You are my Freedom

Somewhere Only we Know

Mystic Falls Summer 1858,

Young Damon was of courting age and his Mother and Father had been trying their best to make a gentleman out of him.

He thought the whole thing was absurd... bowing and curtseying to walk around each other in a dance where you don't touch. It was stuffy and pretentious and everything he hated about being a Salvatore. But he put up with it mostly for his mother's sake, she was sick and had to stay in bed most of the time.

He remembered a conversation they had a few days before that made him realize why this was all so important,

"Mother, must I go? I don't even like any of these girls."

"Please Damon, for me... for you brother, you must try," Lily implored of her son.

"Why it's nothing to do with you or Stefan, it's about father wanting to make a match that will secure him more business. We don't need any more money and I shouldn't have to sell myself to make him richer!"

"Damon! you mustn't speak so freely, what if your father had heard?"

"There's nothing he hasn't already done to me, you know this... you just pretend otherwise, I've seen you turn away so you don't have to face what a monster he is."

Lily sighs, "Damon come here, please son." Damon now sat on the bed with his mother,

"I know things haven't always been very fair on you but the reason I want you to secure a fine young woman for yourself, one your father approves of is so you can stay close by, for Stefan. I don't know how much longer I'll be around."

"Mother..."

"Let me finish, I haven't always protected you, your right, but you've been very brave, braver than I and protected your bother... he needs you. If you don't find someone from a good family your father will insist you join the army and then who will be left to take care of Stefan? Please, you must try to behave for the sake of our family I need you to do this."

Damon looked down at his lap sadly, "I understand mother."

Later that night after Damon's first dance he snuck out to go for a walk.

He hated all those girls even more now that if felt he'd be letting down his mother and brother if he didn't end up with one. It wasn't fair, nothing seemed fair to him. He ended up walking to the tree where he and Clara had buried Sammy, he smiled at the memory. He heard sniffling noise coming from above, it was hard to see but with the little bit of light coming off the moon he managed to make out the outline of Clara's face, she had climbed up into the tree. He shrugged off his jacket and slipped off his shoes and made his way up to join her.

"Hey, what is it? what's wrong?"

Clara wouldn't look at him, she couldn't, she had overheard what his mother had said to him and even tho nothing romantic had ever happened between them the thought of him with someone else made her heartache like she had never known it could.

Damon not knowing what was wrong or what to do just brought her closer and held her in a hug.

"Whatever it is, I'll make it better, I swear. If it's a spider that's scared you... I'll go stomp it, if you didn't get enough to eat... I'd steal from the pastor himself to feed you if some boy teased you... I'd wait till he was sleeping and shave off his eyebrows," that last one got a giggle out of her, "Come on Clara, whatever it is... your my best friend, you can tell me."

"That's just it Damon, I'm your friend, that's all I can be."

"What do you mean?"

Clara sighed and turned towards him, "I was bringing your mom more cool rags for her head, and I heard you both talking. I know you have to start looking for a wife or your father will send you to fight. And I'm too young, and just a servant, I'll never be your wife, you'll wind up with those pretty girls who never get dirty or say the wrong thing and you'll have your own house and I'll never see you again!"

Damon was shocked that Clara thought this way about him, it was true she was too young for him to think about that way but it made him feel proud knowing he was her first crush. And the thought of her getting older and winding up with another man, it filled him with a rage he couldn't understand. Truth is, he'd take the unpolished kid over any of those glove-wearing tea-drinking phonies any day.

"Hey, listen to me. No matter what happens, we will always be best friends. Even if they manage to settle me with a wife, she won't even come close to you, and anytime you need to be reminded, just come here. I'll meet you anytime... this is our place, the one place in the whole damn world where there are no masters or fathers or even mothers to answer to, where society and doing what's right can't reach us, this is where we can be free, and its just for us."

Back to present... well season 2 "present"

Caroline wakes up with a start and wanders out of her hospital room. There is only one nurse on call for the floor.

"Excuse me? Where is everyone?" Caroline asks in a daze.

"It's the middle of the night honey," the nurse explains.

"It is? Oh, uh...have you seen my mom?"

"She left after dinner with your boyfriend and then your friend Elena stepped by."

Caroline looks away confused, "she did? Yeah, she did but she said her name was Katherine. Can I just get something to eat?"

"Breakfast comes around seven."

"But I'm hungry," Caroline complains.

"You should go back to sleep," The nurse tells her this time more sternly.

She goes back towards her room but then something stops her, "what is that smell?"

"Back to bed."

The nurse leaves but Caroline stays in the hallway. She looks everywhere and sees a blood bag in a patient's room. She goes toward the bag and touches it but the nurse arrives.

"What are you doing in here?" Her shrill voice snaps Caroline out of the fog that seemed to be clouding her.

"I don't know."

"You need to go back to bed."

She takes Caroline to her room and leaves. Caroline sits down on her bed and takes the hidden blood bag from her pocket. She drinks but she doesn't like it and, disgusted, throws the bag on the floor. She looks down at the bag on the floor, climbs down from her bed, and picks it up. She starts drinking again and her fangs appear.

