Avery had decided that Stefan was never going to understand what it was like being a human. Stefan was talking with Elena when Tyler Lockwood and Matt Donovan decided to try and embarrass him by throwing a football at him while his back was turned. Avery watched as Stefan turned around just in time to catch the ball and aim it perfectly so it would knock Tyler back a few steps. Both of the boys looked at him in astonishment before Tyler glared at him harshly. Rolling her eyes at the dramatics of it all, Avery decided it was time to go to class.

***

"World War II ended in?" Mr Tanner was asking another round of questions to his unresponsive class. "Anyone got anything? Ms. Juan? 1945."

Elena was startled out of her conversation with Stefan as Mr Tanner asked her a question, "Pearl Harbor? Ms. Gilbert?"

"Hm?" Elena questioned.

He cleared his throat. "Pearl Harbor."

"Um..."

"December 7th, 1941," Stefan answered for her.

"Thank you, Miss Gilbert," Tanner said sarcastically.

A few students chuckled.

"Anytime." Stefan grinned.

"Very well." Mr Tanner was always up for a challenge. "The fall of the Berlin Wall."

"1989." Stefan replied, to which Mr Tanner looked vaguely impressed.

"I'm good with dates, sir." Stefan explained.

"Are you?" Tanner asked. "How good? Keep it to the year. Civil Rights Act."

"1964," Stefan answered.

"John F. Kennedy assassination."

"1963."

"Martin Luther King."

"'68."

"Lincoln."

"1865."

"Roe v. Wade?"

"1973."

"Brown v. Board?"

"1954."

"The Battle of Gettysburg."

"1863."

"Korean War."

"1950 to 1953."

"Ha! It ended in '52."

Tanner started to turn and walk away as Stefan said, "Uh, actually, sir, it was '53."

"Look it up. Somebody. Quickly."

"It was 19 . . 53," someone announced to the class.

Students chuckled and applauded, but Avery was annoyed that yet another one of her history classes was wasted. If any of the students actually opened the history textbook then they would know the dates too. Avery sighed and began to pack up her books, her life was beginning to feel like some crappy tv show.

Mr Tanner approached her desk, "Miss Salvatore?"

Avery looked up at him, "Yes, Mr Tanner?"

"I understand that you are working ahead of the rest of the class and wanted to let you know that if you need any extra resources then just let me know."

Avery smiled at him, "Thank you, Mr Tanner."

"I'm just doing my job, Miss Salvatore."

Sure, Tanner could be an ass, but at least he recognised when his students wanted more than the small town life.

***

Stefan and Avery were sat on the bleachers watching the football team practice. She was proud of herself for spending so much time with Stefan. In a messed up kind of way, Avery hoped that by doing so Stefan would feel more guilty about any attempt to kill her. Almost in the same way that you're told to humanise yourself when held at gunpoint, talk about your family and your dreams and goals. It was a twisted mindset, but she just wasn't able to swiftly move past that fact that Stefan was a thing of nightmares.

"You should try out, you know." Avery said.

Stefan looked at her, "Why?"

"Well, since you're hellbent on living a 'normal teenage life' you might as well get involved in the normal regime of teenagers." She laughed.

Stefan smiled at her.

"Maybe I will. Why aren't you involved in 'the normal regime of teenagers'?" Stefan asked, using air quotes as he recycled her words.

"What, you mean sports?" She laughed.

"Yeah. Elena is rejoining cheerleading, maybe you should join her. Or are you 'hellbent on not living a normal teenage life'?" Stefan questioned with a smile.

"Haha, funny guy. My lungs don't cooperate under the pressure of doing anything other than breathing normally. The perks of being asthmatic, huh?" She sent him a small smile.

Stefan stared back at her, analysing her face. Avery's smile faded at his look.

"What?" She asked, self-consciously. Perhaps she had overshared.

"Nothing... I guess I just realised that, despite the fact we're related, I don't know anything about you." Stefan murmured awkwardly.

"There's not much to know, Stefan. Small town girl living with her dad in a home invaded by her two vampire relatives." She trailed off, but suddenly felt bold enough to ask, "Though if you're willing to tell me, I'd love to hear about your life. You've lived through so many eras that I can only ever dream about seeing. The history textbooks don't tell you what it was like to actually be there..." Avery smiled, her eyes connecting with Stefan's.

