I'm a horrible writer and this chapter is really short :( I also tried to get this out yesterday, but my internet wasn't working (something about a proxy-connection blah)

BUT! I have fit into this chapter some more teaser-y Carmen info that goes hand-in-hand with her immunity to compulsion, and the fact that a vervain-filled locket made her skin tingle (did anybody pick up on that?)

This info was meant for chapter 11, but by putting it here I can scrap my boring plans for the next chapter… which means there might only be 4 more chapters left of season 1 after this… which means Elijah appears very soon!

Please enjoy :)

Chapter 10: Greased Lightning

With the 50s decade dance just around the corner, Dana dragged Karen, Jane and I to the mall so we could go shopping for outfits. They went to an alternative store that sold Rockabilly dresses, but I was most definitely not a big fan of that style and found myself wandering away.

I was at a loss. Those were the only 50s-style clothes you could buy in this mall, let alone anywhere in Mystic Falls. Maybe I could ask to raid the boarding house's attic, because I knew the Salvatores had 60s clothes there, and so they might have a few pieces from the decade earlier.

But I was pushing it a bit late. The dance was tomorrow night, but right now I was out of town shopping, and tomorrow I'd be spending most of my day at school helping set up for the night. We'd all promised Dana we'd help paint banners and put up decorations.

That meant I'd be stuck with some stupid rockabilly dress. Ugh, whatever, I'd choose one right before we left the mall.

For now, I strolled into some random DVD store and drifted down the isles, not really focusing on the movies surrounding me. And then I saw it. The one movie that inspired my outfit choice.

Oh, my God. I had to get back to the others before they bought some random dresses. My idea was perfect, and I knew they'd love to be a part of it. I speed-walked through the mall back to the alternative store, finding my friends trying on puffy dresses and poodle skirts.

At the look of urgency in my eyes and the mad grin on my face, they stopped and stared at me.

"Oh, I know that look." Dana smirked, raising an eyebrow. "You've come up with a brilliant plan. Spill."

So I did, and like I assumed, they loved it. The next hour and a half was spent shopping for all the outfit pieces, and when everything we needed was actually found, a sense of relieved excitement flooded through me. It was an odd combination of emotions, but one I welcomed.

The next day flew by. I had far too much fun painting banners with my friends, and after seeing Caroline dab at Matt's arm, I started a paint fight. I was super glad Dana had sent out a reminder text to wear old clothes that morning.

After school we all went to Jane's house and got half-ready, and by that I mean we started on our hair. Jane's mum was a hairdresser so she had everything we needed. I, specifically, needed rollers in my hair. My blonde hair was naturally wavy, but a simple curling iron would not give it the volume I needed for my outfit.

When I got home with bouncy curls atop my head, I spotted Jenna tying a pink ribbon into her high ponytail. She was wearing a pink, black and yellow plaid blouse and matching pink pencil skirt with a leather belt around her waist. Topped off with pale eyeshadow and peach lipstick, she looked extremely girly.

"Since when do you have clothes that were fashionable mid last century?" I laugh, pointing at her outfit. "And in pink, nonetheless."

Jenna rolled her eyes. "I'll have you know that this isn't the first 50s-themed dance I've gone to."

"Oh, I don't doubt that." I smirked. Elena strolled in right then, looking on edge and cranky. "Wow, what crawled up your butt and died?"

She shot me a glare. "Well, somebody's PMSing."

"Ha! Not likely." I grinned. I couldn't even remember the last time I'd had my period, thanks to being on the pill and getting to skip the five days of horror if I so wished.

Wait, shit. I, as in Cassie, was on the pill. Carmen certainly wasn't, and I hadn't had a single period during the time I've spent in her body, which was months. There had to be a reasonable explanation. I felt around my upper arms for the 'bar' implant, but found nothing but skin and muscle.

Oh, my fucking God. I can't be compelled, and now this? What the hell is going on? I knew I wasn't pregnant, I mean, this body could be a virgin for all I knew as well. And it couldn't be my weight or diet - though I was now skinny, it was a healthy skinny, and I ate like a pig anyway.

