I didn't see Damon again that night, perhaps a quick glimpse through the crowd but I couldn't be sure. He'd probably gone home or on to another club. I shouldn't think about it though…I wasn't even allowed to talk to him according to my family…imagine what would happen if I came home and told them that I was going out with Damon Salvatore…outrage. The poor guy would probably wake up in hospital in a few days with thirty broken bones…if my brother had anything to do with it at least.
Bonnie was going home with the Ryan Gosling guy Jed who we'd talked to and seemed perfectly lovely, in fact he went to Mystic Falls High in the year above us…I remembered him slightly…friends with Jeremy I think. Anyway, at least we had connections. Apart from Caroline we weren't the type to go on one night stands with random guys at clubs…for starters that was just stupid. Even Care didn't do it that often. However it was completely typical that she, while drunk, having just left the club, would call her 'lovely' 'darling' Stefan to come pick her up, just before Bonnie left. So obviously I wasn't gonna get a lift there. In fact he just shot me a smirk and took off, not even bothering to ask. Just my luck really…Care had gone, Bonnie had just left and I was left in a world that was still spinning slightly from the alcohol that just hadn't tasted right nor had the right effects…I'd never felt this bad before.
The only redeemable thing about this was that the club itself was only a 15 minute walk from my house so I could do that easily.
Oh how wrong I was.
I was about halfway there I'd say, not entirely sure from the spinning but I'd say it was around the halfway point. Walking in a straight line wasn't at all possible and my small bag containing my credit card and some money was swinging from my wrist, my phone in my bra just in case. I blame the alcohol for no noticing the few dark figures darting across the road towards me. I should have noticed them far before my back connected with the wall of the hand clasped tight around my neck. Inside I was screaming in panic but I was too shocked and disorientated to do or say anything for a moment. Then I realised that the first guy was yelling something at me and I focused, wondering how the hell I got into this situation…
"I said where's the money bitch!" His gruff voice shouted, stale breath washing across my face. The fact that I was been mugged only then hit me…followed by the thought that it could be a lot worse, they could be wanting to-
My thoughts were cut off by a heavy blow to my stomach and I keeled over, biting back a cry of pain, only to be dragged back up, slammed against the wall and a cool metal object pressed against my jugular…oh holy hell it really couldn't be worse. The three seemed to be laughing together, commenting on my inability to understand. "C'mon baby hand it over."
"You're mugging me?" I managed to slur, my vision slightly blurred from the mixture of pain and alcohol, its effects refusing to wear off.
He seemed to sigh heavily, motioning to the other who punched me for a second time and this time I couldn't hold the cry back as I jerked, my skin moving beneath what my murky brain assumed to be a blade, nicking the skin. It was then that my mind made the fantastic decisionof doing something and a weak and badly placed knee pushed forward against the mans thigh, practically of its own accord.
Bad move. Before I even knew what was happening another sharp blow landed to my cheek and suddenly my face came into contact with the cold asphalt of the pavement. What could I possibly do in this state to prevent the blows from their heavy boots into my stomach, legs, back…anywhere. I couldn't do anything. I just tried to curl up, shielding my face with my arms and my stomach with my knees, hearing a bone of sorts crack with one particularly sharp kick and more pain erupt. I didn't even notice at first that they'd gone…the blood pumping loudly in my ears blocked out all other noise. I could feel blood on my face, on my neck…my stomach, my legs…everywhere. And more than the blood was the pain…the excruciating pain.
It took me…I don't know how long it took me to push myself into a sitting position…every time I moved new pain would spout somewhere and I'd recoil again. Stupid Elena! Why didn't you call a taxi? Called Jeremy for a lift…called someone for a lift? I just had to walk home. I should have known better…known not to walk home drunk on my own. Who does that? Idiot…fucking idiot.
Somehow I managed to push myself up and back to lean against the brick wall, stretching my blurry vision to focus on the pavement beneath me, quickly deduction that my bag was gone. I didn't care…I really didn't. Miraculously I still had my phone though, pulling it from my bra only to drop it as I found my fingers weren't yet functioning as they should. It hit me that I couldn't be more than ten minutes from my house right now…maybe I could get there, block out the pain and just keep pushing my way through. My phone lit up and my tunnel vision, only able to focus on one thing at a time, acknowledged a new BBM from Damon…how he'd gotten my pin I have no idea. Concentrating hard, I pressed to read and almost cried as I read the message. He'd offered a lift…a real, safe, quick lift…
Maybe this was punishment or something. Mum always said I'd be better off if I believed in God…no…this was not the time to convert. I was alive; I just needed to get home.
