Hey everyone! So the summary pretty much says it all. Those of you who come from my Klaroline fanfiction, This Time, thank you very much; this is my Christmas present to you, my lovelies. And those of you who are new readers and don't know my writing, well, I hope you will like it.
Here is The Feeling's Chain:
September 2012
Damon was seated at the bar of a pub rather far from town. Normally, he would have gone to the Grill; only, at the moment, there were too many prying and judging eyes there and he wasn't in the mood to be stared at and excite pity, at the risk of killing people massively and expose all the vampires in town. He could actually hear the gossipy whispering voices in his head: 'Look, it's Damon Salvatore; he just lost his drinking pal, the former teacher, Alaric Saltzman.' And then another voice would go: 'Apparently, it doesn't stop him from drinking.' Pfff. Pathetic.
Indeed, a lot had happened in Mystic Falls in only a few weeks. And Damon as well as the rest of the group had been through a lot. Above all, Alaric was dead. He had been dead for about two weeks now and his close and relatives were still mourning him, dealing with the void his death had left in their hearts, enduring the huge heartache his demise had caused.
Thank God, Elena was unharmed, physically at least… But she and Jeremy were barely holding up. The poor kids. The whole town sympathized with them: they had lost their both parents, their aunt and guardian, Jenna Gilbert, and more recently, Alaric –in short, all their grown-up figures –in the time of two years. Stefan, Caroline and Bonnie's support had been essential to their survival further to the loss of their last remaining relative. They were each other's landmarks from now on; they were all the family the other had left. One had to say blondie had come in really handy these past few days… notably by telling her mother everything –well, almost –and coming up with a story, a car accident, to explain Alaric's death so that their cover wasn't blown.
Bonnie was the one to make the whole thing even possible: they never would have been able to strike out the threat Alaric had come to constitute if it weren't for her. Klaus had come up with the idea: finding a way to undo the tie that had been established between the vampire hunter and Elena. Cogitating on that, Bonnie had looked into her grandmother's witch's cookbook as Damon liked to call it, and actually found a spell that enabled to do just that. Managing to gather and blood from the vampire hunter, got by Jeremy, and blood from Elena, she had pronounced the Latin incantations and undone the tie. Though trusting Bonnie but not nearly enough when it came to Elena's life, Damon insisted that they made sure the spell had worked first, before attempting anything that would put Alaric's life in danger. Therefore, Klaus was charged to drive a wood stick in the man near his heart. Seeing, it had had absolutely no effect on the raven-haired girl or her health, they all thought of a plan to put an end to the vampire hunter, what they eventually did… killing Alaric by the same occasion. And he had been the one to do the job.
Damon was lying on the cold hard ground, beaten black and blue, blood dripping from his nose and mouth and covering his face. He had to say vampire hunter Alaric was pretty darn strong. He knew he had to kill him, but he couldn't bring himself. Alaric was the only person in his life Damon could talk to about anything and… he wasn't ready to lose that; he had never experienced that, except maybe with Rose but, that was a whole other relationship. Why was he destined to lose all his friends, as few and rare as they were?
His vision was blurring and he was starting to have flashbacks: he saw Katherine, Rose, Alaric, Elena, Stefan. He blinked trying to come back to his senses.
"Is that all you got?" he asked sardonically. "Come on, you can do better than that, Ric." He provoked.
The hunter stopped his motion and glared at him. "Don't call me, Ric." He forbade. "We're not friends." He punched him.
Damon let out a groan of pain. "We used to be." He reminded.
"It was part of the problem." He stated cocking his head. He grabbed his enemy by the collar and rushed him to his feet. "I didn't think it'd be so easy to bring you down."
The Salvatore brother looked at him weakly. Being the one to get things done was getting more and more testing. All he saw was his friend; he was Ric. He couldn't kill Ric. Unfortunately, he had to. He had to put an end to this monster. If he didn't, not only the vampire hunter would be the one to put an end to him, but one could also bet on a certainty that he would kill all the vampires he would manage in his lifetime, i.e. forever, i.e. hundreds of vampires, i.e. HIS BROTHER. That's why, gathering all the strength he had left, Damon punched the man in his stomach and landed a heavy efficient blow into his jaw sending him sprawling on his back across the living room; he flew to his side within a second. They were in the Mikaelsons' mansion where the group had decided they would trap the vampire hunter.
