Chapter 4
"Emma! Do you hear me? Emma!" it was in the middle of the night two days have passed since I gave the journal to Damon and I haven't seen or heard from him. Stefan said that he had no idea where he was and that he couldn't find the journal as well. Jer thought that he had left after seeing there was no reason for him to stay anymore. Bonnie didn't agree and was always ready for a surprising attack or news from the local police that there was a mass murder somewhere near.
I was asleep that night when my phone rang. It was Elena.
"Yeah, Lena I'm listening. What's going on?"
"Em, Damon was herе a few minutes ago, he was acting super strange. Ems, he tried to kiss me." said Elena now panicking. I was on my feet the next moment putting clothes on. "He acted like he was drunk. B-but Stefan said that was not possible for a vampire. Ems, he called me Katherine. He was shouting but I was so scared that I ran in my house! Please come here. Please!"
"Lena, calm down I'm on my way, Bonnie will be there in minutes as well. Just calm down." I said and didn't ended the call because she was really freaking out. Jeremy was at Matt's place and Jenna was in a convention out of town I didn't know what exactly was happening with Damon but from what I understood he was taking the news pretty bad.
When I went to Gilbert's house, Bonnie was there just as Stefan. The younger brother was talking quietly to Elena, hugging her and showing her that everything was okay. When Bon saw me she came right up to me and said that she checked the perimeter with magic but Damon was no longer here. Elena wanted answers and I explained to her that Damon was probably crushed from the revelation that Katherine was not in the tomb.
"But I though that he couldn't feel any kind of emotions?" she asked confused, Stefan looked at me but when I couldn't answer that he did.
"Elena, Damon had waited for more then a century and a half to free Katherine from that tomb, from what I know he loved her strongly and now...after finding out that she was never there..."
"What about our deal? He gets her and leaves town. Why is he still here?" asked Bonnie and I could see the many possibility that were turning in her head of how badly Damon could react to this.
"I don't know, I am afraid that he will react very bad, I'm not sure how safe anyone in this town is."
"Emma, he is unstable." said Bonnie. "We have to take him down." at that Stefan stiffened and I knew that no matter how bad his relationship with his brother was he was still his family.
"Bonnie we can't do that."
"Why, Emma? He is dangerous!"
"I know, we have no idea what he will do now but he is still Stefan's brother and you have to see that even if he doesn't show it the right way he is heartbroken." I said and she scrunched her nose and looked at me doubtful. But when I pleaded her with my eyes, she signed and said.
"You and your fairness, not everyone can be saved." I nodded.
"That's true, but everyone deserves a chance." Stefan smiled at me, silently thanking me.
We stayed for half an hour and when me and Bonnie saw how Stefan and Elena were in their own world now we decided to go home. When I parked my car outside my house I was stunned to see who was sitting on my porch.
"Damon?" I asked coming near the figure sitting in the dark, when he looked at me his blue eyes cut right trough my soul paralyzing me in place. For the first time they were full with so many emotions that I myself was overwhelmed. There was anger, sorrow, disbelieve and much more. He didn't say anything, he just came to me and silently handed me the journal. But in place of taking it I grabbed his hand and pushed him towards my car. He followed me just as silently, it scared me how lifeless he was, there right in front of me was not the Damon Salvatore I have read and talked with. It made my heart ache with unknown feeling and I just couldn't leave him like that. In ten minutes we were in the graveyard.
"Follow me please." he didn't say anything but got out of the car and was behind me on my way to the crypt. After opening the secret passage I led him in the library. Even if he was looking around the real crypt he was somehow not there with me. His mind was miles or decades in the past. He sat on one of the chairs and I went to my uncle's bar and took a good bottle of bourbon with two glasses. I sat next to him and filled each of us some of the alcohol. I knew that he would talk if he wanted to and till then I would just stay there and drink with him. I'm not sure how long we were there but he was just sitting, unmoving, eyes somewhere looking, only refilling his glass.
"Emma? Where are you?" asked worried Bonnie when I answered her call. There I saw that we have been in the crypt for few hours.
"I'm skipping today, Bon. Will talk to you later."
