hides it.' until the precious book hit the floor with a 'thud,' and woke Stefan from the beginnings of sleep.

Stefan stood picking up the book and stretching the sleep out of his body, he was about to turn to head to bed when a faint female laugh caught his ear. Turning to where the sound originated he knew it wouldn't be Aella or any of her female friends, so Stefan was confused, and Stefan didn't like being confused. Walking through the room he used his hearing to listen for anything suspicious, and when he heard a slight creak his eyes followed his hearing, to an open window with its curtain wafting in and out of the house. When Stefan closed the window he missed the shadow behind him, and when he turned to head out of the room he felt a difference in the air; someone was watching him.

"Damon?"

It was silly to think this was Damon after his behavior the past few days, but Stefan was fresh out of ideas who this could be.

Walking forward he was attacked from behind and pushed onto his front, with his speed he turned himself around only to be landed on, and a familiar face baring her teeth towards him, "Lexi?"

"Hi," Lexi smiled as she used Stefan's shock to help him up, as he questioned why she was in Mystic Falls, in his house. "How could you even ask that?" Lexi questioned, but Stefan answered her question by pulling her close and hugging her tightly.

She always knew we he needed her.

"I missed you."

Lexi just smiled as they pulled away from each other, "Happy Birthday."

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I took the rest of the night to catch up Lexi on the previous night's action, and the new part of his life Lexi had heard about but was excited to meet.

"So where's your girl?" Lexi prodded him on his stomach as they both lounged on his bed "She sounds awesome."

Stefan had to smile, Aella was undoubtedly that, "She's with Matt, well was with Matt. She text that she was heading home to shower and then head asked me to pick her up when I told her you were here."

"She knows about me?" Lexi gasped, usually, she had to wrangle Stefan into introducing her to people he knew.

"She knows a lot more than she should for the short amount of time we've been together," Stefan admitted to his best friend as he sat up. "But she has an aura around her that I know I can tell her anything, and she'll just take it in her stride. She's amazing."

Lexi smiled up at him, she'd never seen Stefan this way even when he spoke of the good moments between him, Damon, and Katherine, "She sounds it, do you have a picture so I'll know what to expect?"

Stefan didn't hesitate to unlock his phone, and show her the picture of Aella that had Lexi grinning immediately, "She beautiful, Stefan."

Stefan pocketed the phone, the same grin on his face as he nodded at her statement, "Inside and out."

Lexi pushed herself off the bed to where she saw a familiar photo laying as she came in the room, "Well that's better than her," Lexi held up the picture of Katherine.

Stefan walked over to his best friend and took the photo from her, laying it back on the table, Aella had been admiring it again before they placed the barrier over Damon, and he had forgotten to put it away, "Aella's nothing like her, and you didn't even know Katherine."

"'Cause if I did I'd kick her ass," Lexi threatened with a smirk as she walked back to the bed, and laying back down. "Little bitch. Speaking of...where's Damon?"

"Inflicting misery somewhere," Stefan shrugged, he was pretty sure Damon was hiding until his next attempt to ruin his life was created. "You gonna be okay here alone? 'Cause I gotta go pick up Aella."

Lexi groaned, "It's not exactly like I can go anywhere. And you and Damon are the only ones with these nifty little daylight rings." She quickly sat up with a cheeky grin on her face, "I have a mood ring from '75! Trade ya?"

"Doesn't work that way and you know it."

"Yeah," the blonde dramatically fell back onto the bed.

"Hey, Lex?" Stefan caught her attention before he left, "I'm really glad that you came here."

Lexi smiled and waved him off, "Go get your girlfriend, I'm desperate to meet her!"

Stefan nodded and walked away as Lexi walked over to her bag of blood taking a small bag out, and sipping it as she wandered over to Stefan's computer currently playing the news, and when she saw the banner at the bottom of the screen, she now understood what Stefan meant by Damon causing trouble. 'Accidental death of local teenager,' it read and was quick to turn the sound on as the local reporter spoke:

"This is Logan Fell coming to you live from the woods of Mystic Falls with breaking news of a tragic accidental death of one of our very own. The victim has been named as Victoria Donovan, a lifetime resident of Mystic Falls, and a much-loved daughter and sister. Victoria, known to her friends and family as Vicki, was found when a search was conducted by Mystic Falls Police Department and volunteers after Vicky was seen stumbling into the woods looking distraught. It was when looking that Vicki was found. An official cause of death may not be determined for some time since toxicology tests will be required, but authorities are certain that forensic evidence will confirm that this was just a tragic accident." He turned, and the camera zoomed out to include a Liz and Richard stood next to Logan as their names appeared on the bottom of the screen, "I have with me, Sheriff Forbes and Mayor Lockwood; Sheriff how long will it take before an official cause of death can be confirmed?"

