THE VAMPIRE DIARIES
S02:E16 & 17
C H A P T E R N I N E:
Atanas.

After learning from Katherine about Elijah's redaggered state, Anastasiya left Mystic Falls for the day. She had called the school, claiming to be her mother, Odette, and telling a lie of how Atanas had been admitted to a hospital in New York. She had planned to get back midday the next day, finishing the last few hours of school.

Leaving a note and her phone upon her bed, Anastasiya set off. Her father was sat at the dining table, a coffee in hand as he read the comic strips of the newspaper. Telling her father a quick "Good morning," Anastasiya departed.

~

The red door absorbed the sun, taking it in and making itself lighter shades. The golden doorknob sparkled in the sun, along with the knocker in front of Anastasiya's hesitant hand. She glanced around, scratching her neck nervously. He didn't know she was coming. People walked up and down the street, wearing their best clothing to their worst. She turned back, looked at her feet while taking a deep breath, and then lifted her head up toward the door. She grasped the knocker and clicked it to the door three times.

Expecting the worst, Anastasiya squeezed her eyes shut as the door lock rattled. A million scenarios played through her mind, ranging from Atanas angrily calling their parents to Atanas becoming upset by the lack of space due to his roommate, Peter's, sister showing up unexpected as well.

When the door clicked open, she did the same with her eyes. Atanas was trying his best to smile through the confusion and shock. The face he was making was similar to their dad's when given unexpected, big news, like the time Atanas had come home with a stray puppy. Atanas reminded Anastasiya of their father in the face, but his eyes and hair were just like their mother's.

"Did I-" Atanas laughed at the strange situation. How could his sister be standing before him in New York? Her car, he noticed as he glanced sideways, was parked down the street where the old man that owned the one eyed cat usually parked. "-miss a phone call or?"

Anastasiya shook her head weakly, swinging her small bag next to her leg. "No," she sighed, "I just had to get out of Mystic Falls for a day."

Atanas furrowed his brows and opened the apartment door wider, questioning, "Why? Don't you love it there?"

"I used to," Anastasiya shrugged as she entered the apartment, "but it's been so suffocating lately." The older Nilsson closed the door and glanced at his sister's distant smile. He knew she was trying to stay happy, but something was stopping her.

"You don't have to hide your feelings from me, Stas," he told her, putting a hand on her shoulder and turning her toward the kitchen. "Hawaiian pizza, Peter won't mind if you have some." A small smile formed on the girl's face as she moved to grab a slice. "So, why the sour face?"

She closed the box, turning toward her brother and leaning against the counter. Taking a quick bite of pizza and chewing, she began, "There's so many new things flowing in from all directions and... it's hard for me to tell good from evil."

"Is this," Atanas raised an eyebrow, "about guys? Did someone break your heart? Who do I-" The girl laughed loudly at her brother, who blinked back the confusion. His sister shook her head, smiling at him, but then her smile faltered.

"Mason Lockwood is missing," she spoke slowly, hoping not to catch her brother off guard. Atanas blinked, and stepped back. "They haven't..." guilt swelled up in her again and she wondered if she should confess, come clean on what she did and what happened. She wondered if Atanas could handle knowing about vampires and werewolves, but she didn't want that for him. She wanted him to live a joyous life. Suddenly, she had no appetite and just looking at the pizza in her hand made a sickening feeling rise in her stomach. She set the pizza down as Atanas watched on curiously, wondering if she'd finish her sentence. "They haven't found anything, not a clue to his whereabouts." She didn't look at Atanas, the guilt would be too much. The lie burned her throat as if Lucifer himself was punishing her. "...I'm sorry, Tan."

The older sibling blinked, and walked foreword. He sighed, "It's not your fault. Mason's a good guy, let's just hope for the best." Anastasiya looked up at her brother, his sad smile making her disgusted by herself. She wished she could give Atanas the closure he needed.

Mason Lockwood and Atanas Nilsson had been best friends since the day Atanas could talk. Mason was like an older brother Atanas never had. They spent many days creating their own worlds and adventures. As they became teenagers, Mason and Atanas snuck into the craziest parties and made many trips around the state of Virginia. They both played on the football team and made the best time with their highschool years. Once Mason had reached the golden age of twenty-one, he bought booze for himself and Atanas. They'd take his truck out to the woods and drink or party with friends. When Mason had finally gone off to college, Atanas was saddened. He then got into a preforming arts school in New York, and knew he and Mason wouldn't have much time to get together, if any at all. Atanas could barley recall the last time he saw Mason. He believed it to be last year near founders day, but they only chatted for a moment. The Nilsson wished he could turn back time and warn Mason of what was to come, but he didn't even know what that was.

