AN: I do not own the Vampire Diaries; all rights belong to the CW, Julie Plec, Kevin Williamson, and L.J. Smith, I only own what you don't recognize.

Full Summary: Bulgaria 1492 Katrina and Elizabeth Petrova; identical twins, except for one difference; their eyes. While Katrina had warm brown eyes, Elizabeth had eyes the color of shocking lapis lazul. When Katrina had a child out of wedlock, her family banished her to Europe; not wanting her twin to be alone Elizabeth followed her. Once in England the two easily became English and one of the Lords that resigned there took surprising interest in Katrina's looks and Elizabeth's powers. Modern day; Elena and Aileen Joelle aka A.J. Gilbert exact copies of Katrina and Elizabeth. After the deaths of their parents A.J. fled to a preforming arts school in Boston and Elena stayed home with what remained of her family.

****BY THE WAY ELENA'S THOUGHTS ARE IN BOLD&ITALICS AND A.J.'S ARE IN BOLD!*** (Everyone else's should be in italics)

The Secrets of the Girl

Chapter Twenty Three

AS I LAY DYING

A.J. POV

I looked in on Jeremy as he slept the morning after the funeral. Even when he was sleeping he had a little worry crease in between his eyebrows. I shut his door quietly before heading into my room. Damon was sitting on my bed, "It'll get easier." He told me as I sat down next to him.

"Are you okay?" I asked him creasing my eyebrows together.

"I want to apologize." Damon said grabbing my hands.

"Damon…" I said shaking my head.

"Please, Aileen, feeding you my blood…I was wrong." Damon said squeezing my hands.

"Yeah you were." I told him, nodding.

"I know I don't deserve your forgiveness, but I need it. Please." Damon pleaded.

I watched his face for a moment before sighing and sliding my hands out of his, "I need some time." I told him, "I don't know how much."

Damon nodded, "Sure of course. Take all the time you need." He said with a sad smile.

Damon stood up before taking my face in his hands and leaning down to kiss my forehead. I closed my eyes as he lingered and when I opened them he was gone. I let out a breath and flopped back down onto my bed as I tried not to concentrate on the pain radiating from the center of my chest.

Caroline and Elena had decided the best thing for Jeremy and I was to go watch "Gone with the Wind" in the town square. "You can be mad at me all you want but we can't stay cooped up forever." Elena said to me as we got out of her car.

I huffed and started walking with Jeremy, keeping up with his long strides. We walked for a few moments before Elena caught up with us, holding the picnic blanket. "You brought me to see a girl movie." Jeremy said.

"We had to get out of the house, Jere. This is our 3 hour distraction from reality." Elena informed him as we found a spot to set up.

Jeremy let out a chuckle, "Oh is that what we're doing? Pretending like our lives aren't screwed?" He asked.

"We need to do this okay?" My twin said handing Jeremy one end of the blanket, "Breathe, eat, sleep, wake up, and do it all over again until one day it's not as hard anymore."

"So really we're just bullshitting ourselves into thinking everything is okay?" I asked raising an eyebrow as we sat down.

"Hey!" Caroline said walking up, carrying two picnic baskets, "There you are! Who's hungry?"

"Are we really doing this?" Jeremy asked leaning back on his hands.

"Yes we're really doing this." Caroline answered looking ready to go control freak on him, "You know we are going to take a page from Scarlett. We made it through the war, I know you guys went through hell and my mom knows I'm a vampire. So basically its like Atlanta has burned and yet in spite of everything we've persevered." Caroline said raising her fist in the air.

I smiled slightly at her hopefulness and Jeremy sighed, "Alright." He said shifting over to sit next to me, "What're we eating?"

Caroline grinned at her success, "Something good." She said digging through the baskets.

Jeremy and I were mid-nudge war when Stefan walked up. "Hey." He greeted.

"Hey." Elena and I said in unison.

"Look who couldn't resist an epic romance." She added teasingly.

Stefan smiled slightly before turning to me, "Will you come on a walk with me?" He asked.

