Moving Forward

AN: Takes place post season three finale and three months or so into the future. Damon is ready to move on with someone new, but is Elena ready to let him go forever? DELENA … Klaroline & other ships.

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Elena POV

I use to love the rain.

The variation of it to be exact; the way it trickles down glass windows when it's a light shower, and the way it pours down in a bad storm.

Now the thought of water, in any variation, makes me angry.

My parents lost their lives in water, but that night I was saved from the same fate… only to lose my life years later in the same predicament. It was as if the circle came back around. The grim reaper came knocking at my door once again, telling me I was meant to die that night with my parents. My life could be depicted in a final destination movie.

Except movies don't account for vampirism… and fortunately or maybe unfortunately for me, real life does.

I open my front door, cringing at the view of the rain storm outside. Being a vampire heightens my senses, which makes the rain beating against the cement sound almost thunderous.

Like I said…I use to love the rain.

Now-a-days I'm saying I use to love to a lot of things…

/

7:30.

I look at my watch every few minutes, shifting anxiously in a bar stool. Where the hell could Caroline be? The question keeps running through my mind as I start to really worry, because the neurotic, control-freak Caroline that I know, is never late…let alone 20 minutes late, AND not answering her damn phone.

7:40

I am so nervous at this point that I'm about to start rallying up the vampire troops to look for her, when suddenly she stalks into the Grill. Even Gina, the sassy new bartender, feels the wrath that is Caroline walking toward us.

She pours a shot of tequila before Caroline sits down, and smirks at my seething blonde friend. "Another bad day hun?" her cute voice annoys me to no end, but I grind my teeth and let the feeling ride.

"Ugh, how can you tell?" Caroline asks dramatically, and offers a weak smile to Gina.

"You girls let me know if you want to start a tab tonight," Gina offers, flipping her silky black hair over her shoulders and going to help other customers.

I watch her closely; she's twenty-two, has big green eyes, full lips, luminescent skin and a perfect body to match. What man wouldn't be head over heels for her if she gave them a shot?

I swallow the growing mass forming in my throat, and hear a chuckle to my left. "Elena, you are staring again," Caroline teases…surely my insanity is lightning her mood.

"I am not staring," I sulk, folding my arms over my chest, "nor have I ever."

"Hmm sure," she rolls her eyes, letting the last chuckle escape her. She then proceeds to pound her head into the bar counter.

I pinch her arm, and furrow my eyebrows as she yelps in pain.

"Do you forget that you are super strong now?" she hisses, rubbing her arm like a four-year old.

"What's wrong with you Care?" I want to skip the non-sense tonight. "Why were you late?"

She sighs, "its Klaus again, every time I turn around its like he's there!"

"Is he bothering you now? Has he been trying to hurt you?" I bite my bottom lip, trying to put on my most serious face.

"He would never hurt me Elena," she throws her hands up in the air like it is the worst thing in the world, "that's the point!"

'I'm confused, can you let me know why he's bothering you so much if he's not actually bothering you?" I am trying my hardest to suppress my laughter now.

"I know you are about to laugh, and as a friend I just want to let you know that you are one cruel, sick little blood-sucker!" she rants, frowning.

"Sorry," I offer, "no more teasing, I promise."

She downs the rest of her tequila, (ew!), and frowns. "I think he's starting to get under my skin Elena. What am I going to do?"

Although I haven't exactly grown to even be able to tolerate Klaus, it is obvious to me and everyone else in our twisted circle that Klaus is in love with Caroline. Maybe being in love is a little too strong of feeling for someone who doesn't have a heart? I shrug to myself, whatever he feels for her is strong enough for him to linger around in mystic falls for months when he has nothing left to stay here for. When I became a vampire, we all figured Klaus would skip town or kill us all since his human blood bank was not so human anymore. It's been three months and neither option has happened, so maybe he actually is capable of love after all. The real question is not whether Klaus wants Caroline, but if Caroline reciprocates the feeling. We all already know the answer to that. It's obvious…to everyone, BUT Caroline!

"Go out with him," I offer simply, shrugging my shoulders and taking a swig of my Bourbon. The smell brings back memories of not too long ago…

"That's your brilliant solution to my huge problem?" She shrieks, shaking her head in disbelief. "Tell me that is not your solution to solve the havoc that is now my life?"

My sigh is louder and more dramatic than I intend, "Listen Care- the only way you are going to know what to do about Klaus is if you actually give him a slim chance." She stares at me in horror, but doesn't speak so I continue, "he's not going to stop trying to pursue you unless you give him a damn chance! If you really don't feel anything for him after that then I'm sure he will stop all of this."

She considers what I say for a few minutes, and a smile lights up her face. "You are soooooo right Elena Gilbert," she nods, still smiling. "I think this is the best advice you've ever given me, in fact."

"What can I say," I shrug and smile back, "I am wonderful at giving advice."

"If only you were wonderful at taking it," she snorts.

"Listen," I throw my hands in the air, "I do the best I can! Damon is obviously moving on and I am single for the first time in years. It's wonderful by the way," I point to her, "I can actually focus on me, and not all the confusion that is Stefan and Damon and love and eternity and all the other rubbish."

"I'm just saying," she counters, "you broke up with Stefan not even two weeks after becoming a vampire and we all know it's because YOU know you made the wrong choice."

"Since when have you become pro Damon?" I glare at her.

"I am not pro Damon, but its only obvious that you love him," she rolls her eyes. "Although for some reason you cannot get it through your thick skull, or your dead cold heart."

I suck my teeth, "I do not love Damon. I love our friendship…that is all!"

She chuckles, "whatever you say Elena, but don't even consider it when he really has moved on and it's too late."

I bite my bottom lip and glance in Gina's direction.

"Maybe we should open up a tab tonight," I sigh.

My blonde friend silently agrees.

/

Review please… it helps to know whether I should move forward with this story!

=] thanks for reading!