He hit the wall so hard the impact caused the bookshelf nearby to collapse laying all the books it held on the floor. Then, working up his courage, Damon did the only thing he could do.
"I'm sorry, Ric." He apologized for the action he was about to accomplish.
"For what?" asked the vampire hunter. He had hardly finished his question that Damon had pulled the stake out his jacket and driven right into his friend's heart.
Because vampire hunter or not, Alaric Saltzman was his friend above all. Or at least had been…
All that had been hard on the elder Salvatore, even though he pretended to be perfectly fine and acted unaffected in public being his usual jerk-self. Of course, those who were close to him and knew him knew it was all an act and that deep down, he was hurting; and that was normal and completely understandable, even for the insensitive warrior Damon Salvatore. After all, besides Stefan, Alaric was pretty much Damon's only friend, at the light difference that they didn't share their love for the same woman.
Speaking of which, the doppelganger's decision as far as who of the two Salvatore brothers would be allowed to spend the rest of his life worshipping at her altar hadn't really helped his well-being. Indeed, his conscious-self knew that he wasn't good enough for the raven-haired girl and probably never would be. But then there was this other part of him, the one that had hope, the one that longed to love and finally be loved in return, the one that would sacrifice anything, everything for the love of the beautiful Elena Gilbert… He really didn't know what he wouldn't do for her; he would do anything. He had hoped, no, he had prayed that she would manage to see more to him than most, that she would manage to see beyond his stubbornness, his selfishness, his darkness. He had prayed that the small changes he had started to work on his personality somehow would make her realize how much he was willing to try for her. He had prayed they would be enough to make her fall in love with him.
They hadn't been.
"So… since I'm possibly a dead man, can I ask you a question?" he asked.
"Yeah, of course." She answered.
"If it was just down to him and me, and you had to make a choice, who got the goodbye?" he inquired putting as much coolness as he was able to in that critical moment. "Who would it be?" He regretted the question the second it came out.
It was after Rebekah escaped and Alaric ran after her. He was pretty much at death's door and, he needed to know. He had to have that answer before everything ended.
Perhaps at least, he'd die happily, for lack of living happily, since obviously he'd never have the chance again.
There was a moment of silence over the phone as the brunette contemplated what to say. It was easily the longest seconds of Damon's life: waiting to know if yes or not he had finally won his dream girl's love… he had no idea how he had managed to keep breathing during those seconds.
"I love him, Damon…" she began in a sorry, crying voice; and all his hopes were crushed.
'Of course', he thought to himself. He closed his eyes, laid down by his own stupidity.
The truth is he knew what her answer would be. He knew what she would respond before the words even came out of her mouth. He had hope but, it was that kind of hope that you know is vain, that you know won't lead to anything except misery.
How could he be so stupid? How could he be so delusional…? He never got the girl.
"He came into my life at a time when I needed someone and I fell for him instantly." She told him and he understood. He understood the connection there was between Elena and Stefan. He had saved her life more than once and in more than one way. Stefan was the better choice for her. Stefan would always be the better choice for her… sadly for Damon. "No matter what I feel for you, I… I never unfell for him." She ended.
He had lost Katherine to Stefan and now, he had lost Elena… to Stefan again, at the slight difference that he never actually Elena. The worst part was she actually did feel something for him. But she had picked his brother, like everybody knew she would; like he knew she would. Well everybody except maybe for Stefan himself who moreover didn't really seem to be aware of the woman's choice.
/
Elena was seated on her couch, her feet touching her bottom, a cup of hot cocoa in the hand. She really did do her best not to think about the past few weeks' painful events, but it was kind of hard when everything was so quiet and she was all alone, left to her own devices, something that didn't happen very often with Bonnie, Caroline, Matt and Stefan always looking out for her, and pampering her, and making sure she was still able to walk and still had all her veins at their proper locus. It is true that things had been tough for her lately; she had had a lot to take in… but for Jeremy, she tried her best to remain still and deal. She couldn't afford to fall apart when she had him to think about: she was all he got and likewise. It was her brother who enabled her to keep holding on.
The ringing of her door pulled the beauty out of her gloomy thoughts and rescued her from her solitude. Thank God!' she exclaimed. She jumped off her couch, put down her hot cocoa and rushed to the door. '
"Hey!" she greeted.
