This story is based on videos from YouTube by TheTwins90. Their Trust Breeds Trust series is absolutely fantastic and I would suggest that everyone goes to watch them! Especially if you like this story. (:

Also, everyone in Mystic Falls knows about the vampires and werewolves. Think of it as the town secret that no one talks about.

Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries. ):

Chapter One

"Is she hot?"
"Yeah...yeah, but she can be weird."
"Hot trumps weird. Trust me."

Damon Salvatore woke up, much as he did every morning, with a pounding in his head. Sunlight streamed in through unfamiliar curtains, nearly blinding him in his stupor. The warmth cushioned against his side cuddled closer as he shuddered with discomfort.

Almost afraid to look down at his companion, he pondered what to say if she joined him in the waking world. Of course, there was always the "I'm late for an important meeting" line, but he prided himself on being either perfectly blunt or perfectly creative. Perhaps he could use his little brother as a ploy to get him out of his predicament...

"Mmm, good morning, Damon."

Damn. Think, think, think...what's this woman's name again? Cherry? Sherry? Shelly! It's Shelly. "Well, good morning, Shelly," he murmured in return with a smile. He turned to look down at her and was struck by her beauty much as he had been the night before. Of course, she had been very willing to jump into bed with him the night before, so her insecurities had shown through like beacons in the darkness. Though most wouldn't have bothered to notice it, Damon had paid attention to her little pleas for compliments. The way she had held herself at certain times had been to draw attention to whatever she worried wasn't good enough.

Her drowsy grin met his eyes, reminding him that he had to get the hell out of Dodge. And soon.

"Last night was great," she purred, leaning into him. "I was hoping for a round two this morning." One of her hands lazily trailed down his chest, pushing the fact that he was still naked into the forefront of his mind.

Grabbing her wandering hand, he brought it up to his lips to kiss her knuckles lightly. "I'm sure that we're well past a measly round two at this point," he chided her with a wink. Slowly pulling away from her so as not to seem as if he were running away, the Salvatore Lothario tried to keep his annoyance under the surface. Even as he moved away, she clung to him, annoying him beyond belief. "But I'm afraid my little brother has something he needs to discuss with me. He sent me an SOS this morning."

She studied his face for a moment with narrowed eyes, searching for a lie she wouldn't find. If anything came with a century and a half of life, lying well was at the top of that list. However, she didn't know that little tidbit of information, so he wasn't surprised when her suspicious features faded into a pretty pout. "All right," she said with a sigh. "I suppose we can just get together again soon and continue where we left off." Her fingers trailed down his arm before lifting to hold the comforter in place as she sat up.

Scooting out of bed, he dragged on his pants, which had been thrown conveniently on the bedside table. Leaving the button undone, he reached for his shirt as he spoke, careful to keep his smile on his face. "I'll call you tomorrow to set up some plans." He had no intention of going through with his promise.

As Shelly sank back into the bed, drowsy and comfortable, Damon wondered how humans could allow themselves to be so pathetic as to have any notions of true love and romance. There was no such thing as a soul mate, nor would they magically meet in some big, thrilling way if there were. When you gave too much of yourself to someone, you would only get hurt. Especially if you claimed to love them.

Quickly turning to leave, the vampire did not miss the small drops of blood on the floor. He worried only for a moment that he might have drank from her without compelling her, but the feeling passed momentarily. From the smell of the blood, it had come from a bag, probably that he had brought with him. The woman now lounging in her bedroom, whispering about talking to some friend, had no idea that she had spent the night with a vampire. At least he had been smart enough to make sure of that the night before, rather than dragging another into his intricate double life.

His phone beeped twice, signaling that his battery was getting ready to die. Out of habit, he checked it blindly. One new voicemail, he read silently, rolling his eyes. He didn't need to listen to the message to know that it was his little brother, demanding to know what the hell his problem was.

Oh, little brother, if only you knew the half of it.

"He is ridiculously hot."
"Shh...he's an ass."

"No, Jenna, really, I'm fine. Yes, I know that you—can I please get a word in?" Elena laughed into her phone as she unpacked her clothes into her new dresser. She juggled it as best she could between her shoulder and her ear, trying to keep it in place well enough to hear her aunt. Unfortunately, she wasn't very good at it.

As Jenna Sommers hurriedly went through her safety check list for her newly twenty-one year old niece, Elena Gilbert tried to keep from laughing at the older woman's antics. Every word came so quickly that it was hard to understand the garbled mess other than, "You're free to come home any time. Why you moved to some dinky town called 'Mystic Falls' is still beyond me..."

