Chapter 12: Patient Secrets

"Hey, Bonnie.. It's me. Just checking in, seeing how you're doing." I stated into the phone as I sat on the porch. "We miss you here.. Don't let your aunt drive you too crazy." I added, smiling  at the thought as Jenna came up the steps. "Call me soon, okay?" I asked, sighing in defeat and hanging up the phone.

"What are you doing out here? It's cold." Jenna said with a smile as she tilted her head at me.

"Thinking mostly." I answered and looked away from her. "The funeral for Grams.. It brought back a lot of memories about mom and dad—I was wondering, you said you'd do some digging about them. The adoption?" I asked, looking up at Jenna again and she slowly nodded.

"Right." She nodded in agreement and I rose an eyebrow.

"So did you? Dig?" I asked and she smiled again and gestured to the door.

"Come inside and we'll get Elena." Jenna replied and I furrowed my eyebrows at her.

~~~

"Your father kept everything from his medical practice. Records, logs, old appointment books." Jenna stated as she, Elena and I sat at the table while she flipped through a small book that used to be our dad's. "I found an entry from the night you were born." She added with a smirk and looked between us. "Patient and a birth date. Isobel Peterson." Jenna stated, pointing down at the name.

"Do you think that's her real name?" Elena asked in excitement and I rose an eyebrow.

"Pregnant teenage runway? Probably not. First name, maybe." I answered and shook my head while Jenna nodded in agreement.

"But where'd she get Peterson? Classmate? Best friend?" Jenna asked and gestured at her laptop in front of her before typing away. "So, I binged it. Searching for all of the Peterson's in this area born the same year as Isobel—and I found three." Jenna informed and I furrowed my eyebrows at the screen of names. "Two men and a woman—Trudie, who lived in GroveHill Virginia." She stated, looking between Elena and I again.

"That's not far from here." Elena stated with a smile and Jenna smirked.

"Well, watch this." Jenna pointed out and typed into the keyboard again. I furrowed my eyebrows and watched as she managed to pull up a picture of two girls in cheerleading outfits. A blonde and a brunette and under the picture, their names. 'TRUDIE PETERSON and ISOBEL FLEMMING'..

"Isobel." I whispered, examining at the picture carefully and Elena smiled at the woman. Hazel eyes, light skin and dark hair.

"She was a cheerleader." Elena informed with an excited smile, making Jenna chuckle and grabbed a sticky note from beside her.

"Trudie still lives there." Jenna stated, handing the sticky note to Elena. "This is her address." She added and I furrowed my eyebrows down at it.

"What about Isobel?" I asked and watched Jenna sigh before looking back at the laptop.

"I—couldn't find anything about her." Jenna answered with a shrug.. But I could tell there was something she wasn't telling us. I narrowed my eyes down at her in challenge and watched her look away from me in defeat.

"There's something else.. Mr. Saltzman, Ric?—His wife used to live around here." Jenna added, looking between Elena and I with a serious expression. "And her name was also Isobel." She informed, making Elena shake her head.

"Wait.. 'was'? As in.." Elena started, leading off quietly and Jenna stared back at us in disappointment.

"She died." Jenna admitted after a few moments. I looked at Elena who stared down at the address in her hand, unsure of what to do.

~~~

"Wait.. So Alaric's wife might have been your mother?" Stefan asked in confusion toward Elena who put a few things away in her dresser.

"It can't be true, right? I mean, the coincidence alone, is crazy." Elena countered and I sat in silence and watched them from her bed. "But.. I have the address for her friend, Trudie." She added, holding the sticky note up to Stefan.

"You wanna talk to her?" Stefan asked, folding his arms over his chest and she shrugged.

"I don't know." Elena answered in defeat before walking around her room. "I just don't know." She added and looked at me for reassurance and I shrugged.

"If it's true and Isobel is the same person, that means that our birth mother is dead." I pointed out and looked at Stefan before at Elena who slowly nodded and turned to him again.

"And I don't know if I could handle that." Elena informed with a small sigh as she put her jacket in her closet.

