In light of last night's election, I've decided to go ahead and post!
Sorry it's been a bit, I've started back at work and have been super busy lately! But I will continue to update when I can.
Hope you are all well today, and that at the very least, this chapter will offer a distraction from all the crazy going on in rl. :)
Enjoy!
"I saw that," Damon said, as Elena covered her mouth to stifle a yawn.
She narrowed her eyes at him, "I'm sorry. I've only been up since the crack of dawn, yesterday."
He chuckled at her tone and she finished looking over his X-rays.
"So what's the verdict?"
"You're lucky," she told him, "Nothing's broken. You'll probably just have a mean bruise for the next few days, but you'll live."
"Thank God for that," he said, straightening, "Does that mean we can get out of here now? I still have to find a hotel."
Elena frowned, turning off the light to the viewing screen and taking down Damon's samples, "What do you mean? I thought you were staying with-"
"Mom?" he finished, his expression darkening, "Yeah well, let's say it's probably best for the two of us to have some distance right now."
Elena couldn't fault him that, but still, the idea of him alone in a hotel room after everything that had happened tonight...it didn't sit well.
"Is there nowhere else you can go?" she asked hopefully, and he cocked an eyebrow, "Why? Are you making an offer?"
She couldn't help but blush a little, "Not really...but I don't want you to have to stay in a hotel either."
He shrugged, "It would hardly be the first time. But we really should get going, it's past midnight."
She nodded in agreement.
The others had already gone home, apart from Caroline who had gotten permission to stay with Stefan overnight, but Elena had insisted on having Damon X-rayed before allowing him to leave.
But she imagined he was starting to hurt, and knew the soreness would only get worse.
God, she couldn't just let him hole up in some motel room to wait for it to pass.
"Damon," she called to him, once they'd finished up and walked out of the hospital.
"Yeah?" He turned back to look at her, his dark hair shining beneath the street lamps that surrounded the parking lot.
She bit her lip, wondering if this was a good idea, but couldn't help but ask anyway.
"Do you think you can behave yourself?"
He crooked his head in confusion and she sighed, "If you come home with me tonight...I have a couch. You're welcome to it."
Slowly, understanding crept into his features, and his lips curved, "I can try to behave."
Elena had to laugh at the teasing lilt, and shook her head, "Well try hard. And I'm taking my car. So, follow behind me, okay?"
He nodded, pulling out the Camaro's keys and she did the same for her Charger.
Damon stayed close on her tail for the ride back to her house, Katherine's headlights a constant presence in her rearview, and she wondered if it bothered him to have to stay behind her.
He was a racer after all, and had to be itching with the urge to pass her.
She chuckled at the thought of racing him.
Her Charger against his Camaro...talk about the old days.
But this was the fastest way for him to find her house, and he wasn't exactly in top racing shape, so that particular idea would have to wait to be entertained.
A few roads and turns later, and they were pulling up into her driveway.
Her house was a modest two bedroom one bath, with a covered parking garage.
She pulled into it and waited as Damon pulled up next to her, before getting out.
He seemed a little stiff, but otherwise alright, as he walked over to her.
"This is your place?"
She nodded, "I rent it, but yeah, it's home."
He appraised the small yard and the front with the steps leading up to the door, "It's nice."
She chuckled at the polite observation and shook her head, "It's small, but it works."
With her keys in hand, she walked up the few steps to unlock the door, and he followed behind her.
There was nothing special about the inside of her place.
A simple layout with discount furniture and average household items that she had accumulated over the years.
But it had a homey feel, and it was nice place to come back to at the end of the day.
"Sorry if it's a mess," she said as they walked inside, "I haven't had much time to clean lately."
"It's perfect," Damon assured her, as she flipped on the light then proceeded to the couch to sit down, dropping her purse and keys to the floor.
"Trust me," he added, after taking a glance around, "If you'd seen my place, you wouldn't think this was bad at all."