Rolling her eyes, Elena replied, "Jenna, I want a small town. It'll be a lot easier for me to focus on my studies without all the hustle and bustle of a big city surrounding me. Besides, if you saw this house...you would understand why I love it so much."

The two story near-mansion had been on the upper part of her price range, but she had immediately felt a kinship with it, as if it were calling to her. It was an old house, said to have been built in the mid-nineteenth century. The owners before her had wanted to make it a museum for the history of the town, but a fire had gutted half of the house. Her new bedroom and the living room beneath it were the only parts that remained of the old inside structure, but that didn't detract from the beauty of it all.

Forcing her thoughts back to her aunt, Elena interrupted before Jenna could get on her stranger tangent. "Listen, I'm going to go out and find something to eat before it gets too late; I'll call you once I wake up in the morning, okay?"

To be honest, Elena wanted to explore her new town without thoughts of the dark and scary haunting her. If she listened to Jenna's ramblings, she might never be able to push through her natural discomfort with new people into the new life she intended to make for herself. She wanted roots somewhere, complete with friends and trusted loved ones. She couldn't be expecting every bump in the night to be an attacker, that every neighbor was harboring a dirty secret.

Wiping her hands off on her comfy jeans, she grabbed the keys to her car, taking a deep breath to steady herself. I will go out and have fun. I will not act like this isn't my new home.

With that in mind, the brunette hastily put her hair into a high ponytail and disappeared out her front door. She hit the unlock button twice as the feeling of being watched crept up her spine. Of course, she knew that she wasn't being watched; the sun shone brightly down on her and illuminated anywhere that might house an assailant. She shook her head, laughing at her own paranoia and forcing herself to ignore the feeling of hunger eating at her stomach.

Trying to remember any bars or grills in the tiny town, only one came to mind, so she decided to try to find wherever that was. There's only one main street; if you get lost, you're an idiot, she berated herself as she turned towards the center of town.

A smile lighted her face at the obvious camaraderie between the other residents of Mystic Falls. At the only stop light in the downtown, Elena was surprised to see an all American young man take grocery bags from an elderly woman's cart to put in her backseat for her. He wore no uniform brandishing a grocery store's name, nor had the woman asked for help. But the moment he gave it, the woman smiled and thanked him, giving his arm a small squeeze of appreciation as he finished putting her bags away.

You would never see that back in Atlanta, she thought in amazement, slowly pulling away as the light turned green.

Turning down the next street, she found herself in the back alley behind all the businesses. Signs held the names of the stores and restaurants, brightly advertising whatever they were known for. She found what she was looking for, the Mystic Falls Grill, and parked in the only available parking space. Either this is a drinking town or their Saturday afternoon foods are to die for, she decided, turning off her car.

She slid her keys into her pocket and took a deep breath before stepping out of the car. She needed to be strong, to act as if this were as natural as breathing to her. She needed to act like she belonged in this new town.

As she moved through the doorway, she wasn't surprised when every face was turned towards her. How could she be when she knew how close knit the community was? But she held her head high and smiled brightly as she passed her new neighbors, knowing that they were no doubt discussing her the moment life seemed to breathe back into confined area.

Her eyes scanned the other inhabitants. Most were around her age, maybe a little older. They quickly turned their attention away from her whenever they caught her gaze. Even when she looked at the older people scattered throughout the bar/restaurant, they seemed to think that she wasn't to be looked directly in the eyes. Was it really so strange for this town to have a newcomer?

Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to make this my first trip into town, she thought as she quickly looked away, blushing furiously. Pretending to be deeply entranced by the wall directly in front of her, she wondered why she had believed that acting as if she belonged would make her belong. But I can't just turn around and walk out, she decided, knowing that that would only make the town's citizens all the more wary of her. If she wanted to be a part of the town, she would just have to take baby steps.

Walking up to the bartender with her shoulders back and chin up, she smiled the most beautiful smile she could muster with the feeling of her nonacceptance eating at her stomach. "Hi, I'm Elena Gilbert," she said politely as the bartender turned to help her. "I'm new in town and I don't know where anything is. Do you know where I could find a grocery store nearby?"

Grinning back at her—she had known she would have that affect on him—the bartender gave her easy to follow directions, making sure that she knew exactly where she was going. He even wrote down the street names for her on a napkin, just in case she forgot anything. "And that shouldn't take you more than a five minute drive," he finished. "Can I get you a water or anything for the road?"

