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Damon focused on keeping his pace human as he searched the halls for the man he had recently killed. He rewound the moments of that night in his mind. Logan had shot Stefan with a wooden bullet, he had pulled out a stake. Damon had torn into his throat, killing him, then leaving Viki to drink from him whilst he pulled the wooden bullets out of Stefan.

Could Stefan's blood have entered his mouth? Unlikely. There was another vampire around, one who had been feeding Logan- just in case. It was crafty, he appreciated it, but it meant trouble. On the other hand, his use Lexi as a decoy plan had failed. Logan Fell was an okay target, yes the council would know another vampire was on the loose but they were already hunting for one. Killing Logan Fell in front of a witness would make sure they weren't hunting in Damon's direction.

Did he care? Was he going to stay in Mystic Falls if Bree couldn't help him? What if she could though, what if there was still a chance?

So distracted by his thoughts, Damon almost didn't notice Bonnie when he stepped in her path. His senses caught up just in time and he was able to spin to greet her, plastering his face with his favourite dastardly grin.

"Sabrina." Damon greeted.

"It's Bonnie." Bonnie frowned at him. That only made Damon grin more.

"Sorry, too many teenage witches. I'm easily confused." Damon opened himself up for her, humour was always his best defence mechanism.

"Clearly." The youngest Bennett looked him up and down derisively. She obviously didn't want any of his games.

He changed his stance, slightly less friendly but not entirely threatening. "Look, Emily and I had a deal. She broke it. I got mad. Now it's time to make sure that deal stays. I'll continue to protect the Bennett line, even talking cats if required, and you agree to help me with Katherine- if I can find a way?"

Bonnie's face didn't display an ounce of emotion either way as she deliberated.

"I'll think about it." Turning and walking away quickly, the witch left Damon with a grin on his face. Now he just needed to see Bree, his favourite witch. Bree working with a Bennet, now that would be a sight to see.

Movement out of the corner of his eye quickly reminded Damon of where he was meant to be, spotting Logan Fell slipping through one of the janitorial exits- leading to the basement. Damon swiftly followed him.

Within moments he felt the pain of a piece of wood in his stomach. Great. It also stank or rotten flesh. A brilliant place to be temporarily stuck.

"I knew you'd come after me." Logan Fell towered over him as Damon dropped to his knees. Spotting no more weapons in his hands, Damon chose to remain as he was, pulling on the shard of wood out slowly so that Logan wouldn't notice.

"I'm glad you did." Logan continued. "You see, I've been watching you and your bother. I know what you are, and I have some questions."

"Me first. Who turned you?"

"How should I know?" Logan shouted. Oh boy. A mad vampire was a dangerous vampire, but one who could easily slip up. Damon kept slowly easing the shard of wood out his stomach- noting it had only ripped his t-shirt. He thanked god his jacket was okay, he didn't fancy replacing it- that meant a shopping trip to New York. "Last thing I remember I was shooting your brother, next thing I know I'm waking up in the ground behind a used-car dealership on Highway 4."

"It happens."

"It bit me, it had to be you." This dude didn't know shit. Maybe the town council wasn't as much to worry about as Damon thought, if the members didn't even know how vampires were made.

"You have to have vampire blood in your system when you die. I didn't do that. Some other vampire found you, fed you."

"Who?"

"That's what I want to know." Damon cocked an eyebrow. He'd managed to un-stake himself without the baby vampire noticing, but he was still down on his knees and visibly wincing. He just needed Logan to be distracted for a moment and he could take him down.

"One day I'm an up-and-coming local news guy, the next I can't even get in my house." Damon chuckled slightly, trying to keep his pained expressions as cover. "SO now, I'm at the Ramada watching pay-per-view, eating everything in sight, including housekeeping."

"It could be worse." Damon shrugged. It was a shame this guy had to die; Damon appreciated his sense of humour. He'd be a good drinking buddy.

"I can't stop killing people. I keep killing people. I like it." Logan's face flickered with every emotion under the sun. Damon knew that feeling. "I'm conflicted." Logan admitted.

