#AN: Okay, so I know this idea is already out there, but I just love the concept of it. I am not trying to copy anyone, so if anyone feels like I am doing so, I apologize. I do not own The Vampire Diaries, so no copyright infringement intended.

I hope you enjoy it.

Silence. There was nothing to be heard in the huge two-story penthouse apartment. A young girl sat on a plush cream couch in front of her parents. Her face was a clear canvas of shock and disbelief. No one said anything. Complete and utter silence filled the air of the room.

The young girl opened her mouth to speak, but instead of words a strangled cry of desperation came out as she clasped her hand over her mouth. Tears started to form in her eyes quickly and were threatening to fall any second now.

The girl was now shaking madly with sobs as realization hit and hit her hard. Her eyes were far away as the tears came streaming down her fast. It went on like this for some time and by now she had started rocking herself back and forth.

And all the while her parents just stared at their sobbing daughter, not making one move to try and comfort her.

"I should have known." The girl whispered weakly. Her sobs had slowly died down, but tears were still running down her flawless face, ruining her make-up in the process and smearing her mascara.

After another moment she tried opening her mouth again. A dry sob escaped, but she didn't intend on stopping this time. She whipped her tears aimlessly, but they still kept coming. So she gave up and just asked.

"I never ask of anything from you, no matter what it is. I never ask questions, about your work, about the business. You know that. But this time I'm asking: why? How? I deserve an answer. You owe me that much!" The girl said, trying to sound confident, but failing horribly.

Her mother looked at her daughter with somewhat sympathetic eyes. As for her father, his eyes were hard and displayed only business.

"Please." The girl whispered.

The older woman looked at her husband of twenty-five years and nudged him ever so slightly. The man sighed and closed his eyes for a second and re-opened them and then he asked.

"Do you remember when you were eight a man came to stay with us one weekend? His name was Giuseppe Salvatore." The girl narrowed her eyes slightly, trying to put a face to the name. Her father had had a lot of men come and stay with them threw out her life, but somehow that name seemed to hold a slightly bigger meaning then the others'. After a moment she shook her head giving up.

Yet again her father sighed in irritation. "Well, I guess that was a long time ago. Anyway, Giuseppe Salvatore is a long time friend and business partner of mine and ever since the two of us met it has always been our desire to unite our families as one and when we took over as head of our respective families, we made an agreement."

The man stopped there for a second to let his daughter to let her take in this newfound information. The girl nodded and asked.

"And that agreement was what exactly?" Her father studied her for a moment and then continued.

"Giuseppe and I met up in the summer of 1992 to come up with a plan. You see Giuseppe and his wife, Elisabeth, already had a son, Damon who was born in 1988. And your mother and I had Jeremy who was born the same year as Damon. So the two of us decided that whoever conceived a girl first would marry either of our sons.

The fall of 1993 your mother here got pregnant and after some time we were told that it was a girl. And you being the result of that said pregnancy. A few months after we found out we were having you Giuseppe and his wife found out she was pregnant as well, but it didn't change the fact that you were already here first.

Anyway it didn't matter, Elisabeth ended up having another boy anyways. Both Giuseppe and I were ecstatic and on June 22 the summer of 1994 you were brought into the world. A few weeks later Giuseppe and I decided that when you turned eighteen you and Damon would be married. And the rest is history." The young girl sat there just taking everything she looked at her mother and asked.

"And you just went along with this? Just like that?" The girl could see nether of her parents had been expecting that question.

"Well of course I did." Her mother stuttered out.

With that the girl stood up and smoothed out her skirt. Just as she was about to turn and walk away her father stood up as well and grabbed her arm.

"We are not done here young lady." He said harshly.

The girl looked down at where her father was holding her in place and then she looked up into his eyes and said in calm voice.

"As far as I'm concerned there is nothing more to discuss. I will marry this Damon Salvatore if that is what you want, but don't expect me to be happy about this. Because believe me when I say that finding out the only reason that I was born in the first place was for your precious little business isn't exactly flattering. So if you will excuse me I would like to retrieve to my room for the night. If you don't mind that is?"

Through out her little speech her voice remained frighteningly calm, something she had inherited from her father.

"You may be dismissed." The older man said in defeat.

