Elena
Elena Gilbert walked into the home she'd known for 17 years, completely unaware that her life was about to take another unexpected turn.

She walked to the stairs, thinking of Jeremy and how upset he'd been lately. She was trying to make up for what she'd done, and understood why he wouldn't accept her apologies. That didn't make his rejections any easier to bear.

"Jeremy, you up?" Elena called, not really expecting an answer but determined to try anyway. She waited for an answer, but before she could start to worry, a sound came from the kitchen. A pan dropping, probably. She turned and walked towards it.

Damon
Damon Salvatore opened the door uncertainly. Without thinking about it, he'd opened it so that it didn't make a noise. He could tell Stefan wasn't home yet. It was strange, but wasn't worth wasting another moment thinking about.

He'd just kissed Elena Gilbert. The girl who had mended his broken heart. It sounded cliche, but when Pearl and Anna had told him that Katherine both knew and didn't care where he was, something inside of him had broken. And there was Elena. Sweet, caring, thoughtful Elena. She was the exact opposite of Katherine, besides the looks.

How would he tell Stefan? Could he tell Stefan? He hadn't thought she'd let him even kiss her cheek, never mind her lips. And there was something so familiar about that kiss, as if he'd kissed her in another lifetime.

What could have changed her mind about him? She didn't seem too thrilled at the Founder's Day extravaganza, not that he was surprised. Considering he'd almost been burned alive, he hadn't had too much fun either.

Thinking about that basement made Damon think about the Mayor. Why had he been taken there? The vervain obviously hadn't affected him, but the frequency had. For a moment, he wondered if anything had happened to the Mayor's son. What was his name? Tyler, that was it.

Inevitably, his thoughts couldn't stray from Elena for long. Stefan would be home any minute, and what could he say? Stefan was being as jealous as that whipped vampire Edward Cullen. At least that pathetic excuse had never had to deal with Katherine and his brother.

Something in Damon suddenly stopped. He froze in a way only a vampire could, then raced out the door. He knew who that kiss had reminded him of.

Jeremy
Jeremy waited for life to end. He used to be into drugs, and he knew how many you needed to take before you'd pass out. He waited for that now, waited for that endless peace that he knew being a vampire would bring. He liked the idea that Anna's blood would give him this release...release from her.

Elena
Elena turned into the kitchen, and her first thought was how simple the room was. She'd never noticed before. Everything was white, and in order.

Except now there was blood and a body on the floor.

She gasped, thoughts turning to Stefan, who would know what to do. He could protect her. The next second, she recognized the body.

Was she doomed to lose everything, then? Her birth mother was a complete disappointment. Both of her adopted parents were dead. Jeremy hated her. Was it fate's cruel joke that her birth father was lying on the floor, a pool of blood around him?

While she stood, unable to move her eyes from that awful sight, Aunt Jenna entered through the other door. She gasped and immediately grabbed the phone to call 911.

"No!" Elena shouted, looking with tear-filled eyes at the last member of her family who wasn't dead and didn't hate her. She reached out her hand. "I need to call Stefan," she said, voice breaking.

Aunt Jenna paused for a moment, then walked across the room to give the phone to Elena.

"Stefan?"

"Elena, what's wrong?" Stefan asked, voice hard and sure.

"John. He...he..." She knew she wouldn't need to say anything more, which was good, because words were becoming impossible for her.

"I'm on my way." She hung up.

Aunt Jenna looked at John, then sat down in a chair. "We need to call 911," she told Elena faintly.

"No, we don't."

"Elena, I'm tired of your attitude today! What were you doing outside with Damon? What are you thinking?"

"Damon?" Elena repeated, voice hard.

"Yes Elena, Damon. I don't want you to be with him, and it's obvious that he's a bad influence!"

"Jenna, I only just got home!" Elena cried. Her eyes drifted to the body of her father, and understanding came.

Damon
Damon ran, terrified that he would be too late. He knew now why Elena had seemed so different earlier...she wasn't Elena at all. She was Katherine.