Okay, so, I started writing this BEFORE the new episode of Vampire Diaries aired, so this story is AU. Okay? As always, feedback? Always welcome! Even encouraged! ;)


Everybody needs inspiration.

Everybody needs a song.

A beautiful melody, when the nights are long.

'Cause there is no guarantee that this life is easy.

Yeah,

When my world is falling apart.

When there's no light to break up the dark.

That's when I look at you.

When the waves are flooding the shore.

And I can't find my way home anymore.

That's when I look at you.

When I look at you, I see forgivness.

I see the truth.

You love me for who I am.

Like the stars hold the moon right there where they belong.

And I know I'm not alone!

Yeah,

When my world is falling apart.

When there's no light to break up the dark.

That's when I look at you.

When the waves are flooding the shore.

And I can't find my way home anymore.

That's when I look at you.

And you appear just like a dream to me.

Just like kaleidoscope colors that cover me.

All I need.

Every breath that I breathe.

Don't you know, you're beautiful?

When the waves are flooding the shore.

And I can't find my way home anymore.

That's when I look at you.

And you appear just like a dream to me.

When I Look At You - Miley Cyrus

Bam Bam Bam! Claire rolled over, groaning, and covered her ears with a pillow. Damon chuckled, softly. "Want me to get it?" he whispered. Claire nodded, and felt the bed shift as Damon stood and left the room. Claire heard the front door open. Then silence filled the apartment. After a few moments Claire got worried and leaped from the bed and ran to the front door. Damon was still as a statue, but the could see his muscles tensed and coiled. Ready for a fight. Then she saw why. Oliver and Amelie were standing in the doorway. "Oliver. Amelie. What are you two doing here?" Claire whispered in shock. Amelie glanced at Damon, then shifted her attention to Claire "Your friend Michael called. He wished to request you a transfer from Mystic Falls. I told him you were better suited here. He was quite adamant. Now, if you would do us the honor of inviting us in? There are things we need to discuss. Things that are private." "Yeah. So, do you think you can call off your pet vampire, too?" Oliver put in, smirking. Claire shared a "What-ev-er" look with Damon before saying "Amelie. Oliver. Would you like to come in?" Amelie nodded and stepped over the threshold, followed by Oliver. Claire gestured to the couch.

Amelie looked at it distastefully before sitting. Claire crossed her arms "Now, what did you want to talk about?" Amelie looked at Damon before answering "Klaus." "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Let's back up for a moment. How do you know Klaus?" Damon said, moving to stand beside Claire. Amelie smiled sadly, "I know a lot more than you, Mr. Salvatore." "You've heard of me?" Damon asked, warily. "Yes. And you brother. And Katerina Petrova. I know all about you, Mr. Salvatore. A lot more than you would like me to, I suppose." Amelie said, gravely. Claire looked at Damon, shocked. Damon looked sick. Claire reached out and took his hand. "What about Klaus?" She asked. Amelie sighed "He was one of mine, long ago. Before he became this deranged, mentally ill creature he's known for being." Damon balked "Wait, you turned Klaus?" Amelie nodded, gravely. "And that's why sent Claire here. I was hoping she might come up with a way to stop him, without anyone being harmed." Claire's eyes widened "Wait you're depending on me to kill a vampire that's God-Knows-How-Old?" Amelie nodded, gravely. Clair gulped as Damon wrapped an arm around her. "I can't do it. I just can't. It's too much. I'm sorry Amelie, but I can't." Amelie nodded.

Then looked at Oliver who said "Don't worry. I think she'll come around."They stood up, glanced at eahcf other as they left. Amelie turned back to Claire "Oh, and Claire? Do be careful. You can't trust everyone, if you want to live in this town." Claire shivered at Amelie's words. "Well, that was fun." Damon muttered, closing and locking the door. Claire yawned, "I'm so tired. Couldn't they have waited until morning to come over?" Damon snickered and lead her back to the bedroom. Claire crawled into bed, followed by Damon. Without warning Damon grabbed her and dragged her under the covers. Damon chuckled as she squealed in surprise. The next morning Claire awoke feeling tired and drained. Then, with a blush, she remembered why. Claire looked around her room for Damon and her discarded clothes. "Damon?" she called, walking into the kitchen. Damon was standing over the stove, frying what smelled like bacon and eggs. "Good morning." he drawled. Claire blushed brighter as she walked over to him. Damon chuckled and kissed her. Claire pulled back first "I thought you left... After..." She gestured to the bedroom. Damon arched an eyebrow "After?" Claire swallowed "After we - uh... You're really gonna make me say it, aren't you?" Damon laughed "No. I just think it's funny how you're embarrassed to say it." Claire laughed softly "Oh." Damon kissed her forehead "I have to take care of something. I'll be back later, okay?" Claire nodded.


Damon walked to the refrigerator in the basement. Just as he reached it, something slammed him into the wall. Stefan. "What the hell did you do to Claire?" he snarled. Damon blinked at him, confused "What do you mean?" Stefan growled "I can smell her on you!" Damon smirked "Ohh. That." He burst out laughing, then looked at Stefan seriously before knocking his hands away. "Don't touch me." Damon hissed.


"Claire." Claire turned to the voice. Eve walked up to her. Claire sighed "Eve." Eve cast her eyes to the ground "Claire. Please don't be mad at us. We're worried about you. Especially now that you're dating a -" Eve mimed fangs in the neck. Claire rolled her eyes "You're dating Michael. Am I butting in?" Eve sighed "No. But I know Michael. Do you know anything about him?" Claire shook her head "I know a lot more than you do." Eve cocked her head to one side "Do you?" I'm not sure I like where this is going... Claire thought dismayed.


Stefan crossed his arms looking stern "Damon, I'm not sure you know what you're doing..." Damon smirked, looking cocky "Of course I do. It's Claire." Stefan blurred across the room and began punching Damon, savagely.


"You don't know what you're talking about, Eve." Claire said, turning away. "Really? Because this is a daguerreotype of a guy named Damon Salvatore, taken 147 years ago!" Claire gaped at the picture of Damon. He's - he's one-hundred and forty-seven years old? She thought shell-shocked. "I have to - I have to go!" She stammered, she turned and ran. "Claire!" Eve called after her.


Claire burst through the door of the Boardinghouse. Stefan stepped away from Damon and looked at her, guiltily. "Stefan. I need to talk to Damon. Alone. Please?" Stefan nodded, silently. Damon stood, wiping the blood away from his healing but still bleeding lip. "Damon..." Claire whispered. Damon looked at her, worried "What's wrong?" Claire swallowed hard "You're 147 years old?" Damon chuckled softly "Yes. Give or take 29 years." Claire looked at him, "Tell me. Everything. No lies. Please?" Damon shook his head, "Why?" "Because, I want to trust you, Damon. But you're not helping." Damon sighed heavily "Okay, it all started back in 1864... Stefan and I met this girl named Katherine Pierce..."