Chapter 25

"Ahh!" Jane shrieked and jerked fully awake as she found Katherine looming over her. The vampire rolled her eyes.

"It's about time you woke up." She frowned. "You've been sleeping a long time."

"What's going on?"

"Here. Wear that. He has a thing for legs." Katherine tossed her a maroon skirt and a form fitting inky black shirt at her. "You are going over to Damon's house." Jane sat up, biting her lower lip. "They are up to something and I want to know what. So you spend the day with them, keep Damon's focus on you."

"But I-"

"Yes, I heard your little lovers spat last night." Katherine rolled her eyes. "You had Damon Salvatore wrapped around your finger and you let him go."

"It was cruel to keep him here when he didn't want to be."

"He'll be back to you. I can tell he really likes you. So exploit it. It's very important that he focuses all his attention you or Elena…or whomever. Just as long as he doesn't keep asking about me. I won't have him interrupting my plans."

Jane bit her lip. "I don't think I can even look at him."

"Do you really think he has no feelings for you at all?" Katherine asked, arching an eyebrow. "That he literally felt nothing?"

"Yes…"

"Nope. Not true. He still has feelings. He just has to remember how to use them."

Jane wasn't so sure about that was true, but she couldn't argue with Katherine.

She knocked on the door and smiled nervously when Stefan opened it. "Good morning, Stefan."

"Jane." Stefan nodded. "Is there-"

"Katherine knows you are all up to something and she wants to know what." Jane blurted, flushing embarrassedly. "I…I won't tell her the truth, but she wants me to be here." Stefan nodded, a frown on his face.

"Come on in." He told her, stepping aside and letting her come in. "We would have called you and not left you out, but Damon told me what happened last night with Bonnie."

"Did he mention anything else?" She asked quietly and Stefan shook his head, a frown on his face.

"No. Why?"

Jane shook her head. "Oh. Well, it's nothing." She murmured and walked into the living room. "Where's Elena?"

"She's upstairs. I guess Katherine wanted you here early?"

"No…I was trying to get away from her. She was trying to make me wear this insane amount of make-up."

"Why?" Stefan frowned and Jane looked around.

"Is he…here?"

"Why yes I am. You are talking about me, right?" Damon smirked, rounding the corner. His eyes swept over her attire and lingered on her legs like Katherine had told her he would. Jane looked away from him, feeling guilty for even being in the same room as him and faced Stefan.

"K-Katherine wanted me to be a distraction…For…Damon."

Stefan scowled. "What is she up to that she thinks Damon needs a distraction from?"

"I don't know." Jane murmured, avoiding looking at the vampire who eyes were on her.

"Well, great job." He smirked and she swallowed, flushing slightly. Stefan rolled his eyes at his brother who suddenly looked apologetic.

Elena came down the stairs. "Jane, are you okay? Are you hurt?" She asked in concern, pulling the girl into a hug.

"No. I'm okay." She murmured.

"Katherine sent you here didn't she?" Jane nodded and Elena sighed.

"Everybody have a seat and I'll go get some coffee." Stefan told them and sent Damon a look telling him to behave.

"Thanks for coming, Ric." Stefan greeted as the history teacher came into the boarding house. Alaric looked around at everyone that was gathered before Damon stepped closer to him.

"Can I get you something to drink? Coffee? Bourbon? Bourbon in your coffee?" Damon quipped as they stepped into the room.

"Elena mentioned you needed my help." Alaric said, coming to sit next to Jane. "Hey, Jane." He greeted her and she smiled at him. Damon leaned against the couch, half jealous that she would smile at him.

Stefan nodded. "Yeah, we were hoping you could help shed some light on the Lockwood family..."

"Now, why would I know anything about the Lockwood's?" Alaric arched an eyebrow.

"Well, you wouldn't. But your dead-not dead vampire wife might." Damon spoke up and Alaric rolled his eyes.

"Isobel's research from when you guys were at Duke together." Elena explained and he nodded, seeing his purpose for being there.

"You said that she had spent years researching this town..." Stefan added to what his girlfriend was explaining.

"Isobel's research here in Mystic Falls rooted in folklores and legends but at the time I thought much of which was fiction." Alaric shrugged and then looked at Jane. "I'm sure your dad still has some things in his office as well."

"Like that amazing vampire story." Damon smirked and Jane bit her lip to keep from laughing. He noticed and smirked wider.

"Aside from vampire, what else?" She asked Alaric curiously.

"There was a bit about seers." He told her and then thought for a moment. "And the lycanthrope."

Elena's eyes widened. "Wait, as in werewolves?"