"Your place," she rose a brow as he shut the door behind him, "You mean that beach house you were shacked up in in Mexico?"
He smirked, walking over to the couch to sit beside her, "I think shack is fairly accurate, though the view was nice, I'll admit."
She mused over that, "How long were you there?"
"I got the it right after I got out, so I guess it's been about two years. I'd thought about coming back here, but I talked to Mom and…" he trailed off, his expression darkening.
"What?" Elena prompted.
Damon shook his head, "That fucking bitch."
The change in his tone froze her, "Sorry?"
Damon straightened, "After I got out. I wanted to come here. This...you...it's all I had, you know? I knew you'd be angry but I thought maybe we could talk or something. Mom encouraged me to start over. She said that it would be better for me not to get involved again, especially after being busted at Valhalla. The way she said it made sense. I talked to Enzo some; he told me you'd left the life anyway...and Mom kept assuring me that all was well. Guess she had her own reasons for wanting me to stay away from here."
Elena frowned, "She came to me looking for you. She didn't know where you were-"
"I never told her," he admitted, "After we talked, I spent a couple nights alone in this hotel, near the border. I had no idea where to go or what to do now...but I mean, I was good with cars. I had some money still stashed from the races, so I took it and got on a plane. Enzo actually knew a few guys down south who would put me to work fixing cars…"
"And that's where you've been?" she pressed, "Working as a mechanic in Mexico for the past two years?"
"Pretty much," he answered, more mellow as he settled into the couch cushions.
Curious now, Elena turned her body and crossed her legs as she faced him, "What else?"
Damon's brows furrowed.
"I mean you didn't work twenty-four seven, right? What did you do for fun?"
He shrugged, "Sometimes I drove. When the sun would sink down over the ocean and everything got this haze...I'd drive and try to forget."
She frowned, readjusting so she could wrap her arms around her knees.
It was strange to think that he found solace in the same way she had...behind the wheel of a fast car.
But then again, that always was where Damon had been the most at home, and she'd found her place right there next to him.
She swallowed to clear her throat, a new question burning, "Did you drive alone?"
"You mean did I race?" he asked, but she shook her head.
"No...I mean...did you give rides?"
He stared at her for a moment, then seemed to catch her meaning.
A small smile tugged at his mouth, "Does the thought make you jealous?"
Elena rolled her eyes, "Never mind. Forget I asked."
She uncoiled herself and stood up, but Damon followed, catching her arm, "Elena, wait. I'm sorry."
She sighed and turned to look at him, "No, don't be….maybe the thought does bother me a little."
"Why?"
"I don't know," she said, "Because we were together for a long time? Because I loved you and you took my virginity? Or maybe for the same reason the thought of me sleeping with anyone else bothers you. We spent a lot of time together once, so it's not exactly pleasant for me to think about you in someone else's bed."
Damon's pupils dilated at her words, and his hand trailed from her arm, up to her neck, where he stroked her skin.
She let out a dry laugh, "You like that, don't you? That it bothers me?"
"Hell yes, I like it," he growled, his body suddenly crowding her with it's size, "I love knowing that some part of you still feels like she's my wife, like I'm only yours, because it's true, Hum. It's only been you."
Elena met his gaze head on, "Right. Like I'm supposed to believe you haven't taken one girl to bed since you've been out?"
"Do I look like I'm lying?" Damon asked, his expression hard, "You're my wife, Elena. I've never wanted anyone else."
She swallowed as his hand gripped her shoulder and he stepped close enough for their chests to touch.
"My dick hasn't touched another woman since that first night at the park, when you rode me in the back of my car."
Heat rushed through Elena's face, reddening her cheeks, "I...I just assumed that-"
"That I'd look for a quick fix?" he asked, and his head shook, "Not really my style, babe. Now of course that doesn't mean I never did the job myself...but it was always you on my mind when I did."
