Haunted Pasts, Unknown Future

@ momentai.
Mia sat in the car with Lily and tapped her foot against the floor. She always got anxious in cars or on long drives. This time was no exception and the fact that they were returning to Mystic Falls made her even more anxious, "Tell me again why we are coming back." She said looking over at Lily before out the window at the scenery passing them by. She hadn't been to Mystic Falls or even tried to think of Mystic Falls since she had left all those years ago. Thinking of Mystic Falls just made her think of Stefan. She looked down at her daylight ring and played with it. Stefan was dead now and she wasn't. She continued to live on while Stefan was in a grave. She sighed and played with her hair before she thought more about Stefan and the arrangement that was made many years before this one. She was to marry Stefan. Lily was to marry Damon. Everything was going to be perfect. The two best friends had been arranged to marry the brothers that everyone in town wanted to be with or be. Everything had been perfect...until the fire. Mia shook her head at the thought. All of her friends had been in the fire. If it hadn't been for Lily and Mia leaving the day before they would've been in it as well. She was just glad that she and Lily got out alive. She didn't know what she would do with Lily. Lily kept Mia sane most of the time. Lily was probably the greatest friend that Mia could've ever asked for.

---

Damon walked into the Grill with Stefan and sat down in the booth, "I'm telling you. She's in the tomb. She has to be. There is not way she could be anywhere else. I'm going to get her out, Stefan." Damon said, talking about Katherine as he fixed his jacket. Ever since he got back to Mystic Falls he had been set on freeing Katherine from the tomb so they could be together again. Stefan had Elena so Damon knew that Stefan probably didn't care about getting Katherine out but Damon was a determined person. Once he had something in mind he usually did everything he could to make that thing happen, even if it cost him relationships or if people got killed. It was just how Damon was. Ever since he lost Katherine. He was different since then. It broke his heart when he lost her. He had a hard time believing that there was actually someone before Katherine. Lily. Damon hadn't thought about her in years. Everything in his mind was always about Katherine but every so often Damon took a moment and thought about his former fiance.

Lily hummed quietly in response, keeping her attention on the road. "Because we don't have a reason to avoid this place anymore," she decided after a few moments. Just because their fiances were dead shouldn't mean that they had to avoid their hometown. Besides, it had to have changed a lot by now, right? So, any remnants of past memories shouldn't force their ways into their minds. Or, at least, Lily hoped that was the case. Maybe she wouldn't recognize anything and no memories of Damon would sneak into her mind. "We're going to start anew, Mia. We deserve this, especially after the past few months." Lately, they had only been traveling from place to place and it had become exhausting, though she wasn't sure if it was the same for her friend. Maybe it was just Lily. Chewing on her lip, she spotted the sign that signaled that they were entering Mystic Falls and she couldn't help but grow a little uneasy, despite herself. "It's probably still a small town, so we'll probably get noticed by strangers fairly quickly." Which meant that they couldn't let themselves stand out too much or attract too much attention.

~*~

Jeremy walked into the Grill with Elena, glancing around a bit, but he didn't find anything immediately interesting. Unlike his sister, who quickly rushed to Stefan with a smile, though Jeremy had only made his way over in time to hear Stefan say, "You're wasting your time, Damon." He didn't go into much detail about his opinion, but he offered a small smile upon spotting his girlfriend. Jeremy, on the other hand, rolled his eyes slightly. Even if he had only just gotten there, he didn't really care to know what was going on. He would have much rather been off doing something on his own, but Elena had dragged him here to keep an eye on him. It wasn't the first time that Elena did something like that, but Jeremy dealt with it as much as he could manage to. "What's Damon plotting?" he asked bluntly, turning his attention to Stefan, who just lifted his shoulders in a nonchalant shrug. "Whatever's going on in Damon's head, I'm not getting involved," was Stefan's response before he indulged in a conversation with Elena. Since meeting Elena, his thoughts had been centered on her. Before her, though, he often thought of Mia - at least he did after he realized that he hadn't really loved Katherine.

