Information: Alternate take on season 4, starting from 4x08 following the discovery of the sire bond. All events that took place on the show up until 4x08 did happen, except that Damon and Stefan didn't find out how to break the sire bond when they took their trip to Chicago in 4x08 and Elena doesn't know about the cure (which she found out about in 4x06 on the show), but Stefan and Damon do.

The Originals and other minor characters will be featured, but the main focus will be on Stefan, Elena and Damon.

Don't recommend reading if extremely anti-Stelena or anti-Delena.

Ongoing Stelena and Delena romance, with a lot of focus on the Stefan/Elena/Damon triangle and romantic Stelena endgame.

Disclaimer: I do not claim to own The Vampire Diaries or any of its characters, all rights go to CW.

LET THE RIGHT ONE IN

Chapter 1: The Truth Hurts

The events of the last 24 hours have left me exhausted, but I tidy up the house in an attempt to distract myself from my thoughts.

I'm sired to Damon.

How's that even possible? At first I didn't believe it for a second. Caroline hates Damon and the sire bond is just her way of finding something to blame my actions on, so as to invalidate my feelings for him. I thought it was a low blow and couldn't believe her hatred for him was so strong that she would go to those lengths just to keep us apart, but after she'd explained it, the pieces started to fit together. I was unable to feed from animals or blood bags because Damon said I couldn't, I killed Connor because Damon told me to, and come to think of it I can't think of a single thing Damon has said or done since I've turned that I haven't agreed with, which is odd considering that usually I disagree with almost everything he says or does on both a moral and personal level.

More than anything I don't want it to be true, because I'm afraid of what it means and I'm still clinging to that final shred of hope that maybe it isn't, that Caroline is wrong and that her concocting this idea of the sire bond is because she doesn't approve of me being with Damon. But the evidence is plainly in front of me...how can I ignore that?

Unfortunately, the tidying doesn't quieten my mind and I replay Caroline's words over and over in my head. I haven't seen Damon yet and I'm anxious about what will happen when I do. Does he know yet, and if he does how does he feel about it? I don't even know how I feel about it yet. Just hours ago I was on top of the world following the night I'd spent with Damon, I was having fun with my best friends and I was high on the drug of discovering a new love, but now...I just don't know. I need some time alone to think, but I don't get that time, because a few seconds later I hear footsteps approaching.

"Elena, we need to talk," Damon says, as he appears in the doorway. "Me and Stefan..."

I already know what he's going to say, and I stop him before he gets the chance.

"I know I'm sired to you, Damon," I blurt out.

His eyes widen slightly in surprise.

"Oh."

"Caroline told me. That's what you and Stefan were doing, isn't it? Is there a way to break it?"

"We don't know yet," he says.

I sigh deeply. He's still across the room from me and when I look at him it stirs the same feelings in me that it has over the passing weeks. I feel nervous in his presence and my body reacts to him being near. I'm reminded of how it felt to dance with him, how the electricity and tension kept building between us with each passing second until it was unbearable and we had no choice but to give in to each other. How I feel is so strong that it's hard to believe that the sire bond could be solely responsible. I was so happy and assured yesterday morning when I woke up in bed next to him and I wish we could go back to that, so that I can linger in the happiness for just a while longer.

It seems to be an emerging pattern in my life that whenever I find some tiny shred of happiness, everything inevitably comes crashing down around me and I don't know how much more of it I can handle. I want to run to him and press my lips to his just to stop that from happening, but I can't ignore my conscience. No matter what I feel for him or how much I want it to be true, it doesn't change the fact that I'm sired to him and that means that everything I thought I was sure of I'm not anymore.

He doesn't say anything, because for once he doesn't know what to say and I remain quiet so that I can attempt to process and internalise how I feel about it all. I've only known for a few hours, and I can't decipher or separate my emotions or thoughts from one another. I know that Damon is desperate for me to say something to put his mind at rest and provide him with some comfort, but my head is spinning and I don't know what to do or say for the best. Do I do what's right or do I do what I want to do?

