I finished the epilogue so I'm giving you a second chapter this week. Please remember to click the review button.
'YOU?!'
Without blinking, I start to round on her. She takes one step back for each step I take towards her.
"Damon? Wha.. what are you doing here?"
With my fuse lit, I'm practically spitting bricks. I hardly recognize the venom in my own voice. It's literally dripping with disdain.
"I'm with my friends. What are yooouuu doing here...?"
"Jenna is my aunt," she tells me, her own eyes burning hot.
Before I fall prey to them again, I steel my spine and suck a breath of air into my lungs. As drunk as I am, somehow I manage not to blink as I continue to glare at her.
"Damon Salvatore, fancy meeting you here," the same blonde who was with her that night, remarks as she steps beside Elena. After giving her a scathing glance, I turn my attention back to Elena.
"I ought to sue you!" My voice rises a little more with each syllable that spews from my mouth.
"Sue her? What for?"
Having had my fill of her pushy friend, I spin around to face her.
"Just who are you?" I sneer, turning my anger on her.
"I'm Rebekah Mikaelson. Pleased to make your acquaintance, 'Damien'...," she giggles. Feeling the blood sloshing violently through my veins, I'm so angry that I'm literally trembling. Seething, I fist my hands. Not wanting to give either of them the satisfaction of seeing me lose it completely, I turn on my heels and stalk off, slamming open the bar door so hard, the knob puts a dent in the dry wall. Minutes later as I'm standing outside by myself, I feel a hand on my shoulder. Turning my head, I close my eyes in relief when I see Lexi with Lee following behind, holding her jacket.
"I'm sorry Damon. I didn't mean for you to be ambushed. I had no idea that Jenna's niece Elena was that Elena."
"I know, Lex," I utter, taking her hand in mine.
"I'm going home, I'll see you in the morning." After sharing a look with her, I start walking down the sidewalk. Moments later, Lee and Lexi step beside me, walking right along with me.
"You guys don't have to babysit, you can go and enjoy your evening." Without looking at either of them, I continue my march down the pavement.
"No, we'll go with you. The three of us can have our own little party," Lee mentions, giving me a pat on the shoulder. After stopping long enough to nod my appreciation, the three of us continue, not stopping again till we get to our house.
Elena:
"I'm sorry Aunt Jenna, I mean, I had no idea that he was your friend."
"How do you know him anyway?"
"Bex and I met him at one of her family's fundraisers in New York City several months ago."
"Elena, do you want something to drink?" Rebekah interrupts, smiling at me.
"Yeah, I'd like a Bloody Mary." Nodding, she gives my hand a squeeze and walks over to the bar. I can't help but notice how Jenna's eyes watch as Bex walks away. Hoping to get some attention, she swinging her hips to side to side. Rolling my eyes, I slide next to Jenna in the booth. Ric looks completely inebriated, his eyes closing for longer and longer after each blink.
"What happened between the two of you to make him so angry? Damon is usually pretty even keeled. It's not like him to fly off of the handle like that. Of course, the fact that he's drunk may provide an explanation."
"We teased him a bit and one thing led to another... and you know?!"
"You slept with him!?" she asks incredulously. Just as I'm about to answer, Rebekah sets my drink in front of me. Picking it up, I take a big swallow. Suddenly when music starts to play, Rebekah gives me a wink, sets her drink down and pulls me onto the dance floor.
"You okay?" she asks, playfully dancing with me.
"I never expected to see him again. He's so hot, Rebekah. I'd like to take him for another spin if you know what I mean. That man was fine under the sheets." Feeling my face heat up, I know for a fact that my cheeks are blooming pink.
"You like him?"
"It felt different with him. We fit together perfectly, you know, almost as if we were made for each other. Given his thermonuclear reaction though, I'm almost a little bit afraid of him," I whisper, my insecurities getting the best of me.
"I guess the two of us will have to work on the good Doctor," she teases, raising an eyebrow at me.
"Are you ready to face your aunt again?"
"I suppose. You know aunt Jenna, she won't drop it till I spill."
"Yup," Bex agrees, twirling me around. When she lets go, I take a deep breath and stiffen my spine and then the two of us walk back to where Ric and Jenna were. Confused I look around only to see her trying to get him outside. Bex and I run over to help her get an all but passed out Ric into her car. Once there, Bex and I hold him up while Jenna unlocks their car. After depositing him in the passenger side, Jenna shuts his door. After giving me a look, she walks around to the driver's side where I'm standing, Rebekah holding my hand.
"We are going to talk about this, Elena," she says, her voice firm and disapproving.
"Jenna, it was one night and I have no intention of talking any further about it with you or anyone else for that matter," I protest, my voice a little louder than I meant it to be.
"Fine, but Damon, of all people, it had to be Damon?"
"How was I to know that you knew him?" I snap, turning away from her.
"For your own good, just stay the hell away from him okay?"
Rather than answer her directly, I blow out a breath of air. Not wanting to get into it any further with her, I just nod, my eyes on hers until she crawls behind the drivers seat. I keep my eyes on hers till she pulls away from the curve and their car disappears around the corner.
