Chapter 2: Atlanta


I don't need to know where you've been,

all I need to know is you, and not need for talking.
Hey boy.
So don't even tell me your name, all I need to know is whose place.
And let's get walkin'
Hey boy!

I crack my eyes open slightly to find my phone blaring a song from Maroon 5's new album. I lift the screen to press the snooze button, rolling out of bed slowly. The neon letters of my clock read 6:00 A.M.. With two hours left until training with Damon, I trudge down the stairs to get breakfast. In the kitchen, I make my normal smoothie breakfast. When the blender stops, I pour the substance into a tall glass and curl up on the couch, turning on the previous night's recording of 'Pretty Little Liars,' watching Aria, Spencer, Emily and Hannah deal with being a normal teenager while attempting to solve the death of their friend.

Around 7, I pull myself from the couch and dress, packing my things and throwing them in the trunk of my car. I begin the 30 minute drive to the center Damon trains me at, and the song from my alarm blasts through the radio.

All I wanna do is love your body
Oooooh ooooh oooooh oooooooh
Tonight's your lucky night, I know you want it
Oooooh ooooh oooooh ooooooohAll I wanna do is love your body
Oooooh ooooh oooooh oooooooh
Tonight's your lucky night, I know you want it
Oooooh ooooh oooooh oooooooh

It's true what you heard, I am a freak, I'm disturbed
So come on and give me your worst (uh oh, yeah)
We're moving faster than slow,
If you don't know where to go,
I'll finish all from my own (uh oh, yeah)Hey boy!
I don't need to know where you've been,
All I need to know is you and no need for talking
Hey boy!
So don't even tell me your name,
All I need to know is whose place,
And let's get walking...
Say say hey...All I wanna do is love your body
Oooooh ooooh oooooh oooooooh
Tonight's your lucky night, I know you want it
Oooooh ooooh oooooh oooooooh

All I wanna do is love your body
Oooooh ooooh oooooh oooooooh
Tonight's your lucky night, I know you want it
Oooooh ooooh oooooh oooooooh

I think you already know my name
I think you already know my nameHey hey, Ha!, Alright, Say
I think you already know my name
All I wanna do is love your body
Oooooh ooooh oooooh oooooooh, (say)

Tonight's your lucky night, I know you want it
Oooooh ooooh oooooh oooooooh
All I wanna do is love your body
Oooooh ooooh oooooh oooooooh
(Say, say, hey)
Tonight's your lucky night, I know you want it
Oooooh ooooh oooooh oooooooh

Many songs later, I arrive at the courts. When I climb out of my car, I find Damon leaning against his car, talking into his phone. Judging by his body language, it doesn't look like a pleasant conversation. So, I grab my bag and walk over to him. He acknowledges me before continuing his conversation.

"I don't give a flying fuck if you're marrying her Stefan!" He practically shouts. I shrink back at his harsh tone. He simply listens to what the other man has to say. "I still don't care Stefan! She and dad ruined any good feelings I had towards this family, and most important, she ruined the friendship you and I had for almost 15 years!" Another pause. "It doesn't matter anyway, because I'm going on the scouting trip with the player that Lockwood is sponsoring." Pause. "Yes, I know her moron. She's the player I train privately." Pause. "I don't know if she wants to go to New York!" I gasp loudly when he mentions New York. I've always wanted to go there. Granted, they may not have the best volleyball program, but they're ranked in the top 10 schools for journalism. He looks at me suddenly, his eyes begging me to prove his thoughts wrong. I give him an apologetic look and he speaks into the phone again. "Yes, that was her." He groans. "She just reacted like a little kid on Christmas." Pause. "I don't know, Stefan, I'll talk to her." Pause. "I don't fucking know, Stefan! Ok? I'll talk to her. Bye." He presses the end button on his touch screen violently before walking away. I run after him, curiosity taking over my common sense. He's pissed. I probably shouldn't talk to him, but I want to know who that man was.

