[*Chapter Thirty-One*]

From this point on, I'll be building Darcy's development with all of the characters, not just her family. So, I'll hope you'll enjoy some Darcy and Stefan time ♥️

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The two wheels caressed the black tarmac while the chilly breeze blew down on her raven locks as she sped down the road. Fresh air flowed across her face, bringing the freshness of the day to air her senses. The last few days have been exhausting and far too emotional for Darcy to deal with, but she was not going to let Bonnie deal with it all on her own. Despite the witch having her family around her, the huntress knew she would rather have Darcy around, just to have that extra shoulder to cry on. Because she knew Darcy is always willing to provide comfort. Now that time has come to an end... It was time to go back home. And God knows what drama will greet her when she arrives.

Hell, would there even be a house left, with Jenna and Elena's terrible cooking skills? The Protectress snorts to herself, call it her overlarge ego or whatever, but she knows they would be lost without her. Darcy grinned as she approached her house. Her grin widened upon spotting Elena and Jenna outside on the porch. She revved and sped up the drive. Swinging her leg over the bike, she pulled off her helmet and tossed them a grin as they shot her unimpressed looks.

"Missed me?"

Jenna scoffed playfully, "No, why couldn't you stay away longer?" a small smile played on her lips as she fiddled with the house keys in her hand.

Darcy chuckled, walking up the porch steps and stopping in front of the pair, "Admit it, you'll be lost without me. I mean, I'm surprised I'm coming back to the house still standing."

Elena chuckled, "She's got the point, Jenna. Wasn't that why we've had take-out since she left?"

Darcy laughed, nodding her head in agreement, and sidestepped the slap coming from Jenna. "See? Elena gets it," she teased.

"Not even ten minutes in, and you're already ganging up on me? What happened to aunts above sisters, huh?"

"Aww, come on, Jenna! You know you're my favourite aunt-," Elena coughed, diverting the raven head and strawberry blonde's attention to her, "and sister."

"We're your only ones!" they exclaimed, with a deadpanned look.

"From another Mami and Papi!"

They all looked at each other before cracking up. Jenna wiped her eyes, drying her tears, "You're an idiot."

"An awesome idiot," she boasted with a smirk. She then crossed over the porch and sat next to Elena on the swing, setting her helmet on her lap, "So why are we all out here? And why do you have a mopey face, El?"

Elena sighed sadly, flipping her phone around in her hands. She looked down at her feet before glancing between the women, "It's Bonnie. I am worried. She's not been answering my calls."

Darcy refrained from rolling her eyes. Elena did not know the meaning of...giving someone their space. "Bonnie's fine, Elena. She just needs time to grieve. She'll get back to you when she's ready."

"I know, it's just, the funeral for Bonnie's Grandma, it brought back a lot about Mum and Dad." Elena paused, peering up at Jenna, "I was wondering. You said that you would do some digging about them...the adoption."

"Right." Jenna smiled, glancing at Darcy as the girl stared down at her helmet, running her nimble fingers across the black, shiny surface. The young woman sympathised with her not agreeing to Elena to search for information about her birth parents. Darcy thinks Elena should not need to, not when she has everything here, at home. With her family. While, the huntress believes, dragging the adoption up will create more problems. Problems they all do not need. But Elena is, Elena. And what she wants, she typically gets.

"So, did you dig?" Elena probed, earning an elbow in her side from her tone of voice.

Jenna nodded down at the brunette, gesturing towards the door as she began taking steps, "Come on inside. Your dad kept everything from his medical practice, records, logs, and old appointment books. I found an entry from the night you were born. Patient and birth date."

They passed the threshold, Jenna placing a comforting hand on Darcy's shoulder as she shut the door behind them and walked over to the dining table.

"Who were they?" Darcy asked curiously once she settled in a seat at the table, placed her helmet by her feet, and pocketed her keys.

"Isobel Peterson."

A chill ran down Darcy's spine, thinking the name sounded familiar, but she could not think why.

"Do you think that's her real name?" Elena queried.

Jenna shrugged, "pregnant teenage runaway? Probably not. First name, maybe. But where did she get the Peterson? Classmate? Best friend? So, I binged it. I searched for all the Petersons in this area, born the same year as Isobel. I found three. Two men and a woman. Trudie, who lived in Grove Hill, Virginia." She said, looking up from the computer when Darcy whistled. "What?"

