RARITY - A Damon Salvatore Fanfiction

Old Friends and New Truths

Fresh air. This was well needed after that lesson. Too much happened at once, too many faces. As soon as the bell sounded I sped out of the classroom.

I was standing outside the main building in the now empty school yard, breathing in the cool air. My eyes closed as I leant against the wall, attempting to gather my thoughts. This was too much.

"I know you" A familiar voice sounded out, catching my attention.
"And I know you, Stefan Salvatore". I glanced up, there he stood in front of me. His hair was different, clothes too. Yet his face was unchanged. still as serious and brooding as ever. He had his arms crossed in front of him, his green eyes staring back into mine. He smiled suddenly, friendly and familiar, yet with a hint of sadness.
"It's uh... been quite some time" Stefan said. This was true. Although I knew who he was in 1864, we never officially met until many years later, thanks to a mutual friend - Lexi. The three of us stuck together for some time, before I moved on. As I always do.

Despite not knowing my true status as an original, Stefan was one of the few people that knew of the history between me and Damon. Unknown to me at the time, Damon told his brother about me - His secret love. This didn't surprise me, however. The bond between siblings was something I understood. Something I hadn't felt for a long time... He even showed him a photograph of my portrait that had been taken a year previously in 1863. Therefore, when Lexi introduced us, he recognised me.

It was from Stefan that I learnt about what Katerina did, how they turned and Damons bitter spiral of destruction. It was even suggested that I return to him, with the belief that my compulsion was lifted when he turned and he remembered me. But... I couldn't be selfish. His love for Katerina - As much as I hated it at the time and as much as it angered me, considering her past manipulations - was as strong and genuine as my own for him. If he wanted to find me, he would have by now. I had accepted this a long time ago.

"It has, hasn't it?" I responded absentmindedly, after pulling myself from my own thoughts. "Where is my favourite blonde anyways?" I enquired, smirking slightly as I changed the subject. Lexi and I were closer, keeping in contact now and again. I hadn't heard from her in a while...
"You don't know?" Stefans' voice was quieter now. Pain and sadness was plastered on his face, filling the air around us with dread. The smirk dropped from my face like the first fall of rain in a storm. This could only mean one thing.
"No..." I whispered, my hand covering my mouth. It couldn't be true. Not Lexi.
"She-" Stefan began, his voice breaking slightly, tears in his eyes. Before he could continue, I stepped forwards and hugged him - My face buried into his shoulder. As old as I was, loss was always painful. The intensity of emotions that we Vampires experience can be potentially crippling.
"Grace, I have to tell you..." he said quietly, his voice still shaking slightly. He sighed, as if preparing himself for what he was about to say.

"Damon killed her".

Those three words his me like a bullet. I felt everything go cold from the inside out.
"He's here?" I asked flatly, pulling out of the hug. To my surprise, the hurt and pain was overshadowed by one raw emotion: Anger.

"Hey Stefan-" a third voice sounded from behind us, a girls voice.
"Elena" Stefan responded in a surprised tone. At that name I spun around to face her. The doppelgänger. I moved over to her quickly, my face inches from hers.
Her hair was different. Straight, not curly. The way she held herself...
"Human, huh..." I muttered inwardly. The girl in front of me looked confused, and a little scared. I could hear her heartbeat rapidly thumping. With good reason too.
"Elena, this is Grace" Stefan stated, focused on our interaction. The way he looked at her made me understand his concern... He loved her. "She's a very old friend" he paused, before looking towards the ground. I stood back, softening, feeling guilty for letting my anger at Damon scare her. "She knew Lexi". At this, her demeanour changed. She looked at me, her expression filled with pain and understanding.
"I'm sorry..." she began, she shook her head and looked at the ground. Already, her compassion was surprising me.
"Thankyou, Elena... you have no reason to apologise, but it means a lot" I said softly as I smiled warmly at her, blinking away the tears in my eyes.

After talking with Stefan and Elena, where I explained that I was here for Katherine (Thankfully avoiding the 'why' part - When people learn that I'm an original it never turns out well) they agreed to help. They wanted her gone just as much as me. Apparently out of jealousy, boredom or whatever her psychotic reasoning, she'd been making threats and tormenting Elena. This had to end.

When the bell eventually sounded, signalling that we were due to go to our next class, Stefan asked me to come to visit The Boarding House on Friday night. Apparently there was a lot more I needed filling in on. Mystic Falls had changed since I'd last been here for sure, but the supernatural dangers were ever-present.