A Few Good Men

[A man is backpacking through the woods near the church ruins. He hears the sounds of twigs snapping and turns around, coming face to face with Harper, the vampire from the tomb, who still looks hungry.]


 * Man: Jeez! You scared me.


 * Harper: Do you know what day it is?


 * Man: Saturday.


 * Harper: And what year?


 * Man: It's 2010. Are you OK?


 * Harper: Thank you.


 * Man: Wait, what's your name?


 * Harper: It's Harper, sir.

[The man inches closer to Harper, observing him.]


 * Man: How did you get out here? And why are you dressed like that?


 * Harper: You seem like a very nice person. I'm sorry.


 * Man: Sorry for what?

[Harper extends his fangs and bites down on the man's neck. The man screams loudly.]

[TITLE CARD AND OPENING CREDITS]

[Harper has killed the man. He has also taken his clothing. He pats himself down when a cell phone goes off in his pocket. Confused, Harper takes the phone out and throws it down onto the ground. He quickly leaves the woods.]

Gilbert Residence
[Elena is sitting on the porch swing, her journal laid out on her lap and her phone up to her ear as she leaves Bonnie a voicemail.]


 * Elena: Hey, Bonnie, it's me just checking in, seeing how you're doing. We miss you here. Don't let your aunt drive you too crazy.

[Jenna walks up onto the porch and stops to look at Elena while sipping her coffee.]


 * Elena: Come home soon. Love you. [hangs up]


 * Jenna: What are you doing out here? It's cold.


 * Elena: Thinking, writing. The, uh, funeral for Bonnie's grandma, it brought back a lot about mom and dad. I was wondering...you said that you would do some digging about them, the adoption.


 * Jenna: Right.


 * Elena: So did you? Dig?


 * Jenna: Come on inside.

[Jenna and Elena go inside. Jenna pulls out her laptop and sits down at the dining table and Elena stands next to her, removing her jacket.]


 * Jenna: Your dad kept everything from his medical practice—records, logs, old appointment books. [She pulls out a journal and opens it, showing a page to Elena.] I found an entry from the night you were born. Patient and a birth date. Isobel Peterson.


 * Elena: Do you think that's her real name?


 * Jenna: Pregnant teenage runaway? Probably not. First name, maybe. But where'd she get Peterson? Classmate? Best friend? So I binged it. [She pulls up the Internet and types in a name in the search engine] I searched for all the Petersons in this area born the same year as Isobel, found 3--2 men and a woman, Trudie, who lived in Grove Hill, Virginia.


 * Elena: That's not far from here.


 * Jenna: Well, watch this.

[Jenna types something else into the search engine and pulls up an image of Isobel from high school.]


 * Elena: Isobel. [looks at the picture with a smile] She was a cheerleader.


 * Jenna: Trudie still lives there. [She hands Elena a post-it note] This is her address.


 * Elena: What about Isobel?


 * Jenna: I couldn't find anything about her. [Elena looks disheartened as she sits down at the table. Jenna briefly pauses before divulging new information] Listen. There's something else. Mr. Saltzman, Ric, his wife was from around here, and her name was also Isobel.


 * Elena: Wait. "Was," as in...


 * Jenna: She died.

[Later, Elena is putting away clothes in her drawer. Stefan stands behind her as they discuss this new turn of events.]


 * Stefan: Alaric's wife might have been your mother?


 * Elena: [sighs] It can't be true, right? I mean, the coincidence alone is just crazy. [She turns around to look at Stefan and holds up the post-it note]  I have the address for her friend Trudie.


 * Stefan: You wanna talk to her.


 * Elena: I don't know. I...I--I don't know. If it's true and they are the same person, that means that my birth mother is dead, and I don't know if I could handle that.


 * Stefan: Elena, did Jenna tell you anything about Alaric's wife? How she died?


 * Elena: Just that she was killed and the case was never solved.

[Stefan nods at this prior knowledge. Elena looks at him, surprised.


 * Elena: You knew that already?


 * Stefan: The night at the school when he attacked me, he told me some things about her death.


 * Elena: Well—


 * Stefan: No, no. [He gently grabs Elena's wrists.] It's not possible. The coincidence is—it's too much. Now, listen, if you do decide to go talk to Isobel's friend, I'll go with you. Okay?


 * Elena: I just don't know what I'm gonna do yet.

[Elena wraps her arms around Stefan's neck and they embrace each other lovingly.]


 * Stefan: I should get going. I gotta go deal with Damon.


 * Elena: How's he doing?


 * Stefan: He's dealing in his own way.

Salvatore Boarding House
[Damon is feeding off a young sorority girl. There are other girls dancing to the song "Black Hearts (On Fire)" playing in the room. All of the girls have bite marks up and down their bodies. Damon comes up for air after feeding.]


 * Girl: How do I taste?


 * Damon: [drunkenly] Oh, so much better than your friends. But shh. Don't tell them. They might get jealous.

[Suddenly, the lights come on. Stefan enters the room.]


 * Damon: No! Buzzkill Bob.

[Stefan turns the music off. Damon looks up at him blearily.]


 * Damon: Greetings.


 * Stefan: Can we talk?


 * Damon: Yeah.


 * Stefan: Without the Tri-Delts.


 * Damon: Anything you have to say to me, you can say in front of them. They're really good at keeping secrets.

[Stefan gets his way though and him and Damon converse in a private corner while the girls lounge around on the sofas. Damon has a bottle of booze in hand.]


 * Damon: You're worried about me. That's nice. Don't be. There's no need. I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be? I spent the last 145 years with one goal: get in that tomb. I succeeded. Granted, Katherine wasn't in there to be rescued, but why dwell? You know, it's so liberating not having a master plan, because I can do whatever the hell I want.


