a/n: Hello again! Are we excited for Season Two Recap? I hope so! So, just to catch us all up- incase you've been living under a rock or you would simply like a refresher:
'Previously on the Vampire Diaires' (hehe- I've always wanted to say that for a logical reason). The tomb vampires are out. Damon shared a kiss with Katherine on the porch, thinking it was Elena, except that it wasn't. Caroline is in the hospital dying, Tyler was affected by the device and his father is dead. John is also in the hospital dying from Katherine; the only one that as of this moment knows she is in town. And so…here we go.
Damon's POV- Mystic Falls Hospital
I gave Liz a quick hug, promising her that I would go and look in on Caroline if she would promise to get some sleep on the less than attractive looking waiting room couch. She agreed begrudgingly and I waited until her eyes were closed to go in search of Caroline's room. A few flirty smiles from a cute nurse had me pointed in the right direction, but Elena and Bonnie's voice from around the corner had me holding back. I often learned more information from eavesdropping then actually asking questions. "Bonnie, how's Caroline?" Elena sounded anxious, worried. Not at all like she had been on the porch. Her curls seemed much looser now and she'd changed clothes. Had there really bee time for that in all of this?
"She's weak…they don't know if she's gonna make it."
"What?" Sick realization slid over Elena's face and she did her best to numbly hug Bonnie back. She hadn't really lost anyone since her parents, and she wasn't prepared to lose her best friend. "Is there something you can do? Like a spell, or something?"
I stepped forward, wanting to comfort her but knowing that I wouldn't get within a foot of her if the witch had anything to say about it. "She doesn't know how. Do you?"
Elena looked at me, but there was no flash of recognition on her face. Instead she eyed me almost warily. Had the kiss affected her that badly? Did it make her more afraid of me. "No," Bonnie shook her head. "I don't."
"No, you don't." I knew I sounded smug, but that was alright. I really didn't like these Bennett witches. They were sneaky. Too sneaky for my tastes. "Because it too Emily years to learn a spell like that."
Bonnie seemed just as arrogant as I was. "I can't take down a vampire; that spell was easy to learn."
Two strong ego's butting heads was entertaining, but we hardly had the time for it. I turned to Elena, hoping that she would give me the permission I needed to save her friend, and albeit my ex…and the daughter of one of the only true friends I had in this town. "I can give Caroline some blood."
She'd started shaking her head before I'd even finished my sentence. "No, no way."
"Just enough to heal her. She'll be safe in the hospital. It will be out of her system in a day…she will be better Elena." I tried to plead my case, hoping she would see reason.
"It's too risky," Elena's eyes were desperate but she was stubborn. "I can't agree to that."
Witchy piped up, shocking us both. "Do it." she looked at Elena. "This is Caroline, okay? We can't let her die." Her eyes were hard the moment they were back on me. "Do it."
"If I do this, you and me; we call a truce?" I threw a smile at her but she didn't budge.
"No, but you'll do it anyway. For Elena." The girls shared a smile, and Elena finally nodded in agreement. Bonnie seemed satisfied and walked away.
I considered saying nothing…but I couldn't let the opportunity pass me by. Who knew how often I would get Elena alone over the course of the next few days. "I know this is probably the last thing you wanna do right now…but we should talk about what happened tonight."
She didn't seem nervous around me at all, or even hesitant. "Yeah, one of the tomb vampires got into the house and almost killed John."
Alright…okay…so she was a little shaken up. And something scary had happened after the kiss, but did that give her a reason to blow it off completely. "Wait…what? What? What are you talking about, after I left?"
She genuinely looked confused. Damn, she was a good actress. "You were there?"
"Come on Elena, you know I was." I softened my voice, hoping to let her know that it was okay to admit what had happened. Did she really think I would use it against her?
"When were you at the house?"
"Really?" she was gonna play this game with me after THAT kiss? "Earlier? On the porch; we were talking…all cathartic feelings exposed. Come on, we kissed Elena!"
