CHAPTER SIX.                       Family Ties

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HAZEL WALKED DOWN HER NEIGHBORHOOD, leash in hand. Her dog, Bear, trotted a few feet ahead, getting his late morning walk. Usually, Hazel only walked him when she got home from school and late at night before bed. However, on this weekend morning, Hazel decided to enjoy the weather with her dog and enjoy the warm weather.

     She was walking around, making her usual route she did. Her dog eventually took a slow stop to go to the bathroom, and Hazel started making her walk back home.

     Behind her, the slow revving of a car caused the girl to turn around. An old blue camaro came to a slow stop next to her, the window rolling down. She was perplexed, seeing Damon Salvatore sitting in the drivers side. Hazel tightened her grip around the leash, pulling her dog closer to her.

     "Beautiful day, isn't it?" He asked with a faint smirk. Hazel started to scowl. She didn't like Damon. She knew how he treated Stefan, she knew how he tried to swoon Elena (and failed), and it made her start to despise him. Hazel was not very good at defending herself. She was a doormat, of sorts, and she knew that. Most people knew that about her. It was a great flaw, one she'd tried working on in the last few months.

But her friends? Oh, people knew that Hazel Greenwood would be more likely to start ritualistic sacrifices if it meant defending her friends. Once, a girl named Fallon had been talking bad about Sadie, and Hazel overheard. That girls gym class ended with her clothes missing, and a trip to the office after suspicious contents were found in her locker. To this day, Sadie still doesn't know how Hazel knew.

     Hurt her all you want, but the people she care about are off limits.

     "Don't you have a minor to go be creepy with?" Hazel asked sarcastically, continuing to walk with her dog in tow. Damon watched the back of the redhead, narrowing his eyes in distaste. Hazel groaned, hearing the engine as he slowly edged forward.

     "Don't be like that, red riding hood. I know that we got off the wrong foot—"

     "If I'm red riding hood, does that make you the big bad wolf?" Hazel turned and faced Damon's car, raising a brow. She wasn't scared of him. Hell, she wasn't even uncomfortable by his presence. That almost made Damon surprised. He usually had that effect on people. "My, what big ears you have!" She gasped. Damon scowled. "Come on, you're supposed to say the better to hear you with!" She feigned a shocked expression. "What big eyes you have!" Damon didn't answer, but he knew how the tale went. The better to see you with, the wolf replied. "My, what big teeth you have!"

     "The better to eat you with." Damon muttered coldly, staring the redhead down with a hungry stare. He couldn't decide if she was brave or stupid. Maybe, probably, both.

     Hazel sighed, "Great chatting with you, but I don't feel like talking to a guy who tried to kiss his brothers girlfriend. If you need me, I'll be with the mountain lion deep in the dark scary woods." She tugged the leash, Bear following her as they walked across the street, and away from Damon Salvatore. Damon scowled as he watched, his grip tightening over the steering wheel.

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SADIE HAD HER CHIN IN HER HAND, staring down at her cup of water as her aunt and uncle sit across her and Tyler at the grill. Sadie listened to them talk about the tragedy from a few nights ago, Mr. Tanners death, and the fact that they had found the mountain lion that had been the cause of these attacks.

     "So what happens with the season? One big forfeit?" Mayor Richard Lockwood asks his son. "Are they looking for a new coach?"

     "I don't know, Dad. I doubt anybody's thinking about that right now."

     Carol Lockwood looks up, "Founders party, focus." She scolded.

     Sadie looked up as Vicki Donovan approached the table. "How are we all doing over here?" She asked with a chirpy voice and a kind smile. Quickly, Tyler looked down, avoiding her eyes. Sadie looked around for any sign of her sister, Sam, but she must've been on break by now.

     "Yeah, we're doing great, sweetheart." Richard said with politeness.

     Vicki looked at Sadie, who smiled as the Donovan girl filled her cup with water. Tyler looked the other way. Annoyed, Vicki reached over and filled his cup too. "Anything else I can get you?" She asked, now almost bitter.

     "No, we're fine, thanks." Tyler said, still not looking at her. Sadie looked at Tyler, then at Vicki. This time she looked at Vicki with an empathetic look.

     "Just the check, honey," Richard said kindly.

     Vicki glared at Tyler, pulling the booklet out from her apron. "Here you go, Mayor Lockwood."

