Damon Salvatore never was one to cry. In fact, he can only recall three times that he has ever cried. The first was when he was a child. Stefan had run out of the house while Damon was supposed to be watching over him. He chased after his little brother and tripped on a tree root, tumbling down a rocky hill. His brother was fine, but Damon had needed to be bandaged. He had cried as his mother tended to his wounds. The second time was when his mother died. He bawled for days on end, clinging to the blanket she'd made for him. The third was that night. The night that he returned Elena's necklace. The night he'd told her how much he loved her, and the same night he erased her memory.
Damon sat on the edge of his bed, drink in his hand, staring at the dancing flames in his fireplace. He hadn't moved since last night. He takes another sip from his scotch, praying that he could be drunk enough to drown out the sound of Stefan and Elena together. He hears a giggle and rustling of sheets and that's when he snaps. He can't do this to himself anymore! He can't go on, pretending that what he feels doesn't exist. And if he has to see his little brother kiss the woman he loves one more time, he'll drive a stake through the idiot himself.
He tosses his now empty glass to his bedside table and goes to his closet, rummaging around for his suitcase. He finally finds it tucked away in the very back. He pulls out the long black duffle bag, tossing it onto his black silk sheets and he begins dumping his wardrobe into it. He can hear Elena's footsteps leading to what he assumes to be the couch, then sit down and he can smell the popcorn as he descends down the long staircase. He tries to avoid them, Elena curled into Stefan's arms. Weren't they supposed to be broken up? Apparently not. He tries to walk past them to avoid a goodbye, but Stefan and his stupid dull vampire senses can hear him approaching the front door.
"Damon? Where are you going?" he asks, sitting up straight, forcing Elena to follow in suit.
Damon freezes. So close. He sighs and turns around to face them. "Away."
Stefan's eyebrows crinkle in confusion, and Elena's eyes match his expression. "Why?"
"What's the matter, brother? Haven't you been trying to force me to leave since I came back? You got what you wanted." he says before turning away to leave the house, and he knows that he wasn't just talking about getting him to leave.
Elena winces as the door slams shut with a loud bang. Stefan stands, walking after Damon.
"Stefan, wait. Let me talk to him." she says, taking hold of his shoulder to peer up at him with her warm brown eyes. He nods, and watches as her slender figure strolls out the door at a quickened pace.
"Damon, wait!" she screams as he tosses the bag into the back seat of his car.
"What." he says, not looking at her as he shuts the back door. She runs up to him and forces him to look at her.
"Damon, why are you leaving?"
"Don't you worry your pretty little head over it." he says sarcastically.
"Seriously."
"What's it to you? I don't have to answer to you."
"That's not fair."
"Newsflash sweetheart. Life's not fair."
"Would you just tell me what's really going on here?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because."
"Because what?"
"Elena." he says in a warning tone.
"Damon." she throws back at him, crossing her arms over her chest. "Just tell me."
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"Why? Why is it so hard for you to just tell me the real reason you're leaving?"
"Because I just can't do it anymore, okay!" he finally screams in frustration. "I can't watch you with him anymore, or I'm going to claw my eyes out! I can't be selfish, so I just have to go, okay. I'm sorry." he says in finality, climbing into the car. Without another word he tears out of the driveway in a blur. She's left standing there as the dirt settles when Damon's taillights are no longer visible in the cloudy Virginia air, and she can't help but feel that the words are familiar. Like déjà vu. She knows she's heard it before, but she can't put her finger on it. I can't be selfish. Where has she heard that before?
Damon wakes up with a groan. He's had plenty of hangover's before, but this has to be the worst. He can smell the alcohol radiating from his shirt that's been tossed to the floor. He sits up, rubbing his eyes. He sighs and stretches, yawning. He glances over to the bedside table. There it is. The picture. The picture of himself, Elena and Bree, taken at her bar that time in Atlanta. It feels like ages ago now. He glances at the blonde beside him, snoring obnoxiously. He scoffs. He glances back at the picture. He tips the frame down, picture on the bottom. He can't look at Elena while he's lying next to this other girl.
He gets out of bed and walks to the window, pulls back the curtain and winces. He hasn't seen the sun shine in way too long. He closes the curtain and walks to the bathroom to take a shower, desperately trying to wash away the scent of Tequila and cheap perfume.
