A/N: I told you i'd put it up soon =) I'm actually really proud of this chapter and i hope you guys are too. Heres the plan: write Founders day, send it to my editor zozo42 (shes a huge Bamon fan, but ill let it slide) then have it up by next Wednesday at the latest. sound good? Enjoy Isobels bitchiness and Damon's epicness.
~Ariel
Disclaimer: I dont own The Vampire Diaries tv show or book. If i did...i would be substituted for Elena and I would choose Damon. And everyone would hate me.
Elena calling me became sort of a nonchalant affair after our pretty tense run in with Stefan's dark side. But she wasn't calling to check up on me like I had hoped. In fact, she seemed rather distressed herself. Though I was used to this, it didn't stop me from rushing to see her when she needed me.
I walked into the classroom where Elena, Stefan, and Rick were all tense and waiting for me. "Damon thanks for coming."
"Sorry I'm late. Dog ate my uh…." I saw the room was in no state for my laugh out loud sense of humor. "Never mind." I smiled and looked at Elena. She was sitting at a desk starring into space. She didn't meet my eyes as she usually would. Stefan looked at me too. Not that he ever really smiles, but I could tell we had a problem.
"What's with all the furrowed brows?" I asked. The teacher spoke first.
"I saw Isobel last night." My eye brows raised in surprise.
"Isobel is here?" Al nodded. "In town?" He nodded again. I looked at Elena, whose eyes were going back and forth between me and Alaric as if begging us to tell her what she should do. This was her bitch mother who betrayed her; I bet it stung to hear that she was now looking for her. I knew the feeling.
I walked towards the window and looked out it at all the little kiddies planning their floats for the big celebration. They were lucky not having to be bothered by all the problems of reality. I turned around to face everyone.
"How do you know? Did you talk to her?"
First John, now her…something was up.
"She approached me in the bar." Rick said.
"Did you ask about Uncle John? Are they working together?"
"No."
"No their not?" I walked towards Rick.
"No I didn't ask."
"What about the invention?" I took another step forward.
"Didn't ask."
"Does she know about the tomb vampires?" Rick and I were face to face now.
"I don't know."
"Did words completely escape you?" I spat. This was frustrating. Did anyone else want the truth? Damn, I was the ass hole and yet no one else seemed to care what this girl knows and what she's doing here!
"I was a little too distracted by my dead vampire wife to ask any questions." I rolled my eyes and looked at Elena. She was still sitting at the desk completely still. My eyes shot back at Alaric.
"What did she want?" I asked him.
"She wants to see me, Damon." Elena spoke up. I looked at her again. She was so fragile, I was so used to seeing her all bad ass and ready to go, but now, she looked scared and confused. My eyes searched hers.
"Alaric is supposed to arrange a meeting." Stefan said. "We don't know why or what she wants."
"You don't have to see her if you don't want to." I was completely serious. I would rather stake Isobel then have her hurt Elena. Through the corner of my eye, I saw Stefan's gaze go back and forth between us.
"I don't really have a choice." Elena shrugged.
"She's threatening to go on a killing spree." Teacher said his voice very timid. I was ready to just let the problem go there. I sucked on my teeth. This was obviously a problem with everyone else.
"I take it that's…not ok with you guys." I smiled a little and Stefan brooded at me.
"I wanna do it." My eyes went to Elena. "I wanna meet her. If I don't, I know ill regret it." I was about to protest, but Elena seemed to have her mind made up, so I closed my mouth. If Elena wanted to meet her long lost mother, then she could. But in my head I made a silent promise that if Isobel laid one finger on Elena, it would be her last. I'm pretty sure Stefan made the same promise.
Ah strip poker. One of the best excuses to take off your clothes for something other then sex. And WAY more kinky. Waiting in Isobel's grand house with nothing to do and a hot girl near by, I mean common, what other options do I have? After a few bites I figure she earned seeing me shirtless. And hey, if I keep losing, maybe pants less too.
"Oh Cherie…you win again." I stood up, getting my belt undone. "I hope I'm wearing good underwear." I smiled and raised an eyebrow. But of course, as I'm about to get some ass, Isobel walks in.
"Tonight is just one blast from the past after another." She said as I started to re-zip my pants and rolled my eyes. She ordered Cherie to leave the room. I watched my prey stalk away and I waved a little, licking my lips.
"It's good to see you Isobel." I slipped my shirt on. "Just having fun with one of your naughty little minions." She didn't look impressed.
"How'd you find me?" I appeared in front of her…very close I could almost feel her breath.
"I searched all the neighborhood bank owned foreclosures and found the most expensive one."
"Oh I should have known. You were the one that taught me that. What are you really doing here?" She asked. I moved closer to her, inch by inch.
"You caused quite a stir. You blew into town, you saw everyone except for the man that made you a little hurt." My fingers grazed her chin.
"Oh I'm so sorry!" she brought me in for a hug, but then tugged my hair back and brought my head with it, and it hurt. "Did you bring the device?" I laughed humorlessly and she let me go.
"Ow." I rubbed the back of my head. So, she liked it rough. "What are you doing with John Gilbert?" she faced me again.
"We dated a few times when we were young. He was a little bit in love with me."
