"Insomnia, thou art a heartless bitch…" I grumbled to myself as I tossed and turned in bed in my dorm room. Nothing overly fancy. My bed had plain grey bedding, a few posters of my favourite bands and/or musicians, not to mention a few copies of photographs from my favourite photographers, a few of my paintings and drawings, and a collection of photographs I took on the wall above my head. My desk had a laptop and radio resting on it, along with a few books, and a small fish bowl with a red Siamese Fighter swimming around in it, dubbed Hook. I won't bore you with any more details.

I let out a sigh as I stared at the ceiling. I didn't get much sleep last night. Not unusual, I am an insomniac, but this was different. I was still freaking out on the inside about the freaky snow, the tornado vision, and this rewind power that I cannot for the life of me figure out. Why do I have it? How did I get it? What the hell am I supposed to do with it? All thoughts that plagued my mind throughout the night.

I suppose I could rewind to catch a few more winks, but I don't see much point. So, with that in mind, I got up with a groan, picking up my cell phone. I had several texts from two people; Chloe and Kate.

Kate: Hi Damon.
Kate: Do you still have my copy of The October Country?
Kate: I kind of need it
Damon: No problem.
Damon: I'll bring it by once I've freshened up.
Damon: 30 minutes or so.
Kate: Thx

And now for Chloe.

Chloe: U there Damon Doom
Damon: For you, always. ^^
Chloe: NO EMOJI
Damon: ;P
Chloe: For reals tho, we should talk
Chloe: Meet at Two Whales at 9
Damon: BREAKFAST (^_^)
Chloe: KILL IT WITH FIRE
Chloe: Do not be late
Damon: Won't. :)
Chloe: U r evil
Damon: Please spell like you speak English.
Damon: My eyes hurt.
Chloe: Tis called Chloeprician. Lurn it bich

I couldn't help but grin. I've so missed my witty back and forth banter with Chloe. Despite all the shit going on in my life in recent times, it feels so great to have Chloe back in my life. She's not the same, sweet, artistic, and intelligent girl she once was, but at the same time, she is. She's stubborn, mischievous, and rebellious, but I can see in her eyes that she's still caring, sensitive, and strong, like she was when we were children. She's grown up. But hey, so have I.

I used to be a naive, over-sensitive, innocent, cheerful, and wild little boy. Now, I've been told that I'm sharp, snarky, witty, smart, devious, sometimes dark, and borderline sadistic. I used to be known as 'the good boy' amongst my peers. Not so much anymore. I'm not a wild criminal stoner on heroine, but I've gotten in and out of my fair share of trouble. I've managed to temper it these past few months, but something tells me Chloe is going to throw that down the shitter. Not that I'll let her drag me too deep into the lion's den, but I'd like to spend some time with my oldest friend, and get to know her again.

Getting up out of my bed, I stretch out with a groan. I don't usually wear pajamas. I just sleep in a shirt and tracksuit pants. Since I'm wearing a sleeveless shirt, my arms are in full view, showing off my scars and tattoos. On my left wrist, I have the punisher skull symbol. On my left pec, I have an owl with its wings out and a snake in its talons. On my right shoulder, I have a song title written in really cool font; Truly Madly Deeply. On my right outer bicep, I have a wolf with a raven perched on its back. The scars are from a particularly emo phase back when I was 16 and 17.

With a deep sigh, I grabbed my shower kit and left my dorm, being sure to lock the door; a habit I made sure to adopt when I first came here. I find it sad that every student has to keep a shower kit. Some time ago, before I arrived I think, someone filled the shampoo bottles in the shower with hair removal cream, and a couple of students lost their hair, more than half of them being girls. Yeah, nuff said.

The boy's dorm floor was a mess, really. It was disgusting. Vandalism and graffiti everywhere, toilet paper, the works. The diagram that shows which students go where is all but destroyed, and don't get me started on the TV lounge. I never go in there. The bathrooms aren't that bad, but they're still gross. The showers at least have a modicum of tidiness and cleanliness.

As I entered the shower room, I saw Warren standing at one of the basins, brushing his teeth.

"Warren." I greeted with a small smirk, seeing him freeze at my presence.

"Damon!" he greeted with an awkward, scared grin.

"Have you asked Brooke to the Drive-in yet?" I asked casually, striding over to the cleanest of the showers; the furthest one.

"Uh, well… You see… The thing is…" He stammered.

"That's a no." I shrugged, flinging my towel over the shower door as I turned to face him. Reaching into my kit, I pulled out a small, white, pill box. "Do you know what this is?" I asked with devious smile, seeing him pale. "These are laxatives, British laxatives. I'll say this right now, we Brits know our shit." I warned, grinning sadistically. He made a hasty retreat. And you know what the funniest part was? I was actually holding my anxiety pills. Shaking my head, I stripped off what clothes I had on and got in the shower, sighing blissfully as I felt the hot water.

