I never wanted to have anything in common with her. It was bad enough that she shared my face and I could never be sure if Stefan or Damon were around me because of me or because I look like the woman who made them what they are.

The woman whom they had both loved.

I hated that I was her mirror image and I hated that I had no idea why. I haven't been able to find out if somehow she was a family ancestor of either side of my family or if it was just some random chance that we looked exactly alike. Random chance was more acceptable than believing we were related. All of the things she's done and all of the people she's hurt made me more determined than ever that I wasn't going to be anything like her.

But it wasn't enough.

In trying not to hurt Damon or Stefan I hurt more than a small piece of Damon -- and I did it just like she did. I lied to Damon and told him that I didn't love him. I lied and told him that I loved Stefan and it would always be Stefan.

I'd give almost anything to be able to take back that lie. Because in lying, I broke a piece of Damon and set into motion events that I don't know how we can stop.

I guess I have something in common with Katherine after all. We both have the capacity to hurt those that love us.



Muse: Elena Gilbert
Fandom: The Vampire Diaries
Word Count: 256
Prompt: theatrical_muse Topic 357 - Common Denominator

You would think that I would be afraid of cars ever since the crash that took my parents and injured me. I was for a little while. Every time I got into a car I had to brace myself. Slowly but surely I started getting over that thanks to Bonnie. For the longest time, she was the only one I could handle driving us anywhere.

Of course, then later was the time I wrecked the car and Damon was there to pull me out and make sure I didn't die on them.

Surprisingly, though, if I'm having to take a trip anywhere, I like going by automobile. There's something about the open road and scenery all around me that seems to comfort me and my mind at times. When there is something I need to work out, I prefer to get into a car and just drive. Taking a long drive can be soothing and being out like that gives me another way to find a solution to whatever I'm trying to work out.

While it's true that I always may have to force myself to relax when someone else is driving, automibles are still my preferred mode of transportation.



Muse: Elena Gilbert
Fandom: The Vampire Diaries
Word Count: 200
Prompt: theatrical_muse Topic 354 -- Planes, trains, automobiles - what mode(s) of transport do you prefer and why?

These days? What doesn't really, or what doesn't make me want to cry?

Of course, no one sees that I'm wanting to cry so often as of late. I can't let that be shown. I have to stay in control and hide all of my tears and wait to let them loose until no one is around to hear me or to see me.

The thing is, I didn't used to have this problem. I wasn't all that deep and I could be just as shallow as many of the other popular girls in Mystic Falls. Cheerleading, looking pretty and dating the football captain were the thoughts at the time.

Then, things changed. Things changed for me and my family in a big way. When we lost my parents, I should have died, too. I didn't. I was hurt bad enough to be in the hospital and need strong pills for the pain, but I didn't die. Someone saved me.

Sometimes, I don't know if he did the right thing or not. It might have killed Jenna and Jeremy if they had lost me as well as my parents. But then again, right now, Jeremy probably wishes that I had died when they did. My brother doesn't really want to have anything to do with me right now.

Things are complicated. Yeah, I hate that term as much as most people do, but I don't know how else to explain what's going on.

What makes me cry right now?

When I have to make a decision and it ends up hurting someone I love.



Muse: Elena Gilbert
Fandom: The Vampire Diaries
Word Count: 264
Prompt: theatrical_muse Topic 341 -- What makes you cry?

My given name is Elena and I was told that it was chosen by my mother. She thought the name was very pretty and when she looked up the meaning of it, she discovered that it was a variation of the name Helen. She had always liked mythology and the story of Helen of Troy, so she decided that I was going to be named Elena. She was a wonderful woman and I know that she had times were she was an endearing romantic for all of her logical thinking.

I have always loved my name because it was different than anything I had ever heard as a kid and I thought that it made my mom choosing my name extra special. After all, when I was a little girl Princess Elena just sounded so magical and wonderful and I thought my parents had extraordinarily good taste in naming me. I thought my mother was the most beautiful and wisest Queen of the Land -- for she was always the Queen in my stories -- to name her daughter Elena instead of Helen or something else like that.

I wonder what my mother would have thought about her chosen name for me if she had lived long enough to meet the two Salvatore brothers? Would she be dismayed about the resemblance to Helen of Troy's story of men fighting over her, or would she be concerned and touched by the romance of her daughter finding herself torn between two men?

I'm not sure what she would have thought about the situation I find myself in, but I do know that I still love the name she chose for me.


Muse: Elena Gilbert
Fandom: The Vampire Diaries
Word Count: 278
Prompt: theatrical_muse Topic 338 -- Tell the story behind your name (or nickname).