I wrote this awhile ago, but didn't post it because I had nowhere to go with it. However, after the Comicon stuff, things are popping in my head again.

This is not related to "Elena and the Pledge" or "The Spell". It is a continuation of "Lying to Herself". Maybe eventually I'll hook it to that story instead of having it stand alone (though it really isn't a missing scene).

For the results of an alternative Elena reaction to the last episode, check out "The Spell" when it picks up again (hopefully soon).

Meanwhile - to the current game...

This story begins at the end of Season 2, after the events of "Lying to Herself" chapter 22...

The Confusion

Damon's eyes were closed, his expression blank. It was easy to control himself now, now that he was feeling better.

His senses were returning to normal, which made it easier for him to listen to her, to be aware of her. She was fretting, becoming more and more agitated. He heard her fingers move as she texted several times, then she gave up and just called him.

He heard the exasperation and fear in her voice as she pled into the phone. "Please, Stefan, just let me know you're OK. Please."

Her heartbeat was racing, her breathing erratic, every motion reflected the tension she felt. She was becoming afraid.

He opened his eyes. She wasn't looking at him. She was rubbing her forehead with her hand, her eyes closed, her expression showing what he rarely saw. He had seen plenty of anger, disdain, pain, pleading, and even the occasional expression he just could not read. But fear? Even when she or those she loved were most in danger he saw surprise, determination, maybe even resignation, but never fear.

He couldn't stand this. She was hurting and afraid. Seeing her like this was as bad as anything he had ever envisioned. He felt the guilt return for every little thing he had ever done to cause her pain. It was almost worth shutting his feelings off again, though that had never really worked out well, not with Elena. It had always ended up hurting her.

"We'll find him, Elena." He wasn't sure what else to say.

That surprised her. She tried to briefly to hide her emotions, to breathe normally and speak calmly. She gave it up quickly, she knew Damon would be able to tell what she was feeling.

"He's not answering." She had to close her eyes again, and take a breath to try to calm herself. "Maybe he can't."

"Katherine said he's alive. That's all I need to find him."

She looked him again, feeling relived that any sign that showed he was sick was gone. The embarrassment she felt when Katherine interrupted them returned. She tried to hide both the relief and the embarrassment from him as she spoke again.

"Can we believe her?"

Damon nodded as he stretched his neck. "About this, yes."

'Turned himself over to Klaus. Gave up everything for his brother including you.' Katherine's words burned inside her. So many had died, so much had happened because of her. Was this her fault as well?

He watched her lose herself in thought again. Tears were returning, though there was still no anger, no pleading, nothing he could deal with.

"I'll find him, Elena. I'll do whatever I have to."

She turned her burning eyes toward him again. "If he's alive, why won't he talk to me?"

Damon closed his eyes and shrugged, not sure if her eyes were still open to see it. He could keep her alive, and he had, but calming her, reassuring her, comforting her was something he had never been able to do.

He opened his again to her next words. "What did she mean, 'turned himself over to Klaus'."

He had an idea, but wasn't going to tell her. Maybe he couldn't comfort her, but saying anything he was thinking would only hurt her, make her more afraid. He even had to keep himself from thinking about it in order to keep his own spirits up.

He hesitated, but finally stated the obvious. "You need to rest."

She was aware he had not answered her question, she was again afraid he was keeping something from her. She also knew he was right, she needed to rest and she needed to see Jeremy, to be sure he was alright.

"You'll come and see me in the morning, won't you?" She moved her eyes to his again as she asked, feeling a little desperate. He was her only chance of finding Stefan.

And it was getting hard to keep eye contact with him again. The memory of what she had said, what she had done was returning. She was again embarrassed and confused. She didn't know why she had opened up to him, had kissed him, what she felt for him.

She did know she needed his help.

He was unsure about what she was thinking as he nodded. "Rest now, then well talk."

The Comfort

"Elena, is he OK?"

Caroline was at her side as soon as she passed through the front door of the Boarding House. Elena hugged the blonde vampire and whispered "Yeah."

Caroline noticed that Elena was upset, had been crying. "Elena," she said gently, "what's wrong?"

"Stefan's with Klaus. Katherine said…" Elena cut herself and pulled away from her friend as she noticed the sheriff approaching.

Caroline didn't have to turn back to see what had caused Elena to scowl. "She's just here to check on him. We both are."

"I don't want her inside the house…I don't want her anywhere."

Caroline tried to calm the human girl. "She's not here to try to hurt him…"

"I don't care!" The brunette spat back. "She's not welcome."

"Elena, I'm sorry," Liz said, finally getting Elena to look at her. "I didn't know some things, Caroline has explained. I'm on your side now, and Jeremy is fine."

Elena had softened slightly, but the scowl returned. "Fine? Why wouldn't he be fine?" She looked at the blonde vampire.

Caroline moved to stand between her mother and her friend. "She made a mistake, she was aiming for Damon, but hit Jeremy. But he is fine, Elena. You'll see."

Elena hugged Caroline, whispering "Jeremy too? I can't do this anymore."

The Sheriff was confused. She watched for few seconds before looking questioningly at Caroline.

The vampire didn't need to see her mother to know what she was thinking. "She's lost a lot, mom."

"This isn't about her," the sheriff responded. "it's about vampires in Mystic Falls."

Caroline's look as she turned to glare at her mother was so harsh that the older woman had to take a step back. "It's all about her. Some vampires want to use her, to kill her. Some of us try to protect her. Whose side are you on?"

The blonde vampire turned her attention back to Elena. "But Damon's OK right?" As she felt Elena's nod, she added, "Ok. We'll find Stefan, Elena. You won't lose anyone else."

The Mood

Elena hesitated on the porch, at the front door of her house. It would have been hard to enter the memory-filled house anyway, now she had to worry about Jeremy too.

"Do you want me to go in with you?"

Caroline had walked to the doorstep with her, but was a little behind her now. The human girl just shook her head. "No. Go with your mom, keep her away from everyone."

"OK, but Elena, I think she'll come around, she'll be on our side."

Elena just exhaled as she nodded. She didn't care that much about the sheriff, though if what she was told about her shooting Jeremy was true, she would have to do something. But that wasn't her concern as she finally entered the house. She was still thinking about what she had done, how she had betrayed Stefan. She was still confused about why she had done what she had done with Damon, why it had felt right.

She was snapped out of her thoughts by Jeremy's voice coming from the kitchen. "Just leave me alone."

She ran to him as fast as she could. "Jer! Jer, are you OK?"

He was sitting at the table, his arms folded and resting on the table top with his head buried into his arms.

He didn't lift his head as he felt her touch. "Do you see them?"

Elena looked around briefly before saying "There's no one here, Jer."

Jeremy sighed. "Of course not."

He pulled his head up and looked around the room himself. They were gone.

His sister's concerned words drew his eyes to hers again. "What happened, Jer? Are you alright?"

He didn't answer, he just pulled himself up and headed for the stairs She started to follow him but found herself going to her room instead. He seemed fine, she would deal with his weird mood tomorrow - she needed to at least try to rest for a little.

She grimaced as she saw what waited for her in her room. She wasn't afraid - she was long past that. Maybe she was annoyed.

She tried not to just sound tired, tried to make her words sound strong as she spoke. "What do you want, Katherine?"