Chapter One
Elena lay flat on her back, breathing hard as though she had been running, and pressed a clammy hand to her damp forehead. After all the years of uninterrupted dreams, nightmares of her parents death had finally resurfaced, making it seem almost impossible to fall asleep.
She rubbed at her eyes and the tears that had unknowingly formed there, and slowly opened them. She could see her surroundings now, lit dimly by the street light outside filtering through the closed curtains. In the darkness, Elena sighed in annoyance.
Throwing the sweat soaked covers off of her body, she clambered out of the bed and, careful as to not make any noise, padded silently across her room to the bathroom.
Seeing that her brother's door was slightly ajar, she knew he was awake. Just to prove her point, she heard the clattering of pots downstairs and she smiled softly to herself.
Elena, since the death of her mother and father, had seemed to turn into a girl that couldn't care less about her appearance, so when she saw her sweat covered face and tangled hair in the bathroom mirror she didn't go about fixing herself. Instead, she pulled her dark brown curls from where they stuck to her red cheeks and into a low, loose ponytail. Gathering up the cold water in her palms, she splashed it evenly across her reddened complexion and sucked in a breath. The coldness shocked her, clearing the sleepiness from her brown eyes that screamed for a few hours of uninterrupted sleep.
'Her mother's saddened brown eyes met hers as the car sank even further into the murky dark water, begging her to save herself.'
Elena held her head in her hands, trying to clear them image but failing miserably. She felt a lone tear escape down her cheek; she would always remember the moment she feared it was all over. Nothing would ever change that. A soft knock on the door broke Elena from her thoughts and she quickly composed herself so she would look at least slightly presentable for her brother. "Hey, Jer" she greeted in a small voice. She winced as it cracked on the last letter. Her brother, Jeremy Gilbert, stood on the landing in full uniform, ready for work at the Grill. He'd been given a trail run, considering he wasn't sixteen just yet, but he was showing initiative and passion, and the boss couldn't object.
"Morning 'Lena, I didn't expect you to be up so early." He said, leaning against the door frame. Elena shifted her weight from her right to her left foot and folded her arms across her chest. She knew he knew why she was awake, but she didn't feel the need to expand on the one word reply she gave him.
"Nightmares" she shrugged.
He stepped closer, resting a hand on her arm and he smiled in a comforting way, like he was suddenly the big brother, not the younger one. "It wasn't your fault Elena." Was all he said, and then with a quick kiss on his sisters forehead, he was turning on his heel, heading for the stairs.
Elena made a strangled sound as she fought the urge to cry. Jeremy had never been a sympathetic person, but he had lost so many important people in his life that, despite his words, Elena knew it was her fault they ended up on Wickery Bridge the night their whole life changed. He lost his parents too; he had every right to be just as upset. But he was strong, and Elena knew that she had to be too. For him. For Aunt Jenna, too.
Wrapping her arms tightly around herself, she crossed the small space and slipped back into her room. The tangled sheets on her bed didn't look that inviting so instead, she sat down at her desk, staring down the box that sat beside her laptop.
The handmade crafted lid seemed to shout 'open me, open me' but Elena resisted the temptation. She thought back to the letter that had came with it, her mother's elegant handwriting telling her that she should only open the box on her eighteenth, a year from now, and she couldn't do anything but respect her wishes. Instead, she ran her fingers across the lace covered lid, itching to find out what was in it.
She looked around at the room she sat in and sighed. She had been in this room since she was born. The same old, antique rocking chair resided in the corner, a pink patched baby quilt draped over the side of it and she smiled at the image that entered her mind whenever she laid her eyes on it. It was of her and the boy she had known all her life, Damon Salvatore, as they sat in a puddle of mud outside in the garden, with the bright idea to make dirt pies. She'd held onto her blanket tightly, careful as to not get it dirty but the little boy with the dark hair had simply laughed and took a handful of brown gloop, smearing it all over the patchwork, grinning with a front tooth missing. She remembered that she had cried for hours, watching as her mum slaved away over the sink in a desperate attempt to stop her from crying.
With a sudden urge to see Damon, she leapt up and danced over to the window. He always knew how to make her feel better without even trying. She pushed the soft, red curtains back and with a surprised gasp, she saw his light was on.
Since before she could remember, they had been neighbours, sharing window to window. She thought back fondly to when they would both sit on their individual ledges, helping each other with their homework or just simply talking. She slid the window open and poked her head out, shivering as the cold air hit her like a tonne of bricks.
