A/N: Hey guys. (: I'm glad people liked the first chapter. Don't forget to review! And I'm so sorry for posting so late. I am horrible with time and deadlines, haha. Plus school's been pretty stressful. So I hope everyone else is doing okay!
I actually just wanted to clarify (if any of you were wondering), that this story doesn't really follow a specific season. I'd say it takes place somewhere in season three, except Stefan is there, Klaus hasn't showed his face in a while and Jenna's gone but Ric's there. Let's just imagine that this would be Christmas time in the TVD world, even though it's way past the holidays now. ;)
To "Guest" Jessjunky: Thank you, I'll try my best with every update! :)
Disclaimer: The Vampire Diaries belongs to the CW and L.J. Smith. I do not own any of the characters mentioned.
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Chapter 2:
Saturday, December 21
"What the hell do you mean you just 'found her there'? My girlfriend is lying in your bed and not mine, there's something seriously wrong with this picture."
"Would you calm down? Your forehead doesn't need anymore frown-lines, there's probably a good explanation for this."
"And what explanation would that be?"
"She mistook my room for yours?"
"Oh come on, she was practically right on top of you. I think she knew perfectly well where she was."
Elena's brown eyes fluttered open in the fuzzy warmth of the sunlight, voices outside the room catching her attention through the lifting state of unconsciousness. The room was too bright for her eyes to fully take in as she squinted and checked her surroundings, momentarily confused when she found herself in someone else's bedroom. When the memories flooded back in she shot up, panic settling in her chest.
"Crap," she whispered. Oh, she was so busted. She wasn't supposed to sleep this long. She thought she'd wake up and sneak back home again within a couple of hours, not sleep in and have people discussing her presence in the wrong bed.
At least you slept, she reminded herself and internally patted her back.
Her long hair whipped around her face as she swung herself off the bed and picked up her balled sweater from the floor, cautious of the fact that either of the brothers could walk in at any moment. She was definitely wide awake now. Thank God she'd kept her pants on! Who knew how much hair Stefan would've ripped out if he'd found her in only a tank top and panties!
"Let me talk to her. I doubt she wants to see you first."
Shit. Shit. Shit. Damon was coming.
She felt desperate for somewhere to hide, wishing the floor would give out and she'd be sent to a random place where she wouldn't be found. Last night it had seemed like the best idea she'd ever come up with to go over to the boarding house and sleep in Damon's bed for a cuddle, but now... She couldn't bear to imagine the looks she'd be receiving from Stefan. Not to mention that sly smirk of Damon's.
Speak of the devil...
Damon strode in then, cutting off any thoughts swirling her mind as he wore his usual black attire - a t-shirt and jeans that clung to his body in all the right ways. His azure gaze darted directly to the empty and tousled sheets, and he smirked; from first glance it looked like there'd recently been people doing the dance with no pants on in it.
"Elena," he greeted her, the name rolling off his tongue in such a way it made the hairs on Elena's neck stand in attention. His eyes landed on hers in that instant as he made his way over to her figure in the middle of the room, stopping when the distance between them stood at a minimum.
"So..." His eyes did a once-over on the girl in front of him, noticing with pleasure that she didn't have a bra on. "Care to explain what you're doing here?" he asked.
Elena's mind blanked and she subconsciously raised her arms to cover her chest. "Um..." she mumbled. "Sorry."
"What's there to be sorry for?" Damon's smirk grew wider.
She knew what he was doing. He was trying to get her to admit she came to "sleep" with him. "I intruded last night and I shouldn't have," she said. "It won't happen again."
"Oh, but I'm not complaining about anything. Honestly my surprise was quite an enjoyable one." He did his eye-thing and wiggled his brows at her, watching her scowl to cover the light blush that crept over her cheeks. He leaned closer and looked around the room dramatically as if someone were listening before he whispered, "Your boyfriend doesn't think so though."
She was trying really hard to listen to what he was saying, honestly, but with him being so damn close and those eyes looking straight into hers...
She blew out a short breath as she averted her gaze and hung her head like a scolded child. "I'll talk to him," she said softly, her feet suddenly becoming the most interesting things she'd ever seen. "Thanks for letting me stay here."
"Well I didn't necessarily have a say in whether or not you'd stay, considering you crawled in here while I was asleep and wrapped yourself around me like a vine."
Elena's cheeks flushed a dark crimson.
"But in all sincerity, you're welcome in my bedroom anytime Elena," he smiled cheekily.
She looked back up at him for only a second just for the fun of it before she brushed past him and down the hall to the stairs. She had to get home. She had to tell Jeremy and Ric where she'd been. She needed to get out.
