Disclaimer! I do not own Vampire Diaries or it's cast! But Alex and her story is mine, please don't 'borrow' it.

Present

Alex

There wasn't a call waiting for me when I entered the house. A low sigh filled the silence. It was stupid of me to expect Da to have called already. He had a satellite phone, but knowing Da, he'd forgotten how to use it. Shaking my head, I settled onto the couch, eyes on the dead fireplace. I had not felt this heaviness in a long time. Closing my eyes, I kneaded at the oncoming headache, wishing that just for once, I could return home without weighted shoulders. But that would require one particular vampire to leave me the hell alone.

I did not understand him. Why would he stay, why would he continue following me, finding me, when I had stunned him with magic enough times to kill a human thrice over? Did he have a death wish? I doubted him to have taken up a liking to pain in my absence. It was stupid, and he should know that. Then again, Damon had always been keen on doing stupid, brash things.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

My reaction was instinctual. An uttered word left my lips and Damon swore as a red mark appeared on his throat in the shape of a thin rope. It would have downed a mortal, but he only glared down at me, his hands tight on my wrists. I hadn't even noticed his grasp. "What the HELL are you doing here?!" I snapped, rising from the couch braced for a fight. "Do you have some inane ability to stay away from me?!" I glowered.

"That sounds mildly self centered." Damon replied tartly. "What if I wasn't here for you, Alex?" he asked lightly, tightening his grip.

I stifled another crack at him with magic. The urge to toss him into a wall was growing, though. "Then what are you here for?" I asked quietly, attempting to wrest my wrists from his hands and failing. His eyes said it would take blows to release me.

He looked as if he wasn't going to answer for a moment. There was something calculating in his eyes, something dark and knew. I hadn't seen this look, this puzzling expression before. "We need to talk." was all Damon said, as if it were the simplest thing in the world.

"Talk." I echoed, expression disbelieving. "You want to talk?" I repeated. "AND YOU COULDN'T KNOCK ON THE DAMNED DOOR!?"

He winced. "What the hell is it with you and shouting these days?!" Damon snapped. "Jesus, I miss the quiet Alexandria, she didn't try to blow my eardrums out every few seconds!" he muttered.

"Yes, well, sorry to disappoint, but as you so aptly pointed out, I'm not the quiet Alexandria." I replied dryly, arching a brow, tugging at his grasp again. "And you should have knocked. Do you know how stupid it is to sneak up on someone like me?"

"About as stupid as it is to knock on the door of someone like you." Damon replied pointedly. "As if you'd open the door for me anyways. This saved time."

Well, he was right about that. I probably would have kicked him off my porch with a steady gust of wind or something similar. I took a slow, measured breath, wrists lax in his hands. "I don't want you here, Damon."

"I know." he said quietly, his tone serious. "But you and I both know we need to do this, whether you want to admit it or not."

"I don't want to." I whispered, lips cold, hands icy as his gaze met mine.

"Then just listen." He said quietly, releasing my wrists. I could have decked him just then, but something held me fast. Wary, I crossed my arms, watching as he leaned against the fireplace mantle, his eyes downcast and faraway.

Damon

She only watched me as I settled against the fireplace. The distrust was heavy in the air. I was still waiting for paralysis and pain to sweep me from my feet, but Alex seemed content to watch and wait. I hadn't planned on coming here, not really, but instead of home, I had arrived at the Conner Manor's front gate. I didn't even know what to say, what could I really say? But the words came to me, even as some part of my mind said that speaking them would get me no where. "I didn't want him to bring you." I said quietly. Alex said nothing, her stance tense and taut as wire. "I didn't want to harm you."

"You were a bit late for that, Damon." Alex said quietly, bitterness in her words. "I think perhaps, you might have wanted to look back two years prior to killing me, that looked pretty intentional as far as injury goes. I must tell you, seeing Katherine Pierce on your arm as I raced to greet you, was quite the shock. But then, I suppose the old Alexandria was gullible, too, and I suppose it amused you both to no end."