"Damon!" I say. He starts walking faster. I sigh and sprint in front of him, turning to face him abruptly. He slams into me, a body of solid muscle plowing through a smaller body. He grasps my upper arms to keep me from falling and leans over me, attempting to intimidate me. I can feel the full length of his body pressed against mine and the fan girl feelings kick in, my heart beginning to race.

"What?" He hisses down at me. His hot breath fanning over my face breaks me out of my trance.

"Who was that man?" I ask breathlessly.

"No one." He says, releasing my arms and beginning to walk away. I turn around to face his back.

"Fine, just walk away from something you're not man enough to face! Just like always." I hear him growl and witness him whip around, grabbing my wrist roughly and practically dragging me into the court. When we reach the safety of the court, he pushes me against the wall, placing his hands on either side of my head, effectively trapping me. My breath hitches, but he ignores it and leers over me.

"That, little miss nosy, was my younger brother, Stefan. He's marrying a little slut I dated when I was your age who ruined my life. Happy now?" He spits down at me.

"I-I'm sorry you had to go through that, Damon; but you have to go." I stammer, trying to regulate my breathing.

"And why is that?" He asks, leaning his face closer to mine. Damn attractive man.

"He's your brother Damon. No matter what past you two have had, you still love him. You may not realize it, but you do."

"And how do you know how I feel?" He breaths down my face. I fight to keep my voice steady, but fail.

"You think I don't know what it's like to have your brother betray you and leave you? How it feels to have your heart broken by your family? I have my own little brother, not that you ever bothered to find out. I've lived alone for almost a year because he decided to go off to art school! He decided to leave after I spent three tiresome damn years getting him off of drugs! Both of my parents and Jeremy left me alone after everything I did to keep my family together!" I cry and shout at him. He pulls his face back, no doubt shocked by my outburst and looks into my eyes. Unshed tears build up in the corners of my eyes, threatening to drop. When one does escape my eye, he lifts his thumb and gently wipes it away with the pad of his finger. His eyes soften somewhat before he speaks.

"Fine," he says. "I'll go, but I'll schedule a try out for you that day so you won't have to go with me. I don't want you to have to endure the demons of my past." I shake my head. He opens his mouth to speak but I beat him to the punch.

"No. I'll go. You'll need the moral support. I don't mind." I smile slightly, despite the tears that still build in my eyes. He opens and closes his mouth several times, obviously conflicted.

"Come away with me this weekend." My eyebrows come together in confusion at his suggestion.

"What?" I ask, my tears beginning to retreat.

"After training and your tutoring today, let's just go somewhere for a few days. Get away from the drama here."

"You've been nothing but an ass to me the past few years, worse in the last few hours. What would make you think I would want to go on a road trip with you?"

"Because I know you want to get away from Mystic Falls for a while. I know you want to get away from the looks you get walking down the street, all the whispers: 'That's that volleyball girl. What's her name again?' 'I don't know, she's probably not even that good.' 'But she's trained by that Salvatore guy that plays on the national team, so she must be decent. He's one of the best players in the country.' 'She probably sleeps with him." I draw back against the wall, turning my head away from him and the truth of his words. He leans in closer to speak in my ear. "I also know about the fight you had with your friends the other night about our scouting trip." I whip my head forward to look at him. I never mentioned anything about that to him. "I know more about you than you might think, Elena, and I know you want to escape life in Mystic Falls for a few days." I meet his eyes and he simply looks back at me.

"Ok." I say softly. He nods before moving his body away, making his way toward the court and allowing me to move.

I'm eventually able to control myself and practice proceeds as usual. Damon walks me out to my car, and after I dump my bag in the trunk, his phone rings. He holds a finger up before answering the device. I jump up onto the trunk of my car as he begins his conversation with the unknown friend.