"If I tell you my story, I want to hear yours in return. I really am sorry that you've been thrown into this mess without any say. It's hard for me to understand what it's like for you." Stefan smiled back.

Avery shrugged.

"It's not all bad. My dad has always been there for me, and I suppose I can trust you more than Damon. I haven't really ever had, or needed, anyone else." Avery smiled a more genuine smile at the thought of her father. Stefan could tell that he meant a lot to her.

"Anyway, you really should go and talk to Mr Tanner about the team." Avery changed the subject off of her, feeling strange that someone other than her dad actually wanted to know about her. It was sad, sure, but Avery didn't have any real interest in making ties here. She wanted to finish high school, go to college and live her life away from Mystic Falls.

"Okay, okay, I'm going." He laughed before playfully shoving her.

"Hey! Save that for the field, Salvatore." Avery joked, playfully shoving him back even though she knew it wouldn't affect him in the slightest.

***

Avery watched as Stefan talked to Mr Tanner about joining the football team before collecting her things and walking towards the cheerleading practice spot.

"Hey, Avery!"

The brunette spun at the sound of her name being called. It was Elena Gilbert, beckoning her over to her. Avery pulled her bag strap higher onto her shoulder before making her way over to her.

"Hey, Elena. Is everything okay?"

"Hey, Avery. You haven't seen Caroline, by any chance, have you?" Elena asked, while Bonnie tapped through her contacts on her phone.

"No, not since the Comet event. Why?" Avery asked, vaguely concerned. As always, Avery jumped to conclusions and had a feeling that it had something to do with why Damon wasn't around this morning.

"Seriously, where is Caroline?" Bonnie sighed in frustration, only noticing Avery was there when she looked up.

Elena turned to her, "I don't know. It's not like her."

"I'll try her again." Bonnie said, pulling out her phone again.

As if on cue, Caroline arrived in Damon's car. She lent over and kissed him before exiting the car. Avery felt a wave of pure panic splash over her, her breathing faltering for a second.

"Uh..." Elena began.

"Oh, my God. That must be the mystery guy from the Grill." Bonnie announced.

"That's not a mystery guy. That's Damon Salvatore."

Avery could feel the white-hot pain behind her eyes beginning to build. Her small body was not capable of dealing with all of the stress and worry that came with knowing about the Supernatural.

"Salvatore, as in Stefan and Avery?!" Bonnie whisper-yelled.

Avery wished the ground would come and swallow her up whole. She made eye contact with Damon who smirked at her, before the contact was broken by Caroline's approach.

"I got the other brother. Hope you don't mind." She smiled cruelly at Elena before turning her attention to Avery. "Oh, sweetie, Damon wants you."

Avery recoiled at the pet name. It was obvious that Damon was controlling her as Avery was sure her attitude towards her couldn't have changed between the events at the Comet and now.

Caroline was staring at her expectantly, "Well? Run along now, I don't have all day."

Avery didn't bother to reply. She made sure her folders and bag were placed securely in her grip before making her way towards Damon's car. She could hear Caroline barking orders at the cheerleading squad behind her, but she was solely focused on calculating whether a hit from a folder would give her enough time to run in the opposite direction if things didn't work out as she hoped. Obviously it wouldn't, but they were in public so perhaps Damon would play nice.

"Hey there, Brown Eyes." Damon greeted her, an unusually pleasant smile on his face. He watched her face for a reaction to the pet name, but she ignored it and asked the question that was playing on her mind.

"What are you doing here, Damon?" Avery asked, closing her eyes as another wave of nausea swept over her.

"Giving you a ride home." He replied.

Avery wasn't sure where her sudden burst of confidence was coming from, as she knew she would never normally stand up to him.

"Why? I'm perfectly capable of walking home."

"Really? Your sickly appearance says otherwise, Brown Eyes." He smirked at her again. "Have you been 'overworking' yourself again?"

Avery narrowed her eyes at him as he used the words her father used. She should've known that he would listen into their not-so private conversations.

"Didn't your parents ever tell you it's rude to eavesdrop?" She snarled.

He laughed at her, "Your attempt at being threatening is truly entertaining, Brown Eyes, but I'm finished with his conversation."

He leant over to her and stared directly into her eyes. Avery realised he was trying to compel her, and played along as to not reveal that her father and herself had been taking vervain since she was born.

"Now, get in the car." Damon compelled her.

