A/N: Thanks to TheMadKatter13 for attempting to give me some insight into this weirdass ring twist they've thrown into the mix. (:
Hopefully this chapter will get some excitement going.
If you want to listen to a song while reading, Everytime by Simple Plan is the one for you.

Disclaimer: I don't own TVD or Alaric's ring would be working fine T_T

In the last chapter of Redemption:
Damon showed up in Elena's room informing her that they were going on a road trip. When they're on the road, Elena tells Damon how Katherine doesn't deserve him and Damon realizes she's right.

Elena

I sighed as I leaned back in my chair, shutting my eyes. We'd been on the road for about six hours now, and we'd relaxed into a comfortable silence. I let my mind wander, thinking about everything that had happened in the last few days. Finding out Anna was a vampire that was friends with Jeremy, Katherine not being in the tomb, having to go in after Damon and Stefan-

Oh my God, Stefan.

"I don't suppose you told Stefan you were dragging me on a road trip," I said, looking up at Damon anxiously. He frowned.

"No, I haven't spoken to him since last night. Why?"

I sighed. "He was expecting to see me at school and probably went to my house when I didn't show up- just to find that I wasn't there. I should call him." I pulled out my phone and quickly dialed Stefan's number, not excited to find out what his reaction to where I was would be.

"Elena? Where are you? Are you okay?" Stefan's nervous voice filtered through the phone. I sighed.

"I'm fine, Stefan. I'm with Damon. I'm sorry that I forgot to call," I apologized.

"Wait... you're with Damon? Why would you be with Damon? Did he hurt you?" Stefan's voice grew more animated and angry as he went on. I resisted the urge to groan as I saw Damon's face morph into a smirk.

"No, Stefan. He didn't hurt me. He came to my house and asked me very politely to go on a road trip with him. So I am."

"With him?"

"Yes, with him."

"Is he making you say this? Just tell me where you are, Elena, I'll be there as soon as I can to pick you up." This time I couldn't stifle the groan.

"Damn it, Stefan, Damon isn't this evil monster you're making him out to be. He's not going to compel me to do anything- I trust him, alright?"

"Whatever, Elena. Can I just talk to Damon?"

I turned to look at Damon. "Do you want to talk to him?" I inquired, still slightly angry at Stefan.

"Nah, I'm good. Tell him I said hi and that your blood tastes awesome. He's missing out!"

"Shut up, Damon." I put the phone back up to my ear. "He's driving and doesn't want to talk. Is that all?"

"Fine."

"Goodbye, Stefan." I hung up before he had the chance to say anything. "Damn it, he's so controlling when it comes to you!"

Damon rolled his eyes. "Obviously. We fought over a girl that just happened to be identical to you."

I sighed. "That's stupid, though. One, I'm not Katherine. Two, you're a good guy and you aren't going to hurt me."

Damon bared his fangs. "I wouldn't be so sure of that..." Now it was my turn to roll my eyes.

"Put the fangs away, Salvatore."

"Fine."

We pulled up to a small motel a few hours later. "We can stay here for the night if you want," he offered.

I smiled at him. "Alright."

We grabbed our bags out of the back and brought them inside. Damon went up to the counter to get us rooms, and I followed behind him. "I'll pay you back for my room," I reminded him. "I just don't have a credit card."

He rolled his eyes. "You're not paying me back." He turned his attention to the woman at the counter, who appeared to be in her early 30s. "Can I get two single rooms, please?"

The lady ran something in her computer. "Sorry, sir, all we have left is one single room. It has a couch, though..."

I could see Damon put on the charming smile and look her in the eyes... and that usually meant compulsion was coming. "Damon," I said softly. He frowned and turned to look at me. "Just take the room- I don't mind sleeping on a couch." Plus, I feel safer with someone else in the room with me, I added to myself.

He studied me for a second and then sighed and nodded. "We'll take the room." He handed her his credit card and she ran it, handing him it back along with the bill and two room keys. He handed me a room key and grabbed both of our luggage.

"I can take my own bag," I argued, hurrying along behind him.

"I'm trying to be gentlemanly. This doesn't happen often- let it go," he suggested, pressing the button for the elevator.

I sighed and stepped back to lean against the wall of the elevator, waiting for it to stop. I despise elevators. They're loud and fast and I always feel dizzy when I step off them. The elevator came to a stop and I sighed, trying to keep my balance as Damon stepped out ahead of me. I stepped forward only to trip over the threshold. I let out a small cry, shutting my eyes as I prepared to hit the ground.

The impact never came.

I slowly opened my eyes to see Damon's concerned ones looking down at me, his arms wrapped around me. "Are you alright?"

"Huh?" I was too busy looking into his eyes to make a coherent response. I didn't think I'd ever seen eyes so blue before. "Oh. Oh, yeah. I'm fine," I said, blinking quickly.

Damon pulled me up, steadying me. "Well, let's go to our room then."

"Yeah... yeah. Let's go."

We headed to the room, and Damon used his key to open it up. He held the door open for me and I smiled and walked inside, still kind of in a trance from his eyes.

Damon looked around. "Not that bad. I'll take the couch," he volunteered, dropping the luggage on the ground. I frowned.

"No. You're paying for the room- so I'm taking the couch. Suck it up."

He smirked. "Fine."

I sighed and went to the bathroom to change into pyjamas and shower. Once I was done, I went back out into the room and got a bed ready on the couch, Damon nowhere to be seen. I flicked the light switch off and went to sleep, deciding he was probably just at the hotel bar or something.

Damon

I sighed as I drove back to the hotel- it had taken me a lot longer than I'd expected to try and get blood bags. I didn't want to have any kind of problems with thirst whatsoever while with Elena.

As I pulled into the parking lot, I stopped and listened closely, using my vampire hearing. I heard a scream... and it sounded like Elena. I took off towards the sound, feeling worry rush through my veins.

Stefan

I angrily looked around the forest, still angry from the phone call with Elena. What game was Damon playing, for God's sake? Elena was mine.

I sighed as I tried to pounce on a rabbit, and wasn't surprised when I couldn't catch it. My focus was elsewhere- which really wasn't good when hunting. I sighed and tried to look around for more prey.

I heard a noise behind me and whirled around... and no one was there. I frowned and tensed immediately, realizing that it was probably a vampire.

I heard another noise behind me and whirled around again, catching the outline of a figure just before it disappeared. I frowned, and then heard a voice behind me.

"Hello, Stefan."

I stiffened at the sound of the voice before turning around to see a smirk that could rival Damon's.

"Katherine."

There ya go.
I hope you don't think it's too soon to introduce Katherine to the story. Damon won't find out she's back in town for a while.
Leave a review? ;3