Past blushing now, Elena's entire body was on fire, though from embarrassment or something else all together, she wasn't sure.
She just knew that Damon was incredibly close, his fingers teasing her jawline, and his voice was a sexual purr against her skin.
She swallowed hard as he moved, circling her slowly like prey, his hand drifting over her shoulder as he came up behind her now.
His chest pressed into her back, and his mouth dropped to her ear.
"Do you want me to tell you what I thought about?" he asked breathily, "Which memories made me cum while I imagined you there with me?"
Elena exhaled sharply as she felt his teeth nip at her neck, "Damon-"
"I thought of that night on Katherine's hood," he continued, ignoring her protest, "Before we left for Valhalla. It was dark and you were naked, sprawled out on my Crow."
Her breath faltered as Damon's hands moved to grip her waist, his palms massaging the skin there, "Do you remember than night, Hummingbird? Do you remember the hour I spent with my head between your legs? I do…"
His fingers were moving now, grazing the waistline of her jeans, and she couldn't find the willpower to stop him, too lost in the memory .
"I thought about how wet you were flowing onto my tongue, so fucking ready for me."
Elena closed her eyes as Damon's head leaned against her own, and she fell back into his body, those hard muscles holding her.
"I loved fucking you on that car," his voice was hot velvet now, fingers working open her pants button, "Even when it started raining, and we just kept going. I loved hearing you scream my name...do you think you could do it again for me?"
His hand was slipping into her underwear now, his arm holding her back against his chest, and she could feel his hardened cock pressing into her ass, "I want to watch you fall apart, Hummingbird. I've imagined it so many times…"
Then he was touching her, the tips of his fingers sliding down to rub her clit, and a moan escaped Elena's throat.
"Fuck, baby. Right there," Damon purred, sounding close to climax himself as she rubbed against him out of habit, "That's it. That is so it."
She mewled for him, unable to stop the noises her body produced as he worked her higher and higher.
"So wet already," he said approvingly, dropping a kiss to her neck as his fingers lowered further, searching for her entrance.
Elena shook her head, trying to think straight.
"Come on, baby," Damon urged her, "Let me take care of you."
She wanted him to, God did she want him to do exactly that.
But Elena knew they'd already gone too far, and if she didn't do something now, they were going to end up in her bedroom, reliving her favorite parts of their past...and she would regret it in the morning.
Because she wasn't sure that she was ready for this, and even if she was, cheating wasn't her style.
It never had been.
Even when she'd spent time with Rebekah, she'd done so with Damon's complete approval.
And she couldn't let them start out like this. Not after so long apart.
They deserved better.
"Damon-" she said, fighting through the desire in her voice, "Damon, stop."
His movements halted almost immediately, and Elena pulled away from him, removing his hands from any part of her.
"What's wrong?" he pressed as she put some distance between their bodies.
"This isn't going to a good place," she told him.
Damon begged to differ, "You want me, Hum."
"I'm not denying that," she admitted, and he seemed a bit surprised, "We've always had sparks. But we can't do this."
He sighed deeply, "Is this because of your doctor girlfriend?"
"Partly," Elena told him honestly, "But it's not just about cheating...it's also about us, about how I feel. I can't let whatever this is turn into some cheap, scandalous, fiasco just because we lack control around each other."
"We're married," Damon reminded her, "So who's cheating who here?"
"Damon-"
"No," he pressed, walking over to her, "I want you, Elena. Now. And you want the same thing, so don't try to pretend like this isn't exactly what it is-"
"I'm not," she promised, "Damon, I'm not, okay? I want to this too, but-"
"But what?" he asked, closing the space between them, "Why does anything else matter?"
Elena sighed, "Because I'm still me, and I know what doing this would mean. Being with you...it's more than us. It's going back."
"You're already back," he insisted, "You didn't need me to make that decision. You were back before even I was."
Elena sighed, "That doesn't mean I want to stay. And whether you like it or not, I do have to think about Jo."