Damon knew exactly what he meant. He had done some questionable shit during his time, and some things that were undoubtably pure evil. Conflicted was an understatement. "Welcome to the club."

Logan was feeling more comfortable now, his body language had changed, he turned slightly. Damon was about to take his chance to attack when Logan pointed to the corner and suddenly the strange smell made sense. There was a literal pile of bodies. Woah. No wonder the guy felt conflicted.

"I've been hiding the bodies. They're right back there. They're just piling up."

Damon didn't have a response to that- his brain running a mile a minute. If he killed the guy here he wouldn't have witnesses, and he would have to explain what he was going with a dead vampire and a dozen rotting bodies. He'd have to kill him elsewhere, but how would he get him there without revealing his strength?

Logan sat down on the floor, and Damon decided to give up the pretence and sat across from him, stake in hand. He might as well chat to the poor fool whilst he decided on a course of action.

"Everything is different now. Everything feels strange." Logan held his head in his hands. He clearly wasn't dealing with the transition well. Who could blame him. "Hell, everything feels more. All I can think about if my ex-girlfriend. Why can't I stop thinking about her?"

Damon knew that feeling. That question he could help with. "You probably love her. Anything you felt before will be magnified now. You're going to have to learn how to control that."

That made Logan remember something. His demeanour changed again, his face once again showing anger.

"What about walking in the sun? Clever move by the way. The council will never suspect you- walking in the sun wasn't in the journals." That peaked Damon's interest, as he heard more about the journal's the founding families kept. He was surprised none mentioned Stefan and himself explicitly- Stefan had rampaged through most of the founding families not long after Katherine's imprisonment. Perhaps, if there were journals he would be able to find the grimoire Bree had mentioned. He'd half ignored her at the time, so certain the crystal would grant him access, but now he would have to ask more questions.

"How do you walk in the sun?" Logan pressed.

"Who turned you?" Damon rebutted.

They bickered like this for a minute, each rising to their feet aggressively.

Damon feinted one way and went the other, speeding back to the careers fair and then out to the front of the school. He flipped open his phone to send a text.

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Elena burst out the front doors, she couldn't breathe, fear was overwhelming her. Where was he? Where was Stefan? She'd just received an alarming text 'Stefan needs help. Blood. Front of school.' Elena didn't think she had run so fast, ever, but all she could see when she arrived was Damon casually learning against her car, flipping a bit of broken wooden bench up and down in the air. He was the picture of serenity, he obviously didn't give a damn that Stefan was hurt.

"Where is he, Damon?"

Damon cocked an eyebrow at her. "Seattle? Atlanta? How the hell should I know?"

Elena was confused, then she panicked. It took a few seconds for her to realise showing fear in front of Damon probably wasn't a good idea and made herself breathe slowly. Through gritted teeth she addressed Damon, "I assume you sent me that text?"

"Yup." Damon made his 'p' pop. He was infuriating. Elena just glared at him, folding her arms.

"Here's the plan, pouty. You're going to bleed. Logan Scum Fell, as your lovely aunt so affectionately referred to him as, is going to smell your sickly, sweet, heavenly blood and rush right over here. I am going to stake him. Sheriff Forbes is going to come call me a hero and you are going be my witness."

Elena was about to protest, about to ask how he would manage if she was bleeding, when all of a sudden he bit her. It didn't hurt, hell he'd done it so gently it almost felt like a kiss. She could feel the warmth of her blood rushing to him, and she gasped so gently it was almost a moan. Before she could even think to protest, if she had wanted to he had stepped away. He was casually leaning against her car again, wiping his mouth with an embossed handkerchief. Of course he was, that was so stereotypically Damon- wasn't everything designer or fancy somehow? Elena rolled her eyes, and then flinched. Now, she could feel the pain, and she felt a bit lightheaded too. She tried to lean forward, putting her hand out to lean against her car, but Damon quickly had her sat on the bonnet, with his handkerchief pressed tightly against her neck. He was guiding her hand to hold it there herself when he swiftly disappeared.

