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Damon and Dia arrived at the Miss Mystic Falls Event. Damon wore a nice black suit while Dia wore a short sleeved lace black dress with heels.
"So this is what small towns do when they have a giant anniversary" Dia commented.
"You've never been to one of these?" Damon smirked.
"You forget I'm from New York. It's a bit hard to have a small party in New York City" Dia laughed.
"You've never told me much about living in the Big Apple" Damon looked at her.
"Hmm not much to tell" Dia replied.
Damon raised his eyebrow. "I'll accept that….for now." Dia just grinned and Damon saw Anna. He frowned and walked over to her.
"In the running for Miss Mystic Falls?" Damon smirked at her.
"Sometimes you have to wear uncomfortable heals to blend in. I remember this event from 1864, I was supposed to honor before everything happened" Anna replied.
"Ah, nostalgia's a bitch" Damon grinned.
"If you're just going to mock me can you move along please?" Anna huffed.
"I agree" Dia began. "Though you're not one of my favorite people right now. Just leave her alone Damon."
" John Gilbert thinks your mom stole an artifact from Jonathan senior, senior back in 1864" Damon suddenly said.
"What are you, his errant boy?" Anna frowned.
"That's exactly what he is, even though John Gilbert is nothing but a snake" Dia replied.
"I don't know what it is but I don't want him to have it" Damon explained.
"I could ask her but you know, you've made it pretty clear that you don't trust us so why should I even bother?" Anna asked them.
"Because you want to stay in Mystic Falls and John Gilbert's in town, making that impossible. Find out where it is. He leaves and you can buy your welcome mat" Damon told her. He turned to Dia.
"I'm going to go mingle" he said. "Where will you be?"
"I'm going to say hi to Caroline then Elena." Dia replied.
"Oh right" Damon stopped. "We need to let her know about you know what. I'm going to go get a drink and I'll meet you up there. Anna always a pleasure." Damon walked away leaving Anna and Dia by themselves.
"Look I didn't want to say anything in front of Damon, but I'm really sorry for what Lucy did. I had no idea that, that was what she had planned" Anna began.
"I don't blame you Anna" Dia smiled. "Thank you for not saying anything in front of Damon. He doesn't know the full story."
"How much does he know?" Anna asked.
"Nothing" Dia replied. "Well that's not true. He only knows about Ella."
"Oh that chick who follows you around" Anna frowned.
"Yeah" Dia replied
"Are you going to tell Damon?" Anna asked.
"Soon" Dia replied. "I've got to. I can't keep lying to him."
"You really care about him don't you?" Anna asked.
"I do" Dia replied.
"I like you more than Lydia" Anna smiled. "There was always something off putting and unfriendly about her. You don't have that. You're willing to do anything for the people you love."
"Thank you. You're not too bad yourself despite what Damon says. Personally I think you have as much a right as Damon and Stefan to stay here" Dia replied.
"Thanks" Anna smiled.
"Umm" Dia began. "I think Jeremy's waiting on you."
Anna turned around and smiled. "I'll see you around."
"Dia!" Caroline squealed as Dia walked into the room where the contestants were changing.
"Caroline you look gorgeous!" Dia told her.
"Thanks!" Caroline gushed. "I'm so nervous but at the same time I'm so excited."
"You'll do amazing" Dia said.
"So have you talked to Damon about whatever is bothering you?" Caroline asked.
"Haven't found the right moment" Dia smile uneasily.
"Aww Dia" Caroline hugged her. "It'll be alright. He's an ass if he doesn't understand."
"Thanks Caroline" Dia said sweetly. "Do you know where Elena is?"
"Yeah she just went to put on her dress" Caroline replied.
"Alright I'm going to say hi to her, but good luck!" Dia smiled.
"Ok bye!" Caroline said bubbly.
Dia ran into Damon on her way to find Elena.
"Where's Elena?" he asked.
"This way" Dia replied. Damon followed her.
Elena closed the door to put her dress on. She looked up and into the mirror and saw Damon and Dia.
"Hey you can't be back here" Elena looked at Damon.
"We need to talk" Damon replied.
"It has to be right now?" Elena huffed.
"He's on a mission and when he's on a mission there's no stopping him" Dia told her.
"Normally I would have a completely different outlook of what I'm about to tell you but since it's really inconvenient to me, I'll squeal" Damon said.
"What are you talking about?" Elena asked.
"Stefan's still drinking human blood" Damon said seriously.
"What?" Elena said shocked.
"Yeah" Damon began. "A month ago I would have rejoiced but with the council back on the alert, it is not a good time for Stefan to fly off the handle"
"I know he's been a little edgy but he said that was normal" Elena protested.
"It's worse than that Elena" Dia told her.
"He has a fridge full of stolen blood bank contraband in the house" Damon said.
Elena sat down on the couch. She looked worried.
"Oh my god" she breathed.
"He has no idea where normal is, his entire existence isn't normal. Normal to a vampire is drinking human blood but he spent all this time fighting it when he should have been learning how to control it and now it's controlling him instead" Damon explained.
"He's in a dangerous state right now Elena. He's a danger to everyone" Dia looked at her.
