𝐒𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄𝐒. ❪ 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗏𝖺𝗆𝗉𝗂𝗋𝖾 𝖽𝗂𝖺𝗋𝗂𝖾𝗌 ❫

𝐢𝐯. UNFAMILIAR FACES

I took that as an opportunity to shimmer into the mausoleum finally. There I saw Liv, the girl I helped the other week at the bar, lying on the floor in pain and the other women who must have been Alaric's girlfriend, Jo.

"Oh, damn, what happened here?" I crouched down to Liv and healed her.

"Janelle?" Jo asked, surprised to see me.

"Uh, yeah." I nodded, confused as to how she knew my name. "How'd you know my name?"

"You don't remember me?" she asked.

"No," I answered. "Have we met before?" Jo opened her mouth to speak, but her eyes shifted outside first. She stood up, leaving. "I wouldn't go ou — oh, okay. Bye."

I turned my attention back to Liv as the blood from her nose cleared up. She groaned as I helped her get up. "Thanks. Again."

"Don't sweat it. Come on, let's go." I led her out of the mausoleum just in time to see Alaric with his gun to the temple of some guy's head.

Our gazes locked for a second and I noticed something weird flash through his eyes. But, before I knew it, Alaric had knocked him out.

"Wait. Isn't that the dude who attacked you last week?" I asked Liv.

"Yup," she nodded. "God, this family is so messed up."

And they're all related? How much more do I have to learn about the people my brothers interact with?

This is precisely why I didn't ask for details about going with Damon today. It would include a back story that would take an entire novel, plus a sequel just to explain the whole damn thing. I think that putting off what I just heard would be suitable for everyone.

"I can heal that for you. If you'd like," I told Jo, pointing to her stabbed arm that was still bleeding.

She smiled, warmly at me. "Sure," she agreed. I placed my hand over her wound and observed as it slowly faded away. "It's good to see you, Janelle. It really is."

I awkwardly nodded to her in response, getting questioning stares from everyone, minus the unconscious weirdo on the ground.

"I don't know." I mouthed to them, shrugging.

How the hell was I supposed to tell them that Jo knows me when I have never met her before in my life?

I may be over 170 years old, but I rarely forget faces. But Jo was talking to me as if we had been best friends for ages and we had finally reunited after so long. Once I was finished with Jo's wound, I took a deep breath, looking her over. Maybe my memory would jog if I tried to remember who she was, but as of right now, I've got nothing.

"I'm sorry, Jo. I'm sure you mean well. It's just — I honestly have no idea who you are," I told her, walking off to get some air when in actuality just needed a reason to get away from that situation.

It seems that ever since I've gotten home, my time has been filled with nothing, but constant questions. I got the gist of it from Stefan, but I'm still finding myself asking a bunch of questions every day.

When I was finally at a reasonable distance, my phone vibrated from my back pocket.

Incoming Call: Klaus Mikaelson

Seeing his name pop up on the screen made me feel somewhat better.

"Hello, love," he said.

"Hi," I smiled, hearing his voice. "I miss you."

"I miss you, too. I'm sorry for not contacting you sooner," he apologized. "We've been having a little bit of... family troubles at the moment."

"Anything I should be concerned with?" I asked.

"Of course not. I'm handling it," Klaus assured me. "The last thing you need on your plate right now is stress."

I laughed, "It's a little late for that."

"What?" I could already hear the tension in Klaus' voice. "What's happened?"

"Nothing bad. It's just that things aren't exactly how I remember it being the last time I was home. If you can even call it home." I shook my head, even though I knew he couldn't see me. "But don't worry. I'm handling it." I smirked mockingly.

Klaus sighed, "Have you at least told your brothers about what's going on? Do they know why you've left New Orleans?"

"Of course I did," I lied through my teeth.

"Janelle," he warned

I groaned, "I know, I know. I was going to get around to it, but it just never seems to be the right time."

"Well, you're going to have to make time. Because sooner or later, it's going to become pretty obvious," he said, and I rolled my eyes, huffing.

I knew he was right, but I didn't like it. I was going to tell Damon and Stefan what was going on, but I'm scared of how they're going to react. It isn't exactly the most comfortable news to break to family, and let's be real — the two of them were never Klaus' biggest fans.

"Oh, don't pout, sweetheart. It'll all be worth it in the end, once this whole thing has blown over."

Speaking of which, the wind around me suddenly started to pick up, blowing my hair in all different directions. The connection I had on the phone with Klaus began acting up, and I could barely hear him.

"Yeah, okay," I said. I figured it was time to get back to Damon to see how he was holding up. "All right, Klaus. I have to get going, so I'll talk to you later. Love you."

Just as I was about to hang up, I faintly heard him say it back. I bit my lip, returning to the cemetery. When I got there, the wind had died down, and Damon was helping Alaric up. There was a line drawn in the dirt, and the two of them were over it.

"How are you not dead?" Alaric questioned as I realized that it was the anti-magic border.

But then, I noticed that something was missing in this little bunch.

More importantly, someone.

"Hey," I called, gaining both of their attention. "What the hell happened to Looney Tunes?"