Disclaimer: If you're still reading this and for some reason you think I own Vampire Diaries… go get your head checked, you might have a fatal concussion.

A/N: I've been putting this off for so long, mostly due to midterms (how I hate those). I think the studying might have paid off, though, so… yay?

This is going to be a really big chapter (in terms of action and crazed vampires, not size—it's going to be short-ish, but action-packed… I hope) , according to the rough outline I have written out in my Geometry notebook that I don't ever use for Geometry. As I've been outlining it I've come to find it will follow the plotline of season 2, but it's much more condensed and there are different character deaths.

Hope you like this (review if you do?)

Damon's POV

Founder's Day. In my opinion, not one of the best days ever. I went to the first, and it was boring as it would today, excepting the fact that I had no clue what was going to happen. Last time there was the tomb vampire attack (or attempt at an attack) and the John/Isobel stuff, but now both tomb vampires and Elena's parents were out of town. I had never opened the tomb, so they had never come. Though it was comforting enough to know that they were making trouble somewhere else, I knew Katherine was already in town, and that she had a plan.

The past week Stefan and Elena had been fine. I had watched as they grew closer, talked about the future which would be hard to have, and dealt with a lot less horrible things than when I was around. Tanner was still a teacher—a disadvantage for me, because Alaric wasn't here to help me if I needed it—and as far as I could tell Bonnie was much friendlier when it came to vampires. Her Grams was alive and well, so she had no reason to hate vampires.

I was going to the parade, but I had to stay incognito. I wanted desperately to say hello to Elena, but unless she left Stefan's side for some reason I wouldn't be able to.

As I left the abandoned building I locked the door even though I knew it wouldn't keep Katherine out. The last couple of night I could have sworn I heard her walking around the place, muttering to herself, but I could never make out what she said. Probably something involving a stake and my heart.

At the town's center, near the grill. There were only a few people setting up the float and stands for food. I knew that Elena would be at home, getting dressed. I was about to find a uiet place to stay out of the way of everyone when I saw the last person I ever thought would be at the parade.

Alaric.

That was impossible. Why would he come back? Logan wasn't here to kill, and as far as he knew neither was I. Plus the teaching job that wasn't available. Before I could change my mind I walked up to him. "Hi… are you Alaric?"

He looked surprised. "Yes… why? Do I know you?"

This is going to be fun. "Well… I might have turned you wife into a vampire."

"You what?" Alaric hissed, grabbing my arm and pulling me into the closest alley. "You were the one that killed her?"

"Well… yes, but she asked me and I was different back then!" I protested. "Look, I know you hate me and want to kill me, but I need to know why you're here. It could affect whether or not Elena lives tonight… or, you know, after tonight."

"Elena? Who's Elena?" He asked. His eyes still burned with hatred, but I seemed to have his attention.

I said, "Elena's you wife's daughter, who she had with John Gilbert. She's a doppelganger—"

"Wait, slow down. Isobel had a daughter?" he asked again. "Why are you even telling me this?"

"You deserve to know, I guess." I was telling him so he would protect Elena, but I figured he should know it anyway. "Anyway, Elena is part of a complicated and really bad sacrifice that will make a vampire into a vampire-werewolf hybrid. He's not here yet, and neither is his annoying minion, but Katherine is."

"Katherine?"

"The person Elena's a doppelganger of." I explained. "She's… vengeful. And I may have upset her."

Alaric stood there for a full five minutes, just staring at me. Finally he said, "And I should trust you why?"

"Because I told you the truth instead of screwing with your head like I normally would." I said. "Granted, you have no way of knowing if this isn't me screwing with you head, but that's because I've messed up all these different events that happened—did I mention that went back in time because I ruined everything for Elena? Well, I did—and anyway I screwed with your head the first time we met, kept insinuating I killed you wife instead of just telling you."

He kept looking at me like I was insane, but eventually he just sighed. "Sorry, but I can't believe based on that."

"Ask Bonnie Bennett." I said quickly. "Tell her that Damon told you … the stuff about your wife, and he isn't trying to hurt you. She'll tell you the time traveling is real."

He nodded. "Fine, whatever. But I can tell you that if you try anything I will kill you."

I watched him walk off. He was going to be harder to convince than Bonnie, and it occurred to me I should have tried to get notes from more people that I would need on my side. It would have been hard to explain to Alaric why I needed him to write it, but I knew I could have convinced him. I could have promised to keep Jenna safe.

I looked up in time to see Elena walking across the grass to greet Stefan, both of them dressed like I remembered from last time; Elena in an elegant golden dress with a corset that looked uncomfortable tight, and Stefan in one of his older blue suits that complemented Elena's dress perfectly. Her hair was like Katherine's… Katherine. I had completely forgotten about what Katherine did during the Founder's Day parade!

I ducked out of sight, trying to think of where Katherine would be. She didn't show up until later, after the attack on the vampires, which meant she had to be at least five miles away from the town square. Granted, this time there would be no vampire round-up, so I pulled out my phone and googled the closest house foreclosures. I didn't know if Katherine knew that trick, but Katherine knew Isobel and Isobel knew me. There were only two in the area, and I picked the most expensive. I shoved my phone in my pocket, getting ready to leave—

"Damon!"