"I can't believe it. I mean, it's Stefan that we're talking about here" Elena exclaimed.
" Stefan on human blood Elena; he'll do anything, he'll say anything because is not gonna want to stop. Trust me" Damon replied.
"It'll be okay" Dia said sitting beside Elena. Elena got up and paced around.
"This is all my fault; I'm the one who fed him to blood in the first place" Elena said.
"It's not your fault" Dia told her.
Stefan appeared in the doorway interrupting the conversation.
"What's going on in here?" Stefan said walking in.
"I was just filling Elena on your extra-curricular activities" Damon said.
Stefan softly laughed. "What are you talking about?"
"I know about the blood Stefan" Elena replied.
Damon looked uncomfortable and looked at Dia.
"I'll be downstairs" Damon began. "Drinking."
Dia got up and followed up and gave Stefan a look as she walked passed him.
Damon and Dia sat at the bar. Damon looked worried and looked at Dia.
"Talk to me" Dia smiled slightly.
"I'm worried about my brother drinking human blood" Damon laughed. "Can you believe that? Me of all people worried about my brother drinking human blood after all the antagonizing I do about him drinking bunnies."
"He just doesn't know how to control it like you do" Dia said softly. "He's also been off of it for years. You still drink human blood."
"Sometimes I wonder what it would be like if I wasn't under control" Damon began. "You know the first thing that comes to mind?"
"What?" Dia asked.
"You wouldn't be sitting beside me. If I wasn't under control I would have killed you on sight" Damon told her.
"But I'm here" Dia smiled. "Don't think like that."
"Do you remember the time that you told me that I craved your blood and that it was painful for me to be around you" Damon asked.
Dia frowned. "Of course cause after you kissed me. What about it?"
"It was true. There was a time where I craved your blood and in the beginning it was painful for me to be around you" Damon said. "But now I can't imagine not being around you. You're the closest thing I've ever had to a best friend since Lydia."
"Are you slowly trying to compare me to Lydia?" Dia raised her eyebrow.
"You're not Lydia" Damon whispered in her ear. "You're better than Lydia."
"Damon there's something I need to tell you" Dia began.
"Would everyone please gather around" Mayor Lockwood suddenly announced. "Our contestants will be down shortly."
"We'd better go then" Dia looked at Damon.
"What did you need to tell me?" he asked.
"It's not important" Dia replied. Damon didn't look convinced by didn't argue. He and Dia got up and joined the rest of the crowd.
"Miss Elena Gilbert, escorted by Mister Stefan Salvatore" the mayor announced.
"Damon where's Stefan" Dia asked.
"I don't know" Damon said looking around.
Elena came walking down the stairs looking for Stefan as well. Dia looked over at Damon. Damon looked back at her and took her hand and quickly kissed her cheek. Dia frowned as he pulled away. Damon stroked her cheek with his hand and smiled before walking away.
Elena walked down the stairs towards Damon and frowned.
"Where is Stefan?" she whispered.
"I don't know" Damon replied. Damon took her hand and the pair rejoined the other girls and their escorts outside.
Dia walked outside and stood next to Alaric and Jenna.
"What is she doing with Damon?" Jenna frowned.
"I have no idea" Alaric replied. He looked over at Dia, who shrugged her shoulders.
Dia watched Damon and Elena dance. She got this weird feeling watching them. She wondered if Damon was thinking about Katherine. She was deep in thought that she didn't realize that John Gilbert had walked up to her.
"Looks like history is repeating itself" John said snapping Dia out of her thoughts. She frowned at him confused by what he meant.
"Lydia was always second best to Katherine" John smiled. "Looks like you've filled those shoes except you're going to be second best to Elena."
Dia shook her head and walked away from John. She found her eyes starting to water. Maybe he was right. She would always be second best or more like third best. Damon couldn't have Katherine or Elena so he would always have to settle for her. Damon didn't feel the same way she did. It didn't matter. The kiss he gave her earlier was nothing. At that moment, Dia realized she was in love with Damon Salvatore, but she would never be with him.
Dia wiped her tears and went back to the crowd to hear the winner announced. She looked over and smiled at Caroline who waved to her.
"So, without further due it is my honor to announce our very own Miss Mystic Falls, Miss Caroline Forbes!" Mayor Lockwood announced.
Caroline looked surprised and speechless. The crowd applauded. The mayor put the sash on her. Caroline looked so happy. Dia was happy for her. Caroline quickly ran over to Dia and hugged her.
"You were right" she said bubbly.
"Of course I was" Dia looked at her. Caroline frowned at her.
"Have you been crying?" she asked concerned. "It's Damon isn't it? Where is he I'm going to kick his ass!"
"No it's fine. It's complicated" Dia replied.
"Dia what's wrong tell me" Caroline pleaded. "Let me help. Talk to me. I won't judge you."
"I don't want to spoil your moment" Dia protested. Carol Lockwood came up to the pair.
"Sorry but I need to steal Caroline away" she smiled.
"We'll talk later" Caroline told her.
Damon walked up from behind and put his arm around Dia.
"We have a problem" he said.