@ momentai.
Mia sighed and nodded before she pulled out her phone. She didn't have anyone to text because she didn't keep friends in the places that she and Lily went. She looked up when she saw the Welcome To Mystic Falls sign and she chewed on her lip and raked a hand through her hand. It was nerve wracking. It had been so long since she had been there. She didn't really know how to react to coming back to a place she had once called home, "They're all still in the tomb, Lily." Mia stated aloud for no reason. Just thinking about all the people they were friends with that were stuck in the tomb and never getting out, "That could be us." She added with a weary voice.

---

Damon rolled his eyes at Stefan's words, "Of course you wouldn't get involved. Why would I think that you actually would." Damon mumbled before he scooted out of the booth and went to the bar and quickly got a drink before he went back to the booth and sat down, "So is there a reason we have all decided to have this little family gathering?" He asked with a bitter tone. He was stupid to think Stefan would actually help get into the tomb. He got to be happy while Damon was forced to sit in heartbreak while the love of his life rotted away in a tomb.

Lily chewed on her lip at the mention of it, her fingers tightening around the steering wheel. Letting out a sigh, she glanced to her friend for just a moment before turning her attention back ahead and loosening her grip on the steering wheel. "We warned them," she pointed out quietly. "We told them everybody was getting suspicious. We did our best to convince them to leave with us." Trying to rid herself of the thoughts, she shook her head. "Should we go straight to our new home or stop somewhere else?"

~*~

"I got dragged here by Elena," Jeremy said with a slight roll of his eyes. Glancing over at his sister, he saw that she wasn't even really paying much attention anymore, having her own conversation with Stefan. Slipping into the booth, he glanced around the Grill for a long moment, mostly trying to find somebody more interesting to talk to. Damon wasn't his favorite person, after all, and with his sister distracted with Stefan, he didn't have too much of a reason to linger around the group, honestly. Either way, he just wanted to get away from the lovey-dovey couple.

@ momentai.
Mia sighed at Lily's words before she shrugged, "Can we stop somewhere to eat. I am starving and I could definitely use a drink." Mia said with a smile. She looked around and saw a place that looked like it was where everyone was going to eat, "Let's go there. The Mystic Grill. It sounds like where everyone would eat. Maybe it has a bar." Mia stated.

-----

Damon looked as Jeremy talked but he didn't really pay much attention to what he was saying. Damon didn't care much about the younger Gilbert. But he put up with him because of Stefan and Elena. Damon finished his drink and went to the bar to get another drink. He lookdd at the door to see if anyone interesting were to come through the door and take him away from the couplely things of Stefan and Elena.

Lily smiled at the idea and nodded. "A bar does sound nice right about now," she said with amusement, knowing that they would probably need alcohol due to the fact that they were back in Mystic Falls. Pulling into the lot at the Mystic Grill, she cut off the engine before climbing out of the car. "Come on." She grinned at her friend, trying to ease her own mind before glancing around a bit. She looked ahead for a long moment, her eyes on the door, before she began leading the way to the entrance of the Mystic Grill.

~*~

Jeremy looked around once more before eventually just settling back into his seat. He didn't pay much attention to his sister or the Salvatores, finding it difficult to even find any interest in what they were saying. But he was a little curious over what the conversation earlier was about. Though he doubted Damon would answer, he went ahead and asked, "What did you want Stefan to help you with?" He likely would have asked Stefan instead, but the boy was too distracted with Elena, the realization causing Jeremy to roll his eyes a bit, unable to really help it.

@ momentai.
Mia nodded and walked into the grill with Lily. Her eyes scanned over the place before she sighed. She wasn't two steps into the grill before she stopped dead in her tracks, "Lily. Lily. Lily." Mia said quickly and grabbed her best friend's arm. When she caught the girls attention she turned Lily towards the booth that had caught her eye. Sitting there in the booth was two men she thought she would never see again.

