A/N: This is a work of fiction for the Vampire Diaries.I do not own the characters nor will I be making money off of this fic. Slightly A/U, I wanted to see what the series would be like if Damon never compelled Elena to forget meeting him first and how all the intermingled relationships would fall out because of this.

Rated M for language and mature content. Smut, we shall see where the muse takes me, feed- back would be appreciated, be nice! :) Review, favourite, send me ideas on things you all might want to see happen.

Love, me!

Elena stood with her phone to her ear, frowning. " I know, Aunt Jenna, I just got into a fight with Matt again and it was supposed to be a fun night and..." she trailed off. It was a beautiful late spring evening in Mystic Falls, Virginia. It was warm and light and the smells that carried on the faint breeze smelled of green and growing things. A perfectly romantic night, if she hadn't completely and royally fucked it up; again.

She sighed again, " I just want what I want. I don't want safe, stable or easy, Aunt Jenna, I just want to be young and not think about marriage and kids yet, I'm seventeen!" She laughed in self-deprecation.

"Well, Elena, you know what you need to do, your mom says you should just tell Matt how you feel," Jenna soothed. Her voice became muffled for a second and then she came back on the line" Miranda wants to know if you need a ride home from the party?"

"No, I think I'll walk and clear my head a little, it's not too far and it's a clear night," Elena replied, smiling.

Her mom came on the line just then, " Be careful, honey, ok? Don't talk to strangers!"

"

Ha, ha mom, very clever, there ARE no strangers here!" she laughed." I'll see you in an hour, I have my cell." Elena disconnected the call and glanced back at the still-in-full-swing party. She was no longer in the mood and knew the walk would clear her head a little. She turned away from the lights and the gaiety and ran smack into the broad chest of a complete stranger.

(odd as she had just told her mother there weren't any)

"Shit! Sorry! I wasn't watching!" she looked up into the most crystalline blue eyes she'd ever seen. He was, in a word, beautiful with his raven hair, square jaw and beautifully lush mouth. And those EYES! Dark lashed blue with arching black brows, lean leather jacketed body; in a word beautiful.

"Katherine," that one word a curse, a plea, an answered prayer. His voice was roughened velvet over steel; musical and deep at the same time. Elena shivered, felt a tug, something about him that titillated yet terrified her at the same time. She wanted to run away from his eyes that raked over her, greedily, lustfully, eyes that paused at her hips, breasts and throat. She saw his eyes sadden as they lingered on her neck and the wistful yearning in his face and posture as he sagged, just a little under some sort of personal realization. She somehow felt she needed to take that look away.

"No, I'm Elena," She looked toward the party briefly, realizing that she wanted to flee, maybe should flee but she didn't flee. She stayed rooted though and turned back to the (extremely hot) stranger who seemed to be so sad.

"Elena?" he repeated, still staring hard at her; almost like he was listening to something.

"Yes, Elena, and you are..." she stayed a good distance from him, mostly in case she needed the head start should he turn out to be a raving psycho.

"Oh, yeah, sorry, you just really look like someone I used to know," he took a step forward " I'm Damon."

Elena still didn't move closer as there was something distinctly odd about his emphasis on the words "used to know".

"No offence, Damon, but, what are you doing out here in the middle of nowhere?" she tilted her head in curiosity.

"I might ask you the same question, Elena," Damon retorted, a smirk on his face as he oh-so-casually stepped closer to her.

"Party, and I got into a huge fight with my now ex-boyfriend," she smiled sheepishly.

"Why did you guys fight?' Damon asked genuinely curious as to why this seemingly nice girl would fight with ANYONE.

"He wants the white picket fence, the two point five kids, the truck and the nice little house on main street," she sighed heavily.

"And you don't?" Damon said.

"No, I don't, I don't think I'm cut out for that," Elena replied.

"Of course not, you're, what, seventeen?" she nodded assent. "Who wants that at seventeen?" Damon kept his eyes on hers, her eyes that were so big, brown and full of, caring, for him? No, she could hardly care for him after such a short time; and yet there it was, a compassion writ on her face that was almost his undoing.

