Jesus, this took me forever. I apologize for this being so late. As I've said before, I was in an accident in January and only began updating recently. Please excuse the lateness and enjoy the new chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Diaries.

Chapter Three

"Bros before hoes." -Unknown

Several days had passed since his time with Elena and Damon was started to feel the symptoms of withdrawal. It was hard to believe that she had managed to avoid him for so long, especially since she was currently living in his family's house. Whenever he thought that he might catch her, she was off like a dart, keeping herself near that damned maid of hers. It was like she was afraid of him or something. Was he truly so terrifying?

He wondered if maybe he had over-stepped his bounds that night. When they'd returned to the house, he'd walked her to her room.

"I'm glad you went with me today," I murmured, smiling as she gave me her own half-grin. Leaning my arm against the doorframe, I added, "I'm really glad that I shared that with you."

Her smile became a little more whimsical as she gently placed her hand on the doorknob. "Thank you for showing it to me. It was beautiful."

I couldn't help myself. Something within me begged me to see what those lips tasted like. I don't know what came over me then, but I leaned down, ready to take her mouth with my own. "Good night, Elena," I breathed, trying to contain the worst of my urges. Just one kiss would subside the desire. It had to do the trick.

Her eyes widened and the smile fell from her face. Without notice, the door was thrown open and she was already inside, closing it. "Good night, Mr. Salvatore. Thank you for showing me the town today." Had her voice always sounded so cold before? I couldn't know. It felt like I was being thrown into an icy lake after spending the day in the desert.

But I didn't try to stop her. I simply stared at the door even after she disappeared within, wishing I could figure out this particular puzzle.

And he still wanted to. Every time he tried to find her, she would disappear in a cloud of dust, mumbling an apology he could barely understand before she was gone again.

Today was showing to be no different.

Wondering if perhaps he would be able to find her in the library, he made his way there, determined to convince her to go somewhere with him again. Even if they had to bring Emily with them, he would much prefer that to this idiocy. He felt as if he were taking part in comedic theatre, always two steps behind her. Someone somewhere was definitely enjoying watching him struggle; of that he was certain. Just help me, please. Grant me this and I will never ask you for anything ever again, he prayed quickly in his head as he threw open the library's door.

Standing on the opposite side of the room was Elena, gratefully accepting a book Stefan had taken from the top shelf for her. A smile that stopped his heart alighted her face as she thanked him graciously, bringing the book to her chest as if it were as precious as a child. Of course, Stefan seemed dazzled by the change in the beautiful woman's expression, making Damon wonder if the younger Salvatore could even remember that it was Katherine Pierce that he had declared he was in love with the night before.

"Brother!" Stefan said excitedly, a happy smile stretching his lips. "I have decided that it is Katherine Pierce who I will marry. I want nothing more than to have her for my wife!"

I blinked, trying to work through the confusion in my mind. How had he gotten to loving Katherine in a span of less than a week? How could he be so certain? Of course, I wouldn't ever bring that up; didn't I feel the same way about Elena? But she was different from her sister, I knew. There was something dark in Katherine that only reflected in light within Elena. She was a good woman to fall in love with.

"I'm happy for you, brother," I answered, standing from my armchair to clap him on the back. "Now all you have to do is convince her and we can prepare for a wedding on the grounds."

"Oh, no, we won't be having the wedding here," he replied quickly, though the dreamy grin didn't leave his face as he glanced over at me, throwing his arm over my shoulders. "We're going to go to her birthplace, actually. Won't that be exciting? I've never been there before."

Intrigued, I politely asked, "Oh? And where is Katherine"—and Elena's—"birthplace?"

Unfortunately, Stefan was already lost in his own musings, and I did not receive my answer.

Now, however, Stefan seemed a little too interested in Elena. It made Damon want to go charging in, forcing her attention to him. But she would probably just run away if he weaseled her away from his brother. Why did women see Stefan as so laid-back and comfortable while Damon was like some monster striding towards them?

"Mr. Salvatore, it's good to see you staying in one place for once."

Damon glanced over his shoulder to find Katherine there, held tilted to one side with a thoughtful smile on her face. The grin didn't match the devious gleam in her eyes that always seemed to be there, as if she were planning something that she could share with no one. "Hello, Miss Pierce. I was just coming to the library to pick a book for some light reading. But it seems I've intruded on something."

He couldn't stop the near-growl tone of his voice as he looked back to his brother and Elena, who just noticed that the two of them were in the room. Though Stefan brightened when he saw Katherine, he said nothing to her and stayed beside Katherine. Elena, however, looked like a frightened doe, horrified to say the least.

