"Elena?" The dark hair man asked the woman after opening the door, "To what do I own this pleasure at a quarter past one this fine morning?" he asked giving the object of his affection his signature smirk. She walked in and he closed the door.
"Stop it!" She yelled at him. The man looked at her curiously.
"What did I do, kitten?" She pushed him, falling backwards slightly. She was beyond drunk. She was surprised the bartender had allowed her to get as strong of liquor as he did, let alone any since she was still under age. "Elena, are you drunk?" he asked, slightly worried.
"Why do you care?" She yelled again at him. He frowned.
"Elena, what's wrong with you?"
"I'm drunk, happy?" She screamed, near tears. Damon crossed his arms.
"Yes, why are you drunk?" Damon asked her frustrated. She scowled. Stefan walked in after hunting on the scene of his older brother and his ex-girlfriend fighting.
Picture perfect memories
Scattered all around the floor
Reaching for the phone
'Cause I can't fight it anymore
And I wonder if I ever cross your mind
For me it happens all the time
"Oh! So I'm only fun Elena if I'm drunk on your terms!"
"I never said that, Elena." Stefan decided it was time to intervene.
"What happened?" The blond turned to his elder brother. "What'd you do?" Damon shook his head and turned to go into the parlor to get himself a drink. Drunk, upset Elena was worrying him.
"Why do you assume I did something? I opened the door to her and she starts yelling at me. Not my fault." He left the room, pouring himself the bourbon after a quick self-debate on if he should just drink from the bottle instead of wasting a glass at the way this night was going.
"What's wrong, Elena?" Stefan wrapped his arms around Elena.
"I hate it!" Elena cried. Her head jerked up, eyes wide and she gave him a hard shove back. In shock, he let go of her. "Get away from me!"
The young man frowned. "Elena, what's wrong? What happened?"
"I hate it. I'm sick of this."
"Sick of what?" the young man probed.
"I feel… empty." Stefan frowned at her. Where was this coming from?
"How come?"
It's a quarter after one
I'm all alone and I need you now
Said I wouldn't call
But I've lost all control and
I need you now
And I don't know how I can do without
I just need you now
"I don't remember. I try to remember and I just can't. And I hate it!" Stefan's jaw dropped. He helped Elena sit down on the floor before heading into the parlor.
"You compelled Elena!" Stefan accused his older brother. Damon looked at him like he was crazy.
"Yeah, and there's the Easter Bunny. Did your bunny and Bambi diet seriously make you that dense little brother? I didn't compel Elena. Why ever would I compel our girlfriend?" Stefan flinched at the term 'our girlfriend'.
"She's not 'our girlfriend'. She's not even my girlfriend," Stefan replied to his brother's taunting, "Think very carefully. Have you compelled her lately at all?"
"Nope." He took a long, deep drink of bourbon, setting the glass on the cart, picking up the bottle and refilling the glass, sparing a short glance at the doorway that lead to the foyer and Elena.
Another shot of whiskey
Can't stop looking at the door
Wishing you'd come sweeping in the way you did before
And I wonder if I ever cross your mind
For me it happens all the time
"How about when she lost her necklace? When Elijah ripped it off? Did you take the necklace off yourself and tell her something? Did she see something?"
"I didn't do anything, Stefan! I know you and all your saintliness find that hard to believe but I didn't do anything to Elena." Rose snorted in the most unladylike fashion as she strolled in the room with the two finding brothers.
"What did he do?" Stefan asked Rose. She raised an eyebrow to Damon.
"Just go ahead and tell him what happened. I mean, in theory, it's a sweet gesture," she said almost mockingly. He glared at her for ratting him out.
It's a quarter after one
I'm a little drunk and I need you now
Said I wouldn't call
But I've lost all control and I need you now
And I don't know how I can do without
I just need you now
"What happened, Damon?" Stefan demanded.
"I was trying to do the right thing. Happy?" Damon gave up on the glass and drank straight from the bottle and what was left of the scotch before moving onto the whiskey.
"Which was what?"
Woah, woah
Guess I'd rather hurt than feel nothing at all
"I told her the truth. She needed to hear it once, but it's better if she forgot it."
"For who? Her? Or for you?" Stefan inquired. Damon's answer made him frown.
"For everyone."
It's a quarter after one
I'm all alone and I need you now
"How? How is it better? Obviously she wants to know or else she wouldn't be on the floor drunk and crying in there," Stefan yelled at his brother, expecting him to answer but Rose was the one to talk.
"He thought he was being selfish telling her. You're an idiot baby," She got up. Damon muttered something that sounded along the lines of, "yeah who you slept with," but Stefan brushed the comment off.
"What'd you tell her?"
"What do you think?"
And I said I wouldn't call
But I'm a little drunk and I need you now
Stefan looked up at his brother and remembered how vulnerable he looked went he found out Katherine didn't want him. His brother, the one he looked up to growing up, looked scared and vulnerable. It was then he knew exactly what he had told her.
"I couldn't do that to her, ok? I couldn't try to force her to choose me. You win, little brother." Damon left the room. Stefan stood there gaping.
And I don't know how I can do without
I just need you now
I just need you now
"Elena?" Damon asked the sobbing girl, "Come on. I'll drive you home." She nodded. Damon held her hand out to her and she took it hesitantly. He hoisted her easily up. He heard her mumble something that sounded like, "I need to remember." It was then Damon made his choice. He slid his hand to the back of her neck and unclasped the necklace, turning her to face him in the moonlight.
Oh baby, I need you now
Their pupils dilated before she looked up at him in shocked for a minute before she jumped into his arms, hugging him like he'd disappear if she let go.
"I love you too."