 * Stefan: That's kind of what I'm afraid of.


 * Damon: Relax. I haven't killed anyone in-- [sighs] too long.


 * Stefan: Those girls?


 * Damon: Will end up in their dorm with headaches, think they blacked out. Business as usual. Predictable you didn't pull me over here for a pep talk. So drink up. [He pushes the bottle into Stefan's chest.] Spill it, brother.

[Stefan grabs the bottle and places it to his side.]


 * Stefan: There was a woman you may have known a few years back named Isobel in North Carolina at Duke.


 * Damon: You wanna discuss the women in my past right now? Seriously?


 * Stefan: You killed her.


 * Damon: What's your point?


 * Stefan: I just—just wanna know if you remember anything about her.


 * Damon: Oh, it's like a needle in a haystack, Stefan.


 * Stefan: Well, think hard. It's important.

[Damon grasps Stefan's shoulder and whispers in his ear.]


 * Damon: Nothing is important, not anymore.

[He claps Stefan on the shoulder and pulls away, grabbing the bottle from Stefan's hand.]


 * Damon: Great chat. I have to go and exploit some women in the name of grief, which I'm sure you understand. "TTFN", said the Tri-Delt. Heh.

[Damon walks back to the girls.]

Donovan Residence
[Matt and Caroline are on the couch, watching TV. Matt's arm is slung over Caroline's shoulder. Caroline makes a huffing noise. Matt mutes the TV and looks over at her.]


 * Matt: What?


 * Caroline: This is boring. I'm bored.


 * Matt: Wow.


 * Caroline: But we have this entire house to ourselves. I mean, it's practically a bachelor pad.


 * Matt: And...


 * Caroline: So shouldn't we do something a little bit more bachelor-paddy?


 * Matt: What? Something like this?

[Matt lifts Caroline's chin up and kisses her and pulls away.]


 * Caroline: Something like that.

[Matt turns away from Caroline, unmuting the TV.]


 * Matt: I don't know. This is a pretty good show.

[Caroline hits him.]


 * Caroline: Seriously?

[Caroline crosses her arms and giggles. Matt pushes her down on the couch and she laughs as she wraps her legs around his waist. They begin to kiss passionately. Matt removes his shirt and Caroline removes hers. They continue kissing.]


 * Kelly: Oh, god.

[Matt looks up suddenly. Kelly is standing in the doorway, looking at them.]


 * Kelly: Not on my couch.


 * Matt: Mom! Hey.

[Matt covers Caroline up with a pillow. Caroline places her hands on her face, embarrassed.]

Mystic Grill
[Alaric and Jenna are hanging up a banner, outside, for the Founder's Fundraiser.]


 * Alaric: I don't know. It's just weird, you know, me being raffled off like a Disney Cruise.


 * Jenna: In this town, fundraising is like indentured servitude. You don't have a choice. Besides, you're a bachelor, and you're eligible, so there you go.

[Alaric moves to the side of the banner that Jenna is attempting to hang up.]


 * Alaric: Here. Let me help you with this.

[Alaric helps her hang up the banner and Jenna smiles up at him. Alaric leans in and kisses Jenna. Jenna looks windswept as he pulls away.]


 * Jenna: Oh, god. I can't believe I'm gonna do this.


 * Alaric: What?


 * Jenna: I am totally going to ruin this moment, but I--I have to tell you. Elena recently found out she was adopted, and she's been looking for her birth mother...whose name was Isobel.


 * Alaric: Isobel? Like my wife?

[Jenna nods.]


 * Alaric: Isobel never had a baby.


 * Jenna: Are you sure? Not before you were together?


 * Alaric: Nope. No way.

[Jenna takes out her phone and hands it to Alaric. A picture of Isobel is on the screen.]


 * Jenna: This is Elena's birth mother.

[Alaric looks alarmed.]


 * Alaric: Ah, she, uh—she never told me. I, uh—I'm gonna go. Yeah, I'm gonna—gonna go.

[Alaric awkwardly walks off. Jenna sighs heavily.]

Trudie's Residence
[Elena holds up the Post-It note with Trudie's address and then looks up at the house which matches the address. Elena walks up to the front door and prepares to knock, but hesitates for a moment. Finally, she works up the courage, and knocks on the door. Elena shakes her head and turns away when Trudie answers the door. Elena looks at her.]


 * Elena: Trudie? Tru-trudie Peterson?


 * Trudie: Yes?


 * Elena: Uh, my name is Elena Gilbert. I wanted to talk to you about Isobel Flemming.


 * Trudie: Well, I haven't heard that name in years. How do you know her?


 * Elena: I think that, um, well...do you know if she had a baby that she gave up for adoption?


 * Trudie: My god. You're her daughter. [laughs] I was just gonna make some tea. Would you like some?


 * Elena: Sure.


 * Trudie: Uh, the kitchen's this way.

[Trudie backs away from the door, anticipating Elena's entrance. Elena steps over the threshold and Trudie releases her breath, shutting the front door with a quick nervous glance outside.]

[Elena removes her jacket. Trudie walks into the room from the kitchen.]


 * Elena: I wasn't gonna come. I didn't think I was, but I was driving, and I hit this stoplight, and it made me think about when I was learning how to drive and then my mom would always warn me about this blind turn on the left-hand side, and then I was thinking about my mom, and—I had your address. I'm sorry for barging in.


 * Trudie: It's no problem. Um, just a surprise, though.

[Elena and Trudie sit down at the table.]


