Title: A Summer Romance

Summary: "Summer romances end for all kinds of reasons. But when all is said and done, they have one thing in common: They are shooting stars-a spectacular moment of light in the heavens, a fleeting glimpse of eternity. And in a flash, they're gone."

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. No profit is being made from this work.

A/N: Your anger at Damon is only going to get worse this chapter but let's try to remember he's being surrounded by manipulation and lies. It's messing with his head and keeping him from seeing the obvious. Next chapter after a time jump, he'll get a chance to escape that and finally be able to find the light. Just a word of warning before you dive in.

The restaurant was crawling with people as Damon found a seat in a booth near the window. Trevor had text him asking to meet him here, at some college hangout. Ordering just bottled water, Damon relaxed in his seat and scoped out the room. College kids were huddled in small groups, writing down on papers, flipping through textbooks, and frantically speaking in hushed tones. It was mid-term season and it seemed the populous was effected.

He caught sight of a brunette huddled over a book, highlighting the worn words with ease. She chewed on her bottom lip as she scanned the words with a keen eye, her glasses slipping down her nose as she neared the end of the page. As he watched, his mind conjured up images of Elena doing this very thing; her legs propped up on his lap as she studied for her English midterm. She had always told him if she could afford college she would go for an English degree. Elena always dreamed of becoming a writer and with her imagination, Damon had all the faith that she could one day do it. As fantasy Elena studied, Damon would offer a game that involved removal of clothes to help her, and she would playfully laugh in agreement already leaning forward to kiss him. It was a beautiful fantasy. But it was just that: a fantasy, nothing more.

Movement in front of him caught his attention and he looked forward just in time to see Trevor sit down across from him, a stack full of papers to his left. "Damon," the gawky boy stated.

"Trevor." Damon nodded, his eyes intent on the papers. He folded his hands in front of him as he leaned over the table. "What have you found?"

"Not much I'm afraid. Your father is very careful to cover up his trail."

"Then what's all of this?" Damon gestured to the papers at Trevor's side.

Trevor's eyes brightened. "Oh these! I did find all the information that your father requested on Elena Gilbert and her family."

Damon's eyes hardened. So his father had been snooping. It wasn't much to go on. After all it made sense for his father to make sure Elena didn't have any ulterior motives. But Caroline's words still echoed through his mind. It was worth a look through.

"Find anything?"

Trevor shook his head. "I don't normally look through the documents besides a brief scan unless ordered to. But if you want…"

"No, no. It's fine. I'll look through them. Maybe I can find something you may have missed." As Trevor pushed the stack of papers towards Damon, Damon slipped an envelope full of money towards the investigator. "Thank you for your services."

"Anytime. If it's alright with you, I'll keep looking and see if there is anything else I can find."

Damon nodded, already thumbing through the papers in front of him. "It would mean a lot. Thank you, Trevor."

"No, thank you!" Trevor confessed. "I've been waiting for an opportunity like this."

With brows furrowed, Damon questioned, "Like what?"

But before he could get a response, Trevor stood and slung his messenger bag over his shoulder. "I'll be in touch." And without another word he was gone.

Downing his glass of water, Damon stood and threw money down on the table. He had a long night ahead of him. It was better if he got started sooner rather than later.

Hours later Damon stood in front of his fireplace with a glass of bourbon in his hand. The files Giuseppe had found on Elena gave way to nothing except the horrible financial situation her and her aunt were living in. They barely kept their heads above water and he had been the ignorant ass starting a fight with her because she needed to work.

She had kept him in the dark all summer at just how bad things were at home.

Then a thought resonated inside him, through his drunken stupor and into his consciousness. It wrapped around him, fueling that darkness that existed within him. The reasoning for Elena's departure made perfect sense. It also explained why she had resisted in telling him her real reasoning for leaving. He was disgusted with her and his father.

Giuseppe had offered her money and Elena had taken it.

All of his bottled up anger chose to release itself in that one moment as Damon through his glass tumbler into the flames. The fire exploded with the impact before settling back into its elegant dance. Far gone was the girl who had pushed aside his money because she wanted to earn her own way. The Elena who had walked out of his father's office was a girl he didn't know.

He would've fought for her. Why couldn't she have fought for him?