No, no, no. I would not think about this any longer. Dwelling on it would just serve to ruin my night, and I was not going to ruin my first ever decade dance. I forced every bad and confusing thought away, focusing back on the present.

Jenna was saying something to Elena and I from the living room. "You can both keep using mine for now."

I smiled, realizing she meant her car. "Thanks, Jenna."

"So you're coming to the dance?" Elena asked, nodding to the overly pink outfit.

"Alaric asked me to help chaperone." Jenna tried to hold back a grin and failed miserably.

Elena spun around, looking cranky. Her sudden mood-swing caught both me and Jenna by surprise. And she thought I was PMSing? "Why didn't you tell us, Jenna? Especially me."

Jenna's grin dropped. "Your mum was gonna do it eventually. I never thought I'd have to."

"If our mum was here right now and we asked, she'd tell us the truth." Elena pointed out, though what she said didn't make sense. She hadn't asked for the 'truth' from Jenna until right now, so was she trying to guilt Jenna into telling us what she knew? If so, it was completely unnecessary and a total bitch move.

Our aunt sighed.

"Your dad was about to leave the office one night when this girl showed up. She was sixteen, a runaway, and pregnant, just like your mum. He promised to help her raise the baby and gave her a place to stay. She refused until she was almost about to give birth. But a few days after you were born, Elena, she disappeared. And there you were.

"Miranda had given birth to you, Carmen, eight days earlier. You were a quiet baby, so they didn't think it would be hard to raise another child simultaneously. After all, they'd already offered to help the girl raise her child."

It all made sense to me, but apparently not to Elena. "But why are my parents' names on the birth certificate?"

"Your dad was a doctor, Elena." Jenna smiled, coming to stand in front of my sister. "He took care of it. They said you were twins, so the rest of the town didn't think it was unusual. Miranda gave birth to Carmen at home, and nobody had seen her until after they took you in as their own. Everybody assumed she just had surprise twins."

"But you knew."

Jenna nodded. "Yes. They didn't wanna lose you, so they kept it quiet, told as few people as possible. Despite you not being their child, they loved you as much as their own daughter. But if anyone ever wanted proof, they had documentation."

"What else do you know about her? The girl." Elena questioned, looking like she wasn't taking any of the news well. I was still mildly in shock over the new knowledge, but of course I was accepting it easier.

Jenna shook her head and shrugged. "Just her name. Isobel."

Elena nodded, and I wrapped an arm around her shoulders reassuringly. Boy, she was in for a surprise when she began her search for Isobel.

"Let's go get ready for the dance." I suggested, smiling warmly.

Elena nodded again, so we headed upstairs to do each others makeup in the bathroom. Elena just wanted cat-eye liner and some lilac eyeshadow, while I had smoky winged shadow and cherry-red lips.

"Why does your hair look like a bad 80s perm?" Elena questioned with a giggle.

I rolled my eyes. "When I have my outfit on, you'll understand."

"Hmm, sure."

We laughed and exited to our rooms, and I began putting on my outfit from where it lay on the bed. I had a pair of black disco pants from American Apparel, a tight black top with off-the-shoulder sleeves, and a pair of red peep-toe heels. I finished with a black vinyl jacket and a pair of silver hoop earrings.

I was the perfect Sandy from Grease.

I peaked my head through to Elena's room while she was blow-drying her hair so I could examine her outfit. She wore of a lavender blouse cinched at the waist with a thin pink belt, a pair of black cropped trousers, and white sneakers. Her hair was pushed back with a white headband, the back of it sitting higher than the rest. She looked like a cute, young 50s housewife.

Okay, maybe more like a cute, young, boozy housewife.

I went back to my room and examined the picture of Sandy I'd googled on my phone, trying to see if I'd missed anything with her outfit. I heard Elena calling out Jenna and Jeremy's name, then she popped her head into my room.

"Did you hear someone out in the hall just then?"

"Other than you, nope." I shrugged.

Elena nodded and sighed, closing my door and heading back to her own room again. But barely seconds later I heard her footsteps pounding down the hallway and down the stairs. There was silence for a few moments, and then a shriek. I rushed out of my room in time to see a vampire wearing a hooded jumper go to attack my sister, but Stefan appeared just in time.

