A/N: This one practically wrote itself. This one is from Damon's POV. The story will primarily be Elena's POV however others are going to make an appearances throughout . I'm still looking for a beta if anyone's interested. Also thank you for the wonderful reviews I've received thus far, I only hope I continued to meet expectations. Also I should note that Damon's still Damon, however he's going to be a little less volatile than he was in the show. I'm a firm believer that Damon would not have been nearly as destructive if not for Stefan's presence, not because he loves humanity, but because he's smart. His goal is to get Katherine out of the tomb, killing sprees notifying the council of his presence makes his job harder. Many of his killings in the beginning of season one were done to piss off/ trying to out Stefan. Even his trying to compel Elena to kiss him was connected to Stefan. I figure Stefan not being around means he's not going to be so sloppy. Here's hoping I'm capturing him accurately.

Damon had a plan. The plan was simple, easy-peasy. Go to Mystic Falls, get Emily's necklace, open tomb, reunite with Katherine and ride off into the proverbial sunset. He should've known complications would arise. He was Damon Salvatore and the universe loved to make things difficult for him. This time the complication was named Elena Gilbert.

He came to Mystic Falls last spring just to do a little recon. He needed to know whether the council was still active, if the local authorities were incompetent, etc. Meeting Elena Gilbert was pure chance. However their brief meeting managed to throw him off his game. He'd been planning to eat and kill the next passerby, leaving the body to see how the Mystic Falls police handled the case. Instead he found himself conversing...okay flirting, with Katherine's double. The meeting had been somewhat therapeutic actually, her face a reminder that his suffering was almost at an end and he would be reunited with his lost love.

Elena, however, was not Katherine. Despite their identical appearance he knew it wasn't Katherine as soon as she spoke. Elena had an innocence about her that Katherine never could or would possess. Her gaze was honest, not to mention Elena was undeniably human. Despite the fact she wasn't his long lost love, Elena still managed to charm him. She was a sweet girl, too innocent for her own good, but she'd touched what little humanity he had left when she asked him what he wanted. That's the only explanation he could see for why he did what he did next. Not only did he let her go with a wish for her to find everything she was looking for, but then he went ahead and rescued her.

The sound of the screeching tires had reached his ears easily. Normally Damon would've ignored it, however Elena had interrupted his hunt and car crashes meant easy feeding and need for a coverup. He made it to Wickery Bridge just in time to see the Gilbert family car plummet into the water. He stood frozen for a second, watching as water filled the car with Elena inside. Had it been any other car he wouldn't have cared. Had it been any other car it wouldn't have mattered. However Damon found himself unable to ignore this crash. He knew she wasn't Katherine, but allowing the girl with his love's face to die was too reminiscent of 1864. It would be like failing to save Katherine all over again. He'd whipped out his phone and dialed 911, quickly informing the operator of the crash, before throwing off his jacket and shoes and diving into the lake.

He'd barely made it in time. The woman in the front seat was already dead, her blood coloring the water. The man was holding his breath and upon seeing Damon started frantically pointing at Elena in the backseat. He needn't have bothered. Elena was the only one he cared about anyway. The door wouldn't open at first, forcing Damon to just rip it off his hinges. By the time he got the door open and an unconscious Elena in his arms her father had stopped holding his breath. He'd rushed Elena to the surface and luckily the paramedics were there when he emerged from the water, ready to use some good old fashion cpr. He should of left then, but an EMT ask if he was wanted to come with them and the he was hopping in the ambulance along with Elena.

Once they arrived and Elena was in the hands of doctors, Damon started compelling his way through the paramedics and nurses. Damon knew he needed to get out of town before he did something worse, like taking up animal blood. Elena made his humanity come a little too close to the surface for his taste. After checking up on her that night and ascertaining her continued status amongst the living Damon grabbed a few blood bags and skipped town. He headed to New York, which offered him plenty of opportunities for sex,booze, and blood. The Big Apple provided a vast array of feeding options with no clean up necessary. No one took much notice of dead hookers, drug dealers, and the homeless in the city that never sleeps. Damon indulged in his vampiric nature, trying to forget Katherine's double, before he would have to head back to Mystic Falls. He decided he would avoid Elena Gilbert when he returned, get in and get out.

The failure of his plan happened even before he physically reached Mystic Falls. About a month ago he'd compelled a crow to go into Mystic Falls to spy for him. He was going to have to get into the Lockwood mansion in order to get Emily's necklace back, so he needed to know who he was manipulating to get in. The crow had set up a nest in the cemetery and it was pure chance that the nest was in a tree right next to the Gilbert family plot. The first time he saw her he decided to try and scare her off, an attempt to maintain his indifference, and it had worked much to his delight. Unfortunately, she returned the next day and the next and every day after that. Soon he found himself observing her in the cemetery, but was firm about never following her elsewhere. He didn't want to know Elena Gilbert, it would just make things complicated. Of course then the silly girl had to start using the crow as a sounding board and Damon had unintentionally become a therapist to the girl, allowing her to pour her heart out to a damn bird while he stayed silent.

Now that Damon was finally back in Mystic Falls, at the Founder's party, he found any of his remaining resolve to avoid Elena deteriorate. He'd just reclaimed Emily Bennet's necklace when he spotted her. The girl was currently looking like she'd rather be having a root canal than be at this party. Elena looked bored to tears as the peppy blonde girl nattered on about cheerleading and Elena's lack of trying. He was so close to getting in and out of Mystic Falls without having anymore interaction with her, but then he'd heard his name pop up in their conversation. Slipping quietly through the crowd he placed himself slightly behind Elena.