"Okay be careful." when I put my phone back in my bag I saw that Damon was on his feet and was looking around the library.
"Your ancestor's journal made a mistake." he finally said and I was surprised by how low his voice was.
"They might be wrong, yes." I said even if I had no doubt in the accuracy of the information. If I was in his place I would not want to believe it till I saw it with my own eyes as well.
"She is there." he said maybe more to himself then to me.
"There is only one way to find out." I said and he for the first time in hours looked me in the eyes, almost pleading me to say that it was all a joke and she was inside. Damon was now behind the bar rummaging to see the collection of blood and alcohol there. He came up with one blood bag and cocked an eyebrow in my direction. Humor seeping through his blue orbs. Thank God he was coming back to normal.
"Jack is very hospitable to all the guests here." I said and he cracked a smirk making me so happy about this little gesture.
"Your uncle is something else." he chuckled and I nodded.
"Well we are family. This gene didn't skipped any of us." I said while he took his place sipping on the blood bag
"What's with this place?" he asked and I smiled starting my explanation. He would crack a joke or make sarcastic comment on how here peace was made or war broke loose. With each passing minute he was becoming more and more himself.
"Where were you the past two days?" I asked seeing the opportunity and taking it.
"What? You were worried about me?" he asked wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. I rolled my eyes and cursed the blush that crept on my cheeks which made him extremely amused. Tche.
"Yes I was worried." I answered sincerely and that surprised him but hid it quickly.
"Why?"
"Believe it or not, Damon, I want to be friends, I don't know what you understand when you think of this word but for me it's someone that worries about their friend." I said and he regarded me with unreadable expression.
"You want to be friends?" I nodded. "You are either stupid or have no self preservation, kitten." even if he said it like that I could still see it in his expression that he no matter how much denied it, he would like that. So I just grinned in returned feeling very much accomplished. He saw my reaction and just signed shaking his head and acted tired even if the amusement was obvious.
"I was out of town." Damon finally decided to answer my previous question. Something flashed in his eyes and I knew that it was because of what was written in the journal. "Let's say that I was not in the mood for keeping our deal, so I choose to work out some stress far away from here." he said and he knew that I understood what he meant. He had gone and probably killed who knows how many people. Damon waited for my reaction thinking I would explode and accuse him sor it.
"You okay now?" I asked instead. And this time he didn't bother hiding his surprise by my respond. "A thing you should know, I don't judge my friends, I understand why you did it, you are a vampire that's what you do when you really have to or want to. Even if I can't be okay with it I will never judge you, Damon." for some time he just stared at me probably trying to understand me or figure me out. In the end he chuckled, shook his hand and said while half smirking half smiling.
"I might like this friendship thingy, kitten." I laughed at his words and he continue. "So are we gonna share secrets? Ohh! What about sleepovers? I have to warn you I sleep naked." he said wiggling his brows and looking extremely amused. I once again rolled my eyes and couldn't stopped my grin. Idiot. A perverted idiot.
"How about this, because I skipped school for you, you will buy me lots of food and we can share secrets?" I winked.
"I like how you think, Emma Castor! But my place is so much more comfortable, and don't tell your uncle but my booze is way better." he said seriously and I was shaking with laughter.
Half an hour later we were in the boarding house, I was sitting on one end of the big sofa food surrounding me, while Damon was on the other end with drink in his hand. From then on I would share a story and then he would do the same in return. I was amazed by the numerous placed he had seen, the changes that happened around him. He didn't skipped the many escapades with the opposite gander and the killing sprees. Maybe he saw that I really didn't judged him and it was so easy for him to talk with me.
A few hours have past and we were now in the Salvatore's study room, I was looking around while Damon sat behind the bureau with his legs on it, following my every move.
"This was my father's place. He preferred it more then me." I was startled that he would tell me something personal about his life before he turned because all the previous things were when he was a vampire. "I wasn't allowed here, only Stefan, being his favorite son, the pride of the Salvatore family." he said and even if his voice held no emotion I knew that after so many years it still hurt him. "I would have given everything to see his face when the same son shot him death." at that I turned towards him surprised not knowing anything about it. I came towards him and sat on the desk next to his legs listening to him telling me about his father, mother and how close he and Stefan were when still human. I haven't had noticed but my hand was on one of his legs from time to time squeezing it reassuringly when I though he needed it or he stopped drowning in his memories. There were moments that I could see it in his face, he was wondering why he was telling my all that but then he would search my eyes looking for something then his gaze would travel to my hand and he would continue.