With that thought in mind I gripped my phone in my hand and jerked to my feet, stable for all of one second before stumbling against the wall; scraping my shoulder on the razor sharp bricks in the process. I winced at the wave of agony that passed through my body, refusing to give into the urge to throw up and took a minute and a few deep breaths to calm down. Bracing myself against the wall, I lifted to phone to my eyelevel, not really caring who the message went to, simply writing the word 'help' and sending…or some variation, I doubted that my typing was up to scratch. That done, I began to edge along the wall, holding on for dear life as my head spun with every step. It wouldn't work the whole way. Hell it probably wouldn't even get me to the end of the road, but I had to try,
How long had it been? How long since I'd started moving until now? Now was only defined by the single bright light that seemed to be moving closer and closer at an alarming rate. For some reason my mind chose then to transport me back to that episode of 'Shameless'…"If you see a bright light walk towards it," Not what people normally say but right now it seemed like the most painless option.
"Elena?" A voice yelled from somewhere near me, somewhere beyond the light. Focusing hard I found another figure running towards me, flinching slightly before realising that there was no black balaclava here, no threat whatsoever.
His hands where on my face and his ice blue eyes darting over me before I spoke in a cracked voice, "Damon?"
"Fuck…shit what happened to you?"
I managed to lift then drop one shoulder, leaning forward slightly into him, "Mugged."
He swore under his breath, "Where does it hurt? Is anything broken?"
The questions were fired so quickly I could barely catch them, "Everywhere…don't know."
"I'm taking you to hospital."
Whoa, fuck no, "No…no hospital. Home."
The look he gave me was completely incredulous, like what the hell was I thinking! "Elena you could have internal bleeding, broken bones…whatever. You have to go to hospital."
Shaking my head again, I closed my eyes for a second, "I'm fine…just hurt. Hospital means police…no energy." I'd never found it so difficult to get so few words out; I could tell my body just wanted to shut down but I knew well enough to stay awake…for now at least, "Home."
It may be stupid, not to want to go to hospital. But all I wanted was to go home; right now I still had alcohol blurring my sight and I just wanted to sleep, not go to hospital and have a load of checks only for nothing life-threateningly serious to be wrong. I'd know if something was wrong…this was just pain and I could deal with it…somehow.
He sighed heavily, "That's an awful idea-"
"-Aren't you training to be a doctor? You do it." I remembered hearing that he had just finished his second year at med school so he should be able to help enough.
Another sigh left him and I knew the battle was won, "Fine, c'mon. I've only got my bike but if anything hurts tell me." 'If anything hurts'…like nothing is now. It didn't take long to reach the source of the bright light, unable to help much as he placed me on the front of the bike. I wasn't sure how safe this was, me being in front and him basically driving around me…but everything was too much to care about such things.
It took me about five minutes to realise that we'd been moving for five minutes at what felt like warp-speed…surely we'd passed my house by now…hang on- I swear this was…
My delayed realisation of where we were going came as the infamous Boarding House loomed out of the darkness at the end of the drive. Shit…I couldn't stay at the Boarding House! I'd only ever been in there once or perhaps two times but I knew that one, I would in no way get a warm welcome and second, my family would be pissed! By the time Damon had pulled up the bike and stood up beside me, I'd found my tongue, staring at him in shock. "Damon why are we here?" Thank god my brain had reconnected with my tongue so I could talk above the pain which had almost numbed by now…almost.
"Firstly I doubt your parents would appreciate me dropping you home looking the way you do… Then if you want me to help, and trust me you don't have a choice in that, then I have to be there and this is so much easier than arguing with your parents." He explained, wrapping an arm around my waist as he did so and helping me up. I did as he wanted, arguing as I did so.
"But what about your parents? They hate me too! And your brother! Damon they'll just kick me out."
He paused, looking at me with a smirk playing on the corner of his lips and warmth in his eyes, "Hence why we're being quiet."
Hmmph…I can take a hint.
"Fine. But I blame you." I said in a whisper before letting him guide me over to the front door. There were no lights on inside, not one sign of life throughout the vast house. On entering, there weren't even any lights on in the hallways. It was quite creepy to be honest, with nothing but the blue-hued moonlight shining through the windows and Damon's knowledge of the house to guide us through its expanse. When we reached the bottom of the stairs in the huge parlour he paused again and I glanced up at him, noticing the thoughtful frown.
