You Are My Life

I'm Movin' Out

"Sounds like trouble in paradise," Damon said from over Mallorie's shoulder.

"Just shut up and go home." Mallorie glared.

"Touchy." Damon's eyes widened.

"Make sure your brother is okay. I'll hold the fort here." Mallorie nodded her head to the stairs.

"Fine, I'll take the broody one." Damon sighed before walking back to his car.

Mallorie rolled her eyes but closed the door behind her. As she ascended the stairs, someone grabbed her arm. Mallorie spun around to see Caroline there at the bottom of the steps.

"Is everything okay between them? That fight sounded rough," Caroline said.

"I don't know. I'm going to check on Elena, now. Do you want to come with?" Mallorie asked.

"Um..." Caroline looked at the clock in the living room. "I'm sorry. I actually have somewhere else to be."

Mallorie watched her leave the house before continuing up the stairs. For a brief second, she paused outside Elena's closed door. If they were going to be sisters, she needed to be ready for all the drama.

"Come in," Elena said after Mallorie knocked.

"Hey, you okay? That fight was pretty brutal." Mallorie closed the door behind her.

"Is Caroline still downstairs?" Elena asked so quietly, Mallorie could scarcely hear her.

"No, she left on my way up." Mallorie sat at the end of Elena's bed. "Why are we whispering?"

"That wasn't a real fight." Elena picked at her pillow. "We needed to fake it so Caroline would run back and tell Katherine."

"Is there a plan for the long run?" Mallorie asked.

"Try to make Caroline see that Katherine is manipulating her, I guess." Elena sighed. "We haven't had a chance to talk since you've been back. How are things with Damon?"

Mallorie laid back on the bed. "You know, he's still a jerk. Did he apologize to you?"

"Yeah, I still hate him." Elena stood. "Want to get settled into your room?"

"Sure." Mallorie rose and grabbed the two bags she'd brought.

"Is that all or is there more downstairs?" Elena asked.

"This is it." Mallorie looked at her bags. "I have something for you." Mallorie pulled the Petrova book from her backpack. "Damon took it from Isobel's office. There isn't much in it, but I thought a second pair of eyes might help."

"Thank you." Elena flipped through a few pages. "Your room is downstairs."

"Great. When Katherine breaks in, I'll be sure to scream loud to alert the rest of you." Mallorie grinned.

"Actually, your room is kind of difficult to get to." Elena led her down the stairs and into the door to the left.

Inside was another living room. This one was much cozier than the other. There was a TV mounted over a fireplace and an "L" shaped couch. A window seat faced the front porch. Otherwise, the room was pretty empty.

"It's through here." Elena opened the doors on the left side of the room. "There's no way to get to this room from the main hall. She'd have to break through one of the windows to get in. It's one of the safest rooms in the house."

Mallorie stepped inside. "I like it."

The walls were painted a cooler color than the ones in Elena's room. Similar to her room, there were two white bedside tables, a long white dresser, and a tall, narrow, white bookshelf. A small wardrobe lined the other wall with a white armchair. Her bed was in the middle of the room with white and gray bedding.