I don't own The Vampire Diaries.

A/N: Thank you so much for all of your reviews! They are thoroughly appreciated and encourage me to work faster ;) I hope you enjoy this chapter :D


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Chapter 3


"Someone's coming." Damon whispered and Caroline's eyes widened because she couldn't imagine who it could be then she hurried over to stand next to the doorway, hidden from view. Moments later Stefan walked in and he was thoroughly stunned to see Damon chained to the wall.

"Damon?" Stefan asked shocked. "How the hell are you tied up?" He exclaimed then Caroline stuck him with a vervain dart from behind and he swung around and saw her just before he fell to the ground and passed out.

"I can't believe that he didn't hear me there." Caroline muttered shaking her head. "Bunny blood." She said with distaste and Damon chuckled in surprise at her clear disdain for the Stefan 'vampire way of life'.

"Is that what your 'you like animals' comment was about earlier?" Damon queried entertained.

"Yeah. When I turned, he made me hunt a bunny and I'm scarred for life." She retorted and he laughed a little at her assessment.

"What are you going to do with him?" Damon quizzed.

"This wasn't part of the plan. Stefan will let his emotions get in the way of what needs to be done." Caroline identified annoyed and Damon smirked intrigued further by the little vampire/human for her statement.

"Are you ever going to untie me?" He questioned.

"When I'm sure that you won't kill me." She confirmed.

"What makes you think that I would?" He teased.

"Because, for one, I've met you before." She began and he sniggered a little. "And two, I know that Vicki wasn't an 'animal attack'." She divulged and he looked surprised as he'd forgotten about her.

"Doesn't bother you?" He queried curiously and she shrugged.

"You're a vampire. Vampire's eat people. It's kind of two plus two, Damon." She jibed and he laughed at that.

"So, you've killed people?" He tested and she nodded.

"It's totally weird but you have no idea how much I'm craving some B positive. Human food just isn't the same." She muttered and he snickered.

"Must be weird being human after being a vampire." He remarked and she nodded.

"It sucks." She scowled at nothing in particular.

"Then turn back." He concluded like it was obvious.

"I have too much to do at the moment without having to focus on control all over again right this second." She disagreed.

"So, what would you have done if I'd just drained you when we got into the woods?" He quizzed amused.

"I'm full of your blood." She shrugged and his jaw dropped.

"What do you mean?" He probed confused.

"Your future-self drained his blood into a thermos for me to take with me to drink every day in case you kill me." Caroline elaborated and Damon looked stunned that his future-self cared about her enough to do that. "Well, both he and Stefan did it." She corrected.

"Who's your sire?" He examined.

"You." She answered.

"Then why do you have Stefan's blood?" He interrogated irritated.

"Your future-self was weird about that too. What's the big deal?" She questioned sceptically.

"Because when you turn someone you have a blood link to them forever. It's… special." He responded after a pause and she looked surprised at his explanation. She wondered then why future-Damon would be annoyed at the thought of her turning on Stefan's blood. She honestly didn't think he cared about her.

"Huh. I just have it because I was getting them filled right before I left and I thought it would be easier than having you do both thermoses." She explained and he thought about that. "So, will you help me?"

"Let me see the other pictures." Damon requested still somewhat sceptically and she shrugged her agreement. Caroline went over to him and showed him the other one of her and him, the one of him and Bonnie, the one of Elena vamped out, the one of her and Stefan, Bonnie and Stefan and finally the one with him and Stefan. "How did that happen?" He examined shocked at seeing the picture of him and his brother looking like they were friends.

"Stefan almost died because the tomb vampires tortured him and you went and rescued him. After that, things got a bit better between you." Caroline explained.

"How?" Damon pushed doubtfully as he couldn't imagine things getting better between them any time soon, if ever.

"Because you realised that he didn't make you transition to take your choice away, he made you transition because he was scared and needed his big brother." Caroline advised softly and his jaw clenched because of the smidgeon of guilt he felt at her saying that. "Katherine didn't compel you, but she compelled Stefan. His memories came back and he was confused and terrified. He won't tell you this, but the thing Stefan wants most is the world is to have you back." She revealed and he just stared at her. It did kind of sound nice, even if it was highly unlikely.

