Hearing the music start, Elena skates onto the ice with her svelte yet muscular legs and a firm conviction. Since her pairs partner is late for practice, Elena starts working on their program herself to warm up as it were. Although she's surprised that their coach, Liz Forbes hasn't arrived yet, she doesn't let it hold her back. For her whole life it seems, she's been practicing for the moment she and Matt take center stage at the Olympics. At last year's US finals, they finished first but stumbled at the world championships, taking the bronze medal.
As she waits for the music to start to begin her program, she rolls her eyes when she hears her voice. Looking up, she doesn't miss Rebekah Mikaelson making her always grand entrance. She watches as her old nemesis struts onto the ice like the cat who ate the canary. With a wave to her lemmings, she goes into her routine. Beginning with a triple toe loops, she spins into it with her strong legs and lands it perfectly. Of course, Rebekah can't help but gloat, casting an 'in your face' look directly at Elena.
Taking the high road, Elena forces a smile and turns away to continue practicing her routine. Picking up the pace, she skates hard and fast before launching into a triple Lutz, triple toe loop combination which she lands perfectly as well. Continuing on, she happens to notice her coach, Liz Forbes walking into the arena and down the stairs. Still wondering where Matt is, she skates over to Liz to see if she knows. When she reaches the edge, Liz hands her a towel with which she wipes her sweaty brow. After setting it down, she takes a drink of water before sitting down beside Liz.
"Matt isn't here yet."
"That's why I'm late. Matt was jogging last evening and stepped in a hole. He broke his ankle badly, Elena...," she says, pausing to let the news sink in.
"What?" Elena asks incredulously, her mouth agape. "Um.. How long will he be out.. God, I'm terrible, is he going to be okay?"
"Yes, Elena, he will be okay but whether he ever skates competitively again is another story entirely. His mother told me that he's going to need pins and plates in that ankle."
"Oh my God, Liz."
"I know but I've already talked to someone about taking his place."
"Already?"
"Yes, Elena. If you're going to go to nationals and the Olympics, you have to have a partner."
"So long as it's not that jerk, Damon Salvatore, you know the one who used to partner with Rebekah? Who is it anyway?"
Liz smiles and says, "Damon Salvatore."
"Can I have a day or two to give it some thought?" Damon asks, raking his hand through his hair in frustration. When the woman on the other end of the line says yes, Damon clicks off the phone and sets it down on his desktop. Dropping onto the bed, he buries his face in hands. Sighing, he can't help but think he's losing his mind that he's seriously considering Liz's offer. After all, it was the cut throat world of competitive ice skating that led to his spectacular downfall in the first place. Hearing a rap on his door, he sits upright, forcing a smile when his mom steps into his room. All it takes is one look for her to know that something is bothering her son. Taking a seat beside him, she pats the top of his leg. Damon blows out a breath of air and shifts to face her.
"What's bothering you, Damon?"
"Liz Forbes called me."
"And?"
"Apparently Matt Donovan broke his ankle in a freak accident. She wants me to partner with Elena Gilbert."
"That's terrible, I mean about Matt. She wants you to resume skating?"
With a nod, he answers, "She said that I would be an asset to Elena and that she hopes I'll seriously consider being her pairs partner."
"And how do you feel about that?"
"I miss skating, mom but a part of me is afraid of going back to that world. I mean, I spiraled down hard and fast."
"You did. And believe me, I don't want to go through that hell again either. Until you have a child of your own, you won't know how it hurts to see someone you love that much self destruct."
"I'm sorry that I put you all through that. And I know hindsight is twenty, twenty but I wish I could undo all of the stupid things I did. And even though I'm afraid, I want to prove to myself that I don't have to spiral into a morass of alcohol and an occasionally drug induced stupor.
"Damon, I think you should talk to Liz about your concerns. If afterwards she's still willing to take the risk then I think you should go for it if that's where your heart truly lies. Just know that I will support you no matter what your choice ultimately is."
"Thanks mom," Damon whispers, pressing a kiss to his mom's cheek. After giving his leg a squeeze, she gets up to leave his room. Pausing at the door, she tells him that supper will be ready in an hour before walking out. Getting up himself, Damon steps into his closet. Dropping to his knees, he pulls out the box of championship caliber ice skates. Leaning back against the closet wall, he runs his finger along the glimmering steel of the blade, his mind a whir of both determination and uncertainty.
Pulling into the parking spot, Damon spots the car. Taking a breath, he reaches under his seat to pull out his flask. After twisting off the lid, he takes a long pull, emptying its contents. Closing his eyes, he leans his head back against the seat, savoring the buzz. Before getting out, he pops a half a dozen breath mints into his mouth, pocketing the rest for later. Reaching into the back seat, he pulls out his skates then exits his car and walks into the ice arena.
Seeing him stroll in like he's God's gift to all womankind, Rebekah casts a scathing look along with a middle finger in his direction. With a smirk and a waggle of his brows, he closes the distance between them. "It's good to see you too, Bex," he teases, winking at her.
"You're incorrigible," she sneers, grabbing him by the wrist to pull him towards the benches. Once he's seated, he slips on his skates and then follows her onto the ice. As they start their routine, Rebekah says softly albeit with a sting that she can smell the alcohol all over him.
"Oh, Daddy," she says loudly, motioning for Mikael to join them on the ice. As soon as he skates over, he catches a whiff of Damon's breath too. Before Damon can utter a sound, Mikael angrily launches into a tirade of colorful metaphors. Seething on the inside, Damon starts to walk away, only to have Mikael grab onto him...