In his place was Logan Fell, full vampire features on display. He had paused mere feet away, realising the trap. That didn't help him. Before Elena's eyes could register it, the wooden bench fragment was poking through his chest and his face was turning grey. Elena felt sick.

Damon actually looked concerned; Elena briefly registered the surprise before feeling the need to run to the nearest trash can to vomit. Great, she thought, contemplating how attractive she looked emptying the contents of her stomach. It was only on the drive home later that she realised she had cared whether Damon thought she was attractive. That caused her to shudder, what was she thinking?

x-x-x-x

Damon was smiling on the inside and out. For once, a plan had finally worked out. He'd called the Sheriff, saying he had interrupted a vampire attacking Elena Gilbert. Once she arrived, he detailed how he had saved her and mercifully Elena played along. He'd offered to drive her home, the bleeding had stopped so the Sheriff agreed that home medical treatment was the best- and Damon promised he would explain the situation to Elena on the way.

They agreed letting a teenage girl know the council's secret wasn't ideal, but perhaps it would help her prepare to take the Gilbert's seat if she wanted it when she was 18. Glumly, or so the Sheriff thought, they had parted ways; Damon driving Elena's SUV and the Sheriff disposing of the remains.

"Why did you have to kill him?" Elena spoke for the first time on their journey. Her question was soft, she wasn't accusing him of doing wrong, but he knew the sadness in her voice meant she felt it anyway.

"I wanted to." Damon pursed his lips and tapped his fingers on the steering wheel.

"Did you?" Elena was genuinely asking him if he wanted to kill, when he turned to look at her she was interested in his answer- not assuming the worst of him. Maybe she wasn't the female version of his brother after all- even if they had the same premature frown lines.

"No. He was struggling with the transition though, he'd have probably killed his ex-girlfriend who he loved next. Guilt about that and his tendency to hoard bodies, that's a ripper in the making." Damon had said too much, been too honest, and she had turned white in response. Quickly, he tried to fix things, with his signature eyebrow wriggle he added, "Plus, this was I got a pretty tasty meal and bonus points with the council."

Now he sounded like his typical douche self, he didn't need to worry about Elena judging his actions. She'd continue to hate him, and he liked it that way. It was much easier to not be needed.

Elena didn't roll her eyes or respond with contempt though. She stayed pale and staring out the window. Eventually she muttered to herself, so quietly even Damon's vampire senses could barely pick it up, "Damon, what exactly is a ripper?"

Damon's heart sank. She clearly knew the phrase to pick up on it that quickly, and there was only one person who could have told her. He was going to have to explain his brother, indiscretions. Stefan may have chosen to leave- and Damon had technically promised to follow him shortly- but Daman was still pretty sure making his sort-of-girlfriend hate him would not put him in Steffie's good books.

Damon sighed, and turned to Elena, taking his eyes of the road as he surveyed the state she was in- was she ready for this conversation?

That's when the car flipped.

x-x-x-x

Elena rubbed her eyes groggily. She'd been dreaming of a ballroom, dancing with dozens of men who looked half familiar. Similar to many, but not quite like anyone she knew. She music was strange, old, and the dances formal. God, she had cursed the corset. As she opened her eyes, she reflected on what a strange detail to remember from a dream.

The horizon tore her thoughts instantaneously in another direction, for all she could see were cornfields. This wasn't her car, and this wasn't Mystic Falls. What the fuck?

"Morning Sunshine." Damon. Damon was driving her in his car and grinning at here.

"Where are we?"

"In Georgia." He said it with such triumph. Georgia? They couldn't be in Georgia, she was supposed to be at school. She'd been at the careers fair and then, then he'd killed Logan Fell, and they'd been in the car. What had happened? She remembered a man, hitting him. He'd gotten back up hadn't he? Or was she misremembering?

"Georgia? No, we can't be. Seriously, Damon where are we?" This had to be a joke right? It didn't look like anywhere near home thought.

"Seriously," Damon emphasised. "We're in Georgia. How're you feeling?" His look was scrutinizing her. She gingerly reached up to the spot he had bitten her but it had healed. She considered it and realised not a single part of her ached, despite sleeping in the car. Hell, hadn't she been in a car accident.