He would stay silent for long while and I would say something about myself. I would share with him how all my life my parents were never there, how they both were too busy probably solving supernatural disputes around the world to remember that they had me. I even told him about the depression I fell in after their death, Jack and I couldn't even organize a real funeral because no one could find their bodies. When I started to tell him how I made an attempt to kill myself he was right next to me, still sitting on his chair but now very close, his left hand was playing with my right one, tangling and untangling our fingers. If I wasn't so lost in that memory I would probably be blushing in embarrassment of the gentle supporting and so personal gesture from the same vampire that told me he had an orgy in the middle of a desert.
"It was at the anniversary of their death, I was walking home but in the last moment decided to go to Wickery bridge, I stayed there for some time wondering if the pain would stop if I just ended it all." his hand squeezed mine, his eyes burning looking at mine. "I climbed over it and looked down at the water, I can't swim so I knew that it would have been effective. I could see my reflection and I really wanted to just jump and be done with it but I got scared and didn't do it. On my way to our house I was so mad at myself, I couldn't do anything, I was a coward. That's when, passing by one street, I saw in the dark a man sucking dry the blood of a girl. He noticed me and attacked me." Damon tensed at that and his eyes hardened. "Jack was able to save me, but what shook my entire being was that not more then ten minutes before that I wanted to end my life but when the vampire was on the verge of killing me there was nothing more that I wanted then to survive." there was silence after that we both didn't know what to say. Finally Damon asked me.
"What happened after that, kitten?"
"Nothing, I didn't tell Jack, I didn't tell Bonnie, you are the only one that knows this, Damon." his eyes flashed with surprised but there was something else as well, satisfaction?
"It was the Founder's Ball when I understood that I wasn't the only one that Katherine was interested in..." I don't know what made him trust me with this but one thing was sure - I was probably the only one that would hear his story with her. The entire one.
I knew about some things but the way he said it, the way he remembered it so vibrantly it made my skin crow. He confided in how he met her, how he fell in love with her, how he knew that she was with his brother as well but he loved her so much that he couldn't let her go. He saw that she could be manipulative and cold but she was different, dangerous, free and full of secrets and he couldn't stay away from her. He shared how she compelled Stefan but she never did it to him. Then he told me about how the council found out everything and how she was locked in the tomb with the rest of the vampires that weren't killed in place.
"I still didn't knew that she was alive and when I woke up in transformation I didn't want to live forever without her but Stefan had already completed it and he made me drink blood. And because he took away my choice I promised him an eternity of misery." when he finished his eyes were cold and I understood why he despised his brother so much, I really got it.
"That wasn't fair of him to do." I said anger seeping through my voice and he was surprised that I was in reality on his side. "I understand where you came from Damon, and even if I think that family should always come before the affection of a woman and I don't agree that you fought over her, I understand."
From then we once again changed rooms and now we were in their library andDamon was drinking blood, from where I didn't asked because I believed that he would keep his promise. It was around seven in the evening, I have stayed for the entire day and it felt amazing to find out so much about this one of a kind vampire. Maybe it was the Castor blood speaking in me but I loved how he could confide in me. Who knows maybe my family did have some kind of power to make people share their secrets with them.
Damon was just telling me about his escapades during the 1920s when Stefan came out of nowhere with a shock written all over his face.
"Emma? W-what are you doing here? Is this where you have been all day?" he asked astonished seeing how relaxed both me and Damon were around each other.
"Oh come on, dear brother, don't kill our buzz with your brooding." the older Salvatore said with his signature smirk in place. I saw that once his brother came in the room the openness that I felt about him was no longer there. In place was the mischievous Damon that was to no good. On one hand it made me sad that he distanced himself from his brother but on the other I secretly liked that he was like that only with me.
