I realized that this story would probably work better in first person, so that's how I intend to tell the rest of it, for now. I'm considering rewriting the first chapter in Elena's POV as well, if I find the time. I apologize sincerely for the delay. Work has been really busy lately, so I haven't gotten many chances to write.

"Listen to the ground

There is movement all around

There is something goin' down

And I can feel it" - Night Fever, Bee Gees, 1977

ELENA POV

I hope to sneak into my dormitory room undetected, but the light shining under the door tells me otherwise. As soon as I walk in, a peppy blonde mauls me into a crushing hug.

"Elena! How did it go?" The grin my dormmate, Caroline, wears seemed to be large enough to split her face and growing impossibly wider.

With no small amount of annoyance, I realize that Matt had likely planned a special evening, before it was derailed by plans for a last-minute study session and our subsequent fight.

I go through several potential reactions in my head, but ultimately settle on feigning innocence. "Oh, it went really well! I really think I'll ace the next advanced physiology exam."

"Ugh," Caroline scoffs. "That's not what I meant."

"She means Matt," my other roommate, Bonnie, supplies, looking up from her sociology textbook.

The three of us have been inseparable since childhood, though I have to grudgingly admit that I'm closer to Bonnie. Caroline is undoubtedly fun, but often lacks the depth of character that enabled Bonnie and I to bond in a much more profound level. Lately, though, she seems to be changing, maturing. The university environment is good for Caroline, I admit.

"Oh. We had a fight," I attempt at nonchalance, hoping to put the matter to bed, and myself as well. It's late, and sleep is beckoning.

"What? About what," Caroline cries.

Sighing, I resign myself for an extended evening. With a last, longing glace at my pillow, I take a seat on my bed, and turn to face my curious friends.

"He wanted to take our relationship to the next level. And I realized that I don't wanna be with him. We're gonna have to break up, for good this time."

Matt and I had initially broken up soon after I left for college, unable to maintain our connection with the distance. I grudgingly admit that I resisted visiting Mystic Falls precisely to avoid him, afraid each time that he would notice the lack of passion in my eyes. Last weekend, however, a chance encounter at a Lockwood party rekindled some hope for romance as he caught me on the way out.

I had not dated anyone seriously since our breakup, so perhaps it was worth another try. Although there was an occasional date here or there, I never felt any sort of deep connection with any of them. So maybe that love I'd been longing for simply didn't exist, and I fabricated it, like a fantasy.

Reluctantly, I agreed to get back together on my way out of the party, and I had not seen him until our disastrous reunion earlier tonight.

I knew I had to end it with Matt. A part of me was amused that a handsome stranger was able to read into my heart so deeply and accurately just minutes after meeting me.

"You want a love that consumes you."

Until that conversation, I thought my longing for another life was a mere flight of fancy, a sense of romance and adventure left over from childhood that stubbornly refused to hide. Instead, I felt it blossom and grow and rebel against every interaction with my on-off boyfriend.

My heart clenches with dread as I anticipate the actual conversation. Matt Donovan is an incredible person; he's kind, sweet, dependable. We've been friends since childhood, and I love him deeply.

But our bond locked passion, romance, adventure.

"You want passion, and adventure, and even a little danger."

Matt feels like a brother, and though I had long tried to develop romantic feelings for him, I failed miserably. Matt deserves to have someone love him for who he is.

And so do I.

"Elena, you can't be serious! You were the golden couple of Mystic Falls High," Caroline shrieks like I just told her Miss Mystic Falls was canceled.

"High school is over, Caroline."

"But…you're Elena and Matt!"

"Caroline, she's right. Tell me you haven't noticed how wilted, how resigned, she's been in her interactions with him," Bonnie counters, bringing a genuine smile to my face at her ability to truly understand me without judgment.

"Thank you, Bonnie. Really."

"Of course," Bonnie responds, empathy filling her voice. "You know you could talk to us about how you feel. Why didn't you say anything sooner?"

Caroline looks at me expectantly, though the disapproval seems to dissipate from her features, replaced by concern.

I take a deep breath, finally feeling some tension leave my shoulders as my friends seem to accept my decision.

"I didn't want to disappoint everyone. Matt is so sweet, and my parents are so happy that I'm dating a good guy, and we have the same friend group. I didn't want to rock the boat. But I can't keep pretending. I just… I don't feel anything for him."

"Oh, Elena," Caroline jumps to my side and squeezes me again. "I'm so sorry if I ever made you feel that way."

