Chapter Four: Vodka and Rowing Boats

Elena woke up alone the next morning. She must have fallen asleep. She mentally thanked Damon for not staying after that. It would have been hard to explain that situation when Stefan showed up on the doorstep!

She poured herself a glass of lemonade. It was the hottest day of the year so far, but it was nothing compared to the way she'd felt last night. That reminded her, she scrawled bourbon on the grocery list.
"Morning Elena." Said Jeremy, jumping down the stairs. "Going out with Stefan?" He asked, curiously.
"How can you tell?" She asked, slightly annoyed. It seemed every guy could see straight through her these days.
"Well, a) you look pretty and b) you spent the whole night with Damon so…" He grinned mischievously as he finished.
"You heard all that?" She asked, shocked. This was the last thing she needed.
"Not all of it – mostly the slushy chocolate part."
"Really? What exactly did you hear?"
"Don't worry, Elena. My lips are sealed." He smiled. He loved to tease Elena, especially when it came to the Salvatore's.

There was a knock at the door.
"Get that for me, Jere, will you?" She pleaded, hoisting her brown leather bag onto her shoulder and desperately stuffing her keys, phone and wallet in there too.
"Stefan's here!" He called, a moment later.
Elena raced around the corner, eager to see him after the doubts of last night.
"Stefan!" She smiled, cruising into his arms. "…and Damon?" She squinted, in disbelief. Sure enough, leaning against Stefan's silver Sudan was the other Salvatore brother.
"Yeah, sorry about that," said Stefan, apologetically. He held her back to look at her – for him too it felt like too long since they'd been together. "He kind of… followed me out the door."
"Oh, right." Said Elena through gritted teeth, this wasn't going to be easy.
"Look, I know you two don't always see eye to eye… but he's really making an effort, these days. Give him a chance, for me?" He pleaded, brushing a strand of hair from Elena's face. Sure, Elena wanted to avoid Damon today – but it wasn't because they didn't get along. The opposite in fact!
"Fine, I'll try." She pouted.
"Great. Caroline called, we're off to the Lake." He beamed, picking her up as if it were nothing and slinging her over one shoulder.
"Hey!" called Jeremy after them, "You just be careful with her, alright?" He said, sternly. Elena couldn't help but smile.
"Of course!" Assured Stefan, "I'll return her in one piece – you have my word."
Huh, thought Elena. The outside of her might appear intact at the end of this, but she would have bet her last dollar her heart wouldn't be looking so slick.

"Yay! They're here!" shouted Caroline. Tyler was down by the lake shore, checking out the old rowing boats. His excitable girlfriend, however, bounded towards the car – stopping violently short when she spotted who was riding shotgun.
"Damon." She said, unimpressed. The wheels rolled to a halt and the trio slid out of the car.
"Caroline!" beamed Elena, wrapping her arms around her friend's slim frame. "How are you doing?"
"I'm going for a date with Klaus," said Caroline, "I'm not on death row!" She broke into a smile and the two linked arms. "Tyler's trying to fix up the old boats." She said, leading Elena down to the shore. When they were safely out of earshot, which was some distance considered who Elena's boyfriends were, she hissed into Elena's ear:
"When I gave you the option of Stefan or Damon, I didn't think you'd bring both of them!"
"Oh come on, Caroline!" moaned Elena, "If you have the open mind to accept to Klaus then you can give Damon another chance, can't you?"
"Yeah, I gave him another chance." She snapped, "And he tried to stake me."
"Well, just ignore him then." Resolved Elena.

"Who's for a drink?" hollered Damon, waving a bottle of vodka high in the air.
"Ooh, yes please!" smiled Caroline. Amazing what alcohol can do, thought Elena. She continued walking down to the shore, where she met Tyler on his way back up.
"Hey Elena," He greeted, ruffling his dark hair.
"Hi Tyler. So, are the boats ship-shape?" She grinned, stuffing her hands into her short pockets.
"Looks like it, but I wouldn't worry about it." He shrugged, "None of us are going to drown, and I'm sure your vampire boyfriend would be more than happy to save you as well." He joked, kicking a pebble with his sneaker.
"Tyler, can I ask you something?" She said, seriously.
"Sure." He and Elena had never been very close, but he knew he could trust her – she was Caroline's friend after all.
"What do you think of this whole Caroline-Klaus thing?"
"Oh," he said, taken by surprise. "I'm not cool with it actually. I mean, I know it's for Stefan and all and he's some kind of Saint to you guys, but Caroline's my girl… I'm not all that happy to have that Original strutting his cars and his Mansions and his money trying to impress her."
"Tyler," she said, "I wouldn't worry if that's all Klaus has to offer. Caroline's not THAT shallow." She laughed and he joined her, though how much of it was real, she wasn't sure.