"I'm sure. One of the many." I approached her again, this time fully armed for round two. She tilted her head seductively, but it wasn't getting to me. "Now about this little invention. What do you want with it?"
"Oh me personally? I don't want anything with it." Is gave me a cup of whisky, but I put it down immediately since it was most likely spiked with vervain. I wasn't messing around (well, maybe a little bit) but her showing up here wasn't just for kicks. "I'm just doing what I'm told." I approached her again and tilted her face with my two fingers. "Damon, we're on the same side."
"Oh yeah?" I scoffed. "What side is that?"
"Katherine's." The name sent needles to my nerves. "She wants John Gilbert to have the device and I think you and I both know, she's not happy when she doesn't get what she wants." Her answer took me aback. And added a lot more to this mystery. Why would she care about modern day Mystic Falls? I backed off Isobel.
"Why are you doing her dirty work?" My eyes narrowed as we circled each other.
"Don't kill the messenger. We both know you can't control Katherine. She does what she wants."
"Pshh so do I!" I tried to play this off a little, but it hurt more then it showed.
"Oh really Damon? You do?" Isobel sounded doubtful, but I was prepared to show her I do what I want. She sped towards me and I caught her hands easily. We both breathed heavily as she asked "what should we do now?" Our lips were inches away from each others. We both laughed. "Oh yeah, memory serves." She said seductively and I let our lips touch. I held her waist as our tongues wrestled. For some reason though, it's not as fun as when she was human and her daughter was well…my friend? Or as close to a friend as I would ever get. She pushed me onto the couch and followed without letting our lips part from each others. She grinded onto me, but I wasn't about to forget why I had come.
Before she could even blink, I spun her around and grabbed her neck smashing it onto the floor.
"Now that I have your attention. Listen up." I came closer to her face. "You do not come into my town; threaten the people I care about. Going after Elena? Bad move. You leave her alone or I rip you to bits because I believe in killing the messenger. You know why?" My lips were at her ear and I whispered. "Because it sends a message."
I tightened my grip around her neck and slammed it against the floor even harder then the first time. "Katherine wants something from me? Tell that little bitch to come get it herself." I spat the last sentence. I looked into Isobel's eyes one last time, and then I saw that she knew that I do what I want.
My let go of her and sped back to the door. That's what you get for messing with Damon Salvatore. I don't think she'll be forgetting that lesson anytime soon.
Isobel and Elena standing next to each other was…needless to say, weird. I've had sex with one of them and wouldn't mind having sex with the other. I had been sure that Isobel was going to hurt Elena, but I guess after my bad ass threat, she knew she wouldn't get out of that one alive. So she went for the physiological hurting and took Jeremy.
Stefan and I were standing in silence when we heard Elena mention that she "hadn't come alone." We both walked up behind Isobel together and it took every bit of humanity in my body not to rip Isobel to shreds right there. Maybe Rick would do it for me later. Because if there was one person who I loathed as much as Katherine, at the moment, it was Isobel.
Elena called Jeremy and I was surprised to hear his voice on the other end of the phone, but he was there.
"Don't look for any redeeming qualities in me. I don't have any." Isobel said. I suppressed the urge to say You got that right.
"But you took the risk with Damon. How did you know he would give it to me?"
"Cause he's in love with you." Isobel said it with such ease that I almost though she hadn't said it aloud. But there it was. A rising lump in my throat. Elena looked surprised and I looked at Stefan, who suddenly found the ground very interesting.
So there it was. Though I hadn't confirmed nor denied it, it was out in the open. I mean, of course I cared about her, but love? There has only really been one person I ever loved…and that wasn't even real. What Isobel had said…I didn't even know.
But that problem - or rather – secret would have to be dealt with another time. This was about Elena.
Isobel held out her hand and hesitantly, Elena put the device into it. "Thank you." She said, which had both Isobel and I confused.
"For what?"
"For being such a monumental disappointment. It keeps the memory of my real mother, perfectly in tact." Elena shook her head. But Isobel wasn't the least bit hurt by the comment.
"Goodbye Elena." They both looked at each other. "As long as you have a Salvatore on both arms…you're doomed." I raised an eyebrow and tried to imagine what was going through both Stefan and Elena's head. "Katherine was smart. She got out. But we all know you're not Katherine." I wanted nothing more then to destroy Isobel right there. I never should have changed her. But she was right, Elena wasn't Katherine. She wasn't spoiled or bitchy or diabolical or two faced. Elena was everything Katherine wasn't.
But Isobel turned away and her two goons went with her. I could tell Elena was on the verge of tears, and as I had the thought to step up, Stefan did first. So I didn't move. Elena and Stefan embraced each other as Elena looked over his shoulder at me. I just stared at her. I think she wanted me to come over to her and deny what Isobel said, but I couldn't.
I had gone on lying for so long that I figured…what was the point anymore? I cared about Elena and there wasn't a point to denying it. But that didn't mean I was about to admit that I had feelings for her. Whatever that even meant. But when she looked away and Stefan's glare took her place, I knew that right now, wasn't the time to get in the way of anything.
So I turned and walked away from the only two people in this world that actually cared about me…at least, for now.
Days to write, seconds to review. Hate it? Love it (hope so)? Two chapters in one week, high fives all around.
