Summary: What if Elena met Damon first? Flashback from 3x22. What if instead of Stefan saving Elena from the bridge Damon did. The story how it would have gone if she met Damon first. First chapter is a little slow but it will pick up. It is not going to follow the show because I cannot reconcile the Damon I know and love doing the things that Stefan did. Some parts will be similar but others very different. Hope you all enjoy this and send me some reviews.

PS I own nothing. Everything belongs to LJ Smith and the CW

Flashback

"Elena? Elena? Come on where is your head babe?" Matt asked when he saw that Elena was ignoring him.

"Oh sorry Matt." she said focusing on her longtime boyfriend.

"What are you thinking about? You know you can tell me anything." he assured her, squeezing her hand tenderly. How could she tell him she was thinking about passion and a love that she could only dream of? How could she tell him that he unleashed less passion in her than a platonic friend would? How could she tell him that unlike him who saw marriage and children, she saw nothing in their future? He was a high school boyfriend who felt more like a friend, but nothing more than that.

"I'm fine Matt. I was just thinking." she told him smiling.

"Are you sure?" he asked. Matt Donovan really was an amazing guy and any girl would be lucky to have him. She just hoped that someday he met a girl who deserved him. That girl was just not her, as much as it pained her to say it.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm going to call my parents and get them to come pick me up. I shouldn't have ditched out on family game night." she stated pulling her phone from her pocket and dialling home.

She walked away from the party onto the road, while she walked she talked to Bonnie on the phone. As much as she wished she was able to, she couldn't break up with Matt tonight. She felt a cool breeze and turned her head to see an amazingly handsome man standing across from her. She was sure that he hadn't been standing there moments ago.

"Katherine." he stated almost reverently.

"Um...no. I'm Elena." she said slightly confused looking around her.

"Oh... you just look. I'm sorry. You just really remind me of someone. I'm Damon." he said introducing himself and taking a couple steps towards her.

"Not to be rude or anything Damon but its kinda creepy that you're out here in the middle of nowhere." she said walking towards him a little bit too, although she knew she should be frightened of him.

"You're one to talk. You're out here all by yourself." he told her.

"Its Mystic Falls, nothing bad ever happens here." she said shrugging. "I got into a fight with my boyfriend." she admitted.

"About what? May I ask?" he inquired.

"Life. Future. He's got it all mapped out." she said.

"You don't want it?" he asked.

"I don't know what I want." she admitted.

"Well that's not true. You want what everybody wants." he told her.

"What? Mysterious stranger that has all the answers." she asked smiling at him.

"Let's just say I've been around a long time. I've learned a few things." he said shrugging.

"So Damon, tell me. What is it that I want?" she asked, unable to stop smiling at the handsome stranger.

"You want a love that consumes you. You want passion and adventure and even a little danger." he told her certainly. She smiled impressed with his perceptiveness, he knew exactly what she wanted.

"So what do you want?" she asked. He seemed to be at a loss for words when Elena heard the horn honk and the car come around the corner.

"It's my parents." she said. He locked his gaze on her and kept her captivated.

"I want you to get everything you're looking for. For right now I want you to forget this happened. Cant have people knowing I'm in town yet. Night Elena." he said before disappearing. Elena glanced around her feeling confused before shaking her head and climbing into the backseat of her mom and dads car.

"How was the party sweetheart?" her mom asked.

"I need to break up with Matt. I know what I want and its not him." she said.

"You'll figure it out sweetheart. Just make sure you let him down easy." her mom told her as her dad made his way to Wickery Bridge. The next couple minutes went by in a blur. One second her parents were talking in the front seat and the next the car was careening off the bridge into the cold water below. The next thing Elena remembered was waking up in the hospital bed with memories of intensely blue eyes pulling her out of the water.

"Where are mom and dad?" she asked seeing Jenna at her bedside when she opened her eyes. Jenna leaped up and leaned over Elena's bedside.
"Oh Elena. I'm so glad you're alright." she said sobbing into her nieces bruised body.
"Where is mom and dad?" she asked again, her voice more forceful.

"Oh Elena... they didn't make it." Jenna said crying. Elena felt numb from the inside out. She saw Jeremy asleep on chair on the other side of her bed and she reached over to take his hand. He woke up immediately and rushed over to her side.

"I'm so happy you're awake. I couldn't lose you too." he said.

"I'm fine." she said almost monotone. When she woke up again a few hours later Caroline, Bonnie and Matt were at her side. Caroline was crying while Bonnie was rubbing her shoulder and Matt was holding her hand.

"Hi" she said opening her eyes. Caroline leaped at her hugging her tightly. "Care, you're squishing me." she groaned.

"Oh. Sorry." she said stepping back.

