The other Gilbert Girl - A Damon Salvatore love story.

Part 1 - Going Home

Hello. I'm a pretty big fan of the Vampire Diaries, and so I decided to try and create a fanfic about it. This is about the other Gilbert Girl - oohh, alliteration; check me! - named Emilia Kristen Gilbert, the twin of Elena. She moved away after her parents death, to a school on the other side of the world - a.k.a Ireland. When Emilia finally decides to return to Mystic Falls, she finds out exactly how much her family's life changed after the death of her beloved parents. Elena's vampire boyfriend, Stefan Salvatore, Jeremy. her younger brother's drug addiction problem, Bonnie, a close friend, and an extremely powerful witch, and the mysterious Damon Salvatore, a demon who steals her heart and is refusing to give it back. It is based on the TV series version of events.

*NOTE* I do not own any of these characters, apart from Emilia and maybe a few characters I add in later on. All rights and reservations are owned by L.J SMITH, and the producers of the Vampire Diaries. Hope you enjoy x

My name is Emilia (pronounced Em-me-lee-a) and today will be the first time I meet up with my little brother Jeremy, and sister Elena, after a good year after our parent's death. It was raining in Mystic Falls, but I expected that. It always rained, and I knew better than to expect otherwise, even though I had been away for a long time. Longer than necessary, I guess.

The house looked the same as before I left for Ireland. The oak doors were still blue, and the swinging chair at the front of the house was still there, thankfully. I remember the day I first sat on that swing, two months before they died. I pulled my car up the gravel drive, and just sat for a minute or two, just observing the house. I wondered if Elena's bedroom still had the balcony, or if she had moved into my former bedroom, the attic. She always liked that bedroom, and the way I could sit on the edge of the roof until dawn, climbing out of my window.

Maybe Jeremy had that bedroom now, and he drew the moon every night, watching the stars, and trying to forget the nightmare that had happened that dreadful night. Slowly, I sat up, watching my shadow move. Shadows are very unpredictable things, if you think about it. They can disappear at the most unneedingful of times, and re-appear whenever they please.

I opened the door to the car, and stepped out, crinkling the leaves under my shooed foot. It was fall, and the trees were a mixture of reds, purples, yellows, oranges, purples and browns. Colours that could make you feel warm and safe inside.

Being the person I was, I couldn't wait to get back into the house, and surprise everyone. And also being the amazingly unprepared person I was, I forgot to mention to Aunt Jenna, Elena and Jeremy that I was indeed, coming home.

The oak door was face to face with me now, and I felt my heart beat race up, as I nervously knocked on the door. I heard the voices of chatter cease, and then heavy footsteps. The door opened, and I almost fell over. The boy - man, that answered the door to me was unbelievably handsome. He had short-ish black curly hair, and deep, black eyes. Eyes that made me want to fall into them and get lost into his soul. I'm sure that was beautiful too. His lips were a rosy red colour, and his shaped eyebrows were creased when he saw me.

His eyes never left mine, but he called over his shoulder, "Elena, you have some serious explaining to do." Immediately, she arrived into my sight, and a few emotions crossed her face. Shock, happiness, anger, nervousness, sadness, and finally, joy. She didn't bother saying anything, just ran to where I was anxiously stood, and engulfed me in a hug. A hug I had missed for so long.

"Elena? Care to explain?" The man who answered the door asked, raising an eyebrow. Another boy walked into the hall, behind the one with black eyes. He looked shocked, staring at me, to Elena, back to me again.

"I'm sorry," Elena said, choked up. Her eyes were streaming tears, and she didn't let go of me, as she smiled at the two boys that looked a little familiar. "Let me introduce my twin sister, Emilia."

"Twin?" The one stood furthest away yelped, and she nodded, smiling at him.

"Nice to meet you." I said, quietly. I could see we both had a lot to explain.