I need you to be my miracle
X
"Jeremy!" Elena yelled out from her bathroom. No answer. "Jeremy!"
"What?!" Her brother yelled, running to the bathroom and opening the door without bothering to knock. Everytime he heard his sister call, Jeremy's stomach filled with butterflies.
"My hair." She cried holding up her hands and revealing the large bunches of her brown locks that were between her fingers. "It's starting Jer."
"Elena." He whispered, noticing she was about to cry. He embraced his sister into a hug, rubbing her back and comforting her as she began to cry.
"It's a part of the treatment 'Lena." He told her. "It will all be worth it in the end."
"This is just the beginning though, Jer." She sobbed into his shoulder. He could feel that his shirt was wet from tears but that was the least of his concerns right now. He knew how hard this was going to be for her, and it pained him to think about what she must be going through.
"And we'll get through this together." He promised her. "Nobody said this was going to be easy 'Lena but you're strong. One of the strongest people I know. You'll fight this—you'll win this battle."
"I don't know about that." She whispered. "I can't even imagine how much worse it's going to get. It may all fall out."
"And if so, I'll buy you a wig. A different one for every day of the week if I need to." She loved her brother. As serious as he was, he always fit in a tiny bit of humor between all the tension and it made her feel a little bit better. "Besides, you may not loose it all."
"As nice as that sounds, I don't think it'd look too pretty." Elena sighed but smiled. "I'd look like Angelica's Barbie doll from Rugrats." She forced herself to think about the happy things instead of the fact that she was going to lose her favourite brown locks.
"I can remember all too well the day you actually almost did that." He pointed out, laughing at the memory.
"How do you even remember that?" She asked, her too remembering it as if it were yesterday. "I was barely eight."
"I had a good memory for a child?" He guessed, shrugging his shoulders and tapping his sister lightly on the nose. "I guess it runs in the family, Gilbert."
"Elena Ann Gilbert!" Her mother's stern voice echoed through the kitchen. "Drop the scissors wherever you are, now!"
Seven year old Elena quickly put her hand over her mouth to contain the laughter that was stewing up inside her. Her free hand held the scissors that her mother obviously noticed had gone missing. She was hiding underneath the table, ready to give herself her 'dream hairstyle". She knew that her mummy wasn't going to be pleased.
"Elena, where are you?" Her mother called out. She peered through the table cloth and watched her mother's feet move around the kitchen, raiding the cupboards and checking the front veranda. She giggled, thinking that no one would ever discover her hiding place. It was the safest place in the house, right?
She released the table cloth and backed away a little bit quietly about to continue her pursuit when her mothers hand shot in through the cloth, latched onto Elena's arm and pulled her out into the open. "What do you think you're doing young lady?" Miranda questioned, one eyebrow raised and a concerned look on her face. She let go of Elena's arm and apologized.
"I'm making myself beautiful." The little girl answered all too sweetly as she ran her fingers through her long brown hair.
"You're the most beautiful girl in the world." Her mother smiled. "How could you possibly become any more beautiful?"
"By making my hair look like Angelica's Barbie doll—Cynthia."
"But hunny, she only has half of her hair. It's missing in most places." She pointed out, trying to take her daughter's mind off the idea.
"Angelica calls her beautiful all the time. If she says it, it must be true." Elena whispered, glancing down at the scissors in her hand. "It's different from all the other girls' hair. I want to be different. And I want to be called beautiful too."
"And you are different." Miranda pointed out, but in the nicest way she could. "You're you and that's what makes you special. I love your hair the way it is and I wouldn't change a thing about your body. Now please, pass mom the scissors."
"Am I really beautiful?" She asked, her face lighting up.
"Like I said, the most beautiful girl in the world. Anybody would agree with me too." Elena smiled at her mother's words. Her mom was who she looked up to—her role model. "And you have to remember that, always and forever. You don't have to do anything because you'll always be beautiful," She assured her.
"It's true." Her baby brother agreed, walking into the kitchen. "You're very beautiful 'Lena."
"Thanks, Jer!" Elena exclaimed all too excitedly while handing her mom the scissors. "Here mom, I don't want these anymore. If two people called me beautiful while my hair was like this then it must be true!" She was so happy. "I love my hair now."
