CHAPTER TEN   /   ACT ONE

The Truth Doesn't Change the Way You Lie

                             To anyone else, this may have seemed like a perfect day. A time to go out with friends and family and have a good time together. The birds were chirping, the sun was bright, and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. It was perfect. But Angelina couldn't help but think otherwise.

She had barely come out of her bedroom, mainly because she scared. It wasn't like she could've prevented them from opening the tomb. She was too afraid in the first place to tell them the real truth. Not like Katherine would let her anyways.

Angelina had seen this coming, a train wreck in slow motion. No amount of truth-telling would change a thing; they'd still despise her. It was time to leave, to escape this suffocating mess.

With a sigh, she set down her brush and leaned on the bathroom counter, locking eyes with her reflection. Even her own reflection seemed to hate her.

At that moment, her phone shattered the tense silence with its insistent ringtone. Katherine. Angelina chewed her nails, torn between answering and avoiding the inevitable confrontation. But deep down, she knew she couldn't hide forever.

She grabbed the phone and placed it to her ear. "Hello?"

"So the tombs open," She began but was immediately cut off by her sister.

"What—how did you know?" Angelina inquired, her brows wrinkling in confusion. "We literally just opened it yesterday."

"I have my sources." Katherine answered as her sister sighed. "Anyways, how are you doing?"

"Guess." Angelina scoffed as she exited the bathroom and paced around her bedroom slowly.

"Mad, hurt, pissed, depressed." She responded without being sensitive about it. "I get it,"

"I'm leaving Mystic Falls." She replied bluntly.

"What?" Katherine's voice became more serious and concerned. "I told you to keep Elena alive, and you kinda need to be in Mystic Falls to do that."

"Then do it yourself, I don't know what you want with Elena, but leave me out of it."

"God, you can't let the Salvatore's control your entire life like this." Her sister groaned deeply, growing more agitated. "If anything, I did you a favor."

"You knew you'd never be with Stefan, so this was just to ensure that you'll stop thinking you have a chance with him. Now stop distracting yourself and move on."

There was a brief silence between the two of them and the tension in the air thicken. It wasn't what she wanted to hear, but it was exactly what she needed to hear. She told herself they wouldn't work from the moment she met Stefan, but all she's done since then is strive to get closer to him simply to raise her hopes.

The real reason she couldn't let go of him was that she still had hope. As it shows, true love seems to have an uncanny ability to return.

"Fine," she muttered, ending the call with a decisive click before stuffing her phone back into her pocket. Leaning forward, she buried her face in her hands, frustration seeping through her fingers. A groan escaped her lips as she raked her fingers through her hair, the soft strands a small comfort against the chaos inside her mind.

Just as she gathered herself to leave, a knock echoed through the room, shattering her resolve. Her heart skipped a beat as she stared at the door, nerves buzzing beneath her skin.

"Come in," she finally managed, her voice a whisper laced with forced determination. The doorknob turned slowly, the door creaking open to reveal Damon standing on the threshold.

Her body filling up with an aggravating amount of anticipation as the both stared at each other directly in each others eyes. It was almost funny to her. The moment he walked into the room, she felt an ounce of joy and also sadness at the same time.

"Hey," she greeted him, a faint smile playing on her lips.

But before the moment could settle, Damon dove straight into interrogation mode. "Did you know Katherine wasn't in the tomb?"

"Damon—" she began, but he cut her off with a demand.

"Answer my question!"

Caught off guard, Angelina hesitated, her eyes darting from his piercing gaze to the safety of the floor. "Yes," she admitted quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Damon scoffed and ran his hand across his face in disbelief. "Why did you lie?!"

"I did it to protect myself, Damon!" She answered him, her voice raising with every work she spoke. "To protect my sister!"

"Protect yourself from what?!"

"It's none of your business!" Her voice grew stronger as she advanced toward him. "I've got my own reasons for doing what I did, and they've got nothing to do with you."

