Story Title: When darkness falls the danger follows

Full Summary: Mystic Falls attracts the supernatural; it's something a girl like Vera quickly realizes after being away for a while; however, when it has something to do with her friend Elena Gilbert, it will be a hard thing to come to terms with. Can she help protect the doppelganger or perish doing so?

Rating: MA+

Genres: Horror, Action, Adventure, Romance, and Drama.

Disclaimer: I do not own TVD or its characters they are the created works of L . J. Smith, not me; I am just a lowly fan who adores these characters.

Author's Note: Hey, long time no see? Fancy that. Anyway, I've been busy with Uni, work, and I was away in Canada for a whole month almost and this story was on my mind for most of the trip like an annoying voice at the back of my head haha - it had to be done, this chapter took so long, and I lost interest in it at one point, which is why it took a lot longer. But I've returned all refreshed with new ideas and some serious time on my hands before I start up any work (possibility) or uni (ages away). Also, I would love to thank these lovely readers for their reviews, Sayomi Athena for your continued interest and reactions (I love it!), my sister Tiffany who is a big fan of the show and who was curious about my fanfiction - glad I passed the test, and Beautifulwhiterose your wish has been granted in this chapter, hope you like it.

Lets not hold this off any longer, I've kept you guys waiting long enough, lets get reading!

Chapter 9: Children of the Damned

O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O

Past Day,

Mystic Falls, 1864:

Damon was still dressed in his solder's uniform as he was looking over the lake from atop a hill, watching the water make small ripples after a fish had jumped out of it.

"DAMON!"

He turned around at the call of his name and grinned as he saw a woman dressed all in black run up towards him, as she got closer he opened his arms to allow for her to run into them.

She did, wrapping her arms around his neck, squealing in delight as he picked her up and spun her around.

He popped her on the ground safely, looking at her. "Olivia, it is good to see you my old friend." He said softly as he placed a small kiss atop her head.

"Thank you, Damon my dear." She responded with a small smile. "Are you wounded?"

"No." He answered honestly as he saw her worried expression fade to relief. "I just couldn't be away from home for too long."

She laughed. "Please, it's because of that Katherine lady you talk about so much and we both know it." Her icy blue – gray coloured eyes shone with knowing.

He regarded her for a moment, taking in her petite frame dressed in her favourite colour black, it clashed horribly with her raven coloured hair pulled up into a bun, her fringe falling into her eyes, her skin was porcelain white and her lips were a pale pink; despite her girlish features he knew that she could throw a mean punch like a man if she wanted to – he had experienced it on occasion when he was a little too intoxicated from a Lockwood ball, becoming handsy and inappropriate. Yet, she still wanted to be his friend despite his womanising ways and for that he loved her for it because she never judged him like his father did.

"Ah, you know me all too well Olivia." He said fondly, holding out an arm for her which let her know they were going to walk down to the lake.

"Yes, I know all your dark secrets don't I?" She said softly as she took his arm in hers and he led her down to the lake, both of them strolling leisurely down towards it.

They stood at the lake, arm in arm, staring at the crystal clear lake ahead of them.

However, something had come over Damon, unease had drowned him and his attention was focused on the water, it was calm, something he was not feeling at the moment. Something was on his mind, it had been bothering him all the way home to Mystic Falls. "If I turned, would you still be my friend or would that change things… between us." He said softly, trailing off.

Olivia turned to him and saw him frowning in thought. Her hand shot up to his face, tenderly stroking it. "Nothing could ever change between us my dear; you're my oldest friend, you and Stefan. If you choose to go down that path Damon, know that we would still be friends no matter what." She reassured.

He turned to face her, his faced worried, and he was still not convinced by what she said. "You promise?" He whispered.

She smiled at him. "I promise, Damon."

He smiled sadly at her, that gnawing feeling that their friendship would change still gripped him but he kept quiet on the manner and didn't push it any further; she was honest to him and was always, but he still had some doubt and it bothered him that he thought that way about his good friend.

Present Day:

It was a Saturday morning, I had hurriedly gotten dressed just throwing on some light blue coloured jeans with rips in them, and a medium blue long sleeved blouse. As I was pulling on my converse shoes, I began ringing Damon's number for the fifth time this morning. Only to receive no answer yet again, growling in frustration I threw my phone onto the bed.

I will just have to go to him then.

I grabbed my ring and put it on my right hand on the pointer finger, and then scooped my phone and sunglasses into my hands and walked out of my room.

"Jenna! I'm going out for a quick second!" I called out from the top of my lungs, looking up at the stairs as I placed my gold aviators atop my head.

"Okay! How do you make Fiona stop wriggling in the bath?" She called out.

"You give her a noisy toy." I called back, after I heard no response but a 'Yay Fiona!' I assumed she was good and left.

I rang the doorbell and waited patiently for someone to answer and when Damon answered I was briefly relieved it wasn't Stefan.

"Hey,"

"Hey yourself." He responded oddly at me, glancing over his shoulder in disinterest.

"Are you okay?" I asked in worry, wondering why he was acting strangely all of a sudden.

"Fine." He curtly responded. "Is there anything you wanted in particular?"

I frowned at him, very confused as to why he was acting so strange and out of character, most of all almost cold towards me. It made me think if I have done anything to piss him off as of late - drawing a mental blank on any reasons besides my annoying number of pranks last week, that couldn't be it, could it?

"Um... I just came over to hang with you, you said you'd see me yesterday and never came so I came to you instead." I explained, shifting from one foot to the other.

"I'm kind of busy at the moment, sorry."

I was about to respond when my nose started to bleed, I held a hand up to my nose and pulled back to see blood looking at it confusedly and then within seconds of my nose bleeding I felt a shooting pain go through my skull, like a white hot poker being stabbed through it, over and over, I let out a strangled scream. I dropped to my knees, as I clutched my head from the pain; I didn't even notice that someone - Damon,had their hands on both sides of my face.

Images flashed through my brain, they were so fast that it was hard to attain what I had seen, something between Damon and Stefan had occurred, and it had something to do with Damon not coming by yesterday; I was trying to focus on their lips. A deal was made - Stefan wanted Damon to stay away from me if he wanted to get Katherine out of a tomb.

My eyes flew open and I could see Damon in front of me, he was knelt down in front of me, and I could feel his hands on my face - and his eyes, they revealed to me that he was worried about me and very confused about what had just happened. "Are you alright?" He asked softly, his eyes searching mine.

"Help me up, please." I said shakily, I felt myself being helped up to stand. It felt like I was floating on air, like I wasn't standing, I could feel myself fall sideways and Damon's grip on me tightened.

"Vera?"

My hand went to my head and I closed my eyes to shut out the light from outside, because it was too bright. "I'm fine, just a little light headed." I responded as my other hand held his shoulder for support.

"What happened?" Elena's concerned voice spoke up as I heard her run over to me and put her arms around my neck, giving me a hug and shooting a glare in Damon's direction.

"I have no clue." Damon answered honestly, and I could feel those eyes of his on me but I kept my eyes closed.

"I'm fine, guys... really." I lamely argue.

"Maybe you should bring her inside, Damon." Lexi's voice said from the distance.

"I agree, she looks a bit pale." Stefan said from afar.

My eyes flew open from the sound of his voice and I felt myself get suddenly hot, an anger flushed through me, and I broke away from Damon and Elena's arms and walked into the house, over to Stefan and punched him right in the face. It sent him to the floor, and he looked up at me in surprise and I looked back at him with such fury. "You should know what that is for you dick, or I should refresh your memory to late Friday night with a deal you made." I said in a low voice.

He looked at me wondering how I knew that, his eyes flickered over to Damon.

"He said nothing to me," I confirmed, Stefan's eyes looked back at me wondering how I knew that. "You and whoever may be listening, does not control who can and can't see me and vise versa - I choose,not you, not anyone."

He dropped his eyes for a moment, a sign of a guilty person. I knelt down to his eye level.

"Do you understand?"

"Yes."

