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"Damon Salvatore?!" Caroline asks me as soon as we get to my room.

"What?" I ask innocently.

"Seriously Ellie?"

"He's not that bad Care Bear."

"But- he's Damon."

"I know..." I sigh dreamily falling on my bed. "He told me he loved me," I mumble.

"He what?!"

"Yeah, he said this whole speech while he was drunk saying that he loved me..." I say.

"Drunk?"

"Yeah..." I sigh, "He met with Kat and she said she never loved him and then he shows up in my room..."

"Ellie that sounds like-"

"I'm rebound?" I ask and she nods, "Yup. That's what I thought too."

"But..."

"But he said I wasn't a rebound and then I talked to Persephone and Kathrine..." I sigh.

"What did they say?" Care asks me, sitting down next to me on my bed.

"Persephone said he was just trying to see if 145 years looking for her were worth something. That he was confused because he felt like that for me but he was still looking for Kat." I say.

"What did Kathrine say?"

"She said it sounded real. That she kissed him first and he hesitated." I sigh then I groan, "I ignored him for days..."

"You ignored everyone for days," She corrects me.

"I know. I'm sorry. But I still don't know what to do. What if it's a mistake, Care?"

"Do you think he's telling the truth?" Care asks me.

"Yeah... I think" I answer with a nod.

"Do you feel the same way?" She questions.

"I don't know about love... But I do care about him..."

"Then you should go for him." She grins, "I remember when we were little you were always talking about him and how you had this huge crush on him when you watched the show - along with one of the originals - which one was it? Eh. Either way. You should go for it, see how things go."

"Yeah. I'll do it. Thanks, Care."

"You're welcome," She says cheerily standing up, "Now get dressed, we're going shopping."

And I did. I got dressed and I, Care, Bon, and Vicky went shopping. When we were done we went to get late lunch in the Grill. So there we were sitting. The four of us. Eating fries and burgers.

"Matty told me about something..." Vicky starts as we nod and I can see Caroline stiffen, "What's going on between you two Care?"

"I don't know..." She sighs.

"What do you mean you don't know?" Bonnie asks curiously. Who can blame her? I'm curious too.

"I just... I guess we're not working?" She frowns, "I'm just confused..."

"Are you gonna break up with him?" Vicky asks.

"Not now. I just... I don't want to lose our friendship."

"You're not gonna lose your friendship Care. You dated. You're not married." I say, "It may be awkward at first-"

"-especially for us," Bonnie says and I nod.

"But if that's what you're worried about. It's not gonna happen." Vicky agrees.

"Yeah I guess... I'll see." Caroline shrugs, "But anyway I saw something today" She grins, and I choke on my water.

"No, you didn't." I shake my head frantically, "You didn't see anything. You were hallucinating. Must be the stress."

"What did you see Care?" Vicky asks.

"Well, I saw something traumatic." Caroline starts.

"And it was so traumatic you cant talk about it. Right, Care Bear?" I ask her with a forced smile.

"Oh no. Maybe traumatic wasn't the word I was looking for." She says and then pretends to think, "Maybe I was looking for, hot make-out session."

"WHAT?!" Bonnie and Vicky ask.

"What?" I try to feign shock.

"Who?" Bonnie asks.

"Damon Salvatore," She says and the others groan (cause it isn't news that Damon fools around with people) "And Ellie." She grins.

"Wha- Ellie? Our Ellie?" Bonnie asks.

"You made out with Damon Salvawhore?" Vicky asks me and I sigh.

"Yes," I say between gritted teeth and glared at Caroline. "It's a new thing..." I mutter.

"He told her he was in love with her!" Caroline announces with a grin.

"He What?"

"And now Caroline better start running," I say.

"What?" She asks confused.

"One."

"Oh." She realizes.

"Two"

"I'll see you guys later!" And she grabs her bags and starts running off the Grill.

"Three." I sigh happily.

"You weren't really gonna chase her, were you?" Bonnie asks.

"Fuck no. I don't run." I smirk back.

"So you and the older Salvawhore?" Vic asks me and I groan and stand up.

"I'm gonna go. See you!" And then get out of the grill and apparate home (in an alley, so no one saw me).

***

Today is the day of the Masquerade and I'm going stag (Kathrine already left town, she passed by my room to say goodbye. I think we're becoming friends!). I know I could've gone with Damon but it's too soon... So I got dressed in my beautiful mini black dress (strapless). Put on my makeup and mask and walked into the Ball. The first person I saw was Ty.

"Ellie?" He asks, "You look great!"