Standing up, he picks up the a picture of himself and his dad after Damon won his first skating medal as little boy. Running his fingertips over it, Damon closes his eyes and takes a deep breath and asks. "What should I do dad?"
"You did not just say that," Elena blurts out, jumping up and starting to pace back and forth in front of Liz. Her heart is literally pounding against her chest and her tummy roiling at the mere thought of having to work with that arrogant jackass.
"He's very talented, Elena. He'll be an asset."
"Are you being serious right now? He has no discipline, he takes what he wants, he does what he wants, he says what he wants and on top of all that, he's an ass."
"I know that he can be cocky and full of himself sometimes but he has excellent skills."
"If he was so great, why did he drop out of the sport?"
"Elena, he was a very young man who was suddenly thrust into the spotlight. And in the middle of all of that, his dad died. The two of them were extremely close. Between the fame and Giuseppe's death, it took its toll."
"I'm sorry about his dad, I really am, but I was also a very young girl thrust into the spotlight and as much as I detest Rebekah, she was too. But we didn't turn to alcohol and drugs to cope," Elena snaps, glaring at her coach.
"Elena, it's not set in stone. I asked him to come in to skate with you. If he doesn't work out, we'll try to find someone else."
"Why are you so insistent about this? Do you know him outside of the skating world?"
"I do. I grew up with his mother, she's still my best friend."
"Why weren't you his coach then?"
"Because at that time, he was paired with Rebekah. And as you very well know, they were coached by Mikael."
"Yeah, I know," Elena admits, glancing over to see Rebekah speaking to her father. After she gives him a kiss, she goes back on the ice, nailing a perfect Salchow. Rolling her eyes, Elena turns back to Liz. "Do I have a choice at all?"
"Of course, Elena. But as your friend first and your coach second, I'm asking you to please give him a chance. I gave him till tomorrow to get back to me as to whether he wants to come back or not. It's my hope that he will."
"Fine, I'll give him a chance but only if I have your word that you'll send him packing if we can't work together."
"You have my word."
After much deliberation, weighing both the pros and cons and with his mom's blessing, Damon walks into the skating rink. With his skates hanging over his shoulder, Damon pauses when he reaches the ice. Looking around, he's almost mesmerized by the way it gleams, the Zamboni probably only recently smoothing it out.
"That's it, Damon, you can do it," Giuseppe Salvatore says, encouraging his young son. With his eyes firmly on his feet, Damon hangs on to his hand for dear life as they slowly move along the ice. Having watched his daddy skate form the sidelines before, Damon asked for a pair of skates for Christmas. As they make their way across the sheet of ice, Giuseppe skates around it with him, a sense of pride filling his senses at the big smile on his boy's face. After they go around two or three times, he lets go of Damon's hand. As soon as he does, Damon spins around, landing flat on his behind. Tears filling his eyes, he blubbers, "Why did you let go?"
Stooping down, he helps Damon up, pulling him into his chest for a hug. "You need to learn to skate on your own. I was right behind you, little man."
"But daddy, I falled down."
"And you'll fall again many times but that's how you learn," he adds, ruffling Damon's messy black locks. Helping him up, he takes his hand to get him started before letting go a second time, staying close behind so he can catch him if he loses his balance again.
Hearing his name called aloud, he snaps out of it and looks around to see where it came from. He sees Liz waving at him before turning away to speak with someone unfamiliar to him on the sidelines. Not seeing his new skating partner, he has to wonder where she is. Although he doesn't know Elena personally, he has watched her skate both when he was with Rebekah and on TV during nationals. When he notices Liz waving at him again, he sucks in a deep shuddering breath, forcing one foot in front of the other till he reaches her.
"Damon, I'm so glad you came. Elena should be here in about an hour. I wanted you to have a chance to warm up before she arrives."
"She wasn't thrilled about having me for a partner was she?"
"Not exactly but it's up to you to prove her wrong. I have faith in you, Damon. I know how hard you've worked to get your life back together. I'm proud of you."
"Thanks, Liz."
"Listen, Elena is above all a professional and she's got a good heart. This could turn out to be a great partnership for both of you."
"I guess we'll find out when we get on the ice," he says, taking a seat on the bench. After slipping off his sneakers, he puts his skates on. Having not worn them for some time, they feel a little foreign on his feet. Once they're on, he just stares at his feet for a few moments. Willing himself to stand, he grips the edge of the bench, closes his eyes and forces himself to his feet. Swallowing thickly, he shares a glance with Liz and then skates out onto the ice. Rather than try any fancy moves on his first pass, he just skates, his mind free of everything but what he's doing. Unbeknownst to Damon, Elena has entered the rink, watching him as she makes her way over to Liz. After lifting her bag off of her shoulder, she sits down, her eyes only on him as he works the rink as if he owned it.
"He hasn't lost anything while he was gone," Elena admits, watching him intently.
"All I ask is that you give him a chance, Elena."
"I'm here aren't I?"
Turning to face her, Liz smiles and says thank you. Just as she's about to embrace Elena in a light hug, Damon skates over, his familiar smirk plastered all over his face.
"Hello, Elena," he says, offering his hand.
"Damon," she returns, extending her hand. She's more than a little surprised when he presses a kiss to the top of it. Trying not to roll her eyes, she pulls her hand back but doesn't take her eyes from his.
"Like what you see?" he asks, waggling his eyebrows in a not so innocent manner. Chuckling, Liz covers her mouth when Elena's head snaps to hers.