I nodded. "Good." I stood up and looked back over at Damon and held up my hand. "May I get some ice for my hand, please?"

He nodded and motioned for me to follow him. I did. He lead me down a long hall which then lead into the kitchen, he motioned for me to sit on chair over near the island that had a sink there.

I went over and sat down, I noticed that Damon was hovering near me, but I didn't look up. He disappeared for a few minutes, I noticed that also while looking at my hand to determine if it was broken or not; he reappeared moments later.

"Here."I look up and saw that he held out an ice-pack and had placed a cup of water beside me.

"Thank you." I mumbled as I took the pack and placed it on my hand. He pulls up a chair beside me; leaning over near me and his eyes does that stare into your soul look. "Damon. Just ask me instead of guessing it and creepily staring at me."

He inhales a breath and straightens his back. "Alright, what happened back there?" He asks.

"With me punching Stefan?"

"No."

"I don't know."

He squints his eyes at me. "Vera." He urged impatiently.

I take a shaky breath, because I didn't know what it was, to me it seemed like a vision? But I wasn't psychic as far as I was concerned or knew of. "I-I think it was... a vision?" I answer him unsure, looking up at him to gauge his response.

He nods slowly, taking in what I said, his face and eyes, unreadable.

I look away from him and stare at my hand, flexing it, it felt rather swollen and not so painful which told me it was bruised and not broken, a good sign, thankfully.

"How's your hand?" He softly said as I feel his hand reach for mine, moving the pack away and putting it to the side as he examined it. "Does it hurt?" He pressed lightly on the back of my hand with his thumb.

"It feels bruised to me."I noticed his hands were rather cool against my warm skin. "Your skin feels cool." I commented.

He chuckles at that. "That's because I'm dead." He replies with a smile.

"Oh, I thought it would be a lot colder." I say lamely, mentally slapping myself for the random comments that I seem to be having when I was around him - very odd.

"That's just my hands; you can't gauge temperature from that." He said plainly. "My body however, you'd feel the difference immediately." He says flirtily as he winks at me and I finally got what he meant... sex.

I scrunch my nose up at him. "You can be so gross at times." I remark.

"And what about the other times?"

"You're normal-ish." I say as I poke him in the nose, and then quickly pull it back as he went to playfully bite my finger in retaliation from me poking his nose, he almost got it.

"Careful, I bite." He whispers mischievously.

"You're a vampire, I kind of realized you guys bite." I said sarcastically, which made him flash me a smile. "And anyway, you don't want to bite me, I taste nasty."

He gives me a look that says: "Are you sure about that." He turned away from me as Elena and Stefan had entered the kitchen.

Elena was giving me looks that were asking me if I was okay, and looking at Damon with a mixture of hesitation and dislike. Stefan however, was neutral, but I was a little upset he had no mark from that well placed punch to the nose, wait - there is blood on his white shirt. I am pleased. I have at least dealt some level of hurt today.

"How is her hand?" Stefan asks coolly but with slight concern, as if nothing had happened and as if I hadn't punched him.

Damon looked away from him and over to me. "It's fine, a little bruised but not broken." He says dismissively, I could tell he was annoyed by Stefan, probably from the deal from a few nights ago. That will change, I will make sure of it - for some reason, I didn't like the fact that Damon had been manipulated and it annoyed me because I could tell it bothered him as well. Or at least that's what I assumed.

"So, Damon, what are you doing now?" I ask casually, completely ignoring Stefan's presence.

He gives me a strange look, his eyes silently asking me what I was doing. "Nothing." He responded.

"Great! Since my hand is injured, I am kidnapping you to help me move heavy shit in my room and Fiona's," I say excitedly. "Really? Great, glad you agreed. Meet me outside; I'll be in my car." I gave him no chance to object.

I hop off the bar stool and stride over and past Stefan, flashing him an innocent smile. "You don't mind, do you?" I say.

He shakes his head, but I could tell it bothered him that I came by, but from what I gathered from the vision - whatever, Damon wasn't breaking his side of the deal anyway.

"Good," I turn to Elena and smile at her. "See you later, have fun with Stefan."

I walk off down the hall, and pass Lexi who was clearly and obviously hanging around listening to the conversation in the kitchen. "Hey," I greet curtly, giving her a nod of acknowledgement.

She smiles at me awkwardly, realizing that I know what she'd been up to. "Hey," She responded back.

"How've you been?"

"Good and you?"

"Been busy - did you hear everything?" I ask straightforwardly, getting to the point.

She didn't say anything for a few seconds, folding her arms, before nodding. "Yes, I heard the conversation between you and Damon and at the same time I was making sure Stefan was okay from that nice punch you threw at him." She said honestly whilst complimenting me all the same, her tone when it came to Stefan was different, like a well kept in line anger that didn't show on her features.

I nod in response. "Did you say anything to Stefan and Elena?" I ask.

"No."

"Good, because it was just speculation and it hasn't been properly confirmed yet." I clarified, looking over my shoulder.

She waved it off. "I'm not going to say anything if that's what you're worried about." Lexi said evenly, her eyes looking over at the wall where the kitchen was, then looking at me.

"I'm not." I reply nonchalantly.

An awkward silence passed between us before I decided to leave, as I was leaving, Lexi blurred over and her hand grabbed my wrist, turning me to her. Her face serious now. "Vera, just be careful of Damon. You seem like a nice girl and I wouldn't want you to get hurt from your decision to be his friend, but just know that nothing good can come of this friendship between you two." She pointed out, letting go of my wrist.

I squint my eyes, studying her for a moment before I responded. "That's what I have been hearing lately, and I understand your reasons for thinking that, I however don't feel that way... I see something else in Damon and am willing to look past the flaws that he has and work with it because I believe that there is good somewhere in him."

Lexi's expression changed slightly from all seriousness to a sadness. "I tried that years ago with him and it left me stuck on a rooftop with little shelter from the sun. Just be ready for when your kindness towards him backfires on you – because he will betray you. "She stated firmly.

I smile at her. "Something tells me he won't betray me, I think he sort of... cares about me or about this friendship at least, though he won't admit it. It's there, I can tell from his eyes." I expressed, looking over my shoulder as I see Damon exit the kitchen and make his way over.

I feel Lexi take my hand, it was gentler than before. I turn and face her; her face was neutral, but her eyes revealed sadness, and a concern for me. "Even so, just be prepared." She said softly.

"Thanks for the heads up." I responded softly.

She released my hand as Damon reached us, she smiled at me before she left, and then she shot Damon a warning look as she walked off.

"What was that about?" Damon asked confused, pointing back at Lexi.

"Oh that was her expressing her concern over our friendship." I say casually as I began to head to the front door.

I could sense Damon following me as I left his big assed mansion. I walk over to Jenna's car, fishing out the car keys as I drew near to unlock the door for Damon on the passenger side, I round around to my side and unlock my side, looking up to find Damon looking at me with a questioning stare.

"What?" I ask defensively.

"What did she say?"

I sigh exasperatedly. "She's just worried you'll hurt me by way of betrayal and warned me to be careful of you if I was serious about us being friends. That is all." I answered.

"That's all?" He questioned suspiciously.

"And she mentioned that she tried to help you in the past and you betrayed her by leaving her on a rooftop with little shelter from the sun."

"In my defense she was annoying me about turning on my humanity and trying to make me more like Stefan." He defended.

I roll my eyes. "Damon, relax. I don't care. It was in the past, and it's none of my business okay... my business is the present, what's happening right now."

He smirked at me. "You should care." He said arrogantly.

"Well, I don't." I huff as I get into the car, a few seconds later he got in as I was buckling myself in. "Besides, why should I care?"

"Oh, because we slept together..." He said casually.

"Too much information, Damon!" I groan as I closed my eyes, trying to erase that image from my mind.

He laughed at my reaction. "She's probably worried I might do something similar to you." He said.

I open my eyes and shot him a serious look. "Like that'll happen." I say in a yeah right tone.

That smirk of his appeared again. "As if you could resist me Vera, no woman can escape my charms." He says arrogantly.

