Chapter 1- Pilot

DISCLAIMER - I do not own The Vampire Diaries or the videos that will be posted along with this story

Abigail was rushing around the house trying to get Jacob ready for preschool. Her aunt Jenna was also running around trying to get Elena and Jeremy ready.

"Jacob, honey, stop squirming please... I gotta get your shoes on." Abigail said softly to her son and he calmed down and let her do his shoes.

Elena came downstairs with a fake smile on her face and went straight for the coffee, Jeremy followed a few seconds after. Once she handed Jacob one of his toy cars, Abigail walked to the kitchen.

"I can make toast." Jenna said frantically.

"It's all about the coffee aunt Jenna." Elena said while pouring herself a cup.

"Is there coffee?" Jeremy asked as he took Elena's cup and drank her coffee.

"Do you guys need anything a number two pencil? Lunch money?" Jenna asked holding out a twenty dollar bill.

"I'm good Jenna." Elena said while Jeremy took the twenty dollars and quickly finished the cup of coffee.

Jenna looked around puzzled and asked, "What am I forgetting?"

"Your presentation with your Thesis Advisor." Abigail told the redhead.

"Crap!" She shouted but once she saw the look Abigail sent her way, Jenna said, "I mean gosh darn it!" She smiled as she glanced at her four year old great nephew and gathered her bag.

As Jenna rushed out the door and kissed Jacob on the top of his head Jeremy was about to leave but stopped when Elena stood in front of him.

"You okay?" she asked.

"Don't start." He snarled at her then turned to his eldest sister and said, "See you later." Then walked out and kissed Jacob on his head just like Jenna did.

Elena was left looking defeated but Abigail just turned towards Jacob and finished gathering everything he'd need for the day. Elena left once Bonnie arrived and honked her horn, kissing Jacob and leaving for her first day of Junior year.

Abigail turns to her four year old son and grins causing the boy to grin too, "Looks like it's just you and me."

He reached up to her and she immediately bent down and picked her son up, carrying him out the door and putting him in his car seat. They then drove off to Jacobs preschool, when Abigail noticed the anxious look on her child's face she turned on the radio. While listening to the radio, Abigail sang to the music causing Jacob to laugh and smile happily at his mother who would look in the rearview mirror at him and make silly faces.

After dropping Jacob off at his school, Abigail drove to the Mystic Grill and prepared for her shift. She put on her black apron and pulled her long hair into a ponytail. She grabbed a pad and pen, then started to take people's orders.

Around two-thirty, Abigail clocked out and drove to pick up Jacob and brought him back to the Grill. Just like everyday he sat and drew as Abigail worked the bar and kept a close eye on her little boy, she waited for what used to be Elena but is now either Matt, Bonnie, Caroline or Jenna to pick him up at four to take him home. However, today they will be hanging at the Grill so Jacob will be stuck here. He says he doesn't mind but Abigail always felt bad about it, even though Jacob always says he loves being at the Grill, watching people and seeing her work.

As the bar died down she walked over to the table Jacob was sitting at and looked at his drawing, it was a crow. Ever since the accident his drawing skills have become extraordinarily better, it was always good but now it had more detail, like you'd expect from a ten year old.

"That's a great crow honey." She said and Jacob looked up and grinned happy to hear his mom liked his drawing.

"Thanks mama." He grinned a toothy grin.

Smiling, Abigail slid into the booth that Jacob was at and asked, "How was your day?"

"Good." He said and then began drawing a new picture.

"That's good." She whispered as she just watched her son color, her eyes teared up at the thought that a few months ago she might've lost him. Wiping her eyes she leaned in and smiled at Jacob, "What do you think about watching Peter Pan tonight?"

He dropped his crayon and got on his knees, bouncing and smiling from ear to ear, "Can we? Can we please?" He begged.

"Of course!" She said and kissed the boy's forehead, "I got another hour of work and then it's just you me and the lost boys." She got up and headed back to the bar.

Peter Pan was Jacob's favorite story, movie, character, etc... she wasn't sure why but she was okay with reading the story and watching the movie nearly four times a week because of the sparkle it always brings to her baby boy's green eyes.

About ten minutes till her shift was over, Elena entered the restaurant with a boy that Abigail has never seen before. Matt got up from where he and Bonnie were with Jacob and went to talk to the two. Soon, Caroline, Bonnie, Elena and the new kid, whose name was Stefan according to their conversation which was basically Caroline drilling Stefan for info on himself.

Once the ten minutes were up, Abigail went in back to clock out and change. When she came out she noticed Jacob was still at his booth but now Elena and that stranger, Stefan, were talking with him. Abigail walked quickly over to her son and put her hand on his shoulder while staring at the two in front of her.

"Ready to go honey?" She asked.

Jacob nodded and packed his things as Elena looked down at her feet. However, being oblivious to the tension the guy held out his hand and smiled.

"Stefan. Salvatore." He said.

Abigail took his hand and shook it, "Abigail Gilbert, Elena's older sister. I guess you've met my son Jacob." She said with a slight glare at that last part which caused Stefan to assure her that he only said hi, wanting to meet Elena's nephew.

As soon as Jacob finished gathering his things he grabbed Abigail's hand and started pulling her towards the door.

"What's the hurry little man?" She asked.

"I don't want to miss Peter Pan!" He exclaimed.

She chuckled but didn't say anything as she just followed her determined little boy.

The next day was much like any other day, Abigail woke up, got Jacob ready, dropped him off, gwent to work, picked Jacob up, came back to work and then Bonnie stopped by to take Jacob home and watch him till Jenna can take over because she is going to be working till about one in the morning.

