Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries.

A/N: I've found beta for this story. So, far she edited seven chapters. She's got busy, so I'm not sure if she'll continue to beta for me or not. I'll see. The plot remains the same. Only the scenes in the first two chapters are re-organised. I've deleted all the chapters but the first one (didn't want to completely delete the whole story) and put the new ones. Even if you read it before, I encourage you to read it again. As I don't want you to get six email at once that I updated the chapters to my story, today, I upload two chapters, tomorrow another two, and after tomorrow, I'll upload the rest chapters.

The last few scenes (from the scene on the football field) wasn't beta as I wrote them later.

Thank you smallstripes for editing this chapter for me.

Chapter 1

1864 Mystic Falls

"I'm first again." Katherine laughed and turned to face Stefan as she waited for him to catch up.

She was very fast, he sometimes wondered where she got her energy from.

"I believe I deserve a prize." Katherine said.

Stefan looked at her and thought of how to ask her to the Founder's Day Ball. Not even a month had passed by, since Katherine arrived in town, and he had already fallen in love with her. He wanted to confess at the perfect moment, and he felt that the Founder's Day Ball could be the exact occasion he had been waiting for.

"How long will you let Miss Katherine wait for you to invite her for the Founder's Day Ball?"

Stefan recognized the familiar voice instantly and turned around to see his brother, Damon, standing behind him.

"Damon! It's great to see you, brother. Did they extend your leave?" He turned and hugged his brother, shy shades of light pink still on his cheeks.

"Yes, they did. I will be here for two weeks to take care of my little brother." Damon responded.

"I can perfectly take care of myself, but it's still great to have you here." Stefan smiled, though he was little annoyed that Damon treated him like a child.

"Well? When will you answer Damon's question?" Katherine asked, a coy smile played on her lips.

With the pressure of his brother on his back, Stefan found his courage and asked her. "Will you go with me to the Founder's Day Ball, Miss Katherine?"

"It would be my pleasure." She replied.

"Soon, I will hear the wedding bells." Damon joked.

"Please don't listen to my brother." Stefan hated when Damon teased him.

"Damon's just jealous that you have a girl to go with you to the Founder's Day Ball, while he doesn't."

"Miss Katherine, you're not the only girl in this town, and I guess I should go to find one who will be willing to go with me to the ball." Damon's smile remained on his lips.

After Damon had left, Stefan turned to Katherine, "I hope my brother didn't offend you in any way."

"Not at all." She said, her eyes shined with happiness and pride.

"You and I together dancing at the ball, it will be the most unforgettable night." Stefan smiled.

"I'm so glad that Pearl told me about this place, otherwise I wouldn't have met you." Katherine murmured.

He was also extremely happy that Katherine had come to Mystic Falls. In addition, he was proud that she had taken an interest in him and perhaps, saw something more in him than just 'the house's owner's son who kept her company and entertain her'.

Stefan knew that his father would definitely approve of his relationship with Katherine. As he had once said; despite her tragedy, she knows how to behave like a true lady. In addition to his father, he knew Damon, his brother was also happy for him. After all, it was he who encouraged him to make a move. Before Damon had left Mystic Falls to fight in the Civil War, he had warned him to be careful; Katherine could easily wrap him around her little finger.

Stefan felt that it was too late for this, he was already ready to do anything for Katherine. In his eyes, she was the most beautiful woman with the kindest heart. Of course, she had flaws as well, as does every human being. She could be selfish, impulsive and impatient too. Katherine definitely liked things to be done her way and Stefan could never refuse her. He loved her too much.

Present Day - Mystic Falls

Elena sat in the graveyard, writing in her notebook, when she heard a twig snap nearby. She looked up from her notebook and jumped when she saw Damon standing over her.

"What are you doing?" She asked, suspiciously.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. I just saw you, and I wanted to ask if you're all right?" Truly, he felt sorry for her. Her expression as she wrote was so sad.

"Beside the fact that my parents died in the car accident, where I also supposed to die," Elena said.

"Why do you think you were supposed to die?"

Elena didn't respond right away.

Damon thought maybe she didn't want to talk about her problems with a stranger.

"I was in the car with my parents when the accident happened. I somehow survived, and they didn't. It's unfair."

Damon got the impression that Elena spoke more to herself than to him.

"I'm sorry," Elena stood up and hid her notebook in her bag, "I'd better go." She started to walk away.