"Did Jenna tell either of you anything about Alaric's wife?" Stefan asked, looking between us while he walked over to Elena. "How she died?" He asked and I rose my eyebrow.

"Just that she was killed and the case was never solved." I answered and I watched as Stefan's face didn't falter. He didn't even seem phased. "You knew that already?" I asked, sitting up straight in curiosity.

"The night at the school—when I went to get the journal and Alaric attacked me, he told me some things about her death." Stefan admitted and I furrowed my eyebrows.

"Well—" Elena started but Stefan grabbed her hands in reassurance, cutting her off.

"No, no, no. It's not possible." Stefan countered, shaking his head back at her. "The coincidence is—it's too much." He agreed and Elena slowly nodded in agreement while I remained silent. "If you do decided to go to talk to Isobel's friend, I'll go with you." Stefan added, tilting his head at Elena who looked at me in uncertainty.

"I should get going, I gotta go deal with Damon." Stefan added before hugging Elena while I stood from the bed.

"How's he doing?" I asked, raising my eyebrow and watched as he turned toward me after him and Elena pulled away.

"He's dealing.. In his own way." Stefan answered with a nod and I nodded back at him and looked away.

~~~

"You sure about this?" I asked, looking at the house in front of Elena and I uneasily while she stared down at the address in her hand.

"Aren't you curious?" She asked, looking back at me and I shrugged a bit.

"About a woman who left us?" I countered, making Elena sigh and look back at the house again. We both walked towards it and up the front steps before we stood in front of the door. Elena stared at the door uneasily before turning to walk away but I quickly knocked on the door and watched her narrow her eyes at me. "We already came this far." I pointed out in annoyance. The door opened in front of us and the same blonde woman from the picture Jenna had shown us, was looking between Elena and I with a smile on her face.

"Trudie?" Elena asked, looking at her in confusion. "T-Trudie Peterson?" She added in nervousness and the woman nodded.

"Yes?" Trudie asked, making Elena and I exchanged glances.

"Hi, my name is Elena Gilbert and this is my sister Mariana." Elena introduced, gesturing towards us and I nodded, staring at the woman who stood in a hoodie and sweat pants. "We wanted to talk to you about Isobel Flemming." She added and she rose an eyebrow but kept her smile.

"Well, I haven't heard that name in years." Trudie replied with a chuckle. "How do you know her?" She asked and Elena looked at me with uncertainty before I rose an eyebrow.

"Do you know if she had a set of twins that she gave up for adoption?" I asked straightforwardly, raising an eyebrow at Trudie who widened her eyes and looked at us, as if in realization.

"My god." Trudie whispered and I furrowed my eyebrows. "You're her daughters." She added with a small laugh but Elena and I just stared at her in question as she looked us over slowly. "I was just gonna make some tea. You want some?" Trudie asked with a smile and Elena quickly nodded back while I opened my mouth to protest but she cut me off.

"Sure." Elena answered with a wide smile and and Trudie nodded back at her.

"Um, the kitchen's this way." Trudie stated and moving to the side. I rose an eyebrow and saw her watching Elena and I carefully as we walked in the house and in the direction she told us.

~~~~

"We weren't going to come. I mean, I didn't think we were—But I was driving and I hit this stoplight and it made me think about when I was first learning how to drive, and then my mom would always have to warn me bout this blind turn on the left hand side and then I was thinking about my mom and—" Elena started rambling nervously and I cut her off as Trudie looked at her in confusion.

"We had your address. Sorry for barging in." I summed up and Trudie smiled between us while I pointedly narrowed my eyes at Elena.

"It's no problem." She reassured as we sat at the table. "Um, just a surprise, though. I haven't thought about Isobel in years." Trudie added and I slowly nodded in understanding.

"When was the last time you saw her?" Elena asked, furrowing her eyebrows while Trudie thought about it over.

"About seventeen years ago. When she left to go have you." Trudie answered, nodding at us and at the thought. "We kept in touch for awhile, but, you know, people drift apart." She added with a small smile.

"And you don't know where she ended up?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

"She was in Florida for awhile. She was on her own, I know it wasn't easy." Trudie stated with a shrug.

