The Supernatural Diaries {Book One}

Family Ties: The Right Partner

"Earlier today, I found out from Bonnie that Damon told Caroline some things about your past relationship," Elena admitted sheepishly. "What kind of things?" Dean urged. "Things about how you and Damon were happy together until Stefan came into the picture and became your friend. Bonnie said that Caroline told her Stefan was upset that Damon got to live his happily ever after while he was left alone to mourn Katherine," Elena explained. "She said that eventually, it drove him to try and sabotage your relationship with Damon. Stefan started telling you lies about Damon to get you to break up. Is any of that true?"

Dean froze, as images of his past relationship came roaring to the forefront of his mind.

"So, now you know the truth," Damon snarked. "Not only am I a vampire, but I'm also a murderer! So what?"

Dean glared daggers at the man— no, vampire— who had claimed his heart and snarled. "You lied to me, Damon! How am I supposed to trust you after this?" the hunter shouted.

Damon's face fell. "So that's it, then," he said more as a statement than a question. "You're just gonna let my brother come between us? This is what he wanted to happen, he wanted you to turn against me!" the eldest Salvatore argued.

"No, Damon. You turned me against you by lying to me, and that was the one thing, the ONLY THING I begged you to never do!" Dean cried.

"Dean?" Elena called out, breaking him out of his reverie.

"Sorry, I, uh, just got lost in thought there for a moment," Dean apologized. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought it up—" "No, no. It's okay. It just took me by surprise," Dean shook his head. "Uh, the thing is... Damon— Damon was always a very secretive person, but in the end, his secrets caught up with him." "And was Stefan the one who told you that he had secrets?" Elena pried. "Why are so keen on knowing whether or not Stefan had something to do with my relationship with Damon?" Dean interrogated, with an arched eyebrow. "Is that what Damon told you? I swear, I'll kill him."

"Listen, I just want to know more about your friendship with Stefan, because you never mentioned him once in the time that I've known you. And I gotta tell you, the stuff that I've heard about him since he got here isn't very pleasant," Elena revealed. "What are you saying, Lena?" Dean challenged. "I'm saying that despite his asshole-ish behavior, it seems to me that Damon has been nothing but honest about the kind of person he is or what his intentions are, which is ironically a stark contrast to what you just told me a second ago."

"It's all part of the act," Dean groaned. "That's how he lures you in."

"Whereas with Stefan, he seems like he always has something to hide, and the only ones who know or seem to know anything about him are you and Damon," Elena continued.

"He's a very private person," Dean argued.

"There is a difference between private and secretive, Dean," Elena lectured. "You should know that better than anyone, especially since you've been acting more closed off since he got here."

"No, I haven't."

"Yes, you have!" Elena raised her voice, drawing the attention of some of the other patrons. "Elena," Dean chided, looking around warily. "Look, I know that I've been distant, but I have had a lot going on right now so—" "You always have something going on, Dean. But the problem is that you won't let me in so that I can help you," Elena exhaled deeply.

"Elena, don't you see what Damon has done here?" Dean snapped. "He's trying to get you to turn you against me."

Elena frowned sadly. "Well, then I guess it's working," she scoffed.

"Lena," Dean began, as his girlfriend pulled away from him.

"Don't. Just... just don't." Then she turned around and walked away, leaving him alone on the dance floor.

The hunter then turned his gaze towards Damon, who was giving him a cold glare. Dean winced as he felt a sharp pain shoot up his forearm from the Mark on his wrist.

Payback's a bitch, ain't it? Damon's voice echoed in his mind. Now you know how I felt... and how I still feel.

The eldest Winchester stared down the vampire but he willed himself not to lose control, not lose himself to the power of the Mark. Not here around all these people, not with Elena so near. So for now, he bit his tongue and held back any remark that would garner another provocative response from Damon. But next time, and knowing his luck, there would be a next time, he would NOT hold back. He would come at Damon with everything he had, he would— whoa!

Where was all this coming from? There hadn't been this much animosity between him and Damon since... Well, since he started hanging out more with Stefan.

And there it was?

Was that what Elena was trying to get at? Was that why Damon did this? Was Stefan somehow connected to this?

It was then that Dean recalled what he said to Elena merely a few minutes ago. It was the same thing Damon said to him, with the only exception being the names of the Salvatore brothers being switched.

They're right, you know? a familiar dark voice whispered in his head. Stefan Salvatore is a man who keeps many secrets... even from you!

Was that true? Were there things that Stefan was keeping from him?

He never told you that your ancestors hailed from Mystic Falls nor that they were one of the Founding Families of the town itself. the voice reasoned. Had Damon not said something, I doubt you would have found out at all.

It was true. Damon had been the one to reveal the truth about his lineage. And when he did, Stefan did look particularly pissed off. Perhaps... No!

No, Stefan is the good brother. Stefan was the one he could trust. The one that he's always trusted. Stefan didn't hurt people like his brother.

Stefan didn't lie.

Stefan doesn't lie.