"Well, Matt did, but I think that has a lot to do with the fact that his mom is always running off and leaving him to fend for himself," Elena supplied. "I don't really know what I want yet."

"You want what everyone wants, Elena, " Damon was only a foot or so away. How did he do that? Elena wasn't sure but she didn't feel like running away anymore. She felt that pull again, that connection to him.

"And what's that oh mysterious stranger who has all the answers?" she gave him a coy head-tilted smile.

"You want passion and adventure, and maybe even a little danger. You want a love that consumes you and someone who will always be there to protect you and look after you," Damon smiled at her. Elena nearly had a heart attack. That smile coupled with that face and that body, was devastating to her libido. She was shocked that her panties didn't ignite on the spot.

"Good answer, " she gazed at him. Damon could almost hear her next question before she formed it"Would you walk me home?"

He was even more surprised when he answered her "Sure, Elena, I'd love to," and meant it.

Christ! She looked and sounded IDENTICAL to Katherine! He had almost thought it was, until he heard the thud of her very human heart. Also, the look in her eyes was so un-Katherine, he was surprised he hadn't noticed it sooner. He was captivated, lost as he listened to her speak and laugh and found himself standing as near to her as he could without scaring her off. Her scent was heady and light and added a distinct aura to her already appealing package. He still wanted to follow through with his diabolical master plan but he could use a little bit of a distraction in Elena. He felt it was either a testament to her naivete or to his ability to be a ruthless prick; he was never sure. He wanted to know what it would be like to touch her human skin, to kiss her human lips and hear her heart thud as he...

he mentally shook himself, he needed to focus. He surprised himself when he agreed to walk her home. He couldn't remember ever walking a girl home. He wasn't the one who did those types of gentlemanly things, he left that for Stefan; he was the one the girls of his time used for the night, the bad boy brother good for nothing but a lay.

He liked that her heart picked up every time he spoke or looked into her big brown doe eyes. He smiled over at her just to get that reaction again.

"Shall we?" he asked indicating she should lead the way.

She smiled back,"sure." and started walking. He admired her jeans-clad behind as she walked past then followed.

They walked together for a few minutes in silence, Elena peeking at his chiseled profile every couple of seconds as if memorizing the angles of his face.

"So, Damon, are you just visiting, or are you an original?" she asked him after five minutes had passed.

"Oh, my family is one of the founders of this town, the Salvatores," he replied.

"Wow! That's funny, my family is a founding family too, the Gilberts," she said, her voice all excited as she moved closer to him. He didn't discourage her movements and in fact scooped her hand up and settled it into the crook of his arm. He saw her smile in a pleased way at the old-world gesture and he smiled in return.

Sometimes it was the little things, the little exchanges, the smallish gestures that grew into more.

They walked along, enjoying the night and chatting aimlessly about trivial things to the casual observer but things that set the stage for future events that would change Elena's world;for good or ill would remain to be seen. Damon turned to her as they walked and said,"so no white picket fences, hey?"

"Not now, no, maybe one day. It might not be for me, ever. I just don't know. I want to be a teenager, have fun, party with my friends, hang out at the mall, meet a nice man, " she blushed prettily at the last.

"All normal things anyone might want," Damon said looking at her face as it changed in the play of light and shadow from the moon. " But what do you really want, Elena?"

AH! Her name from his lips, she felt her innards clench.

" Ah, fuck it! I don't want to be what everyone wants me to be! I just want to be me, live up to my own expectations." she stated.

"Ah, There you have it, bravo, a decision!" He chuckled

" I know, I have to stop caring what everyone thinks, I gotta be me, you know? I don't want to hurt anyone, I just want to have fun, be normal," she smiled a little.

"Well, you are definitely on the right path to awesome, you allowed me to walk you home, " he smirked.

"Well, I thank -you for not being a psycho, " she laughed. "And you haven't tried to ravage me on our walk, so you must be either very mannerly or very gay."

Damon couldn't believe his ears, was she baiting him? She was smirking and teasing and she looked so carefree and alluring in the semi-dark he couldn't resist his next words.

