Welcome to Julie’s Diary! Every week during the season, Vampire Diaries showrunner Julie Plec will add an entry to her diary. From answering burning questions to giving behind-the-scenes stories and more, this is a place for fans to hear directly from Plec about the episode they just watched.

Tonight’s episode, “Never Let Me Go,” was written by Brian Young. A funny story about Brian: When I met him, he was a sweet-faced young accountant looking to break into the world of television writing. I hired him to be the writers’ assistant on Kyle XY, the show I was working on at the time, and happily learned that that he could type about 100 wpm without ever looking at the keyboard. A writers’ assistant is more often than not a glorified stenographer, but if they’re good, they quickly become the research god/goddess, an invaluable helping hand, and ultimately, if they earn it, a writer. And what a writer he’s become. Nine years later, he’s the best partner Caroline Dries and I could ask for.