Mystic Falls, 1954

Perry Como's voice wafted throughout the Mystic Grill from the jukebox that sat against the wall by the bar. The smell of hamburgers and french fries filled the air, girls dressed in pleats and nylon flirted with the boys whose hair was greasier than the burger grill itself.

Elena Gilbert could be seen sitting by herself at a corner booth sipping a strawberry milkshake. Her straight voluminous hair went well with her white headband, accompanying her leggings and denim shirt. Her foot, compassed in a white tennis shoe was tapping along to the music.

He's late. She thought to herself.

"Can I get you some fries or anything, sweetheart?" The friendly older waitress asked her.

"No, I'm fine with just a milkshake. Thank you." She replied with a sincere smile. "I'm just waiting for someone."

"You waitin' on a fella?"

"Um, well, sort of."

"Well, sugar, let me tell you what my momma always said, 'Never wait more than two minutes for a man. They just ain't worth it.'"

Elena giggled, "Thank you. I'll certainly take that into consideration."

The waitress walked away with a smile and warning eyes.

Then, right on cue, he walked through the double doors. Her James Dean. The thorn in her side. The devil in disguise.

He sauntered over to where Elena sat, carrying the confidence that never seemed to weigh him down. His hair was disheveled and greased, his leather jacked was open to reveal the white t-shirt underneath it. His classic blue jeans fit him like they were designed for him solely.

Sliding effortlessly into the booth, he shot Elena a smirk and stared her down with his playful, piercing blue eyes. "Hell-o, dolly."

"Damon." Elena murmured in return.

"Aw, sweetie, you didn't have to wait for me to order your food. Although, I don't blame you for not finding anything from here appetizing." Damon flipped through the menu that sat on their table with disinterest clear on his face. "So, how about we blow this joint?" He said placing the menu back down.

"Damon, you wanted to talk. So talk. I'm not making a day out of this." Elena said coldly.

"Don't get your little knickers in a twist. I only just got here, we're still saying hello." He said flirtatiously.

"Seriously Damon, what do you want?" The young woman could see right through him, she knew him like the back of her hand. She knew he was just playing with her and desperately trying to push her buttons by avoiding something.

"You know, I really do like the straight hair on you. It makes you look younger, actually."

Elena snorted, "Yeah, it's the hair that makes me look young." She said with an eye roll. Her mouth returned to her straw to take a sip of her milkshake.

Damon just smiled at her from across the table. It was a sad smile. His eyes looked tired, bloodshot. His playful demeanor suddenly went away. "What are we doing?" He asked quietly.

"We're sitting at a booth in The Mystic Grill." She acted like she didn't know what he was asking her.

Damon rolled his eyes now, "I know. But what are we doing? What's the point of this? We're both back here in Mystic Falls. We're back in the same place, the same time."

"Damon…" Elena looked down at her hands. She didn't know what to say to him. They'd had this conversation so many times already. She didn't want to go through it again. "Nothing's changed."

"Why not? Why?" Damon leaned forward with his hands crossed on the table, trying to meet Elena's dark brown eyes with his. He couldn't understand why she was still being so stubborn about this.

"Because it hasn't." Elena snapped at him.

"Why are you doing this to me? Why are you doing this to Al?" He pleaded.

"Al has nothing to do with this." Her eyes shot up and met his with a dark glare. "Nothing has changed because you haven't changed. I haven't changed. There's nothing between us anymore."

"There's everything between us." Damon whispered fiercely. He grabbed Elena's hand and held tight. "I know you feel it, Elena. I know you do."

Elena stared at Damon through her lashes shyly. She felt it. She felt it with every fiber of her being, with everything that she was made of, she felt it.

"God, Elena, for once in your life just stop denying and give in."

Elena yanked her hand back from his. "No, Damon. This is exactly why nothing will ever work between us. I can't give in. Don't you see that? I'm the one who needs to hold it together because you sure as hell aren't." She crossed her arms and leaned back against the booth.

"Oh, here we go again. Yay! I finally get another 'holier than thou' speech from Elena Gilbert. I sure have missed these. Hold on, do you want me to go to the phone over there and dial Stefan? I'm sure you guys have more than enough material between the two of you to create a whole play on how much better you are than than the evil, Damon Salvatore." His voice dripped with sarcasm the way it always does when he pretends not to care. The anger in his beautiful eyes always gives it away.

Now Elena was just exasperated, there was no getting through to Damon. Aside from the villain, his favorite role was the victim and she was done allowing him to play that with her. "Save it, Damon. If all you came here to do was beg for me to take you back then I'm sorry to disappoint you." Elena grabbed her handbag and placed three dollars on the table. She slid down, out of the booth and stood up at the same time as Damon.