When they made it to the top of the hill, Caroline had already stripped down to a bikini and Stefan discarded his shirt. This recklessness surprised Elena, he was usually so reserved!
"No pressure, Tyler!" giggled Caroline, pointing to Stefan's sculpted torso. While Tyler and Caroline bickered, Elena found herself beside Damon.
"You not willing to bare all?" She asked, out of curiosity… not longing, before you say anything.
"No, I just like to let the little boys warm up for me… before the main event." He winked, back to his usual, smug self.
"Nice to know." She said, trying very hard not to picture him shirtless. To distract herself, she poured a shot of vodka and downed it.
"So, who's ready to go on the Lake?" asked Tyler, now also shirtless. He piggy-backed Caroline all the way down the hill to the pebbly beach and tossed her into a rickety old, olive green boat. "Come on then, Tyler!" She squealed, as he pushed her out onto the calm water. Ah… calm wasn't a word our Caroline was used to. Tyler hopped aboard, grabbing two small oars as he went. He began rowing out towards the middle of the lake.
"Elena?" asked Stefan, cocking his head in the direction of the lake. She smiled eagerly and slipped her skirt and top off. Beneath them was a navy striped bikini. "You don't mind, do you Damon?" asked Stefan.
"Not at all, brother." He replied, struggling to take his eyes off of Elena's tanned body. Stefan grabbed Elena's hand and they raced off to the boats. She clambered in and they were off, trailing Caroline and Tyler.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" smiled Elena, taking in the abundance of plants and animal life around them.
"Yeah… Damon and I used to play here during the summer."
"Really?" said Elena, surprised. It was hard to relate to a time so long ago.
"There's a dance at the Lockwood Mansion on Thursday," he informed her. "It's another Founder's convention I think."
"God, it seems ages since the last one," she thought – so much had happened over the past few weeks.
"Yeah…" he said, rowing in a steady rhythm. Elena tried to spot the car on the hilltops, but it was nowhere to be seen. Her eyes turned to her ship mate and found he was already staring at her.
"What?" she asked, becoming self-conscious.
"Nothing." He smiled to himself. "I was just wondering whether you wanted to go to the dance with me." He said, staring deep into her eyes. It was too intense for her and she looked away. In the other boat, Caroline and Tyler seemed to be having a lot more fun.
"Stefan…" she said, hesitantly. Sensing a rejection, he quickly said:
"I understand. If you don't want to go, that's fine." He was just a tad disappointed. It would have been the first time they'd gone out together since… well, since Klaus's ripper affair.
"No, Stefan…" she sighed, this wasn't going to be easy. "After everything with," Ugh, the look on his face was killing her! "with Damon. I mean, I can't decide now and it's not fair…" she pleaded.
"Oh, right. Yes, of course. I shouldn't have put you on the spot like that." He said, looking down. He hadn't realised that was how she felt.
"Why are you so good to me?" asked Elena, almost to herself. She stroked her hand across Stefan's cheek. He stopped rowing and pulled her in for a hug as the boat drifted back to shore.

Back on dry land, Damon was watching everything below. Huh, how was that fair? He spent pretty much every night JUST TALKING to a girl and he didn't even get to be her sole comfort in a metaphorical haunted house! And there his brother was, after putting her through hell for weeks, rowing a stupid little boat and he gets a full on hug. Damon had to be literally DYING to get that sort of treatment. I mean, who was he kidding? He'd never win this battle. He was always second best to beloved little Stefan. He was second best for his father, he was second best with Katherine… he was foolish to think it would be any different with Elena.