After showering, brushing my teeth, and taking my medication, I headed back to my dorm, surprised to find Victoria there, trying to open the door. She growled in frustration, yanking on the handle. See, this is why I lock my door every time I leave my dorm. I have a nasty habit of pissing people off, and I'd rather they not take it out on my room. Shaking my head in amusement, I approached her, and her faithful minion Taylor.

"Can I help you with something ladies?" I asked, leaning on the wall. They yelped and turned to face me, shock turning to anger quickly, and their anger turning to embarrassment/delight even quicker. For you see, I hadn't bothered to put my shirt back on after my shower. I just slipped on my pants and flung my shirt and towel over my shoulder, leaving my torso exposed. By their red faces, they liked what they saw. I'm not a ripped body builder or anything, but three years of MMA does build up some muscle. I have nice four pack abs, great biceps, and a well developing chest. Still room for improvement though.

"I… We… you…" Taylor stammered, looking at my torso shamelessly. Victoria seemed to hold an expression that rapidly went back and forth between enraged and dreamy. If she was any redder, I think steam might have come out of her ears.

I grinned deviously. "See something you like?" I asked, bouncing my pecs. If their eyes were any wider, they would have popped out. Victoria let out a sound that seemed to be a mix of an enraged growl and a lion's purr before storming off. Taylor, albeit hesitantly, followed. As soon as they were gone, I heard two people burst into fits of laughter. It seems the local skaters of Blackwell, Justin and Trevor, saw the whole thing, and found it hilarious.

"Dude! Nice!" Trevor called out to me, giving me a thumbs up. I returned it with a grin before entering my dorm again. Honestly, people say men are easily manipulated with a woman's body, but it works vice versa too!

Seriously though, I never thought of myself as that desirable. Sure, I've been with a few girls, bedded a couple of them as well, but I didn't think I was that attractive. I mean, Kate, Brooke, Victoria, now Taylor, and I even made Chloe blush yesterday. I must be more of a stud than I thought. Damn, if that isn't an ego boost, I don't what is. Nonetheless, I do have things I need to do, so I'll think about it at a later date.

I got dressed, switching out my long sleeve shirt for a simple black T-shirt, and packed all my things. I decided to leave my books and whatnot behind and just come back for them later, before classes start for the day. I slipped on my jacket, pocketed my phone, wallet, and vape before grabbing my camera and Kate's book. As I was about to leave however, I stopped. My eyes slowly turned to the drawer at my desk. With a slight sigh, I walked over to said drawer and opened it, reaching to the very back, and then grabbing the object that was strapped to the top of the drawer. I pulled it out and stared at it.

It was a black Desert Eagle with purely cosmetic tiger stripes.

It was a gift from my grandfather after I arrived here in Arcadia, for my birthday. He wired the money into my bank account and all but ordered me to buy a weapon. Since I was young I've had a fascination with weapons, mostly knives and guns. Gun laws are very different in England, but here in America I can own this no problem, especially since I was born here. With a bit of help from my mother, I was able to acquire all the legalities needed to own a gun, and this one was my choice.

It's loaded with rubber bullets of course, I'd rather not kill someone, but I do have some live ammunition. Considering what happened with Nathan yesterday, I think I find myself agreeing with Chloe. I don't think I should walk around Arcadia unarmed right now. So, with that in mind, I grabbed the holster that i for my gun, one that attacks to the back of my belt, and slipped it on, holstering the gun. Thankfully, it was easily concealed by my shirt and jacket.

Then I went to the girl's dorm to see Kate and deliver her book for her. Imagine my surprise when I find Juliet and Brooke leaning against the 'No Boys Allowed' sign that one of the students put up some time ago. They were each watching a video on their phones.

I really hope it's not the video I think it is.

"Hello ladies." I greeted them, approaching.

"Hey Damon." Juliet greeted me with a grin. "You sleep good?" She asked.

"Not really, but that's nothing new for me." I replied honestly, earning some amusement. "And you?" I asked.

"Too busy planning revenge on Victoria and Zach." She shrugged,looking back at her phone.

"Brooke." I greeted with a polite smile, seeing the blushing nerdy girl twirling the tip of her ponytail around her finger. It's was kind of cute, if I'm being honest, but she's still not my type.

"Hi Damon." She greeted in her usual clear, slightly deep voice. She wasn't the kind to go all giddy around a boy, but she's still showing some typical signs of interest.

"Hey, you check out Kate's hot video yet?" Juliet asked with a suggestive grin, showing me her screen. I frowned heavily at her.

