Hi guys - thanks for the amazing response to this story! I hope you enjoy this chapter :)

As always I owe ArabellaWhitlock thousands for her help. Thanks Wifey!

I own nothing - except my very own copy of TVD season 2 :D

Firework

Party On

My nightmare was different that night. It started out the same as always. I was running through the woods looking for him, calling his name as I did, but I still couldn't find him. After a while I realised that something was stalking me. This time when it came for me it wasn't Victoria or Laurent or James. It was a man with bright blue eyes and a dark smirk.

Gasping for air I sat upright in my bed. God, those eyes had really done a number on me, I thought as I climbed out of bed and into the shower.

It wasn't until I was dressed and ringing Charlie's phone that I realised that I hadn't woke up screaming for once.

"Chief Swan speaking." Charlie answered his desk phone officially.

"Hey dad."

"Hi kiddo, how are you?" Charlie said his voice warm, I could hear the smile in it down the line.

"I'm good thanks, how are you, you eating properly?" I asked with a smile, though I was worried that he was just eating junk now that I'd gone.

"Don't worry so much Bells, I'm going to Billy's for dinner, I'm fine. So how was last night? Did you go out with Elena yet?" Dad asked me, hope in his voice.

"Yup, we went to the Grill, which is this bar in town where everyone hangs out. It was good, I met Elena's friends. And we're having a girls day out shopping today as well." I knew why my dad had sent me here, he was hoping that I'd do the normal teenage thing, and he reckoned that Alaric would encourage that. So I'd make sure that my dad knew I was doing exactly as he wanted me to.

"That's great kid. You got enough money? I can send you some?" Dad asked me and again I could hear his excited smile down the line.

"I'm good thanks." I told him, as I remembered to give Alaric his money back from last night.

"Well you enjoy yourself kid. And give me a ring at some point yeah?"

Reassuring Charlie that I'd do just that I hung up with a smile. I loved my dad so much, but he was transparent at times, he really was.

"Bella! You up?!" I heard Jeremy shouting from downstairs, breaking me out of my thoughts with a smile.

"Coming!" I shouted back before heading down to join him.

When I reached the kitchen I was stunned and happy to see Elena, Bonnie, Caroline, Jeremy, Alaric and Jenna. And a huge stack of pancakes. Everyone was stood around the counters eating laughing and joking.

"Morning! Come and help yourself." Jenna smiled at me as she stood next to Alaric with a modest pile of pancakes on her plate.

"Morning." I said while doing just that, the pancakes looked and smelt amazing, and there was every topping that anyone could possibly want or need. "Jenna, this looks delicious!" I beamed at her, starting to lose some of my shyness around the family.

"Thanks, but I'm not the cook, that would be Elena and Bonnie." Jenna smiled at the two girls in question. "I'm more of a microwave technician."

"Well then, Elena, Bonnie, this looks delicious." I grinned before tucking into my own stack.

"Here Bella, some coffee for you." Alaric put a cup in front of me. I smiled thankfully at him before taking a sip.

Uh! The coffee was vile! I made a face and pushed it away from me, it tasted like it had chilli in it or something.

"Something wrong?" Alaric asked me studying my face and my reaction.

"Erm... No... It's fine." I said not wanting to be rude and taking another sip. But I couldn't resist pulling the face again, seriously, it tasted like ass.

"It's obviously not fine." Alaric said, a tight smile on his face as he watched me, but his eyes were hard. "What's wrong with it."

"I'm sorry, but it tastes like there's hot sauce or chilli in it." I said apologetically, not wanting to be rude.

"No, just vervain." Alaric said, his eyes still watching me carefully.

"Vervain?" What was vervain? A herb or something? A vitamin supplement? I was at a loss, it was defiantly not something I'd ever heard of.

"Yeah, it's just like a vitamin we all take. And you obviously aren't a fan." Caroline said, her voice light and bouncy, as everyone else looked at me suspiciously. What the hell was going on?

"Er... No, sorry. Maybe I could take it in water or something? But not in my coffee?" I asked, if it was that important to them, then sure I'd take it, but if it made my first coffee of the day taste awful then I was pretty sure I wasn't going to like it in water.

Bonnie reached across Elena and put her hand on my arm, wrapping it round and looking at me very seriously. She pulled away with a smile and shook her head carefully. "No, it's fine, if you don't like it, you don't have to take it. You're fine Bella." She stressed the last sentence. This was starting to get a little weird for my liking. But at least my scar didn't itch like it had last night when she'd shook my hand.

"Good, now here's a fresh cup." Jenna said as they all had a silent conversation between them. Odd.

"So you girls are going shopping today?" Alaric asked, back to his easy going self.