He inhales deeply and steps closer, reaching his hand out towards me, unable to withstand another second of silence, but I automatically shift away from him. My eyes flit up to him for a moment and I see his arm flop down by his side. A quiet, frustrated and defeated sigh escapes him and I hate to reject him, knowing how much pain it causes him. It seems that I'm always hurting someone with my actions lately - Damon, Stefan, Jeremy, Matt, Connor - and no matter how hard I try I can't seem to break free of that cycle. The feelings of self loathing and depression that I have carried since becoming a vampire return once more. The feelings that I thought being with Damon had erased.

"I'm sorry, Damon, we can't. I can't," I say quietly, my eyes on the ground.

"Why not?"

His question takes me aback. How can he not see how much this has changed everything?

"Why? Because I'm sired to you and we don't even know what that means. Tyler said that the sire bond only affects how you act and not how you feel but what if-?"

"Exactly. It doesn't affect how you feel. So, I guess the only important question is...how do you feel about me?"

He asks the question slowly, lingering on each word and I meet his eyes, which are intense with anticipation and anxiety. He holds my gaze unflinchingly, and even though I know how I feel for him, I can't act on it anymore. His hand goes up to my face and this time I don't stop him, despite knowing that I should. He rests his hand on my cheek and in a moment of weakness, I close my eyes and lean into him.

"Damon..." I say my voice dripping with uncertainty and longing. I take his hand and gently pull it away from my face and the small smile that had started to appear at the corner of his mouth slips away.

"Look, we'll find a way to break it and when we do-"

"Yesterday morning we were happy. You were happy," he says cutting me off mid-sentence. "Why does that have to change?"

"Because..."

"Because what? Huh? What about what Tyler said?"

Already his upset has given way to anger and I feel irritated at the childish, stubbornness he displays in trying to challenge me. After everything that has happened I expected more from him.

"I know what Tyler said, but he's a hybrid. Maybe it's different with vampires. Maybe it works differently, and if it does we need to know before-"

He rolls his eyes, like a sulky teenager.

"Look, I care about you, Damon, and no matter what happens that won't change, but what if-?"

"What if you only slept with me because of the sire bond?"

In an instant my irritation with him is obliterated and instead I see the Damon that I care about, the Damon that I've been falling in love with over these passing days, the Damon that is insecure and vulnerable, and wants nothing more than to be loved.

"No...that's not what I was going to say. Please, Damon, I just need you to understand..."

I break off mid sentence when I see that the expression on his face has suddenly changed. His eyes are wide and he's staring over my shoulder at something.

"What? What is it?" I inquire as I turn my head to follow his eye line.

My heart stops beating when I see that Stefan is standing in the doorway. I don't know how much he heard, but I fear the worst.

"Stefan..."

My throat is so dry, that I can scarcely breathe and when I say his name my voice comes out as nothing more than a strained whisper.

His eyes aren't on me or Damon, he seems to be looking right through us. Usually all I have to do is look into his eyes to know exactly what he's thinking and feeling, but I can't this time. I can't predict what he's going to do or how he's going to react, and it unsettles me. He stands rooted on the spot, his eyes wide and unblinking whilst Damon and I stand frozen, both of us paralysed by shock and dread and at a complete loss for words. Stefan suddenly turns on his heels and heads for the door and in a flash he's out of sight.

"Stefan, wait!" I instinctively call after him.

"Elena, don't," Damon says, grabbing my arm and holding me back.

"Damon, let go of me," I say firmly, wriggling from his grip.

He still hasn't adjusted to my new vampire strength and underestimates how powerful I am, so I manage to free myself and I take off after Stefan. When I get outside I can see that he's getting into his car that is parked in the driveway and in a second I'm at his side, pushing the car door shut with all my strength to prevent him from getting in.

"Stefan. Stefan, please," I beg.

I don't know what I'm going to say or how I'm even going to begin to explain, all I know is that I don't want him to go, not now. Not like this.

"Elena, let go." he says calmly.

"No. Stefan, we have to talk about this. Please," I plead.

He remains still and silent for a moment and then he grabs my arm and tosses me away from the car. I stumble back and I'm so stunned that by the time I have recovered, he has already sped off leaving a cloud of dust behind him.

"No..." I whisper.

"Elena?"

I turn to see Damon standing a few feet from me.

"Damon, what have we done?" I say in a wobbly voice.

I go into his arms and let him hold me, and I don't care that I'm not supposed to this time, because I need to. It's all come crashing down, just like it always does and right now Damon is the only person in the world that doesn't hate me.