"No, I have not. And I have no intention of doing so." I told her, crossing my arms. "That's really not cool of you, either of you." I said to the two girls before me. As Brooke looked down, her expression downcast, Juliet scoffed.

"I'm not the one who got wasted on camera before getting busy with the Vortex Club." She haughtily replied, crossing her arms.

"Kate's not that kind of girl, and you know it." I gave a light glare. "As a journalist, you shouldn't believe any bit of info that comes your way." I told her scoldingly. "Case in point, Dana sexting Zach." I reminded her.

"She paused. "Touche." She sighed, slumping. "Now I feel like an asshole." She closed the video and pocketed her phone. "Thanks for finding out the truth yesterday. I owe you one." She told me, smiling slightly.

"You do anything about Victoria yet?" i asked with a raised eyebrow.

She smirked. "Not yet, but I'm thinking. My mind works in devious ways sometimes." She informed me.

"Glad to see you up and at em again." I nodded.

"You have a good heart Damon." She smiled at me softly. "I won't watch Kate's video anymore. Or pass it around." She promised me.

"Neither will I." Brooke intervened softly, still downcast.

"Thank you, both of you." I nodded at them.

"Sure, talk to you later." Juliet said.

"Later." I agreed.

"Later." Brooke smiled at me. I returned the smile as I went over to Kate's room, past Victoria's.

I growled under my breath as I saw Kate's slate. This time around, it said 'Will Bang For God' with a crudely drawn image of a woman's behind on it. I scowled heavily as I wiped it off, thinking of something to replace it with. Last time, I went with a Bible quote, as I know Kate's faith means a lot to her, so I decided to go the same direction, just a different quote.

'I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.'

There we go. Psalm 16:8. Another quote about strength and perseverance in difficult times. Kate can make it through this, I know she can, but not by herself. It was my hope that by writing these Bible quotes, I would be able to help her find the strength she needs. Is that all I can do though? Hope?

"Kate?" I asked softly, knocking on the door. "You in there?"

"Yeah, come in Damon." Wow, she even sounds gloomier than she did before. That's not a good sign. Worry making itself comfortable in my chest, I entered the room, surprised to find it so dark. The curtains were closed, Kate's violin, which she hasn't played since last week, lay on her couch, almost discarded in a way, and a bunch over her clothes were discarded on the ground, which is the equivalent of a pigsty for a neat freak like Kate. Damn, she's really not doing well.

"Here you go." I said softly, placing the book on her desk, where she was sitting, resting her head on her hand.

"Damon, why did you step between me and David yesterday?" She asked, looking up at me with intense eyes. Well that came out of nowhere.

"I hate bullies, and care about you." I answered, immediately and simply. "I believe David has good intentions, but he went to far there. He should have known better."

"I was hoping he would, but it is nice to see you care about me." She told me with a small smile, before dropping it. "Even if it's only because I remind you of your sister." She mumbled sadly. Yeah, in retrospect, I probably shouldn't have told her that.

"That's just one of the reasons." I told her firmly, crossing my arms. "Yes, you remind me of Jen, my sister, but I care about you as well." I assured her. She put on a small smile at that. "Now, what exactly happened with David yesterday? Why did he freak out on you?" I asked.

"He's a total paranoid ass!" Kate growled, though not necessarily at me. It was surprising to hear her cursing too. "He thinks I'm part of the Vortex Club. Right." She huffed.

"No doubt because of the video." I said thoughtfully. She looked up at me with horror and betrayal. "No, I have not watched it." I said, slightly offended that she would think that I would. "And I have no intention of doing so." I added, seeing her sigh in relief.

"Thank you Damon." She said to me sincerely. "Do you have any idea how humiliating this is?" She asked.

"I cannot even imagine." I said honestly. "I know this must be unpleasant, but can you tell me about the party? I've already gathered that you were drugged, but I'd like to confirm it." I told her.

"That… actually makes sense." Kate mumbled in realization. "Well, long story short, I went to a Vortex Club party, and don't remember much of it." She summed up.

"What do you remember?" I asked her. "What did you drink? Alcohol? Soft drink?"

"I swear to God, I only had one sip of red wine. That's it." She said strongly, desperately. "After that, just water." She added. I hummed in thought.

"Since ancient times, wine has been used to mask the presence of poisons, toxins, and drugs." I told her, prompting wide eyes. "Did any of the water taste funny?" I asked her. She shook her head. "Then I'd wager it was the wine." I frowned. "What else?" I asked.

"Well, I remember getting sick, and dizzy. The Nathan offered to drive me to the hospital." She recalled, swallowing a lump in her throat. Poor girl. I can't imagine how hard this must be for her.