"I'm so happy you're okay." Matt said kissing her forehead. She had so many people around her that cared for her. But she didn't have her parents. They were gone. And despite what the doctors and everyone else told her, Elena knew that a blue eyed mad saved her life. She seen him when he pulled her out of the water, seen his eyes shining at her as he breathed life back into her. They say her father must have managed to get her free and she swam to the top. But she knew it was wrong, she knew a gorgeous blue eyed man saved her life.

Three months later, Elena rolled over in bed when her alarm went off. She sighed knowing it was the first day back to school after everything that happened. First day of classes, first day of cheer leading. First time being out since the accident. Even after three months she still hadn't found her saviour. He was still as elusive as ever. She threw the covers back and walked into her bathroom to get ready for the day. For the first time in three months she worked on her appearance before changing into a pair of jeans and a red shirt. She pulled on her leather jacket with that and walked downstairs.

"Ready to get back to life?" Jenna asked as she made breakfast.

"No, but I don't really have a choice. It wont be the same this year though. I'm an orphan now." she said.

"You'll be fine. Besides you have Bonnie and Caroline in case you aren't fine." she assured her niece. Jenna was really coming into her own as their guardian. She was doing her best and she was succeeding. Although Jeremy was recovering in his own way it seemed.

"I gotta go. I have cheer leading after school, Caroline would never let me miss it even after missing all the practices through the summer." she said.

"Have fun." Jenna called. Elena waved and walked out to her car.

"Are you still stalking the girl?" Damon asked Stefan.

"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be off tormenting Zack or something? Why the hell did you even come back?" Stefan said glaring at his brother.

"I am here enjoying while you make a fool of yourself with the Katherine lookalike. I can only torment Zack for so long. And I am back because I have a master plan." he said.

"You always have a master plan Damon. I want to know what it is." Stefan said rubbing his forehead.

"You always want to know. You only wish you were as diabolical as I am. But right now I'm more interested in why you've been stalking the poor girl since I pulled her out of the water because you were too entranced by her appearance to do anything productive.

"I thought it was Katherine." he said.

"You didn't hear the lovely "thump thump" sound that was her heart? Good God the bunny diet is really affecting your senses." Damon said.

"I have to go to school Damon. Why don't you do everyone a favour and just leave." Stefan suggested.

"That would be no fun. You should really be nicer to me." Damon said mock pouting.

"Why is that?" he asked.

"Because I am here for a reason. I am back in this god-forsaken town for the first time in eons to kill the coldhearted bitch." he said.

"You want to kill Katherine?" Stefan asked his mouth dropping.

"Yep. The bitch fucked with me and used me while she clearly preferred you, therefore... death." he said.

"Just go home Damon. Leave Katherine alone." Stefan said.

"Don't bring any girls home. You know abstinence is key, I think that's what they teach you there. I'll see you at home Stef." he said disappearing. Stefan sighed and shook his head before going down to the school.

When the school day was over Elena ran into the hard body of a man. She looked up to find some sparkling green eyes and she smiled up at him.

"Oh I'm sorry. I'm Elena." she said holding out her hand.

"I'm Stefan. I should have been watching where I was going better I guess." he said laughing.

"Maybe." she said lightly.

"Do you think maybe I can repay you with a drink at the Grill? After all I mean I did just almost knock you down." he said smiling at her.

"Sure." she agreed.

"I hate to do this, but I don't have a car as of now, do you think you could drive me?" he asked.

"It's not a problem." she agreed smiling. There was no electric shocks between them and no emotions whatsoever, but she thought that maybe he could be a good friend.

"Is it okay if we stop off at my house first? I need to drop off my bags." he asked.

"Sure, just tell me where to go." she told him smiling. He smiled back and she led him to her car. He climbed into the passenger seat as she started up the car. After following his directions she ended up outside an amazingly beautiful but dark old house.

"This is it." he said getting out and leading her to the front door.

"It's amazing." she said almost dreamily.

"Just wait here, I'm just running my stuff upstairs." he said taking off at human speed to the stairs. Elena looked around the room that he left her standing in when she heard someone step into the room.

"Hi." she said when she seen the gorgeous blue eyed man standing a few feet away from her.

"Hello. You're waiting for Stefan?" he asked.

"Yeah, he's taking me out for a drink at the Grille." she stated unsure why she felt a certain security but uncomfortableness in his presence. She had never felt that before. It was more than strange, although there was something about him that was so familiar.

"That's nice of him. Stefan is awesome like that. I'm Damon." he said holding out his hand for hers.

"I'm Elena." she said offering him her hand. He surprised her by lifting it to his lips and kissing the back of her hand.

"Pleasure to meet you Elena." he said.

"You too." she said.