"No way, impossible, way too Lon Chaney." Damon scoffed, he came to sit on Jane's other side, his arm across the back of the couch.

"Is it?" Stefan questioned him and his brother rolled his eyes. His fingers brushed the back of Jane's hair very softly and she swallowed hard.

"I've been on this planet 160 some years, never came across one." He told them and then looked at Alaric. "If werewolves exist, where the hell are they?"

"Why do you suspect the Lockwoods?" Alaric asked.

"Because Vervain didn't affect the Mayor at Founder's day, but the Gilbert device did and it affected his son Tyler."

Stefan nodded. "And at the school carnival his uncle Mason exhibited inhuman behavior when he fought with one of the carnival workers. It suggests it's some sort of supernatural entity."

"We were hoping that Isobel's research could help us figure out what it is." Elena said hopefully.

"Well, all her things are still at Duke." Alaric replied. "I mean her office is still there, she's technically still missing. Rich's office is still there too."

"So we can get access to it?" Damon asked. Alaric hesitated. "Ric, we need to know what we are dealing with. If this wolf man thing is true." He began and Jane looked at him. "I've seen enough movies to know it's not good. It means Mason Lockwood is a real life Lon Chaney and that little Tyler punk may just very well be Lon Chaney jnr. Which means Bella Lugosi, meaning me, is totally screwed." Damon finished and noticed that Jane was biting into her lower lip, looking at him with a worried expression, her head slightly pressing against his fingers. "And we'll probably need to get into your dad's office." Jane nodded and averted her eyes.

Silence filled the air until Damon began tapping against the car door. Jane jumped, coming out of her thoughts at the sound.

"So…Katherine was at your house this morning?" He asked nonchalantly.

"Yes." Jane murmured.

"Did she hurt you?"

"No, just made me wear these clothes."

"They look good on you, Janey. You're very pretty today."

"Thanks." She remained fixated on Elena's house and Damon sighed.

"Aren't you even going to look at me?"

She turned her head to gaze at him and he smiled at her. She didn't smile back. "Ah, come on. You're not still upset about last night are you?"

"Please, don't. I don't want to talk about it."

"Well, can you at least smile? Be happy? You're getting away from Katherine for a whole day. You managed to smile for Ric."

"I didn't hurt Mr. Saltzman."

Damon scowled. "You didn't hurt me, Jane, Bonnie did. So ignoring me is your solution?"

"You know it's better that way."

"That's not very distracting." He countered. "In fact, I'm half tempted to persuade Ric to drop you off at home and keep Katherine out of the loop." Her eyes widened and she turned to face him fully.

"You wouldn't! Oh, don't do that. She'd be so angry." The fear in her eyes took away the satisfaction he felt for her finally giving him attention. His smirk slipped away and he took her chin gently.

"Hey, I was only joking, Janey. You tell that nosy bitch whatever will keep her from harming you." He said softly. Jane calmed down a bit and fidgeted, gazing back at the house and pulling away from him. Damon cursed himself for ruining his chance to talk to her and knew that he probably wouldn't get another chance when Ric and Elena finally came out. "What is taking so long?" He demanded and leaned over to honk the horn impatiently.

They finally came out of the house and Ric got into the front seat. Jane got into the car too, sitting behind Alaric.

"Sorry you can't come too, Stef." Damon said and Jane looked out the window.

Elena shoved her bag into the car at Damon's mocking tone and turned around to her boyfriend.

"Call me if you need anything." Stefan told her and smiled at Jane. "You too, Jane."

"Oh, I'll take really good care of her." Damon assured him and wiggled his eyebrows. "Elena too." Elena scowled at him and pulled Stefan down to kiss him. Jane found it to be a bit cruel to openly shove their relationship into his face and looked away.

Damon pushed off the car, having seen enough. "Okay. Time to go." He got into the car, looking back at Jane who was biting her nails and gazing out the window. Elena got in and then they were off. "Roadtrip music?"

"No." Alaric swatted his hand from the radio and the vampire pouted.

"Fine. We'll sit here in awkward silence."

The silence didn't last long. Damon turned and touched Jane's knee. "How are you doing back there?" She jumped, looking at him with wide eyes and Damon's hand was slapped by Elena.

"Leave her alone." She snapped at him.

"Was I talking to you?" He asked her mockingly. "Well, now that I am talking to you…You know this whole pretending to hate me thing is getting a little silly."

"I don't think she's pretending..." Alaric muttered. "You did kill her brother."

"There a huge asterisk next to the statement: he came back to life." Damon told them and Jane frowned.