Bonnie finally rises from her seat, joining us girls on my bed in a warm hug. "You know you never have to pretend with us. We love you, no matter what."

"Yeah," Caroline cries. "Reindeer Riders, forever!"

When we were seven, our parents took us horseback riding during the Christmas holidays. Of course, being the three adorably little uppity princesses that we were, we wanted to infuse a spirit of adventure into our excursion. So when we finally arrived at the ranch, we snuck away from our guardians and set to decorating the horses' stables with garlands and little ornaments we made. We even brought along little reindeer ears for them to wear so that we three could pretend that we were flying.

This all took our grubby little toddler hands hours to set up, by which point, all our parents were worried sick. When they finally found us, we were giggling with the employees at the stables, who helped us dress our three horses like reindeer, while we waited for our parents to begin our trail ride.

It ended up being a really magical time for us. Caroline dubbed her "reindeer" Cinderella, after her favorite blonde Disney heroine. She always went for the blondes, no matter what, though all three of us secretly loved her.

Bonnie and I were different. We named ours Sun and Moon. Bonnie's Grams would always sit us down to talk about the magic in celestial events, so we could think of no better names for our yellow-gold and grey-silver horses that became "reindeer" for an afternoon, while us three girls pretended to fly through the fields.

I laugh genuinely then, joined by my two friends, as we sit embracing each other, reveling in the fact that our friendship has staunchly withstood the test of time. We would always be there for each other, I marvel with a sigh in contentment.

DAMON POV

Billy's is nearly filled to capacity by the time I make it to the vampire-friendly bar downtown. I greet the owner, and surreptitiously pass him the driver's license I'd stolen from my latest snack. Per specification, she was a 5'7" brunette.

Several months ago, Will received a request from a high-profile client for identification that matched this description. In exchange, Will allows his vampire clientele to feed on the humans patronizing his bar, as long as they're discreet.

For the first time in decades, I feel a pang of guilt, but I brush it off.

"How many of these do you need, anyway," I ask.

"As many as it takes," Will shrugs. "Until the lady's happy."

"The lady?"

"High-profile client. Old vampire. Lots of money."

"Who is she?"

"I don't know. We've never met. She always sends a compelled human negotiator to discuss business, but as long as she's paying, I don't need to know."

In all my time alive, and I've been alive a while, I don't think I've ever seen anything like this. Someone needs to hide so badly that she's turning to the vampire community for help. Maybe I can find her and cut out the middle man. At least it won't be boring.

ELENA POV

"Elena!" I hear a familiar, musical voice sing my name and my heart immediately speeds up in anticipation. Real smooth, Elena.

I turn, my eyes widening in delight as I see the gorgeous stranger from the week before. It is him! "Damon!"

"Fancy running into you here."

"Stepping out of an NYU building, where you know I go to school," I question sardonically, my lips curving into a teasing smile. He looks even more gorgeous in daylight. His eyes are almost impossibly blue against the cloudless sky. Careful Elena, don't faint, I chide myself with something akin to disgust. Since when do I fawn over a guy?

"I didn't say it was unexpected, just fancy," he teases. There's something really suggestive about his smirk and the way he moves his eyebrows.

"What's so fancy about it?" Two can play that game.

"Your evening, if you'd care to join me."

"And if I were to, what would we do?"

"That's a surprise."

"Give me a hint?" This isn't fair. There's nothing fair about this. I just broke up with my boyfriend. I should be focused on exams, and getting into med school, not fawning like some silly teenager over a guy I just met; although, one who is admittedly gorgeous, enchanting, and is able to see right into me.

Right, like this isn't dangerous.

"Be ready to stay out late, wear a pretty outfit, and dance the night away. Unless you're more into the rock scene?"

"I love both," I exclaim, then frown. "But I have an exam tomorrow, so I'm staying in tonight. How about Friday?"

"Works for me. Gives me more time to plan a fun evening for us," he winks.

I feel butterflies dance in my stomach and take a deep breath to calm my increasing attraction. By the look of Damon's ever-widening smirk, he clearly notices. How I'd like to wipe that smug look off his face. The question is, do I wanna do it with a kiss or a slap? Maybe both.

"So why seek me out now?"

"Had to give you time to dump that boyfriend of yours," he winks at me with almost too much confidence, and then saunters away. How did that even happen? We just met, and I already agreed to a date with him. I never do that.

I feel a pang in my stomach when I realize that he thought I was another girl at first. Katherine. I have to confront him about this, because I adamantly refuse to lose my heart to someone who would just treat me like a rebound girl.