"You said it wasn't serious," he pressed, "Just dating, remember?"
Elena frowned at him, "Still, I would never have done this to you, so I can't do it to anyone else either. She's is a good person, Damon, and if something is changing between you and me, she at least deserves to know."
Damon blinked at her words, his features softening, "Are you admitting that something is changing between us?"
A hint of her blush returned, but Elena ignored it.
"Maybe," she said, "I don't know. And I don't know about the circuit or what's going to happen in the future...but I do know that I can't be with you like this, feeling what I feel, and still date someone else at the same time. It's not right or fair, and it's not the kind of person I want to be, whether I'm back on the circuit or not."
Though Damon didn't seem happy with the answer, he at least appeared to understand her reasoning.
"Alright," he said, "Then it sounds like something has to give. Tell me which one. You owe that much to me."
Elena sighed, knowing what he was asking.
She knew what it would mean for her to answer honestly, and from the focused burn in Damon's stare, he knew it as well.
But there wasn't really a choice to be made, because the truth was something she'd always known, yet denied.
At least, until now, as Damon's blue iris' tore it from her lips.
"I've never loved Jo," she said quietly, "As much as I wish it were different, she was only ever a distraction from missing you. A sad attempt at moving on with my life...just like the others. But something was always missing. I couldn't love them."
Damon's hand reached for her, cupping her cheek, and she closed her eyes as he spoke.
"And me?" he murmured, "Do you love me?"
He held her gaze, and she sighed, "You know that I do."
His body relaxed with her answer, and she shook her head, "But that doesn't change anything. It doesn't change the fact that the circuit life isn't one that I want anymore. Or that you and I shouldn't just pick up where we left off."
"Why not?" Damon demanded, dropping his hands, "You love me, and you know that I love you. This thing with Klaus isn't going to last forever, so when will you let us be together?"
It took everything in her not to give in to him right then and there, with the vulnerability pouring from his gaze, but she owed them more than that.
"I want to be with you," she admitted after a moment, "That's all I've ever wanted. But not like this."
"Because it's not easy?" he accused, moving closer, "We've dealt with worse."
"Have we?" she wondered, "You don't know what Klaus is planning, so you can't possibly reassure me that this isn't all going to go to hell. And if we are ever going to have a chance to make it work, we can't live like that. Waiting on the edge, wondering if today's the day one of is going to be arrested, or god forbid, killed? I don't want that for us. Not this time."
"You're right," Damon frowned, "I can't promise anything. But no matter what's waiting for us, I need you, Elena. You do what you gotta do to make it right for you, but I don't want to do Valhalla without you."
His expression reminded her of the one on his face before, in the ring, when Klaus had insisted he mark the guy he'd defeated.
Damon didn't want this any more than she did, but much like her, love was forcing his hand.
Elena sighed, then slowly moved to wrap her arms around him.
He copied her motion, drawing her close in an embrace, and breathed against her hair.
"I'm sorry," she told him, "We'll figure this out, okay? But for now, I think it's best if I go to bed."
He rose a brow as she pulled back, so she added, "And put a locked door between us."
Damon smirked a little at her comment, but it lacked his usual humor.
Though his eyes still dropped to her lips, "I guess there's no chance you'd let me kiss you goodnight, then?"
Now she was the one smirking, "You're supposed to be behaving, remember?"
He chuckled, "Can't blame a guy for trying."
She shook her head, "Goodnight, Damon."
With a slight hesitance, and utter reverence, he brought his lips down to her cheek, brushing her skin softly, "Goodnight, Hummingbird."
An alarm sounded off entirely too early the next morning, but Damon woke up instantly.
The room around him was still mostly dark, as the sun had yet to rise, but once his vision adjusted, he was able to recall where he was.
Elena's house.
The alarm must have been coming from her bedroom.
With a groan, he pulled himself up and the crochet blanket he'd been using fell to the floor.