"Do you have any idea—who our father is?" I asked, furrowing my eyebrows at Trudie as she just stared back at Elena and I before sighing.

"I could never get her to fess up." She admitted with a shrug and Elena slowly nodded. "Anyway, she finally pulled it together, got into college in a scholarship." Trudie added with a nod.

"Where did she go?" Elena asked with a smile and Trudie tilted her head.

"Somewhere in North Carolina." She answered and I rose an eyebrow. "Duke, I think. Smart girl, smart school." Trudie chuckled and I smiled a bit at the thought as the kettle from the oven started whistling. "I'm just gonna go grab that." She added with a nod and walked into the kitchen.

"You think any of it is the truth?" Elena asked skeptically as she looked at me and I rose an eyebrow.

"Who knows.." I whispered quietly and looked away from her.

~~~

"They came to the games for us. The football team hadn't won in years. We were the stars." Trudie stated as we looked over a yearbook and stared down at the picture of her and Isobel that Jenna had also shown us earlier. "Well, Izzie was. But I was a damn good backup." Trudie added in amusement and Elena chuckled.

"This is great. Thank you." Elena smiled at her as she drank her tea. I watched her slowly furrow her eyebrows down at the cup before up at Trudie who flipped through the pages of the yearbook. "What is this?" She asked and Trudie shrugged.

"It's just some herbal mixture." Trudie replied shrugging it off and I rose an eyebrow at Elena who gestured at my tea. I slowly grabbed the cup and instantly smelt the familiar scent come into my nose.

"Vervain?" I asked, looking up at Trudie who slowly looked up from the yearbook knowingly. "You know." I stated, narrowing my eyes at her but she shook her head.

"Know what?" Trudie asked in innocence and I looked at Elena skeptically.

"You didn't invite us in.. And you're serving vervain tea. You know." Elena stated in annoyance but Trudie quickly stood from the table.

"I think that you should probably leave." Trudie stated abruptly as she looked between Elena and I.

"Wait. What are you not telling us?" I asked, tilting my head at her in confusion.

"Please, Leave." Trudie replied in a loud voice and Elena looked at me in concern. "Now!" She added in anger and we got up from the table quickly before walking to the door and out of the house.

"What the hell was that?" I asked in annoyance as Elena and I walked down the steps of the porch.

"I have no idea. Let's just go home." Elena stated and I nodded in agreement as we walked towards the car while she dug the keys out of her purse. I sighed and stood beside the passenger side door as Elena tried to unlock it. I saw a figure out of the corner of my eye and I furrowed my eyebrows. I looking towards the figure to see a man standing in the road, staring at Elena and I.

"Lena.." I stated cautiously, telling her to unlock the car faster and she looked towards the man with a worried glance. Elena grabbed the keys and unlocked the car before we got in and she drove off as quickly as she could.

-Time Skip-

"Stefan?" I asked, walking into his room slowly and looking around only to see it was empty.

"Better." Damon countered as he came from Stefan's bathroom and I rose my eyebrow. "Me." He added and I looked him over slowly as he stood in front of me shirtless with a button-up shirt in hand.

"You look, um—" I started but Damon cut me off with a smirk.

"Dashing? Gorgeous? Irresistible?" Damon asked, leaning his face toward mine but I pushed him away and sighed, folding my arms over my chest.

"I was going to say wrecked." I pointed out and looking over him slowly, noticing he was clearly drunk. "You look wrecked." I added, shaking my head at him but he shrugged.

"No reason why." Damon replied sarcastically. "Did you know that I am one of Mystic Falls' most eligible bachelors?" He asked with a proud look on his face and I rose an eyebrow.