As the water runs over his body, he lets his mind wander to a certain brunette. Just thinking about her face, somehow so much different from Katherine's, throws him into another tangent. He reaches out for his bottle of scotch on the counter and takes a long drink, right there in the shower. It's become a sort of routine. Fueling up on alcohol and sorority girl blood. But honestly, it sucks. He's tired of being this sappy love-sick puppy. So he drinks. He drinks her away.
After he's thrown on some clothes, he can hear the girl stirring.
"Morning." she says groggily. He rolls his eyes then turns around to look at her.
"Morning. Now go, Mandy."
"It's Mindy." she corrects him.
Again, he rolls his eyes. "Like I care." He turns around to throw his towel into the bathroom.
She huffs, grabbing her shoes and purse. She leaves the room, mumbling a "Whatever" and slams the door. He grabs the bottle that's on the dresser and starts drinking. Same song, second verse.
She wakes up on the couch, with a blanket thrown over her. She can smell pancakes being made in the kitchen. She yawns and pads into the kitchen to see who's making them. Caroline, Bonnie and Jeremy all turn to her. "Morning." they all mumble.
"Morning." she mumbles back, going to sit at the dining table. Caroline's stirring a bowlful of batter and Jeremy's flipping pancakes while Bonnie is making coffee.
"Hope you don't mind, but you looked peaceful last night, so I didn't wake you." said Jeremy.
"It's fine, Jer. Thanks for the blanket."
"No problem." he says, going back to the pancakes.
"So, Elena, what do you want to do today?" asks Bonnie. She and Caroline have been coming over everyday to watch after her, making sure she doesn't try to run off and surrender again. With everything about Klaus, Elijah, Stefan getting stuck in the tomb and Damon leaving, Elena hasn't really been herself. She more or less floats through the days like a zombie.
"Did you hear anything?" she asks, just like she asks every morning, ignoring the question. Asks about Damon. Every one shakes their heads "No." She sighs. Caroline puts a plateful of pancakes in front of her along with the bottle of syrup. She mumbles her thanks and Caroline simply nods. Elena takes a bite and can't help but compare their pancakes to Damon's. He used to make them for her sometimes, if she begged. Which she always did. These didn't taste the same.
"Maybe he'll call tomorrow?" she says, a twinge of hope ever present.
"Maybe." says Caroline. The three smile half-heartedly. She thinks it's because they doubt he'll call. But they know it's because he's out drunk somewhere. They all know how he feels about her. Everyone does. Everyone except Elena. It's hard for them sometimes, especially Bonnie, but she has to admit that he's changed for the better because of her. It bothers Caroline, too. This man that was such a jerk to her, yet so in love with her friend. She hates everything he did to her, but she has to admit that even a blind man can see the love in his eyes when he looks at her. Jeremy, however, doesn't really have a problem with it. Damon's like the jerk friend he's never had.
They all sit in silence, eating and sipping at their coffee. Just an average day in the Gilbert household.
She's crying uncontrollably as she runs into the Salvatore Boarding House. How could Stefan do this to her? How could he do that with Katherine? He was supposed to love her. Elena runs into Rose in the main parlor.
"Elena?" asks Rose in her British accent.
Elena turns to her, shocked. "Rose. I didn't know you'd be here."
"Why did you come here? You know nobody's here."
"I h-had to b-be alone." she says, sniffling.
"What happened?" asks Rose as she gestures for Elena to sit beside her. Elena does.
"Stefan…..and…Katherine…"
"Ah, I see." says Rose, taking a sip of blood from a glass. It doesn't really bother Elena anymore. "Do you want to talk?"
"Yes."
So, they do. Well, Elena does. Rose just listens as Elena lets it all out. And the better part of an hour later, somehow, the conversation gets turned around to Damon.
"So have you talked to him?" asks Elena.
"No." answers Rose. Elena nods, because she knew that would be what Rose would say. "Elena, if you don't mind me asking, why do you care so much that Damon's gone?"
Elena pondered this for a moment. "I don't know." she answers honestly. "It's like, now that he's actually gone, things just aren't the same."
"Elena, it's okay to care about him."
"But, after all he's done? He killed Jeremy!"
"Elena, Jeremy is fine. You're just using that as an excuse."
"I just don't know anymore."
"You care about him, too?"
"Too?"
"You don't know?"
Elena sat up straighter. "Know what?"