"Damon, do you know what you did to Elena?" it was the topic that we didn't talked about so when I saw his eyes sparing me a glance for a second I wasn't sure what he would say next.
"Relax, Stefan. There is no need to be jealous, keep Elena I really don't see the appeal, yes she looks like Katherine but anything else...just boring. Hey you are perfect for each other." the surprise written all over Stefan was evident. He had told me a while ago that he was concerned that Damon would go after Elena just to make him miserable, even if their first and only interaction was last night. We both knew that Damon was telling the true because if he was going to make a move on Elena he would have long ago started. What caught my attention was that even if Stefan was now relieved he was looking at me with concern.
"I have to agree with Damon here, Stefan." both brothers stared at me not believing that I was taking in deed Damon's side. "I see nothing wrong on spending the day with Damon, we are friends and he decided to keep me company because I didn't feel like going to school today." with that I was on my feet having enough of both of them and I really needed to catch up with my sleep.
"I have to go now, boys. I'll see you tomorrow at school, Stefan." I waved at the younger brother both following me towards the exit. "I'll talked to you later, Damon." I smiled at him and without thinking much about it went and hugged him. It took him few seconds to get over the shock, I'm sure, and to let his hands snake around my waist. When I pulled away, Stefan's mouth was hanging open and Damon had a small smile on his face which quickly turned in a satisfied smirk eager to rub that in Stefan's face. Idiot.
"Kitten." he winked.
"Damon." I winked back.
"Should I be worried that the school called me and said that you weren't to any of your classes?" asked Jack while I cooked dinner and he prepared the table.
"Not really." I answered.
"Let me guess, something supernatural?"
"Damon." at that he looked at me sharply gaping at my direction. There was a pause and soon a big grin graced his face.
"Damon? Damon Salvatore? You lucky girl!" he exclaimed. Yep the fan girl in him was in full mode. He likes vampires, I'm not sure when or how but he has a few that are his friends, he talks about them non stop. So when I got the opportunity to befriend Stefan he was all for it. Imagine when I told him that all day I was with Damon. He has that fascination with them and there knowledge. That's my uncle for you. We talked for a little but we were interrupted by Bonnie and Jeremy that barged in the room.
"Are you out of your mind?"
"You spend an entire day with emotionless vampire."
"Worse! What do you mean you are friends now?"
"Does he even know what friendship means? Like the basic, don't eat my neighbors or something?"
They continue to ramble for few more minutes, while me and Jack ate our food. What can I say, it wasn't the first time that happened and it won't be the last and I hate reheating my dinner.
"Okay okay guys, calm down, please. We have some more of the pasta if you want sit down we will eat and then I will tell you all about it? Yes?" Jeremy didn't waste any time and took the big plate full with said pasta. Bonnie rolled her eyes but she soon caved in and joined us. That guys, are my best friends, you would think at their home no one cooks. We were on the desert, a.k.a ice cream, they listened what happened today but I was brief on what exactly me and Damon talked about. I knew that what he shared with me was only between us two so I had no right to tell them.
Bonnie wasn't at all pleased but I convinced her that he would not hurt me and when I was as sure as to say that she knew that I had it all under control. Both didn't very well understood why I wanted to be friends with Damon, but they respected it, not before saying some threats towards his.
"He does something I'll vervain his ass." Jeremy.
"He steps over the line and I'll make his blood boil." Bonnie.
For the rest of the dinner they caught me up on what happened in school. Care was going out with Matt, Tyler had an almost fight with Stefan, Elena had somehow been always near Stefan, which Bonnie commented that he was very happy about.
The next day school went fast, on my way out in the parking I saw Damon leaning on his Camaro and looking right at me. I went to him with a smile on my face and didn't let him say anything surprising him by hugging him.
"Hey. What are you doing here?" I asked after his arms finally let me go, he had his signature smirk on, noticing the many stares everyone was giving us. High School gossips. On my far right I saw Care, Matt, Stefan, Elena and Bonnie looking at us surprised, I told them all that Damon was my friend because I was sure that he would show up to stir problems just for the fun of it.
