Chapter One: At the Beginning Was You

"Hey! Watch where you're going! Jerk…." Elena grumbled behind the wheel, as a tiny black car cut her off. She was going to be late to school! Again! She was determined to get to there on time today since she wasn't, for once, staying over the Salvatore's house. Always when she slept over there, for some reason, she never could get to school on time. Either it was Stefan and her having a little morning "fun," or it was Damon. She absentmindedly smiled thinking about last week, when Damon came started yelling at 3 in the morning. Stefan and her ran out of bed to see him screaming at the TV. Flavor Flav had kicked out Damon's favorite girl, so he naturally was rather upset. Stefan went back to bed, but Elena stayed with him so they could continue watching the rest of the marathon.

She put her foot on the accelerator, and half raced to school. She pulled into the parking lot, sighing, thinking about all the homework she had to catch up on. Seeing Stefan talking to Caroline, she quickly got her books, and walked over.

Caroline was waving her arms in the air, causing her bracelets to move up and down her arm. She, as usual, looked very pretty with a short jean shirt, and a tight purple sweater. Elena looked down at her jeans, converses, and flowy shirt, and wished she had put more effort into her outfit. Especially when she saw Stefan, casually standing there with his green eyes shining. He always looked so good…

And I always look so…bla. Hmm, maybe tomorrow I'll curl my hair?

"Elena, OH, MY, GOD! You are NOT gonna believe what happened today! So I woke up this morning, and was like…." Caroline started as Elena arrived next to them, giving Stefan a quick kiss on the cheek. As Caroline babbled on with her crazy story, Elena smiled up at Stefan. He was gazing around, his eyes darting left and right. She gave him a puzzled look, but he just shrugged his shoulders.

Huh….odd. I mean, Stefan is usually sort of jumpy, but he looks ready to pounce. When the hell was the last time he fed? Maybe he should take the day off?

"SO I was like no way! Can you guys believe that?" Caroline half screamed, her body literally bouncing up and down.

"Yea! Wow that's, that's so crazy!" Elena smiled, pulling a piece of brown hair behind her ear.

"I know right? I was like, 'Mom, no way I would ever wear that.' But still I mean…hey why is he here?"

Stefan snapped around, his eyes instantly narrowing. Elena too turned around, but smiled to see Damon strutting over. Some girls rolled their eyes, some looked the other way, and some blatantly stared, but each and every girl secretly wished he would gaze his perfect blue eyes at her.

He pulled off his shades as he made his way to the group. "Good morning Stefan, aren't you looking…pale this morning." He nodded at Caroline, and then said to Elena. "Ah, just the girl I was looking for. Can we talk for a minute?"

"Ugh. Damon, can you please get a life? No one likes you over here." Caroline said, her arms crossed.

"And I care what you think because? Why don't you let the big kids talk." Damon replied dryly, rolling his eyes in annoyance.

Caroline walked away, with a "Whatever," heard faintly from his lips. She quickly found someone else and walked into school with them.

"What are you doing here? Aren't you a little old to enroll as a student?" Stefan said.

"I can say the same thing about you, but hey, I'm too polite, aren't I Elena?" Damon smirked, winking at Elena.

"Sure you are. Come on, what's up? I want to actually get to school on time today." She pulled out her cell phone and checked the time. She didn't have to be in homeroom for another five minutes, but knowing Damon he wouldn't even get to the point in the next hour.

Stefan started to look around again, his eyes almost bugging out if his face. His hand started to mess up his hair, as he couldn't find whatever he was trying to find.

"You sure you want to be here today little bro? You seem so much more…broodier than normal. What, did all the forest animals put up a strike against you?" Damon's smirk grew, as the sunlight shone right on him.

Did Damon change his hair? He looks…pretty wow today. Of course, Stefan does, uh, look hotter…wow Damon's eyes are really blue today.

