Plot progress! Finally. I really loved writing this chapter, although I have no idea where hysterical!Elena came from, so forgive me if you think it's a little off. As always, any thoughts or comments you guys have to make are adored by me. So don't be shy!

Elena didn't know what she'd expected from the 'fabulous' party she'd been taken to, but it wasn't what she got anyway. Some third year had a house uptown, and it was huge compared to Meredith and Elena's little place. The rooms were, however, spacious, with the sofas pushed against the walls and nothing but food and drink lining the rooms. Elena had wanted to turn around and leave the second she arrived. She'd never ever saw herself coming to one of these little house parties. They were just so...not her. Not anymore. Although little was the wrong word - the place was teeming with students.

Meredith guided her inside to the kitchen, where they stood by a large kitchen island, which was laden with snack food and the odd bottle of booze. Elena didn't touch any of the alcohol. She knew there was this reputation for it being spiked at these things. Besides - when Damon had mentioned the party her first thought had been of underage drinking. That had promptly slapped her round the head for the next hour. She had been cautious of going because of the alcohol and yet she drank a glass of something every night. What did that say? Was she so blinded? Elena had eventually decided to give up the habit. Why was she drinking anyway? What was the point? It would only give her liver disease later and it certainly wasn't making anything better. Elena supposed it had just been helping her forget. Forgetting, however, clearly wasn't helping much.

Meredith was watching her closely as Elena grabbed a handful of popcorn from a bowl, slowly eating the sticky confection. Elena noticed her watching. Something in Meredith's gaze confused her. "Meredith?" Elena asked cautiously. Meredith lifted a bottle of Coke, pouring some into a plastic cup she'd pulled from a stack nearby. She filled the cup and took a sip of the drink before she spoke.

"Would you mind if I was honest, Elena, or would you rather I was nice?" Meredith asked calmly. Elena's eyes widened a little in surprise.

"Honest, please," Elena told her. She'd had enough of being lied to for a lifetime.

"I never saw you coming tonight. I never thought you'd agree. And even then, I expected you to jump at the alcohol." Meredith's words stung. But Elena had only known her for a few months, and she'd spent them all feeling lonely and abandoned. Elena had been carrying so much guilt and she hadn't even realised until Damon turned up. What was the meant to say about her? More to the fact, how had Damon managed to wake her up? He turned up, taken her to a party; they'd danced and had a good time. Then he'd driven her back here. That was about it. Was that really enough? Was reminding her that someone still cared about her, showing her the way things used to be - the way they could be again - was that really enough? Elena sighed slightly. Apparently, it was.

"I'm not normally like that," Elena assured Meredith solemnly, popping some more of the sweet popcorn into her mouth.

"I know." Meredith said it calmly, like she'd always known that there was a better Elena Gilbert beneath the sad, lonely drinker. "But you're better now." It wasn't a question. Meredith's perceptiveness was completely unparalleled.

"I'm getting better," Elena amended. Placing her plastic cup down on the kitchen island, Meredith surprised her by stepping forward and wrapping Elena in a warm, soft hug. Elena had never felt more reassured. Not for months. Sure, Jenna and Jeremy told her they loved and made her feel like she belonged. But they were family. They were honour bound to get along. Meredith made her feel like she wasn't driving every other living person away, for the first time in months. Elena gently hugged Meredith back, thankful for the warmth of feeling.

"I wish you would tell me what's made you so sad," Meredith said, releasing her gently. Elena thought of the mess with vampires, werewolves and witches that had been her life. The mess that had, in the end, cost Elena months of happiness. She couldn't burden Meredith with that. She would be extremely lucky if Meredith would even believe her.

"I wish I could tell you," Elena said honestly, turning back to the popcorn, chewing another few pieces. Meredith sipped some more of her drink and there was silence between them for a moment, as the thrum of music swelled into the space between them.

"Damon helps, doesn't he?" Meredith asked quietly after a few moments. Elena nodded. "Then I guess I can stand him," Meredith said wryly, a smile twisting her lips. Elena laughed.

"So how come you got invited to this party anyway?" Elena asked good-naturedly.

"Friend from class - Mark. He knows a few third years from his building, and they're friends with the guy who owns this place." Meredith explained.

"Must be brave, having a big party like this," Elena mused. Meredith shrugged.

"It's not like it's an open door, precisely." Meredith tempered.