He wasn't oblivious to his daughter's words and he wasn't going to deny them either. He couldn't imagine what she could possibly be feeling right now, he loved his daughter more then anything, but he just couldn't always show it. He was after all John Gilbert.

The girl walked up the stairs to the second floor that her bedroom was on and the moment she was on the second story she was ready to bolt to her room. But fate had other plans for her as she came face to face with her older-pain-in-the-ass-holier-then-thou-brother.

"I trust mom and dad told you about the arrangement." He stated nonchalantly taking a sip of his whiskey.

The girls eyes widened in shock. "You knew? You knew all this time and you didn't once think to give me a heads up?" She hissed at him in a low voice.

Her brother dropped the bored façade and furrowed his eyebrows. "Of course I knew. I have been waiting for this for almost two years now so that we can unite the Gilbert and Salvatore families as one and continue to build an even bigger empire then before." He said in a matter of fact tone.

"I can't believe you. Is that all you care about. The empire. That is just sad Jeremy." With that she pushed past him so he spilled some of his drink. Just when she was about to round the corner she turned around and said.

"You now Jeremy, you always rant on and on about taking one for the team, and how important family is, and how life's not always fair, and that you don't always get what you want. I have to get married to a man that I don't know and have never met. But what have you done? Sure you work for our father and you take care of some important stuff. But have you actually had to sacrifice any significant part of your life for the business? Where you forced into this life? No, you weren't. Do you really know the meaning of the term taking one for the team, because I don't think you do?"

This time as she was about to turn around he stopped her by saying. "You think I don't know anything about sacrifice? How many times do you think I have had to go to the hospital because I got shot? Twenty-one times." He said almost seeming proud.

"I wasn't talking about physical sacrifice you idiot. You don't have to sacrifice the chance of finding love on your own terms. You don't have to sacrifice your whole life because you have to get married to a stranger. But I do."

"Oh pore baby, I am so sorry you have to get married to the richest, most eligible bachelor in the entire country, possibly the world! You are never satisfied, mom and dad have tried everything to make you happy, but they don't know what to do with you anymore. They give you clothes, shoes, and cars'. You get to travel to the most amazing places in the world. You were practically born with a silver spoon in your mouth. What more could you possibly want?" Jeremy shouted at his sister not bothering to keep it down.

"Is that what you think? That I'm not satisfied with my life? I am not oblivious to the fact that I am extremely lucky to have this life. But did you ever stop to think that maybe I don't care about all that stuff?"

"Bullshit! Of course you care about it. You're my sister, I know you. You wouldn't last one day without mom and dads black card." He sneered at her.

The girls face softened at that, in disappointment that is. "That's just the thing Jeremy. I might be your sister by blood, but you just lost me. For good. As for knowing me, you don't one thing about me." And with that she finally turned around and walked to her room.

Jeremy stood there though, his mind not quite registering what his sister had just said to him. He had lost her? What did she mean by that? Jeremy felt bad for his sister, he really did. He just didn't know how to show it. To be honest, he couldn't afford to show sympathy towards her. He had a reputation to withhold.

His reputation is what had gotten him this far and he was not about to lose it just because of his naïve little sister. Jeremy shook his had and walked down the stairs lazily. As he reached the bottom of the stairs he heard his mother call him into the grand living room. With an irritated sigh he entered the spacious room and greeted his parents by bowing his head ever so slightly.

"Mother. Father."

"Jeremy, sit please." His father said motioning to the couch that his sister had been sitting on only a few moments ago.

"I'm gonna go out in a limb here and guess that you two heard everything that just went on up there." Jeremy said a little nervous.

"Yes, we did." His mother confirmed, "That wasn't very nice to say Jeremy. Your sister just got some very big news and you need to show respect towards what she is about to go through." Isobel said to her firstborn.

Jeremy opened his mouth to reply, but she cut him of.

"She is not like you Jeremy, she keeps her heart on her sleeve, she is vulnerable, and kind, and she doesn't have a mean bone in her body. She isn't involved in the business and she never has been. And so I once more tell you to show some respect." Jeremy let his head fall forward slightly in shame.

He new she was right. His sister was the complete opposite of him and his father. And a small, a very, very small part of him envied her for not having to be involved in this life like he was. Not that he would ever admit it.