And Damon is a dangerous thief of hearts, indeed.

DAMON POV

We spent the last few hours dancing to live music at CBGBs. Elena really is an adorable drunk. I could see the human I used to be falling for her instantly. She's clever and sharp, and really funny. More than a few times she caught me off guard. But more than that, she almost seems insightful. I feel the chinks in my armor holding my humanity back widening, but I can't seem to stay away. Yeah, the innocent youth, his heart still yearning for true love, would have been head over heels in love with Elena by now.

But my heart's already taken, by my dark princess. And though I won't see her for another thirty-two years, when the comet will finally return, allowing me to open the tomb, Elena can be a nice distraction for now. Because that's all she is. No matter how many smiles she slyly pulls out of my cold, undead heart with just a look in those innocent doe-brown eyes.

It's astounding to me how different she and Katherine are, despite being physically identical. Seeing Katherine's face on someone so wide-eyed and idealistic, so genuinely sweet, so kind; it's like a shock to the system. Katherine would have seduced me by now, made me a pawn in a dangerous game that led to her devouring my soul and me liking it. Elena, by contrast, is almost charmingly awkward and so sincere. So sincere.

And she clearly cares about me. Already. I don't know what to do with that. I think she just cares about everyone. How is that not exhausting?

She can be so animated; headbanging with her whole body, grin as wide as a mile as she tries to get me to join her. Don't get me wrong: I love dancing, and I'm sexy as hell when I take a woman out for a spin but banging my head up and down just doesn't have any flair. So instead, I just spin her around to the beat of the music, until she feels dizzy with laughter and leans on me support. Score one for Salvatore.

Afterward, she insists that she could beat me at pool, which is hilarious, so we find a little drive bar a few blocks away after we had our fill of the punk scene for the night.

"So who's Katherine?" Elena sets up for that gut-punch question, completely knocking me out of my element, while I'm lining up my shot. Smart girl, like I said.

"What?"

"You mistook me for her when we first met," she insists, clearly not to be deterred, her intelligent, brown eyes narrowing in contemplation. Sometimes I could swear she's looking right through me. Now Katherine had that ability in spades, but more cruel, calculating. Elena just seems like she wants to know me. I don't know what unnerves me more.

"She's, uh, an old flame," I attempt to deflect, already suspecting that it won't work, but I'm sure as hell gonna try.

"An old flame who happens to look like me," Elena calmly presses her advantage, chalking her pool stick.

"Yes," I finally admit, with a sigh I had no intention of releasing. I never really meant to lie to her. "The resemblance is striking."

"What happened to her?"

Telling her the truth would release an astronomical can of worms. Of course, if I intend to keep Elena in my life, I'll have to come clean about my nature eventually, especially if I plan to introduce her to the sexy pleasures of blood sharing. But it's only our first date, and entirely too soon for any news that life altering. So instead, I opt to go for a human-friendly option. "She died, in a fire. Tragic fire."

Elena gasps. I could see the shock and horror flooding her beautifully expressive eyes. I see them filling with empathy.

"I'm so sorry, Damon," Elena expresses, placing a gentle hand on my forearm and gazing deeply into my eyes. I can feel my breath hitch, but I ignore it. How does she do that? "What was she like?"

"She was beautiful. A lot like you in that department," I attempt lighthearted flirtation, trying to bring the mood back to a much more casual place, despite the dreary topic. "She was also very complicated and selfish and at times not very kind, but very sexy and seductive."

She smiles, then looks down, tucking her hair behind her ear. In the short time I've known her, I've already deduced that Elena does that when she's nervous. I have a feeling I know exactly what she wants to ask. "Is that why you're here with me now? Because I look like her?"

There she is! I knew setting up the personality description would come in handy, because now I have the perfect rebuttal. Score two for Salvatore. "You heard what I just said, right," I ask, with a smirk just begging for a little lip. "Katherine is selfish and unkind. That's about the complete opposite of what you are, Elena. You are, by far, the kindest and most selfless person that I've ever met," I tell her sincerely, and mean every word. I just never thought I'd find it so attractive. When Stefan preaches his "good moral fiber," he just comes across as a self-righteous twat.

Elena is… with Elena it's as natural as breathing. She doesn't lord it over anyone. She just is a golden little ray of sunshine that I can feel warming my whole soul. Alright, I need to stop before I make myself sick.

She blushes instantly, which is exactly what I was going for, then straightens, taking my hands in hers. "I'm still sorry you lost her, Damon."