"Consider me impressed!" Darcy exclaimed playfully, earning a red hue gracing Jenna's cheek.

"That's not far from here," Elena said giddily.

Jenna hummed. "Well, watch this."

They watched as she surfed some images and stopped on a picture before clicking. As it appeared, they could see that two girls were standing next to each other, both wearing cheer outfits. The photo was taken from a school yearbook.

"Isobel." Elena breathed, reading the name under the image, "she was a cheerleader." she said, smiling.

"Trudie still lives there." Jenna picked up a sticky note with a scribbled address on it and waved it around, "this is her address."

Darcy picked the note up, frowning, not missing the fact she skipped out on Isobel's name. "What about Isobel?"

Jenna sighed, looking between the girls, "I couldn't find anything about her." she paused, hesitation clouding her face.

"What is it, Jen?" Darcy asked, seeing the troubling view.

The strawberry blonde ran her hands through her long strands and blew out a breath, "I couldn't find anything about her. Listen... there is something else. Mr Saltzman. Rick, his wife, was from around here. Her name was also Isobel."

"Wait... Was?" Elena whispered in shock.

"She died." Jenna finished for them.

A thump alerted their attention; they turned, seeing Darcy banging her head on the table.

"Whyyy?" she whined. "Why can't things be normal for once?"

That is when it hit her—Alaric's wife, who also died. And the possibility that Damon may have killed her. They could not be the same person... Right? Yeah, cause life's that simple.

***

A little while later, after checking in with Jeremy, Darcy closed his bedroom door behind her and made her way across to her own when whispering voices sounded from Elena's room diverted her path. Too curious for her own good, her feet led their way to the doppelganger's room and stopped seeing Elena folding away her clothes while Stefan paced around the room, wearing his usual brooding appearance.

She leant against the doorframe, "well, if it isn't Mr broody bunny eater."

He stopped pacing, pulling a mocking face, "I love you, too."

"Aww, I love me, too, Steffy!" she sang sassily, pushing away from the door and sauntered into the room. Sitting on the bed, her back resting on the headboard. She plucked up a pillow and fiddled with the loose threads. When she noticed the silence, Darcy peered up through her long lashes and waved her hand, "Don't stop on my account, lovebirds."

Elena turned around, her back resting against the drawers, looking at her sister with a frown. "I was telling Stefan what Jenna told us earlier. You know how Isobel could be..."

"You think Alaric's wife might be your mother." Stefan finished coming to a stop and sitting on the bed's edge, next to Darcy's high heeled boots.

"It can't be true, right?" Elena glanced between them when they exchanged suspicious gazes, "I mean, the coincidence alone is just crazy."

Darcy sighed, getting to her feet, and moved around the bed and over to the vanity table; she picked up the sticky note resting on the surface. "But you want to know either way. You will not settle until you get the answers. I know you, Elena. You won't give up until you get them."

Elena nodded, staring down at the note, then back at Stefan, "I have the address for her friend, Trudie."

Stefan nodded, already knowing where this was going. "You want to talk to her." He stated.

Elena started shaking her head but then stopped, unsure. "I...I don't know. If it is true and they are the same person, that means my birth mother is dead, and I don't know if I could handle that."

Darcy and Stefan exchanged another look, the raven head shaking her head, for him to deliver the bad news. He shot her a deadpanned look and threw up his arms, which she followed by crossing her arms and turned her head away.

"What is it? What aren't you guy's telling me?" Elena prodded, frustrated with their exaggerated hand movements and head shakes.

Stefan stood up and moved closer to the pair after receiving no help from the huntress. "Elena, did Jenna tell you anything about Alaric's wife? How she died?"

She shook her head. "Just that she was killed, and the case was never solved. You knew that already? Darcy?" she asked her sister, feeling somewhat betrayed that they knew something and never bothered to tell her.

'Well, that was no use,' she mumbled to herself and stared down at her shoes, unsure how to tell her.

"The night when we're we at the school and he confronted us-"

"he told us some things about her death." Stefan cut Darcy off, earning a glare.

"No, no. It is not possible. The coincidence is...It's too much." Elena protested in defiance.

Stefan shushed her and wrapped his arms around her, "Now, listen. If you do decide to go talk to Isobel's friend, I will go with you. Okay?"

"We both will," Darcy added; even though she was not comfortable with the idea, she knows Elena will not settle until something has been done, and she will not let her go about it alone.