"Hello?" He grimaces as the person identifies themselves. "What do you want, Katherine?" Katherine, huh? This should be interesting. "Yes, Stefan already called me. Did he not tell you of the oh-so-pleasant conversation we had a few hours ago?" He responds, the sarcasm dripping from his voice. "Oh, you haven't spoken to him? What a shame." I roll my eyes at his false sadness. He winks at me while Katherine responds. "I already told your broody fiancé that I'm not sure if I'll be able to make your wedding." Pause. "Why do you care why I can't go?" He scoffs at the girl's response. "Right. Well, if you must know, I'm going on a scouting trip with the player I train. I know now the details of the trip yet, so I'm not aware where we'll be and when." Pause. "Do not yell at me for this, you ungrateful little brat. I told Stefan I would try my hardest to make it. Stop blaming me for the fact that you decided to invite me to your wedding TWO WEEKS before the event! I don't honestly care if you want me to go or not, because I have no ounce of respect for you." I hold my hand out for his phone, and he hands it to me with a skeptical look gracing his features. I lift the phone up to my ear and speak in my most polite voice.

"Katherine?"

"Who the hell are you?" I can hear the confusion mixed with a tone of disdain in her voice.

"My name is Elena Gilbert, the girl who Damon trains."

"Oh, so you're the little whore who's keeping Damon from his own brother's wedding? I see where his priorities stand." I take a deep breath before continuing.

"From what I've heard, I believe it's you who is a whore, but I'm simply going off the story Damon so kindly told me earlier before training."

"Who do you think you are?"

"The person who Damon devotes a large amount of his time to, and a person who would never even dream of doing half the things you did to him."

"Please, sweetheart, you could never make that man happy, even if you don't sleep with him. You see, I ruined him; he's never been the same since. While it wasn't his father and I's initial plan, ruining his happiness was a welcome outcome." I look at Damon, who has kept his eyes locked on my face during the conversation. I take a deep breath, a new sense of determination running through my body. As illustrated by his actions today, Damon isn't the worst man, and, being one of the only people he allows into his life, I have an overwhelming want to defend him.

"You know what, we'll be there. I'll speak with the person scheduling the trip to ensure we're in New York the week of your wedding." I hear her take a breath to speak, but I interrupt her. "But, it won't be for your pleasure. It'll be to prove to you that he is happy, despite the fact he ever had you in his life." I hit the end button furiously, not bothering to listen to Katherine's response. I turn to face Damon, who's face is masked with a look of disbelief. "What?"

"I think you might have just declawed the cat." He asks, sliding onto the trunk next to me.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, I've never, as long as I've unfortunately known Katherine, heard anyone speak to her like that. Everyone is so intimidated by her that they never stand up to her, even over the phone. I want to warn you though, she may try to destroy you when she meets you."

"I can handle her." He lets out a throaty laugh before jumping down and me following suit.

"I'll pick you up later, alright?" I nod and he gives me a small smile before making his way to his car. I climb into my similarly colored car and we both pull away from the complex.


My lesson drags on, as the tutor explains to me information I already know regarding the American Revolution. His back is turned to me and my eyes are about to slip shut when the doorbell sounds through the house. I jump from my couch with a mumbled "I'll get that" and rush to the door. When I open it, I'm greeted with a new image of Damon Salvatore. He leans against my doorframe, wearing black jeans, a tight black sweater that accents his toned upper body, and a leather jacket. Though my mind is clouded by feelings that I keep inside, I move aside to allow Damon entrance into my house.

He introduces himself to my tutor before turning to me.

"I'm a little early, huh?" I push my lips into a tight line to avoid laughing before nodding. He rolls his eyes at me. "Then let me make myself useful. Have you packed already?" I nod and point to the bags sitting at the top of the staircase. He smiles before practically running up the stairs, grabbing the bags and rushing out the door. I shake my head, laughing softly and make my away back to my seat. My tutor resumes the lesson on the efforts of the founding fathers. After about a minute, Damon returns and slides onto the couch next to me. I smile. He returns his smile and spreads his arms across the top of the couch. His fingers brush lightly against my shoulder while I focus my attention back on the tutor.