Lexi had to admit, this town was good at hiding anything to do with vampires, as the Sheriff stood a little straighter once the question was aimed at her.

"Mystic Falls police have opened an investigation into Murphy's death, but the coroner who retrieved Ms. Donovan's body has said that the death was an accident, but has to follow procedures before he can officially make that statement."

"And Mayor Lockwood," Logan raised his microphone to Richard, "Any words to Vicki Donovan's family, and the people of Mystic Falls?"

"I pass on the condolences of myself, and my family to the family of Victoria Donovan, this town is one big family, when we lose a member we all have to come together."

"-Admiring my work?"

Lexi rolled her eyes as Damon came to annoy her again, she had already threatened him once, why was he bothering her still? Lexi muted the following news report and turned to Damon ready to give him another piece of her mind before Stefan and Aella returned.

MYSTIC FALLS WOODS

"-this town is one big family, when we lose a member, we all have to come together."

Logan turned from Richard and spoke back to the camera, "This is Logan Fell reporting from woods of Mystic Falls on a sad day, back to you in the studio... Cut!"

Mike, his cameraman nodded once Logan was off the air and removed himself from the big pot of tension growing from the three occupants.

Richard was biting at the bit to give Logan and Liz a piece of his mind, and when the cameraman was far enough away he did just that, "This could have been avoided if you hadn't been so stupid, and had gotten the watch!"

Liz was offended by that statement, "We don't know if this could have Richard, anything can happen when vampires are around."

Logan nodded slowly at her statement, "Which is why the town should be made aware of what is happening."

Richard and Liz looked at him as though he grew horns, "Are you kidding me right now?" Richard laughed without any humor, "That is the last thing we're going to do, and any more of that thinking and you can guarantee the only thing you'll be reporting on is cats getting stuck up trees and a rise in video game sales, you hear me?"

"Yes," Logan mumbled and watched Richard storm off.

Liz looked to her fellow council member and patted his shoulder, "Ignore him, he needs you as much as you need him."

"People need to know Liz," Logan whispered as he watched fellow students, members of the community laying flowers at the opening of the woods.

Liz knew he was right, but couldn't tell him that, "We'll speak soon," and with a pat on the shoulder, she left too while Logan wondered if it was all worth it.

MYSTIC GRILL

Tyler stirred his drink as he watched the news repeat the same story for the 5th time in just that one hour, seeing the same pathetic look on his father's face as he tried to portray sadness on the death of Vicki.

God, he hated him.

He had been with Matt all morning while Jenna, Caroline, Elena fussed over Matt until he couldn't take the silence from his best friend anymore and walked out. And now he was here, watching other people go on with their day as if it was any other day.

"Hi Tyler, You wanna throw a party here at the grill tonight?"

Tyler wanted to wrap his hands around the person who asked him, and jumped off his seat to face Stefan's brother, Damon, his body shaking in anger, "Look man, I know your new to town, but today is not the bes-" Damon only smirked as his eyes compelled the angry teen, "Hey man, how are you?"

Damon loved being able to compel, "Much better. You wanna throw a party here at the grill tonight?"

"In celebration of Vicki's life?" Tyler asked without a second to think, and Damon could have hugged him.

Maybe not.

Damon was sure Tyler would be an idiot, and mess this up, but he was the only one alone, close to Stefan, and not on vervain, "Excellent. "I need a lot of people. Big crowd. Invite everyone."

Tyler pulled his phone out and glanced up at Damon between texting, "That's one thing I can always do."

"Perfect," Damon practically sang before leaving the spoilt teen to organize a party.

GILBERT HOUSEHOLD

"Hey beautiful," Stefan greeted Aella as he walked into the Gilbert Household, pulling her into a tight hug that Aella only made tighter.

"Hi," She muffled into his neck as she took in his delicious scent. When she pulled away, she smiled at him softly, "Hi."

Stefan pushed away a stray hair that had fallen from her messy bun when she hugged him, "How are you? How's Matt."