A small realization struck her as she scampered down the stairwell, that she wasn't wearing any socks. Had she really been in that much of a hurry to get to the boarding house last night that she completely forgot to put some on? Ugh. She mentally kicked herself.
"Elena?"
And there it was. That moment when the world stilled and she had absolutely no idea what would happen next. Elena turned on the spot, wide, almost frightened eyes snapping up to lock with those shining green orbs that loved her so much. It was almost physically painful to know she didn't completely recipocrate those feelings anymore. He didn't deserve to be strung along.
"Hey Stefan," she breathed, taking wary steps forward as she forced a small smile to her lips.
"I'd ask what you were doing here but... seeing where you were earlier paints quite a clear picture." His voice wasn't void of all emotion, but the sadness that circled his words wasn't exactly all that comforting either.
"I'm sorry," Elena said quietly. "I just..." She trailed off, words failing her. How much more could she say than sorry?
"I'll come over later, we can talk about it then."
She nodded as she walked to the front door, already knowing and somewhat dreading the kind of talk they'd be having. It would be the talk. The one where she'd finally set things straight and stopped pretending she still wanted to be with Stefan. The hard truth was she needed to break up with him. It would be over, for good this time.
Because her heart was after someone else.
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Dear Diary,
So... I'm breaking up with Stefan today. I've been thinking about it for a while now, actually. And I'm quite certain it will feel like a relief; like I won't have to walk on eggshells all the time, or constantly remind myself that I am with Stefan, and to not to drool all over Damon when we're in the same room.
Speaking of the raven-haired bad boy, how long should I wait before telling him I want to be with him? It usually takes people months before they can even begin to think about relationships again, but for me... I really just wanna be with him; get to know him - I'm not even sure there's much more to learn. We've gotten so close lately it almost feels like we're already together, minus the whole kissing part.
On another note, I actually slept last night. Like literally snuggled beside Damon in that huge-ass bed of his and slept for more than five hours. My God it was so perfect I can't even explain it.
"Hey Elena!"
Her little bubble of excitement burst at the sound of her name being called by a high-pitched voice. It brought her downstairs, where she found Caroline by the front door, clad in all her favourite winter garments with an overpriced purse hanging from her shoulder.
"Get your purse and put some comfy shoes on, 'cause we're going shopping."
The two headed for the next town over, where the mall was bigger and had better stores, according to Caroline. They were going Christmas shopping, considering the big day was less than a week away.
"So what are you getting for Stefan?" Caroline asked as she shuffled through a row of shirts, groaning when all her favourites didn't have her size.
Elena sighed and watched her friend as she picked out a lacy red shirt along with a white one, and started for the change rooms. "I don't know Care," she said, following the head of curls through a crowd of people to find an empty room. "Nothing really stands out in his interests so it's not like I have any pointers."
"Ooh, you should get him like a cute little elf figurine or something, ooh or maybe you should dress up as a sexy elf and surprise him on Christmas Eve!" Caroline flashed a grin before huddling inside the small space and closing the curtain, her clothes immediately being shed. "Now that would be the best gift of the year."
Elena rolled her eyes and leaned against a wall. "I'm not dressing up as an elf. Forget it."
"Why not?"
"'Cause."
"That's not an answer."
"Sure it is."
The curtain whipped open and Caroline stepped out in the red lace shirt, her eyes narrowed in suspicion. "What are you not telling me?" she demanded, pointing a long pale finger in Elena's face.
The brunette only shrugged. "Nothing," she lied.
"I know you're lying."
"I'm not!"
"Listen here Gilbert, you better tell me what the hell's going on or I swear to God I will go through each and every entry in that pathetic little diary of yours and-"
"It's not pathetic!" Elena shot back suddenly, her back straightening off the wall to meet Caroline's wrath full-on. "And what I'm keeping from you has absolutely nothing to do with you so stay out of my business, Nosy."
Caroline's eyes flared. "You're starting to sound like Damon," she commented dryly.
"Good. He's the only one that makes sense these days." Elena turned her back and made a beeline for the exit, immediately heading in a random direction to go anywhere but back there. Maybe she'd overreacted, or maybe she had every right to be angry at her best friend for shoving her nose in places Elena wanted to keep to herself right now. Either way, now she only needed to be left alone.
She sat down in a small cafe, thoughts upon thoughts jumbling up her brain. She felt like she wanted to talk to Damon, and she also needed to talk to Stefan... and now probably Caroline as well.
Groaning, Elena buried her face in her hands and massaged her temples. It's beginning to look a lot like Hell...
