"I want her to suffer."
Elena blinked as she heard Damon's murmuring from behind her and turned slightly to see him. He was staring thoughtfully at the shiny silver tip of a dart, rolling it slowly between his fingers, letting the sunlight that filtered through the mansion windows glint off of it menacingly. He mumbled again and this time Elena couldn't make out what he said. The only thing she heard coherently was the sound of the dart sticking into the board at the other end of the room.
"Where's your brother?" Elena snorted.
"Why? So you can snap his neck again?" Damon rolled his eyes.
"C'mon, 'Lena. I apologized." She turned back in her seat, giving him a look from hell.
"Right. I'm just supposed to forgive you for killing my little brother and keep right on truckin'." Her reply, of course, was cynical. He couldn't help but smirk.
"It would be the good thing to do." He gave a chance at throwing in some pleading looks. It didn't work.
"Right now I don't think you'd know good if it were to hit you in the face, Damon," she grumbled, gritting her jaw to suppress her anger. She turned away from him, crossing her arms on her chest and looking at the door to the study, waiting for Stefan. Damon proceeded with his game, nailing darts into the round board fifteen feet away.
"You know, Elena, I really do want to apologize for that whole thing with Jeremy," he tried. Elena rose a hand.
"Don't even try. I'm not really too happy to be in the same room with you, Damon." He rose up both hands in surrender. Not to wake a sleeping giant he couldn't even overcome.
Stefan walked in from the kitchen, looking to his brother. He'd more than likely heard the entire conversation, but there was nothing to say.
"When was Katherine here, Damon?" His brother shrugged.
"I dunno." Damon's face screwed in thought. "Two-ish, I'd say. Longest hour of my life, to say the least." Elena glanced to the clock standing in the corner and frowned.
"Crap," she mumbled, unfurling her feet from underneath her. "I told Jenna I'd be home by five. It's almost six." She started to grab her things from the couch and across the room, the Brothers were having a silent discussion over her leaving. They didn't trust her being alone. It seemed to most dangerous thing they could let her do.
"I don't think that's such a good idea, Elena," Damon spoke up, turning his gaze to the girl as she started for the door. Sighing in annoyance, she turned, phone and jacket in hand.
"Not really your decision, Damon," she mumbled, moving to give Stefan a quick kiss on the cheek. Elena quickly flipped through her phone as she picked up the keys from the entry table, surprised that Jenna hadn't called or text her; the only message was from Bonnie a few minutes ago about a biology test next week.
"I think Damon's right for once," Stefan chimed in. Elena turned back around, her wide eyes dancing between the Brothers.
"She's not going to hurt me," she answered flatly, dully, as if it was a no-brainer on what her doppleganger wouldn't do.
"You don't know that," Damon spoke again, crossing his arms. "She could snap your neck like a stick."
"You two need to figure out something and I'm not doing any good besides being in the way."
"Sitting and looking pretty is hardly 'in the way.'" Damon grinned. Elena shrugged, pulling her jacket on and stuffing her phone in her pocket. Two pairs of eyes silently watched her every move. She knew she wasn't going anywhere from the dark brow on Damon's skull that screamed "are you nuts?" and Stefan's stern stare that accompanied it. No one spoke or moved until she raised her hands. She told herself there was no use in denying their wisdom. They knew Katherine better than she did. In more ways than one. And not to mention the good hundred and a half or so years that they had on her.
"Can I at least get some things from home if you're going to make me stay here?" Stefan appeared next to her, pulling the keys from her hand before she had the chance to think. But she stopped him and began to take them back, smiling pleasantly.
"I'm a big girl. I can go by myself," she grinned proudly, those chestnut-brown eyes powerful but warm. "I'll be fine." He watched her for a moment before nodding and letting her kiss his cheek.
"Be. Careful," he slowly let go of the keys.
"Always," she smiled again, pecking her lover quickly on the lips and turning for the door.
