The Gilbert Secret

Chapter 28

Damon answers his phone putting it on speaker phone. "Hello?" "Hey, it's Alaric Saltzman." "Before I hang up, how did you get this number?" Ops I look at him slightly guilty but knowing he wouldn't call unless it was for a good reason. "Ah, it's a mystery. Listen, I've, uh, been doing some digging on the girl's uncle. You interested?" "What kind of digging?" "I've got an old friend from Duke. Who studied criminology when we were there together. Let's just say he's become a very proficient digger." rolling my eyes not even surprised that there was a way to connect join to our issues

"Well, did he find anything?" I but in "Hey Aurora. Well, I had him run a track on John's cell records. He was getting a call from a number...The same number that Elena dialed to get Isobel. And then the number was disconnected." "Isobel knows John. Whatever. We knew that." "Right. Well, after that, he started getting calls from a new number. And I had my friend run a geotrack. Got the address. It's...It's an apartment in Grove Hill." "Isobel's in Grove Hill?" "I don't know. I thought we could take a look and see what we find." "Perfect. Give me the address." I laughing knowing what Damon is trying at and he gives me the evils mouthing 'Shut up"

"Oh, so you can go without me? No. I don't think so." Alaric throws back at him "I'm not going with you. You tried to kill me." Damon snaps at him causing me to raise my eyebrow "You did kill him Damon" "Hold on." He presses a button on his phone as Elena calls putting Ric on hold

"What?" He asks unamussed "I'm just grabbing some clothes, and then I'll be right over. How's Stefan?" "Extra broody. Hold on." He places Elena on hold and goes back to Rics call. "You drive. Pick us up in an hour." "Done." he hangs up with Ric and goes back to Elenas call "He won't eat anything." I say before Damon has a change to brush everything off. "He has to eat what's his favorite...Kind of, um..." "His favorite kind of what?" Damon asks with a smirk .

"Type of animal blood that he prefers?" "Ew. Gross." he says jokingly "Heh. Your joking doesn't help." "Helps me. Now, hurry up. I can't baby-sit all night. I have things to do." "I would say, "drop dead," but..." I crack up laughing causing a glare from Damon "Ha ha. Stefan likes...Puppy blood...Little golden retriever puppies with cute, floppy ears. That's his favorite." Elena hangs up on him I'm still laughing at Elenas jab before "If you don't shut up I'll put you on babysitting duties." Rolling my eyes, I slightly compose myself and shake my head.

Elena walks into the front door not long later ad goes down straight to the basement to see Stefan. Walking passed the both of us sitting in the living room. Shes gone maybe five minutes before she's making her return up the stairs to join us in the living room with a sour look on her face. "He's just being dramatic. He's not gonna starve himself." I blurt out looking over at her knowing what he told her, the same story he told myself and Damon.

"Why would he say that?" "He feels bad about hurting that girl. It's a very typical Stefan martyr stuff. It will pass." "Will it? Because he seemed to be in a lot of pain." "Yeah. Well, that will pass, too, once he eats." "I didn't mean physical pain." "I know what you meant. Look, are you gonna be okay here if I have to run out? I have to go to an errand with the teacher." "The teacher? Alaric? Are you two friends now?" Elena asks Damon looking back to me with a shocked look on her face, I just shrug my shoulders and look down at the device in my hands. "I don't have any friends, Elena."

"Ouch, dick" I punch his arm "Right." she rolls her eyes. "You should, um, you should stay up here. You shouldn't be down there by yourself." "I'll be fine." she snaps at him. "You know...You're very trusting of him, given the circumstances." "So are you. Otherwise, you wouldn't be leaving." "We won't be long." Damon stats rolling his eyes as he grabs his jacket and makes his way to the door "You coming Aurora?" "I thought you didn't have friends" I look over to him slightly pissed as I grab my jacket and follow.

Walking to the apartment with Damon and Alaric following behind as we stand at the front door Alaric looking down at a piece of paper checkin it's the correct place. "This is the one here. The records shows it was paid 3 months in advance." "This is where it gets tricky. We may or may not be able to get in." "Yeah, how does that work? You always have to be invited in?" "By the owner or the person of entitlement. Short-term rentals and hotels are a bit of a gray area. You kind of gotta play it by ear." "Heh. Could we not kill anyone tonight, please?" "You mean, you just brought me along for my company?"

I reach forward stepping passed the guys and placing my foot inside sighing, that makes this easier. "It doesn't look like anyone's home." "Yeah. I'm good. No permanent resident, apparently." Rolling my eyes as we obviously discovered that when I walked in. Damon opens the fridge and see's blood bags. Sighing, turning to Ric. "Uh, Ric, we have company."

A man jumps on Alaric from around a corner. Alaric stabs him with wooden knuckles. But the man attacks again. Damon throws him off of Alaric. Looking at him in realization. "Boys, boys, that's enough." I say getting between them now "I know you." "Damon?" "Your name is Henry. You were in the tomb." "Yes, sir. What are you doing here?" he looks over smiling at him.

"So, how do you know John Gilbert?" henry as we learnt, quizzes us. "Well, I've known him for years. He's a good friend. How do you know him?" "I met him right after I got out of the tomb. He's been helping me out." "Helping you out how?" "Adapting. It's a whole new world...Cars, computers, match.com. There's so much to learn. He helped me get this place." "So, do you live here alone or is there someone else here?" I ask but Damon cuts me off.

"That's my friend's very passive-aggressive way of asking, uh, do you know a woman named Isobel?" "Uh, no. No, I don't know an Isobel. I know John. He's my only real friend. He really showed me the ropes...how to use a microwave, separate my whites." "What else do you do for him?" "I help keep an eye on things...You know, with the others." "The others?" "From the tomb. They're still pissed at the founding families for trying to burn them alive. I'm cool, but those tomb boys, they want revenge." "What does John want with them?" I quiz Henry flicks his eyes to me with a friendly smile.

"He's just keeping an eye on them, you know? Trying to make sure they stay out of trouble." "Well, that's John. Heh. He's such a do-gooder." Suddenly there's a phone dialing and Henry picks it up his face brightening up even more. "Heh. That's John now." "Oh. Hey, let me talk to him." I ask.

"All right. Yeah. Are you gonna answer that?" He asks as he passes me the phone and I smile at him "Am I gonna...answer that?" I look back to Damon and Alaric for confirmation already knowing I won't, they shake their heads smiling "What's going on?" Henry senses a trap and runs at me. Damon grabs him. Alaric stabs him with a stake. Looking away as I actually liked this guy. ""Let's not kill anyone tonight." Your words. Just pointing that out." Damon mocks.