"Prescott." I spat out with a light snarl.

"He was being nice for a change. I thought..." She didn't continue.

"The words 'Prescott' and 'nice' do not belong in the same sentence." I told her sternly. "Go on."

"I remember driving for a long time, and then waking up in what I thought was a hospital room, because it was so bright and white." She massaged her temples. "I heard a voice, I thought it was a Doctor's, but then I realised it was Nathan. Then, I felt a sharp sting on my neck." She shuddered.

"Oh God." I whispered, my hand on my head. This might be worse than I thought.

"Then, I woke up right outside my dorm room. I didn't have any marks or bruises, but I felt…" She paused, visibly uncomfortable. "Gross." She finally said. My eyes widened in horror. This was uncannily similar to the story Chloe told me at the lighthouse yesterday. From what she says, it's entirely possible that Nathan forced himself on her whilst she was out of it. No way am I telling her that though. Kate is rather naive, so maybe she hasn't made the connection in her head, and I'd rather keep it that way. She doesn't need that on top of what's going on with the video.

"So, where did the video come into play?" I asked.

"I don't know. Probably a little bit before Nathan drove me off to wherever." Kate said bitterly. "Victoria was there, being herself. She probably took it." She sniffled.

"I am so sorry you have to go through this Kate." I breathed out.

"How do I get a viral video down?" She asked me desperately. "You're good with computers! It's spreading wide, and what if my Church sees it?" She asked, her eyes filling with horror.

"If I got my hands on Victoria's laptop, I could feasibly shut down the site and remove the video from social medias, but…" I trailed off with a grimace. The hope that was appearing in Kate's eyes melted down immediately.

"But?" She whispered.

"The internet has the unfortunate feature of permanence. You take down a video or site or whatever, but it always leaves a digital fingerprint." I told her. "Someone good enough with technology could find it at some point." Kate slumped down, her hopelessness tangible. "That won't stop me from trying though." I promised her. She at least put on a small smile at that.

"Thank you Damon… You can put my book on my bed." She told me. I nodded and did just that. "Damon, can I ask you something?" She asked out of nowhere.

"You just did, but sure." She didn't laugh.

"I need to know if Nathan helped me or hurt me… Should I go to the police?" She asked, desperate for an answer that will make her feel better, if her eyes are anything to go by.

"That… is not an easy question Kate." I sucked in through my teeth, unsure. "From the context, I'd wager he hurt you. But, there's no way to prove it." I grunted in annoyance, not quite sure how to answer her exactly.

"So, you're saying I should do nothing?" She asked. Whatever slither of hope was left was fading fast.

"Kate, I won't lie, it's not looking good. The Prescotts are a prestigious family that will do anything to maintain their image." I said honestly. "If you do go with allegations against Nathan, it may very well do more harm than good." I told her grimly.

"But, I know I was drugged!" She protested.

"You do, they don't." I shook my head. "I'm sorry, I'm not trying to make this seem hopeless; I'm just being honest." I told her.

"That doesn't help." She stifled a sob.

"I know, but the alternative is getting more hurt, and I don't want that."

"I don't know how that's possible. So that's your answer?"

"I just think we should wait until we have real proof. There's something out there that can help you, I know it."

"And in the meantime, I can prowl the halls with people calling me a viral slut. Thanks a lot Damon."

"Kate…"

"Just go. I want to be alone."

I sighed and conceded. If that's what she wants, fine then. I know I could rewind and say something else, but what's the point. I can't lie to her and set her up for even more pain; that won't help her at all. The Prescotts will not tolerate anyone allegating anything against them if they can disprove it, even if it is often true. They'd destroy Kate with lawyers, showings of the video, and any other form of 'discouragement' they can think of. They might even send someone to kill her.

Yeah, this is the best choice, even if it's not the one Kate wants to hear.

As I left Kate's room, I immediately got more texts from Chloe.

Chloe: damon
Chloe: food
Chloe: two whales
Chloe: c u there
Damon: Don't break your fingers
Damon: BREAKFAST (^_^)
Chloe: NO EMOJI
Damon: Trade: no emoji for proper spelling?
Chloe: Knot hapinin bich
Damon: ;P

Shaking my head, I left the dorm, and went on towards the parking lot. As I walked however, I caught sight of Nathan and David having what looked like a friendly little chat. Yeah, those two talking cannot be good. I usually held some amount of respect for David, but if he's really in cahoots with the Prescotts, I'm going to have seriously reconsider my standing with him. That may or may not end up with David getting a rubber bullet in his eye. Regardless, I know one thing. This has to do with either Kate, or Rachel Amber.