 * Trudie: I haven't thought about Isobel in years.


 * Elena: When was the last time you saw her?


 * Trudie: About 17 years ago, when she left to go have you. We kept in touch for a while, but, well, you know, people drift apart.


 * Elena: And you don't know where she ended up?


 * Trudie: She was in Florida for a while. She was on her own. I know it wasn't easy.


 * Elena: Do you have any idea who my father is?


 * Trudie: I could never get her to fess up. Anyway, she finally pulled it together, got into college on a scholarship.


 * Elena: Where did she go?


 * Trudie: Somewhere in North Carolina. Duke, I think.Smart girl, smart school.

[The kettle starts whistling from the kitchen.]


 * Trudie: Let me just grab that.

[Trudie gets up and goes into the kitchen, looking back at Elena. She takes her phone out of her pocket and texts "She's here." to an unknown number.]

Donovan Residence
[Matt is making breakfast and talking to his mother.]


 * Matt: So, it's been a few months. Where've you been?


 * Kelly: Ah, you know, here and there. Never one place too long. You know Pete.


 * Matt: No, actually, I don't. Because you never brought him around.

[Kelly doesn't respond to the question and walks back over towards Matt, changing the topic.]


 * Kelly: So blonde's the new flavor of the month, huh? So sorry I scared her off.


 * Matt: She's not a flavor, Mom. I like her.


 * Kelly: So she's the one?


 * Matt: No, probably not, but maybe.

[Kelly grabs a clean glass from the sink and opens the fridge, grabbing a bottle of vodka, before sitting down at the table.]


 * Kelly: Mattie, seriously, Lezzie Forbes' daughter? Eck.


 * Matt: Mom, seriously, knock it off.


 * Kelly: Ice, please?

[Kelly holds her glass out and Matt takes it, opening the fridge and placing ice in it.]


 * Matt: So, uh, you heard from Vic?

[Matt hands Kelly the glass and she pours some vodka in it.]


 * Kelly: No, but don't worry. She'll come home eventually when she needs something. I played that game.


 * Matt: Are you playing it now?


 * Kelly: No.


 * Matt: Then what are you doin' home?


 * Kelly: Are you trying to say I need a reason to come back? Sit down. Eat with me.

[Matt grabs his breakfast off the stove and sits across the table from Kelly.]


 * Kelly: Tell me everything I've missed, hmm.

Town Square
[Stefan mills around in the Town Square. Alaric walks up to him.]


 * Alaric: Thanks for meeting me. Something's come up.


 * Stefan: Jenna told you.


 * Alaric: Yeah.


 * Stefan: So it's true. Your wife Isobel was Elena's birth mother.


 * Alaric: What does Elena know?


 * Stefan: [sighs, crosses his arms over his chest] About your wife?


 * Alaric: About everything. About you, your brother.


 * Stefan: She knows what I am, and she knows that you know about the vampires.


 * Alaric: Does she know about Damon and Isobel?


 * Stefan: No. I couldn't tell her, not until I was sure.


 * Alaric: You said you'd help me.


 * Stefan: I asked Damon without saying too much. He doesn't remember.


 * Alaric: Ask him again.


 * Stefan: Damon is not stable right now.


 * Alaric: You know, he murdered my wife, or at the very least made a meal out of her. When has he been stable?


 * Stefan: I'm telling you not to push this.


 * Alaric: Give me a reason not to.


 * Stefan: Your survival. How's that for a reason? I'll handle it, but for now, I need you to let it go.


 * Alaric: Is that what you'll tell Elena? Let it go?

[Stefan moves closer to Alaric until they are merely inches apart.]


 * Stefan: [threateningly] Leave Elena out of this.


 * Alaric: I need to know what happened. I think you would, too.

[Stefan breathes out and backs away a bit.]


 * Stefan: I need something more than just your wife's name. A picture, something I could show Damon.

[Alaric retrieves a photo of Isobel from his wallet and hands it to Stefan. Stefan takes it and walks away.]

Flashback
[In Alaric and Isobel's apartment, Alaric awakens to the sound of typing on a keyboard. He sits up groggily. Isobel is typing away on her computer.]


 * Alaric: Is.


 * Isobel: Just a few more minutes.


 * Alaric: Can't you, uh, can't you finish this in the morning?

[Isobel turns back and looks at him.]


 * Isobel: But I like working at night.


 * Alaric: Yeah, see, I like sleeping at night. With you.

[Isobel turns back to her computer and continues typing. Alaric sits up in the bed.]


 * Alaric: Okay, I'll bite. What is it, thesis stuff?

[Isobel stops typing and bites her lip, not responding.]


 * Alaric: Look, baby, I'm in a three-way here with you and your computer, the least you can do is let me know what you're up to.

[Isobel gets up from her desk and walks over to the bed.]


 * Isobel: I was doing research, and I dug up all this stuff about this small town in Virginia near where I grew up. It's isolated, out of the way, and quiet. And every now and then, people die mysteriously, and they say that it's animal attacks. Except, these bodies are drained of blood.

[She pauses briefly. Alaric looks at her, confused.]


 * Isobel: It's vampires. It has to be.


 * Alaric: Okay. I'll get my garlic and holy water, and then maybe, just maybe...

[Isobel rolls her eyes.]


 * Isobel: No.

[Isobel hits Alaric with a pillow.]


 * Alaric: We can get some sleep. Come here.


 * Isobel: No.

[Alaric pulls Isobel onto the bed and caresses her face.]


 * Alaric: Look, this is why I love you, because you believe in all of this stuff. So much so that you're making a degree out of it. You're like Mulder, except hotter and a girl.

