A/N: Hey all! I've got a new story for you guys. This story will be based off of some of the flashbacks from "One and Only". In other words, I'm going to be expanding on them in this story and of course, I'll be adding a lot more new stuff to it that we didn't get to see in the original.
(If you haven't read "One and Only" I suggest it. However, you don't need to read it first to know what's going on in this story.) :)
Anyways, it's a prequel to "One and Only" which means that it's all the events that happened before Stefan went missing for 5 years. It'll include things like how Stefan and Elena really met. How everyone all became so close and like a family. It'll have Caroline before she became a Lockwood, before Bonnie became a Salvatore...etc. I'll be including a lot of familiar faces and some new ones characters that I've created. So, hopefully that won't confuse anyone too much. So, without further explaining...
Here's the first prologue for "Before You Were Mine"
Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries. I just use the characters for my own enjoyment.
Enjoy!
Before You Were Mine- Prologue-
-Stefan-
"Don't go." I tell her, my voice is scratchy and raw as she leans into me, kissing my lips gingerly, her hand running through my brown messy hair. "I need to. Besides, my mother is going to be home soon and if she finds you in my bed, she'll hate you even more." She adds, batting her light brown eyelashes at me as I attempt to grab at her. Groaning when she swats my arms away.
"Stefan..I need to get going.I have things to do and-." Makayla pauses, her lips pursed together as she places her finger on to my lips and frowns. "Right now, they don't involve sleeping with my very sexy boyfriend or making out with him while he's half naked in my bedroom."
"Oh come on..I snuck in here last night. No one even knows that I'm still here." I tell her, watching as she gets up, her long blonde hair falling to the middle of her back as she smiles at me once again and pulls her tank top over her bare skin.
"No one? Well, you should tell that to whoever was making your cell phone buzz like crazy for the past hour and a half." She adds with a laugh, getting up and throwing my jeans on to the bed.
"My cell phone...What are you talking about?" I ask, watching Makayla scrunch up her dirty blonde hair into a high ponytail as she tilts her head to the side, her blue eyes gleaming when she grabs my cell phone from the desk beside her and types in the pass code.
"Who's Damon?" She asks, giving me a confused look as she places the phone in front of my face and I blink at the screen, like I have no idea what she's talking about. That's until, it hits me.
Damon...Ceremony...Firehouse..Downtown Manhattan Today...Me not there…
I'm late and very screwed! "He's my brother and he's graduating from the academy today...Right now, actually." I mumble to myself, pushing myself off of her bed as she scratches her head and gives me a confused look.
"He's officially becoming a firefighter today." I clarify. It's like the light bulb in Makayla's head goes off as her eyes light up and she asks. "Can I come with you?"
Can she come with me? A girl that I've just been sleeping around with for the last few months..We're not even exclusive. And she wants to come with me to my brother's graduation... Is she being serious?
"I..Um…. I don't think-" I pause, not really sure what to tell her as she lifts her eyebrows at me and places her hands on to her hips. "I'm your girlfriend, Stefan. I should go to these events with you. Besides, I'd love to meet your brother." She adds casually as I just smile and nod, falling back against her bed and trying to think how I'm going to approach Damon. I haven't seen him since my high school graduation- Three months ago. And, needless to say, he has no idea that I'm even dating anyone. Let allow his new boss's daughter. To be more specific, the fire chief's daughter, Makayla Murphy.
"Your dad will be there." I try to say, avoiding the whole- girlfriend topic. And, hoping that the idea of seeing her father being there will scare her off. Yet, it doesn't.
I watch as she smirks and pulls her short plaid white and black skirt over her pale skinny legs. "So, what? I'll meet your brother and you, can meet my father. Fire Chief Patrick Murphy of District 17." She declares, a gleeful expression on her face when I hear her snap her fingers together and she adds. "This is going to be so great! Daddy is going to love you!"
I grab a hold of my head, closing my eyes and falling back into the pillows as I mutter out. "God, I hope so. Let's just hope that daddy..Doesn't kill me first."
-Damon-
I, Damon Salvatore, do solemnly swear to do my duty as a Firefighter for the New York City Fire and Rescue District to the best of my ability; to serve my commanding officers with respect and dignity; to serve the citizens of the New York City Fire and Rescue District with compassion, courage and integrity; and to uphold the laws and constitutions of the United States of America, the State of New York and the Charter of the New York City Fire District; so help me God.
