10

I sat in the backseat next to dad as Elena drove and Damon had shotgun. "Stay here." Dad said looking to me "Do you understand?" He asked sternly looking at me as I sighed and nodded once.

Damon and Dad left while Elena and I sat in the car. I climbed up to the passenger seat and sat with her.

Elena began to pull a vervain shot out of her purse. "For an emergency." She said looking to me as I nodded. Just then a branch landed on the car and it scared us. "We have to go inside." Elena said looking to me.

"We both jumped from a tree branch. We can't go in there Elena." I replied looking to her.

"You have your weapons don't you?" She looked at me as I nodded.

"Only for an emergency and one of them finds their way here." I explained to her. "You aren't strong enough to fight a vampire yet. I was barely strong enough and I've worked for it." I explained to her seriously.

"When did you fight a vampire?" She asked confused.

I forgot I wasn't supposed to remember that night at the dance. "In the old town I was in." I responded as I naturally started tapping my foot lightly without realizing.

"Emma." Elena said as I looked at her. "Do you remember?" She asked curiously.

"Remember what?" I asked still tapping my foot.

"Your lying." She said looking at my foot. "How do you remember?" She looked up to me.

"It's a secret." I said looking to her. "Let's just keep it that way. It's not like it affects anyone now." I explained with a shrug. I also didn't want Damon to know that I knew the whole time he talked to me about everything. I knew I wouldn't like him pissed.

"I won't tell if you come with me to save Stefan." She said looking at me.

"Really? I don't even care that much if they know it's just Damon will-" I sighed lightly.

"Will what?" Elena asked curiously.

"He told me some things that he didn't want me to know." I sighed. "Personal things that I don't think he'd want anyone to know but I know."

"Like what?" She questioned.

"It's not important Elena." I responded. It was his business that he was a pitiful dumbass that was arrogant because he didn't know what else to feel. Not everyone had to know that. It was my leverage against him.

"I'm going." She said as she opened her door.

"Elena." I said looking at her worried as I got outside. "Elena no!" I said as I ran after her. Damn it. She really was just like me. I ran after her because what else was I supposed to do? We got to the house and we heard people. I knew if I said anything they would hear us.

Elena ran to the cellar and went down. The cellar that looked one way. Shit. I ran down too and there was one vampire. I held a stake as it started walking over. All the sudden Damon showed up and stopped him.

"Are you insane?" He asked looking at Elena who walked out first. I walked out behind her. "Emma, you had one job to do." Damon said angrily.

"What was I supposed to do? Stab her?" I asked angrily.

He sighed. "I don't have time for this. I think he's this way." Damon said as we headed to the back. We saw Stefan hung up by ropes. "Hit those." Damon instructed as Elena did it and Damon helped him down. He tried to untie the ropes but it stung him.

"Vervain ropes." Stefan said weakly. I started untying them and his hands fell Elena put his jacket on him.

"Let's go." Damon instructed.

"Wait." Stefan whispered before he helped take out stakes from another vampire who had been tortured.

"Thank you." The vampire thanked as we went out.

"Take him to the car. I'll distract." Damon instructed as we headed out. Elena and I were both on either side of him.

We got pretty far and it was already dark. Elena tripped which caused her and Stefan to fall but thankfully Stefan was too weak to pull me down with them.

"Ah." Elena said with a wince.

"Are you okay?" He asked as I noticed Elena's hand bleeding.

"I'm fine. The car is close." She said as I helped Stefan up and we carried him to the car. We got him inside and we got in. Elena went to put the key in.

"Hurry." I said eagerly.

"The key isn't here." She said as I looked at her confused.

All the sudden Stefan was pulled out of the car through the window. A guy started beating him up. I got out and looked at the guy. I staked him in neck when he was holding Stefan in the air.

Stefan fell and the guy took out the stake. I went to grab another one to hit him with when he took the stake in his hand and put it in my stomach. I looked at it and fell.

It was excruciating. I felt my intestines burn as they filled with stray blood and my stomach clenched up. I saw a blurry vision of Elena and I blacked out. I woke up and saw Damon. He pulled out the stake and I screamed. He quickly put his wrist over my mouth. I bit it to ease the pain but all the sudden I felt liquid and my instinct was to swallow. It tasted like metal smelled. I cried lightly and I closed my eyes. I felt his wrist move and I was starting to feel better. I blacked out again.