I gave him a confused look but nodded and stood up. Stefan and I began walking and he stuffed his hands into his jeans, "Okay worry wart, what's wrong?" I asked nudging him with my elbow.

Stefan stayed silent as we continued walking. I felt a chill go down my spine and grabbed him as we neared the edge of the square. "Stefan?" I asked forcing him to look at me.

He sighed and met my eyes, "Aileen I have to tell you something, something that you're not going to want to hear." Stefan told me.

I felt my eyebrows crease together as I stepped closer to him, "Stef, you're scaring me." I told him.

Stefan ran a hand over his face and I grabbed his arm, "Stefan?"

"You remember how on the night of the sacrifice Caroline, Matt, and Damon were helping get Tyler to his family's cellar?" Stefan asked and I nodded, "Well Tyler started to transform…he lost control and…" Stefan paused and looked down.

I raised my eyebrows, "And what? C'mon Stefan, spit it out." I told him.

"Tyler bit Damon." He said.

The air rushed out of me and my grip on Stefan's arm became deathly. My mouth opened and closed a few times as I tried to breathe. "He's gonna be okay though right?" I managed to ask once I could breathe slightly.

"I think you know the answer to that, A." Stefan told me.

I bit my lip as I tried to breathe, "He came to the house this morning to apologize….I pretty much slammed the door in his face." I told him as hot tears built up in the back of my eyes.

"He didn't want me to tell you but you needed to know." Stefan told me, "It's not over though, there might be a cure." He said grabbing my hands.

"What?" I asked taken aback, "What is it? What do we have to do?"

Stefan sighed, "You aren't doing anything, but I have to find Klaus to get it." He told me.

I shook my head, "Don't tell me not to go because I know you. I know you want me to do everything it takes to save him." Stefan said cutting me off.

I nodded trying to get rid of the lump in my throat, "Do whatever you need to do okay? And if you need to…then call me alright?" I told him.

Stefan nodded and pulled me into a hug. I gripped his torso tightly as he ran his fingers through my hair and kissed the top of my head lightly, "Go talk to him." He said.

I nodded against his chest, "Love you, Stef." I told him pulling back.

"Love you too, A-Bay." He said smiling down at me.

"Don't get yourself killed alright?" I told him as he released me completely.

Stefan nodded before walking away. I sighed before making my way to Elena's car.

Stefan's in trouble rang through my head as I pulled up to the Salvatore Boarding House. My eyes widened in alarm and I checked my phone but found no unread messages. 'Everything okay?- A-Bay:)' I send quickly before getting out of Elena's car that I had 'borrowed'. I was walking up to the door when Liz grabbed me, "Don't make a sound." She told me as I watched police officers proceed into the house. "RIC!" I yelled into his mind as Liz handed me off to two police officers.

"Watch it." I snapped as they jerked my arms behind my back.

They handcuffed me and pushed me into the back of a police cruiser, "Caroline it's your mom! Help!" I thought to her. The distance made my head throb and I let out a groan. The engine started and the car pulled away. I struggled with my handcuffs as we drove away and watched out the window. I used my powers to unlock them and as the cruiser stopped at a red light I opened my door and jumped out. The officers yelled after me but I was already into the throng of people. I pushed my way through people and stopped suddenly gasping as I couldn't feel Jeremy's mind anymore. "Jeremy?" I whispered softly.

I shook it off and kept going as I tried to spot Damon, whose mind was really close. "Damon!" I yelled frantically, "Damon!"

3rd Person POV

"You do everything I say and I save your brother, that's the deal. So finish that and then call Aileen." Klaus told Stefan with Katherine and Elizabeth looking on from the opposite side of the room.

"Not A.J." Stefan told him shaking his head.

Klaus let out an amused chuckle as the younger vampire drank from the blood bag, "Didn't Aileen tell you to do whatever it takes? And to call her if need be? Elizabeth can pick up on quite a few things isn't that right, love?" He asked the psychic.

Elizabeth nodded and Stefan pulled out his phone as he finished the bag.

