Elena's POV

And there it was stood on the side of the road where it had been for as long as I can remember. 'Welcome To Mystic Falls' the sign Jeremy and I would have competitions over who saw it first on our return of one of our family holidays. That sign, this road, driving back to the town I grew up in brings back memories of our happy life when our family was whole before the accident that ruined our lives forever.

As I drive down what seems to be the longest road ever right now, I remember the memory I've tried to forget for so long, the night Jeremy and I started a play fight in the back seat of the car, I remember mom and dad laughing at the sounds of laugher escaping my lips then it all happened so suddenly. The loud bang and sharp jolt to the car, dads groan of pain and the shock of the freezing water hitting my body. I remember going numb from the cold and everything going dark. Next thing I know Jeremy is hanging over the top of me shaking my shoulders calling my name and shouting wake up. Realisation hit me from the look on his face and the tears streaming from his eyes looking around and seeing two black bags side by side being stretchered away. Tears filling my eyes as the memory fades I stop the car to get them under control. I take my time before moving the car again, attempting to delay the reunion with the small town for a little while. It's not that I don't like Mystic Falls it was a great place I had lived there for 15 years before my life fell apart and I went from Elena Gilbert the popular pretty girl to the girl who had to be babied because her parents had died. I was suffocating in the small town where everyone knew my story, so that's why I moved to New York, I had to get away from all the sympathetic looks and the 'I'm sorry for your loss' comments.

My slow drive into the centre of town I recognise the people I went to school with. I'm not ready to reminisce about the past just yet. Looking around nothing's changed everything's still where it had been 10 years ago when I had left. Across the square stood the 'Mystic Grill' when I left that was the place to hang out. Caroline, Bonnie and I would go there after school to bust tables, we were too young to drink back then so we got jobs. When we weren't working we were there having lunch or playing pool with the guys, Matt, Tyler and Stefan. Looking at the place now the urge for a drink is getting the better of me, I need one to calm my nerves before going home. 10 years and this place hasn't changed, same bar stools which are still as uncomfortable as back then.

''ID please'' I did not just hear the bar tender say that.

''Are you serious I'm 25''

''Well sorry but I need to see it Miss…''

''Gilbert''

''Gilbert as in Elena Gilbert?''

''Yes, wait.. MATT? ''

''God Elena it's been so long you look amazing''

''Thanks so do you, how have to been?''

''I'm good I own this place now, have done for 3 years how about you?''

''Yea I'm great, I live up in New York, well did''

''Are you moving back? That's great Caroline and Bonnie will be so happy, do they know you're here?''

''No and I'd like it to stay that way for now at least please, it's just I've been driving all night and I'm not really ready to be bombarded with Caroline's questions just yet''

''I understand, it will be our little secret''

Enjoying the minute to myself and my scotch sat on the counter in front of me while Matt deals with something through the back I don't even look to the person sitting next to me basically because I can't be bothered with small talk so I ignore whoever it is that is until I see a man's hand reaching over to touch mine when I finally speak. 'Don't even think about it or you will lose a finger or two''. Half way through my sentence I look up to see and overweight sweaty guy that I have never seen before and smile as I finish what I have to say, watching him retract his hand and get up to walk away. Returning my gaze to the half empty glass between my hands I remember back to when I worked here, this guy Mason Lockwood, a year older me approaching me and whispering in my ear so I could hear him over the loud music pointing at his friend telling me that he really likes me. Looking over at the friend seeing his clear blue eyes and smile wide across his face I felt my stomach flutter. He was gorgeous. I didn't do anything about it though but for two weeks he would return to the bar on his own and smile at me every time he saw me making small chit chat about random things. I learned his name was Damon Salvatore and he was Stefan's older brother. The first time Mason told me Damon liked me was four weeks after the accident and my confidence had been shot, everyone who knew me before treated me like a child and I began to feel like one, but I thought these guts wouldn't because they didn't know me and they didn't treat me like one. I wasn't really interested in the boys in Mystic Falls because they all still acted like children but I began to grow a crush on Damon I had only spoke to him 7 or 8 times in the two weeks I had known him but it was his sparkly blue eyes, one look into them and I was week at the knees.

The second time Mason approached me he had left Damon at the table with 5 of his friends he told me that Damon was too shy to say it himself and had sent him to tell me to go sit with his. Me being the 15 year old gullible me I didn't realise how stupidly untrue that was until I was sat next to Damon saying '' Mason says you like me''. Hearing the roar of laugher filling the small bar the smile on my face disappeared immediately as I realised it had all been a joke. As I got up to walk away Damon's hand grabbed mine and pulled me back down to the seat ''Let me tell you something sweetie, I never lower my standards and I sure as hell won't be lowering them for you, now feel free to run back to mommy and daddy ….oops my bad''

Hearing those words take forever to come out of his mouth, the way he dragged out 'sweetie' made me want to run away and hide. That last sentence had his friends in stitches with laughter, how could someone be so cruel and think it's funny. As I calmly walked away I began to feel my eyes burn with the tears I refuse to shed in front of that group of low lives.

The now empty glass is spinning on the counter and falls on its side making a loud noise snaps me back to reality. Matt's still not back and I'm thinking about leaving but before I get up the seat next to me is being pulled back to be sat on. I have no idea who this is but as I stand up and turn towards the person my eyes lock with theirs. The pair of eyes are the nicest eyes I've ever seen and after that night when I was 15 I never wanted to see again but here they are, the sparkling blue eyes that belong to Damon Salvatore and there staring straight at me.