A/N: Enjoy the newest chapter! Edited 26th of May 2020. Thank you, HPuni101 for checking, correcting and reading this story! I wanted to take the time to thank everyone for their comments! They were really wonderful. To answer several questions I couldn't reply to personally.
To Sam, thank you for your question. I take it you're a Klena shipper? Truthfully, I'm not sure about eventual pregnancies. Right now, I've got the story drafted out till mid-season three (although canon was abandoned much earlier and it's mostly the timeline I'm talking about). On a different note, I can tell you that she will be meeting an Original soon.
To Walker, an interesting take you have. I'm certainly planning on adding different themes and takes on the supernatural storyline, but I have to admit, I don't know teen wolf. I low-key knew that it's about werewolves and that the lycanthropy can be transferred by bite or scratch, but I know nothing more of the story. However, your idea has merit so I'll look into it.
o.O.o
Chapter Five, Beasts of the Night
September 12, 2009
Another entree (I'm shocked too). I've decided to write down all the information of this— reality, that I know of. It seems like the sensible thing to do. It seems like the only thing I can do to remain sane. Or sane-ish, I suppose. Nothing about his world is sane and I would like to stress it's only going to get worse. I have no idea if you're going to believe me but Damon and Stefan are vampires.
I'm not even sure why I wouldn't write it down in here before. How else am I going to help you? Perhaps I should stop pretending this situation is going to reverse itself anytime soon (if ever). Sheila said that without a connection (which I do no longer seem to have with my previous body) I have no way to reverse the situation. So, I've decided to make the best of it. Now, on with the list, written chronologically:
Damon steering trouble: Tries to open the tomb to find Katherine, Hurts and abuses Caroline for the crystal, Has to open his father's tomb for Emily's spellbook (also a requirement; I think).
Katherine is not in the tomb Katherine will come to town. Problems will follow: John gets stabbed, Caroline gets turned into a vampire, Tyler triggered his curse The death of those girls: what's her name and Sarah will die (and probably a lot more I'm not remembering right now) Elijah comes to Mystic Falls, Takes along a witch family: the Martins? Wants his family back (thinks they're dead). Has some Mystical Potion that brings someone back to life. Maybe.
Klaus comes to Mystic Falls. To sacrifice Elena, a werewolf and a vampire. Need to make sure Jenna is nowhere near Mystic Falls then. Takes over Alaric's body — right Alaric comes to town around October, looking for his wife's murderer. Which is Damon by the way. Damon.
Esther tries to kill her children.
Alaric becomes a super hunter, linked to Elena (definitely need to keep that from happening).
Elena becomes a vampire (the season I've bing-watched, but which I don't I know in such detail): There's a cure, Silas; who wants to raise all supernatural. Which is bad, I think… The hunter of the five comes to town. Also bad… Jeremy dies (Elena loses it; turns it off, at least that won't happen to me, I hope) and Silas comes back? Not entirely sure on this one. I do think he looks like Stefan and starts haunting Katherine? Or for Katherine, God, I don't know…
I don't know. Perhaps with a list like this, I'm losing the overview. I'm sure I'm missing important details. How can I not? But at least, Miranda isn't looking at me in that suspicious way of hers anymore. Making lists takes time and for all she knows I'm journaling. Not all that opposed to it either. Let's start again. I haven't seen Damon Salvatore yet. Wasn't he dating Caroline— wait, no not dating, compelling to work for him sounds better, at this point? I don't think he is.
I haven't seen him drop her off at cheer practise yet, nor have I seen her wear excessive neck jewellery or scarfs. But then again, vampire blood heals such wounds, doesn't it? I'm not really sure how to bring it up with her either. She acts like I will take every boy she likes away from her and she's still batting her eyelashes at Stefan (definitely a clue she's not dating someone else, I guess). On a positive point, Stefan seems to get the hint that I just want to be friends (I had to be blunt about that one too; 'Stefan, I like you, I do, but I've just come out of a difficult relationship and I'm not ready to dive into another for the next few months') and had done an effort to just be my friend.
I still catch him looking at me in that green-eyed-love-struck-moon-eyes way of his, but he hasn't made a move on me (didn't try to kiss me during that one practice, when I thought he certainly would). I suppose being friends with a vampire, even writing it down seems idiotic, won't be so bad. If Damon stops being an a-hole, he can be my friend too? Yeah, he wasn't big on boundaries. I'll see how that one goes…
I soon learned that having a list didn't make that much of a difference. It was like knowing you had an exam. You know you have to study, you know what the exam is about, but that doesn't mean you know what the questions would be like. If I did something, changed something unwillingly, the whole timeline would change. It was already changing. I knew it was. For one, I hadn't been kicked off of the cheer squad, which was why I stood there tonight. In the middle of the sports' field, my hair fixed into a perfect high ponytail and the short red cheerleading uniform snugly hugging my figure.