"Well, well, well... What a coincidence finding you here."
That voice. Elena glanced up. Of course he's here. She smiled at him and cocked her head to one side. "Maybe you were just following me."
"Bold accusation." Damon smirked, plopping down in the chair across from her. "How do I know you weren't following me?" He leaned over the table and narrowed his eyes playfully.
"Maybe I was." Elena couldn't hold back her smile.
A deep chuckle emanated from Damon's chest as he looked at her, his eyes sparkling mirthfully. "What are you doing here alone anyway?" he asked. "I hope not on a date, 'cause then I'd have to chase this guy down and tell him to back off or I'll show him my nasty side."
"Hmm, no," Elena laughed halfheartedly, and looked down at the table before sighing. "Caroline took me here to have 'fun' and buy presents for Christmas, but things got a little heated between us and I just... needed some space." She propped her head up in one hand, her other drawing shapes on the wooden surface in front of her.
"I assume this was about dear old Stefan."
Elena paused her movements to look back up at Damon. "How'd you know?" she murmured.
"I was still in the house when you talked to him earlier," he deadpanned, his eyes remaining warm and understanding. "So what did Blondie have to say?"
Elena scoffed and shook her head, "Nothing worth repeating." She sat back in the chair and slouched, her arms dangling lazily at her sides. Her sight drifted from Damon to around the room, and then outside of the cafe where she noticed a photo booth. It gave her an idea. "You wanna do something fun while we're here?" she asked him, her stomach putting itself in knots from the butterflies that swarmed.
Damon's face went from surprised to smug as he took in her beaming features and pondered her offer. "Elena, if you wanted to go on a date with me, all you had to do was ask."
He took satisfaction in the blush that coloured her cheeks.
"I didn't mean-, I-, uh..." Elena stumbled over her words and kept her gaze locked on her fingers, knowing the look he'd be giving her if she dared glance back up. "Just... hang out with me."
"Ooh, demanding now are we?"
She laughed softly before standing and holding her arm out to him, heart nearly skipping a beat when he grabbed her immediately and pulled her close. She directed him towards the booth where they stopped just before getting in, and Damon switched their positions, his back now facing the black curtain hanging from the side.
"Do you only want me in there so you can jump me in private?"
Elena jabbed Damon in the gut and he grinned, the sight making her insides melt. She liked when things were like this, when there weren't any problems to solve, when no one was around to spoil the fun. It was only them - nothing else mattered.
Slowly he tugged her hand, leading her inside. The air around them shifted gradually as the distance between them closed. Only a few mere inches stood between their bodies as brown and blue eyes refused to break contact. A daydream sparked in Elena's mind at that moment and her lips parted as the images flitted across her eyes and sent shivers down her arms. Damon was pulling her closer, his eyes hooded with lust and passion and all those emotions that Elena had never noticed before. She was guided onto his lap as he sat down, their chests facing eachother, ragged breaths racking her body as she struggled to find air. Desire flooded through her when he lifted her hair off one shoulder and dipped his head down, warm lips suddenly making contact with the skin on her neck.
"Damon..." she moaned and closed her eyes, head falling back to grant him further access. He was barely kissing her and she was already a mess.
"Elena..."
She smiled at the sound of her name. It sounded so... intimate, coming from his mouth.
"Elena."
Her mouth dropped in a frown. Did she do something wrong?
"Open your eyes, Elena."
Huh?
When her eyelids did finally lift themselves, she wasn't met with the picture she was expecting - sitting in Damon's lap, his arms wrapped protectively around her waist. Instead, they sat beside each other, but their faces were so close, she could feel the warmth of Damon's breath on her face and smell the faint tang of bourbon. She'd unknowingly leaned closer to him while she'd been daydreaming, and now Damon was practically backed up against the wall of the booth, probably trying to keep his self-control in check and not do something they'd both regret. As if you'd actually regret anything when it comes to Damon, her mind scoffed.
"What are you doing?" Damon asked, his voice barely above a whisper. "I enjoy secretly making out just as much as the next guy, but right now you look about ready to pounce on me and rip my clothes to shreds."
His voice seemed to jump her out of her trance as she realized just how close they were getting and she pulled back, horrified. "I'm sorry!" she sqeaked.
Damon laughed at her expression, his hand brushing over her skin as he tucked a piece of hair away from her face. "You didn't really do anything wrong. I was just commenting on my observations." He smirked.
Elena fidgeted and tried to calm the giddy feeling that boiled in her chest. Seriously, how had she been able to resist Damon for so long?
Stefan. It's because you had Stefan.