As the words spilled out, a harsh truth struck her like lightning. She was right, Katherine was right. Five centuries of survival had taught her one thing: sometimes, you had to lie to stay alive, even to those closest to you.

For too long, she'd carried the weight of guilt for deceiving him. But in the end, she'd done what she had to do to survive. Wasn't self-preservation worth a few broken friendships? She refused to apologize for wanting to live.

"And I won't apologize for lying. If Stefan was in danger, and you had to lie to keep him safe, you'd do the same. But I am sorry you got caught in the crossfire."

Damon stood in stunned silence, his anger melting into hurt. "Where is she?" he finally managed, his voice barely a whisper.

"I'm not telling you."

"Where is she?"

"I'm not telling you."

With rage blazing in his eyes, Damon lunged at her, his hands wrapping around her throat, lifting her off the ground. Despite her frantic struggles, weakened by days without human blood, she couldn't break free from his grip.

"Tell me where Katherine is, or I'll tear you apart right here, right now," he snarled, his grip tightening with each word.

"Even if I told you... where she was," Angelina choked out between gasps for air, "you'd never find her."

Suddenly, Stefan burst into the room, grabbing his brother by the shirt and flinging him to the ground, sending Angelina crashing down with him.

"Damon, leave." He ordered his brother. Damon glared at his brother, and then over at Angelina who was excessively panting as she rose from the wooden floors. He then reluctantly dashed out of the room, leaving Stefan and Angelina alone.

"What are you doing?" Angelina regained her balance, rubbing the back of her neck.

"No, what are you doing?" He repeated, his tone condescending. "When was the last time you had some blood?"

"I- I don't know?" She shrugged, more confused as to why this is what he was arguing with her about. "A couple days ago?"

"Go downstairs in the basement, there's some blood bags-" He
ordered.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"You're weak, and your skin is almost white."

"I'm fine." Angelina bit her lower lip.

Stefan let out a frustrated sigh, his patience wearing thin with her stubbornness, just as his phone decided to chime in with its intrusive ringtone.

Angelina fidgeted, clasping her hands behind her back, avoiding his gaze as he begrudgingly answered the call.

A moment of silence passed before Stefan thrust the phone toward her. "It's Elena. She wants to talk to you."

"Me?" Angelina's confusion was evident in her furrowed brow as she hesitantly took the phone from his outstretched hand. "Uh, hello?" she greeted tentatively, uncertainty coloring her tone.

"Angelina," Elena spoke. "Can you come over?"

"Why?"

"I'm going to see someone who was close to my birth mother today," She hesitantly let the words fall from her mouth, clearing her throat. "I just figured that maybe you'd wanna come with me."

"And I'd rather bring someone along with me so I wouldn't have to go alone. I'd invite Stefan but.. he's been too on edge lately. Especially with what happened last night. Besides I figured you'd want to learn more about why we look alike."

Angelina arched an eyebrow at Elena's request. She had no clue why Elena was suddenly on the hunt for her birth mother, but she played along, masking her skepticism with a facade of willingness. l

Her agreement to tag along with Elena wasn't fueled by altruism; it was a strategic move to keep an eye on Elena and ensure she didn't dig up too much about her past. The fewer breadcrumbs leading to her true identity, the safer she'd be.

"Sure," she replied, exhaling slowly. "I'll go with you."

"Thanks," Elena said before ending the call, leaving Angelina to hand the phone back to Stefan.

"Where are you off to?" Stefan's urgency was palpable as Angelina shrugged on her jacket, preparing to leave.

"Just out," she replied, a mischievous grin tugging at her lips as she sauntered toward the bedroom door.

"Where is out?"

"Relax, Stefan." She rolled her eyes as she leaned her shoulder against the door frame and turned to look at him. "We'll be fine, I promise."

Before he could reply, she sped out of the room.

