SOUTH SIDE, the vampire diaries

one

"Was it really necessary to drive all the way here?" Ebony groaned, pulling her headphones off of her head. "A plane would've gotten us here way quicker."

"Yeah, well we're here now," Angelo said as he slowed the car to a stop in the driveway. "So you can stop complaining." He looked in the rear view mirror, seeing Antoinette fast asleep, head resting against the window. "Wake your sister up."

Angelo looked over at his sleeping wife, sunglasses over her eyes, head propped up on her hand. He smiled softly at her. It was good to see her get actual sleep. There was no whimpering, no nightmares, no tears. Just her body at rest. And as much as he hated to do it, he had to wake her up. He held her cold hand, sliding her wedding band onto her finger.

Theresa stirred in her seat, eyes fluttering open. "Hey," she smiled. She looked forward seeing her family home. Her sister walked onto the front porch, scarf tied around her head, bracelet-adorned hands in the pockets of a burgundy moomoo.

"Mr. D," Lana called from the trunk. "Are we there yet?"

"Girl, yes," Ebony said getting out of the car. She opened the trunk then walked over to the other side of the car where her sister was and quickly opened the door. If it wasn't for the fact that Twan was wearing her seatbelt, she would've fallen out of the car.

"What the hell, Ebony?!" Twan whined, adjusting herself. "Asshole."

"She's awake, Angelo," Ebony smiled, grabbing her bags out of the car. "Hey, auntie!" She giggled as she sped onto the porch.

Vera didn't move an inch as the girl appeared on the porch. Her eyes traveled up to the wind chimes hanging above Ebony's head. "Watch the chimes," she told her. She looked at her sister, getting out of the car. "Terry."

Vera outstretched her arms, letting her younger sister walk into them. Theresa's body relaxed in Vera's arms, missing how warm the woman was. "I missed you, Vee."

"It's okay," Vera told her, stroking Theresa's hair. "You're here, now." She looked at Angelo, giving him a look.

"That bad, huh?" he asked. "What are we in for?"

"Can't tell you out here," Vera said. "Come on in. We need to talk." Vera took Terry's hand and passed the threshold into the house.

"It's seems like no matter where we go, or how much we try to avoid it, trouble always follows us," Vera shook her head, handing Theresa and Ebony a cup of coffee. "Drink it."

"Got anything stronger?" Theresa asked, taking a sip. "How many are there?"

"I don't know," Vera said. "But," she sat down. "I keep having this weird feeling." She lightly shook her head. "Something's wrong."

"These damned blood suckers," Angelo sighed, walking from the table to the small bar. He poured himself a drink.

"Hurtful," Ebony scoffed. She sipped her coffee, frowning her face in disgust. "Bitter coffee, delicious."

"I didn't mean you," Angelo kissed Ebony's hair. "You're different. You don't kill people." He sat down at the table, drinking from his glass. Ebony rolled her eyes.

"You don't know what I do in my spare time," Ebony mumbled.

"Ebony," her mother called, giving her a deadpanned look. She mouthed the word "stop" before taking another sip of coffee.

"Ma," a voice called, coming down the stairs. A curly haired teen came down, dressed in a baby tee and a cheerleading skirt. "I can't find my letterman--" She took a second to assess the new faces sitting in her kitchen. Immediately, she screamed, running to Twan and jumping into her arms. "I forgot you guys were coming today!"