Then, in a hushed tone, he turned his apologetic eyes on me, "I'm really sorry about this…" Before I had a chance to ask what he was on about, he'd scooped my legs from under me and pulled me up into a bridal position. I let out a quiet yelp, wrapping my arms around his neck in complete momentary ignorance of who he was, clenching my eyes against the sudden fountain of agony, "Sorry," he whispered, carrying me quickly up the stairs. To be honest after a minute the pain died down again and I found the position fairly comfortable…and by fairly I mean very. Of course by the time I'd just fully settled into him, we were in his room and he was setting me down on his massive bed. It took me a second to unwind my arms from his neck and he smiled slightly, concern in his eyes as he looked me over again. "I'm really sorry, but Stefan's such a light sleeper; he always hears me come home and he'd definitely hear me pulling you up the stairs and come out…"
I almost smiled, pushing myself up against the pillows, "You make me sound decrepit."
With a shrug, he said, "Well you are." Striding off into the en suite before I could say anything…
Dick.
But then he returned a moment later with a bowl of warm water and a cloth and I just couldn't be mad. "I don't think the bleedings too bad really…but you've got a cut on your head which obviously bled a lot." He said as he resumed his position on the edge of the bed, sounding all professional and that. "And your shoulders…neck- fuck did they have a knife or something?" He asked suddenly, his gaze on the side of my neck. I nodded, reaching up to feel the small cut; about an inch long and not too deep, missing anything important. That's all that mattered isn't it? He let out a sigh, concern and frustration showing on his face, "Why didn't you call me Lena? We were just a block away, why didn't you ask for a lift? Or a taxi even! Anything! And where were your friends?"
"I didn't even know I had your number…you snuck it in there without me knowing. And I guess I don't know you well enough to beg a lift off you. Bonnie went home with some guy and Stefan picked Caroline up…then I figured it was only a fifteen minute walk…"
Again he sighed, "Well that's incredibly stupid." He muttered, lifting the damp cloth to wash the blood from my neck, slowly and gently removing the sticky substance. We fell into silence as he did so and I couldn't help but watch him, a million thoughts going through my head. This was weird. You couldn't deny that. Damon Salvatore helping me; my parents would have a fit and Jeremy would go bat-shit crazy. It didn't matter that he was helping me…it was the fact that it was him. The fact that I was at the Boarding House…the fact that I was in the same house, sleeping in the same house that is, as the Salvatore's. I'd have to leave early in the morning to avoid getting caught…say I slept over at Caroline's or Bonnie's. Anything was better than my parents knowing the truth.
My thoughts shifted then, moving to the confusion…why was he helping me? Sure we'd established the whole 'I like you, you like me' business (sort of), but this was a lot. Picking me up, cleaning me up and giving my somewhere to sleep…that was definitely a big ask. But watching him now, I could barely feel any guilt…however much I should. I liked spending time with him, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy watching him…in least perverted way I mean…that sounds wrong. You'd have to be blind to deny the fact that he was beautiful, almost disgustingly so. Of course he knew it but it didn't lessen the fact. It wasn't that I was enjoying the attention; not at all…but for any other reason…I would.
"Alright, that's the blood gone." His voice surprised me; I'd barely realised he'd finished. The thought made me blush slightly and I wondered if he'd caught me staring…probably. He seemed almost nervous for a second, like he didn't know how to say something…then…"You might have to take off your top…to bandage up your ribs and all; I think one of them might be broken."
His words surprised me but I refused to let myself go all shy. However much I tried to hide it, I was a self-conscious person, about everything from my friends to my appearance…everything. But then I'd been stabbed in the back so many times in school it was hard not to be. I hesitated before nodding, sitting up with a wince. He gently reached for the hem of the dress which had risen up anyway (thank god for thick tights) but I stopped him for a second with a hand on his arm, biting my lip with nerves and looking down, "Don't-…you know…don't-"
He cut me off with a smile, shaking his head, "I won't." I nodded gratefully, silently thanking him for understanding before lifting my arms and letting him lift the dress up and over my head, his eyes running over my torso with wide, almost shocked eyes. I instantly folded my arms across my stomach in embarrassment but he realised his mistake, grabbing my arms and pulling them back, looking up at me with an apologetic expression, "No, you're gorgeous…" He said quietly, "Just the bruises-"Heat rose to my cheeks at his words but I hid it again, reluctantly relaxing my arms. As he gently ran the tips of his fingers across my tainted stomach I couldn't help but tense up, shivering slightly as little sparks erupted everywhere he touched…fuck.