I roll my eyes at him. "And I suppose you're god's gift to women then?" I mutter sarcastically as I turned the key to start the car.

"Yes, as a matter of fact I am."

"Oh god…" I mutter under my breath, turning away and shaking my head at his vanity and arrogance as I put the gear into drive.

We had been moving stuff for two hours in my room and once I was happy with it we had moved onto my daughter's room to move in a wardrobe of mine, so she could use for storage and what not. Damon had been quite helpful, when it was too heavy he'd insist that I'd stay out of the way as he dealt with it, saying that I'd only get in the way and make it harder for him.

We were in the middle of moving her cot around.

"Okay ready, one, two, lift." I ordered.

"Wait, wait! You're meant to say three, not lift." Damon complained as he leaned on the cot, trying to make it not obvious he was resting on it, as well as also hiding the fact he was tired.

I roll my eyes at him as I set my side down. "Are you freaking serious?" I exclaimed.

"Yes," Damon answered impatiently. "How am I meant to know when to lift when you go one, two, lift? Where is the three then the lift? It makes no sense."

"For the love of-…. Fine, we will do it your way." I growled in frustration. "You're counting though."

He grinned at me, thoroughly pleased in winning that argument. It will be the last he wins. "Okay, on the count of three," He looked at me, waiting for my snarky response, when it didn't come he continued. "One, two, three, lift."

We brought it over to the wall closest to my room and set it down, Damon shoved it up the wall, making sure it was even and not out of place. He turned around and surveyed her room; probably looking for anything out of place or anything else that I might make him move.

"We did well today. Managed to do it all in one hit." I say, pleased at our efforts.

"Mm…" Damon said distractedly, eyeing a big picture frame of myself and Fiona when she was a couple days old. It was black and white and she was dressed in a white dress, with a red ribbon in her hair and she was resting on my chest. I was also wearing white, a dress and my hair was down and in its usual curly-ness. My eyes were closed. It was a beautiful moment between mother and daughter and it was captured nicely… in a studio.

"Damon?"

"It's a nice photo of you and her and compliments the mother daughter relationship well." He says softly as he continues to stare at it.

I was taken aback from the compliment and wasn't sure how to respond. "Thank you. "I murmured awkwardly, as I look at it as well; remembering the day it had been taken. The car broke down and it had rained that day too. I loved the rain, something pure about the rain and how it sounds… its just peaceful and romantic.

"Would it be all right if I take a shower?" Damon spoke up, breaking my thoughts of rain as he stared at me, watching me in that cat-like way where they don't blink and just stare… creepily at you, kind of what he is doing right now.

"Um sure, did you bring in your stuff from the car?" I answered suddenly self-conscious he was staring, tucking a loose strand behind my ear.

"I left it in the hallway." He said as he motioned with a slight nod of his head.

I motioned for him to follow me; I led him to the hall, picked up his bag and brought it to my room. "You can shower here, I don't think Jenna would like you using her bathroom, and neither would Elena, even though she shares with Jeremy. So, you can use mine. Help yourself to my shampoos, conditioner and body wash stuff." I said truthfully.

Walking into the bedroom, I went over to my wardrobe and pulled out a red towel and handed it to him. "Here you go. If there is anything else you need, holler."

He had a weird expression on his features for a moment; it was quickly replaced with a suggestive, flirty look. "Care to join me?" He says huskily, sidling up to me and standing very close to me, our bodies almost touching as he purposefully brushed his fingers lightly up my right arm.

I jump back away from him as if I had been stabbed with a knife. "No, thanks! I'll wait for you in the kitchen." I said hurriedly as I glide past, almost falling over a book to get past him and out the door. I could hear him chuckle as I closed the door behind him.

Hearing a rumbling sound, which I assumed was coming from my stomach, alerting me that I am hungry. I head to the kitchen and decided to make myself some lunch.

Five minutes later I had found salad ingredients and a bowl and had begun making a salad, using lettuce, cucumber and tomato. Chopping all the ingredients up into easily eatable pieces and throwing them into the orange bowl.

Once that was done, I pulled out a fry pan, drizzled a bit of oil and went over to the fridge and got the chicken fillets out and began opening them, and carefully placing them onto the pan so that the oil didn't spit up at me.

I began to hunt down some chilli and lime. My search for both, only had come to one, chilli, but no lime, but there was lemon, so I decided to use that instead.

I cut them up and threw them into the pan with the chicken, turning it over on its other side so it could cook through.

Grabbing the kettle, I began filling it up, and then placing it back onto its stand and flicking it on.

I then grabbed some cutlery and some balsamic salad dressing and set it down on the table.

"What smells so good?" Damon commented as he came in roughly scrubbing his hair dry. That was one quick shower he had, not more than ten minutes had passed.

I turn around and smiled. "Chicken and a bit of lemon and fresh chilli, hope you don't mind a bit of spice? I can pick it out if you like?" I indicated to the pan as I made my way over to it, watching him.

He walked over, leaning over the pan, baby blues on my pale blue ones, and swiftly picked out the chilli and popped it into his mouth like a bad ass. "I like spice." He reassured, giving me that playful smirk of his.

"Here, I'll put that away for you."Just as he was handing it over, my fingers brushed his accidentally as I reached for it and I thought I felt an electric shock, must have been static from the towel. He must have noticed this; brief concern was etched onto his face. "Static." I uttered as I take the towel from him and disappeared around the corner and down the hall to the laundry.

Reappearing to find Damon had taken over with the cooking of the chicken, I bump him with my hip. "Excuse me, I am cooking lunch." I say playfully, pushing him to the side.

He cocks his head to the side. "I was making sure it wasn't burning." He said calmly, moving away from the stove and over to the table.

"How do you like your coffee?"

"Two coffees, one sugar, and a little bit of milk." He responds politely. I nod in response and began making that for him and one for myself, and bringing it over once it was done. I set it down in front of him and set mine down beside him and went back to the stove because the chicken needed my attention. "Good coffee, thank you."

"You are very much welcome." I respond distractedly as I cut a bit of the chicken in the middle to see if it wasn't pink. It wasn't.

I took down two plates and begin serving up one for Damon, and myself a piece of chicken and some salad and bringing it over to the table. Placing Damon's in front of him because he was a guest and then my own.

I sat down and began digging in because I was super hungry from the moving of heavy assed furniture for most of the morning and a bit of the afternoon. We didn't say much as we ate, but every now again I would look over to see if he was enjoying the food or the coffee, and then looked away quickly when he looked up, for some reason I got a kick out of seeing people enjoy the food or coffee I made for them and I was curious about his reaction.

He looked up and I quickly looked away and shoved some tomatoes into my mouth. I could still feel his eyes on me, so I picked up my mug of coffee and sipped at it sheepishly, my eyes flitting over to see if he was still staring at me.

He wasn't. He was eating the last bit of his lunch. I noticed he was quite proper in how he handled his knife and fork, and in the way he ate. I didn't realise I was staring at him for so long until Damon had said my name. "Vera?"

"Hmm…Yes?" I muttered into my mug, trying to hide my awkward tone and the fact that I got caught staring at him.

"Are you okay?" He asked in amusement, watching me intently as I squirmed in my chair under his gaze. "You were staring at me."

"Yep!" I hastily answered as I downed my coffee, and shovelled the rest of my salad into my mouth, a tactic to also avoid answering his questions too.

He leaned in; I could feel those eyes on me, seeing through me as I avoided his gaze, staring at my empty mug. "Is there something wrong?" He whispered, his breath hitting my jaw line, which made me uncomfortable because he was really close, really close meaning that he was in my space and I hated people being in my space.

I cleared my throat and stood up and began clearing the tables, he stood as well and took the plates from my hand and I dropped the cup off the plates from surprise, he swiftly caught it and blurred over to the sink and placed them there. He came back and cleared his mug he had used for coffee.

Walking over to the sink just as he had come back over, placing the mug into the sink and flicked on the tap and began rinsing the dishes. "What are you doing?" I asked.

