Again, I have to apologize for another short chapter - plus the fact that this hasn't been updated in ages. There's a lot going on right now (good things), so I've really put fan fiction on the back burner. But, with that said, I'm trying to get back on track with updates.

Hope you enjoy :)

Chapter 4

Stefan had found himself a quaint dwelling place on the Italian country-side, not long after becoming a vampire. Sure he travelled a lot, for risk of being found out, but it was nice to have somewhere to come back to. The Salvatore estate was never an option. He found this lonely and deserted cottage as he wondered through the woods, trying to figure out what to do with himself. Damon had already left, threatening to kill Stefan if they ever met again. Stefan never saw his brother again after that. It was thirty years since they'd seen each other.

As of now, he was back in the woods on a hunt. It was almost dusk.

The thought of his brother brought back a flood of other memories better left forgotten, yet impossible to get rid of. Fighting with Damon. Giussepe shouting who knows what in the background. The sword going through Stefan's heart, but him not dying until he can get his own through Damon's.

Katherine.

Stefan closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Yes, those were memories best left untouched. Stefan would shove the memories back into the hidden crevices of his mind and get back to hunting. He could smell a deer nearby.

Damon licked the remaining crimson liquid from his lips as he walked through town. The girl had been maybe 17 or 18, petite, but surprisingly filling. He'd left her unconscious in a deserted alley, so Damon was sure that she'd find her way home with no problem after she woke up. Whatever she remembered would just be like a wonderful, and slightly confusing, dream. Damon made sure of that.

Now it was only a matter of finding something else to do. Having an eternity of time at your disposal has its pitfalls when you're bored. Damon could always find another girl to snack on, but the other one really did fill him up. Damon had never been a glutton and he felt no need to start, so feeding again was out of the question for now.

He walked past all the shops closing up for the night. Only the local tavern was just opening. Maybe he could go in and pick a fight? But that would be no fun. None of these pathetic humans stood a chance against Damon, and he knew it.

What to do? What to do?

It had been a few years since Damon been in Italy for longer than just a mere passing through. Now he wondered why he even bothered spending a few nights there. What was the point? There was nothing left for him here, except for maidens who were too trusting towards handsome strangers. Yet, Damon found himself visiting his hometown anyway.

As Damon walked out of town and got closer to the woods, he sensed a familiar presence. Smirking to himself, Damon took the form of a crow and soared upward. Landing, he perched on a tree in front of the window of a rundown cottage. Inside, he could see a young man with wavy, chestnut brown hair and a facial profile fit to be stamped a Roman coin. The man had a faraway look in his forest green eyes, as he stared into the flames confined in the stone fireplace.

Obviously getting the feeling that he was being watched, the man turned his head to the window that the crow was watching him through. Damon inwardly smiled to himself, and began preening his feathers. Poor, naïve little Stefan had no idea who was outside his window.

I could kill him now, Damon thought. But let's see if he recognizes me.

A hint of something, maybe confusion, registered in Stefan's features. But it vanished nearly as quick as it appeared. He turned back to the fire.

Simple boy.

Upon turning is head from the window, thinking deeply, Stefan heard the crow outside beat its wings and take off in flight. He felt strange to admit it, but there was something familiar in the way that bird watched him. A cynical, almost human, stare.

Could it be? Stefan thought. No…but it's possible. No.

The thought seemed foolish to Stefan, to see a crow and mistake it for his brother, Damon. He'd heard of vampires shape-shifting, but he knew that if he ever saw Damon again it would be in powerful combat - not Damon spying on him in avian form.

Most likely, I'll never see my brother again.

Are you certain? something echoed in Stefan's mind. That's when the realization took over.

His brother was a lot closer than Stefan thought.

Stefan rose from his seat and wrenched open the front door of his cottage. Before him stood a dark haired man, with fathomless black eyes and a grin tugging at his lips. Stefan felt himself go rigid.

"Well, aren't you going to invite me in?"

Well, that was that. I hoped you liked it!

This will probably be updated sooner than later because I know what happens next (kind of).

Updates to all my other stories (besides that ridiculous poem one - that'll get updated whenever I feel like it) are on the way.

Thank you for reading :) Please review with any thoughts or criticisms. I'm open to your opinions and value your reviews very much.