ONE

I laid in bed staring at the spot that Stefan had knocked over just a few hours ago. The look on his face still vivid in my mind; his eyes dark in bloodlust. I sighed and moved my eyes up to the ceiling. I tried everything I could to fall asleep, including counting sheep in every which way possible. My phone buzzed on my nightstand and I glanced at it for a second before picking it up. It was a message from Stefan. Are you alright? I'm sorry about earlier.

I smiled slightly. I'm fine, I just can't sleep.

I would normally come over to help, but I think I'm the reason you can't sleep.

I frowned at that and sighed again. Trust me, it's not all about that. It's Jeremy too. And Uncle John. I yawned mid-message and felt my eye-lids growing heavier. I think I'm finally going to sleep now. Night, love you. I fell asleep seconds after sending it, the phone falling from my hand to the floor.

After a night of horrific, vivid nightmares; all involving Stefan and his renewed want for human blood, I reached down for my phone, scrolled through the names and stopped at Damon's. The moment I had worked up the nerve to talk to him, I hit the call button and held the phone up to my ear. "Elena?" he asked after the first ring. "Are you alright?"

I nodded and then realized he wasn't actually in front of me. "I'm fine, I just... Can you come over sometime before the kick-off party? I need to talk to you about Stefan."

"I can be there in five seconds."

"No!" I nearly shouted and cringed. "Sorry, I just woke up and I'm not sure who else is. I would really appreciate it if you used the front door."

I could see him grinning over the phone and that image made me shiver. "How long should I wait?"

"Half hour?"

"I can do that. I'll see you in then," he said and the line went dead.

I got up and took a shower. I had just enough time to do my hair and make-up casually before throwing on jeans and a T-shirt before I heard the doorbell ring. I rushed downstairs to find Jeremy eating with his headphones on and rolled my eyes. I opened it to Damon and he grinned. "Thank you."

"You call, I come. I'm easy like that," he teased and flashed his sultry smile. I nodded to Jeremy and then headed up the stairs. He paused, "No, Elena. I will not go up to your bedroom," he said in a faked voice.

I rolled my eyes again and pulled him behind me. As I shut the door, I saw him grab the teddy bear from the bed as he flopped down and stretched out; one arm behind his head, the other holding the teddy bear in front of him. I leaned against my dresser and crossed my arms. "How was he this morning?" I asked.

"He's fine," he answered as he looked to my left to see the broken lamp and shelf that was piled on my chair. "What happened there?"

I looked at it and hesitated before looking his way again. "Nothing."

He narrowed his eyes and then stood up. He handed me the bear and I reached over to put him by the pillows again. When I turned around, he was holding up one of my bras. I pulled it away from him and shut the drawer. He then grabbed a photo from my mirror and I couldn't get it back from him. "Stefan is a creature of darkness just like I am. This is his true self Elena. It took him years to turn him into the disgrace that he is now."

I frowned as I took the picture from him and went to put it back in the mirror. "He will never be like you."

When I turned around, he was right there behind me. "No, he'll always be weaker, but again, we're hunters. It's what we do; who we are. The sooner he stops fighting it and accepts that, the better off he'll be," he said and backed up. "Now, you're going to be late for school. We wouldn't want that would we?"

I smiled faintly, "Thank you again." In an instant, he was gone.

My talk with Jeremy had gone better than I thought, but I still couldn't shake the feeling that he was hiding something. Then again, I was hiding something from him too. With Stefan and Jeremy running through my mind, I began getting ready for the party. "Are you coming?" I asked my brother as I poked my head into his room.

"Uncle John said as long as I showed up for a little bit, I wouldn't have to stay for the whole thing."

I smiled and extended a hand. "Come on, I'll drive."

I waited for Stefan to find me and smiled when I saw him stride over to me. My eyes flickered to Damon and I had to clear my throat in order to refocus on Stefan. "Are you drunk?" I asked after giving him a light kiss.

"It helps," he said. "With the cravings. Would you like to dance?"

I did a double take at him and almost chocked on my drink. "I usually have to beg you."

"Yes, sober Stefan doesn't like to dance. Drunk Stefan on the other hand, loves it."

"Nobody's dancing," I said flatly with a light smile.

He held up a finger and winked. "Let me take care of that."

Matt's mom laughed gently from behind me and I half turned to see her. "I already tried that. They said no."

"Stefan can be pretty persuasive when he puts his mind to it," I muttered as I watched him jump into the now dancing crowd and enjoy himself. Mrs. Donovan smirked and walked away as Damon made his way over to take her place at my side.