"I love your hair!" Jeremy squeaked. "It's so long and brown and shiny."
"It's so long and brown and shiny." Jeremy exclaimed before him and Elena bust into a fit of laughter.
"I was so close to ruining it." Elena remembered. "I'm glad you and mom talked me out of it."
"Me too." Jeremy sighed. "If not, I would've had a sister that looked like one of those troll dolls." He laughed and looked at Elena. "I was being honest you know, your hair is really beautiful, 'Lena. And no matter what happens, you'll still be the most beautiful girl I've met, because your real beauty is inside you."
"Hey!" She yelled, still laughing. "It wouldn't have looked that bad. But thank you, for believing in me, Jer. You've been by my side since like forever. But hey, I really wouldn't have looked that bad."
"Yes you would have." Her brother argued.
"Ugh, whatever. She rolled her eyes jokingly. "You're supposed to be on my side. You called me the most beautiful girl in the world. You're supposed to think that whether I have hair or not."
"And I will always think that Elena." Jeremy whispered solemnly. "You're my sister. There's nobody out there in comparison to you whether you have all your hair, half of your hair or none of your hair. You'll always be my sister and you'll always be gorgeous." Her heart melted at her brothers words. He always knew the right things to say. She began to get emotional but she wouldn't let it get the best of her. She was such a sap sometimes, even when she shouldn't be. She hugged him tightly, and he hugged her back, tightening his grip on her as a form of reassurance. She loved it when he hugged her. It was like he never wanted to let her go.
"Thank you" She whispered. "I don't know where'd I be if it weren't for you, you know that?" She was still pulling him closer and giving him her bear hug, and at that moment all she wished for was to just stay happy forever, and stay alive. She deserved that, right? She had barely lived...
"And I don't know where I'd be if it weren't for you, Elena." He answered back quietly. "You took me in when I had nowhere to go. You helped me when I had nobody to turn to and when times and life got tough, you were my shoulder to lean on. You've helped me recover and I don't know where I would be today if it weren't for you." This time, it was too much for Elena to remain calm without shedding a tear. "I'll always help you in a heartbeat, 'Lena. I will always be here, because I owe you that much. You made so many sacrifices so that I could continue studying and so that I live a healthy lifestyle. I know I've never directly thanked you for that, but I am now. And I appreciate every single thing you've done for me throughout these years. You're my light, Elena. My guide."
She sobbed into her brother's chest, soaking his shirt with her tears, those sweet words filling her heart with courage and love. "I love you, Jeremy. Thank you for being here."
"Stop your crying." Jeremy demanded playfully. "You're going to ruin your make-up. Don't you have somewhere to go? Otherwise you wouldn't have spent the last hour in the bathroom. You know what, you better have somewhere to go, because if not then I had spent the last hour waiting to use the bathroom for nothing."
Elena pulled away from her brother and wiped her eyes. "Yes I do." She giggled. "Damon has invited—no, more like insisted that I go to his place for dinner."
"Can he cook?" Her brother asked not asking questions about what had went on between them the previous week. Elena had filled him in on everything the morning after she came down from the roof. She told him almost everything and he had been concerned that week because she hadn't been her usual self. He was happy to hear that things were beginning to look up for her. He didn't know if she should be rushing into something as quick as she was, but she had insisted that they were taking it slow. But he was happy. His sister needed a distraction with everything that was going on and she needed somebody apart from him, to lean on and to talk to. And Damon being her doctor—was a bonus. He still had his doubts, even though he was younger than her sometimes Jeremy saw himself as her father figure. He worried about her always, even before she was diagnosed with cancer. When she went on dates, he was always wary, but he knew that his sister was not a child, she could take care of herself.
"His last name is Salvatore." Elena reminded him. "Doesn't that tell you anything?"
"It tells me he's Italian…"Jeremy began and then it dawned on him. His face dropped. "Oh."
Elena laughed. "You can be such a goof ball sometimes, you know that? But I need to finish getting ready. I've probably ruined my make up and I still haven't picked out what to wear yet and it's…" She glanced at her watch. "… ten to six which means I'm almost guaranteed to be late." She rushed back into the bathroom not bothering to let Jeremy answer her and opened her makeup case quickly.
