Previously onThe Vampire Diaries...
For over a century I have lived in secret.
Until now. I know the risk, but I had no choice.
I have to know her.
- I'm Elena. - I'm Stefan.
I know. We have history together.
Last spring, my parents' car drove off of a bridge into the lake.
You won't be sad forever, Elena.
- I live with my uncle. - Any siblings?
None that I talk to.
- Hello, brother. - Damon.
Elena, she's a dead ringer for Katherine.
But wherever you go, people die.
My God, it's Vicki.
Something bit her. She's losing a lot of blood.
Somebody help.
Vampire.
- Don't you crave? - Stop it.
Let's go for Elena. Imagine what her blood tastes like.
Stop.
Stay away from Elena.
I take that as an invitation.
- Hey, did you hear that? - Hear what?
I heard thunder.
- There's no thunder. - Are you sure?
Because if it rains, we won't be able to see the comet.
It's not gonna rain.
Listen, I got you a little something.
It's back in the car.
Don't you move.
- Stay dry. - It's not gonna rain.
I knew it.
I told you it was gonna rain.
Open. No.
Please.
Dear diary...
This morning is different.
There's change.
I can sense it. Feel it.
I'm awake.
For the first time in a long time,
I feel completely and undeniably wide awake.
For once, I don't regret the day before it begins.
I welcome the day.
- Because I know... - Because I know...
- I will see her again. - I will see him again.
For the first time in a long time, I feel good.
Hold on. Do I look adult?
As in, respectfully parental?
Depends where you're going.
Jeremy's parent-teacher conference.
Hair up or down?
Sexy stewardess.
- Boozy housewife. - Up it is.
- You're feisty today. - I feel good.
Which is rare, so I've decided to go with it.
Fly free. Walk on sunshine and all that stuff.
- Where is Jeremy? - Oh, he left early.
Something about getting to woodshop early to finish a birdhouse?
There is no woodshop, is there?
- No. - Yeah.
You can't be in here, hon. Visiting hours don't start till 9.
I just... How is she?
She's lost a lot of blood.
Yeah, but she's gonna be okay, right?
She needs her rest. So you come back later. Come on.
Originally discovered nearly five centuries ago,
it hasn't been over Mystic Falls in over a 145 years.
Now, the comet will be its brightest
right after dusk during tomorrow's celebration.
Are we bothering you?
Mr. Salvatore?
Miss Gilbert.
I brought it. I told you.
"Wuthering Heights by Ellis Bell."
You know, I can't believe she didn't use her real name.
All the Bront sisters used pseudonyms.
It was the time.
Female writers weren't very accepted then.
Where did you get it?
It was passed down through the family.
I have lots of books. Go ahead.
- Keep it. - Oh, no, I...
But I would like to read it again.
I promise I'll give it back.
Okay.
I'm confused. Are you psychic or clairvoyant?
Technically, Grams says I'm a witch.
My ancestors were these really cool Salem witch chicks or something.
Grams tried to explain it, but she was looped on the liquor.
So, I kind of tuned out.
Crazy family, yes. Witches, I don't think so.
Yeah. Feel free to conjure up the name and number
of that guy from last night.
I didn't see him. You did.
Why didn't you just talk to him?
I don't know. I was drunk.
Hey, Tyler. Hey, I'm sorry to interrupt.
I was just wondering how Vicki is, since you guys are close.
- Is she okay? - She's fine.
- Now get out of here. - How bad is she?
Did they know what attacked her? Is she gonna recover?
Was she happy to see you?
- What room was she in? - I'm gonna kick your ass.
Yeah, you keep saying that,
but when are you gonna actually do it?
Because I vote for right here right now.
Walk away, Gilbert. It's your final warning.
No. This is your final warning. I'm sick of watching you play Vicki.
If you hurt her one more time, I swear to God I will kill you.
Damn, that was like a death threat. Did you hear that?
They're keeping her overnight,
but she should be able to come home tomorrow.
- That's good news. - Yeah.
Did you get in touch with your mom?
Called and left a message.
She's in Virginia Beach with her boyfriend.
So we'll see how long it takes her to come rushing home.
- Vicki's lucky that she's okay. - I know.
And now there's talk of some missing campers.
Did she say what kind of animal it was that attacked her?
- She said it was a vampire. - What?
Yeah, she wakes up last night, mutters, "Vampire," and passes out.
- Okay, that's weird. - Think she was drunk.
So, what's up with you and the new guy?
Matt, the last thing I wanna do is hurt you.
You know, I'm actually gonna go back to the hospital.
I wanna be there when Vicki wakes up, get the real story about last night.
Okay.
As Jeremy's teacher, I'm concerned.
All right, it's the third day of school,
and he's skipped six of his classes.
Mr. Tanner, are you aware that Jeremy and Elena's parents died?
Four months ago, a great loss. Car accident.
