Moons, Magic, and Monsters

Chapter 1

Morgan ended up staying in Mystic Falls almost one year. She spoke to her father every single day and went to visit him on Christmas. That was when he told her that his other daughter Bella was moving in with them that semester. Morgan helped him choose her bedroom furniture. She went back to Mystic Falls and had a great time with Bonnie but then the ancients, the Mikaelsons returned and she remembered what Grams said. So she said goodbye to Bonnie and packed her things. She worked her way to Forks not quickly. She explored and went in a bit of a zig zag. Wanting to see the country and also she would run into other witches. She made it home one week before her birthday. Charlie picked her up from the bus stop. "Daddy!:" she shouted. It had been too long since she'd seen him. HE picked her up and swung her around.

"You grew, little bear!" he said then put her down and hugged her again, "I missed you."

"I missed you too, Papa bear. I'm happy to be home. You look kind of thin," she said as she stepped back, "Too many nights at Cora's or you're just skipping meals."

"It's been a long year without you."

"Oh yeah, it must be great having Isabella here," she said as Charlie put her things in the trunk.

"Apparently it's just Bella now. Or not really anybody recently. It was okay at first."

"What's going on?"

"It's hard to explain. You'll see." He said and opened the car door for her.

They pulled up to their house and Morgan calmed just seeing the porch. Charlie took in her stuff while she just took in the trees. When she got inside, her father was just coming from putting her things in their renovated attic. Which he renovated to give her privacy in her thirteenth year. Morgan went upstairs to see Bella. She was quite thin and very pale. She also was sitting in a chair, staring out the window. "Hi, Isabella. I mean Bella. Dad told me that's what you prefer to go by. I'm really happy to meet you. I'm Morgan. Swan," she said with an awkward pause. Bella didn't even move, "I mean you know that. So do you normally not look at people or even reply?"More silence. "Well it was nice meeting you, I guess."

Morgan went downstairs where her father was in the kitchen grabbing a beer. It was too early so she grabbed it from him and put it back in the fridge. "House rules, no drinking before six. What's up with her? Has she always been like that?"

"No. A couple weeks ago her boyfriend broke up with her." he said as he sat down at the kitchen table. Morgan sat in the seat next to him.

"So? Eat a roll of cookie dough and a tub of chocolate frosting and get over it."

"And you know this how? You've never had a boyfriend, right?" he asked, just double checking. They were pretty open with each other.,

"Uh Dad, boys eww. Cooties," she said in a normal tone of voice where normal people would use sarcasm. Her father knew she meant it sarcastically though.

"Hah hah. So how do you know?"

"All the books I've read and movies I've seen. Plus I'm really smart. I'm a senior this year." Plus when she was younger she had a crush on the biggest player on the reservation.

"So we should go to the grocery store?" he asked her.

"I mean we should go anyway. There are no vegetables in the fridge or freezer. But no, I don't know if that will work for Bella. She seems like the dramatic type."

"It gets worse at night. She's been having nightmares."

"Oh dad, first me and now her. Are you getting any sleep? You have a whole town to protect."

"Don't worry about me. Now you gonna tell me what you spent a year finding out?"

"A lot of things. It was so dangerous, Dad. And I didn't want to tell you when I was there because I knew you'd want me home. But I did get out before it got worse. Like I told you, my mother wasn't there but I met my older sister. Her name is Bonnie. I had a grandmother but she died shortly before I arrived. I know why weird things happen. You won't believe what's out there, Dad. Monsters. Real monsters." She was scared and her father could tell.

"What do you mean?"

"Vampires. Werewolves. And me. I'm a witch. Just like my mother and her mother." Charlie sat back in his seat.

"Like brooms and spells?"

"And Salem too. There's this book and its part spellbook, part personal journal." Charlie smiled.

"Which means it was a history book and you were obsessed." Morgan grinned at her father.

"Only a lot."

"I'd have a hard time believing all of this if I hadn't seen what I did. I guess it does explain it. I...while you were gone, there were animal attacks."

"Right. You said a bear killed Uncle Wayland."

"But we found a human footprint at one of the scenes." She gasped and tears silently came down.

"Dad, it's got to be vampires. There's a type called Rippers. They tear bodies apart."

"What do they look like?"

"Normal, I guess. But they're alluring and attractive. Their skin is ice cold. And they'll try but they just never seem to fit in."

"How do I protect people from them?"

"That I don't know, Dad. I'm sorry."

Morgan looked through the pantry and fridge and decided there was nothing to cook so she asked her father to take her to the store. When they arrived there she decided to get food for her godfather too. If her Dad was eating badly, Uncle Billy would be eating horribly. She bought the ingredients to make three lasagnas. They would take one home, eat another at the Blacks and let them have one too. Morgan had done the same thing a hundred times. They arrived at the Black House and Morgan used her spare key to walk in.

"Uncle Billy!" She called out as her Dad helped her bring the other groceries in. She was going to meal prep for Billy and Jake as well. Her Uncle rolled in.

"Is that little Morgan?" he asked. She walked over and leaned down to kiss his cheek.

"No so little anymore, Uncle B. I brought you some groceries. And I'm making lasagne."

"We have food," he said but it was lackluster.

"Guy food. Just like Dad. It's a wonder if you don't get scurvy or something," she said and he laughed at her. Charlie came in and they watched the football game as Morgan cooked. Every time they shouted she'd rush in and she'd watch the replays. "Where's Jakey?" she asked at half time.

"Out with Embry and Quil. They'll be back soon."

"Good thing I made all three. You might not have leftovers."

Jake returned as she was putting the garlic bread in the oven. "Marshmallow is that you?" he asked as he came into the kitchen. She rolled her eyes as she turned around.

"I hate that nickname. I had three chubby years and I'll hear about it for life." Jake pulled her into a hug. They were still similar in height. "Have you grown?"

"Have you?"

"Touche. So where's Embry and Quil?"

"They both had to go home. And I was working on my car." They went out to the garage as the food finished. Jake looked up from the car, "So how was the trip of self discovery?"

"Weird. And I get home and it's also weird."

"Yeah, things have changed. You should see Jared. And your old crush Paul." She hit him playfully.

"Shut up! Why would you say that?"

"Because I've seen your sixth grade notebooks and you have at least one Mrs. Lahote doodle."

"Shut up!" she said, slapping him over and over again.

"Anyway, what was weird for you?"

"No tell me what is going on with them."

"Seeing will be believing. Although they all basically walk around shirtless all the time. You see Paul and you might faint," the kitchen timer went off and Morgan punched him before going to check the food.

"Just for that, no lasagna for you!" she called out and he rushed in after her.

"No! I'm sorry! I'll pray to the ancestors your fate ties with his!" he said as she pulled everything out.

"You're so annoying. Food will be ready in twenty minutes."