Aella held his hand close to her face before he could retract it, and just closed her eyes taking in a deep breath before looking back to her boyfriend, and letting go, "Matt is devastated, wouldn't anyone?" She moved towards the kitchen and Stefan followed without question.

"And you?" He questioned again, not missing that she hadn't updated him on herself, and looked exhausted. He leaned against the kitchen doorway as she walked over to the counter and faced away from him.

"I'm okay," Aella shrugged her attention on something that Stefan couldn't see. "But forget about me-" she turned before Stefan could object to that, and in her hand was a cupcake with a single lit candle "-let's be happy for a little while." She walked to Stefan who now had an embarrassed smile on his face, "Now I'm not going to go all crazy singing the birthday song from one of the best movies ever created, but you've 'earned it,' and 'dessert is free.' So Happy Birthday... TO YOU! Make a wish."

Stefan stared through the fire of the candle at Aella, as some of that Aella light returned to her eyes, and if it meant celebrating his birthday just for that light to return, then he would. And when he blew out his candle, causing a little giggle to erupt from Aella, he wished that he would be able to listen to that giggle for forever and a day. "Thank you."

Aella waved him off as she returned the cupcake to the counter, and pulled the candle out placing it on the bench. When she reached over to pull some paper towards her to write a note for Jeremy she felt Stefan's arms wrap themselves around her.

"I mean it," Stefan muttered against her neck sending shivers down her entire body. "Thank you."

Aella finished writing Jeremy the note that the cupcake was his if he emptied the dishwasher, then turned in his arms to face her smiley boyfriend and wrapped her arms around his neck without thought. She leaned forward, placing her face an inch from his as she whispered, "Happy Birthday, Dracula."

He took advantage of her close proximity, and he leaned forward to kiss her, drawing her even closer to his robust and warm frame. After a long moment, she pulled away with a giggle, cheeks happily flushed she pulled away.

"I want to meet Lexi," and before her left foot hit the ground heading towards the door, he was already there, wrapping an arm around her waist to accompany her out.

SALVATORE BOARDING HOUSE

As Stefan pulled up outside his house, Aella turned from the window she had been staring out in a comfortable silence since they left her home. Stefan reached to open the door when Aella placed her hands in his stopping him, "I need to tell you something before we go in," she admitted when Stefan rose a brow at her.

Stefan worried, "If it's too soon to meet Lexi after what happened with Vicki I com-"

"-No," Aella chuckled as her hand stopped him from talking, he was so cute when he worried. "Caroline and her mom stopped in at the station on their way home from Matt's, and Damon was there."

Stefan instantly became worried again, any conversation that involved Damon at the moment was the instant reaction to any of their group of friends who knew everything, "What did he want?"

Aella felt slightly sick, and it began to show on her face, "The council now believe that the vampires in town are daywalkers, and they're starting to become extra vigilant."

"And Damon?"

"Liz asked Damon to keep an eye open for anyone that could be considered suspicious..." Aella swallowed hard as she revealed the next part, "or new to town," Stefan's eyes widened at that, "and he seemed very keen to help according to Caroline."

"Lexi," Stefan nodded, now realizing why Aella was so upset.

"Lexi," Aella nodded with him.

Stefan thought over the news before nodding again, and looking back to Aella who held his hand as worry formed on her face, "We keep an eye on Damon, and just play it cool around Lexi. She knows Damon, she can handle Damon."

Aella lightly chuckled, "Well from what you've told me about her, she can handle most things."

The two got out of the car, and as Aella walked round to meet Stefan, who's hand merged with hers without thinking twice, he smirked down at her, "She's never met Aella Bennett before."

Aella giggled as she let go of his hand and wrapped it around his waist as he led them to the house, "You know me so well."

They stepped up to the door when it was flung open, and Lexi stood beside it with hands on hips, "Finally! It took you two forever to leave the car-" her eyes glistened with mischief "-were you two having sex?"

Stefan and Aella's mouths dropped, but for two separate reasons, and before Stefan could tell Lexi off in shock, Aella stepped forward and pulled Lexi into a tight hug, "Oh my god I love you!"

Lexi responded with a squeeze to Aella then pulled away and dragging her into the house, "You didn't blush at the sex question, which means you have had sex, which means you have to spill..."

Stefan remained at the door for a few seconds, mouth still wide open, he knew by now he shouldn't have been surprised by anything Aella, and Lexi did, but he was. He stepped into the house and closed the door as he muttered to himself, "Aella meet my best friend Lexi, Lexi meet my girlfriend, Aella..."