*trigger warning*/PSA

just so you know before this all kicks off, this scene is going to have some adult themes with the content including a much deeper more explicit version of what happened to Grace and her parents. Obviously this is a trauma I would wish on no one, however, themes and events discussed in this chapter may be triggering to readers and may also be too mature for others. Although I would like to take this time to remind you that the TV series(s) upon which this book is based is rated 15 (at least in the UK, I don't know what it is elsewhere) and so you should keep this in mind for the content throughout, just thought I would give a warning due to the longevity of the adult themes in this chapter.

Any way that is the end of this PSA, this chapter will be a bit of a longer one too in celebration of making it to the 30th chapter!

Stefan opened his eye to an unfamiliar kitchen, Grace stood in front of him her eyes closed and her hands shaking by her side. He slid his hand into hers giving it a gentle squeeze.

It took a second for him to actually appreciate his surroundings, the house felt calm. Brimming with Christmas trimmings, he could smell the food cooking in the oven and heard laughter from the room over.

From Grace's reaction that was her family, she blindly tugged him forward - leading him from the kitchen into the next room.  A roaring fire flooded heat into the room, on one side stood a ginormous tree with presents spilling out from underneath with ornate decorations adorning every branch. At the other end of the room a baby grand was filling the room with beautiful melodies.

At the piano a younger Grace sat beside a man Stefan correctly assumed to be her father - sat atop the baby grand was a woman that was obviously her mother. It wasn't because they looked the same but because her smile simply was the same as Grace's - the way it traveled to their eyes and warmed a room more than any fire could.

As Grace's father tickled the ivories with the occasional input from his daughter, Grace and her mother sang in unison with the notes that were being played.

When Grace said she used to sing he didn't think she meant this, perhaps the occasionally harmonising with the radio but not this, their voices were pure honey.

He squeezed her hand again, the situation looked so full of love and happiness he wasn't quite sure he had revisited the right memory. Turing to face her, he was just fast enough to see her wipe away her tears.

"I was meant to be performing the next day, local choir Christmas fundraiser. I had a solo and everything."

"You were really good."

"Just watch." She said unable to move her eyes, too transfixed by her past she couldn't look away from her family. Stefan's ears pricked, there was a commotion somewhere outside, no one else seemed to notice - not that they would, it was far away and too subtle for human ears to pick up.

Suddenly he was ripped back to the present day Chicago.

"I can't do it."  She whimpered. "I just..."

"Shh." Stefan smiled. "I'm here - this next part is up to you, whatever you want okay." Crashing into his chest she sobbed, her arms tightening around him.  "I know, I know."  He comforted her, his hand tracing small circles on her lower back. He blinked and suddenly they were back at Christmas, she had decided to let him back in.

Still sitting at the piano Grace was singing along to the carol that her dad was playing as her mum just watched, smiling at her husband and child.

Outside there was another scuffle followed by a louder crash - loud enough that Grace's father stopped playing the piano.

"It's probably just an animal poking round the bins Ryan." Grace's mum brushed it off. "Just leave it."

"It sounded louder." Grace's dad Ryan said standing up to go investigate.

"Ryan." Her mum mocked, swinging her legs  playfully as she sat perched on the edge of the piano.

"Natalia." He laughed back at her. "I'll just be a second." 

"I bet it's just Mrs Higgins's cat again." Grace giggled as he father left the room. Natalia joined her in laughing. It didn't take long for Ryan to return. "Was it that cat?" She inquired.

"Don't know, must have cleared off by the time...." But suddenly he was silenced and their picture perfect Christmas rapidly morphed into a horror story.

Grace and Natalia's screams were deafening as the white and green tree was speckled with red. The large axe from the garden that had not two hours before been used to chop logs for the fire was imbedded in Ryan's shoulder a good two inches into the flesh. He dropped like a stone and behind him stood the man that plagued all of Grace's nightmares.

