To Change or Not to Change: Time Traveling AU

Summary:Instead of Elena having Alaric removing her memories, somehow she figures out a way to be sent back in time to when Damon was alive. Only something goes wrong…she's in her body the day her parents died in a car crash. What will Elena do? Will she change the future of her parents or possibly screw it up enough where everything is WRONG in the present? ….And, there's more…she's human.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries and if I did, I would have killed off Stefan, Bonnie and possibly Caroline by now. And, Damon and Elena would have ended up together in Season 1 and lived happily ever after. But who knows? Please enjoy!

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Chapter 1: Going Back

Damon was gone. Bonnie was gone. The Other Side had fallen, leaving Elena crying and breaking apart completely. She couldn't even hold herself up anymore; Damon was dead. Dead… It was such a terrible word. One she hated to use but seemed to connect to people she loved every single day. Just, she had never thought she would have to connect it with Damon. It was pushing her over the edge.

"Damon…" Elena cried as she covered her chest, big brown eyes reddened with tears and her body just seemed to fall on itself. Dead… "Why?"

….

It was three days after Damon's and Bonnie's deaths when Luke came to Elena with an offer. She didn't look like herself, had starved herself and even was tempted to take off her daylight ring. Wouldn't it be simpler? "I think I can send you back in time to say goodbye to Damon," Luke said, "Because I kind of caused all of this. I couldn't let Liv die."

Elena understood, even if she wished she didn't, "How?" If there was a chance to see her Damon again, she would take it.

Luke shifted looking terribly uncomfortable. Well he shouldn't have killed Damon or Bonnie! "If I send you back, you won't be coming back to here…" Luke trailed off. "I don't think I can bring you back, not unless you find me back then, explain and what not. How does that sound?"

Elena nodded, "I don't care what happens. Just send me back!"

"Also, the you back in time, will just disappear and will reappear when you return to the future." Luke added.

She couldn't handle another day without Damon. Luke nodded his head and collected everything he needed, got some of Elena's blood and then began the spell. She wasn't paying attention to Luke's words— she couldn't think I'm going to see Damon. I'm going to see Damon. I'll be with him again! And it made her heart flutter. She could feel again.

A feeling of pure light came over Elena; she could feel a tingle in her finger tips and toes. She could feel butterflies in her stomach. And before she knew what was going on, she stood in the doorway of the Salvatore boarding house. She looked around before she used her super speed to find Damon. The house was quiet, too quiet. Only, her vampire speed failed her. She blinked and looked down at her finger— her ring was missing. Trembling, Elena picked up a knife as she had gone to the kitchen. She cut her finger and she bled— and didn't heal. She was HUMAN.

Her heart racing, Elena had no other choice but to go looking for someone to help her. So she took off lightly jogging.

Elena found no one around so she headed towards the Grille. She knew Damon was around here somewhere, he had to be. Only, when she got to the Grille, she found Caroline and Bonnie there. Huh? Okay so she knew they were safe, but she wasn't expecting them to actually be there. They looked younger in a way, not so much being forced to do things they didn't want to. Caroline didn't look so much older as she did in the present and Bonnie, well Bonnie was smiling and laughing.

When did Bonnie laugh anymore?

"Elena!"

She was brought out of her thoughts when her two friends faced her, both smiling brightly. It was Caroline who called her.

Elena knew she couldn't say anything about the future, no way. But she smiled and headed over to them. "Hey guys, any of you seen Damon?" She asked smiling.

"Who?" Both girls looked confused.

Elena blinked. "Damon Salvatore, remember?"

Caroline and Bonnie share a look before changing the topic, "Never mind, Elena— you coming to the Bonfire tonight?" Caroline asked.

Bonfire….? Elena wondered. "Huh?"

"Oh come on, like you could forget!" Caroline urged.

Bonnie nodded, "We've been planning this for awhile Elena. Remember? We're going to be going into Grade 10 you know!"

Elena froze; Grade 10? Wait….is this THE Bonfire?! She thought with a flutter of her very human heart. If it was in fact THE Bonfire, it meant Elena's parents were alive. And if it were, she would be meeting Damon tonight but not 'remember'. But it also meant her parents would be killed tonight. "Err…" Say no! If you don't go, mum and dad will still be alive. "I-I can't, I have chores to do… a-and mum and dad want to have a family board game night."

Both girls pout, "Really? Why can't you sneak out or something?" Caroline urged. They don't know. Elena reminded herself, they don't know this will kill them if I go…

Bonnie nodded quickly, "Come on Elena!"

"No," Elena said firmly. "It's been a long time since I've spent the night with my family. Maybe next time, okay?"

She turned and left. If she couldn't see Damon, then she would go see her parents. Caroline and Bonnie stood, going to follow her out. "Wait Elena!" Caroline said rushing up and stopping her friend. "Why don't you come and just spend a little while there?"

I can't risk it. Elena thought. But if she didn't, she wouldn't meet Damon or Stefan. And if she didn't, would they show up later in Mystic Falls? So, Elena nervously agreed to go. "Fine, but I don't want to drink or anything— and I want to go home somewhat early. Okay?"

Bonnie and Caroline look at each other. "Are you sure you're okay?" Bonnie asked, but both girls agreed to the rules.

