A/N - Let me know what you guys think of this new chapter. Shout to Parodychick and DreaminOfLove22 for reviewing again ily.

Caroline was tired of trying to be a good friend to Bonnie, when it was obvious that Bonnie didn't want her there. She had done everything she could think of to cheer up her friend and she had tried to ask her what was wrong, but Bonnie wasn't going to tell her anything. She was being secretive and stubborn and those two things did not mix well.

So Caroline went to see Tyler. She knew he was a bit of a jerk but he was also her boyfriend, and at that moment, Caroline needed someone to talk to and take her mind off her friend problems. She pulled up to his house and walked up to the door. She knocked and Tyler answered.

"Caroline." He said. "What are you doing here? I didn't think you would be coming over."

"I've been having a rough day and I-" Caroline was cut off by someone else inside the house.

"Ty? Who is it?"

Tyler looked back inside, upset. "No one. I thought I told you to stay upstairs."

Caroline looked at Tyler. "Who is that?" Tyler started trying to explain, but Caroline didn't give him a chance. She pushed through the door.

Standing halfway down the stairs was Vicki Donovan, wearing nothing but a bra and her underwear. Caroline pulled back and held in the tears that were already starting to build in her eyes.

She turned to Tyler. "Vicki Donovan?" She yelled. "You are cheating on me with Matt's sister? I knew you were a jerk, but I didn't think you would stoop this low, Tyler. If you want out of this relationship, then fine. You are out. We are done." She stomped out the front door and down the steps.

"Wait, Care, please, let me explain!" Tyler called after her.

She whirled around. "No. This is the last straw. We are over. For good." She glared at him, and then added as an afterthought, "And don't call me Care." She turned around, slid into the front seat of her car and pulled out of the driveway. Her day had just gone from bad, to worse.

"Stefan?" Elena knocked on the door again before deciding to go in. She took a few steps into the house but stopped in her track to take in what she was seeing.

There was her identical image, her twin, dressed like her, smirking at her, and Stefan, looking back and forth between the two of them.

At that second Elena filled with an emotion she didn't often let herself feel. Hatred. She hated her sister for coming into her life and sabotaging it. "Katherine." She put as much of the loathing she was feeling behind the name.

It took all Elena had not to use her vamp speed in front of Stefan as she walked over to her sister. "What are you doing here Katherine?"

Katherine shrugged. "I came to meet your new special friend. And let me tell you sis, you really know how to pick em." Katherine eyed Stefan up and down, smiling like he was a toy she had been playing with.

"Wait." Stefan said, taking a step toward the girls. He pointed to Elena. "So you're really Elena? And you," he turned to Katherine, "are called Katherine?"

Katherine turned her head to the side. "You really are quite the genius."

Elena stepped toward Stefan. "Katherine's my twin sister. I was going to tell you eventually about her but . . ."

"Careful sis. You might hurt my feelings if you finish that sentence, and you know what happens when my feelings get hurt." Katherine looked at Stefan again. "Although, after that kiss, I might just turn him instead."

"Kiss?" Elena asked at the same time that Stefan said, "Turn?"

Katherine giggled to herself. She walked up close to Elena and whispered in her ear. "Have fun trying to explain that to him." Then she walked over to Stefan, running her hand across the front of his chest. "It was nice to finally meet you Stefan." She headed to the door where she turned around one last time. "See you later." She waved to them and then was gone.

Elena turned to Stefan. "Are you okay?"

"Well, I mean, I just found out that the person I thought I was with wasn't really there and it was just kind of a shock."

Elena hurried over to him, checking his neck and wrists. "But she didn't hurt you?"

Stefan gave Elena a confused look. "Why would she have hurt me? And why you are at it, what did she mean by 'turn me'?"

Elena shook her head, hoping that he wouldn't push the issue. "Nothing. It's just, an inside joke between the two of us." She paused and looked up into his eyes. "Are you okay?"

"I just answered that question."

"No, I mean, with all this." She hesitated before adding, "The kiss."

