Gwen spends the morning with Alexander. Enjoying his innocent and simple out look on life. She doesn't stay long. Sense she can't go long without wearing her necklace.

Before unwanted visitors show up. As the day brightens Gwen knocks on Trent's door. He opens it letting her in immediately jumping into questions.

It takes a little awhile, but Trent finally believes she stayed in bed the whole day and night. Needing time on her own and rest. Another lie to weigh me down. Ignoring the guilt Gwen heads into town with Trent. Showing him her new favorite places. Forgetting how messy her life is turning into.

Laughing at Trent's playful remark  "Figures one of your favorite places is a bookstore."

Punching him on the arm. Gwen decides to end the morning with a late breakfast Finding a table at the Mystic Grill. They enjoy eggs, bacon and toast. While debating who's better at pool.

"I'll have you know I have gotten better and can beat you," Gwen says confidently.

Trent laughs "Your gonna have to prove it."

Not one to back down Gwen agrees to a match. Bringing them to one of the Grills pool tables. After flipping a coin Trent goes first. It isn't long before she realizes Trent has also been practicing. As he quickly takes the lead. Winking and smiling wide between shots.

His boyish attitude has Gwen laughing "Oh how I needed a normal day, thank you," She says as he makes the wining shot.

Trent leans on the table "Anytime you need to get away from grumpy pants I'm available."

"Grumpy pants?" She asks confused. Trent points behind her. She turns and finds Damon leaning on the bar. A sour look on his face. Chuckling at the nickname she turns back to Trent "He isn't that bad."

"Maybe, but the dude came knocking on my door yesterday all puffed up," Gwen laughs at that the mental image "I should take that as he likes me. Assuming he followed me around town at some point." Trent picks up a solid ball "Round two?

"What so you can win again."

Trent steps closer. Placing his hand on top of hers, "I could help you get better improve your form when aiming."

Her heart flips at the contact. Remembering what it was like not to be invisible, but I can't lead someone on who feels more for me then I do for them. Pulling away Gwen hands him her stick.

"Maybe we can catch a movie," looking over her shoulder she spots Damon still watching "but first I'm gonna go see if he needs to talk," and with that Gwen makes a beeline to Damon.

Greeting him with a question "Something up?"

He ignores it "Have fun on your date?"

"Just spending time with a friend. You followed him around didn't you?"

Damon shrugs "Told you I don't trust him so yeah followed him the first day he arrived. Always best to keep tabs on strangers," Gwen sighs "Hey Elena is your friend now, why not hang out with her more?"

Oh guilt for spying on her or maybe Elijah's unpleasant do a better job or the deal is over phone call this morning ruined my let's be friends mood.

Instead taking a note out of his play book she dodges the question "well if you don't have something to share I got a movie to catch."

Damon shoves his phone into her face "Here."

Gwen stares at a tattoo. An upside down triqueta placed over a circle with two solid crescent moons on each side. The moons point outwards.

"It was on back of chick's neck and the dudes chest. recognize it?"

"No," Gwen says, Damon pockets his phone as she asks,"why were you searching their bodies anyway."

"Trying to figure out who is attacking you."

"One of their phones would be more helpful I think,"

Damon shakes his head "No luck, what do you think I was looking for to begin with," his eyes narrow "Are you positive you haven't seen that tattoo before?"

Gwen crosses her arms "Yes so if you know..." Her words are cut off by him reaching into his jacket inner pocket and bringing out her family's journal "seriously do you not understand personal space."

Damon grunts opening the journal to the very last page holding up to her face.

Confused Gwen scans the page "I don't see anything."

"Not the page look at the leather." Damon informs her.

Squinting her eyes Gwen takes in the rough again cover. Until she spots a Crescent moon barely there. Stepping closer her fingers run over the engraving a exact match to the tattoo. Though clearly fading away

"See it?" He asks.

Gwen nods yes. Her mind trying to piece it together as he pockets the journal "But if this means I'm related to these people, why are they attacking me?"

"Don't know," Damon's eyes look over her shoulder. To Trent who has come behind her, "Sorry but this is a private conversation," Damon's tone is full of sarcasm "So go back to your little corner."

"I came here with Gwen. So I'll leave if she wants me to not because of some overly cocky vampire."