The girls scrambled away from the piano into the furthest corner in the room - their only exit blocked. Hiding her daughter behind herself Natalia stood as tall as her tiny frame would allow her, she only just passed five foot and she was trembling in fear with tiny specks of her husband blood on blouse and face but her eyes were fierce. Her mother bear instincts had overtaken her body and if Stefan didn't already know the outcome of the situation he was have thought in that moment Natalia would have been the victor in that situation.

The standoff felt like it lasted an eternity until a faint beeping came from the kitchen, their dinner was ready.

"Do you want to go and get that." The intruder said, his voice polite and even as though he hadn't just plunged an axe into their father and husband right before their eyes.

No one moved a muscle - out of fear or confusion it wasn't apparent but no one moved.

"I said, do you want to go and get that."

Natalia still stood her ground, the man lent down and at first it wasn't apparent what he was doing but with a tug and sickening noise he retrieved the axe from Ryan. The motion drew everyone's eyes back to his body and the bloodstain that haloed his head - save the gaping wedge in the nape of his neck he looked like he was sleeping on a burgundy pillow.

"Girl." The man snapped. "Go and get it."

Despite Natalia pressing her arm harder against her daughter, younger Grace slipped out from behind her mother - her body responding out of shock and fear of what would happen if she didn't comply. Edging her way round the room she stayed as clear as possible of the man until she made it to the door.

Stefan was torn, his attention slipped between younger Grace in the kitchen, Natalia who was still in the corner and Grace was was rooted on the spot reliving the worst moment of her life - she couldn't take her eyes of her father.

The beeping stopped and she had reappeared at the doorway.

"Where is the food?" He asked expectantly, as though he was visiting for dinner and merely waiting for it to be served.

Grace whispered something inaudible.

"You'll have to speak up."

"In the kitchen." She only just managed to form her words.

"That's better."  His macabre smile was truly bone chilling. "Lead the way." He pointed forward with his free hand, motioning for Natalia to join.

Stefan watched in horror as Natalia walked toward the door, due to how the man had repositioned himself and where the door was she had to climb over her husband prone body as his murderer stood over him twirling an axe between his fingers.

He moved to follow the girls and the man but his hand still holding Grace's was pulled back. She was stood rock solid, her eyes unable to move as the tears rolled down her face.

"How much longer does this last?" Stefan asked.

"Hours." Her voice was quite and void.

The room began to ripple and the scenery shift and they were now stood in the dining room facing the head of the table. It was covered with a veritable feast. Grace was sat facing her mother  they were either side of the centre of a huge dining table while at the head stood the man. The bloodied axe lay to his right while in front of him was a large ham.

Younger Grace gasped as he picked up the large carving knife but didn't settle even when he simply began to use it to slice the meat. He then proceeded to portion up the food and plate up for Grace and Natalia with a precision and care that felt at once both uncharacteristic and out of place.

A few minutes passed, the man tucked into his food, quickly devouring the meal in front of him but Grace and Natalia didn't have the appetite nor the stomach to eat what was in front of them.

A devilish smile suddenly overtook the man's face he looked between Grace and her.

"I can't believe it is Christmas already, the year goes by so quickly."

But no one answered, his poor effort a feeble small talk was so out of place.

"I understand, conversation is so hard when you don't know who you are talking too. I must say, sitting me down for dinner and not even introducing yourselves." He chuckled but as he did his hand slid across the table to the handle of the axe, his finger running down the wood as he looked on expectantly at them. "I asked what are your names?"

"Grace" "Natalia" The two of them blurted out at the same time.

"Lovely." He smiled, returning his hands to rest either side of his now empty plate. "And our friend in the living room what about him."

"Ryan." Natalia replied more quietly.

"Ah Ryan." He sighed raising his glass. "Well a toast to Ryan."

Grace and Natalia raised their drinks in silence but didn't drink - Stefan tightened his grip on Grace's hand. This was going to be harder than he thought it would be.

After finishing his glass, he poured himself two more and helped himself to seconds before reclining in his chair with a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"Now Grace go and do the dishes, would you." He smirked. "Natalia and I have some business to attend to."