"What makes you think that?" He probed.

"His actions." Caroline responded and he looked confused at her one word answer.

"Meaning?" He pushed for an explanation.

"Well, like I told you earlier, you were dying of a werewolf bite and Stefan traded himself for the cure. Then you had the chance to kill Klaus, but killing Klaus would have meant that you died, so Stefan stopped you from doing it, so that you'd stay safe." She reiterated and he sighed – Saint Stefan the hero... it sounded like something his baby brother would do.

"I'll think about it." He muttered meaning his relationship with Stefan. He hadn't really meant to say that out loud.

"About what?" She asked. "Helping me?"

"No, I'll help you. But Stefan doesn't find out that it was me who turned Elena." He warned hoping to change the subject from his slip up about his brother.

"I promise." She agreed. "I have a letter for you." Caroline remarked and he looked surprised as she pulled out a white envelope from her bag.

"From?" He tested.

"Your future self." She replied.

"Saying what?" He asked.

"No idea. It's for you." She answered like it was obvious and he was shocked that she wasn't nosy like that as he would have no doubt read it if the roles were reversed. "What about Stefan? He'll wake up in like half an hour. Maybe longer with the awful bunny diet." She noted and he snickered. He liked that she flat out refused the animal blood diet too.

"I'll take him back to the boarding house." He offered then Caroline took out the letter and put it on his lap. "Can't exactly open…"

"Yeah, I know. Two hands, how many did you get?" She snarked while she rolled her eyes at him and he chuckled at the funny blunt little blonde then she untied the ropes holding his feet together. She took out the key then unlocked the shackles then sat back down across from him. He stared at her for a moment, clearly surprised that she let him go then he picked up the letter.

"What is this place?" He questioned motioning to the room they were in.

"The werewolf curse runs in the Lockwood line. Over the years, the ones who triggered the curse tied themselves up down here on the full moon, so that they wouldn't get out and kill people." She explained surprising him that a supernatural would deny their nature like that. "Oh, by the way, if you're going to kill people to feed, you need to get rid of the bodies because the council are getting suspicious and they're a pain in the ass with all of the vampire stuff." She advised and he smirked at her.

"You're not telling me not to kill people?" He tested amused.

"Telling you to do anything doesn't work. I'm merely giving you a head's up." She refuted and he snickered at the blunt little blonde. He couldn't remember the last time someone had been so blunt with him.

"How do I know that Katherine isn't in the tomb? You could just be saying that so that I don't open it." He pointed out and she sighed.

"Katherine is how I turned. I was in a car accident, you gave me blood then she smothered me with a pillow." Caroline revealed and Damon was a bit taken aback by that.

"Sucky death." He remarked because he kind of liked her already and she nodded her agreement because it was horrible. "But that was after the tomb opened." He smirked remembering that from her story earlier and she shot him a look for insinuating that she was lying.

"Fine." She said exasperated then took off her necklace and dropped it on the floor.

"What's that?" He tested.

"My vervain necklace." She disclosed, surprising him that she would make herself vulnerable like that. "Compel me then." She encouraged and he looked at her peculiarly for allowing that.

"You have no vervain in your blood?" He queried curiously.

"I gave you blood earlier." She pointed out.

"You could have drunk vervain after that." He countered and she sighed in annoyance at him being so damn difficult which amused him because he figured that she was starting to lose her temper with him. She moved her hair out of the way and tilted her head baring her neck in his direction.

"Then check." She offered and he smirked at the thought of getting to taste her straight from the source.

"Alright." He agreed pleased at the turn of events then moved in front of her and his face changed. "Interesting." He noted.

"What?" She asked.

"Your heartbeat didn't spike at all." He observed and she shrugged.

"I was tortured by werewolves and my father. A bite isn't exactly terrifying after that." She retorted and he smirked at her being such a brave little human then moved his mouth to her neck. She was really surprised when he kissed her skin and sucked on her neck a little – clearly meaning that he didn't want it to hurt. She felt the sting of his fangs but she had no reaction because it was the best bite that he'd ever given her and she'd had way worse from both him and Tyler. He drank from her for a few seconds then pulled away and licked his lips as his face returned to normal, though he was still only inches away from her. She really thought that this Damon was kind of weird. He seemed oddly attracted to her. She saw him stare into her eyes and she knew that he was going to compel her – internally, she was kind of worried that he'd compel her to forget her mission but she didn't try to move. His pupils dilated and her jaw slackened at his control over her mind began.