As he moved to swipe a hand over his face, his chest tensed with pain, and he frowned, looking down.
Oh right, he'd fought last night.
He pressed on the tender area where his opponent had landed his kick, and it seemed a little swollen still.
Oh well. He'd take some pills and get on with his life.
Speaking of which, he needed to get ahold of one of the guys and get Oscar's number.
If Elena had to work today, he might as well do something productive and have Katherine checked over.
Better safe than sorry when dealing with the King.
Maybe he could stop by the hospital for Elena's lunch afterwards, and they could go check on Stefan.
And then, if he was certain he wouldn't ring her neck, he'd go see his mother.
Memories from the day before poured into his head as the alarm was turned off.
He and Elena at their son's grave...the fight and the branding...Stefan, finally awake.
It had been an eventful few days to say the least, and he still felt as if he were trying to catch up.
He heard Elena get up, and his thoughts jumped to the other thing they'd discussed…
She loved him; had even admitted it.
So if she needed to work through her morals in order to feel like she was being honorable, he'd give her that.
But the idea of her wanting him stirred up all kinds of emotions, and as he recalled her moaning around his fingers, he wondered just how patient he'd be able to remain.
If he didn't hold the love and respect he did for her, he'd of pushed his point last night, and would have ended up in her bed.
But Elena deserved more than that from him, especially after everything else she'd already been through, and he wanted to do things right this time.
For them to start over, and to show her that he was capable of being her husband, for real.
So he'd wait as long as she needed to be comfortable.
Climbing to his feet then, Damon picked up the blanket and folded it the best he could before tossing it to the end of the couch, not wanting to leave a mess behind him.
The thought had him glancing around.
Elena's house was small, but it suited her.
Minimal furniture, arranged in a delicate way.
No dining room table, from what he could see of the kitchen, but she had a coffee table and a tv stand.
A small bookshelf was along the far wall that had a few random odds and ends on it, but for the most part everything seemed pretty much in it's place.
"I'm not home much."
He turned at the sound of Elena's voice, and spotted her standing in her doorway, watching him.
He smirked, "It's not a mess, you know. Quite the opposite actually."
"If you say so," she allowed with a smile, then her eyes traced his frame, reminding him that he'd stripped down to his underwear last night, before falling asleep.
He smirked, "My eyes are up here, sweetheart."
Elena turned red, but an honery look took place in her expression, "Don't flatter yourself. I was looking at your injury."
"Whatever you need to tell yourself," he teased, reaching to the ground for his pants as she rolled her eyes, "It's too early for this."
He laughed as he dressed, then began crossing the room to her, "I'm just messing with you. Though there's no shame in admitting that you like what you see."
The look she gave him was full of sass, but it didn't stop her eyes from moving down to his chest.
His breathing deepened when her hand followed, coming up to touch his pec.
She moved in closer as her fingers once again trailed over the ink of her name.
"Were you being honest?" she asked quietly, "Last night. When you said you hadn't slept with anyone else?"
He waited until she met his gaze before answering, "Completely."
She didn't explain why she'd asked, just simply nodded and let her hand further explore, running down his sternum now.
"I shouldn't like that fact as much as I do...," she spoke almost to herself, with her hand on the tattoo of Katherine now, tracing the blue ink.
"I've always loved these," she admitted, moving from the camaro to the skull tattoo, until she was behind him and her hands were on his Crow wings, "Especially this one."
Damon turned, letting her hand slide across his waist before dropping.
"I remember," he assured her, "Flashing them was all it used to take to get you into bed with me."
She smirked, "I guess they really sold your bad boy vibe...but I liked that about you. That you were reckless and impulsive."
"And madly in love with you?" he added, and she met his stare.
He opened his mouth to ask her about the sudden trip down memory lane, but she spoke before he could get the question out, "I couldn't sleep last night."
Damon paused, "Yeah?"