     As Vicki walked away, Sadie sighed slowly, looking at her cousin. "You're kinda a dick, you know that right?" She whispered.

     "Thanks." Tyler muttered, looking down at his plate.

     When they wrapped up their meal, Tyler and Sadie stayed back while his parents went to go work on the Founders Day party some more. Tyler and Sadie walked through the Grill. "Are you asking anyone?" Tyler asked, looking at his cousin. Sure, they tried to tell everyone they weren't close. They were opposites. Tyler was the cool snobby jock, and Sadie was the girl who stayed in the background. But there was this silent bond, the two of them being the same age and dealing with their families together. This bond that made them closer than they'd realize.

     "I'm going with my Hazel? You know, the girl I've called my wife since we were thirteen?" Tyler groaned at the comment, knowing he should've realized that Sadie would make any joke about her best friend.

     The two of them stepped up to the bar as Vicki Donovan was in front of them. "So what you gonna buy me?" Tyler asked her. Sadie looked down the bar, seeing Jeremy.

     "Ugh, some class." The Donovan said as she looked over, "Oh, your parents are gone. I guess we can be close now."

     "What the hell does that mean?"

     Vicki leaned against the counter. Jeremy purposely only looked at his drink. Sadie stood back, looking between them awkwardly. "You treat me like trash. I'm sick of it," She retorted. Sadie's eyes widened as she looked down at her shoes, knowing she had to tell Hazel all about this when she got home.

     "I don't think you're trash." Tyler shook his head, staring at her.

     The eldest Donovan rose a brow. "Really? Then who are you taking to the founder's party?"

     Tyler cocked his head to the side in curiosity. "Vicki Donovan. Do you want me to ask you to the founder's party?" He hummed teasingly.

     A smile bit onto Vicki's face. "No." She horribly lied. "It'll be stupid and lame."

     "True. But it'll be less stupid and lame if you were there." Tyler said as he turned to walk away. He patted Sadie's shoulder, waving her along. Sadie looked back at Jeremy, noticing his gloomy expression. He couldn't keep his mouth shut, but that wasn't going to be her business.

     She walked down the street and walked into the Mystic Falls Library. There were boxes filled with artifacts and books stacked on the tables with different names on them. Sadie skimmed them, confused by how many there were. Some of them had books that were worn and degrading. Others had random trinkets and obsolete objects.

     She saw different ones. Forbes. Fells. Lockwood. Founding families. She saw some other boxes from other random families, some that dated back to the original founders. The towns history was laying out in front of her, objects that were once everyday items, now relics to the town they created. She walked towards the desk, seeing Hazel sitting at the computer, staring at the screen as her dad walks out of the back room with another box.

     James Greenwood looked up, smiling. "Sadie! How're you doing?" He asked as he walked out into the main part of the library, putting a box down. Hazel looked up for a moment, but was quickly back at the screen.

     "I'm good," She said as she stepped closer. She looked at the stacks, the piles, the sticky notes on every table and every box. An organized chaos, as the Greenwoods always were. "You look busy."

     "The Town Council wanted me to pull out the archives, and then the founding families brought their stuff here, and now we have this." James sighed as he put his hands on his hips, looking at all the boxes. "Your aunt should be having people come get it all soon. But we are missing a box. Hazel?"

     James and Sadie looked back at the redhead girl at the desk. She was looking through old emails, skimming an old thread. "Miranda Gilbert was supposed to bring it over so we could check the condition of everything. I don't think she was able to do it." Hazel explained, shaking her head in thought. She didn't have to say it. Miranda had died months ago, probably shortly before she could bring any boxes to the library. She eventually turned back, looking at her dad with verification. "We never got it."

     James sighed as he closed up another box. "Alright, well, I'll let Carol know and she can send an email to Jenna Sommers or call Miranda's daughter." He muttered in thought. "I'm not even part of this council and yet I feel like I do the most work."

     "Librarian-slash-historian duties," Hazel chimed, pushing the desk chair back. She spun it in circles a couple times while waiting for Sadie to walk over. "How was dinner?"

     "Excruciatingly awkward." Sadie mumbled, resting her arms on the top of the tall surface. She looked over the desk, down at Hazel. "I think Vicki is going with Tyler, but she had to basically ask him to ask her."

     Hazel scoffed, shaking her head. "She'd have a better time with that mountain lion." She commented. She stood up from her seat, walking to the small door that divided the front desk and the rest of the library.