"Why don't you two give it a whirl?" Liz says, eyeing Damon with a unspoken warning. Her eyes drift from Liz to Damon and then finally to her feet. Reaching down she takes off her shoes and then puts her skates on, painstakingly lacing them up. As soon as they're secure, she stands up. When Damon offers his hand again, she frowns but latches on, letting him lead her onto the ice. At this hour, they're the only two people practicing at the rink.
"What should we do?" Elena asks, curious to see how rusty he might be.
"Why don't we try some waist lifts and then maybe we can work into the hand to hand overhead lift?"
"Okay then..," she says, taking his hand again, they start to skate as when Liz turns on some music for them. Taking both of her hands in his, he skates backwards pulling her along with a few stylish moves. Speeding up, he latches onto her waist, picking up and spinning her finesse. Elena can't deny that he knows what he's doing when he's on the ice. Spinning with her for several feet, he gently puts her down, takes her hand again and they skate even faster and when he raises her up this time, it's into a press lift. Instinctively trusting him, she spreads her arms, the two of them forming a graceful picture on the ice.
Watching them together, Liz knows she made the right choice with Damon. If he can keep the demons at bay, she knows she has the makings of a champion ice skating pair. Putting her whistle between her lips, she blows on, motioning with both arms for them to come in when she sees Mikael and Rebekah along with some of his other skaters entering the arena.
Glancing to his left, Damon notices that Mikael is staring at him with a scathing intensity. Not only did he catch Damon drinking and popping pills during practice, he also caught them sleeping together and for him it was a bridge too far. He wouldn't tolerate his little princess getting corrupted by the likes of Damon.
Although Mikael loathes Damon with the passion of a ten thousand suns, he latches onto his daughter's arm, telling her to keep her distance from them. Turning her nose up, Rebekah brushes her dad's hand off of her arm and skates towards Damon and Elena.
"Well look who's back?" she sneers, circling him on her skates.
"You're just mad cause I'm the only one who can get you off," he retorts, quirking his brows at her. Pandemonium erupts when Rebekah launches herself at him, pounding him repeatedly with her fists. And although he'd like nothing more than to smack her right back, he won't hit a girl. Finally having enough, he grabs her by the wrists and pushes her away from him. Although it takes every ounce of self control he has, he winks then turns his back and skates away.
Having watched the whole sordid spectacle, Elena stares at his retreating form, thoroughly disgusted by what she witnessed. Taking a breath, she starts to skate back towards Liz, nearly losing her balance when Rebekah latches onto her too. "He's bad news, Elena. If you were smart you'd stay as far away from him as possible."
"Why do you care?"
"He's an addict, Elena. He drinks and pops pills. You won't go anywhere with him as your partner."
"Are you jealous perhaps?"
When Elena sees her cheeks blooming red, she knows she struck a nerve with Rebekah. Stalking towards her and with a height advantage, Rebekah towers over her, smiling widely. "Sweetheart, don't mess with me," she adds, all the while maintaining the sinister smile on her face. Angry at the dust up that she had a ringside seat to, she blows out a frustrated breath of air before skating back to the sidelines where Liz is waiting for her to join them.
As soon as Elena reaches her coach, she gives Damon a look then pulls Liz aside. "Did you see that little display? I won't be put in the middle of his bull crap, Liz."
"Yes, Elena I saw."
"Well, what are you going to do about it? I don't want to skate with him," she spits, looking over Liz's shoulder once more. Seeing that his back is turned, she grimaces but doesn't care whether he hears her or not.
"Listen, Elena...," she starts then pauses, turning back to look at Damon for a moment. After sharing a look with him, she looks at Elena again. "I know you're upset about the Damon and Rebekah spectacle but surely you could see how well the two of you skated together?"
"I won't deny that he knows what he's doing but do we really want all of his baggage following us wherever we go?"
"Damon has a reputation, I know that but you should know that he may be your only chance to get to nationals and then the Olympics. Time is running out, you know this."
"Surely there are other skaters out there?" Elena snaps, dropping her eyes down to her skates.
"No one of Damon's caliber."
"Are you really going to make me do this?"
"No, Elena, I'm not. The decision is ultimately yours but you need to be aware of the stakes." Dropping her eyes, she startles when she hears his voice.
"If you don't want me, just say so," Damon snaps, having heard every word of her bellyaching.
"I didn't say that, I said that I didn't want all the baggage you carry with you. I didn't need to see the pissing contest between you and Rebekah either."
"I came in here minding my own business. It's not my fault that she decided to intrude. I didn't provoke her or even look at her. Liz, this isn't going to work. I'm leaving, Miss prima donna here can find herself a new partner. I don't need her holier than thou attitude either," Damon snipes, more than a little put out by her attitude.
"How dare you?" Elena snaps, getting in his face."
"What's the matter princess, no one ever have the balls to stand up to you?"
Speechless and with her mouth hanging open with indignation, Elena huffs but doesn't back down one bit. Needing to defuse the situation before push comes to shove, Liz steps between the two of them, extending her arms to put a little distance between Damon and Elena. "Enough! I know you're still teenagers but you're old enough to know how to behave yourselves. No more, am I making myself perfectly clear?"
"Crystal," Damon snaps, his eyes focused solely on Elena.
"Alright then, get back on the ice and practice," Liz adds, crossing her arms over her chest. Nodding, Damon turns away from Elena and skates back onto the ice. Having been left with no other choice, Elena reluctantly follows behind. When he offers her his hand, she stares at it for a few moments before latching on, gasping slightly at the goosebumps that erupt out of nowhere. Their eyes meet just as the music starts and Damon leads her gracefully into a series of spins and lifts. Although he's trying to stay focused on what he's doing, he can't seem to shake the gnawing feeling that's building inside of him when he pulls her in close, their bodies touching as if they were part of a beautiful symphony not of words but of movement.
