So, second chapter! Please help me out if you see anything wrong or have any suggestions or requests! Sorry I changed some stuff up, but yeah. Hope it's good!

Chapter 2: Together – Stronger

Italy – 1914

The body was grey. I couldn't believe that the stake that killed him was in my hand. He was supposed to love me, cherish me. I picked up his hand, only to drop it fiercely, burned. On his hand was the tattoo of a heart. The name inside just accelerated the anger I had just recently deposited into killing my ex-lover. The name, was Katerina.

"Katerina Petrova. E 'tempo, il mio vecchio amico." It was like I yelled it out. (It is time, old friend.)

Damon looked at the body, then at my blank face. "Chi ti ha fatto questo? Perché il tuo amante?" (Who did this to you? Why your lover?)

I slowly allowed my demonic face to come out. "Non ho un amante. Avevo ragione. Non ho mai conosciuto l'amore. E il responsabile? Il tuo Katherine. Ho intenzione di ucciderla, come ho ucciso Jacob." (I don't have a lover. I was right. I never knew love. And the one responsible? Your Katherine. I'm going to kill her, just as I killed Jacob.)

"Non!" Damon lunged and I snapped his neck easily.

Switching easily to English, I quickly strode away from the alley in search of wood. "Fine. You first."

I turned, only to find both bodies gone. A single crumbled piece of paper lay in their places.

'Lots of love, K.'

I snarled. "Katherine!"

Mystic Falls - 2010

I watched Elena trip in, stumbling into Damon as I walked up next to him. "I. . .I'm sorry for barging in. The door was. . .open."

I had closed the door in a blur and the poor girl's heart thumped erratically.
Damon grinned. "You must be Elena. I'm Damon, Stefan's brother."
Elena nervously twitched her fingers. "He didn't tell me he had a brother."
I rolled jade eyes. "Well, Stefan's not one to brag. Xenia Angelbrooks. Please, come. I'm sure Stefan will be along any second."

Elena looked from me to Damon. "What is your relation to the Salvatores?

I smirked as her Petrova jealousy flared. "Best family friend. Mostly Damon's. Stefan's…quiet."

Damon stifled a chortle as Elena walked farther in the mansion. "Wow. This is your living room?"
Damon dismissed the awe simply, "Living room, parlor, seventies auction. It's a little kitschy for my taste. I see why my brother's so smitten. It's about time. For a while there, I never thought he'd get over the last one."

I fawned sadness. "Nearly destroyed him!"
Elena gulped. "The last one?"
Damon followed my example, faking confusion. "Yeah. Katherine, his girlfriend? Oh, you two haven't had the awkward exes conversation yet."
Elena shook her head shortly. "Nope."
I looked away to hide my smile as I answered, "Oops. Well, I'm sure it'll come up now."

Damon agreed. "Or maybe he didn't want to tell you because he didn't want you to think he was on the rebound. We all know how those relationships end."
Elena fired back. "You say it like every relationship is doomed to end."
I shrugged. "We're fatalists. Hello, Stefan!
Stefan looked from me to Damon to Elena darkly. "Elena. I didn't know you were coming over."
Elena softened automatically. Bitch. "I know. I should have called, I just. . ."
I cut her off with strained politeness. "Oh, don't be silly. You're welcome any time. Isn't she, Stefan?"

Damon smiled at me. "You know, I should break out the family photo albums or some home movies. But. . .I have to warn you.

I shook with contained laughter. "He wasn't always such a looker."
Stefan's gaze turned deadly. "Thank you for stopping by, Elena. Nice to see you."
Elena was silent, shocked. "Yeah, I should probably go. It was nice to meet you, Damon, Xenia.

Damon and I saluted simultaneously. "Great meeting you, too, Elena!"
I didn't watch her leave. I merely poured two glasses of bourbon, handing one slyly to Damon. "Great gal. Whoo. She's got spunk. You, on the other hand, look pooped. Did you over-exert yourself today? Let me guess. . Hospital."

Damon inquired him with a raise of an eyebrow
Stefan turned to me impassively. "Someone had to clean up YOUR mess."
Damon forced Stefan's attention back to him as I gingerly took a sip of the alcohol. "Well, were you successful? Did the powers of persuasion work? Remember, if you don't feed properly, none of those little tricks work right."
Stefan answered with another question. "How long was Elena here?"
I pretended to think hard, "A while…"

Damon was right on my tail. "Were you worried, Stefan? Scared we may be doomed to repeat the past? Isn't that why you play your little game, "I'm a high school human"?"
Stefan grinded his teeth, "I'm not playing any game."