"Hi" Stefan greeted her back. "Can I come in?" he asked.
"Of course. Please come in." She said in an almost pleading tone clearing the way for him.
He raised his brows in amusement and burst out laughing. He entered the house.
"I made some hot cocoa. Do you want some?" she offered nicely.
"Yes, please." He accepted and sat down on the couch as she went in the kitchen to serve him. "The house is pretty calm." He noted.
"Yes, Jeremy is spending the night at Matt's: it's boys' night out." Elena explained and he nodded.
She came back with his hot cocoa and handed it to him. "Thank you." He said taking the cup.
She took her own cup back into her hands and took a sip.
"So how are you doing?" he enquired.
"I'm fine." She answered shrugging. "Some days are worse than the others, you know."
Stefan hummed and cupped Elena's face in his hand. He caressed her rosy cheek. "Well, you look good."
She smiled at him as her pretty cheeks took a pink tint. "I owe it to you." She declared bringing her hand upon his forearm.
"Oh please, I didn't do anything." He objected removing his hand from her face. She seized the occasion to slide her hand from his forearm to his hand surprising him. He looked at her hand holding his.
"Yes, you did." She asserted. "More than you know." She said recalling how much of a support Stefan had been lately.
"You know you ARE allowed to break down, Elena." The so supportive Stefan told her.
She shook her head, tears threatening to fall off her eyes. "No, no, I can't afford to fall apart right now." She said.
"Why?" he questioned. "Because I have Jeremy to think about." She justified.
He tilted his head to the side sympathizing with her. He knew she would say that. She constantly tried to please everybody. She was always thinking about other people's feelings, often neglecting herself.
"Well, Jeremy's not here right now." He told her. "And even if he was, it shouldn't be a problem." He paused. "You can't just be here for him, Elena: you need to be here for each other." He declared. "Let Jeremy be there for you too."
She stared at him, her eyes watery then, dropped her gaze to the floor trying her best not to cry.
"Elena…" he lowered his head searching for her eyes. She brought her arms to his neck and fell into his arms finally letting the tears fall. She had held back so much since Alaric's death a week ago. She hadn't cried a single time holding it together for Jeremy. But inside… inside, it had been a whirl of emotions: she was in an emotional turmoil, overcome with sadness and despair. Stefan wrapped his arms around her and ran a hand through her hair in an attempt to soothe her, what seemed to work judging by how her breathing came back to a regular pace and her tears decreased.
"I really don't know what I'd do without you, Stefan."
"Shhh" he kept on rubbing her raven hair. "You'll never have to find out." He promised.
Back at the pub, the attractive doctor Meredith Fell and Damon were discussing. Well, she was talking –trying to convince him to confide in her, to confide in somebody –he, he was linking drink after drink, determined to ingurgitate the highest amount of alcohol ever. What did he have left to lose by doing that anyway?
Meredith and Damon had met there coincidently, the doctor living only a few blocks away.
"What do you say we end the night at your place?" he suggested.
She gave him a look like he should know better.
"What?!" he exclaimed. "I'm sick, you're a doctor, heal me." He said.
Her stare on him didn't break. "Do you really not know of any other way to deal with your pain?" she asked disbelievingly.
"Don't judge me." He prohibited.
"If you don't want to be judged, then stop acting like an ass." She advised calmly.
She turned to the door and perceived a familiar face. She grabbed her purse and jumped off her seat. "On that note, goodbye." And with that, she walked away. She stopped when she got to Elena's level.
"Thank you for calling me." The raven-haired girl thanked her.
"Sure." She replied with a smile before heading out for the door.
Elena advanced towards the elder Salvatore. "Come on, let's go."
"What are you doing here?" he asked her. "Shouldn't you be cooing with Stefan?"
"You asked me to make a choice, Damon, both of you." She reminded. "I had to make a choice so I did; I picked Stefan, period! Are you going to keep being mad at me long?"
"Yes!" he answered madly causing her to shudder, finally turning to look at her. "Yes, because you gave me hope." He stated. "I had gotten used to the idea that I would never have you and that I would spend the rest of my life miserable, wanting my brother's girl. And you gave me hope!" he exclaimed. "You made me believe that I stood a chance… that you could love me!"
