Again, I thank everyone for their lovely reviews. You guys are really keeping me going! And just to clarify on one point, I really have no idea how long this story will be. I have some ideas for future chapters, but I guess I'll just need to see where this goes! Again, all reviews you give me are read and deeply appreciated. So if you've got any thoughts on the story, please let me know! :)

It was raining when they pulled up outside Elena's block. Damon couldn't help but gaze up at the three story building, obviously not the standard halls most first years made it into. "And you're sure this is your house, Elena?" Damon teased. Elena sighed, rolling her eyes before getting out of the car into the middle of a late October shower. Damon followed her actions, getting out of the car and staring at Elena over the roof of her car. Elena just looked back at Damon, humouring him as the rain came down.

"Do you think I would make you take me here just to impress you?" Elena asked, eyebrows raised, a smile playing across her lips. Damon paused, watching her, hardly even aware of the weather. Why did she have to do that? It just reminded him of everything he tried to forget when she was around. Damon watched as she opened the boot, lifting her bag from the back of her car. Damon flashed over to stand just beside her with the speed only a vampire could achieve. Elena looked up, starting slightly at his sudden appearance. Damon said nothing, just smirking knowingly, watching her. Elena looked at Damon. "I'm not trying to impress you, Damon." Elena pressed.

Damon didn't speak, but he heard his response ringing in his ears. 'Good. You don't have to.' Damon's only external response was to hold out Elena's car key, letting it hang in the space between them. But inside, his mind was reeling. Why had he bothered to come back? She tore him up every damn time he so much as looked at her. But she'd always done that. First time he'd ever seen Elena, he'd been half-crazed by the fact she looked like Katherine. Of course, that was before he realised he'd been a deluded, obsessive fool for a hundred and forty five years.

What a way to waste a century and a half.

And then after that, Elena had still driven him crazy. She'd felt something for him. She'd clearly understood him on some level which was a severe novelty. But she wouldn't admit it. She wanted to hate him. That drove him insane. And then, of course, he'd been pushed off the deep end when she'd gone on her little suicide missions to be all noble and self-sacrificing. He'd saved her every time, of course. Damon wondered why he hadn't snapped more often around her - she had destroyed him in every way possible.

More to the fact, why was he even here?

Elena took her keys from his hand, watching him as he lifted his bag from her car. She closed it up and locked it tight, before heading into the building they'd parked just outside. It looked modern, plush, up to date, but also fairly compact. But it was secure. Elena had to pull out a key just to get in the front door. She opened the door for them both and Damon followed her in silently. She immediately headed up the concrete stairs, passing by four doors with silver numbers drilled on the front. The place was also remarkably clean. Considering Elena was a lowly student, it was hard for Damon not to admit he was impressed she'd gotten in this place. His curiosity won out, in the end.

"So how come you can afford a lovely place like this?" he asked as she lead him up the flight of stairs, all the way to the top floor of the building. Elena looked down at him, obviously surprised he was even asking. Damon sometimes wondered how clueless Elena really was. She was so on the ball, but sometimes she was really quite dim. She obviously hadn't expected him to care.

"I have a roommate. The university owns this block, but they rent out the flats to students that can afford it," Elena explained. Damon smirked slightly and watched her.

"And you are paying for it...how, exactly?" Damon probed. Goddammit, why was he so curious?

Elena paused on the top landing, considering Damon for a moment. She seemed to come to a decision, leading him over to door number 10. "My parents left a fund to Jeremy and me when they died. Plus Jenna's trying to help out a little. I work jobs in the holidays," Elena explained. She slid her key into the lock and opened the door, leaving Damon standing outside. Damon processed this. He considered the fact, that, after all the supernatural craziness, she'd probably had enough trauma for a lifetime. Damon made to flow Elena inside but was instantly frustrated when he couldn't make it past the front door. With a kind of black humour, he was struck by how he'd forgotten this simple fact. Ah, Elena. How did she manage to distract him from what he was?