Although she hates to even admit it, she and Damon do work well together if they can set their personal animosity aside. Despite Rebekah glaring at her and making innuendo every time she and Damon came near her, it was a good session. It took Damon hardly any time to learn the moves that she's used to. Stopping in the gift store, Elena buys a bouquet, a couple of magazines and a box of candy to give to Matt. With her purchases safely in her arms, she uses her elbow to push the elevator button, stepping inside when the doors slide open.
Stepping out when she reaches his floor, she stops at the nurses desk to ask to ask if it's okay to visit him. Given the go ahead, she walks down the hall, pausing when she reaches his room. Fortunately his door is open since her hands are too full to knock. His eyes are closed and his leg is up on pillows. She swallows uncomfortably when she sees the pins sticking out of his ankle. When he hears her boots tapping on the linoleum, Matt opens his eyes, smiling sadly at his predicament.
"Elena, I'm so sorry," he tells her, dropping his eyes and shaking his head back and forth.
"Matt, it's not like you did it on purpose. I hate it too, believe me I do but...," she says. With tears beginning to fill her own eyes, she repeats, "I hate this."
"Don't cry, Elena."
"Are you going to be able to skate again?"
"The surgeon can't say for sure. He said it's possible but not probable. It'll depend on me."
"You have to work for it, Matt. I need you."
"Elena, there's no way that I can skate for at least six months. You'll never make it to the Olympics if you wait for me," he says, extending his hand, pulling her to the bedside when she grabs on.
With her heart pounding wildly, she takes a deep breath then asks, "Have you talked to Liz?"
"No, my mom called her about my ankle. Why?"
"She wants me to skate with Damon Salvatore. Do you believe it?"
"Damon Salvatore.. the Damon Salvatore?" Matt asks, incredulously.
"The one and only," Elena confirms, rolling her eyes. After letting go of his hand, she pulls a chair up and sits down next to him. "And let me tell you something, he and Rebekah got into it the minute he skated onto the ice."
"Do tell?"
"She accused him of being a drug addict and he flung it right back at her, saying she's only upset cause he's the only one who can get her off," Elena explains, wrinkling her nose in disgust.
"I guess it's true that he doesn't hold anything back," Matt chuckles, remembering having taken a spin with Rebekah himself.
"Although Rebekah was her usual self around him if you know what I mean...," Elena says, pausing to roll her eyes, "but you could tell she was a bit irate to see him. I mean, you went out with her a couple of times, did she mention Damon?"
"That was when you and I were just starting to skate together. I only went out with her like three times," he starts to say, lying smoothly. "She may have mentioned that he likes his booze." Matt looks at Elena pointedly before dropping his gaze to his hands fisting on the bedding. Trying to get himself out of the bind he's in, he adds, "Maybe he hurt her somehow.. the guy has a temper or so I've been told."
"No doubt," she adds, her mind suddenly drifting to the sensations that erupted all over her insides when he touched her the second time they went onto the ice. "Matt, I.. I hope you won't be angry but I can't wait another four years to go to the Olympics. As much as I don't want to, I am going to skate with Damon."
"Elena, no. Isn't there someone else?"
"Matt... I don't want a new partner either and as much as it hurts me to say this, you may never skate competitively again. And as far as Damon goes, believe it or not I asked Liz the same question. She said no.. but she also said that I had veto power on whether or not I wanted to partner with him. I'm going to give working with him a shot."
"Don't do this, you're my partner," he sneers, his facial muscles contorting in anger.
Seeing how angry he is suddenly, Elena scoots back the chair and starts to stand up. Confused because one minute he's saying not to wait for him and now he's mad because she chose to do just that, she drops the topic. Rather than fight with him, she says nothing. After picking up her handbag, she gives him a long hard look and says goodbye. Pulling the door closed, the last thing she hears before it shuts completely is her name leaving Matt's lips.
Nearly everyday, Damon shows up at the ice rink to work with Elena and almost everyday they butt heads. The way he figures, it's better if she continues to see him as an arrogant SOB. If she were to see the new and improved Damon, the contrite Damon, he doesn't know if he'd be able to live up to her expectations. And the last thing he wants to do is fall off the wagon again. It's a brisk and breezy overcast day as he walks the solemn path of worn grass to his father's grave. For once he has a day off because Elena's aunt is having a baby. Dropping onto the ground, he picks at the blades of grass, pulling up a few stocks of clover and tossing them into the air for no reason whatsoever. After staring at the inscription in the stone, he runs his fingertips along the engraving. Closing his eyes, he wishes his dad was here now that he needs him so much. It was a day much like today when he dropped dead right in front of Damon after suffering a massive heart attack.
Having learned CPR in health class at school, Damon tried so hard but in the end, it made no difference at all. His dad was dead before he even hit the ground. Looking to his left, he feels his own heart catch when he sees his mom's name carved in the stone too. He has no memory of her at all. She died just as suddenly as his dad only she succumbed to a pulmonary embolism when Damon was just a few weeks old. Lilly is the only mother he's ever known, he doesn't even remember a time when he didn't have her. And he also knows that she couldn't be more of a mom to him if they did share the same blood. Hearing footsteps, he looks up, smiling when that's who he sees.
"I don't know why but I had a feeling that you might be here."
"I miss him, mom."
"I know you do, Damon," Lilly says, taking a seat beside him in the grass. When he drops his eyes, she lifts his chin with her fingertips, forcing him to look at her. "You father would be very proud of you, Damon. You've really turned your whole life around."