She nodded, "At first it was because of our conversation, and what happened before it."
His dick stirred at the memory of her moans.
"I almost came back in here a million times," she admitted, "But I don't think it would have done us any favors...then I kept thinking about the rest of our talk."
Damon's eyebrows pulled together, "Is that a good thing?"
She nodded, "I think so...I've missed you, Damon."
He smiled a little, and reached out to brush her hair, but really it was just an excuse to touch her in some way.
"I've missed you too, baby."
Their gazes locked, and that same warmth passed in the air, tangible enough that Elena actually sighed, and pulled away from him, "I should get ready for work. Do you have plans for today?"
Feeling as if he'd just experienced whiplash, it took him a minute to answer, "Uh, yeah. I was gonna try to track down Oscar, get Katherine looked at."
Elena nodded, "Alright, well, there's a spare key under the flower pot by the porch. Use it if you leave."
Before he could even nod, Elena had pressed a fleeting kiss to his cheek, then disappeared into her bathroom.
He shook his head, wondering what the hell that was even about.
It was going on eleven before Elena was able to catch a break.
A school bus had wrecked, courtesy of it's drunken driver, and a handful of kids had been brought in for injuries.
Luckily none had ended up being too serious, the worst of the lot was a fractured wrist, and she'd just gotten through assuring worried parents that everything was alright.
She sighed, grabbing a coffee from the break room, and downed as much as she could, despite the heat.
She should have tried to get more sleep last night, but the images of Damon's hand down her pants had played over and over in her mind, as had the story he'd spun for her.
That night on Katherine's hood had been iconic, to say the least.
They'd been entirely into the moment, and just when Damon had slid inside of her, the sky had opened, and rain had poured down.
Not like that had stopped them.
If anything, the slickness of the water only intensified their passion, until they were full on fucking in the rain, hands roaming over wet skin, as the droplets pierced through the heat.
It was a moment of purity; complete connection to each other, to the car, to the earth, to destiny.
She'd never felt more alive, as it was electric in it's entirety, even when they'd eventually moved to the back seat to finish.
She remembered it well because she was pretty sure it was the night Damon had gotten her pregnant.
She shook her head, and thought of their conversation last night...of his expression when she'd admitted that she still loved him.
But how could she not?
Everything Damon ever did was for the people he loved.
For her, for his brother...his selfless really did know no bounds.
And somehow, last night she was reminded most of the things she'd truly missed about him.
The memories she'd let anger burn away at.
She'd loved Damon since she was eighteen, and everything they'd ever gone through together, no matter how crazy, had still made her happy.
Because it had been with him.
So whatever Klaus had planned, whatever was waiting for them on the other side of this all...she owed it to herself to be happy with her life, not just content.
It was crazy, yes. Dangerous, and even irrational.
But what she had with Damon was real.
He was still her husband, still the person who knew her better than anyone.
He wouldn't make life easy for her, nor would it be boring with him...but this, among so many other things, is why they deserved another chance at making it work.
Like magnets, they were drawn to each other, and she was tired of pretending otherwise.
And nothing she had to give up was worse than the pain of losing him again.
So she would stick with him through this...as if it had really ever been a choice.
This was one risk she'd have to take, full throttle, all in, and pray that she didn't crash and burn this time.
"Elena-"
Her thoughts faded at the sound of her name, and Elena turned, half expecting there to be another emergency for her to dash off to, but it was Jo.
"Hey," she greeted, as the older woman stepped into the break room, "Hey yourself."
A little sorrow overcame her, at the thought of what she needed to do, but Elena was certain of her decision, and no amount of guilt or nostalgia would change that.
"I was looking for you," Jo said, "Do you have a minute?"
Elena nodded, "Yeah, sure. I was actually planning on finding you soon too."
"You were?"
"Yeah," she admitted, "I needed to talk to you."
"Oh. Yeah, me too."
They stared at each other for a moment, neither sure of who needed to speak first.