Wickery Bridge, if I remember correctly.
And you're related to the family how? The mother's kid sister.
- Younger sister. Yes. - Right.
Six classes? Are you sure? I mean, that's kind of hard to do.
Not when you're on drugs.
It's his attempt at coping, Miss Sommers.
And the signs are there. He's moody, withdrawn, argumentative, hung- over.
Are there any other relatives in the picture?
I'm their sole guardian.
Could there be?
What are you suggesting exactly?
It's an impossible job, isn't it? Raising two teens.
It's been tough, but no. It's not.
Wrong answer.
It is an extremely impossible job
and anything less and you're not doing it properly.
Vick. Vicki, hey.
Vick, it's Matt. Hey, what's wrong?
- No! No! - Hey. Vicki. Vicki.
- No! No! - It's me, Vicki. Stop.
- No! No! - Nurse.
It was an animal that attack you.
It came out of the night and jumped you.
You blacked out. That's all you remember.
- That's all I remember. - An animal attack you.
You blacked out.
- That's all you remember. - That's all I remember.
Nurse, I need help. It's my sister.
She seems fine.
I was talking to Grams.
And she said the comet is a sign of impending doom.
Last time it passed over Mystic Falls,
there was lots of death.
So much blood and carnage,
it created a bed of paranormal activity.
Yeah, and then you poured Grams another shot
and she told you about the aliens.
So then what?
So then, nothing.
You and Stefan talked all night.
There was no sloppy first kiss, or touchy-feely of any kind?
- Nope, we didn't go there. - Not even a handshake?
I mean, Elena, we are your friends. Okay?
You are supposed to share the smut.
- We just talked for hours. - What is with the blockage?
Just jump his bones already. Okay, it's easy.
Boy likes girl, girl likes boy, sex.
Profound.
- Where are you going? - Caroline's right.
It is easy. If I sit here long enough,
I'll end up talking myself out of it
instead of doing what I started the day saying I was gonna do.
I picked up dinner.
Tacos. Had an urge for guacamole.
- No, I'm good, thanks. - Eat anyway.
It's a ruse. I wanna talk.
Hey, you. Come. Sit.
Back in school, freshman year,
I could eat my weight in nachos. With extra cheese.
It was my food whenever I got stoned.
You get high?
Did. Past tense.
But, yeah. Loved it.
Anything to get a little distraction from life. Reality.
And it works. For a while.
Never lasts though.
Hey. I'm not saying I wouldn't love to rail back and kick it
but with a thesis looming and a waistline expanding...
- What the... - Finally, you're awake.
Hey, how are you feeling?
You look better.
I was worried before.
You really had me freaked out with all that screaming.
Wait, what are you talking about?
You don't remember?
I feel fine.
Good. Good.
The doctor said you could come home tomorrow.
Vick, what attacked you in the woods?
An animal.
What else could it have been?
Hey, how do you feel?
I'm okay.
I'm gonna... I'm gonna go grab a coffee.
Hey, Jer.
Why are you here?
I wanted to see how you were doing.
Did you see that look on Matt's face? That was suspicion.
I don't want people to find out about us, Jeremy.
You gotta get over that.
Tyler is finally showing some interest.
You have to get over that too.
Do you see Mr. Concern?
Tyler? Are you under there?
No.
It's not cool for people to know, okay?
I'm older than you, and Matt and Elena would freak.
No one's gonna suspect anything. Why wouldn't I check on you?
I'm the one who found you.
- You are? - Yeah.
I carried you out of the woods.
Thank you.
Yeah, you're welcome.
Stefan?
I'm sorry for barging in.
The door was...
open.
You must be Elena.
I'm Damon. Stefan's brother.
He didn't tell me he had a brother.
Well, Stefan's not one to brag.
Please. Come.
I'm sure Stefan will be along any second.
Wow. This is your living room?
Living room, parlor, Sotheby's auction.
It's a little kitschy for my taste.
I see why my brother's so smitten.
It's about time.
For a while I never thought he'd get over the last one.
Nearly destroyed him.
The last one?
Yeah. Katherine. His girlfriend?
Oh, you two haven't had the awkward exes conversation yet.
- Nope. - Well, I'm sure it'll come up now.
Or maybe he didn't tell you because he didn't want you
to think he was on the rebound.
We all know how those relationships end.
You say it like every relationship is doomed to end.
I'm a fatalist.
Hello, Stefan.
Elena. I didn't know you were coming over.
- I know, I should have called... - Don't be silly.
You're welcome any time. Isn't she, Stefan?
You know, I should break out the family photo albums
or some home movies.
But I have to warn you,
he wasn't always such a looker.
Thank you for stopping by, Elena. It was nice to see you.
Yeah, I should probably go.
It was nice to meet you, Damon.
Great meeting you too, Elena.
Stefan?