"Yup." Caroline beamed at him while popping the 'p'.

"Good, you got enough money Bella?" He asked me, making a blush travel up my cheeks again.

"Yes thanks, and er... Here, thanks but I didn't need it." I said while pulling the money he'd given me last night through Jenna out of my pocket and trying to give it back to him.

"Keep it." Alaric told me.

"I'm good thanks, I've got my own money." I didn't want him to think that he needed to give me an allowance or something, I could and would take care of myself.

"Bella, follow me for a second would you?" Alaric said, his voice still light as conversation carried on around us, interrupted only by giggles, and deep laughs from Jeremy.

"Sure?" I followed him into the front room, I hoped he wasn't going to give me a hard time about taking money, I'd never be comfortable doing it.

"Look the money thing." Alaric said when we were on our own.

"I can get a job, and I've got a bit saved up, enough for some clothes and a car." I insisted.

"Bella, Charlie hasn't told you about the inheritance has he?" Alaric asked me.

"Huh?" Was my choice of response.

"When our mom died she left us all, a fair bit of cash, enough so that we don't have to worry. She also left you some. Charlie hasn't told you before, because well, he was going to let you have it when you went to college. But with everything... Well you've got it now. Here." Alaric handed me a credit card. "Don't worry about getting a job, you're not going to need one till well after college, even if you buy five cars and a pony." Alaric grinned at me as I accepted it.

"So I've got money?" I asked confused, and more than a bit overwhelmed. I didn't need money, there wasn't much I wanted, except a car or maybe a bike.

"Yeah, you've got money, what I gave you last night was yours, don't worry so much." Alaric's face got a bit more serious as he carried on. "And don't be so quick to turn down some help, we all need it from time to time."

I nodded, still shocked, I didn't know what to say so I just smiled.

"Great, now finish you're breakfast and then you can go shopping." Alaric tried to put on a stern voice that had me laughing, he didn't do stern our authoritative. And I thought I liked that.

~0~

"So this, is the mall." Caroline declared as we pulled up outside the large white building, we had taken her car as it would hold more bags.

"Really Caroline? Bella's new, not stupid." Elena told her friend with an eye roll as I giggled.

"We had them in Washington too you know?" I teased Caroline as well, enjoying this trip so far.

"All right, quit teasing the blonde and let's go shopping shall we?" Caroline laughed with us.

We spent hours looking round the shops, trying on clothes, laughing, joking and getting to know each other further. The only awkward moment was when Caroline asked me if I had a boyfriend. I'd have to get use to this though, it was a normal question, I had to stop freaking out when people asked me it.

"No. I don't." I replied quietly before turning towards a pair of shoes, that while pretty I knew I'd never be able to walk in.

"Right, lunch?" Elena suggested after we were all weighed down with bags. Despite my normal aversion to shopping I'd found that I had enjoyed this, and I'd also brought more things than I'd ever owned before. I now had something resembling a wardrobe.

"Here I'll take the bags to the car, you two get a table, that way we can shop more after!" Caroline exclaimed, taking the bags that I was struggling to carry in two hands with ease. She must have worked out or something. As her hand brushed mine my scar started its weird tingling, I was ignoring it though, it meant nothing other than that I was a freak.

Elena and I found an empty table in the middle of the bustling food court. I was happy to take the weight of my feet, I'd never been out shopping for that long before. And ouch.

"Is there anything else you want while we're doing this?" Elena asked me, her eyes bright as she looked at me across the table. I was already starting to think of her as a close friend, and that was nice, that was what I needed.

"I'd like to take a look at the book store?" I suggested with a shrug.

"Sure, we'll come with you." Elena said with a smile that I was sure meant more to her than it did to me.

"You really don't have to. I get a bit obsessed with books." I smiled at her, letting her off the hook.

Elena just nodded, her eyes on Caroline who was walking to meet us. "Anything else you need?" She asked me.

"I really need to look for a car or something." Could I be really decadent and get both? A car and a bike? That really would be a dream come true.

"We can go to Mike's I bet he has something." Caroline joined in the conversation as she sat to join us.

Three hours later and we pulled onto the forecourt of Mike's, with so many bags jammed into Caroline's car that we had them all packed in tight around us. I never knew shopping could be so much fun. Maybe it was because while Caroline and Elena suggested things they never forced them upon me?

Mike's to me just looked like a regular garage. Men working inside on three cars, a familiar sight that made me feel a pang for my lost friendship with Jake. But dutifully I followed Elena and Caroline down the side of the garage and to the back, where rows of cars, trucks, vans and bikes awaited us. I had to trust more.