"Damon?" she called, feeling rather stupid. She waited a few minutes for a well thought out, sarcastic remark but never got one. She called his name again, this time slightly louder and almost fell out of the window as his face suddenly appeared through the parted curtains he'd had since he was seven.
"You call, I come" he stated in a sexy, husky voice and Elena scolded herself for even think of him that way. "I'm easy like that" he added after a moment when she didn't reply. She was too busy chasing after her heart, working hastily to get the steady beats back after he made her jump out of her skin. Despite herself she smiled and re-adjusted herself on the ledge.
"What are you doing awake?" he asked, his deep brown eyes looking concerned "Don't tell me they're back, Lennie."
Elena only nodded, shivering slightly from the cold and Damon went about unzipping his dark green hoodie. He tossed it across the distance between their houses and she just about grabbed it. "Put it on." he told her sternly "It's cold out."
She shook her head, ready to throw it back. "What about you?" she questioned.
"Seriously Len, just put it on." he laughed, his signature dimples appearing on his high cheeks, hooded by dark eyelashes.
She did as he said and slid her arms into the warmth that suddenly engulfed her. It smelled like him and she breathed it in deeply. Like everyone else in the small town, Damon was every bit sympathetic. He would let her talk for hours on end, allowing her to get it all out, and he would listen until the sun came up. Elena loved him for that. He didn't push and he didn't pry, because he knew what it felt like.
"So what are you doing awake?" She returned the question, zipping the hoodie up as she did so. "Wet dream? Thinking about looking up Andie Star's skirt. No?"
He shook his head, laughing silently at her suggestions "Nope. Looking up yours." He jeered, smirking.
Elena opened her mouth, not sure whether he was serious or joking but his left eye twitched which reassured her he was having her on. It was a trait she had noticed early on a few years after they had met.
"Well, you don't have to wonder you know." she teased, playing along. Damon actually blushed, sitting back a bit as she rebuked him. It took him a while to realise she was playing him at his own game.
"Oh haha, Len. Got me excited there."
She laughed, glad that he was here. Glad that at 5 in the morning, he was awake and willing to talk to her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jeremy walking down the sidewalk, hands shoved into his jacket pockets in an effort to shield from the cold.
"He's a good kid." Damon spoke softly, catching her gaze and following it.
"He is." Elena agreed, nodding profusely. "Sometimes I wonder how he does it."
Damon's brows furrowed. "Does what?"
"Stays so strong." She sighed into the cold air. "He's got this massive weight on his shoulders. We all have. But when you see him, you'd never guess. Me? I'm a blubbering mess."
"You're not a blubbering mess, Elena." Damon assured her almost instantly. "You're doing what you can, and if you ask me, you're pretty damn strong, too."
Unable to help herself, Elena smiled. Damon always knew what to say. They sat like that for a few more hours, talking and joking, until Elena closed her eyes and her breathing steadied. She'd fallen asleep just as the rest of the world was beginning to wake up.
Damon, worried that she might fall to the grassy gardens below, climbed across the tree the two houses shared and slid into her room, careful to not kick her. He pulled her softly towards him so he could slide his arms around her small frame, and carried her bridal style over to the bed. He set her down, watching as she stirred when her body made contact with the cool bed and quickly grabbed the covers and enveloped her body. He took care to make sure she was warm before he left when he spotted a pink blanket draped over the rocking chair. His fingers traced the silkiness of the material, the tips pausing on the slightly browned patch. He smiled as he remembered that autumn he made her cry, and gently snuggled the blanket between the crook of her shoulder and cheek.
He could get his hoodie back later.
Elena woke up a few hours later with the infamous baby blanket tucked snugly underneath her chin and Damon's favourite hoodie wrapped around her body. With that and the comforting smell of her best friends' musky scent, she had never felt safer. She lay there for a few moments, inhaling the familiar smell deeply, as she realised that from the moment she closed her eyes mere hours ago, the darkness hadn't seeped through the cracks. Her alarm broke through her small joy, incessant buzzing too annoying to ignore. Elena rolled over; hitting the cold side of the bed she hadn't occupied and slammed her hand down over the clock Damon had jokingly bought her for her sixteenth. It had a picture of them both, cut out from one of the whole gang the night of the first town illumination celebration. He towered over her small frame, giving her hand easy access to sneak up and stick her finger up her nose, giggling uncontrollably at his confused facial expressions. Elena smiled softly, remembering a simpler time before the accident. She vaguely heard clattering of pots and pans downstairs and then the laughter of her Aunt Jenna. She stood up, stretching her limbs, then pulled her hair back into a band and went downstairs in search of coffee. Aunt Jenna and Ric were already sat at the table eating their breakfast and she was urged to eat something with them. Elena had never been one to eat in the morning, but today she felt as if she were obliged to. She pulled out the seat next to Alaric's and smiled at him when he poured her an orange juice then passed her the rack of toast and butter. She happily spread herself a slice, listening to their antics as she scanned the local newspaper. It felt nice to sit there with them and feel as if she were a part of a family again.
