AN: Here we are again! Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about this story, or about you, the readers. It's just an exam period at school and my time for writing is slightly diminished. Worry not tho, because I will keep updating as soon as possible. Many thanks to my beta for helping me go through this. I wouldn't be able to post so often without her help. Now, let's get into the chapter! Enjoy it and send in your opinions!

And all the tears I've cried

If I can make it there, I'll see you on the other side

And all I never learned

'Cause I'm a thousand miles from Atlanta

Beneath a thousand pounds of hurt

Damon finally moved from his spot on the bed and Elena's eyes followed his every move. He stopped a few inches away from Caroline and looked her right in the eyes, like he was trying to make sure of something. His whole body tensed and his jaw was clenched, the only emotion notable was in his bright blue eyes.

Elena wondered who this Katherine woman was and why she had this effect on Damon. Well, she would probably find out soon enough.

"Caroline," Damon mumbled and gently cleared his throat. It was the first time Elena had heard him calling her friend by her name. "Are you sure Stefan said Katherine?"

"I may be blonde but I'm not deaf," Caroline's sarcastic tone did nothing to cut the tension in the room.

It didn't take more than a second for Damon to rush out of the room and run to the living room. The girls followed him immediately and just froze in the corner of the living room, watching how Damon was staring at the woman in front of him. She was very beautiful.

"She kinda looks like you. Or you kinda look like her. Whatever," Caroline whispered in Elena's ear but she simply nodded. She was right. This Katherine unmistakably resembled her.

The woman cleared her throat before speaking and looked at Stefan before turning to Damon.

"I'm sorry for interrupting your party, Stefan." To any stranger, Katherine's words would've sounded sincere but the Salvatore's knew her better.

"What are you doing here, Katherine?" Damon snapped, gaining her attention and everybody else's once again.

"Have you completely lost your manners, love?" she asked, her voice soft. She had straight hair and she wore totally different clothes but Elena couldn't stop comparing their similarities.

"I am not your love," Damon hissed through his teeth and he grabbed her wrist, squeezing at it.

"Ouch, you're hurting me," she smirked dangerously, provoking Damon with every single thing she did. It was amazing what impact that woman had over him. Elena thought no one could make him that angry, not even Caroline.

"What are you doing here?" he asked again, this time his voice was back to normal, his eyes flashing at her. She forcefully withdrew her arm and rubbed her wrist.

"I want my money," she stated flatly with one hand resting on her hip and the other draped across her body.

"You said you'd call on Monday."

"I've changed my mind. I want it now. Did I mention how much? No? 5 million." she shrugged indifferently, like she was talking about the weather. Elena's mouth dropped hearing the huge amount of money she was requesting from Damon. Who was that woman and why was she asking him for money? And most of all, why did he act like this with her?

"Do you think I walk around with 5 million dollars in my pocket? You have to wait until Monday so I can go to the bank. Don't you dare say anything to anyone, Katherine, or I swear to God, I'm going to destroy you and you know that I can," his words were loaded with hate and disgust towards Katherine.

Elena watched the scene, terrified that one moment he could snap and hurt her but he seemed to manage the situation quite well. She couldn't believe he was talking like this with someone. Katherine must've really screwed up if he was so mad. And what did he mean with do not tell anyone? What could she possibly have to say about him that was so important?

"Why did you ask Stefan for money, Katherine?" Damon asked the woman and Elena noticed that Stefan's glance followed Damon's movements. He seemed to be related to this Katherine as well.

"Because that's another story to be told," the brunette smirked dangerously. Elena frowned. She didn't understand a thing and nor did she want to. Whatever the brothers' relationship with this woman was, it was a messed up one.

"What does that even mean?" Damon asked but he didn't get an answer.

"I'll call you on Monday. Don't you forget, Damon, the press would be thrilled to interview me. Can you imagine? I can almost see the front pages of all the newspapers. Damon Salvatore and Katherine Piece, a-"

"Shut up!" Damon wailed before he grabbed her arm and carried her to the door, opening it up and pushing her over the threshold. "I'll see you on Monday. And hopefully it will be the last time," he slammed the door closed and when he came back into the living room, there was a tiny smile on his face.

