American Gothic (1st revised version)

Summary: Set in S4 "American Gothic." What if Damon in danger caused Elena to turn her humanity back on? What if Rebekah hadn't tagged along? What if Elena took the cure? What will happen? Read to find out what happens.

A/N: For those of you that haven't read the Stefan Diaries of the book series, Jack is an enemy and he called himself Jack the Ripper back in the day.

It was a dark night as Elena fed from a girl and, unbeknownst to her, Damon had disappeared out of the club.

As he walked down the sidewalk four blocks away from the club, he glanced at the paper in his hand that had Will's address on it.

Seven blocks away from the club, he was grabbed, and he dropped the paper. His attacker pulled him into a dark alley and pinned him against a wall with a hand tightly around his throat.

"Jack," he said, recognizing the vampire.

"Damon," he greeted and then added, "It's time. Any last words?"

"Go to hell," Damon answered.

Jack smiled wickedly.

The Salvatore brother knew what was coming. He would die tonight. Jack had told him a long time ago that the next time he saw him, he would kill him. It was ironic to him that they had faced off in New York and now they were both in New York again.

Elena exited the club in search of Damon and felt pain in her chest, but didn't understand why. She wasn't hurt and her Sire bond with Damon wasn't in effect with her humanity turned off. At least, she didn't think so. Now she was getting feelings, though. She felt now that she had to save him; even if he was an ass at times.

When she saw the piece of paper, she picked it up and put it in her pocket. Then she smelled Damon's scent from an alley. She turned to face the alley and walked into it. That's when she saw a vampire standing over someone. Damon Salvatore. She thought she didn't have feelings for anyone, but she apparently did.

At vamp speed, she grabbed and pinned the vampire against a wall with anger and growled at him. Knowing Damon needed help and she couldn't waste time questioning the vampire though, she snapped his neck and was instantly at Damon's side on her knees.

She pulled the stake out of his chest, which had missed his heart. She then set it on the ground and bit her wrist. She put it to his lips, making her blood go down his throat. As she heard the vampire wake up, she smelled another scent too.

Once Jack was on his feet and saw the girl, he realized they were either friends or together. Then, before he could go anywhere, the girl's identical twin pinned him against the wall with a hand around his throat. She was clearly angry.

"Who the hell are you and what do you think gives you the right to try and kill Damon!?" she growled.

"Jack. We have history. I vowed to kill him a couple centuries ago," he answered her calmly.

She broke his right arm with her free hand, and he cried out in agony.

"I'm Katherine, Jack. You are Jack the Ripper from the 1950's. Good-bye, Jack," she replied, before she staked him, which killed him.

Katherine Pierce walked towards them, as Damon came to and Elena took her wrist away.

Damon started to his feet and Elena helped him.

"Thanks," he said. "You saved my life."

"You're welcome."

They turned around to see Katherine.

"I killed Jack. He won't be killing, or trying to kill you anymore."

"We've been looking for you," Damon replied.

"I know. You want the cure. I don't blame you guys. Elena never should have been a vampire. She needs to be human."

She stood in front of them.

"Since when do you care about Elena?" he questioned.

"She is my family as much as you two are."

She took out the box with the cure in it.

"Take it," she said, and then handed it to Damon whom gladly took it. Then she left the alley.

He looked at Elena.

"I know you say you don't want the cure, but that's not really you saying it. Deep down, you want it. You really do."

"I know. Give it to me. I'll take it."

He gave it to her, and she took it, which transformed her to being human again. Then they left the alley and went to his car to go back home to Mystic Falls.

As he drove, she looked silently out the window. He glanced at her as he drove.

"Are you going to be okay?" he asked her.

"I lost my brother. What do you think, Damon?" she said softly, as she tried not to break down. "And not to mention, I burned down my family home and killed people and almost killed Caroline."

"I can help you, Elena. Let me."

"Then help me," she replied.