"Yeah, thanks to a ring you didn't know he was wearing." Elena hissed. "And you were choking Jane."

"I apologized for that." Damon scowled, trying to catch Jane's eyes but she was staring intently out the window, ignoring them all. "And why are you so sure I didn't know."

Elena narrowed her eyes. "Did you?"

"Yes." Jane did look at him that time, her eyes wide. He flashed her a smile and she shook her before glancing back out the window.

"You're lying." Elena accused.

"Elena, I saw the ring! It's a big tacky thing, it's hard to miss." Damon protested, but no one believed him.

"So Isobel was officially employed by the anthropology department given that most paranormal phenomenon is rooted in folklore." Alaric explained to his three companions as they walked into the building. Jane had been there only twice in her entire life, but she had been very young. She only remembered the cluttered office space her father had worked and practically lived in. She spotted the door to her father's office, it was dark and gloomy looking from the outside. They approached a desk where a young woman was putting away files.

"Excuse me, hi. I'm Alaric Saltzman, I called earlier." Alaric said, leaning across the desk and the woman hopped up from her seat with an eager smile.

"Yes, of course. I'm Vanessa Monroe, research assistant comparative folklore." She told them proudly. Vanessa's eyes swept over the man's companions. "I know you! You're Jane. Richard Evans' daughter." She smiled at Jane and the girl nodded at her. "Uh, let me just grab Isobel's keys. I'll grab your dad's keys too."

"These are our friends Elena and Damon." Alaric introduced when Vanessa gave them another look. "I this isn't too much of an imposition."

"Oh, please." Vanessa shook her head at him. "Isobel was one of my first professors. I'm a grad student." She explained to him. "She was brilliant and one of the reason I went into folklore. Jane, your dad was hilarious. His jokes were legendary around here. He was Isobel's go-to research guy. They were best friends." She looked at Alaric. "Uh I have to ask has there been any news?" She asked. "About either of them?"

"No, I'm afraid not." Alaric shook his head and Jane shook her head too.

Vanessa smiled sadly. "It's this way." She opened the door to Isobel's office, walking in and the four followed her. "I'll grab the light, feel free to look around. It's fascinating, isn't it?" She handed Jane another set of keys. "Here's your dad's. You can go into his office anytime." Jane thanked her and she went to help Elena peruse a bookshelf.

"Look at this one." Elena murmured. The spine read: Petrova.

"Is that Bulgarian or German?" Jane asked her and she shrugged.

"Where did she go?" Damon asked and Jane saw something out of the corner of her eye. Vanessa was standing there holding a crossbow aimed straight at Elena who gasped in alarm and Jane hugged her. The crossbow fired and Damon zoomed in front of Elena and Jane, blocking them and getting shot instead. He grunted in pain, going down to the floor and Alaric tackled Vanessa, wrestling the crossbow from her and shoving her against a wall.

"Damon!" Jane knelt by him and as did Elena.

Damon leaned across the table, bracing himself. Jane and Elena were examining the arrow.

"Pull it out." Damon growled "I can't reach it, ladies. One of you just pull the damn thing out. It hurts." Jane swallowed and took a firm grip on it, when Elena made no move to do it, looking squeamish. She couldn't make herself do it and Jane understood.

"One, two, three…" She counted and jerked it out. Damon groaned.

"Thank god!" He said and shook himself to be rid of the pain. Jane took her father's keys and went to get into his office, leaving the room rapidly. Elena watched her flee the room and frowned in concern before facing Damon. "That bitch is dead."

"You're not going to kill her." Elena frowned at him.

"Watch me." He smirked, swerving around him.

"You touch her and I swear I will never speak to you again." Elena threatened. "And Jane won't either."

"What makes you think that has any kind of power over me or her. Because I took an arrow in the back for you? Or technically her, since she was once again trying to protect you. She'll speak to me when she wants. You're severely overestimating yourself."

"Right. I forgot I'm speaking to a psychotic mind who snaps and kills people impulsively and who enjoys manipulating others." Elena shrugged. "Fine, go ahead, do whatever you want. I'm sure Jane would talk to you then."

"You're trying to manipulate me." Damon smirked. "And using Jane how friend-like of you."

"If by 'manipulate' you mean 'tell the truth' okay, guilty." She rolled her eyes. "And I am Jane's friend. What are you?" She walked away to find Alaric and left Damon to frown after her, just noticing the lack of the small girl.

"Please! I freaked out okay? All right, you would have done the same thing, it's not possible! Katherine Pierce can't be alive and Damon Salvatore died in 1864. Okay, I read Isobel's research." Vanessa panicked at Alaric.