"Yeah, you're right. But, she doesn't have to be such a drama queen about it. I get that she is probably going through a lot right now, but she isn't the only one that goes through stuff."

"Are you hearing yourself Jeremy. That is your little sister up there. She is most likely crying her eyes out right now if I know my daughter right. Why can't you just be a little sympathetic, is that really to much to ask of you right now?" His mother pleaded with him. Jeremy stood up and looked down at his parents.

"I will give her space, but don't forget it was her who said that I had lost her not the other way around." And then he walked out of the room leaving his parents to sit there.

Yet again silence filled the air of the penthouse. The couple in the living room slowly retired for the night to their bedroom and after a few moments darkness joined the silence as all the lights had been turned out. But that didn't mean that everyone was lying in his or her respective beds sleeping.

No, on the second floor the young girl sat on her window seat by a huge window that looked over New York City. The city at night was one of the most beautiful sights she had ever seen on her life. Of all the places she had ever been to, none of them ever seemed to take New York's place.

It was her home. She was born here. She grew up here. And now she probably had to move away from this place that she had always been able to call home. She leaned her head on the cold glass and let the silent tears stream down her now make-up free face.

She let her eyes wonder over the city lights of Manhattan. All of the sudden the name of her so-called fiancé crossed her mind. Damon Salvatore. She wondered what kind of person he was. What he looked like. She knew his name and his age – which kind of freaked her out seeing as he was six years older then her.

She didn't doubt that he was any different from her brother or father. He was rich, but that didn't come to her as a surprise at all. He had a younger brother that was her age and his parents' names were Giuseppe and Elisabeth. But that was all she knew about him. After thinking about him for some time curiosity got the best of her and she stood up to get her computer from her desk and then walked back to the window and sat back down leaning against the wall.

She lifted up the lid and typed in the password. Not seconds later she had found him. She clicked on an image of him. She had to admit he was one of the most handsome men she had ever seen in her life and this was only a picture of him.

He had pitch-black hair and ice blue eyes. He had sharp facial features and a strong jaw. She clicked on a different picture of him and there he was walking with a woman who looked to be in her mid to late fifties.

She guessed that she was his mother because of the striking resemblance. She couldn't deny that the man was stunning. But at the same time she saw something in his eyes that just screamed danger. She found herself getting very intimidated and very nervous. She was not looking forward to meeting Damon Salvatore at all.

She closed her computer and put it back in its place on her desk and then made her way towards the bed that stood in the center of the room. And just before she drifted of into the soothing darkness a single tear made its way down Elena Gilbert's cheek.

"WHAT!?" Damon Salvatore screamed out. He was seething as he looked at his parents. "You want me to marry an eighteen year old girl!"

"Damon honey calm down. Please." Elisabeth pleaded, trying to calm her oldest son down.

"Oh don't give me that mother. She isn't even allowed to drink yet! She can barely even vote God damn it!" Damon was furious. He did not want to get married, much less to a teenager.

"Enough Damon. You are getting married to Elena Gilbert whether you want to or not. This is what is going to seal both of our families' future. This is what John Gilbert and I have been waiting for this ever since we took over as head of our families. And you my son are not about to ruin it for us." His father said forcefully.

Damon sneered at his father.

"Why not Stefan? He's the same age as her. Why doesn't he marry her?" Damon by this point was just sounding like brat who wasn't getting what he wanted. Giuseppe sighed.

"Because Stefan is not the first born. You are. And because you had already been born when the deal was made and that deal was that who ever conceived a girl first would marry the first-born son, that being you or Jeremy Gilbert. The Gilberts just so happened to conceive a girl first. That girl being Elena Gilbert. And also Stefan is already engaged to that Caroline girl." Giuseppe finished with a wave of is hand.

Damon knew that that was the end of the discussion.

"You are dismissed."

Letting out a breath of frustration and irritation Damon turned around on his heel and stormed out of the study and out of the house with a slam of the front door. As he got into his car he dug into his jeans pocket and pulled out his phone and pressed the speed dial.

He started the car as he waited for the other end to pick up. He had sped out of the huge drive way and onto the road. After letting it ring ten times it got picked up.

"Hello?" A tired female voice asked.

