The Owl Gilbert

1:6: Storytime

We're still at the Salvatore Boarding House. "What are you?" Elena asks again and Stefan sighs, nodding. "You know." He says. "I didn't tell her anything at all until she asked me. All I said was that I knew." I say. "No, I don't know." Elena says. "Yes, you do, or you wouldn't be here." He says. "It's not possible." Elena says, shaking her head. "It can't be." She says and Stefan sets the stake down, and steps forward. "Everything you know.. and every belief that you have is about to change. Are you ready for that?" He asks. "What are you?" Elena asks and there's a long pause. "I'm a vampire." He says and there's another long pause. "I shouldn't have come." She says. "No. Please." He says and Elena starts running, and I run after her. "No. No." She says and he appears in front of us. "How did you do that?" She asks, looking behind her and back to him. "Vampire speed." I say. "Please don't be afraid of me." He says. "Let me go." She says, scared. "No. Elena, there's things that you have to know and understand." He says. "Let me go!" She says and runs to her car, and I run after her.

We soon arrivr home as Elena is gasping for breath as I'm sitting on her bed and she kicks her shoes off and starts walking around. "Elena." Stefan says and we look at him, and she runs to the door, opens it and Stefan shuts it immediately. "I would never hurt you. You're safe with me. You both are." He says and I walk over to them, and she looks at him. "All those animal attacks, those people who died.." She says, crying. "No. That was Damon." He says. "Damon?" She asks. "Yes, Elena. It was Damon." I say. "I don't drink human blood. That's not how I choose to survive, but Damon does! I'll explain everything to you both, but I beg you, Elena, do not tell anybody." He says. "How can you ask me that?" She asks. "Because you two knowing this is dangerous for so many reasons. You can hate me, but I need you to trust me." He says. "Just go. Just go, please. Go. If you mean us no harm, then you'll go." She says. "I never wanted this." He says and vanishes, and Elena runs over to the window, and locks it as I sit with her, as she rests her head on my shoulder.

It's the next morning as I'm outside the Grill with Elena and Stefan; her on my right side. "You said you would explain everything. That's why I asked you to meet me here. When you Google 'vampire' you get a world of fiction. What's the reality?" She asks. "I can tell you whatever you wanna know." He says. "I know you eat garlic." She says. "Yes." He says. "And somehow sunlight's not an issue?" She asks and the waitress comes with our drinks. "Hi, here are your drinks." She says, setting them down. "Thank you." Elena says, holding it with both hands. "We have rings to protect us." He says. "Crucifixes?" Elena asks. "Decorative." He says. "Holy water?" I ask. "Drinkable." He says. "Mirrors?" Elena asks. "Myth." He says. "You said you don't kill to survive." I say. "Animal blood keeps me alive, but not as strong as Damon. He can be very powerful." He says. "And yet you let him get involved with Caroline?" Elena asks. "Forcing Damon not to do something is much more dangerous, believe me." He says. "He was hurting her." She says. "He was feeding on her. He was able to take away her memories of being bitten using a form of mind compulsion. She never knew what was happening to her. If he wanted to kill her, he would have." He says. "Is that supposed to make it okay?" She asks. "No. No, none of this is ok, Elena. I know that." He says and there's a short pause. "Are there any others, aside from you and Damon?" She asks. "Not in Mystic Falls; not anymore." He says. "Not anymore?" I ask. "There was a time when this town was.. very much aware of vampires, and it didn't end well for anybody. That's why it's important that you don't tell anyone." He says. "I can't promise that." She says. "Elena.. give me today. I will answer any questions that you have, and when it's over, you can decide for yourself what you wanna do with what you know. It'll be your choice. Both of yours." He says.

We're driving through the woods as I'm in the backseat. "Stop here." Stefan says and gets out, and so do we, seeing old ruins. "What are we doing here?" Elena asks. "I want to show you both something." He says. "In the middle of nowhere?" She asks. "Elena. This..d idn't used to be nowhere. This used to be the old Salavtore residence." I say. "It looks so.." She says as we walk over to him and he interrupts her. "Old? That's because they are." He says. "Wait. How long have you.." She says. "I've been seventeen years old since eighteen sixty-four." He says. "Oh, my God." She says. "You said you wanted to know. I'm not gonna hold anything back. Half a century before the boarding house was even built, this was my family's home. Damon and I.. we were both born here. The Salvatore brothers, best friends." He says, walking more and we follow him.