He didn't look over and continued what he was doing. "You cooked, so I am washing up… isn't that how it works in this day and age?" He replied as he set the mugs in the other sink.

I didn't argue any further, it was useless telling him not to do something, though I was slightly flattered that he offered without being asked to. I leaned against the bench and watched him quietly.

"Are you going to watch me wash up?" He says in amusement, looking over with a smirk.

"Yes, that is exactly what I am going to do. I am supervising you to make sure you do a good job." I joke, poking my tongue out at him.

He laughs at that and starts filling up the other sink and slowly dipping the dishes in. If I didn't know any better, I'd say he was a clean freak when he was human, an observation during the day told me he was quite particular about how things get done; even when he eats too.

Something had dropped onto my arm and I moved it to see what it was and saw a speck of blood, and then another had fallen. I reached up to my nose and pulled back and saw blood, I grabbed a tissue on the other side of me away from the sink and put it up to my nose, but by that time Damon had stopped what he was doing and had come over to investigate. It must have been the smell of blood that alerted him.

I felt his hand on my upper arm. "Vera?" He says, his voice filled with concern as he looked at me.

"I'm fi-…" I didn't get to finish my sentence as the same shooting pain in my skull from earlier this morning had returned. "Ow!" I said as I clutched my head, the other trying to grab hold of Damon as I could feel myself falling.

"I got you." I heard Damon say calmly, feeling his hands had firmly grabbed hold of both of my upper arms.

Images speed past my mind's eyes until they started to slow down and show me what's happening. I saw Elena, and I could see Stefan digging somewhere, a grave? Then it left me, and all I saw was Damon in front of me, his face looked serious and very concerned because he was frowning.

"Your nose is bleeding again." He said softly, reaching past me while he still had a grip on me with the other hand, he drew back and wiped my nose for me.

I was blinking my eyes, suddenly very aware of how bright it was. "May I sit down? I feel a bit light headed." I whispered.

Damon gave me the tissue to hold and he helped me over to the dining table, pulling out a chair for me and gently guiding me to sit. He grabbed a chair beside it and pulled it up close near me; he cautiously put a hand in between my shoulder blades.

"Please, don't touch me. I don't like to be touched." I uttered shakily as I closed my eyes to rid the brightness blinding me, as well as to stop the sudden dizzy spell that had overcame me. Damon obliged and I could feel his cool hand move away, and I felt a sudden guilt in how that may have sounded. I opened my eyes and turned to him. "I'm sorry if I hurt your fee-"

"No offence was taken Vera, I completely understand. I'll keep that in mind for next time but I can't guarantee when you're hurt though." He says in that calm tone that made me instantly relax and calm down, despite how freaked out I was at the moment.

"That's fine, I'll allow that."

He smiled a small smile at me before getting up out of his seat, blurring over to the sink to return with a glass of water. "Here, drink this." He offered.

I took it from his hands and took a gulp of water before setting it down in front of me.

He went to touch my face before recoiling and dropping his hand onto the back of my chair. "How do you feel?" He asked.

"Dizzy." I murmured, putting down my bloodied tissue to rub my temples. "Everything is bright."

"You should lie down and rest." Damon suggested.

"Yeah, maybe you're right."

Damon smirked at me. "I'm always right." He said cockily, giving me a wink.

I hesitated in getting up, but I did so slowly for fear of losing my balance. Damon had blurred to my side instantly as I grabbed onto the chair to steady myself, I could feel the tension and hesitation wash off him in helping me because of what I said just a few minutes ago.

"May I?" He asked respectfully remembering what I had said a few minutes ago as he went reaching for me. I just nodded my response; for fear that my voice would fail me.

He supported me with an arm around my waist and the other holding my forearm, leading me out of the kitchen, into the living-room and out to the hall, and down into my room. He brought me over to my bed and helped me to sit, he let go and I pushed away and lay back onto the pillows, closing my eyes.

"Thanks, Damon." I said softly, in a bare whisper as I rested an arm over my eyes to shield it from the light.

I heard the curtains being closed for me, and then seconds later my comforter was pulled over me. "No problem." He replied.

Cracking an eye open I peered out at him. "Damon, I have no idea what is happening but please be careful. My vision or whatever, it showed Stefan and Elena digging a grave or a hole or something… I thought you should know about it even if it's vague." I rambled on.

Damon's brow furrowed a little, as he stared at me, thinking about something. "Thank you for letting me know…" He responded oddly as he pulled the comforter up a little more so it rested perfectly around my waist.

"Are you mad?"

"Shhh!" He hushed me, putting a finger to my lips. "Rest or I'll make you, seeing as you haven't got your necklace now."

I contemplated on biting his finger again, but thought against it just in case he might bite back. "That's evil…" I whispered in defeat.

"I never said I was good either, did I?" He smirked at me, his eyes gleaming mischievously at my reaction to being compelled. "Now sleep or I'll compel you to." He warned as he got up off the bed, heading to the door.

"Wait, where are you going?" I asked rapidly, sitting up.

"I am going to finish the dishes." He replied casually as if it was obvious. "Then I am going to see if anything else needs to be fixed or moved around."

"Jenna will be home with Fiona soon." I inform, hoping he got the hint.

He rolled his eyes at me. "I'll tell her I was a good boy and kept my hands to myself." He said sarcastically.

"Damon!"

"And then I will tell her that you couldn't keep your hands off me because you're crazy about me and had tried to seduce me several times as I was helping you move furniture about." He laughed; dodging a pillow I had threw at him.

My cheeks went red from indignity at the thought of Jenna hearing that. I picked up another pillow to threaten him with. "Don't you dare say that! It's a lie and you know it!" I expressed.

"If you say so Vera." He said with a lazy shrug as he gave me that smirk of his before leaving the room.

"Damon!" I yelled out, I could faintly hear him chuckling to himself for getting a rise out of me.

"Bloody ass…" I muttered under my breath huffily as I lay back down to rest up, those two visions took a real good toll on me because my eyes had closed and I drifted off easily.

DAMON'S POV:

I had left Vera's room chuckling to myself, I really do like teasing her, only because of her reaction to what I say and do; her face revealed that she truly believed I would tell this Jenna woman that she was attracted to me and couldn't stop being handsy. That is more me than her, but her reaction to it was priceless. I knew she wasn't attracted to me and even if she was she wouldn't do anything about it and something told me that she was shy to do so.

I went back to washing the dishes, an easy task which would take me a few minutes to complete.

It only took a couple of minutes, and just as I was putting the last dish onto the rack I heard the front door open, reaching for a tea towel to dry my hands of the soap suds.

"Vera? You home?" A woman called out as she walked into the living room holding a baby that I instantly recognised as Fiona, Vera's daughter and assuming she was the Jenna that Vera mentioned earlier. She stopped when she saw me. "Who are you?" She interrogated, her guard instantly going up as she dropped the bags onto the couch.

"I'm Damon Salvatore. Vera never mentioned me?" I greeted charmingly, putting my allure to good use.

She gave me a cautious look. "No. She never mentioned she was dating someone." She said in annoyance.

"Oh no! We're not dating, we're just friends." I clarified, pretending to be shocked that she had said that. "She asked me to help her with moving some things around."

"Oh, okay then." Jenna sounded relieved by that. "Where is she?"

"She's just resting up, she had a migraine."I lied; I went over to Jenna and started picking up the bags for her. "Allow me to help out."

"Actually, can you hold her; I just really need to go to the bathroom." Jenna said urgently as she handed over Fiona to me and then quickly dashing off upstairs.

I looked down at the little bundle in my arms, staring up at me with curiosity, with pale blue eyes and mocha coloured skin like her mother. "Hello, Fiona." I said softly as I stroked her dark little curls.

She only smiled up at me, seems that this little one isn't afraid of me. I wonder if I vamped out if she'd freak out and cry. I turn my head up to the ceiling, listening to Jenna, nothing.

