Welcome to my new story. I've been chomping at the bit to post it. This one is dark too but in a different way than 'Edge of Thorns'.
This Isn't What We Meant:
Chapter One: 'Handful of Rain' by Savatage.
The sky is gray and thick with fog. Rain is coming down in sheets hindering Elena's ability to drive. Bound and determined to get to him, she's certain that neither hell nor God himself better mess with her right now. When the car windows start to fog up, she switches on the defroster, breathing a little easier when they start to clear. Rain drops are pummeling her windshield, big drops, making it necessary to keep the wipers on high. Before she can do anything, her car starts to hydroplane. Her hands are gripping the steering wheel so hard that along with her white knuckles, her fingers are tingling. Yet somehow she manages to keep her vehicle on the blacktop.
Finally her exit comes into view so she slows down and turns off of the interstate and onto the county road that leads her back to him. As she gets closer and closer the rain starts to let up in its voracity but it's still coming down steadily. When she sees the sign for the place, she turns onto the long road, finally eyeing the foreboding structure that looms in the distance. With fog shrouding the top and perimeter, the building looks that much more dark and unwelcoming.
She parks her car, reaches for her umbrella and dashes into the building as fast as her feet will carry her. After going through security, she's escorted to a room. She watches the clock, minute by dreadfully long minute, her frustration growing with each tick. Bored with the monotony of it all, she finally gets up. Walking over to the window, she presses her palm against the shatterproof glass, watching as each rain drop strikes and trails down the glass.
Looking off into the distance, she eyes another approaching storm. Lightning is streaking across the sky in a haphazard show of light followed by roaring claps of thunder. The cacophony of sound, rain, thunder and wind form a symphony of sorts, reminding her of Disney's Peter and the Wolf. Every time, she makes the two hour trek, she's certain that it'll be the day that she finally breaks though his girded steel walls. And yet every time she goes home, her vision is blurred by tears.
Feeling a chill, she runs her hands up and down her arms. It's the same sensation she feels whenever he's near. She turns around at the same time he's led inside, his bright orange prison garb an ugly contrast to her once bright husband. She watches him wearily as he sits down, his familiar downcast look clouding his features. His shoulders are slumped and as usual, he looks like he's a million miles away, not physically but emotionally. She attempts a smile but it fades as quickly as it comes.
Sometimes she wonders why he hasn't forbidden her from coming or taken her off his approved visitors list. Whatever the reason, she's grateful beyond measure. He's the reason she breathes, the love of her life, and yet they find themselves separated by concrete walls, bars on windows and razor wired perimeters. Sucking in breath, it takes every ounce of strength she has to fight back her own tears at his rejection.
Even though he's given up on himself, she will never give up on him. Never. She loves him too much to even consider it. Her parents didn't raise a coward. Pulling the chair away from the table, the sound of the legs scraping on the concrete floor is like nails on a chalkboard. She sits down and reaches across to him, taking his hand in her own. "Damon," she rasps, her voice thick with emotion, his touch overwhelming her.
"Lena," he says softly, not looking up, his hand remaining lifeless. Studying him, she tips her head to look him over.
Noticing the greenish blue discoloration around his orbital bone and his fat lip, she gasps, "What happened to your face?"
"It's nothing," he replies, his voice flat in tone and affect. When she advances her fingers towards him, he pushes her hand away. Feeling her emotions start to get the best of her, she grips hers together, hoping to somehow anchor herself. She jumps, her eyes snapping open when a loud clap of thunder breaks up the awkward silence between them.
"I saw your mom the other day. She mentioned that she was here to see you?"
"Yeah, she was here," he admits, raising his eyes for a moment. She swallows thickly, stunned by the dimming color of them. He's really given up she thinks, her heart hammering wildly at the realization. Determined to get some sort of a reaction out of him, she tells him about her own job.
"Last week Caroline insulted one of our clients. Mrs. Flowers is a rather hefty woman. She was bitching at Caroline because she wasn't losing any weight. But when she reached into her purse for a pen, like four Snickers bars fell out. Of course, Caroline couldn't hold back the snarky comment. I rather doubt we'll see her again. We are thinking about doing some remodeling, maybe some wallpaper or paint, something simple that the two of us could do ourselves," Elena muses, trailing off when she sees the ever present distant, disaffected look on his face.
"Maybe Jeremy can help you?" he adds, covering his mouth when he starts to yawn. Her breath catches in her throat when he mentions her brother. Still she says nothing, brushing off his question when he asks her why the look on her face.
