Prologue
17 year old Elena had grown up getting a lot of attention from boys but had never returned a single one of their feelings. The majority were boys from the high school that she attended in Mystic Falls and were all childish and immature. She was tall and what can only be described as beautiful with a soft complexion, deep brown eyes and smooth, long, dark brown hair. All the boys saw was her looks but Elena wanted someone who liked her for who she was. She had let down many of her admirers in the kindest way possible but even then they never took it well. Causing so much heartbreak unsurprisingly led her to be unwilling to think about relationships. That was until she met the Salvatore brothers.
They had moved to town a few months ago and had been the subject of much gossip among the population of Mystic Falls. Firstly there hadn't been a Salvatore living in the boarding house since long before Elena was born and were one of the founding families. Secondly, and most importantly, they were both smoking hot.
Chapter 1
Stefan was handsome and athletic, with a brooding, mysterious and intense aura. He had a pale complexion, broad forehead and deep-set, forest green eyes. He had straight, short, dark blonde hair which he often gelled or spiked. What Elena loved best about him though was his heart warming smile, no matter how bad you felt his smile would never fail to lift your spirits. She had liked him the instant they had met and it appeared that he felt the same. Elena had spent many days in Stefan's company talking and laughing, she felt that she was able to confide in him and they became good friends. Then she met Damon.
Damon, on the other hand, was the complete opposite of his brother. He was relatively athletic, tall, sexy and seductive. Elena knew that he was trouble from the moment she had met him by his 'bad boy' smile and cocky attitude, but still felt strangely drawn to him. He was the dark where Stefan was the light, with his dark brown almost black hair that fell just to his ears. The leather jackets and black shirts that he wore only helped to enhance this image. He was always arrogant and sarcastic and had little regard for anyone's feelings. He wasn't always bad though. She had seen his sweet side before, when they were together he could be very charming and Elena preferred him that way but no matter how hard she tried he would always return to his almost psychopathic self.
Over the few months she had known them she had developed a good relationship with both of them and did not want to hurt either of them. Her friends warned her that being so friendly with both of them would only end in disaster as they thought that she would have to choose one. She had laughed at the idea and told them that she didn't feel anything more for them than friends but now she wasn't so sure. She could tell that they both liked her yet so far neither had made any move to claim her, though recently she had noticed the increased tension in the room when she was with both of them. She liked them both and didn't want to hurt either of them and was quite happy with things as they were but knew that it couldn't last for long. Her other reason for not wanting to date them was that they were vampires.
Chapter 2
She had found this out almost immediately when Tyler had attacked her for breaking Matt's heart and Damon, who had been nearby, dragged him off of her and immediately bit into his neck, draining him almost completely of his blood. Matt was of course compelled never to remember any of this. At the time Elena had only met Stefan and had no idea of the dangerous world they all lived in. This first meeting with Damon taught her that he was dangerous and she had been slightly wary of him ever since. Stefan had never attacked anyone in front of her but knowing what he was capable of made her slightly nervous at the beginning but she soon came to trust both of them. Damon slightly less than Stefan due to his slightly more reckless nature.
She knew that both of them wanted her, yet neither pushed. Stefan had never made an advance or voiced his feelings but Damon was more upfront. Once she had gotten over the night that they had met he was constantly making seductive comments, much to the displeasure of Stefan who was a lot more reserved. On a few occasions Damon had gone with Elena to the grill to make up for his less than appropriate behaviour, at these times he had been pleasant to be around. He was still cocky and teasing but he and Elena had a good laugh together and she enjoyed those nights. She wished he could be like that all the time but he was back to his old ways again in no time.
All of these thoughts flitted around her head as Elena lay on her bed trying to make sense of them. It was getting late and she had texted Damon earlier to ask if he would come to her house as they needed to talk, but as of yet there had been no reply. This surprised and irritated her as when she did send him a text, which she rarely did, he answered her almost immediately but when she actually needed him to reply he didn't. She could always go up to the boarding house, she mused but soon dismissed the idea. Stefan might be there and she wanted to avoid any awkward encounters with the two brothers. 'Should I join you?' Damon asked in a mocking tone. Elena sat up quickly and glared at him as he leant casually against her dresser, the corners of his mouth quirked upward in amusement. She took a deep breath to supress her anger at him just appearing in her room, he could've at least knocked or answered her text. 'I would've replied to your text but I thought I would surprise you' he said coolly, unfazed by her obvious anger. 'Now that you're finally here' she began, pulling herself up into a sitting position until her back rested on the headboard behind her. 'I need your help' she admitted. Damon raised an eyebrow and frowned disbelievingly, Elena could only laugh at his expression. It only lasted a second though before his lips curved into a seductive smile 'I would be happy to help' he purred softly in a low, sexy voice. Elena coughed and cleared her throat as a blush of red crept up the back of her neck she tried to ignore the obvious message in his words. 'It's about Stefan.' she said swiftly so as to hide her reaction. At the mention of his brother's name Damon's face became a stone mask and he went back to leaning on the dresser, much to Elena's relief. 'It's his birthday soon and I would really like to do something special for him' she began before he could object. 'You know him better than me, what do you think he would like?' she asked, for a moment she didn't think he would reply. 'He likes to have friends around him' he replied reluctantly 'I suppose you could throw him a birthday meal'. A smile crept slowly onto Elena's face. It was perfect, she told Damon as much. 'Well I hope you don't expect me to be there' he asked in a dark voice. She shook her head disapprovingly and pulled herself off the bed to stand in front of him. 'He's your brother. You had better be there or you will have me to answer to' she threatened only half joking. Damon took a step towards her, his face so close to hers. Her breath caught in her throat as he licked his licks enticingly. 'I'll look forward to it' he murmured softly. For a moment they stood there, so close they could almost touch. Elena, unable to move, could focus on nothing but Damon's lips, her heart jumping madly in her chest. He ran a finger lightly down the side of her face, sending electric sparks shooting through her entire body. The corners of his mouth lifted into a smirk that lit her heart a blaze and then in a heartbeat he was gone, leaving her alone in the dark room, unable to forget the memory imprinted upon her heart.
