N: You guys got me all excited about this story with all your positive reviews so I decided to give you this little chapter before the weekend comes and I'll have time to write a bigger one. Thank you so much for all your kind words, they mean a lot to me.

Also, thank you Dez2sweet for going out of your way to look over this for me.

Open the door of the past!

After the second knock on the door, Elena left the kitchen. "It's ok, I'll get it," she yelled as she made her way towards the door. Elena froze. No one other than Jeremy Lovejoy was standing in the doorway. Her breath got caught up in her throat, she couldn't move or say anything, it was like she was back on the hospital bed, incapacitated and scared. She was waiting for the moment that Jeremy would point his finger at her as he recognized that the woman standing before him is not Katherine Salvatore, but Elena Gilbert.

The thing was that Jeremy seemed just as shocked as her. There was almost no doubt in Elena's mind that he recognized her. But soon, Jeremy's usual nonchalant smile painted his face and he offered her his hand.

"Hello, I'm Jeremy Lovejoy," he said, tearing Elena away from her trance. She accepted his hand, giving it a good shake.

"Katherine Salvatore, please to meet you Mr. Lovejoy," she mumbled.

"Jeremy, just Jeremy. I know who you are. I work for KTEX, I have filmed you before."

Elena wasn't aware of half the words that were coming out of Jeremy's mouth. All that mattered was that she could hear him talk. His voice, the voice of someone familiar was everything to her. She just wanted to throw her arms around him and hug him tight until he would yell at her that she should let go before he fills in a restraining order. She had missed him so much. Maybe she could tell him, he could certainly be of help to her. He was a very intuitive and intelligent man after all. But would he understand? Most likely not. 'What the hell Elena?' she could already picture him yelling at her and schooling her.

Before Elena got the chance to think more about the subject or enjoy Jeremy's company, Giuseppe made his way from the living room. Jeremy stepped inside and Elena closed the door behind him.

"This is Jeremy Lovejoy, he works for the KTEX," she said looking directly at Damon's father. The old man just nodded like he already knew that.

"We were told you were coming. Would you like to see the inside or the outside?" Giuseppe asked.

"Both actually. I'm planning for Friday, a short commercial on Mr. and Mrs. Salvatore in their everyday lives. That's what they go for these days y'know. The sentimental crap."

"Excuse the language Katherine. We will take this outside," Giuseppe said apologetically as he pointed the way for Jeremy.

Elena made sure that she would not be there when Jeremy left. She decided that telling Jeremy was not an option. Not to mention that knowing that information might put him in danger as well. Lately Elena started questioning her own moves. Maybe she should just tell Damon what she knows, explain the truth and get out while she still could. But that wouldn't reveal the killer and that would most certainly not guarantee that he or she would stop trying to kill Damon. The thought of something happening to Damon or to Anna was making her nauseous. She couldn't bear the thought that she could've done something about it and she didn't. No, she had to stay, she had to protect them. She had to find this person in Damon's life that would be capable of killing. There was a lot of tension between Damon and his brother, that's for sure, but she doubted Stefan would murder his own flesh and blood just like that. Caroline seemed mad at everyone, but she was pretty sure that if she would kill someone that would be Katherine and not Damon. Giuseppe was hard on Damon, but he was just being an autocrat, wanting the best from his children and his wife was ready to defend her two boys with every chance she got. Elijah was the only one who was not family, but he was treated like a member nonetheless. He was given the guest house that was only a few minutes away from the big villa. He and Damon were always pushing each other's buttons, but it was obvious that they cared a great deal about one another. And finally, Rebekah, who in Elena's opinion was just a teenage girl in need of a firmer hand. She was just looking for attention by acting reckless and pretending not to care.

Elena took another sip of her tea and let out a frustrated breath. This was going nowhere fast. Anyone trying to convince Damon Salvatore that someone in his family was trying to kill him would look really insane. She took her journalistic instincts from both her parents, she was a very intuitive person and 99% of the cases she was right. Maybe she was just too close to see it.

***Lucky 13***

Even before five o'clock, Elena started getting ready. The last thing she wanted was to be late and give Damon yet another reason to push her away and not take her with him in his campaign trip. She had to stay close to Damon, she had to protect him.

After she was done applying her makeup, she started strengthening her hair. She tried to convince herself that the action had nothing to do with the fact that Damon had seemed to prefer her with her hair straight, but who was she kidding. She even bought a new dress for the occasion. Nothing in Katherine's closet seemed decent enough or classy enough. They were beautiful dresses, but too revealing for Elena's taste. Also, she wanted to look different from Katherine to avoid reminding Damon of his wife.

Fifteen minutes ahead of schedule, she was ready. She was just about to spray some perfume on when the door flew open and Damon stormed inside. For a minute Elena thought he changed his mind and he wouldn't want her to go anymore, but he didn't seem mad only harassed. As soon as he advanced close enough, she noticed that his shirt was unbuttoned and his hair was a mess, clearly towel-dried.

He stopped a few steps in front of her and looked at her from head to toe, making her blush lightly. Maybe Katherine Salvatore was used to being checked out by men, but Elena Gilbert certainly wasn't and the way Damon was looking at her now made her head spin.

"You…uh, like it?" she asked shyly.

"The dress?" he asked.

"Yes, it's new."

"I like it," he said without taking his eyes off her. "Money well spent," he went on and Elena wanted to roll her eyes, but she kept the gesture to herself. It was typical of Damon to react this way. His defence mechanism against Katherine was a very powerful one, and being honest, Elena didn't blame him. That woman had been the devil.

"Did you want something? Or did you just march in here to see if I'm ready?" Elena asked and she could swear she noticed a smirk on Damon's face.

"I'm the one who's not ready," he said. He seemed ashamed and Elena's tongue was literally hurting from trying to keep in a remark. "I can't find my gray tie."

Elena remembered she had found a few of them in one of her drawers; she just placed them in a box and put the pox in the closet. "I'll get it," she said. She turned around a minute later with a tie in her hand. "This one?" she asked and Damon nodded, letting out a sigh of relief.

Turned out that Damon was so nervous that he seemed incapable of making a knot to the tie. "Here, let me," Elena said softly, pushing his hands away.

"Since when do you know how to do that?" Damon asked watching her tiny fingers work that tie like she had done it a million times. Elena didn't even think of the fact that he might ask. She used to tie her father's ties all the time, then she would do it for Alaric – his trembling hands were making it hard for him to do it himself.

They were so close, Elena could smell his aftershave and it smelled incredible. Her hands were touching his skin from time to time and a slight shiver would go through her entire body.

"There you go," she said taking a step back to admire her own work.

"Thanks," he mumbled.

"Any time."

N: I know you guys were expecting a party, but I was going to make a long chapter and take another week, but I decided to cut it, give you this and the next part – the one with the party – after the weekend. After all, the next chapter deserves a lot of attention. I hope you'll find it in your hearts to forgive me and still review.