When All is Said and Done

Chapter 6

Elena sighed as she set two other plates on her family dinner table. Her dad rarely had company over, but today was not one of those days. Today they had not only one, but two guest over and Elena was just barely getting the table ready. She still had to get dressed in the appropriate attire and that was always a pain in the ass to deal with. She always hated getting dressed like a girl and today was one of those many days that she did.

After she got the rest of the table set up she went to her room. While she was naked she had a really sneaky suspicion that someone was watching her, but when she looked out the window no one seemed to be there. Elena sighed. She was being paranoid. She guessed that was a downside to having an FBI agent as a father.

She went to her window and closed the curtains walking towards her closet to pick out the perfect outfit. Elena smiled as she picked out one of her favorite outfits. Her aunt had bought it for her, but she never really wore it because she never felt confident enough to. Hell she didn't even feel confident enough in the clothes she wore every single day. She wasn't the type of girl who felt confident about those type of things, but for her dad and the agency she would be willing to pull it off for the night.

As soon as she put on she automatically smiled. The outfit was amazing with a deep purple shirt made of satin and a white blazer that hugged the curves that she forgot she had underneath those baggy sweatshirts she always wore. Her dark jeans hugged the rest of her curves and she had to admit that her black boots was a nice way to put it together.

Elena sighed and made her way downstairs where she saw her father with two people. One was detective Filson and the other one was a woman that Elena had never seen before, but she was looking very affectionately at his father. She wondered what was going on there. Not that she would get anywhere with her dad. Her dad would never love anyone besides her mom no matter how much time had passed.

Elena politely said hello to the detective and turned to the other woman.

"And you are?"

Before the woman could answer her dad answered for her.

"Elena, this is Lauren. She's a fellow coworker of mine. I really wanted you to meet her tonight."

Elena nodded and smiled at Lauren. At least she was just a coworker.

After they exchanged more polite hellos, they all made their way to the table. Elena placed the fried eggplant in her mouth and smiled. She always loved her dad's cooking. Especially when it was one of her mom's recipes. They had been the perfect couple when her mother was alive, she just wished she could find that kind of love somewhere. Hopefully one day she would.

"So Elena, Have you found anything else out about Damon Salvatore?"

Elena looked up and sighed. She knew she had a job to do, but so far she had no real luck.

"Besides the fact that he may be just like every other hormonal teenager in existence. No I haven't really found anything out. He's really not that easy to crack."

"But I'm sure you will honey." Her dad said patting her shoulder.

Detective Filson sighed cleaning off his plate and grabbing his coat.

"Well thank you for dinner Greyson. I should get going though. Elena call me if you figure something else out."

"Yes sir."

He smiled and went out the door as she turned to her dad and Lauren. She wondered what Lauren was still doing here if they were done taking about work for the night.

"Well I should probably do some homework." Elena said trying to stand up.

"Elena wait. Sit back down there's something I or rather we would like to tell you."

Elena nodded not trusting her voice and sat back down.

"What's this about?"

"Well I didn't want to tell you this until I knew it was a sure thing, but Elena this is Lauren. We've been dating for the past year and I didn't want her to meet you until I knew for sure I was ready to take that next step."

Elena looked at her dad with disbelief. Her dad was with someone besides her mom. No. This couldn't be happening.

"What are you talking about?" Elena said trying to keep her voice calm.

"Well I've asked Lauren to move in with us and she's said yes."

Elena couldn't believe this was happening. It was like she was stuck in a really big nightmare. This couldn't be happening not to her.

As if this news wasn't bad enough Lauren stepped closer to her in a comforting gesture.

"Listen Elena I know this is hard for you and I know I can't replace your mom, but I hope we can become closer through this."

When Lauren tried to hug her Elena shoved her away.

"Elena!" her dad yelled.

"No dad, for once you really fucked up this time. I can't believe you would do this to me and mom."

"Your mom is dead Elena. It's time you learned to accept that."

Elena's mouth gaped open as she took a step back.

"Elena- I-"

"Don't I can;t. I can't be here anymore."

Before her father or Lauren could say anything, Elena was out the door.

Tears streamed down Elena's face as she walked the streets of Mystic Falls. She didn't know where she was going, but anything would be better than being at home with her dad and the woman he expected to be her mother in law, but that wouldn't fly well with her. Not this time. She was hardly paying attention that she was startled when she bumped into someone.

"Oh, I'm so sorry."

"Elena.-"

Elena looked up shocked at who she was looking at. Damon Salvatore stood there in the flesh and while she was supposed to be strong in front of him she couldn't be while her face was full of snot and tears. So not attractive.

She sighed and wiped away the snot and tears off her face and looked at him in the eye. She so didn't want to see him right now. What was he even doing out here to begin with?

"Are you okay?" he said looking concerned.

"I can ask you the same thing. What are you doing out here?"

"Not fair I asked you first."

She laughed. It was the first genuine one she had done in days.

"Fine. I guess it's only fair. Ugh. Me and my dad got into a fight."

"What about? If I may ask."

"I don't really wanna talk about it."

"It might make you feel better."

"How do you know if I'm even upset?"

"Because you're crying and you're way to pretty to cry."

Elena tried to smile, but it didn't really show.

"My dad has a girlfriend and he didn't even tell me about her. He didn't even ask me if it was okay if she moved in. I found out she was moving in tonight and I just exploded and just went for a walk and I ended up here with you."

"I'm sorry about that."

"It's stupid that I even overreacted to it."

"It's probably not stupid."

"You don't even know the whole situation."

"I know it's enough to make you cry."

Elena sighed and sat down. It was enough to make Damon sit down with her.

"When I was six years old, my mother and I went out for some ice cream. My mom had this thing where if it snowed here we would get ice cream, because ice cream was the best when it was cold, anyway we were on our way back from the ice cream and our car hit a patch of ice and went over the bridge. I survived because someone saw us go over, but my mother died before they got to her and my dad has been alone ever since. I don't know, I just thought he would never find anyone again. I thought she was his one true love."

Damon laid his hand on top of Elena's and she looked up surprised. His hand felt so warm in hers, but she wasn't really gonna worry about that now.

"I'm sorry about your mom Elena."

"Thank you. I don't know what's worse my dad moving on with Lauren or the fact that he told me my mother was dead and I should just accept that."

"He shouldn't have said that. You never get over the loss of someone you care about. I know I didn't."

"Who did you lose?"

Damon looked down and Elena felt bad.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pried."

"No, it's okay. I've just never really told a lot of people about this, but I've lost a couple of people in my life actually. I lost my mom in a drive by shooting when I was just a baby and just recently I lost someone close to me recently."

"I'm sorry about that."

"It's not your fault. How did they die?"

"A fire. She was still inside the house."

"I'm sorry."

Damon squeezed her hand.

"I'm sorry too."

Elena smiled as she stood up.

"I should probably get home."

Damon stood up.

"Let me walk you home. The streets of Mystic Falls must be dangerous at night."

"Please it's Mystic Falls nothing bad ever happens here."

"Still I would like to know that you got home safe."

Elena smiled and moved closer to Damon.

"I would like that."

He smiled back at her as they walked into the night just talking about life like they were old friends that had just found each other again. And that was the night she would never forget.