     "At least now it's dead," Sadie pointed out, leaning against the desk as her friend walked out to meet her.

     The redhead shook her head. "I just can't believe it. I mean, you saw Vicki's injury. Did the mountain lion just take a little nibble and say I'm not into druggies and run off?" She rambled on as she leaned back. None of it made sense. If it was a mountain lion that attacked Vicki, the Donovan should either be dead, or have more injuries than a bite on her neck.

     "Maybe she's just super lucky." Sadie reasoned, shrugging. "And we should be lucky that we didn't see the damn mountain lion ourselves, or else we'd be Vicki or Mr. Tanner."

     Hazel nodded. "Yeah," She muttered as she looked down. For a moment, the girls sat in silence. They couldn't pin point what it was, but something wasn't right. They knew that. But what was it? Hazel cleared her throat, looking up with a smile. "Are you coming over to get ready with me?" She asked.

     "Duh," Sadie teased. "But I might not come til after noon, Sam and I have to help my aunt set up the party." She explained, rolling her eyes in teenage dismay. Hazel scrunched her nose, knowing she would hate being stuck with the Lockwood family, too.

     "Girls!" James called out, catching their attention. "Can you guys make a stack of boxes of the books?" Hazel and Sadie shared looks before walking towards a library table, getting to work.

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JEREMY GILBERT JOGGED DOWN HIS STAIRS, approaching his front door. When he swung it open, the first thing he saw was Tyler Lockwood's face. Immediately, he tried to slam it shut.

     Tyler pushed it back open, looking up. Sadie McCullough stood next to Tyler, "I told you I should've knocked." She muttered. Sadie elbowed her cousin out of her way, smiling. "We're here for his mom. We're supposed to pick up a box?"

     "It's right here!" Elena's voice came from behind Jeremy. The boy opened up the door more as his older sister approached with a small antique box. "Please be careful," She said as she handed it to Tyler.

     Jeremy looked over. "Yeah, be careful with it, dick."

     "Hey." Elena snapped. "Not now, okay, guys? Please?" Elena asked as she looked between them.

     "I'm fine. He's just being a punk." Tyler said with a shrug.

     Jeremy narrowed his eyes. "I got your punk."

     "Okay, that's enough toxic masculinity for me," Sadie muttered, "Thanks for the box," Sadie smiled at Elena.

     The Gilbert girl adjusted her footing. "You don't wanna stay and get ready with me and Bonnie?" She asked. "Hazel can come, too."

     Sadie looked in Tyler's direction, and then Jeremy's. She stood up straight, shaking her head. "I think it's best I just get this to Carol."

     "Tell her I'll see her tonight," Elena said politely, turning and walking into her house.

     Thinking it was over, Sadie turned and took a step off the porch. Tyler pushed open the Gilbert door again, earning a glare from Jeremy once more. "Hey, would it make a difference if I told you I actually like Vicki?"

      "Not even if you meant it."

     Tyler sighed in annoyance as he turned to Sadie. She smiled, raising a brow. "Don't say it." He glowered.

     "I don't have to," Sadie countered with a shrug, turning towards his car. "Bring me home! I gotta go to Hazel's and get ready."

     At the Greenwood house, Hazel stood at her kitchen counter, eating her second bowl of cereal when her house phone started ringing. Confused, she walks out into the living room, picking up. "Hello?"

     "Hazel, it's, uh, it's Stefan."

      "Oh. Hi," Hazel smiled as she sat on the couch. "You could've called my number." She said with a playful smile.

     "I know, but, um," Stefan cracked a smile of his own. "I wanted to ask you if your dad has anything about the Salvatore's? I've been wanting to do a little research on my family history."

     Hazel stood up, walking into the kitchen as she furrowed a brow in thought. "I'd imagine so. You said you're related to the original settlers, right?" She recalled history class with Mr. Tanner. In a way, the memory itself felt like it was so long ago.

     "Yeah, that's right."

     "Well, as I've told just about anyone, if you have any lineage in this town, my dad has something on your ancestors." Hazel explained, mouth full of cereal. She put her spoon down, and Stefan could hear the clinking of silver on porcelain. "Hey, my dad's going to be at the founders party tonight. I'll be sure to find you and introduce you both. How does that sound?"

     Stefan hummed, nodding even if she couldn't see it. "I'd appreciate that, thank you." He said, looking down at the photo of Katherine Pierce in his hand. "I'll see you tonight then?"