"It's not unfair," Damon's words surprised Elena, "the fact that you didn't die doesn't mean it's unfair. It means that your life still holds purpose and whatever that purpose is, you should live your life to the fullest. I mean go out, meet new people, learn new things, just do what you want to do."

Elena smiled slightly. "Thank you, though I feel my life's purpose is missing now that my parents are dead."

"It's not missing, you just haven't figured it out yet, but you will, and I hope that it will bring you everything you want." Damon meant every single word he said.

At the beginning, he thought Elena was the same as Katherine, but during this conversation he realized he was wrong.

"Thank you..."

"Damon," he introduced himself.

"Elena, and I hope you also get everything that you want, Damon."

"Unfortunately, what I want is impossible for me to have, but thank you. Lastly, I need to make you forget about this meeting." Stefan didn't know Damon was in Mystic Falls yet, and he wanted to keep it that way. He loved surprising his little brother.

As he walked away, leaving Elena alone and bewildered in the graveyard, he wondered how long it would take for Stefan to notice the differences between the two girls; Elena's compassion set her apart from Katherine's selfishness. He decided he wouldn't talk to her again until after Stefan met her.

1864 Mystic Falls

"I could love you for eternity." Stefan kissed her passionately.

Katherine moved away from Stefan and looked into his eyes. "Do you mean it?"

"Of course, I do." Stefan was surprised by Katherine's question. He didn't see the world without her.

"Well then, I guess this is a perfect moment for me to reveal my secret. I'm a vampire."

Stefan was stunned. Katherine, a vampire? He had heard the rumours about vampires being responsible for the deaths that had occurred recently but he couldn't believe it.

"You're funny, Katherine." He took a step back.

Katherine ran towards the end of the room so fast that Stefan didn't even have time to blink.

"If that's not enough proof for you, then I'll show you my vampire." Katherine's eyes darkened and black veins moved beneath them, and when she opened her mouth, Stefan saw her teeth elongate and turn into fangs.

He took a few shaky steps back.

"Your face, you look like a demon." Stefan's eyes were locked on her, he was terrified but he couldn't look away.

"It's not nice to say things like that to a lady, Stefan." Katherine changed her face back to normal.

"All the attacks, was it you?" Stefan felt the door handle hit his back and instinctively grabbed it.

Katherine, who noticed it, quickly approached him and moved him to the other side of the room.

"How did you do that?" He asked, shocked.

"As a vampire, I have special abilities: speed, strength and more."

"Leave me alone! Get away from me!" Stefan tried to release himself from her grasp.

"Don't be afraid of me. I won't hurt you." She let go of Stefan.

"How can I not be afraid? You're a vampire! You killed all those people. You're a monster!"

Katherine's face fell. "A monster, huh? So, I guess you don't love me anymore."

Stefan looked at the floor, he didn't know what to say.

The corners of her lips curled up slightly, "I admit that I killed some of the inhabitants, but not all of them. There are more vampires besides me in Mystic Falls."

"More? Have you turned people into vampires?" Stefan asked. He was still frightened and he was glad that Katherine had decided not to keep the face of a demon while she talked to him. He only hoped that he wouldn't be killed in the meantime.

"I've turned some, yes, and Anna has turned some as well."

"Anna? You mean her and her mother?"

"Yes, Pearl and I have been friends for almost three centuries. We often travel together, sometimes we go our separate ways. I met her again few months ago and she encouraged me to come to this little town."

Stefan was shocked, three centuries? He knew that Katherine was telling the truth, there was no reason for her to lie. But people were getting killed and turned into vampires; it was just too much for him.

"How can you talk about killing innocent people and turning them into vampires without any remorse? And how can you walk during a day?" It just occurred to Stefan that the sun didn't have any effect on Katherine, lore has always stated that vampires could not walk in the sun.

"This pendant protects me from the sunlight. Emily made it for me, she's a witch." Katherine turned the pendant between her fingers.

Vampires, witches, and what else? Werewolves?

She could tell Stefan wasn't going to say anything, "I know that for you killing innocent people is something disgusting, but that's what we vampires do. We hunt and we kill, but it doesn't mean that we don't feel anything, otherwise I wouldn't fall in love with you."

Stefan looked at her surprised. He saw the sincerity in Katherine's eyes, but there were things that still bothered him. "But, these people..."

"I have killed many people, but it wasn't always the case. I used to feed on people and compel them to forget."

"Compel? Wait, have you been compelling me as well?" He just realized that maybe Katherine was compelling him to have control over him.

"No, I haven't. Well, maybe once, so I would win one of those games that we played together." Katherine smirked.