Elena looked at him and he caught her stare, before nodding briefly in her direction, trying to assure her that everything was fine. But everything wasn't fine. She didn't understand a single thing that was going on there. Who was that woman who she looked like and what did she do to Damon to receive that amount of hate from him?

"So, this didn't happen," he shrugged almost indifferently. It was amazing how he seemed to be totally unaffected by it. She wished she could be like that. She wanted not to care about her breakup with Dylan but she just couldn't.

"Who was that?" Caroline rushed to ask.

"That was Katherine. A sweetie pie, right?" Damon rolled his eyes. "But this didn't happen. Stop asking things Blondie. My life is not your business."

"It is when you're in my future house," she stuck her tongue out. If she didn't stop doing things to annoy him, he would probably snap at her and that would end up not good for anyone.

"So it's already your house? Don't you think it's too soon? I wonder how long it will be before you show your true colors, you know. You're exactly like her. You're just like Katherine," he yelled, pointing his finger in her direction but she didn't do anything, she just stood there, waiting for the moment when she would reply.

"Damon! Don't compare Caroline to Katherine. She's nothing like her and you know it," Stefan came from behind him and settled between his brother and his girlfriend.

"Bullshit. All she cares about is your money. And you'll see it and you'll regret getting involved with her because she's going to be a bitch like Katherine!"

It was enough to make Stefan throw a punch at Damon's jaw, catching him by surprise.

"Asshole!" Stefan said and looked at his brother's shocked face. Caroline began crying and Elena was just there, staring. This wasn't her world; she had nothing to do there. That was between the brothers and her best friend. She was the one who eventually was going to be a part of the Salvatore family, because she was sure that Caroline would end up married with Stefan. It was a fact.

"Don't say I didn't warn you," Damon narrowed his eyes and left the apartment as soon as he could, not saying anything else to anyone.

"I'm sorry. He didn't mean it," Stefan pulled Caroline in his arms, trying to console her.

"Of course he did. He compared me to that woman. I don't even know who she is. Who is she, Stefan?" Caroline cried into his chest, her sobs muffled by his shirt.

"She's not important. Come on, we don't have to spend the rest of the day upset like this. Damon was mad, he didn't mean it," Stefan soothed her the best he could do.

"I think I'll go home now. Leave you two alone," Elena pulled a tiny smile. She couldn't be there anymore. She didn't know what to do and she obviously didn't want to feel like the third wheel.

"I'm sorry you had to witness this," Stefan shrugged in compensation at his loss for words. "I hope I'll see you again with us," he smiled while rubbing Caroline's back.

"Of course. Bye, Caroline," she nodded her head and picked up her bag as she walked out the door.

Finally outside, she breathed in the stuffy air, thankful that she got out of there. Her steps were soft on the street, the light of the day guiding her way back home.

But she didn't feel like going home now. She decided to visit her brother at the hospital. So she started walking in the opposite direction, her thoughts slowly wandering to the scene she had just witnessed in Stefan's apartment.

That woman, Katherine...she must've been or still was an important person in Damon's life. All she knew was that whatever their relationship has been before, now it was a rough one. She still couldn't process what happened there. Damon being so angry and rude to a woman, even one that was as repulsive as this Katherine. Elena really hoped she would never see him like that again.

Later on, she was sitting in Jeremy's hospital room, trying to convince him to stay in one more day, but failing miserable.

"Jeremy, you should really stay the night. I'll come get you tomorrow, okay?" she pleaded but her brother was wandering through the room, looking for his clothes.

"No, 'Lena. I'm fine. I want to go home. Where are my clothes?"

"Down there. I'll pass them to you. Stubborn little thing" she mumbled under her breath while getting his clothes from the closet.

"I can hear you, you know," Jeremy rolled his eyes.