     "For sure! Toodles!" Hazel hung up, leaving the phone on the counter as she walked away, cereal bowl in hand.

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THE LOCKWOOD ESTATE WAS ALREADY CROWDED. Sadie and Hazel linked arms, following the McCullough family closely. Silvia and Mitchell smiled and made small talk with other guests as they got closer to the entrance. Even Sam, though known to be the trashy daughter who did drugs in the school bathroom, dressed up for the part. Sadie wore a dark purple sparkly dress with straps that was tight on her body and black wedges, her hair curled and styled. Hazel walked next to her in a dark blue dress, contrasting her red hair and her sparkly heels. Her dress was tight around the bodice, flaring out the slightest at the waist, the length reaching just under her fingertips. She pushed her own curled hair back, keeping a smile as she walked towards the Lockwood family.

     "Silvia! Mitch!" Carol beamed, hugging them both tightly. Mitch shook Richard's hand, but Silvia gave her brother a tight hug. "Thank you both again for all your help."

     Silvia waved. "Oh, it's no problem, Carol. You know how much we love doing this with family." She beamed, looking in Tyler's direction. He looked antsy, shifting his weight back and forth. "And look at you!"

     Carol gasped as she looked at the McCullough sisters and Hazel. "God, I can't believe how beautiful you all are!" She gushes as she hugs Sam first, who mutters a thank you before trying to quickly get to the entrance. Sadie and Hazel knew she was trying to get to the champagne before her parents watched her the rest of the night. "Hazel, I remember the first time Sadie brought you to dinner! You two were so young! And now you're beautiful women!"

     "Thank you, Mrs. Lockwood," Hazel nodded, smiling. "You guys really outdid yourselves."

     "Oh, wait til you get inside!" Carol said. "Silvia, I'll find you in there, I want to show you the exhibit Hazel's fathers been working on!"

     Hazel and Sadie shared eye contact with Tyler, who looked at them with nerves all over his expression They looked at each other, not saying a word as they stepped inside.

     Of course, the place was just as crowded and just as beautiful on the inside. Hazel and Sadie shared small smiles and hello's with other people, including Caroline's mom. They listened to random stories, listened to people complain about the food, and eventually found their own little corner in the estate to people watch.

     "He's definitely drinking too much tonight," Hazel pointed out a random man. "Since we got here, he's had like nine glasses. And it hasn't even been two hours." She pointed out, sipping her own glass of champagne she and Sadie snuck themselves.

     "And look at Sam, she's definitely drunk." Sadie pointed towards her sister, who was stumbling as she flirted with a man who was at least fifteen years older. Hazel and Sadie shared scrunched faces of disgust.

     "Caroline! You look smashing!"

     Carols voice caught the girls's attention. They watched as Caroline stood with Damon. He smirked, not noticing them as he introduced himself. They stepped inside. Hazel and Sadie shared looks.

     "I wonder how Caroline would feel knowing Damon tried to kiss Elena," Hazel said in thought, narrowing her eyes.

     Sadie nudged her. "It's not our business. We barely know either of them." She said, knowing it was best to stay out of that level of drama.

     "Sure, but we know Stefan." Haze countered. They watched as Caroline walked towards her mom. Damon turned, his own eyes landing on the two girls. "Oh, great."

     Damon walked over, calm and collected. "Ladies," He beamed, leaning against the table next to them casually. "Don't you both look beautiful?"

     "We're waiting for Stefan and Elena." Sadie said, keeping her voice calm, monotone. She kept her expression mutual, no positive or negative emotions that Damon could read into. Hazel, on the other hand, looked at the elder Salvatore with narrowed eyes and a look of distaste.

     Damon shrugged. "I'm waiting to get a peak at that exhibit. Heard your dad worked on it. Didn't he?" His attention went to Hazel, who had a sudden feeling of unease come over her. Anxiety pulsed through, almost as if sirens went off in her head. Something was seriously wrong with Damon.

     "Yeah, he did." Hazel answered slowly, keeping her arms crossed over her body like they could be some shield. "I'm surprised you came here with Caroline. Her mom's the sheriff, you know. She might not like some twenty something with her highschool daughter."

     He didn't seem phased. He never seemed bothered by anything, and that seemed to make Hazel even more bothered by him. "Caroline and I have a connection. What can I say?"