"Watch that mouth if you don't want  me to rip your heart out."

"Go ahead and try, I'll curse you before you can blink."

Both inch closer jaws clenched. Gwen slaps a hand on each of Their chest.

"Enough! Damon give me the journal," Clearly unhappy he hands it over. Both watch as she flips it to the last page. Then passes it to Trent asking "Have you seen that symbol before? It's engraved into the leather, a little hard to see."

After some minutes pass Trent answer "Possibly, It looks familiar but not sure. I'll have to look in my families shadow grimoire don't know where else I would come across it."

"Did you bring it?"

"Yeah its back at the hotel room if you want to go look now."

"Sounds like a party" Damon's voice drips with sarcasm.

Pushing away the urge to roll her eyes. Gwen shakes her head "Just text a picture if it's in there and what it says." Her care free moment is officially gone "Gonna have to take a rain check on movie, I need a nap."

Neither one stops her from leaving. Outside Gwen breathes in deep shaking off her confusion. About who keeps attacking her. If they or family or not. She is taken by surprise as Elena walks over and pulls Gwen into a hug. Stefan smiles from behind Elena.

"I'm so glad you're okay," The sincerity in Elena's voice only servers as more guilt and confusion"Caroline was a mess until the boys found you," Elena pulls away.

Gwen can't stop the question from slipping out "Why?"

"You are our friend. you have helped save Caroline, Stefan, Jeremy and got the moonstone."

"And still here to help stop Elijah," Stefan adds "Because that's what friends do," Expect I'm really helping the enemy "Anyway Elena and I are going to her families lake house for the weekend. Get some time away from everything."

"Hmmm like that's the only reason." She winks earning a laugh from both "you two have fun and relax."

With a warning from Stefan to keep Damon out of trouble they leave. Back at the boarding house. Gwen puts the journal back in her dresser. Then stare at her phone. Elena's and Stefan's words pulling at her mind. Conflicting with the images of her families faces.

Can't go back, have to keep moving forward.

Gwen writes the text to Elijah out.

Elena and Stefan are at her families lake house for the weekend but they didn't say where it is.

Thumb poised over send button, ready to push it. Guilt almost stops Gwen. It's Henry's and Elizabeth's sweet faces that wash the guilt away. Allowing her thumb to fall onto the send button. Believing in the illusion she found peace again. That she washed away guilt for good.

After a hot bath Gwen enjoys a movie and ice cream in her room. Until sounds of fighting have her racing downstairs. Where she finds Damon unconscious and chained to a chair. Some kind of spiked collar around his neck. Long chains leading from it to pale hands.

Her eyes fall on a young man who still has soft features like a child. Short brown hair that is mostly hidden by a beanie. Not wanting to waste her element of surprise. Gwen runs full speed crashing into his side.

He let's go of the chains as they tumble to the ground. Her hand landing on his cheek. She only gets one second to release the curse. Before strong arms encircle her waist lifting Gwen off the angry man. Her captor is a thicker male with dark hair and goatee.

Blood now drips from beanie dudes eyes "I can't see," he gets up "The bitch took my sight!"

Using the arms around her as a anchor. Gwen's feet swing up and slam into beanie dudes chest. He
trips over the table cursing loudly. While her captor stumbles hold loosening. Gwen bends her head down. Then quickly slamming the back of her head into his.

Immediately pain erupts across the back of her skull. As she is released from her captors arms. The idea of cursing him is quickly forgotten. As metal presses into her forehead.
In truth she stops because of who's holding the gun.

Jules greets Gwen with a remark. "Surprised your not ten feet under."

Gwen releases her own sarcastic remark "I'm heard to kill."

Smirking Jules threatens Gwen,"Want to test that? Getting no response she demands, "Fix Stevie."

"He should be fine now."

Eyes locked on Gwen. Jules addresses Stevie "You good?"

"Yeah," Stevie marches to then. Anger blazing in his now clear eyes "Shoot her."

"Not yet."

"Why?"

Discomfort worms at Gwen's gut as Jules smile "could be more leverage against Damon."

Stevie smirks reclaiming the long chains attached to the collar. With a nod from Jules, second dude pulls Gwen against him, knife at her throat.

While Jules delivers a threat "Release any of your magic and Damon gets a stake in his heart."