They watched as she exhaled heavily, "I just don't what I'm going to do yet."

Stefan nodded and withdrew his arms, stepping back. "I should get going. I got to deal with Damon."

Darcy peered up at him, wondering, "How's he been? From the sarcastic responses I got from him, I doubt he's good."

Stefan sent her a small smile, "He's dealing with it in his own way. You should come too. I'm sure you could kick his ass into gear."

Darcy chuckled, shaking her head, "knowing Damon, he'll be partying with some sorority girls."

"You don't think that's wrong?" Elena questioned disapprovingly.

"Nope, not if he's moving forward. I mean, can you blame the guy? The girl leads him on lie for 145 years; that would fuck anyone up."

She left Elena standing dumbfounded and walked out of the room, following Stefan downstairs, kissing Jenna on the cheek before exiting the house.

The duo stood on the drive, staring at the bike. Darcy glanced up at Stefan, "So how's this working? Me on the back, or you? Wait, why are you smirking?"

"How about, none?" He crept closer, causing her to move back with every step he took.

"No, I don't like that face. Stop moving. Damn it, Stefan!"

He did not allow her to object any further. Instead, he hauled her up over his shoulder and sped them away. The fucker had the decency to laugh as she pounded his back, even more so when she threatened to shove a stake up his ass.

Once they arrived at the Boarding House, Stefan placed Darcy on her feet and wisely zoomed over to the front door away from her abusive hands.

"I hate you." She flicked her hair back away from her face and glared over at him.

"I love you, too!" he said smugly, then strolled inside.

Darcy followed behind, grumbling curses and insults at his back. They came to a pause at the parlour, glancing at each other with raised eyebrows. Music blared, sorority girls dancing around the room, and there he was, shirtless and downing a bottle of Bourbon, right in the middle of it all. The view in front of them was...heavy and wild—typical Damon style.

"Well, if I knew you were having a party, I would have come sooner!" Darcy called out; even though the music muffled her voice, she knew he could hear her.

Damon froze and turned on his heels to face them. "Next time, I'll remember to send out an invite." He smirked and sauntered over to them, briefly glancing at Stefan's displeased face before locking his gaze on the huntress. "Decided to come back home, Bestie?"

"Someone's gotta keep you in check, huh?" she peered around his frame and shook her head as the unnamed girls began weaving and grinding on each other, "on second thought. I think I'll skip the orgy."

"Boring!" He pointed at her face and began swivelling his hips. Her gaze followed as his arms travelled across his body, "You're missing out on a good time!"

Darcy looked up at Stefan, "Stop him before this turns into a strip show."

Not that she would mind.

"Damon, can we talk?" Stefan stepped up.

"Yeah." Damon stopped his little tease and smiled drunkenly.

Stefan waved his hand, "without the tri-delts."

Damon shrugged, rolling his eyes carelessly, "anything you have to say to me, you can say in front of them. They're really good at keeping secrets."

"Yeah, I don't think so..." Darcy spoke up, gesturing as one of the girls moved closer.

Stefan shook his head and walked out of the room. The two raven heads looked at each other, shrugging, then followed him. They came to a stop as they entered the kitchen.

"What are you doing, Damon? What's all this gonna solve?" Darcy asked as she sat on a stool at the island.

Damon sighed, bring the bottle to his mouth and swallowing a mouthful. "You're worried about me, that's nice. Don't be there's no need. I'm fine. He turned his gaze on Stefan, "why wouldn't I be? I spent the last 145 years with one goal... Get in that tomb. I succeeded. Granted, just as Darcy said, Katherine wasn't in there to be rescued, but why dwell? No, it's so liberating not having a master plan because I can do whatever the hell I want."

In other words, even though the discovery of him no longer loving Katherine in that way, he still needs closure and learning the fact she was not even in the tomb hurts. He was lead on a lie, and she deceived him.

"That's kind of what I'm afraid of," Stefan said.

"Relax! I haven't killed anyone in..." he empathised by stretching his arms apart, "too long."

"What about the orgy?" Darcy said, nodding her head to the other room.

"Those girls." Stefan corrected, being his usual broody self.

Damon snorted and sat on the stool next to Darcy, plopping the Bourbon on the counter. The huntress glanced between him and the bottle and snatched it up, making sure to wipe away his germs before taking a sip. Damon watched her movements with a smirk.