The "class" continues to drag on endlessly, but Damon's soft touches on my shoulder keep me calm. Finally, my tutor begins to pack up. I thank him like I do every time he teaches me, and he leaves with a goodbye. After I close the door behind him, I turn around to Damon, who's leaning against the banister.

"So, are we going or not?"

"Oh," he says, smirking. "We're going." He opens the door and pushes me out towards his car. He opens my door, and closes it softly after I climb into the passenger seat.

"So," I say as he climbs into his own seat. "Where are we going?"

"That's for me to know and for you to dot, dot, dot." He says, turning to me with a smirk. "Just go to sleep and I'll wake you up when we arrive." I look at him apprehensively, but lean my head against the window, closing my eyes and letting the emotions and fatigue of the day lull me to sleep.

When my eyes flutter open and immeasurable amount of time later, light shines brightly through the glass of Damon's windshield. I gaze out the window to see to see farmland and various grasses native to Southern states. I look over to Damon, who's eyes are focused on the road.

"Where are we?" I mumble groggily. He looks at me briefly before turning back to the road.

"Just outside Atlanta." My eyes grow wide.

"Atlanta? As in Atlanta, Georgia?" He nods. "How long have we been driving?" He quickly looks at his watch.

"Just over 5 hours. I stopped off at a motel a few hours ago to sleep for a little while. Why?"

"Just curious." I respond, shaking my head slowly. I've been asleep for over 8 hours? That's more sleep than I get most nights. "Where in Atlanta are we going?"

"An old friend of mine from when I was growing up owns a bar down there, and there's a nice hotel down the street. I know you'll hate to hear this, but we'll have to share a room, I don't bring enough cash left to pay for two rooms, sorry."

"No, that's fine." I say slowly. We continue to ride in silence.


We arrive at his friend's bar a little while later, after making pit stops to eat lunch and check into our hotel. The room is decent, not as nice as some of the hotels downtown, but it's quaint and clean.

When we arrive at the bar, the parking lot is already crowded, and people are already stumbling out the door. The neon sign above the door reads: "Bree's." It seems a nice bar, with dark wood lining the exterior and a patio-like structure on one of the sides. Damon's hand once again lands on my lower back for the third time within three days as he leads me through the already buzzed and drunken people. He then grabs my arm and pulls me to the bar, placing me on a stool and plopping down onto the one next to me. He calls for the attention of the bartender, who calls her acknowledgement over her shoulder. When she turns around, surprise and glee covers her features. She's a pretty women, with dark African American skin, high, defined cheek bones and dark, curly hair.

"Do my eyes deceive me or do I see Damon Salvatore sitting at MY bar in Atlanta, Georgia?" She asks as she makes her way over to us.

"Hey, Bree." He smiles, leaning over the counter to hug her. Her eyes catch mine over Damon's shoulder.

"Well, who's this pretty little thing?" She asks, turning her body towards me.

"I'm Elena Gilbert." I say, offering my hand to her. She grasps it lightly in mine and shakes it.

"This is the girl I've told you about, the one I train." Damon explains. Bree nods in understanding.

"So you're the superstar that's thrown Damon head-"

"Bree!" Damon snaps, cutting the woman off. She looks at the both of us before speaking to Damon.

"So, what can I get you, Salvatore?"

"The usual, Bree." She nods and turns to me.

"And you, sugar?" I open my mouth to answer, but Damon answers for me.

"She'll have a Coke." He looks at me pointedly. "She's underage and in training to be the best female volleyball player in the country. No alcohol for her." I roll my eyes at his protectiveness before smiling at Bree, who then turns to get us our drinks. Just then, a group of friends stumble up to the bar, saying something about a shots game, and extending an offer to Damon and I. I politely decline, knowing that even if I said yes, Damon would have overruled me. However, he accepts the offer for both of us. Hypocrite. I think, as Bree slides a shot glass in front of me. Damon leans in close to my ear.