     Sadie looked past Damon, "Look, Stefan and Elena are here." She said. Damon turned her head to watch his brother and the Gilbert girl talking to Carol Lockwood. He clenched his jaw, watching as Stefan stepped inside, his arm linked with Elena's. Deja vu. When he turned to the girls, they were already gone, making their own way towards Bonnie, Elena, and Stefan. He chewed the inside of his cheek, looking away again.

     "Hey!" Hazel chirped, walking up to them with a grin. Stefan and Elena looked up to see a man coming from behind the redhead girl. "Stefan, this is my dad, James Greenwood. Local historian, librarian, the whole thing." She listed off with a smile.

     James smiled wide, "Stefan Salvatore. I'm a good friend of your uncles." He said as he shook the boys hand.

     "Pleasure to meet you." Stefan said.

     "Hazel said you wanted to know more about the Salvatore's and their time here in Mystic Falls?" James asked. Stefan replied, yes. "Well, there's a bunch of stuff here, but if you want, I can look at some of my archives and you can read up on whatever you like."

     "Archives? Like the ones in civil hall?" Stefan asked, his curiosity piqued.

     James scoffed. "That's the tip of the iceberg, son." He patted Stefan's shoulder, shaking his head. "You come to the library, I got more than your own family does." He said with a grin. Stefan nodded, looking at Elena who seemed just as excited for him.

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LATER IN THE EVENING, the group of teens had found themselves in the room surrounded by all the memorials and exhibits. Things from the founding families over the years, all collected and cleaned up for display by Hazel's dad. Hazel and Sadie pointed at random things, muttering about their beauty and their history.

     Elena and Stefan were a few feet ahead. Elena looks down at an old sheet of paper, "Wow, look, it's the original guest registry. I can't believe Hazel's dad really found it." She says, Stefan looks over her shoulder, a nervous look on his face. "Look at all these familiar names-- Sheriff William Forbes, Mayor Benjamin Lockwood." Elena squints. "Is that Damon Salvatore?" She looks even closer, Stefan's heart beginning to race. Hazel and Sadie looked up, wandering closer. Elena's eyes widen in surprise. "And Stefan Salvatore?"

     "The original Salvatore brothers."

     Hazel whips around, gasping to see Damon and Caroline right behind her. She steps back, "Why did you do that?" She hissed, glaring as he walked past her.

     Damon looked between his brother and Elena. He could have laughed at history repeating itself. "Our ancestors. Tragic story, actually." Sadie stands awkwardly, looking between the brothers.

     "We don't need to bore them with stories of the past," Stefan says, his tone short.

      Elena rolls her eyes. "It's not boring, Stefan. I'd love to hear more about your family. Like you said to Mr. Greenwood." She says to him. Hazel raises a brow, secretly grossed out by the coupley interaction.

     Caroline chirps up "Well, I'm bored. I want to dance. And Damon won't dance with me." She retorts, sending Damon the side-eye. "Could I just borrow your date?" Caroline asks the GIlbert. Hazel audibly gasped at the audacity, looking at Caroline with wide eyes. She debated saying something, but she and Sadie looked at each other. Not. Their. Business.

     Elena stutters for an answer, also shocked by this. Stefan shakes his head, "I don't really dance." He reasons.

     "Oh, sure he does. You should see him. Waltz, the jitterbug, the moonwalk. He does it all." Stefan sends Damon an annoyed look.

     "You wouldn't mind, would you, Elena?" Caroline asks. Hazel and Sadie share looks again. Hazel considered smacking Caroline with Elena's purse.

     Elena shrugs, keeping her cool. "It's up to Stefan." She says finally.

     "Well I'm not going to take no for an answer," Caroline huffs, taking Stefan's hand.

     Hazel watches in amazement at Caroline's boldness. She opens her mouth, but nothing comes out. Sadie clenched her jaw, "I'm going to get a drink. Maybe, like, six? Three for me, three for Stefan?" Sadie said with a faint smile. She excused herself, moving to follow Stefan and Caroline to the dance floor.

     Hazel was looking at the registry, Elena looking in the direction Sadie and Stefan went. She could feel Damon's eyes on her. "Hazel, come on," Elena said, trying to get closer to someone who didn't make her feel uneasy. Hazel stepped around Damon, trying to ignore the anxiety creeping up her spine again.