"Would he? I sure made a mess of things for awhile."
"You did but what's important is that you learned from it and found the strength from within to put yourself back together... I'm very proud of you too, Damon. I love you very, very much. You're my son in every way that counts."
"I love you too, mom," he adds, embracing her in a hug. After holding each other for several minutes, they both stand up and walk out of the cemetery, mother and son, hand in hand.
After another long day of arguing with Elena and working his ass off, he finds himself at The Grill. After calling his mom to tell her where he was headed, he parks his car and walks inside. As soon as he's through the door, he smiles when he sees his good friend and sobriety partner, Brady sitting in one of the booths. With a nod of his head, he stops at the bar to get a coke. Once the waitress hands him the glass, he heads over to sit down by his friends.
"Damon, it's good to see you. How is everything?"
"Will it ever get easier?" Damon asks, clutching his drink, his stare fixed on the carbonated bubbles as they dance inside the glass.
"Everyday is a struggle for me too and I've been clean for a lot longer than you have. But there's a part of me that's afraid for it to get easier."
"Why is that?" Damon asks, meeting his gaze.
"Because if it gets easier, I'm afraid that it might be easier to fall off of the wagon too. I don't want to be that person again," Brady adds, taking a long pull from his ginger ale.
"I never thought about it that way." Blowing out a breath, Damon takes a drink from his own glass, licking his lip when he puts it down.
"So, you're skating again?"
"I am and aside from my partner and I wanting to throttle each other every single moment we're on the ice, it feels good," he says, stopping suddenly when he hears her voice. And as if having a sixth sense, Elena's eyes meet his from across the room. Keeping up the asshole façade, he raises his glass, pretending to toast her. When he sees her roll her eyes, he can't help but laugh.
"That's the one, your partner?"
"Yep, Elena Gilbert, ice princess," Damon adds, under his breath. Finishing off his drink, he gets up to get them a refill. As he walks back to his booth, he notices her eyes focused firmly on the drinks in his hands. Knowing without doubt that she thinks he drinking again, he feels his stomach twist uncomfortably but who is he to dissuade her from that notion. Sliding back into the booth, he gives Brady his glass and then takes another long swig form his own, their eyes meeting once more from across a crowded room.
"Damn it, Damon. Why can't you ever get it right?" Elena sneers when he's just a millisecond late to lift her, interrupting her flow as they work through their routine for the millionth time already today.
"Why do always assume that it's my fault? Jesus H Christ, Elena, it's you that was behind in the count, not me," he snaps back, glaring at her with a scathing intensity. Feeling his heart pound in his throat, he grits his teeth, not backing down at all.
"Me? You're accusing me of being off? If you weren't hitting the bottle again, maybe you'd get your act together?"
"Just what exactly are you accusing me of?" Damon sneers, but steps back ever so slightly to put a little distance between them.
Having seen and heard enough, Liz skates over and steps in between the two of them once again. "Enough," she barks out, having had more than enough of their childish bickering.
"He's drinking again, Liz. I saw it with my own eyes...," Elena blurts out, "And don't even try to deny it."
Turning to face him, Liz asks, "Is that true?"
"You've already made up your mind. I'm done here." Shaking his head, Damon skates off of the ice. Dropping onto the bench, he exchanges his skates for his shoes so he can make his getaway. Raking a hand through his sweaty hair. Not bothering to pay attention to the drama going on between Liz and Elena, he gets up to leave.
"What did you see Elena?" Liz asks, blowing out a breath of air in frustration.
"I saw him drinking at the Grill with another guy."
"How do you know that it was alcohol that he was drinking?"
"It was brown and he was actually smiling. I've never seen him genuinely smile before so I figure it was the alcohol relaxing his inhibitions."
"You're not giving me anything concrete here, Elena. You made an assumption based on the color of his drink and the fact that he was smiling? No wonder he's angry with you." Liz adds, raising her eyebrows.
"Of course, I should've known that you'd take his side."
"Both of you are acting like children. You're never going to get anywhere unless you two can learn to trust each other. You're very good together but you could be great if you'd get past your prejudices. It stops today."
"But Liz!?" she starts to say, shutting up when Liz interrupts. "It stops today, Elena. Now I'm going to go to try to talk him out of leaving. You would do well to apologize to him."
"I'll do no such thing," Elena retorts indignantly.
Rolling her eyes, Liz spins and skates away from her and towards him. Fisting her hands at her sides, Elena is livid as she watches her coach approach Damon. Sucking in a deep shuddering breath, she turns her back to them and starts to skate, stopping when she sees Rebekah skating towards her. Stopping when she's in front of her, Rebekah smiles, casually mentioning, "Damon gets away with everything. That is till he butted heads with my dad."
When her curiosity gets the best of her, Elena asks, "Aside from here, did he do something to hurt you?"
Pretending to cry, Rebekah, sniffs and wipes her eyes. "Yes he did. I thought that I meant something to him..., I mean more so than just his partner. But all he wanted was to be inside of me, if you get my drift," she adds, crossing her arms over her chest.
"I didn't need to know that, Rebekah." Brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear, she turns around, her temper spiking when she sees Liz and Damon.
"Don't say I didn't warn you," Rebekah adds, her pouty lips quirked into a smile as she skates off and proceeds to land a triple toe loop followed immediately by a triple axel. Rolling her eyes, Elena, tries to take them off of her mind but when her eyes meet his from across the rink, her fuse lights all over again.
When Liz reaches him, she says, "Damon, please don't do this."
"Why the hell should I put up with her attitude day in and day out. And for your information, I was drinking just plain Coke," he snaps, pulling his arm free.
