A/N: soo I see that everyone is most looking forward to the trial involving Lust =P haha completely understandable...we'll see that one soon! in the meantime, thanks for your reviews!

CHAPTER 2: PRIDE

The first thing Elena felt was the tantalizing warmth of the sun's rays spreading over her skin. Her eyes snapped open to see a brilliant blue sky, so bright that she was momentarily disoriented.

She then made an ungainly effort to scramble out of her beach chair, only to twist around in her panic and fall flat on her face onto the sandy ground.

"Well," a voice drawled from roughly six feet above her, "I usually brag about women throwing themselves at my feet…though I can't say it's actually ever happened before…"

A feeling of mortification slowly washing through her limbs, Elena made her way to her feet and glanced up at the man standing before her. She cleared her throat, "I…"

"And a pretty girl, too," he winked at her before raking his gaze obviously over her bikini-clad body, "Must be my lucky day."

Elena frowned and crossed her arms in front of her, "Don't flatter yourself. "

"Feisty," he grinned cockily and held his hand out to her, "Damon Salvatore."

Ah, so he didn't know who she was in this world...

"Elena," she shook his hand after a minute, his cool skin burning against hers. Her eyes widened slightly and she quickly pulled her hand away in what she hoped was a casual manner.

"Elena," Damon repeated, breathing the name out as though he was testing the sound of it in his voice. "I like it," he decided, a genuine smile finally crossing his features. "It means light, you know. Or sun…or the moon."

"I know," she responded distantly, "My parents were trying to have a daughter for a long time, so when they finally did, they said I was like a new light shining in their lives. So they named me Elena." The story rolled easily off her tongue—after all, it had been one of Jenna's favorite memories. Only now did Elena realize that every word must have been a lie.

"Are you okay?" Damon asked, "You seemed like you were off in another world for a moment there."

Elena began to answer when she happened to glance over his shoulder and see a small group of people approaching them. The words died on her lips and she could only stare as Stefan and Caroline walked towards them. Damon frowned at her expression and then turned around to see what was wrong. "So, you guys finally caught up," he said to them in a surprisingly cold voice, "Took you long enough."

"Who's your friend?" Caroline snapped back in a catty voice, looking up and down at Elena. "Not up to your usual standards, is she, Damon?"

"Excuse me?"

"You know how I tell you about the women that worship the ground I walk on?" Damon said arrogantly, "Well, I've found a new one."

Elena's mouth opened and closed several times at the absurdity of the conversation taking place in front of her. "Excuse me?" she asked again, this time making the anger in her voice clear. "It's rude to talk about someone as if they weren't standing right in front of you...or didn't your mother teach you any manners?"

"Our mother tried," Stefan said with a grin, "But she never succeeded." He moved around Damon so that he could shake hands with Elena, "I'm Stefan, by the way. Damon's brother."

"Yes," Damon said easily, "He's just like me, only..."

"Nicer," Stefan supplied, his green eyes sparkling under the sun with amusement, "I'm the nicer version."

"Sure," Damon shrugged, "And I'm the hotter version."

Elena had been running through the list of seven sins in her head, trying to figure out which one this trial was about...so far, the only impression that Damon was giving off was his arrogance, attitude, and self-confidence.

Pride.

"I don't know why you think that going around and telling people that you're nice is gonna get you any girls, Stefan," Caroline was saying, her hands on her hips. "In case you missed the memo, girls like bad boys. It's, like, in their DNA or something."

"Not all girls," Stefan corrected, turning around slightly to look at someone. "Besides, what makes you think I'm looking for anyone?"

Elena followed his line of sight and her eyes widened in shock when she saw a familiar blonde-haired girl standing with the group of people that seemed to be the brothers' friends. "Oh please," Damon laughed, "Don't tell me that you and Lexi finally sealed the deal?"

Stefan looked flustered, "Well not yet, but—"

"Better move fast, little bro," Damon stared over at Lexi with a dangerous glint in his eye, "Before she decides that she wants someone else, instead."