Katherine snatched Damon's arm, surprising him with her strength as she started to drag him away from the scene. "Well, then you must have time to show me into town. I'm afraid that I am a disaster when it comes to direction." She continued on as they strode down the porch and towards her empty carriage, speaking of wanting to see the dresses that were available. She practically attached to his arm as they walked.

Anger rose, fierce and unpleasant. Who was this woman that went after two brothers? Did she hope to force them apart? He wasn't about to betray his brother's confidence, wasn't about to throw away his relationship with Stefan. "Excuse me, Miss Pierce, but perhaps you should ask my brother. I know that you have been spending quite a bit of time with him lately." The implied message was, of course, that he wasn't about to step onto his brother's territory.

She caught the message, smiling sweetly at him even as her hold tightened. "He really is a good boy, Mr. Salvatore. Someday, your brother will make a very good husband for a very good girl." One of her hands went to his chest, index finger slowly gliding down as she stepped closer. "But I'm not a good girl. In fact, I was hoping you could help me with a very bad intention I have." Her voice was a purr as she glanced at his lips, a devious smile tilting her lips.

Elena's face was immediately in his mind, the painful expression she'd had when she'd told him that she wouldn't have children, though they were her dream. The childlike innocence as she stared out into a sunset, as if it were the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen in her life. He'd wanted her so much in that moment that he could hardly keep himself from touching her.

Now, staring down into a face so like hers, yet so very different, he didn't feel those urges. He didn't want to take Katherine to bed, didn't want to explore what could be between them. No, he just wanted to turn around and find her twin sister and force her to finally talk to him.

Setting Katherine away from him, he said, "I would ask my brother for that service, Miss Pierce. I have another that I must worry about." Bowing as he backed away from the shocked woman, he smiled. "I will see you at dinner tonight. Eight o'clock sharp, remember." Disappearing into the house, he fled to the library, hoping that Elena would still be there.

Of course, he didn't notice the dark pleasure on Katherine's face as she watched him go. You'll come back once you see what's going on in there, she thought, striding after him into the house.

The venom clamors of a jealous woman poison more deadly than a mad dog's tooth. -William Shakespeare

Elena knew that it shouldn't bother her that Damon had disappeared with Katherine—who always got what she wanted—but it did. Incredibly so. She was a little shocked with herself to find that she wanted nothing more than to go after them, demand that Katherine release what was hers.

No, she berated herself. Damon isn't mine. I have been avoiding him for that very reason, haven't I? Falling in love with him, even in the slightest, is only going to hurt us both in the process. He can't know what I am, which means we could never be together.

"Miss Pierce," Stefan said, cutting into her thoughts, "is there something wrong?"

She looked back to the younger Salvatore, comparing him to the older. Yes, they were both handsome, though in quite different ways. Where Stefan was youthful and open, Damon was dangerous and mysterious. All of Stefan's emotions were plain on his face, an open book, so to speak. But Damon...it was as if he were written in a language long dead, something she could never truly understand to the fullest.

Smiling and knowing it was very forced, she answered lightly, "Oh, not really. I've just had a lot on my mind since we came here. You can understand, I'm sure, how hard it is to be somewhere that you have never been with few people you know." No, you can't, because you aren't several hundred years old and from Europe.

Just as she heard footsteps moving towards them, she noticed his face darken. It was a complete change of character, but she could tell immediately what had caused it. Katherine had compelled him to do something to her. She was sure of it. Her "sister" was just the kind of person to do something so conniving if something stood in the way of her master plan, even if it was the poor servant girl that she had turned for revenge.

"Mr. Salvatore, leave me alone," she hissed, hating that she was trying to compel him. Of course, she knew that it wasn't likely that it would work; Katherine was older than she was and forced much headier compulsions on her victims. "You don't want to do this."

With a smirk, Stefan leaned forward, capturing her against him before she could respond.

Suddenly, she knew Katherine's plan. She wanted both of the Salvatores and wouldn't take the chance that Elena might take one away. So, she would have Stefan kiss Elena in front of Damon, solving her problem quickly, efficiently. Damon would never forgive either Stefan or Elena and Katherine could steal him away. The only question was how had Katherine kept Stefan from drinking the vervain Emily made sure to put in every human's drink in the morning?

Just as someone came in the library's doors, Elena shoved Stefan away from her, snarling, "Don't touch me!" with such conviction that the entire room seemed to freeze in time. The occupants were silent and unmoving as Elena took several hard breaths to control herself.

Then Damon was beside her, growling at his brother, "What the hell do you think you're doing, Stefan? What happened to Katherine? I thought you were all about her." He gently forced Elena behind him, keeping one hand on her upper arm to support her. If only he knew that she wasn't as fragile as he might believe, that she was never truly in any danger. She could have killed Stefan before he got close, if she'd had the mind to.

