Elena's POV:

Stefan's head started to turn towards the door as Damon grabbed her mouth, and lifted her with the other hand pulling her out of sight. A huge gust of wind came at her. She closed her eyes. In about two seconds, she opened them. The woods. She was in the woods. Elena looked to Damon who was pacing back and forth. Elena's head spun. So many scenarios were happening inside her head. Elena actually considered she was inside a dream. A horrific and terrible dream that she couldn't wake up from.

"What?" She yelled looking around confused. Her head pounded and she could feel tears welling up in her eyes from confusion and her fear.

Damon ignored her talking to himself and continuing to pace.

Her boyfriend had just killed somebody... snapping their neck right in front of her. What did the Lexi girl do?

"Damon.. I can't-"

"Not now Elena I'm trying to figure this out!" He barked at her continuing to talk to himself about the certain man Stefan was referring to.

"He killed.. he he killed that girl.." Elena sobbed.

"I said not now Elena!" Damon eyed her for a second continuing to talk. Katherine's name came up along with Stefan's.

Elena huffed more than furious. Grabbing Damon by the collar, she pushed him as hard as she could. The push made him step back once basically not affecting him at all.

"I'm so fucking tired of all the lies, dammit!" She yelled in his face. Elena caught his attention now. "Now what the hell is going on?!" He stayed quiet for a couple seconds taken back at her aggressive words. He looked down to her lips.

"I'm so fuckin' turned on right now," his facial expression and tone remained the same. His head came closer to hers about an inch as if he was about to kiss her.

"Jesus! Not the right time for that!" She yelled before thinking pushing him away. He smiled at her flashing a toothy grin. "Never the right time for that! Now spill," she ordered. He hesitated.

"Alright.. but only if you promise not to freak out?"

"A little late for that don't you think?" She began to cry again. "Oh my God! Bonnie and Caroline are in the house," she pulled out her phone. Damon grabbed it right away.

"Ah ah ah you don't want to do that. They'll be safe," he stated. "Most likely.."

"He just... they need to get out of the house now!" She reached for her phone. "And how am I here?!" Looking around at all the trees surrounding her. She started crying again as her breath became uneven. Pretty soon, she realized she was hyperventilating.

"Elena calm down," he took her face in his hands keeping her steady. "Look at me, look at me," he took her chin gently with his pointer finger and thumb to keep her gaze on him. Damon took a deep breath in. Elena mimicked him. "Good.." he let go of her face. "Now promise me you'll stay calm.." he looked down preparing himself.

"I can't. He just killed-"

"He didn't kill her. She'll be fine. Lex will wake up in about an hour or so," he shrugged.

"What?"

"She's a vampire, and so is Stefan and so am I," he crossed his arms.

Elena was silent before letting out a laugh.

"Oh my God. I've never hated you more. Could you tell the fucking truth for one god damn second? This isn't a joke!" Elena rubbed her eyes.

"Elena.." he looked around before picking up a large stick. "Watch," he plunged the stick into his hand grunting in pain. Elena gasped.

"What the fuck, Damon?" He pulled it out. And then showed her. Elena's eyes widened as the hole became smaller and smaller until the only remaining evidence that he had impaled himself at all was his blood stained long sleeve.

"How did you do that?" Elena breathed taking his hand and turning it.

"I told you didn't I? I'm a vampire."

"I don't believe you there's no such thing. You're being ridiculous," Elena shook her head clearly in denial.

"How do you think you got here so fast? Vampire speed. How do you think I healed so quickly? How do you think Stefan snapped that girls neck like a tooth pick? Vampire strength. How do you think I controlled you to tell me what Stefan was telling you? Compulsion. Why do you think there have been so many 'animal' attacks all over Virginia? I'll let you guess with that one," he nodded raising an eyebrow.

"Well why didn't you just show me your teeth? That would've been the more convincing route wouldn't it?" Elena rolled her eyes sarcastically.

"I didn't want to have to do that cause it would scare you shitless... but here goes nothin'," he looked at her intently. Elena took a step back when the entire whites of his eyes were bloodshot. Veins under his eyes began to pop out, and he flashed his teeth growling at her.

Elena jumped back screaming. Damon closed his mouth, and his eyes slowly returned to normal as the veins disappeared.

"What the- what- why- how can you-"

"I know it's all confusing right now, Elena, but this is very important. You have to go back to the house and act like you're completely fine. Like nothing changed. Just for five hours, and then you can freak out all you want-"

"You need to get away from me," she took a step back beginning to cry as he took one forward.