Caroline huffed, shaking her head. "I'd be careful if I were you," she said to Elena, jerking her head in Damon's direction, "Now that you know what he's like." With that, she swung her bag over her shoulder, her hips sashaying as she made her way towards a dark-haired man in the group. "Come on, let's go," she said to him, "They'll catch up with us later."

As most of the group began walking down the beach, Elena noticed that it had been Tyler that Caroline was talking to. She also noticed that Lexi had stayed behind to wait for Stefan.

"Would it kill you to stay away from her?" Stefan asked in a low voice laced with frustration, "Lexi is mine, Damon."

"Not yet, she isn't," Damon smirked, "In fact, how much you want to bet that I can make her mine before the day is over?"

Stefan's eyes narrowed in warning, "Damon..."

"Hey," Elena interrupted, grabbing Damon's arm to distract him. She could tell by the desperate look in Stefan's eyes that he was afraid that Damon would pull through on his threat to go after Lexi.

And she was also beginning to get an idea of what the trial was.

"What is it?" Damon asked, looking down at where Elena's hand was wrapped around his wrist. "Jealous that I'm paying attention to another girl? News flash, Elena, I don't even know you. Lexi, on the other hand..."

"So, get to know me," Elena said boldly, "You can catch up to your friends later." Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the relief in Stefan's expression. He mouthed a quick 'thank-you' in her direction before hurriedly backing away and nearly dragging Lexi down the beach to put some distance between them.

Damon snorted under his breath as he turned to face Elena, "Feel sorry for Stefan, huh? You know I could've gotten Lexi without any effort...it would've served him right."

Elena took a seat, watching as Damon lay down beside her. "Is that why you wanted to go after her? You have some feud going on with your brother?"

"No, not really," he responded lightly, "I don't have anything against the kid."

"So, that means that you were going after Lexi just to prove that you could," Elena's mouth curled in distaste, "Some sort of male ego trip?"

Damon laughed and spread his arms wide, "Look at me, Elena—I can get any girl I want without even trying." He sat up slightly and rested his weight on his elbows so that he could look up at her, his eyes darkening even under the bright sun. "Even you," he added unnecessarily, "Believe it or not."

So, all she had to do was take him down a peg or two...get him to show a little humility, modesty. Elena sighed inwardly. This was going to be difficult.

"What makes you believe I don't have a boyfriend, Mr. Salvatore?" Elena nonchalantly took a sip of the drink sitting next to her, the alcohol leaving a sweet taste on her tongue.

"Doesn't matter," Damon dismissed, "Whoever he is, I guarantee that I'm better."

Very difficult.

"I doubt it," she responded, pretending to be bored as she stood up and stretched. "Your brother was right, you know. Not every girl likes the bad boy." She glanced down at him and raised an eyebrow, "Especially if the guy is a jackass." She began walking away, hoping that her plan was working.

"Elena—wait."

She smiled to herself before quickly masking her expression and turning around to face him, "Yes?"

Damon stood up and brushed the sand off his legs before striding up to her, a seductive smile playing across his lips. "I would hate for you to get the wrong idea of me," he purred, "Why don't you walk with me for a bit? Give me a chance to change your mind?"

Elena shrugged, but let him fall into step with her as they made their way down the beach silently. "So," she prompted after several minutes, "Have you always been this way?"

"Why?" he deflected her question and smirked at her, "Trying to figure out the real me?" She didn't answer, her eyes alighting instead on a familiar group of people playing volleyball ahead of them. "And he still hasn't made his move," Damon said, pointing to where Stefan was standing—nowhere near Lexi. "You see what I have to deal with?"

"Well maybe you should help him out," Elena suggested, "You sure have more than enough...charm...to go around."

"Sorry, Elena," Damon said flatly, "I don't know what picture you've painted in that pretty little head of yours, but I'm not the good guy." They had both stopped walking at this point, and were watching the progress of the volleyball game in front of them. The two sides appeared to be evenly matched, but Elena could tell that the teams were playing more for the fun of it than actual sport.

Caroline suddenly squealed as Tyler went barreling into her in his attempt to hit the ball, and they both tumbled down onto the sand. "You did that on purpose!" Caroline laughed, straddling Tyler playfully and reaching down for a kiss. "They're together?" Elena asked Damon, her brow furrowing. "Only, she seemed a little...overprotective of you when I met her before."