[Isobel rolls her eyes again and pushes Alaric down on the bed, moving on top of him.]


 * Isobel: This is not a joke, Ric. You think that this is cute, but I'm gonna prove it.

[Isobel kisses him then scoots off the bed, heading back to her computer.]


 * Isobel: And Mulder was right in the end.

Trudie's Residence
[Elena and Trudie are looking through an old yearbook. Trudie points out a picture of her and Isobel.]


 * Trudie: Ah. They came to the games for us.The football team hadn't won in years. We were the stars. Well, Izzie was. But I was a damn good backup.


 * Elena: [smiles] Heh. This is great. Thank you.


 * Trudie: You're welcome. [She looks at Elena's teacup] You haven't touched your tea.


 * Elena: Oh. Yeah.

[Elena picks the cup up and takes a sip. She furrows her brow at the taste of it and gives it a whiff.]


 * Elena: What is this?


 * Trudie: Oh, it's just some herbal mixture.


 * Elena: Vervain?

[Trudie doesn't respond.]


 * Elena: You know.


 * Trudie: Know what?


 * Elena: You didn't invite me in, and you're serving vervain tea. You know.

[Trudie stands up.]


 * Trudie: I think that you should probably leave.

[Elena places her cup down.]


 * Elena: Wait. What are you not telling me?


 * Trudie: Please leave. Now!

[Elena gets up and leaves the house. As she walks back to her car, grabbing her keys from her purse, she sees a man standing in the middle of the road. As fast as she can, Elena unlocks the car door, ignites the engine and drives off. The man slowly walks down the street towards where Elena was parked.]

Mystic Grill
[Alaric is sitting at the bar, drinking a glass of bourbon. Damon walks up to the bar and stands next to him.]


 * Damon: Bourbon.

[Damon sits down beside Alaric. The bartender pours bourbon into a glass and pushes it towards Damon.]


 * Damon: Behold the teacher. Don't you have some papers to grade?


 * Alaric: It's, uh, more fun with a buzz.


 * Damon: Well, most things in life are. Sober's depressing.


 * Alaric: You don't strike me as somebody who gets depressed.


 * Damon: You say that like you know me.


 * Alaric: Nope. Just a hunch.

[Damon and Alaric exchange long looks. Alaric finishes his drink and places it down on the bar.]


 * Alaric: You have a good afternoon.


 * Damon: Not likely.

[Alaric gets up and leaves. Not long after his departure, Liz walks up to the bar, standing next to Damon.]


 * Sheriff Forbes: Daytime drinking, huh?


 * Damon: It's all the rage.


 * Sheriff Forbes: Listen, I need a favor.


 * Damon: You ever been in love?


 * Sheriff Forbes: Excuse me?


 * Damon: Have you ever been so bent on someone, just to have your heart ripped out by them?


 * Sheriff Forbes: You forget I was married.


 * Damon: Right. Gay husband. [He gestures to the barman] She'll have what I'm having.

[The bartender pours another bourbon.]


 * Damon: [pats the seat next to him] Sit down.

[Liz takes a seat next to Damon.]


 * Sheriff Forbes: There's a fundraiser here tonight that the Founder's Council is throwing. The town's most eligible bachelors get raffled off for dates, and, well, we're short a bachelor.


 * Damon: Is this what you do when there's no, um...[lowers his voice] Vampires? Organize bachelor raffles?

[Liz laughs.]


 * Sheriff Forbes: Oh, trust me. At this point, I miss the vampires. Look, you're a hero to this town, Damon. I know most people don't know it, but you are, and you're single and a catch. Oh, come on, help me out. Carol Lockwood won't let me live it down if I come up empty-handed.


 * Damon: You know, a room full of women clamoring to win a date with me. Sounds tasty.


 * Sheriff Forbes: [laughs, relieved] Thank you.


 * Damon: One thing. Can you get information on someone for me? Alaric Saltzman, the history teacher. There's just something a little off about him, and I just -- I just wanna make sure that the high school did their homework on this guy.

[Liz gets up.]


 * Sheriff Forbes: You got it.


 * Damon: Thanks.

[Liz departs as Damon takes a swig from his glass of bourbon.]

Trudie's Residence
[The doorbell rings and Trudie answers the door. The man from the middle of the road is on her front porch.]


 * Trudie: May I help you?


 * Man: Thank you for the text.

[Trudie looks surprised.]


 * Trudie: You're welcome. I didn't tell her anything. I--I kept my promise.


 * Man: Good.


 * Trudie: The girl, though, she—she knew something.


 * Man: That won't be a problem. She won't get any closer to the truth.


 * Trudie: Good. So I'm done?


 * Man: Yes. You're done.

[Trudie starts to close the door, but the man grabs a hold of it and starts pushing it back. Trudie struggles to shut it.]


 * Trudie: No, I won't invite you in! You can't come in!


 * Man: I'm not a vampire, so, yes, I can.

[The man flings the door open, forcefully, causing Trudie to land on the stairs. He enters the house.]


 * Trudie: I don't understand. I did what you told me. I did my part!


 * Man: And now I have to do mine.

[Trudie yells and starts running up the stairs. The man pursues her and grabs her by her hair. He throws her down the stairs and she tumbles to the bottom floor. A pool of blood forms around Trudie's head, indicating that she is dead. The man descends the stairs and steps over Trudie's body, leaving the house.]

Town Square
[Harper walks into the middle of the square and looks around, overwhelmed by the changes over the past century and a half. He looks over at a bench where a woman sits. The woman and him exchange long looks, as if they know each other. She nods her head slightly and Harper walks away.]