She rolled her eyes as if I was the one playing the games. "Okay, I don't have time for this Damon." She shook her head, ready to walk past me but I grabbed her elbow. No way was she getting away with ignoring me that easily.
"Hey if you wanna forget it happened fine." I looked deep into her eyes, willing her to admit it. "But I can't."
"Elena." Aunt Jenna; always there to cockblock me when I least needed it. I quickly released Elena, turning to avoid her glare. So, I wasn't crazy. She did see us kissing. Good sign that I hadn't imaged the entire scene in my mind… "I came as soon as I got your message. How's John?"
"Where have you been?" the question was soft but demanding. Quite Elena-like.
"At the fire department…I had to fill out a report. I told you earlier, I-"
"No you didn't." Elena shook her head, sounding slightly exasperated.
"Yes I did."
"No Jenna, you didn't."
I turned around, the wheels in my head spinning out of control. Elena didn't remember the kiss, and she didn't remember Jenna telling her simple things. Either she'd been hit rather hard on the head, compelled to forget earlier events of tonight…or…
"Oh." And just like that, all the nobs clicked into place as my dead heart fell to the bottom of my stomach. "You've gotta be kidding me." Katherine. I looked between the two women, saw the confused looks on their faces. I couldn't even begin to understand myself, never mind explain it to them so I turned and left. I had to find Stefan.
"Damon!" Elena was running behind me, doing her best to keep up with my long strides. She didn't catch up until we were outside the hospital and near my car. She grabbed my arm. "What is going on?"
I stopped, looking down at her. I can't believe how much of an idiot I was. To think that she would actually kiss me…and then the fact that I'd poured my heart and soul out to that bitch! Ugh, I could stake myself and be done with it all. "It wasn't a tomb vampire that got into your house."
Her eyes widened and she released her grip on me. "What are you talking about?"
"Get in." I stepped back and opened the door. "Get in the car Elena, I'll take you home. She's probably there anyway."
"She?" Elena sounded even more confused now, but she listened and got in the car.
I drove well over the speed limit but she didn't say anything. A sign that she was just as scared as I was. In record time we were in front of the house, my heightened senses hearing the sound of a struggle. I parked the car and was out, but she was in front of me, up the stairs. She couldn't hear what I could, but she could sense that something was wrong. By the time we were through the door, it was too late. We both quickly took in the sight of Stefan on the floor, my eyes scanning the room quickly for some sign of her even though I knew it was useless. I'd had her, had her right in front of me- in my arms and I hadn't even known! "Stefan?" she asked, confused as he stood.
"Elena." He looked her over quickly, deciding it was her.
"What happened?" she asked, and I noticed that she didn't rush to him to make sure he was alright.
I could have broken something. This close, I'd been this close. "Katherine happened."
After Elena had gone upstairs to check on Jeremy, Stefan and I moved into the kitchen. "Did she say what she wanted?"
"No." Stefan sounded less than impressed.
"Woman certainly knows how to make an entrance." It was hard not to admire her. She had tricked me, but only made me hate her more.
"She said she fooled once of us at least, what does that mean?"
I wanted to sigh, I knew this was coming. "She pretended to be Elena too when I showed up earlier tonight."
Elena came in, perhaps saving me from a near death experience. "I told Jeremy, I can't lie to him anymore." She sounded stressed and I wondered if she'd accept something strong to drink then tea.
Stefan stepped in to comfort her. "You alright?"
"No, I'm not alright. I thought that with all the tomb vampires gone things would get better."
"I know. We all did."
I rolled my eyes. Could they have really been that naive? This is Mystic Falls. Elena glanced at me. "Katherine was in this house. That means that she's been invited in. What are we going to do?"
"Move." I quipped sarcastically. My attitude really wasn't earning my any points, but she didn't seem all that interested in my anyway so why should I care?
"Very helpful. Thank you."
"If Katherine wants you dead, there's zero you can do about it. You will be dead, but you're not. So clearly she has other plans."