Stefan thought about it. "I'm not really okay." he said, apparently deciding to be fully honest with her. "I thought I was kissing my girlfriend and then found out it was actually her twin."

Elena smirked. "Girlfriend?"

Stefan smiled. "Elena Pierce. Would you like to be my girlfriend?"

She lit up and nodded, before letting her frown creep back in. How could she let herself be his girlfriend when she was keeping so many secrets from him? When she struggled not to hurt him on a daily basis? She would rather hurt his feelings here instead of breaking his heart later, or worse. "Stefan, I want to but -"

"Then what's stopping you?" Stefan asked, cutting her off. She could tell he was tired of her half-explanations and pulling back at the last second. Katherine had showed him what it could be like if he didn't have to wait in just one kiss. Katherine had succeeded in doing what Elena guessed was the whole reason for this stunt. She had shown him how his relationship with Elena was not normal, although he may not have understood the full extent of it.

Elena struggled with an explanation. "Stefan, there are things you don't know about me . . ." She didn't know how to explain just how much danger she was putting him in just by being there.

He shook his head. "I don't care." He gently held her face in his hands. "I realized something, during that kiss with your sister, Elena. I realized that I love you. Not Katherine. You. Yes, I was kissing her, but I thought it was you. I wanted it to be you. Because I love you." He paused and she watched his eyes searching her face. "And I think you love me too."

Elena felt herself give him the faintest nod.

"Then there is no problem. Whatever has you so worried, it doesn't matter. What matters is that I love you." His hand slid behind her head and he leaned forward toward her, and she found herself leaning toward him. Before Elena knew what was happening, their lips meet and she forgot all of her worries.

The kiss was different than any other kiss she had felt before. Over one hundred and fifty years of living had hardened her. She was strong. She was a fighter. And she didn't often let people in. Whenever she did, they ended up dead and she didn't want to suffer any more of that pain. But while she was kissing Stefan, she didn't feel like she had to be strong. He was strong enough for the both of them and he wasn't going to let anything happen to her. For the first time in a long time, Elena felt like she was safe, and she loved it. She didn't feel like a vampire, but like an ordinary girl kissing her ordinary boyfriend. This is what she had come to Mystic Falls for.

But no matter what she felt, Elena was still a vampire. She couldn't help but notice how fast his heart beat had gotten as it pumped blood beneath his skin. His heart sounded like a thunderstorm in her ears, reminding her what she was, and how she could never change.

She finally pulled away and took a deep breath, but she wasn't fast enough.

"Are you okay? Your face-"

Elena whirled around and faced the ground, trying to cover her face as she tried to get it to change back to normal. "It's nothing. I just have something in my eye." That was her go-to excuse, but it seemed to work most of the time. As she felt her face return to normal she turned to face her new boyfriend. "Im sorry. I," she hesitated, not wanting to leave him again, but finally deciding she didn't have another choice. She couldn't risk staying. "I have to go."

Damon walked up to Liz Forbes and sat down next to her. "Hello Liz."

"Damon?"

"I know about the vampires. And about how this town, including it's mayor are trying to cover it up. And I want in."

"You want in what?"

"Your secret club or whatever." Damon leaned in toward the Sheriff. "Look, I know there has to be more than just you and the mayor and I want in. I brought the vervain, and I have the rest of it it hidden in a safe place at my home. You want it because It protects against vampires?"

The sheriff studied him before nodding. "You want to be in the council?"

"Yes." Damon said triumphantly. "Now you are getting it. It's founding families, right? Well, I'm a member of the Salvatore family and I want in."

"How did you know it was the founding families?" Liz asked, genuinely curious.

Damon shrugged. "You, the mayor, my uncle, and I'll guess at least a couple of the Gilberts as well. It wasn't that hard to figure out."

The sheriff debated for a little while. "And if we let you in, you will supply the vervain?"

Damon nodded.

The sheriff shook her head and sighed. "I can't believe I am doing this." She held out her hand to him. "It's a deal." Damon took her hand and they shook on it.