She shook her head no, thanked him, and twisted to walk back out the door she'd come in. Unfortunately, she didn't pay very close attention to where she was going and walked right into a chest that felt more like a wall. She stumbled backwards, catching herself on the edge of the bar. Hands gripped her upper arms, steadying her with surprising speed.

"I'm sorry!" Elena breathed, looking up with a flush spreading across her cheeks. She immediately pulled away from the stranger's grip and put her hands where she'd collided with him to make sure he was okay. "I wasn't watching where I was..." Her words trailed off as her gaze met piercing blue eyes that were more like ice than anything else. "...going."

A charming smile tilted the strange man's lips up, almost as if he were taunting her for being polite. "Oh, don't worry about it, princess. But if you really want to make it up to me"—he took a step closer to her—"you can come out on a date with me tonight."

At his words, Elena's trance broke. She stepped to the right, ready to move around him. Keeping her eyes locked with his, she noticed the surprise that briefly flashed across his face before that smile came back, full power once more. I wonder if he really thinks that a smile is going to win me over, she wondered to herself. With a smile of her own, she replied, "Sorry, I'm not free in the near future. Thanks for asking, though."

The entire establishment seemed to take a collective breath, reminding her that she had an audience. Acting much as she had when she walked through the doors, Elena Gilbert didn't look back at the stranger whose eyes she could feel watching her every move.

"Give me your glass. Neither one of us is drunk enough for this conversation."

Damon Salvatore had been...turned down. By a woman who couldn't have possibly had time to hear about his usual exploits?

The thought pushed his true age to the forefront of his mind, though it didn't really matter. One hundred and seventy one going on twenty five, his mind suddenly said, making a smile cross his face. Of course, most of the town's citizens knew what he was, but he was hardly going to be afraid of that. Immortals lived throughout the town and magic was rampant; people would have guessed if it wasn't already common knowledge. But it's like that girl knew.

"So, when are you gonna run out after her?"

The smile froze in place on his face. With mythical creatures came humans that hunted them, and this particular hunter was on shaky terms with Damon's good side.

Turning slightly to look at his frenemy, the blue eyed vampire smirked mockingly. "Oh, ho, ho," he fake-laughed. "Aren't you just the funny one?" Though he'd like nothing more than to kill the man, he took a seat next to him, ordering his usual bourbon.

Alaric Saltzman twisted slightly on his barstool, a grin to match Damon's. "Poor, poor vampire Casanova. Getting turned down doesn't put you in a good mood, does it?" The vampire hunter turned his gaze back to the wall across from him. Without having to see the other man's face, he sipped his drink and said, "I will not talk women with you, Salvatore. If you need your pound of flesh, go find some." Sharp eyes glanced over once more. "Just be careful how far you take it."

Damon rolled his eyes as his glass was put down in front of him. There was one law in Mystic Falls that his kind—as well as a few others—so as not to be rounded up and killed: never kill. Vampires wouldn't drink a victim dry, werewolves locked themselves in underground shelters during the full moon, and all the others kept their talons and fangs to themselves. The witch families of the town were the main enforcers, then came the practiced hunters, and finally, the police force. It was unlikely that an immortal would get away with any murders.

That woman...I haven't seen her before. She certainly got Will talking, he noted, glaring at the bartender without knowing it. Usually, Will was silent, only giving a few words here and there to get a point across. Otherwise, he kept everything to himself. But this new woman, this stranger, had gotten the quiet one to give the most thorough directions anyone in town had probably ever heard him give. What is it about her?

"Whatever you're thinking about doing, Damon, don't."

We're not even friends and he knows what I'm thinking? How pathetic have I become...

Downing the last of his drink, Damon said, "Me? I'm not thinking about doing anything." Except figuring out what that girl is.

"She chose to trust me in spite of what I am. If I'm going to put my trust in someone's instincts, it's going to be hers."

"Well, then that makes you the biggest idiot of them all."

"She chose to trust you, too."

"Then maybe you shouldn't be so sure about her instincts."

Twenty four hours had passed since Elena met that stranger in town. Which meant it had been twenty three hours since she'd last been outside of the walls of her new home.

She was going insane.

