Author's notes: Okay here's the next chapter - sorry it's been so long. The chapter title comes from the hauntingly beautiful song "Broken" by Seether and Amy Lee. Hope you enjoy! :)

Chapter One: Don't Feel Strong Enough

Three weeks into living out this suburbia role-playing nightmare and Elena was quit certain that she missed the supernatural foes that plagued her life. Oh, and she missed her indestructible, self-healing body and vampire strength and speed. Granted, she'd wanted to be human again from the moment she'd become a vampire but this –

"Momma, no! Want cookie!"

She was still confused about where she was or how she got there. This world was so similar and yet oh so different from the life she'd grown up with. She didn't know who to turn to yet with her predicament – did magic and the supernatural even exist in this world? Were these two boys in this house with her the only ones in this world? Or had she just gone insane?

"Momma!"

Oh, yes . . . besides not having anywhere to turn, she'd been quite busy since waking up in this strange world. There were certain roles she had to maintain and play the part in order to not give up her secret. "We have cookies after lunch – remember?" The pout of the lips, the sullen eyes – this little guy reminded her of her little brother sometimes.

"Listen to your mother, kiddo." Damon looked up from the paper he was reading across from them (she'd never once thought she'd ever see Damon so domestic).

Living with Damon was certainly strange – especially sharing a bed. In her world, she could barely stand to be in the same room as her ex's older brother who also happened to be her ex too (even if she didn't remember it). The subject of sex never came up though, strangely enough. Sure Damon was affectionate with her – light touches, forehead kisses, the occasional cuddling. Never much more though. She wasn't exactly complaining, it wasn't like she was all that eager to jump into bed with a man she didn't remember loving let alone a version that didn't know that. Despite all that . . . it was Damon she spent all of her time with. Well, and three-year-old Dominic too.

It hadn't taken long to find out that the Damon and Elena of this strange world named their son Dominic Grayson Salvatore. She looked it up online – the most common meanings she found for Dominic was "of the Lord" or "belonging to God." Where they'd gotten this name she wasn't sure – it wasn't familiar to her. Did this name mean something to her in the life she'd chosen to forget in her world? It did warm her heart that his middle name was Grayson.

In the three weeks she'd been there, she hadn't ventured out much. She'd learned that the Elena of this world was taking online college courses instead of going to campus – she figured it was to be home with Dominic. She had to be careful of what she said and did in front of Damon and Dominic – she didn't want to give away her secret. Her parents hadn't been brought up since she'd been here (or Damon's, now that she thought about it) so she didn't bring it up either. Learning that Dominic's middle name was Grayson, though, made her wonder about them. Were they alive? If they were, was she on good terms with them? Why hadn't Damon brought them up? Although, he hadn't really brought many people up at all. The first few minutes after he'd brought Dominic to her on that first morning she'd been there he'd mentioned that she could call one of their 'many family members' to help her. He didn't say which ones, though, and no one had ever called or stopped by. They'd been in their own little bubble ever since. She didn't know if Stefan or Jeremy or Caroline or Bonnie or Alaric or anyone else (including those that had been enemies in her world) were in this place too.

When Damon was at his own college courses or out, Dominic was her only company. Dominic was a wonder to her – such a beautiful and loving little child. He was a happy, energetic, curious child – running her ragged all over the Boarding House all day. (Hence why she missed her vampire speed). While he was asleep or playing or content with toys she tried to do the school work that was stacked up on this Elena's desk. She'd never been much of a procrastinator (even when she'd missed so many days in high school while her life was threatened) so the thought of being so far behind in this world baffled her. It didn't seem like her.

Although, in her world she'd never had a toddler completely dependent on her.

"Elena?"

Elena blinked, shaking her head. She turned to look at Damon. "Huh?"

"Honey, are you okay?"

Elena frowned, looking around. She'd dropped a coffee mug in the sink and hadn't even realized it. She hadn't heard it shatter or felt the mug slip from her grasp. In fact, she didn't even remember going over to the sink or picking up the mug. "Um . . . I'm fine . . ." She cleared her throat.

"Elena . . ."