A.J. POV

I pushed my way through people as I felt Damon get closer. "Aileen." I heard Damon's voice and spun around.

"Oh thank god." I said hurrying over to him.

I wrapped his arm around my shoulders and helped him limp off, "C'mon we have to go." I said.

"Where are we going?" Damon asked slightly delirious.

We kept walking and suddenly Damon stumbled and fell over, "C'mon we need to get you out of here." I told him with a hand on his arm.

Damon used his vampire speed and pinned me against a street light, "Damon!" I protested struggling in his grip.

Damon's slightly sweaty mouth met mine roughly and I let out a noise of surprise, "Damon, stop it!" I told him as he move his kisses down to my pulse point.

I felt teeth and gripped his shoulders, "Day!" I yelled trying to push him off.

"I choose you Lizzy." He whispered before biting into my neck.

I muffled my cry of pain and pushed my way into his mind. I saw the memory of Damon and Elizabeth playing out and pushed it away making him remove his mouth from me. "Aileen?" He asked with my blood dripping from his mouth.

"I'm fine." I reassured him, stroking his cheek.

"I'm so sorry." Damon told me.

"I know." I said as he released me before falling to his knees.

"Damon!" I exclaimed kneeling next to him as my phone rang.

I pulled it out as I pulled Damon to lean on me, "Hello?" I asked in a slightly pained voice.

"A.J. you have to come." Stefan told me.

"Stefan what-"

"He won't give it to us unless you come here." Stefan said cutting me off.

I looked down at Damon who was mumbling incoherently, "Alright, I will. Just let me get Damon home…Stef he's not looking so good." I said as I tried to pull Damon up.

"Hurry." Was all he said before ending the call.

I hauled Damon to his feet, "C'mon Day." I said.

I stood over Damon, brushing sweat from his forehead as I waited for Elena to come watch him for me. "I'm sorry." Damon whispered cracking his eyes open slightly.

"Sh." I hushed him wiping sweat off of his cheeks, "There will be plenty of time for that later."

Elena appeared in the doorway and sighed when she saw my pained expression. I kissed Damon's forehead and brushed his hair back from his face, "I'll be back." I whispered to him.

I turned to Elena and walked over to her, "I love you." I told her pushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

I handed her the cloth in my hand before hurrying out the door. I stopped once I reached the front door, one hand on the door knob as I struggled to breathe. I closed my eyes as tears welled up and my chest heaved up and down. I could feel my heart pulling me back to Damon and bit my lip as I opened the door and walked out. As I walked I knew what Klaus wanted and I also knew that I'd do anything for Damon.

As I came up to Alaric's apartment door it opened revealing Klaus, "Hello, love." He said with a smile.

I rolled my eyes and pushed past him. I saw Elizabeth and Katherine on the bed, Elijah daggered on the floor and Stefan…, "Stef?" I said wide eyed as I tried to hurry over to him.

Klaus cut me off by speeding in front of me, "Sorry sweetheart, he's fulfilling his part of the deal. Can't let you stop that, can I?" He said with a grin.

"What do you want from me?" I asked crossing my arms.

Klaus walked over to the table and picked up a vile, "This is the cure otherwise known as my blood." He told me as he walked back.

I reached for it and Klaus pulled it out of my grasp, tsking, "Not yet." He told me, "I need you to come with me and Stefan on a little journey. You will do what I say when I say it without arguing." Klaus laid out his terms.

I bit my lip as I hesitated, "Or I could just let your boyfriend die-"

"NO!" I yelled wide eyed.

I swallowed thickly and squared my shoulders, "I'll do it." I told him.

"You just signed a deal with the devil." Elizabeth's voice echoed in my mind.

"Its worth it." I snapped back.

Klaus grinned, "Perfect." He stated, "Katerina, Elizabeth take this to Damon won't you?" He 'compelled' them.

They nodded and raced off. "Wait." I said grabbing Klaus's shoulder so he would turn to me, "Let me go see him, please?" I asked him, "No one knows that I came here, they'll look for me."

