Chapter 3

The festival being held for the comet that was to be seen for the first time in over a hundred years was in full swing. Emma simply believed this town just liked to use any excuse to throw some kind of get together. People were gathered together inside The Grill, listening to the people on the small stage who were entertaining the crowd. Outside people milled about too but in a larger number.

Emma wasn't a big fan of crowds, messed with her anxiety a little too much for her to be able to relax fully. "Fancy seeing you here." a voice that was becoming all too familair to her said. Turning to face the man, if she could call him that, behind her Emma gave him a smile.

"Could say the same thing about you." she remarked. "Doesn't look like the type of place you would have fun at."

"Oh, I can have fun anywhere. I'm good at that." Damon responded with an oddly boyish smile that made Emma want to smile right back. "Besides, my brother is here."

"And what, you want to put the past behind and start a fresh? Become brothers again." Emma said. Whilst she didn't believe anything she had just said, and only spoke the words to slightly mock Damon, she hadn't been expecting his reply. So she ended up just laughing.

"Don't be stupid. I'm here to ruin his night." It was the honest, yet happy, tone to his voice that got to her. He sounded nothing like the mischievous vampire she knew him to be, but she wasn't fooled. Shaking her head, she turned and walked. Damon kept up with her easily.

"The love I can feel from you is... suffocating. Please, dial it down." Damon snorted. She was a weird girl, but he supposed that was why he liked her. That, and he was still curious about what she could do exactly. She could be very useful to him in the future, best to stay on her good side until he figured her out.

"Looks like I don't need to do anything to ruin my brother's night." Damon commented. Emma raised her head, searching in the direction the vampire was looking in. A little way away stood Stefan and Elena who seemed to be having a serious conversation. Elena gave a look before walking away and blowing out her candle.

Emma wasn't Elena's biggest fan. She liked the girl, but didn't spend too much time around her to truly like her. Plus, Emma believed the girl to have a bad habit of putting herself first more often than not.

"What happened there?" Emma asked Damon, knowing he had heard. What she wouldn't give to be able to have heightened hearing. Damon grinned down at her, his dark hair falling into his eyes slightly. Emma fought the urge to brush it aside.

"Elena's just overthinking things and my brother worries too much." Damon shrugged. Well, that told her nothing Emma sighed. Never mind, she truly didn't care. Frowning at the sudden weight pulling her to the side slightly, the blonde watched in disbelief as the man beside her pulled her phone out of her pocket.

"What are you doing?" she demanded, going for the phone but he was faster and moved backwards.

"Adding my number." Damon said distractedly as he called his own number from her phone. "And now I have yours." Huffing, Emma snatched her phone back rolling her eyes at his contact name.

"Sexy?"

"What?" Damon gave her a genuinely confused look. "Don't you think? You must be a lesbian then because I know any self respecting straight woman, or even a gay man or any bisexual, would find me sexy."

"I envy your confidence," Emma breathed, shaking her head. "I really do."

"Aw, don't worry." Damon cooed as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders as he led her back towards The Grill. "You're sexy too, and that's a huge compliment because I usually go for brunettes."

"Thanks." she deadpanned. Emma gave him a smile though when he opened the door to the bar and allowed her to go inside first. "Look at you being a gentleman." Damon didn't respond verbally, simply sent her a flirtations wink. It really sucked that he was totally her type, dark hair, confident, blue eyes, playful and handsome because that wink totally got her. Going by the smirk playing around his lips he heard.

Emma rolled her eyes as she took a seat at the bar where Damon signalled towards the bartender. "Don't read too much into it. You're hot, that doesn't mean I like you."

"I don't really care, just happy you're finally acknowledging my God like looks." Damon responded, taking up the glass of amber liquid.

"And you just ruined it. There is a difference between confidence and cockiness. Confidence is sexy as hell, cockiness is not." Emma explained. Damon simply chuckled.

"You still want me to fuck you though." Emma didn't get to say much more as they were interrupted by Vicki Donovan. She moved in between the duo, her body angled towards Damon as she gave him a look mixed between suspicion and confusion.

"Do I know you?" she questioned. "You look familiar."

"Be unfortunate for you if you did." Damon shot back nonplussed as he continued to drink. Vicki opened her mouth but no words escaped. Her eyes fell upon Emma who gave the taller girl an awkward smile. Damon's eys flickered between the two girls in amusement. Vicki made a noise similar to a huff before taking off.

"I'm guessing you didn't compel her to forget." Emma drawled. Damon shrugged.

"My brother did, but he's weak. Clearly it didn't work as well as it should have." Damon downed the rest of his glass before standing. "Excuse me." Emma paused before scrambling from her stool and racing after the dark clad man. Grabbing his arm she hissed out his name.