Damon is in the living room of the Boarding House:

Clara is still upset from earlier when Elena stormed out after refusing to go along with her ideas. "It was a good plan," she complains to her hubby.

"It was a great plan," Damon says in support.

"I was only trying to help."

"I guess not everyone appreciates just how caring you are."

Clara shakes her head, "I didn't even get to finish going over everything before Elena stormed out."

Damon clicks his tongue, "temperamental teenagers, what can I tell you?"

Clara sighs and sits down in defeat, "what are we supposed to do Damon, she's here... in town, right now."

"She said she was leaving,"

"And you believe her?"

Damon loses his cool, "no, I don't believe her! I just don't feel like starting my day talking about her."

"And what would you rather talk about?"

"Oh, I don't know... Maybe wedding plans?" Damon says with a seductive smile,

"Oh really, having fantasies of me walking towards you in a big white dress?"

Damon smirks, "it's actually more about what's under the dress that's giving me fantasies.... look I just don't want to put our lives on hold because satan's mistress is sniffing around."

"I know, I don't either but wouldn't we just be antagonizing her?" Damon shrugs his shoulders not caring,

"Fine I'll start looking at magazines," Clara says giving in.

Damon pumps his fist, "yes!"

Clara chuckles at his enthusiasm and the two get lost in a kiss.

Back at the hospital:

Caroline is getting dressed ready to get out of the confines of the hospital. She puts on the necklace Elena gave to her but it burns her skin so she throws it on the floor.

Trying to calm herself down she grabs the blood bag without thinking once she realizes she's once again drinking blood she starts to panic.

Throwing the bag away again she stares at herself in the mirror studying herself, her face is changing... her teeth elongate into fangs!

Caroline screams, causing a concerned nurse to rush in.

"What's wrong?"

Caroline speeds over to the nurse and grabs her throat shoving her up against the wall, "you can't tell anyone, you can't tell anyone!" She says unintentionally compelling her.

The nurse robotically repeats, "I can't tell anyone."

"You'll do what I say?" Caroline asks not understanding her own powers yet.

"I'll do what you say," the nurse repeats again.

Caroline relaxes slightly, "good because I'm starving," she says biting her.

Back at the Boarding House:

Stefan comes in from hunting, Damon holds up a bag, "care for one?"

Stefan refuses, "no, thank you. I'm not hungry, just ate."

"Are you worried that one day, all the forest animals are gonna band together and fight back? I mean, surely they talk."

"I'm just happy that's a blood bag and not a sorority girl supplying your dinner," Stefan says pointedly to his brother.

Damon scoffs, "really? Still waiting for the other shoe to drop, face it Stefan I'm a changed man, no need to walk on eggs shells around me all the time because you think I'm gonna go off the deep end. We have enough suspense in our lives with Katherine making an appearance no reason to go looking for drama."

Clara comes down the stairs ready to go out,

"Alright boys, play nice I'm going out to widen my palate, it's time to familiarize myself with what's modern in the culinary world."

"Why is that a sudden concern?" Stefan asks confused.

Damon smirks, "didn't you hear the great news Steffy? Me and the wife are renewing our vows, can't very well only serve up blood to the good people of Mystic Falls, they might catch on."

"Wait, what?"

"Yup, we are having an honest to god wedding this time around and I know the real reason you've been brooding this past century and a half is because we didn't include you the first time around and I just want you to rest assured you will be receiving an invite."

Stefan huffs ignoring his brother's excuse for charm,

"Do you guys think now's the right time to be doing this with Katherine around?"

"I think it's exactly the right time, show that b***h how little we think of her and whatever game she is set on playing."

"Don't bother Stefan I already tried to get him to see reason, it's easier just to go along with it," Clara says as she exits the house,

"Wise words brother, by the way, dropped in on the grieving widow and overheard Tyler talking to his mysterious uncle, I think the Lockwoods have a family secret because the Gilbert device affected them i.e Richard but vervain didn't... so they're not vampires, they're something else."

"Is this your new obsession?"

"You'd rather some unknown supernatural element running rampant upon our town. Fine, I'll drop it."

"We haven't seen the last of Katherine, you do know that right? We have no idea what she's up to."

Damon shrugs, "your girl is the one who wanted to do nothing, I'm just being a team player, plus she came back to profess her undying eternal love for you so I'm gonna let you deal with her because I have more important things to do like give my wife the wedding she deserves, cheers!"

Later that night at the Carnival:

Jeremy is buying popcorn at the carnival when Damon strolls up, of course, he can't help himself from making a sarcastic comment,

"Jeremy, it's so good to see you alive."

"Aren't you a little old for a high school carnival?" Jeremy quips back.

"My bride-to-be saw it and had never been to one, simply doing my duty as a gentleman," (He takes some of Jeremy's popcorn and eats it.)

"You're pretty funny cracking jokes when I could... I don't know...blow the whole lid off this thing by telling someone what you really are,"

Jeremy tries walking away from Damon but Damon quickly catches him and drags him away from the crowd.

