The Doppelganger's Keeper

Chapter 3: Tiny Flame

Elena knew she shouldn't just be showing up at the boarding house, especially with his brother possibly off the wagon, but Damon wasn't answering her calls and they had a standing training session for 8am. She decided to at least knock this time, unsure of what to expect on the other side, but when it wasn't Damon that opened the door she panicked.

"Oh...um, is Damon here?" she swallowed nervously.

Stefan smiled, slightly amused by how uncomfortable she was. "He's still sleeping. We drank a lot last night...lot's of catching up." He opened the door wider. "Come on in." He watched her walk through, closing the door behind her and following her into the parlor room. "Elena, right?"

She smiled tightly and tilted her head with feigned curiosity. "How did you know?"

"We've met before. Last night." He had to hand it to her, she was playing the innocent and confused role well. "I know you're wearing vervain. Sorry if I freaked you out, I just thought you were someone else."

Elena let out a sigh, feeling free to drop the act. "Katherine...I'm her doppelganger." She bit out tensely with a slight sneer. "Can't tell you how annoyed I am by that. Damon told me last night. Still getting used to it." After a long pause, she eyed him apprehensively. "So...I assume you're off the hard stuff?" she asked awkwardly. "I'm sorry...how does one ask if someone is on a murderous rampage politely these days?" she laughed nervously scratching the back of her neck.

Surprisingly, this caused him to laugh. He couldn't remember the last time he'd laughed as genuinely. "Well, I think that's as good a way as any. No...my humanity is perfectly intact." He stared down at his shoes briefly. "I guess Damon told you about that too."

"Yeah..." she shrugged. "There's not a lot that we keep from each other."

"Are you guys-"

"No!" she shook her head emphatically already knowing what he was asking, and after what Bonnie pulled out of her the other night, she didn't even want to hear him finish. "Definitely not." She noticed that answer seemed to please him, and she returned his smile coyly.

"Elena?" Damon came down the stairs, still pulling a shirt over his head. "What are you doing here?" he looked between them.

She crossed her arms and cocked her hip out. "What are you still doing sleeping? Training, remember? Just because you decided to get drunk, doesn't mean you can cancel. Suck it up." Elena turned back to the younger brother. "It was nice meeting you, Stefan." She headed down the hall to their makeshift training room, her ponytail swinging behind her.

Stefan was stifling a laugh as Damon trudged down the rest of the steps. "Yeah Damon...suck it up."

"Shut up, before I bite you." He narrowed his eyes. "You guys looked chummy. What was all that about?"

He shrugged nonchalantly. "Just introducing ourselves...formally. I figured if I'm going to stick around, I might as well know who I'm saving from a certain death."

Damon didn't look fully convinced, smirking knowingly. "Mhm. I know you Stefan...and I know your type." The smirk dropped from his face. "Elena's off limits. Her life is complicated enough as it is." He didn't give him a chance to respond and followed Elena down the hall.

She was already wrapping her hands when he walked in. "Pretty irresponsible of you." She chided teasingly. "Up all night getting wasted with your little brother? You're a bad influence."

Damon scoffed. "I'm irresponsible? You're the one flirting with a 162-year-old vampire." His eyes swung over to hers pointedly, and he shook his head as he picked a plastic wood grained stake from the weapon's cabinet. "Tsk tsk, Elena."