She glanced in the mirror and cursed herself for tearing up. Her mascara had run and her eyeliner was half way down her face. Not like it'd be hard to fix but it did put her behind a couple minutes. When she was finished touching up her make-up, she moved onto the next problem—her hair. It was depressing to see what had fallen out, but no more had come out so she was at least thankful for that. She separated her hair in preparation for straightening it and while she did that, she moved pieces around in search for bald spots but luckily, there were not… yet. She sighed in relief and began to straighten her hair as quickly but as gently as she possibly could, trying to make up for time but also trying not to disturb anymore from falling. When she finished, she brushed it all out once more, looked at her brush to assure herself that no more had fallen out, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath before looking. She sighed happily when there were no more hairs. She practically ran to her bedroom and tore her closet upside down, in search for the perfect dressy-yet-not-too-dressy outfit for her evening at Damon's.
She settled on a simple dress she had bought on sale the month before for a great bargain. She had fallen in love with it as soon as she laid on eyes on it but there had been no opportunity until now for her to show it off. It was a mid thigh length dress, satin and purple. But it had a funky yet elegant twist to it. While one side was sleeveless, the other side was long-sleeved but the sleeve was black lace and the black lace peeked out of the dress at the top of the chest and the torso. The lace was entirely underneath the purple silk but only appeared in those two places. She loved it and she accompanied it with white pearl earrings and a matching pearl bracelet that she had bought at her favorite store—forever 21. Looking at the mirror, Elena felt good and looked good. She was still beautiful, she reminded herself. Damon would like her in this outfit.
She grabbed her cell phone, compact and hair comb and tossed it in her brown leather purse before slinging the purse over her side and rushing to the door. She quickly decided on wearing white lace flats to complete the look. She glanced at her fossil watch, ten after six. She would only be about twenty minutes late, he had told her the directions to his place and it wasn't too far from hers. Still, she felt bad for arriving late on such a nice occasion.
Wow, that had to of been the faster she had ever gotten ready in her entire life. She smiled to herself. Damon really was the best thing for her, in many different ways.
"Don't wait up for me if I'm not home early, Jer!" Elena called out, opening the door.
"You better come home!" Her brother's voice warned her. "Because spending the night at his house would mean one thing and one thing only! Sex, and it's too early to be doing that yet. And I don't want you getting pregnant, because I'm not that old to actually be an uncle."
"Jeremy!" Elena yelled, pronouncing every syllable in his name perfectly.
"Have a good night!" He laughed back.
She shook her head, laughing at her brother. He definitely was a goof ball.
"Good evening." Damon greeted her at the door, leaning in to give her a simple kiss. He was so formal, and when his lips brushed against hers she smelled his lovely scent, and it immediately consumed her.
"Hi." She whispered, blushing. "I'm late aren't I?"
He glanced at his Rolex watch. "Just barely—it doesn't matter. Come on, dinner's on the table." He motioned her to follow him and so she did, getting a little tour of his condo as they made their way to the dining area.
"Your place is really nice." She said encouragingly. "Who knew that a guy could have such a neat, clean place? I can't imagine you cleaning."
"I'll let you in on a little secret." Damon stopped and whispered into her ear. "I'm a little OCD when it comes to that kind of stuff."
"So you're kind of a neat freak?" Elena asked playfully.
He nodded and started walking again. "I'm kind of a neat freak."
All of a sudden he stopped dead in his tracks and Elena nearly bumped into him. "I almost forgot something." He said while turning around.
"And what's that?" She asked him, still laughing from earlier.
He closed the distance between them and enveloped her in a hug. "I almost forgot to tell you how absolutely stunning you look."
He still caught her off guard every time he gave her a compliment and to be honest, he surprised himself. He wasn't used to saying nice thing to women. Scratch that, he wasn't even used to being on dates. It was usually one night stands. He noticed Elena had turned away from him. He knew what she was hiding.
"You're blushing aren't you?"
"Me?" She raised her voice a couple octaves. "Never."
