Chapter 7 – The Tomb

A/N: I still need to proof-read this! I'll update ASAP!

Alex's eyes fluttered open, she squinted sitting up in a large queen sized bed.

"Good morning." Came a disembodied voice, Alex whipped around a smile tugging at her lips.

"Why didn't you wake me when we arrived?" She asked clambering from the sheets, she was still dressed in the clothes she had travelled in.

"I tried." Damon said appearing from the steaming bathroom, a towel wrapped around his abdomen. He smiled a cheeky smile before pulling a black shirt over his head. "Well you best get ready, there's a lot to show you in this wonderful small town." Damon continued without turning. Alex showered before meeting Damon downstairs.

"This house is amazing!" Alex exclaimed, staring around in awe. Damon shrugged, holding out his hand for Alex to take it.

"The Salvatore's have lived in Mystic Falls for generations." Damon said, he led her to the car, opening the passenger door before jogging round to take the driver's seat. They drove into the town and Damon began the little tour. "Mystic falls was founded in 1859, by the founding families…the Salvatores being one of those families." Damon began grinning at Alex. "The town has a long history of vampires, werewolves and witches who have populated the town for many years." He continued.

"There are other vampires here?" Alex asked smiling. Damon nodded, parking the car and clambering out onto the sunny street. "If there are witches in the town, why didn't you just ask them to help you release your brother from the tomb?" Alex asked puzzled. Damon walked ignoring Alex for a moment. "Damon!" Alex called slightly annoyed.

"Because none of them are really willing to help out vampires." Damon replied through gritted teeth. "Witches don't really like to help us out." He continued bitterly.

"When was the last time you were here?" Alex asked curiously, a small smile tugged on Damon's lips as he turned to face her.

"The last time I was here?" He asked playfully, Alex nodded. He laughed sitting down on a bench in the middle of the square. "Well it was a long time ago." Damon began, the smile fading from his face remembering. "It was in 1864, I left a few weeks after I was turned." Damon continued, he was staring at something far in the distance that Alex couldn't see, they sat in silence for a long while until Alex broke the silence

"How did you brother end up in the tomb?" Alex asked, Damon stood so quickly that Alex flinched.

"I'll show you where I use to live." Damon said suddenly avoiding the subject, they drove to a large wooded area, with just a few stone pillars left to mark the walls of the house. "This was the entrance to our manor house." Damon said smiling. Alex nodded, kicking at the ground and glancing around somewhat uninterested in the whole thing.

After a whole day of what Alex considered a long and boring tour of Mystic Falls they arrived at the last destination. "And this," Damon said turning to smile at Alex "Is the Mystic Grill."

"FOOD!" Alex said gleefully, her eyes brightening. Damon rolled his eyes and parking just outside. Alex wasted no time unbuckling her seat belt and slamming the car door behind her. Damon followed her into the dark restaurant.

Alex took a seat in one of the booths, Damon slipped into the seat opposite and smiled at her. "I'm starving!" Alex exclaimed, she picked up the menu and examined with hungry eyes. "It all looks so good." She whined, unable to pick what to eat.

A young girl with long brown hair appeared, she smiled at Damon.

"Hello, I'm Vicky and I will be your waitress today. Are you ready to order?" She asked, her eyes still fixed on Damon. Alex cleared her throat and smiled at the girl.

"I would like a large bowl of curly fries, a cheese burger and a large chocolate milkshake." Alex said coolly, she handed the menu back to Vicky who nodded quickly before turning back to Damon.

"And what about you?" She said sweetly. Damon gave Vicky a charismatic grin glancing quickly over the menu and handing it back to Vicky.

"I'll have the same as her, minus the milkshake. Maybe your best whiskey?" Damon said still smiling.

"Coming right up." Vicky replied, heading back towards the bar.

"Are you always so charming?" Alex asked sourly, her eyes fixed Damon with an accusing stare.

