Chapter Four – Who's That Girl? –

((_1864- Mystic Falls, Virginia_))

Claire stood at the edge of the woods near her house as she looked up at the night sky, the stars were glowing brightly.

She thought back to months ago when she'd meet Damon in the woods, they spent as much time together as they could.

But ever since the night of the Summer Ball at the Lockwood Estate when her father had forced her to break things off with him, she tried to avoid him at all costs.

It was far too painful to see him, especially now that he and his brother Stefan we're both on an arm of Katherine Peirce.

She thought about sitting down to enjoy the cool, fall night air; but decided against it at remembering all of the recent animal attacks.

Just as she had started to head back home she heard a noise in the woods.

"Hello?" She asked, her voice shaky.

When she didn't hear anything she turned back around gasping at seeing the 2nd oldest Fell son, Samuel.

"It's dangerous for a beautiful lady such as yourself to be out here in the middle of the night." He said.

"I'm just heading home. Have a good night, Samuel." She said as she tried to walk past him; but he moved and blocked her way.

"You are correct, it's the middle of the night and I should be getting home." She said, trying to pass him but again he blocked her way.

"I might have been correct on that matter, but I believe I wasn't entirely truthful on the other." He said.

"I do not have time for your games." She said, irritated at him.

Ever since she had broken things off with Damon, both Samuel and his older brother wouldn't leave her alone.

"Lady is too proper of a term, for you." He went on to insult her.

She took a deep breath and let her lungs deflate slowly; she had also been getting quite a few offhanded remarks like that also.

She had really begun to wonder if Damon had been telling people of their time together.

Holding her head high she tried to walk past him again but he stopped her.

"Yes? I suppose a more suitable term would be jezebel… or harlot." He said.

Claire gasped.

"Tramp… I mean really Claire, the list could go on and on." He said, smiling snidely at her in the moonlight.

Raising her hand she slapped him hard across the face.

"You bitch." He growled as he grabbed her and slammed her body back against a tree.

"Stop it! No! Leave me alone!" She yelled trying to push him off of her.

"I'm just giving you what you've been begging for, wench." He growled, his hands trying to find their way under the many thick layers of her dress.

"Samuel! Stop!" Claire screamed, as tears poured down her face.

"I've been courting you for years and you've paid me no attention. But then you give everything to Damon Salvatore?" He asked, still trying to get under her dress.

"Help!" She screamed at the top of her lungs.

Startled by her loud outcry, he cupped a hand over her mouth. She tried to fight him off, but he was too strong and kept her pinned.

More tears poured down her face as his free hand found it's way back under dress.

"I'm just taking what should have rightfully been mine." He growled, his breath labored as it hit her face.

Just then there was a blur that shot past them.

He let go of her and looked around, "What was that?" He questioned.

Claire stayed quiet as she could feel the hair on her neck stand on end.

"Go home." A woman said as she appeared in front of him.

As if he were in a trance he said, "I'm going home."

Claire watched as he turned and left through the woods.

She then turned her attention back to the woman standing in front of her.

"You're… Katherine Peirce." Claire said, her eyes going to her chin that was covered in fresh blood.

Katherine watched Claire closely, a little surprised at the look in her eyes. She had expected pure terror and had planned to compel her or kill her.

"I know what you are." Claire said, as she bravely took a step forward.

"You do?" Katherine asked, thrown off by her actions.

Raising a shaky hand Claire lightly swiped a finger over her chin and looked down to the blood on her finger.

"Vampire." Claire said, her eyes wide.

"I've read books about Vampires… I knew it wasn't animal attacks. You're just feeding." Claire said an astonished look on her face.

Katherine couldn't find words to say as Claire continued to stump her.

"You're so strong and you get to make your own rules." Claire continued to think out loud, looking at her with a look if admiration.

"Thank you… for saving me." Claire said her tone honest.

"You're not afraid of me?" Katherine questioned.

Claire shook her head back and forth, "I can think of several worse ways to die."

Katherine wasn't able to stop the smile that spread across her lips at the girl's reaction.

"Are you going to kill me?" Claire asked.

"No… I'm going to let you live." Katherine admitted.