"Are you ready to go?" Stefan said urgently upon walking into the room and seeing Damon with her.

"Sure. It was nice to meet you Damon." she said smiling at him.

"You too. I'll see you around Elena." he said smiling at her before disappearing deeper into the house. Stefan frowned and pulled Elena from the house.

"Who was he?" she asked when she was seated in the car.

"That's Damon." he answered trying to control his ire at his brother interfering.

"I know his name. Who is he?" she asked.

"He's my older brother." Stefan admitted.

"He is. Wow. How long as he been in town?" she asked.

"I'm not sure. Damon is very good at remaining hidden if he needs to." he explained.

"Oh." she said unsure of how to respond to what Stefan said. It was clear from the way he spoke about Damon that he wasn't too fond of him. But the problem was that Elena found herself wanting to get to know the other Salvatore more. He intrigued her, and there was the chance that he was the one to pull her out of the car the night of the accident. She didn't think her mind could conjure up eyes such as the ones she seen at the accident and once again at the Salvatore house.

"Damon is dangerous Elena. Don't go near him."Stefan told her.

"Why do you say that?" she asked annoyed.

"He just is. Please try to heed my warning." he almost begged.

"You are not my family and you are not my boyfriend. You have to reason to be telling me who I can or can't see." she said getting angry.

"I'm sorry. But please just heed my warning." she said.

"Can you find your own way back to your house? I have somewhere to be." she said lying.

"Sure." he told her eyeing her confused. He knew he must have pissed her off quite badly for her to be ditching him now.

"I'm sorry. I'll see you at school." she told him getting up and rushing out. She couldn't get out fast enough. She walked to her car and nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw Damon leaning against it.

"Oh my God, you scared me to death." she said clutching her chest.

"I'm sorry. How are you?" he asked.

"I just met Stefan today, and he's already trying to tell me who I can or cant see." she ranted.

"Let me guess, Stefan wants you to stay away from me?" he asked.

"Yes. I mean you cant possibly be as dangerous as he thinks you are." she said running her fingers through her hair.

"It's just sibling rivalry. A beautiful girl comes into two brothers lives and both want her. Fighting ensues." he said softly.

"You want me?" she asked shocked when he pretty much just admitted that she wanted him.

"Why wouldn't I?" he responded. She didn't respond- she couldn't. Not with the electric current coursing through their bodies at that very moment.

"Come. Let me buy you a coffee or something." he offered.

"Where?" she asked.

"Well not here, because my brother is currently sulking in there. He's really quite a talented sulker. How about that cafe a block away from the school?" he suggested.

"Sounds good. Did you drive here?" she asked.

"Yep. The blue Camaro is mine." he said pointing to his pride and joy.

"Do you want to take separate cars?" she asked.

"Might as well." he agreed, no need to show her that the car is not strictly necessary. He followed her to the cafe and they walked in together.

"How long have you been in town?" she asked.

"Um... I come and go as I please. I haven't been back for long." he lied.

"That must be nice- coming and going. It would be not to have to answer to anyone but yourself." she mused.

"It's nice, it gets a little lonely sometimes." he admitted.

"Come on, I'm sure there are plenty of girls who are willing to spend time with you." she scoffed.

"That's not entirely what I meant but you're right. I rarely spend a night alone." he admitted.

"You're kind of a man-slut aren't you?" she asked.

"Man-slut? That's a new one I've never heard before." he told her grinning. She laughed and they talked about nothing for a while longer. She found out in such a short time that he had an massive ego and he used sarcasm as a method of self defence. She never found the waves of electricity lessening and she wondered what it would feel like if she ever actually touched him. When they were done their drinks he walked her out to her car.

"This was nice." she said cursing her lame line.

"It was. You do realize how cliche that sounded right? I hate cliches." he said.

"I know, I couldn't figure out what else to say." she admitted.

"Well you could start with your conversational skills are amazing Damon and I would love to hang out with you again. Very very soon. You made my day so much better, and I like you more than your broody sulky younger brother, and I was kind of hoping you would kiss me goodbye because I know it will be the single greatest kiss I have ever received." he suggested to her.

"I am not saying any of that. Your ego knows no bounds. But the kiss I am open for you to convince me." she said.

"How would I go about that? All I know is your lips are so luscious all I want to do is touch them and nibble on them." he told her. She felt herself get hot just hearing his words. She nodded her head unable to find her voice. He grinned at her before closing the distance between their lips. She gasped and opened her mouth granting him access. He plundered her mouth with his tongue wrestling her tongue with his. She had never been kissed like this before, and definitely never on a first date if that was what this was. When he broke the kiss he smirked at her.

"I'll see you around." before he walked back to his car leaving her in the middle of the parking lot feeling like a pile of Elena goo.