Putting it to the test, feeling the veins around my eyes appear and my fangs grow, I smiled at her and she didn't react, she only just stared at me with pure curiosity. What happened next shocked me; she reached up to touch my face or rather my fangs, smiling up at me, unbothered and cooing – this little babe wasn't afraid of me, or vampires, something told me it was just me she wasn't afraid of.

I relaxed my face, returning it to normal. "I think I like you smallest Romanoff." I said softly as I held her outstretched hand and played with it.

Jenna was finished from what I could hear, the tap was running. I put Fiona to my shoulder and patted her, and then she started to uncontrollably head butt me with what I presumed was some form of baby affection, gently placing my hand to the back of her little head, supporting it and to prevent any injuries that may occur. "Hmm… I should download some proper music for you instead of that crap your mother listens to. You're way too young to head bang Fiona." I lectured softly, knowing full well she didn't understand what I was saying.

Fiona grabbed my face, which alarmed me slightly at the force of it from such a small creature, and started to eat… my nose? "That is not food little lady." I laugh as I move my face and nose away from her mouth.

"Naaw, she's kissing you." Jenna spoke up from behind me.

I look at the little baby in my arms. "I guess she is." I mutter softly, regarding Fiona for moment, staring at her, as an odd feeling tugged at my heart at the sight of her, it was something about her pure innocence, how trusting she is even if me, an evil vampire held her, and it didn't faze her, not one peep from her, and that bothered me that she could instantly like me…

I handed her over, a slight smile on my lips as I did so, hiding the fact that I was a little troubled over the little babe trusting and liking me so quickly. It was odd. Something about her and the way she looked at me…. And then it hit me… it was her damned eyes; they were like her mother's, how they were able to read me easily without me giving anything away… This infant was like Vera, or was she? Olivia could read me too. What was it about the Romanoff women and their ability to read me?

Maybe it was just the babe's innocence, and I probably was just over analyzing things and working myself up for nothing, she is just a small baby who is friendly, very happy, and was just curious to meet me.

Yep, that must be it.

Olivia and Vera however, I knew that was quite the opposite and I was just basing the little one on them. I grew up with Olivia and was well aware of her special ability to read emotions from a young age, empathy they called it. I remember that she had to wear thick gloves to prevent having to accidentally touch anyone and causing herself to become sick. She never bothered me with it, but I always suspected she could read people without the gloves. Olivia's brothers never complained of anything, so it must be the women in the family that suffer?

Vera is different though, she can read me without having to touch me, it's something about the eyes that I couldn't put my finger on; I was aware of the Romanoff traits because I did my research over the years but it seemed to skip Vera and Fiona. Unless I missed something, from what I was told by Olivia, icy blue-gray eyes, black hair, and pale coloured skin was the trait in the women – something must have altered in the bloodline somewhere.

As I looked on at Fiona and Jenna, a part of me was concerned for the little Romanoff. 'What will happen to you?' I thought.

Back to Vera's P.O.V:

I woke up feeling groggy, rolling over and saw that it was late in the afternoon around five, I groaned aloud, looking at the window and seeing it was becoming darker. Getting up out of bed, mussing up my hair as I look around the room groggily, sluggishly going over to the door of my room; I turned the knob of the door and pad out into the hallway.

I could hear soft voices talking, it sounded like Damon and Jenna were talking to each other in the kitchen, and before I even got into the living room a wonderful smell raped my senses, and it smelled like Italian food, my favourite.

I head to the kitchen, and saw that Damon had his back towards me; he was wiping down the island bench. "Hello Vera, sleep well?" He says as he lazily looked up at me, flashing me a smile in the process.

Keeping a neutral face was hard as well as it shouldn't surprise me that he knew I was coming, damn vampiric hearing, nothing gets by him. "Yes I did, thank you." I reply in a relaxed manner, glancing at Jenna who had a weird look on her face – probably was confused to how he knew it was me.

"We're cooking dinner." She says happily, it was probably the wine talking. "I should probably stop drinking. Oh, I should see if my phone is completely charged." She places her wine glass onto the bench beside her and hops of it and disappears out of the room.

I smile at Damon. "It smells wonderful," I say gleefully as I look back at Damon who had a slight half smile on. "Is that Spaghetti you're cooking there?"

"It is." Damon says proudly.

"I cannot wait to eat it."I go over to the pot of sauce, meat and other goodies that was cooking on the stove and was about to dip my finger in to taste test, when Damon comes up behind me and lightly smacks my hand like a naughty child.

"No tasting till it's done." He says warningly, giving me a mock glare.

"Fine, if you won't let me sample it, then what can I do?" I huff at him, folding my arms.

"You can help me set the table." He orders, motioning with his head. "Set for six."

I shrug and turn away and do what he asked, opening up the drawer by the island and pull out the place mats and take them over to the table and placed down six. I look over and saw that Damon had grabbed the cutlery and brought it over to the table just as I went back over.

Opening up the cupboard above the stove, I take out five red plates and brought them over to the table, just as I got near the table, Damon had bumped into me and instead of moving he stood there, I shook my head and walked around him and over to the table and put the plates down onto the place mats. "Don't do that again, Damon." I said over my shoulder as I placed the last plate onto the place mat.

"Do what?" He said with that mock innocent – I didn't do anything tone.

Straightening up all the things on the table to make sure nothing was out of place. "You know what, that bumping into me was deliberate." I reminded.

"Well yeah, I was deliberately trying to get to the…sink." He fumbled, and I look over at him, his back was towards me.

"Where's Stefan Elena, he's missing family night, which I am enjoying immensely." He says looking over at me with a grin; I only rolled my eyes at him and waved at Elena.

"I don't know." Elena said, her voice strained as she said it. I gave her a mixed look of confusion and suspicion. "Here Vera, let me help you." She goes to get candles from the living room.

Damon must have seen my look on my face. "Is it real?" He asks as he stirs the pasta.

Elena had come back with candles at this point. "Is what real?" She huffs, obviously annoyed, or trying to remain completely calm and seem innocent.

"This renewed sense of brotherhood." He looks over at Elena, a serious look on his face. "Can I trust him?"

Elena's face smoothed out and had become relaxed and calm. "Yes you can trust him." She says as she turns away. I straighten up the plates as I quietly watch and listen on.

Damon blurs over to her and gets up close to her face. "Can I trust him?" He asks again.

"I am wearing vervain Damon, it's not gonna work." She calmly says.

Damon frowns, a confused look on his face. "I'm not compelling you. I just want you to answer me," His eyes do that studious look as he scans her face and eyes her for any signs of lying. "Honestly."

"Of course you can."

I frown, my eyes narrowing as I stared at the back of her head. You, liar. I thought angrily.

He seemed to have bought it despite my warning earlier; I watch her walk away out of the kitchen, and feeling a little angry that she had lied. Damon looks over at me.

My eyes flit over at him, the anger still etched onto my face. "She's lying." I say in a barely controlled calm whisper as I stop what I was doing to go over to him. "Just be careful." My eyes held his as I said this. I move away from him just as Elena returned, giving him a retreating look as I left the kitchen to go check on Fiona.

Fiona was fine when I checked up on her, still sound asleep.

It was an hour later after dinner, which was an amazing meal, I had two platefuls to Damon's delight and to Elena, Jeremy and Jenna's horror as they watched me wolf it down; in my defence it was good; and it distracted me from the small talk happening, you could feel the tension and awkwardness in the air.

I had finally finished washing the dishes, pans and whatever else from dinner, and let me say there was a lot of swearing in both Russian and French - the French swearing made Damon laugh as he watched on from the sidelines, I take it he understood what was being said, interesting. He had left a couple of minutes later afterwards to go and play games with Jeremy.

Turning around and seeing that Elena had a box of things and was rummaging through it and Jenna was nearby putting an empty wine bottle to the side; and Jeremy and Damon were still playing a game together. This scenario looked almost perfect. Almost…

Jenna sidled up beside me, leaning on the bench, her head motioning towards Damon. "He is ridiculously hot." She whispered.

"Who, Damon?" I replied stupidly in a soft whisper.

"No, Jeremy." She replied sarcastically, rolling her eyes. "Yes, Damon."

