Disclaimer: See prologue

AN: yay my own computer again!

… … …

Has someone taken your faith?

It's real, the pain you feel

The life, the love, You'd die to heal

The hope that starts

The broken hearts

You trust, you must confess

Is someone getting the best

The best, the best, the best of you?

Kenzie was leaning against Damon, his arm still wrapped around her, silent after her confession about the accident. She hadn't said anything as her brain tried to process what she had kept in all this time. When suddenly it hit her and she shot up so fast, it startled even Damon.

"What is it?"

"You almost kissed Elena?"

"What? No. Why would I?"

She shot him a look. "Damon I was awake, I remember coughing because I didn't want you kissing her."

He smirked at her and she was almost relieved to see the old him back, until he opened his mouth. "Look Redbird, if you're jealous-"

"If you finish that? I will rip off your arm and beat you with the soggy end." She ignored his smile. "There was a reason I made you stop because something about her was bugging me."

"What?"

"How could you not pick up on it? She didn't know me."

"What?" he asked again, "Of course she did."

"Elena does, yes, but whomever you were talking to, she didn't have a clue who I was."

"Why would-" He stopped as realization hit him and he pulled out his phone. "Katherine."

He looked at his messages and stood up. "I have to go to the hospital. That's where everyone is."

"Why?" she asked.

"There was an accident, Caroline's in the hospital, John apparently had his fingers cut off and they need to know about Katherine."

She let out a snort of amusement until she realized he was being serious. "Oh, well, I guess I should feel bad."

"Why? I don't."

She smiled at him. "Can you wait a few minutes? I want to go with you."

He rolled his eyes. "Look, we had our little heart to heart, it's over, let's go back to our sarcasm and threats."

"I'm not going for you, genius, I want to check on Caroline and just because you're all bitchy that you got close enough to kiss Elena, only to find out it was Katherine doesn't mean you can take it all out on me."

"I'm not, it's just safer if you stay here for now until I can figure out where Katherine is."

She put her hands on her hips, staring hard at him until she finally nodded. "Fine, tell Caroline I will come see her in the morning."

He nodded, and left with a short goodbye and Kenzie went upstairs, stripping off her gross clothes and stepping into the shower to remove all the soot and the grime she had accumulated. After, she sat in her room, brushing out her hair and getting ready for bed when the doorbell rang. She moved towards the stairs, listening for her father but as usual, he slept through it, he had to be the heaviest sleeper she knew.

She answered, smiling when she saw Elena there. "I thought you were at the hospital."

"I was." She confirmed. "But I wanted to come check on you, you seemed pretty out of it at my place earlier with Damon."

Kenzie kept the smile on her face as she realized who she was speaking with. "I'm fine now."

"Can I come in?"

She stepped back, holding the door open wider and waited.

"Aren't you going to invite me in?" Katherine asked.

"Since when do you need an invite?"

Katherine's smile turned into a smirk as she fixed her steely gaze on the redhead, causing goosebumps to pop up on her skin.

"Smart girl." Katherine told her.

"What do you want?" Kenzie asked.

"To talk. I wanted to get a look at the new player, never thought you would've moved to mystic Falls."

"What are you talking about?"

"You're a Miller, through and through. Totally took me by surprise early and you're Feisty, that's for sure. I sincerely hope you don't think you can fight me. Most people run but obviously they don't get far."

"Leave. Now."

"oh, wouldn't you rather invite me in?" Katherine asked, staring hard into Kenzie's eyes.

Kenzie stared back, letting her face go blank to let Katherine think she had the upperhand. She stepped back as if to let Katherine in. "Well Katherine, how about you… stay out there and I'll stay in here where you can't get me while I call Damon and Stefan?"

Her blank face turned into a cruel smirk, one that was matched by Elena's look alike. "Well, they've already got you set up on vervain, that was quick, considering I had no idea who you were when I got here."

"I have something better." She replied. "Have a great night Katherine."

The smirk turned into a sneer as Kenzie closed the door in her face and she immediately ran upstairs, grabbing her phone to call Damon.

"She was here." She told him as soon as he answered.

"Katherine?"

"Yes, she was here trying to be Elena and when she mentioned seeing me earlier, I figured it out."

"Did you invite her in?"

"Do I look that dumb?" There was a momentary pause until she spoke up again. "You answer that, there will be pain."

"Don't ask questions you don't want to the answer to Redbird." He replied with a chuckle.

"she's not too happy with me, especially when she couldn't compel me."

"Great, another person to worry about."

"How's Caroline?" she asked.

"Alive. Thanks to me and my blood. And everyone is thrilled that Katherine is here."

"I bet." She replied with a small snort.

"I'm leaving here, so don't do anything stupid, I'll talk to you tomorrow."