Chapter 3
Elena spent the next few days busily preparing for Stefan's birthday meal to try and keep her thoughts away from her encounter with Damon. Just the thought of it sent shivers down her spine. She scolded herself and submersed herself in the invite list. Bonnie entered Elena's kitchen, phone in hand and took a seat next to her. 'That's Caroline and Matt sorted' Bonnie informed Elena, who was wracking her brain to think of anyone else she could invite but could not think of a single person. In the end she threw the pen down on the table with a loud clatter and let out a huge sigh. 'You, Me, Caroline, Matt and Stefan. This is going to be a great party with just the five of us there' she moaned. 'Six' Bonnie corrected. Elena looked at her in confusion. 'You forgot Damon.' Bonnie told her. Elena closed her eyes trying to banish the thought of Damon's finger gently caressing her cheek, how her body had reacted… she shook herself and opened her eyes. 'I don't think Damon can make it' she replied sharply. Bonnie held up her hands in defeat at her less than friendly tone. 'Whoa, I was only saying. What's wrong with you today? You've been acting so weird.' Elena hadn't even noticed. To be honest she could hardly keep her thoughts off Damon. She took a deep breath and apologized saying that she would be fine. 'I hope so. Stefan's dinner is tomorrow and you don't want to ruin it' Bonnie answered as she left to go and meet Caroline and Matt at the grill. Bonnie was right Elena thought, this is meant to be about Stefan not me. She focused on the blank page in front of her and picked the pen back up again.
A few hours later and there were no more names added to the list. Oh well, Elena thought, Stefan will be happier just having his close friends around him. Aunt Jenna had agreed that they could have the dinner at their house as long as no one got too drunk, which Elena assured her they wouldn't. In return her Aunt promised to leave them to it as she would go to a friend's house for the night. Elena suspected that it was more than just a friend that her Aunt would be staying with but smiled and said nothing. She went to see how Jenna was getting on and was told that everything was ready for the party and they just needed to set up the table the next day before everyone arrived. Everything seemed to be going to plan so far, Elena prayed that tomorrow would go just as well. Content that she had done her bit she spent the rest of the day lazing with her brother in front of the TV until dinner, after which she went up to her room and talked to Caroline on the phone for a few hours. Past 11, after she and Caroline had finally said their goodbyes, Elena lay in the dark of her room unable to sleep. Later when she did finally drift off, her dreams were of Damon's gentle caress.
Chapter 4
It was almost midday when Elena finally woke up the next day. She cursed herself for sleeping in so late and quickly pulled on a shirt and jeans before hurrying downstairs. The house was eerily quiet for a change, there was no loud music pouring out of Jeremy's room nor was Aunt Jenna singing along to the radio in the kitchen. Elena grabbed a note that had been left on the table:
We're out. See you soon.
Elena almost laughed at the awful state of the note her brother Jeremy had written, he hadn't even said where they were. She put the note in the bin and picked up a box of cereal from the kitchen but glancing at the clock decided that she might as well have lunch. She made herself a sandwich and was just about to sit down when the phone rang. For a moment she was tempted to let it ring to voice mail but after a few rings she reluctantly picked up the receiver. 'Hello, who is this?' she asked, whilst placing her uneaten sandwich on the counter beside her. 'Hello Elena, this is Sheriff Forbes.' The voice replied. It was Caroline's mum. 'Oh hi sheriff, what can I do for you?' she asked, it never hurt to be polite to the Sheriff. 'I'm afraid this isn't a social call. Jeremy has been arrested.' She admitted. Elena couldn't reply for a few moments 'I think you should come down to the station. We need someone to collect him and we can't get hold of your Aunt' the sheriff told Elena. 'I'll be there as soon as possible' she promised, slowly placing the receiver down. Her brain tried to organize her muddled thoughts, what could her brother possibly done to get arrested she puzzled. She leapt up and grabbed her keys, phone and jacket before running out of the door.
As she left she saw Stefan's old red Porsche pull up in front of her house, his smile dissolving when he saw her expression. Getting out of the car he jogged up to meet her. 'What's happened?' he asked concerned. 'Jeremey's been arrested. I'm on my way to the station now.' she replied bluntly unable to take it in. Stefan was as shocked at the news as she was. Jeremy had never gotten into trouble before. He gently pulled her by the arm towards his car. 'No I can walk' she protested feebly 'It's not very far' she told him. He sat her in the passenger seat before getting in the driver's side. 'It's even quicker by car' he replied as he started the engine and drove her to the station.
Chapter 5
Sheriff Forbes was waiting by the front desk when Elena and Stefan entered the station. She looked grim and immediately pointed them in the direction of Jeremy's cell without a word. Elena almost ran down the small corridors to where her little brother was sat in a cell, head in hands. She wrapped her hands around the bars as he looked up and saw her. 'Elena!' he exclaimed, rising to his feet, 'thank god you're here.' Elena looked him up and down quickly checking that he was okay. 'I'm fine' he insisted impatiently 'can you please get me out of here.' She had a number of questions she was bursting to ask but first she had to get him out. She signed off the appropriate paper work that was handed to her and 10 minutes later they all left the station and got into Stefan's car.