                             Angelina's mind buzzed with a million questions as Elena navigated through the seemingly endless maze of houses.

Why wasn't Stefan flipping out like Damon would? She had braced herself for a storm of anger from both brothers once they realized Katherine had pulled a disappearing act from the tomb. But Stefan's calm demeanor threw her off.

Maybe he didn't want Damon getting his hands on Katherine in the first place. Maybe he saw her as more than just a liar, maybe even as a friend. Or maybe he was just hiding his rage under a cool exterior.

Elena halted the car by the side of the road, turning to face her doppelgänger. "Okay, we're here."

"Where exactly is 'here'?" The vampire's brow furrowed as she scrutinized the imposing house they had parked in front of. Elena pulled a crumpled yellow sticky note from her pocket, offering it to Angelina. 'Trudie Peterson', it read, along with the address.

"My aunt, Jenna, did some snooping and handed this to me this morning," Elena explained, her voice tinged with uncertainty. "I thought maybe seeing her would give me some answers."

"Well, I mean Elena," Angelina began. "What if she doesn't wanna be found? I mean, as bad as it sounds, the lady gave you up.. for a reason.."

No, she wasn't necessarily good at putting things lightly.

Elena's response was immediate and defensive. "You don't know that! I just want to talk to her, okay? Don't you want to know more about why we look alike?"

"Fine, Elena," Angelina sighed heavily, conceding to her friend's determination. With a resigned shrug, she opened the car door and stepped out. "Let's go."

The Gilbert's gratitude shone through in a warm smile as she joined Angelina, heading towards the front door of the house with purpose, Angelina trailing behind.

After a few seconds of lingering silence, Elena's disappointment began to weigh heavily on her shoulders. She turned away with a heavy sigh, feeling the sting of unshed tears behind her eyes. Avoiding Angelina's gaze, she shifted her focus to the ground, hoping to shield herself from the embarrassment of her dashed hopes. "Never mind, maybe you're right—"

Her words trailed off into the quiet, the air thick with the weight of missed opportunities and unanswered questions. For a moment, Angelina hesitated, her own thoughts swirling as she watched her expression. She reached out a hand, an awkward silent gesture of comfort, but hesitated before making contact, unsure of how to console her.

Just as Elena resigned herself to disappointment, a sound broke through the silence – the creak of the door opening. A sliver of hope flickered in Elena's eyes as she turned back, her heart skipping a beat at the sight of the blonde woman standing before them, her smile a beacon of warmth and welcome.

"Trudie? Trudie Peterson?" Elena asked her, her hopeful spirit returning.

"Yes?"

"My name is Elena Gilbert, and this is um-"

"Angelina Gilbert." Angelina answered for her, a wide fake smile on her face.

"Right, um.." Elena stuttered. "We wanted to talk to you about Isobel Flemming."

"Well, I haven't heard that name in years." Trudie chuckled softly. "How do you know her?"

"I think that- well, I... do you know if she had a baby that she gave up for adoption?"

Trudie's eyes widened in recognition, her mouth forming a small 'o' of surprise as she studied their faces. "My goodness, you're her daughters," she exclaimed, a soft giggle escaping her lips. Her initial confusion melted away, replaced by genuine delight as she gestured toward the inviting interior of her home.

"I was just about to put the kettle on for some tea. Would you girls like to join me?" Her gaze lingered on Angelina, a sparkle of excitement dancing in her eyes.

"Sure," both girls chimed in unison, their curiosity piqued by Trudie's mysterious invitation. Angelina couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more to this encounter, something that made her the focal point of Trudie's attention.

"Great, come on in," Trudie beckoned, leading them into the cozy embrace of her home. They followed her, taking in the comfortable, slightly dated, decor that enveloped them. Despite its worn appearance, the house exuded a welcoming charm that put them at ease.

Trudie guided them to the dining table, where they settled into their seats, anticipation bubbling in the air like steam from a freshly brewed pot of tea.