Klaus cocked his head to the side before reaching around my neck and taking my locket off. I gulped lightly as he tilted my chin up so my eyes would meet his, "You will talk to Damon and come straight back here." Klaus compelled me.

My mind fogged over, "I'll talk to Damon and come straight back here." I repeated slowly.

I blinked, snapping out of my haze before hurrying out the door.

I hurried into Damon's room just as Elizabeth was leaving, "You're welcome." She said smirking.

I let out a sigh of relief when I saw Damon and hurried over to him, "You're alright?" I asked cupping his face in my hands.

"Where'd you go?" Damon asked sitting up straighter as I combed my fingers through his hair.

I closed my eyes and swallowed, "I had to go see Klaus." I told him.

"Aileen, no." Damon said pulling me onto his lap.

"I had to save you." I said burying my face into his neck.

"No you didn't Aileen. I'm one hundred-"

"And 72 years old, yeah I know." I told him back so I could look into his blue eyes, "But Damon, I love you. Do you know what that means?" I asked him searching his face, "It means the thought of you dead-" I swallowed, "Damon I don't think I could live in a world you aren't in."

Damon grabbed the back of my head and kissed me passionately. I felt tears fall from my closed eyes as I kissed him back as hard as I could, "I love you." He whispered to me, tucking a curl behind my ear.

I smiled down at him sadly as tears fell down my face, "I have to go." I said trying to pull away from him.

"No." Damon protested holding me to him tighter.

I let out a sob, "I promise Damon, I'll see you soon." I told him before kissing him again, "I love you so much." I said before slipping out of his grasp and hurrying out.

Elena was waiting on the other side, "I know he compelled you." She told me through her tears, "You wouldn't have been able to leave him if you hadn't been."

I hugged her tight, "You and Stefan, what you have is amazing, Elena. Don't let it go." I whispered, "Take care of Jeremy, tell him I love him. Tell everyone I love them and keep Damon out of trouble."

Elena nodded into my shoulder at my requests, "I love you, sissy." She whispered.

"I love you too Elena." I said through my tears.

I pulled back and wiped her tears, "Don't cry." I told her before walking away.

Stefan stood nearby as Klaus packed up Elijah. The younger vampire pulled out his cellphone and saw a message from Elena, "So Katerina made it in time I presume." Klaus said as I walked up.

"Elizabeth actually." I informed him crossing my arms.

"You won't be seeing them again you know." Stefan told him.

"Because they're on vervain?" Klaus snapped, "I've been around a long time Stefan, I rarely get played for a fool. Besides they won't get far, you two will help me see to that."

"What is it you really want from us?" Stefan asked stepping towards him.

"All will be explained in time, once we leave this tragic little town." Klaus told him grasping Stefan's shoulder.

"Then can we go?" I asked drawing their attention.

Klaus smirked, "Not quite, you see I have a gift for Stefan. Come here sweetheart don't be afraid." Klaus said coaxing out a young girl from behind some crates, "See I want to make sure you honor our deal." The hybrid told Stefan, brushing the girl's hair off of her neck.

I took a step away from them, wide eyed, "That you'll be of use to me." Klaus told him before biting into the girl's neck.

He pulled back after a moment, "I could've compelled her to behave but a real Ripper enjoys the hunt." Klaus said before letting her run off.

I saw something flicker on Stefan's face and suddenly he was gone. Klaus turned to me, "Beautiful isn't it? A vampire in his true state." He said his eyes fading from gold back to blue and his teeth retracting.

"You're disgusting." I spat as I heard the girl scream.

"You'll get used to it, love, trust me." Klaus said with a smirk.

Stefan walked back over with blood smeared across his chin and I winced; "Now we can go." Klaus said with a grin.

AN: Hey guys:) It's the end of season 2!

I hope you all like where I'm going with this and that you stick around for season 3!

I got some really great reviews last chapter and I'm looking forward to hearing more of your opinions!

Next chapter is what I like to call, "The Reinvention of A.J." because there will be a turning point for her towards the end that I think is really important for the growth of this story and for her character.

-ConflictingLoyalties563;D