Salvatore Boarding House
[Elena enters Stefan's room.]


 * Elena: Stefan.


 * Damon: Better. Me.

[Damon walks out of the bathroom, without a shirt on.]


 * Elena: You look, um...


 * Damon: Dashing? Gorgeous? Irresistible?

[Damon walks across the room, closing the space between him and Elena. Elena pushes him back when he gets uncomfortably close.]


 * Elena: Wrecked. You look wrecked.


 * Damon: No reason why. Do you know that I am one of Mystic Falls' most eligible bachelors?


 * Elena: Huh.


 * Damon: Yep.


 * Elena: How are you doing?


 * Damon: Never better. Yep.

[He puts on a button up shirt.]


 * Damon: What can I do for you? I'm a barrel of favors today. It's my newfound purpose—how can I help people?


 * Elena: I'm just meeting Stefan. We're going to the fundraiser.

[Damon pretends that he is to drunk to button up his shirt, so he tries to het Elena to do it for him so she'll be close to him. He turns around, looking at Elena hoping she'll come over to him.]


 * Damon: Help a guy out, will you? Can't get this.

[Elena sighs and walks over to Damon. She grabs the front of his shirt and begins buttoning it up.]


 * Elena: So I found out who my birth mother is.


 * Damon: Eccch. Who cares?

[Elena looks at him, hurt.]


 * Damon: She left you. She sucks.

[Elena and Damon exchange glances for a moment, then Elena looks over Damon's shoulder and smiles.]


 * Elena: Stefan. There you are.

[Elena walks over to Stefan. Stefan smiles at her. Damon starts to put his jacket on.]


 * Damon: Uhh. I need a bigger jacket. Wow. You know, an occasional sorority girl might, um, you know, help fill you out a little bit.

[Damon throws the jacket onto Stefan's bed and leaves the room.]


 * Elena: He's fine.


 * Stefan: He's Damon.


 * Elena: Maybe this heartache will be good for him. It'll remind him that he has one, even if it doesn't beat.


 * Stefan: Won't hold my breath.

[Elena smiles and laughs.]


 * Elena: So I went to see Trudie Peterson.

[Stefan's face becomes stony.]


 * Elena: I know. I'm sorry. I didn't plan it.


 * Stefan: How was it?


 * Elena: She has vervain. She knows about vampire stuff, and it can't be a coincidence.


 * Stefan: It isn't. This is Alaric's wife.

[Stefan takes out the picture of Isobel that Alaric gave to him and hands it to Elena. Elena looks at it.]


 * Elena: This is her. This is Isobel. He gave this to you?


 * Stefan: Everything he knows about vampires, he learned from her. He believes that she was killed by one.


 * Elena: Oh, my god.


 * Stefan: Listen, Elena, there's a lot about Isobel that Alaric can tell you, but I need you to hold off a little while before you talk to him.


 * Elena: Why?


 * Stefan: I know that it's a lot to ask of you, but will you do that for me?

[Elena nods.]

Mystic Grill
[Carol is on the stage, talking into a microphone, introducing the Fundraiser.]


 * Mrs Lockwood: Tickets for the raffle are now on sale. All proceeds benefit the annual Founder's Day celebration.

[Jenna walks up to Alaric. Alaric has a drink in his hand.]


 * Jenna: That's a good look for you.


 * Alaric: What? Embarrassed and uncomfortable?


 * Jenna: Yep. That's-- that's the one.


 * Alaric: Hey, look, um, I'm, uh, sorry about earlier. It was just kind of a--a shock.


 * Jenna: No, I'm sorry for dropping it on you, but I felt like you should know.


 * Alaric: No, I get it.


 * Jenna: At some point, maybe you and Elena could talk. I'm sure she'd like to hear about Isobel, what she was like.


 * Alaric: Yeah.


 * Jenna: Uh...Or not. No pressure.


 * Alaric: I don't know if that's a--a great idea. [clears throat] At least not—not for a while.

[Jenna nods, understandingly.]

Salvatore Boarding House
[Stefan walks downstairs where Damon is putting on a bigger jacket.]


 * Damon: Where'd our girlfriend go?


 * Stefan: She's on her way to the Grill. I, uh, wanted to talk to you.

[Stefan pulls out the picture of Isobel and hands it to Damon, who looks at it with his usual smugness.]


 * Stefan: This is the woman, Isobel, from North Carolina. Remember her now?


 * Damon: Who wants to know?


 * Stefan: I do.


 * Damon: Who else wants to know?


 * Stefan: Did you kill her?


 * Damon: Sorry. Don't know her.

[Damon walks past Stefan and looks back at him.]


 * Damon: Hey, are you coming? The Real Housewives of Mystic Falls await.

Mystic Grill
[Caroline, Elena, and Matt are all milling around at the front of the Grill.]


 * Caroline: He's already been hit on, like, 35 times. He's total cougar bait.


 * Elena: Impressive.


 * Matt: More like embarrassing

[Caroline laughs and sees Kelly enter the Grill.]


 * Caroline: Hi, Mrs. Donovan.

[Kelly glances at Caroline with distaste and looks at Elena.]


 * Kelly: Elena, honey.


 * Elena: Hi, Kelly.

[Kelly and Elena exchange hugs.]


 * Kelly: Long time, no see.


 * Elena: How are you doing?


 * Kelly: Oh, same old. Oh. Matty tells me you broke his heart.


 * Matt: Mom.


 * Kelly: Just kidding. Calm down. He found his rebound girl.

[She glances over at Caroline]


 * Kelly: Oh. Here you go, sweetheart. However many that'll buy.