I turned to meet her gaze. Two pinpoints of emerald fire blazed in her eyes. I remembered that day. Alexandria had stood in the crowd, and she had been beautiful, eyes bright, cheeks pink with excitement. I had seen her and glanced on, Katherine laughing softly at my arm. Beneath me. Katherine had said. Yes, it had been something she laughed on. The mewling affections of a worthless human. I closed my eyes, turning away from her. "You moved on." I said quietly, thoughts casting back to George Lockwood.

"And you ruined that too." she snapped snidely. "You managed to ruin even my engagement party, Damon. Now that took skill and ruthlessness. Tell me, did Katherine take your soul before you turned? Or did you wish me ill will because I was happy without you?"

Yes, I did. Deep down, I knew that I had wanted to hurt her then. And George, too. She had been mine, and even with Katherine on my arm, I wanted Alexandria never to move on. "It doesn't matter anymore." I muttered, raking a hand through my hair. "Look, I just need you to

know that I'm not going to hurt you. Neither will Stefan."

She laughed, hard and low. "You mean, you don't want me to hurt you."

That was partially correct. She was a threat, as Stefan continually pointed out. "I don't want to have to hurt you." I amended. "We aren't here to kill, Alexandria."

Alex

Ah, but there was the trouble. Damon wasn't here to kill me, but Gran had said I was here to deal out the karmic dues he had earned. Damon wasn't going to kill me, but I was supposed to kill him.

And I already knew that I couldn't.

"Look, Damon..." I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "I just want to be left alone. As soon as I can, I'm leaving this damned place and its monsters behind. But I'd prefer my time here to be spent away from my murderer." I said coldly, turning my eyes to the family tree encased on the far wall.

Alexandria Conner, 1845-1864

I was only nineteen when he killed me. I was nineteen now, in this reincarnation. And here was Damon, standing in the parlor like he used to ages ago, resting against the mantle with an impassive expression on his face. I hated that he was still here, and I hated that he had come here only to assuage his and Stefan's fear of attack. I could end it all, and live a normal life. But the guilt I could see in his eyes, would it be in mine for the rest of the mortal life I lived?

"I won't hurt you or your brother, Damon." I said, turning from the tree, my eyes on the worn converse on my feet. "But I have every right to." I added, crossing my arms. "So, do yourself a favor and get the hell out of my house, before I change my mind."

There was a blur, a rush of motion, and my hands were caught again, encased in cool fingers. "And will you?" Damon asked, voice edged in menace, his gaze nearly black. "Will you change your mind?"

I held his gaze, feeling the magic stir beneath my veins. A threat. it whispered, Dangerous. End him. End them all. it whispered. There was a spark, a bright flash that passed from my hands to his, and Damon hissed low in his throat, fangs flashing in his mouth. "You did." I whispered. "Play nice, Damon. I'm a human. We're fickle."

Damon

"...We're fickle." She grinned, the expression fierce. No, Alexandria wasn't human, not anymore. I squeezed her hands, meeting her challenge. "I've never played nice, Alex." Something passed imperceptibly in her eyes, her grin faltering.

"You should." she said softly, suddenly looking forlorn. "Why won't you just leave me alone, Damon?" Alexandria whispered. In the darkness, she shone pale as moonlight, her spray of freckles stark against white skin, a heady sadness around her.

I couldn't speak, not immediately. Something compelled me to look down at her, the familiar tinge of pain in my jaw as the fangs receded. "I don't know." I answered, voice just as soft, grasp on her hands loosening.

Alex

There was another rush of motion, and Damon was gone. I exhaled, shaking as I fell back on the sofa. My head fell into my hands, cheeks as cold and icy as if I had stood outside in a blizzard moment ago. The magic in me screamed, go after him. End this. it demanded. I couldn't. I held my breath, releasing it in a quivering gust. Something within me said that if I did not end Damon Salvatore, something else would.

Alrighty! There's that Chapter, long overdue. Sorry for the delay, but the school year started in chaos... BUT it is doing a marvelous job of inspiring me myself and I! As always, constructive criticism is welcome, and reviews are LOVED!

Theme Songs:

"Magnetic"- Jessi J