Elena had obviously forgotten too, because she got halfway down her hallway, heading towards the door at the end before she realised Damon's absence. She turned around, and took in Damon. He was leaning casually against the doorframe, looking half amused and like he didn't have a care in the world. When Elena met his eyes, he looked pointedly at the doorway. "Forgetting something?" Damon asked her, looking vaguely amused as realisation swept across her face. She really had forgotten that he needed an invite.

"Come on in, Damon." She said it simply, but she looked self awkward as she spoke, like she was a girl caught with her hand in the cookie jar. As Damon pushed off of the doorframe and walked inside, softly closing the door behind her, she seemed to get over her embarrassment. "How come you could get into the building?" she asked, curious.

"No one owns the stairwell, Elena, or sleeps in it, unless there's something you're not telling me. However, this place is obviously lived in, so..." Damon trailed off, snooping in behind a closed door. The place was simple, clean and fresh, and it reminded him of Elena's old room back in Mystic Falls. Elena dropped her bag in the room and then shut the door before Damon could go in. Damon smirked. "That'll be your room, then."

Elena continued down the hallway, opening the door at the end to reveal a classy, modern space. It was open plan - a kitchen at one and the living room at the other. The windows at the living room end looked out across the skyline, out into the multitude of trees that seemed to surround the area. Damon abandoned his own bag in the nearest free space, and began wandering around, snooping once more. There were a few photos. Some of Elena, Jeremy and Jenna - but others of people didn't recognise. The common link seemed to be a pretty, dark haired girl. She had olive toned skin that made her seem like she was European - Italian or Spanish, maybe. Her dark eyes were humoured in most of the photos, but knowing. Damon stopped himself from smiling. The kind of girl he wouldn't mind getting to know just a little bit better.

Elena ripped him from his wistful contemplation as she asked him what he was going to do now. Damon looked up at her, as she bustled around the kitchen, digging for coffee. She already had mugs out. Damon shrugged. "I don't know, I thought livening up the rest of your student life seemed like fun." Elena tilted her head slightly, looking slightly exasperated.

"Damon." She said in a warning tone.

"Elena." Damon replied, mimicking her tone in the most ridiculous fashion possible. "Oh, lighten up. You didn't want me to leave, remember?" Damon pointed out. She dropped her eyes to the coffee. Damon wondered why she hadn't wanted him gone, personally, but he wasn't going to argue. Inside, Elena was reeling with embarrassment. How stupid had she been? "It's not like I'm going to move in with you." Elena looked horrified at the very idea of that. But she stopped herself, considering Damon.

"I thought you had some fabulous life that me and my small town antics were keeping you from." Elena proposed. Damon smirked.

"Yeah, well, you blew that out of the water when I had to stick around and save your ass all the time." Damon told her. He knew the real answer to her statement though. The one he'd never say. 'My life was pointless before. You make me feel alive. So why shouldn't I stick around?' Damon mentally berated himself. God, he was so whipped. Elena just smiled and stirred a mug of coffee as she added freshly boiled water to the mug. Damon watched her, for a lack of anything more interesting in the room. But then again, Elena Gilbert was always the most interesting thing in the room.

"So, where's this roommate of yours? Did you lock her in the cupboard?" Damon teased. And as if life was a movie, Damon heard the front door open right on cue. Damon couldn't help but lean casually against the back of Elena's sofa, waiting for the mysterious girl to walk in. Then he'd charm the pants off of her and see how much it annoyed Elena. Just because he could.

The young, dark haired girl strode in, her eyes instantly going to the kitchen, where Elena already had a third mug out for her returned friend. Although Damon could only see the back of her head, he could feel the warmth from her when she uttered Elena's name. "I'm so glad you're home." She spoke with an American accent. It was nothing out of the ordinary, certainly not Italian, Spanish or anything vaguely exotic. Damon couldn't help but be slightly disappointed. The girl didn't move, but Elena noticed as her eyes flitted over the trio of coffee mugs. It was then that she turned to face Damon.