"Damon, stop, please."
Shaking his head, he stops but doesn't turn to face her. It's only when she steps in front of him does he look at her again. "I know that you're not drinking again, Damon. First of all, I've been with you every day. I would have noticed. Second, your mother would have said something to me."
With his lips closed tightly, Damon runs his tongue along them. Shaking his head back and forth, he happens to notice Elena approaching them. "Tell her that," he spits out angrily.
Despite Liz's admonition, Elena won't back down either. "Tell me what?"
"I was drinking Coke, just plain Coke, no rum, no alcohol of any kind. And for your information, the guy I was with is my sobriety partner, miss goody two shoes. I'm leaving, I may or may not be back tomorrow," Damon says to Liz. After giving Elena one last hardened stare, he throws his skates over his shoulder before jogging out of the building and away from her.
Frustrated beyond comprehension after fighting with her yet again, Damon wants nothing more than to have a drink or pop an oxy into his mouth. But then he looks at the picture of himself and his dad taken just hours before his fatal heart attack, he closes his eyes and breathes deeply, trying to will the feeling to pass. Full of nervous energy, he grabs his car keys. On his way out, he stops in the kitchen to grab a bottle of water. Just as he's about to leave the house, his mom walks in, carrying an armful of groceries. Setting the bottle on the countertop, he takes the bag from her arms and sets it on the kitchen table. After helping her put everything away, he tells her he's going for a ride and will be back a little later. He pauses long enough to press a kiss to her cheek then takes off, jumping into his car, he guns the engine and disappears down the block.
Finding himself at Falls Park, he stops the car and gets out. Pocketing his keys, he walks along the path till he reaches the falls. Loving the smell of the fresh air and the clear water, he walks out onto the rocks and sits down to watch the sunset. When the darkness begins to set in, he sighs but gets up to go. The last thing he needs is a slip or misstep and end up with a busted ankle too. Sliding into his car, he drops his forehead against the steering wheel. Not yet ready to go home, he decides to go back to the Grill to play some pool. Shifting into gear, he rolls down the window and drives. Hitting every stoplight on his way over, he's frustrated and on edge by the time he reaches the place. Pulling into a parking spot, he jumps out, locks his car and stomps into the building and directly to the bar.
Seeing no one around, he slams back a couple of glasses full of Mt. Dew and then leaves the place, feeling a little buzz from the caffeine. Glancing at the dashboard clock, he relaxes his posture and drives home to help his mom with supper.
Walking into the arena, Brady takes a seat in one of the rows of bleachers to watch his friend skate. He's never seen Damon on the ice before, he thought he'd like to see what the hype is about. Since he has a rare weekday off, he drove over here. Feeling his phone vibrate, he pulls it out of his pocket, texting a reply before turning it off. When he looks up again, he sees his friend and the girl walk onto the ice. As soon as the music starts, Damon and his partner begin to skate. Brady is impressed by the skill and tenacity it must take when Damon picks her up, raising her above his head as he spins on the ice. From Brady's point of view, it all goes well until suddenly a flurry of colorful metaphors leave Damon's mouth followed by the girl staring at him open mouthed. And by the looks of it, he can see that she's genuinely flustered by his attitude. Before he can blink, he hears Damon call her a diva and flash the middle finger at her before launching into a tirade.
"You always , always think the worst of me. Why didn't you just ask me once before you start throwing accusations at me?"
"Because you won't give me two seconds of your time. We do our routine and before I can say two words, you're walking through the door."
"What's there to talk about? You hate me and nothing I can do or say is going to change that," he adds, his heart pounding hard and fast against his chest.
"I don't hate you, Damon. But I do resent the fact that everyone is bending over backwards to mollycoddle you. I know all too well what it feels like to lose a parent Damon but I didn't turn to drugs and alcohol to drown in self pity with. After they died, I was ready to give this all up too but I knew they wouldn't want that so I sucked it up and got back on the ice. You act like you're the only person in the world to have bad things happen to him."
"You know nothing about my life," he retorts. After releasing the breath he was holding, he drops his chin to his chest for a few moments. Tired of fighting with him, Elena shakes her head and skates off. Too frustrated to continue practice, she grabs her things and leaves the arena.
Having seen Damon at his worst when he was detoxing, it still surprises him that Damon would be so hard on the girl. As soon as he sees her mouth drop open when Damon turns his back to her, skate off of the ice, Brady pockets his phone and trots down the steps, reaching Damon just as his friend is plopping down on the bench. Taking a seat beside him, Damon looks stunned to see the guy.
"Brady, what are you doing here?"
"I came to watch. What happened out there?"
"I don't know. She makes me crazy," Damon adds, raking his hands through his sweat dampened hair.
"From my vantage point, it didn't look like she did anything wrong. Why did you blow up at her?"
"I told you that she drives me insane and I can't stand to be with her and I can't stand not to be with her. I'm a damn train wreck," he blurts out, feeling completely discombobulated.
An abrupt laugh leaves Brady's lips. "You like her?"
"Hell, there's no point in lying, especially not to you," he mumbles, wiping his brow with his forearm as the realization dawns on him.
"Damon?"
"Alright, Brady. Yes, I like her but that's not the point.. I don't stand a chance, she hates me," he admits, shaking his head back and forth with resignation.
"Having witnessed your little hissy fit, can you really blame her?"
"Yes and no. She was at the Grill that night, saw us and just assumed I was drinking again. She didn't even ask, she just jumped to conclusions."
"Why don't you just sit her down and then the two of you can have a heart to heart and iron out your difficulties. Maybe then you can tell her how you feel about her. She might want your relationship to be strictly professional but then again she might not. You won't know unless you talk to her."