Stefan blinked, obviously confused with the situation. His eyes, glazed over before with compulsion, cleared and he rubbed the bridge of his nose to help the process. "What am I...doing in here?" he wondered aloud to himself, making Elena feel pity for him. He glanced up, fear evident in his features. "What did I do?" His tone was nearly begging as he started to piece together what had happened before he'd snapped out of it.

Damon started to step forward, ready to argue with his brother, but Elena held him back with barely a touch. "He can't be blamed," she murmured, looking up at him. "Just let him go."

Head spinning towards her, the older Salvatore demanded, "What do you mean by that? Why the hell are you protecting him?" She could see the possible situations running through his mind, some that could be blamed on Stefan, others that were focused on her intentions. Raising a hand to his cheek, she murmured, "It was a misunderstanding. My fault. Since the accident, I am...uncomfortable when men are too close." Liar. Liar, liar, liar.

He didn't seem convinced. "Oh, yeah? Then how are you touching me right now?"

She didn't flinch, as she wanted to, but instead dropped her hand to her side. "Say and think what you please, Mr. Salvatore. I have no need to explain myself to you." She turned away from him, striding to the door with practiced ease. Both Salvatores watched her exit.

When she returned to her room, she found Katherine deciding on a dress in the mirror. Unable to control herself, she grabbed the older woman, demanding, "What is wrong with you? Do you have any idea what that could have done to us? We don't want them to figure us out!" Her voice was barely more than a hiss as she shook Katherine. "Do you know what that could have done?"

"Oh, poor Elena," Katherine cooed with a smile, shaking off Elena's hold to pat her head mockingly. "I thought you didn't want anything to do with either brother? I just needed a reason for Damon to come to me, is all. If I didn't make him hate you, he wouldn't drag his eyes away from you." Turning back to the mirror, Katherine fluffed her hair just a bit more. "Honestly, I should be proud of you, granddaughter. The day when your plain descendant outdoes you in getting men is a day to be appreciated."

Disgusted, Elena went to her suitcase, hastily repacking everything that had just been put into place. "I am leaving here, Katherine, before you destroy what I have tried desperately to keep. For the first time, we have no one on our heels. I would like to keep it that way." Knocking on the door to Emily's quarters, she asked through the door, "Emily, please go get a carriage ready. I wish to leave before nightfall." I can't handle playing nanny to Katherine anymore. She has gone insane as of late, talking of being dead and using the brothers.

"Yes, miss," Emily answered as she swung open the door, waving her hands in the air. Suddenly, everything that was Elena's floated through the air, folding perfectly into the suitcase. As the young woman walked to the door, she said, "I will have the carriage in front of the house within the hour. First I must make sure the horses are rested and the driver is ready."

Elena smiled at her friend. "Thank you, Emily."

She wasn't staying to watch as Katherine destroyed innocent lives, toyed with emotions.

Emily opened the door only to find her way blocked by a very obviously frustrated Damon. Though he nodded in acknowledgment to the witch, his eyes were almost immediately locked on Elena. He took in the suitcase—with all her clothes safely inside and folded—and those frightening eyes narrowed. "What's all this?" he asked pleasantly, though she could taste the fake sweetest from across the room.

Katherine glanced over her shoulder, still clad in only her corset and petticoats. "Elena is returning to our childhood home. It seems she is quite homesick and cannot stay here any longer." Showing no embarrassment, she turned fully towards Damon, smiling seductively. "I suppose that means I will have to keep both you and your brother company by myself," she purred.

He barely even glanced at her. "But you are to stay here until the end of winter," he said to Elena, shock showing clearly on his face. "It is barely autumn!"

She shook her head. "I'm sorry, Mr. Salvatore, but I really must go. Not only do I miss home, but I fear for my mother's health." Lie, lie, lie. "She was bedridden when we left and I can hardly sleep at night worrying over her."

"Then I shall go with you."

"You most certainly will not!" both of the Pierces cried in unison.

He raised an elegant eyebrow. "Oh? Then, Elena, you will simply have to stay here. I will have a letter sent to your home for word of your mother's condition. If she is still not well, I shall take you back home myself." He smiled as she stuttered, trying to argue the fact with him. "I'm sorry, but we really cannot offer you a carriage right now. You remember sending yours home, don't you?"

Of course she didn't. Because she hadn't. "Oh? I could have sworn that our driver was told to stay here." She stood toe to toe with him, furious that he thought she would go along with his stupidity. How was it that this man could infuriate her so much that she would forget her possible feelings for him.

He smirked, leaning on the doorframe lazily. "Sorry, Miss Pierce, but it looks like you're stuck here for at least a few days more."

He didn't look that upset over it.

I rewrote this chapter over and over, so I hope you liked what I finally came down to. I'm trying to work up to a grand reveal of true identities, but this story is kind of tricky to write.