"Well… isn't this interesting?"
Outside the boarding house, Katherine sat on the branch of a tree, examining the situation playing out for her through the window she was watching. This certainly wasn't what she had been expecting when she sent Elena to Mystic Falls. She had expected the girl to be murdered in her first night. She hadn't expected for some charming vampire to continuously rescue the stupid girl. Now, not only was he her savior, it appeared that the odd little couple was; Katherine repressed a gag and a shudder; falling in love.
The foolish girl who was her carbon copy didn't deserve happiness. She had tried to steal her Stefan away, and that meant war. Happiness was not allowed to be an option for this Elena girl.
Katherine chuckled as she watched the black haired man touch Elena's cheek softly with a gloved hand. Waving her own flawless hand in the air, she produced a glowing emerald pendant out of thin air, twirling the chain around her finger a few times as she watched things play out in the house.
What to do with her… Katherine mused as she watched them. From what she had seen, their romance was a lost cause; the boy had a vixen vampire for a girlfriend, and if Elena tried to steal him away, the vampire woman would kill her. But where was the fun in that? No, a murder would be too simple now… she needed something better. A spell of some sorts…
As she watched the couple inside, an idea began to form in her mind. From what the man was wearing, it appeared that they were going to be attending some sort of fairy tale ball. In every fairy tale, the witch does something unspeakable to the fair princess…
Katherine chuckled as she figured out the perfect spell to put on Elena. Or, rather, the perfect curse. As she watched Elena walk out of the bedroom, she began to whisper a curse, and the emerald in her hand began to glow brighter and brighter with power. "To steal from another is vile and low, to steal from another causes hatred to grow. Punishment is called for, a necessary trial; make it so the girl shan't walk another mile. Use power from the moon, and power from the sand; make her fall into a sleep at my command. Sleep she shall until the clock strikes twelve; for when the clock strikes twelve, she shall be rotting in hell."
The emerald glowed a vibrant red as the spell took toll, and then returned to its original state. Katherine chuckled again and produced a thin black velvet box, laying the necklace inside. Now just to find someone to convince the girl to put it on…
Katherine's brown eyes shifted toward the room beside Damon's curiously for a moment. From what she had gathered a girl lived with the vampire. Another vampire; a vampire who had developed a close friendship with Elena.
Katherine chuckled; the situation would be perfect. She would allow Stefan and that foolish girl's little brother to enter Mystic Falls tomorrow morning; the day of the ball. Stefan would take Elena to the party, and the girl would give Elena the necklace as a going away present.
Little did she know, once the necklace touched Elena's throat, she would not being going away. Never again would she be going away; she would be dead.
Giggling, Katherine leapt daintily from the branch, turning to a black mist before she hit the ground and slithering up the side of the house, sliding in through the crack under Caroline's window.
… . … . … . … . …
Caroline shut her bedroom door, giggling with excitement. It had happened; Damon loved her! Not Rebekah or some other snob, he loved Elena! Grinning, Caroline turned around to start for her bed.
She gasped in surprise when she did so. "Elena? What are you doing in here?"
Elena sat, poised on Caroline's bed, smiling. "Oh, I just wanted to… talk."
Caroline frowned in confusion as she sat beside her; how had she beaten her to her room? She had just been with Damon… "Uh… sure. What did you want to talk about?"
Elena smiled when Caroline sat beside her. "Well… I have a feeling that Stefan is going to get here tomorrow and take me home."
Caroline frowned. "A feeling? What do you mean…?"
Elena shrugged. "Call it love intuition."
Caroline's face fell. So, Elena still loved that guy from her home town. If Elena didn't love Damon, too… "Do you really have to go?"
Elena nodded. "I do. People need me at home."
Caroline looked down, unable to believe it. "Well, how can you be so sure you're going home? It's not like your intuition is exact…"
"Mind be mine," Elena whispered and Caroline looked up in confusion. "What…?"
Her eyes glazed over in a trance when Elena waved her hands, grinning. Elena smiled. "Much better. Now, tomorrow morning, Stefan Edwards is going to arrive here with Elena's little brother. He's going to want to take her home, but Elena will likely beg him to take her to the ball. Knowing how much of a sap he is, he'll agree. You are going to beg Elena's little brother to take you."
Caroline nodded and the woman, who clearly was not really Elena, waved her hands again, causing an authentic yellow and gold dress to materialize out of colored smoke. "You can wear this."
Caroline nodded again. "Oh, one more thing," the woman pulled a black velvet box out of her pocket. "Make sure you give this to Elena tomorrow night," she smiled, "as a going away present."
Caroline nodded yet again, accepting the box. The woman giggled. "Good."
Caroline blinked a few times, frowning. "Who are you…?"
The woman smiled. "My name is Katherine Pierce; but you're going to forget that."