"I don't know Brady. I really don't want to get kicked in the gut again and especially not by her."
"So you sabotage it before it even has a chance to get off the ground?"
"Something like that," Damon admits, raking his hand through his hair in frustration.
"Well, as your friend, I think you should talk to her. But, I also think you need to listen and really hear what she may have to say. You two are never going to get anywhere in the skating world if you keep going at each other like cats and dogs."
Taking a deep breath, Damon nods his head. "I know you're right but it's easier said than done."
"Come on, Damon, you've accomplished so much already. And doesn't she deserve a partner who is honest with her?" Brady asks, raising an eyebrow.
"Fine, I'll see if I can track her down. If I can't, I'll call you later so you can talk me back from the ledge."
"It won't get that far and you know it. You're stronger than that."
Standing up, Damon sucks in a breath and follows his friend up the stairs. After grabbing his things, he walks out of the ice rink and over to his car. Hearing a car horn, he looks around, waving back at Brady as he exits the parking lot. Knowing that his friend is right about Elena, he jumps behind the wheel. Pausing only to call Liz and ask for Elena's address and before he can talk himself out of it, he pulls onto the street and takes the right turn that leads to her place.
When he reaches the address that Liz gave him, he pulls alongside the curb and puts the car into park but doesn't shut off the engine just yet. Dropping his head back, he feels his heart pounding and his belly churning so much so that he can taste the bile burning the back of his throat. His mind is a flurry of chaotic emotions. The devil on his shoulder is telling him to take a beat while the angel on the other is telling him to grow a spine. When he hears a rap on his car window, he startles when he sees that it's her. Turning off the engine, he motions for her to step back and when she does, he opens the car door. Stepping out, he pushes it shut and leans against it.
"I'm sure you're wondering why I'm here?"
"You could say that."
"Can we take a walk or something?"
"Is this going to lead to another fight, Damon, because frankly, I can't do it anymore? Either we find some common ground or we end this partnership right now."
"Believe it or not, I didn't come here to fight, Elena. I came to talk. Please?"
After staring at him for several moments, she finally nods, using her hand to gesture for him to walk along with her. "There's a park just down the block. We can talk there if you want."
"Sure," he agrees, walking alongside of her. When they reach the park, he points to a picnic table under a big Oak tree. As soon as they get reach it, she sits down. Looking around, Damon sees a Starbucks across the street. "I'm going to run over there to get something to drink. Why don't you come along, we'll talk after that."
"Do you want me to wait here? Save this spot?"
"If you want. Um, what do you want to drink?"
"One of the hibiscus refreshers. It's my favorite."
"I'll be back in a little bit."
Wondering what on earth is going on with him, Elena texts her aunt where she is. Laying her phone down, she smiles when she sees a group of little kids jumping roping. Before she knows it, he sets a glass down in front of her and then takes the seat across from her. Picking it up, Elena takes a sip form the straw and then thanks him, a rare smile forming on her face.
"See now, I like that," Damon teases, smiling genuinely himself for the first time.
"Why did you ask me here, Damon?"
"First I wanted to apologize for being an ass. And second, I like you. I know I've given you every reason to find that hard to believe but it's true. I want us to be able to trust each other and work together without every damn session breaking down into a flurry of angry words and hurt feelings."
"Believe it or not, I like you too but you're right, we can't keep up like this. What happened to you? I mean, if you don't mind telling me?"
"The fame, the adulation, I had it all and it was okay but then... my dad dropped dead in front of me. He was my idol, Elena. He and I were as close as two people could be and when he left, he took a part of me with him. I know CPR, I tried to save him. I even fractured some of his ribs doing compressions. I could feel it and I still remember the sound, I have nightmares to this day," he confesses, dropping his eyes for a moment before continuing, "I failed him and to cope, to run away, to hide, I started to drink and take pills. It was easier than facing the fact that I didn't save him."
"Do you really believe that? I mean, it sounds like you did everything you could have done."
"I know, my mom told me that and so did his doctors but in the end, he was still dead. Lilly, my mom, she isn't really my mom. I mean, she is my mom, she adopted me when I was an infant... my real mom died when I was about six weeks old. I have no recollection of her at all. I only have pictures that my dad gave me. Don't get me wrong, I love Lilly, she's my mom and I don't honestly believe that I could love her anymore if she had given birth to me but we have different DNA."
"You're lucky to have her."
"I am, I really am. She was and is my rock and my anchor and without her tough love as they say, I might be laying under that stone in the cemetery myself." Pausing a moment, his mind drifts back to that life shattering experience. Seeing his dad again and the look on his face.. and his mother arriving almost too late and then struggling with the phone to call the ambulance. Swallowing past the familiar lump in his throat, he asks, "What about you, I mean you mentioned that your parents were gone too?"
"Car accident. I was in the wreck with them but I'm still here. Have you heard the term survivor's guilt?" When Damon nods, she adds, "Well, it's a bitch. For a long time I wished that I had died with them but then my brother laid into me. He told me how selfish it was that I would want to leave him to face the world alone. I had never seen Jeremy cry, not even at the funeral but I saw his tears then and that's when I decided to take my life back."
"You've done a spectacular job of it from what I can see. I sunk to my lowest but you excelled. I'm sure your parents would be very proud of the girl you are today."