"You aren't going to hurt her are you?" Emma asked, clearly worried. Damon gave her a pedantic smile, caressing her face with his calloused hand.

"Vicki will be left alive. I promise." That didn't make Emma feel better at all. That just meant she would be alive when he was done with her, but not unharmed. Damon saw the look she was giving him and sighed. "I'm always a man of my word Emma. So I can't promise not to hurt her. I'm very unpredictable, but I promise to leave her alive."

"Why are you doing this in the first place?" Emma asked desperately.

"Why not?" Damon smirked.

"That's not a real answer!" Emma snapped as they stopped outside the female toilets.

"Well, it's the only one you're going to get." Damon replied before slipping inside the girls bathroom. Emma could only assume this had something to do with his brother, Stefan. Stefan didn't seem to be into the torture business so Emma just had to put her faith in the younger brother to keep Vicki safe.

Not long after Emma bumped into her favourite cheerleader, Caroline. Grabbing a table the two girls gossiped about all that was happening. Caroline seemed to be over the rejection she had faced from Stefan thankfully but the insecurities were still there. Clearly that was something she would have to overcome herself and would not disappear over time.

Beside their table was Tyler and some of his friends, chatting amicably with one another. That was until Jeremy Gilbert stormed over. "Hey, has anyone seen Vicki?"

"You're her stalker. You tell us." Tyler shot back.

"I can't find her." Jeremy dismissed Tyler causing the bigger guy to send a look of disdain the younger ones way.

"She probably found someone else to party with. Sorry, pill pusher, I guess you've been replaced." Tyler's words caused an uproar. Caroline and Emma glanced at each other as they watched the drama unfold. Elena had rounded upon her little brother who was trying to ignore her involvement as he continued to argue with Tyler. "She's never going to go for you."

"She already did." Jeremy replied smugly. "Over and over and over again." Tyler scoffed at the claims as Emma smacked a hand over her mouth.

"You slept with Vicki Donovan?" Caroline laughed. The sound was abruptly cut off when Matt glared at her. Caroline backpedalled immediately. "I mean, Vicki Donovan slept with you?"

"Good save." Emma mumbled as Caroline pouted. Emma thought that might have been the end of it until Jeremy made a claim that sent everyone overboard.

"And I didn't even have to force her into it!" Caroline gasped at that, slapping Emma's arm as though to make sure the older girl was paying attention. Emma shoved her.

"I heard."

"Oh my, God!" Caroline shook her head before agreeing to help Matt look for his sister. Emma felt conflicted. Whilst she didn't know where the drug loving girl was, she knew who she was with.

Whilst Damon was amused by how frightened the girl was, and how she kept clinging to him, her yelling was starting to annoy him. How long was it going to take for his brother to arrive? Sighing in impatience he turned to his previous victim.

"Sh, I'm not going to drop you." He told her. She clearly didn't believe him. Ah well, that was her problem. Finally his brother had the decency to grace them with his presence. Damon grinned. "Not bad, have you been eating bunnies?"

"Let her go." Stefan commanded. Damon shushed Vicki as he contemplated doing as his brother said.

"Really? OK." Hand still on her arm Damon dragged her to the edge of the roof before letting go. Vicki and Stefan yelled simultaneously making him smirk, his hold tightening on the brunette. "Ugh. Relax."

"What's happening?" Vicki wept as she was dragged away from the ledge. Her thoughts drifted to the girl he was with earlier.

"I don't need her dead, but you might." Damon told Stefan who was stood there looking tense. The raven haired vampire turned to the shaking mortal. "What attacked you the other night?"

"I don't know." she answered shakily. "An animal."

"Are you sure about that?" Damon's tone was mocking at this point as he threw his brother a look. "Think. Think about it. Think really hard. What attacked you?"

"A vampire." Vicki had gone pale at this point as she stumbled backwards, but Damon quickly grabbed her.

"Who did this to you?" Damon asked, staring at her intensely.

"You did!" Vicki screamed trying to get out of his stronghold to no avail.

"Wrong!" Damon replied almost gleefully.

"Oh my... Please don't hurt Emma!" Vicki yelled. Stefan's eyes narrowed at the the irritated look Damon shot the girl in his arms. He clearly didn't appreciate her words. Vicki kept babbling about Emma until Damon physically shook her and raised his voice in order to tell her to shut up.

"Damon..." Stefan was cut off by his brother who was desperate to change to subject. He didn't want to discuss Emma. He wanted to keep her secret for now.

"It was Stefan who attacked you." Damon told Vicki. Vicki stopped with the subject of Emma as she stared at the male in front of her. Stefan begged his brother, of course this was his plan. Damon grabbed the sides of the girls head as he kept eye contact. "Stefan Salvatore did this to you." Vicki repeated his words. "He's a vampire. A vicious, murderous monster."

"Damon please!" Stefan called out. "Please don't do this."