"I watched Noelle for a few hours last Friday. You should see how big she's getting already. Bonnie and Enzo can hardly keep up with her," she smiles, thinking of Damon's niece. His parents were missionaries in Haiti when he was still a child. They found Bonnie as a sick and abandoned infant, barely alive in one of the island's hospitals. Falling in love with her immediately, they adopted her and flew with her back to the States to get her the medical care she needed.
Today after two open heart surgeries growing up, she's the picture of health. Barely noticing any reaction out of him, eventually the conversation ceases. The sound of silence is deafening, nearly driving her mad, her chest tightening painfully. Like always her visit is proving to be futile. Suddenly a loud reverberating roar of thunder grabs his attention. He casts his eyes to the charcoal colored sky, his interest focuses on a golden streak of lightening as it slices through the clouds. The wind unleashes a new torrent of rain. The pummeling sound of plip, plip, ploop breaks up the monotonous atmosphere in the visitation room.
It takes everything he has not to pull her into his arms. He's fisting them so tightly under the table that his fingernails are piercing the skin of his palms. Damon has no idea how it's possible but every time he sees her, she's more beautiful than the time before. His love for her burns like the Northern lights as it colors the night sky with a magnificent display of color and light and beauty. But he can't tell her that. She has to move on. Give up. Walk away.
The only way she'll do that is if he keeps his distance. Glancing at the clock, he relaxes when he hears the guard's unmistakable footsteps and then the sound of his voice telling him that their time is up. Despite his self control, he can't stop himself from looking into her gorgeous face once more just in case this is the last time. He can feel the glass shards pierce his heart when his blue eyes meet her tearful brown ones. As much as he hates himself for hurting her, he knows it's for the best. She needs to stay away, start over and hopefully find someone else. The thought of her with another man rips at his very soul and yet he will do nothing to stop it either.
The sensation is absolutely crushing as she watches him walk away just like every other time she's been here.
"Are you going to be alright?"
"Yes, Elena. Everything's peachy. Except - you - here. Just go home and please for the love of God, don't come back," he snaps, hoping the vitriol in his voice will drive the dagger in. Maybe, just maybe she'll hear him this time. Unable to view the devastation on her face for even a millisecond longer, he turns around and follows the guard out without so much as a backwards glance.
She struggles to understand what she did to make him turn away from her. Whether he believes it or not, or holds it dear like she does, their marriage vows mean something to her. It seems that her words to live by are "for better or worse". She only hopes that if she perseveres, the better will eventually come. Hearing the door slam shut, she startles, realizing now that she's alone again. Slipping on her rain coat, she picks up her umbrella and vacates the room.
Stepping outside, the freezing rain pales her skin on contact. The path to her car is muddy with puddles filling the potholes. Staring at ripples in one of them, she can't help but think of Jurassic Park when the T-Rex arrival was forewarned by the ripples in the water glass. Shaking herself out of it, she hurries towards her car, the downpour intensifying as she gets closer to it. A torrent of rain suddenly breaks loose from the heavens, the cloudburst so intense that the sound blurs into one long, whirring noise.
As soon as she reaches her vehicle, she folds up the umbrella and slides behind the wheel. Gripping it tightly, she drops her forehead against it and in that moment, her emotions finally overwhelm her. Tears fall like an avalanche from her eyes, her chest heaves in pain as fear and anxiety combine to form a mix so bitterly painful that it roils her tummy. Feeling her belly begin to churn, her saliva burning in her throat, she jumps out of the car. Reaching the edge of the grass, she loses the meager contents of her lunch. Her painful cries are drowned out by the sounds of the storm. Drenched, she picks herself up off the pavement and gets back in her car. As soon as she can breathe again, she starts the engine to begin the long drive home.
This story is another one conjured up from Eva's brilliant mind. She really went above and beyond getting this one ready to publish, she planned out many scenes, helped with dialogue and so much more. I don't even begin to find the words to say thank you, Eva.
Thanks to all of you as well. You're all the best.
Synopsis quote courtesy of Aishabella Sheikh.
EOT has a couple of chapters left. "Tomorrow" and "TNWM" will be updating yet this week.
I have made so many friends, even gaining a sister in Eva, through Damon and Elena and to me that's the best part of their fandom. Florencia7 is a dear friend, her DE stories are amazing. Morvamp is the sweetest person in addition to being a great writer. Deepwater1978 has several wonderful stories. She's a writing dynamo. Delenasmut is starting to gain her footing in the fan fiction world as is VitsAsh. TheLittle MissVixen, Mariah April May, Salvatoreboys4ever are all dear friends with compelling stories too. Tamilnadu09 felt the writing bug again and has "Once Upon a Nightmare". There are so many, many more.
Eva and I would love to hear your thoughts. More of this will post when EOT is marked complete.
Have a safe and wonderful day.