Try {One | Alaric Saltzman}

Isobel

"Isobel is in Grove Hill?"

"I don't know. I thought we could take a look and see what we find."

"Perfect! Give me the address."

He narrowed his eyes. "Oh, so you can go without me? No. I don't think so."

"I'm not going with you! You tried to kill me."

"Yeah," he scoffed. "Well, you did kill me."

"You drive. Pick me up in an hour."

Damon was waiting for Alaric outside of the boarding house. "Woah, woah, woah!" He pulled open the passenger door of his car. "Why are you here?"

"I'm going with you guys."

"What is with you?"

Abigail reached to close the door. "This is about my family."

"Too bad! I don't need someone else to take care of."

"I don't need you to take care of me."

"Oh!" He looked through her at Alaric, nodding slowly. "I see..."

"You see? You see wh-"

"Damon," Alaric's voice broke into their squabble. "Just get in the car."

Alaric, Damon, and Abigail approached the Grove Hill apartment.

"This is where it gets tricky," Damon said. "I may or may not be able to get in."

"Yeah, how does that work?" Alaric asked. "Do you always have to be invited in?"

"By the owner or the person of entitlement. Short-term rentals and hotels are a bit of a gray area. You kind of have to play it by ear."

Alaric let out a short laugh.

"Wait." She grabbed them by their elbows, stopping them in their tracks. "Could we not kill anyone tonight, please?"

Damon looked at her with fake surprise, opening the apartment door. "You mean, you just brought me along for my company?"

Alaric stepped inside, doing a quick sweep of the dark apartment as he did. "It doesn't look like anyone's home."

Damon motioned for Abigail to walk inside, following her through the threshold without a problem. "Yeah. I'm good. No permanent resident, apparently."

With their weapons at the ready, they went about searching the apartment. Alaric ventured further than any of them, disappearing out of sight before Abigail even reached the couch. From where she was, it didn't seem like there was anything worth finding

"Uh, guys," Damon called from the kitchen. "I think we have company."

There was a raucous in the hall as two shadows fought: Alaric and a vampire.

"Boys, boys, that's enough." Damon threw the vampire off Alaric. "I know you."

Recognition flashed across his face. "Damon?"

"Your name is Henry. You were in the tomb."

Henry settled in the armchair opposite of Alaric. "How do you know John Gilbert?"

"Well, I've known him for years. He's a good friend," Damon lied. "How do you know him?"

"I met him right after I got out of the tomb," Henry said. "He's been helping me out."

Abigail leaned toward him, brushing Alaric's knee with her own. "Helping you out how?"

"Adapting," he said. "It's a whole new world...Cars, computers, match.com. There's so much to learn. He helped me get this place."