"After Elijah? The necklace?"
Elena looked at Rose, confused. "What are you talking about?"
"Oh. I guess you don't know."
"Know what?" said Elena, becoming frustrated.
"Look, Elena, it's really not my place to say."
Elena thought it over. "Oh my God. He compelled me didn't he?"
Rose didn't answer. Elena stood bringing her cell phone to her ear. "Bonnie? Yeah, I need you at my house. ASAP. And bring the Grimoire."
Elena rushed out the door, leaving Rose behind.
"Okay, I found it." said Bonnie, pointing to a page in the Grimoire.
"What is it?" asked Elena, rushing over to her.
"Well, it says right here, that back in the day of the Salem Witch Trials, Emily was caught practicing witchcraft. Katherine was there and compelled the man to leave and forget what he had seen, and compelled the woman he was with to confess to witchcraft, just for fun. So, when Katherine left, Emily did a spell on the girl to erase Katherine's compulsion."
"That's great! Do it."
Damon sat on the hotel bed, flipping through the TV channels. He rolled his eyes. Nothing good on.
There was a knock on the door. Well, more like a hammer pounding on the door.
"For the millionth time tonight, you brain-dead human, I do not want anymore damn towels!" he screamed.
"Open this door Damon Salvatore!"
"Elena?" he said, jumping to his feet. He rushed to the door, throwing it open. Elena ran in.
"Why yes, come right in, Elena." he said sarcastically.
Elena held up a hand. "For once in your life, can you just shut up?"
He did.
"How could you? How could you tell me you loved me, and then erase my memory?" she screamed.
"How did you-"
"I said shut. Up." she said, surprisingly menacingly. "Why would you do something like that, Damon?"
"I-"
"Shhh. I don't want to hear it." she said, beginning to pace. "You make me crazy, you know that?"
"What, you don't think you make me crazy? You act all flirty with me one minute, then you're all over my brother the next! How could you do that to me?" he yelled back. Elena stopped pacing, walking closer to him. She was so close, they were almost touching.
"That's not the same, and you know it."
"How? How is it not the same, Elena?"
"Because I would never take it back if I told you that!"
"Told me what?" asked Damon, innocently.
"That I loved you!" she screamed. And then it was out. Now Damon's confession was out.
"I don't know what you're talking about." he said.
"Oh, don't try that crap with me!"
"Can you blame me, Elena? You go on and on about how you love Stefan."
"But you didn't even give me a chance to say anything?"
"You're right, I didn't give you a chance to reject me again. Excuse me." he answered, sarcastically.
"No-"
"Then what?"
"You didn't even let me say I love you, too!" she screamed.
Silence filled the room. The two lunged at each other at the same time, their lips connecting. A fight for control began quickly as their lips and tongues entwined together, neither one stopping. This nothing like Stefan's kisses. This one is rough, and passionate and fueled with the fire within the two of them that's been slowly heating up for as long as they've known each other.
His cool hands slide into her thick, silky brown hair, and he's savoring every touch like a starving man that's finally eaten. Her arms bring themselves around Damon's neck and she pulls him flush against her torso. She runs her finger through his raven-black hair, jumping into his arms. He holds her up, clinging to her waist, as she wraps her legs around him. He carries her to the bed, leaning over her to kiss her neck, leaving a trail of soft kisses as Elena's breath comes out in puffs.
"Wait." she says, and Damon pulls away, sighing.
"Are you serious, Elena?" he says, looking into her warm brown eyes. She looks into his cool, icy blue eyes and puts a hand on his cheek, pulling him in for another quick kiss.
"Not that. I just don't want to rush into something like that." she says, smiling at him. He finally smiles back, yes smiles, and rolls over to pull her into his arms. He kisses her hair and listens to the sound of her heart beat slowing to its normal rhythm. She looks at the picture beside his bed and smiles.
The moment is perfect. It's perfect because, even though they're not Romeo and Juliet, or Jack and Rose, or even Noah and Allie, they're Damon and Elena. And that's even better.
And sure, there's Stefan to worry about, and the ever-present threat of Klaus looming over their heads, but right here, in this moment, they are finally happy. Two halves of a whole picture, finally together.
Hey guys! Thanks for reading this! Inspiration from the song "Picture" by Kid Rock and Sheryl Crow. Please leave your feedback, and enjoy!