"Oh."

"He's an ass." Elena said distractedly from where she stood, looking at a book.

Jenna got a wicked look in her eye. "So… Are you and Damon?" She hinted.

I raised an eyebrow. "Me and Damon what?" I reply with a deadly tone in my voice, still keeping it at a whisper.

"You know… dating?"

"No."

"Really? I could have sworn you were or at least beginning to what with how he looks at you." She clarified.

"We are just friends. Nothing more." I stated in annoyance.

"Not even friends with benefits?"

I look at her in horror, my eyes flitting over to Damon to see if he was listening in on this, it looked like he was too involved in his game, but something told me he had heard every word. "No!" I whispered in shock. "Jesus Jenna, I'm not like that."

"Okay, relax, just checking."

"I agree with Jenna, I think what Lexi said before was right, I think he likes you." Elena added quietly as she flicked through a page.

I massaged the side of my head, feeling a headache coming on from this conversation I'd much rather not be talking about. "I think I have a headache now." I whispered, changing the topic because it was making me uncomfortable.

"Damon does that." Elena placed the book back into the box and grabbed something else out.

"No, this conversation is." I mumble as I walk over to the sink, grabbing my used cup from before and filling it with some water, my back towards them, staring out of the window as a distraction as I tried my best to ignore my headache that was coming on.

I could hear Jenna asking Elena about the things in the box, with Elena's response of trying to find information on her birth parents – frowning, as I overheard this, growing more annoyed as my headache grew, making it harder to focus.

"God damn it." I whispered softly, as I closed my eyes to shut out the light and the pain.

The doorbell rang and I heard Elena mention that it was Stefan, and from what I presume were two pairs of feet making their way to answer it.

Not moving from where I was standing as it was just not an option from the headache I was currently experiencing – already wishing we weren't out of aspirin as this pain was excruciating.

"You okay Vee?" Jenna asked in concern.

"Mmm…" Was all that came out of my mouth because I was too afraid that my words would give me away at the current moment.

I felt a cold rush of wind beside me, must be Jenna. "Hey kiddo you don't look too good, you look a bit pale." She said softly as her fingers lightly felt my forehead to make out if I had a temperature. "You're not hot, but you look off."

"It's just a headache."

"Just a headache?" She didn't sound at all convinced. "You look unwell. Come here, sit." Jenna led me over to the dining table, she then disappeared for a moment and reappeared and put down two tablets of aspirin in front me and then went to fill a cup of water.

Jenna handed the glass for me. "Thanks." I mumbled weakly, taking a big gulp of water.

She stood there for a few moments, watching me like a hawk. "Did it work?" She said a little impatiently, not to mention a little drunkenly.

A smile spread on my lips. "Not yet Jenna, give it time but I think you should sleep, don't you have class tomorrow?" I hinted.

"Crap… you're right." She swore, as the realisation hit, and probably a little soberness had kicked in from my words. "I should sleep."

I smiled at her as I took another sip of water as if it was a magic potion, thinking it would help me. "If your headache gets better good, but if it gets worse wake me." She said seriously before grabbing my face and pulling it towards her to place a kiss on my forehead. "Night kiddo."

"Night." I muttered weakly, watching her go past Jeremy and mess his hair up affectionately and causing him to get blown up in his game at the same time.

"Hey!" He cried out.

"Love you too!" She called as she stomped her way drunkenly to bed.

I watched her retreating body when a single droplet of blood fell onto my hand, I looked down and got up quickly, making the chair scrape loudly; Jeremy didn't look over. I grabbed a paper towel to wipe my nose to find a little blood on it.

The front door opened and Damon walked in along with Elena and Stefan, they went over to Jeremy.

Elena looks over at me with a concerned face as she had noticed I was holding a paper towel to my nose, removing it away to silently mouth the words: 'nose bleed' to her, this made her relax a little.

"I heard you found a cool journal back in the day." Damon opened the conversation up, sitting on the edge of the couch near Jeremy while Elena and Stefan stood back. "Who else did you show it to?"

Jeremy was too immersed in his game and mumbled an incoherent answer.

"Don't ask questions, just spill." He said, with a slight tone of annoyance.

Jeremy pauses his game and looks over at Damon and scoffs. "You're kidding me, right?" He said in mild amusement.

"Jer, did you tell anyone else other than Mr. Saltzman about Jonathan Gilbert's journal?" Elena piped up seriously from behind Damon.

Jeremy frowned a little, confused no doubt about why he was being questioned. "Why is everyone so obsessed with that thing?" He voiced out loud.

"Who else did you tell?" Elena huffed.

I slowly walked over after throwing my paper towel out after the bleeding had stopped, taking my glass of water with me; Damon looks over briefly at me as I stood behind Jeremy and I smile faintly at him.

"Just that girl, Anna." Jeremy said casually.

"The hot, weird one?" Damon interjected.

"Yeah." Jeremy replied as he turned back to his game.

Stefan looked momentarily confused. "Wait, who's Anna?" He asked.

"That's what I wanna find out." Damon said dismissively, turning his attention back to Jeremy. "How do you know her?"

A mobile went off, it was Elena's and she turned away to go and answer it.

"I just know her. She wants me to meet her at the grill tonight."

"Perfect! I'll drive." Damon offered as he looked quickly at his brother to see his reaction. "Come on."

"Okay." Jeremy said as he shut off the game and followed.

"I'm coming too!" I put down my glass and went to follow; walking out the front door after Jeremy, but Damon turned around and stopped me, motioning his head for Jeremy to get into the car, he turned his attention back to me and started shaking a finger at me. "No, not you." He said.

I groaned out loud. "What, why?" I threw my arms out in protest.

Damon took a step closer so that our faces were close; his finger twirled an escaped curly lock of hair of mine. "Because I need you here, if what you saw is true then you stay behind." He said in a low voice as he looked down at me with a serious face.

"I get it." I whispered, looking down. "But, next time I go with you."

A small smile found its way on his lips. "Deal." He agreed, tucking the loose curl behind my ear before turning away from me and going down the few steps of the porch.

I folded my arms in annoyance as I watched them drive off, once they had disappeared and went inside. Stefan was still in the living room, being polite and waiting for Elena to finish her phone call with whomever.

He looked over at me and I looked around awkwardly avoiding his gaze. "I think my brother likes you." He said with the same amount of awkwardness I was feeling. "He's less evil with you." He must have seen the interaction between Damon and me to be saying what he said.

"I take that's a compliment?"

"No that's a thank you."A strange look must have passed my face as he quickly countered with. "What I meant was, if it stops him from killing any more innocent people by being friends with you, than I am happy to let that happen. Elena may not feel that way, but I do – I haven't seen him act this way since Olivia."

I cocked my head to the side, not buying this conversation for a second. Something must be up for him to say this, perhaps a distraction from what he intends on doing; so I faked a smile that looks oddly similar to my real one. "He has changed a bit, hasn't he?" I pointed out.

Stefan smiled. "Whatever you're doing, keep it up."

I nodded slowly and then squeezed my eyes shut as a sudden pain hit my head again, I had completely forgotten my headache and now it's back. "Ouch." I hissed in pain, but this time no images bombarded me, yet there pain stayed.

Stefan moved towards me, slight concern on his face. "Are you okay?" He asked reaching out to touch me.

I slinked away from his hand. "Yeah, just a big headache… stress induced from an assessment." I lied, it felt like an oncoming vision, though it's taking its sweet ass time in showing itself to me and then an idea popped into my head going off from Damon's request. "I'm gonna head upstairs to Jenna's room, see if she's got some painkillers as we have run out down here."

Stefan looked relieved that I was okay and let me go upstairs, instead I didn't go to Jenna's room but to Jeremy's and was happy to find that the bathroom connecting his room to Elena's was opened a little – meaning I could listen out.

Straining my ears to listen in to Elena's room who was talking to Bonnie, nothing interesting there, then a few minutes later I heard footsteps come up the stairs, must be Stefan. Elena just asked him why he didn't go with Damon, she sounded worried that he'd get the journal before they did and then Stefan reassured her that there is nothing to worry about because he had a copy of it from Alaric.