~

On the couch, Anastasiya woke to the obnoxious sound of Peter's alarm clock. The clock woke everyone within a ten foot radius. Peter, Anastasiya had learned when she visited last spring break, was a heavy sleeper. There were times when even the scream-music of the alarm clock didn't make him.

A moment passed until the alarmclock turned off and Peter exited his room, yawing. He was sporting plaid pajama pants and a bare chest, but Anastasiya didn't mind. Peter was a good looking guy, and had a playful personality.

"Pete!" Anastasiya exclaimed, watching as Peter jumped out of stretch position and curled his arms into himself. "Oh, that was not manly, Pete." He nervously laughed, and then rolled his eyes at the girl.

"What're you, uh," he scratched his neck and walked further into the living room, "when did you get here?"

"Yesterday morning," she told him, and then furrowed her brows. "Come to think of it, you didn't even leave your room all day."

Peter shrugged, "Can't a man play a whole video game and watch a season of 'Gossip Girl' in peace? I had a free day." He joked, watching as the girl scrunched her nose and laughed as he mentioned the girly tv drama.

"I pegged you as more of a 'Teen Wolf' fan, myself," she joked, watching as Peter stiffened and stopped his path to the kitchen.

He turned, questioning, "What?" Anastasiya furrowed her brows and gave an amused smile, shaking her head in confusion at him.

"Peter hates 'Teen Wolf' noted," Anastasiya pointed in no particular direction, fixing her position on the couch as Peter resumed his search for food.

"Do you like tea?" Peter questioned, glancing back at Anastasiya, who was clicking through Netflix on the tv.

She shrugged. "I suppose."

~

The three spent an hour walking around New York as if they were tourists, although two lived in the state and the other had visited a plethora of times.

Atanas had received a call from Elena, who wanted to talk to Anastasiya of recent events while she had been away. The day before, Elena had tried to visit the Nilsson home, but no one was there and Anastasiya hadn't showed up for school. The brunette made it her business to see where the girl had gotten off to, and once she reached her room and saw the phone and note, Elena didn't question the situation further.

Noticing her hesitation and anger when talking to Elena, Atanas took the phone back and told the doppelgänger that his sister would return home soon.

Peter and Atanas had sent of Anastasiya not long after, knowing she needed to get home before dark.
Before she had driven off, the platinum blonde rolled down her window and looked to Atanas.

"Do you know mom's maiden name?" When he replied with a shake of his brunet head, she sighed. Anastasiya wondered if her mother never told them on purpose, or if it had just never come up into conversation.

~

When she arrive home, Anastasiya tip goes into the porch. The door creaked open to reveal her angry parents, already waiting.

"I swear I was with Atanas!" she shrieked, freezing in the doorway.

"We know. He called," her mother sighed. "Don't swear, Ana, it's unladylike." Anastasiya furrowed her brows, looking out into the front yard and then back toward her parents. She stepped inside, closing the door behind her and looking between her silent parents. She wondered why no one was yelling or telling her what a fright she'd given her mother.

"I-"

"Atanas said you were worried about him," her father sighed, a hard look still on his face. His arms were crossed over his chest. "You thought he had gotten hurt because of some post of Peter's on Instagram?"

"Ohh," Anastasiya laughed, "Yeah, um, apparently it was just for a play. I'm really sorry, it looked so real!" Her father shook his head in amusement and went upstairs, closing the door to his office after he entered it.

"Mom?" the platinum blonde called after Odette, who was walking into the kitchen. Her mother turned around and gave a questioning look for her to continue. "What's your maiden name? Atanas and I weren't sure."

"Oh," her mother had looked like she saw a ghost, but covered it with a smile and walked into the kitchen, knowing her daughter would follow behind. "Why the sudden curiosity."

"It was something a..." she hesitated, Katherine was a vampire. She couldn't say that. Katherine was... what? Nothing, a Villain. Odette wrung her hands and waited for her daughter to continue. "-an acquaintance said. They were asking about my Bulgarian first name and Swedish last name."

Her mother nodded, the same smile resting in her face. It didn't reach her eyes, and looked very forced. Did her mother not like her family? But... they visited them at least once a year.

"It's Petrova, sweetheart."

~

A/N
hehehehehe hi guys!
thanks for 600 reads and thanks for commenting! it always makes me smile :)

What'd you think?

~

Lucas Till as Peter Clarke

Tyler Posey as Atanas Nilsson