---

Damon was about to answer Jeremy's question when his eyes fixated on the door when it opened. Damon about spilled his drink all over him before he looked at Stefan, "Stefan. Look at the door." Damon said to his brother. Stefan furrowed his eyebrows before he did what Damon said and the look of shock was evident on both of the brother's faces, "How?" Stefan asked. Damon looked at his brother, "How do you think?" Damon replied before he noticed that the girls were looking at them. Damon waved slightly. He wouldn't lie. He was happy to see the girls alive.

Lily found herself momentarily incapable of movement. She stared blankly for a long moment, unsure of if she even wanted to move. "This is some kind of sick mind trick, isn't it?" she murmured to her friend, a frown forming on her lips. There was no way the Salvatore brothers could be there, practically right in front of them. Not after all the time that had passed with her and her best friend believing that they were dead. "Should we... go over there? Or make a run for the hills, to some place else, away from whatever freak magic this has to be?"

~*~

Jeremy furrowed his brows im confusion before following the guys' gazes. He was about to ask who they were, but Elena beat him to it. "Who are they?" she asked, her attention on the two girls. She figured they were probably vampires; how else would Damon and Stefan know them? The two girls looked just as surprised to see the Salvatore brothers as the Salvatore brothers were to see the girls. Naturally, both Gilbert siblings were curious about what exactly was going on, who these girls were, and what they were doing there.

@ momentai.
Mia shrugged, "I don't think it is. I think they're real. Lily they have to be real." She said, her eyes focusing on Stefan. Stefan. After all these years he was alive. She didn't answer Lily's second question as she felt herself walking over there without her brain telling her feet to move. Once she reached the table she stared at Stefan, "Oh my God it really is you." She said aloud. She felt the tears in her eyes and she wanted to wipe them away but he needed to know. He needed to know how happy she was to see him alive.

---

Damon couldn't answer the question. He couldn't take his eyes off the girls. He watched as Amelia walked over to the group and he knew that Lily would follow soon after. He looked at Amelia when she approached the table and saw how focused she was on Stefan. Stefan was just about as shocked at Amelia, "Amelia. I can't believe you're alive." Stefan stated and Amelia nodded, "I could say the same about you." She replied. Damon looked as Lily walked over. Damon smiled at her, "Glad to see you're alive." He said, "Shocked to see you're alive but happy nonetheless."

Lily tried to stay composed as she approached the two, her eyes and mind focused on Damon. She chewed down violently on her lip to prevent it from wobbling, her eyes stinging with tears that she refused to let fall. "I'd ask how it's possible that you're alive, but I'm pretty sure the answer isn't something that I want to hear," she muttered quietly, her fingers curling against her palms, nails almost digging into the skin. Everybody back in their time were well aware of Katherine's acts with the boys, after all. Lily had refused to believe it due to their arranged marriage, but she always knew that it was true regardless.

~*~

Jeremy couldn't help but to stare at the two girls. Who were they? And why did they seem so affected with seeing the brothers? He glanced over at Elena, but she seemed just as confused and curious as he was. Still, she took the initiative to introduce herself. "Hi, I'm Elena," she greeted the newcomers with a smile, "And this is my brother-" Before she had a chance to fully introduce him, Jeremy introduced himself. "I'm Jeremy," he said, looking at the girls carefully. He wasn't even sure if the girls were paying attention to them; they seemed so centered on the Salvatores.

@ momentai.
Mia shooked her head, "I am so happy to see the two of you alive." She said with a smile as she looked between Stefan and Damon. When the girl with them introduced herself Mia's eyes went wide, "You. You. You. Stefan why does she look like Katherine?!" Mia asked and grabbed Lily's arm. Mia was well aware of the things that happened with Katherine, Damon, amd Stefan. Mia wouldn't be shocked if she was the one who turned them.

---

Damon smiled at Lily when she approched the table, "I could say the same to you. I didn't know you two were turned." Damon said and then heard Amelia freaking out about Elena, "Relax. She's the doppelganger. Not Katherine." Damon said, annoyed. He had honesly wished Elena was Katherine. He would prefer Katherine to Elena most of the time.