"Careful Damon, people might start thinking you care." She warned in a teasing voice.

"No one else trades threats quite like you do."

"I'm touched." Came her sarcastic reply.

"As you should be." He shot back before hanging up.

… … …

"Kenz, sweetie, I'm heading over to the Mayor's now, did you need a ride?"

"No." she yelled out to her dad, in the middle of straightening her hair. "I'll get a ride."

"Okay, can you- my tie- your mother was the one…." He trailed off and Kenzie put down her straightener with a sigh as she opened the door to the bathroom, seeing her dad there, holding a tie and looking embarrassed.

"No problem." She softly told him, taking it out of his hand and wrapping it around his neck to tie it for him.

"I'm sorry about your friend." He told her.

She gave a small smile. "Caroline will be fine, she's tough."

She tightened it and took a step back, straightening the tie and making sure he looked presentable. "There, you look great Dad."

"Thanks Sweetie, I'll see you there, okay?"

She nodded and watched him leave before going back in the bathroom to finish her hair. She was just finishing when her doorbell rang and she did a quick once over. Her black dress at a modest length, her hair, almost waist length when straightened, was a sharp contrast to the black she wore and the makeup was minimal, natural looking.

The doorbell rang again and she rolled her eyes, opening the bathroom door and letting out a small eep of surprise before lifting an arm and whacking Damon on the shoulder.

"You know, me inviting you in doesn't mean you can just open the door and mosey on in whenever you damn well please."

"Mosey?" He asked with a small snort of amusement. "Your hair is straight."

"Yes, there's this magical thing, it's called a straightener and it was brought to us by this even more amazing thing called technology."

He rolled his eyes. "Let's go."

"I thought Elena was coming to get me."

"I told her I would, now let's go."

She motioned for him to lead the way and went out to his car.

"So why did you come get me?"

He shrugged. "Got tired of Stefan glaring at me. He thinks he can take me out, I mean, come on."

"Why would he need to?"

He opened his car door for her and waited until she was inside before closing the door and going around to the other side.

"Something about almost kissing Elena who was really Katherine. He needs to lighten up, I didn't even get to kiss her."

"Well, I guess we know you are in love with Elena or are you in love with Katherine?"

He shot her a glare.

"Maybe both?" she mused, tapping a finger against her chin. She knew she was pissing him off but as always, she didn't care. Despite what Elena claimed she wasn't too worried about Damon killing her. Maybe because a part of her knew he wouldn't or perhaps because a part of her was telling the truth when she said it to Elena, she didn't care. She didn't know for sure.

"Katherine is a bitch." He told her.

"She's the one who turned you?"

He nodded. "Long story that I'm not telling you."

"Why?"

"Because I said so."

"That's not an answer." she replied.

"Oh look, we're here."

Kenzie rolled her eyes but got out of the car, walking with him up to the Lockwood mansion where Tyler was, greeting people.

"Hey, new girl, Mackenzie, right?"

She smiled at Tyler. "Yes, hi Tyler, I'm sorry this is our first official meeting and I'm sorry about everything."

He gave her a small tight smile as Damon gave a quick raise of his eyebrows before walking past her inside.

"You come with him?" Tyler asked. "Are you guys together?"

"Not in the least. We live to annoy each other."

"Good to know, we should hang sometime."

Kenzie smiled at him not at all puzzled or offended by the fact that he was hitting on her at the wake for his father, only because when she was in his place, she wasn't exactly in her right mind either.

"That sounds great, I'll see you around Tyler."

She gave his hand a small squeeze walking through the house and paying her respects to Mrs. Lockwood who hugged her and introduced her to the guy beside her, Tyler's Uncle Mason. He shook her hand, all the while leering at her as he looked her up and down and this time she did shake her head. She was pretty sure she was too young for him. She exchanged pleasantries and the moment she could, excused herself to find Damon. She found him talking to Bonnie and knew right away it wouldn't end well. She walked over to them just as he grabbed his head.

"What are you doing?" Kenzie hissed.

Bonnie's concentration broke as she looked at Kenzie in surprise. "Kenzie? How are you feeling?"

"Oh, you mean after I ended up in a burning building with a bunch of captured vampires because you didn't do what you said you would." Damon had told her everything that happened and she was really not too keen on Bonnie at the moment. If not for her lying, Damon would not have been incapacitated, causing her interference, her concussion and all that lovely smoke inhalation.

The witch lifted her chin in defiance. "I did what I had to do."

"No, you did what you wanted to do." Kenzie snapped.

Bonnie's eyes narrowed as she squared off against Kenzie, both girls had their hands on their hips as Damon glanced around to make sure no one had noticed them only because he had a front row seat and he did want to see Kenzie go off on someone that wasn't him. She intrigued him to no end.