"Well, then you should know just how possible this is." He replied as Damon and Elena walked into the room.

Elena walked closer. "I'm Elena Gilbert, Isobel's daughter and a descendant of Katherine Pierce. And this is Damon Salvatore who you just shot."

"I'd be extra nice to me right now." Damon threatened lightly and Elena rolled her eyes.

"Look, we need your help, okay? We need to see all of Isobel's research, anything related to Mystic Falls." Elena told her and Vanessa nodded. "There's some stuff in her office. I'll get it." Damon followed her to make sure she didn't try anything else and watched her bring in a huge box.

"This box checks Katherine's arrival to Mystic Falls in April of 1864." Vanessa replied, as she and Elena went through its contents.

"Is that all there is about her?" Elena asked.

"All that I'm aware of." Vanessa replied.

"Here." Elena said lowly, spotting some vervain in the box and giving it to her. "Take this."

Vanessa took it from her. "Does vervain really work?" Elena nodded.

"Nope, not at all." Damon called from in the office.

"Can he hear us?" Vanessa asked in a hushed voice.

"No, that would be creepy." Damon smirked, whispering loudly.

Vanessa shifted. "Can he read minds too?"

"You know, if you want to see me naked, all you have to do is ask." Damon's voice came from the office.

"No. That, he can't do. He is very capable of being a first rate jackass." Elena replied as Vanessa slipped the vervain in her pocket. Damon rolled his eyes and then went to find Jane.

He found her in her father's office, a box tucked under one arm. She set it aside, picking up picture frames and knick-knacks placing them lovingly into the box. He went in, half closing the door and walked over to her. She felt his presence and tried to ignore him, going behind the desk to get some more pictures from the wall.

Damon placed his hand over hers, stilling her movement went she reached up for another frame. "Jane, you gotta say something to me."

"Say what?" She whispered. "There's nothing to say." He frowned and moved closer to her, blocking her from everyone else's curious gazes should they looked into the room.

"You've barely spoken three words to me. And you ran off after pulling that arrow from my back, which I took for you and Elena." She bit her lip. "I thought we agreed that we were going to try and be friends."

"I can't, Damon. I can't be your friend and risk starting something again. Because I'm not…I'm not good for you, Damon. You don't need someone like me around, confusing you and hurting you. I just can't do that."

Damon shook his head. "Who said I was hurt? Yeah, I was confused, but I still feel something for you, Jane. Besides the whole lust thing, I do care about you." He stroked her cheek. "Don't push me away." She leaned into his touch just slightly and he felt moisture against his hand. She had been crying. He internally swore. "I meant what I said yesterday morning and last night." She shook her head and he nodded. "Yes."

"You should go back to hating me. It's better for everyone."

"Damn it, stop that." He whirled her to face him, trapping her along her father's desk. "Stop trying to block me out. I never hated you, Janey. I care for you very much. I want to be with you."

"Me?"

"Is there another pretty girl in here?" He quipped and she frowned. "Now what?"

"I don't know. I mean…don't you have feelings for Elena?" Damon sighed, why did she insist on trying to make him look at another girl? Didn't she understand that he couldn't?

"I care about her. That's all. It's been you that I think about and now that I don't have an overwhelming amount of lust clouding my head I can tell you that." He said, stroking her cheek with the back of his fingers. "You shouldn't forgive me for things I've done. You shouldn't care about me. You have every right to hate me, to not trust me, to never want to speak to me again, and to never give me a chance after everything I put you through."

"What about what I put you through?"

He shook his head.

"Damon…" She whispered and he lowered his face, his lips inches from hers. She had never seen him look so conflicted before and she knew it was real.

He cupped her face. "Let me kiss you, Jane. Let me show you that you can trust me." He tilted her head back and he bent down, brushing his lips against her mouth, seeing if she would reject him or not. "Will you let me? May I kiss you?" It was the first time he had asked to kiss her and she found herself nodding, despite her mind screaming that she shouldn't. She made no move to pull away, so he very gently pressed his lips to hers in a light, chaste kiss. He didn't linger long enough to scare her away and pulled back as Alaric walked into the room.

Jane flushed guiltily even though the man hadn't seen anything, at least she didn't think he had. "Find anything in here?" He asked and she nodded.

"A few more books, but I think they were out of Isobel's collection." She darted around Damon and handed the books to Alaric who eyed the vampire once before nodding at Jane.

"Everything…okay in here?"