"Right, and we need to find out what those other plans are, not provoke her in the process." Stefan said rather pointedly. Was that supposed to be a hint? "What happened tonight when you thought she was Elena?"
I glanced over at her, wondering if this was really the best way she should hear it. No doubt the information would send baby brother off his rocker. Screw it. "To risk another frown line encroaching on a very crowded forehead…we…kissed."
Elena's eyes widened. "And you thought it was me?" I tossed her a quick; 'as if you wouldn't look' before Stefan's brooding got in the way.
"What do you mean you kissed?"
"Well you know, when two lips pucker and they go;" I made a kissy noise before Stefan lunged at me with a growl.
I was faster, and in his place on the other side of the kitchen before he could reach me. "Don't be obvious Stefan."
He stepped forward, but Elena was out of her chair, arms out before he could get close. "Wait, Stefan. He kissed Katherine, not me." She looked back at me, her eyes defiant. "I wouldn't do that." Fine, if that's what she chose to believe. She could be in denial all she wanted…for now. "We don't have time for this guys."
"Later." Stefan promised, and I agreed silently. I needed a good throw down.
"John must know something. There has to be a reason why Katherine tried to kill him." Elena said, hoping to distract us from the roaring testorone levels.
"She's Katherine." I moved away from Elena, knowing if she stayed within arms reach I'd want to grab her and either snap her neck or kiss her to prove I was right. "She loves to play games and you're fooling yourself if you think your gonna find out what she's up to before she wants you to know."
Stefan had put on his defiant cap as well. "Actually Elena's right. John could know something through Isobel. You're mother, she was in touch with Katherine so we can go to the hospital, maybe get him to talk."
"I got a better idea." I offered, Elena looking back at me.
"What's that?"
"I'm just gonna ignore the bitch. See ya."
"Is that smart?" she asked, stopping me before I could leave.
"If Katherine thinks she's being ignored it will lure her out. She'll make a move."
"Yeah," Stefan interjected. "then what?"
"Stake her, rip her head off. Something poetic. We'll see." I left them there, standing together in the kitchen. This wasn't even close to over.
Katherine's POV- Lockwood Manor
Was it really this easy to get this town wrapped around my finger? Not that I'm complaining or anything…but Tyler hardly even blinked to invite me into the house. I escaped to the porch when mindless chit-chat threatened to break my polite streak, but it seems like even there I could be found. Well well, little Elena is quite popular isn't she. I wasn't sure what it was that Bonnie had seen when she touched me, but I knew that it wasn't good. By the time she'd found a room to 'hide' in, I'd already found her. Alright, so she was smart to call Elena and verify who I was. Had the Salvatores already warned the latest Bennett witch of my presence? "We haven't officially met, I'm Katherine."
"I know who you are." She didn't seem to impressed, not the matter. I couldn't care less what she thought of me. She was simply going to be a means to end, if she proved useful of course.
"Of course you do. You're the best friend right? I've been putting all the pieces of Elena's life together. Isobel told me it was a bit of a puzzle." I didn't like the way she was looking at me, so I circled her, letting her know she was the prey. "I do know who Jenna and Jeremy are, and I've met that delicious ex-boyfriend Matt; who's sweet on Caroline. And then there's you; the vampire hating Bennett witch." I put on my sweetest smile. "Did I do good?" I could sense she was going to run before she even turned and I was behind in her in a instant. The effects of her spell tingled my senses, but only that. Her powers were no match for me. Still though, I gave her a moments show, hoping it would let her guard down. "I've been around a long time, Bonnie. You're going to have to do better than that." My hand felt good around her throat, even better when I was holding her up against the wall. Did I really need her? Was it worth the stress keeping her alive? I didn't have long to decide before she magicked the doors open, showing my true face to anyone that could have walked past. "Nice."
"Katherine." Stefan slid into the doorway.
"Stefan." I smiled, eyes only for him.
"Leave her alone." The order was calm, but strong.