"Then again..." Elena said, seeing Damon heading their way. Meredith didn't even turn around. She knew who Elena meant.

"Elena. Meredith. Enjoying the party?" Damon asked with a kind of polite levity. He grabbed a breadstick from the kitchen counter and bit the end off of it. Meredith watched him curiously. Elena just gazed at Damon, as if to say 'What did you expect from me?' Damon glanced between Meredith and Elena.

"Am I interrupting?" Damon asked. Elena saw the 'normal guy' facade he was using for Meredith's benefit. The thing was that Elena was fairly sure Meredith saw straight through it.

"Not at all." Meredith said smoothly, sipping some more of her drink. Damon looked at her curiously.

"You look stunning, tonight, Meredith. Red's really your colour," Damon told her, sounding completely sincere. Meredith clearly wasn't buying anything Damon sold, however.

"Thank you. I would tell you that you really suited your colour too, but you're always wearing black, and that's hardly a colour. No one suits black."Meredith said coolly, a sly smile playing around her lips. "Now, if you'll excuse me..." Meredith said smoothly, exiting the kitchen before Damon could get another word in. She did, however, shoot Elena an apologetic glance. Elena replied with her own eyes, reassuring Meredith that it was okay. The second Meredith was out of the room, Damon dropped some of the act. They were still in a house full of people - but he didn't act so much when it was just between the two of them. Elena could tell.

"You know, I still say she's secretly plotting my death." Damon said matter-of-factly, taking another bite of the breadstick. Elena frowned slightly, scolding him with her eyes. Damon shrugged. "What?" he asked incredulously. "It's true."

"Yeah, well, whatever. I'm here. Happy?" Elena asked a little begrudgingly. She had been enjoying talking to Meredith. Not that she didn't want Damon around, per se. She just hated how he'd driven Meredith off.

"I'm satisfied. For now," Damon said tauntingly. Elena narrowed her eyes slightly.

"Why did you want me here, anyway?" She was more curious than anything else.

"Do I need a reason?" Damon asked. When Elena didn't reply, Damon spoke again, his tone exasperated. "I wanted to take you out and let you have a good time. Is that such a bad thing?"

A wheel seemed to click into place in Elena's head. "This is not a date." She said it flatly, leaving no room for negotiation. Damon snorted slightly.

"If I wanted to take you on a date, I could do better than some drunken sorority kid's house." Damon stated. Elena had no doubt that he could, either. He'd just compel his way into where ever he so wished to go. Which brought to mind a valid point.

"How are you even here? Don't you need an invite?" Elena said it in a way that meant anyone passing by wouldn't understand. But Damon understood her well enough.

"It's not that hard to get one," Damon said, faintly mocking. As if to say 'See, Elena? Humans are stupid.' Elena felt mildly offended.

"Great." Elena said, in a tone that suggested she thought it was anything but.

"What would you rather have me say, Elena? Really, enlighten me, before I become an expert in how to piss you off." Damon spoke again, that faint mocking tone still lingering. Exasperated, Elena let out a breath that let Damon know that she'd had enough, and walked out of the kitchen, a few pieces of popcorn still in her fingers.

She weaved through the people, heading to the living room. She found Meredith there, talking to some friends. Elena headed straight over, and Meredith quickly introduced her to the people she was with - Jenny and Gareth. Jenny, Elena knew. She'd been there when Meredith had gone out to meet her friends, that first night Elena had tagged along. Gareth was new. They talked and laughed for a while, and Elena was faintly relieved that Damon hadn't followed her. Of course, she supposed he was probably hitting up some pretty girl in the kitchen, but Elena wasn't sure she cared what Damon did, as long as no one died.

The four of them relaxed together after a while, and Elena could feel the tension slipping away. She laughed because she wanted to, not because she had to. She gave her input because she wanted to take part, not because she had to, to stop from drawing attention to herself. She was enjoying herself. And contrary to her previous conceptions, she was enjoying herself. She was having fun. She hadn't had fun at a party with a group of near strangers for a long time. Meredith was a comfort too. She understood. And she didn't hate her. Elena felt that Meredith was becoming a close friend - a creature she thought she'd become apt at driving away, thanks to Klaus and everything else that had happened. Apparently not. Maybe her old friends really had just needed space to process and try to move on.

