A/N:
Okay so here's the new chapter. It has a lot of IMPORTANT flashbacks in it, one of them the greatest person in the world helped me with! Kyla aka PyroQueenOfFire! She has an AMAZING 'Vampire Diaries' story called 'Until We Bleed' and I recommend it, I also recommend another amazing story one of my reviewers wrote called "Feel my Fingertips on your Taken Lips' her screen name is 'bellaxxd' and she is an amazing writer! Well back to the story, one of the flashbacks (the first one) takes place a little before Katherine comes, remember that. Well I hope you all enjoy this chapter!
Damon Salvatore stood over Charlotte, watching her sleep. He had left earlier, but he didn't go far. He just walked around the neighborhood contemplating what Charlotte had said to him. He knew when he turned her that she was going to hate him for it…he knew that he was going to eventually lose her. But he couldn't let that happen, two years was the longest they've went without speaking, without seeing each other; Damon always found her no matter where she went, he was always there.
Damon sighed and stroked Charlotte's cheek. Charlotte turned.
"Damon," Charlotte mumbled and Damon froze. Charlotte rolled back over and Damon relaxed, smiling a little. He sighed and sat on the bed beside her knowing she wouldn't wake up. Charlotte was a deep sleeper; it took Damon to literally jump on her to wake her up.
Damon Salvatore knocked on the door of the "Dalton's" home, carrying a bouquet of white roses in his hand. Mrs. Dalton answered the door and smiled at Damon.
"Mr. Salvatore, so good to see you," She said ushering Damon in side. Damon nodded taking his hat off. "Charlotte is still in bed, if you'd like though you can go and wake her. I'm sure she enjoy waking up to you and a dozen roses?" She asked and Damon smiled nodding.
"I'd be delighted to wake her up." Damon said and Mrs. Dalton smiled.
"You know where her room is; just don't tell her father I let you see her in her night dress." Mrs. Dalton said and Damon nodded. Damon walked up the stairs, Charlotte's bedroom was the first room on the right. Damon knocked on her door before entering. He smiled seeing her lying in her bed, sound asleep. Charlotte was in the same place he had left her in last night, after his…visit. He sat on the bed beside her and stroked her hair.
"Char, time to wake up." He said and Charlotte stayed asleep. Damon laughed a little and set the flowers down. He climbed on top of her, and she squirmed a little.
"Charlotte, time to wake up!" Damon said bouncing the bed around her. Charlotte's eyes popped open and she starred up at Damon. He smiled and straddled her hips; he reached over and grabbed the flowers. Charlotte smiled and grabbed Damon's neck pulling him down to her lips and kissed him.
"My favorite," She cooed taking the flowers from him, inhaling their scent. Damon smiled and got off of her, lying down beside her.
"You talk in your sleep," Damon said turning over to look at her. Charlotte blushed and nodded.
"Yes, I know I do. It's quite annoying." She frowned and Damon smiled and sat up, supporting his head with his arm.
"Not when you're declaring your love for me in your sleep." Charlotte's face turned bright red and she pulled the covers over her head. Damon laughed and tried pulling the covers off of her. "Don't be embarrassed Char." Damon said crawling under the covers with her. He lay on top of her, his chin resting on her chest. Charlotte had her face covered with her hands, and under her hands she was smiling.
"Would you let me see your face if I told you I loved you?" Charlotte moved her hands and looked at Damon. He smiled at her and moved up, his face level with hers.
"You mean it?" Charlotte asked smiling a little. Damon smiled and stroked her cheek. He grabbed her face and kissed her.
"Of course I mean it."
"Her fault," Charlotte muttered and Damon turned to her confused. "It's all her fault." Damon sighed and stood up. If Charlotte found out he was trying to bring Katherine back, it would break her heart…He couldn't let her find out. Damon leaned down and kissed her lips gently and then left.
Charlotte tossed in her sleep, having a nightmare…but the nightmare was only a memory, one she didn't enjoy.
It was 1954, Charlotte was sitting at the bar, and Stefan sat to her right as she sipped a martini.
"Where's Damon, I haven't seen him all night." She said glancing around for him. Stefan shrugged playing with the ring on his finger, the ring that kept him alive. Stefan and Damon had Emily Bennett make Charlotte a necklace, like their rings, so Charlotte would be able to travel in the day without perishing.
"Off wreaking havoc most likely." Stefan mumbled and Charlotte sighed nodding knowing that Stefan was most likely right.