Thankfully, neither Nathan nor Victoria vandalized my car after our recent confrontations. Either that was a line they weren't willing to cross, which I found unlikely, they wanted their revenge to be more personal, which is more likely, or they just don't know this car is mine. Either way, my car was untouched, a fact I was grateful for. Anywho, I peacefully drove my set of wheels towards the Two Whales Diner, a place I haven't eaten at since I was 14.

The drive was fairly quiet, with the exception of my extensive music list, and the gentle rolling of the tires one usually hears when driving. It only took me about 20 minutes to get there, but it was nice driving there. I parked in the small parking lot next to tit before making my way in. After five years, this place was still the same. Same interior design, same jukebox, same uniform, and same menu. I smiled as nostalgia hit me, walking over to a free seat as I received a text.

Chloe: Running late. Grab a booth.
Chloe: Mom will feed u
Damon: She better. I haven't eaten since Starbucks.
Damon: I'll be lucky if you arrive before noon.

Shaking my head as Chloe didn't reply, I carried on over to a seat, stopping as someone called my name. "Damon! Dude!" It was Trevor, and Justin, clearly baked, taking up one of the booths. "You smash Victoria yet?" He asked with a wide grin.

"You think I'm touching that with a ten foot pole?" I asked, returning his grin as we fist bumped. I heard a gasp at the workstation; Joyce probably shocked to see me. "I don't know where it's been." I said as Justin and I high fived.

"Savage bro!" He chortled. Rolling my eyes at these skaters, I strolled over to the workstation seats and took the one on the far right.

"Well, as I live and breath, Damon Azrail." Joyce said as she approached. She was beautiful for a middle aged woman; long blond hair tied back into a ponytail, wearing the Two Whales uniform. How can she work in high heels? "All grown up." She said, looking me over.

"Hello Joyce." I smiled brightly at my godmother. "You look lovely as ever." I said as she placed a cup of coffee in front of me.

"Ever the charmer." She smiled, amused. "Good to see you again Kiddo. How was London?" She asked, leaning against the counter.

"It was… loud. I enjoyed seeing my homeland again but… this is home." I said with a smile, sipping the coffee. "Although, I must admit, I was surprised when I found out that the man my mother mentioned you'd married was David Madsen." I told her, raising an eyebrow. She sighed almost tiredly.

"I know he's not popular at Blackwell, but despite what you might think, he's a good man." She insisted. Clearly, she's had this conversation with Chloe before.

"Oh, I'm not denying that." I assured her. "Unlike most people, I can see behind people's eyes. If you think the toll the war took on David was bad, you should meet my grandfather." I told her, grimacing at the memories. "He once had a flashback so bad, he pointed a gun at me." I said, shocking her. "So yes, I know that David is a good man, and that he cares about the students at Blackwell." I reiterated. "He's good at his job, but the way he goes about it paints him as a bitter, untrusting, shallow bully." I said bluntly.

"Well, you got your mother's bluntness, that's for sure." Joyce deadpanned, refilling my coffee as I finished.

"If ain't broke." I shrugged. "You should have seen him freak out on Kate Marsh yesterday." I told her, shaking my head. "That girl is in a really bad spot right now. The last thing she needs is David getting in her face and interrogating her." I said.

"Look, Damon, I can see you care about this girl, but I don't get involved in his job." She told me, sighing. "I don't patrol Blackwell, and he doesn't cook at Two Whales, get it?" She asked.

"Fair enough." I conceded. "I know things have been hard for you and Chloe. I'm sorry for not staying in touch." I said, guilt coursing through me.

"Don't give me that." She borderline scolded me. "You did the right thing, moving on with your life. I did the same after William." She sighed sadly. "Chloe, on the other hand, chose to stay angry." She told me.

"Speaking of which…" I sighed, sipping my coffee. "I am so sorry about William. Since I was five, he was the closest thing I ever had to a father. I have so many great memories of him." I told her with emotion.

"Yes, that was William's gift to all of us; great memories." Joyce sighed longingly. Guess no matter what happens with David, she'll always love William. "And I remember how you and he got along. It was always wonderful to see, but… As a five year old you shouldn't have had to go through that." She told me sympathetically,placing one of her hands over mine. "To this day, I still can't believe Klare was with that… that…" She shook her head.

"He ran off with his whore fourteen years ago Joyce." I told her with a shrug. "I've long since gotten over it. As has Mum." I assured her.

"I know." She sighed. "I heard Klare got married. That true?" She asked. I nodded.

"Yeah. A woman named Genevieve." I affirmed. I was initially weary of Genevieve, though not to the extent Chloe is to David, but I warmed up to her eventually. Classic case of a kid not thinking the stranger is good enough for his parent. "I admit to having some aversion to her in the beginning, but I was better than Chloe." I told her.