Somehow, he felt that she wasn't being serious.

"But don't you feel anything when you kill?"

"Of course I do, every vampire does, and if the remorse gets too big to carry, we can choose to switch off our humanity and feel nothing at all. I've met vampires with no humanity, but trust me, sooner or later, they switch it back on."

"Have you ever turned off your humanity?" Stefan looked curiously at Katherine. He couldn't imagine her emotionless.

"No, I haven't. There were times when I was close to doing it, but every time I did, I reminded myself of this one person, and everything just seemed better." A small smile appeared on her face. Stefan thought she looked so innocent at that moment, but he couldn't forget what she was.

"What are you going to do?" Katherine asked.

"I don't know." Stefan could run and shout to everyone that Katherine Pierce was a vampire, and that there were more vampires in Mystic Falls, however, something stopped him. There was a part of him that told him, Katherine wasn't evil.

He still loved her and wanted to be with her, but what was the point? She was a vampire, she would never age or die, while he was a human who was getting older and closer to death by the day.

He thought that he wouldn't mind becoming a vampire and spending eternity with Katherine, but would he be able to kill innocent people?

"I think it would be best if you left town with all the vampires as soon as possible." It would be hard for Stefan to let go of Katherine, but it would be for the best. So why did he feel like as he's making a mistake?

"Do you want me to leave?" Her gaze was penetrating.

"No, I mean, I love you, but you're a vampire and I'm a human."

"Then become a vampire and be with me."

"I cannot. I wouldn't be able to handle being a vampire and besides, I'm still afraid of you." How could he ever feel completely safe around a woman who had killed countless times?

"We both know that your love for me is greater than your fear, otherwise you would have shouted to the whole house about me the moment I told you. I believe you would handle being a vampire, and that doesn't make you a bad person. You'll still be the same person you are now. Your emotions will be heightened and sometimes you will not able to control them, but you'll learn how to take control."

"Can a vampire live without killing people?" There was hope in Stefan's voice.

"Unfortunately, I haven't heard about a vampire who hasn't killed at least once; blood-lust is a powerful thing. When you're around it, it's hard to resist it, but I can help you with that." Katherine grabbed Stefan's hand.

"I need to think it through. I promise, I won't tell anyone about you."

Katherine planted a small kiss on Stefan's lips and turned to leave.

"Who's this person who made you feel better?"

"Someone who was very special to me."

Present Day - Mystic Falls

Stefan charmed Elena immediately. He seemed to understand exactly what she was going through with the death of her parents, he too had suffered loss in his life. She felt happier when he was around, there was something about him that made her enjoy life. She liked him, there was no denying it, and she wanted her friends to like him too. Caroline Forbes took a shine to him right away, in fact she vied for his affection, however Bonnie Bennet didn't trust him one bit.

"We're going to have dinner tonight, just you, me… and Stefan." Elena smiled and grabbed a pot from the cupboard.

"Elena," Bonnie protested, "it's not that I don't like him, I just get a bad vibe, that's all. I don't trust him."

"He's not a bad guy, just give him a chance."

Bonnie sighed, there was no talking her out of this.

A few moments later, Stefan walked in. "Hi," He waved at Bonnie first, then smiled at Elena.

An awkward tension elevated throughout the night. Elena tried to prompt conversation between the two by bringing up Stefan's first day on the football team, it failed. She then brought up Bonnie's heritage and her connection to the Salem witches, that seemed to spark some conversation. Just as Elena was beginning to feel a connection between the two, the doorbell rang.

"I wonder who that could be." She got up and walked curiously towards the door.

"Surprise!" Caroline yelled as the door opened, "Bonnie said you guys were having dinner so we brought dessert!"

Damon stood behind her, "Hope you don't mind."

Caroline pushed her way in, a bright smile plastered on her face.

"May I come in?" Damon asked.

"Uh, ya-"

"No, don't invite him in. Damon can't stay."

Damon smiled devilishly at his brother.

"Just… come in." Elena stepped aside and let Damon walk in.

"You have a lovely home."

"Thanks…"

Throughout the incredibly awkward evening, it was clear Stefan wasn't happy to see his brother. When it came time to do the dishes, Elena quickly made for the kitchen, hoping to leave the rest to bond.

Damon followed her, bringing a glass along with him.

"One more." He handed her the glass and smiled.

"Oh, thanks." She reached for the glass but her fingers missed it and it fell, but it didn't hit the ground. "Nice save!" She remarked as Damon caught the glass.