"Okay." I released her, bored now that a better toy had come along.
We bickered back and forth for a few minutes, and I even managed to get him out on the grounds alone. In perfect timing too.
Elena's POV
We walked up to the door, but Damon standing there with a drink in his hand caught my attention. His blue eyes pierced right through me and I just couldn't walk away from him. He looked so…I don't even know if sad was a deep enough word to cover it. "Hey, how are you doing?"
He didn't seem like he wanted to make eye contact at first and I wondered if he was ashamed by what had happened. "Great Elena, walking on sunshine. Thanks for asking."
"Damon." I sighed.
"Elena." He said my name like I was almost a bother to him. Perhaps I was.
"We should be able to talk about this. Damon, we're close enough now. I really wanna know how you're doing."
He took another sip of his drink, looking out over the lawn. "I kissed you, thought you kissed me back. Doppelganger high jinks ensued." He looked at me again. "How do you think I'm doing?"
"I think that you're hurt."
"Mhmm. No, I don't get hurt Elena." His smirk was there, but I could tell it was fake. All of this, his whole act was fake. Like a shield.
"No, you don't admit that you get hurt. You get angry and cover it up and do something stupid."
His smirk turned into a righteous smile. "You're scared. You think Katherine's gonna send me off the deep end don't you? I don't need her for that." I felt the jab in my heart, and knew he'd meant it to hurt me. He walked past me, but stopped. Never able to let anything go. "You know what, why is it such a surprise that I would kiss you?"
"That's not a surprise." That interested him, and I quickly clarified myself. "I'm surprised that you thought I'd kiss you back."
His face fell immediately, but he tried to close it over with indifference and failed miserably. The pain however was still etched in his eyes and this time I'd hurt him so badly he didn't mind to admit it. "Now I'm hurt."
Damon's POV
So, Katherine was here, and thanks to witchy we heard all about it. Elena took off before I could say anything else, and I went off to find her. When my phone vibrated in my pocket telling me she'd found Stefan via text message I went to find them. From the quick glance I got of Stefan's wound, the bitch had got him pretty bad. He would get no sympathy from me however. "Ew, cover up Fabio." My comment earned me a glare from Elena but my temper was taking no prisoners today. If she wanted to be mad at me, she was going to be mad at me anyway. "We got a crazy ex on the loose. Better watch out, looks like Katherine is trying to steal your guy."
For a minute she actually looked nervous. "That's not what's happening." Stefan interjected, but Elena didn't look entirely convinced.
"Isn't it? I mean, it's only fair since I went after your girl."
Elena didn't really know what to say and whereas Katherine had loved to be in the middle of us, Elena hated it. "I'm going to check on Jenna and Jeremy. Let me know when you guys are done."
She left us alone, as if her presence would stop me from speaking freely. "So what's it gonna be huh?" I raised my fists, swaying around like the jerk they both thought I was anyway. "Fight to the death?" Stefan gave a half hearted laugh and shook his head. "Go on, make your threats, stake your claim."
He didn't respond, even to the light tap. "I'm not gonna fight you."
"Why!" I asked exasperated. "I'd fight me."
"Katherine is going to try and play us against each other, you do know that right?" I felt like smacking him. As if that's what she hadn't been doing since the moment we both laid eyes on her.
"Brother, don't you worry. Our bond, is unbreakable."
Stefan was not in the mood for my theatrics, which I found very disappointing. "We need to stay united; against her. So yes, as much as I want to kill you, I'm not gonna fight you."
"I kissed Elena." I reminded him, hoping it would be the final straw. I really needed to punch something.
"Because you feel something for her, because you actually care. I won't let Katherine come in, and destroy that part of you that is finally, after all this time; willing to feel something. She'll try to break you, she'll try to break us. And how we respond that will define us. It's our choice…so no, I'm not gonna fight you."
He walked away, and I felt my heart clench. Now I really wanted to hurt him, for being so damn good.
