A/N: So the last one was just episode nine and this chapter is just episode ten. Okay maybe eleven too. I couldn't help myself. Alexandra and Damon just needed to get back on track to the relationship boat.

Chapter Seven

Alexandra

Elena came down the stairs, very excited I might add. "Jeremy has his sketch pad out!"

"You're kidding," I ask. Elena shakes her head.

"Alright, the minute we encourage it, he'll put it away."

"Psychology major, check that." Jenna walks out of the room for a minute.

"I hope you don't mind but I told Jenna about what happened with Damon. Just not the vampire stuff."

"It's fine. She hasn't even brought it up. Maybe later when you're not around." Elena shrugs.

"Are you alright? Bonnie and I did hear every word you said. You sounded really upset."

"I'm fine. I just want to stake him in the stomach." Elena chuckles. "I'm alright 'Lena. Promise."

"If you're sure." I nod and walk away.

School was boring as always. I learned that Stefan was leaving, for at least a hundred years. It's not fun. I'm sure Damon is going with him since he doesn't have the crystal to open the tomb. Maybe he'll give up on it. I hope so.

Though it was ironic when I was walking with Bonnie and Elena today. Bonnie asked what kind of future could she of had with Stefan if he stayed and the banner that was being hung up, fell in front of us. The funny thing was the banner said, 'The Promise of Your Future.'

All day though, Bonnie was making snarky comments about Damon and being a vampire who only cares about blood and that he would use anyone to get what he needed for surviving. I felt the unbelieveable need to defend him even though I was hurt by being so naive with him.

I saw Stefan and Elena talking after school in the courtyard. I walk up and intercept their coversation.

"Must be a new one. We aren't sloppy. Sending a message maybe?"

"New vampire?" I ask. He nods. "You two can't leave now. We can't defend ourselves and I know you care about us and this town."

"That's what we are going to do."

"And you're sure it's not Damon?" Elena asks. I was hurt that she would even ask that but I understand why.

"I'm sure. He was surprised when he was told. Damon is tracking them right now." I nod.

"I'm going to go to the car, 'kay?"

"I need to talk to Stefan real quick. I'll be there in a second." She walks away and Stefan stares at her retreating form.

"Alright, what's up?"

"Are you sure it's not Damon?"

"I'm sure. Why?"

"Well cause I yelled at him a bunch and I doubt he liked that. I just don't want him acting impulsively."

"He's just drinking himself into a spur."

"Binge drinking, really? Alright. That's cool. I guess I should go now. Thanks for telling me." I start to walk away when Stefan stops me.

"Do you want to ask him how he is yourself without seeing him in person?" I shrug. He holds out his hand and I give him my phone. He puts Damon's number in my phone and gives it back.

"Thanks." He smiles and I walk away.

Career night is supposed to be fun and is supposed to be insightful.

It's not.

It's boring and I don't want to be here anymore. I want to go home but of course, then Elena doesn't have a ride home so I have to stay. I was thinking about just picking up the phone and asking Damon to pick me up or get Stefan to drive me home. Instead I found my safety net. Logan Fell, also known as Logan Scumfell. Not sure why I agreed to the ride but I did and the next thing I knew I was knocked unconsious.

When I woke up, I found I was in an unfamiliar room. I tried sitting up but my head hurt as soon as I tried.

"Hey, hey, hey. Lay back down. You're okay." I heard those deep blues tell me.

"Damon?" I look at him, the first clear thing I see.

"You're safe now, don't worry." He brushes the hair out of my face and starts wiping my forehead.

"Why are you wiping at my forehead? And why does it hurt so badly?"

"Logan Fell pushed your head into the window and you started bleeding. You're okay. I've got some painkillers and some water for you." I nod.

"Where am I?"

"The boarding house."

"Where in the boarding house?"

"My bedroom." I tried to stop it, I really did, but I just couldn't stop my heart from beating into overdrive, my cheeks and neck reddening. He could hear it all. I sit up and he helps me. I close my eyes and lean my head back into his pillows. They smell like him, like that isn't creepy at all. The air is wafting toward my nose and, yeah, it's stupid.

"Damon, am I really okay?"

"Yes you are."

"Where's my sister?"

"On the other side of the house with Stefan. I really don't even want to know what they are doing. I should just leave, take you home."