"I should go find him, and save who ever he plans on hurting." Charlotte said as she stood up. Stefan nodded and told her goodbye as she left the club. She walked outside, pulling her fur coat closer to her.
"Damon Salvatore where are you?" Charlotte called walking down the street checking the dark alleys. Charlotte heard someone scream and she smelled blood.
"Damn it Damon." Charlotte muttered and ran to where the scream came from. Charlotte found Damon, feeding on a girl, a girl that looked about fifteen. It took all the strength she had to restrain her hunger, to try to save the young girl.
"Damon stop! Get off of her!" Charlotte screamed pulling Damon away from the girl. She pushed him against the wall away from the girl. Charlotte bent down in front of the girl. Her eyes changing eye she glanced at the wound on her neck, warm blood flowing out. She gulped as the girl stared up at her terrified.
"An animal did this to you while you where on a walk, now run to the hospital." Charlotte said compelling the girl and controlling her hunger. The fifteen year old blonde nodded and ran off. Charlotte turned around and Damon stood up, his mouth covered in blood.
"She was a child Damon!" Charlotte yelled and Damon smiled shrugging a little.
"So," He said walking towards her. "Do you smell her blood? Delicious." Damon said and Charlotte looked at him disgusted.
"Sometimes Damon you make me want to kill you." Charlotte said glaring up at him Damon chuckled and held her face in his hands.
"No you don't, or you wouldn't still be with me." He said and kissed her, blood still on his lips. Charlotte tasted the girls blood on him, and her eyes changed again hunger filled her body.
"You haven't fed in quite awhile Char; you know what happens when you don't" Damon whispered leaning his head against hers.
"Damon…it's wrong, killing an innocent person…I can't do it." Charlotte said, kissing Damon again, only for the taste of the girl's blood.
"You don't have to kill to feed Charlotte, you know that." Damon told her and she nodded.
"I think…I'm going to do what Stefan is doing." Charlotte muttered and Damon looked at her.
"Charlotte, that's only going to make you weak, you need human blood." Damon said and she shook her head.
"No, Damon…I'm not going to do it anymore, I don't want to live like this."
"But you're not living Charlotte." Damon said and Charlotte glared pulling away from Damon's hold.
"Yeah you made sure of that Damon." She snapped and Damon sighed and grabbed her wrist as she tried to walk away.
"Charlotte you cant live like Stefan, you're not strong enough, you enjoy the blood to much. I know you do." Damon smirked and Charlotte pulled her hand back.
"You don't know me anymore Damon." She snapped and stormed away leaving Damon alone in the alley.
Charlotte sat up in bed, the sun shone through the window; Charlotte put her hand on the necklace that kept her alive. She sighed and pulled the covers off of her. She could still smell Damon; he must have been back, after she had fallen asleep. She sighed again and ran her fingers through her hair. She pressed the play button on her stereo, and turned the sound all the way up. She reached in her closet and grabbed a pair of jeans, and a baby blue shirt, and a white lace tank top to wear underneath it. She grabbed a pair of underwear and a bra, and then walked out of her room towards the shower. Charlotte pulled off her shirt humming along with the song. Charlotte pulled the rest of her clothes off and threw them in the hamper, and started the shower. She climbed in and washed her hair, the heat of the shower felt good beating against her skin. The drunken state she was in the night before had passed over, and she was back to feeling like her old, depressed vampire self. Charlotte stepped out of the shower, and pulled her robe on. She dried her hair with her towel and walked out of the bathroom. She trotted down the stairs and into the kitchen to start a pot of coffee. She felt a gust of wind and she turned around, no one was there, but the scent was familiar. There was another gust of wind and she groaned.
"Damon I swear to god I'm going to rip your head off." Charlotte said and the gust of wind hit her and she hit the sink.
"Well I'm insulted." A familiar voice said and Charlotte looked over to where it came from.
"Kat?" Charlotte asked smiling and Kathleen Grey smiled nodding. "Oh my god Kat!" Charlotte squealed running over to her and pulling her into a hug.
"You smell like squirrel," Kathleen said and Charlotte laughed shaking her head. "Aw, so you're still on the 'Stefan diet"?" Kathleen asked jumping onto Charlotte's counter. Charlotte rolled her eyes.
"Now why is it the 'Stefan Diet' I mean just cause he did it first doesn't mean he owns it." Charlotte grumbled fixing herself a cup of coffee.