I knew from watching afar that Stefan took Elena home. I wanted to go to her, apologize for being such an ass but I couldn't. Not with him there. I wanted to say everything I'd told to Katherine, but the words were gone. They wouldn't mean anything now, not now that she'd been so obvious in her disgust at the idea of 'our' kiss. So I did what I do best. I go home, alone. When I walked into the Boarding House, I was alone, but by the time I'd poured my drink I sensed another presence and I knew it was her. My heart dropped, and I felt halfway between joy and death. Why was she here? What the hell did she want from me now? "Very brave of you to come here."
"I wanted to say goodbye."
I glanced at her, practically sprawled on the couch. Was she really trying to seduce me, or did she just ooze enough sexuality that it came naturally to her. "Leaving so soon?"
"I know where I'm not wanted." She didn't sound impressed that we hadn't welcomed her back with open arms but I really wasn't in the mood to give a shit.
"Don't pout, it's not attractive on a woman your age." I emptied the glass. I needed more.
She scoffed. "Ouch." I could just as easily snap her neck as crawl onto that couch with her and pretend I was making love to Elena, but it would take real strength to walk away from her. Walk away from the very thing that I'd been searching over a century for. I tried that, but she was infront of me a moment later. "What, no goodbye kiss?"
"Why don't I kill you instead?" she smirked, knowing I couldn't. "What are you doing here?"
"Nostalgia, curiosity, ectera."
I shook my head, not buying it. "I'm better at the enigmatic one-liners Katherine. What are you up to?"
It was incredible really, the same face; the same voice and yet they were so different. How was that possible? "Trust me Damon, when I'm up to something; you'll know it. Come on," she dared me; slowly moving closer. "kiss me, or kill me. What will it be? We both know you're only capable of one…" Again I tried to walk away, but she moved with me, around me and had me down on the ground. Her age and her strength surpassing mine. I felt her body settle above me, and I had to think. Did I really care, or did I just want her? She smoothed her hand down my chest, her curls falling in my face. She felt so good, so familiar. "My sweet, innocent Damon."
That set me off, and I wrapped my fingers around her throat, pressing her down onto the carpet. I could kill her, I could. I could hold her down, snap her neck then break the leg of the wooden table beside me and plunge it into her chest. I pictured it all in my mind; how easy it would be. And then she moved beneath me, and the light from the fire caught her hair and I knew I was powerless against her. She was all I wanted, or at least she was the closest thing I was going to get to what I wanted right now. Our lips met in a heated, open mouthed kiss. Our bodies responding to the other like the long lost lovers we were. Only now, she didn't have to be gentle with me, and now I could give her back some of the pain she'd put me through. "That's more like it." she panted as I moved my kisses down her neck.
Katherine was never one to be under control for long though, and moments later I found myself shoved against a wall, my shirt torn open. She raked her nails across my chest, before leaning in to devour my mouth again. I returned her beat for beat, shoving her against the dresser and quickly throwing all the books onto the floor. Her top was ripped open, my mouth wide as I fought to taste all of the skin that I could. She smelled so sweet, but I knew she was anything but.
"Okay, wait. Wait. Brief pause." She seemed very put off, glaring at me as she shoved me away. "Answer it and it's back to fireworks and rockets red glare. Answer it right and I'll forget the last hundred and fourty five years I've spent missing you. I'll forget how much I loved you, I'll forget everything and we'll start over. This can be our defining moment, because we have the time; this beauty of eternity. I just need the truth…just once."
I wrapped my fingers through her hair, pleading with her, with the Gods that she wouldn't break my heart. "Stop." She whispered, shaking her head. "I already know your question, and it's answer. The truth is, I've never loved you. It was always Stefan."