Damon smiled, trying to act all warm and homely. He'd forgotten what it was like to do this. He was able to be so lax around Elena; he hardly ever had to pretend to be the simple, young, charming guy. But this was a time that called for that particular façade, so Damon wore it like an expert. Elena seemed to be resigned to the fact Damon was going to be an ass. The roommate (as Damon had now christened her) looked at Damon, examining him with confident, knowing eyes. She seemed slightly suspicious. Somewhere deep inside Damon's battered soul, an alarm bell was ringing. Something wasn't quite right about this girl. Feeling the tension, Elena walked over, two cups of coffee in hand. She set them both down on the table, watching the pair examine each other. When it became clear Elena was waiting to see what Damon did, Damon smiled his four thousand watt classic.

"I'm Damon. Damon Salvatore." He said it with warm and eloquence. He took one of the roommate's free hands and lifted it slightly; kissing the back of her hand with an old time grace he had down to an art after all these years. Surprisingly enough, the girl was completely unconvinced. If anything, she looked more knowing and less than won over. Damon was seriously disturbed by her, and he couldn't pinpoint why.

"Meredith Sulez." She spoke shortly, withdrawing her hand gracefully. She looked to Elena, silently asking for an explanation. Elena got the message loud and clear.

"Damon's a friend of mine." Elena wasn't helping. Damon couldn't help but be unnerved by Meredith. It was odd. In decades of living, Damon had never been so instantly perturbed by anybody. Meredith turned away from Damon, looking to Elena, making it clear she didn't care in the least for Damon. Damon was shocked. He'd never met a girl that dismissed him like that. Never. A faint smile played across Elena's lips - obviously, she saw the rejection as good for him in some way.

"I see Virginia was beneficial as ever." Meredith said to Elena, a wry smile on her lips. Elena shrugged slightly, heading back to the kitchen to retrieve her own coffee.

"Same as always." Elena reasoned.

"Did you get my text?" Meredith asked. Elena felt into her jeans pocket, but her eyes widened slightly when she came up empty.

"Shoot, I left my phone in the car." Elena picked up her car keys from the fruit bowl. "I'll be two minutes." Elena reassured Meredith. However, as she brushed past Damon she mouthed 'behave'. Damon looked at her, his eyes widening slightly. He didn't know why he had the mad desire to accompany Elena downstairs and make sure she didn't kill herself, but he did. Damon was shocked at himself when he realised he didn't want to be alone with Meredith. What was wrong with him?

Elena exited, and Meredith sat down on the sofa, lifting her coffee and sipping at it. Damon went over to sit in the armchair close by, throwing up his charming, domestic cover once more. He'd be damned if he let this girl get the better of him.

"So, how long have you known Elena?" Damon asked politely, lifting the black coffee from the table. Meredith shrugged.

"I met her in August. I honestly don't feel like I know her, though." Damon frowned.

"Really?" Meredith looked at Damon, meeting his gaze with a self-assurance that was about as rare as a flying pig. But she wasn't cocky. Just...calm. Cool. Collected.

"All I know about Elena is her alcohol tendency." Meredith said dryly, obviously aiming for wry humour. Damon was surprised though.

"Excuse me?" Meredith arched a dark eyebrow at Damon.

"She drinks most nights." Damon could feel his face meld into a mask of disbelief. That wasn't Elena. Not his Elena. Meredith amended slightly, seeing Damon's shock. "Not to destruction. But she always has a glass of something."

Damon inhaled deeply. He hadn't realised it was this bad. Elena was sinking. She was seriously suffering from the events of her life. She'd lost her parents, gone through more supernatural crap than anyone should ever have to handle, and then all her friends had left her. She'd been hit with it all. To the point where she had taken his solution to all problems. Drink it away. Damon was going to have some serious work to do. Silence grew for a while. Meredith seemed to understand that this was news to Damon without being told such.

"I met Elena 3 months ago. I've lived with her for most of that time. I know she's got a little brother and an aunt in Mystic Falls, Virginia. I know her parents died in a car crash. And I know she's sad. It's like someone died. I don't know how to make it better. I don't know if anyone can." Damon sipped at the black coffee Elena had made him, considering this. Not only did she mope when she was in Mystic Falls, she was successfully trying to copy him. But she was hurting. She'd been hurting over everyone leaving. Caroline, Bonnie...Stefan. Even him. They'd all left her. And they'd all left without considering her. The ones who'd be left behind. Elena wasn't moving on. She couldn't. Damon liked to imagine he'd snapped her out of something last night, but that was clearly just a baby step.