"How is my Stefan by the way, I heard he picked himself up a new girl." Kat said a little bitter. Charlotte nodded and turned to face her.
"He did, and this girl is sweet and is good for him and you better leave him be Kat, you're my friend but Stefan is like my brother." Charlotte warned and took a sip of her coffee. Kathleen smiled and nodded.
"Oh I won't do anything, scouts honor." Kathleen said and Charlotte gave her a look.
"What are you even doing here?" Charlotte asked and Kathleen sighed and jumped down from the counter.
"I was just in the neighborhood, and I heard you had come back here so I thought "What the hell, let's stalk Char," and voula! Here I am." Charlotte laughed nodding.
"Well when did you get here because its daylight and you're not burnt to a crisp." Charlotte said setting her coffee down and heading back up the stairs, Kathleen following.
"I came at night, heard your whole little fiasco with Damon, which I might say could have turned into really hot angry sex." She said and Charlotte gave her look plugging in her straighter.
"I swear you and Damon are just alike." Charlotte said shaking her head. Kathleen snorted and leaned against the door frame watching her old friend straighten her hair.
"Where are you going anyways?" She asked starring at her French manicured nails.
"School," Charlotte said putting the straighter down once she was done.
"School? You're 164 years old why do you need school?" Kathleen asked while Charlotte put on eyeliner. She shrugged and set her eyeliner down. She fluffed her hair a little and sighed.
"I need more practice being around humans, and I thought school was the best idea." She said grabbing her clothes. Kathleen shrugged and turned to her.
"Whatever, hey do you have any human blood lying around by any chance?" She asked and Charlotte shook her head.
"I've got some animal blood in the fridge though." She said and Kathleen sighed.
"Great, I have to reduce myself to bunnies." She groaned walking out of the bathroom. Charlotte shut the door and sighed. She pulled her robe off and hung it on the hook. She looked at herself in the mirror and frowned. She used to have color to her, now she was pale. She showed her fangs and her eyes changed, the hazel surrounded by red, her veins popping around her eyes. She closed her eyes, making them go away and pulled her clothes on. She looked back in the mirror at her appearance.
"I knew it! I knew you were eating bunnies!" She heard Kathleen yell and she laughed walking out of the bathroom. She grabbed her back pack and shoved her books in. Stefan had given her the homework she needed to do for that day at the bar before she got drunk, and she planned on doing it once she got to school.
"Kat, I've got to go to school, I'll be back around three okay? Just stay here, watch TV stay out of my closet." She warned and Kathleen groaned flopping down on her couch, a mug of blood in her hands.
"But you always have awesome clothes!" Kathleen yelled as Charlotte shut the front door. Charlotte locked the door and went to walk. But she stopped, and noticed the bouquet of white roses on her door mat. She bent down and picked the roses up. There was a little card and she pulled it off to read it.
Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds.
Charlotte frowned and crumbled up the message in her hand. She glanced around looking for Damon. She saw him standing across the street smiling. She glared and walked down the porch, towards him. A car past in front of her and when it left so had Damon. Charlotte groaned and walked over to the trash can; she lifted the lid and threw the flowers in.
Damon rolled his eyes, watching Charlotte throw his 24 roses that cost him a hundred bucks in the garbage. He sighed and took off down the street, towards Mystic Falls high school. He looked around for Caroline, his own personal slave. He noticed her sitting alone. He was beside her in seconds.
"I need you to do me a favor," He said and she jumped just realizing he was there. She glared at him and shoved her phone in her pocket.
"No," She said getting up, Damon grabbed her wrist and forced her to look at him.
"I need you to do me a favor." He said compelling her. She looked dazed for a minute but then smiled.
"Yeah, of course what do you need?" Caroline asked and Damon smiled.
"I need you to become very close friends with Charlotte Dalton." He said and Caroline smiled nodding.
"Okay, she is so pretty, and super nice too." She said and Damon nodded.
"Yeah she is." He said frowning a little.
"You like her," Caroline said and Damon rolled his eyes at her.
"I need you to get close to her, sleepovers, parties all those girl things." He said and she nodded willing to oblige in his every command. Caroline nodded and Damon felt Charlotte's presence, he turned and saw her standing not but two feet away from him and Caroline.
"Damon," She said and he smiled at her.
"Did you like my flowers?" He asked and Charlotte smiled at him fakely.
"I adored them." She said and he smirked.