"Trust me, I'm seriously considering the afore mentioned ravaging once we round the next bend." he growled. She was setting his nerves afire with her every movement.

She choked on her own gasp as she looked into his face. He looked half serious as his eyes devoured her, setting her on fire with their laser heat. He stopped suddenly and pulled her against him, a hard thought the only thing between them. Elena felt her eyes go huge and her lips parted as she ratcheted in air that she was suddenly in very short supply of. He cupped her face gently under her hair, his long fingers gently stroking her hair line, his eyes on hers; cerulean to chocolate, both filled with want.

"Elena?" it was a softly whispered question, an out if she said no. That he would intuit that she might reject him spoke volumes to Elena about how often he had been. She looked in his eyes, let hers travel to the delectable softness of his mouth and back up to his eyes in silent assent. He bent his head and gently, slowly brought his lips to hers, light caressing, still allowing her an opportunity to pull away.

Instead she fell with every heartbeat and soft breathless sigh.

She brought her hands up and parted her lips at the same time and it was all he needed to sweep his tongue through her mouth and deepen the kiss. She fisted a hand in his raven hair and threw herself into the kiss with vigour as she undulated against him, wrapping one leg around his and trying to climb into his mouth. He tasted like sin and absolution with every movement of their lips and she was intoxicated by his warmth and smell. She was moaning and didn't care.

Damon ran his hands all over her back, reaching down to cup the tight curve of her behind as she went wild and tried to eat him.(Ironic that, considering what he was). He toyed with the hem of her shirt, trailing his fingers lightly along the skin he exposed. She went wild in his arms and hoisted herself up with her legs wrapped around his waist as she kissed the living shit out of him.

Damon held on for dear life as she used her body to work his into a burning, aching need that consumed him. He was surrounded by her, filled to the brim with her and he just wanted more; he wanted her. He had to snap her out of this frenzy or he wouldn't be able, in a startlingly short time, to not rip off her clothes and bury himself in her. He knew he didn't have the control if he let it continue; let her continue. He noticed that his shirt was now hanging open and that she was trying to tug hers off.

"Elena," he said pulling back slightly"sweetheart?" He pulled her head up to look into her eyes.

"What's wrong?" she tilted her head a little and bit her lip.

His libido stood at attention.

"We can't do this here, this close to the road, honey" he said placing her feet on the ground.

"Yeah, I guess it's too open, but" she pulled her shirt over her head and Damon felt his mouth drop open as he took in her creamy skin and high, bra-clad breasts. " there's a spot a couple yards back that's pretty hidden." She was backing up and he realized he was following before he gave himself a mental smack and closed his moth.

"Elena, as much as I'm probably going to kick myself later for even saying this, I mean, we can't do this out here in the bush." He couldn't believe his own words. Usually he let his favourite body part do the thinking and hang the rules but this time, for this girl, he wanted to wait. Wanted to take his time getting to know her. He knew she was more than a quick lay and he wanted to be more than a quick revenge lay for her; he was surprised that he wanted that, hoped for that with her.

She looked a little pissed by the end of his speech and he rushed to explain before she went wild and skinned him for his seeming "rejection" of her very obvious and beautiful "assets".

"Believe me, I want you, probably more than is good for me and you, for that matter. I'd like to get to know you a bit better. Maybe go on a date," he said, surprised when he meant it.

"Really? You want to go out with me?" she seemed inordinately pleased by the prospect.

"Yes, now please put your shirt on before all the good intentions I have go the way of the dodo, " he smirked.

"Okay, thanks-you, I'm not used to guys who give a hell for my wants," she pulled her shirt on and smiled. Damon felt his heart squeeze and he fell for her a little more.

He smiled and tucked her hand into the crook of his arm again as they continued walking. They chatted about everything and nothing and as they rounded the corner near old Wickory Bridge, a car approached from the opposite side and went right over the side into the river.

"DAMON!" Elena was screaming"That's my parents' car! Oh my god! What are we going to do?"

