A/N: As usual, thanks to everyone for the reviews! Hope you all enjoy this chapter. Also, we've used show dialogue in this chapter, in an attempt to keep the plot of 2010 as close to the show as possible. Just a warning :)

Disclaimer: Not ours.

1864
Elena POV

Instantly, Damon released my shoulders, turning towards Katherine, who was currently staring at me, eyes glinting.

Having someone who looked exactly like me looking like she wanted to kill me was one of the most terrifying things I'd ever experienced, and I instinctively felt glad of Damon beside me. I had to keep reminding myself he was still human, was a lot weaker than Katherine and would probably turn against me in an instant if she asked him to. He didn't know me. We weren't friends. Yet.

Emily joined the scene, carrying a long dress that a looked very similar to the one Katherine was wearing, and I had never been so happy to see anyone in my life.

Before she could speak, Damon, looking utterly perplexed, managed to stutter out 'She's... she's you... How is that possible? I thought you didn't have any relations?'

Katherine ignored him. 'Who are you?' she enquired, looking me up and down. Some of her hostility seemed to have evaporated now that Damon had released me.

Emily looked completely unshaken by her mistress's presence. She tossed the clothes gently to Damon, who caught them reflexively, a mixture of terror, confusion and curiosity on his face.

'Miss Katherine,' she said gently. 'This is Elena Pierce,' – I tried hard to keep the surprise off my face – 'and she's one of your descendents.'

The words would have sounded ridiculous from anyone else, but said in Emily's soothing voice, they sounded almost reasonable. I racked my brains for a reason why Emily would introduce me as a Pierce, deciding it must be simply to make the story sound more realistic.

Katherine's eyes swept from Emily's face to mine, ignoring Damon completely, though he was now gaping from me to her.

'Explain,' she ordered, her eyes on mine. Surprisingly, she sounded more curious than anything.

I took a deep breath, preparing to start my story again.

'She came using a watch she was looking at at a Founder's Party,' Emily interrupted before I could speak.

Katherine looked annoyed that I hadn't answered, but seemed, thankfully, to accept this story, though I had no idea why Emily was lying about the watch.

'Is this true?' Katherine asked me haughtily. I nodded.

'Who did the watch belong to? ' she asked.

Katherine's eyes were focused on me, but I saw Emily shake her head, almost imperceptibly, out of the corner of my eye.

'I don't know,' I replied hesitatingly. 'I picked it up to get a look at it and fiddled with the knob on the side. Then I wound up here.'

'From what year?' she fired back.

Not seeing any harm in telling the truth here, I answered '2010.'

She stared at me for a long moment, as if considering my story. Then she said simply 'Fine.'

For a second, all three of us gaped at her. Even Emily's constant composure slipped for a second.

'What do you mean?' Damon asked hesitatingly.

'I mean, I believe her.' Katherine was answering him, but her eyes never left my face. 'She'll have to stay with us. Emily, could you go on ahead and make up the spare room for her?'

Emily curtsied. 'Of course, Miss Katherine.'

'Damon, could you go and help her?' Katherine asked, clearly just wanting him to leave.

Damon didn't move, looking uncertainly from her to me. Katherine broke her focus on me for the first time to smile seductively at him. A small know of anger welled up in my stomach. I hated to see her manipulate him.

'Don't worry, we'll be right behind you. I just want a word with Elena.' she said sweetly, saying my name for the first time. 'I'll come and see you later.' Won over, he followed Emily, leaving me alone with Katherine. My stomach flipped over.

As soon as they were out of earshot, Katherine narrowed her eyes at me.

'You'd better tell me the truth,' she said, her voice low and venomous. 'Or I will make you regret the day you ever set foot here. Don't even think for a second that I believe your ridiculous story about a watch.'

Seeing her with Damon had broken some of the spell she had over me. I lifted my chin. 'Well, you'll have to, won't you?' I asked, my voice steady. 'It's the truth, and you won't be getting any other explanations.'

She stood for a second, then twirled to follow the others.

'You'd better come with me now,' she said over her shoulder. She was trying to seem casual, but I could see suspicion in her eyes. 'And don't think for a second that this is over.'

Drawing myself up to my full height and attempting to look as unconcerned as possible, I followed her.

