The Owl Gilbert

1:8: Stefan's Birthday

I'm at the Sheriff's office as we're being questioned about Vicki's disappearance. "Where did Vicki say she was going?" Sheriff Forbes asks. "She didn't tell me. I'm just the Sterotypical Nerd that hardly anyone talks to." I say. "Did she tell her brother where she was going?" She asks. "No, but I overheard that she told Jeremy to tell Matt that she was leaving town. Probably to Virgina Beach to join her Mom and her boyfriend or something." I say. "Is there anyone I can talk to that may know what happened to her prior to her leaving town?" She asks. "Stefan Salvatore, Elena's boyfriend. At least I think they're still dating. I also heard that he came by Matt's house but she didn't want to talk to him for some reason." I say. "What was he doing there?" She asks. "I don't know. That's something you'll have to ask him." I say. "Any signs of aggression or violence?" She asks. "Not at all." I say. "So you believe Vicki really has left town?" She asks. "Yep. Can I go now? I have homework." I say. "Sure." She says.

I walk out of the police station and meet up with Elena and Stefan. "You two okay?" He asks. "I don't think the Sheriff suspected anything. Jeremy had no memory at all. All he knew was what Damon made him know." Elena says. "Thank you. Both of you." He says, nodding. "can't do this Stefan. Every time I look at Matt or Jeremy, all I think is that Vicki is never gonna come back. And they'll never know why. Around you people get hurt and people die. I can't I just-- it's just too much--" She says and he interrupts her. "Why don't we go somewhere and talk about this?" Stefan asks. "No. Stefan, you have to stay away from me." Elena says and I walk off with her.

I'm sitting on the couch with Elena as we have a blanket over us and Jenna sits next to me on my left side so I'm now in the middle. "You're wallowing. Both of you are." She says. "So are you." I say. "My wallow is legitimate. I was dumped." She says. "Yeah. Well, Logan's a jerk." Elena says. "You didn't get a brush-off e-mail say: 'I'm leaving town. See ya.'" Jenna says. "Wanna keep it down over there?" Jeremy asks. "Why? What are you doing?" Jenna asks, looking over her shoulder. "Homework." He says and Elena and I look at each other, confused and look over our shoulders. "Since when do you do homework?" I ask. "I gotta finish this. I'm way behind and I have a quiz tomorrow so.." He says. "What do you think? Alien?" Elena asks. "Some sort of replicant." Jenna says. "Maybe we can get in the newspaper for this rare sighting." I say. "He can hear you." Jeremy says. "Did you just call yourself by using a pronoun?" I ask.

I arrive to the Salvatore Boarding House that Elena dragged me to. Again. "Why are we here now?" I ask. "Because Bonnie convinced me to talk to Stefan. And since you know the secret world of vampires, I decided to bring you along with me." She says and rings the bell with her right hand. "It's open. Come on in." A female voice from inside says and I open the door with my right hand and close it behind me after Elena and I walk in, looking around and hear footsteps, and see a blonde girl in a black towel, and she steps back, shocked. "Oh, my God." She says and points her left index finger at us both. "How, uh.. wh-- who?" She asks, putting her finger down. "I'm Elena. This is my younger brother, Adam. Who are you?" Elena asks. "Lexi, a friend of Stefan's." Lexi says. "Is he here?" I ask. "He's in the shower. Um, do you guys wanna wait?" She asks. "No." Elena says, shaking her head and Lexi smiles at us. "I'll tell him you two stopped by." She says. "That's okay." Elena says and runs out the door, and I follow her.