     Damon rose a brow as the two girls made a move towards the door. "Elena?" The Gilbert girl tensed up at his voice. Slowly turning towards him, she fiddled with her purse. "I want to apologize to you for being such a world-Class jerk the other night when I tried to kiss you. There's no excuse." Hazel scrunched her nose, now imagining hitting him with Elena's clutch purse she was holding. "My therapist says I'm...acting out, trying to punish Stefan."

     Elena pursed her lips as she glanced to the side. "For what?"

     "It's all in the past. I don't even want to bring it up. Let's just say that the men in the Salvatore family have been cursed with sibling rivalry." Damon chuckled as he slowly held up his finger. "And it all started with the original Salvatore brothers."

     Hazel raised a brow. "You mean the original Stefan and Damon?" She asked in monotone.

     "The Salvatore name was practically royalty in this town. Until the war. There was a battle here-"

      "The battle of Willow Creek," Elena blurted. She looks at Damon, almost as if she was bored of the conversation, "I know, we talked about it in class. Confederate soldiers fired on a church with civilians inside." Elena now had her arms crossed. Hazel looked back, secretly hoping she'd see Sadie or Stefan. Both of them desperately wanted out of this conversation.

     "What the history books left out was the people that were killed. They weren't there by accident." Damon explains. He walks by the two girls, and they turn to look at him. He approached a replica of the church. "They were believed to be union sympathizers. So some of the founders on the confederacy side back then wanted them rounded up and burned alive." Hazel's eyes widened. Surely her dad knew about this. He knew everything about the town, but why wouldn't he mention it to her? Damon stared at the small replica of the church. "Stefan and Damon had someone they loved very much in that church. And when they went to rescue them, they were shot. Murdered in cold blood." 

      Elena shakes her head, wanting to know more. "Who was in the church that they wanted to save?" She asks.

     Damon sighs, looking between the two girls. The girl that look just like Katherine. "A woman, I guess." Hazel raises her brow, remembering Elena telling her about the brother's issues. "Doesn't it always come down to the love of a woman?"

     The Gilbert purses her lips, "Look, I'm sorry that you and Stefan have this thing between you, but I can't get in the middle of it, Damon," There was a special softness in Elena. A kindness that not many people had. Something Hazel even envied, in a way. "I just, I hope you two can work it out."

     Damon stares at both girls, and he can't help but glance at Elena one more time. "I hope so, too." He whispers.

     At the dance floor, Sadie watches from the sidelines as Caroline and Stefan dance, drink champagne, etc. She sips her own glass, watching her sister dance with that older guy. She shakes her head, rolling her eyes as she looks away.

     "Where's your bestie?"

     Mikey Manson had seemingly appeared, once again, standing next to Sadie with a smirk and a little twinkle in his eye she didn't notice before. She looked him over. He was actually wearing a suit. She was convinced he had never actually dressed nice before. She straightened her posture. "Keeping Elena company while her boyfriend and Caroline dance." She explained, nodding in the direction of Stefan. "And while they have to deal with Damon."

      Mikey hummed in thought. "And you're watching them from here, why?"

     "I don't trust Damon or Caroline. But I can't just stand in the middle of the floor and watch." Sadie explained, not even looking away from the dancing pair as she talked.

     "Then don't stand." Mikey's statement causes Sadie to look at him. He took her champagne, earning him a glare. Sadie stuttered in confusion as Mikey's hand engulfed hers. He was warm. His skin rougher than hers from years of sports and dirt. His little grin that used annoy her growing up suddenly didn't. In fact, she couldn't help but crack a surprised smile as he tugged her onto the dance floor.

     Sadie looked around awkwardly. "I can't dance." She blurted. She looked up watching as Mikey shrugged.

     "I can't either. Who cares?"

     They stood there, wrapping their arms around each other in the ways they'd seen in movies, and the way that the people around them did. They both looked at their feet, trying to move to a rhythm that matched the slow music. Sadie's heart was pounding. She had never thought of doing this, let alone with Mikey. And yet, she blushed wildly as they found their pace. And she giggled playfully when she stepped on his foot.

     For the first time, Mikey Manson looked beautiful under the outdoor lights. And for the first time, Sadie's hand was in Mikey's and it seemed to fit just right.

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HAZEL SAT AT A TABLE, eating a small plate of appetizers as she looked around. She sighed, watching Damon and Caroline stand together, Stefan and Elena dance, and she even could see Mikey and Sadie dancing.