"Huh." I replied and he nodded in agreement and walked towards the mirror by Stefan's closet.

"Yup." He replied, putting on the button-up and I rose my eyebrow at him.

"How are you doing?" I asked quietly, watching him as he put the button-up on over his shoulders.

"Never better. Yep." Damon replied, slowly sighing and I tilted my head at him. "What can I do for you?" He added as he fixed his collar and started buttoning up the shirt. "I'm in a barrel of favors today. It's my newfound purpose—how can I help people?" Damon asked in annoyance, trying to button his shirt but failing miserably. I sighed and walked in front of him before moving his hands away from the buttons and replacing them with mine.

"I'm supposed to be meeting Stefan and Elena. We're going to the fundraiser." I informed with a nod at him but slowly furrowed my eyebrows. "At least I think I am. I'm still deciding." I admitted as I buttoned up Damon's shirt silently while he stared down at me. "So.. Elena and I found out who our birth mother is." I stated but Damon scoffed at me.

"Echh. Who cares?" He asked and I rose an eyebrow at him in confusion. "She left you. She sucks." He added with a sincere look and I tilted my head at him before looking down at his shirt.

"There." I nodded, un-wrinkling part of his shirt, letting my fingers glide over his shoulders. I looked past him and at Elena and Stefan who stood next to the door, watching us in silence. Damon and I parted and he grabbed the suit jacket that sat next to him and put it on but groaned in annoyance.

"Ugh, I need a bigger jacket." Damon stated, taking the jacket off again as it didn't fit over his biceps. "Wow. You know, an occasional sorority girl might, um—help fill you out a little bit." He added, looking at Stefan in amusement. Damon smirked and looked me over as he walked past the three of us and out of the room.

"He's fine." Elena stated in disbelief as she looked between Stefan and I.

"He's Damon." Stefan informed with a shrug and Elena scoffed.

"You know, maybe this heartache will be good for him. It'll remind him that he has one, even if it doesn't beat." Elena pointed out sarcastically and Stefan sighed.

"Won't hold my breath." Stefan replied in amusement and I smirked at him a bit while Elena sighed.

"So, we went to see Trudie Peterson." Elena pointed out, making Stefan furrow his eyebrows down at her. "Yeah, I know, I'm sorry but I had Mariana with me. I mean, we didn't even plan it." She added and Stefan rose an eyebrow and folded his arms over his chest.

"How was it?" He asked, looking between us and I scoffed, making the two look at me in confusion.

"She has vervain." I pointed out and Stefan furrowed his eyebrows. "She knows about vampires and I don't think that's a coincidence." I added, shaking my head in annoyance and Elena nodded in agreement.

"It isn't." Stefan replied in defeat and we both looked at him in confusion before taking a picture out of his back pocket. "This is Alaric's wife." He added quietly and I rose my eyebrow down at it to see the same woman from the yearbook photo.. But a few years older.

"This is her—This is Isobel." Elena stated, smiling down at it. "He gave this to you?" She asked, shaking her head.

"Everything he knows about vampires, he learned from her. He believes that.. She was killed by one." Stefan informed in defeat and I furrowed my eyebrows, trying to register what he just said.

"Oh, my god.." Elena whispered back at him and she slowly looked down at the picture.

"Listen, Elena, there's a lot about Isobel that Alaric can tell you, but I need you to hold off a little while before you talk to him." Stefan pointed out and I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion.

"Why?" I asked, folding my arms over my chest.

"I know that it's a lot to ask of you—of both of you, but will you do that for me?" Stefan asked, looking between us and Elena slowly nodded at him while I sighed and looked away.