I hear the front door bell ring and walk downstairs, and open it with my right hand, seeing Stefan. "What are you doing here?" I ask. "Lexi said that you came by and you seemed upset. Or well, Elena was and I'm guessing she dragged you there?" He asks. "Right. And the towel girl." I say. "The towel? Oh no, no, no, no not like that, she's not exactly a girl-- Lexi's three hundred and fifty years old." He says, smiling. "Oh, a vampire." I say. "And she's my oldest friend. Nothing romantic, ever." He says and I nod. "Oh. Ok, well.. she kept staring at us. It was weird." I say and step back to let him inside. "Yeah, well I've talk about you and Elena a lot so.. I guess she felt like she knew you guys. So why'd Elena come by?" He asks. "I think that's something you'll have to ask her. But I think it's because of all the lying and it's hard for her." I say and he gives a small nod. "I want you to know that I will always be here for you. You can come to me about anything ok?" He asks and I nod. "Well, thank you for coming by." I say. "Hey, do you need a ride to the grill tonight? I mean, unless Elena is taking you. Where is she, anyway?" He asks. "I think she's asleep in her room. Are you going to Caroline's party?" I ask, smiling at him. "Lexi's dragging me and.. it's my birthday." He says. "Wow. Happy one hundred and sixty-third birthday." I say and he smiles back. "Thank you." He says. "Actually I-- I think I'm gonna stay in tonight." I say. "Well have a.. have a good night." He says and walks off.

I decide to go Stefan's party and I'm walking around the Grill and see Damon walk over to me. "Hey, short stuff." He says and hands me a drink with his right hand. "Don't worry. It's non-alcoholic lemonade." He says. "How did you know that?" I ask and take a small sip of it through the straw. "I keep my eyes open." He says, grinning. "So, how are you liking the party?" He asks. "It's nice. But something tells me you have a secret agenda going on." I say. "Maybe I do. Maybe I don't. Guess you won't know." He says and walks off, and I walk over to Elena and Lexi. "Sup, shorty." She says. "What you two up to?" I ask. "Talking about Stefan. And to answer your comment, Elena. Well that the benefit of knowing someone for over a hundred years. You can just be yourself." Lexi says. "Yeah, he can't be himself with me." Elena says. "Well not yet. The first step was him telling you. The rest comes with time." Lexi says. "You seem so sure." I say. "The love of my life was human. He went through, what I imagine you're going through: denial, anger, etc. But at the end of the day, love really did conquer all." She says and looks at Elena's tequila shot that's in her right hand. "Are you going to drink that?" She asks. "Go for it." Elena says, handing it to Lexi and she downs it. "I'm scared." Elena says. "But you're here...'cause you're crazy about him, I get it okay? I mean what's not to love." Lexi says and we look at Stefan. "Listen. Take it from someone who's been around a long time. When it's real, you can't walk away." She says as we look back at her and Elena laughs, and Lexi drinks the last shot, and is about to walk off. "Hey, Lexi." Elena says and Lexi looks back at her. "It was really nice meeting you." She says and Lexi smiles, and walks off. We look over at Stefan and see him smiling at us.

I see the Sheriff and her deputies walk over to Lexi and inject her with a needle and talk with Damon, and the deputies drag Lexi away, and I start looking for Stefan and find him and Elena, and we try walking out the front door, and one of the deputies shakes his head. "Can't go out this way." He says, smiling and Stefan starts running and so do Elena and I.

We make it outside to see the Sheriff shooting wooden bullets at Lexi but to no avail and Lexi growls at the Sheriff, about to strike and we see Damon stake her in the heart with a stake in his right hand, and Elena and I are about to scream, and Stefan covers our mouths, holding us back and shushes us. He puts his hands down and we see Damon walk over to the Sheriff. "You okay?" He asks and she nods. "Thank you. Get her in the car quickly." She says and they go to put Lexi in the car.

Stefan is walking off, pissed. "Stefan! Stefan!" Elena shouts after him. "He killed her! He killed Zach; he killed Tanner; he turned Vicki; I have to kill him!" He shouts. "No! No, you can't do that." I say. "Why are you two trying to save him?! Elena, Adam, he's never gonna change! Don't you see that?! He's never gonna change!" He shouts. "I'm not trying to save him, I'm trying to save you! You have no idea what this will do to you, please Stefan." Elena says, as we follow him again. "Everywhere I've been, pain and death follow; Damon follows me. No more." He says. "Stefan please. Please just-- just talk to me; Let me be here for you. Talk to me." She says. "No. You were right to stay away from me." He says and walks off.