Her head shook lightly as she wiped away her thoughts, and then suddenly her phone buzzed from inside her purse. When she pulled it out, '1 New Message' flashed across the screen. It was probably from Caroline, Elena assumed, and tucked the phone away just as fast as she'd taken it out.
"Are we gonna take some pictures now or what?" Damon grinned from beside her and pressed a few buttons on the screen displayed in front of them.
"Don't you have to pay for them?" Elena asked, smiling at him when he sat back and wiggled his eyebrows.
"I know a cheat." He winked. "When you've lived as long as I have, you pick up a few loop-holes here and there."
He watched her with adoration as she laughed and raked her fingers through her long brown hair. "Of course you'd know how to get around paying five dollars for pictures," she teased, letting her hands drop to her lap.
"Says the person who didn't buy a single thing in the store that every girl can never escape out of without buying something."
"So you were following me."
"I never said that."
"Uh-huh." Elena rolled her eyes amusedly. She softly bit her bottom lip as she leaned forward and picked a few of the filter options for the pictures. After pressing 'Take Photos!' in the center, she looked at Damon, who looked back at her, his face smug and genuinely happy as he smirked down at her. Elena's eyes were drawn down to their hands when his fingers brushed hers, and that's when the flash went off, signaling the first picture had been taken.
"Look at me," Damon murmured to her, observing intently as she immediately obeyed. They stayed like that until the next flash went off.
"Now you can't take your eyes off me, huh?" he teased. When she didn't answer he quickly latched his fingers onto her sides and proceeded in tickling her, joining in the laughter when she started shrieking.
"Damon, stop!" she cried, the words barely decipherable over the sound of her gasps of air. People passing by the booth probably thought they were nut-cases.
Third flash.
"Your turn." Damon seized his movements and let Elena gather a few breaths before she turned to him and started feeling for his weak points.
Fourth flash.
"You're not ticklish, are you?" she asked, looking disappointed.
"Oh I am," he replied. "Just not where you'd expect."
A jolt of warmth shot to her lower area when she tried picturing which spot he meant.
"Don't worry though, maybe someday I'll show you." He smirked.
Elena smiled warmly at him just as the last flash went off, and the screen returned to its original display.
"Looks like it's time to get out," Damon said. Elena nodded in reponse with her eyes still on him, before she pulled back the curtain and stepped out, allowing him some room as he got out after. When she picked up the photos from the small pocket in the side of the booth, she couldn't help but grin at them. They looked like a couple... head-over-heels in love with each other.
"Damn, now those are some fine pictures."
Elena laughed and carefully placed them in her purse before she turned back to Damon. "Thank you... for that," she smiled. "It was fun."
His blue eyes lit up at her statement. "Technically it was your idea," he said.
"Yeah but you made it better."
"That's not the only thing I can make better."
"Damon!"
"What?"
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"Check this one out, it looks like Chewbacca and Tinkerbell made a kid together."
"Yeah what is that? It looks retarded."
"Now Elena, that wasn't very nice. No one looks retarded."
"Really? How would you describe yourself if you dressed up in leotards and a tutu?"
"Retarded."
Damon and Elena both laughed happily as they walked through Build-A-Bear Workshop and looked at all the plush animals on display. Kids from all over the place had made them, but some of them clearly had creative imaginations.
"You wanna make one?" Damon asked suddenly, and picked up a small brown bear without the stuffing. It bent backwards in his hand and Elena had to cover her mouth to stop the giggles.
"No thanks," she replied, stepping forward. "You should, though."
"You think?" he smiled back.
"Definitely." She tried grabbing the fake animal from his leather-clad arms, but she only caught hold of a leg and when she yanked on it, they both froze as the unmistakable sound of tearing filled their ears.
An incredulous look flew over Damon's face as he fought off a grin from his lips. "Did you just...?"
Elena swallowed guiltily. "Um, we can fix it. Right?"
"Well sure, but now it's yours." He shoved it in her hands and pouted. "I don't want a broken teddy."
"And who says I want a broken teddy?"
"It was your fault."
"So?"
"So, now you have to get it. I don't make the stuffed animal rules."
"Oh sure you don't. Damon, I'm pretty sure there aren't any rules for-"
Damon's hand flew up, abruptly interrupting her in the middle of her sentence. He could sense something - or someone, nearby.
"What's wrong?" Elena asked, her brow furrowing with concern. Damon's gaze snapped up without a word, his line of vision directed behind her as he glared daggers at someone obviously standing there.