Elena was hysterical as she started running toward the bank below. She threw her cellphone onto the grass and dove into the river swimming out to where the car was rapidly sliding below the waterline. Damon used his phone and called the police and then stripped off his coat and threw it and his cellphone onto the grass as well, diving into the frigid water and swimming after Elena. She dove under and so did Damon, both getting to the car at the same time. Elena swam to her mother's side of the car and tried to tug the door open to no avail. She looked at Damon and shook her head frantically as she motioned that she needed air Damon nodded and turned to the door, ripping it off and reaching inside to break the seatbelt. He saw Elena come back swimming through the murk and handed her her mother's still form. He motioned that she take her up and he would try to get her father. She swam up and Damon repeated the door removal on the driver's side. He pulled Elena's father out and swam the way Elena had gone. Seconds later he broke the surface and stroked toward shore. He laid Elena's father down next to her mother and felt for a pulse; Elena was already doing CPR on her mother, sobbing brokenly as she got nothing. Damon saw that Elena's father's neck was at an odd angle and felt his heart clench for what her was about to say.

"Elena, your dad, I think his neck is broken," he touched her back as she worked furiously over her mother's still unresponsive form.

"Damon, are you sure?" Elena choked, still going through the motions.

"Yes, Elena, I'm.." he stopped as she slashed her hand at him, turning her tear streaked face to his."Can you check my mom, please?" Her voice was small when she asked this.

"Yes," he said, even though he could hear nothing with his ears, he went through all the motions for her sake anyway.

"Is she..?" Elena said

" I think so, Elena, I, we should wait for the ambulance to be sure, " he put his arm around her as she quietly fell apart, holding her dead mother's hand and sobbing into his already soaked shirt. He held her and let her wail and curse God and Fate and the cruelty of a world that would take her parents from her. He ached for her and as the ambulance arrived she dialled back her tears and her eyes emptied of emotion.

They put her parents into the ambulance and she turned her huge dry eyes to him, wordlessly pleading for him to accompany her. He touched her cheek and nodded again, wordlessly telling her he would go. She jerked her head once and got into the back of the ambulance that held her family. Damon collected his coat and their phones and got into the back of one of the police cars. The envoy went to the hospital morgue and Damon found Elena sitting with her brother, Jeremy, in the hallway outside the morgue. Both were crying with their arms around one another; the sister came, Aunt Jenna, more tears, the coroner and the Sheriff, Forbes her name was. Elena Got a little hysterical and the doctor had to give her a shot, she was pretty out of it after that.

"Damon is it?" Jenna asked a while later

"Yes, Jenna, right?" Damon held out his hand. She shook it and took his measure as she did.

"You were with Elena when she found them?" Jenna asked.

"Yes, we saw the accident, what happened?" He replied.

"They figure that the steering went, Grayson's neck was broken and Miranda drowned." Jenna wiped her eyes and turned away.

" I thought so, is Elena going to be ok? I can take her home, if you like, I have my car down the street, Damon found himself offering.

"Yes, I got Jeremy a sedative too, and I only have a two seater. Here is the address, I'll meet you there in an hour, I have to sign the release forms." Jenna swiped at her eyes.

"Thank-you, Jenna, I'll get Elena home safe," Damon shook her hand and went to get his car.

He collected Elena's sleeping form and buckled her into the car. He drove through a nice area and pulled up in front of the right house. He plucked Elena out of the car and carried her up the porch stairs and into the house. He went up the stairs slowly and eased her into her room. He laid her gently into her bed and started to cover her when she croaked out in a broken whisper: "Damon?"

"Yes, Elena?" he replied sitting down next to her.

She opened her eyes and looked into his for a moment before speaking. " Would you stay with me tonight? I don't want to be alone. I'm all alone now, Jeremy and I.." two fat tears rolled down her cheeks.

"I'll stay," Damon said quietly. He stood and stripped out of his damp shirt and pants and crawled under the covers, laying awkwardly next to her. She looked him over and said, " you're so beautiful, Damon, my guardian angel." With that statement, she cuddled into his side and pillowed her head on his chest.

"Thank-you," she murmured.

"You're welcome, Elena," he said quietly in her ear.

Surprised at how natural holding her like this felt, how well she fit in his arms; two halves of the whole.