"So what are we looking for? A convertible? Or a little Beetle? Sports car? Sedan?" Caroline seemed as excited as I was starting to get.

"I don't know, maybe a convertible?" I hesitated, visions of me speeding along with the top down didn't really mesh with the real me. As much as I wished that was different.

We walked towards the cars when I stopped and started, drool practically hanging from my mouth.

Caroline and Elena stopped with me, I saw them looking from the beauty to me with frowns on their faces, but for once I didn't care what other people thought. It was stunning.

It was black, with light blue lines gliding down the side, and the body... I could dream about that body. But it looked fast, too fast for me to be able to handle that was almost a given.

"Really? I had you figured for a safe kind of girl. Nothing wild like that Bella." A silky smooth voice said next to my ear, breaking my trance.

Damon was stood looking down on me, his blue eyes lit with a smirk that crossed his beautiful face.

"You stalking me?" I asked with a frown, looking for Elena and Caroline who had walked a few rows over to look at some more sensible modes of transport.

"Don't flatter yourself sweetheart." Damon rolled his eyes at me, his smile never leaving his face though. "I'm getting my car looked at, it's making a horrible rattling noise and I'd hate for it to break on me." Damon actually seemed sincere about his car. "What are you doing here though luscious Isabella?"

The way he wrapped his tongue around my full name had shivers dancing up my spine. And that annoyed me. He was annoying. "Fishing with Santa Clause." I replied sarcastically while rolling my own eyes at him.

"Feisty as well as tasty. I'm going to like you Isabella, you're going to be fun." Damon's eyes opened wide, showing those stunning blue eyes of his as he looked down at me, a full grin showing off his teeth had my heart thumping inside my chest.

"Uh-huh." I said while raising my eyebrows, I had a spine and I was going to use it. I had to. I couldn't let myself be talked down to, talked about or walked over anymore. I couldn't. Because if that happened again, I couldn't survive it. And despite what some people had thought I did have some survival instinct. "Well, not for you I'm not going to be. If you excuse me I've got a car to buy." My voice didn't shake, but my legs felt like jelly as I walked away. Why was he so god damn hot? Damn him!

"Maybe I can help you?" Damon suggested, appearing at my side and walking with me.

"Why?" I asked, frowning.

"I'm just that kind of guy." He smirked at me.

"Again, uh-huh." I replied, quite enjoying my conversation with Damon, it was fun and refreshing, almost like talking to Jake again and teasing him, but more somehow.

"Why were you looking at the bike, if you're getting a car? By the way, good taste." Damon complimented me and sounded sincere.

"Thanks, I miss riding, thought maybe I'd get myself one? I guess not though." I said sounding as down about that as I felt. I loved that bike, I'd love to ride that bike, but it wasn't for me. Too much for me. I wasn't made to live life in the fast lane, my clumsiness was more than proof of that, add that to the fact that I was a danger magnet and... Yeah, that bike and I just weren't meant to be.

"Why not?" Damon frowned at me.

"Why do you care?" I frowned back. There was something about him, something I couldn't put my finger on, he reminded me of both Jacob and the Cullen's in his way but something completely different too. A puzzle.

"Because I'm bored and I haven't got anything better to do." He smirked at me again. I looked away blushing, hating my traitorous cheeks for giving me away, I examined the cars around me, but nothing seemed to leap out.

"Well that's a compliment if ever I've heard one." I said sarcastically while rolling my eyes, refusing to look at him again. He was obviously a bit bi-polar and he was very bad news, that much I did know. I also knew I'd been here for three days and had all the new friends I could handle right now. And I was pretty sure I wouldn't be able to handle Damon somehow.

Damon and I walked in silence as we passed car after car, none of them holding even the slightest appeal for me.

"So why did you move in with uncle Ric then?" Damon asked me after a minute or two.

"I needed a change of scenery." I responded, focusing on a nice little silver car that wasn't too bad I supposed.

"Not nearly good enough, too slow for one. Why did you need a change of scenery?"

"Why do you care?" I snapped, could this guy get more annoying? And what was with him anyway, I was a high school girl and he was obviously in his twenties. Perv.

"I told you I'm bored." Damon repeated without a moments hesitation. "Okay, let me guess." He smirked again, I could hear it in his voice.

"Oh please do!" I replied sarcastically, my eyes focusing on a black car ahead that looked promising.

"It's to do with your boyfriend?" Damon's voice was full of glee, coming across almost malicious.

"I don't have a boyfriend." I breathed, my heart though had sank in my chest. I couldn't do this, I couldn't talk about anything to do with him. Not now and not to Damon. Not to anyone, I remanded myself in my head.