"It's okay. I don't mind being here." I lay back and settle into his bed. I pat the side next to me and he's hesitant to lay down but he does. "Thank you for helping me." I look into his eyes and he nods. I place my hand on his cheek and let it sit there, my thumb moving back and forth on his cheekbone. He's stiff, not wanting this to go any further. It doesn't but it could. "Damon?"

"Allie."

"Why did you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Bite Bonnie."

He sighs. "Because I was pissed. Because I wanted that crystal and a witch to do the spell to open the tomb and let her out."

"Are you sure she's even in there?" He doesn't answer. "Now is the time to be truthful Damon."

He groans and turns over to lay on his back. "Yes. No. I don't know, okay? I just want her back. I don't know what I'll do if she's not in there."

"I hope, for your sake, that she is. Can you get me some water?" I ask him. He nods and goes downstairs to get it. I start to wonder around his room, loving the fact that he brought me in here and not let me wake up in the living room. Though, all of the happy emotions pass rather quickly when I see a picture of me, yet it says Charlotte 1864 under it.

Oh my goodness, that's Charlotte. Am I just a replacement for the real thing?

I rush out of the room and out of the boarding house in fright. I get in the truck and start it. Thank God Elena left the keys in here. I start it and drive off. I'm wiping away at my tears as I see a man standing in the middle of the road. I gasp and try to swerve but he stands right in the middle of my path again. I close my eyes but feel the truck flipping over twice. At least I think it was. The glass from the wind shield is splayed everywhere from the force of impact.

I'm upside down and I see large, black, heavy boots come my way. I scream yet nothing attacks me. I open my eyes and see a face. I scream again.

"How are you doing under there?" It's Damon. "You look stuck."

"It's my seatbelt," I sob.

"I want you to put your hands on the roof." I drop my hands and left them hit the roof of the car. I hiss as I feel the cuts on my hands sting. My face is bloody but it's probably just one or two scratches. "Yeah, just like that. I'm going to get you out. You ready?" I nod best I can and he reaches it, grabbing the seatbelt. "One, two, three." On three he pulls and drags me out of the car. "Are you okay? Can you stand?" I shake my head. A no to both questions. "What hurts, Allie?" He asks, carefully picking me up under my shoulders and knees.

It was my heart that hurt. "I look like her."

When I woke, the sun was shining in my eyes. I sit up and hold my head. Man, it hurts.

"Morning," Damon says smiling genuinally.

"Where are we?" I ask as I realise that we are in a car, his I presume, and I don't recognise anything as Mystic Falls.

"Georgia," He says casually.

"Georgia? No, no, no, no, seriously Damon. Where are we?"

"Seriously, we're in Georgia." His face turns serious. "How are you feeling?" I was confused. Then it all came back. Car crash, man getting hit, putting himself back together. Oh no. "There are no broken bones. I checked myself." He smirks quickly then goes back into his serious mood.

"Headache and some stinging in places. Where's my truck?"

"I pulled it off to the side of the road. Into a ditch."

"I was driving away, that man. Who was that?"

"That's what I want to know."

"He was a vampire, wasn't he?" Damon just nods and continues looking at the road. "And you don't know him?"

"If I've never met him, I wouldn't know him. I mean, it's not like we all hang out together at The Vamp Bar and Grill." He smirks and I sigh.

"Where's my phone?" No response. "Seriously, Damon?" Nothing, not a peep. "Pull over. Seriously pull over Damon."

He groans. "I liked you better when you were asleep." He pulls over, thank goodness.

"Oh hush and give me my phone." He didn't. I rolled my eyes and opened the door. I got out slowly, starting to strech when dizziness overwhelmed me and pain in my back, made me stay hunched over. I look up and I see Damon right next to me, supporting me, helping me stand up. "It's okay, Damon. I'm good. Just a little sore and dizzy." He still keeps his grip on my body, helping me stand incase I faint or fall over. "We've got to go back. I can't be in Georgia. I wrecked my car, I have to go back. Like now."

"Well you're in Georgia. I could very easily make you agreeable."

"What are you trying to prove?" I ask. Then I hear the familiar ringtone of my cell phone. "That's my cell phone," I say. I hear it again and I see that it's in his front pocket. Awesome.

"It's your sister." He holds up his finger to silence my protest. "Allie's phone." Shoot, I didn't tell her about the nickname he gave me. Eh, she'll figure it out herself. She's smart. "Allie, yeah she's right here. And yes she is," He pauses. "just fine," he finishes with an innuendo at the end. "She wants to speak with you."

