I OWN NOTHING FROM TWILIGHT OR THE VAMPIRE DIARIES .

~March 28, Saturday ~

- 4:44 Pm -

~ deep in the forest surrounding Forks ~

- Forks,Washington-

~third person .~

James was having the time of his life , this hunt he hoped would be his most exciting yet , he'd never had more than three players before . So this was going to be a challenge — he did love a good challenge .

Slowing down slightly he inhaled , the human and her vampire were headed east , smiling he picks up speed again and shoots off his bare feet moving so fast they hardly ever touch the ground long enough to leave a footprint .

Caroline was bored , with her vampire speed she couldn't understand why on earth Stefan insisted they walk so slowly at a snail's pace , through this blasted forest . and when ever she asked it was always the same answer " to blend in — act human ." to which she reply " But we aren't human ,so why bother ?" and Stefan would as usual sigh and say " You're been spending to much time with Damon , Caroline . would you rather be able to continue to see your friends and family and at least appear to be normal or would you like that they rather saw you move like lightening then suddenly you find yourself locked in the basement and proclaimed to be one of the devil's children ? all because you accidentally moved at your natural speed."

After which she'd sulk for four hours because she knew he was right , and he'd be trying to keep the grin off his face so she wouldn't hit him with what ever she would lay her hands on at the time , lately it had been tree branches .

" So why are we doing this pointlessly boring hiking-" she started to say but stops short at Stefan expression ' Sorry-why are we doing this non-pointless thrillingly exciting hiking trip ?" she muttered.

Stefan sighed again and said patiently ever the saint " Because you need to learn , Caroline , your still young . "Caroline just stared at him her lower lip starting to form a pout " But why can't I learn all this boring-I mean highly informative stuff back home ? I don't like it here it's too green and a-and …wet…"

He shakes his head and snorts " that it is but , well it's either you learn it here with me or I could stop teaching you, since all you've done so far is complain and let Damon teach you the basics once we get home ?"

Caroline's eyes widen in mock horror " Please , teach me I promise I'll not complain what's next ? How to turn into a raven or what about that mist I saw Damon create once could you teach me that ?" she asked her words blurring together she's speaking so fast her expression bright and bubbly .

Stefan holds his hands up " whoa , whoa . I'm afraid I can't teach you those things , not everything can be taught you know, those two things you have to learn by yourself ." Caroline's expression melts off her face and morphing into an upset annoyed one " Oh, well what can you teach me ?" she asked curiosity and doubt coloring her voice .

He rolls his eyes " Plenty of things actually , one : how to be aware of your around surrounding at all times ,-" Caroline huffed " I am anyway." Stefan glares slightly at her " I'm not finished — two: use your senses , three - Duck ." Caroline stares him confused as he grabs her yanking her down just as something skims passed the top of her head '-wha-" Stefan shakes his head a finger on his lips in a 'ssh' motion .

Looking around she can't see why Stefan's acting so unusual ,then she sees him . The man is short and fairly plain looking , with unnaturally white skin , wearing hiking gear ,he's barefoot and moving fast-very fast ,and sniffing the air like a lion hunting for its prey . but that's not what has her on edge-it's his eyes their red-like the colour of blood…

She gives Stefan a ' what-the-hell-is- he-look' Stefan mouths back ' a vampire ,' she frowns back at him mouthing ' Seriously ? But we're vampires-is he like a different type or something ?' He nods mouthing once more ' Or something .' Caroline rolls her eyes '"Oh ,that's very helpful — or something — what does that even mean ?"

" It means , missy you keep your pretty little trap shut or I'll do it for you ." Damon's voice suddenly sounds next too her . She blinks "No it-OH MY GOD !" Damon lightening fast wraps his hand around her jaw and glares at her " I swear , your more trouble than your worth , shut the hell up , and by the way I'm serious about doing that for you if you won't ! " he hissed , she glares back at him darkly debating whether or not she should bite his hand , and decides against it-for now .

James freezes and swivels his head , his sharp gaze scanning the surrounding forest , he's positive the heard voices two of them , a female and male close by — yet sweeping his eyes around he sees nothing . Sniffing the air he picks up three scents they're unusual but very alluring all the same , tilting his head he stalks over to a thick grouping of large ferns near the base of a pine tree a few meters away.

'Well, this isn't good ' Stefan mouths ,Damon rolls his eyes and gives his brother a look that seems to say 'ya' think?' " Come on Barbie ," he whispered hauling Caroline up his hand still wrapped around her jaw who's still glaring cooly at him , then other grabbing Stefan by the back of his shirt and yanking him sharply back through the forest .