"There's a lot you don't know Kenzie. You showed up here in the middle of it all and seem to think you know everything about everyone here but you don't. They're Vampires, they kill people and Damon will only hurt you one day just because he feels like it. He has hurt and killed a lot of people before you showed up, he's even tried something on you or have you already conveniently forgotten that? He-"

Kenzie held up a hand to stop the Witches rant. "All everyone talks about is how evil Damon is and you're probably all right but the fact of the matter is, he has saved me three times. Three times! While you've almost gotten me killed and what are the chances that Caroline's accident wasn't tied into all this somehow?"

"Actually it was, somehow the device affected Tyler." Damon interjected, causing Kenzie to turn to him with wide eyes to make sure he was speaking the truth. She couldn't really tell with him but looking back at Bonnie, the guilt was undeniable on her face.

"Un-fucking-believable." Kenzie muttered.

"This all happened because of Damon, Kenzie, maybe you should get the whole story first before you start placing blame."

"Before I start placing blame? Are you being serious? You almost got me killed and if that happens, fire is not the way I want to go out, you twat."

Behind her, Damon snickered.

"Then maybe you shouldn't be hanging out with Vampires." Bonnie hissed, narrowing her eyes.

"Oh really? and you're okay if you kill Elena because she hangs out with Vampires? And what are you going to tell Caroline when she realizes she's in the hospital because of you."

"And you're going to tell her?"

"Why shouldn't I? Would love to see you get yourself out of that one." Kenzie smirked. "Are you so keen on getting rid of all the Vampires you couldn't care less who you hurt?"

"Let's get one thing straight Kenzie, everything that's happened is because of him and if any more innocent blood is spilled, I am coming for him." Bonnie stalked off to talk to Elena and Damon stepped up beside Kenzie.

"I hoped for more… oh I dunno, fireworks? Some fists flying? More harsh words and colorful threats? I'm almost disappointed."

"I'm going for a walk." Kenzie muttered, disappearing out the back and towards the back of the property. She had no idea where she was walking and it was several minutes, perhaps even several hours later when she was finally joined by someone, not at all surprised that it was Damon.

"I thought you would've been here sooner."

"Yeah, well, Elena happened."

"Tried to kiss her again?" she asked with a smirk.

She blinked and all of a sudden Damon was in front of her, grabbing her upper arms tightly.

"You're hurting me." She told him.

"Stop talking about me kissing Elena. It will never happen."

"Let me go." She began to struggle as he tightened his grip.

"You know what she told me? She asked how I couldn't have noticed it wasn't her because she never would have kissed me, like she finds me repulsive, I am not repulsive."

Kenzie looked at him and could tell he was a little unhinged at the moment and she wondered if he would actually hurt her without realizing it. "No you're not repulsive Damon." She quietly told him. "But you need to let me go."

"Then why wouldn't she want to kiss me?" His fingers tightened even more and she made a small noise of pain.

"Damon." Her voice was louder as she tried to break through to him. "Let me go."

"Why wouldn't she kiss me?" Damon shook her, demanding an answer.

"Because she's with your brother, you idiot."

Something clicked back into place behind his eyes and Damon was staring at her, not lost in his own little world and his grip loosened slightly. "so if my brother wasn't around, she'd be with me?" He was there, but it seemed as though he was talking to himself.

"No, she wouldn't." Kenzie replied, gritting her teeth against the pain.

"Why?" Another small shake.

"Because she's too nice. She doesn't get you, she doesn't understand you. You're too dark for her."

"Am I? Is that my problem? I have too much darkness in me?"

"Damon, let me go before I scream." She knew her scream wouldn't be for help but for the pain he was causing without realizing it.

"I'll kill you first." He sneered. "I will snap you're pretty little neck and leave your body for them to find."

She relaxed as she looked hard into his eyes. "Then do it already." She snapped. "You want me dead? Then fucking do it. Go on, snap my neck, see if I care, not like I'll feel it. So since you're so sure you can kill me, do it."

He let her go, almost in shock. When she spoke about dying, about him killing her, she honestly didn't care. She really wasn't hiding fear, she just didn't fear death and for some reason, that puzzled him even more than the whole Elena debacle.

"Well?" She prompted.

"Don't tempt me." He snapped at her.

"I am and still nothing is happening." She shot back, stepping forward to poke him in the chest.

He grabbed her pushing her back against the nearest tree with his vampire speed. "What did I tell you about poking me?"

"What did I tell you about not caring?" She snarled back, her eyes blazing with anger.

Before she could process it, lips came crashing down on hers and Kenzie froze, momentarily shocked by his surprisingly soft lips on hers and she couldn't stop her eyes from drifting shut as she started to return the kiss.