Caroline nodded and, a second later, all that was left where Katherine had been was black smoke. A few more seconds later, even that was gone. Caroline blinked a few times in confusion, glancing at the box in her hands and the dress lay out beside her. Shaking her head, unsure of what she had just been doing, she picked both of them up and placed them in her closet. After all, she couldn't risk anything happening to them before tomorrow night's ball.
… . … . … . … . …
The next morning Elena woke up, a bit confused when she smelled and heard the sizzling of bacon down stairs. She sat up and slid out of bed, quickly getting dressed and heading downstairs into the kitchen. She found Damon standing at the oven, scrambling eggs and cooking bacon. He grinned, not needing to turn around. "Good morning, Elena."
She was frowning in confusion as she walked over to stand beside him. "You're making breakfast?" she asked and he nodded, smiling at her. "I haven't exactly been an excellent host the past few days; I haven't even fed you."
She grinned. "Don't worry; I wasn't starving. Caroline fed me."
He chuckled. "Well Caroline doesn't know how to make gourmet scrambled eggs now, does she?"
Elena giggled as she sat at the table and Damon passed her a plate. He sat across from her, eating his own breakfast and grinning at her surprised expression. "You eat… ordinary food?" she asked and he laughed. "I'm surprised you didn't mention that the other day when I was stealing your French fries."
She shrugged. "I guess I never really thought about it."
He grinned and shrugged. "As long as we keep a healthy diet of blood in our system, our bodies function pretty normally. Which means," he waggled his fork at her, "eggs still taste incredible. At least they do when I'm the one cooking them. Caroline, on the other hand," he grinned, "couldn't burn toast."
Elena laughed as she took a bite of her own breakfast. Her eyes widened a bit as she swallowed. "So, he writes songs for famous artists and he can cook. What else haven't you been telling me?"
He considered this. "Well, I happen to be a phenomenal dancer," his smile slipped a bit. "Which, you wouldn't know since you aren't going…"
She grinned at him. "Don't pout, Damon; it's unattractive on a man your age."
His eyes widened and his grin returned. "Ho ho! Pretty and witty; I never would have guessed."
She blushed a bit and continued to eat her breakfast; he had just said that he thought she was pretty. Was he just being polite… or did he really mean it?
Caroline walked in, looking unhappy as she grabbed a box of cereal out of a cabinet. "The Queen Bitch is here," she said coldly as she snagged a carton of milk as well. Seconds later the door opened a few rooms over, and Rebekah's voice filled the echoing house. "Damon! I need you to come look at me dress; if we clash, I'll kill you."
Damon's smile disappeared and he stood up, starting for the door. He gave Elena a small smile before he walked out, though. "Feel free to eat my eggs," he chuckled as he walked out of the room.
"Damon!"
"I'm coming!" he called in irritation.
Caroline put her bowl of cereal down on the table, taking Damon's seat and glaring as she shoved a spoon full into her mouth. Elena raised an eyebrow. "Someone isn't a morning person, I take it?"
Caroline shook her head. "It's her; I can't stand her. Look, I know you think you were doing Damon a favor, getting them back together and all; but you didn't."
Elena frowned in confusion. "What do you mean…?"
Caroline shook her head and just kept eating.
"Oh, my God; you aren't really planning on wearing that in public, are you?"
Rebekah could be heard razzing Damon out on the floor above them. She was so loud even Elena could hear.
"Yes, I am! It isn't my fault that my suit doesn't match your hideous dress!"
"Hideous? Are you blind, you cave man? It's gorgeous! Clearly, you have no taste."
"Rebekah, I swear, if you don't shut up…!"
Caroline heaved a sigh, "That is exactly what I mean."
Elena frowned, and winced when she heard a door slam above and the clicking of Rebekah's heals stomping down the stairs. "Where are you going?" Caroline spat, not even trying to mask her despise for her anymore. Rebekah rolled her eyes. "I'm going to go find a better suit for Damon."
Caroline glared. "The one he has is amazing, and he's going to wear it no matter what piece of shit you find him."
Rebekah glared. "We'll see," she glanced out the window. "Someone's here."
With that she walked out the door, leaving it wide open. The sounds of two car doors opening and shutting caused Caroline and Elena to frown. Elena gasped in surprise when she saw Jeremy and Stefan walk in. "Hello?" Stefan called.
"Oh, my God," Elena whispered, hiding behind the wall separating the two rooms.
Caroline frowned. "You know them?"
Elena nodded urgently. "That's my brother, Jeremy, and Stefan Edwards!"
Caroline's eyes widened. "You're joking. You have to be joking!"
"Hello?" Stefan called again. "Elena?" Jeremy yelled and they heard a door open on the floor above them. Damon could be heard walking down the stairs to meet them. "Uh… what are you doing in my house?" he asked, frowning at them.
"Is Elena Gilbert here?" Stefan asked him and Damon's eyes widened a bit. "You've got to be kidding me…" he whispered in disbelief. Stefan frowned. "What?"