"I mean it Elena. Stefan doesn't know we know. He wants something from you... and it's not your affection. He's using you for something, and I can't quite put my finger on it. He's been playing you this whole time in the relationship. I always figure out when my little bro is off the rails. That's why I need your help," Damon pleaded sincerely.

"I can't help you. You kill people!" She yelled taking a step back as he took another one forward. "Please don't hurt me!" She let out a sob backing into a tree hiding her face into it.

"Oh please! I haven't killed anyone since last Tuesday," he chuckled trying to lighten the mood. Elena's face glistened with tears as her breath was uneven from her crying. She griped the tree not bearing to look at him. She couldn't run, there was no point. Her other option was to cower like a dog, so she chose that route. He went serious again. "You're trembling... I won't hurt you. I promise, but I need you to help me," Elena heard him take a step toward her, and she stayed put. "Hey," he grabbed her arm turning her around. Elena shrieked when he touched her. "Look at me," he lifted her chin. "Calm down, I won't hurt you or I would have done it already. You're smart, you should know that," he smiled doing that eye thing that she couldn't stand.

Elena didn't know why, but she could feel he was telling the truth. He wouldn't hurt her. Elena looked down to her neck feeling different.

"Where's my necklace?"

"Right here, it's fine," he smiled tucking it into his pocket. She shook her head.

"I can't pretend like nothing happened..." she muttered.

"I know.." he looked down and then up again at her. "I have a sketchy plan though. It would be better if I had more time, but obviously the party is tonight. We get drunk so they don't suspect a thing. You obviously need to get drunk, so that won't be a problem. Stay within fifteen feet of me at all times. I mean it, Elena. That way I know if Stefan needs you or whoever he is.. and I can protect you," he nodded.

"Why are you protecting me?" Elena asked as her sobs began to simmer. "We just met.."

"Honestly, I'm not entirely sure. You're hot. Is that a good enough reason?" He claimed sarcastically. "I'm here for Stefan, not you," he claimed seriously.

Elena looked down understanding. There was apparently something wrong with Stefan.

Up until he snapped Lexi's neck, he had always acted like that. If Damon said he could tell when his brother was off the rails, and he was now... did she really even know the guy she had dated for three years? Who was the real Stefan Salvatore? Elena got chills thinking that Stefan had been lying to her the whole time about something.

What if Damon was right? What if Stefan only wanted her to use her for something. Apparently he's the one that killed his ex-girlfriend. She wouldn't have believed Damon about that before, but after she witnessed Stefan snapping his best friend's neck.. she didn't know what to think of him. Elena shook the thoughts out of her head focusing on the present.

"Will I be safe with you?" Elena asked.

"Yes."

"Do you promise not to compel me or control me or whatever that eye thing is you do?" She crossed her arms.

"Yes," Damon rolled his eyes before doing the eye thing.

"Can I trust you?"

"Start walkin'," he nodded toward the way to the Salvatore mansion. Elena sighed, but obeyed.

Once they got back to the mansion, the only two in the house were Caroline and Bonnie. Damon looked at her, nodded and walked to the kitchen.

"Where have you been?" Caroline raged.

"I uh.." Elena stammered.

"Please tell me you went to the store and forgot the groceries instead of running off with the guy you yourself called an ass?" Bonnie crossed her arms.

"Yeah cause I already called dibs!" Caroline whispered. Elena glanced to Damon who shouldn't have heard that, but he turned his head and winked at Caroline. Elena rolled her eyes.

"No, please don't.." Elena grumbled.

"Why?" Caroline asked. "You have the other brother, why can't I have this one?"

"There's plenty of me to go around ladies.. even at the same time if you so desire," he raised an eyebrow. The girls just stared. Caroline turned beat red.

"You know, being a dick doesn't make yours any bigger," Elena spat. He was disgusting.

"Speaking of my dick and the size-"

"That's enough of that!" Elena grabbed Bonnie and Caroline's arms dragging them up to her and Stefan's room to find something to wear for the party.

Elena saw Damon grab an apple and follow. She wanted to tell him to go away, but she had promised him that he would stay within fifteen feet of her.

She hated this already. Elena still couldn't believe the vampire thing. She was still in some sort of denial, or she wouldn't be able to function at the moment. What would she say to Bonnie and Caroline?