"You have visitors," he stated, his voice low and monotone. It confused Elena for a moment until she spun on her heels and recognition fell on her when she saw whom Damon had been talking about. Stefan stood outside of the store with his hands in his pockets, looking calm as usual but displaying a hint of jealousy in his demeanor. Beside him stood Caroline, her face hard and stoic as her arms were crossed tightly across her chest and she ignored Elena's presence completely, the only thing on her mind being the fact that Damon was there too.
"You should go talk to them," Damon said. "They don't look like they want to wait all day for explanations."
"I shouldn't have to explain to them why I'm hanging out with my best friend."
Her answer surprised both herself and Damon, who now stood frozen to the ground, staring at Elena with this look on his face that made her want to slap it off of him. But he could barely believe what she'd just said. Was he really her best friend? How did that even happen? When did that happen?
"Just wait here Damon," Elena told him, placing her one hand flat against his chest at the same time handing him the bear with the other. "I'll be right back."
The warmth of her palm burned through his shirt and danced on his skin underneath, tingling even long after she'd released contact. It taunted him, knowing he couldn't feel that touch every minute of his existence. His eyes trailed her intensely as she made her way toward Stefan and Caroline, and he wished she'd turn around and come back to him instead. The blonde's sharp blue orbs shot to his at that, almost as if she'd heard his thoughts. Damon being Damon, responded with a dramatic eye-roll and a scowl, to which attracted attention from a clerk in the store. The young blonde girl noticed the bear in his hand first, and the torn leg second.
"You have to pay for that you know," she said.
Damon didn't know what surprised him most: why someone her age would want to work in a place like Build-A-Bear, or the nasally voice that came out of her mouth. It didn't match the appearance.
His eyes were still stuck to the scene outside of the store as he replied, "I... found it this way."
The girl strode closer to him until he could smell the overwhelmingly horrid blends of perfume she bathed in that morning. "I could show you how to fix it... If you'd like." She grinned up at him through her fake eyelashes.
"I'll pass," Damon said, bored. He forced a smile to his lips as he shoved the small teddy in her arms. "But here, you can have it."
He didn't give the girl a chance to stop him before he was walking to meet up with Elena, along with Thing 1 and Thing 2. Suddenly Thing 1 pulled the brunette forward and planted one on her, his hands grasping her upper arms to hold her there. It stopped Damon in his tracks and for a minute he felt like someone had just punched him in the gut. Dammit, he had to stop thinking he had a chance with that girl. Thing 2 actually had the decency to show a little compassion as he watched the love of his life kiss his brother.
I think I'm gonna puke. He grimaced.
"St- Stefan!" Elena was pushing him off of her, practically using all her strength just to put some space between them. When he finally budged, Elena brought her hand up and whipped it across his face, feeling a tad bit better at the emotion that flickered across his features. Caroline stood a few paces to the side as an on-looker, the same expression painted over her.
"You knew Damon was there," Elena growled at him, glancing briefly over at Caroline before turning back to face Stefan. "Dick. Move."
"Wait," he pleaded softly, reaching for her hand when she started moving away from him. "Elena-"
"No Stefan." The look in her eyes sent a pang of guilt to the pit of his stomach. "I'm not listening this time."
He let her go then, deciding that following her was a bad idea. Instead he turned the other way and stalked off, leaving Caroline standing at the crossroad.
"W-wait!" she cried, almost running to catch up with Elena but stopped when she noticed how pissed off she looked. It kind of hurt knowing the anger was directed partially at her, but at the same time Caroline couldn't fully blame her for being mad. First she called the diary pathetic, and then moronically thought it was a good idea to call her boyfriend whom Elena clearly didn't want to talk about, much less see him. No wonder people thought she was annoying.
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Elena searched the whole store trying to find that messy black hair, but he was nowhere to be found. Great, she muttered to herself. Now he's probably pissed at me.
"Looking for someone?"
The same blonde from before had watched a frustrated Elena walk into the store and peer down all the aisles, her face contorting into a deeper frown each time she found nothing but strangers and their kids. She was hoping the brunette wasn't looking for that handsome man she'd met earlier, because damn, everything about him screamed bad boy and she was desperate for a little fun.
Elena turned and smiled shyly. "Yeah, I am actually," she answered breathlessly, tucking her hair behind her ears. "He's um, tall, with black hair, glass-like blue eyes and wearing a leather jacket." She gulped down dry air and twisted her neck around to check for him again, hoping he'd magically show up. "Have you seen him?" she asked.
"Sure," the clerk replied curtly, not really trying to hide her annoyance. "He left."
"Did you see which way he went?"
"Nope."