My eyes grew wide. That sneaky bastard. I thought.

They began reading copies of the journal and I was wondering how long it would be before they found what I need to report to Damon, that and the fact that I really needed to pee.

Elena read out a passage from the journal and I listened harder this time in case it was important.

"The Fell family believed it should be I not them who protected the witches spell book; but I feared she would haunt me from the hereafter. They mocked my fear but it was Giuseppe Salvatore who – Is that your father?" She stopped mid-reading to ask a question.

I almost groaned out loud from the interruption and from the sheer obviousness of the surname, but prevented myself from doing so.

"Yeah," Stefan said softly and I heard a rustle of papers and he continued where she left off. "It was Giuseppe Salvatore, who removed my fear; he told me he would protect the secret of the spell book. He said he would carry it to his grave."

Oh shit. They figured it out before Damon did, this isn't good. I couldn't leave Jeremy's room to go get my phone until they left Elena's and shit, Damon needs to know and I'm stuck. Triple shit.

"I know where it is." Stefan said in shock from the sounds of it. "Let's go."

God damn it. I mentally swore, wishing they would hurry up and leave so I could ring Damon to tell him.

I heard shuffling sounds and the stomping of feet as they left the room, I waited for a while in Jeremy's room before I heard the front door close; it must have been five minutes or more that I waited for that sound of a close – it was the slam of the door that alerted me actually. As soon as I heard that sound I bolted from Jeremy's room and down the stairs to get to my room to go get my phone and let Damon know what has happened.

I practically stumbled into my room to get to it, and when I had got there I made a mad dive for my bed and almost fell off, luckily I rolled the other way to the middle of the bed – the least clumsy thing I have done all my life tonight.

I hurriedly unlocked my phone and then pressing Damon's name and watch the screen change to the ringing background, I put the phone to my ear and waited for him to pick up.

"Yes." He sounded a little irritated on the phone. "Please tell me something I don't know."

"What do you already know?" I questioned.

"That Emily's spell book is in my father's grave." He replied in that same tone.

"Oh." I fumbled. "Well… You should hurry then because Stefan and Elena just left."

There was a pause on the other line. "Why didn't you go with them?" He said flatly.

"Because I was listening to them from Jeremy's room, and if I did that then they would know that I was working with you and would probably not let me come because of it." I pointed out as if it was obvious while gently face palming my forehead in silence.

He was quiet for a while on the other end before he answered. "I'll be at yours in ten. Be out the front." He commanded and ended the call.

Pulling the phone away from my ear, looking at it incredulously for his tone which implied this was my entire fault, if he had told me to do something other than stay here or suggested that I do more than I would have. I mean seriously? How was I to know this was going to happen? I groaned to myself.

"He better not pull the you have visions don't you, why didn't you foresee see this crap on me, I swear I will kick him in the shin." I mumbled angrily as I went to the bathroom to answer nature's call. I came back a few minutes later went over to the back of my door, grabbing my grey hoodie zip up jacket; which I hang on the back of my door to wear around the house – too lazy to grab another from the wardrobe. I quickly pull on my converse shoes while grabbing my phone and pocketing it, leaving my room and keeping the door open like I always do when I go out.

Walking to the front door as I was pulling on my jacket, stopping in front of the door as my arm got stuck and then I spent at least five minutes anxiously flailing around looking for the sleeve in a frantic rush; I eventually found it and got it in and opened the door just in time to see Damon pull up. I closed the door behind me and ran off the porch and down the steps, I ran across the lawn and over to his car, opening the door in one quick move and hopping in.

"Good timing." He greeted.

"Where's Jeremy?" I asked worriedly when I noticed he wasn't in the car.

"He saw a classmate and decided to stay." Damon replied with a shrug as he pulled out from the curb.

I nodded quietly as I was unsure of how to respond to that answer, yet I was just happy he wasn't involved in this crazy mess.

"I just want to clear this up before we get there. Before on the phone, I wasn't mad at you I was mad at myself for not listening to you and your vision warning that this would happen." He half clarified and half apologised. "So if I sounded like a dick… sorry."

Turning my head to him to look at him, did he just apologise? He glanced over at me briefly and I smiled. "I understand Damon, don't worry, you did sound a little like a dick but you had your reasons and it was unintentional so, its fine, you're forgiven." I accepted.

He nodded silently, and I stared at him wondering what was going on his mind for him to have that pensive look on it. "Vera, do you trust me?" He asked, not taking his eyes off the road.

The question threw me off, I wasn't expecting that. "I'm starting to." I responded, hoping that answered his question, even if it may not have been the answer he wanted.

"Fair warning, it could get dangerous tonight between Stefan and I because of the grimore, do you understand?" He cautions as his his eyes glance over in my direction to gauge my reaction.

"I understand." I said softly. "What do you need from me?"

A small smile appeared on his lips. "How good can you act?" He inquires curiously.

I frowned at him in uncertainty. "It's believable, why?" I ask.

"I may need to use you as leverage."

"Damon!"

"What?"

I gave him a look that says: I'll kick your ass if something bad happens to me, to say the least my cousin Marina back in New Orleans is terrified of that look, he wasn't. Damn. Must work on that.

"Oh relax; you're completely safe with me." He said calmly, rolling his eyes at my reaction.

I squint my eyes in a half glare at him. "No biting me, do you understand?" I warn.

Damon groaned out loud. "That was part of the plan!"

"Damon!"

He chuckled at me and flashed me a smirk. "Only joking," and then his face turned serious. "But seriously it was."

"Stop the damn car."

"This time I'm joking, Vera." Damon laughed and patted my knee, I smacked his hand very annoyed at him now and because he touched me which further irritated me because I told him today I hated to be touched.

He pulled up to the side of the road and we both got out of the car, he put a hand to his lips a sign to be quiet and motioned for me to follow, he must have heard them because his pace quickened; leaving me behind, I got out my phone and turned on the flash light so I could see where I was going.

I could see that he had stopped ahead, no doubt waiting for me.

Reaching him and almost breaking my ankle in the process because a small branch tripped me up, he caught me with ease, steadying me with his arms which I noticed which were very strong and muscly, he definitely works out often, unlike lazy me.

"Stupid branch tripped me." I explained awkwardly, removing myself from his grasp, but he held a firm grip on my upper arm and began forcefully pulling me. "Okay, ow!"

He didn't say anything and continued to pull me along, his walking had hurried and due to the rapid walking, I had stumbled a few times – hurting myself on a stick, looking down as we were making our way to Elena and Stefan I saw that it was bleeding. That is typical.

"Well, what do you know?" Damon called out with controlled anger, yanking me along. "This is an interesting turn of events."

Elena shone the light on us and Damon pulled me to him roughly making me cry out. "Ow, what the hell is wrong with you?" I cried out, half faking it and half meaning it because that hurt this time.

"Oh my god, Vera!" Elena gasped softly, looking at me with worry. "Don't hurt her…"

"I can't let you bring her back." Stefan calmly announced to Damon. "I'm sorry."

He didn't look sorry to me and it made me want to punch him again, but I knew I had to help Damon and by doing that I had to act, I struggled a little bit but he was strong and didn't budge so I gave that up.

"So am I," Damon responded. "For thinking for a second I could trust you."

Stefan scoffed, that hit a nerve in him from the look on his face which showed it had hurt to hear that. "You are not capable of trust, look how you have betrayed her trust now." He pointed out, motioning towards me who was wincing from Damon's grip on me as it had tightened a little. Okay, ow that really hurts. I thought. "That and the fact that you are here means that you read the journal and you were planning on doing this yourself."

Well that's true, he did have a point there and I saw from the side that Damon's free hand had outstretched in a way that said: yeah and? "Of course I was gonna do it by myself, because the only one I can count on is me."Confirmed Damon, I felt a little pang of hurt as he said that; I knew he was saying it to hurt Stefan and he didn't mean it but that kind of hurt as I've been helping him out.