[Kelly extracts some money and hands it to Caroline, who takes it with a small smile.]


 * Kelly: I just hope I don't get Bachelor 3. I dated him in high school. Not impressive. [whispers] In any way.

[Matt shakes his head, embarrassed. Caroline hands Kelly her tickets and she takes them.]


 * Kelly: Very exciting.

[Kelly walks off into the Grill. Elena turns around and sees Alaric. They stare at each other for a moment before Alaric walks off and Elena turns back around with a dissatisfied look.]

[Damon and Carol are talking in another part of the Grill.]


 * Damon: I've got the big date planned. It's a romantic dinner, secluded spot somewhere woodsy.


 * Mrs Lockwood: You're making me think I should buy a ticket.


 * Damon: Well, you are in charge. You could always rig it.

[Damon says this with a sly smirk. Liz enters the Grill and Damon spots her.]


 * Damon: Mmm. Pardon me.

[Damon rubs Carol's arm and walks over to Liz. Liz and Damon retreat into a corner. Liz has a folder in her hand.]


 * Sheriff Forbes: I ran the check on the history teacher. You want this before or after your big debut?


 * Damon: How's it look?

[Liz hands Damon the folder and he begins looking through it.]


 * Sheriff Forbes: He checks out. Couple of speeding tickets. It's a rough story, though. Turns out his wife went missing a few years back in North Carolina.


 * Damon: North Carolina? She have a name?


 * Sheriff Forbes: Yeah. Isobel.

[Liz flips back to a page containing Isobel's photo. Damon looks at it.]


 * Damon: Isobel.

[Damon looks out into the Grill at Alaric with a very Damon-ish look on his face.]

[Stefan enters the Grill as Carol introduces each of the bachelors on stage.]


 * Mrs Lockwood: And what do you do, Bachelor Number 3?


 * Man: Yeah, I'm a plumber.


 * Mrs Lockwood: Well, isn't that wonderful? We could always use more plumbers. Moving on. Number 4, "Alaric Saltzman." Wow. That's quite a mouthful. What do you do, Alaric?


 * Alaric: I'm a teacher at Mystic Falls High.


 * Mrs Lockwood: Oh, beauty and brains, ladies. This one's a keeper. What do you teach?


 * Alaric: History.


 * Mrs Lockwood: History. Oh, well, give us a fun fact about Mystic Falls, something crazy.

[Alaric looks over at Damon. Damon places his hand up to his ear, sarcastically anticipating a response.]


 * Alaric: Uh, well...

[Carol pulls the microphone away.]


 * Mrs Lockwood: He's probably saving the best stories for his date. [She moves down the line] And last, but not least, Damon Salvatore. We don't have much on you.

[Stefan stops in the middle of the room and looks at Elena. Elena smiles at him and waves from a table she is sharing with Jenna. Stefan smiles back and waves, then looks back at the stage.]


 * Damon: Well, I'm tough to fit on a card.


 * Mrs Lockwood: Do you have any hobbies, like to travel?


 * Damon: Oh, yeah. L.A., New York. Couple of years ago, I was in North Carolina. Near the Duke campus, actually. I think—I think Alaric went to school there. Didn't you, Ric?

[Damon turns to look at Alaric, who does the same.]


 * Damon: Yeah, 'cause I-- I know your wife did.

[Stefan becomes alert and looks over at Elena. Elena's face starts to falter. Stefan makes his way over to her.]


 * Damon: I had a drink with her once. She was—she was a great girl. I ever tell you that? Cause she was -- Delicious. Mmm! Mmm mmm mmm.

[Elena's mouth hangs open. Her eyes filled with tears as she stares at Damon. Jenna looks over at her.]


 * Jenna: Are you okay?


 * Elena: I just need some air.

[Elena gets up and walks past Stefan, out of the Grill. Stefan follows her.]

[Outside, Elena paces around. Stefan exits the Grill and approaches her. She turns to face him.]


 * Stefan: Elena.


 * Elena: He killed her? Damon was the vampire that killed her?


 * Stefan: I don't know what happened. Alaric said that they never found the body.


 * Elena: Oh, my god. Stefan.


 * Stefan: I know. I'm sorry. I wanted to tell you. But I just—I wanted to know more.


 * Elena: I was feeling sorry for him, hoping that this whole Katherine thing would change him. I'm so stupid.


 * Stefan: He doesn't know about the connection to you. I thought about confronting him, but he's already so on edge.


 * Elena: Why are you protecting him?


 * Stefan: Because you're not the only one hoping that he might actually change.

[Elena shakes her head slightly as her and Stefan look at each other. Elena looks over Stefan's shoulder and back up at him, but does a double take when she recognizes the man from earlier down the street.]


 * Elena: That man.

[Stefan turns around and looks at the man, who watches them.]


 * Elena: I saw that man outside of Trudie's.


 * Stefan: Get back inside. Come on.

[Stefan gently pushes Elena back inside the Grill and follows her soon thereafter.]

[Inside the Grill, Carol pulls out a raffle ticket from the bowl.]


 * Mrs Lockwood: And bachelor number 3 goes to 37458.


 * Kelly: That's me.

[Kelly walks towards Carol.]


 * Mrs Lockwood: Ah. Kelly Donovan. Lovely.

[Kelly takes the ticket from Carol.]


 * Mrs Lockwood: You and the plumber should have so much fun.

[Kelly walks over to Caroline to claim her prize.]


 * Caroline: Congratulations, Mrs. Donovan.


 * Kelly: Okay, just stop. Stop trying so hard. This thing you're doing, this nice thing, it's fake. Like you. Like your mom. And for some reason, Matt fell for it, but that doesn't mean that I will. I don't like you, okay? So tell plumber boy I'll be at the bar.