Stefan's POV:

Thank God. It was just his imagination. No one was at the door. He thought he had heard something? Never mind that. Grabbing Lexi by the arm, he hoisted her up draping her body over his shoulder.

"Hey," he nodded as he passed Bonnie and Caroline in the kitchen. "She's a day drinker, just gonna get her cooled down," Stefan clarified. The girls stared but nodded.

Rolling his eyes, he walked Lexi down to the basement. He hated having to explain himself all the time. He hated having to be nice to these girls. He hated being someone he wasn't. Stefan threw her in one of the cellars and locked it. He didn't have time for her bullshit "I'm here to help you get back to normal" method. This was his normal. The only normal he knew.

Looking at the only wooden chair in the room, he hesitated. He couldn't have her wake up and ruining what he wanted from Stefan. Stefan hesitated even more wanting to leave her in the room to wake up. He wouldn't have it though.

A buzz came from his pocket.

Unknown number: Where should we meet?

Stefan: The Mystic Grill here in town. Be there in 10.

Stefan finished what he started, walked upstairs, told the two that he had to make a quick errand and took his red 1963 Porsche speeding out of the driveway.

Stefan thought for a moment. Three years and then this whole ordeal would finally end. He could move to wherever the hell he wanted with his girl, and they would live peacefully for eternity. That's all he wanted.

Passing a couple walking down the street holding hands, he smelled something. He felt his fangs pop out. Blood.

The woman had tripped, cutting herself on a stray shard of glass on the ground. Parking his car, Stefan got out walking toward the couple.

"Hey, do you guys need some help? I'm actually a doctor, and that cut looks deep ma'am," Stefan offered.

"Oh, sure!" She offered her hand as Stefan pulled her up.

"I'm sorry, Abby is so clumsy," he chuckled.

"It's completely fine, don't worry about it. Wait- Abby? Are you Bonnie's parents?" He asked.

"Yes, I'm Rudy and this is Abby," he stuck out his hand to shake.

"Perfect," Stefan smiled taking his hand and breaking it between his grip. He was so tired of Bonnie and Caroline. This would all go down tonight, so he wouldn't have to explain himself or hear the complaining and crying from Elena and the two.

The man wailed.

"Sir are you okay?" Stefan asked sarcastically. "Oh my god, I think your hand is broken!" He covered his mouth obnoxiously.

"Yeah, no shit!" Rudy yelled. "What the hell?"

"Come with me." Stefan grabbed both of their arms taking them to a nearby ally. Compelling the woman to stay still, he broke the mans leg, so he wouldn't move.

Rudy tumbled to the ground screaming in pain. Stefan decided he would be the first to die since he was making a scene.

Abby grabbed Stefan by the shirt trying to pull him off of Rudy.

"I compelled you to stay why won't you-" he paused glancing for jewelry that wasn't there. "Ah," he came to a realization. "You're a witch. A witch out of practice because you haven't chanted anything yet. I need to pay a visit to Bonnie. This makes things so much more interesting," he smiled feeling his fangs brush against his lower lip.

Sinking his teeth into her neck, he ripped open her artery feeling the blood glide down his throat like silk. She had been fighting him the entire time which had made things much more fun for Stefan. He hadn't realized he had already sucked her dry. Out of anger of wanting more, he ripped her head from her body throwing it across the ally.

Kneeling to her husband, Stefan grabbed him by the collar. He was wailing so loud, Stefan couldn't hear himself think.

"Wow. I didn't believe that you, Stefan Salvatore, were the Ripper of Virginia, but here you are ripping people's heads off out of anger," he knew that voice. The perfect angelic voice. He heard it almost everyday, but this he knew was different.

"Katherine," he looked up.

"Finish your lunch, and then we'll have a little chat.." she crossed her arms.

After Stefan had finished Rudy off, he walked up to Katherine. He could feel the hot thick blood dripping from his chin.

It had been a while since he had seen the infamous Katherine Pierce. She hadn't really changed that much, but she knew how to make an entrance.

"It's dangerous being here. Elena is your-"

"Doppelgänger. I know," she shrugged. "But let's be honest, I'm the better looking one," Katherine draped her arms around Stefan's neck.

"What about Damon?" Stefan asked.

"What about Damon? Are you jealous?" She answered.

"No. You having feelings for my brother could get in the way of the plan," he answered with a straight face.

"You shut off your emotions," she stated.

"I've had them off since the twenties. I've had to keep the girl distracted and safe for now. It'll all be over soon. I need to know if you still have feelings for Damon," he said rather impatiently.