"Yes, she hit all the phases." Joyce sighed. "Expulsion, runnin away, drugs, bad boys, tattoos, piercings, blue hair, etc." She gave me a look over. "Clearly, she ain't alone." She raised her eyebrow.

"I've never been expelled, never ran away, only drugs I ever take are my medication or the occasional medical blunt for my anxiety, I don't like boys, tattoos are sentimental, I only have an ear piercing, and my hair was more of an experiment than anything else." I listed off with my fingers.

"And the scars?" She asked, pointing to my arms, which were bare without my jacket.

"I was 16, and teenagers can be shallow and cruel." Was the only answer I gave her.

"Chloe used to cut too, before meeting that Rachel girl." Joyce said, her eyes sad.

"Just wanting to feel anything other than the hurt. I can understand." I said softly. Joyce gave me a sad look.

"This is not what Klare or I wanted for our kids." She whispered. The tone of her voice made her sound like she felt she had failed as a Mom. I was about to respond, but she stopped me. "Why don't we just get down to the nitty gritty. What do you want to eat?" She asked, her tone signifying that she did not want to continue the conversation. I can respect that.

"I have had wet dreams about your Belgian Waffles, with ice cream, and bacon on the side." I told her. She gave a laugh, shaking her head at my wording.

"Comin right up." She told me. "Now finish your coffee." She instructed. I chuckled as she got to work. I have no idea how she can work at a diner in high heels like that. Shaking my head, I texted Chloe one more time.

Damon: Get here soon, or I'm putting my food on your tab.
Chloe: im driving!
Chloe: *jrivin
Damon: X_X

As I remember, it didn't take long for Joyce to bring me my food. The Two Whales Diner was always quick when it came to cooking. They had effective methods and tools. Copious amounts of waffle and pancake batter made every morning, soda machines at the ready, and several pairs of hands working in an efficiently designed kitchen. And that was just off the top of my head. All in all, the point is, Two Whales works fast with its food. They'd probably make a killing if they made a drive-thru.

"They can hear your stomach in the kitchen." Joyce said as she slid the plate over. "Here you go Kiddo." She said, smiling at me.

"I am drooling like a wolf." I said, rubbing my hands together as I ogled the meal in front of me. Just like I remember; five small, but thick, belgian waffles stacked on top of each other, dusted with icing sugar, a dollop of ice cream on top, and five slices of bacon beside them, extra crispy. "Thank you very much Joyce." I said, digging in without further adieu. It was all I could do to not moan in pleasure.

"Still can't believe you're a young man now." Joyce said with a sigh. "When I look at pictures of Chloe back in the day…" She trailed off with a sad shake of her head.

"If it's any consolation, I think she looks great with blue hair." I told her, swallowing a mouthful.

"Yes, Klare told me about you having a thing for bad girls." She told me, giving me a blank stare. I could only chuckle sheepishly. "Speak of the Devil…" She said, sparing a glance at the entrance. Chloe had just walked in, headed towards us.

"Mom and Damon, together again." She quipped as she approached.

"And Chloe, looking for a free meal." Joyce deadpanned, looking at her daughter. "You've put your entire damn college fund on your tab." She sighed.

"Don't worry about that, this is my treat." I told her, picking up my plate. "Mind if I take this to a booth?" I asked.

"Go right ahead, and don't think about leaving behind a single penny." She told me, almost scoldingly. "This is my treat for coming back to rescue my daughter." she said with finality. I know better than to argue with Joyce, so I simply nodded in acceptance.

"I don't anybody to rescue me." Chloe grumbled.

"Butterfly photo." I reminded with a sly grin, earning a huff.

"I'm just hopin Damon can be a good influence on your life now." Joyce said to her daughter as I scooped my jacket up off the I was sitting on.

"I'm a little old for lectures from you and Sergeant Pepper, don't you think?" Chloe asked her mother sassily.

"Call him David if you don't want lectures." Joyce shot back. "One damn slice of bacon or you today Missy." She said haughtily, walking off as Chloe and I sat opposite each other at a free booth.

"What is this shit on the jukebox?" Chloe asked the air out of nowhere, striding over to the device. I just kept eating. As the music changed, Chloe came back and sat opposite me again. "So, what is this weird ass thing you wanted to tell me?" She asked, leaning her elbows on the table, resting her head on her hands.

"Well… it first happened in the bathroom, before I set the alarm off." I told her. She focussed intently. "I saw what happened, panicked, and next thing I knew, I was back in my class, hearing the exact same lecture from my teacher, seeing the exact same events transpire." I said, munching on some bacon. "It was surreal." I shook my head.

"You're not making any fucking sense." Chloe said bluntly. Predictable.

