Melrose stood up from her chair about to run after her son, but Stefan grabbed her arm," Mel, wait-"
She snapped her head back turning back to him, "He's my son, I can't-
"Let me go after him," Stefan said
Melrose looked at him for a moment and let out a sigh," Thank you-he probably doesn't want to be around me right now"
Stefan turned to Elena about to speak but she shook her head," Don't worry about me, go find him, he's your nephew, your family"
Melrose looked at the girl for a moment feeling a little horrible for being wary of her," I can take her and Jeremy home" Melrose offered surprising the Gilberts and Stefan smiled
"Thank you"
Stefan left the Grill as Melrose looked at the siblings and sat down," So, before I take you guys home-what do you say we eat and just talk for a while"
Jeremy laughed," Sure, its kind of strange since you're my friends Mom and all- Elena elbowed her brother in the stomach as Melrose chuckled.
"You know-when Damarion and I lived in Europe, we always got mistaken as siblings" Melrose started a conversation hoping it'll diffuse any tensions around and the Gilberts laughed.
"I can see it since you do look young, is it okay if I ask how old you were turned?" Elena decided to ask after ordering their food.
"I was turned when I was twenty-seven, the year 1870, Damarion was turned 1881 when he was 16" Melrose decided to also mention her son, which made her chest hurt considering, this was the first time she has ever angered him.
Elena noticed, reaching for her hand unknowingly," He'll be fine" Melrose didn't remove her hand as she looked at the girl, dazed and Elena noticed about to pull back, but she grasped it gently
"Thank you, Elena"
The food arrived for the three and Melrose talked to the two about random things, which led to questions she was glad to answer, it was mostly about Europe and the time periods, which for once, didn't make her feel the feeling she gets when talking about the past, which was pain, it was really strange for her, just what was the difference this time?
"So, you really never once came back to America once since 1865?" Jeremy questioned
Melrose nodded to his question," Yep, not once, hundreds of years, and returning, really feels so surreal, and I'm hoping that this time-it'll be the home I and Rio have been looking for"
Melrose wanted to believe it, praying that Niklaus would give up on caring about her son and wanting to dictate his life. She just wanted to breath easily, and have her son live his life without worries, and be normal for once, it was possible, it had to be.
The three were enjoying their time, just chatting when Elena got a message from Stefan and read it to herself first but then read it out loud after," Stefan found Damarion, they are at the Salvatore Boarding house, and he said to meet them there"
Melrose almost flinched to the location, not wanting to go there since that was where all her memories with Damon were from, but it was for her son, so she had to go, so she nodded," Well, looks like we are taking a detour" said Melrose.