"Of course you are. We both know the closest you'll ever get to humanity is when you rip it open and feed on it."
"What kind of game are you two playing, Damon?"
I stepped up, passing in front of Stefan. "Guess you'll just have to wait and see, won't you?"

Boston, Massachusetts – 1915

"Why did you forgive me?" Damon's eyebrows knitted as the girl in front of him kneeled, wanting.

The hotel was expensive and I threw my head back finally after stopping the gush of blood I had taken from the model's body. "Because you're my best friend."

"Liar."

"I could kill you."

"Bitch."

"Ass. Drink your girl before I shove you ring up her ass and throw you out."

"Why?!" He stood up and moved the girl aside. Smirking, he snapped the model's neck and I sighed angrily.

"Because you're all I have left! Happy?"

His smirk faded and I could feel his eyes bore into me as I left to find my next meal. You're all I have left, and I have to protect you, every chance I have.

Mystic Falls: Mystic Grill - 2010

I saw Vicki and watched her come up to me with dazed eyes. "I know you."
I cackled. "Well, that's unfortunate."
Vicki got red as her eyes went from Damon's amused one to mine. "Um. . .I don't. . .I don't know how, but. . .your face. Excuse me. Sorry."
I counted her steps into the restroom and heard her swallow the pills. "I'm guessing the powers of persuasion aren't in Stefan's favor."

Damon shook his head as his lips curved upward. "Nope." We blurred in until we were right behind her. ATTACK!

Washington, D.C. – Christmas, 1916

"Let's play a drinkzing game!" I slurred at Damon, giggling.

As soon as the feeling started to wear off, I would down another shot. Damon shook his head, almost sadly and I regarded him as sternly as I could imagine. "I deal with your worst days! I only have once a year! Please!"

Tears flooded down my cheeks, thanks to the overwhelming heightened emotions and Damon rubbed my back affectionately, raising his hand briefly for another round. "But why? Tell me."

I ignored him. "You're paying, right?"

I got up and galloped to the dance floor, sliding in what seemed like hundred inch heels through my drunken eyes. Damon dismissed his question and gave me his trademark eye gaze and smirk before sweeping me off to the music. I felt myself fading through the flurry of lights…

'Faye?' My teenage sister lay bloody on the ground.

'Mason?' My baby brother didn't respond, curls splayed with the dried red of his own blood.

'Mama? Papa? NOO!' They were piled. In front of a stake attached to a note.

You should've killed yourself while you had the chance. Come and find me!

The note replayed in my head, the initials dizzying me. K+J, K+J…

I blurred away after quietly burying the bodies. They had never been the best family. My dad expected the most of me until I bled, my mom preferred a perfect role model, like my younger sister, to have around. Mason had been diagnosed with a mental instability after rolling out of his bed. I found him, therefore responsible. I felt almost guilty at the emptiness of moisture in my eyes. What was my purpose? The Salvatores were with Katherine. And me? Alone. And better off dead.

I laughed out loud. 'Already dead!'

I played with the stake in my hand when a voice called out to me. "Is it really worth it, love?"

I woke to icy blue eyes. "Damon?"

He nodded with a wiggle of his eyebrows. "Great night!"

I assented silently, asking myself, 'Is it really worth it, love?'

Mystic Falls – 2010

After watching Damon and Stefan argue over the girl, I swept to the roof as Damon sighed. "It's good to be home. Think we might stay a while. This town could use a bit of a wake-up call, don't you think?"
Stefan begged. "What are you up to, Damon, Xenia?
Damon looked to me and we shared a silent message as we said our favorite line. "That's for me to know and for you to. . .

"…Dot dot dot. Give Elena our best." I finished, jumping down after Damon.

I looked at the dead body at my feet, eavesdropping as Damon continued to confront his soon-to-be distraction – Caroline, was it?

Damon smirked. "I know."
Caroline flashed him white teeth. "Cocky much?"
Damon lowered his eyes with phony lust. "Very much."
I knew where this was going and I walked in search of my own new distraction, ignoring a new pang in my stopped heart. Or was I imagining it?