"Then turn around and look at me." He said folding his arms. She couldn't see the smirk that was plastered on his face but it was there.
"I have something in my eye." She tried to lie.
"Well turn around and let me see. I'll get it out for you." He offered, knowing there was no way she could get around that. He smiled, feeling victorious.
"I don't want to." She laughed.
"That's because you're blushing! Admit it." He laughed, grabbing her and trying to make her face him. He finally felt her smile.
"Damon, no!" She giggled.
"See, I told you that you were blushing." He said when he finally spotted her rosy red cheeks and pinched them.
"There's something I forgot to tell you." Elena grinned as she took another bite of the amazing spaghetti that Damon had made for them. It was easy to tell he truly was Italian because the food was to die for. The pasta was cooked the right way, and the sauce was amazing.
"Would it be how orgasmic my food tastes?" He said suggestively, wiggling his eyebrows.
"No." She frowned but quickly smiled.
"What then?"
Shyly, she whispered. "I completed one of the things on my list."
"Really?" He asked, surprised. He took a sip of wine and swallowed soundly. "Which one was it?"
"Camping out under the stars." She told him. "That's what we did that night on the roof. I know it wasn't actually camping but it was the closest I'll ever get. And I'm happy with it." She smiled, content that that was the start to completing the main things she wanted to do before she… died. She grabbed his hand, pushing the dreadful thoughts away. "And it was with you. I wouldn't have it any other way. It was perfect."
"Me either." He whispered. To be honest, he didn't really know what else to do. She was stunning every moment of everyday. Everything she did was perfection and he adored her beyond comprehension. Right then and there, he would probably have been able to say that he loved her but he wouldn't go that far with it yet. He adored her sure, he cared for her exclusively and he cherished the ground she walked on. He was happy for her. Happy that 'some silly list' she had apparently just made up because she was bored was finally started to be completed. He'd make sure if not all—then most would be completed with him. He already had that in mind. Elena would do all of the things she had scribbled down on that list. And it wouldn't be her 'last wishes' as she called it. It'd be the start of doing what you always wanted to do. He wouldn't let her call those wishes her last, because if so, then it would mean that he had lost her, and he wasn't going to let her die. He was going to make her feel better and he was going to start over, making sure that those wishes would be repeated He knew deep in his heart that she was going to push away this cancer, she was going to rid herself of it. The chemo was going to work, the eventual bone marrow transplant would work if need be. She was a strong fighter, he knew that—he sensed that. He didn't dare think of their time together as limited. Because it was precious and it would last. Also, Elena was his little miracle, she was changing his life. If God really did exist, he would be pleased that his life was finally right, and that he has one woman in his life. So he wouldn't dare take her away from him, right?
"I remember me and my brother went camping one time." Elena had start, snapping Damon out of his thoughts. "Our parents took us. We had a lake house but we pitched tents the first night to get the real 'camping' experience. And roasted marshmallows and wieners on the campfire and we sang songs all night. It was amazing, even the night was so beautiful."
"That sounded like fun." Damon said quietly knowing that Elena wouldn't really hear him. She looked like she was reliving a memory and she was. It was one of happiest and last memories they had together.
"There is a house in New Orleans
They call it the rising sun
And it's been the ruin of many a poor boy
And God I know I'm one
My mother was a tailor
She sewed my new blue jeans
My father was a gamblin' man
Down in New Orleans.
Now the only thing a gambler needs
Is a suitcase and trunk
And the only time he's satisfied
Is when he's on a drunk
Oh mother tell your children
Not to do what I have done
Spend your lives in sin and misery
In the House of the Rising Sun
Well, I got one foot on the platform
The other foot on the train
I'm goin' back to New Orleans
To wear that ball and chain
Well, there is a house in New Orleans
They call the Rising Sun
And it's been the ruin of many a poor boy
And God I know I'm one."
The entire Gilbert family besides Jeremy finished singing and started clapping and laughing. Elena had the voice of an angel.
"Where'd you learn that song, 'Lena?" Grayson had asked while retrieving yet again another marshmallow and popping it onto the stick he used to roast them.
