"Hey Tyler." Lexa greeted, entering the kitchen of the Lockwood home. "Lexa? Oh hey.. I didn't realise you were staying over." Tyler admitted, making himself a coffee. He looked down at his empty mug before looking up to Lexa, "Want one?" He asked as Lexa nodded eagerly.

"You and Cece seem are becoming good friends." Tyler admitted, taking another empty mug and placing it beside the other, before filling them both with coffee. "Yeah we are.. it's nice. We've never really been friendly before." Lexa confessed, as Tyler handed her a mug of coffee. "Thanks."

"Sienna isn't one to open up to others easily.. despite being acquainted with most, she's only really ever been close to Donovan and I." Tyler said, as the Gilbert nodded, before taking a sip of the coffee. "So basically what I'm saying is, don't hurt her. Or I will hurt you." He concluded as Lexa grinned, amused.

"Whats so funny?" Tyler asked, visibly annoyed by her response. "You really think I would hurt Sienna? I know you care about her, but I'm no threat— I can assure you." Lexa said, eyeing the boy. "I'm just saying, don't hurt my cousin." Lexa just gave a nod. She understood what he was doing, she was the protective sibling in her household, and she'd willingly threaten anyone that'd hurt Elena or Jeremy.

"Hey Lexa, Ty." Sienna piped up, entering the kitchen. "Hey!" Lexa chimed, a smile as the werewolf girl walked over to her, and affectionately leant her head on the Gilbert's shoulder. Lexa then glanced at Tyler who gave her a stern look, before looking to Sienna. "I'm gonna go for a run, you coming?" Sienna shook her head, "I'm gonna hang with Lexa until she leaves." She declared. Tyler just nodded before leaving.

"Did he say anything to you?" Sienna asked, as she had sensed the awkward tension in the room. "Nothing bad.." Lexa shrugged, before offering her mug to Sienna, who eagerly took it and took a large gulp of coffee before handing it back to her.

"He wasn't being a dick, was he?" Sienna then asked. "He was just being protective. I get it, I am too." Lexa shrugged as Sienna rolled her eyes. "I love him, but he needs to stop scaring others away from me and let me have this one good thing in my life.. being you." Sienna said, a slight smirk. "Being.. me?" Lexa asked, a smirk on her lips now.

"Yeah.. a good friend that's equally as weird and non-human as I am.. but also pretty hot." Sienna flirted. Lexa just laughed, "Wow that was like a hug and a punch in the face at the same time." She admitted.

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1864

Katherine and Damon were under the covers in Katherine's bed, the vampire giggling loudly. "What are you doing? Stop it!" She asked, pulling the covers down as Damon popped up next to her, wrapping his arm around her waist. "Make me."

Katherine rolled Damon over and straddled him, baring her fangs and hissing, as he just looked up at her with curiosity. Damon then caressed her face and Katherine placed her hand on top of his, smiling down at him. Their moment is stopped as suddenly, someone knocked on the door.

"Yes?" Katherine asks before she retracts her fangs and her eyes become normal again. She turns her head to see who's entering, but remains on top of Damon, pinning his wrists down with her hands. Natasha, Katherine's twin, enters the room.

"Oh my-" Natasha blurted out, as she had walked in on the pair having a bit of fun. "Hey Tasha." Damon said casually as the Pierce twin was a little flustered. "Hi sister, hi Damon." Katherine smiled, as Natasha faced her. "Pearl is here to see us." Natasha replied, before taking a step back, being in the doorframe now.

"I'll be down soon. Please ask her to wait." Katherine insisted. "Thank you, sissy." The vampire added as Natasha just awkwardly smiled at the pair, before shutting the door behind her. Katherine looked down at Damon, pouting her bottom lip. "Fun's over." Damon whined before he caressed Katherine's face. Before getting up, Katherine leant down and kissed him.

Downstairs, Pearl and Natasha were waiting for Katherine. After a few minutes, Katherine descended the stairs, fully dressed, smiling at Pearl. "It's good to see you, Pearl."

Pearl smiled, "Perhaps we could talk outside. The three of us." She said as Katherine turned to look at Emily who is standing behind Pearl and Natasha. "Emily, would you please tell Mr. Salvatore that I've stepped away?" Katherine asked. Emily then asked, "Which one?" Natasha tried to hold back a slight chuckle, before seeing her twin smirk and say, "Both."

Emily walked up the stairs as Pearl, Katherine and Natasha exited the house. They walked down the porch steps and across the yard. "How long do you plan on staying with the Salvatores? People talk, Katherine." Pearl asked. "You, carrying on with both brothers, doesn't help the situation." Natasha admitted as Katherine frowned at her sister for a moment, before turning back to Pearl.

"The Salvatores have been kind to take me in. As far as everyone here knows, my sister and I are poor orphan girls from Atlanta, who lost their family in the fires." Katherine explained. "A match you lit, no doubt." Natasha added, giving her twin a slight grin as Katherine giggled.