"No…well maybe." Damon replied coolly. "I can't help it, the girls love me!" He continued winking at her. Alex sighed shaking her head at him, she was clearly not amused. "You don't need to worry, it's you and only you I have eyes for." Damon said taking hold of Alex's hand and squeezing it reassuringly. To Alex's disappointment the moment was ruined by Vicky.

"Your meals." She stated setting down the plates aggressively. Alex watched her stalk away and couldn't help smiling to herself.

"You have a very strange effect on women it seems." Alex said, stuffing curly fries into her mouth.

"You're so graceful." Damon said sarcastically, his amusement clear as he watched Alex shovel food into her mouth. Alex smiled, swallowing the last of her burger, she began helping herself to Damon's untouched curly fries without noticing Damon's attention follow after a girl who had just entered the Grill. "I'll be back in a moment." He said absently, his eyes fixed on the girl who looked exactly like his Katherine. Alex watched him cross to the room following after the girl.

"Hi, I'm Damon…Stefan's brother." Damon said smiling at her. The girl frowned at him confused.

"Um, I'm Elena." She said unsure of him. "Stefan never told me he had a brother." She continued quietly.

"Well I'm sure Stefan was going to mention it sooner or later." Damon replied with a grin. Alex appeared beside Damon and smiled at Elena, it wasn't a pleasant smile but Elena seemed not to notice.

"Are you new here?" She asked Alex, she smiled back at Alex sweetly.

"Yeah, but I'm not staying long…just visiting." Alex replied quickly. Damon smiled at Elena and Alex butting in on their conversation.

"As nice as it is to make friends, we're on a very busy schedule. Lot to see!" Damon said taking Alex by the arm and leading her from the Grill.

"What was that all about?" Alex demanded frowning at Damon's sudden exit. "One minute you were all chatty, the next you're pushing me out the door!" She said furiously, narrowing her eyes on Damon.

"We need to get to work on getting my brother released from the tomb. Making friends is just a distraction." Damon said turning to give Alex a reassuring smile. "The faster we get out of this town the better." He continued quietly, talking more to himself than Alex.

"So where do you know that girl from?" Alex as curiously her anger subsiding.

"Who Elena? She's well…she's…just someone I thought I knew but turns out I didn't." He admitted, It was true to some extent. He didn't really know Elena and she was identical to Katherine, but he wasn't planning on telling Alex that he had met her before.

They arrived at a graveyard in the middle of nowhere. "This is Fells Church. It was where they trapped Stefan and a lot of other vampires two-hundred and fifty years ago." Damon said solemnly.

"What happens when we find Stefan?" Alex inquired. She wasn't sure about entering a tomb filled with starved vampires. "What I mean is, won't all the vampires be desperate to feed?" She continued. Damon almost laughed.

"They've been under there for over two-hundred years, they're probably all mummified." Damon replied, his eyes surveying the scene. "If we could only find the entrance to this tomb, that would be a start." He fumed. "You stay and search around here, I'll head up into the woods and take a look around." He ordered, before Alex could object he disappeared into the trees.

Alex sighed as she peered at some of the old headstones. Suddenly she was falling, she let out a cry of pain, she clutched her leg, black spots hindered her vision and a lowed ringing filled her ears. Hands wrapped around her rocking her back and forth. Warm liquid streamed thickly down her throat, the pain subsided. Opening her eyes she was met by Damon's piercing blue stare.

"What happened?" Alex croaked, frowning at Damon the worried crinkles around his eyes vanishing in an instant.

"You fell, you must have broke your leg." Damon said stroking some dust from her hair "You found the entrance to the tomb." He mused, his smile returning.

"How do we open it?" Alex asked pushing herself up from the ground and brushing herself off. It was amazing, she could walk, how had a few drops of Damon's blood have healed her? Damon raised his eyebrow at her and shook his head.

"I think you've had enough excitement for one day." He said smiling at her. She peered up at the sunlight streaming through hole she had fallen through. It must have been at least a 30ft drop, she examined the cavern and spotted the tomb entrance, a symbol etched into the stone.

"You're right, we'll come back tomorrow." She said smiling at Damon. The prospect of meeting Damon's brother was exciting.