"Elena?" It was Stefan. Elena sighed and turned to acknowledge him. He was standing within arm's reach of her and he stopped abruptly when she turned.
"You okay?" He asked.
"He seems to get close to people just fine." She said and then snapped her mouth closed in shock. She wasn't sure where it came from or why it came pouring out of her mouth when that was the last thing on her mind but it did. She stared at Stefan anxiously waiting for his reply. Stefan looked confused, and then realization dawned on him. He tried to hide a smile but was unsuccessful. He chuckled a bit which only irritated Elena further.
Elena glared at Stefan until he could pull it together enough to speak. "He is close with Bonnie. They are closer than him and me sometimes. But they are just friends. The love they share is just as much family based as the love him and I share. It took years of persistent nagging for Damon to open up to Bonnie. She saw something in him."
"How did they meet?" Elena asked curiously.
"She's Caroline's best friend." Elena blanched.
"But she's my age!" She said. Stefan laughed again and it was really starting to tick her off that they found her lack of knowledge so funny.
"What Damon failed to tell you was that I met Caroline in my last venture through high school, which I just completed 3 years ago. I met Caroline and Bonnie when they were freshman. Caroline was turned her junior year and Bonnie told us she was a witch after that. Caroline and Damon fooled around for a time but they are too different. She got on his nerves, and he got on hers. Bonnie though, she saw something in Damon and they clicked. But like I said it's very much like family." Elena nodded as she took in all the information. After a minute Stefan peered into her eyes.
"Was this really because you were jealous?" He asked gesturing to her stroll halfway out into the yard. Elena sighed and dropped her head. "Not originally no. I was just feeling overwhelmed. This is all too much for me sometimes. My life used to be painfully normal." She confided. Stefan smiled in understanding. "Ah I see. It's understandable Elena, but just try to keep in mind we all used to have painfully normal lives. It is overwhelming, but everything Damon is doing, all these people he is bringing here, is to make sure you can return to yours." Elena searched Stefan's face for any signs of deceit or for even an ounce of jealousy but the truth was, Stefan was just genuinely good. She could see he cared about Damon, and was even beginning to care about her. They really were nothing like the last vampire family she encountered.
Just then Damon came out with a suspicious look on his face when he saw Stefan and Elena talking. His face was covered in poorly veiled jealousy.
"Bonnie is about to do the spell." He said curtly. Stefan looked back at his brother and nodded then turned back to Elena. "Oh boy." He said with a slight smile, then he turned and jogged back up to the house. Elena took one last look around the quiet, simple yard and allowed herself two calming deep breaths. She was closer to going home now than she had been in the last two years, and as much as she didn't want to she was beginning to trust Damon and Stefan.
By the time Elena came back in, Bonnie was out back, Damon said she was putting the spell up. Elena, a little embarrassed over her latest stunt, busied herself with studying the books in the shelves around the room. The room was lined with book shelves and the shelves were stuffed full of all different kinds of books. Had circumstances been different Elena would have been in heaven.
She felt someone approach and knew almost instinctively it was Damon. He lightly touched the wound on her neck, sending a shiver through her body. She wasn't sure if it was of pleasure or pain that shook her but she found herself wishing he wouldn't have pulled away immediately so she could have figured it out.
"I should have healed you. I didn't even think about it." He murmured. He sounded like he was talking to himself but she turned to meet his guilt ridden blue eyes. She smiled timidly at him and he searched her eyes. "It's fine Damon. They don't really hurt." She comforted him, not liking the sad look on his face.
He tried to smile back at her but it came out as more of a grimace. "I'm so sorry." He whispered now thoroughly examining the bruised and bloody wound on her neck. She stuck a tiny hand over it effectively blocking it from his view. "Stop." she commanded. "It was my idea, and it doesn't hurt. You don't have to be sorry." This time he managed a sad looking smile when he met her eyes, and then he glanced behind her. "Like to read?" he pondered as he plucked a book off the shelf.
"I used to." She said simply.
"This is one of my favorites." he said handing her the book he grabbed. It was Call of the Wild. She looked at him curiously. "Yeah?" she asked incredulously. He nodded and smirked at her. She couldn't help the smile that spread across her face. Then Bonnie came in, laughing effortlessly with Stefan. They both stopped when they saw Damon and Elena. Elena looked away from Damon bashfully as a dark crimson spread across her cheeks. Bonnie smiled a knowing smile at Damon before saying anything. He smirked back at her. "It's done. You are gonna have to call me when Caroline gets into town. I'll have to lower it for her to get into the house." She said all business like. Damon nodded his appreciation towards her and she touched his shoulder affectionately as she walked by. "I have some stuff to do so I'm gonna run out. It was wonderful to meet you Elena." She said sincerely towards Elena with one of her happiness pouring smiles. Elena returned the sentiment before the girl walked out of the front door.
"She's nice." Elena tried to sound friendly. Damon eyed her beseechingly at her tone but played it off. "She's my only close friend. She was the only person to ever look past what I was and want to get to know who I was." Elena stared at him as she remembered yet again the words he had yelled at her that night in the basement. She absentmindedly fingered the cover of the book in her hand. "Do you love her?" Elena prodded. Damon chuckled. "yeah I do. She's the closest thing I have to a sister." He sounded nonchalant, but Elena wondered if he said it on purpose. Could he see the slight jealousy in her? Elena was suddenly embarrassed for a whole nother reason.