The three stopped at the end of the yard, as Pearl looks over at a young girl and shouts to her. "Honey, please be careful!" The young girl goes over to pet a horse. Katherine and Natasha looked back then both turned to face Pearl, to carry on with their conversation. "Honoria Fell came by the apothecary yesterday with a case of this elixir." Pearl began to explain before she retrieved a bottle of liquid from her bag and showed it to the twins. "She asked that it be sold at a reduced rate."

Natasha shook her head, "I don't follow." She confessed, as Katherine agreed. "Try it." Pearl told them. Katherine took the bottle, uncorked it, and sniffed it. She then placed the rim of the glass on the palm of her hand and gasped as it burnt her. "What the hell?!" Both the Pierce twins blurted, as Natasha looked at the burn on her sister's hand. "Vervain." Pearl answered them. "Why is there ver-" Natasha began before she sighed. Katherine then spoke, "They know."

"They're trying to find us, and they're getting crafty about it." Pearl explained. "The townspeople ingesting vervain? Well, that's inconvenient." Katherine said before she handed the bottle of liquid vervain back to Pearl.

"It might be time for us to move on again." Natasha suggested, turning to her twin, who shook her head. "No Tasha. I like it here. I'm not interested in leaving just yet." Katherine confessed. Natasha frowned, "I like it too, but it's too risky to stay."

Anna, Pearl's daughter that'd been petting a horse minutes earlier, trotted over to Katherine, Natasha and Pearl. "Can we go, Mama?" She asked. Katherine, Natasha and Pearl looked back at her. Anna sensed something. "Is something wrong?" She child asked, but nobody responded.

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Lexa put her key into the keyhole of her front door, and entered her house once unlocked. "Honey, I'm home!!" She called out jokingly, as Jenna greeted her back.

The twin walked upstairs and entered Elena's room, to see her sitting on her bed, writing in her diary. "Hey Lena." She greeted. Elena looked up, before smiling, "Hey Lexa." Elena smiled.

"I um.. have a lot to tell you." Elena said, as Lexa took a seat beside her twin. "Ooh gossip? Spill the tea, sis." Lexa grinned as Elena rolled her eyes playfully, before facing her twin again "Damon thinks that Stefan and I are helping him get Katherine out of the tomb." She admitted, as Lexa's face fell. "Obviously we're not.. she is staying in that tomb.." Lexa nodded in response.

"But it also turns out.. the journal that Johnathon Gilbert written... it includes the location of a Grimoire, so they can undo the spells used to seal Katherine the the rest of the tomb vampires inside." Elena admitted, as Lexa blinked in surprise, "Where is it?" She asked. "I'm not sure.. I think it might be boxed away with our parents stuff."

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Elena was combing through boxes of old family memorabilia whilst Stefan and Lexa sat at the breakfast bar, watching Elena. "Do you think Damon really believes us? That we're trying to help him?" Elena asked. "I don't think Damon knows what to believe. Trust isn't something that comes naturally to him." Stefan replied.

"You know...I really think that Damon believes that everything he's done, every move that he's made, he's done for love. It's twisted, but.. sad." Elena admitted, before glancing at Stefan and Lexa. "There are other ways to get what you want. You don't have to kill people." Lexa admitted, with a frown. "Damon has no regard for human life. He enjoys inflicting pain on others. For 145 years, every single time that I have let my guard down and let Damon back into my life, he's done something to make me regret that. I'm not going to make that mistake again." Stefan explained to the twins, as Lexa frowned, disappointedly.

"So what do you think will happen if the tomb gets opened and Damon gets Katherine back?" Elena asked, turning to face Stefan and Lexa again. "I think that no matter what Damon promises, a lot of people will die." Stefan admitted, as Elena exhaled loudly before she picked up a photo from the box. Stefan and Lexa got up and stood beside Elena, examining the photo. "Who is that?" Lexa asked, unsure. "That's Johnathan Gilbert." Stefan answered her.

Elena looked down into the box, puzzled. "What's this?" She blurted as she opened up a wooden box. What appears to be a muzzle is contained within it. Stefan looks as if he recognised the device, but doesn't explain as Jeremy entered the room shortly after, with Allira.

"What are you guys doing?" Jeremy asked, as Allira stayed quiet but observed the group. Lexa turned to her brother, a blank expression on her face, "We're uh getting high- obviously." She answered, sarcastically. Elena rolled her eyes at her twin before she said, "Just going through some stuff, feeling sentimental. Dad had this old family journal from years ago. I thought I'd dig it up." Elena explained to him. Allira smiled, "That's sweet." She said.

Jeremy walked over and sat down on the kitchen counter before he asked, "Johnathan Gilbert's journal?" Elena nodded, "Yeah, what do you know about it?" She asked the younger Gilbert. "Yeah- I just did a history report on it." Jeremy explained. "Oh. So where is it now?" Alexia then asked. "I gave it to Mr. Saltzman. He wanted to see it." Jeremy answered as Elena, Lexa and Stefan exchanged looks. Allira noticed the shared glances, before she looked to Jeremy.

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Elena and Lexa entered the kitchen, to be greeted by Damon, who was generously prepping dinner for Jenna. "Hello Elena, Alexia." He said, causing Lexa to frown. Jenna turned around right when the twins entered the kitchen. "Hey. Where have you girls been? We're cooking dinner." She chirped, with a smile on her face. "Is Stefan with you?" Damon asked them. "Um- he'll be here soon." Elena answered as Lexa leant against the counter which Jenna is sitting on and watches Damon with distaste.