Elena made a noise between a whimper and a groan as she ran her fingers through her hair, causing it to fall across her face all over again. "Thanks anyway," she said and nodded appreciation to the young woman standing in front of her. Before the girl could roll her eyes or retort something back, Elena hurried out of the store and turned the corner to find a map of the mall.
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"What's got you so pissed off?"
Alaric had gone to the Grill for his usual evening of drowning his thoughts of Jenna when he spotted Damon's car already parked there. It wasn't much of a surprise, really - the both of them practically lived there. But there was always a reason. So Alaric went inside, and sure enough, he caught the jet black hair up at the bar, pouring several shots before downing them all and then repeating the process.
"Mmph," was all Damon mumbled back, obviously drunk. He reached for a bottle of scotch when the five glasses appeared empty, but Ric stopped him by grabbing it before him and and sliding it down the bar.
"Damon," he said, grasping his shoulder firmly. "What are you doing, man? And where's Elena?"
The vampire scoffed and shrugged the hand off his shoulder at the mention of her name. E-len-a... he drawled in his thoughts. Why the hell did she have to keep messing with him like this? They'd been having so much fun lately, they were getting closer... Today her smile had been more beautiful than he'd ever seen before and it got wiped away as soon as Saint Stefan stepped in with the Devil in Curls. He was expecting Elena to go home with him or sit down somewhere and talk things out, but he certainly didn't see that kiss coming. What hurt more was she didn't turn away. She freaking stood there and kissed him back.
"Hello?" Ric shook him lightly. "You hearing me?"
By now Damon was already half-sober - one of the only downsides to being a vampire with speedy healing abilites. "Yeah, idiot," he grumbled and languidly spun on the barstool to face the only friend he had. "I'm thinking."
"Well that's never a good thing," Alaric mumbled to himself, knowing Damon could hear. A glare was tossed his way and he smirked slightly. "Did something happen with Elena?"
"I don't know, genius." Damon tilted his head slightly and widened his eyes. "You figure it out."
"I'll take that as a yes, then."
"So you do have a brain up there?" Damon gasped, his mouth forming an 'o' shape in mock surprise before he covered it with a hand.
Ric shook his head. "Where is Elena?" he asked again, slower.
"Who cares? She's probably off with Stefan and Blondie for all I know. What's the big deal?"
"Damon, she's not with them."
"And how do you know that?"
"I saw them earler, they told me she was with you."
That seemed to catch the vampire's attention more, and his frustration faltered just enough for him to actually think about Elena's well-being. Of course he worried about her all the time, but he'd never say it aloud. "She isn't with me though," Damon said. "So that means Elena's still at the mall." He automatically reached for his phone in his back pocket.
"The mall closes early on a Saturday," Alaric replied. "She's not allowed back in the building until they open again, obviously. Which means she's outside somewhere."
"Somewhere?"
"She might walk to another store, but they'll all be closing soon as well." He glanced down at his watch and shook his head once more. "Tonight's going to be one of the coldest nights in years, Damon. And Elena's out there in what, a jacket and mittens?"
"I need to go get her," Damon stated, moving so quickly his friend didn't even get a chance to say anything back. When he disappeared outside, Alaric turned back to the bar and ordered another drink.
"I am such a good friend."
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After searching the entirity of the building and coming up empty-handed, Elena reached the conclusion that Damon left, and Caroline and Stefan were most likely long gone as well. That left her stranded at the mall with no ride home.
"We are now closing for the night," a voice over the speakers announced suddenly. "Please exit the building."
She sighed heavily and trudged to the nearest exit. Even though her day hadn't been the best, she did manage to find presents for her friends. So at least something came out of this visit today. The cold air hit her like a ton of bricks when she walked outside, and she noticed the temperature had dropped considerably since the last time she'd been out. Shivering, Elena pulled on her mittens and zipped her jacket up tighter. By now street lamps illuminated the roads and parking lot, darkness deepening the more she looked around. Not one person was in sight; Elena wasn't sure she'd ever seen the place so deserted.
Hopefully Alaric could come pick her up; the thought of standing alone in the cold made her shudder.
She muttered under her breath when she had to take off one of her mittens again, so she could go through her purse and dig around for her cell phone. Her relief when she found the object was short-lived though - the battery was dead.
"Great," she mumbled, her eyes doing a quick check of her surroundings to make sure she was still alone. "So now I have to wait for someone to realize I'm gone."
She started walking. The weather forecast had stated the temperature would drop drastically as the night went on, which Elena wasn't very ecstatic over. She'd only brought mittens with her, and they were rather thin. After a while the cold would blow straight through them, and she didn't feel like losing her fingers to frost bite tonight. So maybe if she kept moving, she'd keep warm longer.
