II
Alaric Salzmann threw himself across the living room and grabbed his cell phone. It stopped dancing madly over the kitchen counter whilst playing the Ride of the Valkyries on increasing ring. 'Damn,' he thought, 'I must change that.' Jenna was asleep in his room; a couple of sleeping pills and a warm drink her companions for the night. And no wonder after what she'd been through, he thought. He glanced at the caller display, made a face of deep resignation and spoke reluctantly into it.
'Hi,' he said shortly.
'That's what I love about you, Ric, always so talkative, just can't seem to shut you up- your classes must learn so much!'
'What do you want Damon?' he replied deadpan.
'Well, Mr History- teacher by day, Vampire-hunter by night, we need to talk. I think Gotham City aka Mystic Falls needs you.'
'Now? Can't it wait till tomorrow?'
'No. Come to the house Stefan and Elena are here.'
...
'So let's get this straight,' Alaric asked, looking at Stefan. 'We think it's a tomb vampire out there who's has gone after John Gilbert?' he looked sceptically at Damon.
'Come on Ric,' Damon interrupted. 'I admit I had reason to kill John- at the head of a long line of people, I might add, most of whom are in Mystic Falls,' he looked meaningfully at Alaric, 'but no reason why I would make such a mess in Elena's house and certainly no reason for me not to admit it, if I had. Besides, as you know I always clean up my messes, especially when I know it would be to my benefit. The council will be on high alert because of this, rather than standing down.'
'I agree,' Stefan spoke. 'It's probably a tomb vamp who somehow managed to escape the warehouse, or was missed by the deputies like I was,' Stefan inclined his head towards Elena. His handsome face softened, keeping in check the anger that he felt run through him. 'You've no idea when he was invited into the house?'
Elena looked at a loss. 'Well it wouldn't be Jeremy, he learnt his lesson on that, I know I haven't, so it has to be Jenna, or John himself,' she added thoughtfully.
Damon interrupted. 'The main thing now is to keep Elena,' he paused, 'and Jeremy safe- they're both Gilberts. Remember the original mission for the tomb vamps, as Anna described it, was to target the founding families.' He shrugged, 'Maybe he's just continuing to follow orders and will go after the Gilberts now. The tomb vamps were not very imaginative.'
'Maybe not,' replied Stefan, 'But this guy sure as hell was efficient. The ring didn't seem to be a problem.'
'Actually good point Stefan-wonder where John's ring went to? It would be a great help if we had it for Elena to wear,' Damon turned to her. 'You didn't see where his fin-,' he stopped abruptly. Ordinarily, human squeamishness simply irritated him; with Elena he realised with surprise he felt concern, as if he wanted to shield her.
Alaric glanced at Elena, who was white as a sheet, her eyes stricken. 'Alright,' he said swiftly, 'So what's the plan?'
Damon watched as Stefan moved to pull Elena to him and put his arms around her hugging her close. He looked thoughtfully at them. He felt a twinge of self pity, always alone, always on the outside he thought. And that's the way I've always wanted it- he reminded himself quickly not being entirely honest with himself.
'Well, I'll go 'cosy up' to the sheriff and the council- see what they're up to,' Damon turned to Alaric, 'Jeremy should be safe in the hospital if one of the council is on guard with a stake and some vervain. We on the other hand will keep a close eye on Elena as she goes about her, oh so very exciting life.' Elena gave him an old fashioned look. He shrugged smiling.
'You think we should let her go to school?' Alaric asked disbelievingly.
'Yes,' Damon replied firmly, 'we know this guy will be coming for her. Don't worry Ric, we've done this before,' He pointed to his brother and himself, 'The A-Team. Stefan and I will be there, we need him to come out into the open, she'll be the 'easier' target otherwise we'll never get him.'
'Don't worry about me,' Elena spoke firmly. 'I'll be fine.' Stefan shifted uneasily. Elena turned to him, 'Remember I was able to fight back before. I can do the same again and as I keep telling you I want to be part of things and help.'
'Don't be ridiculous Elena,' Damon cut in impatiently, 'you were lucky. We're not talking about a vamp who can be taken down with pencils! Otherwise there's no way he would have got John Gilbert- remember John even eluded me! Vamps kill fast, as I remember telling you on a previous occasion.' He rolled his eyes. 'Not that you listened.'
