It's strange being back here. Everything has changed. It all feels so different...I feel as though there is a large part of me missing. Something is missing...someone is missing.

Damon's reappearance certainly caused problems. Damon Salvatore did not simply just pass through small towns. There was almost definitely a motive and Felix was almost certain it involved Elena and Katherine.

He had to continue as if all was normal, which meant he continued attending high school. Whilst Stefan spent most of his time with Elena, Felix often felt like an outsider. He didn't have any connections, the person he had spent the most time talking to was Caroline, and that was at the party.

He was sat with Stefan when their hearing picked up on a conversation between Elena and Matt.

"They're keeping her overnight to make sure there's no infection, but she should be able to come home tomorrow." Matt told Elena.

"That's good news."

"Yeah."

"Did you get in touch with your mum?

Matt nodded. "Called and left a message. She's in Virginia Beach with her boyfriend, so...we'll see how long it takes her to come rushing home."

"Vicki's lucky that she's ok." Elena said, obviously concerned for her wellbeing.

"Do you think she remembers?" Felix asked in a hushed whisper to Stefan who said nothing and continued eavesdropping.

"I know, and now there's talk of some missing campers." Matt continued.

"Did she say what kind of animal it was that attacked her?" Elena asked.

"She said it was a vampire."

Stefan's face fell upon hearing that. "We need to compel her to forget."

Felix nodded. "Typical Damon. Always making us clean up his messes."

"I'll go, you stay here." Stefan told Felix before he walked off and headed to the hospital. Felix left shortly after and make his way back to the Salvatore house.

-

The door of the Salvatore boarding house creaked open, and Elena stepped inside cautiously. The dim lighting and eerie silence did little to soothe her nerves.

"Stefan?" she called, her voice echoing in the space.

Her eyes scanned the room and she jumped slightly as a crow flew into the house. Elena turned around and saw Damon stood there.

"I'm sorry for barging in...the door was open." Elena said quickly.

"Well, well," Damon greeted. "If it isn't the lovely Elena Gilbert. I'm Damon, Stefan's brother."

Elena was surprised. "He didn't tell me he had a brother."

"Well, Stefan's not one to brag," Damon said, "please, come. I'm sure Stefan will be along any second."

Elena stiffened, forcing herself to meet his gaze.

Damon smirked, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "I see why my brother's so smitten. It's about time. For a while there I thought he'd never get over the last one. Nearly destroyed him."

"The last one?"

"Yeah Katherine," Damon answered, "his girlfriend? Oh...you two haven't had the awkward exes conversation yet."

Elena's discomfort was obvious as Damon strolled closer.

"Damon." a calm voice interrupted from behind.

Both Elena and Damon turned to see Felix standing in the doorway of the adjoining room, his hands tucked casually into the pockets of his jacket. He wore an expression of disapproval.

"Elena," he said, "you're looking for Stefan?"

"Yes." she said, relief flickering in her eyes.

Felix nodded and took a few steps closer, positioning himself between Elena and Damon. "He should be back shortly. I'll wait with her."

Damon raised an eyebrow, his smirk widening. "And who appointed you her knight in shining armor, Felix? Shouldn't you be off brooding somewhere?"

Felix didn't rise to the bait. "Perhaps. But I'd rather not leave her alone with you."

Damon's looked at him. "Careful, Felix. You're starting to sound like Stefan."

Elena glanced between the two of them, sensing the undercurrent of tension. She stepped closer to Felix, instinctively seeking the safety he projected.

"Damon," Felix continued, his voice level, "why don't you let us be? You've had enough fun for a day."

Damon was just above to leave when he heard Stefan. "Oh hello Stefan."

"Elena," Stefan greeted, "I didn't know you were coming over."

"Oh what do you mean little brother, she's welcome anytime." Damon said, a hint of mischief in his voice.

"Thank you for stopping by Elena. Nice to see you." Stefan said, eager for Elena to leave.

"Great meeting you too, Elena." Damon chirped, as Felix gave her a quick wave before she left.

"I can't be bothered getting in between your stupid brotherly drama, I've done it all before." Felix said with a sigh. "I'm going to my room."

"See you later Shakespeare." Damon said, causing Felix to roll his eyes.

-

The faint hum of voices and clinking glass filled the Mystic Grill, Felix had gone for a drink and to pass time. With Damon back in the boarding house, Felix was happy to be elsewhere. Before he knew it, Caroline perched on a stool opposite him, her sparkling eyes fixed on him with a mix of curiosity and irritation.