She nodded. "Yeah, I was just looking over some of my dad's things. I should probably clear his office out. Damon was…helping." Alaric nodded, eyeing the vampire suspiciously, and when he left, Damon had her once again. "Damon-"

"Janey."

"This won't work, you know it won't." She whispered. "It might not be real."

He scowled. "You shut it off, remember? It's just you and me now." She tried to shake her head, but he took her chin. "Give me a chance. Give us a chance." Jane's resistance began to waver as his mouth hovered over hers once more and his hands held her gently. They weren't bonded anymore, but she felt drawn to him all the same like a magnet.

"I…I…Us?"

He nodded. "You and me, Jane. I want there to be an us."

"But-"

"I want you, Janey. That hasn't changed, I swear." He wasn't used to giving emotions, not anymore, but he realized that that is what she needed. She needed reassurance, he needed to care about how she felt or she'd never trust him. "And not entirely in lust either." He added for good measure and she lowered her gaze to his mouth. He purposed licked his lower lip, hearing her inhale sharply. "Jane…" her mind was whirling. He had admitted to caring for her. met some of the requirements she had offered him, but there was still a big obstacle. An obstacle that she had shoved aside for years until the night Damon had pinned her the bed.

Slowly and hesitantly, she leaned up and pressed her mouth to his, trying to push past the fear that was threatening to swallow her whole. Damon groaned softly as he wound his arms around her waist, lifting her to perch on the edge of her father's desk. He ran his hands up and down her arms soothingly when she shifted nervously, and he gradually he felt her relax. Very unsurely, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and he encouraged her to hold tighter. She did, trembling slightly and he stroked her back.

"It's okay." He whispered. "I've got you. I'm right here." That set her off and she sobbed quietly against his chest. He didn't say anything only let her cry her heart out, holding her shaking body close. He realized that not once had he ever said that to her. That he would be there for her and it was okay to let him care for her. And with a pang of guilt, he realized that no one had told her that in a long time. Her mother couldn't say it, her father was dead…There wasn't anyone for her to rely on and he hadn't really given thought to how much she obviously needed someone to care for her. "I've got you, Janey. Everything's going to be okay." She just needed the reassurance. "Let me be here for you." Her sobs subsided and he continued to sooth her, running his hands along her back until she wasn't gripping his back so tightly.

"Thank you, Damon." She whispered and he nodded, handing her a tissue. She wiped at her eyes and gave him a small smile which he returned.

"There's my smile." He said and stroked her cheek.

"Sorry about that." She flushed embarrassedly and he shook his head.

He took her chin and lifted her face back up. "Don't be sorry. You have every right to let it out, Jane. You've been alone for a long time." He ran his thumb along her plush bottom lip. "But you're not anymore, Janey." He murmured. "I'm here. If you still want me to be." She nodded, looking at him from beneath her eyelashes and he kissed her gently, not pushing her. Jane still tensed though and he waited to see what she would do. She wasn't sure what to do and he pulled back to look at her. Her hands were plucking at her skirt in a nervous manner, her eyes glued to the bookcase across from them. He frowned. "Jane, look at me." She did, hesitantly, like she knew what he was about to ask.

"I…It was four years ago." She whispered. "I was doing some last minute shopping for my mother. We were supposed to go out to eat for her birthday, so I had to pick up my gift from the store. My mother had to had driven me to the mall, but she didn't know what I was doing. She was busy in a store using her coupons. She was a coupon freak." She laughed a little and Damon watched her attentively. "It dark out and as I was heading to my mom's car…I didn't see him. I didn't know he was there." She was trembling now, unware of how past much in the past she was. "And he grabbed me…"

"Did he…?"

"He just touched me."

Damon shut his eyes for a moment. "No wonder you're so damn scared of me. It explains why you're not sure what you want. Why didn't you say something to me sooner?" He watched her face redden. "Jane, you're not-Are you seriously ashamed of that?" She looked away. "That wasn't your fault. There was nothing you could have done. You were thirteen."

"I could have screamed." She locked eyes with him, they weren't tear-filled, they were filled with anger and self-loathing. "Called for help. Called for my mother. She was already in the car when he finally let me go. I had to make up a story about falling so she wouldn't know."

"Jane-"

"No one else can know, Damon. I don't even know why I told you."

Damon frowned. "Maybe because you need someone to trust? Because you've decided to trust me. You're letting me in, Jane. You don't have to be the tough girl anymore. The one who does things for others even when it hurts you in the long run. No one deserves that, Janey. No one."

"It's not supposed to feel good, Damon. It's not."