Am I really so afraid of meeting him again? What's he going to do to me? Elena demanded of herself. There was no reason for her to be afraid. It wasn't as if he were out to kill her or something. I can't just lock myself in the house until I magically figure out who he is and why he looked at me like he did. I need to be strong.

Dragging the wet clothes from her washing machine, she stared longingly at the dryer. She'd been told it was an older model when she'd bought the house, but she hadn't expected it to give out so quickly. Luckily, there was a clothesline in the backyard. She didn't mind the outdoorsy smell of her clothes, but it would have been nice to have them dried faster. And for her absentee neighbors to not get to see her unmentionables.

Carrying the basket under her arm, she made her way outside, enjoying the soft breeze on her face. The sun shone brightly overhead, keeping the temperature perfect. She breathed in the fresh air, wondering how long it would take her to get over how perfect everything in the quaint little town was.

As she hung the laundry, a loud squawk made her jump nearly out of her skin. Spinning on her heel, she found the culprit: a lone crow. She used the towel in her hand to wave it away, shaking. A peculiar sense of foreboding came over her as the crow simply stared at her, looking as if it had plans for her. She shook off the thought, however, blaming it on all the stories Jenna had taken to telling her.

Turning away from the bird, deciding to let it do it's thing, a sudden gust of air hit her, making her shiver. At that moment, the entire feeling of the day changed into something she couldn't place. A chill rolled up her spine even before the crow gave another squawk, and she spun on her heel just in time to see the bird diving for her. With a squeal of panic, she held up the towel to use as protection, breathing a sigh of relief when the bird merely took it from her hands.

Then she remembered that was her towel and ran off, chasing the bird directly into her new neighbor's open back door.

Without thinking, the young woman crossed into the other yard, ignoring the little voice in her head warning her that something wasn't right. Instead, she slowly pushed through the door that the crow had flown in through and glanced around quickly, hoping to at least find her towel.

Am I really breaking and entering into my new neighbor's house just to get back a towel? Elena suddenly asked herself, wanting nothing more than to slap herself. Who would be okay with someone invading their home just to get a towel back from a bird? Who would believe that story to begin with?

Turning to leave, Elena found herself face to face with a chest that was definitely familiar. Before, it had been covered by a leather jacket, but the black T-shirt had the same effect. She slowly looked up, meeting that almost mocking smirk with wide eyes. Take a step back, Elena, and apologize, her mind commanded. The order never made it through, however.

"So we meet again," the stranger from the grill drawled, smiling down at her charmingly. "Only this is a much better setting, wouldn't you say? I'm Damon Salvatore." He stuck out his hand to take hers and bring it to his lips.

Unsure of what to do, Elena let him and stammered, "I'm sorry. The...the door was open and the crow..."

"What crow?" Damon asked, glancing around. "I can tell you with complete honesty that I don't have any pets."

Something in his face when he looked back down at her with a predatory smile made her stop. He wasn't lying, so far as she could tell, but he was keeping something behind those eyes. Of that, she was absolutely sure.

She wasn't about to call him out on it, though.

Taking a step back, Elena edged towards the door, saying, "I'm sorry that I...burst in on you. I guess the bird must have just flown off...trick of the eyes." But I know the bird flew in here! I'm absolutely sure of it! Not knowing that she was doing it, she searched his eyes once again for whatever that secret was.

Damon watched her just as closely, though he hid it much better. For a moment, he wondered if maybe he should compel her to tell him whatever was on her mind, but he nudged that plan quickly into the reject pile. If she had eaten anywhere in town, she'd been fed vervain, which would mean that she would be immune to even his best attempts.

He watched her, feeling a twinge of discomfort at the intense way she read his eyes. As a vampire, he shouldn't have been so focused on this woman that didn't seem to care at all about his advances. There were many women that he could go to, whether for blood or sex. And they wouldn't be glaring at him as if they knew exactly what he wanted to do to them. If they did know what he was thinking about doing to them, they would welcome it with open arms.

That's why you're so drawn to her, Damon decided. You aren't used to women acting as if you were the scum on their shoe.

Flipping the charm switch in his mind to overdrive, the vampire took a step closer to the human, acknowledging somewhere in his mind that he had no intention of tapping her vein. He wanted her...

She immediately took several steps backwards, keeping a healthy distance between them. "Well, Mr. Salvatore, I had better be going. I'm sorry again for intruding."

Before he could stop her, she disappeared out of the house, practically leaving a trail of dust.

I think I want to get to know her a bit better, Damon thought with a smirk as a raven cawed outside the window.