2010
Damon POV

Isobel stood there, smiling at us. There was something dark in her eyes. It was clear she was no longer the woman who'd begged me to turn her.

Alaric sat frozen beside me, simply staring. Up to me then, to deal with crazy, possibly evil vampire who was quite probably going to ask about the whereabouts of her daughter. Great.

I opened my mouth, but Alaric beat me to it. He'd found his voice then.

'Isobel,' his voice was filled with both wonder and shock.

'Really witty start to the conversation, Ric.' I thought dryly, taking control.

'What do you want, Isobel?' I asked, point blank.

She ignored me. 'You look good,' she said directly to Alaric. 'I hear you're a high school history teacher?'

'Where have you been, Isobel?' he asked flatly.

'Enough of the lovers' reunion, why did you come back?' I asked impatiently. We needed to find out if this visit had anything to do with Elena.

She looked at me for the first time.

'Damon…good to see you again.' Her smile reminded me of the night I'd turned her. I pushed the memories away. I'd come close to losing Elena's friendship because of that night.

'I can't say the feeling is mutual,' I said curtly.

Again, she ignored me and spoke to Alaric. 'I understand that you know my daughter Elena, and that she's been looking for me.' My heart jumped into my throat as Isobel continued, pulling a piece of paper out of her bag. 'I want you to arrange a meeting.'

My head was spinning. None of this was going to help. In fact, this was just making this situation worse. And why did Isobel think Elena would to see her anyway, after she'd abandoned her? I was about to refuse when Alaric finally got his voice back.

'You want me to arrange a meeting?' he said, sounding incredulous. At least he didn't sound like he was about to agree.

'Yes,' she replied, a hint of amusement in her voice.

'Screw you,' he said calmly, grabbing his jacket and standing up. Flashing Isobel a triumphant smile, I followed him out of the bar.

We hadn't even made it as far as the car park when she caught up to us, grabbing Alaric round the throat before I could even turn. I made to help him, but she held out a hand.

'Any closer, Damon, and he'll be dead.' I stopped, knowing she could carry out her threat. Then the cracks appeared around her eyes as she leaned close to Alaric's ear.

'Arrange the meeting, or I will kill the people of this town one by one, starting with your history students,' she hissed in his ear.

'Well you'd have to kill the whole town, because Elena isn't here!' I yelled, but it was too late. She'd dropped him on the ground and vanished.

Vampire super speed. Useful but sometimes a complete pain in the ass.

I pulled Alaric to his feet as he gasped for breath. 'What are we going to do?' he rasped.

'I don't know, but we'll think of something,' I said grimly.

At that moment, there was a thud behind us as Stefan skidded into the car park.

'I couldn't find her,' he said breathlessly. Then he saw the looks on our faces. 'What did I miss?'

1864
Elena POV

The house was absolutely huge. Bigger than the Salvatore boarding house, and the garden was gorgeous, and well kept. I was noticing these insignificant things only to distract myself from the bigger picture, I knew. I was somehow in 1864. I was going to live with the Salvatores and Katherine. Katherine quite possibly hated me.

And the final thing. The worst thing. I knew what was going to happen here. Damon had told me the story. Horrible things were going to happen in this town, to this family, in the near future.

Was it possible? Could things change? Could I save the brothers from the events that would cause them to hate each other? Did…did I want to? If I stopped it, would I ever be able to get back? Even if I did - the realisation was like a cannonball slamming into my gut – I wouldn't know Stefan and Damon. Because they wouldn't be vampires. They wouldn't be alive in 2010. In saving their lives, I would be robbing over a century of life from them.

Katherine left me without a second glance, and Emily led me to a room with an old fashioned canopy bad and a real wood fire. I barely noticed anything about the room, mulling over everything. What was the right thing to do here?

Emily noticed my distractedness. 'You must be exhausted now, so I'll leave you, but we must talk tomorrow,' she whispered, turning to leave.

'OK,' I muttered, barely listening. Then I thought of something. 'Emily, wait,' I called.

She turned. 'What's the date today?'

When she told me, it felt like the cannonball in my gut was back. I knew from history exactly when Fell's Church had burned. And on that night, twenty seven vampires would be sealed in the tomb and the Salvatore brothers would turn. I didn't know what the right decision to make was. But I did know I had exactly a month to make it.

You know the drill….review :)