Elena volunteered to go and grab more drinks, and was met with replies of enthusiasm. She headed towards a long table at the side of the lounge, pulling out fresh plastic cups and filling them up with the requested drinks. Elena felt loose, and she had to admit all the caffeine was probably messing with her mind. 'Better than alcohol,' she told herself. For a start, caffeine was far more legal, and less damaging in the morning. It was as she was filling the cups she heard it. The name spoken with such vehement surprise that Elena was under no misconceptions. She'd been training herself to stop reacting to the name. But this - this was so clearly directed at her.

"Katherine."

Elena looked up, to find a man standing next to her. It was the same man from the little roadside cafe, back on the road from Mystic Falls to Durham. The man she'd thought had been staring at her. Elena felt her heart rate speed up drastically. Maybe he had been staring at her. Because she looked like Katherine.

Before Elena could even form a syllable, he was gone. Vanished, like a spectre. Gone so fast it was like he'd never existed - disappeared in the blink of an eye. Elena knew only one person could to that. A vampire. Elena felt her breath start to come in shallow pants, her heart still pulsing so fast it would surely give out. She'd only just stopped looking for kidnappers and vampires in a crowd. And now she found one? More to the fact, he thought she was Katherine. And he said her name so viciously, Elena knew it wasn't good. That tone could never be good. Why did it all come back to Katherine? Damon, Stefan, doppelganger curses - every supernatural element in her life had more or less started and ended with Katerina Petrova. Katherine Pierce.

Why couldn't she stop haunting Elena's every step?

Elena thought she was going to collapse. The man had vanished. Maybe he was going for back up. And they were going to come back here and stake her, thinking she was Katherine. Not even the protection of the invite saved her. The vampire had gotten in. Even Damon had teased her about the fact earlier. 'It's not that hard to get one.' That was what he'd said. She was going to die. All because of Katherine. No one could save her. What would Jenna say when they found her body? What about Jeremy? He'd turned to drugs when their parents had died, what would he do at the loss of another family member?

Meredith's voice rang in her ears. She'd obviously seen Elena, and gotten concerned about her. Elena took a moment to comprehend what Meredith was saying. "Are you okay?" No, I'm not okay! A vampire showed up and thinks I'm Katherine, and now he may be away to get the angry mob, who will tear me to pieces. Oh yes, Katherine is my doppelganger - she's a psychotic vampire who's over 500 years old, and everyone hates her. I'm not safe anymore, and I want to run, screaming my head off at the insanity. Damon never should have dragged me here. Oh, but I forgot! Damon's a vampire too; Katherine turned him back in 1864. Don't you love how she's all over my life? But Elena would never say any of that, even if that was what she wanted to scream.

"I'm fine. Just... need some air." Elena spoke through her shallow breaths, before staggering out of the room, heading back to the kitchen and straight out the French Doors she'd spotted earlier. There were a few people milling around in the garden, which was carefully decorated with fairy lights. It was meant to make the dark plants and black shadows feel safer - more secure. In reality, it just freaked Elena out more. The coloured light made odd shapes against the landscape. The red ones were the worst. It just made Elena think of spilled blood.

Elena saw a dark shape shift in the indistinct shadows, and she had to try and stop herself from running. Her heart was absolutely powering now, as she tried to steady her breathing. They'd come back to kill her. After all she'd survived, all she'd gone through, she was going to die now. Elena knew she should have been thinking about how to live, but all she could think was how unfair life was. Maybe it was just as well her friends had left. At least no one would miss her. Apart from maybe Meredith. She liked to think that Meredith would miss her.

Elena heard leaves rustling closer to her, making her sure someone was coming for her. Elena took a step back from the edge of the patio, trying to stop herself from running away, screaming. It was all she could do. She knew that making a scene would only make things worse for herself. There was a scream somewhere nearby. They'd got someone. Who? Why? Elena didn't even hear them coming up behind her - her head was too full of terror. All she knew was that they had her. Because a strong, steady hand grasped her shoulder. They were going to do it now. Hold her close and kill her. A terrifying thought crossed Elena's mind. What if they took her away? They thought she was Katherine. What if they started torturing her? She didn't know she could take that. Of course, they'd find out she was human. Then they'd kill her and use her for food. How comforting.