I could see from the facial expression that it had hurt Stefan once more as he grimaced sadly from those words and there must have been a reason behind it.

"You made sure of that many years ago, Stefan." Damon added, further driving in that invisible emotional knife to his brother's heart. There was a brief silence before Damon continued. "But you," He took a few steps closer to Elena, bringing me along with him as he did so. "You had me fooled."

Elena looked like she wanted to cry at that point, a mixture of guilt and her worry for me as she thought this was her fault that I was in danger, it was becoming too much for her I could tell. I almost felt bad for her. Almost.

I looked back at Damon and could see that he was hurt from the lie she fed him earlier, it made me feel for him, and I really and truly felt bad for him as I could see the betrayal in his face and all I just wanted to do was pull him into a hug, but I couldn't right now because I had to keep it up.

Elena looked down at the ground to avoid his gaze, she felt bad too.

"So what are you going to do now?" Damon asked, no longer hiding his anger. "Because if you try and destroy that, I will rip her heart out." He was referring to Elena from what I gathered because he continued to stare ahead.

"You won't kill her." Stefan assured.

Damon raised his eyebrows at him in challenge, and Stefan merely shook his head at him; and me, I was looking from one brother to another wondering who would start first when I felt Damon's grip on me change, he pulled me to his chest an arm around my neck while the other gripped my upper arm tightly; I let out a frightened scream. "I can do one better." He growled.

He bit into his wrist. "No!" I scream as I tried to kick out and get away, he forced his wrist in my mouth, pushing it into my mouth and holding it there, I could feel the blood oozing into my mouth and tried not to swallow any. "Give me the book Stefan, or I'm snapping her neck and you and I will have a vampire friend."

At the mention of my neck snapping I accidentally swallowed some of the blood, and was now pushing back on him to escape his wrist and the blood, I really did not want to be a vampire for the rest of my life.

"Let her go first." Stefan calmly said.

Damon yanked his wrist from my mouth, and I gasped for air and coughed which made more of that metallic liquid go down my throat. "The book." Damon insisted.

"I am not going to give this to you. Until she is standing next to me." Stefan demanded calmly, the pain was etched into his face as he was scared Damon would snap my neck, and it probably didn't help him to hear Elena beginning to cry either.

"Give it to him, Stefan!" Elena cried out from behind her boyfriend, tears were streaming down her face now as she had hit breaking point at watching me being fed Damon's blood, that fear of losing me had broken her.

"The problem is, I no longer trust that you will give it back." Damon angrily said.

"You just did the one thing that ensures that I will." Stefan sadly pointed out to Damon.

Damon nodded for Stefan to hand over the book, and Stefan slowly did, watching him the whole time as he did so, dropping it in front of Damon.

I could feel Damon's grip on me loosen slightly, and I could have sworn I felt him smell my hair or press his lips onto the top of my head, maybe both as I couldn't discern which. He let me go and with the same hand that held me, pressed into the small of my back and gave me a light push forward.

I ran over to Elena and into her arms, she wrapped her arms protectively around me, her tears staining my face; and I look over at Damon who had a look of guilt in his eyes yet, his face masked that and only showed anger, he looked away from me and back at Stefan.

Stefan turned away from Damon, and went over to me and Elena, leading us gently away from Damon; I didn't look back as I was stunned from the events, and of almost becoming a vampire, again. As I was being led away, I felt the need to look back, I shouldn't, But I had to... I look back at Damon and saw that he was relieved he hadn't gone that far in snapping my neck, or was I making it up?

Elena was in the bathroom with me as I was forcing myself to throw up the blood. "Ugh… I can't do it, it's gross." I moaned, removing my fingers from my mouth.

"I know." She said soothingly, stroking my hair.

I sighed. "I honestly thought he wanted to be my friend." I whispered sadly, looking down at the tiled floor, my fingers prodding at it. The feeling that he used me stung, because I genuinely believed he had wanted to be friends with me - it seemed so real, that it wasn't being forced nor faked, or was I making that up too? "But I guess he was using me to get what he wanted most."

Elena sat down beside me, leaning against the cabinet. I had told them about the days leading up to tonight in the car over here, leaving out the part about the visions as I wasn't sure how to say it or bring it up. They both were fine with it and Stefan had said that's his brother getting to you, mentioning that he is very good at manipulation.

'But he had warned me?' I thought in confusion trying to understand what had just occurred. 'Was he lying to me all along? Was it all a rouse to get what he wanted? Was it not real?" All these thoughts and more washed over me. As a quiet had passed over us, Elena and I just sat silently together, we didn't know what to say.

The door to my bathroom opened and Stefan stood there leaning against the post. "How do you feel?" He asked softly.

"Crappy. I have another headache and I feel horrible for helping your brother, not to mention I almost became a vampire tonight." I said, counting off the things that happened as I say them.

"Don't worry it was a small amount of blood and it will pass out of your system by tomorrow." He explained.

"Good." Elena and I chimed in unison.

"I'll get you some aspirin." Stefan offered kindly.

"I'll go with you." Elena said and went off with him.

I massaged my temples, feeling very sick again, but I knew that feeling and it would simply go away and come back. Pushing myself up, using the wall to help myself up, I go over to the sink and washed my face, perhaps the cool water would help me feel better.

I straighten my back and stare into the mirror, looking back at myself. I wore such a glum expression. "You were lucky tonight." I mumble to my reflection.

Sighing heavily, I leave the bathroom and find Elena walking in. "I was thinking, that we sleep in my bed tonight. It'll be like a slumber party." She said getting all excited.

I smile at her. "Sure." I awkwardly agree.

"Great, let's go up to my room and prepare our bed for tonight!" She said enthusiastically and grabbed my hand and dragged me up the stairs up to her room.

We walked in, a few steps in and I felt Elena being wrenched from my hands, I saw a young girl, correction, a young vampire girl with Elena. Something within me stirred and I moved forward and grabbed Elena and pushed her behind me, the girl was stunned at this sudden movement, not expecting a human girl to react that quickly.

She came forward to retrieve Elena and I punched her in the face, making her stumble backwards.

Elena clung to me and I was slowly backing us out of there, the girl blurred to us and I went to kick her but she grabbed my leg with great accuracy, and flung me over to the bed and went for Elena again; I rolled off the bed, grabbing a pillow and running over and whacking the girl across the back of the head.

She turned around, all veiny eyed and fang like and hissed in anger and blurred to me and grabbed me by the throat, I choke out and kick her it worked but then I felt an elbow to the face, my hands flew to my nose. "You bitch!" I spat, looking down at my hands to see if there was blood, there was none thankfully.

Elena went towards me to help me, I look up just in time to see a leg collide into me, I didn't have time to react before it smacked me in the side of the head and I felt dazed, and felt that sensation of falling again for what would be the millionth time that day.

I didn't hit the floor but was suspended by my arm as the girl held me with an amazing show of strength and made it look like it was easy lifting me.

"You will come with me, now." The girl commanded to Elena. "Or I will break something on her."

When Elena hesitated, the girl with one quick fluid punch hit me in the ribs and I felt something snap, it was a rib; she covered my mouth as I let out a pained scream.

"Okay… okay, I'll come…" Elena breathed out in horror.

The girl blurred to Elena and then blurred us over to the window and out of the house completely. I had passed out from the immense pain as she ran with us to wherever the hell she was taking us both. But, the last thing I remember was Elena's eyes looking at me with such fear and worry, that her concern for me encompassed her fear.

Author: Hey, whoa, an intense chapter huh? Tell me what you think? So many things happening at once, poor Vera she's so confused and overwhelmed by her friendship with Damon, she's not sure what to think. Hopefully the next chapter won't take a zillion years... no promises though.

Also pop on over to my wordpress account to check out her outfits or any extra things I put up about this story, which is included below - sorry you will have to type it to check it out as this site doesn't allow copy and paste. But it's worth it. I promise. You can also find it on my homepage. : )

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~NightOwl992