"Here, instead of explaining, I'll show you." I told her. "Show me everything you have in your pockets." I instructed.

"What?"

"Just trust me."

"Alright then." She said, a little weirded out before emptying her pockets. "Here ya go." She said, placing it all in front of her. "Now what?" She asked.

"Give me a moment." I told her, looking over the objects. Let's see, 86 cents, a parking ticket for 10:34am, seven cigarettes, and her car keys, with a little robot panda key chain. Kinda looks like it belongs in Five Nights at Freddy's, but I digress. Looking up at Chloe, I smirked, and clenched my fist, rewinding.

"You're not making any fucking sense." Chloe said bluntly, again. Perfect.

"That's why I'm going to show you, instead of telling you." I told her, leaning forward. "In your pockets, you have your car keys, with a robot panda key chain, 86 cents, seven cigarettes, and a parking ticket, busted at 10:34am." I told her, leaning back with a smirk. This is going to be fun.

She looked at me weirdly. "Dafuq?" She asked.

"Take a look." I told her, shrugging as I continued my meal. Swallowing, she reached into her pocket and pulled out the four items that I had described perfectly. The look of shock on her face was delicious.

"Ok, I just got a chill up my spine." She told me, looking up at me with wide eyes.

"Take that crap off the table Chloe." Joyce scolded as she approached with another plate. True to her word, there was only one slice of bacon along with the omelette. Chloe complied. "How's the food Damon?" She asked.

"Joyce, you are a kitchen Goddess." I told her honestly.

"How are you single?" She asked with a shake of her head, walking off. Better not tell her that there are at least four girls in Blackwell that would like to get up in my business…

"What the fuck just happened?" Chloe hissed under her breath as soon as Joyce was out of earshot. I had to swallow another bite before answering. My food is almost done… Sigh…

"I rewound time." I told her, cutting up the last waffle. "I told you to empty your pockets, memorized everything, and then pressed the temporal rewind button. Went back about 30 seconds." I explained to her. "I discovered this in the bathroom yesterday." I added. Chloe was shocked. She wanted to deny this, I could tell, but how would you explain me knowing what was in her pockets?

"Ok, I need something else." She told me. "Something bigger, something way cooler so that I will believe you without any doubt." She told me, an excited gleam in her eyes.

"Give me 60 seconds of silence." I told her simply. She nodded eagerly, chowing down on her food. As we ate in silence, I took into account everything that happened over the next minute or so. First, the trucker at the front table dropped his mug, and Joyce got mad. Then the Police Officer hear got an alert and his partner left without him. After that, Justin and Trevor started fighting, unsurprising with how blazed they were, and Joyce broke it up. Finally, a cockroach crawled on the jukebox as it went crazy. That should do.

I rewound.

"Ok, I need something else." Chloe told me. "Something bigger, something way cooler so that I will believe you without any doubt." She told me, an excited gleam in her eyes.

Perfect.

"I will predict four events that will happen in the next minute or so." I told her with a smirk. She grinned eagerly and nodded. "First, the trucker will drop his mug and Joyce tears him a new one."

"OK, what next?"

"The cop gets an emergency alert, whines about leaving his breakfast, and his partner leaves without him."

"We'll see. Next?"

"Trevor and Justin start arguing like a married couple, and Joyce breaks it up with the classic 'I'm finishing it' line."

"This is getting good!"

"Finally, the jukebox goes haywire as a roach crawls on it, and Joyce remarks about how it's headed to Davy Jones' locker."

"Bizarro Damon, very bizarro. Let's just see." She told me, leaning back. By this point, we'd both finished our meals, sadly. Anyways, as we both sat still and waited, Joyce picked up a pot of coffee and left the workstation to go around for refills, just like last time. She went past us though, not sure way. Maybe she's still mad at Chloe. Anywho, as she walked past our booth, the trucker dropped his mug, just like last time.

"Crap!" He cursed.

"Another one? Seriously?" Joyce snapped at him. "No refill for you!" She scolded.

"Way to go Mom!" Chloe laughed as the cop's radio suddenly blared.

"Aw man!" He groaned. "Now I gotta take this call and leave my breakfast." He sighed in annoyance. "Hey, where's my partner?" He asked. As his did so, the police car outside blared it's siren and sped off, leaving the cop in here behind.

"You called it. Probably off to bust some skaters." Chloe grinned.

"You're a dick!" Justin yelled at Trevor.

"Don't slap me bitch!" Trevor suddenly yelled at back.

"Take you fight club outside!" Joyce snarled at the two.

"He started it!" Justin shot back, pointing at Trevor.

"I'm finishing it!" Joyce snapped.

"Trevor and Justin must be in love!" Chloe laughed.