Damon:
Having tied a good one on last night, I wake up the next morning, grimacing painfully as my head is throbbing. It feels like a jackhammer is crashing against the insides of my skull. Moaning loudly, I drop back onto the pillow and cover my eyes with my forearm. Last night flashes into my mind. I can't believe that she was there. I hate the butterflies that are fluttering inside of me at the thought of her. I felt such a connection to her, a connection that I tried to forget after she left me high and dry the morning after but seeing her again brought it all to the forefront. Hearing the curtains open, I groan loudly, knowing who it is.
"Look who's awake!" Lexi yells, jumping on the bed.
"That's just cruel," I utter, splitting my fingers over one side of my face, flashing the evil eye at her.
"Oh don't be such a baby?" she scoffs, grabbing on and pulling my arm down so the sunlight hits me squarely in my eyes.
"You just had to do that didn't you?" I snap, rolling over and burying my face in the pillow again.
"You poor little thing," she poo paws before starting to tickle me. As I squirm to get away from her, she gives me a wet willy with her tongue.
"Ick!"
Thoroughly disgusted, I stick my tongue out at her.
When she tackles me again, I fight back. In the next second we're both lying in a heap on the floor, the covers on top of us. She breaks out in uproarious laughter which makes my head pound all the more. Once she catches her breath, she palms my cheeks and drops a kiss to my nose.
"Do you want to talk about last night?"
"What's there to talk about? I mean.. she...and.. her.."
"You like her don't you?"
Knowing me as well as she does, she needn't have asked, she knows.
"So what if I do? She obviously doesn't care or she wouldn't have humiliated me with that depiction in her book."
"Damien Swain is aloof and careless and easy to make fun of but he is the hero of the story."
"Really?" I scoff, rolling my eyes.
"Yes really. I don't know what's in her head, Damon but she seemed pretty shy last night, not at all like you described her."
"I really didn't pay much attention. I was just so mad when I saw her and that, that Rebekah there."
"Well, they are best friends according to her book dedication."
"She's probably long gone now anyway. Do you want to get off of me so I can get up or we can continue this."
Challenging me with a look, I start to tickle her mercilessly till she has tears in her eyes.
"Stop, Damon, please."
Deciding to go easy on her, I relax and wrap her in a bear hug. As soon as I let go, she gets up, offering her hand to help me up. Taking a hold, I pull her into my arms. When my feet are planted firmly on the floor, I give her a big sloppy kiss as more payback.
"That's just wrong," she snaps, using the back of her hand to wipe the excess saliva off of her face.
"Payback is a bitch, darlin'," I jest, wiggling my naked backside at her before disappearing into the bathroom.
Sighing heavily, I close my briefcase, happy that the school week is over. I'm chomping at the bit to go back into the field. Finding and excavating fossils are my lifeblood. It's why I do what I do. Teaching is just a means to make some extra cash. Cash that my book was supposed to bring in. Turning out the lights, I step out of my classroom. Just as I'm about to lock the door, I feel a hand on my shoulder. Turning around to face whoever it is, I smile when I see that it's my brother, Stefan.
"Stef, what are you doing here?"
Dropping my briefcase and happy to see him, I give him a guy hug.
"I talked to Lexi. She said you've been a bear to live with lately so I thought I should drive over, you know, attitude adjustments and all that," he smirks, raising his eyebrows at me.
"Leave it to Lex," I utter, rolling my eyes at him.
"You're done for the day?"
"Yep, let's get Ric and go to the pub."
"Sounds like a plan, brother."
"I think so too." After giving him a pat on the back, I lead the way to Ric's office. Seeing that he's not there, the two of us decide to take my things back to the house so I can change clothes before Stefan and I go out. Once I shower and change into jeans and a sweat shirt, I trot downstairs to find Stefan and Lexi completely engrossed in 'Ghost Adventurers' on TV.
"What's shaking?"
Dropping onto the couch beside her, I give her leg a squeeze.
"We're watching the ghost show now hush," she demands, glaring at me with her stink eye.
"Fine." Raising my hands in surrender, I put a little distance between us before putting my legs onto the end table to get comfortable. Soon, one episode becomes two and by the time the third starts, I get up.
"I'm going to the pub. Either of you coming with?"
"Lexi?"
"Stefan?"
"Yeah, yeah, we're coming. Lexi turns off the TV then reaches for her bag and jacket. Linking her arm with both mine and Stefan's we step outside, lock up the house and walk to the bar. Fortunately, it's not very far from our house. As soon as we get there, I let go of Lexi to hold the door open for her and Stefan to walk in ahead of me. I look around but am unable to see Ric till Lexi happens to notice him sitting at the bar. She and Stef go to sit in a booth while I take the seat beside him. Although Lexi is my best friend, I think a lot of Ric too.
Our marriage is unconventional to say the least. We had a red hot passionate romance at one point, ending with us eloping to Vegas. But it didn't take very long for the bloom to come off of the rose as it were. After the romance fizzled, the two of us realized that we get along a hundred and fifty percent better as best friends, much more so than we ever did as husband and wife. It certainly comes in handy when I pick up unwanted attention from a woman or if she wants more than I'm willing to give. All I have to do is pull out the ring and say that I'm married. It works like a charm every time, for her too for that matter.