Damon heard the door clicking shut behind him and turned to see Katherine waving a key. "Your father gave it to me."

"Of course he did," Damon droned.

Her eyes danced around the room, taking in the shattered glass and the mess of papers that covered his floor. "Something wrong?"

"My whole existence."

Katherine placed her Louis Vuitton purse on the hardwood floor and walked towards him. "That doesn't seem very fair. You have me in your life now."

Damon scoffed. "Precisely my point."

She crossed her arms over her body, giving him ample view of her cleavage in her fitted purple dress that stopped mid-thigh and had a slit right in the center. "Just because she didn't care about you gives you no right to take it out on me."

"Excuse me?" Damon balked.

"The girl you were seeing before me. She left you, didn't she?"

Damon rolled his eyes and walked over to his decanter, pouring himself another drink. "I don't see how that is any of your business."

"Oh, it most certainly is. I don't want anything in the way of our marriage. Least of all a little townie slut who probably doesn't have to dimes to rub together."

He charged towards her, grabbing hold of Katherine's neck and pressing her against a nearby wall. "Don't you dare speak of her that way!"

"So, you loved her?" Katherine choked out, a smirk playing upon her lips. Damon released her and the brunette rubbed at her throat. "How quaint. Did you honestly think she would fit into this world, Damon?" She gestured around the lavish apartment. "She wouldn't last a day." Then she grew quiet and a mocking laugh shook her petite body. "Unless… of course, you were going to give it all up for her."

Damon stared at her hard. "I asked you once. I'm not going to ask you again."

"Oh, come on, Damon," Katherine urged. "What's a little conversation between two lovers?"

"Last time I checked we hadn't consummated this union," Damon pointed out.

Katherine stepped towards him, running her finger down his chest until she reached his jeans. She tugged on them and fluttered her long lashes up at him. "No time like the present."

Damon gripped hold of her chin as she swiftly slipped her hand underneath his jeans. "We will never be lovers."

As she squeezed hold of him, she whispered, "We'll see about that."

And he let himself be taken advantage of, giving into to what Katherine was offering. He had lost Elena—for good—why shouldn't he have some fun? He brought his lips to hers, roughly, as she pulled at his shirt, sending buttons scattering all across his floor. It was rough and animalistic and it quenched the pain in his chest at Elena's absence. He meant what he had said: He would never love her. Never could. Katherine Mikaelson represented everything materialistic and everything he hated about this class of women. But since he was being forced to take her hand, he might as well direct it to where he needed it most. And by her movements she knew exactly what she was doing.

It was a temporary reprieve but it felt good none the less.

Quietly as she could, Elena slipped out from underneath the motel covers. She looked back at the man laying haphazardly on the bed, his arm draped over her side, his eyes closed in sleep. He was handsome and kind but there was something missing that he could never replace. He wasn't Damon.

Tip-toeing into the bathroom, she closed the door shut and walked over to the sink to splash water on her face. One the cool water made contact with her hot skin, she felt her body relax. It wasn't that Matt was horrible or that she was regretting what she had just done, it just seemed that no matter how much she pushed herself towards Matt, her heart tugged towards Damon. Matt was safe and kind and warm. He knew her world, lived it. He knew hardship and pain and loneliness but he didn't awake that fire inside her that pushed for more. Matt just was.

Elena looked at herself in the mirror. She looked the same but in a way she felt older, changed. This version of Elena had given up an once-in-a-lifetime love. Sure she had done it for justifiable reasons but a part of her wondered if she had told Damon of Giuseppe's deal if he would've found the strength to stand up to his father. Would Elena's unhappiness and their relationships endangerment been the spark that gave way to Damon's empowerment and independence. It was too late for what-if's but she still wondered anyways.

Needing to escape her thoughts she turned on the shower and stepped inside. The water encompassed her and Elena lost herself in the sound of it echoing in the tiny room. She felt empty and hollow but Matt understood her pain and gave her a reason to keep moving. He didn't push her and instead chose to let her be. The loss of his sister gave him a reason to lose himself in someone and Elena had been lucky enough to find someone who needed the same thing she did: an escape from bitter realities.

So, when the door opened and Matt offered to join her in the shower, she welcomed him with opened arms and a closed off heart.