"Elena!" The Salvatore shouted, throwing the other vampire away from her. Said vampire then flitted away, slamming doors as he went. Stefan ran and picked Elena up from the ground, holding her close. "You okay? You're okay."

Elena nodded, holding back her frightened sobs.

After a phone call from Stefan as we'd all moved to sit on the couch, Damon was over a minute later. Elena explained what had just happened to him.

"Well, how'd he get in?" Damon demanded, pacing the couch behind us.

"He was invited in." Elena said, obviously upset over the fact.

"Well no shit." I rolled my eyes. "What Damon meant was, why was he invited in? And when?"

Stefan short me a stern glance, silently telling me to be nice. "He posed as a pizza delivery guy last night."

"Well, he gets point for that." Damon stated drily.

I groaned. "Ugh. The one night I'm not home until late and a bloody vampire gets invited into the house. Fucking hell."

This earned me a glare from Stefan and Elena. Damon just smirked. "Did he say what he wanted?"

"No, he was too busy trying to kill me." Elena spat, pissed at Damon and I.

"And you have no idea who this is?" Stefan questioned his brother in return.

Damon shook his head. "No." At the level stare Stefan gave him, Damon looked exasperated. "Don't look at me like that. I told you we had company."

Elena looked up at him with fear. "You think there's more than one?"

"We don't know."

Stefan was frowning. "Damon, he was invited in."

"Then we go get him tonight."

They discussed a quick plan, while I received a text from Dana.

Perky: Jane, Karen and I are all ready, and are on our way to your house right now. You better be ready. Xxx

I jumped in the car when my friends arrived, and I must say, we all looked amazing.

Dana was wearing a mint-green halter dress, and had her dark hair up in a high ponytail. Karen's short hair was curled like mine, and had a temporary ginger dye in it that would fade away after the first wash. She wore a white dress with puffy sleeves and black polka-dots, and had a red beaded necklace around her neck. Jane had her light brown hair half-curled, and she wore a yellow halter top with white trousers.

We all looked just like the Pink Ladies from Grease.

A Misfits song came on when we arrived to the dance, and I got way too excited, grabbing Jane's hands because she was closest and spinning around with her. Damon was chaperoning because of the vampire situation, and he pulled me away from my friends and began dancing with me.

"This music really brings back memories." Damon said distractedly, but he did seem to be enjoying himself a little.

"Tell me about it, Stud." I replied, not being able to resist.

Damon just shook his head slowly but the smile on his face let me know I was amusing him. "Why is your new history teacher staring at me?" He asked casually, twirling me around.

I laughed. "Alaric? He probably just saw you and thought 'Damn, that guy in the leather jacket looks like he would be a great drinking buddy'."

Damon half-smiled again in response, distracted by the fact he was looking around for a sign of the other vampire while we danced. I rolled my eyes, annoyed that he was just using me so he'd blend in better.

"Too bad you can't sense other vampires," I commented, smirking a little. "It would make tracking this fucker down a little easier."

Damon glanced at me curiously, and maybe a little angrily. "Will I ever find out why you know so much about us?"

"Sooner than you may think, actually. Also, you make a great Danny Zuko in that leather jacket." I laughed, pushing him away so I could go back to my friends.

We got some punch, frowning at the fact that nobody had spiked it yet. Another Misfits song came on, and I couldn't help but make my way back to the dance floor. Despite the lack of alcohol in my system, I had a pretty damn good night just dancing around with Jane, Dana and Karen. Even if Ben came over to make out with Jane far too many times.

When I got home, Elena explained that Stefan and Damon took down the vampire who'd been stalking her the past week. Then she went on to brag about how she fought back against him, stabbing him with a pencil and then snapping a broom in half to make a stake.

Maybe I should start carrying around pencils in my handbag. That seemed like it would be a good idea for anyone living in Mystic Falls.

This is the last of what I have pre-written, and there isn't a chance I'll have my season 1 dvd back anytime soon (my friend is really busy with uni and her job, so she rarely has free time). I would watch the episodes online, but unfortunately I don't have unlimited internet and watching videos/downloading anything wastes data really quickly. Which sucks epically.