"Hey, Rose it's me. Damon. I'm coming over in five." And then he hung up on her not bothering to let her answer. He stepped further down on the gas going way over the speed limit, but he didn't care. His family owned this town, he wouldn't get a ticket. As he pulled up at the apartment building he saw that all the lights were turned of in the apartment that he was going to visit. He stepped out of the car and walked into the building and flew up the stairs, going over two at a time. When he reached the door on the third floor it found it already open. He rushed in slamming the door shut not caring if Rose was awake or not.

"ROSE?" He yelled.

He walked through the entire condo and ended up in her bedroom where he saw the light was on in the bathroom. He pushed the door open slowly.

"Rose?" He asked in a low voice. His question was confirmed when he saw her lying in the tub with a wet washcloth over her eyes. A huge mountain of bubbles covered her body and Damon found himself frowning at that.

"I would appreciate it if you would keep it down thank you. And I'm not in the mood tonight Damon." Rose said not taking of the washcloth. Damon thought about if he should tell her or not and then he decided on the latter.

"So my father apparently made this deal with a friend when I was four years old that I was supposed to marry his daughter when she turned eighteen." Damon said while sitting down on the floor besides the tub. It was quiet for a while until he heard the water in the tub shuffle slightly.

"Would this girl just so happen to be Elena Gilbert by any chance?" Rose asked taking of the piece of cloth of her eyes.

"How did you know?" He asked chuckling lightly.

"Oh Damon, you know me. I have my ways." She said smirking. Rose-Marie was a very intelligent woman, who worked for Damon and his father as a spy. And it was almost impossible to keep a secret from her. "But you know what this means then right?" She asked. Damon narrowed his eyes at that.

"No, what?"

"It means that you and I have to stop doing whatever it is that we are doing." She stated. Damon met her eyes and pouted.

"Why? We can still have our fun." Rose narrowed her eyes at him.

"I may be a lot of things, but I have boundaries' and morals and being your mistress is one of them. You are engaged to be married Damon whether you like it or not, you have to except that." She reasoned with him as she stood up and grabbing a towel to dry herself of. Damon watched in silence, as she got ready for bed, his mind going over what she had just said.

"Ok, you're right. I was wrong, but if you tell anyone I'll deny it." He admitted as they walked back to the master bedroom. "Can I at least stay here for the night? I promise I wont try anything." Damon asked hopefully. Rose gave a sigh in defeat.

"Alright, you can stay here," Damon was about to thank her but she cut him of. "But you are sleeping in the guest bedroom, with the door shut throughout the entire night." Damon just smiled and nodded.

"Fine, I'll let you go to sleep and I will be out of your hair by morning." He kissed her cheek – which earned him a scowl from her – and then he bid her goodnight.

Elena woke up the next morning to the sun streaming into her bedroom and for a moment she didn't remember last night's events'. She let her eyes wonder out into the city, or at least the rooftops of the city anyways. But all to soon her mind caught up to everything and she felt sad and depressed. With a sigh she got out of bed and walked to her bathroom. Elena was shocked at what she saw in the mirror. Her face was red and tearstained and her hair was messy and tangled. And it didn't take her long before she had turned on her shower and hoped inside.

After she got out fifteen minutes later after having allowed herself to stay a little longer she began her normal morning routine. She brushed her teeth first and applied moisturizer. Next she blow dried her hair and straightened it in its usual fashion. After that she put on her normal amount of make-up and then she made her way her walk in closet. She took her time this morning; she wanted to at least look good on the outside, even if she was crying on the inside. When she was done she walked back into her room and checked her email very fast and then she on her way down stairs.

As she descended the staircase she heard load voices coming from, both the kitchen and her fathers study. People were always coming and going from the apartment, but today seemed to be different in a way. It was almost as if Elena could tell that today was not an ordinary day at the Gilbert household. Walking into the kitchen Elena saw her mother bossing a crowd of people around. Isobel Gilbert was a very intimidating woman and she was known all over the city of New York as the ice queen. But to Elena she was just; mom.

"Good morning mother. What's all this?" Elena asked her mom gesturing towards all the people in the room. Isobel turned to look at her daughter and she smiled at her warmly.