"Who?" I whirled around and came to face Elena, smiling like I was her best friend.

"You're here." She said happily. "I thought you left town."

"Elena." I said, smiling back. "I… well, I was just busy. I'm sorry I couldn't visit you at the hospital after that one time."

"Katherine drama?" she asked. I had told her Katherine was in town, and Stefan had caught her up on who Katherine was to the Salvatore brothers.

"You could say that." I said. It was a pleasant surprise to have Elena staring at me, actually caring about what I said and not tolerating me because I was Stefan's brother and because she was nice to everyone. "She's up to something, and I can't figure out what."

I saw Stefan further away and felt a pang of guilt. I shouldn't have been talking to Elena in the first place. If Stefan heard me then I wouldn't' be able to help her anymore. He would tell her about the real me and she would run back to him and never trust me again. Besides, with Stefan not on Damon watch he got so much more done when it came to protecting Elena.

I felt her hand on my arm. "Are you okay?"

"Oh… yeah, just thinking." I said. "I actually have to go, but I'll be back in time to see you up on the float."

"You avoiding Stefan?" she asked. I nodded. "I won't tell him about you, don't worry."

"I won't." On impulse I took the hand on my arm and gave it a gentle squeeze, then turned to leave. "See you later?"

"Okay." I saw the faintest hint of a blush as she turned and awkwardly ran back to Stefan, the dress hindering her. My guilt doubled, but I couldn't help wanting her.

The foreclosure turned out to be just that; a foreclosure. I checked the other, and then ten ones further away, but I still couldn't find Katherine. Eventually I gave up and headed back to the parade.

Nothing eventful happened besides the parade. I watched from the shadows, waving at Elena and mouthing, "You look beautiful" at her when she spotted me. She blushed again, this time much darker. She had to avert her eyes and focus on someone else, but I saw a real smile creeping up at the edges of her face after she looked away.

Maybe it was just going to be a normal day after all. I could use one of those.

Katherine's POV

I hung at the edges of the parade all day, watching my little doppelganger as she walked around and showed off her dress on the float with Stefan. I felt a pang of some unknown emotion at seeing Stefan like that, in the clothes I knew him in, but I shoved it down as fast as I could. I had a different goal, a message for sweet, innocent Elena.

When it got darker I followed Elena's annoying blond friend—Caroline?—until she went to the bathroom to freshen up. As she was leaving I ran by and grabbed her, slamming her against the wall.

"E-Elena!" she gasped. "Elena, what are you doing?"

I ignored her and bit down on my wrist, opening a vein and shoving it to her mouth. She screamed against my hand and tried to escape, but my other arm had her whole body pinned against the wall. After a minute I pulled my hand away from her.

"What the hell, Elena!" Caroline screamed, terrified. She started to back away, and I let her. "What is wrong with you?"

"I guess I have a little demon in me." I said. "And now you do to. I need you to send Stefan a message."

"What? Why? You can tell him yourself." Caroline said, spitting blood on the ground.

"Tell him that Katherine says 'Stay the hell out of my way'."

Before she could get in another word I snapped her neck and let her body crumple to the ground. Then, too fast for anyone to see, I ran out and grabbed a worker, killing him instantly. I made sure that his blood was everywhere, and got it all over Caroline. It would make her wake up sooner, and all the better for me. The sooner she woke up, the sooner she would instill some fear in Elena and Stefan… and Damon.

It was about time I was in charge.

Elena's POV

After the parade was over I headed back home. Stefan wasn't with me, since I had told him to get out of his uncomfortable clothes as soon as possible. I wanted to do the same, so I did, and then I collected my dress and made my way home.

I couldn't help thinking about Damon as I walked. Damon Salvatore. The mysterious, unmentioned Salvatore that Stefan seemed to pretend didn't exist. As far as I could tell they had some sort of falling out and it had do with Katherine, but that was all. I wanted to ask Stefan about Damon, but that would only raise the question of how I knew about Damon.

I was unlocking my door when I heard someone behind me. I turned, hoping it was Damon, but instead came to face Caroline. She was filthy, her clothes ripped and spattered with blood, some of it coming from her mouth. "Caroline? Oh my God, Caroline, what happened?" The word vampire kept pounding in my head as I took in the sight of her covered in blood.

She was shivering. "You…" her voice was raspy and cracked.

"Caroline… it's okay…" I said softly, venturing towards her. I lifted a hand and gently brushed a clump of blood-soaked hair from her face. "Did someone hurt you?"

"You did this!" She screaming, completely losing it. I watched in horror as her eyes morhphed like a vampire's and she slammed me into the house with super-speed. "You killed me! Why did you kill me?"

"W-What?" I choked. Her grip was like iron. "Caroline… no… C-Caroline, I c-can't b-breathe…"

She clenched her fist even more. "You killed me." Her whole body was shaking. She drew back her head, teeth glinting, and then bit into my neck.

I screamed.

Damon's POV

I was walking down the road, headed for Elena's house, when I heard her scream.

"HELP!"

I started to run as fast as I could.

A/N: Oh yes, a cliffhanger. I am evil.