"I thought you would, well I should go, nice talking to you Caroline." Damon said and then walked away. Caroline smiled at Charlotte.
"So Charlotte, I'm throwing a party tonight and I want you to come." She said hooking arms with Charlotte as they headed for the lockers.
"Sure, where's the party at?" She asked smiling as Caroline waved at a few of her friends.
"Out in the woods, near this old cemetery-you've lived here before so you should know where it is." Caroline explained smiling.
Charlotte nodded frowning a little. She knew exactly about where she was talking about: the old cemetery, only a few miles from the old Dalton house...the cemetery all her family was buried in. Her brother was the only Dalton to survive, and he got married and had a family, letting the Dalton legacy live on. They all knew about the vampires, and they knew Charlotte was a vampire, because after she was turned…she went to visit her home.
Charlotte stood outside of her old home, staring up at her room. She could hear her mother crying inside, pleading God to return her sweet baby. Charlotte frowned and leaned against the oak tree holding back her tears. Damon walked up behind her and put his hands on her waist.
"It will be okay Char, your mother will move on, and she'll come to terms with your death-you need to just let her be." Damon whispered into her ear, nuzzling against her neck, and Charlotte nodded but pulled out of Damon's hold.
"I hate you for doing this to me." She said coldly.
Damon sighed, watching her walk away, the blood red dress she was in swaying in the wind. Damon turned and went to hunt, leaving Charlotte alone. Charlotte looked up at her house as she walked towards the water, feeling as if she was now able to think more without Damon's presence. She frowned seeing her mother and her father both in tears. She turned and sat down on a rock burying her face in her hands.
"Charlotte?" She heard her brother say and she stood up quickly as he walked over holding a lantern up to see. "Oh my God Charlotte! I can't believe it, I must get mother!" He yelled turning to leave.
"No David don't!" Charlotte called and David turned around looking at her confused.
He walked towards her, and Charlotte tried to keep her calm. Being a vampire now she could hear his heart beating so loud and strong-she could vividly hear the blood pumping away in his veins. Charlotte bit her lips and David starred at her, scared.
"Charlotte your face." He said reaching to touch her eyes, and Charlotte turned around quickly, and David pulled his hand back.
"The vampires did this to you…oh, Charlotte no." He moaned his voice full of pain, causing Charlotte to frown and she turned to face him, controlling her hunger.
"I didn't want this," She said a few tears escaping her eyes. "David please, do not tell mother or father. I could not bear their pain of knowing what I am now. It would kill them." David's face fell and he held back his tears as much as he could.
He never imagined something like this would happen to his baby sister. He stared at her, taking in her pale skin, her eyes how they changed when she was…hungry. It was hard for him to wrap his mind around it, but part of him knew that she was still his sister.
"I will not tell them Charlotte, and I will protect you-I won't tell anyone of what you have become; only my children will know." He said taking a step back as he saw another man coming up behind her. "You will live on in my family sister-I will never let you be forgotten." He said as Damon now stood beside her, taking the moment to glare at Damon, already knowing that this was his doing.
"Take care David," She said her voice cracking a little. "I love you brother." She said and David nodded.
"I love you too sister."
"Charlotte did you hear what I said?" Caroline asked waving her hands in front of Charlotte's face. Charlotte turned to her and Caroline looked at her shaking her head a little.
"Oh no I'm sorry what was it?" She asked smiling a little as she turned the dial on her locker.
"I was asking if maybe I could follow you home, and get ready at your house have some girl talk." Caroline asked opening her locker. Charlotte pulled out her history book and shoved it in her bag thinking, she had blood in her fridge, and a vampire in her living room. She looked over at Caroline and she smiled at her. "Please?" She asked and Charlotte smiled.
"Sure why not, I need help picking out an outfit anyways." She said and Caroline squealed and hugged her.
"Great! So I'll just run to my house and grab my things then meet you at yours," Caroline said pulling out her cell phone. "What's your number and your address?" She asked and Charlotte relocked her locker.
"My number is 495-3301 and I live at 141 Cherry Lane," She said and Caroline's snapped her phone shut.
"Well I'll see you in English, see you later Charlotte." Caroline called and walked towards English glass. Charlotte ducked into the girls' bathroom and pulled out her phone. She dialed her home phone.
"Hello," She heard Kathleen say and she sighed.
"Kat it's me Charlotte." Charlotte said and Kathleen sighed. "I need you to do me a favor." Charlotte said glancing at herself in the mirror.