The wind picked up after about fifteen minutes of walking. It blew her hair over her face every time she'd sweep it away and numbed her fingers so quickly to the point where she was sure the tips had fallen off. And while she had all this time to herself, she thought about her different problems in life. Stefan was probably beating himself up over his previous actions, Caroline was following him like a tail and Damon... Well there were a few places he could be.
The cold was beginning to seep into her shoes. She wasn't wearing boots - a decision she regretted - and the material of her converse were horribly thin. It seemed her whole night would consist of cursing at herself for being so stupid on several occasions.
A car honked from behind Elena as she continued down the sidewalk, making her jump as it pulled up beside her and came to a still. Her heart stopped in her chest as she went through all the different scenarios she could be in. But then the door opened, and those familiar blue eyes gazed back at her. Suddenly she didn't feel like getting in. No, she wanted to ignore him. He left without saying anything, he left her alone to freeze to death.
"Elena!" he called to her when she walked on. Her cheeks were ice and the tips of her ears felt painful to the touch, but she didn't care at that moment. She picked up her pace; she just wanted to get away from Damon.
"Elena, come on!" By the sound of his voice he'd gotten out of the car, and her suspicion was confirmed when she heard the slam of his door. Then she felt the whoosh of air before he was standing directly in front of her, blocking her path.
"Get out of my way," she muttered, pushing at him. He didn't even flinch.
"Not until you get in the car."
Elena looked up and glared at Damon. "So suddenly you care about me? Funny, seeing as you left." She dodged his arm when he reached for her and started running.
"I thought you were with Stefan," he admitted, once again cutting off her path.
"Well I wasn't," she breathed, crossing her arms tightly across her chest. "I went looking for you after he... held me down and kissed me."
She noticed the immediate change in his eyes, the way his jaw clenched and his nose scrunched slightly. "What do you mean he held you down?" he asked, slowly, dangerously.
"Um." She hesitated for a moment. "He was holding my arms so tightly I... I couldn't move them or push him away," she whispered. "But when he did I slapped him and went after you..."
He never responded to her answer. Instead he gestured to the car with a bob of his head and started walking. "Come on," he said, his voice somewhat softer. "Let's go home."
The drive back was quiet, and for that Elena was grateful. It gave her time to think about everything. She'd forgiven Damon for leaving her at the mall the minute he came back. The only thing she could think about was hugging him or kissing him senseless... But then again she always thought about that. She had so much to say to Damon - or so much she wanted to say to him. But she had to talk to Stefan first. It wasn't exactly fair to him if she got together with his brother without even ending things. She wouldn't become Katherine.
"So I guess I'll talk to you tomorrow," Damon said as they walked up the steps to Elena's porch.
"Yeah, I'll text you or something." Elena looked to the front door and then back to Damon, her mouth parting slightly as if she wanted to say something. "Listen, Damon..."
"It's no big deal," he replied before she could finish her sentence. He knew she was just going to ramble on about being sorry, or that he misunderstood the situation. All he wanted right now was for her to get inside and sleep. Something still felt off.
"Okay," Elena sighed tiredly and wrapped her mitten-clad hand around the doorknob before slowly twisting it. Her eyes blew up to the size of saucers when the person standing on the other side of the door wasn't Jeremy, or Ric, or any of her friends. Instead she stared at the crinkles in his skin that surrounded the area of his dark brown eyes, more prominent as he smiled. The cologne she remembered he'd always worn enveloped her senses and brought tears to her eyes as memories flashed in her head. It was really him.
"Daddy..." she whispered, dragging one foot forward to get closer to him.
"Huh?" Ric stood there looking absolutely confused before looking at Damon. He only shrugged.
Grayson Gilbert smiled broadly down at Elena and chuckled softly. "Miss me?"
She blinked several times, her mind still not believing what she was seeing. In her eyes she was gazing at her father. But it was only a dream... She just didn't know it yet.
Every time she opened her eyes he still stood there, arms open wide and welcoming her into his embrace. Finally she took the last step forward and flung herself into his arms, inhaling that all-too-familiar scent of him as she sniffled and sobbed into his shirt.
"Elena," he spoke, bringing a smile to her lips. She thought she'd never hear him say her name again. "Why'd you leave us?"
Her tears of happiness and beaming features dropped in an instant. His words were like a cold rush of water pouring over her head and it made her gasp as she stepped back, mouth ajar, eyes bloodshot and puffy. "What did you say?" she asked.
Grayson's gaze drifted to the road behind her, which only caused Elena to peer around as well. The sight she found made her heart stop beating. A car - the car she'd been in with her parents on the night of the accident was parked there. She started walking towards it, her breaths uneven, shaky and short. Her mind hadn't ackowledged the fact that Damon no longer stood with her until she'd reached the car window to peek inside.