'What happened?' Elena asked her brother, twisting around in the front seat to face him. 'I was with Tyler' he began, not looking Elena in the eye. 'We were having a laugh just messing about and then he started asking about you and if you were sleeping with Stefan and Damon. I thought he was joking at first but he wasn't. He called you all sorts of names.' Jeremy told her angrily, he looked up at her, his eyes glowing with rage. 'I wouldn't let him slag you off like that so I told him to stop but he didn't. He just laughed and kept going saying how you had probably slept with most of the town by now and I got so angry I….I …..I hit him.' he finally admitted. He then told them how he had then thrown Tyler to the ground and kicked him right when the Sheriff had turned up. Elena stared at her brother aghast, how could be so stupid as to attack his friend so brutally. He may have been standing up for her but that was no excuse. Stefan leant forward and gave Jeremy a stern look. 'You can't go around attack people Jeremy. Even if you are defending your sister it's just not acceptable' he stated but Elena could tell by Stefan's tense body that he wanted to hurt Tyler as badly as Jeremy had. Elena twisted around in her seat again and closed her eyes. 'Let's just go home' she said wearily. A few moments later the car roared to life and they pulled away from the curb heading towards her house.
As soon as Stefan's car pulled up outside her house Jeremy hopped out the back and rushed inside, not wanting to face any more of his sister's questions. Stefan cast her a sympathetic look, 'If there's anything I can do to help?' he offered. This was just too perfect Elena thought as she pretended to think. 'You could come around later, I could use someone to talk to' she answered. Stefan nodded and told her that he wold be there at about 6. Elena waited until he had gotten out of the car before she allowed herself a small smile of delight. She had been trying to think about how she would get Stefan to her house for the meal but he had given her the solution on a plate. As she entered her house and locked the door her smile faltered remembering what Jeremy had told her. 'He started asking about you and if you were sleeping with Stefan and Damon…..he called you all sorts of names….' She knew that her situation with the two brothers was difficult but she had never thought about how it must have looked to other people. The whole town would have seen her with both of them many times on separate occasions but there was nothing she could do to stop the rumours. Except pick one a voice whispered in her head which she ignored. She looked up the stairs to where she could hear loud music pouring from Jeremey's room, she knew that she needed to have a good talk with him, but not now. She knew he wouldn't talk until he was ready and would lock himself up in his room all night. In the car he had asked her if she would keep it to herself and not tell Aunt Jenna about his arrest, which she reluctantly agreed to, she didn't want to stress her Aunt out more than she needed to. Her phone started to ring in her pocket and she checked the caller ID. It was Bonnie. 'Hey' Elena said as she flung her coat down and sank into a chair. 'There's been a slight problem…' Bonnie admitted. 'With what?' Elena demanded, she couldn't take much more bad news today. 'There's been a slight mix up with the cake, we're on our over now.'
Chapter 6
'What is that?' Elena asked, horrified. Her, Bonnie and Caroline were gathered around the kitchen table in the Gilbert house staring at the small pink ballerina cake that Bonnie had placed in front of them. 'That's the cake that was delivered' Bonnie replied. That was definitely not the expensive iced, red Porsche cake that Elena had ordered. This was a joke. Someone somewhere was enjoying their cake whilst they were stuck with this bright pink monstrosity. Elena picked it up and placed it in a cupboard to get it out of her sight, she felt like smashing it up with a hammer. 'What are we going to do?' she groaned 'we cannot give that to Stefan' she almost laughed at the thought of his reaction. For a moment they stood contemplating their options before Caroline looked up, a cheeky smile spreading across her face. 'I have an idea' Caroline began 'We make the cake.'
20 minutes later Elena was leafing through a cook book looking for the best cake that she could find. Caroline was taking control, which neither Bonnie nor Elena minded as they had done very little baking before. Bonnie had been ordered to get this and do that whilst Caroline was setting up everything that they needed. Once she was done she came across and pointed at a cake from the book, they all agreed that it was the best and they had all the ingredients for it.
It took them another 20 minutes to add and mix everything before they popped it in the oven and set the timer for 40 minutes. Elena sagged against the counter, feeling exhausted, distantly hearing Bonnie run to answer the door when the bell rang. She glanced at the clock, it was almost 5:30, meaning that she only about half an hour to get ready before Stefan arrived. 'Well don't you just look tasty' Damon observed from where he stood, leaning against the doorway to the kitchen. Elena jumped slightly, not having heard him enter. Looking at her reflection in the oven she saw that her face was streaked with flour from where she had unknowingly wiped it with flour covered hands whilst mixing the ingredients of the cake. She self-consciously smoothed down her rumpled clothes and wiped as much of the flour from her face as she could. Damon continued to hungrily eat her up with his eyes, smiling wickedly when he saw how uncomfortable it made her. 'I didn't think you were coming' she said, turning her back on temptation as she attempted to clear the counter top. 'Anything for you' he whispered seductively in her ear. She whirled back around, his body pressing hers back against the counter as their breaths intermingled in the silence. Her brain attempted to form words but her mouth would not speak them. She faintly heard the doorbell ring but all she could think about was how good it would feel to run her hands up and down the strong muscular body that was trapping her against the counter. Her hands twitched by her sides at the thought as she felt the heat from Damon's body seeping through their clothes onto her skin but before she could do anything she heard footsteps entering the kitchen.
'Hey Elena, I hope I'm not late…' Matt began until he saw the two of them wedged against the counter and forgot what he was saying. As pain and betrayal filled his eyes Elena was able to control her body again and pushed a hand against Damon's shoulder in an attempt to push him back. He was much stronger than Elena and could've easily decided to stay where he was but Elena was relieved when he allowed her to push him back a few steps. She felt heat rise to her face as she continued to be the subject of Matt's stare which was becoming filled less with hurt and with increasingly more anger. She had only turned down his advances a few weeks ago saying that she needed her space, which he had accepted like a gentleman, but she knew that he still hoped that they could be together. What he had just witnessed was like rubbing salt in the wound.