"Is Katherine in the tomb?" He compelled.

"No." She denied under compulsion and he winced because that stung.

"Is everything you're telling me the truth?" He compelled.

"Yes." She confirmed under compulsion.

"Why did you let me compel you?" He compelled curiously.

"I want you to trust me." She admitted monotone and he cocked an eyebrow at that wondering if he could.

"Why?" He compelled.

"Because I need you." She confessed.

"Why me?" He compelled.

"Because you're the only one that I trust to help me complete my mission." She replied shocking him. He thought about if there was anything else that he wanted to know, though he liked the little blonde already and the fact that she said she trusted him made him not want to screw her around. He saw that she was clearly a real (and honest) friend and he could use one of those.

"Why did Katherine want me to believe she was in the tomb?" He compelled.

"Because Katherine doesn't love anyone but herself and she needed Klaus to believe that she died in Mystic Falls in 1864." Caroline replied and his stomach churned at that – it had all been a lie. He was about to cut his compulsion when he thought of something.

"Don't drink vervain." He compelled. "But forget that I compelled that." He added then cut his compulsion and she sighed. "What?" He asked amused.

"I hate compulsion when it's not me doing it." She remarked and he chuckled then she grabbed her necklace and put it back on. He noticed that her neck was healed but there were a couple of drops streaked on her skin that were enticing him.

"Why'd you put that back on?" He queried.

"Because you're not the only vampire around." She pointed out and he nodded.

"Annabelle, Ben the bartender with the dark hair and some random one from 1864 that Katherine turned, right?" He tested and she nodded.

"The bartender is really stupid. You'll be able to follow him to find out where they are. They were in a motel room last time but that was later, so they might not be there now." Caroline added. "But, if you stake one of them and hand them over to my mom, she'll trust you and you can get on the council." She smirked and he chuckled at her cheeky expression.

"And why would I want to be on the council?" He teased.

"You're head of the council in the future. I think you went on it to deflect suspicion." She disclosed and he smirked at her trying to help him.

"Not a bad idea, Blondie." He agreed and she rolled her eyes at the nickname.

"Great. Even this version has to call me that." She muttered to herself and he laughed at that.

"This version?" He asked amused.

"Yeah, your future-self calls me Blondie and Vampire Barbie." She murmured wryly and he chuckled.

"And you don't like that?" He leered.

"Vampire Barbie doesn't bother me." She shrugged and he sniggered knowing that the other one clearly did.

"I'll think of something else to call you." He teased temptingly and she giggled – oh God, why was she giggling? She forgot how damn charming he could be. She had to get the hell out of there before she totally embarrassed herself.

"Right… uh… I have to go." Caroline informed him while standing up and he smirked and stood up as well.

"Why's that, princess?" He asked in that charismatic way of his and she deadpanned.

"Don't start that flirty stuff. I have a mission and I don't have time for all of that crap." She cautioned and he snickered then took a step towards her and was very surprised that she didn't step back but instead only cocked an eyebrow at him.

"You kissed me back, you know." He teased and no, dammit, she was not letting herself be drawn into Damon again.

"Well, yeah, just to vervain your ass." She retorted and he chuckled.

"Aren't you the little liar?" He smirked and she rolled her eyes.

"Cocky much?" She wanted to slap herself for saying that again and a Cheshire grin spread on his face.

"Very much." He confirmed and she chuckled and rolled her eyes.

"Then I am sure that you will have no trouble finding yourself some little bite and fuck for the evening. But I have to go. I'll call you tomorrow." She replied curtly and he laughed at the first comment.

"And how are you going to call me?" He smirked and she rolled her eyes again then took out her phone and dialled his number. He was surprised when his phone rang.

"Does that answer your question?" She probed and he shot her an amused look for her little put-on mood.

"And now I have yours, princess." He winked and she sighed – she hated the fact that she loved that he called her that.