"I heard it on the radio one day when I was doing my homework and it just stuck. How do you know it?" She asked back. Elena had the voice of an angel, but she loved singing with her parents. They were truly a happy family and she knew that her parents would die for her and her brother.
"Are you kidding me?" Miranda cut in. "That song's a classic!"
"Is it originally by The Animals?" Jeremy asked. "There's too many different covers, I wasn't sure which one was the original."
"To be honest." Grayson started. "I'm not really sure. According to all the rock legends and such, nobody knows just exactly where that song came from. You guys have heard smoke on the water, right?"
"Yes." Jeremy and Elena nodded in unison. Elena looked up in the sky and noticed how clear all of the stars were. She could pick out a couple constellations and the North Star. It was beautiful.
"Well that's the same idea with that song. Everybody performs a cover of it and everybody knows it, but yet nobody knows who wrote it."
"That's pretty freaky." Jeremy said. "It'll always be a mystery."
"That's what's so special about it." Grayson told him—them.
"So who's up for a third song?" Miranda asked enthusiastically.
"No!" The other three cried.
"Why not?" She pouted and crossed her arms.
"All we've been doing is singing. It's fun but I want to keep my voice." Elena joked.
"Ugh, you guys are party poopers."
"But you love us." Elena pointed out as if to remind her.
"Of course I do." Miranda smiled. "With all of my heart. I would do anything for both of you."
"That camping trip was on a weekend, May 24th to be exact. That would be a month before their death." Elena whispered.
"Your parents would be proud, you know." Damon offered. "Of you. Of whom you've become. They raised you right. You are a good woman, Elena."
"I'm not so sure about that." Elena said, her bottom lip quivering a little.
"Hey." Damon cooed, grabbing her hand. "They would be. Look how much you've achieved since their death "Lena! You're a CEO of a multi-million dollar company, you take care of Jeremy while he attends college, you're stunning, you're smart, and you're kind."
"And I have leukemia." She pointed out.
"That doesn't matter." He coldly said before softening up again. "That doesn't change who you are. You're still you, Elena. You're still amazing. Your parents would be proud and they know how strong you are. I like everything about you, Elena. I like the way you smile, and the way you try to hide your pain so that you don't burden people with your problems...But let me tell you this, Elena. There will not be a second that I won't be there with you during this fight. I will stand by you every second, do you understand?"
She smiled at him, and nodded a thank you. "You think so?" She asked, lifting her eyes from the table and meeting with his, "You really think that my parents would be proud of me?"
"I know so."
Then, without any indication of what was happening, Elena jumped up out of her seat with her hands over her mouth and ran to the bathroom closing the door behind her. She didn't think she would've made it to the toilet in time but some how, she did. She lifted the cover and the contents of her stomach—including the amazing meal she had just eaten, reappeared. She urged and she urged until nothing came out but water and eventually nothing came out at all. Her throat was raw from urging and her stomach was churning.
"Elena!" Damon yelled from just beyond the door. "Let me in."
"No, Damon." She coughed back. "You don't want to see this."
"I don't care! Let me in there with you."
Not knowing if she had the strength to reach and unlock the doorknob, she attempted to do just that. When she did, she repositioned herself over the toilet again once she felt her stomach churning. Just as Damon walked again, more vomit that she didn't knew she had left poured out from her mouth. Damon ran to her and knelt beside her, holding her hair and rubbing her back as she puked. Elena began urging so much that tears started to pour from her eyes. Finally, she was back to the stage where nothing would come up when she urged. And that signaled the end of her episode because there wasn't any more food that could possibly come back up. That was it, from this moment on, there will be no more Elena Gilbert-only cancer. Cancer will control her life.
She ripped of a few strands of toilet paper and wiped her mouth, then her nose and then her eyes. With separate tissue, of course.
"Damon." Elena whispered, slowly turning to face him before practically leaping into his lap with the tears still in her eyes. "It's starting!"
AN: Thanks to Amy(LiveBreatheVampire) for her amazing work as always, check her out :)
Also, just in case. The song 'house of the rising sun' is no way, mine.
Hope this made up for the short, last chapter I had. I think this one turned out fairly well, hope you thought so as well. Let me know :)