Disclaimer: I do not own, or am not affiliated with Warner Brothers, The Vampire Diaries, or any of the plot line.

Chapter 3

The Awakening

Elena had left the grill and went straight to the Gilbert residency, where she found Ric leaving the house. Ric had taken over residency over the house, since Jenna was now no longer living. It pained her to think that it had been only a year ago when Jenna's life was taken so recklessly. The pain didn't help but well up every time she saw Ric. His solemn face, a rare smile. He had sobered up a bit over the past year, drinking heavily only when her wanted to subdue his pain that threatened to flare up. Elena gave Ric a small smile.

"Where you headed off too?" Elena asked as she stepped up to the porch to meet him.

"Boarding house, Damon said something about an issue? Something happened or, well, you know how Damon is. Vague," Ric gave a half hearted smile to her. Elena's heart dropped at this new found information, then realized it was probably about the incident last night.

"Oh," was all she could reply. She needed to text Damon to let him know she, too, needed to speak with Stefan. " Well I guess I'll talk to you later!"

"Oh yeah, I'll probably be back a bit later!" Ric held the porch door open for her before darting to his SUV. As Elena closed the door, she reached into her back pocket to shoot a much needed text.

Hey, can you come over? Need to talk! Ric just left for your place. Let me know! -Elena

She tapped the send button on her blackberry, then darted her way to her room to start her job searching.

After about 30 minutes of job searching, she found one that caught her eye. Of course, it wasn't a convenient job, but it did pay well. It sure didn't fit her personality quota at all. "It says here, 'All you need is a little bit of confidence'," Elena scoffed. " Right, to work in the 'entertainment' industry. But it says it pays 1000 a week... That's easily a trip in a month!" Elena pulled up her resume that she had saved on her macbook, and sent it promptly to the company.

Elena then searched the website of the company. Sure, normally Elena wouldn't resort to something as risk ay as topless dancing, but desperate times called for desperate measures. She sighed as she read some of the websites information and saw a couple pictures of the women. They weren't ugly but they weren't beautiful by any means. The name of the bar was called, "King of Diamonds" and it was only a few minutes south of Mystic Falls. " I shall have to go check this place out," She declared to herself, smiling as she checked her phone for replies.

"Check what out?" came a voice from the other side of the room. Elena's eyes widened as she slammed her macbook shut and hid it underneath the bed. There Damon was, smirking across the room from the window at her, the mischievous twinkle in her steel blue eyes.

"Damon, Christ, you scared me!" she gasped as she clutched her chest, still slightly startled and nervous he was going to rip out her macbook and look at her history. She wasn't in the mood for games and she didn't want him to know about her applying at a strip club for extra cash.

" I got your text earlier. You needed to ask me something?" Damon asked as he went to join her on her bed, laying back with his hands behind his head and kicking his feet up like it was his house. Elena suddenly became even more nervous. She couldn't decipher if she was more nervous about asking him for money or asking him to stay in the other room while she spoke to Stefan. She stood abruptly, wringing her hands in front of her, pacing the length of the room.

Elena swallowed, "I have 2 favors to ask of you... One is about Stefan, the other is something pertaining my... career choice." She sighed, stopping at the foot of the bed before continuing on. " I was wondering if you could help me talk to Stefan? I spoke to Bonnie and Caroline earlier, and they suggested that you be in the other room when i confronted Stefan about his actions. We both know you're much stronger than he is..."

Damon smirked. She was asking him for help because he was stronger and he could protect her. "I suppose we could manage something to work out." Elena sighed, then continued to ask her second question.

" And, uh, well... You see," She began, but found herself struggling to get the words out. Elena had never asked for money before, let alone someone else besides Jenna or her brother. " Bonnie, Caroline and I, well we need some money for some stuff for my head shots and body shots... And they suggested Nordstrom's and Neiman Marcus... And well, see.." She was fumbling over her words. Silently cursing herself, she took a deep breath and brought her eyes up to Damon's.

He now had an eyebrow quirked, boring his eyes into her brown ones. " What makes you think that I have money?" His eyes were wide, staring right into her soul. He was eating up this anticipation. He stood, walking around to her at the foot of the bed. Damon stood alarmingly close to her, never breaking eye contact with her.

" Caroline insisted, and so did Bonnie.. and well one can only assume by the mansion you guys live in.." She was spluttering, finally looking at her feet. " And I need money by tomorrow, 'cause we're going tomorrow to Richmond..."

" I'll come with," he said, finality in his voice, though Elena couldn't complain. She was getting free stuff, with his money. " I'll buy you what you need, and I'll help pick out some outfits." He grinned, before pulling something out of his back pocket of his Calvin Klein jeans.

"Remember how I was going to show you some of my work?" He handed her pictures, and Elena wordlessly shifted through the pictures. Some were old time 50's, and others were from the 70's, then finally in the near years. She could tell in the difference of clothing. He looked sharp, and handsome in all of them.

"You modeled for a cigarette company in the 50's?" she incredulously said, looking up at him with wide eyes. "Wow, Damon. These all look really good! You look so relaxed. I am surprised they had you out in the sun in this one..." She gestured to the one where he was wearing designer Armani, on a boat in the Mediterranean.

"I convinced them otherwise..." He grinned, grabbing the pictures away from her. This simply meant that he had compelled them to ignore it our photo shop it. " What time are we leaving tomorrow?" He asked her, making his way to the window.

" I am not sure, be here by 10, it's gonna be a long drive..." Elena decided, not quite sure when the others would be ready.

" We'll take my car..." Damon said, before opening the bedroom window.

"Your car? We all couldn't fit in there!" She cried, turning towards the window to find that he had already taken off. She sighed, then proceeded to close the window's and shades, then grabbed her cell phone and sent off a text to Caroline and Bonnie.

Hey guys, Damon's coming with to Richmond. He's buying me stuff, and he agreed to drive. Be here by 10 tomorrow.

She set her phone on the night stand, went and brushed her teeth, washed her face, then crawled into bed. Her phone buzzed, signaling a text. She grabbed it, opened the text.

Sounds good! I'm glad he agreed. I'm excited for tomorrow!- B

Elena smiled, and saw Caroline had replied too.

Oooh! Look! Damon's coming! I bet you're excited! See you at 10!

She rolled her eyes as set her phone on her stand, plugged it in to charge, then proceeded to shut off her lamp. Elena was just about to doze of when her phone started vibrating uncontrollably. Elena snatched the phone off the stand, to see an unfamiliar phone number.

"Hello?" She answered the unknown caller.

"Hello, is this Elena?" It was a polite feminine voice on the other end. Her eyebrows furrowed.

"Yes this is she," She paused a moment before asking," May I ask who is calling?" She glanced at the clock and saw it read 11 pm. Who would be calling at this hour?

"Oh, this is Destiny, calling from the King of Diamonds. I'm calling about you about the application you sent in earlier this evening. I was wondering if you would be able to come in tomorrow or the next night for an interview?" Elena could have smacked herself on the forehead. This was the only place that would be calling her at this hour.

"Yeah! Let's do the night after next. So not tomorrow the next day, that'd work best for me!" She told Destiny the time she would be available and disclosed other important information.

"Oh and bring some outfits to model for us. Stuff that you would wear on stage, and maybe an alias as well!" Elena thanked her and promptly hung up the phone. She laid back in bed, and sighed one more time. She was very nervous, having only been naked in front of Stefan once or twice.

"Well, I guess this is me coming out of my shell.."

A/N: Oh wow, well it has been a while since I last updated and here is my latest chapter. A few twists and turns here and there! Please review and let me know how you like it :D