"Yeah what is it?" Kathleen asked wiping the blood from her mouth.
"I need you to hide all the blood in my fridge, they're another fridge in the basement, put it there, just don't touch anything, and I need you to leave." Kathleen groaned stepping over the unconscious body in the middle of the floor.
"Leave? Where am I supposed to go Char, to holiday inn? Oh wait I can't its daylight." She said sitting in the arm chair glancing at the blood stain on the couch. Charlotte said and leaned against the counter of the girls' bathroom.
"There's a necklace, like mine in my room. I had one made for you a few years ago, but I couldn't find you, it's in my jewelry box on my dresser. But do not take anything else." Charlotte warned and Kathleen smiled to herself.
"You know this is why I chose you as my best friend, you're always looking out for me, I love you." Kathleen said and Charlotte smiled.
"I love you to Kat, now do what I said or I'm going to push you out the door myself minus the necklace." Kathleen snorted and jumped up. The man on the floor groaned and tried to sit up. Kathleen squatted over top of him grabbing his face in her hand. He looked up at her his eyes full of fear.
"Alright Hun, I get right on that quick question do you anything to remove blood stains?" She asked smiling at the man.
"Kathleen you didn't!" Charlotte gasped and Kathleen sighed sitting on the man's stomach.
"Hey I tried not to spill but I got a little…over excited, but I promise he's not dead and I will clean up my mess." She said and hung up the phone. Charlotte groaned and shoved her phone back in her pocket. She glanced at the clock in the bathroom and cursed. A minute until class starts. She sighed and ran to class, the speed to fast for human eyes to notice. She made it inside the class with three seconds to spare.
"Hello Charlotte," Her history teacher Mr. Saltzman said as she headed towards her desk and then the bell rung. Mr. Saltzman went on about the civil war, and Charlotte gazed out the window already knowing everything about it. Charlotte felt her phone vibrate and she pulled it out and it was from a number she didn't recognize.
I know what you are
Charlotte's body tensed and she shoved the phone back in her pocket quickly. Charlotte glanced around her seeing if anyone had they're phone out, but no one did surprisingly. Someone had somehow gotten her phone number, and texted her that. Charlotte took a breath and turned her attention to Mr. Saltzman, he was explaining the conflicts of the war. She heard footsteps and then the door creaked open.
"Excuse me," Charlotte gazed at the young man standing in the door. He was incredibly handsome; he had blonde swayed hair, and light blue eyes.
"Yes?" Mr. Saltzman asked turning to face him.
"Is this History 101?" He asked and Mr. Saltzman nodded.
"Yes, you must be the new student, Michael Greene." He said and the boy Michael nodded glancing around. "Take a seat behind Charlotte, Charlotte could you raise your hand" Mr. Saltzman said and Charlotte raised her hand and Michael's eyes met hers. Charlotte put her hand down slowly as Michael walked towards her, still looking at her.
He sat down behind her, and Charlotte squirmed in her seat becoming nervous. What should she be nervous about? She is a 164 year old vampire. She thought to herself, jotting down a few notes. Charlotte could feel his eyes on her, watching her every move. It made her nervous, scared even. But why should she be scared of an 18 year old boy? It's nonsense. Charlotte sighed and the bell rung. She got up and put her things in her bag, and headed for the door. She ran into Stefan and Elena in the hall.
"What's the hurry Char?" Stefan asked holding her shoulders. Charlotte sighed and shook her head realizing how silly she was being.
"It's nothing; hey can you go to this party tonight? It's by the old cemetery, Caroline invited me and I told her I'd go." Charlotte said leaning against the wall. Elena laughed and rolled her eyes.
"Yeah Caroline has a way of dragging people into things, but I'm already going so I will see you there." Elena said and Charlotte smiled.
"What about you Ste-Faun?" Charlotte said his name funny and he gave her a look smiling. Elena stood beside Charlotte and they both gazed up at him pouting.
"Please Stefan, come to the party with us." Elena said wrapping her arm around Charlotte's shoulder.
"Pretty please with an ice cream and a cherry on top oh and Elena?" Charlotte said and Elena burst out laugh causing Charlotte to laugh.
"Fine, I'll go, you two." He said kissing Elena on the forehead as she hugged him.
"Well I am off to class, Stefan I need to talk to you later, it's important." Charlotte said looking Stefan in the eye, he nodded and Charlotte left walking down the hall to her next class.