"Yeah, well, we tried to tell you two, but you were both otherwise preoccupied," Lily said simply before glancing over at her friend, only then settling her attention on Elena. She couldn't blame Mia for freaking out; Katherine had ruined everybody's lives. Lily was pretty sure that it was Katherine's fault that Mystic Falls had gotten so suspicious about who was and wasn't a vampire. "Let's hope her personality isn't as horrible as Katherine's."

~*~

Elena blinked several times in confusion at the girls. "Stefan... who are they to you two?" she asked, glancing at Stefan for a long moment. Immediately, Stefan looked uncomfortable and Jeremy took notice of it. "What? Are they your exes or something?" Jeremy asked with an eyebrow arched in curiosity as he looked at his sister and her boyfriend. "Something like that," was Stefan's answer and Jeremy wasn't satisfied with the answer at all.

@ momentai.
Mia took a breath when Damon said Elena obviously wasn't Katherine. When Elena asked who she and Lily were and Stefan looked obviously uncomfortable, Mia figured that Stefan must be with Elena. Mia looked at Jeremy and Elena, "We are their ex fiances." Mia said a little bitterly. Of course she figured that if Stefan was alive he would obviously had girlfriends and been with girls that weren't her. But him being with Elena irritated Mia. Mostly because of her being Katherine's doppelganger. Of course, Mia had no right to judge Elena. For all she knew Elena could be the exact opposite of Katherine. She probably was to be honest. Mia looked at Jeremy and Elena, "Are you guys part of the founding families? " Mia asked.

---

Damon looked at Lily and bit his tongue and held back the words in his mouth. He knew that Lily and Amelia were not fond of Katherine because of the fact that both girls were arranged to marry the brothers when both of them had fallen for Katherine. When Amelia asked Elena and Jeremy about them being part of the founding families, Damon spoke up first, "They're Gilberts." Damon said.

@ momentai.
Mia took a breath when Damon said Elena obviously wasn't Katherine. When Elena asked who she and Lily were and Stefan looked obviously uncomfortable, Mia figured that Stefan must be with Elena. Mia looked at Jeremy and Elena, "We are their ex fiances." Mia said a little bitterly. Of course she figured that if Stefan was alive he would obviously had girlfriends and been with girls that weren't her. But him being with Elena irritated Mia. Mostly because of her being Katherine's doppelganger. Of course, Mia had no right to judge Elena. For all she knew Elena could be the exact opposite of Katherine. She probably was to be honest. Mia looked at Jeremy and Elena, "Are you guys part of the founding families? " Mia asked.

---

Damon looked at Lily and bit his tongue and held back the words in his mouth. He knew that Lily and Amelia were not fond of Katherine because of the fact that both girls were arranged to marry the brothers when both of them had fallen for Katherine. When Amelia asked Elena and Jeremy about them being part of the founding families, Damon spoke up first, "They're Gilberts." Damon said.

Lily didn't hide the frown that formed on her features at the mention of Gilbert. "Ah, the inventor who fell for Pearl and betrayed her was a Gilbert, right?" she asked with an arched eyebrow. He was one of the reasons so many of their friends had gotten caught. The only reason she knew of the betrayal was because they had run into Anna, Pearl's daughter, once for a brief amount of time. "Speaking of Pearl, she was one of the few nice ones, who's now stuck in a tomb for all eternity."

~*~

Elena blinked several times, eyeing the girls. "They've never spoken about being previously engaged," she murmured with confusion. Stefan had told her all about Katherine. So why hadn't she been informed about this? Stefan sighed and rubbed his face slowly, not really wanting to get into the topic. Jeremy, however, was more focused on the mention of the Gilbert family. "Were you two parts of founding families?" he asked with curiosity as he eyed the two, more interested in that than whatever past they had with the Salvatores.

