New character best portrayed by Taron Egerton

"Damon?" she cautiously called, peeking her head through the door of his room the next day. She sees him glance at her from his bed. Evidently, she'd waken him up. "Oh! Sorry," she winced, pulling out again.

"Wait!" he called. She glanced back in. He waved at her to come over. She opened the door and stepped in, approaching his bed and sitting at his side. He probed himself up on an elbow and faced her soft smile. He smiled back at a sight he thought he wouldn't mind getting used to.

She realized he was shirtless, and for a moment, was distracted by fairly inappropriate thoughts before he asked: "What's up?" Snapped out of it, she answered quickly:

"I was thinking. You think it'd be okay if I went to college today?" He wasn't expecting that would be what she'd ask, but considers it regardless. "Just one lecture," she stated.

"…How long?"

"Two hours. From two to four. I'll be there and back. Just…Need to get back out there…or at least try…"

Ah, there it was. The fact that she did have a life.

A home. A family.

'What did you think, genius?' his mind mocked.

He was slammed with the memory of how joyful she was when visiting her household just the day before. He felt guilty for wanting to keep her.

Was it wrong for him to want her all to himself?

Probably. He knew it was.

"…Okay," Damon gave reluctantly.

"Really?" she furrowed her brows at his momentarily displeased expression.

"Yeah."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. There and back. Two hours," he smirked in dismiss. She smiled brightly, something that further upset him, how ready she was to leave.

"Awesome. Thanks, Damon!" she mused, jumping off the bed and to the door. His feigned smile fell, but came back quickly when she turned to him and waved, before heading out and shutting the door.

Damon sighed tiredly, burying his face in his pillow.

XXX

After the lecture, Emily is making her way out of campus, when a voice calls her name: "Emily!" She turns,

and freezes.

"Alec?!"

XXX

"So, what? Like. The room's haunted, or is the guy?" Damon asks Stefan as they watch Room 1408 on tv.

"No. The room is. Why would the guy be haunted?" Stefan retorted.

"Well, he keeps seeing his past! What kinda ghost does that, the memory ghost?!"

"I don't know, Damon," Stefan replies irritably, facing the screen again. Damon scoffs, and his phone rings.

"Hello," he replies, gesturing at Stefan to lower the voice. Stefan complies, and listens in curiously.

"Hey. I'm, uh, done, but, uh…"

"But what?" Damon worriedly asked, straightening up. "Want me to come pick you up?"

"No. No. It's just, uh. I might be an hour late. I, uh…ran into…an old friend." Damon grew suspicious.

"Who?" he pushed.

"Uhhh, Alec." Damon's eyes widen. Stefan is confused as to what the big deal was.

"Alec?! Ex-boyfriend, Alec?!" he exclaimed. Stefan's brows raised.

"Uh, yeah. We're just gonna go grab a bite. I'll be back soon, okay?"

"No," Damon retorted, rising to his feet. "Not okay!"

"Why not?!"

"Well, what if you eat him?!"

"Damon! Look. Don't worry. I'll call you if I start getting itchy, like we agreed."

"Wha-"

"Look. I gotta go. I'll see you soon." She hangs up.

Damon pulls the phone away and stares at it both in shock and anger.

"You okay?" Stefan warily asked.

"What is she doing?!" Damon demanded of him. Stefan was taken aback.

"Uhhh-"

"I mean, she said this guy just up and left her. Now she's going out with him?!"

"Damon. You're…kind of…overreacting, don't you think?" Stefan advises. Damon scoffs and looks away stubbornly, then flops down on the couch, grabs the remote and unmutes the tv.

XXX

"So. How's the city?" she enthusiastically asked, sitting at the front in Alec's car. He smirked, glancing at her.

"Ah, the city's loud. Unbelievably loud." She chuckled lightly. "It actually feels really good to be back, even if it's just for a couple of days. I've really missed this place," he smiles. 'Well, this place has certainly missed you,' she refrained from saying.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm really glad to see you, but what brought you back?" she curiously asked.

Last they'd discussed that was almost a year ago, and he said he moving for good.

Oh. That day was one of Emily's worst. And his.

They met freshmen year. He majored in business, she in English, and they were introduced to one another through mutual friends. She caught his attention, and he persistently attempted to gain hers. He already had since day one, he just didn't know. He was charismatic, smart, ambitious, and fairly good-looking. His strong personality she did not overlook, and too felt the immediate attraction, but she played hard to get, and he did not disappoint. Eventually, they started dating. The reason her family found them an odd pair was because of how different they were. Emily was such a closed person, whilst he was far more outgoing and social. She was more routine-set, whilst he enjoyed spontaneity and surprises. It was because he was so different that she was first attracted to him. He often showered her with compliments, kissed her shamelessly in public, bought her random gifts, took her out to parties and late-night hangouts at the Grill, things she never would have once been inclined to do. He lured her out of her shell, and brought her only into sunlight, something she greatly admired and appreciated.