'Yes,' she agreed challengingly 'but that turned out okay remember Damon.'
'Right,' Alaric swiftly interrupted. He had been leaning back on a table watching them both, but it had been a very, very, long day and he was impatient to get back to Jenna, so he straightened wearily ready to leave. 'And tonight? Are you coming Elena?'
The question hung in the air. Both brothers turned towards Elena as if pulled by invisible strings.
'I'll stay here,' she replied meeting Alaric's eyes steadily. 'It will be easier. I want to visit the hospital early and see Jeremy and Caroline. Either Stefan or Damon will be with me. Don't worry,' Elena spoke calmly. 'Tell Jenna I'll call tomorrow early.'
Alaric opened his mouth as if to respond, clearly reluctant to accept the answer. He glanced from Stefan to Damon and back at Elena. Both the Salvatore brothers had an aura of power and danger about them. Damon the sleek predator, graceful but deadly, Stefan handsome, but with the physical strength and presence of a bear, yet Elena somehow seemed to be master of both. He looked closely at her face. It was troubled from the events of the day, but clear determination radiated from every pore. He had a sudden flash of her at school, a young woman with a future, whose potential had yet to be realised. In a way she was his 'stepdaughter- in –retrospect', and certainly one of the important people in Jenna's life. However he realised, as ever, there was nothing he could do. He pressed his lips together and shrugged making for the door. How the relationship of these three, precarious as it was, would survive this moment of crisis he had no idea, but he was certain that it would cause mayhem whenever it inevitably began to unravel. He thought suddenly of Isobel and the catastrophic effect her decision to become a vampire had on him yet also on herself. But what could he do? The three of them in the room seemed on a path to self destruction. Vampire human relationships -impossible.
The door closed softly behind him as he walked out into the night towards his car. He sprinted briefly towards it and, grateful to be on his way, drove home.
With Alaric's departure the atmosphere in the room seemed to change. Every movement seemed more intense and deliberate, as if each action was magnified with emotion and carried a coda aimed at the others in the room. Damon had seen Alaric out and whilst he was out of the room Stefan had pulled Elena close to him again. She could feel his gentle hand stroking her hair as they stood together before the fire. She breathed into his neck feeling absolutely safe but acutely aware of his body pressed against the length of hers. She wanted to sink down and curl up within his arms right there in front of the fire as it flickered and coughed softly in the background.
They pulled apart slightly as Damon re-entered. He looked from one to the other and smiling blandly walked towards the tray of glasses.
'That went well,' he commented. He carried a drink over to Stefan and inclined his glass questioningly towards Elena. She shook her head briefly, refusing the offer; instead walking towards her bag at the door. She turned and spoke to them both,
'I'm going to get some rest,' she glanced at Stefan, 'I'll see you upstairs.' Damon snorted with amusement into his glass.
She turned to him but paused looking faintly regretful as if a shadow had crossed her face. Finally she seemed to make up her mind. Hesitating at first, she walked deliberately towards Damon. She tilted her face upwards towards his. She was so close, her eyes fixed on his face, which was stilled in surprise, that Damon realised with a shock, he could feel her breath caressing his cheek, 'I'm sorry I jumped to conclusions,' she said, 'I was wrong.' As if pulled by an invisible force Elena felt herself rise on tiptoe and reach up to him. Putting her arm behind his back she hugged him briefly, her cheek on his shoulder. He returned the pressure of her arm and after another moment she pulled away, gently. Turning to the door she left the room without another word. Stefan and Damon watched her silently and after she disappeared from their view listened, until her echoing steps were muffled by Stefan's door opening and then closing behind the sound.
'Well!' Damon threw himself into a chair opposite Stefan. He was acutely aware of the excitement coursing through his body, 'It's always the hotter, more interesting and fun brother that gets to them in the end!'
'Really?' Stefan inclined his head thoughtfully towards Damon, 'I haven't often heard you describe me like that!'
Damon shook his head, 'She can't hide her feelings you know Stefan- you just have to accept it!'
'I agree. Her feelings were pretty evident when we walked in and she saw you Damon.'