I shake my head. "No. I'm good." I tell him.

"Well I'm sorry Elena, she just doesn't want to talk to you. You have a good day. Mhmm, bye now." He ends the call and put my phone back into his pocket.

"Look, no one knows where I'm at. Can we please just go back?"

"We're almost there."

"Where is there, Damon?" I ask, exasperated.

"A little place outside of Atlanta. Come on, Allie." He grabs my hands in his and holds them as he speaks. "You don't want to go back now, do you? What's the rush?" I look away. "Time out, trust me. Five minutes. Your problems will still be there when we get back home."

I sigh. "Am I going to be safe with you?"

"Yes."

"Do you promise not to do that freaky mind control thing?"

"Yes."

"Can I trust you?"

"Get in the car."

"Damon! Can I trust you?" He just pats the seat next to him as he closes his door. I get in and we go to the little place right outside of Atlanta.

We pull up across the street to an old bar. The top of the bar read, Bree's in neon lights. He actually hands me my phone back.

"You brought me to a bar? Damon, they're not going to let me in."

"Sure they will." He smirks and we get out and go to the inside of the bar.

"No." The woman from behind the bar says. She's olive toned, like Bonnie, with curly, shoulder length, black hair. "No it can't be." She hops onto the bar and swings her legs over. "Damon, my honey pie." She walks up to him, places her hands on either cheek and pulls him in for a long kiss. My jaw drops. I can't help the slight twang of jealousy that rises from deep in my stomach. I've only ever felt jealousy once before and that was when I figured out that Charlotte and I look alike. Somehow she, Charlotte, is much prettier than I.

I walked to the bar. She poured shots, dedicated to the man to that broke her heart, crushed her soul, destroyed her life, and ruined any and all chances of happiness for her. The one and only Damon Salvatore.

"Is she always like this?" I ask. He nods, smirking.

"So, how'd he rope you in?"

"I'm not roped in."

"Honey, if you're not roped, your whipped. Either way, just enjoy the ride!" She was carefree and fun. I loved her already, even though she kissed Damon that intensely in front of me. What would she of done if I was his girlfriend? The possibilities.

"So how did you two meet?"

"College." Damon actually answered this one.

"You went to college?" I ask laughing. This has to be a joke.

"I've been on a college campus, yes."

"About twenty years ago, when I was just a sweet young freshman, I met this beautiful man and fell in love. And then he told me about his little secret, just made me love even more. Because you see, I had a little secret of my own that I was dying to share with someone."

"She's a witch," Damon whispers loudly into my ear.

"Changed my world."

"I rocked your world."

"He is good in the sack, isn't he?" I shrugged.

"Never had the chance to find out," I say surprised us three. Mostly Damon. "So what is it you want?" She asks Damon, bringing him out of his thoughts. Surprised that I wouldn't mine my world getting rocked by the one and only Damon Salvatore? So am I.

My phone started ringing right then and I checked the caller I.D. "It's Jenna." I tell Damon. I go outside and take it. "Aunt Jenna, I'm so sorry."

"Where are you? Why didn't you call?"

"I'm was just so tired that I fell asleep at Care's last night and then I just wanted to get to school early this morning."

"Well are you okay?"

"I am. I think I'm going to stay over at Care's again. I just don't want to go home at the moment. Elena and I are somewhat iritated at each other." I somewhat lied. "I'm going to go, okay? I'll talk to you later."

"Alright, I love you."

"You too Aunt Jenna." I end that call and transfer over to Elena's sudden incoming call. "Elena."

"Alexandra, oh my goodness, finally. Are you okay? Where are you? Stefan and I will come and get you."

"Your truck is wrecked, how are you going to get here?"

"Stefan has a car." I roll my eyes. "Where are you?"

"I'm fine. I'm with Damon. I think I'm safe."

"You must be compelled," she's worried and angry. Two emotions I hate when it comes to Elena.

"I'm not, he promised."

"And you just believe him?"

"Elena, if you haven't noticed, he doesn't want me to get hurt or feel bad. Why would he compel me?"

"Because you look like Charlotte! I saw the picture! That's why he wants you."

"Screw you, Elena," I tell her before hanging up. I sigh and take deep breaths.

"Are you okay?" Damon asks. I jump. I should be used to the vampire speed but I'm not.