"That wasn't something you weren't supposed to hear. Come on, get dressed and let's go." She walked outside and waited a few minutes in the hallway, until her brother was finally ready.

For half of the way back home they were quiet, neither of them saying anything. But Elena couldn't shut up forever. She was really worried about her brother. She wasn't going to watch him destroy himself a little bit more every day, until there would be nothing else to destroy.

"Why are you doing this, Jer?" she asked, looking up at him, but noticing that he was avoiding her eyes.

"Why are we all doing what we do, Elena? That's my way of handling the pain. Yours is to be a workaholic. I don't want to make you feel bad, but I'm sure you remember those days, when your way of handling was to cut into your skin and try out every single pill you found in the house. It's not easy for me either. But I've never complained. I felt that if I complained too, if I broke down too, then our family - what was left of it - would fall apart in a blink of an eye," Jeremy said, his voice low and his eyes focused on the ground as they walked.

She didn't know what to say. She never thought like that about her brother. Her little brother, who was just a kid when all of it happened. He didn't deserve this. It was now when she started to realize how much pain she had caused. But unfortunately for everyone, it was too late to go back and change things.

"And I know that you probably think that I was too young to be aware of the depth of the situation, but I wasn't. I've never told anyone, not even Jenna. And I'm not saying this to you now to blame you or bring up bad memories, but to make you understand that it wasn't easy for me either. And the drugs, they helped me to forget for a while. They made me feel like they were still here, even if they weren't."

"Jer...," she was speechless. "I know that it wasn't easy. I never thought it was. But you must understand, those things..they're not good for you. They feed you illusions, only to break you again when reality sets in. Now you're not a kid anymore. You know what's good and what's bad. I trust you will only choose the good from now on. I won't be able to live if anything like this - or worse - happens to you again. Can you promise me, please?" Elena grabbed hold of his hand and looked him straight in the eyes.

She could see in them the little Jeremy running around the house in Mystic Falls, trying to win the game and humiliate his older sister in front of their parents, the sleepy boy from the nights when she would tuck him in his bed and sit right next to him, reading him stories. Their mom would open the door to their room and put her to bed too, kiss their foreheads and turn off the lights, murmuring a sweet and full of love goodnight. There was nothing left of that boy, nor of that girl anymore. They were just two people too broken to be that happy again, but strong enough to live and go on with their lives.

Jeremy nodded shortly before breaking the eye contact with Elena. She knew it was because he wasn't feeling good.

"I promise. I want to build myself a career, like you. I want us to be happy, 'Lena. I want us to still be a family" he spoke and she let go of his hand only to hug him and kiss his cheek. She was amazed of how much her brother has grown up, of how wise he has become. Not even the drugs could change that.

The rest of the walk back home was much better. They talked about Jeremy's plans for this fall, when he would start college. She was more excited about the conversation than he was. She couldn't wait to see her brother's paintings in exhibits and wealthy people coming to buy his art.

"Jenna! We're here," Elena announced as they made their way inside. She helped Jeremy get to the couch and sit.

"Oh, good, finally. You're late. I've ordered something," Jenna rambled and hurried to bring the Chinese food to the table in the living room.

"I had lunch with Stefan and Caroline. Do you mind if I go home? I need a shower and some rest. I didn't really have a nice night," Elena smiled awkwardly. The only thing she had promised not to do after she moved out was to bail on family time and she was doing exactly that.

"Sure, that's fine," her aunt nodded. The look on Jenna's face made her feel bad for leaving. She knew that her aunt wanted her to stay but she knew Jeremy had to talk to her. Besides, she felt like going home. It was so weird to call home an apartment where she spent just a night, but that's what it was; her home.

"You know what to do," she whispered to Jeremy as she leaned down to kiss his forehead and he simply nodded.

Somewhere along in the multitude of her thoughts, there was a foreign one haunting her. And she couldn't get it out as much as she had tried to. This day wasn't a normal one, not at all. And as much as she wanted to think only about her family and her life, about how happy she was now that she had had that talk with her brother, that he had promised to stop ruining his life, she couldn't stop thinking about the scene in Stefan's apartment.