Well, he wasn't just going to stand there and watch them. He whipped out his phone and left Elena a text for later:

NEW MESSAGE
To: Elena
Time: 12:24
Message:
Going to get some things for later. Be back soon; don't start the ghost stories without me ;)

SEND.
Great, now to get himself out of there for an hour or two… He hadn't expected a day out with Elena and Stefan to be this much torment.

A few minutes later, Caroline and Tyler were stretched out on the hilltop – over with the rowing for one day. Tyler was preoccupied watching two swans on the lake, taking pictures with his phone, when Caroline heard something faintly buzzing. At first she thought it was a bee, but then Elena's bag started to vibrate and she knew better. Carefully, she slid her hand under and flap and pulled out the smooth flat object.
Elena didn't have a password for her phone… she was way too trusting for that. So Caroline just went straight in and read her new message.

Message Received at 12:24
Damon said:
Going to get some things for later. Be back soon; don't start the ghost stories without me ;)

Huh, Damon was gone. She hadn't even noticed. Without meaning to (or that's what she told herself) she flicked up to see a whole cluster of messages from Damon. Well, aren't these two cosy? She thought. So Elena's doing both the brother's at once, was she? Apparently so, thought Caroline, as the girl was down there snuggling up to Stefan and she was looking at proof that Elena had invited DAMON into her BEDROOM just LAST NIGHT! What the heck was wrong with her friend these days?

Caroline had obviously been gasping out loud, as Tyler rolled over and kissed her shoulder.
"Whose is that?" He asked, nodding towards the phone.
"Oh, it's just Elena's." explained his girlfriend, stuffing it back in the bag.
"So…? What were you doing with it?" He asked. Sometimes he couldn't believe how sneaking Caroline could be.
"She had a text – I was just making it stop buzzing." She replied, innocently.
"Oh right." Said Tyler, not believing her for a second. Oh well, it was too hot to argue. "Hey, Care, where's Damon gone?" He asked.
"I think he's gone to get some stuff for later, I'm not sure what."
"Oh, OK." Said Tyler, "So, he's not lurking round here somewhere is he?" He double-checked.
"Nope." Confirmed Caroline, spotting the look in Tyler's eye.
"Well, we're in the woods… alone… I think I'll just have to take advantage of that situation, Caroline." He smiled, seductively and leaned in to kiss her.

Finally, Elena and Stefan's boat ground to a halt on the shingle.
"That was fun, thanks Stefan." Smiled Elena, taking his hand as they climbed back up. They spotted the tangled passionate mess of Caroline and Tyler in time to avoid that situation, thankfully. Stefan alternatively led her towards the old boathouse.
The door creaked open, a field mouse darted out making Elena jump. She calmed her pummelling heart as he led her into the semi-darkness.
"Wow," said Elena, "This place is…" but words failed her. Spiders bigger than any Elena had ever seen hung upside down from the ceiling and it was clear that there'd been a cat fight not long ago… what was more, a large black crow was perched at one of the high windows, its beady eyes watching Elena's every move, or so she thought.
Stefan sat her down on a steel runner, one which had previously been used for quite a sizeable boat, thought Elena. But she didn't have time to wonder about that now… Stefan had his brooding face on.
"Elena, I've been thinking…" he began, lacing his fingers through hers – was it her, or did the crow shift as he did that? No, it couldn't have – "about this whole situation between me, you and Damon."
"Oh yeah…?" asked Elena, swallowing – trying to prepare for what lay ahead in this conversation.
"Well, I just wanted to let you know… if there's ANYTHING I can do to… uh, help you make your decision, you just let me know, OK?" He looked her imploringly. She took a deep breath. It was now or never…
"Stefan, I've already made my decision." She said, his eyes widening. "I suppose, I made it a long ago," she went on, "and recent-" she stopped abruptly, the crow catching her by surprise by swooping right for her. She ducked, but in the nick of time it arced upward and flew towards the back of the boathouse.
"Well, fancy seeing you two here." Said a voice from the shadows. "Elena," he said, almost angrily as he stepped forward into the light. "Brother." Damon stood there, visible only in a stream of light, shirtless with the great, black crow perched on his shoulder.