Grace was quick to gather the dishes and take them to the Kitchen, sparing her mother a glance as she left. Their eyes locked and they both mouthed some words to each other but they didn't seem to be English because Stefan couldn't quite catch them.

Stefan and Grace followed her younger self out of the dining room and stood behind her as she set about the dishes.

It was about five minutes before a blood curdling scream made her jump and smash the plate she was holding. Her hands and body were now shaking so uncontrollably she had to grab the counter to stable herself.

Not knowing what else to do she took a deep breath and continued on with the dishes until they were all drying on the side. It was only then did she notice the screams had stopped.

The house was left eerily quite, a silence broken by the door being opened behind her.

"Just one more to wash up Grace." He said as he walked up behind her. Grace froze as he place a knife down on the counter beside her, it was the carving knife he had used to cut up the ham but it was now so sodden with blood it was no longer a silver blade but caked with a dark red. "Join us in the dining room when you're done won't you."

She nodded her head unable to turn and face him.

"Good girl."

Unable to watch her clean the knife he turned away from the memory to the Grace beside him.

"Grace please tell me." Stefan whispered, his voice pleading. "Does he hurt you?"

"Just watch." This time he wasn't filled with anticipation of what song was to follow but rather dread of what this man was going to do the Grace.

"I don't think I can."

"Well I can't and I'm still here Stefan." She walked away following her former self, her voice was the strongest he'd heard in a while but her hand still hadn't left his and so he followed the two of them back into the dining room.

Slumped in her chair was her mother, her body visibly mutilated it was littered with cuts and stab wounds, Grace didn't think twice about running to her side. It wasn't till she was up close could she hear her mothers raspy breaths - she was still alive, her limp body barely lockdown aside from the shaky rise and fall of her chest.

"Grace." The man called, he was leaning against the chair at the end of the table. "You know what - I would love a tour, I haven't seen nearly enough of your house."

She was obviously reluctant to leave her mother but the threat of what would happen if she didn't was too daunting.

Pressing a kiss onto her mum's forehead, Grace drew all of her courage and began her tour of their home. She didn't dare bring him back into the living room were her father's body still lay. Instead showed him the rest of the ground floor before walking up the stairs.

"So what does your mum call you?"

"Grace." She answered hesitantly, unsure of what he meant by his question.

"No I mean what does she call you, surely your dear mum is more inventive than that."

"Слънчице." She whispered.

"Slŭnchitse?"

"It's means sunshine."

"And why would she call you that." He asked, his voice serious and slightly confused. "I've known you two hours and all you done is cry. You are hardly the personification of sunshine."

Grace was shocked for words and as was Stefan. This man was terrifying not just because of what he had done but the uncertainty of what he would do, he was unpredictable and even when he wasn't harming or killing anyone his mannerisms still out Stefan on edge.

"And your father what does he call you?"

"Dove."

"Dove." He repeated a smile creeping on to his face. "You are a little dove aren't you? So small..." his hand reached out to hers as though he was going to take it but instead it invade hers. "So fragile." There was a sickening crack and Grace feel to the ground, her mouth opened to scream but nothing came out.

"Oh little dove." He shook his head letting go of her hand, she cradled it close to her chest sobbing and confused.

Stefan was filled with rage - he wanted to hurt this monster before him but this was a memory and he couldn't interfere with them. Looking down, horrified at the thought of what he might see, Stefan's heart sunk as he saw her now deformed hand - he had crumpled it between his hand and Stefan wanted nothing more than to do the same to his head.

"You have a garage?" He asked although he seemed to already know the answer.

"Yes." She sniffled through the pain.

"And cars."

"Yes."

"Show me." A mix between boredom and apprehension, his tone threw younger Grace - she didn't know what to expect, present Grace's brow creased in apprehension of what came next.

Memory Grace leaned against the wall using it to stand and led the man back downstairs, the garbage was off the utility room, through the kitchen. Both Grace and the man disappeared into the garage while Grace and Stefan stayed behind in the memory.