"My car, Damon. We crashed. There was a man. Damon. Damon, why am I okay?" She stammered, putting the dots together. She'd seen what his blood did for Bonnie. She knew the answer before he said it.

"I healed you. That's why you're in Georgia." The set of his mouth made it seem like he was done with the conversation, but Elena wasn't following.

"I'm going to need a little help with that." She prompted.

"I healed you. You have vampire blood in your system. If you die, you transition. Hence, I'm making sure you don't die. As there appears to be a vampire in Mystic Falls, and I needed to visit someone in Georgia I thought to myself, why not kill two birds with one stone. Or not kill, in this case." He grinned at Elena, and Elena felt the same sensation she had when he had bitten her. She swallowed, firmly ignoring it, and started checking her pockets.

"Damon, where's my phone?" He slid it to her, wordlessly and she checked for missed calls. There were none, but there was an outgoing text to Aunt Jenna saying she was staying at Stefan's for a couple of days so they could patch things up.

"I assume she's cool with boy-girl sleepovers?" Damon asked once he'd given her chance to read the texts. Elena just nodded. Jenna had responded back with 'Don't do anything I wouldn't do.', which really meant Elena didn't have many restrictions. Jenna had had a wild youth.

Elena settled into a comfortable silence for a few miles, listening to Damon occasionally hum along to the rock music playing quietly from the stereo. She thought about her position. She was alone, with Damon. Damon who had killed people. Damon who had turned Vicki. Damon who had attacked Bonnie. Damon who had saved Bonnie. Damon who had bitten her. Damon who had killed Logan, which might have saved Jenna. Damon who had saved her. Who was he? She knew Stefan thought he was dangerous, but then Stefan had left her- ranting at her about how he was more dangerous than Damon ever could be. Was she safe? She instinctively reached for her necklace and felt it was still secure in place.

"How long will we be in Georgia?" she asked, acquiescing to the fact he wouldn't return her even if she wanted him to. As it was, she wasn't sure. She had too much to think about, to much to process before she even knew if this was a good idea or not.

"We'll be back tomorrow morning, evening at the latest." Elena pouted. She could do with the break, but she didn't want Damon to know that.

"It'll be fun, have a break." Damon suggested, "Relax". He turned the music up. Elena just remained silent, staring out the window. It was slightly annoying he had almost read her mind. Hopefully they weren't going anywhere depraved. Damon looked like the kind of guy who could be found in strip clubs and God knows where else.

x-x-x-x

Damon walked through the door of the bar, his eyes finding Bree within an instant. She still looked glorious; it was a couple of decades since they'd gone to college together yet she looked like she'd only aged 5 years. She was wearing her hair loose, the dark curls combined with the purple vest top was hot, and she'd kept her perfect figure. God, he loved witches who slowed the aging process. You could have fun with them, have a nice drink, and still want to do it again 50 years later. It was a shame his soulmate was desiccating in a tomb; he'd have happily spent a couple of lifetimes with Bree- and he was about to remind her.

As she spotted him, he let his face show how he truly felt. A cocky grin that showed true happiness, he had missed her. She hopped over the bar to him and he let her initiate the kiss- though he wouldn't have waited long if she hadn't. As he pulled away, he saw Elena's raised brows. Oh, he was going to educate this girl tonight!

After a quick toast or two in his honour, he sat with Elena at the bar whilst Bree poured their drinks. Elena seemed incredulous that he had gone to college, so he decided to play along. If she thought he wasn't the college type, let her, it might come in as a useful surprise anyway. He decided to go with a non-answer, "I've been on a college campus, yes."

Bree regaled Elena with the story of how she fell in love with Damon, Elena's face displaying more surprise by the moment. Damon was starting to wonder how seriously fucked-up Stefan had portrayed him as, for her to be so surprised he could get a woman's affections. Hell, this was years ago. He'd still been slightly worthy of love back then, plus he had known it was decades before he could have Katherine back. No harm in having a little fun whilst waiting.

