Disclaimer: This story is based on characters created by L.J. Smith, as portrayed in the TV series created by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec. All rights to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.

ELENA'S ESCAPE

~ Starting Fresh ~

It was the start of a hot summer's day when Elena stepped onto the pavement. Her trainers stuck to the asphalt like glue, making a sucking sound as she walked. She tread down Main Street, hoping to get a feel for the town and some ideas as to what she was to do next. She had a name picked out for herself already. She had always liked the name 'Katherine', ever since she and her mom watched old Katherine Hepburn movies together when Elena was little. As for a last name, there was a hardware story down the block from Jenna's house, and the name 'Pierce' lingered in her mind when she began to prepare for her escape.

Jenna had called in an old favor from a lowlife named Logan Fell that she knew from high school, and he had made Elena the proud owner of a fake ID. She had no other documentation to corroborate her existence, but she and Jenna had come up with a story. Katherine Pierce lost her family and her home in a tragic fire. All records were lost except for the ID she was carrying in her wallet.

Elena knew she had to find a job where not too many questions were asked. The money Jenna had gotten for her would cover a deposit on a small rental, but not much more than that. As she walked down the street, a sign in a window caught her eye. Help Wanted. This must be fate, Elena thought and pushed the door open.

The Mystic Grill was a good-sized diner/bar with a cozy feel to it. She asked one of the waitresses where she could find the manager and was directed to the bar. A blond, blue-eyed, all-American-looking boy – no, man – stood behind the counter, polishing shot glasses.

"Excuse me, I'm looking for the manager?" Elena asked timidly.

"That's me," the blond announced. "Matt Donovan. How may I help you?" he smiled.

"I'm actually here about the job," Elena gestured to the sign in the window.

"Oh! Well, great. We're looking for a waitress. My sister Vicki used to waitress here, but now she's going on maternity leave, so we need someone right away. How soon can you start?"

"Um… right away. But don't you need references, or something?" No, why did she say that? She didn't have references!

"Nah, you seem like a nice enough person," Matt shrugged. "Plus, I'm kinda desperate. So what's your name?"

"Katherine… Pierce."

"Do you mind if I call you Kat?"

"Um… no, I guess not, Mr. Donovan."

"Matt," Matt stated. "We're not so formal around here. It's a small town, where everybody knows everything about everybody else."

"Oh… great," Elena said, hesitant. Maybe this wasn't the best place to settle down, after all. Maybe it would be easier to disappear in a big city. "Well, do you happen to know if there are any places for rent around here? I just got to town and I don't have a place to stay."

"Oh… well, there's the Salvatore Boarding House. But if you're looking for a more permanent solution, I'll spread the word."

"Thank you. But I suppose a boarding house will suffice for the moment – just until I get better acquainted with this town."

"Ok, well, let me write down Zach's number for you…" Matt said, getting out a note pad and scribbling something down. "There you go," he said and handed over a piece of paper.

"Thank you," Elena said.

"So why don't you come in first thing in the morning, and someone will show you the ropes. Sound good?"

"Yes. Thank you so much," Elena smiled and shook his hand. She stepped back out onto the street and got out her new disposable cell phone and dialed the number Matt had given her.

About an hour later, she stood outside the Salvatore Boarding House. She had gotten the directions from Zach and walked the whole way out here. Elena enjoyed the fresh air and the feeling of being free to go wherever she wanted. She hadn't felt that way in a long time.

She rung the doorbell and waited. A sandy haired man in his late 30s opened the door. "Miss Pierce?"

"Katherine, yes. Nice to meet you, Mr. Salvatore," she extended her hand in greeting.

"Oh, please, call me Zach. Come on in. You're actually my only boarder at the moment. Tourist season starts next week, so there'll be more people here then – I hope."

"Oh, is Mystic Falls a popular place for tourists?"

"Mostly campers and hunters, actually. But the falls are a popular attraction, and during the summer season, there are a lot of town activities. We are very proud of our heritage here. There's a museum and a town hall where you can browse the founders' archives. We have a Founders' Ball, a beauty pageant, a Founders' Day Parade, a Masquerade Ball and a film festival."

"Sounds like a lot of fun," Elena smiled politely.

"Yes, it is. So what brings you here?"

"I just stepped off the bus today, actually. It looked like a nice place to live," Elena shrugged.

"Where did you live before?"

"Far away," Elena said plainly.

Zach took the hint and didn't push. "Well, let me show you to your room." He ushered her upstairs and over to a large room with an en-suite bathroom.

The room was decorated with a color scheme that made her think of calla lilies. It was airy and relaxing. The queen-sized bed was made up with white linens and a pale green comforter.

"This is gorgeous," Elena breathed. "Are you sure? I mean, the rent we discussed…"

"Like I said, you're the only guest at the moment, and we're not exactly overbooked for the foreseeable future, so you might as well enjoy it."

"Thank you," Elena said, overjoyed.

"Don't mention it," Zach shrugged. "Now if you'll excuse me…"

"Yes, of course."

As soon as Zach left, Elena flopped down on the bed, moaning in contentment as her head sunk into the soft pillows.

"Sounds like fun. Mind if I join you?" a velvety voice said and Elena flew off the bed, staring at the lounging figure in the doorway who was watching her with a smirk on his perfectly sculpted lips and a twinkle in his piercing blue eyes. He was all dressed in black to match his raven hair. The man screamed danger, but there was something else about him too, something Elena couldn't put her finger on.

