Sultry sun and the air of mystery never left adolescents wanting. The hot air in Mystic falls combined with the unbridled energy of the younger generation just begged for someone to light the fuse. Summer was nearly over, though the heat always long overstayed its welcome, far into August. It had previously been too hot to attend social events, but as the summer drew to a close, everyone knew what was in store for them. Dances, balls, you name it—Mystic Falls never lacked for entertainment in the fall and winter months. Everyone was ecstatic…that is, except for Elena.

Elena knew that the end of summer was not all everyone seemed it to be. Not only would all her friends' social lives be in full swing again, but the soldiers would come home soon.

And that meant he would be back.

Unlike her friends, Elena had quite enjoyed her uneventful summer. Days of lazing around the house and reading had done her quite a bit of good. She even made gratuitous steps in increasing her writing abilities. Journals upon journals lined her shelves, and they were her proudest achievement. She took them with her when she came to live with her Uncle John and his daughter Caroline. The plantation was new and large, and the girls spent a good portion of the summer exploring the house. Elena would make up stories to entertain her cousin, and Caroline would catch Elena up on the latest gossip in Mystic Falls, as Caroline actually took the effort to venture to town once a week.

But now the good times were over. They were all inside a shop near the center of town square, anxiously awaiting the arrival of the soldiers. Elena absentmindedly fiddled with the sleeves of her dress before being caught by Caroline with a querying look. She quickly let her sleeve drop, not wanting to discuss the recesses of her mind with Caroline. Not today.

Her Uncle cleared his throat. "I have received a letter from Elijah. He has told me that his company will march into town tonight."

"He must be near by now," Kol, Elijah's brother, answered. "I passed him not nine miles from here, and I have been here half the day," He kept shifting his weight from foot to foot, and Elena couldn't tell if it was because he was uneasy or excited of his brothers' return.

"Was anyone killed in the last battle you fought?" John twisted the large ring on his finger thoughtfully.

"No one important," he scoffed .Kol was Elijah's messenger of sorts; he fought with the men, but was typically sent on ahead to scout or to let towns know of their upcoming arrival.

"My good man," he patted Kol's shoulder heartily with a grin on his face. "A battle isn't truly victorious unless the soldiers return home safely. Although, I do hear that young Salvatore has moved up the ranks?"

Kol sighed, seemingly tired from talking about people that were not himself. "It's true. He may be the younger Salvatore, but the boy fights like a lion. He's exceeded all that Elijah's ever expected of him, and then some. I wouldn't be surprised if Elijah chooses him to be his next second in command." He looked sullen about this turn of events, but continued anyways. "We'll be sure to hear about him highly, at any point."

"His uncle Zachary will be very pleased by this news, I'm sure."

Elena couldn't stand there listening to them prattle about Stefan this whole time. "Will Benedick be with the returning company?"

Kol looked puzzled. "I'm sorry; miss, but I do not know anyone by that name."

"She means Damon Salvatore, Kol." John could only spare her a halfhearted glare. Elena knew her wit would impress her old uncle, as she knew him to be a rather large fan of Shakespeare. If her insults had to lie within Shakespearean insults, she could live with that.

"Oh, yes, he will return. That lad's as cheerful as ever."

Elena rolled her eyes. "Damon, cheerful? He is more stupidly happy than anything." This earned a nudge from Caroline. "How many men did he kill in battle? Let me guess; none. I always knew he could never handle it. Too much a lover, not much a fighter."

"Elena!" John said sternly. "If you keep talking poorly of Damon everywhere you go, it will catch up to you."

"Damon did serve well in the company." Kol interjected. "He's a good soldier, miss."

"He's a good soldier to a miss? Then what shall he be to a Lord?"

"Beatrice!" John said again, sharper this time. "Kol, don't take my niece the wrong way. Damon and Elena have their own battle brewing; each time they meet, their wits are at war."

She let a genuine smile grace her face, the kind that could only be earned. "And I always win. The boy's trouble. Who is he even hanging around these days? Every week I see him, he has a new best friend."

Kol narrowed his eyes, not wanting to take the bait. "Really?"

"Truly," Elena nodded sincerely, knowing her large brown eyes could make up for any lack of convincing her tongue could not. "He's very fickle. Just ask the ladies."

"It isn't hard to tell you don't care for Damon," Kol chuckled.

"That's an understatement," she retorted drily. "But really, who does the infamous Damon Salvatore hang around these days? What kind of trouble is he in now?"

"Ah, that's old news. Him and his brother are inseparable."

"No!" Elena mocked, fanning herself. "Poor Stefan! Damon will corrupt him and there will no longer be the good, pure, and moral Salvatore."

Kol eyed her warily. "I'll be sure to stay on your good side, Lady Beatrice."