"Why?" she asked.

"I like you. We're going to be great friends, you and I." Katherine said before she took off running and disappeared into the woods.

Claire took one last look at her surroundings and then started back for her house.

A couple weeks later, Claire was sitting against a tree in the woods. It was the middle of the day and she was reading a book.

"Good afternoon." Katherine said as she joined her.

"Katherine, good afternoon!" Claire responded with a smile.

The girls had been spending a lot of time together since they had first met.

Katherine sat on a nearby tree stump and watched as Claire read her book.

"Do you love them both?" Claire asked, not looking up from her book.

"Stefan and Damon?" Katherine asked.

"Yes." Claire said as she picked a leaf up from the ground beside her and used it as a book mark laying her book to the side.

"Most days." Katherine answered, her deep brown eyes locking with Claire's blue eyes.

"I think it's wrong of you to toy with them." Claire admitted.

Katherine laughed, still amazed at Claire's comfortableness around her.

"I'm not denying that it's wrong, but it's fun." Katherine admitted.

"You're selfish." Claire accused.

"So are you, Claire Worthington." Katherine responded.

"I am not." She argued.

"Aren't you? You broke poor Damon's heart, so you could stay here and live in your family's wealth instead of being disowned." Katherine said.

"Those weren't my reasons." Claire said.

"You can't fool me." Katherine responded.

Claire shook her head angrily, Katherine had it all wrong. She had stayed to protect her younger siblings from their father's drunken beatings.

"He still talks about you, quite incessantly. To the point of annoyance… I think that's why I favor Stefan." Katherine explained.

"You favor Stefan?" Claire asked, surprised.

"Of course, Damon's heart still partially belongs to you. Stefan on the other hand… I was his first… everything." Katherine said, no shame in her voice.

"Have a good day, Katherine." Claire said as she stood and picked her book up. Her cheeks turning pink from Katherine's forwardness.

"Did I offend you, jezebel?" Katherine questioned.

"Stop calling me that!" Claire yelled as she turned and faced Katherine who was now standing in front of her.

"Why? That is the term these days isn't it? You're unwed and yet Damon had you again and again… and again." Katherine taunted.

Claire's eyes narrowed in anger at her.

"You need to make up your mind, either you will be nice to me and we will remain friends. Or you can continue your unwarranted taunts and I will have nothing to do with you." Claire told her.

"There's no one out here to hear us." Katherine pointed out.

Sighing Claire turned and started to walk away.

"It's not Damon…" Katherine called after her.

"What are you talking about? I do not understand you." Claire told her.

"Just so you're aware, it's not Damon airing your lack of discretions. It's that brother of yours." Katherine told her.

"Luke?" Claire gasped.

Katherine nodded.

"He won't tell anyone else though, I took care of him." Katherine said.

"You killed him?" She gasped.

"No, I compelled him to stop spreading your personal life around town. No harm done." Katherine said.

"Why? Why would you do that for me?" Claire asked confused.

"Because Claire, we are best friends." Katherine said, a sinister smile slowly spreading over her lips.

Claire nodded.

Walking up Katherine looped her arm through Claire's, "Let's go into town, visit the market." She said.

"Alright." Claire agreed, managing a small smile at her new friend as they headed out of the woods.

((_Present Day_))

Claire sat at a table in the Mystic Fall's Grill, and looked down to the food in front of her. It had been a few days since she had found out Damon and Stefan were alive; a few days since she found out everyone had known and not told her.

"Claire." A voice said.

She looked up to see Tyler as he smiled and headed towards her table.

"Good afternoon." She said, weakly managing a smile.

Ever since she had compelled Tyler to stop having romantic feelings for her, he had been nice and friendly with her.

"Are you alright?" He asked as he sat down across from her.

"I've had a rough few days." She admitted.

"What's been going on?" He asked.

"What do you know about Damon Salvatore?" Claire asked.

"Uhh, not a lot. The guys a real creep." Tyler said with a look of indifference on his face.

Claire frowned and nodded.

"Are you going to the Founder's Day event?" He asked her.