"They are all over each other." I too laughed as the jukebox suddenly went haywire. As it did so, Chloe and I turned our attention it, seeing the cockroach crawling on it, like last time.

"I think our locker is headed for Davy Jones' locker." Joyce sighed as she walked back into the workstation.

"Davy Jones' locker." Chloe whispered, looking at me with wide eyes. "You have powers…" She whispered, placing her hand on her head. Immediately, she placed her hands on the table and bowed her head. "I pledge allegiance to Damon and the power for which she stands!" She said, sounding incredibly eager and impressed.

"My priestesses do not wear clothing." I held up my hand in decree, earning a round of laughter from Chloe. "Jokes aside though, I can't just play around with this though Chloe. I'm fucking with the space time continuum, not buying a new toy." I told her.

"Fuck that!" She waved me off. "It's definitely a toy! The best toy ever!" She grinned widely. "You can bang anyone you want with no strings attached, rewind time, and boom!" She slapped the table. "It's like it never happened!"

"Seriously?" I sighed. Not gonna lie though, that doesn't sound too bad.

"Maybe you made a move on me and I would never know!" She leaned forward, grinning.

"Right, sure, I did indeed, and we fell into bed for one glorious night of passion before I erased said night from existence." I drawled out sarcastically, earning a snicker from Chloe.

"Damon, you can rewind time. That's fucking insane! We have to play!" She said eagerly and excitedly, her eyes sparkling.

"I wish I could, but my time is limited." I told her.

"You did not just say that." Chloe deadpanned.

"Hey, this rewind only goes back a few minutes at most. With or without it, I do not have all the time in the world." I said firmly. Suddenly, a coppery taste filled my mouth, and I cringed at the taste.

"Whoa, your mouth." She said, looking at me with worry. "You ok?" She asked as I touched the corner of my lips. Blood was indeed leaking out of my mouth.

"See? This is what happens when we meet up again." I joked, wiping the blood away with a serviette.

"Then, let's go to one of my secret lairs. I wanna fully test this little power of yours." She grinned, standing up. Rolling my eyes, knowing I'll upset her if I refuse, which I don't want to do, I conceded and followed. "You need a sidekick to guide you." She added.

"Very well Girl Blunder, to the Time Cave." I said with a roll of my eyes. "My car or yours?" I asked.

"Yours." She answered immediately. "You've already been in mine. I just want to get something from my truck." She said. I nodded as we headed for the exit, only to get a phone call. "Don't even answer it." She told me. "We've got places to go, and people to do." She grinned.

"Chloe, it's Kate." I said.

"Big deal. You don't call me for five years, and now you're all over some beeatch you see every day?" She asked with a raised eyebrow. "I see how you roll, so go and ahead and chat up your little groupie. I've got other people to hang with too." She said, clearly upset, as Joyce approached.

"Chloe, this innocent, Christian, naive, sweet, vulnerable, young girl, just got drugged, filmed, and posted all over the internet." I said calmly, anger clear on my face, shocking both Chloe and Joyce. The anger and my words, that is. "I made the mistake of leaving you alone when you need me the most, a mistake I am not going to repeat with Kate." I told her. As soon as Chloe's face showed guilt, the call stopped. "Thank you Chloe, thank you very much." I snarked.

"What's going on?" Joyce asked, her eyes narrow.

"A small disagreement." I said dismissively. "I need to call someone quickly." I said, sending a glare in Chloe direction before walking off. Instantly, I dialed Kate's number. Thankfully, she picked up.

"Damon?" I heard her sad voice come from the other side of the line.

"Hi Kate." I said with a small, sad smile. She sounded like she'd been crying. "I'm sorry for not picking up. I was a little occupied, and the call ended as I was about to answer." A small fib, but a white lie here and there doesn't hurt anyone.

She sniffled. "I almost thought you were to busy for me…" She mumbled.

"I am never to busy for you when you need me Kate." I told her firmly. If I know her, she's smiling slightly with a soft pink dusting her cheeks. "Now, what do you need?" I asked of her.

Wow. This chapter almost went past 8000 words. That doesn't happen often. Anywho, here we are, the first part of Out of Time. And no, this time, I will not be uploading an enter episode's worth of chapters this time. That was just to get this story started. From this point on, it's just one chapter after the next.

Please tell me what you guys think of the story. I can count the number of reviews I have thus far on one hand, and that really puts a dent on my will to write. The latest chapter of Holy Lightning Twins got more than thirty reviews, and I'm already half finished with it's next chapter. Let that sink in for a moment. Also, once this story is done, I'm moving on to a Percy Jackson story. Go see the poll on my profile.

Please review guys. Please? Your reviews sustain my will to write.