"Well your father and I didn't get a chance to tell you last night, but we are going to travel to Mystic Falls, Virginia to stay with the Salvatores' for the summer, so that you and Damon can get acquainted before the wedding." Elena's face fell at that.

"Oh sweetheart, come on. Lighten up Damon is a complete gentleman. And trust me, he not hard on the eyes either." Elena just choose to ignore that last remark.

"I just didn't realize that it would be this soon." She said in a weak voice.

This caught Isobel's attention and she didn't waste any time going over to Elena and embracing her in a tight hug.

"I know baby. I know. But this is for the best and you know it." Isobel whispered into Elena's ear so only she could hear her. Elena had to use all her strength not to break down and cry into her mother's shoulder and beg for her not to make her do this.

"I'm scared mom." Elena whispered back.

"I know, but it's going to be okay. You're going to be okay. I promise you." And with that Isobel pulled back and smiled warmly at Elena. "You're a Gilbert, you can handle anything. Now pull yourself together. We have a long day ahead of us and there is a lot to be taken care of before we leave tomorrow." Elena sighed as she watched her mother go back to bossing people around again. It was rare of her mother to show Elena that side of her, but that side was only for hers, Jeremy's and there father's eyes only. It was funny actually, even though Isobel wasn't involved in the business, sometimes it seamed as if people were more frightened by her then her husband.

It seamed like the day just would not end as people were running in and out of the penthouse none stop. Through out the day Elena wasn't allowed to pack her own stuff, her mom made sure that the maids did that for her. Even though Elena was more then willing to do it herself. Her brother and father were in the study; most likely discussing business deals and what not and so Elena had nothing to do at all. By the time the clock struck three Elena couldn't take it anymore so she asked her mother if she could go get some fresh air. Her mom was so busy with bossing everybody around so she just told her to go do whatever she wanted as long as one of the bodyguards went with her. Elena was so thrilled that she didn't even mind having a stuck up man following her and watching her every move come with her outside.

When she was out of the huge building she took in a long breath and let it out slowly. The air was warm and the sun was shinning bright over the city. The bodyguard kept his distance the entire time and for that she was grateful. She walked through central park and watched, as kids played aimlessly not seaming to get tired of running around. She saw people all over the place sitting on the grass eating out of picnic baskets. As she walked further she came to a pond where a few little kids were throwing bread at the ducks that were swimming around. Elena stopped and smiled at the sight in front of her. One of the kids – a girl – saw her staring and ran up to her.

"I suggest that you just keep your distance or I will call my father right now and have him fire your sorry ass." Elena hated using her father as a threat, but when she looked down at the girl that almost looked like she could start crying any second now, she didn't have a problem with making an exception just this once. The man stepped back not saying a word. Elena bent down so she was in eye level with a girl.

"What's your name sweetie?" She asked giving her a smile. The girl smiled shyly and answered.

"Emily. What's yours?" Emily asked back.

"I'm Elena." The little girl smiled brighter.

"Do you want to help me feed the ducks?" She asked hopeful, while lifting up a piece of bread for Elena to take.

"I would love to Emily." Elena said while grabbing the bread from her and taking her small hand in hers to let her lead her towards the pond.

When Elena came home that same night the apartment was still in chaos so she simply asked one of the maids to bring her dinner up to her room and to tell her mother that she was home. After putting on pajamas and eating her dinner Elena was both physically and emotionally exhausted and she was more then ready to go to sleep, but just before she was about to clime into bed a nock on the door rang through the room. Letting out an annoyed breath she told whoever it was to come in.

"Don't mind me, I'm only hear to give you this and to say goodbye." Isobel handed Elena the paper, kissed her on the forehead and then she was out of the door before Elena had the chance to say anything. She just shook her head and climbed into her bed with the paper still in her hands. After she got settled in she finally looked down at the letter that had her name written elegantly in the center. When she opened it the letter read:

Miss Elena, it gives me grate pleasure to finally get to meet you tomorrow night. You may not remember me from when you were a little girl, but trust me I remember you very well. I have been looking forward to this day for a very long time now.

Sincerely Giuseppe Salvatore.

Elena didn't know what to think about the letter but she decided not to think about it at all right now and so she put the letter on her nightstand and turned of her lamp. And a minute later she had fallen into a deep sleep.

#Okay so what did you guys think?

-anitahh98