"Originally, we weren't planning to come, but I just..." Elena's voice trailed off, her fingers fidgeting nervously as she struggled to articulate her thoughts. "I just needed to know more about her, and I had your address."

Trudie's expression softened with understanding. "It's okay, dear. It's quite a surprise, though. I haven't thought about Isobel in years."

"When was the last time you saw her?" Elena pressed, her curiosity evident in her tone.

"About 17 years ago, when she left to have you two," Trudie replied, a hint of wistfulness coloring her voice. "I knew she was pregnant, but I never expected twins."

The Petrova let out a nervous laugh, twirling a lock of hair between her fingers.

"We kept in touch for a while, but, well know you know. People drift apart."

"And you don't know where she ended up?"

"She was in Flordia for a while," Despite her willingness to share, Angelina couldn't help but notice that Trudie was holding back something, her instincts telling her there was more to the story. "She was on her own, I know it wasn't easy."

"Do you have any idea who my father is?" Elena answered, her voice growing low. The blonde stared at both of them, seemingly reluctant to answer.

"I could never get her to fess up."

The brunette's head lowered disappointingly as she bit her lip. "Anyway, she finally pulled it together, got into college on a scholarship." Trudie began to ramble.

"Where did she go?"

"Somewhere in North Carolina. Duke, I think." She replied. "Smart girl, smart school."

Suddenly, the room was filled with the loud ringing noise of the tea kettle boiling in the kitchen.

"Let me just grab that."

Trudie rose from the table and exited the room towards the kitchen as Angelina moved closer to Elena to whisper into her ear.

"There's something off about her," Angelina muttered under her breath, her words barely audible.

"What do you mean?" Elena whispered back, leaning in slightly.

"I don't know," Angelina replied, her voice growing quieter as she tried to avoid drawing attention. "But something just feels... wrong."

Elena let out a heavy sigh, casting a worried glance in Trudie's direction before turning back to Angelina. "Let's just give it some time. I'm sure it's nothing."

Trudie returned to the room, carrying a small tray adorned with three cups of tea and a worn yearbook. With a gentle smile, she placed the tray on the table in front of the girls, the warm aroma of tea​ filling the air. "This is our yearbook from High School! Isobel was a cheerleader so I'm sure there are many pictures of her in here."

Elena took the yearbook, opened it, and began thoroughly flipping through the pages until the blonde stopped her and pointed to a picture of two girls with the words 'Trudie Peterson and Isobel Flemming' written beneath it.

"The football team hadn't won in years," She began to reminisce, laughing faintly. "We were the stars.."

"Well, Izzie was. But I was a damn good backup."

"This is great, thank you." The doppelgänger grinned from ear to ear.

"You're welcome." She replied, soon fixing her gaze to the three cups of tea that sat in front of hem. "You haven't touched your tea."

"Right," Elena responded as she took a cup from the tray, along with Angelina.

Angelina raised the cup to her nose, but was taken aback by the whiff of vervain that filled her space. "What is this?" She inquired without taking a sip, just in case.

"Oh, it's just some herbal mixture." Trudie replied.

"Vervain?"

Trudie dropped the page from the yearbook, her face sterner and more serious than before as she looked Angelina in the eyes. "Are you trying to.." She continued to interrogate her.

"Trying to what?"

"I'm not an idiot. You give us tea filled with vervain, and you specifically invited me in."

Angelina held her ground, refusing to back down. "What are you hiding?" she demanded, her heart pounding in her chest.

Trudie's response was swift and final. "You need to leave. Now."

Elena protested, but Angelina stayed behind, her instincts screaming at her to uncover the truth. "What aren't you telling us? Are you working with Katherine or something?" she pressed, her voice tinged with suspicion.

"Please, just go," Trudie pleaded, her tone tinged with desperation.