"I'm not sure… Anna mentioned something to me about it. But I don't know if I'm feeling well enough for a community event." She answered honestly.

A little while later she looked up and saw Elena looking at her.

"I need to be on my way. Have a good rest of your day." She said as she slid off her chair and out the back door of the grill.

Elena made her way over to the table where Tyler was still sitting.

"Hey, who was that?" Elena asked him.

"Claire Worthington… she's new in town." Tyler informed her.

"I need to talk to her, do you know where she lives?" Elena asked.

Tyler gave her the address and Elena left.

It was close to an hour later that Claire was sitting in her room reading a book when she heard a knock at the door.

She got downstairs just as her aunt opened the door.

"Katherine?" Judith gasped.

"That isn't Katherine." Claire said as she joined her aunt at the door.

"Hello Elena." Claire greeted.

"Can we talk?" Elena asked her.

"She looks just like Katherine." Judith observed again.

"I know." Claire said a she nodded for Elena to come inside.

Elena looked at Judith as she walked into the house.

"We can speak in my room." Claire said as she turned and started back up the stairs.

Elena walked in and looked around the large room.

There was a t.v on a table at the foot or her bed, a desk with a laptop, and stereo and the rest of the room had books laying everywhere.

"Wow. You really like to read…" Elena observed.

Claire nodded, "I've always loved to read."

Elena picked up a college trigonometry book from the desk.

"You read math books?" Elena asked, confused.

"I am trying to prepare for a career in today's world; I spent all last Sunday in a bookstore on the local college campus. I must admit, it was intimidating at first… but my aunt's boyfriend teaches math there and he's helped me tremendously." Claire said.

Elena laid the book back down, surprised at Claire.

"What are you doing here, Elena?" Claire asked, her voice soft as she scooted some books from the bed onto the floor at sat down.

"I wanted to thank you… for saving my life. For saving Stefan's life." Elena explained.

"You're welcome." Claire responded politely.

"I understand you and Stefan used to be friends?" Elena continued to ask.

"Yes, both of our families were founding family's… I grew up with him." Claire explained.

"He said he had no idea you'd been turned." Elena went onto talk.

"He told you about me?" Claire asked, her blue eyes widened.

"Not very much… he said you didn't want Damon to know…" Elena's voice trailed off.

"He's correct." Claire said as she walked over to her window and looked out.

"You seem like a very kind person." Claire said, looking at Elena.

Elena smiled, "So do you."

Claire scoffed, "I am not a person… not anymore. I'm a monster, a murderous monster."

Elena shifted uncomfortably.

"I killed 3 vampires yesterday." She explained.

"Because you were trying to help us." Elena said.

"I've never killed anything in my entire existence." Claire told her.

"You feel guilt…" Elena said.

"I feel everything, Elena." Claire said.

"You had to kill them. You were trying to help us." Elena offered some comfort.

"Is that how you justify death? Murder, it's senseless… needless. I tried to warn the first vampire that came after me. He didn't listen… I didn't even know I had it in me to kill. To be honest, I thought I had met my end." Claire said.

Elena looked at her with sad eyes.

"You remind me a lot of Stefan. He doesn't like death either… he feeds from animals to stay alive." She told her.

"Really? I questioned my aunt about doing that. But she told me I needed human blood to stay at my strongest." Claire explained.

"I've read about a lot of recent animal attacks starting months and months ago… I just assumed when I found out they had been turned it was them." Claire said.

Elena avoided her eyes.

"Damon?" Claire questioned.

Elena nodded.

Claire shook her head and looked back out the window at the evening sun.

"All of those human lives… all of the carnage and suffering… it's all him?" Claire asked.

"He's been sticking to blood bags lately… I think. That's what Stefan says at least." Elena said.

"It doesn't sound like him at all. Not the Damon I knew." Claire said, sighing.

"Really? I can't really see him any differently…" Elena said.

Claire was silent as she rubbed her palms over the fabric of her jeans.

"Can I ask what happened with you and Damon?" Elena asked her.

Claire looked down smiling at the memories.

"I knew Damon for as long as I'd known Stefan, but I didn't really start to talk to Damon until I was about 13… almost 14. He was unlike any other person I'd met before, and pretty soon we were inseparable." Claire said.