'I..er...you're not late…' she mumbled at a loss for what to say. Damon was no help, he just stood there defiantly, arms crossed, almost daring Matt to say something but he seemed to be just as speechless as her. As he opened his mouth Caroline breezed in, oblivious to the tension and ordered Matt into the dining room to help Bonnie lay the table. Matt made no move to leave but continued to stare at Elena until Caroline clapped her hands in front of his face and pushed him in the right direction, leaving him no choice but to do as she had said. She fluttered around the kitchen for a bit before telling Elena that she had to change quickly before Stefan arrived and after getting no response pulled her by the arm towards the stairs. Elena cast one last look back at Damon's smug face before he dissappeared out of sight and wondered what she had gotten herself into.
Chapter 7
Elena showered, dressed and did her hair as quickly as possible but even then she was only left with 5 minutes to spare before Stefan was meant to arrive. She chose to wear a simple white dress that fell just above the knees, nothing too fancy for an informal meal, and her curled hair cascaded around her shoulders, glossy and sleek. Elena fiddled nervously with the silver necklace that she always wore, in anticipation of the night ahead. With both Damon and Matt in the same room she knew that there would be a lot of tension but she knew that they had to put it aside for Stefan's sake, she prayed that he never heard of what had just happened in the kitchen. Pushing these thoughts to the back her mind she checked herself in the mirror one last time before heading downstairs.
As she descended the stairs the doorbell went and she waved at everyone in the living room to be quiet. 'It's unlocked' she shouted as she took her place with her friends. She heard Stefan open and close the door. 'Happy Birthday!' they yelled as he entered. Elena immediately went up and gave him a huge hug, laughing at his surprised expression. A dark look passed across Damon's face when she did but no-one noticed except for Matt who hadn't taken his eyes away from him for a second. Elena stepped back as everyone else gathered around. Stefan looked less shocked and more pleased at this point which Elena was glad to see, she pushed him into a chair. 'Present time!' Caroline squealed excitedly, shoving past everyone to be the first to give him hers. She stared at him expectantly as he tore the wrapping paper and everyone took a seat either on the floor or a chair. Elena perched on the arm of Stefan's chair ignoring the fact that both Damon and Matt had left an empty space beside them. Stefan opened presents for at least 20 minutes before at last it was Elena's turn. She nervously fiddled with her hair as he ripped through the wrapping but sighed in relief when his face lit up with joy. She had gotten him two tickets to the football game that was being played next month knowing that he really wanted to go and see it as his favourite team was playing. 'Two tickets?' he asked, throwing the wrapping with the rest in a box on the floor. 'I wouldn't want you to get lonely. You could take Damon.' She teased, Stefan grinned at her knowing how much Damon hated football. He put a hand on her arm and thanked her for the present. She could almost feel Damon's eyes boring into her so she gently pulled her arm out of Stefan's grip and reached down behind the chair, where she grabbed the bottle of champagne that she had hidden there earlier. 'Who wants a drink' she asked, waving the bottle in the air as everyone cheered at the appearance of the alcohol.
The rest of the night went smoothly enough, everyone seemed to have a good time. Any tension she had previously felt with Damon or Matt soon dissappeared after she had gulped back a few glasses of champagne. She spent most of the night drifting between conversations, strategically avoiding any rooms that Matt or Damon were in, when Matt tried to approach her she turned her back on him and began talking with whoever was closest. It seemed to work as he soon got the message and made no more attempts to approach her, instead he sulked in the corner casting the occasional glance at her. She herself had a great time, she turned some music on loud and spent a lot of time dancing with Caroline and Bonnie until she had to sit down before she fell.
She had almost forgotten about Damon until he caught her eye on the other side of the room and winked at her secretively. She dropped his gaze immediately and focused stubbornly on a lamp on the other side of the room, ignoring him completely until she saw him glide into the kitchen from the corner of the eye. She sighed in relief at his absence and filled her cup with more champagne, frowning as she slopped some onto the carpet. She drained the cup before heading unsteadily to where Stefan was standing on the other side of room, filling his plate with food. She bumped into him as she neared, almost knocking the food from his plate. He skilfully balanced his food on one arm whilst supporting her with the other. 'Sorry….Sorry..' she apologized as he leant her up against the wall to steady her. Stefan's eyes filled with amusement as she reached for a glass of champagne on the table, clumsily knocking it over, the only thing stopping it from smashing on the floor was Stefan's vampire reflexes. He placed the glass carefully back on the table, not a drop had been spilled. 'I think you've had enough to drink!' he laughed. Elena agreed silently as she thought back to the countless number of drinks she had consumed in the last hour. 'I don't usually drink so much' she admitted confused, unsure what had gotten into her. A small frown crept onto Stefan's face as he considered her words, she watched as he brooded silently. He looked up, feeling her gaze upon him and handed her his plate. 'You should eat something' he advised 'You look lovely tonight' he added, as she picked at the food on her plate. 'You don't look to bad yourself' she teased in reply, looking down at the old shirt and jeans he was wearing. 'I didn't know that you were throwing me a party, but I'm glad you did. It's been fun.' He thanked her. She smiled, glad that he was enjoying himself. The smile died on her lips when she looked over Stefan's shoulder and saw Damon observing them from a distance. Stefan noted the change in her expression and put a hand on her arm. 'What's wrong' he asked concerned. She pulled away from his touch, unable to be near him. She practically shoved the plate of food back into his hands as his face crinkled in surprise. 'Elena..' he began. 'No..' she exclaimed loudly, drawing curious looks from her friends. 'I need some air.' She muttered as she staggered towards the door, everyone's eyes following her as she did.