The skirt flounced around my legs, my body already aching with fatigue and I wiped the back of my hand across my forehead when Mr. Tanner started to list the interim score. The first football game of the season and instead of benching me, what I'd lowkey expected, Caroline had drilled me until I could dream the routine.
"Elena!" Bonnie whispered urgently.
"Yes." I agreed and I moved quickly backwards, taking my spot next to Bonnie and behind Caroline. She was about to perform a toe touch and me, Bonnie and Heather were supposed to catch her. It was a move practised already to perfection, but my hands still became clammy and I inhaled deeply when we pushed the young blonde up, we held her there for several seconds.
Caroline was in her element, moving her pom-poms up in the air, waving her arms around in difficult motions, before toppling backwards. We caught her deftly and the awarding applause was thunderous. The teams joined us on the field again and under Caroline's supervision, we backed off, allowing the game to resume. The timberwolves were losing, but at least we'd given a perfect routine.
When the game had ended, I noticed Elena's parents excitedly descend the rickety stairs of the bleachers on the other side of the field and cringed slightly when they waved a video camera at me (just what I needed a spacing Elena Gilbert offering a cheer routine for all to see, great).
On the other side, I spotted Stefan Salvatore follow his teammates making their way to the locker rooms and my mind swirled. I felt as if I was forgetting something incredibly important and taking a swig of a bottle of water, I shivered. Cool air attacked my bare arms and legs and I ground my teeth together, waving at Miranda's and Grayson's grinning faces. I smiled back, turning fully towards them when Heather Winston bumped into me, her face alight with excitement and I followed her gaze.
A crowd had gathered beneath a goalpost and waving at the Gilberts I crossed the field, curious what the hell was happening. A cluster of taut anxious faces was gathered around two brawling teenagers and I froze, belatedly recognising Jeremy and Tyler. Whatever had happened to provoke this fight (because I knew with certainty it hadn't been Vicki Donovan), Tyler had still managed to wrestle Jeremy on his back and was sugar punching him in his face. This was exactly what had happened during that one football game and my body was already moving before my brain could even give its consent.
"Stop it!" I snapped, jumping forward, pushing several useless bystanders aside, and wrapped my legs tightly around Tyler's waist and my arms around his neck until he turned almost blue. "Get off him! Get the fuck off him!"
And he did. Arms flailing and perilous balance lost, he veered backwards, as did I and we both hit the ground hard. I felt my breath escape me as Tyler fell on top of me and the world swayed around when his elbow connected with my nose. A thrill of pain shot through the cartilage and radiated to my right eye and temple. Several people squeaked and screamed and Tyler's bloodshot eyes turned on me. He'd gone red in the face and I froze, fearing a punch to my face any second now but Stefan Salvatore caught his arm, stopping it in mid-punch, yanking him up and off me.
"That's enough! He had enough and don't you dare hit her."
"Fine by me!" Tyler snarled and instead threw his weight into a punch square along Stefan's jaw.
I winced, even though I knew it wouldn't hurt him that much but muscles tightened around my heart, leaving me winded and the scream clawing its way out of my throat when Jeremy spat out blood and what looked a lot like an incisor, got caught in my throat. I crawled towards him as Stefan held the struggling Tyler in a headlock. Ever since the attack last June, Tyler was jittery, easy to anger (easier than what I'd seen in the show) and I watched in horror as Stefan pushed him in the waiting arms of his father.
I'd rolled on my side, pushing myself up and stared in trepidation as Stefan, white-faced and eyes cold with fury, took a quivering step back. I guess his self-control was better than I'd been giving him credit for. Elena's parents had clustered around me and Jeremy now, both looking equally shocked and angry and Jeremy groaned when Grayson jabbed at the quickly purpling jaw with quick and efficient jabs.
"Are you all right, son?"
"Dad—"
"I don't think it's broken." He told us conversely and I licked my lips.
"He lost a tooth," I whispered, my stomach churning at the sight of the puddle of blood and the incisor. The tooth had been knocked out completely, with root and all. Grayson's face reddened in what I assumed was the same righteous anger I'd felt and he reached for it. The people that had collected around us started to thin out as several teachers dispersed the crowd. Richard Lockwood was shaking his son, speaking in low tones with him (too low for me to hear) while his face changed colours rapidly. I didn't think I'd ever seen a skin tone turn that purple that quick.
"We need to place that back as soon as possible—" Grayson explained and Jeremy winced, "—Elena didn't you have a bottle of water?"