Around ten-thirty that night she notices Bonnie and Caroline are sitting at a table, the blonde seemingly very drunk. Abigail makes three cups of coffee and goes to their table and sits down, taking her ten minute break.

"Hey guys, here's some coffee." Abigail says.

"Thanks." Bonnie says.

Caroline just mumbles a thank you before turning to Bonnie and asking "Why is it that the guys I want never want me? I'm inappropriate, I always say the wrong thing and Elena, she always says the right thing and people just... pick her."

"It's not a competition." Bonnie says to her friend.

Caroline sits up and stares blankly at Bonnie before saying, "Yes it is."

"I'm not touching that with a ten foot pole, I'm gonna go use the restroom, hurry up and sober up, I gotta get you and me home." Bonnie said before going to the Grills bathroom.

Abigail leans in and looks into Caroline's eyes before saying to her, "Caroline, I know you think everyone picks Elena and I won't tell you that hasn't been the case but what I will tell you is eventually you will find a guy who will put you before everyone and everything else and when you do... hold on to that, 'kay?"

"Thank you Abby. How's Jacob been doing?" Caroline asks.

Abigail thinks and says, "I'm honestly not sure, he seems fine but the nightmares haven't stopped and whenever he is in a car he seems to get extremely anxious. I don't know how to help him."

"Just give him time, he is a kid, he will bounce back." Caroline said softly.

"Thanks, anyways I gotta get back to the bar, duty calls." She hugs Caroline and then walks back toward the bar, not noticing the pale-skinned blue-eyed raven-haired man who had been staring at the table she was just at. His eyes follow her as she slips behind the bar and starts chatting with some people as she pours their drinks. Cobalt blue eyes tracing the gentle features of Abigail's face, from her blue eyes to the scar on her forehead, watching as the ponytail holding back her long dirty blonde tresses sways as she turns to make drinks.

Caroline then notices the man as his eyes flicked over towards the table again. However, Bonnie comes back and they both leave before she can think to approach the man whose attention goes back to the bar. He walks over towards the bar and leans against it while waiting to have the beautiful bartender's attention.

Once Abigail turns to him she smiles a soft smile that doesn't quiet meet her tired eyes and asks, "What can I get you?"

"Bourbon." The man says and she pours a half glass of bourbon and sets it down in front of the man.

"There you go, one bourbon. Anything else? Food?" She asks.

The man shakes his head no but smirks and says, "Maybe some company."

Chuckling she says, "You've come to the right place... as long as you keep buying drinks you've got me as your personal therapist. You won't believe the kinds of things people have told me."

He laughs and says, "Well they were probably trying to impress the pretty woman who was serving them alcohol."

"No doubt. So, what's your name Mr. Bourbon?" Abigail asks.

"I'm Damon Salvatore." He smirks.

"Abigail Gilbert." She smiles once again, then thinks, "Salvatore? As in Stefan?"

Damons a little surprised, "He is my baby brother. How do you know him?"

"My baby sister has a 'thing' for him." Abigail says.

Damon takes a drink of his bourbon and nodded.

"So, what brought you and your brother to Mystic Falls?" Abigail asked.

Damon paused before he responded saying, "Unfinished business."

"Could you be anymore cryptic?" She jokes.

"Probably." Damon smirks and Abigail smiles.

They spend the rest of her shift talking and joking with each other.

On her drive home she had a feeling as if she was being watched but thought nothing of it. Once she got home she locked the door and went straight to Jacob's room and saw that he was sound asleep, arms and legs splayed across his twin bed. Abigail closed his door and started to walk to her room but stopped at the sound of quiet crying. Walking towards Jeremy's room she saw him on his bed crying while looking at a picture of their parents.

"Jer..." she whispered.

He looks up with red eyes and tear stained cheeks and sobbed, "I miss them."

Abigail rushed to her brothers side and held him while stroking his hair, "Ssh ssh ssh, I know... I miss them too..."

after about ten minutes of sobbing, Jeremy finally fell asleep and Abigail slipped from his room and headed towards her room but stopped once again. She heard voices coming from Elena's room, there was a boy in her room. Abigail walked towards Elena's room and opened the door without knocking, she saw Elena and Stefan sitting on Elena's bed and Elena jumped up when Abigail entered.

"What the hell? Can't you knock?" Elena demanded.

"Can't you respect house rules? Stefan you need to leave." Abigail said.

"No he doesn't." She snarled at Abigail, "You don't." She said softly at Stefan.

"Yes he does, it is rude and inappropriate and not to mention dangerous to yourself and everyone else in this house to have a stranger in your room, this house, this late at night." Abigail lectured.

"He isn't a stranger!" Elena defended.

Abigail scoffed, "You met him yesterday, you don't know anything about him." She said sternly but trying not to sound too mean.

"Yes I do!" Elena said.

"I don't care, he needs to go." Abigail said calmly.

Elena rolled her eyes, "No he doesn't!"

"Elena I understand that you don't care about the safety of those in this house, but I do. So, until further notice Stefan isn't allowed in the house this late in the night when no one is aware." Abigail said sternly but softly still trying to avoid a fight.

Stefan stood and said, "It's okay, I understand. I'll go. See you tomorrow, Elena."

Once Stefan left Elena glared at Abigail, "Why do you hate me so much?"

Abigail softly told her sister, "I don't hate you, but you're being irresponsible and acting recklessly... let's not forget what happened to this family the last time you didn't think."

Then, Abigail finally went to her room and fell asleep. Too exhausted to even bother with taking off her make up or changing her clothes.