A/N: I know it's been awhile but here's an update. Hope you like it.

"It's nice to meet you!"

Stefan looked down at the hand he held, running his fingers across the back of her soft, delicate hands; memories igniting of another time, another place. "It was nice to meet you, too. Maybe we'll run into each other again," he smiled.

"I'll look forward to it," Elena flirted easily before sauntering off; amazed at how much she had sounded and acted like her twin sister. Kat had been the fearless one, the sister who knew just how to smile and flip her hair to get a guy to go crazy over her. Elena blushed as she kept walking, glancing back to the handsome stranger and waving before entering her classroom.

Stefan watched as Elena made her way to homeroom. "Hey, it's me. I know why it didn't work. Meet me in Mystic Falls," he spoke quickly and ended the call. The bell rang and the rest of the students scattered, leaving him alone.


Walking home from school, Elena took her usual detour through the cemetery and stopped at her family plot. Although her sister's body had never been found her parents had thought it might bring the entire family peace to lay Katherine to rest; Elena curled up over Katherine's empty resting place and pressed her hand into the grass, imagining her sister reaching up to meet her touch. "I miss you," Elena barely conjured; her voice hollow and her eyes glazed over. "Where did you go? Why did you have to go?"

"I'm right here, 'Lena," she imagined her sister's voice echoing in her ear; a hand brushing over her hair. "I've always been right here," Katherine assured her.

A single tear escaped her eye and as she raised a single finger to wipe it away the teen realized the perfectly sunny day had disappeared into the mist; a thick fog rolling throughout the cemetery.

"Elena," whispered softly through the fog; the teen stood and turned, searching for the voice. "Elena," voices echoed, "Run! Run! Leave Mystic Falls," Elena could hear Katherine's voice above the others. "Run!"

Elena started running and branches tore at her clothes and face, blood dripping from a slash on her cheek but the sixteen year old had one goal; find her way out of the mist until she was knocked down. Looking up, Elena was once again met by the face of an angel.

She couldn't breathe or think but to look into the glacial pools of the stranger's eyes. Set against porcelain white skin and midnight black hair Elena couldn't help but think he must be a fallen angel and never realized he was helping her up until she fell into his embrace. One of his hands brushed her hair back behind her ears and examined the cuts on her face gently.

"I'm here now," his voice sent shivers up her spine. "I'm here for you, Elena."