"Yeah," I agreed, crawling over the short grass field until I found the bottle and offered it to him. Grayson poured some water over the incisor, fixated Jeremy's face with the other hand and drew his mouth open with his thumb, not stopping at Jeremy's gasping objections, and pushed the central incisor back in one precise nudge. I winced. Jeremy whined, looking absolutely sick to the stomach and Miranda doted over him like a worried mother hen.
"Do we need to go to the ER?"
"Perhaps a scan to make sure nothing is broken and tomorrow we have to visit the dentist." Grayson agreed. "Elena, do you want to ride with your mom and Jeremy? I'll have to have a word with Richard."
"Gray—"
"Yes, Miranda, I know." He agreed and I scrambled to my feet.
"I still need to get my stuff— and the car— dad, do you want to take my car?"
"I can take her home!" Stefan immediately put in and I exhaled loudly. Wonderful.
"Would that be okay for you, 'Lena?" Grayson asked.
'No,' my mind quickly supplied. That certainly wasn't okay. I liked Stefan well enough, but I really could do without sending him the wrong signal. However, I thought I recognised the murderous look Jeremy was sending me, and I drew in a large gulp of air. Besides, I still had to change clothes and collect my bag, my phone, my purse, so instead, I smiled: "Sure, yeah, that's okay." I replied and Jeremy's hostile expression eased out in something pained but nonetheless grateful. I turned to Stefan, schooling my expression to at least not look hostile. "I just need to change first, if that's okay?"
"Sure Elena." Stefan smiled. "I'll wait in the cafeteria."
"All right." I agreed and, after hugging Miranda and giving Jeremy a soft, small peck on his forehead, I quickly crossed the field to the girls' locker room. From the distance, darkening, storm clouds were rolling in and the wind picked up. I didn't look back again and shut the changing room door with a loud thud. Several other girls were still there, looking up startled and with pity, and I quickly collected my clothes and moved to the public showers.
The air held the faded stench of blood and sweat and submerging myself in the hot rays of the water, I squeezed my eyes closed, scrubbing myself clean. So clean, the olive skin tinged pink and the cuticles were almost completely torn off. For several more minutes, I was content to stand beneath the searing water, the sting a welcome reprieve against my smarting cheek. I hadn't seen my face yet, but the skin felt raw and new, and I knew at least my nose wasn't broken. If it was I had no doubt, Grayson had already noticed and forced me along to the hospital.
Stepping out of the shower cubicle, I wrapped a towel around myself and dared a fleeting glance at my reflection in the cracked mirror above the sink. From what I could tell, it wasn't that bad, my cheek bruised and my nose reddened. It could have been worse.
The locker rooms were mostly empty. The last girls already closing their lockers, yelling their farewells and then, I was alone. Which was fine by me anyway. It gave me time to think and evaluate the day.
Tyler Lockwood still wore the scar of teeth at the base of his neck. The mark was still pink and the puckered skin oddly pale against the usually tan of his throat. His eyes had been huge and white, so much white, like the eyes of a frightened horse and I wondered, how much he still remembered of the attack only three months ago. I knew it was Damon who'd attacked him — I couldn't think of anyone else in the first season who would work up such a frenzy of panic, while you'd think everything would go much easier when the vampire stayed under the radar — but I had no idea why he would bother.
I somewhat understood why he would like to hunt me a bit for sports (I looked like Katherine now), but I had no idea what I'd done to change so little and yet so much. The night of the Comet had gone by without much of a hitch. I didn't remember if it had gone without one in the original timeline, but I knew Vicki Donovan should have been attacked by now. Perhaps, her not being in an on-off relationship with both Tyler and Jeremy had changed what I'd thought inevitable. Perhaps, little changes could safe a lot more people than just Victoria Donovan. Perhaps, I could change things for the better (perhaps, I couldn't, I wasn't sure), and I could certainly try.
Once I was dressed in my tight, black denim pants and a fitting light blue button-up, with a simple leather jacket, I slung my backpack over my shoulder and stepped outside again. The clouds had swirled together in a dark mass of deep grey and the deep violet colour of twilight had fallen. A vein of lightning punctured through the clouds. The wind had picked up, a distant boom of thunder echoed through the sky and I quickened my step, crossing the football field toward the school building. The wind pulled at my hair and yanked at my clothes and I clenched my molars together against the chill.