Kol may be trouble, Elena thought, but at least he knows who not to take as enemies. The only thing worse than having her as an enemy would be having both her and Damon as enemies. His life would be a living hell, they would be sure of it. "Smart man."

"You'll never fall for Damon, then?" Caroline pouted. She always was the hopeless romantic.

Elena leaned forward to whisper into her cousin's ear. "Not until hell freezes over."

Caroline sighs, seemingly disgusted with Elena's lack of interest in a love life, but quickly throws the guise of sadness away when she saw motion outside the window. "Oh! Look, they're back!" she squealed, making a beeline for the door.

Everyone rushed outside, much to Elena's disdain. Not wanting to be left alone in the store or wanting to explain to her uncle why she hadn't been there to meet the soldiers, she reluctantly followed the group out the door.

"Ah, John!" She heard Elijah say, crisp and clear. "I know hosting the company is a burden, but I do greatly appreciate your hospitality. With a full company, you almost seem to be looking for trouble!" he laughed. Elena could listen to him talk all day. He still held the hint of a British accent, and was always the most finely dressed out of his ruffian group of followers, Damon included.

"You're never trouble! It's an honor," John said, reaching for his hand with a sincere smile on his face. "You and your lot are always welcome."

"You seem to be far too excited about this," grins Elijah, before turning to the rest of his family. "This must be your daughter?"

"That's what her mother tells me," he says drily.

"Did you not know she was your daughter, as you had to ask her mother?" A smooth voice interjects. Elena didn't see him till he stepped around the masses, but he looks as if he had never left. Curly black hair, unruly; but parted to the side. Ice cold blue eyes. An eternal smirk that never seemed to leave his face. Damon Salvatore was truly back, and couldn't leave soon enough.

"Oh, not really. You were only a child, and not yet old enough to seduce my wife, so she must be mine," jests John, clearly enjoying his new friends. Elijah pulls John to the side to discuss further arrangements, and this, unfortunately, leaves Elena alone with the object of her loathing.

"If you are the father, I'm sure she wouldn't want to be a crazy Gilbert like you!" Damon called, clearly enjoying the banter.

"I can't believe you're still talking," Elena said in a sickly sweet voice and narrowed her eyes. "No one's listening to you."

"Ah," Damon greeted her with a wry grin. "Look, it's my fair and sweet Elena! Aren't you dead yet?"

Damon was attractive and charming, as much as she hated to admit it. It almost made up for his scalding wit and his mistreatment of her and her heart. His smile never faltered, wit never wavered, charm never ceased. Most of the ladies in Mystic Falls were head over heels for him, but it made no difference. Damon had sworn off love and all it entailed.

"Even my politeness has boundaries, Damon. And you're sure to cross them."

Damon meandered to the nearby flower bushes, seemingly examining every leaf. "You seem to be the only one with such a line to cross. All the other ladies have no such problem with me crossing their lines." He smirked over his shoulder. "It's too bad I have no heart," Damon sighed dramatically. "The ladies do love me." He held out a flower with his trademark grin, as if it certified his statement. She rolled her eyes.

"I'd consider that a good thing," Elena quipped, tossing her hair over her shoulder. "You would be a terrible suitor. Thankfully," she said dramatically, placing her hand over her heart for emphasis. "I feel the same way you do. I'd rather have a dog bark for hours on end outside my window than hear any man's declarations of love."

Damon pondered this for a moment. "That's probably for the best, then. Or else some suitor will end up maimed by the experience, and all."

"Your face couldn't look worse for the wear."

Although Damon had kept his demeanor relatively unruffled till this point, this seemed to light a fuse. "Lady Elena, you know very well my face is not displeasing to your eye. In fact, I quite remember you saying something rather kind about my looks only last summer."

"I said no such thing!" Elena protested, but her face showed otherwise. As much as she enjoyed verbal sparring, he always had to take things too far. Bringing up last summer, for goodness' sake. He was the one who ruined it, and she wasn't about to let him mock her for wrongs he had caused.

Damon sighed and tossed the flower over his shoulder. "Of course, Elena. Listen to you; you just sit there and mock me with insults I've heard thousands of times before."

Elena grew angrier at each passing insult. "I'd rather be the one repeating insults than the one who actually deserved them," she said coldly. Elena's filter may not have operated the best it ever had when she was angry, but at least she could keep her wits about her. Damon couldn't say the same. She'd see him fly off the handle thousands of times before. In fact, she had been the cause of it the majority of the time.

"That's it. I'm done," Damon said flatly, and stormed out of the garden.

"Always the coward, Damon," Elena called after him. "This isn't the end."

Damon waved her off without turning around.

Without even meaning to, Elena's eyes trailed him until she couldn't spot his gray confederate uniform anymore. Hearing her uncle's voice, she decided to make herself scarce until she could find her misplaced cousin again.