"So, where did you disappear to after the party?" she asked.

Felix hesitated, swirling his glass. "Just needed some air, big crowds aren't really my thing."

Caroline scoffed. "Right. Because leaving me to fend for myself while you brooded somewhere was the perfect solution."

Felix turned to look at her. "I thought you were perfectly capable of handling yourself."

Her expression softened ever so slightly. "I guess so. But still even if you're not much of a party guy, it's rude to leave a girl waiting."

"I apologise, Miss Forbes." Felix replied, briefly glancing at her.

She changed the topic of the conversation. "Anyway, did you hear what Matt said happened to Vicki?"

Felix turned to her, he was eager to hear more about the situation. "What's the latest?"

Before Caroline could answer, Felix's hearing picked up a distant scream and the noise of Stefan and Damon. Mid sentence, Caroline was interrupted by Felix.

"I've got to go."

Caroline was taken aback. "Wait? What? Felix?"

But it was too late, Felix had rushed out the building and made his way to the roof where he had heard the commotion. The cool air greeted him as the voices got louder.

"Stop playing games, Damon." Stefan's voice, tense and low, cut through the night.

Felix shifted to get a better view. At the edge of the rooftop, Vicki stood trembling, her wide eyes darting between Stefan and Damon.

Damon, his posture relaxed and his expression dripping with mockery, had one hand hovering on Vicki's shoulder.

"Games?" Damon echoed, feigning offense. "Come on, Stefan. I'm not going to drop her."

He paused before speaking again. "Have you been eating bunnies Stef?"

"Just let her go."

"Relax." Damon said before shoving her over to Stefan. "I don't need her dead...but you might."

Felix emerged from where he was stood. "Damon...stop it."

Damon turned and looked at Felix with a chuckle. "Come on Monty, you need to live a little and stop following Stefan everywhere. I swear you used to be way more fun."

Felix didn't get a chance to respond as Damon turned to Vicki. "What attacked you the other night?"

"I don't know. An animal."

Damon asked again. "Are you sure about that? Think. Think about it. Think really hard. What attacked you?"

"A vampire."

Felix was shocked, Damon had managed to undo Stefan's compulsion. "Who did this to you?"

"You did!"

"Wrong!"

Stefan realised was Damon was about to do. "Don't."

"It was Stefan. Stefan Salvatore did this to you. He's a vampire. A vicious, murderous monster."

"Please Damon, don't do this." Stefan pleaded.

"Your choice of lifestyle has made you weak. A couple of vampire parlour tricks is nothing compared to the power that you could have, that you now need. But you can change that. Human blood gives you that."

Felix sped over to where Vicki was, his gazed locked on her. He grabbed her arm, holding her, before compelling her. "You were attacked by an animal."

Vicki blinked, her breath hitching as her mind reset. "I was attacked by an animal."

Damon raised an eyebrow. "Well, that's new. I don't remember you being so...hands-on. How did you manage that then?"

"Vicki," Felix said firmly, ignoring Damon, "Go back downstairs. You'll feel better soon."

She hesitated, her eyes flicking between the three of them, before nodding weakly and stumbling toward the stairwell.

Once she was gone, Stefan stepped closer, his eyes narrowing at Damon. "What are you up to, Damon?"

Damon smirked, his eyes glinting. "That's for me to know and you to dot, dot, dot."

Felix didn't wait for Stefan to respond. "If you're done," he said evenly, "I'd suggest you find a better hobby."

"Oh Monty," Damon sighed, "what happened to you. You've become so proper. So heroic. So boring."

"Sod off Damon." Felix replied, turning around to walk away.

-

Felix was sat in Mr Tanner's history class, his mind on anything but the class. He was preoccupied on how to deal with Damon as well as his other personal issues. He didn't like how he had to get involved in the whole Vicki situation. He much preferred to stay out of it.

"Pearl Harbour, Miss Gilbert?" Tanner's voice asked, breaking Felix from his thoughts.

Elena couldn't answer so Stefan jumped in. "December 7th, 1941."

Tanner replied sarcastically. "Thank you Miss Gilbert."

Stefan smiled. "Anytime."

"Very well, fall of the Berlin Wall."

This time it was Felix that answered. "1989. We're both pretty good at dates sir. Not bad for a Brit huh?"

"Are you both really? One each. Keep it to the year. Civil Rights Act."

Stefan answered. "1964."

"John F Kennedy assassination."

Then Felix answered. "1963."

"Martin Luther King."

"'68."

"Roe vs Wade."

"1973."

"Brown vs Board."