Elena chuckled, but when she caught Stefan's eye she pretended to clear her throat instead. "Is the internet out or something? I told you how to fix it." She stage whispered.

"No no, I just wanted to have a little chat with you that's all. Can you spare a minute for an old, but still incredibly good looking, vampire?"

She sighed, checking her cell phone again. Four minutes left. "Fine." She huffed. "But if I am late, God help you because I do know where Alaric keeps his emergency stakes."

She started to walk with Damon, when Stefan pulled her arm back. His breathing was racing, and his eyes had this crazy look in them. Bloodthirsty instantly popped into her mind, but she shook that thought away.

"What the-" She began.

"Elena I…" He paused and turned away for a moment, but when he faced her again an eerie calmness descended over him. "Just don't be late." He concluded.

"Uh, yeah don't worry. I won't be." She shook off his arm and continued with Damon. He too looked at Stefan, but blinked and shook his head, dismissing whatever his was thinking. He hooked his arm with Elena's, and they ever so casually strolled over to his car.

She leaned on the hood and crossed her arms. "So tell me Salvatore, what's up?"

Damon turned and looked at her seriously, his blue eyes boring into her brown eye. "What if I told you I was thinking of becoming a student here?"

Elena involuntary gasped, but quickly closed her mouth, and started to nervously play with her hair. "Well…I mean, I wouldn't get why, but you, you look rather, I mean not that you look bad but see, you-"

"JK Elena, I'm just kidding in case you don't know what that means." He smirked and rolled his eyes.

"Idiot." She replied, lightly smacking his arm. "I didn't know how I was going to tell you, that you would seem very pedophile-ish if you actually enrolled!"

Damon put his head in his hands, mocking sadness. "Wow Elena, good thing we're best friends or I would have to…well, I won't even finish that sentence." He looked up and winked at her, causing her to blush.

"Haha, okay so what the hell is really up?" She cleared her throat, curious about what was going on.

"I just want you to know that outside of town, about four hours or so away, a lot of murders have been reported. Wanna guess how all the bodies were killed?" He turned serious, his blue eyes narrowed at her.

"Drained of blood?" She whispered, hoping she was wrong.

This can't be happening…again! Just when everything is going along pretty damn well too…

"You got it sweetheart." Damon said dryly. "It is a little bit away, but still. I just want you to be a little extra careful, kay?"

She nodded; thinking about replenishing Aunt Jenna's supply of vervain perfume, when a thought struck her. "Wait, why didn't you tell Stefan too? He has should know about this!"

Damon sighed, putting his shades back on. "Ugh, he already knows, he's the one who found out. He said he was going to tell you….five days ago. I figured you had a right to know to. That Stefan, trying ever so hard to be a saint."

A little balloon of anger seemed to pop inside of her. Why does he keep these things from me! Does he think that I can't handle them?

"Well," she grumbled, checking her phone. "At least I know why he was acting so weird today."

"Actually," Damon said, "He's been fine these past few days, something else must have happened to get his knickers all tangled up."

"Stefan doesn't wear knickers." She stuck out her tongue at him, as a smile came over her face.

"Ah yes, you would know…" Damon looked down at the ground, a grim expression on his face for a brief second, but before Elena could say anything, he was looking up at her with a smirk on his face.

"I should get going…I still have a minute left or so." She said slowly, not sure what just happened.

"Oh Elena, didn't you hear the bell ring over seven minutes ago? Guess you're late again." He chuckled and walked casually to the driver's side of the care. He got in and pulled away, but not before blowing a kiss to her.

Elena shook her head in half disgust, and half humor, before what he just said registered in her mind. Shit! She picked up her book bag and ran inside.

She pulled open the door, and was letting it swing shut behind her, when she peeked behind her, and saw a tall, dark, hooded figure gazing in her direction across the street. She looked for another second, but the door closed, making her jump. Dropping her bag in the ground, she reopened the door, but the figure was gone. It was as if no one was ever there.