"But you did, right?" He was pushing me, testing me, wanting to find out about him. He knew.

"Alaric told you?" I guessed coming to stop in front of the black car, it wasn't as pretty as my bike, wasn't as alluring, but it was certainly better than anything else I'd seen.

"That's right sweetheart." The term of endearment was twisted in Damon's mouth, making it sound more like a profanity than anything else. "That's much better, like I said, you've got taste Isabella." He whispered, his lips at my ear.

I smacked him in the arm and pushed him away. "What's wrong with you? Haven't you ever heard of personal space?" I asked, not nearly as mad as I should have been.

"Of course I have, I was just hoping you wouldn't mind sharing." I looked at him with a frown to see him smiling again, he never gave up or stopped did he?

"Well I do. And Alaric had no right telling you anything." I scowled, but without much heat behind it.

"Ric's my friend, he needed to talk about his poor, broken niece that he'd taken in." Damon's eyes swam with malice and humour. He was enjoying making me mad and upset. Well I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of letting him see me like that, I wouldn't let him see that his words bothered me.

Over the few months since they'd been gone I'd gotten pretty good at wearing a mask to the rest of the world, letting them think that I was fine while really drowning in pain. So to hide, that's what I did again, I put that mask firmly in place.

"Fair enough, though I'd appreciate it if you kept my personal life to yourself." I replied as though I didn't care. My emotions all but shut off.

"You know what they say Isabella?" Damon chuckled next to me as I went to further inspect the car. "The best way to get over a man is to get under another."

I spun to face him, really what was his fucking game? His face held that grin still, those eyebrows raised over his bright blue eyes.

"Did anyone ever tell you that you're cute when you're annoyed?" He smirked at me once more.

"Yeah? Well I'm about to get really fucking adorable!" I fumed, who the hell did this guy think he was and why was he being my stalker? "Now haven't you got to go check up on your car or something?"

"You're right I have, but I was just loving this moment we were having Bella." Damon's eyes opened wide again and he stared deep into mine, his pupils dilating, his voice became lower and more commanding as he spoke again. "Go out with me tonight Isabella."

"No." I replied blankly, like hell I'd be seeing this guy again voluntarily.

"Bella?" I heard Elena call me from a few rows away. I was glad she'd realised I wasn't with them, now maybe Damon would leave me alone?

"Damon get away from her." Caroline was next to us in an instant, it was weird I hadn't heard her walking to us and could have sworn she was still next to Elena. I guess I was just being unobservant.

"Chill, I wasn't hurting her Barbie." Damon bit out, angry over something. I almost giggled at his nickname for Caroline but didn't, I liked her, I didn't like him. Well not much anyway.

"Yeah, and I wonder how long that one will last for?" Caroline snapped at him.

Damon groaned with frustration and looked really annoyed with Caroline before facing me again. "Have a think about tonight Bella, you know you want to. After all I am irresistible." Damon smirked again.

"Like I said; no." I replied with an innocent smile. He was fun to tease. Shame he was a bit of an ass though.

"Fine, have it your way. But I will see you soon Isabella." He shot me a wink before walking back to the garage.

"What did he want?" Elena asked as she reached me and Caroline, alternating between looking me over and glaring at Damon's retreating back. It was almost as though she was worried he had hurt me.

"He was just bored so decided to annoy me for some reason." I replied, smiling warmly at my two new friends. But inside I was still a bit confused about their reactions to Damon, sure he was a jerk, but I could handle jerks. Maybe they thought that I just couldn't deal with anything else after him. But I could and I would, I was determined to start living again, even if I didn't feel like it, I was determined that I'd be stronger than ever, strong enough to endure what anyone threw at me from now on.

I mean what was the worst that could happen in Mystic Falls after all? Someone doesn't ask me to the dance?

~0~

3rd Person P.O.V

Damon walked away from the three girls slightly pissed, but even more curious about Isabella Swan. He'd seen that she was broken, crushed by that guy leaving her, she couldn't fool him now that he knew. What he hadn't expected from her was a fiestiness, a willing to put up a fight and have some fun. She had potential.

She'd surprised him as well, she'd stood up to his compulsion. But then again Damon was she that 'uncle' Alaric was slipping her that magic drug that would thwart his plans.

Since he couldn't force her to hang out with him and be his new toy for a while, Damon would just have to charm her into it. And if Damon knew anything, it was that no woman alive could resist his charms when he didn't want them to.

Game on Isabella, Damon thought to himself with a smirk as he looked back over his shoulder to the three girls still stood around the black Charger.

I really hope that you enjoyed this chapter. I'd love to hear your thoughts on it, and anyone that reviews gets to have their personal space invaded by Damon :)