She leant against the wall outside and took deep breaths, closing her eyes. What was wrong with her? It must have been all of the champagne, she concluded but didn't know why she had been drinking so much in the first place. She was ashamed off the spectacle she had just made of herself and couldn't believe how rude she had been, pulling away from Stefan like that. A sob escaped her body as she attempted to order her fleeting thoughts when she felt a sudden breeze stir her hair and slowly opened her eyes into Damon's.
Chapter 8
'Damon' she whispered softly, his name escaping her lips before she knew what she was saying. She never thought she would be so relieved to see him. 'I don't know what's wrong with me' she sobbed, unable to stop the tremors shaking her body. He shushed her quietly, placing a hand on her face, calming her rapid breathing. She wanted to think, but somehow her head seemed cloudy, her thoughts slow. She gazed at Damon's face but something wasn't write. His usual cocky attitude was gone and those gorgeous blue eyes that she loved so much were filled with pain and guilt. 'I'm so sorry' he whispered sadly before he was wrenched away from her.
Bonnie, Caroline and Matt ran outside to where Stefan stood, fangs bared, towering over his brother. His eyes were alight with fury that burned as hot as a fire. Damon pulled himself up from the ground, smoothing down his shirt and looked calmly at his brother. 'Do what you will brother' he said in a resigned tone, his arms by his sides, making no move to defend himself. Elena shouted at Stefan to stop but he paid her no attention. Veins stood from his arms as he flexed his muscles and drove a fist hard into Damon's face. Elena screamed in horror as Stefan raised his fist again, she ran forwards diving in front of Damon. A low, guttural growl escaped Stefan's throat as his fist stopped an inch from her face. 'What are you doing?' he managed to choke out. 'Stop' she instructed him, her voice coming out stronger than she had expected 'or will you go through me to get to him.' she asked hoping that she was right. Stefan stared at her for a moment and Elena thought for a moment that she had been wrong but then the fury in his eyes began to ebb and his fangs snapped up into his mouth. He stepped back to give her some room as she breathed a sigh of relief. 'You shouldn't have done that' Damon said quietly from behind her, blood trickling slowly down his face. 'Don't even talk to her' Stefan growled threateningly. Elena ignored him and turned to Damon but before she could say anything he was gone, disappearing in a breeze of air as if he had never been there.
Bonnie and Caroline ushered everyone inside before the neighbours arrived to see what was happening. Elena collapsed in a chair as she tried to process what had just happened, her head throbbing from all of the champagne. Bonnie, Caroline and Matt followed suite, looking as shocked as her but Stefan paced up and down furiously, his face tensed in anger. 'What was all that about' she asked Stefan who stopped when she spoke and took a step towards her. 'Don't you see? That monster has been compelling you.' He spat angrily. Elena shook her head in denial. Damon wouldn't do that she told herself. Or would he? No, she refused to believe that it was true. 'It makes sense' Matt said slowly and Elena could see his brain putting the pieces together. 'The way you have both been acting lately… He must have compelled you.' He concluded. Both Bonnie and Caroline were slowly nodding their heads in agreement. 'But he wouldn't' she denied weakly but even as she spoke the words she knew that it was a lie remembering his pain filled eyes and heart breaking apology, she somehow knew that he had. 'The drinking, the snapping, you' she directed at Stefan, remembering how she had pulled away from him earlier. She felt hollow as sick dismay swept through her as the truth finally sank in. Damon had compelled her. The next few hours passed in a blur as people rushed to and fro, clearing up the house and casting sympathetic looks in Elena's direction. She hardly remembered them saying their goodbyes and going but soon she was left alone with Stefan who advised her gently to go to bed and that she would feel more alert in the morning. She nodded and let him guide her to her room before he went back down and stayed on the couch. She felt as if she was in a dream. Feeling numb, she pulled on her bed clothes and slid into bed. She lay in the dark for hours, not feeling tired in the slightest but her eyes eventually closed. She distantly heard Stefan open her door quietly to check on her before heading back down stairs but the last thing she heard was Damon's heart wrenching apology before the darkness engulfed her.
Chapter 9
Elena awoke the next morning to the sound of clattering plates coming from the kitchen. She rubbed her tired eyes as she glanced at her alarm clock. 8:30 it read. She hadn't had the best sleep ever she thought as she noted her duvet piled on the floor from where she had flung it in the night when she had been tossing and turning restlessly. She was out of bed and descending the stairs 5 minutes later, not bothering to change but pulled a jumper on over her bed clothes. She followed the smell of bacon to the kitchen where she saw Stefan placing a crispy slice on her Aunt Jenna's plate. 'He cooks well.' Her Aunt noted when she saw Elena enter. Stefan smiled at her and offered her a plate but she shook her head, unable to stomach anything after the night before. He frowned slightly but instead placed a glass of water on the table which she accepted gratefully as she took a seat beside Jenna. 'Good night was it?' Jenna asked her as she gulped down some water before nodding half-heartedly. 'It looks like I had a better night than you did!' she laughed before stuffing a slice of bacon in her mouth. Elena turned away feeling slightly nauseated, there was no doubt in her mind that Jenna's night had been better than hers. 'It was great' Stefan replied quickly in her place, telling her aunt how they had all been sensible and that everything had been perfect. The lies slipped so easily from his mouth Elena wished she could believe them as easily as Jenna did. 'I'm glad you had a good time' her aunt said before heading upstairs, leaving them to it. Elena took a large gulp of her drink, quenching her thirst, wishing she could wash away her feelings as easily. Once Stefan had finished clearing up he told her to go and get changed. 'Why?' she asked, she would rather just stay at home. 'I think there are some things we need to talk about' he replied gently. She slowly nodded in agreement, she had a lot of questions.