"1954."

"The battle of Gettysburg."

"1863."

"Korean war."

"1950 to 1953."

A triumphant smile appeeared on Tanner's face. "Ha! It ended in '52."

Stefan was sure of his answer. "Uh, actually, sir, it was '53."

Tanner's voice turned annoyed. "Look it up, somebody. Quickly."

A student searched it up. "It was 1953."

Tanner looked defeated and as he dismissed the class, Felix definitely didn't miss the glare he gave both himself and Stefan.

It was the afternoon when Felix and Stefan were sat on the bleachers by the football field. Felix sat with his arms crossed, observing the scene. Over on the other side, the cheerleaders were getting ready.

"Are you sure about this?" Felix asked, glancing at Stefan, who was planning on asking Tanner to join the team.

Stefan gave a small, sheepish shrug. "Just trying to blend in."

Felix arched an eyebrow. "Blend in? You're about a hundred and fifty years older than everyone here, mate. You could probably throw the ball halfway across the town. Hardly subtle."

Stefan chuckled softly. "Elena thinks I should join."

"What a surprise. You've got it bad already."

Stefan ignored his statement. "You don't feel like joining me?"

"I'll pass. If I'm playing football, I prefer the proper version." Felix answered.

"Soccer." Stefan corrected.

Felix made a face. "Football. Honestly, Americans and their obsession with renaming things."

Stefan shook his head, laughing quietly, before walking off to speak to Tanner. Felix lingered by the bleachers, simply observing. But his attention shifted when he overheard snippets of a conversation from where the cheerleaders were.

"Seriously, where's Caroline?" Bonnie was asking, her tone puzzled.

Elena frowned. "I don't know, it's not like her."

Felix's gaze flicked to the parking lot at the edge of the field, just in time to spot a sleek car pulling in. He stiffened slightly.

It was Damon's car.

The passenger door opened, and Caroline stepped out, her blonde hair catching the sunlight. She looked radiant, but there was something in the way she moved - overly bright, overly confident - that made Felix narrow his eyes.

Then Damon stepped out of the driver's seat.

Felix's jaw tightened imperceptibly as he watched Caroline round the car, her smile wide and dazzling. She stood on her toes and kissed Damon before walking over to where the cheerleaders were. She turned to Elena and Bonnie. "I got the other brother. Hope you don't mind."

Felix's hands curled into fists in his pockets as he watched the scene unfold. Something twisted in his chest - a strange, foreign sensation he couldn't quite place. It wasn't anger, exactly, but it wasn't far off. Jealousy?

No, that was ridiculous.

He barely knew Caroline. She was...bubbly, confident, and admittedly enchanting in her own way, and she definitely reminded him of someone he was very fond of. But he had no right to feel anything about her choices and yet, there it was - that flicker of unease.

He sighed, shaking his head. "Bloody Damon," he muttered under his breath.

Damon lingered by the car, leaning casually against it, watching her with a smug expression. Felix felt his blood simmer at the sight.

"Not your business." he muttered to himself. But his feet betrayed him, moving closer to the cheerleading squad as Caroline joined them.

She spotted him almost immediately, her eyes lighting up. "Felix!" she called, waving him over.

Felix hesitated, glancing back toward Damon, whose smirk only deepened. Taking a breath, he approached Caroline.

"Cheerleading practice?" he asked, stopping a few feet away.

"Obviously," Caroline replied, flipping her hair with exaggerated flair, "you should come watch. We could use a British critique."

Felix shook his head. "I'll leave the pyramid-building to the professionals, thanks."

Before he could say more, she had to resume practice. Caroline winked at him before turning away, her energy bright but fleeting, like sunlight on glass. Felix watched her go, she was still being flirtatious with him, despite her supposed relationship with Damon.

Behind him, Damon's voice drawled. "Careful, Monty. You might actually start to care."

Felix turned slowly, meeting Damon's mocking gaze. "She's not a toy, Damon."

Damon smirked, pushing off the car and strolling closer. "Who said she was? I'm just having a little fun. You should try it sometime. I haven't seen you with a woman in years. Have you committed to celibacy? Are you still sulking over your one true love?"

Felix's jaw clenched, but he forced his expression to remain neutral. "Maybe try having fun without ruining someone's life."

Damon chuckled, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Relax Monty. Caroline's having the time of her life. I'm making sure of it."

As Damon walked away, Felix let out a slow breath, his mind spinning. He turned back to the field, his gaze lingering on Caroline as she practiced.

He didn't know why he cared. He just did.