It wasn't until I heard a second set of footsteps behind me, did I freeze, turning around quickly. You had to do things fast in a town like Mystic Falls and my eyes widened, my mouth slacked open. Damon Salvatore stood in the middle of the field, one foot planted on a white line and the other on the green grass. His smile was lopsided, a dimple in his right cheek. I'd almost forgotten how handsome almost all men in the vampire diaries universe were (of course, many actors had at least one pretty attribute) and felt a frightening pull in my stomach. His hair was dark, waves a tad unruly and he had the lightest blue eyes I'd ever seen.
"Erm—"
"Hello." He greeted, his smile evening out, but never got less empty, less fake and my heart sped up.
"I— hi," I managed, my hands turned clammy.
"You must be Elena," he grinned. He was just over average height, but his shoulders were wide, wider than mine and I knew the strength that lay beneath that jacket. I tried for an answer.
"Yes." I agreed, cocking my head to the side. At least I'd learned from past mistakes. "And you are?"
"Damon, Stefan's brother."
"I didn't know he had a brother," I answered smoothly, hitching my bag up.
"He doesn't like to brag." He grinned and I tried for an easy smile.
"I— okay, I was just on my way—" I tried, eyes discreetly flitting around, primed to make a hasty retreat. My heart was throwing itself against my sternum frantically. As if it could somehow claw out of my chest and flee. "I have to go."
Damon bent over at the waist, laughing, "You're afraid of me."
"I—" I started, trying to swallow past the lump in my throat.
"You know."
"I— know what?" I mumbled, but I couldn't put a clear thought together and suddenly Damon snatched my wrist, so fast he was like a rearing snake, fingers circling my upper-arm. His skin was warm, I wasn't sure why that came to a surprise to me (I knew they actually had a heartbeat, even if they were dead), his fingers slightly calloused and his grin demonic.
I tried wrenching my arm out of Damon's grasp, but instead of letting go, he yanked me closer and the world became a blur of colours. When the world settled again we were no longer on the football field. Instead, I had no idea where we were. Or at least, geographically speaking I had no idea where we were. We stood in the middle of a playground, surrounded by a veil of oak trees, swaying harshly in the wind and bile clawed its way up my throat.
"My, my Elena," he grinned, fingers pressing into my arms, "I didn't think Stefan would tell you."
"He didn't." I gasped and wetted my lips and forced myself to meet his gaze and bit the inside of my cheek. "I'm a member of a Founding Family. With Stefan repeating high school and my dad having a dozen old journals featuring your names, I was bound to find out."
"And yet, you haven't told anyone." He said, slipping down onto the old, plastic swing set, which groaned in protest. He still held on to my arm, fingers slipping to my wrist and looked at me beneath heavy lids, "How foolish of you."
"I want to protect my family," I responded weakly.
"Do you now?" He asked amused, thumb drawing circles over the back of my hand.
"I'm not delusional enough to think they wouldn't get hurt when they went after you."
"Hm," he agreed, his irises expanding, "is that the truth?"
"Are you trying to compel me?" I asked stupidly, my breath caught in my throat and his eyes widened in surprise. His thumb brushed across my bottom lip, drawing it out from between my front teeth.
"You're very brave."
"I play by my own set of rules," I told him confidently and his eyes flashed. This was either a bold and smart move or a very stupid one, but— there was little I could do now. "Let go of me, Damon. I need to go home. My brother—"
"Will be fine at the hospital. No, I'd rather talk to you some more." He grinned, almost charmingly and I shifted my weight from one foot to the other. "So, has my brother already wooed your heart? He certainly tried, hasn't he? Being the gentleman and all."
"Stefan and I are just— friends," I remarked weakly.
Damon let out a mirthless laugh, his eyes crinkling and finally, I managed to wrench my wrist free. "Friends. Is that what they call it nowadays? Of course."
"I am not Katherine, Damon," I remarked and his smile fell away, his eyes turning frosty.
"You know about Katherine."
"I do," I agreed. "I know she and I share a face. I know you loved her. I know—"
The swing squeaked and in a breath, Damon was upon me again. My breath was stolen and my back hit the rough bark or a birch tree before we both slid down. His eyes were only slits and his grip on my neck was punishing. Apparently, the Katherine comment was one push too many and I clawed at his wrist, struggling to draw in a breath. "You know nothing!"
"Da-mon, I— can't breathe!" I gasped out, but the vampire snarled, the skin around his eyes littering with streaky, dark-purple veins and his fangs protruding slowly from his gums. A gasping sort of scream passed my lips and the bounce of my knees as I tried to buck him off, hurt my ankles. All I felt was fear, raw panic, adrenaline surging through my veins even when his fingers slightly relaxed around my throat and he leant forward. "N-no! No, you can't, Damon! If you do both you and Katherine are dead."
"Oh really?" He smirked.