After a moment he reached to the end of the bed for a long thick stretch of white bandage, motioning for me to sit up straighter for him to bind it around my ribs, moving closer so he sat right beside me, facing the other way to do it. I flinched as the bone was pushed a little but tried to bite it back as well as not focusing on the fact that his face was about three inches from mine and when he spoke his warm, minty breath washed across me…again…fuck. "I've had plenty of broken ribs over the years Lena, mainly thanks to your brother. I know what I'm doing." I didn't doubt that at all. The two end of the material met on the opposite side of me so he had to reach around me to tie it, circling me with his arms and having to lean even closer. God if I wasn't injured right now…no…don't think about it…that would be going too far; stretching this whole 'dancing with the enemy' thing too far. But then again…we'd already stretched it quite far…no! No don't go there Elena. His hands stilled on my side as the knot was done, moving to rest one on my back and the other spread lightly across my rib cage, making holding back a whole lot harder on my part…then…"Lena-"
Fuck it.
I barely knew I'd done it before the space between us was completely gone, pulling away after a moment in shock at my own action. Did I really just kiss Damon Salvatore? He was staring at me in amazement almost, clearly wondering whether or not that just happened like I was, however he clearly wasn't nervous like I was. And I knew that because very suddenly his lips were crushed to mine and his arms wound further round to pull me closer. I smiled into the kiss, almost laughing at the massive firework eruption that seemed to be exploding in my head like it was the fourth of July or something. Suffice to say it had never been like this before with anyone. Pulling away when I realised I still had the need to breath, the amazement wasn't gone from either of our eyes and he smirked, "I have wanted to do that for a long time." And he wasn't the only one. He reached up one hand to brush it through my hair, pushing it back out of my face, a small smile on both our faces (I say small).
"Jeremy is going to slaughter me if he ever finds out about this." I said lightly. Of course the fact that I was just wearing my bra, underwear, tights and heels had completely slipped my mind.
"Nah I won't let him." He said with a grin, "And I don't think Steffie's gonna be too happy either?"
"Yeah he'll probably think you've lost your mind…apparently he doesn't think too highly of me."
He rolled his eyes, "Well he's just got bad taste."
I quirked an eyebrow, "Hey, he's going out with my best friend!" He laughed at that, letting go of me and standing up off the bed. I immediately missed the contact but refused to show my disappointment, rather watching him as he made his way over to his huge wooden wardrobe and opened the doors. A moment later he returned with a black button-up shirt.
"I'm afraid I don't own women's pyjamas…Steffie might but then it's past his bedtime. I can check in the morning if he has any of Blondie's clothes left-over from one of their slumber parties." I couldn't help but laugh, reaching for the shirt while rolling my eyes. If I liked Stefan I'd probably feel bad. Pushing my arms through the sleeves of the shirt, I realised how large it was and rolled them up to my elbows before turning to hang my legs off the side of the bed. Damon had disappeared into a joining room as I placed my feet on the floor and used the headboard as support to push myself to my feet, wincing at the shoots of pain. It wasn't like I felt like I was going to die; just everything ached so bad! In places, like my stomach or neck, it did feel a bit like I was being stabbed repeatedly, but it wasn't completely unbearable. Luckily I'd always had quite a high pain threshold. I managed to reach the end of the bed before Damon returned and darted over to stop me, "What are you doing! Are you crazy? You need to rest…"
I sighed, relenting and letting him push me back to sit on the edge of the high bed, "Well I was just trying. And I'll need to walk in the morning and pretend that I'm perfectly healthy so I might as well try now."
"You'll just make it worse and harder if you don't rest now. And why do you need to do that?" he asked, clearly confused.
Wasn't it obvious? "Well I'll need to go home pretty early tomorrow. And if I turn up unable to walk and looking like I got the living shit beaten out of me then my parents will go mental. Cue police and frenzied search to find the guys who did it. Then they'll want to know where I was tonight so I'll have to lie but then Care was with your brother who won't lie for me and Bonnie was with that Jed guy. I'll have to tell them I was with you and so one: my parents would kill me and two: they'll accuse you of beating me up."
His eyes widened at that, clearly not really having thought about that, "Well shit…but you have proof that it wasn't me; you texted me asking for help. And anyway, why the hell would I possibly want to hurt you? Aside from the fact that I would never hit a girl…you-"The fact that idea disgusted him was abundantly clear from his expression and I couldn't stop the smile teasing at the corner of my lips. I didn't expect such a reaction at all.