"Thanks, Ty, you don't look too bad yourself" I smirk

"Duh," He scoffs, "Now, why aren't you here with Damon? Didn't you guys kiss?" He grins.

"I'm fucking killing Caroline." I groan, "We kissed, we're not dating yet."

"Yet?" I hear a voice asking behind me and I face-palm. Fuck.

"Good luck El," Tyler smirks and I glare at him. Dick. Then I turn around with a smile.

"Ocean Eyes!" I say with a little too much cheeriness as I grab champagne from a waiter and down it."

"Yet?" He asks again smirking and I glare at him.

"What?"

"Does that mean you want to?" He asks.

"You were the one who told me he loved me. And I say yet and get mocked?" I ask, "Nope not doing that." And as I turn to walk around he grabs my hand and pulls me back.

"I'm sorry." He chuckles, "Come on. Dance with me."

"I don't dance..." I mutter.

"Why not?" He asks and I look away. "You can't dance, can you Ellie?" And I glare at him again and slap him in the back of his head, "Violent." He mutters as he rubs the back of his head, "Come on, just trust me."

"Fine." I sigh after a while of considering every possible embarrassing situation I could be in. Then we go to the dance floor and he grabs my waist as I wrap my arms around his neck.

"You look gorgeous, by the way." He whispers and I smile looking at his eyes.

"I know," I smirk, "You look hot."

"Blunt, I like it."

"No, you love it."

"That I do." He smirks then I remember something.

"Do you trust me?" I ask him and he frowns.

"Of course. What kind of question is that?"

"I just- Trust that I can save myself. Okay?" I ask him.

"What do you mean?"

"You'll understand. Just trust me. You don't need to save me." I smile softly and when he goes to say something I cut him off by kissing him and he immediately kisses back.

"Was that to shut me up?" He asks and I bite my lower lip and hum.

"Did it work?"

"I don't know. I think you should try again." And then he kissed me, and it got more intense. "Do you want to get out of here?" He asks, panting as we pull apart.

"Oh yeah." I grin. Then he takes my hand and pulls me outside and we go into the parking lot. He presses my back against a car and starts kissing me down my neck while I moan arching my back as his hands come to rest in my ass. But then someone hits him in the head, and he falls unconscious and then I get hit in the head and also get unconscious. Fuck. Couldn't they have waited a while?

When I woke up my head was on Damon's lap and he was running his hands through my hair. I groan sitting up and looking around to see that we're in a really dusted old house. Then a man and a woman come in. Trevor and Rosie. Yay!

"Fucking Hell..." I mutter then I glare at them, "Couldn't you have waited for a little more?" I ask them and they look at each other confused.

"Oh my god, you look just like her!" Rosie exclaims.

"Except the eyes," Trevor says.

"You know Kathrine?" Damon asks.

"Yeah, they do." I nod, "They were part of the reason she turned." I say.

"How do you know?" Rosie asks confused.

"I know a lot of things. Like I know Elijah is going to come here." I shrug and then yawn. Rosie speeds up to me and glares. "Calm down Rosie." I surrender and she sighs. Then I look at Damon who's looking confused and mad and about to do something stupid. So I try to send him a message through my mind. "Dames, you can't show that you're a vampire. And don't tell them you're name. They know you by reputation." And he looks at me in shock. It worked! "Elijah it's one of the originals. You can't kill him. Just trust me and after I talk to him I'll apparate us out. Okay?" He just looks like he's in between wanting to rip off their heads or listen to me. But then he clenches his jaw and slightly nods.

"What are you two doing?" Trevor asks. Oops, maybe we were looking at each other too long.

"Flirting with our eyes." I say simply, "Can't you do it?"

"What?" He asks baffled. I guess that wasn't the answer he wanted.

"Be quiet." Rose snarls and then I lean on Damon's shoulder and sigh. This is going to take a while. And it did. They don't tell this in the show but the wait for Elijah is really long. I could see Dames getting angsty, so I had to put my hand on his thigh. But then Elijah arrived.

"He's here! This was a mistake." Trevor said nervously. Poor guy...

"No, I told you I would get us out of this. You have to trust me." Rose replies. She's so sweet-ish.

"No! He wants me dead, Rose!"

"He wants her more." She replies and I sense Damon stiffen as I snort.

"I can't do this. You give her to him, he'll have mercy on you, but I need to get out of here." Trevor tried to say.

"Hey! What are we?"

Trevor sighed and replied, "We're family, forever."