"If you couldn't fix it before I don't know what you can do about it now." Damon told his brother as he finally looked away from the girl he had compelled. Pausing for just a moment he turned to rip the bandage covering his old bite wound roughly off of Vicki's neck. Grabbing her he threw her into his brothers arms.

Stefan struggled with the scent of Vicki's blood invading his nose. As gently as he could he pushed her away making Damon scoff in disgust and annoyance.

"You choice of lifestyle has made you weak." Damon spat. "A couple of vampire parlour tricks is nothing compared to the power that you could have, that you need now. But you can change that. Human blood gives you that."

Vicki was ignored as she yelled out in fear. Damon didn't actually expect Stefan to suddenly turn around and kill the drug addict, and he had promised Emma not to kill the girl. He would probably have a much better time with the girl alive anyways, his brother was so easy to get to.

"You have two choices. You can feed and make her forget, or you can let her run, screaming 'vampire' through the town square." Damon explained putting his hands in his jacket pockets.

"That's what this is about?" Stefan snapped. "You want to expose me?"

"No! I want you to remember who you are!"

"Why? So what, so I'll feed! So I'll kill? So I'll remember what it's like to be brothers again?" Stefan paused as the two looked at each other. He shook his head. "You know what, let her go. Let her tell everyone vampires have returned to Mystic Falls. Let them chain me up and drive a steak through my heart, because at least I'll be free of you."

Damon stayed quiet until he chuckled. His brother sure was dramatic. He turned to Vicki, calming her before whispering to her as his baby brother watched. His posture was still stiff. Smirking as he stood he gave his brother a mocking look as Vicki came back to relatity confused and not remembering anything that had happened on the roof top.

"It's good to be home. Think I might stay awhile. This town could use a bit of a wake up call, don't you think?" Damon stated.

"What are you upto Damon?" Stefan asked. "And who is Emma?"

"That's for me to know and you to... Dot, dot, dot. Give Elena my best." Before he could reply his brother was gone, leaving Stefan alone. The younger boy couldn't help but feel worried. She was brought up twice, and twice there had been a certain look in his brothers eye that he didn't like at all. First things first, find out who Emma is.

Putting her phone back in her bag Caroline sighed. She couldn't get hold of Emma. She was probably fine, she could handle herself. Getting up she left the bar to head outside. Dropping her keys the blonde cursed. Righting herself she let out a gasp to see the man from the other day standing before her.

"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you." He told her.

"No, it's fine. Um... I was hoping to see you again." Caroline admitted. Damon smirked.

"I know."

"Cocky much?"

"Very much." Before she knew it they were inside her bedroom, clothes long gone when she suddenly frowned. Pushing him back she missed the flash of annoyance that rushed passed his face. "What?"

"I thought you were interested in my friend, Emma?" Caroline asked almost hesitantly. Damon shrugged, neither denying nor confirming though he knew the truth. Damon had been after Emma since the first second he laid eyes on her. "Um, I don't think this is a good idea."

Not in the mood to deal with her Damon sunk his teeth into her neck, muffling her screams with his hand. Stupid cheerleaders, he thought. Well, at least he got a new blood bag at the very least.

"I'm not saying don't date the guy," Bonnie sighed. "I'm just saying take it slow."

"You were the one who said to go for it." Elena replied, hitching her bag further up her shoulder as she studied her friend.

"Now I'm saying take it slow." Bonnie shrugged.

"Why the about face?" Elena questioned causing Bonnie to huff at the way her friend was questioning her judgement.

"You're single for the first time in your entire high school career, it's the perfect time to play the field." Bonnie explained as they stopped walking. Elena gave her a strange look before scoffing.

"Because I'm so that girl. Seriously, what are you not saying?" Elena demanded, folding her arms across her chest.

"It's stupid."

"Just spit it out Bonnie."

"I accidentally touched Stefan. And I got a really bad feeling..." Bonnie cringed as she heard herself say the words. God, she really did sound stupid.

"Is that it?" Elena said incredously. "Bonnie."

"It was bad bad!" The girl exclaimed, eyes wide as she tried to convey what she truly meant to her friend.

"Is this the whole witch mojo thing again?"

"You know what? I'm just concerned." Bonnie snapped. "This is me expressing concern about my best friends new boyfriend."

"And I love you for it. I do. But I feel good. It's been a hard year, and I'm starting to kind of feel like things are getting back to normal again. And you know what? Stefan is a big part of that." Elena smiled at the end of her speech but Bonnie felt a little resentful.

Stefan was the reason she was getting back to normal? Not her who had been beside her every step of the way for the last four months? No, but a guy she met four days ago. Elena was still looking at her so she gave the best smile she could give.

Bonnie closed her eyes in annoyance for a second when said person popped up. "Good morning Elena. Good morning Bonnie."