     "I don't want to ask." She muttered, grabbing the champagne Damon had snuck her before he wondered off with his date. She looked to the side, sighing. "If it's what I think it is, I'm killing myself." She looked at the table, picking up a fork. "With this." She looked up to see Elena walking away from Stefan, approaching her with angst in her step. "If there is something happening between Sadie and Mikey, I'm stabbing myself to death with this fork."

     Elena took the fork away, placing it back down. "Can we go somewhere away from Stefan's eyes?" She asked. Hazel frowned, looking back at the dance floor to see Stefan staring at them both. "I tried to get him to talk about himself. Anything at all, and he wouldn't. Not Katherine. Not even anything not-Katherine."

     Hazel stood up, her face contorting into concern. "Let's go find Bonnie and talk,"

     When they do, the three girls end up in a corner inside the Lockwood mansion. Hazel is eating a plate of cheese and crackers (just the cheese), sitting in a chair that she pulled closer to the girls on the couch.

     Bonnie sighs, "This is my fault. I planted doubt. I'm a doubt planter." She said as Elena ate from a plate of food they were sharing.

     The Gilbert girl shook her head. "It's not your fault. I just, I feel terrible, because I said that I wouldn't get in the middle of it and then that's exactly what I did." She said as she looked down again. "I got all snotty."

     Hazel shook her head. "You're allowed to ask questions." She pointed out. "I know I said that Katherine is just an ex, why would he bring her up, but it's obvious that she was a big chapter in his and Damon's lives. You should know the history and both sides to their story so you can judge if that's something you want to be apart of." She reasoned, shaking her head as she ate more cheese.

     Bonnie and Elena looked at her, surprised. "That's very wise of you."

     "I'm in therapy."

     The girls share giggles, looking to the door to see Carol Lockwood walking over. "Elena, honey, there you are. Oh! And with sweet Hazel." She said with a faint smile. Hazel looked up, surprised as Carol wrapped an arm around her. "I noticed the watch still isn't in the collection."

     "Oh," Elena closed her eyes. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Lockwood. I couldn't find it. I guess it's still packed up in my parents stuff somewhere." She explained.

     Carol smiled. "I see. Well, please let me know if you do find it." The three girls watched.

     "It's a stupid watch. Nobody's going to care if it's missing except maybe you and your brother." Hazel deadpanned, looking over. "Right?"

     Elena shrugged. "I think she's just being Carol." Bonnie nodded in agreement. Elena looked over. "You know Stefan. What do you think?"

     Hazel raises a brow, looking between Bonnie and Elena. "Uh, well, I think that while he's a fun friend, a secretive boyfriend is definitely a red flag." She said with a faint shrug. "He's told me random things about him, but even I don't know anything about him, Katherine, or Damon."

     Bonnie nods, but a faint hint of a smile spreads. "Is that Mikey and Sadie?" She points behind them.

     Hazel turns around, watching Sadie McCullough walking in giggling and laughing with Mikey Manson. She sat up straight, eyes wide as she sees her best friend with her step brother. Hazel can't tell whether to be angry or disgusted. Maybe both.

     "Does she not have standards!?" Hazel whipped around to Elena and Bonnie, gawking at them. "Mikey? Really? She's known him since we were 11 and he only showered once a week!" Elena and Bonnie giggled as they leaned into each other. Hazel shook her head, scrunching her face together in disgust.

     Sadie walked into the bathroom, letting out a loud sigh as she walked into the actual toilet. Soon after clicking of heels caught her attention.

     "Sadie Jane!" Hazels voice caused her to wince in dismay. Hazel stood outside of the toilet room, hands on her hips, Elena close behind her. "If you think I'm blind, you're only half wrong."

     "Can I pee before you yell at me?"

     "No! Why were you dancing with Mikey?"

     Sadie groaned, "I was standing there and he pulled me to the dance floor. It wasn't anything more than that, Hazel." She said as she grabbed toilet paper.

     "You say that, but I'm not an idiot! I know what I saw."

     "And what was that?"

     "Connection!" Hazel looked at Elena, who raised a brow. "I saw a connection," Sadie opens the door to see Hazel pull Elena in, their arms around each other. "Run away with me. We can be the modern day Romeo and Juliet. Forbidden love." Hazel listed off dramatically, leaning close to Elena's face who bursted into giggles.

     Sadie stood at the toilet room door, unamused.