James frowns standing at the base of the pine tree , the scents' have vanished suddenly along with their owner's which he thinks is a bit of a shame it would have been nice to grab a snack on the go , maybe in the next town …he thinks and shoots off carefully scanning the area as he goes .

Damon immediately unhands both Stefan and Caroline as soon as the house they're renting comes into view , Caroline dashes over to Elena who's sitting on the porch swing watching Tyler who's busy holding up the side of Jeremy's car while Jeremy changes the wheel , and Bonnie's settled herself in a circle on the grass surround by glowing candles and her family's girmore chanting in latin .

Stefan jogs up the steps after Caroline and gives Elena a quick kiss sits down beside her , he then starts asking her how her day's been and so on . Damon barely spares a glance at any of them and goes straight inside ,down the hallway passed the kitchen were Jenna hummed happily as she prepared dinner and Alaric busily marked essays at the kitchen table . soundlessly slipping passed a sleeping Rose on the couch in front of the small fireplace in the lounge and over to the liquor cabinet pouring himself a glass of scotch , he climbs the stairs to his room and slides out the window onto the roof , where he slowly slips his drink staring up at the setting pink and orange sky , anyone who didn't know him would assume he's deep in thought , but really he's mind's as smooth and clear as a small round pebble . because he's discovered thinking to much about anything tends to make old memories to re-surface , ones he's rather he didn't have, she'd called herself Rina Swanson then instead of the name she had now Serenity Silver…

1864 • Mystic Falls,Virginia

He remembers it had been the day of Luke Swanson's anniversary Rina said he'd been killed in a sword fight two years ago , and she was depressed refusing to come out of her room , to eat or drink let alone talk to anyone . Expect him .

She was staying with the Lockwoods , and Mrs Lockwood had asked him to try and coax Rina into eating something , so Damon had grabbed the nearest thing he could-an apple she loved them , and jogged out of the kitchen , through the entrance hall up the stairs to the second floor and down the hallway to Rina's room the last one on the left .

" Rina." he asked knocking gently on the cream coloured door , no answer he tried again , " Rina ! " , and again no answer , frowning he tried the handle — it was . unlocked , so slowly he'd eased the door open , and stopped his mouth open in horror at the sight before him . " Ria?!" he cried dropping down onto his knees the apple falling from his hand and hitting the floor with a soft thud and rolling to a stop an inch from a thin stream of crimson red blood running along the floorboards winding back up the front of Rina's blue and white stripped dress, and her right sleeve which was stained dark with blood and pushed back to her elbow exposing the soft pale creamy flesh of her forearm and wrist , which was sliced open along a vein and bleeding heavily ,shakily the silver kitchen knife slid out of her hand , and she looked up at him her expression dazed and forlorn her eyes swimming with silvery tears .

" It hurts… but not so much anymore the physical pain is numbing in a good way …" she'd whispered her voice empty and emotionless.

He crawled over to her , and tried to haul her to her feet but she stubbornly remained on the floor . " Ria, you need a doctor ." he urged his voice broken , it hurt his heart to see her like this . " Please, come on you must get up ." he said again , she didn't move and just stared out the window winter had come early that year and the window already had a light film of frost clinging to it .

" Rina!" he pleaded his voice hoarse and filled with pain , her head suddenly snapped up and she blinked her expression not seeming so lost anymore " Damon… please don't tell anyone …please ." she asked her eyes still dark with tears as she locked eyes with him, he nodded " if you promise not to hurt yourself again ." he said hauling her to her feet , she'd flickered her eyes from her wound to his worried face and nodded slowly .

He flashed her a light smile and wrapped her wound up in a handkerchief and ushered her out the door down the stairs to the front door which burst open and Rina's best friend Alissa Fairview came in through the door chatting with Annabelle who's mother Pearl ran the apothecary in town " Alissa , Annabelle. Excuse me ." Damon called and squeezed passed them both not taking any notice to how they both shrank away from him at the time .

Damon immediately had gone straight to the stables and saddled up Fern one of the Lockwood family's fastest horses , carefully he'd placed Rina on first , and hopped up behind her and urged Fern into a fast gallop , as Dr. Devon worked from his home which was on the other side of Mystic Falls , and he figured judging by how much blood was on Rina's clothing she'd already lost too much , so wasting time wasn't an option.