"Hey, um, I gotta find Caroline. She's not answering her phone. So I'll see you guys later." Bonnie mumbled before quickly departing. Grabbing her phone out of her pocket she called her friend once more only for it to ring out... Again. Scrolling down her contacts, stopping at a name she rarely ever used she pressed call.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Emma it's Bonnie." She greeted a little awkwardly. She liked Emma they just didn't talk all that often. Caroline had nothing but good things to say about the girl, maybe if she was willing to Bonnie and herself could get to know each other better. Be nice to have someone else to talk to since Elena was going to be busy with Stefan now.

"Hey, what's up?"

"Have you talked to Caroline this morning?" Bonnie asked as she entered the school building. "I've called her multiple times but she won't answer."

"No, but I'll give her a call after. I'll text you if I get a hold of her." Emma offered causing Bonnie to smile.

"That would be great thank you." Saying a quick goodbye Emma called Caroline as she stood in the back of the bakery. It rang a couple of times before it was answered.

"Emma?" Caroline breathed.

"Are you alright?" Emma asked with a frown. She didn't seem okay. Her voice seemed to be shaking. Caroline paused and Emma was sure she could hear another voice in the background before Caroline started speaking again. The conversation didn't last long, just her friend reassuring her she was fine before she hung up.

Frowning she put her phone away, thinking about it for most of her shift before she got another call from Bonnie asking if she wanted to go to Elena's for dinner. To say she was shocked was an understatement.

Emma had to pause before answering but she eventually agreed. Maybe it was the slight desperation that clung to the young girls voice as she almost begged her to come. Something about Elena wanting to get Bonnie to be friends with her new boyfriend Stefan. Emma thought the girl was rushing things. Why force her friend into something with a guy she had only known now five days?

What are you doing tonight?

Hmm. Tapping out a reply Damon let his eyes wander back to his brothers journal he had been previously reading. It was very amusing.

I have a date

Putting his phone down he kept flicking through what was essentialy a diary even if Stefan wouldn't admit it. Damon needed something to cheer him up, something like tormenting his baby brother. He had spent the day with the blonde cheerleader, Caroline. He wish he hadn't. The blood thing wasn't her fault because since feeding from Emma no human tasted as good as she did, Damon put it down to her not being a simple human though.

On top of that the girl talked... A lot. More than he was willing to listen but he could not kill her. She was useful and he didn't think Emma would appreciate it. If he was sleeping with Caroline it all might have been worth it; but he wasn't. Since she believed him to be more romantically inclined towards her friend the cheerleader had been reluctant to sleep with him, much to his abhorrance.

Ah well, he would eventually have Emma in his bed and he had a feeling it definitely would be worth it. His phone buzzed as a text came through.

Bitch, I need you to be MY date so I have company. I've been invited to Elena's so Bonnie isn't left alone whilst your brothers girl tries to play matchmaker

Bonnie isn't too fond of Stefan? Damon text back as he took in the information. Dinner at Elena's, if Emma was there he could definitely get access to the house.

No. Can you cancel?

Admit you want to have sex with me and I'll think about it Damon chuckled as he flipped the phone in his hand. In the next second Stefan entered the room, pausing when he found his brother sat by his desk.

"How were tryouts?" Damon asked cheekily. "Did you make the team? Very Emerson, the way you reveal your soul with so many... adjectives." Damon held up the journal which was ripped out his hands.

"What are you doing here?" Stefan demanded with a glare. Damon heard his phone buzz but ignored it for now.

"I've come to apologise. I've been doing some thinking, some soul searching, and... I want us to start over." Whilst he sounded sincere, Stefan didn't buy it. "We need to put the past behind us. You're my little brother, and if you want to live a normal, happy human life, then I want that for you. Maybe I can do it too. That I can learn to be a non-living person. Maybe there is hope for both of us."

The two brothers stared at each other. Damon attempted to keep a straight face for as long as he could, but eventually broke down.

"You know, it doesn't have to be this way." Stefan sighed.

"Of course it doesn't." Damon said standing up. "I saw Elena today BTW. That means 'by the way'. She was at cheerleading practice. She looked so perky in her little shorts." His blue eyes sparkled at the look his brother sent him. He playfully held up his hands. "Just... Simmer down. I didn't even go near her. I've got my own cheerleader now. Ooh, that reminds me.. I gotta run. I have a date. Sweaty palms. Wish me luck."

Damon didn't give Stefan a chance to speak as he swiped up his phone and exited the room. Opening up the text from Emma he couldn't help but chuckle.

Now I remember why we aren't friends. Enjoy your date. I hope she has some kind of disease and you catch it when you suck her like the dirty ass leech that you are

Want to thank everyone for favouriting and following this story. It means so much as I wasn't sure how it was going to be recieved.