"So maybe the question is how long have you known Elena?" Meredith proposed. Damon's eyes flashed to Meredith. She was being open and honest with him for Elena's sake. That didn't mean he felt any more at ease with her around.

"A while," Damon conceded. Meredith smiled slightly at his obscurity, as if he was confirming something she'd suspected all along.

"So you know her fairly well?"

"You know, she never fails to surprise me." Damon spoke openly. Meredith smiled quietly.

"She's like that, isn't she?" Meredith admitted. Damon looked at Meredith closely. She struck him as the kind of person who was so coolly detached from life that she'd probably still be like this in the middle of a fire. She didn't get hysterical or frilly or any of that. But at the same time, she struck him as the kind of person who would rip his heart out if he crossed her. Not that she could. But she had this air about her that screamed 'I know what you are'. Damon didn't see how she could. But he was unnerved all the same. He wished Elena would hurry up and come back. Before he found out Meredith was some cheesy vampire hunter.

Silence rocked out and Damon focused on the coffee. It was easier than focusing on Meredith, anyway. But she drew his attention once more when she spoke, breaking the silence. "Was she always like this?" Meredith asked. Damon looked up at her, with her exotic beauty and her calm demeanour. Using the nice guy image to its potential, Damon shrugged and tried to look concerned.

"Sometimes, I don't even know her." He admitted it solemnly, and Meredith just nodded. At that moment, the front door opened again and Elena walked back in, looking a little flustered. When she saw Damon and Meredith sitting down together, her eyes grew suspicious. Damon just smiled.

"Did you find your phone?" he asked politely. Elena nodded. Meredith smiled at Elena.

"So what do you say?" Meredith proposed, obviously talking about her text. Elena looked hesitant, sitting down next to Meredith on the sofa.

"Oh, I don't know..." Elena was hesitant.

"Think about it, at least." Damon could feel the awkwardness his presence was causing. He quickly got to his feet.

"Well, as much as I'd love to stay and chat, I have things to do, people to see." Damon announced, getting to his feet. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Meredith." Damon said. Elena quickly got to her feet and followed Damon down the hall.

"Damon, just promise me you won't mess with Meredith." Elena pleaded quietly as they headed for the door.

"Why ever not? She's a perfectly nice girl." Damon spoke as if he didn't know why Elena would ask such a thing. Elena arched an eyebrow. "I mean, nice in an I'm-going-to-rip-a-stake-out-of-thin-air-and-kill you way. But nice." Elena's brow creased.

"What are you talking about?" Damon waved it off.

"Never you mind your pretty little head." Elena wasn't deterred, however.

"Damon."

"Elena. I'm not going to break into your house and compel you or your lovely roommate to do anything. Now, I'd love to stay and debate what I can and can't do, according to the book of Elena, but I really have better things to do than sit around and play happy families all night." Damon opened the door, heading out onto the landing. He knew he could pull Elena on her alcohol addiction, but he wouldn't. Yet. He was keeping it in reserve for a more appropriate time. Elena eyed him suspiciously.

"What are you up to?"

"Absolutely nothing, Elena. You have a nice night now." Damon said, heading down the stairs.

Elena never even had a chance to say goodbye before he was gone. She bit her lip. She didn't know why, but she had a distinct bad feeling about all of this. Elena headed back inside, and Meredith looked up, considering her for a moment.

"So... Damon Salvatore," Meredith said coolly. "There's a story there." Elena sighed, collapsing onto the sofa.

"A long, complicated one I'd rather not talk about." Elena admitted. Meredith was looking at her oddly.

"He's different." Meredith observed.

"To who?" Elena asked, frowning slightly.

"Everyone."

"Well, I never have met anyone else like him," Elena conceded.

"You never will." Meredith told her.

"Why do you say that?"

"Because although he's a self confident ass, he cares about you. I get the feeling you forget that sometimes," Meredith spoke as she stood up, heading down the hallway to her room. Elena closed her eyes, trying not to think. Meredith was too observant for her own good.

It wasn't until an hour after Damon had left that Elena realised he'd left his bag behind.