With a growl, I yanked my necklace from my neck. The silver chain snapped, grazing the vulnerable skin of my throat which left a small, thin welt along the skin and I pressed it harshly against his face. Precisely between his eyes (although that was pure luck) and he yelled. The vervain in the amulet, even in its silver case, sizzled against his skin and he pushed away from me.
He was snarling threats at me the next moment and in a move, I'd only ever seen on television, I kicked him square in his face. A thrill of pain shot through the sole of my foot up my calve, but I was already rolling over, scrambling to my feet and I ran. My hands grabbled blindly through my handbag, the contents tinkling together and I could have cried when my fingers curled around the deodorant spray I'd taken with me. I yanked it out of my bag, just as Damon snatched my arm so harshly, something popped in my shoulder and I whirled at him. Despite the ache and sprayed it in his face.
In hindsight, I thought, it was mostly the startling surprise, that made him let go of me. Of course, the alcohol in my bottle, spraying it straight into his bluer than blue eyes, might have played its part. It made him howl and hunch forward, hands pressing harshly against his face.
The kick to his manhood was just a happy afterthought and brought him fully to his knees, long enough for me to yam a pencil into his neck (you had to love girl purses; they could carry anything), pushing it in deep enough to make him slump forward and that was what made me able to run away. Truly run away. I was never happier with the self-defence classes I'd followed in my previous life. I ran to the first house I passed, pounding on the door until someone opened up and all but pushed the startled middle-aged man aside in my hurry to get inside and off the street. I only recognised him after several seconds, pressed against the faded, pale-yellow wall. Pastor Young looked at me, fingers wrapped tightly around his black and white collar and his wilted face scrunched up in confusion.
"Elena?"
I smiled, or I tried to. Seeing Pastor Young up close was different from seeing him on a computer screen. He was a middle-aged man of average height, perhaps a bit taller, with light brown hair and blue eyes. I'd forgotten about Pastor Young, or at least, I hadn't thought about him at all. He and his daughter would not start appearing until season four, which was why I'd naively thought I wouldn't run into them. Or why I hadn't given them any thought before.
Eyebrows furrowing together, I tried remembering what I'd known of the Young family. I remembered he had a daughter, called April and that Elena used to babysit her. Elena the party girl babysitting April the daughter of the Pastor— wasn't sure how that would work.
A clap of thunder shook the house and I forced out a tight, painful smile. So painful, the muscles in my face trembling from the effort: "Hi, Pastor Young! I'm— I'm so sorry for barging in." I started, breathing hard. "I The— the storm caught me off guard." I continued, grinning stupidly. "And your house was the first one I recognised."
"Oh, of course, yes, the storm came out of nowhere, didn't it?"
"Yeah," I grinned and I tucked my hands deep into my jacket, "yeah it did."
"How's Jeremy?"
"I— Okay, I think. I needed a breath of air… and—" I started, but God, what was I supposed to say. I just met Damon Salvatore the vampire, yes the vampire, and then he threatened me? Almost strangled me and drained me of my blood? Tucking my hair behind my ears I attempted to smile. "I was a bit afraid I guess. With that attack on Tyler a few months back and the death of those campers in the newspaper this morning…"
"That's nothing to be embarrassed about." He smiled.
"Right. So how's April? Boarding school right?"
"She's doing fine." He smiled. "She's growing up so fast."
"It's been a while," I agreed, unsure if that was even remotely true but I was saved from answering by the doorbell and my face blanched. I could only think of one person who would come after me and I quickly followed Pastor Young to his front door, reaching out to stop him from opening it but— he had already unlocked the golden chain and was pushing the door open. My mouth gasped open, "Wait!"
Feet tripping over, I was too late and Pastor Young had already opened the door wide.
To be continued…
A/N: Describing cheerleading… Not my strong suit. I know next to nothing about the sport, so if I made a mistake (very likely, yes, I know), please let me know. As for the chapter, Not-Elena just officially met Damon; didn't it go well. I find season-one-Damon hard to write.
Yes, he had his funny moments, but he was a first-class A-hole! Abusing Caroline (I'm not going to dive in the did or did not rape Caroline, at the very least, he abused her and took away her ability to consent to anything), hurting Bonnie, murdering Vicky (yes, Stefan staked her)…
Can't say I much liked season-one-Damon, but either way, I find him hard to write. From what I gathered, he was still very much in love with the idea of Katherine (which is probably why he didn't rip out Not-Elena's throat), but he had no qualms of using her (tried to compel her in canon to kiss him).
As for the self-defence, I followed several classes, which I would recommend in the hopefully Corona-free future if one thinks they need it. I hope I wrote the level of panic and confusion right (I got confused while writing it ^^) and let me know what you think.