Damon and Dia stood in a room waiting for Elena. She came up to the pair worried.
"What is it, did you find him?" Elena asked.
" They were signs of struggling on the upstairs bathroom" Damon replied.
Dia looked over and saw Bonnie watching them. She decided to listen in.
Something's wrong. Stefan's not around. What has Elena gotten into this time? She shouldn't be around them. Neither should Dia.
"There was blood and that Amber girl is missing" Damon continued snapping Dia out of her thoughts.
" Oh my god! He wouldn't hurt her, he won't!" Elena said frantically.
"Let's not risk it though" Dia said suddenly.
"Let's just find him okay? Let's get your coat come on!" Damon said. They left with Bonnie following them.
Stefan had just bitten Amber again. The blood was intoxicating. Elena, Damon, Dia and Bonnie arrived in time to watch.
"Stefan!" Elena screamed. Stefan looked over and released Amber.
"Stefan, come on get control. It's okay, come on. Breath through a bit" Damon yelled.
Stefan ran up to Damon and threw him against a tree.
"Damon" Dia yelled running over to him helping him up.
"Stefan stop it!" Elena protested.
Stefan began to yell. He began to hold his head. Dia looked over at Bonnie. Damon got up and walked over to Stefan.
" It's okay Stefan" Damon told him.
Stefan looked at everyone before speeding off into the woods.
"She doesn't remember what happened" Sheriff Forbes told the group.
"It's a good thing the girls got here before I did, she lost lot of blood" Damon said.
"You didn't see anything?" Sheriff Forbes asked Dia, Elena, and Bonnie.
Elena, Dia, and Damon all looked at Bonnie.
" No, we just found her and called Damon" Elena replied.
"Is she going to be okay?" Bonnie asked.
"It looks like it yeah. Why do you girls don't get back to the party? Damon and I can take it from here" the sheriff told them. Bonnie and Elena left while Dia stayed behind.
"Dia are you alright?" Sheriff Forbes asked.
"Yeah I'm just a bit tired" she replied. "This is just a bit overwhelming as well."
"I understand" the sheriff smiled. "They didn't see the bite mark?"
"No, I got here before they got too close. There was too much blood, they couldn't see it clearly" Damon replied. "If there's not anything else I think I'm going to take Dia home."
"Of course" Sheriff Forbes smiled.
Damon and Dia arrived back at the house. Damon looked at her and smiled.
"You looked beautiful tonight" Damon told her. "You should have been in the pageant."
"Pageants aren't my thing" Dia said. "I should have though cause then I wouldn't have to listen to John Gilbert insult me."
"What?" Damon frowned.
"It was nothing" Dia replied.
"You're always telling me not to shut you out and yet you shut me out. What did he say?" Damon demanded.
"He said that history was repeating itself" Dia began. "He said that Lydia was always second best to Katherine and now I'm going to be second best to Elena."
Damon didn't have a chance to respond before he saw Anna appear out of the darkness.
"Anna, this is getting weird" Damon smirked.
"We're here to talk" Anna replied. Pearl appeared out of the shadows.
"Not in the mood, today's been a no good, very bad day" Damon huffed.
"Annabelle tells me you're looking for something I took from Jonathan Gilbert" Pearl said.
"I'm listening" Damon replied.
Pearl handed him a small gold circular object.
"What is it?" he asked.
"Jonathan was passionate by his inventions. He confided in me that he had created a detection device meant to track down the town's vampire element" Pearl explained.
"It was a pocket watch" Damon said.
"That's what it turned out to be yes. But that's not what I stole. I discovered my mistake when I saw the watch in Jonathan's hand, the night he took us, its stile pointed in me" Pearl told him.
"So what is this?" Damon asked looking at the device.
"I have no idea but now it's yours" Pearl replied.
"What's the catch?" Damon frowned.
"There is no catch. My daughter wants to stay here, I want to stay here. You refused to trust us and for good reasons. Consider this an apology" Pearl told him. She turned to Dia.
"You really do look like her" she began. "I just hope your fate won't be the same as hers."
"Thank you for your words of wisdom" Damon rolled his eyes.
Dia and Damon walked into the house in silence.
"I'm heading to bed" Dia said. "See you in the morning."
"I uhh better go check on Elena" Damon replied. "See if she got the vervain dart into Stefan."
"Yeah just go to Elena's rescue" Dia commented. Dia went upstairs before Damon could reply. She went to her room and locked the door. She looked at her phone and saw a message from Caroline.
Please tell me what's wrong. You've got me worried
Dia took a deep breath and began to type.
I'm in love with Damon Salvatore, but he's never going to feel the same way
Alright I'm sorry for taking forever on this chapter. It's been a hard few days with funerals and what not. Anyway I promise I'm now focused to finish the remaining chapters. I'm determined to get two chapters up tomorrow. I'm hoping to have season 1 done by the end of the week. If all goes well I will. Thanks for all of the reviews. Your reviews and all the story alerts and favorite stories keep me writing. Although those of you who do have me on favorite story or story alert I'd love to hear from you through review even if it's just great job. You are the people I write for! Read and Review!