AU –Klaus is a normal vampire after Elena, but he never found her (he killed Jenna and John out of anger), and Katherine hasn't appeared on the scene at all – Elena has never met her but knows of her. Okay I suck at summaries. Just read! :D

It was late evening. The sun was slipping over the horizon, casting shadows over Elena as she sat alone by the fountain in the Lockwood grounds. She was curled up, her diary resting on her knees as she hid away from the party atmosphere. A bird flew past her head, startling her and causing an ominous black smudge on the otherwise neat page. She sighed, closing the book and returning it to her bag. It was about time she stopped writing about her feelings and rejoined the festivities before someone noticed she was gone and began to worry. She was sick of it. All of it: everyone worrying about her constantly, making sacrifices for her, risking their lives for her. It had gotten to the point where she wondered if it was all worth it, just to save her life. So many people's lives had been lost because of her. Jenna, John, Anna... Even if indirectly, all lives that were gone were because of her. A tear slipped down her cheek as she felt the pain in her chest. It was becoming a chore, acting like everything is normal, acting like she didn't mind the constant restraints on what she could do with her life. She wanted to be free.

Her feelings were mixed. She just wanted everything to be over. She wanted to give herself up to those who wanted her dead, to keep everyone safe. But she couldn't leave Jeremy. He'd lost everyone he ever cared about. She was all he had left, and she wasn't even his real sister. A cousin technically, but they'll always be siblings in Elena's eyes. Bonnie and Caroline would be okay, she knew they would look after each other and the same with Stefan and Damon. Alaric could look after himself, he had his new girlfriend. It would hurt everyone if she died, but they'd get over her. Wouldn't they? It would be better for everyone.

As she dried her eyes she realised she wasn't alone. The hairs on the back of her neck prickled, sending a shiver down her spine. Someone's here. Klaus? The possibility scared her for a second, before she found herself wishing that it was. At least then nobody else would have to die. A shadow flashed through the trees. Elena stood, dropping her bag, and held her head up defiantly as she peered into the darkness.
"Hello?" She whispered, managing to keep the tremor out of her voice. The person was close, she could sense it. A silhouette stood framed between the trees, their face and body in darkness. Elena sucked in a breath, preparing for the inevitable.

"Elena?" She whirled round. Stefan stood there, dressed in a black suit and tie. His hair was styled neatly and his face showed only concern. "Is everything okay?"
Elena looked back into the trees, but whoever it was had gone. "I'm fine Stefan," she told him, turning back and placing a soft kiss on his lips. Despite her dissatisfaction with her current life, she did love him. Who wouldn't? He loved her. He would die for her – he attempted to save everyone she loved. But lately there was something missing, something that Elena was having trouble putting her finger on. She kept her worries from Stefan, not wanting to hurt him, but she could tell he knew something was up.
"Let's go back to the party." She slipped her hand in his as they returned to the house, and tried to act normal as they danced among all their friends, but her mind couldn't stop wondering about the mystery person in the woods. Why hadn't they done anything?

Two hours later she stood in the girl's bathroom, staring at herself in the mirror. Her eyes were lifeless. Her face was pale, and her laughter lines were faint. She didn't even recognise herself anymore. It was as if she was a shell, carrying out her day to day activities automatically, going to school, seeing Stefan, being a brother to Jeremy and talking to her friends. She jumped as the door opened and some younger girls walked in, laughing hysterically and chatting to each other as they fixed their hair and did normal, teenage things. She found herself envying them, unable to think of a time when she acted like that. As she left the bathroom she saw a flash of familiar brown hair down the end of the corridor in her peripheral vision. She turned, but nothing was there. Shaking her head, she thought nothing of it and with some effort regained the happy facade she had been living behind.

"Are you okay?" Stefan murmured as they danced the final dance of the night. Everything was peaceful, dates wrapped up in each other for the traditional slow dance. Elena felt tears creeping behind her eyes at the love and concern in his voice, and felt guilty for thinking she could ever hurt him. His arms were wrapped around her, his face buried in her hair.
"I'm fine. Much better," the familiar lie slipped out easily before she could think about telling the truth. She tightened her hold on him and rested her head on his shoulder, wishing the despair away and hoping desperately that a solution would appear soon. As they turned in circles, she felt eyes on her once more, and felt the same feeling she had felt when by the fountain. Her head shot up, expecting nothing, and she was surprised when she saw curious dark eyes looking back at her through the window. She felt a jolt run through her, fear and excitement mixed together. Stefan was none the wiser as she gazed at the mystery person. It was dark outside, and all she could make out was brown hair and eyes, but she knew it was the same person from the woods, and most probably the one from the corridor. She squinted, trying to see, but there was a flash and the person was gone.

Elena lay in her bed, wide awake and thinking of the person. It was past midnight, and she couldn't get them off her mind. She should be scared, but for some reason she sensed that they didn't mean any harm. She had realised that it was a girl – her hair was long and the features she could make out were too feminine to be a boy. Her feelings were confused, she wasn't gay, but the strange connection she felt towards this girl was too strong to ignore. She couldn't be gay. Could she? She had a boyfriend, one she loved. But there was something about this feeling that felt right. Like everything had fallen into place. She felt...hopeful. She longed to know this girl. To know her name, and what she wanted. She had to. She sighed, climbing out of bed and stretching.

"Something bothering you?" A voice came from the window. Elena's heart jumped and she span around, fumbling for the light switch on her bedside table. Her trembling fingers found it and turned it on, only to gasp.

"I'd introduce myself, but I think you already know who I am."

Elena was still frozen in shock. "Katherine?"

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