"Have I stepped into an alternate universe where Stefan is fun?"

I smiled as I watched him and then looked at Damon. "Is he going to be normal?"

"Eventually," he said in a deadpan voice and looked at me. "One way or another. Excuse me," he said and disappeared through the crowd.

Matt came up beside me. "Is Stefan alright?"

I laughed and hugged him. "He's fine."

"Want to dance?"

I shook my head with laughter sparkling in my eyes. "What is with the men in this town tonight?" I asked before following him to the dance floor. After dancing with him for a song, Stefan cut in and smiled. "Hello."

"You look gorgeous," he said as he spun me to him.

"You don't look so bad yourself," I said as he released me and I accidentally hit someone else.

He was very angry and whipped around. "Hey, watch it!"

"I'm sorry. I'm just clumsy."

"Yeah, whatever," he said and Stefan grabbed him hard.

"Apologize to her," he said forcefully.

"I'm sorry," the other man said half-heartedly.

He started to walk away, but Stefan grabbed him back. "Now say it like you mean it."

"I'm truly sorry," he said a little more enthusiastic before he walked away.

"I'm going to get a drink," I said and headed to the bar, leaving Stefan to dance with other girls.

Damon was there sipping at a glass of some strong alcohol. "So your brother just asked about Vickie's murder."

"Murder? He knows it was an overdose."

He shook his head. "He wants to know why someone buried her if it was, in fact, an overdose and if it was a murder who would do it? I know, I know! Me!" he hissed quietly. "I think I should compel him."

"No!" I said a little louder than I intended. "Please, he can handle it. I'll try to talk to him."

He said nothing as he pulled a rose from the plant next to him and handed it to me. "If he starts asking too many questions, I'm going to do something about it," he promised and walked away.

I stared at the rose and smelled it, smiling softly at the gesture. I put it in my handbag and on my way to the dance floor, saw Jeremy sitting in a small office type room. "Hey," I said and sat on the couch next to him. "I heard about your conversation with Officer Forbes. It was an overdose Jere."

"Then why would someone burry her? Elena, it just doesn't add up."

I had read his paper on vampires Mr. Saltzman had given me and I could feel my heartbeat quicken. Just exactly how much did my brother know? "Look, whatever it was, it's over with. She's not coming back."

"So you don't believe it was an overdose. Elena, what aren't you telling me? You can't even look at me," he accused and I suddenly felt trapped.

"I promise, if I knew anything, I would tell you," I lied as I looked him in the eye. "I have to go," I added and left, heading back to the dance floor where I ran into Matt. "Hi."

"Hello."

"Having fun?"

He smiled shyly. "Is it bad that I am?"

"No, you should be having enough fun for both you and Vickie," I said and laid a hand on his arm.

"I need some air. Want to join me?" he asked and I looked at Stefan who was drinking more.

I nodded then and buttoned up my shrug. When Matt closed the door to the patio, I stopped and took a deep breath. "Oh God. Matt-" I started as he saw his mom and Tyler making out like high school teenagers.

"Mom?!" Matt yelled and charged after the other boy.

As Kelly went for her son, she was flung backwards. After that, I lost track of her as I tried to yell at Tyler to stop. It was Mr. Saltzman who broke the fight up and I went to kneel by Matt. "Are you alright?" I asked and he pushed me away before running off.

I could hear my uncle beginning to give a speech and I didn't want to hear it. Instead, I was being asked about the fight. My uncle's speech was over just as I made my way to my car, I saw the man I had bumped earlier on the ground at someone's feet. "Stefan?" I called and then the other person was gone. I ran to the other guy. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, just a little clumsy," he said, repeating my line from earlier.

I looked behind me at the darkened parking lot and shivered. Stefan was definitely not alright. I hurried to my car and drove home as fast as I could. Miraculously I wasn't pulled over. Jenna was fiddling in the kitchen and said goodnight as I walked up the stairs. Jeremy was sitting at his desk when I walked by his room. "Are you sure you're alright?" I asked and it startled him.

"I'm fine. Goodnight," he said and gave me a half-smile.

I nodded and went into my room. I made it to my bed and when I turned towards the closet, I almost screamed at the sight of Stefan. "Oh my God. What are you doing here?"

"I just...I had to tell you something."

"What is it?" I asked as I tried to reach for him but he pulled out of my reach. He said nothing, but his head was looking down. "Is it about the guy in the parking lot?"

