Thirteen Years Earlier..

'Daymie?' shouted a five-year old Elena Gilbert, looking for her fuzzy-haired best friend. 'Day-mieeee? Where are you?' She called again. She was getting worried, he had been missing in their hide-and-seek game for nearly an hour!

'BOO!' Shouted Damon as he came out from his hiding place, grabbing Elena's sides, making her squeal and burst into tears. This sight broke the 6-year old's heart. They were too young to date, but Elena was everything to Damon. He was one year older and a lot taller, but he didn't care. To him, Elena was perfect. His best friend. His girl.

'Ellie, I didn't mean to scare you!' She nodded. 'Your not crying because I scared you are you? Why are you crying Ellie?' He said worriedly as he ran over to her and embraced her to make the crying stop.

'I thought, I-I thought you were dead' she managed to make out between sobs. 'I w-was scared, you were hiding f-for so long!' and with that, she cried harder into Damon's chest. His shirt was practically ruined, but he didn't care. Elena needed him to make everything better, and right now, that was all that mattered.

'Ellie, I will always be here whether I'm with you or not. Your my best friend, and.. I love you' He looked away, his cheeks crimson from his declaration. He took off his necklace and gave it her.'Here, wear this, then you know that you will always have part of me with you'

'Oh, thank you Daymie, I love it!' She hugged him harder and her crying had changed quickly into ''happy tears''.

'Oh, and I love you too!' she whispered into his ear. It was all she could say through her tears, but it was enough. He looked at her in awe. He knew she was something special to him. She made him feel grown-up, and he felt it was his duty - if you will, to protect her no matter what the cost.

Today..

'Elena, get your ass out of bed or I will come up there and drag you out myself!' shouted Jenna. 'I didn't think your.. kind needed that much sleep anyway!' She quizzed Elena jokingly.

Elena held back a laugh and got out of bed, picking out some black skinny jeans and a low cut top, that showed a perfect balance of her cleavage and necklace, that she had never taken off since it was given too her. She was starting back at school today and it was her first day at a school since she'd turned. Elena missed her old life massively, she grabbed her old Gilbert family Lapis Lazuli ring and walked to her en-suite.

'Okay, okay! I'm up Aunt Jenna!' she shouted whilst getting into the shower 'You know I'm grumpy without sleep! I'm different to other vampires!' 'Or at least I try not to be' she thought to herself.

'I know Elena, I've got you a blood bag ready, hurry and drink it and I will drop you off at school' Jenna replied in half an attempt to cheer her up. She respected her Aunt and how well she took the vampire situation. When Elijah had turned her 'for fun' one night she visited her parents' graves, she had thought Jenna would have kicked her out and left her to fend for herself, but she was wrong, and gratefully wrong at that. When she got to school, all she wanted to do was keep a low profile and not attract any unnecessary attention, but, when your Elena Gilbert, 5-time Miss Mystic Falls and a member of a (messed up) founding family, that just doesn't happen.

When she got to school, Jenna felt her tense up in the car and sighed sympathetically.

'You'll be fine Elena! You have Care and Bonnie and the cheerleading squad. You'll be just fine honey'

'I know. I'm just.. what if I bite someone in class or-?'

'Elena shut up and go to school, you know as well as the next person you'll be fine! Your Aunt Katherine has helped you over come your.. habits. Relax and remember what she taught you, everything will be fine..' Elena felt defeated, Jenna was right. She gave her aunty a hug, was given one last 'Good Luck' and was stranded at the main gate. She put her head down and made her way to receive her schedule, when..

'Elena! Elena! Over here!' She jumped at the sound of her name being called, but relaxed when she saw Bonnie and Caroline run up to her.

'Hey, why so.. happy?' she questioned the excitement on their faces.

'Elena, your not the only new student in our year this term, here, meet Stefan Salvatore, transferred from Mystic Falls Academy on the other side of town'

Salvatore? No, it couldn't be. She couldn't possibly be in the same school as her best friends again could she?

What an amazing coincidence. Her childhood best friends were at her school. Bonnie and Caroline knew Stefan Salvatore wasn't knew to her, they knew he was Damon's brother. Elena looked at Stefan and smiled. When their gaze met, she instantly recognized him as if they spoke yesterday. He hadn't changed much. Curly hair, baby faced but he was physically ripped. Wow! She thought. If Stefan looked like this, what would Damon look like? Her thoughts were interrupted by Stefan.

'Elena Gilbert. After all these years I've finally seen you again! We've all missed you so much! Where have you been? Come here little sis'!' He said whilst engulfing her into a massive hug.

'Stefan! OMG I've missed you too!' She hugged him. She was overwhelmed that Stefan was here, and Bonnie and Caroline were beaming, they knew all about the brothers' role in her childhood, and walked off to let the two..catch up. She was so lost in conversation, she had completely forgotten one thing. If Stefan is around, Damon must be somewhere too. Oh god, what would she say too him. They hadn't seen the Salvatore's since before her parents' had died. Would he hate her for not contacting him in all these years? He certainly wouldn't like the fact she was a vampire. In fact, he would hate her, it was bound too happen.