20 minutes later, Elena let Jenna know that she was going out, before her and Stefan left the house. They strolled through the town in silence for a while as Stefan waited patiently for her to speak. 'How long?' she finally asked, Stefan knew exactly what she meant. 'At least a week, probably longer.' he said. Elena bit her bottom lip, how could she have not noticed being compelled for so long? 'There was no way you could've known' Stefan said, as if reading her thoughts, 'he would have compelled you to forget'. Elena let that sink in for a moment, remembering how she had reacted to Damon in the bedroom and kitchen. She had felt so strongly drawn to him and it had felt so real, but was that her feelings or what Damon had wanted her to feel? She kicked a stone on the path in frustration and watched as it clattered out of sight. 'How do I know what was real?' she cried. Stefan stopped walking, instantly alert to her growing concern, and placed a hand gently on her shoulder. 'Only Damon knows that and it's not important.' he stated. Elena frowned at his words, how could he say it's not important? Before she got a chance to ask Stefan started to speak again. 'What is important though, is that it doesn't happen again' Stefan told her, taking his hand from her shoulder. 'Could I have your necklace please' he asked as he searched for something in his pocket. Elena unclasped her necklace and held it out for him, unsure what he wanted it for. It was the only thing she had left from her parents and didn't want it to get damaged. She watched cautiously as Stefan unlocked the charm carefully before filling it with a green, odourless plant that he had pulled from his pocket. Elena stared horrified as Stefan clipped the charm back and handed her the necklace. 'I filled it with vervain' he explained, seeing her expression. 'It is lethal for vampires to touch and stops any vampire from compelling you.' She noticed that his hand was slightly singed from where he had picked up the vervain. Elena put the necklace back on and looked gratefully at Stefan. 'I feel a lot better knowing that I can't be compelled' she admitted. 'As do I' Stefan smiled, as they began walking again.
Weeks passed and Damon was nowhere to be found, not that anyone minded, especially not Elena. They all assumed he had dissappeared after he had been found out and they didn't particularly care where he was. With Damon gone she felt a lot more relaxed and even her Aunt had commented on how happy she seemed lately. It was summer term so Elena and her friends were in school most days but on the weekends they planned amazing days together which she thoughrerly enjoyed. She hardly thought of Damon and even when she did it was just for an instant, fleeting moment that was soon forgotten as she got on with her life. She and Stefan had been growing closer and it felt as if she knew him better than anyone in the world. He was in most of her classes and even after school he would go back to hers and they would talk all night before Aunt Jenna told him he had to leave, she joked that he was like a lodger as he spent so much time at their house. She hadn't felt this happy in a long time and it felt amazing.
School was almost finished for the summer and Elena and her friends couldn't wait for the last few days to be over. They had planned camping trips, sleepovers, road trips and much more that they would fill their summer with and Elena was ecstatic when Stefan said that he would come along with them, providing that they didn't just talk about girly stuff he had joked. Elena, in her excitement, had jumped and wrapped her arms around Stefan in happiness. He automatically wrapped his arms around her before she fell to the ground, his face lined with surprise, before he relaxed and swung her around a few times before placing her down. She laughed giddily as the world swayed and held on to his arms as she tried to steady herself. His forest green eyes were flecked with amusement as Bonnie and Caroline smiled knowingly at each other before the bell rang and they headed off to their next class.
Chapter 10
The last two days of school stretched by but were soon over. Elena and her friends marked the beginning of their holiday by going to the grill for the evening. Caroline and Bonnie went and got seats whilst Stefan and Elena ordered drinks. They leant on the bar whilst waiting for the drinks to be served.
Matt was the only one out of the group who was unable to join them on their trips as he had to work most days. He had been disappointed and had not come with them to the grill as he didn't want to hear about their plans. Elena was not upset that he wasn't coming as recently he had been a pain, making a scene whenever she was with Stefan and ending up embarrassing himself. One time he'd made a pointed remark to Elena about shallow people being so desperate for attention they would attach themselves to any hot guy that moved in an attempt to get in his pants. Elena had been shocked and at a loss for words, she had never seen this side of Matt before. He had always been so sweet and innocent. She had shrunk away from the malicious tone in his voice as he leaned towards her, bumping into Stefan, unaware that he had been behind her. It seemed that Matt had also not noticed Stefan's presence by the look on his face. Stefan had placed a reassuring hand on her arm before stepping around her and towering over Matt as he had done to her. Stefan had spoken so quietly that Elena had not heard the exact words he spoke but when he had finished Matt slowly stumbled away his face chalk white. Since then Elena had not forgotten his behaviour and they hadn't been as close as they had once been. When Damon left, Matt had felt that it was a sign saying that they should be together, he had told her as much and she had laughed in his face unaware that he was being serious. She rejected his many advances and ended up avoiding him so as not to cause a confrontation. It seemed that whatever Stefan had said to Matt had definitely had an effect as he had not been near her since. She was sad after all the years they had spent as friends but she just had to put him behind her.
She snapped out of her thoughts as the bartender delivered their drinks. Between her and Stefan they carried them to their favourite table before taking a seat. Elena raised a glass of coke once she was settled. 'To Summer and fun times' she toasted as they all clinked their glasses together. 'To Summer and fun times' her friends repeated before they gulped down their drinks. This is going to be the best summer ever, Elena thought to herself. Little did she know how wrong she was.
