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Rory runs down the stairs, not wanting to be late to school, again. She was about to grab her bag when her brows furrow and her face contorts into one of confusion when she hears the door opening. Her first instinct is the hide, that's what it has been most of the time, but her tense shoulders slack down when she sees Stefan walking in.
In reality, she was beyond happy to see him. Rory had enough of Damon, and she just wanted to see the only family she liked. She was about to say something, but stopped when Stefan ran over to her and enveloped her in a hug.
"Oh my gosh, I am so happy to see you." He whispers into her ear, holding onto her as if she were to disappear. Rory was confused why he was hugging her, but she hugged back either way. Rory was the first to pull apart, and looked up at him. "Wha- why..."
"Oh my god Elena was awful. I spent the majority of the time ignoring her, but she was being so goddamn persistent. And then Elijah came by, and tried to kill her, which honestly, I don't blame him, and then he left. I have no clue where he is now, but I wish he-"
Stefan's rambling was cut off when his sister brought him into another hug.
"I missed you." She whispered. Those three words had much deeper meaning than when he was gone for a few days. She meant that she had missed him for years and years, and now she finally had him back.
"I know. I'm back Rory." He whispered back to her. "I'll always come back for you. I promise."
Rory squeezed his waist once more before letting go, not wanting to cry. "We should probably get to school." She told him, and he nodded.
The two reconciled siblings walked for the door, both with smiles on their faces and their moods much brighter than before. But right as they were about to walk out, confusion hit them both when they saw Elena walk out.
"Elena?" Stefan asked, not wanting her to be in their house.
"Hello, Stefan. I am here to speak with Damon." She said, but before the Gilbert turned around, realization hit Rory like a truck. "Katherine?!" The vampire doppelganger faced her with a massive grin, and spread her arms out. "The one and only, Aurora flower."
Rory ran up to Katherine and experienced her second hug of the day. When they pulled apart, the Salvatore witch stood on her tiptoes and began planting soft kisses all over her face. "Wha- how? How are you out?"
"Well, a certain original vampire came a knocking last night, and told me I was free. He broke the compulsion. I think he did it for you." Katherine told her, smiling as she did so.
At this point, Rory was on cloud nine. Everything wrong that has ever happened was far in the back of her mind, long from reaching her thoughts. All that mattered was the people she loved were with her at the very moment.
"Well, I have school, but after school, do you want to spend time together. Oh- I can tell you- there's so much I need to tell you! I'll meet you at four!" Rory yelled as she ran out the door and into Stefan's car, a newfound skip in her step.