'So Elena, I know Damon's been trying to find you these past couple of years, where have you been? You look great by the way!' She didn't even acknowledge the compliment. Damon, her Damon had been trying to find her. It was then the butterflies she would feel as a little girl were awoken again, but in vampire speed.

'I had to move away to the lake house with my Aunt Jenna, we only recently moved back to Mystic Falls for Jeremy's.. condition' He nodded understandably. 'Where is Damon? Isn't he a senior this year?'

'Yeah, he is a senior, oh speak of the devil! Turn around Elena' said Stefan. She hesitated for a millisecond and slowly turned on her heel. There he was. Her Damon was walking up to her, with a smirk on his face making him look sexy. He had grown up more perfect than she would ever have imagined. She felt the butterflies move faster and she felt a bit light headed. His eyes met hers and it was as if she had never been away.

'E-Elena?' Her knees went weak at the sound of his deep voice. She couldn't think of anything else to do, but run up to him and embrace him. For the first time in her years as a vampire, she felt safe, and almost human again. He let go eventually, looking her up and down, baffled by how beautiful she had become. He smiled widely as he got to her chest area. He saw his necklace, in very good condition saying she had had it 13 and a bit years.

'You still wear my necklace?' He said beaming.

'you will always have part of me with you' she recited. 'How could I have taken it off?' They smiled at the memory.

'I've missed you. In fact, we all have. You leaving had a massive impact on our family' She felt guilty and Damon could see it in her face. 'No, don't look like that Elena, you had to go'.

'I've missed you too Damon, damn, I was heart-broken leaving you, I hated not being around you, and I still do- well, did, we're back together now' She beamed, and he copied her in this action. She noticed that he was wearing a Lapis Lazuli, but thought nothing of it.

'What are you doing tonight? We need to.. catch up' Damon said with a wink.

'Nothing I know of, do you want me to call Jenna ask if you can come over? She'll be thrilled to see you again after all these years. She loved you like a nephew' Elena said hopeful.

'I would, but I have to drive Stefan home. I could come up around 5?' He suggested. He also wanted to spend time with his long-lost love.

'5 would be great, dinner is usually at 6 so don't eat! I'll let Jenna know we have a.. guest' She winked. He loved it when she winked, as it reminded him of the times he taught her to wink when they were younger. The bell rang signalling registration had started.

'That sounds perfect Elena, now come on, what kind of impression would we leave if the 'new students' are late on their first day?'

'Oh God, your right! Come on, lets go' She instinctively grabbed his hand and made way for the main reception to pick up their schedule. She let go once she had realised what she had done, avoiding eye contact with Damon and blushed.

'After all this time I can still make you blush' Damon joked as he was handed his schedule.

'Shut up Damon! Come on, lets get to our classes' She changed the subject. She was glad that they just as comfortable around each other now as they were did back in the day. If she was going to rebuild their relationship from their childhood, which she was, she had to be honest with him. She decided that tonight she would tell Damon about that night with Elijah, and give him her spare vervain ring. He already had a Lapis Lazuli, what a coincidence, she thought. All Elena could think of was spending time with Damon tonight, she found it hard to concentrate on her school work and Bonnie had noticed.

'Elena, are you okay? You don't seem yourself, and I don't need to use my magic as to why not!' She joked.

'I'm fine Bon, I'm just nervous. I've decide to tell him Damon about Elijah, but it isn't exactly going to be the easiest thing I've told him'

'Your telling him your a vamp-' She was interrupted.

'Hey girls! Tell who your a what?' Said Stefan.

'I gotta run, see you later 'Lena' Bonnie hurried off.

'Okay, bye! hey eavesdropper! She smirked at him, looked into his eyes and did what she thought was best. 'We were talking about arranging a shopping trip next weekend with Caroline and Jenna, you heard nothing of the actual conversation and we are just talking as friends' Stefan did the usual reaction to the compulsion and Elena was satisfied.

'Hey Elena! My Father has heard your in town, and he was wondering if you would like to come around sometime?' He said whilst trying to avoid eye contact.

'Well I'm fairly busy this week, but I could come around this weekend?' She suggested.

'Come for Sunday lunch. My father would be delighted to cook for you again. He said he would make his cookies that you used to love!' Stefan and Elena shared a laugh at this reminiscent.

'Consider me there, I couldn't possibly miss Giuseppe's famous cookies!' She laughed, catching sight of a clock. 'Damn it! I've gotta run. I'll see you later Stef'.

'See you Elena' He said 'Oh, and Elena?' She turned around. 'You can't compel another vampire' he winked and walked towards the history block. All she could do was stare baffled, it took her half a second to realise what he had said.

'Wait! Stefan, your a vamp-?' He put his hands on her mouth.

'Yes I am will you keep it down!' she nodded.

'Does your brother know?' she asked.

'Yes of course he does he's-' he stopped himself. 'he's my brother'

'Okay, so it won't shock him to death when I tell him about me then. Do not mention anything about me, I plan on telling him tonight'

'Okay, I promise Elena' he said to her relief. 'Just don't be surprised at his reaction, or should I say, your own reaction'. He said whilst walking away to History. She was gob-smacked, she wanted to know more, but the bell stopped her to running up to Stefan and demanding answers. Now all she could do was wait to tell Damon about her supernatural secret.