"Don't pretend to care."

"Hey," He takes my face in his hands, stroking under my eyes with his thumbs to the point of closing them. "I'm not pretending," he whispers into my face, his breath fresh, with the slight smell of alcohol. I pull my face away from his, as much as it pains me. I just want to move a couple inches and press my lips to his but I resist.

"Let's go back inside. It's chilly," I say, as the wind blows past us. He nods and we go back inside. He puts his jacket around my shoulders, making sure I'm not cold anymore. We sit back down and I see burgers waiting for us. "So let's say I'm related to Charlotte. Does that make me part vampire?"

"Vampires can't procreate. Though we love to try." I smile and nudge him.

"If you were related then it would mean she or Katherine, maybe them both, must have had a baby before they were turned."

"Did you want me to replace Charlotte till you got her out of the tomb?" I ask, taking the pickles out of my burger.

"I don't know. But when I saw you, I was attracted to the looks at first. Then you opened your mouth and cared. You're nothing like Charlotte." I looked at him. "Well first of all she's a bitch and selfish and only ever wants to play games, preferably mind games, and hook up. You. Well it's hard to explain with you. From the first moment I spoke to you, saw you even, you cared. You never judged and were selfless. You always care about everyone else's needs before your's. You say please and thank you. It's refreshing to see."

"I'm glad you think so highly of me."

"I don't see how anyone else couldn't."

"There are those people. Trust me."

"Well I don't believe it." He notices the pickles on my plate and takes them. "How can you not like pickles?"

" 'Lena doesn't like them either."

"How do you not like pickles?"

"They're sour then bitter. It's gross. Besides, how can you even eat when you're supposed to be, you know."

"Dead?" He mutters beside me. I nod. "It's not such a bad word Allie. As long as I keep a healthy diet of blood in my system, my body functions pretty normally."

There's a pregnant pause before I talk again. "This nice act, is any of it real?"

"How much of it do you want to be real? Thanks," he says to Bree as she hands him another beer.

"I'll have one too." Damon looks at me like I'm crazy. "Time out remember? Five minutes? Well this five minutes is going to need a beer. But the answer to your question, all of it. I want all of it to be real."

"That's three!" I laugh. I looked at Damon and saw alcohol dribbling down his chin. Out of instinct, I used my thumb to wipe it off. "Do you need a bib?" I tease.

"Well I'm sorry I can't unhinged my jaw like a snake." I laugh and turn back to Bree.

"Another round Bree?"

"Honey, you should be on the floor." An older blonde woman said next to me.

"My tolerance is like way, up, here!" I say, jumping each time to show how high my tolerence is. "Oops. 'Lena's calling. Hello?" I answer.

"Alexandra? Did Damon get you drunk?"

"Nope," I pop the 'p' as I say it, then giggle. "Hold on, it's loud in here." I walk outside and end up dropping my phone ending the call. "Aw shit." It really surprised me when an arm came up around my waist and another to my mouth, holding me still. I struggle against him but can't get away since I'm drunk.

A few minutes later, after I'm atop some structure behind the bar, Damon comes out looking for me.

"Damon, no!" I shout. The mysterious stranger hits him in the back of the head with a metal pipe. I climb down the structure he put me on and went to them as he started pouring gasoline on Damon. "Stop! Please!" I plead with him. He doesn't stop. Fear is setting in and I'm getting more and more sober by the second.

"Who are you?" Damon asks.

"That's perfect. You have no idea." He continued to splash gasoline over Damon.

"What are you talking about? What did he do this time?"

"He killed my girlfriend. What did she do to you, huh? What did she do?"

"Nothing," Damon says, spitting up gasoline.

"You're going to have to be more specific."

"My girlfriend went to visit Stefan a month back and Damon killed her, got it?"

"Lexi? Lexi was your girlfriend?" He doesn't respond. "Please, please don't do this!" He grabs a lighter out of his back pocket. Before he drops it, I say, "she loved you. She told me, 'when it's real you cant walk away'."

"Well that's a choice you're not going to have to make."

"Don't, don't, don't!" I say quickly. "Please don't hurt him." He flicks the lighter on.

"I'm doing you a favor."

"Lexi loved you. And she was good, that means you're good too. Be better than him. Don't do this. I'm begging you." Damon is laying on his stomach, drenched in gasoline, and coughing. He picks Damon up by the collar and throws him into the large garage door on the other side of the lot. "Thank you," I say.