"Your hand?" Stefan asked, lifting it up to inspect it closer and for the first time he noticed dozens of small scars littering her hand.

"I got pins and reconstructive surgery." Grace smiled lightly as Stefan traced the scars. "It healed up alright."

"Oh Grace I am so sorry."

"You didn't know."

"No." He sighed. "No one did. This is why you hate Elena isn't it."

"I don't hate her because of my past, I hate he because of her own actions."

"She had no compassion toward you."

"Elena would do anything for certain people but she couldn't even show me simple kindness. Apparently I wasn't worthy of her empathy. I shouldn't have to justify my trauma for it to be valid."

"What happened next?"

Grace closed her eyes to recall and as she did the house and the street slipped away, replaced by sheer darkness. When she opened her eyes the darkness didn't go, she knew where she was - the one place she had dreaded perhaps more than seeing her parents. 

Taking in a deep breath she reached out blindly into the darkness. A couple of seconds later she was met with a familiar hand as it intertwined with hers and she could breathe in relief.

"So it's not a nightmare."

"I'm not so sure." Stefan whispered.

"At least you are here with me, I don't have to do it alone."

"Never."

She still couldn't see him but the small squeeze of his hand was enough to reassure her.

Suddenly there was a light and they were back in Mystic Falls in the back of a police cruiser. At first Grace was confused, she couldn't remember this part but then she realised who the driver was.

Liz Forbes was out on patrol when she found the car with Grace in the boot and they were in the back of Liz's car.

Suddenly life began to flicker past the two of them, the memories so painful Stefan could feel them.

The trial, a blur in Grace's mind - each hearing followed by the lonely void of the social service's care home she was in. Her inability to even look toward the man that murdered her parents, her tearful heart wrenching testimony on the stand - all of it seemed to merge into one. Then suddenly time stopped, they were back at the home and Grace was sat on her bed staring into the wall with a blank face. The through the door walked Liz Forbes, dressed in civilian clothes instead of her uniform she had a gentle smile on her face.

Stefan couldn't quite hear what was going on but when memory Grace gave Sheriff Forbes a long hug before leaving with her, he turned to Grace for answers.

"She had been coming to all the hearings - the entire thing. Not just for her testimony but for me, I don't think I would have gotten through it without her."

"Your mum, she wasn't dead when you saw her - couldn't they...save her?"

"The police said they found her body next to my dad - she had used up that last of her energy to be with him." Grace said fighting back the tears. "They always used to be the reason I believed in soul mates - she died when he did, anything he did after was just prolonging the inevitable."

"How long was it before Liz fostered you?"

"About eight months."

Stefan couldn't get the image of how broken Grace looked when she had watched both her parents be mutilated to the point of death, and then for him to crush her hand like he had her soul. His heart ached for her but it also boiled over with anger. The memory began to fade away from around them and they were left standing back on the streets of Chicago.

Walking along in silence Stefan tried to find words to comfort her but he couldn't even begin to order his own thoughts.

"I knew he was monster but now..."

"Now you know." Grace whispered sitting down on bench. Stefan joined her, resting a hand on her leg for comfort.

"You are right, he is a despicable person. I understand why he scares you so much."

"But he shouldn't especially not now, no mortal man should ever be able to make some feel so afraid - not when I know real monsters." Stefan looked down crestfallen but she delicately nudged his chin back up so that he looked her in the eyes. "And also when I know that some monsters can be kind and gentle."

She was too pure for this world. He thought as his head filled with all sorts of things that his brother would surely chastise him for should they ever see the light of day or pen to paper. In truth she was all he could dare think about - the alternative was far too gruesome. Even the secondhand experience of her parents murder was enough to turn his stomach, him, the infamous ripper.  "So," he cleared his throat trying to focus his mind. "Did that help at all or just make it worse?"

"It helped but I think I can do something else that would help me even more."

"You think there is another way to overcome your fear of him?"

"Like you said he is a despicable person and people can be confronted."

"What are you getting at?"

"Do you think you could get me into a super max?"

"What!"