But Angelina's resolve was unyielding. With a swift motion, she dashed over to Trudie, her senses overwhelmed by the intoxicating scent of blood. Without hesitation, she sank her teeth into Trudie's neck, a scream tearing through the air as the rush of blood flooded her senses.

Blood coated Angelina's lips and stained the floor as Trudie's lifeless body crumpled to the ground. With a frustrated sigh, she wiped the crimson from her face, her expression one of irritation as she gazed down at the scene before her.

"Why would you do that?! She didn't do anything wrong!" The Gilbert's voice rang out, filled with shock and disbelief.

"The lady was working with Katherine. Or someone else we don't want to deal with. She was a liability." Angelina muttered dismissively, her focus on cleaning herself up as she brushed past the horrified Elena, making her way outside.

                             Angelina lay in bed, her gaze fixed on the ceiling as she tried to drown out the chaos of her thoughts. When she finally dragged herself home, she'd scrubbed away the blood, changed her clothes, and collapsed into bed, craving the solace of sleep. Even though it was barely afternoon, exhaustion weighed heavy on her shoulders.

A knock at the door shattered the fragile peace, and Angelina's brow furrowed in suspicion. Please, not Damon, she silently pleaded, dreading the inevitable confrontation.

"Come in!" She yelled reluctantly as she laid up in bed as if she had been awake and energetic for hours.

To her surprise, it wasn't Damon who entered, but Stefan. She swung her legs over the edge of the bed, steeling herself for what she assumed would be a lecture or a stern reprimand.

"Go ahead, lecture me about lying about the tomb and stealing your girlfriend." She sighed as crossed her arms and cocked her head to the side. "Damon got his turn, now it's yours."

"I'm not mad at you, Angelina." He replied, shrugging softly. "I'm not happy that you lied, but I'm glad Katherine wasn't in there."

Angelina's face softened, a rush of confusion and relief running through her mind. "You are?"

Stefan nodded. "I know you have your own reasons for lying. Like you told Damon, if it was him in whatever situation you were in, I'd protect him."

She stared at him blankly, relieved but oddly embarrassed for expecting him to despise.

"So.. do you trust me now? Are we good?"

Stefan's eyes traveled to the wooden floors then to her. "As far as trust goes.. I'm not entirely sold on it. There was a moment when I did trust you, and I understand that you lied for good reason but—"

"But you don't know if I'll do it again." She finished for him, a small sigh escaping her lips.

Hesitantly, he nodded his head, staring her in the eyes. "But for now.. we're good. I'm willing to let the past stuff in 1864 go."

"Um-" She stumbled over her words, unsure of what to say until a faint grin appeared on her face. "Thanks.. I guess. And I'll do.. whatever it takes to win your trust back." She joked, chuckling softly and he smiled along with her, nodding his head slightly.

"And also, thanks for saving me earlier. You seem to have a tendency to save me from trouble a lot."

"Well, you also manage to get yourself into a lot of trouble." He laughed. "But, you're welcome."

A comfortable silence enveloped them, filling the room with a sense of peace. They exchanged soft smiles, their eyes speaking volumes without uttering a word. Neither felt the need to break the tranquility—not out of awkwardness, but because they cherished this moment of quiet connection. It was a silence that spoke of understanding and comfort, a silent language shared between two souls at ease in each other's presence.

"There's a fundraiser tonight, for the Founders Day, which is in a couple of weeks," He spoke up, breaking the silence and snapping back into reality. "Would you like to come?"

"Is this when you finally ask me out?" She joked, cocking her head to the side in a mocking manner.

"Do you wanna go or not?" He rolled his eyes.

"Sure," She nodded her head in a agreement. "Just give me a couple minutes to get myself together."

Stefan responded with a nod before exiting the room, leaving her alone in the bedroom. Angelina's face lit up with delight as she laughed and collapsed back onto her bed, finally feeling happy for the first time in a long time.

AUTHORS NOTE
i hate this chapter. dont ask why, because i don't know