I took a deep breath and put my hand on my stomach. I looked up to see my Damon. "What happened?" I asked weakly as I realized he was carrying me. When did that happen?

"You almost died." He sighed as I realized we were going upstairs.

"Where's my dad?" I asked confused.

"At the bar." He responded.

"He trusted you with me?" I asked surprised.

"Well I did save you." He responded with a small shrug.

"You did?" I asked as he nodded. "Why are you holding me?" I asked confused. I was so tired.

"Because it's three flights of stairs and your dad can't carry you this whole way." He responded. "It was dumb of you to leave. You know that right?" He asked looking at me.

"Since when do you care what happens to me?" I asked with a sigh.

"Since you almost got yourself killed the first time." He replied as he looked at me. "Can you stand?" He asked as I nodded and he put my down.

"What do you mean the first time?" I asked curiously.

"Nothing." He said as he turned around.

"Did you really save me?" I asked crossing my arms.

"Yeah." He nodded lightly as he didn't turn around. He turned. "Is it that hard to believe?"

"Why?" I asked confused.

"Because I- I didn't mean for you to have to go through everything you did with your mom. I didn't know she had a kid. I didn't know it was you." He replied as he turned to me. "Anything else before I make you forget?" He asked as I squinted.

"Why do you always want me to forget what you say?" I asked looking at him.

"Because if you forget then you won't feel pity." He replied.

"So you don't want people to know that you have the capability of feeling remorse? You just did a nice thing and you want to take it away?" I asked almost agitated.

"No because I don't want anyone to care. It's easier that way." He replied.

"Do you care because I remind you of her?" I asked curiously.

"I care because you act like Katherine, but something about you makes you more noticeable." He explained.

"You loved Katherine didn't you?" I asked as he nodded lightly seeming a bit hurt. "So does that mean you think of kissing me?" I asked with a tilt of my head.

"Okay that's enough." He said as he got closer.

"Wait. I'm not done with the questions." I said trying not to laugh. "Why am I more noticeable?" I asked smiling lightly.

"With everything I've done to you, you never seem afraid. Your heart never skips when it should, you never flinch when I get near you, you're always calm and that in itself is scary because I never really know what you're thinking." He said as I raised my eyebrows and looked at him.

It was true that I was never scared. I was bad at emotions for starters so that helped in a way but it was past that. At first I was angry and then I was surprised, but I never thought I was scared of him because ever since I knew what he was, I also knew that I looked like Elena and that gave me leverage.

"So I'm the one that scares you?" I asked with a small smile.

"Alright time to forget." He sighed as he looked at my eyes. "You forgot the whole conversation. You only knew that I saved you and that's it." He said before he pulled something out of his pocket.

"Elena wanted me to give this to you." He said as he handed me a golden bracelet. "It's so you can't be compelled." He explained as I nodded and I put my wrist up.

I chuckled lightly as he put it on. "Why are you laughing?" He asked as I opened my door.

"Do you want to know a secret?" I asked as I stood there with the door open. He furrowed his brows. "Damon I didn't forget, even before I had this bracelet. I haven't forgotten anything." I smirked. "Goodnight." I said before I closed the door.

I heard knocking. "Who is it?" I asked.

"Seriously Emma." I heard Damon say semi-angrily.

"I'm sorry I can't answer right now. It's past curfew." I responded as he knocked more. I chuckled lightly and went to my room until it eventually stopped.

I sat on my bed and I lifted my shirt. There wasn't a whole there anymore. I felt my stomach and sighed lightly. I couldn't believe he'd save me after everything. At least I knew he had feelings. He might've been my least favorite person on earth but I didn't hate him.

He did what my mom asked and she was up on the list now. Knowing what Damon really thought of me was leverage to push his buttons and mess with him and that was way better then just deciding to kill him.

My phone started buzzing and I looked to see that Tyler's name popped up. I answered it. "Hello?"

"Hey I uh, it's been a rough night. Do you mind taking a walk with me?" He asked as I looked out the window. The rain calmed down.

"Yeah. I'll meet you at the grill." I said as I went to the grill.

I saw Tyler outside and I looked at him. "What happened?" I asked as I looked at him.

"A girl I knew that I used to date, her body was found washed up during the storm." He explained as he looked at me.

"Oh my god. I'm so sorry." I said sadly as I wrapped my arms around him. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah I just didn't really want to talk about it and I didn't really want to be alone." He shrugged as I looked at him.

I nodded lightly. "We'll just walk then." I nodded to him as we did just that.