He is thrown up against the back of one of the carnival booths no one is attending, "please tell me that that is not a threat."

Jeremy, trying to be tough, gives a non-committal shrug, "maybe it is."

He shows Damon he's wearing the resurrection ring thinking it makes him untouchable to Damon, but Damon is quick to dispel that belief.

He grabs Jeremy off the wall and chokes him from behind with an arm under his chin.

"There seems to be this misconception going on that because I'm happy I'm less dangerous please don't be stupid enough to fall for that.

So this is what we're not gonna do-- we're not gonna walk around like we are invincible when it's this easy for me to end you."

He releases Jeremy and as the kid is catching his breath he reveals how easily he ripped the ring off him,

"If you want to tell people what I really am go ahead and try. I will shove this ring so far up your ass, you'll really have something to choke on."

He flicks the ring at Jeremy's face and leaves.

Elsewhere at the Carnival Caroline has shown up:

She immediately runs into Clara,

"Hey, it's Caroline right? You're Sheriff Forbes daughter? How are you? you look better," Clara asks recognizing her from the hospital.

"Do I know you?" Caroline asks.

"No, sorry. Hi, I'm Clara" She offers Caroline her hand but Caroline just stares at it.

"Um, my husband is friends with your mom, Damon Salvatore. I was at the hospital when you were admitted... glad to see you back on your feet, I guess it wasn't as serious as they thought."

"Yup, the doctor said I'm good as new. He signed me out. He said that I didn't have to wait 'til morning,"

"Wow so you just got out, shouldn't you be at home resting?"

Caroline takes a breath getting annoyed with all the questions, "I'm the committee chair for the carnival and I'm worried it's gonna turn into a complete disaster without me. I mean god bless Elena, she does not understand the word fabulous."

Clara looks around, "oh well, I haven't been to many carnivals but it looks like they did alright in your absence,"

Caroline tired of exchanging polite chit chat tries to compel Clara like she did with the Nurse earlier, "I'm a little bit too busy to play welcoming committee so you're gonna walk away from me and remember nothing,"

Clara watches Caroline walk off, and realizes she needs to find Damon asap

....

Damon is looking at Tyler who is arm wrestling in a competition as Stefan arrives.

"You're lurking."

"I'm observing."

Stefan sighs, "more like obsessing."

They watch Tyler win,

"He's got strength." Damon comments,

"He's a triple letter varsity athlete, of course, he has strength. You're reaching."

[Mason arrives to arm wrestle against Tyler.]

"Enter the uncle," Damon says not being able to help himself from the running commentary.

Clara spots the guys and goes over to them

Mason beats him and Stefan is impressed, "that's ridiculous."

"Okay, he's the champ, who wants to go next?"

"Stefan wants to go!" Damon shouts volunteering his brother.

"No he doesn't we need to talk," Clara tells them causing the brothers to look confused,

Stefan turns away from Clara back to Mason, "yeah, sure, I'll...give it a shot..." He turns back to Clara as he starts to walk away, "we'll talk later."

[Stefan joins Mason.]

"Get him Stef!" Damon cheers before turning to Clara, "so what is it you need to gab to Stefan about?"

"Oh just how I'm pretty sure Caroline Forbes was turned into a vampire and just tried to compel me." Damon takes his eyes of the match shocked by what Clara just said.

Mason beats Stefan and Stefan rejoins Damon and Clara,

"Did I just hear you right?" Stefan asks alarmed,

"Please tell me that's the only reason you lost?"

"No actually, I was putting in effort he still overpowered me," Stefan tells his brother.

"Come with me," Damon tells the both of them,

[Mason defeats the next contestant. Stefan, Damon, and Clara go in the hallway.]

"Is he...?" Damon immediately asks Stefan once they're clear of the crowd,

"No, no, it wasn't that kind of strength but it was more than human if that makes any sense."

"Guys, not the time... Caroline, remember?"

"Right,"

They start walking again but Damon can't help himself, "What is up with that family? They're not vampires, what the hell are they?"

"Ooh, ah, maybe they're, um, ninja turtles!" Stefan jokingly suggests.

"You're not funny."

"Or no, zombies, werewolves."

"No comedic timing at all."

"Seriously," Clara snaps at her husband and brother-in-law, "both of you if we don't find Caroline soon someone is going to get hurt, you get that right?"

"Speak of the devil," Damon mutters as he spots Caroline and races over to her,

"Hey Blondie, they let you out?"

"I remember."

Damon narrows his eyes at her, "what do you remember?"

"I remember how you manipulated me, you pushed me around, abused me, erased my memories, fed on me."

"What does she mean abused her Damon?" Clara asks.

"Nothing, she's crazy," Damon says trying to brush it off.

"Memories have been coming back, in pieces."

Damon shakes his head, "you can't remember. It's impossible, unless Clara was right unless you're a... but who would have turned you?"

Caroline smiles, "I have a message from Katherine, she said Game on."