"So Elena" Jenna began, breaking her from the black and white print "Are you up to anything today because I need to know if you want the car."
Elena finished her toast and mumbled a faint 'yes' through the crumbs. "I told Bonnie and Caroline I'd meet them at the faire today. If it inconveniences you, I can always cancel; it's really not a problem. It's your car anyway so…"
Jenna shook her head slightly, a warm smile reassuring her. "Don't worry Elena. Ric and I have plans for today, I just wanted to know so I could leave you my keys is all."
Elena returned the smile and stood up, pushing the chair across the floor that resulted in a noise that made all sat at the table wince. She quickly gave Jenna a peck on the cheek and rested a warm hand on Ric's shoulder before she bounced back up the stairs to get dressed.
"Elena? Oh Elena?" she heard a faint whisper as she entered her room and almost ceratin she was hearing things, strained her ears. She listened closely for a few short seconds before deciding that her mind was playing tricks on her and then went about undressing. She gasped loudly when she heard the voice again only this time took on a southern drawl "I like that bra you have on. Do you have it in different colours?"
She spun around to face the source of the noise and couldn't bring the nearest piece of clothing towards her chest fast enough. Damon stood smiling like the chesire cat from his window as he leaned across the pane "Oh, don't stop on my account. I just wanted to ask for my hoodie back, but it seems you've grown a bit attatched, am I right?" Elena, In spite of herself, let out a small laugh as she looked down at the garment she had covered herself with and quickly ducked into her bathroom, only exiting when she was decent. She threw his hoodie back over to him and then plonked down on her ledge to talk to him.
"Do you still have the key to the den?" She asked, not really understanding why she was so interested in it now all these years later. She'd just been doing a lot of thinking recently, and her childhood had cropped up a lot.
Damon shook his head softly. "I don't have a clue where it is, but I'm sure we can figure something out. God, the den. I haven't thought about that place in years." He ran a hand through his dishevelled hair. "That treehouse was our salvation back in the day. How did I forget about that masterpiece? Your dad was literally a god. Can you remember the days we sat in there for a whole afternoon while it rained?"
Elena smiled fondly at the memories the gang had had in the homemade den their parents put together and nodded. "I can remember when we wouldn't come out so your mom had to shove sandwiches through the window. Then Tyler spilt his juice over you, which of course you went mental at."
Damon laughed silently, his shoulders shaking. "Oh good god. Tyler was a douche back then. Caroline sure got him whipped into shape."
Elena sat there for a while, watching kids play outside in the leaves and smiled faintly at them. She couldn't help but feel saddened. She desperately wanted her childhood back; those days in the den and fighting over crayons and who got the last chocolate milk. It was years ago, but for her, it seemed like it was just yesterday. "Listen, I can't do movie marathon tonight. I promised Bonnie and Caroline that I'd go to this new club opening up in the next town over. I'm not too psyched about the whole fake I.D situation, but Stefan really does make the best cards in town. I think we could pull it off. I was wondering if you wanted to tag along…."
Damon shrugged. "I don't think Caroline would be too happy with that. You should have a girl's night. God knows you need it. But thanks for leaving me." Damon pouted boyishly, placing a hand against his chest in mock hurt, before scoffing and waving her away. "I'm kidding. Go have fun Gilbert. We could always do it tomorrow night."
"You're on." Elena agreed. "But I'm not watching the Bourne trilogy again. If I have to sit through it one more time I'm going to destroy your TV."
"Don't threaten the flat screen, Gilbert."
"Whatever, Salvatore."
Damon was just about to close his window when Elena called his name again. "Hey, Damon. Thank you. For making sure I didn't face plant the rose bed earlier."
"What are friends for?"
There it was again. The word he despised most.
But that was all they'd ever be.
Friends.
So I wrote this before on an old account and decided to bring it back, so I am not plagiarising! Just to be sure, I deleted it. Please review if you enjoyed, you'll make my day!