He understood her now. Understood her hesitance, her "are you trying to hurt me?" way of dealing with her confusion. She needed someone to guide her, to teach her, and show her what it's really like. All she knew was that it was scary and that she didn't understand her body's natural reaction. Unwarranted or not, she couldn't help the way she had felt being touched in certain areas. It angered him that someone had the gall to do that to a little girl, but he knew that she had pushed past it, made herself seal it away and couldn't help but admire her for that. It did explain her sobbing earlier though. The reassurance had been doubly needed.

Damon watched her slide off the desk and go back to putting things in a box like nothing had happened. "One day, when you let me, I'm going to prove to you that it can and it does feel good, Jane. That guy was sick pervert, Jane, and there's no need to be ashamed. Whatever you may think of me, I am not. And sometime, I will prove that. I will show you." Jane didn't respond, only kept placing items in a box. He sighed and decided to let the grim subject pass for now.

"I'm going to check and see what's Elena's found. Let me know if you need another box." He said and walked out of the room. Jane watched him retreat and bit her lip, holding back more tears. If she didn't do something, he might never come back.

"Any luck?" Damon asked, walking over to Elena.

The girl sighed and closed her book. "There's nothing here about Katherine that we don't already know."

"Ah, you know, it's a bummer you said all those nasty things to me earlier…I could tell you what I know." Damon smirked and Elena frowned.

"Now who's manipulating who?" She snapped, not in the least bit amused.

"Hey guys, check this out." Alaric called to them, holding a book that Vanessa had. Jane came out of her father's office to listen too, brushing against Damon's arm. He wrapped arm around her comfortingly, a silent apology floating between them and he felt Jane relax against his side. Elena raised her eyebrow at how close the two of them were, but didn't say anything it was clear that whatever was going on, they needed the contact.

"There's no record of werewolf mythology in Mystic Falls," Vanessa spoke to them, flipping through the book. "But here are some records of lesser known legends. Everything from Scandinavian skin walkers to Aztec legends." She held out some drawings, turning them to that everyone had a clear view. "It's translates into the "Curse of the sun and the moon"."

"It's native American." Alaric guessed.

"Aztec." Jane and Vanessa said at the same time. Damon smirked in amusement as Jane flushed at the wide-eyed looks she was getting from Elena and Alaric. Vanessa smiled at her, nodding her head.

"Yeah. It explains one origin of the werewolf traced through Virginia. The short story: 600 years ago, the Aztecs were plagued by werewolves and vampire. They terrorized the countryside, made farming and hunting impossible until an Aztec shaman cursed them, making vampires slaves to the sun and werewolves servants of the moon. As a result, vampires could only prowl at night and werewolves could only turn on a full moon. When the full moon crests in the sky, who's ever unlucky enough to fall under the werewolf curse turns into a wolf."

"Can they control the transformation?" Damon questioned, tracing light patterns on Jane's arm, making her shiver.

"If it were a choice, it wouldn't be called a curse." Vanessa countered and he rolled his eyes. "Werewolves will attack humans but instinct and centuries of rivalry have hardwired them to hunt their prey of choice:" She looked up at Damon "Vampires."

"Well, if werewolves were hunting vampires, I would know about it." Damon replied cockily and Jane smacked him on the arm.

Vanessa flipped a page. "Not if there aren't that many werewolves left alive. Hundreds of years ago vampires hunted them almost to extinction."

"Why would they do that?" Elena frowned and Vanessa looked at her.

"To protect themselves. Legend has it, a werewolf bite is fatal to the vampires." Jane looked up at Damon, worry in her jade eyes, and he smiled at her reassuringly.

"So is this little bedtime story going to help us determine whether or not the Lockwoods suffer from the curse?" Damon asked, stroking a hand along Jane's back.

Vanessa sighed. "I'm afraid not. But Rich had some research on that particular subject." She went into Jane's father's office and came back with a few files. She laid them on the table and they all glanced down. "Let's see here's a theory that might help…" She scanned a page. The curse travels down the male line, lying dormant until its activated. Before that it can show through certain symptoms."

"Let me guess." Damon drawled. "Anger management issues, aggressive tendencies…"

"How is it activated?" Jane asked curiously.

"Unfortunately, your father and Isobel both didn't figure that part out."

"Genius." Damon griped and Jane elbowed him.

Vanessa turned to him. "Are you starting to believe in this too?"

"Well, it's not something I want to do. Not like a have a choice." He muttered and then saw Jane looking at something. "What have you got?"

"Its about seers."

"Oh, there were a lot of them way back in the day." Vanessa stated. "But a lot of them scattered." Jane swallowed.