"I'd like to think so..," she says, her voice trailing away. Noticing her looking everywhere but at him and that her hands are gripped tightly together, it's obvious that she's thinking about something rather discomforting. Sensing what it probably is, he lays a hand atop hers, squeezing gently. Sucking in a deep fortifying breath, he struggles to find the words finally saying, "Elena, I'm not that arrogant little prick that you saw me as around her. Yes, we did sleep together a couple of times... but it's not that I broke her heart or that she broke mine. We were reckless and bored, it was just a stupid way to blow off the stress of the day. When I refused to play her little games, she got angry and vindictive. That's all it was, you have my word."
Looking a little out of breath from his vantage point, he relaxes a little on the inside when their eyes meet again. "I believe you, Damon." Elena surprises him when she leans forward and in towards him. After dropping a kiss to each side of his mouth, she presses her lips flush against his. Wanting and needing more, he cradles her face and teases the seam of her mouth with his tongue. When she parts her lips, he thrusts it inside to explore the warm cavern of her mouth. Needing air, they break apart, both of their hearts beating like kettle drums as they stare at each other. Touching his mouth with his fingertips, Damon smiles, absolutely in awe of the feelings that are erupting inside of him. Not wanting to waste even a moment, Damon moves around to her side of the picnic table and drops his mouth to hers once more in a kiss so intense that it makes her toes curl and sears his insides.
"Ouch," Damon yelps, pulling away suddenly when something hits him on the back of the head. Looking around, he sees that it's a ball. When Damon sees the little boy looking scared, he picks up the ball and walks it over to him. Telling him to run back, Damon launches the football at him and the little boy takes off after it. Standing up, Elena approaches him. And when she's close enough, he wraps her in his arms, presses a kiss to the top of her head and holds on tight just to breathe her in.
Feeling the excitement of the crowd, Damon holds Elena's hand as they wait to take their turn on the ice for the long program at the US Olympic trials. After their talk in the park that day, it was like a weight was lifted off of Damon's shoulders. Between her, his mom and Liz, Damon was able to plow through everything that was holding him back. And with truth came trust and with trust came excellence when they were on the ice.
When the MC announces their name, Damon and Elena skate onto the ice and take their positions. As soon as their music starts, Michael Crawford singing "The Music of the Night", they begin to pick up speed, opening their routine with their first big move, a quad twist, their timing perfect. Damon launches Elena into the air, catching her when she comes down. From there, they glide across the ice speeding up and hitting their triple toe, double toe combination. Landing it perfectly, Damon is feeling really good about their routine. Skating across the ice with their arms spread, they do matching triple Lutz's, nailing it with perfect synchronization between the two of them.
Continuing, Damon picks her up and throws Elena over his back in an acrobatic move, helping her down, a triple toe loop following immediately after. With precise synchronicity, they move into position and make a side by side triple saucow. Feeling like his heart is going to beat out of his chest with overwhelming joy, he chances a quick look at Elena. The sight of her beaming smile is proof that she's feeling the magic of the moment too. The crowd erupts in applause, adrenaline burning through his veins like fire. With the cheering crowd spurring them on, they complete their routine with a beautifully executed death spiral. As soon as the music stops, they embrace, Damon kissing the top of her head. With wide smiles on both of their faces, they exit the ice to take their places beside Liz in the box to wait for their scores.
When the numbers flash across the screen, moving them into first place, the audience stands. Their applause soon reaches a deafening roar. At Liz's urging, Damon takes Elena's hand and together they walk out to take another bow. Not caring who sees, Damon wraps her in his arms and kisses her as if his life depended on it. When they break apart, the crowd is cheering, "More, more, more." Smiling as widely as he can, Damon drops a peck to her lips and leads her back off of the ice where they have to wait for the other competitors to take their turns. Looking up in the stands, Damon nods when he sees his mother, his biggest fan and anchor making her way down the stairs towards him. Unable to wait, he lets go of Elena's hand, jogging up the steps to meet her. After a long embrace, he takes her by the hand and brings her down to set next to him and Elena. Taking a breath, he watches the next pair, their friends Trevor and Rose who hail from Chicago. Going into a difficult jump, Rose misses her landing and falls on her backside.
"That's too bad," Elena whispers, burrowing into his side.
"Yeah, it is. I want to win but I want to win with them at their best," Damon agrees, wrapping his arm around her shoulder and pulling her in closer. When they finish their program and as the scores are flashed on the screen, Liz gives her leg a squeeze when they realize that Damon and Elena win first place in the Olympic trials, guaranteeing their place on Team USA.
Taking their place on the podium, the judge loops the gold medals around their necks, the silver medals on a couple that they don't know, Enzo and Bonnie. Trevor and Rose take the bronze, having been penalized for the fall. When the National Anthem starts to play, they cross their hearts and sing along till it's done.
As the last note is played, Damon, unable to get enough of her, gives her a big beefy kiss much to the delight of the assembled crowd. As soon as they're off the podium Elena surprises him when she leaps into his arms. With her legs wrapped around his middle and her arms around his neck, she kisses him hard and with the intensity of an F5 tornado. When they pull apart, Damon thinks he sees forever flashing in front of his eyes. His heart is so full of love for this one girl and as long as he has that, he knows he'll never stumble again.
Huge thanks to Eva for donating so much of her time and energy to me and these stories. Love you very much.
Big thanks to you all as well. I wouldn't be here without you all.
Story title: 'Burnt Ice' by Megadeth.
All of my in progress stories will be completed. I've just been on a one shot frenzy for whatever reason. Eva and I are working out the details for one with a WW2 setting. I did post the final chapter of SOLS yesterday. We're at the half way point in both Flames and ICEM. Roses is a short story too and will update before the week is over.
Please click the review button. Thank you all so much. Be safe and have a wonderful day.