"Next Friday is the Founder's Ball, and we being part of the founding families have to be present, so I thought, who would be better then kitten to accompany me?" he winked and I laughed.
"Damon Salvatore, are you asking me to go to the ball as your date?" I winked back faking surprise. On the inside I was in deed surprised, not expecting it.
"Yes, I do. So, kitten, is that a yes?" he asked acting all innocent and nervous. It was amazing how by spending yesterday with him things have changed so drastically.
"I would be honored, mr. Salvatore." I agreed and he chuckled at my cheekiness.
"Excellent. I will come and pick you up at six." I nodded and he opened his car searched for something and when he found it he hid it behind his back. "It's not exactly a replacement, but it is something." then he took my hand and placed in it my favorite chocolate. He must have remembered from when I told him all about my most loved sweets! I was surprised by this and that's when my brain understood what he meant. He was talking about my ice cream. That made me laugh and squeal in the same time.
"I love it! Thank you, Damon." I said hugging him again feeling his chest rumbling while chuckling at my reaction. Hey I like sweets. Don't judge. "We will have a movie marathon and you will buy a lot of ice cream! That's a promise." I said and he wiggled him brows agreeing.
When he left I was bombarded with questions, mainly by Caroline. So I told them that we were going to the ball as friends and that he gave me the chocolate because he ruined my last one. Care was taking everything out of proportion, Elena wasn't so sure about it, the memory of their last meeting still fresh in her head, Bonnie was just shaking her head knowing that I loved my sweets and whatever any of them said it wouldn't matter. Stefan was regarding me curiously. Not quiet believing that Damon, his brother was acting like that around me. Suck it, Salvatore, we are friends.
Before parting ways, all the girls decided to have a sleep over the night before the ball, then go together to school and return at Elena's to get ready.
The next day after school Bonnie an I went to see her Grams, Bon wanted to keep her informed with all that was happening in Mystic Falls and she wasn't at all trilled with the plan of opening that tomb. I was surprised when Bonnie didn't let me explain our reasons and talked instead. Sheila soon saw that her granddaughter was sure of what she was doing and decided to let us do it our way. As a witch it was extremely hard for her to understand my reasons, and if it was her she would have killed both Salvatores by now. It was good thing that Bonnie was friends with Stefan now and I knew that she was on my side and not on the judgmental old believes.
The week passed quickly, Jer, Jack and I trained every night, I was there when Bonnie practiced her magic, Care called me non stop to gush about how amazing and loving Matt was. Elena would come some of the mornings to eat breakfast at my place and we would talk about supernatural … stuff. She was getting used to it, I was sure that the lack of dead bodies was helping and that Stefan was in deed amazing person. At this stage they were still getting to know each other, and she was happy how things were going. She hasn't had any contact with Damon and that just proved to me that he was really not interested in her.
Because I liked to walk from school to my house after classes, Stefan had came two times just so we could talk. He often mentioned his friend Lexi and it was nice how he was okay to share with me some of his stories. He talked about Damon too, how he have been having almost every night a different girl. Stefan would complain about the noise but at the same time he was glad that each time he would send them away, alive and compelled to stay home until the vampire blood in them was non existent.
About Damon himself, we have been talking on the phone a lot, he would come some times to walk with me afterschool, and most of the times we discussed stupid things or he would just call me in the middle of the night for the fun of it. Just like me, he was busy but with taking part of the secret council, he had won them over and like that was diverting the attention and suspicion from him and Stefan. Jack and Zach were the ones to guarantee about him and so now he was making Sheriff Forbes trust him. It was funny how we talked for hours about our schemes and what not.
The whole plan to open the tomb escaped my mind but it quickly returned two days before the Founding Ball. That's when mr. Tanner was killed and we found out that the Salvatores weren't the only vampires in Mystic Falls.
Hey everyone!
Damon has a new bff! I like writing how those to interact, I know that not a lot of major stuff happened but I really wanted to pay some attention to the two main characters. It's hard to keep everything else going as well, especially when I have changed almost everything. But I promise a lot of action will be seen next time so don't worry! Oh and thank you so much for the support, it motivates me to no end.
Till next chapter,
Felly!