"We used to go out," Damon replied airily, "Now we're best friends." At Elena's look of disbelief, he grinned, "She doesn't put up with my shit. I respect that." Then he leaned towards her conspiratorially, "Stefan wanted her, too...but I got to her first."

"You're kidding," Elena snapped, "Why would you do that?"

"Because he makes it so easy." He looked away from Elena then, his gaze focusing on Lexi. "Excuse me a moment, will you? I'll be right back."

Elena quickly looked between Damon and Lexi, anxiety making her voice rise an octave higher than normal. "Damon...you don't have to be that guy. Maybe it's in you to be good...you just haven't realized it yet."

Damon shook her off, giving her a weird look as he walked away. Elena blew out a breath of air and crossed her arms as she watched him flash his signature grin at Lexi and begin speaking to her. Unfortunately, they were both out of hearing range.

"Thanks for trying." Elena turned around to see that Stefan had materialized at her side, his gaze also trained on Damon and Lexi. He shaded his eyes, "But my brother always gets what he wants...no matter who he has to trample to get there."

"Why do you let him get away with it?" Elena scowled, "Maybe you should just stand up to him for once in your life."

Stefan gaped at her.

"Uh, I mean..." Elena flushed, "I'm sorry. That was out of line."

"How did you say you knew Damon, again?"

Elena pursed her lips as she watched Damon lean in towards Lexi and whisper something in her ear. "I don't," she responded stiffly, "I don't know him at all. Would you excuse me?" Before Stefan could respond, she turned on her heel and stomped away.

As she kept walking back across the beach, she could feel her irritation growing. This spell was so unfair—how was she supposed to guide Damon when this version of him had no sense of morality at all?

By the time she reached her things, the sun had nearly set on the horizon and she was angrily stuffing her towel into her large beach bag when a sudden paralyzing thought hit her—was there a time limit to the spell? Was she supposed to help him pass the test before midnight or something? She sat back on her heels and covered her face with her hands, trying to think. What was she supposed to do?

"Elena?"

She jumped, whirling around to see Damon standing behind her. His hands were shoved in his pockets and he looked at her questioningly, "Why'd you take off like that?"

Elena stood up, peering around him in an exaggerated motion. "Done with Lexi already?" She raised an eyebrow at him, "That was fast. Guess I underestimated the skills of the great Damon Salvatore."

He looked taken aback for a moment before he shook his head. "I didn't do what you think I did. I only talked to her to...well, to give her a little push in Stefan's direction." Damon grinned and sat down on the sand next to Elena, "Last I saw, they were heading off somewhere together. I think it worked."

Elena blinked, "Oh." She sat down next to him, looking at him thoughtfully. "What changed your mind?"

He glanced at her, appearing to choose his words carefully. "Let's just say that I saw the light," he said finally, smirking as he nudged her shoulder. Elena rolled her eyes, recognizing the play on her name.

"I'm glad," she smiled slightly, watching as the sun disappeared into the water. "I told you that you could be the good guy."

She turned to look at him and he shot her a grin, "Would you be surprised if I told you that no one has ever said that to me before?"

Elena laughed, "Nope. Not surprised at all."

Damon stared at her for a moment, reaching out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. He leaned closer then, watching her expression almost warily. "Thank you, Elena," he murmured, and she closed her eyes as she felt his cool lips brush against her cheek.

Then, abruptly, she felt a force knock into her and she let out a scream as she hurtled backwards into nothingness.

.

She hit the ground hard, coughing as she spat dirt out of her mouth. She clambered to her feet, stopping in horror when she looked down at what she was wearing. A horse-drawn carriage plodded along in front of her, running over a discarded newspaper lying in the middle of the dirt-paved road.

Elena hurriedly ran over to pick it up, letting her skirts trail carelessly over the dusty ground. She ignored the headline, choosing instead to look for the date.

November 3, 1864.

*yup, trial #2 takes place in TVD's favorite flashback year- 1864 ;)