Then Elena figured she should go ahead and rip the bandaid off.
"Jo, listen-"
"This isn't working anymore, is it?" Jo cut her off.
Elena swallowed, "Am I that obvious?"
Jo gave her a dispirited smile, "Not really. But after seeing you with Damon, I suppose I expected it."
Elena sighed, "I'm sorry. You've been great to me, and the last thing I want is to hurt you, but everything going on with Damon right now is-"
"It's okay," Jo said, "You don't have to explain. I get it."
"You do?"
Now Jo was the one sighing, "Elena, we've been together for a few months now, and as much as I wish I could understand you, there's a part of you that you keep closed up. I used to think it was because you'd been hurt, but I after seeing you the other day...you still love him."
It wasn't as if she could deny that.
"And to be honest," Jo added, "I'd rather you have told me now than to of waited until it became a bigger deal than it needed to be and we wasted our time. You can't help how you feel, and if Damon makes you happy, you should be with him. Not to mention that the world the two of you come from...it's complicated. And right now, complicated isn't what I need in my life."
Elena nodded, "And you shouldn't have to deal with it."
"You shouldn't either," Jo pointed out, concern on her face now, "I'm not even going to try to understand what's going on, but remember that you left all of that behind for a reason. Together or not, I don't want to see you hurt."
Elena forced a smile, "Don't worry. I had years to get good at dealing with the complications."
Jo smirked, "I'm sure. But I was talking about Damon. Be careful."
"Yeah well," Elena sighed, "I got good at dealing with him too. I'll be fine."
"I hope so...and I hope you find whatever it was you were looking for."
"Thank you," Elena told her honestly, and before she could change her mind, she moved in to hug the woman, "For everything."
Jo nodded and squeezed her back, "You're welcome."
Damon got back to Elena's house later than he'd anticipated, but she still wasn't home, so it wasn't really as if it mattered.
His day hadn't been quite as productive as he'd wanted, as Oscar hadn't been at the shop when he'd called, so he'd spent the rest of his time with Lorenzo, going through the new pecking order in the races.
He was feeling a hell of a lot more confident, after looking through the current scores, and was actually starting to feel excited about the race next week.
Especially now that he'd have Katherine to drive.
Shrugging off his jacket, Damon threw it over the back of the couch and made his way into Elena's kitchen.
He was starving, and had half a mind to cook up something for them both to eat, once Elena was home from work of course, but when he opened the fridge, he found it mostly bare.
There weren't too many groceries, but there were however left over take out boxes from some Chinese place, and he had to chuckle.
Elena never had been much of a cook anyway, so this honestly shouldn't be surprising.
Maybe he could just go pick them up something instead.
If he remembered right, Elena had a soft spot for eggplant, and he knew a little Italian place that wasn't too far of a drive, if it was still up and running.
Of course, he could go the easy route and just order in.
This idea settled better, because at least that way, he'd be home whenever Elena got back.
Making up his mind, he pulled his cellphone out of his pocket to start looking up places that delivered, while also looking for a piece of mail or something that would hold Elena's address for him to give the restaurant.
Unfortunately though, the kitchen was as clean as the living room, so there wasn't anything laying around.
He frowned and pulled out a few drawers, but nothing besides utensils, stove mats, and left over sauce packets filled them.
He moved back into the living room, hoping he'd find something there.
The coffee table and entertainment center was empty, but the bookshelf was disarrayed enough to look promising.
He flipped through a few papers on top of it, which all turned out to be hospital stuff, probably from Elena's job, so he skimmed down.
No mail or envelopes, but a book on the bottom shelf did catch his eye.
Curiously, he reached down for it, and when it slid out, he realized it wasn't a book at all.
It was an album.
On the front was the frame of a sonogram picture, and below, the an etched name.
Grayson Damon Salvatore.
Sooo a lot happened here lol.
Let me know what you thought! :)
