Author Note: I don't anything other than what I made up. Everything else is owned by L.J. Smith and The CW. I hope you like it!

Prologue

On a warm summer's day, the sound of childlike laughter echoed around a vast field and two small figures emerged from a dense forest as they sprinted towards a clear pond. "I bet I can beat you!" the girl squealed as she spurted forwards, just in front of the boy. He equalled her speed and yelled, "We'll see!" A minute or so later, they crashed to the ground, narrowly missing the pond. "I beat you Steffy! I beat you!" the girl gasped in between breaths.

"No you didn't – I let you win!" Stefan Salvatore grinned before scooping up pondwater with his hands and throwing it in the girl's face. She squealed again, and flicked water back at him. Watching him fill his hat from the pond, her sparkling green eyes widened, and she ran full pelt away from him. "I'm gonna get you!" he called, chasing after her, spilling water out of his hat. The girl turned her head to determine how far behind he was, and smacked into a tall figure. She whirled round to apologise, but before she could open her mouth, the figure smirked and said, "I think I beat the both of you."

"Oh it's you, Damon." She seemed relieved at his presence, "Save me, Steffy's gonna get me!"

"If I were you, I'd be more worried about what your mama's going to say when she sees the state of your pretty little dress, than what my little brother's going to do to you." She looked down at her mud-caked dress, and brushed a few leaves off with her grubby hands. "Oh well. Daddy will buy me a new one. Now SAVE ME!" Stefan was rapidly closing the gap between them, so Damon scooped the girl up and sprinted away. Stefan yelled, "That's not fair!" but hurried after the pair anyway. When they were a safe distance away, Damon set the girl down on the grass, and sat down next to her. "I hear it's your birthday in a few days, will you be as old as me yet?" He smiled when her brow furrowed in thought. "Well I'm going to be six... How old are you?"

"Ten in December," he said proudly.

"Wow..." She was obviously impressed, and this pleased Damon. "Will I ever be as big as you?" she wondered aloud.

"Not when you're soaking wet!" She turned around and Stefan tipped the water in his hat over her. She gasped and shook her wet hair violently at him. He snickered and she scowled at him. "Now, now, Alicia DiGrazio, that's very unladylike." Damon chided her, a smile playing on his lips. "You didn't save me and you said you would – that's breaking a promise which is ungentlemanlylike!" she accused him, but there was no anger behind it. Damon rolled his eyes. "That's not even a word, but I could use it on Father and see what he says..."

"Use what on your father, Damon Salvatore?" a formidable, but all too familiar, voice demanded.

"My painting ability, Maria" Damon said angelically. The stocky woman narrowed her eyes at him then turned to the girl suppressing laughter and said, "Alicia, your mother requested me to return you home for din-" Her eyes widened in horror. "What have you done to your dress? Which of you was responsible?" She directed the last question at the Salvatore brothers.

"Stefan." Damon said smoothly, without hesitation. Maria glared at the pair of them; grabbed Alicia by the arm, then turned on her heel and dragged her across the field. Stefan sighed and asked, "Why do you always blame me for everything?"

"Because you're my little brother. It's my duty."