Before she can debate taking the chance Damon groans. Jules blocks him from her view. Keeping her eyes locked with Jules.

Stevie address Damon "Morning, sunshine. Saw this in a movie once thought it was really cool, so I just modified it some with some wooden nails, and when I pull..." Damon groans in pain.

Jules turns around voice confident "I hear you have the moonstone."

Damon burst out laughing "oh, if you only knew the irony of this moment right now. Let me tell you how this is gonna go. You're gonna torture me, I don't talk, someone loses a heart. Last time, it was your boy Mason."

Jules Steps aside revealing Gwen "This time it will be her," Damon falters for a second. Anger flashing in his eyes before disappearing "Or you."

Stevie pulls on the chain again, impaling Damon's neck.

Jules leans in close shotgun pressed into his chest "You know what I love about shotguns, maximum damage. Now tell me where it Is,"

Damon stays silent. Unhappy Jules hands the shotgun to Stevie. Marching to Gwen taking out a knife.

Giving one simple command "Hand.'

Gwen struggles, but fails as her hand is forced out and open, palm up. Jules slowly drags the knife across. The taste of copper fills Gwen's mouth. From her teeth digging into her tongue. Holding back whimpers of pain.

Damon keeps his voice calm "Fine you can have it. When you get these chains off me."

The knife stops but before Jules can reply.

Elijah's commanding voice fills the room "Is this what you are looking for?" All eyes switch land on him. He twirls the moonstone in his hand.

when did he get it?

Elijah places the moonstone on an end table and backs away "Go ahead. Take it."

Gwen released as her captor and Stevie rush towards the moonstone, but Elijah is quicker and older. Ripping out their hearts all in a blink of an eye. They fall onto the couch, dead. Jules speeds out of the house before she is killed. Elijah removes the collar and chains from Damon.

Letting them fall to the ground Elijah speaks, "I believe this is the third time I've saved your life now?

Damon gets up without responding. Elijah turns around, grabs the moonstone walks out of the house. Without a single glance at Gwen. Damon counties his silence cleaning everything up in a blur.

Gwen leaves him. Instead raiding the kitchen. Finding the first aid kit under the sink. Damon's voice drifts into the kitchen as Gwen cleans her wound.

"Thought you might want to know Bonnie did some investigating," Must be on the phone with Stefan "Elijah plans on Elena dying," Great so I'm really helping to kill her. "Might want to keep her out longer. Don't worry got everything covered here," Gwen just finishes putting a bandaid on and cleaning up when he joins her "They got attacked too. Your hand okay?"

Gwen offers a smile "Yeah still usable."

Her eyes fall on his neck still bloody. Grabbing a nearby towel and wetting it. Gwen softly wipe away the blood. Revealing small holes healing leaving behind no evidenced of their presence. Maybe its being this close to a healing vampire for the first time.

Or is it the fact that everyday seems spent fighting someone. That causes boldness to surge in her. Or maybe its simple curiosity to find some imperfection or change.

Her thumb slowly traces the now smooth skin, as if checking it is all real. After all there are days it can still feel like a dream. Gwen's finger tips find his jawline, nose and cheeks. Tracing them with a whisper of a touch.

Letting butterflies erupt and images of him tracing her face. Inches from his lips Damon grabs her hand, holding it gently.

Gwen meets his gaze only to wish she hadn't. Sadness and misery like Gwen has never seen swirl in those ice blue eyes.

My touch hurts and maybe even angers him. Well we did spend our last year together lashing out, fighting. Butterflies disappear replaced with aching pain.

Gwen wishes to turn back time and repair the damage between them. Though maybe there is still a chance. Maybe our friendship isn't lost to dust.

Stefan words come back, another knife. Damon came back to free Katherine.

The pain in Gwen's heart burns hot. Even as a vampire free of any compulsion it was still Katherine, not me he wanted. I lost him long ago. It shouldn't matter I don't plan on staying.

Still the knowledge brings intense pain to her heart. Without a word Damon leaves Gwen alone in pain like so long ago. She doesn't let one tear fall.

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I hope this has been fun to read as much as its fun to write.

I know things seem up and down between them, but I feel like that's how it would be. After all they both believe their feelings are one sided and Gwen for sure doesn't want to get hurt again. I hope its all coming across well.