Danielle Gilbert-D.Salvatore

nineteen

Danielle shut her locker as Elena was talking to her. She smiled sadly as Elena expresses her worries. "Hey.' They turned and saw Bonnie.

"You're back."

"Yeah." Bonnie said ignoring the twins.

Danielle knew why and wasn't going to push it. She looked back at her locker till she heard something about Miss Mystic Falls. "Wait." She said as she looked away from her books. "Did I hear correctly?"

"Yes." Caroline said as she looked at Elena. "Are you going to drop out?'

"I forgot about the pageant, but I dropped out last year. It's Danielle's turn this year." Elena said. "Mom said so and she has a dress for you."

Danielle couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her mother left her something for this and she was never the one to be in things like this. Caroline grabbed Danielle's hand smiling. "This is going to be fun."

"Who knows? It might be a tie." Danielle said as she hugged Caroline. "Now to see what Elena is talking about."
~~~
After school, Danielle was shocked that Elena was letting her dance with Stefan. "Deja vu." She tells him.

"Why's that?"

"You danced with Danielle Pierce at the first founder's ball." She tells him. "And here we are again."

Stefan chuckled as he started listening in on Elena and Bonnie. Danielle was dipped shocking her as she looked at Stefan. "That's enough for today."

Danielle smiled as she walked over to her friend and Elena. "Bonnie, I know you don't want to talk to me, but I am sorry. What happened shouldn't have happened if no one believed that Katherine was in there and because of that, Shelia gave her life to do what we had ask of her. Till you see that I am sorry than I won't talk to you till then."

Elena sighed as she looked at Stefan and knew he was listening in.
~~~
The next day, Danielle was getting ready for the ball. Elena smiled as she helped her sister. "You got this." Elena tells her.

"Yeah."

"I'm going to check on Stefan."

Danielle nodded as Elena left. She looked at her reflection and smiled as she continued getting dressed. Damon walked in making Danielle look up. "We have a problem." She looked at him. "Stefan is still drinking human blood."

"What?" She said. "He told Elena that he was okay."

"He lied."

Danielle sat down and sighed. "Just to think he was my escort."

"It's time."

Danielle nodded as she walked over to get her dress on, but Damon left. Danielle shut the door and got dressed. She looked in the mirror and smiled at herself knowing her mother would have been proud. "You look beautiful, Dani." Elena said as she hugged her from behind. "Mom would have loved to see you do this."

"Yeah." Danielle said as she sighed. "Is Stefan down there?"

"I don't know, but I'm gone to look for him since he left abruptly."

Danielle nodded and walked out there. She stood beside Caroline and saw her looking. "Do you see Stefan?"

"No." She said. "Its okay."

"I hope so."

Caroline's name was called out making her walk downstairs. Then it was Danielle making her sigh as there was no sign of her sister or Stefan. "Finally we have Danielle Gilbert escorted by..." Damon stood at the bottom of the stairs making Danielle smile. "Damon Salvatore."

"Where's Stefan?"

"I don't know."

Danielle and Damon walked out to the other candidates and their escorts. Danielle looked at Damon in his eyes just as he stared back. The music started and they all held their hands out walking around. Danielle just watched Damon as this was something that they couldn't mess up.

When it was time for them to start dancing, the feel of his hand on her back had her heart fluttering. Damon and Danielle just stared at each other as they danced along with the music. Elena stood in the crowd and knew right there. Damon Salvatore and Danielle Gilbert were in love with one another.

Once the dance ended, Danielle smiled as she held Caroline's hand as they waited for the winner. "And the winner of Miss Mystic Falls is... Caroline Forbes."

"I won!"

Danielle laughed as the blonde hugged her. She looked at Elena and smiled.
~~~
"Where could he be?" Danielle asked Elena as they went searching for Stefan.

"I'm sure he is this way."

Danielle stopped as she saw Stefan. She knew him drinking her blood was the cause. "Stefan." She said getting him to look at them before Bonnie showed up. Danielle turned and glared at her friend. "Stop."

Bonnie stopped just as Danielle looked to see Stefan gone. "I have a plan, but Elena, you are the bait."
~~~
Danielle waited for Elena to give Stefan vervain. Damon watched Danielle as she was worried for her friend. When she heard a thump, she looked in to see him out. "Damon, help me with him."

"What now?" Elena asked.

"We are going to dry him out of the human blood." Danielle said. "We will have the same ole Stefan back. I promise."

Elena nodded as she left. Danielle looked at Damon and smiled. "Go home." He tells her as she ran after her sister.

"Should we talk about your feelings for Damon?" Elena asked.

"No."