 * Caroline: Okay.

[Kelly walks off. Caroline looks hurt by Kelly's presumptions.]

[Elena walks back into the Grill, still upset and shocked. As she continues walking and not paying attention to where she's going, she runs right into Damon.]


 * Damon: Whoa. Easy there. Buy a ticket like everyone else.


 * Elena: Did you enjoy that? Rubbing it in to Alaric Saltzman?


 * Damon: What?


 * Elena: Just as I was starting to think that there was something redeemable about you.

[Stefan walks up to Elena and Damon.]


 * Stefan: Elena.

[Stefan shakes his head at Elena. Damon looks from Stefan to Elena.]


 * Damon: Am I missing something here?


 * Elena: Did I forget to mention earlier when we were talking about my birth mother? The one that gave me up?


 * Damon: Mm-hm.


 * Elena: Her name was Isobel.

[Damon's face falters.]


 * Elena: Go ahead. Reminisce about how you killed her.

[Elena rams into Damon's shoulder as she walks past him. Stefan and Damon exchange looks and Stefan leaves to follow Elena.]

[Outside, Elena has left the Grill and Stefan follows behind her.]


 * Stefan: Come on. Let's get you home.

[Elena stops abruptly when she sees the man from earlier standing in front of her. Stefan sees him too and stands slightly in front of Elena, placing his hand out to protect her.]


 * Man: I have a message for you.


 * Elena: What?


 * Stefan: Who are you?


 * Man: Stop looking.


 * Elena: Stop looking for what?


 * Man: She doesn't want to know you. She doesn't want to talk to you.


 * Elena: Isobel?


 * Man: You need to stop looking. Do you understand?


 * Elena: She's alive? Does that mean she's a--

[Elena starts to inch forward, but Stefan puts his arm back to keep her behind him.]


 * Stefan: Elena, he's under compulsion.


 * Man: Do you understand?


 * Elena: Yes. I do.


 * Man: Good.

[The man looks down the street.]


 * Man: I'm done now.

[The man steps backwards into the road. A large truck blares its horn but runs over the man, killing him. Elena, shocked, grabs Stefan.]

[Only a moment after the incident, Stefan and Elena run into the middle of the street. People around them are yelling. Stefan kneels down and looks at the man. Elena sees a phone that must have fallen out of the man's pocket and picks it up. Stefan quickly stands up and grabs Elena's arm.]


 * Stefan: Come on. Let's get out of here. Come on.

[Elena places the phone in her pocket as Stefan drags her off to her car.]

[Inside, Carol holds up another ticket and reads the number.]


 * Mrs Lockwood: 37649.

[Many of the women in the crowd make disappointed sounds. Jenna raises her hand.]


 * Jenna: That's me.


 * Mrs Lockwood: Congratulations.

[Jenna walks up to Carol and takes her ticket.]


 * Mrs Lockwood: And Bachelor Number 5, Damon Salvatore. [She pulls out a ticket] 37552.

[Alaric walks over to Jenna who hands her ticket to Caroline.]


 * Mrs Lockwood: Would you look at that? 37552. What are the chances? Me. [She looks around for Damon] Where'd he go?


 * Alaric: [to Jenna] I'll call you later.

[Alaric starts to leave the Grill.]

Flashback
[In Alaric's and Isobel's apartment, Alaric is sitting on the edge of the bed as Isobel talks to him and paces across the floor.]


 * Alaric: I think it's time to let this vampire crap go. I mean, the research, the trips, it's become an obsession.


 * Isobel: Well, this is important to me, Ric.


 * Alaric: Why? Why is it so important? Explain it to me. I mean, make me understand.

[Isobel doesn't respond.]


 * Alaric: [sighs] I mean, what's the point of this? You don't want kids. You're barely ever home. I just want us to be normal people.


 * Isobel: Maybe I don't want to. Maybe I want more.

Donovan Residence
[Matt guides Kelly into the house. Kelly is obviously intoxicated.]


 * Matt: Here we go. Home, sweet home.


 * Kelly: Wait. Why—why are we back here? I wasn't ready to leave.


 * Matt: Yeah, you were, mom.

[Kelly sits down on the sofa with Matt's help and he sits down beside her.]


 * Kelly: You're the best, Matty.


 * Matt: I know.


 * Kelly: I'm--I'm sorry...I was gone so long.


 * Matt: Why are you really home, mom?


 * Kelly: It's Pete. He's gone, and it's all my fault. I did it. I always do it.


 * Matt: No, you didn't, mom. It's not your fault.


 * Kelly: You're all I have left. [thickly said] Please don't leave me.


 * Matt: I'm not going anywhere.

[Kelly touches Matt's face and smiles. She then lays her head on a throw pillow and Matt covers her with a blanket.]

Salvatore Boarding House
[Damon walks across the parlor and prepares to make a drink. Quietly, Alaric enters the room with a stake in his hand.]


 * Damon: Are you really this stupid?

[Damon finishes pouring his drink and turns around to look at Alaric who is standing behind him.]


 * Damon: Guess so.

[Damon takes a drink, places his glass down, and vamp-runs at Alaric, throwing him across the room. Alaric lands on the floor, heavily, but quickly gets back up, ready to attack.]


 * Damon: You gonna put down the stake?

[Alaric remains in an attacking stance.]


 * Damon: Wow. That's courage.

[Damon walks towards Alaric.]


 * Alaric: Where's Isobel? What have you done to my wife?


 * Damon: You want me to tell you I killed her? Would that make you happy? Because I think you know what happened.