"Yes, well, whatever. Don't tell Stefan about this. He'll just brood in overdrive." She advised and he sniggered at that, amused that someone else saw Stefan the same way that he did.

"My lips are sealed." He promised while doing the eye thing and her jaw clenched which amused him as she was clearly trying her hardest to deny him.

"Excellent. Uh… bye." She said then turned on her heel and hurried out of the cellar.


Present


"Don't go after her. Don't go after her. Don't go after her… Dammit." Damon cringed.

"What's happening? You've been like grimacing for the past five minutes." Bonnie observed and he deadpanned.

"It seems that my past-self has decided to seduce Blondie." He muttered and they laughed.

"Why?" Elena asked sceptically.

"Because she turned me down." Damon murmured dryly and they chortled.

"That's so funny." Bonnie stated, highly entertained by how embarrassed Damon looked.

"No, it's really not." Damon grumbled then took a gulp of his drink and they snickered.


Past


Caroline made it about a hundred metres then Damon showed up in front of her in a flash. He was impressed that she didn't even flinch at his sudden appearance.

"What, Damon?" She asked trying not to let her irritation show as he was still dangerous.

"I'll run you home. It's late." He smirked and she chuckled in incredulity.

"Chivalry?" She teased. "Who are you and what have you done with Damon?" She joked and he sniggered.

"Hey, I was raised a Southern gentleman." He defended and she smirked.

"Guess I just haven't seen that." She quipped and he smirked back.

"Well, I'll just have to show you then." He concluded and she giggled in disbelief then gasped in surprise when he picked her up bridal style.

"What are you doing?" She queried putting her arms around his neck for support.

"Taking you home." He smirked. "Now where do you live?"

"22, Honey Hill." She responded and he looked surprised.

"That's nowhere near here." He remarked and she laughed.

"Yes, Damon, obviously. I was trying to get you into the Lockwood cellar to talk to you, remember?" She jibed and he smirked.

"Fine. Hang on." He teased then took off in a blur and Caroline tucked her face into his shoulder. Less than a minute later, he stopped and she lifted her head only to find him standing outside of her door. He set her down carefully then took her hand and kissed it. "Until tomorrow, princess." He bid then he was gone and Caroline's breath hitched involuntarily then she hurried into the house and exhaled.

"Crap." She muttered to herself.


Present


"What happened?" Stefan asked Damon amused as they saw him cringe in embarrassment.

"Nothing." Damon muttered then downed his drink and they snickered, sure that it was something that he would refuse to admit to.


Past


Stefan woke up on the couch in the boarding house and groaned a little at the burn of vervain. He sat up and saw Damon sitting on the recliner with a glass of bourbon.

"What happened?" Stefan asked confused, considering the last time he saw Damon, he was chained to a wall.

"Don't worry about it, brother." Damon winked. "Drink?" He offered holding out a glass and Stefan looked at him suspiciously then took the tumbler and took a drink – just bourbon. Hmm. That was weird.

"Did Caroline vervain me?" Stefan examined confused as he couldn't really remember.

"No." Damon lied.

"I'm sure I saw her." Stefan insisted a little muddled.

"You did. But it wasn't her." Damon lied.

"What are you doing with Caroline?" Stefan disapproved annoyed, remembering that was why he went after Damon in the first place. "She seems like a really nice girl. Don't mess with her, Damon." Stefan lectured and Damon rolled his eyes.

"Will you relax? You're being a buzz-kill." Damon pointed out.

"Oh and you left that girl alive tonight." Stefan deadpanned.

"I know. I took care of it." Damon said waving a hand unconcerned.

"Took care of it how?" Stefan asked hesitantly, and honestly a little confused at how Damon knew that Vicki had survived.

"It's a little thing called compulsion, Stefan. Us regular vampires can do that." Damon mocked and Stefan sighed at Damon's attitude – though, internally, he was shocked that Damon hadn't just killed her.

"Then who vervained me?" Stefan investigated.

"Another vampire." Damon answered surprising Stefan – Damon didn't really see it as a lie, considering that Caroline didn't behave like a human.

"What vampire?" Stefan pushed as Damon wasn't offering any information, much to Stefan's annoyance.

"How should I know, Stefan?" Damon retorted. "Caroline let me go." He added.