"Me, too," I nod, feeling like a dick for lying to her. I've waited so long to open that tomb. What's a few more decades? And Katherine is the de facto love of my life, no matter what those beautiful doe eyes in front of me, so full of sincere compassion, are doing to everything inside me.

This is getting out of hand. I can feel my humanity trying to crawl back up, and it's the last thing I need right now. I can't deal with all that baggage, because with my humanity, will come all that guilt, and all that pain. And Stefan. And Katherine. And those Augustine fucks.

And Enzo.

I have to get find a way to keep it down. The more time I spend with Elena, the more she brings this out in me, but I guess I'm a fucking masochist, because I just asked her when I could see her again.

Fuck.

I take her back to her dorm after cutting our night short. I need to go drain someone, or a few someones, dry before my switch comes back on and I'm left a fucking mess. I see a pretty blonde stumbling out of a bar a few blocks away, separated from her friends like a vulnerable little gazelle.

Perfect.

I paste on my post charming smile and saunter my way over to introduce myself to my dinner.

ELENA POV

Damon took me home shortly after our pool game. I wanted to stay out, but he seemed to get increasingly twitchy as the night wore on, so I just agreed to end it. He said he wants to see me again, but now I'm even more concerned that he's not ready to move on.

Does he actually like me? Or does he just like that I look like … her? Is being around me helping him process his ex's death? Or does he actually see me as Elena?

It's all so confusing. I decide that if he keeps blatantly hitting on me, I'm gonna address it next time we hang out. I wanna be his friend. I really do. He's funny and charming and he makes me feel so alive. I've never met anyone who challenges me so much.

I just wish I didn't look so much like his tragic ex, so everything wouldn't be so confusing. I've never seen a picture, but if he mistook me for her, it must be a pretty striking resemblance.

Or maybe he was drunk that night. He seemed pretty alright, though.

I let myself imagine that he likes me for me for a moment, and can already catch myself falling hopelessly – No, it's too much. I can't. If I let myself fall in love with him, I'll never recover. I can already feel it. He could more than just break my heart; he could destroy me.

Steel yourself, Elena. You can do this. Damon is just a friend.

Thankfully, Bonnie and Caroline are still out, because it's Friday night and it's barely ten. I'm obviously not gonna go to sleep anytime soon. I vaguely recall Caroline shrieking about a birthday party at McMillan's Pub a few blocks away and decide to make my way over there. They'll probably be out for a few more hours, and I really don't fancy on spending the rest of the night alone, left to my increasingly gloomy thoughts.

I retouch my makeup, change into my Converse, tee shirt and jeans, and within ten minutes, I'm out the door.

The night is still gorgeous. Halfway down the block, I realize that I'm probably not dressed appropriately, and that the outfit I wore on my date with Damon would have probably fit the scene more, but I couldn't care less anymore. I needed to see my friends.

I round the corner and bump into a man in his mid-twenties. Before I could open my mouth to apologize, I see something peculiar happening with his eyes.

"Don't make a sound," he says, and I find myself complying.

Suddenly, dark veins appear on his face. Everything inside me wants to scream, but I can't. I open my mouth, but no sound comes out. Suddenly, I see his canines elongate into fangs, and my heart seizes with panic. He presses me into a wall, his face angling toward my neck.

He's going to bite me. Oh god.

I shut my eyes tightly, waiting for the inevitable pain while I continue to struggle against this inhumanly powerful man, when all of a sudden I feel him being pulled off me. I hear his neck snap, his assailant looking oddly familiar.

He has the same dark veins on his face, the same sharp teeth, and yet. I feel like I know him. It's …

"Damon?"

Caught, his face changes back to normal. He looks resigned, and not very happy about my recognizing him. "That's me."

"You saved me," I whisper, my breaths coming in quick, shallow bursts.

He looks at me curiously, like he's expecting something else. I fight to catch my breath, soothe my trembling hands. What did I just see?

"Is he…," I point to my unmoving assailant, not able to finish that sentence.

"Dead? No. He'll be fine after a long nap, though his neck might sting a bit," he says all too casually. Damon continues to give me a strange, almost challenging look. I know he's waiting for some kind of reaction from me, and by all rights, he should be. I just watched two men turn into monsters. One tried to kill me. The other saved me.

I swallow. I know I have to ask. I force some much needed courage into my voice. "What is he?"

"He's a vampire," Damon replies with an almost self-destructive satisfaction, like he's waiting for the world to implode. "And so am I."

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