His fists clenched at his sides and it was all I could do not to take a step back. "I can hear your heart beating as you attempt not to be afraid. Do you have any idea how hard it is to look at you and not think about the-"

"Stop," I said in a demanding tone.

He looked up then and his eyes were blackened and his face twisted into bloodlust. "I'm afraid of what I can do to you. Of what I will do to you if I'm around you without everything in control," he said through his elongated canines.

Tears were threatening my eyes. "You're here and you haven't attacked me."

"It's taking everything I have not to pounce. I had the blood of Matt's mom on my fingers from where she had been cut. I can still taste it on my tongue," he said lightly as he took two steps forward, flattening me against the wall. I tried everything to keep calm and think straight. "You're afraid of me."

"Of course I'm afraid of you!" I hissed and tear ran down my cheek. I was trembling with both worry and relief as he stood there in attack mode, but not moving. "I think you should leave."

His fangs had bit into his lip from trying to keep himself under control. He nodded briefly before exiting through my window. I let out a deep breath and tears streamed down my face. I sank to the floor as my muscles gave out and I drew my knees up. When I could move, I made it to my bathroom to get ready for bed when I heard a noise. I went back to my room to see Damon lounging on my bed again. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to see if you were alright."

"I'm fine, thank you," I said. Then I narrowed my eyes. "What made you think I wasn't okay?"

"Stefan. He came in very tense with blood on his lips. I smelled you all over him."

"You thought it was my blood," I said and nodded and then grinned. My grin turned to hysterical laughter. "Oh this is good. I'm terrified of Stefan, but I feel safe when I'm with you. What the hell happened?"

Damon smirked as he swung his legs over the bed and made his way to embrace me lightly. As I relaxed, he held me tighter. "I think that you shouldn't see him until he gets control."

I nodded against him and tried not to cry again. "I know."

"It's not like you're breaking up with him. You can tell everyone you're taking a break," he suggested as he let me go.

"Tell me this isn't some elaborate scheme of yours to get me to yourself?"

He reached up and cupped my chin so lightly I could barely feel his fingers. It made me shiver deeply. "You're already mine Elena, you just don't know it yet," he breathed and it took a moment before I could step back.

"Will you do me a favor?" I asked.

"Sure."

"Take me to see Stefan. I need to tell him face-to-face that I can't be around him if I'm scared and he doesn't have control."

He nodded and in less than a minute, we were outside their house. "He's not going to take it well, but I'll be right on the other side of the wall in case anything happens."

"Thank you," I said and went in to find Stefan on the couch, staring at the fire.

"Elena," he breathed without looking up. "You shouldn't be here."

"I know, but I had to talk to you. We need to have this discussion now, before anything happens."

He stood and faced me. "You're breaking up with me."

"God no. I love you Stefan. That hasn't changed. I know what you are and I don't care. I know you would never hurt me, but you have to figure things out before you do things you can't control." I took a step closer and reached for his hand. "I don't care if you end up choosing to live off of human blood; it is who you are. I don't care if you go back to animal blood, I just want you to be you. I know you can have willing donors without killing and live off of blood bags. Do whatever you need to, just do it fast. Every day I'm without you is a day that I'm not me."

"So we're on a break?"

"That's what I'm going to tell everyone."

"You really wouldn't care if I turned into Damon?"

I swallowed hard and he saw it. "I hope not, but I can't help it if you do. The faster you get control, the faster we can be us again," I said and kissed him quickly.

I began to head back to the door where Damon was waiting as he stepped into view. "Damon?" Stefan called.

"Yes little brother?"

I had my back turned to Stefan because I didn't want him to see me cry. Not that I wanted Damon to either, but Stefan was a bit more sensitive at the moment. "I want- I need you to promise me that you'll take care of her and watch over her until I'm better. If she gets hurt while I'm not there to protect her, I'll kill you," he vowed and Damon simply nodded.

Then we were back in my bedroom. "I've had enough for one night," I mumbled and yawned.

"Get some sleep, you look exhausted," Damon teased and then saw me look at the window.

"He's been invited in. How am I supposed to keep him out if he's determined to get in?"

"Leave that to me," he said and caught my hand, bringing it to his lips. "Now, I mean it. Get some sleep."

He dropped my hand and I grabbed his arms before he left. "Thank you. Again, for everything," I said and hugged him hard.

"You're welcome," he replied and I was alone. As I fell asleep, I noticed the rose in a vase on my dresser.