Elena yelped quietly, turning around to face her attacker and maybe try to defend herself. Of course, that was crazy. What was she going to do against a vampire? Damon had made the point of that once. Way, way back when they were going to save Stefan from the tomb vampires. She'd wanted to go, she'd wanted to help. Damon had told her no. He'd said that he couldn't protect her because he had no idea how many vampires there would be. Of course, she'd always been stubborn, willful. Always insisted she didn't need protection. Hadn't she thought that this morning? That she didn't want or need protection? But Damon had been right when he'd explained it to her, all those months ago. He'd just snapped his fingers, and said plainly 'That's how long it takes you to get your head ripped off.' He was right. And Elena? She was so sure she was as good as dead. She vaguely wondered if Damon would miss her, when she was dead. She hoped he didn't go back to how he had been, back when they'd first met. That would be unbearable for Elena.

However, her fears were unfounded in the end. Although it was a vampire who had his hands on her, it wasn't one who would be making any effort to kill her. It was Damon. Elena felt her knees go weak. She almost cried with relief. She hadn't felt this scared in months. She'd been ready to die once. But when it had all ended...Elena had liked to think that it was all over. She'd had enough death threats and lethal adventures for a lifetime. Hadn't she?

Had Elena been less stressed out, less terrified, and perhaps had a little less caffeine in her system; she probably never would have made her next move. But she did, without even thinking. She fell into Damon's arms. He wasn't holding them open for her, to be fair. But she just fell forward and wrapped her arms around him. She knew she never would have done this under any other circumstances. But she was just so scared, and so relieved that Damon was there. 'I can't protect you, Elena.' He'd said it all those months ago, when they were going to save Stefan. And as much as her head no, not even Damon could save her from a hoard of bloodthirsty vampires, her heart demanded otherwise. Her heart was saying that Damon could protect her. It was saying that Damon could help - Damon would know what to do. It was ironic. When they'd first met - once Elena knew the truth about what Damon was - she had thought the exact opposite.

Elena just held Damon tight for a moment, and he let her. He didn't hug her back, precisely. But Elena could feel the intention there, the fact that yes, he did care, and yes, she was safe now. Elena swore he was lightly fingering her hair, but she was so distressed she just wasn't sure. It was funny. With them, it had always seemed to be the other way around - she would hug him to show she cared. Now she hugged him because she had forgotten what it felt like to feel like she was being hunted.

Elena closed her eyes, fighting back tears, but through the body contact she heard Damon's soft words resonate. "I've got it from here." That was all he said. Elena forced herself to open her eyes, and look around her. None of the party goers were paying much attention to her, but she could just make out Meredith, who was retreating into the house. Had she gone to get Damon, to tell him she was outside having a breakdown? Elena had never appreciated Meredith more. She knew she didn't fall for Damon's charm, didn't like him that much, and she knew Damon didn't have any warm and fuzzy feelings for Meredith. For her to go fetch him showed not only that Meredith was one of the most insightful people she knew, but she was brave, selfless too. She would need to thank her when she saw her again.

Elena finally pulled away from Damon, and he placed a few fingers underneath her chin, tilting her head upwards. His gaze was enquiring, curious, and probing. He was checking that she was physically okay and asking her what was wrong all at the same time, without saying a single word. Elena drew in a shaky breath, trying to steady herself. She was strong. She could handle this. She'd just forgotten how it felt to be faced with it again. More to the fact, this time, she was alone. She was without her friends to support her. She never thought she'd need to face this again. Only she did, so she just had to get on with it.

"Katherine. He called me Katherine," Elena murmured quietly, under her breath. Damon looked down at her in surprise and something that looking like roiling fury. He didn't even ask for a further explanation. He just guided her straight through the house and right out the front door. They were leaving. Elena didn't question it. She hadn't wanted to be here in the first place. She wanted to stay even less now. Damon had walked her along good few streets away before Elena felt secure enough to say anything. Her pulse had finally stopped racing.

"Where are we going?" she said through the blind shock that had overtaken her.

"We are going back to your flat. And you're going to stay there. We'll have our own party," Damon said, as if he was trying to make up for taking her away from the party they'd just been to. Elena wanted to say she didn't care about the party, but her mind was otherwise occupied. Silence span out for a few more minutes, before Damon spoke again. "I'm impressed. You're normally complaining about my plans by now. Maybe this isn't so bad." Elena couldn't stop herself glaring up at Damon.

"Can you stop poking fun at everything for five minutes?" Elena said, frustrated. Damon seemed to concede, because he didn't say another word. Elena just had one thought in her mind, through the haze of paralyzing shock.

Why was it always her? And why was it always, always related to Katherine?