Avery walked to the passenger side of the car previously occupied by Caroline and got in. She barely had time to strap herself in before Damon was pulling out of the school and speeding home.

***

Avery had been sat in Stefan's bedroom since they had arrived home. Damon believe she was still under his compulsion which meant that Avery had to do whatever he 'compelled' her to do. Luckily for her, his last command was to sit at Stefan's desk with her mouth shut.

Finally, Stefan arrived home from football practice and entered his bedroom to find Avery sitting at his desk and Damon reading Stefan's diary.

"How were tryouts? Did you make the team? Very Emerson, the way you reveal your soul with so many... adjectives." Damon smirked as Stefan ripped the diary out of his hands.

"What are you doing here?" Stefan snapped.

"I've come to apologise. Avery and I have been doing some thinking, some soul searching, and..." Damon paused for dramatic effect as Stefan glanced at Avery. She noticed his questioning stare at her but made no effort to communicate with him as she knew Damon was watching her in his peripheral vision.

"I want us to start over," Damon continued. "We need to put the past behind us. You're my little brother, and if you want to live a normal, happy human life, like Brown Eyes over there, then I want that for you. Maybe I can do it, too. That I can learn to be a non-living living person. Maybe there's hope for both of us. What do you think, Brown Eyes?"

Damon tries to keep a straight face at the end of his speech but he can't do it. Stefan looked in Avery's direction again, waiting for her response to Damon's speech but she doesn't react.

"Everything okay, Avery?" Stefan asked, looking her in the eyes.

No,  Avery thought. The sooner she could leave, the better.

"Oh, she's fine. We've been bonding Stefan. I mean, she was a little reluctant at first, but that's nothing a bit of compulsion can't fix." Damon grinned at Stefan's reaction.

"Damon, you can't just compel her to do whatever you want. She isn't some toy at your disposal." Stefan growled as he approached Avery.

"Sure she is! All humans are. That's what they're there for Stefan. You should be thankful I didn't take a bite out of her, she does smell delicious." Damon smirked again, standing up and approaching the younger Salvatores. Avery could've vomited right there, what was wrong with him?

"Undo it, Damon. She doesn't need to be involved in any of this. She has her own problems to be dealing with rather than being a scapegoat for yours." Stefan sighed as he knelt besides her.

"Why? It's fun, Stefan. You should give it ago, I'm sure Brown Eyes won't mind."

Stefan closed his eyes for a moment before opening them again, "You know, it doesn't have to be this way, Damon."

"Of course it doesn't. I saw Elena today, BTW. That means 'by the way'. She was at cheerleading practice when I came to pick Brown Eyes up from school. She looked so perky in her little short shorts." Damon teased.

Stefan stood up, obviously angry.

"Just... simmer down. I didn't even go near her, did I, Brown Eyes? I've got my own cheerleader now. Ooh, that reminds me... I gotta run. I have a date. Sweaty palms. Wish me luck."

Just like that, Damon was gone, leaving the younger Salvatores in Stefan's bedroom.

Stefan waited until he knew Damon was gone before pulling Avery into a hug. Avery froze at the contact. She'd never been hugged by a vampire before, but Stefan was clearly just concerned for her. Avery slowly raised her arms to wrap around his middle before giving it a light squeeze.

"I'm fine. He didn't do anything." Avery whispered, knowing Stefan could hear her perfectly. So could Damon, she guessed, but she hoped he wasn't listening.

Stefan pulled out of the hug to look at her.

"We have some ways to protect ourselves against vampires, but Damon doesn't know that so please don't tell him you know." Avery's voice shook as she pleaded with Stefan. It was scary having a vampire thinking they have control of you. She knew she had to do everything he said otherwise he would know something was up.

"I won't. What did he tell you to do?" Stefan whispered back.

"Nothing bad... I just have to do what he says whenever he's around or he'll know his compulsion didn't work. Get him to stop it somehow Stefan, I don't know how long I can pretend around him before I slip up."

"Hey, hey. It will all be okay. I have to get ready for Elena's... Will you be okay here on your own?" Stefan asked.

"I'll be fine. Please don't worry about me. Have fun." Avery smiled forcefully. Her muscles felt tense and sore so she was planning on having a relaxing bath to get rid of her pounding headache.

"Okay... I'll see you later, Avery." Stefan said, before leaving the Boarding House.

Avery let out a long breath of air before making her way towards the bathroom to start running the bath.