Dance in the Dark.

[[Kat's POV]]

"Where's Alice..?" Ashiee asked, worried.

I shook my head. "She wasn't anywhere in Danville. Nobody knew where a 'dead girl's body' could have gone."

"Something's definetly wrong here." Stefan added.

"Wherever the hell my baby girl is, we're going to find her." Damon said, his anger rising.

Aster looked like he'd just been broken all over again. I went over to him and put a hand on his arm. "Don't worry Aster, we'll find her."

"That's what everyone's been saying for the last few weeks." Aster answered, his teeth clenched.

[[Aster's POV]]
[[The Next Day--Mystic Falls High]]

"I heard." Lucky said grimly as I walked into History.

"I'm surprised you weren't there." I replied, slumping down in my seat.

"I would have been, but family stuff came up. Pheobie may come home."

"Alright class, we have a new student today." Mr. Saltzman said. "Class, this is Anna Smithson."

Lucky's head shot up. I looked up, wondering what the fuss was about and gasped at the girl before us. It was Alice...

Both Lucky's and my mouths fell open slightly.

"Hi!" The girl said cheerily.

Whispers went around at her likeness to Alice and Mr. Saltzman sat her between me and Lucky.

"Alice? Is that you?" Lucky gasped at her.

"Who's Alice?" My heart dropped. "I'm from Danville. I just moved here. What's your name?"

"L-Lucky...Lucky Saybrook." I gave her the, 'Do it like you did when she first came here.' look and she knew. "Anna, this is Aster Shaddix." Lucky added, smiling like she had the first day.

"Nice to meet you both!" Anna said, smiling at us both. Who the hell was she and what has she done with our Alice?

Lucky and I kept exchanging glances all class when 'Anna' kept actually doing her work and asking questions. We thought either we'd lost it or Alice hit her head when she woke up.

At lunch, 'Anna', Lucky, and I all sat together like we used to when it was Alice and us.

"So, Anna," Lucky started. "What's your full name?"

"Anna Rae Smithson." A.R.S., just like Alice Renee Sterling-Salvatore. Something was definetly wrong here.

"Hey Aster, can I ask you something about the uhm...algebra test on Thursday?" Lucky said.

For a second, I thought she was crazy. Then I understood she wanted to tell me something 'Anna' couldn't hear.

I nodded and Lucky led me into the hallway for a moment. "Anna was the name Alice said she'd want if she was ever just...normal.."

"As in no vampires, magic, nothing?"

Lucky nodded grimly. "If she was just a normal teenage girl."

"Well..what if she remembers some stuff? I mean, what if it's like the last time she lost her memory?" And what about Annalissa...?

"I don't know...but we could try asking her some stuff, I guess."

--Back in the lunch room--

"What are your favourite kind of books to read?"

"That's easy, fiction novels." Anna smiled again.

"What kind of fiction novels?" I asked.

"Oh, the usual; witches, demons, vampires, you know."

"Vampires, huh? Do you like, believe in them or something?" Lucky asked.

"Hm..I don't really know. I mean, I suppose. But it's all just fiction, right?" I swear my eye twitched.

"Really? 'Cause a lot of strange stuff has happened around here." Lucky said.

"Oh? Like what?"

"A lot of 'animal attacks'. People drained of blood and just left to be found. Back in the 1500's they knew vampires existed and hunted them down. It's said to believe they still do today."

"Well I bet they're royally ticked off if they're from the 1500's, right?" Anna said.

"Probably."

Anna laughed. "You guys are great. But trying to scare me with stories of vampires in Mystic Falls? You guys have made my day."

I didn't know my heart could break any more. It was then that an idea, a risky one though, had struck me.

"Anna," I said. "Since you're new here and all, how would you like to...go out with me say..Friday?"

Ashley Erikson Quote I;;

"In a world of rules, I'll do anything to break those rules daily. Now I have my reasons. Screw you, rules."