Damon, Stefan, Caroline - their fight - kept running through her mind like a scene from a movie on repeat. And then there was that woman, who she practically resembled- Katherine. The reason of the fight itself. Elena didn't picture Damon as a bad guy. Not at all. And she would probably never be able to, because he saved her. He saved her multiple times and she just couldn't think that low of him, like her friend Caroline did.

It was wrong to trust him for so many reasons and mainly because he was a stranger to her. She should probably trust her friend, she knew him better, but there was something about him. Something that made her believe he wasn't the villain, but instead, someone like her. Someone hurt, misunderstood. Someone with a story to tell but with no one to listen.

Elena was lazily walking back home. She didn't really have a reason why to be home early. She just wanted to get there and lay on the bed until Monday morning, when everything would start. When she would be ready to bring good things in her life.

Two blocks away from her apartment, she saw a familiar face, walking desolate towards a car she recognized. She knew both the man and the car. It was an idiot thing to do, but she did it immediately, not thinking about anything.

"Damon!" her voice was pitched but her purpose was achieved. He turned around and started to walk towards her, a small smile playing on his lips. She noticed a red spot on his jaw, proof of the punch he received from his brother.

"Elena. Nice to see you again. So soon" he said and pointed to his car. "I was about to take off. Do you need a ride somewhere?"

"I was going home. It's okay, I don't need a ride. What are you doing in Manhattan though?" she asked but she regretted doing it the next second. It was none of her business and she didn't know why she stopped him in the first place. Maybe to check if he was fine?

"Visiting a friend. Are you free for a coffee? We didn't have the chance to pick up where we left with out discussion," Damon's eyes flashed to her own, catching her full attention.

Elena tried to remember what he was talking about. What discussion did they have unfinished? The one about her and Dylan, probably. She shook her head and smiled uncomfortable.

"I don't want to occupy your time, I'm sure you're pretty busy. Besides, I should get home and-"

"Come on, it's Saturday. What could you possibly have to do?" he smirked, that smirk that amazed Elena but still made her question his intentions.

"Well, I'm going to work on Monday and I still have so much to do and I don't think it's a good idea, especially after what happened earlier," she deadpanned. That was one of the main reasons why she wasn't sure she should take him on his invitation. It would be weird and she knew it.

"Nothing happened earlier, it's not important. I won't hold you up for too long. One hour, maybe?" he ran a hand through his tousled hair, a gesture that she found to be more like a twitch to him. "But if you really don't want to, it's okay, I won't insist," he finally said.

She couldn't just say no to him. She owed him not just one, but a lot of things. With a short sigh, she nodded her head and her lips curled into a tiny smile.

"Fine. I'll go."

"The car is actually that way," he pointed to the black SUV parked in front of the block, when she began to slowly walk.

"I'd prefer walking. Do you mind?"

Damon frowned, looking surprised, as if she just told him to try walking on his hands. When he nodded, she simply pointed the direction and waited for him to catch up with her.

"You're so weird, Elena Gilbert."

"So I've heard," she giggled. Damon's phone started to ring and she waited patiently as he withdrew it from his back pocket and answered, his voice sharp. And if voices could kill someone through the phone, he would be a serial killer, she could bet on it.

"Tanya! You're there? Okay, I'll be on my way. Yes, 20 minutes," he hung up the phone and glanced to Elena, his face wearing a shade of regret. "Elena, I'm so sorry, I can't make it to coffee. I have this problem and I have to go. I'll get you home. And...I owe you a coffee" he apologized and for a second, she felt like he was really sorry for bailing on her.

"That's-that's okay, don't worry. You go and solve your problems. You don't owe me anything, Damon. In fact, I owe you for saving me," she smiled and tried to make it believable. She didn't have a reason to be mad, but she felt bad that she couldn't go out with him.

"I'll get you home."