As I finish the oath and place my hand down to my side, I glance over to hear the loud and large double doors in the room open up and notice that Stefan's quietly making his way into the building. A perky looking 18 year old girl is around his arm as they both grab a seat in the back row. I'm taken back for a moment when the commissioner pats me on the shoulder and shakes my hand. I'm the last one of the 35 new faces to graduate at the top of my class and this right now, is a pretty big deal. Thankfully, my little brother was here to witness even a small part of the ceremony.
"Welcome to the FDNY, Son. District 17 will be happy to have you." Patrick Murphy, a salt and peppered haired man that's tan skinned and looks to be in his early 50's says to me as I nod at him and shake his hand firmly, turning to glance over at the crowd to see a few familiar faces. One of them being my girlfriend for the last two years, Bonnie Bennett and my uncle, Zach Salvatore.
The loud booming clapping starts from the crowd in the small room as the ceremony finishes with a quick wrap up from the commissioner and before I know it, Zach is pulling me into a tight bear hug. "What are you even doing here?" I hear myself asking him, curious as to why he'd even show up.
"I came here for you, Damon. I wouldn't miss this for the world. Your father would be so proud of you. So, where's your brother, Stefan?" He questions, looking around the room and smiling when he spots Stefan, dragging that girl that he had walked in with behind him.
"Zach." Stefan states, looking down at his own sneakers as I watch the odd exchange between my favourite uncle and my younger brother. The tension between them can be felt by not only me. But also by my girlfriend, Bonnie and the girl looped around Stefan's arm like a small snake.
"Congratulations, babe." Bonnie whispers into my ear, kissing my cheek as I feel her hands tighten around mine and she extends out one of her hands towards Zach who now has his placed into the pockets of his khaki trousers.
"I don't think we've officially met. I'm Bonnie, Damon's girlfriend. Damon and I, went to school together." She says smiling with a sweet look as she shakes Zach's hand and then Stefan's.
"Nice to meet you, Bonnie." I hear Stefan comment. While I look at the girl that Stefan brought with him. She's texting on her phone and barely even paying any attention to our awkward family gathering. But, she stops when Stefan nudges her shoulder just a little. The small action finally makes her look up and when she does, she's blushing at me. She giggles, this loud and annoying laugh that makes me wonder what Stefan even finds appealing about her at all. Maybe it's her thin frame or her overly annoying personality..God only knows. My brother's 18 years old and overly hormonal. So, of course he'd go for someone like her...Although, knowing my brother..She probably won't last long until he finds someone new..He's a young man with needs and this one, whatever her name is...She just doesn't seem to cut it for him.
"I'm Makayla..Murphy. My dad's the fire chief at 17, Patrick Murphy..I'm sure you all know him or have heard about him." She comments in a nonchalant tone as my blue eyes widen and I instantly drop Bonnie's hand. I can see my little brother's body stiffen, his face falls when I point to him and mutter out. "Will you excuse me..Stefan, can I talk to you outside. Privately for a moment?"
He shrugs his shoulders back, pops the apparent tension in his neck as his green eyes find my gaze and he can tell that I'm pissed off. "Right now, little brother..Right now." I add in with a choppy, hurried tone.
"What about the rest of the ceremony? Aren't you getting a award?" He asks me, avoiding the subject as I yank him by his arm and drag him outside. Realizing that Bonnie, Zach and the blonde bimbo of the month are all just staring at us like I've lost my mind. I ignore them all though, not wanting to explain what this is about. Because, all I know is that right now. It's between Stefan and I and it's important.
Once outside, Stefan looks dazed. He's laughing though, busting up laughing so hard that his face is red and he's holding his stomach as the tears appear onto his cheeks when he leans back against the wall, catching his heaving breath.
"You think this is funny? Dating Patrick Murphy's daughter! Jesus, Stefan. Out of all the girls in the high school you went to. Better yet, out of all the ones your age in New York City..Your fucking dating his daughter! Do you even know who Patrick is?" I shout at him, watching his hands touch the red brick wall of the building behind us.
Stefan finally catches his breath, inhaling sharply when he locks his eyes on to me and he smirks. "What's the big deal?"