Then Eli knocks on the door and Damon grabs my hand instinctively and I just squeeze his in reassurance then turn to Rose,

"Rosie be specific with your words. Eli has a way of twisting them" I warn her.

Rose looks at me, sighs, nods, and then turns to Trevy, "Stay here with her and the other and don't make a sound." Then she goes to the door and the three of us are just eavesdropping on the whole thing. And I'm just praying to god Day doesn't do something impulsive.

"Rose-Marie. Is there somewhere we can talk?" Eli asks snobbishly.

"Yes, in here. You have to forgive the house."

"Oh, no, what's a little dirt? I completely understand. So tell me, what is it that gives you the courage to call me?"

"We wanted our freedom. We're tired of running. You in a position to grant me that?"

"I have complete authority to grant pardon to you and your little pet. What is his name these days? Trevor. If I so see fit."

"Katerina Petrova?"

"I'm listening," Elijah says curiously. He was in love with her. It makes sense...

"She didn't burn in the church in 1864."

"Continue."

"She survived."

"Where is she?" Aww, he wants to see her. Fine... he probably wants to kill the girl...

"You don't seem surprised by this."

"Oh, when you called and invited me into this armpit of civilization, which is a mere three hours from the town we know as Mystic Falls, I surmised it had everything to do with Katerina. Do you have her in your possession?"

"No, but I have better. I have her doppelgänger."

"That's impossible, her family line ended with her. I know that for a fact." He says matter-of-factly.

"The facts are wrong."

"Well, show her to me."

"Elijah, you are a man of honor, you should be trusted but I want to hear you say it again. You will pardon me and Trevor." She adds the last part after some thought. Great! She listened.

"You have my word that I will pardon you both." Elijah consents. That is the moment I look at Day and sent him a message again, "Please don't do anything. I like your impulsive side" He smirks at this, "But the guy could kill you instantly. And I'd much prefer you alive. We just started this, whatever it is" He smirks again and nods as I put a cloaking spell on him so that just I can see him. Trevor looked confused but he couldn't do anything because of the noble original.

"Follow me." We hear Rose say. Elijah follows Rose into the room as I stand up and place myself in front of Dames. Elijah speeds to me and smells my neck (like a total creep. Come on dude. We just met.) and then says (marveled by me – who can blame him? I'm awesome.)

"Human. It's impossible. Hello there." He then adds as he grabs my arm, "We have a long journey ahead of us. We should be going."

"No, no. I'm really sorry Eli but we should talk first." I tell him.

"Are you negotiating with me?"

"If you want to call it that..." I shrug, "I just wanted to say to you that this plan you have going on... It won't work."

"What are you talking about, doppelganger?" He asks me rudely. Scoff.

"Firstly it's Ellie. I have a name. Secondly, this, your plan of revenge, is useless." I say.

"Tell me what you mean." He says trying to compel me, but when I stay quiet he looks at my neck, "What is this vervain doing around your neck?" He says as he throws Stefanie's (actually Becky's) necklace off my neck. "Now tell me, what do you know?"

"Don't get your knickers in a twist Eli," I chuckle, "You don't need to compel me, I'll tell you" He looks mildly surprised I can't be compelled but soon masks it and nods for me to continue, "You don't need to kill Santa Klaus," I grin at him "I know he said your siblings are swimming with the fishes, but, that's not true."

"Why would he lie to me?" He asks me, "How do you know this?"

"Answering your first question, to get you off his back - probably. That way he doesn't have to deal with you." I smirk as he scowls at me, "And I just know. I don't trust you enough to tell you just yet." I shrug.

"How can I trust you?"

"Beats me." I shrug, "I just want you to know that I wasn't lying. Look, I'm going to be in Mystic Falls. I'm not going anywhere."

"What are you talking about child?" He scoffs.

"Did you really think I was going with you?" I ask with an eyebrow raised.

"Do you really think you have a choice?" He asks amused.

"Yes, actually," I say, and he looks pissed, "But before I go, I will let Klaus know where I am in a couple of weeks or so. So either way, he'll know of my existence."

"If you are able to get out of here" Eli starts, "I will hunt you down and kill everyone you love."

"Eli, my man, you don't need to hunt me down," I tell him, "I just told you where I would be staying. Besides, can you not? I love the people I love. And that would just be a waste." Then when he frowns I sigh in annoyance, "Look, I'm giving myself off to Klaus. I'm volunteering as a tribute. No need to go all 'I'm going to kill your loved ones' on me." Then I wave at him grab Damon's hand who was now by my side and looking shocked and apparate us to the Boarding House. I bet he'll want to talk about it...

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