"Those will end up in their dorms with headaches think they blacked out. Business as usual." He looked across the counter as Stefan joined them on the opposite side. "Predictable, you didn't pull me over here for a pep talk. So, drink up. Spill it, brother." He pushed the bottle across to Stefan.

Darcy and Stefan glance at each other, the latter receiving an encouraging nod.

"There was a woman you may have known a few years back, named Isobel in North Carolina at Duke."

Damon looked from his drink to Darcy and then at Stefan, pulling a face as if he were stupid. "You want to discuss the women in my past right now? Seriously?"

"Damon, you killed her." Darcy cut in.

"Like the countless others. What's your point?"

"We just want to know if you remember anything about her?"

"Hey! Don't bring me in on this. I never said I'd be a part of your scooby mission." Darcy shot back at Stefan, pointing her finger at him.

"Wouldn't you rather know, for Elena?" Stefan asked.

"Not really. I couldn't care less." she shrugged, "and are you really asking him if he remembers killing someone from years ago? I mean, how many others have there been since and before then?"

"It's like a needle in a haystack, Stefan." Damon slurred.

"Well, think hard. It's important."

Darcy snorted, "not too hard. His brain might fry. I mean, mine hurts just thinking about the long gap and the possibility of countless women he's drained." she said, palming her forehead.

Damon laughed, snatching his bottle off the counter, and stood up, "Nothing is important, not anymore." He patted Darcy's head, earning a shove as he began to exit the kitchen. "Great chat. I have to go and exploit some women in the name of grief, which I'm sure you understand." He waved as he left.

Darcy jumped up and rounded the counter, slapping Stefan on the back. "Awesome work, buddy. We should do it again, and let's hope we actually get somewhere," she said sarcastically.

"Haha, like you were any better!" He followed suit and pushed past her, exiting the room.

She tracked after him, throwing her arms up, frustrated. "Well, if you told me in advance, maybe we could have planned better!"

'Well, if you told me in advance, maybe we could have planned better!' Stefan mimicked.

Stopping outside the Boarding House, Darcy asked, "where to next, Cap?"

"To see a man about a dog..."

Darcy looked at him strangely, then snickered, clapping her hands. "Oh, Steffy. Why can't you crack jokes like this all the time? Instead of being Mr Broody?"

Stefan looked at her offended, "I'm not broody."

"Say that to your frown lines, Sweetie." She moved away as she saw him about to advance. "Down boy! Seriously, we don't want to add another line or two... Aghh!" she attempted to run across the vast drive, only succeeding to get halfway, before feeling herself being lifted and thrown over his shoulder again. "Stefan! Put me down. I'm not a toy!"

"Ha! That's what you get for calling me Broody."

"I was just stating the truth!"

She laughed as he spun them around. Then he moved, speeding them away, promptly knocking the air out of her lungs in the process and grabbing her thighs, positioning her in his back. "You better hold on tight, spider monkey!" Making Darcy throw her head back and laugh as they went.

It did not take them long to reach their destination and them back on their feet.

Stefan rested a hand on her back, stabilising her before she buckled. "You good?"

Taking a deep breath, she nodded, resting her hands on her knees, before standing upright. "I'm good. You know? You are kinda like Edward Cullen. You eat animals for dinner, and you're a creep, minus the disco ball." She let out a giggle, covering her mouth, "you even have the hair going on!"

Stefan stood there, staring down at her with no emotion, before nodding and turning away, cutting across the park.

"Haha, Stefan. Oi, Mr Broody! I swear, don't make me call you the name!" she yelled, laughing as she ran after him. He abruptly stopped causing Darcy to run into his back. "You're an ass."

"That's what you get, referring me as those poor excuses of vampires. I mean, vampires that sparkle, what treachery is that? That's insulting my existence." He said, with the most offensive look on his face. He stopped when all he got in response was Darcy laughing her ass off. He smirked and shoved her, causing her to let out a startled yelp, losing her balance and falling on her ass. Now it was his turn to do the laughing.

She glared up at him, blowing the long strands of inky hair out of her face. Her eyes shined in the sunlight, making them appear like crystals. For a second, Stefan stood there, lost in a trance, until she chucked dirt at his face.

"I hate you." She grumbled, getting up from the ground and wiping off her clothes.

"I love me, too." He said smugly.

"Having fun?"