"Oh my God," she cried, running to the other side. Her hand immediately yanked the handle on the door, but no matter how hard she tried to pry it open it never budged. It was like it was frozen shut completely. "Daddy, help!" she shouted, desperation lacing her words. Sobs escaped her lips after every unseccessful tug. Her mother sat in the passenger's seat, unconscious and slouched to the side. Water was filling the car, faster by the second.
"Elena, you left us." Her father stood behind her now, his voice haunting her in a way she never wanted to hear again. "Why'd you leave us?" he asked again.
A defeated choke was elicited from her throat before she wobbled backwards and looked back up at her father. His eyes were cold and so unfriendly, it chilled her to the bone. "Daddy," she whispered, "why are you showing me this? You know I'd change the past if I could."
"Would you?" he challenged. "You might not have met those Salvatore brothers if you did."
"But-"
"You left us, 'Lena." She grimaced at the harsh use of her childood nickname. "You were supposed to come with us."
"Then take me with you now!" she exclaimed, newly shed tears streaking her cheeks.
"No," Grayson mumbled before closing the last distance between them. He placed his hands on both sides of her head before turning it to face the car window. "You have to see what you've done," he sneered.
This was not her father. This couldn't be real.
"I can't," Elena cried and tried digging her nails into his hands. "I can't look at this."
"Yes! And you will!"
"No!" Her eyes snapped shut, her heart was pounding and her head throbbed, hands cold and cheeks numb. Suddenly a blood-curdling scream filled her ears. It was her own.
"Elena! Jesus, Elena snap out of it!"
Damon, Alaric and Jeremy had the girl on the floor in the living room. They'd carried her in as soon as she started screaming. Damon was holding down her arms and legs, Jeremy was merely standing and staring and Alaric was trying to hold down her head.
"Elena!" Damon shouted once more. His blue eyes were wide with fear and concern; he'd never seen his Elena like this before.
Her cries died down abruptly as if someone flicked a switch. Then her eyes fluttered open, groggily. The tears coating her eyelashes dropped down into her eyes painfully, making her shoot upwards into a sitting position.
"Elena...?" Alaric spoke softly, one hand placed on her back.
"Mm..." she croaked, glancing around the room. She looked at each face that circled her, until she found Damon. Without hesitation she jumped on him, the sudden weight knocking him back. Her arms locked securely around his neck and she nuzzled her face in by his jaw, her nose just barely grazing the skin.
"Um..." Jeremy's eyebrows shot to his forehead as he took in the scene. Wow. He never thought he'd see the day when Elena openly threw herself at Damon.
"I'll take her to her room," Damon said firmly when he got back on his feet. Ric nodded in consent and watched the two of them until they disappeared upstairs. Then shaking his head, he went to get a bottle of scotch and flopped down on the couch.
By the time Damon had gotten Elena in bed, she was alreay fast asleep. It was those moments Damon loved most - when he could freely study her, and the way her eyes sometimes jumped around under the lids if she was dreaming, or her eyebrows furrowed like she was confused or annoyed with something. But his favourite moment was when she'd talk in her sleep. He could rarely piece together full sentences, but there was always one word - one name - that stood out and was spoken clearly, like a lover's whisper in his ear.
"Damon..."
He smirked. His fingers caressed her rosy cheeks softly, irresistibly comparing them to the texture of a rose petal. He decided her skin was the softest of the two. The memory of finding her in his bed that morning was still fresh in his mind, reminding him that she didn't come there by mistake. She came there because she wanted to be with him. And he had no idea why. How could someone so beautiful, so compassionate and as humane as it gets, willingly lay beside him and wrap herself around him like he was her only protector, her rock? It was baffling.
Leaning down, Damon gingerly pressed his lips to Elena's forehead and lingered for only a few seconds, before he pulled back and fled out the window to his Camaro.
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She heard his steady breathing, felt his fingertips on her heating cheeks, lips on her skin, before it was gone all-too-soon and the only thing signaling he'd been there was the scent of his cologne. Elena sat up in bed as soon as she knew Damon was gone. The time was barely past 7 PM but outside the darkness surrounded every nook and corner. The moon hid behind thick clouds, blocking any light from seeping through her curtains. She was alone in her room, with only one thing on her mind:
"There's no way I'm sleeping tonight."
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A/N: Alright. SUPER long chapter. I hope everyone likes it, and again, I'm so sorry it took this long to post. (:
Don't forget to review! xx