As he rode , he remembered thinking about all the reasons Rina would do this to herself , she said it hurt — obviously she still was very upset about losing her father ,so this was her way of coping ,maybe? no that didn't seem right , it had to be something else … just as he thought this he rode passed his own family's Estate and watched unseen , as Katherine flirted openly with Stefan and laughed with him in the garden , Damon felt anger, and jealously bubble up in his chest and he let out a low annoyed growl…

He urged Fern faster pushing the vile thoughts from his mind ,thoughts him hurting his brother because Katherine sort Stefan's attention more than his own of late and this infuriated him , taking a short cut through the woods and speeding through the forest ,he emerged a short while later right outside Dr. Devon's cottage. leaping off Fern he swung Rina gently off the horse into his arms and walked quickly to the front door , then hammered his palm on it urgently " , I know it late but please It's Damon Salvatore , Rina Swanson urgently requires your attention she's wounded Sir , please I-" Damon shouted,

The door swung open and a round portly kind faced white-haired man in his night clothes stood in the doorway holding a small hand-held candelabra , " Damon Salvatore , yes come in , come in my boy , " he muttered sweeping his eyes over Rina's body " Hm, yes if you could put the patient down on the table lad . I'll get my medical bag ." hummed and bustled away to his office .

Damon rushed inside and laid Rina on the table , then waited nervously for to return , finally after a minute he did and immediately set to work on Rina , two minutes later Dr. Devon stopped abruptly trying to thread his needle and turning to Damon ,his blank expression hidden by the darkness he said rather neutrally void of any emotion "Damon lad , would you be able to get me some poppy seeds I've runout it seems and I need them for healing Miss. Swanson's injury " Damon who'd been busy wearing down a hole into 's carpet nodded , taking the few silver coins the doctor had handed him and practically flew out the door , climbed on to Fern and dashed to the apothecary in town .

It took Damon longer than excepted to get the poppy seeds from the apothecary , as had been Pearl's night off and Mary a pretty local girl was charge and couldn't tell the difference between Poppy , cumin , or dill seeds even though the glass jars were clearly marked .

Damon shook his head as he , galloped down the winding lane to Dr. Devon's house to find Rina standing in the doorway , looking not as pale , and heather , a bandage wrapped tightly around her arm . ' Damon ! " she sung brightly , he'd guided Fern to a stop then climbed down and pulled her into a hug and swung her around off her feet " Ria! thank god your better , I was so worried . where's ?"

" He's inside , asleep by the fire we shouldn't wake him ," she said when he strode to the front door . " Oh , It's just I brought the poppy seeds he asked for ." Damon answered , Rina smiled that breathing taking smile of her's and took the small brown paper bag from him and placed it on Dr. Devon's doorstep then started walking , turning slightly she asked " Well , would you be kind enough to escort me home Mr. Salvatore ? " Damon chuckled lightly " It would be my pleasure Miss. Swanson ," he answered looping his arm through her's and taking Fern's reins in his other hand , he guided them both along the dirt lane towards town .

Only a week later would a report be released to the townsfolk saying Dr. Robert Devon was attacked by a dark creature which killed him and that the council was taking care of the matter .

Damon shook his head , and glanced down at his glass , -empty he growled frustrated and hopped off the roof , swinging himself back into his room ,he flew down the stairs again and straight to the liquor cabinet and refilled his glass , the couch was bare Rose was in the shower, he could hear the water running in the second floor bathroom , ignoring this he glowers angrily at the burning fire moody pacing , after ten more scotches he finally came the conclusion he had to ring her ,so he grabbed his phone and reluctantly dialed Serenity's number expecting to hear her voice on the other end instead he just got her voicemail . sighing annoyed he , then dials Alys's number thankfully she answers " Damon , this is a surprise what can I do for you ?" her voice sounds amused in his ear . " Actually it's more of what I can do for you . your cousin isn't answering her phone and something interesting happened out in the forest today , could you pass the message on to her ."

He then rattles off the afternoon's events , and listens as Alys's gasps then says " Of course , thank you Damon ." " hmmm, yeah . Your welcome ." he muttered then snaps his phone shut and tosses his scotch glass into the fire and bolts out the door to go for a run , maybe visit a collage campus and hook up with a few sorority girls… or he could visit a bar he was badly in need of a distraction to stop himself from thinking of Serenity Silver or Rina Swanson what ever it is she called herself if that was even her real name , and how much his heart was telling him he loved her , while his brain screamed ' she's exactly like Katherine she doesn't nor ever love you . But maybe Rose would… shut up just stop thinking !'