I shake my head, spit out my words at him as I look around before I shove him back against the brick wall, my fingers tightening around the collar of his black shirt. "The big deal little brother is that- She's going to ruin your chances, Stefan. This girl is going to ruin your chances at following your dreams and being what you've always wanted to become. Because of Makayla, you might as well have put a big fat bullseye on both of our backs!"
"I'm just a volunteer at the station, Damon. And, it's not like Patrick knows that we're brother's yet. He's never met me, or seen me, which I liked to keep it that way.." Stefan adds with a cocky smile as I shove him back and step away, running my hands through my hair in irritation.
"Once that man finds out..He's going to make our lives a living hell at the station. It may not mean anything to you right now. But, it will, once you apply and get to where I'm at. So, a piece of advice, little brother. Don't tell him that you're dating his daughter." I advise him, just about to walk back into the building when I look up and I hear his voice booming bounce around into the air and see him walking towards me. The sound of heavy boots making Stefan and I both freeze.
"I couldn't help but overhear your conversation. Damon and Stefan Salvatore? Is that so? I don't know why I didn't make the connection sooner. I'm thrilled to have two brother's serving and protecting our city at the station. So, which one of you lucky men is dating my daughter?" Patrick asks, watching me slowly turn towards him. My blue eyes meet his brown gaze as I lift my hand up and casually point towards Stefan. The moment I do it, my brother looks like I'd just told him to enter the lion's den and that they'd be having him for dinner. It's amazing though, the sudden change in his posture when he straightens himself out and clears his throat, walking the short few feet to where Patrick and I are standing. Stefan extends out his hand and smiles a genuine but very nervous smile as he firmly admits to Patrick. "I am, sir."
-Elena-
"So, how are things going?" My brother asks me as he places his hands across the table to hold on to mine, a smile playing across his lips.
I shrug. "Not well. Mom kicked me out again and this time. I'm not going back, not until she apologizes." I don't know what it is about those words that make my stomach tighten or the look in my brother's eyes soften. But, it's the truth and even though I play it off like being kicked out of the house yet again isn't a big deal. We both know that it is, since I just finished high school and now, I have nowhere to go.
"I don't have anywhere to go, Jeremy." I comment, feeling his fingers squeeze mine when he softly adds. "Stay with me and Anna, until you're able to be on your feet or I don't know, until we can figure something else out. Mom's just going through a phase right now. Look, once she calms down. Then, we'll get you back into the house, get the rest of your things and move you out- for good this time." He adds, smiling just a little as I think about it. Living under the iron hand of my mother, Miranda Gilbert has been putting a strain on my relationship with my brother, and it's been a struggle for Jeremy and I to keep in touch.
"I just don't want to be a burden to you or to anyone...I need a job. I need to make money on my own. I don't care if I'm living paycheck to paycheck, Jer. I can't go back home and I can't be on the streets either." I tell him. I look out towards the small diner, watching suddenly when our waitress smiles down at me and slips an application towards me with her right hand.
"We're hiring." She comments with a smile, looking back at her boss as I glance up at her and read her name tag, watching her blue eyes glisten and her blonde hair sway as she takes a pen out of her pocket and places it down on the table. "I'm sorry, I couldn't help but overhear that you needed a job." She pauses, looking over from me to Jeremy when she adds in." I'm just working here while I save up money for college so that I can go into the criminal justice program. I want to be a police officer, it runs in my family." She babbles on as she turns around when someone shouts her name from behind her.
"A cop, huh? You'll like the job. But, it's tough..As far as I've heard." Jeremy comments, placing his hands around his coffee cup as I smile up at him and swallow the lump in my throat, just thinking about how far he's come.
I'm proud of him, my brother. He's the only one in our family that's not letting anything or anyone get in his way in regards to his dreams. That's why he's working while he lives with his girlfriend, Anna's family in the Bronx. And as he searches for a better job that will help his chances of getting into the police academy one day.
"My brother, he's going to major in Criminal Justice too. He's going to be a police officer in the near future. One of New York's finest." I tell her with a beaming smile as she nods. "Well, I hope to see you both around." She states, pivoting on her heels and walking away as we both hear a loud older woman with a short brown pixie haircut shout in her direction. "Caroline Forbes, stop sharing your life story with the customers and get to work!"
Caroline winks back at us, tying her apron back on and looking over at her boss as she says. "Alright, Rosie..I heard you. Back to work I go!"