As for Lexi, she's pretty smitten with Lee but not enough to ask me for a divorce, not yet anyway. Although it's been quite some time, we have had the occasional romp in the hay so to speak. I will admit to having some fond memories of hot drunken sex with her. Despite how close we are, we also promised each other that if we ever meet someone special, someone that either of us want to share our life with, that we would divorce. Even if that were to happen, I know that we'll forever be tight.
I'll always have her back just as she'll always, always be in my corner. Sure we have disagreements and fights but we promised that we'd never go to bed angry with each other and we haven't. I guess that's the only thing that I would say is conventional about our marriage. We're both free to see who we want, sleep with who we want as long as we're honest with each other. It works out great for both of us so neither of us feel the need to upset the applecart as it were. Stefan thinks we're nuts but that's neither here nor there. I love my brother but I won't let him tell either myself nor Lexi how to live. This is our life and we're free to do as we choose. When I hear the bartender say my name, I'm snapped out of my reverie.
"What'll it be Dr. Salvatore?"
"Bourbon, straight up." Smiling, he grabs the bottle and a tall tumbler, filling it up for me. I take a deep slog, savoring it as it burns all the way into my chest.
"Good stuff."
Licking my lips, I quickly take another swallow before setting the glass down. Realizing that Ric hasn't talked to me yet, I turn on my stool to face him.
"Why are you so quiet?"
"I read the 'Damien Swain' book," he blurts out, lowering his head to the bar top because he's laughing so hard.
"You wouldn't think it was so funny if you were the one she humiliated?"
Wanting to smack him, I drop my eyes to the drink in my hand, clutching it tightly.
"You have to admit that it is hysterical," he adds, barely able to speak since he's still busting a gut, laughing at me.
"Oh yeah, it's hysterical alright, NOT," I snap, throwing back the rest of my bourbon.
"Lighten up, Damon," he pants, his chest still heaving from chortling so hard. After slapping the bartop a couple of times, he finally finishes what's left in his tumbler.
Having had my fill of being humiliated yet again, I get up. Intending to join Stefan and Lexi at their booth, I start to walk towards them. When I feel his hand clasp onto my forearm, I stop.
"So about Jenna's niece, what happened?"
"What makes you think that anything happened?"
"Maybe because Jenna seemed pretty irate the next day, which by the way, not only included salty language but your name in conjunction with said language," he mentions, his eyes boring into mine.
"How was I to know she was Jenna's niece? I was told that you and Jenna were going to be there that night but you weren't."
"No we weren't but that didn't give you any right to take advantage of her. You don't know her, Damon. Elena is... unique."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean? Unique? And for your information, it was her who seduced me not the other way around."
"I find that hard to believe."
After raising his eyebrows disbelievingly at me, he signals the bartender for another round.
"I don't give a rat's ass what you think, it's the truth."
"That attitude is probably why you lost your book contract with Mikaelson Publications. Rebekah Mikaelson is her best friend. Seeing as how you probably took advantage of Elena, Rebekah probably made sure to hit you where it hurt."
"Do you know that for sure? I mean that it was the blonde who sabotaged me?"
"No, I don't have any proof of that. But she and Elena are very tight."
Shaking my head, I can't control the angry look that I know is on my face.
"I'm going to repeat it once more because it didn't get through your thick skull the first time. I didn't seduce your niece. I'm leaving before I say something that I'm going to regret."
Reaching over, I grab my glass quickly swallowing down what's left in it. After giving him a scathing look, I stomp off into the stormy night. Grabbing my phone, I text Lexi that I'm going home. Karma is one mean son of a bitch because as soon as I start to pound the pavement in earnest, the sky opens up, leaving me drenched and chilled to the bone.
I'm shivering violently by the time I get to my house. With shaky hands, I put the key in the lock and open the door. Stepping inside, I kick off my shoes and walk upstairs and into my bathroom. After peeling off my wet clothes, I turn the water on to take a nice hot bubble bath. Yes, bubble baths are my guilty pleasure. Still shivering, I step into the tub and lower myself into the nice hot water. Closing my eyes, I lay back and relax, enjoying the feel of the water against my skin. It doesn't take long for me to doze off with thoughts of that brunette beauty filling my head.
Damon is a wee bit disgruntled with our heroine.
A big shout out to Eva. She puts up with my incessant emails. Her insight is so brilliant, she picks up on thoughts, innuendo that I miss sometimes. Thanks and sending so much love to you my dear friend.
Thank you all so much for the follows and favorites. And a special shout out to those of you who do take those couple of seconds to write something.
Chapter title: 'Let Her Cry' by Hootie and the Blowfish.
I did update 'Angels Fall' on Wednesday. 'Tears in Heaven' will update tomorrow and then I have to work again Sunday. That's the only advantage of working 12 hours shifts, more days off per week. But let me tell you, some nights those twelve and a half hours take a long time to eclipse.
Stay safe and have a happy weekend. Thank you all again. Please do remember to review. We'll see you next week.