"No. I want to walk back home. I feel like walking. Thanks for your offer though." The smile on her face fell and for an unknown reason she was mad. Mad that he was now leaving after insisting so much for her to take him on that coffee.

"I guess I'll see you around, Elena." Damon said nonchalantly and he turned around, leaving her hanging.

"I guess so…" she began, but her words faded in the thin air and they never got to Damon's ears.

With small but quick steps she walked to the next apartment building and upstairs to her own small apartment. Once she closed the door, she left all the problems outside and succumbed to the warmth her home offered her, at least for a while, until she worried about everything once again.

Tick, tock, tick, tock... Elena turned on her back and extended her hand to stop the little clock from ringing. It was only 7 am but she had to be up and ready for her first day of work. The weekend went by so fast, she didn't even feel Sunday going by, when she just laid in the bed, reading Shakespeare and listening to music. Her phone was turned off, as it was her last day of freedom.

Thirty minutes later, Elena was out of the shower and naked in front of the closet, trying to pick out some clothes appropriate for a first day on a new job. After trying three different dresses, she picked the one Caroline told her to wear, deciding that her friend was the specialist in the fashion department. Definitely, she was, because the black outfit made her look like someone who just walked on the red carpet. Add the stilettos and you have a star.

She left her apartment no later than 8 and decided to take a cab as she didn't want to start what should be a perfect day with the horrible smell of a bus. Punctuality wasn't a forte just for her, but to everyone at the office and that was why she was there at 8:20, 10 minutes early, ready to start her day with great strengths.

"Hello. You're Elena Gilbert, aren't you? The new employee?" a tall blonde approached her.

Elena nodded enthusiastic. "Yes, I am." She extended her hand to the blonde woman and she shook it happily. The blonde seemed to be in her early thirties but she looked impeccable, dressed in a white skirt and a black blouse.

"I'm Diana Moore. The editor-in-chief. I'm glad to have you here." The woman named Diana walked to an area full of desks and computers, motioning for Elena to follow her.

"I'm happy to be here." She followed, while looking around, surprised by the way people really worked in a place like this. It looked like her desk was next to a tall red-haired woman, a very beautiful one, she could say, because Diana stopped right in front of it and put a little piece of paper on it, with the password for the computer.

"This is your desk. Whatever you will need is here. You will get the duties list in your e-mail, daily. If something's wrong, you come to me. Good luck!" the blonde smiled when she finally finished her little speech and turned in the other directions, entering an office.

Happy with what she had achieved today, Elena stood up and straightened her jacket and let her hair down from the ponytail she was wearing. Her glance wandered to Diana's office and she was about to walk to it, when she had heard some voices down the hallway and her name.

She walked to the open door and stopped next to it, trying to hear what her colleagues were saying. She shouldn't do that; she knew that listening to other people's discussions was inappropriate.

"God, I hate that new girl. She only got hired because she had good references from her Dean while we had to work hard to get here. I'm sure Diana will promote her as quick as you snap your fingers", one of the girls said.

Elena's feet started to move in the other direction. She couldn't stay there and listen to that anymore. Her hopes had just been thrown on the floor. With light steps, avoiding to be heard, she walked to Diana's office and knocked before pushed the door open just a little bit.

"I just wanted to say that I'm leaving. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Great! Oh, Elena? How was your first day?" the blonde asked, her eyes sparkling with interest. You could tell she was a good person.

"It's been good, thanks." She smiled politely and left the office, walking to the main door and outside into the damp air. Elena inhaled the fresh air and stopped the tears from falling. Waving her hand, she hailed a cab and climbed inside, ready to go home.

She couldn't cry because people didn't like her. In life, you had to be tough to win, to survive. She was going to make it. But right now, she felt an unexplained urge to talk to someone who wasn't one of her friends. She wouldn't complain about that to them. With rapid moves, she withdrew her phone from the purse and quickly dialed a number.

"Stefan? Hi, it's Elena. Can you give me your brother's number, please?"