"W-why?"

"Well, no one is really sure. One day there was an abundance and the next…hardly any. Nowadays you have your fakes."

"What about elementals?"

"There's a bit of that in Isobel's things. I can find it for you if you're interested."

"Sure."

While Jane was reading what Vanessa found for her, Elena opened another box to see a picture of Katherine. She had already called Stefan to let him know about Mason and to be careful since tonight was a full moon.

"Hey, have you done any research on doppelgänger's?" She asked Vanessa, looking up at her.

"Well, the word means a lot of different things to different cultures but typically is a living, breathing double of oneself."

"Did Isobel have anything that explained the link between me and Katherine?" Elena wondered.

"That's all she had on Katherine, but I can tell you that the doppelgänger usually torments the people they look like, trying to undue their lives. It's not exactly uplifting..." Vanessa shrugged.

"And more things we already know." Elena sighed as Vanessa walked away "Just … I want to know why we look alike."

"Head scratcher, isn't it?" Damon asked and she glared at him.

"Do you know something? Or are you just being yourself?"

"Well "if" I know anything, I'm not going to tell you, not with that attitude."

"Damon." Jane frowned at him.

"Don't look at me, look at her. She's the one with the attitude."

"That's good Damon. And that's coming from someone who wants to be my friend. But you know what? Friends don't manipulate friends. They help each other." Damon only stared at her and Elena turned to Jane. "What did you find out, Jane?"

The girl sighed. "Just like in that book, Katherine gave me. Being an elemental means you get your blood used, no matter what. And some spells have killed the person that's helping them." Jane bit her lip. "I want to know why Katherine's here, Elena. What does she want?"

"I don't know."

Jane packed the last box into the back of Alaric's car and turned to find Damon there.

"Hey." He said and she bit her lip.

"I'm sorry." She apologized. "I shouldn't have put all of that on you. I know you'd never do that to me-" Damon silenced her with a finger on her lips.

"Don't worry about it." He breathed when she looked at him. "I'm glad you told me. We can work on it, okay? No rush. We'll be slow."

"Are you sure? I mean, I feel really bad, because I can't-I don't know how to give you…" Damon took her face in his hands.

"Janey, relax. Breathe, stop rambling." She giggled at that and he smiled. "I'm not asking you to give me anything that you don't want give me right now. If hand holding and kisses are what you need then okay. We'll deal. You get to set the pace, okay?"

"What if I don't know?"

"That's okay too. Soon, we can have a day of talking about it, all right? We can talk about what you want."

Jane nodded, feel reassured that he wouldn't pressure and she tugged on his shirt, shyly. "What if I know what I want right now?" He smirked.

"And what's that?" He questioned and she met his gaze, her green eyes sparkling in the moonlight. Damon felt captured by their brightness, unable to look away.

"A kiss." He lowered his mouth to hers and she stood up on her tip-toes, pressing her mouth to his. Damon felt her tug at his shirt and he slid his arms around her, supporting her and deepening the kiss. He pressed her lightly against the car and she whimpered.

"It's okay, Janey." He told her and backed off a bit so that he wasn't trapping her, nipping at her lower lip and she moaned into his mouth. "It's all right." She nodded, held onto him. needing him and he knew what she wanted, he hugged her tightly to him, running his fingers through her hair as he turned to lean against the car. He heard her yawn after a second.

"Sorry."

"What's the last time you got a decent night's sleep?" He asked, ignoring her apology.

"When I was at your house." She murmured and he frowned.

"You didn't sleep well then either. You tossed and turned all night."

"Well, that was better than last night and the night before I was at your house."

Damon stroked her hair. "You didn't sleep at all last night, did you?" She shook her head.

"Not really and then Katherine woke me up tossing clothes on me." Damon scowled.

"Nosy bitch. Tell her to mind her own business."

"At least I can tell her you're distracted."

He smirked. "Very distracted." She flushed and he grinned cheekily at her. He looked up when Elena approached.

"You're not going to be able to hate me forever."

Elena frowned. "Can we just go?" Damon sighed and produced a book he had hidden and gave it to her.

"You didn't dig deep enough." He explained and Elena read the spine.

"Petrova." She read. "Jane and I saw this on a shelf."

Damon nodded. "Katherine originally came from Europe. Petrova was her real name. Katerina Petrova to be exact." Damon told her and Jane blinked.

"I think…I think that name was in the book she gave me."

"It probably was." He told her.

"How did you know about that?" Elena frowned.