""So have you seen Damon Salvatore yet?" asked the blonde girl, up on tip toes and scanning the crowd.

"Nope. I'm starting to think he doesn't exist." said Elena. The blonde pouted, but then set off into the crowd.

It was too tempting to pass up. What could having a short conversation with her hurt? Could be fun, plus he wasn't going to be around much longer. He quickly and quietly positioned himself behind her and lowered his lips so his words would ghost across her ear.

"Hmmm... I didn't know I was interesting enough to rate becoming a Mystic Falls Urban Legend."

Elena jumped as though she'd been scalded and whipped her body around to face him. He smirked and the brunette who's eyes were taking him in with a flush.

"Didn't your parents teach you it's rude to sneak up on people?" Elena said, her voice tinged with annoyance, though he was pretty sure it was mostly to cover her surprise.

"You say my name, I come. I'm easy like that." he said with a shrug.

"Oh so you're like Bloody Mary, then?" Elena said with a tilt of the head and a small smile. She apparently had gotten over her irritation quickly enough.

"I like a bloody mary only with real blood" he said with a smile. "Though only before lunch time." Elena giggled and shook her head at him.

"Ew. No, you know 'Bloody Mary'. Say her name 3 times in a mirror and she's supposed to appear. Going into the bathroom with the lights off and saying it is a staple of every sleepover in the history of ever." Elena explained.

"Ah, our versions of a successful sleepovers vary greatly." he said with a wink and now Elena was blushing much to his delight. There was no reason to tell her that he knew all about "Bloody Mary', actually his knowledge of the tale would probably ruin her childhood memories. The legend was a result of a vampire who loved playing with her food. Mary took a perverse pleasure in compelling her victims to throw a small party and then having them play 'bloody mary'. She would lay in wait somewhere in the house and then come out and slaughter whichever person locked themselves in the bathroom to recite the words. She would then watched as her meal's friends found their corpse.

"Anyway..." Elena said "I'm Elena, Elena Gilbert."

"Ah, the infamous Elena Gilbert" he remarked. "I've got to hear all about your pocket watch hoarding ways." Damon teased. Elena's eyes narrowed.

"I don't know what you're talking about." she said, looking away.

"Don't worry, your secret is safe with me. I've also been bending the rules." he said, fishing a flask out of his pocket and holding it out towards Elena. "Here."

"What? Why are you giving me, a minor, alcohol?" she asked with suspicion.

"Well, I got to hear all about the pocket watch incident and I'm willing to bet Carol Lockwood hasn't let up on you about it. Plus until I came to your rescue you looked absolutely miserable. I figured you could use a drink.." he said.

Elena raised an eyebrow, but after a short pause took the flask from him. Taking a quick swig he chuckled as she scrunched up her nose in distaste.

"That's terrible." she remarked.

"No pain, no gain." Damon replied. " Now let's try our hand at proper introductions. I'm Damon Salvatore and you are..."

Elena rolled her eyes at his antics, but eventually responded. "Elena, Elena Gilbert"

Damon quickly grabbed her hand and brought it to his lips and placed a soft kiss upon her delicate skin. "A pleasure," he said, a smirk tugging at his lips. Elena, as expected, turned red and tugged her hand from his grip.

"so..ummm" she stuttered. "Did I really look miserable?" she asked, clearly trying to regain her composure.

"Yep" he replied, popping the P. "So is it just the party and Carol Lockwood's lovely company that has you looking like you just drank spoiled milk?"

"It's just... things that used to matter don't anymore." Elena admitted, her voice quiet as she looked away. "I used to love things like Founder's parties and cheerleading, but now..."

"Well, hate to break it to you, but Founder's parties have always been boring. As for cheerleading, just quit. If you don't like it and think it doesn't matter then quit."

"Things could matter again," Elena said. "Caroline would kill me and I don't want to disappoint her."

"Screw that. Why should you be miserable to make someone else happy? If this Caroline has a problem with it tell her to stick her pom poms up her, " he was cut off by Elena's hands covering his mouth.

"If Caroline has a problem with what?" came a chipper voice from behind him. Elena was biting her lip, looking caught between laughing and throwing up

"Hey Caroline, I found Damon Salvatore." Elena said, wide fake smile plastered on her face. She was clearly hoping to use Damon's presence as a distraction. However Elena had failed to take her hand off of Damon's mouth and he found himself with only one recourse. Damon peeked his tongue out of his mouth and licked.

"Oh eww!" Elena cried ripping her hand away. Elena looked at her hang in disgust and then moved towards him, clearly intent on using his suit to wipe her hand. Damon caught her by the wrist before she could make contact.

"Sorry, sweetheart, but this is Armani." Damon said with a chuckle.

"You licked my hand!" she said with a glare.

"Very astute observation." he said "However you're the one who covered my mouth with your hand. Did you really expect it to end well?" He noticed Caroline staring at them out of the corner of his eye, her arms crossed as the darted from him to Elena with narrowed eyes. "I'll go find you a napkin if you're going to be a baby about it." he offered and turned towards the bar.

"Thanks..." he heard Elena whisper. He felt bad for leaving her to Caroline, but he wanted nothing to do with the teenage girl drama he was sure was about to ensue.

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