"She's going with the lighter stuff. Let's see what these idiots do when it's not as strong as the shots they've already had." He shoots me a conspiratorial grin and turns to face the bar again. I smile to myself. Bree fills everyone's shot glasses, and on her count, we all knock one back. We continue to knock back shot after shot.

A few shots later, a few of the guys and one of the girls from the group have been knocked out and have moved to other parts of the bar. Bree counts to three again, and we all knock the shot back, with me finishing first. I do a celebratory dance as Bree laughs at my giddiness, but I look at Damon, who coughs from trying to drink too quick. I turn my body towards him and lean on the counter.

"Do you need a bib?" I ask with a fake pout.

"Sorry I can't unhinge my jaw like a snake to consume alcohol." He says sarcastically as I turn away. Even as I turn my head to the people behind me, I can feel Damon's eyes lingering on me. I shake off the feeling it gives me.

"Alright," I drum my hands on the bar. "Who's next. Another round, Bree?" She nods and works on filling the shot glasses yet again. The blonde woman next to me then speaks up.

"Honey, you should be on the floor." She states drunkenly.

"I'm not even drunk. My tolerance is, like, way up here!" I squeal, reaching as high as I can and jumping at the same time to add exaggeration to the statement. I look at Damon and we exchange a smile. Bree then gives us our shots before moving to a new customer down the bar.

A few hours later, Damon disappears to visit with some old friends from college so I find an empty pool table and some people to play with. My dad taught me when I was young, and I've been a decent player ever since. We play a couple games, with me winning the majority. I still feel slightly giddy from the alcohol, which only adds to my excitement when I shot the balls into the corners perfectly. As I make another shot, I throw my hands up in the air and spin around once with a squeal, but the ringing of my phone on the nearby table pulls me back. I walk over to it, pick it up and answer.

"Hello?" I ask, trying my best to not sound drunk.

"Elena." Shit.

"Jenna." I say awkwardly. "Ah, hold on it's loud in here." I say as I grab my jacket and make my way toward the side patio I saw earlier, trying to pull my coat on as I walk.

"Elena where are you?" Jenna sounds concerned. "Are you ok?" She asks as I get one arm through the jacket.

"Yeah, no, I'm good everything's fine." I say as I shrug my other arm into the coat. The rest of her replies are muffled by the crowd in the bar, the sound of the door clicking open and the thud of me tripping over a railing and falling onto the deck. I groan in pain as I stand up, then bend down to pick up my phone, placing it back to my ear. "Hello?" Just then, someone comes up behind me and holds a rag to my mouth, causing me to drop my phone, then everything goes black.


A/N: This is kind of a longer chapter, but it should be able to hold you guys over for a few days/weeks. I know I suck for leaving you with a cliff hanger, but those of you avid TVD fans like me should know the basic plot line for the next chapter, with my own twist. I'm not trying to steal ideas from those who produce and write TVD, for those of you who are wondering. I just enjoy incorporating my favorite Damon & Elena moments into my stories to keep it close to the story line, even if the main plot is different. Plus, I've twisted this particular scene to go along with what's going to happen later in the story. Until I can update next, enjoy this longer-than-expected chapter. I have the day off school on Wednesday for Yom-Kippur (Sorry to all my Jewish readers if I spelled that incorrectly, I'm not 100% familiar with the Jewish holidays. Regardless, enjoy your holiday.) so I may be able to update then, but it depends on my day, and if I can write this weekend, since my laptop died a few weeks ago without autosaving and I lost almost a full chapter. I'll stop rambling now. I hope you enjoy! XOXO, AllIWantIsEverything

P.S. Is anyone else obssessed with Christina Aguilera's new single (the song in this chapter - Your Body.) as much as I am?!