"But you didn't kill her, right?" Stefan tested.

"Nope." Damon shook his head.

"Did you compel her to forget it?" Stefan queried.

"Nope. She wears vervain." Damon denied absently looking at his book and Stefan's jaw dropped that Damon would allow that.

"She knows?" Stefan exclaimed dumbfounded.

"Mmhmm." Damon confirmed.

"As in about us?" Stefan pressed astounded.

"Mmhmm." Damon agreed.

"And you're just fine with that?" Stefan asked highly confused by Damon's complete indifference at the fact a human that couldn't be compelled knew about them.

"Mmhmm." Damon repeated and Stefan gaped at him. Stefan couldn't understand how Damon could just not care about something like that, considering Damon had gotten rid of most of the vervain in the area over the past century.

"What if she tells someone?" Stefan asked shocked.

"She won't. She's cool." Damon replied unconcerned because he'd read the letter from his future self and it said that he should trust her and listen to her because she doesn't have a disloyal bone in her body.

"You… like her?" Stefan inquired sceptically and Damon smirked at him.

"Don't you have bunnies to victimize?" Damon countered and Stefan sighed at the fact Damon was closing up again.

"Fine. But I want to talk when I get back." Stefan cautioned and Damon chuckled.

"Can't wait." He snarked and Stefan rolled his eyes then left. About five minutes later, Zack nervously entered the library and saw Damon sitting there. Damon looked up at him with a smirk – Caroline had told him that he'd killed Zack and he didn't want to repeat that and end the Salvatore line. "Evening, Zack." Damon drawled.

"What are you doing here?" Zack asked curiously – and cautiously.

"I've decided to settle down at home. Is that so strange?" Damon asked amused and Zack sighed. "I need you to do me a little favour."

"What?" Zack tested clearly not wanting to do him any favour.

"I need you to get me on the council." Damon revealed and Zack's jaw dropped.

"Why?" Zack asked confused as to why a vampire would want to be on the vampire-hunting council.

"Never you mind why. Call the Sheriff tomorrow and tell her your nephew will be swinging by with a vervain delivery from your stash in the basement." Damon smirked and Zack paled at the fact Damon knew.

"You know about that?" Zack tested and Damon grinned mischievously.

"A little bird told me." Damon admitted amused by Zack's nervous expression.

"The council are suspicious." Zack acknowledged.

"I know. But I also know that there are three other vampires in town aside from Stefan and me." Damon added and Zack looked surprised that Damon would tell him that.

"Are you planning to tell the council that?" Zack enquired – still having no idea why Damon would want to be on the council.

"No, of course not. I'm planning to kill them and hand them over as a show of good faith, so that I can be their new vampire hunter." Damon smirked and Zack looked stunned.

"Really?" Zack asked shocked that Damon would do that.

"Yes. Now are you going to call the Sheriff or not?" Damon examined.

"Alright, Uncle Damon. I'll call her in the morning." Zack agreed because he figured that three less vampires would be a good thing.

"Good." Damon nodded. "And stop calling me that. You look like twice my age, dude." Damon quipped then went back to his book and Zack sighed.

"Okay. I'll tell you when I've called." He said.

"Thank you, Zack." Damon acknowledged and Zack looked a little dazed at the fact Damon was being marginally pleasant.

"Goodnight." Zack bid.

"Sleep tight." Damon quipped then Zack left the room highly confused.


Present


The four of them were sitting in the living room and out of nowhere, Zack Salvatore appeared and all of their jaws dropped at the sight of him.

"Uh… what's going on?" Zack quizzed.

"What do you remember?" Stefan asked.

"I… The last thing I remember is Uncle Damon asking me to call the Sheriff." Zack responded confused.

"Hmm. The past hasn't been written yet." Damon stated curiously. "Go get some sleep, Zack." He instructed even though it was the morning there still.

"Yeah, we'll figure it out later." Stefan agreed and Zack looked at them cynically then turned and went upstairs.

"So weird." Damon commented.

"Obviously your past-self chose not to kill him." Bonnie observed.

"Mmm." Damon agreed thoughtfully.

"I have to say. Caroline's doing a great job so far." Stefan remarked happily…


A/N: Let me know what you think :)