Great gal. She's got spunk.
You, on the other hand, look pooped.
Did you overexert yourself today?
Let me guess. Hospital.
Someone had to clean up your mess.
Well, were you successful? Did the powers of persuasion work?
Remeber, if you don't feed properly, none of those tricks work right.
- How long was Elena here? - Are you worried, Stefan?
Scared we may be doomed to repeat the past?
Isn't that why you play your game, I'm a High School Human?
- I'm not playing any game. - Of course you are.
We both know the closest you'll ever get to humanity
is when you rip it open and feed on it.
What kind of game are you playing, Damon?
Guess you'll just have to wait and see, won't you?
He's on the rebound and has raging family issues.
Well, at least it's an ex-girlfriend.
Wait till you date a guy with mommy issues.
Or cheating issues. Or amphetamine issues.
Jeremy.
Jeremy, where were you?
More stoner stories?
Look, Jenna, I get it. You were cool once.
And that's cool.
Oh, no, no, no.
Why? Why did you do that?
Listen up. Quit ditching class or you're grounded.
No discussion.
Parental authority. I like it.
Sleep tight.
Matt.
Matty?
Night. Night of the Comet.
Would you like a program?
He didn't call, huh?
Or text.
Then I realize we never even exchanged that stuff.
We never got to the texting part.
That's an important milestone in any relationship.
Isn't it?
The timing was wrong anyway.
- When is it ever right? - I'm not ready, Bonnie.
Who is?
- At least I put myself out there. - Is that what you're calling it?
What do you mean?
All I'm hearing is reasons why you can't.
What is Damon doing here? Why did he come home?
Because I came home. He wants to make my life miserable.
It's how he enjoys his.
Well, he's putting us at risk. This girl in the hospital could talk.
She won't.
- I took care of her. - You're sure?
I'm not sure, Zach.
I don't know how well it worked. I'm not as strong as Damon.
So, what happens if it doesn't work?
I don't know.
- I'll deal with it. - Is she worth it, Uncle Stefan?
This girl you came back for?
Vicky, what are you doing here?
Fighting with Robert about my schedule.
You'd think getting ripped up would merit an extra sick day.
- Well, you feeling okay? - I hurt, right?
Well, the doctor gave you something right?
The kid stuff. Nothing with an O in it.
I think they were onto me.
Here, knock yourself out. Literally.
Thanks, Jer.
So, you gonna watch the comet later?
I hadn't really thought about it.
But I could be talked into it.
- I'll meet you out there in a few. - Hey, Vick.
- How you feeling? - Like you care.
What are you looking at, Gilbert?
- Hey, I got you a candle. - Hi. Thanks.
- Hey. - Hey.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
Thank you.
- Hi. - Hi.
You know, that comet...
it's been traveling across space for thousands of years.
All alone.
Yeah, Bonnie says it's a harbinger of evil.
I think it's just a ball of snow and ice
trapped on a path that it can't escape.
Once every 145 years, it gets to come home.
I'm sorry about yesterday.
I wasn't myself.
You seem to spend a lot of time apologizing.
Well, I have a lot to apologize for.
Yesterday, that wasn't about you, okay?
You didn't tell me that you had a brother.
We're not close. It's complicated.
Always.
He told me about your ex. Katherine?
What did he say?
That she broke your heart.
That was a long time ago.
When you lose someone, it stays with you.
Always reminding you of how easy it is to get hurt.
Elena.
It's okay, Stefan. I get it.
You have no idea how much I get it.
Complicated brother? Check.
Complicated ex? Check.
Too complicated to even contemplate dating?
Double check.
It's okay.
We met, and we talked, and it was epic
but then the sun came up and reality set in.
So...
I know you.
Well, that's unfortunate.
I don't... I don't know how, but... your face...
Excuse me. Sorry.
- Hey, has anyone seen Vicki? - You're her stalker. You tell us.
I can't find her.
Probably found someone to party with.
Sorry, pill pusher, you've been replaced.
What's with the "Pill pusher"?
- Ask him. - You wanna do this right now?
- Are you dealing? - She's never gonna go for you.
She already did. Over and over and over again.
- Yeah, right. - Okay, you slept with Vicki Donovan?
I mean, Vicki Donovan slept with you?
- There's no way. - I didn't even have to force her
into it.
- What is he talking about? - Nothing, man. Ignore him.
- He's a punk. - You know what? How about...
- Shut up and help me find my sister. - We'll check the bathroom.
- I'll check the square. - I'll come with you.
Oh, no, no, no. You are coming with me.
So, that's your game now? Dealing?
- No, I'm not dealing. - I'm sick of the tough-love speech.
- It's clearly having no impact. - You and Jenna, between the two...
We could stop if you want.
Send you to a therapist where you'll be forced to deal with it.
Or to rehab where you'll sit and tell some stranger
how you let your life fall apart.