A voice said, startling them from their staring contest. They turned, seeing Alaric standing in front of them, glancing at them in amusement.

"Ahh, the man about the dog," Darcy said, earning a puzzled look. She brushed him off with a smile. "Alaric." She greeted.

Alaric shook his head and turned to Stefan. "Thanks for meeting me. Something's come up," he said.

Stefan nodded, crossing his arms, "Jenna told you." He confirmed.

"Yeah." Alaric sighed.

"So, it's true. Your wife, Isobel, was Elena's birth mother." Stefan stated.

Alaric nodded, "What does Elena know?" He asked them.

"About your wife?" Darcy asked.

"About everything. About Stefan. Does Jeremy know?"

Darcy glanced between them, nodding. "Yeah, she knows about everything. Jeremy, too. I plan to tell Jenna, also."

Alaric nodded, not looking too pleased. "Does she know about Damon and Isobel?"

"No." Stefan said, "I couldn't tell her, not until I was sure."

"You said you'd help me."

"We asked Damon without saying too much. He doesn't remember."

"Ask him again." Alaric insisted.

"I don't think that's a good idea. He's not exactly stable right now. If we push him too much, it could get messy." Darcy stated, totally against pushing the older vampire too far. Who knows how much he could take before he goes around feasting on the residents of Mystic Falls.

"You know he murdered my wife or at the very least made a meal out of her. When has been stable?" The teacher scoffed in disbelief.

Stefan shook his head, shoving his hands in his pockets. "I'm telling you not to push this."

"Give me a reason not to." Alaric stepped forward, only for Darcy to push him back.

"Unless you want to be his next meal. Carry on, Mr Saltzman. You're already heading in that direction. Maybe I could take you there myself?"

Stefan moved her away and pushed her behind him. "I'll handle it, but for now. I need you to let it go." He insisted.

"Is that what you'll tell Elena? Let it go?"

"Hey, leave my sister's name out of your mouth!" Darcy exclaimed, shoving past Stefan and into Alaric's face, "leave her out of this."

"I need to know what happened. I think you would, too." Alaric said softly, peering down at the girl.

Darcy softened her glare and sighed sympathetically. "I get it, Alaric. I do. And I am sorry you've gone through all this agony of not knowing what happened to your wife. We will help, but we need time. Can you give us that?"

He searched for face for any deceit; upon not discovering any, he nodded.

Stefan shifted closer to the pair. "I need something more than just your wife's name. A picture, something I could show Damon."

Alaric reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. Opening it, he pulled out a picture and handed it to Darcy before walking away.

Stefan peered over her shoulder, both glancing down at the photo.

"I don't see where Elena gets the looks from?" Darcy muttered, screwing up her face.

"Hmm, maybe she gets them from her father?" Stefan suggested.

"Hmm, possible." She agreed, pocketing the picture. "Where to next, Batman?"

"Back to Damon."

Darcy groaned. "Really? Back to the orgy?"

"Yep. Now come on, stop stalling." He said, turning her by the shoulders and pushing her towards the exit. "And stop grumbling. You sound like a hermit."

"I would make a perfect hermit, living in solitude without dealing with all this vampire crap? Sounds awesome to me. Except, I'm Darcy, and you vamps can't stop dragging me into your mess."

Stefan threw his arm around her shoulder and roughed up her hair. "Ahh, you love us, and you know it."

She huffed, pushing him away, "More like love to hate. Hey, maybe that could our always? I hate you."

"I hate you. And did you just quote, The Fault in our Stars?"

Darcy halted her strides, looking up at him with her mouth agape. "Omg! You know The Fault in our Stars?"

Stefan chucked, peering at back her as if she were dumb. "I've been a vampire for 145 years. Of course, I do. I don't live in a hole."

She scoffed. "Could have fooled me. I thought Broody Stefan moped around in his bedroom and wrote depressing entries into his journals."

"I do that too." He admitted with a smirk pulling at his lips, causing her to let out a chuckle.

"Ahh, Steffy. You, my guy, are one particular vampire. He needs to come out and play more often."

Stefan smiled as the girl walked ahead of them, absently admiring the passing scenery. If only she knew, he was only this open and comfortable around her. There is something about Darcy that makes him loose and free. He does not have to deny or reject who he is. And he knows, despite her upbringing and recent choices, she will accept him. And for that, he is grateful for this mysterious yet captivating human for walking into his life.

~

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