 * Alaric: I saw you feeding on her.


 * Damon: Yeah, I did, and I wasn't lying. She was delicious.

[Alaric rushes at Damon. Damon hits Alaric in the stomach and Alaric keels over falling back onto the floor.]


 * Damon: Oh, come on. What do you think happened? Not an inkling? Never considered the possibility?

[Alaric looks up at him.]


 * Damon: I turned her.


 * Alaric: Why?


 * Damon: She came to me. All pathetic, looking for vampires. There was something about her, something I liked. There was something special.


 * Alaric: You turned her because you liked her?


 * Damon: No, I slept with her because I liked her. I turned her because she begged me to. Yeah. But you knew that, too, didn't you? Hmm. I guess she wasn't happy at home, wasn't happy with life in general, wasn't happy with you.

[Alaric rushes at Damon again, but Damon grabs the stake from Alaric's hands and stabs him in the chest, puncturing his lung. Alaric yells in pain.]


 * Damon: Ah, this is a shame. We're kindred spirits, abandoned by the women we love. Unrequited love sucks.

[Damon removes the stake from Alaric's chest. Alaric wheezes.]


 * Damon: Sounds like I got a lung. Which means I get to sit here and watch you die.

[Damon tosses Alaric to the floor. Alaric gasps for air and places his hands over his wound. Damon throws the stake down, grabs his drink, and sits down on the sofa as he watches Alaric take one last breath before he dies.]

[Damon takes a swig from his glass as he looks at Alaric's dead body. Stefan walks in the room and looks at Alaric. He rushes over to the body and kneels down next to it, checking for a pulse.]


 * Stefan: What happened? What did you do?


 * Damon: Do what? He attacked me.

[Stefan sits up and looks at Damon.]


 * Stefan: Damon.


 * Damon: All I did was tell him the truth. His wife didn't want him anymore. It's not my fault he couldn't handle it.


 * Stefan: Like you've been handling Katherine?


 * Damon: I'm handling it fine. You know what? Isobel came to me. She found me. And if she's related to Elena, that means she's related to Katherine. Maybe Katherine sent her to me.


 * Stefan: Stop it. You don't have to keep looking.


 * Damon: Can't be a coincidence Isobel sought me out. Uh-uh. Can't. [points to Alaric] I'm assuming you'll take care of this.

[Damon gets up and leaves the room. Stefan, exhausted by Damon's actions, sits down next to Alaric's body. Suddenly, Stefan sees Alaric's fingers move. He furrows his brow and leans over Alaric. Suddenly, Alaric gasps back to life, panting heavily. He sits up, confused.]


 * Alaric: What happened? What's going on?


 * Stefan: You were just...Did Damon turn you?


 * Alaric: No. I - I went for him and then he, uh-- he stabbed me.


 * Stefan: No, no, no. You must have vampire blood in your system. Somebody slipped it to you.


 * Alaric: [flexes his fingers] No. It's, uh, it's something else.


 * Stefan: Then how?


 * Alaric: I, uh...

[Alaric looks down at the ring on his right hand.]


 * Alaric: Isobel.

Flashback
[Alaric and Isobel are in bed in their apartment. Alaric holds a small box in his hand.]


 * Alaric: Surprise gifts aren't fair. I always feel bad for not getting you something.


 * Isobel: Just open it.

[Alaric opens the box and laughs.]


 * Alaric: Oh, that's a giant piece of jewelry.

[He takes the ring out and examines it.]


 * Isobel: I know. It's ridiculous. Just tell people it's a family heirloom. Nobody questions that.


 * Alaric: Where'd you get this?


 * Isobel: If I told you, you'd laugh at me. But promise me that you'll always wear it. It'll protect you from all the things that go bump in the night.


 * Alaric: A ring to ward off the demons, eh?


 * Isobel: Consider it a-- a token of my love, my affection, and if nothing else, an apology for being so crazy.


 * Alaric: Well, you were definitely crazy.

[Alaric places the ring on his finger.]


 * Isobel: I'm selfish, and I'm obsessed, and I'm a horrible wife. But you love me anyway.


 * Alaric: Yes, I do.

Salvatore Boarding House
[Alaric continues to fidget with the ring and looks up at Stefan.]


 * Alaric: This ring protected me.


 * Stefan: That's impossible.


 * Alaric: I know.

Gilbert Residence
[Elena is in her bed. She picks up a picture in a frame from her bedside. The picture is of her and her parents. She looks at it for a moment then places it down on her lap. She grabs the cell phone that she took from the man that was run over. Elena opens the phone and finds the last number that was dialed. Before she can change her mind, Elena calls the number and places the phone to her ear. After a few rings, a woman picks up on the other end.]


 * Isobel: Was there a problem? Did you find her? What's going on?


 * Elena: Isobel?

[Isobel hangs up without another word. Elena shuts the phone, looking tearful.]

Miss Gibbons's Residence
[Harper is walking down a path through the woods. He approaches a house and knocks on the door. The woman that Harper saw in the Town Square earlier answers the door.]


 * Woman: Pearl, it's Harper.

[Pearl and Anna walk to the front door and woman goes back into the house.]


 * Pearl: I'm glad you found us. Ms. Gibbons, this gentleman is a friend of mine.

[Miss Gibbons comes up from behind Pearl.]


 * Pearl: May he come in?


 * Miss Gibbons: Any friend of Pearl's is a friend of mine. Please do. Come in.


 * Pearl: Annabelle, close the door, please.

[Harper enters the house and walks off with Pearl and Miss Gibbons. Anna looks at into the woods as she shuts the door.]