Chapter Three

So he was back this far. Right back to where it all started and he had already screwed things up. The crow and the fog...he had been there with Elena...but originally he had done those things to scare her. He was a vampire it, was what he did. It had all been fun and games to him then, but now he knew so much better. He knew what it felt like to be on the receiving end of someone's fun and games and it wasn't pretty.

He was standing up now and trying to clear the last effects of the spell from his foggy mind. So he had scared the girl off. It was fine...he could still change things, still work according to the plan. She didn't even know that it was him.

So what was the plan? Should he start to change things from now on or wait until a certain point in the timeline? Was there a certain small moment he had to find that would change everything?

He had a feeling that he should start with Stefan somehow. Winning Elena's love and trust was important to him as his very own existence...everything's existence. But Stefan...he had a lot of work to do with Stefan Salvatore. It was Stefan who made that unbearable future and it was mainly down to him. Elena was at fault too but if it wasn't for him...so he would have to change his relationship with Stefan. Be more...brotherly. But surely he couldn't change things too much unless he said outright hey I'm from the future and I have stuff to warn you about...that would send everyone running.

Oh this was going to be horrible. Although he had gotten used to protecting people and he was a changed man and everything blah, blah, blah...this was going to be so humiliating for him to just go up to his brother and start being...nice. Even after the past years he still wasn't used to it at all

He found himself outside the high school and fighting with himself angrily. This went against everything that was his nature but if he wanted to spend more time with Stefan and Elena then this was what he had to do. He should probably still meet Stefan the same way. Let it all out of their systems the hundred plus years their feud had lasted for...the big fight. But he was sure it would take more then a night of fighting to get all their issues sorted and he had to figure out a better way of doing things.

So here he was compelling people to let him be enrolled at the high school trying not to be seen or noticed by anyone...although he was sure that word would get around eventually. Especially if Caroline had anything to with things,

Caroline. For a moment his thoughts spun out of control as he thought about all the people's lives he could change. If he wanted to he could stop her becoming a vampire...although they had needed her to help them at times. It was a hard decision and he didn't like the idea that he was playing God.

"Wow, two new boys in one day? This must mean it's going to be a good week."

Oh shit it was Caroline. You think of the devil and she appears in all of her designer clothes glory.

"Maybe if you have a free second I could show you around..."

"And make this into one of those romantic comedy high school movies where you show me what groups popular and who to avoid?" he smirked at her. "No thanks."

He hadn't meant to say that, the words had just slipped out automatically. He rolled his eyes and mentally started counting to ten in his head. It wasn't that bad it wasn't it wasn't, it would get better. There were worse things...

"I'm sorry, that was rude of me. My name's Damon Salvatore. And I can tell right away that you are part of the group that I need to be hanging around with."

She beamed up at him her eyes all wide eyed and sparkly. "You guessed right," she seemed to have completely missed his earlier sarcasm.

"Who else is in your group then?"

Caroline linked her arm through his and gave him a flirtatious smile. "There's Elena Gilbert. She really rules the school here. If you're not friends with her then you really are nobody. And her friend Bonnie Bennet. She's kind of weird...she's into all this supernatural crap at the moment. You know, palm reading and witchcraft...but they've been best friends for ever. We all have been friends," there was an edge of something in her voice that Damon couldn't really give a name for. Bitterness or competitiveness. He couldn't decide.

"Would you like to meet them?"

He untangled his arm from hers. He shouldn't really lead her on like this but...it was a nicer way of doing things then he had originally. He had used Caroline to get what he wanted and find out information, it hadn't been pretty.

"Maybe another time. I think I should get to my first class."

...

He stood outside the boarding house willing himself to go inside and get things over with but it was hard. He really didn't want to see Stefan ever again they way he was feeling towards his brother...but he had to.

"The crow's a bit much don't you think?" Stefan's first words to him and he automatically replied back in the same way.

"Wait until you can see what I do with the fog!"

"What are you doing here?" Stefan ignored his sarcasm completely just like he normally always did.

"Well...I couldn't miss your first day at school could I?"

"It's been fifteen years Damon. Why are you here?" Stefan snapped again. "You hate small towns they're boring. You've got nothing to do."

"Well I could ask you the same question. But I think it would be summed up in one little word. Elena. She took my breath away. Elena. She's a dead ringer for Katherine. How does it feel to be in her world? Does it make you feel alive?" He couldn't help it. The bitterness of everything came pouring out of him with no control. He had to stop this now.

"She's not Katherine!" said Stefan angrily but he sounded like he was trying to convince himself.

"No," Damon answered him softly. "She's not Katherine. She's so much more then Katherine ever was. She offers you hope and comfort that the world isn't such a bad place. And you don't deserve her."

"Stop it," Stefan finally looked like he was going to loose control of things. "You're talking like you know her? How can you know her?"

"Neither one of us deserve her Stefan," Damon continued. "I haven't come here to fight with you . Well...maybe a little. I..."

"You're talking in riddles Damon," Stefan snarled at him. "And I said to stop!" with that Stefan vamped out, throwing himself at his brother and pushing them both out of the window, glass shattering around them. It was a long fall to the ground but Damon barely felt the impact. Stubborn son of a bitch, he thought angrily. This was going to be so hard.

"Very impressed," he said as Stefan staggered to his feet.

"It's all fun and games to you isn't it Damon? But wherever you go people die. But not here. I won't allow it." That was one small thing that had changed. Only two deaths, the boy and girl. He had nothing to do with Vicky and he had no plans to be involved with her at all if he could help it!

"Damon please. After all these years can't we just give things a rest?" Stefan sounded tired and this was one of the big moments he could change, he could feel it.

"I'm sure we could come to an understanding," he smiled at the look of shock and surprise that came across Stefan's face. And the look of hope.

"If we really have to. But it's not just me you know. You have a lot of work to do too." God, he sounded like a shrink!

"Damon where's my ring?" Stefan had suddenly noticed it was missing.

Damon opened his hand which had been clenched into a fist. He opened it slowly the ring in the centre of his palm. It would be so easy to run with the ring in his strong grasp. To run as far away as possible and let Stefan be weak and run the chance of burning into dust. But then that would make him as bad as his brother. And the chance of being with Elena would be over.

"It's right here," he said with a shrug and walked over to Stefan and handed it back. "Don't once ever think you're stronger then me brother," he warned. Once again it just slipped out but if he had already changed things just a tiny bit he didn't think it would matter.

"I think we woke Zach up."

Stefan watched his brother walking away from him in a stunned silence. Had he and Damon come to an agreement? An understanding? He wasn't sure how long it would last knowing Damon. They would have to talk some more. Because something was different that was for sure. He didn't know what it was but he wasn't acting like Damon usually acted. It had started off that way and they had fought and argued...but then Damon had actually backed down.

He didn't know what was going on but he was going to find out.

TBC

Thank you so so much once again for all my reviews. I have a question for you: does Caroline stay a vampire and end up with Tyler or does she stay human and be with matt. Who do you want her to end up with either way? And anything else you guys want to see changed apart from Elena/Damon of course? Ok that's a lot of questions lol.. But I would love to know what you think!