But I hope you like it nonetheless!

Review Replies:

lostfeather1: That's exactly the reaction I wanted! I've yet to read a fic where Elena's twin isn't actually adopted, so I feel kind of proud for coming up with it. I hope I executed it well though, it took a lot of plotting and wording to make it all sound right. I'm glad you think so, and I hope you enjoy all the chapter and plot-twists that are to come. Thank you!

RebeliousOne: Either chapter 14 or 15 will be the end of season 1, but I'm really hoping it'll be chapter 14. Yes, it does! Around chapter 17 will be the arrival of Elijah (finally!), and of course, Klaus comes soon after. And I'm pleased to hear that! No, nobody 'finds out' about her, but she does tell somebody the truth. And of course, she'll tell the truth to whichever Original she chooses in the end.

Only 1 witch knows exactly what is going on, but she won't appear in the fic until after Kol's arrival in season 3. There's way more to the Cassie/Carmen situation than I've been letting on, and you'll find out about it in pieces. When John comes to town you'll find out about Carmen's summer with him, which is VERY important, and then in season 2 she'll meet someone (not an Original) who is connected to Carmen's past. Ahh, spoilers!

I'm sorry if I didn't answer all your questions, but I don't know how I can without revealing too much!

Guest: I'm so glad you do! And me neither. I'm actually really considering making this a poly fic - basically, Carmen will get all the Original boys to herself and there'll be no fighting for her. Everyone wins! But I do love a good love triangle (or square). And I definitely will! Kol/OC are usually amazing, but it's had to find really good ones without added pairings. Thank you!

Allie: Thank you so much! Ahh, I love Alaric too! He's one of the few characters I never really hated (but I hate his alternate personality, so there will be none of it in this fic. SPOILERS!) I feel like if Damon never attacked her, she'd have less of a stick up her ass when it comes to vampires. I love Bonnie, but damn she annoys me sometimes! Yeah, I don't understand how Anna escaped the vampire-roundup in 1864. I guess her, and a few others, escaped in time.

No twins in this fic! Even though I love twins... But yeah, anyway. What I meant in the last paragraph is that Carmen knows that John is Elena's dad, which makes them cousins. But she can't let Elena or anyone else know that, because she thinks they need to find out for themselves. And I don't think Cassie will ever go home. She gets given some options in the future, but by that time she'll be pretty much content with being Carmen. For all intents and purposes, she WILL be Carmen, and Cassie kinda just stops existing for her.

I/Carmen just love how sassy Stefan is when he has no humanity. But I'm not sure how they'll interact just yet. And she definitely will! Her and Rebekah are pretty much going to be best friends. I'm really excited for that actually. And Carmen won't actually meet Katherine that much, which sucks, but I do like what I have planned better.

Jana: Me too! That's why she already feels closer with Jeremy (and Jenna) than she does with Elena. And Carmen is going to subtly hint things to Jer to help him. Like that Anna sucks (literally), and that 'oh, don't you think Bonnie looks pretty today?', and stuff along those lines. She a Beremy shipper 100%.

Jessica: Are you serious? Ahh thank you so much! It means a lot to me that you think so :) And as I mentioned at the start of this chapter, I can't watch the episodes online, so I hope you understand.

kittycat166: Thank you, I'm so glad you do! I actually went on the website (hoping it wouldn't use too much internet data), but none of them actually worked for me. I'm not very tech-savvy so I don't know what went wrong :( But thank you for telling me about it anyway!

Bronzelove: Thank you so, so much! It makes me so happy how much you love this story, and I really hope you liked this chapter too. :)

Cassie1104: Thank you, I'm really glad you think so! I tried so hard to create character that all 3 of the brothers could fall for, without making her a Mary Sue.

Thank you to Lucy Greenhill, I Growl For Fun andErudessa-gabrielle for your lovely reviews! I hope you liked this chapter :)

Another big, huge thank you to all my reviewers, followers and favoriters! I actually hit 100 followers recently, and to say I was shocked was an understatement. I'm so glad you're all liking this story!

Also, a big shoutout to my crazy German friend Franzi. If it weren't for her influence, this story wouldn't exist!