"Back then, I saw it engraved on an old heirloom. Men snoop too, you know." He smirked at her. "Let me know what you find, I'm very curious myself." Damon nodded. He stopped her from trying to get into the car. "You have every right to hate me, I understand but you hated me before and we became friends. It would suck if that was gone forever. So, is it? Have I lost you forever?" Damon shook his head waiting for an answer.

"Thank you for the book, Damon." Elena nodded as she climbed in the car, she wasn't about to answer that. Jane looked up at Damon and he glanced down at her.

"At least I have you." He murmured and she smiled at him. "Have I told you how much I love your smile?" He asked and took a light hold of her chin, tilting her up to meet his lips. Elena saw them and raised an eyebrow before smiling. She had heard Damon. It was obvious that this time he really did care about her and she intended to keep it that way.

Damon carried Jane into her house and then up the stairs to her room and not once did the girl awaken. He thought back to his conversation with Elena and couldn't help but frown. Manipulation ran in genes it seemed. At least Jane would never do that to him. He smiled down at the girl, lying her on the bed. She stirred when he slipped her shoes off her feet and kissed the arch of each foot before pressing lightly on her feet with his thumbs as he began massaging her. Her feet had to have been hurting after standing in her heels all day.

"Damon?" She said groggily and he smirked at her. She lifted her head to look at him. He was sitting on the bed, her feet in his lap. "Where did everyone go?" She asked before seeing she was in her room. "Why didn't you wake me?"

"Because you're tired and need sleep. And no one wanted to wake you up." He pressed at a tense spot and she sighed before closing her eyes. He smirked as she began drifting off to sleep again.

"Should probably water plants…" She slurred and he chuckled. Finishing his massage, Damon stroked down her back and she sighed.

"I'll do it before I leave. Go to sleep." He moved to tuck her beneath the blankets and she grumbled at being moved.

She tried to open her eyes. "Damon…"

"Shh." He hushed and she yawned. "Sleep, Janey. I'll come and get you in the morning, all right? I'm planning a little something for Mason Lockwood."

"Mm…Stay?" She said sleepily.

Damon stroked her cheek. "Next time I'll stay." He promised and got up. She was fully asleep in seconds and he chuckled lightly. "Goodnight, Jane."

She was shaken awake at the crack of dawn, by an irritated Katherine. Half asleep she didn't really register what was happening until she was being tugged down the stairs and out the door.

"Katherine what are you doing?!"

Katherine grabbed Jane's arm tightly. "I need someone to distract Elena. Distracting Damon is your job. So we are going to pay Caroline a little visit."

"Please don't hurt her." Jane stated, much more awake now, and Katherine tilted her head.

"Would you be willing to be compelled to do whatever I asked?" Jane nodded, fighting back her urge to tell her no. Caroline was her friend. "Good." Katherine took Jane's chin, looking her in the eyes. "You will do exactly as I say no questions asked. And you won't stop until I tell you too."

"I will do exactly as you say and won't stop until you tell me too."

"Good. Now come along." Jane obediently followed her.

Caroline jerked awake to see Elena standing above her. "Elena?"

"Nope. Try again."

"Katherine…" She whispered and then gasped when Katherine sat at the edge of her bed.

"Don't be frightened. We're going to have so much fun together." She smiled at her. "And you are going to do exactly as I say."

"And if I don't do as you say?" Caroline asked, folding her arms across her chest. Katherine looked at Jane. "Jane?" She hadn't even known the girl was in the corner.

"Begin." Caroline gasped as Jane held her arm out and began cutting into her skin with a knife that the blond hadn't noticed before.

"Oh my god! Jane, stop. Oh my god." Blood was dripping down her arms, raining down onto the floor below with each little cut. She went from one arm to the other. Her blood smelt so good, but Caroline knew she had to control it. "Please make her stop!" Caroline sobbed. Jane was shaking, her cuts becoming more and more sloppy as she slowly lost blood. adding more and more cuts to her lightly tanned skin.

"Then you'll distract Elena?"

"Yes! God, yes, just please make her stop."

"You can stop now."

Jane lowered her knife and swayed slightly. Caroline bit her lip. "You see how easy it was to do that to her? Think about how easy it would be to do that your mother…or Matt?" Caroline shuddered. "This is what happens when you defy me, understand? You will do what I say, exactly."

"Okay, just please leave her alone." Katherine smiled.

"I told you we'd be good friends." She stood up. "Don't tell anybody any of this understand? No one must know that you are keeping an eye on Elena. Come on, Jane. We should get home." Caroline bit her lip nervously as Jane followed her, never questioning.

Caroline ran a hand through her hair. "Oh, my god…"

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