"I rocked your world." He rebutted, being with Bree had definitely been more about the sex than she was making it out to be. For him anyway. There had always been friendship there, a shared enjoyement of each other's company, but it was mostly the sex. Bree concurred.

"He is good in the sack, isn't he?" Bree directed her question at Elena, assuming she had first hand knowledge. Damon almost spat his drink out as her jaw dropped. Elena's face really was a picture, but she quickly regained composure. He noticed the side-eye she gave him though, she was totally checking him out. Damon was going to have some fun with this.

As Elena excused herself to go call Bonnie and update her, Damon took a seat on the sofa with Bree.

"So, what do you want Damon?" Bree was calling him out. He hadn't visited as often as he should have, always wanting a favour. He made a mental note to pop in for no reason other than her company some time.

"Last time we spoke, you mentioned there might be another way. If the crystal didn't work."

Bree threw her hands up, exasperated. "It's always Katherine, isn't it? I wasn't good enough, this poor girl you're dragging around won't be good enough. How do you even know she's alive?"

"I'll know if you get me into that tomb."

"I already helped you. 20 years ago. 3 clear steps- Comet, Crystal, Spell. I even agreed to perform the spell if I needed to. Yet you're not here asking me for that. How did you manage to fuck it up?" Damon's face cracked, just momentarily but it was enough for Bree to change her tack. She lifted a hand to his face. "There's no other way, Baby. Emily's spell is resolute. Without her grimoire and a witch of her line, you're not getting into that tomb."

Damon kept his face stoney. He had the answer he needed, but the more cards he played close to his chest the less likely anyone could interfere. He didn't want Bree to know he had one of those things, and a strong suspicion about the other. He needed to see the founder's journals.

"I love her, Bree. Only her, you know that." Bree nodded solemnly.

"I know," she stood, kissing him on the top of his head, "but does she?" Damon glanced in the direction bree was looking to see Elena re-entering the bar. Damon just shrugged. He wasn't going to bother clarifying they weren't together- what did it matter?

Plus, he liked the idea of getting his flirt on, the young Gilbert needed an education. After all, he had promised her a break from reality.

x-x-x-x

Their burgers looked delicious, but it made Elena think. She'd seen both Stefan and Damon eat, but how could they? She'd never asked Stefan the details. She needed answers, it was time to figure out all the questions she had running through her head.

She was going to need a drink. "A beer for me too, please?"

Damon cocked an eyebrow, but that wasn't going to stop her. He had promised her a break from reality.

"So, how come you can even eat?" That was it, she had bitten the bullet and started that conversation.

Damon just shrugged; he was obviously happy to answer. "As long as I keep myself well fed on human blood, everything pretty much just functions as normal. I eat, sleep, everything functions as normal." He wiggled her eyebrows at her and glanced down.

Elena gulped, "Everything?" Her eyes widened as she considered the implications, if everything worked did that mean they could reproduce. Did she look like Katherine because she was descended from her? The implication struck her, and she paused eating her dries to double check.

"Let's just say, I'm descended from Katherine. Say I look like her because I'm her great, great, granddaughter or something. Doesn't that mean you, or like Stefan, could be me…" Thankfully Damon broke her off with a resounding,

"Nope". He even popped the p. Good. Elena had grossed herself out there. "Vampires can't actually reproduce, all though we love to try."

He did the eye thing again. He was making it very hard to have a straight conversation, and Elena was trying very, very hard not to notice. She looked down at her food instead.

"Katherine must have had a baby before she was turned, not unusual for her age in those days. But just so you know, you don't look like Katherine. You are Katherine's absolute double."

Even without looking up from her plate, Elena could feel his eyes boring into her. She knew he was gauging her reaction and she just wasn't sure how to react. Finally, she decided to just ask.

"Stefan said that. I didn't believe him, not really, I mean, how could that be possible?"

Damon shrugged, as she looked up at him with a pained expression, he broke the uncomfortable silence with a mischievous grin. He let his eyes slide down, "Makes for a good view though."

Elena slapped him on the back of the head, then grinned to herself as she finished her burger.

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