@ momentai.
(so sorry I haven't posted. I went to Warped Tour yesterday and was completely passed out when I got home)

Mia nodded her words, "He was. Jonathan Gilbert." Mia said and looked at the two. Mia looked at Elena, "Arranged marriages. Myself to Stefan and Lily to Damon." Mia explained. Mia felt a bit of jealousy poking in her stomach towards Elena. It was clear that she was with Stefan. Mia looked to Jeremy with a smile, "We were not actually. But we almost were." She explained before she smiled once more at Jeremy. To be honest, he was hot. But Mia wasn't sure what was going on with Stefan. Every time Mia had thought about one day reuniting with Stefan she pictured them falling into each other's arms. She didn't, however, picture him having a girlfriend that was the doppelganger of the woman that almost got everyone in her town killed or thrown in a tomb.

---

Damon watched the exchange between Amelia, Elena, Jeremy, and Lily. Damon looked to his brother and he could see the stress building up with his ex-fiance and his girlfriend in the same room. Damon could also see the jealousy that was resting on Amelia. It was pretty obvious that Amelia was jealous of Elena. But she had a right to be. Damon looked over at Lily, "So...uhhh...how've you been?" He asked, not sure how to make conversation with his ex-fiance that he thought was dead.

(No worries! :D)

Lily listened to her friend speak quietly, but her attention got drawn to Damon when he spoke to her. Blinking several times, she thought over how to properly answer his question and eventually lifted her shoulders in a shrug. "I've been... Okay, I guess," she murmured, unsure of how to answer him. Honestly, she had been far from okay most of the time because she constantly wondered about and missed him. The same couldn't be said about him, it seemed. The only person that really kept her grounded and helped her avoid losing her humanity was Mia and she couldn't thank her friend enough. "And yourself?"

~*~

Jeremy listened intently, but he found it hard to believe that these two girls were previously engaged to the Salvatores - well, more so, that it was so long ago and that the four seemed so awkward now. It was understandable, he decided, but he tried not to think about it too much. "Almost were? So you got there a while after the founding families, then?" he asked with curiosity, finding that it was probably more interesting to hear it from her than it would be to hear it from one of the Salvatore siblings, especially since Damon and Stefan tended to leave a few details out - like these previous engagements. "It must have been a pain to find out that you only barely missed out on being famous around here." The last bit was a joke. Kind of.

@ momentai.
Mia laughed at Jeremy's words, "Yeah we got here about maybe a year after the town had been started." She said and then laughed again slightly at his next words, "Never thought I would be back here to deal with it if I'm being honest." She replied and shrugged before she looked over to see Lily and Damon having their own side conversation. Mia smiled at the two slightly before she looked back to Jeremy, "So your sister is a doppelganger who is dating a vampire...what are you?" She asked.

---

Damon smiled and shrugged, "I've been living. Every few years or so I find my brother and just make his life suck. It's what I do best." Damon laughed and then he took a sip of his drink, "I've also been looking for a way to get Katherine out of the tomb." He added quickly. He knew that bringing up Katherine probably wasn't a good idea but Damon didn't feel that he needed to hide anything from Lily.

Jeremy arched an eyebrow in curiosity to her words. "Why? Did you not want to come back here at all?" he asked, admittedly enjoying this conversation much more than he had previously thought he would. At least she was interesting - and she wasn't so distracted with vampire drama that it seemed almost ridiculous. When he heard her question, though, he lifted his shoulders in a shrug. "I'm just a guy trying to live to see the next day." He had put the drugs behind him and he wasn't nearly as depressed as he used to be, which he was sure Elena was happy about. "Well, and a guy who gets dragged everywhere by his sister."

~*~

Lily blinked with confusion, furrowing her brows as she processed his words. Of course, she wasn't surprised to hear that his mind was on Katherine, even though the realization and the fact that he had actually voiced his obsession with Katherine honestly hurt her, but she was surprised that he wasn't aware. He wasn't aware that Katherine wasn't in the tomb, that she was out and about having her own fun - she and Mia had run into Katherine just a few years ago, actually. "What are you talking about, Damon?" she asked after a long moment, "Katherine's not in the tomb."