Then he was gone and she opened her eyes to see Damon had been thrown yards away from her and there was a Vampire currently stalking towards her. Her eyes widened in surprise as she pushed herself back against the tree, unable to go anywhere. He moved too fast for her to see and he was right in front of her, his fangs bared as his face changed. She didn't close her eyes, just stared at him as he came closer. By this time, Damon had stood up and ran back to her, grabbing the vampire and throwing him away from her. She blinked and looked around as the two vampires fought until her eyes came to rest on a branch, she leaned over to pick it up, calling Damon's name as she did. He looked over and she tossed him the branch which he caught and in one fluid motion, turned and staked the vampire. The vampire seemed to shrivel as though he was being dehydrated before he fell to the ground.

Damon softly swore, glancing back at her before picking up the body and stowing it away in some bushes, making sure it was covered. He grabbed her arm and started pulling her away.

"What are you doing? It's dead."

"Taking you back where there are people so I can deal with the body."

"I thought they'd all be dead from the fire."

"Then it was obviously one who wasn't part of their plan." He suddenly stopped and grabbed her, turning her to face him. "What is wrong with you?"

"What?" she asked in confusion.

"You just stood there."

"So?" She dully replied. "It would've killed me either way."

He closed his eyes, his nostrils flaring as he tried to reign in his temper. "Do you have a death wish?"

She just raised an eyebrow at him, ignoring his question in order to ask one of her own. "Why did you kiss me?"

"Because I felt like it, I don't need a reason for everything I do."

"Know what I think?"

"Enlighten me." He told her, sarcasm heavy in his voice.

"Because you're pissed off that Elena rejected you so you wanted to lash out somehow. But you're not using me to try to make her jealous because it won't work, she won't be. So don't do it again, you're not using me for that reason. I'm going home."

She extracted herself from his grip and calmly walked away.

Damon stared after her, unsure of what to make of her. He didn't know the answer to her question. He just did things because he felt like it. He sighed, figuring it would be best to go back inside and deal with the enigma that was Mackenzie Miller later but he stopped when he smelt blood. Someone was bleeding and he followed the scent to find Stefan and Elena sitting on a bench, his shirt lifted as she pressed a cloth to a wound.

"Ooh, cover up Fabio."

They both looked up and Stefan put down his shirt with a small scowl.

"What happened?" Damon asked his younger brother.

"Katherine happened."

"oh, We got a crazy ex on the loose." He smirked at Elena." You better watch out, looks like Katherine is trying to steel your guy." He grinned at his own pun.

"That's not what's happening."

"Isn't it?" Damon asked. "I mean it's only fair since I went after your girl."

Elena stood up and glared at Damon "I'm gonna go check on Jenna and Jeremy. Let me know when you guys are done."

"You might want to check on Redbird." Damon advised her.

"What did you do?" Elena's eyes narrowed.

"Nothing, except save her from a vampire. You think they all would've been toast by now, unless Katherine sent him."

"Is she okay?"

"For the most part." Damon vaguely replied.

Elena glared at him before running off to check on everyone and Damon turned to his brother.

"So what's it gonna be huh? Fight to the death?" He lifted his fists, ready to fight, causing Stefan to let out a small snort. "Go ahead, make your threats, stake your claim."

"I'm not going to fight you." The taller brother replied.

"Why?" Damon asked in confusion. "I'd fight me."

"Katherine is gonna try to play us against each other, you do know that right?"

Damon smirked. "Brother, don't you worry, our bond is unbreakable."

"We need to stay united against her. So yes, as much as I would like to kill you, I'm not gonna fight you." Stefan told him.

"I tried to kiss Elena, damn well would have succeeded if Redbird didn't start hacking up a lung because she figured out it wasn't her."

"Kenzie figured that out first?" It was news to Stefan. "How could she do that and you couldn't?"

"Because Redbird is a new player in this game and Katherine had no idea who she was, so something clicked in Red's head. Personally I just think she's jealous."

Stefan gave his brother an appraising look. "You feel something for her."

"Elena? I think we already got that part covered." Damon reminded him.

"No, Kenzie. You feel something, don't you?"

"Yes, she's a great verbal sparring partner and I like that she's not nice, unlike every other person around here."

"That's not what I meant."

Damon smirked and gave a small shrug. "Well that's all that I meant."

"It's good that you feel something for her and for Elena, because you actually care and I'm not gonna let Katherine come in here and destroy that part of you that is finally, after all of this time, willing to feel something. She will try to break you, she will try to break us and how we respond to that will define us. It's our choice. So no, I'm not gonna fight you."

Stefan left, leaving Damon to ponder over his thoughts once more.

… … ….