𝐒𝐀𝐅𝐄𝐓𝐘 𝐍𝐄𝐓, ᵗʰᵉ ᵛᵃᵐᵖⁱʳᵉ ᵈⁱᵃʳⁱᵉˢ

𝘩𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴

''before i met you and elena'' he answered.

''what?''

''the first day of school and the bonfire. when you, elena, and i met. it wasn't for the first time, phoebe'' stefan said, making phoebe's head spin because of all the confusion.

''then when was it?'' the dawson teen questioned, already fearing the answer.

''may 23rd, 2009''.

phoebe's eyes widened in realization when she heard the date of the car accident that she was unfortunately in,''but that was--''

stefan nodded,''that was the day elena's parents' car went off the bridge''.

''you were there?'' phoebe asked him, feeling her strong front start to falter just thinking back to that fateful day she was there to participate in.

''every couple of years that i come back here to see zach and my home. last spring, i was out in the woods, by old wickery bridge, and i heard the accident. all of it. i was fast getting there unseen, but not fast enough. the car was already submerged. elena's dad was still—he was still conscious. i was able to get to him, but he wouldn't let me help him until i helped you and elena''.

hearing this made tears build up in phoebe's eyes,''oh, my god. when we woke up in the hospital, nobody could figure out how we got out of the car. they said it was a miracle''.

''i went back for them. but it was too late. i couldn't--i couldn't save them. when i pulled you and elena out, i looked at your faces, i couldn't believe it the resemblance. you both looked so much like katherine and victoria. after that, i spent months making sure that the two of you weren't them. i watched you. i-i learned everything i could about you two. and i saw that you were nothing like them. and i wanted to leave town, but, phoebe, i couldn't. i couldn't leave without knowing you. i'm so sorry that i didn't tell you. i wanted to. but you were so sad and broken''.

''why does elena look like katherine?'' phoebe asked him, looking up to him.

stefan sighed, shaking his head,''phoebe, she's already been through so much. you both have''.

''why does she look like her, stefan? what are you not telling me?" phoebe questioned.

"it didn't make any sense to me. elena is a gilbert. katherine was a pierce. but the resemblance was too similar. and i learned the truth. elena was adopted, phoebe''.

those four words.

all it took was four words to change elena's life forever.

phoebe was shocked to say the least because she didn't know what to make of it.

her best friend's whole life has been a lie.

~~~~~~~~~~

still at the salvatore house, phoebe was sitting down beside stefan, distraught,''how do you know all of this?"

''elena's birth certificate from the city records. it says 'elena gilbert, mystic falls general' but there's no record of her mother ever being admitted. there's no record of her ever being pregnant'' stefan explained to her.

although it seemed like phoebe didn't even hear it because she was still in shock, mostly sadness because she knows she has to be the one to break the news to elena.

''what else do you know?'' the teen turned to him, her eyes wet with tears.

''for me to go any further, i would've had to look into the pierce family, and i couldn't do that. it was too much of a risk. if someone found out i was asking about katherine or even victoria—'' stefan trailed off and shook his head,''—listen to me, it doesn't matter. you are the woman that i love. i love you'' he brought his hands to her face and wiped away her tears.

phoebe's lips lifted up into a sad smile at his words as she leaned in, connecting her lips with his.

the kiss was soft and gentle, and...passionate, and short, but still enough.

after, phoebe wrapped her arms around stefan's waist, resting her head on his chest as he held her close to him, feeling nothing but love and sympathy for what he just put the girl through.

~~~~~~~~~~

at the dawson household, vanessa sat on the couch with a wine bottle in hand, worried about her daughter.

the door opening and closing caught the woman's attention.

she saw phoebe and let out a sigh of relief, but she was still very furious.

she put the wine bottle on the table and stood from the couch, turning to her daughter, with a stern and serious look on her face,''i don't set a lot of rules, phoebe. not with you. i am your mother and i trust you to tell me the truth. where were you? and why did you lie to me about it? i thought that we were closer than that''.

phoebe scoffed, looking toward her mother, furious as well,''now is not the time you want to talk to me about lies'' she spat before moving to walk upstairs.

''don't do that. don't turn this back on me. i didn't do anything'' vanessa argued, moving from the living room to stand at the bottom of the staircase.

the teen stopped and turned back, looking down at
her mother,''okay, question—is elena adopted and you knew about it?''

vanessa's face went blank at the question and phoebe immediately knew her answer,''i trust you to tell me the truth too, mom. how could you not tell me? elena's my best friend. you and miranda were best friends. i thought we were closer than that'' the girl concluded, repeating her mother's words back to her before she turned and proceeded to walk up the stairs.

''phoebe, i didn't—they asked me not to''.

''just!'' phoebe stopped again, throwing her hands up in the air, in frustration, turning back to her mother, with a disappointed look on her face,"...save it, okay?" she finished, with a shake of her head and turning back to move up the stairs and to her room, slamming the door shut.

once phoebe got settled in her room, she called  elena and told her everything.

everything, even the part where she's adopted.