"Excuse me?" Elena said, rattled.

"You must be Zach's new tenant. I'm Damon, Zach's nephew."

"Oh… I'm… Katherine. I just got here. Zach told me there was no-one else staying here," she added, puzzled.

"I just got here, too. I'm here for the summer. I teach literature at the college. Are you here for a summer class?"

"No. I just… I thought I'd give this town a chance."

"You wanted a change so you decided to move to Mystic Falls? Sounds kinda crazy, if you ask me."

"Well, I wasn't asking, was I?" Elena huffed.

"No, I guess not," Damon said. "So what are you plans?"

"I got a job."

"Already? Where?"

"Waitressing at the Mystic Grill."

"Dream job?"

"It'll pay the rent – hopefully."

"Well, if you're interested… I could use a TA."

"Thanks, but I haven't gone to college."

"You don't have to go to college to be a TA for the summer. You'll basically just be Xeroxing and handing out compendiums. And you can participate if you like. Do you like reading?"

"I love it. But I just read for fun, I don't know how to analyze what I read or anything."

"You'll learn," he shrugged. "Listen, if you like, I'll talk to Matt and see if we can work something out. I only teach three days a week, so the best I can offer you is a part-time job, but you could split the time between the Grill and the college."

Elena thought about his offer. It seemed as if everything was falling into place. Such an unusual feeling for her. It would help her start her new life – getting work experience from two different fields. And she had always wanted to go to college. She was accepted to UCLA just before she married Kyle and became his property. From that moment on, her future had been set in stone – trophy wife, punching bag, worthless piece of… well, she had escaped her life, left behind a tombstone, and she finally had the chance to make a fresh start. To be whatever she wanted to be. This could be her defining moment.

"Yes. Thank you, I'd like that very much."

"Great. I'll talk to Matt and I'll see you later, all right?"

"All right," she nodded.

When Damon left, Elena closed the door and went into the en-suite bathroom and took a long, relaxing shower. She hadn't realized, until the shower massage rubbed her sore and tense muscles, the toll her late night swim and subsequent bus ride had taken on her body. Not that she wasn't used to the discomfort.

As Elena dressed in front of the full-length mirror, she examined her body. The bruises on her back, upper arms, stomach and thighs were all in different stages of healing. Her back always took the worst hit – when he threw her on the floor or against the wall. The stomach always hurt the most – that's where he would kick her when she was on the floor. The upper arms were his target when they were out in public – they served as a warning. The bruising on the thighs were from when he… Elena shuddered and pulled her jeans on.

Elena brushed her hair in front of the mirror and jumped in fright when Kyle materialized behind her. She spun around, but there was no-one there. She could see him clearly in her mind, though, coming up behind her when she sat at her vanity, taking the brush from her and running it through her long silky brown hair. She could hear him whispering how much he loved her hair. She could feel his hands on her shoulders, pushing down the straps of her dress, travelling down. She could feel his hands around her neck, pulling her out of her chair and over to the bed. Elena dropped the brush. Would she ever be free of these memories – these images haunting her? She grabbed her purse and left the house in a hurry.

Elena walked back into town and found what she was looking for. Locks by Lockwood. She pushed open the door and a little bell announced her arrival. A beautiful blonde with bouncing locks smiled broadly at her.

"Hi! Did you have an appointment?" she asked, her voice chipper.

"Um… no, I was hoping… are you free?"

"Yes. I'm sorry, I thought you might be one of Carol's clients. I'm Caroline. Please, have a seat," she gestured to one of the chairs. "Now, did you have something specific in mind?" Caroline said as she ran her hands through Elena's hair, trying to get a feel for the quality and texture of the hair.

"Just… something different," Elena said.

"Are you sure you want me to cut it? I mean, it's gorgeous. Maybe just a trim?"

"No! I need a change," Elena insisted.

"I gotcha… we're cutting away more things than hair, right? I know the feeling. When I found out Tyler was cheating on me with Matt's sister, I said to Carol – cut him out of my hair as well as my life. Granted, it was a bit awkward, since Carol's his mom, but still…" Caroline prattled on.

"Go crazy," Elena said.

"Really?" Caroline lit up. "No-one ever lets me do whatever I want with their hair. You must be a really brave person."

"I don't know about that…" Elena mumbled to herself.

An hour later, Elena looked at the new her in the mirror – Katherine. She was still a brunette, but her hair was curled and cut into a bob. She looked confident and strong. It truly was amazing what a haircut could do for one's self esteem. Now she had to go shopping for new clothes to match her new identity. Caroline seemed to have the same idea.

"Listen, I don't have any more clients today, and Carol's coming back in like five minutes, so why don't I take you out shopping? I know all the best stores."

During the hour they had spent together, Elena had learned just about everything there was to know about Caroline Forbes, and Caroline had learned that Elena – no, Katherine – lost her family in a tragic fire and just got to town, determined to make a fresh start.

Elena agreed to the shopping spree. She genuinely liked Caroline and wouldn't mind spending time with her. Elena had been isolated from her old friends for so long, it felt nice to have someone to talk to. Even if every word out of her mouth would be a lie. Elena hated lying, but it was necessary. She couldn't risk slipping up, leave a trail that he could find. All it took was the smallest suspicion that she might not have drowned at sea, and he would come looking for her. And if he came looking, he would find her, she was sure of it. He would find her – and he would kill her.