Surprising Lover (TVDxOC) (Complete)

Today Will Be Different

(the twins, Lilith and Ruby, are living with Grace/ Paul because Charlie and co are looking for a way to bring back people from the blip.)

Grace is in her car at the Salvatore Boarding House writing to Elena in her Dairy. She gets out of the car, moving another box into the house, leaving it at the door way. Grace continues to take out more boxes from the car. She calls Paul.
"Dear Elena. Hope this isn't too messy, because I'm doing the mom thing of grabbing any spare moment to write, even in my parked car. It's my turn to be the bearer of not entirely bad tidings, because finally there's some good news too. Bonnie heard from Enzo... sort of. He left something for her to find. It wasn't exactly a love note, but it looks like he's on our side. And elsewhere, in actual romance... The Salvatore House is about to become my official residence. I absolutely love it. The water pressure needs some work, but Stefan seems to be very focused on home improvements. Either that or he just needs a way to get out his frustration about losing Damon's trail again. On a brighter note, there have been zero unwanted houseguests since last week's craziness. Lilith and Ruby are blissfully unaware that they were ever in any danger. I wish Paul and I could say the same. He was just as freaked out as I was, but he's distracting himself by researching our new enemy. Whatever real-life, supernatural thing is controlling our friends, Paul will find a way to fight it."

Grace is still pulling boxes from the car.
"Hey."
"Hey. Just checking in. I hope I didn't wake the girls this morning when I took the boxes out of the garage. Will you just please remind them that I'm spending the whole weekend with them?"
"Oh, they know that. And they're fine. They're upstairs watching cartoons after eating big bowls of sugar. They have excellent lives."
"You're right. Okay. You're right."
"(jokingly) What, no comment about eating sugary cereal?"
"Seline almost died protecting our kids, so I'm okay with her choosing their cereal."
Paul hangs up.

Stefan is working on a home improvement project while speaking with Grace over the phone. Bonnie and Grace are at the news station, looking at a map with red markers.
"So what does your boss think of your daily hobby of tracking crime reports?"
"I told her it's like a really dark version of Pinterest. Did you see the cranberry muffins in the breakroom? I got them at the girls' bake sale."
"I'm not hungry, thanks."
"Well, Bonnie, you need to eat something."
"(focused and busy on her current task) I will... later. Right now, we need to be looking for crimes farther away from Tennessee. They might have been traveling these past few days."
"Okay. I'll widen the search radius. Especially now that we know Enzo's leaving clues."
Grace goes back to working on the computer, doing what Bonnie asked.
"Then why hasn't he left anymore?"
"Well, Enzo's playing double agent, so I'm guessing he needs to pick his moments."
"There. North Carolina. Two murders in two different towns just this morning."
"Yeah, and both women died of neck wounds."
"Was there anything strange found at the crime scene?"
"All the information they have so far are the victims' names. There's Sarah Nelson McGowan."
"What?"
"(confused) And the second victim is Sarah Jane Nelson."
"I'm guessing Enzo picked his moment."
"(still confused) What makes you say that?"
"Because there's another Sarah Nelson living in North Carolina. Her real name is Sarah Salvatore. She's my last living relative. Unless DAMON gets to her first."

Stefan, Grace and Bonnie are driving along, heading towards Duke University. Stefan is recounting his relationship to Sarah.
"Sarah's mother was Zach Salvatore's girlfriend in 1994."
"Hang on. I think know this story. Damon killed a pregnant lady. Worst thing he's ever done."
"Debatable."
"But it does make the short list. The baby survived. She grew up as Sarah Nelson."
"Stefan made sure she got adopted by a loving family. And gave her a trust fund, kept her safe."
"(confused) So why would Damon target Sarah?"
"He wouldn't. He doesn't even know that she exists."
"But she and Enzo had a... frenemy thing for a while."
"So you think it was Enzo's idea."
"Look, I'm not trying to get in his head, I just... I'm trying to save Sarah, that's all."
Grace takes his hand, trying to comfort him.
"Let me know when we get close to Raleigh."