Elena gave her a soft smile.

"Things were… amazing. We fell in love, and wanted to spend every single second we could together. And then, right after I'd turned 15 my father and his father got into a dispute. I don't even recall what it was about. My father told me I wasn't to see Damon anymore. But I loved him so much, I went against my father's wishes… rebelled and started lying and sneaking off with him." Claire said.

"Which I'm guessing was pretty frowned on back then?" Elena questioned.

Claire nodded.

"My family knew I was still seeing him, but it didn't cause extreme tension until…" Her voice trailed off and her cheeks took on a very, very light pinkish tint.

"Until what?" Elena asked.

"I had a brother, Luke. Just a few years my junior… it's not very nice to say, but he wasn't the smartest. He was the only son, and my father was very hard on him… ashamed he would be the one responsible for carrying on the Worthington name. It was important to have a son to carry on the family name back then." Claire explained.

Elena nodded, and patiently waited for her to continue.

"Luke became… obsessed with finding ways to get me in trouble. I was the favored child, the oldest." Claire's eyes grew sad as she remembered back.

"So what happened?" Elena asked,

"Back in the 1860's, premarital relations were almost unheard of… especially for respectable ladies. But, I loved him so much…" Claire said, avoiding
Elena's eyes as she felt shame over her past.

"I'm not judging you." Elena said taking a few steps closer.

"Everyone else did." Claire said.

Taking a deep breath she continued her story, "We were very careful to cover our tracks… but you know, being young and in love… you get swept away in the moment."

"One night, we met in my family's barn… he brought me a book he had picked up when he was in another town. And, we knew it was risky to…" Her voice trailed off.

"But, it was late at night… my family was all in bed asleep. So we spent most of the night together, turned out Luke had heard me sneaking down the wooden stairs in our house. He followed me… saw me with Damon." Claire said.

Elena's eyes grew sadder as she saw Claire getting more upset as she spoke.

"He knew if he told my father, that I'd be the disgrace of the family and not him. So he told my parents. I was turning 16 in a few weeks and that was a common age to be married off. And who would want a sinner for a wife?" Claire said.

"And Damon wouldn't marry you?" Elena asked, trying to piece it together.

"He wanted to. I wanted to. But with our family's still fighting, my father gave me an ultimatum. Break things off with Damon and never speak to him again, or face the shame of what I had done and be banished from the town with nothing but the clothes on my back." She continued the painful story.

"And you chose to stay home, and leave Damon?" Elena asked.

"Yes… after my father called me a whore and slapped me across my face." Claire said.

"Oh my god… that's terrible." Elena replied, her voice barely over a whisper.

"Damon offered to run away with me. But I had 2 younger sisters; they were 8 and 12 at the time. If I had left, father would have turned his drunken beatings on one of them. I couldn't leave them… they were my sisters. I had to stay to protect them." She said, a few tears stinging her eyes.

"Protect them? Meaning… taking the beatings for them?" Elena questioned.

"Times were different back then… there wasn't child protective services like today. The Worthington's were the most prominent family in town, even if I had went to someone for help… no one would have dared stood up to him. I was trapped." Claire said, wiping her cheeks.

"I can't even imagine…" Elena said, feeling tears stinging her dark brown eyes.

"Why did Katherine turn you?" Elena asked after the room stayed silent.

"We were best friends." Claire explained.

"But wasn't she with Stefan and Damon?" Elena asked.

Claire nodded, "It's difficult to understand our friendship, but she intended to keep me with her forever. We were the best of friends."

A/N- Thank you so much for reading!

I have a few other Vampire Dairies stories on my account, including the newest one 'Fire and Ice' that I'm working on with my dear friend Miss E Charlotte, please take the time to read and let us me know what you think.

My longest Vampire Diaries story is 'Your Lips, Your Lies, Your Lust' - a Damon/OC fic.

Please take a few moments to leave me a review and let me know if you enjoyed the chapter and are still reading. I appreciate your reviews so much, and it truly was all of your kind words that got me back into this story. So please let me know if you are still reading. ^_^