"It wasn't for you." He's gone in two seconds. I run to Damon and check to see if he's okay.

"Oh my God. You better be okay, or else I'm so kicking your ass. This is why you don't kill people Damon! God, you're such an idiot sometimes." I help him up and carry him to the nearest motel and grab his card so I can check in. Just so he can shower.

He gets out of the shower and comes out wearing on the towel. Luckily he has a spare set of clothes at all times in his car so he changed into those after I got them out of the trunk for him.

While he was in the shower, the guilt for being away so long starts to eat at me. I don't like lying to Jenna and I'm sure Elena is pissed but keeping my secret. I just feel guilty and I don't like it. I want to go home and tell Jenna and not feel guilty anymore.

Damon could tell something was wrong when he came out of the bathroom, dressed in his spare.

"Thank you." He says sitting next to me. I nod and I keep looking down. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Do I need to force it out of you?" I sigh and turn to him.

"Have you ever just felt guilty for, like being out too late, lying to your mom, something like that?"

"Lying to my mom, yes. But that was a long time ago. Why? Do you feel guilty about being here with me?"

"Not being here specifically, I like spending time with you, it's just I lied to Jenna all afternoon and I just want to go home and come clean. I don't like lying to her. I can't. I'm surprised she bought my story today."

"Do you see what I mean about selfless and caring, now? You're all of that rolled up into one amazing person, who just so happens to be attractive too." I chuckle.

"Can you just like help me not feel guilty? Just like distract me. Talk to me. Something."

"Well we need to say goodbye to Bree before we head out, want to do that now?"

"Yeah, let's do that." He nods and we get up to leave. I'm glad he doesn't try to be sexual with me to distract me. The realization hit me. "I saved your life." I say. He turns from the door and smiles.

"That you did."

"We're back!" I shout as we walk into the boarding house. "Time to get back to the drama of our lives," I whisper to Damon. He chuckles and walks to the living room to pour himself some bourbon.

"Stefan's room is up those stairs and the third door down."

"Thanks. For everything, Damon." He smirks going back to his stupid cocky attitude. I roll my eyes and smile back. I can't help it. I go the way he showed me and I found his room and I knock. Elena is here and she opens the door. She pulls me into a hug and lets me into the room.

"Are you okay?" This is the first thing she asks? Really?

"Yes Elena. Damon was a gentleman and didn't take advantage of me. He was nice and explained a lot of vampire stuff. I actually had fun." I can already see Damon smirking and saying 'see, I can be a nice person too' since he's always cocky. "Okay, explain everything. Elena said something was important when she called and we were on our way home." And Damon actually had the nerve to kill Bree. She was with Lexi's boyfriend though, telling him we were there.

Stefan explained that he saved us both from Wickery Bridge and that we wre adopted.

"Adopted?" Elena says, not believing it for a second. Grayson and Miranda Gilbert are our parents, they have to be.

"We are not adopted."

"Yes you are. I'm sorry you had to find out like this but it was the only time to tell you. There was no record of Miranda being pregnant with you two. Her's and Grayson's names were on the birth certificate but no other records."

Tears are in my eyes waiting to be shed. I step out of the room and lean against the wall opposite from the door. Elena came out a minute later and we started to leave. She walked out the door first and I turned back as I heard my name, nickname, being said. My teary eyes meet Damon's clear ones and I lose it. I leave and Elena and I drive home as best we can.

We walk in and Jenna is immediately on my ass about not being here for two days.

"I don't make a lot of rules, Alexandra. I know you're growing up and you need space, but two days I haven't seen you. Where were you? Why would you lie about being at Caroline's?"

"Now is not the time Jenna." I've never called her just Jenna to her face before. Always Aunt Jenna.

"Don't do that. Don't turn your back on me, I haven't done anything."

"Okay, question. Are Elena and me adopted?" Jenna is frozen in her spot. That's all I need. "I trust you to tell me the truth too, Jenna."

"Your parents, they told me not to."

"I don't want to hear it," I say running up the stairs to my bedroom, where I slam the door, loudly. I wipe at the tears in my eyes and walk forward, my head kept down. Someone or something holds my shoulders and I jump and look up, my eyes meeting with deep blues. I lose it again and fall into his arms and cry till I can't any longer.