At his words, the raven-haired girl swallowed the lump in her throat and fought back the tears that were threatening to stream down her face. She stared at him in absolute pain: she hated to be the one to have done this to Damon. She knew how special she was because he had fallen in love with her; because he had trusted her enough to open his heart to her. She hurt him and that is the last thing she wanted to do.
Damon emptied his glass of scotch. Then, he turned to the woman he loved again. "I was willing to change for you…" he began. "I was willing to try and be a decent guy." He declared.
"You ARE a decent guy, Damon. You are more than decent." Elena asserted speaking for the first time since Damon had genuinely voiced his feelings to her. "You're amazing." She told him really meaning it, tears in her eyes and voice.
"Yeah… of course I am." He said scathingly huffing. He looked her straight in the eyes. "But I'm not Stefan."
She remained silent and stared at him. What could she say to that?
/
A week later
October 2012
Elena and Stefan were talking in his room, seated close to each other on his bed. The other Salvatore brother was out. They had been spending a lot of time lately, platonically nevertheless. He was constantly checking in on her and Jeremy and when he wasn't at the Gilbert family house –though there wasn't much family left so the name was rather ironic –or her at the Salvatore Boarding House, they were most likely conversing over the phone.
"How's Damon?" she finally asked dreading Stefan's reaction to her plainly voicing her concern for his brother.
"He's okay." He answered honestly. "He's doing okay." He reiterated. "Better than yesterday and worse than tomorrow I hope." He added in a joking tone shrugging lightly.
She chuckled while nodding. She had seen Damon herself but she was giving him a break lately so she hadn't questioned him on his current well-being: they had skipped the 'how are you doing?' part to pass directly at the 'dealing with the Mikaelsons' part.
"You saw him the other day, why didn't you ask him?" he interrogated nonchalantly as if reading her thoughts.
She looked up at him sheepishly. She didn't want to have this conversation with him. Why did she even bring Damon up? She didn't want to talk about him at all, not with Stefan in any case. The worst part is she had gotten herself, on her own, into this situation. She had Stefan's love and she loved him back with all her heart… So why, why on earth had she let her attraction to Damon magnify like that? Why had she let herself get bewitched by him at the risk of hurting Stefan and losing him? She had kissed Damon for God sakes! And at more than one occasion! She had made out with him; she had been at sleeping with him's door. How could she let things go so far? And ultimately, she had ended up hurting and Damon and Stefan. And all for nothing! Frankly, where was the point?!
"I am trying to cut him some slack." She explained. "I'm not exactly his favorite person right now." She said obviously affected by the fact.
"How come?" inquired the Salvatore brother.
Stefan as well as the other members of the group except for Damon was still unaware of the lady's choice. They had all been so busy… either killing or avoiding to get killed –by the Mikaelsons' siblings. She couldn't decently let him know she had picked him in the middle of gravestones… So her decision was still an unknown fact.
Nonetheless, the distance between them was killing the raven-haired girl. She needed to be close to him, to feel close to him. Ever since they had broken up, she had this hole in her heart where Stefan used to be… She had tried to fill it –by any means possible –always vainly. It seemed like nothing and no one but Stefan could. She loved him with all his being and she missed him so much. It was as though they were two stars destined to reunite to form a constellation; Elena was Stefan's shining star.
It was funny because she felt like they had been apart for ages but at the same time, she remembered each and every one of their moments together as a couple. She remembered his kisses, his touches, his caresses; her epic love. That's what he was.
Despite everything that was going on –Klaus determined to empty her of her own blood, everyone's pain relative to Alaric's death, taking care of Jeremy –sometimes at night, she would still feel his hands on her, his tongue worshipping her body…
Elena merely shrugged at Stefan's question.
"Last time I heard, he was crazy about you." He insisted in a free tone of voice.
The raven-haired girl stared at the Salvatore brother and frowned. Maybe this was the occasion she had been waiting for. Now was the time to say what she had on her mind and couldn't keep to herself anymore.
"I told him I was in love with you… And that even though I do care about him, I never unfell for you." She declared.
He was satisfied with staring at her. "When did you tell him this?" he enquired creasing his brows.
Elena's eyes widened and she gave him a puzzled look. She shook her head. "Does it matter? Did you just hear me?" she asked disbelievingly.