Damon helped with the dishes and they talked for a while, somehow the topic fell on Katherine.

"She was a beauty in every man's eyes including mine, but she put her eyes on Stefan." He said.

"And you weren't happy, because it wasn't you that she liked, right?" Elena guessed.

"Wrong. I was happy for my brother. Katherine was a beautiful woman, actually a lot like you, but she was very selfish and unfortunately, she infected my brother with her selfishness." He had a bitter tone in his voice.

"I don't know what happened between you and Stefan, but what I know is that Stefan is not selfish. He cares about others, and he lost his girlfriend in the fire, and maybe you should be more understanding for your brother." Elena had defended Stefan.

"You're right, you don't know what happened between Stefan and I."

"Hey, need some help?" Bonnie walked into the kitchen, "It's not exactly my scene in there right now." She gestured towards the dining room where she left Caroline and Stefan to talk.

"Sure, why not." Damon tossed her a towel to dry before he left the room. As he entered the dining room, he noticed a topic being passed around that he didn't want revealed; his lust-filled relationship with Caroline.

"Caroline, why don't you go help Bonnie and Elena finish up in the kitchen."

"Does it look like I do dishes?"

"Go help them." He compelled her.

"I'm going to go help them in the kitchen!" Caroline stood up and quickly walked to the kitchen.

"Ta da!" Damon sat down across from his brother.

"You can't use people like that, they're not puppets."

"Sure they are! I can make them dance if I want to!"

"You've had your fun, now go."

"Sure, brother, but I've been invited in so I can come back whenever I want to and do whatever I want to little Elena, because that's what I do."

Stefan stewed on his words for a long time, pondering how he could protect Elena when he wasn't able. The solution was easy. A necklace, more specifically, a pendant stuffed with vervain.

The football match was coming up and the two teams and students who came to watch the match gathered on the field. Elena approached Stefan., "Hey, ready for your first match?"

"Yeah, I am. I just hope the team will be easy on me. I still don't think they fully accepted me."

"Don't worry, I'm pretty sure everyone in the team came through this little acceptance test. You'll be fine." Elena pat Stefan on his shoulder.

"Thanks." Stefan smiled and started to look around." Uhm, Where's Tyler? Is he running late?"

"I don't think Tyler'd run late, he's probably..."

"What did you say?"

Stefan and Elena turned and saw Chad from their high school team and another guy from the opposing team arguing.

"Are you deaf? I said the Timberwolves sucks."

Chad punched the another guy which caused him to falter back. He glared back at Chad and punched him back. Chad hit the ground. Other Timberwolves and members of the opposite team joined the fight as well.

Stefan rushed into it and tried to pull them away. One of the guys from the another team held a piece of glass in his hand and was about to cut Chad's arm, when Stefan caught him by his hand.

"Stefan!" Elena saw blood flowing out of Stefan's hand. He quickly hide his hand behind him and moved away from the other teammates. It seemed the fight between two teams calmed down.

Elena approached him, worried look on her face. "Show me your hand. I need to see how serious this wound is." Elena held out her hand to grab Stefan's.

He took step back. "It's nothing."

"Come on, show me." She took Stefan's hand and her eyes widened. "Impossible! There's no wound, but I was sure."

"See I'm not hurt."

"I saw blood on your hand."

"You probably just imagined it. Don't worry. Err, I'll see you later."

Elena didn't imagine the blood, she was sure of it.

Elena's thoughts were tangled in her mind. It passed four days since the match where Mr Tanner had been killed by the wild animal, and when she thought, no, she was certain she saw the blood on Stefan's hand that miraculously had vanished. After this incident more weird things around Stefan had happened.

Elena opened her diary and started to write her thoughts down about the strange events surrounded Stefan.

His face changed in unexplained way, and what Elena had noticed it had been happening every time she had bled. She had seen the video of him in 1950s when he had still looked like seventeen years old teenager and that disappearing wound...

However, people didn't just stopped ageing or healed in few seconds or their face changed on the sight of the blood unless they were... No, it couldn't be. It wasn't possible, but Elena couldn't just sit here and write in her notebook. She had to find out the truth no matter how crazy it was.

Elena knocked on Stefan's door, her heart beating fast. After few long seconds Stefan opened the door.

She took the deep breath, her muscles tensed. "What are you?"

"Elena." Stefan looked at her with the concern on his face.

"What are you!"

"You know what I am."

"Just tell me."

"I'm a vampire."