'Ah! But remember, love and hate- two sides of the same coin!' Damon stretched out his legs.
After a brief pause Stefan looked suddenly serious, 'We've got this, haven't we?' he asked thoughtfully.
'Of course,' Damon looked surprised, 'Why do you ask?'
'Oh I don't know,' Stefan hesitated as if trying to seek out the right expression,' I just feel like we're not doing it right,' he paused, 'like we're being pushed down a path that we've already walked. I feel uneasy,' he finished rather lamely; worry creasing his straight dark brows.
Damon listened carefully. He sipped his drink. 'I know what you're saying,' he reassured 'but we have few choices. Besides, sometimes, if something looks like a rotten egg and smells like a rotten egg it is a rotten egg!'
'Okay,' Stefan rose, put his glass down and turning away from Damon began to walk out of the room upstairs. Damon smiled into his glass, 'Goodnight,' he called loudly after him, 'don't do anything I wouldn't do!'
As Stefan walked into the room, Elena on the bed was speaking into her cell. He flung himself down beside her, arms behind his neck waiting. She rang off quickly, snuggling down into the croc of his arm. He pulled her onto his shoulder.
'Who was that?'
'Well, I've left a message for Jenna and then spoke to Matty. Caroline is out of danger so he's back at home,' she paused thoughtfully. 'No one's really sure what happened. Tyler just suddenly screamed and collapsed crashing the car,' she leant back and gazed at the ceiling. 'I can't think about that now, I'm just glad we're not going to lose anyone else today. It could have been so much worse. Do you realise I could have lost you,' she paused shuddering, 'twice?'
Stefan turned on his side, face in hand. 'You'll never get rid of me that easily.'
He traced the side of her face with a gentle finger pushing her hair softly aside. Very slowly, he bent down kissed her nose and then, as if afraid to miss the experience of every moment, moved his lips slowly towards hers. She turned towards him making it easier for their lips to meet and suddenly the kiss changed. The pressure on her mouth became harder and more rhythmical as she opened her mouth to his, and his movements faster and more urgent. He was above her now. He pulled away slightly so that he could help Elena remove her top. The soft jersey came away easily revealing her pale olive skin beneath. Throwing the top aside he removed his own shirt. He paused as Elena reached up and gently ran her hands over his stomach, his chest and the side of his neck pulling him down towards her, then letting her hands fall away as he bent towards her in response, kissing her throat, her hair, her face. Elena could somehow feel the transformation coming over him. She welcomed it as his hands found hers and imprisoned them pushing them into the soft blankets. She closed her eyes, alive to his every touch.
...
Sometime later entwined in Stefan's arms Elena was woken by a noise at the door. She sighed fretfully knowing who it was and pulled a sheet over herself. He was making a habit of this but, Elena knew, only because he realised it annoyed her and Stefan. Almost every intimate moment with Stefan had Damon hovering in the background. She always felt so exposed with him, as if he invaded her every private space in a way which was entirely different to Stefan. With Stefan, Elena felt that he was somehow hers, and she was his, they were interchangeable, their feelings for each other so similar. Damon however was part of her in a different way, like an eyelash poking painfully into her eye. She knew constantly it was there, and it made her feel uncomfortable but she found it impossible to remove without pulling out eyelash after eyelash uselessly.
He bounced in unselfconsciously.
'What do you want?' Stefan asked resignedly.
'Oh just keeping to the plan little brother,' he winked at Elena, 'keeping an eye on Elena as she goes about her 'oh so very exciting life.''
'Damon!' try as she might she couldn't ignore him. He laughed.
'Just came to tell you I'm going out.' he said succinctly.' Need to keep my strength up you know! The sorority is waiting.'
'What's wrong with our blood bank supplies?'
'Oh nothing Stefan,' his eyes fell on Elena who, much to her chagrin, immediately felt the blood rise to her cheeks, and he smiled mischievously, 'I just prefer my blood at 37 degrees today! Can't think why,' He turned waving his cell phone above his head as he left, 'Call me if you want me!'
'Stefan your brother is just so...so...' Elena shook her head.
'I know,' Stefan replied morosely, 'I know.'
3