She looked sorry to finally say it, but that didn't stop the knife from twisting in my gut. I never actually thought that I'd ever hear the words and the realization nearly crippled me. I waited until the door closed behind her before I fell to my knees and let out a deep scream. It scratched my throat and tore my lungs. I sat there, my nails digging into the hardwood, then my eyes settled on the bar cart and I crawled to it, pulling a bottle of bourbon down. I leaned my back against the wall and drank. I drank until it and two other decanters were empty. Then I got up, changed my shirt and went to Elena's. It wasn't possible that they could both reject me in the same night. God wouldn't be that cruel.
Elena's POV- Gilbert Home
I knew I shouldn't have been, but I was startled when I walked into my bedroom to find Damon sitting at the end of my bed. He smelled like alcohol and sweat and cologne. I could sense there was something wrong but I resisted the urge to go to him. I had to. "You scared me."
"Just doing my part in the neighbor hood watch." His voice wasn't slurred, but it was obvious he wasn't himself.
I sighed, wishing I knew what to say. "Thanks, um…for looking out for us. For me."
"That's me." He was avoiding looking at me again. Was it because I reminded him of Katherine, or because she reminded him of me now? "Your trusty bodyguard. Calm in crisis."
I grimaced. When has he ever been calm in crisis? "Have you been drinking?" He held his fingers up together, very closely. "And you're upset, that's not a good combination."
"No, I'm not upset. Upset is an emotion specific to those who care."
"Come on Damon," my arms ached to hug him. "That's a lie. You care."
He finally looked up at me, the alcohol giving him courage. "You're surprised I thought you would kiss me back. You can't imagine I'd believe that you'd want to?"
"Damon-" I went to deny, but he was going to have none of that.
"That what we've been doing here means something? You're the liar Elena. There is something going on between the two of us and you know it." He rose, ignoring the shock plastered on my face. He didn't care that he was airing all our dirty laundry out. Even if I refused to admit it belonged to us. "And you're lying to me, and you're lying to Stefan and most of all you're lying to yourself. And I can prove it."
I could feel his control slowly waning, but I couldn't stop him and part of me didn't want to. The part that did was stronger though. He grabbed me, his hands on my face, firm but gentle. "No, no." he pulled me in, our lips crashing together. "Damon don't…what's wrong with you?"
"Lie about this." Another dare, one I would take.
"Stop it, you're better than this."
"That's where you're wrong." He shook his head, trying to pull me closer.
"No. Damon, I care about you. Listen to me, I care about you." I moved his hands away from my face, his fingers curling with mine as he tried to hold onto a shred of hope. "I do…but I love Stefan. It's always gonna be Stefan."
Those words did something to him. I saw the change in his eyes. "Elena, what's going on in here?" Jeremy stepped into the room before I could decipher it.
"Nothing Jeremy it's okay. Just go back to bed."
"No, it's not okay Elena." Damon's voice sounded low, far away even though he was right in front of me. "He wants to be a vampire."
I watched, half terrified, half frozen in fear as Damon rushed across the room, pinning Jeremy against the wall. His hands were around his neck and I stood startled. He wouldn't do it, he couldn't do it. I could move to stop him. "No, Damon stop it!"
"You want to shut out the pain?" Damon couldn't hear me. "It's the easiest thing in the world. The part of you that cares, just goes away. All you have to do is flip the switch, and snap!" I heard the thick, decisive break of bone and watched Jeremy crumple to the ground.
"Damon! No!" I screamed, falling to my knees next to my brother. I felt Jeremy's chest but there was no heart beat. He was dead…he was gone. I looked up at Damon, but there was no signs of remorse on his face. Only anger, only self pity. Then he was gone. I cradled Jeremy's head on my lap, my eyes falling on the ring on his hand.
Had Damon seen it? What did it mean? Did it matter? The love, the feelings I'd had for Damon all faded away. He felt nothing, and now I felt nothing. Nothing but hate.
a/n: so…hardly a happy episode which is perhaps why I've been putting it off for so long. That and life has gotten even more crazier than normal. Ugh, two jobs and hubby and home and so on. Hope you are all still excited for S2! Let me know if you are pretty please. It is VERY time consuming writing these chapters.