Or you could talk to me.
I vote for none of the above.
- Hey. - Hey.
Have you seen my sister?
- No, sorry. - Can't find her. She's missing.
I'll keep an eye out for her.
Hey, I saw you at the hospital yesterday.
- Did you? - What were you doing there?
Visiting.
Visiting?
You know, Elena and I, we've known each other a long time.
And we might not be together right now, but I look out for her.
And I'll always look out for her.
- No! No, please. - You really have to stop screaming.
- Stop. Don't hurt me. Don't hurt me. - I've got you.
Excuse me.
- Would you like? - No!
- No. Please don't. - I got you. I'm not gonna drop you.
Not bad.
- Have you been eating bunnies? - Let her go.
Really? Okay.
- No! No! - No, no, no.
Relax.
What's happening?
I don't need her to be dead, but you might.
What attacked you the other night?
I don't know. An animal.
Are you sure about that?
Think. Think about it.
Think really hard.
What attacked you?
Vampire.
- Who did this to you? - You did.
- Wrong. Stefan. - Don't.
Don't.
Stefan Salvatore did this to you.
Stefan Salvatore did this to me.
He's a vampire.
A vicious, murderous monster.
Please, Damon. Please don't do this.
You couldn't fix it before.
I don't know what you're gonna do now.
Your choice of lifestyle,
has made you weak.
Couple of vampire parlor tricks
is nothing compared to the power that you could have.
That you now need.
But you can change that.
Human blood gives you that.
No.
You have two choices.
You can feed and make her forget...
or you can let her run screaming, "Vampire." through the town square.
That's what this is about?
You wanna expose me?
No, I want you to remember who you are.
Why? So, what? So I'll feed? So I'll kill?
So I'll remember what it's like to be brothers again?
You know what? Let her go.
Let her tell everyone that vampires have returned to Mystic Falls.
Let them chain me up.
And let them drive a stake through my heart.
Because at least I'll be free of you.
- Wow. Come here, sweetheart. - No.
It's okay.
What happened?
Where am I?
I ripped my stitches open.
- You okay? - I took some pills, man.
I'm good.
It's good to be home.
Think I might stay a while.
This town could use a bit of a wakeup call, don't you think?
What are you up to, Damon?
That's for me to know and for you to dot, dot, dot.
Give Elena my best.
She said you found her wandering around.
- Yeah. - So thanks.
Just so much drama.
Ever notice how the druggies are the biggest attention whores?
Yeah.
- Excuse me. Hi. - Hi.
- Have you guys seen Elena? - I think she went home.
I'm gonna give you Elena's cell number and her e-mail.
She is big on texting, and you can tell her I said so.
Thank you.
You okay?
What happened to you?
That was so rude.
I'm sorry. Excuse me.
Yeah, she kind of wigs out. It's like her thing.
Jer?
No, it's me. The hypocrite patrol.
What are you doing?
I've become my worst nightmare.
The authority figure who has to violate a 15-year-old's privacy.
Jackpot.
I see the hiding places haven't gotten any more creative.
What brought this on?
Your ass-hat of a history teacher shamed me good yesterday.
You got Tannered. Been there.
"Discover the impossible, Miss Sommers." Got it. Thanks.
Like I didn't know I was screwing up.
You're not screwing up, Aunt Jenna.
Yes, I am. You know why?
Because I'm not her.
She made everything look so easy.
You know, high school, marriage, having you.
I can't do it.
I'm gonna say or do the wrong thing
and he's gonna get worse, and it's gonna be my fault.
It's impossible.
This is just the fear talking.
You're a little scared, that's all.
We all are.
I have to go do something.
But are you gonna be okay?
Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you.
No, it's fine.
I was hoping I'd see you again.
I know.
Cocky much?
Very much.
Hey.
Would you like to come in?
The comet's actually this way.
Sorry for barging in.
Especially after earlier.
No, no. I'm glad you're here.
The way we left things, I didn't like it.
So the thing is, I got home tonight planning on doing what I always do.
Write in my diary.
Like I have been since my mom gave me one when I was 10.
It's where I get everything out.
It all goes in this little book that I hide on the second shelf
behind this really hideous ceramic mermaid.
But then I realized that I'd just be writing things
that I should be telling you.
What would you write?
I would write...
"Dear diary, today I convinced myself that it's okay to give up.
Don't take risks.
Stick with the status quo, no drama. Now is just not the time."
But my reasons aren't reasons, they're excuses.
All I'm doing is hiding from the truth.
And the truth is that...
I'm scared, Stefan.
I'm scared that if I let myself be happy for even one moment
that the world's just gonna come crashing down
and I don't know if I can survive that.
Do you wanna know what I would write?
"I met a girl.
We talked.
It was epic.
Then the sun came up and reality set in."
Well, this is reality.
Right here.