Stefan took a moment to consider Elena's question. "No, you're right, it doesn't." he said shaking his head negatively. "Sorry, I was just processing." He told her.
She cocked her head to the side silently begging him to say something more. Instead of speaking, he leant in, and she did the same, until there were only a few inches separating them. Their noses grazing, he could feel her soft breath on the side of his face. They both advanced a few inches then, stopped, waiting for the other to make the next move. It was as though they were starting their love story all over again. They were reliving those awkward yet sweet moments of the beginning: you know they would wonder what to do and think over their every move and overanalyze… They were going through the 'Will he kiss me? Won't he kiss me?' torture.
They both stared at each other's lips and glanced at the other's eyes. It was him who finally closed the distance that was killing them. His lips met hers in a tender squeeze. She instantly brought her hand gently to his face and kissed him back. He nipped at her lower lip before he released it leaving her breathless; she breathed softly over his lips. They slightly pulled away and looked into each other's eyes; it was all it took. They attacked each other's mouths and engaged into a hot embrace. The kiss quickly turned languorous. She devoured his mouth savagely, their tongues moving sensually together, and she brought her hand to his neck holding on for dear life as she showed him just how much she loved him. Needing to feel her skin under his hand, Stefan slid his right hand underneath her black slipover and caressed the brunette's hip while his other lay on her still covered breast. Her breath hitched at the touch and her mouth drew open tentatively. He placed a sweet kiss on her lips then, gave her a few feather light kisses. Elena tugged at his hair before moving her hands to the bottom of his jumper to slide it upwards. He raised his arms to help her. Once the cloth removed, Elena held Stefan's body in place and laid a sweet kiss on his chest where his heart was supposed to be; he shivered of excitement. Their lips met again, with even more passion, so much so that Elena felt like her beating heart was going to spring out of her chest. He brought his hand behind her head deepening the kiss roughly.
His fingers went to meet her hips again and as he touched her, he slipped his hands up, pulling her slipover up with them. He broke the kiss so he could complete the act only to find she was wearing a white long-line brassiere underneath. The raven-haired girl felt herself get dizzy as Stefan's eyes roamed over her body. This wasn't their first time, far from it, but still, she couldn't help but feel self-conscious. He shook his head in awe.
"You are so beautiful…" he said in a whisper. Elena merely stared at him losing herself in his green eyes while blushing at the genuine compliment. She moved further into the bed until she reached the headboard and Stefan followed her slowly, taking all his time. Elena bit her lip, wild with anticipation, causing his eyes to darken with desire. He looked at her like a lion approaching its prey.
As soon as he reached her, his body hovering hers, he stared right into her brown eyes and she felt as though her body was aflame under his scorching and loving gaze. He lowered his lips and brushed them against her rosy ones. Then, he pressed them on her mouth. But instead of the passionate kiss she was expecting, he gave her a painfully tender kiss pouring his feelings and heart into it and ran his thumb softly along her right cheekbone.
Just when she was drowning in the taste of him, he pulled away extracting a groan of contestation from her. He kissed her cheek causing her to let her head fall back on the white pillow. He moved his lips to her jaw and left feather soft kisses there on his path to her beautiful neck. She brought her hands in his back and then moved them up to his neck at the end of his hair; she traced her nails down and up again causing goose bumps to appear on Stefan's warm skin. She reached for his belt and freed his pants from it.
As he reached her jugular, Elena's most sensitive spot as he knew all too well, Stefan lingered there brushing his lips against the soft skin before sucking it. She inhaled a ragged breath and threw her head back closing her eyes to relish in the satisfying feel; she bit her lip from pleasure. He kept torturing her sweetly grazing her neck with his human teeth while running his hand softly along her right leg. She gasped in response.
He nuzzled up against her raven hair inhaling her scent; he moaned. "I missed your scent." He whispered over the shell of her ear.
She furrowed her hand in ecstasy. "I missed your scent too."
Elena braced a hand against Stefan's chest and pushed him back on the bed getting on top of him. "I missed everything about you." She confided in a small voice.
She brought her lips on Stefan's and kissed him hungrily. As her lips found the lobe of his ear, he untied her long-line brassiere and ran his hand along the raven-haired girl's back. The garment fell on his naked chest and he tossed it at the end of the bed.