~~~~

"He's already been hit on like thirty-two times. He's total cougar bate." Caroline said in amusement as she looked at Matt who stood in his work uniform at the concessions stand for the fundraiser.

"Impressive." I laughed, shaking my head at the two of them.

"More like embarrassing." Matt countered and smiled down at Caroline who chuckled back at him.

"Hi, Ms. Donovan." Caroline stated in a chirpy voice and smiled welcomingly at Matt's mom who walked over to us and ignored Caroline completely.

"Mariana, honey." Kelly stated, giving me a wide smile and I smiled back, hugging her.

"Hey, Kelly." I chuckled, pulling away. "Long time, no see. How are you?" I asked, raising my eyebrow as I looked her up and down. She lost a bit of weight, either from drinking or not eating. Maybe both.

"Oh, same old." Kelly replied with a chuckle and I nodded. "Matty told me Elena broke his heart." She added with a pouty face and tilted her head at me, making me raise my eyebrow.

"Mom." Matt stated in annoyance at her and she looked at him.

"I'm just kidding, calm down." Kelly replied shaking her head and looking back at me. "He found his rebound girl." She added, gesturing at Caroline and I furrowed my eyebrows as I watched Care's face fall. "Oh, here you go, sweetheart." Kelly stated, giving Caroline money for a ticket. "However many that'll give me. I just hope I don't get bachelor three. I dated him in high school, not impressive." Kelly laughed, shaking her head at me. "In any way." She added in a whisper and I chuckled a bit as I heard Matt sigh deeply from behind me before Caroline gave Kelly four tickets. "Very exciting." Kelly added happily before walking away from us and I turned to Caroline who looked embarrassed and hurt. I looked back at Kelly in defeat but my eyes fell on Alaric who stood at the bar across from me. Our eyes met and he slowly walked away, clearly not wanting to engage in conversation.. I turned back towards Matt and Caroline and smiled between the two, hiding the fact this is the last place I wanted to be.

~~~~

"And what do you do, bachelor number three?" Carol, Tyler's mom, asked into the mic as she gestured it to the man.

"Uh, I'm a plumber." He answered, clearing his throat awkwardly and I rolled my eyes as some girls in the audience laughed.

"Well, isn't that wonderful? We could always use more plumbers." Carol stated in amusement, making everyone laugh more. "Moving on." She added awkwardly and walked over to Alaric. "Number four, Alaric Saltzman. Wow, that's quite a mouthful." Carol laughed as I nudged Jenna in the arm with my shoulder and she smirked, shaking her head at me. "What do you do, Alaric?" Carol asked, smiling at him.

"I'm a teacher at Mystic Falls high school." Ric replied, smiling at the crowd in front of him.

"Oh, beauty and brains, ladies. This one's a keeper." Carol pointed out with a laugh and I watched Jenna smile. "What do you teach?" She asked, smiling at him again.

"History." Ric pointed out with a nod.

"Oh, history. Well, Give us a fun fact about Mystic Falls. Something.. Crazy." Carol said smiling brightly towards him. I rose my eyebrow at Alaric and watched him look at Damon in uncertainty from where he stood beside him.

"Uh, well.." Alaric started, leading off in awkwardness and I slowly sighed as Jenna looked down in defeat.

"He's probably saving the best stories for his date." Carol reassured the crowd before moving on to Damon. "And last, but not least, Damon Salvatore." Carol stated smiling at him."We don't have much on you." She pointed out, eyeing Damon with her eyes but I'm sure she was probably trying to imagine him naked as well.

"Well, I'm tough to fit on a card." Damon countered in amusement, smirking back at her.

"Do you have any hobbies? Like to travel?" Carol asked, raising an eyebrow and I could see she liked him. Maybe too much.

"Oh yeah—L.A., New York. Couple years ago I was in North Carolina, near the Duke campus, actually." Damon pointed out and I rose my eyebrow as he looked toward Alaric. "I think—I think Alaric went to school there. Didn't you, Ric?" Damon asked, raising an eyebrow before nodding. "Yeah, cause I know your wife did." He added and I furrowed my eyebrows at him. He now had my full attention. "I had a drink with her once. She was—she was a great girl. I ever tell you that? She was.. Delicious." Damon stated with a hint of amusement in his voice. I widened my eyes and looked into the crowd to see Elena and Stefan. I watched as Elena's eyes glazed over and she quickly walked out of the Grill. I grabbed my coat from the chair I sat in and walked after her.

"Elena." I stated once I got outside to see her pacing while Stefan stood beside her.

"He killed her? Damon was the vampire that killed her?" Elena asked angrily towards Stefan who out his hands in his pockets.

"I don't know what happened, Alaric said that they never found a body." Stefan countered, shaking his head in response and I slowly sighed at him.

"Oh, my god.. Stefan." Elena replied, breathing heavily and running her hands through her hair as she looked away from him.

"I know—I know, I'm sorry. I wanted to tell you but I just—I wanted to know more." Stefan replied and Elena scoffed, turning towards him.

"I was feeling sorry for him. Hoping that this whole Katherine thing would change him. I'm so stupid." Elena stated with a scoff as she looked down.

"He doesn't know about the connection to you. I was going to confront him but he's already so on edge, Elena." Stefan replied in defense as he shook his head at her.

"Why are you protecting him?" Elena asked in anger and I slowly sighed.

"Because you're not the only one hoping that he might change, Elena." I pointed out angrily back at her. Elena turned to look at me only to furrow her eyebrows in something behind me.

"That man.." Elena whispered, making Stefan and I follow her gaze to see a man staring at us. "Mariana, it's the one from outside of Trudie's.." She informed and I furrowed my eyebrows at him.

"Get back inside. Come on." Stefan stated, urging us all back inside quickly.