When he found out his dad got a new job in New York City, and had told him that he was moving, and that he ought to come with for a better education at the NYU, Alec thought long and hard about his decision.

Confessing to her that he had to leave was one of the hardest things he'd ever done. She was the kindest, most sensible person he'd ever met. Seeing her smile was what he often daily looked for.

But, as he was never coming back, a virtual relationship was one neither were willing to pursue. They had to say goodbye.

"Oh, nana isn't feeling so well," he replied, snapping her out of it. "Dad and I thought we'd check up on her, you know."

"Yeah? Is she okay?" Emily worriedly asked.

"Yeah, she's fine. Just a heavy cold, and she's stubborn about her medication. Typical nana," he mused. She smiled. She remembered his nana. Talkative old lady, but very sweet and caring. She made the best orange cake Emily ever tried.

"Right," she smiled in remembrance.

"Here we are," Alec parks at the Grill.

They climb out of the car, and approach the front of the building. "God, I've missed this place," he breathed. She grinned.

"Yeah. Remember? You practically lived here." He smiled at her, chuckling.

"I actually dropped by earlier to say hi to the guys." They enter the building, and are waved at by a few people whom Alec once had as friends. He was well-known amongst the town's crowded places. They're guided to a table, and sit.

"It's good to see you, Emily. You look amazing," he tells. Emily faces him, and smiles brightly, causing his heart to skip a beat. It was a sight he'd deeply missed.

"You look good too, Alec," she retorts. A waiter comes by and takes their order. Alec slyly asks for a plate of fries, flashing Emily a knowing wink. The fact that he remembered her favorite food made her smile happily.

Once the waiter's gone, he faces her again. "Hey. So. How've you been?" he asks. 'Hehe. How've I been? Boy, where can I start?' she thought sarcastically.

"I've been good," she said instead.

"Oh. Hey. Listen," he calls, serious all of a sudden. "I'm really sorry about what happened…with your mom and dad." Emily's features fall. When he heard, he was genuinely shocked, and hated the fact that he'd found out several days later! "I wish I was there-"

"It's okay," she smiles dismissively. "I got your letter. It was really sweet." Alec eyed her sympathetically, but was smart enough not to enforce the topic.

"How's Jer and Elena?"

"They're good. Jer'll be really excited to know you're back."

"Yeah. I'm definitely gonna call him up. I actually ran into Tucker." Emily listened with interest, and for a while, they continued to discuss old friends and reminisce.

XXX

"Damon. Where are you going?" Stefan demanded.

"It's been an hour. I'm gonna go pick her up," he says nonchalantly. Stefan zoomed to the door to block him.

"Damon. Stop. You're being ridiculous. You can't decide who she can and can't see."

"I'm not. I'm making sure she doesn't kill anyone," Damon smiles in mock. "Now. Get the hell out of my way."

XXX

"So. You seeing anyone?" Alec semi-casually asked. Emily's expression went slightly blank.

"Ummm." 'Damon. No! I'm not seeing Damon! I mean…No…' "Not exactly," she uncertainly replied. Alec cocked a brow.

"Not exactly? What kinda relationship is that?" he smirked humorously, despite growing slightly wary.

"Hehe. Yeah. It's. Not. Uh. No one."

"No, come on," he encouraged. She shook her head and smiled.

"No. Really. It's…" 'It's what?' "too complicated. I don't wanna get into it. You go." Not wanting to push, Alec humored her.

"Well. I did. For a bit." Despite her interested expression, he was hesitant to go on. "Her name was Sarah, but, uh, then we broke off," he pursed his lips. Emily frowned.

"Aw. Why?" 'Why?' Alec thought sarcastically.

"Well. To be honest. Ieee couldn't stop. Comparing her…to you…"

…Emily's heart jumped, and brows raised.

"Emily," he placed his hand on hers. 'I just. Have to tell her.' "I know we…broke off, because of the long distance thing, but…I really miss you. You're…an amazing person, and, I may have lived a short life," he smirks, then his expression hardens, "but if there's one thing I regret, it was having to leave you behind."

'Oh god,' her mind uttered in shock. "Alec…" she breathed, a conflicted look in her eyes.

He said nothing more, but studies those green eyes intently, searching for a sign, something that said she felt the same way. He glanced at her lips, and remembered how good they felt against his.

He leaned in.

'Oh my god!' her brain exclaimed as her heart further raced. Unintentionally, and in blame of romantic, past memories,

she leaned in too.

XXX

"Damon," Stefan called. Damon, who'd returned about fifteen minutes later without Emily, ignored him as he entered his room. "Damon!" Stefan repeated, only to be ignored again as the latter shut the door, loudly. Stefan stepped in regardless. "Where is she?" he asked worriedly. Damon chuckled coldly.

"She, hehe. Yeah. Get out," he said, grabbing a bottle from atop a side drawer and taking a large swig. Stefan's concern only grew, but for a different reason then.

"What happened?"

"I said," Damon faced him again,

murder in his eyes.

"Get.

Out."

XXXXX