Chapter 11
The first week of summer was even better than Elena could have ever imagined. She, Stefan, Bonnie and Caroline had gone camping on the first few days in a beautiful forest just a few hours drive away from Mystic Falls. Bonnie and Caroline were in one tent, Stefan and Elena in the other. They had spent the evening sitting around a small fire that Stefan had skilfully made and ate marshmallows whilst telling each other stories as the night grew dark. The rest of the week was filled up with girly shopping trips and sleepovers. It was only the first week of summer and they still had lots to do, Elena almost wished that she could make each moment longer so that she could remember and treasure every one. Each night she fell asleep exhausted by the day's activities but woke each morning fresh and excited, anticipating the day ahead. Elena had never had such a good time in her entire life but even she wasn't so stupid as to think that everything would be so perfect. All week she'd had a niggling feeling that something wasn't quite right, but had ignored it, wanting everything to be as it was. As the week had passed the feeling had gotten stronger until it was almost a physical sensation. She felt it again on Friday evening as she lay on her bed staring at the ceiling trying to decipher what it meant. She tossed and turned until finally falling into a brief restless sleep.
She awoke the next morning just after 8:00 feeling as if she hadn't slept at all, her eyes burned with tiredness yet she could not keep them shut. I need coffee she thought when she eventually got up and shuffled quietly downstairs before remembering that her Jenna and Jeremy had left early to go to some opening ceremony but her brain refused to tell her what. She massaged a hand against her stomach where the phantom feeling had seemed to be residing recently, it didn't help though as she popped some toast on to see if it was just hunger. She almost didn't hear the doorbell ring as she stood by the kettle lost in thought. She went and opened the door, surprised to see Stefan stood in front of her. She glanced down self-consciously at her bed clothes and flashed him an apologetic smile before stepping back to let him in. 'I would have changed had I known you were coming' she told him as they walked to kitchen. Stefan didn't reply for a moment and when Elena turned around he was frowning. 'What?' she asked as they took a seat at the table. 'We made plans yesterday' he replied, Elena looked at him confused. 'We said that I would come here early because your Aunt and Jeremy were out so we could spend the day together. You do remember don't you?' he asked her, Elena didn't say anything. Surely she should remember this conversation? All she could remember was the feeling that something was wrong, she faintly remembered having a conversation with Stefan before he had left but had hardly been listening at the time, more intent on what she was feeling than the words that were coming out of his mouth.
Elena was saved from having to reply when the kettle whistled loudly, telling her that the water was boiled, she jumped up quickly from her seat to make her coffee. As she poured it she felt her stomach twinge, luckily she had her back to Stefan so he couldn't see her grimace at the uncomfortable sensation. It will pass in a minute she told herself, as she placed the kettle back down with shaking hands. Stefan must have noticed as asked if she was okay. Elena leant against the counter in front of her and took a deep breath before telling him that she was just tired. Her voice came out high pitched as she picked up her cup and turned to face Stefan a smile on her face to convince him that she was fine. Before he could call her bluff Elena felt an agonizing pain rip through her stomach, causing her to drop her cup on the floor as she grabbed her stomach, covering the floor with scolding hot coffee. Elena almost screamed as agonizing waves of pain swept through her body. Stefan caught her as she fell, his strong arms carrying her at vampire speed to the couch where he laid her down gently. She grabbed hold of his hand, squeezing it as her back arched and a screech of pain tore through her throat in an almost feral scream. She fixed her eyes on Stefan's, his face becoming a blur as painful spasms tore through her body, Elena felt as if she were being ripped apart from the inside out. Stefan gripped her hand tightly, his eyes bright and burning as he could do nothing but sit and smooth her hair back from her face as she thrashed from the pain. In a brief lapse between the attacks Elena looked desperately at Stefan, tears streaming down her face as she begged for him to help her even though she knew he couldn't. She writhed in agony for what seemed like forever before she could take no more and slipped into the darkness, shutting herself away from the excruciating pain.
Chapter 12
Elena was alone. It was dark and cold wherever she was and she shivered slightly. A slight light wavered in front of her as a dark figure approached, Elena squinted until she could make out the features. It was Matt she realised. He smiled his sweet innocent smile as he stroked her face gently with his hand. She leaned into his touch and smiled back at him. 'Where are we?' she asked him softly. Matt brushed a strand of hair behind her ear before he answered. 'Nowhere' he said in a voice that was not his. Elena stepped back horrified. Matt's voice was smooth and gentle whereas the voice had been flat and emotionless. His face lost the smile and his expression became blank before he swirled away in a sudden cloud of smoke.
The next moment Elena was blinking her eyes against the harsh light of the sun. She was stood in the forest that she and her friends had camped in only days ago, it seemed like a distant life. The light filtered down through the leaves casting a soft shimmer on the land below. 'Beautiful isn't it' Bonnie asked from beside her, in a voice that was not her own. Elena didn't jump, at this time she realised that none of this was real and it was all in her head. 'We had so much fun here. Too much fun.' Bonnie stated, her voice as dead as the empty eyes that looked at Elena who nodded her head wishing she could be there again. 'Elena…Elena..ELENA…' Bonnie screamed, her face twitching like some creature out of a horror movie before she resumed what she was saying. 'Good times always end' Bonnie said sorrowfully 'and you have to let them'. Elena didn't want the good times to end though, as if reading her thoughts Bonnie grabbed her forcefully by the arm 'Help him Elena, you know you have to so stop ignoring it' she yelled, her face twisting in fury. 'Elena, Elena, Elena..' the voice screamed in her head as Bonnie continued to shake her. 'You have to help him' she repeated. 'Elena, Elena, Elena…' the voices cried. Elena put her hands over her ears but could not block out Bonnie's voice nor the ones in her head. They all shouted at her at the same time until there was just a drone of intermingling sounds from which she could not distinguish any words, her head felt as if it were about to explode.