I keep staring at the paper that's folded horizontally in my purse. Anna, Jeremy's girlfriend called him to pick her up from her classes. So, right before he left. I told him that I'd fill out the application and hand it back to the owner. That was three hours ago.
"Look, I won't take offense if you don't want to fill it out. I just, I thought maybe it could help you a little. You seem like a sweet girl..In need of a helping hand." She adds in, turning back towards me as I watch her wipe down an empty table with scraps of food still on it and she smiles at me again, turning around to face me this time with her arms crossed over her chest, glancing back behind the large counter and ordering area as her boss gives her a dirty look.
"Rosie, the owner of this diner seems like a pissed off old woman. But, she's got a heart of gold. You'd probably like her a lot. She's like a mom to all of us." She tells me in an honest tone as I nod at her and we both watch the woman named Rosie, disappear in the back again when Caroline slides into the seat that Jeremy had been sitting in just hours earlier.
"I'm sorry that I didn't get to introduce myself to you earlier. I'm Caroline." She says, as I watch her take her red apron off again, bunching it up into her hands this time and placing it on the table before us. I smile at her, an honest and sincere smile as I extend out my hand to her and she shakes it. "I'm Elena." I comment.
Caroline leans back into her seat, keeping an eye out for the owner as she smirks. "I think that if you worked here, we'd become good friends."
I pause for a moment, looking back down at the application and processing her words. It's been so long since I've had a friend. Since I've had anyone want to know more about me or my life that I've forgotten what it feels like to start any sort of relationship with anyone and suddenly, I'm uneasy. Caroline must sense it though because before I can say anything. Her hand is on top of mine and she's shaking her head with a laugh.
"We don't need to be good friends. But, it'd be nice to have another girl in my life to tell things too. I don't have many of those. I mean, I have my mother. But, she just doesn't get it sometimes and she's always working. So…" Caroline's voice trails off as I notice the small diamond ring on her left hand. I watch her quickly cover it with her right hand, as if she's embarrassed by the fact that she's 18 years old and engaged.
"We just recently got engaged, a few months ago. He asked me on the night of graduation and I said yes. Tyler, my fiance is everything that I ever wanted in a man. He's really wonderful. You know, he comes in here from time to time with a small group of his friends, all volunteer fire fighters. I don't really know his friends just yet because he just started the program. But, it's nice to see them all together." She tells me, watching as I smile at the thought of what it must feel like to have that connection with people, to have someone that close, like a family.
"That must be nice, to have that." I comment, causing Caroline's head to tilt to the side in wonder. "Have what?" She asks.
"A sense of family...Him and those guys..They say that firefighters and police officers are like a band of brothers." I reply, as she smiles and nods.
"Yeah, they are. Tyler says that he can't wait to get to know them more and until they really become like brothers. He doesn't have any brothers. So, maybe that's why he's so eager for that to happen." Caroline adds in, glancing down at my half empty application with a hopeful look in her blue eyes.
"You've convinced me." I tell her abruptly. Caroline's face lights up as she nearly shrieks and grabs her apron.
"So, you'll apply?" She asks, watching me lick my lips as I nod at her.
"Yeah. I'll apply. And, you were right. I think that you and I will be good friends." I tell her, placing the pen back into my hands as I fill out the rest of the application for Rosie's diner. I notice that she's gone back to work and has left me to I sit there all alone. But, I don't mind it. Because it'll give me time to think.
I take a few minutes, staring down at the white sheet of paper with bold writing. Like, I'm waiting for a sign of some sort. Maybe I'm hoping that this job will get me what I need and crave. Maybe, I'm hoping that by agreeing to it that I won't make a big mistake. Because, I need money.
But, it's not only that...It's the way that Caroline talked about Tyler and his 'brothers'. Her words made me want that- a family like the one he's creating for himself with those guys.
My hands shake as I sign my name on the dotted line right beside the date and I hear myself let out a loud exhale when I think about how much I've always wanted that..A family..A place to belong. That's when I realize that maybe working here won't be a mistake after all, maybe working at this small run down diner will be a blessing is disguise for something bigger and better waiting for me.
A/N: So, what did you all think of the prequel? Loved it? Hated it? Do you all want more?
Please let me know.
Follow me on twitter at: BePassionate_24 for updates or just to chat.
