Chapter 3

Elena drifted off into her dreams.

She was standing in the middle of a forest, and heard the laughter of two boys running around her. she turned quickly, wondering where the voices were coming from, until she saw them appear. The young Stefan and Damon were running,looking behind them as something...or someone was chasing them. She watched them run together laughing and talking...as if they were still the best of friends. Elena gazed at them, with a sorrowful smile, remembering that this was a dream, not reality. The older boys she knew weren't like this. They hated each other, and it was all because of Katherine.

The boys stopped running, and looked behind them with a look of terror. Elena looked towards the forest, and saw what she didn't understand; Present-time Stefan and Damon running with vampiric speed towards their younger selves. They had that look of blood lust in their eyes. Elena screamed as Damon stopped, looked directly at her with the same blood lust look as he and Stefan did towards the boys, then continued his chase.

As Stefan and Damon got closer to themselves, Elena screamed for help for the boys, but it was useless. No one was there to help or hear her pleas.

At that moment, Elena woke up in a full sweat and panting, trying to reassure herself it was only a dream. As she sat up, Elena thought to herself I'm going to go check on the boys. I need to reassure myself they're alright, and that my nightmare was only that...a nightmare.

Elena stood up, and made her way silently towards the door. As she opened the wooden door, she walked towards each door, wondering which room the boys had picked.

" The stubborn,obnixous boy is in the room next to mine, and the...other is in the room across from yours...and dear Saint Stefan." A voice whispered in her ear. Elena turned around, only to face Damon.

" Thanks," Elena whispered." But..why are you helping me? You act like you don't care!"

" That's right, Elena." Damon chuckled to himself," I thought you of all people would realize that I was acting. I'm good at it aren't I?"

Elena hit him across the face. " I'm not in the mood for this ,Damon." She hissed at him as she went to the door across from her room to peak on little Stefan. Elena gazed at the oversized bed only to see the young boy sleeping soundly, but with something gleaming next to him. Elena tip-toed towards the bed to check what it was, only to see a rustic silver pendant. Who's is this? Elena thought as she picked it up. The young Stefan began to toss and turn, and Elena placed the necklace back to it's original spot, walked out the room , and closed the door silently behind her.

Damon still stood in the hallway as he originally did, and smirked as she turned towards the next room. " One brat down, another one left to deal with." He sighed.

" Does that include you, Damon?" Elena replied snarkily.

" Are you Trying to flirt with me,Elena?" Damon drawled quickly as Elena shot him a look of annoyance." That one isn't asleep. odd,I figured he would be the first one to crash." He said softly as he pointed to the second child's door.

Elena knocked on the door, and heard the closing of another door coming from inside, then a jump onto the bed. She opened the door, only to find the young Damon lying on the bed above the sheets and blankets. He was sitting with his arms wrapped around his legs, and as Elena grew closer, she saw tear stains on his face, and fresh tears following the lines.

" Are you alright, Damon?" Elena asked as she sat on the bed next to the young Damon.

" I...I am not alright, Miss..." The boy muttered from beneath his arms. He looked up at Elena and whispered " I miss my mother. She passed away a few years ago, and I can not bear it!"

" I know how you feel,Damon." Elena said as she choked back tears. Elena explained to Damon what happened with her parents, and how both passed away.

" I am sorry, Miss Elena." Damon said as he put his head against Elena's arm.

" Please call me just Elena, okay?" She smiled warmly at the boy as he looked up at her, with an expression of shock and awe.

"Miss...Elena?"Damon corrected himself before he continued on." Do you know about demons?" He whispered in her ear.

Elena took the question calmly, and responded with a nod of her head. " I know a little bit about them. Do you want to explain some stuff to me?"

As soon as she asked, the young boy's face lit up with a brilliant smile. " Of course."

As the night went on, The two sat and explained their knowledge of the Demons that Damon thought of during the day and night. He explained how his father carried on his italian myths to mystic falls with him, and how he told he and his brother how to destroy these creatures.

" I believe that we should not hurt them though." Damon explained through a yawn. " Of course they are different, but do they deserve their death because of who they are?" With his statement, he closed his eyes, and drifted off to sleep.

Elena got up, closed the door as she left his room, and went back to her own. She climbed into the bed, and layed down and thought about the boys, present and past. Stefan knows,Elena thought But Damon doesn't know yet, and neither do the boys. Thanks, Bonnie. I just got an idea. With her thoughts settled, she stiffled a yawn, and fell asleep, not noticing Damon watching her intently through the door.