Elena nodded. "Yeah, I'm good." She waved to her friends and thought up a plan. She would have to figure out a way to not get drunk, but be on the bridge to of course meet Damon, and she couldn't— wouldn't— call her parents to pick her up. Elena chewed on her lip nervously as she left the Grille.

I'm going to have to find vervain. I can't forget Damon— I've come too far. Would it affect me though? It seems like I'm human… Ugh. This is so confusing! Okay relax Elena. Find vervain. Mission: find and use vervain.

Elena nodded to herself and started on her quest.

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Finally, Elena came home looking worn out and ready to fall into her bed to rest. She felt drained after her long day of being a human. She had found vervain— and had consumed it with her coffee. She would be fine but to be on the safe side, made sure to have some of it handy.

Her brain began to fog up thinking about seeing her Damon again. It had been too long and she needed him. She still couldn't connect the word 'dead' with him, and it broke her just to think about it. Elena shook her head as she walked up to her house— which she hadn't burnt down yet thank goodness— and she didn't think about knocking. She entered and found her father standing on the other side, looking worried and ready to go.

Elena stared at him. He didn't know that she knew she was adopted, he didn't know that she knew about his research. Her father frowned. "Elena Gilbert, what in god's name are you doing out so late?" He demanded.

Elena looked at the clock. It read 10:30. Okay so she had been out long and she knew she had to go to that party. "Sorry, I just lost track of time with my friends—"

"Don't lie, Caroline called asking if you were home just a few minutes ago. She wasn't with you and Bonnie was with her." Her father said crossing his arms.

Her eyes slightly widened before she shifted. "I'm sorry I just— it won't happen again." She said looking down. Her father let her go and she went upstairs. She got ready quickly and pretended to go to sleep, her mother checking on her before leaving. Then Elena went out the window. I'm coming Damon, I'm coming. She thought.

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By the time Elena got to the party, it was in full swing and looked to be going crazy. She smiled as she began looking for her friends. Bonnie was flirting with a boy— when had her friend had a normal life since finding out she was a witch? — And then there was Caroline who looked to be making out with some boy. Elena paused. In this time, she was still dating Matt and as much as she cared for her friend, she would have to face the music. She was going to be looking for her future boyfriend and soul mate, and she didn't want to lead Matt on.

She shook her head and her soft curls she had done bounced a little. She was wearing a cute outfit, tight jeans with a low cut top that showed off her breasts; to top it off, cute boots and a jean jacket. Now it was time to find Damon.

Elena thought hard about where she had met Damon— on the bridge or near the bridge as she was waiting for her parents to come pick her up. She shook her head as she heard her name being called. She turned and found Bonnie waving. She waved back and winked. Bonnie blushed and Elena turned to start looking for her vampire.

Oh Damon… She thought breathlessly. Nobody knew that the supernatural was there, expect the supernatural and Elena it seemed. What if he thinks I'm Katherine? No. Don't think about that. YOU'RE his soul mate. Not HER.

In that moment, Elena heard… "Leaving so soon?" She turned and found Matt standing there, his cute half smile and his eyes looking hopeful. As much as Elena had thought she had loved him when she had started dating him, she couldn't bring herself to even think about him in that way anymore.

"No, I'm just looking for somebody." She explained.

Matt tilted his head sideways. "Who are you looking for?"

Elena knew Matt loved her. Or thought he loved her. And it sucked, and she wished she could help him find that love of his life. But, she was pretty sure Matt's soul mate was Rebekah and she was still daggered somewhere. Not that he knew that….

Err…what should she say? "I'm looking for a guy named Damon,"

Matt frowned. "Damon? Who's Damon?"

Elena chewed her lip. "Matt—"

"Wait…are you cheating on me?" Matt questioned, sounding angry and hurt. She shook her head no quickly. "Then who's Damon? And why are you looking for him?"

"He's just a friend!" The lie burned her lips. Damon was much more than a friend and Elena knew it. But Matt, he didn't. "I'm looking for him because he's new in town!"

Matt frowned but shook his head. "Do whatever you want to Elena." He grumbled and stormed off— likely to go find Tyler.

Already screwing around with the time line! Great. What else are you going to mess up Gilbert? She frowned. Elena turned and stormed off herself. She ended up walking out towards the bridge without even thinking about it. She barely noticed the fog and was thinking too hard to notice the signs. Damon was there….and he was about to attack.

Elena was startled when she heard his voice. "What is a pretty girl like you doing all alone all the way out here?" It was just like she remembered, expect this voice was a little more dangerous and she would admit it, it was turning her on. Her Damon rarely used this voice anymore and she missed it. Elena whipped around and found her Damon standing there with his leather jacket, crocked smile, and those jeans that made her mouth water.

Her mind then realized something. This Damon wasn't her Damon and he could likely kill her if she did the wrong thing. Shit. WHY didn't you think this through?! This Damon was still pinning for Katherine and still sore for his brother who he missed. This Damon killed for fun and took pleasure in charming the pants off girls.

Damon smirked. "Scared?" he purred.

You have no idea. Elena thought. Just what was she supposed to do now?

Chapter 1, completed. Please review and let me know what you think! I hope it's good! :) What do you think Damon will do? What do you think will happen next? How will Elena affect the future now?

Nerdy~