Chapter 10: Attraction

The world worked in mysterious ways. Everything in it, including nature. A bird sat on the window ledge, chirping away as it stared into the lightly lit room. Damon held the pillow into his hand, a heavy breath leaving him as he stared back at the bird. Blinking, his eyes began growing heavy as he fell into a deep sleep again.

"Damon! Sweetheart, over here!" Lilly called to him, a gracious smile on her face as she held her arms open for him.
"Mom!" Running over to her, he hugged her close, his arms wrapped around her waist.
"Did you have a nice day?" She asked, leaning down to kiss the top of his head.
"Would you stop babying him!? You wonder why he hasn't become a man yet!" Giuseppe narrowed his eyes angrily.

"Oh stop! You wonder why! He doesn't want to be anything like you!" Lilly shook her head, kissing Damon's cheek, "Go upstairs with your brother honey, he is in his room."

Damon bit his lip, nodding as he ran towards the stairs and turned back to look at his mom and dad as they got into a heated argument.

"You always have to start!" Lilly raised her voice.

A ringtone burst to life, the noise interruption to his ears as he groaned and dragged his hand over his face in an attempt to wake himself up. Who the hell was that? Crawling across his bed, he took the phone into his hand and stared at the screen. Unknown? Huh? Seriously?

"Unknown? What is a bloody unknown?" Letting out a breath, he answered and brought it to his ear, "Damon Salvatore speaking."
"Mr Salvatore, this is Diana Watson from The Falls Police Station. We have your brother Ste-"

"Uh." Sitting up, he signed in annoyance before she could finish, "I'm on my way. Hold him until I bloody get there."

"Help! You don't understand, someone is stealing my clothes! They are going missing!"

"Well, I thought my life was bad." Damon stated under his breath, leaning his head back with a laugh as he stretched his legs out, "Where is this annoying little shit?"

"Damon," Liz walked in, a grin on her face, "Let me guess...you're picking up Stefan again?"
"Oh apparently so. Story of my life Liz. What did he do this time round? Or do I dare ask?"
"Eh. We got a call in about vandalism," She inhaled, "Him and his friends at it again. The little hardware store in town."
"Jesus christ." Damon groaned, covering his face, "How bad Liz?"
"Reported before they had time to steal anything, don't worry okay?" Liz smiled softly.

"Uh, what are you doing here?" Stefan walked out, rolling his eyes as he pulled his arm away from the officer.
"Uh, let me think! Bailing your ass out of jail again!" Damon glared at him, pushing himself up, "If you stopped acting like an asshole!"
"I'm the assho-"
"Damon-"
"Yeah Liz, were going. Come on Stefan, you've caused enough trouble for the time being."

"Whatever." Stefan rolled his eyes, storming outside and he rolled his neck, groaning, "You couldn't have come sooner?"
"Sooner? Maybe if you stopped yourself getting into these ridiculous situations!"
"I didn't even do-"
"Do anything wrong? You broke in, smashed about, lucky for me you didn't steal anything!"

"What do you want from me!? I don't ask for anything from you!" Stefan yelled at him.
"Mom wouldn't want this! She wouldn't want any of this! She raised you better than that by hell I'll keep drumming into your head the way she use to!"
"Damon-"
"Come on, I need some air."

Pushing the doors open, Damon walked in with his hand buried in his hair, a sigh escaping his lips. Why couldn't he have a nice peaceful day without visiting the police station every upcoming day. Seeing Matt at the bar, he let out a sigh of relief and looked over his shoulder, Stefan trudging behind him, a look of thought on his face. Was he suddenly thinking about what he had done?

"Damon, what are you doing here?" Matt raised an eyebrow, licking his lips.
"I needed some time out, a drink if possible."
"Dude, its 10 in the morning."
"Matt, please...just get me a go-"

The doors opened again, the clicking of heels heard on the wood as Damon and Stefan turned at the same time, a smile of relief on Damon's face as there was a scowl on Stefan's, "Oooh Stefan, whats with the long face? I thought you would be happy to see me."

"Lexi, what ar-"
"Oh, I'm here to watch you Stefan. I heard you are up to your no good acts as usual." Lexi gave him a look, raising an eyebrow.
"Uh, Damo-"
"Hey, if you aren't going to listen to me, you can listen to reason! I can't be having this all the time and you learning nothing from staying overnight in a cell!"
"I don't need you babysitting me! This is a joke!"
"No Stefan, you're the joke. We will keep you out of trouble until your days end, so remember that." Lexi poked him hard in the chest.

"Matt, that drink?" Damon looked back over at him as Matt nodded in agreement after witnessing what he just did. The doors opened again as Damon looked over and heard laughter, his heart racing before he seen her. Elena walked in, Jeremy, Caroline, Bonnie and Tyler close behind her, "Always so beautiful."

"Oh god." Matt whispered under his breath, getting a bourbon poured, his hands shaking as he banged the glass on the bar.
"Matt, you alright?" Damon raised an eyebrow, lifting the glass.
"Uh yeah yeah." He murmured in response, looking over at the bubbly blonde.
"Oh," His blue eyes skimmed the group, Caroline coming to eye, "You have a thing for Caroline?"
"I guess so. I think she has something going on with Tyler though." Matt rubbed his face, shrugging, "Guess I will live with that."

"Matt, I would give it a chance, you may be surprised." Damon smiled, gulping back the bourbon and moaned as his phone rang, "Dammit."
"Someone after you?"
"Uh, who isn't today?" Lifting his phone to his ear, he frowned, "Hello? Ah yeah. Of course there is damage. I'll see you soon."
"Time to go?" Lexi raised an eyebrow, watching Stefan.

"Uh huh. Time to go. Come on." Damon ushered at her and went to walk but banged into Elena, his eyes wide, "Elena!"
"Damon, hi." Elena smiled, tucking her hair behind her early shyly as she looked at Lexi and Stefan.
"Oh, this is Lexi, a good friend of mine and Stefan...my baby...brother."

"Hey, nice to meet you." She bit her lip, looking between them and back to Damon, "We are having a games night at my house tonight, you should come."
"Well, that sounds...good. I will let you know for sure, but I have some things to sort out."

Damon smiled big, lifting her hand and pressed a kiss to her knuckles as her cheeks flared up in a blush, her eyes lighting up with delight. Winking, he rubbed his hand over her arm and waved to the rest of the table as he left the Grill with Lexi and Stefan following behind him.

"Why the hell am I here?" Stefan groaned in annoyance as he looked around the porch, the swing-set catching his eyes, "This is my punishment?"
"THIS is you getting a sense for normal Stefan." Damon clapped him on the shoulder, banging on the door, "You need to be around people that are good."
"He has a point Stefan, you need something normal." Lexi licked her lips and shook her head, "You hang around people that are of a bad influence."

The door opened, Caroline standing at the door as she smiled big, "Hey guys! Come on in!"

"Ah, Caroline." Damon smiled, "Matt here?"
"Yeah, why?" She raised an eyebrow.
"Just curious is all." He laughed, walking in as he peeked into the living room, "Hey everyone."
"Hey man, you alright?" Tyler raised an eyebrow, raising his beer to him.
"I'm perfect." He answered, pushing Stefan into the living room, "My baby brother Stefan, make him feel at home if you don't mind."
"Very subtle Damon." Lexi laughed, waving, "Hey everyone, I'm Lexi."

Hearing footsteps on the stairs, Damon looked around and bit his lip, Elena coming into view as she reached the bottom of the stairs. Their eyes met, emotions flying like darts towards a bullseye. Pure attraction.

A/N: Hello everyone, I hope you are okay!

Thank you.

Shauna