"You're making a mistake." He whispered as he looked down at her.

"And you say that every time." She met his gaze and tried to mask her vulnerability with confidence.

"You know, I can hear your heart pounding in your chest. You can try to play me by making it seem like I don't affect you, but you and I both know better." Damon took a step towards her until their bodies were flush against one other.

"Damon," Elena let out his name breathlessly.

He leaned down and put his lips right against her ear, "Until next time, Elena." She felt his cool lips press a kiss to her cheek and she closed her eyes to the sensation. Elena felt the ache in her chest travel all through her bones.

And suddenly, his lips were gone. Damon gave Elena a sly wink and left.

After letting out a shaky breath, Elena walked to the restroom across the restaurant. After entering, she placed her hands on the sink and stared at her tired reflection in the mirror above it. She couldn't believe that she let Damon get under her skin again. She knew his game, she knew his tricks, but even despite all that, he still managed to awaken that fire with her. Whenever he left, she always found herself wanting more. Just a few more glances. Just a few more words spoken. But inside, she knew this was the right thing to do. He wasn't ready for Elena, for her life. You'd think that after over 110 years on this planet that he'd mature. All she had now were memories of the best days of their lives and hope for more in the future.

Looking up into the mirror, she found herself saddened. Forever eighteen years old. Forever a teenager. Never able to grow old and experience those simple pleasures that came with mortality. If she and Damon had remained human then they could've been happy, they could've remained in the beautiful home that they had built for each other. Elena would try as hard as she could to stay away from that property, but somehow every few years, she would go back and reminisce on what could have been. She was so tired of living in the past but that's where her heart was. Her heart was with Damon, the Damon that she once knew.

Damon and Elena were no longer meant for each other, they were no longer human, so they no longer belonged together; or at least, that's what Elena would try to convince herself of every night when the yearning for his company became a need. She chuckled darkly, You'd think after 90 years that I'd be able to sleep alone.

Pushing herself off of the sink, Elena walked out of the restroom and out of the restaurant. Exiting The Mystic Grill placed Elena right into the heart of downtown Mystic Falls. It had changed so much over the years; she passed by the office that used to be her father's, and the apothecary—now the drug store— right next to it where her mother would fetch her and Katherine medicine when they were ill. So much in the town had changed since 1864, but so much had also remained the same. The same founding families still remained. Elena even knew of the current family that held the Gilbert name.

They lived in a nice, white house on the edge of town. When she was in Mystic Falls, she would sit by the tree outside of their home and watch them. They were happy. The father was a doctor, who took great care of his family. He had a beautiful wife who was a regular Donna Reed; she cooked, cleaned and tended to the family all while in heels and a pearl necklace. They had a son, a daughter and a golden retriever. Elena would look on them with envy, knowing that that could have been her family.

Once she left downtown, Elena decided against going to the current Gilbert family's home and instead found herself walking towards the old Salvatore estate that was once her and Damon's. The road to get there was freshly paved and the only thing traveling across the roads now were the latest car models. If she closed her eyes, she could replace the sound of engines with the clomping of hooves. She could take out the sound of a honking horn and put the sound of rattling carriage wheels in its place.

After walking for some length of time, Elena reached her destination. The Salvatore Estate. Her home. Only, her home was no longer there. It hadn't been there in years, but for some reason, Elena would always have an inkling of hope that one day she would return and there it would be. Exactly the way it was in 1864. It was their home and it held so much joy and love and laughter. Unfortunately, it was only a matter of time until that all of that came burning down. Quite literally. Elena could remember the day that the house had been burned to the ground. She didn't like to dwell on that day. It was one of the worst days of her life.

Elena stood there for some time, staring at the property until she decided that she had to leave. She walked back into town and bought herself the ticket for the next train to Atlanta. Elena decided that it was a good place to stay for now. She knew Damon wouldn't follow her and it wasn't too close to Mystic Falls where she would go and try to live in her past.

It wasn't healthy, she knew it wasn't healthy. She needed to stop living in the past and constantly pondering what could've been. She wanted to return for good one day, but only when she was no longer going to try to make a life out of her past. Elena loved Mystic Falls because it was her home, but she couldn't stay there trying to make something out of her old life. That life was gone and the sooner she let go, the better. She knew that she would go back to Mystic Falls one day and make roots again. But not yet, she decided. It had been ninety years, but ninety years was too soon. Maybe she'd come back in half of that time. The next time I come to Mystic Falls, I'm staying for good….or for a while at least. Just a few more years.

Thank you for reading. I know this chapter was exceptionally short but I felt that I needed to share. Comments, questions, and suggestions are appreciated.

-Alex