The worry in his voice struck her – in fact, it worried her more than the fact that she'd dropped the mug in the first place. She could feel something in the air, something between them. It was like a tangible feeling – not quite an awkwardness but something strange nonetheless. Though a different kind of awkward and strange than she shared with the Damon from her world since she didn't have her memories.

Damon looked over to Dominic who was busy playing with his carrot sticks as if they were action figures. Elena followed his gaze – Dominic hadn't noticed her momentary slip. Damon wordlessly put down the paper, stood up and strode over to the sink next to Elena, and cleaned up the shards of ceramic from inside the sink.

Elena was speechless. She didn't detect any anger or annoyance or disappointment from him. He didn't call her out for being clumsy or even engage in any light teasing or banter. He didn't even look at her at all.

She could feel that worry still coming off of him in waves which worried her even more. From the way he was acting, this was a common occurrence in the Salvatore residence of this world. As if her (or rather, this world's version of her) dropping things was normal - if not worrisome. Sure, she'd always been a klutz in her world (even still as a vampire) but even if this world's Elena was a klutz too it didn't explain Damon's behavior.

What the hell was wrong with her?

TVDTVDTVDTVDTVDTVD

Damon, Caroline, and Alaric decided to keep the issue with Elena quiet for the present moment – even from Elena herself for the most part.

They were currently on week three since their Elena had been switched with another version. Luckily they hadn't had any run-ins with anyone – that was the last thing they needed right now. Kai was still locked up – for the moment – but they still had to find a way to get Bonnie back. Actually, all was quiet in Mystic Falls right now (other than this thing with Elena) which honestly worried Damon. It wasn't often that they were allowed much more than a moment without some major crisis or villain threatening them.

That being said, they still had to find a way to get their Elena back and send this one back where she belonged.

Speaking of, said misplaced Elena was currently practically attached to his hip. She wouldn't go anywhere without him and wasn't really comfortable around anyone else. They hadn't gotten much information out of her – all they really knew about her was that she came from a world where there was no magic, she was married (to him, apparently, which made a small part of him want to jump for joy and have hope for him in this world), and she was a little (okay a lot) different than the Elena they were used to. This Elena was very quiet, very guarded. She knew that something was up but they hadn't told her even a fraction of the whole story. Of course, they hadn't really given her much information about the supernatural elements of their world either so . . .

"Damon?"

They were in Ric's apartment where they'd sort of set up shop for the moment. The Boarding House was out of the question since they couldn't get into Mystic Falls and it was too risky to have Elena around people when she wouldn't know how to control the vampirism within her. Everyone else was out doing other things so it was up to Damon to babysit. "What's up, buttercup?"

"I feel . . ." She cleared her throat, looking down and staring at the daylight ring on her hand and glanced down at her body. "This place is wrong." She looked up, a frown gracing her beautiful lips. "This isn't my home." Damon opened his mouth to speak but she shook her head. A tear fell down her cheek. She took a few steps back and sat down on the kitchen chair behind her. "I don't understand how it can be possible but . . . this isn't my world, is it?"

Damon let out a sigh, moving to sit down in the chair next to her. Even though this wasn't his Elena . . . it was still hurt to see her in so much pain. He reached over and rested his hand on hers. She was still looking down.

"You're Damon – but you're not my Damon. You're not my husband." She sniffled. "And I'm not me . . . I feel different."

"No . . . I'm not. And you're right." Damon cleared his throat. He turned his head to the side. She kept looking down at her body. "Are you okay?"

"No I'm not." Elena shook her head. "Because if this isn't my world, and you're not my husband, and I'm not me then that means . . ." She inhaled, her eyes wide and full of tears. Her free hand started moving down and she let out a deep breath. "I don't believe in other worldly things . . . I don't." She lifted her other hand from under his and held it over her mouth.

"Elena what is it?" Damon reached over but she moved back and away from him.

She inhaled again. "D-Dominic . . ." She gasped, both of her arms wrapped around her middle.

Damon's entire body tensed. He backed up and stood up, the chair behind him clattering to the floor. His undead heart was pumping overtime – if he were alive, he'd be having a stroke or a heart attack right about now.