She pulled away from his neck and straightened on him. She unfastened her bra and threw it beside her. He stared at her now bare bosom in wonder before savagely pulling her back to him. Her lips crashed on his and their tongues tangled lovingly. She moaned in his mouth when she felt his gentle hand reach her left breast and caress the heated skin and whimpered as his fingertip teased its hard peak. He rolled them on the bed.
However, not quite okay with that, Elena rolled them back –well, he let her –before he could get on top of her, clearly not done with him. She went down on Stefan's chest leaving a trail of sensual kisses on his muscles causing his nipples to harden; she descended further and further, her hands where the soft strokes of her tongue couldn't be, until she reached the waist of his pants and loosened the button before sliding his zipper down.
He rolled her over and took back the control, a glint shining in his eyes. He headed for her chest and Elena arched her back in pleasure when his mouth covered her right swollen nipple and sucked it. He licked her rose tip and she moaned in delight stirring her head in every turn, her eyes closed. As he cupped her other breast with one of his hands and massaged it, he used his other to pull her blue skirt down along with her panties. She ran hands through his hair, nearly losing it as the ripples invading her lower body made her meet his increasing erection. "Stefan…"
He laid feather light kisses on her stomach and grazed softly his lips over the heated skin. He rolled his tongue on her navel and she felt shivers running down her spine, traveling the plenitude of her being. The throbbing emptiness in her wet core was increasing every passing second and was killing Elena.
Her hand left his back to direct towards the top of his already opened pants. She slid her hand into his boxers and grabbed his cock hard for her. She stroked him vigorously enjoying the feel of him in her hands, causing him to harden even more if possible. But Stefan decided otherwise and removed her hand. Instead, he pulled down his pants and boxers and removed them slowly despite her eyes urging him, as if challenging her. She licked her lips unconsciously at the sight of him fully naked on top of her and that sight turned Stefan on beyond belief.
He took a moment to enjoy the sight of the love of his life lying naked between the sheets before slowly lowering his body overs hers towards the bed. He braced his arms on each side of her head and the second he was within reach, she raised her head slightly and brought her lips to him. She kissed him languorously and softly, an interesting contrast to the fire that was burning inside her and threatening to consume her. "I want you…" she breathed out after they broke their kiss, her lips brushing his. "Make love to me, Stefan."
Her wish his command, and not being to take it anymore either, as soon as the words were out, Stefan drove into Elena ripping a raw cry of pleasure from her throat. His fingers on her face, he kissed her temple then her cheek and her neck and began to move inside her gently and slowly. The rhythm increased gradually as she moved with him and raised her hips to create even more contact between them matching his own rocking of hips. He slid his left hand over her arm until he reached Elena's right hand; then, he linked them together. Neither of them could have put into words how much they had missed feeling this close to the other, their bodies flushed together, their hearts beating for one another, their souls connected.
She circled her legs around his hips and with each stroke, the tension grew higher until their movements went from languid and mild to passionate and wild. Stefan didn't think he ever heard her heart race so fast. He thrust in her den each time more deeply, the feel of her walls closing around him more and more overwhelming. He managed to get a hand between their bodies and rubbed her clit with one finger eliciting a deep groan from her throat.
He felt her trembling and saw by the expression on her face, she was reaching her climax. He brought his face mere inches from hers and cupped her forcing her eyes in his. "I love you." He whispered his voice dead from enjoyment. She blinked and he noticed her eyes get watery as she reciprocated her throat dry. "I love you too." She paused and their movements steadied at the intensity of the moment. "I never stopped loving you."
And it was their undoing: his manhood came in contact with her clit and pushed her over the edge. They gasped each other's name, their breaths mingling, as her walls clenched around him one last time and they came in joint release. Their breathings still jerky, Stefan remained inside Elena recovering from his emotions. He gently pulled away from her and lied on the bed taking her with him in his arms. She lay her hand on his chest and rested her head over his heart and drifted off to sleep not without leaving a kiss there. And feeling her heart beat against his chest, Stefan soon joined her, his own heart filled by her love.
Thank you for reading. I hope you liked it.
I cannot wait to hear your thoughts.
Oh by the way, this was my first smut scene or attempt at one and I am so sorry for its poor quality. It may very well be my last: I cannot write scenes like that to save my life! Not to mention I start blushing at my computer screen.
Well, anyways, Merry Christmas, my lovelies!
Till next time.