Moments later, Damon placed something at the dinner table and headed back to the kitchen. Elena was carrying plates towards the table and Damon deliberately bumps into her. "Whoa." He blurted as Elena smiled in an annoyed way and shook her head as she continued on past Damon to place the plates at the table. "Don't do that."

"Do what?"

"You know what. That move was deliberate."

"Well, yeah, I was deliberately trying to get to the sink." Damon huffed as Elena looked back at Damon and scoffed. Damon, now at the stove, stirred a boiling pot of water. "Speaking of Stefan, where is he? He's missing family night, which I am enjoying immensely." He admitted. "Shouldn't you know?" Lexa huffed, getting off the counter now, and walking to the drawer containing cutlery, deciding to help set the table.

"Is it real?" Damon asked, standing in front of Lexa now. The brunette just blinked in surprise, "Is what real?" She asked. "This renewed sense of brotherhood. Surely you know of it." Damon said before he took the spoon out of the pot and tasted the sauce. "Can I trust him?" He asked.

"Yes, you can trust him." Both of the twins said in unison, as Elena had reentered the kitchen. Damon vamp-sped over to Elena, as she blinked in surprise. Lexa clenched her fists and took a step forward, watching Damon like a hawk.

"Can I trust him?" Damon asked again as Elena frowned, "I'm wearing vervain, Damon. It's not going to work." Damon shook his head, "I'm not compelling you. I just want you to answer me. Honestly." He said. "Of course you can." Elena answered.

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1864

Giuseppe and Katherine were playing croquet in the garden, Natasha and Brooklyn sat by and watched them. "You can trust me, Mr. Salvatore. I would never cheat." Katherine grinned as Giuseppe glanced at Natasha who giggled before nodding eagerly, "Never." She reassured him before he turned back to Katherine. Brooklyn looked between the twins, finding their behaviour suspicious.

Katherine hit the ball with her mallet, knocking it through the bridge. Natasha clapped as Giuseppe sighed, and Katherine giggled devilishly. Brooke had a smug smile, feeling satisfied that her father was losing. Damon and Stefan approached the trio. "I'm losing over here. Again!" The older Salvatore said to his sons.

Giuseppe took his turn at the game and Katherine curtseys at Damon and Stefan. Damon and Stefan stoppee walking and observe the game.

"She's good. I almost believe she genuinely likes him." Damon said to his brother. Stefan replied, to which Damon scoffed. "She knows father would have her killed if he knew the truth."

"Not if we talk to him; explained how we feel. He could help us keep them safe." Stefan suggested as Damon turned his body towards Stefan and faced him fully. "Have you gone mad? No, no, father would drive the stake in them himself!" He hissed. Stefan shook his head, "That's not true. We can trust him."

"No, no, not with this. Please, promise me you won't tell him, Stefan." Damon pleaded as he gripped Stefan's shoulder. Katherine, Natasha and Brooke watched them from across the garden, the Pierce girls smiles faltering. The Salvatore brothers looked over at Pierce twins and their sister.

"I promise."

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"There was a time when I trusted him more than anyone." Damon explained to the twins. "Trust breeds trust. You have to give it to get it." Lexa crossed her arms. Damon just scoffed, "Are you lecturing me?" Elena then asked, "Do you need to be lectured?"

"I just want Katherine back. I'm sure you can understand that." Damon insisted. "I can understand that you would do anything for her, yes." Elena said, as Lexa let out a giggle before she said, "Whipped bitch." To Damon. The vampire just turned to her, his eyebrows raised, "Says the girl who would do anything to jump Caroline's bones." He huffed as Lexa frowned, her cheeks going red. "Shut up." She scoffed.

Elena walked past Damon and placed a bowl on the table. Damon threateningly makes his next statement, close behind Elena's back. "I'm sure understand what I will do if anyone gets in my way." Damon said before he walked away, leaving both Elena and Lexa looking disturbed.

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In the kitchen, Jenna, Lexa and Elena were talking. "He is ridiculously hot!" Jenna said in a loud whisper, to her nieces. Damon, who was eavesdropping in on their conversation with his vampire hearing, smirks. "Shh!" Elena shushed her. Lexa rolled her eyes, "Jenna, he's a total ass." She said causing Damon to roll his eyes and stop listening in.

Elena and Lexa continued going through things in a box while Jenna helped out. "What are you doing with all this stuff?" Jenna asked them, curiously. "I thought there might be something about my- our birth parents." Elena said. Jenna nodded, "Have you told Jeremy?" She asked. Elena shook her head. "We will. When the time is right." Lexa said as Elena closed up the box.

The doorbell suddenly rang. "That's Stefan!" Elena announced happily, as Damon quickly got up from the couch and walked over to the door. Jeremy watched him go, agitated. "Dude!"

Elena opened the front door, Damon right behind her. Stefan looked at Damon, confused to why he's at the house, then to Elena, who shrugged.