Author's Note:

So the story takes place in 2009 like the show. The flashback is 2003 the year Elena and Jeremy left town with John

trigger warning it's dark | forgive the darkness with a cute delena scene at the end | Happy Valentine's Day!

Flashback *2003*

The Salvatore House

I woke up to screaming coming from the living room it was mother's voice. I was terrified by it. It was just after 1 am and the guests from dinner had to have left hours ago. I didn't know what was wrong but something felt wrong. I feared for her safety and my brothers, I ran out of my room and into Stefan's. He was sound asleep thankfully. I shook him awake so we could hide.

"Stefan?" I said as my little brother tossed and turned. "Get up!" I shook his body once more.

He rubbed his eyes. "Damon? What is it?" Stefan asked, concerned once he saw the look on my face.

I calmed down not to share my fear with my nine year old brother. "Something's not right Stefan." I warned him. We heard more screams.

He shot up. "What happened?!" Stefan panicked.

I shushed him. "Be quiet. We have to hide" I took his hand and we sat in the closet.

"What about mommy and daddy?" Stefan asked innocently.

I swallowed the fear. "Mom and dad will be fine." I had to look out for Stefan and I.

We hurt a loud gunshot. My throat fell into my stomach and Stefan started to cry. "It'll be okay Stef." I reassured him but I knew that I had to know what was going on. "I'm going to check it out." I stood up.

Stefan's eyes widened. "No!" He yelled. "Please don't leave me." My brother begged.

I rubbed his shoulder. "I'll be okay bud but I need to know that you'll stay in here and be safe." I looked for his promise.

He nodded. "Okay." I saw the fear in his eyes.

I closed the closet door and slipped out of the bedroom, locking the door behind me. I had to be brave. I wasn't going to let Stefan get hurt. I slowly went down the hallway and looked down the stairs. I saw a woman's body laying there, covered in blood. My whole body was shivering in fear. I saw my mother crying over the body. My eye widened, I didn't understand what was going on. My father was screaming from the other room.

"You made me do it this!" He shouted as my mom cried and cried. I begun to understand that my father had killed this woman.

My mother turned around and faced him. "I need you to leave Giuseppe. We have children sleeping upstairs." She pleaded for Stefan and I.

Father came into my vision right at that moment, gun in hand. "You and I both know I can't do that." He held the gun up to my mother.

My eyes widen, I was scared but I wasn't going to let my mother get killed. I ran downstairs as fast as I could. "Stop!" I yelled to my parents.

Mother looked at me with fear. This was the last place she wanted me to be. "Damon! Go back upstairs." She yelled at me, my father was shocked to see me.

I looked around the room and my body froze. I couldn't fathom if I was dreaming or not. There was blood everywhere, bodies on the floors, bloody knives and I couldn't believe my eyes. My mother grabbed me and buried my face into her to protect me from what I had seen.

I heard my father's footsteps. "Get him out of here." He whispered to my mother and grabbed me, hurrying up the stairs.

She put me top before we reached the top. I was shaking. "Damon, you and your brother need to stay up here and hide." She pleaded.

I snapped out of the shock I was in. "Mom! What is going on? I'm scared." I cried.

She stood there strong. "Don't be. I'll be okay." My mother was so sure. "He's sick and unpredictable. I'm going to get him out of here and send the police. Trust me Damon." I shook my head yes.

She went back downstairs. I walked back to Stefan's room to hide and the door was open. I freaked out and searched for him. I looked for a phone in my parents room to call the police but it was disconnected. I checked my room and still no Stefan, I was frantic. I feared that he was downstairs looking for me. I came back to the staircase to find Stefan standing there covered in blood. My eyes widened and I went over to him to make sure he was okay.

"Stef?" I stared at my brother, not seeing any wounds. "You went down there?! I told you not to." He wasn't responding.

Present day

I woke up in a sweat, shaking. I hadn't had that dream in awhile but this whole thing with Stefan acting out has got me on edge. It takes a toll on me reliving those memories of my father and his sick nature. I didn't want to have to go back to therapy but it might be a good idea. Stefan did really well in therapy when he was younger but I lost my way and then so did he. I got ready for school to see Stefan already had left. I checked my phone and saw he got a ride from Caroline. She might be a bitch but she wasn't going to allow him to treat her badly so it was fine with me.

I met with my guidance counselor at lunch to change my electives. He put me in a study hall so could make sure to get all my work done in time to graduate in the spring. Due to the advice of Mr. Saltzman. I walked into my new study hall and noticed it was mostly freshmen and sophomores. I sat down at an empty table and pulled out my history homework.

"Damon?" I looked up and saw the beautiful Elena standing next to me.

A smile quickly formed on my face, I needed that after the crappy day I've had. "Are you in this class?" I asked her and she nodded. "That's awesome."

She sat down next to me, pulling out a book. "I'm glad I have a familiar face around her." Elena smiled as she opened the book and started reading.

"So you are new to this town then? I thought so, I would've remembered seeing a beautiful face like yours." I flirted with her and her attention on the book faded quickly.

She blushed. "I just moved back into town. I've been gone for the last six years but I'm home now." Elena informs me.

I realized that meant she probably didn't know of all the rumors and that's why she was being so nice to me. "Where'd you move back from?" I asked her.

"New York." Elena closed her book, putting it away.

"City girl? This small town is not going to suit you very well." I chuckled.

Elena laughed. "I'm definitely no city girl. I didn't enjoy it there very much."

"Why not?" I asked her as I was curious since I wanted to get out of this town.

Her smile faded and she looked sad. "When I lived there I felt like I was trying so hard to try and keep from drowning all of the time and no one could see me." She explained so deeply. "All of those people, passing you by and you feel so lonely." Elena took a deep breath.

I understood what she felt and was incredibility taken back by her ability to be so open and honest with me after just meeting each other. "Wow I'm-"

Elena cut me off. "I'm sorry that went too deep too quickly."

"No don't apologize for opening up. That's a great quality to have." I commended her. "I happen to relate to that feeling you say you fault. I understand." I saw her face light up.

"Really? I'm sorry about that. I know that it hurts to feel that pain of being lonely in a crowd of people." She was genuinely sorry for me.

"I'm sorry you feel that way too." I really liked talking to her she wasn't like every girl she was special.

We talked more about New York and our fucked up brothers. We both didn't let it get deeper which I was thankful for. Not because I didn't want to know more about her, I did but I wasn't easily so ready to talk about myself. The less people that knew about the past, the better. Elena was sweet and a really good listener. I enjoyed talking to her and getting to know her. It felt really natural.