"I only want you," she smiled coming closer to his face. Darting her tongue out, she licked the blood remnants from his neck, cheeks and lips before sealing her promise with a kiss.

Stefan shoved her to the wall devouring her lips, nipping and sucking and kissing. He could feel her tugging on his hair as his hands slid to her waist pulling her tight against him. Katherine groaned.

"Miss me?" He snickered.

"Like you wouldn't believe," Katherine smiled back shoving him off of her. "Let's go, we need to talk."

"He sent you didn't he?" Stefan followed her to the Grill.

"Of course he did. He believes it's too early. He needs to run a few errands before he sees her," she answered. "That's why he sent me instead. To have some fun."

"If Damon sees you he'll know we're up to something. He'll try to kill-"

"He won't do anything because I have him wrapped around my little finger, I promise baby. Just let me have my fun," she laughed taking his hand. Stefan nodded agreeing.

3rd persons POV:

"Why is he here again?" Bonnie asked looking over to Damon laying on Stefan's bed with his nose stuffed in a book. 50 shades of Grey to be exact. Elena could see his eyebrows lifting at most likely questionable sexual scenes he was reading. He didn't regret compelling Elena to calm down. If she would have broken down in front of Stefan, the entire plan would have been blown, and she would most likely be dead. His brother wouldn't blink an eye snapping her neck. In a twisted way, he was saving her life.

"Don't ask me!" Caroline whispered back.

"He's here to help Elena pick out her outfit for tonight!" Damon smiled sarcastically.

"No one asked you," Elena rolled her eyes.

He winked at her then went back to reading. Once in a while he would look up and comment on the outfit she was wearing. Mostly snarky, sexual references were thrown out followed by a rolling of the eyes from the girls.

The girls soon realized how much of a douche bag fatalist he was, and soon Caroline mentioned her loss in interest of him.

"The black one," Damon chimed as she had narrowed it down to a black or red dress.

"The red one," Caroline glared at Damon and then glanced back to Elena.

"I agree with Caroline," Bonnie smiled pointing to the one in her right hand.

"The black one is more show-ey. Your ass and boobs look great in the black one," Damon pointed to her left hand without even looking up from his book.

"Don't even listen to him. Your body looks so much better in the red one, especially for tonight. Stefan would choose the red one," Caroline nudged Bonnie who agreed with her.

"Stefan would one hundred percent choose the red one," Bonnie smiled.

Elena began to sweat. Stefan. Shit. She nearly forgot about him.

"Uh..." she looked from the two dresses to Damon to Bonnie and Caroline. Damon winked doing that thing with his eyes again that she hated. The sexy smolder stare. Ugh she hated herself. Then she thought of Stefan again. Stefan would choose the red one. That's why she couldn't wear it.

"I think I like the black one more.." she didn't even look at Bonnie and Caroline's reaction when she said it. She couldn't tell them what was going on at the moment. They would freak out. But, she was not siding with Damon on anything.

"And my work here is done," Damon smiled before standing and walking across the hall to his room.

Elena looked to the girls.

"Don't even get me started," Elena answered as they stared blankly. "Let's just get this party going. Do you know where Lexi went?" She asked.

"Stefan carried her down to the basement to get cooled off. A little sketchy if you ask me. She's already shit faced," Bonnie mentioned standing to follow Elena downstairs.

"Okay thanks," Elena answered.

"I'll go get her!" Damon yelled after them from his room.

Right when Elena walked down the stairs she froze. Stefan was in the kitchen.. with a girl that looked exactly like her. Bonnie's breath hitched behind her as Caroline gasped.

"Hello Elena," the girl said sounding exactly like her. "I'm-"

"Katherine.." Damon breathed behind the girls. Elena watched him. That was the first time she had seen something more in his eyes.

"Hey, baby," she smirked as Stefan grabbed her waist from behind. Elena's eyebrow raised. She was his ex... Her eyes never left Damon's. "Did you miss me?"

*Hey guys hope you liked this chapter! You didn't think I'd actually kill off the Katherine Pierce? No way! But this will cause some tension between the brothers. I really like evil Stefan. I love Stefan and he's such a cutie but I thought I'd change up his character a little bit since he's always such a little bean in everyone else's (not that I'm complaining) but just thought I'd make him different. Thanks so much for reading! Please leave a comment thanks a ton! Love you! -Syd*

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