Chapter One

Stefan sat watching Katherine as she paraded around the tomb; she was showing off, trying to provoke him. He clenched his teeth. He wasn't going to get caught up in Katherine again… He loved Elena. He was surprised to hear the hint of uncertainty in his inner voice, but he shrugged it off.

Katherine looked at him, flicking her eyes down to his lips seductively. He didn't react.

"It won't work Katherine!"

She rolled her eyes and giggled in a sickly sweet voice. She looked at him intently for a moment.

"Is it the human?" She asked, her distaste slightly cracking her nonchalance.

"Her name is Elena" Stefan glared, trying not to rise to her bait.

Katherine's lips curled into a secretive smile.

"Yes, my darling doppelganger Elena. It was quite a shock to meet her you know; she really does looks exactly like me! Too bad she's no fun, that whole innocent little girl thing gets boring very fast… Don't you think?"

Stefan decided it would be best not to respond. It unnerved him being this close to Katherine after all these years. He really had loved her back then… he shook the thought from his mind.

Katherine was watching him closely. She seemed to sense something and her eyes danced.

"It must be strange looking into my face every day, does it bring back memories?"

She winked and bit her lip, giggling.

Stefan growled deep in his chest, he moved so fast human eyes couldn't have tracked him. Before he knew what he was doing, his hands were around Katherine's throat, his teeth bared. He slammed her against the wall, smirking as she winced.

"Elena is nothing like you. Nothing." He spat.

Katherine looped her arms over Stefan's shoulders and ran her fingers through his hair. She locked her eyes on his and he held her gaze defiantly.

"I don't doubt it" she murmured "Replacements are always a downgrade."

Stefan growled again, but didn't break away.

"I mean, I bet she doesn't do that thing I used to… you know with my…" she leaned forward and whispered in his ear, her breath intoxicating him. She chastely kissed his mouth, clocking his reaction. Stefan's hands loosened around her neck and dropped to her waist. She kissed him again and this time he kissed back. It wasn't like when he kissed Elena, suddenly he needed Katherine; it was animal, instinctual. His eyes darkened as he pulled away. He couldn't do this. He couldn't. Katherine caught his face between her tiny hands.

Stefan looked into those familiar brown eyes and hated himself for loving what he saw. But he did. He loved Katherine, he always had. He loved Elena too, but not like this, he loved Elena because she made him feel worthy, human. Katherine was wild and beautiful and he loved her for all the wrong reasons and yet they felt like all the right reasons. When he was with her he felt strong, powerful and happy. He felt like he could finally embrace what he was, be the wild man within and not recoil from what he saw in the mirror. Katherine wanted him for who he really was. Not the whipped, house-trained version Elena knew.

Stefan threw Katherine to the ground, loving that he didn't have to be careful not to break her. Katherine grinned and pulled his face down to hers. Without quite knowing how, their clothes were off, scattered around the tomb. Stefan's lips met hers and all lingering guilt towards sweet Elena crumbled and turned to dust.

Damon sat on Elena's bed watching as she paced in front of him. Her forehead was creased delicately and her fingers were pulling nervously at her top. It made him anxious to see her so worked up, he wanted to console her, but he didn't know what to say that would make her feel any better.

"We'll get him out Elena, I promise." He finally said. He looked at her with reassuring eyes and smiled slightly when she nodded, slightly mollified.

"I know… I just… this is my fault, if I hadn't gone looking for Klaus you would have been at the tomb to help him." Elena started nibbling on her fingernails, guilt and worry written all over her face.

"Well I didn't have to save your sorry martyr ass, so technically; it's my fault."

Damon shrugged slightly but he knew that there wasn't a shred of regret in his mind for saving her. He would leave his little brother locked in that tomb for a thousand centuries if it meant Elena would be safe. The thought unnerved him.

Elena stopped pacing and looked at him, he had his usual cocky smirk but she could see in his eyes how much he cared, she smiled slightly at his attempt at making her feel better. Sighing in exhaustion and defeat Elena dropped herself into an armchair. She closed her eyes and after a few minutes sleep began to wash over her and she gladly welcomed it.

Damon watched as her breathing slowed and deepened. She looked so vulnerable and small in sleep. Her eyelashes created little shadows across her cheeks bones and her mouth slipped into a slight pout. Damon sat still and just watched her, listening to her heartbeat.

Elena whimpered slightly and shifted her position, her neck falling into an awkward position in the chair. Damon knew he shouldn't but he crossed the room and scooped her up in his arms careful not to wake her. He pulled back the covers on her bed and laid her down, he took off her shoes and tucked her in. She snuggled deeper into the bed and sighed. Damon kissed her lightly on the forehead and disappeared out the window.