"You're him, aren't you? That guy she was talking about in the park. And you," he pointed at Jeremy, "are the little brother she was so worried about."
Jeremy's eyes widened. "So she's here? My sister is here? Where is she? Elena!"
Damon looked around, a bit confused that she hadn't come running out yet. "Elena?" he called, "There's… some people here to see you."
Back in the kitchen, Elena sighed and walked out of the room with Caroline on her heals. As soon as Jeremy saw his sister he beamed and rushed forward, hugging her. "Thank God you're okay! Do you know how crazy worried I've been?"
She bit her lip. "I'm so sorry, Jer."
Stefan beamed at her. "Elena!" he cried, rushing forward to hug her. However, she didn't get overly excited and run into his arms. He frowned in confusion. "Aren't you happy to see me?"
"What?" she asked, and then bit her lip. "Oh. Yeah, of course I am," she said with a small smile. He frowned. "You don't look it."
She glanced quickly at Damon, and then back to Stefan. "I just… how did you find me?"
"It doesn't matter," Stefan beamed. "All that matters is that we found you! We would have been here sooner, but it took a bit longer to get here from Mystic Falls than I thought it would."
She gave him a small smile. "It's alright; I've been taken care of right here."
Stefan nodded. "I see. Well, are you ready to go home?"
Elena's eyes widened; home? Go home, the night of the ball? Without seeing Damon get his happily ever after? Sure, Caroline seemed convinced he wasn't happy with Rebekah, but that could just be because she didn't like her. "Actually, Stefan… well, you see, there's… there's this ball…"
"A ball?" he asked in confusion, and then he laughed. "You mean like an actual ball? Like in a freaking Disney movie?"
Elena bit her lip and nodded. "Well… yeah. I was sort of hoping… well, now that you're here, that maybe we could… go? Together?"
He frowned. "Elena, you've been missing for nearly a week; people are worried back home. We can't just stay away to go to some silly party."
She frowned. "Please, Stefan? It would be so much fun…"
He stared at her hopeful expression, and continued to frown. "I don't have anything to wear."
She smiled. "You could go shopping today and buy something for tonight! Oh, please, Stefan?"
He continued to think about it for a few moments, and then he sighed. "If you really want to go…"
Elena beamed, and Damon grinned; so, Elena would get to go, after all. His smile slipped a bit as he thought, With her prince charming…
Caroline suddenly looked at Jeremy, and grinned a bit. For a sixteen year old, he was pretty cute. "We should go together," she blurted out and he looked up at her. "What?" he chuckled. "You wanna go with me?"
She shrugged. "Why not? You're pretty cute, and I wanted to go but had no one to go with. It would be fun…" she prodded and Jeremy grinned; what were the chances of a cute blonde wanting to go to some dance with him? Suddenly, Elena getting kidnapped seemed like fate. "Awesome!" he said and Caroline clapped in excitement.
Stefan glanced at Damon and Caroline. "So… who are you two, exactly?"
Damon extended his hand, grinning. "Damon Salvatore," he said and Stefan shook his hand. As soon as he did though, he recoiled. "Oh, my God," he said, his eyes wide. "You're… you're a…"
Damon eyes widened. "Relax; we aren't going to eat you."
Stefan turned to look at Elena. "Do you know what they are?"
Elena nodded, a bit confused. "Yes… but how do you?"
He frowned. "Call it a sixth sense. I've studied vampires my entire life…"
"Vampires?" Jeremy gasped. "Dude, you told me this place was crawling with vampires, but you didn't say my sister was with them…!"
"Jeremy, it's okay," Elena assured him. "If it wasn't for Damon, I'd be dead right now."
Jeremy turned his wide eyes to Damon. "What…?"
"I saved her from one of the town's more sadistic vampires the night she got here," Damon explained and Jeremy immediately relaxed; anyone who would save his sister couldn't be that bad. "Oh," he said.
Elena glanced at Stefan. "This isn't a problem, is it?"
Stefan shook his head. "No… no, I guess not."
She smiled. "Good; then you and Jeremy need to go get your costumes for tonight."
Stefan sighed; he had a feeling he was going to regret this… "Fine. But we leave as soon as it's over. It isn't safe here, Elena."
Elena didn't agree with his statement, but knew it was the best she was going to get. "Alright," she agreed. Stefan turned to Jeremy. "Let's go, Jeremy."
Elena watched them go, and Caroline whirled on her, beaming when they were gone. "Come on," she squealed in excitement, "We have to get ready!"
Elena frowned in confusion. "Don't you need to buy a dress...?" Caroline grinned, "I'm always prepared for this kind of stuff, Elena."
Caroline drug Elena upstairs, and Damon watched them go. Little did Elena knew that his heart was being ripped to pieces at the thought of her leaving as soon as the ball was over. It was going to be hell enough if he was with Rebekah, but the idea of losing Elena as soon as it was over was enough to end him.