~~~

I watched as Carol pulled tickets from a large bowl, naming them off. "And bachelor number three goes to—37458." Carol stated into the crowd with a smile and I rose my eyebrow as Kelly sighed.

"That's me." Kelly replied, walking over to Carol, careful not to trip as she's obviously had one too many drinks.

"Oh, Kelly Donovan. Lovely." Carol stated towards her with in fake as hell voice and people in the audience laughed. "You and the plumber should have so much fun." She added and I smirked, shaking my head. I got up from the table and grabbed my coat before starting to walk towards the front of the Grill but Damon bumped into me.

"Whoa. Hey, there. Buy a ticket like everybody else." Damon stated playfully with a smirk and I scoffed.

"Did you enjoy that? Rubbing it into Alaric's face?" I snapped and watched Damon furrow his eyebrows at me.

"What?" He asked, shaking his head in confusion as his expression became serious.

"Just as I was starting to think that maybe there was something redeemable about you, Damon." I whispered, staring at him in disappointment before scoffing at him and folding my arms over my chest. "You go and prove me wrong. Again." I added in annoyance.

"Am I missing something here?" He asked and shook his head at me, completely thrown off.

"Did I forget to mention that earlier when we were talking, about I and Elena's birth mother? The one that gave us up?" I asked, tilting my head at him and he nodded, following along.

"Mhmm." Damon replied, listening intently and I slowly shook my head as I felt my eyes slightly glaze over, lord knows why.

"Her name was Isobel." I admitted, narrowing my eyes at Damon and watched as his face fall in realization. "Go ahead. Reminisce about how you killed her." I added, walking away from him and meeting Elena and Stefan by the front exit of the Grill. "Come on, let's get you home." I reassured, sighing at Elena who nodded. The three of us walked outside together, only to see the same man that was staring at us earlier. He stood right in front of us, as if waiting for us and I quickly pulled Elena behind me.

"I have a message for you." The man stated emotionlessly as he looked between Elena and I.

"What?" Elena asked in confusion, looking past my shoulder.

"Who are you?" Stefan asked, eyeing the strange man in confusion.

"Stop looking." The man stated, ignoring both question and I furrowed my eyebrows back at him and looked at Elena.

"Stop looking for what?" Elena countered, shaking her head in confusion.

"She doesn't want to know you. She doesn't want to talk to you." The man stated emotionlessly and I furrowed my eyebrows in realization.

"Isobel?" I asked, completely taken aback at his words.

"You need to stop looking. Do you understand?" The man asked in a calm voice and Elena furrowed her eyebrows.

"She's alive? Does that mean she's a—" Elena started but Stefan cut her off.

"Elena, he's under compulsion." Stefan pointed out in a cautious tone and I slowly shook my head towards the man.

"Do you understand?" He repeated and I tilted my head at him.

"Yes, we do." I answered in a strong voice and the man slowly nodded.

"Good." He countered and looked into the street beside us. "I'm done now." He added and took a step backwards into the street before getting hit by a truck. I widened my eyes  while Elena screamed and Stefan grabbed her, shielding her eyes. I shook my head slowly in defeat as the truck stopped down the street and I ran towards it. I stopped in my tracks once I saw the man's body laying motionless in the road, blood surrounding him and soaking the pavement.

"Come on.. Let's get out of here." I whispered, looking back at Elena who looked at the scene in complete shock.