"I know…" I murmured, reaching across and idly fiddling with one of the buttons of his shirt, "I know, but you know what my parents are like. They hate your family just like your family hate mine. So they won't care if anything happens; if they can get you arrested and out of town then they probably would."
He sighed and nodded, with both hands stroking down the length of my hair until his hands rested on my shoulders, "All 'Romeo and Juliet' like isn't it?" he said in jest, easily making me smile.
"A little. Hopefully without all the deaths."
"But the Baz Luhrmann version."
"Naturally." I agreed, my favourite version (nothing to do with Leonardo Dicaprio…) I opened my mouth to say something else only for the words to be replaced by a yawn and I raised my hand to hide it, "Sorry…tired."
He smirked, "Not surprised. Do you want to go to sleep?" I nodded with a grateful smile, moving to stand up only for him to stop me with a confused expression, "Where are you going now?"
"To wherever I'm sleeping? A spare room or something?" I responded like it was obvious only for him to roll his eyes.
"Here. For starters, I said Stefan was a light sleeper; he'd hear if you went into a spare room and would think it was weird so he'd obviously want to know why. Then…don't be ridiculous. My bed is massive, big enough for at least three…" I scoffed and rolled my eyes as he did that 'eye thing' that he always did like he was saying 'I would know'.
"Slut." I quipped, pulling up one leg to rest on the opposite knee so I could remove my shoe, trying to ignore the pain as my stomach twisted slightly.
He stopped moving, just watching me with a raised eyebrow, "What was that Elena?" I tried not to smile at the faux-serious tone of his voice, choosing to play innocent.
"What was what?"
He scowled at me, reaching down to take off my other shoe before grasping my waist and gently pulling me to standing, "I am not a slut."
That made me laugh, "Damon you are famously a man-whore! You have a different girlfriend every week."
"Well…yeah but I'm not a slut…just…" I watched in amusement as he attempted to explain himself, arms folded, "I just get bored with those vapid, brainless blondes that seem to make up the majority of Mystic Falls quickly so move on…quickly."
Raising an eyebrow, I felt my mouth stretch into a smile, "Not all blondes are vapid and brainless. Caroline's actually very clever. And there are plenty of other girls in Mystic Falls that would go out with you."
"She's going out with my little brother! And no…I'm bad at relationships and if I was to be in one…well there's only one girl in this shithole for that."
At that I felt something shoot me and for a millisecond my smile faltered, hopefully he didn't notice…jealousy…that's probably it. I hid it as well as I could, "Lucky girl." I said with a smile.
There was a strange yet warm look in his blue eyes in a moment of quiet and with his thumb he traced the outline of my cheekbone, shaking his head a little, "Well not really; she manages to get herself in the worst situations." He said with an almost sarcastic tone, "And people say nothing bad every happens in Mystic Falls; you get yourself mugged and beaten up." That he said sadly; like he couldn't do anything about it but wanted to. Surprise ran through me and it clearly showed in my eyes from what he said next, "You didn't think I was talking about you? Who else?"
I shrugged, a little embarrassed now as he'd said it like it was so abundantly clear to everyone, "I don't know…that Andie girl?"
He actually laughed, "No way…definitely not. You."
"Well you can't blame me for wondering." I smirked, feeling warm fuzzy feelings fluttering in my painful stomach, "Anyway, can we go to bed now? It's four in the morning…" I said, glancing across at the clock on his bedside table.
"Oh yeah, you distracted me." I opened my mouth to fight that only for him to grin and carry on, "I'll be right back, turn the lights off if you want." And off he went. I sighed, the smile on my face refusing to budge despite the constant underlying pain. Maybe I'd gotten used to it, but as long as I stayed still, I could almost block it out. I took off my tights and slipped under the covers, turning off the light and relaxing into the insanely comfortable bed. Was it even possible for a bed to be this comfortable? A moment later he re-entered the room, wearing only some black tracksuit bottoms which hung ridiculously low on his hips; his magnificent torso on full display. I couldn't help but stare a little, "I know, I know…I'm a god." He sighed, "And that's my side of the bed, but that's fine." I laughed quietly, not saying anything as he slipped in the other side, moving almost to the middle.
I didn't say anything more, instead, after about five minutes of silence, shifting across the mattress and tentatively resting my head on his shoulder. He responded by wrapping his arms around me and pulling me closer. Could I be any comfier? It didn't take me long to drift off into a deep sleep, not even one dream of darting figures in the shadows.