     The McCullough pushed past them to the sink. "Hazel, it was one dance. I swear to you." She said as she washed her hands. "I'd never do that."

     Hazel wanted to believe her, but the Hazel senses were tingling all over again. She looked at Elena, shaking her head. Elena pressed her lips into a line, not saying a thing.

     The three girls walked towards a vanity, where they saw Caroline. Elena walked up to the mirror to fix her makeup, meanwhile Hazel and Sadie stood back to wait. Hazel looked at her friend, adjusting the girls curls and making sure her dress was fitting right after the bathroom.

     "So how are things with Stefan?" Caroline asked innocently. Hazel looked at Elena through the mirror.

     Elena looked at Hazel. A look of understanding. "Great. Just great." She said with a smile as she put on her lipgloss.

     "Really?" Caroline chirped. Hazel focused her gaze on Sadie, who started to mess with the redheads hair. "Well, my radar must be off cause I was getting all sorts of other vibes." The blond chimed as she leaned over the vanity to put on her own lip gloss.

     Elena looked at the girl who seemed to have no filter. She then looked at the blue piece around Caroline's neck, seeing something underneath. It caught her gaze. "What is that?" She asked. Hazel and Sadie looked over to see Elena reach for it. Caroline tried to push her away. Elena pulls it up anyways, revealing a large mark on Caroline's neck. A bite mark. "Oh, my god, Caroline. What happened?"

     Caroline pulled away harshly. "Nothing, okay?"

     "That was not nothing." Sadie countered, stepping closer in alarm.

     "Did somebody hurt you?" Elena followed.

     "No, okay, it," Caroline was lost for words as she shook her head. "Nothing, it just," Hazel looked down at the little cardigan (if you could even call it that) Caroline had on. "My mom would kill me."

     Hazel stepped closer. "Wait, Caroline," She pulled on the fabric, revealing another bite mark on the back of the blond girls shoulder. "Did Damon hurt you?"

     Caroline whips around, slapping Hazel. Elena and Sadie gasp in surprise. Caroline grabs her things. "Just leave me alone! God!" She snapped as she pushed passed her friend.

     Elena looks to Hazel. "Are you okay?" She pulls Hazels hand away from her face. Her own hands cup the redhead girls cheeks, checking for anything other than the extra redness that had formed. Hazels skin was smooth. Soft. It was hot in the place Caroline had hit her.

     Hazel nodded. "Yeah, I'm good." She said as she looked towards the door. "Caroline, though." She shook her head. "He talked to me again."

     "What?"

     Hazel nodded. "Yesterday. Damon stopped me while I was walking my dog. Little Red Riding Hood." She said, remembering what he called her. "If I had known he was doing this to Caroline—

     "I'm gonna kill him." Elena said, her tone harsh and angry. She grabbed Hazels hand, pulling her along. Hazel grabbed Sadie's, the three girls walking through the mansion and back outside to the dance floor.

     Damon was standing there, his usual smug self. He wa smirking until Elena shoved him back harshly. Hazel stood a step behind the Gilbert, her face still stinging.

     "There is something seriously wrong with you." Elena snapped. "You stay away from Caroline or I will go straight to her mother, the sheriff. You got it? Stay away from her." Elena tugged Hazel along.

     "We should put sugar in his gas tank." Hazel suggested as they walked. She looked down the path, seeing Stefan standing at the water alone.

     Elena stopped walking, sighing. She looked back. "I need to tell Stefan," She said as she looked between the girls. "I'll be right back." She let go of Hazels hand, leaving the two girls alone.

     Sadie crossed her arms, shaking her head. "Bite marks." She said lowly. "I've never seen anything like that."

     "Yes, we have." Hazel said. Sadie looked at her friend, confused. Hazel turned to her fully. "I'm going to sound crazy, I know that. But, the night we found Vicki in the woods. That bite mark,"

     "Hazel—"

     "I don't know what I'm saying." Hazel said, shaking her head in confusion. "But neither of us believe it was a mountain lion that attacked Vicki. And now Caroline has bite marks from creepy Damon all over her?"

     Sadie felt uneasy, shaking her head. "So, what? He's a cannibal who eats teenage girls?" She paused. "And Mr. Tanner?"

     Hazel didn't know what to say. Her stomach churned at the thought. "Somethings not right about Damon, Sadie." She looked back at the waters, seeing Stefan walk away from Elena and leaving her alone. "Something not right about either of them."

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