Elena fell to her knees on the kitchen floor, sobbing, oblivious to Damon's freak out just inches away.

"D-Dominic?" Damon sputtered, holding on to his chest. Elena didn't answer, her head now on the floor. "Who is Dominic – to you?!" A ringing sound fixed itself in his ears. Letting out a frustrated growl, he knelt down on the floor in front of her - this Elena that wasn't his. "Elena, I need you to tell me. Elena!" He shouted over the ringing in his head. "Elena, please." This came out softer as he stroked the hair on the side of her face.

She sniffled, whimpering. She finally looked up, tears staining her face and makeup running. "He's my son." Damon's heart dropped in his chest. "Dominic is my son, with you – I mean with my Damon."

"No . . ." Damon shook his head. "I . . ."

"He's not here. My baby isn't here and I can't…" Elena heaved.

"You named him Dominic." Damon found the name hard to swallow. "In your world you have a son with your husband Damon – and you named him Dominic."

Elena nodded. "He's almost three."

"Well . . . shit . . ." Damon let out a deep breath.

He helped Elena stand and find her chair. He then picked up the chair he knocked over and righted it before returning to his seat as well. The two of them were quiet for a while, both of them lost in memories. The only sounds that could be heard were Elena's cries and the pounding of Damon's heart.

Damon cleared his throat, looking up. "It seems that some things never change, no matter what world it is."

Elena sniffled, also looking up. "What do you mean?

"In this world, there was this girl named Cassandra." Damon looked down. She knew that this world was stranger than his but was she really ready to hear about vampires and times past? Deciding to keep it simple, Damon continued on with his very painful story. "It was a long, long time ago – long before I met my version of you. I was in the war."

"Yes. My Damon was in the war too – it caused a rift with his father." Elena nodded.

"I guess Giuseppe Salvatore is a beast in any world then." Damon noticed. "Anyway, Cassandra was a nurse on the front lines. She stitched up a cut on my shoulder and . . . and we fell in love." His voice cracked. He let out a breath. "Nobody knows about this here. Not Stefan. My father never knew. I never even told her – Elena, I mean. My world's version of her." The woman in front of him nodded, showing she understood the gravity of what she was about to hear. "We started sneaking around – it was forbidden for us to be together but we didn't care. We started talking about getting married when we were both out of the war. And then something happened." Damon let out a deep breath.

"She was pregnant." Elena guessed.

Damon nodded, suddenly feeling very tired. "We got married immediately. The plan was for her to ask for a transfer away from the danger. I didn't have much of my service left – I would meet up with her shortly before the baby was born."

"What happened?" Elena asked. He noticed she had her hand on her stomach as if there was something in there – old habit, he supposed.

"What happened a lot back then – she and the baby died during childbirth." He steeled his jaw, refusing to allow pain from the past to affect him now. Elena gasped, whimpering slightly. "My service was extended but I was allowed to go visit her . . . and by the time I got to meet up with her, they were both already gone. I found a letter for me from her in her things. It was about ideas she had for names." Fresh tears fell from Elena's eyes. "She wanted to name our son Dominic because it was close to my name. And because it meant "of the Lord" – that he and I were gifts to her from God." Damon stood up and turned around, leaning against and facing the sink. "After that I deserted the war. I didn't have the stomach to fight when the war was the reason I hadn't been there for her. My father hated me after that for deserting, making him look bad – did so until the day he died."

"I'm so sorry." Elena whispered. By the look on her face it seemed her world's version of how she named her son was very similar.

Damon shrugged. "It made me the man I am today. I made my peace with that a long time ago. I just haven't heard that name in a long time."

Elena was quiet. She didn't say anything as she wiped tears from her eyes.

He turned around again. "I'm going to get you back to your son – I promise you that. I don't know why this happened but I will figure it out. We think that our Elena is in your world while you are here – if that is so then I can guarantee that she is doing everything she can to take care of your son and find her own way to get you back to him. I know her just like your Damon knows you." Elena nodded. "I know that it hurts being away from them – your husband and your son. I know it sure hurts not having my Elena here. But we'll get this fixed, okay? We'll make it right. You just have to trust me."

to be continued . . .