All of a sudden the noise ceased, leaving Elena in complete silence. She slowly lowered her hands and looked around in the darkness, she was back where she had started. 'Elena, Elena, Elena..' faint voices whispered in her head. Faces of people she knew flew before her, Caroline, Bonnie, Matt, Stefan even her Aunt. They suddenly began to morph into hideous monsters, 'Help him' they wailed as they sped by. 'Help him..' Jeremy spat venomously. Elena ran from the voices but they continued to follow her. She saw a bright patch of light ahead and sped towards it as fast as her legs would carry her. The faces whined and moaned as they followed close at her heels. 'Help him…' they whispered. The bright light was so close, a beacon of hope in the darkness. As she neared it, the faces retreated from the tendrils of light as they hissed angrily. Elena breathed a sigh of relief as the blinding lights surrounded her.
'Elena wake up' a strong voice commanded. Elena's eyes snapped open as a face loomed threateningly over her. She sobbed, not wanting to hear its wailing pleas and lashed out her arms knocking it backwards. Strong arms immediately held her down firmly as she struggled in vain. 'Elena, stop' a familiar voice commanded her. She stopped struggling immediately and looked into Stefan's concerned face. He let her go once he was certain that she was calm and she immediately wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her face in his shoulder for comfort. The doctor that she had hit was carefully nursing his sore face on the other side of the bed. 'I thought he was one of them' she whispered frantically into his ear as he stroked her head reassuringly. 'You're safe now' he said, stepping out of her grip and pushing her gently back onto the bed. The doctor approached cautiously, staying out of reach. For the next ten minutes she answered endless questions, all the time staring at Stefan's face, telling the doctor how she felt fine before he left them alone.
Stefan gripped her hand, relief filling his eyes. 'I'm so glad you're okay.' he whispered softly, his voice filled with tenderness. Stefan told her how he had called an ambulance when she had passed out and that they had taken her straight to hospital. 'They couldn't find any cause of the pain' he told her, 'they have no idea why it happened.' Elena closed her eyes briefly. 'We'll figure it out' he promised her solemnly and she believed that he would do everything he could to find out what was wrong with her. She knew that she could rely on him. The hospital kept her in for the afternoon but when nothing happened they released her and they made their way home.
Chapter 13
Stefan insisted that Elena spend the afternoon in bed to insure that she was better even though she had told him countless times that she was fine but he refused to listen. Caroline, Bonnie and even Matt visited her after hearing from Stefan what had happened. Matt was being closely watched by Stefan the entire time he was there in case he caused any trouble but thankfully he didn't. If Matt noticed the supervision he didn't say anything about it but gave her a gentle hug and whispered an apology in her ear. They brought her chocolate and get well cards which she told them they didn't have to do as they perched on her bed. They chatted for over an hour before Stefan finally told everyone that they had to go so that she could get some rest. She wanted them to stay but she was feeling drained after everything that had happened and so said her goodbyes to her friends who promised that they would come over the next day. When everyone had finally left Stefan brought her some food to eat before she slept, she wasn't that hungry but ate a bit for Stefan's sake. He hardly touched her, as if afraid that she would break beneath his fingers. She grabbed his hand in hers when he went to pick up her plate. 'Stefan, stop worrying. I'm fine' she told him as he studied her closely to see if she was telling the truth. He finally let out a small breath and sat down next to her. 'This afternoon, you were in so much pain… and… there was nothing I could do.' He said as he gazed at her with his pain filled eyes, the memory of her writhing body haunting him. 'I suppose this is me trying to make up for that' he admitted softly, their hands still clasped together. 'I'm fine' she repeated gently, squeezing his hand. He squeezed back and smiled slowly before leaning forward and placing a soft kiss on her for head. 'Now get some rest' he told her as he rose from the bed and carried her plate out, closing the door noiselessly behind him. Elena nestled in under the quilt and closed her eyes, still feeling the light pressure of Stefan's kiss on her brow as she drifted off to sleep.
When Elena woke, her room was bright as sunlight filtered in through her windows. She looked at her clock which said that it was 10:00. She carefully got out of bed, testing to see if she felt any pain but when she felt nothing she threw on some rough jeans and loose shirt before going downstairs.
Stefan jumped up from the kitchen table when she entered but she held up a hand to show him that she was fine and he reluctantly sat back down as she sat opposite him. 'You look much better' he said as he looked her up and down. She felt a lot better, yesterday her body had been tired and aching but today she felt great. She smiled brightly at him in reply. She frowned slightly and put a hand to her belly as she felt a slight twisting sensation. Stefan was beside her in an instant, she looked up at him in panic expecting another attack but all she could feel was a slight burn in her stomach. The silence was broken when the phone rang and before Stefan could move Elena reached behind her and picked it up. Stefan frowned disapprovingly at her, as she answered. 'Hello' she said putting the phone on speaker. 'Hello Elena,' a male voice replied. Elena and Stefan looked at each other, how did he know her name? His voice was deep and had an almost threatening tone to it. 'I'll skip the pleasantries and get straight to it. There is something I need you to do for me, I know you don't know who I am but that doesn't matter. What does matter is that I have Damon here with me and unless you prefer him without a head I suggest you do exactly what I say.' Neither Elena nor Stefan could speak for a moment as the news sunk in. They sat staring at each other in a shocked silence, the voice on the other end waiting patiently for a reply. 'You have to help him..' she remembered the faces screaming at her 'Help him…' Elena licked her dry lips and looked at Stefan. 'What do you want us to do?' she finally replied. It didn't matter what the voice said next because looking at Stefan she knew that they would both do whatever it took to get Damon back.